bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethnocentrism, Theoretical Awareness, and Intellectual Resistance in University Students’ Reading Behaviour
Authors: Hiba Brahim
Published: November 2021

This paper discusses the insightful and illuminating findings of teaching critical reading within the theoretical framework of critical pedagogy. More specifically, this paper examines the impact of a critical-reading course on students’ reading skills and beliefs about discourse production and interpretation. The course was conducted according to the principles of transformative participatory action research and, thus, a corpus of 50 essays, written by a convenience sample of 25 post-graduate students in the pre-test and post-test phases, was analyzed to examine the effect of the course on students’ reading-habits and their representations of different discourses. Pretest findings showed that most students used to think that discourses are innocent and ideology-free and that reading a text consists in understanding its general idea, extracting its writer’s viewpoint, making sense of its vocabulary, and paraphrasing it. As far as text’s function is concerned, most students used to believe that a text’s basic function is delivering information. In addition, most of them were unaware of the fact that a text has ideological and socio-political functions. Post-test findings revealed that students’ discourse awareness and reading habits have become more critical and developed at two levels: the worldview level and the meta-language level. The t-test statistics suggest that there is a significant difference of p˂.001 between students’ reading scores before and after the intervention. Therefore, the null hypothesis which says that there is no significant difference between studying critical reading from a critical pedagogy perspective and studying it from a functional or conventional perspective is false.
Therapeutic Outcome of Self-Control and Social Interaction Interventions on Negative Body Image among in-school Adolescents with Low Health literacy in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Ofole Ndidi Mercy , Ohakwe Pauline Clare Nkem
Published: November 2021

Low health literacy is found to be consistently associated with negative body image. This study examined the effectivenessof Self-Control Therapy (SCT) and Social Interaction Skills Training (SIST) in managing negative body image among senior secondary school students with low health literacy in Southwest Nigeria. The design is pretest-post-test, control group quasi-experimental while the factorial matrix adopted was 3×2×3. Through multi-stage sampling, three Catholic Senior Secondary Schools in Southwest Nigeria were selected. Ninety (90) students, (Males=34, Females= 56) with age range of 14 years to 16 years were randomly selected and assigned to treatment conditions. The experimental groups were exposed to ten Sessions of treatments while the control group served as a comparison group. Body Self-Image Questionnaire-Short Form (BSIQ-SF) (α=0.83), Health Literacy Scale(α=0.88), and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (α=0.81) were used for data collection while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni test were used for data analysis. Results showed a significant main effect of the treatments on the negative body image of the adolescents (F (2, 90) = 1602.50; partial η2=0.98). Participants in SCT had the least adjusted post-test mean score (34.07), followed by SIST (35.23) and control (66.13) groups. Sex of the participants had no significant interaction effect on the treatment outcome. Participants with high self-esteem had a better reduction in managing negative body image (44.27) than those with moderate self-esteem (44.51) and low self-esteem (47.30). A two-way interaction effect of treatments and self-esteem was found. This result provides support for the use of SCT and SIST to manage negative body image of senior secondary school students. These two therapies are therefore, recommended to stakeholders as viable therapies for the treatment of negative body image.
Examining the Effect of Using Short Films on Visual Reading Skills
Authors: Aydın Nurullah , Börekçi Muhsine
Published: November 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of using short films in Turkish lesson on visual reading skills of 7th graders. Mixed methods design was utilized. The quantitative part of the study was formed by an experimental pattern with pretest-post-test control group, and the qualitative part was a case study consisting of observation and interview processes. The participants of the study were 46 7th graders from a public secondary school in Erzurum, Turkey. In the quantitative part of the study, the achievement test was used as a data collection instrument. In the qualitative part, observation and interview forms were used for data collection. Descriptive analysis studies were conducted for pre and post test scores in data analysis. As a result of the analysis of the data obtained from the quantitative and qualitative data collection tools, the use of short films in Turkish lessons increased the students’ interest, participation, success, and sensitivity towards their environment; it was found that it improved the visual reading skills significantly, at a high impact level and permanently. At the end of the research, it was concluded that the use of short films in Turkish lesson was effective in the formation of a fun classroom environment, active participation of students in the lesson, gaining awareness and sensitivity towards their environment, and improving their visual reading skills significantly and permanently.
ST. Paul University Philippines’ Thrust Towards Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Ang Sr. Merceditas
Published: November 2021

Educators have a pivotal role in promoting education for sustainable development (ESD). It is imperative to focus on sustainable development in order to survive and thrive in the present, and thus ensure that there would be a bright future for humankind. This descriptive study delineates the policy imperatives and integral implementation of ESD enhanced by the service learning program (SLP), and aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP).
Teachers’ Views on Citizenship Subjects within the Context of Social Studies Literacy Regarding Identity Formation and Acquisition of Citizenship Awareness of Immigrant Students
Authors: Bozkaya Hasan
Published: November 2021

While immigrant students, who live in Turkey, have their own values at home, they encounter Turkish culture and values at school and in their social life. This situation brings along certain tensions in identity formation processes. Citizenship education aims to prepare students for social life by providing them with the necessary knowledge and skills to grow up as democratic citizens. Therefore, citizenship education has an important function in the identity formation of children. Therefore, citizenship education has an important function in the identity formation of children. The aim of this research is to determine teachers’ views about citizenship subjects regarding identity formation and citizenship awareness in the context of social studies literacy. Case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used in this study. Data was gathered via a semi-structured teacher interview form. The data of the research was obtained via Social Studies teachers that work in Secondary Schools in Hatay, Turkey, during 2019-2020 academic year. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were performed with 15 Social Studies teachers. Descriptive analysis technique was used to analyze the data obtained as a result of semi-structured interviews. The data obtained from the research was evaluated; the findings were defined and interpreted. Accordingly, it was concluded that citizenship issues have a unifying and integrating structure, both individually and socially, in identity formation and realizing citizenship awareness, and also influence the adoption of social rules and transforming them into behavior.
The relationships between knee extensors/ flexors strength and balance control in elite male soccer players
Authors: Śliwowski Robert , Marynowicz Jakub , Jadczak Łukasz , Grygorowicz Monika , Kalinowski Paweł , Paillard Thierry
Published: November 2021

Background

Strength and balance are important factors for soccer players to be successful. This study’s aim was to determine the relationship between lower-limb muscle strength and balance control in elite male soccer players (n = 77).

Methods

Concentric isokinetic strength (peak torque of quadriceps (PT-Q) and hamstrings (PT-H), hamstrings/quadriceps (H/Q) ratio) was measured for the dominant and non-dominant leg at angular velocities of 60°s−1and 240°s−1, as well as the total work for extensors (TW-Q) and flexors (TW-H) for both legs (at an angular velocity of 240°s−1only). Balance score (BAL score) was used for unilateral assessment of balance control using a Delos Postural System Test measurement tool. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to predict balance control using isokinetic knee strength performance for dominant and non-dominant legs.

Results

Final modelling included peak torque of hamstrings at 240°s−1 and peak torque of the quadriceps at 240°s−1 for the non-dominant leg (R2 = 19.6%; p ≤ 0.001) and only peak hamstring torque at 240°s−1 for the dominant leg (R2 = 11.3%; p = 0.003) as significant predictors of balance score.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that balance control is widely influenced by peak hamstring torque and peak quadriceps torque at high angular velocity particularly in the non-dominant leg i.e., the supporting leg in soccer players.
A workflow for low-cost automated image analysis of myxomycete spore numbers, size and shape
Authors: Woyzichovski Jan , Shchepin Oleg , Dagamac Nikki Heherson , Schnittler Martin
Published: November 2021

Measuring spore size is a standard method for the description of fungal taxa, but in manual microscopic analyses the number of spores that can be measured and information on their morphological traits are typically limited. To overcome this weakness we present a method to analyze the size and shape of large numbers of spherical bodies, such as spores or pollen, by using inexpensive equipment. A spore suspension mounted on a slide is treated with a low-cost, high-vibration device to distribute spores uniformly in a single layer without overlap. Subsequently, 10,000 to 50,000 objects per slide are measured by automated image analysis. The workflow involves (1) slide preparation, (2) automated image acquisition by light microscopy, (3) filtering to separate high-density clusters, (4) image segmentation by applying a machine learning software, Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA), and (5) statistical evaluation of the results. The technique produced consistent results and compared favorably with manual measurements in terms of precision. Moreover, measuring spore size distribution yields information not obtained by manual microscopic analyses, as shown for the myxomycete Physarum albescens. The exact size distribution of spores revealed irregularities in spore formation resulting from the influence of environmental conditions on spore maturation. A comparison of the spore size distribution within and between sporocarp colonies showed large environmental and likely genetic variation. In addition, the comparison identified specimens with spores roughly twice the normal size. The successful implementation of the presented method for analyzing myxomycete spores also suggests potential for other applications.
ThamRobot: An Automated Robotic System to Play Thammattama
Authors: Goonatilleke M.A.S.T , Hettige B
Published: November 2021

Sri Lanka has a precious traditional drum music culture that is mainly based on traditional drums. At present, this drum culture is in decline due to a lack of talented drum players. As a result, many Buddhist temples are facing a serious and tragic problem. This article presents the design and implementation of a robotic system named ThamRobot contains two robotic arms that were designed to play pre-programmed three drum tunes of the Thammattama correctly and efficiently like a drum player without any intervention of a human. In the research, nine major characteristics factors of the Thammattama such as music notes, drum locations, approximate stress, frequencies, pitch, drum type, number of sticks, playing technique, distance from stick to drum face were identified. The entire system is comprised of four main modules named motion module, user-operation module, processing module, power supply module. Finally, the system has been tested in a laboratory environment and encouraging results were obtained.
The Relationship between Mourning and Society in their Diversity of Concepts My Love to Tricky Mourning
Authors: Godoy Borges Valdecir de
Published: November 2021

The mourning in its instances, references, connections and ties among individuals, the title of this song indicates lack of our foundations, who loves us also rejects and abandon us (Nirvana - Jesus Doesn't Want Me For Sunbeam [1], with these customs we acquire the notion of love and mourning, and it is where the mirror of illusions and reality collide, where human omnipotence, omniscience, and omnivision meet death; It's long been known that in general the brain in its psychic processes does not recognize death, with the psychic structure not to recognize death, and how to understand how these external factors affect our psyche, our psychic structure and the ways one can possibly deal with such feeling within a Freudian psychoanalytic approach, that is, in simple words, the mourning in this intense period, as initially we do not recognize it as reality and have to accept and recognize it in the face of real impotence. Through a psychoanalytic approach this work seeks to face mourning to reduce suffering and remove the patient from possible stationary states within the state of mourning. "We need to love not to get sick.” Sigmund Freud.
Nutritional Management Approach for Possible Prevention of COVID-19 Infection and Transmission in Sub-Saharan and Biodiversity Endowed Countries
Authors: Fonmboh Dobgima John , Fokunang Tembe Estella , Ndasi Ngwasiri Pride , Noumo Thierry N. , Borgia Njinkio Nono , Fokunang Lovet Bengyella , Samelle Edrice Ajabi Eselle , Tita Bengyella Louis , Kristen Kaba Nubia , Aba Ejoh Richard , Margarete A. Tita , Ntugwen Fokunang Charles
Published: November 2021

The causative etiology of the viral pneumonia outbreak in the Wuhan province of China of December 2019 initially identified as “novel-Coronavirus-2019” and today called “Corona Virus Disease-2019 has been identified as “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)”. Tireless efforts have therefore been invested to elaborate a treatment and/ or vaccine though with much controversy due to the lack of proper mastery of the structure, mode of action, mutation, recombination and transmission mechanism of the virus. Numerous public health measures have thus been imposed to slow down the rate of invasion and/or transmission (regular hand washing, face mask wearing, quarantine as well as method of diagnosis and symptomatic treatment) and now a convinent and acceptable treatment protocol and/ or vaccine. With the difficulties encountered in the development of an effective and efficient control and / or preventive towards the virus even in the western world, countries in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those in the tropics like Cameroon will endure sigficant consequences due to limited funds, technology, equipment and experts. It is therefore imperative to exploit other possibilities as the recombination rate and mutation possibilities within the genome of SARS-CoV-2 is indicative that, the 2019 outbreak was just a tip of the iceberg as more virulent variants beyond Delta variants, are still to emerge. One of such suitable and affordable possibilities is to nutritionally fortify and prepared the body to fight against infection. Zinc, Copper and Sellenium are essential micronutrients with demonstrated viral chelating activities found in selected commond foods which in adequate amounts will strengthen the immune system and tonify the body energy. A non-exhaustive list of common foods rich in the indicated micronutrients as well as those endowed with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties have been established from an extensive literature search in order to emphasize on the regular consumption.
Two years into COVID‐19 – Lessons in SARS‐CoV‐2 and a perspective from papers in FEBS Letters
Authors: Greber Urs F.
Published: November 2021

The 2019 outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) in Wuhan (Hubei province of China) has given rise to a pandemic spread of virus, more than 240 million incidences and a death toll larger than 5 million people. COVID‐19 has set off large efforts in research, therapy and patient care, as well as public and private debates in every imaginable form. A number of scientists used the publication platforms provided by the Federation of the European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) to present their research data, reviews, opinions and other contributions relating to COVID‐19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Here, I highlight the recent COVID‐19 papers which have been published and collected in a Virtual Issue in FEBS Letters, and discuss their implications towards understanding the molecular, biochemical and cellular mechanisms of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections, vaccine development and antiviral discovery strategies.
Development of discussions on national housing statistics surveys in Japan
Authors: Horiuchi Keisuke , Nakae Ken
Published: November 2021

In this paper, the survey conducted by the government aimed at collecting fundamental statistics on housing is referred to as the “national housing statistics survey.” The purpose of this study is to clarify the background of the discussions on the national housing statistics survey in Japan and how these discussions were linked to the actual survey. Previous studies have recognized two surveys in 1941, the “Housing Survey of Industrial Cities” and the “Housing Survey of Larger Cities” as the first national housing statistical surveys in Japan, and revealed the background to how both surveys were conducted. In contrast, this paper also focused on the discussions that ensued between the 1920s and 1930s, and discovered that discussions on obtaining national housing statistics began in 1923, and Japanese researchers intended to include housing‐related items in the 1930 National Census. However, its implementation was incomplete owing to a lack of funds, and only the number of rooms was investigated. The results of the discussions up to 1930 were reflected in the discussions around 1940, and two surveys with many items were conducted to understand the actual detailed conditions of the houses existing in the “industrial cities” and “larger cities” where munitions industries were concentrated.
Hinduism, Philosophical Aspects of
Authors: Moise Ionut
Published: November 2021

The category of Hinduism includes a complex range of philosophies, religions, movements, and cultural and intellectual experiments, all of which display paradoxically a rigid yet flexible development. Many philosophical themes have been dealt with in Hinduism, such as the immanence and transcendence of the world and God, but its general contribution to world philosophy lies, arguably, in the zone of ontology, a subject‐theme explicitly marked by a preoccupation with taxonomies and definitions which investigate the lowermost bedrock of reality seen as either essentialist (Advaita Vedānta), pluralistic (Vaiśeṣika), or simply empty (Buddhist Madhyamaka). Many systems have developed under the label of Hinduism, but these can be roughly classified in at least two groups – physicalist and mentalist – depending on their ontological standpoint.
Logos
Authors: Diekemper Joseph
Published: November 2021

This short entry briefly recounts the origins of the Greek philosophical concept oflogos, before going on to consider and evaluate its source and use as a concept in Judeo‐Christian philosophy of religion. It argues that the philosophical concept goes well beyond its use in the New Testament and that it played a key role in the early Hellenization of Christian philosophy. This has far‐reaching implications, to which the entry briefly alludes.
Midrash
Authors: Weiss Dov
Published: November 2021

Midrash either refers to a distinctive Jewish practice of biblical interpretation that seeks to reveal hidden meanings of the Hebrew Bible, or, alternatively, to a group of rabbinic writings composed between the third and thirteenth centuryce. As a body of literature, the Midrashim (plural of Midrash) contain biblical exegesis, extra‐scriptural laws, rabbinic homilies, stories about rabbis, ethics, and more. Written in rabbinic Hebrew or Aramaic, the Midrashim are usually organized around specific biblical books. Composed largely in the Land of Israel, the Midrashim do not present their ideas about God and the world in a logical or systematic fashion. Rather, they showcase their worldview through an anthology of fragmentary teachings that evince little order. Rejecting Greek philosophy, the rabbis embrace the anthropomorphic conception of God found in the Hebrew Bible. In the Middle Ages, some religious thinkers castigated Midrashim for their irrational and absurd depictions of God.
Characterization of size‐specific effects during dual‐energy CT material decomposition of non‐iodine materials
Authors: Miller Jessica , DiMaso Lianna , Huang‐Vredevoogd Jessie , Shah Jainil , Lawless Michael
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The dual‐energy CT (DECT) LiverVNC application class in the Siemens Syngo.via software has been used to perform non‐iodine material decompositions. However, the LiverVNC application is designed with an optional size‐specific calibration based on iodine measurements. This work investigates the effects of this iodine‐based size‐specific calibration on non‐iodine material decomposition and benchmarks alternative methods for size‐specific calibrations.

Methods

Calcium quantification was performed with split‐filter and sequential‐scanning DECT techniques on the Siemens SOMATOM Definition Edge CT scanner. Images were acquired of the Gammex MECT abdomen and head phantom containing calcium inserts with concentrations ranging from 50–300 mgCa/ml. Several workflows were explored investigating the effects of size‐specific dual‐energy ratios (DERs) and the beam hardening correction (BHC) function in the LiverVNC application. Effects of image noise were also investigated by varying CTDIvol and using iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE).

Results

With the default BHC activated, Syngo.via underestimated the calcium concentrations in the abdomen for sequential‐scanning acquisitions, leaving residual calcium in the virtual non‐contrast images and underestimating calcium in the enhancement images for all DERs. Activation of the BHC with split‐filter images resulted in a calcium over‐ or underestimation depending on the DER. With the BHC inactivated, the use of a single DER led to an under‐ or overestimate of calcium concentration depending on phantom size and DECT modality. Optimal results were found with BHC inactivated using size‐specific DERs. CTDIvol levels and ADMIRE had no significant effect on results.

Conclusion

When performing non‐iodine material decomposition in the LiverVNC application class, it is important to understand the implications of the BHC function and to account for patient size appropriately. The BHC in the LiverVNC application is specific to iodine and leads to inaccurate quantification of other materials. The inaccuracies can be overcome by deactivating the BHC function and using size‐specific DERs, which provided the most accurate calcium quantification.
Robust fault‐tolerant attitude synchronization control for formation flying satellites
Authors: Liu Hao , Cheng Ming , Meng Qingyao , Tian Yu , Li Xin
Published: November 2021

This article investigates the fault‐tolerant attitude synchronization control problem for a team of formation flying satellites. The dynamics of each satellite is influenced by nonlinearities, parametric perturbations, external disturbances, and actuator faults. A robust fault‐tolerant formation flying controller is proposed, via the linear quadratic regulation method and the robust compensating theory, for the satellite team to achieve the desired attitude synchronization. Robustness analysis shows that the attitude tracking error of the global closed‐loop control system can converge into a given neighborhood of the origin in a finite time. Numerical simulation results validate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed formation flying controller for the satellite team.
Prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in free‐ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in different land gradients of Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Shariful , Rahman Md. Kaisar , Uddin Md. Helal , Rahman Md. Mustafizur , Chowdhury Mohammad N. U. , Hassan Mohammad M. , Magalhaes Ricardo S. , Islam Ariful
Published: November 2021

Rhesus macaques are considered an important reservoir of different gastrointestinal (GI) zoonotic parasites affecting livestock and humans. Loads of GI parasites in the free‐ranging rhesus macaques living in close proximity to communities in Bangladesh are still unknown. To estimate the prevalence and diversity of zoonotic GI parasites in rhesus macaques of Bangladesh, a total of 182 freshly voided fecal samples were collected from macaques living in rural (N = 67), peri‐urban (N = 57), urban (N = 28), and Safari park (N = 30) between October 2015 and December 2016. All samples were tested by direct smear, sedimentation, flotation, and the McMaster techniques. A total of fourteen different taxa of GI parasites were detected, revealing an overall prevalence of 54.4% (n = 99; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 46.9–61.8). The prevalence of GI parasites was found to be significantly correlated with the mean parasitic taxa per individual in a group (r = 0.90;p = 0.002). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the overall prevalence of GI parasites in macaques was significantly higher in those inhabiting rural areas (62.69%; odds ratio [OR]: 7.22;p = 0.001) and in macaques with interactions with other animals (60.98%; OR: 5.49;p = 0.005). Our results also indicated that the prevalence ofStrongyloidesspp. andBalantidium coliinfections varied significantly between land gradients. Our results also indicate that macaques frequently visit human settlements for food and are found interacting with domestic animals. In conclusion, the high prevalence of zoonotic GI parasite infection in rhesus macaques found in our study may pose a significant public health risk to communities, particularly in rural areas of Bangladesh. Health promotion to at‐risk communities focusing on limiting contact with rhesus macaques is necessary to mitigate potential zoonotic transmission.
Unraveling the Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Layered Conductive Metal‐Organic Framework With Atomic Precision
Authors: Meng Zheng , Jones Christopher G. , Farid Sidra , Khan Islam Ullah , Nelson Hosea M. , Mirica Katherine A.
Published: November 2021

This paper describes structural elucidation of a layered conductive metal‐organic framework (MOF) material Cu3(C6O6)2 by microcrystal electron diffraction with sub‐angstrom precision. This insight enables the first identification of an unusual π‐stacking interaction in a layered MOF material characterized by an extremely short (2.73 Å) close packing of the ligand arising from pancake bonding and ordered water clusters within pores. Band structure analysis suggests semiconductive properties of the MOF, which are likely related to the localized nature of pancake bonds and the formation of a singlet dimer of the ligand. The spin of CuII within the Kagomé arrangement dominates the paramagnetism of the MOF, leading to strong geometrical magnetic frustration.
Palladium‐catalyzed difluoromethylation and difluoroalkylation reactions: An overview
Authors: Saranya Padinjare Veetil , Aneeja Thaipparambil , Anilkumar Gopinathan
Published: November 2021

Broad functional group compatibility and gentle reaction conditions are the advantages of the majority of the palladium‐catalyzed reactions. Fascinating pharmacokinetic properties are possessed by the difluoromethyl group that is isopolar and isosteric to hydroxyl group. The difluoromethylene group is bioisostere for a carbonyl group or an oxygen atom. These groups are present in the structures of plenty of agrochemicals and drug molecules. Attempts to develop new approaches for difluoromethylation and difluoroalkylation reactions are growing notably. Owing to the importance of these compounds in diverse fields, the advances and prospects of palladium‐catalyzed difluoromethylation and difluoroalkylation reactions are reviewed here covering literature up to 2021.
The composition of edible oils modifies β‐sitosterol/γ‐oryzanol oleogels. Part II: Addition of selected minor oil components
Authors: Scharfe Maria , Prange Daniel , Flöter Eckhard
Published: November 2021

The role of selected minor oil components on sterol/sterol ester oleogels was studied. Therefore, oleic acid, tocopheryl acetate and monoglycerides were admixed with three vegetable oils, having different fatty acid compositions. Before that, minor natural components were removed from untreated oils (purification). Moreover, purified oils were subjected to a humidity treatment to increase their water content. All additives retarded the molecular self‐assembly of sitosterol with oryzanol, and the effect was dose‐dependent. Gel hardness only increased at low concentrations of tocopheryl acetate and decreased in all gels at higher concentrations. In contrast, was invariable in samples with oleic acid and monoglycerides and increased in gels containing tocopheryl acetate and water. Therefore, does not necessarily relate to the gels' compression firmness. Atomic force microscopy showed that the microstructure of oleogels was considerably modified by the additives. In general, a packed surface of twisted, thick bundles of tubules may be associated with a stiffer gel. Moreover, a composite structure in gels with monoglycerides was visible and confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC was used to determine gel–sol transition temperature and was associated with the number of tubules in the gel. The gel–sol temperature increased in samples 1.0% w/w oleic acid and tocopheryl acetate and decreased in gels with monoglycerides and water. The results show that oleogel properties can be significantly modified by minor components with functional groups. That was associated with interactions with the sterol and sterol ester in solution and with the surface of the tubules (ferulic acid moieties of oryzanol) in oleogels.
Upcycling poly(ethylene terephthalate) wastes by solvent extraction: Thermal stability and kinetics studies of the recovered PET
Authors: Hamidi Nasrollah , Yazdani‐Pedram Mehrdad , Abdussalam Nurannahaar
Published: November 2021

Everyone who drinks bottled water contributes at least 17 kg to the post‐consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate) (W‐PET) accelerating the accumulation of the waste plastics (WP) that already have an annual rate of increase of ~4.5%. Disposals of W‐PET mimics a pseudo‐renewable resource of WP, that creates many recycling and economic opportunities. This work presents a recycling method that reduces the burden of W‐PET on the environment while saves energy and creates new economic opportunities. The recovered purified PET (PET‐R) that its thermal properties are reported here was obtained by solvent extraction method. Five samples of PET‐R were analyzed by thermogravimetry to study its kinetics properties assuming that the degradation process followed a pseudo‐single component model. The isoconversional Ea,α values obtained from the f(α) functions were comparable to each other by the average and standard deviation of 200 ± 5 kJ mol−1; which is very close to the value of Ea of pure PET. The results were consistent with kinetics data reported in the literature for pure PET.
Effect of aspect ratio and bulk density of carbon nanotube on the electrical conductivity of polycarbonate/multi‐walled carbon nanotube nanocomposites
Authors: Cruz Heidy , Bui Duc Nhat , Son Younggon
Published: November 2021

This study investigated the electrical conductivity of PC/multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites prepared by both compression and injection molding using three different MWCNTs. Among the three MWCNTs used, two of which have similarly low‐aspect ratio (AR) (60) but different bulk density (BD) (35 and 19 kg/m3). The third MWCNT has highest AR (150) and lowest BD (11 kg/m3) among the three MWCNTs. Our findings showed that CNTs having the lowest BD and the highest AR does not always produce the best dispersion quality and highest electrical conductivity, which is contradictory to existing studies. Among three MWCNTs, the MWCNT with lower AR (60) and a BD at the mid value (19 kg/m3) exhibited the highest electrical conductivity in injection‐molded samples. This MWCNT also exhibited the highest electrical conductivity in compression‐molded samples for MWCNT content above 2 wt%. This MWCNT provided better dispersion state than MWCNT with the highest AR (150) and lowest BD (11 kg/m3). We found that BD and AR have correlative effects in the individualization and dispersion of MWCNTs from its primary agglomerates. Lower BD can improve the ease of agglomerate disintegration during extrusion while a high‐AR beyond an optimal value can entangle and coil the MWCNTs, which can actually worsen the dispersion quality of the nanotubes.
Synthesis of graphene oxide functionalized by phytic acid for anticorrosive reinforcement of waterborne epoxy coating
Authors: Wang Lingyun , Chen Yaxin , Luo Jing , Liu Ren
Published: November 2021

Graphene derivatives are excellent fillers for providing outstanding barrier performance in organic protective coating but no active inhibition property. In this paper, a facile and environmentally friendly strategy is presented to improve the anticorrosion ability of graphene by modifying graphene oxide (GO) with a green corrosion inhibitor derived from nature, phytic acid (PA). The as‐prepared PA modified GO (PAGO) thus possesses the passive barrier property and active corrosion inhibition function simultaneously. Employing PAGO as filler, a high‐performance waterborne epoxy composite coating (PAGO/WEP) with “barrier + inhibitor” double anticorrosion effect was fabricated. The EIS test results demonstrated that after 21 days of immersion, the impedance modulus of the PAGO/WEP coating did not decrease and still maintained at the initial impedance value. The salt spray tests also demonstrated the significantly enhanced anticorrosion performance.
Graphene oxide hybrid with amine‐terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers encapsulating Pt nanoparticles for electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Kim Jiwoong , Kim Joohoon
Published: November 2021

We synthesized Pt nanoparticles using amine‐terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers to hybridize the nanoparticles encapsulated inside dendrimers with graphene oxide (GO) sheets. The resulting Pt–GO hybrid composites revealed improved electrocatalytic activity in oxygen reduction reaction compared with GO sheets.
Radial artery occlusion after conventional and distal radial access: Impact of preserved flow and time‐to‐hemostasis in a propensity‐score matching analysis of 1163 patients
Authors: Pacchioni Andrea , Mugnolo Antonio , Sanz Sanchez Jorge , Sgueglia Gregory A. , Pesarini Gabriele , Bellamoli Michele , Saccà Salvatore , Ribichini Flavio , Reimers Bernhard , Gasparini Gabriele Luigi
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To compare incidence of forearm radial artery occlusion (RAO) and hemostasis characteristics between distal and conventional transradial approach (DRA and TRA, respectively).

Background

DRA has the potential advantage of reducing RAO. DRA effectively reduces time‐to‐hemostasis, however its role on preserving flow in the radial artery (PF) during hemostasis and consequent impact on RAO remains speculative.

Methods

Eight hundred thirty‐seven patients with TRA were previously enrolled in a prospective registry investigating the relationship of residual anticoagulation and RAO. Three hundred twenty‐six additional patients with DRA were added to the cohort and matched to the original cohort by propensity score. The composite end‐point of RAO at forearm and distal site of puncture (dRAO) was evaluated as secondary end‐point.

Results

RAO occurred in 4.8% (41 of 837) of patients undergoing TRA and in 0% (0 of 326) of those undergoing DRA (p < 0.0001). DRA was associated with higher percentage of PF (97.2% vs. 78.5% in TRA group, p < 0.0001) and reduced time‐to‐hemostasis (147 ± 99 min vs. 285 ± 138 min, p < 0.0001). After matching, hemostasis characteristics were still significant different (PF 95.7% vs. 90.1%, p = 0.023, and 190 ± 92 vs. 323 ± 162 min, p < 0.0001) with reduction in the incidence of RAO (0 of 213, 0% vs. 7 of 213, 3.3%, p = 0.0015). dRAO occurred in one case (0.3% and 0.5% after matching, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.032 compared to TRA).

Conclusions

DRA was associated with lower rates of RAO compared to TRA. This effect is potentially explained by reduced time‐to‐hemostasis and maintained flow at the wrist during hemostasis.
Delayed presentation of congenital rectal stenosis associated with Down's syndrome and hypothyroidism: Case report
Authors: Chowdhury Tanvir Kabir , Hoque Md. Mozammel , Kabir Mahfuzul , Banu Tahmina
Published: November 2021

Rectal stenosis is a rare variety of rectal atresia. A membrane separates the rectum from the anal canal in the presence of a normal anus. We report a case of rectal stenosis associated with Down's syndrome and hypothyroidism in whom rectal stenosis was diagnosed at the age of 17 years.
Race on High‐loading Metal Single Atoms and Successful Preparation Strategies
Authors: Sangkhun Weradesh , Ponchai Jitprabhat , Phawa Chaiyasit , Pengsawang Aniwat , Faungnawakij Kajornsak , Butburee Teera
Published: November 2021

Although single‐atom catalysts (SACs) show significantly higher catalytic performance compared to conventional and nanoparticle‐based catalysts (NPs) at the same amount of metal loading, their overall catalytic performance may still be unable to compete with the NPs in many applications due to the limited active sites. Generally, trace amounts of metal (less than 1 wt%) can be successfully loaded onto supports in an atomically‐dispersed feature, and higher metal loading usually results in aggregation of the metal atoms. Hence, it is very important to further increase the density of isolated metal atoms in these rising‐star SACs to pave the ways for widespread applications or even to replace the NPs. On the other hand, it is well known that this is one of the most challenging topics on SACs research. In this review, the advanced strategies to overcome this challenge and achieve high loading of isolated metal atoms on various supports will be extensively discussed together with the examples showing the research efforts to enrich the metal active sites from the pioneer works with metal loading below 0.2 wt% to the recently‐reported SACs with metal loading over 20 wt%. Besides, there are still plenty of rooms to further improve the quantity and quality of metal loading on different supports, and outlooks of this scope is provided. We hope that this comprehensive review aids in the development of synthesis techniques for the new‐generation SACs with richer active sites.
Bioequivalence and Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of 2 Pyrazinamide Formulations in Healthy Chinese Adults: A Single‐Dose, Open‐Label, Randomized‐Sequence, 2×2 Crossover Study
Authors: Wang Siyang , Ren Jian , Wang Hongxia , Zhi Tingting , Zhu Yuanyuan , Feng Jinxin , Li Zhen , Zhang Ruiqin
Published: November 2021

A single‐dose, open‐label, randomized‐sequence, 2×2 crossover study was conducted in healthy Chinese adults, after fasting and postprandial, to evaluate the bioequivalence of 2 pyrazinamide (PZA) formulations. Fasting and postprandial tests were conducted in 24 cases. Test‐reference and reference‐test were randomly divided into 2 sequence groups, with 12 cases in each group. The concentration of PZA in plasma was determined after 0.5 g single oral PZA test and reference formulations by the high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method. In the fasting group, the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the 2 formulations maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) from time 0 to last detectable plasma concentration, and AUC from time 0 to infinity after logarithmic conversion were 104.8% to 121.9%, 97.7% to 101.6%, and 97.7% to 101.6%, respectively. In the postprandial group, the 90%CIs of the 2 formulations’ Cmax, AUC from time 0 to last detectable plasma concentration, and AUC from time 0 to infinity after logarithmic conversion were 86.4% to 100.2%, 96% to 102%, 95.8% to 102.3%, respectively. The 90%CIs of the test/reference Cmax ratio and AUC ratio were within the acceptable range of 80.00% to 125.00% for bioequivalence under both fasting and postprandial conditions. No serious adverse events occurred during treatment with the test formulation or the reference formulation.
Deprivation of direct adult contact during development affects social representation in a songbird
Authors: Perret Audrey , George Isabelle , Coulon Marion , Cousillas Hugo , Hausberger Martine , Henry Laurence
Published: November 2021

Social cognition involves a wide array of skills that are built largely through interactions with conspecifics and therefore depend upon early social experience. Motivation for social stimuli is a key feature of social behavior and an operant conditioning task showed that isolated wild‐caught adult starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are highly motivated to access pictures of other starlings. Here, we show that hand‐raised adult starlings maintained in groups of peers throughout development but without any contact with adult models were not or only poorly motivated to access pictures of conspecifics. Moreover, they did not prefer pictures of starlings to pictures of landscapes, unlike birds wild‐caught as adults. These results raise questions about the role of social experience during development, particularly with adult models, in the development of social motivation and of social representation in general.
Space‐for‐time is not necessarily a substitution when monitoring the distribution of pelagic fishes in the San Francisco Bay‐Delta
Authors: Duarte Adam , Peterson James T.
Published: November 2021

Occupancy models are often used to analyze long‐term monitoring data to better understand how and why species redistribute across dynamic landscapes while accounting for incomplete capture. However, this approach requires replicate detection/non‐detection data at a sample unit and many long‐term monitoring programs lack temporal replicate surveys. In such cases, it has been suggested that surveying subunits within a larger sample unit may be an efficient substitution (i.e., space‐for‐time substitution). Still, the efficacy of fitting occupancy models using a space‐for‐time substitution has not been fully explored and is likely context dependent. Herein, we fit occupancy models to Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) and Longfin Smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) catch data collected by two different monitoring programs that use the same sampling gear in the San Francisco Bay‐Delta, USA. We demonstrate how our inferences concerning the distribution of these species changes when using a space‐for‐time substitution. Specifically, we found the probability that a sample unit was occupied was much greater when using a space‐for‐time substitution, presumably due to the change in the spatial scale of our inferences. Furthermore, we observed that as the spatial scale of our inferences increased, our ability to detect environmental effects on system dynamics was obscured, which we suspect is related to the tradeoffs associated with spatial grain and extent. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of considering how the unique characteristics of monitoring programs influences inferences, which has broad implications for how to appropriately leverage existing long‐term monitoring data to understand the distribution of species.
Evaluating the accuracy and biological meaning of visits to RFID‐enabled bird feeders using video
Authors: Hughes Eric J. , Mady Rachael P. , Bonter David N.
Published: November 2021

Radio‐frequency identification (RFID) technology has gained popularity in ornithological studies as a way to collect large quantities of data to answer specific biological questions, but few published studies report methodologies used for validating the accuracy of RFID data. Further, connections between the RFID data and the behaviors of interest in a study are not always clearly established. These methodological deficiencies may seriously impact a study's results and subsequent interpretation. We built RFID‐equipped bird feeders and mounted them at three sites in Tompkins County, New York. We deployed passive integrated transponder tags on black‐capped chickadees, tufted titmice, and white‐breasted nuthatches and used a GoPro video camera to record the three tagged species at the feeders. We then reviewed the video to determine the accuracy of the RFID reader and understand the birds’ behavior at the feeders. We found that our RFID system recorded only 34.2% of all visits by tagged birds (n = 237) and that RFID detection increased with the length of a visit. We also found that our three tagged species and two other species that visited the feeders, American goldfinch and hairy woodpecker, retrieved food in 79.5% of their visits. Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and woodpeckers spent, on average, 2.3 s at feeders to collect one seed per visit. In contrast, goldfinches spent an average of 9.0 s at feeders and consumed up to 30 seeds per visit. Our results demonstrate the importance of confirming detection accuracy and that video can be used to identify behavioral characteristics associated with an RFID reader's detections. This simple—yet time‐intensive—method for assessing the accuracy and biological meaning of RFID data is useful for ornithological studies but can be used in research focusing on various taxa and study systems.
Do sediments of ephemeral and perennial streams show different impacts on water quality when subjected to the same drying conditions?
Authors: Perera Manimeldura D. D. , Gomes Pattiyage I. A.
Published: November 2021

Empirical evidence was studied to investigate whether ephemeral stream sediments have redeeming biological and physical attributes with respect to water quality, via a laboratory mesocosm study simulating stagnant pooled conditions in ephemeral and perennial streams. In addition to stream type, the effect of sediment quantity variation (sediment to water ratio) was also studied. From the water quality parameters tested (electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrogen species and phosphate), only electrical conductivity showed a significant difference between the two stream types irrespective of sediment to water ratio. However, the temporal water quality of a given stream type changed with sediment quantity in the mesocosm. Re‐flooding of mesocosms after complete drying did not result in blackwater conditions, but a similar spike in nutrient concentration was observed in both stream types. The absence of blackwater was attributed to the lack of addition of new organic matter and litter, as well as the saturation of dissolved oxygen in mesocosms, therefore, indicating that aeration and litter control could be used as mitigation methods for blackwater events. It was evident that water quality variations in ephemeral streams are purely based on the flow regime (hydrological flow conditions) and organic loading. No evidence was found for any unique biological and physical properties of ephemeral sediment that redeem water quality.