bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel AA14 LPMO from Talaromyces rugulosus with bifunctional cellulolytic/hemicellulolytic activity boosted cellulose hydrolysis
Authors: Chen Kaixiang , Zhao Xu , Zhang Peiyu , Long Liangkun , Ding Shaojun
Published: February 2024

Background

The recently discovered PcAA14A and B from white-rot basidiomycete Pycnoporus coccineus enriched our understanding of the oxidative degradation of xylan in fungi, however, the unusual mode of action of AA14 LPMOs has sparked controversy. The substrate specificity and functionality of AA14 LPMOs still remain enigmatic and need further investigation.

Results

In this study, a novel AA14 LPMO was characterized from the ascomycete Talaromyces rugulosus. TrAA14A has a broad substrate specificity with strong oxidative activity on pure amorphous cellulose and xyloglucan. It could simultaneously oxidize cellulose, xylan and xyloglucan in natural hemi/cellulosic substrate such as fibrillated eucalyptus pulp, and released native and oxidized cello-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides and xyloglucan oligosaccharides from this substrate, but its cellulolytic/hemicellulolytic activity became weaker as the contents of xylan increase in the alkaline-extracted hemi/cellulosic substrates. The dual cellulolytic/hemicellulolytic activity enables TrAA14A to possess a profound boosting effect on cellulose hydrolysis by cellulolytic enzymes. Structure modelling of TrAA14A revealed that it exhibits a relatively flat active-site surface similar to the active-site surfaces in AA9 LPMOs but quite distinct from PcAA14B, despite TrAA14A is strongly clustered together with AA14 LPMOs. Remarkable difference in electrostatic potentials of L2 and L3 surfaces was also observed among TrAA14A, PcAA14B and NcLPMO9F. We speculated that the unique feature in substrate-binding surface might contribute to the cellulolytic/hemicellulolytic activity of TrAA14A.

Conclusions

The extensive cellulolytic/hemicellulolytic activity on natural hemi/cellulosic substrate indicated that TrAA14A from ascomycete is distinctively different from previously characterized xylan-active AA9 or AA14 LPMOs. It may play as a bifunctional enzyme to decompose some specific network structures formed between cellulose and hemicellulose in the plant cell walls. Our findings shed new insights into the novel substrate specificities and biological functionalities of AA14 LPMOs, and will contribute to developing novel bifunctional LPMOs as the booster in commercial cellulase cocktails to efficiently break down the hemicellulose-cellulose matrix in lignocellulose.
Impact of multimorbidity on the first ts/bDMARD effectiveness and retention rate after two years of follow-up in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the BIOBADASER registry
Authors: Calvo-Gutiérrez Jerusalem , López-Medina Clementina , Otero-Varela Lucía , Escudero-Contreras Alejandro , Ortega-Castro Rafaela , Ladehesa-Pineda Lourdes , Campos Cristina , Bernabeu-Gonzalvez Pilar , Pérez-Gómez Ana , García-Dorta Alicia , Ruiz-Montesino Dolores , Pombo-Suarez Manuel , Ros-Vilamajo Inmaculada , Sánchez-Alonso Fernando , Castrejón Isabel
Published: February 2024

Background

Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) have a higher prevalence of comorbidities compared to the general population. However, the implications of multimorbidity on therapeutic response and treatment retention remain unexplored. Objectives: (a) To evaluate the impact of multimorbidity on the effectiveness of the first targeted synthetic or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (ts/bDMARD), in patients with RA after 2-year follow-up; (b) to investigate the influence of multimorbidity on treatment retention rate.

Methods

Patients with RA from the BIOBADASER registry exposed to a first ts/bDMARDs were included. Patients were categorized based on multimorbidity status at baseline, defined as a Charlson Comorbidity index (CCI) score ≥ 3. A linear regression model, adjusted for sex and age, was employed to compare the absolute DAS28 score over time after ts/bDMARD initiation between the two groups. The Log-Rank test and Kaplan-Meier curve were used to compare the retention rates of the first ts/bDMARD between the groups.

Results

A total of 1128 patients initiating ts/bDMARD were included, with 107 (9.3%) exhibiting multimorbidity. The linear regression model showed significantly higher DAS28 (beta coefficient 0.33, 95%CI:0.07–0.58) over a two-year period in patients with multimorbidity, even after adjusting for age and sex. Finally, no differences in the ts/bDMARD retention rate were found between groups (median 6.94–6.96 years in CCI < 3 vs. 5.68–5.62 in CCI ≥ 3; p = 0.610).

Conclusions

Multimorbidity in patients with RA was associated with greater DAS28 scores within the first two years after ts/bDMARD initiation, in comparison with patients without multimorbidity. A slightly shorter retention rate was found in patients with multimorbidity, although the difference was non-significant.
Investigation of sports participation motivation in people with disabilities: a cross-sectional study of individuals with physical and hearing impairments
Authors: Ayyildiz Erdem , Aras Dicle , Yagin Fatma Hilal , Gülü Mehmet , Yapici Hakan , Alwhaibi Reem
Published: February 2024

While reading the literature, it is seen that there are not enough studies on the motivation of disabled individuals to participate in sports. This study aims to examine the sports participation motivations of hearing impaired and physically disabled athletes. This study was a cross-sectional study. The research group of the study consists of physically and hearing-impaired individuals between the ages of 18–47. The participants of this research group consisted of 253 volunteer disabled individuals, 150 of whom were men and 103 of whom were women. Sports participation motivation scale was used for disabled individuals. The scale consists of 3 dimensions and is a 5-point Likert type. The results of the study showed that hearing-impaired people have a higher high school rate and physically person with disability have a higher bachelor’s degree rate, but the primary education rate did not change between hearing and physically person with disability. Physical activity participation differed between hearing and physically person with disability, and it was observed that hearing-impaired people participated in more physical activities. The level of well-being of the physically disabled was significantly better than the hearing impaired. As conclusion, it is observed that the people with the lowest motivation to participate in sports are primary school graduates and those with high welfare have a high motivation to participate in sports.
“DompeKeys”: a set of novel substructure-based descriptors for efficient chemical space mapping, development and structural interpretation of machine learning models, and indexing of large databases
Authors: Manelfi Candida , Tazzari Valerio , Lunghini Filippo , Cerchia Carmen , Fava Anna , Pedretti Alessandro , Stouten Pieter F. W. , Vistoli Giulio , Beccari Andrea Rosario
Published: February 2024

The conversion of chemical structures into computer-readable descriptors, able to capture key structural aspects, is of pivotal importance in the field of cheminformatics and computer-aided drug design. Molecular fingerprints represent a widely employed class of descriptors; however, their generation process is time-consuming for large databases and is susceptible to bias. Therefore, descriptors able to accurately detect predefined structural fragments and devoid of lengthy generation procedures would be highly desirable. To meet additional needs, such descriptors should also be interpretable by medicinal chemists, and suitable for indexing databases with trillions of compounds. To this end, we developed—as integral part of EXSCALATE, Dompé’s end-to-end drug discovery platform—the DompeKeys (DK), a new substructure-based descriptor set, which encodes the chemical features that characterize compounds of pharmaceutical interest. DK represent an exhaustive collection of curated SMARTS strings, defining chemical features at different levels of complexity, from specific functional groups and structural patterns to simpler pharmacophoric points, corresponding to a network of hierarchically interconnected substructures. Because of their extended and hierarchical structure, DK can be used, with good performance, in different kinds of applications. In particular, we demonstrate how they are very well suited for effective mapping of chemical space, as well as substructure search and virtual screening. Notably, the incorporation of DK yields highly performing machine learning models for the prediction of both compounds’ activity and metabolic reaction occurrence. The protocol to generate the DK is freely available at https://dompekeys.exscalate.eu and is fully integrated with the Molecular Anatomy protocol for the generation and analysis of hierarchically interconnected molecular scaffolds and frameworks, thus providing a comprehensive and flexible tool for drug design applications.
Bacterial inoculants and enzymes based silage cocktails boost the ensiling quality of biomasses from reed, corn and rice straw
Authors: Liu Evan Y. , Wang Shuiping , Wang Shibo , Khan Nazir Ahmad , Zhou Xiaoling , Tang Shaoxun , Zhou Chuanshe , Tan Zhiliang , Liu Yong
Published: February 2024

This study investigated the effects of bacterial inoculants and enzyme-based silage cocktails on the dynamics of fermentation, microbiome, and nutritional value of silages produced from low-quality biomasses of reed, rice, and corn straw. A 90-day ensiling trial was performed using five distinct combinations of six basal bacterial species (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus buchneri, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida utilis) and three basal enzymes (xylanase, β-mannanase, and glucanase). Each type of biomass was ensiled with six different treatments, including the Control treatment without an ensiling agent, the basal silage cocktail treatment (Mesa), and Mesa with a double dose of A. niger (MesaA), B. subtilis (MesaB), C. utilis (MesaC) and glucanase (MesaG). The “Mesa” contained (per kg silage), 1.0 × 106 CFU of L. plantarum, 1.4 × 107 CFU L. buchneri, 3.0 × 105 CFU P. pentosaceus, 8.0 × 108 CFU A. niger, 1.6 × 106 CFU B. subtilis and 1.0 × 109 CFU C. utilis, three enzymes (5.0 × 104 U xylanase, 2.5 × 103 U β-mannanase, and 1.0 × 104 U glucanase), and 20 mL molasses. Addition of the silage cocktails significantly improved the fermentation and nutritional quality of the reed, corn, and rice straw silages. Notably, the silage cocktails increased (P < 0.01) the contents of crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), gross energy (GE), lactic acid (LA), ratio of LA to total acids and ensiling comprehensive evaluation scores, and decreased (P < 0.01) the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and pH of reed, corn, and rice straw silages. Regarding the silage microbiome, silage cocktails decreased the relative abundance of Enterobacter and Rahnella1, and increased the relative abundance of Leuconostoc. A. niger, and B. subtilis had a strong positive correlation with CP, EE, GE and Lactobacillus, and a negative correlation with pH, Rhizobium, and Rahnella1 in reed, corn and rice straw silages. In comparison, C. utilis had a strong positive correlation with EE, and a negative correlation with pH, Rhizobium, Stenotrophomonas, and Rahnella1. Glucanase was positively correlated with LA, EE and GE, and negatively correlated with pH and Rahnella1. Silage quality characteristics and microbiome did not differ (P > 0.05) due to the composition of silage cocktails. Based on the comprehensive membership function analysis, the silage comprehensive evaluation scores were highest for double doses of B. subtilis and glucanase for reed, corn, and rice straw. This study revealed that silage cocktails upgraded straw silage fermentation and nutritional quality, and provided a practical solution for the optimal utilization of low-quality straw biomass.

Graphical Abstract
Systemic advantage has a meaningful relationship with grade outcomes in students’ early STEM courses at six research universities
Authors: Castle Sarah D. , Byrd W. Carson , Koester Benjamin P. , Pearson Meaghan I. , Bonem Emily , Caporale Natalia , Cwik Sonja , Denaro Kameryn , Fiorini Stefano , Li Yangqiuting , Mead Chris , Rypkema Heather , Sweeder Ryan D. , Valdivia Medinaceli Montserrat B. , Whitcomb Kyle M. , Brownell Sara E. , Levesque-Bristol Chantal , Molinaro Marco , Singh Chandralekha , McKay Timothy A. , Matz Rebecca L.
Published: February 2024

Background

Large introductory lecture courses are frequently post-secondary students’ first formal interaction with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Grade outcomes in these courses are often disparate across student populations, which, in turn, has implications for student retention. This study positions such disparities as a manifestation of systemic inequities along the dimensions of sex, race/ethnicity, income, and first-generation status and investigates the extent to which they are similar across peer institutions.

Results

We examined grade outcomes in a selected set of early STEM courses across six large, public, research-intensive universities in the United States over ten years. In this sample of more than 200,000 STEM course enrollments, we find that course grade benefits increase significantly with the number of systemic advantages students possess at all six institutions. The observed trends in academic outcomes versus advantage are strikingly similar across universities despite the fact that we did not control for differences in grading practices, contexts, and instructor and student populations. The findings are concerning given that these courses are often students’ first post-secondary STEM experiences.

Conclusions

STEM course grades are typically lower than those in other disciplines; students taking them often pay grade penalties. The systemic advantages some student groups experience are correlated with significant reductions in these grade penalties at all six institutions. The consistency of these findings across institutions and courses supports the claim that inequities in STEM education are a systemic problem, driven by factors that go beyond specific courses or individual institutions. Our work provides a basis for the exploration of contexts where inequities are exacerbated or reduced and can be used to advocate for structural change within STEM education. To cultivate more equitable learning environments, we must reckon with how pervasive structural barriers in STEM courses negatively shape the experiences of marginalized students.
Effect of Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism (MRA) on aldosterone-interleukin 6 axis in heart failure; second opinion. A case-control study
Authors: ElSawi H. , Zidan S. , Elborolosy A.
Published: February 2024

Background

In cases of heart failure characterized by reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), heightened levels of aldosterone negatively impact the progression of heart failure. Aldosterone exerts its influence through the activation of mineralocorticoid receptors, leading to the subsequent release of IL-6. Recently, the discovery of the role of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism (MRA) in managing the progression of heart failure, particularly through its effect on IL-6, prompted its inclusion in the American College of Cardiology guidelines. In the years 2019 and 2021, studies elucidated the proinflammatory role of interleukin 6 in the cytokine storm associated with COVID-19, emphasizing the significance of IL-6 inhibitors in controlling this storm. Further research is required to examine the impact of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism (MRA) on both aldosterone levels and IL-6 release in patients with HFrEF. Additionally, there is a need to assess the effectiveness of current MRA dosages in controlling heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Patients and methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 108 patients with HFrEF diagnosed through echocardiography. The study covered the period from December 2021 to December 2022. All participants underwent blood tests for aldosterone and interleukin 6 using the ELISA test. The patients were categorized based on cardiac compensation status and the specific mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) drug regimen they were on.

Results

There was a notable rise in aldosterone levels and a reduction in serum IL6 observed in 30 patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF) who were treated with Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists (MRA), as compared to 30 patients with a similar diagnosis who did not receive MRA. Among 24 patients with compensated heart failure using MRA, there was a significant increase in aldosterone levels and a decrease in IL6, in contrast to 24 patients with compensated heart failure who were not on MRA therapy.

Conclusions

In heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), inhibiting mineralocorticoid receptors leads to a reduction in pro-inflammatory IL-6. The action of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists (MRA) is deemed safe, well-tolerated, and cost-effective when compared to IL-6 inhibitors. There is a need to reevaluate the current MRA regimen with the objective of enhancing its efficacy for optimal reduction in IL-6 and effective control of heart failure progression.
Treatment of a Pial Arterial Venous Fistula in a Newborn: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Treffy Randall W. , Hussain Omar , Arocho-Quinones Elsa V. , Hedayat Hirad S.
Published: February 2024

Pial arterial venous fistulas (PAVFs) are rare vascular entities that occur with direct high-flow connections between pial arterial feeders and large veins without an intervening nidus.
1-5
These vascular abnormalities can present in the pediatric population with high output heart failure.
1
PAVFs can be treated with endovascular intervention, microvascular ligation, or a combination depending on the clinical scenario.
4
Here, we present a case in which a newborn presented in high output heart failure because of a large left-sided middle cerebral artery fed PAVF. We performed a craniotomy for ligation of the PAVF to obliterate the arteriovenous shunting to improve her cardiac status and diminish her intracranial venous hypertension. Throughout the ligation, we used indocyanine green to localize the next appropriate vessels to ligate, allowing us to safely obliterate the anomalous vasculature and improve the patient's cardiac function. Postoperatively, the patient did well neurologically with improvements in cardiac function and near normalization of intracranial vasculature.

The patient's guardians consented to the procedure and to the publication of her image.
Mutation of SOCS2 induces structural and functional changes in mammary development
Authors: Ivanova Elitsa , Hue-Beauvais Cathy , Castille Johan , Laubier Johann , Le Guillou Sandrine , Aujean Etienne , Lecardonnel Jerome , Lebrun Laura , Jaffrezic Florence , Rousseau-Ralliard Delphine , Péchoux Christine , Letheule Martine , Foucras Gilles , Charlier Madia , Le Provost Fabienne
Published: February 2024

Lactation is an essential process for mammals. In sheep, the R96C mutation in suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) protein is associated with greater milk production and increased mastitis sensitivity. To shed light on the involvement of R96C mutation in mammary gland development and lactation, we developed a mouse model carrying this mutation (SOCS2KI/KI). Mammary glands from virgin adult SOCS2KI/KI mice presented a branching defect and less epithelial tissue, which were not compensated for in later stages of mammary development. Mammary epithelial cell (MEC) subpopulations were modified, with mutated mice having three times as many basal cells, accompanied by a decrease in luminal cells. The SOCS2KI/KI mammary gland remained functional; however, MECs contained more lipid droplets versus fat globules, and milk lipid composition was modified. Moreover, the gene expression dynamic from virgin to pregnancy state resulted in the identification of about 3000 differentially expressed genes specific to SOCS2KI/KI or control mice. Our results show that SOCS2 is important for mammary gland development and milk production. In the long term, this finding raises the possibility of ensuring adequate milk production without compromising animal health and welfare.
Three essays on the geography of innovation
Authors: Τσιαχτσίρας Γεώργιος
Published: February 2024

Το πρώτο κεφάλαιο αυτής της διατριβής, με τον τίτλο "Δίκτυα Μεταφορών και Η Άνοδος της Γνώσης στην 19η Αιώνα Γαλλία", εκμεταλλεύεται ένα επεισόδιο της γαλλικής ιστορίας για να μελετήσει την επίδραση της μεγαλύτερης κατασκευής σιδηροδρόμων στην ανάπτυξη νέων τεχνολογιών. Κατά το δεύτερο μισό του 19ου αιώνα, η ανάπτυξη των σιδηροδρόμων άλλαξε τη γαλλική οικονομία. Οι σιδηρόδρομοι ενίσχυσαν τις οικονομικές σχέσεις, προωθώντας το εμπόριο και δημιουργώντας νέες οικονομικές ευκαιρίες. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο της διατριβής, "Σιδηρόδρομοι και καινοτομία: Στοιχεία από την Κίνα", εξετάζουμε την επίδραση της τεράστιας επέκτασης των γραμμών υψηλής ταχύτητας στην Κίνα, κατά την περίοδο 2008-2016, στη διάδοση της γνώσης και την τεχνολογική απόδοση. Σε αυτό το κεφάλαιο, δείχνουμε ότι η έναρξη ενός σιδηροδρομικού σταθμού υψηλής ταχύτητας συνδέεται με αύξηση του αριθμού των διπλωμάτων ευρεσιτεχνίας ανά κάτοικο. Βασίζουμε την ανάλυσή μας σε ένα πρόσφατο και μοναδικό σύνολο δεδομένων εφευρετών από την Κίνα το οποίο καλύπτει το σύνολο των αιτήσεων ευρεσιτεχνίας της βάσης δεδομένων της Εθνικής Διεύθυνσης Πνευματικής Ιδιοκτησίας της Κίνας. Στο τελευταίο κεφάλαιο της διατριβής, με τίτλο "Θρησκεία και Καινοτομία στην 19η Αιώνα Γαλλία", μελετούμε, από ιστορική άποψη, το αντίκτυπο της θρησκείας στην καινοτομία.
Αυτοαξιολόγηση σχολικής μονάδας και ηγεσία: Εμπειρίες από την ελληνική πραγματικότητα
Authors: Αρβανίτη Σωτηρία , Βασιλείου Αικατερίνη , Γεωργακοπούλου Ευθυμία , Καραπάνου Χριστίνα , Μποζιάρη Ελένη-Μαρίνα , Παπακαμμένου Σοφία , Πλαστήρα Ρόζα , Στεφανίδης Ιορδάνης , Λιακοπούλου Μαρία
Published: February 2024

Σήμερα τα σχολεία καλούνται να αναλάβουν ένα υψηλότερο ποσοστό ευθύνης, να εγγυηθούν την ποιότητα του παρεχόμενου εκπαιδευτικού έργου. Η αποτελεσματικότητα του σχολείου συνδέεται άρρηκτα με τις ιδιαίτερες τοπικές και χρονικές συνθήκες μέσα στις οποίες λειτουργεί, αλλά και με τα υπερεθνικά κριτήρια αποτελεσματικότητας της εκπαίδευσης. Την τελευταία εικοσαετία δίνεται ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στην αυτοαξιολόγηση ως μια πρακτική βελτίωσης της αποτελεσματικότητας του παρεχόμενου εκπαιδευτικού έργου. Η αυτοαξιολόγηση, ιδανικά θα έπρεπε να έχει μια διπλή στόχευση: αφενός τη διασφάλιση της ποιότητα και αφετέρου τη βελτίωση της ποιότητας.  Η εξισορρόπηση μεταξύ τοπικού και υπερεθνικού, λογοδοσίας και βελτίωσης αποτελεί μια μεγάλη πρόκληση που δημιουργεί πλήθος εντάσεων και αφήνει ένα τεράστιο περιθώριο ερμηνειών και επιλογών σε επίπεδο σχολικής μονάδας. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό είναι καθοριστικός ο ρόλος της ηγεσίας και του διευθυντή του σχολείου. Η παρούσα έρευνα εστιάζει στην αυτοαντίληψη του ρόλου των διευθυντών/ντριων και στη σύνδεση της αυτοαντίληψης και του στυλ ηγεσίας που υιοθετούν με τον τρόπο που αντιλαμβάνονται και πραγματοποιούν την διαδικασία της αυτοαξιολόγησης. Τα δεδομένα προκύπτουν από δεκαέξι ημιδομημένες συνεντεύξεις με διευθυντές/ντριες σχολείων. Από την ανάλυση και επεξεργασία των δεδομένων διαφαίνονται σημαντικές συνδέσεις μεταξύ του στυλ ηγεσίας των διευθυντών/ντριων και του τρόπου που αντιλαμβάνονται την αυτοαξιολόγηση.
Tyrosol and Hydroxytyrosol: Their Role in Cardioprotection
Authors: Guzowski Cezary , Murawska Joanna , Michalska Martyna , Winiarek Karolina , Czernicka Aleksandra , Kędziora-Kornatowska Kornelia
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Recent research are focused on natural compounds for preventing cardiovascular diseases, with emphasis on tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol in olive oil. Cardiovascular diseases are linked to risk factors, and adopting a Mediterranean diet rich in these compounds is recognized for reducing risks.  Understanding these compounds' actions may inform new strategies for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. 

Aim: The aim of this paper is a systematic review of articles and research regarding the Role of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol in Cardioprotection 

Review methods: An systematic review of scientific literature was conducted using the following keywords: Tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, cardioprotection, cardiovascular diseases, olive oil cardioprotective role. Thirty-four articles published until 2023 were searched and analyzed. 

Abbreviated description of the state of knowledge: Tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, prominent in olive oil, are studied for their potential cardioprotective properties. Linked to a Mediterranean diet, these compounds show promise in reducing cardiovascular disease risk. They counter oxidative stress, improve lipid profiles, and modulate inflammatory processes. Clinical studies suggest their positive impact, with tyrosol also explored as a potential anticoagulant. Ongoing research aims to uncover optimal doses and mechanisms, highlighting their significance in cardiovascular health. 

Conclusions: Tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, found in olive oil, show promise in cardioprotection by combating oxidative stress, improving lipid profiles, and modulating inflammation. Clinical studies suggest their positive impact on cardiovascular health. Tyrosol has potential as a anticoagulant and exhibits antioxidant effects. These compounds present a compelling avenue for future therapeutic interventions, with emphasis on understanding mechanisms and optimizing supplementation.
Beliefs About the World and Coping Strategies in Siblings of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: The Moderating Effect of Posttraumatic Growth
Authors: Byra Stanisława , Ćwirynkało Katarzyna
Published: February 2024

Research question: Is there a relationship between beliefs about the word and coping strategies in siblings of adults with intelectual disabilities (ID) and whether posttraumatic growth (PTG) moderates the association. Methods: One hundred and seventy-two siblings of people with ID were included in the sample. The main outcome measures used were the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the World Assumptions Scale (WAS) and the Coping Orientations to Problem Experienced (COPE).The studies were conducted in Poland. The associations between the variables were examined using correlation and moderation analyses. In the moderation model, beliefs about the world were posited as a predictor, PTG as the moderator, and coping strategies as outcome variables. Main results: Befiefs about the world were significantly associated with the different coping strategies. PTG (total score and indyvidual dimensions, except for spiritual changes) positively correlates with befiefs about the kindness of the world and has significant links with the various coping strategies. PTG moderates the association between befiefs about the world and coping strategies in siblings of adults with ID. Conclusions: Beliefs about the world and coping strategies are significantly related and their associations in moderated by PTG in siblings of adults with ID.
The Parenting Behaviours and Dimensions Questionnaire – Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version
Authors: Lasota Agnieszka , Mróz Justyna
Published: February 2024

The aim of the study was to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, and other psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Parenting Behaviours and Dimensions Questionnaire (PBDQ). In two studies, 1035 Polish parents of children between 6 months and 12 years of age completed the PBDQ, a sociodemographic questionnaire, and two measures (resilience and emotional control) to examine external validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses support a six-factor model of parenting dimensions, including emotional warmth, punitive discipline, anxious intrusiveness, autonomy support, permissive discipline, and democratic discipline. The results indicate that the Polish adaptation of the PBDQ has good reliability and validity. This measure allows for an alternative assessment of parental behaviours among Polish parents based on these positive and negative dimensions. The findings highlight the relationship between parental behaviours and other parent and child variables.
Educational Reinforcement Strategy by Teachers with Diverse Ethical Orientations
Authors: Sirotova Mariana , Rubacha Krzysztof
Published: February 2024

The study included teachers representing three ethical orientations: care orientation (T), justice orientation (S) and undefined orientation (N). The classification of the participants into groups was based on the result of the ethical orientation test by which they were tested. The reinforcement standard they used was then diagnosed: collectivist versus individualistic. Using the one-way ANOVA, reinforcement averages were compared. Group T and N participants were more likely to use an individualistic rather than collectivistic reinforcement standard in comparison to Group S participants.
Stochastic Optimization Approaches for an Operating Room and Anesthesiologist Scheduling Problem
Authors: Tsang Man Yiu , Shehadeh Karmel S. , Curtis Frank E. , Hochman Beth R. , Brentjens Tricia E.
Published: February 2024

Improving Operating Room, Surgery, and Anesthesiologist Scheduling Using Stochastic and Robust Optimization

Efficient planning and scheduling of operating room (OR) activities is crucial for managing costs and delivering high-quality surgical care. However, this task is extremely complex for several reasons. First, it requires coordinating multiple resources, such as ORs and anesthesiologists. Second, in addition to limited OR capacity and time, there is a significant shortage of anesthesiologists required to perform surgeries. Third, surgery durations are uncertain and difficult to predict. Ignoring such uncertainty may lead to substantial overtime, idling, and surgery delays, among other schedule deficiencies. Thus, hospital managers could benefit greatly from advanced methodologies to improve OR utilization, surgical care, and quality as well as to minimize OR operational costs. In “Stochastic Optimization Approaches for an Operating Room and Anesthesiologist Scheduling Problem,” M. Y. Tsang, K. S. Shehadeh, F. E. Curtis, B.R. Hochman, and T. E. Brentjens propose computationally tractable stochastic programming and distributionally robust optimization methodologies for an integrated allocation, assignment, sequencing, and scheduling problem under uncertainty involving multiple ORs, anesthesiologists, and surgery types. Using real-world surgery data and a case study from a health system in New York, they conduct extensive experiments demonstrating the computational efficiency of the proposed methodologies, allowing for their implementation in practice. Moreover, they show the negative consequences of adopting the existing non-integrated approaches and provide valuable practical insights.
Optimized RMDL with Transfer Learning for Sentiment Classification in the MapReduce Framework
Authors: Adilakshmi Konda , Srinivas Malladi , Kodali Anuradha , Srilakshmi V.
Published: February 2024

A core task in sentiment analysis is sentiment categorization, and it is crucial to understand user feelings based on their remarks in social media or product evaluations. Due to ambiguous phrases, refusal words, and other factors, categorizing sentiment presents several challenging issues. The objective of this research is to develop a hybrid optimization-based deep learning model and MapReduce framework-based sentiment categorization approach. The review document is taken from a dataset and used in this case with the MapReduce methodology. MapReduce is a software framework and programming model for analyzing massive volumes of data that consists of two phases, mapper and reducer. BERT tokenization and aspect term extraction are executed in the mapper phase, whereas sentiment analysis is performed in the reducer stage utilizing random multimodal deep learning (RMDL) with transfer learning and AlexNet and ResNet 50 as pre-trained models. In addition, the exponential coot political algorithm (ECPA) is offered as an optimization algorithm for weight optimization in RMDL. The ECPA is obtained by combining the exponential weighted moving average model (EWMA) with the coot algorithm, as well as a political optimizer (PO). The proposed ECPA_RMDL model has acquired 90.9% precision, 89.7% recall, and 89.9% f-measure.
Transforming Wood into a High-Performance Engineering Material via Cellulose Nanocrystal Impregnation
Authors: Bajwa Dilpreet S. , Ara Ismat , Chan Ashton Oriel , Bajwa Sreekala G. , Hartman Kerry E.
Published: February 2024

The demand for wood in construction has led to shortages of strong wood types, causing a shift to costlier alternatives like concrete and nonbiodegradable materials, prompting the investigation of modifying softwoods for better engineering properties. This study investigates the optimization of a multistep impregnation process utilizing functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (f-CNCs) to enhance softwood properties. The process involves alkali delignification, ultrasonication, and vacuum pressure treatment to improve wood porosity and in turn improve CNC impregnation with uniform dispersion. Microstructural analyses through field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) offer detailed insights into cell wall morphology and surface topography, whereas Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy highlights compositional shifts resulting from f-CNC impregnation. Mechanical testing demonstrates significant improvements for treated woods, particularly a 67 percent increase in modulus of elasticity for the 2 percent CNC-treated group compared with the control group; a 71 percent increase in modulus of rupture was observed for 2 percent CNC-, 3 percent NaOH-, and 2 percent acetic acid-treated group compared with the control sample. The sample delignified with 3 percent NaOH and impregnated by 2 percent f-CNC emerged as particularly effective. This research sets the stage for potential advancements in strengthening softwood using CNC, including a novel AFM method and alternative impregnation techniques like the Lowry method, inviting further exploration.
Exploring Chinese Investments in Europe: Scope and Governance Dynamics
Authors: da Frota Araujo Carlos Lima
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Chinese investments in Europe have been significant over the past decade, with almost US$455 billion spent on investments in several sectors, according to the China Global Investment Tracker. Notably, a great portion of these investments are driven by the Belt and Road Initiative. This study analyzes China's investments, identifying the main beneficiaries based on relative economic size and assessing the impact of governance indicators. It employs panel data regression to examine the impact of Chinese investments in 15 European countries from 2011 to 2020. Results indicate that smaller economies and those with lower scores for voice and accountability received a greater proportion of Chinese investments relative to their economic size. Serbia, Belarus, and Ukraine are in the top four list of countries. These findings suggest that China's investment decisions in Europe are not solely determined by governance indicators. Consequently, countries with lower scores have the potential to receive investments and foster economic growth, offering an alternative to conventional methods of attracting foreign investments.
Done with Dickens
Authors: Piesse Jude
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This article brings a creative–critical approach to bear on my long, and evolving, relationship with Dickens. Through examining the tenacious grip that Dickens has had on my imaginative, emotional, and professional lives, I explore the conundrum of continuing to admire a writer whose ubiquity, personal history, and even style can sometimes cause embarrassment to contemporary publics. In the face of such feelings, and my ambivalence about literary hero-worship, I make a case for Dickens’s unique power and lasting relevance. I explore how Dickens has shaped my creative imagination, education, and work as a university lecturer, and how his writing continues to impact on the lives of friends, family, and students. The article takes the form of a creative–critical personal essay, combining autobiographical accounts of growing up in Dickens’s Kent, and of engaging with Great Expectations at different life stages, with the scholarly perspectives that underpin my publications and university teaching.
Language Plurality and Practices of Translation in Sigmund Freud's Work: Another Chapter in the History of Multilingualism in the German-Speaking Lands
Authors: Kilchmann Esther
Published: February 2024

abstract: By bringing together various examples of multilingualism in Freud's work, this article addresses the question of how experiences of linguistic diversity and translation might have affected the development of psychoanalytic language thinking. In a historical perspective, by conceiving of humans as essentially polyphonic and every language as ambiguous, Freud's theory stands in remarkable opposition to the romantic conception of a unique mother tongue and the long-standing cultural devaluation of multilingualism in the German-speaking lands. It therefore deserves to be reassessed and integrated into current research on the history of cultural and literary forms of multilingualism.
Commons in Context: Contested Resources and Dynamics of Exclusion in the Entlebuch Valley, 1600–1800
Authors: Egloff Salome
Published: February 2024

abstract: This article analyzes the conflicts between enfranchised members of cooperatives ( Landleute ) and disadvantaged groups and nonmembers of cooperatives ( Hintersassen ) in the Swiss Entlebuch valley. In the 1680s, the Landleute petitioned the council of Lucerne to exclude the Hintersassen from the forest pastures and to weaken their property rights. This article contextualizes these attempts and investigates the conflict's impact on social and economic dynamics in the Entlebuch valley. The history of legal inequality in the Entlebuch valley allows us to engage with received narratives about commons and to reflect about the importance of contextualizing the commons in order to understand their historical function and wider consequences.
Introduction. The Limits of Representation in Spanish Theater
Authors: Fernández Esther , Pujol Anton , Rodríguez Villar Alejandra Juno
Published: February 2024

Abstract: The purpose of this introduction and this special issue as a whole is to further the exploration of the limits of dramatic representation by expanding the definition of what is impossible to express—the unrepresentable—from a transhistorical approach expanding from early modern theater to contemporary dramaturgy. While massacres are considered the most unspeakable events in human terms, within the field of theater and performance, we can study and experiment with the limits of representation around other topics that have also been silenced throughout history due to religious, psychological, or social conventions. If taboo is what cannot be expressed and therefore needs to be suppressed and silenced, it is worth asking how and why such topics have forced their way onto the stage and for what purpose. Resumen: El propósito de esta introducción y de este número especial en su conjunto es profundizar en la exploración de los límites de la representación dramática ampliando la definición de lo que es imposible de expresar, lo irrepresentable, desde un enfoque transhistórico que se expande desde el teatro de la primera modernidad hasta la dramaturgia contemporánea. Si bien las masacres son consideradas los hechos más inefables en términos humanos, dentro del campo del teatro y la performance podemos estudiar y experimentar los límites de la representación en torno a otros temas que también han sido silenciados a lo largo de la historia al considerar convenciones religiosas, psicológicas o sociales. Si tabú es lo que no se puede expresar y por lo tanto necesita ser suprimido y silenciado, vale la pena preguntarse cómo y por qué tales temas han irrumpido en el escenario y con qué propósito.
Santa Teresa en pedazos o el espectáculo de lo sagrado irreverente
Authors: Cueto Asín Elena
Published: February 2024

Resumen: Este artículo analiza el tratamiento de Teresa de Ávila a través de un aspecto biográfico concreto: la fragmentación de su cadáver incorrupto. Sitúa la polémica obra de Paco Bezerra Muero porque no muero (2021) en relación con dos obras anteriores que abordan la misma temática en contextos conmemorativos: Un olor a ámbar (1983) de Concha Romero, en el marco de recuperación de la religiosa en la Transición, y La guerra según Santa Teresa (2013) de María Folguera, en la órbita del V centenario de su nacimiento. Relaciona los diferentes modos de presentar un mismo hecho histórico, la profanación en nombre de lo sagrado, como un uso creativo del archivo que altera, pero también complementa, la larga tradición de personificar a la figura como icono patrimonial, y explora los límites del lenguaje para configurar el cuerpo como espacio de lo inefable. Identifica en el conjunto de obras, y su escritura en diferentes periodos, los mecanismos de apropiación y de palimpsesto que hacen de la carmelita una entidad perseguida en vida y disputada en su muerte, tanto en términos materiales como epistemológicos, donde la fragmentación es también clave para descifrar la construcción de la personalidad extraordinaria como mito. Abstract: This article analyzes how Teresa de Avila has been approached in theater through a single aspect of her biography: the dismemberment of her incorrupt corpse. It considers Paco Bezerra’s controversial work Muero porque no muero (2021) in light of two earlier works treating the same subject in different commemorative moments: Concha Romero’s Un olor a ámbar (1983), which participated in the recovery of the nun during the Democratic Transition; and María Folguera’s La guerra según Santa Teresa (2013), which was produced for the Quincentennial of her birth. The study connects the different ways the three playwrights present the historical fact of the profanation of her body in the name of religion by identifying similar creative uses of the archive that alter as well as complement the long tradition of presenting the saint as a heritage figure, and explorations of the limits of language that configure her body as a space of the ineffable. Likewise, it uncovers in these plays, pondering the period in which they were written, the mechanisms of appropriation and palimpsest that caused Teresa to be persecuted in life and disputed after death, both materially and epistemologically, and by which fragmentation is also a key to deciphering the construction of her extraordinary persona as myth.
Cortocircuitar la historia: Shock: el cóndor y el puma y el desbordamiento del teatro documental
Authors: Rodríguez-Solás David
Published: February 2024

Resumen: Shock: El cóndor y el puma , dirigida por Andrés Lima y escrita en colaboración con Albert Boronat, Juan Cavestany y Juan Mayorga, es una ambiciosa adaptación de la primera parte del libro de Naomi Klein La doctrina del shock , en el que la autora expone las ideas neoliberales del Premio Nobel de Economía y profesor de la Universidad de Chicago, Milton Friedman. Shock escenificó la alegoría que utiliza Klein: la aplicación de shocks en la economía conlleva efectos secundarios que subvierten los valores democráticos. De forma similar, las terapias de electroshock provocan un cambio radical en la conducta del paciente, pero además eliminan sus recuerdos. Su adaptación como obra de teatro documental debía encarnar lo abyecto de estas operaciones en escena, tanto en la dramaturgia a partir de la transcripción de diálogos y declaraciones públicas, como en la creación de un ambiente opresivo con el diseño de escena y de sonido. A diferencia de otros ejemplos de teatro documental, Shock y su continuación estrenada en 2021, Shock 2 , exploran la capacidad de la performance de imaginar un pasado que ayuda a explicar el presente, y así lo real se mezcla con la representación de los documentos o su imaginación ficticia. Abstract: Shock: El cóndor y el puma , directed by Andrés Lima and written in collaboration with Albert Boronat, Juan Cavestany, and Juan Mayorga, is an ambitious adaptation of the first part of Naomi Klein’s bestseller The Shock Doctrine , in which she exposes the neoliberal ideas of Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize in Economics recipient and professor at the University of Chicago. Shock staged the allegory used by Klein: the application of shocks in the economy entails side effects that subvert democratic values. Similarly, electroshock therapies cause a radical change in the patient’s behavior, but also eliminate their memories. This adaptation as documentary theater piece was to embody the abjectness of these operations on stage, both in the dramaturgy based on the transcription of dialogues and public statements, as well as in the creation of an oppressive atmosphere with the stage and sound design. Unlike other examples of documentary theater, Shock and its sequel Shock 2 —premiered in 2021—explore the capacity of performance to imagine a past that helps to explain the present, in which the real is mixed with the representation of the documents or their fictitious imagination.