bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adapting Fitness Age Calculations to Suit a Modern North American Female Population, Regardless of Age, Race, or Ability Level
Authors: Diesbourg Tara L. , Dumas Geneviève A.
Published: December 2020

Objectives: Fitness Age (FA) has been reported in Japan and South Korea as one way to assess an individual’s overall health. To date, this method has not been used in North America. The objective of the current study was to assess the applicability of existing Fitness Age calculations for North American women. Methods: Thirty-seven North American working women aged 18 to 67 years completed a fitness test battery, as described by previous studies. The fitness test results were used with published regression equations to estimate each woman’s FA which was subsequently adjusted to correct for biases in the data. Results: The data from the fitness tests were similar to those presented in the previously published literature with the exception of grip strength, trunk flexion, and body fat percentage which differed significantly compared to the populations assessed previously. These population differences appear to have impacted the applicability of the published methods for this population. Discussion: Because the FA estimates must be corrected according to a theoretical “ideal” to address population biases before they can be used, the authors propose using the deviation from this theoretical ideal rather than raw FA in future aging studies, as this is where the interesting inter-personal differences lay.
Emerging Structure of Housing Stratification: Visualizing Homeownership by Generational Status, 1995 to 2019
Authors: Martinez Brandon P.
Published: December 2020

Homeownership is a central aspect of social stratification and is shaped by generational status. Using pooled data from the Current Population Survey, the author shows that generational homeownership inequality changed substantially between 1995 and 2019. Three trends emerge: growth between 1995 and 2005, decline from 2000 to 2015, and postrecession stagnation between 2015 and 2019. Findings show that between 1995 and 2019, homeownership remained stable among the third-plus generation, decreased among the second generation and persons with one native-born parent, and increased among immigrants. As a result of these changes, overall generational homeownership inequality has decreased since 1995. The author contextualizes these findings on the basis of recent research on wealth, discrimination, and immigration.
Impact of Adoption of Directly Measured Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C) on Targets of Lipid Control and Its Comparison With Friedewald Formula-Calculated LDL Cholesterol in People With Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Jagesh Rejitha , John Mathew , Jalaja Manju Manoharan Nair , Oommen Tittu , Gopinath Deepa
Published: December 2020

Objectives:

The accurate and precise measurement of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) is important in the assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk (ASCVD) in people with diabetes mellitus. This study is aimed at comparing directly measured LDL-C with Friedewald formula (FF)-calculated LDL-C (c-LDL-C) in people with type-2 diabetes.

Methods:

Fasting lipid profiles of 1905 people with type-2 diabetes, whose LDL-C was estimated by direct LDL assay, were chosen for the study. In the same group, LDL-C was calculated with FF. Correlation and agreement between these methods were analyzed at various strata of triglycerides (TGs). The possibility of misclassifying people at various levels of LDL-C targets proposed in literature was calculated.

Results:

The mean LDL-C levels were lower in the c-LDL-C group across various TG strata. A significant correlation was found between c-LDL-C and direct LDL-C for all the study samples ( r = 0.948, P < .001) and across all TG strata. Analysis of agreement showed a positive bias for direct LDL-C which increased at higher strata of TGs. c-LDL-C underestimated ASCVD by misclassifying people at various LDL-C target levels.

Conclusion:

There is a difference between direct LDL-C and c-LDL-C values in people with diabetes and this may result in misclassifying ASCVD especially at lower levels of LDL-C and higher levels of TGs.
Polarized mitochondria as guardians of NK cell fitness
Authors: Surace Laura , Doisne Jean-Marc , Escoll Pedro , Marie Solenne , Dardalhon Valerie , Croft Carys , Thaller Anna , Topazio Davide , Sparaneo Angelo , Cama Antonia , Musumeci Olimpia , d’Ecclesia Aurelio , Buchrieser Carmen , Taylor Naomi , Di Santo James P.
Published: December 2020

Distinct metabolic demands accompany lymphocyte differentiation into short-lived effector and long-lived memory cells. How bioenergetics processes are structured in innate natural killer (NK) cells remains unclear. We demonstrate that circulating human CD56Dim (NKDim) cells have fused mitochondria and enhanced metabolism compared with CD56Br (NKBr) cells. Upon activation, these 2 subsets showed a dichotomous response, with further mitochondrial potentiation in NKBr cells vs paradoxical mitochondrial fission and depolarization in NKDim cells. The latter effect impaired interferon-γ production, but rescue was possible by inhibiting mitochondrial fragmentation, implicating mitochondrial polarization as a central regulator of NK cell function. NKDim cells are heterogeneous, and mitochondrial polarization was associated with enhanced survival and function in mature NKDim cells, including memory-like human cytomegalovirus–dependent CD57+NKG2C+ subsets. In contrast, patients with genetic defects in mitochondrial fusion had a deficiency in adaptive NK cells, which had poor survival in culture. These results support mitochondrial polarization as a central regulator of mature NK cell fitness.
C-Norm: a neural approach to few-shot entity normalization
Authors: Ferré Arnaud , Deléger Louise , Bossy Robert , Zweigenbaum Pierre , Nédellec Claire
Published: December 2020

Background

Entity normalization is an important information extraction task which has gained renewed attention in the last decade, particularly in the biomedical and life science domains. In these domains, and more generally in all specialized domains, this task is still challenging for the latest machine learning-based approaches, which have difficulty handling highly multi-class and few-shot learning problems. To address this issue, we propose C-Norm, a new neural approach which synergistically combines standard and weak supervision, ontological knowledge integration and distributional semantics.

Results

Our approach greatly outperforms all methods evaluated on the Bacteria Biotope datasets of BioNLP Open Shared Tasks 2019, without integrating any manually-designed domain-specific rules.

Conclusions

Our results show that relatively shallow neural network methods can perform well in domains that present highly multi-class and few-shot learning problems.
Globins in the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii shed new light on hemoglobin evolution in bilaterians
Authors: Song Solène , Starunov Viktor , Bailly Xavier , Ruta Christine , Kerner Pierre , Cornelissen Annemiek J. M. , Balavoine Guillaume
Published: December 2020

Background

How vascular systems and their respiratory pigments evolved is still debated. While many animals present a vascular system, hemoglobin exists as a blood pigment only in a few groups (vertebrates, annelids, a few arthropod and mollusk species). Hemoglobins are formed of globin sub-units, belonging to multigene families, in various multimeric assemblages. It was so far unclear whether hemoglobin families from different bilaterian groups had a common origin.

Results

To unravel globin evolution in bilaterians, we studied the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii, a species with a slow evolving genome. Platynereis exhibits a closed vascular system filled with extracellular hemoglobin. Platynereis genome and transcriptomes reveal a family of 19 globins, nine of which are predicted to be extracellular. Extracellular globins are produced by specialized cells lining the vessels of the segmental appendages of the worm, serving as gills, and thus likely participate in the assembly of a previously characterized annelid-specific giant hemoglobin. Extracellular globin mRNAs are absent in smaller juveniles, accumulate considerably in growing and more active worms and peak in swarming adults, as the need for O2 culminates. Next, we conducted a metazoan-wide phylogenetic analysis of globins using data from complete genomes. We establish that five globin genes (stem globins) were present in the last common ancestor of bilaterians. Based on these results, we propose a new nomenclature of globins, with five clades. All five ancestral stem-globin clades are retained in some spiralians, while some clades disappeared early in deuterostome and ecdysozoan evolution. All known bilaterian blood globin families are grouped in a single clade (clade I) together with intracellular globins of bilaterians devoid of red blood.

Conclusions

We uncover a complex “pre-blood” evolution of globins, with an early gene radiation in ancestral bilaterians. Circulating hemoglobins in various bilaterian groups evolved convergently, presumably in correlation with animal size and activity. However, all hemoglobins derive from a clade I globin, or cytoglobin, probably involved in intracellular O2 transit and regulation. The annelid Platynereis is remarkable in having a large family of extracellular blood globins, while retaining all clades of ancestral bilaterian globins.
intePareto: an R package for integrative analyses of RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq data
Authors: Cao Yingying , Kitanovski Simo , Hoffmann Daniel
Published: December 2020

Background

RNA-Seq, the high-throughput sequencing (HT-Seq) of mRNAs, has become an essential tool for characterizing gene expression differences between different cell types and conditions. Gene expression is regulated by several mechanisms, including epigenetically by post-translational histone modifications which can be assessed by ChIP-Seq (Chromatin Immuno-Precipitation Sequencing). As more and more biological samples are analyzed by the combination of ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq, the integrated analysis of the corresponding data sets becomes, theoretically, a unique option to study gene regulation. However, technically such analyses are still in their infancy.

Results

Here we introduceintePareto, a computational tool for the integrative analysis of RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq data. WithinteParetowe match RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq data at the level of genes, perform differential expression analysis between biological conditions, and prioritize genes with consistent changes in RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq data using Pareto optimization.

Conclusion

inteParetofacilitates comprehensive understanding of high dimensional transcriptomic and epigenomic data. Its superiority to a naive differential gene expression analysis with RNA-Seq and available integrative approach is demonstrated by analyzing a public dataset.
The International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM) 2020: Scalable techniques and algorithms for computational genomics
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhao Zhongming , Wang Kai , Shen Li , Shi Xinghua
Published: December 2020

In this introduction article, we summarize the 2020 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2020) conference which was held on August 9–10, 2020 (virtual conference). We then briefly describe the nine research articles included in this supplement issue. ICIBM 2020 hosted four scientific sections covering current topics in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, biomedical informatics, among others. A total of 75 original manuscripts were submitted to ICIBM 2020. All the papers were under rigorous review (at least three reviewers), and highly ranked manuscripts were selected for oral presentation and supplement issues. This genomics supplement issue included nine manuscripts. These articles cover methods and applications for single cell RNA sequencing, multi-omics data integration for gene regulation, gene fusion detection from long-read RNA sequencing, gene co-expression analysis of metabolic pathways in cancer, integrative genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of subcortical imaging phenotype in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as deep learning methods for protein structure prediction, metabolic pathway membership inference, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) insertion sites prediction.
Correction to: Quick and effective improvement of leucine enriched dietary supplement on malnutrition in acute stroke patients receiving enteral tube feeding
Authors: Mori Takahisa , Yoshioka Kazuhiro
Published: December 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Uncommon presentation of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis during the COVID-19 lockdown: a case report
Authors: Savi Daniela , Valente Giada , Iacovelli Alessandra , Olmati Federica , Bezzi Mario , Palange Paolo
Published: December 2020

Background

During the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), lockdown periods have changed the way that people and communities live, work and interact.

Case presentation

This case report describes an uncommon but important presentation of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) in a previously healthy male, who decided to live in the basement of his house when Italy entered a nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. As high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest on admission showed diffuse miliary nodules, a miliary tuberculosis was initially suspected. However, further investigations provided a diagnosis of unusual presentation of ABPA.

Conclusions

This case highlights the importance of maintaining awareness of Aspergillus-associated respiratory disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially because lifestyle changes associated with home isolation carry an increased risk of exposure to mold spores present in some indoor environments.
Gender differences in perceived food healthiness and food avoidance in a Swedish population-based survey: a cross sectional study
Authors: Bärebring Linnea , Palmqvist Maria , Winkvist Anna , Augustin Hanna
Published: December 2020

Background

The aim of this work was to study potential gender differences in perceived food healthiness and food avoidance in a population-representative sample of the Swedish adult population.

Methods

A questionnaire regarding diet and health was posted to 2000 randomly selected residents in Sweden, aged 20–65 years. Questions were posed regarding which foods or food components the participants avoided due to perceived unhealthiness and how healthy they believed the food items to be. The pre-specified food components included sugar, carbohydrate, gluten, lactose, dairy, fat, saturated fat, red meat, white flour, salt, alcohol and food additives (specifically glutamate, sweetening, preservative and coloring agents). Chi square tests were used to study differences in perceived food healthiness and food avoidance depending on gender.

Results

Around 50% reported avoidance of sugar (51.6%) and sweeting agents (45.2%), whereas fewer reported avoidance of saturated fat (16.8%) and salt (10.6%). Women were more likely than men to avoid gluten (AOR [95% CI] 2.84 [1.33–6.05]), red meat (3.29 [1.86–5.80]), white flour (2.64 [1.65–4.21]), preservatives (1.7 [1.07–2.70]) and coloring agents (2.10 [1.29–3.41]) due to perceived unhealthiness. Gender differences were also apparent in perceived healthiness of sugar, gluten, dairy, red meat, white flour, alcohol and food additives, where women tended to be more negative than men in their attitudes. Women more often said to read new findings in media about diet (16% vs 9%, p = 0.029) and prioritize a healthy lifestyle (35% vs 25%, p = 0.015). More than a third of both women and men reported worrying over the healthiness of their diet, and a higher proportion of women than men (18% vs 11%, p = 0.015) agreed with the statement that they were often anxious over having an unhealthy diet.

Conclusions

Women in this population-based study of residents in Sweden were more likely than men to avoid eating gluten, red meat, white flour and food additives due to perceived unhealthiness, and reported more diet and health related anxiety. Future research to identify effective ways of promoting healthy eating for both women and men, while minimizing diet-health related anxiety, is highly warranted.
The Jidong Eye Cohort Study: objectives, design, and baseline characteristics
Authors: Yang Kai , Cui Lele , Zhang Guoyun , Wang Xianwei , Zhu Xiaoxuan , Xiao Yunfan , Su Binbin , Song Daiyu , Zhang Xinyao , Zheng Yang , Lu Fan , Qu Jia , Li Ming
Published: December 2020

Background

To describe the objective, design and baseline characteristics of the Jidong Eye Cohort Study (JECS), a community-based cohort in China based on etiology, imaging and biomarkers. The JECS will clarify the pathogenesis of visual impairment and status of ocular indicators in the occurrence and progression of cardio-cerebrovascular and neurological diseases.

Methods

Between August 2019 and January 2020, the JECS recruited consecutive participants aged 18 years and older from the Jidong communities in China. The demographic and clinical characteristics were collected by trained site personnel via face-to-face interviews. The relevant biological samples were also collected. The participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examination, such as retinal photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography. The following outcomes were measured annually: ocular vascular abnormality, optic nerve degeneration, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and neurological diseases. The study will be performed until 2024.

Results

Among 3377 participants, the average age was 45.0 ± 12.5 years and 1809 (53.6%) were women. Hypertension occurred in 825 individuals (25.0%), diabetes in 258 (7.7%), hyperglycemia in 474 (14.2%), and a CVD history in 100 (3.0%). The mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.1 logMAR in the recruited subjects. The average OCT signal index was 8.2 ± 1.2. Additionally, the mean vessel densities for the entire measured area were 46.4% and 50.8% for the superficial and deep vascular complex, respectively. Mean area and perimeter of foveal avascular zone was 0.3 mm2 and 2.3 mm.

Conclusions

The JECS is a large community-based prospective cohort in North China. Rich data collected from this study will provide the opportunity to identify risk factors, imaging, and biomarkers of visual impairment (either ocular vascular anomalies or optic nerve degeneration) and to evaluate their associations with CVD and neurological diseases.
Retraction Note: Association of severity of coronary artery disease by SYNTAX score (SS) and lower extremity arterial disease by duplex ultrasound (DUS) study—an Indian perspective
Authors: Nandi Saumen , Mukherjee Anindya , Khanra Dibbendhu , Biswas Kaushik
Published: December 2020

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43044-020-00091-z.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy versus musculoskeletal mesotherapy for Achilles tendinopathy in athlete
Authors: EL-Mallah Reem , Elattar Enas A.
Published: December 2020

Background

Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is considered the commonest tendon pathology, occurring mainly in athletes. Different conservative treatment options have been introduced but with short-term effects; however, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and mesotherapy (MT) injections were claimed to provide longer effects and could be used in cases failure of response to conservative treatments.

The objective of our prospective 12-week study was to compare the effect of ESWT and MT on chronic Achilles tendinopathy in athletes by both clinical and ultrasonographical assessment.

Results

Forty patients with chronic AT diagnosed clinically and with high-resolution ultrasound (US) randomly allocated in two groups first received weekly ESWT session, and the other group underwent weekly MT sessions for 4 consecutive weeks. Both groups improved during the treatment and follow-up period. The mean visual analogue score (VAS) decreased in both the ESWT group and the MT group. Mean American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score and VAS scores were not significantly different between ESWT and MT groups at the 4th and the 12th week of follow-up. However, US assessment significantly improved after 12 weeks in the ESWT group (as regards tendon thickness, calcifications, and Doppler signal), and for the mesotherapy group, there was the only improvement of tendon thickness.

Conclusion

ESWT showed improvement of pain and inflammation and calcifications of AT than MT injections, which was documented by US improved findings at week 12 follow up.
An Archive of Development
Authors: Khorakiwala Ateya
Published: December 2020

This article argues that a fantasy of Indian road infrastructure was archived in official documentary films. It analyzes two 1960s road construction projects through three corresponding Films Division of India documentaries, which represented India's northern borders. These show how the playfulness of film, the unruliness of infrastructure, and the precariousness of the border and its imaginary have meant that even propaganda films with set narratives erupted with an aesthetics of pleasure and violence. Replete with such dramatic signifiers, the films offer a psychic archive of the developmental state. The projective capacity of architectural knowledge enables this article to speculate on this archive of fantasy and thus interrogate infrastructure, modernization, and development, not as normative categories, but as aesthetic techniques. These produced for the Indian state a spatial narrative of fraught borders contiguous with metropoles, a condition that created a new tyranny of proximity.
Contingency and Architectural Speculation
Authors: Rizvi Kishwar
Published: December 2020

The afterword to the special section “Architecture as a Form of Knowledge” considers the effect of transnational religious and commercial networks in transforming urban histories in Pakistan, with a focus on Karachi. The essay discusses the renovations of the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi by the developer of the adjacent Bahria Icon Tower and the ways in which both structures evince the speculative and contingent nature of contemporary architecture in Karachi as well as the region as a whole.
The journey of Ca2+ through the cell – pulsing through the network of ER membrane contact sites
Authors: Cremer Tom , Neefjes Jacques , Berlin Ilana
Published: December 2020

Calcium is the third most abundant metal on earth, and the fundaments of its homeostasis date back to pre-eukaryotic life forms. In higher organisms, Ca2+ serves as a cofactor for a wide array of (enzymatic) interactions in diverse cellular contexts and constitutes the most important signaling entity in excitable cells. To enable responsive behavior, cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations are kept low through sequestration into organellar stores, particularly the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but also mitochondria and lysosomes. Specific triggers are then used to instigate a local release of Ca2+ on demand. Here, communication between organelles comes into play, which is accomplished through intimate yet dynamic contacts, termed membrane contact sites (MCSs). The field of MCS biology in relation to cellular Ca2+ homeostasis has exploded in recent years. Taking advantage of this new wealth of knowledge, in this Review, we invite the reader on a journey of Ca2+ flux through the ER and its associated MCSs. New mechanistic insights and technological advances inform the narrative on Ca2+ acquisition and mobilization at these sites of communication between organelles, and guide the discussion of their consequences for cellular physiology.
Morphological colour adaptation during development in fish: involvement of growth hormone receptor 1
Authors: Delgadin Tomás Horacio , Castañeda-Cortés Diana Carolina , Sacks Clara , Breccia Andrés , Fernandino Juan Ignacio , Vissio Paula Gabriela
Published: December 2020

Morphological background adaptation is both an endocrine and a nervous response, involving changes in the amount of chromatophores and pigment concentration. However, whether this adaptation takes place at early developmental stages is largely unknown. Somatolactin (Sl) is a pituitary hormone present in fish, which has been associated to skin pigmentation. Moreover, growth hormone receptor type 1 (Ghr1) has been suggested to be the Sl receptor and was associated with background adaptation in adults. In this context, the aim of this work was to evaluate the ontogeny of morphological adaptation to background and the participation of ghr1 in this process. We found in larval stages of the cichlid Cichlasoma dimerus that the number of head melanophores and pituitary cells immunoreactive to Sl was increased in individuals reared with black backgrounds compared with that in fish grown in white tanks. In larval stages of the medaka Oryzias latipes, a similar response was observed, which was altered by ghr1 biallelic mutations using CRISPR/Cas9. Interestingly, melanophore and leucophore numbers were highly associated. Furthermore, we found that somatic growth was reduced in ghr1 biallelic mutant O. latipes, establishing the dual function of this growth hormone receptor. Taken together, these results show that morphological background adaptation is present at early stages during development and that is dependent upon ghr1 during this period.
Gambling, Saving, and Lumpy Liquidity Needs
Authors: Herskowitz Sylvan
Published: December 2020

I present evidence that unmet liquidity needs for indivisible, “lumpy,” expenditures increase demand for betting as a second-best method of liquidity generation in the presence of financial constraints. With a sample of 1,708 sports bettors in Kampala, Uganda, I show that participants’ targeted payouts are linked to anticipated expenditures, while winnings increase lumpy expenditures disproportionately. I show that a randomized savings treatment decreases demand for betting. And I use two lab-in-the-field experiments to show that unmet liquidity needs and saving ability are important mechanisms. These results cannot be explained by betting as a purely normal good. (JEL C93, D81, G51, L83, O12, O16)
Techniques of Early Incident Detection and Traffic Monitoring Centre in VANETs: A Review
Authors:   Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia, Hamdi Mustafa Maad , Audah Lukman , Rashid Sami Abduljabbar , Al-shareeda Mahmood A.
Published: December 2020

The Vehicle Ad hoc networks (VANETs), which provide protection and warning for drivers and passengers, are playing a major role in wireless and connectivity technology and are becoming one of the major research areas in intelligent transport systems (ITS) technology. The features, problems, and deployment of VANETs are very distinct from those of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). The early detection of incidents provides information about traffic incidents classified by the Intelligent Transportation System of Traffic Monitoring Centre. In this review paper, we will discuss the concept of a traffic monitoring center and its techniques. Also, we will explain the concept of early incidents detection and show limitations and strong points for each approach used.
An Improved Handover Algorithm for LTE-A Femtocell Network
Authors:   Department of Electronic Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban – 4041, South Africa, Omitola Olusegun O. , Srivastava Viranjay M.
Published: December 2020

Femtocells have been regarded as low-power and low cost devices for enhancing the capacity and performance of mobile cellular networks. Apart from forming a two-tier network with the macrocell to offload traffic from the macrocell, femtocells can be deployed in an urban area to achieve more data rate with better Quality of Service (QoS). However, this is at the expense of increased frequency of the handover of the UEs from one femtocell to another femtocell. Selecting a particular femtocell for handover is a serious challenge in a femtocell/macrocell deployment environment. Similarly, managing the resulting handovers can be extremely difficult. Thus, this study presents an algorithm to improve handover in LTE-A femtocell network. The complexity of the algorithm was determined and the performance by comparing it with existing algorithm in terms of number of handovers and the ratio of target femtocells. The results have shown that the proposed algorithm outperformed the existing algorithm.
Spectrum Sensing Techniques in Cognitive Radio Technology: A Review Paper
Authors:   Department of ECE, S R Engineering College, Warangal, India, Samala Srinivas , Mishra Subhashree , Singh Sudhansu Sekhar
Published: December 2020

Over the past decade, Rapid growth in the field of wireless communication has increased demand for spectrum resources and created a shortage of available radio spectrum. The cognitive radio technology is one of the promising technology to address the scarcity of spectrum resources, from the introduction of cognitive technology there is a lot of research is going on its spectrum sensing techniques, this paper aimed to provide an in-depth review on recent advances in spectrum sensing techniques and thoroughly presents the merit, demerits, and scope of further research of each spectrum sensing techniques. Finally, this review paper is presented to help new researchers and to make them familiar with concepts of spectrum sensing.
Crítica, debate y polarización en torno a la COVID-19.
Authors: Salazar Martínez Rafael Ángel , Barrientos-Báez Almudena , Caldevilla Domínguez David
Published: December 2020

En el estudio se aborda la relación entre crítica, debate y polarización en torno a la Covid-19 en la blogosfera cubana revolucionaria, a partir del análisis de los posts publicados entre el 11 de marzo y el 11 de junio del 2020, por tres blogs representativos de la diversidad comunicacional existente actual: La Joven Cuba, Segunda Cita y La pupila Insomne. Metodología: Desde un enfoque predominantemente cualitativo y una tipología correlacional, se emplearon como técnicas de investigación, la revisión bibliográfica-documental y el análisis de contenido (temático, semántico y de redes), aplicados, indistintamente, a los blogs objeto de estudio, a los posts publicados por éstos, así como a los comentarios generados y refutaciones recibidas desde otros blog, redes sociales y sitios externos. Resultados: El estudio muestra, como principal hallazgo, un entorno comunicacionalmente convulso, donde la relación enunciada se expresa como una saga hilvanada en forma de controversia que involucra diversos autores y más de un blog. Discusión y conclusiones: La Covid-19, en ese contexto, se revela como temática propicia para actualizar y dirimir rencillas ciberespaciales de larga data, que permanentemente tensan, condicionan y direccionan el contenido de cada post, a partir de posicionamientos ideopolíticos claramente definidos.
La autoconciencia hegeliana o la necesidad del otro.
Authors: Leiva Rubio Gabriel
Published: December 2020

El objetivo de este ensayo es lograr comprender, en la Fenomenología del espíritu, como se da el primer movimiento dialéctico que acontece en la conciencia en cuanto esta se reconoce como autoconciencia. El análisis que Hegel realiza en los primeros tres capítulos: la certeza sensible, la percepción y la fuerza y el entendimiento, serán abordados aquí, pero solo como antecedentes de la autoconciencia, de ahí que el análisis que se les dedique no sea tan exhaustivo en su abordaje conceptual como el concepto de autoconciencia, núcleo de este apartado.
Kompetencje zawodowe tłumacza audiowizualnego – między teorią a praktyką
Authors: Szpilman Magdalena , Hasior Aleksandra
Published: December 2020

Professional Competences of an Audiovisual Translator – between Theory and Practice

The article aims to outline the subject of specialized translation, including audiovisual translation (AV). AV translators have to face a variety of topics, often basing their work on non-linguistic knowledge, combining linguistic, intercultural and technological competences. The article aims at practical verification of the EMT competence framework.
Professional autonomy for midwives in the contemporary UK maternity system: part 2
Authors: Sonmezer Ellie
Published: December 2020

In this article, professionalisation, the midwifery profession and professional autonomy are explored from a sociological perspective to answer whether it is possible for a midwife to achieve professional autonomy within the contemporary UK system. Within part 1, obstetric influences and frictions, government policy and guidelines, risk, litigation and increasing managerialisation were considered, highlighting the complexities of professional midwifery and the challenges it faces. In part 2, choice, service pressures, evidence-based care, consumerism, leadership and reflexive practice are considered in the context of professional autonomy and the intention of retaining women's choice as the core belief of the profession. A conceptual framework has been devised to enable this, utilising the concept ‘New Professional Midwifery’.
Teaching Compassionate Mind Training to help midwives cope with traumatic clinical incidents
Authors: Martin Caroline J Hollins , Beaumont Elaine , Norris Gail , Cullen Gavin
Published: December 2020

Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) is taught to cultivate compassion and teach midwives how to care for themselves. The need to build midwives' resilience is recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), who advocate that mental health coping strategies be embedded into the midwifery curriculum. In this respect, CMT can be used as a resilience-building method to help midwives respond to self-criticism and threat-based emotions with compassion. The underpinnings of CMT involve understanding that people can develop cognitive biases or unhelpful thinking patterns, co-driven by an interplay between genetics and the environment. Within this paper, the underpinning theory of CMT and how it can be used to balance psychological threat, drive, and soothing systems are outlined. To contextualise the application to midwifery practice, a traumatic incident has been discussed. Teaching CMT has the potential to improve professional quality of life, and reduce midwife absence rates and potential attrition from the profession.
Supporting mothers with post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Thomas Kim
Published: December 2020

The Birth Trauma Association discusses its work to support families and inform policy
REVIEWS
Authors: Hewson Claire
Published: December 2020

Professional books are enjoying a new premium as early years practitioners demonstrate their thirst for knowledge and guidance to help them navigate a world changed by Covid.
Feeling at ease
Authors: Hack Lisa
Published: December 2020

There are growing concerns that the pandemic is having a negative impact on children's ability to develop social skills and self-confidence which is why nurseries should go the extra mile to create new opportunities for interaction.
La satisfacción personal y profesional del docente de secundaria: un análisis del rendimiento académico desde los datos de PISA 2015
Authors: Pascual-Gómez Isabel , Arteaga-Martínez Blanca
Published: December 2020

INTRODUCCIÓN. El estudio de la satisfacción laboral docente y su contribución a la mejora de la calidad del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje es objeto de debate desde hace unos años. Diversos estudios han tratado de indagar sobre esta relación, sin embargo, la evidencia empírica no es concluyente respecto a esta cuestión. MÉTODO. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la satisfacción personal y profesional de los/as docentes españoles/as de la etapa de educación secundaria, para comprobar su posible relación con el rendimiento académico de sus estudiantes, utilizando los datos obtenidos del estudio del Programa Internacional para la Evaluación de Estudiantes PISA 2015 para España. La muestra está constituida por 4.286 docentes y 6.736 estudiantes de 201 centros. Para analizar los datos se han utilizado modelos jerárquicos lineales, incluyendo en ellos los efectos contextuales vinculados al centro con los efectos individuales referidos al estudiante. RESULTADOS. Los resultados señalan que los niveles de satisfacción personal y profesional de los/as docentes son altos. Asimismo, en cuanto a su relación con el rendimiento de los estudiantes, podemos señalar que la satisfacción profesional tiene más influencia como predictordel rendimiento que la satisfacción personal del propio docente. DISCUSIÓN. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren la necesidad de ampliar el foco del estudio y profundizar tanto en los factores contextuales laborales extrínsecos, que consideran las especificidades de las diferentes organizaciones educativas, como en los factores intrínsecos, relacionados con la búsqueda del desarrollo personal y profesional del docente.
Matemáticas en el doble grado ADE-Derecho: un análisis cuantitativo de las estrategias de estudio
Authors: Arroyo-Barrigüete Jose Luis , Carábias-López Susana , Curto-González Tomás , Borrás-Pala Francisco
Published: December 2020

INTRODUCCIÓN. El objetivo de este trabajo es avanzar en la comprensión de los problemas relacionados con el aprendizaje matemático a nivel universitario, y específicamente en una titulación que desde hace años goza de enorme popularidad en el contexto universitario español: el doble grado en ADE y Derecho. MÉTODO. Trabajando sobre una muestra de 973 estudiantes, en primer lugar, se ha llevado a cabo un análisis clúster para identificar distintos perfiles de alumnos, utilizando como variables sus calificaciones en tres tipos de asignaturas diferentes: materias cuantitativas, de derecho y de carácter general. Posteriormente, y sobre cada uno de los clústers identificados, se han ajustado modelos de regresión a fin de determinar las relaciones entre distintas asignaturas. RESULTADOS. En torno a un 30% de los discentes presentan un fuerte sesgo cualitativo, con perfil muy diferenciado respecto a otros grupos, y que se caracteriza por un rendimiento medio en las materias de corte cuantitativo, y, sin embargo, un desempeño sensiblemente por encima de la media en el resto de las asignaturas. Adicionalmente, en este grupo de estudiantes no parece existir relación en el rendimiento obtenido en distintas asignaturas de matemáticas. DISCUSIÓN. Este resultado apunta a que la aproximación de este grupo de estudiantes a una determinada materia de matemáticas es independiente de lo estudiado con anterioridad, como si no tuviese relación alguna con la asignatura de matemáticas precedente. Además, esta característica es exclusiva de este colectivo, pues en todos los demás alumnos, en torno al 70%, sí existe una fuerte relación. Esto nos lleva a plantear que estos alumnos quizá estén optando por una aproximación memorística a las materias cuantitativas.
Isolation of lupeol from Grewia lasiocarpa stem bark: Antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxicity activities
Authors: Akwu Nneka , Naidoo Yougasphree , Singh Moganavelli , Channangihalli Thimmegowda Sadashiva , Nundkumar Nirasha , Lin Johnson
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Akwu N, Naidoo Y, Singh M, Thimmegowda SC, Nundkumar N, Lin J. 2020. Isolation of lupeol from Grewia lasiocarpa stem bark: Antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxicity activities. Biodiversitas 21: 5684-5691. Lupeol a pentacyclic triterpenoid, was extracted from the stem bark of Grewia lasiocarpa. Stem bark was macerated with chloroform (CHCl3) at 25 ± 2°C, and then purified using a silica gel column. The mobile phase was hexane (100%) and hexane: ethyl acetate (80:20) as the mobile phase. The structure of lupeol was identified by 1HNMR, and 13C NMR spectral data, compared with reported data. The antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity activities of lupeol were evaluated using agar-well diffusion against six clinic bacteria isolates, namely Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 314588), and Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 14026) Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (ATCC BAA-1683). The antioxidants assays were performed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Cytotoxicity activity was carried out by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was carried out against HEK293 (human embryonic kidney), HeLa (cervical carcinoma), and MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines. The concentration range of lupeol was 240-15 µg/mL. Lupeol at the concentration of 240 and 120 µg/mL have no antibacterial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (ATCC BAA-1683). The antioxidant activity was dose-dependent, while cytotoxic activities were observed in HEK293, HeLa, and MCF-7 cells. This study was the first report on the extraction, isolation, and biological activities of lupeol, from the stem bark of G. lasiocarpa.
Genotypic variability and relationships of Sorghum bicolor accessions from Java Island, Indonesia based on IRAP markers
Authors: Martiwi Ika Nugraheni Ari , Nugroho Laurentius Hartanto , Daryono Budi Setiadi , Susandarini Ratna
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Martiwi INA, Nugroho LH, Daryono BS, Susandarini R. 2020. Genotypic variability and relationships of Sorghum bicolor accessions from Java Island, Indonesia based on IRAP markers. Biodiversitas 21: 5637-5643. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a multifunctional crop with high adaptability to various habitats and thus it is important to assess the genotypic variability of this crop species. This study aimed to reveal the genotypic variability and relationships of sorghum accessions using inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP) molecular markers. Twenty-three sorghum accessions were collected from smallholder farmers in three provinces of Java Island during the 2019 planting season. The IRAP profiles generated using 10 primer combinations produced 233 scorable bands, with degree of polymorphism 75-96.9%. Cluster analysis using the neighbor-joining (NJ) method showed the formation of three groups corresponds to geographic origin of samples. The NJ dendrogram structure indicated high genotypic variability, and was supported by distribution pattern of accessions on the scatterplot constructed using principal coordinate analysis. The grouping of accessions did not correspond to classification of botanical races. Each group recognized from cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis consisted of various races namely Bicolor, Guinea, Caudatum, and Kaffir. The fact that each group consisted of various botanical races indicated local adaptation and the maintenance of genotypic identity through farmers’ selection in traditional cultivation practices. It could be concluded, therefore, that geographical proximity and the practice of seed exchange between different regions showed considerable influence on the genotypic relationships of sorghum accessions.
Anticancer potential of methanolic extracts from Pleurotus species on raji cells and antibacterial activity against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Muhammad Evy Prastiyanto  , RUKMANA RIZAL MAARIF , SARASWATI DEWI KUNTHY , DARMAWATI SRI , MAHARANI ENDANG TRI WAHYUNI , TURSINAWATI YANUARITA
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Prastiyanto ME, Rukmana RM, Saraswati DK, Darmawati S, Maharani ETW, Tursinawati Y. 2020. Anticancer potential of methanolic extracts from Pleurotus species on raji cells and antibacterial activity against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Biodiversitas 21: 5644-5649. The aim of this work is to identify the potential effects of methanolic extracts from four species of the Pleurotus genus cultivated in Indonesia on nasopharynx cancer (Raji cell line), and to investigate their antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This study investigates four species members of Pleurotus (Pleurotus ostreatus, P. cystidiosus, P. flabellatus, and P. pulmonarius var. stechangii). Dry Samples were extracted with methanol to yield crude extracts. Cytotoxicity screening was conducted using MTT assay of dry extracts, while antibacterial activity was calculated based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using Mueller–Hinton broth, via the microdilution method. Compounds were analyzed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). P. flabellatus provided the highest yield of dry extract (20.8%) with the lowest value of IC50 (556.226 µg/mL) compared to the three other species investigated. Antibacterial activity was calculated as MIC and MBC values against MRSA by the P. flabellatus extract which reached 6.25 mg/mL and 250 mg/mL, respectively. The result of TLC of the dry extract of P. flabellatus revealed the presence of terpenoids. P. flabellatus has the potential to be developed as both an anti-cancer and an antibacterial agent, especially against Raji cells and MRSA strains. However, further in vivo research and discovery of the modes of action involved are still needed to shed light on these effects. Studies can provide new information about the benefits of Pleurotus as a source of natural anticancer and antibacterial compound.
Potential secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters and antibacterial activity of novel taxa Gandjariella
Authors: Ningsih Fitria , Chitra Ayu Fitria Sari Dhian , Yabe Shuhei , Yokota Akira , Sjamsuridzal Wellyzar
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Ningsih F, Sari DCAF, Yabe S, Yokota A, Sjamsuridzal W. 2020. Potential secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters and antibacterial activity of novel taxa Gandjariella. Biodiversitas 21: 5674-5684. Microbial resistance to available antibiotics has gained increasing attention in recent years and led to the urgent search for active secondary metabolites from novel microbial taxa. This study aimed to assess putative secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in the genome of a novel thermophilic Actinobacteria type strain Gandjariella thermophila SL3-2-4T and screen for its antibacterial activity. Four other related novel candidate Actinobacteria strains, isolated from forest soil in the Cisolok geothermal area (West Java, Indonesia), were also screened for antibacterial activity in various media solidified with gellan gum. The genome of the SL3-2-4T strain contained 21 antiSMASH-identified secondary metabolite regions harboring BGCs. These BGCs were for polyketide synthase, non-ribosomal peptide synthase, and ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide family clusters. Three BGC regions displayed 50-100% similarity with known secondary metabolites. Thirteen and five regions displayed low (4-35%) and no similarity with known BGCs for secondary metabolites, respectively. Strains SL3-2-4T and SL3-2-7 on MM 2 medium solidified with gellan gum at 45 °C for 14 days demonstrated inhibitory activity against all Gram-positive, but not Gram-negative bacteria. Strain SL3-2-10 on ISP 3 gellan gum medium incubated for seven days only active against K. rhizophila NBRC 12078. Strains SL3-2-6 and SL3-2-9 did not exhibit any antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains on the three tested media. The results indicated that novel taxa have the potential for the discovery of active secondary metabolites.