bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimizing locations of waste transfer stations in rural areas
Authors: Chen Yulong , Lai Zhizhu , Wang Zheng , Yang Dongyang , Wu Leying
Published: May 2021

Many studies have considered the location of rural waste transfer stations, but most have omitted the impact of transportation network conditions. Traffic accessibility must be considered in optimizing the location of rural waste transfer stations, which is an important difference from the location of rural waste transfer stations. On the basis of previous studies, this study will consider the impact of traffic network on the optimization locations of waste transfer station in the rural areas. The objective of this study was to ensure the minimum Euclidean distance between the waste transfer station and the population center is the maximum, minimize the garbage transportation cost of each population center, construction costs for waste transfer stations, construction and upgrade costs for roads on a traffic network. A multi-objective facility location-network design model and an improved multi-objective simulated annealing algorithm was used to solve the problem. A detailed practical case study was used to illustrate the application of the proposed mathematical model. The results show that transportation network plays an important role in facility location optimization, and the improvement of traffic network conditions can greatly reduce waste transportation costs.
Why is the labor epidural rate low and cesarean delivery rate high? A survey of Chinese perinatal care providers
Authors: Zhao Peishan , Cai Zhenyu , Huang Anna , Liu Chunyuan , Li Huiling , Yang Shuwei , Hu Ling-Qun
Published: May 2021

Objective

China has a high cesarean delivery (CD) and low labor epidural analgesia (LEA) rate. This online survey was conducted to explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and potential solutions.

Methods

A voluntary, anonymous survey was distributed via both WeChat and professional websites for 4 months amongst groups of Chinese perinatal professionals. Data was collected and analyzed using a Chi-square test and presented as percentages of respondents.

Results

1412 respondents were recorded (43% anesthesiologists, 35% obstetricians, 15.5% midwives or labor and delivery nurses, and 6.5% others), and 1320 respondents were care providers. It was found that 82.7% (1092/1320) of the provider respondents used CD per patient request in fear of lawsuits or yinao/yibao and 63.4% (837/1320) used CD for respecting superstitious culture. The number one reason (noted by 60.2% (795/1320) of all the three specialties) for low LEA use was lack of anesthesia manpower without statistical difference among specialties. The most recommended solution was increasing the anesthesia workforce, proposed by 79.8% (1053/1320) of the three specialties. However, the top solution provided by the two non-anesthesia specialties is different from the one proposed by anesthesiologists. The later (83%, 504/606) suggested increasing the incentive to provide the service is more effective. The answers to questions related to medical knowledge about CD and LEA, and unwillingness of anesthesiologists, parturients and their family members to LEA were similar for the most part, while the opinions regarding low LEA use related to poor experiences and unwillingness of obstetricians and hospital administrators were significantly divided among the three specialties. In the providers’ point of view, the unwillingness to LEA from parturient’s family members was the most salient (26.1%, 345/1320), which is more than all care providers, hospital administrators, and parturients themselves (16.8%, 222/1320).

Conclusion

The reasons for high CD rate and low LEA use are multifactorial. The sociological issues (fear of yinao/yibao and superstitious culture) were the top two contributing factors for the high CD rate in China, while lack of anesthesia manpower was the top response for the low LEA use, which contributes to its being the most recommended solution overall from the three specialties. An incentive approach to providers is a short-term solution while training more perinatal care providers (especially among anesthesiologists and midwives), improving billing systems, and reforming legal systems are 3 systemic approaches to tackling this problem in the long-term.
Evaluation of monoxide film-based dosimeters for surface dose detection in electron therapy
Authors: Han Moo Jae , Yang Seung Woo , Bae Sang Il , Moon Young Min , Jeon Wan , Choi Chul Won , Park Sung Kwang , Kim Jin Young
Published: May 2021

Generally, electron therapy is applied to tumors on or close to the skin surface. However, this causes a variety of skin-related side effects. To alleviate the risk of these side effects, clinical treatment uses skin dosimeters to verify the therapeutic dose. However, dosimeters suffer from poor accuracy, because their attachment sites are approximated with the help of naked eyes. Therefore, a dosimeter based on a flexible material that can adjust to the contours of the human body is required. In this study, the reproducibility, linearity, dose-rate dependence, and percentage depth ionization (PDI) of PbO and HgO film-based dosimeters are evaluated to explore their potential as large-scale flexible dosimeters. The results demonstrate that both dosimeters deliver impressive reproducibility (within 1.5%) and linearity (≥ 0.9990). The relative standard deviations of the dose-rate dependence of the PbO and HgO dosimeters were 0.94% and 1.16% at 6 MeV, respectively, and 1.08% and 1.25% at 9 MeV, respectively, with the PbO dosimeter outperforming the 1.1% of existing diodes. The PDI analysis of the PbO and HgO dosimeters returned values of 0.014 cm (–0.074 cm) and 0.051 cm (–0.016 cm), respectively at 6 MeV (9 MeV) compared to the thimble chamber and R50. Therefore, the maximum error of each dosimeter is within the allowable range of 0.1 cm. In short, the analysis reveals that the PbO dosimeter delivers a superior performance relative to its HgO counterpart and has strong potential for use as a surface dosimeter. Thus, flexible monoxide materials have the necessary qualities to be used for dosimeters that meet the requisite quality assurance standards and can satisfy a variety of radiation-related applications as flexible functional materials.
A meta-analysis of circulating microRNAs in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: liu Yan , Geng Houfa , Liu Xuekui , Cao Mingfeng , Zhang Xinhuan
Published: May 2021

Background

Aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the overall diagnostic value of circulating mini miRNAs for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and to find the possible molecular marker with higher diagnostic value for PTC.

Methods

We searched the Pubmed, Cochrane and Embase database until June 2020. We selected relevant literatures associated with the diagnosis of PTC with circulating miRNAs. The number of cases in experimental group and the control group, sensitivity and specificity could be extracted from the literatures.

Results

We got 9 literatures including 2114 cases of PTC. Comprehensive sensitivity was 0.79, comprehensive specificity was 0.82, positive likelihood ratio was 4.3, negative likelihood ratio was 0.26, diagnostic advantage ratio was 16. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn and the Area Under the Curve was 0.87.

Conclusions

Circulating microRNAs may be promising molecular markers for the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Combined detection of certain serum microRNAs can improve the diagnostic accuracy of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Especially MiR-222 and miR-146b may be prime candidates for the diagnosis of PTC in Asian population.
A Discrete-Event, Simulated Social Agent-Based Network Transmission (DESSABNeT) model for communicable diseases: Method and validation using SARS-CoV-2 data in three large Australian cities
Authors: Stapelberg Nicolas J. C. , Smoll Nicolas R. , Randall Marcus , Palipana Dinesh , Bui Bryan , Macartney Kristine , Khandaker Gulam , Wattiaux Andre
Published: May 2021

Importance

During pandemics Agent Based Models (ABMs) can model complex, fine-grained behavioural interactions occurring in social networks, that contribute to disease transmission by novel viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

Objective

We present a new agent-based model (ABM) called the Discrete-Event, Simulated Social Agent based Network Transmission model (DESSABNeT) and demonstrate its ability to model the spread of COVID-19 in large cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast. Our aim was to validate the model with its disease dynamics and underlying social network.

Design

DESSABNeT relies on disease transmission within simulated social networks. It employs an epidemiological SEIRD+M (Susceptible, exposed, infected, recovered, died and managed) structure. One hundred simulations were run for each city, with simulated social restrictions closely modelling real restrictions imposed in each location.

Main outcome(s) and measure(s)

The mean predicted daily incidence of COVID-19 cases were compared to real case incidence data for each city. Reff and health service utilisation outputs were compared to the literature, or for the Gold Coast with daily incidence of hospitalisation.

Results

DESSABNeT modelled multiple physical distancing restrictions and predicted epidemiological outcomes of Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, validating this model for future simulation work.

Conclusions and relevance

DESSABNeT is a valid platform to model the spread of COVID-19 in large cities in Australia and potentially internationally. The platform is suitable to model different combinations of social restrictions, or to model contact tracing, predict, and plan for, the impact on hospital and ICU admissions, and deaths; and also the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and optimal social restrictions during vaccination.
Physiotherapist’ job performance, impression management and organizational citizenship behaviors: An analysis of hierarchical linear modeling
Authors: Hou Fu-I , Wu Yu-Lung , Li Min-Hui , Huang Wan-Yun
Published: May 2021

Studies on physiotherapists are generally focused on clinical professionalism, with very few examining job performance from a management standpoint. To address this gap, this study sought to investigate the relationship between impression management and organizational citizenship behavior and job performance. This study targeted medical institutions offering rehabilitation and physiotherapy services and conducted a questionnaire survey based on scales developed by domestic and foreign scholars. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed and 523 valid ones collected. The data was tested and verified using regression analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). In the survey, the Impression Management Scale, Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale, and Job Performance Scale indicated that at the individual level, the impression management of physiotherapists is significantly related to their organizational citizenship behaviors and job performance. The organizational citizenship behaviors were also found to have a mediating effect between impression management and job performance. At the group level, impression management had a conditioning effect on organizational citizenship behaviors and job performance. In terms of statistical methods, group-level variables act as moderators, which affects the power of individual-level explanatory variables on outcome variables, i.e., the influence of the slope. The job behaviors of physiotherapists entail direct service and their performance is closely related to organizational development. Impression management gives people certain purposes and behaviors while organizational citizenship behaviors are a type of non-self-seeking, selfless dedication behaviors. Therefore, the motivation of physiotherapists who demonstrate organizational citizenship behaviors should be further explored.
Development and ex-vivo assessment of a novel patient specific guide and instrumentation system for minimally invasive total shoulder arthroplasty
Authors: Giles Joshua W. , Brodén Cyrus , Tempelaere Christine , Emery Roger J. H. , Rodriguez y Baena Ferdinando
Published: May 2021

Objective

To develop and assess a novel guidance technique and instrumentation system for minimally invasive short-stemmed total shoulder arthroplasty that will help to reduce the complications associated with traditional open replacement such as poor muscle healing and neurovascular injury. We have answered key questions about the developed system including (1) can novel patient-specific guides be accurately registered and used within a minimally invasive environment?; (2) can accuracy similar to traditional techniques be achieved?

Methods

A novel intra-articular patient-specific guide was developed for use with a new minimally invasive posterior surgical approach that guides bone preparation without requiring muscle resection or joint dislocation. Additionally, a novel set of instruments were developed to enable bone preparation within the minimally invasive environment. The full procedure was evaluated in six cadaveric shoulders, using digitizations to assess accuracy of each step.

Results

Patient-specific guide registration accuracy in 3D translation was 2.2±1.2mm (RMSE±1 SD; p = 0.007) for the humeral component and 2.7±0.7mm (p<0.001) for the scapula component. Final implantation accuracy was 2.9±3.0mm (p = 0.066) in translation and 5.7–6.8±2.2–4.0° (0.001<p<0.009) across the humerus implants’ three rotations. Similarly, the glenoid component’s implantation accuracy was 3.0±1.7mm (p = 0.008) in translation and 2.3–4.3±2.2–4.4° (0.008<p<0.09) in rotation.

Conclusion

This system achieves minimally invasive shoulder replacement with accuracy similar to traditional open techniques while avoiding common causes of complications.

Significance

This novel technique could lead to a paradigm shift in shoulder arthroplasty for patients with moderate arthritis, which could significantly improve rehabilitation and functional outcomes.
Myosin 1C isoform A is a novel candidate diagnostic marker for prostate cancer
Authors: Saidova Aleena A. , Potashnikova Daria M. , Tvorogova Anna V. , Paklina Oxana V. , Veliev Evgeniy I. , Knyshinsky Grigoriy V. , Setdikova Galiya R. , Rotin Daniil L. , Maly Ivan V. , Hofmann Wilma A. , Vorobjev Ivan A.
Published: May 2021

Early diagnosis of prostate cancer is a challenging issue due to the lack of specific markers. Therefore, a sensitive diagnostic marker that is expressed or upregulated exclusively in prostate cancer cells would facilitate diagnostic procedures and ensure a better outcome. We evaluated the expression of myosin 1C isoform A in 5 prostate cell lines, 41 prostate cancer cases, and 11 benign hyperplasias. We analyzed the expression of 12 surface molecules on prostate cancer cells by flow cytometry and analyzed whether high or low myosin 1C isoform A expression could be attributed to a distinct phenotype of prostate cancer cells. Median myosin 1C isoform A expression in prostate cancer samples and cancer cell lines was 2 orders of magnitude higher than in benign prostate hyperplasia. Based on isoform A expression, we could also distinguish clinical stage 2 from clinical stage 3. Among cell lines, PC-3 cells with the highest myosin 1C isoform A level had diminished numbers of CD10/CD13-positive cells and increased numbers of CD29 (integrin β1), CD38, CD54 (ICAM1) positive cells. The surface phenotype of clinical samples was similar to prostate cancer cell lines with high isoform A expression and could be described as CD10-/CD13- with heterogeneous expression of other markers. Both for cell lines and cancer specimens we observed the strong correlation of high myosin 1C isoform A mRNA expression and elevated levels of CD29 and CD54, suggesting a more adhesive phenotype for cells with high isoform A expression. Compared to normal tissue, prostate cancer samples had also reduced numbers of CD24- and CD38-positive cells. Our data suggest that a high level of myosin 1C isoform A is a specific marker both for prostate cancer cells and prostate cancer cell lines. High expression of isoform A is associated with less activated (CD24/CD38 low) and more adhesive (CD29/CD54 high) surface phenotype compared to benign prostate tissue.
Bioconversion of potato solid waste into antifungals and biopigments using Streptomyces spp.
Authors: Schalchli Heidi , Hormazábal Emilio , Astudillo Álvaro , Briceño Gabriela , Rubilar Olga , Diez María Cristina
Published: May 2021

Potato waste was processed and used as a sole substrate for simultaneously producing antifungals and biopigments usingStreptomycesspp. Out of three differentStreptomycesisolates, strain SO6 stood out due to its ability to produce antifungals against economically important fungal phytopathogens and intracellular biopigments using potato waste powders without additional nutrients. This strain also showed the potential to secrete a broad range of enzymes for fermentation of eight sugars that could be involved in potato waste bioconversion. The results of the fermentation assay indicated thatStreptomycessp. strain SO6 degrades potato wastes during submerged fermentation, diminishing total dry weight and increasing reducing sugars from 0.3 to 3.6 mg·mL−1and total proteins from 70.6 to 187.7 μg·mL−1. The results showed thatStreptomycesstrain SO6 was able to convert the potato waste into 0.96 mg·g−1of diffusible antifungals and 1.75 mg·g−1of reddish-purple biopigments. On the contrary, an absence of pigment production was observed during the fermentation of the commercial medium used as reference. According to our results, replacement of commercial culture media with available low-cost agroindustrial wastes for producing bioactive chemicals is a real opportunity to enhance theStreptomycespigment production and antibiotic sustainability with cost-competitiveness. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the simultaneous production of biopigments and diffusible antifungal antibiotics produced byStreptomycesspp. using potato solid waste as the sole nutrient source.
FGF21 serum levels are related to insulin resistance, metabolic changes and obesity in Mexican people living with HIV (PLWH)
Authors: Urraza-Robledo Arguiñe Ivonne , Giralt Marta , González-Galarza Faviel Francisco , Villarroya Francesc , Miranda Pérez Alberto Alejandro , Ruiz Flores Pablo , Gutiérrez Pérez María Elena , Domingo Peré , López-Márquez Francisco Carlos
Published: May 2021

Background

Antiretroviral therapy has significantly improved prognosis in treatment against HIV infection, however, prolonged exposure is associated to cardiovascular diseases, lipodystrophy, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic alteration, as obesity which includes the accumulation of oxidative stress in adipose tissue. FGF21 is a peptide hormone that is known to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. FGF21 is expressed and secreted primarily in the liver and adipose tissue, promoting oxidation of glucose/fatty acids and insulin sensitivity. Alterations in FGF21 may be associated with the development of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that FGF21 protein levels are associated with metabolic abnormalities, placing special attention to the alterations in relation to the concurrence of overweight/obesity in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Design

Serum FGF21 was analyzed in 241 subjects, 160 PLWH and 81 unrelated HIV-uninfected subjects as a control group. Clinical records were consulted to obtain CD4+ cell counting and number of viral RNA copies. Serum FGF21 levels were tested for correlation with anthropometric and metabolic parameters; glucose, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, insulin and indexes of atherogenesis and insulin resistance (HOMA).

Results

The participants were classified into four groups: (i) PLWH with normal weight, (ii) PLWH with overweight/obesity, (iii) HIV-uninfected with normal weight, and (iv) HIV-uninfected with overweight/obesity.

Insulin levels were higher in normal-weight PLWH than in the HIV-uninfected group but not statistically significant, however, for the overweight/obesity PLWH group, insulin levels were significantly higher in comparison with the other three groups (p<0.0001). For FGF21, serum levels were slightly higher in the overweight/obesity groups in both patients and controls.

In HIV-infected subjects, FGF21 levels showed a strong positive correlation with triglycerides, insulin levels and insulin resistance with a p-value <0.0001. In the seronegative group, FGF21 was only correlated with weight and waist circumference, showing an important association of FGF21 levels with the degree of obesity of the individuals.

Conclusion

Insulin resistance and FGF21 elevations were observed in overweight-obese PLWH. FGF21 elevation could be viewed as a compensation mechanism as, in the control group, FGF21 correlations appeared to be confined to weight and waist circumference. This can be explained based on the action of FGF21 promoting the uptake of glucose in adipose tissue. In PLWH, FGF21 was low, possibly as a result of a change in adiposity leading to a metabolic disruption.
Epigenomic regulation of human T-cell leukemia virus by chromatin-insulator CTCF
Authors: Cheng Xiaogang , Joseph Ancy , Castro Victor , Chen-Liaw Alice , Skidmore Zachary , Ueno Takaharu , Fujisawa Jun-ichi , Rauch Daniel A. , Challen Grant A. , Martinez Michael P. , Green Patrick , Griffith Malachi , Payton Jacqueline E. , Edwards John R. , Ratner Lee
Published: May 2021

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that causes an aggressive T-cell malignancy and a variety of inflammatory conditions. The integrated provirus includes a single binding site for the epigenomic insulator, CCCTC-binding protein (CTCF), but its function remains unclear. In the current study, a mutant virus was examined that eliminates the CTCF-binding site. The mutation did not disrupt the kinetics and levels of virus gene expression, or establishment of or reactivation from latency. However, the mutation disrupted the epigenetic barrier function, resulting in enhanced DNA CpG methylation downstream of the CTCF binding site on both strands of the integrated provirus and H3K4Me3, H3K36Me3, and H3K27Me3 chromatin modifications both up- and downstream of the site. A majority of clonal cell lines infected with wild type HTLV-1 exhibited increased plus strand gene expression with CTCF knockdown, while expression in mutant HTLV-1 clonal lines was unaffected. These findings indicate that CTCF binding regulates HTLV-1 gene expression, DNA and histone methylation in an integration site dependent fashion.
‘We are still here’: The impacts of street music and street art during the 2020 London lockdowns
Authors: Barnes Jonathan
Published: May 2021

This article summarises the impacts of a spontaneous arts initiative involving the residents of eight London streets during the 2020 lockdowns. A local arts organization devised small-scale, informal street music projects that were evaluated by the residents themselves. Responses suggested that such events had a strong positive impact on the feelings of community. Common responses included reaffirming the importance of local cohesion, recognizing music as an accessible means of developing new connections in ‘distanced’ conditions and a new appreciation of family togetherness. Those involved suggested that researchers could learn much about the characteristics of cohesive, supportive communities from similar initiatives. The project confirmed that more research was needed on the role schools could play in bringing communities together and how music can be used to build bridges between school and community. Feedback raised questions about the absence of children’s voices in post-COVID-19 planning for ‘the recovery curriculum’.
Carta florentina (2018), de Guillermo Carnero. En la estela de Ovidio y la Fábula de Polifemo y Galatea
Authors: Cabello Estefanía
Published: May 2021

Carta florentina es el último de los poemarios publicados por Guillermo Carnero, un único poema continuo de 757 versos que toma como palimpsesto un ítem de intertextualidades clásicas coronadas por el poema de la Fábula de Polifemo y Galatea de Luis de Góngora. El presente trabajo analiza de qué manera está presente el epilio gongorino en esta singular composición de Carnero, cómo se constituye el espacio creativo dentro de ella y en qué medida el propio autor se prefigura dentro del texto, en diálogo con la tradición clásica, las referencias culturales y su propia obra anterior.
Cerullo, Luca. Cuerpos inasibles y almas huidizas. El personaje en Carmen Laforet
Authors: Ripoll Sintes Blanca
Published: May 2021

Reseña de: Cerullo, Luca. Cuerpos inasibles y almas huidizas. El personaje en Carmen Laforet. Sevilla: Benilde Ediciones, 2019, ISBN 978-84-16390-91-5, 187 páginas.
Seroprevalence and risk factors of West Nile virus infection in veterinarians and horses in Northern Palestine
Authors: Alzuheir Ibrahim , Fayyad Adnan , Jalboush Nasr , Abdallah Rosemary , Abutarbush Sameeh , Gharaibeh Mohammad , Bdarneh Majd , Khraim Nimer , Helal Mohammad Abu , Helal Belal Abu
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim: West Nile fever (WNF) is a neurotropic, mosquito-borne disease affecting humans and domesticated animals, caused by a member of the genus Flavivirus. Over the last decades, this virus has been responsible for several cases of illness in humans and animals. The current epidemiological status of WNF in horses is insufficient, and in veterinarians, as an occupational hazard is unknown. This study aimed to investigate and determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for WNF in veterinarians and horses in Palestine.

Materials and Methods: In this study, serum samples from 100 veterinarians and 87 horses were collected between August 2020 and September 2020 from different cities of Northern Palestine. West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Our results showed that 60.9% of the horse serum samples were positive in all investigated cities. In horses, location is a risk factor for the seropositivity for WNF, whereas age, sex, breed, and intended use of the horses, were not associated with increased WNF seropositivity. In veterinarians, 23.0% of the serum samples were positive. Positive samples were detected in all locations, age groups, experience length, and work sectors. However, the seropositivity for WNF was not influenced by these variables.

Conclusion: The results revealed that WNV circulates in most regions of Palestine. Our results will help determine the risk of infection in animals and humans and control WNV transmission. Surveillance studies on humans, vectors, and animals are needed to better define endemic areas.
Exogenous bovine somatotropin and mist-fan cooling synergistically promote the intramammary glucose transport for lactose synthesis in crossbred Holstein cows in the tropics
Authors: Chaiyabutr Narongsak , Sitprija Siravit , Chanpongsang Somchai , Thammacharoen Sumpun
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim: Milk synthesis by the mammary gland is negatively influenced in part by high ambient temperature (AT). This study aimed to clarify the pathway of intramammary glucose utilization involved in mediating lactose synthesis during treatment with somatotropin under housing with misters and fans. Materials and Methods: A single subcutaneous injection of 500 mg of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) was administered 3 times once every 14 days to 87.5% crossbred Holstein cattle in early-/mid-/late lactation, under housing in a normal shaded barn and in a shaded barn with a mist-fan cooling system. Results: The milk yields of the cooled cows tended to increase compared with those of uncooled cows and exhibited more potentiated effects in response to rbST treatment, coinciding with increases in mammary plasma flow and glucose uptake, but not in the mammary extraction of glucose. Treatment with rbST in the cooled cows resulted in a greater increase in the milk glucose concentration and a greater decrease in the milk glucose-6-phosphate concentration at all stages of lactation. Conclusion: rbST treatment exerted its galactopoietic action more by local intramammary factors than by other extramammary factors at a low AT and the synergistic effect between rbST treatment and low AT increased the availability of intramammary glucose transport in activating the process of lactose synthesis.
A FEIRA É LIVRE (?): ESTUDO SOBRE FENÔMENOS SOCIAIS, SÍMBOLOS E SIGNIFICADOS DO COTIDIANO DE UMA FEIRA DA BAHIA
Authors: Lima Martins Sheilla Kalle , Henrique Queiroz Pereira Marlus , Cruz Porcino Debora
Published: May 2021

O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar os significados acerca da “comida de feira” sob a ótica de mulheres trabalhadoras em uma feira livre, bem como suas acepções sobre alimentação saudável. Situado no campo das ciências da saúde e socioantropologia, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida a partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, construída a partir de observação direta com registro em diário de campo e entrevistas semiestruturadas contendo questões norteadoras. Os resultados foram organizados em quatro categorias, sendo estas: “Primeiro olhar sobre a feira”, que apresenta uma visão geral do espaço em estudo; Faces da reforma: “feira hoje parece que tem um dono”, que discorre sobre os impactos da recente reforma da feira livre; “O se tornar feirante”, que dialoga sobre a construção da profissão de feirante; Comida de feira: “aqui tem comida de todo tipo”, onde é feita uma análise da comida da feira livre e a acepção do saudável. Com este estudo, conclui-se que a feira livre, sob a perspectiva das feirantes, configura-se como cenário para além da distribuição e comercialização de alimentos. As percepções sobre a comida de feira e as nuances do conceito de saudável também ultrapassam os aspectos nutricionais e incluem valores socialmente construídos.
Technical approach and curative conservation and restoration processes of a papier machê giant: “La Turca” from the Corpus de Xàtiva
Authors: Colomina Subiela Antoni , Guerola Blay Vicente , Papenkova Anastasia
Published: May 2021

The festive culture encompasses different representations that enrich the collective imagination as elements of heritage identity reinforcement. Giants and big heads are a statement of such folkloric richness, symbolically linked to the tradition of immaterial connotation. This article contextualizes, historically and ichnographically, one of the papier mâché giants from the Corpus Christi festival in the Valencian city of Xàtiva. The technical, material and physiognomic examination of the sculpture, popularly known as “La Turca”, served as a preliminary study to determine its state of conservation. As a festive element used in processions, this sculpture exhibited significant structural and dimensional problems, as well as previous intrusive interventions, especially in polychrome areas, repeatedly applied with the purpose to recover the work’s appearance. Finally, based on the preliminary examinations, curative conservation and restoration treatments were performed, aimed at the most relevant deteriorations.
Microstructural evolution and corrosion behaviour of friction stir-processed QE22 magnesium alloy
Authors: Kumar Ankur , MD F. Khan , Panigrahi Sushanta Kumar , Chaudhari Gajanan P.
Published: May 2021

Effect of microstructural changes after friction stir processing (FSP) on the corrosion behaviour of rare earth containing QE22 magnesium alloy is studied. FSP produced ultrafine-grained α-Mg matrix and refined the Mg12Nd precipitates whereas Mg12Nd2Ag precipitates got dissolved in the matrix. Although its hardness increased from 76 to 90 VHN, the FSPed alloy displayed inferior corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. This is attributed mainly to the iron contamination from FSP and presence of refined second phase particles which work as active cathodic sites. The role of distributed Mg12Nd precipitates before and after FSP is analysed from micro galvanic corrosion point of view.
High strength and conductive hydrogel with fully interpenetrated structure from alginate and acrylamide
Authors: Liu Tao , Zhang Ripeng , Liu Jianzhi , Zhao Ling , Yu Yueqin
Published: May 2021

Highly stretched and conductive hydrogels, especially synthetized from natural polymers, are beneficial for highly stretched electronic equipment which is applied in extreme environment. We designed and prepared robust and tough alginate hydrogels (GMA-SA-PAM) using the ingenious strategy of fully interpenetrating cross-linking, in which the glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was used to modify sodium alginate (SA) and then copolymerized with acrylamide (AM) and methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) as cross-linkers. The complete cross-linked structures can averagely dissipate energy and the polymer structures can maintain hydrogels that are three-dimensional to greatly improve the mechanical performance of hydrogels. The GMA-SA-PAM hydrogels display ultra-stretchable (strain up to ∼407% of tensile strain) and highly compressible (∼57% of compression strain) properties. In addition, soaking the GMA-SA-PAM hydrogel in 5 wt% NaCl solution also endows the conductivity of the hydrogel (this hydrogel was named as GSP-Na) with excellent conductive properties (5.26 S m−1). The GSP-Na hydrogel with high stability, durability, as well as wide range extent sensor is also demonstrated by researching the electrochemical signals and showing the potential for applications in wearable and quickly responded electronics.
Slow flow solutions and stability analysis of single machine to infinite bus power systems
Authors: Suresh Kumar M. G. , Babu C. A.
Published: May 2021

Nonlinearity is a major constraint in analysing and controlling power systems. The behaviour of the nonlinear systems will vary drastically with changing operating conditions. Hence a detailed study of the response of the power system with nonlinearities is necessary especially at frequencies closer to natural resonant frequencies of machines where the system may jump into the chaos. This paper attempt such a study of a single machine to infinite bus power system by modelling it as a Duffing equation with softening spring. Using the method of multiple scales, an approximate analytical expression which describes the variation of load angle is derived. The phase portraits generated from the slow flow equations, closer to the jump, display two stable equilibria (centers) and an unstable fixed point (saddle). From the analysis, it is observed that even for a combination of parameters for which the system exhibits jump resonance, the system will remain stable if the variation of load angle is within a bounded region.
Is automation changing the translation profession?
Authors: Pym Anthony , Torres-Simón Ester
Published: May 2021

As a language-intensive profession, translation is of frontline interest in the era of language automation. In particular, the development of neural machine translation systems since 2016 has brought with it fears that soon there will be no more human translators. When considered in terms of the history of automation, however, any such direct effect is far from obvious: the translation industry is still growing and machine translation is only one instance of automation. At the same time, data on remuneration indicate structural wage dispersion in professional translation services, with some signs that this dispersion may increase in certain market segments as automated workflows and translation technologies are adopted more by large language-service providers more than by smaller companies and individual freelancers. An analysis of recent changes in discourses on and in the translation profession further indicates conceptual adjustments in the profession that may be attributed to growing automation, particularly with respect to expanding skills set associated with translation, the tendency to combine translation with other forms of communication, and the use of interactive communication skills to authorize and humanize the results of automation.
GeniePutt: Augmenting human motor skills through electrical muscle stimulation
Authors: Faltaous Sarah , Abdulmaksoud Aya , Kempe Markus , Alt Florian , Schneegass Stefan
Published: May 2021

Motor skills are omnipresent in our daily lives. Humans seek to learn new skills or improve existing ones. In this work, we explore how the actuation of the human body can be used to augment motor skills. We present GeniePutt, which augments the human performance via electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). We conducted a user study in which we controlled the turning angle of the wrist through GeniePutt to increase participants’ accuracy in a mini-golf scenario. Our results indicate that the best accuracy can be achieved when human capabilities are combined with augmentation performed through EMS.
Environmental and climatic impact on the infection and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 in Peru
Authors: Samillan Victor J. , Flores-León Diana , Rojas Eduardo , Zutta Brian R.
Published: May 2021

Objectives

The role of the environment and climate in the transmission and case fatality rates of SARS-CoV-2 is still being investigated a year into the pandemic. Elevation and air quality are believed to be significant factors in the development of the pandemic, but the influence of additional environmental factors remains unclear.

Methods

We explored the relationship between the cumulative number of infections and mortality cases with climate (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, water vapor pressure, wind), environmental data (elevation, normalized difference vegetation index or NDVI, particulate matter at 2.5 μm or PM2.5 and NO2 concentration), and population density in Peru. We use confirmed cases of infection from 1,287 districts and mortality in 479 districts, we used Spearman’s correlations to assess the bivariate correlation between environmental and climatic factors with cumulative infection cases, cumulative mortality and case-fatality rate. We explored district cases within the ecozones of coast, sierra, high montane forest and lowland rainforest.

Results

Multiple linear regression models indicate elevation, mean solar radiation, air quality, population density and green vegetation cover, as a socioeconomic proxy, are influential factors in the distribution of infection and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 in Peru. Case-fatality rate was weakly associated with elevation.

Conclusions

Our results also strongly suggest that exposure to poor air quality is a significant factor in the mortality of individuals below the age of 30. We conclude that environmental and climatic factors do play a significant role in the transmission and case fatality rates in Peru, however further study is required to see if these relationships are maintained over time.
Expanding the knowledge on a desert sigmodontine rodent in Central Argentina with remarks on its conservation status
Authors: Pardiñas Ulyses F.J. , Tammone Mauro N. , Voglino Damián , Cuéllar Soto Erika
Published: May 2021

The monotypic genus Salinomys (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) includes tiny mice with specialist adaptations to desert habitats characteristic of Argentinian shrubland. We report on a population of Salinomys delicatus from Central La Pampa Province, Argentina, representing a 450 km southerly extension to its known distribution. Importantly, this stresses the necessity for further discussion of the validity of its conservation status, recently updated from Data Deficient to Vulnerable. Furthermore, we highlight aspects from its morphology that could help in future proper identification of specimens. Finally, we propose that this species should be retained as Data Deficient pending additional investigation.
Pain quality of thermal grill illusion is similar to that of central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain
Authors: Osumi Michihiro , Sumitani Masahiko , Nobusako Satoshi , Sato Gosuke , Morioka Shu
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Application of spatially interlaced innocuous warm and cool stimuli to the skin elicits illusory pain, known as the thermal grill illusion (TGI). This study aimed to discriminate the underlying mechanisms of central and peripheral neuropathic pain focusing on pain quality, which is considered to indicate the underlying mechanism(s) of pain. We compared pain qualities in central and peripheral neuropathic pain with reference to pain qualities of TGI-induced pain.

Methods

Experiment 1:137 healthy participants placed their hand on eight custom-built copper bars for 60 s and their pain quality was assessed by the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Experiment 2: Pain quality was evaluated in patients suffering from central and peripheral neuropathic pain (42 patients with spinal cord injury, 31 patients with stroke, 83 patients with trigeminal neuralgia and 131 patients with postherpetic neuralgia).

Results

Experiment 1: Two components of TGI-induced pain were found using principal component analysis: component 1 included aching, throbbing, heavy and burning pain, component 2 included itching, electrical-shock, numbness, and cold-freezing. Experiment 2: Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and cross tabulation analysis revealed specific pain qualities including aching, hot-burning, heavy, cold-freezing, numbness, and electrical-shock pain were associated with central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain.

Conclusions

We found similar qualities between TGI-induced pain in healthy participants and central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain. The mechanism of TGI is more similar to the mechanism of central neuropathic pain than that of neuropathic pain.
Cross-Term Suppression Method for Time-Frequency Spectrum of Engineering Blasting Signals
Authors: Fu Xiaoqiang , Yu Jin , Dai Liangyu , Liu Jifeng , Huang Jianguo , Ren Wenbin
Published: May 2021

Engineering blasting vibration signals are affected by the test environment and contain noise and trend components, which leads to significant cross-term in the time-frequency (TF) distribution. To address these problems, a combined algorithm of matching pursuit (MP) and smooth pseudo-Wigner-Ville distribution (SPWVD) is proposed to suppress the TF spectrum cross-term and extract the signal features. An overcomplete atom library is constructed for signal feature matching according to sparse signal representation theory. Atomic reconstruction of the subsignal is achieved by MP decomposition, and the SPWVD distribution of the reconstructed subsignal is calculated and superimposed, yielding a more accurate TF expression of the blasting signal. The results show that the combined MP-SPWVD method can accurately suppress cross-term and improve the TF identification and feature analysis ability, which verifies the accuracy of its application in signal TF analysis. The combined algorithm is thus suitable for TF feature extraction of engineering blasting signals.
High-resolution records of anthropogenic activity and geohazards from the reservoir of Sun Moon Lake, Central Taiwan
Authors: Chen Huei-Fen , Wei Kuo-Yen , Huang Jyh-Jaan Steven , Lin Chi-Cheng , Su Chih-Chieh , Song Gwo-Shyh , Li Hong-Chun , Lee Teh-Quei , Song Shen-Rong , Pan Hui-Juan
Published: May 2021

Sun Moon Lake is the first dam reservoir constructed in Taiwan with the capability of generating hydroelectricity satisfying the whole Taiwan need during the Japanese colonial period since 1934 CE. Now, the Sun Moon Lake is one of the biggest hydropower stations in Taiwan and has become an important touring area. During World War II (1944–1945 CE), the hydroelectric power plant at Sun Moon Lake was bombed by the U.S. air force, which caused severe damage to the dam structure. More recently, the dam structure was also damaged during the 1999 CE Chi-Chi earthquake whose epicenter is nearby in the Nantou County. A suite of cores were taken from both Sun Lake and Moon Lake, and two selected cores, Sun 2–1 and SM 16 4–3, from Sun Lake were detailed studied with multiple analyses, including X-ray imaging, magnetic susceptibility, visible spectrophotometry, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning, and mineral analysis. We discovered that the increase of Ca content in the sediments not only clearly indicates when the dam was constructed at Sun Moon Lake but also records evidence of structure repairs after both the World War II bombing and the Chi-Chi earthquake. Additionally, the yellow turbidite, X-ray image, and low-Ca signals in Core Sun 2–1 strongly correlate to the typhoon events that caused severe floods in the watershed of Zhuoshui River. The turbidite layers caused by the 1963 Gloria Typhoon are also characterized by conspicuous high peak of Fe/Mn in both cores. This study shows that XRF scanning results are useful for recognition of human activity and for high precipitation event correlation. Moreover, the appearance of charcoal layers shows evidence of forest burning and slash-and-burn activities by humans during the past 4,000 years back to the Middle Neolithic Age.
¿Hay ecos de la sabiduría personificada en el “Cristo sabiduría de Dios” de 1 Cor 1, 18-31?
Authors: Serrano Gómez Liliana
Published: May 2021

Este estudio explora la posible relación entre la Sabiduría personificada y el Cristo-Sabiduría de Dios de 1Cor 1,24.30. Se presentan las sabidurías griega y judía como contextos subyacentes en los escritos paulinos, iniciando con la sabiduría en el Antiguo Testamento y la figura de la sabiduría personificada, seguido por la Sabiduría en el Nuevo Testamento y la relación entre sabiduría personificada y Jesucristo. Posteriormente, se analiza 1Cor 1-4 como centro de gravedad del sustantivo σοφία en todo el Nuevo Testamento y como marco de referencia para entender la perícopa 1 Cor 1, 18-31. Finalmente, se identifican los ecos entre la sabiduría personificada y el original Cristo-Sabiduría de Dios de 1Cor 1,24.30.
Der E-Sport als Ökosystem am Beispiel der Plattform Battle.net
Authors: Scholz Tobias M.
Published: May 2021

In den letzten Jahren war ein exponentielles Wachstum im E-Sport zu erkennen: der E-Sport entwickelte sich von einem Nischenphänomen zu einem Massenphänomen. Gerade der Fokus auf eine junge, digitale und globale Zielgruppe macht den E-Sport auch für die Medienbranche interessant. Neben den lukrativen Vermarktungsmöglichkeiten ist der E-Sport weiterhin interessant als ein Vorreiter für eine digitale Gesellschaft und mit 20 Jahren Erfahrung in digitaler Zusammenarbeit eine unberührte, aufschlussreiche Wissensquelle. Dies kann man auch an dem E-Sport Ökosystem erkennen, das schon früh eine Plattformisierung erlebte und damit als Fallbeispiel für die Evolution von Plattform-Ökosystemen dient. Hierzu wird die Plattform Battle.net betrachtet, die im Jahr 1996 eingeführt wurde und sich seitdem fundamental verändert hat. An diesem Beispiel wird vor allem deutlich, dass nicht die Plattform das Ökosystem beeinflusst, sondern die Akteure auf der Plattform. Dementsprechend ist ein strategisches Ökosystem-Design möglich. Diese Erkenntnis kann für die Medienwirtschaft im fortschreitenden Digitalisierungszwang interessant sein.