bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Acoustic Energy Radiated by Bubble Produced by Raindrops
Authors: Li Qi , Liu Shu , Shang Dajing
Published: December 2020

Underwater noise produced by rainfall is an important part of underwater ambient noise. The bubbles produced by raindrops are the main noise source of underwater noise. Generally, the sound pressure signal of individual bubbles is easily contaminated by tank reverberation, hydrodynamic flow, and laboratory electrical noise. In order to solve this problem, this study proposes a method for calculating the acoustic energy of the bubble produced by a raindrop when the latter falls onto a plane water surface. For this purpose, a series of experiments was conducted in a 15 m × 9 m × 6 m reverberation tank filled with tap water. The bubble produced by a raindrop behaves as a simple exponentially damped sinusoidal oscillator. Based on the dipole radiation pattern, a formula was derived to predict the sound energy of these bubbles. The damping coefficient of the bubble formed by raindrops is found to differ appreciably from the empirical value of the bubble formed by other mechanisms. The resonance frequency of the bubbles is found to decrease with time. It is due to the rapid increase in the distance between the bubble and the interface. Then, the formula is optimized by using these two improved variables. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical derivation.
Numerical Solutions of Micropolar Nanofluid over an Inclined Surface Using Keller Box Analysis
Authors: Rafique Khuram , Alotaibi Hammad , Nofal Taher A. , Anwar Muhammad Imran , Misiran Masnita , Khan Ilyas
Published: December 2020

The Brownian motion and thermophoretic impacts attained a noticeable intention of the recent researchers because these factors trigger the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid. In this study, we focus on radiation and Soret effects on a slanted stretchable sheet. Buongiorno’s model is taken into account with Brownian motion and thermophoretic effects. Compatible transformations are implemented to attain the nonlinear differential equation from the boundary value PDE’s. The physical quantities of practical interest are treated by graphically as well as numerically. For numerical results, the Keller box technique is applied. The numerical outcomes through tabulated magnitudes performed a good settlement with already existing results. Energy transfer rate against involved factor exhibited via graphs. Energy and mass transport rates enhance against increment in Soret factor while skin friction diminishes. Moreover, Nusselt number and Sherwood number decrease on improving inclination while skin friction increases.
A Deep Multiview Active Learning for Large-Scale Image Classification
Authors: Yao Tuozhong , Wang Wenfeng , Gu Yuhong
Published: December 2020

Multiview active learning (MAL) is a technique which can achieve a large decrease in the size of the version space than traditional active learning and has great potential applications in large-scale data analysis. In this paper, we present a new deep multiview active learning (DMAL) framework which is the first to combine multiview active learning and deep learning for annotation effort reduction. In this framework, our approach advances the existing active learning methods in two aspects. First, we incorporate two different deep convolutional neural networks into active learning which uses multiview complementary information to improve the feature learnings. Second, through the properly designed framework, the feature representation and the classifier can be simultaneously updated with progressively annotated informative samples. The experiments with two challenging image datasets demonstrate that our proposed DMAL algorithm can achieve promising results than several state-of-the-art active learning algorithms.
Location and Design of Urban Facilities considering Competitors’ Responses: A Case Study of Putuo District, Shanghai
Authors: Lai Zhizhu , Yan Ge , Chen Yulong , Wang Zheng
Published: December 2020

In view of the problem of competitive facility location in urban planning, the response of competitors to the new facility is considered. We use Huff’s probability model to describe the market share of all facilities which depends on its service quality and its distance from customers. To maximize the market share of facilities, a two-stage method (quality decision stage and location decision stage) is adopted, which takes into account the responses of competitors. In the stage of quality decision, the competitive decision-making process is simulated as a game process and solved by Nash equilibrium. The solution of the quality decision process can be expressed as a function of the new facility’s location which can be obtained by polynomial approximation. In the location decision stage, we apply the interval analysis based on branch and bound algorithm to determine the optimal location of new facility. Then, we use the randomly generated numerical experiment to verify the effectiveness of the model and algorithm. Finally, we apply this model and algorithm to the location of a new shopping mall in Putuo district, Shanghai.
The Shuganhuazheng Formula in Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer: A Study Based on Network Pharmacology and In Vivo Experiments
Authors: Wang Bo , Fei Rui , Yang Yan , Jing Niancai , Lu Yi , Xiao Hongyu , Yang Jili , Zhang Yue
Published: December 2020

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Among breast cancer subtypes, triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the highest degree of malignancy and the worst prognosis. The Shuganhuazheng formula (SGHZF) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula for the treatment of TNBC, but the mechanism of SGHZF in the treatment of TNBC remains unclear. In this study, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of SGHZF against TNBC were preliminarily determined based on in vivo experimental verification and network pharmacology. In terms of therapeutic effects, the antitumour effect was verified by measuring and calculating tumour volume, and the expression of proto‐oncogene c‐Myc was verified by PCR. In terms of the mechanism, potential therapeutic targets were identified by overlapping the SGHZF‐related and TNBC‐related targets. After comprehensively analysing the results of the protein‐protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO) function, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, Akt and HIF‐1α were selected for verification by using immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses. The results of the study indicated that SGHZF can inhibit breast tumour growth in mice and that the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of Akt and HIF‐1α expression.
Using a Dielectric Capacitance Cell to Determine the Dielectric Properties of Pure Sand Artificially Contaminated with Pb, Cd, Fe, and Zn
Authors: Dahim Mohammed , Abuaddous Musab , Ismail Rabah , Al-Mattarneh Hashem , Jaradat Aiman
Published: December 2020

This paper presents a new method of dielectric capacitance cell as a proposed device for measuring the impedance of pure sand artificially contaminated with four heavy metals. Dielectric constant and loss factor of clean and contaminated sand at various levels were calculated from the measured sand impedances. The advantages and benefits of using the proposed dielectric capacitance cell were its low cost, simple calculation, calibration procedures, portable and lightweight, and easy to modify the electrodes to suit testing in the field. Pure sand was saturated with water artificially polluted in the lab with Pb, Cd, Fe, and Zn at heavy metal contents 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30 mg/kg of sand. The dielectric properties of polluted sand were evaluated at a frequency range from 100 kHz to 1000 kHz. The polluted sand exhibit different dielectric constants and loss factors from the unpolluted sand. The results also indicate that the dielectric constant decreases with increasing pollution level for all heavy metals. This may attribute to the polarization mechanism change with existing heavy metal. The loss factor of sand increases with the increasing pollution level. This may be explained by the increase of ionic conductivity of pore water with heavy metal in the sand. Sand polluted with heavy metal with higher resistivity and density possess a higher dielectric constant and lower loss factor than other polluted metals. Evaluation of the dielectric characteristics of polluted sand could have the potential to monitor heavy metal pollution. Even with promising results obtained with the proposed dielectric device, it is necessary to explore several other factors affecting the measurements such as sand water content, soil texture, and type of soil. Also, testing polluted soil near industrial pollution is needed.
Serum Levels of Asprosin, a Novel Adipokine, Are Significantly Lowered in Patients with Acromegaly
Authors: Ke Xiaoan , Duan Lian , Gong Fengying , Zhang Yuelun , Deng Kan , Yao Yong , Wang Linjie , Pan Hui , Zhu Huijuan
Published: December 2020

Background. Asprosin is a novel identified adipokine secreted mainly by white adipose tissue, which is elevated in metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Acromegaly is a syndrome caused by pituitary growth hormone (GH) cell adenoma with excessive GH secretion. Serum adipocytokines levels may be involved in abnormal glycolipid metabolism in acromegaly patients. Objectives. To investigate serum asprosin levels in acromegaly patients and its correlation with high GH levels and glucolipid metabolic parameters. Methods. A retrospective case-control study was conducted and 68 acromegaly patients and 121 controls were included in this study. Clinical information and laboratory examinations were collected and serum asprosin levels were measured by commercial ELISA kits. Results. Serum asprosin levels in acromegaly patients were significantly lower than controls (

P
<
0.001

). Serum asprosin levels in patients with the course of acromegaly ≥5 years (compared with <5 years), high area under curve of growth hormone (GH-AUC) after 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (compared with low GH-AUC patients), and high IGF-1 SDS group (compared with low IGF-1 SDS group) were significantly reduced (all

P
<
0.05

). Serum asprosin levels in acromegaly patients were negatively correlated with the course of acromegaly, IGF-1 SDS, nadir growth hormone value (GH-Nadir), and GH-AUC after OGTT. Multiple stepwise linear regression indicated that acromegaly was an independent influencing factor of serum asprosin levels. According to serum asprosin levels tertiles, the risk of acromegaly in the lowest group was 2.67 times higher than the highest group (OR ＝ 3.665, 95% CI 1.677 ∼ 8.007,

P
=
0.001

), and the increased risk of the lowest group still existed after adjusting for gender, age, BMI, and TC (Model 2). Conclusions. Serum asprosin levels in acromegaly patients are lowered, which may be related to increased blood glucose and reduced body fat mass caused by long-term high GH levels exposure.
Self-Management Components as Experienced by People with Parkinson’s Disease and Their Carers: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of the Qualitative Literature
Authors: Tuijt Remco , Tan Aylin , Armstrong Megan , Pigott Jennifer , Read Joy , Davies Nathan , Walters Kate , Schrag Anette
Published: December 2020

Background. Self-management strategies are important in healthcare for people with Parkinson’s to improve daily living. There is limited evidence on effectiveness in Parkinson’s, and the active components of effective self-management strategies are uncertain. This review aims to identify and synthesise the qualitative evidence regarding the experiences of self-management components by people with Parkinson’s and their carers. Methods. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched from inception to July 8, 2020, for qualitative research concerning self-management for people with Parkinson’s. Data were coded and thematically synthesised using NVivo. Findings. Of 9547 search results, six papers were included in the final thematic synthesis. The studies reviewed consisted of 147 participants: 104 were people with Parkinson’s and 43 were carers. Seven main themes were derived concerning self-management of people with Parkinson’s: (1) medication management, (2) physical exercise, (3) self-monitoring techniques, (4) psychological strategies, (5) maintaining independence, (6) encouraging social engagement, and (7) providing knowledge and information. These components should be incorporated as relevant strategies and techniques and should be specific as well as tailored to different stages of the disease. Discussion. Self-management programmes for people with Parkinson’s should include the seven themes presented as part of this review and pay particular attention to presenting relevant information and skills as they relate to different stages of the disease. Tailoring information and social engagement were two components that required specific attention in order to engage people with Parkinson’s effectively.
Humoral Influence of Repeated Lineage-Negative Stem/Progenitor Cell Administration on Articulatory Functions in ALS Patients
Authors: Sobuś Anna , Baumert Bartłomiej , Pawlukowska Wioletta , Gołąb-Janowska Monika , Paczkowska Edyta , Wełnicka Agnieszka , Meller Agnieszka , Machowska-Sempruch Karolina , Zawiślak Alicja , Łuczkowska Karolina , Milczarek Sławomir , Osękowska Bogumiła , Safranow Krzysztof , Rotter Iwona , Nowacki Przemysław , Machaliński Bogusław
Published: December 2020

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains a fatal, neurodegenerative disease frequently leading to dysarthria and impaired swallowing. Better understanding of ALS pathophysiology is prompting the use of humoral cell therapies. Hence, a repeated cellular therapy was applied to ALS patients as an attempt to prevent speech deterioration. Autologous bone marrow-derived lineage-negative (Lin−) cells were intrathecally administered three times at six-week intervals to 42 sporadic ALS patients. Patients were examined for articulatory functions using subjective (VHI) and objective (FDA) scales. Selected trophic, proinflammatory factors and expression profiles of miRNA were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma by multiplex Luminex and q-PCR in different timepoints. Of the 42 patients who received the Lin− cells, 6 showed improvement in articulatory functions, 27 remained stable, and 9 deteriorated after 18 weeks of therapy according to FDA scale. Clinical improvement was particularly evident by the 7th day of each cell application and concerned better cough and swallow reflex, soft palate, laryngeal time, pitch, and volume. These results correlated with significant changes in the concentration of various trophic and proinflammatory factors and miRNA expression profiles. A multiple application of Lin− cells proved to be safe and feasible. The repeated procedure can potentate a humoral effect and prevent speech deterioration. A short-lasting trophic effect of each Lin− cells administration was observed on local and systemic level. However, further in-depth studies are necessary to sustain the beneficial effect.
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography in Diagnosing Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cheng Xingxing S. , Mohanty Suman , Turner Valery , Mastrodicasa Domenico , Winther Simon , Fleischmann Dominik , Tan Jane C. , Fearon William F.
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is emerging as an important noninvasive testing modality for coronary angiography. The performance characteristic of CCTA in patients with advanced kidney disease is unknown. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies specifically investigating the sensitivity and specificity of CCTA compared to coronary angiogram as a reference standard in patients with advanced kidney disease, defined as dialysis dependence or nearing kidney transplantation. Two independent investigators assessed studies for inclusion/exclusion, quality, and characteristics, while a third investigator adjudicated. Results: We identified 4 studies including a total of 217 patients, of whom 159 were dialysis dependent. Three of the 4 studies had a high risk of bias in patient selection and study flow, while 1 study rated low in all areas of bias. The studies were heterogeneous in their patient selection and CCTA protocol but consistent in their definition of obstructive coronary artery disease. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for CCTA were 0.96 (0.87–0.99) and 0.66 (0.57–0.74), respectively. When we restricted the analysis to dialysis-dependent patients, the pooled sensitivity and specificity for CCTA were 0.99 (0.74–1.00) and 0.67 (0.49–0.82), respectively. Conclusions: Based on limited data, CCTA appears to have comparable sensitivity but lower specificity relative to the non-kidney disease population.
Prognostic Impact of Immunoglobulin Kappa C in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Heimes Anne-Sophie , Krämer Hannah , Härtner Franziska , Almstedt Katrin , Krajnak Slavomir , Battista Marco J. , Brenner Walburgis , Hasenburg Annette , Schmidt Marcus
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Immunoglobulin κC (IGKC)-positive tumor-infiltrating plasma cells are associated with better prognosis in node-negative breast cancer patients without adjuvant systemic therapy. In the present study we evaluated the prognostic significance of IGKC in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy ± tamoxifen. Methods: IGKC expression was immunohistochemically analyzed in 193 breast cancer patients who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, either with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) or 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FEC) between 1993 and 2001 with a median follow-up of 11 years. The prognostic impact of IGKC expression was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analyses as well as uni- and multivariate Cox regression. An interaction term was used to investigate a possible association between tamoxifen treatment and prognostic effect of IGKC expression. Results: Kaplan-Meier analyses identified IGKC as a prognostic marker for metastasis-free survival (MFS): higher IGKC expression was associated with a better outcome (p = 0.02, log rank). Results of univariate Cox regression confirmed the prognostic impact of IGKC expression: patients with a strong IGKC expression had a longer MFS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.931; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.087–3.431; p = 0.025). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed the independent prognostic significance of IGKC expression (HR 2.070; 95% CI 1.088–3.938; p = 0.027). The interaction term confirmed a significant interaction between tamoxifen treatment and the prognostic impact of IGKC expression (pinteraction = 0.04). Conclusion: IGKC expression had an independent prognostic impact in early breast cancer patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. There was a significant interaction with the use of tamoxifen.
Havachoobe (Onosma dichroanthum Boiss) Root Extract Decreases the Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen Secretion in the PLC/PRF/5 Cell Line
Authors: Mohebbi Alireza , Azadi Fahimeh , Hashemi Mohammad Mostakhdem , Askari Fatemeh Sana , Razzaghi Nazanin
Published: December 2020

Background: Many efforts are currently focused on functional treatment of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This can be done by suppressing the secretion of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Scientific communities are very interested in natural products in that respect. Objective: Use of root extract of Havachoobe (Onosma dichroanthum BoissI), a Northern Iranian native medical herb, for assessment of its anti-HBsAg secretion activity. Methods: Havachoobe had been bought at a nearby apothecary store. Plant root extract was obtained using a hydroalcoholic process. Cytotoxic activity of the extract was examined on PLC/PRF/5 cells using MTT assay. ELISA has been used to measure HBsAg in the treated cell line supernatants. In addition, real-time PCR analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of HBsAg before and after treatment of Onosma in vitro. Results: The results showed very low root extract cytotoxicity at concentrations under 8 μg/mL. Tissue culture infectious dose 50 was obtained at 63.78 μg/mL. In a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, a significantly reduced HBsAg secretion was observed at a concentration of 8 ppm at 12 h post-treatment. The real-time PCR result showed relative decreased HBsAg expression at all doses at 12 h post-treatment time. Discussion: In this study, we first reported anti-HBsAg activity on an Iranian herbal medicine. Havachoobe root extract was shown to be able to inhibit HBsAg in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. We find the extract exerts its inhibitory effect of HBsAg by targeting transcription of HBsAg.
Ensino e aprendizagem e alemão com mídias digitais: introdução ao dossiê temático
Authors: Rozenfeld Cibele Cecílio de Faria , Marques-Schäfer Gabriela
Published: December 2020

...
DaF und digitale Medien: ein Interview mit Dietmar Rösler
Authors: Marques-Schäfer Gabriela
Published: December 2020

Der Gießener Professor und Autor der Bücher „E-Learning Fremdsprachen – eine kritische Einführung“ und „Deutsch als Fremdsprache: Eine Einführung“, Dietmar Rösler, spricht im Interview über seine Ideen zum Einsatz digitaler Medien im DaF-Unterricht und seine Erfahrungen als Hochschulprofessor mit der Digitalisierung der Lehre vor und während der Corona-Pandemie in Deutschland. Dabei skizziert er mögliche Konsequenzen aus der Krise für unterschiedliche fremdsprachliche Lehr- und Lernszenarien sowie für Veränderungen in der Aus- und Fortbildung von DaF-Lehrenden. Dietmar Rösler beschreibt in diesem Interview auch seine Zukunftsvision zu den Lehrwerken in einer zunehmenden digitalisierten Welt.
Deutsch lernen im Blended-Format: Erfahrungen mit dem brasilianischen Sprachlernprogramm „Idiomas sem Fronteiras – Alemão“
Authors: Chaves Giovanna , Mariano Thiago Viti , Voerkel Jean Paul
Published: December 2020

Der vorliegende Artikel nimmt die stetig zunehmende Nutzung von OnlineMedien im Fremdsprachenunterricht zum Anlass, um anhand eines konkreten Beispiels die Heraus-forderungen und Möglichkeiten des Blended Learning (BL) zu umreißen. Grundlage der Überlegungen ist das Sprachlernprogramm Idiomas sem Fronteiras („Sprachen ohne Grenzen“), über das seit 2016 Online-Deutschkurse mit tutorieller (Präsenz-)Begleitung an brasilianischen Hochschulen angeboten werden. Eine Umfrage unter 228 Teilnehmenden eines Kursdurchlaufs im Jahr 2019 an brasilianischen Universitäten liefert empirisch belegbare Ergebnisse zum BLSetting, die analysiert werden und in Überlegungen zur didaktischen Umsetzung münden.
Der Name des Mannes: a nomeação ficcional e a decadência familiar em “Os Buddenbrook” e “Os Maia”
Authors: Camargo Amanda Kristensen de , Seide Marcia Sipavicius
Published: December 2020

A temática da decadência em “Os Buddenbrook”: decadência duma família” é explícita: materializa-se enquanto subtítulo da obra literária. Em “Os Maias”, repete-se a estrutura essencial do título anterior, focalizando-se um nome de família. Sabe-se, entretanto, de antemão, que o enredo contemplado pelo romance de Thomas Mann perpassará por episódios cujo desfecho está no desnodar decadente das gerações da família Buddenbrook, o que, ainda que não explícito, repete-se na obra de Eça de Queirós. Para concretizar de forma estética a temática pretendida, ambos os autores focalizam cada geração das famílias ficcionais, desnudando dialeticamente pensamentos e papeis sociais. Desse desnudamento, um traço se mostra compartilhado por quase todas as personalidades: a preocupação para com a perpetuação do nome da família; fardo que pressagia a total extinção de ambos os antropônimos. A fim de demonstrar a relação da nomeação com a temática da decadência familiar, este artigo propõe um diálogo entre a Literatura Comparada e a Antroponomástica Ficcional – estudo dos nomes ficcionais – e situa o processo da despersonalização subjetiva do nome de família para a concretização do ápice da decadência: o desparto social do nome.
Identificando a evolução e os fronts de pesquisa em temáticas por meio do mapeamento bibliométrico
Authors: Ferro Rafael Cunha , Mendes Bruna de Castro , Cavenaghi Airton José , Rejowski Mirian
Published: December 2020

Este artigo exploratório tem como objetivo principal apresentar duas técnicas bibliométricas: o acoplamento bibliográfico, que permite o mapeamento de fronts de pesquisa, e a análise de citação direta, que demonstra a evolução teórica de temáticas. Estudos de revisão relacionais, nos quais as técnicas em questão estão inseridas, são ainda pouco produzidos na pesquisa brasileira em Turismo e Hospitalidade, o que acaba por ser um limitador para desenvolvimento e aprofundamentos de projetos. Para demonstrar a aplicabilidade de tais técnicas, selecionou-se o tema Impactos Sociais do Turismo, sob a perspectiva dos residentes. Entre os procedimentos metodológicos adotados para a análise da temática em um período de 30 anos (1988-2018) estão: seleção de softwares, extração do conjunto de artigos em língua inglesa na base de dados Web of Science, normalização dos dados, tratamento dos dados em estatísticas descritivas, histográfico, análise de redes e análise de conteúdo. Como principais resultados, observa-se a eficácia destas técnicas, principalmente ao avaliar a configuração e o desenvolvimento da produção científica, o que pode auxiliar os demais pesquisadores no processo de elaboração dos seus projetos de pesquisa. Pode-se, ainda, propor uma agenda de pesquisas futuras para a temática utilizada como exemplo de aplicabilidade das técnicas. Por fim, incita-se algumas reflexões sobre o uso de técnicas bibliométricas no Brasil.
“Esquecer Williams?”: materialismo cultural, estruturas de sentimento e pesquisas sobre música popular no Brasil
Authors: Diniz Sheyla Castro
Published: December 2020

Desenvolvida por Raymond Williams, a hipótese cultural das estruturas de sentimento vem sendo, no Brasil, bastante referenciada em pesquisas sobre manifestações artísticas diversas, em particular – o que nos interessa especificamente – em pesquisas de caráter histórico ou sociológico sobre a música popular gravada. A partir de impressões colhidas em nosso percurso acadêmico, notamos, entretanto, certa desarticulação da noção em pauta em relação ao materialismo cultural concebido e defendido pelo autor. De início, retomamos algumas questões fundamentais que nortearam o debate crítico de Williams com os estudos culturais de tradição marxista em sua época, para, em seguida, discutir o potencial teórico-metodológico de suas reflexões para a pesquisa em música popular.
Estudos feministas brasileiros: (re)conhecer e continuar
Authors: Padilha Renata Cardozo
Published: December 2020

A obra resenhada é uma coletânea de textos com pesquisas iniciais para a construção de uma perspectiva epistemológica feminista. Foram compilados 19 artigos seminais, escritos por 20 pesquisadoras que atuaram ou atuam em diferentes universidades brasileiras e instituições afins. A obra visa contribuir para a elaboração de uma produção teórica feminista brasileira a partir de temáticas centrais que estão relacionadas com as questões de raça, gênero, classe e nacionalidade. Portanto, esta resenha apresenta o pensamento feminista brasileiro a partir do seu desenvolvimento social, histórico, político e cultural embasado pelas pesquisas reunidas nessa obra e que visam à expansão, à resistência e à continuidade dos estudos feministas brasileiros.
Adoniran Barbosa e a língua certa do povo
Authors: Rabelo Adriano de Paula
Published: December 2020

Um dos aspectos mais interessantes da obra musical de Adoniran Barbosa é a forma como ele estiliza a fala popular. Como se sabe, no Brasil, onde persistem há séculos enormes desigualdades sociais e as classes mais escolarizadas e privilegiadas economicamente demonstram aversão aos pobres, as variantes linguísticas associadas às classes populares têm sido estigmatizadas como “erradas”, “inexpressivas”, “feias”. Em seus sambas, Adoniran mostra o quanto a fala popular – além de ser adequada às situações vivenciadas pelos personagens que protagonizam as histórias tragicômicas de suas canções – é bela, poética, corretíssima. Ao expor a cultura e a linguagem dos estratos da sociedade mantidos na invisibilidade, o compositor exerce, ainda que de maneira involuntária, uma resistência às forças mais retrógradas do país.
The Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett, 1833) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal
Authors: Yadav Bhupendra Prasad , Appel Angie , Shrestha Bishnu Prasad , Dahal Bhagawan Raj , Dhakal Maheshwar
Published: December 2020

The Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus is known to occur in the Terai region since at least the late 1920s.  Contemporary locality records of the Fishing Cat in this region are widely spaced, and the knowledge about the connectivity between these localities is still deficient.  We present the first photographic evidence for the presence of the Fishing Cat in far western Nepal.  In spring and winter 2016, we obtained 30 notionally independent events of the Fishing Cat in the floodplain of Shuklaphanta National Park at elevations of 181–221 m.  This population unit may be connected to units in Indian protected areas.  Further targeted surveys in adjacent wetlands and wildlife corridors are warranted to clarify its range in the Indian and Nepal Terai.
Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa (Griffith, 1821) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in illegal wildlife trade in Nepal
Authors: Ghimirey Yadav , Acharya Raju
Published: December 2020

We document trade of the Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Nepal based on pelt seizure reports published in wildlife trade reports and in newspapers.  Just 27 cases in three decades seem little to suggest targeted illegal trade of the species, the seizure information in recent years indicate that illegal trade of Clouded Leopard body parts is still taking place.  Hence an in-depth assessment is necessary to understand properly the intensity and magnitude of illegal trade on Clouded Leopard in the country.
Longitudinal Evaluation of Mitral Valve Leaflet Remodeling After Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Nishino Shun , Watanabe Nozomi , Gi Toshihiro , Kuriyama Nehiro , Shibata Yoshisato , Asada Yujiro
Published: December 2020

Background:

Recent animal studies have suggested that mitral valve (MV) leaflet remodeling can occur even without significant tethering force and that the postinfarct biological reaction would contribute to the histopathologic changes of the leaflet. We serially evaluated the MV remodeling in patients with anterior and inferior acute myocardial infarction (MI), by using 2- and 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Additional histopathologic examinations were performed to assess the leaflet pathology.

Methods:

Sixty consecutive first-onset acute MI (anterior MI, n=30; inferior MI, n=30) patients who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention were examined (1) before primary percutaneous coronary intervention, (2) at 6-month follow-up, and (3) at follow-up 1 year or later after onset. MV complex geometry including MV leaflet area and thickness was analyzed using dedicated software. Additional histopathologic study compared 18 valves harvested during surgery for ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR).

Results:

MV area and thickness incrementally increased during the follow-up period. MV leaflet area significantly increased (anterior MI: 5.59 [5.28–5.98] to 6.54 [6.20–7.26] cm
2
/m
2
,
P
<0.001; inferior MI: 5.60 [4.76–6.08] to 6.32 [5.90–6.90] cm
2
/m
2
,
P
<0.001), and leaflet thickness also increased (anterior MI: 1.09 [0.92–1.24] to 1.45 [1.28–1.60] mm/m
2
,
P
<0.001; inferior MI: 1.15 [1.03–1.25] to 1.44 [1.27–1.59] mm/m
2
,
P
<0.001); data represent onset versus ≥1 year. Larger annuls, larger tenting, and a reduced leaflet area/annular ratio with smaller coaptation index were observed in patients with persistent ischemic MR compared with those without significant ischemic MR. Histopathologic examinations revealed that MV thickness was significantly greater in chronic ischemic MR compared with acute ischemic MR (1432.6±490.5 versus 628.7±278.7 μm;
P
=0.001), with increased smooth muscle cells and fibrotic materials.

Conclusions:

MV leaflet remodeling progressed both in area and thickness after MI. This is the first clinical study to record the longitudinal course of MV leaflet remodeling by serial echocardiography.
Fully Automatic Atrial Fibrosis Assessment Using a Multilabel Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Razeghi Orod , Sim Iain , Roney Caroline H. , Karim Rashed , Chubb Henry , Whitaker John , O’Neill Louisa , Mukherjee Rahul , Wright Matthew , O’Neill Mark , Williams Steven E. , Niederer Steven
Published: December 2020

Background:

Pathological atrial fibrosis is a major contributor to sustained atrial fibrillation. Currently, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) scans provide the only noninvasive estimate of atrial fibrosis. However, widespread adoption of atrial LGE has been hindered partly by nonstandardized image processing techniques, which can be operator and algorithm dependent. Minimal validation and limited access to transparent software platforms have also exacerbated the problem. This study aims to estimate atrial fibrosis from cardiac magnetic resonance scans using a reproducible operator-independent fully automatic open-source end-to-end pipeline.

Methods:

A multilabel convolutional neural network was designed to accurately delineate atrial structures including the blood pool, pulmonary veins, and mitral valve. The output from the network removed the operator dependent steps in a reproducible pipeline and allowed for automated estimation of atrial fibrosis from LGE-cardiac magnetic resonance scans. The pipeline results were compared against manual fibrosis burdens, calculated using published thresholds: image intensity ratio 0.97, image intensity ratio 1.61, and mean blood pool signal +3.3 SD.

Results:

We validated our methods on a large 3-dimensional LGE-cardiac magnetic resonance data set from 207 labeled scans. Automatic atrial segmentation achieved a 91% Dice score, compared with the mutual agreement of 85% in Dice seen in the interobserver analysis of operators. Intraclass correlation coefficients of the automatic pipeline with manually generated results were excellent and better than or equal to interobserver correlations for all 3 thresholds: 0.94 versus 0.88, 0.99 versus 0.99, 0.99 versus 0.96 for image intensity ratio 0.97, image intensity ratio 1.61, and +3.3 SD thresholds, respectively. Automatic analysis required 3 minutes per case on a standard workstation. The network and the analysis software are publicly available.

Conclusions:

Our pipeline provides a fully automatic estimation of fibrosis burden from LGE-cardiac magnetic resonance scans that is comparable to manual analysis. This removes one key source of variability in the measurement of atrial fibrosis.
Beyond Texts? Towards a Material Turn in the Theory and History of International Law
Authors: Quiroga-Villamarín Daniel Ricardo
Published: December 2020

While the history of international law has been mainly dominated by intellectual history, the neighboring humanities and social sciences have witnessed a ‘material turn.’ Influenced by the new materialisms, historians, sociologists, and anthropologists have highlighted the role of objects and nonhuman infrastructures in the making of the social. Law, however, has been conspicuously absent from these discussions. Only until recently, things began to be studied as instruments of – global – regulation. In this article, I trace an intellectual history of the intellectual history of international law, contextualizing it since its inception in the so-called ‘Cambridge School’ to its spread into the legal field via the Critical Legal Studies movement and its final import into international law in the last two decades. I conclude arguing that international legal historians can depart from the ‘well-worn paths’ of intellectual and conceptual history to engage with the materiality (past, present, and future) of global governance.
Antigone Betrayed? The European Court of Human Rights’ Decisions on Conscientious Objection to Abortion in the Cases of Grimmark v. Sweden and Steen v. Sweden
Authors: Domenici Irene
Published: December 2020

The article deals with the recent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in the cases of two Swedish midwives who claimed a right to conscientious objection to abortion under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). After giving an overview of the relevant previous case-law of the Court, I argue that the decisions of inadmissibility in the midwives’ cases are a step backwards in the promising evolution of the Court’s jurisprudence that began with the judgments in the cases of Eweida and others v. the United Kingdom and Bayatyan v. Armenia. In particular, the Court’s reasoning in Grimmark v. Sweden and Steen v. Sweden failed to take into consideration the existence of a European consensus and the fact that less restrictive alternatives could have reasonably accommodated the conscientious claims of the two applicants.
The Determination of Death under Polish Law in Comparative, Historical and Medical Perspective
Authors: Bosek Leszek , Borysiak Witold
Published: December 2020

It has been recently adopted under Polish law that the determinant of death is both the brain death criterion, tantamount to the permanent and irreversible cessation of its function, and the equally valid circulatory criterion. This means that the determination of brain death is not indispensable to pronounce a person dead, because the irreversible cessation of circulation is sufficient in this respect. The purpose of this article is to present current developments in Polish law against the comparative, historical and medical background.
The Right to Education in the Era of the ASEAN Community
Authors: Juwita Ratna
Published: December 2020

The establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (asean) Community in 2015, marked a milestone of progressive regionalisation in the Southeast Asia region. The asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (aichr) and asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (acwc) were designated as pivotal organs to strengthen the realisation of the right to education as part of the rights guaranteed in the asean Declaration of Human Rights. The asean Political-Security and Socio-Cultural communities recognise the importance of human rights. This research analyses the realisation of the right to education by the asean member states. The Concluding Observations from international human rights monitoring organs are explored to describe the empirical situation of each member state. Subsequently, this article scrutinises the aichr and acwc within the framework of the asean community and critically assesses the realisation of the right to education under the works of the aichr and acwc. This article concludes the realisation of the right to education in asean is still challenging due to the problems of, inter alia, low allocation of resources in the education sector, high illiteracy and drop-out rates, gender discrimination in the non-traditional study program and access to quality education, especially for vulnerable groups. The aichr and acwc have not yet formulated specific formal instruments to address these situations. Since their respective establishment only a minor contribution has been made to advance the realisation of the right to education in the asean community. In order to protect the right to education, the aichr and acwc have to be strengthened institutionally and financially. It is also necessary to empower the aichr and acwc by a quasi-legal authority to assess and inquire the asean member states’ human rights’ performance. This step is a necessary for the aichr and acwc to make a tangible contribution to the realisation of the right to education in asean.
Al-Khazini’s Balance of Wisdom
Authors: Yassi Yousef , Yassi Reza
Published: December 2020

Abu al-Fath Khazini’s “Balance of Wisdom” was one of the most sophisticated and advanced balances to be designed and manufactured in the medieval Islamic world. Hydrostatic balances were used to assess the value of the precious metals and gemstones entering the royal treasury. Al-Khazini presents a detailed description of his balance in Al-Kitab Mizan Al-Hikma. Among the advantages of this instrument were its higher degree of precision, its complex triple action, and its ability to identify and determine the percentage by weight of the constituent elements in a binary alloy, provided one of the elements in the alloy is known. It was also capable of measuring the weight and density of pure metals and alloys with a high degree of accuracy. This paper describes the construction of a prototype of Al-Khazini’s balance and the testing of its accuracy in weighing, titration, and the identification of elements following the instructions contained in Al-Kitab Mizan Al-Hikma. The instrument was found to function as accurately as claimed by its inventor.
Latvian Tradition in International Law
Authors: Ziemele Ineta
Published: December 2020

Research on tradition can be approached from various perspectives. It can be a study of key personalities or important scholarly works, or influential positions or documents adopted by the State within the international normative process. Concepts such as statehood, territorial integrity, equal participation in international decision- making and, recently, the rule of law in international law, have been of relevance and interest both in practice and academic research in the field of international law in Latvia. The proposition is put forward that research in international law by the scholars of a particular State is closely linked to the interests and issues which that State is confronted with in practice.
Latvian Tradition in State Responsibility
Authors: Miļūna Ieva
Published: December 2020

This Chapter examines the role of the law of state responsibility in the practice of the Latvian State. The author elaborates on Latvian state creation and practice in the 1920s and 1930s which present a solid ground for the newly founded State’s participation in the legal affairs of the international community. Latvian state practice contributes to the law of state responsibility by elaborating on the concepts of rule of law, international wrongful acts and the necessity to comply with Latvia’s internationally binding legal obligations. Special attention is devoted to the concept of State continuity, and the author claims that in Latvian history the rules of state responsibility predetermined enforcement of the primary rules of state continuity. The author also examines the Latvian state practice since 1990 by examples, which show the application of international law and thus its normative effect as well as arguably refer to a violation of international law, thereby elaborating on the crucial functions of the rule of law.
Powerful Private Players in the Digital Economy: Between Private Law Freedoms and the Constitutional Principle of Equality
Authors: Rott Peter
Published: December 2020

The digital economy has been driven by countless start-up companies but also by extremely powerful players such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Amazon, or Paypal. They have not only accumulated a significant if not dominant position in their relevant markets but they have also gained enormous relevance for the economic and social relationships of individual citizens or consumers, and even traders and politicians. At the same time, citizens are at risk of being denied access to their services, or of having to pay individualized prices, due to their personal circumstances or their shopping or credit history. This article shows that traditional concepts of contract law and also data protection law offer little help to these citizens. It therefore explores the application of the fundamental right to equality to powerful digital players and the legal consequences of such application, including the right not to be subjected to arbitrariness and the right to be given reasons for decisions.
Big Data Ownership: Do we Need a New Regulatory Framework?
Authors: Tauriņš Andris
Published: December 2020

Big data is the new oil – but who has the right to own it? Is the owner the creator of the individual data or the owners of data processing systems which add value to the mass of data – or should the information be shared for free with state institutions, for example, with the goal of limiting the amounts of traffic accidents in the city? This is one of the debates of our time. However, it seems that current frameworks, whether regarding ip law or trade secrets regulations, do not provide sufficient answers. Problems also arise with the offer of contractual relationships or licensing. That initiates the thought that a new type of regulation might be needed.
Lessons from International Space Law: The Role of International Relations in Governing Global Commons Regions
Authors: Weeks Edythe E.
Published: December 2020

Drawing from an analysis of experiences in outer space law, this paper provides insights into challenges involved with managing the global common spaces of the polar regions. The literature concerning governance of the international commons regions focuses on justice and equity concerning natural resources, climate change, the speed, uncertainty and consequences stemming from key actor activity in the Polar Regions. This usually boils down to successes and failures of treaty noncompliance and enforcement mechanisms, or the lack thereof. This paper highlights a current political process aimed at dismantling agreed upon terms outer space international agreements. This offers a snapshot of a political process, likely to influence evolving polar legal norms for the rapidly melting Arctic and Antarctic regions. This is a conceptual paper borrowing theoretical and methodological approaches from political science and international relations such as a Gramscian analysis, constructivism theory and critical discourse analysis, to present several interesting ideas. The purpose is to enable people to understand and explain that future colonisation patterns are unfolding today. It calls attention to issues likely to challenge and define our world in the twenty-first century.
How Did We Engage Resettled Chin Youth in Critical STEM Literacy Practices?
Authors: Ryu Minjung , Daniel Shannon Mary
Published: December 2020

Project RESET engaged resettled Chin refugee teens in critical STEM literacy practices in a community-based afterschool STEM enrichment program in the United States. Over the course of nine months, the participants multimodally and multilinguistically communicated their learning about weather, climate, and climate change, while also developing English proficiency. In this paper, we define critical STEM literacy drawing on current scholarship on critical science literacy and interdisciplinary STEM learning. We then present our four design principles of the learning environment for supporting critical STEM literacy and English learning and share examples from the program that demonstrate how the principles were enacted to engage youth. Drawing on our learning in this work, we will discuss implications for science educators who work with displaced or resettled youth in Asia and the Pacific regions that provide new homes for many displaced children and teens.