bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin II receptor blockers and oral squamous cell carcinoma survival: A propensity-score-matched cohort study
Authors: Wu Ching-Nung , Wu Shao-Chun , Chen Wei-Chih , Yang Yao-Hsu , Chin Jo-Chi , Chien Chih-Yen , Fang Fu-Min , Li Shau-Hsuan , Luo Sheng-Dean , Chiu Tai-Jan
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) improve the survival rates of patients with various cancers. However, it remains unclear whether ARBs confer a survival benefit on patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, we assessed the associations between ARB use and survival in patients with OSCC of different stages.

Materials and methods

This was a 10-year retrospective cohort study of OSCC patients. We enrolled 7,558 patients diagnosed with oral cancer between January 2007 and December 2017 whose details had been entered into the Chang Gung Research Database. Seven hundred and fourteen patients were recruited from the Chang Gung Research Database after performing 1:1 propensity score-matching between ARB users and non-users. Cox’s regression models with adjusted covariates were employed to detect factors influencing the survival rates of patients with OSCC.

Results

Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the overall survival (OS) rate of 180-day ARB users increased (p = 0.038). Cox’s regression models indicated that ARB use, younger patients, early-stage OSCC, and patients without diabetes mellitus were independently prognostic of improved OS. Increased OS was more prominent in 180-day ARB users in stage III, Iva, and IVb categories.

Conclusions

ARB use for more than 180 days is associated with an increased survival rate and is a positive, independent prognostic factor in patients with OSCC. A further two-arm study should be conducted to confirm the clinical usefulness of ARBs in OSCC patients.
Moiré topography as a screening and diagnostic tool—A systematic review
Authors: Labecka Marta Kinga , Plandowska Magdalena
Published: December 2021

Diagnostic investigation can be carried out using non-radiological and non-contact methods. Moiré topography (MT) seems to be a viable alternative to radiographic research in evaluating the spine and/or trunk deviations. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the current knowledge regarding the reliability and validity of Moiré topography as a screening and diagnostic tool. The systematic review was performed from 2010 until March 2021 in the PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, according to the eligibility criteria. This review fulfilled the following criteria according to the PICO system: population (children and adolescents), intervention (MT measurement), comparison (repeated MT measurements, MT compared to Cobb angle or scoliometer), outcome (reliability and validity of MT). Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for further analysis. All the studies were assessed to be of high quality. Included studies found that MT had high repeatability and high intraobserver and interobserver correlation, and correlation between MT parameters and radiographic Cobb angle ranged from moderate to high. The authors reported difficulty in defining the cut-off values for MT parameter (Surface Trunk Rotation—STR), and unsatisfactory sensitivity and specificity of MT examination. The studies did not reveal the advantage of MT as a screening method in the detection of idiopathic scoliosis in comparison to radiograph. Based on the evidence from eight studies, the results indicated moderate evidence for reliability and validity of Moiré topography as a screening and diagnostic tool. There is still no strong evidence for the accuracy of MT.
Functional response of Amblyseius eharai (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Park Young-Gyun , Lee Joon-Ho , Lim Un Taek
Published: December 2021

Amblyseius eharaiis a generalist predatory mite that consumes spider mites, rust mites, thrips, and pollen, with a high adaptability to various plants. To better understand ecological and behavioral aspects of this species, we investigated its functional response to different stages of two-spotted spider mite,Tetranychus urticae. Furthermore, we compared its environmental adaptability with that of other referenced phytoseiids using a temperature-dependent model of the intrinsic rate of increase. We were able to calculate the functional response parameters of both sexes ofA.eharaiwhen preying on eggs or larvae ofT.urticaeand, for females only, when preying on the deutonymph ofT.urticae. Among the various combinations tested herein,A.eharaifemales preying onT.urticaelarvae had the highest attack rate and shortest handling time. For eggs ofT.urticae,A.eharaishowed a lower attack rate; however, its handling time for eggs was significantly shorter compared to other phytoseiids. UsingT.urticaelarva as a prey, the attack rate of femaleA.eharaiwas higher and the handling time of both sexes of this species was shorter than those of other phytoseiid mites.Amblyseius eharaipopulations can show maximum performance quickly due to this species’ lower optimal temperature for population growth (28.1°C) compared to other phytoseiid mites. Thus, we provided evidence that this predatory mite has the potential to be a new, effective biological control agent of greenhouse pests such asT.urticaedue to its high predation capacity and low optimal temperature.
Intrathecal IGF2 siRNA injection provides long-lasting anti-allodynic effect in a spared nerve injury rat model of neuropathic pain
Authors: Chan Wei-Hung , Huang Nian-Cih , Lin Yi-Wen , Lin Feng-Yen , Tsai Chien-Sung , Yeh Chun-Chang
Published: December 2021

Previous studies have shown an increase of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) in animal models of neuropathic pain. We aimed to examine the hypothesis that reducing the expression of IGF2 using intrathecal IGF2 small-interfering RNA (siRNA) would attenuate the development of neuropathic pain in rats after spared nerve injury (SNI). Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sham-operated group, in which surgery was performed to cut the muscles without injuring the nerves; SNI group, in which SNI surgery was performed to sever the nerves; and SNI + siRNA IGF2 group, in which SNI surgery was performed, and IGF2-siRNA was administered intrathecally 1 day after SNI. The rats were assessed for mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia 1 day before surgery (baseline), and at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after siRNA treatment. The rat spinal cord was collected for quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Compared with the SNI group, rats that received IGF2 siRNA showed a significantly increased SNI-induced paw-withdrawal threshold to metal filament stimulation from Day 4 to Day 10 after SNI surgery. IGF2 siRNA significantly decreased the response duration from the acetone test from Day 2 to Day 10 following SNI surgery. SNI increased IGF2 mRNA expression on Day 2 and increased IGF2 protein expression on Day 8 and Day 10 in the spinal cord of the SNI rats. However, the above-mentioned effects of IGF2 mRNA and protein expression were significantly inhibited in the SNI + IGF2 siRNA group. We demonstrated that intrathecal administration of IGF2 siRNA provided significant inhibition of SNI-induced neuropathic pain via inhibition of IGF2 expression in the spinal cord. The analgesic effect lasted for 10 days. Further exploration of intrathecal IGF2 siRNA administration as a potential therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain is warranted.
Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on bike-sharing demand and hire time: Evidence from Santander Cycles in London
Authors: Heydari Shahram , Konstantinoudis Garyfallos , Behsoodi Abdul Wahid
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has been influencing travel behaviour in many urban areas around the world since the beginning of 2020. As a consequence, bike-sharing schemes have been affected—partly due to the change in travel demand and behaviour as well as a shift from public transit. This study estimates the varying effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the London bike-sharing system (Santander Cycles) over the period March–December 2020. We employed a Bayesian second-order random walk time-series model to account for temporal correlation in the data. We compared the observed number of cycle hires and hire time with their respective counterfactuals (what would have been if the pandemic had not happened) to estimate the magnitude of the change caused by the pandemic. The results indicated that following a reduction in cycle hires in March and April 2020, the demand rebounded from May 2020, remaining in the expected range of what would have been if the pandemic had not occurred. This could indicate the resiliency of Santander Cycles. With respect to hire time, an important increase occurred in April, May, and June 2020, indicating that bikes were hired for longer trips, perhaps partly due to a shift from public transit.
Bringing absence to the fore: Conversations around two experiences of applied theatre with homeless people in Spain
Authors: Massó-Guijarro Belén , Muñoz-Bellerín Manuel , Pérez-García Purificación
Published: December 2021

This article addresses the potential of applied theatre to build spaces of visibility and recognition for homeless people. It describes the logics, achievements and challenges of Teatro de la Inclusión and Fuera de la Campana, two theatrical experiences coordinated by the authors in southern Spain. These cases have been investigated and documented through ethnographic procedures that have included participant observation and in-depth interviews with the group’s participants, among other data-collection techniques. Through the voices of their protagonists, the authors critically discuss the perceived benefits of the experiences by studying their potential for recognition and the artistic teaching methodologies put into play. They also analyse the convergences and divergences in the aesthetic-political conceptions of each of the groups and their consequences in their respective contexts.
Applied Theatre and Sexual Health: Apertures of Possibility, Katharine E. Low (2021)
Authors: Zontou Zoe
Published: December 2021

Review of: Applied Theatre and Sexual Health: Apertures of Possibility, Katharine E. Low (2021)

New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 323 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-349-95975-4, h/bk, €77.99
Permanent provisionality: The homes of mobile managerial professionals between temporariness and permanence
Authors: Spiegel Anna
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, mobility and transience are no longer exclusively associated with the marginalized and socially excluded, such as homeless or displaced people. On the contrary, mobility and transience have become a constitutive pattern of the highly skilled postmodern workforce. Yet, how mobile professionals negotiate the meaning of their homes in ‘liquid times’ and what homemaking practices they use to deal with the temporal uncertainty of their homes are questions that still require further research. This article – based on ethnographic research on German and American managers conducted in China, Germany and the United States between 2011 and 2014 – contributes to this research question by examining how mobile professionals make sense of the transience of their current homes and how transience is reflected in their homemaking practices. The article argues that for mobile professionals the home becomes a critical place not only because of new multilocal spatialities but also because of new transient temporalities. Due to the corporate practice of giving successive temporary contracts, the mobile managers’ everyday life is characterized by a ‘permanent provisionality’, that is, an incongruence of the initially imagined and the actual time horizons of their mobility. This article shows how this ‘permanent provisionality’ is worked into the material and social textures of expatriate homes.
Living Transnationally between Japan and Brazil: Routes Beyond Roots, Sarah Lebaron von Baeyer (2020)
Authors: Tsuda Takeyuki
Published: December 2021

Review of: Living Transnationally between Japan and Brazil: Routes Beyond Roots, Sarah Lebaron von Baeyer (2020)

Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 256 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-49858-036-6, h/bk, $100
Angkutan Umum dan Gaya Hidup: Etnografi Semiotika Kartun Lagak Jakarta Karya Benny Rachmadi Edisi Transportasi
Authors:   Universitas Airlangga, Roikan Roikan
Published: December 2021

Kartun merupakan bagian dari seni yang merepresentasikan fenomena budaya. Dalam proses kreatif kartunis harus memiliki pemahaman dari kondisi sosial budaya masyarakat. Benny Rachmadi adalah kartunis yang memiliki pemahaman mendalam tentang masyarakat di sekitarnya sehingga beberapa orang menganggapnya sebagai "antropolog par excellent". Buku ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap makna kartun dalam “Seri Lagak Jakarta Edisi Transportasi” karya Benny Rachmadi yang telah digunakan untuk analisis permasalahan transportasi umum di kota-khususnya Jakarta-dan kaitannya dengan gaya hidup masyarakat metropolitan. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah etnografi semiotik, yaitu mengungkap makna suatu fenomena budaya dalam sebuah kartun actual people - orang-orang yang memiliki hubungan dan sepenuhnya terpengaruh oleh teks. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan observasi teks (kartun) dan observasi di lapangan (Jakarta), serta wawancara mendalam. Data dianalisis menggunakan Semiologi Roland Barthes dan analisis taksonomi Casson. Poin utama dari buku ini adalah pertama, Benny Rachmadi membuat karyanya kartun dengan menekankan pada detail visual deskriptif untuk menjelaskan masalah transportasi angkutan umum di Jakarta. Kedua, angkutan umum bukan sekedar alat untuk berpindah dari satu tempat ke tempat lain, tetapi juga memiliki beberapa arti-arti media interaksi sosial, alat mencari uang, dan media aktualisasi diri. Ketiga, orang-orang metropolis memiliki perhatian yang tinggi terhadap waktu, seiring dengan mobilitas mereka yang tinggi; Sehingga masyarakat yang menggunakan angkutan umum menganggapnya lebih untuk fungsinya.
Fonetik dan Fonologi Bahasa Hitu Dialek Hitu
Authors:   Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kurniawati Wati , Nurgroho Mardi ,   Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa
Published: December 2021

Perubahan sosial dan ekonomi berdampak pada sikap terhadap bahasa dan pola penggunaan bahasa di Kampung Asilulu. Walaupun bahasa Asilulu masih merupakan bahasa utama di Kampung Asilulu, pendatang yang pindah ke Asilulu tidak berusaha menguasai bahasa Asilulu lagi, termasuk anak-anak Asilulu yang pindah dari tempat lain (migrasi pulang kampung). Buku ini mengulas fonetik dan fonologi bahasa Asilulu dialek Hitu dengan mengidentifikasi bunyi-bunyi yang ada (disegmentasi); perubahan bunyi, fonem vokal, diftong, dan konsonan; distribusi fonem vokal dan konsonan; serta struktur suku kata. Sementara itu, penerima manfaat dari keluaran (output) penelitian fonetik dan fonologi ini adalah para pemangku kepentingan di bidang kebahasaan, antara lain pengambil kebijakan di bidang kebahasaan dan/atau kesastraan, para pendidik, mahasiswa, siswa, akademisi, lembaga terkait yang memerlukan data kebahasan dan kesastraan, serta praktisi media massa. Selain itu, status bahasa Asilulu termasuk bahasa yang terancam punah, sementara penelitian tentang bahasa tersebut belum banyak dilakukan. Oleh karena itu, buku ini diharapkan dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai sarana pembinaan bagi penutur bahasa Asilulu dialek Hitu melalui komunitas atau bidang pendidikan agar penuturnya bertambah dan bahasa tersebut tetap lestari.
The co-adsorption of methane and carbon dioxide on catalysts
Authors: Süli-Zakar Tímea
Published: December 2021

In the elucidation of the reaction mechanism of a catalytic process it is important to establish the reaction intermediates and their possible role in the reaction. In most cases, however, this is not an easy task as a real reaction intermediate exists only transitorily and in a very low concentration on the catalysts. The adsorption of CO2 and the co-adsorption of CH4 + CO2 on Re supported by AI2O3, TiCb, SiCh and MgO have been investigated by FTIR spectroscopy. The dissociation of CO2 was not experienced on the Re/AhCb reduced at 673 K, it occurred, however, on the sample reduced at 1073 K. Addition of CH4 to CO2 , initiated the dissociation on all catalysts as indicated by CO bands at 2041 cm'1. Besides, new spectral features were developed at 1599 and 1397 cm'1 attributed to format species. No bands due to format were detected on Re/Si02 and no format was detected following the co-adsorption of C02-containing gas mixture on the supporting oxides alone. It was assumed that the format species identified in the surface interactions is located on the support, where it is stabilized. The possible pathways of the occurrence of format complex on the oxides are described.
Water regime change of surfactant polluted soils
Authors: Barna Gyöngyi , Csatári Tünde , Balázs Réka , Földényi Rita , László Péter , Dunai Attila , Makó András
Published: December 2021

Studies were made on the adsorption of a cationic surfactant, hexadecylpyridinium-chloride (CPC), on various soils and sediments. The aim was to determine how modify the adsorbed surfactant the soil physical characteristics, mainly water regime. Water retention were measured, pore size distribution curves were derived from water retention curves, modal suction, total porosity and rate of different pores (macro-, meso-, micro-, ultramicro- and cryptopores) were evaluated. Due to CPC treatment, samples became hydrophobic. Rate of cryptopores declined at all surfactant treated samples, while rate of micropores were raised most of the samples. Except for two samples total porosity was decreased, as well. Kind of these changes can depend on differences in particle size distribution, calcium carbonate content, aggregate stability, quantity and quality of clay minerals. As pore size changes, amount of retained water also changes.
Applicability of laser diffraction analyses in soil physics practice
Authors: Makó András , Szabó József , Bakacsi Zsófia , Koós Sándor , Hauk Gabriella , Janek Henrietta , Rajkai Kálmán , Barna Gyöngyi
Published: December 2021

In this research we present the first results how can be used laser diffraction measurement in soil physics practice. The main goals are understanding differences of particle size distribution (PSD) measurments, developing converting methods of PSD data of different determinations. In order to realization of this survey a representative soil database of Hungarian soil types was built up. We compared PSDs of 157 soil samples measured with sieve-pipette method (SPM) and laser diffractometer technique (Malvern Mastersizer 2000) (LDM). Soil textural classes were also determined using the USDA texture triangle. We used the clay/silt fraction boundary values (clay < 0.0066 mm; silt: 0.0066 - 0.05 mm) introduced for the LDM data in order to take them comparable to PSD data determined by the SPM: We got higher similarities of clay and silt fractions of the modified size boundary values. For the used dataset correspondence of texture classes derived from SPM and LDM PSD data, however is not higher than 60%.
Propagation of Taxus baccata ‘Green Diamond’ by cutting
Authors: Túri-Farkas Zsuzsa , Kovács Dezső
Published: December 2021

Buxus sempervirens and its varieties, such as ’Suffruticosa’, are popular plants of historic as well as modem gardens. The box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis), one of its most aggressive pests, also appeared in Hungary in 2011. Taxus baccata is also a species with a great tradition in historic gardens. This species has outstanding longevity, a good self-renewing capacity and is easy to handle. It can create a dense and solid surface that could serve as a green wall or an excellent background to colourful shrubs and blooming plants. The ’Green Diamond’ variety of Taxus baccata boasting a spherical habit similar to Buxus sempervirens ’Suffruticosa’ is a slow-grower with small, dark green leaves and would be suitable to replace ’Suffruticosa’. It tolerates pmning well and has a good renewing capacity. Taxus baccata ’Green Diamond’ is currently propagated by grafting in Western European ornamental tree nurseries, which is however a costly and slow propagation method. As part of our work, we set the aim to work out the propagation method for Taxus baccata ’Green Diamond’ by cuttings. As part of our work, we examined the propagation of Taxus baccata ’Green Diamond’ by cutting in various plant growth mediums with the application of root stimulants in different concentrations.
The Terms of Our Surrender: Colonialism, Dispossession and the Resistance of the Innu
Authors: Cassell Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

Based on extensive fieldwork and oral history, The Terms of Our Surrender is a powerful critical appraisal of unceded indigenous land ownership in eastern Canada. Set against an ethnographic, historical and legal framework, the book traces the myriad ways the Canadian state has successfully evaded the 1763 Royal Proclamation that guaranteed First Nations people a right to their land and way of life. Focusing on the Innu of Quebec and Labrador, whose land has been taken for resource extraction and development, the book strips back the fiduciary duty to its origins, challenging the inroads which have been made on the nature and extent of indigenous land tenure—arguing for preservation of land ownership and positioning First Nations people as natural land defenders amidst a devastating climate crisis. It offers a voice to the Innu people, detailing the spirituality practices, culture and values that make it impossible for them to willingly cede their land. The text is intended to bridge the gap in knowledge between legal practitioners and those working at the intersections of human rights, social work and public policy. The book offers a potent template for how we can use the law to fight back against the indignities suffered by all indigenous peoples.
TRICHUROSIS EN TERNEROS EN EL DEPARTAMENTO LAS COLONIAS, SANTA FE
Authors: Bono Battistoni M F
Published: December 2021

Trichuris spp. It is a nematode that affects the mucosa of the cecum and the colon of the ruminates. Clinical cases are rare and occur when the number of adult worms is high. The objective of this work is to report a clinical case of trichurosis in a batch of 40 breeding calves raised in a pen without vegetation cover and with a very humid floor. The food was supplied in feeders, but the animals also consumed the food that fell to the floor. Three animals died from the batch. At necropsy, more than 400 specimens of worms identified as Trichuris were recovered. This case warns of the importance of the diagnosis of parasitosis in intensive breeding.
Efeito de dentifrícios branqueadores com diferentes princípios ativos sobre as propriedades físicas do esmalte e da dentina
Authors: Sobral-Souza Danielle Ferreira , Garcia Raíssa Manoel , Vieira Maryana Oliveira Siqueira , Ferraz Laura Nobre , Aguiar Flávio Henrique Baggio , Lima Débora Alves Nunes Leite
Published: December 2021

Objetivos: Avaliar in vitro o efeito de dentifrícios branqueadores contendo diferentes princípios ativos nas propriedades físicas do esmalte e dentina. Métodos: Foram utilizados 120 blocos de esmalte e 120 de dentina de incisivos bovinos divididos aleatoriamente em 10 grupos (n=12): Água destilada (Controle); Colgate Máxima Proteção Anticáries (CMPA); Colgate Total 12 Whitening Profissional (CTWP); Colgate Luminous White Brilliant (CLWb); Colgate Luminous White Instant (CLWi); Colgate Luminous White Advanced (CLWa); Curaprox Black (CB); Closeup Diamond Attraction (CDA); Oral-B 3D White Perfection (OWP); e Sensodyne Repair & Protect Whitening (SRPW). Os espécimes foram submetidos a 834 ciclos de escovação mecânica, com slurry (proporção 1:3). Foram realizadas análises de cor (ΔL, Δa, Δb, ΔE*ab), microdureza Knoop (KHN) e rugosidade superficial (Ra) nos tempos inicial (T1 ), 24h (T2) e um mês após a escovação (T3). KHN e Ra foram analisados por modelos mistos de medidas repetidas e teste de Tukey-Kramer. ΔE*ab foi analisado por modelos lineares generalizados; para ΔL, Δa, e Δb, utilizou-se Kruskal-Wallis e Dunn. Foi considerado =0,05 em todas as análises. Resultados: Em esmalte: SRPW apresentou aumento de KHN em T2 e T3. CLWi apresentou valor de Ra significativamente maior, não diferindo de CTWP (p>0,05). Em dentina: todos os dentifrícios reduziram KHN em T2. Para os resultados de ΔL, Δa, Δb e ΔE*ab, não houve diferença significativa para esmalte e dentina. Conclusões: CB e OWP afetaram negativamente a microdureza, enquanto que CLWi afetou a rugosidade do esmalte. Todos os dentifrícios testados diminuíram a microdureza e elevaram a rugosidade da dentina. Nenhum dos dentifrícios promoveu alteração de cor.
Quando devemos fazer a manutenção ou substituir os equipamentos fotoativadores?
Authors: Shimokawa Carlos Alberto Kenji , Giannini Marcelo
Published: December 2021

Após escolher nossos equipamentos fotoativadores, com base em tudo o que já foi discutido nesta coluna, devemos nos atentar à manutenção e à possível necessidade de substituição desses equipamentos. Os equipamentos fotoativadores possuem diferentes características, e alguns deles emitem luz de forma mais homogênea e com uma emitância mais adequada para a polimerização de materiais resinosos , mas essas características precisam se manter ao longo do tempo.
Effect of Spinning Triangle and Production Speed of Hollow-Spindle System on the Bouclé Yarn Structure
Authors: Alshukur Malek
Published: December 2021

This study aims to show the impact of both the width of the base of the spinning triangle and the production speeds of hollow-spindle spinning machines on the structure of ultimate multiple-thread-structure bouclé yarns and similar fancy yarns. A hollow-spindle spinning machine was used and bouclé yarns were made of a core thread, an effect thread and a (multifilament) binder. Initially, five bouclé yarns were made by setting the widths of the base of the spinning triangle at five levels, i.e. 4.5 mm, 7.5 mm, 10 mm, 13 mm and 16 mm. A further six bouclé yarns were made to show the changes that occur to the spinning triangle at various production speeds. The resulting fancy bouclé yarns were assessed by measuring the size, number and circularity ratio of bouclé profiles. It was found that at low production speeds, i.e. at start-up, that the spinning triangle was unstable, which adversely affected the structure of the final bouclé yarns. However, at production speeds higher than 17 m/min, the spinning triangle became stable, though such a stable spinning triangle had no impact on the structure of the resulting fancy bouclé yarns. The results of this study may help fancy yarn manufacturers to avoid making defective fancy yarns.
La violencia sexual a la luz de la ley de justicia y paz: Conceptualización y elementos para su estudio
Authors: Naranjo Álvarez Jorge
Published: December 2021

El artículo aborda el fenómeno de violencia sexual en el marco de la aplicación de la Ley 975 de2005, llamada Ley de justicia y paz, y las reformas relacionadas. Se examinan sus disposiciones a laluz de los documentos más relevantes del derecho internacional humanitario y normativa nacionalsobre la protección y la garantía de los derechos de las mujeres, para establecer los mecanismosenfocados a la obtención de verdad, justicia y reparación de las víctimas de violencia sexual. Másadelante se determinan los obstáculos que impiden el acceso a la justicia y la reparación de estacategoría especial de víctimas; en las conclusiones se proponen algunas alternativas para superarlos.
Impact of Value Added Tax to Enugu’s Economy
Authors: GONZALES MARIA LUISA , ODE FRIDAY
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACT

          Value-added tax is everywhere; it is in the most of goods and services we purchase. Take for instance; when we go to the salon to get our hair done, when we gas up our car, vat is also included in what we pay.  In the Philippines, the value-added tax is a form of sales tax. It is a tax on the consumption levied on the sale, barter exchange, or lease of goods, properties, and services in the Philippines, and on importation of goods into the country, it is an indirect tax that may be shifted or passed into the buyer transferring lease of goods, properties or services. While in Nigeria, VAT is a Federal Government Tax that is administered using the existing machinery of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS). This study assessed the impact of value-added tax on Enugu Nigeria’s Economy, specifically to Government, Business Organizations, and Consumers, the problems identified, significant relationships, and the solutions recommended. The findings revealed that VAT has a significant impact on business organizations and consumers but positively on the part of the government. Recommendation for the improvement is for the consumer with low average earnings should be exempted in paying the VAT provided however, criteria must be set to exempt them in VAT.

Keyword: Social Sciences, Impact, Value added Tax, Revenue, descriptive research design, Philippines
Editorial
Authors: Adamczak-Krysztofowicz Sylwia , Szczepaniak-Kozak Anna
Published: December 2021

Editorial
Second language learning for vulnerable adult migrants: The case of the Italian public school
Authors: Deiana Igor , Spina Stefania
Published: December 2021

Over the last years, thousands of asylum seekers and refugees have arrived in Italy, including a large number of teenagers without any adult caregivers and women. A significant part of them is placed in the Italian language courses for foreigners organised by the Provincial Centre for Adult Education, commonly called CPIA (Centro Provinciale per l’Istruzione degli Adulti). This paper addresses the exploration of the language testing and assessment of the courses organized by this institution. With the aim of evaluating these aspects, the paper concentrates on the CPIA, its teachers, and its students. Focusing on CPIA’s language courses, we investigate the language testing and assessment carried out at the beginning and at the end of the language courses. Thanks to these observations, the paper tries to identify some critical aspects and to understand their causes.
Entwicklung der Verbstellung beim fortgeschrittenen Erwerb des Deutschen als Fremdsprache
Authors: Długosz Kamil
Published: December 2021

This article investigates the acquisition of verb placement in German as a foreign language at an advanced stage of development. The main objective of the investigation is to analyse written and spoken language production in terms of the use of subject-verb-inversion, verbal bracket, and verb-final placement in subordinate clauses. The results reveal a discrepancy between written and spoken language production with respect to correct usage of the verb placement rules. While correctness in the written production task exceeded 97% for all phenomena, the oral translation task generated less correct sentences, but only for inversion and verb-final placement. The non-target usage of inversion and verb-final pattern in spoken production points to processing problems when translating from Polish into German, which are further confirmed by lower accuracy for these two phenomena. At the moment of testing, the verbal bracket has already been acquired, which is in line with the universal developmental sequence in the acquisition of German syntax.
Conference report: Academic conference “Perspektywy kształcenia nauczycieli języków specjalistycznych w Polsce” (Perspectives on educating LSP teachers in Poland), Institute of Applied Linguistics of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 20th October 2020
Authors: KRAWIEC MAREK
Published: December 2021

Conference report: Academic conference “Perspektywy kształcenia nauczycieli języków specjalistycznych w Polsce” (Perspectives on educating LSP teachers in Poland), Institute of Applied Linguistics of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 20th October 2020.
Gorzkie kino. O Okupacji w 26 obrazach Lordana Zafranovicia
Authors: Hendrykowski Marek
Published: December 2021

Analysis and interpretation of the film fresque made by Croatian director Lordan Zafranović (1978), a masterpiece of European art cinema of 70s. Marek Hendrykowski’s study describes relationship between poetics of experience and aesthetics of shock. It also expresses the importance of mythical perspective (Babel Tower) and its meaning as the factor of common consciousness in keeping memory of the past in art and life of contemporary societies.
Dziedzictwo kulturowe na Bałkanach. Pomiędzy prawosławiem a islamem
Authors: Dębowczyk Małgorzata
Published: December 2021

Lektury. Poza tematem
Bezradność słów. Ante Kesicia „fikcja” o Zagładzie
Authors: Czerwiński Maciej
Published: December 2021

In the article one book written by the Croatian author, Ante Kesić, is taken into consideration. The novel Black Snow, published in 1957, narrates about a Slovenian young woman, Breda, who was caught by the Germans in Ljubljana (for her contacts with communist partisans) and sent to the Dachau Concentration Camp. Although not of Jewish origins she encounters the Holocaust of the Jews in the camp and gets pregnant with a Jewish artist. The novel conceptualizes tragedy of war and the Holocaust in a very experimental way, by using a range of modernist, avant-garde or even surrealist literary techniques. The author attempts to invent a new language with a new grammar that would enable to express something that is not expressible.
Comparison of different autoanalyzers for the determination of lymphocyte and neutrophil counts in mouse blood
Authors: Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Gohil Dievya , Panigrahi Girish Ch. , Vaykar Swati , Rane Pallavi , Chavan Preeti , Gota Vikram
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Autoanalyzers are used in clinical haematology for analysis of blood samples in clinical as well as in nonclinical studies. The results from these analyzers vary from machine to machine. In this study, we compared the lymphocyte and neutrophil count of mouse blood between ADVIA 2120i, Horiba Yumizen H2500 and CellaVision analyzers against manual counting as gold standard.

Methods

Blood samples from 28 female BALB/c mice were collected and analyzed. Agreement between different autoanalyzers and manual counting were determined by Bland–Altman method.

Results

A high level of agreement was found between CellaVision and manual technique for lymphocyte (bias=4.75, 95% limits of agreement −14 to 24) and neutrophil count (bias=0.68 [−17 to 19]). Agreement in lymphocyte count was also observed between ADVIA and manual counting, but to a lesser extent compared to CellaVision (bias=13.9 [−10.45 to 38.27]). However, no agreement was observed for ADVIA (Neutrophils), Horiba (lymphocytes and neutrophils) with manual counting.

Conclusions

Our data suggests that CellaVision could be used for the differential counting of neutrophil and lymphocytes in mouse blood sample.
Influence of GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genetic polymorphisms on disorders in transplant patients: a systematic review
Authors: Pita-Oliveira Murilo , Rodrigues-Soares Fernanda
Published: December 2021

The glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzymes are phase II isoenzymes responsible for protection against free radicals and xenobiotics. Since these proteins are described as polymorphic, polymorphisms in genes that encode them may alter enzymatic function and contribute to oxidative stress. In this context, such polymorphisms were already associated with several diseases and multiple therapeutic outcomes. A systematic review was performed to evaluate studies regarding the association between polymorphisms in three genes encoding enzymes of the GST family – GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 – and disorders in transplant patients. A total of 125 articles on which inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied were identified at PubMed database. Thirty-two studies met the target criteria and were included in the review. The mechanisms by which GST genotypes influence the development of disorders in transplant patients differ by disorder: they may participate in it by decreasing metabolism of drugs administered to patients undergoing transplantation, then exposing them to greater toxicity; by decreasing the repair ability against oxidative stress; or by encoding proteins that may be recognized as foreign, setting of an alloimmune reaction. Although some results are better established – such as GSTM1 null genotype’s role in the development of toxicity events in transplant patients – others require further evidences, as GST influence on the development of pulmonary decline and posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM). The importance of investigating these associations lies in a personalized medicine, in which the high-risk genotype patient has its treatment individualized and its care for prophylaxis and surveillance increased, potentially reducing this population’s morbimortality.
Religion as Political Tribalism
Authors: Campbell David E.
Published: December 2021

Is religion a form of political tribalism? Conventional wisdom suggests it is. Discussion of religion and American politics generally focuses on the “God Gap”—the tendency for religious Americans to vote Republican, while the non-religious vote Democratic. However, there is also reason to argue that religion cannot be reduced to political tribalism. The God Gap is found mostly among white voters; among people of color, religiosity is a far weaker predictor of the vote. Even among white voters, the size of the God Gap varies across different religious traditions. Furthermore, there is more nuance to the non-religious population than suggested by the standard account of the God Gap. When the analysis includes the full scope of the American religious landscape, religion is not as “tribal” as conventional wisdom suggests.
Optimal control for dengue eradication program under the media awareness effect
Authors: Aldila Dipo
Published: December 2021

In this article, a mathematical model is proposed to assess the effects of media awareness on dengue eradication programs. First, the existence and local stability of equilibrium points are discussed using the concept of the basic reproduction number. Using the center-manifold theorem, it is shown that the proposed model always undergoes a forward bifurcation at the basic reproduction number equal to unity. It is observed that the high-intensity media awareness could reduce the size of the endemic equilibrium. Based on local sensitivity analysis, we identify the three most sensitive parameters, namely the natural death rate of mosquito (μ

v
), infection rates (β

h1, β

v1), and hospitalization rate (η). Hence, control variables need to be introduced to increase/reduce these parameters. In this article, we use three different control variables, namely the media campaign, (u
1(t)), to reduce infection rates, additional hospitalization rate, (u
2(t)), and fumigation rate, (u
3(t)), to increase mosquitoes death rate. Pontryagin’s maximum principle is used to determine the optimal conditions. Some numerical simulations are performed to describe a possible scenario in the field. Cost effectiveness analysis is then conducted to determine the best strategy for the dengue eradication program. We conclude that a combination of media campaigns and fumigation is the most effective strategy to prevent a significant increase in the number of infected individuals.
Modeling Qualitative Outcomes by Supplementing Participant Data with General Population Data: A New and More Versatile Approach
Authors: Erard Brian
Published: December 2021

Although one often has detailed information about participants in a program, the lack of comparable information on non-participants precludes standard qualitative choice estimation. This challenge can be overcome by incorporating a supplementary sample of covariate values from the general population. This paper presents new estimators based on this sampling strategy, which perform comparably to the best existing supplementary sampling estimators. The key advantage of the new estimators is that they readily incorporate sample weights, so that they can be applied to Census surveys and other supplementary data sources that have been generated using complex sample designs. This substantially widens the range of problems that can be addressed under a supplementary sampling estimation framework. The potential for improving precision by incorporating imperfect knowledge of the population prevalence rate is also explored.
Geoarchaeological and Paleo-Hydrological Overview of the Central-Western Mediterranean Early Neolithic Human–Environment Interactions
Authors: Berger Jean-Francois
Published: December 2021

Climate change is still a subject of debate for archaeologist-neolithicists. Its exact chronology, internal pattern, variations in space and time, and impacts on sites and ecosystems and on coastal dynamic and river systems have yet to be assessed. Only a strict comparative approach at high chronological resolution will allow us to make progress on the causality of the socio-environmental processes at work during Neolithisation. Post-depositional impacts on the Early Neolithic hidden reserve also remain underestimated, which has led to the perpetuation of terms such as “Macedonian desert” and “archaeological silence” in the literature on the Neolithic. Off-site geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental approaches provide some answers to these questions and opens up new research perspectives.
Slavery versus Labor
Authors: Dari-Mattiacci Giuseppe , de Oliveira Guilherme
Published: December 2021

Slavery has been a long-lasting and often endemic problem across time and space, and has commonly coexisted with a free-labor market. To understand (and possibly eradicate) slavery, one needs to unpack its relationship with free labor. Under what conditions would a principal choose to buy a slave rather than to hire a free worker? First, slaves cannot leave at will, which reduces turnover costs; second, slaves can be subjected to physical punishments, which reduces enforcement costs. In complex tasks, relation-specific investments are responsible for high turnover costs, which makes principals prefer slaves over workers. At the other end of the spectrum, in simple tasks, the threat of physical punishment is a relatively cheap way to produce incentives as compared to rewards, because effort is easy to monitor, which again makes slaves the cheaper alternative. The resulting equilibrium price in the market for slaves affects demand in the labor market and induces principals to hire workers for tasks of intermediate complexity. The available historical evidence is consistent with this pattern. Our analysis sheds light on cross-society differences in the use of slaves, on diachronic trends, and on the effects of current anti-slavery policies.
The orthorhombic-to-monoclinic phase transition in NbCrP – Peierls distortion of the chromium chain
Authors: Paulsen Christian , Kösters Jutta , Seidel Stefan , Kuwata Yoshiki , Kotegawa Hisashi , Tou Hideki , Sugawara Hitoshi , Harima Hisatomo , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: December 2021

The equiatomic metal-rich phosphide NbCrP shows a structural phase transition around 125 K. The structures of the high- and low-temperature modifications were refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data of an un-twinned crystal: TiNiSi type, Pnma, a = 619.80(2), b = 353.74(4), c = 735.24(6) pm, wR = 0.0706, 288 F
2 values, 20 variables at 240 K and P121/c1, a = 630.59(3), b = 739.64(4), c = 933.09(5) pm, β = 132.491(6)°, wR = 0.0531, 1007 F
2 values, 57 variables at 90 K. The structural phase transition is of a classical Peierls type. The equidistant chromium chain in HT-NbCrP (353.7 pm Cr–Cr) splits pairwise into shorter (315.2 pm) and longer (373.2 pm) Cr–Cr distances. This goes along with a strengthening of Cr–P bonding. The superstructure formation is discussed on the basis of a group–subgroup scheme. Electronic structure calculations show a lifting of band degeneracy. Protection of the non-symmorphic symmetry of space group Pnma is crucial for the phase transition. The estimated charge modulation is consistent with the interpretation as Peierls transition.
A Review of Factors Influencing Rolling Shear in CLT and Test Methodology
Authors: Kumar Chandan , Li Xin , Subhani Mahbube , Shanks Jon , Dakin Tony , McGavin Robert L. , Ashraf Mahmud
Published: December 2021

Rolling shear (RS) is one of the key design parameters that influence the out-of-plane bending stiffness of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and thus affects the design and performance of CLT floor and wall systems. Various experimental methods are currently used to determine the RS capacity of CLT panels and feedstock. Some methods have been adapted to measure RS properties of clear wood such as Iosipescu, Arcan, and single cube apparatus, but there is no specific standard test method to accurately determine the RS stiffness or strength of CLT feedstock. This article presents a comprehensive review of potential RS test methods and highlights the importance of considering RS in CLT design. Test methods were thoroughly reviewed, and critically evaluated for their relative advantages and shortcomings. It was shown that sample preparation, testing procedure, and post-processing of results can significantly affect experimental outcomes, especially the RS modulus. It is recommended that in addition to current recommendations in CEN - EN 408, Timber Structures – Structural Timber and Glued Laminated Timber – Determination of Some Physical and Mechanical Properties, further specifications should be outlined in regards to plate material and type, glue type, and, more importantly, the relative location of reference points used for deformation measurement to ensure consistent and reliable comparison of RS characteristics reported by researchers. An equation was derived, and is presented, that ensures the vertical load passes through the centroid of the inclined specimen to avoid eccentricity in the specimen and moment transfer at the base of the plates. The effect of various factors on RS properties have been reviewed.