bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE SIBERIAN COLLECTION OF THE
ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM IN CRACOW
IN THE LIGHT OF FIELDWORK AND
ANTHROPOLOGICAL REINTERPRETATIONS
Authors: Zych Magdalena
Published: August 2020

The paper presents the results of the academic
museum Project called Anthropological reinterpretation
of the Siberian collections from the Ethnographic
Museum in Cracow that came from Polish 19th-century explorers
of Siberia financed by the National Programme for
the Development of Humanities (2016–2019). Four major
topics of investigation among the collections’ source communities
have been presented: Benedykt Dybowski’s collection
from Kamchatka, Konstanty Podhorski’s collection from
Chukotka, Nenets’ clothing donated by Izydor Sobański, and
two cult figurines which reached the Cracow Museum from Jan
Żurakowski. The presentation reveals the assumptions of the
in-field museology: the method combining the anthropological
perspective with museology elements. Furthermore, the
digital repository www.etnomuzeum.eu/syberia is discussed;
it is the one that makes the collections and research results
available online. The paper may prove of interest to professionals
curating collections, culture researchers, historians, cultural
anthropologists, art historian, conservation services, museology
theoreticians.
Ghosts of the Present Past: Spectrality in the Video Game Object
Authors: Janik Justyna
Published: August 2020

The aim of the article is to analyse the phenomenon of ghost characters in video games from the perspective of Jacques Derrida’s concept of hauntology, and to use this as the starting point for a hauntological engagement with the video game object’srelationship with its own past. The paper will investigateghostly figuresand their spectral status inside the video game environment, as well as their uncertain hauntological status as both fictional bygone souls and digital in-game objects.On the basis of this analysis of ghostly figures in video game environments, I draw a line between the past of the fictional world and the past of the game world, and examine what happens when they overlap.The dual status of the in-game ghost will thereby serve to metonymically anchor an investi-gation into the duality of the game as a whole, as both fiction and digital materiality, and of the dif-ferent dimensions of the past that exist in between these two levels of the game object.
Me and My Avatar: Player-Character as Fictional Proxy
Authors: Carlson Matthew , Taylor Logan
Published: August 2020

Players of videogames describe their gameplay in the first person, e.g. “I took cover behind a barricade.” Such descriptions of gameplay experiences are commonplace, but also puzzling because players are actually just pushing buttons, not engaging in the activities described by their first-person reports. According to a view defended by Robson and Meskin (2016), which we call the fictional identity view, this puzzle is solved by claiming that the player is fictionally identical with the player character. Hence, on this view, if the player-character fictionally performs an action then, fictionally, the player performs that action. However, we argue that the fictional identity view does not make sense of players' gameplay experiences and their descriptions of them. We develop an alternative account of the relationship between the player and player-character on which the player-character serves as the player's fictional proxy, and argue that this account makes better sense of the nature of videogames as interactive fictions.
Old Lies, New Media
Authors: Van de Mosselaer Nele , Gualeni Stefano
Published: August 2020

Book review of A Defense of Simulated Experience: New Noble Lies by Mark Silcox.
The Influential Factors in the Performance of Medical Students in the Clinical Competency Exam: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Faghihi Atiye
Published: August 2020

Background: Clinical assessment in medicine is a pillar of education, which should measure the competence and practical abilities of medical students. The viewpoint of students as one of the most important stakeholders in clinical assessment could guide planners in problem-solving and proper corrective actions. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the influential factors in the performance of medical students in the clinical competency exam. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the directed content analysis approach during 2018 - 2019. The sample population included 10 medical students of internship at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Isfahan, Iran. The participants were selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed in the MAXQDA 10 software. Results: The students mentioned several influential factors in their performance on the competency exam. Their viewpoints were divided into seven categories, including content and resources, pre-exam requirements, time, cases (scenarios), stations, examiners, and the role of the clinical training course. Conclusions: Similar to other clinical exams, the clinical competency exam has some drawbacks despite its positive aspects, which may affect the performance of students. Several factors could influence the performance of students in this exam, and the contribution of these factors and their impact on the performance of students vary. Therefore, special attention should be paid to these factors to help officials and policymakers in future planning and improving the quality of these exams.
Detection of Coronary Artery Anomaly in Tetralogy of Fallot: Comparison of Two Angiographic Views
Authors: Edraki Mohammad Reza , Dehdab Reza , Mehdizadegan Nima , Mohammadi Hamid , Amoozgar Hamid , Ajami Gholamhossein , Bahrami Reza
Published: August 2020

Background: The definite treatment of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) as the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease is open heart surgery and the operation technique depends on the coronary artery anatomy. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of various root Aortogram views to detect abnormal coronary artery configuration and course in these patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, the reports of coronary anatomy in angiography and operation notes of TOF patients since 2005 to 2018 were evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of the two common root Aortogram views including the left anterior oblique/cranial (LAO/CRA) and left anterior oblique/caudal (LAO/CAU) were determined. Results: Four hundred and fifty one patients with the median age of 28 months (3 - 432 months) were included. All patients had LAO/CRA views and 199 patients had both LAO/CRA and LAO/CAU views. The rate of coronary abnormalities reported by surgery was 8%, and abnormal origin of the left anterior descending artery from the right coronary artery was the most common reported anomaly (4.4%). The sensitivity of the LAO/CAU view was 100%, but LAO/CRA view was about 75% in detecting abnormal coronary configuration. Both of them had excellent specificity (~100%). No significant sex difference was seen between different coronary anatomy abnormalities. Conclusions: The Caudal root angiogram is an essential view to evaluate coronary artery anatomy in TOF patients and it seems that there is no need for other views like lateral view, but relying on LAO/CRA view alone may lead to significant misdiagnosis of the coronary arteries, crossing the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT).
Estudio exploratorio sobre la percepción del profesorado acerca de la participación de las madres en los centros escolares de educación infantil y primaria
Authors: Fernández-Freire Alvarez Lara , Martínez-González Raquel Amaya , Rodríguez-Ruiz Beatriz
Published: August 2020

La participación de las familias en los centros escolares constituye un elemento facilitador de la calidad educativa que reciben los menores; es también un derecho recogido en la legislación educativa española. Por ello, ha de ser promovida desde el contexto escolar, actuando el profesorado como agente clave en su dinamización. El objetivo de esta investigación es conocer la percepción del profesorado de Educación Infantil y de Educación Primaria sobre la tipología de actividades de participación de las madres en los centros escolares, así como sobre sus dificultades. Se analizan, además, diferencias entre las etapas educativas mencionadas y entre zonas urbanas y rurales. Se trata de un estudio exploratorio, dado el limitado tamaño de la muestra, configurada por 78 docentes de estas etapas educativas, que imparten docencia en centros públicos rurales y urbanos. El instrumento de recogida de información es la Escala de Relaciones entre Centros Docentes y Familias (Martínez-González, 1994), compuesta por ítems con respuesta en escala Likert de cuatro alternativas. Los análisis descriptivos y comparativos de grupos efectuados indican que, según el profesorado, las madres participan más en actividades programadas por el centro, que en aquellas organizadas por las propias familias en Asociaciones de Madres y Padres. Lo hacen con más frecuencia y en actividades más diversas en centros rurales que en urbanos. En Educación Primaria, participan significativamente más en reuniones tutoriales que en Educación Infantil. Respecto a las dificultades para participar, el profesorado las percibe asociadas fundamentalmente a los horarios laborales de las familias y de los centros. A este respecto, no se detectan diferencias significativas entre las etapas educativas; pero sí entre centros urbanos y rurales, con mayores dificultades en los primeros. En las zonas rurales existen mayores limitaciones de transporte hasta el centro escolar. De los resultados obtenidos se derivan sugerencias de mejora.
Ecdysone steroid hormone remote controls intestinal stem cell fate decisions via the PPARγ-homolog Eip75B in Drosophila
Authors: Zipper Lisa , Jassmann Denise , Burgmer Sofie , Görlich Bastian , Reiff Tobias
Published: August 2020

Developmental studies revealed fundamental principles on how organ size and function is achieved, but less is known about organ adaptation to new physiological demands. In fruit flies, juvenile hormone (JH) induces intestinal stem cell (ISC) driven absorptive epithelial expansion balancing energy uptake with increased energy demands of pregnancy. Here, we show 20-Hydroxy-Ecdysone (20HE)-signaling controlling organ homeostasis with physiological and pathological implications. Upon mating, 20HE titer in ovaries and hemolymph are increased and act on nearby midgut progenitors inducingEcdysone-induced-protein-75B (Eip75B).Strikingly, thePPARγ-homologueEip75Bdrives ISC daughter cells towards absorptive enterocyte lineage ensuring epithelial growth. To our knowledge, this is the first time a systemic hormone is shown to direct local stem cell fate decisions. Given the protective, but mechanistically unclear role of steroid hormones in female colorectal cancer patients, our findings suggest a tumor-suppressive role for steroidal signaling by promoting postmitotic fate when local signaling is deteriorated.
A large effective population size for established within-host influenza virus infection
Authors: Lumby Casper K , Zhao Lei , Breuer Judith , Illingworth Christopher JR
Published: August 2020

Strains of the influenza virus form coherent global populations, yet exist at the level of single infections in individual hosts. The relationship between these scales is a critical topic for understanding viral evolution. Here we investigate the within-host relationship between selection and the stochastic effects of genetic drift, estimating an effective population size of infection Nefor influenza infection. Examining whole-genome sequence data describing a chronic case of influenza B in a severely immunocompromised child we infer an Neof 2.5 × 107(95% confidence range 1.0 × 107to 9.0 × 107) suggesting that genetic drift is of minimal importance during an established influenza infection. Our result, supported by data from influenza A infection, suggests that positive selection during within-host infection is primarily limited by the typically short period of infection. Atypically long infections may have a disproportionate influence upon global patterns of viral evolution.
Lean thinking by integrating with discrete event simulation and design of experiments: an emergency department expansion
Authors: Gabriel Gustavo Teodoro , Campos Afonso Teberga , Magacho Aline de Lima , Segismondi Lucas Cavallieri , Vilela Flávio Fraga , de Queiroz José Antonio , Montevechi José Arnaldo Barra
Published: August 2020

Background

Many management tools, such as Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and Lean Healthcare, are efficient to support and assist health care quality. In this sense, the study aims at using Lean Thinking (LT) principles combined with DES to plan a Canadian emergency department (ED) expansion and at meeting the demand that comes from small care centers closed. The project‘s purpose is reducing the patients’ Length of Stay (LOS) in the ED. Additionally, they must be assisted as soon as possible after the triage process. Furthermore, the study aims at determining the ideal number of beds in the Short Stay Unit (SSU). The patients must not wait more than 180 min to be transferred.

Methods

For this purpose, the hospital decision-makers have suggested planning the expansion, and it was carried out by the simulation and modeling method. The emergency department was simulated by the software FlexSim Healthcare®, and, with the Design of Experiments (DoE), the optimal number of beds, seats, and resources for each shift was determined. Data collection and modeling were executed based on historical data (patients’ arrival) and from some databases that are in use by the hospital, from April 1st, 2017 to March 31st, 2018. The experiments were carried out by running 30 replicates for each scenario.

Results

The results show that the emergency department cannot meet expected demand in the initial planning scenario. Only 17.2% of the patients were completed treated, and LOS was 2213.7 (average), with a confidence interval of (2131.8–2295.6) min. However, after changing decision variables and applying LT techniques, the treated patients’ number increased to 95.7% (approximately 600%). Average LOS decreased to 461.2, with a confidence interval of (453.7–468.7) min, about 79.0%. The time to be attended after the triage decrease from 404.3 min to 20.8 (19.8–21.8) min, around 95.0%, while the time to be transferred from bed to the SSU decreased by 60.0%. Moreover, the ED reduced human resources downtime, according to Lean Thinking principles.
A methodology for psycho-biological assessment of stress in software engineering
Authors: Ostberg Jan-Peter , Graziotin Daniel , Wagner Stefan , Derntl Birgit
Published: August 2020

Stress pervades our everyday life to the point of being considered the scourge of the modern industrial world. The effects of stress on knowledge workers causes, in short term, performance fluctuations, decline of concentration, bad sensorimotor coordination, and an increased error rate, while long term exposure to stress leads to issues such as dissatisfaction, resignation, depression and general psychosomatic ailment and disease. Software developers are known to be stressed workers. Stress has been suggested to have detrimental effects on team morale and motivation, communication and cooperation-dependent work, software quality, maintainability, and requirements management. There is a need to effectively assess, monitor, and reduce stress for software developers. While there is substantial psycho-social and medical research on stress and its measurement, we notice that the transfer of these methods and practices to software engineering has not been fully made. For this reason, we engage in an interdisciplinary endeavor between researchers in software engineering and medical and social sciences towards a better understanding of stress effects while developing software. This article offers two main contributions. First, we provide an overview of supported theories of stress and the many ways to assess stress in individuals. Second, we propose a robust methodology to detect and measure stress in controlled experiments that is tailored to software engineering research. We also evaluate the methodology by implementing it on an experiment, which we first pilot and then replicate in its enhanced form, and report on the results with lessons learned. With this work, we hope to stimulate research on stress in software engineering and inspire future research that is backed up by supported theories and employs psychometrically validated measures.
Capital mercantil autônomo e a transição ao capitalismo: a polêmica sobre as duas vias e o papel das cidades
Authors: Mariutti Eduardo Barros
Published: August 2020

Tendo como referência principal o clássico debate sobre a transição do feudalismo ao capitalismo, este artigo discute algumas das vias que o capital mercantil tomou para penetrar na “produção” e, desse modo, acelerar a formação do capitalismo. Deste ponto de vista, adentramos na polêmica sobre as duas vias para a gênese do capitalismo, que dividiu Maurice Dobb e Paul Sweezy, na década de 1950. Por fim, será discutida a acalorada controvérsia sobre o papel das cidades na formação do capitalismo, uma temática que exige a incorporação crítica das reflexões de Henri Pirenne ao terreno da discussão marxista. As cidades não devem ser vistas como um “elemento externo” ao feudalismo, mas como outra forma de autoridade e de institucionalidade, distinta daquela do feudo e das unidades institucionais da nobreza eclesiástica.
E-semigroups over closed convex cones
Authors:   nstitute of Mathematical Sciences (HBNI), CIT Campus, Taramani, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600113, India, Arjunan Anbu , Srinivasan R. ,   Chennai Mathematical Institute, H1 Sipcot IT Park, Siruseri, Kelambakkam, Tamilnadu, 603103, India, Sundar S. ,   Institute of Mathematical Sciences (HBNI), CIT Campus, Taramani, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600113, India
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we study E-semigroups over convex cones. We prove a structure theorem for E-semigroups which leave the algebra of compact operators invariant. Then we study in detail the CCR flows, E0-semigroups constructed from isometric representations, by describing their units and gauge groups. We exhibit an uncountable family of 2-parameter CCR flows, containing mutually non-cocycle-conjugate E0-semigroups.
Crossed products of C∗-algebras for singular actions with spectrum conditions
Authors:   Department of Mathematics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, Grundling Hendrik , Neeb Karl-Hermann ,   Department of Mathematics, FAU Erlangen- Nurnberg, Cauerstrasse 11, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
Published: August 2020

We analyze existence of crossed product constructions for singular group actions on C∗-algebras, i.e. where the group need not be locally compact, or the action need not be strongly continuous. This is specialized to the case where spectrum conditions are required for the implementing unitary groups in covariant representations. The existence of a crossed product construction is guaranteed by the existence of "cross representations". For one-parameter automorphism groups, this existence property is stable with respect to many perturbations of the action. The structure of cross representations of inner actions on von Neumann algebras is obtained. We analyze the cross property for covariant representations of one-parameter automorphism groups, where the generator of the implementing unitary group is positive. If the Borchers-Arveson minimal implementing group is cross, then so are all other implementing groups.s This analysis is extended here to higher dimensional Lie group actions, including several examples of interest to physics.
On spectral analysis of self-adjoint Toeplitz operators
Authors:   UCL Department of Mathematics, Gower Str., London WC1E 6BT, U.K., Sobolev Alexander V. , Yafaev Dmitri ,   University Rennes, CNRS, IRMAR-UMR 6625, F-35000 Rennes, France and SPGU, Univ. Nab. 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034 Russia
Published: August 2020

The paper pursues three objectives. First, we provide an expanded version of the spectral analysis of self-adjoint Toeplitz operators, initially built by M. Rosenblum in the 1960's. We offer some improvements to Rosenblum's approach: for instance, our proof of the absolute continuity, relying on a weak version of the limiting absorption principle, is more direct. Secondly, we study in detail Toeplitz operators with finite spectral multiplicity. In particular, we introduce generalized eigenfunctions and investigate their properties. Thirdly, we develop a more detailed spectral analysis for piecewise continuous symbols. This is necessary for construction of scattering theory for Toeplitz operators with such symbols.
Cytokinin-Regulated Physiological Parameters Affected by an Exogenous Dopamine Spray in Brussels Sprout (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)
Authors: Miglioli J. Lozano , Fasciglione G. , Benedetto A. Di
Published: August 2020

Root restriction on the first stage of seedling growth decreases post-transplant biomass accumulation. Several studies in different vegetables and ornamental plants have suggested that this restriction would be overcome by means of a single 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) spray. Based on this, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of both pre-transplant single BAP and dopamine (a cytokinin antagonist) sprays on the growth of Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) plants grown in 200 plug cells tray-1, during different times of the annual cropping period. The responses of dopamine-sprayed plants were not completely similar to those previously reported. The different physiological processes studied in dopamine-sprayed plants through some growth parameters showed that dopamine affected mainly the rate of leaf appearance, which in turn positively affected both individual and total leaf area expansion. Dopamine-sprayed plants showed a higher leaf source, which allowed them to accumulate a higher biomass on both a fresh and dry weight basis during the initial vegetative growth stages. The effects of both BAP and dopamine were partially related to the environmental conditions during the experiments.
Effects of Selected Macroeconomic Variables on Stock Market Returns in Nigeria
Authors: Aremo Adeleke Gabriel , Olabisi Olabode Eric , Adeboye Oyinlola O.
Published: August 2020

The paper empirically examines the effects of selected macroeconomic variables on stock market returns in Nigeria within the period 1985 and 2014 with a view to determining the macro-factors determining stock market returns in Nigeria. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach was employed to examine both the short and long-run effects of selected macroeconomic variables on stock market returns using annual time series data spanning 1985 to 2014. The findings show that both foreign direct investment inflows and external debt do not have significant impact on stock market returns in Nigeria while money supply and trade openness have significant positive effect on stock market returns in the long-run. The annual speed of adjustment towards equilibrium is 91 per cent.  The causality results show two-way causality between the nominal stock market returns and foreign direct investment inflows, while one-way causality runs from nominal stock market returns to trade openness.
Analysis of Mothers' Knowledge, Beliefs and Practice towards Neonatal Jaundice in Bingham University Teaching Hospital Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
Authors: Shehu M. , Shehu H. , Ubanyi T. O.
Published: August 2020

Neonatal jaundice is defined as the yellowish discoloration of the skin and sclera due to accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin. This is common in newborns and if not detected and treated early can lead to severe morbidity and mortality.

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers in Bingham University Teaching Hospital on Neonatal Jaundice.

Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study which was carried out among mothers coming for ante and post-natal clinics in Bingham University Teaching Hospital from March to June 2019, using consecutive sampling of mothers that came for ante and post-natal services that consented to the study. The knowledge, attitude and practice of Neonatal Jaundice (NNJ) was assessed using a pretested questionnaire which was analyzed using SPSS version 22.

Results: The results showed that 80% of mothers >40 years are able to define jaundice correctly compared to the 30% in mothers <26 years. Thirty-seven percent of mothers did not know any single cause of NNJ. Knowledge on NNJ was significantly associated with occupation, education and parity with fisher’s exact test of 0.045, 0.034 and 0.026 respectively.  Only 16% of the mothers knew that phototherapy is the major form of treatment for NNJ, most will expose their babies to sunlight. Some traditional beliefs about the cause of NNJ includes bad blood, bad breastmilk, change in weather and evil eye.

Conclusion: There is need for more health education talks, campaigns and enlightenment of mothers on NNJ.
Fixed Points of Expansive Type Maps in Cone Metric Space over Banach Algebra
Authors: Gupta Richa , Bakhru Anil
Published: August 2020

Our aim of this paper is to prove some fixed point and common fixed theorems for contractive type maps in a cone metric space over Banach algebra, which unify, extend and generalize most of the existing relevant fixed point theorems from Jiang et al. [1].
Study on Soil Nutrient Status According to Global Positioning System in Different Blocks of Birbhum District of West Bengal
Authors: Mandal Subrata , Karmakar Mrinmoy , Rahman F. H.
Published: August 2020

A GPS based soil sampling and testing was done in 10 blocks of Birbhum district under monitoring of Rathindra Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Birbhum during 2018 and 2019. In this regard, some soil chemical properties were analysed through Mridaparikshak (soil testing kit). After statistical analysis, pooled data of different soil nutrients were compared based on GPS to prepare a data base for easy fertiliser recommendation of different crops without soil testing. It was found that soil pH (6.29 to 5.50), soil O.C (0.77 to 0.31%), available K (292.12 to 226.60 kg/ha), available B (0.81 to 0.17 mg/kg)  and available Fe (44.4 to 21.5 mg/kg) had been decreased with the increase in latitude from 23°04' 07.4500" to 24°11' 15.3400" and longitude. Recommendation of more liming, organic manure, K, B may be done accordingly. On the other hand, available N (184.0 to 296.95 kg/ha), available P (15.05 to 62.76 kg/ha), available S (11.43 to 44.52 kg/ha) and available Zn (0.20 to 1.04 mg/kg) showed sharp direct relation with the increase in Latitude as supported by higher CV value.
Characterization of Polyphenols, Flavonoids and Their Anti-microbial Activity in the Fruits of Vangueria madagascariensis J. F. Gmel
Authors: Njenga Peter K. , Mugo Samuel M. , Zhou Ting
Published: August 2020

Aim: The study aimed to characterize phenolic acids, flavonoids, and determine their antimicrobial activities in fruits of Vangueria madagascariensis (Tamarind of Indies).

Study Design: The design of the study included picking of Vangueria madagascariensis fruits from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) botanical garden and analysis for their antimicrobial activities at the Botany department research laboratory, JKUAT. Characterization of phenolic acids and flavonoids were conducted at MacEwan University Canada.

Place and Duration: JKUAT, Kenya and MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta Canada between June 2013 and June 2016.

Methodology: Phenolic acids and flavonoids from Tamarind of Indies were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSN). The antimicrobial assay was determined using the disk diffusion method.

Results: Based on the retention time, the UV spectrum, and the tandem MS behavior, the results revealed a profile composed of 25 phenolic compounds. Some of the identified phenolic compounds included: 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-feruloyl quinic acid, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, quercetin, 3,4-di-caffeoylquinic acid, 4, 5-di-caffeoylquinic acid, kaempferol, diosmetin, caffeic acid, epicatechin, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside. The fruit extracts had a probable presence of quercetin 3-O-6’-malonylglucoside, ikarisoside C, epimedin C, unknown epigallocatechin-3-gallate and quercetin conjugate derivatives. Furthermore, the fruit extracts from Vangueria madagascariensis showed appreciable antimicrobial properties against human pathogen strains. Strong antimicrobial activity was observed for Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. The Vangueria madagascariensis was found to be highly potent against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis even at low concentrations of 0.1 mg/mL.

Conclusion: The research findings may suggest value of the use of Vangueria madagascariensis fruits as a rich source of antioxidants with therapeutic and nutraceutical value.
Impact of Socioeconomic Profile on Nutritional Status of School Children
Authors: Arokiamary S. , Senthilkumar R. , Kanchana S.
Published: August 2020

Objectives: To study the effect of socioeconomic factors such as birth order, family size, family type, parent’s education level and family income on nutritional status of school children.

Methods: It was a cross sectional survey conducted at Madurai district, Tamil Nadu to assess the effect of socioeconomic factors on nutritional status of school going children age of 5-6 years belonging to different socio economic classes of the society. Systematic random sampling technique was applied to collect the sample. The interview schedule was used to collect the background information regarding caste, type of family, family size, number of children and educational status of parents, occupation and income. Body Mass Index in relation to WHO reference child growth standard was used for assessing nutritional status.

Results: Out of 60 children 30.00, 53.33 and 5.00 per cent children had mild, moderate and severe malnutrition respectively. Majority of malnourished children belonged to 3rd (51.66%) and 4th (30%) order of birth. The mild (28.33%) and moderate malnutrition (51.67%) children belonged to medium size family. The severely malnourished belonged to medium and large size family are 3.33 and 1.67 per cent respectively. Majority of the Mild (8.33%) moderate (23.33%) and severe (3.33%) malnutrition children belonged to mothers who were illiterate. Five per cent of children were severely malnourished and 18.33 per cent of children were moderately malnourished from the income range of ₹ 6000 to 7000.

Conclusion: The present study shows that the prevalence of malnutrition was significantly higher in school children age of 5-6 years. Poverty, low literacy rate, large families, women’s education appears to be the important underlying factors responsible for poor nutritional status of children (p<0.05).The malnutrition is higher in children of illiterate mothers because of lack of knowledge on importance of healthy diet.
Analysis of HIV/Malaria Coinfections among HIV-1 Infected Individuals in Two Tertiary Hospitals in Old Cross River State, Nigeria
Authors: Ejike Ugochi Immaculate , Cookey Tochi Ifeoma , Adiele Hope Chioma Innocent- , Okonko Iheanyi Omezuruike
Published: August 2020

Aims: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Malaria are the two main global public health threats that dent development in low and middle-income countries. This study evaluated the immunological marker and HIV/Malaria co-infection among individuals infected with HIV-1 in old Cross River State, Nigeria.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) between March 2018 and August 2019.

Methods: A total of 417 individuals infected with HIV-1 partook in this study. The age of these individuals ranged from 4-72 years (average age = 39.1 years). Plasma samples were analyzed for HIV and Malaria using Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent Assay. The CD4 count was enumerated using the Partec CyFlow® Counter. Plasma viral loads (PVL) were determined using the Abbott Real-Time HIV-1 assay.

Results: Results showed that 230(55.1%) of the participants were in the 31-45 years age range. The majority (67.4%) of the HIV-1 infected individuals were females. An overall prevalence of HIV/Malaria coinfection in Old Cross River State, Nigeria was 14.3%, of which Uyo was 6.3% and Calabar was 3.0%. A higher prevalence of HIV/Malaria coinfection was observed among age groups <25 years (17.5%), males (5.1%), singles or divorced/widow/widower (7.7%), those with primary education (7.5%), and students (10.0%). Higher HIV/Malaria coinfection was also observed among those with CD4 cell count <200 cells/μl and 350-499 cells/μl (5.7%) and PVL >5000 copies/mL (7.9%) compared to others with 2.0% prevalence. Of all variables evaluated only marital status (p= 0.033), educational background (p= 0.000) and occupations (p =0.000) were significantly associated.

Conclusions: This study further confirmed the presence of HIV/Malaria coinfection in old Cross River State, Nigeria. This study has added to the voices on the ground to give a better view on the frequency and the pattern of distribution of HIV/Malaria coinfection since limited studies have been done on this in old Cross River State, Nigeria. This, therefore, highlights the need for a well-structured approach to the management of HIV/Malaria coinfection in Nigeria.
Methodologies of Removal of Dyes from Wastewater: A Review
Authors: Beulah S. Sophie , Muthukumaran K.
Published: August 2020

Dyes have been used in several industries, like paper-making, textiles, plastic, leather tanning, cosmetic and foods industries since Eighteenth century. Effluents containing dyes reduce the penetration of sunlight into natural bodies of water, thus leading to a decrease of both photosynthetic activity and the concentration of dissolved oxygen. The presence of dyes in watercourses is both aesthetically unacceptable and also toxic to aquatic ecosystem and human health. The effluent treatment technologies being used now a days for removal of dyes from wastewater includes coagulation, biological methods, adsorption, advanced oxidation processes, membrane technology, electrochemical methods, nano technology etc. In this review, extensive information is presented with regard to different techniques adopted for dyes removal from the available literature.
Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles, Characterization and Their Applications
Authors: Pavithran Swathi , Pappuswamy Manikantan , Annadurai Yamuna , Armugam Vijaya Anand , Periyaswamy Thirunavukkarasu
Published: August 2020

Nanotechnology is one of the upcoming topics in the present era. Nanoparticles are synthesized by physical and chemical methods but limitations are due to their toxicity. Hence, green synthesis is more on demand which involves the use of plants, bacteria and fungi. In this review, copper nanoparticle synthesis is focused which is economically beneficial and eco-friendly when compared to other metal nanoparticles. Copper nanoparticles are used in diverse fields such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, bioremediation, molecular biology, bioengineering, genetic engineering, dye degradation, catalysis, cosmetics and textiles. Structural properties and biological effects of copper nanoparticles have promising affectivity in the field of life sciences. The characterization of biogenic copper nanoparticles by number of analytical tools for their compositional, morphological and topographical features has also been discussed.
Examination of Employers’ Expectations of Higher Education Institutions’ Graduates in Manufacturing Sector in Tanzania: A Quest for Employability Skills
Authors: Mkamwa Thadeus F. , Naila Daniel L.
Published: August 2020

This study explores the challenges that the manufacturing sector in Tanzania face in identifying and capturing competent university graduates in their recruitment and retention processes. The main objectives of the study were: (i) to identify the generic employability skills required by manufacturing employers in Tanzania and, (ii) to investigate manufacturing industry employers’ satisfaction with the recruited talents’ performance. The study was carried out by inviting employers to complete a survey which was sent to them by mail in 2017. Out of 200 questionnaires sent to 200 companies which were identified through the Directory of Employers Association of Tanzania, 80 companies responded with 80 usable questionnaires which made a 40% response rate. In particular, about 69% of employers considered employees’ inter-personal qualities either very important or important and were satisfied with them, Pearson’s Chi Square = 12.898, P = .012. The study also found that informational skills, inter-personal qualities, technological skills, and entrepreneurial skills were significantly associated with employers’ satisfaction with overall employee performance. However, employers also identified a mismatch between skills the graduates have compared to what they consider as ideal generic skills and competencies required in the sector. The These findings suggest that there is a great need of enhancing academia-public-private partnership in improving higher education institutions’ delivery in order to meet labour market demands and employers’ expectations.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus V5 Prevents Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Invasion in Cell Culture and Mice Infection
Authors: Tsuruda C. T. , Souza P. C. De , Nishio E. K. , Almeida R. S. , Panagio L. A. , Baptista A. A. S. , Garcia S. , Pinheiro D. O. , Araújo E. J. A. , Chue-Gonçalves M. , Kobayashi R. K. T. , Nakazato G.
Published: August 2020

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective capacity of the exopolysaccharide-producing Lactobacillus rhamnosus V5 against invasion in vitro and in vivo with S. typhimurium.

Methodology: We tested the antimicrobial activity of the compound extracted from the            lactobacilli against S. typhimurium directly, also we tested the interference of this compound in S. typhimurium adherence and invasion of HeLa and HEp-2 cells (in vitro testings). For in vivo experiments, we used 16 BALB/c female mice. Through gavage method we introduced L. rhamnosus as probiotic and then infected mice with S. enterica serovar typhimurium. After euthanasia, spleen, liver and Peyer's patches removed for microbiological and histopathological analysis.

Results: The results showed that lactobacilli were able to produce antimicrobial compounds  against S. typhimurium. These lactobacilli inhibited the adhesion and invasion of S. typhimurium  in HeLa and HEp-2 cells, respectively. The challenge assay in the murine model demonstrated a decrease in pathogen translocation in the spleen and liver from mice treated with probiotic as  well as protection of ileal tissue in lactobacilli-treated mice. The histopathological analysis demonstrated the presence of prominent lymphoid nodules in the ileum from the non-treated lactobacilli mice.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that L. rhamnosus improved the effectiveness of the intestinal barrier and, thus, could be a potential probiotic to control salmonellosis.
SGK1 is a signalling hub that controls protein synthesis and proliferation in endothelial cells
Authors: Medina‐Jover Ferran , Gendrau‐Sanclemente Núria , Viñals Francesc
Published: August 2020

BMP9 is a cytokine involved in the maturation phase of the angiogenic process that signals through its serine/threonine receptor ALK1 and its coreceptor endoglin. In this paper, we explain how BMP9 directs the regulation of endothelial cell proliferation blockage while in turn stimulating protein synthesis. To achieve this, BMP9 promotes SGK1 synthesis and activation through mTORC2 in order to stimulate the mTORC1/S6K/S6 axis. Moreover, BMP9 blocks proliferation also through SGK1 by reducing the activity of the MEK/ERK signalling pathway. Inhibition of SGK1 activity is sufficient to prevent BMP9‐mediated inhibition of ERK, leading to an increase in endothelial cell proliferation. Overall, our findings reveal that SGK1 is a key player during angiogenesis, mediating the pro‐quiescent and maturation effects of BMP9/ALK1.
TGF‐β‐induced IGFBP‐3 is a key paracrine factor from activated pericytes that promotes colorectal cancer cell migration and invasion
Authors: Navarro Rocío , Tapia‐Galisteo Antonio , Martín‐García Laura , Tarín Carlos , Corbacho Cesáreo , Gómez‐López Gonzalo , Sánchez‐Tirado Esther , Campuzano Susana , González‐Cortés Araceli , Yáñez‐Sedeño Paloma , Compte Marta , Álvarez‐Vallina Luis , Sanz Laura
Published: August 2020

The crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment has been implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. Fibroblasts and immune cells are widely known to be attracted to and modified by cancer cells. However, the role of pericytes in the tumor microenvironment beyond endothelium stabilization is poorly understood. Here, we report that pericytes promoted colorectal cancer (CRC) cell proliferation, migration, invasion, stemness, and chemoresistance in vitro, as well as tumor growth in a xenograft CRC model. We demonstrate that coculture with human CRC cells induced broad transcriptomic changes in pericytes, mostly associated with TGF‐β receptor activation. The prognostic value of a TGF‐β response signature in pericytes was analyzed in CRC patient data sets. This signature was found to be a good predictor of CRC relapse. Moreover, in response to stimulation by CRC cells, pericytes expressed high levels of TGF‐β1, initiating an autocrine activation loop. Investigation of secreted mediators and underlying molecular mechanisms revealed that IGFBP‐3 is a key paracrine factor from activated pericytes affecting CRC cell migration and invasion. In summary, we demonstrate that the interplay between pericytes and CRC cells triggers a vicious cycle that stimulates pericyte cytokine secretion, in turn increasing CRC cell tumorigenic properties. Overall, we provide another example of how cancer cells can manipulate the tumor microenvironment.
Nation is failing to gain ground in preventing alcohol‐related deaths
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: August 2020

The latest five‐year data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the country has been stalled in the effort to prevent the worst outcomes from excessive alcohol use. During the period from 2011–15, excessive drinking was responsible for an average of more than 93,000 deaths per year and 2.7 million years of potential life lost, representing slight increases from the 2006–10 period.
Layered Antiferromagnetism Induces Large Negative Magnetoresistance in the van der Waals Semiconductor CrSBr
Authors: Telford Evan J. , Dismukes Avalon H. , Lee Kihong , Cheng Minghao , Wieteska Andrew , Bartholomew Amymarie K. , Chen Yu‐Sheng , Xu Xiaodong , Pasupathy Abhay N. , Zhu Xiaoyang , Dean Cory R. , Roy Xavier
Published: August 2020

The recent discovery of magnetism within the family of exfoliatable van der Waals (vdW) compounds has attracted considerable interest in these materials for both fundamental research and technological applications. However, current vdW magnets are limited by their extreme sensitivity to air, low ordering temperatures, and poor charge transport properties. Here the magnetic and electronic properties of CrSBr are reported, an air‐stable vdW antiferromagnetic semiconductor that readily cleaves perpendicular to the stacking axis. Below its Néel temperature,TN= 132 ± 1 K, CrSBr adopts an A‐type antiferromagnetic structure with each individual layer ferromagnetically ordered internally and the layers coupled antiferromagnetically along the stacking direction. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) reveal that the electronic gap is ΔE= 1.5 ± 0.2 eV with a corresponding PL peak centered at 1.25 ± 0.07 eV. Using magnetotransport measurements, strong coupling between magnetic order and transport properties in CrSBr is demonstrated, leading to a large negative magnetoresistance response that is unique among vdW materials. These findings establish CrSBr as a promising material platform for increasing the applicability of vdW magnets to the field of spin‐based electronics.
Spin‐Related Electron Transfer and Orbital Interactions in Oxygen Electrocatalysis
Authors: Sun Yuanmiao , Sun Shengnan , Yang Haitao , Xi Shibo , Gracia Jose , Xu Zhichuan J.
Published: August 2020

Oxygen evolution and reduction reactions play a critical role in determining the efficiency of the water cycling (H2O ⇔ H2 + O2), in which the hydrogen serves as the energy carrier. That calls for a comprehensive understanding of oxygen electrocatalysis for efficient catalyst design. Current opinions on oxygen electrocatalysis have been focused on the thermodynamics of the reactant/intermediate adsorption on the catalysts. Because the oxygen molecule is paramagnetic, its production from or its reduction to diamagnetic hydroxide/water involves spin‐related electron transfer. Both electron transfer and orbital interactions between the catalyst and the reactant/intermediate show spin‐dependent character, making the reaction kinetics and thermodynamics sensitive to the spin configurations. Herein, a brief introduction on the spintronic explanation of the catalytic phenomena on oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is given. The local spin configurations and orbital interactions in the benchmark transition‐metal‐based catalysts for OER and ORR are analyzed as examples. To further understand the spintronic oxygen electrocatalysis and to develop more efficient spintronic catalysts, the challenges are summarized and future opportunities proposed. Spin electrocatalysis may emerge as an important topic in the near future and help integrate a comprehensive understanding of oxygen electrocatalysis.
All‐in‐One Bioinspired Multifunctional Graphene Biopolymer Foam for Simultaneous Removal of Multiple Water Pollutants
Authors: Yap Pei Lay , Hassan Kamrul , Auyoong Yow Loo , Mansouri Negar , Farivar Farzaneh , Tran Diana N. H. , Losic Dusan
Published: August 2020

Polluted waters are complex systems with many different co‐existing contaminants that make their simultaneous removal a very challenging task. To address this problem, all‐in‐one ad/ab‐sorbent with unique combination of interfacial properties and multiple surface chemistry is developed to simultaneously and efficiently remove several pollutants including heavy metals, dyes, oils, and organic solvents. By mimicking the wetting micro‐topology of a darkling beetle with a combined hydrophilic‐hydrophobic surface, a new bioinspired adsorbent, graphene biopolymer foam (Alg‐Fe3O4‐rGO‐4S) for removal of multiple water pollutants is engineered by combining alginate (Alg) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) functionalized with tetrathiol that is also decorated with iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4). This concept is first proved by single pollutant removal, showing adsorption capacity of 789.7 ± 36 mg/g for methylene blue (MB), 107.0 ± 2.1 mg/g for Hg (II), 73.5 ± 0.7 mg/g for Cu (II), and rapid oil‐water separation with high sorption capacity (11–18 g/g). A remarkable performance for simultaneous removal of their mixtures in milli‐Q, river, and sea water is demonstrated with efficiency for MB (≈90%), Cu (II) (>99.99%) and Hg (II) (100%) and rapid (≈30 s) uptake of organic solvents and oils. The obtained results indicate a valuable potential of proposed concept for simultaneous removal of co‐existing water pollutants.