bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The destruction of SFRY and Serbia
Authors: Jovanović Vladislav
Published: December 2021

The paper recapitulates the process of the destruction of the Yugoslav state (SFRY and FRY). Special attention is given to the key factor in that process, the will of the West, embodied in the USA and the EC (EU), for whom the continued existence of Yugoslavia was no longer of geopolitical interest. The conferences on Yugoslavia, organized in Brussels and The Hague, were supposed to serve to legitimize this goal: the disappearance of Yugoslavia. The author points out that when the West did not manage to achieve its goal with political solutions, it involved NATO, through the aggression in 1999. Previously, Serbia's legitimate opposition to terrorist acts by the KLA on its territory, as an internal issue par excellence, was declared a threat to "peace and security in the world", and the UN Security Council took it as a permanent topic of its sessions. There had been secessionist uprisings and armed conflicts in UN member states before, as there are today, but the Security Council never before dared to violate the article of the UN Charter that states that these questions are the exclusive competence of the member state concerned. An exception was made only in the case of Serbia, although the defense against KLA terrorism was legal and limited to the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, i.e., the Yugoslav state border was never crossed. The false claim of William Walker, the head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo and Metohija, concerning the massacre in Racak, was the cause of the war of aggression against the FRY. By illegally naming the protectorate of Kosovo as the so-called state of the Albanian national minority, the West took this as the final stroke in the dismemberment of Yugoslavia and Serbia, thus ignoring the story of the phoenix rising from its ashes.
In discord or lockstep: In anticipation of the thirtieth anniversary of the dissolution of Yugoslavia
Authors: Vladimirovič Nikiforov
Published: December 2021

This paper gives a recapitulation of the Yugoslav crisis and considers the role of western states in the breaking up of Yugoslavia (SFRY and SRY). The author is of the opinion that the transformation of Serbian society began with the "antibureaucratic revolution" and that it concluded with the "bulldozer revolution" on October 5, 2000. The fall of Milosevic marked the final collapse of the entire political course he led during the Yugoslav crisis. The principal defeat of Serbian politics was the state split with Montenegro in 2006, while the de facto loss of Kosovo took place before the rise of Milosevic with the forced evictions of Serbs from this region. Nevertheless, the loss of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared its independence in 2008, is perceived as more painful in the national consciousness. Parallel to this, the main achievement of the Serbs during these troubled times was the creation of the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose broad autonomy was given international recognition in 1995 after the Dayton Agreement. Tito's Yugoslavia and the states that appeared on its ruins, all their differences notwithstanding, developed and continued to evolve within the framework of general law, which applies to all the countries that occupy the vast region of Central, South-East and East Europe. Serbia is not an exception, although the process of its transformation, for the mentioned reasons, is slower and more painful than that of many of its neighbors.
On the destruction of Yugoslavia
Authors: Mrkić Ivan
Published: December 2021

In this paper we discuss the development of the SFRY, especially in the period before and after the passing of its Constitution in February 1974. We comment on the behavior of the Serbian representatives during that time. We pay special attention to the term "dissolution", which we explain and deem unfounded, as many events point to the conclusion that Yugoslavia, a signatory of the UN Charter, was broken up and destroyed both politically and physically. We explain who the subjects were who believed that the benefits of destroying Yugoslavia should fall on secessionist politics. We discuss the role of the European Community and the western world, looking back at the so-called Carrington Conference. The paper also mentions the names and roles of certain Yugoslav and foreign political figures. The role of Germany is also discussed.
The role of the army in the destruction of Yugoslavia
Authors: Radinović Radovan
Published: December 2021

Yugoslavia was destroyed through the concerted effort of domestic forces of the seceding republics and foreign factors, embodied by the entirety of the Western world. Although the USA undoubtedly supported the West, in the early stages of the process, they favored the preservation of Yugoslavia. The country with the leading role in the destruction of Yugoslavia was Germany. The causes of the disappearance of Yugoslavia from the political map of Europe and the world were numerous: economic, social, political, geopolitical, etc. In this article we focus on the military component, that is, the role of the Yugoslav People's Army in the destruction process. We consider various factors which brought to the situation in which the YPA proved itself utterly unsuccessful and ineffective in defending itself from destruction from the inside. We also look at the opportunities with which the YPA was presented, which it failed to seize. These choices lead the country and its citizens into a bloody civil war with countless victims and great destruction. The YPA itself was finally pilloried for its ultimately disastrous attempts to protect the state from aggressive forces within.
Literary projection of the disintegration of Yugoslavia
Authors: Andrejević Danica
Published: December 2021

The research of the poetic and cultural meaning of literature from the 1990s to the present moment can, in the culturological context, be conducted within the social, historical and anthropological sphere as well as the general culture of remembrance. The literary projection of the dissolution of Yugoslavia in this case spans the last three decades of development of Serbian literature. In this paper we apply an interdisciplinary approach to interpretation, in accordance with the author's aspects. The basic theoretical framework consists of points of view of various characters who in monologues or within other narrative forms of literary discourse, articulate their position on the tragic ruptures within the state, family, being. Selected prose statements are structural-poetic and semanticaxiological messages of different authors and characters. About twenty novels of all generations of authors are included, which more or less explore the topic of the last civil war in the Balkans. The model of citation characteristic of the theme is contrasted by the varying subjective attitudes of the characters, ideologically colored or politically correct. Excerpts were selected exclusively on the basis of their literary value. Writers react more intensely, freely, and emotionally to the tragic reality and war apocalypse. Their literary projections can be classified as the engagement of critical intellectuals who neither provoked nor participated in the tragic historical events. Thus, literary discourse, however politicized or even subversive, is not political discourse in a literary text. The writers do not engage in documentary mimesis but an artistic projection of reality and the literary transformation of that reality into a kind of new historicism, as Greenblatt says. According to Derrida's theory of difference, each writer expresses a different presence in the world. Thus, Serbian writers interpret the disintegration of Yugoslavia and its consequences three decades later in an authentic, unique, and specifically relevant way, valuable not only for the history of literature but also for history in general and the social context of our chronotope.
New chapter in EU-UK relations: Ambitious unprecedented partnership or the first trade and cooperation agreement setting barriers and removing freedoms
Authors: Vujičić Jovan
Published: December 2021

In this paper the author analyses the new relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Given the scope and complexity of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the intention was not to explain in detail all its aspects, but only the basic and most important provisions. First of all, those of the free trade agreement, but also in the areas where ties are being renewed, which would otherwise be interrupted by the withdrawal of the United Kingdom. Although it does not reflect the benefits of EU membership, the agreement certainly limits the negative consequences compared to the situation without it and provides much needed predictability and certainty, allowing Europe to leave Brexit behind and move on.
Investment in fixed assets impact on the employment growth in the Republic of Serbia
Authors: Beke-Trivunac Jozefina , Stoiljković Bojan , Peković Drinka
Published: December 2021

This study focused on the effect of investments in fixed assets on the employment growth in Serbia during the period from 2013 to 2020. The data are drawn from the publicly available data of the Serbian Business Register Agency and include all registered companies in the country which submit-ted their annual reports. The results show the high correlation between yearly investment in fixed assets and employment growth. We also concluded that the average annual investment in fixed assets grows from year to year, making the opening of a new workplace each year more expensive.
Financing innovations in the contemporary world
Authors: Madžar Lidija
Published: December 2021

As a practical application of new ideas, innovation is a multidimensional, complex, dynamic, long-term, and cumulative process based on organizational decision-making, from the stage of a new idea's emergence to its final implementation. There is a strong positive correlation between innovation and economic growth. Access to finance is a key driver of new innovative ventures' creation, survival, and growth. On the other hand, the lack of financial resources prevents and inhibits the growth and development of new innovative companies. This paper considers bootstrapping, crowdfunding, and mezzanine financing as widely accepted, specific innovation funding sources worldwide.
The impact of the pandemic on the quality of internal audit
Authors: Stojić Srbijanka , Živković Dragan , Petrović Pero
Published: December 2021

The long-term consequences of the pandemic have brought about changes in the culture and business climate of organizations, but also in the wider social environment. The consequences are seen in the digital environment of public companies, flexibility of working hours, increased uncertainty, and risk in business, which can lead to changes in business models (corporate governance, information technology, financial operations, and financial reporting) that affect the quality of internal audit. Therefore, public companies are rapidly changing the way they adjust their strategies, make decisions, and perform daily activities. These changes bring new risks and public companies adapt to new business conditions, control their risks, and control their business and financial flows. The increasing influence of IT on public companies alternately forces internal and external auditors to improve their knowledge and skills in the field of IT and adjust their work process accordingly.
Use of social networks in emerging adults: The role of irrational beliefs
Authors: Stojković Irena , Vukosavljević-Gvozden Tatjana
Published: December 2021

Introduction. The use of online social networks has become widespread among the young. Although it may have beneficial effects, it has been established that some people develop problematic or excessive use of social networks which may negatively impact their psychosocial functioning. Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate social networks use among emerging adults and to explore whether irrational and rational beliefs as conceptualized within the Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (RE&CBT) framework predict problematic social networks use. Following RE&CBT framework, we hypothesized that irrational beliefs are positively, and rational beliefs negatively related to problematic social networks use. Methods. The sample included 210 emerging adults (age range 18-26, M = 21.08, SD = 2.02), 59.0% females. Serbian version of the General Attitude and Belief Scale (SGABS) was used for the assessment of irrational and rational beliefs. Serbian version of Internet Addiction Test was adapted for the assessment of problematic social networks use. Results. The results supported the hypothesis that irrational beliefs are positively related to problematic social networks use. When controlling for intercorrelations between beliefs, demands for love and approval from others stood out as a single significant predictor of problematic social networks use. Rational beliefs were unrelated to problematic social networks use, thus not supporting the hypothesis. Conclusion. The results suggest that RE&CBT approach, which has been proven to be efficacious in prevention of various problems of psychosocial functioning may also provide framework for supporting young people to use social networks in a constructive way.
Phonological awareness, verbal working memory and rapid automatic naming as indicators of vocabulary development in preschool children
Authors: Ječmenica Nevena , Golubović Slavica
Published: December 2021

Introduction. According to the lexical restructuring model, the development of vocabulary initiates the development of phonological representations. Therefore, it can be predicted that children with developed vocabulary will possess very specific phonological representations of words. Aim. The aim of this research was to determine the significance of phonological awareness, verbal working memory, and rapid automatic naming as indicators of the development of expressive and receptive vocabulary in preschool children. Method. The research included 86 children of typical development. For the assessment of phonological awareness, verbal working memory, rapid automatic naming, expressive and receptive vocabulary, the subtests of Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals -Fourth Edition battery were used. Results. The results showed that the model containing age, phonological awareness, verbal working memory, and rapid automatic naming predicted 51% of the achievement variance on expressive vocabulary tasks (F = 7.73, df1 = 2, df2 = 75, p < .001) and 38% of the achievement variance on receptive vocabulary tasks (F = 4.65, df1 = 2, df2 = 75, p < .001). In the final model, only the tasks of phoneme identification, phoneme substitution, and rapid automatic naming (p < .05) stood out as statistically significant indicators of expressive vocabulary. On the other hand, statistically significant indicators of receptive vocabulary included analysis and synthesis of phonemes, verbal working memory, and rapid automatic naming (p < .05). Conclusion. The results showed that age, phonological awareness, verbal working memory, and rapid automatic naming significantly contributed to vocabulary development in children before reading acquisition.
Simulation Studies for Motion Control of Multiple Biohybrid Microrobots in Human Synovial Fluid with Discontinuous Reference Signals
Authors: TABAK Ahmet Fatih
Published: December 2021

It is envisioned that biomedical swarms are going to be used for therapeutic operations in the future. The utilization of a single robot in live tissue is not practical because of the limited volume. In contrast, a large group of microrobots can deliver a useful amount of potent chemicals to the targeted tissue. In this simulation study, a trio of magnetotactic bacteria as a task-force, Magnetospirillum Gryphiswaldense MSR-1, is maneuvered via adaptive micro-motion control through an external magnetic field. The magnetic field is induced by a single permanent magnet positioned by an open kinematic chain. The coupled dynamics of this small group in the human synovial tissue is simulated with actual magnetic and fluidic properties of the synovial liquid. The common center of mass is tracked by the equation of motion. The overall hydrodynamic interaction amongst all three bacteria is modeled within a synovial medium confined with flat surfaces. A bilateral control scheme is implemented on top of this coupled model. The position of the common center of mass is used as the reference point to the end-effector of the robotic arm. The orientation of the magnetic field is rotated to change the heading of the bacterial-group in an addressable manner. It has been numerically observed that controlling the common swimming direction of multiple bacteria is fairly possible. Results are presented via the rigid-body motion of the robotic task-force as well as the fluidic and magnetic force-components acting on the bacteria along with the bilateral control effort in all axes.
Aspect Based Opinion Mining on Hotel Reviews
Authors: DEMİR Yunus Emre , DURMAZ Semih , ELBİR Ahmet , SIĞIRCI İbrahim Onur , DİRİ Banu
Published: December 2021

Users often use online reviews to assess the quality of hotels according to their various attributes. In this study, a sentiment
analysis of online reviews has been conducted using 11 predetermined attributes pertaining to hotels. Using this analysis, users’
overall assessments of hotels have been determined and summarized from reviews left for a group of various hotels. To identify
words with similar meanings to the 11 predetermined hotel attributes, the Word2Vec method has been employed. Additionally,
the FastText method has been used to detect words containing spelling errors. The sentiment analysis of the comments has
been made by using three different methods belonging to two different approaches. These methods are: VADER method as
dictionary-based approach, BERT and RoBERTa as machine learning approaches. Using these methods, the reviews have been
evaluated in three categories as positive, negative, and neutral, and the quality score has been calculated. In addition, a software
with a user-friendly graphical interface has been implemented in an effort to easily use all the methods used in this study.
A Tertiary Study and Social Network Analysis on Agile Software Development Methodology
Authors: BAYRAM Egemen , DOĞAN Buket , TUNALI Volkan
Published: December 2021

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in research and application of agile software development. In academic literature, the number of systematic literature reviews (SLRs), systematic mapping studies, and unsystematic reviews has also increased. One of the aims of this article is to create a tertiary study of SLRs on agile software development research topics between 2013 and 2018. Our second goal is to provide an in-depth analysis with data including reference, author, institution, etc. belonging to this tertiary study, and to provide an in-depth analysis for software engineering researchers and practitioners to reveal the relationships of developments in this field. We applied a two-stage research method within the scope of the study. First, we obtained and examined the systematic literature reviews published in the field of agile software development from Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, and IEEE academic databases. Second, we visualized the publications examined within the scope of the tertiary study, and revealed the relationships between publications, researchers, institutions, publication sources, and countries with VOSviewer and Gephi social network analysis tools. The findings obtained as a result of the study can be summarized as the fact that developing countries have more studies on the subject, the cited publications are mostly from developed countries, contrary to what is expected, distant countries are more in cooperation, and the number of citations is not directly proportional to the number of publications.
Supervised Learning-Aided Control of a DC-DC Power Converter in Wind Energy Conversion Systems
Authors: AKPOLAT Alper Nabi , DURSUN Erkan , KUZUCUOĞLU Ahmet Emin
Published: December 2021

Over the last decades, to adopt high penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) in electrical energy systems, distributed energy resources (DERs) have become prominent. Due to easy attainability status of small wind turbines (WTs), wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) are feasible applications for small customers, especially in windy areas. The next decade is likely to witness a considerable rise in DERs. In this context, WECSs are preferred broadly, thus harvesting wind energy into electrical energy effectively is a substantial issue. WTs can be got involved in the grid-connected or autonomous mode with a variety of topologies. In this paper, we examine to control of DC-DC boost converter of a WECS with the help of artificial intelligence (AI)-aided PI controller based on supervised learning method. Regarding the proposed method, artificial neural networks (ANNs) as a subset of AI are utilized. To test and ensure the applicability of the proposed control method, a small WECS with a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) connected a DC bus was implemented in MATLAB/Simulink environment. The proposed ANN scheme has reached a high accuracy rate with an overall mean squared error (MSE) equal to 7.4e-08. The results present that dynamic response and less complexity with a high accuracy rate have been obtained under study. The main target of this study is to reduce the number of sensors in the control layer. Thus, a cost-effective and more reliable structure is obtained with fewer sensor requirements.
Tax incentives to encourage the implementation of digital innovations
Authors: Avdeeva Valentina Mikhailovna
Published: December 2021

Modern conditions dictate new challenges for the economy in order to remedy structural imbalances. The answers to these challenges can only be in the format of innovations. The past six month showed that successful players on any markets became the economic entities that have been actively implementing innovations, namely digital technologies and products. From the economic perspective, tax incentivization has always been the most effective tool for the innovative economic activity. In view of this, the goal of this research lies in substantiation of tax incentives to encourage the implementation of digital innovations. The subject of this article is tax incentives for the implementation of digital innovations. Description is given to the advantages and disadvantages of the existing tax system of stimulating innovative activity in the Russian Federation, examination of tax incentives as the main tool for stimulating innovative activity in the Russian Federation, and formulation of the proposals for improving the legislation on taxes and fees for increasing the efficiency of innovation economy. The key principle of the development of tax mechanism is the selection of effective tax instruments that meet the objectives of the government and economic system. The implementation of digital innovations is much more dynamic due to the comprehensive use of the systems of mechanisms for regulating tax activity. As a result, the author determines the flaws in tax incentives aimed at encouraging the implementation of digital innovations, as well as develops recommendations for improving the methods of tax incentives for the implementation of digital innovations.
The book to come of Jacques Derrida
Authors: Gaynutdinov Timur Rashidovich
Published: December 2021

This article analyzes the theme of book in the philosophy of Jacques Derrida, as well as the inevitability of transformation of its customary forms. The theme of book is central at least in the three texts by Jacques Derrida: “The End of the Book and the Beginning of Writing”, “Outside the Book”, and “The Book to Come”. However, in the process of analysis, the author goes beyond the boundaries of these three works of the philosopher, placing the problem of the “book to come” in a broader context of discursive practices of Jacques Derrida. The book in its common form is on the cusp of dispersion, i.e. decay of its usual structure and integrity. The former totality of linear writing, which is organically interrelated with the book form, yields to the new forms of submission of information and its archiving. This article describes how Jacques Derrida explicitly builds the form of the “book to come” letting it to the horizon of his writing, and thereby changing its very structure and fabric. A number of philosopher’s texts are distinguished by their polyphony, structural complexity, excess of quotations, scatteredness of phrases, words, and even sounds, phonemes, and syllables. All this leads to the disruption of the customary rules of reading, and forces us to form completely new strategies of the perception of writing and books, as well as all other practices that are inextricably entwined.
Thermal smart materials and their applications in space thermal control system
Authors: Cao Bing-Yang , Zhang Zi-Tong ,   School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Published: December 2021

Effective thermal control technologies are increasingly demanded in various application scenarios like spacecraft systems. Thermal conductivities of materials play a key role in thermal control systems, and one of the basic requirements for the materials is their reversibly tunable thermal properties. In this paper, we briefly review the recent research progress of the thermal smart materials in the respects of fundamental physical mechanisms, thermal switching ratio, and application value. We focus on the following typical thermal smart materials: nanoparticle suspensions, phase change materials, soft materials, layered materials tuned by electrochemistry, and materials tuned by specific external field. After surveying the fundamental mechanisms of thermal smart devices, we present their applications in spacecraft and other fields. Finally, we discuss the difficulties and challenges in studying the thermal smart materials, and also point out an outlook on their future development.
Investigating disagreement in the scientific literature
Authors: Lamers Wout S , Boyack Kevin , Larivière Vincent , Sugimoto Cassidy R , van Eck Nees Jan , Waltman Ludo , Murray Dakota
Published: December 2021

Disagreement is essential to scientific progress but the extent of disagreement in science, its evolution over time, and the fields in which it happens remain poorly understood. Here we report the development of an approach based on cue phrases that can identify instances of disagreement in scientific articles. These instances are sentences in an article that cite other articles. Applying this approach to a collection of more than four million English-language articles published between 2000 and 2015 period, we determine the level of disagreement in five broad fields within the scientific literature (biomedical and health sciences; life and earth sciences; mathematics and computer science; physical sciences and engineering; and social sciences and humanities) and 817 meso-level fields. Overall, the level of disagreement is highest in the social sciences and humanities, and lowest in mathematics and computer science. However, there is considerable heterogeneity across the meso-level fields, revealing the importance of local disciplinary cultures and the epistemic characteristics of disagreement. Analysis at the level of individual articles reveals notable episodes of disagreement in science, and illustrates how methodological artifacts can confound analyses of scientific texts.
Living on the edge: genetic structure and geographic distribution in the threatened Markham’s Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates markhami)
Authors: Norambuena Heraldo V. , Rivera Reinaldo , Barros Rodrigo , Silva Rodrigo , Peredo Ronny , Hernández Cristián E.
Published: December 2021

Migratory birds are threatened by habitat loss and degradation, illegal killings, ineffective conservation policies, knowledge gaps and climate change. These threats are particularly troubling in the Procellariiformes (Aves), one of the most endangered bird groups. For “storm-petrels”, their cryptic breeding behavior, asynchrony between populations, and light pollution pose additional threats that contribute to increased mortality.Markham’s Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates markhami), a poorly known migratory species, is a pelagic bird that breeds in dispersed colonies in the Sechura and Atacama Deserts, with asynchronous reproduction between colonies, and is highly affected by artificial lights. Considering its complex conservation scenario and singular breeding, we expected to find narrow habitat distribution conditions, strong geographic genetic structure, and spatially differentiation related to human population activities (e.g., light pollution) and the climate global change. To evaluate these predictions, we analyzed the phylogeography, current and future potential distribution based on mitochondrial gene ND1 and geographic records.The phylogeographic analyses revealed three well-supported clades (i.e., Paracas, Arica, and Salar Grande), and the geographical distribution modeled using an intrinsic conditional model (iCAR) suggests a positive relationship with the mean temperature of the wettest quarter and of the driest quarter, solar radiation, and anthropogenic disturbance. The future predictions under moderate and severe scenarios of global change indicated a drastic distribution area reduction, especially in the southern zone around Tarapacá and Antofagasta in Chile. These suggest a potential loss of unique genetic diversity and the need for conservation actions particularly focused at the edges of the H. markhami distribution.
The role of ecohydrological (dis)connectivity in dryland functioning and management
Authors: Bautista Susana , Mayor Angeles
Published: December 2021

La conectividad se define como el grado en que la estructura espacial del paisaje facilita el flujo de organismos y substancias. Diversos modelos conceptuales y evidencias empíricas atribuyen a la conectividad hidrológica un papel clave en el funcionamiento de los ecosistemas y paisajes áridos, pero aún falta una perspectiva integrada sobre los distintos aspectos y procesos hidrológicos y ecológicos que vinculan la conectividad con la degradación y la recuperación de zonas áridas. Aquí, describimos la conectividad ecohidrológica como una propiedad emergente de los ecosistemas y paisajes que captura la interacción entre conectividad hidrológica y procesos ecológicos, y discutimos cómo la conectividad ecohidrológica controla el funcionamiento de los ecosistemas áridos, subyace a las dinámicas de desertificación y puede manejarse para facilitar la recuperación de las zonas áridas degradadas. Una conectividad ecohidrológica disfuncional sería aquella en la que la mayor parte del flujo de recursos asociado a la conectividad del suelo desnudo a escala de ladera o paisaje no puede ser retenido y explotado por el efecto sumidero de la vegetación. Las actuaciones para la recuperación del sistema degradado irían encaminadas a interrumpir la conectividad general de la matriz suelo desnudo, fomentar la dinámica fuente-sumidero y potenciar la capacidad de sumidero de las manchas o teselas de vegetación. A escala de paisaje, la interrupción de la conectividad hidrológica puede, a su vez, crear teselas de hábitat y corredores para una gran variedad de especies, facilitando sus desplazamientos y, de este modo, su conservación y adaptación al cambio climático.
Data set of the plant-Buprestidae (Coleoptera) interactions from Mexico
Authors: Pérez Hernández Cisteil X. , Hernández-Robles Diana , Corona-López Ana María , Toledo-Hernández Víctor H. , del-Val Ek
Published: December 2021

Se presenta una base de datos de los registros de interacción planta-bupréstidos en México (latitud 14.540833 y 32.718333; longitud -118.456666 y -86.710000), con información obtenida en publicaciones científicas y colecciones entomológicas mexicanas, con la intención de facilitar el uso y la difusión de los datos entre taxónomos, ecólogos, y otras personas interesadas en el estudio y exploración de la relación planta-Coleoptera; así como con posibles usos en planes de conservación. Se compiló un total de 1656 registros de interacciones a partir de más de 5200 especímenes documentados en 115 artículos –publicados entre 1902 y 2020–, y de la revisión de aproximadamente 7000 especímenes depositados en tres colecciones entomológicas. Los registros de interacción compilados pertenecen a 45 géneros, 318 especies y 13 subespecies de bupréstidos mexicanos asociados a 56 familias, 159 géneros y 202 especies, subespecies y variedades de plantas hospedadoras, que fueron observados o colectados entre 1895 y 2015 en 29 estados del país. También se documentó el estadio de vida y el tejido vegetal utilizado por cada especie, lo cual sirvió para clasificarlas en cinco gremios tróficos y asignar un tipo de asociación a cada par de especies interactuantes. Datos disponibles en: https://doi.org/10.15468/bck627
Seroprevalence of Chikungunya (CHIK) Infection during Non Epidemic Periods in Chennai, Southern India
Authors: Kayalvili Kaliyamoorthy , Duraivel Murugan , Nivedhitha Elangovan , Selvan Subramanian Arul
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Chikungunya (CHIK) infection has caused many outbreaks in India with more than 13 lac people affected by the disease. Epidemics of CHIK infection occur during post monsoon period when there is a high vector density. Evidences on the prevalence of CHIK infection during non epidemic periods are limited. Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of CHIK infection during non epidemic periods among patients attending fever clinic in Chennai, Southern India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in 180 suspected cases of CHIK infection between the months of September 2014 and February 2015. A 5 mL of blood samples were collected from the suspected cases and serum was separated to detect for the presence of CHIK-IgM antibody by using CHIK-IgM antibody capture Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Chi-square test was done to find out the statistical significance with p-value <0.05 kept as statistically significant. Results: The seroprevalence of CHIK infection during non epidemic periods was found to be 5.5% (10/180). Fever and joint pain were the major complaints present in all the study population. All the seronegative cases were tested for the presence of other infections and it was found that 13% were positive for typhoid, 9% were positive for leptospirosis, 4% for malaria and 2% for dengue infections. Conclusion: There are no vaccines or specific medications available till date. Prevention is the only effective approach against the disease. Even though the prevalence of CHIK infection is low during non epidemic periods, strict vector control and elimination of mosquito breeding sites are very important in controlling the disease transmission.
Kikuchi Fujimoto Disease: A Case Report with Literature Review
Authors: Rajesh Eshwar , Swaminathan Tamilvanan
Published: December 2021

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), also referred to as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is an uncommon entity, usually benign, self-limiting disease characterised by fever and regional lymphadenopathy of unexplained aetiology. There is an increase in reported cases of KFD, particularly in Asia. It is important to recognize this condition because it may be confused for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), tuberculosis or lymphoma. The knowledge of this condition among clinicians and pathologists can help to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. It must be considered among the differential diagnoses of cervical lymphadenopathy. Here, we present a case of 20-year-old male who came to the hospital with complaints of mild fever, chills, fatigue and cervical lymphadenopathy. After radiological investigations an excisional biopsy of the cervical lymph node was done and the diagnosis of KFD was confirmed. Due to the paucity of cases in literature, reporting this case may help shed light on this rare disease.
Performance of Transplant Aus Rice Varieties under Different Nitrogen Management Practices
Authors: Faruk Md. Omar , Hussain A. S. M. Iqbal , Yusuf Md. Abu , Hasan Mehedi Md. Nazmul
Published: December 2021

Management of applied nitrogen in rice field is one tool that could lead to increase in rice yield, but often ignored by most farmers. The experiment was carried out from April to July 2015 at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali to find out the influence of different nitrogen management and variety on the yield performance of transplant Ausrice. The study consisted of four levels of nitrogen viz. Control (without N), 30 kg N ha-1, 60 kg N ha-1 and urea super granule @ 52 kg N ha-1 and four Transplanted aus rice varieties viz. KaliHitta, ChaitaBoro, Abdul Hai and Gota IRRI, and was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. The levels of nitrogen were assigned in the main plot and varieties were allocated in the sub-plots. Nitrogen management, variety and their interactions exerted significant (P ≤ 0.05) influence on plant characters, yield contributing characters and yield of transplanted Aus rice. In the case of nitrogen management, the tallest plant was 161.60 cm, maximum leaf area index(2.97, the highest number of effective tillers hill-115, longest panicle 24.30 cm with the maximum number of filled grains as94.73, 1000-grain weight gave 29.97 g. Grain yield of 2.48 t ha-1 were obtained from USG @ 52 kg N ha-1 and the shortest plant height of 136.90 cm with lowest leaf area index of 1.78, lowest number of effective tillers hill-1 (8.43), shortest panicle (18.84 cm) with the lowest numbers of filled grains panicle-1 (53.18), 1000-grain weight (24.33 g) and grain yield (1.40 t ha-1) were obtained in control (N1=O, kg N ha-1). Among the varieties, ChaitaBoro gave the tallest plant height (151.60 cm) and maximum leaf area index (2.54). While the highest number of effective tillers hill-1 (12.20), longest panicle (22.42 cm) with the maximum number of filled grains panicle-1 (73.50), highest 1000-grain weight (27.41 g) and highest grain yield (2.39 t ha-1) were recorded from Gota IRRI than other varieties. In case of interaction, Gota IRRI Fertilized with USG at 52 kg N ha-1 produced the highest number of effective tillers hill-1 (16.87), panicle length (25.13 cm), number of grains panicle-1 (105.70) and grain yield (3.13 t ha-1). The lowest number of effective tillers hill-1 (8.13), lowest panicle length (17.47 cm) with minimum numbers of filled grains 47.67) and grain yield (1.12 t ha-1) were produced by the interaction of control (N1=O, kg N ha-1) and Kali Hitta. So, cultivation of transplant Aus rice (Gota IRRI) appeared to be the best performance with USG @ 52 kg N ha-1 and recommended to the end users.
Influence of Abiotic Factors on Population of Aphid Complex and Its Coexisting Natural Enemies in Mustard Agroecosystem
Authors: Karthik Somala , Mukherjee U.
Published: December 2021

A field experiment was conducted to determine the population build-up of mustard aphid and their natural enemies in relation to abiotic factors at TCA, Dholi during the Rabi season of 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively. The incidence of mustard aphid started in the 2nd and 3rd SMW of 2019 and 2020 respectively and reached maximum in 8th SMW in both the years. However, the predatory activity of coccinellids, syrphid larvae and spiders were started from 3rd SW with their peak activity at 3rd and 4th week of February in both the years. Mustard aphid population exhibited positive correlation with maximum temperature (0.347 & 0.543), minimum temperature (0.317 & 0.152) and negative correlation with relative humidity (-0.083 & -0.479) during 2019 & 2020 respectively and rainfall (-0.35) during 2020. However, natural enemies viz., coccinellids, syrphid larvae and spiders exhibited positive correlation with Tmax, Tmin, rainfall and negative correlation with RH in both the years.
Effect of Zinc Fortification on Quality, Yield and Economics of Sweetcorn
Authors: Peddapuli Monika , Venkateswarlu B. , Gowthami V. Sai Surya
Published: December 2021

A field experiment was performed at Agricultural College, Bapatla, ANGRAU, Guntur during kharif season of 2020 to evaluate the efficacy of zinc nutrition on quality, yield and economics of sweetcorn. Experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design and comprising of nine treatments with three replications. The results disclosed that application of recommended dose of fertilizers along with soil application of 10 kg ha-1 Zn EDTA + two foliar sprays of nano zinc @ 250 ppm at 20 & 40 DAS registered remarkably higher protein content (12.98%) and zinc content (34.59 ppm) in kernel which was considered to be superior over the remaining zinc management practices tried. Also, highest green cob (12,638 kg ha-1), green fodder (19,674 kg ha-1), stover yield (7,590 kg ha-1) and gross returns (₹ 1,93,360 ha-1) was recorded from the treatment with soil application of Zn EDTA @ 10 kg ha-1 + two foliar sprays of nano zinc @ 250 ppm at 20 & 40 DAS along with RDF over control. However, highest net returns (₹ 1,38,664 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (2.74) was recorded with RDF + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 (Soil) + Nano ZnO @ 250 ppm at 20 and 40 DAS (Foliar spray). The effectiveness of Zn EDTA compared to ZnSO4 is responsible for the higher quality parameters and yield of sweetcorn but due to its higher cost, Net returns and B;C ratio are maximum for the plots treated with ZnSO4 making it more economically viable.
RP-HPLC Method Development and Validation for the Estimation of Lumefantrine in Bulk Drug
Authors: Sethiya Ashish , Rathore R. P. S.
Published: December 2021

Lumefantrine is an antimalarial agent used to treat acute uncomplicated malaria. It is administered in combination with artemether for improved efficacy. This combination therapy exerts its effects against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium spp. and may be used to treat infections caused by P. falciparum and unidentified Plasmodium species, including infections acquired in chloroquine-resistant areas. A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was developed and validated for the estimation of lumefantrine in bulk drug. The separation was achieved on Thermo C18 analytical column (250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., 5.0 μm) using 10mM KH2PO4: acetonitrile  (pH adjust 3.0 with OPA) in the ratio 20:80 v/v as mobile phase and at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. Detection was carried out using a UV detector at 240nm. The total chromatographic analysis time per sample was about 6.0 min with lumefantrine eluting at retention time of about 3.225 ± 0.001min. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, specificity, linearity and sensitivity. Validation studies demonstrated that this HPLC method is simple, specific, rapid, reliable and reproducible. The standard curve was linear over the concentration range of 5-25 μg/ml with r2 close to one (0.999). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) obtained for lumefantrine were 0.25 μg/ml and 0.75μg/ml respectively. The high recovery and low relative standard deviation confirm the suitability of the proposed method for the determination of lumefantrine in bulk drugs.
Analysis of Pain Manifestation and Its Management in Adults
Authors: Shoaib Muhammad , Zahoor Rehan , Latif Waqas
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Pain is link with significant disable due mobility, avoidance of activity, falls, depression and anxiety, sleep impairment, and isolation.

Objectives: The main objective of the study is to clinically analyse the pain manifestation and its management in adults.

Methods: This cross sectional clinical audit was done in Services hospital Lahore during January 2020 till June 2020. The data was collected from a large number of patients undergoing intermediate to major surgery and thus have high analgesic requirements. Medical folders that were not available or had missing notes were excluded. The folders were requested from the Medical Records Department and reviewed by four investigators.

Results: The data was collected from 169 patients. The mean age of the patients was 38 years. Pain was assessed in 85 of the 168 patients (51%) (62 of the 110 urogynaecology patients; 23 of the 58 orthopaedic patients) and reassessed in 55 of the 85 patients (65%) who had received an initial pain assessment. The ward doctor (intern, registrar or specialist) assessed pain in 67% of the 85 patients evaluated.

Conclusion: It is concluded that a significant proportion of the pain interventions appeared to be based on the professional knowledge of the practitioner and not supported by evidence-based guidelines of pain management.
Targeting KRAS mutant lung cancer: light at the end of the tunnel
Authors: Drosten Matthias , Barbacid Mariano
Published: December 2021

For decades, KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD) have been refractory to therapeutic strategies based on personalized medicine owing to the complexity of designing inhibitors to selectively target KRAS and downstream targets with acceptable toxicities. The recent development of selective KRASG12C inhibitors represents a landmark after 40 years of intense research efforts since the identification of KRAS as a human oncogene. Here, we discuss the mechanisms responsible for the rapid development of resistance to these inhibitors, as well as potential strategies to overcome this limitation. Other therapeutic strategies aimed at inhibiting KRAS oncogenic signaling by targeting either upstream activators or downstream effectors are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the effect of targeting the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, both based on the failure of MEK and ERK inhibitors in clinical trials, as well as on the recent identification of RAF1 as a potential target due to its MAPK‐independent activity. These new developments, taken together, are likely to open new avenues to effectively treat KRAS mutant LUAD.
Performance of a knowledge‐based planning model for optimizing intensity‐modulated radiotherapy plans for partial breast irradiation
Authors: Frederick Amy , Roumeliotis Michael , Grendarova Petra , Quirk Sarah
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To evaluate a knowledge‐based (KB) planning model for RapidPlan, generated using a five‐field intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) class solution beam strategy and rigorous dosimetric constraints for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI).

Materials and methods

The RapidPlan model was configured using 64 APBI treatment plans and validated for 120 APBI patients who were not included in the training dataset. KB plan dosimetry was compared to clinical plan dosimetry, the clinical planning constraints, and the constraints used in phase III APBI trials. Dosimetric differences between clinical and KB plans were evaluated using paired two‐tailed Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests.

Results

KB planning was able to produce IMRT‐based APBI plans in a single optimization without manual intervention that are comparable or better than the conventionally optimized, clinical plans. Comparing KB plans to clinical plans, differences in PTV, heart, contralateral breast, and ipsilateral lung dose–volume metrics were not clinically significant. The ipsilateral breast volume receiving at least 50% of the prescription dose was statistically and clinically significantly lower in the KB plans.

Conclusion

KB planning for IMRT‐based APBI provides equivalent or better dosimetry compared to conventional inverse planning. This model may be reliably applied in clinical practice and could be used to transfer planning expertise to ensure consistency in APBI plan quality.