bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avaliação da aprendizagem na Educação de Jovens e Adultos -EJA: análise quali-quantitativa das produções científicas brasileiras entre 2016 a 2021
Authors: Conceição José Luis Monteiro , César Rozevania Valadares de Meneses , Assis Cristiane Pereira , Ferreira Fabrício Nicácio
Published: January 2023

Este artigo trata-se da avaliação da aprendizagem especificamente na Educação de Jovens e Adultos- EJA. Objetivou-se analisar qualitativamente e quantitativamente pesquisas empíricas que versavam sobre o processo avaliativo na modalidade de ensino EJA. Para tanto, fez-se um levantamento no Banco Digital de Teses e Dissertações – BDTD, no Catálogo de Teses e Dissertações da CAPES e SCIELO nos períodos de 2016 a 2021. A maior concentração de pesquisas encontra-se nas Regiões Centro Oeste e Sudeste do Brasil. Os resultados mostraram que os pesquisadores optaram em trabalhar com a pesquisa qualitativa e o estudo de caso, mas houve uma predominância quanto ao uso do questionário. Em relação às práticas avaliativas não foi observado o uso da avaliação como instrumento de medida, pelo contrário, o foco estava justamente em avaliar numa perspectiva formativa respeitando a especificidade dos alunos.
Comunicação de más notícias em cuidados paliativos: uma revisão integrativa
Authors: Batista Gabriel Vieira , Araújo Suely Amorim de
Published: January 2023

Cuidados paliativos são indicados diante de uma doença que traz risco de morte e objetivam a melhoria da qualidade de vida do paciente e de seus familiares. O presente estudo objetivou o entendimento e a discussão a respeito da comunicação de más notícias no âmbito dos cuidados paliativos. Foi realizado por meio da revisão integrativa da literatura, através da busca e análise da produção científica da literatura internacional. Buscou responder as questões: qual a categoria profissional que mais está realizando a transmissão da má-notícia e quais são as dificuldades encontradas pelos profissionais envolvidos neste processo. Os resultados evidenciaram que a categoria profissional que mais realiza a comunicação das más notícias é a classe médica, deixando os enfermeiros em segundo lugar. Além disto, os profissionais de enfermagem, em sua maioria, encontram dificuldades no processo de transmissão da má notícia, ficando presos em dilemas da profissão. Conclui-se que estes profissionais necessitam de amparo psicológico, a fim de minimizar os danos causados pela assistência prestada por eles.
Experimento sencillo para el modelamiento de la interfase de reacción en la descomposición de sólidos
Authors: Silveira Marcus Alexandre de Carvalho Winitskoski da , Luz José Aurélio Medeiros da , Guerrero Vargas Jorge Carlos
Published: January 2023

En concordancia con el concepto de interdisciplinaridad, el presente trabajo propone un experimento sencillo para la enseñanza de reacciones de descomposición de sólidos, mediante la simulación de la evolución geométrica de paralelepípedos de naftaleno sometidos a sublimación. El modelamiento geométrico de las proyecciones de las caras del objeto de ensayo mediante las curvas de Lamé (también denominadas superelipses) permite calcular el volumen del superelipsoide correspondiente, proporcionando una cuantificación adecuada en la variación de la masa muestral del naftaleno. El procedimiento experimental planteado evidencio ser una herramienta fácil y esclarecedora para realizar clases prácticas en laboratorios mínimamente equipados, con el objetivo de aprender tanto reacciones de descomposición de sólidos, como también de técnicas de modelamiento matemático de interfases en reacciones heterogéneas, aplicando curvas de Lamé.
Lagrangian reconciliation of expeditious analyzes on microflotation of hematite and dolomite by carboxylates
Authors: Gomes Bruna de Oliveira , Sales Fernanda Bento , Luz José Aurélio Medeiros da , Milhomem Felipe de Orquiza
Published: January 2023

Microflotation campaign of a synthetic binary mixture of hematite and dolomite was carried out in order to evaluate the potential of saponified cottonseed oil as a collector. Hematite content was determined by expeditious methods, namely image analysis, pycnometry, and carbonate thermolysis by calcination. An algebraic reconciliation algorithm of redundant data (via Lagrange multipliers) was developed to treat the raw data from the different analytical techniques, aiming to increase the accuracy of the results, with the additional piece of information arising from product weighing, by introducing a dummy variable. At the stage of the study reported here, the physicochemical conditions for the selective flotation of hematite were not optimized; however, the results showed potential (both under acid and alkaline conditions) for the selective anionic flotation of the hematite/dolomite system. Prospective tests evaluating the analytical techniques employed showed pycnometry and calcination tended to be more reliable methods. Although the imaging method has shown promise, it still lacks some improvement in procedure for greater accuracy. The minimization of closure errors in mass balancing by using the mentioned optimization algorithm under constraints showed to be very relevant for the adequate evaluation of the separation process, using very small samples, as in the case of microflotation.
Violência percebida no ambiente de trabalho dos profissionais de enfermagem na Estratégia Saúde da Família
Authors: Pereira Lorrayne Sousa , Bertussi Vanessa Cristina , Junqueira Marcelle Aparecida de Barros
Published: January 2023

O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever a ocorrência de violência laboral percebida entre os enfermeiros e técnicos de enfermagem atuantes em equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo do tipo exploratório, de corte transversal, de abordagem quantitativa, realizado com 251 profissionais de enfermagem da Estratégia Saúde da Família no município de Uberlândia-MG, no período de Agosto a Outubro de 2020. Resultados: A preocupação com a saúde do trabalhador de enfermagem é essencial para que a assistência aos usuários do Sistema único de Saúde seja integral e qualificada. Diante disso, evidenciou-se que os atos de violência contra os profissionais de enfermagem foram praticados por outros profissionais da área e por usuários do serviço público, sendo que a prevalência foi do abuso verbal por pacientes e assédio sexual por chefes e/ou supervisores. Conclusão: Portanto, destaca-se que tais situações de violência se reproduzem devido à falta de conhecimento dos pacientes quanto às responsabilidades de cada setor da Atenção em Saúde, no Brasil, e a falta da prática da ética profissional por gestores do serviço de saúde.
Ectópica cornual rota de uma gestação avançada: um relato de caso
Authors: Graniero Ana Isabela , Melo Lívia Maria Casachi Bernardes de
Published: January 2023

A gravidez ectópica é uma patologia que apresenta imensa gama de manifestações clínicas, com inúmeros fatores de risco e importante índice de complicações. A fisiopatologia é referente a implantação do blastocisto. O quadro clínico mais relatado é relacionado a sangramento vaginal com ou sem sintomas abdominais, porém as características podem ser variáveis por tratar-se de uma implantação embrionária em local errôneo. Nota-se frequente associação a gestações concebidas por fertilização in vitro. Raramente a gravidez ectópica implanta-se na região cornual. O diagnóstico é baseado na visualização de um saco gestacional extrauterino com saco de gema ou embrião, gonadotrofina coriônica sérica positiva e nenhum produto de concepção na aspiração uterina ou visualização na cirurgia. O tratamento está relacionado com a gravidade e os sintomas apresentados pelo individuo. O objetivo do trabalho consiste em relatar um caso de gravidez ectópica cornual rota com idade gestacional avançada, evidenciando o manejo e a forma de tratamento escolhida para a paciente.
Fissuras Labiopalatinas: levantamento epidemiológico dos pacientes de um centro especializado de Belo Horizonte - MG
Authors: Silva Victoria Scárdua Medeiros , Silva Juliana Fátima Oliveira , Fernandes Sabrina Oara Freire , Franco Amanda Gonçalves , Pires Regina Coeli Cançado Peixoto
Published: January 2023

As fissuras labiopalatais (FLP) são consideradas um problema de saúde pública                 e uma das mais comuns mal formações congênitas faciais. Apresentam-se como uma das mais frequentes anomalias craniofaciais no Brasil, com uma prevalência de 1 a cada 1.000 nascidos vivos no país. A síndrome causa defeitos         congênitos em lábio e/ou palato, sendo causada pela ausência de fusão dos processos palatinos durante o período gestacional. O objeto deste  estudo foi realizar um levantamento epidemiológico dos pacientes atendidos no  Hospital da Baleia / Fundação Benjamin Guimarães em Belo Horizonte - MG. Os dados foram coletados a partir dos prontuários dos pacientes atendidos no período de 2018 a 2022, e foram tabulados em uma planilha do Excel e       analisados utilizando-se as ferramentas estatísticas do software SPSS for Windows® versão 20.0. Foram geradas tabelas de frequência e análise descritiva, da amostra total de 943 prontuários, 165 foram excluídos por não apresentarem anomalias congênitas, resultando em um total de 778 casos para análise. Em relação ao tipo de fissura, a mais prevalente foi a pós-forame incisivo com um total de 245 (31,5%) casos, o gênero predominante foi o masculino com 442 (56,9%) casos, a região de procedência mais frequentemente encontrada foi a de demais localidades e estados com 437 (56,1%) casos, por último a faixa etária mais prevalente foi a de 0 - 11 meses com total de 485 (62,3%) casos. O conhecimento desses dados é muito importante, pois poderá subsidiar informações para novas pesquisas e auxiliar no planejamento dos serviços.
Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Autoimmune Arthritis
Authors: Yang Fan , Li Yang
Published: January 2023

The most common autoimmune diseases that affect the joints are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The pathogeneses of both OA and RA are complex: in both diseases, initiation and progression are dependent on multiple joint structures, including cartilage, bone, and synovium. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies are the most popular new strategy in tissue repair and regeneration, due to their multipotent differentiation abilities. In addition, MSC have therapeutic potential for bone and joint diseases through the secretion of a variety of immune modulatory substances and cell-to-cell interactions that lead to the antifibrotic, anti-apoptotic, proangiogenic, and immunosuppressive properties of the treatment. Research using MSC in various joint diseases has gained attention and impetus. A significant amount of data has shown the efficacy of MSC treatment in OA and RA, in both animal models and human trials: however, the results are often diverse and clinical benefit varies between trials. The identification of successful therapy requires further research and development, both at the basic biology and translational study levels. In this review, the authors aim to emphasise the role of MSC-based therapies in the development of treatment and to define the mechanisms involved, alongside outlining the knowledge of the therapeutic mechanisms and the applications of MSC in OA and RA.
Impact of Therapeutics on Unified Immunity During Allergic Asthma and Respiratory Infections
Authors: Flores-Torres Armando S. , Samarasinghe Amali E.
Published: January 2023

Graphical Abstract

Interplay between infectious agents and allergic milieu. Respiratory infections caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi play an important role in asthma pathogenesis. The immune milieu in allergic asthma may be both defective and protective during respiratory infections. Some bacteria are linked to steroid-resistant neutrophilic asthma and an aberrant immune response. Thermotolerant fungi generally induces a T2 immune response in asthma and are linked to asthma severity and higher corticosteroid requirement. Steroid-resistant neutrophilic asthma is associated with increased airway bacterial burden and reduced bacterial diversity. Corticosteroids and antibiotics induce dysbiosis in asthmatics, which may cause immune system alterations. Biologics and antivirals may be beneficial in some patients. However, the effect of eosinophil depletion on antiviral immunity in asthmatics remains unknown. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination are recommended in asthmatics, but pneumococcal vaccine benefits are still under debate.
Dietary and phytogenic inclusion effects on the broiler chicken cecal ecosystem
Authors: Palamidi Irida , Paraskeuas Vasileios V. , Mountzouris Konstantinos C.
Published: January 2023

Dietary modulation in broilers is crucial for the establishment of beneficial microbiota and, subsequently, the promotion of intestinal health. In this trial, a 2 × 2 factorial design was used with two different specifications with respect to dietary metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) levels (i.e., 95% and 100% of recommendations) and phytogenic levels (0 and 150 mg/kg). Levels of total bacteria, Bacteroides spp., Lactobacillus spp., and Clostridium cluster XIVa attached to the cecal mucosa and in the cecal digesta were lower in broilers fed the 95% ME and CP specification diets, as was the molar ratio of butyric acid. In addition, the relative activity of autoinducers-2 (AI-2) and the expression levels of TLR4 and AvBD6 were increased. Phytogenic supplementation reduced cecal digesta levels of Escherichia coli and Clostridium cluster I levels, and increased Clostridium cluster IV levels. Moreover, the butyric acid molar ratio and the relative activity of AI-2 were increased, whereas the concentration of branched VFAs and the expression of AvBD6 and LEAP2 were reduced by phytogenic administration. Dietary specifications and phytogenic interactions were shown for the cecal-attached microbiota composition, metabolic activity of digesta microbiota, relative expression of autoinducers-2, and relative expression of toll-like signaling molecules and host antimicrobial peptides. In conclusion, it has been shown that ME and CP dietary specifications, combined or not with phytogenics, modulate multilevel gut biomarkers ranging from microbiota composition and metabolic activity to microbial communications and host signaling, inflammation, and defense.
Biofoundries and citizen science can accelerate disease surveillance and environmental monitoring
Authors: Holub Martin , Agena Ethan
Published: January 2023

A biofoundry is a highly automated facility for processing of biological samples. In that capacity it has a major role in accelerating innovation and product development in engineering biology by implementing design, build, test and learn (DBTL) cycles. Biofoundries bring public and private stakeholders together to share resources, develop standards and forge collaborations on national and international levels. In this paper we argue for expanding the scope of applications for biofoundries towards roles in biosurveillance and biosecurity. Reviewing literature on these topics, we conclude that this could be achieved in multiple ways including developing measurement standards and protocols, engaging citizens in data collection, closer collaborations with biorefineries, and processing of samples. Here we provide an overview of these roles that despite their potential utility have not yet been commonly considered by policymakers and funding agencies and identify roadblocks to their realization. This document should prove useful to policymakers and other stakeholders who wish to strengthen biosecurity programs in ways that synergize with bioeconomy.
Reducing Organic Load From Industrial Residual Process Brine With a Novel Halophilic Mixed Culture: Scale-Up and Long-Term Piloting of an Integrated Bioprocess
Authors: Mainka Thomas , Herwig Christoph , Pflügl Stefan
Published: January 2023

Integrating bioprocess solutions for treatment and subsequent reuse of saline residual process brine into industrial processes could increase the sustainability of production chains. However, such bioprocesses require large-scales and a robust operation over a prolonged period. Consequently, the aim of this study was to analyze scale-up equivalence as well as continuous and stable process performance of a previously established lab scale process for the degradation of organic contaminants (formate and aromatic compounds) in an industrial context. To that end, a pilot-scale bubble column bioreactor system equipped with a membrane-based cell retention system for process intensification was integrated at an industrial production site. The process was successfully scaled-up and continuously operated for more than 210 days. Overall, the process proved to be robust towards changing compositions of the residual process brine stream and degradation rates for organic contaminants were close to 100%. Interestingly, due to the unsterile process conditions, the original Haloferax mediterranei culture was replaced by a novel halophilic bacterial community consisting of three bacterial genera. To further improve process economics and productivity, an optimization of the co-substrate feeding strategy for glycerol is required, as results indicated a potential correlation between glycerol feeding and formate degradation rates. To that end, decoupling of the glycerol feeding from the residual process brine feed is a potential way to increase process control options and allow for easy adaptation of the process to changing residual process brine compositions. Ultimately, the process described here could be a promising alternative for chemical or physical methods of treating residual process brine and once more underlines the potential to exploit natural microbial diversity for industrial purposes.
Recombinant yeast for production of the pain receptor modulator nonivamide from vanillin
Authors: Muratovska Nina , Carlquist Magnus
Published: January 2023

We report on the development of a method based on recombinant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce nonivamide, a capsaicinoid and potent agonist of the pain receptor TRPV1. Nonivamide was produced in a two-step batch process where yeast was i) grown aerobically on glucose and ii) used to produce nonivamide from vanillin and non-anoic acid by bioconversion. The yeast was engineered to express multiple copies of an amine transaminase from Chromobacterium violaceum (CvTA), along with an NADH-dependent alanine dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis (BsAlaDH) to enable efficient reductive amination of vanillin. Oxygen-limited conditions and the use of ethanol as a co-substrate to regenerate NADH were identified to favour amination over the formation of the by-products vanillic alcohol and vanillic acid. The native alcohol dehydrogenase ADH6 was deleted to further reduce the formation of vanillic alcohol. A two-enzyme system consisting of an N-acyltransferase from Capsicum annuum (CaAT), and a CoA ligase from Sphingomonas sp. Ibu-2 (IpfF) was co-expressed to produce the amide. This study provides proof of concept for yeast-based production of non-ivamide by combined transamination and amidation of vanillin.
Product selectivity and mass transport in levulinic acid transfer hydrogenation by monolithic MIL-100, MIL-88B and ZIF-8@Pd MOFs
Authors: McIntyre Sean R. , Saenz-Cavazos Paola A. , Hunter-Sellars Elwin , Williams Daryl R.
Published: January 2023

The diffusion processes between adsorbent and adsorbate naturally play a significant role in the efficiency and selectivity of the heterogenous catalytic process. This paper considers the importance of diffusion processes in the transfer hydrogenation reaction of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone by MIL-88B, MIL-100, and ZIF8@Pd monolithic catalysts. Over a period of five catalytic cycles, it was shown that the Fe-based catalysts can achieve similar conversions to the ZIF-8 supported Pd, with the only current limitation being the lower aqueous stability of these MOFs. Diffusion constants were calculated using the ZLC method, with micropore diffusion limitation found for ZIF-8 and MIL-100 monolithic frameworks at 2.7 x 10−8 and 4.6 x 10−8 cm2 s−1 respectively. This diffusion limitation was also confirmed by IR spectroscopy with an increasing concentration of C—H bands on the MOF substrate post-reaction. Mass transfer coefficients, also calculated by ZLC, revealed increased mass transport for the hydrophobic ZIF-8 framework, which perhaps aids in the γ-valerolactone selectivity over side products that are produced in the absence of catalytic material, as seen for MIL-88B and MIL-100 after multiple uses.
Differentially culturable tubercle bacteria as a measure of tuberculosis treatment response
Authors: Peters Julian S. , McIvor Amanda , Papadopoulos Andrea O. , Masangana Tshepiso , Gordhan Bhavna G. , Waja Ziyaad , Otwombe Kennedy , Letutu Matebogo , Kamariza Mireille , Sterling Timothy R. , Bertozzi Carolyn R. , Martinson Neil A. , Kana Bavesh D.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Routine efficacy assessments of new tuberculosis (TB) treatments include quantitative solid culture or routine liquid culture, which likely miss quantification of drug tolerant bacteria. To improve these assessments, comparative analyses using additional measures such as quantification of differentially culturable tubercle bacteria (DCTB) are required. Essential for enabling this is a comparative measure of TB treatment responses using routine solid and liquid culture with liquid limiting dilutions (LLDs) that detect DCTB in sputum.

Methods

We recruited treatment-naïve TB patients, with and without HIV-infection, and serially quantified their sputum for DCTB over the course of treatment.

Results

Serial sputum sampling in 73 individuals during their first 14 days of treatment demonstrated that clearance of DCTB was slower compared to routine solid culture. Treatment response appeared to be characterized by four patterns: (1) Classic bi-phasic bacterial clearance; (2) early non-responders with slower clearance; (3) paradoxical worsening with an increase in bacterial count upon treatment initiation; and (4) non-responders with no change in bacterial load. During treatment, LLDs displayed greater bacterial yield when compared with quantitative solid culture. Upon treatment completion, 74% [46/62] of specimens displayed residual DCTB and within this group, two recurrences were diagnosed. Residual DCTB upon treatment completion was associated with a higher proportion of MGIT culture, GeneXpert, and smear positivity at two months post treatment. No recurrences occurred in the group without residual DCTB.

Discussion

These data indicate that DCTB assays detect distinct subpopulations of organisms in sputum that are missed by routine solid and liquid culture, and offer important alternatives for efficacy assessments of new TB treatments. The residual DCTB observed upon treatment completion suggests that TB treatment does not always eliminate all bacterial populations, a finding that should be investigated in larger cohorts.
Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands
Authors: Petzold Jan , Joe Elphin T. , Kelman Ilan , Magnan Alexandre K. , Mirbach Charlotta , Nagle Alverio Gabriela , Nunn Patrick D. , Ratter Beate M. W. ,   The Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative Team
Published: January 2023

Islands are at the center of discourses on climate change. Yet despite extensive work on diverse island systems in a changing climate, we still lack an understanding of climate change-related responses amongst islands and what shifting from what might be called “tinkering” (perhaps heat warnings) to “transformational” adaptation (perhaps relocation) means for these vastly different landmasses which are often grouped together by default. Through a systematic review of the climate change adaptation scientific literature, this paper critically reflects on how considering islands as a homogenous ensemble and the use of buzzwords such as “transformational adaptation” may be problematic for diverse island realities under climate change. Our findings show that the adaptation evidence base actually provides literature on contrasting island types and cultural and political contexts, including Small Island Developing States as well as other island territories. This study finds research gaps with respect to regions (e.g., South America, Africa, and Mediterranean) and that there is overall both little evidence of and a lack of context-specific definitions of transformational adaptation in island contexts. The adaptation literature does not yet fully reflect the experiences or needs of islands regarding transitions and transformations throughout history.
Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy study of the ancient ivory tusks from the Sanxingdui site
Authors: Li Xiaoguang , Wang Chong , Zhang Yu , Zhang Ruojing , Li Sifan , Xiao Qing , Su Wen
Published: January 2023

The archeological site at Sanxingdui preserves a considerable amount of ancient ivory tusks in its artifact pits, and accurately and quantitatively analyzing the original chemical signatures of these ivory tusks is a critical step in interpreting their buried history. In this study, 123 unearthed ivory tusks were characterized using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and seven in situ heating experiments were conducted. The hydroxylapatite crystallinity and carbonate concentration were quantitatively determined in line with the absorbance peak intensities of the corresponding bands. The average values of splitting factor (SF), type B carbonate/type A carbonate ratio (BC/AC), carbonate/phosphate ratio (C/P), type B carbonate/phosphate ratio (BPI), type A carbonate/phosphate ratio (API), and water–amide on the phosphate index (WAMPI) were calculated to be 3.84, 0.98, 0.12, 0.37, 0.38, and 0.11, respectively. The ratios of the 1,416 cm−1–1,454 cm−1 carbonate bands of the ivory tusks were used to quantitatively estimate the different types of carbonate content in the ivory tusks. Heating experiments were designed to simulate the effect of heat on the hydroxylapatite structures. We suggest that the SF and the C/P indices can serve as distinctive preservation indices of ancient ivory tusks as well as the BC/AC index and hydroxyl types.
Imaging the subducting slab and mantle upwelling under the Japan islands revealed by double-difference tomography
Authors: Zhang Zhengshuai , Zheng Jianchang , Wang Shuhao , Li Cuiqin , Liu Fangbin
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we collected the seismic phase arrival data of 14,033 local natural earthquakes above magnitude 3.0 recorded by 435 seismograph stations in the study area provided by the International Seismological Centre (ISC), covering the period from January 2011 to April 2020. We selected the first arrival P- and S-wave arrival time data and obtained 281,859 P- and 112,926 S-wave absolute arrival times and 528,250 P-differential and 207,968 S-differential arrival times. Then we determined 3-D P and S wave velocity structures from the Japan Trench to the back arc area under the Japan Islands by using double-difference tomography method. The results show strong lateral heterogeneities under the forearc region. The subducting Pacific slab is imaged clearly as a high-velocity (high-V) faster than the surrounding mantle. Low-velocity (low-V) zones are imaged in the mantle wedge with significant along arc variations under the volcanic front. The vertical section shows that the low velocity zone extends to a depth of approximately 70–150 km below the arc. The crust and mantle wedges beneath the front and back arcs of the volcanoes reveal a low-V anomaly, the likely main source of which is the partial melting of plate and mantle wedge material. Referring to the previous results of plate dehydration, mineral composition and thermal state, it is found that fluids play a crucial role in the arc magmatism and plate melting of mantle wedge behind Japan Trench. The fluids brought down by the Pacific subducting plate are released into the mantle wedge by dehydration and subsequently transported upward by the upwelling flow in the mantle wedge. The present results obtained using new and advanced imaging methods enrich the understanding of the velocity structure beneath Japan Islands, which may improve the understanding of the dynamic processes of subduction zones and mantle upwelling.
Study on the influence of natural cracks on the mechanical properties and fracture mode for shale at the microscale: An example from the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation in northern Guizhou
Authors: Yang Chao , Wu Zhonghu , Wang Wentang , Qu Heng , Ren Nuo , Li Hai
Published: January 2023

A large number of natural cracks exist in shale reservoirs, and the presence of natural cracks weakens the integrity of shale, which is an important factor governing the effectiveness of shale gas extraction. In this paper, shales from the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation in northern Guizhou were scanned by electron microscopy, their microstructures were selected for digital image processing, and uniaxial compression numerical tests were conducted on shale models containing different natural crack dips using the rock fracture process system RFPA2D-DIP to study the effects of natural cracks on the mechanical properties and fracture patterns of shales at the microscopic scale. The study shows that the peak strength and elastic modulus of shale increase with increasing natural crack inclination angle. The fracture modes of shale at the microscopic scale can be roughly divided into four categories: similar to I-type fractures (0°), oblique I-type fractures (15°, 45°, 60°, 75°), folded line fractures (30°), and V-type fractures (90°). Natural cracks within shale are found to have a significant effect on the distribution of stress. Acoustic emission can reflect the stress change and rupture process for shales containing natural cracks with different dip angles at the microscopic scale. The presence of natural cracks has a significant effect on the AE energy and fractal dimension. The magnitude of the AE energy increases with increasing stress level and reaches a maximum value at 90°, while the value of the fractal dimension is found to zigzag upwards because the value of the fractal dimension is jointly influenced by both newborn cracks and native natural cracks.
New cetacean fossils from the late Cenozoic of South Africa
Authors: Govender Romala , Marx Felix G.
Published: January 2023

Marine sediments from the western coast of southern Africa record the origin of the Benguela Upwelling System, one of the most productive in the world. High productivity, in turn, is reflected in a diverse marine mammal fossil assemblage, comprising whales, dolphins and a phocid seal. Here, we describe new records of baleen whale (mysticete) fossils from the early Pliocene localities of Saldanha Steel, Milnerton and Langebaanweg, as well as several potentially younger specimens trawled from offshore sediments. The presence of the extinct rorquals Diunatans and Fragilicetus suggests biogeographical links with the eastern North Atlantic and, thus, potentially antitropical population structuring. The trawled specimens also include rorquals (e.g., the blue whale, Balaenoptera cf. musculus), as well as a right whale (Eubalaena) and a pygmy right whale (Caperea). The latter is the first fossil of this family every discovered in Africa, and only the seventh specimen to be reported worldwide.
Quantification of rupture directivity effects on strong ground motion during the 8 January 2022 MS6.9 Menyuan earthquake in Qinghai, China
Authors: Xie Junju , Wang Wencai , An Zhao , Li Kewei , Tian Xiufeng , Wu Lina , Gao Shude , Zhang Weidong , Yuan Jie
Published: January 2023

On 8 January 2022, an MS6.9 earthquake occurred in the Menyuan county, Qinghai province at the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. A dense observatory network consisting of accelerographs and intensity meters has obtained many acceleration recordings in this region, which previously had only a few strong motion recordings. Using acceleration data recorded by 141 accelerographs and micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS)-based intensity meters within 100 km of the causative fault, we investigated the spatial distribution and attenuation characteristics of the near-source ground motion during this event. The observed response spectra were compared with the prediction obtained using the NGA-West2 models. It was found that, in the long-period section of >1.0 s, the acceleration response spectra in the rupture forward direction (southeast of the epicenter) were greater than the prediction, while observations on the northwest side were lower than the prediction. Through the spatial distribution of the ground motion and quantitative analysis of the residuals, we found that the rupture directivity effects on the ground motions were controlled by the spatial azimuth relative to the fault and the along-strike projected length of the rupture, which mainly affected the long-period portion of the >1.0 s. In the rupture forward direction, the spectral accelerations (SAs) with periods of 1.0–10.0 s were enhanced to 1.18–1.56 times the average. In the backward direction (northwest of the epicenter), the SAs with periods of 1.0–10.0 s were only 0.63–0.86 times the average. The rupture directivity effects during the MS6.9 (MW6.6) earthquake exhibited an obvious period-dependence and narrowband characteristics, and the amplification effects were the strongest at 5.0 s. The amplification factors in the straight forward directions were underestimated by the empirical model. Two typical velocity pulse records were observed in the rupture forward direction, and their response spectra were significantly amplified at long periods of greater than 1.0 s, with peak amplification values of 4.0–6.0 near the characteristic period of the pulses. This amplification was related to the resonance excited by a specific periodic pulse. Our study provides a reference of quantifying near-source effects for both moderate and major shallow crustal earthquakes by using MEMS recordings in this region.
Study on the influence of industrial structure optimization on water environment and economy: A case study of Changzhou city
Authors: Bu Jiuhe , Zhang Shuiling , Wang Xuesong , Li Chunhui , Wang Xuan , Liu Qiang , Xu Xiangen , Wang Xia
Published: January 2023

Economic development and large amounts of industrial production have led to environmental deterioration. The assessment and prediction of water environment capacity (WEC) are crucial supports for water quality target management. Therefore, this study aims to improve WEC via changes in the industrial structure and to analyze the economic changes. For this purpose, the economic efficiency (EE), water use efficiency (WUE), and water treatment efficiency (WTE) are estimated by the EE–SBM (slack-based measure)–DEA (data envelopment analysis) model. Based on the proposed model, the industry is divided into three types: green enterprises, yellow enterprises, and red enterprises. Yellow enterprises and red enterprises are the major supervision subjects, and the spatial distribution of different environmental risks is identified. The WECs of the main canals are analyzed based on dynamic changes in the industrial structure by integrating the 0-D and MIKE11 models. The results showed that after adjusting the industrial structure, the maximum added values of the WEC of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N), and total phosphorus (TP) are 1,744.66 t/a, 536.14 t/a, 24.81 t/a, and 4.16 t/a, respectively. The results show that the canals (R40, R41, R20, R19, and R17) are overloaded with pollutants and indicate that TN is included as a water environment quality assessment target. Furthermore, after the optimization of the industrial structure, the loss of industrial output value is 174.44 million yuan, and the added value of the environmental economy is 232.12 million yuan. The findings provide important technical support for achieving industrial upgrading and sustainable development.
Teachers’ concerns about inclusive education and the links with teachers’ attitudes
Authors: Jury Mickaël , Laurence Aurélie , Cèbe Sylvie , Desombre Caroline
Published: January 2023

The present research investigates teachers’ concerns about inclusive education and said concerns’ specific links with attitudes teachers have regarding this policy. More precisely, while the literature has already identified that teachers share distinct concerns regarding inclusive education (e.g., lack of resources, increased workload, appropriateness, or the difficulties associated with this policy), the first purpose of this exploratory study was to identify whether and how teachers specifically rank these concerns in terms of priority. Additionally, while teachers’ concerns can be negatively associated with attitudes toward inclusive education, the present study also sought to investigate the distinct manner in which teachers’ concerns predict these attitudes. A correlational study involving 508 French teachers was conducted indicating that teachers express the most concern about, by order of descending importance, resources, workload, difficulties, and appropriateness. Moreover, despite the fact that the latter factor was deemed least important, it most consistently predicted the voicing of negative attitudes by teachers toward inclusive education. This interesting paradox, as well as the implications and limitations of the present findings, are discussed.
Gains and challenges with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System in a social pedagogical tradition
Authors: Evertsen Cecilie , Størksen Ingunn , Tharaldsen Kjersti Balle , Kucirkova Natalia
Published: January 2023

Introduction

This qualitative study explores how Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professionals’ perceptions of gains and challenges using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS, Pre-K and Toddler) within the social pedagogical tradition in Norwegian ECEC.

Methods

Focus group interviews (n = 22), group interviews (n = 4), and in-depth interviews (n = 3) were conducted online, followed by conventional content analysis.

Results

The findings indicate that ECEC professionals perceived CLASS as contributing to their pedagogical understanding and practice. At the same time, the introduction of CLASS enhanced ECEC professionals’ awareness regarding the pedagogical value of the social pedagogical tradition (SPT), which they wished to preserve and protect, and the specific elements of the school readiness tradition (SRT), which they wished to include in their pedagogical understanding of high-quality ECEC pedagogy.

Discussion

The findings suggest that the use of CLASS expands ECEC professionals’ understanding of the value of both pedagogical traditions. Finally, inspired by the present study’s findings regarding interaction quality, the research team proposes a hybrid model of pedagogical approaches in ECEC.
Adding glycemic and physical activity metrics to a multimodal algorithm-enabled decision-support tool for type 1 diabetes care: Keys to implementation and opportunities
Authors: Zaharieva Dessi P. , Senanayake Ransalu , Brown Conner , Watkins Brendan , Loving Glenn , Prahalad Priya , Ferstad Johannes O. , Guestrin Carlos , Fox Emily B. , Maahs David M. , Scheinker David
Published: January 2023

Algorithm-enabled patient prioritization and remote patient monitoring (RPM) have been used to improve clinical workflows at Stanford and have been associated with improved glucose time-in-range in newly diagnosed youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This novel algorithm-enabled care model currently integrates continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data to prioritize patients for weekly reviews by the clinical diabetes team. The use of additional data may help clinical teams make more informed decisions around T1D management. Regular exercise and physical activity are essential to increasing cardiovascular fitness, increasing insulin sensitivity, and improving overall well-being of youth and adults with T1D. However, exercise can lead to fluctuations in glycemia during and after the activity. Future iterations of the care model will integrate physical activity metrics (e.g., heart rate and step count) and physical activity flags to help identify patients whose needs are not fully captured by CGM data. Our aim is to help healthcare professionals improve patient care with a better integration of CGM and physical activity data. We hypothesize that incorporating exercise data into the current CGM-based care model will produce specific, clinically relevant information such as identifying whether patients are meeting exercise guidelines. This work provides an overview of the essential steps of integrating exercise data into an RPM program and the most promising opportunities for the use of these data.
Multi-port DC circuit breaker based on dual capacitor current limiting and energy sink
Authors: Gu Wei , Lou Xiansi , Yin Wenzhe , Huang Qihang , Li Shiqiang , Bian Jing
Published: January 2023

The coupling relationship between the removal of the fault current and the dissipation of the residual energy of the fault line during the fault isolation process of the multi-port capacitive current-limiting DC circuit breaker prolongs the breaking time of the fault to a certain extent. In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a multi-port DC circuit breaker based on dual-capacitor current limiting and energy sinking on the premise of decoupling the fault current attenuation and removal process and the fault line residual energy discharge process. Further reduce the fault breaking time and equipment withstand voltage requirements of the DC circuit breaker. Firstly, the topology and working principle of the proposed circuit breaker are analyzed, and then the parameters in the topology are designed. Then a simulation model is built in the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation platform to verify the fault breaking performance and breaking time. The effect of decoupling the fault current clearing process and the fault line residual energy discharge process on the effectiveness of shortening the fault breaking time is verified.
Paired plot experiments to assess impact of invasive species on native floral diversity in Pakistan
Authors: Qureshi Huma , Anwar Tauseef , Mohibullah Muhammad , Fatima Sammer , Younas Rafia , Habiba Ume , Malik Laraib , Hanif Asma , Iqbal Muhammad
Published: January 2023

The threat of invasion is growing globally and endangers biodiversity. Exotic invasive plants are putting a harm to the vegetation of Pakistan’s Pothwar region, which is a biodiversity hotspot. In the current study, the effects of Broussonetia papyrifera, Parthenium hysterophorus, Xanthium strumarium, and Lantana camara on the local flora in the Pothwar area were examined. Two categorical groups (invaded and non-invaded) were used in a dichotomized experimental design to collect data. Using the software PRIMER-7 and IBM SPSS v. 21, different diversity indices including Margalef’s index of species richness, Shannon index of diversity, and Simpson index of dominance were measured and compared between invaded and control plots. In comparison to the experimental plots, the control plots had an average of more individuals and diversity. On a multivariate scale, non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) revealed higher species richness in control plots. The invasion effect of L. camara was the highest, followed by X. strumarium, P. hysterophorus, and B. papyrifera.
Technical feasibility of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy by next-generation DNA sequencing
Authors: Shum Bennett O. V. , Henner Ilya , Cairns Anita , Pretorius Carel , Wilgen Urs , Barahona Paulette , Ungerer Jacobus P. J. , Bennett Glenn
Published: January 2023

Newborn screening (NBS) assays for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) typically use a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assay to identify individuals with homozygous deletion in exon 7 of the SMN1 gene. Due to high DNA sequence homology between SMN1 and SMN2, it has previously been difficult to accurately bioinformatically map short reads from next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) to SMN1, resulting in low analytical performance and preventing NGS being used for SMA screening. Advances in bioinformatics have allowed NGS to be used in diagnostic settings, but to date these assays have not reached the scale required for high volume population newborn screening and have not been performed on the dried blood spot samples that NBS programs currently use. Here we integrate an NGS assay using hybridisation-based capture with a customised bioinformatics algorithm and purpose designed high throughput reporting software into an existing NBS program to achieve a laboratory workflow for population SMA screening. We tested the NGS assay on over 2500 newborns born over 2 weeks in a NBS program in a technical feasibility study and show high sensitivity and specificity. Our results suggest NGS may be an alternate method for SMA screening by NBS programs, providing a multiplex testing platform on which potentially hundreds of inherited conditions could be simultaneously tested.
Experimental accumulation of microplastics in acorn barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite and its use in estimating microplastic concentration in coastal waters
Authors: Xu Xiaoyu , Fang James Kar-Hei , Wong Chun-Yuen , Cheung Siu-Gin
Published: January 2023

Microplastic (MP) pollution has been an emerging problem in the marine environment over the last few decades. Considering wide-ranging negative impacts of MPs on marine organisms, monitoring MP pollution in marine ecosystems is essential and urgent for developing effective management of the problem. An exposure experiment was conducted to assess the potential of the striped barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite as a bioindicator of MPs. The barnacles were exposed to either polypropylene fibers or fragments for 8 days. A full factorial experiment was conducted, with the shape (fragment, fiber), exposure concentration (10, 100, and 1000 items L-1) and exposure duration (2, 4, and 8 days) as independent factors. The highest number of MPs in A. amphitrite was 21.04 ± 15.22 fragments g-1 and 17.60 ± 13.8 fibers g-1 wet weight recorded after 4 days of exposure, and the MP concentration in the barnacles was positively correlated with the exposure concentration, regardless of the form of MPs. A regression equation relating the MP concentration in the barnacles and that in the water was computed to estimate the MP concentration in the coastal waters of Hong Kong. The predicted values were close to the published data, indicating the potential of A. amphitrite as a bioindicator of MP pollution.
Design and development of the solar cycloidal thermal concentrator and tapered receiver assembly along with theoretical evaluation of system performance
Authors: Kulkarni Mohan , Dingare Sunil , Kulkarni Chandrakant
Published: January 2023

In this paper, the design and development of a solar cycloidal concentrating system along with utilization of the tapered receiver is presented. For the determination of the performance of the system, theoretical analysis was carried out. The novel concept of utilizing a tapered receiver for a solar cycloidal concentrating system is an innovative approach for this research. After the determination of various parameters for this system, a patent was filed and published under the patent No. 202021028009A on 31 July 2020. For the comparative study purpose, the author has taken three receivers with a constant concentration ratio and different diameters such as .038 m, .031 m, and .025 m. Theoretical evaluation of the system is estimated using modes of heat transfers and using the relation of energy balance. Various correlations are determined for an analytical evaluation purpose. By using graphical collation of all the results for all the three receivers, the author has proposed to use a tapered receiver with the variable CR. CR denotes the concentration ratio. A concentration ratio is defined as the ratio of the area of an aperture to the area of a receiver. In this research, a variable concentration ratio (CR) is used. The receiver used has a diameter which reduces from the inlet to the outlet, and hence, the intercept factor decreases and the concentration ratio increases, leading to an enhancement in efficiency.