bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Timberland transaction costs: survey results and insights
Authors: Hiegel Andrew , Siry Jacek , Bettinger Pete , Mei Bin
Published: February 2024

Timberland is a real asset that has been gaining significant attention and capital from investors over the last four decades. This paper describes and summarizes the results of a timberland investment survey conducted in early 2020. The survey polled timberland investment professionals active in the sector and provided insights into how transaction costs affect timberland investments according to the size and location of the timberland estate. Component costs were also obtained and summarized for each of the steps involved in typical timberland transactions. The survey also provided insight into investor sentiment toward timberland transaction costs as well as the process of accounting of these costs within the forest industry. Key results of the study showed differentiation in transaction costs by location and size of the timberland estates. The study also showed that transactions costs do not deter most investors from placing capital in this asset class. This manuscript provides a baseline of transaction cost information for investors and professionals interested in the timberland real asset space.
The wood pellet industry in the United States South: an exploratory regional comparison of resident environmental, social, and economic perceptions
Authors: LeBlanc Mason T. , Vlosky Richard P.
Published: February 2024

This article is a companion to another article published in the same issue of the Journal of Forest Business Research.[1] As such, to preclude duplication, much of the background and literature review are not repeated in this article. While that article focuses on comparing rural and urban resident perceptions of the wood pellet industry, in this piece, we examine and compare residents by major pellet production sub-region in the US South across three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic attributes. The Southern region overall is the world's largest producer and exporter of wood pellets. The sub-regions are the Gulf Coast (Louisiana and Mississippi) and the Atlantic Coast (South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia). Two rounds of a web-based survey were sent to 7,500 residents in the two pellet-producing sub-regions within the US South. Within these regions, surveys were sent to randomly selected residents by zip code, 18 years or older. Overall, Gulf Coast respondents were more accepting of the pellet industry than Atlantic Coast respondents across the three attributes.
[1] LeBlanc MT, Vlosky RP. 2023. What do people think about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the wood pellet industry? An exploratory study of residents living near pellet plants vs. urban residents in States with pellet manufacturers. J.For.Bus.Res. 2(1): 20-37.
Growth and decay: forest landowner impatience factor
Authors: Schlosser William
Published: February 2024

From saplings to mature stems, trees grow into new log-size classes expanding in both timber volume and monetary value. Forestland financial decay becomes discernible when timber revenues are discounted to their present-day value. Net present value (NPV) calculations require application of a financial discount rate moderated against the forestland’s macroeconomic inflation rate. The discount rate is significantly determined by the forestland owner’s ‘impatience factor’ uniquely guiding timber harvest rotation timing for each forestland investor. The importance of appropriately defining the impatience factor is discussed in this manuscript. A 15.78 hectare (39.0-acre) forested parcel value is considered, as viewed through the impatience factor lens for various investor classes to appreciate observed variability in discounted asset values and how it influences timber harvest rotation timing. Natural resource managers, investors, and advisors may find the techniques described here helpful in their timber management financial decisions.
Book review: “Forestland Investment Valuation and Analysis, 1st Edition”. 2023. By Bin Mei, and Michael L. Clutter.
Authors: Bullard Steven H.
Published: February 2024

Mei and Clutter have produced what will become a seminal reference on the important topic of institutional investments in forestland in the United States. The book includes both theory and practical application of valuation and analysis concepts and techniques, and includes important insights into recent “real world” actions and events among institutional timberland investors. With a clear and succinct, journal-article style of delivery, the book summarizes the history and drivers of major institutional timberland ownership trends in the U.S., and reviews techniques and methods that apply to timberland valuation in theory and practice.
Hubungan Pola Makan, Aktivitas Fisik, dan Gangguan Menstruasi dengan Status Gizi Remaja Putri di SMAN 1 Tangerang Selatan
Authors: Azkaa Khairunnisa  , Said Irfan , Wikanti Cita Zahra Ayu
Published: February 2024

Salah satu kelompok yang rentan terhadap masalah gizi adalah remaja khususnya remaja putri, sehingga remaja banyak menghadapi masalah kesehatan dan gizi. Status gizi pada remaja umumnya dipengaruhi oleh faktor pola makan, kebiasaan aktivitas fisik, dan gangguan menstruasi. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui hubungan pola makan, aktivitas fisik, dan gangguan menstruasi terhadap status gizi remaja putri di SMAN 1 Tangerang Selatan. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain cross sectional study. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan purposive sampling dengan jumlah sampel 247 remaja putri. Data yang dikumpulkan berupa kuesioner dan pengukuran antropometri (berat badan dan tinggi badan). Analisis statistik yang digunakan adalah uji chi-square. Hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara pola makan dengan status gizi remaja putri (p-value =0,931), tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara aktivitas fisik dengan status gizi remaja putri (p-value = 0,871), tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara gangguan menstruasi dengan status gizi remaja putri (p-value = 0,896). Kesimpulan dalam penelitian ini adalah tidak terdapat hubungan antara pola makan, aktivitas fisik, dan gangguan menstruasi dengan status gizi remaja putri
Blockchain culture and digital image precariousness. Questioning NFTs as an art preservation strategy
Authors: Rivero Moreno Luis David
Published: February 2024

In the last decades, the digital image has moved between the thin line that separates its exponential multiplication and its continuous danger of invisibility and loss. Despite the fact of being constantly used on the internet or social network interactions, the difficulties in filtering, gathering, authenticating and preserving new media images have led them to be a type of art barely collected by contemporary art museums. Even more, the huge amount of material produced not only by artists or creatives but also by citizens makes it impossible for cultural institutions to tackle the task of preserving a significant percentage of it. Museums seem to be unable to distinguish what might be considered art or heritage among the massive amount of images that fed popular culture. Nevertheless, the irruption of blockchain culture has focused on the importance of digital images as an identity, social and economic asset. NFTs seem to attempt to remedy the weaknesses of the digital image by associating it with a verifiable and supposedly incorruptible contract. This study tries to analyse the precariousness of the digital image as a key element in the emergence and sudden rise and fall of the so-called “crypto-art”. To this end, the idea of the “poor image” outlined by Steyerl is followed. The aim is to clarify whether the digital images associated with blockchain transactions solve the problematic obsolescent and unstable condition of the works, or if, on the contrary, these are used as fuel for a new ultra-liberal financial machine being quickly consumed and discarded.
Narratividad e hipermedialidad en el videojuego de mundo abierto. Una propuesta de análisis del espacio (virtual) narrativo
Authors: Castro Balbuena Antonio
Published: February 2024

El objetivo de este artículo es dilucidar cómo narra el videojuego a partir de sus características narrativas e hipermediales, desde la presencia de materiales textuales, visuales y sonoros, gracias al avance tecnológico, hasta la relevancia que cada uno de los elementos narrativos posee en el videojuego de mundo abierto. Para ello, propongo un análisis del espacio (virtual) narrativo del videojuego basado en niveles interrelacionados y jerarquizados: nivel audiovisual (lo que vemos y oímos en el espacio virtual a partir de rasgos como el color y el sonido), nivel interactivo (movimiento e interacción con el espacio, de los que se desprende importante información narrativa) y nivel pragmático-narrativo (interpretación de nuestra experiencia de juego y creación de una narrativa interna única basada en la identidad del jugador, en sus experiencias y otros factores). El resultado final es la aprehensión de un espacio (virtual) narrativo que no depende solo del texto para contar una historia, sino también de la experiencia, interacción y creatividad del jugador.
Artivismo y primeros usos tácticos de la red: de la infoguerra a la guerrilla de la comunicación
Authors: Urroz-Osés Ana , Baigorri Ballarín Laura
Published: February 2024

Esta investigación es una aproximación al uso político de las TIC por parte de artistas y activistas, más concretamente, al uso táctico de la red en el arte de finales del siglo XX, en el período de la inminente aparición de internet en el contexto comunicacional. Su objetivo es analizar y trazar la evolución transdisciplinar de la historia del arte digital, vinculada tanto a los avances de la tecnología de la comunicación como a una dimensión crítica y política orientada a potenciar la reflexión y el cambio social. Los artivistas fueron pioneros en el uso social y político de los mass media y sus tácticas subversivas. Se fundamentaron en el establecimiento de redes de colaboración y compartición de información, teórica y práctica, y en la experimentación de imaginativas posibilidades de ataque y defensa desde la propia red. Entre ellas, destacan la adecuación en línea de las tácticas de resistencia civil (desobediencia civil electrónica), y la práctica de diversas tácticas de la guerrilla de la comunicación –el fake, la afirmación subversiva y el camuflaje– basadas en los principios de distanciamiento y sobreidentificación. Este estudio incide en la singularidad, relevancia e impacto de iniciativas artivistas pioneras que aportaron cambios significativos y demostraron la capacidad transformadora de las prácticas sociales que utilizan internet. Esas iniciativas fueron efectivas en la medida en que generaron colectivos y comunidades que trabajaron de forma solidaria, facilitaron y difundieron la información, impulsaron el conocimiento, fomentaron consciencia, compromiso y una perspectiva crítica, e idearon originales y creativas formas de contrarrestar el abuso del poder.
SPECIFIC FORCE-TIME CHARACTERISTICS OF LEG EXTENSORS IN ELITE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS BOTH GENDER IN SERBIA
Authors: Ivanović Jelena , Gajević Aco , Dopsaj Milivoj , Aksović Nikola , Dragosavljević Slavko
Published: February 2024

Adequate preparation of the leg extensors is highly important especially in sports which involve several jumping techniques. Information on force-time characteristics of the certain muscle group is the basic information on athlete ability which are gathered with intention to control the athlete`s physical preparation. The aim of this paper was to determine descriptive and sexual dimorphism of different specific isometric characteristics of force-time model related to leg extensors in elite volleyball Serbian players. Nineteen male (height=199.21±4.94 cm, mass=91.05±6.95 kg, age=22.58±2.97 years) and twenty female (height=184.65±7.00 cm, mass=70.65±6.15 kg, age=22.92±3.73 years) elite volleyball players performed a standardized “isometric leg press” test in order to assess the characteristics of isometric force from their leg extensors. The measurement range was defined by 8 variables according to 4 different dimensions – 1) the level of achieved force, 2) rate of force development, 3) the time necessary for reaching the certain level of force, 4) different index parameters; covering the space of basic, specific and special characteristics of leg extensors muscle force. MANOVA established that there is a significant difference of p 0.05 in all contractile characteristics among observed sub-samples at the level of Wilks´ Lambda 0.098, F = 25.814, p = 0.000. The present findings demonstrated that the male volleyball players produce higher values than the female players in all contractile characteristics of covering the space of specific and special characteristics of leg extensors muscle force. It is highly likely that these differences cannot be explained only on the basis of sexual differences, but on the basis of overall intensity and volume and/or type of power and strength training during the training process as well, factors which deserves attention in work with athletes. The obtained data can be used as a reverse information on characteristics of a certain leg extensors contractile ability in elite volleyball players in order to follow fitness profile of athletes, to control and optimize training process.
Revealing unexpected complex encoding but simple decoding mechanisms in motor cortex via separating behaviorally relevant neural signals
Authors: Li Yangang , Zhu Xinyun , Qi Yu , Wang Yueming
Published: February 2024

In motor cortex, behaviorally-relevant neural responses are entangled with irrelevant signals, which complicates the study of encoding and decoding mechanisms. It remains unclear whether behaviorally-irrelevant signals could conceal some critical truth. One solution is to accurately separate behaviorally-relevant and irrelevant signals, but this approach remains elusive due to the unknown ground truth of behaviorally-relevant signals. Therefore, we propose a framework to define, extract, and validate behaviorally-relevant signals. Analyzing separated signals in three monkeys performing different reaching tasks, we found neural responses previously considered useless encode rich behavioral information in complex nonlinear ways. These responses are critical for neuronal redundancy and reveal movement behaviors occupy a higher-dimensional neural space than previously expected. Surprisingly, when incorporating often-ignored neural dimensions, behavioral information can be decoded linearly as accurately as nonlinear decoding, suggesting linear readout is performed in motor cortex. Our findings prompt that separating behaviorally-relevant signals may help uncover more hidden cortical mechanisms.
The genomic landscape of transposable elements in yeast hybrids is shaped by structural variation and genotype-specific modulation of transposition rate
Authors: Hénault Mathieu , Marsit Souhir , Charron Guillaume , Landry Christian R.
Published: February 2024

Transposable elements (TEs) are major contributors to structural genomic variation by creating interspersed duplications of themselves. In return, structural variants (SVs) can affect the genomic distribution of TE copies and shape their load. One long-standing hypothesis states that hybridization could trigger TE mobilization and thus increase TE load in hybrids. We previously tested this hypothesis by performing a large-scale evolution experiment by mutation accumulation (MA) on multiple hybrid genotypes within and between wild populations of the yeasts Saccharomyces paradoxus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Using aggregate measures of TE load with short-read sequencing, we found no evidence for TE load increase in hybrid MA lines. Here, we resolve the genomes of the hybrid MA lines with long-read phasing and assembly to precisely characterize the role of SVs in shaping the TE landscape. Highly contiguous phased assemblies of 127 MA lines revealed that SV types like polyploidy, aneuploidy and loss of heterozygosity have large impacts on the TE load. We characterized 18 de novo TE insertions, indicating that transposition only has a minor role in shaping the TE landscape in MA lines. Because the scarcity of TE mobilization in MA lines provided insufficient resolution to confidently dissect transposition rate variation in hybrids, we adapted an in vivo assay to measure transposition rates in various S. paradoxus hybrid backgrounds. We found that transposition rates are not increased by hybridization, but are modulated by many genotype-specific factors including initial TE load, TE sequence variants and mitochondrial DNA inheritance. Our results show the multiple scales at which TE load is shaped in hybrid genomes, being highly impacted by SV dynamics and finely modulated by genotype-specific variation in transposition rates.
Neural criticality from effective latent variables
Authors: Morrell Mia , Nemenman Ilya , Sederberg Audrey J.
Published: February 2024

Observations of power laws in neural activity data have raised the intriguing notion that brains may operate in a critical state. One example of this critical state is “avalanche criticality,” which has been observed in various systems, including cultured neurons, zebrafish, rodent cortex, and human EEG. More recently, power laws were also observed in neural populations in the mouse under an activity coarse-graining procedure, and they were explained as a consequence of the neural activity being coupled to multiple latent dynamical variables. An intriguing possibility is that avalanche criticality emerges due to a similar mechanism. Here, we determine the conditions under which latent dynamical variables give rise to avalanche criticality. We find that populations coupled to multiple latent variables produce critical behavior across a broader parameter range than those coupled to a single, quasi-static latent variable, but in both cases, avalanche criticality is observed without fine-tuning of model parameters. We identify two regimes of avalanches, both critical but differing in the amount of information carried about the latent variable. Our results suggest that avalanche criticality arises in neural systems in which activity is effectively modeled as a population driven by a few dynamical variables and these variables can be inferred from the population activity.
Reliance on self-reports and estimated food composition data in nutrition research introduces significant bias that can only be addressed with biomarkers
Authors: Ottaviani Javier I. , Sagi-Kiss Virag , Schroeter Hagen , Kuhnle Gunter G. C.
Published: February 2024

The chemical composition of foods is complex, variable, and depends on many factors. This has a major effect on nutrition research as it affects the ability to estimate actual intake of nutrients and other compounds, and the impact and consequences are largely unknown. Here, we investigate the impact of food content variability on nutrition research using three bioactives as model: flavan-3-ols, (–)-epicatechin, and nitrate. Our results show that the variability in the composition of the same foods impedes the accurate assessment of intake by the current approach of combining dietary with food composition data. This suggests that the results of many nutrition studies using food composition data are potentially unreliable and carry greater limitations than commonly appreciated, with considerable impact for dietary recommendations and public health. This limitation should be addressed by the development of better dietary assessment methods, in particular nutritional biomarkers.
Daptomycin forms a stable complex with phosphatidylglycerol for selective uptake to bacterial membrane
Authors: Machhua Pragyansree , Unnithan Vignesh Gopalakrishnan , Liu Yu , Jiang Yiping , Zhang Lingfeng , Guo Zhihong
Published: February 2024

Daptomycin is a potent lipopeptide antibiotic used in the treatment of live-threatening Gram-positive infections, but the molecular mechanism of its interaction with bacterial membrane remains unclear. Here we show that this interaction is divided into two stages, of which the first is a fast and reversible binding of the drug to phospholipid membrane in milliseconds and the second is a slow and irreversible insertion into membrane in minutes, only in the presence of the bacteria-specific lipid phosphatidylglycerol, to a saturating point where the ratio of the drug to phosphatidylglycerol is 1:2. Fluorescence-based titration showed that the antibiotic simultaneously binds two molecules of phosphatidylglycerol with a nanomolar binding affinity in the presence of calcium ion. The resulting stable complex is easily formed in a test tube and readily isolated from the membrane of drug-treated bacterial cells, strongly supporting a unique drug uptake mechanism in which daptomycin forms a stable multi-component complex with calcium and phosphatidylglycerol. Revelation of this novel uptake mechanism provides fresh insights into the mode of action of daptomycin and paves the way to new strategies to attenuate resistance to the drug.
Individuals with anxiety and depression use atypical decision strategies in an uncertain world
Authors: Fang Zeming , Zhao Meihua , Xu Ting , Li Yuhang , Xie Hanbo , Quan Peng , Geng Haiyang , Zhang Ru-Yuan
Published: February 2024

The theory of optimal learning proposes that an agent should increase or decrease the learning rate in environments where reward conditions are relatively volatile or stable, respectively. Deficits in such flexible learning rate adjustment have been shown to be associated with several psychiatric disorders. However, this flexible learning rate (FLR) account attributes all behavioral differences across volatility contexts solely to differences in learning rate. Here, we propose instead that different learning behaviors across volatility contexts arise from the mixed use of multiple decision strategies. Accordingly, we develop a hybrid mixture-of-strategy (MOS) model that incorporates the optimal strategy, which maximizes expected utility but is computationally expensive, and two additional heuristic strategies, which merely emphasize reward magnitude or repeated decisions but are computationally simpler. We tested our model on a dataset in which 54 healthy controls and 32 individuals with anxiety and depression performed a probabilistic reversal learning task with varying volatility conditions. Our MOS model outperforms several previous FLR models. Parameter analyses suggest that individuals with anxiety and depression prefer suboptimal heuristics over the optimal strategy. The relative strength of these two strategies also predicts individual variation in symptom severity. These findings underscore the importance of considering mixed strategy use in human learning and decision making and suggest atypical strategy preference as a potential mechanism for learning deficits in psychiatric disorders.
Visual working memories are abstractions of percepts
Authors: Duan Ziyi , Curtis Clayton E.
Published: February 2024

Pioneering studies demonstrating that the contents of visual working memory (WM) can be decoded from the patterns of multivoxel activity in early visual cortex transformed not only how we study WM, but theories of how memories are stored. For instance, the ability to decode the orientation of memorized gratings is hypothesized to depend on the recruitment of the same neural encoding machinery used for perceiving orientations. However, decoding evidence cannot be used to test the so-called
sensory recruitment hypothesis
without understanding the underlying nature of what is being decoded. Although unknown during WM, during perception decoding the orientation of gratings does not simply depend on activities of orientation tuned neurons. Rather, it depends on complex interactions between the orientation of the grating, the aperture edges, and the topographic structure of the visual map. Here, our goals are to 1) test how these aperture biases described during perception may affect WM decoding, and 2) leverage carefully manipulated visual stimulus properties of gratings to test how sensory-like are WM codes. For memoranda, we used gratings multiplied by radial and angular modulators to generate orthogonal aperture biases despite having identical orientations. Therefore, if WM representations are simply maintained sensory representations, they would have similar aperture biases. If they are abstractions of sensory features, they would be unbiased and the modulator would have no effect on orientation decoding. Results indicated that fMRI patterns of delay period activity while maintaining the orientation of a grating with one modulator (eg, radial) were interchangeable with patterns while maintaining a grating with the other modulator (eg, angular). We found significant cross-classification in visual and parietal cortex, suggesting that WM representations are insensitive to aperture biases during perception. Then, we visualized memory abstractions of stimuli using a population receptive field model of the visual field maps. Regardless of aperture biases, WM representations of both modulated gratings were recoded into a single oriented line. These results provide strong evidence that visual WM representations are abstractions of percepts, immune to perceptual aperture biases, and compel revisions of WM theory.
CoCoNuTs: A diverse subclass of Type IV restriction systems predicted to target RNA
Authors: Bell Ryan T. , Sahakyan Harutyun , Makarova Kira S. , Wolf Yuri I. , Koonin Eugene V.
Published: February 2024

A comprehensive census of McrBC systems, among the most common forms of prokaryotic Type IV restriction systems, followed by phylogenetic analysis, reveals their enormous abundance in diverse prokaryotes and a plethora of genomic associations. We focus on a previously uncharacterized branch, which we denote CoCoNuTs (
co
iled-
co
il
nu
clease tandems) for their salient features: the presence of extensive coiled-coil structures and tandem nucleases. The CoCoNuTs alone show extraordinary variety, with 3 distinct types and multiple subtypes. All CoCoNuTs contain domains predicted to interact with translation system components, such as OB-folds resembling the SmpB protein that binds bacterial tmRNA, YTH-like domains that might recognize methylated tmRNA, tRNA, or rRNA, and RNA-binding Hsp70 chaperone homologs, along with RNases, such as HEPN domains, all suggesting that the CoCoNuTs target RNA. Many CoCoNuTs might additionally target DNA, via McrC nuclease homologs. Additional restriction systems, such as Type I RM, BREX, and Druantia Type III, are frequently encoded in the same predicted superoperons. In many of these superoperons, CoCoNuTs are likely regulated by cyclic nucleotides, possibly, RNA fragments with cyclic termini, that bind associated CARF (
C
RISPR-
A
ssociated
R
ossmann
F
old) domains. The CoCoNuTs, together with the ancillary restriction factors, might employ an echeloned defense strategy analogous to that of Type III CRISPR-Cas systems, in which an immune response eliminating virus DNA and/or RNA is launched first, but then, if it fails, an abortive infection response leading to PCD/dormancy via host RNA cleavage takes over.
Nested Markov chain hyper-heuristic (NMHH): a hybrid hyper-heuristic framework for single-objective continuous problems
Authors: Bándi Nándor , Gaskó Noémi
Published: February 2024

This article introduces a new hybrid hyper-heuristic framework that deals with single-objective continuous optimization problems. This approach employs a nested Markov chain on the base level in the search for the best-performing operators and their sequences and simulated annealing on the hyperlevel, which evolves the chain and the operator parameters. The novelty of the approach consists of the upper level of the Markov chain expressing the hybridization of global and local search operators and the lower level automatically selecting the best-performing operator sequences for the problem. Numerical experiments conducted on well-known benchmark functions and the comparison with another hyper-heuristic framework and six state-of-the-art metaheuristics show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
DLX1 acts as a novel prognostic biomarker involved in immune cell infiltration and tumor progression in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Du Yu , Li Heng , Wang Yan , He Yunyan , Li Gaofeng
Published: February 2024

Background

The biological function of distal-less homeobox 1 (DLX1) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear, despite a growing body of evidence that DLX1 is involved in the initiation and progression of various tumors.

Methods

This study explored and confirmed the prognostic and immunologic roles of DLX1 in LUAD via bioinformatic analysis and cellular functional validation. MethSurv was used to analyze the DNA methylation levels of DLX1 and the prognostic value of CpG islands. DLX1 mutation rates and prognoses between patients with and without the mutated DLX1 gene were analyzed by cBioPortal. Finally, cellular functional assays were used to investigate the effect of DLX1 on LUAD cells.

Results

Our results showed that DLX1 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in LUAD. High DLX1 expression or promoter methylation was associated with worse prognosis, which confirmed DLX1 as an independent prognostic factor in LUAD. The level of multiple immune cell infiltration was significantly associated with DLX1 expression. Genes in the high DLX1 expression group were mainly enriched in cell cycle checkpoint, DNA replication, DNA repair, Fceri-mediated MAPK activation, TP53 activity regulation, and MET activation of PTK2-regulated signaling pathways. Cellular functional assays showed that the knockdown of DLX1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells.

Conclusion

Our study identified DLX1 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, and a promising therapeutic target in LUAD.
Política curricular e currículo prescrito: tensões, disputas
Authors: Marques Elisângela Barbosa , Mesquita Amélia Maria Araújo
Published: February 2024

Este artigo está inserido no tema da política curricular e currículo prescrito. O objetivo é apresentar as tensões e disputas que se estabelecem na predominância de determinado tipo de política curricular a partir de revisão de literatura. Para tanto, procedemos metodologicamente de acordo com os passos da revisão bibliográfica (Echer, 2001) e adotamos como referencial as produções de Hypolito (2010), Apple (2006) Pacheco (2005), Moreira (2012) e Sacristán (2000, 2013). Como resultados, identificamos que os autores com quem dialogamos aqui apresentam pontos de vista sobre as relações entre política curricular e currículo prescrito que ora convergem, ora divergem, mas em ambos os casos, são modos de pensar que nos ajudam a entender a complexidade envolvida na produção curricular, altamente influenciada por processos históricos, políticos, econômicos e ideológicos. Concluímos que o reconhecimento das disputas de interesse existentes em torno da produção de uma política curricular que ganha forma num currículo prescrito é condição essencial para que os sujeitos que desenvolvem as práticas escolares possam posicionar-se de modo mais crítico dentro dessa arena de conflitos.
Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonisation in Patients undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Shamanna Pratibha , Harbishettar Aparna Siddahalingappa
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a significant, yet preventable, complication in Total Joint Arthroplasties (TJAs). Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) of prosthetic joints resulting from MRSA lead to substantial patient morbidity, mortality, and impose a significant burden on healthcare budgets. One method to mitigate these risks is to screen for MRSA colonisation prior to elective surgeries. The prevalence of MRSA colonisation in nasal mucosa ranges from 0.18-7.2% in different patient populations, with a nosocomial prevalence of 1.7%. Aim: To determine the prevalence of MRSA colonisation in all patients undergoing elective TJA, including Total Hip Replacement (THR) or Total Knee Replacement (TKR). Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on a total of 407 patients scheduled for elective TJAs. Data from 407 patients who underwent elective TJA between January 2020 and December 2022 (a period of three years) were selected for the study. Data compilation and analysis of the study subjects were performed retrospectively until March 2023 at the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics, a tertiary care Orthopaedic centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The study subjects were screened for MRSA colonisation through nasal swab culture and sensitivity. Patients with positive MRSA culture results were treated with decolonisation therapy, which involved the local application of 2% mupirocin and chlorhexidine body wash for five days. Descriptive data analytics were employed in the study, and tables were generated using Microsoft Word 2010 and Microsoft Excel 2010 (Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA, USA). Results: The prevalence rates of MRSA nasal colonisation were n1=8 (8.42%), n2=2 (2%), and n3=16 (7.55%) for the years 2020 (n1), 2021 (n2), and 2022 (n3), respectively, at the centre. The period prevalence rate of MRSA colonisation in the nasal mucosa over three years was N=26 (6.4%). Conclusion: The present study revealed a high period prevalence of MRSA colonisation (6.4%) in patients undergoing TJAs. Therefore, all elective TJAs should undergo MRSA screening and decolonisation using 2% intranasal mupirocin and daily chlorhexidine body wash for five days as a successful treatment modality for all patients with MRSA-positive nasal colonisation. This approach helps prevent postoperative SSIs caused by MRSA.
Dosimetric Comparison of Hippocampal Sparing Whole Brain Radiotherapy by Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy, Linac-based Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy and 3-D Conformal Radiation Therapy: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Vasanthakumari Preeya , Pushpan Snigdha Palakada , Karumathil Anilkumar , Joseph Seeja , Chopy Kilitoli , Reghu Vishnu , Joe Roshni Tresa , Thankachan Nicy Maria
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Brain metastases are treated with Whole-Brain Radiotherapy (WBRT) using the 3-D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3DCRT) technique. Attempts have been made to perform dosimetric analysis of WBRT with hippocampal sparing using 3DCRT, Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), and Linac-based Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (linac-based IMRT), anticipating technical challenges during contouring and treatment planning. Aim: To perform a dosimetric analysis and comparison ofhippocampal sparing cranial irradiation by 3DCRT, VMAT, and IMRT treatment plans in brain metastases patients. Materials and Methods: The analytical cross-sectional dosimetric study was conducted from November 2022 to September 2023 at Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala, India. Ten patients treated for brain metastases with WBRT using 3DCRT were considered for dosimetric analysis. The Planning Target Volume (PTV) dosimetry and hippocampal dosimetry were studied for all ten patients. The important dosimetric parameters included volume receiving 100% dose, Target Coverage (TC), Homogeneity Index (HI) in PTV dosimetry, the mean hippocampal dose, and maximal hippocampal dose in hippocampal dosimetry. The hippocampus and hippocampal avoidance volume were contoured. Treatment plans for 3DCRT, VMAT, and Linac-based IMRT were generated for each patient’s prescription dose of 30 Gy in 10 fractions. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used for data analysis. Results: The mean whole brain Planned Target Volume (PTV) was 1190 cm3 . The mean hippocampal avoidance volume was 30 cm3 , which occupied 2.5% of the whole brain PTV. The average median dose received by the hippocampus was 30.05 Gy, 17.1 Gy, and 17.5 Gy for 3DCRT, Linac-based IMRT, and VMAT, respectively. The mean dose for the hippocampus was 31.03 Gy, 17.7 Gy, and 17.5 Gy for 3DCRT, Linac-based IMRT, and VMAT, respectively (p<0.001). VMAT offered better hippocampal sparing compared to IMRT and 3DCRT. On average, VMAT offered a 2% improvement, and 3DCRT offered a 5% improvement in TC compared to IMRT. The HI of 3DCRT was 0.09, IMRT 0.199, and VMAT 0.150. Conclusion: VMAT and LINAC-based IMRT permit hippocampal-sparing WBRT with adequate target volume coverage and acceptable homogeneity when compared to 3DCRT plans. Thus, the dosimetric study suggests that modern radiotherapy techniques should be advocated for hippocampal-sparing WBRT.
Seropositivity and Trends of Transfusion Section Transmitted Infections among Blood Donors: Five Years Cross-sectional Study on 20,392 Blood Donors in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Authors: Patel Shilpa Krishnakant , Mehta Rupal Paresh , Chilani Anuradha Harish , Mistry Kartavya Jatin , Pandya Dhruvi Pareshbhai , Nayak Riya Chetankumar
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Blood transfusion is a lifesaving intervention. However, it can also be a source of Transfusion-transmissible Infections (TTIs), posing a potential threat to the recipient. Testing for TTIs before blood transfusion is crucial for the safety of recipients. However, donations occurring during the window period, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers, viral strains with high genetic variability, and technical errors are responsible for TTIs and remain one of the greatest obstacles in transfusion medicine to deal with. All blood donors are to be screened against five major infections-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Syphilis, and Malaria. Aim: To study the seroprevalence and trends of TTI among healthy blood donors at the Blood Centre of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by reviewing blood donors’ records over a period of five years from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022, at the Blood Centre, Department of Pathology, of Sheth L.G. General Hospital, Maninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The data collected for each seropositive donor included the results of TTI testing, the age group of donors, the type of donation, the frequency of donation, and co-infection. The results were expressed in numbers and percentages. Results: Among a total of 20,392 healthy blood donors during the five-year period, the total number of seropositive cases (n) was 243 (1.19%). TTI seropositive donors in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 60 (1.29%), 50 (1.16%), 39 (1.22%), 45 (1.14%), and 49 (1.16%), respectively. A maximum of 118 (48.56%) seropositive donors were recorded in age group of 18-29 years. Individual seropositive donors during the fiveyear period for HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, and malaria were 19 (0.09%), 155 (0.76%), 28 (0.14%), 41 (0.20%), and 00 (0.00%), respectively. Voluntary Blood Donors (VBD) 10,933 (53.61%) exceeded Replacement Donors (RD) 9,459 (46.39%), and repeat blood donors 14,462 (70.92%) surpassed first-time donors 5,930 (29.08%). The seroprevalence of TTI among replacement, voluntary, first-time, and repeat blood donors was 2.41%, 0.14%, 2.06% and 0.84% respectively. Out of 243 seroreactive donors, two donors (0.82%) showed dual reactivity for TTI during the five-year period. Conclusion: Implementation of strict donor selection criteria, utilisation of sensitive screening modalities, promoting public awareness, and dispelling myths regarding the merits of voluntary blood donation, judicious use of blood products, and mass immunisation for Hepatitis B infection are essential interventions needed to curb TTI to a significant extent.
Students’ Preference in Teaching-Learning Using New Technologies: A Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Medina Shawn Marcel A. , Adona Rae Katherine D. , Cenita Edna A. , Camposano Siverlyn M.
Published: February 2024

Aims: To determine the Development Communication students' preference in teaching-learning during the new normal.

Study Design: Quantitative-descriptive approach.

Place and Duration of Study: Davao del Sur State College (DSSC), Matti, Digos City, Davao del Sur, throughout the Academic Year 2020-2021.

Methodology: Complete enumeration was utilized to collect data from 133 respondents enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Development Communication (BSDC) program. A conjoint analysis was used to analyze the 25 combinations of factors and attributes generated through orthogonal design.

Results: Most students reside in rural areas, and the majority are female. In terms of students’ technological profile, the students’ years of internet usage belong to 5 years or more of accessing the internet. For students’ device ownership, the students are using their smartphones. While the students' primary device used for internet connection was their mobile phones. In terms of students' primary type of internet access, cellular was the source for internet access. Further, the study revealed that the respondents’ preferred type of instruction was through synchronous discussion (utility=0.294), combination of Google Classroom and Facebook application (utility=0.551) as the preferred teaching strategy/platform, and late in the afternoon (utility=1.170) as the preferred time variable in learning program core subjects.

Conclusion: The program may design a teaching-learning strategy that encourages the application of these major study findings. This is an opportunity to efficiently deliver instruction and assess the learning of students. Although the combination of Google Classroom and Facebook Application was pointed out, synchronous discussions were still preferred, particularly for courses that involve laboratories. Additionally, it is to arrange the core subjects in the late afternoon, particularly those subjects with laboratory work, for both teachers and students to cope with the adjustment set-up in holistic aspects. Future researchers are recommended to explore other factors and attributes, especially in learning under the new normal.
Contribution to the Study of the Breaking Behavior of Starch-Based Composite Films: Numerical and Mathematical Analysis of the Effects of Reinforcement and Temperature
Authors: Ahmed Doumbia , Seydou Traoré
Published: February 2024

Our previous article focused on the analysis of crack propagation in a composite film based on cassava starch reinforced with coconut fibers. The price parameters taken into account in this study are the size and position of the crack, and the applied load. The aim of this work is to analyze the breaking behavior of said material. To do this, the effects of variations in temperature and fibers, key factors influencing the thermomechanical behavior of the film, will be illustrated. We will adopt an approach based on the displacement of the crack tip using the extended finite element method (XFEM). A calculation by numerical simulation using the Cast3M finite element calculation code will be carried out based on an established behavioral law. This phase will be followed by a mathematical study in order to establish a homogenized analytical model representative of the breaking behavior of the composite. The results obtained in the two cases are very consistent. The reinforcements increase the resistance to rupture while a rise in temperature promotes deterioration of the material. They make it possible to describe and predict the breaking behavior of the composite films subject to this study.
Studies on the Effect of Chemical Weed Management on Growth Indices, Yield and Quality of Irrigated Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Authors: Gairola Ananya , Kumar Satish , Kumar Pawan , Jyoti  , Prajapati Sunil Kumar , Kumar Vipin
Published: February 2024

Chickpea, characterized by its short stature and slow initial growth, is highly susceptible to a wide range of weed species. The field experiment was designed during the Rabi season of 2021-22 at Agronomy Research Farm, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to evaluate the chemical weed management in irrigated chickpea. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) with thirteen treatments replicated thrice. The treatments combinations areT1 (Pendimethalin 30EC @ 1000g a.i ha-1 as PPI), T2 (Imazethapyr 10EC  @ 75g a.i ha-1 as PPI), T3 (Imazethapyr 10EC @ 100g a.i ha-1 as PPI), T4 (Pendimethalin 30EC + imazethapyr 2EC (RM) @ 1000g a.i ha-1 as PPI), T5 (Pendimethalin 30EC @ 1000g a.i ha-1 as PRE), T6 (Imazethapyr 10EC @ 75g a.i ha-1 as PRE), T7 (Imazethapyr 10EC @ 100g a.i ha-1 as PRE),  T8 (Pendimethalin 30EC  + Imazethapyr 2EC (RM) @ 1000g a.i ha-1 as PRE), T9 (Imazethapyr 10EC @ 75g a.i ha-1 as POE), T10 (Imazethapyr 10EC @ 100g a.i ha-1 as POE), T11 (Two hand hoeing at 30 & 50 DAS), T12 (weed free) and T13 (weedy check). The results of this study showed that PPI and PRE application of any herbicide did not cause any phytotoxic effect on chickpea. The Ready mix (RM) herbicide applied as PPI and PRE performed better than sole PPI, PRE, and POE herbicides. Among herbicidal treatments, PPI and PRE application of pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) @ 1000 g a.i ha-1 gave excellent control of complex weed flora and increased the yield of chickpea significantly over the weedy check. Different weed control treatments could not bring significant variation in plant population in the initial stage but the plant population declined at maturity. The maximum plant growth attributes were observed with the application of pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) @ 1000 g a.i ha-1 as PRE. The POE application of imazethapyr irrespective of the dose recorded the lowest dry matter accumulation throughout the growing season of chickpea. The unchecked growth of weeds in the weedy check caused a 55.2% reduction in seed yield as compared to weed-free treatment. The maximum seed yield (1968 kg ha-1) and yield attributes of chickpea were recorded with weed-free treatment and among herbicidal treatments, maximum seed yield (1827 kg ha-1) was recorded with application of pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) @ 1000 g ha-1 PRE.
Impact of Different Irrigation and Fertigation Practices on the Growth and Productivity of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under Protected Environment
Authors: Babal Bhawna , Sandal Sanjeev K. , Sankhyan Narender K. , Prikxit
Published: February 2024

The study assessed the impact of various drip irrigation and fertigation strategies on cucumber growth under protected cultivation. Over two seasons, surface drip (I1) was compared with subsurface drip irrigation (I2) under five fertigation treatments (F1-F5). Results revealed that I2 significantly improved growth parameters and yield over I1, including 5.5% reduction in days to 50 per cent flowering and 4.3% decrease in days to first picking. Fruit count and plant height increased by 14.1% and 7.8%, respectively, with a 14.9% rise in yield. Among fertigation treatments, F3 (compost tea with 75% NPK) outperformed the recommended practice F5 (100% NPK), showing a 7.8% faster approach to 50% flowering and reduced the number of days to first picking by 7.7%. F3 led to a 1.2% higher fruit count and a 6.2 and 14.7% increase in plant height and yield, respectively. The findings underscore the effectiveness of subsurface drip irrigation and integrated fertigation, particularly the F3, in enhancing cucumber production under protected conditions. The research highlights the potential of these practices in improving crop productivity and sustainability, especially in water-scarce areas.