bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide identification, evolutionary and expression analyses of LEA gene family in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Huang RuoLan , Xiao Dong , Wang Xin , Zhan Jie , Wang AiQing , He LongFei
Published: March 2022

Background

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are a group of highly hydrophilic glycine-rich proteins, which accumulate in the late stage of seed maturation and are associated with many abiotic stresses. However, few peanut LEA genes had been reported, and the research on the number, location, structure, molecular phylogeny and expression of AhLEAs was very limited.

Results

In this study, 126 LEA genes were identified in the peanut genome through genome-wide analysis and were further divided into eight groups. Sequence analysis showed that most of the AhLEAs (85.7%) had no or only one intron. LEA genes were randomly distributed on 20 chromosomes. Compared with tandem duplication, segmental duplication played a more critical role in AhLEAs amplication, and 93 segmental duplication AhLEAs and 5 pairs of tandem duplication genes were identified. Synteny analysis showed that some AhLEAs genes come from a common ancestor, and genome rearrangement and translocation occurred among these genomes. Almost all promoters of LEAs contain ABRE, MYB recognition sites, MYC recognition sites, and ERE cis-acting elements, suggesting that the LEA genes were involved in stress response. Gene transcription analyses revealed that most of the LEAs were expressed in the late stages of peanut embryonic development. LEA3 (AH16G06810.1, AH06G03960.1), and Dehydrin (AH07G18700.1, AH17G19710.1) were highly expressed in roots, stems, leaves and flowers. Moreover, 100 AhLEAs were involved in response to drought, low-temperature, or Al stresses. Some LEAs that were regulated by different abiotic stresses were also regulated by hormones including ABA, brassinolide, ethylene and salicylic acid. Interestingly, AhLEAs that were up-regulated by ethylene and salicylic acid showed obvious subfamily preferences. Furthermore, three AhLEA genes, AhLEA1, AhLEA3-1, and AhLEA3-3, which were up-regulated by drought, low-temperature, or Al stresses was proved to enhance cold and Al tolerance in yeast, and AhLEA3-1 enhanced the drought tolerance in yeast.

Conclusions

AhLEAs are involved in abiotic stress response, and segmental duplication plays an important role in the evolution and amplification of AhLEAs. The genome-wide identification, classification, evolutionary and transcription analyses of the AhLEA gene family provide a foundation for further exploring the LEA genes’ function in response to abiotic stress in peanuts.
Heart and bladder detection and segmentation on FDG PET/CT by deep learning
Authors: Wang Xiaoyong , Jemaa Skander , Fredrickson Jill , Coimbra Alexandre Fernandez , Nielsen Tina , De Crespigny Alex , Bengtsson Thomas , Carano Richard A. D.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Positron emission tomography (PET)/ computed tomography (CT) has been extensively used to quantify metabolically active tumors in various oncology indications. However, FDG-PET/CT often encounters false positives in tumor detection due to 18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) accumulation from the heart and bladder that often exhibit similar FDG uptake as tumors. Thus, it is necessary to eliminate this source of physiological noise. Major challenges for this task include: (1) large inter-patient variability in the appearance for the heart and bladder. (2) The size and shape of bladder or heart may appear different on PET and CT. (3) Tumors can be very close or connected to the heart or bladder.

Approach

A deep learning based approach is proposed to segment the heart and bladder on whole body PET/CT automatically. Two 3D U-Nets were developed separately to segment the heart and bladder, where each network receives the PET and CT as a multi-modal input. Data sets were obtained from retrospective clinical trials and include 575 PET/CT for heart segmentation and 538 for bladder segmentation.

Results

The models were evaluated on a test set from an independent trial and achieved a Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.96 for heart segmentation and 0.95 for bladder segmentation, Average Surface Distance (ASD) of 0.44 mm on heart and 0.90 mm on bladder.

Conclusions

This methodology could be a valuable component to the FDG-PET/CT data processing chain by removing FDG physiological noise associated with heart and/or bladder accumulation prior to image analysis by manual, semi- or automated tumor analysis methods.
Chronic stress, behavioral tendencies, and determinants of health behaviors in nurses: a mixed-methods approach
Authors: Heuel Luis , Lübstorf Svea , Otto Ann-Kathrin , Wollesen Bettina
Published: March 2022

Background

Nurses experience high, and often chronic, levels of occupational stress. As high-quality care requires a healthy workforce, individualized stress-alleviating interventions for nurses are needed. This study explored barriers and resources associated with health behaviors in nurses with different stress levels and work-related behavioral tendencies and identified health behavior determinants based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) model.

Methods

Applying a mixed methods transformative triangulation design, n = 43 nurses filled out chronic stress (SSCS) and work-related behavior and experience patterns (German acronym AVEM) questionnaires, and participated in semi-structured interviews. With content analysis, categories of health behavior-related barriers and resources emerged. Behavior determinants (self-efficacy, outcome expectancies), health behavior, and barriers and resources were quantified via frequency and magnitude coding and interrelated with SSCS and AVEM scores to link level of health behavior with potential influencing factors. Nonparametric tests explored differences in quantified variables for SSCS and AVEM scores and 4-step-hierarchical regression analysis identified predictors for health behavior.

Results

Eighty-four percent of the nurses were chronically stressed while 49% exhibited unhealthy behavioral tendencies at the workplace. 16 personal and organizational themes (six resources, ten barriers) influenced health behaviors. Stress was associated with resource frequency (p = .027) and current health behaviors (p = .07). Self-efficacy significantly explained variance in health behaviors (p = .003).

Conclusion

Health promotion related barriers and resources should be considered in designing nurse health promotion campaigns. Practitioners need to individualize and tailor interventions toward stress and behavioral experiences for sustainable effects on adherence and health.
Traffic safety knowledge gain of ambulance drivers after simulator-based training
Authors: Prohn Maria J. , Herbig Britta
Published: March 2022

Background

Compared to other road users, ambulance drivers are at a higher accident risk while driving with warning lights and sirens. No standard exists for training or education for emergency medical service employees driving ambulances. Training programs should positively influence knowledge. However, knowledge gain can be influenced by several different factors. This study developed a knowledge test for ambulance drivers to determine influencing factors on knowledge and its gain by simulator-based training.

Methods

Two parallel knowledge test forms with 20 questions each were designed in several steps and tested on up to 174 participants. Questionnaires were used to study associated and influencing factors, such as objective experience, subjective attitudes, personality, motivation and demographic data.

Results

Test construction showed good overall parallelism of the two tests as well as reliability and sensitivity. There was no correlation between subjective and objective knowledge gain, but participants with higher subjective knowledge gain showed a higher variation in objective knowledge. Younger age, higher qualification, higher number of license classes, fewer traffic violations, and more traffic safety trainings were positively associated with knowledge, whereas less yearly driving mileage, more traffic safety trainings, and higher risk sensitivity positively influenced knowledge gain through the training.

Conclusion

Knowledge and its gain through training are very low. Reasons for the lack of predictive power of some variables, such as motivation, personality and attitudes, are discussed. This study presents a new tool for testing knowledge on driving with warning lights and sirens. It shows the need for objective testing and for further research in this special area.
Integration of a menstrual health intervention in a community-based sexual and reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe: a qualitative acceptability study
Authors: Tembo Mandikudza , Renju Jenny , Weiss Helen A. , Dauya Ethel , Gweshe Nancy , Ndlovu Precious , Nzombe Portia , Chikwari Chido Dziva , Mavodza Constancia Vimbayi , Mackworth-Young Constance R. S. , A. Ferrand Rashida , Francis Suzanna C.
Published: March 2022

Background

Despite being fundamental to the health and well-being of women, menstrual health is often overlooked as a health priority and access to menstrual health education, products, and support is limited. Consequently, many young women are unprepared for menarche and face challenges in accessing menstrual health products and support and in managing menstruation in a healthy and dignified way. In this paper, we examine the acceptability of a comprehensive menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) intervention integrated within a community-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service for young people aged 16–24 years in Zimbabwe called CHIEDZA.

Methods

We conducted focus group discussions, that included participatory drawings, with CHIEDZA healthcare service providers (N = 3) and with young women who had attended CHIEDZA (N = 6) between June to August 2020. Translated transcripts were read for familiarisation and thematic analysis was used to explore acceptability. We applied Sekhon’s thematic framework of acceptability that looks at seven key constructs (affective attitudes, burden, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity costs, perceived effectiveness, and self-efficacy). Data from FGDs and meeting minutes taken during the study time period were used to triangulate a comprehensive understanding of MHH intervention acceptability.

Results

The MHH intervention was acceptable to participants as it addressed the severe prevailing lack of access to menstrual health education, products, and support in the communities, and facilitated access to other SRH services on site. In addition to the constructs defined by Sekhon’s thematic framework, acceptability was also informed by external contextual factors such as sociocultural norms and the economic environment. Providers highlighted the increased burden in their workload due to demand for MHH products, and how sociocultural beliefs around insertable menstrual products compromising virginity can negatively affect acceptability among young people and community members.

Conclusions

MHH interventions are acceptable to young women in community-based settings in Zimbabwe as there is great unmet need for comprehensive MHH support. The integration of MHH in SRH services can serve as a facilitator to female engagement with SRH services. However, it is important to note that contextual external factors can affect the implementation and acceptability of integrated SRH and MHH services within communities.

Trial registration

Registry: Clinicaltrials.gov, Registration Number: NCT03719521, Registration Date: October 25, 2018.
Shared Decision-Making: Some cautionary observations in the context of elite sport
Authors: Paul Darren James , Jones Luke , Read Paul
Published: March 2022

The concept of shared decision-making (SDM) has emerged as a key component in the return to play interface as a hallmark of good practice that is athlete focused and allows greater engagement from the athlete. SDM is an appealing, well-intentioned framework that would seemingly lend itself to effectively being implemented. However, in this editorial, we have identified concerns surrounding the social complexities of elite sports and the difficulties of truly applying this concept in practice. In what follows, we explain the dynamics associated, discuss the importance of context when considering the efficacy of this practice and lastly offer what we see as certain key issues that might impede effective SDM.
Prognostic Value of Stromal Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Young, Node-Negative, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients Who Did Not Receive (neo)Adjuvant Systemic Therapy
Authors: de Jong Vincent M.T. , Wang Yuwei , ter Hoeve Natalie D. , Opdam Mark , Stathonikos Nikolas , Jóźwiak Katarzyna , Hauptmann Michael , Cornelissen Sten , Vreuls Willem , Rosenberg Efraim H. , Koop Esther A. , Varga Zsuzsanna , van Deurzen Carolien H.M. , Mooyaart Antien L. , Córdoba Alicia , Groen Emma J. , Bart Joost , Willems Stefan M. , Zolota Vasiliki , Wesseling Jelle , Sapino Anna , Chmielik Ewa , Ryska Ales , Broeks Annegien , Voogd Adri C. , Loi Sherene , Michiels Stefan , Sonke Gabe S. , van der Wall Elsken , Siesling Sabine , van Diest Paul J. , Schmidt Marjanka K. , Kok Marleen , Dackus Gwen M.H.E. , Salgado Roberto , Linn Sabine C.
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is considered aggressive, and therefore, virtually all young patients with TNBC receive (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy. Increased stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) have been associated with a favorable prognosis in TNBC. However, whether this association holds for patients who are node-negative (N0), young (< 40 years), and chemotherapy-naïve, and thus can be used for chemotherapy de-escalation strategies, is unknown.

METHODS

We selected all patients with N0 TNBC diagnosed between 1989 and 2000 from a Dutch population–based registry. Patients were age < 40 years at diagnosis and had not received (neo)adjuvant systemic therapy, as was standard practice at the time. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were retrieved (PALGA: Dutch Pathology Registry), and a pathology review including sTILs was performed. Patients were categorized according to sTILs (< 30%, 30%-75%, and ≥ 75%). Multivariable Cox regression was performed for overall survival, with or without sTILs as a covariate. Cumulative incidence of distant metastasis or death was analyzed in a competing risk model, with second primary tumors as competing risk.

RESULTS

sTILs were scored for 441 patients. High sTILs (≥ 75%; 21%) translated into an excellent prognosis with a 15-year cumulative incidence of a distant metastasis or death of only 2.1% (95% CI, 0 to 5.0), whereas low sTILs (< 30%; 52%) had an unfavorable prognosis with a 15-year cumulative incidence of a distant metastasis or death of 38.4% (32.1 to 44.6). In addition, every 10% increment of sTILs decreased the risk of death by 19% (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.81; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.87), which are an independent predictor adding prognostic information to standard clinicopathologic variables (χ2 = 46.7, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Chemotherapy-naïve, young patients with N0 TNBC with high sTILs (≥ 75%) have an excellent long-term prognosis. Therefore, sTILs should be considered for prospective clinical trials investigating (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy de-escalation strategies.
"Knotted Together like Roots in the Darkness": Rural Midwestern Women and Region—A Bibliographic Guide
Authors: Aley Ginette
Published: March 2022

Three quarters of a century ago, writer Bess Streeter Aldrich sought to use her fiction to overturn a woefully inadequate portrayal of midwesterners and midwestern life; recent historians of rural midwestern women have been similarly motivated. Yet they have faced daunting challenges. Like Aldrich, historians contest the region’s stultifying and monolithic image to bring to light the wide variety of meaningful and important gendered and cross-cultural experiences. Although the region is often difficult to interpret in all of its complexity, contradictions, and variations, it is also a place tied to a common agricultural heritage. Within this context, rural Midwestern women and their experiences have historically shaped, altered, and influenced rural life and agriculture of localities, the region, and beyond as the recent scholarship in this bibliographic essay demonstrates.
Hallmarks of intestinal stem cells
Authors: Baulies Anna , Angelis Nikolaos , Li Vivian S. W.
Published: March 2022

Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) are highly proliferative cells that fuel the continuous renewal of the intestinal epithelium. Understanding their regulatory mechanisms during tissue homeostasis is key to delineating their roles in development and regeneration, as well as diseases such as bowel cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Previous studies of ISCs focused mainly on the position of these cells along the intestinal crypt and their capacity for multipotency. However, evidence increasingly suggests that ISCs also exist in distinct cellular states, which can be an acquired rather than a hardwired intrinsic property. In this Review, we summarise the recent findings into how ISC identity can be defined by proliferation state, signalling crosstalk, epigenetics and metabolism, and propose an update on the hallmarks of ISCs. We further discuss how these properties contribute to intestinal development and the dynamics of injury-induced regeneration.
ANTICELLULITE MASSAGE
Authors: Ogui Victor
Published: March 2022

Данная книга является логическим продолжением первой книги В.О. Огуй «Классический русский массаж за 15 дней», в которой автором подробно описывается техника классического русского массажа; анатомия и физиология организма человека; воздействие массажа на органы и системы органов; материально-техническое обеспечение и гигиенические основы организации работы массажиста - без описания терапевтического воздействия массажа на организм в аспекте каких-либо патологий. Основной концепцией данной книги является убеждение автора в необходимости активного использования классического русского массажа как одного из наиболее эффективного компонента антицеллюлитной терапии.
The Portrayal of Real-Life People in Audiovisual Translation
Authors: Ranzato Irene , Zabalbeascoa Patrick
Published: March 2022

This is a study on real people, in particular their voices, as an important but so far undervalued factor in audiovisual translation, dubbing in particular. Along with the suspension of disbelief and credibility, expected goals for a dubbed version would seem to be authenticity of language, including not only words and discourse but also elements of delivery, such as accent and prosody (as a part of character portrayal); in short, a well-rounded, strategic proposal that can complement the picture at all times. The result of this study is that, compared to their AVT versions, much more care seems to go into reflecting the nuances of real voices and orality in the source texts, especially when famous and historical figures of the recent past are involved. In this respect, much work still needs to be done, for criticism to be fair and awareness of intervening factors greater, both in terms of professional quality and in academic research. Examples are drawn mainly from the portrayal of real historical figures from the United Kingdom, especially Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II and their representation in fiction and historical biopics.
Rendering Tone and Mood in Creactive Subtitles for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing
Authors: Sala Èlia
Published: March 2022

This article introduces the concept of creactivity – the process of making creative solutions to provide emotional accessibility, especially in subtitling for the d/Deaf and the hard-of-hearing. It is based on the findings of the PhD thesis Creactive Subtitles: Subtitling for All, defended by the author in 2016. To understand the need for a new way of providing accessibility, a review of digital communication is presented. It illustrates the pivotal role of digitization at present, after the pandemic has increased digital inequality for those who lack digital skills or access due to their sociodemographic background or sensory impairment. The impact of deafness is discussed, particularly, how early hearing loss influences the cognitive, communicative, linguistic, and social development of children and affects not only their language choice, but also the way they communicate, understand, and perceive the world we live in. Thus, to transmit what is perceived by means of hearing to make the audiovisual message complete for everyone, Sala [2016] designed the creactive subtitles. Targeted at younger (deaf) audiences, they are visual tailor-made subtitles designed ad hoc to be adapted to the unique features of each audiovisual product and its audiences’ abilities. Now that creactive subtitles are a reality, creactivity becomes the new goal: to spread the attitude to create new solutions in favor of accessibility.
To schedule or not to schedule? An investigation of meetings as an inter-team coordination mechanism in largescale agile software development
Authors: Moe Nils Brede , Dingsøyr Torgeir , Rolland Knut
Published: March 2022

Coordination of teams is critical when managing large programmes that involve multiple teams. In large-scale software development, work is carried out simultaneously by many developers and development teams. Results are delivered frequently and iteratively, which requires coordination on different levels, e.g., the programme, project, and team levels. Prior studies of knowledge work indicate that such work relies heavily on coordination through "personal" modes such as mutual adjustment between individuals or through scheduled or unscheduled meetings. In agile software development processes, principles and work structures emerge during the project and are not predetermined. We studied how coordination through scheduled and unscheduled meetings changes over time in two large software development programmes relying on agile methods. Our findings include transitions from scheduled to unscheduled meetings and from unscheduled to scheduled meetings. The transitions have been initiated both bottom-up and top-down in the programme organizations. The main implication is that programme management needs to be sensitive to the vital importance of coordination and the coordination needs as they change over time. Further, when starting a program, we recommend to early identify the important scheduled meetings, as having enough scheduled meetings is important to develop a common understanding of domain knowledge.
Business process models and entity life cycles
Authors: Bruno Giorgio
Published: March 2022

Tasks and business entities are the major constituents of business processes but they are not always considered equally important. The activity-centric approach and the artifact-oriented one have radically different visions. The former focuses on the control flow, i.e., on the representation of the precedence constraints between tasks, and considers the dataflow an add-on. The latter emphasizes the states of the business entities and defines the transitions between states in a declarative way that makes it difficult to figure out what the control flow is. This paper presents the ELBA notation whose purpose is to integrate those different visions by leveraging the dataflow. The dataflow defines the input and output entities of the tasks in process models. Entities flowing through tasks change their states and then a process model results from the combination of the life cycles of the entities managed by the process. Process models are complemented by information models that show the attributes and relationships of the entity types handled by the processes. Life cycles are intertwined in process models but they can be separated by means of an extraction technique that is illustrated in this paper with the help of two examples.
A Robust Test of Prejudice for Discrimination Experiments
Authors: Martin Daniel , Marx Philip
Published: March 2022

A large experimental literature is devoted to studying discrimination. An important question for policymakers and firms is what drives the discrimination uncovered by those experiments. However, motivations are hard to determine when decision makers pay selective attention to information because their learning is private. We overcome this challenge by deriving conditions on average outcomes that reveal decision makers are prejudiced no matter what they learn about individuals in each demographic group before making their decisions. This provides a test of prejudice that is general, simple, and robust and that can potentially be used to identify prejudice in a wide range of important settings, such as hiring, consumer lending, and housing access. We demonstrate our test of prejudice using two influential labor market experiments.

This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis.
Label-free plasmonic immunosensor for cortisol detection in a D-shaped optical fiber
Authors: Soares Maria S. , Silva Luís C. B. , Vidal Miguel , Loyez Médéric , Facão Margarida , Caucheteur Christophe , Segatto Marcelo E. V. , Costa Florinda M. , Leitão Cátia , Pereira Sónia O. , Santos Nuno F. , Marques Carlos A. F.
Published: March 2022

Measuring cortisol levels as a stress biomarker is essential in many medical conditions associated with a high risk of metabolic syndromes such as anxiety and cardiovascular diseases, among others. One technology that has a growing interest in recent years is fiber optic biosensors that enable ultrasensitive cortisol detection. Such interest is allied with progress being achieved in basic interrogation, accuracy improvements, and novel applications. The development of improved cortisol monitoring, with a simplified manufacturing process, high reproducibility, and low cost, are challenges that these sensing mechanisms still face, and for which solutions are still needed. In this paper, a comprehensive characterization of a D-shaped fiber optic immunosensor for cortisol detection based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enabled by gold coating is reported. Specifically, the sensor instrumentation and fabrication processes are discussed in detail, and a simulation with its complete mathematical formalism is also presented. Moreover, experimental cortisol detection tests were performed for a detection range of 0.01 to 100 ng/mL, attaining a logarithmic sensitivity of 0.65 ± 0.02 nm/log(ng/mL) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.46 ng/mL. Additionally, an investigation of signal processing is also discussed, with the main issues addressed in order to highlight the best way to extract the sensing information from the spectra measured with a D-shaped sensor.
Linear and third-order nonlinear optical properties of chalcogenide glasses within a GeS2-Sb2S3-CsCl pseudo-ternary system
Authors: Wang Wenfeng , Wang Kangkang , Li Ziliang , Mao Guangrui , Zhang Chen , Chen Feifei
Published: March 2022

In this work, we characterized the optical transmittance, optical band gap, nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption of a series of GeS2-Sb2S3-CsCl chalcogenide glasses, and monitored their compositional dependencies. We found that the number of lone-pair electrons and the bandgap energy are two dominate factors that determined these linear and third-order nonlinear optical properties. Besides, evaluation of figure of merit verified that the GeS2-Sb2S3-CsCl glasses are suitable for optical limiting devices.
People react more positively to female- than to male-favoring sex differences: A direct replication of a counterintuitive finding
Authors: Stewart-Williams Steve , Wong Xiu Ling , Chang Chern Yi Marybeth , Thomas Andrew G.
Published: March 2022

We report a direct replication of our earlier study looking at how people react to research on sex differences depending on whether the research puts men or women in a better light. Three-hundred-and-three participants read a fictional popular-science article about fabricated research finding that women score higher on a desirable trait/lower on an undesirable one (female-favoring difference) or that men do (male-favoring difference). Consistent with our original study, both sexes reacted less positively to the male-favoring differences, with no difference between men and women in the strength of this effect. Also consistent with our original study, belief in male privilege and a left-leaning political orientation predicted less positive reactions to the male-favoring sex differences; neither variable, however, predicted reactions to the female-favoring sex differences (in the original study, male-privilege belief predicted positive reactions). As well as looking at how participants reacted to the research, we looked at their predictions about how the average man and woman would react. Consistent with our earlier results, participants of both sexes predicted that the average man and woman would exhibit considerable own-sex favoritism. In doing so, they exaggerated the magnitude of the average woman’s own-sex favoritism and predicted strong own-sex favoritism from the average man when in fact the average man exhibited modest other-sex favoritism. A greater awareness of people’s tendency to exaggerate own-sex bias could help to ameliorate conflict between the sexes.
Design in the Age of Change
Authors: Muratovski Gjoko
Published: March 2022

Change is inevitable. This is the only constant in our lives. Yet, change is also something that we fear. We seek comfort in the familiar, in routines and in conventions. We are afraid of things that we don't know or we don’t understand. We fear change because we don’t know how change will affect us. Change, however, is necessary for progress. Sometimes, change happens naturally due to circumstances beyond our control, and sometimes we initiate change because we can or because we must.

In 2020, we experienced the biggest change of our lifetimes. For a brief moment in history, the world came to a halt. Then, everything changed. Many things that we used to take for granted no longer applied. We experienced major disruptions to our daily lives. As if in some kind of perfect storm, so many things happened all at once – global pandemic, social inequalities, climate change, racial injustices, riots and unrests, gender struggles and rapid advances of new technologies. This book started to take shape in the midst of it all, and in a way, it is a time capsule of how we experienced the birth of what became known as the 'new normal'.

Designers are the kind of people who thrive in times of change. In fact, it is their job to create change. The nature of their job is such that they have to take an existing situation and change it into a better, or a more preferred situation. Some do this by relying on their imagination and personal experiences, and some use evidence-based research to inform their work. Regardless of this, many share the belief that they can somehow make the world a better place – on a micro or a macro level.

During this period of massive change, Gjoko Muratovski invited ten highly influential design figures – including iconic design leaders such as Carole Bilson, Karim Rashid, Bruce Mau, Steven Heller and Don Norman – to reflect on the state of things today. In return, each one of them shares a highly personal account on why change is good. The book also features a foreword written by the president of the World Design Organisation (WDO), Srini Srinisavan, and a conclusion by one of the greatest design philosophers of our time, Ken Friedman.

By looking to the past and reflecting on the present, these designers project very personal images of the future that they would like to see. The conversations are very broad, and they cover highly diverse topics. From the effects of the pandemic, to issues of race and gender, notions of beauty, technology and industry, to global and local economies, politics, power, privilege and the importance of community.

A 'must-read' for anyone interested in how designers and design can change the world.

Gjoko Muratovski is a university executive, award-winning designer and innovation consultant working with leading organisations, Fortune 500 companies and governments from around the world, and a fellow of the Design Research Society.
The Potential Role for Impaired Mucosal Integrity in the Generation of Esophageal Pain Using Capsaicin in Humans: An Explorative Study
Authors: Alleleyn Annick M.E. , Keszthelyi Daniel , Rinsma Nicolaas F. , Csekő Kata , Kajtár Béla , Helyes Zsuzsanna , Winkens Bjorn , Masclee Adrian A.M. , Conchillo José M.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Esophageal pain is mediated by sensory nerves, most importantly by the activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) capsaicin receptor. TRPV1 is activated and sensitized by a broad range of pungent compounds, as well as inflammatory mediators and tissue irritants. Luminal stressors are suggested to impair the barrier function, which results in consequent activation of these sensory nerve terminals and pain. In this study, we investigated the effect of the perfusion of capsaicin, a TRPV1 agonist, on mucosal impedance and pain in asymptomatic volunteers.

METHODS:

Thirteen asymptomatic volunteers completed a single-blind, saline-controlled, randomized crossover study. Capsaicin or saline was perfused for 30 minutes in the distal esophagus. Visual analog scale pain intensity scores and intraluminal impedance indicating mucosal integrity were determined. Distal and proximal biopsies were obtained 10 minutes later to measure TRPV1 messenger RNA and TRPV1 immunopositivity, as well as the intercellular space area.

RESULTS:

Capsaicin perfusion resulted in significantly greater pain intensity (P = 0.047) and impaired recovery of the mucosal impedance compared with saline-treated controls (P = 0.027). Pain response was significantly associated with decreased mucosal impedance. Similar dynamics were seen in the proximal esophagus, but mucosal impedance recovered entirely to the preinfusion values there. There was a significant association between mucosal impedance and intercellular space width in the distal esophagus. TRPV1 transcription and expression were not significantly altered within this observation period.

DISCUSSION:

Esophageal capsaicin perfusion results in pain, which is likely to be explained by impaired mucosal impedance and defective restoration capacity in the distal esophagus.
Brain contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and elastography in infants
Authors: Hwang Misun , Zhang Zeng , Katz Joseph , Freeman Colbey , Kilbaugh Todd
Published: March 2022

Advanced ultrasound techniques, including brain contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and elastography, are increasingly being explored to better understand infant brain health. While conventional brain ultrasonography provides a convenient, noninvasive means of assessing major intracranial pathologies, its value in revealing functional and physiologic insights into the brain lags behind advanced imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. In this regard, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography provides highly precise functional information on macrovascular and microvascular perfusion, while brain elastography offers information on brain stiffness that may be associated with relevant physiological factors of diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or prognostic utility. This review details the technical background, current understanding and utility, and future directions of these two emerging advanced ultrasound techniques for neonatal brain applications.
A Perspective on the Potential Material Candidate for Railway Sector Applications: PVA Based Functionalized Graphene Reinforced Composite
Authors: Verma Akarsh
Published: March 2022

In this perspective article, the advantages offered by the biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) polymer matrix with 2D graphene nano-particles (in the functionalized form) for the innovation of new materials are showcased. Functionalization induces strong covalent bonding on the surface of graphene sheets when heaped in between the polymer matrix; on the other hand, no functionalization holds only the relatively weak van der Waals forces. This bonding type difference in conjunction with the ultrahigh tensile strength of graphene nanosheet makes it a suitable candidate for bearing higher loads, and it has been proposed here to use this innovative material in the railway sector application. Many research articles have been discussed here to understand the chemical mechanisms, as well as a thorough literature review, has been conducted for the same.
Development of Social Skills with Traditional Games: An Experimentation with the Game Mallogo
Authors: Tasnim Aeni , Damayanti Eka , Afiif Ahmad
Published: March 2022

Purpose – This study aims to prove the improvement of social development through the traditional game of mallogo for children aged 5-6 years at Ponre, Gantarang, Bulukumba.Design/methods/approach – This study is a quantitative research using experimental methods. The research design used is a one-group pretest-posttest design. The population in this study are 8 children aged 5-6 years who live in Ponre, Gantarang, Bulukumba and whole child are sample in this research. The data collected throught developmental assessment using observation base on children age 5-6 social and emotional development indicators was set by Minister of Education and Culture No. 137 of 2014 concering National Standard for Early Childhood Education. The data analysis technique used is Wilcoxon’s non-parametric statistic test.Findings – The results of this study are that the average value of the pre-test was 25,625, while the average value of the post-test was 54.875. Wilcoxon test obtained the calculated value of -2.52 Zcount, which is smaller than the value of Ztable of -1.96, which was carried out with a two-tailed test (-2.52 < -1.96). The results show an increase in social development through traditional mallogo games for children aged 5-6 years at Ponre, Gantarang, Bulukumba.Research implications/limitations – This study has implications for developing traditional games in children’s social skills. In the future, the number of participants needs to be increased. Parametric statistical tests are needed to strengthen the research results.Practical implications – This study has practical implications for experimental studies of children’s social abilities.Originality/value – This study contributes to the development of the study of children’s play. In addition, this research provides a new perspective on children’s social development through the traditional game method.

Paper type: Research paper
Learning Technology on Early Childhood Education: The COVID-19 Pandemic Case
Authors: Nurul Fazriah Rifai  , Emilly Nzunda Ibrahim , Kusumawardani Ratih , Fatimah Atin
Published: March 2022

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the learning technology used by early childhood education teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research describes the evaluation of learning technology used by teachers in early childhood education during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methods/approach – The research method is quantitative research. Data was collected using a questionnaire method and strengthened by interviews to obtain in-depth data. Questionnaires were distributed to 30 institutions and early childhood education teachers in Serang District, Serang City, Banten Province. Interviews as reinforcing data were conducted using semi-structured interviews. The research sample was obtained through purposive random sampling. Conclusions were drawn from the data analysis process by using quantitative descriptive data analysis techniques.Findings – Learning technology in early childhood education used by teachers of early childhood education institutions in Serang District, Serang City, Banten Province are whatsapp, zoom meeting, and youtube. Teachers can use learning technology for early childhood education optimally. However, the obstacles obtained consist of: signal interference, limited internet data, and limitations of parents assistance or guardians of students in having gadgets.Research implications/limitations – This study has limitations on early childhood education learning in one area of Indonesia. The learning technology used by teachers also focuses on early childhood education. Therefore, higher education levels will have different learning technologies that teachers use.Practical implications – This study implies that learning technology in early childhood education during the COVID-19 pandemic can use whatsapp, zoom meetings, and youtube.Originality/value – This study contributes to the understanding in early childhood education teachers in utilizing learning technology such as whatsapp, zoom meeting, and youtube in carrying out the teaching and learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paper type: Research paper
The Relationship of Severity Level of Autism and Parent’s Unconditional Love on Children with Autism Moderated by Religiosity and Social Support
Authors: Sumiati Neneng Tati , Dewi Syanindia Annisa
Published: March 2022

Children with autism have difficulties in social interaction, lack of communication, and repetitive behavior. Thoseconditions make parents come to grips with several drawbacks in taking care of their autistic children. Thepurpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the severity level of autism and the unconditionallove of parents, moderated by religiosity and social support. This study was using a quantitative approach withstructural equation model (SEM) analysis. Participants in this study were 200 parents of children with AutismSpectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 2-17 years old and were selected by the non-probability sampling technique. Themeasurements applied in this study were unconditional love scale, taken from Porter Parent Acceptance scale,which consists of four items (α = .802; AVE = .628), social support scale, which consists of three items (α = .703;AVE= .628), Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality, which consists of ten items (α =.952; AVE= .699), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale, which consists of four items (α = .756; AVE= .574). Theresult indicated that the unconditional love of parents was significantly affected by severity level of autism, b = -.162; t(196) = 2.849, p = .005; religiosity, b = .534; t(196) = 7.101, p = .000; and social support, b = .157; t(196)= 2.426, p = .016. Religiosity was proven to be essential in moderating the relationship of severity level of autismand unconditional love, b = .249; t(196) = 3.262, p = .001); while social support was not, b = -.020; t(196) = .293,p = .770. Religiosity could help maintain the unconditional love of parents for their autistic children, while socialsupport was not enough to buffer stress caused by them. Thus, parents of children with autism are urged toincrease their level of religiosity
Kompetencje pedagoga w responsywnych oddziaływaniach a efektywność terapii dzieci z zaburzeniami ze spektrum autyzmu
Authors: Kisielewska Julia
Published: March 2022

Every child requires an individual and subjective approach – regardless of the difficulties they experience. Each of them has their own pace and rhythm of development. Children’s development can often be disharmonious. It’s important to know that a child’s age is not always equal to their developmental age. If we look at autistic children – their situation is even more complex. Developmental disharmony, difficulties in cognitive functioning, emotional and social communication deficits – just these few challenges mean that autistic children make up one of the most challenging groups to work with for educators. When setting up and executing therapeutic, educational and educational goals, designed to minimize these unwanted behaviors and develop positive ones, it’s easy for educators to forget that they are not working with a “case” but an individual human being. A human being for whom they take responsibility, shaping their internal and external world. Therefore, the choice of therapy goal, choice of methods or forms of work should never take superiority over the child’s individuality. Some authors claim that: “treatment of a child with autism is a race against time” – there is no way to disagree with this statement, but it is worth adding that it’s the child who should be managing that time.
Igor Zidić u sarajevskom Izrazu (1962.)
Authors: Čihorić Dragan
Published: March 2022

Igor Zidić, u nakani da kritički replicira institucionaliziranoj konzervativnosti hrvatskih ranih šezdesetih, u sarajevskom Izrazu publicirao je dva osvrta: o američkom akcijskom slikarstvu (ožujak 1962.), te o aktualnom djelu Frana Šimunovića (listopad 1962.). Bazirani na ideji zaborava, inzistirali su na drukčijim umjetničkim i socijalnim posljedicama. Zidić je slijedio tragove Harolda Rosenberga i njegovo razumijevanje modernističke geneze i pratećih konzekvencija. Tragajući za točkom oslonca koja bi u sebi objedinila modernistički ekskluzivitet i lokalno producirane okolnosti, zaustavio se pred aktualnim Šimunovićevim djelom. Pred izdvojenim kamenom kao dokazom do koje je razine apstrahiranje na hrvatskoj likovnoj sceni moglo dohvatiti. Ipak, u Zidićevu slučaju sve analogije i svako pozivanje na okolnosti šire postavljene modernosti nisu pomogle u impliciranoj nakani da u bosanskohercegovačkom ambijentu nađe odgovarajućeg sugovornika. Konzervativne inhibicije bile su izraženije, te je, osim svjedočanstva o kratkotrajnom sukobu s Babićevim tezama, nastup Igora Zidića ostao sakriven na margini općeg povijesnog interesa.
Metal, la confusión en la diversidad musical
Authors: Escobar Melgarejo David
Published: March 2022

Todo tipo de creación musical posee un predecesor fácilmente identificable, en este caso, para el género musical llamado metal , se parte de una diversidad musical y cultural tan vasta que puede generar confusión, incluso en su interior surgen una gran cantidad de géneros o subgéneros que complican aún más una posible identificación. Así entonces, este artículo se propone realizar un acercamiento al metal tanto para sus seguidores como para aquellos que nunca se han acercado a esta música.
Will Hypomagnesemia Induce Benign Eyelid Myokymia?
Authors: Kim Jeongyeon , Hyung Sung Wook , Han Sun Kyu , Lee Jae Yong , Yu Hyun-Jeong , Sunwoo Mun Kyung
Published: March 2022

Background: Myokymia consists of involuntary, fine, continuous contraction that spread across the affected striated muscle. Eyelid myokymia, unlike other dystonic facial contracture such as blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, is assumed to be a benign, self-limited disorder. Eyelid myokymia is associated with stress, fatigue, excercise, and exccessive caffeine use. The pathophysiology is not well understood, but some drugs or brain structural lesions are the cause of the eyelid myokymia. Especially in Korea hypomagnesemia is generally known the main cause of eyelid myokymia, however there are no evidences so far. This study investigated the relation between eyelid myokymia and serum magnesium level.Methods: We performed a cross sectional study on 72 patients with myokymia and 197 controls. We investigated fatigue, sleep quality, alcohol, smoking, caffeine use, and exercise datas by interview. We analyzed laboratory datas including magnesium, calcium, phosphate, thyroid hormone in serum.Results: Demographic characteristics between the patients with myokymia and controls showed no significant differences in age, gender, smoking, and alcohol history. Fatigue and poor sleep quality were significantly higher in the myokymia group than control group. However, any laboratory results including magnesium showed no significant differences between two groups.Conclusions: These data suggested that the eyelid myokymia is not related to the serum magnesium level as well as calcium and phosphate. Only fatigue and sleep quality were shown the relationship with eyelid myokymia.