bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insects on our Plates? Potential, Challenges and Opportunities in the Edible Insect Market
Authors: Adler Thomas
Published: July 2022

Our food system is a major polluter and perpetrator of climate change and biodiversity loss. Animal-based protein sources are the most energy intensive and polluting food products. Edible insects have been touted as an alternative to traditional meat sources. This paper quantifies the sustainability of the edible insect production process. Then, it will explore the challenges edible insect companies are facing to change consumer behaviour. Insects as food are still met with disgust, neophobia and are not considered as a viable food option. Through stakeholder interviews, I will be looking at how these companies are attempting to change that, notably through indirect entomophagy, increasing familiarity and building communities. I also recommend other potential strategies such as increasing familiarity by selling insect by-products, targeting a younger audience and establishing edible insects as a unique food category. Finally, I look at the government's perspective on this novel food, whether or not it should support it's development and how supply-side policies could be implemented to do so.
Guía de recursos audiovisuales para la enseñanza del trabajo social
Authors: Pachecho Turnes María
Published: July 2022

A lo largo de su trayectoria profesional el profesor Manuel Gil fue recopilando diversos materiales audiovisuales que le sirvieron para impartir sus clases de Trabajo Social en la Universidad Pontificia Comillas. Revisarlos nos ayuda a conocer mejor al profesor Gil. Compartir el listado de los mismos nos sirve de homenaje a su persona y a su generosidad.
Argumente und Möglichkeiten für eine Quantifizierung und ein Monitoring der differenzierten Landnutzung
Authors: Walz Ulrich , Jaeger Jochen A. G. , Haber Wolfgang
Published: July 2022

The concept of differentiated land use was formulated already 50 years ago to preserve biodiversity and to maintain or restore the necessary landscape structure. Although it has been anchored in the Federal Nature Conservation Act, there is still no monitoring of its implementation, although the German Advisory Council on the Environment has been calling for this for 25 years. The paper argues that the technical prerequisites for monitoring the differentiated land use are ready today and discusses the conceptual steps necessary. It identifies several dimensions and proposes corresponding indicators of landscape structure, in particular the degree of diversification and the mixing of intensive land uses, the distribution of the size of intensively used areas, the proportion of semi-natural areas (at least 10 %) and the interconnected arrangement of semi-natural areas. Furthermore, the paper discusses suitable reference units and existing data. Finally, we identify remaining gaps in the data basis and discuss the question of defining target values.
Sensitivity of Geometric Parameters in the Sustainability Development of Continuous Welded Rail
Authors: Dybeł Katarzyna , Kampczyk Arkadiusz
Published: July 2022

Continuous Welded Rails (CWR) are a key infrastructure element in the safety and efficiency of rail transportation. Their correct exploitation (operational) requires surveying and diagnostic monitoring based not only on the results of rail displacement measurements, but also on the geometric parameters of the track in the horizontal (H) and vertical (V) planes. Many researchers have proposed different approaches for surveying and diagnostic monitoring of CWR. However, they do not refer to the determination of railway track defectiveness (parametric defects, track defectiveness) respectively on straight and curvilinear segments. Research topics involving CWR constitute a continuous openness to research with particular application of synergy effects in the optimization of monitoring of CWR geometry shaped by exploitation processes. In this study, based on real measurement data of six geometric parameters (H: track gauge, gradient of track gauge, horizontal irregularities and V: cant, twist, vertical irregularities), the most sensitive parameters in sustainable development CWR are defined. The research answered that the most sensitive parameters in the sustainability development of CWR belong in the range of the plane H: gradient of track gauge and horizontal irregularities, and in the plane V: vertical irregularities. These escalate especially on curvilinear sections, requiring more significant maintenance capacity. Due to the growing importance of rail transportation as a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and mass transit mode, the research results provide a basis for life cycle management of CWR.
Identification of heat-tolerant rice genotypes and their molecular characterisation using SSR markers
Authors: Stephen K , Beena R , Neethu M , Shanija S
Published: July 2022

The effect of high-temperature stress has a critical impact in causing reduced crop yield. The focus of the current investigation is the identification of heat-tolerant rice varieties that can alleviate the effects of stress. Among the ten genotypes evaluated across various parameters such as leaf area, dry weight, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and spikelet fertility, N-22 showed superior characteristics for the grain filling parameters along with CR-Dhan 307. The variety CR-Dhan 307 with significantly higher mean pollen viability (80.23%), spikelet fertility (81.18%) and 1000 grain weight (25.45 gm) can be utilized as a heat-tolerant variety. Other genotypes Ptb-7 and CR-Dhan 202 seemed to have tolerance traits beneficial at the vegetative stage. The genotype Rajalakshmi can be characterised as heat susceptible as it had significantly lower values for all parameters. Polymorphic analysis was carried out to validate SSR markers associated with heat tolerance. The polymorphic information content (PIC) was found to be the highest for RM236 and RM6100. The SSR marker RM6100 has been validated in the current investigation to be associated with heat tolerance. As the PIC value is an indication of the ability of the marker in indicating genetic diversity, the PIC values of the 11 polymorphic markers is useful for identify heat-tolerant genotypes. The genetic diversity analysis was carried out using DendroUPGMA to establish the relationship between the genotypes. The genotypes Ptb-7 and CR-Dhan 204 were thus found to be closely related to the heat-tolerant check variety, N-22 indicating genetically related traits for tolerance to heat.
Pharmacognostical investigation of Clitoria ternatea L. leaves
Authors: Rampalli Shivnetra , Gopalkrishnan Bindu
Published: July 2022

Clitoria ternatea L. (Family: Fabaceae) is also commonly known as Aparajita or Shankapushpi. The folklore claims the use of whole plant for curing various ailments. The leaves are used for hepatic problems, otalgia and eruptions. Pharmacognosy is an indispensable aid in standardization of herbal drugs. For the present investigation, pharmacognostical evaluation of C. ternatea L. leaf is carried out for quality standards. The study involves the following parameters like macroscopic, microscopic, histochemical analysis, powder microscopy, preliminary phytochemical screening, and physicochemical analysis. The keystone characteristic of microscopic studies under light and scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of sclerenchyma ring around the vascular bundle in the midrib region and; two types of non-glandular bicellular trichomes, first type is smooth walled with curved apex, and second type is warty walled with blunt apex. The presence of wax crystalloids on the surface of the leaflets was clearly observed in ESEM. Powder study goes concurrent with microscopy. The physicochemical studies revealed i.e. total ash (8.15 %), water soluble ash (6.58 %), acid insoluble ash (1.88 %) and sulphated ash (9.05%); water soluble extractive value (14.92%) and alcohol soluble extractive values of (9.66%) which are comparatively higher to other solvents. The preliminary phytochemical and histochemical studies showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, anthraquinone glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids etc. In the current studies, pharmacopeial standards are laid down for the leaves of C. ternatea L.
Effects of flooding on the Mediterranean Cymodocea nodosa population in relation to environmental degradation
Authors: Nadzari Masturah , Papathanasiou Vasillis , Tsioli Soultana , Küpper Frithjof C. , Orfanidis Sotiris
Published: July 2022

Cymodocea nodosa is a common seagrass species of shallow and sheltered Mediterranean waters, where extreme flushing of plumes can occur during excessive rainfall. Cymodocea nodosa shoots were sampled from two habitats of Kavala Gulf, one nearly pristine (less stressed, Vrasidas) and another highly stressed (Nea Karvali), to study if flooding might negatively affect seagrass habitats. Photosynthetic performance of shoots from the pristine habitat acclimated better than shoots from highly stressed conditions simulating a flooding event. Indeed, a significant (p < 0.01) interaction between habitat and flooding on photochemical energy harvesting (ΔF/Fm′) values was found, with lower ΔF/F
m′ values in the pristine habitat under control conditions. Furthermore, based on relative electron transport rate (rETR) curves reconstructed from fluorescence-versus-irradiance data, shoots from the pristine habitat performed better after 18 days of treatment to flooding. On the other hand, shoots from highly stressed habitats grew faster than pristine ones, but their growth decreased similarly under flooding conditions. The implications for management and conservation priorities for this phenotypically plastic seagrass in the Mediterranean are discussed.
The power of Facebook friends: An investigation of young adolescents’ processing of social advertising on social networking sites
Authors: Holvoet Sanne , Hudders Liselot , Herrewijn Laura
Published: July 2022

This study investigates the underlying mechanisms of how young adolescents process social advertising (i. e., advertising on social networking sites which shows how many and which of the user’s friends have ‘liked’ the brand’s page). Particularly, two experiments examined the role of brand trust in adolescents’ attitude formation and how brand trust is predicted by theories of social proof and persuasion knowledge. In addition, the moderating role of brand familiarity and brand value is investigated. The first experiment (N = 142) showed that higher brand trust was induced for social advertising for unfamiliar but not for familiar brands through the principle of social proof. This means that friends’ likes may reduce uncertainty and increase trust in unfamiliar brands through social advertising, something which enhances brand attitudes. Persuasion knowledge could not explain the effects of social advertising. The second experiment (N = 72) showed that social advertisements are more effective for brands that are symbolic (versus non-symbolic). Managerial and policy implications regarding social advertising targeting adolescents are discussed.
Construction of local A-packets
Authors: Atobe Hiraku
Published: July 2022

In the present paper, we reformulate Mœglin’s explicit construction of local A-packets of
split odd special orthogonal groups and symplectic groups.
By this reformulation together with results of the previous paper with Mínguez,
we can compute the A-packets explicitly.
Also, we give a non-vanishing criterion of our parametrization,
and an algorithm to compute certain derivatives.
Finally, we prove a formula for the Aubert duals of irreducible representations of Arthur type.
On the complexity of monotone circuits for threshold symmetric Boolean functions
Authors: Sergeev Igor S.
Published: July 2022

The complexity of implementation of a threshold symmetric n-place Boolean function with threshold k = O(1) via circuits over the basis {∨, ∧} is shown not to exceed 2 log2
k ⋅ n + o(n). Moreover, the complexity of a threshold-2 function is proved to be 2n + Θ(

$\begin{array}{}
\sqrt n
\end{array} $

), and the complexity of a threshold-3 function is shown to be 3n + O(log n), the corresponding lower bounds are put forward.
CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 variants influence the risk and outcome of COVID-19 infection among rheumatoid arthritis patients maintained on hydroxychloroquine
Authors: Salem Hareedy Mohammad , Rashad Sonya Mohamed , Hetta Helal F. , Hassanien Sara Mahmoud , Abdellatif Hebatallah , Hassanien Manal
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been used as an off label for the management of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infection with other drugs. However, different genetic variants can affect the metabolism of HCQ leading to inter-individual differences in its efficacy. In this study, we investigated the effects of variants in CYP2D6, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 on the risk of Covid-19 infection among patients receiving HCQ for controlling rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

A total of 60 patients were genotyped for CYP2D6*2XN, CYP2D6*4, CYP3A4*1B and CYP3A5*2. They were receiving HCQ for the treatment of RA. The patients were evaluated clinically for fever and dry cough, radiologically via chest computed tomography (CT) and immunologically via anti-Covid-19 IgG and IgM titers.

Results

Variants in CYP2D6 significantly affected the grade of ground glass (CYP2D6*4 AA carriers showed the higher risk for grade 3) and the risk of positive anti-Covid-19 IgM (CYP2D6*2XN CC and CYP3A4*1B AA had the lowest risk), the duration of HCQ, the use of corticosteroids or gender did not affect the Covid-19 status significantly.

Conclusions

In general, the outcome of the studied patients receiving HCQ was good (no deaths, no intubation needed). CYP2D6 variants could affect the outcome of Covid-19 infection.
Angstverfassungen
Authors: Bung Jochen
Published: July 2022

The connection between fear, law and the state is a topic that is given particular attention in times of social insecurity. Some approximations are explored here under the notion of fear constitutions. We are equal in fear of one another, which is why fear can be understood as a condition of modern constitutions. However, the social contract does not lead to freedom from fear, but rather fear shifts; the legal subjects remain subjects of fear, in relation to one another, but in particular towards that multiple artificial person which the state comes to embody as it takes on a life of its own. The degree of fear varies with the degree of unpredictability and indeterminacy of executive action. State measures against terrorism or against the pandemic are often an unpredictable response to an unknown danger and are therefore at the same time both an expression of fear and its trigger. It would be helpful if there was a clear distinction between sensible and unreasonable, functional and dysfunctional forms of fear. Freud tried to provide criteria with his concept of neurotic fear, a concept that has been taken up in political and legal philosophy. However, the concept is obscure and cannot be used without normative specifications.
Efficient estimation of pathwise differentiable target parameters with the undersmoothed highly adaptive lasso
Authors: van der Laan Mark J. , Benkeser David , Cai Weixin
Published: July 2022

We consider estimation of a functional parameter of a realistically modeled data distribution based on observing independent and identically distributed observations. The highly adaptive lasso estimator of the functional parameter is defined as the minimizer of the empirical risk over a class of cadlag functions with finite sectional variation norm, where the functional parameter is parametrized in terms of such a class of functions. In this article we establish that this HAL estimator yields an asymptotically efficient estimator of any smooth feature of the functional parameter under a global undersmoothing condition. It is formally shown that the L
1-restriction in HAL does not obstruct it from solving the score equations along paths that do not enforce this condition. Therefore, from an asymptotic point of view, the only reason for undersmoothing is that the true target function might not be complex so that the HAL-fit leaves out key basis functions that are needed to span the desired efficient influence curve of the smooth target parameter. Nonetheless, in practice undersmoothing appears to be beneficial and a simple targeted method is proposed and practically verified to perform well. We demonstrate our general result HAL-estimator of a treatment-specific mean and of the integrated square density. We also present simulations for these two examples confirming the theory.
Detection of atmospheric nuclear explosions: the infrasound component of the International Monitoring System
Authors: Christie D. R. , Veloso J. A. Vivas , Campus P , Bell M. , Hoffmann T. , Langlois A. , Martysevich P. , Demirovic E. , Carvalho J.
Published: July 2022

The infrasound component of the International Monitoring System (IMS') for Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty verification will consist of 60 array stations distributed as uniformly as possible over the surface of the globe. This network will be far larger and more sensitive than any other previously operated infrasound network. In this paper, we discuss the design and performance characteristics of this monitoring network and the current status of the site survey and installation programs. A brief review of significant developments in infrasound monitoring technology in the last few years is also presented along with a summary of the various areas where data from this unique global network is likely to be of value to the scientific community.
The International Data Centre of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: vision and progress
Authors: Bratt S. R.
Published: July 2022

The mission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty International Data Centre (IDC) is to: (a) acquire data over a Global Communications Infrastructure from a global network of 337 facilities of the International Monitoring Systems (IMS), (b) to process and analyze these data, and (c) to provide the IMS data, IDC products and services to Member States. In effect, the IDC symbolizes a new brand of arms control for the information age, leveraging Internet communications, knowledge-based data fusion, graphical decision support systems and Web-based user interfaces to achieve its mission. During 2000, the IDC was disseminating products based on data from about 90 seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide stations of the future network. The number of events in the reviewed seismo-acoustic bulletins ranged from 40 to 360 each day. On average, some 200 radionuclide spectra were processed and analysed each month. Users from 45 Member States received an average of close to 18,000 data and product deliveries per month from the IDC. As the IDC continues to prepare for entry-into-force of the CTBT, it will continue to integrate the state-of-the-art in science and technology in order to meet the demands of the increasing volume of new types of IMS data, expanded IDC services, and a growing base of users.
An advanced German approach for screening within the framework of probabilistic fire safety assessment studies
Authors: Türschmann M. , Röwekamp M. , Berg H. P
Published: July 2022

As part of a larger nuclear regulatory investigation project, a contribution to the development of methodologies for the fire hazard assessment has been provided. Within the framework of probabilistic fire risk analyses, a methodology for the selection of critical plant areas as starting point for the detailed analysis has been developed. This method is mainly based on the systematic compilation of comprehensive fire related information for each individual compartment. The primary information gathered is used for ranking of compartments in terms of fire load, conditional fire occurrence frequency, and possibilities of fire propagation. For the implementation and application of the methodology within the framework of probabilistic safety assessment studies, an ACCESS database has been developed, both for compilation of the raw data as well as for further data analysis.
The upgrade and conversion of the ET-RR-1 research reactor using plate type fuel elements
Authors: Ashoub N. , Saleh H. G.
Published: July 2022

The ET-RR-1 research reactor has been operated at 2 MW since 1961 using EK-10 fuel elements with 10% enriched uranium. The reactor has been used for nuclear applied research and isotope production. In order to upgrade the reactor power to a reasonable limit facing up-to-date uses, core conversion by a new type of fuel element available is necessary. Two fuel elements in plate type are suggested in this study to be used in the ET-RR-1 reactor core rather than the utilized ones. The first element has a dimension of 8×8×50 cm and consists of 19.7% enriched uranium, which is typical for that utilized in the ET RR-2 reactor, but with a different length. The other element is proposed with a dimension of 7×7×50 cm and has the same uranium enrichment. To accomplish safety requirements for these fuel elements, thermal-hydraulic evaluation has been carried out using the PARET code. To reach a core conversion of the ET-RR-1 reactor with the above two types of fuel elements, neutronic calculations have been performed using WIMSD4, DIXY2 and EREBUS codes. Some important nuclear parameters needed in the physical design of the reactor were calculated and included in this study.
What embedded counterfactuals tell us about the semantics of attitudes
Authors: Haslinger Nina , Schmitt Viola
Published: July 2022

We discuss German examples where counterfactuals restricting an epistemic modal are embedded under glauben ‘believe’. Such sentences raise a puzzle for the analysis of counterfactuals, modals, and belief attributions within possible-worlds semantics. Their truth conditions suggest that the modal’s domain is determined exclusively by the subject’s belief state, but evaluating the counterfactual separately at each of the subject’s doxastic alternatives does not yield the correct quantificational domain: the domain ends up being determined by the facts of each particular world, which include propositions the subject does not believe. We therefore revise the semantics of counterfactuals: counterfactuals still rely on an ordering among worlds that can be derived from a premise set (Kratzer, Angelika. 1978. Semantik der Rede: Kontexttheorie – Modalwörter – Konditionalsätze (Monographien Linguistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft 38). Königstein: Scriptor, 2012 [1981]a. The notional category of modality. In Modals and conditionals (Oxford studies in theoretical linguistics 36), 27–69. Oxford: Oxford University Press), but rather than uniquely characterizing a world, this premise set can be compatible with multiple worlds. In belief contexts, the attitude subject’s belief state as a whole determines the relevant ordering. This, in turn, motivates a revision of the semantics of believe: following Yalcin’s work on epistemic modals (Yalcin, Seth. 2007. Epistemic modals. Mind 116. 983–1026), we submit that evaluation indices are complex, consisting of a world and an ordering among worlds. Counterfactuals are sensitive to the ordering component of an index. Attitude verbs shift both components, relativizing the ordering to the attitude subject.
Cross-dialectal synchronic variation of a diachronic conditioned merger in Tlingit
Authors: Cardoso Amanda , Crippen James , Mellesmoen Gloria
Published: July 2022

Crosslinguistically rare sounds may be uncommon as a result of being phonologically marked (Trubetzkoy 1939) or due to articulatory or perceptual biases (Maddieson 1998). Certain types of sound changes are often argued to have roots in articulatory and perceptual biases (Blevins 2004). But in cases where there is limited data available, such as with understudied languages, it may be difficult to find evidence for the roots of sound changes. Synchronic variation can be used to provide evidence for diachronic sound changes (Blevins 2004; Lindblom 1990; Ohala 1993), which is particularly useful when historical data is limited. In this investigation we discuss phonetic biases, including acoustic and perceptual factors, that contribute to a set of sound changes in Tlingit, a critically endangered Indigenous language of Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon, that resulted in a primary split-merger (Blust 2012). This investigation provides further support for including explicit discussion of synchronic variation as part of the description of understudied languages. We propose that there should be a stronger emphasis on documenting and analyzing variation within understudied languages because excluding variation potentially masks significant intralinguistic and crosslinguistic phenomena.
On the behaviour solutions of fractional and partial integro differential heat equations and its numerical solutions
Authors: Mosa Gamal A. , Abdou Mohamed A. , Gawish Fatma A. , Abdalla Mostafa H.
Published: July 2022

In this paper, the semi-group method is used to discuss the existence and uniqueness of solutions for fractional and partial integro differential equations (F-PIDEs) of heat type in Banach space E. In addition, the stability of the solutions for F-PIDEs are discussed. Moreover, the Adomian decomposition method (ADM) is used to obtain the solutions numerically. Finally, numerical results of each case are obtained, and the difference of results between the fractional partial integro differential equation and partial integro differential equation are explained. Furthermore, the error is computed in each case.
A Study on statistical versions of convergence of sequences of functions
Authors: Das Samiran , Ghosh Argha
Published: July 2022

We introduce and study statistical versions of recently introduced concepts of semi-α convergence, semi exhaustiveness and semi uniform convergence of sequences of functions between metric spaces. We prove some basic results and establish a connection between them. Also, we give some examples to ensure deviation of established notions.
Dynamic response of functionally graded plate under harmonic load with variable gradient parameters
Authors: Tian Jianhui , Zhang Hongrui , Sun Jinjuan , Wu Jialiang , Hu Guangchu
Published: July 2022

This article used the strip element method to study the dynamics problems of the functionally graded plate with variable gradient parameters under the harmonic loads. The dynamic model of the functionally graded plate is established by using the strip element method, the rationality and accuracy of the theoretical results are verified by finite element method, and the displacement response under different gradient parameters is also calculated. The results show that under the different gradient parameters, the displacement varies harmonically with time, and with the increase of gradient parameters, the fluctuation period of displacement with time increases continuously, and the displacement peak also gradually increases. The displacement along the thickness direction also shows the harmonic form. Through comparison, it is found that the gradient parameters have a greater impact on the dynamic response for the functionally graded plate; with the increase in the gradient parameters, the displacement response also increases, but the displacement response trend slows down.
Assessment of Metabolic Flexibility by Substrate Oxidation Responses and Blood Lactate in Women Expressing Varying Levels of Aerobic Fitness and Body Fat
Authors: Waldman Hunter S. , Bryant Andrea R. , Knight Savanna N. , Killen Lauren G. , Davis Brett A. , Robinson Marcus A. , O'Neal Eric K.
Published: July 2022

Waldman, HS, Bryant, AR, Knight, SN, Killen, LG, Davis, BA, Robinson, MA, and O'Neal, EK. Assessment of metabolic flexibility by substrate oxidation responses and blood lactate in women expressing varying levels of aerobic fitness and body fat. J Strength Cond Res 37(3): 581–588, 2023—Collection of substrate oxidation responses during exercise is proposed as a noninvasive means for assessing metabolic flexibility in male subjects. However, because of hormonal and metabolic differences between sexes, this method may not be applicable to female subjects. This study assessed metabolic flexibility through indirect calorimetry across female subjects with different maximal oxidative capacities. Thirty-eight (18–45 years) eumenorrheic female subjects were stratified (p < 0.05) based on V̇o
2peak (mL·kg−1·min−1) into (1) endurance-trained (ET, n = 12, 42.6 ± 5.3), (2) recreationally active (RA, n = 13, 32.3 ± 1.6), or (3) overweight female subjects (OW, n = 13, 21.0 ± 4.0). Subjects completed the same 5-stage graded exercise test with intensities of 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 W. Lactate [La−], carbohydrate (CHOox), and fat (FATox) oxidation rates were assessed during the last min of each 5-minute stage. Subjects then cycled to exhaustion to determine V̇o
2peak. Endurance-trained and RA female subjects expressed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher absolute rates and rates scaled to fat-free mass of CHOox and FATox compared with OW female subjects during multiple stages. [La−] failed to consistently differentiate the 3 groups with higher [La−] for OW only found during stage 4; however, RER differed by 0.09 units or more at each stage for OW vs. ET. It seems that RER was more sensitive to cohort characteristics than [La−] contrasting recent findings in male cohorts. In conclusion, indirect calorimetry is a practical and noninvasive method for assessing metabolic flexibility in eumenorrheic female subjects of varying aerobic fitness levels.
Triaxial Shear Test for Strength Behavior of Saturated Sand–Steel Interface Based on Preformed Failure Plane
Authors: Liao Chencong , Liu Shi-ao , Xia Xiaohe
Published: July 2022

An innovative test method for analyzing the strength characteristics of a saturated sand–steel interface by triaxial apparatus is presented. A two-part triaxial test specimen was utilized incorporating a preformed interface along which surface sliding took place. The triaxial apparatus is used to control the drainage state and stress path of the specimen to implement expected interface boundary condition. Four steel specimens with various surface roughness (R1 to R4, smooth to noticeably rough) were used to analyze the effect of surface roughness on the sand–steel interface shear behavior. Typical drained and undrained interface behavior are demonstrated, and the influence of boundary conditions, initial confining pressure, and roughness on drained sand-steel interface are discussed. Results show that the strength of specimen with preformed failure plane is less than that of pure sand specimen. The strain hardening occurs in R1, R2, and R3 roughness during the tests, but the deviator stress has the tendency to decrease after reaching the turning point in R4 roughness. In addition, the normalized efficiency parameter E and the interface friction angle φint increased approximately linearly with Ra in a semi-logarithmic scale. Comparison with direct interface shear tests indicates that friction angles obtained by triaxial tests are only slightly higher than those derived from direct shear tests, implying that the triaxial interface shear test can reasonably obtain the index of the saturated soil–steel interface shear strength.
Apolipoprotein A1 Enhances Endothelial Cell Survival in anIn VitroModel of ALS
Authors: Garbuzova-Davis Svitlana , Willing Alison E. , Borlongan Cesario V.
Published: July 2022

Altered lipoprotein metabolism is considered a pathogenic component of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), a major high-density lipoprotein (HDL) protein, is associated with prevention of vascular damage. However, ApoA1’s effects on damaged endothelium in ALS are unknown. This study aimed to determine therapeutic potential of ApoA1 for endothelial cell (EC) repair under a pathologic condition reminiscent of ALS. We performedin vitrostudies using mouse brain ECs (mBECs) exposed to plasma from symptomatic G93A SOD1 mice. Dosage effects of ApoA1, including inhibition of the phosphoinoside 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway and integration of ApoA1 into mBECs were examined. Also, human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (hBM-EPCs) and mBECs were co-cultured without cell contact to establish therapeutic mechanism of hBM-EPC transplantation. Results showed that ApoA1 significantly reduced mBEC death via the PI3K/Akt downstream signaling pathway. Also, ApoA1 was incorporated into mBECs as confirmed by blocked ApoA1 cellular integration. Co-culture system provided evidence that ApoA1 was secreted by hBM-EPCs and incorporated into injured mBECs. Thus, our study findings provide important evidence for ApoA1 as a potential novel therapeutic for endothelium protection in ALS. Thisin vitrostudy lays the groundwork for furtherin vivoresearch to fully determine therapeutic effects of ApoA1 in ALS.
Disaster Resilience Versus Ecological Resilience and the Proposed Second Causeway to South Padre Island
Authors: Vallejo Juliet , Sanchez Katia , Roozee Evelyn , Temby Owen
Published: July 2022

The barrier island of South Padre is located off the coast of Texas’s southern tip in Cameron County and is a popular tourist destination with over 4 million annual visits. The only road access to and from the island is a four-lane causeway, 2.3 miles in length, that routinely experiences heavy traffic. Twenty years ago, a barge crashed into the Queen Isabella Causeway, destroying a portion of the bridge. It quickly became apparent how reliant South Padre Island (SPI) is on the causeway and raised questions regarding its lack of disaster resilience. Local boosters and government responded by proposing and planning for the construction of a second causeway that would provide an additional emergency response route and facilitate economic development. However, the planned location for the new bridge crosses through sensitive seagrass beds that this construction would permanently fragment. The habitats for numerous threatened and endangered species would be destroyed, thereby reducing the ecological resilience of the area. Social–ecological theory focuses on the interconnectedness between humans and ecosystems and their symbiotic nature. Yet in the case of SPI, these two dimensions of social–ecological resiliency are in competition with one another. The proposed causeway would ostensibly enhance disaster preparedness and foster economic development but at the expense of the degradation of crucial ecological habitats. This case study provides insight into the contradictions between ecological resilience and disaster resilience from the standpoint of various stakeholders.
Gonadal tumor development in 46,XX disorders of gonadal development
Authors: Costanzo Mariana , Touzon María Sol , Marino Roxana , Guercio Gabriela , Ramirez Pablo , Mattone María Celeste , Pérez Garrido Natalia , Bailez María Marcela , Vaiani Elisa , Ciaccio Marta , Galluzzo Mutti María Laura , Belgorosky Alicia , Berensztein Esperanza
Published: July 2022

Background

Differences/disorders of sex development (DSD) are congenital conditions in which the development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical.

Objective

The aim of this study is to report the histological characteristics and immunoexpression patterns of gonadal parenchyma in patients with 46,XX testicular and ovotesticular DSD, with a focus on the detection of germ cell malignancies.

Design

Inclusion criteria were SRY-negative 46,XX testicular and ovotesticular DSD with available samples from gonadal biopsy or gonadectomy for the review of histological findings. Gonadal histology was assessed on hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections and immunohistochemical analysis. Histopathological criteria from the last World Health Organization classification of urogenital tumors were used to identify undifferentiated gonadal tissue, gonadoblastoma, and dysgerminoma.

Results

Median age at first histological evaluation of gonadal samples was 1.46 years (range: 0.16–16 years). Totally 15 patients were classified as ovotesticular and only 1 as testicular DSD. Most individuals had bilateral ovotestes (12/15). No histological alterations were found in the ovarian parenchyma, while signs of dysgenesis were seen in all cases of testicular parenchyma. In 4/15 ovotesticular DSD, a prepubertal biopsy failed to identify ovarian parenchyma. We detected early prepubertal preinvasive and invasive malignancies in this cohort (five patients had undifferentiated gonadal tissue, five gonadoblastoma, and one dysgerminoma).

Conclusion

46,XX disorders of gonadal development are historically considered at a low risk for germ cell cancer, and the need for assessment of gonadal histology has been questioned. The finding of early germ cell malignancies in our cohort brings awareness and needs further research.
First records of Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus (Bloch, 1790), Whitespotted Grouper, (Teleostei, Epinephelidae) in the southern Arabian Gulf
Authors: Mateos-Molina Daniel , Bejarano Ivonne , Craig Matthew T.
Published: July 2022

Two individuals of Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus (Bloch, 1790), Whitespotted Grouper, were recorded in an offshore marine protected area of the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Gulf coast at depths of 5 m and 10 m. These are the first records of the species in the southern Arabian Gulf, and they add this species to the few groupers that inhabit one of the most extreme environmental waters of the world.
Implementation of the adapted Grifits scale in the Ukrainian pediatric area
Authors:   National Pirogov Memorial Medical University Vinnytsya, Ukraine, Bedrii N.M. , Yablon O.S. ,   National Pirogov Memorial Medical University Vinnytsya, Ukraine
Published: July 2022

Despite of the lot of development assessment tools during last three decades long-term adverse effects of premature infants and techniques determining the extent of violations, no study has provided a comprehensive overview of these tools, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. In the structure of long-term adverse effects of premature birth remains a high frequency of neurological disorders that require further improvement of diagnostic methods and timely correction to improve the prognosis of further development. Purpose - to improve the long-term effects of preterm birth by using an adapted Griffiths scale in preschool children. Materials and methods. An assessment of the psychomotor development of 105 preschool children was estimated. Assessment of psychomotor development was performed using an adapted Griffiths scale and a well-known method. During the study, this category of children was under the supervision of follow-up doctors to systematically assess their health. Dynamic examination was performed during the first year of life once every 3 months, from the second to the sixth year of life - according to the individual rehabilitation plan. Patients (n=105) were divided into 3 groups depending on the severity of disabling pathology. Results. According to the results of the survey, it can be reveal that more than 70% of respondents had the equivalent of delayed psychomotor development of various patterns. Тhe analysis of the assessment of psychomotor development showed that the structure of the causes of delayed psychomotor development in preschool children has the same trend for different methods of examination, however, the Griffiths Adapted Assessment demonstrates more accurate patient-specific outcomes, allows for the rapid detection of long-term adverse effects of preterm birth, recommendations for infants and families to develop an individual rehabilitation and habilitation program, and examinations in dynamics. Conclusions. It has been established that the adapted Griffiths psychomotor development scale is a valid diagnostic tool in the cohort of preschool children in order to determine psychomotor development indicators, calculate the child's intellectual coefficient and form an individual patient profile. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local ethics committee of the participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors. Key words: early age children, psychomotor development of preschool children, somatoform disorder, follow-up.
Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome in neonatal practice (case report)
Authors:   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Kocherha Z.R. , Pavlykivska B.M. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Harkot L.S. ,   CNPE «City Clinical Perinatal Center», Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, Dmytruk Yu.I. ,   CNPE «City Clinical Perinatal Center», Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, Pavlykivska O.S. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine
Published: July 2022

The article presents data on a rare genetic disease - Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. The disease incidence is 1: 25000-1: 30000. Parents’ lifestyle has no influence on the birth of a child with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. The risk of having a second child with the same pathology is 0.1%. The syndrome is characterized by the presence of deformed digits, distinctive facial features and mental retardation. Clinical signs of the disease occur as a result of mutation in the gene encoding a specific GreB protein. This gene is localized on the chromosome 16. The article reports on the main phenotypic deviations and analyzes the literature data on somatic and neurological pathologies. The syndrome is characterized by a combination of delayed physical and psychomotor development, progressive intellectual disability, characteristic craniofacial dysmorphism, deformity of digits (namely broad, short and wide distal phalanges of the thumbs and big toes, sometimes distal phalanges of other fingers and toes), abnormalities of the cardiovascular, respiratory and urogenital systems. The article presents primary data on the diagnosis of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome in a child of neonatal age. The boy’s parents, young people, and the newborn’s sister, aged 3, are healthy. No phenotypic manifestations of skeletal dysplasia were detected. The relatives’ hereditary history is negative. We have observed the following facial dysmorphia: low forehead, low hair growth line, high-arched eyebrows, moon-shaped face, hypertelorism, downward slanted eyes, «beaked» nose, hypoplastic nasal wings, moderate retrognathia, high narrow palate, dysplastic, small, low-lying auricles. Broad terminal phalanges of thumbs and big toes, as well as valgus deformity of the thumbs were observed. The child was diagnosed with an open aortic duct and congenital choanal atresia on the right. Thus, a severe disabling pathology in a child born to apparently healthy parents indicates a sporadic de novo mutation. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki declaration. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors. Key words: Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, craniofacial abnormalities, digit abnormalities, newborns.
Palatine tonsils functional reserve in children by immunological indicators evaluation
Authors:   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Bredun O. , Kosakivska I. ,   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Melnikov O. ,   O. Kolomiychenko Otolaryngology Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine
Published: July 2022

Today, indications for tonsillectomy are based mainly on clinical criteria rather than on the functional state of palatine tonsils (PT). Determination of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels in the oropharyngeal secretion before and after antigen load on PT is one of the methods for determining their functional capacity. However, this method has certain disadvantages, in particular not only PT were in the area of influence of both specific and non-specific stimuli, but also other lymphoid structures of the pharynx. The aim of the study is to improve the assessment of the immunofunctional state of PT. Materials and methods. The authors investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) sIgA and IFN-α content in oropharyngeal secretions in children with CT before and after antigen challenge vaccine OM-85 and the physical impact of ultrasound frequency of 880 kHz on the palatine tonsils. All the results were statistically processed using U-test (Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test) and Fisher's z-transformation. Results and Conclusion. The proposed method has significant advantages over the existing one, namely it is more selective, and therefore more accurate in determining the functional state of PT. Increased levels of sIgA and IFN-α in children’s oropharyngeal secretions suggest maintaining the functional reserve of the tonsils; the absence of positive dynamics or negative dynamics of this indicator shows a functional failure of PT and can serve as an indication for surgical treatment of children with CT. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The research protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of all the institutions mentioned in the work. Informed consent of the children’s parents was obtained for the research. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors. Key words: chronic tonsillitis, saliva, tonsillectomy indications, functional reserve.
The polymyelite problem: a threat or a reality?
Authors:   I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ukraine, Banadyha N.V.
Published: July 2022

The relevance of infectious pathology in children in modern conditions has acquired new significant features. We are talking about the measles epidemic (2017–2019), then the incidence and mortality caused by the Covid-19 virus (since 2020), and now (autumn 2021–January 2022) – an outbreak of polio in Ukraine. Already in January 2022, the second case of polio in a child from Ukraine was confirmed, so we have two outbreaks (Rivne and Zakarpattia regions), where the level of vaccination is the lowest in the country. And it is one of the lowest in the Zakarpattia region, and the tendency to further decrease has been observed for the last 2 years. It was found that the children were infected with the second type of poliovirus. This has greatly alarmed ukrainian and foreign experts, as the previous active campaign on global vaccination has reduced the number of polio cases in the world by 99% (for the period 1988-2021). The risk of polio in Ukraine is still high. These circumstances motivate to update the knowledge of doctors on diagnostic issues, differential diagnosis, to improve the quality of diagnosis. In the context of a decrease in the activity of the vaccine company, a high percentage of asymptomatic course and carriers of the polio virus, difficulties in differential diagnosis, and the absence of etiopathogenetic therapy, the threat of the spread of this dangerous infection among the child population with serious long-term consequences is obvious. The only step that can make a real difference is the introduction of active action to close the gap in routine immunization coverage for children. No conflict of interests was declared by the author. Key words: children, polio, diagnosis, differential diagnosis.