bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Evaluation of Performance of Nifty IT Companies in Relation with Nifty IT Index
Authors: Kumar P Pavan , H. N. Archana
Published: December 2022

The Information Technology sector is central to the nation’s security, economy and public health. It is one of the fastest growing sectors in Indian Stock Market. This paper evaluated the performance of companies listed in Nifty IT index with an objective to find out the significance level of each company with Nifty IT index with the help of paired sample T-test. The study covered five years starting from 1s January 2017 to 31 December 2021. Mean returns and standard deviation is calculated to analyze and compare the risk return characteristics of the companies listed in Nifty IT index. Correlation is also calculated to know the relationship of each company with Nifty IT index. The result of the study revealed that L&T Infotech, Mindtree, Mphasis, Coforge and TCS are statistically significant. HCLTech, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Wipro and L&T Services are not statistically significant. This paper has suggested the investors to invest in those companies which are in consistent with the broader indices. Large cap companies are safe to invest than compared to mid and small cap companies.
Role of Community Perceptions in Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: S. Jayadatta , Shreei Gangadhar , Gadigeppagoudar Pramod
Published: December 2022

Academics and business professionals have grown increasingly interested in the topic of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In terms of corporate-community interactions, this study adds to the conversation on CSR in the context of the Nigerian oil industry. It especially entails a review of CSR programs implemented by multinational corporations (MNC) doing business in the Niger Delta and their effects on the traditional means of subsistence of the indigenous populations. In order to analyse the interaction between the host communities and the MNCs, this study explores community attitudes and expectations. This article uses a qualitative research approach and employs three focus groups, 28 semi-structured interviews, and twenty-eight interviews to gather empirical data. This is crucial because the majority of the CSR research in this area has focused on descriptive and in-depth theoretical explanations. The research's conclusions point to a highly complex interaction between the host communities and the MNCs. The host communities view the MNCs as unfair, indifferent to their plights, ignoring their obligations to them, and failing to live up to their expectations. Therefore, it is concluded that the local community have experienced conflict and ongoing unhappiness with the MNC as a result of the detrimental effects of oil extraction activities. They anticipate mutually beneficial outcomes.
Assessment of Consumer Awareness on Food Labels and the Effect of the Level of Awareness of Purchasing Behaviour of Consumers in Belguam District
Authors: Jadi Rahul , Bepari Zaid , Birje Rekha
Published: December 2022

This study aims to validate food labelling and its impact on customer purchasing decisions. An investigation on consumer preferences, usage, perception, and knowledge of the information on food labels as well as consumer awareness prior to purchase was conducted. The research contributes to our understanding of the direct and indirect effects of food labelling on customer intention to buy or not buy the targeted food goods. A questionnaire was distributed to customers in order to gather primary data, and consumers were chosen using a stratified random sample approach. The results show that consumers' opinions regarding health messages on food labels were higher than predicted, despite the fact that there was very little health-related information on food labels. Nutritional data, health claims, accessibility and quality, logo, ingredients, and label design were the main determinants of purchase decisions. This study helped to clarify customer purchasing intentions and the value of food product labels.
Factors Affecting Voting Behavior among Youth in Luapula Province, Zambia
Authors: Thandi Susan Jere , Mwansa Allan Bupe
Published: December 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the youth voting behavior considering how cultural factors, ethnicity, intergenerational factors, political ideologies and legal literacy determined voting behavior of the youth.

Methodology: A Questionnaire was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data by including closed and open-ended questions. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings were presented in form of tables, percentages and bar charts.

Results: The findings revealed that the youth were to an extent influenced by culture in their voting patterns. The patriarchal nature of the communities in the country determined voting behavior in that mostly men were voted in.

Conclusion: The study concluded that the level of literacy influenced voting behavior whereby, those in leadership and literate had a great influence on the choices made by the less literate.

Recommendation: The study recommends increased dialogue and leadership training programs for the youth. Efforts to reclaim credibility of the electoral system and process should be made by the government through proper implementation of laws and civic education.
Determinants of Women Parliamentary Roles in Liberia
Authors: Molubah Victoria , Senneh Eric
Published: December 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of women participation in political leadership in, Bomi County.

Methodology: The sample size will be determined using Krejice and Morgan Formula. The research instruments will generate quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative data will be analyzed by use of thematic analysis and the results will be presented in a prose form. Quantitative data will be analyzed by use of both inferential and descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics will include percentages, and frequencies, mean, and standard deviation.

Findings: The study revealed that in the society that we are living in it is controlled and subjugated by men over women and that men are given a superior societal prominence over females which has crept into public life and is reflected even in state performance and in county governments in Liberia.

Conclusion: The study concludes that Liberia as a country is expected to take lawmaking and channel which include confirmatory action programs and strategies intended to restore shortcoming encountered by women due to prejudice.

Recommendation: The study recommends Women should be exposed to work in sections with higher amount of progressive advancement or in areas that transform to executive progression since they are not inferior provided, they have the same qualifications with the male counter parts.
Public Engagement in Environmental Conservation in the Kayunga Area of Uganda and how it is influenced by Public Access to Information
Authors: Mugeere  Paul , Opara  Joyce M
Published: December 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate environmental conservation in Kayunga District with an aim of establishing the contribution of the Rio Summit of 1992 and the implementation of subsequent international environmental conventions to Kayunga District’s environmental conservation.

Methodology: The study used descriptive survey design. It employed both primary and secondary methods of data collection. Oral interviews and county reports provide important sources of primary data. Data from secondary sources were gathered mainly from written works and internet materials.

Findings: The findings of this study revealed the Rio Summit of 1992 and the subsequent international environmental conventions have shaped environmental conservation mechanisms in Kayunga District.

Conclusion: The study concluded that environmental awareness programs cut across all sectors of society in Kayunga District.

Recommendation: The study recommended that the departments involved in environmental conservation should therefore team up and develop a more structured environmental education programme and jointly coordinate the programme through a committee to make valuable use of the calendar environmental celebration days.
Environmental Management Systems and Manufacturing Companies' Performance in Nigeria
Authors: Atsu  Dennis Emetere , Maaza  Moses Muyiwa
Published: December 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the environmental management systems and environmental performance of manufacturing firms in Abuja City, Nigeria.

Methodology: The study adopted a longitudinal research design that was descriptive in nature. Stratified sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 88 respondents who were employees of the manufacturing firms in Abuja City, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires with open and closed ended questions were used as instruments of data collection.

Findings: The findings of this study revealed that there was a positive statistical correlation between green manufacturing systems, pollution prevention systems, management systems and pollution control systems and environmental performance of manufacturing firms in Abuja City, Nigeria.

Conclusion: The study concluded that environmental management systems have become drivers of competitive organizations in the changing business environment.

Recommendation: The study recommended that manufacturing companies should ensure that employees are trained on ISO 14001 regulations, appropriate technology is adopted and industry partnership is based on best environmental practices rather than on the sole revenues gain objective.
Diagnóstico socioprodutivo dos sistemas de produção de maracujá na agricultura familiar em Carlinda, Mato Grosso
Authors: Silva Marcus Henrique Martins e , Silva Fernando Luiz , Teixeira Soraia Olivastro , Lehrbach Heloisa Noêmia
Published: December 2022

Carlinda é um dos principais produtores de maracujá de Mato Grosso, mas apesar das condições edafoclimáticas favoráveis, a falta de informações a respeito dos aspectos socioeconômicas e técnico-produtivos dificultam a elaboração de estratégias eficazes para o aprimoramento da cadeia produtiva. Assim, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo realizar o diagnóstico socioprodutivo dos sistemas de produção de maracujá no contexto da agricultura familiar em Carlinda. A coleta de dados se deu com visitas técnicas em 21 unidades de produção e entrevistas com 19 produtores. Os dados foram tabulados e realizada análise quantitativa bem como com a integração do geoprocessamento. De maneira geral, os sistemas apresentam como características tecnológicas: uso de adubação convencional, irrigação e fertirrigação e manejo de pragas, doenças e plantas daninhas com uso principalmente de agrotóxicos. O principal canal de comercialização é a cooperativa local, o que demonstra o nível de organização social e produtiva da atividade. Ademais, os principais fatores limitantes identificados estão associados à falta de assistência técnica, alta demanda de mão-de-obra para os tratos culturais e manejo de adubação. O diagnóstico permitiu evidenciar a necessidade de ações interinstitucionais públicas e privadas para o fortalecimento e sustentabilidade da cadeia de produção, frente às limitações e potencialidades identificadas.
Methods to Improve Accuracy of Planing Hull Resistance Prediction
Authors: Huynh Quang V. , Tran Thai G.
Published: December 2022

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Accurate prediction of planing hull resistance is a difficult task due to complex hydrodynamic interactions at high speeds and is often performed by three methods: model testing, empirical formulas, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Model testing provides the most accurate results, but is usually only used in cases of necessity due to time and cost, whereas empirical formulas and the CFD method do not always provide results with the expected accuracy and reliability. Therefore, this paper will present methods to improve and ensure the accuracy of planing hull resistance values predicted by Savitsky’s empirical formula based on using our modified computation procedure, and by the CFD method based on ensuring the quality of 3D hull mesh and defining the simulation parameters suitable for a study planing hull. This study has been applied to Vietnam’s large displacement high speed passenger vessel with design symbol K88 and obtained good results with the deviations between the resistance model test data and the corresponding values predicted by the Savitsky method using our modified computation procedure, and by the XFlow CFD software using our suitable inputs in calculation cases are within ±5% and ±3%, respectively.

Introduction

In planing hull design, accurate prediction of its resistance is a difficult task due to complex hydrodynamic interactions at high speeds and is often performed by three methods: model testing, empirical formulas, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Model testing is the most reliable approach but it is expensive and time-consuming, so it is often used in cases where it is necessary, or used to verify and validate the results predicted by others. Also, since dynamic similarity cannot be fulfilled in model tests, it is necessary to use Froude or Prohaska methods to extrapolate results from model scale to full scale, which causes certain errors. Empirical formulas or graphs are established based on the systematization of resistance data of series model tests with hull form similarities (Holtrop & Mennen 1982; Faltinsen 2006). As a result, there are many different empirical resistance formulas and graphs depending on the type of ship used in the model tests. Table 1 shows some common empirical formulas or graphs for planing hull resistance with different ranges of hull parameters that can be found in related documents, such as Kafali (1959), Nordstrom (1951), Groot (1951), Almeter (1993), etc.
Usabilidade e funções do orçamento na percepção dos gestores de uma empresa do ramo metalmecânico
Authors: Kruger Silvana Dalmutt , Togni Lindomar de , Zanin Antonio
Published: December 2022

Objetivo(s): Este estudo tem como objetivo relacionar a utilidade e as funções do orçamento no processo de tomada de decisões com base nas percepções dos gestores de uma empresa do ramo metalmecânico. Método: Metodologicamente, a pesquisa é descritiva, realizada a partir de um levantamento com amostra de 33 gestores/supervisores/analistas que atuam em diversas áreas da empresa estudada. Resultados: Constatou-se que 78,80% dos gestores utilizam o orçamento anual com acompanhamento mensal (orçado versus realizado) e 84,80% indicam o uso como artefato de planejamento, coordenação, alocação de recursos e determinação dos volumes operacionais. O ranking médio (RM) obtido evidencia que os gestores identificam as funções de planejamento, diálogo e utilidade do orçamento, demonstrando a usabilidade do instrumento no processo de gestão. Identificaram-se como principais funções do orçamento: a coordenação das unidades da empresa (4,82); a análise das projeções mensais e anuais (4,76); o planejamento vinculado às estratégias da empresa (4,73); e a comparação do desempenho planejado com os resultados reais (4,70); os resultados, inclusive, indicam que no contexto da pandemia Covid-19, o orçamento auxiliou no alinhamento de novas estratégias e nos ajustes do planejamento organizacional (4,27). Os achados apontam que o orçamento possui múltiplas funções para os gestores da empresa estudada, confirmando seu reconhecimento pelos gestores como instrumento gerencial, com utilidade relacionada aos processos de planejamento e tomada de decisões. Contribuições: Como contribuição, este estudo evidencia as diversas funções e a adaptabilidade do orçamento no contexto organizacional, demonstrando a usabilidade pelos gestores que atuam em distintos setores na empresa.
“The Frontier is where the Jews Live”: A Case of Israeli “Democratic Colonialism”
Authors: Perugini Nicola
Published: December 2022

No abstract
We Need to Talk About the Cultural Commons: Some Musings on Rhizomatic Jurisprudence and Access to Art
Authors: Bruncevic Merima
Published: December 2022

No abstract
Cultural Adoption of Human Rights in a Local Context
Authors: Taj Farhat
Published: December 2022

Growing ethnic and cultural diversity in welfare states like Norway has created a gap between the legal rights and the social realities of vulnerable individuals in certain immigrant communities. Such growing diversity calls for innovative approaches to ensure the enjoyment of individual rights without generating unnecessary controversies regarding the cultural legitimacy of human rights. Combining legal literacy with vernacularisation strategies for the cultural adoption of human rights is an effective approach to promote and protect human rights in situations where individual rights seemingly clash with the authoritative interpretation of cultural norms and values. This article illustrates the said approach using a polygamy case in Norway handled by Pakwom, an Oslo-based immigrant-women’s non-governmental organisation.
Chinese Legal Professionals and Transformation of Gender Roles. A Case Study
Authors: Blomquist Helle
Published: December 2022

Gender equality is a part of global policy, as specified for instance in The UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the body of independent experts that monitor the implementation of the convention. China has reported her initiatives to advance the rights of women to CEDAW. However, China studies indicate that there is a link missing between traditional Chinese values rooted in Confucianism on the one hand and Marxist political policy on the other. This deficiency could be a barrier to gender equality. Inspired by classical feminist theory and sociology of law, the article explores how members of the legal profession in a Chinese provincial city function when they deal with gender roles. The article builds on a small sample of qualitative data. It concludes that legal professionals may seek to get an effect on the construction of gender roles and equality for women. In their professional work, they have a potential for forging a link between Marxist modernization and commercialization on the one hand and traditional values on the other. Their function may depend on their individual awareness of their role, their support of gender equality, and their position vis-à-vis the state and party.
Protecting the “Homo Digitalis”
Authors: Ninet Antoni Abat
Published: December 2022

This paper analyses from a legal and philosophical perspective the appearance of a new human species, the so-called Homo Digitalis, a Homo Sapiens permanently interconnected with others throughout I.T devices. Twenty-four hours a day. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, living in a world of ones and zeros. We all are inexorably the new-born Homo Digitalis, or as some authors define it, post-humans, and there is no possible opposition to this Darwinist evolution, or between the Homo digitalis and other citizens. The first section deals with the relationship between technique (τεχνη), technology and humanity, a relation that is ancient as philosophy. The starting point is the pre-Socratic philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, and it ends by analysing the relation of the three concepts in modernity and post-modernity (Weber, Heidegger and Marcuse). The second section deals with the definition of the Homo Digitalis from an evolution of Sartori´s Homo Videns. The paper ends by exposing the latest judicial decisions, domestic and international legislation to protecting citizens (as new-born Homo Digitalis) from wrongful use of technology.
Unfair Competition Issues of Big Data in China
Authors: Sung Huang-Chih
Published: December 2022

The sound development of the market in the data-driven economy depends on the free and fair competition of big data in the industries. Since 2015, more and more unfair competition cases concerning big data have occurred in China, such as masking advertisement, click fraud, malicious incompatibility, and gathering user’s personal data from competitors by unfair means, which can be categorized to unfair competition about illegal collection/use of competitors’ big data and about network traffic. Whether China’s current legal system of anti-unfair competition can resolve the above-mentioned disputes is concerned in this article. As the Paris Convention only regulates the basic principles of “fairness” and “honest practice” for anti-unfair competition, member states have room to develop their own legal systems according to their special economic, social and cultural conditions. In order to usher in the era of digital economy and big data and to regulate more and more unfair competition events, China amended the Anti-Unfair Competitive Law in 2017 in which a new provision for regulating the operation of e-commerce was added. This article finds that the 2017 Amendment, which is far more specific and clearer than the Paris Convention, has significantly improved China’s ability to deal with unfair competition behaviors regarding big data. However, since the patterns of unfair competition in big data are changing and “innovating” quickly and constantly, law amendments will hardly or even never catch up with the changes, so judgement of unfair competition is inherently difficult. The court cannot determine that a company constitutes unfair competition simply because its business operations have substantially reduced the performance or operating effectiveness of its competitors. When judging whether an enterprise’s competitive behavior constitutes unfair competition, no matter the court is applying one of the specific provisions or the general provision, it is essential to consider whether the enterprise has malicious and dishonest practices.
Chinese Localization of the Right to Be Forgotten
Authors: Chen Zeng
Published: December 2022

The right to be forgotten is a new trending right that originated from the European Union and is transferring to China. To break down the Bentham’s panopticon of comprehensive digital memory, it is necessary for China to adopt the right to be forgotten. While the Chinese legal framework of personal information has not been completed yet, the Draft of Personal Information Law implies a focus on duties of controllers and interests of minors. By analysing possible legal attributes of the right to be forgotten, it can be noted that typifying the right to be forgotten is essential, but the problem of exercising limitation and of the asymmetric information market have not been solved. To tackle these problems, one solution is to specify the requirements of the government, the organization and the information subject with balance; the other is to perfect the right to be forgotten referring to the Informed Consent Principle and complement other principles to support the entire personal information protection system.
Police use of facial recognition technology and the right to privacy and data protection in Europe
Authors: Akhtar Marya
Published: December 2022

This article examines the human rights challenges of police use of facial recognition technology from a European perspective. Based on both international human rights law, the European Convention on Human Rights and EU law, the article argues that the technology challenges human rights. The focus of the article is on the right to privacy and data protection, as this right is fundamentally at risk by the technology. Acknowledging that other rights and guarantees are also negatively impacted by the use of facial recognition technology, the article makes reference to the risk of discrimination, and the unregulated cooperation between State and the surveillance technology industry. However, a central point in the article is that irrespective of whether the technology can be refined to eliminate risk of discrimination, and even if sufficient safeguards for cooperation between State and the industry are put in place, fundamental challenges remain in relation to the right to privacy and data protection. The technology captures the unique facial features of an individual known as biometric data which is highly sensitive data and creates an interference with the right to privacy and data protection. By allowing facial recognition, society allows for an entirely new type of intensive surveillance. The use of the technology also entails a risk of chilling effect on e.g. freedom of assembly which furthers negative implications on human rights. The article concludes that when it comes to police use of facial recognition technologies, States should tread carefully and ensure that a sufficient human rights-based regulatory framework and adequate safeguards are in place before considering using the technology.
Intercultural Justice in France: Origins and Evolution
Authors: De Maximy Martine
Published: December 2022

This paper will highlight the mandate of the juvenile judge in the context of intercultural justice in France, in which juvenile judges are at the same time civil judges and criminal judges. Their role is to both pass judgement on juvenile oﬀenders as well as to protect minors who may be at risk. It may even be the same adolescent who has committed a crime who is also a child at risk. Through the guidance process (children at risk), the judge must respect — as is necessary for all judges — the principles that all must have the opportunity to contradict the charges leveled against them. These decisions are made in the context of a hearing where the parties may be present with or without counsel, where reasoning must be given and will be subject to appeal. We therefore have the obligation to listen to the appeals of both parents and children; some juvenile judges will even accept the presence of other members of the family or other persons whose presence is desired and may help to establish a dialogue.
Emotional learning retroactively promotes memory integration through rapid neural reactivation and reorganization
Authors: Zhu Yannan , Zeng Yimeng , Ren Jingyuan , Zhang Lingke , Chen Changming , Fernandez Guillen , Qin Shaozheng
Published: December 2022

Neutral events preceding emotional experiences can be better remembered, likely by assigning them as significant to guide possible use in future. Yet, the neurobiological mechanisms of how emotional learning enhances memory for past mundane events remain unclear. By two behavioral studies and one functional magnetic resonance imaging study with an adapted sensory preconditioning paradigm, we show rapid neural reactivation and connectivity changes underlying emotion-charged retroactive memory enhancement. Behaviorally, emotional learning retroactively enhanced initial memory for neutral associations across the three studies. Neurally, emotional learning potentiated trial-specific reactivation of overlapping neural traces in the hippocampus and stimulus-relevant neocortex. It further induced rapid hippocampal-neocortical functional reorganization supporting such retroactive memory benefit, as characterized by enhanced hippocampal-neocortical coupling modulated by the amygdala during emotional learning, and a shift of hippocampal connectivity from stimulus-relevant neocortex to distributed transmodal prefrontal-parietal areas at post-learning rests. Together, emotional learning retroactively promotes memory integration for past neutral events through stimulating trial-specific reactivation of overlapping representations and reorganization of associated memories into an integrated network to foster its priority for future use.
Inhibition of β1-AR/Gαs signaling promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation in juvenile mice through activation of RhoA-YAP axis
Authors: Sakabe Masahide , Thompson Michael , Chen Nong , Verba Mark , Hassan Aishlin , Lu Richard , Xin Mei
Published: December 2022

The regeneration potential of the mammalian heart is incredibly limited, as cardiomyocyte proliferation ceases shortly after birth. β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) blockade has been shown to improve heart functions in response to injury; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we inhibited β-AR signaling in the heart using metoprolol, a cardio-selective β blocker for β1-adrenergic receptor (β1-AR) to examine its role in heart maturation and regeneration in postnatal mice. We found that metoprolol enhanced cardiomyocyte proliferation and promoted cardiac regeneration post myocardial infarction, resulting in reduced scar formation and improved cardiac function. Moreover, the increased cardiomyocyte proliferation was also induced by the genetic deletion of Gnas, the gene encoding G protein alpha subunit (Gαs), a downstream effector of β-AR. Genome wide transcriptome analysis revealed that the Hippo-effector YAP, which is associated with immature cardiomyocyte proliferation, was upregulated in the cardiomyocytes of β-blocker treated and Gnas cKO hearts. Moreover, the increased YAP activity is modulated by RhoA signaling. Our pharmacological and genetic studies reveal that β1-AR-Gαs-YAP signaling axis is involved in regulating postnatal cardiomyocyte proliferation. These results suggest that inhibiting β-AR-Gαs signaling promotes the regenerative capacity and extends the cardiac regenerative window in juvenile mice by activating YAP-mediated transcriptional programs.
Structure of the mitoribosomal small subunit with streptomycin reveals Fe-S clusters and physiological molecules
Authors: Itoh Yuzuru , Singh Vivek , Khawaja Anas , Naschberger Andreas , Nguyen Minh Duc , Rorbach Joanna , Amunts Alexey
Published: December 2022

The mitoribosome regulates cellular energy production, and its dysfunction is associated with aging. Inhibition of the mitoribosome can be caused by off-target binding of antimicrobial drugs and was shown to be coupled with a bilateral decreased visual acuity. Previously, we reported mitochondria-specific protein aspects of the mitoribosome, and in this article we present a 2.4-Å resolution structure of the small subunit in a complex with the anti-tuberculosis drug streptomycin that reveals roles of non-protein components. We found iron–sulfur clusters that are coordinated by different mitoribosomal proteins, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) associated with rRNA insertion, and posttranslational modifications. This is the first evidence of inter-protein coordination of iron–sulfur, and the finding of iron–sulfur clusters and NAD as fundamental building blocks of the mitoribosome directly links to mitochondrial disease and aging. We also report details of streptomycin interactions, suggesting that the mitoribosome-bound streptomycin is likely to be in hydrated gem-diol form and can be subjected to other modifications by the cellular milieu. The presented approach of adding antibiotics to cultured cells can be used to define their native structures in a bound form under more physiological conditions, and since streptomycin is a widely used drug for treatment, the newly resolved features can serve as determinants for targeting.
Defining cellular population dynamics at single-cell resolution during prostate cancer progression
Authors: Germanos Alexandre A , Arora Sonali , Zheng Ye , Goddard Erica T , Coleman Ilsa M , Ku Anson T , Wilkinson Scott , Song Hanbing , Brady Nicholas J , Amezquita Robert A , Zager Michael , Long Annalysa , Yang Yu Chi , Bielas Jason H , Gottardo Raphael , Rickman David S , Huang Franklin W , Ghajar Cyrus M , Nelson Peter S , Sowalsky Adam G , Setty Manu , Hsieh Andrew C
Published: December 2022

Advanced prostate malignancies are a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, in large part due to our incomplete understanding of cellular drivers of disease progression. We investigate prostate cancer cell dynamics at single-cell resolution from disease onset to the development of androgen independence in an in vivo murine model. We observe an expansion of a castration-resistant intermediate luminal cell type that correlates with treatment resistance and poor prognosis in human patients. Moreover, transformed epithelial cells and associated fibroblasts create a microenvironment conducive to pro-tumorigenic immune infiltration, which is partially androgen responsive. Androgen-independent prostate cancer leads to significant diversification of intermediate luminal cell populations characterized by a range of androgen signaling activity, which is inversely correlated with proliferation and mRNA translation. Accordingly, distinct epithelial populations are exquisitely sensitive to translation inhibition, which leads to epithelial cell death, loss of pro-tumorigenic signaling, and decreased tumor heterogeneity. Our findings reveal a complex tumor environment largely dominated by castration-resistant luminal cells and immunosuppressive infiltrates.
Rhythmic coordination and ensemble dynamics in the hippocampal-prefrontal network during odor-place associative memory and decision making
Authors: Symanski Claire A , Bladon John H , Kullberg Emi T , Miller Paul , Jadhav Shantanu P
Published: December 2022

Memory-guided decision making involves long-range coordination across sensory and cognitive brain networks, with key roles for the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). In order to investigate the mechanisms of such coordination, we monitored activity in hippocampus (CA1), PFC, and olfactory bulb (OB) in rats performing an odor-place associative memory guided decision task on a T-maze. During odor sampling, the beta (20–30 Hz) and respiratory (7–8 Hz) rhythms (RR) were prominent across the three regions, with beta and RR coherence between all pairs of regions enhanced during the odor-cued decision making period. Beta phase modulation of phase-locked CA1 and PFC neurons during this period was linked to accurate decisions, with a key role of CA1 interneurons in temporal coordination. Single neurons and ensembles in both CA1 and PFC encoded and predicted animals’ upcoming choices, with different cell ensembles engaged during decision-making and decision execution on the maze. Our findings indicate that rhythmic coordination within the hippocampal-prefrontal-olfactory bulb network supports utilization of odor cues for memory-guided decision making.
Parallel evolution of reduced cancer risk and tumor suppressor duplications in Xenarthra
Authors: Vazquez Juan Manuel , Pena Maria T , Muhammad Baaqeyah , Kraft Morgan , Adams Linda B , Lynch Vincent J
Published: December 2022

The risk of developing cancer is correlated with body size and lifespan within species, but there is no correlation between cancer and either body size or lifespan between species indicating that large, long-lived species have evolved enhanced cancer protection mechanisms. Previously we showed that several large bodied Afrotherian lineages evolved reduced intrinsic cancer risk, particularly elephants and their extinct relatives (Proboscideans), coincident with pervasive duplication of tumor suppressor genes (Vazquez and Lynch, 2021). Unexpectedly, we also found that Xenarthrans (sloths, armadillos, and anteaters) evolved very low intrinsic cancer risk. Here, we show that: (1) several Xenarthran lineages independently evolved large bodies, long lifespans, and reduced intrinsic cancer risk; (2) the reduced cancer risk in the stem lineages of Xenarthra and Pilosa coincided with bursts of tumor suppressor gene duplications; (3) cells from sloths proliferate extremely slowly while Xenarthran cells induce apoptosis at very low doses of DNA damaging agents; and (4) the prevalence of cancer is extremely low Xenarthrans, and cancer is nearly absent from armadillos. These data implicate the duplication of tumor suppressor genes in the evolution of remarkably large body sizes and decreased cancer risk in Xenarthrans and suggest they are a remarkably cancer-resistant group of mammals.
Scratch-AID, a deep learning-based system for automatic detection of mouse scratching behavior with high accuracy
Authors: Yu Huasheng , Xiong Jingwei , Ye Adam Yongxin , Cranfill Suna Li , Cannonier Tariq , Gautam Mayank , Zhang Marina , Bilal Rayan , Park Jong-Eun , Xue Yuji , Polam Vidhur , Vujovic Zora , Dai Daniel , Ong William , Ip Jasper , Hsieh Amanda , Mimouni Nour , Lozada Alejandra , Sosale Medhini , Ahn Alex , Ma Minghong , Ding Long , Arsuaga Javier , Luo Wenqin
Published: December 2022

Mice are the most commonly used model animals for itch research and for development of anti-itch drugs. Most laboratories manually quantify mouse scratching behavior to assess itch intensity. This process is labor-intensive and limits large-scale genetic or drug screenings. In this study, we developed a new system, Scratch-AID (Automatic Itch Detection), which could automatically identify and quantify mouse scratching behavior with high accuracy. Our system included a custom-designed videotaping box to ensure high-quality and replicable mouse behavior recording and a convolutional recurrent neural network trained with frame-labeled mouse scratching behavior videos, induced by nape injection of chloroquine. The best trained network achieved 97.6% recall and 96.9% precision on previously unseen test videos. Remarkably, Scratch-AID could reliably identify scratching behavior in other major mouse itch models, including the acute cheek model, the histaminergic model, and a chronic itch model. Moreover, our system detected significant differences in scratching behavior between control and mice treated with an anti-itch drug. Taken together, we have established a novel deep learning-based system that could replace manual quantification for mouse scratching behavior in different itch models and for drug screening.
Multi-dimensional Optimization of Outward Bound Training Courses in Chinese Colleges with Further Discussions
Authors: Deng Huihong
Published: December 2022

This paper studies the multi-dimensional optimization of outward bound training courses in Chinese colleges with further discussions. Training plays an important role in physical education teaching, and teachers should follow the requirements of quality education and take the new curriculum reform as an activity to develop comprehensive quality development curriculum construction and optimization when carrying out teaching activities. Expansion training with its "first to know" experiential learning approach, breaking the traditional sports teaching model, by allowing participants to experience activities to achieve the purpose of stimulating potential, refining the will, strengthening the body, as well as further melting the team. We designed the novel ideas and consider the novel applications to improve the performance of the traditional teaching modes.
An Overview of Employment Opportunities in Rural India
Authors: Kumar M. Sathish , Lad Y. A. , Mahera A. B.
Published: December 2022

The rural population in India is abundant, but unemployment has been a problem over the years. A rural employment opportunity enables individuals to lead successful lives and contributes to the growth of our country. Despite the availability of many employment opportunities in the rural area, the government continuously implements several schemes to increase employment rates and reduce migration from rural areas to urban areas. The government provides a variety of training programs for rural people to improve their skills. A main purpose of the paper is to determine current employment opportunities in rural areas and possible opportunities to increase them. Furthermore, it discussed some government initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for rural residents.
Social Capital in Relation to Market Participation of Smallholder African Indigenous Vegetable Farmers in Vihiga County, Kenya
Authors: Minyattah E. , Ombati J. , Mutuku M.
Published: December 2022

Marketing is a social as well as a management process that facilitates exchange of products and information among the actors. Improved livelihoods among smallholder farmers depends on sustainable access to markets. In Kenya, Vihiga County, various development practitioners have promoted the production of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs). However, AIVs marketing has been given little attention. The farmers, therefore, have not taken advantage of the full potential of the gains of AIVs marketing to improve their livelihoods. Small holder farmers experience low market participation due to their non-competitiveness in the promising AIVs market. This could be associated with the low social capital among the farmers. Social capital serves as complementary mediator which supports marketing capability consequently enhancing performances This study sought to assess the role of social capital in relation to farmers’ participation in the AIVs market. This was done through a household survey with AIVs farmers in January 2021. A total of 167 farmers were interviewed in in Vihiga County. Purposive sampling was done to target AIVs farmers. The study results indicate that though there were more female (63%) farmers in the study site there was a significant difference (P=.002) between the sex of the AIVs farmers interviewed in the two study sub counties. The study results also show that, majority of the farmers (76%) did not meet the demand for AIVs needed in the market. Despite the deficit in the demand for AIVs, most farmers had not taken advantage of the available market by producing more AIVs during peak season. A likert scale analysis of the farmer’s social capital reveal that there was a strong (3.5) bonding social capital among the farmers however, the bridging social capital was lower (3.0). This indicates a weak social network among the farmers to the outside world which can greatly hinder their participation in the high end AIVs markets. The study concluded that, there is demand for AIVs, however, the farmers have not positioned themselves to tap the available market opportunities. There is need for capacity building of farmers on the importance of building their social network for improved participation in the AIVs market.
Integral Transforms of the Hilfer-Type Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Costa F. S. , Soares J. C. A. , Jarosz S. , Sousa J. Vanterler da C.
Published: December 2022

In this paper, some important properties concerning the Hilfer-type fractional derivative are discussed. Integral transforms for these operators are derived as particular cases of the Jafari transform, Mellin transform and Fourier transform. These integral transforms are used to derive a fractional version of the fundamental theorem of calculus. An application is get with the Jafari transform and nite Hankel transform to obtain the analytical solution to fractional radial diffusion equation in terms of the \(\kappa\)-Hilfer fractional derivative.
Highly Efficient Catalytic Oxidative Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophene using Layered Double Hydroxide Modified Polyoxometalate Catalyst
Authors: Ahmad Nur , Badaruddin Muhammad , Yuliasari Nova , Arsyad Fitri Suryani , Lesbani Aldes
Published: December 2022

Layered double hydroxide-modified polyoxometalate (ZnAl-PW) was prepared and used for the oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene. XRD patterns of ZnAl-LDH and PW are still present in ZnAl-PW. The bands of ZnAl-PW in wavenumber 3276, 1637, 1363, 1050, 952, 887, and 667 cm-1. The typical surface of ZnAl-LDH and ZnAl-PW can be observed not smooth in different sized with irregular shapes. The average diameter distribution of ZnAl-LDH and ZnAl-PW is 14 nm and 47 nm, respectively. For dibenzothiophene with 500 ppm, conversion on ZnAl-LDH, PW, and ZnAl-PW was 94.71%, 95.88%, and 99.16%, respectively. Conversion of dibenzothiophene in line with the acidity of ZnAl-LDH, PW, and ZnAl-PW were 0.399, 1.635, and 3.023 mmol/gram, respectively. The most effective catalyst dosage for the desulfurization of dibenzothiophene on ZnAl-LDH, PW, and ZnAl-PW is 0.25 g. The unchanged dibenzothiophene concentration indicates a heterogeneous system. ZnAl-LDH, PW, and ZnAl-PW are truly heterogeneous catalysts. After 3 cycles of oxidative desulfurization, the percentage conversion of dibenzothiophene on ZnAl-LDH, PW, and ZnAl-PW were 77.42 %, 65.98%, and 86.38%, respectively. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
The braided river of the soul
Authors: Gillett Grant
Published: December 2022

This paper pursues the fluidity of the psyche and relationships in the metaphor of a river rather than that of the ebb and flow of tides. In particular its focus is on the braided rivers which are a feature of the South Island landscape. A braided river has the characteristic of forming and reforming its channels as a shifting and reciprocal function between the water flow and the shingles of the river bed. The braided river can be travelled on by a jet-boat but only reveals its overall pattern from an elevated viewpoint; at ground level the ride is unpredictable and contains many unexpected twists and turns causing alarm or exhilaration largely depending on the company in which one is taking the journey. The metaphor is highly evocative for psychology and reminiscent of the more or less settled but somewhat modifiable channels or inscriptions on the psyche that some of the major theoreticians of the psyche have discussed.
The ebb and flow of relationships
Authors: Zelas Karen
Published: December 2022

The nature and the vector of relationships are not constant but change at different stages in the human life cycle. Relationships are dynamic not static, the relational state being amongst other things, by the developmental stages of the individual and of the social unit within which the individual exists. This paper addresses the developmental aspect of relationship, taking a generalized position rather than considering cultural alternatives and the wide variations in what now comprises a family.