bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chirality of exceptional points in bianisotropic metasurfaces
Authors: Kang Ming , Zhang Ting , Zhao Bo , Sun Linshan , Chen Jing
Published: March 2021

In optical systems, one kind of exceptional point (EP) is associated with the maximally unidirectional reflection. Here, we theoretically show that the intrinsic chirality of this kind of EP is only determined by the sign of the scattering rate difference, and that these EPs could only be on or within a fundamental scattering bound in an asymmetric resonant system. As a proof of our theoretical deviation, a bianisotropic metasurface is designed to exhibit an extreme EP with a definite chirality on the fundamental scattering bound. In addition, another EP with the opposite chirality is also available within this scattering bound in the same metasurface without any additional symmetry operation. Numerical results are in good agreement with our theoretical predictions based on the coupled mode theory. We believe that our results not only provide physical insights to explore EPs in resonant systems, but also have implications in designing unidirectional absorbers and thermal emitters.
Quantum dot light-emitting diodes with high efficiency at high brightness via shell engineering
Authors: Ba Guohang , Xu Qiulei , Li Xinyu , Lin Qingli , Shen Huaibin , Du Zuliang
Published: March 2021

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) have made great development in the performance. However, the efficiency droop at high brightness limits their applications in daylight displays and outdoor lightings. Herein, we systematically regulate the shell structure and composition, and the results indicate that CdSe-based QDs with ZnSe interlayer and thinner ZnSeS outermost layer as emitting layers (EML) enable high-performance QD-LEDs. Accordingly, the devices exhibit peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 22.9% with corresponding brightness of 67,840 cd/m2, and this efficiency can be still maintained > 90% of the maximum value even at 100,000 cd/m2, which satisfies the requirements for high-brightness display and lighting applications. This strong performance is mainly attributed to the ZnSe/ZnSeS graded shell that smooths the injection barrier between QD EML and the adjacent hole transport layers (HTL), and then improves the hole injection and charge injection balance, in particular at the high luminance and/or at high current density.
Generalized Brewster effect using bianisotropic metasurfaces
Authors: Lavigne Guillaume , Caloz Christophe
Published: March 2021

We show that a properly designed bianisotropic metasurface placed at the interface between two arbitrary different media, or coating a dielectric medium exposed to the air, provides Brewster (reflectionless) transmission at arbitrary angles for both the TM and TE polarizations. We present a rigorous derivation of the corresponding surface susceptibility tensors based on the generalized sheet transition conditions and demonstrate by full-wave simulations the system with planar microwave metasurfaces designed for polarization-independent and azimuth-independent operations. The proposed bianisotropic metasurfaces provide deeply subwavelength matching solutions for initially mismatched media. The reported generalized Brewster effect represents a fundamental advance in optical technology, where it may both improve the performance of conventional components and enable the development of novel devices.
Drivers of linkage disequilibrium across a species’ geographic range
Authors: Lucek Kay , Willi Yvonne
Published: March 2021

While linkage disequilibrium (LD) is an important parameter in genetics and evolutionary biology, the drivers of LD remain elusive. Using whole-genome sequences from across a species’ range, we assessed the impact of demographic history and mating system on LD. Both range expansion and a shift from outcrossing to selfing in North AmericanArabidopsis lyratawere associated with increased average genome-wide LD. Our results indicate that range expansion increases short-distance LD at the farthest range edges by about the same amount as a shift to selfing. However, the extent over which LD in genic regions unfolds was shorter for range expansion compared to selfing. Linkage among putatively neutral variants and between neutral and deleterious variants increased to a similar degree with range expansion, providing support that genome-wide LD was positively associated with mutational load. As a consequence, LD combined with mutational load may decelerate range expansions and set range limits. Finally, a small number of genes were identified as LD outliers, suggesting that they experience selection by either of the two demographic processes. These included genes involved in flowering and photoperiod for range expansion, and the self-incompatibility locus for mating system.
Assessing the suitability for Aedes albopictus and dengue transmission risk in China with a delay differential equation model
Authors: Metelmann Soeren , Liu Xiaobo , Lu Liang , Caminade Cyril , Liu Keke , Cao Lina , Medlock Jolyon M. , Baylis Matthew , Morse Andrew P. , Liu Qiyong
Published: March 2021

Dengue is considered non-endemic to mainland China. However, travellers frequently import the virus from overseas and local mosquito species can then spread the disease in the population. As a consequence, mainland China still experiences large dengue outbreaks. Temperature plays a key role in these outbreaks: it affects the development and survival of the vector and the replication rate of the virus. To better understand its implication in the transmission risk of dengue, we developed a delay differential equation model that explicitly simulates temperature-dependent development periods and tested it with collected field data for the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. The model predicts mosquito occurrence locations with a high accuracy (Cohen’s κ of 0.78) and realistically replicates mosquito population dynamics. Analysing the infection dynamics during the 2014 dengue outbreak that occurred in Guangzhou showed that the outbreak could have lasted for another four weeks if mosquito control interventions had not been undertaken. Finally, we analyse the dengue transmission risk in mainland China. We find that southern China, including Guangzhou, can have more than seven months of dengue transmission per year while even Beijing, in the temperate north, can have dengue transmission during hot summer months. The results demonstrate the importance of using detailed vector and infection ecology, especially when vector-borne disease transmission risk is modelled over a broad range of climatic zones.
Multi-criteria decision analysis approach for strategy scale-up with application to Chagas disease management in Bolivia
Authors: Pinazo Maria-Jesus , Cidoncha Ainize , Gopal Gurram , Moriana Silvia , Saravia Ruth , Torrico Faustino , Gascon Joaquim
Published: March 2021

Objective

Design and build a strategy construction and evaluation software system to help stakeholders to develop viable strategies to expand (and adapt) the Chagas Platform healthcare model through the primary healthcare system in Bolivia.

Methods

The software was built based on a ranking of medical Interventions and Actions (needed to support Interventions’ implementation) needed for comprehensive management of Chagas Disease in Bolivia. The ranking was performed using a Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methodology adapted to the WHO’s building blocks framework. Data regarding the criteria and the rankings was obtained through surveys and interviews with health care professionals working on Chagas disease. The Analytical Hierarchy Process was used to construct the decision criteria weights. Data Envelopment Analysis was used to identify the Interventions that lay on the efficiency frontier of outcomes and the complexity of associated Actions. These techniques were combined with integer programing tools using the open-source software R to build a decision-making tool to assess the outcomes and complexity of any combination of Interventions and Actions. This model and tool were applied to data concerning the care of Chagas disease in Bolivia collected through surveys of experts. The tool works by loading the data from each specific context.

Results

The initial set of Interventions and Actions recommended after analysis of the survey data was further refined through face-to-face interviews with field experts in Bolivia, resulting in a strategy of 18 Interventions and 15 Actions. Within the WHO model the Leadership and Governance building block came up as the one needing more support with Actions such as the inclusion of Chagas into Annual Municipal Operational Plans by appointing local and provincial coordinators.

Conclusion

This project established the suitability of the model for constructing healthcare strategies. The model could be developed further resulting in a decision-making tool for program managers in a wide range of healthcare related issues, including neglected and/ or prevalent diseases. The tool has the potential to be used at different stages of decision making by diverse stakeholders in order to coordinate activities needed to address a health problem.
Ecological restoration of habitats invaded by Leucanthemum vulgare that alters key ecosystem functions
Authors: Khan Mohd Asgar , Hussain Khursheed , Shah Manzoor A.
Published: March 2021

Precise assessment of the impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) on ecosystem structure and functions is paramount for implementing appropriate management and restoration strategies. Here we investigated the impacts of Leucanthemum vulgare (ox-eye daisy), an aggressive invader in Kashmir Himalaya, on species diversity and primary productivity. We also evaluated bunch of strategies for the ecological restoration of the habitats invaded by this species. We found that uninvaded plots harbored on an average of 6.11 (±2.92) more species per 1m2 of quadrat than invaded plots. At multivariate scale, the ordination (nMDS) and ANOSIM exhibited significant differences between invaded and uninvaded plots with R = 0.7889 and p < 0.001. The decrease in diversity indices in invaded as compared to uninvaded plots was associated with more productive plant communities due to Leucanthemum invasion. Higher altitude Gulmarg site was more affected by Leucanthemum invasion than lower altitude Drung site. We tested different approaches for restoration and management of invaded habitats that include herbicide treatment at seedling stage, herbicide treatment before and after flowering stage, mowing and herbicide treatment together, joint mowing, digging and herbicide treatment and Leucanthemum uprooting. Among these treatments, uprooting and combined digging, mowing and herbicide treatment proved to be most effective in controlling Leucanthemum invasion. The implications of these results for effective management of ecologically sensitive and socio-culturally important landscapes are discussed.
A dynamic pandemic model evaluating reopening strategies amid COVID-19
Authors: Zhong Ling
Published: March 2021

Among over 200 COVID-19 affected countries, some are fighting to “flatten the curve”, while some others are considering reopening after lockdown. It remains unclear how different reopening strategies obstruct the local virus containment and impact the economy. We develop a model with travelers across heterogeneous epicenters. A low-risk area attempts to safely reopen utilizing internal policies, such as social distancing and contact tracing, and external policies, including capacity quota, quarantine, and tests. Simulations based on the COVID-19 scenario show that external policies differ in efficacy. They can substitute each other and complement internal policies. Simultaneous relaxation of both channels may lead to a new wave of COVID-19 and large economic costs. This work highlights the importance of quantitative assessment prior to implementing reopening strategies.
Low-dose urokinase thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Weng Cuilian , Wang Xincai , Huang Long , Lin Xingsheng , Liu Qinghua
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Patients at intermediate-high risk of developing a pulmonary embolism (PE) are very likely to experience adverse outcomes, such as cardiovascular instability and death. The role of thrombolytic therapy in intermediate-high-risk PE remains controversial.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of low-dose urokinase (UK) thrombolytic therapy for intermediate-high-risk PE.

Patients and methods

This retrospective study included 81 consecutive patients with intermediate-high-risk PE from two centers. Patients received low-dose UK or low-molecular-weight heparin (anticoagulant therapy group). The efficacy outcomes were mortality, computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA)-confirmed absorption, and dyspnea. Safety was assessed as the incidence of bleedings.

Results

The in-hospital mortality, 9-month mortality, and long-term mortality at the last follow-up were comparable for the low-dose UK group and the anticoagulant therapy group (6.45% vs. 0%, p = 0.144, 9.68% vs. 8.16%, p = 0.815, and 12.90% vs. 12.24%, p = 0.931, respectively). CTPA-confirmed absorption at one month after admission was higher in the low-dose UK group than in the anticoagulant therapy group (p = 0.016). The incidences of short-term dyspnea at discharge and long-term dyspnea at the last follow-up were lower in the low-dose UK group than in the anticoagulant therapy group (27.59% vs. 52%, p = 0.035, 33.33% vs. 58.14%, p = 0.043, respectively). No major bleeding occurred. The incidence of minor bleeding was not significantly different between the two groups (3.23% vs. 6%, p = 0.974).

Conclusion

In intermediate-high-risk PE, a low-dose UK might increase CTPA-confirmed absorption and improve short-term and long-term dyspnea without affecting mortality or increasing the bleeding risk.
Does family planning counseling reduce unmet need for modern contraception among postpartum women: Evidence from a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial in Nepal
Authors: Puri Mahesh Chandra , Huber-Krum Sarah , Canning David , Guo Muqi , Shah Iqbal H.
Published: March 2021

Background

Postpartum women have high rates of unmet need for modern contraception in the two years following birth in Nepal. We assessed whether providing contraceptive counseling during pregnancy and/or prior to discharge from the hospital for birth or after discharge from the hospital for birth was associated with reduced postpartum unmet need in Nepal.

Methods

We used data from a larger a stepped-wedge, cluster randomized trial, including contraceptive counselling in six tertiary hospitals. Group 1 hospitals (three hospitals) initiated the intervention after three months of baseline data collection, while Group 2 hospitals (three hospitals) initiated the same intervention after nine months. We have enrolled 21,280 women in the baseline interviews and conducted two follow-up interviews with them, one and two years after they had delivered in one of our study hospitals. We estimated the effect of counseling and its timing (pre-discharge, post- discharge, both, or neither) on unmet need for modern contraception in the postpartum period, using random-effects logistic regressions.

Results

Unmet need for modern contraception was high (54% at one year and 50% at two years). Women counseled in either the pre-discharge period (Odds ratio [OR] 0·86; 95% CI: 0·80, 0·93) or in the post-discharge period (OR 0·86; 95% CI: 0·79, 0·93) were less likely to have an unmet need in the postpartum period compared to women with no counseling. However, women who received counseling in both the pre- and post-discharge period were 27% less likely than women who had not received counseling to have unmet need (OR 0.73; 95% CI: 0·67, 0·80).

Conclusions

Counseling women either before or after discharge reduces unmet need for postpartum contraception but counseling in both periods is most effective.
Prioritization of candidate genes for a South African family with Parkinson’s disease using in-silico tools
Authors: Sebate Boiketlo , Cuttler Katelyn , Cloete Ruben , Britz Marcell , Christoffels Alan , Williams Monique , Carr Jonathan , Bardien Soraya
Published: March 2021

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder exhibiting Mendelian inheritance in some families. Next-generation sequencing approaches, including whole exome sequencing (WES), have revolutionized the field of Mendelian disorders and have identified a number of PD genes. We recruited a South African family with autosomal dominant PD and used WES to identify a possible pathogenic mutation. After filtration and prioritization, we found five potential causative variants inCFAP65,RTF1,NRXN2,TEP1andCCNF. The variant inNRXN2was selected for further analysis based on consistent prediction of deleteriousness across computational tools, not being present in unaffected family members, ethnic-matched controls or public databases, and its expression in the substantia nigra. A protein model for NRNX2 was created which provided a three-dimensional (3D) structure that satisfied qualitative mean and global model quality assessment scores. Trajectory analysis showed destabilizing effects of the variant on protein structure, indicated by high flexibility of the LNS-6 domain adopting an extended conformation. We also found that the known substrate N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) contributed to restoration of the structural stability of mutant NRXN2. IfNRXN2is indeed found to be the causal gene, this could reveal a new mechanism for the pathobiology of PD.
The herpesvirus accessory protein γ134.5 facilitates viral replication by disabling mitochondrial translocation of RIG-I
Authors: Liu Xing , Ma Yijie , Voss Kathleen , van Gent Michiel , Chan Ying Kai , Gack Michaela U. , Gale Michael , He Bin
Published: March 2021

RIG-I and MDA5 are cytoplasmic RNA sensors that mediate cell intrinsic immunity against viral pathogens. While it has been well-established that RIG-I and MDA5 recognize RNA viruses, their interactive network with DNA viruses, including herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), remains less clear. Using a combination of RNA-deep sequencing and genetic studies, we show that the γ134.5 gene product, a virus-encoded virulence factor, enables HSV growth by neutralization of RIG-I dependent restriction. When expressed in mammalian cells, HSV-1 γ134.5 targets RIG-I, which cripples cytosolic RNA sensing and subsequently suppresses antiviral gene expression. Rather than inhibition of RIG-I K63-linked ubiquitination, the γ134.5 protein precludes the assembly of RIG-I and cellular chaperone 14-3-3ε into an active complex for mitochondrial translocation. The γ134.5-mediated inhibition of RIG-I-14-3-3ε binding abrogates the access of RIG-I to mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS) and activation of interferon regulatory factor 3. As such, unlike wild type virus HSV-1, a recombinant HSV-1 in which γ134.5 is deleted elicits efficient cytokine induction and replicates poorly, while genetic ablation of RIG-I expression, but not of MDA5 expression, rescues viral growth. Collectively, these findings suggest that viral suppression of cytosolic RNA sensing is a key determinant in the evolutionary arms race of a large DNA virus and its host.
Queer fashion practice and the camp tactics of Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY
Authors: Hitchcock Fenella , Bowstead Jay McCauley
Published: March 2021

This article focuses on the collections of London-based, Glaswegian designer Charles Jeffrey who has won plaudits for his spectacular, subversive, theatrical and highly camp catwalk shows. His label LOVERBOY – having grown out of an East London club night of the same name – brings together eclectic historical references with the stylistic bricolage of the queer scene from which it emerged. Using a combination of image analysis and a semi-structured interview with Jeffrey, this article investigates how he has blurred the boundaries between the nightclub and the runway, the collective and the named designer to formulate a distinctly queer mode of fashion practice. At LOVERBOY the transformative possibilities of the nightclub; the heightened emotion of the dance floor; and the embodied, affective, temporal qualities of ‘queer sociality’ are transposed onto the catwalk, revealing the role of fashion and clothing in practices of queer world-making. Camp aesthetics and queer nightlife have played a crucial role in the history of fashion – perhaps most notably during the 1980s when designers like Bodymap, Jean Paul Gaultier and Stephen Linard drew extensively on queer signifiers in their work. However, the success of LOVERBOY marks a shift in contemporary cultures of gender as discourses of queerness and performativity reach a new point of amplification. After the seriousness, refinement and minimalism of millennial fashion, the liminality, polysemy and exuberance of camp has again reasserted its transgressive potential.
Utilização da ferramenta lcm do idrisi /taiga para análise de perdas e ganhos no uso da terra na zona de amortecimento da estação ecológica de Assis (SP)
Authors: Assalve Layla Cristina de Freitas , Fuzzo Daniela Fernanda Da Silva
Published: March 2021

Ao longo do tempo foram criados diversos tipos de manejos adequados para cada Unidade de Conservação (UCs), dentre eles, a Zona de Amortecimento (ZA) surge com o papel de filtrar os impactos negativos das atividades que ocorrem ao seu redor. Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as modificações do uso da terra na ZA da Estação Ecológica de Assis – SP, nos anos 2000 e 2017. Para a realização do trabalho foram utilizadas imagens dos satélites Landsat 5/TM e Landsat 8/OLI, as imagens foram processadas em ambiente SIG e geradas os mapeamentos de perdas e ganhos utilizando o módulo Land Change Modeler (LCM) do software Idrisi-Taiga, o qual apresenta grande importância para a realização de estudos ambientais. Foi possível observar, a redução da pastagem e o aumento das culturas temporárias na porção norte e leste da área, nesses dezessete anos analisados, obteve um ganho de área de 12,29 %. Destaca-se que o entorno se encontra tomado integralmente por cultura temporária e silvicultura, que afetam a conservação, podendo gerar a perda da biodiversidade e o desmatamento neste local, sendo assim o conhecimento dos parâmetros analisados permite a utilização de técnicas adequadas para a preservação efetiva. Portanto, a utilização de dados orbitais pode contribuir ao monitoramento das UCs evitando a degradação ambiental.
Racial Disparities in Adherence to Quality Indicators in Barrett's Esophagus: An Analysis Using the GIQuIC National Benchmarking Registry
Authors: Jones Blake , Williams J. Lucas , Komanduri Srinadh , Muthusamy V. Raman , Shaheen Nicholas J. , Wani Sachin
Published: March 2021

INTRODUCTION:

Racial disparities in outcomes in esophageal adenocarcinoma are well established. Using a nationwide registry, we aimed to compare clinical and endoscopic characteristics of blacks and whites with Barrett's esophagus (BE) and adherence to defined quality indicators.

METHODS:

We analyzed data from the Gastrointestinal Quality Improvement Consortium Registry between January 2012 and December 2019. Patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with an indication of BE screening or surveillance, or an endoscopic finding of BE, were included. Adherence to recommended endoscopic surveillance intervals of 3–5 years for nondysplastic BE and adherence to Seattle biopsy protocol were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to assess variables associated with adherence.

RESULTS:

A total of 100,848 esophagogastroduodenoscopies in 84,789 patients met inclusion criteria (blacks—3,957 and whites—96,891). Blacks were less likely to have histologically confirmed BE (34.3% vs 51.7%, P < 0.01), had shorter BE lengths (1.61 vs 2.35 cm, P < 0.01), and were less likely to have any dysplasia (4.3% vs 7.1%, P < 0.01). Although whites were predominantly male (62.2%), about half of blacks with BE were female (53.0%). Blacks with nondysplastic BE were less likely to be recommended appropriate surveillance intervals (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.68–0.89). Adherence rates to the Seattle protocol were modestly higher among blacks overall (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.20), although significantly lower among blacks with BE segments >6 cm.

DISCUSSION:

The use of sex as a risk factor for BE screening may be inappropriate among blacks. Fewer blacks were recommended appropriate surveillance intervals, and blacks with longer segment BE were less likely to undergo Seattle biopsy protocol.
The Politicisation of Comparisons
Authors: Müller Thomas
Published: March 2021

Thomas Müller untersucht in diesem Kapitel die Politisierung von Streitkräftevergleichen in der letzten Dekade des Kalten Krieges. Sowohl Rüstungswettläufe wie Rüstungskontrolle basieren auf Einschätzungen der relativen militärischen Fähigkeiten miteinander konkurrierender Staaten. Nach dem NATO-Doppelbeschluss 1979 lieferten sich Ost und West einen Propagandawettbewerb über die Einschätzung des konventionellen und nuklearen Gleichgewichts in Europa. Das Kapitel rekonstruiert diesen Propagandawettbewerb als eine explorative Fallstudie, wie Vergleiche in Situationen des Wettbewerbs und des Konflikts politisiert - das heißt Gegenstand politischen und öffentlichen Streits - werden. Es zeigt, dass die Rüstungskontrollverhandlungen zwischen Ost und West nicht nur wichtige Faktoren in der Politisierung der Streitkräftevergleiche waren, sondern auch entscheidende Foren für die Entwicklung eines gemeinsamen Vergleichsrahmens und damit der Depolitisierung der Vergleiche.
MORTALIDADE POR CÂNCER DE BOCA FRENTE ÀS DESIGUALDADES SOCIAIS E O DESENVOLVIMENTO HUMANO NO BRASIL: UM ESTUDO ECOLÓGICO
Authors: Maciel Jacques Antonio Cavalcante , Castro-Silva Igor Iuco
Published: March 2021

O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a distribuição espacial da mortalidade por câncer de boca em 2018 e fatores sociais associados no Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico dos óbitos por câncer de boca agregados em 161 Regiões Intermediárias de Articulação Urbana utilizando como variáveis independentes o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal (IDHM) e o Índice de Gini. Foram calculados os coeficientes de mortalidade e utilizado método Bayesiano Empírico Local. A mortalidade por câncer de boca no Brasil possuiu autocorrelação espacial. No modelo de regressão multivariado clássico, índice de Gini apresentou relação inversamente proporcional à mortalidade por câncer de boca. Nos modelos Spatial Lag e Spatial Error, o último apresentou os melhores parâmetros: R2= 0,4319; Log da Verossimilhança = -242,805; AIC = 491,611 e SBC = 500,855. Assim, pode-se concluir que o IDHM e o Índice de Gini são variáveis preditoras para o óbito por câncer de boca no Brasil, possibilitando uma atuação mais direcionada.
A PRODUÇÃO DO OURO EM PARACATU / MG – BRASIL: RISCOS PARA A SAÚDE E BEM ESTAR DA POPULAÇÃO
Authors: Astolphi Joana D'Arc Vieira Couto , Da Silva Vicente de Paulo , Soriano Érico
Published: March 2021

Paracatu é uma cidade histórica brasileira do Ciclo da Mineração no país, localizada no noroeste do estado de Minas Gerais.  Atualmente é conhecida devido a sua grande produção de ouro, através da exploração da maior mina a céu aberto do mundo, operada pela empresa Kinross Brasil Mineração. Esta grandiosidade também se observa nos impactos socioambientais negativos gerados pela atividade produtiva. Buscou-se identificar a relação entre os impactos socioambientais produzidos pela mineração industrial, com os problemas de saúde e de bem-estar identificados na população. Desta forma, analisou-se o processo de adoecimento dos moradores, a partir da base de dados SIH/SUS do DATASUS, assim como a literatura e documentos acerca dos riscos da produção minerária sobre a saúde e o bem-estar dos moradores e a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com moradores que residem em bairros contíguos à área de lavra da mineradora. Foi possível constatar que as condições de saúde e o processo de adoecimento de parte da população podem revelar uma possível relação com as práticas da mineração.
Distribution and Population Size of Emperor Geese during the Breeding Season on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska
Authors: Lewis Tyler L. , Dimarzio Tasha J. , Schamber Jason L.
Published: March 2021

The Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus) is a year-round occupant of northern latitudes, spending its entire annual cycle in coastal habitats of western Alaska and the Russian Far East. Over the last several decades, the Emperor Goose population underwent a pronounced decline, prompting 30 consecutive years of harvest closures, followed by a protracted recovery and the recent reopening of harvest. This recovery was primarily documented on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska, where an estimated 80% – 90% of the world’s Emperor Goose population breeds. However, the size and status of their population on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, which is their only other significant breeding area in North America, remains almost completely unknown. Therefore, to better inform population and harvest management of Emperor Geese in western Alaska, we conducted extensive aerial surveys of Emperor Geese along the northern coast of the Seward Peninsula during the breeding season. During the summer of 2018, we surveyed 150 transects totaling 351 km2, for a total sampled fraction of 7.2% of the 4853 km2 survey area. Using a double-observer technique that accounted for detection probability, we estimated a population of 1226 (95% CI: 792 – 1660) Emperor Geese on the Seward Peninsula, of which 614 (95% CI: 416 – 811) were considered breeding birds based on their observed status as singles or pairs. Most Emperor Geese (61%) were found on barrier islands, even though these islands accounted for just 3.5% of the total survey area; the remaining geese were found in lowland coastal habitats (23%) or upland tundra (16%). Overall, our surveys indicate a small breeding population of Emperor Geese on the Seward Peninsula, which raises some conservation concern. Further reductions or extinction of this small population would leave Emperor Geese with only one significant breeding area in North America. Because Emperor Geese typically display high breeding site fidelity and female natal philopatry, any future growth of this small population will likely to need to come from within.
Testing Whether Camera Presence Influences Habitat Specific Predation Pressure on Artificial Shorebird Nests in the Arctic
Authors: Young Kevin G. , Kennedy Lisa V. , Smith Paul A. , Nol Erica
Published: March 2021

When monitoring the breeding ecology of birds, the causes and times of nest failure can be difficult to determine. Cameras placed near nests allow for accurate monitoring of nest fate, but their presence may increase the risk of predation by attracting predators, leading to biased results. The relative influence of cameras on nest predation risk may also depend on habitat because predator numbers or behaviour can change in response to the availability or accessibility of nests. We evaluated the impact of camera presence on the predation rate of artificial nests placed within mesic tundra habitats used by Arctic-breeding shorebirds. We deployed 94 artificial nests, half with cameras and half without, during the shorebird-nesting season of 2015 in the East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Nunavut. Artificial nests were distributed evenly across sedge meadow and supratidal habitats typically used by nesting shorebirds. We used the Cox proportional hazards model to assess differential nest survival in relation to camera presence, habitat type, placement date, and all potential interactions. Artificial nests with cameras did not experience higher predation risk than those without cameras. Predation risk of artificial nests was related to an interaction between habitat type and placement date. Nests deployed in sedge meadows and in supratidal habitats later in the season were subject to a higher risk of predation than those deployed in supratidal habitats early in the season. These differences in predation risk are likely driven by the foraging behaviour of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), a species that accounted for 81% of observed predation events in this study. Arctic fox prey primarily on Arvicoline prey and goose eggs at this site and take shorebird nests opportunistically, perhaps more often later in the season when their preferred prey becomes scarcer. This study demonstrates that, at this site, cameras used for nest monitoring do not influence predation risk. Evaluating the impact of cameras on predation risk is critical prior to their use, as individual study areas may differ in terms of predator species and behaviour.
Hydrological Analysis of Municipal Source Water Availability in the Canadian Arctic Territory of Nunavut
Authors: Hayward Jenny , Johnston Lindsay , Jackson Amy , Jamieson Rob
Published: March 2021

In the Canadian Arctic, the availability of sustainable drinking water supplies is threatened by pressures such as increasing populations, climate change, and the remote geographic nature of the communities. The objective of this study was to conduct a screening level vulnerability assessment of municipal drinking water supplies in the Canadian territory of Nunavut with consideration for climate change, population growth, and infrastructure changes. A hydrological analysis of primary drinking water supply watersheds was performed to evaluate the relative vulnerability level in 24 Nunavut communities. We used a water balance model to predict annual water yield from each watershed using historical and projected future climate data. Approximately 25% of the study communities were projected to experience high vulnerability to water shortages by 2070, defined as using greater than 40% of available water from their source watershed on an annual basis. A medium level of vulnerability (using 20% – 40% of annual available water) was determined for 8% of the study communities and a moderate level for 12% (using 10% – 20% of annual available water). A low vulnerability level to 2070 (using less than 10% of annual available water) was determined for 55% of the communities. The vulnerability level was primarily influenced by source watershed size. The results of this study could be used as a component of a proactive strategy to help address water security issues in Nunavut.
Determinants of Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Sightings in Denali National Park
Authors: Borg Bridget L. , Arthur Stephen M. , Falke Jeffrey A. , Prugh Laura R.
Published: March 2021

Wildlife viewing within protected areas is an increasingly popular recreational activity. Management agencies are often tasked with providing these opportunities, yet quantitative analyses of factors influencing wildlife sightings are lacking. We analyzed locations of GPS-collared wolves and wolf sightings from 2945 trips in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA, to provide a mechanistic understanding of how viewing opportunities are influenced by attributes of wolves and physical, biological, and harvest characteristics. We found that the presence of masking vegetation, den site proximity to the road, pack size, and presence of a wolf harvest closure adjacent to the park affected wolf sightings, and the influence of den proximity on sightings depended on harvest management. Wolf sightings increased with den site proximity to the road in years with a harvest closure adjacent to the park but not in the absence of the closure. The effect of the harvest closure on sightings was similar in magnitude to an increase in pack size by two wolves or a more than a two-fold decrease in masking vegetation. These findings were consistent across a 10-fold change in spatial resolution. Quantitative analysis of the factors influencing wildlife sightings provides valuable insight for agencies tasked with managing viewing opportunities.
New Insights on Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Diet from Faeces based on Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies
Authors: Michaux Johan , Dyck Markus , Boag Peter , Lougheed Stephen , Van Coeverden de Groot Peter
Published: March 2021

Practical tools to quantify range-wide dietary choices of the polar bear have not been well developed, thus impeding the monitoring of this species in a changing climate. Here we describe our steps toward non-invasive polar bear diet determination with the optimization of 454 pyrosequencing of a 136 base pair (bp) mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) fragment amplified from the extracts of captive and wild polar bear faeces. We first determine the efficacy, reliability, and accuracy of our method using five faecal samples from a captive polar bear fed a known diet at the Canadian Polar Bear Habitat in Cochrane, Ontario, Canada; 19 samples from three polar bears at the Metro Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and seven samples from seven wild (unfed) polar bears from a holding facility in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. We report 91% overall success in amplifying a 136 bp cytb amplicon from the faeces of polar bears. Our DNA analyses accurately recovered the vertebrate diet profiles of captive bears fed known diets. We then characterized multiyear vertebrate prey diet choices from free-ranging polar bears from the sea ice of the M’Clintock Channel polar bear management unit, Nunavut, Canada (n = 117 from an unknown number of bears). These data point to a diet unsurprisingly dominated by ringed seal (Pusa hispida) while including evidence of bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), harbour seal (Phoca vitulina), muskox (Ovibos moschatus ssp.), Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), wolf (Canis lupus), Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), and Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus). We found low levels of contamination (< 3% of sequences when present) and suggest specific process improvements to reduce contamination in range-wide studies. Together, these findings indicate that next-generation sequencing-based diet assessments show great promise in monitoring free-ranging polar bears in this time of climate change.
Effect of Organic Waste Addition into Animal Manure on Biogas Production Using Anaerobic Digestion Method
Authors: Arifan Fahmi , Abdullah Abdullah , Sumardiono Siswo
Published: March 2021

One biomass form with a high potential to replace fossil fuels is biogas. Biogas yield production depends on the raw material or substrate used. This research was aimed to investigate a biogas production technique using an anaerobic digestion process based on a substrate mixture of a starter, cow dung, chicken manure, tofu liquid waste, and cabbage waste. The anaerobic digestion is a promised process to reduce waste while it is also producing renewable energy. Moreover, the process can digest high nutrients in the waste. The anaerobic digestion results showed that the combination producing the highest biogas amount was 200 mg starter mixed with a ratio of 70% cow dung, 15% chicken manure, and 15% tofu liquid waste. The larger the amount of cabbage waste, the lower the biogas production. The quadratic regression analysis was obtained for the variable with the highest yield and the estimated kinetic parameters based on the Gompertz equations revealed that the value of P∞ = 2,795.142 mL/gr.Ts, Rm = 113, 983.777 mL/gr.Ts, and t = 10.2 days. The results also concluded that the use of tofu liquid waste produced more biogas than cabbage waste. This study also successfully showed significant development in terms of the amount of biogas produced by adding organic waste to animal manure as the substrate used.
Rekabetçi Otoriter Rejimlerde Ulusaltı Seçimlerin ve Ulusaltı Siyasetin Önemi: Meksika’dan PAN Örneği
Authors: Oğuz Mustafa Cem
Published: March 2021

Rekabetçi otoriter rejimlerden çıkışta en etkili stratejilerden biri “seçim ittifaklarıdır”. Fakat seçim ittifaklarına göre uzun vadede sonuç alınan bir strateji daha vardır, o da ulusaltı siyaseti demokratikleştirmektir. Buna göre muhalefet ulusaltı seçimlerde elde ettiği yönetsel birimi (eyalet veya belediye) demokratikleştirir ve de buralarda başarılı bir performans sergilerse bu başarı çevre birimlere de yayılma eğilimi gösterecektir. Ortaya çıkan bu demokratik anklavlar nihai noktada ulusal siyaseti de dönüştürecek ve otoriter rejime son verecektir. Çalışmada bu strateji Meksika’dan PAN örneği üzerinden incelenecektir. Yetmiş yıllık PRI iktidarına 2000 yılında son veren PAN diğer muhalefet partilerinin aksine stratejisini ulusaltı siyaset üzerinden kurmuş ve yaklaşık on iki yıllık bir sürede iktidarı elde etmiştir. PAN’ın zaferinin nedenlerine eğilen çalışmanın bulguları şu şekildedir; PAN ulusaltı yönetsel birimleri elde ederek, ulusal düzeyde tanınırlık kazanmış ve eş zamanda maddi kaynaklara erişmiştir; yönettiği birimlerde sivil ve siyasal özgürlükleri güçlendirmiş ve demokratik anklavlar yaratmıştır; seçmenin siyasal davranışını dönüştürmüş ve “katılımcı yurttaşlık” kültürünü güçlendirmiştir; ve son olarak eyalet parlamentolarının kurumsallaşmasını sağlamış ve böylece ülkede yasama-yürütme ilişkilerine demokratik bir model sunmuştur.
Design of multi-loop control systems for distillation columns: review of past and recent mathematical tools
Authors: Kim Changsoo , Shah Manas , Sahlodin Ali M.
Published: March 2021

Design of a control structure in distillation columns involves selecting proper sets of manipulated and controlled variables (often including tray temperatures for inferential control of product compositions) and one-to-one pairing between the two sets. In this paper, various mathematical tools for achieving this goal are reviewed. First, traditional methods such as Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Relative Gain Array (RGA) that build upon a simplified steady-state or dynamic model of the column are explored. The role of optimization in systematizing the control design procedures is also investigated. Then, more recent inferential control techniques that rely on statistical methods such as Principal Component Regression (PCR), Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), and other machine learning techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Support Vector Machine Regression (SVMR) are discussed extensively. The discussions include newer distillation technologies with complex configurations such as dividing-wall columns. Finally, the use of process simulators in aiding the control structure design of distillation columns is surveyed.
Profile of system and product certification as quality infrastructure in Indonesia
Authors: Isharyadi Febrian , Kristiningrum E.
Published: March 2021

Quality is a universal standard that is expected by consumers of a product or service used. Consumers in general cannot individually assess this quality, with the help of an independent third party it can be done. The certification body is one element in the quality infrastructure that plays a role in providing quality assurance of products and services according to applicable standards. There are various certification bodies in Indonesia both for system and product certification, the kinds additionally range in accordance to the scope of certification. However, it is not yet known generally the condition of the system and product certification in Indonesia. The aim of this study is to conduct profiling and analyse the condition of the system and product certification in Indonesia using a comprehensive tool in order to assess part of the quality of a country's infrastructure. The results showed that there were several elements that were fulfilled, especially in terms of legality and national recognition. However, some elements still need improvement so that the certification body can do its part to ensure the quality of products and services.
Enhancement stability and color fastness of natural dye: A review
Authors: Harsito Catur , Prabowo Aditya Rio , Prasetyo Singgih Dwi , Arifin Zainal
Published: March 2021

Consumer awareness of the adverse biological effects of synthetic dyes makes the demand for commercial foods and drinks with natural ingredients increase. The use of natural dyes is increasing and is in demand by consumers in the industrial world. Natural dyes have been used in several sectors such as food, clothing, arts, coatings, and energy. The low stability and brightness of the natural red color are affected by exposure to light, temperature, pH and etc. The co-pigmentation process makes the stability and brightness of natural dyes. The copigmentation method is known that there are two type, liquid and powder. In addition, the combination of copigmentation additives and the correct configuration of the spray dryer process can increase quality color fastness and stability.
Adjectives as roots of nominal groups: the big mess construction in dependency grammar
Authors: Osborne Timothy
Published: March 2021

The so-called ‘Big Mess Construction’ (BMC) frustrates standard assumptions about the structure of nominal groups. The normal position of an attributive adjective is after the determiner and before the noun, but in the BMC, the adjective precedes the determiner, e.g.that strange a sound,so big a scandal,too lame an excuse. Previous accounts of the BMC are couched in ‘Phrase Structure Grammar’ (PSG) and view the noun or the determiner (or the prepositionof) as the root/head of the BMC phrase. In contrast, the current approach, which is couched in a ‘Dependency Grammar’ (DG) model, argues that the adjective is in fact the root/head of the phrase. A number of insights point to the adjective as the root/head, the most important of which is the optional appearance of the prepositionof, e.g.that strange of a sound,so big of a scandal,too lame of an excuse.
Stability analysis for Selkov-Schnakenberg reaction-diffusion system
Authors: Al Noufaey K. S.
Published: March 2021

This study provides semi-analytical solutions to the Selkov-Schnakenberg reaction-diffusion system. The Galerkin method is applied to approximate the system of partial differential equations by a system of ordinary differential equations. The steady states of the system and the limit cycle solutions are delineated using bifurcation diagram analysis. The influence of the diffusion coefficients as they change, on the system stability is examined. Near the Hopf bifurcation point, the asymptotic analysis is developed for the oscillatory solution. The semi-analytical model solutions agree accurately with the numerical results.
miR-377 inhibition enhances the survival of trophoblast cells via upregulation of FNDC5 in gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hua Zhaozhao , Li Dana , Wu Anqin , Cao Ting , Luo Shi
Published: March 2021

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic dysregulation closely related to both obesity and type 2 diabetes; however, the molecular mechanism underlying GDM is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of microRNA-377 (miR-377-3p) and fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5) in regulating the cell growth of trophoblasts under high glucose (HG) conditions during the development of GDM. Serum miR-377-3p was upregulated and positively correlated with fasting blood glucose level in GDM patients. miR-377-3p downregulation increased the cell vitality and suppressed the cell apoptosis of HG-treated HTR-8/SVneo and BeWo cells. Using TargetScan prediction, luciferase assay, and western blot, it was found that miR-377-3p could target FNDC5 and suppress its expression. However, FNDC5 downregulation abolished the effect of miR-377-3p inhibitor in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Together, miR-377 is a potential target for GDM biomarker, which promotes cell growth and suppresses cell apoptosis, partly through the upregulation of FNDC5.