bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-hospital mortality from severe COVID-19 in a tertiary care center in Mexico City; causes of death, risk factors and the impact of hospital saturation
Authors: Olivas-Martínez Antonio , Cárdenas-Fragoso José Luis , Jiménez José Víctor , Lozano-Cruz Oscar Arturo , Ortiz-Brizuela Edgar , Tovar-Méndez Víctor Hugo , Medrano-Borromeo Carla , Martínez-Valenzuela Alejandra , Román-Montes Carla Marina , Martínez-Guerra Bernardo , González-Lara María Fernanda , Hernandez-Gilsoul Thierry , Herrero Alfonso Gulias , Tamez-Flores Karla María , Ochoa-Hein Eric , Ponce-de-León Alfredo , Galindo-Fraga Arturo , Kershenobich-Stalnikowitz David , Sifuentes-Osornio José
Published: February 2021

Background

As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has remained in Latin America, Mexico has become the third country with the highest death rate worldwide. Data regarding in-hospital mortality and its risk factors, as well as the impact of hospital overcrowding in Latin America has not been thoroughly explored.

Methods and findings

In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled consecutive adult patients hospitalized with severe confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia at a SARS-CoV-2 referral center in Mexico City from February 26th, 2020, to June 5th, 2020. A total of 800 patients were admitted with confirmed diagnosis, mean age was 51.9 ± 13.9 years, 61% were males, 85% were either obese or overweight, 30% had hypertension and 26% type 2 diabetes. From those 800, 559 recovered (69.9%) and 241 died (30.1%). Among survivors, 101 (18%) received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and 458 (82%) were managed outside the intensive care unit (ICU); mortality in the ICU was 49%. From the non-survivors, 45.6% (n = 110) did not receive full support due to lack of ICU bed availability. Within this subgroup the main cause of death was acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in 95% of the cases, whereas among the non-survivors who received full (n = 105) support the main cause of death was septic shock (45%) followed by ARDS (29%). The main risk factors associated with in-hospital death were male sex (RR 2.05, 95% CI 1.34–3.12), obesity (RR 1.62, 95% CI 1.14–2.32)—in particular morbid obesity (RR 3.38, 95%CI 1.63–7.00)—and oxygen saturation < 80% on admission (RR 4.8, 95%CI 3.26–7.31).

Conclusions

In this study we found similar in-hospital and ICU mortality, as well as risk factors for mortality, compared to previous reports. However, 45% of the patients who did not survive justified admission to ICU but did not receive IMV / ICU care due to the unavailability of ICU beds. Furthermore, mortality rate over time was mainly due to the availability of ICU beds, indirectly suggesting that overcrowding was one of the main factors that contributed to hospital mortality.
Risk factors for ≥high-grade anal intraepithelial lesions in MSM living with HIV and the response to topical and surgical treatments
Authors: Hidalgo-Tenorio Carmen , García-Martínez Carmen Maria , Pasquau Juan , Omar-Mohamed-Balgahata Mohamed , López-Ruz Miguel , López-Hidalgo Javier , Gil-Anguita Concepción
Published: February 2021

Background

The objective of this study in MSM living with HIV was to determine the incidence of HSIL and ASCC, related factors, and the response to treatment.

Patients and methods

Data were gathered in 405 consecutive HIV-infected MSM (May 2010-December 2018) at baseline and annually on: sexual behavior, anal cytology, and HPV PCR and/or high-resolution anoscopy results. They could choose mucosectomy with electric scalpel (from May 2010) or self-administration of 5% imiquimod 3 times weekly for 16 weeks (from November 2013). A multivariate logistic regression model was developed for ≥HSIL-related factors using a step-wise approach to select variables, with a significance level of 0.05 for entry and 0.10 for exit, applying the Hosmer-Lemeshow test to assess the goodness of fit.

Results

The study included 405 patients with a mean age of 36.2 years; 56.7% had bachelor´s degree, and 52.8% were smokers. They had a mean of 1 (IQR 1–7) sexual partner in the previous 12 months, median time since HIV diagnosis of 2 years, and mean CD4 nadir of 367.9 cells/uL; 86.7% were receiving ART, the mean CD4 level was 689.6 cells/uL, mean CD4/CD8 ratio was 0.77, and 85.9% of patients were undetectable. Incidence rates were 30.86/1,000 patient-years for ≥high squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 81.22/100,000 for anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC). The ≥HSIL incidence significantly decreased from 42.9% (9/21) in 2010 to 4.1% (10/254) in 2018 (p = 0.034). ≥HSIL risk factors were infection with HPV 11 (OR 3.81; 95%CI 1.76–8.24), HPV 16 (OR 2.69, 95%CI 1.22–5.99), HPV 18 (OR 2.73, 95%CI 1.01–7.36), HPV 53 (OR 2.97, 95%CI 1.002–8.79); HPV 61 (OR 11.88, 95%CI 3.67–38.53); HPV 68 (OR 2.44, CI 95% 1.03–5.8); low CD4 nadir (OR1.002; 95%CI 1–1.004) and history of AIDS (OR 2.373, CI 95% 1.009–5.577). Among HSIL-positive patients, the response rate was higher after imiquimod than after surgical excision (96.7% vs 73.3%, p = 0.009) and there were fewer re-treatments (2.7% vs 23.4%, p = 0.02) and adverse events (2.7% vs 100%, p = 0.046); none developed ASCC.

Conclusions

HSIL screening and treatment programs reduce the incidence of HSIL, which is related to chronic HPV infection and poor immunological status. Self-administration of 5% imiquimod as first-line treatment of HSIL is more effective than surgery in HIV+ MSM.
Neologisms are epidemic: Modeling the life cycle of neologisms in China 2008-2016
Authors: Jiang Menghan , Shen Xiang Ying , Ahrens Kathleen , Huang Chu-Ren
Published: February 2021

This paper adopts models from epidemiology to account for the development and decline of neologisms based on internet usage. The research design focuses on the issue of whether a host-driven epidemic model is well-suited to explain human behavior regarding neologisms. We extracted the search frequency data from Google Trends that covers the ninety most influential Chinese neologisms from 2008-2016 and found that the majority of them possess a similar rapidly rising-decaying pattern. The epidemic model is utilized to fit the evolution of these internet-based neologisms. The epidemic model not only has good fitting performance to model the pattern of rapid growth, but also is able to predict the peak point in the neologism’s life cycle. This result underlines the role of human agents in the life cycle of neologisms and supports the macro-theory that the evolution of human languages mirrors the biological evolution of human beings.
Development of a web tool to increase research literacy in underserved populations through public library partnerships
Authors: Simon Melissa A. , O’Brian Catherine A. , Tom Laura , Wafford Q. Eileen , Mack Shenita , Mendez Samuel R. , Nava Magdalena , Dahdouh Rabih , Paul-Brutus Rachelle , Carpenter Kathryn H. , Kern Barbara , Holmes Kristi L.
Published: February 2021

Objective

Inadequate diversity in clinical trials is widely recognized as a significant contributing factor to health disparities experienced by racial/ethnic minorities and other diverse populations in the US. To address this in a scalable way, we sought to develop a web tool that could help enhance underserved minority participation in clinical research.

Methods

We used our research literacy support flashcard tool as the initial prototype for human-centered design and usability testing of the web tool Health for All in public library settings. After forming partnerships with leadership from Chicago Public Libraries (CPL), local medical libraries, and the Chicago Department of Public Health, we conducted seven iterative design sessions with focus groups of library patrons and library staff from six CPL branches serving underserved communities followed by two rounds of usability testing and website modification.

Results

Based on the qualitative research findings from Design Sessions 1–7, we enacted the design decision of a website that was a hybrid of fact-filled and vignette (personal stories) paper prototypes divided into 4 modules (trust, diversity, healthy volunteers, pros/cons), each with their own outcome metrics. The website was thus constructed, and navigation issues identified in two rounds of usability testing by library patrons were addressed through further website modification, followed by the launch of a beta version of a hybridized single-scrolling and guided module prototype to allow further development with website analytics.

Conclusions

We report the development of Health for All, a website designed to enhance racial/ethnic minority participation in clinical trials by imparting research literacy, mitigating distrust engendered by longstanding racism and discrimination, and providing connections to clinical trials recruiting participants.
Sustained release buprenorphine effectively attenuates postoperative hypersensitivity in an incisional pain model in neonatal rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Authors: Blaney Alexandra , Jampachaisri Katechan , Huss Monika K. , Pacharinsak Cholawat
Published: February 2021

Despite the need for safe and effective postoperative analgesia in neonates, research regarding pain management in neonatal rodents is relatively limited. Here, we investigate whether sustained release buprenorphine (Bup SR) effectively attenuates thermal hypersensitivity in a neonatal rat model of incisional pain. Male and female postnatal day 3 Sprague Dawley rat pups (n = 34) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: 1) saline (control), 0.1 mL, once subcutaneously (SC); 2) buprenorphine HCl (Bup HCl), 0.05 mg/kg, once SC; 3) low dose Bup SR (low-SR), 0.5 mg/kg, once SC; 4) high dose Bup SR (high-SR), 1 mg/kg, once SC. Pups were anesthetized with sevoflurane and a 0.5-cm long skin incision was made over the left lateral thigh. The underlying muscle was dissected and closed using surgical glue. Thermal hypersensitivity testing was performed at 24 h prior to surgery and subsequently at 1, 4, 8, 24, and 48 h post-surgery using an infrared diode laser. Thermal hypersensitivity was attenuated at 1 h post-surgery in the Bup HCl group, while it was attenuated through the entire postoperative period in both low-SR and high-SR groups. This data suggests that a single dose of low-SR (0.5 mg/kg) or high-SR (1 mg/kg) effectively attenuates thermal hypersensitivity for at least 8 h in neonatal rat pups.
Uptake of complete postnatal care services and its determinants among rural women in Southern Ethiopia: Community-based cross-sectional study based on the current WHO recommendation
Authors: Habte Aklilu , Gebiremeskel Feleke , Shewangizaw Misgun , Dessu Samuel , Glagn Mustefa
Published: February 2021

Background

Postnatal care services are a constellation of preventive care, practices, and assessments designed to identify and manage maternal and newborn complications during the first six weeks after birth. Recognizing the role of the appropriate PNC at this critical time, the World Health Organization recommended four visits as a complete PNC for all post-partum mothers and newborns to ensure their survival. Although there have been numerous studies on the factors affecting the general PNC service in Ethiopia, there is a shortage of evidence on the use of complete postnatal care services and its determinants. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the uptake of full postnatal care service and its determinants among women who recently gave birth in the Ezha district of southern Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Ezha district. A two-stage sampling technique was applied. A total of 568 mothers who stayed for at least 6 weeks after childbirth from selected Kebeles were included in the study using computer-generated random numbers. Data collected through pre-established, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaires were entered into EpiData3.1 and exported to SPPS version 23 for analysis. The Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was carried out to assess the wealth status of participants. The Multivariable logistic regression model has been fitted to identify the determinants of complete post-natal care service uptake.

Results

The overall uptake of complete postnatal care services in the study area was 23.9% [95% CI: (19.9, 27.5)]. The factors namely; maternal education of secondary and above [AOR: 4.31, 95%CI: 2.15, 8.05], having four and more antenatal visits [AOR: 4.03, 95%CI: 1.83, 8.85], Caesarean delivery [AOR: 3.75, 95%CI: 1.78, 7.92], having good knowledge on PNC [AOR: 4.31, 95%CI: 2.34, 9.04], and being a model household [AOR: 3.61, 95%CI: 1.97, 6.64] were recognized as determinants complete postnatal care uptake.

Conclusion and recommendation

Complete post-natal care services uptake in the study area was low. Thus, a due emphasis should be given to behavioral change communication activities to improve maternal knowledge on PNC and enhancing adequate ANC uptake by health workers in the district. Besides, health extension workers in the district need to work on creating a model household through continuing education, support, and follow-up.
Covid-19 in outpatients—Is fever a useful indicator for SARS-CoV-2 infection?
Authors: Schneider Anne , Kirsten Holger , Lordick Franziska , Lordick Florian , Lübbert Christoph , von Braun Amrei
Published: February 2021

Objective

Understanding mild to moderate symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is important in order to identify active cases early and thus counteract transmission.

Methods

In March 2020, Leipzig University Hospital established an outpatient clinic for patients potentially infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Confirmed cases with mild to moderate symptoms self-isolated at home and were followed-up by daily telephone calls for at least 14 days. Symptoms and course of illness of these patients are reported here.

Results

From March 20 to April 17, 2020, 1460 individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by naso- or oropharyngeal swab for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Covid-19 was confirmed in 91 (6.2%) patients, of which 87 were included in the final analysis. Patients presented for testing after a mean of 5.9 days (IQR = 2.0–8.5). The median age was 37.0 years (IQR = 28.5–53), and 48 (55.2%) were female. Five (5.7%) patients required hospital admission during the course of illness. Most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue (n = 64, 74%), cough (n = 58, 67%), and hyposmia/hypogeusia (n = 44, 51%). In contrast to previous reports, fever occurred in less than a third of patients (n = 25, 29%). By day 14, more than half of the patients had recovered completely (n = 37/70, 52.9%).

Conclusions

Fever seems to be less common in patients of relatively young age diagnosed with mild to moderate Covid-19. This suggests that body temperature alone may be an insufficient indicator of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Digital contact-tracing during the Covid-19 pandemic: An analysis of newspaper coverage in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Authors: Amann Julia , Sleigh Joanna , Vayena Effy
Published: February 2021

Governments around the globe have started to develop and deploy digital contact tracing apps to gain control over the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). The appropriateness and usefulness of these technologies as a containment measure have since sparked political and academic discussions globally. The present paper contributes to this debate through an exploration of how the national daily newspapers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland reported on the development and adoption of digital contact-tracing apps during early and after stages of the lockdown. These countries were among the first in Europe to develop apps and were critical voices in the debate of decentralized vs. centralized data processing. We conducted thematic analysis on news coverage published between January and May 2020 in high-circulation national daily newspapers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. A total of 148 articles from nine newspaper companies were included in the final analysis. From our analysis emerged six core themes of the development and adoption of digital contact tracing apps: 1) data governance; 2) role of IT giants; 3) scientific rigor; 4) voluntariness; 5) functional efficacy; 6) role of the app. These results shed light on the different facets of discussion regarding digital contact tracing as portrayed in German-speaking media. This study complements emerging survey data on public perceptions of digital contact tracing apps by providing a better understanding of the ideas circulating in the media ecosystem.
Open-source RNA extraction and RT-qPCR methods for SARS-CoV-2 detection
Authors: Graham Thomas G. W. , Dugast-Darzacq Claire , Dailey Gina M. , Nguyenla Xammy H. , Van Dis Erik , Esbin Meagan N. , Abidi Abrar , Stanley Sarah A. , Darzacq Xavier , Tjian Robert
Published: February 2021

Re-opening of communities in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has ignited new waves of infections in many places around the world. Mitigating the risk of reopening will require widespread SARS-CoV-2 testing, which would be greatly facilitated by simple, rapid, and inexpensive testing methods. This study evaluates several protocols for RNA extraction and RT-qPCR that are simpler and less expensive than prevailing methods. First, isopropanol precipitation is shown to provide an effective means of RNA extraction from nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples. Second, direct addition of NP swab samples to RT-qPCRs is evaluated without an RNA extraction step. A simple, inexpensive swab collection solution suitable for direct addition is validated using contrived swab samples. Third, an open-source master mix for RT-qPCR is described that permits detection of viral RNA in NP swab samples with a limit of detection of approximately 50 RNA copies per reaction. Quantification cycle (Cq) values for purified RNA from 30 known positive clinical samples showed a strong correlation (r2= 0.98) between this homemade master mix and commercial TaqPath master mix. Lastly, end-point fluorescence imaging is found to provide an accurate diagnostic readout without requiring a qPCR thermocycler. Adoption of these simple, open-source methods has the potential to reduce the time and expense of COVID-19 testing.
The leucine-rich repeats in allelic barley MLA immune receptors define specificity towards sequence-unrelated powdery mildew avirulence effectors with a predicted common RNase-like fold
Authors: Bauer Saskia , Yu Dongli , Lawson Aaron W. , Saur Isabel M. L. , Frantzeskakis Lamprinos , Kracher Barbara , Logemann Elke , Chai Jijie , Maekawa Takaki , Schulze-Lefert Paul
Published: February 2021

Nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat-containing receptors (NLRs) in plants can detect avirulence (AVR) effectors of pathogenic microbes. The Mildew locus a (Mla) NLR gene has been shown to confer resistance against diverse fungal pathogens in cereal crops. In barley, Mla has undergone allelic diversification in the host population and confers isolate-specific immunity against the powdery mildew-causing fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis forma specialis hordei (Bgh). We previously isolated the Bgh effectors AVRA1, AVRA7, AVRA9, AVRA13, and allelic AVRA10/AVRA22, which are recognized by matching MLA1, MLA7, MLA9, MLA13, MLA10 and MLA22, respectively. Here, we extend our knowledge of the Bgh effector repertoire by isolating the AVRA6 effector, which belongs to the family of catalytically inactive RNase-Like Proteins expressed in Haustoria (RALPHs). Using structural prediction, we also identified RNase-like folds in AVRA1, AVRA7, AVRA10/AVRA22, and AVRA13, suggesting that allelic MLA recognition specificities could detect structurally related avirulence effectors. To better understand the mechanism underlying the recognition of effectors by MLAs, we deployed chimeric MLA1 and MLA6, as well as chimeric MLA10 and MLA22 receptors in plant co-expression assays, which showed that the recognition specificity for AVRA1 and AVRA6 as well as allelic AVRA10 and AVRA22 is largely determined by the receptors’ C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRRs). The design of avirulence effector hybrids allowed us to identify four specific AVRA10 and five specific AVRA22 aa residues that are necessary to confer MLA10- and MLA22-specific recognition, respectively. This suggests that the MLA LRR mediates isolate-specific recognition of structurally related AVRA effectors. Thus, functional diversification of multi-allelic MLA receptors may be driven by a common structural effector scaffold, which could be facilitated by proliferation of the RALPH effector family in the pathogen genome.
MeV-Stealth: A CD46-specific oncolytic measles virus resistant to neutralization by measles-immune human serum
Authors: Muñoz-Alía Miguel Ángel , Nace Rebecca A. , Tischer Alexander , Zhang Lianwen , Bah Eugene S. , Auton Matthew , Russell Stephen J.
Published: February 2021

The frequent overexpression of CD46 in malignant tumors has provided a basis to use vaccine-lineage measles virus (MeV) as an oncolytic virotherapy platform. However, widespread measles seropositivity limits the systemic deployment of oncolytic MeV for the treatment of metastatic neoplasia. Here, we report the development of MeV-Stealth, a modified vaccine MeV strain that exhibits oncolytic properties and escapes antimeasles antibodies in vivo. We engineered this virus using homologous envelope glycoproteins from the closely-related but serologically non-cross reactive canine distemper virus (CDV). By fusing a high-affinity CD46 specific single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) to the CDV-Hemagglutinin (H), ablating its tropism for human nectin-4 and modifying the CDV-Fusion (F) signal peptide we achieved efficient retargeting to CD46. A receptor binding affinity of ~20 nM was required to trigger CD46-dependent intercellular fusion at levels comparable to the original MeV H/F complex and to achieve similar antitumor efficacy in myeloma and ovarian tumor-bearing mice models. In mice passively immunized with measles-immune serum, treatment of ovarian tumors with MeV-Stealth significantly increased overall survival compared with treatment with vaccine-lineage MeV. Our results show that MeV-Stealth effectively targets and lyses CD46-expressing cancer cells in mouse models of ovarian cancer and myeloma, and evades inhibition by human measles-immune serum. MeV-Stealth could therefore represent a strong alternative to current oncolytic MeV strains for treatment of measles-immune cancer patients.
Performing Ireland: Now, then, now …
Authors: Kelly Marie , O’Gorman Siobhán , Phillips Áine
Published: February 2021

This article offers a comprehensive, research-informed reflection on the contents of the Special Double Issue of Scene, ‘Performance and Ireland’, conceptualized within a sense of looped temporalities (now, then, now), a concept borrowed from Irish multidisciplinary performance company, ANU Productions. From the perspectives of performance studies and visual culture, we connect and contextualize for an international readership articles concerning such topics as: Ireland’s colonial history; race, ethnicity and racism in relation to Ireland; performing the Irish diaspora; feminist activism; performing LGBTQ+ identities; the Troubles and the border in Northern Ireland; Ireland as a global brand; the Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA); and artistic engagements with hidden histories. This introductory article provides an overview of the discourses on performance studies and Ireland to date, and draws on theories of performance as they intersect with Irish studies, postcolonialism, commemoration and gender and sexuality, to situate the volume within pertinent contemporary and historical contexts from the Irish Famine (1845–49) to Covid-19. ‘Performing Ireland’ in the context of the current pandemic is considered specifically towards the end of the article.
Performances of autonomy: Feminist performance practice and reproductive rights activism in Ireland
Authors: Walsh Helena
Published: February 2021

This article considers feminist performance practices in relation to reproductive rights campaigns in an Irish context. Following the successful campaign to Repeal the 8th Amendment in 2018 and the decriminalization of abortion in Northern Ireland in 2019, I explore the significance of feminist performance practices in developing discourses concerning reproductive autonomy and challenging the idealizing of motherhood. Through a discussion of key works by Áine Phillips, Amanda Coogan and myself, I outline how in deploying their bodies in their work live artists make visible the impact of oppressive gendered constructs and resist the policing and shaming of reproductive bodies in an Irish context. I demonstrate how through performing transgressive acts, live artists have ruptured the silencing surrounding both abortion and maternal experience. My article further critically reflects on the performances of the London-based direct-action performance group Speaking of IMELDA, drawing on my first-hand knowledge gained through my participation in the group’s successive performative interventions between 2013 and 2018. I discuss the group’s collective public vocalizations and, sometimes brazen, use of performance to unapologetically advocate for reproductive rights within an Irish context in a variety of social and geographical settings. I situate the performance activist aesthetics of IMELDA in voicing the intergenerational perspectives and solidarities of the London-Irish feminist diaspora as contributing to broadening understandings of Irishness. In outlining how the various performance practices discussed within this article have operated against cultural constructs of femininity and unashamedly advocated for reproductive autonomy, I locate performance as contributing to the development of feminist discourses.
Stepping to the fore: The promotion of Irish dance in Australia
Authors: Mollenhauer Jeanette
Published: February 2021

This article contributes to scant literature on Irish dance praxis in Australia by demonstrating how the confluence of global and local factors have permitted Irish dance in Australia to step to the fore. Irish step dance is a globally recognizable genre that has dispersed through, first, the migration of Irish people throughout the world and, more recently, through itinerant theatrical troupes. In Australia, a significant node of the Irish diaspora, Irish step dance has managed to achieve unusual prominence in a dance landscape that has traditionally been dominated by genres from within the Western concert dance canon. Drawing on both extant literature and ethnographic data, this article examines three threads from the narrative of Irish dance in Australia. First, the general choreographic landscape of the nation is described, showing that the preferences of Australian dance audiences have been shaped to privilege styles that are popular onstage and on-screen, with the resulting marginalization of culturally-specific genera. Second, localized effects of the global contagion instigated by the development of the stage show Riverdance are explored. Here, the domains of aesthetics and decisive marketing strategies are discussed, showing how engagement with Australian audiences was achieved. Finally, the article introduces an idiosyncratic localized influence, the children’s musical group The Wiggles, which was conceived independently but which also promoted interest and enthusiasm for Irish dance in Australia by engaging with young children and presenting propriety of Irish dance as available to all, regardless of cultural ancestry.
‘It is suicide to be abroad. But what it is to be at home …’: Beckett as national performance
Authors: Lonergan Patrick
Published: February 2021

This article explores how nations such as Ireland interact with each other – and seek to understand themselves – by appropriating theatre-makers and other artists, using them to perform versions of that nation to the outside world. This topic is considered through an exploration of the Irish state’s appropriation of Samuel Beckett as an icon that represents positive images of Irishness both within and beyond Ireland. This process is explored from shortly after Beckett’s death in 1989 to the launch in 2012 of an Irish navy vessel named the LÉ Samuel Beckett. The treatment of Beckett during that period is considered in the context of a broader discussion of nation-branding in Ireland. This is presented in an outline history of the Irish state’s performance of itself through its artists, which are discussed in relation to the appearance of Irish writers on banknotes during the twentieth century, among other brief examples related to the work of W. B. Yeats and James Joyce. The article concludes by considering some of the methodological challenges that arise in an investigation of national performance.
Incarcerated women and feminist activism: A case study of Margaretta D’Arcy
Authors: Murphy Ciara L.
Published: February 2021

This article interrogates the relationship between feminist activism and performance through an analysis of Margaretta D’Arcy’s time in the Armagh Jail during the republican ‘no-wash’ protest in 1980 in the north of Ireland. D’Arcy, who is an Irish artist, performer and activist, mirrors the performative strategies of the women prison protestors through an engagement with second-wave feminist methodologies. D’Arcy’s embodied and literal archiving of this experience constitutes a moment of performative activism that will be examined throughout the article by drawing on D’Arcy’s perspectives and intentions by engaging with her 1981 memoir of that time, Tell Them Everything, as well as supplementary interviews and archival research.
Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence: A Cornerstone in EMI in-service Training Programmes in Higher Education
Authors: Maíz-Arévalo Carmen , Orduna-Nocito Elena
Published: February 2021

Globalisation and technological advances have contributed greatly to increasing mobility in higher education (HE). One of the main stakeholders in this process are lecturers, for whom internationalisation is often understood as simply the use of a lingua franca—usually English—in their teaching (then known as English medium instruction, EMI) to the detriment of other key factors such as intercultural competence. The present study focuses on the analysis of a specific in-service training module intended to develop the intercultural communicative competence (ICC) of a group of 21 Spanish lecturers working at two public universities. Adopting an empirical approach, we specifically aim to contrast the participants’ beliefs about their own ICC before and after taking the training course. Adopting a mixed-method approach, two data gathering processes were used prior to and after the training: questionnaire and self-reflection report. The results show that before the training participants were willing to learn but mostly unaware of the importance of ICC. Once trained, many of them seem to have become aware that EMI goes beyond language issues and that there is a crucial need to work on the intercultural component to fully develop HE internationalisation. Furthermore, this study highlights the need for major changes in in-service training courses as well as in language policies for EMI in order to give ICC the presence it should have.
Formasi Sosial di Desa Kerta Buana: Transformasi dari Masyarakat Pertanian menjadi Masyarakat Pertambangan
Authors: Siburian Robert
Published: February 2021

Community in Kerta Buana village developed by Indonesia government in 1980 through transmigration program were farmers. Meanwhile, farmland which received of transmigrant that time was 1¾ hectare (ha); one hectare of the land is for tidally irrigated rice, and ¾ hectare of the land is for dryland crop. Biside that, each transmigrant also received ¼ hectare land for home garden. Through the land which was given by government to transmigrants, before 2000, Kerta Buana village could be created as centre of paddys for Tenggarong Seberang subdistrict result of some paddyfield which made of transmigrants. However, effect of coal mining expantion and change of mining method from underground pit mining to open pit mining, center of paddys term move slowly become center of mine holes, it consequence so many mine holes are open because they are not reclaimed. Social formation of the community also changes from agriculture activity whose ever to dominate activity there to activity is whole depent coal mining activity dynamic in Kerta Buana village and its surrounding. This paper tries to explain social formation dynamic happening there as the attendance of mining business who sponsored by government through some permits given to many companies which able to change transmigration area with agriculture activity becoming coal mining area with varians of economic activities together.
PENDIDIKAN AKHLAK DALAM PERSPEKTIK BUDAYA BATAK TOBA
Authors: Parinduri Muhammad Abrar
Published: February 2021

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between moral education and local wisdom of the Batak Toba culture. The research used qualitative methods and has been approached with field and ethnography studies. The primary data were obtained from field sources through interviews, observation of social media and supported by any others related documents. While secondary data were obtained from library materials that related to moral education and local wisdom of the Batak Toba culture. This study successfully addressed the implementation of nine Batak Toba local wisdom values which were line to akhlaq education : First, kinship (kekerabatan);Second, religious; Third, hagabeon; Fourth, hasangapon; Fifth, hamoraon; Sixth, hamajuaon; Seventh, patik dohot uhum; Eighth, Pengayoman; Ninth, marsisarian. These values â€‹â€‹were interrelated with the moral education contents: akhlaq towards Allah, akhlaq towards Rasulullah, akhlaq towards oneself, akhlaq towards family, akhlaq towards community, and akhlaq towards the nation. Moreover, the assimilation between cultural values â€‹â€‹and moral education were transmitted by parents through family education, family gatherings, and traditional events.
Genetic diversity of Salvia tomentosa Miller (Lamiaceae) species using Touch-down Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA (Td-DAMD) molecular markers
Authors: Saleh Basel
Published: February 2021

Salvia tomentosa Miller (Lamiaceae) a Mediterranean species has an important role in various pharmacological applications. To reveal genetic relationships among S. tomentosa natural populations, 35 samples were collected from different regions of Syria. Touch-down Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA (Td-DAMD) markers have been investigated for this goal. Td-DAMD assay produced 158 total bands of which 131 (82.911%) were polymorphic with a mean polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 0.264 and a mean marker index (MI) value of 2.269. Clustering profile based on TdDAMD data showed that samples were grouped into two main clusters; the first cluster included Lattakia samples which split into two subclusters regardless their altitudes over the sea level. Whereas, the second cluster included Tartous and Hama samples. Td-DAMD assay successfully discriminate among the tested 35 samples belonged to the S. tomentosa natural population.
A Technical and Industrial Analysis of Global Plastics Market, Trade, Financing, and Operations
Authors: Yildizhan Fatih Selim
Published: February 2021

Plastics are synthetic or semi-synthetic meltable substances that can be modeled in solid objects. In the modern world, it seems impossible today to live without plastic or synthetic polymers, which production and usage only go back to 1950. While plastics play a central role in modern society, the production of safer and cleaner products for potential use is required for decreasing the negative environmental effects.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the plastic industry, the role of plastics in our social life, the situation in the plastics market, plastic recycling, and masterbatch compound production.
For the purpose of this article, the main markets which have been analyzed are; Europe, Asia, and North America. There is a specific part focusing on Turkey who ranks 6th in terms of plastics processing capacity in Europe and has a huge plastic waste mismanagement problem.
Finally, there is an analysis of the financial and operational side of global plastics trading, contract terms, and payment methods, which are being used today by the companies who are operating in the petrochemical industry and commodity trade financing generally.
An Improved GPU-Based Parallel Computing Method for Landscape Index Calculation in Urban Area
Authors: Kang Mengjun , Ma Yunlong , Du Qingyun , Weng Min
Published: February 2021

With the development of urbanization in the world, dealing with the problems caused by urban expansion is becoming more and more important. The data that need to be processed in urbanization studies have increased with the improvement of the spatial and temporal resolution of remote
sensing satellites, exerting considerable pressure on traditional software used for landscape index computation. In this article, an improved landscape index-computing algorithm is proposed. Based on CUDA, a pixel-group parallelization strategy is adopted to optimize the algorithm. The results
show that the proposed algorithm increases the efficiency by more than a factor of three as the amount of data to be processed increases to 50 million pixels, thus providing a new way to calculate large-scale landscape index values on personal computers to study urbanization.
Exploring the Performance of Different Texture Information and Polarization Features from PolSAR Images in Urban Land Cover Classification
Authors: Guo Songjing , Teng Jiahua , Cheng Qimin
Published: February 2021

With the improvement of spatial resolution of polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR ) images, there was more research on texture features extracted from PolSAR images; however, the performance of texture features derived from different descriptors in PolSAR images was not fully
explored. In this study, the performance of combining polarization features with texture features extracted by four descriptors, respectively, in land cover classification was explored. The experimental results indicated that: (1) different texture features have different abilities to distinguish
ground objects; (2) with the improvement of spatial resolution of PolSAR images, texture features should not be ignored; (3) polarization features are very important for land cover classification, texture features can be used as auxiliary features to further improve the classification accuracy.
This study could serve as a meaningful reference for information extraction from PolSAR images.
A Soil and Impervious Surface Adjusted Index for Urban Impervious Surface Area Mapping
Authors: Zhang Yanyi , Tian Yugang , Zhang Lihao
Published: February 2021

Index-based methods are widely applied to urban impervious surface area (ISA) mapping, but the confusion between ISA and soil remains unsolved. In this article, the near-infrared (NIR)-blue bands were selected as feature space by analyzing the spectra from the US Geological Survey spectral
library, and a simple impervious surface ratio index (ISRI) was developed by shifting the NIR-blue coordinate origin toward the convergence point of the fitting lines of ISA and soil. The ISRI was then validated for threshold simulation, separability, and correlation analysis. Results demonstrated
that ISRI had a good performance for ISA mapping in four cities in China with different geographic environments, with all extraction accuracies all above 90%. ISRI had a high separability between ISA and soil and was better than other indices (normalized difference built-up index and biophysical
composition index). Further, ISRI has a close relationship with the ISA proportion. Therefore, ISRI would be a simple and reliable index for urban ISA mapping.
Pembelajaran Calistung: Peningkatkan Perkembangan Kognitif pada Kelompok B di TK Angkasa Tasikmalaya
Authors: Asrilla Yulisar Niffa , Hibana Hibana , Zubaedah Siti
Published: February 2021

This research is motivated by the pros and cons of applying calistung learning in kindergarten. Calistung's activities caused much criticism from observers of early childhood. That the world of children is playing and having fun and the most important thing that must be developed in kindergarten is socializing and ethics. But there are opinions that assume that early childhood is a golden period where it is easy to absorb all kinds of information. This study includes a qualitative approach to the type of descriptive research. The subject of this research is the teacher kelas B TK Angkasa Tasikmalaya. Data collection uses observation, interviews and documentation. Analysis using the Milles and Huberman model and data validity testing using source and technique triangulation. The results showed that the learning that was implemented in TK Angkasa had largely followed the idealism of calistung learning according to existing theories. Children's cognitive aspects generally develop well according to the stages of cognitive development at the age of 5-6 years. Calistung learning in TK Angkasa Tasikmalaya has positive and negative effects on children's cognitive.
Keterlibatan Orang Tua dalam Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini di Satuan PAUD Islam
Authors: Agung Hidayatulloh M. , Laily Fauziyah Nur
Published: February 2021

This paper describes the parental involvement in Islamic Early Childhood Education (ECE) units. The subjects of this study were parents and teachers in two Radlatul Athfal (RA). Through observation, interviews, and documentation, it is found that there are three types of parental involvement in education i.e. direct involvement in RA, direct involvement outside RA, and involvement at home. Another form of involvement is involvement that is directly requested by RA and some that are voluntary. The driving force for parental involvement in general is a form of cooperation in advancing children’s education and maintaining optimal child development. Parental involvement strategies include school production, outing, and home visits. Regarding the parental involvement model, there are two models in RA Mathla'ul Anwar, namely the protective model and the consumer model. Meanwhile, in RA Islamiyah Talun there are five models, namely the protective, transmission, curriculum-enrichment, consumer, and partnership models.
Strategi Pembelajaran Motorik Kasar pada Anak Usia Dini Era Pandemi Covid-19
Authors: Yahya Putra Andhika
Published: February 2021

This study aims to see the teacher's strategy in achieving gross motor learning goals during the Covid-19 pandemic. The type of research used is descriptive qualitative. The object of this research is the class teacher group A TK ABA Gunung Ketur Pakualaman Yogyakarta. Data interview technique by interview. The analysis of this research used Milles and Huberman. Test the validity of the data by using triangulation of sources and techniques. The results showed application of learning strategies is carried out, namely first, by making gross motoric learning videos then sharing them through the WhatsApp group. Second, using direct video calls with a race in it and the third, giving freedom to children to search for gross motor movement videos on YouTube. Obstacles in learning are slow parental response, bad signals, limited internet quota. For this reason, the teacher carries out home visit solutions to the homes of parents of students who have problems in the learning process.
WORKPLACE ATTRACTIVENESS AND ITS EFFECT ON JOB SATISFACTION
Authors:   Instytut Psychologii, Uniwersytet Łódzki, Lipińska-Grobelny Agnieszka , Jędrasik Marta ,   Delv Global Services
Published: February 2021

The aim of the research was to check whether there is a relationship between the perception of the workplace by the employee as attractive and the level of job satisfaction experienced by him/her. These analyzes are part of the search for environmental conditions of job satisfaction. The study group consisted of 100 office employees were asked to complete three questionnaires: Job Description Questionnaire by Neuberger and Allerbeck, Job Affect Scale by Brief, Burke, George, Robinson and Webster, and authors’ tool to measure the physical assessment of attractiveness the workplace. The results obtained confirm that the attractiveness of the workplace together with the perception of individual elements of space arrangement are related to job satisfaction, both in the emotional and cognitive dimensions. Thus, the results can be a premise to be used by the employer in the process of building an employer branding as inside-out as well as outside-in. Key words: workplace attractiveness, job satisfaction
WORK ETHIC AND MOTIVATION OF ACHIEVEMENT
Authors:   Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny SWPS, Wydział Zamiejscowy w Katowicach, Grabowski Damian , Chudzicka-Czupała Agata , Rachwaniec-Szczecińska Żaneta ,   Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Katowice
Published: February 2021

The article presents the mutual relations between the components of work ethic and achievement goals: mastery- approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals. Work ethic was presented as a syndrome of the following attitudes: 1) perceiving work as a moral value, 2) treating work as a central value in life, and 3) the belief in the importance of hard work that leads to success. This ethic also consists of the following components: 4) unwillingness to waste time, 5) disapproval of spare time (anti-leisure), 6) willingness to delay gratification, 7) willingness to act honestly at work (morality/ethic), and 8) being independent (self-reliance). The research conducted on the sample of 206 employees showed that the dimensions of work ethic are related the most strongly, average and positively to mastery-approach goals but weakly to mastery-avoidance. Performance- approach and performance-avoidance goals correlate positively with only two dimensions: self-reliance and the belief in the importance of hard work. Morality is negatively related to performance goals (approach and avoidance). Being independent (self-reliance) correlates positively but weakly with mastery goals (approach and avoidance). The results show clearly that work ethic is associated with mastery-approach goals. A person who assesses work high, aspires to reach the standard of mastery and it is the motivation that relies mainly on aspiration. Key words: work ethic, achievement motivation, achievement mastery goals, goals