bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unanswered Questions: Ciaran Carson
Authors: McCarthy Conor
Published: September 2020

This chapter examines themes of surveillance, uncertainty, identity, and political violence in the work of Ciaran Carson. If Carson's Belfast poems, written during the Northern Ireland Troubles, have something of a journalistic aspect, they also contain the motifs of surveillance and interrogation paired with uncertainty and doubt. Carson revisits some of these themes in three post-Troubles works. The mirroring sonnet sequences of For All We Know play with the archetypes of spy narrative. The poems are full of dressing up, disguising, cross-dressing, but when you take on a false identity, these poems ask, who are you then? What does uncertainty mean in the aftermath of conflict, when so many unanswered questions remain? And in the context of so many false witnesses, where might truth, or justice, be found? In The Pen Friend, both the realities and possibilities of collusion between security forces and paramilitaries during the Northern Ireland Troubles find an echo in the explosion at the heart of Carson’s novel. Finally, Exchange Place gives us a fantastical take on surveillance, uncertainty, and questions of identity, with a whiff of espionage, in a novel that leaves us, again, with unanswered questions.
Contesting the Virtual: William Gibson
Authors: McCarthy Conor
Published: September 2020

This chapter turns to discuss the contest for the virtual in the twenty-first century as represented in the fiction of William Gibson. In Gibson's earlier speculative fictions of the near-to-distant future, power largely means corporate power, following the posited decline of the nation-state; more recent work, set in the approximate present, place the intelligence agencies in play alongside international corporate interests. In opposition to such power, we find various marginal communities and oppositional groups who occupy outlaw spaces, both real and virtual, with Gibson's protagonists usually occupying an ambivalent position between the powerful and their opponents. The discussion examines Gibson’s contrasting of the Borgesian Aleph (a virtual universe of infinite potential), and Bentham's Panopticon (a virtual prison of total surveillance). It uses the dialectic between these two to ask questions of the contest for the virtual that currently occupies us as we balance the emergence of a potential information utopia against the simultaneous rise of the surveillance state.
Return to the Border: Commitment, Utopia and the Inescapable Green Line
Authors: Paul Drew
Published: September 2020

This chapter examines the tension between utopian literary visions of a borderless Israel-Palestine and the increasing proliferation of borders in the region in two novels, Ghassan Kanafani’s seminal 1969 novella Returning to Haifa, and Sami Michael’s follow up to Kanafani’s work, Doves in Trafalgar (2005). Beginning with the notion of utopia as an antithesis to borders, this chapter traces a shift from Kanafani’s earlier work, which uses the Palestinian protagonist’s border crossing and return to his lost home as a galvanizing moment of renewed commitment to the utopian vision of Palestinian resistance, to Michael’s later novel, in which the border’s persistence and expansion produces the failure of a utopian vision of Israeli-Palestinian coexistence. In this reading, borders function as post-utopian spaces that signify the decline of certain political ideologies and commitments in both Palestinian and Israeli literature.
The Phenomenology of Worldlessness
Authors: Végső Roland
Published: September 2020

The chapter follows Jacques Derrida’s development from one end of his career to its conclusion and argues that the whole project of deconstruction must be understood in relation to the concept of worldlessness. The first part of the chapter is concerned with Derrida’s critique of Edmund Husserl. Derrida argues that the phenomenological concept of worldlessness is based on the auto-affective structure of the transcendental ego and, therefore, it remains captive of a metaphysics of presence. The second part of the chapter focuses on Derrida’s readings of Heidegger and tries to show that, for Derrida, Dasein’s supposed worldliness is dependent on an ontology of worldlessness. The closing section of the chapter provides a reading of Derrida’s final seminars and tries to show that, in the end, in spite of the discovery of the centrality of worldlessness, Derrida nevertheless chooses the world over worldlessness as the foundation of any deconstructive ethics.
Repositioning Armenians in Newly Post-Colonial Nation-states: Lebanon and Syria, 1945–1946
Authors: Nalbantian Tsolin
Published: September 2020

Chapter 1 investigates Lebanese Armenians’ triangulations and balancing acts vis-à-vis the Lebanese state, its wider Arab environment, and the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic (ASSR) around the time of Lebanon’s independence in the mid 1940s. I pursue this inquiry by closely analyzing Armenian language newspapers published in Beirut. These often ideologically opposed newspapers, the leftist Ararad, the communist Joghovourti Tzain, the capitalist yet supporter of the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic (ASSR) Zartonk, and the firmly right-wing nationalist Dashnak Aztag reflected the issues of interest of the day. I explore four themes. The first is Armenians’ position in and vis-à-vis the Lebanese polity as well as vis-à-vis Syria. A second concerns language, and specifically the multiple roles of Arabic and its relationship with Armenian. The next one has to do with the ambiguities of spaces relevant for Armenians in and beyond Lebanon, including the ASSR. And a last one concerns the fascinating political positioning of the church that, although conservative, felt forced to support communist Armenia and the USSR as the ASSR’s protector.
Introduction: Issues and Methodology
Authors: Lev Yaacov
Published: September 2020

The Introduction examines the largely ignored question of to what extent Muslim law was applied in medieval Muslim states and whether its precepts indeed governed the life of individuals and the conduct of society. The Introduction also provides a unifying framework for the book and presents topics, which are directly relevant to the discussion of the administration of justice. The inquiry is also heavily influenced and informed by the progress that has been made in recent decades in the study of early Islam.
The Cadi’s Jurisdiction: Evolution and Consolidation
Authors: Lev Yaacov
Published: September 2020

The chapter discusses the nature of the cadi’s jurisdiction and cadi’s position within the state administrative structure. Between 705 and 810 cadis acquired responsibility for supervision/administration of various trust funds. While the cadis’ involvement with the management/supervision of waqfs begun during the 730s, the cadis never achieved full control over the waqf institution.
Criminal Justice and the Police
Authors: Lev Yaacov
Published: September 2020

In Fatimid Fustat-Cairo the shurta was a police force responsible for fighting crime and its chiefs dispensed criminal justice. How the shurta and its chiefs operated in Fustat of the 1020s is discussed relying on Musabbih’s reports concerning 1024-1025. The shurta as an urban police force intended to fight crime was too small to maintain law and order in the capital and, in times of crisis, the task was delegated to the army.
Introduction
Authors: Rhodes Gary D. , Singer Robert
Published: September 2020

“The best TV commercials create a

tremendously vivid sense of mood, of a

complex presentation of something.”
1

—Stanley Kubrick in 1987

In 1897, while employed at the Edison Studios, William Heise created one of the earliest filmed commercials, Admiral Cigarette (Fig. I.1). Heise, a director and (mostly) cinematographer of such Edison moving pictures as ...
Excursus: Medieval Pilgrimage – Victor Turner’s Input
Authors: Talmon-Heller Daniella
Published: September 2020

This chapter explores the practicality of applying the inspiring theories and original terms developed by the anthropologist Victor Turner to research on medieval pilgrimage. It ends with the conclusion that concepts such as 'communitas', 'catchment area', and 'peripheral shrine' stimulate thought and creative reading of the sources, even if cannot be properly sustained on the basis of data collected from sporadic medieval excerpts.
Excursus: Arabic Treatises in Praise of Ascalon
Authors: Talmon-Heller Daniella
Published: September 2020

This excursus provides a list of six ninth- to fifteenth-century manuscripts and published works compiled in praise of Ascalon (Faḍl ʿAsqalān), or containing a chapter dedicated to this end. The authors include Abū al-Ḥasan al-Madāʾinī (d. 225/839–40), Abū Muḥammad al-ʿAsqalānī (d. 325/937?), ʿAlī Ibn ʿAsākir (d. 571/1176), Taqī al-Dīn al-Shahrazūrī (d. 643/1245), Shams al-Dīn al-Asyūṭī (d. 880/1475–6), and an anonymous author.
Summary
Authors: Talmon-Heller Daniella
Published: September 2020

This chapter re-examines the circumstances of the 'discovery' of the head of al-Husayn in eleventh-century Ascalon, the earlier sanctification of the place, and its lingering reputation as holy after the fall of the Fatimids. It emphasizes the belief in the power of the site, which persisted even after the transfer of its relic. The Cairene shrine, created under the Fatimid to protect the relic of their 'forefather', retained its sanctity and housed an active cult under the rule of the Sunni Ayyubids and Mamluks.
Introduction
Authors: Talmon-Heller Daniella
Published: September 2020

Then in the distance they could see part of the exterior of the mosque of al-Husayn. In the center was an expansive window decorated with arabesques … With joy singing in her breast, she asked: ‘Our master al-Husayn?’ He confirmed her guess. Her pace quickened for the first time since she left the house. She began to compare what she saw with the picture created by her imagination and based on what she had seen from her home of mosques like Qalawun and Barquq. She found the reality to be less grand than she had imagined. In her imagination she had made its size correspond to the veneration in which she held its holy occupant. This difference between imagination and reality, however, in no way affected the pervasive intoxication of her joy at being there … They entered … She felt that her body was dissolving into tenderness, affection and love and that she was being transformed into a spirit fluttering in the sky, radiant with the glow of prophetic inspiration. Her eyes swam with tears that helped relieve the agitation of her breast, the warmth of her love and belief, and the flood of her benevolent joy. She proceeded to devour the place with greedy, curious eyes: the walls, ceiling, pillars, carpets, chandeliers, pulpit, and the mihrab niches indicating the direction of Mecca … How often had she wished to visit this site … Here she was standing within the shrine. Indeed, here she was touching the walls of the tomb itself … She stroked the walls and kissed them....
Forgetting and Remembering Lesbian Pulp: Shame, Recuperation and Queer History
Authors: Mitchell Kaye
Published: September 2020

Chapter 1 begins with Michael Warner’s question, ‘What will we do with our shame?’, and proceeds to consider, and to critique, the revisiting of shame in much recent queer theory – a revisiting that generally seeks to mine that affect for its positive political potential.
The chapter assesses the uses and limitations of ‘queer shame’, via a consideration, first, of contemporary queer theory, and second, of the recent republication – and implied ‘recuperation’ – of the formerly shameful sub-genre of mid-century lesbian pulp fiction. Through readings of Ann Bannon’s Women in the Shadows (1959/2002) and Della Martin’s Twilight Girl (1961/2006), the chapter focuses particularly on questions concerning the (in)visibility and (un)intelligibility of gender and race, and matters of performance and ‘passing’. It shows how, in both novels, non-whiteness becomes a site of both fascination and shame, functioning indeed as both an intensifier of queer shame and a mirror of/analogy for that shame, in what might be viewed as a troubling case of shame appropriation.
PENGARUH LAMA WAKTU FERMENTASI KOMBUCHA ROSELA (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) TERHADAP AKTIVITAS ANTIBAKTERI Escherichia coli
Authors: Cholidah Adinda Ismu , Danu Dwi , Nurrosyidah Iif Hanifa
Published: September 2020

Roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdarifa L.) is one of the medicinal plants which is often used as traditional medicine.  Roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdarifa L.) contains phenolic compounds such as tannins, saponins and flavonoids that are as antibacterial.  Roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdarifa L.) can be made as a kombucha tea. Kombucha ia useful as an antibacterial, anticancer, improves liver function, anticholesterol, detoxification, improves the digestive system and maintains stamina. The purpose of this research were to find out  the effect of kombucha roselle (Hibiscus sabdarifa L.) fermentation time against antibacterial activity of Escherichia coli. Kombucha roselle made by fermenting roselle stew, starter 10% and sugar 10% for 1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, 9 days, 11 days, 13 days and 15 days. Then, testing the effectiveness of antibacterial by method Cup-plate technique. The results showed that fermentation of kombucha rosella was able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli bacteria with different results according to the length of fermentation time. The results of data analysis using spearman test showed the fermentation time were take effect on e.coli antibacterial activity and continued with Mann Whitney test showed the fermentation of kombucha roselle has a significant inhibitory effect on bacterial growth. The most optimum inhibitory zone in inhibiting Escherichia coli is 15 days fermentation of kombucha roselle for 21,5 mm wich is categorized as very strong antibacterial activity.
EFEKTIVITAS EKSTRAK ETANOL DAUN KIRINYUH (CHROMOLAENA ODORATA L) SEBAGAI ANTIBAKTERI SALMONELLA TYPHI DAN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
Authors: Fadia Fadia , Nurlailah Nurlailah , Helmiah Tini Elyn , Lutpiatina Leka
Published: September 2020

Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus are pathogenic bacteria that cause infectious diseases. Treatment of these diseases can be done by giving antibacterial drugs. One of the plants that can be used as an antibacterial drug is the leaves of Chromolaena odorata L. due to the presence of chemical compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, and saponins that have the potential as antibacterial. This study aims to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) ethanol extract of Chromolaena odorata L. leaves on the growth of Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. This research is the initial stage of the development of herbal medicines to treat Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus infections. The study consisted of 5 treatments, namely concentrations of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% ethanol extract of Chromolaena odorata L. leaves with five repetitions. The antibacterial activity test was carried out by MIC and MBC methods. The research material uses leaves from Chromolaena odorata L. in the Sungai Besar area, Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The results showed that the average MIC yield of ethanol extract of Chromolaena odorata L. leaves against Salmonella typhi: 20% and Staphylococcus aureus: 20%. While the average yield of MBC values ​​against Salmonella typhi: 40% and Staphylococcus aureus: 40%. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the ethanol extract of Chromolaena odorata L. leaves has an inhibitory effect on the growth of Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. Chromolaena odorata L. leaves has potential as herbal medicine against bacterial infections but requires further research to determine its effect in vivo.
IDENTIFIKASI PENYAKIT PADA DAUN TOMAT BERDASARKAN FITUR WARNA DAN TEKSTUR
Authors: Mungki Astiningrum  , Arhandi Putra Prima , Ariditya Nabilla Aqmarina
Published: September 2020

Tomat adalah salah satu buah yang banyak dikonsumsi oleh masyarakat Indonesia. Akan tetapi, produksi tomat tidak diimbangi dengan budidaya yang baik sehingga daun tomat terserang penyakit. Di Indonesia, penyakit utama yang menyerang daun tomat yaitu busuk daun dan bercak bakteri. Busuk daun mengakibatkan pertumbuhan tanaman tomat terhambat dan bercak bakteri mengakibatkan kualitas tanaman tomat kurang baik. Saat ini, identifikasi penyakit masih dilakukan secara manual dengan penglihatan manusia. Cara ini membuat petani menggunakan obat yang salah dalam menyembuhkan penyakit daun tomat. Teknologi pengolahan citra digital dapat digunakan untuk mengetahui kondisi daun tomat yang terserang penyakit dengan mudah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk merancang sistem identifikasi penyakit pada daun tomat dengan menggunakan RGB sebagai fitur ekstraksi warna dan Gray Level Co-Occurance Matrix (GLCM) sebagai fitur ekstraksi tekstur. Hasil dari sistem identifikasi penyakit pada daun tomat adalah penentuan label Sehat, Bercak Bakteri, dan Busuk Daun. Tingkat akurasi penelitian ini adalah 92,89%  pada nilai k = 1 dengan menggunakan metode K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN).
Predictors of Orphanage Residents’ Life Satisfaction: Basic Psychological Needs and Cognitive Emotion Regulation
Authors: Shouket Haseeba , Dildar Saadia
Published: September 2020

The present study examined life satisfaction, basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) and cognitive emotion regulation strategies among Pakistani orphanages residents (8-17 years). For study, 372 residents comprised the sample of study, from three orphanage types. 123 residents of Pakistan Sweet Home (PSH), 128 residents of children’s village and 121 residents of local orphanages completed the assessment battery consisted to Student Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS; Huebner, 1991), Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale-Child version (NSF; Van der Kaap-Deeder et al., 2015) and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-Kids (ERQ; Granefski, Rieffe, Jellesma, Terwogt, & Kraaij, 2007). Analysis indicated relationship of study variables: life satisfaction, psychological needs and strategies of cognitive emotion regulation. Life satisfaction was positively predicted by relatedness satisfaction and autonomy satisfaction. However, unfulfilled relatedness need, and catastrophizing were negatively predicting satisfaction with life. Findings may be implicated for provision of better environment in orphanages of Pakistan.
Blocking of the High-Affinity Interaction-Synapse Between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human ACE2 Proteins Likely Requires Multiple High-Affinity Antibodies: An Immune Perspective
Authors: Khatri Indu , Staal Frank J. T. , van Dongen Jacques J. M.
Published: September 2020

The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has induced global eagerness to develop vaccines and therapeutics for treating COVID-19, including neutralizing antibodies. To develop effective therapeutic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, it is critical to understand the interaction between viral and host's proteins. The human ACE2 (hACE2) protein is the crucial target for the SARS-CoV's Spike protein that allows the virus to adhere to host epithelial cells. X-ray crystal structures and biophysical properties of protein-protein interactions reveal a large interaction surface with high binding-affinity between SARS-CoV-2 and hACE2 (18 interactions), at least 15-fold stronger than between SARS-CoV-1 and hACE2 (eight interactions). This suggests that antibodies against CoV-1 infection might not be very efficient against CoV-2. Furthermore, interspecies comparisons indicate that ACE2 proteins of man and cat are far closer than dog, ferret, mouse, and rat with significant differences in binding-affinity between Spike and ACE2 proteins. This strengthens the notion of productive SARS-CoV-2 transmission between felines and humans and that classical animal models are not optimally suited for evaluating therapeutic antibodies. The large interaction surface with strong affinity between SARS-CoV-2 and hACE2 (dG−12.4) poses a huge challenge to develop reliable antibody therapy that truly blocks SARS-CoV-2 adherence and infection. We gauge that single antibodies against single epitopes might not sufficiently interfere with the strong interaction-synapse between Spike and hACE2 proteins. Instead, appropriate combinations of high-affinity neutralizing antibodies against different epitopes might be needed, preferably of IgA-class for optimal and prolonged activity at epithelial layers of respiratory and intestine tracts.
Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Two Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Cultivars Differing in Thermotolerance to High Night Temperatures during Anthesis
Authors: Loka Dimitra A. , Oosterhuis Derrick M.
Published: September 2020

Heat stress constitutes a major threat to crop production, and according to climatic projections, night temperatures are expected to increase faster and to a greater extent compared to day temperatures. While extensive research has been dedicated to the effects of higher than optimum day temperatures on cotton physiology, metabolism, and yield, and while heat-tolerant cotton cultivars have been introduced, the responses of such heat-tolerant cultivars to high night temperatures have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of heat-tolerant cultivars to high night temperatures stress by monitoring the physiological and biochemical responses of two cotton cultivars, differing in thermotolerance, subjected to higher than optimum night temperatures, during anthesis. To that end, growth chamber experiments were conducted using two cotton cultivars differing in thermotolerance, namely ST5288B2RF (thermosensitive) and VH260 (thermotolerant). Treatments consisted of normal day/night temperatures (32/24 °C) and high night temperatures (32/30 °C) for 2 weeks at flowering (approximately 8 eight weeks after planting). The results indicated that VH260 was more thermotolerant than ST5288 even under conditions of high night temperature stress, as it managed to maintain its net photosynthetic rates, cell membrane integrity, as well as pistil carbohydrate contents and ultimately achieved higher total reproductive weight. It was concluded that heat tolerance of thermotolerant cultivars selected under conditions of high day temperatures is also conserved under high night temperatures, while net photosynthetic rates and cell membrane integrity can be utilized as selection traits for heat tolerance under either high day or night temperatures.
Paper Sludge Carbon as an Adsorbent for Fukushima Radiocontaminated Paddy Soil
Authors: Van Tran Ai , Yanaga Makoto
Published: September 2020

Radiocontaminated soil in a paddy field in the Iitate village in Fukushima was treated with an industrial paper sludge carbon (PSC) prior to growing rice in May 2011. The results showed that the sum of the activity concentrations of 134Cs and 137Cs in the polished rice harvested in October 2011 was 30 Bq·kg−1, a level much lower than the Japanese governmental safeguard value of 100 Bq·kg−1. Upon contacting with the contaminated soil, the contents of calcium, magnesium, copper, potassium, and barium in the PSC were decreased. Among the PSCs impregnated with various chlorides and sulfates of the previously mentioned minerals, potassium chloride, copper sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and potassium sulfate yielded higher decontamination degrees compared to the original PSC. The results imply that radioactive cesium in the soil exchanges cations with these minerals.
Animals from Motya: Depictions and Archaeological Evidence in the Phoenician Town in Sicily
Authors: Oliveri Francesca , Toti Maria Pamela
Published: September 2020

This paper focusses on the animal presence in the archaeological records from the Phoenician island town of Motya (Sicily), which grew to prosperity from its settlement in the 8th century until its destruction in 397 bce. Offering a preliminary review of this material, the paper discusses fantastic beasts, animals of the land, sea and air, creatures from Egyptian tradition and the faunal remains. As such, the overview will be more descriptive than analytic. While osteological evidence confirms the presence of domestic animals, such as poultry, pigs and pets, depictions on all sort of artifacts represent sphinxes and griffins, centaurs and sea-monsters, dolphins and every kind of fish, lions, bulls, horses, deer, pigs and dogs, and many kinds of birds from quails to eagles. Egyptian amulets express the great attraction felt towards the mysterious Nile valley. The great variety of animals attested in the iconography, and the various traditions in which they were depicted, are testament to the diversity of the town’s human population as well as their interactions with the wider Mediterranean world.
Efficacy of Olanzapine for High and Moderate Emetogenic Chemotherapy in Children
Authors: Lee So Rae , Kim Su Min , Oh Min Young , Lee Jae Min
Published: September 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the safety and efficacy of olanzapine for high and moderate emetogenic chemotherapy in children and young adults. We retrospectively reviewed the records of pediatric patients (n = 13) with cancer who had been administered olanzapine as an anti-emetic drug (AED) during a high and moderate emetogenic chemotherapy block from January 2018 to March 2020. Patients were administered other prophylactic AEDs according to practice guidelines. The mean age of the patients was 14.1 ± 5.5 years. The total number of chemotherapy cycles was 41. Twenty-one (51.2%) chemotherapy blocks were high emetogenic chemotherapy and 20 (48.8%) blocks were moderate emetogenic chemotherapy. Olanzapine was used for prophylaxis in 20 (48.8%) blocks of chemotherapy and rescue in 21 (51.2%). Of the 41 cycles, a complete response to olanzapine was achieved in 31 (75.6%), partial response in 6 (14.6%), and no response in 4 (9.8%). The mean dose was 0.07 ± 0.04 mg/kg/dose and 2.50 ± 1.37 mg/m2/dose. Adverse effects included somnolence, hyperglycemia, fatigue, and disturbed sleep. Our findings indicate that olanzapine was effective and safe for treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in children. A prospective controlled study is needed to confirm these findings.
A Framework for the Improvement of Frugal Design Practices
Authors: Singh Ravindra , Seniaray Sumedha , Saxena Prateek
Published: September 2020

Current frugal design practice is focused on the cost reduction of the product. Despite advancements in the domain of frugal Innovation, it is not systematized to develop products for all sets of users, including marginalized society. Many design researchers and engineers now dedicate time and knowledge to producing practical solutions to enhance the quality of life of the marginal community. The approach currently being adopted restricts the development of products intended for all segments of the users. In this paper, cumulative frequency distribution analysis and the Relative Importance Index is used to identify the essential attributes, which contribute to delivering actual frugal products in terms of functionality, usability, performance, affordability, accessibility, aesthetics, and robustness. The framework is beneficial to eradicate the discriminatory effect of being labeled as “Jugaad” users.
Market of Stocks during Crisis Looks Like a Flock of Birds
Authors: Afsharizand Bahar , Chaghoei Pooya H. , Kordbacheh Amirhossein A. , Trufanov Andrey , Jafari Golamreza
Published: September 2020

A crisis in financial markets can be considered as a collective behaviour phenomenon. The collective behaviour is a complex behaviour which exists among a group of animals. The Vicsek model has been adapted to represent this complexity. A unique phase space has been introduced to represent all possible results of the model. The return of the transaction volumes versus the return of the closed price of each share has been used within the defined phase space. The findings show that the direction of the resultant velocity vectors of all share in this phase space act in the same direction when the financial crisis happens. By monitoring the market’s collective behaviour, it will be possible to gain more knowledge about the condition of the market days in crisis. This research aims to investigate the collective behaviour of stocks using the Vicsek model to study the condition of the market during the days in crisis.
Are Short Food Supply Chains More Environmentally Sustainable than Long Chains? A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Eco-Efficiency of Food Chains in Selected EU Countries
Authors: Majewski Edward , Komerska Anna , Kwiatkowski Jerzy , Malak-Rawlikowska Agata , Wąs Adam , Sulewski Piotr , Gołaś Marlena , Pogodzińska Kinga , Lecoeur Jean-Loup , Tocco Barbara , Török Áron , Donati Michele , Vittersø Gunnar
Published: September 2020

Improving the eco-efficiency of food systems is one of the major global challenges faced by the modern world. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are commonly regarded to be less harmful to the environment, among various reasons, due to their organizational distribution and thus the shortened physical distance between primary producers and final consumers. In this paper, we empirically test this hypothesis, by assessing and comparing the environmental impacts of short and long food supply chains. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, we calculate eco-efficiency indicators for nine types of food distribution chains. The analysis is performed on a sample of 428 short and long food supply chains from six European countries. Our results indicate that, on average, long food supply chains may generate less negative environmental impacts than short chains (in terms of fossil fuel energy consumption, pollution, and GHG emissions) per kg of a given product. The values of eco-efficiency indicators display a large variability across analyzed chains, and especially across different types of SFSCs. The analysis shows that the environmental impacts of the food distribution process are not only determined by the geographical distance between producer and consumer, but depend on numerous factors, including the supply chain infrastructure.
Simulation, Analysis, and Characterization of Calcium-Doped ZnO Nanostructures for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Tayyaba Shahzadi , Ashraf Muhammad Waseem , Tariq Muhammad Imran , Akhlaq Maham , Balas Valentina Emilia , Wang Ning , Balas Marius M.
Published: September 2020

In this research article, the authors have discussed the simulation, analysis, and characterization of calcium-doped zinc oxide (Ca-doped-ZnO) nanostructures for advanced generation solar cells. A comparative study has been performed to envisage the effect of Ca-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NP), seeded Ca-doped ZnO nanorods (NR), and unseeded Ca-doped ZnO NR as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells. Simulations were performed in MATLAB fuzzy logic controller to study the effect of various structures on the overall solar cell efficiency. The simulation results show an error of less than 1% in between the simulated and calculated values. This work shows that the diameter of the seeded Ca-doped ZnO NR is greater than that of the unseeded Ca-doped ZnO NR. The incorporation of Ca in the ZnO nanostructure is confirmed using XRD graphs and an EDX spectrum. The optical band gap of the seeded substrate is 3.18 eV, which is higher compared to those of unseeded Ca-doped ZnO NR and Ca-doped ZnO NP, which are 3.16 eV and 3.13 ev, respectively. The increase in optical band gap results in the improvement of the overall solar cell efficiency of the seeded Ca-doped ZnO NR to 1.55%. The incorporation of a seed layer with Ca-doped ZnO NR increases the fill factor and the overall efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC).
Headspace Isotope & Compositional Analysis for Unconventional Resources: Gas in Place, Permeability and Porosity Prediction and Completions Planning
Authors: Wu Sheng , Tang Yongchun , Lin Mian , Sneddon Andrew
Published: September 2020

Cuttings/cores’ Headspace Isotope and Composition Analysis (HICA) provides an effective way to calculate the nano pore throat size and distributions much like nitrogen and CO2 adsorption BET/BJH analysis, and it could also provide information about the original pore pressure or gas in place. Tight gas and oil storage is different from conventional where a majority of oil and gas are stored in nanometer sized pores (nanopores). Therefore the nanofludics, i.e., nanometer scale capillary sealing and opening in nanopores of tight rocks, plays a key role in overpressure conservation and storage of oil and gas, and also the fracing process involves the opening of the nano pore capillary seals through rock-fluid interactions. The rock-fluid nanofluidics interactions during fracing could also be studied through HICA and the results could help the optimization of fracing designs.
The Historical Landscape: Evoking the Past in a Landscape for the Future in the Cheonggyecheon Reconstruction in South Korea
Authors: Kim Eyun Jennifer
Published: September 2020

As cities become increasingly de-industrialized and emphasize building a sustainable future, we have seen an increase in the design of large-scale landscapes being incorporated into the urban fabric. The reconstruction of the Cheonggyecheon stream and park in Seoul, South Korea, is an example of this phenomenon. Since its completion in 2005, the city of Seoul has promoted the project as a restoration of its history and recreation of a collective memory of the site and historic stream from its geographic origins. However, this narrative of historic rebirth of a stream raises questions of authenticity, the selective emphasis of one history over another, and how this transformation of Seoul’s built environment may change the identity of the city’s culture and society. Using a mixture of direct observations of the park design, activities, and events held at the site, and interviews with project designers and former Seoul Metropolitan Government staff who worked on the project and Cheonggyecheon park visitors, this research examines the reconstruction of the Cheonggyecheon as simultaneously a recovery of and break with the past, and the representation of Seoul’s history, memory, and culture as performative functions of the design of the landscape and its activities. In the process, this new landscape offers a rewriting of the past and memory of the city as it redefines the identity of the city for its present and future.
Surface Design of Antifouling Vascular Constructs Bearing Biofunctional Peptides for Tissue Regeneration Applications
Authors: Sivkova Radoslava , Táborská Johanka , Reparaz Alain , de los Santos Pereira Andres , Kotelnikov Ilya , Proks Vladimir , Kučka Jan , Svoboda Jan , Riedel Tomáš , Pop-Georgievski Ognen
Published: September 2020

Antifouling polymer layers containing extracellular matrix-derived peptide motifs offer promising new options for biomimetic surface engineering. In this contribution, we report the design of antifouling vascular grafts bearing biofunctional peptide motifs for tissue regeneration applications based on hierarchical polymer brushes. Hierarchical diblock poly(methyl ether oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate-block-glycidyl methacrylate) brushes bearing azide groups (poly(MeOEGMA-block-GMA-N3)) were grown by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and functionalized with biomimetic RGD peptide sequences. Varying the conditions of copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide “click” reaction allowed for the immobilization of RGD peptides in a wide surface concentration range. The synthesized hierarchical polymer brushes bearing peptide motifs were characterized in detail using various surface sensitive physicochemical methods. The hierarchical brushes presenting the RGD sequences provided excellent cell adhesion properties and at the same time remained resistant to fouling from blood plasma. The synthesis of anti-fouling hierarchical brushes bearing 1.2 × 103 nmol/cm2 RGD biomimetic sequences has been adapted for the surface modification of commercially available grafts of woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. The fiber mesh was endowed with polymerization initiator groups via aminolysis and acylation reactions optimized for the material. The obtained bioactive antifouling vascular grafts promoted the specific adhesion and growth of endothelial cells, thus providing a potential avenue for endothelialization of artificial conduits.
A Screening of Antineoplastic Drugs for Acute Myeloid Leukemia Reveals Contrasting Immunogenic Effects of Etoposide and Fludarabine
Authors: Ocadlikova Darina , Iannarone Clara , Redavid Anna Rita , Cavo Michele , Curti Antonio
Published: September 2020

Background: Recent evidence demonstrated that the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells with daunorubicin (DNR) but not cytarabine (Ara-C) results in immunogenic cell death (ICD). In the clinical setting, chemotherapy including anthracyclines and Ara-C remains a gold standard for AML treatment. In the last decade, etoposide (Eto) and fludarabine (Flu) have been added to the standard treatment for AML to potentiate its therapeutic effect and have been tested in many trials. Very little data are available about the ability of these drugs to induce ICD. Methods: AML cells were treated with all four drugs. Calreticulin and heat shock protein 70/90 translocation, non-histone chromatin-binding protein high mobility group box 1 and adenosine triphosphate release were evaluated. The treated cells were pulsed into dendritic cells (DCs) and used for in vitro immunological tests. Results: Flu and Ara-C had no capacity to induce ICD-related events. Interestingly, Eto was comparable to DNR in inducing all ICD events, resulting in DC maturation. Moreover, Flu was significantly more potent in inducing suppressive T regulatory cells compared to other drugs. Conclusions: Our results indicate a novel and until now poorly investigated feature of antineoplastic drugs commonly used for AML treatment, based on their different immunogenic potential.
Soft Nanoonions: A Dynamic Overview onto Catanionic Vesicles Temperature-Driven Transition
Authors: Milcovich Gesmi , Antunes Filipe E. , Grassi Mario , Asaro Fioretta
Published: September 2020

Catanionic vesicles are emerging interesting structures for bioapplications. They self-generate by a pairing of oppositely charged ionic surfactants that assemble into hollow structures. Specifically, the anionic-cationic surfactant pair assumes a double-tailed zwitterionic behavior. In this work, the multilamellar-to-unilamellar thermal transition of several mixed aqueous systems, with a slight excess of the anionic one, were investigated. Interestingly, it was found that the anionic counterion underwent a dissociation as a consequence of a temperature increase, leading to the mentioned thermal transition. The present work proposed the spectroscopic techniques, specifically multinuclear NMR and PGSTE (pulsed gradient stimulated echo), as a key tool to study such systems, with high accuracy and effectiveness, while requiring a small amount of the sample. The results presented herein evidence encouraging perspectives, forecasting the application of the studied vesicular nanoreservoirs, for e.g., drug delivery.
Clinical and Molecular Landscape of ALS Patients with SOD1 Mutations: Novel Pathogenic Variants and Novel Phenotypes. A Single ALS Center Study
Authors: Bernard Emilien , Pegat Antoine , Svahn Juliette , Bouhour Françoise , Leblanc Pascal , Millecamps Stéphanie , Thobois Stéphane , Guissart Claire , Lumbroso Serge , Mouzat Kevin
Published: September 2020

Mutations in the copper zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene are the second most frequent cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Nearly 200 mutations of this gene have been described so far. We report all SOD1 pathogenic variants identified in patients followed in the single ALS center of Lyon, France, between 2010 and 2020. Twelve patients from 11 unrelated families are described, including two families with the not yet described H81Y and D126N mutations. Splice site mutations were detected in two families. We discuss implications concerning genetic screening of SOD1 gene in familial and sporadic ALS.
Age, Sex Hormones, and Circadian Rhythm Regulate the Expression of Amyloid-Beta Scavengers at the Choroid Plexus
Authors: Duarte Ana C. , Furtado André , Hrynchak Mariya V. , Costa Ana R. , Talhada Daniela , Gonçalves Isabel , Lemos Manuel C. , Quintela Telma , Santos Cecília R.A.
Published: September 2020

Accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the brain is thought to derive from the impairment of Aβ clearance mechanisms rather than from its overproduction, which consequently contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The choroid plexus epithelial cells constitute an important clearance route for Aβ, either by facilitating its transport from the cerebrospinal fluid to the blood, or by synthesizing and secreting various proteins involved in Aβ degradation. Impaired choroid plexus synthesis, secretion, and transport of these Aβ-metabolizing enzymes have been therefore associated with the disruption of Aβ homeostasis and amyloid load. Factors such as aging, female gender, and circadian rhythm disturbances are related to the decline of choroid plexus functions that may be involved in the modulation of Aβ-clearance mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the impact of age, sex hormones, and circadian rhythm on the expression of Aβ scavengers such as apolipoprotein J, gelsolin, and transthyretin at the rat choroid plexus. Our results demonstrated that mRNA expression and both intracellular and secreted protein levels of the studied Aβ scavengers are age-, sex-, and circadian-dependent. These data suggest that the Aβ-degradation and clearance pathways at the choroid plexus, mediated by the presence of Aβ scavengers, might be compromised as a consequence of aging and circadian disturbances. These are important findings that enhance the understanding of Aβ-clearance-regulating mechanisms at the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier.
The Role of Exosomes in Stemness and Neurodegenerative Diseases—Chemoresistant-Cancer Therapeutics and Phytochemicals
Authors: Beeraka Narasimha M. , Doreswamy Shalini H. , Sadhu Surya P. , Srinivasan Asha , Pragada Rajeswara Rao , Madhunapantula SubbaRao V. , Aliev Gjumrakch
Published: September 2020

Exosomes exhibit a wide range of biological properties and functions in the living organisms. They are nanometric vehicles and used for delivering drugs, as they are biocompatible and minimally immunogenic. Exosomal secretions derived from cancer cells contribute to metastasis, immortality, angiogenesis, tissue invasion, stemness and chemo/radio-resistance. Exosome-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lnc RNAs) are involved in the pathophysiology of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, exosomes derived from mesenchymal stromal cells, astrocytes, macrophages, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells are involved in the cancer progression and stemness as they induce chemotherapeutic drug resistance in several cancer cells. This review covered the recent research advances in understanding the role of exosomes in cancer progression, metastasis, angiogenesis, stemness and drug resistance by illustrating the modulatory effects of exosomal cargo (ex. miRNA, lncRNAs, etc.) on cell signaling pathways involved in cancer progression and cancer stem cell growth and development. Recent reports have implicated exosomes even in the treatment of several cancers. For instance, exosomes-loaded with novel anti-cancer drugs such as phytochemicals, tumor-targeting proteins, anticancer peptides, nucleic acids are known to interfere with drug resistance pathways in several cancer cell lines. In addition, this review depicted the need to develop exosome-based novel diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of cancers and neurodegenerative disease. Furthermore, the role of exosomes in stroke and oxidative stress-mediated neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is also discussed in this article.
Isolated Lung Perfusion in the Management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Haywood Nathan , Byler Matthew R. , Zhang Aimee , Roeser Mark E. , Kron Irving L. , Laubach Victor E.
Published: September 2020

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and current management has a dramatic impact on healthcare resource utilization. While our understanding of this disease has improved, the majority of treatment strategies remain supportive in nature and are associated with continued poor outcomes. There is a dramatic need for the development and breakthrough of new methods for the treatment of ARDS. Isolated machine lung perfusion is a promising surgical platform that has been associated with the rehabilitation of injured lungs and the induction of molecular and cellular changes in the lung, including upregulation of anti-inflammatory and regenerative pathways. Initially implemented in an ex vivo fashion to evaluate marginal donor lungs prior to transplantation, recent investigations of isolated lung perfusion have shifted in vivo and are focused on the management of ARDS. This review presents current tenants of ARDS management and isolated lung perfusion, with a focus on how ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has paved the way for current investigations utilizing in vivo lung perfusion (IVLP) in the treatment of severe ARDS.
A Highly Conserved Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly Machinery between Humans and Amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum: The Characterization of Frataxin
Authors: Olmos Justo , Pignataro María Florencia , Benítez dos Santos Ana Belén , Bringas Mauro , Klinke Sebastián , Kamenetzky Laura , Velazquez Francisco , Santos Javier
Published: September 2020

Several biological activities depend on iron–sulfur clusters ([Fe-S]). Even though they are well-known in several organisms their function and metabolic pathway were poorly understood in the majority of the organisms. We propose to use the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, as a biological model to study the biosynthesis of [Fe-S] at the molecular, cellular and organism levels. First, we have explored the D. discoideum genome looking for genes corresponding to the subunits that constitute the molecular machinery for Fe-S cluster assembly and, based on the structure of the mammalian supercomplex and amino acid conservation profiles, we inferred the full functionality of the amoeba machinery. After that, we expressed the recombinant mature form of D. discoideum frataxin protein (DdFXN), the kinetic activator of this pathway. We characterized the protein and its conformational stability. DdFXN is monomeric and compact. The analysis of the secondary structure content, calculated using the far-UV CD spectra, was compatible with the data expected for the FXN fold, and near-UV CD spectra were compatible with the data corresponding to a folded protein. In addition, Tryptophan fluorescence indicated that the emission occurs from an apolar environment. However, the conformation of DdFXN is significantly less stable than that of the human FXN, (4.0 vs. 9.0 kcal mol−1, respectively). Based on a sequence analysis and structural models of DdFXN, we investigated key residues involved in the interaction of DdFXN with the supercomplex and the effect of point mutations on the energetics of the DdFXN tertiary structure. More than 10 residues involved in Friedreich’s Ataxia are conserved between the human and DdFXN forms, and a good correlation between mutational effect on the energetics of both proteins were found, suggesting the existence of similar sequence/function/stability relationships. Finally, we integrated this information in an evolutionary context which highlights particular variation patterns between amoeba and humans that may reflect a functional importance of specific protein positions. Moreover, the complete pathway obtained forms a piece of evidence in favor of the hypothesis of a shared and highly conserved [Fe-S] assembly machinery between Human and D. discoideum.