bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Casual Vacancies under Proportional Representation
Authors: Taylor Greg
Published: August 2021

Various systems have been tried or proposed for filling casual vacancies in legislative Houses elected by proportional representation. Because such Houses involve multi-member constituencies and representatives of a variety of views, the traditional by-election to elect a single member would not be sensible as the majority would win even seats previously held by minorities. Thus, various other methods of filling casual vacancies have been adopted. Some involve a new selection in the form of indirect election by continuing Members of Parliament (‘MPs’), while others involve a process which does not require renewed political judgement such as re-examining the ballot papers from the general election. Several other methods of replacing departed members have also been used or proposed in Australia. This article outlines the features of all the systems, past, existing or proposed, and assesses them against a list of criteria which represent the desirable features of such a system.
Pandemics, Punishment, and Public Health: COVID-19 and Criminal Law in Australia
Authors: Lelliott Joseph , Schloenhardt Andreas , Ioannou Ruby
Published: August 2021

This article examines the scope, application, and implications of criminal offences relating to the containment of COVID-19 in Australia. Drawing in part on existing research concerning criminalisation of HIV transmission, the article highlights actual and potential discriminatory consequences of the criminal justice approach to COVID-19, as well as consequences for persons’ right to health. The article concludes that criminal offences relating to the spread of the virus must be precisely and narrowly circumscribed to be both fair and meaningful. Criminal prosecution and punishment can only be justified in a very small number of situations. Broad use of coercive and punitive powers, together with stigmatising rhetoric, may well be counterproductive to public health goals.
COVID-19 and Sites of Confinement: Public Health, Disposable Lives and Legal Accountability in Immigration Detention and Aged Care
Authors: Dehm Sara , Loughnan Claire , Steele Linda
Published: August 2021

The global COVID-19 pandemic starkly revealed the underlying structural harms and produced vulnerabilities for people living in closed congregate settings like immigration detention centres (‘IDCs’) and residential aged care facilities (‘RACFs’). This article compares the Australian legal regimes that regulate IDCs and RACFs, conceptualising both as authorising and enabling sites of control, confinement and social isolation. We argue that specific COVID-19 measures have intensified a logic of social exclusion and disposability towards people in IDCs and RACFs. Through comparing recent COVID-19 litigation, the article explores the possibilities and limitations of engaging legal strategies to achieve social reform and legal accountability within both sites of confinement. Ultimately, we suggest that such COVID-19 litigation has the greatest possibility of advancing social justice when it is embedded in a broader politics of de-incarceration and abolition oriented towards political inclusion, public health and building more equitable and just communities.
Defining the Limits of Section 117 of the Constitution: The Need for a Theory of the Role of States
Authors: Reynolds Daniel
Published: August 2021

Since the 1989 High Court decision in Street v Queensland Bar Association (‘Street’), it has been recognised that section 117 of the Australian Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of state residence, is not absolute in its operation. For example, states may limit voting in state elections to their own residents. However, no consensus was reached in Street as to how the limits to section 117 are to be defined, nor since. This article argues that the resolution of this issue will require the Court to develop a theory of the role of states, which will involve identifying the functions that states are constitutionally expected to perform. The article proceeds to explore how such a theory might be developed, having regard firstly to the text, purpose and history of section 117, and then to those constitutional sources that shed light on what it is that states are supposed to do.
Purpose-Based Governance: A New Paradigm
Authors: Langford Rosemary Teele
Published: August 2021

The permissibility of corporations pursuing purposes other than profit has been the subject of debate for a number of years. This debate has intensified recently with proposals to allow or mandate the adoption of purposes by corporations. At the same time, purpose is central to governance in the charitable sphere. This article proposes a model of ‘purpose-based governance’, which offers significant potential advantages in both the charitable and for-profit spheres, as well as forming the basis of a unifying governance paradigm.
Presumptions upon Presumptions: Problems with the Threshold of Materiality
Authors: Carey Nicholas
Published: August 2021

The ‘threshold of materiality’ introduced by the High Court of Australia in Hossain v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, and confirmed in subsequent cases, is a new presumption of statutory interpretation which universally qualifies the existing implied limitations on executive decision-making power. This article contends that the High Court did not adequately justify the presumption’s creation. It surveys several prior decisions to demonstrate the presumption’s doctrinal precariousness; criticises its lack of justification by reference to principles of statutory interpretation; and compares the Court’s creation of the presumption to other cases which, it is argued, have more persuasively justified the evolution of interpretative presumptions. Finally, the article discusses issues of pragmatism, the presumption’s reversal of the onus of proof, and the problematic residual discretion to refuse relief.
Who Owns Information? Law Enforcement Information Sharing as a Case Study in Conceptual Confusion
Authors: Bennett Moses Lyria
Published: August 2021

This article addresses the real impacts of conceptual confusion surrounding statutory language linking entities and information for purposes such as privacy, freedom of information, archiving, policing and evidence laws. The idea of ownership of information (which is assumed in the statutory allocation of powers of control and responsibilities) is captured in a confusing miscellany of terminology that differs across jurisdictions and contexts. It uses the example of information sharing for law enforcement purposes as a case study to highlight the practical challenges inherent in the diverse and vague statutory language linking entities and information. It then proposes a new taxonomy for attributing responsibilities and powers with respect to information that is consistent with the ephemeral nature of the subject matter.
A Comprehensive Study Plan for Identifying the Impact of Learning Styles, Teaching Strategies, Need for Cognition, and Meta-Cognition on Academic Achievement of Students in the Educational Centers
Authors: Khiabani Mohsen Malekalketab
Published: August 2021

According to the extant literature, the positive roles of learning styles, teaching strategies, need for cognition, and meta-cognition on promotion and enhancing level of academic achievement is irrefutable. This study aims to plan for identifying the impact of mentioned variables on the academic achievement of students in the Educational Centers. The developed research model is based on a review in literature and is a comprehensive model which consists of four independent variables namely learning styles, teaching strategies, need for cognition, and meta-cognition. And one dependent variable that is academic achievement. In order to reach major and minor research objectives, the author develops a survey instrument with a proper standard and introduces a quantitative approach involving the distribution of questionnaires among students implementable in any educational centers. Total collected data can be analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) or Structural Equation Modeling via Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) program (SEM-AMOS). In order to answer research questions and testing developed hypotheses of this study, reliability test, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlation test, and multiple regression analyses can be run in SPSS and it can be run confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in AMOS program with two-step strategy proposed by (Anderson and Gerbing 1988). The contribution of this scientific research will be pragmatic for academics in this research era because of the comprehensive research model. Also, this research has an outstanding role in bringing insight and realization for deputy deans, rectorates in the educational centers. Finally, the value of findings will be beneficial for promoting and increasing the level of academic achievement through learning styles, teaching strategies, need for cognition, and meta-cognition.
Kepuasan Karyawan dalam Konteks Menejemen Perkantoran
Authors: Khalik Idham
Published: August 2021

Manajemen Kantor adalah kegiatan yang dilakukan untuk mengelola, merencanakan, dan mengontrol setiap aktivitas kantor, dimana hasil akhir kegiatan kantor ini berujud pelayanan informasi pada berbagai pihak. Sedangkan beberapa bentuk kegiatan/pekerjaan kantor antara lain: kegiatan catat mencatat, komunikasi, pengumpulan dan penyimpanan informasi(arsip), pelayanan tamu, pelayanan rapat dan lainsebagainya.
Usaha penyelenggaraan kegiatan perkantoran perlu ditangani secara profesiaonal, dalam arti bahwa penyelenggaraan kegiatan perkantoran memerlukan pimpinan dan staff yang mengerti akan tugas fungsinya, bersemangat dalam mengejar prestasi dan seorang karyawan diharapkan dapat mencurahkan perhatiannya secara bersungguh-sungguh, dan berusaha untuk dapat mengolah informasi, sehingga dapat menjadi sesuatu yang berdaya guna
Pengaruh Pembangunan Manusia Terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi Kota Jambi
Authors: Irmanelly Irmanelly
Published: August 2021

Salah satu indikator yang umum digunakan untuk mengukur Pembangunan Manusia di suatu wilayah atau Negara adalah Indeks Pembangunan Manusia (IPM), atau dikenal dengan sebutan Human Development Index (HDI) dari UNDP. Indeks Pembangunan Manusia adalah salah satu indeks komposisi yang didasarkan pada tiga indikator, yakni (a) kesehatan, (b) pendidikan yang dicapai, (c) standar kehidupan.
Tiga unsur ini sangat penting dalam menentukan tingkat kemampuan suatu daerah untuk meningkatkan indeks Pembangunan Manusianya. Ketiga unsur tersebut tidak berdiri sendiri, melainkan saling mempengaruhi satu dengan yang lainya, selain itu juga dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor lain seperti ketersediaan kesempatan kerja, yang pada giliranya ditentukan oleh banyak faktor terutama pertumbuhan ekonomi, infrastruktur dan kebijakan pemerintah. Jadi, Indeks Pembangunan Manusia di suatu daerah akan meningkatkan apabila ketiga unsur tersebut dapat ditingkatkan. Kualitas sumber daya manusia ditentukan oleh berbagai faktor terutama pendidikan, kesehatan dan juga nilai-nilai budaya seperti etos kerja dan disiplin. Masalah pendidikan dan kesehatan menurut beberapa studi menunjukkan keterkaitan antara pembagunan manusia dan pertumbuhan ekonomi.
Peningkatan Daya Saing Wilayah Berbasis Potensi Ekonomi Lokal
Authors: Herlin Faradillah
Published: August 2021

Region development policy must be oriented to increase competitiveness base on local economic potential. The policy purposed is support sustainable development process. So need to identification effort for potential commodity base on local economic potential and agribusiness development policy is integrated to get this purpose, must be used industry cluster approach.
Analisis Standar Belanja Kegiatan Penyediaan Alat Tulis Kantor Pada Pemerintah Kota Sungai Penuh
Authors: Widyanti Rina
Published: August 2021

Analysis of Expense Standards (ASB) is a guideline used to analyze the reasonableness of workload or cost of each activity undertaken by the Unit (SKPD) in one fiscal year. The purpose of this research is to develop ASB especially for activity provision of stationery (ATK). The data used in this research is secondary data obtained from the DPA-SKPD Sungai Penuh City government. The primary data of interviews with leaders and some of the staff as well as the relevant officials. Data analysis method used is a simple regression. Simple regression analysis is a method of forecasting which will predict the cost standards for ATK activities. This activity is affected by the triggering factors (cost drivers) is the amount of activity. The results of this study in the form of equations where the standard shopping ASB ATK influenced by the activity of providing fixed expenditure and expenditure variables. Shopping variable for this activity is influenced by the amount of activity. To create a model for the analysis of expenditure standard ATK activity is grouped into nine (9) functions of government services consisting of the economic service./unction, the function of health care, educational services, protective services, public services, tourism services and security, public services and housing facilities, service districts, and village services. Verify the reasonableness of calculations based on the formulation of the model ASB shopping on 9 functions of government services shows that the value of expenditure contained in each DPA SKPD can be approved based on the criteria of fairness shopping. However, there are obstacles in the processing of data in the form of data on some SKPDs DPA form the basis of ASB which included incomplete and the allocation of its budget is too high thus affecting the results of the formulation ASB. It is hoped that this study provides an overview to the team of local government budgets to increase performance budgeting in the future.
Analisis Persepsi Pengusaha Dan Daya Tarik Pengembangan Investasi Di Daerah
Authors: Putra Adi , Arniwita Arniwita
Published: August 2021

ABSTRAK
Investasi memiliki peran strategis dalam mempercepat pembangunan daerah. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisis perkembangan investasi PMDN dan PMA, dan untuk mengetahui persepsi pelaku usaha terhadap daya tarik investasi di Kabupaten Sarolangun. Jenis penelitian adalah penelitian deskriptif yaitu suatu bentuk penelitian yang ditujukan untuk mendeskripsikan fenomena-fenomena yang ada, baik fenomena alamiah maupun fenomena buatan manusia. Analisis yang digunakan berupa analisis deskriptif dan analisis lain dengan menggunakan beberapa alat analisis antara lain antara lain metode pertumbuhan ekonomi dan menggunaan SPSS. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa faktor yang dianggap dominan didalam menentukan daya tarik investasi di Kabupaten Sarolangun adalah faktor ekonomi daerah 15%, dan faktor infrastruktur fisik 10%. Hal ini telah memberikan optimis kepada daerah-daerah miskin sumber daya alam untuk secara kreatif membenahi iklim investasi didaerahnya. Pemerintah Kabupaten Sarolangun harus dapat meningkatkan pelayanan publik-birokrasi, khususnya kemudahan perizinan dan peningkatan infrastruktur fisik sehingga daya tarik investasi dapat meningkat di Kabupaten Sarolangun.
Analisis Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Pembangunan Sumber Daya Manusia di Kabupaten Bungo
Authors: Mayesti Indria
Published: August 2021

..
Tree-ring reconstruction of March-June precipitation from the Atlas cedar forest of Mount Takoucht, Béjaïa (northern Algeria)
Authors: Slimani Said , Kherchouche Dalila , Bekdouche Farid , Gutiérrez Emilia
Published: August 2021

Aim of study: A March-June precipitation has been reconstructed for the period 1830-2015 using Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica Manetti) tree-ring records. Area of study: Atlas cedar forest of Mount Takoucht (Béjaïa, northern Algeria). Material and methods: Seasonal correlations were computed in order to identify the best period of the year for the climate reconstruction. The temporal stability of the tree-ring signal for precipitation was checked using the split-sample calibration-verification procedure. The reconstruction was performed using the transfer function method. Main results: The reconstructed data revealed high interannual to decadal variation in late winter to early summer precipitation. Wet conditions dominated during the 1830s and 1840s and were followed by sustained dry conditions during the mid-19th century, which registered two of the most severe droughts (1858 and 1869) over the period of reconstruction. Relatively moderate climate conditions marked the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A gradual return towards drier conditions was observed from the 1920s and reached high frequencies of drought around mid-20th century. After an exceptional prolonged wet period of 24 years (1966-1989), the reconstruction registered its highest frequency in extreme dry/wet events: the decade 1993-2002 recorded the highest drought frequency of the reconstruction, with the third most severe dry event (1999), while the last years were marked by a clear shift toward wet conditions. Research highlights: These findings provide relevant records on past climate variability in one of the rainiest areas in Algeria and constitute valuable knowledge for specific drought and wet periods monitoring in the region. Keywords: Dendrochronology; climate reconstruction; Cedrus atlantica; Algeria.
Is American Joint Replacement Registry Data Representative of National Data? A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Porter Kimberly R. , Illgen Richard L. , Springer Bryan D. , Bozic Kevin J. , Sporer Scott M. , Huddleston James I. , Lewallen David G. , Browne James A.
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) is the largest registry of total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA) procedures performed in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine whether AJRR data are representative of the national experience with hip and knee arthroplasty as represented in the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS).

Methods:

All patients undergoing a THA or TKA procedure between 2012 to 2018 (AJRR) and 2012 to 2016 (NIS) were identified. Cohen d effect sizes were computed to ascertain the magnitude of differences in demographics, hospital volume (in 50 patient increments), and geographic characteristics between the AJRR and NIS databases.

Results:

The study included (NIS: 2,316,345 versus AJRR: 557,684) primary THA and (NIS: 3,417,700 versus AJRR: 809,494) TKA procedures. The magnitude of distribution, as determined by the Cohen d effect size, showed that the proportions of AJRR and NIS patients were similar based on overall sex (THAs [d = 0.03] and TKAs [d = 0.02]) and age (THAs [d = 0.17] and TKAs [d = 0.12]). Similarly, only small differences (d = 0.34 or less) were identified between databases considering hospital volume and geography. The AJRR was underrepresented in Southern regions and hospitals with low procedure volume and overrepresented in Northern hospitals and those with larger volume. Both the NIS and the AJRR followed a similar overall trend, with most procedures performed at hospitals with <50 cases per year.

Discussion:

Distributions across hospital volume, age, and geography were proportionally similar between the AJRR and NIS databases, supporting the generalizability of AJRR findings to the larger US cohort.
Predictive Estimation of Sliding Bearing Load-Carrying Capacity and Tribological Durability
Authors: Chernets Myron , Opielak Marek , Kornienko Anatolii , Radko Oleg
Published: August 2021

A computational method is presented as a method for solving a plane contact problem of the theory of elasticity to determine the contact strength and tribological durability of sliding bearings. The effect of load and radial clearance on the initial contact pressures and their reduction due to wear is studied. The durability of the bearing is estimated. Qualitative and quantitative regularities of changes in contact parameters and durability from the factors under study are established. In particular, it has been shown that both contact angles and maximum contact pressures are approximately linearly dependent on the load, and the durability decreases nonlinearly with increasing load.
Characterization of the AZ31/AW-6060 Joint Fabricated using Compound Casting with a Zn Interlayer at Relatively Low Temperature Conditions
Authors: Bucki Tomasz , Konieczny Marek , Bolibruchova Dana , Rzepa Sylwia
Published: August 2021

The work deals with the fabrication of a joint between AZ31 magnesium alloy and AW-6060 aluminium alloy with the use of a Zn interlayer. The Zn layer was produced on the surface of an AW-6060 alloy insert by diffusion bonding. The insert was then placed inside a steel mould and kept at room temperature. The joint was produced using compound casting by filling the mould with liquid AZ31 alloy, heated to 650 °C. The microstructure of the bonding zone formed between joined alloys was analysed using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope. The properties of the joint were examined using Vickers microhardness measurements and simple shear strength testing. As a result of the experiment, the 400 μm thick bonding zone with a complex microstructure was formed between the alloys. The microstructural analysis showed that the bonding zone reveals a high concentration of Zn and Mg. The layers of a eutectoid (a MgZn phase + a solid solution of Al and Zn in Mg), a Mg5Al2Zn2 phase and a Mg(Al,Zn)2 phase with fine particles of other phases were observed there. The bonding zone was characterized by relatively high microhardness, which was related to the brittleness of the constituents. The shear strength of the examined joint was 19.6 ± 2.5 MPa.
Diversidade e educação de adultos: Estratégias coletivas de resistências em tempos pandêmicos
Authors: Silva Guedes Rayane , Oliveira Ramos dos Passos Daniela
Published: August 2021

Este artigo tem como objetivo refletir sobre as possibilidades de educação de adultos, por meio da construção de estratégias coletivas de resistência à necropolítica (termo conceitualizado por Achille Mbembe, 2018), diante da marginalização de grupos de mulheres, negros, LGBTQIA+, indígenas, quilombolas, ocupações urbanas, população em situação de rua, entre outros, durante o período da pandemia. Para isso, utilizou-se como metodologia análise qualitativa e busca exploratória de coletividades atuantes nas mídias/redes sociais. Como resultado, foram encontradas 33 iniciativas de agências coletivas em Belo Horizonte e Região Metropolitana, mediante informações coletadas no aplicativo Instagram. Como considerações, entende-se que a perspectiva das redes sociais pode contribuir para os desenvolvimentos desses coletivos, como evidencia Fernanda Rocha (2017), fortalecendo os grupos e auxiliando a educação coletiva de adultos, na intenção de construir uma sociedade mais justa e equânime.
Current state and future of 3D bioprinted models for cardio-vascular research and drug development
Authors: Polonchuk Liudmila , Gentile Carmine
Published: August 2021

In the last decade, 3D bioprinting technology has emerged as an innovative tissue engineering approach for regenerative medicine and drug development. This article aims at providing an overview about the most commonly used bioengineered tissues, focusing on 3D bioprinted cardiac cells and how they have been utilized for drug discovery and development. The review describes that, while this field is still developing, cardiovascular research may benefit from laboratory-engineered heart tissues built of specific cell types with precise 3D architecture mimicking the native cardiac microenvironment. It also describes the role played by regulatory agencies and potential commercialization pathways for direct translation from the bench to the bedside of studies using 3D bioprinted cardiac tissues.

©2021 by the authors. This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Birth of a healthy infant after bone marrow-derived cell therapy
Authors: Patel Nayana H , Jadeja Yuvraj D , Patel Niket H , Patel Molina N , Bhadarka Harsha K , Chudasama Piyush N , Thakkar Harmi R
Published: August 2021

Bone marrow-derived cell (BMDC) therapy has numerous applications as potential biological cells for use in regenerative medicine. Here, we present an original case of endometrial atrophy associated with genital tuberculosis in a woman who achieved a live birth with BMDC. This 27-year-old woman came to our center with endometrial atrophy and primary infertility. She had a past history of genital tuberculosis and amenorrhea. Her husband’s semen quality was normal. The patient was counseled for hysteroscopy due to thin endometrium and advised in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donor eggs in lieu of poor ovarian reserve. Several attempts of IVF with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were made, but the desired thickness of the endometrium was not achieved. Uterine artery injection of BMDC through interventional radiology was given, followed by HRT for three months, which resulted in improved endometrium. This was subsequently followed by IVF with donor egg. The treatment resulted in the conception and delivery of a 3.1-kg baby boy through lower segment caesarean section with no antenatal, intranatal or postnatal complications. Recently, there has been massive interest in stem cells as a novel treatment method for regenerative medicine, and more specifically for the regeneration of human endometrium disorders like Asherman syndrome and thin endometrium, which was the reason behind using this strategy for treatment.
Effects of crocin and metformin on methylglyoxal-induced reproductive system dysfunction in diabetic male mice
Authors: Khorasani Maryam Kheirollahi , Ahangarpour Akram , Khorsandi Layasadat
Published: August 2021

Objective: This study investigated the effect of crocin in methylglyoxal (MGO)-induced diabetic male mice.Methods: Seventy 1-month-old male NMRI mice weighing 20–25 g were divided into seven groups (n=10): sham, MGO (600 mg/kg/day), MGO+crocin (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg/day), MGO+metformin (150 mg/kg/day), and crocin (60 mg/kg/day). MGO was administered orally for 30 days. Starting on day 14, after confirming hyperglycemia, metformin and crocin were administered orally. On day 31, plasma and tissue samples were prepared for experimental assessments. Results: Blood glucose and insulin levels in the MGO group were higher than those in the sham group (p<0.001), and decreased in response to metformin (p<0.001) and crocin treatment (not at all doses). Testis width and volume decreased in the MGO mice and improved in the crocin-treated mice (p<0.05), but not in the metformin group. Superoxide dismutase levels decreased in diabetic mice (p<0.05) and malondialdehyde levels increased (p<0.001). Crocin and metformin improved malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase. Testosterone (p<0.001) and sperm count (p<0.05) decreased in the diabetic mice, and treatment with metformin and crocin recovered these variables. Luteinizing hormone levels increased in diabetic mice (p<0.001) and crocin treatment (but not metformin) attenuated this increase. Seminiferous diameter and height decreased in the diabetic mice and increased in the treatment groups. Vacuoles and ruptures were seen in diabetic testicular tissue, and crocin improved testicular morphology (p<0.01). Conclusion: MGO increased oxidative stress, reduced sex hormones, and induced histological problems in male reproductive organs. Crocin and metformin improved the reproductive damage caused by MGO-induced diabetes.
Effects of cholesterol and Lactobacillus acidophilus on testicular function
Authors: Çiftci Gülay , Tuna Elif
Published: August 2021

Objective: In this study, the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on testosterone (TES), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), androgen-binding protein (ABP), factor-associated apoptosis (FAS), and total cholesterol (TC), as well as histopathological changes, were investigated in male rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Methods: The study included three groups. The control (C) group was fed standard-diet for 8 weeks. The hypercholesterolemia (HC) group was fed a 2% cholesterol-diet for 8 weeks. The therapeutic group (HCL) was fed a 2% cholesterol-diet for 8 weeks and administered L. acidophilus for the last 4 weeks. FSH, TES, and FAS levels in testicular tissue were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while another sample was examined histopathologically. LH and ABP levels were determined using ELISA, and serum TC levels were assessed via an autoanalyzer. Results: In the HC group, the TC levels were significantly higher and the LH levels were lower (p<0.05) than in the C group. The ABP levels were lower (p>0.05). In the HCL group, the LH and ABP levels were higher (p>0.05) and the TC level significantly lower (p<0.05) than in the HC group. The TES and FSH levels were lower, and the FAS levels were higher, in the HC than in the C group (p<0.05). In the HCL group, levels of all 3 resembled control levels. Histologically, in the testicular tissue of the HC group, the cells in the tubular wall exhibited atrophy, vacuolization, and reduced wall structure integrity. However, in the HCL group, these deteriorations were largely reversed.Conclusion: Supplementary dietary administration of an L. acidophilus to hypercholesterolemic male rats positively impacted testicular tissue and male fertility hormone levels.
Sexting during social isolation: Predicting sexting-related privacy management during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Thomas Marina F. , Binder Alice , Matthes Jörg
Published: August 2021

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, many people were physically separated from their romantic or sexual partners and added sexting to their sexual repertoire. Sexting involves the exchange of sensitive data and thus necessitates personal and interpersonal privacy management strategies such as information control and privacy boundary communication. This study investigates the psychological predictors of sexting-related privacy management. In an online survey with 494 young adults, we tested demographic, psychological, and behavioral correlates of sexting-related privacy management. Negative binomial regressions revealed that age, gender, and asynchronous sexting frequency positively predicted sexting-related privacy management. COVID-19-related social isolation moderated the positive effect of asynchronous sexting frequency: Asynchronous sexting frequency had a positive effect on sexting-related privacy management only in individuals with low or mean COVID-19-related social isolation. For those who perceived high COVID-19-related social isolation, asynchronous sexting frequency had no positive effect. This suggests that in a context of social isolation, even frequent sexters are willing to sacrifice their privacy. Relationship status, privacy concerns, rejection sensitivity, and synchronous sexting frequency were not related to sexting-related privacy management. The results highlight the various effects of COVID-19-related social isolation.
Assessment of long-term changes in the surface air temperature from the High Arctic archipelago Franz Joseph Land from 1929 to the present (2017)
Authors: Ivanov Boris , Karandasheva Tatiana , Demin Valery , Revina Anastasiia , Sviashchennikov Pavel , Isaksen Ketil , Frland Eirik J. , Nordli Yvind , Gjelten Herdis Motren
Published: August 2021

Electronic archives of data from standard meteorological observations (mean daily/monthly surface air temperatures - SAT) at the meteorological stations at Bukhta Tikhaya (Hooker Island, 1929-1960) and Krenkel Observatory (Hayes Island, 1957-2017) on Franz Josef Land (FJL) are presented. Parallel data series of SAT made in 1958 and 1959 on both meteorological stations were analyzed. Linear regression equations used for extrapolation of observational data representative for Krenkel Observatory for the period 1929-1957 are also presented. The assessment of long-term changes in SAT on FJL was carried out based on the analysis of the obtained series (1929-2017). The main conclusions that follow from our study are: (1) The total warming in the FJL archipelago was 1.6-1.8°C (0.2°C/decade) for the entire available period of instrumental observations (1929-2017); (2) The highest rates of warming were recorded in March-April and amounted to 0.6°C/decade; (3) A particular strong warming has been observed since the 1990s. The annual temperature increased by 6.3°C (2.2°C/decade) for the period 1990-2017 and 5.2°C (2.9°C/decade) for the period 2000-2017; (4) For the period 1990-2017 the maximum rate of warming occurred between October to February with 4.4°C/decade; (5) For the period 2000-2017 the maximum rate of warming occurred between January to April and from November to December with 5.6°C/decade; (6) The dominant seasons of the year are winter (November-April), spring (May), summer (June-September) and autumn (October); (7) Over the entire observation period the largest temperature increase was observed in the winter season. During the period of modern warming (1990-2017), the largest temperature increase was observed in winter and autumn.
Head in the clouds: a new dwarf frog species of the Physalaemus signifer clade (Leptodactylidae, Leiuperinae) from the top of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: Leal Fernando , Zornosa-Torres Camila , Augusto-Alves Guilherme , Dena Simone , Pezzuti Tiago Leite , Leite Felipe , Lourenço Luciana Bolsoni , Garcia Paulo , Toledo Luís Felipe
Published: August 2021

In an elevational gradient, the mountain top generally presents a reduced species diversity. However, it is there where we often find microendemic and quite often still undescribed species. That prediction is very common in underexplored Neotropical mountains, like those of the Caparaó National Park – a protected area that includes the highest peak of the Atlantic Forest, a megadiverse domain. Up in its top, we found a dwarf frog of the genus Physalaemus (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leiuperinae), belonging to the P. signifer clade. After an integrative (morphological, bioacoustical, and genetic) analysis, we were able to describe it as a new species and found it to be sister to P. maculiventris. Due to its very restricted distribution at a site with extreme environmental conditions (which includes fires and frosts) and current instability in national environmental policy, we suggest this to be classified as an endangered species. A brief description of its natural history and the description of the species itself will now enable its proper conservation status categorization and the future planning for conservation actions.
Atividade antifúngica do extrato de jambu (Acmella oleracea) sobre o crescimento de micelial Rhizoctonia solani
Authors: Raad Sayure Mariana , Ribeiro Erick dos Santos , Castro Rayanne de Jesus , Carneiro Francimary da Silva , Maestri Mayra Piloni
Published: August 2021

R. solani é um parasita necrotrófico, habitante natural do solo. É um fungo polífago, pois ataca diversas espécies vegetais. R. solani pode ser transmitido pelas sementes, porém, raramente isto ocorre, motivo pelo qual a semente não é considerada a principal fonte de inóculo desse patógeno. Esse fungo, estando presente no solo e/ou nas sementes, além de ocasionar perdas significativas na fase de plântulas (falha no estande), pode servir ainda como inóculo para culturas subsequentes. Diante do prejuízo causado por essa doença se fez estudo fúngico da avaliação a atividade do extrato de Jambu em diferentes concentrações sobre o sobre o crescimento micelial do fungo Rhizoctonia solani. foram coletadas 100g das folhas de Jambu, estas foram trituradas no liquidificador até chegar no estado líquido. O Fungo fitopatogênico Rhizoctonia solani foi cedido pelo laboratório de Fitopatologia da Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia (UFRA). O ensaio antifúngica extrato vegetal utilizou-se o extrato de Jambu acrescentados em Ágar-Batata-Dextrose (BDA). Os discos de micélio do patógeno foram depositados no centro da placa de Petri contendo os tratamentos citados. delineamento experimental do trabalho, foi inteiramente casualizado (DIC) realizado no laboratório de Fitopatologia da própria universidade (UFRA), executado com 5 tratamentos e 5 repetições, denominado de T1, T2, T3, T4 e T5, o T1 foi selecionado para ser o tratamento testemunha. alíquotas do extrato foram condicionadas ao meio de cultura BDA, nas seguintes concentrações: 0 ml, 2ml, 4ml, 6ml e 8ml. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, e as médias, comparadas pelo teste de Tukey, a 5% de probabilidade, utilizando o programa estatístico SISVAR 7.6. interação do extrato vegetal de Jambu sobre a inibição do crescimento micelial de Rhizoctonia solani foi significativo, sendo a maior porcentagem de inibição proporcional ao aumento das concentrações.
Caracterização do ano hidrológico de Palmas/TO
Authors: Silva Fábio Wesley Rocha da , Mendes Alesi Teixeira
Published: August 2021

A engenharia por muito tempo foi um segmento profissional heterogêneo e prioritariamente masculino, mas esse cenário tem passado por mudanças significativas. Ainda existem grandes desafios a serem superados para que a engenharia se torne um setor profissional com igualdade de gênero. Todavia, o aumento na participação feminina já é um indício da tendência positiva que toma o Brasil na busca pelo fim das desigualdades de gênero e pelo empoderamento das mulheres e meninas, como é proposto na Agenda 2030 da ONU. Nessa perspectiva, o objetivo dessa pesquisa foi identificar o perfil das mulheres profissionais de engenharia no Tocantins e analisar a sua presença e participação, com base nos dados de registros profissionais do CREA/TO. Os dados constatam que a taxa de crescimento no Estado foi de 14,9% ao longo de 55 anos (1966 a 2020) e que a média de idade das mulheres registradas diminuiu ao longo dos anos: até os anos 2000 a idade média de registro era de 29,7 anos, passou a ser de 26,8 entre 2001 e 2010 e a 26,1 entre 2011 e 2020.
Diagnóstico do sistema de macrodrenagem do ribeirão São João em Porto Nacional/TO: um estudo de caracterização e do seu estado de conservação
Authors: Viana Gabriel Lopes Coelho , Mendes Alesi Teixeira
Published: August 2021

As cidades devem possuir sistemas de escoamento das águas pluviais eficientes e sustentáveis, capazes de se adaptarem com a evolução da cidade, para suprir as necessidades da população no decorrer do tempo e garantir uma qualidade de vida adequada. O objetivo desse trabalho é caracterizar e realizar o estudo da bacia urbana de drenagem do ribeirão São João em Porto Nacional/TO, e avaliar o seu estado de conservação. A determinação da área da bacia se deu por meio da análise do Modelo Digital de Terreno (MDT) do município, gerado a partir das curvas de nível urbanas, de 1 em 1 metro, fornecidas pelo Geomais® de Porto Nacional/TO. Os processamentos espaciais das informações foram desenvolvidos pelo programa QGIS®, um programa de Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG). Os parâmetros morfométricos calculados, apontam que a bacia do Ribeirão São João em Porto Nacional/TO possui baixa tendência de ocorrerem enchentes ou inundações.
A Black Gaze
Authors: Campt Tina M.
Published: August 2021

Examining the work of contemporary Black artists who are dismantling the white gaze and demanding that we see—and see Blackness in particular—anew.

In A Black Gaze, Tina Campt examines Black contemporary artists who are shifting the very nature of our interactions with the visual through their creation and curation of a distinctively Black gaze. Their work—from Deana Lawson's disarmingly intimate portraits to Arthur Jafa's videos of the everyday beauty and grit of the Black experience, from Kahlil Joseph's films and Dawoud Bey's photographs to the embodied and multimedia artistic practice of Okwui Okpokwasili, Simone Leigh, and Luke Willis Thompson—requires viewers to do more than simply look; it solicits visceral responses to the visualization of Black precarity.

Campt shows that this new way of seeing shifts viewers from the passive optics of looking at to the active struggle of looking with, through, and alongside the suffering—and joy—of Black life in the present. The artists whose work Campt explores challenge the fundamental disparity that defines the dominant viewing practice: the notion that Blackness is the elsewhere (or nowhere) of whiteness. These artists create images that flow, that resuscitate and revalue the historical and contemporary archive of Black life in radical ways. Writing with rigor and passion, Campt describes the creativity, ingenuity, cunning, and courage that is the modus operandi of a Black gaze.
Effects of common mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD and its ligand, the human ACE2 receptor on binding affinity and kinetics
Authors: Barton Michael I , MacGowan Stuart A , Kutuzov Mikhail A , Dushek Omer , Barton Geoffrey John , van der Merwe P Anton
Published: August 2021

The interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 virus Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) and the ACE2 cell surface protein is required for viral infection of cells. Mutations in the RBD are present in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that have emerged independently worldwide. For example, the B.1.1.7 lineage has a mutation (N501Y) in its Spike RBD that enhances binding to ACE2. There are also ACE2 alleles in humans with mutations in the RBD binding site. Here we perform a detailed affinity and kinetics analysis of the effect of five common RBD mutations (K417N, K417T, N501Y, E484K, and S477N) and two common ACE2 mutations (S19P and K26R) on the RBD/ACE2 interaction. We analysed the effects of individual RBD mutations and combinations found in new SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), and Gamma (P1) variants. Most of these mutations increased the affinity of the RBD/ACE2 interaction. The exceptions were mutations K417N/T, which decreased the affinity. Taken together with other studies, our results suggest that the N501Y and S477N mutations enhance transmission primarily by enhancing binding, the K417N/T mutations facilitate immune escape, and the E484K mutation enhances binding and immune escape.
Sponges of Western Mediterranean seamounts: new genera, new species and new records
Authors: Díaz Julio A. , Ramírez-Amaro Sergio , Ordines Francesc
Published: August 2021

Background

The seamounts Ses Olives (SO), Ausias March (AM) and Emile Baudot (EB) at the Mallorca Channel (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean), are poorly explored areas containing rich and singular sponge communities. Previous works have shown a large heterogeneity of habitats, including rhodolith beds, rocky, gravel and sandy bottoms and steeped slopes. This diversity of habitats provides a great opportunity for improving the knowledge of the sponges from Mediterranean seamounts.

Methods

Sponges were collected during several surveys carried out by the Balearic Center of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography at the Mallorca Channel seamounts. Samples were obtained using a beam-trawl, rock dredge and remote operated vehicle. Additional samples were obtained from fishing grounds of the Balearic Islands continental shelf, using the sampling device GOC-73. Sponges were identified through the analysis of morphological and molecular characters.

Results

A total of 60 specimens were analyzed, from which we identified a total of 19 species. Three species and one genus are new to science: Foraminospongia balearica gen. nov. sp. nov., Foraminospongia minuta gen. nov. sp. nov. and Paratimea massutii sp. nov. Heteroxya cf. beauforti represents the first record of the genus Heteroxya in the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, this is the second report of Axinella spatula and Haliclona (Soestella) fimbriata since their description. Moreover, the species Petrosia (Petrosia) raphida, Calyx cf. tufa and Lanuginella pupa are reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. Petrosia (Strongylophora) vansoesti is reported here for the first time in the western Mediterranean Sea. Haliclona (S.) fimbriata is reported here for the first time in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Hemiasterella elongata is reported here for the second time in the Mediterranean Sea. The species Melonanchora emphysema, Rhabdobaris implicata, Polymastia polytylota, Dragmatella aberrans, Phakellia ventilabrum and Pseudotrachya hystrix are reported for first time off Balearic Islands. Following the Sponge Barcoding project goals, we have sequenced the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) and the 28S ribosomal fragment (C1–D2 domains) for Foraminospongia balearica sp. nov., Foraminospongia minuta sp. nov., H. cf. beauforti and C. cf. tufa, and the COI for Paratimea massuti sp. nov. We also provide a phylogenetic analysis to discern the systematic location of Foraminospongia gen. nov., which, in accordance to skeletal complement, is placed in the Hymerhabdiidae family. A brief biogeographical discussion is provided for all these species, with emphasis on the sponge singularity of SO, AM and the EB seamounts and the implications for their future protection.
A Brief Review on Importance of Mental Health First Aid Kit for Depressed Adolescents
Authors: Mukherjee S. , Sebastian T. , Gawai J.
Published: August 2021

Adolescent mental wellbeing is a serious and un-recognized public health concern. Adolescent depression is widespread, but many may not have convenient accessibility to mental health resources. If they are diagnosed and handled early on, there is a greater likelihood of a good long-term result. Early identification and effective assistance-seeking can only arise if young adults and their "associates" (e.g., families, peers, and friends) are informed of the early differences affected by behavioral illness, as well as the best forms of help available and how to achieve it. The aim of a mental first aid kit is to offer advice and instruction to parents and peers about how to recognize and support people who are struggling from mental illnesses. Since this is a popular issue among teenagers, a Juvenile MHFA curriculum must be initiated in schools and colleges to include instruction on how to utilize the MHFA. This review focuses on understanding the seriousness of mental disorders in adolescents and use of MHFA to recognize it.
Optically Driven Giant Superbunching from a Single Perovskite Quantum Dot
Authors: Wang Ziyu , Rasmita Abdullah , Long Guankui , Chen Disheng , Zhang Chusheng , Garcia Oscar Garcia , Cai Hongbing , Xiong Qihua , Gao Wei‐bo
Published: August 2021

Photon superbunching is a signature of a strong correlation between photons, which is a crucial resource needed in quantum communication and computation. As such, a superbunched photon source based on a material with high quantum efficiency, like cesium lead halide perovskite, is highly desirable. Utilizing the large dark–bright exciton splitting in CsPbBr3quantum dot (QD), the authors achieve a superbunching with a large g(2)(0) ≈ 30 from an optically driven single CsPbBr3QD emission at cryogenic temperature. The cascaded emission is identified as the cause of this superbunching by utilizing second‐order cross‐correlation measurement and exploring the excitation power and temperature dependence of the bunching level. The findings have immediate implications on the basic understanding of a single perovskite QD emission and its application as a quantum light source.