bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is the Contralateral Delay Activity (CDA) a robust neural correlate for Visual Working Memory (VWM) tasks? A reproducibility study
Authors: Roy Yannick , Faubert Jocelyn
Published: September 2022

Visual working memory (VWM) allows us to actively store, update, and manipulate visual information surrounding us. While the underlying neural mechanisms of VWM remain unclear, contralateral delay activity (CDA), a sustained negativity over the hemisphere contralateral to the positions of visual items to be remembered, is often used to study VWM. To investigate if the CDA is a robust neural correlate for VWM tasks, we reproduced eight CDA‐related studies with a publicly accessible EEG data set. We used the raw EEG data from these eight studies and analyzed all of them with the same basic pipeline to extract CDA. We were able to reproduce the results from all the studies and show that with a basic automated EEG pipeline we can extract a clear CDA signal. We share insights from the trends observed across the studies and raise some questions about the CDA decay and the CDA during the recall phase, which surprisingly, none of the eight studies did address. Finally, we also provide reproducibility recommendations based on our experience and challenges in reproducing these studies.
Investigating non‐immune haemolytic transfusion reactions in surgical patients
Authors: Chand Sreethu , R Amita , Gupta Debasish
Published: September 2022

Objective

To perform a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify the cause for Acute Haemolytic Transfusion Reaction (AHTR) in five patients who received red cell transfusions.

Background

The occurrence of red coloured urine following blood transfusion carries the possibility of an immune or non‐immune mediated haemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR). Non‐immune haemolysis can be due to thermal, osmotic, or mechanical injury to red blood cells. The authors report five cases of non‐immune HTR that occurred in surgical patients in the peri‐operative period.

Methods

AHTR was reported to the Transfusion Medicine Department, in five patients who underwent surgery and received a blood transfusion in the peri‐operative period. Transfusion reaction workup and RCA were performed to identify the cause for AHTR.

Results

The initial presentation was red coloured urine and suspicion of an immune HTR. Immunohaematology workup ruled out an immune mediated haemolysis and further analysis revealed the possibility of mechanical red cell destruction in all these cases.

Conclusion

Multiple factors can result in non‐immune destruction of red cells. Possibility of non‐immune haemolysis should be considered while evaluating haemolytic transfusion reactions.
Prospective evaluation of novel biomarkers of acute kidney injury in dogs following cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Starybrat Daria , Jepson Rosanne , Bristow Poppy , Peterson Sarah , Yerramilli Maha , Yerramilli Murthy , Chang Yu‐Mei , Cortellini Stefano
Published: September 2022

Objective

To assess the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in dogs undergoing cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and explore associations between traditional and novel serum and urinary biomarkers.

Design

Prospective cohort study conducted between July 2018 and April 2019.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Animals

Nineteen dogs undergoing cardiac surgery under CPB with preoperative serum creatinine <140 μmol/L (<1.6 mg/dl).

Interventions

Blood and urine samples were obtained at 4 time points: preoperatively following general anesthesia induction, immediately postoperatively, and 2 and 4 days postoperatively (T1, T2, T3, and T4). AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine ≥26.4 μmol/L (≥0.3 mg/dl) above baseline within 48 hours. Serum creatinine, C‐reactive protein (CRP), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), inosine, beta‐aminoisobutyric acid (BAIB), urinary clusterin (uClus), and urinary cystatin B (uCysB) were measured. Data were log‐transformed (log10) when appropriate and assessed using linear mixed‐effects models.

Measurements and Main Results

AKI occurred in 3 of 19 dogs (15.8%, 95% confidence interval: 0.047–0.384). Inosine increased at T2 (adjusted mean ± standard error: 53 ± 5.6) in all dogs, and then gradually decreased. Log10uCysB increased at T2 (2.3 ± 0.1) in all dogs and remained high. Log10CRP and log10uClus increased significantly at T3 (1.9 ± 0.1 and 3.6 ± 0.1, respectively) in all dogs and remained increased. There was a significant positive association between serum creatinine and SDMA (P < 0.001, estimate ± standard error: 0.06 ± 0.00), between log10CRP and log10uClus (P < 0.001, 0.35 ± 0.08), between SDMA and creatinine as well as between SDMA and BAIB (P < 0.001, 11.1 ± 0.83 and P < 0.001, 1.06 ± 0.22, respectively) for all dogs at all time points.

Conclusions

Inosine and uCysB concentrations changed in all dogs immediately following a surgery under CPB and may indicate tubular injury. Further studies are required to ascertain the usefulness of those biomarkers in early detection of AKI.
Acute kidney injury from presumptive intramural ureteral hemorrhage secondary to diphacinone rodenticide exposure in a dog
Authors: Oliver Nadene , Rizzo Kaila , Press Saya , Istvan Stephanie
Published: September 2022

Objective

To describe the clinical features and outcome of a dog with anticoagulant rodenticide (diphacinone) exposure, which was subsequently diagnosed with a coagulopathy characterized by hemoperitoneum, and presumptive ureteral wall hemorrhage contributing to acute kidney injury (AKI).

Case Summary

A 4‐year‐old, female neutered Australian Cattle Dog was evaluated for an acute onset of lethargy, decreased appetite, and a mild right thoracic limb lameness. Radiographs and point of care ultrasound demonstrated retroperitoneal and peritoneal effusion. Diagnostic abdominocentesis confirmed hemorrhagic effusion. Complete blood count, biochemistry, and coagulation profile showed a regenerative anemia (PCV 32%), thrombocytopenia (platelets 96 × 109/L [96 × 103/µl]), azotemia (BUN 38.9 mmol/L [109 mg/dl], creatinine 512.8 µmol/L [5.8 mg/dl]), and coagulopathy (prothrombin time >100 s, activated partial thromboplastin time >42.3 s). The client reported access to anticoagulant rodenticide up to 72 hours prior to presentation. Ultrasonographic examination revealed bilateral pyelectasia and hydroureter with thickened distal ureteral walls at the level of the ureteral–vesicular junctions. The ultrasonographic conclusion was presumptive intramural ureteral hemorrhage resulting in ureteral obstruction. The patient was diagnosed with AKI with likely prerenal, renal, and postrenal components. Treatment included vitamin K and frozen plasma transfusion. The patient recovered fully and was discharged 3 days after presentation. Two days after discharge, the patient had improvement in azotemia (BUN 10.7 mmol/L [30 mg/dl], creatinine 176.6 µmol/L [2.0 mg/dl]). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry confirmed presence of diphacinone in the blood. Repeat ultrasound and biochemistry 60 and 210 days, respectively, after discharge showed resolution of ureteral wall thickening, hydroureter, pyelectasia, and recovery of kidney parameters.

New or Unique Information

Although nephropathies secondary to anticoagulant therapy have been described in people, the authors believe this is the first report of diphacinone anticoagulant rodenticide exposure contributing to an AKI secondary to obstruction from ureteral wall hemorrhage in the veterinary literature.
Discricionariedade Juridificada de Estado de direito
Authors: De Sousa António Francisco
Published: September 2022

O tema “discricionariedade administrativa” continua a ser o “calcanhar de Aquiles” do Direito Administrativo, apesar de ter sido historicamente a questão mais polémica e mais abordada pela dogmática jurídico-administrativa, desde os estudos preliminares de BERNATZIK e TEZNER. A grande relevância deste tema resulta do facto de ele ser a válvula de segurança e de garantia de efetivação do Estado de direito, e assim de realização da justiça material e do interesse público. Foram entretanto feitos progressos assinaláveis, mas falta ainda percorrer um longo caminho até que sejam alcançados níveis satisfatórios nos planos da conceção teórica, da aplicação prática e sobretudo do controlo jurisdicional. A discricionariedade continua, pois, a ser um tema atual e de transcendente relevância teórica e prática; continua a ser um desafio, mais que um obstáculo à realização da justiça no caso concreto. Esta reflexão procura ser um contributo válido para a juridificação da discricionariedade administrativa.
O Direito ao Desenvolvimento Humano como Corolário das Liberdades Individuais
Authors: Da Silva Moura Mavili de Cassia , Lemos Jorge Andre Guilherme
Published: September 2022

O direito ao desenvolvimento pertence à categoria dos chamados direitos fundamentais de terceira dimensão. A acumulação de capital era o alicerce da teoria tradicional para a medida do desenvolvimento. O direito ao desenvolvimento foi reconhecido em 1986 na Declaração sobre o Direito ao Desenvolvimento das Nações Unidas, e confirmado pela Conferência de Viena sobre Direitos Humanos de 1993 e deve ser compreendido como um processo de expansão das liberdades reais dos indivíduos. O objetivo do estudo é assimilar a ideia de um desenvolvimento em que o ser humano é o principal protagonista, com novos contornos e novas abordagens como o desenvolvimento multidimensional. A expansão das liberdades pode ser concebida, não apenas como objetivo do desenvolvimento, mas também como maneira de gerar aumento de produtividade que é a base do crescimento econômico.
O (Re)desenho Institucional do Pacto Federativo diante da Covid-19
Authors: Da Silva Laura Gabriella Muniz , Bitencourt Nóbrega Flavianne Fernanda , Rodrigues Ana Laura Machado , Torres Galindo Bruno César Machado
Published: September 2022

A pandemia da COVID-19 desencadeou as mais diversas mudanças ao redor do mundo. No Brasil, as disputas ocasionadas pela MP 926/2020 favoreceram a instauração de um cenário propício para a alteração do desenho institucional do federalismo, historicamente centralizado na União. Nesse sentido, este artigo propõe pesquisar a mudança institucional real do federalismo brasileiro antes e durante a pandemia. Para tanto, o referencial teórico do neoinstitucionalismo de North, Brinks e Levistky, que concebem instituições como “regras do jogo”, foi utilizado, de modo original, a fim de se investigar os arranjos institucionais formais e informais no (re)desenho do pacto federativo, com identificação de seus jogadores e mecanismos de incentivo. O artigo contextualiza ainda a peculiaridade do desafio institucional da federação no Brasil, comparada à experiência estadunidense, para evidenciar a singularidade do novo desenho institucional descentralizado na pandemia. Ao final, identifica o aprendizado para o Estados-membros e lança questionamentos sobre a sobrevivência dessa regra do jogo no pós-pandemia.
ADEQUATE TREATMENT OF CONFLICTS ONLINE: REALISING THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Rosa de Almeida Karen , Vetis Zaganelli Margareth
Published: September 2022

The article addresses the treatment of conflicts by appropriate methods, especially in health matters, considering the challenges arising from the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the necessary adaptations for maintaining essential services. The objective of the work is to analyze ways of achieving the right to health during the period of social isolation.  To fulfill this purpose, a comparative study of the experiences of Portugal, Argentina and Brazil was carried out, given that the selected countries quickly edited normative instruments that allow or reinforce the authorization of the use of virtual spaces in dissension pacification in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation starts from the hypothesis that the appropriate methods of dispute composition are adaptable to the context of the pandemic – especially when taking advantage of the forms of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). In addition to the comparative study undertaken, it took advantage of dogmatic analysis and bibliographic and documentary research, with a survey of national and international normative texts on the right to health and its forms of materialization. Finally, the work discussed whether the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is relevant to continue conflict management. The text concluded by characterizing ODRs as manifest expressions of access to justice in times of COVID-19.
Implementação da Política de Tratamento de Conflitos no Tribunal de Justiça do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul sob o Viés do Acesso à Justiça Digital e das Inovações Tecnológicas
Authors: Gutierrez de Oliveira Albuquerquer Gisele , Ribas Lidia
Published: September 2022

O trabalho analisa a implementação de política pública de tratamento de conflitos no Tribunal de Justiça de Mato Grosso do Sul sob a ótica do acesso à justiça digital. Para a discussão, formularam-se os seguintes problemas de pesquisa: as inovações tecnológicas aplicadas nas mediações online são instrumentos capazes de contribuir para o restabelecimento do diálogo? Para a reestruturação lógica de convivência entre pessoas conflitantes? Para a compreensão e consciência à diversidade de opinião? Para a construção de responsabilidades? Tem, por objetivo geral, discutir a função social da sessão de mediação on-line aplicada no Judiciário sul mato-grossense como prática autocompositiva, democrática e que estimula o exercício da cidadania. E, por objetivos específicos, analisar o modelo de jurisdição consensual sob o viés da jurisdição estatal como a ultima ratio e descrever o uso da tecnologia como instrumento processual capaz de promover a efetiva tutela de direitos. Em conclusão, verifica-se que o acesso – digital – à justiça pode representar um significativo avanço quando proporciona maior alcance demográfico e operacional. Contudo, não se pode ignorar as demandas reprimidas daqueles que não têm condições materiais ou capacidade técnica para operarem a tecnologia na busca de uma solução para o seu conflito. Utiliza-se a pesquisa empírica com dimensões qualitativa/quantitativa e o método dedutivo.
Constitucionalism and Warfare
Authors: Thornhill Chris
Published: September 2022

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Acesso à Justiça e Transformação Digital: um Estudo sobre o Programa Justiça 4.0 e Seu Impacto na Prestação Jurisdicional
Authors: Rampim Talita , Lemos Igreja Rebecca
Published: September 2022

Observamos, no século XXI, o incremento da utilização de novas tecnologias na prestação jurisdicional, as denominadas Tecnologias de Informação e de Comunicação (TICs). Esse incremento é reflexo do momento contemporâneo de grande transformação digital, marcado pelo avanço acelerado de novas tecnologias e do uso intensivo das redes sociais e de aplicativos para comunicação, impactando todos os âmbitos da vida em sociedade. Ao mesmo tempo, observamos uma série de questionamentos sobre os usos das TICs, que, para além do contexto da pandemia, são apresentadas tendo em vista o momento atual de intensificação das desigualdades sociais e de crises políticas e socioeconômicas, no qual a luta por ampliação de direitos e melhorias no acesso à justiça das cidadãs e dos cidadãos se faz presente. Neste artigo, gostaríamos de propor uma reflexão sobre a introdução das TICs e a promoção do acesso à justiça, sopesando este contexto social. De maneira específica, interessa-nos analisar e refletir sobre as políticas judiciárias que têm sido elaboradas e implementadas pelo Conselho Nacional de Justiça com foco na transformação digital do Poder Judiciário no Brasil. Para tanto, delimitamos nossa análise às políticas incursas no Programa Justiça 4.0 e à avaliação realizada pela magistratura quanto à sua implementação.
Acesso à Justiça, Grupos Vulneráveis e Exclusão Digital: uma Análise Crítica do Atendimento da Defensoria Pública do Estado de Goiás Durante a Pandemia da Covid-19
Authors: Bonat Debora , Assis Gustavo , Gomes da Silva Rocha Mariane Carolina
Published: September 2022

Este trabalho realizou um exame sobre o atendimento da Defensoria Pública durante o primeiro ano de pandemia da Covid-19, com o intuito de esboçar um panorama das ações adotadas para manter o acesso à justiça diante das medidas de isolamento e distanciamento social, vez que a exclusão digital se mostra latente no País. Como recorte do trabalho, optou-se por examinar o atendimento da Defensoria Pública do Estado de Goiás, em virtude de Goiás ter sido o último Estado do País a instituir e estruturar a instituição. Para o desenvolvimento do artigo, foi realizada pesquisa bibliográfica, normativa e exploratória nos dados governamentais disponíveis nas fontes de informação de acesso aberto. Observou-se que a suspensão de atendimento presencial pela Defensoria Pública impactou no acesso à Justiça, pois o atendimento virtual ainda não se apresenta como eficaz para a parcela mais vulnerabilizada da sociedade que se encontra excluída digitalmente.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Acesso à justiça; exclusão digital; Defensoria Pública; pandemia
Designing Just Solutions at Scale: Lawyerless Legal Services and Evidence-Based Regulation
Authors: Burnett Matthew , L. Sandefur Rebecca
Published: September 2022

Around the world, billions of people lack access to justice, often because they cannot access help in resolving their justice issues. An important reason for this is that many access models rely centrally on lawyers, and such models simply cannot scale. Some jurisdictions allow lawyerless legal services. We offer a new framework for understanding lawyerless legal services that breaks away from lawyer-centric logic. Inspired by experiments in reregulating the practice of law in the United States, we propose a paradigm shift: just solutions. A just solutions framework has two distinct characteristics: it is evidence-based and it is outcome-focused. We draw on experience from other lawyerless models to imagine what a just solutions framework could look like in practice, including a growing body of evidence on legal needs and effective services, as well as scalable funding innovations. Freed from the lawyer-centric paradigm, a just solutions framework is closer to people’s actual needs and, unlike the lawyer-centric model, has the potential to scale to meet them.

KEYWORDS: Legal services; access to justice; unbundling; regulatory reform; evidence-based policy and practice.
Etnoturismo en Chiapas: un proceso continuo de re-negociación.
Authors: Corpas Nogales José Manuel
Published: September 2022

Esta ponencia versa sobre el debate existente en torno al etnoturismo, si se trata de un desarrollo para la cultura indígena o si por el contrario es un riesgo para las culturas de dichos pueblos. Para ello, me centraré en un ejemplo concreto: el etnoturismo en la región de Chiapas (México). La primera parte de este trabajo se centra en la conceptualización y en el debate en torno al etnoturismo y la relación existente con el proceso de globalización, examinando las transformaciones, estrategias de negociación, resistencia y resignificación de los pueblos indígenas a través de representaciones culturales enfocadas al turismo en un contexto internacional. La segunda parte muestra la negociación del turismo étnico en el estado de Chiapas (México) a través de los resultados obtenidos mediante una metodología cualitativa que analiza el discurso de páginas webs de agencias de viajes, instituciones turísticas sobre Chiapas y diferentes textos académicos en torno a dicho tema; partiendo de la hipótesis de que el turismo indígena en Chiapas está enfocado a un consumo de lo “exótico”, donde las propias comunidades indígenas representan en un espacio “frontal” aquellos aspectos socioculturales que el imaginario colectivo del turista global tiene en mente para cumplir con las expectativas del turista que busca la supuesta autenticidad indígena vinculada con la espiritualidad, lo sagrado y el contacto con la naturaleza; mientras la realidad cotidiana de negociación, reapropiación y lucha de poder en el mercado del etnoturismo se produce en los espacios “traseros”, permaneciendo invisible a los ojos del visitante.
A Review of Motor Skill Development in State-Level Early Learning Standards for Preschoolers in the United States
Authors: Lindsay Anne R. , Coughenour Courtney , Case Layne , Bevell Jacob , Fryer Victoria , Brian Ali
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study was to examine state-level early learning standards specific to physical development, including fundamental motor skills and gross motor development for preschool-aged children in the United States. All standards related to motor development and specific to children ages 3–5 years were extracted from publicly available online documents from all 50 states. Upon initial review, 961 standards were extracted from all documents. Through aggregation of similar skills and elimination of duplicates across states, 48 unique skills were identified. Frequencies and proportions of states that included each skill in their standards were calculated. Descriptive results indicate that none of the 48 skills were included as a standard across all 50 states. Only three skills, running, jumping, and throwing a ball overhand were a standard in over 75% of states. Most of the skills were standards in less than 50% of states. Trends from these data show that a wide range of motor skills are included within preschool physical development standards within the United States, with large variability among states. Considering this variability, and currently low levels of motor competence among young children, additional evaluation, and future creation of best practice preschool physical development standards are warranted.
Title IX at 50: A Critical Celebration
Authors: Schultz Jaime
Published: September 2022

This article is a critical celebration of Title IX. Fifty years of this landmark civil rights legislation has brought tremendous progress for girls and women in all areas of the U.S. educational system—including sport. However, Title IX has yet to achieve its full potential. For this to happen, I propose nine pressing issues that must be addressed: enforcing compliance; roster management and other dubious compliance tactics; more opportunities for women of color; the leadership gap; sex-segregated sport; the inclusion of transgender athletes; name, image, and likeness opportunities; the athletic arms race; and sexual harassment and violence. Based on current, scholarship, published data, and contemporary examples, this “nine for IX” approach is not a critique of the law but rather a critique of those aspects of American interscholastic and intercollegiate sport that continually hamstring Title IX’s power.
Telomeres to go
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: September 2022

By acquiring telomeres from antigen-presenting cells, some T cells are protected from senescence.
Genome Sequence of Cupriavidus campinensis Strain G5, a Member of a Bacterial Consortium Capable of Polyethylene Degradation
Authors: Schneider Beate , Pfeiffer Friedhelm , Dyall-Smith Mike , Kunte Hans-Jörg
Published: September 2022

Nine different bacterial isolates were recovered from landfills. Each isolate was obtained in pure culture. As a consortium, the bacteria degrade polyethylene. The complete genome sequence of strain G5 was determined by PacBio sequencing. Using the TYGS for taxonomic classification, strain G5 was assigned to the species
Cupriavidus campinensis
.
Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. Strains MWU12-2020 and MWU12-3103b, Isolated from Wild and Cultivated Cranberry Bogs in Massachusetts
Authors: Ormsby Andrea , Soby Scott
Published: September 2022

Here, we present the draft genome sequences of
Pseudomonas
sp. strains MWU12-2020 and MWU12-3103b, isolated from the rhizospheres of wild and cultivated cranberry bogs in southeastern Massachusetts; these strains are unrelated to known
Pseudomonas
species. The genomes of both isolates exceed 6 Mbp and contain predicted ice nucleation and type VI and III secretion system genes.
Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus velezensis Strain Krd-20 with Antifungal Activity, a Biotechnologically Important Isolate from Wheat Root Zone
Authors: Kopyltsov Sergey V. , Milovanov Alexander V. , Elisiutikova Anastasia V. , Savenkova Darja S. , Petrova Kristina O. , Kwon Dmitry V. , Koshchaev Andrej G.
Published: September 2022

Bacillus velezensis
Krd-20 strain with antifungal activity was isolated from the wheat rhizosphere. This strain is used to suppress fungi of the
Fusarium
sp. when growing oyster mushroom (
Pleurotus ostreatus
). Genome assembling resulted in 44 contigs with a total length of 3939663 bp were obtained, the GC content is 46.4%.
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Isolated from a Bovine Brain Sample in Costa Rica
Authors: León Bernal , Cordero-Solorzano Juan M. , Rodríguez Luis , Jiménez Carlos
Published: September 2022

The genome of Vesicular stomatitis (New Jersey) virus was obtained by high-throughput sequencing after the nucleic acid was extracted from the supernatant of Vero E6 cells inoculated with a sample of a bovine brain with nervous signs. The sample was negative for rabies by direct Immunofluorescence and bovine spongiform encephalopathy by histopathology.
Combined Action of Melatonin and Water Deficiency on Growth and MDA Content of Hypocotyls and Roots of Lupine and Respiration of Mitochondria Isolated from These Organs
Authors: Generozova I. P. , Vasilyev S. V. , Butsanets P. A. , Shugaev A. G.
Published: September 2022

Melatonin is known to improve the tolerance of plants to adverse abiotic factors (AAF), including dehydration. Nevertheless, details of the action of this phytohormone are not sufficiently comprehended. In the current study, the effects of melatonin on the growth, water status, and content of malonic dialdehyde were evaluated in etiolated seedlings of narrow-leaved lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.) subjected to dehydration. The respiration of mitochondria isolated from different organs of these plants was also analyzed. Here, the 4-day-old seedlings have been deprived of water for 1 day. This entailed the increased water deficit up to 22% in the roots and 6% in the hypocotyls. Such desiccation of the seedlings retarded the growth of their hypocotyls but increased that of the roots by 13% in comparison with the undesiccated control. Both root and hypocotyl tissues accumulated MDA under these conditions. The dehydration of the seedlings negatively affected the respiration of the mitochondria isolated from these organs. The rate of oxidation of the substrates, especially malate, was diminished at the metabolic State 3 mainly due to an inhibition of the cytochrome respiration pathway (CP). For example, upon oxidation of malate, the activity of CP decreased 1.8 times in the mitochondria from hypocotyls and four to five times in those from roots. Pretreatment of the seedlings with 0.1 µM melatonin prevented the dehydration-induced rise in the MDA level in the hypocotyls but, by contrast, stimulated this parameter by 27% in the roots. Under drought conditions combined with exogenous melatonin, the growth of hypocotyls was close to that in the undesiccated control, while the root growth was lower than that in the control. In the seedlings normally supplied with water, treatment with melatonin did not significantly influence the respiration of the mitochondria prepared from the hypocotyls or roots. However, under water shortage, melatonin completely blocked the inhibition of a substrate oxidation in the hypocotyl mitochondria, chiefly because of sustaining the CP activity. As a result, exogenous melatonin increased the rate of malate oxidation by 87% and succinate oxidation by 26% in metabolic state 3 in the mitochondria from the hypocotyls. Application of this hormone to the plants only partially reversed the dehydration-induced inhibition of the oxidative phosphorilation in the root mitochondria. In this case, the oxidation of respiratory substrates, especially succinate, and activity of CP were still inhibited. Possible causes of the differences between the hypocotyl and root cells of the lupine seedling in their responses to melatonin and water deficit, namely, an extent of oxidative stress and functions of mitochondria, are discussed.
Impact of Architect/Engineer (A/E) consultant qualifications on project outcomes
Authors: Eltahan Amira , Al Hattab Malak , Hammad Ahmed
Published: September 2022

The selection of Architect/Engineer (A/E) is one of the critical decisions made by owners early in a project. Given that architects and engineers are not commodities; therefore, the assessment of A/E firms should be based on their qualifications. This paper attempts to quantitatively assess and understand the effects of A/E capabilities on project performance. To achieve this, a model was developed to identify the correlations between A/E consultant qualification, project characteristics, and project outcomes. Afterwards, it was validated using a prediction model developed using artificial neural networks implemented on a case study of 18 projects. This model connects the gap between the consultant procurement decision and its impact on the management performance and outcomes of a project. Furthermore, this paper offers an understanding of current procurement practices, as well as presenting the common evaluation criteria and their respective weights as adopted by several public owners in Alberta.
A Rice Pest Identification Method Based on a Convolutional Neural Network and Migration Learning
Authors: Hu Pingxia
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we construct models for convolutional neural networks and migration learning, conduct in-depth research on rice pest recognition methods, and design a plan based on convolutional neural networks and migration learning. The weight parameters obtained from the VGG16 model trained on the image dataset Image Net are migrated to recognize rice pests through the migration learning method. The convolutional and pooling layers of VGG16 are used as feature extraction layers. In contrast, the top layer is redesigned as a global average pooling layer and a SoftMax output layer, and some of the convolutional layers are frozen during training. The proposed method effectively improves the recognition accuracy of water to pest images and significantly reduces the number of model parameters.
Development of a Stable Implicit Method Without Numerical Dissipation for Nonlinear Structural Dynamic Analysis
Authors: Lopez Salvatore
Published: September 2022

This paper develops a self-starting implicit time integration method for nonlinear dynamic analysis. The method is single-step and is based on a non-dissipative second-order accurate approximation scheme. The method employs simple expressions for velocity and acceleration while internal forces are calculated at a specified point. This point results from a weighted combination of the relevant displacements and velocities at the bounds of the time step. In the linear case, the scheme is unconditionally stable, there is no amplitude decay for any time step value and the period elongation is the same as in the Newmark scheme. In nonlinear case, the scheme maintains the same numerical characteristics of dissipation and dispersion of the Newmark scheme while demonstrating a substantial improvement in stability. Summarizing, the presented scheme (i) is a single-step scheme with self-starting attribute; (ii) does not involve additional variables or artificial parameters chosen by the user; (iii) has at least second-order accuracy; (iv) shows to have very wide stability ranges in nonlinear analyses. It also proves that the computational effort per step required by the presented scheme is the same as the effort required in the widely used implicit single-step methods and a substantial reduction in the number of Newton–Raphson iterations in the steps is obtained. For comparison, methods with similar characteristics such as Newmark, generalized-[Formula: see text] and Bathe schemes are tested. Stiff nonlinear problems regarding elastic behavior and finite element structural models are analyzed to compare the considered solution methods.
The Cost of Knowing: How Obstacle Alerts Reduce Walking Speeds of Augmented White Cane Users
Authors: Skovfoged Milo M. , Rasmussen Alexander S. , Kirsh David , Knoche Hendrik
Published: September 2022

To ensure safe passage blind travellers utilize mobility aids such as the white cane to preview the space their body will move through. Augmented white canes (AWC) have increased this preview range to reduce collisions, but consequently incurred lower walking speeds. The literature has blamed the slowdown on the AWC provided alerts that are additional to white cane feedback, unnecessary, too complex, and the anticipatory slowdown of their users. Two within-subject studies with six visually impaired and ten blindfolded people compared the white cane to two different AWC preview types (See Figure 1) combined with two ranges to investigate the causes of the slowdowns. The cognitive cost from processing AWC additional and unnecessary alerts and their complexity slowed users down and should be kept to a minimum as they neither helped reduce collisions nor physically detecting obstacles with the cane.
What Is Happening Behind The Wall?
Authors: Kassem Khaled , Ungerböck Tobias , Wintersberger Philipp , Michahelles Florian
Published: September 2022

Research in human-robot collaboration explores aspects of using interaction modalities and their effect on human perception. Particular attention is paid to intent communication, which is essential for successful interaction and collaboration. This work investigates the effect of using audio, visual, and haptic feedback on intent communication in a human-robot collaboration task where the collaborators do not share a direct line of sight. A user study was conducted in virtual reality with 20 participants. Qualitative and quantitative feedback was collected from all participants. When compared with a baseline of no feedback given to the participants, results show that using visual feedback had a significant impact on task efficiency, user experience, and cognitive load. Audio feedback was slightly less impactful, while haptic feedback had a divisive effect. Multimodal feedback combining the three modalities showed the highest impact compared to the individual modalities, leading to the highest task efficiency and user experience, and the lowest cognitive load.
Tailor My Zwift
Authors: Bentvelzen Marit , Savino Gian-Luca , Niess Jasmin , Masthoff Judith , Wozniak Paweł W.
Published: September 2022

Physical activity is entering the virtual realm. Zwift is an at-home cycling system that is enjoying increasing popularity, yet the specifics of the experience of a virtual cyclist have not been studied to date. Building virtual sports systems can make physical activity accessible to more diverse user groups. To understand how and why users engage in virtual cycling, we conducted n=22 interviews with Zwift users. Through charting the motivations behind using Zwift, we determined that it allowed users to engage in a range of cycling activities traditionally reserved for professional cyclists. Our work reports on key motivations and identifies five key strategies which Zwift uses to create an engaging virtual sports experience. Further, we discuss how Zwift creates a world of virtual professionalism. Our findings offer a structured understanding of the experience of Zwift which can be used to inspire the design of future virtual amateur sports systems.
Novel Research on the Use of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized with Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in the Adsorptive Desulphurization of Crude Oil: Laboratory Research
Authors: Özkan Abdullah
Published: September 2022

Crude oil is known as liquid hydrocarbon, which is formed as a result of the metamorphosis of organic matter on earth. Crude oil is a complex mixture containing paraffin, naphthenes, olefins, aromatic compounds and a small but significant amount of sulphur. During refining crude oil; air pollutants such as COx, SOx and NOx, NH3, H2S, mercaptans, carbonyl sulfide and heavy metals are released. With the legal regulations made in many countries of the world, it obliges the use of environmentally friendly fuels containing less SOx and aromatic compounds. For this reason, an increasing number of studies are being carried out to reduce the number of sulphur compounds in crude oil as much as possible. For the same reason, in this study; firstly CuONPs and MWCNTs were synthesized separately, secondly MWCNTs were decorated with CuONPs the by the CVD method, and the third was characterized by SEM and XPS. Finally, 0.02 to 0.1 g of CuONPs/MWCNTs and MWCNTs were added separately to the crude oil and adsorptive desulphurization was performed with a contact time of 60 and 120 min. As a result of the experimental study, it has been determined that the desulphurization efficiency varies between 2.47% and 5.44%.
Precision Nutrition: Recent Advances in Obesity
Authors: Voruganti V. Saroja
Published: September 2022

“Precision nutrition” is an emerging area of nutrition research that focuses on understanding metabolic variability within and between individuals and helps develop customized dietary plans and interventions to maintain optimal individual health. It encompasses nutritional genomic (gene-nutrient interactions), epigenetic, microbiome, and environmental factors. Obesity is a complex disease that is affected by genetic and environmental factors and thus a relevant target of precision nutrition-based approaches. Recent studies have shown significant associations between obesity phenotypes (body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and central and regional adiposity) and genetic variants, epigenetic factors (DNA methylation and noncoding RNA), microbial species, and environment (sociodemographics and physical activity). Additionally, studies have also shown that the interactions between genetic variants, microbial metabolites, and epigenetic factors affect energy balance and adiposity. These include variants in FTO, MC4R, PPAR, APOA, and FADS genes, DNA methylation in CpG island regions, and specific miRNAs and microbial species such as Firmicutes, Bacteriodes, Clostridiales, etc. Similarly, studies have shown that microbial metabolites, folate, B-vitamins, and short-chain fatty acids interact with miRNAs to influence obesity phenotypes. With the advent of next-generation sequencing and analytical approaches, the advances in precision nutrition have the potential to lead to new paradigms, which can further lead to interventions or customized treatments specific to individuals or susceptible groups of individuals. This review highlights the recent advances in precision nutrition as applied to obesity and projects the importance of precision nutrition in obesity and weight management.
Long-Lasting Unruptured Large Intracranial Aneurysm in Bilateral Moyamoya Disease: Case Report
Authors: Chae Eunyoung , Jeong Soomin , Lee Chan-Hyuk
Published: September 2022

Introduction. The rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms in patients with moyamoya disease is higher than that in the general population. We report a confirmed case of moyamoya disease with bilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion with a large and long-lasting aneurysm. Case. A 71-year-old woman visited the clinic with a large intracranial aneurysm. The patient was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke 2 months ago. She exhibited weakness in the left upper and lower extremities and dysarthria and was taking aspirin. The brain magnetic resonance imaging showed complete occlusion in the bilateral MCA proximal (M1) and a large 11 × 11 mm nonruptured cerebral aneurysm in the A3 segment of the left anterior cerebral artery. On transfemoral cerebral angiography, the patient was diagnosed with Suzuki grade VI moyamoya disease with bilateral MCA occlusion. After 7 years, the cerebral aneurysm size further increased, but it remained unruptured. Conclusions. Here, the patient had moyamoya disease with a large aneurysm, but aneurysmal rupture did not occur even after 7 years. Our case report might help in understanding the mechanisms of cerebral aneurysm occurrence and rupture in moyamoya patients.
Effective Waste Water Treatment by the Application of Natural Coagulants
Authors: Panwar Kartika , Dadhich Itika , Dave Mayank , Sharma Yagya , Shaik Nagaraju
Published: September 2022

The natural water contamination because of the population growth, industrialization, urbanization, sewage from households, industries, institutions, and hospitals, among other things, has increased. After using in various ways, this water turns into wastewater, completing the hydrological cycle. Waterways that are contaminated pose numerous hazards to health and environment. As a result, contaminants must be removed. Coagulation is an effective basic chemical treatment technique that could be used to remediate such pollutants. The majority of people in rural areas are compelled to rely on easily accessible sources, which are typically of low quality and expose them to waterborne diseases, due to the high expense of chemical coagulant-treated water. Natural coagulant, a naturally occurring, plant-based coagulant, can then be used to reduce turbidity during the coagulation and flocculation stage of wastewater treatment. Chemical coagulants may be substituted with natural coagulants. It reduces turbidity while also being ecologically beneficial, serving a dual purpose. In order to solve turbidity concerns, substantial research is needed to find and adopt new techniques for water purification that are less expensive, need less energy, use fewer chemicals, and have a less negative impact on the environment. This study's objectives included evaluating the viability and efficacy of using natural coagulants in place of commonly used synthetic coagulants such aluminum sulphate as well as optimizing the coagulation procedure.
Artificial Intelligence Technology and Its Application in Improving Thought-Politics Education
Authors: Bai Xueyan , Wang Xiajian
Published: September 2022

As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new age, thought-politics education has also entered a new phase of development. Facing new opportunities and challenges, attaching importance to quality, pursuing quality, and improving quality have become the key directions for the development of thought-politics education. In the paper, a CNN-BiLSTM-based recommendation algorithm is proposed and combined with AI-related algorithms to be used in the task of improving thought-politics education. First, deep feature extraction in temporal and spatial dimensions by using LSTM and convolutional networks, respectively; then, by using multiscale attention fusion mechanisms to enhance the expressiveness of the features and make recommendations with the help of multilayer perceptron. Through extensive experiments, it is verified that the model has higher recommendation performance in this paper while maintaining higher real-time performance. It is tested on real data sets to verify that the model in the paper has better robustness.
Enhanced Route Discovery Mechanism Using Improved CH Selection Using Q-Learning to Minimize Delay
Authors: Kaur Navpreet , Aulakh Inderdeep Kaur , Tharewal Sumegh , Keshta Ismail , Rahmani Abdul Wahab , Ta Tri Duc
Published: September 2022

With the technological advancements, practical challenges of establishing long-distance communication should be addressed using hop-oriented routing networks. However, long-distance data transmissions usually deteriorate the quality of service (QoS) especially in terms of considerable communication delay. Therefore, in the presented work, a reward-based routing mechanism is proposed that aims at minimizing the overall delay which is evaluated under various scenarios. The routing process involved a refined CH selection mechanism based on a mathematical model until a threshold simulation is not attained. The illustrations for the coverage calculations of CH in the route discovery are also provided for possible routes between the source and the destination to deliver quality service. Based on this information, the data gathered from the past simulations is passed to the learning mechanism using the Q-learning model. The work is evaluated in terms of throughput, PDR, and first dead node in order to achieve minimal transmission delay. Furthermore, area variation is also involved to investigate the effect of an increase in the deployment area and number of nodes on a Q-learning-based mechanism aimed to minimize the delay. The comparative analysis against four existing studies justifies the success of the proposed mechanism in terms of throughput, first dead node, and delay analysis.
Synthesis of Carbon-Encapsulated Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanocomposites for Bioapplication
Authors: Girma Wubshet Mekonnen
Published: September 2022

Carbon-encapsulated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized from a single precursor using one-step solvothermal methods. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the as-prepared NPs, and UV-visible absorbance spectroscopy was used to check their optical properties. The morphological results revealed that Fe3O4@C, quasi-spherical Fe3O4 particles encapsulated by carbon. In addition, the carbon-encapsulated Fe3O4 NPs were conjugated with folic acid (FA) to be used as biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of tumour cells. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques were used to confirm the conjugation process.
Antimicrobial Bioactivity and GC-MS Analysis of Different Extracts of Corchorus olitorius L Leaves
Authors: Nakaziba Rebecca , Amanya Sharon Bright , Sesaazi Crispin Duncan , Byarugaba Frederick , Ogwal-Okeng Jasper , Alele Paul E.
Published: September 2022

Background and Aim. Plants have been used for the treatment of infectious diseases among various communities worldwide with undeniable success. Corchorus olitorius L is used to treat various ailments including infections. However, there are limited data regarding its antimicrobial spectrum in Uganda. In the bid to bridge this gap, we investigated the antimicrobial bioactivity of Corchorus olitorius L against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacteria tuberculosis. Methods. Corchorus olitorius L leaves were harvested, air-dried, and serially extracted using diethyl ether, methanol, and distilled water (aqueous). The crude extracts and their components separated by TLC were assayed for bioactivity against the organisms mentioned above using the agar well diffusion technique. Chloramphenicol was used as a positive control. Observation of a zone of inhibition indicated bioactivity. Finally, the components that displayed bioactivity were subjected to GC-MS analysis to establish their chemical composition using the MS library database. Results. Crude extracts of Corchorus olitorius L leaves and their TLC-separated components demonstrated bioactivity against Staphylococcus aureus (14 mm), Streptococcus pneumoniae (16 mm), and Escherichia coli (11 mm) but neither against Candida albicans nor Mycobacteria tuberculosis. However, the overall zones of inhibition were smaller compared to the positive control (≥18 mm). GC-MS analysis of the active components revealed the presence of methyl esters. Conclusion. Corchorus olitorius L is bioactive against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria but neither against fungi nor mycobacteria. The bioactivity is attributable to the presence of methyl esters. Since methyl esters already have proven bioactivity in some studies, they could be further studied and optimized for possible pharmaceutical use. Further, to provide a more comprehensive antimicrobial spectrum of Corchorus olitorius L in Uganda, purified active components could be investigated using a wider range of organisms.