bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on Colombian anesthesiologists: Survey study
Authors: Amaya Sebastian , Murillo Marcelino , Pinto Bustamante Boris Julián , Sánchez-Bello Nubia , Mateus Parra María José , Andrade María José , González Zárate Natalia , Pérez María Paula , Maya José Jorge , Monsalve Valentina , Fayad Fayad Nashla , Rosero Belalcázar Gabriela , Charul-Palacio Ilana
Published: January 2022

Introduction: The practice of anesthesiology during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a psychological impact, and has been associated with ethical dilemmas, work overload, and occupational risk.

Objective: To understand different problems affecting anesthesiologists, in particular with regards to professional ethics in the decision-making process, increased personal workload, and the potential risk in terms of their own safety and health, as a consequence of working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. A survey was administered to the anesthesiologists members of the Colombian Society of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (S.C.A.R.E.), to enquire about work hours, occupational safety, prevention standards and strategies, and ethical aspects involved in decision making.

Results: 218 anesthesiologist participated in the survey. Most of the respondents felt that there was not a significant increase in their workload, except for those in critical care (42.5 %; n = 17). Most of the participants believe that leisure time is not enough. 55.96 % (n = 122) of the participants said they felt moderately safe with the biosecurity measures, but with a higher risk of contagion versus other practitioners, with 72.9 % (n = 159) and they said they used their own money to buy personal protection equipment (PPE). There was also evidence that one fourth of the respondents has faced ethical dilemmas during the resuscitation of SARS-CoV-2 – infected patients.

Conclusion: The information gathered is a preliminary approach to the situation arising in Colombia as a result of the pandemic; it is clear that anesthesiologists perceive higher associated lack of safety due to different factors such as higher risk of infection, shortage of PEEs and   burnout, inter alia. Hence we believe that it is fundamental to acknowledge the work of all anesthesiologists and understand the impact that the pandemic has had on this group of professionals.
Ergonomia sal szermierczych
w odniesieniu do polskich przykładów
Authors: Widzisz-Pronobis Sylwia , Siwoń Aleksandra
Published: January 2022

Polskie kluby szermiercze korzystają z uniwersalnych sal sportowych, które nie spełniają podstawowych potrzeb szermierzy. Przeprowadzone badanie miało na celu analizę funkcjonalną sal szermierczych i wypracowanie wytycznych dla projektowania obiektów dedykowanych sportom szermierczym.
W badaniu ważne było zaangażowanie sportowców, aby przeanalizować ich specyficzne potrzeby. Istotne było także odniesienie do
literatury przedmiotu, aby sprawdzić, czy istnieją opracowania, które wskazują na parametry sal szermierczych określające ramy dla inwestycji budowlanych. Wykorzystano różne włączające techniki badawcze z uwzględnieniem technik internetowych, które były konieczne ze względu na ograniczenia wywołane pandemią COVID-19. Badania pokazały braki dotyczące literatury przedmiotu w zakresie projektowania ergonomicznych sal szermierczych i potrzebę wypracowania wytycznych dla nowych, planowanych inwestycji, które będą indywidualnie dostosowywane do potrzeb sportów szermierczych. Na szczególną uwagę zasługują informacje pozyskane od osób zaangażowanych oraz użytkujących sale szermiercze. Ich głos wskazuje na trudną sytuację przestrzenną i konieczność działań zwiększających komfort uprawiania szermierki.
Improving stability of an ecological 3D-printed house- A case study in Italy
Authors: Essebyty H.
Published: January 2022

sdvv
Manipulation and Propaganda in the Russian Media: The Case of the Vriemia News Programme (2017-2019)
Authors: Llanos-Antczak Anna , Śliwa Zdzisław
Published: January 2022

Information is a powerful tool used in any society and by any nation to create excepted perception of reality. Russian information operations have always been a very interesting example of using various media to manipulate international and domestic opinion in support of national (government) objectives. The situation has not changed in the contemporary information environment based on the nation’s experiences and skilful utilization of emerging tools and technologies. Those capabilities are used pragmatically by Kremlin-controlled media to shape the future among younger people. In this respect, the paper is based on research conducted in selected Moscow and Saint Petersburg universities, responsible for educating future generations. The research is based on young adults’ perception of the information provided by Channel One (Russian: Первый канал). This is the most influential and popular television channel controlled by the current government; therefore, it plays a significant role in spreading propaganda to shape the perception of the realm by domestic and foreign audiences alike. The authors conducted research in the years 2017-2019, employing the survey method to find out what is the effect of television-based propaganda type of information to manipulate the recipients. The research revealed that, although the Russian media strongly influences the study group, the respondents recognize the utilization of propaganda, which is founded on a one-sided narrative, and they are not easily manipulated. Moreover, the results presented that there is an interdependence between the favourable opinions about Channel One’s Vriemia news coverage and vulnerability to manipulation and propaganda techniques.
Accounting for Holdings of Cryptocurrencies in the Slovak Republic: Comparative Analysis
Authors: Blahušiaková Miriama
Published: January 2022

Cryptocurrency has attracted more attention recently. With the rapid increase in popularity of cryptocurrencies´ transactions it is necessary to adopt a unified approach to this novel, 21st century phenomenon. Since 2009, when the first cryptocurrency Bitcoin was created, thousands of other cryptocurrencies have appeared. As the transactions with cryptocurrencies have increased, national and multinational jurisdictions started to deal with issues concerning taxation and accounting for the cryptocurrency. Multinational jurisdictions and professional institutions differ in their opinions about cryptocurrencies. There are opinions considering cryptocurrency a financial asset, a financial instrument, cash, cash equivalents, inventories or intangible asset. As there is no accounting standard within IFRS specifically addressing cryptocurrency, it is necessary to look at the existing IFRS and apply a principles-based approach. The aim of the paper is to compare the accounting of cryptocurrencies in Slovakia with the requirements and/or recommendations by other standards setters and authorities. Slovakia is selected as it is one of the first countries launching accounting regulation for cryptocurrency. The analysis and comparison are used as the main scientific methods in this study. The IFRS IC in June 2019 concluded that IAS 2 applies to cryptocurrencies when they are held for sale in the ordinary course of business. If IAS 2 is not applicable, holdings of cryptocurrencies should be accounted for under IAS 38. The Slovak Republic is applying different approach to holdings of cryptocurrency, the cryptocurrency is considered the short-term financial asset. Difference between Slovak and multinational solution is even in questions of cryptocurrency´s measurement.
Análise de Desempenho de Funções como Serviço em Nuvem Privada - DATAPREV
Authors: Motta Marcelo A. da Cruz , Carvalho Leonardo Rebouças de , Araujo Aleteia P. F. de
Published: January 2022

Função como serviço (FaaS) é um modelo de serviço em nuvem que permite aos usuários desenvolver, executar e gerenciar funcionalidades de aplicativos sem se preocupar com a complexidade da gestão da infraestrutura. Diante do notável crescimento na sua oferta pelos provedores públicos de nuvem e considerando sua utilização em ambientes de nuvem privada, este trabalho apresenta uma análise de desempenho das atuais tecnologias de código aberto relacionadas ao modelo de Function as a Service (Faas), utilizando o ambiente de nuvem privada da Empresa de Tecnologia e Informações da Previdência Social DATAPREV.
Serviço de Predição de Recursos para Execução Eficiente de Workflows de Bioinformática em Nuvem Federada com Aprendizado de Máquina
Authors: Sobrinho Matheus de C. , Paumgartten Aletéia P. F. de Araújo Von
Published: January 2022

A grande quantidade de recursos disponíveis entre vários provedores em uma federação torna difícil escolher um que seja adequado para determinados workflows. Este trabalho propõe um Serviço de Predição de Recursos de Aprendizado de Máquina chamado sPCRAM. O sPCRAM usa um modelo de aprendizado de máquina combinado com uma meta-heurística GRASP para dimensionar os recursos de forma transparente e adequada, determinando o custo monetário e o tempo de execução antes da execução do workflow. Os resultados demonstram que o sPCRAM pode estimar adequadamente o tempo de execução e o custo dos recursos da federação em nuvem em média 97,70% mais rápido do que a técnica de força bruta para seleção de recursos.
MFog: Uma Arquitetura Resiliente em Névoa para Aplicações do Centro de Operações de Resposta a Desastres
Authors: Silva Marcos Francisco da , Araujo Aleteia
Published: January 2022

Em operações de resposta a desastres é necessário o uso de softwares táticos e operacionais. No entanto, as operações podem ocorrer em locais adversos com recursos escassos de acesso à Internet. Essa limitação pode gerar problemas no fornecimento de serviços, uma vez que estas aplicações estão na nuvem. Neste contexto, propõe-se uma arquitetura que explora os conceitos de computação em névoa denominada MFog, com foco na resiliência das aplicações. Um estudo de caso foi realizado em ambiente simulado e os resultados evidenciaram a viabilidade do modelo quando aplicado em Centro de Operações de resposta a desastres.
Ambiente Domiciliar Assistido para o Monitoramento Remoto de Idosos em Ambiente Rural
Authors: Silveira Walkíria Garcia de Souza , Dantas Mario Antonio Ribeiro
Published: January 2022

Com o envelhecimento populacional e a preocupação de manter a atenção primária à saúde da população idosa da área rural, o presente artigo propõe um modelo para o controle remoto de idosos com difícil acesso à internet, que considere edge fog e cloud para prover uma estrutura apropriada.
Análise do Custo-benefício de Funções como Serviço e Infraestrutura como Serviço
Authors: Bandeira Waliff Cordeiro , Carvalho Leonardo Rebouças de , Araujo Aleteia Patricia Favacho de
Published: January 2022

O Function as a Service (FaaS) oferece alto desempenho em suas aplicações para ser utilizado com alta disponibilidade e pagamento baseado na demanda. Esses recursos, entretanto, vêm com um alto valor monetário agregado, o que faz com que não seja viável a utilização desse serviço em tempo integral para vários tipos de aplicações e contextos. Para melhor entender esse ponto de inflexão, faz-se necessário testar e comparar, de forma prática, qual o limiar aceitável para escolher um serviço dentre outras opções antes de iniciar o desenvolvimento da aplicação. Para isso será utilizada a Infraestrutura como Serviço (IaaS), que é um serviço de disponibilização de recursos computacionais, o IaaS foi escolhido a fim de comparar e analisar o custo-benefício em detrimento do FaaS.
Agile tailoring with scaling agile frameworks in distributed large-scale settings
Authors: Camara Rafael , Marinho Marcelo , Moura Hermano
Published: January 2022

Agile practices in large-scale distributed organizations are becoming a norm. Current research shows that large-scale projects are betting on agile scaling frameworks to coordinate better the several teams that compose large-scale organizations. However, the literature still needs further investigation on the scaling and tailoring of agile practices that distributed teams use in large-scale settings. Due to it, we aim to conduct a systematic literature review regarding the tailored agile practices used by distributed teams that use scaling agile frameworks in large-scale organizations. Further, we aim to conduct a case study on a large-scale Brazilian fintech company with more than 3000 employees. This company uses the Spotify model to organize its software product development.
The first record of the Turkish snail (Helix lucorum L., 1758) in the Slovak Republic
Authors: Čejka Tomáš , Čačaný Juraj
Published: January 2022

A numerous population of the Turkish snail (Helix lucorum L.) (Mollusca: Gastropoda) has been found for the first time in the Slovak Republic (Bratislava City, April 2013).
Sistemas silvipastoris com eucalipto: estocagem de carbono em diferentes espaçamentos e clones
Authors: Schettini Bruno Leão Said , Jacovine Laércio Antônio Gonçalves , Torres Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto , Oliveira Neto Silvio Nolasco de , Rocha Samuel José Silva Soares da , Villanova Paulo Henrique , Alves Eliana Boaventura Bernardes Moura , Rufino Maria Paula Miranda Xavier
Published: January 2022

O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar o uso de diferentes espaçamentos e clones de eucalipto na estocagem de carbono em 6 (seis) sistemas silvipastoris (SSP), localizados em Porto Firme - MG. Em campo foram utilizados experimentos contendo 6 (seis) SSP, com os clones GG100, I144, I224, híbridos de Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla, nos espaçamentos de 6m x 4m e 8m x 4m, nas idades de 60 e 96 meses. O inventário florestal realizado foi do tipo censo, onde todas as árvores tiveram sua circunferência a 1,30 m de altura (CAP) mensuradas e foram separadas em classes diamétricas. O volume foi estimado baseado no modelo Spurr. A densidade da madeira foi calculada pelo método de imersão em água e o estoque de carbono pelo fator de 0,47. O material genético I224, no espaçamento de 6m x 4m, foi aquele com maior potencial de estocagem de carbono. A densidade básica para os três clones, no espaçamento de 6m x 4m, não variou estatisticamente. Porém, no espaçamento de 8m x 4m, para os materiais genéticos GG100 e I224, houve diferença. Foi possível concluir que o material genético I224, no espaçamento 6m x 4m (24 m² por planta) possui o maior potencial de estocagem de carbono e que os SSP com eucalipto contribuem para uma agricultura de baixa emissão de carbono e mitigação das mudanças climáticas.
Impactos do pastejo do gado e do manejo da pastagem sobre a regeneração arbórea em remanescentes de Floresta Ombrófila Mista
Authors: Hanisch Ana Lúcia , Pinotti Lígia Carolina Alcântara , Lacerda André Eduardo Biscaia de , Radomski Maria Izabel , Negrelle Raquel Rejane Bonatto
Published: January 2022

No Sul do Brasil, parte dos remanescentes florestais é utilizada, historicamente, como sistemas silvipastoris denominados caívas, em Santa Catarina, e faxinais no estado do Paraná. Nestes, o estrato herbáceo da floresta é composto por pastagem naturalizada onde ocorre o pastejo animal. Visando contribuir para o melhor entendimento do impacto das caívas sobre a conservação da Floresta Ombrófila Mista (FOM), foram avaliadas diferentes intensidades de uso da pastagem, da prática da roçada e do pastejo bovino sobre a regeneração natural. O experimento foi realizado em oito caívas em 2015 e 2016, sendo a regeneração monitorada a cada seis meses. Ao longo desse período foram identificadas 49 espécies arbóreas características da FOM. Independentemente dos fatores avaliados, a regeneração das espécies arbóreas é um processo dinâmico, presente e contínuo nas caívas avaliadas. A intensidade de uso da pastagem não afetou os indicadores de diversidade, a riqueza de espécies e a densidade da regeneração. Houve baixa similaridade entre caívas com o mesmo tipo de manejo do pasto. A roçada foi a atividade de maior impacto sobre a regeneração, com acentuada redução na densidade de regenerantes, embora não tenha afetado a riqueza de espécies. Dada a abundância de espécies na regeneração das caívas, inclusive muitas típicas de estágio avançado, é possível confirmar que estes sistemas apresentam alta resiliência com respeito à conservação da biodiversidade florestal, mesmo com o pastejo do gado há longo tempo. Esses resultados indicam, também, ser possível implementar com sucesso diferentes estratégias de intensificação da pastagem em caívas, desde que estejam associadas à práticas de preservação de áreas mais frágeis e diversas, a fim de compor um sistema com maior sustentabilidade em todas as suas dimensões.
Decomposição foliar visando ao monitoramento de áreas em processo de restauração ecológica no Mato Grosso do Sul
Authors: Fróes Caroline Quinhones , Fernandes Shaline Séfara Lopes , Junglos Mário Soares , Costa Poliana Ferreira da , Linê Jósimo Diego Bazanella , Pereira Zefa Valdivina
Published: January 2022

O processo de decomposição auxilia no equilíbrio e funcionamento dos ecossistemas florestais por meio da liberação de nutrientes para o sustento das plantas. O objetivo foi avaliar a decomposição foliar como indicador de funcionalidade em três áreas restauradas por plantio de mudas com mais de dez anos, no Mato Grosso do Sul. O estudo foi realizado em 2017, nos municípios de Ivinhema, 13 anos após o plantio (IV-13); Jateí, com 14 anos de plantio (JA-14); e Caarapó, com 17 anos de plantio (CA-17). Folhas recém-caídas foram coletadas, secas em estufa a 65ºC, pesadas em porções de 10 gramas e colocadas em sacos de decomposição (litterbags), distribuídos aleatoriamente sobre o piso florestal das áreas. Para avaliar a perda da biomassa seca, foram retirados 10 litterbags aos 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 e 180 dias após instalação. Foram estimados o percentual de massa remanescente, a taxa de decomposição (k), o tempo de meia-vida (t ½) e a correlação de Pearson (r) entre a massa remanescente e a precipitação e temperatura. A (k) no período de 180 dias para CA-17 foi de 0,004 g g-1 dia-1 e 0,003 g g-1 dia-1 para IV-13 e JA-14, já o (t ½) foi de 269,49 dias para IV-13, 218,29 para JA-14 e 194,89 dias para CA-17. A (r) foi fraca para todas as áreas e variáveis, exceto IV-13 que obteve (r) moderada para a precipitação. A idade dos plantios não é determinante, a decomposição é regida principalmente pelas características internas e externas das áreas. O indicador foi eficiente na compreensão das taxas de decomposição, constatando perda de massa foliar mais acelerada para CA-17 e JA-14, o que pode resultar na mais rápida liberação de nutrientes para o solo e retorno à vegetação. Recomenda-se a utilização de indicadores complementares para compreensão holística da dinâmica de ecossistemas em restauração.
Morphophysiological responses of Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne seedlings submitted to potassium fertilization
Authors: Costa Andréia Mendes da , Carlos Leandro , Silva Patrícia Oliveira da , Menezes-Silva Paulo Eduardo , Alves José Milton , Cavalcante Thomas Jefferson , Dias Jorciane Souza
Published: January 2022

Hymenaea stigonocarpa is anarboreal medicinal species used in the recovery of degraded areas. However, little is known about its nutritional requirements during the seedling phase, especially concerning to potassium. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate if potassium doses promote morphophysiological changes in Hymenaea stigonocarpa seedlings.A completely randomized design, consisting in six KCl doses (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg dm-3KCl) and four replications was applied. Biometric, biomass, physiological and potassium content variables were assessed. Hymenaea stigonocarpa displayed significant physiological and biometric responses to potassium fertilization, with the highest values observed at doses ranging from 150 to 200 mg dm-3 KCl. Moreover, concentration effects were noted regarding to potassium contents in seedling leaves and stems.
Fitossociologia da regeneração natural como subsídio para restauração em áreas pós-colheita de Pinus sp. na Floresta Ombrófila Mista e Densa em transição
Authors: Oliveira Emanoéli de , Zangalli Charline , Fockink Guilherme Diego , Kanieski Maria Raquel , Nicoletti Marcos Felipe , Muniz Beatriz Rodrigues Bagnolin , Koeche Rômulo , Floriani Mireli Moura Pitz
Published: January 2022

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a regeneração natural em Áreas de Preservação Permanente em processo de restauração florestal pós-colheita de Pinus spp. por meio do levantamento de parâmetros fitossociológicos. O estudo foi realizado nas APPs associadas a nascentes e rios de duas áreas com diferentes idades pós-colheita de Pinus spp., sendo inseridas em Floresta Ombrófila Mista (FOM - 7 anos) e Floresta Ombrófila Densa em transição (FOD/FOM - 12 anos) ambas no estado de Santa Catarina. Foram alocadas 19 parcelas retangulares com dimensões de 25 m x 4 m (100 m²) de forma aleatória em cada uma das áreas, para a avaliação florístico-estrutural do componente regenerativo arbóreo-arbustivo. Na FOD em transição foram amostrados 913 indivíduos regenerantes de espécies arbóreas e arbustivas, pertencentes a 90 espécies, 60 gêneros e 30 famílias botânicas. As espécies com maior IVI foram Cupania vernalis (8,71%), seguido de Bernardia pulchella (5,93%), Aureliana wettsteiniana (5,25%). Na FOM, área em processo restauração em menor tempo, foram amostrados 782 indivíduos regenerantes de espécies arbóreas, arbustivas, pertencentes a 62 espécies, 21 famílias botânicas e 30 gêneros. As espécies com maior IVI foram Myrsine coriacea (10,06%), Solanum variabile (9,79%), Myrsine lorentziana (7,08%). Os índices de diversidade de Shannon foram H’ = 3,76 para FOD em transição e H’ = 3,24 para FOM, e denotaram alta diversidade de espécies, já o índice de equabilidade de Pielou obteve J = 0,81 para FOD em transição e J = 0,77 para FOM, demonstrando alta uniformidade na distribuição dos indivíduos nas espécies para as duas áreas. A distribuição diamétrica dos indivíduos apresentou padrão “J invertido” para ambas as fitofisionomias, comportamento esperado em florestas nativas. A NMDS apresentou um valor de stress de 9,81% indicando adequabilidade da ordenação e permitindo a realização de inferências com confiabilidade. Por meio da ordenação NMDS, observou-se a formação de dois grupos florístico-estruturais distintos, associados as fitofisionomias de FOM e transição FOM/FOD. Todas as parcelas inseridas em áreas de FOM encontram-se agrupadas à direita na ordenação, enquanto que a maioria das parcelas inseridas na área de transição FOM/FOD estão agrupadas à esquerda da ordenação. O componente regenerativo arbóreo-arbustivo avaliado em áreas pós-colheita de Pinus sp. em ambas as fitofisionomias possui grande diversidade de espécies com grande valor de importância à formação florestal, sendo um ambiente favorável para a conservação de espécies e fundamental para garantir a sucessão da floresta e a resiliência da restauração.
Sagrado e profano no discurso jornalístico do Estado Islâmico: textos e imagens da revista Dabiq
Authors: Anaz Sílvio Antonio Luiz , Silva Gabriela Cristina da
Published: January 2022

Este artigo analisa a revista Dabiq, produzida pelo Estado Islâmico, a partir do estudo dos valores-notícia, da oposição sagrado-profano, das ideias de persuasão e convencimento e das linguagens conotativa e denotativa nas matérias. O método combina elementos da análise do discurso e da análise semiótica. A conclusão mostra que a publicação recorre a características do jornalismo para legitimar um discurso doutrinário.
Tic’s governamentais de navegabilidade na gestão de resíduos sólidos no Brasil
Authors: Silva Lucas Braga da , Meneses Verônica Dantas , Almeida Lia de Azevedo
Published: January 2022

O estudo teve por objetivo analisar de que maneira as tecnologias de informação e comunicação (Tic’s) são adotadas para auxiliar na busca por informação pelo cidadão sobre a gestão de resíduos sólidos nas unidades federativas brasileiras. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa documental nas plataformas de governo eletrônico desenvolvidas pelas secretarias ambientais destas unidades com relação a sua navegabilidade.
A produção de sentidos sobre os imigrantes refugiados sírios no Brasil na telenovela “Orfãos da Terra”
Authors: Jakubaszko Daniela , Cicilini Anna Carolina , Veras Letícia Gouveia
Published: January 2022

Este artigo apresenta resultados de uma pesquisa cujo objetivo foi estudar a produção de sentidos e as ressonâncias dialógicas criadas a partir das representações de imigrantes refugiados sírios no Brasil na telenovela “Órfãos da Terra” (TV Globo, 2019) de Duca Rachid e Thelma Guedes. Concluiu-se que a ficção promoveu o debate sobre xenofobia, rompeu estereótipos e construiu imagens do País como nação acolhedora.
Breve panorama da divulgação científica brasileira no YouTube e nos podcasts
Authors: Fonseca André Azevedo da , Mendes Bueno Leonardo
Published: January 2022

A partir da análise do contexto histórico da ciência no país, essa pesquisa exploratória quali-quantitativa investiga o panorama de iniciativas de divulgação científica no YouTube e nos podcasts. Os métodos empregados foram a pesquisa bibliográfica e análise documental, com dados sistematizados no software Tableu Public. Foi constatado que os canais com maior número de visualizações e inscritos se dedicam à divulgação científica de temas gerais e de interesse multidisciplinar. Os canais institucionais, por sua vez, são os que mais publicam vídeos. Também foi constatado um movimento de profissionalização dos podcasts, pois a maioria possui site, descrição e está ancorado em uma plataforma de distribuição. Enquanto no YouTube a maioria dos divulgadores são homens do Sudeste, os podcasts têm mais diversidade.
Effects of circadian blood pressure patterns on development of microvascular complications in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Lee Jeong-Seon , Lee Yun Jeong , Lee Young Ah , Shin Choong Ho
Published: January 2022

Purpose: The effects of circadian blood pressure (BP) alterations on the development and progression of microvascular complications in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients are unknown. We evaluated the effects of circadian BP alterations with development of microvascular complications during follow-up with patients with childhood-onset T1DM.Methods: We investigated the medical records of 81 pediatric patients with T1DM who underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) between January 2009 and February 2010.Results: Mean age at diagnosis and ABPM evaluation was 8.0±3.9 and 15.6±2.4 years, respectively. Hypertension (daytime, nighttime, and 24-hour mean hypertension) data were available in 42 patients. During the 8 years of follow-up after ABPM, microvascular complications occurred in 8 patients (diabetic retinopathy [DR] alone in 5, microalbuminuria alone in 2, and both in 1), of whom 7 had nondipper BP. Nighttime diastolic BP, nighttime mean arterial pressure, and glycated hemoglobin A (HbA1c) level were higher in patients with DR than in those without DR (P<0.05 for all). Daytime or nighttime BP and presence of dipper BP were not related to microvascular complications, but diabetic microvascular complications were more likely to occur in patients with an older age at diagnosis and higher HbA1c level. The proportion of patients with DR was higher in those with nondipper hypertension (83.3%) compared with dipper and nondipper normotension (0% and 16.7%, respectively; P=0.021).Conclusion: As a predictor of microvascular complications, nondipper hypertension was not significant. Glycemic control rather than nondipper hypertension is the predominant factor determining DR in T1DM patients.
Response to growth hormone according to provocation test results in idiopathic short stature and idiopathic growth hormone deficiency
Authors: Yoon Ju Young , Cheon Chong Kun , Lee Jung Hyun , Kwak Min Jung , Kim Hyun-Ji , Kim Ye Jin , Lee Jeong Eun , Chung Woo Yeong , Kim Jeongyun , Yoo Jae-Ho
Published: January 2022

Purpose: To investigate growth response in children with either idiopathic short stature (ISS) or growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD).Methods: The data of prepubertal GHD or ISS children treated using recombinant human GH were obtained from the LG Growth Study database. GHD children were further divided into partial and complete GHD groups. Growth response and factors predicting growth response after 1 and 2 years of GH treatment were investigated.Results: This study included 692 children (98 with ISS, 443 partial GHD, and 151 complete GHD). After 1 year, changes in height standard deviation score (ΔHt-SDS) were 0.78, 0.83, and 0.96 in ISS, partial GHD, and complete GHD, respectively. Height velocity (HV) was 8.72, 9.04, and 9.52 cm/yr in ISS, partial GHD, and complete GHD, respectively. ΔHt-SDS and HV did not differ among the 3 groups. Higher initial body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) and midparental height standard deviation score (MPH-SDS) were predictors for better growth response after 1 year in ISS and the partial GHD group, respectively. In the complete GHD group, higher Ht-SDS and BMI-SDS predicted better growth response after 1 year. After 2 years of GH treatment, higher BMI-SDS and MPH-SDS predicted a better growth outcome in the partial GHD group, and higher MPH-SDS was a predictor of good growth response in complete GHD.Conclusion: Clinical characteristics and growth response did not differ among groups. Predictors of growth response differed among the 3 groups, and even in the same group, a higher GH dose would be required when poor response is predicted.
Challenges for university teacher education in Brazil posed by the Alpha Generation
Authors: Carvalho Rafael Nicolau , Monteiro Carlos Eduardo Ferreira , Martins Maria Niedja Pereira
Published: January 2022

The idea of generation has been used as a theoretical construct to understand the characteristics of age groups born in the same historical period. Currently, children born from 2010 onwards are considered to form generation Alpha, which has access to digital information and communication technologies from an early age. In this article, we develop a discussion that addresses the theme of the Alpha generation to problematize initial teacher education. An empirical study was conducted with 57 teacher degree undergraduates from a federal public university in Brazil. The participants’ answers indicate that they are aware of the new generations’ challenges and critically analyze the formative processes they access.
Digital interventions with families - a case study
Authors: Vegard Patricia , Belchior-Rocha Helena , Casquilho-Martins Inês
Published: January 2022

This article discusses the responses developed in Portugal during the state of emergency by a family empowerment and intervention team and how this team actively integrated contingency plans and challenges through information and communication technology (ICT). We also explain what was learned during this period and what could have been done better. The family empowerment intervention teams of this organization are specialized multidisciplinary teams that act from a perspective to teach parenting skills to families to ensure that the rights of their children and adolescents are guaranteed. These teams’ interventions normally take place in the home environment. However, the state of emergency meant that this procedure had to be adapted by incorporating digital practices, while home visits and consultations were carried out only in emergencies and other duly justified situations. The result of this experience was extremely positive in terms of the relationships established with the families and couples, the skills developed, and the resilience shown by all.
Complexity of Unsolved Forest Tenurial Conflict: A Case of Way Terusan Forest Management Unit, Lampung Province, Indonesia
Authors:   Graduate Program of Forestry, the University of Lampung. Jl. S. Brojonegoro 1,  Bandar Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia 35145, Wulandari C , Fitriana Y R , Febryano I G , Herwanti S , Kaskoyo H , Putra H J
Published: January 2022

Effective forest management is challenging to achieve when there is uncertainty about who controls forest areas. Land tenure issues can arise from local communities, immigrants, the private sector, or the government. Overlapping rights in forest areas are very likely to occur due to the licensing system's lack of integration and the inaccuracy with which the problem of forest land use claims. The Forest area of Register 47 is the case where the forest tenurial conflict resolution is theoretical and takes into account the existence of forest communities and conflict resolution programs that have been implemented by the Forest Management Unit (FMU). This study employed case study approach carried out with an in-depth study in the historical study about the conflicts and juridical review in Way Terusan FMU, Lampung Province. The collected data was then validated by triangulating scheme by the observation and documentation. The findings show that in terms of legal, FMU is the legal authority in forest area organizations, especially after regional regulation since 2019. However, the encroachment began in the 1990s when about 900 households were relocated to the area without the Forestry Ministry accord. Various legalization permits were submitted to the central government, but they were not deemed as a viable option. Since the regional regulation of forest area law's introduction in 2019, the FMU has been the primary actor in forest management. In order to resolve all conflicts, the FMU might apply for some effective forestry partnership cooperation programs.
Edward Wilmot Blyden. The African Personality and Early Intellectual Work in the Gold Coast (Ghana)
Authors: Bouchemal Ahmed , Senouci Faiza Meberbeche
Published: January 2022

There is a commonly held view that African nationalism took shape out of contacts of African intellectuals with twentieth century Pan-African leaders. Yet, this interpretation lacked concrete evidence, as many of these intellectuals owed their ideological formulation to Nineteenth century teachings of Edward Wilmot Blyden. In his writings, Blyden articulated a thorough understanding of African’s strengths and weaknesses. For Blyden, Western civilization intended to make the African a caricature of European society. As a result, the situation of the African became one of chaos as he lived in strict psychological conflicts. A revival of the African personality rested as a solution to the distorted manhood of the African and a path to his future progress. This article examines Blyden’s theory of the African personality as revealed in early intellectual work in the Gold Coast (Ghana). Drawing on Blyden’s African personality theory, the article revealed that these intellectuals begun a vigorous campaign to oppose Europeanization of the African system of life and took an uncompromising stand against ideas of black “inferiority” and “backwardness”.
Economic Strain and Adolescent Violence. Are extracurricular activities a conditioning effect?
Authors: Pitt Cassady , Walker Brittani
Published: January 2022

This article examines the extent to which participation in sports acts as a conditioning effect to the relationship between economic disadvantage and adolescent violent delinquency. Deriving hypotheses from general strain and social control theories, we use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to test if type of extracurricular activity participation diminishes the risk of economic disadvantage on violent delinquency. In support of social control theory, the direct effect of academic clubs and performing arts is negatively associated with adolescent violence. Additionally, analyses indicate that participation in contact sports decreases the relationship economic disadvantage and violent delinquency when other strain controls are added including race/ethnicity, family structure, lack of parental supervision, etc. Overall findings are expected of the social control conditioning effect of general strain theory.
Locus of control and culture of poverty. An appraisal of Lawrence M. Mead’s ideas in ‘Culture and Poverty’
Authors: Oppong Seth
Published: January 2022

Lawrence M. Mead presented an interesting argument as to why poverty exists in the United States. He problematizes the culture of the poor of which ethnic minorities over-represent. By referring to the geographic regions from which these ethnic minorities came from, he globalised the question of poverty in the US. This invites a global policy debate rather than a US-centric policy debate. Indeed, Mead so freely made references to Africa and the African culture severally throughout his commentary. It is against this backdrop that I show that Mead was right to a large extent on the question of inner-driven individualised orientation. However, he overestimates its influence and misreads what culture is. He presented the culture of poverty as the antecedent of poverty. It was concluded that manipulating both internal drive (internal locus of control) and the structure of society is a more effective way to tackle poverty.
El doble sentido de los espacios domésticos: la vida cotidiana de familias heteronormativas de la ciudad de Tlaxcala, México
Authors: Galindo Meneses Eduardo Abedel , Maceda Rodríguez Emilio
Published: January 2022

The logic of domestic space is alien to the logic of private life. Domestic spaces, which harbor heteronormative family arrangements and relations, are subject to inequalities and contradictions. However, at the same time, they build bonds and ties of reciprocity and solidarity. This double meaning invites us to rethink the definition of domestic space under an epistemic and political order different from that of modern social theory that defined them as private spaces. To examine this double meaning of domesticity, we examine the daily lives of six heteronormative two-parent families in the city of Tlaxcala, Mexico. The empirical data is the product of a broader investigation that provided insight into the everyday life of these families. We inquired about the distribution of domestic and care work via informal discussions in their homes. The research was conducted between January and April 2017 in the city of Tlaxcala, located in the south-central part of the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico. In particular, and based on a gender perspective, the present analysis focuses on understanding the ways in which these families appropriate their space and reproduce this appropriation. This article concludes that domestic space needs to be conceptually reconstructed, and that ambiguous family relationships that are made invisible through expressions of solidarity or reciprocity, as well as through heteronormative imaginaries and subjectivities, must be dismantled. Depending on gender, age and role, the reproduction and appropriation of domestic space is not the same for each member of the families analyzed. Domestic space is not explained by the traditional understanding that categorizes the domestic as private. The article offers a new definition of domestic space, whose epistemic axis is the double meaning that this space signifies and that is described in families’ everyday life and narratives.
An image reconstruction framework for characterizing initial visual encoding
Authors: Zhang Ling-Qi , Cottaris Nicolas P , Brainard David H
Published: January 2022

We developed an image-computable observer model of the initial visual encoding that operates on natural image input, based on the framework of Bayesian image reconstruction from the excitations of the retinal cone mosaic. Our model extends previous work on ideal observer analysis and evaluation of performance beyond psychophysical discrimination, takes into account the statistical regularities of the visual environment, and provides a unifying framework for answering a wide range of questions regarding the visual front end. Using the error in the reconstructions as a metric, we analyzed variations of the number of different photoreceptor types on human retina as an optimal design problem. In addition, the reconstructions allow both visualization and quantification of information loss due to physiological optics and cone mosaic sampling, and how these vary with eccentricity. Furthermore, in simulations of color deficiencies and interferometric experiments, we found that the reconstructed images provide a reasonable proxy for modeling subjects’ percepts. Lastly, we used the reconstruction-based observer for the analysis of psychophysical threshold, and found notable interactions between spatial frequency and chromatic direction in the resulting spatial contrast sensitivity function. Our method is widely applicable to experiments and applications in which the initial visual encoding plays an important role.
A phosphoswitch at acinus-serine437 controls autophagic responses to cadmium exposure and neurodegenerative stress
Authors: Nandi Nilay , Zaidi Zuhair , Tracy Charles , Krämer Helmut
Published: January 2022

Neuronal health depends on quality control functions of autophagy, but mechanisms regulating neuronal autophagy are poorly understood. Previously, we showed that in Drosophila starvation-independent quality control autophagy is regulated by acinus (acn) and the Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of its serine437 (Nandi et al., 2017). Here, we identify the phosphatase that counterbalances this activity and provides for the dynamic nature of acinus-serine437 (acn-S437) phosphorylation. A genetic screen identified six phosphatases that genetically interacted with an acn gain-of-function model. Among these, loss of function of only one, the PPM-type phosphatase Nil (CG6036), enhanced pS437-acn levels. Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of acn-S437 in nil1 animals elevates neuronal autophagy and reduces the accumulation of polyQ proteins in a Drosophila Huntington’s disease model. Consistent with previous findings that Cd2+ inhibits PPM-type phosphatases, Cd2+ exposure elevated acn-S437 phosphorylation which was necessary for increased neuronal autophagy and protection against Cd2+-induced cytotoxicity. Together, our data establish the acn-S437 phosphoswitch as critical integrator of multiple stress signals regulating neuronal autophagy.
Performance impact of precision reduction in sparse linear systems solvers
Authors: Zounon Mawussi , Higham Nicholas J. , Lucas Craig , Tisseur Françoise
Published: January 2022

It is well established that reduced precision arithmetic can be exploited to accelerate the solution of dense linear systems. Typical examples are mixed precision algorithms that reduce the execution time and the energy consumption of parallel solvers for dense linear systems by factorizing a matrix at a precision lower than the working precision. Much less is known about the efficiency of reduced precision in parallel solvers for sparse linear systems, and existing work focuses on single core experiments. We evaluate the benefits of using single precision arithmetic in solving a double precision sparse linear system using multiple cores. We consider both direct methods and iterative methods and we focus on using single precision for the key components of LU factorization and matrix–vector products. Our results show that the anticipated speedup of 2 over a double precision LU factorization is obtained only for the very largest of our test problems. We point out two key factors underlying the poor speedup. First, we find that single precision sparse LU factorization is prone to a severe loss of performance due to the intrusion of subnormal numbers. We identify a mechanism that allows cascading fill-ins to generate subnormal numbers and show that automatically flushing subnormals to zero avoids the performance penalties. The second factor is the lack of parallelism in the analysis and reordering phases of the solvers and the absence of floating-point arithmetic in these phases. For iterative solvers, we find that for the majority of the matrices computing or applying incomplete factorization preconditioners in single precision provides at best modest performance benefits compared with the use of double precision. We also find that using single precision for the matrix–vector product kernels provides an average speedup of 1.5 over double precision kernels. In both cases some form of refinement is needed to raise the single precision results to double precision accuracy, which will reduce performance gains.
Impact of dialysis modality conversion on the health-related quality of life of peritoneal dialysis patients: a retrospective cohort study in China
Authors: Sun Heqi , Zhuang Ye , Gao Lanying , Xu Ningze , Xiong Yan , Yuan Min , Lu Jun , Ye Jianming
Published: January 2022

Background

To analyze the health-related quality of life associated with the conversion of dialysis modality among end-stage renal disease patients in China.

Methods

Patients were recruited from hospitals and a dialysis center in Kunshan, China. Patients converting from continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis to automated peritoneal dialysis were recruited as the observation group (n = 64), and patients continuing with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis treatment were included in the control group (n = 64) after matching in this retrospective cohort study. Their health-related quality of life was measured using the kidney disease quality of life instrument in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Baseline socio-demographic characteristics and clinical data were collected in 2019. The before-and-after cross-group comparisons of subscale scores of two groups were conducted using a Student‘s t-test. Multiple linear regression models were fitted to identify the factors associated with the change of each scale.

Results

The health-related quality of life scores of the two groups was comparable in baseline, while the observation group had higher scores in Physical Component Summary (51.92 ± 7.50), Kidney Disease Component Summary (81.21 ± 8.41), Symptoms (90.76 ± 6.30), Effects (82.86 ± 11.42), and Burden (69.04 ± 15.69) subscales after one year. In multivariate regression analysis, the change of Physical Component Summary was significantly associated with conversion to APD (β = 11.54, 95% CI [7.26–15.82]); the change of Mental Component Summary with higher education (β =  − 5.96, 95% CI [−10.18–−1.74]) and CCI (>2) (β = 5.39, 95% CI [1.05–9.73]); the change of Kidney Disease Component Summary with conversion to APD (β = 15.95, 95% CI [10.19–21.7]) and age (>60 years) (β =  − 7.36, 95% CI [−14.11–−0.61]); the change of Symptoms with CCI (>2) (β = 7.96, 95% CI [1.49–14.44]); the change of Effects with conversion to APD (β = 19.23, 95% CI [11.57–26.88]); and the change of Burden with conversion to APD (β = 22.40, 95% CI [13.46–31.34]), age (>60 years) (β =  − 12.12, 95% CI [−22.59–−1.65]), and higher education (β =  − 10.38, 95% CI [−19.79–−0.98]).

Conclusions

The conversion of dialysis modality had a significant impact on the scores of most subscales. Patients converting from continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis to automated peritoneal dialysis generally had improved health-related quality of life scores.
An Appraisal of Borehole Water Quality Index in Selected Areas within Owerri Metropolis, Imo State, Southeastern Nigeria
Authors: Nzenwa P. O. , Igwe C. E. , Edward U. C. , Obasi C. C. , Okwodu N. E.
Published: January 2022

Borehole water is one of the major sources of potable water in most developing countries of the world. Therefore, it becomes imperative to evaluate the continuing portability of these sources of water to the populace. The present study was undertaken to appraise the water quality of selected boreholes in Owerri Metropolis using the water quality index (WQI) method. Samples were collected from five different locations under stringent protocols. The water samples were analyzed for selected physicochemical properties and compared with WHO permissible limits and American Public Health Association. Results showed that the assayed parameters were within WHO permissible limits except Turbidity in Locations 2, 3 and 4. Water quality index ranged from 24.91 to 70.06. This study revealed that the investigated borehole waters are mostly portable and can be consumed. Nonetheless, the sources identified to be of poor quality should be treated before consumption.