bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of measles during the COVID-19 pandemic, a description of the surveillance data, 29 EU/EEA countries and the United Kingdom, January to May 2020
Authors: Nicolay Nathalie , Mirinaviciute Grazina , Mollet Thomas , Celentano Lucia Pastore , Bacci Sabrina
Published: August 2020

The number of measles cases declined in European Union/European Economic Area countries and the United Kingdom in 2020. Reported cases to The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control decreased from 710 to 54 between January and May. Epidemic intelligence screening observed a similar trend. Under-diagnoses and under-reporting during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic should be ruled out before concluding reduced measles circulation is because of social distancing and any community control measures taken to control COVID-19.
Self-reported perception of a Dedicated research semester in Pharmacy curriculum in enhancing research competencies
Authors:   Institute for Research, Development & Innnovation, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tan Eng Lai , Gan Sook Yee ,   Institute for Research, Development & Innnovation, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lim Wei Meng ,   Institute for Research, Development & Innnovation, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Pook Peter C. K. ,   Institute for Research, Development & Innnovation, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, D. Nadarajah Vishna ,   IMU Centre for Education, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Published: August 2020

This study measures the impact of the implementation of a dedicated research semester on various perceived competencies related to research. In 2016, surveys were conducted on final undergraduate Pharmacy students in regard to appraisal and critical thinking skills. Students’ perceptions of the impact of research in enhancing their employment potential were investigated. Our evaluation included students’ self-assessment of their writing, presentation, critical thinking and research skills. To assess qualitative parameters, the data obtained were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A total of 113 responses was received. A majority of students indicated that the research semester prepared them in undertaking their research projects. They acknowledged that research helped in building confidence and to acquire the ability to work independently. Most students perceived that the experience gained in research would enhance their employment potential. Overall, students developed critical thinking skills through their respective research project.
Development of ELISA test kits for semi-quantitative detection of anti-HEV antibodies in pigs in the Republic of Belarus
Authors: Krasochko P. A. , Zhavoronok S. V. , Barysavets D. S. , Krasochko P. P. , Alatortseva G. I. , Prokopenkova T. M. , Davydov V. V. , Anisko L. A. , Luhverchik L. N. , Zhuravleva E. S. , Buchukuri D. V. , Zverev V. V.
Published: August 2020

Viral hepatitis E infection affects up to 80-100 % of domestic pigs worldwide and is characterized by high seroprevalence among domestic pigs in temperate climate countries. Epizootic monitoring of HEV infection is insufficient in the Republic of Belarus due to lack of the required number of available and inexpensive diagnostic ELISA kits with good sensitivity and specificity. In this regard, research on development of domestic ELISA kit for semi-quantitative detection of antibodies to hepatitis E virus in pigs with subsequent assessment of seroprevalence to HEV in pig population in the Republic of Belarus is relevant. The results of studies on development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit for semi-quantitative determination of class G immunoglobulins to HEV in pig blood serum using recombinant proteins, including immunodominant amino acid sequences corresponding to the ORF2 and ORF3 proteins of HEV genotype 3 are presented in the paper. The optimal concentration for sorption of ORF2 and ORF3 proteins has been determined, which is 2 μg/ml and 1 μg/ml, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity of this test kit makes 94.8 %, and the diagnostic specificity makes 100 %. Coefficients of variation being the criterion for assessing the intra-serial and inter-serial reproducibility of this test kit, make 3.5 % and 12.4 %, respectively, which allows to obtain reproducible results and identify specific anti-HEV antibodies in all positive samples of pig blood serum. When studying 1235 pig sera samples from various pig farms of Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk and Mogilev regions, seroprevalence of anti-HEV antibodies has been determined in 168 or 13.6 % of animals. The described diagnostic method can be widely used in science and practice for the further study of seroprevalence of anti-HEV. Acknowledgments. The research was carried out as part of the Interstate program of innovation cooperation of States - participants of the CIS up to 2020, with the financial support of the Ministry of education and science of the Russian Federation, the project ID RFMEFI61316X0 061, and the State Committee for Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus.
Methods for calculating the duration of baking of minced meat products during heat treatment in convection ovens
Authors: Smagin D. A. , Smolyak A. A. , Smagin M. N.
Published: August 2020

Saving energy resources, optimizing production processes and ensuring high quality of finished products are important tasks facing the food industry of the Republic of Belarus at the present stage of social and economic development. From this point of view, the current direction of scientific activity is development of methods for predicting duration of heat treatment of food products, which will allow to increase the level of production planning, implement production processes rationally, ensure production of finished products with high consumer parameters with no underheating or overheating of material of the processed bodies, and decrease the cost of energy resources for thermal processes. The paper proposes the method for theoretical calculation of baking duration for minced meat products in direct contact of the heating medium with the processed body in modern convection units. When developing a theoretical calculation, heat transfer processes are divided into internal and external. When describing internal heat transfer processes, changes in the thermal and physical characteristics of the material of the processed body are considered, determined by mass transfer processes and physical and chemical changes in structural elements with conversion of raw minced meat into finished product with baked crust. The processes of external heat exchange are described according to the operating parameters of modern convection ovens used in small and medium-sized enterprises of food industry and public catering. The values of duration of heat treatment on the example of products made of chicken mince at different temperatures of the heating medium are obtained. Special rod cassettes with a rigid thermocouple attachment design have been developed to ensure correct experiment. Deviations of baking duration values between the theoretically calculated and experimentally obtained values range from 1.49 to 4.44 % for different temperatures of heating medium, which indicates the efficiency of the developed technique. The proposed technique for calculating the duration of baking process for minced meat products when heated will allow optimizing production processes, saving energy resources and obtaining finished products with high consumer parameters. Acknowledgments. The research was carried out as part of the state program of scientific research “Quality and Efficiency of Agroindustrial Production”.
WORLD EXPERIENCE ADAPTATION OF ANTI-CRISIS MANAGEMENT OF ENTERPRISES IN THE CONDITIONS OF NATIONAL ECONOMY’S TRANSFORMATION
Authors: Khalatur Svitlana , Kriuchko Lesia , Sirko Anna
Published: August 2020

The purpose of the article is to systematize and generalize the experience of leading countries to form and implement an effective crisis management system; to clarify the role of the state in the formation and implementation of anti-crisis regulation strategy of the real sector of the economy, as well as to substantiate the main methodological provisions of its formation. The subject-matter of the study is the methodological and conceptual foundations of the process of the effective crisis management system of the USA, China, Japan, the EU and Ukraine. Methodology. The research is based on the set of well-known general scientific and special methods of research in economics. In particular, the dialectical method, the method of scientific abstraction, the method of systematic analysis, economic and mathematical modeling has been used in the article. Conclusion. The world experience of solving the problems of enterprise bankruptcy is generalized. The experience of the USA, Japan, China, the countries of the European Union is considered. The econometric model taking into account the heteroskedasticity of the residues shows that an increase of 1% Central government debt, bank capital to assets ratio, expense, exports of goods and services, foreign direct investment, net inflows will increase GDP by 2.41%, 1.53%, 1.23%, 2.03%, and 1.19% respectively in the studied countries. Examining the experience in the field of crisis management, it should be noted that in Europe there is a selective approach aimed at stimulating the activities of specific companies; public sector priorities are education, health care, pensions, and the labor market. In addition, in some countries in order to find innovative structures of enterprises, increase their competitiveness and efficiency, out of the crisis, the development of privatization programs is used, which in each country have their own characteristics. World experience shows that the models of anti-crisis management constructed in different countries of the world provide various potential opportunities for progressive socio-economic changes. However, none of them can be used in its pure form in the formation of anti-crisis management policy in Ukraine. This is due to the conditions of accumulation of this experience by countries, the formation of mechanisms and institutions in a balanced economy, differences in the construction of financial and credit mechanisms, and so on. The use of positive experience should be the first step towards reforming the crisis management system.
EU-COUNTRY AND NON-EU-COUNTRY AT THE TIME OF CRISIS: FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Authors:   Faculty of Business Administration, University of Akureyri, Iceland, Kristjánsdóttir Helga , Óskarsdóttir Stefanía ,   Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland, Iceland
Published: August 2020

The global financial crisis affected the flows of foreign direct investment (FDI). This study focuses on two countries in the midst of the financial crisis: Iceland with IMF backup, and Ireland with ECB backup. The research focus is on the situation from the broad perspective of international economics and political atmosphere, combining government decisions with economic consequences. We analyze inward foreign direct investment, incorporating factors like economic size and stock market firms, receiving portfolio investment, rather than FDI. Our findings indicate that before the crisis the economic wealth in the domestic market to have positive effects on FDI, and firms receiving portfolio investment on the stock market are competing with FDI. This is the case for both Ireland and Iceland. However, after the crisis, these factors have insignificant impact on FDI.
INSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS FOR ENSURING RESILIENCE OF NATIONAL ECONOMY: ON THE EXAMPLE OF UKRAINE
Authors: Lagutin Vasyl , Boiko Alina , Shkuropadska Diana
Published: August 2020

The national economies are closely interconnected in a globalized world. Shock impacts spread across the globe from one economy to another instantly. In the same time, national economies are characterized by different levels of resilience and respond differently to shock effects. From a theoretical and practical point of view, there is an important task to study the institutional conditions for ensuring the resilience of the national economy to existing and potential shocks. The purpose of this research is to substantiate and characterize the institutional conditions for ensuring the resilience of the economy on the example of the Ukraine’s economy. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is the scientific works and reports on the methodology of evaluation and determination of mechanisms and conditions for ensuring the resilience of the economy. Common scientific methods are used: theoretical generalization, analysis and synthesis, comparative analysis, system method, and criterion approach. Results. The research describes institutional conditions that strengthen internal reserves (including financial, material, food) and increase the adaptive potential of the economy to shocks. Adaptation of the economy depends on the effective and rational management of the country's resource potential. Resource potential is an internal immunity of the economy and increases its level of resilience at all stages of development. The country's resource potential is characterized by available resources and consists of such basic types of potentials as economic, natural, labor, social, financial. In the process of resource management the government should take into account the basic institutional conditions for ensuring resilience of the economy, which are aimed at improving the state's ability to protect property rights, increasing the financial capacity of the insurance market, anti-corruption and economic potential of the country, and institutional capacity of public authorities. Practical implications. Institutional conditions for ensuring the resilience of the economy are able to reduce the vulnerability of the economic system to shock influences, to facilitate their effective counteraction and to prompt economic recovery after their onset. The development of institutional conditions depends on effective government policies and mechanisms to counteract shock influences. Originality. The study focuses on the role of the government in the implementation of institutional conditions. In order to improve certain institutional conditions, government policy instruments have been proposed, the application of which will contribute to the effective development of the entire system of institutional ensuring resilience of the economy.
José Enrique Rodó: The Birth of Latin America Out of Spiritual Revolt
Authors: Schelkshorn Hans
Published: August 2020

In the second half of the 19th century positivism became the official state doctrine of many countries in southern America. Around 1900, however, the authoritarian positivistic regimes were increasingly criticized due to their cultural imitation on the Anglo-Saxon world and the atheistic ideology. In this context, José Enrique Rodó, a poet and philosopher of Uruguay, called for a critical and creative re-adoption of the “Latin” roots of southern America, specifically Greek culture and early Christianity. In his essay “Ariel” (1900), Rodó sparked a spiritual revolt that especially affected the youth of the whole continent. In contrast to Nietzsche but on the basis of secular reason, Rodó defended a religion of love, which inspired important philosophies in the 20th century, from José Vasconcelos and Antonio Caso to the theologies and philosophies of liberation. Thus, “Latin America” as a self-designation of the South American peoples was essentially inaugurated through the spiritual revolt initiated by José Enrique Rodó.
(B)Orders of Immobility
Authors: Echchaibi Nabil
Published: August 2020

Against the promise of free movement and mobility celebrated by the narrative of capitalism and globalization, the border stands as a stark reminder of the terrorizing history of death, destruction, and humiliation at the frontier. Like the Atlantic Ocean, home of the invisible and brutalizing memory of the slave trade, the Mediterranean and the Sonoran Desert today have become a dead zone, a dark trail of loss and sufferance amidst faint dreams of open lands and seas and freedom to roam. The growing militarization and securitization of the border unleashed by sophisticated technologies and algorithms of surveillance reflect a disturbing precariousness of empathy which seeks to conceal and banalize the trauma of crossing frontiers. By framing the debate of borders around security, threat and territory, the narrow calculus of border thinking multiplies and mutates beyond the physical spaces of the frontier, animating in the process a narrative of invasion, cultural purity, and territorial privilege. This article offers a critical reading of the politics, performance, and poetics of the border, border practices and border thinking in our current fractious conjuncture. Using the works of Caribbean poet and philosopher Edouard Glissant, I argue for a different interpretation and poetics of the border, one which does not nullify rootedness but refutes the tyranny of the “totalitarian root”. Under this alternative imaginary, the degeneration of borders into zones of non-being and the converse image of mobility as a human right force us to re-visit old fundamental questions about the distribution of the earth.
Concepts and Dimensions of Human Dignity in the Christian Tradition
Authors: Müller Sigrid
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the extent to which Christian tradition can be used to support human dignity and human rights in contemporary society. It explores the Christian tradition for ideas that correspond to the four main dimensions of human dignity: anthropological, moral, legal, and practical. It examines how these dimensions relate to the two main Christian perspectives that define human dignity, namely the imago Dei paradigm and dignity of the human soul or person. Concluding observations demonstrate that the corresponding Christian ideas offer a solid foundation for developing a strong Christian narrative and engagement in support of human dignity and human rights. However, an analysis of the two dominating concepts also indicates that a reception that excludes the universal aspect of the imago Dei paradigm can endanger a full acceptance of human dignity and human rights. Therefore, it is necessary to continue existing ecumenical efforts to create a complementary reading of the two traditions.
Between action and comedy: On the Features of Titles of the First Russian Plays of the 1670s (Western European Aspect and Formation of Old Russian Drama)
Authors:   А.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kaplun Marianna V.
Published: August 2020

This article examines the features of the titles of the Russian plays staged at the court of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1645–1676). The very ﬁ rst plays written for the court theatre in the last third of the seventeenth century were: Artaxerxes Action (1672), Judith, or Holofernes Action (1673), A Little Cool Comedy About Joseph (1675), and A Pitiful Comedy About Adam and Eve (1675) authored by Johann Gottfried Gregory and Temir-Aksakovo Action (1675) authored by George Hüfner. The titles of the early Russian productions contained the terms “action” or “comedy”, which can be viewed in the context of the Western European theatre tradition, from which the authors of the ﬁ rst plays, Gregory and Hüfner, who were German, originated. The features of the title designation require additional distinction, as certain patterns are found in the content of the plays, allowing a deeper analysis of the titles. “Action” in the title can be understood as a comedy due to the presence of German buffoonery in the text. “Comedy” means any theatrical action in Russia, but, when included in the title, “comedy” differs from “action” by the presence of clarifying deﬁ nitions, the absence of interludes, and an additional explanation in the prologues. The titles of the ﬁ rst Russian plays were not just meant to name the alleged performance at the court of Alexei Mikhailovich, but also to indicate its character to the viewer. All Russian plays were called comedies, but at the heart of them was a conditional division associated with the peculiarities of the perception of theatrical action in Russia, which only began to develop in the last third of the seventeenth century.
Forward Detachment of Lieutenant General Iosif V. Gurko in Eski-Zagra in July 1877 (As Remembered by the Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878 Participants)
Authors:   Institute of Slavic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Frolova Marina M.
Published: August 2020

This article reveals the circumstances of the presence of the Forward detachment of Lieu- tenant General Iosif V. Gurko in the city of Eski-Zagra (now Stara-Zagora) (July 10–19, 1877) and recreates a multifaceted panorama of contacts between soldiers, ofﬁ cers, and the city’s inhabitants. The article is based on published sources (many facts from which are ﬁ rst introduced here). The Forward detachment, which included the Bulgarian militia, was solemnly met in Eski-Zagra. Russian ofﬁ cers contributed to the organization of the city council, police, gendarmerie, and hospitals. For their part, the Bulgarians provided broad assistance to the Russians (in baked bread preparation, sale of food to the troops and fodder for the cavalry, as well as the delivery of information about the Turkish troops). The city managed to suppress the outbreaks of mutual hatred between Christians and Muslims, but in the surrounding district the Bulgarians slaughtered and plundered the Muslim population, burning houses and villages. The defeat at Plevna did not allow the command of the Danube army to send reinforcements to General Gurko. A small detachment left in Eski-Zagra had to ﬁ ght the superior forces of Suleiman Pasha and retreat to Kazanlak. During the battle, armed citizens stayed behind the Russian reserves and, at critical moments, despite their previous statements, chose to escape and not to support their compatriot militiamen. A terrible fate — the revenge of Muslims — was expected by the residents — Bulgarians and wounded soldiers who could not manage to leave the city. Russian ofﬁ cers, noting the positive qualities of the Bulgarian character, predicted an enviable future for the nation after its release from power of the Turks.
Searching for an Ally. The Soviet Diplomats in Latvia and Their Contacts with Kastus Ezavitau 1925–1926
Authors:   Institute of Slavic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Korotkova Daria A.
Published: August 2020

This article is dedicated to the research of unknown fragments of national Belarusian emigrant groups’ history. Soviet diplomatic plans to establish ties with the local Belarusian population and to expand Communist propaganda in Latvia required contact with the leaders of the Belarusian movement, including Ezavitau. The main subject is the activity of Kastus Ezavitau in the middle of the 1920s. There was no possibility for Belarusian activists in the region of Latgale, where most Latvian Belarusians lived, to avoid collaboration with the Soviet permanent mission because of a lack of money and the discrimination policy of Latvian authorities. Local Belarusian activists had to ﬁ ght for inﬂ uence over the Latgale peasants, who often could not yet decide on their national identity, with the much more active and inﬂ uential Polish and Russian diasporas. The Soviet mission provided ﬁ nancial support to the press, and for school education in Belarusian, but forced them to carry out their demands in return. Analysis of a number of archival documents shows that, contrary to the widespread idea of his pro-Soviet mood, this collaboration was involuntary and undesirable for Ezavitau during this period, as we may see in the documents. He tried to provide more independent activity, such as the creation of the Belarusian party, but was permanently stopped by his super- visors in the Soviet mission. Soviet diplomats were not satisﬁ ed by collaboration with Ezavitau either but had no other candidate with whom to establish a permanent contact.
Arrest and Conviction of Cardinal József Mindszenty 1948–1949. Part 1. “He wants to be a martyr, but I would not do him this favour”
Authors:   Institute of History, Centre for the Humanities, Balogh Margit
Published: August 2020

As a result of the intense political struggle after the Second World War, the Catholic Church, led by Cardinal József Mindszenty, Archbishop of Esztergom, remained the only independent institution in Hungary. This study deals with the political process against Mindszenty and his show-trial. On 26 December 1948, Cardinal Mindszenty was taken into police custody, having been accused of treachery, espionage, foreign currency manipulation, and conspiring to overthrow the republic. All of these charges were stereotypical accusations made by totalitarian regimes. There were seven defendants in the Mindszenty case, comprising three groups: “legitimist conspirators”, “traitorous spies”, and the “foreign currency speculators”, who were the alleged ﬁ nanciers of the conspiracy. The world was shocked to hear of the arrest of the Hungarian primate, Cardinal Mindszenty. The Holy See imposed the gravest discipline on Catholics. Mind- szenty was interrogated immediately after his arrest. He initially stood ﬁ rm. The subse- quent interrogation records clearly reﬂ ect, however, the methods of the State Protection Authority: a series of self-accusatory and factitious sentences are to be found in the manipulated texts. This article is based on documents held by the Hungarian National Archives, the Historical Archives of the State Security Services, the Esztergom Primate Archives, the Archives of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation, the National Archi- ves and Records Administration (USA), and others.
Political Censorship in Post-Socialist Bulgaria
Authors:   Soﬁa University St Kliment Ohridski, Baeva Iskra V.
Published: August 2020

This article presents how the political changes in Bulgaria after 1989 have inﬂ uenced the interpretation of 20th century history. The emergence of the new censorship is traced through the introduction of a new canon for presenting the past. Three decades ago, Bulgaria began its transition from Soviet-type state socialism to political democracy. For historians, this meant removing political and ideological censorship. Initially, this freedom gave historians the chance to upgrade historical knowledge with hidden facts that were inconvenient for the BCP government. Soon, however, new political parties came to power and began to impose their political version of history. This meant re- moving facts related to the history of the communist movement and anti-fascism in Bulgaria. The attempts at rewriting history are especially visible in the presentation of the socialist period. The political intervention began with the renaming of streets, towns, and institutions. Names associated with the anti-fascist resistance and Russian and Soviet history were removed. Instead, names from the time when Bulgaria was part of the Tripartite Pact were restored. The modern political censorship is most evident in the rewriting of history textbooks. The new curricula introduced a mandatory positive presentation of the history of the Third Bulgarian Kingdom. The actions of the Communists had to be presented as terrorist, and the entire post-war government was deﬁ ned as totalitarian. Instead of socialism, we should use the term “communism”. In 2019, when approving the new history textbooks for high schools, right-wing non-governmental organizations intervened and, as a result, facts about the socio-economic development of the country in the socialist period were removed.
Olga Rzhannikova’s Seminars on Literary Translation from Bulgarian into Russian
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Gromova Mariya M. , Tveritskaya Antonina B. ,   AWATERA linguistics company
Published: August 2020

This article is dedicated to the seminars on literary translation from Bulgarian into Russian held regularly over the course of several years for students of the Department of Slavic Philology at Lomonosov Moscow State University by associate professor Olga Rzhannikova (1955–2014). The article discusses Rzhannikova’s approach to teaching Bulgar- ian and the role of different types of translation in training future linguists. The learning process at the translation seminars is described through the eyes of its participants: students of the Slavic and Russian departments at the MSU Faculty of Philology who studied Bulgarian as their primary foreign language. Notable features of the seminars included the active participation of each student as well as the detailed discussion and analysis of all translation options. Seminar participants translated works by famous Bulgarian writers, which allowed them to not only practice their translation skills but also to familiarize themselves with contemporary Bulgarian literature. Several participants went into translation professionally and are currently successfully working in this ﬁeld. After the death of Olga Rzhannikova in 2014, some of her former seminar participants continued her work teaching translation from Bulgarian to anyone interested. This continued for several more semesters, for as long as there were people still interested in taking the course. The purpose of this article is to preserve the memory of Olga Rzhannikova not only as a professor of Bulgarian language, history, and dialectology but also as a professor of translation, as well as to highlight and preserve the tradition of translating Bulgarian literature into Russian. The article outlines some of the accomplishments of the seminars: translations of short stories by Georgi Gospodinov, Deyan Enev, Peter Chukhov, and Yordan Radichkov.
DEAFying Silence: Analyzing Inclusive Non-Verbal Communication Strategies Between Students with Deafness and Their Non-PWD Peers
Authors: Taguibulos Zoe Sophia Berenice
Published: August 2020

People would often attribute persons with deafness as ‘mute’ individuals due to their frequent use of non-verbal communication strategies. In the Philippines’ transition to an inclusive education system, the question is how Non-PWDs can accommodate the communication style and needs of students with deafness. The researcher answers the question: How do students with deafness and Non-PWD peers promote inclusion through non-verbal communication strategies? A qualitative research design was utilized as the framework, while the research procedure consisted of a digital semi-structured interview for the participant with deafness and a focus group discussion for the Non-PWD participants. A thematic data analysis was carried out to examine the findings and extract themes.The emerging themes revealed that students with deafness are provided with poor assistive services, and that there are issues involving the lack of social inclusivity in mainstream schools. Non-PWDs have shown initiative to shatter communication barriers by obliterating the stigma of communicating with students with deafness. Conversely, the status quo is that persons with deafness should apply spoken language instead of encouraging Non-PWDs to learn sign language. It has been concluded that persons with deafness are visual communicators. They use space to distinguish their relationship with another communicator, and they also apply kinesic behavior like sign language to deliver their messages, facial expressions to convey their emotions, and body language to further demonstrate their messages. Lastly, Non-PWDs should be enhancing their usage of time, silence, and developing their application of space to practice haptics.
COVID-19 false dichotomies and a comprehensive review of the evidence regarding public health, COVID-19 symptomatology, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, mask wearing, and reinfection. PUBLISHED VERSION: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06357-4
Authors: Escandón Kevin , Rasmussen Angela L. , Bogoch Isaac , Murray Eleanor J. , Escandón Karina , Popescu Saskia V. , Kindrachuk Jason
Published: August 2020

Scientists across disciplines, policymakers, and journalists have voiced frustration at the unprecedented polarization and misinformation around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Several false dichotomies have been used to polarize debates while oversimplifying complex issues. In this comprehensive narrative review, we deconstruct six common COVID-19 false dichotomies, address the evidence on these topics, identify insights relevant to effective pandemic responses, and highlight knowledge gaps and uncertainties. The topics of this review are: 1) Health and lives vs. economy and livelihoods, 2) Indefinite lockdown vs. unlimited reopening, 3) Symptomatic vs. asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, 4) Droplet vs. aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2, 5) Masks for all vs. no masking, and 6) SARS-CoV-2 reinfection vs. no reinfection. We discuss the importance of multidisciplinary integration (health, social, and physical sciences), multilayered approaches to reducing risk (“Emmentaler cheese model”), harm reduction, smart masking, relaxation of interventions, and context-sensitive policymaking for COVID-19 response plans. We also address the challenges in understanding the broad clinical presentation of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. These key issues of science and public health policy have been presented as false dichotomies during the pandemic. However, they are hardly binary, simple, or uniform, and therefore should not be framed as polar extremes. We urge a nuanced understanding of the science and caution against black-or-white messaging, all-or-nothing guidance, and one-size-fits-all approaches. There is a need for meaningful public health communication and science-informed policies that recognize shades of gray, uncertainties, local context, and social determinants of health.
Calculating Queer Acceptance and Visibility: A Literature Synthesis on Queer Identity in Mathematics
Authors: Voigt Matthew , Reinholz Daniel L.
Published: August 2020

Research, programs, and policies to support queer students in secondary mathematics environments remain largely underdeveloped and undertheorized. Mathematics education research has attended more closely to how race and gender are linked with dominant discourses of participation and mathematical performance. In this synthesis, we conducted a broad search of literature, resulting in 81 articles, related to queer student experience in all STEM environments to highlight potential practices to support inclusive environments specifically in secondary mathematics. Drawing on a queer stem identity framework (Mattheis, Arellano, Yoder, 2019) we highlight the unique nature of queer identity (e.g., the potential for one’s queer identity to be invisible) that positions queerness as unseen and irrelevant to the pursuit of STEM. The perceived masculine and heteronormative nature of mathematics environment impacts queer students when defining their queer identity and coming out in the classroom, creating a cognitively stressful experience, and leading to less robust mathematical identity formation. In order to help promote queer students in navigating these settings we document how role models and curriculum allow for a reconstruction of the nature and mathematics by promoting a connected, inclusive, and social discipline. We conclude by highlighting the need for future studies and implications for practices in order to create environments that promote the development and visibility of queer mathematics students.
Early life adversity, dispositional mindfulness, and longitudinal stress experience during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Benz Annika , Meier Maria , Bentele Ulrike U. , Dimitroff Stephanie J. , Denk Bernadette , Pruessner Jens C , Unternaehrer Eva
Published: August 2020

Experiencing severe or prolonged stressors in early life is associated with increased risk for mental and physical disorders in adulthood. Further, individuals who experienced early life stress (ELS) may use dysfunctional coping strategies like stress-related eating, in contrast to more beneficial stress buffering mechanisms e.g. based on mindfulness. Whether these mechanisms contribute to increased levels of perceived stress and symptoms of mental disorders in individuals with ELS in times of crisis is yet unclear. As part of a larger project, we assessed changes in perceived stress and psychopathological symptoms in a sample of N=102 participants (81% female; meanage=23.49, SDage= 7.11, range 18–62) from October/December 2019 (prior to the Covid-19 pandemic) to April/June 2020 (after the German government introduced Covid-19 related restrictions). Additionally, we assessed ELS and dispositional mindfulness.Perceived stress and depression significantly increased while anxiety levels decreased. No significant change was observed for somatization. ELS and dispositional mindfulness were not associated with change scores, but with perceived stress and psychopathological symptoms at both assessments. The increase in perceived stress during the pandemic in a majority of participants demonstrates the impact of the pandemic in the general population.
Ensemble perception: extracting the average of perceptual vs numerical stimuli
Authors: Rosenbaum David Mitrani , de Gardelle Vincent , Usher Marius
Published: August 2020

Recent research has established that humans can extract average of perceptual features from sets of briefly and simultaneously presented elements or the average of rapid temporal sequences of numerical values. Here we compare the extraction of the average of simultaneously presented sets of perceptual features (orientations) and of numerical values (1-9 digits), using an identical experimental design. Arrays of Gabor elements or digits are simultaneously presented for 300 ms and the observers are required to estimate the average on a continuous response scale. In each trial the elements were sampled from normal distributions (of various means) and we varied the set-size (4-12), in order to compare the averaging mechanism in terms of its efficiency or capacity (the number of items one can pool from). We find that while for orientation the averaging precision remained constant with set-size, for numbers it decreased with set-size. Using computational modeling we extracted capacity parameters. Despite marked heterogeneity between the observers, the capacity was larger for orientations compared with numbers (which was close to WM-limitation of 3-4). This supports the idea that numbers more than perceptual features are subject to attentional limitations at encoding.
“I Would Like Someone to Hear Me”: Understanding Stakeholder Perceptions in Pursuit of Improving Collaborative Decision-Making among People with Serious Mental Illness
Authors: Treichler Emily
Published: August 2020

Objective: Collaborative decision-making is valued by people with serious mental illnesses and associated with important outcomes like treatment engagement and satisfaction, but levels of collaboration remain low. We developed a skills training manual to increase consumer ability to initiate and engage in collaborative decision-making in the hopes of facilitating higher levels of collaboration. Our study included two aims: 1) to understand stakeholder perception of collaborative decision-making, and 2) to gain feedback from stakeholders regarding the skills training manual to inform manual revisions.Methods: Eleven consumers with serious mental illness and eleven providers of mental health treatment were recruited. Each participant received a copy of the skills training manual and engaged in one of two mixed participatory dialogues with eleven participants each.Results: Stakeholders reported having a positive perception of collaborative decision-making, but also reported concern about a number of barriers that may inhibit collaborative interactions. Participants believed that increases in collaboration would have to come from consumer self-advocacy despite provider resistance. Stakeholders responded positively overall to the skills training manual, but made a number of suggestions to improve it, leading to 10 revisions.Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Stakeholders’ response emphasizes the desirability and importance of improving CDM, and suggests that a consumer-led intervention is a promising method to do so. Participatory dialogues were not only an effective method to gather data for this study, but also provided a structured and supportive space for consumers to speak to and with providers, including responding directly to stigma among providers.
ANALISIS SUSEPTIBILITAS MAGNETIK TANAH LAPISAN ATAS SEBAGAI INDIKATOR BENCANA LONGSOR DI BUKIT SULA KECAMATAN TALAWI KOTA SAWAHLUNTO
Authors: Budiman Arif , Puryanti Dwi , Naldi Febri
Published: August 2020

Landslide is a disaster that can harm properties and souls. Losses due to landslide can be minimized if there are known signs of landslide.. In this research, the landslide indicator is known through the analysis of the magnetic susceptibility of topsoil. This research is a case study conducted at Bukit Sula, Talawi District, Sawahlunto City.Soil samples were taken from two locations in Sula Hill, which are vegetated location (location A) and unvegetated location (location B). This research’s samples took with downward vertical  of each 100 m was taken with a space range of 5 m, so that is obtained 21 sampling points at each of these locations. Measurement of magnetic susceptibility value using Bartington Magnetic Susceptibility Meter measured at two frequencies, namely low frequency of 0.465 kHz (χLF) and high frequency of 4.65 kHz (χHF). At location A the obtained average value of χLF is 804.05×10-8 m3kg-1while the average value of χHF is 804.25×10-8 m3kg-1. At location B the obtained average value of χLF is 9.85×10-8 m3kg-1, while the average value of χHF is 9.64×10-8 m3kg-1. XRF test result showed that magnetic minerals in samples at both locations a hematit (Fe2O3). Based on the comparison of susceptibility value and concentration of hematite and quartz minerals between sample of location A and location B, it can be said that location B has been eroded. Based on the presence of superparamagnetic grain, the samples taken from location B have finer grains than the samples at location A. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) also shows that sample B has finer grains than the sample B.  These are because location B is an area without vegetation, causing rain drop directly into the soil and can decrease the level of soil grain attachment. Therefore, location B more likely occurred landslide than location A.
Preparing Veterinarians to Address the Health Impacts of Climate Change: Student Perceptions, Knowledge Gaps, and Opportunities
Authors: Pollard Anna E. , Rowlison Daena L. , Kohnen Allison , McGuffin Kaitlin , Geldert Christina , Kramer Collin , MacDonald Lindsay , Kastendieck Emily G. , Sekhon Shehnav S. , Carpenter Molly J. , Duncan Colleen
Published: August 2020

Climate change poses a significant and increasing threat to global health. While veterinarians play integral roles in public and environmental health, the profession has been less engaged in the topic of climate change relative to their human medical counterparts. The objective of this study was to synthesize veterinary students’ perceptions and knowledge about the relationship between veterinary medicine and climate change to identify educational gaps and opportunities. An online questionnaire was disseminated to American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)-accredited veterinary colleges through the Student American Veterinary Medical Association newsletter. Respondents were overwhelmingly confident that climate change is happening, is due to human activities, and is impacting both human and animal health. Veterinary students also expressed the belief that veterinarians should take a leadership role on the issue of climate change, especially through promoting environmental sustainability in clinical practice. Despite this enthusiasm, most students reported a lack of educational opportunities within their veterinary programs. The results of this survey highlight opportunities for the development of educational resources on the topic, many of which could complement existing material such as that devoted to practice management, economics, and client communication. Veterinarians have the potential to meaningfully contribute to both mitigation and adaptation efforts around climate change; however, they must be equipped with the tools to do so.
Oral Methadone for Cancer Pain Management at the End of Life: A Forgotten Drug
Authors: Verastegui-Aviles Emma , Allende-Pérez Silvia , Domínguez-Ocadio Georgina , Rodríguez-Mayoral Oscar , Portilla-Segura Javier , Peña-Nieves Adriana , Verastegui-Aviles Emma
Published: August 2020

Background: Opioids are used for pain management in cancer patients. Morphine is considered the best
option. For some patients with pain of difficult control management and adverse effects, an opioid rotation
should be considered. Oral methadone is an opioid to which patients can be rotated safely and effectively
and inexpensive for Mexico and Latin America. Our study describes the 9-year experience of opioid rotation
to methadone, the population profile, efficacy of methadone in cancer patients of the palliative care service.
Methods: Retrospective study of cancer patients rotated to oral methadone for pain control. Tables of
frequencies, median and interquartile ranges were made, as well as overall survival.
Results: 311 patients were rotated to methadone, predominantly males (58.5%), median age of 54 years
with oncological diagnoses in cervix (10.3%), germinal tumors (8.4%), breast (8.0%), prostate (7.4%) and
rectal (5.5%). These patients experienced visceral (17.6%) or other types of pain (68.6%), and a combination
of different types of pain, the most prevalent pain was neuropathic (88.7%) and 50% received morphine,
21% buprenorphine or fentanyl 19% previously, with a median dose of 60 mg (30-120). The main reason
for rotation was difficult pain control (54%), obtaining an efficacy of 70.0%.
Conclusion: In this cohort at advanced disease stage, 54% suffered from difficult pain control, thus rotation
became necessary, reducing pain and manageable adverse events, without major changes of the initial and
final dose. Should be promoted more widely in the management of pain of difficult control by cancer in first
position prescription.
Literatura e música: união indissolúvel
Authors: Ribeiro de Oliveira Solange
Published: August 2020

Como parte da Melopoética_ disciplina voltada para o estudo de diferentes formas de relação entre Literatura e Música_ o ensaio discute teorias e tipologias propostas por críticos como Steven Paul Scher, Werner Wolf, Paul Zumthor, Susanne Langer, Luis Tatit e Claus Clüver, entre outros. A partir de três eixos classificatórios_ Música na Literatura, Literatura na Música, Literatura e Música_ estudam-se várias possibilidades de relação entre as duas artes. A título de complementação, acrescentam-se análises de criações musicais brasileiras e europeias, selecionadas como ilustrativas dos temas focalizados. Reconhecendo a existência de aspectos significativos da Melopoética ainda por explorar, o texto se encerra com a sugestão de temas especialmente convidativos para pesquisas futuras, tais como a gênese da intermidialidade, funções das relações intermidiáticas, a figura do autor /compositor ou do leitor /ouvinte e a compilação de um dicionário de relações músico-literárias.