bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Place of Grammar Instruction in the 21st Century: Exploring Global Perspectives of English Teachers towards the Role of Teaching Grammar in EFL/ESL Classrooms
Authors: H. Al-khresheh Mohammad , Orak Suheyla Demirkol
Published: March 2021

This study explores the perspectives held by English teachers around the world regarding the role of teaching grammar in EFL/ESL classrooms and whether the divergence in these perspectives is influenced by variables such as gender, country, seniority, or educational background of the participants. To accomplish these objectives, a comprehensive questionnaire survey from literature comprising 46 items was carried out on a group of 304 participants from 22 countries who were voluntarily involved in this study using the snowball sampling method. Descriptive statistical methods were deployed for accurate data analysis. The findings revealed that the participants had a positive and constructive attitude regarding the importance of grammar instruction and were in unanimous agreement that good grammatical skills enabled the faster acquisition of proficiency in the target language. The participants agreed that grammatical mistakes’ immediate correction was detrimental students’ self-confidence levels and considered unnecessary interruption. These views highly influenced teaching methods and classroom practices. An overwhelming majority preferred an inductive and explicit approach to grammar teaching. It was concluded that while statistical differences in age, gender, and educational background did not influence the participants’ perspectives, seniority and country of origin played a vital role in these beliefs. After due consideration of these findings, a comprehensive discussion of the pedagogical implications and recommendations has been presented in this study.
Predictive Role of Cognitive Flexibility and Self-Control on Social Media Addiction in University Students
Authors: Sağar Mehmet Enes
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study is to examine how cognitive flexibility and self-control variables predict the social media addiction levels of university students. Relational model-based screening conducted in the 2020-2021 academic year. The research group studying this study in different universities in Turkey, 230 (47%) were male and 259 (53%) were female, the total of 489 university students. The average age of the research group is 20.21. Social Media Addiction Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Self-Control Scale and Personal Information Form were used as data collection tools in the study. The data obtained from the research were analyzed by using the stepwise regression analysis method from multiple linear regression analysis. As a result of the research; it was revealed that cognitive flexibility and self-control variables significantly predicted social media addiction.
Identification of Methylxanthines and Phenolic Compounds by UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS OTOF and Antioxidant Capacities of Beans and Dark Chocolate Bars from Three Trinitario×Forastero Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Hybrids
Authors: Akoa Simon Perrez , Kouam Jules Christian Djoko , Ondobo Martine Louise , Ndjaga Jude Manga , Djocgoue Pierre François , Onomo Pierre Effa
Published: March 2021

Interest on Trinitario cocoa has continuously increased due to the fact that some genotypes of this group had inherited some characters of vigorosity from Forastero and the flavor grade of Criollo. The pronounced incompatibility between Trinitario clones orientates research on the crossing of Trinitario clones with other varieties of cocoa in order to increase productivity and cocoa beans quality. Polyphenols and methylxanthines are bioactive compounds responsible for the health benefits of cocoa and cocoa based products. Cocoa is a crop with a high content of bioactive compounds in the plant kingdom. This study aims at correlating genotypes, methylxanthines and polyphenols as well as antioxidant activity of beans and dark chocolate derived from Trinitario×Forastero hybrids. Total polyphenol content and total condensed tannin contents were determined by spectrophotometric methods. Individual bioactive compounds were identified by UPLC-DAD-ESI(+)-MS both in beans and dark chocolate bar. Results showed differences within beans of dark chocolate and between beans and dark chocolate. Beans from the hybrid (♀)SNK10×(♂)IMC67 recorded the highest polyphenol content (49.18±1.55mg CatE/g) considering the two matrices. The highest concentration of condensed tannins (22.81±0.69 mgCatE/g) was recorded in beans obtained from the hybrid (♀)ICS40×(♂)UPA134. Dark chocolate bar from beans of the hybrid (♀)ICS40×(♂)UPA134 was the richest in condensed tannins (18.25±0.71 mg CatE/g). The total polyphenol and total condensed tannin contents, the chemical composition as well as the antioxidant activity could be genotype-dependent and were affected negatively during roasting. In fact, roasting decreased the polyphenol content and consequently the antioxidant activity. (-)-epicatechin, theobromine, ferulic and chlorogenic acids and their derivatives, procyanidin C1, caffeine and salicylic acid 3-O-glucose/galactose were identified in beans and/or dark chocolate.
Genome-wide scan for runs of homozygosity identifies candidate genes in Wannan Black pigs
Authors: Wu Xudong , Zhou Ren , Zhang Wei , Cao Bangji , Xia Jing , Wang Caiyun , Zhang Xiaodong , Chu Mingxing , Yin Zongjun , Ding Yueyun
Published: March 2021

Objective: Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are contiguous lengths of homozygous genotypes that can reveal inbreeding levels, selection pressure, and mating schemes. In this study, ROHs were evaluated in Wannan Black pigs to assess the inbreeding levels and the genome regions with high ROH frequency.Methods: In a previous study, we obtained 501.52 GB of raw data from resequencing (10×) of the genome and identified 21,316,754 single-nucleotide variants in 20 Wannan Black pig samples. We investigated the number, length, and frequency of ROH using resequencing data to characterize the homozygosity in Wannan Black pigs and identified genomic regions with high ROH frequencies.Results: In this work, 1,813 ROHs (837 ROHs in 100 to 500 kb, 449 ROHs in 500 to 1,000 kb, 527 ROHs in >1,000 kb) were identified in all samples, and the average genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH) in Wannan Black pigs was 0.5234. Sixty-one regions on chromosomes 2, 3, 7, 8, 13, 15, and 16 harbored ROH islands. In total, 105 genes were identified in 42 ROH islands, among which some genes were related to production traits.Conclusion: This is the first study to identify ROH across the genome of Wannan Black pigs, the Chinese native breed of the Anhui province. Overall, Wannan Black pigs have high levels of inbreeding due to the influence of ancient and recent inbreeding due to the genome. These findings are a reliable resource for future studies and contribute to save and use the germplasm resources of Wannan Black pigs.
Achieving GDPR Compliance through Provenance: An Extended Model
Authors: Campagna Daniel Prett , Da Silva Altigran Soares , Braganholo Vanessa
Published: March 2021

The approval of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) brought a revolution in the way we treat data produced in digital media. The GDPR increases individuals’ participation in the treatment of their data, and it also introduces technical challenges, whose failure can lead to a fine of 4% of the organization’s annual revenue. Among many approaches that aim to contribute to the solutions of challenges introduced by GDPR, there is a research branch promoting the use of data provenance as a means to make transparent the increasingly complex workflows of systems. However, existing provenance models are not fully compliant with the GDPR. In this paper, we aim to contribute to the evolution of the GDPR data provenance model proposed by Ujcich et al.. We suggest eleven new changes that make the model more apparent and more compatible with the GDPR text. We also present two design patterns that should guide us in using these changes in real contexts.
Evaluating Database Self-Tuning Strategies in a Comon Extensible Framework
Authors: de Oliveira Rafael Pereira , Lifschitz Sergio , Kalinowski Marcos , Viana Marx , Lucena Carlos , Salles Marcos Antonio Vaz
Published: March 2021

Database automatic tuning tools are an essential class of database applications for database administrators (DBAs) and researchers. These selfmanagement systems involve recurring and ubiquitous tasks, such as data extraction for workload acquisition and more specific features that depend on the tuning strategy, such as the specification of tuning action types and heuristics. Given the variety of approaches and implementations, it would be desirable to evaluate existing database self-tuning strategies, particularly recent and new heuristics, in a standard testbed. In this paper, we propose a reuseoriented framework approach towards assessing and comparing automatic relational database tuning strategies. We employ our framework to instantiate three customized automated database tuning tools extended from our framework kernel, employing strategies using combinations of different tuning actions (indexes, partial indexes, and materialized views) for various RDBMSs. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness of these tools using a known database benchmark. Our results show that the framework enabled instantiating useful self-tuning tools for these multiple RDBMSs with low effort by just extending well-defined framework hot-spots. Additionally, the instantiated tools provided significant improvements in execution cost of a query workload generated from benchmark query templates. Our framework is made available as an open-source and extensible testbed for the database research community, thus facilitating the further evaluation of database self-tuning strategies.
Optimized Extraction of Records from the Web Using Signal Processing and Machine Learning
Authors: Velloso Roberto Panerai , Dorneles Carina F.
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we present an optimization of our previous record extraction approach from web pages. The proposed optimization improves the upper bound from O(nlogn) to O(n) while maintaining the same qualitative results as before (i.e., no loss in efficacy). We have achieved the following results: a 47% improvement in runtime efficiency when compared to our previous work and 95% f-score (same as our previous work).
Xi-DL: um Sistema de Gerência de Data Lake para Monitoramento de Dados da Saúde
Authors: Tito Lucas , Motinha Cristina , Santiago Filipe , Ocaña Kary , Bedo Marcos , De Oliveira Daniel
Published: March 2021

Na última década, diversos domínios científicos vêm produzindo um grande volume de dados heterogêneos (i.e., estruturados e não-estruturados) e variantes ao longo do tempo. Apesar da popularidade, tecnologias como Data Warehouses têm se mostrado pouco adaptáveis a esses tipos de dados. Por outro lado, os Data Lakes se mostram flexíveis nesse cenário, uma vez que não necessitam de modelagem prévia (os dados são armazenados em seu formato bruto) e provêem mecanismos de consulta. Apesar de existirem diversas soluções voltadas para Data Lakes (a maioria baseada no stack Hadoop), elas requerem determinada expertise em computação que nem todo cientista possui. Esse artigo apresenta o ξ-DL, um sistema de gerência de Data Lakes para dados científicos, que permite que cientistas sem conhecimento profundo em computação possam gerenciar seus Data Lakes. O ξ-DL foi avaliado por meio de um estudo de viabilidade com um dataset de COVID-19 no Brasil. A avaliação inicial com usuários do domínio mostrou que a abordagem é promissora.
Indexando Impressões Digitais Utilizando Índice Invertido: Uma Investigação Inicial
Authors: Soares Johnny Marcos Silva , Barbosa Luciano , Rego Paulo Antonio Leal , Magalhães Regis Pires , Macêdo Jose Antônio F. de
Published: March 2021

As impressões digitais têm sido amplamente usadas para identificação de pessoas. Com o aumento dos bancos de dados de impressões digitais, as técnicas de indexação são essenciais para realizar uma pesquisa eficiente em um volume tão grande de dados. Este trabalho é uma tentativa inicial de alavancar abordagens e ferramentas de indexação de texto bem estabelecidas para a pesquisa de impressões digitais. Para isso, nossa solução primeiro converte as impressões digitais em documentos de texto utilizando técnicas como Minutia Cylinder-Code (MCC) e Locality-Sensitive Hashing (LSH), e depois as indexa em arquivos invertidos usando o Elasticsearch, um mecanismo de pesquisa altamente escalável e distribuído.
Aplicação de Top-k Reverso com Privacidade sobre os Dados Públicos de COVID-19 no Estado do Ceará
Authors: Silva Maria de Lourdes Maia , Chaves Iago De Castro , Machado Javam De Castro
Published: March 2021

Neste artigo propomos uma consulta top-k reverso diferencialmente privada. Nossa estratégia permite ao pesquisador obter dados menos frequentes de acordo com o seu critério de busca, com alta garantia de privacidade dos indivíduos que contribuíram com os dados pessoais no banco de dados original. Aplicamos a nossa estratégia sobre os dados públicos da COVID-19 do Estado do Ceará. Nossos resultados experimentais mostram que o resultado da consulta top-k proposta retorna alto grau de semelhança ao resultado de uma consulta top-k convencional.
Computação Serverless e Gerenciamento de Dados
Authors: Sousa Flávio R. C.
Published: March 2021

A computação serverless é uma tendência de tecnologia para fornecer elasticidade transparente e preços em milissegundos. No entanto, esse modelo de computação requer grandes mudanças tecnológicas, especialmente no gerenciamento de dados, pois no ambiente serverless todas as funções têm duração máxima, quantidade fixa de memória e ausência de armazenamento local persistente. Este artigo tem como objetivo discutir sobre a computação serverless e o gerenciamento de dados, destacando oportunidades e desafios de pesquisa neste contexto.
Query co-planning for shared execution in Key-Value Stores
Authors: Ttito Josue Joel , Marroquin Renato , Lifschitz Sergio
Published: March 2021

Key-value stores propose a very simple yet powerful data model. Data is modeled using key-value pairs where values can be arbitrary objects and can be written/read using the key associated with it. In addition to their simple interface, such data stores also provide read operations such as full and range scans. However, due to the simplicity of its interface, trying to optimize data accesses becomes challenging. This work aims to enable the shared execution of concurrent range and point queries on key-value stores. Thus, reducing the overall data movement when executing a complete workload. To accomplish this, we analyze different possible data structures and propose our variation of a segment tree, Updatable Interval Tree. This data structure helps us co-planning and co-executing multiple range queries together, as we show in our evaluation.
Predição de Irregularidade Fiscal dos Contribuintes do Tributo ISS
Authors: Soares Glauco De Vasconcelos , Cunha Rodrigo
Published: March 2021

O Imposto Sobre Serviço (ISS) é um tributo brasileiro municipal cuja incidência se dá nos casos em que ocorre uma prestação de serviço. Um tipo de irregularidade comum é declarar corretamente o recolhimento dos serviços que foram prestados, sem, entretanto, repassá-los aos municípios. Neste contexto, esse trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o uso técnicas de Aprendizado de Máquina visando obter previsões precisas que estimem os riscos das empresas adimplentes ou inadimplentes se tornarem devedoras contumazes no próximo exercício fiscal. Os modelos foram desenvolvidos e testados sobre um conjunto de dados com aproximadamente 60 mil registros, contendo dados de declarações fiscais agrupadas por trimestre por um período de 5 anos. Os resultados preliminares indicam que nosso modelo identifica esse tipo de comportamento irregular com 85.21% de acurácia.
Improving the Quality of the User Experience by Query Answer Modification
Authors: Pinheiro João Pedro Valladão , Casanova Marco Antonio , Menendez Elisa Souza
Published: March 2021

This paper proposes a process that modifies the presentation of a query answer to improve the quality of the user’s experience. The process is particularly useful when the answer is long and repetitive. The process reorganizes the original query answer by applying heuristics to summarize the results and to select template questions that create a user dialog that guides the presentation of the results.
Streaming state management methods for real-time data deduplication
Authors: Esteves João V. A. , Lifschitz Sérgio , Costa Rosa M. E. M. , Almeida Ana Carolina
Published: March 2021

Data duplication is a common problem on data streams processing applications that occurs due to software error or adoption of data loss prevention measures, jeopardizing real-time data analyses. This paper explores stream-based deduplication methods to identify challenges from these methods and proposes a decision method to choose the most appropriate strategy for a domain. This work investigates native solutions and auxiliary tools to provide data deduplication and fault tolerance. The experimental results show that it is necessary to use fast additional storage to persist the read keys, as long as they can appear, or to use the optimized storage, with a quick key search.
Scrip Dividends
Authors: Berner Martin
Published: March 2021

The present study does not only close the existing legal-dogmatic gap in research on the phenomenon of scrip dividends, which has been successful among German corporations, but also impresses with its methodologically pluralistic approach: It offers a first overall view, in the context of which the legal significance of the phenomenon is analyzed as well as the economic and legal-economic findings on the treasury instrument are elaborated. In this way, the present work is not only setting out the relevant framework for action in the area of scrip dividends, but also promotes investment security in Germany and serves as a guide for practitioners.
Optimization of powder coating process parameters in mild steel (SPCC-SD) to improve dry film thickness
Authors: Sukarman S , Shieddieque Apang , Anwar Choirul , Rahdiana Nana , Ramadhan Anwar
Published: March 2021

This study presents a comprehensive review of the improved optimization for powder coating process variables in mild steel (SPCC-SD). The effective thickness of the dry film thickness (DFT) keeps a significant influence on the critical protection of mild steel against rust. In the powder coating process, the variable thickness is one of the primary and difficult objectives to accurately control the desired consistency. This empirical study properly uses RAL 7040 epoxy-polyester with the required thickness between 70-100 microns. This empirical study aims to reasonably achieve the optimal value of the effective thickness of the powder layer from specific combinations of specified process criteria. Practical experiments were properly conducted out manipulating an orthogonal Taguchi L16 array of independent variables; program, distance, application method, and the number of layers. This optimization method has been successfully upgraded. The average thickness of the powder coating layers reaches 84.85 microns. For a given limit, the application-method of typically preventing the determined cause correctly examined efficiently provides the most significant effect on effective thickness with an S/N ratio of 0.91. In the future, the relevant research may use our corresponding results to improve the powder coating procedure for other significant impacts.
Structure and mechanical properties of powders obtained by electrodisperging cobalt-chromium alloy
Authors: Ageev Evgeny , Altukhov Alexandr , Ageeva Ekaterina , Pykhtin Alexey
Published: March 2021

The work presents the results of attestation of powders that were obtained from the KHMS "Cellite" alloy (Co-63%, Cr-27%, Mo-5%, Ni-2%, Fe-2%) by electroerosive dispersion under various technological conditions (voltage from 100V to 220V, the capacitance of condenser from 15mF to 50mF, pulse frequency from 100Hz to 200Hz), and with using working fluids of different chemical composition and properties (water, kerosene, butyl alcohol). The study of the dispersion of the obtained powders, based on the results, established: the range of particle sizes is from 20mm to 110mm depending on the production modes. The results show various particle sizes, both a few nanometers and hundreds of microns. Depending on the technological modes of production, various mechanisms of the formation of powder particles can occur. Flake particles ranging in size from a few nanometers to (as a rule) one micron are obtained by the crystallization of the material vapor. They usually form agglomerates or stick to larger particles. Spherical and elliptical particles with a diameter from tens of nanometers to hundreds of microns were formed in crystallized material upon melting. The result of thermal and mechanical action during electroerosive dispersion was fragmentation grains with an average size from units to hundreds of microns. To meet the requirements for powders used in additive machines, it is necessary to select modes that exclude brittle destruction of the particles of the powder material and ensure the production of spherical or elliptical particles in the required particle size ranges. As a result of the experiment during the study of the phase composition of powders, using various technological modes and the composition of working fluids, the following phases were revealed: Cobalt (Co) with a cubic crystal lattice, a=b=c=3.561079 Å; Chromium (Cr) with a hexagonal crystal lattice a=b=2.738459 Å, c=4.55078 Å; Nickel (Ni) with a hexagonal crystal lattice, a=b=2.652590 Å, c=4.380519 Å; SIGMA-Cr7Co3 (Cr7Co3 with a tetragonal crystal lattice, a=b=8.656172 Å, c=4.484030 Å; Cobalt Iron (CoFe), with a cubic crystal lattice, a=b=c=2.846754 Å; Chromium Carbide (Cr3C2) with an orthorhombic crystal lattice: a=2.821Å, b=5.53Å and c=11.47Å; Iron (Fe) with a cubic crystal lattice, a=b=c=3.604293 Å; Cobalt Carbide (Co3C), with an orthorhombic crystal lattice, a=b=4.455931 Å, c=6.86598Å; Cobalt Oxide (CoO) with a cubic crystal lattice a=b=c=4.563279 Å; Magnetite (Fe3O4) with a cubic crystal lattice a=b=c=8.4774342 Å.
Citizen consultations on science communication: A citizen science approach
Authors: Delicado Ana , Rowland Jussara , Vengut Climent Empar , Mendoza-Poudereux Isabel , Gaston Edurne
Published: March 2021

Citizen science is part of a wider trend in science and society of promoting two-way dialogue and engagement between scientists and the public, by involving citizens in the research process. This paper examines how CONCISE, an international research project involving Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland, and Slovakia, seeks to understand how citizens acquire and use scientific information, by engaging citizens through public consultations. The consultations gathered close to 500 citizens in 2019. Asking them for suggestions on how to improve science communication and involving them in the dissemination efforts, CONCISE aims to put citizens at the core of the research process.
Nous entorns de coneixement: Sobre la possibilitat d’una ciència ciutadana social
Authors: Perelló Josep
Published: March 2021

La ciència ciutadana es troba en fase de consolidació amb una àmplia diversitat de pràctiques i perspectives. Les ciències socials i les humanitats hi ocupen un espai reduït malgrat l’evident dimensió social de la ciència ciutadana. En aquest sentit, la ciència ciutadana social enriqueix el concepte de ciència ciutadana tant pel fet que l’objecte de recerca pot ser també de naturalesa social com pel fet que aporta major reflexió sobre la participació activa de persones, grups o comunitats en projectes d’investigació. L’article reivindica, amb experiències, una ciència ciutadana social amb capacitat emancipadora per a les persones participants i amb habilitats per promoure accions col·lectives o polítiques públiques basant-se en un coneixement cocreat.
Vladimír Bartoš
Authors: Bartoš Vladimír
Published: March 2021

Desmoplastic Spitz nevus (DSN) is an uncommon variant of melanocytic nevus rarely encountered in dermatological practice. Herein, we describe a 54-year-old male who presented himself with a cutaneous tumor arising from the left arm. Histology revealed an intradermal proliferation of somewhat pleomorphic, epithelioid, spindled melanocytes in a background of desmoplastic stroma. A perineural invasion of tumor cells was found. Proliferative and mitotic rates were minimal. The tumor was diffusely positive for S-100 protein, PNL-2, and SOX-10, and only occasionally reactive for melan-A and HMB-45. The final diagnosis of DSN was established. Although DSN is a completely benign tumor, it may result in diagnostic pitfalls. Due to its unusual histopathological features, it may be confused with a malignant desmoplastic melanoma. A knowledge of the clinicopathological differences between the two prognostically distinct skin tumor entities is essential for a differential diagnosis.
Telangiectatic cutaneous metastasis from breast carcinoma
Authors: Maghfour Soukaina
Published: March 2021

Cutaneous metastasis from breast cancer has varied clinical presentations. Herein, we present the case of a middle-aged female with a large erythematous patch and an itchy bluish-red papular eruption on the left side of the breast. The patient had a history of ductal breast carcinoma at age 40. Histology from one of the red papules revealed an atrophic epidermis and emboli of carcinomatous cells in the dermal and subcutaneous blood vessels. The morphology of the tumor cells was similar to that of the primary ductal carcinoma of the breast. The diagnosis of telangiectatic metastatic breast cancer was reached.
Post-surgical pyoderma gangrenosum following electrosurgery and elliptical excision: A rare disease following common procedures
Authors: Toledo Lelevier Mario Gaston , Mendez Flores Raul Gerardo , Jimenez Leon Luzma Kareena , Gomez Cevallos Teresa Aranzazu , Ramirez Padilla Marisol
Published: March 2021

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare neutrophilic dermatosis with an estimated annual incidence of 3–10 cases per million per year. Post-surgical pyoderma gangrenosum (PSPG) refers to the development of pyoderma gangrenosum at surgical sites in the postoperative period. A 55-year-old female was admitted with two acute and enlarging painful breast ulcerations resistant to antibiotic treatment following surgical resection and electrofulguration by her dermatologist. Multiple wound cultures were negative. A skin biopsy was consistent with PG and the wounds improved after adequate oral immunosuppressive therapy. A high index of suspicion, exclusion of other differential diagnoses, and previous experience with this disease ensured an early diagnosis, prevented injury to life and unnecessary debridement, and resulted in an excellent outcome for the patient.
Skin endometriosis at the caesarean section scar: a case report
Authors: Di Martino Ortiz Beatriz , Cuenca Torres Osmar Manuel
Published: March 2021

Endometriosis is a pathology little referenced in the dermatological literature and is defined as the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. When it is a well-defined mass of endometriosis it is called endometrioma. Cutaneous endometriosis is one of the rare gynecological conditions. Cutaneous endometriosis is a disorder that primarily affects women of reproductive age. The disorder is most commonly associated with cyclical pain during menses, but it can be difficult to diagnose in the absence of these symptoms and requires biopsy testing for a definitive diagnosis. We report on a case of a 39-year-old patient who presented with pain at the cearean section scar. She was ultimately diagnosed with cutaneous endometriosis and underwent surgical excision.
Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa in a patient with lipedema and lipolymphedema
Authors: de Godoy Lívia Maria Pereira , de Godoy Capeletto Paula Pereira , de Godoy Ana Carolina Pereira , de Godoy ose Maria Pereira
Published: March 2021

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is a group of rare cutaneous changes comprising dermal fibrosis, hyperkeratotic, and verrucous and papillomatous lesions secondary to chronic non-filarial lymphedema. The following study reports a case associated with lipedema and lymphedema, several episodes of erysipelas unfolding over the previous years, and warty lesions appearing in the transitional region between the right ankle and foot. Several episodes of erysipelas in patients with lipolymphedema can evolve into elephantiasis nostras verrucosa (ENV).
Destombes–Rosai–Dorfman disease of the anterior abdominal wall: Extranodal sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy
Authors: Daisley Jr Hubert , Golamari Sailaja , Paul Lilly , Thomas-Romain Deandra , Meyers Dawn , Daisley Martina
Published: March 2021

estombes–Rosai–Dorfman disease—often simply referred to, in the literature, as Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD)—is a rare, nonmalignant disorder of histiocyte proliferation typically involving the cervical lymph nodes. A subset of patients with RDD, however, display extranodal manifestations highly variable in presentation, more challenging to diagnose, and less likely to spontaneously regress when compared to the nodal manifestations. This study describes the case of a young African male presenting himself with multiple nodules involving the anterior abdominal wall, who was found to have extranodal RDD. The current mode of diagnosis and the clinical management of RDD are reviewed.
Tonic firing mode of midbrain dopamine neurons continuously tracks reward values changing moment-by-moment
Authors: Wang Yawei , Toyoshima Osamu , Kunimatsu Jun , Yamada Hiroshi , Matsumoto Masayuki
Published: March 2021

Animal behavior is regulated based on the values of future rewards. The phasic activity of midbrain dopamine neurons signals these values. Because reward values often change over time, even on a subsecond-by-subsecond basis, appropriate behavioral regulation requires continuous value monitoring. However, the phasic dopamine activity, which is sporadic and has a short duration, likely fails continuous monitoring. Here, we demonstrate a tonic firing mode of dopamine neurons that effectively tracks changing reward values. We recorded dopamine neuron activity in monkeys during a Pavlovian procedure in which the value of a cued reward gradually increased or decreased. Dopamine neurons tonically increased and decreased their activity as the reward value changed. This tonic activity was evoked more strongly by non-burst spikes than burst spikes producing a conventional phasic activity. Our findings suggest that dopamine neurons change their firing mode to effectively signal reward values in a given situation.
An optimized CRISPR/Cas9 approach for precise genome editing in neurons
Authors: Fang Huaqiang , Bygrave Alexei M , Roth Richard H , Johnson Richard C , Huganir Richard L
Published: March 2021

The efficient knock-in of large DNA fragments to label endogenous proteins remains especially challenging in non-dividing cells such as neurons. We developed Targeted Knock-In with Two (TKIT) guides as a novel CRISPR/Cas9 based approach for efficient, and precise, genomic knock-in. Through targeting non-coding regions TKIT is resistant to INDEL mutations. We demonstrate TKIT labeling of endogenous synaptic proteins with various tags, with efficiencies up to 42% in mouse primary cultured neurons. Utilizing in utero electroporation or viral injections in mice TKIT can label AMPAR subunits with Super Ecliptic pHluorin, enabling visualization of endogenous AMPARs in vivo using two-photon microscopy. We further use TKIT to assess the mobility of endogenous AMPARs using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Finally, we show that TKIT can be used to tag AMPARs in rat neurons, demonstrating precise genome editing in another model organism and highlighting the broad potential of TKIT as a method to visualize endogenous proteins.
Activity strategy and pattern of the Siberian jerboa (Orientallactaga sibirica) in the Alxa desert region, China
Authors: Ji Yu , Yuan Shuai , Fu Heping , Yang Suwen , Bu Fan , Li Xin , Wu Xiaodong
Published: March 2021

Rodents exhibit seasonal changes in their activity patterns as an essential survival strategy. We studied the activity patterns and strategies of the Siberian jerboa (Orientallactaga sibirica) in the Alxa desert region to better understand the habitats and behavioural ecology of xeric rodents. We conducted an experiment using three plots to monitor the duration, time, and frequency of the active period of the Siberian jerboa using infrared cameras in the Alxa field workstation, Inner Mongolia, China in 2017. The relationships between the activity time and frequency, biological factors (perceived predation risk, food resources, and species composition), and abiotic factors (temperature, air moisture, wind speed) were analysed using Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Our results showed that: (1) relative humidity mainly affected activities in the springtime; temperature, relative humidity and interspecific competition mainly affected activities in the summertime; relative humidity and perceived predation risk mainly influenced activities in the autumn. (2) The activity pattern of the Siberian jerboa altered depending on the season. The activity of the Siberian jerboa was found to be bimodal in spring and summer, and was trimodal in autumn. The activity time and frequency in autumn were significantly lower than the spring. (3) Animals possess the ability to integrate disparate sources of information about danger to optimize energy gain. The jerboa adapted different responses to predation risks and competition in different seasons according to the demand for food resources.
Brucellosis, Unravelling an Enigma: Eight Years of Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central Kerala, India
Authors: Ardra M , Valsan Chithra , Sathiavathy KA
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Various emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have made the existence of mankind in this world a great challenge. In the midst of these havocs, some important diseases has undermined in the dark. Brucellosis is an endemic zoonotic disease in most of the developing world and it has far-reaching and deleterious effects on humans and animals alike. In humans, brucellosis shows a variety of non-specific clinical signs. To recognise and diagnose this neglected but debilitating disease, the awareness and alertness of medical personnel has to be enhanced. Aim: To determine the prevalence of brucellosis in Tertiary Care Hospital. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from June 2011 to May 2019, all culture proven cases of human brucellosis admitted in a Tertiary Care Hospital in central Kerala, India were reviewed. Demographic data, clinical presentations, laboratory parameters, treatment and outcomes of the same were analysed in Microsoft excel sheets as percentages. Results: Of the 12 culture proven Brucella cases, 11 presented as Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (PUO) cases and one was a soft tissue infection. Eleven patients had history of either consumption of unpasteurised milk products or had contact with animals before the symptoms developed. A 75% cases were imported cases from middle-east countries. In one case the route of entry was by close personal contact probably sexual transmission. All the patients complained of fever and malaise (100%), while low backache and arthralgia was noted in 83%. Most common clinical and laboratory findings associated with brucellosis were hepatosplenomegaly (41.7%) and anaemia (66.6%). Oral doxycycline for six weeks combined with either aminoglycoside or rifampicin was used for treatment. There was no death or relapses noted. Conclusion: This study emphasises the close collaboration of an alert clinician and an experienced microbiologist to correctly diagnose and treat an infection with multiple presentations as brucellosis, in endemic areas also.
Unidentical Double Trouble- A Rare Case Report
Authors: Singh Tanisha , Vasugi Gramani Arumugam , Rajendiran Swaminathan , Manickavasagam . , Shanmuganathan .
Published: March 2021

Collision tumours are relatively rare entities and are thus, not well recognised. Collision tumour can be defined as two coexisting but histologically different malignancies involving the same organ or adjacent organ with an equivocal intermediate transitional zone between them. Collision tumours of the lung and oesophagus are very rare. Such cases are diagnosed by Computerised Tomogram (CT) Scan or Chest X-Ray for complaint of dysphagia. Definitive diagnosis is made by tissue biopsy. Here, a 66-year-old male is admitted for evaluation of an anterior mediastinal mass. Radiology revealed an anterior mediastinal mass extending in to the left hilar region and upper lobe of right lung anteriorly and in to the lower end of oesophagus posteriorly. Biopsy was performed. Microscopically, transbronchial biopsy revealed a cellular lesion, composed of round-to-oval cells with streaming nucleus, positive for Immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers, CD-56 and Synaptophysin pertaining to a diagnosis of small cell carcinoma. Biopsy of the oesophageal growth shows nest of dysplastic squamous epithelium which infiltrates into underlying muscularis propria showing features of a squamous cell carcinoma. Multiple fragments of squamous epithelium are also seen with necrotic tissue in vicinity and acute inflammatory exudate. Few cells show multinucleation, molding and margination of chromatin, showing the characteristic morphological features of Herpes oesophagitis. The patient was administered platinum-based Chemotherpy.
An Unusual Presentation of Leiomyosarcoma Posing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
Authors: Singh Smita , Sharma Kusha , Kumar Vipan , Yadav Partap
Published: March 2021

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a malignant tumour of smooth muscle origin commonly seen in genital and gastrointestinal location. However, its presence in the head and neck region in a young child is extremely rare. Authors present a unique case of LMS in a one year and five-month-old child who presented with a painless mass in the right temporal region of the head. Histopathological examination revealed a highly cellular tumour arranged in intersecting fascicles of spindle cells with brisk mitotic activity and interspersed areas of necrosis. On Immunohistochemistry (IHC), the tumour cells were positive for Smooth Muscle Actin (SMA), Desmin and Vimentin and negative for S100 and Myogenin. A diagnosis of LMS was thus, made. Head and neck sarcoma is a broad entity encompassing plethora of differentials with closely overlapping morphological features which renders them diagnostically challenging, this can be resolved by employing various immunohistochemical stains readily available in all laboratories. This case highlights the combined role played by histopathology and immunohistochemistry in arriving at the correct diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of LMS reported in the temporal region of head and is distinct with respect to its rare incidence, location and age at presentation. LMS at this site may masquerade as deceptively benign painless mass and may not be suspected initially, however one should bear in mind that these are moderate-to-high grade tumours and any delay in management may portend poor prognosis. Timely and aggressive surgical management is thus, the mainstay of treatment and critical to patient survival.
Engineering Crystallinity and Oxygen Vacancies of Co(II) Oxide Nanosheets for High Performance and Robust Rechargeable Zn–Air Batteries
Authors: Tian Yuhui , Liu Xiaozhi , Xu Li , Yuan Ding , Dou Yuhai , Qiu Jingxia , Li Henan , Ma Jianmin , Wang Yun , Su Dong , Zhang Shanqing
Published: March 2021

Efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes highly rely on the rational design and synthesis of high‐performance electrocatalysts. Herein, comprehensive characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are combined to verify the important roles of the crystallinity and oxygen vacancy levels of Co(II) oxide (CoO) on ORR and OER activities. A facile and controllable vacuum‐calcination strategy is utilized to convert Co(OH)2 into oxygen‐defective amorphous‐crystalline CoO (namely ODAC‐CoO) nanosheets. With the carefully controlled crystallinity and oxygen vacancy levels, the optimal ODAC‐CoO sample exhibits dramatically enhanced ORR and OER electrocatalytic activities compared with the pure crystalline CoO counterpart. The assembled liquid and quasi‐solid‐state Zn–air batteries with ODAC‐CoO as cathode material achieve remarkable specific capacity, power density, and excellent cycling stability, outperforming the benchmark Pt/C+IrO2 catalysts. This study theoretically proposes and experimentally demonstrates that the simultaneous introduction of amorphous structures and oxygen vacancies could be an effective avenue towards high‐performance electrocatalytic ORR and OER.
Digital Tuning of the Transition Temperature of Epitaxial VO2 Thin Films on MgF2 Substrates by Strain Engineering
Authors: Howard Sebastian A. , Evlyukhin Egor , Páez Fajardo Galo , Paik Hanjong , Schlom Darrell G. , Piper Louis F. J.
Published: March 2021

Straining the vanadium dimers along the rutile c‐axis can be used to tune the metal‐to‐insulator transition (MIT) of VO2 but has thus far been limited to TiO2 substrates. In this work VO2/MgF2 epitaxial films are grown via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to strain engineer the transition temperature (TMIT). First, growth parameters are optimized by varying the synthesis temperature of the MgF2 (001) substrate (TS) using a combination of X‐ray diffraction techniques, temperature dependent transport, and soft X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is determined that TS values greater than 350 °C induce Mg and F interdiffusion and ultimately the relaxation of the VO2 layer. Using the optimized growth temperature, VO2/MgF2 (101) and (110) films are then synthesized. The three film orientations display MITs with transition temperatures in the range of 15–60 °C through precise strain engineering.
Gut Microbiota: Influence on Carcinogenesis and Modulation Strategies by Drug Delivery Systems to Improve Cancer Therapy
Authors: Zhu Runqi , Lang Tianqun , Yan Wenlu , Zhu Xiao , Huang Xin , Yin Qi , Li Yaping
Published: March 2021

Gut microbiota have close interactions with the host. It can affect cancer progression and the outcomes of cancer therapy, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. Therefore, approaches toward the modulation of gut microbiota will enhance cancer prevention and treatment. Modern drug delivery systems (DDS) are emerging as rational and promising tools for microbiota intervention. These delivery systems have compensated for the obstacles associated with traditional treatments. In this review, the essential roles of gut microbiota in carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and various cancer therapies are first introduced. Next, advances in DDS that are aimed at enhancing the efficacy of cancer therapy by modulating or engineering gut microbiota are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and opportunities associated with the application of DDS targeting gut microbiota for cancer prevention and treatment are briefly discussed.
Bio Based Batteries
Authors: Liu Lianlian , Solin Niclas , Inganäs Olle
Published: March 2021

The expanding use of electrical power generated from wind turbines and solar photovoltaic plants is enabled by the decreasing cost of electrical energy from sun and wind. With the advent of electrical energy from the intermittent solar and wind energy resources comes the requirement that electricity must be stored for use over time. The huge demand for materials for such storage systems will require a considerable energy input in extraction, processing and materials formulation, and new and sustainable electrochemical systems need to be developed. Storing electrical energy in bio based batteries is one of the options for handling the rapid expansion of renewable and variable electrical energy generated in wind turbines and in solar photovoltaic systems, from small to large. With projected needs for storage at 300 GWh for the coming decade, there are many niches for new technologies and possibilities. A supply line of materials for energy storage materials could be ultimately based on photosynthesis, in the form of materials derived from plants. Redox activity is possible in lignin, humic acid, and polyphenolic macromolecules, sometimes by electrochemical activation of redox groups.
Review on Polymeric, Inorganic, and Composite Materials for Air Filters: From Processing to Properties
Authors: Henning Laura M. , Abdullayev Amanmyrat , Vakifahmetoglu Cekdar , Simon Ulla , Bensalah Hiba , Gurlo Aleksander , Bekheet Maged F.
Published: March 2021

Particulate and gaseous air pollutants pose a threat to human health and contribute to climate change. By today, air filters, stationary and portable, are markedly improved and can often provide innocuous air pollution levels. After introducing the classification and standards on air filters, the influence of the processing route and its parameters on the resulting air filter properties and consequently its performance are discussed. Numerous tools are presented to adjust structural properties such as fiber or pore diameter, specific surface area, surface charge, hydrophilicity, or photocatalytic activity to achieve the desired performance in terms of high filtration efficiencies, sufficient mechanical stability, regeneration eligibility, antimicrobial and optical properties. In particular, inorganic and composite materials as well as nonfibrous structures are covered, which are currently holding an outsider position in an air filter community dominated by polymeric materials and fibrous structures.
Graphdiyne‐Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction
Authors: Xie Wangjing , Zhang Shifu , Ni Youxuan , Shi Guodong , Li Jingjing , Fu Xinliang , Chen Xiaojie , Yuan Mingjian , Wang Mei
Published: March 2021

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (e‐CO2RR) into high‐value chemicals is a promising approach for sustainable energy research, but there remains a great challenge to develop efficient and stable catalysts. Herein, in situ synthesized uniform Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) directly growing on the surface of 2D graphdiyne (GDY) for selectively reducing CO2 to CO with high efficiency and stability are reported. Due to the special electronic distribution of GDY, it not only serves as a template for the growth of AgNPs to prevent its aggregation, but also increases active sites and transformation of electrons through the intimate interaction between phase interface to enhance their cooperative catalytic effect, which highly improves the electrocatalytic performance of the nanocomposite. Through investigations, it is found that the Ag/GDY/CC nanocomposite electrochemically reduces CO2 to CO with Faraday efficiency up to 92.1% and current density of 25.74 mA/cm2 at the potential of −1.3 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Meanwhile, during catalysis, the Ag/GDY/CC composite maintains excellent stability with a high current density of ≈26 mA/cm2 (threefold higher than that of Ag/CC), unchanged for over 24 h. To the best knowledge, herein, the first experimental study of an efficient CO2 reduction electrocatalyst based on GDY is represented.