bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Engineering Project Management Method Based on BIM Technology
Authors: Du Xingliang
Published: July 2021

Construction projects require a significant amount of money and other resources in order to carry them out in an effective way. Cost control is a critical step in ensuring the success of the project and increasing its value. Nowadays, the large-scale application of BIM technology has ushered a technical change in the development of construction projects, which has greatly increased the level and efficiency of project management. Due to BIM technology, the construction engineering quality is significantly improved which really helped in obtaining the social and economic benefits. However, the BIM technology in our country is started relatively late and the technical force is not strong enough; then correspondingly, we must deal with many problems in the process of developing and using BIM technology based projects. In view of the fact and to address this issue, this paper establishes a three-dimensional architectural model based on the relevant information and data of the construction project using the BIM technology. The proposed model optimizes the clustering of construction project information data and adaptively configures the whole life cycle process of the construction projects. In addition, the performance of the proposed system has been compared and tested with the other systems as well which shows how good the proposed system is, as compared to the other systems. Further, the proposed model makes the artificial intelligence efficiency of the project management better. The simulation results show that the model not only has good access and query capabilities but also greatly improves the intelligence level of the project management.
Design and Management of Control System for Rural Tourism Network Information Based on MVC Model
Authors: Dong Hanlin
Published: July 2021

Tourism has developed into an industry with a powerful momentum of development in the world today. With the development of information technology, information has become a powerful driving force to promote the prosperity and development of the tourism industry and the entire society. The introduction of the tourism information system can significantly improve the service level, operation level, and management level of the tourism industry, thereby accelerating tourism development. The research of this article is to help villages establish a set of MVC-based rural tourism information service systems that can promote the development of rural tourism. First of all, this article conducts demand research on tourists, rural scenic spots, and ancient villages to discover the problems in rural tourism development. Secondly, this paper combines the problems existing in constructing the various subsystems of the rural tourism information system, combined with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. In this paper, we propose the rural tourism system architecture based on MVC. The system architecture consists of the user layer, service layer, business layer, and data layer. It describes the system’s implementation process from two aspects: the system’s interface design and its deployment model. Finally, the network topology structure of the rural tourism information service system based on MVC is drawn. Finally, the system’s deployment is implemented according to the network topology structure.
A Defect Detection Method for the Surface of Metal Materials Based on an Adaptive Ultrasound Pulse Excitation Device and Infrared Thermal Imaging Technology
Authors: Ai Yibo , Zhang Yingjie , Cao Xingzhao , Zhang Weidong
Published: July 2021

Ultrasonic excitation has been widely used in the detection of microcracks on metal surfaces, but there are problems such as poor excitation effect of ultrasonic pulse, long time to reach the best excitation, and difficult to find microcracks. In this paper, an adaptive ultrasonic pulse excitation device and infrared thermal imaging technology have been combined, as well as their control method, to solve the problem. The adaptive ultrasonic pulse excitation device adds intelligent modules to realize automatic adjustment of detection parameters, which can quickly obtain reliable excitation; the multidegree‐of‐freedom base realizes the three‐dimensional direction change of the ultrasonic gun to adapt to different excitation occasions. When the appropriate ultrasonic excitation makes microcracks in the resonance state, the microcracks can be frictionated, which produce heat rise with the temperature. Then, the microcrack defect can be detected by the infrared thermal instrument through the different surface temperatures with imaging recognition method. Our detection experiments of the titanium alloy plates and the aluminum alloy profiles of marine engineering show that the method can get reliable detection parameters in a short time and measure the crack length effectively. It can be used in many aspects such as crack detection in mechanical structures or complex equipment operating conditions and industrial production processes.
A Novel Method for Fault Diagnosis of the Two-Input Two-Output Nonlinear Mass-Spring-Damper System Based on NOFRF and MBPCA
Authors: Zhang Jialiang , Wu Jie , Zhang Xiaoqian
Published: July 2021

For fault diagnosis of the two-input two-output mass-spring-damper system, a novel method based on the nonlinear output frequency response function (NOFRF) and multiblock principal component analysis (MBPCA) is proposed. The NOFRF is the extension of the frequency response function of the linear system to the nonlinear system, which can reflect the inherent characteristics of the nonlinear system. Therefore, the NOFRF is used to obtain the original fault feature data. In order to reduce the amount of feature data, a multiblock principal component analysis method is used for fault feature extraction. The least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) is used to construct a multifault classifier. A simplified LSSVM model is adopted to improve the training speed, and the conjugate gradient algorithm is used to reduce the required storage of LSSVM training. A fault diagnosis simulation experiment of a two-input two-output mass-spring-damper system is carried out. The results show that the proposed method has good diagnosis performance, and the training speed of the simplified LSSVM model is significantly higher than the traditional LSSVM.
Experimental Study on Seismic Response of Buried Oil and Gas Pipeline Soil Layers under Lateral Multipoint Excitation
Authors: Dai Jianbo , Wang Li , Hu Chengtao , Zhang Guidi
Published: July 2021

The seismic response of buried oil and gas pipelines is mainly influenced by the site soil. In this paper, a bidirectional laminar shear continuum model box is developed for the site response of buried oil and gas pipelines under transverse multipoint seismic excitation. By comparing the acceleration response of the soil and pipeline, monitoring the soil displacement, and analyzing the acceleration coefficient and Fourier spectrum, the seismic response characteristics of the soil at different excitation modes and peak seismic acceleration and its laws were investigated. The test results show that the soil under transverse excitation undergoes the process of soil compaction to nonlinear characteristics and finally soil damage, and the course of multipoint excitation develops faster and causes more serious soil damage. The peak Fourier spectrum of both the pipe and the soil appears at the frequency of 4–6 Hz, and in general, the acceleration of the pipe is greater than that of the soil; the difference between the two gradually decreases with the increase of loading level. Compared with the uniform excitation, the increase in the loading level during the lateral multipoint excitation will result in a decrease of the consistency of the acceleration time history curve at each measurement point and a decrease of the peak of the spectrum. The effect of laminar shear between soil bodies becomes more obvious with the increase of acceleration peaks on the shaking table. It is also found out that the excitation method has little effect on the displacement time history curve, but the multipoint excitation may cause fluctuations in the displacement time history curve.
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Barriers to Their Consumption among University Students in Kuwait: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Alkazemi Dalal , Salmean Younis
Published: July 2021

Data on fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption and barriers to their intake by Kuwait college students are needed for health promotional activities to curtail obesity and related comorbidities prevalent in Kuwait. This study employed a cross-sectional survey aimed at assessing the median F/V intake in a sample of Kuwait University students to determine its relationship with gender, body weight, college affiliation, and family monthly income and to explore perceived barriers to eating F/V. The median total F/V intake was 2.06, and the median intake of F/V without fries was even lower. Significant gender differences were found in intakes of fruit juice and the percentage of juice from fruit intake, with males consuming more servings per day compared to females. Male students were found to consume proportionately more fried potatoes of total vegetable intake when compared to females, whereas female students were found to consume more vegetables without fries than males. Taste, inconvenience, and lack of knowledge on F/V intake recommendations and preparation methods were among the main barriers to consuming more F/V. College students require encouragement to consume more F/V through targeted campaigns to increase awareness of recommendations, health benefits, and ways to incorporate F/V in their daily diet.
Species Composition, Relative Abundance, and Habitat Association of Avifauna in Zegie Peninsula Forest Patches and Associated Wetlands, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Authors: Mola Misganaw , Ejigu Dessalegn , Yitayih Yibelu
Published: July 2021

Introduction. Ethiopia is one of the most avifauna rich countries in Africa. Avifaunal surveys are required to inform conservation decisions and enhance land management for biodiversity. Avifaunal surveys from Ethiopia are lacking. This study examines species composition, relative abundance, and habitat association of avian fauna in Zegie Peninsula forest patches and associated wetlands from surveys carried out from August 2018 to March 2019, covering both the wet and dry seasons. Data Collection. Forest, shrub, lakeshore, and wetland habitats were identified as ecologically relevant habitats in the study area for data collection. Data were collected using point count and line transect methods, for 24 days in total for both seasons in the morning and afternoon. Results. A total of 96 species of birds were identified during the whole study period. Out of the total, 40 species were observed during the wet season, 13 during dry and 43 species in both seasons. There was significant variation of species distribution among habitats. During the wet season, the highest species diversity was recorded in the wetland habitat followed by forest habitat. During the dry season, avian diversity was the highest in the lakeshore followed by wetlands. The highest evenness was observed in the shrubland during both the wet and dry seasons. During the wet season, the highest species similarity was recorded between wetland and lakeshore habitats, and during the dry season, the highest species similarity was recorded between forest and shrub habitats. Based on encounter rate data, 64 (66.66%) of the avian species were uncommon. Conclusions. Compared to previous studies conducted in the study area, species diversity was lower. This might be due to various anthropogenic activities such as deforestation of trees for timber and cutting trees for firewood. Therefore, awareness creation should be given to the local community to reduce habitat destruction due to various human-induced factors.
Regulation of Mild Moxibustion on Uterine Vascular and Prostaglandin Contents in Primary Dysmenorrhea Rat Model
Authors: Li Xuemei , Guo Sha , Chen Zhaoheng , Ren Kuiyu , Zhang Hong , Yu Shuguang , Yang Sha
Published: July 2021

Objective. Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common and high incidence disease in gynecology, which seriously affects the quality of life in young women. Our previous study found that mild moxibustion could treat abdominal pain of PD patients, but the mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to partly investigate the treatment mechanism of moxibustion for PD, especially on uterine microcirculation. Methods. Forty 3-month-old Sprague Dawley female rats were randomly divided into four groups, including group A (saline control group, n = 10), group B (control plus moxibustion group, n = 10), group C (PD model group, n = 10), group D (PD. model plus moxibustion group, n = 10). The PD rat model was established by injecting estradiol benzoate and oxytocin. Mild moxibustion on Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Guanyuan (CV4) acupoints was once a day, 20 minutes per time, for 10 consecutive days. A vaginal smear was used to test the estrous cycle of rats. Uterine microvascular thickness was observed by stereomicroscope. And we detected the content of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in uterine tissue by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Mild moxibustion can enlarge the microvessels, improve the microcirculation disturbance, and relieve the swelling of the uterus in PD rats. During the mild moxibustion intervention, the contents of PGF2α and PGE2 in uterus issues were synchronous increases or decreases and the changes of PGE2 were more obvious, but the changes of uterine microvasculature and morphology caused by the decrease of PGF2α were greater than PGE2. Conclusion. Mild moxibustion at SP6 and CV4 acupoints may relax uterine microvascular obstacle by reducing the content of PGF2α in uterine tissue, improve the microcirculation disorder, and then alleviate the PD rat’s uterine swelling.
Alternative Legendre Polynomials Method for Nonlinear Fractional Integro-Differential Equations with Weakly Singular Kernel
Authors: Shi Guodong , Gong Yanlei , Yi Mingxu
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we present a numerical scheme for finding numerical solution of a class of weakly singular nonlinear fractional integro-differential equations. This method exploits the alternative Legendre polynomials. An operational matrix, based on the alternative Legendre polynomials, is derived to be approximated the singular kernels of this class of the equations. The operational matrices of integration and product together with the derived operational matrix are utilized to transform nonlinear fractional integro-differential equations to the nonlinear system of algebraic equations. Furthermore, the proposed method has also been analyzed for convergence, particularly in context of error analysis. Moreover, results of essential numerical applications have also been documented in a graphical as well as tabular form to elaborate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method.
Healthcare and Fitness Data Management Using the IoT-Based Blockchain Platform
Authors: Frikha Tarek , Chaari Ahmed , Chaabane Faten , Cheikhrouhou Omar , Zaguia Atef
Published: July 2021

Because of the availability of more than an actor and a wireless component among e-health applications, providing more security and safety is expected. Moreover, ensuring data confidentiality within different services becomes a key requirement. In this paper, we propose to collect data from health and fitness smart devices deployed in connection with the proposed IoT blockchain platform. The use of these devices helps us in extracting an amount of highly valuable heath data that are filtered, analyzed, and stored in electronic health records (EHRs). Different actors of the platform, coaches, patients, and doctors, collaborate to provide an on-time diagnosis and treatment for various diseases in an easy and cost-effective way. Our main purpose is to provide a distributed, secure, and authorized access to these sensitive data using the Ethereum blockchain technology. We have designed an integrated low-powered IoT blockchain platform for a healthcare application to store and review EHRs. This architecture, based on the blockchain Ethereum, includes a web and mobile application allowing the patient as well as the medical and paramedical staff to have a secure access to health information. The Ethereum node is implemented on an embedded platform, which should provide an efficient, flexible, and secure system despite the limited resources and low power consumption of the multiprocessor platform.
A Novel Neural Network Model for Traffic Sign Detection and Recognition under Extreme Conditions
Authors: Wan Haifeng , Gao Lei , Su Manman , You Qinglong , Qu Hui , Sun Qirun
Published: July 2021

Traffic sign detection is extremely important in autonomous driving and transportation safety systems. However, the accurate detection of traffic signs remains challenging, especially under extreme conditions. This paper proposes a novel model called Traffic Sign Yolo (TS‐Yolo) based on the convolutional neural network to improve the detection and recognition accuracy of traffic signs, especially under low visibility and extremely restricted vision conditions. A copy‐and‐paste data augmentation method was used to build a large number of new samples based on existing traffic‐sign datasets. Based on You Only Look Once (YoloV5), the mixed depth‐wise convolution (MixConv) was employed to mix different kernel sizes in a single convolution operation, so that different patterns with various resolutions can be captured. Furthermore, the attentional feature fusion (AFF) module was integrated to fuse the features based on attention from same‐layer to cross‐layer scenarios, including short and long skip connections, and even performing the initial fusion with itself. The experimental results demonstrated that, using the YoloV5 dataset with augmentation, the precision was 71.92, which was increased by 34.56 compared with the data without augmentation, and the mean average precision mAP_0.5 was 80.05, which was increased by 33.11 compared with the data without augmentation. When MixConv and AFF were applied to the TS‐Yolo model, the precision was 74.53 and 2.61 higher than that with data augmentation only, and the value of mAP_0.5 was 83.73 and 3.68 higher than that based on the YoloV5 dataset with augmentation only. Overall, the performance of the proposed method was competitive with the latest traffic sign detection approaches.
Autocrine GMCSF Signaling Contributes to Growth of HER2+ Breast Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis
Authors: Ansari Khairul I. , Bhan Arunoday , Saotome Mika , Tyagi Antariksh , De Kumar Bony , Chen Clara , Takaku Motoki , Jandial Rahul
Published: July 2021

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) occurs when tumor cells spread to the cerebrospinal fluid–containing leptomeninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. LC is an ominous complication of cancer with a dire prognosis. Although any malignancy can spread to the leptomeninges, breast cancer, particularly the HER2+ subtype, is its most common origin. HER2+ breast LC (HER2+ LC) remains incurable, with few treatment options, and the molecular mechanisms underlying proliferation of HER2+ breast cancer cells in the acellular, protein, and cytokine-poor leptomeningeal environment remain elusive. Therefore, we sought to characterize signaling pathways that drive HER2+ LC development as well as those that restrict its growth to leptomeninges. Primary HER2+ LC patient-derived (“Lepto”) cell lines in coculture with various central nervous system (CNS) cell types revealed that oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC), the largest population of dividing cells in the CNS, inhibited HER2+ LC growth in vitro and in vivo, thereby limiting the spread of HER2+ LC beyond the leptomeninges. Cytokine array–based analyses identified Lepto cell–secreted GMCSF as an oncogenic autocrine driver of HER2+ LC growth. LC/MS-MS-based analyses revealed that the OPC-derived protein TPP1 proteolytically degrades GMCSF, decreasing GMCSF signaling and leading to suppression of HER2+ LC growth and limiting its spread. Finally, intrathecal delivery of neutralizing anti-GMCSF antibodies and a pan-Aurora kinase inhibitor (CCT137690) synergistically inhibited GMCSF and suppressed activity of GMCSF effectors, reducing HER2+ LC growth in vivo. Thus, OPC suppress GMCSF-driven growth of HER2+ LC in the leptomeningeal environment, providing a potential targetable axis.

Significance:

This study characterizes molecular mechanisms that drive HER2+ leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and demonstrates the efficacy of anti-GMCSF antibodies and pan-Aurora kinase inhibitors against this disease.
Transient skin and fur color change after trichotomy of the sacrococcygeal region for epidural anesthesia in a domestic cat (Felis catus)
Authors: Dourado Amândio José Soares , Cordero Ignacio Sández , Rodrigues Gomes Anabela Filipa , Lobo Luís Pedro Rodrigues de Lima , Dias Maria Isabel Ribeiro
Published: July 2021

A clinical case in which skin and hair color change occurred after sacrococcygeal epidural anesthesia in a nine-month-old Siamese cross queen undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OHE) is described. Six weeks after surgery, during a re-check, it was noted that in the sacrococcygeal region the color of the skin and new hair growth was dark with a color comparable to the color present on the body extremities (muzzle, pinnae, legs, and tail). The skin and new hair growth of the shaved abdomen presented a standard color. The key enzyme of the melanogenic pathway in mammals is tyrosinase (TYR), and the Siamese temperature-sensitive phenotype is the result of genetic mutations that makes TYR function thermolabile. The activity of TYR in these cats is limited to the extremities where the temperature is lower while pigment production is impaired in the other body areas. The trichotomy of the sacrococcygeal region performed during wintertime in an outdoor cat was probably the trigger for increased activity of TYR in this area promoting pigment production. The absence of the same alterations in the abdominal area may be justified by less exposure of that region to the external environment, as well as to the feline habits of sedentarism, that avoid significant cooling in these regions. This report highlights the importance of taking this type of occurrence into account when performing an epidural in the Siamese cat breed. Also, to avoid skin color change in this breed, the authors recommend a midline abdominal instead of a flank approach to perform OHE.
Ocular lesions in a domestic feline:
Authors: Mothé Gabriele Barros , Reis Nathália Faria , Melivilu Carla Stefany Isla , Mendes Junior Aguinaldo Francisco , Santos Cinthia Silva dos , Dieckmann Ana Maria , Machado Ricardo Luiz Dantas , Rocha Elisabeth Martins da Silva da , Baptista Andrea Regina de Souza
Published: July 2021

Sporotrichosis is a dermatozoonosis, caused by dimorphic pathogenic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. Although Sporothrix brasiliensis is the most frequent and pathogenic species identified from the Brazilian sporotrichosis hyperendemic, to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of its molecular diagnosis from a cat with ocular lesions. A 3-month old female, domestic feline presented an ocular manifestation with granuloma in the lower-left palpebral conjunctiva, in addition to mucocutaneous lesions in varied locations throughout the body. Samples were collected for subsequent cytopathology, fungal culture, serology, and molecular genotyping. Itraconazole was prescribed for the treatment of sporotrichosis and the animal was considered clinically cured at the end of 5 months of treatment and discharged. S. brasiliensis cat interactions can manifest with a multitude of clinical forms that resemble either infectious or noninfectious diseases. Both the need for meticulous cat physical evaluation by a veterinarian followed by accurate laboratory diagnosis are key Public Health measures in the Brazilian sporotrichosis hyperendemic area.
Decoding Word Embeddings with Brain-Based Semantic Features
Authors: Chersoni Emmanuele , Santus Enrico , Huang Chu-Ren , Lenci Alessandro
Published: July 2021

Word embeddings are vectorial semantic representations built with either counting or predicting techniques aimed at capturing shades of meaning from word co-occurrences. Since their introduction, these representations have been criticized for lacking interpretable dimensions. This property of word embeddings limits our understanding of the semantic features they actually encode. Moreover, it contributes to the “black box” nature of the tasks in which they are used, since the reasons for word embedding performance often remain opaque to humans. In this contribution, we explore the semantic properties encoded in word embeddings by mapping them onto interpretable vectors, consisting of explicit and neurobiologically motivated semantic features (Binder et al. 2016). Our exploration takes into account different types of embeddings, including factorized count vectors and predict models (Skip-Gram, GloVe, etc.), as well as the most recent contextualized representations (i.e., ELMo and BERT).

In our analysis, we first evaluate the quality of the mapping in a retrieval task, then we shed light on the semantic features that are better encoded in each embedding type. A large number of probing tasks is finally set to assess how the original and the mapped embeddings perform in discriminating semantic categories. For each probing task, we identify the most relevant semantic features and we show that there is a correlation between the embedding performance and how they encode those features. This study sets itself as a step forward in understanding which aspects of meaning are captured by vector spaces, by proposing a new and simple method to carve human-interpretable semantic representations from distributional vectors.
Toward Gender-Inclusive Coreference Resolution: An Analysis of Gender and Bias Throughout the Machine Learning Lifecycle
Authors: Cao Yang Trista , Daumé Hal
Published: July 2021

Correctly resolving textual mentions of people fundamentally entails making inferences about those people. Such inferences raise the risk of systematic biases in coreference resolution systems, including biases that can harm binary and non-binary trans and cis stakeholders. To better understand such biases, we foreground nuanced conceptualizations of gender from sociology and sociolinguistics, and investigate where in the machine learning pipeline such biases can enter a coreference resolution system. We inspect many existing data sets for trans-exclusionary biases, and develop two new data sets for interrogating bias in both crowd annotations and in existing coreference resolution systems. Through these studies, conducted on English text, we confirm that without acknowledging and building systems that recognize the complexity of gender, we will build systems that fail for: quality of service, stereotyping, and over- or under-representation, especially for binary and non-binary trans users.
A Celebrity from the Sky: ʿAbd al-Bāsiṭ ʿAbd al-Ṣamad’s Journey to National and International Fame in ʿAbd al-Nāṣir’s and al-Sādāt’s Egypt
Authors: Sayfo Omar
Published: July 2021

ʿAbd al-Bāsiṭ ʿAbd al-Ṣamad (1927–88) is one of the most renowned Egyptian Qurʾān reciters of the mujawwad and murattal styles, admired nationally and internationally for his remarkable voice and improvisatory style. Starting from the 1950s, his national and international career was entwined with the emergence of Egyptian mass media, which contributed not only to the spread of his voice on the radio, followed by the distribution of cassettes, but also to the formation of his image through a variety of media texts. While avoiding explicit political engagement, he largely contributed to the religious legitimation of ʿAbd al-Nāṣir’s and al-Sādāt’s policies by his presence at iconic events, as well as to the growth of Egyptian soft power. This article sets ʿAbd al-Bāsiṭ ʿAbd al-Ṣamad’s career within the media and political landscape of his time, exploring his journey from his Upper Egyptian home village to transnational celebrity.
The Impact of Climate Change on States
Authors: Kułaga Łukasz
Published: July 2021

The increase in sea levels, as a result of climate change in territorial aspect will have a potential impact on two major issues – maritime zones and land territory. The latter goes into the heart of the theory of the state in international law as it requires us to confront the problem of complete and permanent disappearance of a State territory. When studying these processes, one should take into account the fundamental lack of appropriate precedents and analogies in international law, especially in the context of the extinction of the state, which could be used for guidance in this respect. The article analyses sea level rise impact on baselines and agreed maritime boundaries (in particular taking into account fundamental change of circumstances rule). Furthermore, the issue of submergence of the entire territory of a State is discussed taking into account the presumption of statehood, past examples of extinction of states and the importance of recognition in this respect.
Climate Change and Global Health
Authors: Negri Stefania
Published: July 2021

Climate change is considered potentially the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century due to its direct and indirect adverse impacts on human health and its environmental determinants. Synergies between international regimes regulating climate change and human rights protection can provide the appropriate legal tools to hold States responsible for their contribution to climate change, notably in terms of failure to adopt effective and appropriate measures of mitigation and adaptation capable of preventing climate-induced health risks. In this respect, recent trends in international practice suggest that the right to health argument has the potential to play a pivotal role in climate litigation before international courts and human rights bodies, which are increasingly called to adjudge complaints filed by youth petitioners fighting for global climate change action.
Protecting the Environment from the Perspective of the Law of Armed Conflict
Authors: Krzan Bartłomiej
Published: July 2021

The present study analyses climate change from the perspective of the law of armed conflict. Climate may be both a victim and a means of warfare. Arguably, the existing normative framework is broad enough to allow for accommodating climate change. It cannot be denied that the environment is easily harmed, or at least jeopardized in times of armed conflicts. Despite the obvious lack of explicit references in the instruments of international humanitarian law, it may be argued that it is possible to fit climate change in. The accompanying analysis addresses the respective potential and the ensuing hurdles.
Towards a Redefinition of the Food Security Concept in the Light of Climate Change
Authors: Adamczak-Retecka Monika , Śniadach Olga
Published: July 2021

In recent years climate change and its impacts have become a separate field of inquiry. Climate-related risks to food security, water supply, biodiversity and human health are expected to increase with further global warming. The purpose of this study is to show how the definition of food security in particular has changed in times of climate change. It is a multidimensional phenomenon that has no legal definition so far. Associated mainly with physical access to food, food security was identified as a global problem by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1975 at the Word Food Conference. At the European Union level, food security is strictly connected with the Common Agriculture Policy. One of the new aims of that policy is to make agriculture more sustainable and responsive to current and future challenges, including climate variability. There is the dual challenge of both adapting production systems to new conditions and reducing greenhouse gases produced by agriculture.
Recent Developments in International Climate Change Law
Authors: Mead Sarah , Wewerinke-Singh Margaretha
Published: July 2021

This article discusses recent developments in international climate change law, in respect of which Pacific island countries and territories (PICs) have made a particularly significant contribution. PICs have been instrumental in shaping the international climate change treaty regime since its inception in the early 1990s. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, however, progress has stalled – and even more so since the global pandemic. With a focus on the Suva Declaration on Climate Change released prior to negotiations in Paris, this article assesses progress in two areas that have received considerable attention from PIC representatives due to their importance to the region: the long-term temperature goal and the Talanoa Dialogue; and the issue of loss and damage. While PICs have managed to make gains in both areas, climate change science indicates that current global efforts are insufficient to avoid catastrophic climate change impacts for the Pacific region. In light of this, certain PIC leaders are looking outside of the international treaty system for other ways to protect their communities and ecosystems.
Java Man and the Politics of Natural History
Authors: Drieënhuizen Caroline , Sysling Fenneke
Published: July 2021

Natural history museums have long escaped postcolonial or decolonial scrutiny; their specimens were and are usually presented as part of the natural world, containing only biological or geological information. However, their collections, like those of other museums, are rooted in colonial practices and thinking. In this article, we sketch a political and decolonial biography of ‘Java Man’, the fossilized remains of a Homo erectus specimen, housed in Naturalis, the Natural History Museum, in the Netherlands. We describe the context of Dutch colonialism and the role of indigenous knowledge and activity in the discovery of Java Man. We also follow Java Man to the Netherlands, where it became a contested specimen and part of a discussion about repatriation. This article argues that the fossils of Java Man and their meanings are products of ‘creolized’ knowledge systems produced by Empire and sites of competing national and disciplinary histories and identities.
The Social Realist Stories of Putu Shanty as Historical Record
Authors: Wijaya I Nyoman , Putra I Nyoman Darma , Vickers Adrian
Published: July 2021

Putu Shanty was one of Bali’s leading intellectuals in the middle of the twentieth century, but he has been effaced from official publications identifying cultural leaders of the island. His short stories, written in a social realist style, were intended as interventions that would influence the course of history but are also a valuable record of historical discourse. ‘Anti-feudalism’ was a central discursive concern of Shanty’s, and while it was shared on a national level with other political leaders and writings, its implications on Bali were highly specific, involving local social contestation and attempts to redefine religion. The role of intellectuals such as Shanty demonstrates that there are significant differences between discourses of the 1950s and the early-twenty-first-century constitution of ‘tradition’.
A Conversation with Indonesian Filmmaker Candra Aditya
Authors: Aditya Candra , Fox Richard
Published: July 2021

This interview with the Indonesian filmmaker Candra Aditya reflects on several months of collaborative work with a small group of scholars specializing in film, language, religion, and culture. In addition to remarks on the short film Dewi pulang, the discussion also addresses a range of more general issues pertaining to filmmaking in post-authoritarian Indonesia.
Indie Cinema and the Short Film Assemblage
Authors: Barker Thomas
Published: July 2021

Dewi pulang (Dewi goes home), the 2016 short film by Candra Aditya, offers a means to redefine the meaning of independence for contemporary Indonesian screen production. In the years of Reformasi following the end of the New Order, to be independent was to be in solidarity with the reform movement, and to express a DIY sensibility that did not rely on big production companies or the state. In recent years, the meaning of independence has been complicated by a changing cultural economy of film, including the accommodation of many previously independent filmmakers into the mainstream. Rather than seeing independence embodied in the film or filmmaker, this essay considers the history of short film and the foundational role of komunitas (communities) as the location for independent media practice. Independence is theorized as a characteristic of the assemblage of organizations, events, and infrastructures that facilitate the production, circulation, and consumption of short film.
Traces of the Other Form of Life
Authors: Meyer Verena
Published: July 2021

Candra Aditya’s short film Dewi pulang (2018) shows how Dewi’s life in Jakarta is in tension with the life of her Javanese village, to which she returns when her father dies. Understanding Jakarta and the village as Wittgensteinean ‘forms of life’, I argue that the film portrays the two as simultaneously antagonistic and mutually intertwined, as each form of life is present in the other as a trace. The film uses the Javanese literary convention of sěmu, through which subtle messages are simultaneously revealed and concealed, to suggest that the transcendence of the conflict in the final scene defies reification through language because it seems impossible. By pointing to the reality of the unthinkable, the film proposes an understanding of incompatible forms of life and social locations as connected through complex interplays of presences and absences.
Long Noncoding RNA Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 6 Promotes Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion in Melanoma by Sponging miR-944
Authors: Zhu Jinjin , Xu Pan
Published: July 2021

Long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) has been reported to be a tumor promoter in various human cancers. Nevertheless, the detailed functions and clinical value of SNHG6 in melanoma remain elusive. The study aimed to investigate the role and potential mechanism
of SNHG6 in melanoma metastasis. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of SNHG6 and miR-944 in melanoma cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and cell migration and invasion were measured by wound healing assay and cell
invasion assay, respectively. In addition, dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the interaction between SNHG6 and miR-944. The protein expressions of PI3K/Akt pathway were evaluated by western blot assay. The results revealed that SNHG6 expression was significantly increased
in melanoma cells. Knockdown of SNHG6 suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in A375 cells. Moreover, miR-944 was identified as a direct target of SNHG6 in melanoma. miR-944 was downregulated in melanoma cells, while SNHG6 silencing improved miR-944 level in A375 cells. Rescue
experiments demonstrated that miR-944 overexpression reversed the effects of SNHG6 on A375 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Altogether, SNHG6 exerted oncogenic effects in melanoma cells, providing a novel promising target for the treatment of melanoma.
Effect of Bone Marrow Stromal Stem Cells (BMSCs) Therapy on the Expression of Sodium Channel, Voltage-Gated, Type I, Alpha Subunit (SCN1A) in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Its Mechanism
Authors: Wang Gaolin , Sun Bo , Meng Xiangpeng , Ge Bin
Published: July 2021

SCN1A gene plays an indispensable role in several diseases. Bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) therapy is a potential target for treating epilepsy, but its therapeutic effect and mechanism is unclear. Our study aims to investigate the mechanism by how BMSCs affect epilepsy. Wistar
rats were assigned into control group, model group (pilocarpine-induced TLE model), and BMSCs group followed by measuring the latency of field excitatory postsynaptic potential, pathological changes, SCN1A level by Real time PCR, NF-ĸB and TLR4 expression by Western blot, and
HGMB1, TLR4, IL-1β and IL-6 secretion by ELISA. In model group, the incubation period of postsynaptic potential generation was significantly shortened and SCN1A level was significantly decreased, along with increased NF-ĸB expression and secretion of HMGB1, TLR-4,
IL-1β and IL-6 (P < 0.05). After BMSCs treatment, the incubation period of postsynaptic potentials can be significantly prolonged and SCN1A was significantly upregulated, with ameliorated epilepsy injury and reduced secretion of related factors (P <0.05). Pilocarpine-induced
TLE can reduce SCN1A expression and BMSCs therapy can up-regulate SCN1A expression by regulating NF-ĸB/HGMB1/TLR4 signaling pathway, thereby protecting neurons, reducing pathological damage, and ameliorating the development of epilepsy.
Catalpol Exerts Neuroprotective Effect on 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-Induced Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease and the Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Li Xueqian , Zhao Chengzhi
Published: July 2021

Our current study aimed to assess the preventive and therapeutic impacts of catalpol on Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its possible mechanism. In this study, mice treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) were employed to establish a PD model and then treated
with catalpol followed by analysis of behavioral science by open field test, pole-climbing assay and rotarod performance test, ROS and SOD activity and expression of TH, DAT, VEGF and GAP43 by western blot or immunofluorescence. The results disclosed that catalpol can ameliorate the MPTP-triggered
loss of dopamine (DA)-producing neurons, while it was able to enhance the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), accompanied by the activation of astrocytes and microglia. Catalpol treatment significantly retarded the oxidative stress induced by MPTP, along with elevated levels of VEGF and
growth-associated protein 4 (GAP43). Additionally, catalpol treatment activated the MKK4/JNK/c-Jun signal pathway in PD mouse model, accompanied by reduced secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. Catalpol executed the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant impacts on MPTP-induced Parkinson’s
model, suggesting that it might be a novel approach for treating PD in the future.
MicroRNA (miR)-29 Modified Bone Marrow Stem Cells (BMSCs) Regulating Wnt-β-Catenin-p53 Pathway to Inhibit the Migration and Proliferation of Conjunctival Fibroblasts
Authors: Xiong Shibo , Huang Pengcheng , Xu Sumin , Li Aimin
Published: July 2021

To explore the mechanism of miR-29 modified bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) in regulating the Wnt/β-Catenin-p53 pathway to inhibit the migration and proliferation of conjunctival fibroblasts. New Zealand rabbit BMSCs were randomly divided into control group, miR-29NC group,
and miR-29mimic group. MTT assay, cell scratch test, and Western blot were used to detect the proliferation, migration, and protein expressions in constituent fibroblast. Cell proliferation in the miR-29mimic group was attenuated at 24 h and 48 h (P <0.05). The expression of miR-29
in miR-29 mimic group was upregulated, while Wnt/β-Catenin-p53 protein was decreased (P < 0.05). MiR-29 modified BMSC can inhibit the expression of Wnt/β-Catenin-p53 pathway and suppress the proliferation and migration of conjunctival fibroblasts.
Effect of Silencing Information Regulator on Islet β Cells in High Glucose Environment Through Regulation of Phosphatidylinositol 3 Kinase (PI3K)/Protein Kinase B (AKT)/Nuclear Factor-κ-Gene Binding Pathway
Authors: Liu Nali , Zhu Beijing , Wei Xin
Published: July 2021

Islet β-cell regeneration is beneficial for treating diabetic patients. Silencing information regulator (SIRT1) has a regulatory role in endocrine diseases. However, SIRT1’s role in islet β cells remains unclear. MIN6 cells were cultured and assigned into
control group, high glucose group, and SIRT1 group (treated with SIRT1 agonist, Resveratrol) followed by analysis of SIRT1 expression by Real time PCR and ELISA, cell proliferation by MTT assay, apoptosis activity by Caspase3 activity kit, secretion of TNF-α and IL-2 by ELISA,
insulin secretion, ROS and SOD generation and expression of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling by Western blot. SIRT1 mRNA was decreased in high glucose environment and its secretion in cell supernatant was reduced, with inhibited cell proliferation, increased Caspase3 activity and secretion
of TNF-α and IL-2, decreased insulin secretion and SOD activity, increased ROS content, pAKT phosphorylation and NF-κB expression. Resveratrol significantly promoted SIRT1 expression and cell proliferation, decreased Caspase3 activity and secretion of TNF-α
and IL-2, increased insulin secretion and SOD activity, as well as decreased ROS content, pAKT phosphorylation and NF-κB expression (P <0.05). SIRT1 is decreased in high glucose environment, and SIRT1 expression can inhibit islet cell apoptosis, inhibit oxidative stress
and inflammation, and promote islet cell proliferation and insulin secretion by regulating PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling.
Effect of Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog 12 on Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells During Aging by Regulating Transforming Growth Factor Beta/Smad Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wu Bin , Bai Fenghua , Lin Jianping , Wang Guangji , Cai Wentao , Lin Mingxia
Published: July 2021

Aging affects bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) differentiation. PTEN12 regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, whether PTEN12 affects BMSCs osteogenic differentiation during aging is unknown. Two BMSCs derived from Zempster24−/− (senescence)
and Zempster24+/+ (normal) mice were cultured in vitro. Real-time PCR analysis was used to analyze PTEN12 expression. PTEN12 siRNA was transfected into senescent Zempster24-/-BMSCs and after 14 days of osteogenic induction, cell proliferation was analyzed by MTT method along
with measuring expression of osteocalcin, type I collagen, RUNX2 and OPN by Real time PCR, ALP activity, and TGFβ/smad signaling protein expression by Western blot. Compared to normal BMSCs, PTEN12 level in aging BMSCs was significantly elevated, osteocalcin, type I collagen, RUNX2
and OPN mRNA level was decreased along with reduced ALP activity and TGFβ1 and Smad2 expression (P < 0.05). PTEN12 siRNA transfection into senescent BMSCs significantly down-regulated PTEN12, upregulated osteocalcin, type I collagen, RUNX2 and OPN mRNA, increased ALP
activity and TGFβ1 and Smad2 expression (P <0.05). Aging increases PTEN12 level and inhibits BMSCs osteogenic differentiation. Down-regulation of PTEN12 in BMSCs during aging can promote BMSCs osteogenic differentiation by regulating TGFβ/smad signaling pathway.