bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creditors' and Third Parties' Rights In Rem under European Union Regulations and the UNCITRAL Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law
Authors: Ochocińska Karolina
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this article is to present the legal position of creditors and third parties secured by rights in rem. The analysis takes into consideration the situation when the bankruptcy of a debtor is declared. The purpose of the article is to present the regulation provided in European Union regulations. According to the European Union regulations, the opening of insolvency proceedings does not affect the rights in rem of creditors or third parties {to assets?} belonging to the debtor which are situated within the territory of another Member State at the time of the opening of insolvency proceedings. Therefore the question arises of whether the scale of protection of a secured creditor or of third parties' is too wide in comparison with other creditors. Moreover it is necessary to compare the European Union provisions with regulations of an international character. The provisions of the UNCITRAL Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law constitute a point of reference for a comparative analysis of this issue.
Legal Aspects of Geothermal Energy Use in Poland
Authors: Szalewska Małgorzata
Published: December 2021

Geothermal energy, understood as the energy stored in the form of heat beneath the earth’s surface, is one of the types of renewable energy sources. In Poland, geothermal energy is the renewable energy source with the highest technical potential, which results from the fact that there are natural sedimentation-structure basins in Poland, filled with hot underground waters of various temperatures. One of the basic factors determining the potential development of undertakings oriented at the use of geothermal energy is the legal environment, understood as a system of legal regulations relating to human activity connected with the use of geothermal energy. The subject of this study is the analysis of legal conditions for ventures geared towards geothermal energy exploration, documentation, and extraction. In Poland there is no uniform legal act regulating these issues in a comprehensive way. The provisions of the Geological and Mining Law and the Water Law, but also the provisions of the Construction Law, Environmental Protection Law, Energy Law, and Renewable Energy Sources Act apply to the analysed projects. The complexity and multilayer character of legal regulations determines the multitude of legal procedures reflecting the regulatory function of the state, realised through the system of concessions, permits, permissions, and approvals. The aim of this study is to present the legal regulations applicable in Poland relating to the use of geothermal energy, and to analyse the level of rationing of activities undertaken in this field.
Tradycje bajkowe w świecie współczesnym. Uwagi na marginesie II Forum Badaczy Białoruskiej Bajki
Authors: Valodzina Tatsiana , Marmysh Tatsiana
Published: December 2021

Omówienie: II Forum Badaczy Białoruskiej Bajki (Mińsk, 27–29 maja 2021 r.).
Jam częścią tej siły, która przyszłości pragnąc, wiecznie w przeszłość zerka. Nostalgiczne źródła socjalizmu we wczesnych pracach Stanisława Brzozowskiego
Authors: Siemieniuk Aleksandra
Published: December 2021

Aby zrozumieć żywotność pamięci o socjalizmie, niezbędne jest odniesienie się do początków funkcjonowania myśli socjalistycznej w Polsce. Niniejszy artykuł rekonstruuje mechanizmy rodzenia się socjalizmu we wczesnych pismach Stanisława Brzozowskiego. Analiza została przeprowadzona w kontekście nostalgii prospektywnej, doświadczenia nowoczesności i historii idei.
Czytanie (o) PRL-u. Z Ryszardem Ćwirlejem rozmawiają Justyna Tuszyńska i Dariusz Brzostek
Authors: Ćwirlej Ryszard , Brzostek Dariusz , Tuszyńska Justyna
Published: December 2021

Ryszard Ćwirlej: sociologist, journalist, and writer; former Polish Television reporter and editor-in-chief of the newscast Telekurier. A lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. An author of numerous detective novels and an inventor of Polish “neo-militia literature”, a literary genre depicting the everyday life of the militiamen in the PRL (The Polish People’s Republic).
Energia ulicy
Authors: Małecka Urszula
Published: December 2021

Recenzja: Wystawa transparentów ze Strajku Kobiet. Barak Kultury, Poznań, 23 listopada – 07 grudnia 2020.
¿Cómo se hace la interculturalidad?. Estrategias docentes en escuelas diversas étnicamente.
Authors: Rentería-Díaz Daniela , Velasco Laura
Published: December 2021

El objetivo de este artículo es describir y analizar las estrategias docentes interculturales empleadas por los profesores en escuelas primarias indígenas para atender la diversidad cultural de estos espacios educativos. Metodológicamente, el artículo se basa en el análisis de tres casos de estudio, a partir de una encuesta sobre diversidad cultural a una muestra de 14 escuelas y en 21 grupos focales, con alumnos y docentes de las 70 escuelas del sistema de educación indígena en Baja California. Los hallazgos señalan que las estrategias docentes empleadas en los tres casos seleccionados se enfrentan a retos distintos en la relación diversidad e interculturalidad. Por una parte, en el contexto de las escuelas indígenas nativas cobra un tono apremiante en contra de la extinción cultural, dada la baja vitalidad demográfica y lingüística de estos pueblos; por otra parte, en el contexto de las escuelas indígenas inmigrantes, se enfrenta al encuentro con orígenes étnicos distintos manifiestos en las diversas lenguas que se expresan junto con el español y el inglés, como parte de la experiencia migratoria transnacional. Algunas limitaciones del artículo provienen de su atención en casos de escuelas que cuentan con programas interculturales para la atención de la diversidad cultural de los niños y no en el análisis de cómo llevan a cabo la idea de interculturalidad en el universo de escuelas.
Sevilla frente a Madrid. Percepción de las variedades castellana y andaluza por jóvenes universitarios del centro-norte de España según el proyecto PRECAVES XXI.
Authors: Cestero Mancera Ana María , Paredes García Florentino
Published: December 2021

En este trabajo, inscrito en las actividades del Proyecto PRECAVES XXI, se presentan los resultados de las encuestas realizadas a jóvenes universitarios del centro-norte peninsular que estudian filologías o máster de ELE, carreras que profesionalmente están vinculadas a la enseñanza de la lengua española y sus variedades y, por tanto, a la transmisión de ideologías lingüísticas. El objetivo es presentar la percepción y las creencias que los encuestados tienen acerca de la variedad propia —español centro-norteño— y la andaluza. En concreto, se proporcionan datos contrastados sobre las dos variedades en los siguientes aspectos: 1) consideración como variedad modélica; 2) grado de reconocimiento o identificación de cada variedad; 3) percepción de la similitud respecto a la variedad propia, 4) valoración de las variedades a través de la evaluación directa (aspectos cognitivos y afectivos) e indirecta (la persona, la región y la cultura).
Creencias y actitudes de los jóvenes universitarios de Antioquia, Colombia, hacia el andaluz.
Authors: González Rátiva María Claudia , Muñoz Builes Diana María , Guzmán García Maira Fernanda
Published: December 2021

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo describir las percepciones y creencias lingüísticas de un grupo de 108 estudiantes de la Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, Colombia) hacia la variedad andaluza, a partir de los resultados de las encuestas del proyecto PRECAVES XXI. Entre los principales resultados se destaca el hecho de que los jóvenes medellinenses tienen un porcentaje de identificación bajo hacia la variedad andaluza (solo un 4%), y que hay una asociación genérica con España y con variedades caribeñas. Así mismo, el habla andaluza se relaciona con puestos de trabajo bien cualificados, nivel de ingresos medios y estudios universitarios, apreciaciones que también son realizadas para la variedad castellana, andina, chilena y rioplatense. Finalmente, la valoración indirecta sugiere que esta es una variedad «rica» e «interesante» y que después de la variedad propia esta es la más «divertida» y «familiar», aunque la menos «cercana»
Actitudes y creencias de los jóvenes universitarios barceloneses hacia la variedad andaluza. Datos del proyecto PRECAVES XXI.
Authors: Illamola Cristina , Forment Fernández Mar
Published: December 2021

En este artículo se presentan los resultados de las primeras investigaciones sobre creencias y actitudes de estudiantes universitarios de Barcelona hacia la variedad andaluza, siguiendo la metodología diseñada y empleada por el proyecto de investigación PRECAVES XXI. Los sujetos observados son estudiantes de la Facultad de Filología y Comunicación de la Universidad de Barcelona, divididos en dos grupos: por un lado, estudiantes de primer curso que no disponen de conocimientos específicos sobre las variedades del español; por otro lado, alumnos que han cursado asignaturas como Historia de la lengua española, Español de América o Sociolingüística del español y que, en consecuencia, cuentan con conocimientos especializados sobre la materia objeto de estudio. Los datos obtenidos nos permitirán saber, por una parte, qué capacidad de identificación de la variedad andaluza poseen los jóvenes universitarios barceloneses; por otra, qué actitud despierta entre ellos esta variedad.
El hablante detrás de la cursiva. Actitudes lingüísticas ante el género gramatical a través de marcadores metalingüísticos en la prensa española decimonónica.
Authors: Sancha Vázquez Julián
Published: December 2021

Este trabajo comprende un análisis sociolingüístico histórico sobre un pequeño corpus de la prensa española del siglo xix en el que se muestra la actitud con la que sus hablantes se comunicaban a través de recursos tipográficos. Tal y como hoy día se hace, el uso de la cursiva para marcar un uso «extraño» (no normativo) sería frecuente. En última instancia, el género gramatical en referencia al sexo de los sujetos designados en el discurso (oral o escrito) sería también motivo de resalte tipográfico cuando la realidad necesitara de una explicación
El texto y la situación. Fragmentos de una exposición imaginaria sobre performatividad y metodologías de investigación en la obra de Dora García.
Authors: Cornago Bernal Óscar
Published: December 2021

Análisis de la obra de Dora García en el contexto de la recuperación de las prácticas performativas a partir de los años 90 y en relación con el auge de la microsociología y el concepto de situación. El protagonismo de la palabra, los libros y la literatura en su trabajo, dirige el foco de análisis de los recursos performativos a las formas de uso de los textos y las situaciones generadas por estas formas de uso: leer/interpretar, escribir/contar, conversar, anunciar/escuchar, repetir. La conclusión es que las prácticas artísticas, revisadas en términos de performatividad, han conducido a unos modos de conocimiento ligados a una economía de los medios y los recursos, que es también una ecología de los saberes y los cuerpos.
Glotopolíticas de la literatura digital latinoamericana: entre lenguas nacionales y lenguajes interzonales.
Authors: Paula Gómez Verónica
Published: December 2021

La hipótesis que sostiene nuestro artículo es que el vínculo entre lengua nacional y literatura se reformula en lenguajes intermediales y literaturas expandidas, configurando una nueva cartografía glotopolítica. Articulamos esta hipótesis en el marco de la literatura digital latinoamericana, en donde convergen elementos nacionales y relaciones interartísticas que prefiguran una nueva territorialidad en el ciberespacio, no exento de disputas y desigualdad de poder. El objetivo es identificar las intervenciones glotopolíticas en el campo de la literatura digital latinoamericana que van de una lengua nacional verbal homogeneizadora a lenguajes intermediales, promoviendo el cruce interartístico
Pantalla mediante. Diálogos formales y semánticos de la literatura contemporánea en castellano con la imagen digital.
Authors: Luis Mora Vicente
Published: December 2021

La influencia de los medios audiovisuales y fotográficos en la literatura contemporánea del siglo XXI escrita en castellano es tan ancha y medular que no es fácil siquiera sintetizarla. A través de decenas de casos tomados de ese vasto corpus, y con la ayuda de bibliografía especializada, este texto intenta construir un innovador catálogo de funciones y vías en las que la imagen, especialmente la procedente de medios de comunicación, pueden ser utilizadas para escribir, enriquecer, conformar o estructurar poemas y textos narrativos, o ser instrumentadas para pensar sobre nuestro tiempo y esquemas sociales desde una perspectiva crítica. Se examinarán dos ejemplos relevantes (la novela Kentukis, de Samanta Schweblin y algunos cuentos y novelas sobre concursos televisivos) para profundizar en el enorme grado de crítica social que este tipo de literatura puede aportar a la hora de cuestionar la imagen mediática
Biases in Managerial Decision Making: Overconfidence, Status Quo, Anchoring, Hindsight, Availability
Authors: Aren Selim , Nayman Hamamci Hatice
Published: December 2021

Decision-making processes occur with the interaction of some cognitive and psychological variables. Neoclassical theories deal with rational reactions in these processes. However, in an environment where there is no information or where there is uncertainty instead of risk, decisions cannot be made rationally as the mind indicates. In this direction, firm managers have to make many decisions under uncertainty. For this reason, managers resort to various simple and useful shortcuts called bias for different reasons. In this study, it was aimed to reveal the effects of behavioral biases on management decisions. In this context, five biases in the behavioral finance literature, namely overconfidence, status quo, anchoring, hindsight and availability, were evaluated with theoretical and empirical studies and their effects on managerial decisions were discussed. It was seen that raising awareness of these biases in terms of managers provides benefits such as realistic evaluation of themselves, giving more realistic weights to events when making decisions, reaching rational judgments more easily and being open to innovations. In addition, this awareness, when combined with the emotional competencies of managers, helps them make successful decisions.
A Conceptual Model of Organizational Voice with an Interpretive Structural Modeling Approach: A study on Yazd University, Iran
Authors: Hosseini Elahe , Sabokro Mehdi
Published: December 2021

The present study aims to develop a conceptual model of organizational voice. The statistical population includes experts familiar with the organizational voice. Then, a comprehensive model of levels and the relations among organizational voice dimensions were drawn to be applied using interpretive structural modeling. The research findings introduce 10 dimensions including organizational structure, management and leadership, group and team, voice environment, job characteristics, human resources, conflict, motivation, and communication. Finally, the initial model of the research was drawn in five lines using the interpretive approach. The research findings show that experts believe there are 10 important factors in achieving organizational voice. According to the findings, character and management are considered the model foundation and they are the most important factors. The results, as a road map, can guide organization managers to achieve organizational voice. An innovative framework was developed by applying an interpretive structural modeling to propose a model.
How Government Response to COVID-19 in Bangladesh? An Overview
Authors: Arif Ishtiaque , Maksudul Karim Mohammad , Rahman Md. Siddikur , Abdul Hamid Abu Bakar
Published: December 2021

In this 21st century, in front of the whole world it was a very unlikely occurrence of a new pandemic named as Covid – 19. First China and after other countries it advanced its black claw on Bangladesh. Bangladesh's government was aware of the pandemic's predicament and took steps to protect the population, as well as the economy and numerous industrial sectors. Though the government of Bangladesh did its hardest to provide all forms of assistance to the country's economy, the government was unable to successfully control the pandemic due to the country's large population and people's irresponsibility. Due to the significant impact of Covid-19 during this epidemic, various economic and financial sectors were severely harmed, particularly the garment industry sector. Covid – 19 also has an impact on financial institutions such as banks and other financial institutions. Small businesses, start-ups, and other commercial concerns were also severely harmed. The impact of the epidemic on these industries has had a huge impact on all sectors. This research aims to give a comprehensive and useful overview of the observed and potential consequences in the near future. The study relied on secondary data. Information was gathered from numerous media sources, articles, newspapers, policy experts, and other publications in order to better comprehend it. The goal of this research is to describe Bangladesh's pandemic challenges and government response to the worldwide issue.
Omani Higher Education Students Attitude Towards Work During Study
Authors: Al Habsi Safa , Madbouly Araby
Published: December 2021

The work during study is widespread matter worldwide and in the Sultanate of Oman as well. Many Omani students are noticed work during their study. The aim of this research is to analyze the attitude of higher education Omani students towards working during study via identifying benefits they obtain and challenges they face. The quantitative research methodology was implemented via survey approach using structured questionnaire technique. The questionnaire was prepared and distributed to 220 higher education students. 102 respondents have responded (46.3 %). The main findings of the research are: i) Majority of Omani higher education students work during study and the plurality of them are placed in private sector organizations; ii) The “trading” and “other services” sectors absorbs above 70% of students who work during study; iii) 86% of these students joined work in the same area of their study; iv) Enhancement of soft skills is the highest benefit they obtained while the social challenges are considered the highest challenge they face. The outcomes of this study might be helpful to the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MOHERI) as it highlights the importance of having training in the offered higher education programs. MOHERI can also can also recognize challenges face working students and take some actions to eliminate these challenges.
Study of Staff Training at Educational Hospitals by Qualitative Approach
Authors: Rajabipoor Meybodi Alireza , Forghany Fahimeh
Published: December 2021

The essential resource for all organizations, mostly educational hospitals, for coping with changes is training of human resources. Staff training is accepted not only as an inevitable necessity for the growth and survival of the organization but also as part of the culture of the organization. That is why the research's main goal is to extract and classify concepts in the training of Staff the method of study was qualitative and had an inductive approach. In this regard, after reviewing the research context using semi-structured interviews, the data collected and analyzed. Considering this research's purpose, which is to design a staff-training model in educational hospitals, in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 experts in this field. In three stages, open coding, axial coding, and selective coding were performed. The thematic analysis technique was used to analyze the data from researchers' interviews in a peaceful environment and identify the model. A further advantage, particularly from learning and teaching, is that it is a method rather than a methodology. To ensure the Quality of the findings, the process of extracting concepts and coding monitored by expert researchers. Based on the results obtained from the software, training needs, training targets, training methods, training effectiveness, and educational hospitals identified by 58 codes. The results show that assessing needs of educational hospitals is the highest priority for staff training criteria.
Customer Superstitions in the Accommodation Industry: A Demographic Analysis
Authors: Keng Ng Lee , Wee Tammy
Published: December 2021

This research project focussed on the topic of superstitions which is widely prevalent but under-explored. Specifically, this study examined the effects of demographical variables (namely, gender, age, education, income, and religion) on 18 superstitious behaviours. An online survey was distributed using two non-probability sampling techniques: snowballing and voluntary response sampling. The data collection was done through known contacts and on a social media platform within online communities. The survey was open to participants who were at least 18 years old and fitted the other criterion of being guests at hotels, hostels, Airbnb, etc. A total of 126 usable responses was collected and analysed. Descriptive statistics and MANOVA results indicated that demographical variables did not have much effect on superstitious behaviours. Furthermore, the extent of superstitious behavioural displays was also not varied among respondents with different demographical profiles. In a challenging business landscape, it is relevant and important for the accommodation industry to have heightened awareness about guests’ superstitions. Such knowledge can aid the operators in exhibiting extra cultural sensitivity and gracious respect towards their guests, generating more satisfaction and building loyalty.
Carceral Politics, Inpatient Psychiatry, and the Pandemic: Risk, Madness, and Containment in COVID-19
Authors: Berkhout Suze G. , MacGillivray Lindsey , Sheehan Kathleen
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic offers a particularly salient moment in which to identify and reflect on shifts in psychiatric carcerality in highly concrete ways. Drawing from our own professional and practical experience as in-patient (acute-care) psychiatrists implementing changes in ward policies in light of infection control concerns and linking this experience with insights and tensions between Mad Studies, Critical Prison Studies, and the psychiatric writings of Franz Fanon, we focus on specific ways that therapeutic value is undermined within these complicated and complex settings. Using Repo's metaphor of “carceral layers,” our analysis considers how particular infection control policies and practices, institutional approaches to pandemic management, and larger ideologies of risk have worked together to produce spatio-temporal aspects of carcerality in a psychiatric acute-care setting in Toronto, Canada.
Simulation of reconfigurable double-input optical gates based on a microring flower-like structure, part II. Combinational logic gates
Authors: Seifi Laleh Mohammad , Razaghi Mohammad
Published: December 2021

A microring flower-like architecture is introduced to obtain optical logic gates that can be reconfigured. The proposed design can operate as a time-division multiplexer, a half adder/subtractor, and an optical single bit comparator circuit. The optical pump pulses modulate the microring resonators in this arrangement. Green lasers with a resonant wavelength of 532 nm are used to generate the optical pump pulses. To theoretically analyze the structure, the signal flow graph approach is applied. The proposed structure’s performance is investigated by calculating certain figures of merit for the resulting output data streams. Outputs of the presented combinational logic gates are optimized by designing the most proper geometry of flower-like structure and simultaneously by opting for the best input port to drop port’s optical path. It is demonstrated that proper distinguishing between 0 and 1 levels occurs in the output. The compact structure proposed is simple, expandable, and reconfigurable. The proposed structure can be used as a key component in high-speed optical networks, according to simulation results.
Joint enhancement and denoising in electronic speckle pattern interferometry fringe patterns with low contrast or uneven illumination via an oriented variational Retinex model
Authors: Han Rui , Tang Chen , Xu Min , Li Jianming , Lei Zhenkun
Published: December 2021

Simultaneous speckle reduction and contrast enhancement for electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) fringe patterns is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a joint enhancement and denoising method based on the oriented variational Retinex model for ESPI fringe patterns with low contrast or uneven illumination. In our model, we use the structure prior to constrain the illumination and introduce a fractional-order differential to constrain the reflectance for enhancement, then use the second-order partial derivative of the reflectance as the denoising term to reduce noise. The proposed model is solved using the sequential method to obtain piecewise smoothed illumination and noise-suppressed reflectance sequentially, which avoids remaining noise in the illumination and reflectance map. After obtaining the refined illuminance and reflectance, we substitute the gamma-corrected illuminance into the camera response function to further adjust the reflectance as the final enhancement result. We test our proposed method on two non-uniform illumination computer-simulated and two low-contrast experimentally obtained ESPI fringe patterns. Finally, we compare our method with three other joint enhancement and denoising variational Retinex methods.
Real-time multimode dynamics of terahertz quantum cascade lasers via intracavity self-detection: observation of self mode-locked population pulsations
Authors: Li Hua , Wan Wenjian , Li Ziping , Cao J. C. , Lepillet Sylvie , Lampin Jean-Francois , Froberger Kevin , Columbo Lorenzo , Brambilla Massimo , Barbieri Stefano
Published: December 2021

Mode-locking operation and multimode instabilities in Terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have been intensively investigated during the last decade. These studies have unveiled a rich phenomenology, owing to the unique properties of these lasers, in particular their ultrafast gain medium. Thanks to this, in QCLs a modulation of the intracavity field intensity gives rise to a strong modulation of the population inversion, directly affecting the laser current. In this work we show that this property can be used to study in real-time the dynamics of multimode THz QCLs, using a self-detection technique combined with a 60GHz real-time oscilloscope. To demonstrate the potential of this technique we investigate a 4.2THz QCL operating in free-running, and observe a self-starting periodic modulation of the laser current, producing trains of regularly spaced, ∼100ps-long pulses. Depending on the drive current we find two distinct regimes of oscillation with dramatically different properties: a first regime at the fundamental cavity repetition rate, characterised by large amplitude and phase noise, with coherence times of a few tens of periods; a much more regular second-harmonic-comb regime, with typical coherence times of ∼105 oscillation periods. We interpret these measurements using a set of effective semiconductor Maxwell-Bloch equations that qualitatively reproduce the fundamental features of the laser dynamics, indicating that the observed carrier-density and optical pulses are in antiphase, and appear as a rather shallow modulation on top of a continuous wave background. Thanks to its simple implementation and versatility, the demonstrated broadband self-detection technique is a powerful tool for the study of ultrafast dynamics in THz QCLs.
PhaseX: an X-ray phase-contrast imaging simulation code for matter under extreme conditions
Authors: Barbato Francesco , Atzeni Stefano , Batani Dimitri , Antonelli Luca
Published: December 2021

We present PhaseX, a simulation code for X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI), specially dedicated to the study of matter under extreme conditions (of pressure and density). Indeed, XPCI can greatly benefit the diagnosis of such states of matter. This is due to the noticeable contrast enhancement obtained thanks to the exploitation of both attenuation and phase-shift of the electromagnetic waves crossing the sample to be diagnosed. PhaseX generates synthetic images with and without phase contrast. Thanks to its modular design PhaseX can adapt to any imaging set-up and accept as inputs objects generated by hydrodynamic or particle-in-cell codes. We illustrate Phase-X capabilities by showing a few examples concerning laser-driven implosions and laser-driven shock waves.
Spatially distributed infection increases viral load in a computational model of SARS-CoV-2 lung infection
Authors: Moses Melanie E. , Hofmeyr Steven , Cannon Judy L. , Andrews Akil , Gridley Rebekah , Hinga Monica , Leyba Kirtus , Pribisova Abigail , Surjadidjaja Vanessa , Tasnim Humayra , Forrest Stephanie
Published: December 2021

A key question in SARS-CoV-2 infection is why viral loads and patient outcomes vary dramatically across individuals. Because spatial-temporal dynamics of viral spread and immune response are challenging to study in vivo, we developed Spatial Immune Model of Coronavirus (SIMCoV), a scalable computational model that simulates hundreds of millions of lung cells, including respiratory epithelial cells and T cells. SIMCoV replicates viral growth dynamics observed in patients and shows how spatially dispersed infections can lead to increased viral loads. The model also shows how the timing and strength of the T cell response can affect viral persistence, oscillations, and control. By incorporating spatial interactions, SIMCoV provides a parsimonious explanation for the dramatically different viral load trajectories among patients by varying only the number of initial sites of infection and the magnitude and timing of the T cell immune response. When the branching airway structure of the lung is explicitly represented, we find that virus spreads faster than in a 2D layer of epithelial cells, but much more slowly than in an undifferentiated 3D grid or in a well-mixed differential equation model. These results illustrate how realistic, spatially explicit computational models can improve understanding of within-host dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Morphological and genomic characterisation of the Schistosoma hybrid infecting humans in Europe reveals admixture between Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma bovis
Authors: Kincaid-Smith Julien , Tracey Alan , de Carvalho Augusto Ronaldo , Bulla Ingo , Holroyd Nancy , Rognon Anne , Rey Olivier , Chaparro Cristian , Oleaga Ana , Mas-Coma Santiago , Allienne Jean-François , Grunau Christoph , Berriman Matthew , Boissier Jérôme , Toulza Eve
Published: December 2021

Schistosomes cause schistosomiasis, the world’s second most important parasitic disease after malaria in terms of public health and social-economic impacts. A peculiar feature of these dioecious parasites is their ability to produce viable and fertile hybrid offspring. Originally only present in the tropics, schistosomiasis is now also endemic in southern Europe. Based on the analysis of two genetic markers the European schistosomes had previously been identified as hybrids between the livestock- and the human-infective species Schistosoma bovis and Schistosoma haematobium, respectively. Here, using PacBio long-read sequencing technology we performed genome assembly improvement and annotation of S. bovis, one of the parental species for which no satisfactory genome assembly was available. We then describe the whole genome introgression levels of the hybrid schistosomes, their morphometric parameters (eggs and adult worms) and their compatibility with two European snail strains used as vectors (Bulinus truncatus and Planorbarius metidjensis). Schistosome-snail compatibility is a key parameter for the parasites life cycle progression, and thus the capability of the parasite to establish in a given area. Our results show that this Schistosoma hybrid is strongly introgressed genetically, composed of 77% S. haematobium and 23% S. bovis origin. This genomic admixture suggests an ancient hybridization event and subsequent backcrosses with the human-specific species, S. haematobium, before its introduction in Corsica. We also show that egg morphology (commonly used as a species diagnostic) does not allow for accurate hybrid identification while genetic tests do.
What part of the brain is involved in graphic design thinking in landscape architecture?
Authors: Tsai Yu-Ping , Hung Shih-Han , Huang Tsung-Ren , Sullivan William C. , Tang Shih-An , Chang Chun-Yen
Published: December 2021

Graphic design thinking is a key skill for landscape architects, but little is known about the links between the design process and brain activity. Based on Goel’s frontal lobe lateralization hypothesis (FLLH), we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brain activity of 24 designers engaging in four design processes—viewing, copy drawing, preliminary ideas, and refinement—during graphic design thinking. The captured scans produced evidence of dramatic differences between brain activity when copying an existing graphic and when engaging in graphic design thinking. The results confirm that designs involving more graphic design thinking exhibit significantly more activity in the left prefrontal cortex. These findings illuminate the design process and suggest the possibility of developing specific activities or exercises to promote graphic design thinking in landscape architecture.
Network science inspires novel tree shape statistics
Authors: Chindelevitch Leonid , Hayati Maryam , Poon Art F. Y. , Colijn Caroline
Published: December 2021

The shape of phylogenetic trees can be used to gain evolutionary insights. A tree’s shape specifies the connectivity of a tree, while its branch lengths reflect either the time or genetic distance between branching events; well-known measures of tree shape include the Colless and Sackin imbalance, which describe the asymmetry of a tree. In other contexts, network science has become an important paradigm for describing structural features of networks and using them to understand complex systems, ranging from protein interactions to social systems. Network science is thus a potential source of many novel ways to characterize tree shape, as trees are also networks. Here, we tailor tools from network science, including diameter, average path length, and betweenness, closeness, and eigenvector centrality, to summarize phylogenetic tree shapes. We thereby propose tree shape summaries that are complementary to both asymmetry and the frequencies of small configurations. These new statistics can be computed in linear time and scale well to describe the shapes of large trees. We apply these statistics, alongside some conventional tree statistics, to phylogenetic trees from three very different viruses (HIV, dengue fever and measles), from the same virus in different epidemiological scenarios (influenza A and HIV) and from simulation models known to produce trees with different shapes. Using mutual information and supervised learning algorithms, we find that the statistics adapted from network science perform as well as or better than conventional statistics. We describe their distributions and prove some basic results about their extreme values in a tree. We conclude that network science-based tree shape summaries are a promising addition to the toolkit of tree shape features. All our shape summaries, as well as functions to select the most discriminating ones for two sets of trees, are freely available as anRpackage athttp://github.com/Leonardini/treeCentrality.
Disease progression in patients with the restrictive and mixed phenotype of Chronic Lung Allograft dysfunction—A retrospective analysis in five European centers to assess the feasibility of a therapeutic trial
Authors: Gottlieb Jens , Verleden Geert M. , Perchl Michael , Valtin Christina , Vallee Alexander , Brugière Olivier , Bravo Carlos
Published: December 2021

Background

Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction (CLAD) is a major obstacle for long term survival after lung transplantation (LTx). Besides Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome, two other phenotypes of CLAD, restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS) and mixed phenotype, have been described. Trials to test in these conditions are desperately needed and analyzing natural outcome to plan such trials is essential.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of functional outcome in bilateral LTx recipients with RAS and mixed phenotype, transplanted between 2009 and 2018 in five large European centers with follow- up spirometry up to 12 months after diagnosis. Based on these data, sample size and power calculations for randomized therapeutic trial was estimated using two imputation methods for missing values.

Results

Seventy patients were included (39 RAS and 31 mixed phenotype), median 3.1 years after LTx when CLAD was diagnosed. Eight, 13 and 25 patients died within 6, 9 and 12 months after diagnosis and a two patients underwent re-transplantation within 12 months leading to a graft survival of 89, 79 and 61% six, nine and 12 months after diagnosis, respectively. Observed FEV1decline was 451 ml at 6 months and stabilized at 9 and 12 months, while FVC showed continuous decline. Using two methods of imputation, a progressive further decline after 6 months for FEV1 was noted.

Conclusion

The poor outcome of these two specific CLAD phenotypes suggests the urgent need for future therapeutic randomized trials. The number of missing values in a potential trial seems to be high and most frequently attributed to death. Survival may be used as an endpoint in clinical trials in these distinct phenotypes and imputation techniques are relevant if graft function is used as a surrogate of disease progression in future trials.
Temporal loudness weights: Primacy effects, loudness dominance and their interaction
Authors: Fischenich Alexander , Hots Jan , Verhey Jesko , Guldan Julia , Oberfeld Daniel
Published: December 2021

Loudness judgments of sounds varying in level across time show a non-uniform temporal weighting, with increased weights assigned to the beginning of the sound (primacy effect). In addition, higher weights are observed for temporal components that are higher in level than the remaining components (loudness dominance). In three experiments, sounds consisting of 100- or 475-ms Gaussian wideband noise segments with random level variations were presented and either none, the first, or a central temporal segment was amplified or attenuated. In Experiment 1, the sounds consisted of four 100-ms segments that were separated by 500-ms gaps. Previous experiments did not show a primacy effect in such a condition. In Experiment 2, four- or ten-100-ms-segment sounds without gaps between the segments were presented to examine the interaction between the primacy effect and level dominance. As expected, for the sounds with segments separated by gaps, no primacy effect was observed, but weights on amplified segments were increased and weights on attenuated segments were decreased. For the sounds with contiguous segments, a primacy effect as well as effects of relative level (similar to those in Experiment 1) were found. For attenuation, the data indicated no substantial interaction between the primacy effect and loudness dominance, whereas for amplification an interaction was present. In Experiment 3, sounds consisting of either four contiguous 100-ms or 475-ms segments, or four 100-ms segments separated by 500-ms gaps were presented. Effects of relative level were more pronounced for the contiguous sounds. Across all three experiments, the effects of relative level were more pronounced for attenuation. In addition, the effects of relative level showed a dependence on the position of the change in level, with opposite direction for attenuation compared to amplification. Some of the results are in accordance with explanations based on masking effects on auditory intensity resolution.
Supervised and unsupervised learning to classify scoliosis and healthy subjects based on non-invasive rasterstereography analysis
Authors: Colombo Tommaso , Mangone Massimiliano , Agostini Francesco , Bernetti Andrea , Paoloni Marco , Santilli Valter , Palagi Laura
Published: December 2021

The aim of our study was to classify scoliosis compared to to healthy patients using non-invasive surface acquisition via Video-raster-stereography, without prior knowledge of radiographic data. Data acquisitions were made using Rasterstereography; unsupervised learning was adopted for clustering and supervised learning was used for prediction model Support Vector Machine and Deep Network architectures were compared. A M-fold cross validation procedure was performed to evaluate the results. The accuracy and balanced accuracy of the best supervised model were close to 85%. Classification rates by class were measured using the confusion matrix, giving a low percentage of unclassified patients. Rasterstereography has turned out to be a good tool to distinguish subject with scoliosis from healthy patients limiting the exposure to unnecessary radiations.
Expression of Ki-67, Cornulin and ISG15 in non-involved mucosal surgical margins as predictive markers for relapse in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)
Authors: Govindaraj Padmanabha Kumar , Kallarakkal Thomas George , Mohd Zain Rosnah , Tilakaratne Wanninayake Mudiyanselage , Lew Huai Lin
Published: December 2021

Background

Local relapse of oral squamous cell carcinoma in non-involved mucosal surgical margins indicated possibility of field alteration in the margins, which could be predicted with certain biomarkers. The objectives were to evaluate the expression of Ki-67, Cornulin and ISG15 in non-involved mucosal surgical margins and the association of clinicopathological prognosticators with local relapse in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Surgical margins from the study (relapse) group (n = 23), control (non-relapse) group (n = 32) and normal oral mucosa (n = 5) were immunohistochemically stained using Ki-67, Cornulin and ISG15 antibodies. Association between expression of markers and clinicopathological prognosticators with local relapse in oral squamous cell carcinoma was analyzed statistically.

Results

The study group surgical margins demonstrated significantly decreased Cornulin expression (p = 0.032). Low Cornulin expression was significantly associated with local relapse (p = 0.004) and non-tongue primary tumor (p = 0.013). Although not significantly associated with local relapse, expression of Ki-67 was significantly reduced in female patients (p = 0.041). Age above 57.5 years, Chinese & Indian ethnicity, alcohol consumption, epithelial dysplasia in surgical margins, and type III and IV patterns of invasion of tumor were also significantly related to local relapse. Regression analysis showed low expression of Cornulin (p = 0.018), and increased patient’s age (p = 0.008) were predictors of local relapse in oral squamous cell carcinoma, with 34-fold risk and 18-fold risk, respectively. Expression of Ki-67 and ISG15 did not show significant association with local relapse in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusion

Low expression of Cornulin is an independent predictor of relapse in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Process evaluation of a pre-adolescent transdisciplinary health intervention for inter-generational outcomes
Authors: Arthur Keshni , Christofides Nicola , Nelson Gill
Published: December 2021

Background

The CIrCLE of Life Initiative was implemented to 537 grade 6 learners and their parents, in five Government-run South African primary schools. The transdisciplinary intervention was intended to increase knowledge and skills on HIV and obesity. The study aim was to assess and report on the implementation process.

Methods

Data was collected on an adapted Proctor’s taxonomy of implementation outcomes, and to assess participants’ experiences. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through educator logbooks, researcher observations, and learner-parent workbooks.

Results

Differentiations between the various school contexts were observed. The process evaluation revealed high learner penetration (97.2%), but lower learner and parent exposure (44.3% and 55.5%, respectively). All educators thought that the intervention was a fit for both rural and urban schools, different socio-economic groups, and people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The intervention was perceived to be sustainable, and there were recommendations for adoption into the school curriculum and scale-up if found to be effective.

Conclusion

The process evaluation facilitated the assessment of the implementation outcomes, described its processes, and acknowledged fundamental characteristics that could justify variability in the intervention impact and outcomes. The value of process evaluations and their benefit to the science of implementation were demonstrated.
Predicting online participation through Bayesian network analysis
Authors: Kopacheva Elizaveta
Published: December 2021

Despite the fact that preconditions of political participation were thoroughly examined before, there is still not enough understanding of which factors directly affect political participation and which factors correlate with participation due to common background variables. This article scrutinises the causal relations between the variables associated with participation in online activism and introduces a three-step approach in learning a reliable structure of the participation preconditions’ network to predict political participation. Using Bayesian network analysis and structural equation modeling to stabilise the structure of the causal relations, the analysis showed that only age, political interest, internal political efficacy and no other factors, highlighted by the previous political participation research, have direct effects on participation in online activism. Moreover, the direct effect of political interest is mediated by the indirect effects of internal political efficacy and age via political interest. After fitting the parameters of the Bayesian network dependent on the received structure, it became evident that given prior knowledge of the explanatory factors that proved to be most important in terms of direct effects, the predictive performance of the model increases significantly. Despite this fact, there is still uncertainty when it comes to predicting online participation. This result suggests that there remains a lot to be done in participation research when it comes to identifying and distinguishing factors that stimulate new types of political activities.
Effects of interactions between facial expressions and self-focused attention on emotion
Authors: Kobai Ryota , Murakami Hiroki
Published: December 2021

Self-focus is a type of cognitive processing that maintains negative emotions. Moreover, bodily feedback is also essential for maintaining emotions. This study investigated the effect of interactions between self-focused attention and facial expressions on emotions. The results indicated that control facial expression manipulation after self-focus reduced happiness scores. On the contrary, the smiling facial expression manipulation after self-focus increased happiness scores marginally. However, facial expressions did not affect positive emotions after the other-focus manipulation. These findings suggest that self-focus plays a pivotal role in facial expressions’ effect on positive emotions. However, self-focusing is insufficient for decreasing positive emotions, and the interaction between self-focus and facial expressions is crucial for developing positive emotions.