bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variaciones excepcionalistas: Heidegger, lo político, hoy.
Authors: Vega Facundo
Published: March 2021

La tematización que Martin Heidegger realizó sobre la noción de “lo político” fue siempre subsidiaria respecto de la primacía que el autor de Sein und Zeit le asignó a la noción de πόλις, entendida como el sitio esencial en el que la historia se despliega. Contra Heidegger, sin embargo, la referencia a “lo político” se multiplica en la filosofía política contemporánea. En años recientes, de hecho, un “giro ontológico” en esta disciplina ha proclamado una distinción analítica entre “la política” —ámbito referido a las prácticas y expresiones empíricas de las relaciones de poder y toma de decisiones— y “lo político” —es decir, el modo en el que la sociedad es instituida. Paradójicamente, Heidegger fue entendido como el precursor teórico de esta maniobra, también denominada “diferencia política”. Esta problemática re-apropriación de la “diferencia ontológica” heideggeriana indica que “la política” refiere al nivel de los entes, mientras que “lo político” tiene estricta relación con el ámbito del ser. Poniendo atención en la reflexión heideggeriana sobre das Politische, sin embargo, el presente texto problematiza esta re-apropiación contemporánea, considerando el problema teórico que está a la base de la transpolación de la ontología fundamental al ámbito de la política. En particular, se buscará mostrar la manera en la que Heidegger lidió con lo que puede ser entendido como una “fascinación por lo extra-ordinario”, impugnando la omnipresencia de “lo político”. Una interrogación guiará nuestra examinación, a saber: ¿Heidegger sucumbió ante esta fascinación? O más apropiadamente, ¿su obra resulta aprisionada entre la crítica a la imposición del esencialismo metafísico en la modernidad y una “fascinación por lo extraordinario” tal como la que es asumida inexaminadamente en el elogio contemporáneo de “lo político”?
New research in the sacred zone of the Fabrika Hill in Nea Paphos, Cyprus
Authors: Młynarczyk Jolanta
Published: March 2021

New research in the sacred zone of the Fabrika Hill in Nea Paphos, Cyprus

The rocky hillock of Fabrika in the north-eastern most part of ancient Nea Paphos, founded during the late 4th century BC, is of key importance for understanding the early phase of the town planning, but at the same time very difficult to be methodically explored. Both its eminent location and geology made it a natural source of building material throughout the ages, greatly hindering any accurate reconstruction of the site development. However, the data collected so far strongly suggest that the arrangement of the southern part of the hill was of a cultic nature. Therefore, on undertaking a joint project with Université d’Avignon, we decided to focus the research on the southern part of the hill where, near the top of an Early Hellenistic theatre, there are rock-cut outlines of atemple possibly devoted to Aphrodite Paphia. During two seasons of field work (2018-2019), we retrieved some important information regarding both an original Hellenistic arrangement of the sacred area and its later (Late Roman/Byzantine and Medieval) use. Some new observations were also made regarding the topographical details of the area.
Monks across the desert. Hermitic life in Christian Petra
Authors: Desideri Andrea Vanni , Leporatti Silvia
Published: March 2021

Monks across the desert. Hermitic life in Christian Petra

A new interpretation of the pre-Crusader phase of the site follows from the identification of a pre-Crusader rock-cut chapel. In particular, in early mediaeval time, a monastic community at al-Wu’ayra and a number of hermitic cells surrounding a central fortified coenobium preceded the later military castle keep. The Crusaders profited by the presence of a Christian fortified settlement, easy to transform into a military installation by a simple addition of a number of buildings, which are identifiable by a chrono-typology of building techniques.The new program of research which started in 2017 aims at registering, surveying, and studying various hermitic installations around the perimeter of the town in order to contextualize this early medieval phase of al-Wu’ayrain the topography of Petra and contribute to the knowledge of a ‘minor’and underestimated aspect of the town in early Christian time.  In fact, these monastic-hermitic settlements located in segregated spots of the peri-urbanarea, surviving the abandonment of the major churches of the town, can help to understand in a more realistic way the articulated forms of Christian presence and its duration until the late 19th century.
The view from ‘pre-Crusader’ Shawbak: towards a first contextualization through GIS visibility and spatial analyses
Authors: Ponticelli Giacomo
Published: March 2021

The view from ‘pre-Crusader’ Shawbak: towards a first contextualization through GIS visibility and spatial analyses

The purpose of this study is to provide a first preliminary interpretation of part of the evidence from Shawbak castle which attests to the presence of a ‘pre-Crusader, probably Byzantine fort. The strategic features of the location of the fort, in particular a great abundance of water resources, made it indeed strategically advantageous during the Crusader period and in the later Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. Stratigraphic evidence from readings of extant buildings and excavations revealed that the first Crusader foundation of the castle was laid out upon the remains of a LateRoman/Byzantine fortification identified in different parts of the castle. The presence of such fortification should probably be considered contextual to the presence of major forts and potential watchtower sites that have been documented by previous surveys in the area, in particular, a system of strategic locations depending on the castellum of Da’janiya betweenthe Desert highway to the east and the Via Nova Traiana to the west. The need to protect the fertile strip of land east of Shawbak and the natural resources of the area might have required a system of visual control attested to in other nearby regions, which could have involved a signaling network in communication with Shawbak. In this paper, a series of visibility analyses are proposed in order to demonstrate that such system could have worked for Byzantine Shawbak.
Surveying the rural village of Al-Jāyyah (Ma’an Governorate, Jordan): archaeological methodologies and first results
Authors: Marcotulli Chiara
Published: March 2021

Surveying the rural village of Al-Jāyyah (Ma’an Governorate, Jordan): archaeological methodologies and first results. A contribution to the knowledge of the Shawbak territorial settlement in the longue durée

This paper presents some preliminary results about systematic Light Archaeology surveys (integrating Building and Landscape Archaeology) that the author is leading in the village of Al-Jāyyah, SE ofthe Shawbak castle, within the archaeological investigations on the landscape surrounding the fortress managed by the Italian archaeological Mission‘Medieval Petra,’ University of Florence. The aim of the surveys is to investigate the historical connection between the castle and the village, suggested by some Medieval written sources. The research’s preliminary outcomes are confirming that even if the present appearance of the village is modern, it preserves significant Medieval material evidences plausibly linked to the Crusader suburb and the Islamic madīnah of Shawbak.
A bone disc with an inscription from Marina el-Alamein (Egypt)
Authors: Bąkowska-Czerner Grażyna
Published: March 2021

A bone disc with an inscription from Marina el-Alamein (Egypt)

A bone disc with an inscription has been found at the archaeological site of the Greco-Roman period at Marina el-Alameinin Egypt. It has a hole drilled in the center and a name IOULIOS (Ιούλιος) written in Greek letters on one side. One may wonder about the diskfunction. Names appear on theatre tickets and on game counters, but they also usually bear a number or an image, e.g. a figure or a building. In the town, which has been subject of a recent research, a large number of diverse types of game pieces were discovered; glass pawns and bone counters predominate among them, however, they differ from the discussed disc: they are smooth or decorated with cut concentric circles. The number and variety of pawns indicates diverse types and a big popularity of games among the inhabitants of Marina. The described disc may have been a strategic board game counter.
Coomaniella (Coomaniella) humeralis sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Buprestidae, Coomaniellini)—a new species from the Laos, Houaphan province

Authors: JENDEK EDUARD
Published: March 2021

Coomaniella (Coomaniella) humeralis sp. nov. from Laos, Houaphan province is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to the Coomaniella macropus species–group. The world checklist of the genus Coomaniella ourgoin, 1924 is provided.Key words: Taxonomy, new species, Laos
(Un)Safe spaces for intersectional activism: Romani women’s responses to transnational political opportunities
Authors: D’Agostino Serena
Published: March 2021

This article investigates the responses of intersectional activists to the political opportunity spaces made for them by international organisations at the European transnational level. To do so, it uses Romani women’s activism and the Council of Europe as case studies, and develops a heuristic tool – the (Un)Safeness Response Line – that builds on five categories of analysis: compliance, compromise, contestation from within, opposition and denial. Mostly based on semi-structured and unstructured expert interviews conducted in 2016 and 2017, this study observes that Romnja activists have been mostly compliant with the political agendas of international organisations. Yet, they have not always perceived the opportunity spaces created for them as safe spaces. This has manifested in negotiating safeness and accepting compromises, as well as in strong opposition. This article shows that opportunity spaces for intersectional activisms are not enough, and that the quality of such spaces matters. Thus, it fosters a more critical approach to the study of contemporary social movements.
Manifestation of surfactant films in underwater solar path images: numerical experiment
Authors: Molkov Aleksandr
Published: March 2021

This paper continues a series of studies on using underwater solar path
imagery (USPI) to retrieve characteristics of wind-driven waves and
their variations in the field of near-surface hydrophysical processes
under the influence of surfactant films. Research is based on
previously developed mathematical models of USPI and its statistical
moments, the Elfouhaily spectrum of wind-driven waves, the Ermakov
model of wave damping by a thin film, and the Cox-Munk result for a
thick oil film. A high sensitivity of two statistical moments of USPI
to variations of wind–wave conditions and viscoelastic characteristics
of oil films was shown. The presented examples demonstrated 20%–40%
narrowing of the statistically average image (the first statistical
moment) for thin films and more than 2 times narrowing for thick
films. The film presence also leads to significant changes in the
autocorrelation function of USPI. The characteristic scales and
magnitudes of changes in the considered statistical moments fit into
the ranges of values that can be recorded in practice using even
inexpensive video cameras. At the same time, there are cases in which
these moments are close, for example, for a clean sea surface in weak
winds and for a surface covered by a thin film in stronger winds.
These cases can be distinguished by analyzing a series of instant
images. As an example, a series of real underwater images
demonstrating changes in the glint structure with the surfactant film
spot passing through the observed sea surface area were analyzed. This
example is intended to help researchers to distinguish cases of wind
weakening and a surfactant film presence.
Adaptive optics correction in natural turbulent waters
Authors: Ata Yalçın , Korotkova Olga
Published: March 2021

The recently introduced power spectrum of the refractive index fluctuations of the natural oceanic water turbulence is applied to an underwater communication system in the presence of adaptive optics corrections. The effects of the average temperature (0–30°C), the average salinity (0–40 ppt), the temperature–salinity gradient ratio (0–400°C/ppt), and the wavelength of the source (400–700 nm) on such a system are considered for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. It is revealed that even in the presence of adaptive optics the communication system’s operation is severely affected by the regional and seasonal averages and fluctuations in the water’s refractive index.
Husimi functions for coupled optical resonators
Authors: Bosch Martí , Behrens Arne , Sinzinger Stefan , Hentschel Martina
Published: March 2021

Phase-space analysis has been widely used in the past for the study of optical resonant systems. While it is usually employed to analyze the far-field behavior of resonant systems, we focus here on its applicability to coupling problems. By looking at the phase-space description of both the resonant mode and the exciting source, it is possible to understand the coupling mechanisms as well as to gain insights and approximate the coupling behavior with reduced computational effort. In this work, we develop the framework for this idea and apply it to a system of an asymmetric dielectric resonator coupled to a waveguide.
Temporal coherence of surface plasmons in silver waveguides
Authors: Sur Soutik , Ghosh Ambarish , Venkataraman V.
Published: March 2021

Surface plasmon polaritons, in spite of being lossy, are known to preserve their coherence over long distances. In this paper, we investigate the coherence of surface plasmons propagating on a silver thin film surface using free-space optical Mach–Zehnder interferometry, where they are found to maintain their temporal coherence up to 80 µm, thus setting, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, a new limit. This can be important in applications integrating plasmonics with quantum information processing, where decoherence is a major challenge.
Design of an illumination system for high numerical aperture anamorphic extreme ultraviolet projection lithography
Authors: Hao Qian , Yan Xu , Liu Ke , Li Yanqiu , Liu Lihui , Zheng Meng
Published: March 2021

The illumination system design for high numerical aperture (NA) anamorphic objectives is a key challenge for extreme ultraviolet lithography. In this paper, a reverse design method of the off-axis mixed-conic-surface-type relay system and an automatic arrangement method of field facets are proposed to design a high NA anamorphic illumination system. The two off-axis relay mirrors are fitted into different conic surfaces based on the conjugation of the mask plane and field facet and that of the illumination exit pupil and pupil facet. To eliminate ray obscuration between neighboring field facets, the field facets are automatically arranged according to the distances that are determined by the relative tilt angles of neighboring field facets under the current illumination mode. The proposed methods are applied in the design of an illumination system matching the NA0.60 anamorphic objective. Simulation results show that the uniformity of the scanning energy distribution can reach 99% on the mask plane under different illumination modes.
Near-field thermophotovotaic devices with surrounding non-contact reflectors for efficient photon recycling
Authors: Inoue Takuya , Suzuki Taiju , Ikeda Keisuke , Asano Takashi , Noda Susumu
Published: March 2021

Near-field thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power generation has been attracting increasing attention as a promising approach for efficient conversion of heat into electricity with high output power density. Here, we numerically investigate near-field TPV devices with surrounding reflectors for efficient recycling of low-energy photons, which do not contribute to the power generation. We reveal that the conversion efficiency of a near-field TPV system can be drastically increased by introducing a pair of reflectors above and below the system, especially when the two mirrors are not in contact with the emitter and absorber. In addition, we investigate the influence of non-perfect photon recycling on the TPV efficiency and reveal that near-field TPV systems are more robust against the decrease of the reflectivity of the reflectors than the far-field TPV systems.
Direct decoding of nonlinear OFDM-QAM signals using convolutional neural network
Authors: Zhang Wen Qi , Chan Terence H. , Afshar V. Shahraam
Published: March 2021

Nonlinear Fourier transform, as a technique that has a great potential to overcome the capacity limit in fibre optical communication system, faces speed and accuracy bottlenecks in practice. Machine learning using convolutional neural networks shows great potential in NFT-based applications. We have developed a convolutional neural network for decoding information in NFT-based communication and numerically demonstrated its performance in comparison to a fast NFT algorithm. The comparison indicates the potential of conventional neural network to replace NFT calculations for decoding of information.
Hybrid microwave photonic receiver based on integrated tunable bandpass filters
Authors: Li Jiachen , Yang Sigang , Chen Hongwei , Chen Minghua
Published: March 2021

Inspired by the concept of system-in-a-package (SiP) in electronics, here we report a hybrid microwave photonic receiver prototype by integrating lithium niobate (LiNbO3) dual-parallel phase modulators with silicon nitride (Si3N4) integrated tunable microring filters. In particular, we experimentally characterize these employed key elements and evaluate the down-conversion performance of RF signals from 4-20 GHz to the intermediate frequency. With the advantages of the tunable microwave photonic signal filtering, uniform system performance within a broad operation bandwidth, and low SWaP, the demonstrated hybrid microwave photonic receiver module shows a potential setup to satisfy the requirements of wireless communication systems, phased-array radar systems, and electronic warfare.
Experimental characterization of an o-band bismuth-doped fiber amplifier
Authors: Taengnoi Natsupa , Bottrill Kyle R. H. , Hong Yang , Wang Yu , Thipparapu Naresh K. , Sahu Jayanta K. , Petropoulos Periklis , Richardson David J.
Published: March 2021

The recent emergence of bismuth-doped fiber amplifiers (BDFAs) offers the potential to transmit high-speed WDM signals over long distances in the O-band spectral region, thereby greatly enhancing the scope of systems utilizing these wavelengths. In this paper, we present a comprehensive experimental study on several basic characteristics of an O-band BDFA based on a phosphosilicate optical fiber, including the frequency-dependent noise figure, gain tilt (static and dynamic), transient response, and polarization dependent gain. We discuss our findings and their implications on the use of BDFA technology in high bit-rate multichannel systems.
High-performance reflection-type augmented reality 3D display using reflective polarizer: erratum
Authors: Li Qiang , He Wei , Deng Huan , Zhong Fei-Yan , Chen Yue
Published: March 2021

Correction of the title of the second part in our published article [Opt. Express 29, 9446 (2021)10.1364/OE.421879].
Computation efficient sparse DNN nonlinear equalization for IM/DD 112  Gbps PAM4 inter-data center optical interconnects
Authors: Yadav Govind Sharan , Chuang Chun-Yen , Feng Kai-Ming , Chen Jyehong , Chen Young-Kai
Published: March 2021

In this Letter, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel, to the best of our knowledge, sparse deep neural network-based nonlinear equalizer (SDNN-NLE). By identifying only the significant weight coefficients, our approach remarkably reduces the computational complexity, while still upholding the desired transmission accuracy. The insignificant weights are pruned in two phases: identifying the significance of each weight by pre-training the fully connected DNN-NLE with an adaptive L2-regularization and then pruning those insignificant ones away with a pre-defined sparsity. An experimental demonstration is conducted on a 112 Gbps PAM4 link over 40 km standard single-mode fiber with a 25 GHz externally modulated laser in O-band. Our experimental results illustrate that, for the 112 Gbps PAM4 signal at a received optical power of

−

5

d
B
m

over 40 km, the proposed SDNN-NLE exhibits promising solutions to effectively mitigate nonlinear distortions and outperforms a conventional fully connected Volterra equalizer (VE), conventional fully connected DNN-NLE, and sparse VE by providing 71%, 63%, and 41% complexity reduction, respectively, without degrading the system performance.
Spectrally resolved wedged reversal shearing interferometer
Authors: Lam Billy , Guo Chunlei
Published: March 2021

In this Letter, we introduce a technique to fully determine the spatio-temporal electric field

E
(
x
,
y
,
t
)

of an arbitrary ultrashort pulse. By passing the beam through a wedged reversal shearing interferometer followed by a scanning Michelson interferometer, the field autocorrelation of the shearing interferograms is measured. The spectrum of the shearing interferograms is obtained after a Fourier transform by the Whittaker–Shannon sampling theorem, yielding the amplitude and wavefront information at every wavelength. With the addition of the phase information of a single point, we are able to directly reconstruct the spatio-temporal electric field

E
(
x
,
y
,
t
)

of an arbitrary ultrashort pulse.
Development of a terahertz wave circular polarizer using a 2D array of metallic helix metamaterial
Authors: Tomita Hiroya , Hashimoto Kazuma , Takeya Kei , Tripathi Saroj R.
Published: March 2021

We developed a broadband terahertz wave circular polarizer that consists of a two-dimensional (2D) array of three-dimensional metallic helices. Each helix operates in an axial mode of operation where the wavelength of resonance is comparable to the dimensions of the helix. We evaluated the performance of the polarizer using standard terahertz time domain spectroscopy, and we confirmed that the array of helices transmits a circularly polarized terahertz wave with opposite handedness as that of the helices. The polarizer covers the frequency range from 117 GHz to 208 GHz, close to one octave. We obtained the ellipticity of the circularly polarized terahertz wave close to unity in this frequency band.
Functional domain studies uncover novel roles for the ZTL Kelch repeat domain in clock function
Authors: Feke Ann , Vanderwall Morgan , Liu Wei , Gendron Joshua M.
Published: March 2021

The small LOV/F-box/Kelch family of E3 ubiquitin ligases plays an essential role in the regulation of plant circadian clocks and flowering time by sensing dusk. The family consists of three members, ZEITLUPE (ZTL), LOV KELCH PROTEIN 2 (LKP2), and FLAVIN-BINDING KELCH REPEAT F-BOX PROTEIN 1 (FKF1), which share a unique protein domain architecture allowing them to act as photoreceptors that transduce light signals via altering stability of target proteins. Despite intensive study of this protein family we still lack important knowledge about the biochemical and functional roles of the protein domains that comprise these unique photoreceptors. Here, we perform comparative analyses of transgenic lines constitutively expressing the photoreceptor LOV domain or the Kelch repeat protein-protein interaction domains of ZTL, FKF1, and LKP2. Expression of each domain alone is sufficient to disrupt circadian rhythms and flowering time, but each domain differs in the magnitude of effect. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry with the ZTL Kelch repeat domain identified a suite of potential interacting partners. Furthermore, the ZTL Kelch repeat domain can interact with the ZTL homologs, LKP2 and FKF1, and the LOV domain of ZTL itself. This suggests a hypothesis that the Kelch repeat domain of ZTL may mediate inter- and intra-molecular interactions of the three LOV/F-box/Kelch proteins and provides added insight into the composition of the protein complexes and an additional role for the Kelch repeat domain.
Multiplex detection of “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and Spiroplasma citri by qPCR and droplet digital PCR
Authors: Maheshwari Yogita , Selvaraj Vijayanandraj , Godfrey Kristine , Hajeri Subhas , Yokomi Raymond
Published: March 2021

“Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” (CLas) and Spiroplasma citri are phloem-limited bacteria that infect citrus and are transmitted by insect vectors. S. citri causes citrus stubborn disease (CSD) and is vectored by the beet leafhopper in California. CLas is associated with the devastating citrus disease, Huanglongbing (HLB), and is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid. CLas is a regulatory pathogen spreading in citrus on residential properties in southern California and is an imminent threat to spread to commercial citrus plantings. CSD is endemic in California and has symptoms in citrus that can be easily confused with HLB. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a multiplex qPCR and duplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay for simultaneous detection of CLas and S. citri to be used where both pathogens can co-exist. The multiplex qPCR assay was designed to detect multicopy genes of CLas—RNR (5 copies) and S. citri–SPV1 ORF1 (13 copies), respectively, and citrus cytochrome oxidase (COX) as internal positive control. Absolute quantitation of these pathogens was achieved by duplex ddPCR as a supplement for marginal qPCR results. Duplex ddPCR allowed higher sensitivity than qPCR for detection of CLas and S. citri. ddPCR showed higher tolerance to inhibitors and yielded highly reproducible results. The multiplex qPCR assay has the benefit of testing both pathogens at reduced cost and can serve to augment the official regulatory protocol for CLas detection in California. Moreover, the ddPCR provided unambiguous absolute detection of CLas and S. citri at very low concentrations without any standards for pathogen titer.
A landscape for drug-target interactions based on network analysis
Authors: Galan-Vasquez Edgardo , Perez-Rueda Ernesto
Published: March 2021

In this work, we performed an analysis of the networks of interactions between drugs and their targets to assess how connected the compounds are. For our purpose, the interactions were downloaded from the DrugBank database, and we considered all drugs approved by the FDA. Based on topological analysis of this interaction network, we obtained information on degree, clustering coefficient, connected components, and centrality of these interactions. We identified that this drug-target interaction network cannot be divided into two disjoint and independent sets,i.e., it is not bipartite. In addition, the connectivity or associations between every pair of nodes identified that the drug-target network is constituted of 165 connected components, where one giant component contains 4376 interactions that represent 89.99% of all the elements. In this regard, the histamine H1 receptor, which belongs to the family of rhodopsin-like G-protein-coupled receptors and is activated by the biogenic amine histamine, was found to be the most important node in the centrality of input-degrees. In the case of centrality of output-degrees, fostamatinib was found to be the most important node, as this drug interacts with 300 different targets, including arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase or ALOX5, expressed on cells primarily involved in regulation of immune responses. The top 10 hubs interacted with 33% of the target genes. Fostamatinib stands out because it is used for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia in adults. Finally, 187 highly connected sets of nodes, structured in communities, were also identified. Indeed, the largest communities have more than 400 elements and are related to metabolic diseases, psychiatric disorders and cancer. Our results demonstrate the possibilities to explore these compounds and their targets to improve drug repositioning and contend against emergent diseases.
New data on Beurlenia araripensis Martins-Neto & Mezzalira, 1991, a lacustrine shrimp from Crato Formation, and its morphological variations based on the shape and the number of rostral spines
Authors: Barros Olga Alcântara , Viana Maria Somália Sales , Viana Bartolomeu Cruz , da Silva João Hermínio , Paschoal Alexandre Rocha , de Oliveira Paulo Victor
Published: March 2021

Fossil freshwater carideans are very rare worldwide. Here, we present new taxonomic remarks about Beurlenia araripensis from the Early Cretaceous laminated limestones of the Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. We analyzed five fossil samples, testing the morphological variations such as, rostrum with 5 to 14 supra-rostral spines and 2 to 3 sub-rostral spines, which appears as serrate for Caridea. This variation demonstrates a morphologic plasticity also seen in extant species of the group, such as those of the genera Macrobrachium and Palaemon.
Waste generation and carbon emissions of a hospital kitchen in the US: Potential for waste diversion and carbon reductions
Authors: Thiel Cassandra L. , Park SiWoon , Musicus Aviva A. , Agins Jenna , Gan Jocelyn , Held Jeffrey , Horrocks Amy , Bragg Marie A.
Published: March 2021

This study measured the total quantity and composition of waste generated in a large, New York City (NYC) hospital kitchen over a one-day period to assess the impact of potential waste diversion strategies in potential weight of waste diverted from landfill and reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. During the one-day audit, the hospital kitchen generated 1515.15 kg (1.7 US tons) of solid waste daily or 0.23 kg of total waste per meal served. Extrapolating to all meals served in 2019, the hospital kitchen generates over 442,067 kg (487 US tons) of waste and emits approximately 294,466 kg of CO2e annually from waste disposal. Most of this waste (85%, 376,247 kg or 415 US tons annually) is currently sent to landfill. With feasible changes, including increased recycling and moderate composting, this hospital could reduce landfilled waste by 205,245 kg (226 US tons, or 55% reduction) and reduce GHG emissions by 189,025 kg CO2e (64% reduction). Given NYC’s ambitious waste and GHG emission reduction targets outlined in its OneNYC strategic plan, studies analyzing composition, emissions, and waste diversion potential of large institutions can be valuable in achieving city sustainability goals.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and occupational outcomes: The role of educational attainment, comorbid developmental disorders, and intellectual disability
Authors: Jangmo Andreas , Kuja-Halkola Ralf , Pérez-Vigil Ana , Almqvist Catarina , Bulik Cynthia M. , D’Onofrio Brian , Lichtenstein Paul , Ahnemark Ewa , Werner-Kiechle Tamara , Larsson Henrik
Published: March 2021

Background

Individuals with ADHD are at increased risk for poor occupational outcomes. Educational attainment and psychiatric comorbidity may be important contributing factors for these outcomes, but the role of these factors is not well characterized. This study aimed to investigate the associations between ADHD and occupational outcomes, and to examine the influence of educational attainment, comorbid developmental disorders and intellectual disability on these associations.

Methods

We linked the Swedish population graduating from compulsory school 1998–2008 (N = 1.2 millions) to population-wide register-based data on clinical psychiatric diagnoses and medications, objective annual measures of educational, and occupational outcomes. Individuals were followed for between 6 to 16 years after graduation.

Results

Individuals with ADHD had annually on average 17 percent lower income, ratio = 0.83 (95% CI 0.83–0.84), 12.19 (11.89–12.49) more days of unemployment, and a higher likelihood of receiving disability pension, odds-ratio = 19.0 (18.4–19.6), compared to controls. Comorbid diagnoses of intellectual disability and developmental disorder explained most of the association between ADHD and disability pension, while lifetime educational attainment partially explained associations between ADHD and all occupational outcomes. Analyses of occupational trajectories found that income was lower and unemployment elevated relative to controls with the same educational attainment. Higher educational attainment correlated with higher income similarly among individuals with ADHD and controls after accounting for individual background factors.

Conclusions

The occupational burden associated with ADHD is substantial. Comorbid developmental disorders, intellectual disability and educational difficulties (e.g., failing grades) from childhood to adulthood are important factors to consider when designing interventions to improve occupational outcomes in individuals with ADHD.
Red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) supplementation reduces enteric methane by over 80 percent in beef steers
Authors: Roque Breanna M. , Venegas Marielena , Kinley Robert D. , de Nys Rocky , Duarte Toni L. , Yang Xiang , Kebreab Ermias
Published: March 2021

The red macroalgae (seaweed) Asparagopsis spp. has shown to reduce ruminant enteric methane (CH4) production up to 99% in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Asparagopsis taxiformis on CH4 production (g/day per animal), yield (g CH4/kg dry matter intake (DMI)), and intensity (g CH4/kg ADG); average daily gain (ADG; kg gain/day), feed conversion efficiency (FCE; kg ADG/kg DMI), and carcass and meat quality in growing beef steers. Twenty-one Angus-Hereford beef steers were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups: 0% (Control), 0.25% (Low), and 0.5% (High) A. taxiformis inclusion based on organic matter intake. Steers were fed 3 diets: high, medium, and low forage total mixed ration (TMR) representing life-stage diets of growing beef steers. The Low and High treatments over 147 days reduced enteric CH4 yield 45 and 68%, respectively. However, there was an interaction between TMR type and the magnitude of CH4 yield reduction. Supplementing low forage TMR reduced CH4 yield 69.8% (P <0.01) for Low and 80% (P <0.01) for High treatments. Hydrogen (H2) yield (g H2/DMI) increased (P <0.01) 336 and 590% compared to Control for the Low and High treatments, respectively. Carbon dioxide (CO2) yield (g CO2/DMI) increased 13.7% between Control and High treatments (P = 0.03). No differences were found in ADG, carcass quality, strip loin proximate analysis and shear force, or consumer taste preferences. DMI tended to decrease 8% (P = 0.08) in the Low treatment and DMI decreased 14% (P <0.01) in the High treatment. Conversely, FCE tended to increase 7% in Low (P = 0.06) and increased 14% in High (P <0.01) treatment compared to Control. The persistent reduction of CH4 by A. taxiformis supplementation suggests that this is a viable feed additive to significantly decrease the carbon footprint of ruminant livestock and potentially increase production efficiency.
School counselor advocacy for gender minority students
Authors: Simons Jack D. ,   on behalf of the Simons Lab
Published: March 2021

One-thousand-one-hundred-and-ninety-one school counselors completed an online survey regarding advocacy for and with gender minority students comprising transgender and intersex students (school counselor gender minority advocacy competence). School counselors completed a battery of three competency-based assessments to assess their levels of gender identity counselor competence, intersex counselor competence, and school counselor gender minority advocacy competence. They also completed a demographic form so that competency levels could be examined with demographic variables. Attitudes, school level placement, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity counselor competence, and intersex counselor competence were significantly related to advocacy for and with gender minority students. These findings have implications for the application of identity behavior theory to examine the experiences and behaviors of minoritized individuals and those who advocate for them. These advocates include school counselors and other helping professionals who work with gender minority students.
COVID-19 lockdowns and demographically-relevant Google Trends: A cross-national analysis
Authors: Berger Lawrence M. , Ferrari Giulia , Leturcq Marion , Panico Lidia , Solaz Anne
Published: March 2021

The spread of COVID-19 and resulting local and national lockdowns have a host of potential consequences for demographic trends. While impacts on mortality and, to some extent, short-term migration flows are beginning to be documented, it is too early to measure actual consequences for family demography. To gain insight into potential future consequences of the lockdown for family demography, we use cross-national Google Trends search data to explore whether trends in searches for words related to fertility, relationship formation, and relationship dissolution changed following lockdowns compared to average, pre-lockdown levels in Europe and the United States. Because lockdowns were not widely anticipated or simultaneous in timing or intensity, we exploit variability over time and between countries (and U.S. states). We use a panel event-study design and difference-in-differences methods, and account for seasonal trends and average country-level (or state-level) differences in searches. We find statistically significant impacts of lockdown timing on changes in searches for terms such as wedding and those related to condom use, emergency contraception, pregnancy tests, and abortion, but little evidence of changes in searches related to fertility. Impacts for union formation and dissolution tended to only be statistically significant at the start of a lockdown with a return to average-levels about 2 to 3 months after lockdown initiation, particularly in Europe. Compared to Europe, returns to average search levels were less evident for the U.S., even 2 to 3 months after lockdowns were introduced. This may be due to the fact, in the U.S., health and social policy responses were less demarcated than in Europe, such that economic uncertainty was likely of larger magnitude. Such pandemic-related economic uncertainty may therefore have the potential to slightly increase already existing polarization in family formation behaviours in the U.S. Alongside contributing to the wider literature on economic uncertainty and family behaviors, this paper also proposes strategies for efficient use of Google Trends data, such as making relative comparisons and testing sensitivity to outliers, and provides a template and cautions for their use in demographic research when actual demographic trends data are not yet available.
Electrical impedance tomography in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Hovnanian André L. D. , Costa Eduardo L. V. , Hoette Susana , Fernandes Caio J. C. S. , Jardim Carlos V. P. , Dias Bruno A. , Morinaga Luciana T. K. , Amato Marcelo B. P. , Souza Rogério
Published: March 2021

The characterization of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) relies mainly on right heart catheterization (RHC). Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) provides a non-invasive estimation of lung perfusion that could complement the hemodynamic information from RHC. To assess the association between impedance variation of lung perfusion (ΔZQ) and hemodynamic profile, severity, and prognosis, suspected of PAH or worsening PAH patients were submitted simultaneously to RHC and EIT. Measurements of ΔZQ were obtained. Based on the results of the RHC, 35 patients composed the PAH group, and eight patients, the normopressoric (NP) group. PAH patients showed a significantly reduced ΔZQ compared to the NP group. There was a significant correlation between ΔZQ and hemodynamic parameters, particularly with stroke volume (SV) (r = 0.76; P < 0.001). At 60 months, 15 patients died (43%) and 1 received lung transplantation; at baseline they had worse hemodynamics, and reduced ΔZQ when compared to survivors. Patients with low ΔZQ (≤154.6%.Kg) presented significantly worse survival (P = 0.033). ΔZQ is associated with hemodynamic status of PAH patients, with disease severity and survival, demonstrating EIT as a promising tool for monitoring patients with pulmonary vascular disease.
Emotion regulation, mindfulness, and self-compassion among patients with borderline personality disorder, compared to healthy control subjects
Authors: Salgó Ella , Szeghalmi Liliána , Bajzát Bettina , Berán Eszter , Unoka Zsolt
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Emotion regulation difficulties are a major characteristic of personality disorders. Our study investigated emotion regulation difficulties that are characteristic of borderline personality disorder (BPD), compared to a healthy control group.

Methods

Patients with BPD (N = 59) and healthy participants (N = 70) filled out four self-report questionnaires (Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale) that measured the presence or lack of different emotion-regulation strategies. Differences between the BPD and the healthy control group were investigated by Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and univariate post-hoc F-test statistics.

Results

People suffering from BPD had statistically significantly (p<0.05) higher levels of emotional dysregulation and used more maladaptive emotion-regulation strategies, as well as lower levels of mindfulness and self-compassion compared to the HC group.

Conclusion

In comparison to a healthy control group, BPD patients show deficits in the following areas: mindfulness, self-compassion and adaptive emotion-regulation strategies. Based on these results, we suggest that teaching emotion-regulation, mindfulness, and self-compassion skills to patients can be crucial in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.
High-throughput transcriptome sequencing and comparative analysis of Escherichia coli and Schizosaccharomyces pombe in respiratory and fermentative growth
Authors: Vichi Joivier , Salazar Emmanuel , Jacinto Verónica Jiménez , Rodriguez Leticia Olvera , Grande Ricardo , Dantán-González Edgar , Morett Enrique , Hernández-Mendoza Armando
Published: March 2021

In spite of increased complexity in eukaryotes compared to prokaryotes, several basic metabolic and regulatory processes are conserved. Here we explored analogies in the eubacteria Escherichia coli and the unicellular fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe transcriptomes under two carbon sources: 2% glucose; or a mix of 2% glycerol and 0.2% sodium acetate using the same growth media and growth phase. Overall, twelve RNA-seq libraries were constructed. A total of 593 and 860 genes were detected as differentially expressed for E. coli and S. pombe, respectively, with a log2 of the Fold Change ≥ 1 and False Discovery Rate ≤ 0.05. In aerobic glycolysis, most of the expressed genes were associated with cell proliferation in both organisms, including amino acid metabolism and glycolysis. In contrast in glycerol/acetate condition, genes related to flagellar assembly and membrane proteins were differentially expressed such as the general transcription factors fliA, flhD, flhC, and flagellum assembly genes were detected in E. coli, whereas in S. pombe genes for hexose transporters, integral membrane proteins, galactose metabolism, and ncRNAs related to cellular stress were overexpressed. In general, our study shows that a conserved "foraging behavior" response is observed in these eukaryotic and eubacterial organisms in gluconeogenic carbon sources.
Volatile profiles from over-ripe purée of Thai mango varieties and their physiochemical properties during heat processing
Authors: Wongkaew Malaiporn , Sangta Jiraporn , Chansakaow Sunee , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Sommano Sarana Rose
Published: March 2021

This research investigated volatile profiles of over-ripe Thai mango purée during thermal processing by solid-phase extraction, volatile quantification by XAD-2-solvent extraction, as well as descriptive sensory analysis. Overripe fruits of three varieties were analyzed for the ripening stage using specific gravity as well as firmness and the physiochemical properties were also reported. We found that aromatic profiles could be used as true representative to describe Thai mango identities of each varieties. A simple and straightforward heat treatment had differing effects on aroma characteristics and those effects were dependent with mango varieties. Indeed, the amount of terpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated sesquiterpenoids alternated after heat treatment. All descriptive attributes of heated ‘sam-pee’ purée were intensified while, heat treatment significantly improved only “mango identity” in ‘maha-chanok’ and “fermented” odour in ‘keaw’ purée. With or without heat treatment, the volatile profiles of ‘maha-chanok’ remained quite stable while heating played a significant role on chemical ingredients of ‘keaw’ and ‘sam-pee’. Our study demonstrated that the manufacturing of the over-ripe mango into the products of high market value, selection of varieties is vitally important based upon their specific aroma characteristics before and after processing.
Personality trait predictors of adjustment during the COVID pandemic among college students
Authors: Rettew David C. , McGinnis Ellen W. , Copeland William , Nardone Hilary Y. , Bai Yang , Rettew Jeff , Devadenam Vinay , Hudziak James J.
Published: March 2021

Personality traits have been found to be related to a variety of health outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine how personality traits were associated with adjustment to the COVID pandemic in college students. The sample included 484 first-year university students (76% female) attending a northeastern university who completed the Big Five Inventory (BFI) personality assessment at the beginning of a semester that was disrupted by the COVID pandemic. Using a phone-based app, students completed daily ratings of mood, perceived stress levels, and engagement in a number of health promotion activities (exercise, mindfulness, adequate sleep, etc.) throughout the semester both before and after the onset of the pandemic (e.g., a within-person longitudinal design). Results, as expected, showed that mood and wellness indices generally declined during the COVID period, although stress levels actually decreased. Further, irrespective of COVID, improved mood, less perceived stress and greater participation in health promotion activities were significantly associated with a number of personality traits including neuroticism (lower), extraversion (higher), agreeableness (higher), and conscientiousness (higher). Of primary interest, mixed-effects models were used to test how major personality traits interacted with any changes in daily ratings from the pre-COVID to COVID period. Significant interactions terms were found suggesting differential impacts of the COVID epidemic for students with low versus high levels of particular traits. Higher levels of extraversion, for example, were found to be related to decreases in mood as the pandemic progressed in contrast to those with lower extraversion, for whom there was a slight increase in mood over time. These data support the conclusion that personality traits are related to mental health and can play a role in a person’s ability to cope with major stressful events. Different traits may also be more adaptive to different types of stressors.