bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dendrite regeneration in C. elegans is controlled by the RAC GTPase CED-10 and the RhoGEF TIAM-1
Authors: Brar Harjot Kaur , Dey Swagata , Bhardwaj Smriti , Pande Devashish , Singh Pallavi , Dey Shirshendu , Ghosh-Roy Anindya
Published: March 2022

Neurons are vulnerable to physical insults, which compromise the integrity of both dendrites and axons. Although several molecular pathways of axon regeneration are identified, our knowledge of dendrite regeneration is limited. To understand the mechanisms of dendrite regeneration, we used the PVD neurons in C. elegans with stereotyped branched dendrites. Using femtosecond laser, we severed the primary dendrites and axon of this neuron. After severing the primary dendrites near the cell body, we observed sprouting of new branches from the proximal site within 6 hours, which regrew further with time in an unstereotyped manner. This was accompanied by reconnection between the proximal and distal dendrites, and fusion among the higher-order branches as reported before. We quantified the regeneration pattern into three aspects–territory length, number of branches, and fusion phenomena. Axonal injury causes a retraction of the severed end followed by a Dual leucine zipper kinase-1 (DLK-1) dependent regrowth from the severed end. We tested the roles of the major axon regeneration signalling hubs such as DLK-1-RPM-1, cAMP elevation, let-7 miRNA, AKT-1, Phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure/PS in dendrite regeneration. We found that neither dendrite regrowth nor fusion was affected by the axon injury pathway molecules. Surprisingly, we found that the RAC GTPase, CED-10 and its upstream GEF, TIAM-1 play a cell-autonomous role in dendrite regeneration. Additionally, the function of CED-10 in epidermal cell is critical for post-dendrotomy fusion phenomena. This work describes a novel regulatory mechanism of dendrite regeneration and provides a framework for understanding the cellular mechanism of dendrite regeneration using PVD neuron as a model system.
Factors affecting road safety compliance in a low- and middle-income country: An observational study from Lebanon
Authors: Al-Hajj Samar , El Hechi Majed , Chahrour Mohamad , Farran Sarah H. , Kaafarani Haytham
Published: March 2022

Road traffic injury is a major public health problem in Lebanon. This study aims to assess compliance with safety measures including seatbelt and helmet use in adults and children, and the prevalence of distracted driving among road users across Lebanon different governorates. It further aims to investigate predictors of compliance with seatbelt and helmet use. A cross-sectional observational field study was conducted at multiple governorates in Lebanon. Data collected included information on vehicles, road users and passengers. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify trends in compliance with safety measures and distracted driving, and predictors of compliance. A total of 13,790 road users were observed. The rate of seatbelt and helmet use were 37.4% and 38.9%, respectively, among adults. Distracted behavior was present in 23.7% of car drivers and 22.8% of motorcyles adult riders. Compliance with seatbelt use was lower outside the capital city Beirut [OR = 5.236 (4.566–6.004),P <0.001], in males [OR = 1.688 (1.52–1.874),P <0.001], in drivers of taxi/vans [OR = 1.929 (1.71–2.175),P <0.001] or trucks [OR = 3.014 (2.434–3.732),P <0.001], and vehicles of lower price [OR = 3.291 (2.836–3.819),P <0.001]. Children vehicle passengers were 87.9% while motorcycles pillion riders were 12.1%. The rates for child car restraint and helmet use were 25.8% and 20.1%, respectively. Predictors of failure to use a child restraint system in vehicles were the youngest age group (0–5 years) [OR = 2.06, CI (1.40–3.02),P<0.001], sitting in the back seat [OR = 1.56, CI (1.09–2.23),P<0.001], ridding in the afternoon [OR = 1.43, CI (1.05–1.94),P = 0.02], and being outside Beirut [OR = 2.12, CI (1.41–3.17),P<0.00]. Public awareness efforts and better enforcement of road safety legislations are needed to increase the alarmingly low rates of compliance with safety measures and safeguard lives on the road.
Insights on the historical biogeography of Philippine domestic pigs and its relationship with continental domestic pigs and wild boars
Authors: Layos John King N. , Geromo Ronel B. , Espina Dinah M. , Nishibori Masahide
Published: March 2022

The Philippine archipelago was believed to have never been connected to the Asian continent even during the severe Quaternary sea-level drops. As a result, the history of domestic pig (Sus scrofa) dispersal in the Philippines remains controversial and must have some anthropogenic origin associated with human migration events. In this study, the context of origin, dispersal, and the level of genetic introgression in Philippine domestic pigs were deduced using mitochondrial DNA D-loop analysis altogether with domestic pigs and wild boar corresponding to their geographic origin. The results revealed considerable genetic diversity (0.900±0.016) and widespread Asian pig-ancestry (94.60%) in the phylogenetic analysis, with admixed European pig-origin (5.10%) harboring various fractions of ancestry from Berkshire and Landrace. The close genetic connection between the continental wild boars and domestic pigs present in the Philippine domestic pigs corroborates our hypothesis of a genetic signal that may be associated with the recently reported multiple waves of human migrations to the Philippines. The Haplogroup D7, reported to occur only in Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspots, included a high frequency of Philippine domestic pig haplotypes (54.08%), which poses an interesting challenge because its distribution is not consistent with the hypothesized migration route of Neolithic Austronesian-speaking populations. We detected the first Pacific Clade signature and ubiquitously distributed D2 haplotypes (Asian major) on several Philippine islands. The analyses of mismatch distribution and neutrality test were consistent with the Bayesian skyline plot which showed a long stationary period of effective population size. The population decline was consistent with the pronounced population bottleneck in Asian and European pigs during the interglacial periods of the Pleistocene. The results of this study will support the conservation strategies and improvements of economically important genetic resources in the Philippines.
2D-shear wave elastography in the evaluation of suspicious superficial inguinal lymph nodes: Reproducibility and region of interest selection
Authors: Lahtinen Olli , Pulkkinen Mika , Sironen Reijo , Vanninen Ritva , Rautiainen Suvi
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To assess the ability of 2D-Shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) to evaluate its reproducibility, to define the optimal orientation and size of the region of interest (ROI), and to differentiate benign from malignant inguinal lymph nodes (LNs).

Method

Thirty-two suspicious inguinal LNs from 21 patients were evaluated with 2D-SWE. SWE measurements were obtained in two orthogonal planes. To investigate reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity, circular ROIs with a diameter of 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm and 5 mm were placed on the cortex of the LNs. Additionally, one freehand ROI was drawn covering majority of the LN. Two observers performed five sets of SWE measurements for each ROI size. All LNs underwent core needle biopsy or were surgically removed.

Results

The 3 mm ROI for Mean-E in axial plane showed high interrater agreement [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.899] with the cut-off value of 7.31 kPa resulting in 88.9% sensitivity and 60.9% specificity for differentiating malignant from benign LNs. In benign LNs, mean elasticity of the ROI was lower (7.68 ± 3.82 kPa; range, 3.41–15.40 kPa) compared to the malignant LNs (15.81 ± 10.61 kPa; range, 3.86–36.45 kPa).

Conclusions

The most reproducible way to measure stiffness in inguinal LNs is a 3 mm circular ROI centered on the cortex of the LN in axial plane. Elasticity values were higher in the malignant LNs reflecting the stiffer nature of the metastatic LNs. 2D-SWE offers a noninvasive ultrasonographic tool to assess superficial inguinal lymph nodes with high reproducibility.
Placental nutrient transporters adapt during persistent maternal hypoglycaemia in rats
Authors: Jensen Vivi F. H. , Mølck Anne-Marie , Nowak Jette , Wohlfarth Maria , Nüsken Eva , Demozay Damien , Nüsken Kai-Dietrich , Bøgh Ingrid B.
Published: March 2022

Maternal malnutrition is associated with decreased nutrient transfer to the foetus, which may lead to foetal growth restriction, predisposing children to a variety of diseases. However, regulation of placental nutrient transfer during decreased nutrient availability is not fully understood. In the present study, the aim was to investigate changes in levels of placental nutrient transporters accompanying maternal hypoglycaemia following different durations and stages of gestation in rats. Maternal hypoglycaemia was induced by insulin-infusion throughout gestation until gestation day (GD)20 or until end of organogenesis (GD17), with sacrifice on GD17 or GD20. Protein levels of placental glucose transporters GLUT1 (45/55 kDa isotypes) and GLUT3, amino acid transporters SNAT1 and SNAT2, and insulin receptor (InsR) were assessed. On GD17, GLUT1-45, GLUT3, and SNAT1 levels were increased and InsR levels decreased versus controls. On GD20, following hypoglycaemia throughout gestation, GLUT3 levels were increased, GLUT1-55 showed the same trend. After cessation of hypoglycaemia at end of organogenesis, GLUT1-55, GLUT3, and InsR levels were increased versus controls, whereas SNAT1 levels were decreased. The increases in levels of placental nutrient transporters seen during maternal hypoglycaemia and hyperinsulinemia likely reflect an adaptive response to optimise foetal nutrient supply and development during limited availability of glucose.
The role of body mass index, healthy eating-related apps and educational activities on eating motives and behaviours among women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross sectional study
Authors: Modrzejewska Justyna , Modrzejewska Adriana , Czepczor-Bernat Kamila , Matusik Paweł
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 related lockdown made it much more difficult for people to control their eating behaviours and body weight with the methods and means they had used before. This is reflected in reports that show that eating behaviours deteriorated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (including in Poland). Therefore, it is important to determine what factors may be conducive to healthy eating behaviours among people with different BMI. As previous studies show, the use of healthy eating related-apps and training programs may be a protective factor against the development of unhealthy eating behaviours. Therefore, it is worth checking whether their action will be a protective factor during COVID-19. The aim of this cross sectional study was to analyse whether the current use of healthy eating-related apps and previous participation in training in this field (educational activities) as well as body mass index may play a role in eating motives and behaviours among women during COVID-19. Our final sample included 1,447 women (age: M = 31.34 ± 11.05). Participants completed: the Eating Motivation Survey, the Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, the Mindful Eating Questionnaire, socio-demographic survey and questions about healthy eating-related apps and training (educational activities). Referring to the selected significant results, our study shows that during COVID-19, the use of healthy eating-related apps alone, as well as the use of apps and prior training participation promote healthy eating motives and behaviours. It suggests that promoting the use of healthy eating applications and the acquisition of knowledge and skills in this field could be one way of shaping resources that can be effectively used to deal with crisis situations.
Long-term outcomes of hospital survivors following an ICU stay: A multi-centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Doherty Zakary , Kippen Rebecca , Bevan David , Duke Graeme , Williams Sharon , Wilson Andrew , Pilcher David
Published: March 2022

Background

The focus of much Intensive Care research has been on short-term survival, which has demonstrated clear improvements over time. Less work has investigated long-term survival, and its correlates. This study describes long-term survival and identifies factors associated with time to death, in patients who initially survived an Intensive Care admission in Victoria, Australia.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients discharged alive from hospital following admission to all Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the state of Victoria, Australia between July 2007 and June 2018. Using the Victorian Death Registry, we determined survival of patients beyond hospital discharge. Comparisons between age matched cohorts of the general population were made. Cox regression was employed to investigate factors associated with long-term survival.

Results

A total of 130,775 patients from 23 ICUs were included (median follow-up 3.6 years post-discharge). At 1-year post-discharge, survival was 90% compared to the age-matched cohort of 98%. All sub-groups had worse long-term survival than their age-matched general population cohort, apart from elderly patients admitted following cardiac surgery who had better or equal survival. Multiple demographic, socio-economic, diagnostic, acute and chronic illness factors were associated with long-term survival.

Conclusions

Australian patients admitted to ICU who survive to discharge have worse long-term survival than the general population, except for the elderly admitted to ICU following cardiac surgery. These findings may assist during goal-of-care discussions with patients during an ICU admission.
Bony nasolacrimal duct size and outcomes of nasolacrimal silicone intubation for incomplete primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction
Authors: Yang Min Kyu , Sa Ho-Seok , Kim Namju , Kim Jeong Hun , Choung Hokyung , Khwarg Sang In
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To investigate the association between the bony nasolacrimal duct (NLD) size and outcomes of nasolacrimal silicone intubation for incomplete primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO).

Methods

Patients who underwent silicone intubation for incomplete PANDO and had undergone facial computed tomography (CT) were included. Surgical success was judged by both epiphora improvement and normalized tear meniscus height (TMH; < 300 μm) on anterior segment optical coherence tomography at 3 months after tube removal. The area, major axis diameter, and minor axis diameter of the elliptic bony NLD sections were measured in 1.0 mm-thick axial CT images. These bony NLD sizes were analyzed for associations with surgical success and TMH normalization.

Results

Eighty-one eyes of 48 patients were investigated. The smallest area and the smallest minor axis diameter were significantly larger in the success group (49 eyes), compared with those in the failure group (median smallest minor axis diameter: 4.7 mm vs. 3.8 mm, P = 0.008, Mann–Whitney U test). There was also a tendency for the TMH normalization rate to significantly increase as the smallest area and the smallest minor axis diameter increased (P = 0.028 and 0.037, respectively, Fisher’s 2 × 4 tests). Under multivariable logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equation, a larger smallest minor axis diameter was associated with success of the nasolacrimal silicone intubation (odds ratio: 2.481, 95% confidence interval: 1.143–5.384).

Conclusion

Surgical success of the nasolacrimal silicone intubation in incomplete PANDO is associated with a larger smallest minor axis diameter of the bony NLD. This finding will help understand the pathophysiology of surgical failure after nasolacrimal silicone intubation.
Diaphragm dysfunction and peripheral muscle wasting in septic shock patients: Exploring their relationship over time using ultrasound technology (the MUSiShock protocol)
Authors: Neto Silva Ivo , Duarte José Alberto , Perret Aurélie , Dousse Nicolas , Wozniak Hannah , Bollen Pinto Bernardo , Giraud Raphaël , Bendjelid Karim
Published: March 2022

Background

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients are known to lose muscle mass and function during ICU stay. Ultrasonography (US) application for the assessment of the skeletal muscle is a promising tool and might help detecting muscle changes and thus several dysfunctions during early stages of ICU stay. MUSiShock is a research project aiming to investigate structure and function of diaphragm and peripheral muscles using ultrasound techniques in septic shock patients, and to assess their relevance in several clinical outcomes such as the weaning process.

Methods and design

This is a research protocol from an observational prospective cohort study. We plan to assess eighty-four septic shock patients during their ICU stay at the following time-points: at 24 hours of ICU admission, then daily until day 5, then weekly, at extubation time and at ICU discharge. At each time-point, we will measure the quadriceps rectus femoris and diaphragm muscles, using innovative US muscle markers such as Shear-Wave Elastography (SWE). In parallel, the Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score for muscle testing and the Airway occlusion pressure (P0.1) will also be collected. We will describe the association between SWE assessment and other US markers for each muscle. The association between the changes in both diaphragm and rectus femoris US markers over time will be explored as well; finally, the analysis of a combined model of one diaphragm US marker and one limb muscle US marker to predict weaning success/failure will be tested.

Discussion

By using muscle ultrasound at both diaphragm and limb levels, MUSiShock aims to improve knowledge in the early detection of muscle dysfunction and weakness, and their relationship with muscle strength and MV weaning, in critically ill patients. A better anticipation of these short-term muscle structure and function outcomes may allow clinicians to rapidly implement measures to counteract it.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04550143. Registered on 16 September 2020.
End-to-end antigenic variant generation for H1N1 influenza HA protein using sequence to sequence models
Authors: Abbas Mohamed Elsayed , Chengzhang Zhu , Fathalla Ahmed , Xiao Yalong
Published: March 2022

The growing risk of new variants of the influenza A virus is the most significant to public health. The risk imposed from new variants may have been lethal, as witnessed in the year 2009. Even though the improvement in predicting antigenicity of influenza viruses has rapidly progressed, few studies employed deep learning methodologies. The most recent literature mostly relied on classification techniques, while a model that generates the HA protein of the antigenic variant is not developed. However, the antigenic pair of influenza virus A can be determined in a laboratory setup, the process needs a tremendous amount of time and labor. Antigenic shift and drift which are caused by changes in surface protein favored the influenza A virus in evading immunity. The high frequency of the minor changes in the surface protein poses a challenge to identifying the antigenic variant of an emerging virus. These changes slow down vaccine selection and the manufacturing process. In this vein, the proposed model could help save the time and efforts exerted to identify the antigenic pair of the influenza virus. The proposed model utilized an end-to-end learning methodology relying on deep sequence-to-sequence architecture to generate the antigenic variant of a given influenza A virus using surface protein. Employing the BLEU score to evaluate the generated HA protein of the antigenic variant of influenza virus A against the actual variant, the proposed model achieved a mean accuracy of 97.57%.
Uma geometria para ensinar de José Augusto Coelho
Authors: Rocha Maria Lúcia Pessoa Chaves , Fortaleza Francisca Janice dos Santos
Published: March 2022

Este artigo apresenta resultados parciais da tese de doutoramento da primeira autora, que está alinhada a um projeto amplo de investigação. A tese objetiva caracterizar uma geometria para ensinar a partir de manuais de pedagogia direcionados à formação de professores dos primeiros anos escolares. Neste artigo, objetivamos caracterizar a geometria para ensinar que se manteve estável na produção de José Augusto Coelho. Essa caracterização deu-se a partir dos documentos históricos mencionados, considerando as determinações sobre como transformar informações dispersas em saberes sistematizados. Os resultados apontam que a geometria para ensinar sistematizada por Coelho mobiliza a geometria euclidiana e orienta que a apresentação dos objetos de ensino aconteça de forma intuitiva, via decomposições sucessivas, dos sólidos ao ponto. Há a indicação de que após essa apresentação façam-se recomposições, caminhando à sistematização das formas como objetos ideais. Isso nos permite caracterizar a geometria para ensinar de Coelho como geometria intuitiva-tradicional para ensinar.
No Future for our Children: Challenges faced by foreign minors living in South Africa
Authors:   University of Cape Town, Willie Ncumisa , Mfubu Popo
Published: March 2022

The intensification of international migration and continued conflicts in Africa have resulted in growing numbers of child migrants. Children are increasingly becoming mobile and crossing international borders unaccompanied. The movement of unaccompanied or separated minors triggers international obligations on all states that are party to the Convention of the Rights of a Child to take all available measures to ensure that childrenâ€™s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. South Africa has arguably the most progressive child protection mechanisms in Africa. Those mechanisms are conferred and extended to foreign minor children within its borders. However, due to a lack of coordination between the various state departments entrusted with matters concerning foreign minors, the state has failed to fulfil its duties as required by national and international law. This paper highlights the difficulties faced by foreign minors and how the gaps in law leave them undocumented, vulnerable and unable to access social services. This paper also discusses how South Africaâ€™s approach to accompanied and unaccompanied foreign minor children provides no durable long term solutions for these children, effectively leaving them in a legal lacuna once they reach the age of majority. Drawing on our experience as refugee attorneys, we demonstrate that there are disparities between the law and the implementation of the law. We conclude with recommendations on possible policy and legislative reforms that can be implemented in order to ensure that South Africa develops a comprehensive and meaningful long-term approach for migrant children living in South Africa.
Models for Migrant Leadership: The Cape Town Women's Platform
Authors:   Northern Arizona University, Mundell Leah , Carone Emma ,   Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa
Published: March 2022

Since 2011, South Africa has increasingly moved toward an immigration system of enforcement and exclusion, seeking to discourage immigration through punitive policies that make daily life for migrants difficult to bear. The closing of refugee reception offices in urban centers and restriction of job offers to South African ID holders have caused many asylum seekers to become undocumented migrants and prevented them from working in the formal economy. In this context, some services that refugee organisations traditionally offer, such as job training and placement, become less useful for migrants who are undocumented and/or unable to work. This paper explores a new initiative of a Cape Town refugee organisation designed to support grassroots organising and to foment new networks of support and entrepreneurship for migrant women. Members of eleven nationality groups currently participate in the Scalabrini Centre Womenâ€™s Platform, coming together across differences in migration status, religion, socio-economic class and language to fight the isolation often caused by migration and to support business and personal development. Our research uses interviews and participant observation to explore the role of mediating institutions in facilitating migrant leadership and organising. We suggest that efforts such as The Womenâ€™s Platform are setting the groundwork for long-term leadership development among migrants and refugees. Nonetheless, the restrictions of the political and economic climate of South Africa, as well as the professionalised expectations of mediating institutions, make this a slow process that may favor individual advancement over collective action for systemic change.
Migration and HIV/AIDS in Rural South Africa: A dual-phase intergenerational, gendered chain migration
Authors:   University of Warwick, Plowright Alexandra , Hundt Gillian , Stuttaford Maria ,   University of Cardiff
Published: March 2022

Migration is a complex process that is fundamental in understanding the complexity of societies across the world. In South Africa, there are high levels of migration associated with HIV and AIDS, and the process is intrinsically linked with issues associated with population health. Research conducted in KwaZulu-Natal Province, and in the wider country, has reported on a circular migratory flow of women to and from the province. However, this paper presents findings suggesting that the gendered migration occurring in this area is actually an intergenerational process of chain migration that involves women of different generations moving to South Africa from households in other southern African countries. Younger women are initially motivated to move by various push and pull factors, such as economic or environmental instability. Despite enthusiasm to move and motivation to succeed in South Africa, their experiences of migration to South Africa are mostly characterised by negativity. Often exposed to unsafe conditions coupled with a lack of opportunities for meaningful work, many are left vulnerable to HIV contraction. Older women then migrate to follow their daughters in response to requests for support, forming the second phase of this process of intergenerational chain migration. As a result of this process, which is strongly influenced by HIV, there are emerging communities of younger women who require access to services for HIV, and older women who are in need of primary care services associated with ageing while they are providing assistance to their kin and new host communities.
The Impact of Migration on the Welfare of Households in Ghana: A Propensity Score Matching Approach
Authors:   University of Ghana, Abdulai Abdul-Malik , Boakye-Yiadom Louis , Quartey Peter
Published: March 2022

Individuals usually migrate to improve their economic conditions and those of their family members left behind. However, less is understood about the impact of internal migration on the well-being of family members left behind. This study contributes to the debate by offering an empirical assessment of the welfare difference between migrant and non-migrant households by analysing data recently collected by the Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana. Results from the analysis are inconclusive. Using two indicators of measuring welfare (the World Bank Welfare Index and the number of children enrolled in school at the time of the survey), the latter shows higher welfare in favour of non-migrant households whilst the former indicates equality in welfare for all households. On the other hand, econometric estimations using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) did not find any significant difference between the welfare of households that sent out migrants and those that did not.
Benign Neglect or Active Destruction? A Critical Analysis of Refugee and Informal Sector Policy and Practice in South Africa
Authors:   Balsillie School of International Affairs, Crush Jonathan , Skinner Caroline , Stulgaitis Manal ,   University of Cape Town
Published: March 2022

To fully comprehend the disabling policy environment in which refugees in South Africa attempt to carve out a livelihood, it is important to analyse two largely independent but overlapping streams of policy-making. This paper first examines the post-apartheid refugee protection regime and traces how and why a generous right-based approach has been progressively comprised by growing restrictionism, exclusion and bureaucratic ineptitude. The 2017 Refugees Amendment Act and White Paper on International Migration represent the culmination of this process. While both are probably unimplementable and will be the subject of numerous court challenges, they can be seen as a major retreat and an increasing failure to protect. The second part of the paper traces the history of national and municipal informal sector governance since the early 1990s. Since so many refugees are forced or choose to work informally, the uncertainty and confusion this history has produced is of particular relevance. Refugee entrepreneurs have regularly been the victims of general and targeted informal sector eradication campaigns.
Informal Entrepreneurship and Cross-Border Trade between Mozambique and South Africa
Authors:   University of Kansas, Chikanda Abel , Raimundo Ines ,   University of Eduardo Mondlane
Published: March 2022

Informal cross-border trading is an essential part of Maputoâ€™s informal economy. This paper presents the results of a 2014 SAMP survey of informal entrepreneurs involved in cross-border trade between Johannesburg and Maputo. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 403 informal traders in 7 markets in Maputo. The study showed that most of the entrepreneurs began their business activities as vendors and only later moved into cross-border trading. The overwhelming majority used their personal savings to start their business and they face significant barriers in accessing business loans from formal banking channels. The study demonstrates the importance of cross-border traders to both the Mozambican and South African economy. In South Africa, the cross-border traders make a significant contribution by buying local goods and utilising the services provided by the countryâ€™s travel and hospitality industry. In Mozambique, they supply affordable products to the countryâ€™s growing informal sector and play an important role in generating employment.
I am Going Home: How Kenyan Migrants Intentions to Return Home Affect their Transnational Engagements
Authors:   University of Ghana, Mwangi Jane Njeri , Asiedu Alex Boakye
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study is to examine how Kenyan migrants intentions to return home influence their participation in transnational activities like sending remittances, investments and return visits. In this study, our focus is on Kenyans living in the UK, USA, Canada and Ghana. A concurrent mixed method approach was used in data collection and analysis. This included a web survey of 212 respondents, 21 in-depth interviews and 5 focus group discussions. Most (89%) of the respondents intended to return to Kenya before retirement but difficulty in finding well-paying employment, insecurity, corruption, citizenship issues and reintegration uncertainties were seen as obstacles to return. Incentives for return included a better economic and political environment, improved security, good governance, employment and investment opportunities. Overall, the study revealed that migrants intentions to return home had an influence on their participation in remittance transfers, investments and return visits. Cross tabulations, odd ratios and chi square logistic regression analyses showed that intentions to return had an influence on migrants investments in entrepreneurial ventures and financial instruments, as well as the frequency of return visits to Kenya
Mola de torque individual vestibulolingual unitária
Authors: Bastos Marden
Published: March 2022

INTRODUÇÃO: A correção da inclinação dentária unitária é frequente na Ortodontia, e pode ser feita, entre outras formas, por meio de torque individual em fios retangu-
lares ou por molas de torque individual vestibulolingual, também conhecidas por molas Goodman, patenteadas por Alan J. Sosnay. O torque individual em fios retangulares
resolve satisfatoriamente o problema, mas exige treinamento, sendo difícil quantificar a torção, assim como há dificuldade para inserir o fio no braquete do dente que exige correção, além do alto coeficiente de carga/deflexão, demandando cuidado no seu uso. No caso de braquetes estéticos, é comum sua fratura no momento da inserção do fio, atrasando a consulta e, muitas vezes, contraindicando o uso do torque individual em fios retangulares. Nesses casos, a mola de torque individual vestibulolingual constitui uma alternativa eficiente. Essas molas podem ser confeccionadas pelo ortodontista ou compradas prontas de várias marcas comerciais. OBJETIVO: O presente artigo relata a confecção e instalação da mola de torque individual vestibulolingual, bem como a instalação da referida mola pré-fabricada, e apresenta parcialmente dois casos clínicos que demonstram a eficiência da mola. CONCLUSÃO: A mola de torque individual vestibulolin gual é um auxiliar eficaz para a correção da inclinação dentária unitária em casos de dificuldade de confecção de torque individual e em braquetes estéticos, que pode ser confeccionada ou pré-fabricada, devendo ser adaptada para cervical para torque positivo, ou para oclusal para torque negativo, respeitando o sentido dos helicoides, para maior eficiência.
Conduta dos ortodontistas quanto à frequência das consultas de acompanhamento e à recidiva das más oclusões após o tratamento ortodôntico
Authors: Azevedo Luis Felipe Neves , Costa Ana Rosa , Vedovello Silvia Amélia Scudeller , Fonseca Junior Guaracy , Santos Eduardo César Almada , Venezian Giovana Cherubini , Vedovello Filho Mário
Published: March 2022

OBJETIVO: O presente estudo apresenta um aspecto clínico relevante quanto à frequência das consultas durante o tratamento ortodôntico e de acompanhamento no período pós-tratamento, correlacionando-a com a recidiva da má oclusão. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado com 404 ortodontistas que responderam a um questionário eletrônico estruturado com questões relacionadas ao tratamento ortodôntico, tipos de aparelho de contenção, tempo de uso, recidivas e formas de retratamento. Os dados foram analisados, inicialmente, por meio de tabelas de distribuição de frequências e por análises de regressão logística simples e múltipla, com nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: Profissionais que acompanham seus pacientes em períodos maiores que anualmente, ou que não os acompanham, têm 2,13 vezes (IC 95%: 1,22-3,71) mais chances de utilizar aparelhos de contenção fixos em caso de recidiva (p = 0,0097). Profissionais que tratam da mesma forma os próprios pacientes e os pacientes encaminhados têm mais chances (OR: 1,73; IC 95%: 1,14-2,62) de utilizar aparelhos de contenção fixos em caso de recidiva (p = 0,0097). Houve associação significativa entre o tempo que o profissional identifica o aparecimento das recidivas após a finalização do tratamento e a frequência com que ele acompanha o paciente no período pós-tratamento, sendo a recidiva detectada já no primeiro ano para 52,5% dos
ortodontistas (p < 0,05). A maioria dos ortodontistas (93,1%) concordou que os aparelhos de contenção removíveis são mais suscetíveis a recidivas (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: A maioria dos ortodontistas recomenda o uso de contenção em tempo
integral para o resto da vida dos pacientes e realiza acompanhamento anual após o tratamento.
Mezi jazykovou politikou a žitou zkušeností aneb Mnohojazyčnost, která (ne)existuje
Authors: Janík Miroslav , Janíková Věra
Published: March 2022

The article examines managing language diversity at four urban schools in the Czech Republic, particularly it focuses on the contradictoriness between real-life experiences with languages and language policy. Czech language education is characterized by pursuing the European policy so-called “Mother Tongue + 2” and by maintaining national ideology at school. As result is that the language monitoring system provides data, that perceive languages as discreet entities, that are hierarchized in order to Mother Tongue + 2 ideology. The aim of the study was to explore how three schools focusing on languages perceive languages present in their space in comparison to how these languages are perceived by selected pupils. The study was carried out in a qualitative design, which included three interviews with school headmasters (representing the perspective of three selected schools) and an analysis of six language profiles (representing the perspective of pupils). Based on qualitative empirical approach, which includes three interviews with headmasters, is in this article argued, that real-live experiences with languages differ from the perception of languages by language policy (especially in categories foreign languages, Czech for foreigners and pupils-foreigners), but it follows frames of language policy. The analysis of the language profiles suggests a pupil’s understanding of languages (home languages, school languages, friends’ languages, and languages they wish to know or like) that is based on the use of languages in social interaction with different actors in different places and situations. Based on our results it can be assumed that the increasing language diversity at schools calls for reconceptualization of the Czech language policy (top-down and bottom-up) toward flexible approaches to multilingualism, derived from current linguistic and pedagogical findings based on lived experiences with languages.
Pandemic Covid 19: Academic Culture, Lecturer Ability, And Lecturer Performance
Authors: Kustiningsih Nanik , Noor Asmirin , Intaniman Sutanto , Leki Rofinus
Published: March 2022

This research is entitled Pandemic Covid 19; Academic Culture, Lecturer Ability, Lecturer Performance. This study aims to determine the effect of the Covid 19 pandemic on changes in Academic Culture and Lecturer Ability and its impact on Lecturer Performance. This research was conducted on permanent lecturers at STIE Mahardhika Surabaya, STIE Pancasetia Banjarmasin and STIE Cendekia Karya Utama Semarang. Members of the population of this study amounted to 296 people. The sample using the Slovin formula is 74 people. This approach uses a quantitative approach with path analysis tools.   Based on the analysis, it was found that the Covid 19 Pandemic had a significant effect on changes in Academic Culture and Lecturer Competence but had an insignificant impact on Lecturer Performance. Meanwhile, Academic Culture and Lecturer Competence also affect Lecturer Performance.
Ghana’s Oil find and the Threat of Maritime Piracy in the Shipping Corridor of the Gulf of Guinea
Authors: Boateng Nana
Published: March 2022

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) has now carved a name for itself as a piracy hotspot now surpassing the Gulf of Aden in pirate attacks. This sea corridor remains a life line to many of the littoral and land locked states in that region. Oil is an important commodity and the sea lines of communications cannot be overemphasized. Ghana joined the main players of oil production when oil was discovered its Jubilee Oil Field. Being an offshore venture, the oil is stored in the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel and later offloaded on sea tanker vessels for export. The FPSO is visible as a stationary vessel a couple of nautical miles from the shore and therefore makes it vulnerable to piracy attacks. This paper highlights the modus operandi of these pirate groups notable among them are the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and also in 2016 the emergence of the Niger Delta Avengers. A PESTLE and SWOT analysis of the situation is looked at while some of the drivers mitigating the ascendency of piracy in this region is mentioned. There is the need for the regional and international security agencies to coordinate their efforts and intensify their efforts in policing the GoG. As a means of Best Management Practice (BMP), vessels are advised to ensure adherence to these practices and fortify themselves with modern communication devices and surveillance equipment to help make early detection of pirate boats as well as having a well-equipped citadel with dedicated communication devices should the need arise to use them.
Do you kiss when you text? Cross-cultural differences in the use of the kissing emojis in three WhatsApp corpora
Authors: Sampietro Agnese , Felder Samuel , Siebenhaar Beat
Published: March 2022

Emojis are pictographs added to messages on social media and websites. Researchers have observed that emojis representing kissing faces are often used to close instant messaging conversations. This has been interpreted as an imitation of cheek kissing, a common behavior in some cultural contexts. We analyze the use of seven types of kissing emojis in three corpora of WhatsApp chats, one from Spain (where cheek kisses in face-to-face interaction are commonplace in many situations), the other from Germany (where kisses are occasionally given), and the third from the German-speaking part of Switzerland (where cheek kisses are a common greeting between relatives and friends). To do so, we systematically categorize and compare the use of a sample of these emojis on WhatsApp. The analysis suggests that there are differences between the three corpora in the use of the kissing emojis. The emoji “face throwing a kiss” is often included in closing messages in the Spanish and Swiss-German data, while in the Federal German corpus kisses do not appear at the end of a conversation; using these emojis in openings is uncommon in all three corpora. This suggests that these emojis can exhibit cultural variation, but they do not clearly mirror face-to-face behavior.
A tunable optical frequency comb source using cascaded frequency modulator and Mach–Zehnder modulators
Authors: Hammadi Yousif I. , Hmood Jassim K. , Mansour Tahreer S. , Harun Sulaiman Wadi
Published: March 2022

In this work, we demonstrate a tunable optical frequency comb (OFC) source based on a cascaded frequency modulator (FM) and two Mach–Zehnder modulators (MZMs). The setup includes one FM and two MZMs, and a sinusoidal RF signal source that directly drive all these modulators. A Flat OFC source with a high number of comb lines, and tunable frequency spacing and center wavelength is analytically modelled and simulated. The results reveal that 51 comb lines with a frequency spacing of 25 GHz are generated when only FM is used. Thirteen of these lines have power variations of 1 dB. Next, by cascading FM with two MZMs, 127 comb lines are obtained. In addition, 101 of these lines have power variations of 1 dB. An optical frequency comb, with tunable frequency spacing ranging from 10 to 40 GHz is successfully generated. Moreover, the center wavelength of the generated OFC can be tuned from 1310 to 1610 nm.
Fragmented But Widespread Microconflicts: Current Limits and Future Possibilities for Organizing Precarious Workers in the French Logistics Sector
Authors: Benvegnù Carlotta , Gaborieau David , Tranchant Lucas
Published: March 2022

The logistics sector in France is emblematic of contemporary labor processes in the service sector, where working conditions are at the root of a long-term, but silent, health crisis. Although the unionization of French logistics workers has gained some strength since the early 2000s, struggles over wages and working conditions remained segmented and local, and were unable to contain the progressive casualization of the employment or to counter the intensification of work. This article is a reflection on the fragmented and low-intensity conflictuality of the French logistics sector. Drawing on three ethnographic studies and on quantitative data, we analyze labor conflicts in various segments of the warehouse industry during the last decade in France, and identify some of the limits of French trade union strategies toward organizing logistics workers. We show that the massive use of temporary work and the weakness of the efforts made by traditional trade unions federations prevent the emergence of a larger labor movement in the sector. We argue that the fragmentation and the very high turnover that characterizes the French warehouse industry should encourage trade unions to invest more resources, often local and rooted in logistics zones, from outside the workplace.
An Analysis of Northward-Moving Tornadoes within an Open Warm Sector Across Eastern Texas
Authors: Hampshire Nicholas L. , Ryan Ted M. , Gravelle Chad
Published: March 2022

Tornadoes in eastern Texas generally track to the east as predominant westerly upper flow acts on their parent storms. However, an examination of tornadoes from 2000 to 2018 finds that 22% of all tornadoes in the region move in much more northward directions. These tornadoes’ parent storms develop in the open warm sector prior to the arrival of a main linear forcing mechanism (e.g., front, dryline). In fact, some of the more notable tornado outbreaks in recent years across Texas have occurred from northward-moving thunderstorms. This bifurcation of storm/tornado motions is important to understand for forecasting, warning, and messaging of these events. The results show these tornadoes typically occur eastward of large, slow moving, mid to upper-level long-wave troughs and underneath the left quadrant exit-region of an upper-level jet streak. The composite pattern also shows that a low-level jet in eastern Texas, a surface low centered in west-central Texas, and a warm/stationary front extending northeast of the surface low were common for these events. The typical air mass was indicative of weak instability, low convective inhibition, and high shear. Radar analysis of the northerly moving, tornadic storms showed mesocyclonic circulations with smaller diameters and lower rotational shear when compared with tornadic storms that moved in an easterly direction.
Improved Speech Hearing in Noise with Invasive Electrical Brain Stimulation
Authors: Patel Prachi , Khalighinejad Bahar , Herrero Jose L. , Bickel Stephan , Mehta Ashesh D. , Mesgarani Nima
Published: March 2022

Speech perception in noise is a challenging everyday task with which many listeners have difficulty. Here, we report a case in which electrical brain stimulation of implanted intracranial electrodes in the left planum temporale (PT) of a neurosurgical patient significantly and reliably improved subjective quality (up to 50%) and objective intelligibility (up to 97%) of speech in noise perception. Stimulation resulted in a selective enhancement of speech sounds compared with the background noises. The receptive fields of the PT sites whose stimulation improved speech perception were tuned to spectrally broad and rapidly changing sounds. Corticocortical evoked potential analysis revealed that the PT sites were located between the sites in Heschl's gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus. Moreover, the discriminability of speech from nonspeech sounds increased in population neural responses from Heschl's gyrus to the PT to the superior temporal gyrus sites. These findings causally implicate the PT in background noise suppression and may point to a novel potential neuroprosthetic solution to assist in the challenging task of speech perception in noise.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTSpeech perception in noise remains a challenging task for many individuals. Here, we present a case in which the electrical brain stimulation of intracranially implanted electrodes in the planum temporale of a neurosurgical patient significantly improved both the subjective quality (up to 50%) and objective intelligibility (up to 97%) of speech perception in noise. Stimulation resulted in a selective enhancement of speech sounds compared with the background noises. Our local and network-level functional analyses placed the planum temporale sites in between the sites in the primary auditory areas in Heschl's gyrus and nonprimary auditory areas in the superior temporal gyrus. These findings causally implicate planum temporale in acoustic scene analysis and suggest potential neuroprosthetic applications to assist hearing in noise.