bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
History of creation of the free trade area between Ukraine and Israel
Authors: Davydchuk Serhii
Published: February 2021

An important aspect of Ukraine-Israel relations – the history of the creation of a free trade zone between the two states is revealed in the article. Based on materials from current archives and open source data, the dynamic work process of preparation for signing the corresponding interstate agreement, its ratification by the parliaments of the countries is shown. It was found that it is a voluminous and labor-intensive process that requires consideration of the interests of the national economies of the two states; the creation of a free trade area has been the subject of many bilateral negotiations. Even the ratification of the agreement by the parliaments of the states for some objective reasons did not become a quick process. The national interests of the parties are taken into account in the relevant interstate document. Economic connections have always been an important and promising component of Ukrainian-Israeli relations. However, the parties have repeatedly pointed to the unsatisfactory level of economic relations. The interstate agreement on the establishment of a free trade zone between Ukraine and the State of Israel has its pros and cons, but in general we can talk about a significant improvement in many indicators that it can potentially bring. Although the process of creating a free trade area is incomplete, its study all the same is important in view of the importance of creating such a zone for both foreign economic relations of Ukraine and Israel and for development of friendly bilateral relations between them in general. While the agreement is not implemented, we have to be satisfied with the positive dynamics of economic relations, which is reflected in statistical indicators. They testify that the State of Israel is a very important trade partner of Ukraine in the Middle East. The Free trade area should bring beneficial results to Ukraine and Israel.
Aprovechamiento de los lodos provenientes de plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales como materia prima en la industria de la construcción: revisión bibliográfica
Authors: Araujo Luis , Molina Sandra , Noguera Leidi
Published: February 2021

En los últimos años el campo de la construcción ha tenido un desarrollo acelerado, lo que se ha traducido en un incremento de la cantidad de aguas residuales domésticas y que producto de sus tratamientos se generan lodos a los que se les puede buscar un uso alternativo con el fin de mitigar los impactos ambientales que estos generan. La disposición adecuada de estos lodos está adquiriendo cada vez más relevancia, pues son provenientes de plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales y poseen características muy diversas, además de específicas; es por esto que a lo largo de los últimos años se han encontrado propuestas concretadas sobre el aprovechamiento de estos biosólidos en el campo de la construcción. Este trabajo se concentra en describir y mostrar el estado de arte en cuanto a los logros alcanzados por diversos estudios realizados en pro de aprovechar de forma acertada los lodos generados en las plantas como materia prima para la fabricación de ladrillos elaborados de arcilla.
Estudio de la explotación artesanal en el lecho del río Cesar en el sector norte de Guacoche-Guacochito
Authors: Ortega Calixto , Manco Dino , Rojas Elías
Published: February 2021

En el rio Cesar, departamento del Cesar, en el sector norte de Guacoche-Guacochito desde hace aproximadamente 10 años se está explotando artesanalmente de manera incontrolada, sin planificación y si estandarización materiales de construcción (material de arrastre) destinado a obras urbanísticas en la ciudad de Valledupar-Cesar permitiendo de esa manera el deterioro ambiental y geotécnico de las riveras de los ríos mencionados. Este estudio tiene como objetivo caracterizar los aspectos más relevantes de la explotación artesanal en el lecho del río Cesar en el sector norte de Guacoche-Guacochito en el departamento del Cesar. Se recopiló la información existente sobre la zona de interés mediante estudios geológicos, hidrológicos, monografías, Informe geológico preliminar de la cuenca del río Cesar, Atlas ambiental del Departamento del Cesar entre otros. Se emplea el método de minería a cielo abierto de avance sobre las playas y depósitos de material dentro del río, Conclusiones: la cual el material se extrae en áreas que ya han sido recargadas por los aportes en la creciente del río en épocas de sequía, el mecanismo es que al llegar la época de verano se forman las terrazas, la cual se le da entrada a volquetas con capacidades de 6m3 y palas manuales.
Uso de herramientas prospectivas en la industria minera: revisión bibliográfica
Authors: Araujo Luis , Cuello Yolivis
Published: February 2021

La prospectiva es una disciplina relativamente joven que implica la previsión de los distintos escenarios en los que puede estar envuelta una actividad, empresa u organización, implica el diseño de estrategias que produzcan los mejores beneficios económicos y lleven hacia el sostenimiento y éxito. En el área de la minería es importante el uso de la prospectiva porque permitirá establecer el futuro de sus actividades y de un futuro deseable en las cuales se evidenciará en su sostenimiento a largo plazo, asi que este documento hace una exploración bibliográfica acerca de la prospectiva estratégica en el sector minero.
Diseño de un Sistema de Gestión Ambiental bajo la norma iso 14001:2015 en la mina de arcilla Sabanilla en San Juan del Cesar, La Guajira
Authors: López Danny , Daza Keity , Cataño Dayanis , Llanes Miguel
Published: February 2021

En esta investigación se implementó un diseño de Sistema de Gestión Ambiental para la mina de arcilla Sabanilla del municipio San Juan del Cesar, La Guajira, con base en los lineamientos establecidos por la norma internacional ISO 14001:2015, esto con el fin de mejorar el desempeño ambiental de la unidad minera que desde hace ya varios años viene extrayendo dicho recurso natural sin realizar gestión ambiental alguna, repercutiendo directamente en el ambiente y los diferentes componentes que lo conforman. Para esto se procedió analizar el contexto de la organización de la mina y establecer políticas ambientales para así proceder a la planificación de las acciones a desarrollar frente al manejo de los impactos encontrados en la mina. Luego se formuló una estrategia para la implementación y operación del Sistema de Gestión Ambiental (SGA), en el que se establecieron procedimientos para mejorar continuamente la eficacia del desempeño ambiental de la mina. Así mismo, el análisis realizado arrojó como resultado que la mina no lleva a cabo ningún tipo de gestión ambiental. En este sentido, fue posible identificar las partes interesadas y sus necesidades y expectativas respeto a la mina; logramos determinar que las principales son la comunidad, los empleados y los clientes. Y, además, que el SGA abarcara todos y cada uno de los componentes que forman parte de la red de procesos de la unidad minera, considerando también la totalidad de productos y actividades inmersas en esta.
厚煤层掘进跨巷技术难题加固处理方法探索与应用
Authors: 郭 西凯
Published: February 2021

煤矿掘进工作面由于受到跨巷上顶存在的原有冒落空洞影响，对掘进安全施工构成很大威胁，如果在施工过程中对冒落空间处理不善，将会带来严重的安全隐患，危险安全生产。针对串草圪旦煤矿，在6100辅运巷（北段）跨中央变电所上顶掘进过程中，新掘巷道与原有变电所硐室存在上下十字交叉关系，两巷层间距较薄且新掘巷道下方原有硐室上顶存在空洞，给安全生产带来隐患。通过分析研究，采取了一系列措施，并取得良好效果。
探研房屋建筑土建监理的质量控制要点及措施
Authors: 吴 晓东
Published: February 2021

近些年来，建筑工程随着社会经济的不断发展而进步，所以也对建筑工程提出了更高的要求。建筑工程中包含的项目有很多，但是土建工程在建筑工程中的重量是不可被忽视的，所以，建筑工程中的房屋建筑施工项目的责任人就要控制好施工质量，要在施工过程中将监理工作功能充分发挥出来。因此，作者就对建筑工程中房屋建筑施工的监理质量管理工作重点进行分析，希望能够对相关工作者提供到一定的帮助，提高监理水平，促进建筑行业的发展。
浅谈建筑机电安装工程管理策略
Authors: 杨 鹏远
Published: February 2021

机电设备安装水平与设备运行效果及运行寿命息息相关，并关系到人员的生命安全。电梯工程是建筑机电安装的一个重要部分，做好电梯设备安装施工非常关键。文章探究了建筑电梯安装要点与措施，希望可以为电梯设备施工管理以及确保电梯安全运行提供有价值的参考。
机电一体化数控技术在机械制造中的应用探讨
Authors: 王 卫平
Published: February 2021

我国信息科技不断发展促使机械制造行业迎来新的发展机遇。信息技术有效提升了机械制造的水平，尤其是自动化技术的应用，推动了机械制造产品质量的提升。机电一体化数控技术在机械制造行业中发挥的作用越来越明显，企业想要实现持续健康地发展就要积极引入新技术，科学选择机械制造技术，把控数控技术的优势和特点，不断提高一体化数控技术的应用水平，保证数控技术能够为机械制造创造更大的价值，推动我国自动化机械制造行业的发展，提升我国机械产品制造的质量。
ORCHESTRATING THE INSTRUMENTS OF NATIONAL POWER
Authors: KOTNIK IGOR
Published: February 2021

The State has to orchestrate the instruments of national power regarding security en- vironment within the on-going process of establishing balance of power in the inter- national community. In continuous interplay, states and other actors try to implement their (national) interests through influence or coercion relationships. In behind of both approaches there are different instruments of national power which could be understood in traditional or more comprehensive and flexible way. Traditional approach, based on three or four instruments, is particularly incorrect if someone would like to get an impression about national power of developing states and newly emerging powers. Nye`s differentiation between hard and soft power in fact follows traditional concept of three (four) instruments (means) of national power, but at the same time he is introducing three different ways of “selling” – hard, soft and smart. According to comprehensive and more flexible understanding of the instruments of national power I suggest that all ten instruments of national power are suitable to be projected in influential (soft) or coercive (hard) way and also in a smart way, as a unique mixture of the first two, in which soft power should prevail over hard power as long as possible and acceptable.

Država mora upravljati instrumente nacionalne moči ob upoštevanju varnostnega okolja v okviru trenutnega procesa vzpostavljanja ravnotežja moči v mednarodni skupnosti. Ob stalnem medsebojnem sodelovanju si države in drugi akterji priza- devajo uresničevati svoje (nacionalne) interese prek odnosov vplivanja ali prisile. V ozadju obeh pristopov so različni instrumenti nacionalne moči, ki jih je mogoče razumeti na tradicionalen ali bolj celovit in prilagodljiv način. Tradicionalni pristop, ki temelji na treh ali štirih instrumentih, je še posebno neustrezen, ko si želimo ustvariti vtis o nacionalni moči držav v razvoju in na novo nastajajočih velikih sil. Nyejevo razlikovanje med trdo in mehko močjo sledi tradicionalnemu konceptu treh (štirih) instrumentov (sredstev) nacionalne moči, vendar pa hkrati uvaja tri različne načine njihovega "prodajanja" – trdo, mehko in bistroumno moč. Skladno s celovitim in bolj prilagodljivim razumevanjem instrumentov nacionalne moči predlagam, da vseh deset instrumentov nacionalne moči razumemo kot primerne za uporabo v obliki vpliva (mehko) ali prisile (trdo), pa tudi na bistroumen način, kot edinstveno mešanico prvih dveh, v kateri mora mehka moč prevladati nad trdo močjo, kolikor dolgo je to mogoče in sprejemljivo.
KURDISH AWAKENING AND THE SYRIAN CRISIS
Authors: Protopapas Georgios
Published: February 2021

The Syrian crisis has been creating the preconditions for a Kurdish awakening in the sensitive region of the Middle East. The paper tries to analyse the prospects for Kurdish revolution that could redraw the borders of the Middle East with the creation of the “Greater Kurdistan”. The understanding of the greater Kurdish matter is approached through three significant parameters that relate to the regional politics and correlations. The first parameter is the Kurdish problem in Turkey and the role of the separatist organisation called “Worker Party of Kurdistan” (PKK), the second one is the Iraqi Northern Kurdistan a semi-autonomous region that could be used as precursor of the “Greater Kurdistan” and the third one relates the possibility of the Kurdish minority to create an autonomous Kurdish enclave in Syria. Nonetheless, there is no apparent and coordinated effort by the different Kurdish communities towards the creation of the Greater Kurdistan through a general uprising. Sirska kriza ustvarja razmere za kurdsko vstajo v občutljivi regiji Bližnjega vzhoda. Avtor v članku poskuša analizirati možnosti za kurdsko revolucijo, ki bi lahko spre- menila meje Bližnjega vzhoda z oblikovanjem velikega Kurdistana. Za razumevanje širše problematike Kurdistana uporabi tri glavne parametre, ki so povezani z regio- nalno politiko in medsebojnimi odnosi. Prvi parameter je problem Kurdov v Turčiji in vloga separatistične organizacije, imenovane Delavska stranka Kurdistana (PKK). Drugi parameter je iraški Kurdistan na severu države, deloma avtonomna pokrajina, ki bi lahko pomenila predhodnico velikega Kurdistana, tretji parameter pa je povezan z možnostjo, da kurdska manjšina ustvari avtonomno kurdsko enklavo v Siriji. Vendar pa ni zaznati očitne in usklajene namere različnih kurdskih skupnosti, da skozi vsesplošno vstajo ustanovijo veliki Kurdistan.
Notifiable diseases after implementation of COVID-19 public health prevention measures in Central Queensland, Australia
Authors: Adegbija Odewumi , Walker Jacina , Smoll Nicholas , Khan Arifuzzaman , Graham Julieanne , Khandaker Gulam
Published: February 2021

The implementation of public health measures to control the current COVID-19 pandemic (such as wider lockdowns, overseas travel restrictions and physical distancing) is likely to have affected the spread of other notifiable diseases. This is a descriptive report of communicable disease surveillance in Central Queensland (CQ) for six months (1 April to 30 September 2020) after the introduction of physical distancing and wider lockdown measures in Queensland. The counts of notifiable communicable diseases in CQ in the six months were observed and compared with the average for the same months during the years 2015 to 2019. During the study’s six months, there were notable decreases in notifications of most vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza, pertussis and rotavirus. Conversely, notifications increased for disease groups such as blood-borne viruses, sexually transmitted infections and vector-borne diseases. There were no reported notifications for dengue fever and malaria which are mostly overseas acquired. The notifications of some communicable diseases in CQ were variably affected and the changes correlated with the implementation of the COVID-19 public health measures.
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LEGAL SYSTEM RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH IN CONNECTION WITH TRIPS FLEXIBILITIES IN INDONESIA
Authors: Andrieansjah Andrieansjah
Published: February 2021

In early 2020, countries in the world was shocked by a new virus called Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) including Indonesia. The COVID-19 pandemic gives impact to the legal system, including intellectual property (IP). Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) flexibilities on public health in developing countries: Transition Periods, Compulsory License, Government Use, Parallel Imports, Exceptions to Patent Rights, Exemptions from Patentability, Limits on Data Protection, and Implementation of the Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration. Research problems: (1) what are the conditions for implementing the flexibilities of TRIPS in facing COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia and (2) what are the issues that should be anticipated for future IP legal system relating to public health as a lesson from this COVID-19 Pandemic. Government Use is most effective to be used for encounter COVID-19 Pandemic, and voluntary license is recommended tobe promoted for future approach. The study is using a qualitative literature study.
ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ІКТ ДЛЯ ФОРМУВАННЯ ЗДОРОВ’ЯЗБЕРЕЖУВАЛЬНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ СТАРШИХ ДОШКІЛЬНИКІВ
Authors: Андрющенко Тетяна Костянтинівна , Лохвицька Любов Василівна , Руденко Юлія Анатоліївна , Дудник Наталія Аркадіївна
Published: February 2021

У статті репрезентовано матеріали наукового пошуку стосовно впровадження інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій (ІКТ) в освітній процес закладів дошкільної освіти (ЗДО) у контексті формування у старших дошкільників здоров’язбережувальної компетентності. Розглянуто засадничі положення досліджуваної проблеми у поглядах вітчизняних та закордонних науковців на основі аналізу психолого-педагогічної і методичної літератури з питання цифровізації дошкільної освіти. Розкрито специфіку і доцільність інтеграції ІКТ в заклади дошкільної освіти як одного із складників освітнього процесу, що вирізняється мобільністю, високим ступенем активізації дітей у розв’язанні різноманітних завдань. Представлено авторську методику формування у старших дошкільників здоров’язбережувальної компетентності з використанням засобів ІКТ, яка концептуально узгоджена з вимогами Базового компоненту дошкільної освіти (освітні лінії «Особистість дитини» та «Комп’ютерна грамота»). Визначено сутність ключового поняття дослідження «здоров’язбережувальна компетентність», фундамент якого складають дев’ять життєвих навичок, комплексна сформованість яких забезпечує дитині можливість свідомо вести здорове, повноцінне життя. Окреслено уніфікований алгоритм експериментальної методики: тематика; етапи організації освітньої здоров’язбережувальної діяльності (мотиваційний, теоретичний, практичний); дидактичний, інформаційно-комунікаційний супровід. Зроблено акцент на методично-доцільних ІКТ, які модернізують процес формування здоров’язбережувальної компетентності у старших дошкільників (мультимедійна презентація, комп’ютерні ігри, YouTube, інтелектуальні карти тощо). Представлено систему його методичного забезпечення: медіатека, конспекти занять, каталог освітніх сайтів, дитячих ігрових розвивальних програм тощо. Узагальнено результати і оцінено ефективність використання ІКТ у процесі формування здоров’язбережувальної компетентності у старших дошкільників, що віддзеркалено зростанням кількості респондентів ЕГ високого рівня. Визначено перспективи дослідження цілісності процесу використання засобів ІКТ у формуванні здоров’язбережувальної компетентності суб’єктів дошкільної освіти.
Avaliação da presença de Staphylococcus coagulase-positiva em diferentes superfícies do ambiente clínico odontológico
Authors: Santos Thallita Alves dos , Santana Maria Tays Pereira , Gomes Lucas Linhares , Nogueira Paula Lima , Silva Quemuel Pereira da , Lima Filipe de Oliveira , Dantas Maria Vitoria Oliveira , Medeiros Fabiana Larissa Santos de , Araújo Amanda da Silva , Anjos Raline Mendonça dos , Alves Maria Angélica Sátyro Gomes , Guênes Gymenna Maria Tenório , Sousa Marcos Antônio Nóbrega de , Rosendo Rosana Araújo , Sousa Aleson Pereira de , Oliveira Filho Abrahão Alves de
Published: February 2021

O presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a presença de cepas de Staphylococcus coagulase-positiva (SCP) no ambiente de atendimento da Clínica Escola de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande – Campus Patos. Na metodologia, a coleta foi realizada com auxílio de swabs estéreis em diferentes superfícies do ambiente clínico odontológico e para identificação das cepas de SCP foram realizados os seguintes testes: coloração de Gram, fermentação do ágar manitol, produção de catalase e coagulase em lâmina. Obtivemos como resultado a presença de SCP em todos os boxes de atendimento odontológico e em todas as superfícies analisadas, destacando-se a superfície do equipo, onde em 80% delas a espécie foi detectada. O índice de contaminação foi de 15%, 55%, 35% e 80% para as superfícies de alça do refletor, cuspideira, braço da cadeira e equipo, respectivamente. Com base nos resultados conclui-se que o ambiente odontológico pode ser colonizado por microrganismos seriamente patogênicos como SCP, portanto a higienização, desinfecção e, sobretudo, a biossegurança, devem ser priorizadas com o intuito de evitar uma contaminação em potencial.
Análise do perfil dos consumidores de peixes em Gaspar (SC)
Authors: Pereira Graciane Regina , Elias Marcelo Alberto
Published: February 2021

O município de Gaspar (SC) produz peixes de cultivo, colocando o município em sexta posição na produção do estado. Por essa importância econômica buscou-se identificar as preferências dos consumidores de Gaspar em relação à carne de peixe. A metodologia foi embasada em um estudo exploratório-descritivo utilizando instrumento investigativo aplicado a uma amostra da população do município. Os resultados mostraram que o consumidor de peixe de Gaspar é composto na maioria de mulheres, com idade entre 18 a 30 anos, estado civil casado/união estável, com ensino médio completo e renda familiar de 1,1 a 5 salários-mínimos. 88,4% consomem peixes, sendo que preferência é por peixe de água doce. O consumo de peixes é eventual, cerca de 2 a 5 Kg por família/mês, dentre os motivos para o consumo destacam-se: sabor, alimentação saudável e variação no cardápio. Os peixes são adquiridos principalmente em supermercados e pesque pagues e o consumo se dá nas residências dos consumidores. A espécie preferida é a tilápia, em forma de filé, e são considerados os seguintes aspectos durante a compra: aparência, preço, forma de armazenamento e origem. Dentre os motivos para não consumir aa carne de peixe, o preço tem destaque. Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de um trabalho conjunto entre as organizações que atuam na piscicultura para definir estratégias de formação e divulgação junto à população, envolvendo as escolas, os meios de comunicação, os empresários e produtores, para incentivo do consumo local sustentável.
Serum fibrosis index-based risk score predicts hepatocellular carcinoma in untreated patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Liang Lilian Yan , Lee Hye Won , Wong Vincent Wai-Sun , Yip Terry Cheuk-Fung , Tse Yee-Kit , Hui Vicki Wing-Ki , Lui Grace Chung-Yan , Chan Henry Lik-Yuen , Wong Grace Lai-Hung
Published: February 2021

Background/Aims: Serum fibrosis scores comprised of common laboratory tests have high utility to assess severity of liver fibrosis. We aimed to derive and validate a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk score based on serum fibrosis scores to predict HCC in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.Methods: Fifteen thousand one hundred eighty-seven treatment-naïve adult CHB patients were identified to form the training cohort in this retrospective study. Individual fibrosis score was included to construct a new HCC prediction score. The score was externally validated in an independent treatment-naïve Korean CHB cohort.Results: 180/15,187 patients (1.2%) in training cohort and 47/4,286 patients (1.1%) in validation cohort developed HCC during a mean follow-up of 52 and 50 months, respectively. The newly developed HCC risk score, Liang score, is composed of gender, age, hepatitis B virus DNA, fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, and ranges from 0 to 22. Area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve of Liang score was 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.70–0.89). A cutoff value of nine provided an extremely high negative predictive value of 99.9% and high sensitivity of 90.0% at 5 years in the validation cohort. Patients with Liang score ≤9 had HCC incidence <0.2% per year in both training and validation cohorts, in whom HCC surveillance might be exempted.Conclusion: A novel HCC risk score, Liang score, based on FIB-4 index, is applicable and accurate to identify treatment-naïve CHB patients with very low risk of HCC to be exempted from HCC surveillance.
Qur'anic Exegesis at the Confluence of Twelver Shiism and Sufism: Sayyid Ḥaydar Āmulī’s al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿẓam
Authors: Boylston Nicholas
Published: February 2021

In this paper, I present a preliminary study of the fourteenth-century Shii–Sufi Sayyid Ḥaydar Āmulī's Qur'an commentary, al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿzam wa'l-baḥr al-khidamm fī taʾwīl kitāb Allāh al-ʿazīz al-muḥkam (‘The Greatest Ocean and Vast Sea in Exegesis of God's Decisive and Mighty Book’). In addition to being a fascinating contribution to the history of esoteric exegesis of the Qur'an, this work holds a central place in Āmulī's oeuvre, showcasing crucial aspects of his unique methods and interests. I begin by presenting what we know of Āmulī's intellectual and spiritual biography, which leads me to suggest that al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿzam should play a central role in our understanding of Āmulī's intellectual contributions as a whole. I then provide an overview of the contents and methods used in the extant portion of this text, focusing on Āmulī's understanding of taʾwīl, his endeavour to be comprehensive ( jāmiʿ), and his characteristic method of lengthy citation. I end the paper by considering Āmulī's explanation of the qualification necessary to perform taʾwīl, which is a crucial component of his broader project to show the compatibility of Twelver Shiism and Sufism.
The Picture of Dorian Gray: A Portrait of the ‘Wild Reader’
Authors: Jo Sunggyung
Published: February 2021

Paul Jay claims that we need to pay renewed attention to the aesthetic to address and incorporate everyday experience into our academic discussions. Clearly, at stake here is the opportunity to reconceptualise the symbiotic relationship between literature and ordinary readers. In this essay, I propose a concept that I call ‘wild reading’ through which to understand sensuous, and potentially violent, acts of reading texts, as represented in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). The novel repeatedly portrays reading as an act of wild, sensual submission to seductive ‘texts’, as if one were succumbing to the charms of an irresistible lover. I am going to focus on, and analyse, particular scenes in the novel, by means of which I will conceptualise and discuss the notion of ‘wild reading’ as performed by Wilde's characters. Ultimately, I suggest ‘wild reading’ as a useful aesthetic category for our own everyday experience of reading and as a vehicle through which we might understand actual readers’ desire-driven acts of imagination triggered by a seductive text.
Effect of Renal Function on Success and Complications of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Authors: Yarimoglu Serkan , Aydin Mehmet Erhan , Sahan Murat , Koras Omer , Erdemoglu Onur , Polat Salih , Sefik Ertugrul , Celik Serdar , Degirmenci Tansu
Published: February 2021

Objective: In this study, we aimed to compare the success and complication rates of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) according to preoperative glomerular filtration rates (GFR) of patients who underwent PCNLdue to kidney stones.

Material and Methods: Between January 2012 and December 2016, 794 patients who underwent PCNL due to kidney Stones were evaluated retrospectively. Preoperative GFR values of patients were calculated according to Cockcroft –Gault formula. The patients with preoperative GFR values>90 ml/min, 60-90 ml/min, 30-60 ml/min were respectively defined as group-1, group-2 and group-3. Preoperative and perioperative values, Stone free rates and complication rates were compared between the groups. Postoperatively , <4 mm residual stone was identified as success.

Results: There were 466 patients in Group-1, 259 in Group-2 and 67 patients in Group-3.
The mean preoperative GFR values of the patients were 118.53 ml/min, 77.76 ml/min and 48.52 ml/min, respectively in group-1, group-2 and group-3 (p <0.001).The mean age of the patients was 62.8±11.47, 51.86±11.10, and60.31±12.7, respectively, in group-1, group-2 and group-3 (p<0.001).The mean Stone burden of the patients were 497.34±518.60 mm2, 517.6±493.8 mm2and 711.06±679.07 mm2, respectively, in group-1, group-2 and group-3 (p=0.013). The number of patients identified with success after surgery was 355 (86.2%), 195 (76.1%) and 50 (74.6%) in group-1, group-2 and group-3, respectively (p = 0.542). The number of patients who develop complications was 114 (%24.65), 57 (%22) and 11 (%16.4) in group-1, group-2 and group-3, respectively (p=0.310).

Conclusion: Preoperative GFR valuesare not lonely sufficient to predict success and complications after PCNL.

Keywords: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, renal function, renal stone, glomerular filtration rates
Hongos ectomicorrízicos asociados a plantas jóvenes de Pinus patula y Quercus crassifolia en plantaciones del sistema matarrasa de la Sierra Juárez de Oaxaca, México
Authors: Ramírez Miguel Aldo Alfonso , Hernández Díaz Arturo Félix , Valenzuela Encinas César , Garibay-Orijel Roberto , Truong Camille
Published: February 2021

Antecedentes: Pinus patula es la especie forestal maderable más importante en la región subtropical de México. En el estado de Oaxaca, se encuentra en bosques sometidos a manejo y en plantaciones del sistema de aprovechamiento matarrasa. La interacción entre raíces y hongos ectomicorrízicos (EcM) afecta la nutrición y la sobrevivencia de Pinus y Quercus, con consecuencias para la dinámica de los bosques.

Objetivo: Caracterizar a los hongos EcM más frecuentes en las raíces de plántulas de P. patula y Q. crassifolia (que crece por regeneración natural) en franjas del sistema silvícola matarrasa de la Sierra Juárez de Oaxaca.

Métodos: Los morfotipos de cada punta de raíz EcM se describieron morfológicamente y se identificaron usando la región ITS del DNA ribosomal nuclear por similitud genética en la base de datos de UNITE.

Resultados y conclusiones: Se encontraron un total de 14 “Species Hypothesis”, de las cuales los linajes /tomentella-thelephora y /laccaria tuvieron el mayor número de especies. Lactarius sp., Cenococcum geophilum y Tomentella radiosa fueron las especies con mayor frecuencia, en asociación con ambos hospederos. Ese trabajo destaca la diversidad de los hongos EcM en plantaciones del sistema matarrasa. Tal conocimiento podría utilizarse para posteriores investigaciones de aprovechamiento forestal sustentable.
Phenotypic Heterogeneity of Post-lingual and/or Milder Hearing Loss for the Patients With the GJB2 c.235delC Homozygous Mutation
Authors: Wang Hongyang , Gao Yun , Guan Jing , Lan Lan , Yang Ju , Xiong Wenping , Zhao Cui , Xie Linyi , Yu Lan , Wang Dayong , Wang Qiuju
Published: February 2021

Objective

To report the phenotypic heterogeneity of GJB2 c.235delC homozygotes associated with post-lingual and/or milder hearing loss, and explore the possible mechanism of these unconditional phenotypes.

Methods

Mutation screening of GJB2 was performed on all ascertained members from Family 1006983 and three sporadic patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and Sanger sequencing. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was successively performed on some of the affected members and normal controls from Family 1006983 to explore additional possible genetic codes. Reverse transcriptase–quantitative PCR was conducted to test the expression of Connexin30.

Results

We identified a Chinese autosomal recessive hearing loss family with the GJB2 c.235delC homozygous mutation, affected members from which had post-lingual moderate to profound hearing impairment, and three sporadic patients with post-lingual moderate hearing impairment, instead of congenital profound hearing loss. NGS showed no other particular variants. Overexpression of Connexin30 in some of these cases was verified.

Conclusion

Post-lingual and/or moderate hearing impairment phenotypes of GJB2 c.235delC homozygotes are not the most common phenotype, revealing the heterogeneity of GJB2 pathogenic mutations. To determine the possible mechanism that rescues part of the hearing or postpones onset age of these cases, more cases are required to confirm both Connexin30 overexpression and the existence of modifier genes.
The Role of Tim-3 on dNK Cells Dysfunction During Abnormal Pregnancy With Toxoplasma gondii Infection
Authors: Li Teng , Cui Lijun , Xu Xiaoyan , Zhang Haixia , Jiang Yuzhu , Ren Liqin , Yang Chunyan , Liu Xianbing , Hu Xuemei
Published: February 2021

Vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection during gestation can result in severe complications such as abortion, congenital malformation, fetal teratogenesis, etc. Immune inhibitory molecule Tim-3 was discovered to be expressed on some decidual immune cells and participates in the maintenance of maternal-fetal tolerance. Dysregulation of Tim-3 expression on decidual NK (dNK) cells was observed in several cases of pregnancy complications, whereas the role of Tim-3 on dNK cells during T. gondii infection remains unclear. In the present study, T. gondii infected Tim-3-/- pregnant mice, and anti-Tim-3 neutralizing antibody treated and infected human dNK cells were successfully established to explore the role of Tim-3 in dysfunction of dNK cells during abnormal pregnancy. Our results illustrated that Tim-3-/- pregnant mice displayed more worse pregnancy outcomes with T. gondii infection compared to infected WT pregnant mice. Also, it demonstrated that Tim-3 expression on dNK cells was significantly down-regulated following T. gondii infection. Data suggested a remarkable activation of dNK cells in Tim-3-/- mice and anti-Tim-3 neutralizing antibody treated and infected groups, with higher ratios of activating receptor NKG2D to inhibitory receptor NKG2A or KIR2DL4, IFN-γ/IL-10, and increased granule production compared with that of the infected group. Mechanism analysis proved that T. gondii-induced Tim-3 down-regulation significantly activated the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT and JAK-STAT signaling pathway, by which the GranzymeB, Perforin, IFN-γ, and IL-10 production were further up-regulated. Our research demonstrated that the decrease of Tim-3 on dNK cells caused by T. gondii infection further led to dNK cells function disorder, which finally contributed to the development of abnormal pregnancy outcomes.
Association Between Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Salivary Microbiome Shifts
Authors: Dong Ting , Zhao Fen , Yuan Keyong , Zhu Xiaohan , Wang Ningjian , Xia Fangzhen , Lu Yingli , Huang Zhengwei
Published: February 2021

High serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are linked to many metabolic disorders, but the effects of TSH levels on the oral microbiota are still largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the association between the salivary microbiome in adults and serum TSH levels. Saliva and fasting blood samples were obtained from a health census conducted in Southeast China. All participants were divided according to serum TSH levels. The microbial genetic profiles and changes were acquired by 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Relevant anthropometric and biochemical measurements such as insulin resistance, blood lipids, and body composition were evaluated with laboratory tests and physical examinations. The salivary microbiome in individuals with higher TSH level showed significantly higher taxa diversity. Principal coordinates analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis showed distinct clustering in the Abnormal and Normal Groups (Adonis, P=0.0320). Granulicatella was identified as a discriminative genus for comparison of the two groups. Fasting serum insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance, and hemoglobin A1 were elevated in the Abnormal Group (P<0.05), showing the presence of insulin resistance in individuals with abnormal higher serum TSH levels. Distance-based redundancy analysis revealed the association of this distinctive difference with salivary microbiome. In conclusion, shifts in microbial profile were observed in the saliva of individuals with different serum TSH levels, and insulin resistance may play an important role in the biochemical and microbial alteration.
Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis Decipher New Potential Regulation Mechanism of ACE2 and NPs Signaling Among Heart Failure Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Ma Mengqiu , Xu Yanhua , Su Yang , Ong Sang-Bing , Hu Xingdong , Chai Min , Zhao Maojun , Li Hong , Fan Xiaojuan , Chen Yingjie , Xu Dachun , Xu Xiaojiang
Published: February 2021

Aims: COVID-19 patients with comorbidities such as hypertension or heart failure (HF) are associated with poor clinical outcomes. The cellular distribution of Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the critical enzyme for SARS-CoV-2 infection, in the human heart is unknown. We explore the underlying mechanism that leads to increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with cardiovascular diseases and patients of cardiac dysfunction have increased risk of multi-organ injury compared with patients of normal cardiac function.

Methods and Results: We analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data in both normal and failing hearts. The results demonstrated that ACE2 is present in cardiomyocytes (CMs) and non-CMs, while the number of ACE2-postive (ACE2+) CMs and ACE2 gene expression in these CMs are significantly increased in the failing hearts. Interestingly, both brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are significantly up-regulated in the ACE2+ CMs, which is consistent with other studies that ACE2, ANP, and BNP increased in HF patients. We found that genes related to virus entry, virus replication and suppression of interferon-gamma signaling are all up-regulated in failing CMs, and the increase was significantly higher in ACE2+ CMs, suggesting that these CMs may be more vulnerable to virus infection. As the level of expression of both ACE2 and BNP in CMs were up-regulated, we further performed retrospective analysis of the plasma BNP levels and clinical outcomes of 91 COVID-19 patients from a single-center. Patients with higher plasma BNP were associated with significantly higher mortality and expression levels of inflammatory and infective markers.

Conclusion: In the failing heart, the upregulation of ACE2 and virus infection associated genes could potentially facilitate SARS-CoV-2 virus entry and replication in these vulnerable cardiomyocyte subsets. COVID-19 patients with higher plasma BNP levels had poorer clinical outcomes. These observations may allude to a potential regulatory association between ACE2 and BNP in mediating myocarditis associated with COVID-19.
PPARgamma in Metabolism, Immunity, and Cancer: Unified and Diverse Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Hernandez-Quiles Miguel , Broekema Marjoleine F. , Kalkhoven Eric
Published: February 2021

The proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is one of the most extensively studied ligand-inducible transcription factors. Since its identification in the early 1990s, PPARγ is best known for its critical role in adipocyte differentiation, maintenance, and function. Emerging evidence indicates that PPARγ is also important for the maturation and function of various immune system-related cell types, such as monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells, and lymphocytes. Furthermore, PPARγ controls cell proliferation in various other tissues and organs, including colon, breast, prostate, and bladder, and dysregulation of PPARγ signaling is linked to tumor development in these organs. Recent studies have shed new light on PPARγ (dys)function in these three biological settings, showing unified and diverse mechanisms of action. Classical transactivation—where PPARγ activates genes upon binding to PPAR response elements as a heterodimer with RXRα—is important in all three settings, as underscored by natural loss-of-function mutations in FPLD3 and loss- and gain-of-function mutations in tumors. Transrepression—where PPARγ alters gene expression independent of DNA binding—is particularly relevant in immune cells. Interestingly, gene translocations resulting in fusion of PPARγ with other gene products, which are unique to specific carcinomas, present a third mode of action, as they potentially alter PPARγ’s target gene profile. Improved understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying PPARγ activity in the complex regulatory networks in metabolism, cancer, and inflammation may help to define novel potential therapeutic strategies for prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes, or cancer.
Population Transcriptomics Reveals Gene Flow and Introgression Between Two Non-sister Alpine Gentians
Authors: Chen Chunlin , Yang Wenjie , Liu Jianquan , Xi Zhenxiang , Zhang Lei , Hu Quanjun
Published: February 2021

Distributional shifts driven by Quaternary climatic oscillations have been suggested to cause interspecific hybridization and introgression. In this study, we aimed to test this hypothesis by using population transcriptomes and coalescent modeling of two alpine none-sister gentians. Previous studies suggested that historical hybridizations occurred between Gentiana siphonantha and G. straminea in the high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau although both species are not sister to each other with the most recent divergence. In the present study, we sequenced transcriptomes of 33 individuals from multiple populations of G. siphonantha and G. straminea. The two species are well delimited by nuclear genomic SNPs while phylogenetic analyses of plastomes clustered one G. straminea individual into the G. siphonantha group. Further population structure analyses of the nuclear SNPs suggested that two populations of G. siphonantha were admixed with around 15% ancestry from G. straminea. These analyses suggested genetic introgressions from G. straminea to G. siphonantha. In addition, our coalescent-based modeling results revealed that gene flow occurred between the two species since Last Glacier Maximum after their initial divergence, which might have leaded to the observed introgressions. Our results underscore the significance of transcriptome population data in determining timescale of interspecific gene flow and direction of the resulting introgression.
Feature Selection for Breast Cancer Classification by Integrating Somatic Mutation and Gene Expression
Authors: Jiang Qin , Jin Min
Published: February 2021

Exploring the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer is essential for the early prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer patients. The large scale of data obtained from the high-throughput sequencing technology makes it difficult to identify the driver mutations and a minimal optimal set of genes that are critical to the classification of cancer. In this study, we propose a novel method without any prior information to identify mutated genes associated with breast cancer. For the somatic mutation data, it is processed to a mutated matrix, from which the mutation frequency of each gene can be obtained. By setting a reasonable threshold for the mutation frequency, a mutated gene set is filtered from the mutated matrix. For the gene expression data, it is used to generate the gene expression matrix, while the mutated gene set is mapped onto the matrix to construct a co-expression profile. In the stage of feature selection, we propose a staged feature selection algorithm, using fold change, false discovery rate to select differentially expressed genes, mutual information to remove the irrelevant and redundant features, and the embedded method based on gradient boosting decision tree with Bayesian optimization to obtain an optimal model. In the stage of evaluation, we propose a weighted metric to modify the traditional accuracy to solve the sample imbalance problem. We apply the proposed method to The Cancer Genome Atlas breast cancer data and identify a mutated gene set, among which the implicated genes are oncogenes or tumor suppressors previously reported to be associated with carcinogenesis. As a comparison with the integrative network, we also perform the optimal model on the individual gene expression and the gold standard PMA50. The results show that the integrative network outperforms the gene expression and PMA50 in the average of most metrics, which indicate the effectiveness of our proposed method by integrating multiple data sources, and can discover the associated mutated genes in breast cancer.
Duplex Telomere-Binding Proteins in Fungi With Canonical Telomere Repeats: New Lessons in the Rapid Evolution of Telomere Proteins
Authors: Lue Neal F.
Published: February 2021

The telomere protein assemblies in different fungal lineages manifest quite profound structural and functional divergence, implying a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. Previous comparative analyses of fungal telomeres have focused on the role of telomere sequence alterations in promoting the evolution of corresponding proteins, particularly in budding and fission yeast. However, emerging evidence suggests that even in fungi with the canonical 6-bp telomere repeat unit, there are significant remodeling of the telomere assembly. Indeed, a new protein family can be recruited to serve dedicated telomere functions, and then experience subsequent loss in sub-branches of the clade. An especially interesting example is the Tay1 family of proteins, which emerged in fungi prior to the divergence of basidiomycetes from ascomycetes. This relatively recent protein family appears to have acquired its telomere DNA-binding activity through the modification of another Myb-containing protein. Members of the Tay1 family evidently underwent rather dramatic functional diversification, serving, e.g., as transcription factors in fission yeast while acting to promote telomere maintenance in basidiomycetes and some hemi-ascomycetes. Remarkably, despite its distinct structural organization and evolutionary origin, a basidiomycete Tay1 appears to promote telomere replication using the same mechanism as mammalian TRF1, i.e., by recruiting and regulating Blm helicase activity. This apparent example of convergent evolution at the molecular level highlight the ability of telomere proteins to acquire new interaction targets. The remarkable evolutionary history of Tay1 illustrates the power of protein modularity and the facile acquisition of nucleic acid/protein-binding activity to promote telomere flexibility.
Immune Resolution Dilemma: Host Antimicrobial Factor S100A8/A9 Modulates Inflammatory Collateral Tissue Damage During Disseminated Fungal Peritonitis
Authors: Shankar Madhu , Uwamahoro Nathalie , Backman Emelie , Holmberg Sandra , Niemiec Maria Joanna , Roth Johannes , Vogl Thomas , Urban Constantin F.
Published: February 2021

Intra-abdominal infection (peritonitis) is a leading cause of severe disease in surgical intensive care units, as over 70% of patients diagnosed with peritonitis develop septic shock. A critical role of the immune system is to return to homeostasis after combating infection. S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) is an antimicrobial and pro-inflammatory protein complex used as a biomarker for diagnosis of numerous inflammatory disorders. Here we describe the role of S100A8/A9 in inflammatory collateral tissue damage (ICTD). Using a mouse model of disseminated intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC) in wild-type and S100A8/A9-deficient mice in the presence or absence of S100A9 inhibitor paquinimod, the role of S100A8/A9 during ICTD and fungal clearance were investigated. S100A8/A9-deficient mice developed less ICTD than wild-type mice. Restoration of S100A8/A9 in knockout mice by injection of recombinant protein resulted in increased ICTD and fungal clearance comparable to wild-type levels. Treatment with paquinimod abolished ICTD and S100A9-deficient mice showed increased survival compared to wild-type littermates. The data indicates that S100A8/A9 controls ICTD levels and antimicrobial activity during IAC and that targeting of S100A8/A9 could serve as promising adjunct therapy against this challenging disease.