bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A construção do ideário republicano: a vida ativa e a defesa da liberdade
Authors: Silva Elivanda de Oliveira
Published: August 2018

O principal objetivo deste texto é  compreender os conceitos fundamentais que constituíram o que hoje chamamos de tradição republicana e cotejá-los com o sentido de política que fundamenta as atuais sociedades democráticas liberais.  A proposta tem como percurso teórico a análise de um conjunto de temas políticos que serviram de alicerce para a construção do ideário republicano que os estudiosos contemporâneos chamarão de Republicanismo.
A normatividade da teoria republicana da justiça
Authors: Neto Alberto Paulo
Published: August 2018

O fundamento normativo da concepção republicana de justiça é a liberdade como não-dominação. Esse conceito de liberdade política compreende as relações sociais em igualdade de poder. A não-dominação representa a condição social de não estar submisso a capacidade de interferência arbitrária de outrem. A liberdade republicana pressupõe o desenvolvimento das capacidades humanas em sua plenitude. O potencial de desenvolvimento das capacidades humanas deve ser protegido pela estrutura jurídica do Estado. O Estado tem a função de equiparar os desníveis de bens e recursos dos indivíduos com a sua estrutura institucional. Ele atua para oferecer as condições necessárias, os direitos e as liberdades básicas, aos indivíduos em sua vida social e política. A perspectiva republicana de Philip Pettit enseja realizar a dedução normativa da liberdade republicana e demonstrar que a teoria da justiça tem que pressupor os recursos necessários para o desenvolvimento da vida humana em sua condição de igualdade e liberdade. A estruturação democrática da sociedade pressupõe o estabelecimento de relações sociais que se caracterizem pelo status social de não-dominação.
A noção de racionalismo aplicado na obra de Gastón Bachelard
Authors: Sá Jonivan de
Published: August 2018

O seguinte trabalho buscará revisitar a noção de racionalismo aplicado na obra epistemológica de Gaston Bachelard. Mais precisamente, analisar separadamente os elementos que constituem tal noção, inserida no livro de mesmo nome. Nesse sentido, explorará elementos como: filosofia dialogada, racionalismos regionais, vigilância intelectual de si, dentre outros, tendo em vista contribuir para os debates acerca da relevância da obra epistemológica do autor, assim como, para os debates em epistemologia histórica, de uma forma ampla. O trabalho ainda inclui proposições pontuais acerca da construção de interfaces entre o pensamento epistemológico de Bachelard e temas como educação e política.
Observações sobre a filosofia da matemática de Ludwig Wittgenstein
Authors: Silva Gustavo Augusto Fonseca
Published: August 2018

No ensaio “Wittgenstein on mathematics”, publicado no Oxford Handbook of Wittgenstein, Michael Potter procura não apenas analisar por que a filosofia da matemática de Wittgenstein é tão controvertida entre filósofos e matemáticos como justificar essa situação. Com esse intuito, Potter enfatiza o caráter inacabado das reflexões de Wittgenstein sobre a matemática. Neste artigo, tem-se por objetivo explicitar algumas inconsistências e contradições no pensamento matemático de Wittgenstein que ratificam as críticas que esse autor vem recebendo há décadas, mas que não tiveram a mesma atenção dos especialistas que os comentários de Wittgenstein sobre os teoremas da incompletude de Kurt Gödel e suas discussões com Alan Turing sobre os fundamentos da matemática.
Ensino superior e os paradigmas da política neoliberal
Authors: Melo Hebert de
Published: August 2018

Este artigo científico procurou investigar o processo de adaptação da Universidade Brasileira aos novos paradigmas impostos pelas políticas neoliberais. A análise se faz a partir de breve histórico do liberalismo e de suas imbricações no ensino. Apontando também a relativização da suposta democratização e modernização do ensino pelas novas perspectivas impostas pelo mercado. São levantadas também questões como autonomia universitária e legitimação da instituição de ensino superior.
Das aproximações de Kuhn com Wittgenstein
Authors: Soares Jean D.
Published: August 2018

O presente artigo trabalha com dois autores que oferecem importantes contribuições para seus respectivos campos de estudo. Porém algo mais os aproxima: pretendemos apresentar os parentescos possíveis entre a Filosofia da Ciência desenvolvida por Thomas S. Kuhn e a Filosofia da Linguagem de Ludwig Wittgenstein. Cumpre, de início, apresentar rapidamente os conceitos fundamentais da Filosofia de Wittgenstein, notadamente ao que se refere a segunda parte de seus trabalhos, e dados biográficos que são relevantes para o entendimento de sua obra. De maneira sumária, fazer o mesmo sobre os trabalhos de Kuhn (restringindo-os ao período que se estende até 1969, quando, oficialmente revê os conceitos da Estrutura das Revoluções Científicas) para, finalmente, dadas as condições precedentes, fazer aparecer aproximações deste com os trabalhos de Wittgenstein.
O sofrimento (pathos) enquanto condição para a existência: uma leitura em Kierkegaard
Authors: Silva Marcos da Silva e
Published: August 2018

A dissertação tem por tema o conceito de Pathos na filosofia de Kierkegaard. Ressalta a importância da paixão (pathos) pelo Absoluto relacionado ao sofrimento (pathos) nos diferentes modos de existência: estético, ético e religioso. O sofrimento, vivido em profundidade, é entendido pelo dinamarquês como condição necessária para que o homem se torne um “indivíduo” e possa, assim, relacionar-se ao “Inteiramente Outro”.
O anti-realismo na filosofia da física de Werner Heisenberg: da potentia aristotélica ao formalismo puro
Authors: Silva Vinicius Carvalho da
Published: August 2018

Qual a Filosofia da Natureza que podemos inferir da Física Contemporânea? Para Werner Karl Heisenberg, prêmio Nobel de Física de 1932, a ontologia da Ciência Moderna, estruturada no materialismo, no mecanicismo e no determinismo já não pode servir de fundamento para a nova Física. Esta requer uma nova base ontológica, onde o anti-realismo, seguido de um formalismo puro, aparece como o princípio basilar de uma nova Filosofia Natural.
Denegrindo a filosofia: o pensamento como coreografia de conceitos afroperspectivistas
Authors: Noguera Renato
Published: August 2018

Partindo da ideia de Deleuze que filosofia é criar conceitos, este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar a filosofia afroperspectivista, criando conceitos para articular  ensino de filosofia e a educação das relações etnicorraciais. O conceito de denegrir trabalha para problematizar o nascimento da filosofia na busca por uma nova coreografia do pensamento.
O sujeito político: entre razão e subjetividade
Authors: Silva Rita de Cássia Ferreira Lins e
Published: August 2018

Pretende-se centrar um argumento em torno da constituição do sujeito político a partir da reflexão desenvolvida por Rousseau impressa na vontade geral. A leitura que aqui se faz é no sentido da incorporação das noções traçadas pelo filósofo que permitem um delineamento da subjetividade enquanto elemento essencial à formação do político numa perspectiva da relação do ‘Eu’ com o ‘Outro’. Perspectiva que perpassa pelo entendimento que o autor expõe acerca da razão e dos sentimentos de humanidade e virtude em contraposição à conjugação restrita entre razão e individualidade. De modo que, o desenvolvimento desta discussão vem corroborar e potencializar um entendimento sobre a vontade geral não consubstanciada numa unidade substancial do sujeito, mas no reconhecimento da existência de um ‘Outro’ materializado numa vontade reciprocamente expressa e, portanto, reconhecida enquanto vontade política.
O que houve com o sujeito histórico na arqueologia de Michel Foucault? um debate com Sartre e a tradição
Authors: Baltazar Tiago Hercílio
Published: August 2018

Jean-Paul Sartre e Michel Foucault travaram acirrado debate em torno de suas concepções acerca do que é a História. No presente artigo examinaremos o debate entre esses dois autores privilegiando as contribuições que fizeram a partir de suas obras principais nos anos 60.  Na Crítica da Razão Dialética Sartre explicita uma noção de História que tem como perspectiva geral a superação e a transformação de estruturas pela práxis humana, determinando assim um lugar fundamental para a atividade do sujeito e de sua consciência na história entendida como processo de totalização dialética. Por outro lado, em As Palavras e as Coisas e em A Arqueologia do Saber, Foucault inscreve sua arqueologia no contexto mais geral de uma mutação epistemológica da história. Seu objetivo é defender uma prática metodológica nova, desfazendo as sujeições antropológicas que, nas suas palavras, permeiam uma concepção obsoleta de história. A partir daí compreende-se sua preocupação em desconstruir uma determinada relação entre dialética-humanismo-história como forjadora de uma “grande evolução contínua e homogênea” para onde tudo converge. Investigando em que medida esta arqueologia esteve voltada para uma contraposição com a noção de história que tem o homem como garantia, isto é, um sujeito que faz a história e garante sua continuidade, veremos que o projeto sartreano de desalienação do homem encontra seu limite, em Foucault, na forma de um projeto de historicização que visa reduzir o lugar desse sujeito transcendental. Finalmente, esses deslocamentos tornam patentes novas possibilidades para se pensar a relação entre história e filosofia.
A teoria humeana da identidade pessoal
Authors: Guzzo Fábio Augusto
Published: August 2018

Na primeira parte do artigo, apresento a infame teoria humeana da identidade pessoal. Infame porque seu próprio autor a rejeitou no Apêndice à sua obra máxima, o Tratado da Natureza Humana. Na segunda parte, apresento o Apêndice. A pergunta fundamental é: por que Hume rejeitou sua teoria inicial? Os comentadores dividem-se entre aqueles que vêem um problema menor, técnico, na explicação da crença na identidade pessoal e aqueles que vêem um problema maior, filosófico, que afetaria não só a seção “Da identidade pessoal” como todo o projeto empirista desenvolvido no Tratato da Natureza Humana. Na terceira parte, exponho alguns dos problemas (técnicos) que podem ter levado à insatisfação apresentada pelo Apêndice. Na quarta parte do artigo, exponho a interpretação ontológica, que vê no Apêndice a emergência de um problema filosófico, e tento mostrar sua implausibilidade.
Notas sobre a interpretação heideggeriana da subjetividade e do cogito cartesiano
Authors: Zanette Edgard Vinícius Cacho
Published: August 2018

A proposta do presente artigo é discutir alguns apontamentos de Heidegger acerca da questão do cogito como sujeito em Descartes, tendo em vista a compreensão cartesiana do cogito interpretado como representação ou como presença, e as possíveis contribuições que a interpretação heideggeriana pode trazer acerca da questão da subjetividade no pensamento de Descartes.
A educação filosófica é cosmológica
Authors: Schorn Remi
Published: August 2018

Toda a filosofia importante visa compreender o universo, suas relações e nosso lugar nele, é cosmológica. Enquanto entidades de conhecimentos, constituímos nossa subjetividade na imbricação com os problemas e teorias de nosso tempo. Nessa objetividade teórica comum a todos os humanos a filosofia conjectura acerca da relação entre eternidade, perenidade e transformação. Sua missão é problematizar e relacionar criticamente nossas teses com as teorias vigentes nas mais diversas formas de conhecimento particular. Trata-se de encontrar o mote relacional entre tudo o que há, verticalmente, entre o todo e as partes, e, horizontalmente buscar perceber a identidade da existência singular. Com base nisso, nossas escolas atuais necessitam de um sopro de informalidade e respeito ao que querem os estudantes, o apego ao conteúdo preestabelecido elimina a reflexividade e inibe a criatividade tornando-se desinteressante e tedioso além de desconsiderar que todos somos filósofos. As aulas de filosofia não devem ater-se ao ensino formal do que pensaram os mortos quando vivos. Trata-se de partir dos problemas que causam inquietações teóricas naqueles à quem a educação pretende atingir e alcançar a reflexão filosófica apoiando-se nas conquistas da tradição de forma que nenhum conteúdo seja apresentado como se tivesse valor em si. Desde que há filosofia ela se constituiu como resposta universalmente válidas para problemas objetivos de seu tempo.
Heidegger e Husserl: a apropriação da noção de intuição categorial pela analítica existencial
Authors: Carmo Ísis Nery do
Published: August 2018

O presente artigo tem como objetivo mostrar a leitura heideggeriana da filosofia de Edmund Husserl a partir do tema da intuição categorial desenvolvida por este último e os seus desdobramentos na própria obra de Heidegger. Defendemos a hipótese de que ao retirar a consciência da sua abordagem tradicional, isto é, ao livrá-la do psicologismo, Husserl impulsiona Heidegger na inauguração da sua fenomenologia hermenêutica, pois a consciência deixa de ser tratada como um objeto natural e tem o seu caráter ideal destacado. Desse modo, afirmamos que Heidegger, radicalizando, constrói uma interrogação que desloca o objeto da fenomenologia do campo da consciência para a existência, deixando a teoria do conhecimento, na qual se inseria Husserl, indo em direção de uma ontologia. Para tal, percorreremos por alguns conceitos centrais das Investigações Lógicas, passando em seguida para a análise dos poucos fragmentos onde Heidegger explicita a sua relação com a obra husserliana.
O estatuto ontológico das intenções sensíveis
Authors: Sousa Meline Costa
Published: August 2018

À primeira vista, a investigação psicológica de Avicenna é pouco precisa quanto ao modo pelo qual a alma se relaciona com as intenções sensíveis. Dadas algumas passagens do Kitāb al-nafs nas quais se discute a relação entre elas e a faculdade estimativa, pode-se chegar a algumas conclusões acerca do estatuto ontológica das intenções. Utilizarei os exemplos fornecidos por Avicena em I.5, II.2 e IV.1 para mostrar em quais sentidos o termo maʻnā é utilizado e se elas existem no mundo ou resultam de uma relação particular.
YÖNETİMİN BİR FONKSİYONU OLARAK DENETİM VE KAMU YÖNETİMİNDEKİ YERİ
Authors: DOĞAN Kadir Caner
Published: August 2018

Denetim,

yönetimin temel fonksiyonlarından birini oluşturmaktadır. Dolayısıyla denetim,

yönetimin sağlıklı bir biçimde işlemesi için olmaz olmaz faaliyetlerden

biridir. Ayrıca denetim, kamu veya özel sektör kökenli tüm örgütlerin yönetsel

sistemlerinde bulunan bir faaliyettir. Bu çalışmada da yönetim teorisinin

önemli saç ayaklarından birini oluşturan kamu yönetimi açısından denetimin

amacı ve öneminden bahsedilmektedir. Bu bağlamda çalışmada ilk olarak denetim

kavramı ile ilgili genel düzeyde geniş bir literatür taraması yapılmış ve daha

sonrasında da, bu bilgilerden de yararlanarak kamu yönetiminde denetimin

yöntemi, amacı, yararları ve önemi üzerinde durulmuştur.
SAVUNMANIN SİVİL GÜCÜ: STRATEJİ DEĞİŞİMİ SONRASI YENİDEN YAPILANMAYA İLİŞKİN PERSONEL ALGISI ARAŞTIRMASI
Authors: TUNÇ A. Şebnem
Published: August 2018

11 Eylül’ün

ardından uluslararası sistem değişime uğramış, bu değişim, ülkelerin tehdit

algılarını ve savunma yaklaşımlarını yeniden gözden geçirme ihtiyacını ortaya

çıkarmıştır. Savunmaya ilişkin olarak

yürütülen sivil hazırlıkların belkemiğini oluşturan savunmanın sivil gücü de bu

değişimin etkisi altında kalmıştır. Savunma

stratejisindeki değişim ülkelerin kurumsal yapılarının yeniden düzenlenmesini

gerektirmiştir. Bu çerçevede başta ABD olmak üzere Türkiye dahil pek çok

ülkenin kurumsal yapılanmasında değişim yaşanmıştır. Ülkemizde strateji

değişimi ve beraberinde yaşanan yeniden yapılanma neticesinde afet ve acil

durum hazırlıklarında önemli başarılar elde edilirken güvenlik ve savunmaya

ilişkin sivil hazırlıklarda bazı belirsizlikler ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu belirsizlikler

zaman içerisinde anılan faaliyetleri yürüten personeli de etkilemeye

başlamıştır. Çalışmada öncelikle savunma stratejisindeki değişim, bu değişim

neticesinde ABD’deki ve Türkiye’deki yeniden

yapılanma faaliyetleri incelenmiştir. Ardından Türkiye’deki değişimin personel

üzerinde yarattığı etki ve algıyı araştırmak maksadıyla yapılan saha

araştırmasının bulgularına yer verilmiştir. 
TÜRKİYE’DE YEREL OMBUDSMANLIĞIN UYGULANABİLİRLİĞİ: İTALYA YEREL OMBUDSMANLIĞI ÜZERİNDEN BİR ANALİZ
Authors: Kutlu Önder , Örselli Erhan , Kahraman Selçuk
Published: August 2018

Ombudsmanlık kurumu, her ülkenin idari yapılanması,

sosyo-kültürel özellikleri ve ihtiyaçlarına bağlı olarak ulusal, bölgesel veya

yerel olmak üzere farklı şekillerde gelişmiştir. Yerel ombudsmanlık uygulaması,

vatandaşla yerel yönetim birimleri arasında sağlıklı bir köprü kurmanın yanında,

yerel demokrasinin geliştirilmesi, yerel kamusal hizmetlerin etkin ve vatandaş

odaklı sunulması gibi birçok avantaj sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca yerel yönetimlerin

denetiminde de etkili bir araç olarak kullanılabilmektedir. Yerel

ombudsmanlığın kurulmasında ülkenin güçlü bir yerel yönetim geleneğine sahip

olması hızlandırıcı bir faktördür. Bu bağlamda çalışmanın konusu olan İtalya

örneğinde olduğu gibi, yerel ombudsmanlık uygulamalarının başarısı, esasında

yerel yönetimlerin görev, yetki ve sorumluluk bakımından güçlü bir geleneğe

sahip olmasıyla ilişkilendirilmektedir. Türkiye açısından, ulusal ombudsmanlık

uygulamasında yaşanan birtakım eksiklikler yerel ombudsmanlık uygulamalarına

geçişin kolay olmayacağı konusunda ipuçları verse de yerel ombudsmanlığa

geçişin yerel düzeyde önemli kazanımlar sağlayacağı söylenebilir. İtalya’da,

Türkiye’nin aksine, ulusal bir ombudsmanlık kurumu bulunmamaktadır. Buna karşın

bölgesel ve il ombudsmanlıkları gibi yerel ombudsmanlık pratikleri konusunda

oldukça tecrübeli bir ülke konumundadır. İtalya’da, on üç bölge ve iki özerk il

olmak üzere toplam on beş yerel ombudsmanlık mevcuttur. Çalışma kapsamında, bir

taraftan İtalya genel yönetim yapısı içinde bölgesel ve yerel ombudsmanlıkların

rol, statüsü ve müdahil oldukları alanlar ortaya konulmak suretiyle performans

ve uygulanabilirliği ele alınmaya çalışılmıştır. Diğer taraftan Türkiye’de

yalnızca ulusal düzeyde kamu denetçisi olarak varlığını sürdüren ombudsmanlık

kurumunun, mevcut merkezi ve taşra teşkilat yapılanmaları ve dünyadaki bazı

yerel ombudsmanlık uygulamaları da dikkate alınarak, yerel düzeyde

uygulanabilirliği konusundaki muhtemel problemler ile uygulamaya yönelik önerilere

yer verilmiştir.
ÜNİVERSİTELERDE MOBBİNG İLE MÜCADELE VE KURUMSALLAŞMA SORUNLARI
Authors: Kayhan Necati
Published: August 2018

Çalışma ortamının

görünmeyen risklerinden olan mobbing illetinin, basta aşırı bireyselleşme

egoizm olmak üzere örgütsel toplumsal birçok nedeni bulunmaktadır. Rekabet

merkezli küreselleşme koşullarında dünyada olduğu gibi ülkemizde de bütün

çabalara rağmen git gide yaygınlaşmaktadır. Ülkemizde her ortamda şiddet

tırmanmakla beraber özellikle psikolojik şiddet olayları daha ziyade sağlık,

üniversite vb., iş güvencesi riskinin yüksek olduğu ortamlarda, daha çok

görülmektedir. Bu gelişmelere paralel olarak toplumda mobbing mağduru kişi

sayısının başta TBMM olmak üzere resmi ve gönüllü ilgili kuruluşlarında artış

ve katılım trendi,  sorunun öneminin bir

göstergesidir. O yüzden bu konu bildiri konusu seçilmiştir. Konuya dair bugüne

kadar artan oranda yapılan araştırmalar göstermektedir ki özdenetimin, takım

ruhunun gelişmediği, görev ve sorumlulukların net oluşmadığı kurumsallaşmanın

yetersiz olduğu çalışma ortamlarında mobbing olgusu daha çok

yaşanmaktadır.  Dolayısıyla

psiko-şiddeti, örgüt kültürü ve ikliminden bağımsız düşünmek ya da tasarlamak

olası değildir. Örgüt kültürü, örgüt üyeleri tarafından kabul edilen değerler

ve normlar dizisi olarak düşünüldüğünde; sağlıklı bir değer ve norm serisi olan

örgütlerde, psiko-şiddet gibi temel insan haklarını taciz eden etik dışı

davranışlar engellenebilmektedir.  Bu

nedenle örgütlerde psiko-şiddet eğilimliler, eğer örgüt bünyesinde tutunabileceklerini

hissederlerse mobbing illeti bir virüs gibi örgüt içinde hızla

yayılabilmektedir. Dolayısıyla bir an önce kaliteli yönetim için psikolojik

şiddet riskine karşı çalışma ortamlarında farkındalık düzeyinin oluşturulması

gerekir. Aksi takdirde gerekli önlemler alınmazsa sağlıksız otoriter

nitelikteki liderlik yaklaşımlar ve tahripkâr hastalıklı birtakım tutum ve

davranışlar yüzünden nitelikli iş gören ve kurumların maddi ve manevi çöküşüne

fırsat tanınmış olunacaktır. Bu bakımdan kurumlarda mobbing ile mücadelede

izlenecek yol haritamızda temel ölçü; liyakat, adalet vb. bilim merkezli bir

yönetim anlayışının göz ardı edilmemesi olmalıdır. Nitekim marka üniversiteleri

başarıya taşıyan unsurlara bakıldığında en çok, aile tipi liderlik güvenilir

iletişim, empati ve yönetişim prensipleri sayesinde sinerjisi canlı tutulan

kaliteli çalışma ortamları ön plana çıkmaktadır.
Derivative Parameters of Hyperspectral NDVI and Its Application in the Inversion of Rapeseed Leaf Area Index
Authors: Qiu Chunrong , Liao Guiping , Tang Hongyuan , Liu Fan , Liao Xiaoyi , Zhang Rui , Zhao Zanzhong
Published: August 2018

AVNDVI (Accumulative Visible Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), a new type of derivative parameters of NDVI, was set up by improving the computational formulas and importing the spectral information of visible bands after analyzing the construction idea of NDVI and its derivative parameters. Then, the characteristic values of VNDVI (Visible NDVI) were calculated by applying a combinational method of sensitive bands of visible bands. The study carried out the fitting analysis between NDVI, VNDVI, AVNDVI, and LAI (Leaf Area Index). Several conclusions are obtained according to data analysis. Firstly, all of the determination coefficients between NDVI, VNDVI, AVNDVI, and LAI of rapeseed can reach or exceed 0.83. The distribution of their RMSE values ranges from 0.4 to 0.5 and absolute values of RE vary from 0.9% to 2.1%. Secondly, the inversion sensitivity SV of VNDVI and LAI ranges from 0.7 to 1.9 relative to NDVI, and the inversion sensitivity SA of AVNDVI decreases in varying degrees with the promotion of capacity of resisting disturbance accordingly. Its value varies from 0.1 to 0.9. Thirdly, the values of SA remain stable between 0.1 and 0.3 with the increase of NDVI. Applying the inversion model of AVNDVI will be a considerable scheme when faced with a complex environment and many interfering factors.
Host Response and Neo-Tissue Development during Resorption of a Fast Degrading Supramolecular Electrospun Arterial Scaffold
Authors: Duijvelshoff Renee , Van Engeland Nicole C. A. , Gabriels Karen M. R. , Söntjens Serge H. M. , Smits Anthal I. P. M. , Dankers Patricia Y. W. , Bouten Carlijn V. C.
Published: August 2018

In situ vascular tissue engineering aims to regenerate vessels “at the target site” using synthetic scaffolds that are capable of inducing endogenous regeneration. Critical to the success of this approach is a fine balance between functional neo-tissue formation and scaffold degradation. Circulating immune cells are important regulators of this process as they drive the host response to the scaffold and they play a central role in scaffold resorption. Despite the progress made with synthetic scaffolds, little is known about the host response and neo-tissue development during and after scaffold resorption. In this study, we designed a fast-degrading biodegradable supramolecular scaffold for arterial applications and evaluated this development in vivo. Bisurea-modified polycaprolactone (PCL2000-U4U) was electrospun in tubular scaffolds and shielded by non-degradable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene in order to restrict transmural and transanastomotic cell ingrowth. In addition, this shield prevented graft failure, permitting the study of neo-tissue and host response development after degradation. Scaffolds were implanted in 60 healthy male Lewis rats as an interposition graft into the abdominal aorta and explanted at different time points up to 56 days after implantation to monitor sequential cell infiltration, differentiation, and tissue formation in the scaffold. Endogenous tissue formation started with an acute immune response, followed by a dominant presence of pro-inflammatory macrophages during the first 28 days. Next, a shift towards tissue-producing cells was observed, with a striking increase in α-Smooth Muscle Actin-positive cells and extracellular matrix by day 56. At that time, the scaffold was resorbed and immune markers were low. These results suggest that neo-tissue formation was still in progress, while the host response became quiescent, favoring a regenerative tissue outcome. Future studies should confirm long-term tissue homeostasis, but require the strengthening of the supramolecular scaffold if a non-shielded model will be used.
On Eccentricity-Based Topological Indices Study of a Class of Porphyrin-Cored Dendrimers
Authors: Gao Wei , Iqbal Zahid , Ishaq Muhammad , Sarfraz Rabia , Aamir Muhammad , Aslam Adnan
Published: August 2018

It is revealed from the previous studies that there is a strong relation between the chemical characteristic of a chemical compound and its molecular structure. Topological indices defined on the molecular structure of biomolecules can help to gain a better understanding of their physical features and biological activities. Eccentricity connectivity indices are distance-based molecular structure descriptors that have been used for the mathematical modeling of biological activities of diverse nature. As the porphyrin has photofunctional properties, such as a large absorption cross-section, fluorescence emission, and photosensitizing properties, due to these properties, porphyrin dendrimers can be used as photofunctional nanodevices. In this paper, we compute the exact formulae of different versions of eccentric connectivity index and their corresponding polynomials for a class of porphyrin-cored dendrimers. The results obtained can be used in computer-aided molecular design methods applied to pharmaceutical engineering.
Emerging Medical Treatments for Meningioma in the Molecular Era
Authors: Nigim Fares , Wakimoto Hiroaki , Kasper Ekkehard M. , Ackermans Linda , Temel Yasin
Published: August 2018

Meningiomas are the most common type of primary central nervous system tumors. Approximately, 80% of meningiomas are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as grade I, and 20% of these tumors are grade II and III, considered high-grade meningiomas (HGMs). Clinical control of HGMs, as well as meningiomas that relapse after surgery, and radiation therapy is difficult, and novel therapeutic approaches are necessary. However, traditional chemotherapies, interferons, hormonal therapies, and other targeted therapies have so far failed to provide clinical benefit. During the last several years, next generation sequencing has dissected the genetic heterogeneity of meningioma and enriched our knowledge about distinct oncogenic pathways driving different subtypes of meningiomas, opening up a door to new personalized targeted therapies. Molecular classification of meningioma allows a new design of clinical trials that assign patients to corresponding targeted agents based on the tumor genetic subtypes. In this review, we will shed light on emerging medical treatments of meningiomas with a particular focus on the new targets identified with genomic sequencing that have led to clinical trials testing novel compounds. Moreover, we present recent development of patient-derived preclinical models that provide platforms for assessing targeted therapies as well as strategies with novel mechanism of action such as oncolytic viruses.
Association of NF-κB and AP-1 with MMP-9 Overexpression in 2-Chloroethanol Exposed Rat Astrocytes
Authors: Wang Tong , Jin Xiaoxia , Liao Yingjun , Sun Qi , Luo Chaohong , Wang Gaoyang , Zhao Fenghong , Jin Yaping
Published: August 2018

Subacute poisoning of 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) has become a serious occupational problem in China, and brain edema is its main pathological consequence, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. As the metabolite of 1,2-DCE, 2-chloroethanol (2-CE) is more reactive, and might play an important role in the toxic effects of 1,2-DCE. In our previous studies, we found that matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) expression was enhanced in mouse brains upon treatment with 1,2-DCE, and in rat astrocytes exposed to 2-CE. In the present study, we analyzed the association of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) with MMP-9 overexpression in astrocytes treated with 2-CE. MMP-9, p65, c-Jun, and c-Fos were significantly upregulated by 2-CE treatment, which also enhanced phosphorylation of c-Jun, c-Fos and inhibitor of κBα (IκBα), and nuclear translocation of p65. Furthermore, inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and AP-1 activity with the specific inhibitors could attenuate MMP-9 overexpression in the cells. On the other hand, inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway suppressed the activation of both NF-κB and AP-1 in 2-CE-treated astrocytes. In conclusion, MMP-9 overexpression induced by 2-CE in astrocytes could be mediated at least in part through the p38 signaling pathway via activation of both NF-κB and AP-1. This study might provide novel clues for clarifying the mechanisms underlying 1,2-DCE associated cerebral edema.
Overexpression of GRB2 Enhances Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition of A549 Cells by Upregulating SNAIL Expression
Authors: Mitra Payal , Kalailingam Pazhanichamy , Tan Hui Bing , Thanabalu Thirumaran
Published: August 2018

GRB2 is an adaptor protein which interacts with phosphorylated TGF-β receptor and is critical for mammary tumour growth. We found that TGF-β1-induced EMT increased GRB2 expression in A549 cells (non-small cell lung cancer). Overexpression of GRB2 (A549GRB2) enhanced cell invasion while knocking down GRB2 (A549GRB2KD) reduced cell migration and invasion, probably due to increased vinculin and reduced Paxillin patches in A549GRB2KD cell. TGF-β1-induced EMT was more pronounced in A549GRB2 cells and attenuated in A549GRB2KD cells. This could be due to the reduced expression of E-cadherin in A549GRB2 and increased expression of E-cadherin in A549GRB2KD cells, even before TGF-β1 stimulation. Expression of SNAIL was elevated in A549GRB2 cells and was further enhanced by TGF-β1 stimulation, suggesting that GRB2 down-regulates E-cadherin by enhancing the expression of SNAIL. The N-SH3 domain of GRB2 was critical for suppressing E-cadherin expression, while the C-SH3 domain of GRB2 mediating interaction with proteins such as N-WASP was critical for promoting invasion, and the SH2 domain was critical for suppressing E-cadherin expression and invasion. Thus, our data suggests that GRB2 enhances EMT by suppressing E-cadherin expression and promoting invasion probably through N-WASP to promote metastasis.
Effects of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Amphibians: A Review of Experimental Studies
Authors: Blaustein Andrew R. , Urbina Jenny , Snyder Paul W. , Reynolds Emily , Dang Trang , Hoverman Jason T. , Han Barbara , Olson Deanna H. , Searle Catherine , Hambalek Natalie M.
Published: August 2018

Numerous factors are contributing to the loss of biodiversity. These include complex effects of multiple abiotic and biotic stressors that may drive population losses. These losses are especially illustrated by amphibians, whose populations are declining worldwide. The causes of amphibian population declines are multifaceted and context-dependent. One major factor affecting amphibian populations is emerging infectious disease. Several pathogens and their associated diseases are especially significant contributors to amphibian population declines. These include the fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans, and ranaviruses. In this review, we assess the effects of these three pathogens on amphibian hosts as found through experimental studies. Such studies offer valuable insights to the causal factors underpinning broad patterns reported through observational studies. We summarize key findings from experimental studies in the laboratory, in mesocosms, and from the field. We also summarize experiments that explore the interactive effects of these pathogens with other contributors of amphibian population declines. Though well-designed experimental studies are critical for understanding the impacts of disease, inconsistencies in experimental methodologies limit our ability to form comparisons and conclusions. Studies of the three pathogens we focus on show that host susceptibility varies with such factors as species, host age, life history stage, population and biotic (e.g., presence of competitors, predators) and abiotic conditions (e.g., temperature, presence of contaminants), as well as the strain and dose of the pathogen, to which hosts are exposed. Our findings suggest the importance of implementing standard protocols and reporting for experimental studies of amphibian disease.
Design and Fabrication of Absorptive/Reflective Crossed CPC PV/T System
Authors: Aykapadathu Muhsin , Nazarinia Mehdi , Sellami Nazmi
Published: August 2018

A crossed compound parabolic concentrator (CCPC) is a non-imaging concentrator which is a modified form of a circular 3D compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) obtained by orthogonal intersection of two 2D CPCs that have an optical efficiency in line with that of 3D CPC. The present work is about the design and fabrication of a new generation of solar concentrator: the hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/thermal absorptive/reflective CCPC module. The module has a 4× CCPC structure truncated to have a concentration of 3.6× with a half acceptance angle of 30°. Furthermore, an experimental rig was also fabricated to test the performance of the module and its feasibility in real applications such as building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV). 3D printing and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling technologies were utilized to manufacture the absorber and reflective parts of the module.
Enamel Roughness Changes after Removal of Orthodontic Adhesive
Authors: Degrazia Felipe Weidenbach , Genari Bruna , Ferrazzo Vilmar Antonio , Santos-Pinto Ary dos , Grehs Renésio Armindo
Published: August 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate enamel roughness, quality of the enamel surfaces and time duration comparing different orthodontic adhesive removal protocols. Premolars were used to test three adhesive removal methods (n = 20): five-blade carbide bur, 30-blade carbide bur, and ultrasonic diamond bur. Bracket was bonded using TransbondTM XT adhesive. Roughness with different parameters was measured before bracket bonding and after adhesive remnants removal. Micromorphological analysis of enamel surface (n = 5) was performed by SEM images and categorized in enamel damage index—“perfect”; “satisfying”; “imperfect”; and “unacceptable”. Time was measured in seconds. All removal methods caused increased roughness in relation to Ra, Rq, and Rz parameters (X axis) comparing to healthy enamel surface. Enamel surface resulted from removal using five-blade burs was scored as satisfactory. Carbide bur groups decreased the roughness values of Ra, Rq, and Rz parameters on the Y axis and enamel surface was considered unacceptable. The 30-blade group increased symmetry (Rsk) and flattening (Rku) parameters of roughness and surface was scored as unsatisfactory. Diamond bur removed adhesive in 54.8 s, faster than five-blade carbide bur. The five-blade bur group resulted in less enamel roughness than the 30-blade and diamond groups.
Enhancing of Self-Referenced Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Virtual Photon Subtraction
Authors: Zhong Hai , Wang Yijun , Wang Xudong , Liao Qin , Wu Xiaodong , Guo Ying
Published: August 2018

The scheme of the self-referenced continuous-variable quantum key distribution (SR CV-QKD) has been experimentally demonstrated. However, because of the finite dynamics of Alice’s amplitude modulator, there will be an extra excess noise that is proportional to the amplitude of the reference pulse, while the maximal transmission distance of this scheme is positively correlated with the amplitude of the reference pulse. Therefore, there is a trade-off between the maximal transmission distance and the amplitude of the reference pulse. In this paper, we propose the scheme of SR CV-QKD with virtual photon subtraction, which not only has no need for the use of a high intensity reference pulse to improve the maximal transmission distance, but also has no demand of adding complex physical operations to the original self-referenced scheme. Compared to the original scheme, our simulation results show that a considerable extension of the maximal transmission distance can be obtained when using a weak reference pulse, especially for one-photon subtraction. We also find that our scheme is sensible with the detector’s electronic noise at reception. A longer maximal transmission distance can be achieved for lower electronic noise. Moreover, our scheme has a better toleration of excess noise compared to the original self-referenced scheme, which implies the advantage of using virtual photon subtraction to increase the maximal tolerable excess noise for distant users. These results suggest that our scheme can make the SR CV-QKD from the laboratory possible for practical metropolitan area application.
Entropic Stabilization of Cas4 Protein SSO0001 Predicted with Popcoen
Authors: Goethe Martin , Fita Ignacio , Rubi J. Miguel
Published: August 2018

Popcoen is a method for configurational entropy estimation of proteins based on machine-learning. Entropy is predicted with an artificial neural network which was trained on simulation trajectories of a large set of representative proteins. Popcoen is extremely fast compared to other approaches based on the sampling of a multitude of microstates. Consequently, Popcoen can be incorporated into a large class of protein software which currently neglects configurational entropy for performance reasons. Here, we apply Popcoen to various conformations of the Cas4 protein SSO0001 of Sulfolobus solfataricus, a protein that assembles to a decamer of known toroidal shape. We provide numerical evidence that the native state (NAT) of a SSO0001 monomer has a similar structure to the protomers of the oligomer, where NAT of the monomer is stabilized mainly entropically. Due to its large amount of configurational entropy, NAT has lower free energy than alternative conformations of very low enthalpy and solvation free-energy. Hence, SSO0001 serves as an example case where neglecting configurational entropy leads to incorrect conclusion. Our results imply that no refolding of the subunits is required during oligomerization which suggests that configurational entropy is employed by nature to largely enhance the rate of assembly.
Investigation of Finite-Size 2D Ising Model with a Noisy Matrix of Spin-Spin Interactions
Authors: Kryzhanovsky Boris , Malsagov Magomed , Karandashev Iakov
Published: August 2018

We analyze changes in the thermodynamic properties of a spin system when it passes from the classical two-dimensional Ising model to the spin glass model, where spin-spin interactions are random in their values and signs. Formally, the transition reduces to a gradual change in the amplitude of the multiplicative noise (distributed uniformly with a mean equal to one) superimposed over the initial Ising matrix of interacting spins. Considering the noise, we obtain analytical expressions that are valid for lattices of finite sizes. We compare our results with the results of computer simulations performed for square N = L × L lattices with linear dimensions L = 50 ÷ 1000. We find experimentally the dependencies of the critical values (the critical temperature, the internal energy, entropy and the specific heat) as well as the dependencies of the energy of the ground state and its magnetization on the amplitude of the noise. We show that when the variance of the noise reaches one, there is a jump of the ground state from the fully correlated state to an uncorrelated state and its magnetization jumps from 1 to 0. In the same time, a phase transition that is present at a lower level of the noise disappears.
Gender Construction in Experiment-Based Biology Lessons
Authors: Kokott Kira , Lengersdorf Diana , Schlüter Kirsten
Published: August 2018

Experimental investigations are an integral part of biology education because they demonstrate essential methods of obtaining knowledge in the natural sciences and generate high levels of learning activity. However, gender differences can arise during experimentation just as in other teaching situations. This article shows examples of social gender construction that may occur in experimental work. To this end, experimental group work was recorded on video and was assessed by the method of film image sequence analysis. The video segments revealed clearly distinguishable behavioral patterns used by the students to establish an identification as a girl or boy. For example, gender-related differences referred to preferring household appliances (girls) or technical instruments (boys) when experimenting, and acting in an attentive (girls) or attention seeking way (boys) during group work. The disadvantage of these patterns is that they may restrict the unfettered development of the personality and, among other things, make it difficult for girls to feel competitive in experimental sciences. In order to balance the situation, teachers must be able to notice these patterns and must know about strategies to broaden students’ behavioral range. Concrete proposals for such strategies being applicable in biology lessons but also in other subjects are given in the discussion of this article.
Provision of Integrated Early Childhood Development in Namibia: Are We on the Right Track?
Authors: Ngololo Kamara Elizabeth , Kasanda Choshi , Van Rooy Gert
Published: August 2018

The provision of Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) positively impacts children’s futures physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially. The assessment sought to inform intervention programs to improve the status of children’s physical, social-emotional, cognitive and educational needs, as well as their health and nutritional needs. A mixed method approach was used to collect data: a survey and multiple case studies through interviews with 32 caregivers were conducted and focus group discussions were held with community members. The findings show that the Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers lacked the essential prerequisites for the provision of quality IECD education as per the requirements stipulated in the Adapted Theory of Change (ATC). The study recommends formation of smart partnerships in providing integrated childhood development services at ECD centers to meet their health, sanitation, nutritional, physical, socio-emotional and cognitive needs.
Area Efficient Dual-Fed CMOS Distributed Power Amplifier
Authors: Pino Javier del , Khemchandani Sunil L. , Mateos-Angulo Sergio , Mayor-Duarte Daniel , San-Miguel-Montesdeoca Mario
Published: August 2018

In this paper, an area-efficient 4-stage dual-fed distributed power amplifier (DPA) implemented in a 0.35 μm Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) process is presented. To effectively reduce the area of the circuit, techniques such as using multilevel inductors and closely-placing conventional spiral inductors are employed. Additionally, a novel technique based on stacking inductors one on top of others is implemented. Based on these techniques, a 32% area reduction is achieved compared to a conventional design without a noticeable performance degradation. This reduction could be further exploited as the number of stages of the dual-fed DPA increases.
Design and Implementation of a Sensor-Cloud Platform for Physical Sensor Management on CoT Environments
Authors: Hang Lei , Jin Wenquan , Yoon HyeonSik , Hong Yong Geun , Kim Do Hyeun
Published: August 2018

The development of the Internet of Things (IoT) has increased the ubiquity of the Internet by integrating all objects for interaction via embedded systems, leading to a highly distributed network of devices communicating with human beings as well as other devices. In recent years, cloud computing has attracted a lot of attention from specialists and experts around the world. With the increasing number of distributed sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks, new models for interacting with wireless sensors using the cloud are intended to overcome restricted resources and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a novel sensor-cloud based platform which is able to virtualize physical sensors as virtual sensors in the CoT (Cloud of Things) environment. Virtual sensors, which are the essentials of this sensor-cloud architecture, simplify the process of generating a multiuser environment over resource-constrained physical wireless sensors and can help in implementing applications across different domains. Virtual sensors are dynamically provided in a group which advantages capability of the management the designed platform. An auto-detection approach on the basis of virtual sensors is additionally proposed to identify the accessible physical sensors nodes even if the status of these sensors are offline. In order to assess the usability of the designed platform, a smart-space-based IoT case study was implemented, and a series of experiments were carried out to evaluate the proposed system performance. Furthermore, a comparison analysis was made and the results indicate that the proposed platform outperforms the existing platforms in numerous respects.
Energy Efficient Design of Massive MIMO Based on Closely Spaced Antennas: Mutual Coupling Effect
Authors: Uthansakul Peerapong , Ahmad Khan Arfat , Uthansakul Monthippa , Duangmanee Pumin
Published: August 2018

Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output MIMO technology is a promising candidate for the next generation of communication applications, which essentially group hundreds of transmitting antennas together at the base station and provides the higher energy and spectral efficiency. In this article, the transmitting antennas are assumed to be closely spaced at the base station, which in turn results into a mutual coupling effect between the antenna terminals. The optimal system parameters and the energy efficiency are computed by considering the mutual coupling effect between the antenna terminals. Mutual coupling effect is deeply investigated on the energy efficiency and the other optimal parameters. We propose the domain splitter algorithm for the optimization of energy efficiency and the computation of different optimal system parameters in this article. The computational complexity of the proposed domain splitter algorithm is not dependent on the number of transceiver chains, and the detailed comparison is presented between the proposed and the reference algorithms on the basis of the computational complexity, which shows the effectiveness of the proposed domain splitter algorithm.