bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Editorial
Authors: Blanca Rosa Maria
Published: March 2022

A todas as vítimas do COVID-19

 

A Contemporânea - Revista do PPGART/UFSM publica mais outro número dentro do contexto da pandemia do COVID-19, graças ao esforço das suas(seus) autoras(es), editora, Programa de Pós Graduação em Artes Visuais e principalmente, da equipe da Central de Periódicos da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria.

A Contemporânea comemora a sua emigração na versão 3 do sistema Open Journal Systems (OJS), o que atualiza a revista nos sistemas operativos dos periódicos eletrônicos internacionais.

Produzir conhecimento, arte, pesquisa e extensão, em um momento como o que atravessa o país e o mundo não é fácil. É um desafio. Por isso o lançamento de um número é um ato de celebração, um privilégio para suas(seus) artistas, autoras(es), pareceristas e equipe acadêmica e técnica.

Os artigos e ensaios pretendem contribuir para o universo da arte contemporânea, uma arte que deseja dialogar com as necessidades subjetivas do presente, discutindo tensionamentos poéticos, teóricos, históricos, culturais, académicos y/o políticos. Isto quer dizer, que, a publicação atravessa valentemente uma crise sanitária nacional e mundial, tornando seus escritos frágeis e vulneráveis, porém, elocuentes e consistentes, estéticos e críticos, em um tempo que demanda fé e resiliência.
Biased problem distributions in assignments parallel those in textbooks: Evidence from fraction and decimal arithmetic
Authors: Tian Jing , Leib Elena R. , Griger Cassondra , Oppenzato Colleen O. , Siegler Robert S.
Published: March 2022

Imbalances in problem distributions in math textbooks have been hypothesized to influence students’ performance. This hypothesis, however, rests on the assumption that textbook problems are representative of the problems that students encounter in classroom assignments. This assumption might not be true, because teachers do not present all problems in textbooks and because teachers present problems from sources other than textbooks. To test whether distributions of problems that students encounter parallel distributions of textbook problems, we analyzed fraction and decimal arithmetic problems assigned by 14 teachers over an entire school year. Five of the six documented biases in textbook problem distributions were also present in the classroom assignments. Moreover, the same biases were present in 16 of the 18 combinations of bias and grade level (4th, 5th, and 6th grade) that were examined in assignments and textbooks. Theoretical and educational implications of these findings are discussed.
The unique role of spatial working memory for mathematics performance
Authors: Silverman Sarit , Ashkenazi Sarit
Published: March 2022

We explored the multi-dimensionality of mathematics and working memory (WM) by examining the differential relationships between different areas of mathematics with visual, spatial, and verbal WM. Previous research proposed that visuospatial WM is a unique predictor of mathematics, but neuroimaging and cognitive research suggest divisions within visuospatial WM. We created a new WM task to isolate visuospatial WM’s visual and spatial components and maintained consistent design across tasks and found that spatial WM predicted mathematics and visual WM did not. We also found that verbal WM predicted all mathematics areas included, while spatial WM was a unique predictor of numerical understanding and geometry, not arithmetic and estimation. These findings integrate previous neuroimaging, cognitive and educational psychology research and further our understanding of the relationship between WM and mathematics.
Children’s mixed-rounding strategy use in computational estimation
Authors: Poloczek Sebastian , Hammerstein Svenja , Büttner Gerhard
Published: March 2022

Being able to perform computational estimations efficiently is an important skill. Furthermore, computational estimation experiments are used to study general principles in strategy development. Rounding strategies are common in computational estimation. However, little is known about whether and when children use a mixed-rounding strategy (i.e., both rounding up and down in one estimation) and how demanding this is in comparison to only rounding-down or only rounding-up. Therefore, we systematically varied the size of unit digits (i.e., the rightmost digit in a whole number) in 72 addition problems. These estimation problems were presented to fourth graders. Most children preferred to use mixed-rounding on mixed-unit problems and therefore adjusted their strategy choice to the individual unit digits in a calculation. Additionally, the sum of units barely influenced children’s strategy choice. On mixed-rounding calculations, the proportion of best strategy use was comparable to that of rounding-up and the latencies to produce an estimate with mixed-rounding were between those for rounding-down and rounding-up. Therefore, the mixed-rounding strategy was in the difficulty range of the two more frequently studied rounding strategies; it was also the preferred strategy for mixed-unit problems by children who adapted their estimation strategies. Based on these findings we argue that research into strategy development with estimation tasks should also include mixed-rounding to improve ecological validity.
Predictors of middle school students’ growth in symbolic number comparison performance
Authors: Pollack Courtney , Wilkey Eric D. , Price Gavin R.
Published: March 2022

The ability to efficiently compare number symbols, such as digits, is associated with mathematics competence across the lifespan. Performance on symbolic number comparison tasks differ across age groups; young students who are developing fluency with digits improve on symbolic number comparison, and performance is better in adults than children. However, whether this improvement continues for older students who are fluent with number symbols, and what cognitive factors relate to this improvement, is unknown. This study used a longitudinal sample of U.S. middle school students (n = 394) to examine whether symbolic number comparison performance changes over middle school (i.e., students aged 11-14), whether there are individual differences in students’ rate of change, and potential predictors of that change. Students completed measures of single-digit symbolic number comparison, nonsymbolic number comparison, executive function (EF), and mathematics competence in Grade 5 (M = 11.02 years; SD = 0.32), and double-digit symbolic number comparison in Grades 6-8. Results showed that, on average, students’ symbolic number comparison performance improved from Grades 6-8. Grade 5 Symbolic number comparison performance predicted Grade 8 symbolic number comparison and rate of change over Grades 6-8. Grade 5 nonsymbolic number comparison, EF, and mathematics competence predicted Grade 8 symbolic number comparison performance. Results suggest that numerical magnitude processing, executive functions, and mathematics competence are related to symbolic number processing well into middle school, and that students continue to refine their ability to process number symbols into adolescence.
No influence of masked priming on the multiplication fact retrieval in a result verification task
Authors: Didino Daniele , Brandtner Matthias , Knops André
Published: March 2022

In three experiments, we used a masked prime in a verification task to investigate the processing stages occurring during multiplication fact retrieval. We aimed to investigate the retrieval process by overlapping its execution with the processing of a masked prime consisting of a number. Participants evaluated the correctness of multiplication equations, where the result was preceded by a masked prime (presented for 30 ms, with different stimulus onset asynchrony between the operands and the prime). Decade consistency and relatedness of the prime were manipulated. For example, given the equation 4 x 7 = 28, the prime could be: a neighbor either decade consistent (24) or inconsistent (32), or an unrelated number either decade consistent (23) or inconsistent (31). We expected that the feature of the prime (relatedness or decade consistency) that generates interference depends on the processing stage reached when the prime is processed. Although Experiment 1 showed promising results, Experiments 2 and 3 suggest that the pattern found in Experiment 1 was a false positive. Overall, the paradigm used in this study (i.e., masked prime with a verification ask) does not seem to produce a stable interference during the retrieval process.
Agribusiness and the internet of Things: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Barbosa Raul Afonso Pommer , Martins Artur Virgílio Simpson
Published: March 2022

For decades, agribusiness has been one of the main sources of economic and social sustenance in Brazil. The conditions of climate, soil and territorial extension; the large number of producers with productive potential and the joint efforts of public and private institutions directed to the scientific and technological development of the sector differentiate Brazil from its competitors and make it one of the largest agricultural producers and exporters in the world. The technological innovation called the Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining more and more space. The Internet of Things plays a key role in the development and innovation of agribusiness, which for decades has been one of the main sources of economic and social support in Brazil, requiring a discussion on how this phenomenon occurs and its consequences. The objective of this article is to present some definitions about the Internet of Things, ubiquitous computing (understood as the omnipresence of information technology) and its impacts on agribusiness. It is concluded that there is evidence that the Internet of Things is a determining factor for the potentialization, and consequently the expansion of agribusiness in Brazil.
Carboxiterapia para correção de erros estéticos
Authors: Marinho Priscilla Queiroz
Published: March 2022

A finalidade deste artigo é realizar um estudo abrangente sobre as técnicas de tratamentos e resultados obtidos através da carboxiterapia na correção de erros em procedimentos estéticos, indicada para o tratamento de celulites, estrias, olheiras, gorduras localizadas e, até mesmo, flacidez tissular. Sendo que, para cada um dos problemas, é realizada uma abordagem específica para a técnica que será utilizada no tratamento, combate e prevenção desses infortúnios. A popularização do procedimento estético da carboxiterapia se deu principalmente por sua eficiência e baixo risco, sendo que, os efeitos colaterais mais comuns, tais como dor e inchaço, são facilmente tolerados, sendo caracterizada dessa forma como um tratamento estético de baixo risco. Sobre o método, se trata de uma análise literal sobre os efeitos da carboxiterapia como tratamento estético. Como referências, foram utilizadas fontes de artigos e sites diversos com embasamento literário, tendo como palavras-chave: "Carboxiterapia", “CO2 - Dióxido de Carbono”, “Estria” e “Gordura Localizada”. A língua utilizada é o Português.
EVALUATION OF A FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN TOWARDS ITS CIRCULARITY
Authors: Camacho Vallejo José-Fernando , OROZCO CRESPO ERIK , SABLON COSSIO NEYFE , MACIAS  PRO MICHAEL ANIBAL
Published: March 2022

ABSTRACT:
Presently, achieving the circularity of supply chains is a major challenge. The difficulty consists of the assimilation by the actors in the supply chain and its own complexity. Therefore, this research focuses on the main differences among the three main variables (integration, circular economy, and the elements of the traditional supply chains) of a supply chain in the coconut sector in the province of Manabí, Ecuador. To achieve this, two hypotheses and their possible combinations are defined. The first hypothesis focuses into the existence of the differences among variables. The second one, is based on the possibility of a positive strong correlation among the variables. Hence, relationships between the three variables in the context of circularity are identified. The supply chain under study is formed by 160 actors, limited to the national sector. For the diagnosis of each of the variables, three check lists are used, which allow to compute a general value for each variable in each actor and in the supply chain. Results indicate that: (a) the supply chain of the coconut sector in the province of Manabí has a performance evaluated to be fair in terms of integration levels, circular economy and the definition of the supply chain; (b) actors dedicated to production and manufacturing show slightly superior performance compared to those dedicated to selling to the customer; (c) the actors maintain proportional and direct performances in the three variables. As a consequence of this study, strengths and opportunity areas of the coconut sector to accomplish an effective transition towards the circularity.
Key Words: supply chain management, circular economy, coconut sector case study
Lietuvos baudžiamoji teisė: specialioji dalis
Authors: Gruodytė Edita , Fedosiukas Olegas , Gutauskas Aurelijus , Milinis Albertas , Bilius Mindaugas , Bučiūnas Gediminas , Šalčius Marijus , Palionienė Neringa , Kuzminovas Marius , Žižienė Simona , Gulbinienė Inesa , Šibkovas Olegas , Bereikienė Daiva
Published: March 2022

Trijų Lietuvos teisės mokyklų (Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto, Mykolo Romerio universiteto ir Vilniaus universiteto) autorių kolektyvo tikslas – parengti vadovėlį, skirtą ne plačioms mokslininkų diskusijoms, bet studentams, perkopusiems baudžiamosios teisės bendrosios dalies barjerą ir pradėjusiems studijuoti atskirus specialiosios dalies skyrius. Rengiant vadovėlį buvo stengiamasi ne tik suteikti teorinių žinių apie konkrečių nusikalstamų veikų sudėtis, bet ir parodyti, kaip šios normos taikomos įvairioms praktinėms situacijoms. Atnaujintas vadovėlis praturtintas nauja teismų praktika, pasikeitusiomis baudžiamojo kodekso normomis, papildomais autorių pamąstymais.
The concept of deliberately unreliable information disseminated under the guise of reliable communications in law
Authors: Balekina Violetta Mikhailovna
Published: March 2022

The article raises the problem of the content of the concept of deliberately unreliable information disseminated under the guise of reliable messages, applied in the norms of administrative law establishing responsibility for the illegal dissemination of various types of socially significant information. By a detailed analysis of the elements that make up the studied concept, its meaning is revealed. The author analyzes the main theoretical approaches to the content of these elements in various branches of legal science. The article outlines the problems of applying the norms of administrative law that establish responsibility for the illegal dissemination of various types of socially significant information. These problems are related to the lack of a legal definition of the concept of deliberately unreliable information distributed under the guise of reliable messages. The author has established the absence in science and judicial practice of a unified approach to the content of the sign of obviously unreliable information disseminated under the guise of reliable messages. The author distinguishes the concept of obviously unreliable information from other related categories. Conclusions are formulated about the need to disclose in the law the content of the concept of unreliable information, which is a fundamental element of administrative offenses that establish responsibility for the illegal dissemination of various types of socially significant information, as well as the need to fix in the law the content of the construction "obviously unreliable information disseminated under the guise of reliable messages". The article presents the author's approach to the formulation of the content of the concept of deliberately unreliable information disseminated under the guise of reliable messages.
The principle of objective truth in the activities of the Prosecutor's Office
Authors: Kovalev Artem Aleksandrovich
Published: March 2022

The subject of the study are materials of prosecutorial, law enforcement and judicial practice, norms of procedural legislation and legislation on the prosecutor's office regulating these public relations, as well as positions formed on the issue of the essence of the principle of objective truth and its implementation in the activities of the prosecutor's office and the court. The object of research in the article is social relations arising from the implementation of the principle of objective truth in the implementation of supervisory and non-supervisory activities by prosecutors. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the nature of the truth established in the course of law enforcement, the ratio of reliability and probability, as well as the inclusion in the principle of legal assessment of existing facts. В  The principle of objective truth has been given attention in the scientific literature, but this principle has been investigated in relation to the administration of justice. Meanwhile, the implementation of the principle is undoubtedly important in the implementation of prosecutorial and other law enforcement activities, however, it has not been studied before in relation to the activities of the prosecutor's office; this is the novelty of the study. In the course of the study, the views of scientists on the existence of the principle of objective truth, the main aspects of its content were studied, as a result of which the definition of the principle of objective truth in the activities of the prosecutor's office was proposed and the conclusion was formulated that the consolidation of this principle in the Law on the Prosecutor's Office will fill the gaps in the legal regulation of the exercise of prosecutorial powers in other areas of prosecutorial activity and it will prevent the adoption of unreasonable decisions that are possible if this principle is not observed, which, in turn, can lead to a violation of the principle of legality, which is a special contribution of the author to the study of this topic.
Scandinavian Psychological Theory of Law
Authors: Savenkov Dmitry Aleksandrovich
Published: March 2022

The article examines the nature and main characteristics of the legal views of Scandinavian lawyers, who are traditionally identified in the history of modern legal thought as representatives of legal realism. The focus is, first of all, on the nature and methods of substantiating law as a psychological fact, which largely determines the profile of the legal views of Scandinavian realists (on the example of the writings of A. Hagerstrem and A. Ross). In this regard, the psychological orientation of the theoretical and legal views of the Scandinavian realists makes it possible to more accurately highlight the question of the place, meaning and orientation of the psychological by its nature Scandinavian theory of law in the history of modern legal thought. In addition, the study focuses on the features of epistemological approaches underlying the legal views of the realistic movement in legal thought in the Scandinavian countries. В  The novelty of the research lies in the fact that it gives a problem-critical assessment of the content of the legal views of the Scandinavian realists, determines the specifics of the semantic load of realism as an epistemological attitude underlying their philosophical, ethical and legal views, reveals the peculiarities of the interpretation of law as a psychological fact, and also demonstrates the possibilities of typologizing the corresponding ideas about law as a psychological theory law and its regional interpretation. In addition, clarifications are made to the definition of the place and significance of the psychological theory of law of Scandinavian authors in the history of pan-European legal thought, and some essential features of psychologism in the legal understanding of the considered regional group are identified.
On the question of the peculiarities of using an interdisciplinary approach in modern scientific research in the field of law
Authors: Osipov Mikhail Yur'evich
Published: March 2022

The subject of the research in this article is the features and patterns of the use of an interdisciplinary approach in modern scientific research in the field of law. The relevance of this problem and the need to study the patterns of using an interdisciplinary approach in the field of law is due to the fact that, on the one hand, an interdisciplinary approach is becoming increasingly widespread in the legal sciences, and on the other hand, the "inept" use of an interdisciplinary approach in the field of law can lead to a significant decrease in the effectiveness of scientific research in the field of legal sciences and to difficulties in assessing the significance of the obtained research results. The purpose of the work is to identify the patterns of using this approach based on the analysis of the features of the interdisciplinary approach in modern scientific research in the field of legal sciences and to propose ways to use it most effectively in modern scientific research in the field of jurisprudence. В В В В В  The scientific novelty of the conducted research is as follows. During the analysis of the features and patterns of the use of an interdisciplinary approach in modern legal science, it was found that not all researchers understand the features (specifics) of the use of an interdisciplinary approach in legal research. The specificity of using an interdisciplinary approach in legal research is that an interdisciplinary approach allows us to identify common patterns of formation, development and functioning of state-legal phenomena as a variety of social phenomena. Therefore, in order to increase the effectiveness of using an interdisciplinary approach in modern scientific research in the field of legal sciences, it is better to conduct research on the purely legal side of state-legal phenomena within the framework of a disciplinary approach and traditional legal methods, an interdisciplinary approach, in our opinion, should play the role of a kind of philosophical basis that does not allow the absolutization of knowledge and assumes the need for dialogue in in order to conduct scientific research more productively.
Students’ Experience of Family Counseling Role-Play with Developmental Considerations
Authors:   Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett, Horton Emily , Hughes Crystal , Prasath Priscilla R. , Lloyd-Hazlett Jessica
Published: March 2022

A need exists to explore student experiences with pedagogical approaches, particularly those commonly used in counselor education such as role-play. Nine counselors-in-training (CITs) who participated in a semester-long family counseling role-play shared their experiences with the pedagogical approach. Through semi-structured interview protocol, we explored CITs’ lived experience and meaning-making with the learning strategy. Existing literature denotes that cognitive complexity influences how CITs make sense of their experiences. As such, cognitive complexity scores, rooted in Perry’s intellectual development model, are provided for each participant. Data were analyzed using transcendental phenomenology, which resulted in three superordinate themes: impact of class structure, increased confidence, and gained meta-awareness. Findings suggest the value of role-play as a pedagogical strategy for counselors-in-training of various cognitive developmental levels.
New hydrogeological results on the Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem of the Pilato Lake (Sibillini Mts, Central Italy)
Authors: Martarelli Lucio , Gafà Rossella Maria , La Vigna Francesco , Monti Gennaro Maria , Silvi Angelantonio
Published: March 2022

Located at an altitude of about 1950 m a.s.l. in a glacial cirque of Mount Vettore (Monti Sibillini National Park - Central Italy), Pilato Lake is one of the few glacial lakes existing in the Apennines. Due to the endemic presence of the crustaceous Chirocephalus marchesonii, the Pilato Lake was in the past mainly studied from the biological viewpoint, but hydrogeological information on this groundwater dependent ecosystem is scarce. Furthermore, for investigating the lake drying in the recent 2017, 2019 and 2020 summers, the seasonal lowering of lake levels during 2010, 2012 and 2014-2020 was reconstructed. It resulted that in the preseismic years, the lake emptying was slower than in the post-seismic time. It is then supposed that seismic quaking induced an increase in permeability and, consequently, increased infiltration velocity through the lake sustaining surficial (detrital and glacial) and/or bedrock deposits towards the subsurface. More frequent summer dryings of the lake are then supposed for the next future. The hydrogeological conceptual model of the study area showed that the refilling process of the lake is driven by snow and rain precipitations. The air temperatures during 2017-2020 and their effects on evaporation from lake and on actual evapotranspiration were estimated. The infiltration through sustaining sediments was calculated and the estimation with time of lake wet surface and lake volume variations, and then bulk permeability of sustaining sediments, were evaluated as well.
Multidisciplinary investigations of a karst reservoir for managed aquifer recharge applications on the island of Vis (Croatia)
Authors: Patekar Matko , Bašić Mihaela , Pola Marco , Kosović Ivan , Terzić Josip , Lucca Alessio , Mittempergher Silvia , Berio Luigi Riccardo , Borović Staša
Published: March 2022

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) refers to a suite of methods by which excess surface water or non-conventional water is stored underground for subsequent recovery or environmental purposes. MAR solutions have been largely used in unconsolidated aquifers, while their application in karst aquifers is rare. This research presents the first results of a MAR viability study on the island of Vis, a small karstic island in the Adriatic Sea. Favorable geological and hydrogeological conditions enable the formation of karst aquifers, making the island autonomous in terms of water supply. The island’s main aquifer, exploited in the Korita well field, is protected from seawater intrusion by several hydrogeological barriers. However, climate change and high seasonal pressures related to tourism pose a threat to the future availability of freshwater. Multidisciplinary field and laboratory investigations were carried out to detail the geological and hydrogeological setting of the island and its groundwater resource. Field analyses consisted of groundwater monitoring and sampling, geophysical investigations (i.e., electrical resistivity tomography), and structural measurements. Laboratory analyses included measurements of principal cations and anions and tritium activity. Despite low precipitation during the observation period (September 2019 - December 2020), the groundwater resource at the Korita site showed stable trends of physico-chemical parameters with a good storage potential and a long-term reserve. Geophysical investigations evidenced a relatively homogeneous sequence of the rock mass at a larger scale, while structural analyses indicated the occurrence of E-W karstified and open fractures that could represent a preferential flow path in the carbonate aquifer. A MAR solution for the Vis island was proposed combining an infiltration pond scheme with the direct injection of the accumulated waters into the aquifer using available wells. The potential water source could be represented by the runoff collected in an old artificial channel and the associated pond system in Korita.
[A wish for a restarting of the Hydrogeological Map of Italy within the recent recovery stage of the Geological and Geothematic Mapping Project of Italy (CARG Project, 1:50.000 scale)]
Authors: Gafà Rossella Maria , La Vigna Francesco , Martarelli Lucio , Monti Gennaro Maria , Silvi Angelantonio
Published: March 2022

Not available
Bi-directional semi-quantum secure direct communication protocol based on high-dimensional single-particle states
Authors: Gong Li-Hua , Chen Zhen-Yong , Xu Liang-Chao , Zhou Nan-Run ,   Department of Electronics Information Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
Published: March 2022

Semi-quantum secure direct communication allows the quantum party and the classical party to transmit secure messages directly, but does not need sharing a secret key in advance. To increase the information transmission efficiency and practicability of semi-quantum secure direct communication, a bidirectional semi-quantum secure direct communication protocol with high-dimensional single-particle states is designed. The proposed protocol involves quantum party Alice and classical party Bob. Each participant can receive a secret message while sending a secret message. Unlike most of existing quantum secure direct communication protocols, it is not necessary for the classical party Bob in the proposed protocol to possess the capability of measuring quantum states, which greatly enhances the feasibility of the protocol. The protocol allows the classical party Bob to implement the unitary operations on particles and reorder the quantum sequence. Furthermore, the quantum party Alice and the classical party Bob can verify the correctness of the received secret message with the Hash function. Security analysis indicates that without being discovered by the legitimate participants, Eve cannot obtain the secret message with common attack, such as intercept-resend attack, measure-resend attack, tampering attack and entanglement-measure attack. Compared with the typical semi-quantum secure direct communication protocols, the proposed protocol has a high qubit efficiency of about 28.6%. In addition, the transmission efficiency of secret message is greatly enhanced, since the proposed protocol utilizes the high-dimensional single-particle states as the carrier of secret message.
Sensing and slow light properties of dual-band terahertz metamaterials based on electromagnetically induced transparency-like
Authors: Sun Zhan-Shuo , Wang Xin , Wang Jun-Lin , Fan Bo , Zhang Yü , Feng Yao ,   College of Electronic Information Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
Published: March 2022

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is a quantum interference phenomenon in a three-level atomic system. The generation of quantum interference effect significantly reduces the light absorptivity of the specific frequency that is strongly absorbed, and produces a sharp “transmission window” in the resonance absorption region. The EIT is usually accompanied by strong dispersion, which significantly reduces the group velocity of light and enhances the nonlinear interaction. The EIT phenomenon of atomic system usually needs to be observed at very low temperature or high intensity laser, which is a very serious challenge for the application of EIT technology. The simulation of electromagnetically induced transparency using metamaterials can effectively break through these limitations.

In this work, an electromagnetically induced transparency-like terahertz metamaterial structure with three bright modes is proposed and investigated. Two weakly hybrid states are composed of two bright modes with similar resonant frequencies. The energy oscillates back and forth between the two modes, and a transparent window is generated between the two resonance points. The designed metamaterial is composed of three groups of bright modes with adjacent resonant frequencies, and the three groups of bright modes are coupled to produce two transparent windows. The electromagnetically induced transparency-like formation mechanism is analyzed based on the simulation curve and electric field distribution. In addition, the sensing properties of metamaterial are determined by simulation and calculation, and the refractive index sensitivities of the two windows can be as high as 451.92 GHz/RIU and 545.31 GHz/RIU under the optimal thickness of the measured substances. Through the sensing simulation of six petroleum products, it is verified that the dual-band has more excellent advantages in dielectric constant matching than the single frequency band. The characteristics of the designed metamaterial in the slow light effect are also studied. The maximum group delay times of the two windows can reach 9.98 ps and 6.23 ps. Therefore, the structure is considered to have an important application value in the field of high sensitivity sensors and slow light devices.
Unifying the known and unknown microbial coding sequence space
Authors: Vanni Chiara , Schechter Matthew S , Acinas Silvia G , Barberán Albert , Buttigieg Pier Luigi , Casamayor Emilio O , Delmont Tom O , Duarte Carlos M , Eren A Murat , Finn Robert D , Kottmann Renzo , Mitchell Alex , Sánchez Pablo , Siren Kimmo , Steinegger Martin , Gloeckner Frank Oliver , Fernàndez-Guerra Antonio
Published: March 2022

Genes of unknown function are among the biggest challenges in molecular biology, especially in microbial systems, where 40–60% of the predicted genes are unknown. Despite previous attempts, systematic approaches to include the unknown fraction into analytical workflows are still lacking. Here, we present a conceptual framework, its translation into the computational workflow AGNOSTOS and a demonstration on how we can bridge the known-unknown gap in genomes and metagenomes. By analyzing 415,971,742 genes predicted from 1749 metagenomes and 28,941 bacterial and archaeal genomes, we quantify the extent of the unknown fraction, its diversity, and its relevance across multiple organisms and environments. The unknown sequence space is exceptionally diverse, phylogenetically more conserved than the known fraction and predominantly taxonomically restricted at the species level. From the 71 M genes identified to be of unknown function, we compiled a collection of 283,874 lineage-specific genes of unknown function for Cand. Patescibacteria (also known as Candidate Phyla Radiation, CPR), which provides a significant resource to expand our understanding of their unusual biology. Finally, by identifying a target gene of unknown function for antibiotic resistance, we demonstrate how we can enable the generation of hypotheses that can be used to augment experimental data.
Parent-of-origin effects propagate through networks to shape metabolic traits
Authors: Macias-Velasco Juan F , St Pierre Celine L , Wayhart Jessica P , Yin Li , Spears Larry , Miranda Mario A , Carson Caryn , Funai Katsuhiko , Cheverud James M , Semenkovich Clay F , Lawson Heather A
Published: March 2022

Parent-of-origin effects are unexpectedly common in complex traits, including metabolic and neurological traits. Parent-of-origin effects can be modified by the environment, but the architecture of these gene-by-environmental effects on phenotypes remains to be unraveled. Previously, quantitative trait loci (QTL) showing context-specific parent-of-origin effects on metabolic traits were mapped in the F16 generation of an advanced intercross between LG/J and SM/J inbred mice. However, these QTL were not enriched for known imprinted genes, suggesting another mechanism is needed to explain these parent-of-origin effects phenomena. We propose that non-imprinted genes can generate complex parent-of-origin effects on metabolic traits through interactions with imprinted genes. Here, we employ data from mouse populations at different levels of intercrossing (F0, F1, F2, F16) of the LG/J and SM/J inbred mouse lines to test this hypothesis. Using multiple populations and incorporating genetic, genomic, and physiological data, we leverage orthogonal evidence to identify networks of genes through which parent-of-origin effects propagate. We identify a network comprised of three imprinted and six non-imprinted genes that show parent-of-origin effects. This epistatic network forms a nutritional responsive pathway and the genes comprising it jointly serve cellular functions associated with growth. We focus on two genes, Nnat and F2r, whose interaction associates with serum glucose levels across generations in high-fat-fed females. Single-cell RNAseq reveals that Nnat expression increases and F2r expression decreases in pre-adipocytes along an adipogenic trajectory, a result that is consistent with our observations in bulk white adipose tissue.
Dedicated chaperones coordinate co-translational regulation of ribosomal protein production with ribosome assembly to preserve proteostasis
Authors: Pillet Benjamin , Méndez-Godoy Alfonso , Murat Guillaume , Favre Sébastien , Stumpe Michael , Falquet Laurent , Kressler Dieter
Published: March 2022

The biogenesis of eukaryotic ribosomes involves the ordered assembly of around 80 ribosomal proteins. Supplying equimolar amounts of assembly-competent ribosomal proteins is complicated by their aggregation propensity and the spatial separation of their location of synthesis and pre-ribosome incorporation. Recent evidence has highlighted that dedicated chaperones protect individual, unassembled ribosomal proteins on their path to the pre-ribosomal assembly site. Here, we show that the co-translational recognition of Rpl3 and Rpl4 by their respective dedicated chaperone, Rrb1 or Acl4, reduces the degradation of the encoding RPL3 and RPL4 mRNAs in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In both cases, negative regulation of mRNA levels occurs when the availability of the dedicated chaperone is limited and the nascent ribosomal protein is instead accessible to a regulatory machinery consisting of the nascent-polypeptide-associated complex and the Caf130-associated Ccr4-Not complex. Notably, deregulated expression of Rpl3 and Rpl4 leads to their massive aggregation and a perturbation of overall proteostasis in cells lacking the E3 ubiquitin ligase Tom1. Taken together, we have uncovered an unprecedented regulatory mechanism that adjusts the de novo synthesis of Rpl3 and Rpl4 to their actual consumption during ribosome assembly and, thereby, protects cells from the potentially detrimental effects of their surplus production.
Effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students: an umbrella review
Authors: Harith Sophia , Backhaus Insa , Mohbin Najihah , Ngo Huyen Thi , Khoo Selina
Published: March 2022

Background

Poor mental health among university students remains a pressing public health issue. Over the past few years, digital health interventions have been developed and considered promising in increasing psychological wellbeing among university students. Therefore, this umbrella review aims to synthesize evidence on digital health interventions targeting university students and to evaluate their effectiveness.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed in April 2021 searching PubMed, Psychology and Behavioural Science Collection, Web of Science, ERIC, and Scopus for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on digital mental health interventions targeting university students. The review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO [CRD42021234773].

Results

The initital literature search resulted in 806 records of which seven remained after duplicates were removed and evaluated against the inclusion criteria. Effectiveness was reported and categorized into the following six delivery types: (a) web-based, online/computer-delivered interventions (b) computer-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), (c) mobile applications and short message service (d) virtual reality interventions (e) skills training (f) relaxation and exposure-based therapy. Results indicated web-based online/computer delivered-interventions were effective or at least partially effective at decressing depression, anxiety, stress and eating disorder symptoms. This was similar for skills-training interventions, CBT-based intervention and mobile applications. However, digital mental health interventions using virtual reality and relaxation, exposure-based therapy was inconclusive. Due to the variation in study settings and inconsistencies in reporting, effectiveness was greatly dependent on the delivery format, targeted mental health problem and targeted purpose group.

Conclusion

The findings provide evidence for the beneficial effect of digital mental health interventions for university students. However, this review calls for a more systematic approach in testing and reporting the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions.
Barriers and Motivators for In-house Blood Donation: A Cross-sectional Study from Tertiary Care Hospital, Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka
Authors: Thilakarathne Yashobha , Hindagoda Dhanushka , Kumanayake Bhakthi , Karunatheepa S , Wijethilaka Nethma , Kaleinathan Rahulan
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Most Sri Lankan blood donations (93%) are from mobile blood donation campaigns. Restricted community gathering during the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected the blood supply. Further, Kilinochchi has lower blood donation rates than other Sri Lanka areas. Aim: To describe the level of donor satisfaction, identify the barriers and factors to increase in-house blood donors of a District General Hospital, Kilinochchi. Materials and Methods: This questionnaire-based crosssectional study was conducted with 193 in-house voluntary blood donors in blood bank at District General Hospital (DGH) Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, from April 2021 to July 2021. Donors with at least one year of residence in Northern province were included, and data was collected by pretested, self-administered questionnaire. The parameters assessed were socio-demographic data, donor satisfaction, blood donation information receiving methods, factors affecting blood donation, and factors to improve blood donation. Data entered and analysed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Results: Out of total 193, 120 (62.17%) were regular donors. Majority donors were male donors (168,87.04%) and among 25-35 years group (85,44.05%). Most had completed grade 13 exam (66,34.19%), only 28 (14.5%) had a degree and 106 (54.92%) donors were within 10 km from the blood bank. The majority of 122 (63.21%) were aware from a friend, and 16.06% (n=31) were aware from Youtube. Gaining information from a friend was statistically associated with the distance to the blood bank (p-value=0.036). A majority 190 (98.44%) of the in-house blood donors were satisfied with the services provided by the blood bank staff, and 188, 97.40% had stated they are confident about the facilities provided by the blood bank for in-house blood donation. Conclusion: Majority of the in-house blood donors were satisfied with the services provided by the blood bank staff and blood bank facilities. Delivering information regarding blood donation via friends to the population who reside close to the blood bank and awareness programs by health care workers would be the best method to improve in-house blood donations in this area.
Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Five Antifungal Agents against Clinically Isolated Dermatophytes Species from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India
Authors: Sharma Sachin , Maheshwari Megha , Thakur Rameshwari , Sah Sumesh Prasad , Chauhan Sapna
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Dermatophytosis form approximately 15-75% of all the mycological infections. Dermatophytes are closely related keratinolytic fungi with ability to degrade keratin and invade the skin, hair and nails causing dermatophytosis. Aim: To evaluate the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of antifungal drug against the isolated dermatophytes by broth microdilution method. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Muzaffarnagar Medical College, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. The duration of the study was August 2018-August 2020. A 10-20% KOH mount was prepared from the skin scrapings, nail clippings, and hair bits to look for fungal elements. The specimens were also inoculated on Mycosel media and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) with chloramphenicol. The dermatophytes were identified on the basis of colony characteristics, Lacto Phenol Cotton Blue (LPCB) mount, nutritional requirement, temperature tolerance, urease production, and in-vitro hair perforation test. Antifungal susceptibility testing was done for all fungal isolates and performed by broth microdilution method. The descriptive statistics were reported as means with their Standard Deviation (SD). Data were statistically evaluated with International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for Mac, Version 25.0., IBM Corp., Chicago IL. Results: In this study, the MIC range for all the 165 isolates for dermatophytes tested for antifungal susceptibility showed that itraconazole, terbinafine and voriconazole showed the lowest MIC range of 0.0019-0.5 μg/mL followed by griseofulvin and fluconazole at MIC range of 0.125-32 μg/mL. The MIC50 of itraconazole and terbinafine was seen lowest at 0.0313 μg/mL followed by voriconazole at 0.0625 μg/mL, griseofulvin at 0.25 μg/mL for all isolated dermatophytes. Highest MIC50 with 4 μg/ mL was found for fluconazole against T. mentagrophytes and T. violaceum. MIC90 of terbinafine, itraconazole and voriconazole was seen lowest at 0.25 μg/mL followed by griseofulvin at 1 μg/ mL for all isolated dermatophytes. Highest MIC90 of fluconazole was recorded at 16 μg/mL for all isolated dermatophytes. Conclusion: Highest MIC50 with 8 μg/mL was found for fluconazole against all isolated dermatophytes. MIC90 of terbinafine, itraconazole and voriconazole was seen lowest at 0.25 μg/mL followed by gresiofulvin at 1 μg/mL for all isolated dermatophytes. Highest MIC90 of fluconazole was recorded at 16 μg/mL for all isolated dermatophytes.
Effect of Compost Along with Bio Agents on Root Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L., Walp)
Authors: Sai Kumar G. E. D. , Simon Sobita
Published: March 2022

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus L., Moench] a native of South-Africa and commonly known as ‘Bhindi’ is an annual malvaceous vegetable crop, especially grown in tropical and subtropical climates. It is also called “perfect villager’s vegetable”. Root-knot nematodes are considered among the top five major plant pathogens and the first among the ten most important genera of plant parasitic nematodes in the world. Amongst nematodes, root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica) causes severe damage to okra. Trichoderma viride, Pseudomonas fluorescene and Rhizobium were tested under field conditions during Rabi 2020-2021 for their efficacy against the Root knot nematode and growth & nematode population.
Development of Questionnaire for the Assessment of Awareness about Heart Attack among Adults in Quetta Pakistan
Authors: Ali Khizar , Haq Noman ul , Fatima Maria , Uddin Syed Mohkum , Saood Muhammad , Nasim Aqeel
Published: March 2022

Objectives: Awareness of heart attack is very important to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with a heart attack. The current study aims to develop a questionnaire to assess heart attack awareness among adults in Quetta, Pakistan, and also focused on translating into the Urdu language and validating the translated questionnaire.

Methods: The questionnaire was developed in English after the review of relevant literature and translated into Urdu. Content validity was performed by eight experts in medicine and pharmacy practice and a content validity index was calculated. Internal consistency and reliability were assessed by Cronbach alpha and corrected item-total correlation. Test re-test reliability was determined using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The cross-sectional pilot study was conducted among 100 adults and a chi-square test was done to find a correlation between score groups and demographics.

Results: A content validity index was 0.804 while the Cronbach alpha was .935 for the entire scale, indicating internal consistency. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient value of 0.78 (p = 0.006) was obtained during the evaluation of test-retest reliability. Significant relationships were observed between knowledge scores and gender, education level, and smoking during the pilot study.

Conclusion: The current study showed that the developed questionnaire is reliable and valid for accessing adults’ awareness about heart attack.