bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic optimization reveals alveolar epithelial cells as key mediators of host defense in invasive aspergillosis
Authors: Ewald Jan , Rivieccio Flora , Radosa Lukáš , Schuster Stefan , Brakhage Axel A. , Kaleta Christoph
Published: December 2021

Aspergillus fumigatus is an important human fungal pathogen and its conidia are constantly inhaled by humans. In immunocompromised individuals, conidia can grow out as hyphae that damage lung epithelium. The resulting invasive aspergillosis is associated with devastating mortality rates. Since infection is a race between the innate immune system and the outgrowth of A. fumigatus conidia, we use dynamic optimization to obtain insight into the recruitment and depletion of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils. Using this model, we obtain key insights into major determinants of infection outcome on host and pathogen side. On the pathogen side, we predict in silico and confirm in vitro that germination speed is an important virulence trait of fungal pathogens due to the vulnerability of conidia against host defense. On the host side, we found that epithelial cells, which have been underappreciated, play a role in fungal clearance and are potent mediators of cytokine release. Both predictions were confirmed by in vitro experiments on established cell lines as well as primary lung cells. Further, our model affirms the importance of neutrophils in invasive aspergillosis and underlines that the role of macrophages remains elusive. We expect that our model will contribute to improvement of treatment protocols by focusing on the critical components of immune response to fungi but also fungal virulence traits.
Graphical integrity issues in open access publications: Detection and patterns of proportional ink violations
Authors: Zhuang Han , Huang Tzu-Yang , Acuna Daniel E.
Published: December 2021

Academic graphs are essential for communicating complex scientific ideas and results. To ensure that these graphs truthfully reflect underlying data and relationships, visualization researchers have proposed several principles to guide the graph creation process. However, the extent of violations of these principles in academic publications is unknown. In this work, we develop a deep learning-based method to accurately measure violations of the proportional ink principle (AUC = 0.917), which states that the size of shaded areas in graphs should be consistent with their corresponding quantities. We apply our method to analyze a large sample of bar charts contained in 300K figures from open access publications. Our results estimate that 5% of bar charts contain proportional ink violations. Further analysis reveals that these graphical integrity issues are significantly more prevalent in some research fields, such as psychology and computer science, and some regions of the globe. Additionally, we find no temporal and seniority trends in violations. Finally, apart from openly releasing our large annotated dataset and method, we discuss how computational research integrity could be part of peer-review and the publication processes.
Prevalence and predictive risk factors of hypertension in patients hospitalized in Kamenge Military hospital and Kamenge University teaching hospital in 2019: A fixed effect modelling study in Burundi
Authors: Iradukunda Arnaud , Odjidja Emmanuel Nene , Ndayishima Stephane Karl , Ngendakumana Egide , Ndayishimiye Gabin Pacifique , Sinarinzi Darlene , Izere Cheilla , Ntakaburimvo Nestor , Akimana Arlene
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Hypertension is a major threat to public health globally. Especially in sub-Saharan African countries, this coexists with high burden of other infectious diseases, creating a complex public health situation which is difficult to address. Tackling this will require targeted public health intervention based on evidence that well defines the at risk population. In this study, using retrospective data from two referral hospitals in Burundi, we model the risk factors of hypertension in Burundi.

Materials and methods

Retrospective data of a sample of 353 randomly selected from a population of 4,380 patients admitted in 2019 in two referral hospitals in Burundi: Military and University teaching hospital of Kamenge. The predictive risk factors were carried out by fixed effect logistic regression. Model performance was assessed with Area under Curve (AUC) method. Model was internally validated using bootstrapping method with 2000 replications. Both data processing and data analysis were done using R software.

Results

Overall, 16.7% of the patients were found to be hypertensive. This study didn’t showed any significant difference of hypertension’s prevalences among women (16%) and men (17.7%). After adjustment of the model for cofounding covariates, associated risk factors found were advanced age (40–59 years) and above 60 years, high education level, chronic kidney failure, high body mass index, familial history of hypertension. In absence of these highlighted risk factors, the risk of hypertension occurrence was about 2 per 1000 persons. This probability is more than 90% in patients with more than three risk factors.

Conclusion

The relatively high prevalence and associated risk factors of hypertension in Burundi raises a call for concern especially in this context where there exist an equally high burden of infectious diseases, other chronic diseases including chronic malnutrition. Targeting interventions based on these identified risk factors will allow judicious channel of resources and effective public health planning.
Comparison of normal hindlimb lymphatic systems in rats with detours present after lymphatic flow blockage
Authors: Suzuki Yuiko , Nakajima Yukari , Nakatani Toshio , Okuwa Mayumi , Sugama Junko
Published: December 2021

In the present study, we aimed to identify the normal hindlimb lymphatic systems in rats and compare them with the detours after lymphatic flow blockage. The lymphatic systems of the hindlimbs of normal rats were investigated via lymphography using a near-infrared fluorescence imaging system. The lymphatic vessels were stained using Evans Blue. The lymphatic flow was blocked through lymphatic vessel ligation combined with inguinal and popliteal lymph node dissection. Detours that appeared after 30 days were visualized using lymphography and immunostaining with anti-podoplanin antibodies. Three main results were obtained in the present study. First, the deep medial system, the superficial medial system, a connection between the superficial and deep medial lymphatic systems, and the superficial lateral system, were elucidated. Second, three types of detours, namely the detour of the lateral abdomen, the detour to the lymphatic vessel near the midline of the abdomen, and the detour to the contralateral inguinal lymph node, were identified after lymphatic flow blockage. Lastly, detours were located in the fatty layer above the panniculus carnosus muscle and their lumina were wide. The histology suggested that the detour was a pre-collecting lymphatic vessel. Lymphatic routes in the rat hindlimbs after lymphatic flow blockage were different from those of the normal rat lymphatic system. It was suggested that the detour is a pre-collecting lymphatic vessel and that encouraging its development may be a new method of simple lymphatic drainage.
Complete chloroplast genome of Hordeum brevisubulatum: Genome organization, synonymous codon usage, phylogenetic relationships, and comparative structure analysis
Authors: Cui Guangxin , Wang Chunmei , Wei Xiaoxing , Wang Hongbo , Wang Xiaoli , Zhu Xinqiang , Li JinHua , Yang Hongshan , Duan Huirong
Published: December 2021

Background

Hordeum brevisubulatum, known as fine perennial forage, is used for soil salinity improvement in northern China. Chloroplast (cp) genome is an ideal model for assessing its genome evolution and the phylogenetic relationships. We de novo sequenced and analyzed the cp genome of H. brevisubulatum, providing a fundamental reference for further studies in genetics and molecular breeding.

Results

The cp genome of H. brevisubulatum was 137,155 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure. A total of 130 functional genes were annotated and the gene of accD was lost in the process of evolution. Among all the annotated genes, 16 different genes harbored introns and the genes of ycf3 and rps12 contained two introns. Parity rule 2 (PR2) plot analysis showed that majority of genes had a bias toward T over A in the coding strand in all five Hordeum species, and a slight G over C in the other four Hordeum species except for H. bogdanil. Additionally, 52 dispersed repeat sequences and 182 simple sequence repeats were identified. Moreover, some unique SSRs of each species could be used as molecular markers for further study. Compared to the other four Hordeum species, H. brevisubulatum was most closely related to H. bogdanii and its cp genome was relatively conserved. Moreover, inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) were less divergent than other parts and coding regions were relatively conserved compared to non-coding regions. Main divergence was presented at the SSC/IR border.

Conclusions

This research comprehensively describes the architecture of the H. brevisubulatum cp genome and improves our understanding of its cp biology and genetic diversity, which will facilitate biological discoveries and cp genome engineering.
Estimation of cost efficiency of fattening pigs, sows, and piglets using SFA approach analysis: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Gangyi , Zhao Chang’e , Shen Yuzhuo , Yin Ni
Published: December 2021

The hog industry is the core industry in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry in China, which development is related to the improvement of people’s quality of life. The production of the hog industry has been restricted by environmental regulations, which needs to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Based on the data of 29 provinces from 2008 to 2019, this paper aims to use the stochastic frontier analysis method to calculate the cost efficiency of fattening pigs, sows, and piglets in three stages of pig production and focuses on the impact of environmental regulation policies on cost efficiency. The study found that the cost efficiency of fattening pigs, sows, and piglets in China were 0.77, 0.79, and 0.53, respectively, and the efficiency losses were 23%, 21%, and 47%, respectively. The impact of environmental regulation policies on the cost efficiency of fattening pigs showed an ’ N ’ trend, and the impact on the cost efficiency of sows and piglets showed an inverted ’ N ’ trend. For fattening pigs, increasing the intensity of environmental regulation, and exceeding the second inflection point of the ’ N ’ curve can achieve the dual goals of environmental governance and cost reduction and efficiency increase. For sows, reducing the intensity of environmental regulation appropriately can avoid cost-efficiency loss. For piglets, environmental regulation policies have not effectively incentives the cost efficiency of piglets. In addition, raising the level of technology investment in fattening pigs and sows can achieve cost efficiency gains, and can farmers use emerging financial product tools such as ’ insurance + futures ’ to avoid market risks and efficiency losses.
Menstrual health and factors associated with school absence among secondary school girls in Luang Prabang Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Inthaphatha Souphalak , Louangpradith Viengsakhone , Xiong Leyla Isin , Xiong Valee , Ly Ly , Xaitengcha Vue , Phengsavanh Alongkone , Hamajima Nobuyuki , Yamamoto Eiko
Published: December 2021

In Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), information on school sanitation and menstrual health among secondary school girls is limited. This study aimed to explore knowledge and practices surrounding menstrual health and to identify factors associated with school absence due to menstruation among secondary school girls in Lao PDR. The study involved 1,366 girls from grade 9 to grade 12 in six secondary schools in Luang Prabang Province. Data on socio-demographics and menstrual health of the girls and data on school toilets was collected. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with school absence due to menstruation. The mean age was 15.8 years old. The average age of menarche was 12.9 years old. Of 1,366 girls, 64.6% were shocked or ashamed when they reached menarche and 31.8% had been absent from school due to menstruation in the six months before this study was conducted. Factors associated with school absence due to menstruation were age ≥ 16 years old (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.37–2.34), higher income (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.16–4.87), menstrual anxiety (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.09–2.20), using painkillers (AOR = 4.79, 95% CI 2.96–7.76) and other methods (AOR = 2.82, 95% CI 1.86–4.28) for dysmenorrhea, and disposing used pads in places other than the school’s waste bins (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.03–1.75). Living with relatives (AOR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.43–0.95) and schools outside the city (AOR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.38–0.90) were significantly less associated with school absence. Although the association between school toilets and school absence was not examined, the results of this study suggest that school toilets should be gender-separated and equipped with waste bins in the toilet. Furthermore, menstrual education should start at elementary schools and teacher training on menstrual health should be promoted.
Night shift work and the risk of metabolic syndrome: Findings from an 8-year hospital cohort
Authors: Cheng Wan-Ju , Liu Chiu-Shong , Hu Kai-Chieh , Cheng Yu-Fang , Karhula Kati , Härmä Mikko
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Studies concerning the risk of metabolic syndrome associated with night work have shown inconsistent findings, due to imprecise working time data and cross-sectional design. We used register-based daily working time data to examine the risk of incident metabolic syndrome associated with night shift work.

Methods

Working time data collected between 2010 and 2018 of 5775 Taiwanese hospital workers were used to identify night shift workers and to calculate the number of night shifts. Metabolic syndrome was identified by annual occupational health examination results, which were linked to the working time data. Logistic regression models and generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between night shift work and metabolic syndrome and the 5 components of metabolic syndrome.

Results

Night shift work is associated with a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome (adjusted OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.78) and high waist circumference (adjusted OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.78) compared to day work. Among night shift workers, increased number of night shifts was associated with high blood pressure (adjusted OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.31).

Conclusions

Night shift work is associated with metabolic risk factors. Long-term effects of circadian rhythm disruption on metabolic disturbances needs to be further studied.
Highland haberdashery: Scottish kiltmaking in the twenty-first century
Authors: Loranger David , Sanders Eulanda A.
Published: December 2021

The Scottish kilt is one of the world’s most renowned cultural garments, and the Highland dress industry contributes £350 million annually to the Scottish apparel industry. However, outsourcing and deceptive marketing tactics have negatively impacted the kiltmaking industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate Scottish kiltmakers’ knowledge and experiences as a basis for industry protection. A qualitative, phenomenological method employed interviews, observations, video and artefact analysis and prototyping to understand participant’s (n=17) experiences with learning and practising kiltmaking. Findings indicated that: (1) kiltmakers’ experience life-long learning through scaffolding, (2) kilt customers are not well informed of quality differences between genuine Scottish kilts and imports, (3) gender plays a role in pay inequality, lack of respect and quality of life issues for female kiltmakers and (4) kiltmakers agree that protection is necessary, however, they are unsure of how it would be realized.
The Problem of Self-identification of Russians in the 21st Century: Geopolitical and Regional Aspects
Authors: Vasilyeva N.A. , Pogodin S.N.
Published: December 2021

The territorial changes that accompanied the process of the collapse of the USSR raised the question of the self-identification of Russians, since it was necessary to determine, both in the geopolitical coordinates of the new sovereign identity of the internationally recognized status of the Russian Federation, and in the regional coordinates of national and historical and cultural spaces. According to sociological studies, a trend has emerged in the self-identification of Russians as a civil nation, where ethnic and confessional identities are gradually fading into the background, giving way to the concept of statehood as a symbol of the unity of a multinational people. In this regard, it is logical to consider the processes of the formation of modern self-identification of Russians in the context of global regionalization, where Russia chooses the vector of development: West-East, North-South. The political and economic foundations for the European regional identification of Russians are clearly being lost, which is associated with the increased tension and obvious hostility in relations with the countries of Europe and with the West in general; well-founded fears of territorial and economic expansion of Asian neighbors (China, Japan) and multi-vector foreign policy of the Central Asian countries weaken the Eurasian regional identification tendencies. In this regard, there is a promising tendency for the northern / arctic self-identification of Russians, which, firstly, is historically associated with the emergence of Russian statehood in the northern regions, and secondly, reflects the important economic and political direction of the development of Russia in the 21st century.
Historical Aspects of the Imperial Identity: Perspectives of Interdisciplinary Research
Authors: Arshintceva O.A. , Isakova S.N.
Published: December 2021

The article attempts to identify new opportunities for studying the role of the imperial factor in British foreign policy, which are opened up by using the category of imperial identity, which the authors present as a variant of a more universal category of regional identity. In order to find out the complex nature of regional identity, the authors make a comparative analysis of the existing ones in modern regionalism. (A. Paasi) and “humanitarian geography” (D.N. Zamyatin) definitions of the region as a way of political, historical and cultural organization of space. The methodological postulates of these concepts create the basis for an interdisciplinary approach in the framework of the “new imperial history” and allow us to consider the British Empire at the height of its power in the 19th — first half of the 20th centuries as the most significant region in world politics. Awareness of its special role in the prevailing international system was at the heart of the imperial identity and foreign policy ideas of the British political elite, which, in turn, makes it possible to draw a clearer line between identity and imperial ideology. The authors come to the conclusion that such a formulation of the problem forms a new discussion agenda both on imperial issues and on issues of identity.
STIMULATORY EFFECT OF ACUTE SINGLE DOSE OF DRIED WHOLE COFFEE CHERRY POWDER ON NRF2 ACTIVITY IN FRESHLY ISOLATED BLOOD CELLS. A SINGLE-BLIND, PLACEBO CONTROLLED CROSS-OVER PILOT CLINICAL STUDY
Authors: Reyes-Izquierdo T. , Nemzer B. , Argumedo R. , Cervantes M. , Pietrzkowski Z.
Published: December 2021

Abstract: Background: NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that participates in the regulation of antioxidant expression during increased oxidant stress. Several phytochemicals and food products have shown to trigger Nrf2 activity. In this pilot placebo-controlled study the effects of a single dose of dried whole coffee cherry powder (“WCCP”) on Nrf2 levels were tested. Objectives: To characterize a blend of WCCP and evaluate the potential effects on mTOR and Nrf2 in healthy subjects. Design: In this cross over study, subjects were given placebo or a single dose of 1000mg WCCP on day 1 and 2. Blood was collected for four time points. Participants served as their own controls. Setting: After supplementation, blood samples were processed for mTOR and Nrf2 analysis. Blood ATP, glucose and lactate were also measured. Participants: Ten healthy subjects, ages ranging from 22 to 35 years and BMI ranging from 24.1 to 30 kg/m² were selected to participate. Results: One 1000 mg dose of WCCP resulted in an average 44% increase of NRf2 levels 180 minutes after ingestion (p=0.03 ). Phosphorylated mTOR (Ser 2448) was reduced at 180 minutes after supplement; when compared to placebo. Correlation (“Corr”) analyses revealed that increases in Nrf2 appear to be associated with mTOR reduction. Blood glucose and extracellular ATP levels were not changed. Conclusions: WCCP increased Nrf2 3 hours after ingestion. Additional testing is required to verify the potency of WCCP on Nrf2, as well as any potential correlation between mTOR (S2448) reduction and increased levels of Nrf2 after supplementation.
DILUCIÓN DE MIEL EN AGUA INDUCE HORMESIS EN LA ACTIVIDAD ANTIBACTERIANA SOBRE Staphylococcus aureus.
Authors: Castromán R
Published: December 2021

In pharmacology, hormesis is defined as the high efficacy of a drug at low doses and a decrease of efficacy at higher doses. In this study, the hormesis phenomenon on the antibacterial activity of honey was assessed. The activity of four honeys (A, D, C and D) were checked by agar plate diffusion method using S. aureus (ATCC 29213) as the test organism. Each honey was tested as follows; on the surface of an agar plate, five stainless steel cylinders with a diameter of 8,14 mm were radially disposed. Onto each cylinder 0,1 mL of the sample honey diluted in water at 50 – 25 - 12,5 -6,25 and 3,125 % v/v were placed. Plates were incubated at 35°C during 24 h. The surface of the cylinder diameter was set as reference antibacterial activity (Ra). The antibacterial activity of each honey was quantitated by the relationship between the surface of the inhibitory zone (Iz) and the surface of the reference activity (Iz/Ra). An increase in the antibacterial activity was observed at a concentration of water greater than 50% in honeys B and C. This hormetic behavior could be considered as indicator of the quality of the antibacterial activity of these honeys.
PRIMER REPORTE DE LESIONES PARASITARIAS COMPATIBLES CON Oslerus osleri (COBBOLD, 1876) EN AGUARÁ GUAZÚ, Chrysocyon brachyurus (ILLIGER, 1811) DE LA PROVINCIA DE SANTA FE.
Authors: Torrents J
Published: December 2021

The necropsy of 5 specimens of C. brachyurus which were accidentally run over on different routes in the north-central province of Santa Fe. All of these had multiple whitish nodules with a cystic appearance between the distal third of the trachea and bronchi containing parasites arranged in the shape of a ball inside. Morphological identification of adult’s nematodes and larvae eggs from females was performed, where it was possible to identify typical characters of the species O. osleris. Likewise, the lungs were increased in consistency, with petechial and multifocal ecchymosis and the presence of whitish nodules scattered throughout the parenchyma. Two of the canids had an increase in the size of the bronchial lymph nodes. The inspection of the respiratory system together with the observation of lesions and the nematodes found inside with their corresponding measurements, are compatible with the species O. osleri, which would imply the first report of this parasite in wild canids from Argentina.
Діалектний словник як репрезентант явищ матеріальної та духовної культури народу
Authors: Мартинова Ганна
Published: December 2021

У статті окреслено специфіку відображення в реєстрі діалектних словників явищ традиційної народної матеріальної й духовної культури. Акцентовано увагу на необхідності ілюструвати реєстрові лексеми мікротекстами зв’язного діалектного мовлення для репрезентації обсягу знань про календарне свято, специфіку тлумачення його змісту, відображення специфічно народного світобачення та особливостей сприйняття дійсності.
«Дочку в колыбельку, приданое в коробейку»: название приданого в севернорусских говорах
Authors: Krylova Olga
Published: December 2021

В статье рассматривается один элементов свадебного ритуала – приданое и все, что с ним связано (процесс, время его приготовления, наименование лиц, перевозивших его). Выделены признаки, которые легли в основу наименований приданого. Наибольшее количество номинаций связано с его дарением (дар, дары, даровье, дарьё, задарье, вздарье); с одеждой и постелью, как части приданого (справа, свита, лопоть, лотонье, платно, место, перина); с коробом, в котором оно перевозилось (коробейка, коробья, кладовица, кошева).
Nazwy właścicieli gospodarstw rolnych i ich pracowników w gwarach Warmii i Mazur
Authors: Sobolewska Katarzyna
Published: December 2021

W artykule zaprezentowano ponad 100 nazw właścicieli gospodarstw rolnych i ich pracowników w gwarach Warmii i Mazur. Na tle historycznym, uwzględniającym historię osadnictwa i kolejne reformy agrarne ukazano zebrane słownictwo w podziale na 6 kategorii – od bogatych właścicieli ziemskich po najuboższych, pozbawionych ziemi i własnego domu robotników folwarcznych. Podstawę materiałową stanowiły zapisy z badań gwarowych przeprowadzonych na Warmii i Mazurach w połowie XX w. oraz wybrane artykuły, wspomnienia i monografie.
Repetition in Mandarin-speaking children’s dialogs: its distribution and structural dimensions
Authors: Zeng Guocai
Published: December 2021

In forty child-to-child dialogs in Mandarin retrieved from CHILDES, 74.23% of the total utterances contain the phenomenon of repetition, with self-repetitions (64.85%) occurring more frequently than other-repetitions (35.15%). Based upon the distribution of the various types of repetitions in the database, this paper also discusses the structural dimensions of repetition at different grammatical levels, concluding that self-repetition and other-repetition in child conversation are not merely copies of previously used linguistic material, but key strategies that children apply to construct their utterances and dialogic interactions. Children’s discourses develop from self-repetitions to other-repetitions, and by doing this, cohesion in discourse is achieved.
Polynomial stability of the wave equation with distributed delay term on the dynamical control
Authors: Silga Roland , Bayili Gilbert
Published: December 2021

Using the frequency domain approach, we prove the rational stability for a wave equation with distributed delay on the dynamical control, after establishing the strong stability and the lack of uniform stability.
Relationship between mechano-bactericidal activity and nanoblades density on chemically strengthened glass
Authors: Xie Yuan , He Yuanhua , Chen Xiantao , Bu Daqin , He Xiaolong , Zhi Maoyong , Wang Mingwu
Published: December 2021

Establishing the correlation between the topography and the bactericidal performance is the key to improve the mechano-bactericidal activity. However, due to the complexity of the mechano-bactericidal mechanism, the correlation between density and bactericidal performance is still not clear. Based on this, a series of nanoblades (NBs) with various density but similar thickness and height were prepared on the chemically strengthened glass (CSG) substrate by a simple alkaline etching method. The mechano-bactericidal properties of NBs on CSG (NBs@CSG) surfaces exposed to Escherichia coli were evaluated. The results show that with the NB density increasing, the mechano-bactericidal performance of the surface increased first and then decreased. Besides, the bactericidal performance of NBs@CSG is not affected after four consecutive ultrasonic cleaning bactericidal experiments. This article can provide guidance for the design of the new generation of mechano-bactericidal surfaces. In addition, this technology is expected to be applied to the civil aviation cabin window lining.
Graphene-based biosensors for disease theranostics: Development, applications, and recent advancements
Authors: Alhazmi Hassan A. , Ahsan Waquar , Mangla Bharti , Javed Shamama , Hassan Mohd. Zaheen , Asmari Mufarreh , Al Bratty Mohammed , Najmi Asim
Published: December 2021

Graphene, owing to its unique chemical structure and extraordinary chemical, electrical, thermal, optical, and mechanical properties, has opened up a new vista of applications, specifically as novel sensing platforms. The last decade has seen an extensive exploration of graphene and graphene-based materials either alone or modified with nanoparticles and polymers for the fabrication of nanoscale biosensors. These biosensors displayed excellent conductivity, high sensitivity, and selectivity, good accuracy, and precision, rapid detection with low detection limits as well as long-term stability. The unmatched properties of graphene and graphene-based materials have been applied for the detection of a number of chemical and biological molecules successfully for the diagnosis of a variety of diseases, pathogens, and biomarkers of the diseases. This review is aimed to cover the fabrication methods, functionalization techniques, and biomedical applications along with the recent advancements in the field of development of graphene-based biosensors. Recent clinical trials and patents as well as market trends and opportunities associated with graphene-based biosensors are also summarized. The application of graphene-based biosensors in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 is also reviewed.
Ethics and Technology: An Analysis of Rick and Morty
Authors: Eldem Umut , Nayır Beşir Özgür
Published: December 2021

In this article, we argue that the animated TV-show Rick and Morty depicts several important and relevant themes about the impact of technology in contemporary societies. By using certain concepts and ideas from the philosophy of technology, especially from thinkers like Jacques Ellul, Jacques Derrida, Neil Postman, and George Ritzer, we investigate how this show brings to the fore certain ontological and ethical assumptions and problems that stem from the advance of technology. We shall use the term technopolitical thinking to refer to these core assumptions and principles which are inherent in contemporary technological societies. By providing various examples from certain episodes and scenes of the show, we shall illustrate how this animated series can provide a basis for a more extensive discussion.
Laying One’s Cards on the Table: Experiencing Exile and Finding Our Feet in Moral Philosophical Encounters
Authors: Kronqvist Camilla , Elgabsi Natan
Published: December 2021

Engaging with the philosophical writings of Iris Murdoch, we submit that there are difficulties associated with providing a good description of morality that are intimately connected with difficulties in understanding other human beings. We suggest three senses in which moral philosophical reflection needs to account for our understanding of others: (1) the failure to understand someone is not merely an intellectual failure, but also engages us morally; (2) the moral question of understanding is not limited to the extent to which we understand a particular person, but also presents itself in how we picture difficulties in understanding people; and (3) “philosophical pictures of morality” fundamentally shape the conceptual framework we use to investigate morality, as well as the analysis of morality we find illuminative and satisfactory. Exploring the implications of these claims, we ask what it means to think of others as the same, or as different, from ourselves. We then consider the ethical significance of finding, or not finding, our feet in our encounters with others, dwelling on how the metaphor of movement reveals one way in which we are never at peace in the exploration of morality.
Gothic migrations: In search of the truth
Authors: Kokowski Andrzej
Published: December 2021

Gothic migrations have been repeatedly discussed by historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, and linguists, with the literature on the subject comprising over 1,400 articles and monographs. The interpretation of the notion of Goths has evolved from seeing them as a nation to a multi-ethnic formation. Archaeology therefore distinguishes four Gothic cultures: the Wielbark culture, the Masłomęcz group, the Tschernjachov culture and the Sântana de Mureş culture. DNA tests may support the thesis about multiple multiplicity. The pretext for writing this text is a publication of 2019. In part, it was based on untrue materials. Interpretation of the obtained results is in contradiction with the current state of knowledge about the chronology of the analysed materials. The conclusions of a historical nature are contrary to the entire scientific output of historians and archaeologists.
Building evidence to reduce inequities in management of pain for Indigenous Australian people
Authors: Mittinty Manasi Murthy , Hedges Joanne , Jamieson Lisa
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Pain is a universal experience which each person encounters differently, guided by the psycho-socio-environmental context in which it occurs. Although more research is underway yet very little is known about pain from Indigenous Australian perspective. Therefore, this study aims to examine, experience of pain and coping, and utility of three measures: Brief Pain Inventory short form, McGill Pain Questionnaire and Numerical rating scale, from Indigenous South Australian people perspective.

Methods

Thirteen in-person interviews were conducted which lasted around 90 min and were audio-recorded. The transcripts were coded and analysed thematically with NVivo.

Results

Six key themes were identified; 1: Spiritual conceptualisation of pain; 2: Frequent experience of trauma and injury; 3: Influence of familial history of pain; 4: Acceptance of pain as normal; 5: Outlook on biomedical management of pain; 6: Preference for non-pharmacological management of pain. Also, the three measures did not fully capture pain from an Indigenous Australian perspective which is more deeply rooted in a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual context which is cardinal to conceptualization of health and wellbeing in Indigenous Australian communities.

Conclusions

Findings highlight some commonalities as well as unique differences between Indigenous experiences of pain as compared to non-Indigenous. Factors such as spiritual connection with pain, grief and loss, history of trauma and injury, fear of addiction to pain medication and exposure to pain from early childhood had important implications for how participants viewed pain.
Natural reduction of Ukraine’s population: Regional dimensions of the national threat
Authors:   Department of Geography of Ukraine, Faculty of Geography, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine, Dnistrianskyi Myroslav , Molnár József , Chaika Iryna
Published: December 2021

A significant decline in Ukraine’s population is mainly due to its natural decrease, which began in the 1970s and 1980s in the rural areas and had been determined by the objective trends in demographic transition, the inertia effect of the demographic losses in the past and the social policy of the political regime at that time. Likewise, the social and economic crisis of the 1990s deepened the depopulation processes. In the present research, correlation analysis demonstrated a relationship between the current dimensions of natural population decline and a number of socio-demographic factors (proportion of the rural population, mean age of the population, divorce rate and the mean age at first marriage). In recent years, the effects of the demographic crisis have been particularly acute in North-eastern and Central Ukraine, due to the deepening disproportions in the age and sex structures of the population. However, in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, and in some western regions, the natural decrease in population is less acute because of more balanced social and demographic indicators. Although religious and ethnic factors contribute to some extent to greater natural population growth, especially in the western and south-western regions, their impact on the processes of population reproduction in Ukraine is generally not significant. To sum up, in order to stop natural population decline in Ukraine, it is important to ensure more favourable conditions for demographic development in the economic, social, informational and cultural spheres of society. Furthermore, in areas of acute demographic crisis, it is important to raise the issue of rural reconstruction involving a variety of organisational and economic mechanisms.
Pathways for Memory, Cognition and Emotional Context: Hippocampal, Subgenual Area 25, and Amygdalar Axons Show Unique Interactions in the Primate Thalamic Reuniens Nucleus
Authors: Joyce Mary Kate P. , Marshall Laura G. , Banik Shimrani L. , Wang Jingyi , Xiao Danqing , Bunce Jamie G. , Barbas Helen
Published: December 2021

The reuniens nucleus (RE) is situated at the most ventral position of the midline thalamus. In rats and mice RE is distinguished by bidirectional connections with the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and a role in memory and cognition. In primates, many foundational questions pertaining to RE remain unresolved. We addressed these issues by investigating the composition of the rhesus monkey RE in both sexes by labeling for GABA, a marker of inhibitory neurons, and for the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin (PV), calbindin (CB), and calretinin (CR), which label thalamic excitatory neurons that project to cortex. As in rats and mice, the macaque RE was mostly populated by CB and CR neurons, characteristic of matrix-dominant nuclei, and had bidirectional connections with hippocampus and mPFC area 25 (A25). Unlike rodents, we found GABAergic neurons in the monkey RE and a sparser but consistent population of core-associated thalamocortical PV neurons. RE had stronger connections with the basal amygdalar complex than in rats or mice. Amygdalar terminations were enriched with mitochondria and frequently formed successive synapses with the same postsynaptic structures, suggesting an active and robust pathway to RE. Significantly, hippocampal pathways formed multisynaptic complexes that uniquely involved excitatory projection neurons and dendrites of local inhibitory neurons in RE, extending this synaptic principle beyond sensory to high-order thalamic nuclei. Convergent pathways from hippocampus, A25, and amygdala in RE position it to flexibly coordinate activity for memory, cognition, and emotional context, which are disrupted in several psychiatric and neurologic diseases in humans.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe primate RE is a central node for memory and cognition through connections with the hippocampus and mPFC. As in rats or mice, the primate RE is a matrix-dominant thalamic nucleus, suggesting signal traffic to the upper cortical layers. Unlike rats or mice, the primate RE contains inhibitory neurons, synaptic specializations with the hippocampal pathway, and robust connections with the amygdala, suggesting unique adaptations. Convergence of hippocampal, mPFC, and amygdalar pathways in RE may help unravel a circuit basis for binding diverse signals for conscious flexible behaviors and the synthesis of memory with affective significance in primates, whereas disruption of distinct circuit nodes may occur in psychiatric disorders in humans.
Virtually Gendered: Materiality and Interface Design on Transnational Social Media
Authors: Kraemer Jordan
Published: December 2021

Feminist theorists have long critiqued the conceptual binaries that underpin western thought as mapping to gender. In the late 20th century, digital technologies seemed poised to rework the boundaries of divides such as public and private, self and Other, masculine and feminine, or virtual and real. Drawing on posthumanist, transfeminist, and new materialist approaches in feminist thought, I analyze digital media interfaces as material sites of enacting and producing gender. In my fieldwork with young, mobile, urban cosmopolitans in early 2000s Berlin, many contested conventional gender, in ways tied to class status, even as they navigated implicit understandings of gender in interface design. I argue that these technologies must be analyzed as material interfaces or surfaces through which gender is constructed discursively and materially. Feminist technology and design scholars ask how new technologies and interfaces can support alternative, non-hegemonic enactments of gendered selfhood, as a means to challenge and rework how gender is constructed in and through sociotechnical systems. But such interventions require asking what exactly gender is online, as a virtual practice that combines the material with the informational in new ways.
Reordenando el orden. El reformismo económico del Duque de la Palata (1681-1689)
Authors: Palza Becerra Héctor
Published: December 2021

El dominio español sobre el virreinato peruano experimentó durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVII un declive que trató de ser subsanado. En este contexto, se le encargó al virrey Duque de la Palata desarrollar un plan de acción para apuntalar el sistema de control colonial. En el presente artículo se busca, por un lado, dar a conocer esta actuación, focalizada en el restablecimiento del eje económico vertebrador de la economía colonial y, por otro lado, evidenciar la oposición de los grupos de poder local en el Perú que eran contrarios a las reformas implementadas por este virrey. Esta confrontación dio como resultado el fracaso de dichas reformas, debido a que el desarrollo de los ejes económicos regionales había logrado dañar irreversiblemente al circuito oficial.
Aproximación etnográfica al cambio climático, sistemas rituales y experiencias locales en los Andes
Authors: Suárez Rojas Luis Alberto , Arroyo Aguilar Sabino
Published: December 2021

En este artículo analizamos la literatura disponible sobre el papel de las montañas sagradas, el cambio climático y la antropología. Exponemos algunos ejercicios etnográficos sobre este proceso de alcance global con referencias al Perú y otras partes del mundo. A partir de este contexto, ofrecemos una aproximación etnográfica de la relación entre las montañas sagradas, el cambio climático y los sistemas rituales ligados a los apus en la región de Apurímac, con el propósito de acercarnos a la experiencia local del cambio climático. Los datos etnográficos fueron recogidos durante un trabajo de campo en el distrito de Anccohuayllo, provincia de Chincheros, Apurímac, realizado en el 2019.
Desde las prácticas ecológicas y familiares hacia una economía social y solidaria. La experiencia de la Asociación de Productores Ecológicos del Valle del Chillón
Authors: Pereda Anco Fabiola , Diaz León Zoila , Zamudio Ariza Alejandro
Published: December 2021

En la presente investigación se busca saber si las dinámicas de organización y producción de la Asociación de Productores Ecológicos del Valle del Chillón (APEVCH), ubicada en la cuenca baja del valle del Chillón, representan un sistema económico de tipo social y solidario. Para ello, se han realizado entrevistas principalmente a los miembros de la junta directiva, estructuradas sobre cuatro ejes. El primero es sobre la recuperación de memoria, para entender qué gestó la conformación de la APEVCH; el segundo está orientado a describir las relaciones internas para analizar la forma en la que se organizan; el tercero trata sobre las relaciones externas, que está abocado a indagar acerca de las redes con actores gubernamentales, actores locales y su despliegue económico (mercados); el cuarto, finalmente, gira en tonro al eje de las perspectivas a futuro. Todo ello para desentrañar las dinámicas que se practican en la APEVCH. De la experiencia, se pudo apreciar que se practica un modo de producción bajo nociones ecológicas, que generan prácticas orientadas principalmente a la satisfacción de las necesidades básicas de los agricultores y sus familias, mientras que el excedente de producción es orientado al comercio. A su vez, ello genera relaciones que se presentan dentro de la asociación, basadas principalmente en la solidaridad.
Dispersion and Stratification Dynamics in the Upper Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel
Authors:   US Geological Survey, Lenoch Leah , Stumpner Paul ,   US Geological Survey, Burau Jon ,   US Geological Survey, Loken Luke ,   US Geological Survey, Sadro Steve ,   University of California, Davis
Published: December 2021

Hydrodynamics control the movement of water and material within and among habitats, where time-scales of mixing can exert bottom-up regulatory effects on aquatic ecosystems through their influence on primary production. The San Francisco Estuary (estuary) is a low-productivity ecosystem, which is in part responsible for constraining higher trophic levels, including fishes. Many research and habitat-restoration efforts trying to increase primary production have been conducted, including, as described here, a whole-ecosystem nutrient addition experiment where calcium nitrate was applied in the Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel (DWSC) to see if phytoplankton production could be increased and exported out of the DWSC. As an integral part of this experiment, we investigated the physical mechanisms that control mixing, and how these mechanisms affect the strength and duration of thermal stratification, which we revealed as critical for controlling phytoplankton dynamics in the relatively turbid upper DWSC. Analysis of a suite of mixing mechanisms and time-scales show that both tidal currents and wind control mixing rates and stratification dynamics in the DWSC. Longitudinal and vertical dispersion increased during periods of high wind, during which wind speed influenced dispersion more than tidal currents. Thermal stratification developed most days, which slowed vertical mixing but was rapidly broken down by wind-induced mixing. Stratification rarely persisted for longer than 24 hours, limiting phytoplankton production in the study area. The interaction between physical mechanisms that control mixing rates, mediate stratification dynamics, and ultimately limit primary production in the DWSC may be useful in informing habitat restoration elsewhere in the Delta and in other turbid aquatic environments.