bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Negative Self-Representations in Social Anxiety Disorder—A Randomized Wait-List Controlled Trial
Authors: He Liguo , Han Wei , Shi Zhan
Published: May 2021

This study examines the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) vs. wait list (WL) on the self-reference effect involving negative adjectives in individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Eighty-five participants with SAD were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of MBSR or WL and completed an incidental SRE task that assessed treatment-related negative self-representations. Self-related negative adjectives were worse remembered in MBSR than in WL, and other-related negative adjectives were better remembered in MBSR than in WL. No differences emerged between the levels of self- and other-related processing for adjectives in MBSR. Moreover, the MBSR-related decreases in the difference in recognition memory performance between self and other conditions, that is, the treatment-related equilibrium, could predict the MBSR-related decreases in social anxiety symptoms. The selfless functioning and self-other control that can provide reasonable interpretations for these findings were discussed.
Mental Health Status of the Elderly Chinese Population During COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zhou Rui , Chen Hao , Zhu Lin , Chen Ying , Chen Boyan , Li Ying , Chen Zhi , Zhu Haihong , Wang Hongmei
Published: May 2021

Background: COVID-19 not only threatened the public's physical health but also brought unbearable psychological pressure, especially for those vulnerable groups like the elderly. However, studies on the psychological status of older adults during this public health emergency remained scant. This study aims to investigate the mental health status among the elderly Chinese population during COVID-19 pandemic and determine the influencing factors of psychological symptoms.

Methods: From February 19 to March 19, 2020, an online survey was administered to Chinese older adults using a convenience sampling method. Information on demographic data, health status and other epidemic related factors were collected. Specifically, the study defined the psychological status as five primary disorder–depression, neurasthenia, fear, anxiety, and hypochondria–which were assessed by the Psychological Questionnaire for Emergent Event of Public Health (PQEEPH). Standard descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data.

Results: Of 1,501 participants recruited from 31 provinces in China, 1,278 were valid for further analysis. Participants' scores on each sub-scale were described in median and interquartile [M(Q)]: depression [0.00 (0.33)], neurasthenia [0.00 (0.40)], fear [1.00 (0.83)], anxiety [0.00 (0.17)], hypochondria [0.00 (0.50)]. Chronic diseases (depression p = 0.001; neurasthenia p < 0.001; fear p = 0.023; anxiety p < 0.001; hypochondria p = 0.001) and the BMI index (depression p = 0.015; neurasthenia p = 0.046; fear p = 0.016; anxiety p = 0.015; hypochondria p = 0.013) had significant impacts on all of the five sub-scales. Specifically, the rural dwellers had a higher level of neurasthenia, fear, and hypochondria. Besides, education level (p = 0.035) and outbreak risk level (p = 0.004) had significant impacts on the depression. Higher household monthly income per capita (p = 0.031), and the community-level entry/exit control (p = 0.011) are factors against anxiety.

Conclusions: Most elderly residents reported mild negative emotions during COVID-19 and more attention should be paid to the recognition and alleviation of fear. Our findings also identified factors associated with the mental health status of the elderly, which is of practical significance in the design and implementation of psychological interventions for this vulnerable population during COVID-19 and future emerging diseases.
Endoscopic Endonasal Transclival Approach to Ventral Pontine Cavernous Malformation: Case Report
Authors: Dong Xiao , Wang Xiaoyu , Shao Anwen , Zhang Jianmin , Hong Yuan
Published: May 2021

Ventral medial pontine cavernous malformations are challenging due to the location in eloquent tissue, surrounding critical anatomy, and potential symptomatic bleeding. Conventional approaches, such as anterolateral, lateral and dorsal approach, are associated with high risk of deleterious consequences due to excessive traction and damage to the surrounding tissues. The authors present an endoscopic endonasal approach for the resection of midline ventral pontine cavernous malformations, which follows principles of optimal access to brainstem cavernous malformations as the “two-point method.” No CSF leak or any other complications are obtained. The successful outcomes indicate that an individualized approach should be chosen before the surgery for brainstem cavernous malformations. With the advance of techniques, endoscopic endonasal approach could provide the most direct route to ventral pontine lesions with safety and efficiency.
Radial Water Barrier in Submarine Cables, Current Solutions and Innovative Development Directions
Authors: Resner Leszek , Paszkiewicz Sandra
Published: May 2021

With wind turbines increasing in size, installed at greater distances from the mainland, and greater depths, submarine cables are facing new challenges. Materials and technologies used so far for the production of submarine cables with lead, aluminium, or copper sheaths make them unsuitable or even obsolete for modern solutions such as floating wind farms. The article discusses types of submarine cables, their construction, working conditions, and operational factors, with emphasis placed on the role of the radial water barrier. The focus has been placed on dry and semi-dry designs. The article is also devoted to a discussion regarding directions of further development, possible materials, and constructions that may appear in the future. Current research and results regarding the use of multi-layer coatings with the use of thermoplastic block copolymers for the layer with high moisture absorption are also presented.
Possibility of Hydropower Development: A Simple-to-Use Index
Authors: Operacz Agnieszka
Published: May 2021

A standardized range system based on carefully selected multi-criteria is proposed in this work to assess the feasibility of hydropower implementation. A thought process has been developed as a simple-to-use and easy-to-understand methodology. Today, due to the broad concern for the natural environment, the use of renewable energy sources has become globally popular. Subsequently, such solutions as the application of renewable energy for electricity generation are often considered the most environmentally friendly installations. Unfortunately, no methodology to assess the possibility of hydropower plant realization in either scientific or industry literature has been put forward, and this constitutes a blatant failure. The proposed range system has been designed to use selected information (head, available flow, fish migration, hydrotechnical infrastructure, protected areas, environmental flow, status of surface water body), which is available through a variety of sources that are easy to obtain. From analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of this research method, it was recognized that it is worth propagating and recommending for the practical estimation of the hydropower potential. The author believes that the novel contribution of the paper, which is the innovative range system, will be accepted for common use.
Utility Method as an Instrument of the Quality of Life Assessment Using the Examples of Selected European Cities
Authors: Przybyłowski Piotr , Przybyłowski Adam , Kałaska Agnieszka
Published: May 2021

Improving quality of life still remains the main goal of strategic documents and is promoted by leaders on the global, national, regional, and local levels. Moreover, this ambitious challenge should be consistent with the principles of sustainable development, including the social, economic, and environmental aspects. The ISO 37120 indicators within the World Council on City Data (WCCD) database may be used to monitor the urban performance over time. However, the interpretation of the results is not always easy and sometimes requires a complex analysis. The aim of this paper was to investigate the possibility of illustrating in a transparent way the urban quality of life using the utility method. This study also presents that this method may facilitate making data-driven decisions on urban management, planning and investment. Thus, it may be useful for decision makers and help cities and communities of all sizes to become more sustainable, safe and resilient, prosperous, inclusive, and smart. The analysis has been carried out using the examples of selected European cities: Amsterdam, Gdynia, London, and Zagreb. The hypothesis reads as follows: it is possible to use the total and partial utility method in order to assess the level of urban quality of life with regard to the three dimensions of sustainable development in order to monitor progress and results and prioritize and implement the changes within urban policy. Research results indicate that there are significant differences between the compared cities within the economic, social, and ecological aspects. This analysis may constitute an introduction to the development of more complex models in the future.
Distributed Energy-Resource Design Method to Improve Energy Security in Critical Facilities
Authors: Siritoglou Petros , Oriti Giovanna , Van Bossuyt Douglas L.
Published: May 2021

This paper presents a user-friendly design method for accurately sizing the distributed energy resources of a stand-alone microgrid to meet the critical load demands of a military, commercial, industrial, or residential facility when utility power is not available. The microgrid combines renewable resources such as photovoltaics (PV) with an energy-storage system to increase energy security for facilities with critical loads. The design method’s novelty complies with IEEE Standards 1562 and 1013, and addresses resilience, which is not taken into account in existing design methods. Several case studies simulated with a physics-based model validate the proposed design method and demonstrate how resilience can be included in the design process. Additionally, the design and the simulations were validated by 24 h laboratory experiments conducted on a microgrid assembled using commercial off-the-shelf components.
Comparison of Machine Learning Methods in Electrical Tomography for Detecting Moisture in Building Walls
Authors: Rymarczyk Tomasz , Kłosowski Grzegorz , Hoła Anna , Sikora Jan , Wołowiec Tomasz , Tchórzewski Paweł , Skowron Stanisław
Published: May 2021

This paper presents the results of research on the use of machine learning algorithms and electrical tomography in detecting humidity inside the walls of old buildings and structures. The object of research was a historical building in Wrocław, Poland, built in the first decade of the 19th century. Using the prototype of an electric tomograph of our own design, a number of voltage measurements were made on selected parts of the building. Many algorithmic methods have been preliminarily analyzed. Ultimately, the three models based on machine learning were selected: linear regression with SVM (support vector machine) learner, linear regression with least squares learner, and a multilayer perceptron neural network. The classical Gauss–Newton model was also used in the comparison. Both the experiments based on real measurements and simulation data showed a higher efficiency of machine learning methods than the Gauss–Newton method. The tomographic methods surpassed the point methods in measuring the dampness in the walls because they show a spatial image of the interior and not separate points of the examined cross-section. Research has shown that the selection of a machine learning model has a large impact on the quality of the results. Machine learning has a greater potential to create correct tomographic reconstructions than traditional mathematical methods. In this research, linear regression models performed slightly worse than neural networks.
Plasma Metabolomics Analysis of Polyvinyl Chloride Workers Identifies Altered Processes and Candidate Biomarkers for Hepatic Hemangiosarcoma and Its Development
Authors: Guardiola John J. , Hardesty Josiah E. , Beier Juliane I. , Prough Russell A. , McClain Craig J. , Cave Matthew C.
Published: May 2021

Background: High-level occupational vinyl chloride (VC) exposures have been associated with hepatic hemangiosarcoma, which typically develops following a long latency period. Although VC is genotoxic, a more comprehensive mode of action has not been determined and diagnostic biomarkers have not been established. The purpose of this study is to address these knowledge gaps through plasma metabolomics. Methods: Plasma samples from polyvinyl chloride polymerization workers who developed hemangiosarcoma (cases, n = 15) and VC exposure-matched controls (n = 17) underwent metabolomic analysis. Random forest and bioinformatic analyses were performed. Results: Cases and controls had similar demographics and routine liver biochemistries. Mass spectroscopy identified 606 known metabolites. Random forest analysis had an 82% predictive accuracy for group classification. 60 metabolites were significantly increased and 44 were decreased vs. controls. Taurocholate, bradykinin and fibrin degradation product 2 were up-regulated by greater than 80-fold. The naturally occurring anti-angiogenic phenol, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, was down-regulated 5-fold. Top affected ontologies involved: (i) metabolism of bile acids, taurine, cholesterol, fatty acids and amino acids; (ii) inflammation and oxidative stress; and (iii) nicotinic cholinergic signaling. Conclusions: The plasma metabolome was differentially regulated in polyvinyl chloride workers who developed hepatic hemangiosarcoma. Ontologies potentially involved in hemangiosarcoma pathogenesis and candidate biomarkers were identified.
An Eco-Friendly Approach to the Control of Pathogenic Microbes and Anopheles stephensi Malarial Vector Using Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles (Mg-NPs) Fabricated by Penicillium chrysogenum
Authors: Fouda Amr , Awad Mohamed A. , Eid Ahmed M. , Saied Ebrahim , Barghoth Mohammed G. , Hamza Mohammed F. , Awad Mohamed F. , Abdelbary Salah , Hassan Saad El-Din
Published: May 2021

The discovery of eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective compounds to control diseases caused by microbes and insects are the main challenges. Herein, the magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) are successfully fabricated by harnessing the metabolites secreted by Penicillium chrysogenum. The fabricated MgO-NPs were characterized using UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, DLS, EDX, FT-IR, and XPS analyses. Data showed the successful formation of crystallographic, spherical, well-dispersed MgO-NPs with sizes of 7–40 nm at a maximum wavelength of 250 nm. The EDX analysis confirms the presence of Mg and O ions as the main components with weight percentages of 13.62% and 7.76%, respectively. The activity of MgO-NPs as an antimicrobial agent was investigated against pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans, and exhibited zone of inhibitions of 12.0 ± 0.0, 12.7 ± 0.9, 23.3 ± 0.8, 17.7 ± 1.6, and 14.7 ± 0.6 mm respectively, at 200 µg mL−1. The activity is decreased by decreasing the MgO-NPs concentration. The biogenic MgO-NPs exhibit high efficacy against different larvae instar and pupa of Anopheles stephensi, with LC50 values of 12.5–15.5 ppm for I–IV larvae instar and 16.5 ppm for the pupa. Additionally, 5 mg/cm2 of MgO-NPs showed the highest protection percentages against adults of Anopheles stephensi, with values of 100% for 150 min and 67.6% ± 1.4% for 210 min.
Antimicrobial Activities of LL-37 Fragment Mutant-Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic) Acid Conjugate against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans
Authors: Mori Takeshi , Yoshida Miyako , Hazekawa Mai , Ishibashi Daisuke , Hatanaka Yoshiro , Nagao Toshihiro , Kakehashi Rie , Kojima Honami , Uno Rio , Ozeki Minoru , Kawasaki Ikuo , Yamashita Taku , Nishikawa Junichi , Uchida Takahiro
Published: May 2021

Various peptides and their derivatives have been reported to exhibit antimicrobial activities. Although these activities have been examined against microorganisms, novel methods have recently emerged for conjugation of the biomaterials to improve their activities. Here, we prepared CKR12-PLGA, in which CKR12 (a mutated fragment of human cathelicidin peptide, LL-37) was conjugated with poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA), and compared the antimicrobial and antifungal activities of the conjugated peptide with those of FK13 (a small fragment of LL-37) and CKR12 alone. The prepared CKR12-PLGA was characterized by dynamic light scattering and measurement of the zeta potential, critical micellar concentration, and antimicrobial activities of the fragments and conjugate. Although CKR12 showed higher antibacterial activities than FK13 against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the antifungal activity of CKR12 was lower than that of FK13. CKR12-PLGA showed higher antibacterial activities against S. aureus and E. coli and higher antifungal activity against Candida albicans compared to those of FK13. Additionally, CKR12-PLGA showed no hemolytic activity in erythrocytes, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy suggested that CKR12-PLGA killed and disrupted the surface structure of microbial cells. Conjugation of antimicrobial peptide fragment analogues was a successful approach for obtaining increased microbial activity with minimized cytotoxicity.
A Heterotypic Tridimensional Model to Study the Interaction of Macrophages and Glioblastoma In Vitro
Authors: Gattas María José , Estecho Ivana Gisele , Lago Huvelle María Amparo , Errasti Andrea Emilse , Carrera Silva Eugenio Antonio , Simian Marina
Published: May 2021

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive primary brain tumor, and macrophages account for 30–40% of its composition. Most of these macrophages derive from bone marrow monocytes playing a crucial role in tumor progression. Unraveling the mechanisms of macrophages-GBM crosstalk in an appropriate model will contribute to the development of specific and more successful therapies. We investigated the interaction of U87MG human GBM cells with primary human CD14+ monocytes or the THP-1 cell line with the aim of establishing a physiologically relevant heterotypic culture model. Methods: primary monocytes and THP-1 cells were cultured in the presence of U87MG conditioned media or co-cultured together with previously formed GBM spheroids. Monocyte differentiation was determined by flow cytometry. Results: primary monocytes differentiate to M2 macrophages when incubated with U87MG conditioned media in 2-dimensional culture, as determined by the increased percentage of CD14+CD206+ and CD64+CD206+ populations in CD11b+ cells. Moreover, the mitochondrial protein p32/gC1qR is expressed in monocytes exposed to U87MG conditioned media. When primary CD14+ monocytes or THP-1 cells are added to previously formed GBM spheroids, both invade and establish within them. However, only primary monocytes differentiate and acquire a clear M2 phenotype characterized by the upregulation of CD206, CD163, and MERTK surface markers on the CD11b+CD14+ population and induce alterations in the sphericity of the cell cultures. Conclusion: our results present a new physiologically relevant model to study GBM/macrophage interactions in a human setting and suggest that both soluble GBM factors, as well as cell-contact dependent signals, are strong inducers of anti-inflammatory macrophages within the tumor niche.
Partial Agonist Activity of Neonicotinoids on Rat Nicotinic Receptors: Consequences over Epinephrine Secretion and In Vivo Blood Pressure
Authors: Park Joohee , Taly Antoine , Bourreau Jennifer , De Nardi Frédéric , Legendre Claire , Henrion Daniel , Guérineau Nathalie C. , Legros Christian , Mattei César , Tricoire-Leignel Hélène
Published: May 2021

Neonicotinoid insecticides are nicotine-derived molecules which exert acute neurotoxic effects over the insect central nervous system by activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). However, these receptors are also present in the mammalian central and peripheral nervous system, where the effects of neonicotinoids are faintly known. In mammals, cholinergic synapses are crucial for the control of vascular tone, blood pressure and skeletal muscle contraction. We therefore hypothesized that neonicotinoids could affect cholinergic networks in mammals and sought to highlight functional consequences of acute intoxication in rats with sub-lethal concentrations of the highly used acetamiprid (ACE) and clothianidin (CLO). In this view, we characterized their electrophysiological effects on rat α3β4 nAChRs, knowing that it is predominantly expressed in ganglia of the vegetative nervous system and the adrenal medulla, which initiates catecholamine secretion. Both molecules exhibited a weak agonist effect on α3β4 receptors. Accordingly, their influence on epinephrine secretion from rat adrenal glands was also weak at 100 μM, but it was stronger at 500 μM. Challenging ACE or CLO together with nicotine (NIC) ended up with paradoxical effects on secretion. In addition, we measured the rat arterial blood pressure (ABP) in vivo by arterial catheterization. As expected, NIC induced a significant increase in ABP. ACE and CLO did not affect the ABP in the same conditions. However, simultaneous exposure of rats to both NIC and ACE/CLO promoted an increase of ABP and induced a biphasic response. Modeling the interaction of ACE or CLO on α3β4 nAChR is consistent with a binding site located in the agonist pocket of the receptor. We present a transversal experimental approach of mammal intoxication with neonicotinoids at different scales, including in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo and in silico. It paves the way of the acute and chronic toxicity for this class of insecticides on mammalian organisms.
Deregulation of Ca2+-Signaling Systems in White Adipocytes, Manifested as the Loss of Rhythmic Activity, Underlies the Development of Multiple Hormonal Resistance at Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Turovsky Egor A. , Turovskaya Maria V. , Dynnik Vladimir V.
Published: May 2021

Various types of cells demonstrate ubiquitous rhythmicity registered as simple and complex Ca2+-oscillations, spikes, waves, and triggering phenomena mediated by G-protein and tyrosine kinase coupled receptors. Phospholipase C/IP3-receptors (PLC/IP3R) and endothelial NO-synthase/Ryanodine receptors (NOS/RyR)–dependent Ca2+ signaling systems, organized as multivariate positive feedback generators (PLC-G and NOS-G), underlie this rhythmicity. Loss of rhythmicity at obesity may indicate deregulation of these signaling systems. To issue the impact of cell size, receptors’ interplay, and obesity on the regulation of PLC-G and NOS-G, we applied fluorescent microscopy, immunochemical staining, and inhibitory analysis using cultured adipocytes of epididumal white adipose tissue of mice. Acetylcholine, norepinephrine, atrial natriuretic peptide, bradykinin, cholecystokinin, angiotensin II, and insulin evoked complex [Ca2+]i responses in adipocytes, implicating NOS-G or PLC-G. At low sub-threshold concentrations, acetylcholine and norepinephrine or acetylcholine and peptide hormones (in paired combinations) recruited NOS-G, based on G proteins subunits interplay and signaling amplification. Rhythmicity was cell size- dependent and disappeared in hypertrophied cells filled with lipids. Contrary to control cells, adipocytes of obese hyperglycemic and hypertensive mice, growing on glucose, did not accumulate lipids and demonstrated hormonal resistance being non responsive to any hormone applied. Preincubation of preadipocytes with palmitoyl-L-carnitine (100 nM) provided accumulation of lipids, increased expression and clustering of IP3R and RyR proteins, and partially restored hormonal sensitivity and rhythmicity (5–15% vs. 30–80% in control cells), while adipocytes of diabetic mice were not responsive at all. Here, we presented a detailed kinetic model of NOS-G and discussed its control. Collectively, we may suggest that universal mechanisms underlie loss of rhythmicity, Ca2+-signaling systems deregulation, and development of general hormonal resistance to obesity.
Drug Target Identification with Machine Learning: How to Choose Negative Examples
Authors: Najm Matthieu , Azencott Chloé-Agathe , Playe Benoit , Stoven Véronique
Published: May 2021

Identification of the protein targets of hit molecules is essential in the drug discovery process. Target prediction with machine learning algorithms can help accelerate this search, limiting the number of required experiments. However, Drug-Target Interactions databases used for training present high statistical bias, leading to a high number of false positives, thus increasing time and cost of experimental validation campaigns. To minimize the number of false positives among predicted targets, we propose a new scheme for choosing negative examples, so that each protein and each drug appears an equal number of times in positive and negative examples. We artificially reproduce the process of target identification for three specific drugs, and more globally for 200 approved drugs. For the detailed three drug examples, and for the larger set of 200 drugs, training with the proposed scheme for the choice of negative examples improved target prediction results: the average number of false positives among the top ranked predicted targets decreased, and overall, the rank of the true targets was improved.Our method corrects databases’ statistical bias and reduces the number of false positive predictions, and therefore the number of useless experiments potentially undertaken.
Ubiquitin-Mediated Control of ETS Transcription Factors: Roles in Cancer and Development
Authors: Ducker Charles , Shaw Peter E.
Published: May 2021

Genome expansion, whole genome and gene duplication events during metazoan evolution produced an extensive family of ETS genes whose members express transcription factors with a conserved winged helix-turn-helix DNA-binding domain. Unravelling their biological roles has proved challenging with functional redundancy manifest in overlapping expression patterns, a common consensus DNA-binding motif and responsiveness to mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling. Key determinants of the cellular repertoire of ETS proteins are their stability and turnover, controlled largely by the actions of selective E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases. Here we discuss the known relationships between ETS proteins and enzymes that determine their ubiquitin status, their integration with other developmental signal transduction pathways and how suppression of ETS protein ubiquitination contributes to the malignant cell phenotype in multiple cancers.
Overview of Cellular Immunotherapies within Transfusion Medicine for the Treatment of Malignant Diseases
Authors: Tešić Nataša , Poženel Primož , Švajger Urban
Published: May 2021

Over the years, transfusion medicine has developed into a broad, multidisciplinary field that covers different clinical patient services such as apheresis technology and the development of stem cell transplantation. Recently, the discipline has found a niche in development and production of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) for immunotherapy and regenerative medicine purposes. In clinical trials, cell-based immunotherapies have shown encouraging results in the treatment of multiple cancers and autoimmune diseases. However, there are many parameters such as safety, a high level of specificity, and long-lasting efficacy that still need to be optimized to maximize the potential of cell-based immunotherapies. Thus, only a few have gained FDA approval, while the majority of them are studied in the context of investigator-initiated trials (IITs), where modern, academically oriented transfusion centers can play an important role. In this review, we summarize existing and contemporary cellular immunotherapies, which are already a part of modern transfusion medicine or are likely to become so in the future.
Polymeric Gels and Their Application in the Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Review
Authors: Kulawik-Pióro Agnieszka , Miastkowska Małgorzata
Published: May 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease, and it is especially characterized by the occurrence of red, itchy, and scaly eruptions on the skin. The quality of life of patients with psoriasis is decreased because this disease remains incurable, despite the rapid progress of therapeutic methods and the introduction of many innovative antipsoriatic drugs. Moreover, many patients with psoriasis are dissatisfied with their current treatment methods and the form with which the drug is applied. The patients complain about skin irritation, clothing stains, unpleasant smell, or excessive viscosity of the preparation. The causes of these issues should be linked with little effectiveness of the therapy caused by low permeation of the drug into the skin, as well as patients’ disobeying doctors’ recommendations, e.g., concerning regular application of the preparation. Both of these factors are closely related to the physicochemical form of the preparation and its rheological and mechanical properties. To improve the quality of patients’ lives, it is important to gain knowledge about the specific form of the drug and its effect on the safety and efficacy of a therapy as well as the patients’ comfort during application. Therefore, we present a literature review and a detailed analysis of the composition, rheological properties, and mechanical properties of polymeric gels as an alternative to viscous and greasy ointments. We discuss the following polymeric gels: hydrogels, oleogels, emulgels, and bigels. In our opinion, they have many characteristics (i.e., safety, effectiveness, desired durability, acceptance by patients), which can contribute to the development of an effective and, at the same time comfortable, method of local treatment of psoriasis for patients.
Sex Discrimination in Schools: The Law and Its Impact on School Policies
Authors: Eckes Suzanne
Published: May 2021

The law has the potential to influence school policy in the United States. Specifically, statutes, constitutional provisions, and the outcomes of court cases can impact the civil rights of students, which, in turn, can presumably lead to policies that prohibit discriminatory practices. For example, Congress has enacted federal laws (statutes) that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, and disability; these laws arguably impact school practice. After setting the legal context, through an analysis of statutes, constitutional provisions and case law, this article examines how law has the potential to influence education policy related to sex discrimination. In doing so, a few illustrative cases related to sexual harassment, single-sex programs, pregnant and parenting teens, dress codes, transgender student rights, and athletics are discussed to provide examples about how case outcomes may help create more equitable school environments.
The Use of 3D Printing Technology for Manufacturing Metal Antennas in the 5G/IoT Context
Authors: Helena Diogo , Ramos Amélia , Varum Tiago , Matos João N.
Published: May 2021

With the rise of 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), and networks operating in the mmWave frequencies, a huge growth of connected sensors will be a reality, and high gain antennas will be desired to compensate for the propagation issues, and with low cost, characteristics inherent to metallic radiating structures. 3D printing technology is a possible solution in this way, as it can print an object with high precision at a reduced cost. This paper presents different methods to fabricate typical metal antennas using 3D printing technology. These techniques were applied as an example to pyramidal horn antennas designed for a central frequency of 28 GHz. Two techniques were used to metallize a structure that was printed with polylactic acid (PLA), one with copper tape and other with a conductive spray-paint. A third method consists of printing an antenna completely using a conductive filament. All prototypes combine good results with low production cost. The antenna printed with the conductive filament achieved a better gain than the other structures and showed a larger bandwidth. The analysis recognizes the vast potential of these 3D-printed structures for IoT applications, as an alternative to producing conventional commercial antennas.
A Local TR-MUSIC Algorithm for Damage Imaging of Aircraft Structures
Authors: Fan Shilei , Zhang Aijia , Sun Hu , Yun Fenglin
Published: May 2021

Lamb wave-based damage imaging is a promising technique for aircraft structural health monitoring, as enhancing the resolution of damage detection is a persistent challenge. In this paper, a damage imaging technique based on the Time Reversal-MUltiple SIgnal Classification (TR-MUSIC) algorithm is developed to detect damage in plate-type structures. In the TR-MUSIC algorithm, a transfer matrix is first established by exciting and sensing signals. A TR operator is constructed for eigenvalue decomposition to divide the data space into signal and noise subspaces. The structural space spectrum of the algorithm is calculated based on the orthogonality of the two subspaces. A local TR-MUSIC algorithm is proposed to enhance the image quality of multiple damages by using a moving time window to establish the local space spectrum at different times or different distances. The multidamage detection capability of the proposed enhanced TR-MUSIC algorithm is verified by simulations and experiments. The results reveal that the local TR-MUSIC algorithm can not only effectively detect multiple damages in plate-type structures with good image quality but also has a superresolution ability for detecting damage with distances smaller than half the wavelength.
Identification of Brain Electrical Activity Related to Head Yaw Rotations
Authors: Zero Enrico , Bersani Chiara , Sacile Roberto
Published: May 2021

Automatizing the identification of human brain stimuli during head movements could lead towards a significant step forward for human computer interaction (HCI), with important applications for severely impaired people and for robotics. In this paper, a neural network-based identification technique is presented to recognize, by EEG signals, the participant’s head yaw rotations when they are subjected to visual stimulus. The goal is to identify an input-output function between the brain electrical activity and the head movement triggered by switching on/off a light on the participant’s left/right hand side. This identification process is based on “Levenberg–Marquardt” backpropagation algorithm. The results obtained on ten participants, spanning more than two hours of experiments, show the ability of the proposed approach in identifying the brain electrical stimulus associate with head turning. A first analysis is computed to the EEG signals associated to each experiment for each participant. The accuracy of prediction is demonstrated by a significant correlation between training and test trials of the same file, which, in the best case, reaches value r = 0.98 with MSE = 0.02. In a second analysis, the input output function trained on the EEG signals of one participant is tested on the EEG signals by other participants. In this case, the low correlation coefficient values demonstrated that the classifier performances decreases when it is trained and tested on different subjects.
*Þórðar saga kakala hin mikla: Reconstructing the lost original of a saga from the Sturlunga compilation
Authors: White D. M.
Published: May 2021

Scholars of pre-Modern literature are becoming increasingly aware of the necessity to include the study of lost texts within literary histories (Matthews 2020, 230). The study of lost literary works (eclipsaphilology) can make use of techniques belonging to the field of textual criticism such as stemmatics, but is able to go beyond them in reconstructing the contents, and not necessarily form, when – for example – disentangling remnants of source texts from compilations. This mode of study has long been practiced in Bible Studies, for example by the proponents of the documentary hypothesis. In this article, I attempt to lay out the contents of the lost original of a component text of the fourteenth-century Sturlunga saga, namely: Þórðar saga kakala (*Þórðar saga kakala hin mikla). The approach taken to reconstructing the content of the lost original of Þórðar saga kakala in this article is an inversion of redaction criticism. It seeks after the contents of the source text, *Þórðar saga kakala hin mikla, by taking the contents of Þórðar saga kakala in the extant manuscripts and reversing the compilational and editorial processes in play throughout its transmission history. This critique makes use of the categories of evidence used in textual criticism (external and internal evidence), but is not interested in the production of an edition of the lost original.
Czekając na Europę. Od Pomarańczowej Rewolucji do Euromajdanu (2004–2014)
Authors: Hnatiuk Ola
Published: May 2021

The subject of this text is integration with the West in Ukrainian public debate in the period between the Orange Revolution and the Euromaidan (2004–2014). The author suggests that the gradual shift in public opinion after 2006, from an EU orientation toward Ukraine’s integration with the Eurasian Customs Union (since 2014 the Eurasian Union, the EAU), was connected with the passivity of pro-Western intellectuals. Having allowed themselves to be pushed out of the newspapers and national television channels, which belong to oligarchs, they found a communications niche in new media forums, where contact with the public is much more limited in terms of numbers. The author also points out the manipulation of public opinion by state services during Janukovych’s presidency for the purpose of marginalizing the national-democratic camp. The author analyzes the changes in opinions expressed by Jurii Andruchovych: from articulating openness to the European project and a civil concept of the Ukrainian nation, through doubting in the possibility of integration with the EU, to accenting the ethnic qualities of Ukrainianness and an elite exclusiveness. In the author’s opinion, another cause of the lack of stability in public opinion on EU integration was EU policy, which was devoid of a long-term strategy in regard to Ukraine.
Podróże i włóczęgi rowerowe Andrzeja Bobkowskiego
Authors: Sahaj Tomasz
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this article is to present and analyze selected travel accounts by the Polish emigrant Andrzej Bobkowski (1913–1961). In France, in spite of the ongoing war and then the German occupation, he undertook a number of cycling and sports-tourist expeditions; his phenomenal descriptions of these journeys have become part of the Polish literary canon. Bobkowski called his travels ‘bicycle tours’ and for him they were a form of expression inextricably connected with authentic existence and personal freedom in a world of totalitarianisms. The author employs comparative and the qualitative methods (content analysis) of scholarship.
„Fuck the context!”. Krytyczny dyskurs regionalny w kontekście badań foresight
Authors: Kuligowski Waldemar
Published: May 2021

This article is an attempt at a critical and interdisciplinary analysis of the idea of the region. The author reviews and summarizes critical views of the idea in the discourses of architecture (Frampton, Koolhaas, Ibelings), art history (DaCosta, Kauffman, Piotrowski), and social anthropology (Gupta, Ferguson, Malkki, Bhabha). He then focuses on the example of the contemporary discourse on power, in which the concept of ‘region’ still functions in the form of implicit premises about the naturalness of differences and territorial and cultural divisions. The example is analyzed through the findings of the research project ‘Regional Foresight for Wielkopolska’ (2009–2011). The author’s conclusion points to the great dissonance between the discourse of modern humanities and the applied discourse of contemporary policy (including regional policy).
Krytyczna analiza naukowej ciszy, czyli dlaczego Romowie migrują (z naszego pola widzenia)
Authors: Fiałkowska Kamila , Garapich Michał P. , Mirga-Wójtowicz Elżbieta
Published: May 2021

This article discusses the phenomenon of academic silence in regard to Romani migration from Poland — both in Polish Romani studies and in migration studies. The absence of the subject of Romani migration in migration research in Poland is contrasted with the absence of the subject of migration in Romani studies. Paradoxically, the group most associated in the social imaginary with mobility is absent from migration studies in Poland. On the other hand, in studies of the Romani people in Poland, the group turns out to be surprisingly static and immobilized. The aim of the paper is to explore this particular type of discursive silence, to consider the underlying theoretical and conceptual reasons for it, and finally, to reflect on how it impacts migration and Romani studies.
Etnograﬁa z sercem na dłoni. Antropologia wiedzy o relacjach Romów z nie-Romami
Authors: Witkowski Maciej
Published: May 2021

The author reflects on the conditions connected with obtaining data through in-depth interviews. He argues that in studies on the relations of the Romani with non-Romani peoples the issue is particularly sensitive yet seldom considered. In consideration of the social and cultural distance that ordinarily divides the ethnographer and the research subject, and the interpersonal conditions of their encounter, the author calls attention to the deliberate manner in which the researcher’s academic knowledge is engaged in creating empirical ethnographic data. In conclusion, he proposes a research program that would make it possible to define the sense of the “empirical data” category in contemporary anthropology in relation to the majority community and the Romani.
Międzymieście a uczestnictwo w kulturze. Przykłady z Poznania i Trójmiasta
Authors: Nowak Marek , Firych Piotr
Published: May 2021

This article is devoted to the spatial changes in the postmodern, post-transformation city, and particularly to areas that can be defined as the “in-between city” (German “Zwischenstadt”). This term refers to areas characterized by a change of function connected with the extensive spatial development of a city. The authors undertake to present studies of the case of the “in-between city” areas of two cities in Poland (Poznań and Gdańsk) and the various types of participation in culture that occur there. They call attention to the culture-forming and city-forming potential of “peripheral” areas, which are currently intensively urbanized but which not long ago were treated as industrial terrain or as areas for supplying resources (communications routes, energy infrastructure, etc.). The authors seek out the historical facts conditioning the evolution of the in-between city, as well as making use of the data collected during their study. They refer to the findings of the sociology of the city, the perspectives of culture studies, and the premises of a relational theory of culture.
SPECTRUM OF BLADDER DIVERTICULI PRESENTING WITH UNUSUAL SYMPTOMS: A CASE SERIES STUDY
Authors: Saha Srijit , Anand Aarti , Gour Prajwaleet , Saha. Debraj
Published: May 2021

Diverticula of the urinary bladder can occasionally appear as complex pelvic masses not obviously
connected to the bladder. Such presentations can lead to diagnostic confusion and interpretative error.
Sonographic ndings and clinical histories were reviewed in 10 patients in whom bladder diverticula were initially mistaken for
other types of pathologic pelvic processes. Sonographic techniques that were helpful in elucidating the true nature of the lesions
included scanning from different perspectives with increasing increments of bladder distension, post void images, colour
Doppler interrogation and Valsalva manoeuvre. The sonographic ndings were correlated with micturating cystourethrogram
and CT nding. The diagnosis of bladder diverticula should be considered and actively pursued when sonologists are
confronted with pelvic masses of ambiguous origin.
A Review of Voltage Control Methods in Conventional and Active Distribution Network
Authors: Oladepo O. , Lasisi H , Awofolaju T.T.
Published: May 2021

The rapid expansion in electrical power demand and challenges in providing required capacity using conventional solutions, such as network expansions and substation upgrades, motivates the selection of distributed generation (DG) option. The DG are complementarily combined based on their renewable sources, to form a microgrid for real and reactive power support. However, there is a need for proper coordination to smoothly coexist with conventional devices on the power network. The significant benefits of the integration include improved voltage profile and power loss reduction. In this article, the DN and active distribution network (ADN) are briefly introduced. Then the voltage control techniques in both passive and ADNs were reviewed. The existing literature is outlined as a potential guide for researchers in the field. The literature reveals that the coordinated voltage control involving the combination of voltage control devices and methods proved effective than standalone methods.
A Review of Cuckoo Search Algorithm Based Optimal Siting and Sizing of Shunt Capacitors in Radial Distribution Systems
Authors: Olabode O.E.
Published: May 2021

Compensating reactive power deficiency on power grids is a central concern in the distribution of energy management systems. Several approaches have been adopted over time to minimize the total real power loss and enhancing bus voltage profile. Shunt capacitor has been used from time immemorial for addressing issue of reactive power compensation at the distribution end of power systems, and the extent of benefits derivable from its usage depend solely on correct siting and sizing. To this effect, meta-heuristic algorithms are promising optimization tools for achieving these objectives. This paper, therefore, presents a comprehensive review of cuckoo search algorithm based on optimal siting and sizing of shunt capacitors in radial distribution systems. The suitability, in addition to strengths and weakness of each approaches reported in the reviewed articles have been painstakingly x-rayed. Based on the review, it was observed that a two-stage approach is always adopted in the compensation process: the pre-selection of potential or sensitive nodes and the optimal sizing of shunt capacitors needed for the compensation. For the pre-location, Voltage Stability Index and Loss Sensitivity Factor were found to be comparatively less complex and highly suitable techniques. Another cogent discovery from this review is that less attention has been drawn to the use of cuckoo search algorithm by Nigerian researchers. Therefore, regarding Nigerian electric grid system, the use of cuckoo search algorithm in reactive power support presents a research gap for further investigations.