bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of reading errors in Portuguese: Digraphs and complex syllabic structures
Authors: Simoes Edlia Alves , Martins Margarida Alves
Published: December 2020

The Portuguese language poses several challenges for children in the initial phase of learning how toread, particularly in the case of letters that may correspond to more than one phoneme, two letters that correspond to a single phoneme and in the case of words containing complex syllabic structures. Theobjective of this study was to perform a psycholinguistic analysis of the reading errors of children, attending the 1st (n=175) and 2nd year (n=137) of schooling, specifically in the case of words containing digraphs or complex syllabic structures and to analyse the differences between children’s reading errors in these two years. An oral reading test was used for data collection. A quantitative and qualitativeanalysis of the type of reading errors was conducted using words with consonant digraphs (ch, nh, lh,gu, rr, ss), and words with complex syllables . This analysis showed that childrenpresented greater difficulties in some specific digraphs and tended to simplify complex syllables, eitherby adding or deleting phonemes. The quantity and quality of the reading errors of children attendingboth grades were discussed in light of reading acquisition theories and children’s phonologicaldevelopment.
A Multi-disciplinary Mixed-Methods Study of Group Dynamics in Active Learning Space
Authors: Gordy Xiaoshan Zhu , Carr Elizabeth O. , Zhang Lei , Bailey Jessica H.
Published: December 2020

Active learning space emerged at the turn of the twenty-first century. The active learning space design represents not only an overhaul of traditional classrooms’ physical appearances but also reflects a paradigm shift from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning. Current available research mainly focused on student academic performance as well as student and faculty perceptions.  No research has been conducted to investigate interactions at the student level to find out what interactions are taking place in the active learning space and how they affect student learning. This study employed a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design inquiring into student learning in an active learning space first through student focus group discussions and then with an online student survey. The major themes emerged from the focus group discussions were utilized to develop the online survey. The purpose of this survey was to cross-validate qualitative outcomes and further seek answers to unanswered questions triggered by qualitative findings. The qualitative data indicated that the spatial equity in the active learning space put students in positive mindsets and induced active classroom participation. The interconnected screens made it easy for students to view class content and collaborate with peers. The group work conducted in the space fostered mutual learning, promoted learning accountability and improved peer relations. The quantitative survey data on group dynamics validated and reinforced qualitative findings. This paper will help educators better understand student behaviors in the active learning space and better design space-appropriate pedagogical strategies.
Shape Factor Asymptotic Analysis I
Authors: WANG Frank Xuyan
Published: December 2020

We proposed using shape factor to distinguish probability distributions, and using relative minimum or maximum values of shape factor to locate distribution parameter allowable ranges for distribution fitting in our previous study. In this paper, the shape factor asymptotic analysis is employed to study such conditional minimum or maximum, to cross validate results found from numerical study and empirical formula we obtained and published earlier. The shape factor defined as kurtosis divided by skewness squared  is characterized as the unique maximum choice of  among all factors  that is greater than or equal to 1 for all probability distributions. For all distributions from a specific distribution family, there may exists  such that. The least upper bound of all such  is defined as the distribution family’s characteristic number. The useful extreme values of the shape factor for various distributions that are found numerically before, the Beta, Kumaraswamy, Weibull, and GB2 distributions are derived using asymptotic analysis. The match of the numerical and the analytical results may arguably be considered proof of each other. The characteristic numbers of these distributions are also calculated. The study of the extreme value of the shape factor, or the shape factor asymptotic analysis, help reveal properties of the original shape factor, and reveal relationship between distributions, such as that between the Kumaraswamy distribution and the Weibull distribution.
Impact of Political Uncertainty on Pakistan Stock Exchange: An Event Study Approach
Authors: SULEHRI Fiaz Ahmad , ALI Amjad
Published: December 2020

Pakistan is struggling against many problems; out of which political instability and terrorism are crucial problems. These issues hindered the economic growth of the country as well as the confidence of investors. This study has investigated the impact of political events on Pakistan Stock Exchange.

This paper uses a standard event study methodology. Data relating to the stock market index has been collected from the website of Pakistan Stock Exchange and relating to political events has been collected from the newspapers of Business Recorder and DAWN. A total of 18 political events was considered in the study out of which 08 events were coded as positive and other 10 were deemed negative. The first day abnormal return, a five-day cumulative abnormal return and ten-day cumulative return was calculated for all of the events. This study found evidence that political events affected the stock market in Pakistan, but their impact is different considering the economic and political implications of these events. Certain events had the strongest impact on the stock market like Nuclear tests for effective defense, the Supreme Court had revoked the Presidential order and Nawaz Sharif had been reinstated, General elections held in the country and the 14th amendment because 14th amendment was related to the elimination of corruption in political parties. Overall, this study laid the foundation to make further explorations into the phenomenon of uncertainty caused by political events in relevance to the stock market in Pakistan.
Modification of Activated Carbon from Rice Husk using Hexadecyltrimethylammonium Bromide (HDTMA-Br) Surfactant and ZnCl2 activator and Microwaves for Nitrate Ion Adsorption
Authors: Aprilia Yeni , Arnelli Arnelli , Astuti Yayuk
Published: December 2020

Surfactant Modified Activated Carbon (SMAC) is a surfactant-modified activated carbon product. The surfactant used in this study was the cationic surfactant Hexadecyltrimethylammonium Bromide (HDTMA-Br). These surfactants can change the activated carbon's surface to be positively charged due to the presence of the surfactant hydrophilic groups. This SMAC is more selective in absorbing anions, which in this study is for the adsorption of nitrate anions. This research aims to prepare a new material that is superior to activated carbon in absorbing nitrate anions. This research was conducted in several stages. In the first stage, rice husk was carbonized through pyrolysis at 300°C for 10 minutes. In the second stage, carbon was activated using 30% ZnCl2 and microwaves for 5 minutes and 400 W. The third stage was modifying activated carbon by contacting or adsorbing HDTMA-Br on activated carbon. The concentration of HDTMA-Br varied at 200-400 ppm and the adsorption time was 3-7 hours. The success of the modification was measured by the efficiency of HDTMA-Br in modifying activated carbon. This is supported by the results of the characterization of FTIR, GSA, SEM, and thermodynamic parameters. The resulting SMAC was applied for the adsorption of nitrate anions, and the results were compared to carbon and activated carbon. The results indicate that the best SMAC is formed at an optimum concentration of 300 ppm, within 4 hours, with an adsorption efficiency of 97.345%. The characterization results also show that SMAC has been formed, as evidenced by the presence of a peak at a wavenumber of about 1500 cm-1, a C-N group derived from N(CH3)3 in the HDTMA-Br surfactant structure. The SMAC spectra also appeared weak peaks at the wave number 2918 cm-1, which indicated the CH2-R group stretching from the HDTMA-Br surfactant. SEM image shows that HDTMA-Br has covered the pores of activated carbon. Meanwhile, the SMAC surface area is lower than that of activated carbon. Thermodynamic parameters indicate that HDTMA-Br interacts physically with activated carbon. The adsorption capacity of nitrate anion by SMAC is 3,638 mg/g, higher than carbon and activated carbon.
Freeze-thaw system for thermostable β-Galactosidase isolation from Gedong Songo Geobacillus sp. isolate
Authors: Damayanti Ken Ima , Mulyani Nies Suci , Aminin Agustina L. N.
Published: December 2020

The effective isolation of intracellular enzymes from thermophilic bacteria is challenging because of their sturdy membrane. On the other hand, the low-cost and nontoxic method is essential for industrial food enzymes. The freeze-thaw cycles using acetone-dry ice as a frozen system was studied for efficient isolation of thermostable b-galactosidase from Geobacillus sp. dYTae-14. This enzyme has been known for application in the dairy industry to reduce the lactose content. In this study, the freeze-thaw method was performed with cycle variations 3, 5, and 7 cycles. Acetone-dry ice (-78°C) is used as a frozen system and boiling water for thawing. The b-galactosidase activity was assayed using ortho-Nitrophenyl-β-galactoside (ONPG) as substrate and protein content determined with the Lowry method. The results show that the most effective freeze-thaw is five cycles. The enzyme’s highest specific activity is 3610.13 units/mg proteins at 40-60 % ammonium sulfate saturation, with a purity value of 2.52.
Safety and Efficacy of Using Tranexamic Acid at the Beginning of Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy in a Double-Blind Prospective Randomized Pilot Study
Authors: Balík Michal , Košina Josef , Hušek Petr , Broďák Miloš , Čečka Filip
Published: December 2020

Background: The prophylactic administration of tranexamic acid has been shown to be appropriate for procedures with a high risk of perioperative bleeding in cardiac surgery and orthopaedics. In urology the ambiguous results have been reported. Our goal was to evaluate the effect of tranexamic acid administration in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). A pilot, prospective, double-blind, randomized study was conducted to evaluate this effect. Methods: The study included 100 patients who received RARP in the period from April 2017 to January 2018. The patients were randomly assigned to study and control groups of 50 patients each. Results: The median follow-up was 6 months. Lower haemoglobin level drop weighted for gram of operated prostate was observed in the study group when treating the dorsal vein complex (DVC) at the beginning of the procedure (p = 0.004 after 3 hours and p < 0.001 after 24 hours). There was no evidence of any serious side effect of tranexamic acid. Conclusion: We demonstrated the safety of tranexamic acid at RARP. In addition, we showed that administration of tranexamic acid at the beginning of RARP significantly reduces the decrease in haemoglobin after the procedure when treating the DVC at the beginning of the procedure.
Atypical Presentation of Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum in Two Siblings from North India
Authors: Misra Sunayana , Saran Ravindra Kumar
Published: December 2020

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a rare hereditary disorder occurring due to metabolic defect in the liver and manifesting predominantly in the skin, eyes and arteries. It shows characteristic yellowish papules on the skin around the nape of neck along with looseness of skin over flexural surfaces. PXE shows marked phenotypic heterogeneity. Complications related to arterial wall and retinal Bruchs’ membrane calcification occur later in life; early diagnosis therefore helps keep patient on follow up for development of the same. In Indian patients, classic skin changes may be missed clinically making histopathology pivotal in diagnosis and patient management.
Antioxidant activity and acute toxicity of two Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. varieties from Sudan
Authors: MARIOD Abdalbasit Adam , MUSTAFA Makarim Mutasim , NOUR Abdelazim , ABDALLA Mahmood Ameen , SALAMA Suzy Munir , AL WAJEEH Nahla Saeed
Published: December 2020

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and acute toxicity of the methanol extract of two Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. varieties of dried seeds, Sweet gourd Water Jug (WJ) and bitter gourd Basket Ball (BB). The seed extracts were tested for their total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and scavenging activity to the stable free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Both dried seed extracts were then tested for acute toxicity at doses 2 and 5 g kg-1 each. Sixty female and male rats were assigned into five groups per sex. Four groups were given low and high doses of each dried  seed extract and the fifth group was given 10 % Tween 20 as a control. Kidneys and livers of all rats were assessed for biochemistry and histopathology. The seed extract of WJ revealed higher TPC, FRAP and DPPH activities compared to BB seeds, while TFC results were reversed. Toxicologically, no toxicity signs were recorded in animals. Biochemistry results were within the normal ranges with a slight increase in bilirubin and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and histology of kidneys and livers showed normal architecture. In conclusion, WJ and BB dried seed extracts exhibited high antioxidant activity suggesting promising therapeutic regimen against oxidative stress.
Cytogenetic and molecular studies on two faba bean cultivars revealed their difference in their aluminum tolerance
Authors: HASSANEIN Ahmed M. , MOHAMED Ahmed h. , ABD ALLAH Heba Ahmed , ZAKI Hoida
Published: December 2020

Two cultivars of faba bean (Vicia faba ‘Giza 843’ and ‘Nobaria 3’) that differ in aluminum (Al) tolerance were used to study cytogenetic and genomic alterations under the influence of Al Cl3 (5, 15, and 25 mmol AlCl3) for different periods (6, 12 and 24 h). Under Al treatments, mitotic index in both cultivars decreased and total chromosomal abnormalities increased. The frequencies of micronuclei and chromosomal abnormalities (C-anaphase, metaphase-star chromosomes, breaks, sticky and disturbed chromosomes during metaphase or anaphase) in ‘Giza 843’ were lower than in ‘Nabaria 3’. Increase of the registered cytogenetic events under the influence of Al stress led to increase the detected polymorphism using RAPD and ISSR markers. Application of RAPD primers gave the same value of polymorphism in both faba bean cultivars under Al stress. Polymorphism average of nine ISSR primers of ’Giza 843’ (65.36 %) was lower than that of ‘Nobaria 3’ (71.59 %). Molecular markers, cytogenetic characteristics and seedling growth data indicate that Al tolerance of ‘Giza 843’ was higher than of ‘Nobaria 3’. This work shows that cytogenetic and ISSR techniques could be used efficiently to distinguish between the ability of two faba bean cultivars to tolerate toxic effects of Al.
Influence of plant extracts, storage containers and storage duration on the physiological quality of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf.) seeds stored under ambient conditions
Authors: KEHINDE Tolulope Olaitan , BHADMUS Olatunde Azeez , OLUFELO Joseph
Published: December 2020

Watermelon seed being an oily seed is prone to rapid deterioration of its quality, hence maintaining quality during storage is germane. The study therefore investigated the effect of crude plant powder, storage containers and storage duration on the seed quality of two varieties of watermelon seeds. Seed lots each of 100 g of each variety were treated with 10 g of four crude plant powders of clove basil leaf, red chilli pepper fruit, garlic, neem leaf and a synthetic fungicide. All samples were stored in three storage containers (envelope, tin and glass bottle). Treated seeds were stored under ambient conditions for 180 days. Germination and seedling vigour were determined at 180 day time course after storage. Data were subjected to mean separation using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Significant differences were observed in the quality traits examined in water melon due to differences in variety, seed treatment, storage container and storage period. ‘Kaolak’ was the best in storage in terms of seedling vigour and viability. Glass bottle was identified as the best storage container in maintaining seed quality of water melon throughout the storage period. The use of organic materials especially neem and clove basil leaf powder proved much better for maintaining germinability and seedling vigour and extension of seed longevity than inorganic material.
Morphological and microsatellite analysis of the ancient Montenegrin olive variety ‘Žutica’ revealed different clones
Authors: ADAKALIĆ Mirjana , LAZOVIĆ Biljana , BARUCA ARBEITER Alenka , HLADNIK Matjaž , JAKŠE Jernej , BANDELJ Dunja
Published: December 2020

The ‘Žutica’ represents the most common Montenegrin olive varieties mainly used for the production of olive oil and green and black fruit canning. Traditionally, the olive plants have been propagated vegetatively, and a small level of genetic polymorphism is expected among clones of the same variety. This topic was only partially studied in the Montenegrin olive ‘Žutica’. Therefore, this study aimed to determine intra-varietal genetic variability in twenty-three ‘Žutica’ trees selected in situ, analyzing the variability of morphological traits and microsatellites. The Principal Component Analyses (PCA) with six axes explains the total cumulative variance of 91.3 %, with fruit and endocarp traits in the first three PC. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean of twenty morphological traits grouped ‘Žutica’ trees into two clusters and five independent trees. Nine microsatellite primers amplified 31 fragments of which 22 were polymorphic and enabled the detection of nine different microsatellite profiles (potential different clones). A comparison of dendrogram groups based on morphological and microsatellite markers showed low cophenetic values in the determination of intra-varietal variability. The results showed that the old variety ‘Žutica’, from a relatively small geographic region, has a variable genetic base, which could be used in the selection of superior clones.
Discovery and molecular characterisation of the first ambidensovirus in honey bees
Authors: OTT RUTAR Sabina , KORDIŠ Dušan
Published: December 2020

Honey bees play a critical role in global food production as pollinators of numerous crops. Several stressors cause declines in populations of managed and wild bee species, such as habitat degradation, pesticide exposure and pathogens. Viruses act as key stressors and can infect a wide range of species. The majority of honey bee-infecting viruses are RNA viruses of the Picornavirales order. Although some ssDNA viruses are common in insects, such as densoviruses, they have not yet been found in honey bees. Densoviruses were however found in bumblebees and ants. Here, we show that densoviruses are indeed present in the transcriptome of the eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) from southern China. On the basis of non-structural and structural transcripts, we inferred the genome structure of the Apis densovirus. Phylogenetic analysis has shown that this novel Apis densovirus belongs to the Scindoambidensovirus genus in the Densovirinae subfamily. Apis densovirus possesses ambisense genome organisation and encodes three non-structural proteins and a split VP (capsid) protein. The availability of a nearly complete Apis densovirus genome may enable the analysis of its potential pathogenic impact on honey bees. Our findings can thus guide further research into the densoviruses in honey bees and bumblebees.
First morphological characterization of autochthonous olive (Olea europaea L.) denominations from central and eastern of Algeria
Authors: BOUKHARI Rachid , AMEUR AMEUR Abdelkader , INNAL Hocine , GAOUAR Semir Bechir Suheil
Published: December 2020

Olive (Olea europaea L.) resources in Algeria are very little investigated. In fact, a total of 60 denominations have been the subject of characterization studies and they are cited in the bibliography but only 36 varieties are described and listed in the catalog of Algerian varieties of olive tree. In this work, a study on the diversity by mean of a field survey followed by morphological characterization, an estimate of the Shannon diversity index of a set of denominations collected in central and eastern of Algeria were carried out. The survey allowed us to note the existence of 33 denominations never mentioned in the bibliography. Morphological characterization based on the characteristics of tree, fruit and endocarp allowed us to a morphological description of 23 denominations. The Principal Component Analysis, Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Ascending Hierarchical Classification analysis allowed us to classify them into a few groups. The value of the relative diversity of all denominations is slightly below the average (0.42). The results obtained in this work provide very useful information on certain morphological characteristics of the studied denominations and indicate the critical conditions in which several denominations are found, which constitutes a great risk of genetic erosion.
Effect of storage conditions, preservative levels and packing materials on ascorbic acid juice of mandarin cv. Nagpur Santra
Authors: Faizi Zaki Ahmad
Published: December 2020

The research was done with the aim of considering vitamin C affectability under different storage conditions and packages at the post-harvest center of Mpkv, Rahuri Agricultural University in India. Juice of Nagpur Santra in three packaging materials glass bottles of 200 mL (B1), pet bottles of 200 mL (B2) and standy pouches (B3) which were added sodium benzoate as preservative substance in three levels 150 ppm (P1), 250 ppm (P2) and 350 ppm (P3), were kept in roam temperature range 19 to 28°C (S1) and cold storage 5±2°C (S2) were used for vitamin C consideration at days 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 of storage period. Results showed that ascorbic acid of Nagpur Santra juice was significantly influenced by storage conditions, preservative levels, packaging materials and their -1 interactions. The ascorbic acid (AA) of fresh juice was 43.46 mg 100 mL . During storage AA was found to be decreased in all the treatment combinations. However, the rate was faster under ambient condition (S1) as compared to cold storage (S2) condition. The minimum decrease in AA of juice was found in high preservative level when packed in glass bottle and stored in cold storage. The maximum AA was recorded in S2P3B1 (35.21 mg 100 mL-1) followed by S2P3B2 (34.23 mg 100 mL-1) at 180 days of storage. The minimum AA was recorded in S1P1B3 (23.69 mg 100 mL-1) followed by S1P1B2 (24.60 mg 100 mL-1) at 90 days of storage period and afterward it spoiled. It can be said due to high quantity of AA in Nagpur Santra even after long period of storage time the level of AA of mentioned fruit juice was at acceptable level from view point of nutritional value.
Xenia and metaxenia affects bioactive compounds of hazelnut
Authors: Balik Huseyin Irfan
Published: December 2020

The study aimed to assess the effects of pollinator cultivars on the bioactive compounds of hazelnut cultivars. ‘Tombul’, ‘Palaz’, ‘Çakıldak’, ‘Foşa’ and ‘Allahverdi’ were used as the main cultivars and ‘Sivri’, ‘Kalınkara’ and ‘Yassı Badem’ were used as the pollinators. Self-pollination was accepted as control. It was determined that pollinator cultivars resulted in significant changes in oil and protein ratios and fatty acid composition of hazelnut cultivars mostly because of xenia and metaxenia effects. Protein content and oil content changed depending on pollinator cultivar. The oleic acid was the dominant fatty acid in all hazelnut cultivars.
Melissos z Samos – doksografia i fragmenty
Authors: Wesoły Marian A.
Published: December 2020

There are several recent and noteworthy studies on the testimonies and fragments of Melissos of Samos: Laks-Most (2016), Brémond (2017). Furthermore, one can learn a great deal about Melissos from the lectures and discussions undertaken in the framework of “Eleatica 2012” (Mansfeld A. et al. 2016). When taken together, these studies enable us to fully appreciate Melissos’ original work in terms of its sources, its audacious arguments and its later criticisms. Melissos is here presented as a spokesman of the Eleatic school in an order that aims to do justice to the ancient testimonies that relate and refute his arguments as well as to the verbatim fragments (these are given here in the original). For the sake of clarity, however, various secondary testimonies have been omitted.
Aristotelische Biologie. Eine Synopsis
Authors: Mayer Martin F.
Published: December 2020

In no field of knowledge did Aristotle leave more writings than in biol­ogy. He conducted research for longer and more intensively in zoology than in any other field. In these writings he mentions a good 550 animal and 60 plant species. While this includes the internal anatomy of around 110 animals, he dissected 60 species himself. The present contribution deals with the epistemic motifs and the meaning of Aristotelian biology in the context of his scientific curriculum. It is thus demonstrated that in De anima Aristotle’s actual explanations are preceded by an investi­gation of the principles, which aims to differentiate living objects from inanimate ones, and to develop a method of explanation based on the species-specific vital functions of living beings. This article provides an overview of the four main disciplines of Aristotelian biology: compara­tive anatomy, physiology, genetics and behavioral research. The text offers tabular overviews of the animals and plants dealt with by Aristotle.
Effects of Oven Temperature and Addition of Ethanol on Measurement of Water Content and Specific Gravity of Cement-Stabilized Soft Clay
Authors: Yu Hua , Yi Yaolin , Puppala Anand J.
Published: December 2020

Water content and specific gravity are two fundamental soil properties. The water content is usually measured by the oven-drying method, and the dried soil is used for specific gravity determination of the soil. However, for cement-stabilized soils, high oven temperature accelerates the cement hydration rate and causes dehydration of some clay minerals, which may affect the measurement accuracy of water content and soil specific gravity. Hence, researchers have proposed the use of ethanol to terminate cement hydration reactions and a low oven temperature to reduce the dehydration of hydration products. To verify the effectiveness, this experimental study investigated the effects of oven temperature (60°C and 110°C) and the addition of ethanol on the measurements of both water content and specific gravity of cement-stabilized soft clay. These measurements are compared with those measured with the freeze-drying method, which is termed as a control measurement. The test results indicated that the effect of ethanol on water content measurement was insignificant. For 7-day stabilized clay, oven drying at 110°C achieved lower errors (3.06–3.63 %) than the oven-drying method at 60°C (7.36–9.44 %). For 180-day cement-stabilized clay, all the oven-drying methods had similar measurement errors (4.02–5.58 %). The effect of drying method on the specific gravity measurement was insignificant, with the percentage of measurement error ranging from 0.19 to 2.17 %.
Handguns and Ammunitions Indicators Extracted from the GSR Analysis
Authors: Lebiedzik J , Johnson DL
Published: December 2020

The computer automated scanning electron microscope, X-ray microanalysis of Firearms Discharge Residue (FDR) can reveal substantial information about the circumstances of their generation beyond the presence of characteristic gunshot residue (GSR). Indicators of the type of weapon and ammunition used can be obtained from the distribution of GSR particle shapes and from the multi-element analysis of the FDR sample. This is demonstrated for a large database of GSR samples from nine different handguns and over 60 different ammunitions. An example classification scheme is presented for the supporting particles generally found present in FDR. When particle type area concentration ratios are normalized to the iron (Fe) particle type, results show it is possible to distinguish much about the metal used in the weapon manufacture, whether it was of large or small caliber, whether the bullets were jacketed or plated, and whether the cartridge cases were of aluminum, brass, or nickel-plated brass. Standardization of such analytical schemes would be advantageous.
The Accuracy and Precision of Third Molar Development as an Indicator of Chronological Age in Hispanics
Authors: Solari AC , Abramovitch K
Published: December 2020

The accuracy and precision of chronological age estimation based on the stages of third molar tooth development was studied in a sample of 679 radiographs from individuals of Hispanic origin. The age range was 14.0 to 25.0 years. Eight raters from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dental Branch evaluated the radiographs according to Demirjian's schematic definitions of crown and root formation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chronology of third molar development in Hispanics following the protocol of a previous study. Within the Hispanic population, the rate of male third molar development is greater than that of female third molar development for ten stages of crown-root formation. Also within this Hispanic population sample, the rate of maxillary third molar development is ahead of mandibular third molar development. The mean absolute difference between chronological age and estimated age was ±3.0 years in females and ±2.6 years in males.
Visualization of Postmortem Chondrocyte Damage by Vital Staining and Confocal Laser Scanning 3D Microscopy
Authors: Lasczkowski GE , Aigner T , Gamerdinger U , Weiler G , Bratzke H
Published: December 2020

The present study was designed to investigate whether the combination of vital dyes [calcein acetomethyl ester and ethidium homodimer (LIVE/DEAD(®) Viability/Cytoxicity Kit)] together with confocal laser scanning 3D microscopy was a suitable process to detect postmortem chondrocyte damage, and whether this process could be used to establish postmortem interval.

Human knee cartilage from 13 autopsies (postmortem interval from 1 day to 2.5 months) was incubated with the two dyes. The chondrocytes revealed intense staining according to their vitality. For those cases that were stored mainly at 4°C there was a vitality of approximately 88 to 96% within the first 4.5 days, which decreased to 58% after 6 days and to 9% after 1.5 months. After 2 days and 14 days at summer temperatures there were 70% and 8% vital chondrocytes respectively. Three of the 13 cases showed that altered body and storage conditions limited the efficacy of the method.

Initial data suggested a time and temperature dependent increase in cell breakdown. Under stable cooling conditions the use of vital dyes and confocal laser scanning 3D microscopy to measure chondrocyte loss may be a valuable tool for estimating the postmortem interval.
Age-Related Increases in Posterior Hippocampal Granularity Are Associated with Remote Detailed Episodic Memory in Development
Authors: Callaghan Bridget , Gasser Camille , Silvers Jennifer A. , VanTieghem Michelle , Choy Tricia , O'Sullivan Kaitlin , Tompary Alexa , Davachi Lila , Tottenham Nim
Published: December 2020

Episodic memory is critical to human functioning. In adults, episodic memory involves a distributed neural circuit in which the hippocampus plays a central role. As episodic memory abilities continue to develop across childhood and into adolescence, studying episodic memory maturation can provide insight into the development and construction of these hippocampal networks, and ultimately clues to their function in adulthood. While past developmental studies have shown that the hippocampus helps to support memory in middle childhood and adolescence, the extent to which ongoing maturation within the hippocampus contributes to developmental change in episodic memory abilities remains unclear. In contrast, slower maturing regions, such as the PFC, have been suggested to be the neurobiological locus of memory improvements into adolescence. However, it is also possible that the methods used to detect hippocampal development during middle childhood and adolescence are not sensitive enough. Here, we examine how temporal covariance (or differentiation) in voxel representations within anterior and posterior hippocampus change with age to support the development of detailed recollection in male and female developing humans. We find age-related increases in the distinctiveness of temporal activation profiles in the posterior, but not anterior, hippocampus. Second, we show that this measure of granularity, when present during postencoding rest periods, correlates with the recall of detailed memories of preceding stimuli several weeks postencoding, suggesting that granularity may promote memory stabilization.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTStudying hippocampal maturation can provide insight into episodic memory development, as well as clues to episodic functioning in adulthood. Past work has shown evidence both for and against hippocampal contributions to age-related improvements in memory performance, but has relied heavily on univariate approaches (averaging activity across hippocampal voxels), which may not be sensitive to nuanced developmental change. Here we use a novel approach, examining time signatures in individual hippocampal voxels to reveal regionally specific (anterior vs posterior hippocampus) differences in the distinctiveness (granularity) of temporal activation profiles across development. Importantly, posterior hippocampus granularity during windows of putative memory stabilization was associated with long-term memory specificity. This suggests that the posterior hippocampus gradually builds the capacity to support detailed episodic recall.
Seasonal Variation in the Brain μ-Opioid Receptor Availability
Authors: Sun Lihua , Tang Jing , Liljenbäck Heidi , Honkaniemi Aake , Virta Jenni , Isojärvi Janne , Karjalainen Tomi , Kantonen Tatu , Nuutila Pirjo , Hietala Jarmo , Kaasinen Valtteri , Kalliokoski Kari , Hirvonen Jussi , Scheinin Harry , Helin Semi , Eerola Kim , Savontaus Eriika , Yatkin Emrah , Rinne Juha O. , Roivainen Anne , Nummenmaa Lauri
Published: December 2020

Seasonal rhythms influence mood and sociability. The brain μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system modulates a multitude of seasonally varying socioemotional functions, but its seasonal variation remains elusive with no previously reportedin vivoevidence. Here, we first conducted a cross-sectional study with previously acquired human [11C]carfentanil PET imaging data (132 male and 72 female healthy subjects) to test whether there is seasonal variation in MOR availability. We then investigated experimentally whether seasonal variation in daylength causally influences brain MOR availability in rats. Rats (six male and three female rats) underwent daylength cycle simulating seasonal changes; control animals (two male and one female rats) were kept under constant daylength. Animals were scanned repeatedly with [11C]carfentanil PET imaging. Seasonally varying daylength had an inverted U-shaped functional relationship with brain MOR availability in humans. Brain regions sensitive to daylength spanned the socioemotional brain circuits, where MOR availability peaked during spring. In rats, MOR availabilities in the brain neocortex, thalamus, and striatum peaked at intermediate daylength. Varying daylength also affected the weight gain and stress hormone levels. We conclude that cerebral MOR availability in humans and rats shows significant seasonal variation, which is predominately associated with seasonal photoperiodic variation. Given the intimate links between MOR signaling and socioemotional behavior, these results suggest that the MOR system might underlie seasonal variation in human mood and social behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTSeasonal rhythms influence emotion and sociability. The central μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system modulates numerous seasonally varying socioemotional functions, but its seasonal variation remains elusive. Here we used positron emission tomography to show that MOR levels in both human and rat brains show daylength-dependent seasonal variation. The highest MOR availability was observed at intermediate daylengths. Given the intimate links between MOR signaling and socioemotional behavior, these results suggest that the MOR system might underlie seasonal variation in human mood and social behavior.
Dynamics of a Mutual Inhibition Circuit between Pyramidal Neurons Compared to Human Perceptual Competition
Authors: Kogo Naoki , Kern Felix B. , Nowotny Thomas , van Ee Raymond , van Wezel Richard , Aihara Takeshi
Published: December 2020

Neural competition plays an essential role in active selection processes of noisy and ambiguous input signals, and it is assumed to underlie emergent properties of brain functioning, such as perceptual organization and decision-making. Despite ample theoretical research on neural competition, experimental tools to allow neurophysiological investigation of competing neurons have not been available. We developed a “hybrid” system where real-life neurons and a computer-simulated neural circuit interacted. It enabled us to construct a mutual inhibition circuit between two real-life pyramidal neurons. We then asked what dynamics this minimal unit of neural competition exhibits and compared them with the known behavioral-level dynamics of neural competition. We found that the pair of neurons shows bistability when activated simultaneously by current injections. The addition of modeled synaptic noise and changes in the activation strength showed that the dynamics of the circuit are strikingly similar to the known properties of bistable visual perception: The distribution of dominance durations showed a right-skewed shape, and the changes of the activation strengths caused changes in dominance, dominance durations, and reversal rates as stated in the well-known empirical laws of bistable perception known as Levelt's propositions.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTVisual perception emerges as the result of neural systems actively organizing visual signals that involves selection processes of competing neurons. While the neural competition, realized by a “mutual inhibition” circuit has been examined in many theoretical studies, its properties have not been investigated in real neurons. We have developed a “hybrid” system where two real-life pyramidal neurons in a mouse brain slice interact through a computer-simulated mutual inhibition circuit. We found that simultaneous activation of the neurons leads to bistable activity. We investigated the effect of noise and the effect of changes in the activation strength on the dynamics. We observed that the pair of neurons exhibit dynamics strikingly similar to the known properties of bistable visual perception.
The Perioperative Hyperchloremia Is Associated With Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Wang Yang , Shen Ruhua , Li Xinya , Jiao Haimiao , Li Zhi , Ge Jianjun
Published: December 2020

Background: The relationship between perioperative hyperchloremia and postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is not well established. Our study aimed to evaluate the association between perioperative hyperchloremia and acute kidney injury in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Methods: Patients with coronary disease who underwent off-pump CABG between April 2017 and December 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The patients with perioperative hyperchloremia were matched 1:1 to patients without perioperative hyperchloremia. The primary outcome was the postoperative acute kidney injury rate. The secondary outcomes included intensive care unit (ICU)-free days, postoperative hospitalization days, wound infection rate, and in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used in this study.
Results: A total of 321 patients who underwent off-pump CABG were included in the analysis. Propensity score matching selected 83 pairs for the final comparison. The results showed that the postoperative AKI rate was significantly different between the hyperchloremia and no hyperchloremia groups (56.6% versus 15.7%; P < .001). The number of ICU-free days, postoperative hospitalization days, wound infection rate, and in-hospital mortality were similar between the two groups. In the multivariable, logistic regression analysis, hyperchloremia was independently associated with the development of postoperative AKI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.814, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.072-3.070, P = .026).
Conclusions: Perioperative hyperchloremia is associated with an increase in the postoperative AKI rate among patients undergoing off-pump CABG.
Grad, industrija i zdravlje
Authors: Doričić Robert , Škrbić Alempijević Nevena , Rinčić Iva
Published: December 2020

Na primjeru koksare u Bakru zatvorene koncem 20. stoljeća, autori problematiziraju odnos industrije i grada sagledan iz perspektive lokalnoga stanovništva u suvremenosti. Rad kombinira polazišta urbanih studija, postindustrijske antropologije i studija javnozdravstvenih problema, a cilj mu je analizirati društvenu dinamiku i prijepore izazvane industrijalizacijom, kao i deindustrijalizacijom bakarskog područja. Autori se bave transformacijama koje politike i prakse (de)industrijalizacije izazivaju u ljudskoj svakodnevici u drugoj polovici 20. stoljeća. Fokus je na naracijama građana Bakra o utjecaju koksare na onečišćenje okoliša i kvalitetu života, ponajviše u zdravstvenom pogledu. Autori revaloriziraju pojam postindustrijskoga grada, propitujući što znači živjeti u gradu obremenjenom industrijskom prošlošću danas.
Druga Labinska republika 1987. godine
Authors: Matošević Andrea
Published: December 2020

Rad tematizira štrajkaško nasljeđe rudara kroz 20. stoljeće na Labinštini u Istri počevši od radničkog nezadovoljstva pod austrougarskom upravom, koje se nastavlja tijekom Labinske republike 1921. kao otpor fašizmu te proteže do druge Labinske republike 1987. godine u kontekstu samoupravnog socijalizma. Upravo će potonji, u skladu s ondašnjom praksom, biti imenovan protestnom obustavom rada, dok će ga štrajkom mahom nazivati prisutni novinari i istraživači. Takvu terminološku razliku prate i različiti mediji koji prenose događaje iz rudarskih postrojenja: radioemisije bilježe žestinu događaja i govore jezikom štrajka dočim crno-bijele fotografije cjelokupnu situaciju ublažuju i govore u prilog obustave rada. U radu se stoga analiziraju različite implikacije dvaju medija uz komparativan pristup štrajkaškim događajima koji su im prethodili kroz 20. stoljeće.
Refuge(e)s in the Digital Diaspora
Authors: Halilovich Hariz , Kučuk Iris
Published: December 2020

Based on digital and conventional ethnography, this paper discusses how Bosnian refugees utilize digital technologies and new media to recreate, synchronize and sustain their identities and memories in the aftermath of ethnic cleansing and genocide and in the contexts of their new emplacements and home-making practices in the diaspora. In addition to discussing representations of displacement and emplacement in the “digital age”, the paper also aims to make a contribution to the understanding and application of digital ethnography as an emerging method of inquiry in anthropology and related social science and humanistic disciplines. While some researchers see digital ethnography as a form of research based exclusively online, it is also crucial to understand the online world in the context of the real world – made of real people, places and social relations.
Calidad de vida laboral y síndrome de burnout en los colaboradores del sector retail de Lima Metropolitana
Authors: Garcés Ortiz Claudia Rozana , Loli Pineda Alejandro Erasmo , Navarro Vargas Vladimir Illich
Published: December 2020

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo conocer la relación entre la calidad de vida laboral (CVL) y el síndrome de burnout (SBO) en trabajadores del sector retail de Lima Metropolitana. El tipo de estudio fue descriptivo correlacional y el diseño no experimental y transeccional, en una muestra no probabilística e intencional de 129 colaboradores entre varones y mujeres con un mínimo de seis meses de experiencia en trato directo con el cliente en venta de productos al por menor. Los resultados de nuestros hallazgos indican que existe asociación significativa y negativa entre la calidad de vida laboral y el síndrome de burnout. Un análisis de la CVL con las dimensiones del SBO nos muestra que hay relación significativa e inversa entre calidad de vida laboral y agotamiento emocional y despersonalización; en cambio la asociación con desarrollo personal es significativa y positiva.
Estructura latente de una escala de anomia social e invarianza factorial en estudiantes peruanos de ambos sexos
Authors: Caycho Caja Aaron
Published: December 2020

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue hallar evidencia de la estructura latente de la Escala de Anomia social así como generar el apoyo empírico a la hipótesis de invarianza factorial según el sexo de 301 estudiantes preuniversitarios peruanos. Se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio de cada modelo, se halló la consistencia interna de la escala, y, luego, se planteó la invarianza factorial del Modelo 2020 propuesto. Los resultados señalan que el modelo de tres factores subyacentes no se sustenta en su consistencia interna; de manera alternativa, el modelo de dos factores consigue evidencia empírica a favor de su consistencia y estructura interna. Respecto a la invarianza factorial débil, esta no se justifica por problemas vinculados al grupo de mujeres. Se concluye que la Escala de Anomia Social evidencia dificultades asociadas a la presencia de la subescala de Pesimismo y en la evaluación de participantes mujeres.