bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cortical cell assemblies and their underlying connectivity: An in silico study
Authors: Ecker András , Egas Santander Daniela , Bolaños-Puchet Sirio , Isbister James B. , Reimann Michael W.
Published: March 2024

Recent developments in experimental techniques have enabled simultaneous recordings from thousands of neurons, enabling the study of functional cell assemblies. However, determining the patterns of synaptic connectivity giving rise to these assemblies remains challenging. To address this, we developed a complementary, simulation-based approach, using a detailed, large-scale cortical network model. Using a combination of established methods we detected functional cell assemblies from the stimulus-evoked spiking activity of 186,665 neurons. We studied how the structure of synaptic connectivity underlies assembly composition, quantifying the effects of thalamic innervation, recurrent connectivity, and the spatial arrangement of synapses on dendrites. We determined that these features reduce up to 30%, 22%, and 10% of the uncertainty of a neuron belonging to an assembly. The detected assemblies were activated in a stimulus-specific sequence and were grouped based on their position in the sequence. We found that the different groups were affected to different degrees by the structural features we considered. Additionally, connectivity was more predictive of assembly membership if its direction aligned with the temporal order of assembly activation, if it originated from strongly interconnected populations, and if synapses clustered on dendritic branches. In summary, reversing Hebb’s postulate, we showed how cells that are wired together, fire together, quantifying how connectivity patterns interact to shape the emergence of assemblies. This includes a qualitative aspect of connectivity: not just the amount, but also the local structure matters; from the subcellular level in the form of dendritic clustering to the presence of specific network motifs.
Ecdysone-controlled nuclear receptor ERR regulates metabolic homeostasis in the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti
Authors: Geng Dan-Qian , Wang Xue-Li , Lyu Xiang-Yang , Raikhel Alexander S. , Zou Zhen
Published: March 2024

Hematophagous mosquitoes require vertebrate blood for their reproductive cycles, making them effective vectors for transmitting dangerous human diseases. Thus, high-intensity metabolism is needed to support reproductive events of female mosquitoes. However, the regulatory mechanism linking metabolism and reproduction in mosquitoes remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of estrogen-related receptor (ERR), a nuclear receptor, is activated by the direct binding of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and ecdysone receptor (EcR) to the ecdysone response element (EcRE) in the ERR promoter region during the gonadotropic cycle of Aedes aegypti (named AaERR). RNA interference (RNAi) of AaERR in female mosquitoes led to delayed development of ovaries. mRNA abundance of genes encoding key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism (CM)—glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) and pyruvate kinase (PYK)—was significantly decreased in AaERR knockdown mosquitoes, while the levels of metabolites, such as glycogen, glucose, and trehalose, were elevated. The expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) was notably downregulated, and lipid accumulation was reduced in response to AaERR depletion. Dual luciferase reporter assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) determined that AaERR directly activated the expression of metabolic genes, such as GPI, PYK, and FAS, by binding to the corresponding AaERR-responsive motif in the promoter region of these genes. Our results have revealed an important role of AaERR in the regulation of metabolism during mosquito reproduction and offer a novel target for mosquito control.
Efficacy and safety of therapeutic strategies for human brucellosis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Silva Sarah Nascimento , Cota Gláucia , Xavier Diego Mendes , de Souza Glaciele Maria , Souza Marina Rocha Fonseca , Gonçalves Moisés Willian Aparecido , Tuon Felipe Francisco , Galvão Endi Lanza
Published: March 2024

Background

Human brucellosis is a neglected, re-emerging, and endemic zoonosis in many countries. The debilitating and disabling potential of the disease is a warning about its morbidity, generating socioeconomic impact. This review aims to update the current evidence on the efficacy and safety of therapeutic options for human brucellosis using the network meta-analysis (NMA).

Methodology

A systematic search was conducted in four different databases by independent reviewers to assess overall therapy failure, adverse events, and time to defervescence associated with different therapies. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating any therapeutic drug intervention were selected, excluding non-original studies or studies related to localized forms of the disease or with less than 10 participants. Data were analyzed by frequentist statistics through NMA by random effects model. The risk of bias and certainty of evidence was assessed, this review was registered at PROSPERO.

Results

Thirty-one (31) RCTs involving 4167 patients were included. Three networks of evidence were identified to evaluate the outcomes of interest. Triple therapy with doxycycline + streptomycin + hydroxychloroquine for 42 days (RR: 0.08; CI 95% 0.01–0.76) had a lower failure risk than the doxycycline + streptomycin regimen. Doxycycline + rifampicin had a higher risk of failure than doxycycline + streptomycin (RR: 1.96; CI 95% 1.27–3.01). No significant difference was observed between the regimens when analyzing the incidence of adverse events and time to defervescence. In general, most studies had a high risk of bias, and the results had a very low certainty of evidence.

Conclusions

This review confirmed the superiority of drugs already indicated for treating human brucellosis, such as the combination of doxycycline and aminoglycosides. The association of hydroxychloroquine to the dual regimen was identified as a potential strategy to prevent overall therapy failure, which is subject to confirmation in future studies.
COVID-19 isolation and quarantine orders in Berlin-Reinickendorf (Germany): How many, how long and to whom?
Authors: Schumacher Jakob , Kühne Lisa , Brüssermann Sophia , Geisler Benjamin , Jäckle Sonja
Published: March 2024

Isolating COVID-19 cases and quarantining their close contacts can prevent COVID-19 transmissions but also inflict harm. We analysed isolation and quarantine orders by the local public health agency in Berlin-Reinickendorf (Germany) and their dependence on the recommendations by the Robert Koch Institute, the national public health institute. Between 3 March 2020 and 18 December 2021 the local public health agency ordered 24 603 isolations (9.2 per 100 inhabitants) and 45 014 quarantines (17 per 100 inhabitants) in a population of 266 123. The mean contacts per case was 1.9. More days of quarantine per 100 inhabitants were ordered for children than for adults: 4.1 for children aged 0-6, 5.2 for children aged 7-17, 0.9 for adults aged 18-64 and 0.3 for senior citizens aged 65-110. The mean duration for isolation orders was 10.2 and for quarantine orders 8.2 days. We calculated a delay of 4 days between contact and quarantine order. 3484 contact persons were in quarantine when they developed an infection. This represents 8% of all individuals in quarantine and 14% of those in isolation. Our study quantifies isolation and quarantine orders, shows that children had been ordered to quarantine more than adults and that there were fewer school days lost to isolation or quarantine as compared to school closures. Our results indicate that the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute had an influence on isolation and quarantine duration as well as contact identification and that the local public health agency was not able to provide rigorous contact tracing, as the mean number of contacts was lower than the mean number of contacts per person known from literature. Additionally, a considerable portion of the population underwent isolation or quarantine, with a notable number of cases emerging during the quarantine period.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards childhood tuberculosis among healthcare workers at two primary health facilities in Lusaka, Zambia
Authors: Kaumba Paul Chabala , Siameka Daniel , Kagujje Mary , Chungu Chalilwe , Nyangu Sarah , Sanjase Nsala , Maimbolwa Minyoi Mubita , Shuma Brian , Chilukutu Lophina , Muyoyeta Monde
Published: March 2024

Background

Zambia is among the 30 high-burden countries for tuberculosis (TB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-associated TB, and multi-drug resistant/rifampicin resistant TB with over 5000 children developing TB every year. However, at least 32% of the estimated children remain undiagnosed. We assessed healthcare workers’ (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards childhood TB and the factors associated with good KAP towards childhood TB.

Methods

Data was collected at two primary healthcare facilities in Lusaka, Zambia from July to August 2020. Structured questionnaires were administered to HCWs that were selected through stratified random sampling. Descriptive analysis was done to determine KAP. A maximum knowledge, attitude, and practice scores for a participant were 44, 10, and 8 points respectively. The categorization as either “poor” or “good” KAP was determined based on the mean/ median. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between participant characteristics and KAP at statistically significant level of 0.05%.

Results

Among the 237 respondents, majority were under 30 years old (63.7%) and were female (72.6%). Half of the participants (50.6%) were from the outpatient department (OPD) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic, 109 (46.0) had been working at the facility for less than 1 year, 134 (56.5%) reported no previous training in TB. The median/mean KAP scores were 28 (IQR 24.0–31.0), 7 (IQR = 6.0–8.0) and 5 points (SD = 1.9) respectively. Of the participants, 43.5% (103/237) had good knowledge, 48.1% (114/237) had a good attitude, and 54.4% (129/237) had good practice scores on childhood TB. In the multivariate analysis, clinical officers and individuals with 1–5 years’ work experience at the facility had higher odds, 2.61 (95% CI = 1.18–5.80, p = 0.018) and 3.09 (95% CI = 1.69–5.65, p = 0.001) of having good attitude respectively, and medical doctors had 0.17 lower odds (95% CI = 0.18–5.80, p = 0.018) of good childhood TB practice. Other participant characteristics didn’t show a significant association with the scores.

Conclusion

The study found suboptimal levels of knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding childhood TB among HCWs. Targeted programmatic support needs to be provided to address the above gaps.
No relations between executive functions and dimensional models of psychopathology or is time the missing link?
Authors: Feijs Hanneke M. E. , van Aken Loes , van der Veld William M. , van der Heijden Paul T. , Egger Jos I. M.
Published: March 2024

Impaired executive functions (EF) have been found within various mental disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorders) as described in DSM-5. However, although impaired EF has been observed within several categories of mental disorders, empirical research on direct relations between EF and broader dimension of psychopathology is still scarce. Therefore, in the current investigation we examined relations between three EF performance tasks and self-reported dimensions of psychopathology (i.e., the internalizing, externalizing, and thought disorder spectra) in a combined dataset of patients with a broad range of mental disorders (N = 440). Despite previously reported results that indicate impaired EF in several categories of mental disorders, in this study no direct relations were found between EF performance tasks and self-reported broader dimensions of psychopathology. These results indicate that relations between EF and psychopathology could be more complex and non-linear in nature. We evaluate the need for integration of EF and dimensional models of psychopathology and reflect on EF as a possible transdiagnostic factor of psychopathology.
Two–Dimensional and Doppler trans-thoracic echocardiographic patterns of suspected pediatric heart diseases at Tibebe-—Ghion specialized Teaching Hospital and Adinas General Hospital, Bahir Dar, North-west Ethiopia:–An experience from an LMIC
Authors: Gelaw Tesfaye Taye , Yehuala Amare Aschalew , Mengste Senay Zerihun , Yimer Yalemwork Anteneh , Engida Habtamu Bayih , Alem Abiot Tefera
Published: March 2024

Background

Transthoracic Echocardiography is the first-line, non-invasive, and accessible imaging modality to evaluate heart disease anatomy, physiology, and hemodynamics. We aim to describe the trans-thoracic echocardiography pattern of pediatric heart diseases and reasons for referral in children referred to Bahir Dar University Tibebe–Ghion Hospital and Adinas General Hospital.

Method

A descriptive cross-sectional study of the archived Transthoracic, Two Dimensional, and Doppler Echocardiography assessments of children from birth to fifteen years of age performed between June 2019 to May 2023 was done. Data were collected retrospectively from February 01, 2023 –May 31, 2023. Categorical variables like gender, referral reasons for echocardiography, and patterns of pediatric heart lesions were analyzed in the form of proportions and presented in tables and figures. Discrete variables including age were summarized as means (SD) and medians(IQR).

Results

Out of 3,647 Children enrolled; 1,917 (52.6%) were males and 1,730 (47.4%) were females. The median (IQR) age of children enrolled was 24 months (5 to 96). Cardiac murmur (33%) was the most common reason for echocardiography followed by, Respiratory Distress (18%), Syndromic Child (15%), easy fatigability/ Diaphoresis (14.3%), congestive heart failure (14%), and rheumatic fever (13.2%). Congenital heart defect (CHD) accounts for 70% of all heart diseases, followed by rheumatic heart disease (21%). Isolated ventricular septal defect(VSD) was the most common CHD (21%) followed by isolated Patent ductus arteriosus (15%), isolated atrial septal defect (10%), Isolated atrioventricular septal defect (6%) and isolated pulmonary stenosis (5%). Cyanotic CHD accounts for 11.5% of all heart diseases. Tetralogy of Fallot (30%), d-TGA (20%), and double outlet right ventricle (19%) were the most common cyanotic CHDs.

Conclusions

In our study, congenital heart lesions are the most common diagnosis and cardiac murmurs are the most common presenting reasons for echocardiography evaluation.
Prognostic risk models for incident hypertension: A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Schjerven Filip Emil , Lindseth Frank , Steinsland Ingelin
Published: March 2024

Objective

Our goal was to review the available literature on prognostic risk prediction for incident hypertension, synthesize performance, and provide suggestions for future work on the topic.

Methods

A systematic search on PUBMED and Web of Science databases was conducted for studies on prognostic risk prediction models for incident hypertension in generally healthy individuals. Study-quality was assessed using the Prediction model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) checklist. Three-level meta-analyses were used to obtain pooled AUC/C-statistic estimates. Heterogeneity was explored using study and cohort characteristics in meta-regressions.

Results

From 5090 hits, we found 53 eligible studies, and included 47 in meta-analyses. Only four studies were assessed to have results with low risk of bias. Few models had been externally validated, with only the Framingham risk model validated more than thrice.

The pooled AUC/C-statistics were 0.82 (0.77–0.86) for machine learning models and 0.78 (0.76–0.80) for traditional models, with high heterogeneity in both groups (I2 > 99%). Intra-class correlations within studies were 60% and 90%, respectively. Follow-up time (P = 0.0405) was significant for ML models and age (P = 0.0271) for traditional models in explaining heterogeneity. Validations of the Framingham risk model had high heterogeneity (I2 > 99%).

Conclusion

Overall, the quality of included studies was assessed as poor. AUC/C-statistic were mostly acceptable or good, and higher for ML models than traditional models. High heterogeneity implies large variability in the performance of new risk models. Further, large heterogeneity in validations of the Framingham risk model indicate variability in model performance on new populations.

To enable researchers to assess hypertension risk models, we encourage adherence to existing guidelines for reporting and developing risk models, specifically reporting appropriate performance measures. Further, we recommend a stronger focus on validation of models by considering reasonable baseline models and performing external validations of existing models. Hence, developed risk models must be made available for external researchers.
Development and validation of the Informal Supporter Readiness Inventory (ISRI)
Authors: Davies Ryan L. , Rice Kylie , Rock Adam J.
Published: March 2024

Objective

This article outlines the development and validation of the Informal Supporter Readiness Inventory (ISRI), based on the model developed by the present authors in (Davies, 2023). This scale assesses the readiness of informal supporters to intervene or provide support in situations of intimate partner violence (IPV).

Methods

The research followed a three-phased procedure of item development, scale development, and scale evaluation; adhering to best practice guidelines for psychometric development and validation. This process provided empirical substantiation for the domains of the Model of Informal Supporter Readiness (Davies, 2023).

Results

The 57-item ISRI incorporates four primary factors: normative, individual, goodman-emotional, and situational-assessment. These factors demonstrated robust internal consistency and factor structures. Additionally, the ISRI evidenced strong test-retest reliability, and both convergent and divergent validity. Although aligning closely with the Model of Informal Supporter Readiness, the scale revealed a nuanced bifurcation of situational factors into situational-emotional and situational-assessment.

Discussion

The ISRI offers an important advancement in IPV research by highlighting the multifaceted nature of informal supporter intervention. The findings have several implications, from tailoring individualised supportive interventions to strengthening support networks and empowering survivors. The present study’s findings underscore the potential of adopting a social network-oriented approach to interventions in IPV scenarios. Applications for research and practice are discussed.
Sound symbolism in Japanese names: Machine learning approaches to gender classification
Authors: Ngai Chun Hau , Kilpatrick Alexander J. , Ćwiek Aleksandra
Published: March 2024

This study investigates the sound symbolic expressions of gender in Japanese names with machine learning algorithms. The main goal of this study is to explore how gender is expressed in the phonemes that make up Japanese names and whether systematic sound-meaning mappings, observed in Indo-European languages, extend to Japanese. In addition to this, this study compares the performance of machine learning algorithms. Random Forest and XGBoost algorithms are trained using the sounds of names and the typical gender of the referents as the dependent variable. Each algorithm is cross-validated using k-fold cross-validation (28 folds) and tested on samples not included in the training cycle. Both algorithms are shown to be reasonably accurate at classifying names into gender categories; however, the XGBoost model performs significantly better than the Random Forest algorithm. Feature importance scores reveal that certain sounds carry gender information. Namely, the voiced bilabial nasal /m/ and voiceless velar consonant /k/ were associated with femininity, and the high front vowel /i/ were associated with masculinity. The association observed for /i/ and /k/ stand contrary to typical patterns found in other languages, suggesting that Japanese is unique in the sound symbolic expression of gender. This study highlights the importance of considering cultural and linguistic nuances in sound symbolism research and underscores the advantage of XGBoost in capturing complex relationships within the data for improved classification accuracy. These findings contribute to the understanding of sound symbolism and gender associations in language.
MENet: A Mitscherlich function based ensemble of CNN models to classify lung cancer using CT scans
Authors: Majumder Surya , Gautam Nandita , Basu Abhishek , Sau Arup , Geem Zong Woo , Sarkar Ram
Published: March 2024

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. To reduce the mortality rate, early detection and proper treatment should be ensured. Computer-aided diagnosis methods analyze different modalities of medical images to increase diagnostic precision. In this paper, we propose an ensemble model, called the Mitscherlich function-based Ensemble Network (MENet), which combines the prediction probabilities obtained from three deep learning models, namely Xception, InceptionResNetV2, and MobileNetV2, to improve the accuracy of a lung cancer prediction model. The ensemble approach is based on the Mitscherlich function, which produces a fuzzy rank to combine the outputs of the said base classifiers. The proposed method is trained and tested on the two publicly available lung cancer datasets, namely Iraq-Oncology Teaching Hospital/National Center for Cancer Diseases (IQ-OTH/NCCD) and LIDC-IDRI, both of these are computed tomography (CT) scan datasets. The obtained results in terms of some standard metrics show that the proposed method performs better than state-of-the-art methods. The codes for the proposed work are available at https://github.com/SuryaMajumder/MENet.
A quantitative analysis of Final Palaeolithic/earliest Mesolithic cultural taxonomy and evolution in Europe
Authors: Riede Felix , Matzig David N. , Biard Miguel , Crombé Philippe , de Pablo Javier Fernández-Lopéz , Fontana Federica , Groß Daniel , Hess Thomas , Langlais Mathieu , Mevel Ludovic , Mills William , Moník Martin , Naudinot Nicolas , Posch Caroline , Rimkus Tomas , Stefański Damian , Vandendriessche Hans , Hussain Shumon T.
Published: March 2024

Archaeological systematics, together with spatial and chronological information, are commonly used to infer cultural evolutionary dynamics in the past. For the study of the Palaeolithic, and particularly the European Final Palaeolithic and earliest Mesolithic, proposed changes in material culture are often interpreted as reflecting historical processes, migration, or cultural adaptation to climate change and resource availability. Yet, cultural taxonomic practice is known to be variable across research history and academic traditions, and few large-scale replicable analyses across such traditions have been undertaken. Drawing on recent developments in computational archaeology, we here present a data-driven assessment of the existing Final Palaeolithic/earliest Mesolithic cultural taxonomy in Europe. Our dataset consists of a large expert-sourced compendium of key sites, lithic toolkit composition, blade and bladelet production technology, as well as lithic armatures. The dataset comprises 16 regions and 86 individually named archaeological taxa (‘cultures’), covering the period between ca. 15,000 and 11,000 years ago (cal BP). Using these data, we use geometric morphometric and multivariate statistical techniques to explore to what extent the dynamics observed in different lithic data domains (toolkits, technologies, armature shapes) correspond to each other and to the culture-historical relations of taxonomic units implied by traditional naming practice. Our analyses support the widespread conception that some dimensions of material culture became more diverse towards the end of the Pleistocene and the very beginning of the Holocene. At the same time, cultural taxonomic unit coherence and efficacy appear variable, leading us to explore potential biases introduced by regional research traditions, inter-analyst variation, and the role of disjunct macroevolutionary processes. In discussing the implications of these findings for narratives of cultural change and diversification across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, we emphasize the increasing need for cooperative research and systematic archaeological analyses that reach across research traditions.
Computationally inferred cell-type specific epigenome-wide DNA methylation analysis unveils distinct methylation patterns among immune cells for HIV infection in three cohorts
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Hu Ying , Vandenhoudt Ral E. , Yan Chunhua , Marconi Vincent C. , Cohen Mardge H. , Wang Zuoheng , Justice Amy C. , Aouizerat Bradley E. , Xu Ke
Published: March 2024

Background

Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have identified CpG sites associated with HIV infection in blood cells in bulk, which offer limited knowledge of cell-type specific methylation patterns associated with HIV infection. In this study, we aim to identify differentially methylated CpG sites for HIV infection in immune cell types: CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, B cells, Natural Killer (NK) cells, and monocytes.

Methods

Applying a computational deconvolution method, we performed a cell-type based EWAS for HIV infection in three independent cohorts (Ntotal = 1,382). DNA methylation in blood or in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was profiled by an array-based method and then deconvoluted by Tensor Composition Analysis (TCA). The TCA-computed CpG methylation in each cell type was first benchmarked by bisulfite DNA methylation capture sequencing in a subset of the samples. Cell-type EWAS of HIV infection was performed in each cohort separately and a meta-EWAS was conducted followed by gene set enrichment analysis.

Results

The meta-analysis unveiled a total of 2,021 cell-type unique significant CpG sites for five inferred cell types. Among these inferred cell-type unique CpG sites, the concordance rate in the three cohorts ranged from 96% to 100% in each cell type. Cell-type level meta-EWAS unveiled distinct patterns of HIV-associated differential CpG methylation, where 74% of CpG sites were unique to individual cell types (false discovery rate, FDR <0.05). CD4+ T-cells had the largest number of unique HIV-associated CpG sites (N = 1,624) compared to any other cell type. Genes harboring significant CpG sites are involved in immunity and HIV pathogenesis (e.g. CD4+ T-cells: NLRC5, CX3CR1, B cells: IFI44L, NK cells: IL12R, monocytes: IRF7), and in oncogenesis (e.g. CD4+ T-cells: BCL family, PRDM16, monocytes: PRDM16, PDCD1LG2). HIV-associated CpG sites were enriched among genes involved in HIV pathogenesis and oncogenesis that were enriched among interferon-α and -γ, TNF-α, inflammatory response, and apoptotic pathways.

Conclusion

Our findings uncovered computationally inferred cell-type specific modifications in the host epigenome for people with HIV that contribute to the growing body of evidence regarding HIV pathogenesis.
DESESTABILIZAÇÃO DA CONFIGURAÇÃO ESPORTIVA CONTEMPORÂNEA RELACIONADA À PARTICIPAÇÃO DE ATLETAS TRANSGÊNERO
Authors: Mariante Neto Flávio Py , Pacheco Ariane Corrêa , Gaio Adrielle Chiesa , Vasques Daniel Giordani
Published: March 2024

O surgimento das discussões em torno da atleta Tifanny abriu possibilidades de pesquisas. A partir da teoria sociológica de Norbert Elias, o artigo tem o objetivo de analisar a configuração que permite a atuação e permanência de uma atleta transgênero no esporte. Para tanto, foi realizada uma análise de documentos vinculados à regulamentação do voleibol, as tramitações no Congresso Nacional referentes à normatização da participação de atletas trans no esporte e dados estatísticos que respondem ao desempenho esportivo da atleta nos campeonatos que disputou. A partir desses elementos, foram elencadas três categorias: O Estado e as instituições esportivas; ciência e tecnologia na interdependência de corpos generificados; e a antiviolência almejada para o esporte e a performance como elemento de permanência. Entendemos que a reverberação das discussões sobre atletas transgênero no esporte é um importante elemento contemporâneo que deve ser levado em consideração para o entendimento da configuração esportiva.
JOANA E SOFIA RESISTEM ÀS NORMAS DE GÊNERO
Authors: Da Silva Vieira Anália , Araújo de Oliveira Danilo
Published: March 2024

Este artigo analisa dois livros de literatura infantil - Faca sem ponta, galinha sem pé, de Ruth Rocha e Sofia Pimenta, Futura Presidenta de Andrea Beaty, com o objetivo de problematizar como funciona as narrativas desses livros de literatura no que se refere às suas produções generificadas, procurando dar foco às resistências neles visibilizadas através das personagens principais. Com base nas contribuições pós-críticas, o artigo se fundamentou na concepção de currículo cultural não escolar, mobilizando metodologicamente inspirações de análise do discurso foucaultiana. O argumento desenvolvido aqui é o de que as narrativas do currículo dos livros analisados colocam em evidência personagens femininas que tensionam as normas de gênero, fazendo emergir saberes de resistência para criação de possíveis outros no mundo imaginário, mas que têm efeitos naquilo que chamamos realidade, pois disputam sentidos e significados sobre ele.
PRODUÇÃO DE MASCULINIDADES E FUTEBOLISTAS
Authors: Spaggiari Enrico
Published: March 2024

A trajetória de sucesso de jogadores profissionais homens alimenta diferentes dimensões da vida cotidiana de crianças e jovens que projetam carreiras no futebol profissional, inclusive como referências de masculinidade. O futebol de várzea, enquanto contexto dominado por homens e valores tidos como masculinos, promove desigualdades e condições assimétricas de acesso à prática futebolística a depender do gênero em questão. Nesse sentido, com base em uma pesquisa etnográfica realizada no contexto varzeano de Guaianases, mais especificamente na escolinha de futebol do Grêmio Botafogo F.C., problematizo a concepções de aprendizado e de masculinidades que envolvem o processo de produção de jovens futebolistas. Imersa em uma paisagem varzeana constituída majoritariamente de homens e masculinidades, a escolinha de futebol colaborava para a construção de percepções generificadas sobre o aprender a jogar futebol.
PRODUÇÕES E SABERES SOBRE GÊNERO E SEXUALIDADE NA FORMAÇÃO INICIAL
Authors: Bezerra de Souza Matheus , Novais Sousa Sandra
Published: March 2024

O artigo objetiva analisar como as questões de gênero e sexualidade são tratadas na formação inicial em Educação Física, com foco, sobretudo, nas atividades desenvolvidas no contexto do Programa de Educação Tutorial (PET). Como procedimentos metodológicos, foram utilizados: pesquisa bibliográfica, a partir de autores que discutem as questões de gênero e sexualidade, e análise documental, tendo como fontes o Projeto Pedagógico de Curso (PPC) de um curso de graduação em Educação Física, relatórios do Programa de Educação Tutorial (PET), Planejamentos Anuais e Relatórios de Atividades divulgados na página oficial da Pró-Reitora de Graduação (Prograd). Como resultados, aponta-se que somente duas disciplinas obrigatórias incluem esta temática em suas ementas; e, dentre as 157 atividades desenvolvidas pelo Grupo PET Educação Física, nenhuma abordou questões de sexualidade, e apenas uma envolveu discussões sobre gênero. Conclui-se que é possível observar o silenciamento das discussões sobre gênero e sexualidade no curso de Educação Física analisado.
ENTRE O SILÊNCIO E A FALA
Authors: Bandeira Gustavo Andrada
Published: March 2024

O futebol de espetáculo jogado por homens é um espaço de produção e circulação de masculinidades cisheteronormativas. Ao mesmo tempo, nesse ambiente também conseguimos visualizar formas de resistência contra esse modelo normativo. Essas formas de resistência vêm ganhando visibilidade, especialmente a partir da década de 2010. Neste ensaio, a partir da mudança das manifestações dos ex-atletas Richarlyson e Émerson Ferreti, que em reportagem de 2013 da Revista Placar não afirmavam suas sexualidades não heteronormativas, e que revelaram ser, respectivamente, bissexual e homossexual  no podcast Nos armários dos vestiários, em 2022, mais do que procurar problematizar suas narrativas sobre suas sexualidades, tento realizar alguns apontamentos sobre os movimentos ocorridos no que podemos chamar de “cultura futebolística” nessa quase década que separam as duas manifestações.
ENTREVISTA COM BERNARDO GONZALES
Authors: Goellner Silvana Villodre , Santos Silva Andre Luiz dos , Jaeger Angelita Alice
Published: March 2024

Entrevista com Bernardo Gonzales
Taxonomical and distributional considerations for the Artibeus species (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from the Tres Marias Islands, Mexico
Authors: L. López-Cuamatzi Issachar , MacSwiney G. M. Cristina , Milena Ospina-Garcés Sandra , Ortega Jorge
Published: March 2024

The controversial taxonomy of the Artibeus lituratus-intermedius complex and the lack of genetic studies in the Artibeus specimens reported in the Tres Marias Islands (TMI) have caused the taxonomic identity of these specimens to remain ambiguous. During an expedition carried out in May 2022, we captured four specimens of Artibeus in the Maria Madre and Maria Cleophas islands. The specimens were assigned by external morphological characters and traditional morphometrics, and were compared with the data available in the taxonomic descriptions of A. lituratus and A. intermedius. Additionally, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of cytochrome b sequences. Our genetic data suggest that the Artibeus populations are a lineage of the Artibeus lituratus-intermedius complex. In addition, the morphometric data suggest the presence of two morphotypes that, according to the literature, would correspond to A. lituratus palmarum and A. intermedius koopmani. With these results, we propose that both species of Artibeus are present and therefore the bat community of TMI is composed of ten species. However, future more detailed genetic studies are needed to elucidate the true taxonomic diversity of the archipelago.
Impacto de las propiedades superficiales de una cubierta sobre el desempeño térmico interior. Análisis descriptivo sobre un local comercial de gran superficie en tres ciudades colombianas
Authors: Tabares Juan-Esteban , Arango-Díaz Lucas
Published: March 2024

Las propiedades superficiales de la envolvente arquitectónica son importantes a la hora de definir las estrategias del enfriamiento pasivo y del desempeño térmico en ambientes interiores. Para identificar su impacto, se investigaron metodologías que permitieran medir el desempeño térmico de las envolventes arquitectónicas en la región tropical. La transmitancia y la resistencia térmica de los materiales empleados son los parámetros más comunes para evaluar el desempeño térmico de estas; asimismo, son indicadores recomendados por la normatividad vigente en Colombia para mejorar dicho desempeño en el diseño de edificaciones con alta eficiencia energética. Sin embargo, propiedades superficiales como la emitancia(ε) y la absortancia (α) de las envolventes expuestas a diversos factores climáticos han adquirido relevancia en la evaluación del desempeño térmico interior por su impacto en la temperatura de la superficie interna de la cubierta y, por consiguiente, en la temperatura media radiante al interior del edificio. Se hallaron métodos que se pueden aplicar en la evaluación del desempeño térmico sobre un modelo hipotético, parametrizando propiedades superficiales en cuatro tipos de cubierta. Los indicadores empleados, bajo la metodología del índice de desempeño térmico (TPI) y el análisis de grados/hora (°C/h) se implementaron en tres zonas climáticas de Colombia para simular el desempeño térmico. Los resultados se exponen en tablas y gráficos de dispersión que comparan, entre varias ciudades, la temperatura superficial de cubiertas con emitancia (ε) 0.3 y (ε) 0.9 en varios niveles de absortancia (α). Se observa que la asignación de valores a estas propiedades, en la incorporación de estrategias de enfriamiento pasivo, no debería generalizarse en un contexto que se caracteriza por su diversidad climática, como lo es el de nuestra región.
El HEnsA20 y su contexto: una mirada al programa nacional francés de investigación sobre la historia de la enseñanza de la arquitectura durante el siglo XX
Authors: Ávila-Gómez Andrés
Published: March 2024

Además de constituir un tema de actualidad en el medio académico francés, la historia de la enseñanza de la arquitectura ha adquirido un papel fundamental en el debate cotidiano que, sobre el presente y el futuro de la disciplina, tiene lugar en las escuelas de arquitectura donde se forman los futuros profesionales. Como cuna del modelo de enseñanza beauxartiano implementado durante los siglos XIX y XX a una escala transnacional, la institucionalidad francesa representa un caso de estudio necesario para entender las transformaciones que dicha enseñanza ha presentado en las facultades y escuelas de arquitectura en varias regiones del mundo. El presente texto expone el contexto y una síntesis de los principales componentes del programa HEnsA20: Histoire de l’Enseignement de l’Architecture au 20e siècle, el proyecto nacional más ambicioso implementado en Francia para estudiar en profundidad este aspecto de la historia de la arquitectura. Partiendo del análisis de las más recientes investigaciones desarrolladas y divulgadas de diversas formas (exposiciones, tesis doctorales, etc.) en el seno del medio universitario francés, se propone un acercamiento a este proyecto, verdadero modelo que amerita un análisis minucioso.
Reflexiones en torno a la enseñanza de la arquitectura y el urbanismo en Colombia. Conversaciones con Lorenzo Fonseca Martínez, Carlos Niño Murcia y Fernando Viviescas Monsalve
Authors: Ávila-Gómez Andrés , Vélez Santamaría David
Published: March 2024

Las entrevistas que componen esta tercera serie tienen en común elementos que refuerzan la idea del influjo diferido que tuvo Mayo del 68 a través de dinámicas y actores que aún no han sido plenamente reconocidos por la historiografía nacional en la enseñanza de la arquitectura en Colombia. El testimonio de los arquitectos Lorenzo Fonseca, Carlos Niño y Fernando Viviescas señala la importancia creciente, otorgada durante los años 70 por las escuelas colombianas de arquitectura, a los títulos obtenidos en Europa y Estados Unidos por aquellos jóvenes profesionales ilusionados con seguir una carrera como docentes e investigadores. Si bien en las décadas siguientes esta realidad se convirtió en una exigencia para ejercer la docencia, es pertinente la mirada que otorga una perspectiva sociológica a estos fenómenos ocurridos durante el último cuarto de siglo en Colombia.
The Letter Rack
Authors: Corbo Stefano
Published: March 2024

Letter Rack is a speculative exercise on the role of drawing in envisioning new urban relations. Letter Rack envisions the contemporary city as a melancholic assemblage of forms. In its making, it combines analogic references to Art History, parametric processes of form generation, and artificial intelligence.
Análisis de la eficiencia del mercado de acciones chileno
Authors: Gutierrez Ponce Herenia , Garrido Suazo Marcelo
Published: March 2024

El objetivo del presente trabajo es medir el grado de eficiencia del mercado bursátil chileno en el período 2001-2018. Se utiliza la metodología de estudio de eventos (event studies) para comprobar la eficiencia en forma semifuerte del mercado de acciones en Chile, por medio de anuncios de adquisiciones y de fusiones realizados por las empresas componentes del Índice de Precios Selectivo de Acciones (IPSA), de la Bolsa de Comercio de Santiago de Chile. Dicha metodología es la apropiada para medir este tipo de eficiencia. Específicamente, se usan datos diarios y se aplica el modelo de mercado como modelo generador de retornos. Los resultados muestran que el mercado de acciones no se comporta de manera eficiente en forma semifuerte en ese período.
Efecto de la liberación comercial sobre el mercado de trabajo y la pobreza en el sector de las confecciones en Colombia
Authors: Prieto Bustos William Orlando , Molina Domínguez Juliana , Riaño Viatela Daniel
Published: March 2024

En 1974 se firmó el Acuerdo Multifibras con el objeto de facilitar el tránsito bilateral de confecciones. Bajo las reglas de la Organización Mundial del Comercio, el Acuerdo Multifibras fue reemplazado por un acuerdo de textiles y confecciones en 1995, con un horizonte temporal de 10 años, según el cual a 2005 la eliminación de barreras al comercio internacional para el sector de confecciones entraría en completa vigencia. Sin embargo, la permanencia de restricciones sobre el comercio proveniente de China no permitió la liberación completa del mercado, sino hasta 2009. De manera coincidente, el mercado internacional de las confecciones experimentó la entrada de China y la contracción de la demanda internacional producto de la crisis económica de 2008. Desde una interpretación teórica, y utilizando un estimador pre-pos y un estimador de diferencias en diferencias, el documento realiza una evaluación de impacto de las perturbaciones en el mercado internacional sobre la pobreza, el empleo, las horas trabajadas y el impacto en el número de trabajadores por cuenta propia en el sector de las confecciones en Colombia. Los resultados indican que la mayor competencia en el mercado internacional condujo a un ajuste con reducción en la ocupación, aumento de la pobreza, incrementos en la proporción de empleo por cuenta propia y pauperización de la calidad del empleo.
Brechas de género y gobernanzas criminales del narcotráfico en Latinoamérica
Authors: Wilches Jaime , Rivera Ortega Daniela , Guerrero Sierra Hugo Fernando , Villarreal Román
Published: March 2024

Para las mujeres latinoamericanas, la inequidad y exclusión en el acceso al mercado laboral ha permitido que el narcotráfico se convierta en un proveedor ilegal, pero legítimo, de empleo. El objetivo del artículo es identificar la incidencia de los roles femeninos en la economía del narcotráfico. La metodología, de enfoque cualitativo y explicativa, toma como instrumento de recolección de datos la etnografía digital para sistematizar cincuenta informes que reportan estas dinámicas laborales en Latinoamérica. Los resultados evidencian que en cinco países, a pesar de mantenerse la instrumentalización como proveedoras de servicios sexuales, los roles femeninos se han reconfigurado con trabajos profesionales y de mayor riesgo en las cadenas logísticas del negocio, aunque esto también implique que estén más expuestas que los hombres en el momento de asumir procesos penales y recibir castigos que simulen la efectividad del sistema judicial. La discusión plantea cómo el narcotráfico ha consolidado un modelo de gobernanza criminal que reproduce brechas de género, en contextos mediados por democracias precarias, permisividad de políticas económicas e institucionales, y fragilidad de sectores estatales y empresariales.
Medical textile implants: hybrid fibrous constructions towards improved performances
Authors: Zidi Malèke , Khoffi Foued , Girault Elise , Eidenschenk Antoinette , Barbet Romain , Tazibt Abdel , Heim Fréderic , Msahli Slah
Published: March 2024

Objectives

One main challenge for textile implants is to limit the foreign body reaction (FBR) and in particular the fibrosis development once the device is implanted. Fibrotic tissue in-growth depends on the fiber size, the pore size, and the organization of the fibrous construction. Basically, non-woven fibrous assemblies present a more favorable interface to biological tissues than do woven structures. However, they are mechanically less strong. In order to combine both strength and appropriate topography properties, the design of a hybrid fibrous construct was considered and discussed in this work.

Methods

Two polyethylene terephthalate (PET) weaves (satin and plain) were assembled with a non-woven PET mat, using an ultrasound welding process.

Results

The physical and mechanical properties of the construction as well as its ability to interact with the biological environment were then evaluated. In particular, the wettability of the obtained substrate as well as its ability to interact with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) at 24 h (adhesion) and 72 h (proliferation) in vitro were studied.

Conclusions

The results show that the non-woven layer helps limiting cell proliferation in the plain weave construction and promotes conversely proliferation in the satin construction.
Design of a new sorting colors system based on PLC, TIA portal, and factory I/O programs
Authors: Alaameri Karrar J. , Ramadhan Ali J. , Fatlawi Ahmed , Idan Zainab S.
Published: March 2024

In the recent industry field, automation has become the most important role in production processes to improve efficiency, increase production, and reduce workers. Sorting the products based on their color is a common task in the industries, but using manual sorting may take a longer time and human error may occur, especially if the production quantities are very large. To contribute to improving the quality and speed of production, we have proposed a new system to automatically separate products based on their color. This article presents a new system for identifying and separating industrial products based on their colors. The implemented system consists of three sensors used to detect the colors of the products, four chutes, and two conveyor belts designed to guide objects along the manufacturing path, and three push mechanisms to place objects in their designated places. The system includes an emergency interface, a reset interface, a stop interface, as well as communication using the PN (PROFINET Process Field Net) protocol, a programmable logic controller, and a 1511-1 central processing unit. This system has been precisely programmed and simulated using FACTORY I/O software and TIA PORTAL software to control and monitor the system effectively. The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system also includes a Human–Machine Interface user interface for maximum control. The performance of this system was tested by sorting 250 objects of different colors. These tests resulted in the successful separation of a total of 85 blue objects, 89 green objects, and 86 gray (metallic) objects within a time period of 20 min. This system shows wide applicability in various industries including diamond mining, recycling, and grain manufacturing sectors.
Rassismus verklagen? Chancen und Grenzen strategischer Klagen gegen rassistische Diskriminierung
Authors: Bartsch Samera , Beckmann Lea
Published: March 2024

Im Kampf gegen Rassismus in Deutschland bieten auch Recht und Gesetze Möglichkeiten zur Intervention. Dieser Beitrag untersucht das Potenzial antirassistischer Klagen anhand von drei Beispielfällen. Es wird aufgezeigt, dass Klagen gegen ‚Racial Profiling‘ das rechtliche Verständnis von Rassismus geschärft haben. Demgegenüber veranschaulicht ein Fall von Rassismus auf dem Wohnungsmarkt die Hürden der Inanspruchnahme rechtlicher Möglichkeiten. Anschließend wird gezeigt, dass Kooperationen zwischen individuellen Kläger*innen und antirassistischen Initiativen eine gesteigerte gesellschaftliche Aufmerksamkeit hervorbringen können. Zum Schluss diskutiert der Beitrag die Befunde und formuliert auch über die Beispiele hinausgehende Chancen und Grenzen von strategischen Klagen gegen rassistische Diskriminierung.
The role of syntax in hashtag popularity
Authors: Wan Ming Feng
Published: March 2024

Research on hashtag popularity presumes hashtag popularity to be correlated with its semantics and lexical clarity, and the popularity of its topic. However, within a single event, hashtags of identical stances can have contrasting popularity; one may attribute this to the assumption that a certain type of hashtag is preferred, but hashtags of identical syntactic format can also have contradictory popularity across events. We theorize that a hashtag’s popularity is heavily impacted by whether there are preexisting popular hashtags of similar syntactic format within the language.