bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Niches of Stem Cells
Authors: Goldberg Michel
Published: April 2020

In niches, stem cells are associated with adhesion extracellular matrix molecules (ECM). This gives rise to cells that retain their ‘stemness’, control their self-renewal and their progeny production, by using asymmetric or symmetric divisions. The adhesion molecules include N-cadherin/β-catenin, VCAM/integrin, and osteopontin /β1 integrin. They create a microenvironment that favor cell division, and interactions leading to cell differentiation. Asymmetric division contributes to self-renewal (a single division) and produce daughter cells that conduct to terminal differentiation. C-Myc is involved in controlling the balance between stem cell maintenance and proliferation. Daughter cells are expressing low levels of c-Myc. They are retained in the niche in a quiescent state, whereas, high levels of c-Myc expression in the remaining daughter cells supports the proliferation of cells and the displacement of dividing transit cells and their replacement leading to terminal differentiation.
Multispecialty tracheostomy experience
Authors: Lipton G , Stewart M , McDermid R , Docking R , Urquhart C , Morrison M , Montgomery J
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Tracheostomy is a common surgical procedure used to create a secure airway in patients, now performed by a variety of specialties, with a notable rise in critical care environments. It is unclear whether this rise is seen in units with large head and neck surgery departments, and how practice in such units compares with the rest of the UK.

Methods

A three-year retrospective audit was carried out between anaesthetic, surgical and critical care departments. All tracheostomy procedures were recorded anonymously.

Results

A total of 523 tracheostomies were performed, 66% of which were in men. The mean patient age was 60 years. The majority (83%) were elective, performed for various indications, while the remaining 17% were emergency tracheostomies performed for pending airway obstruction. A fifth of the tracheostomies were percutaneous procedures. Most emergency tracheostomies (78%) were performed by otolaryngology. Three cricothyroidotomies were performed within critical care and theatres. Complications related to tracheostomy occurred in 47 cases (9%), most commonly lower respiratory tract infection. The mean time to decannulation was 12.8 days.

Conclusions

This paper discusses the findings of a comprehensive, multispecialty audit of tracheostomy experience in a large health board, with over 150 tracheostomies performed annually. Elective cases form the majority although there is a significant case series of emergency tracheostomies performed for a range of pathologies. Around a quarter of those requiring tracheostomy ultimately died, mostly as a result of advanced cancer.
Severe hypercalcaemia of primary hyperparathyroidism: Could giant adenoma be the real culprit rather than carcinoma?
Authors: Gücek Haciyanli S , Acar N , Gür EÖ , Çelik SC , Karaıslı S , Dilek ON , Haciyanli M
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Hypercalcaemic crisis is a rare manifestation of hyperparathyroidism and occurs in 1.6–6% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). Although such high serum calcium levels (>14mg/dl) are attributed to malignancy, it is also associated with benign disease of the parathyroid glands. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and treatment modalities of patients with severe hypercalcaemia who underwent surgery for pHPT.

Methods

The medical records of 537 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy in our department for pHPT between 2005 and 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-four (4.4%) of the patients were described as having severe hypercalcaemia.

Results

Among 24 patients, 71% were female and the mean age was 55.7 years (range: 40–71 years). The mean serum calcium level at time of diagnosis was 15.9mg/dl (range: 14–22.7mg/dl). According to postoperative pathology reports, solitary adenoma, parathyroid cancer and parathyromatosis were diagnosed with the rates of 87.5%, 8.3% and 4.1% respectively. The mean weight of the solitary parathyroid lesions was 14.9g (standard deviation: 8.9g, range: 4–38g). The mean longest diameter was 2.87cm (standard deviation: 1.4cm, range: 1–5.5cm). Serum calcium levels were within the normal range on the first postoperative day in 75% of the cases.

Conclusions

Severe hypercalcaemia is a rare but urgent condition of pHPT and requires prompt management. Accelerated surgery after adequate medical treatment should be performed. It is important to emphasise that giant adenoma, which is a benign disease, may be a more common cause of severe hypercalcaemia than carcinoma, unlike previously thought.
Free abdominal gas on computed tomography in the emergency department: aetiologies and association between amount of free gas and mortality
Authors: Tau N , Cohen I , Barash Y , Klang E
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Free abdominal gas is an important finding with major clinical implications. However, data on the aetiologies and prognosis of patients with free gas are scarce. Our primary aim was to describe the sources of free abdominal gas on emergency department (ED) computed tomography (CT). The secondary aim was to evaluate the association between the amount of free gas and all-cause mortality.

Methods

All patients who underwent CT in the ED between February 2012 and February 2019 with free abdominal gas were included in the study. A scoring system was used to assess the amount of free gas: small – gas bubbles; medium – any gas pocket ≤2cm in diameter; large – any gas pocket >2cm. Data were collected from laboratory and clinical assessment regarding the source of free gas and all-cause mortality.

Results

A total of 372 patients had free abdominal gas. Colonic diverticulitis was the most common aetiology among those with a small or medium amount of free gas (81/250 [32.4%] and 12/71 [16.9%] respectively). For patients with a large amount of gas, peptic disease was the most common aetiology (11/51 [21.6%]). Three-quarters of the patients (280/372, 75.2%) had the source of free gas identified during ED admission. Ninety-day mortality rates were 7.2%, 9.9% and 21.6% for patients with small, medium and large amounts of gas respectively (p=0.007).

Conclusions

Colonic diverticulitis was the most common source of free abdominal gas and peptic disease was the most common cause of a large amount of free gas. Mortality rates correlated with the amount of gas and were significantly higher in patients with a large amount.
Using skill mix in dentistry to innovatively deliver effective and efficient dental care
Authors: Ali Awais
Published: April 2020

How to maximise the expertise of dental professionals and utilise multidisciplinary teams to improve patient care.
Weighing in on childhood obesity: how dentists and oral healthcare professionals can help
Authors: Sewell Kate , Godson Jenny
Published: April 2020

Implementing healthy eating core messages from pregnancy stages to school lunches will help children grow up free of tooth decay.
DIEP flap breast reconstructions: thermographic assistance as a possibility for perforator mapping and improvement of DIEP flap quality
Authors: Verstockt Jan , Thiessen Filip , Cloostermans Ben , Tjalma Wiebren , Steenackers Gunther
Published: April 2020

In the modern world, one-third or more of breast cancer patients still undergo uni- or bilateral mastectomy. Breast cancer patients, in general, have a good prognosis and long-term survival. Therefore, the treatment must not only focus on survival but also on the quality of life. Breast reconstruction with an autologous free deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap is one of the preferred options after mastectomy. A challenging step in this procedure is the selection of a suitable perforator that provides sufficient blood supply for the flap to prevent necrosis after anastomosis. In this pilot study, the possibilities for dynamic infrared thermography (DIRT) are investigated to select the best suitable perforator. The measurements are done with external cooling in the preoperative stage to accurately predict the location of the dominant perforators. During the surgery, in the peroperative stage, measurements are done for mapping the influence of a specific perforator on the perfused areas of the abdominal flap. Perforators are sequentially closed and opened again to map the influence of that perforator on the vascularization of the flap, visualized with the help of the thermographic camera. The acquired steady-state thermal images could help decide which parts of the abdominal flap to use for the reconstruction so that the chance of (partial) necrosis is reduced. In the postoperative stage, DIRT could visualize the arterial and or venous thrombosis before they become clinically obvious as (partial) necrosis. At present DIRT seems to be a valuable investigation for the pre-, per-, and postoperative phases of DIEP-flap reconstructions. Large, high-quality clinical studies are needed to determine its definitive role.
Intraoperative tumor margin assessment using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy: the effect of electrosurgery on tissue discrimination using ex vivo animal tissue models
Authors: Amiri Sara Azizian , Van Gent Carlijn M. , Dankelman Jenny , Hendriks Benno H. W.
Published: April 2020

Using an intraoperative margin assessment technique during breast-conserving surgery (BCS) helps surgeons to decrease the risk of positive margin occurrence. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) has the potential to discriminate healthy breast tissue from cancerous tissue. We investigated the performance of an electrosurgical knife integrated with a DRS on porcine muscle and adipose tissue. Characterization of the formed debris on the optical fibers after electrosurgery revealed that the contamination is mostly burned tissue. Even with contaminated optical fibers, both tissues could still be discriminated with DRS based on fat/water ratio. Therefore, an electrosurgical knife integrated with DRS may be a promising technology to provide the surgeon with real-time guidance during BCS.
Imaging human blood cells in vivo with oblique back-illumination capillaroscopy
Authors: McKay Gregory N. , Mohan Nela , Durr Nicholas J.
Published: April 2020

We present a non-invasive, label-free method of imaging blood cells
flowing through human capillaries in vivo using
oblique back-illumination capillaroscopy (OBC). Green light
illumination allows simultaneous phase and absorption contrast,
enhancing the ability to distinguish red and white blood cells.
Single-sided illumination through the objective lens enables 200 Hz
imaging with close illumination-detection separation and a simplified
setup. Phase contrast is optimized when the illumination axis is
offset from the detection axis by approximately 225
µm when imaging ∼80
µm deep in phantoms and human ventral tongue.
We demonstrate high-speed imaging of individual red blood cells, white
blood cells with sub-cellular detail, and platelets flowing through
capillaries and vessels in human tongue. A custom pneumatic cap placed
over the objective lens stabilizes the field of view, enabling
longitudinal imaging of a single capillary for up to seven minutes. We
present high-quality images of blood cells in individuals with
Fitzpatrick skin phototypes II, IV, and VI, showing that the technique
is robust to high peripheral melanin concentration. The signal
quality, speed, simplicity, and robustness of this approach
underscores its potential for non-invasive blood cell counting.
Terahertz polarization sensing based on metasurface microsensor display anti-proliferation of tumor cells with aspirin
Authors: Liu Lei , Li Tengfei , Liu Zixian , Fan Fei , Yuan Hongfeng , Zhang Ziyang , Chang Shengjiang , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: April 2020

The inhibition effects of aspirin on cell proliferation are investigated by both traditional THz resonance sensing and the improved THz polarization sensing method based on a polarization dependent metasurface microsensor. Compared to resonance sensing, the quality factor of polarization sensing is 4∼5 times higher than that of resonance sensing, and its figure of merit is at least one order of magnitude higher than that of the resonance sensing with the same metasurface microsensor. Our proposed metasurface-based biosensors may supply a novel viewpoint on cell proliferation from a physical perspective and be a valuable complementary reference for biological study.
Ultra-sensitive refractive index sensor using CMOS plasmonic transducers on silicon photonic interferometric platform
Authors: Manolis A. , Chatzianagnostou E. , Dabos G. , Ketzaki D. , Chmielak B. , Giesecke A. L. , Porschatis C. , Cegielski P. J. , Suckow S. , Markey L. , Weeber J.-C. , Dereux A. , Schrittwieser S. , Heer R. , Pleros N. , Tsiokos D.
Published: April 2020

Optical refractive-index sensors exploiting selective co-integration of plasmonics with silicon photonics has emerged as an attractive technology for biosensing applications that can unleash unprecedented performance breakthroughs that reaps the benefits of both technologies. However, towards this direction, a major challenge remains their integration using exclusively CMOS-compatible materials. In this context, herein, we demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, a CMOS-compatible plasmo-photonic Mach-Zehnder-interferometer (MZI) based on aluminum and Si3N4 waveguides, exhibiting record-high bulk sensitivity of 4764 nm/RIU with clear potential to scale up the bulk sensitivity values by properly engineering the design parameters of the MZI. The proposed sensor is composed of Si3N4 waveguides butt-coupled with an aluminum stripe in one branch to realize the sensing transducer. The reference arm is built by Si3N4 waveguides, incorporating a thermo-optic phase shifter followed by an MZI-based variable optical attenuation stage to maximize extinction ratio up to 38 dB, hence optimizing the overall sensing performance. The proposed sensor exhibits the highest bulk sensitivity among all plasmo-photonic counterparts, while complying with CMOS manufacturing standards, enabling volume manufacturing.
Scalable implementation of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector array with a superconducting digital signal processor
Authors: Yabuno Masahiro , Miyajima Shigeyuki , Miki Shigehito , Terai Hirotaka
Published: April 2020

A two-dimensional single-photon imaging system with high sensitivity and high time resolution is the ultimate camera and useful in a wide range of fields. A superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SSPD or SNSPD) is one of the best candidates for realizing such an ultimate camera due to its high detection efficiency in a wide spectral range, low dark count rate without after-pulsing, and excellent time resolution. Here we propose a new readout scheme to realize a large-scale imaging array based on SSPD, where a row–column readout architecture is combined with a digital signal processor based on a single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuit. A 16-pixel row–column readout SSPD array is fabricated and measured with an SFQ digital signal processor. We successfully acquired spatial information as encoded digital bit codes with the temporal information of the photon detection. The system timing jitter was measured as <80 ps for all 16 pixels even through the SFQ signal processor, indicating the potential for an imaging array with an extremely high time resolution.
Differential confocal self-collimation method for high-accuracy measurements of lens decentration
Authors: Wang Xiaohang , Qiu Lirong , Ge Hong , Wang Yun , Zhao Weiqian
Published: April 2020

A differential confocal self-collimation decentration measurement method (DCSDM) is proposed. It uses the differential confocal method to precisely identify the center and vertex positions of the tested lens surface, thereby obtaining the radius of curvature. Then, it uses the self-collimation light-path to detect the position of the reflected light during the rotation of the tested surface, thereby obtaining the center bias. Finally, it calculates the decentration. Theoretical analysis and experiments indicate that DCSDM achieves an accuracy of 0.069”. Compared with existing methods, DCSDM significantly reduces the focusing error by using differential techniques, prevents multiple clamping errors by integrating the radius and center bias measurements in one system, and is a feasible method for decentration measurement.
Seidel primary ray aberration coefficients for objects placed at finite and infinite distances
Authors: Lin Psang Dain
Published: April 2020

In a recent study, the present group proposed a methodology for determining the Seidel primary aberration coefficients in terms of the polar coordinates of the source ray for an object placed at a finite distance from the entrance pupil [P. D. Lin and R. B. Johns, Opt. Express 27, 19712 (2019)]. However, that model will be failed for an object placed at infinity. It is also found that all existing works in the optics field use in-plane coordinates of the entrance pupil (i.e., Xa and ya) to investigate the aberration coefficients. Accordingly, the present study revisits the problem once again using a Taylor series expansion of a ray in terms of the object height h0 and coordinates

[

x

a

y

a

]

T

. In the proposed methodology, the independent variables of the optical system are identified and the intercept coordinates of the skew ray on the image plane are then expanded with respect to these variables. It is shown that the expressions of the Seidel primary aberration coefficients are very concise and the corresponding numerical results are in good agreement with those obtained from Zemax simulations. Notably, the method proposed in this study is also valid for objects lying at infinity provided that the collimated rays emerging from the object are incident on the entrance pupil. Moreover, the methodology can also be extended to have the numerical values of the higher-order ray aberration coefficients for axis-symmetrical systems.
Photonic frequency-octupling scheme for stable microwave generation based on two incoherent optical sources
Authors: Chen Hongyao , Wang Jianping , Lu Huimin , Ning Tigang , Pei Li , Li Jing
Published: April 2020

In this paper, a real-time frequency-octupling photonic generator scheme that can realize stable microwave signal generation by using two incoherent optical sources without the support of phase-locked loops is successfully demonstrated, which proves that the improved feed-forward modulation is a feasible method for reducing phase noise. The principle of the proposed generator is illustrated by theory, simulation, and experiment. A 16GHz stable microwave signal with a bandwidth less than 0.2MHz is generated by using a 2GHz driving signal, and a 64GHz optical millimeter wave signal is obtained by using an 8GHz driving signal. Furthermore, a purity 320GHz terahertz wave signal is obtained by simulation based on the same principle and setup. The results show that the terahertz signal has good transmission characteristic and fine eye diagram in the 40.5km fiber link. In addition, to enhance the flexibility and feasibility of the generator, the feasible range of the modulation index and a signal enhancement method are also explored.
Miguel de Molina y Esta es mi vida (1952): Queerness, transnacionalidad y censura entre España y Argentina
Authors: Lomas Martínez Santiago
Published: April 2020

Miguel de Molina fue un pionero del género musical español de la copla, pero su carrera quedó truncada tras el inicio de la dictadura franquista y su exilio en Argentina desde mediados de los años cuarenta. Allí protagonizaría la película Esta es mi vida (1952), vehículo para su lucimiento. A pesar de la relevancia del filme en las reivindicaciones contemporáneas del artista, nunca ha sido objeto de un estudio académico en profundidad. Este artículo acomete dicha tarea, desde una perspectiva transnacional y queer. En primer lugar, se contextualizará su producción en un periodo histórico de intensos diálogos cinematográficos entre Argentina y España, en términos industriales, culturales y políticos. Después, se analizarán las múltiples formas narrativas y estéticas en las que lo queer está presente en el filme. Asimismo, mediante investigación en archivos históricos, se demostrará que el filme tuvo circulación en España, hecho tradicionalmente ignorado; se analizarán las tortuosas relaciones de la película con la censura española; y, finalmente, se evidenciará que la versión comercializada en años recientes es una restauración de la versión aprobada por la censura española.
Architectural Technologies and the Origins of Greek Philosophy
Authors: Hahn Robert
Published: April 2020

In this essay on ancient architectural technologies, I propose to challenge the largely conventional idea of the transcendent origins of philosophy, that philosophy dawned only when the mind turned inside, away from the world grasped by the body and senses. By focusing on one premier episode in the history of western thinking – the emergence of Greek philosophical thought in the cosmic architecture of Anaximander of Miletus – I am arguing that the abstract, speculative, rationalising thinking characteristic of philosophy, is indeed rooted in practical activities, and emerges by means of them rather than in repudiation of them. The spirit of rational inquiry emerged from several factors but the contributing role of monumental architecture and building technologies has been vastly under-appreciated. In the process of figuring out how to build on an enormous scale that the eastern Greeks had never before tried, the architects discovered and revealed nature’s order in their thaumata, the very experience with which Aristotle claims that philosophy begins. Ancient architecture and building technologies were on display for decades with monumental temple building. In front of Anaximander and his community, a new vision of nature spawned that, surprisingly, humans could grasp and command. The building of these thaumata, these objects of wonder, offered proof of the human capacity to control nature, and opened a new vision of our human rational capacity to understand the world and our place in it.
Frailty as Tested by Gait Speed Is a Risk Factor for Liver Transplant Respiratory Complications
Authors: Salim Tariq I. , Nestlerode Leah C. , Lucatorto Erin L. , Wasserman Tamara L. , Din Hassieb A. , Landsittel Douglas P. , Tevar Amit D. , Johnson Jonas T. , Duarte-Rojo Andres , Dunn Michael A.
Published: April 2020

OBJECTIVES:

Frailty and sarcopenia are known risk factors for adverse liver transplant outcomes and mortality. We hypothesized that frailty or sarcopenia could identify the risk for common serious transplant-related adverse respiratory events.

METHODS:

For 107 patients (74 men, 33 women) transplanted over 1 year, we measured frailty with gait speed, chair stands, and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) and sarcopenia with Skeletal Muscle Index on computed tomography at L3. We recorded the stress-tested cardiac double product as an index of cardiac work capacity. Outcomes included days of intubation, aspiration, clinical pneumonia, reintubation/tracheostomy, days to discharge, and survival. We modeled the outcomes using unadjusted regression and multivariable analyses controlled for (i) age, sex, and either Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Na (MELDNa) or Child–Turcotte–Pugh scores, (ii) hepatocellular carcinoma status, and (iii) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and smoking history. Subgroup analysis was performed for living donor liver transplant and deceased donor liver transplant recipients.

RESULTS:

Gait speed was negatively associated with aspiration and pulmonary infection, both in unadjusted and MELDNa-adjusted models (adjusted odds ratio for aspiration 0.10 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02–0.67] and adjusted odds ratio for pulmonary infection 0.12 [95% CI 0.02–0.75]). Unadjusted and MELDNa-adjusted models for gait speed (coefficient −1.47, 95% CI −2.39 to −0.56) and KPS (coefficient −3.17, 95% CI −5.02 to −1.32) were significantly associated with shorter intubation times. No test was associated with length of stay or need for either reintubation or tracheostomy.

DISCUSSION:

Slow gait speed, an index of general frailty, indicates significant risk for post-transplant respiratory complications. Intervention to arrest or reverse frailty merits exploration as a potentially modifiable risk factor for improving transplant respiratory outcomes.
Democracy, Planning, and Big Data
Authors: Van der Pijl Kees
Published: April 2020

Starting in the late 1960s, the development of the productive forces of society entered a new stage: the Information Revolution, an era focused on the application of information theories such as cybernetics combined with advances in computer technology and digital communication networks, culminating in the Internet. Under capitalist conditions, this has already resulted in a knowledge economy, but the social, auto-regulatory possibilities it opens up are bound to be incompatible with the private appropriation characteristic of capitalism.
The serendipity of connections and their consequences
Authors: Mehan Hugh
Published: April 2020

This essay is an account of how, throughout my 40-year career as an educational researcher and professor of Sociology and Education, mostly at the University of California, San Diego, I have tried to live my commitments to excellence and equity in practice to create a more just educational system. These values permeate my story, which is presented here in two parts. In the first part, broadly spanning 20 years, I focused on uncovering the roots of the seemingly inexorable social fact of educational inequality in US K-12 education, mainly through studying some of the policies and practices that produce those inequalities. My findings showed consistently that students of color from low-income backgrounds did not fare as well as their middle-income “majority”  contemporaries. In the last 20 years, I have attempted to build educational environments that might produce more equitable possibilities for underprivileged young people based on the research that uncovered the stratifying practices that produced educational inequalities.Many of the directions that my professional career took were not thoughtfully and carefully planned. My participation in various projects was not entirely free, totally independent, or completely rational. They were often not entirely of my own making. Instead, I often responded to opportunities presented to me. In fact, I think that the concept of serendipity accounts well for the relationships that shaped my career trajectory.
Was ist das Problem? Problemstrukturierung in der inter- und transdisziplinären Forschung
Authors: Rossini Manuela
Published: April 2020

-
OECD (ed.): Informing the Public about Radioactive Waste Management Proceedings of an NEA International Seminar, Finland, 13-15 June 1995
Authors: Redaktion TATuP
Published: April 2020

-
Elektronisches Geld und Internet-Zahlungssysteme
Authors: Böhle K. , Riehm U.
Published: April 2020

-
zxczxc
Authors: Deneme Deneme
Published: April 2020

zxczxc
Halaman Sampul
Authors: Editor Editor
Published: April 2020

Cover, Dewan Redaksi, Daftar Isi
Halaman Belakang
Authors: Editor Editor
Published: April 2020

Pedoman Penulisan, Cover Belakang
Rethinking Marxism with Ernst Bloch
Authors: Woźniak Monika , Jesień Karolina , Klewenhagen Adam
Published: April 2020

.
On Ernst Bloch’s Moral Theory
Authors: Pelletier Lucien
Published: April 2020

This article describes the origin of Bloch’s moral theory, which was formulated partly as a response to Simmel’s moral relativism. It also shows that Bloch’s theory is a coherent example of what Charles Taylor calls “expressivism,” a contemporary philosophical attitude which emphasizes the creation of values, with its transgressive character. Finally, the article addresses some shortcomings of Bloch’s expressivist moral theory, and emphasizes the necessity this author felt to complete it with norms ensuring human dignity.
Women’s Political Participation and Representation in Bosnia and Herzegovina: General Elections 2014 and 2018
Authors: Mulalic Muhidin , Karıć Mirsad
Published: April 2020

This paper aims to introduce readers to the changes and transformations of gender political equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina and their impact on the legal and institutional framework. A brief survey of major changes and transformation will demonstrate to what extent the position of women’s political participation and representation has improved in the past two decades? That is why the goal of this paper is to examine and analyze the participation and election of women to the executive and legislative bodies at the state, entity and cantonal level in the last two parliamentary and presidential elections held in 2014 and 2018 respectively. Then, the comparative analysis of the elections will clearly show statistical gaps between male and female electoral lists nominees and obtained mandates among male and female nominees and mandates across parliamentary, state and entities levels. Thus, the research will analyze gender quotas based on electoral law and obtained mandates among female candidates. Such analysis will demonstrate to what extent female candidates have moved from mere participation in the elections to the level of political representation by obtaining mandates across different governance levels. For testing the main research objectives on the degree of women’s political participation and representation, the researchers used the data from the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (www. izbori.ba). Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to present the data regarding women’s political participation and representation in General Elections 2014 and 2018.
Türkiye’de Bir Kamu Politikası Olarak İklim Değişikliği: Tarihsel Gelişim, Uluslararası Müzakereler, Yapısal ve İdari Sorunlar Çerçevesinde Bir Değerlendirme
Authors: Özışık Fethi Ufuk
Published: April 2020

Türkiye’de iklim değişikliği sorununa ilişkin merkezi yönetimin bir takım politikaları, kurumsal yapılanmayı ve çeşitli araçları gündemine alması Kyoto Protokolü sürecine denk düşmektedir. Bu çalışmada özellikle Kyoto Protokolü’ne taraf olunmasını takiben devletin iklim değişikliği ile ilgili bütüncül ve etkin bir kamu politikasını hayata geçirip geçir(e)mediği irdelenecektir. Konu ile ilgili değerlendirmelerde Türkiye’nin Kyoto Protokolü’ne kadar iklim değişikliğini bir dış politika konusu olarak ele aldığı ve algıladığı söylenmektedir. Ne var ki, o tarihten bugüne uzanan gelişmelere bakıldığında bu yaklaşımın değiştiğini ifade etmek güçtür. Uluslararası iklim müzakerelerinde Türkiye özel koşullar söylemine bağımlı kalarak sera gazı emisyonlarını azaltma noktasında somut hedefler ortaya koymaktan kaçınmaktadır. Paris Anlaşması’nın onaylanmaması da bu doğrultuda değerlendirilmesi gereken siyasi bir tutumdur. Türkiye’de devlet tıpkı çevre politikasında olduğu gibi iklim değişikliğini de kalkınma önceliğinin gerisinde konumlandırmaktadır. Bu bağlamda özellikle enerji ve büyüme politikaları ile cari açık sorunu da belirleyici olmaktadır. Konu yerel düzeyde ele alındığında da, yerel yönetimlerin bu alandaki çalışmaları merkeziyetçilik engeline takılmaktadır. Bu çerçevede Türkiye’de sınırlı sayıda ve öncü denebilecek belediyenin iklim değişikliğine yönelik politikaları da, merkezi yönetimin yukarıdan aşağıya müdahaleleri sebebiyle beklenen etkinliğe ve verimliliğe ulaşamamaktadır. Buradan hareketle, çalışmada elde edilen bulgulara dayanılarak, yukarıda ifade edilen farklı etmenler çerçevesinde Türkiye’nin sera gazı emisyon azaltım hedefine bağlı olarak, iklim değişikliği politikasının genel özellikleri ve sınırlılıkları incelenecek ve tartışılacaktır.
Screw torque traceability control: industrial application
Authors: Silva Carlos Americo de Souza , Uhlmann Iracyanne Retto , Frazzon Enzo Morosini
Published: April 2020

This paper analyses a new screw torque traceability control procedure designed for an operation in a car audio workstation. First the detection score at a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) indicated which process improvement were needed. On the sequence, data was collected to evaluate performance indicators. Finally, specific actions were executed based on the improvement plan. As result, the FMEA detection score improved from 7 to 3, the run rate increased from 12 to 16 products/h and defects caused by improper screwing were eliminated. This research contributes to disseminate a practical application of a screw torque traceability control.
Communities of practice and QFD method for green logistics in the cosmetics industry: a suggested review
Authors: Andrade Neusa Maria , Torres Jair Gustavo de Mello , Glória Júnior Irapuan , Costa Neto Pedro Luiz de Oliveira
Published: April 2020

The Cosmetics, Personal Hygiene and Perfumery industry has significant importance in Brazil and seeks to adopt concepts and technologies of sustainable development to generate competitive advantages that can be achieved by companies in the industry. In this context, this research proposes to identify the perception of sustainability in recycling, mainly plastic packaging, and to suggest the use of Green Logistics and Cradle-to-Cradle concepts and the use of Communities of Practice. The research has a qualitative nature, using the methodology of multiple case studies with several companies in the industry, the data collection was performed through interviews with semi-structured questionnaire and documentary analyzes. The results were the identification of the companies' perceptions regarding sustainability and a suggestion of the application of the QFD method in the systematic unfolding between the needs of the consumer and the quality characteristics of the product that can be applied in these cooperatives to determine, with the presentation of their aspects and the generation of a quality matrix with the requirements raised.
Effectiveness of organizational mission of the public security secretaries of the Brazilian States
Authors: Coelho Elielton de Amorim , Fonseca Platini Gomes , Daltro Emmanuelle Fonseca Marinho de Anias
Published: April 2020

The organizational mission is an important tool to support the management of an organization. This article aims to analyze the elaboration of the organizational missions of the Secretariats of Public Security (SSPs) of the Brazilian states, based on the elements proposed by Pearce (1982) and Pearce and David (1987). For this, the data were treated quantitatively, and soon after an analysis was made on the effectiveness of the construction of the missions, based on the criteria established by the cited authors. As a result, the elements "Product or service offered" and "Audience" were found more frequently. In the comparative analysis of the SSP mission by region of the country, two points stand out: first, the South region is the one that the missions present more elements indicated in the literature; second that the state that presented more elements was "Maranhão" located in the Northeast region.
A reference model in BPMN for conceptual modelling of master planning schedule
Authors: Entringer Tulio Cremonini , Ferreira Ailton da Silva
Published: April 2020

Companies are progressively investing in practices aimed at improving the quality of management, with the main purpose of enabling them to operate competitively in the present market. For this, it is necessary to document the activities and information of the existing business processes in the organization, aiming at reducing time and cost in the elaboration of the particular model. In this context, the objective of this work is to develop a reference model of the Master Production Schedule (MPS) processes, an important module of production planning and control (PPC). The research methodology used in this work was divided into the following stages: study of MPS and business process modeling, definition of reference model processes, choice of methodology and process modeling tool, development of reference model and prototype of the software and, finally, analysis of results. The modeling notation used was the BPMN, since it is considered a standard language in the field of process modeling. The prototype was developed through the Delphi interface in order to apply the model to support the implementation of business management programs. As results, from a formal documentation, the model proved to be a useful mechanism in the understanding of the processes raised and appropriate in the support to the implantation of production management tools.
The effect of marketing mix and brand image on customer loyalty of remixed mortar
Authors: Simanjuntak Megawati , Sumarwan Ujang , Situmorang Ariel Diesto
Published: April 2020

The study aimed to analyze the effect of the marketing mix (product, price, location, promotion, service, human resources, and physical evidence) and brand image of premixed mortar customer loyalty. A total of 100 questionnaire surveys have been distributed to customers in greater Jakarta area who became a decision-maker in a high rise building project. Based on the analysis of the effect of the marketing mix and brand image on premixed mortar loyalty, it can be concluded that product, price, process, and brand image significantly affects loyalty. The variable that has the most significant effect is the price, followed by the product, process and brand image.
Properties of different types of dry electrodes for wearable smart monitoring devices
Authors: Popović-Maneski Lana , Ivanović Marija D. , Atanasoski Vladimir , Miletić Marjan , Zdolšek Sanja , Bojović Boško , Hadžievski Ljupčo
Published: April 2020

Wearable smart monitors (WSMs) applied for the estimation of electrophysiological signals are of utmost interest for a non-stressed life. WSM which records heart muscle activities could signalize timely a life-threatening event. The heart muscle activities are typically recorded across the heart at the surface of the body; hence, a WSM monitor requires high-quality surface electrodes. The electrodes used in the clinical settings [i.e. silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) with the gel] are not practical for the daily out of clinic usage. A practical WSM requires the application of a dry electrode with stable and reproducible electrical characteristics. We compared the characteristics of six types of dry electrodes and one gelled electrode during short-term recordings sessions (≈30 s) in real-life conditions: Orbital, monolithic polymer plated with Ag/AgCl, and five rectangular shaped 10 × 6 × 2 mm electrodes (Orbital, Ag electrode, Ag/AgCl electrode, gold electrode and stainless-steel AISI304). The results of a well-controlled analysis which considered motion artifacts, line noise and junction potentials suggest that among the dry electrodes Ag/AgCl performs the best. The Ag/AgCl electrode is in average three times better compared with the stainless-steel electrode often used in WSMs.
Validation according to European and American regulatory agencies guidelines of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of free and total ropivacaine in human plasma
Authors: Lamy Elodie , Fall Fanta , Boigne Lisa , Gromov Kirill , Fabresse Nicolas , Grassin-Delyle Stanislas
Published: April 2020

Background

Ropivacaine is a widely used local anaesthetic drug, highly bound to plasma proteins with a free plasma fraction of about 5%. Therefore, the monitoring of free drug concentration is most relevant to perform pharmacokinetic studies and to understand the drug pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship.

Methods

A high-sensitivity liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using reverse-phase LC and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is described for the quantitation of both free and total ropivacaine in human plasma. Ropivacaine-d7 was used as an internal standard (IS).

Results

The method was validated in the range 0.5–3000 ng/mL, with five levels of QC samples and according to the European Medicine Agency and Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The performance of the method was excellent with a precision in the range 6.2%–14.7%, an accuracy between 93.6% and 113.7% and a coefficient of variation (CV) of the IS-normalised matrix factor below 15%. This suitability of the method for the quantification of free and total ropivacaine in clinical samples was demonstrated with the analysis of samples from patients undergoing knee arthroplasty and receiving a local ropivacaine infiltration.

Conclusions

A method was developed and validated for the quantification of free and total ropivacaine in human plasma and was shown suitable for the analysis of clinical samples.
Breaking the Boundary of Semiotics
Authors: Yao Tingting , Zhang Chenjia
Published: April 2020

Apart from perspectives from literature, culture, and linguistics, the field of translation studies is eager to call for new theories that are sufficiently rational to help researchers break traditional research boundaries. An increasing number of semioticians approve of translation activities as an important approach to interpreting symbolic behavior and describe translation as the meaning generation process in which a system of symbolic codes can be translated into another system of codes. This study attempts to apply the achievements in semiotics of the Tartu Semiotic School to the discussions of the relationship between the source text and the target text in the process of translation, in the light of cultural semiotics and biosemiotics. In addition, this paper reexamines the awareness of translation, the relationship between translation and Umwelt, and the extent of communication among all participants during the process of translation.
Ethical Values of a Sociosemiotic Approach to Translation
Authors: Tang Jinxia
Published: April 2020

This article interprets the sociosemiotic approach to translation from an ethical perspective. First, it briefly illustrates the necessity and feasibility of studying the sociosemiotic approach to translation from an ethical perspective, then shifts to the genres of ethics to be used in the interpretation. After that, it proposes an empirical study of the ethical values underlying the sociosemiotic approach to translation. The articles makes it clear that, in translating the referential meaning of a sign, translators who follow the sociosemiotic approach to translation tend to honor ethics of representation if this sign has an equivalent sign in the target language and would like to adhere to norm-based ethics if this sign has no equivalent in the target language. The article demonstrates that, in translating the linguistic meaning, translators who follow the sociosemiotic approach to translation often stick to ethics of commitment, which confers upon them the role of an expert as well as an arbitrator and makes it possible for them to mediate the conflicts between the various parties related to a translating mission. The article also exemplifies that, in translating the pragmatic meaning, translators who follow the sociosemiotic approach to translation, in most cases, prefer ethics of commitment, which allows them to represent the pragmatic meaning incubated in the source text either with the method employed in the source text or with a different method when the method applied in the source text is not appreciated in the target context.
Celebrating the International Year of Periodic Table with chemistry educational games and puzzles
Authors: Stojanovska Marina
Published: April 2020

The purpose of game-based learning is to design learning activities that introduce or explain concepts in more attractive way than in the traditional classroom. Using educational games in the classroom enables innovative and interactive lesson in which the material is seen from a different perspective or point of view. Play is connected to creativity, higher-order thinking, inquiring and problem-solving skills, decision making, collaboration, communication and the development of positive attitudes toward chemistry. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the importance of game-based learning approach in the classroom. Several good practice examples of games and puzzles for chemistry teaching are given to illustrate their applicability in the classroom and to serve as an idea for teachers, thus motivating them to be more creative in finding ways to implement this method and create their own puzzles according to their needs and classroom settings. Motivated by the International Year of the Periodic Table, puzzles are related to the Periodic Table concepts. The presented games can be used to create an escape room classroom, but they can be used independently. We believe that the use of games for educational purposes will be of great benefit to students.
Geistige Gesundheit und kulturelle Pathologie bei Nietzsche
Authors: Neuhouser Frederick
Published: April 2020

This paper reconstructs Nietzsche’s conception of spiritual illness, especially as exhibited in various forms of the bad conscience, and asks what positive, ennobling potential Nietzsche finds in it. The relevant concept of spirit is arrived at by reconstructing Nietzsche’s conception of life and then considering what reflexive life – life turned back against itself – would look like. It distinguishes four independent features of spiritual illness: the measureless drive to make oneself suffer, self-opacity (or mendaciousness), life-denial, and a self-undermining dynamic in which life exhausts the sources of its own vitality. The paper ends by considering various suggestions as to how these features of spiritual illness might also be preconditions of great spiritual health, including the preconditions for erecting new “ideals.”
Vernünfteln
Authors: Noller Jörg
Published: April 2020

Kant attempted to answer the question of whether immoral actions result from a mere lack or failing of reason, or whether they consist in a certain form of rationality, i. e. in immoral reasons. The paper addresses this question by concentrating on Kant’s conception of “rationalising” (“Vernünfteln”). This concept is the key for understanding how immoral actions can be based on reasons and are thus imputable. According to Kant, by rationalising, the moral agent constructs a formal coherence of his maxims that pretends to conform with the moral law but actually follows motives such as self-love or self-conceit. This activity of constructing a rational illusion, which derives from a dialectic of reason, can be imputed to the moral agent. Finally, the paper addresses strategies that Kant develops in order to circumvent the rationalising trap.
Verfassung vergeht, Verwaltung besteht?
Authors: Günther Frieder
Published: April 2020

Vorspann

Welche Kontinuitäten bestanden zwischen der staatlichen Verwaltung der Weimarer Republik, des NS-Staats, der Bundesrepublik und der DDR ‒ und wie unterschieden sie sich? Der Aufsatz versucht, differenzierte Antworten auf diese Fragen zu geben; er stellt die zentralstaatlichen Innenministerien zwischen 1919 und 1970 in den Mittelpunkt und untersucht ihr Personal, ihre Verwaltungsreformpolitik und ihre Verwaltungskultur genauer. Während sich etwa bei der Personalpolitik und beim Selbstverständnis der Mitarbeiter das Innenministerium der DDR deutlich von den übrigen drei unterscheidet, treten bei der Verwaltungskultur teilweise Übereinstimmungen mit dem Reichsinnenministerium der NS-Zeit hervor. Insgesamt wird deutlich, dass es bei Systemwechseln eines politischen Gestaltungswillens bedarf, um die Beharrungskraft moderner Bürokratien zu überwinden.