bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate change and trend analysis of temperature: the case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Alemu Zinabu Assefa , Dioha Michael O.
Published: October 2020

Background

This paper presents the trend analysis of temperature and the effect of climate variation in the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The paper seeks to provide up-to-date information for the better management of climate change in the city. The analysis is based on the temperature difference in the city over two stations—Bole and Entoto. The overall purpose of this study is to investigate the possible trend of temperature variation as well as the effect of climate change in the study area.

Method

The Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test and Sen's slope estimate were employed to find the nature of the temperature trend and significance level in the city.

Results

It was found that the MK2/MK3 statistic (Z) value for minimum, maximum and average temperatures for Bole station are 6.21/5.99, 2.49/2.6, and 6.09/6.14 respectively. The positive Kendall's Z value shows an upward trend and implies an increasing trend over time. This indicates a significant increase in the trend at a 5% level of significance since the significance level (alpha) is greater than the computed p-value (0.05 > p-values (0.0001)). Whereas for Entoto station, the MK1 statistic (Z) results are 1.64 for minimum, while the MK2/MK3 static (Z) are 0.71/0.65 for the maximum, and 0.17/1.04 for average temperature, and this positive value shows an indicator of an increasing trend. However, the increase is not significant at the 5% significant level since the computed p-value is larger than the significant level (alpha = 0.05).

Conclusions

There is a tendency of temperature increments in Bole station. This could be due to the influence of climate change which can lead to weather extremes in the capital city. Therefore, the study recommends that the variability of temperature needs further monitoring technique, and there is a need to consider the increasing temperature trend to minimize its effects on human health.
High-volume image-guided injection in the chronic recalcitrant non-insertional patellar tendinopathy: a retrospective case series
Authors: Nielsen Torsten Grønbech , Miller Lene Lindberg , Mygind-Klavsen Bjarne , Lind Martin
Published: October 2020

Purpose

To evaluate if High-volume Image-guided Injection (HVIGI)-treatment for chronic Patellar tendinopathy (PT) improve function and reduce pain at 16-months follow-up.

Methods

Patients with resistant PT who failed to improve after a three-month eccentric loading program were included in the study. Maximal tendon thickness was assessed with ultrasound. All patients were injected with 10 mL of 0.5% Marcaine, 0.5 mL Triamcinolonacetonid (40 mg/mL) and 40 mL of 0.9% NaCl saline solution under real-time ultrasound-guidance and high pressure. All outcome measures were recorded at baseline and at 16 months. A standardised Heavy Slow Resistance rehabilitation protocol was prescribed after HVIGI-treatment. Clinical outcome was assessed with the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Patella tendon questionnaire (VISA-P) and statistically analyses were performed.

Results

The study included 28 single treatment HVIGI procedures in PT in 23 patients (19 men, 4 women) with a mean age of 30.3 (range 19–52). The mean duration of symptoms before HVIGI was 33 months. The baseline VISA-P score of 43 ± 17 (range 15–76) improved to 76 ± 16 (range 42–95) after 16 months (p < 0.01). Of the 28 HVIGI procedures 12 patients (15 PT) were not satisfied after the initial HVIGI procedure. Of these, 5 patients (5 PT) had additional HVIGI, 2 patients (2 PT) had corticoid injection and 6 patients (8 PT) needed surgery. Of the remaining 11 patients (13 PT), 9 patients had more than a 13-point improvement in the VISA-P score after 16 months.

Conclusions

In this retrospective case-study, only 9 patients (32%) did benefit of a single HVIGI treatment at 16-months and a 33-point significant improvement was seen on the VISA-P score.
Soft thresholding schemes for multiple signal classification algorithm
Authors: Acuña Sebastian , Opstad Ida S. , Godtliebsen Fred , Ahluwalia Balpreet Singh , Agarwal Krishna
Published: October 2020

Multiple signal classification algorithm (MUSICAL) exploits temporal fluctuations in fluorescence intensity to perform super-resolution microscopy by computing the value of a super-resolving indicator function across a fine sample grid. A key step in the algorithm is the separation of the measurements into signal and noise subspaces, based on a single user-specified parameter called the threshold. The resulting image is strongly sensitive to this parameter and the subjectivity arising from multiple practical factors makes it difficult to determine the right rule of selection. We address this issue by proposing soft thresholding schemes derived from a new generalized framework for indicator function design. We show that the new schemes significantly alleviate the subjectivity and sensitivity of hard thresholding while retaining the super-resolution ability. We also evaluate the trade-off between resolution and contrast and the out-of-focus light rejection using the various indicator functions. Through this, we create significant new insights into the use and further optimization of MUSICAL for a wide range of practical scenarios.
Source mask optimization using the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy
Authors: Chen Guodong , Li Sikun , Wang Xiangzhao
Published: October 2020

Source mask optimization (SMO) is one of the indispensable resolution enhancement techniques to guarantee the image fidelity and process robustness for the 2Xnm technology node and beyond. The optimization capacity and convergence efficiency of SMO are important, especially for full-chip SMO. An SMO method using the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES), together with a new source representation method, is proposed in this paper. Based on the forward vector imaging formulation, the encoding and decoding methods of the source and the mask, and the constructed merit function, the source and the mask are optimized using the CMA-ES algorithm. The solution search space and the search step size are adaptively updated during the optimization procedure. Considering the sparsity of the optimal source, the source is represented by a set of ideal point sources with unit intensity and adjustable positions. The advantageous spatial frequency components of the source for imaging performance improvement are identified through the aggregation of the point sources. Simulations and comparisons verify the superior optimization capacity and convergence efficiency of the proposed method.
The food, the place and the ‘real’: Italy’s representations in Master of None
Authors: Spaziante Lucio
Published: October 2020

The US success of Master of None (2015–17) has been partly due to its credible mainstream depictions of Indian American life. However, in its second season, the show’s work on identity stereotypes focuses on Italy, specifically describing customs and traditions, language and food through the eyes of the character Dev, who attends some cooking classes in Modena. From the perspective of an Italian viewer, this creates a sense of disorientation in seeing one’s world represented through stereotypes, and therefore through multiple overlapping cultural filters. The relationship between television and everyday reality is challenged when shows act as ‘food and travel’ tourist guides, a concept that also emerges from a comparison between the Italian setting of Master of None and the pilot episode of the documentary series Chef’s Table (2015–present).
Reality television and unnatural dialogues: Trends in the Italian audio-visual translation of factual programming
Authors: Rossato Linda
Published: October 2020

Since the early 1990s, an exponential increase in the demand for foreign TV content has occurred to fill the ever-growing libraries of new speciality channels (and later digital platforms). This process has boosted demand for the translation and adaptation of reality TV series, thus paving the way in Italy, traditionally a dubbing country, for the rise of a new hybrid form of audio-visual translation (AVT), ‘simil-sync’, deemed more cost-effective than dubbing and more user-friendly than subtitling for the local audience. Factual programming has become one of the most successful components of many themed channels, reshaping both Italian television and the national AVT scenario.
Ready-made TV shows and the role of acquisitions: Investigating some mediations of the Italian and global television industry
Authors: Barra Luca
Published: October 2020

The acquisition phase has progressively gained a crucial relevance in contemporary television industries. Building on an original research in the field of media production studies, with in-depth interviews of Italian professionals and longitudinal comparisons across the last decade, this article traces the role of acquisitions in the global distribution and national circulation of TV content and synthetizes recent developments in production routines and professional cultures. The goal is to explore this understudied sector, its practitioners and best practices, as well as to highlight the impact of digital TV multichannel and supra-national over-the-top (OTT) players, which have changed these dynamics further.
Localization is now claiming its seat at the table: Interview with Saverio Perrino, BBC Studios
Authors: Barra Luca
Published: October 2020

In an open conversation, Saverio Perrino, then localization executive at BBC Studios, highlights the role of dubbing/subtitling in the global circulation of television content and explains how a large production and distribution company is working to better coordinate the preparation of multiple localized versions. The examples of McMafia (2018–present) and Good Omens (2019), analysed in detail, show the increasing complexity of localization operations for international content owners and distributors, the challenges provided by specific authors and texts, and the pressure for a global day-and-date release that has become the standard for digital audio-visual platforms.
Making foreign ready-made content great again: VOD platforms and English-language series in Turkey
Authors: Vitrinel Ece
Published: October 2020

Thanks to a growing television drama industry with notable success beyond its borders, domestic television series have, since the 2000s, become the dominant programme category on broadcast and cable television in Turkey. This article considers the presence of Anglo-Saxon TV series in an audio-visual landscape characterized by a widespread taste for local content. Briefly describing the differences between Turkish and foreign series in terms of format and appeal to audiences, it argues that English-language series may play a more decisive role than local content in the success of video on demand (VOD) platforms, which have been launched relatively late in the country.
Domesticity and masculinity in Some Mothers Do ‘ave ‘em
Authors: Dhillon Richard
Published: October 2020

This article makes a case for the radical potential of the traditional domestic sitcom as a critical cultural vehicle, challenging hegemonic understandings of the form as conservative. Through a detailed consideration of the BBC’s Some Mothers Do ‘ave ‘em (1973–78), one of the most popular examples from the 1970s, it points to the series’ critique of the heteronormative intimacies and domestic configurations that are assumed to be at the heart of traditional sitcom, presenting them as a site of disruption and unease rather than one of stability. The article asks how the character of Frank Spencer is defined by domesticity, appropriating a line of enquiry that is traditionally applied to female subjects and femininities. By queering the critical frame in this way, it opens up a fresh approach to the British sitcom elaborated through a variety of inter- and extratextual material, building on recent studies that have begun to explore what a queer perspective might contribute to the understanding of sitcom and its history (Villarejo 2014; Pugh 2018; White 2018; Miller 2019). Furthermore, by uncovering the queer potential of ‘prime-time’ televisual domesticities, this article suggests that prime-time content could occupy far more radical discursive positions than have been assumed, and complicates traditional assumptions around the relationship between television and domesticity.
Small-screen psychics: Television performance as dubious achievement
Authors: Walters James
Published: October 2020

The recent growth of interest in television performance has resulted in an array of books and articles which, in turn, have provided this area of study with renewed depth and breadth. Many of these contributions share an interest in questions of achievement, utilizing this term as a means of emphasizing the value in analysing performers’ contributions to the style and meaning of television texts. This article evaluates that critical tendency and uses it as a platform to consider instances in which achievement in television performance may also represent a deceptive or ethically dubious endeavour. The discussion builds to an analysis of television ‘mediums’ – individuals who pretend they are receiving messages from the dead – as a means of articulating the ways in which performance can showcase an impressive range of skills and, at the same time, contain fundamental deceptions or obfuscations. As a result, notions of performance achievement may involve complex and even conflicting evaluations.
You’re Nicked: Investigating British Television Police Series, Ben Lamb (2020)
Authors: Addison Michelle
Published: October 2020

Review of: You’re Nicked: Investigating British Television Police Series, Ben Lamb (2020)

Manchester: Manchester University Press, 232 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-52612-590-9, £80.00
Contemporary British Television Drama, James Chapman (2020)
Authors: Samuel Michael
Published: October 2020

Review of: Contemporary British Television Drama, James Chapman (2020)

London and New York: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 187 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-78076-523-5, p/bk, £22.99
Television Rewired: The Rise of the Auteur Series, Martha P. Nochimson (2019)
Authors: Hills Matt
Published: October 2020

Review of: Television Rewired: The Rise of the Auteur Series, Martha P. Nochimson (2019)

Austin: University of Texas Press, 313 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-47731-895-9, p/bk, $34.95

 

Twin Peaks: TV Milestones Series, Julie Grossman and Will Scheibel (2020)

Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 111 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-81434-622-8, p/bk, £22.99
Whole-genome-based phylogeny of African swine fever virus
Authors: Aslanyan Levon , Avagyan Hranush , Karalyan Zaven
Published: October 2020

Aim: A genome-scale phylogenetic analysis was used to infer the evolutionary dynamics of Asfarviridae – African swine fever virus (ASFV) – and better define its genetic diversity. Materials and Methods: All complete ASFV genomes from NCBI's resource as of March 2020 were used. The phylogenetic analysis used maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining methods. The evolutionary models detection was done with the help of the package of programs MEGA-X. Algorithms were used to build phylogenetic trees for type B DNA polymerases of ASFV (n=34) and HcDNAV (n=2), as an external group. Results: An expedient categorization of the Asfarviridae family uses five clades. Genotype 1 (except for LIV 5/40 virus isolate) as well genotype 7 are assigned to the alpha clade; genotype 2 to the beta clade; genotypes 8, 9, and 10 to the gamma clade; genotype 5 to the delta clade; and genotypes 3, 4, and 20, as well as genotype 22 and the LIV 5/40 isolate to the epsilon clade. Branch lengths on the phylogenetic tree are proportional to genetic distance along the branch. Branches at the phylogenetic tree of Asfarviridae are much shorter than branches for Baculoviridae. Shorter branches in ASFVs population suggest that Asfarviridae evolved relatively recently and remain more closely related. Conclusion: We suggest applying more robust standards using whole genomes to ensure the correct classification of ASFV and maintain phylogeny as a useful tool.
The effect of vitrification after warming on the expressions of p38, CDK1, and cyclin B in immature goat oocytes followed by in vitro maturation
Authors: Kasman A. A. Muhammad Nur , Santoso Budi , Widjiati Widjiati
Published: October 2020

Background and Aim: The combination of vitrification techniques and in vitro maturation can reduce oocyte competence. Mitogen-activated protein kinase and maturation-promoting factor are significant in oocyte meiotic maturation regulation. This study aimed to analyze vitrification's effect, after warming followed by in vitro maturation, on the expressions of protein 38 (p38), cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), and cyclin B and oocyte maturation level.

Materials and Methods: Immature goat oocytes were soaked in vitrification and warming solutions. The procedure was followed by in vitro maturation and in vitro maturation without post-warming vitrification as a control. These oocytes, along with their cumulus, were vitrified using hemistraw in liquid nitrogen. Oocyte maturation was carried out in a maturation medium that was added with 10 μg/mL of FSH, 10 μg/mL of LH, and 1 μg/mL E2 for 22 h. The expressions of p38, CDK1, and cyclin B were observed using immunocytochemical methods, which were assessed semiquantitatively according to the modified Remmele method. The oocyte maturation level was observed using the aceto-orcein staining method based on the achievement of chromosomes up to the metaphase II stage and/or the formation of the polar body I.

Results: p38 expression in vitrified oocytes after warming, followed by in vitro maturation, increased insignificantly (p≥0.05), with the acquisition of 3.91±2.69 and 2.69±0.50 in the control oocytes. CDK1 expression in vitrified oocytes decreased significantly (p≤0.05) after warming, followed by in vitro maturation, with the acquisition of 2.73±1.24 and 7.27±4.39 in the control oocytes. Cyclin B expression in vitrified oocytes decreased insignificantly (p≥0.05) after warming, followed by in vitro maturation, with the acquisition of 3.09±1.4 and 4.18±2.61 in the control oocytes. The proportion of vitrified oocyte maturation levels after warming, followed by in vitro maturation, decreased significantly (p≤0.05), with the acquisition of 45.45% and 77.27% in the control oocytes.

Conclusion: This study concluded that vitrification after warming resulted in an insignificant increase in p38 expression, a significant decrease in CDK1 expression, an insignificant decrease in cyclin B expression, and a significant reduction in oocyte maturation levels.
Virtual screening assisted identification of small molecule against 2019 novel coronavirus protease enzyme
Authors: Sarkar Arkadeep , Shilkar Deepak , Maity Arindam , Sardar Sarmi , Debnath Sudhan , Sen Debanjan , Jayaprakash Venkatesan
Published: October 2020

TheÂ 2019 novel coronavirus infection or COVID-19 can be designated as a global threat. Till date, there is a lack of dedicated therapeutics available against this fatal infection. In the present work, we performed structure-based drug design studies in order to identify clinically used molecules exhibiting crucial binding with 2019-coronavirus main protease enzyme. Based on ligand binding energy and interaction with essential amino acids, two molecules were selected. The stability of the complexed molecules with main protease enzyme was further studied by performing molecular dynamics simulation.
Ideas and Explanation in Early Modern Philosophy
Authors: Pearce Kenneth L.
Published: October 2020

Malebranche argues that ideas are representative beings existing in God. He defends this thesis by an inference to the best explanation of human perception. It is well known that Malebranche’s theory of vision in God was forcefully rejected by philosophers such as Arnauld, Locke, and Berkeley. However, the notion that ideas exist in God was not the only controversial aspect of Malebranche’s approach. Another controversy centered around Malebranche’s view that ideas are to be understood as posits in an explanatory theory. Opponents of this approach, including Arnauld and Locke, held that our talk about ideas was not explanatory but instead merely descriptive: we use the word ‘idea’ to describe phenomena that we observe by reflecting on our own minds. This controversy has not received much attention from scholars, but in the present paper I will show that it was an explicit and important subject of concern for Malebranche, Arnauld, Locke, and Berkeley and that attention to this controversy can illuminate several aspects of these philosophers’ work.
Further results on Ulam stability for a system of first-order nonsingular delay differential equations
Authors: Zada Akbar , Pervaiz Bakhtawar , Alzabut Jehad , Shah Syed Omar
Published: October 2020

This paper is concerned with a system governed by nonsingular delay differential equations. We study theβ-Ulam-type stability of the mentioned system. The investigations are carried out over compact and unbounded intervals. Before proceeding to the main results, we convert the system into an equivalent integral equation and then establish an existence theorem for the addressed system. To justify the application of the reported results, an example along with graphical representation is illustrated at the end of the paper.
The Referral “Power” of ICC Prosecutor according to Art. 13 StICC
Authors: Liakopoulos Dimitris
Published: October 2020

The present work will be devoted to the power to activate the investigations of the Prosecutor according to art. 13 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (StICC). The StICC tries to offer some coordination tools, whose correct and careful use should in principle favor a harmonious and effective interaction between the two organs (International Criminal Court (ICC) and Security Council (SC)) and avoid the emergence of conflicts. As we will try to highlight, despite these intent of the statutory provisions, the margin of discretion inevitably granted to ICC and SC in interpreting the extension of the powers recognized to them, can lead to tensions and contrasts of not easy solution.
Diversity of GPI-anchored fungal adhesins
Authors: Essen Lars-Oliver , Vogt Marian Samuel , Mösch Hans-Ulrich
Published: October 2020

Selective adhesion of fungal cells to one another and to foreign surfaces is fundamental for the development of multicellular growth forms and the successful colonization of substrates and host organisms. Accordingly, fungi possess diverse cell wall-associated adhesins, mostly large glycoproteins, which present N-terminal adhesion domains at the cell surface for ligand recognition and binding. In order to function as robust adhesins, these glycoproteins must be covalently linkedto the cell wall via C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors by transglycosylation. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the structural and functional diversity of so far characterized protein families of adhesion domains and set it into a broad context by an in-depth bioinformatics analysis using sequence similarity networks. In addition, we discuss possible mechanisms for the membrane-to-cell wall transfer of fungal adhesins by membrane-anchored Dfg5 transglycosidases.
Living data
Authors: Allen Barry
Published: October 2020

We see new technologies changing how we live, and seemingly set to do so at a rising pace. How should we describe these changes, and what exactly is changing? I discuss the theory of technical change in Simondon, On the Modes of Existence of the Technical Object. Once we understand precisely what sort of change qualifies as “technical,” we see that the changes in question today have little to do with technology as such, more with a new infrastructure for its deployment.
Myth and technology: Finding philosophy’s role in technological change
Authors: Brayford Kieran
Published: October 2020

In this paper, I argue that philosophy’s potential to influence technological change is impeded by the presence of two common and influential myths surrounding technology—the myth of progress and the myth of technological determinism. Such myths, I suggest, hinder philosophy’s influence by presenting a distorted image of technology—respectively, as an unqualified good, and as an entity with its own autonomous logic. Steven Pinker and Martin Heidegger are selected as influential advocates for progress and technological determinism respectively, and their work is explored in turn. The work of John Gray and of Herbert Marcuse is then employed to demythologise technology by articulating an alternative image of technology that is not just more accurate, but also more conducive to philosophical influence. Finally, the work of Hans Jonas and Luciano Floridi is used to ground the conclusion that, should philosophy wish to influence technological change, an effective method of doing so could be the articulation of ethical maxims and the supervision of their translation into a real world setting.
Form, technique and liberation: Schiller’s influence on Marcuse’s philosophy of technology
Authors: Souza Juliano Bonamigo Ferreira de
Published: October 2020

This article seeks to analyze the theory of technology formulated by the philosopher Herbert Marcuse (1898–1979). It shows the ways in which the author repurposes fundamental concepts of classical aesthetics in order to formulate a theory of technology aimed at liberating both nature and humanity. To this end, we argue that Marcuse mobilizes the theories of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) and Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805). In the first part of the article, we tackle some important aspects of Kant’s and Schiller’s aesthetic theories. We begin with an analysis of Kant’sCritique of the Power of Judgment(1790), focusing on central concepts that would later be absorbed by Schiller and Marcuse. Next, we try to show the reception of theThird critiquein Schiller’sOn the Aesthetic Education of Man(1795) and this author’s contribution to aesthetic studies within political thought. In the second part, we focus on Marcuse’s work, highlighting two key moments in his analysis on technology. We show that his theory undergoes transformation and development until it reaches its stable form in the 1960s and 1970s, during which the author proposes a new theory of technology based on human aesthetic possibilities whose goal is the liberation of nature.
Influencing technological change
Authors: Pitt Joseph C.
Published: October 2020

The philosophy of technology is not influencing technological change because there isn’t a single philosophy of technology. Philosophers of technology should be involved in technological change because we have something valuable to offer. But before we can get involved, we have to be accepted by those effecting the changes. That means we have to acquire the credentials necessary to establish our credibility. We have to get our hands dirty.
Technologies of self-cultivation. How to improve Stoic self-care apps
Authors: Dennis Matthew
Published: October 2020

Self-care apps are booming. Early iterations of this technology focused on tracking health and fitness routines, but recently some developers have turned their attention to the cultivation of character, basing their conceptual resources on the Hellenistic tradition (Stoic Meditations™, Stoa™, Stoic Mental Health Tracker™). Those familiar with the final writings of Michel Foucault will notice an intriguing coincidence between the development of these products and his claims that the Hellenistic tradition of self-cultivation has much to offer contemporary life. In this article, I explore Foucault’s cryptic remarks on this topic, and argue that today’s self-care developers can improve future products by paying attention to the Hellenistic exercises of self-cultivation he identifies as especially important.
Digital whiplash: The case of digital surveillance
Authors: Dormandy Katherine
Published: October 2020

Digital technology is rapidly transforming human life. But our cognition is honed for an analog world. I call this the problem of digital whiplash: that the digital transformation of society, like a vehicle whose sudden acceleration injures its occupants, is too fast to be safe. I focus on the unprecedented phenomenon of digital surveillance, which I argue poses a long-term threat to human autonomy that our cognition is ill-suited to recognize or respond to. Human cognition is embodied and context-sensitive, and thus faces four problems of digital whiplash vis-à-vis digital surveillance. First is the problem of signal sparsity, that there are few if any perceptible indications of digital surveillance. Second is the problem of signal elusiveness, that the few indications there are prohibitively difficult to discover. Third is the distraction problem, that using digital technologies corrodes the cognitive abilities we need to recognize and respond to digital surveillance. Fourth is the hooking problem, that digital technologies are engineered to cultivate dependency. I address, among other objections, the idea that we choose to exchange our privacy for the use of digital technologies, so their use is in fact an expression of autonomy. The response to digital whiplash, I argue, is not to slow down the digitalization of society in its current form so that we can adapt our cognitive capacities. It is to allow ourselves the time to reflect on and debate whether digitalization, in its current form, is delivering a socially and ethically desirable future.
Artificial life and ‘nature’s purposes’: The question of behavioral autonomy
Authors: Popa Elena
Published: October 2020

This paper investigates the concept of behavioral autonomy in Artificial Life by drawing a parallel to the use of teleological notions in the study of biological life. Contrary to one of the leading assumptions in Artificial Life research, I argue that there is a significant difference in how autonomous behavior is understood in artificial and biological life forms: the former is underlain by human goals in a way that the latter is not. While behavioral traits can be explained in relation to evolutionary history in biological organisms, in synthetic life forms behavior depends on a design driven by a research agenda, further shaped by broader human goals. This point will be illustrated with a case study on a synthetic life form. Consequently, the putative epistemic benefit of reaching a better understanding of behavioral autonomy in biological organisms by synthesizing artificial life forms is subject to doubt: the autonomy observed in such artificial organisms may be a mere projection of human agency. Further questions arise in relation to the need to spell out the relevant human aims when addressing potential social or ethical implications of synthesizing artificial life forms.
Micro-emulsion synthesis of La1 − xCrxFeO3 nanoparticles: effect of Cr doping on ferroelectric, dielectric and photocatalytic properties
Authors: Abbas Sehrish , Bibi Ismat , Majid Farzana , Ata Sadia , Ibrahim Sobhy M. , Kamal Shagufta , Sultan Misbah , Jilani Kashif , Iqbal Shahid , Iqbal Munawar
Published: October 2020

In the present study, La1 − xCrxFeO3(x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.0) was synthesized by micro-emulsion route and characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. The dielectric, ferroelectric and photocatalytic properties were investigated and compared with un-doped material. The XRD analysis revealed orthorhombic geometry of La1 − xCrxFeO3(x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.0), Cr was doped successfully into the lattice structure of LaFeO3and particles were spherical and in agglomerated form. The grain sizes were recorded to be 15, 16.9, 17.1, 17.65 and 18.3 (nm) for La1 − xCrxFeO3(x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.0), respectively. EDX analysis confirmed the purity of LaCrFeO3samples. The lattice parameters, bulk density, X-ray density, crystalline size and porosity were determined were also determined of all the La1 − xCrxFeO3samples. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss values decreased at higher frequency and Cr concentration affected the dielectric properties. The photocatalytic activity (PCA) was evaluated by degrading Congo Red (CR) dye under solar light irradiation and up to 85.43% dye degradation was achieved within 45 min of irradiation. Phyto-toxicity analysis before and after dye degradation was performed, which revealed the toxicity reduction in response of dye degradation. Results revealed that lanthanum ferrite (perovskite) doping with Cr could possibly be employed to enhance the ferroelectric, dielectric and photocatalytic properties.
Nurse students’ attitudes toward the nursing profession after witnessing workplace violence
Authors: Ayasreh Ibrahim R. , Khalaf Inaam A.
Published: October 2020

Background

Workplace violence is one of the most compelling problems facing health care sectors all over the world. The detrimental impact of workplace violence extends to affect nurse students who receive their training in clinical areas.

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the impact of witnessing workplace violence during clinical training on the attitudes of Jordanian nursing students toward the nursing profession.

Methods

Cross-sectional design was used in this study. Data were collected through electronic survey questionnaires from 131 nursing students from three nursing schools in Jordan. Attitude Scale for Nursing Profession was used to assess the participants’ attitude toward nursing profession.

Results

The results showed that about 34% of student participants witnessed workplace violence during their clinical training. Nursing student participants who did not witness workplace violence showed significantly more positive attitude toward nursing profession than who did witness.

Conclusion

Witnessing workplace violence had a significant negative impact on how nursing students view nursing job.
Foodmiles: The Logistics of Food Chains Applied to Food Quality Schemes
Authors: Drut Marion , Antonioli Federico , Böhm Michael , Brečić Ruzica , Dries Liesbeth , Ferrer-Pérez Hugo , Gauvrit Lisa , Hoàng Việt , Steinnes Kamilla Knutsen , Lilavanichakul Apichaya , Majewski Edward , Napasintuwong Orachos , Nguyễn An , Mattas Konstadinos , Ristic Bojan , Schaer Burkhard , Tangeland Torvald , Maksan Marina Tomić , Csillag Peter , Török Áron , Tsakiridou Efthimia , Veneziani Mario , Vittersø Gunnar , Bellassen Valentin
Published: October 2020

This paper estimates the foodmiles (embedded distances) and transport-related carbon emissions of 27 Food Quality Scheme (FQS) products – Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and organic – and their reference products. It goes further than the existing literature by adopting a value chain perspective, instead of the traditional consumer perspective, and focusing on FQS products. The same methodology is applied across all the case studies. The article specifically investigates the determinants of differences between FQS and their references. FQS products travel significantly shorter distances (−30%) and generate significantly lower transport-related emissions (−23%) than conventional food products. The differences are even greater for vegetal and organic products. The relationship between distance and transport-related emissions is not exactly proportional and highlights the importance of transport modes and logistics, in particular for exports and imports. Finally, we stress the importance of the spatial distribution of the different stages in the value chains (e.g. production, processing). PDO technical specifications delimit a geographical area for production and processing, thereby limiting distances and transport-related emissions compared to conventional food products, but also compared to other types of FQS.
The use of glimepiride for the treatment of neonatal diabetes mellitus caused by a novel mutation of the ABCC8 gene
Authors: Qin Xiao , Zhong Jingzi , Lan Dan
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is a rare form of monogenic diabetes that is usually diagnosed in the first six months of life.

Case presentation

We report on a male infant with neonatal diabetes who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis at two months and 16 days. A novel homozygous missense mutation (c.259T>G) was identified in the ABCC8 gene. In this case, insulin was replaced with glimepiride at a dosage of 0.49 mg/kg/day at five months, and this achieved metabolic control and satisfactory growth as observed at follow-up.

Conclusions

This report improves our understanding of the mutational spectrum of ABCC8, which is normally associated with NDM, and shows that the treatment regimen for this condition can be successfully switched from insulin therapy to the use of sulfonylurea.
Monthly intravenous alendronate treatment can maintain bone strength in osteogenesis imperfecta patients following cyclical pamidronate treatment
Authors: Harada Daisuke , Kashiwagi Hiroko , Ueyama Kaoru , Oriyama Kyoko , Hanioka Yuki , Sakamoto Natsuko , Kondo Kawai , Kishimoto Kanako , Izui Masafumi , Nagamatsu Yuiko , Yamada Hiroyuki , Tanaka Hiroyuki , Namba Noriyuki , Seino Yoshiki
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a skeletal dysplasia characterized by recurrent fractures due to congenital bone fragility. The only bisphosphonate approved for OI in Japan is pamidronate (PAM). To investigate whether monthly intravenous alendronate (ALN) infusions can maintain bone strength in OI children following cyclical PAM treatment.

Methods

A prospective and non-inferiority study was conducted. Eight school-age OI patients aged 8.5±2.0 years who were treated with cyclical PAM for 6.0±2.3 years were enrolled and switched to monthly intravenous ALN (0.030 mg/kg/month). Changes in L1-4 bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores, fracture rates, and bone turnover markers for 12 months were analyzed.

Results

Average BMD Z-scores were −3.0±1.9, −2.9±2.0, and −2.2±2.0 in 12 months before enrollment, at enrollment, and after 12 months of ALN treatment, respectively. BMD Z-scores increased significantly during treatment with both PAM and ALN (p=0.012), and the effect of ALN was not inferior to that of PAM (p=0.67). There was no change in fracture rates (p=0.86) and bone turnover markers during the 12 months before and after enrollment. Additionally, ALN showed no remarkable side effects.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that monthly intravenous ALN can maintain bone strength after primary usage of cyclical PAM. We concluded that monthly intravenous ALN as a maintenance treatment following cyclical PAM administration can be an option for OI children.
Effect of growth hormone therapy on thyroid function in isolated growth hormone deficient and short small for gestational age children: a two-year study, including on assessment of the usefulness of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test
Authors: Ebuchi Yuki , Kubo Toshihide , Furujo Mahoko , Higuchi Yousuke , Fujinaga Shoko , Tsuchiya Hiroki , Urata Naoko , Ochi Motoharu , Namba Takahiro , Hara Narumi , Kishi Michiko
Published: October 2020

Background

The relationship between growth hormone (GH)-replacement therapy and the thyroid axis in GH-deficient (GHD) children remains controversial. Furthermore, there have been few reports regarding non-GHD children. We aimed to determine the effect of GH therapy on thyroid function in GHD and non-GHD children and to assess whether thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test is helpful for the identification of central hypothyroidism before GH therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from patients that started GH therapy between 2005 and 2015. The free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations were measured before and during 24 months of GH therapy. The participants were 149 children appropriate for gestational age with GHD (IGHD: isolated GHD) (group 1), 29 small for gestational age (SGA) children with GHD (group 2), and 25 short SGA children (group 3).

Results

In groups 1 and 2, but not in group 3, serum FT4 concentration transiently decreased. Two IGHD participants exhibited central hypothyroidism during GH therapy, and required levothyroxine (LT4) replacement. They showed either delayed and/or prolonged responses to TRH stimulation tests before start of GH therapy.

Conclusions

GH therapy had little pharmacological effect on thyroid function, similar changes in serum FT4 concentrations were not observed in participants with SGA but not GHD cases who were administered GH at a pharmacological dose. However, two IGHD participants showed central hypothyroidism and needed LT4 replacement therapy during GH therapy. TRH stimulation test before GH therapy could identify such patients and provoke careful follow-up evaluation of serum FT4 and TSH concentrations.
The effect of treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on linear growth and adult height in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS): a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Paltoglou George , Dimitropoulos Ioannis , Kourlaba Georgia , Charmandari Evangelia
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Idiopathic short stature (ISS) is a recognized, albeit a controversial indication for treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH).

The objective of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature and meta-analyses of selected studies about the use of rhGH in children with ISS on linear growth and adult height (AH).

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published till February 28, 2017 in the following databases: Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials. After exclusion of duplicate studies, 3,609 studies were initially identified. Of those, 3,497 studies were excluded during the process of assessing the title and/or the abstract. The remaining 112 studies were evaluated further by assessing the full text; 21 of them fulfilled all the criteria in order to be included in the current meta-analysis.

Results

Children who received rhGH had significantly higher height increment at the end of the first year, an effect that persisted in the second year of treatment and achieved significantly higher AH than the control group. The difference between the two groups was equal to 5.3 cm (95% CI: 3.4–7 cm) for male and 4.7 cm (95% CI: 3.1–6.3 cm) for female patients.

Conclusion

In children with ISS, treatment with rhGH improves short-term linear growth and increases AH compared with control subjects. However, the final decision should be made on an individual basis, following detailed diagnostic evaluation and careful consideration of both risks and benefits of rhGH administration.
Detection of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A(HNF4A) gene variant as the cause for congenital hyperinsulinism leads to revision of the diagnosis of the mother
Authors: Vlachopapadopoulou Elpis-Athina , Dikaiakou Eirini , Fotiadou Anatoli , Sifianou Popi , Tatsi Elizabeth Barbara , Sertedaki Amalia , Kanaka-Gantenbein Christina , Michalacos Stefanos
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of persistent hypoketotic hypoglycaemia in neonates and infants. It is a genetic disorder with both familial and sporadic forms.

Case Presentation

In this study, we examined two unrelated infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) presented with HH. DNA sequencing (Sanger and NGS panel) identified pathogenic variants of the Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4A (HNF4A) gene in both families. Pathogenic variants of HNF4A gene are reported to cause HH in the newborn period and Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) later in life. The diagnosis of MODY was made in retrospect for the two mothers, thus improving the management of their diabetes.

Conclusion

Genetic testing for CHI is strongly recommended if neonatal hypoglycemia persists. A family history of MODY or presumed type II diabetes can support that the affected gene is HNF4A.
Delineation of the genetic and clinical spectrum, including candidate genes, of monogenic diabetes: a multicenter study in South Korea
Authors: Cheon Chong Kun , Lee Yeoun Joo , Yoo Sukdong , Lee Jung Hee , Lee Jeong Eun , Kim Hyun Ji , Choi Im Jeong , Choi Yeonsong , Lee Semin , Yoon Ju Young
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Monogenic diabetes includes a group of heterogeneous diabetes types. We aimed to identify the frequency, clinical and molecular features of monogenic diabetes in a Korean pediatric cohort.

Methods

A retrospective cohort and multicenter study of Korean children suspected to have monogenic diabetes, managed by four pediatric endocrine centers in the southeast region of South Korea, from February 2016 to February 2020. We recruited 27 pediatric Korean patients suspected to have monogenic diabetes who had at least two of the following three criteria (age at diagnosis, family history, and clinical presentation). Targeted exome sequencing was conducted in these patients. The functional consequences of the variants were predicted by bioinformatics and protein structure analysis.

Results

Molecular genetic analysis identified 16 patients (59.3%) with monogenic diabetes. We identified a total of eight unique variants, including five novel variants (HNF4Ac.1088C>T,CELc.1627C>T and c.1421C>T,PAX4c.538+8G>C,INSc.71C>T). We also identified two potential candidate gene variants for monogenic diabetes, namely c.650T>C in theSLC2A2gene and c.629G>A in thePTF1Agene. Other variants were identified in theWFS1andNPHP3genes in two rare genetic disorders. Variant-positive individuals had a lower presence of autoantibody positivity at the time of diagnosis and higher glycosylated hemoglobin levels at last follow-up when compared to variant-negative patients (p<0.001 and p=0.029, respectively).

Conclusions

These results further expand the spectrum of known variants as well as potential candidate gene variants associated with monogenic diabetes in Korea.
Prenatal smoke exposure is associated with increased anogenital distance in female infants: a prospective case–control study
Authors: Kızılay Deniz Özalp , Aydın Cansever , Aygün Ayşe Pakel , Tuhan Hale Ünver , Olukman Özgür
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To investigate the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on newborn infants’ anogenital distance (AGD).

Methods

Fifty-six female and sixty-four male newborn infants from mothers who smoked during pregnancy were included in this study. A control group for each sex was selected from infants whose mothers had no active or passive (in either the household or the workplace) smoke exposure before or during pregnancy. Questionnaire data on maternal demographic characteristics and information about cigarette use were collected. We assessed genital anthropometry which included AGD for both male and female neonates, and stretched penile length (SPL), penile girth for males within the first 48 h after birth. AGD measurements were also normalized according to birth weight (AGD/weight in grams), length (AGD/height in millimeters), and ponderal index [AGD/(weight in grams/height in cubic centimeters)]. Anogenital index (AGI) was calculated by dividing the AGD by cube root of birth weight.

Results

In female infants, prenatal smoke exposure was associated with significantly increased weight-adjusted AGD (p=0.03). There was also a significant correlation between mothers’ daily smoking rates and weight-adjusted AGD (r=0.27/p=0.03). In male infants, fetal smoke exposure was not associated with any AGD measurements, SPL and penile girth.

Conclusions

A significant increase in weight-adjusted AGD in female infants exposed to maternal smoking may be an indicator of antenatal androgen exposure and may pose a risk for short and long-term endocrine, metabolic and behavioral problems.