bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Striking between-population floral divergences in a habitat specialized plant
Authors: Rahim Sumayya Abdul , Kodandaramaiah Ullasa , Kulkarni Aboli , Barua Deepak
Published: June 2021

When the habitat occupied by a specialist species is patchily distributed, limited gene flow between the fragmented populations may allow population differentiation and eventual speciation. ‘Sky islands’—montane habitats that form terrestrial islands—have been shown to promote diversification in many taxa through this mechanism. We investigate floral variation in Impatiens lawii, a plant specialized on laterite rich rocky plateaus that form sky islands in the northern Western Ghats mountains of India. We focus on three plateaus separated from each other by ca. 7 to 17 km, and show that floral traits have diverged strongly between these populations. In contrast, floral traits have not diverged in the congeneric I. oppositifolia, which co-occurs with I. lawii in the plateaus, but is a habitat generalist that is also found in the intervening valleys. We conducted common garden experiments to test whether the differences in I. lawii are due to genetic differentiation or phenotypic plasticity. There were strong differences in floral morphology between experimental plants sourced from the three populations, and the relative divergences between population pairs mirrored that seen in the wild, indicating that the populations are genetically differentiated. Common garden experiments confirmed that there was no differentiation in I. oppositifolia. Field floral visitation surveys indicated that the observed differences in floral traits have consequences for I. lawii populations, by reducing the number of visitors and changing the relative abundance of different floral visitor groups. Our results highlight the role of habitat specialization in diversification, and corroborates the importance of sky islands as centres of diversification.
Unsupervised water scene dehazing network using multiple scattering model
Authors: An Shunmin , Huang Xixia , Wang Linling , Zheng Zhangjing , Wang Le
Published: June 2021

In water scenes, where hazy images are subject to multiple scattering and where ideal data sets are difficult to collect, many dehazing methods are not as effective as they could be. Therefore, an unsupervised water scene dehazing network using atmospheric multiple scattering model is proposed. Unlike previous image dehazing methods, our method uses the unsupervised neural network and the atmospheric multiple scattering model and solves the problem of difficult acquisition of ideal datasets and the effect of multiple scattering on the image. In our method, in order to embed the atmospheric multiple scattering model into the unsupervised dehazing network, the unsupervised dehazing network uses four branches to estimate the scene radiation layer, transmission map layer, blur kernel layer and atmospheric light layer, the hazy image is then synthesized from the four output layers, minimizing the input hazy image and the output hazy image, where the output scene radiation layer is the final dehazing image. In addition, we constructed unsupervised loss functions which applicable to image dehazing by prior knowledge, i.e., color attenuation energy loss and dark channel loss. The method has a wide range of applications, with haze being thick and variable in marine, river and lake scenes, the method can be used to assist ship vision for target detection or forward road recognition in hazy conditions. Through extensive experiments on synthetic and real-world images, the proposed method is able to recover the details, structure and texture of the water image better than five advanced dehazing methods.
Precision and accuracy of FEV1 measurements from the Vitalograph copd-6 mini-spirometer in a healthy Ugandan population
Authors: Hansen Wajd Abbas Hassan , Schlünssen Vivi , Jørs Erik , Sekabojja Daniel , Ssempebwa John C. , Mubeezi Ruth , Staudacher Philipp , Fuhrimann Samuel , Hansen Martin Rune Hassan
Published: June 2021

Objective

Evaluate the accuracy and precision of the copd-6 mini-spirometer for FEV1 in a rural Ugandan population.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, 171 smallholder farmers performed spirometry with copd-6, and a diagnostic-quality spirometer.

Results and discussion

The copd-6 underestimated FEV1 at low flows and overestimated FEV1 at high flows. Across all participants, the device slightly overestimated FEV1 by 0.04 [0.02; 0.06] L. Calibration data showed similar patterns.

Conclusion

The copd-6 could be considered as an affordable tool for research on lung function impairment in resource-constrained settings. However, further validation in a study population with obstructive lung disease is needed.
Classification of cannabis strains in the Canadian market with discriminant analysis of principal components using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms
Authors: Jin Dan , Henry Philippe , Shan Jacqueline , Chen Jie
Published: June 2021

The cannabis community typically uses the terms “Sativa” and “Indica” to characterize drug strains with high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. Due to large scale, extensive, and unrecorded hybridization in the past 40 years, this vernacular naming convention has become unreliable and inadequate for identifying or selecting strains for clinical research and medicinal production. Additionally, cannabidiol (CBD) dominant strains and balanced strains (or intermediate strains, which have intermediate levels of THC and CBD), are not included in the current classification studies despite the increasing research interest in the therapeutic potential of CBD. This paper is the first in a series of studies proposing that a new classification system be established based on genome-wide variation and supplemented by data on secondary metabolites and morphological characteristics. This study performed a whole-genome sequencing of 23 cannabis strains marketed in Canada, aligned sequences to a reference genome, and, after filtering for minor allele frequency of 10%, identified 137,858 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) was applied to these SNPs and further identified 344 structural SNPs, which classified individual strains into five chemotype-aligned groups: one CBD dominant, one balanced, and three THC dominant clusters. These structural SNPs were all multiallelic and were predominantly tri-allelic (339/344). The largest portion of these SNPs (37%) occurred on the same chromosome containing genes for CBD acid synthases (CBDAS) and THC acid synthases (THCAS). The remainder (63%) were located on the other nine chromosomes. These results showed that the genetic differences between modern cannabis strains were at a whole-genome level and not limited to THC or CBD production. These SNPs contained enough genetic variation for classifying individual strains into corresponding chemotypes. In an effort to elucidate the confused genetic backgrounds of commercially available cannabis strains, this classification attempt investigated the utility of DAPC for classifying modern cannabis strains and for identifying structural SNPs.
Permeability characteristics and structural evolution of compacted loess under different dry densities and wetting-drying cycles
Authors: Yuan Kang-ze , Ni Wan-kui , Lü Xiang-fei , Wang Xi-jun
Published: June 2021

Permeability characteristics of compacted loess is always an important topic in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering. This study explored the permeability characteristics of compacted loess under different dry densities and wetting-drying cycles, and found that as the dry density increases, the compacted loess surface became denser, the saturation permeability coefficient and saturation infiltration rate decreased. However, the wetting-drying cycle presented the opposite result. Meanwhile, the evolution of the microstructure was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to explain the change of its permeability characteristics. The size of compacted loess aggregates was quantitatively analyzed by Image-Pro Plus (IPP) software. It showed that the size of compacted loess aggregates for different dry densities were concentrated from 10–100 μm, occupying 65.0%, 58.19%, and 51.64% of the total aggregates area respectively. And the interesting finding was that the area occupied by 10–50 μm aggregates remained basically unchanged with the number of wetting-drying cycles increasing. Therefore, the size of 10–50 μm aggregates represented the transition zone of compacted loess. NMR analyses revealed that with increasing dry density, the volume of macropores in the compacted loess rapidly decreased, the volume of mesopores and small pores increased. Meanwhile, the change in micropores was relatively small. The pore volume of the compacted loess after three wetting-drying cycles increased by 8.56%, 8.61%, and 6.15%, respectively. The proportion of macropores in the total pore volume shows the most drastic change. Variations in aggregate size and connection relationships made it easier to form overhead structures between aggregates, and the increased of macropore volume will form more water channels. Therefore, the change in permeability characteristics of compacted loess is determined by aggregate size, loess surface morphology, and the total pore volume occupied by macropores.
Trust-based partner switching among partitioned regions promotes cooperation in public goods game
Authors: Kang Hongwei , Wang Mie , Shen Yong , Sun Xingping , Chen Qingyi
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the coevolution mechanism of trust-based partner switching among partitioned regions on an adaptive network is studied. We investigate a low-information approach to building trust and cooperation in public goods games. Unlike reputation, trust scores are only given to players by those with whom they have a relationship in the game, depending on the game they play together. A player’s trust score for a certain neighbor is given and known by that player only. Players can adjust their connections to neighbors with low trust scores by switching their partners to other players. When switching partners, players divide other nodes in the network into three regions: immediate neighbors as the known region, indirectly connected second-order neighbors as the intermediate region, and other nodes as the unknown region. Such choices and compartmentalization often occur in global and regional economies. Our results show that preference for switching to partners in the intermediate region is not conducive to spreading cooperation, while random selection has the disadvantage of protecting the cooperator. However, selecting new partners in the remaining two regions based on the average trust score of the known region performs well in both protecting partners and finding potential cooperators. Meanwhile, by analyzing the parameters, we find that the influence of vigilance increasing against unsatisfactory behavior on evolution direction depends on the level of cooperation reward.
Relative age effect? No “flipping” way! Apparatus dependent inverse relative age effects in elite, women’s artistic gymnastics
Authors: Langham-Walsh Eleanor , Gottwald Victoria , Hardy James
Published: June 2021

In contrast to research on team-sports, delayed maturation has been observed in higher-skilled gymnasts, leading to atypical distributions of the relative age effect. Recent studies have reported intra-sport differences in the relative age effect and given the task demands across gymnastics apparatus, we expected to find evidence for the influence of apparatus specialism. We examined the presence of a relative age effects within a sample of elite, international, women’s artistic gymnasts (N= 806,Ncountries= 87), and further sampled our data from vault, bars, beam, and floor major competition finalists. Poisson regression analysis indicated no relative age effect in the full sample (p= .55;R2adj.= .01) but an effect that manifested when analysing apparatus independently. The Index of Discrimination (ID) analysis provided evidence of an inverse relative age effect identified for beam (p= .01; ID= 1.27;R2adj.= .12), a finding that was corroborated by a marginal effect in our vault finalists (p= .08; ID= 1.21;R2adj.= .06). These novel findings can be attributed to the integrated influence of self-fulfilling prophecy upon coach and gymnast expectations, as well as the technical mechanisms underpinning skill development involved in the underdog hypothesis.
Exposure to dexamethasone modifies transcriptomic responses of free-living stages of Strongyloides stercoralis
Authors: Rodpai Rutchanee , Sanpool Oranuch , Thanchomnang Tongjit , Laoraksawong Pokkamol , Sadaow Lakkhana , Boonroumkaew Patcharaporn , Wangwiwatsin Arporn , Wongkham Chaisiri , Laummaunwai Porntip , Ittiprasert Wannaporn , Brindley Paul J. , Intapan Pewpan M. , Maleewong Wanchai
Published: June 2021

Hyperinfection and disseminated infection by the parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis can be induced by iatrogenic administration of steroids and immunosuppression and lead to an elevated risk of mortality. Responses of free-living stages of S. stercoralis to the therapeutic corticosteroid dexamethasone (DXM) were investigated using RNA-seq transcriptomes of DXM-treated female and male worms. A total of 17,950 genes representing the transcriptome of these free-living adult stages were obtained, among which 199 and 263 were differentially expressed between DXM-treated females and DXM-treated males, respectively, compared with controls. According to Gene Ontology analysis, differentially expressed genes from DXM-treated females participate in developmental process, multicellular organismal process, cell differentiation, carbohydrate metabolic process and embryonic morphogenesis. Others are involved in signaling and signal transduction, including cAMP, cGMP-dependent protein kinase pathway, endocrine system, and thyroid hormone pathway, as based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis. The novel findings warrant deeper investigation of the influence of DXM on growth and other pathways in this neglected tropical disease pathogen, particularly in a setting of autoimmune and/or allergic disease, which may require the clinical use of steroid-like hormones during latent or covert strongyloidiasis.
Ambulatory specialist costs and morbidity of coordinated and uncoordinated patients before and after abolition of copayment: A cohort analysis
Authors: Olm Michaela , Donnachie Ewan , Tauscher Martin , Gerlach Roman , Linde Klaus , Maier Werner , Schwettmann Lars , Schneider Antonius
Published: June 2021

To strengthen the coordinating function of general practitioners (GPs) in the German healthcare system, a copayment of €10 was introduced in 2004. Due to a perceived lack of efficacy and a high administrative burden, it was abolished in 2012. The present cohort study investigates characteristics and differences of GP-coordinated and uncoordinated patients in Bavaria, Germany, concerning morbidity and ambulatory specialist costs and whether these differences have changed after the abolition of the copayment. We performed a retrospective routine data analysis, using claims data of the Bavarian Association of the Statutory Health Insurance Physicians during the period 2011–2012 (with copayment) and 2013–2016 (without copayment), covering 24 quarters. Coordinated care was defined as specialist contact only with referral. Multinomial regression modelling, including inverse probability of treatment weighting, was used for the cohort analysis of 500 000 randomly selected patients. Longitudinal regression models were calculated for cost estimation. Coordination of care decreased substantially after the abolition of the copayment, accompanied by increasing proportions of patients with chronic and mental diseases in the uncoordinated group, and a corresponding decrease in the coordinated group. In the presence of the copayment, uncoordinated patients had €21.78 higher specialist costs than coordinated patients, increasing to €24.94 after its abolition. The results indicate that patients incur higher healthcare costs for specialist ambulatory care when their care is uncoordinated. This effect slightly increased after abolition of the copayment. Beyond that, the abolition of the copayment led to a substantial reduction in primary care coordination, particularly affecting vulnerable patients. Therefore, coordination of care in the ambulatory setting should be strengthened.
Tissue-specific transcriptional profiling of plasmacytoid dendritic cells reveals a hyperactivated state in chronic SIV infection
Authors: Lee Michelle Y.-H. , Upadhyay Amit A. , Walum Hasse , Chan Chi N. , Dawoud Reem A. , Grech Christine , Harper Justin L. , Karunakaran Kirti A. , Nelson Sydney A. , Mahar Ernestine A. , Goss Kyndal L. , Carnathan Diane G. , Cervasi Barbara , Gill Kiran , Tharp Gregory K. , Wonderlich Elizabeth R. , Velu Vijayakumar , Barratt-Boyes Simon M. , Paiardini Mirko , Silvestri Guido , Estes Jacob D. , Bosinger Steven E.
Published: June 2021

HIV associated immune activation (IA) is associated with increased morbidity in people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy, and remains a barrier for strategies aimed at reducing the HIV reservoir. The underlying mechanisms of IA have not been definitively elucidated, however, persistent production of Type I IFNs and expression of ISGs is considered to be one of the primary factors. Plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) are a major producer of Type I IFN during viral infections, and are highly immunomodulatory in acute HIV and SIV infection, however their role in chronic HIV/SIV infection has not been firmly established. Here, we performed a detailed transcriptomic characterization of pDCs in chronic SIV infection in rhesus macaques, and in sooty mangabeys, a natural host non-human primate (NHP) species that undergoes non-pathogenic SIV infection. We also investigated the immunostimulatory capacity of lymph node homing pDCs in chronic SIV infection by contrasting gene expression of pDCs isolated from lymph nodes with those from blood. We observed that pDCs in LNs, but not blood, produced high levels of IFNα transcripts, and upregulated gene expression programs consistent with T cell activation and exhaustion. We apply a novel strategy to catalogue uncharacterized surface molecules on pDCs, and identified the lymphoid exhaustion markers TIGIT and LAIR1 as highly expressed in SIV infection. pDCs from SIV-infected sooty mangabeys lacked the activation profile of ISG signatures observed in infected macaques. These data demonstrate that pDCs are a primary producer of Type I IFN in chronic SIV infection. Further, this study demonstrated that pDCs trafficking to LNs persist in a highly activated state well into chronic infection. Collectively, these data identify pDCs as a highly immunomodulatory cell population in chronic SIV infection, and a putative therapeutic target to reduce immune activation.
Asymmetric-flow field-flow fractionation of prions reveals a strain-specific continuum of quaternary structures with protease resistance developing at a hydrodynamic radius of 15 nm
Authors: Cortez Leonardo M. , Nemani Satish K. , Duque Velásquez Camilo , Sriraman Aishwarya , Wang YongLiang , Wille Holger , McKenzie Debbie , Sim Valerie L.
Published: June 2021

Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders that affect mammals, including humans. The central molecular event is the conversion of cellular prion glycoprotein, PrPC, into a plethora of assemblies, PrPSc, associated with disease. Distinct phenotypes of disease led to the concept of prion strains, which are associated with distinct PrPSc structures. However, the degree to which intra- and inter-strain PrPSc heterogeneity contributes to disease pathogenesis remains unclear. Addressing this question requires the precise isolation and characterization of all PrPSc subpopulations from the prion-infected brains. Until now, this has been challenging. We used asymmetric-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) to isolate all PrPSc subpopulations from brains of hamsters infected with three prion strains: Hyper (HY) and 263K, which produce almost identical phenotypes, and Drowsy (DY), a strain with a distinct presentation. In-line dynamic and multi-angle light scattering (DLS/MALS) data provided accurate measurements of particle sizes and estimation of the shape and number of PrPSc particles. We found that each strain had a continuum of PrPSc assemblies, with strong correlation between PrPSc quaternary structure and phenotype. HY and 263K were enriched with large, protease-resistant PrPSc aggregates, whereas DY consisted primarily of smaller, more protease-sensitive aggregates. For all strains, a transition from protease-sensitive to protease-resistant PrPSc took place at a hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of 15 nm and was accompanied by a change in glycosylation and seeding activity. Our results show that the combination of AF4 with in-line MALS/DLS is a powerful tool for analyzing PrPSc subpopulations and demonstrate that while PrPSc quaternary structure is a major contributor to PrPSc structural heterogeneity, a fundamental change, likely in secondary/tertiary structure, prevents PrPSc particles from maintaining proteinase K resistance below an Rh of 15 nm, regardless of strain. This results in two biochemically distinctive subpopulations, the proportion, seeding activity, and stability of which correlate with prion strain phenotype.
No one crosses the river of oblivion: Reading the narrative experience in Kareem Ketafa’s works
Authors: Karim Zuher
Published: June 2021

A review of the works of Iraqi writer Kareem Ketafa identifies a common thematic invocation of fleeing, widely shared across the characters developed in each novel, that situates them all as at the indeterminate liminal line between forgetting past lives and embracing the memories those lives invoke. By centring Ketafa’s Iraqi origins the focus on its role in his literary imagination and ability to invoke the reality of past suffering and intense personal pain in how they shape character. This reading allows for an engagement with the arc of Ketafa’s plots, where actions allow for movement beyond individual flight and a familiarity with the fourth dimension that contributes to shaping one’s life story.
Injazat al-Iraq al-diplomasiyah athna’ al-ahad al-malaki 1921–58 (Iraq’s Diplomatic Achievements During the Royal Regine: 1921–58), Mamoon Amin Zaki (2020)
Authors: Ismael Tareq Y.
Published: June 2021

Review of: Injazat al-Iraq al-diplomasiyah athna’ al-ahad al-malaki 1921–58 (Iraq’s Diplomatic Achievements During the Royal Regine: 1921–58), Mamoon Amin Zaki (2020)

London: Dar al-Hikmah, 313 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-78481-161-7, p/bk, USD 17.00
Assessment of various veterinary drug residues in animal originated food products
Authors: Parmar Jagdish Kumar , Chaubey Kundan Kumar , Gupta Vikas , Bharath Manthena Nava
Published: June 2021

The veterinary drugs are broad-spectrum antibacterial antibiotics; it uses to cure the animal disease. Many countries have banned veterinary drug residues like nitrofurans metabolites, chloramphenicol. However, the people were administrated veterinary drugs to animals as illegal to increase the milk production in animals for economic benefit. The results of illegally use of veterinary drugs remain as a residue in animal product like milk and it is very harmful to whom consume it cause cancer and allergic for human being which has entered the concern among milk consumers. To control illegal use of veterinary drugs, the government of India has restricted its use in animals. For the identification and confirmation of veterinary drug residues in animal products, analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry are available. These are very sophisticated equipments which are available nowadays and their methodologies for the analytical method validation are described by European commission 2002/657/EC. The use of veterinary drugs is a big challenge to effectively identify and authorization of their use. There are so many analytical techniques are using very effectively and taking very less time to protect the consumers from their adverse effects. These techniques take very less time to identify more groups of compounds such as tetracycline, sulfonamides, anthelmintic, and macrolides in single multi-residue method. These methods having validation parameters include system precision, calibration curve, accuracy, limit of detection, and quantification. Therefore, improvement in the existing technologies and accessibility of new screening methodologies will give opportunities for automation that helps in obtaining the results in very less time and improved sensitivity and specificity which contribute to better safety assurance, standard, and quality of various food products of animal origin.
LEARNING STYLES AND TEACHING STRATEGIES IN GASTRONOMY AND HOSPITALITY: an initial proposal
Authors: Coletti Gabriel Furlan , Teixeira Nicholas Fernandes , Amaral Karoline Bertucci do
Published: June 2021

Education is a dynamic process that can transform individuals. But for this process to be effective, teaching strategies in higher education institutions need to be improved. It is important that such an initiative considers some particularities of the students, in order to make the teaching-learning process more productive. This study aims to identify the learning styles of students of the undergraduate courses in hospitality and gastronomy at the Centro Universitario Senac campus Aguas de São Pedro (SP), and to propose teaching strategies that are suitable for the predominant profiles found. This research is exploratory and descriptive in nature, using a literature review technique and the application of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was applied virtually, in March 2020, and received a sample of 51 responses. In the description and analysis of the data, we see that the predominant learning style is the Converging style (43%), followed by the Assimilating (27%), Accommodating (17%) and Diverging (11%) styles. Some active teaching methodologies are suggested that place the student as the central agent of their training process.
Assessment of thyroid-specific quality of life in patients with benign symptomatic thyroid nodules treated with radiofrequency or ethanol ablation: a prospective multicenter study
Authors: Jeong So Yeong , Ha Eun Ju , Baek Jung Hwan , Kim Tae Yong , Lee Yu-Mi , Lee Jeong Hyun , Lee Jeonghun
Published: June 2021

Purpose: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and ethanol ablation (EA) are effective and safe for benign symptomatic thyroid nodules (BSTNs). However, relatively little is known about the effects of these procedures on patients’ quality of life (QoL). This prospective, multicenter study evaluated the effects of RFA and EA on changes in thyroid-specific QoL in patients with BSTNs and assessed the volume reduction and safety of these procedures.Methods: Eighty-six consecutive patients with 86 BSTNs were prospectively included from two medical centers. RFA was performed for 55 BSTNs with solidity ≥50% and EA was performed for 31 BSTNs with solidity <50%. QoL was evaluated using an 11-scale, multiple-choice thyroid-specific QoL questionnaire. Nodule characteristics and QoL were evaluated at diagnosis and 1, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Overall QoL was rated from 0 (good) to 4 (poor).Results: The mean longest size and volume of the index nodule were 4.2±1.5 cm and 21.6±22.1 mL, respectively. Patients received 1.1 treatments on average (range, 1 to 2). Significant post-treatment volume reductions were noted; however, the EA group showed a higher volume reduction than the RFA group at 1 (78.7%-16.1% vs. 49.1%-15.8%), 6 (86.3%-21.7% vs. 73.0%-14.5%), and 12 (90.9%-14.9% vs. 80.3%-12.4%) months. The score for each scale of the QoL questionnaire improved significantly during follow-up (all P<0.001). Overall QoL improved significantly, 1.7±0.9 at diagnosis to 0.6±0.7 at the 12-month follow-up (P<0.001). There were no major complications.Conclusion: Both RFA and EA are safe and effective in reducing nodule volume and improving thyroid-specific QoL in patients with BSTNs.
Literatos em escritórios de jornais: jornalismo, literatura e trabalho (1883-1908)
Authors: Nery Gabriela
Published: June 2021

Este artigo trata das transformações pelas quais passaram a imprensa e o jornalismo do Rio de Janeiro, entre as décadas de 1880 e 1900. Centralmente, foi colocada sob investigação a relação dos literatos com as empresas jornalísticas que se consolidaram no período, em especial os jornais diários. Nesse processo, analisaram-se algumas tentativas de definição da profissão dos jornalistas na capital, bem como a importância do trabalho para a produção literária de muitos homens de letras. O poeta, cronista e jornalista Olavo Bilac foi um dos sujeitos acompanhados com atenção, inclusive na criação de projetos literários pessoais como as revistas ilustradas. Foram tomadas como fontes crônicas publicadas na imprensa, registros no Almanak Laemmert e entrevistas veiculadas na coluna “O Momento Literário”, de João do Rio.
[Review] Rosemary-Claire Collard, Animal Traffic . Duke University Press, 2020, xv + 181pp.
Authors: Simons John
Published: June 2021

Animal Studies Journal 2021 10(1): [Review] Rosemary-Claire Collard, Animal Traffic . Duke University Press, 2020, xv + 181pp.
[Review] Susan Mary Pyke. Animal Visions: Posthumanist Dream Writing. Palgrave Studies in Animals and Literature. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019. 314 pp.
Authors: Woodward Wendy
Published: June 2021

Animal Studies Journal 2021 10(1): [Review] Susan Mary Pyke. Animal Visions: Posthumanist Dream Writing. Palgrave Studies in Animals and Literature. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019. 314 pp.
Water-soluble polymeric particle embedded cryogels: Synthesis, characterisation and adsorption of haemoglobin
Authors: Erol Kadir , Bülter Melda Bolat , Köse Dursun Ali , Can Hatice Kaplan
Published: June 2021

Making cryogels, which are among today’s accepted adsorbents, more functional with different methods, has been one of the subjects spent overtime. In this study, water-soluble poly(maleic anhydride-alt-acrylic acid) polymer embedded in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) cryogels. Copper ions were then immobilised to this structure, and this polymer was used for adsorption of haemoglobin from aqueous systems. Adsorption interaction was carried out on an electrostatic basis, and approximately 448.62 mg haemoglobin/g polymer adsorption capacity value was obtained. It was found that the same material has managed to maintain its adsorption ability by 90.3% even after the use of it five times in the adsorption/desorption cycle. The adsorption interaction was determined to be appropriate for the Langmuir model by isotherm studies. The change in Gibbs free energy value was calculated as −2.168 kJ/mol.
Cospectral constructions for several graph matrices using cousin vertices
Authors: Lorenzen Kate
Published: June 2021

Graphs can be associated with a matrix according to some rule and we can find the spectrum of a graph with respect to that matrix. Two graphs are cospectral if they have the same spectrum. Constructions of cospectral graphs help us establish patterns about structural information not preserved by the spectrum. We generalize a construction for cospectral graphs previously given for the distance Laplacian matrix to a larger family of graphs. In addition, we show that with appropriate assumptions this generalized construction extends to the adjacency matrix, combinatorial Laplacian matrix, signless Laplacian matrix, normalized Laplacian matrix, and distance matrix. We conclude by enumerating the prevelance of this construction in small graphs for the adjacency matrix, combinatorial Laplacian matrix, and distance Laplacian matrix.
Strategic Thinking: A Random Walk Into the Rabbit Hole
Authors: Grüning David J. , Krueger Joachim I.
Published: June 2021

At its best, strategic thinking yields an advantage needed to beat an opponent. At the least, it protects the person from exploitation. In four studies, conducted in two countries, we used a simple number-guessing game, in which one respondent wins by guessing the number chosen by another. We show that people generate numbers nonrandomly, and, on the basis of this finding, we predict and find that nonrandom strategic choice is advantageous to the guesser if the chooser does not randomize either. As expected, respondents in the role of the guesser preferred to play a game in which they were to actively think of a number instead of randomizing if the chooser had to think of a number, too. Guessers did not prefer thinking if the chooser selected a number randomly. Having shown these limitations to strategic reasoning, we close with the observation that successful strategic reasoning may – at times – require the breaking of rules and being the first to do so.
The transformative impact of extracellular vesicles on developing sperm
Authors: Rimmer Michael P , Gregory Christopher D , Mitchell Rod T
Published: June 2021

Objective

To review the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from the male reproductive tract and their impact on developing sperm. We discuss how sperm exiting the seminiferous tubules, although developmentally mature, require further modification. Acquisition of various functions including increased motility, transfer of cargoes and ability to undertake the acrosome reaction is mediated through the interaction between sperm and EVs.

Methods

A review of the literature identified that EVs are released from different portions of the male reproductive tract, notably the epididymis and prostate. These EVs interact with sperm as they pass from the seminiferous tubules to the epididymis and vas deferens prior to ejaculation.

Results

EVs are small lipid-bound particles carrying bespoke RNA, protein and lipid cargoes. These cargoes are loaded based on the state of the parent cell and are used to communicate with recipient cells. In sperm, these cargoes are essential for post-testicular modification.

Conclusions

Interactions between developing sperm and EVs are important for the subsequent function of sperm. Prior to ejaculation, these interactions confer important changes for the post-testicular modification and development of sperm. Little is known about the interaction between EVs from the testes and the spermatogonial stem cell niche or developing sperm within the seminiferous tubules. However, the numerous roles of EVs in the post-testicular modification of sperm have led many to suspect that they may also play important roles in developing sperm within the testes.

Lay summary

Sperm are crucial for successful fertility. In order to do this, they must be able to swim a large distance to meet the egg in the female reproductive tract and fertilise it. Once released from the testes, sperm may appear to be fully developed, but this is not the case. Several important modifications are required in order for them to swim and fertilise an egg. These modifications are carried out by sending sperm small packages from other cells which contain messages and cargo. We discuss the release of these small packages along with different parts of the male reproductive tract and how they change the way sperm behave and function. This article reviews the literature and known functions of these packages called extracellular vesicles, which are released by the male reproductive tract and modify sperm, transforming their function, before they are ejaculated.
CITIUS, ALTIUS, FORTIUS – COMMUNIS. DESPUÉS DE 127 AÑOS SE MODIFICA EL MÁS ANTIGUO DE LOS SÍMBOLOS OLÍMPICOS
Authors: Villegas-Estrada Carlos Eduardo
Published: June 2021

Los símbolos Olímpicos fueron aumentando su significado en la medida que los Juegos Olímpicos iban creciendo, hasta posicionarse hoy en día como parte fundamental de la filosofía Olímpica, del Movimiento Olímpico y de los mismos Juegos. El mundo globalizado contemporáneo está en constante y acelerado cambio, lo que obliga a movimientos y organizaciones que pretenden mantenerse vigentes a repensarse y resignificarse para no perder la sintonía con las pujantes nuevas generaciones de consumidores. El presente trabajo tiene como propósito reconocer el lema CITIUS ALTIUS FORTIUS, el más antiguo de los símbolos Olímpicos, en momentos en que el presidente del Comité Olímpico Internacional (COI), justamente, propone modificarlo y resignificarlo. El artículo empieza describiendo los hechos que rodean la propuesta de cambio de Thomas Bach, indaga sobre la historia del lema desde su creación, rinde tributo al creador del lema, el padre Henri Didon, subrayando la influencia que tuvo sobre el fundador del Movimiento Olímpico moderno, Pierre de Coubertin, y termina presentando una serie de ejemplos de cómo el lema ha sido utilizado desde su origen hace 127 años.
Conmemorar la Ashura en la diáspora. Limitaciones y posibilidades en el uso del espacio público en Barcelona y París
Authors: Albert Blanco Víctor , Martínez Cuadros Rosa
Published: June 2021

La Ashura constituye una de las conmemoraciones más importantes del calendario musulmán chií. Siendo un día en el que se recuerda el sufrimiento del imán Hussein asesinado en 680 DC, la conmemoración incluye una procesión en la vía pública.  Desde hace algunos años, no sólo tiene lugar en países como Irán o Pakistán, sino también en grandes ciudades europeas. Este artículo compara la conmemoración de la Ashura en Barcelona y París con el objetivo de analizar las diferentes lógicas que determinan su dimensión transnacional, así como el uso que las comunidades de la diáspora chií pueden hacer del espacio público.
Al-Durus al-Hasaniyya: el discurso institucional islámico y la legitimación de la monarquía marroquí
Authors: Fernández Fernández Miguel Ángel
Published: June 2021

La monarquía marroquí, como élite en competición por un recurso limitado (la hegemonía del discurso islámico marroquí), utiliza los instrumentos discursivos y semiológicos a los que tiene acceso de manera exclusiva con el objetivo de mantener sus privilegios. En este artículo se pretende estudiar cómo la institución monárquica marroquí utiliza para este propósito los al-Durus al- Hasaniyya (Lecciones Hasaníes), un ciclo de conferencias o lecciones de temática islámica que acontece bajo la presencia del rey de Marruecos en calidad de Amir al-Mu'minin durante el mes islámico de Ramadán.
dos Sirias» y la mujer refugiada en Jordania: contextualizando la desigualdad de género en las esferas pública y privada
Authors: Caballero Pradas Sonia
Published: June 2021

El propósito de este artículo es describir las condiciones políticas, económicas y sociales de la comunidad siria refugiada en Jordania, haciendo hincapié en el acceso a la educación y en el trabajo de la mujer siria en los campos de refugiados y fuera de estos. A lo largo del estudio, se tiene en cuenta la marginalización e inclusión de las mujeres en las esferas pública y privada, atendiendo a la situación económica y a las medidas de integración en el país de acogida y en la actitud social que existe hacia la mujer en la comunidad siria refugiada. Esta investigación, de carácter sociológico y de género, busca explorar la relación entre las prácticas culturales tradicionales y la individualidad de una población femenina refugiada que ha experimentado cierto retroceso en sus libertades y derechos.
relaciones México-Golfo Pérsico: el fortalecimiento de lazos (2012-2018)
Authors: Galindo Alejandra
Published: June 2021

En los últimos dos sexenios del gobierno mexicano, a partir del 2000, México estableció vinculaciones con los países del Medio Oriente, de manera fragmentada.  Sin embargo, durante la presidencia de Peña Nieto (2012-2018), el gobierno mexicano fortaleció lo lazos con los países árabes del Golfo Pérsico. El objetivo de este artículo es indagar cómo el gobierno ha usado la diplomacia económica para atraer el interés de los países de la zona, a raíz de la aprobación de las reformas estructurales en México. El analizar cómo fueron los acercamientos, los acuerdos y sus efectos en las relaciones comerciales, nos permitirá evaluar esta nueva fase en las relaciones de México con los países de esa región
Effects of nitrogen from different sources on mycelial biomass and polysaccharide production and pellet morphology in submerged cultures of Grifola frondosa
Authors: Wang Yi-Cheng , Lin Fang-Yi , Hsu Tai-Hao
Published: June 2021

The effects of nitrogen in the medium on the production of mycelial biomass, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), and intracellular polysaccharides (IPS) was investigated in submerged cultures of Grifola frondosa. In addition, the effects on pellet morphology were examined. The maximum production levels of mycelial biomass (2.32 g/L), EPS (1.58 g/L), and IPS (29.1 mg/L) were obtained when the nitrogen sources in the medium were yeast extract, malt extract, and peptone, respectively. Using yeast extract as the nitrogen source yielded the maximum mycelial biomass, and morphological characterization revealed a composition of 47% large pellets (fraction L), 20% small pellets (fraction S), and 33% adhesive mycelia (fraction A). The maximum circularity value and the minimum roughness value of the pellets were observed using yeast extract cultures. Both the compactness (0.53) and circularity (0.15) of the pellets were the lowest among the seven types of nitrogen sources, but the roughness (2.86) was the highest in malt extract, which was the nitrogen source that resulted in maximum polysaccharide production. The results revealed that the production levels of mycelial biomass, EPS, and IPS of G. frondosa were associated with changes in pellet morphology due to the source of nitrogen in the medium.
A comparative study on the laccase activity of four basidiomycete fungi with different lignocellulosic residues via solid-state fermentation
Authors: Han Mei-Ling , An Qi , Ma Kai-Yue , An Wen-Ning , Hao Wen-Yao , Liu Meng-Yi , Shi Wen-Yi , Yang Jing , Bian Lu-Sen
Published: June 2021

The laccase producing abilities of four Basidiomycete fungi species were compared using solid-state fermentation using four different lignocellulosic residues. The biosynthetic potential of the Basidiomycetes was highly dependent on the type of fungi. In general, the laccase secreting ability of Cerrena unicolor Han 849 was greater than Lenzites betulinus Han 851, Stropharia rugosoannulata Han 1321, and Auricularia heimuer Han 1333. The maximum laccase production of C. unicolor Han 849 was approximately 11.25, 122.26, and 15.27 times higher than L. betulinus Han 851, S. rugosoannulata Han 1321 and A. heimuer Han 1333, respectively. Different species of fungi had a preference in lignocellulosic residues. The presence of Firmiana platanifolia was conducive to secreting laccase via C. unicolor Han 849 during solid-state fermentation. A continuous and stable laccase production via C. unicolor Han 849 was an obvious advantage of solid-state fermentation with any of the four lignocellulosic residues used. The maximum laccase production of C. unicolor Han 849 using Firmiana platanifolia was approximately 2.12, 1.68, and 6.13 times higher than Populus beijingensis, Sorghum bicolor, and Oryza sativa, respectively. These findings will be helpful for developing new productivity strains in industrial applications and selecting suitable lignocellulosic residues for laccase production.
BIBLE QUOTES AND IMAGES IN THE POETRY OF MARIA SHKAPSKAYA
Authors: Litvinova Olga
Published: June 2021

This article is the first to examine in detail the complete corpus of Biblical quotations in the poetry of Maria Shkapskaya, including unpublished handwritten texts. The article uses the material in books Mater dolorosa (1921), Chas vecherniy (1913—1917) (The Evening Hour (1913—1917), 1922), Baraban Strogogo Gospodina (The Drum of the Strict Master, 1922), Krov’-ruda (Blood-ore, 1922), Zemnye remyosla (The Earthly Crafts, 1925) and the poem “Yav’” (“Reality,” 1923), as well as texts from the notebooks of 1903—1907, 1913—1920 and Vcherashnee, a project of a book of poems (Yesterday, 1916) with a preface by Z. Gippius. The intention is to explain the role and significance of the biblical corpus of texts for the author's poetry. The task is to consider in chronological order all the poems by Maria Shkapskaya that are somehow related to the texts of the Holy Scripture, while clarifying the author’s basic principles of working with these texts. The thematic inversions characteristic of Shkapskaya’s poetry are revealed. The general thesis states that the nature of Shkapskaya’s appeal to the texts of Holy Scripture has changed over the years, and her attitude to them has consistently shifted from neutral-calm to a tense one that requires dialogue. Growing increasingly more conflicted and questioning over time, Shkapskaya’s quoting of biblical texts assumes the nature of a personal experience, which clearly indicates the author’s reflections in this direction and a deeply religious understanding of the surrounding reality and poetic creativity as such.
Web Services and Cloud Computing in Pediatric Care
Authors: Leu Michael G. , Weinberg Stuart T. , Monsen Craig , Lehmann Christoph U. ,   COUNCIL ON CLINICAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Published: June 2021

Electronic health record (EHR) systems do not uniformly implement pediatric-supportive functionalities. One method of adding these capabilities across EHR platforms is to integrate Web services and Web applications that may perform decision support and store data in the cloud when the EHR platform is able to integrate Web services. Specific examples of these services are described, such as immunization clinical decision support services, consumer health resources, and bilirubin nomograms. Health care providers, EHR vendors, and developers share responsibilities in the appropriate development, integration, and use of Web services and Web applications as they relate to best practices in the areas of data security and confidentiality, technical availability, audit trails, terminology and messaging standards, compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, testing, usability, and other considerations. It is desirable for health care providers to have knowledge of Web services and Web applications that can improve pediatric capabilities in their own EHRs because this will naturally inform discussions concerning EHR features and facilitate implementation and subsequent use of these capabilities by clinicians caring for children.
Physicochemical and microbiological changes of bovine blood due to high hydrostatic pressure treatment
Authors: Csehi B. , Salamon B. , Csurka T. , Szerdahelyi E. , Friedrich L. , Pásztor-Huszár K.
Published: June 2021

Bovine blood samples were treated with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) to examine the changes that may occur in the blood related to its colour, microbiological characteristics, protein denaturation, and dynamic viscosity. Pressure treatments were carried out from 100 to 600 MPa in 100 MPa scale up, with 5 min holding time. The blood samples were treated with anticoagulant (EDTA) to eliminate the possible measurement distorting effects. We found that 2 log reduction in the microbial load could be achieved with a pressure treatment above 400 MPa. According to the protein denaturation measurements (DSC), blood proteins were resistant to pressure treatment, even at 300–400 MPa a substantial part of proteins remained in native state. The colour of the samples got darker with the rising pressure, however, visible colour change was observed only above 400 MPa. It can be established, that the HHP treatment was suitable to increase the microbiological stability of blood, without significantly changing its techno-functional properties.