bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate, vegetation and fire history during the past 18,000 years, recorded in high altitude lacustrine sediments on the Sanetti Plateau, Bale Mountains (Ethiopia)
Authors: Mekonnen Betelhem , Glaser Bruno , Zech Roland , Zech Michael , Schlütz Frank , Bussert Robert , Addis Agerie , Gil-Romera Graciela , Nemomissa Sileshi , Bekele Tamrat , Bittner Lucas , Solomon Dawit , Manhart Andreas , Zech Wolfgang
Published: February 2022

Low-altitude lakes in eastern Africa have long been investigated and have provided valuable information about the Late Quaternary paleohydrological evolution, such as the African Humid Period. However, records often suffer from poor age control, resolution, and/or ambiguous proxy interpretation, and only little focus has been put on high-altitude regions despite their sensitivity to global, regional, and local climate change phenomena. Here we report on Last Glacial environmental fluctuations at about 4000 m asl on the Sanetti Plateau in the Bale Mountains (SE Ethiopia), based on biogeochemical and palynological analyses of laminated lacustrine sediments. After deglaciation at about 18 cal kyr BP, a steppe-like herb-rich grassland with maximum Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Plantago existed. Between 16.6 and 15.7 cal kyr BP, conditions were dry with a desiccation layer at ~ 16.3 cal kyr BP, documenting a temporary phase of maximum aridity on the plateau. While that local event lasted for only a few decades, concentrations of various elements (e.g. Zr, HF, Nb, Nd, and Na) started to increase and reached a maximum at ~ 15.8–15.7 cal kyr BP. We interpret those elements to reflect allochthonous, aeolian dust input via dry northerly winds and increasingly arid conditions in the lowlands. We suggest an abrupt versus delayed response at high and low altitudes, respectively, in response to Northern Hemispheric cooling events (the Heinrich Event 1). The delayed response at low altitudes might be caused by slow negative vegetation and monsoon feedbacks that make the ecosystem somewhat resilient. At ~ 15.7 cal kyr BP, our record shows an abrupt onset of the African Humid Period, almost 1000 years before the onset of the Bølling–Allerød warming in the North-Atlantic region, and about 300 years earlier than in the Lake Tana region. Erica pollen increased significantly between 14.4 and 13.6 cal kyr BP in agreement with periodically wet and regionally warm conditions. Similarly, intense fire events, documented by increased black carbon, correlate with wet and warm environmental conditions that promote the growth of Erica shrubs. This allows to conclude that biomass and thus fuel availability is one important factor controlling fire events in the Bale Mountains.
Exophytic pancreatic lymphoepithelial cyst incidentally detected in a differentiated thyroid cancer patient on whole-body I-131 scan: a case report
Authors: Murokawa Takahiro , Okabayashi Takehiro , Oishi Kazuyuki , Sui Kenta , Tabuchi Motoyasu , Iwata Jun
Published: February 2022

Background

Radioiodine (I-131) whole-body scintigraphy (WBS) is a useful modality for identifying functionally preserved thyroid tissue and metastases from differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC); however, the specificity of I-131 uptake is limited, and its accumulation in the pancreas has not been well described.

Case presentation

A 70-year-old male patient with DTC who had previously undergone total thyroidectomy (pT3N1bM0 Stage IV) received radioiodine treatment at our facility. After treatment, an I-131 WBS revealed abnormal I-131 uptake in the head of the pancreas. Computed tomography identified a round hypodense mass (10 × 20 mm) adjacent to the pancreas head that was impervious to fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) during subsequent 18F-FDG-positron emission tomography. A diagnosis of pancreatic metastasis from the DTC could not be excluded; therefore, local resection was performed for diagnostic certainty and treatment. Histopathology confirmed the mass to be an exophytic lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) of the pancreas. The patient also had a transient pancreatic leak which spontaneously resolved after surgery, and he was discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 8.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an exophytic pancreatic LEC producing a false-positive result during I-131 WBS. Knowledge of all potential I-131 false-positive findings may help improve the management of patients with DTC and circumvent misdiagnoses.
The simultaneous crises of dengue and COVID-19 in Pakistan: a double hazard for the country’s debilitated healthcare system
Authors: Khatri Govinda , Hasan Mohammad Mehedi , Shaikh Somina , Mir Syeda Lamiya , Sahito Abdul Moiz , Priya  , Rocha Ian Christopher N. , Elmahi Osman Kamal Osman
Published: February 2022

Dengue fever is an arthropod-borne viral illness caused by four dengue virus serotypes (DENV 1–4), spread by Aedes mosquitos. Common symptoms of dengue include high peak temperature, headache, myalgia, and malaise following infection, with a rash emerging after 3 to 4 days. More than half of the world's population lives in dengue-endemic areas. Every year, around 100 million dengue cases are reported, with Southeast Asia comprising the majority. Nearly every day, there is a breakout of dengue infections in many areas of Pakistan, in addition to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, combating the dual burden of dengue and COVID-19 is difficult for the nation's healthcare system. Misdiagnosis owing to overlapping symptoms with COVID-19, overburdening of the healthcare system, and a lack of appropriate vaccination are some of the obstacles for dengue infection management. The government of Pakistan is pursuing a variety of measures to combat dengue fever outbreaks, including, The Pakistan Red Crescent Society was asked by the Department of Malaria Control Program to aid in promoting awareness and organizing clean-up campaigns in polluted regions and stagnant water for vector control.
Variation in physico-chemical, organoleptic and microbial qualities of intermediate moisture pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) slices during storage
Authors: Gomez Saji , Kuruvila Bintu , Maneesha P. K. , Joseph Meagle
Published: February 2022

Pineapple is a commercial tropical fruit ranking sixth in global fruit production. Seasonal market gluts result in huge postharvest losses in all pineapple-growing nations. To reduce postharvest losses of fruits, viable, cost-effective and market-oriented value-added products are needed urgently. The present study was carried out to determine the suitability of two commercial varieties, Kew and Mauritius, for the development of intermediate moisture (IM) fruits and to evaluate product quality during storage. Pineapple slices were steam blanched for 2 min, followed by immersion in osmotic solution containing sucrose and sorbitol (fruit: solution ratio of 1:4), in combination with 0.5% ascorbic acid and 0.25% potassium metabisulfite, for 6 h and were subsequently dehydrated in a tray drier at 50 °C until the moisture content of the product attained equilibrium. The initial moisture contents of IM Kew and Mauritius pineapple slices were 26.53 and 21.65 g/100 g, respectively, while the water activity ranged between 0.671 and 0.666. The L* and b* values showed a decreasing trend, while a* value increased throughout storage, irrespective of variety and storage conditions. The initial TSS of IM pineapple from both varieties was 72 0 Brix, which declined during storage. Though titratable acidity of the product decreased during storage, the decline was insignificant. The total carotenoids of the product from Mauritius was significantly higher (0.809 mg 100 g− 1) compared to the one from Kew (0.215 mg 100 g− 1). Total phenolics contents in IM slices showed an increasing trend during storage, irrespective of varieties and storage conditions. IM pineapple slices from the variety Mauritius had significantly higher flavonoids (40.50 mg) than the product from Kew (30.0 mg 100 g− 1). DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest (3.0 μl ml− 1) in IM slices from the variety Mauritius as compared to those from Kew (5.0 μl ml− 1). IM pineapple from Mauritius recorded higher organoleptic scores throughout storage. Fungi were not detected in any of the samples throughout the storage period while the population of bacteria and yeast was negligible.

Graphical abstract
The Efficacy, Safety, and Pharmacology of a Ghrelin O-Acyltransferase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome
Authors: Miller Jennifer L , Lacroix André , Bird Lynne M , Shoemaker Ashley H , Haqq Andrea , Deal Cheri L , Clark Kristie A , Ames Michael H , Suico Jeffrey G , de la Peña Amparo , Fortier Caroline
Published: February 2022

Context

Acylated ghrelin (AG) stimulates appetite and is elevated compared to its unacylated (UAG) counterpart in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). GLWL-01 is a selective, reversible inhibitor of ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT), the enzyme that converts UAG into AG.

Objective

This work aimed to assess the efficacy, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of GLWL-01 in the treatment of PWS patients.

Methods

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 crossover study was conducted with 2 active treatment periods of 28 days in 19 patients (aged 16-65 years; body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28) with genetically confirmed PWS. The study took place in 7 hospital-based study centers in the United States and Canada. Patients received placebo or GLWL-01 (450 mg twice daily) orally after lead-in placebo and washout periods. The Hyperphagia Questionnaire for Clinical Trials and Caregiver Global Impression of Change were used to measure reductions in hyperphagia. Plasma concentrations of AG and UAG were evaluated as correlates.

Results

Treatment resulted in statistically significant differences compared to placebo in plasma AG (P = .0002), UAG (P = .0488), and AG/UAG (P = .0003). GLWL-01 did not statistically significantly reduce hyperphagia-related behavior or bring about changes in global clinical end points, as assessed by caregivers. Anthropometric and clinical parameters correlated with obesity did not statistically significantly change in response to treatment. Less than half of patients reported a treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). No deaths, serious adverse events, or severe TEAEs were reported.

Conclusion

GLWL-01 is safe and well tolerated. Pharmacological parameters confirmed the inhibition of GOAT following administration of GLWL-01. Patients’ eating behaviors, BMI, blood glucose, and total cholesterol, among other similar measures, were not modified.
Hyperglucagonemia in Pediatric Adiposity Associates With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors but Not Hyperglycemia
Authors: Stinson Sara E , Jonsson Anna E , de Retana Alzola Ierai Fernández , Lund Morten A V , Frithioff-Bøjsøe Christine , Aas Holm Louise , Fonvig Cilius E , Pedersen Oluf , Ängquist Lars , Sørensen Thorkild I A , Holst Jens J , Christiansen Michael , Holm Jens-Christian , Hartmann Bolette , Hansen Torben
Published: February 2022

Context

In adults, hyperglucagonemia is associated with type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, and obesity. The role of glucagon in pediatric overweight/obesity remains unclear.

Objective

We examined whether fasting concentrations of glucagon are elevated in youth with overweight/obesity and whether this associates with cardiometabolic risk profiles.

Methods

Analyses were based on the cross-sectional HOLBAEK study, including children and adolescents 6 to 19 years of age, with overweight/obesity from an obesity clinic group (n = 2154) and with normal weight from a population-based group (n = 1858). Fasting concentrations of plasma glucagon and cardiometabolic risk outcomes were assessed, and multiple linear and logistic regressions models were performed.

Results

The obesity clinic group had higher glucagon concentrations than the population-based group (P < 0.001). Glucagon positively associated with body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS), waist, body fat %, liver fat %, alanine transaminase (ALT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, insulin, C-peptide, LDL-C, triglycerides, SDS of diastolic and systolic blood pressure, and was inversely associated with fasting glucose. The inverse relationship between glucagon and glucose was attenuated in individuals with high BMI SDS and high fasting insulin. Glucagon was associated with a higher prevalence of insulin resistance, increased ALT, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, but not with hyperglycemia. Glucagon was positively associated with fasting total glucagon-like peptide-1.

Conclusion

Compared with normal weight peers, children and adolescents with overweight/obesity had elevated concentrations of fasting glucagon, which corresponded to worsened cardiometabolic risk outcomes, except for hyperglycemia. This suggests hyperglucagonemia in youth may precede impairments in glucose regulation.
Respiratory Adverse Events After LMA® Mask Removal in Children: A Randomized Trial Comparing Propofol to Sevoflurane
Authors: Karam Cynthia , Zeeni Carine , Yazbeck-Karam Vanda , Shebbo Fadia M. , Khalili Amro , Abi Raad Sarah G. , Beresian Jean , Aouad Marie T. , Kaddoum Roland
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND:

The removal of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA®) in children may be associated with respiratory adverse events. The rate of occurrence of these adverse events may be influenced by the type of anesthesia. Studies comparing total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol and sevoflurane are limited with conflicting data whether propofol is associated with a lower incidence of respiratory events upon removal of LMA as compared to induction and maintenance with sevoflurane. We hypothesized that TIVA with propofol is superior to sevoflurane in providing optimal conditions and improved patient’s safety during emergence.

METHODS:

In this prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial, children aged 6 months to 7 years old were enrolled in 1 of 2 groups: the TIVA group and the sevoflurane group. In both groups, patients were mechanically ventilated. At the end of the procedure, LMAs were removed when patients were physiologically and neurologically recovered to a degree to permit a safe, natural airway. The primary aim of this study was to compare the occurrence of at least 1 respiratory adverse event, the prevalence of individual respiratory adverse events, and the airway hyperreactivity score following emergence from anesthesia between the 2 groups. Secondary outcomes included ease of LMA insertion, quality of anesthesia during the maintenance phase, hemodynamic stability, time to LMA removal, and incidence of emergence agitation.

RESULTS:

Children receiving TIVA with propofol had a significantly lower incidence (10.8.% vs 36.2%; relative risk, 0.29; 95% CI [0.14–0.64]; P = .001) and lower severity (P = .01) of respiratory adverse outcomes compared to the patients receiving inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane. There were no statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes between the 2 groups, except for emergence agitation that occurred more frequently in patients receiving sevoflurane (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Propofol induction and maintenance exerted a protective effect on healthy children with minimal risk factors for developing perioperative respiratory complications, as compared to sevoflurane.
Nicolas Malebranche and the Physiocrats' Corporeal Critique of Commerce in 1760s France
Authors: Bryan Joseph D.
Published: February 2022

In the eighteenth century the burgeoning field of political economy incorporated an array of economic, social, moral, and historical themes. This article argues that the Physiocrats' application of Nicolas Malebranche's work reveals a critical corporeal component of political economy. The Physiocrats and Malebranche both feared the corrosive effects on the human body of unmitigated commerce and overconsumption. François Quesnay and his Physiocratic acolytes reproduced and expanded on Malebranche's argument that the cognitive faculty of the imagination could stymie epistemological processes and thus the ability to perceive what the Physiocrats understood to be the natural foundations of political economy. The expanse of Atlantic trade, the subsequent “consumer revolution,” and the growth of new social practices transformed French life and brought individual bodies into novel forms of contact. In reaction, the Physiocrats and political economists prioritized relationships between physical bodies and consumer goods.

Au XVIIIe siècle, le domaine naissant de l’économie politique a incorporé un éventail de thèmes économiques, sociaux, moraux et historiques. Cet article fera valoir que l'application par les physiocrates de l’œuvre de Nicolas Malebranche révèle une dimension corporelle de l’économie politique qui s'avère essentielle. Les physiocrates et Malebranche craignaient les effets corrosifs sur le corps humain du commerce et de la surconsommation. Quesnay et ses acolytes physiocratiques ont reproduit et élargi l'argument de Malebranche selon lequel la faculté cognitive de l'imagination pouvait entraver les processus épistémologiques et donc la capacité de percevoir ce que les physiocrates considéraient comme les fondements naturels de l’économie politique. L’étendue du commerce atlantique, la « révolution des consommateurs » qui s'en est suivie et la croissance de nouvelles pratiques sociales ont transformé la vie des Français et facilité de nouvelles formes de contact corporel. En réponse, les physiocrates et les économistes politiques ont donné la priorité aux relations entre les corps physiques et les biens de consommation.
American Indians for Saint-Domingue?
Authors: Jansen Jan C.
Published: February 2022

The article examines plans for a military reconquest of Haiti and uses them as a lens to explore broader connections between exile, diplomacy, violence, and geopolitics in the wake of Haiti's independence. It retraces the networks and core elements shaping a plan involving Louis Marie Turreau de Garambouville, infamous veteran of the War in the Vendée and then French ambassador to the United States, as well as refugees from Saint-Domingue and Native Americans. On the one hand, the plan attests to the interconnections of the French and Haitian Revolutions with regard to the circulation of concepts of irregular warfare. On the other hand, the links between a veteran of the Revolutionary Wars, “counterrevolutionary” exiles, and Native Americans serve as a window onto the complex and messy realities of diplomacy in the rapidly shifting and uncertain geopolitical setting of the Americas in the midst of the Age of Revolutions.

Cet article étudie des projets de reconquête d'Haïti au milieu des années 1800, les prenant comme point de départ pour explorer les rapports entre exil, diplomatie, violence et géopolitique au lendemain de l'indépendance. Il retrace les réseaux sociaux et les éléments-clefs d'un plan de reconquête impliquant à la fois Turreau de Garambouville, célèbre général de la guerre de la Vendée, puis ambassadeur de France aux Etats-Unis, des réfugiés de Saint-Domingue et des groupes amérindiens. Cette étude de cas permet de démontrer, d'une part, la circulation des concepts de guerre irrégulière entre les révolutions en France et en Haïti ; de l'autre, la mise en évidence des interactions entre un ancien combattant des guerres révolutionnaires, des exilés « contre-révolutionnaires », ainsi que des Amérindiens, permet d'analyser les réalités diplomatiques complexes et des alliances surprenantes dans le contexte géopolitique incertain et changeant des Amériques au milieu de l’ère des révolutions.
Unemployment Insurance and Opioid Overdose Mortality in the United States
Authors: Wu Pinghui , Evangelist Michael
Published: February 2022

Over the past two decades, opioid overdose deaths contributed to the dramatic rise in all-cause mortality among non-Hispanic Whites. To date, efforts among scholars to understand the role of local area labor market conditions on opioid overdose mortality have led to mixed results. We argue the reason for these disparate findings is scholars have not considered the moderating effects of income support policies such as unemployment insurance. The present study leverages two sources of variation—county mass layoffs and changes in the generosity of state unemployment insurance benefits—to investigate if unemployment benefits moderate the relationship between job loss and county opioid overdose death rates. Our difference-in-differences estimation strategy reveals that the harmful effects of job loss on opioid overdose mortality decline with increasing state unemployment insurance benefit levels. These findings suggest that social policy in the form of income transfers played a crucial role in disrupting the link between job loss and opioid overdose mortality.
Myxomatosis and Radioactivity in Carlos Saura’sLa caza(The Hunt, 1966)
Authors: Varela Fernando
Published: February 2022

The myxoma virus (MYXV) was used in Australia in 1950 to control, albeit temporarily, the overpopulation of the invasive European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). A different strand of the virus was released in France two years later, resulting in the drastic decline of European rabbits in the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. The MYXV’s disease, myxomatosis, is a highly contagious and normally fatal infection in a rabbit species lacking resistance, such as the European rabbit. As myxomatosis was spreading across the European continent, Spain started to invest in nuclear energy. The use of myxomatosis as a bioweapon and the creation of nuclear energy capable of radioactive pollution are also at the core of Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura’s La caza (The Hunt, 1966). This article argues that The Hunt provides an important examination on extinction and biopolitics at both local and global levels through its portrayal of myxomatosis and radioactivity.
Student Engagement and Environmental Awareness
Authors: Barrón Nancy G. , Gruber Sibylle , Huffman Gavin
Published: February 2022

This article collaboration addresses the importance of contextualizing current climate change discussions in twenty-first-century ecocomposition classrooms. It specifically focuses on the practical significance of what students’ writing and research can accomplish in and outside the classroom, and on how student involvement in the research process can create spaces for new awareness and renewed interest in active engagement with climate change discussions. The article references student projects exhibited at ClimateCon 2020, including one project that focused on Rachel Carson’s ability to persevere despite the many challenges she faced. With ecocomposition as an entry point, the article shows the importance of continued education about the environment and climate change, getting involved with sustainable practices, engaging with environmental awareness campaigns, and, when needed, lobbying for readjusting corporate business practices to include sustainability efforts.
Impact of natural and artificial prenatal stimulation on the behavioural profile of Japanese quail
Authors: Mezrai Nawel , Houdelier Cécilia , Bertin Aline , Calandreau Ludovic , Arnould Cécile , Darmaillacq Anne-Sophie , Dickel Ludovic , Lumineau Sophie
Published: February 2022

As the sensory systems of vertebrates develop prenatally, embryos perceive many environmental stimuli that can influence the ontogeny of their behaviour. Whether the nature and intensity of prenatal stimuli affect this ontogeny differently remains to be investigated. In this context, this study aimed to analyse the effects of prenatal auditory stimulation (natural stimulation, NS; predator vocalisations or artificial stimulation, AS; metallic sounds) on the subsequent behaviour of young Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). For this, behavioural variables recorded during ethological tests evaluating emotional and social reactivity were analysed using a principal component analysis. This analysis revealed significant differences between the behavioural profile of stimulated chicks and that of non-exposed chicks. Indeed, chicks exposed to NS expressed more intense emotional responses in fearful situations, but less neophobia when exposed to a novel environment or object, whereas chicks exposed to AS appeared more sensitive to social isolation. Our results show that the acoustic environment of embryos can influence the way young birds subsequently interact with their social and physical environment after hatching, and face challenges in changing living conditions.
Aligned Macroporous Monoliths by Ice-Templating
Authors: Pan Zheng-Ze , Lv Wei , Yang Quan-Hong , Nishihara Hirotomo
Published: February 2022

The ice-templating (IT) approach has become a popular way to prepare macroporous monoliths due to environmental friendliness and low cost, as well as the controllability of the macroporosity and exterior structures. In particular, a directional freezing process induces the formation of aligned ice-crystals that afford a brand-new material genre: aligned macroporous monoliths (AMMs). This short review gives an overview of the IT technique and the preparation of AMMs, with a subsequent unfolding of two representative AMMs, i.e., aligned micro-honeycomb monoliths and aligned micro-lamellar monoliths. These AMMs are characterized with their structural anisotropy and regularity, which imparts potentials towards various applications. We particularly highlighted the utilization of these AMMs in the context of thermal insulation, filtration, energy storage and structural engineering. Finally, future directions within this research field are also discussed.
Immigration and Entrepreneurship in the United States
Authors: Azoulay Pierre , Jones Benjamin F. , Kim J. Daniel , Miranda Javier
Published: February 2022

Immigrants can expand labor supply and compete for jobs with native-born workers. But immigrants may also start new firms, expanding labor demand. This paper uses US administrative data and other data sources to study the role of immigrants in entrepreneurship. We ask how often immigrants start companies, how many jobs these firms create, and how firms founded by native-born individuals compare. A simple model provides a measurement framework for addressing the dual roles of immigrants as founders and workers. The findings suggest that immigrants act more as “job creators” than “job takers” and play outsized roles in US high-growth entrepreneurship. (JEL J15, J22, J23, J61, L26, M13)
Οι κήποι στον ελλαδικό χώρο από την ύστερη κλασική περίοδο έως την ύστερη αρχαιότητα
Authors: Παπαγεωργίου Αγγελική
Published: February 2022

Το αντικείμενο μελέτης της παρούσας διατριβής είναι οι κήποι στον ελλαδικό χώρο από την ύστερη κλασική εποχή έως την ύστερη αρχαιότητα (4ος αιώνας π.Χ. - 4ος αιώνας μ.Χ.). Στόχος της διατριβής είναι να συμβάλλει στη συγκέντρωση όλων των διάσπαρτα σωζόμενων δεδομένων, με σκοπό την λεπτομερή καταγραφή και σύνθεση τους, ούτως ώστε να διασαφηνιστεί το φαινόμενο των κήπων και των σχεδιαστικά επιμελημένων δενδροφυτεύσεων, η οριοθέτηση και η διασπορά τους στον ελλαδικό χώρο καθώς και οι προεκτάσεις τους. Η προς εξέταση περίοδος καθορίστηκε αποσκοπώντας στην παρακολούθηση της εξελικτικής πορείας των κήπων, πάντοτε εν συναρτήσει με τις μεταβολές στα στενά κοινωνικά, θρησκευτικά, πολιτικά και ιστορικά πλαίσια. Ο βασικός άξονας της κατηγοριοποίησης του υλικού αφορά την κύρια ταυτότητα των χώρων. δημόσιοι, ιδιωτικοί, ιεροί, ταφικοί, παραγωγικοί, οικιστικό περιβάλλον.Εν συνεχεία, καλύπτονται περαιτέρω πεδία, όπως η χρηστικότητα και η λειτουργία των κήπων. Μέσω της συγκρότησης των επιμέρους στοιχείων προκύπτει μία ενδεικτική τυπολογία και καθορίζεται η μορφολογία τους, ενώ παράλληλα κατανοούμε τις παραμέτρους που οδήγησαν στη δημιουργία και την εξέλιξη του φαινομένου, αλλά και τη σύνδεση του με το κοινωνικό γίγνεσθαι. Καταληκτικά, μέσω της παράθεσης και ανάλυσης όλων των δεδομένων και εν τέλει μέσω των συμπερασμάτων προσφέρεται μία διεισδυτική ματιά στην ταυτότητα, τη συνεπή πορεία και τη διαρκή εξέλιξη των κήπων στον ελλαδικό χώρο.
Revealing the extent of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya based on serological and PCR-test data
Authors: Ojal John , Brand Samuel P. C. , Were Vincent , Okiro Emelda A. , Kombe Ivy K. , Mburu Caroline , Aziza Rabia , Ogero Morris , Agweyu Ambrose , Warimwe George M. , Uyoga Sophie , Adetifa Ifedayo M. O. , Scott J. Anthony G. , Otieno Edward , Ochola-Oyier Lynette I. , Agoti Charles N. , Kasera Kadondi , Amoth Patrick , Mwangangi Mercy , Aman Rashid , Ng’ang’a Wangari , Tsofa Benjamin , Bejon Philip , Barasa Edwine , Keeling Matt J. , Nokes D. James
Published: February 2022

Policymakers in Africa need robust estimates of the current and future spread of SARS-CoV-2. We used national surveillance PCR test, serological survey and mobility data to develop and fit a county-specific transmission model for Kenya up to the end of September 2020, which encompasses the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the country. We estimate that the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic peaked before the end of July 2020 in the major urban counties, with 30-50% of residents infected. Our analysis suggests, first, that the reported low COVID-19 disease burden in Kenya cannot be explained solely by limited spread of the virus, and second, that a 30-50% attack rate was not sufficient to avoid a further wave of transmission.
Does a visit to a blue-green space evoke positive feelings? Blue and green spaces survey in Shkodra’ Lake, Albania.
Authors: Brace Olta , Kruja Samel
Published: February 2022

People living in urban areas must face several challenges to improve their health and well-being. The purpose of this research is to further explore how the use of urban blue and green spaces is related to the people’s mood feelings when visiting these spaces. A cross-sectional study is carried out with an adult sample population in Albania with people between 16-74 years old by an online survey. Respondents have been asked to complete the survey via the platform Google Form, from April to May 2021. The questionnaire included questions related to socio-economic characteristics, urban green and blue spaces (GBS), and self-reported feelings information. After the validation and cleaning process, a representative sample (95% level of confidence) of 530 respondents was obtained. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze indicators such as (1) sociodemographic characteristics; (2) frequency of visits in GBS in the last 4 weeks; (3) time spending during the visit; (4) activities carried out during the visit; (5) type of accompaniment; (6) the reason for not visiting GBS and the quality of GBS. The SPSS software platform was used for the statistical analyses. The frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation calculations were used to calculate data from the sample. The Chi-square test was used to examine the relationship between the frequency of visits in blue space and the people’ mood. The study shows a significant relationship among the frequency of visits of blue and green spaces and positive mood feelings.
Políticas públicas ambientales y desarrollo turístico sostenible en las áreas protegidas de Ecuador.
Authors: Mendoza-Montesdeoca Iván , Rivera-Mateos Manuel , Doumet-Chilán Neme Yamil
Published: February 2022

Análisis crítico de las políticas públicas de conservación, gestión ambiental y desarrollo turístico en los espacios naturales protegidos de Ecuador para detectar sus disfunciones, contradicciones y problemas de aplicabilidad. Se utiliza una metodología de investigación predominantemente exploratoria y con enfoque descriptivo-analítico a la hora de estudiar y sistematizar las distintas normativas, acciones y directrices existentes e implementadas por parte de organismos internacionales y nacionales con competencias en conservación ambiental y desarrollo sostenible, las cuales se sistematizan y analizan a través de los principales documentos de interés que recogen principios, lineamientos estratégicos y normas específicas de aplicación. Se han identificado a través de fuentes primarias y secundarias y documentación interna de diversas Administraciones los efectos e impactos más visibles que han generado estas políticas en la protección y/o valorización del patrimonio natural, así como en el desarrollo turístico compatible con la conservación de estos espacios, la generación de ingresos complementarios y la diversificación económica para las comunidades locales. Se concluye que la normativa ecuatoriana sobre conservación de áreas protegidas presenta notables puntos de colisión y falta de coherencia o coordinación con las políticas sectoriales de turismo. Esto es consecuencia de la falta de una visión estratégica y de planificación territorial como destinos turísticos sostenibles y la inexistencia de un marco de gestión, ordenación y planificación compartida y colaborativa entre los distintos agentes locales.
Tendencias de investigación en Geografía Económica. Estudio bibliométrico de la Web of Science (1920-2020).
Authors: Alonso-Logroño María Pilar , Bautista-Puig Nuria
Published: February 2022

Una de las primeras tareas para abordar cualquier trabajo académico es revisar las publicaciones llevadas a cabo sobre el tema. En este artículo se presenta una metodología que permite analizar las tendencias científicas en una disciplina a través de un análisis bibliométrico. En concreto, se examina su utilidad para estudiar los trabajos en el campo de la Geografía Económica; para ello se ha elegido como base de datos para su análisis la Web of Science (WoS). Con un conjunto de 4,307 publicaciones se analizan varios indicadores bibliométricos como la evolución de la producción científica, los agentes involucrados (países y organizaciones) y temas abordados, con el objetivo de ver la trayectoria del volumen de trabajos y las especializaciones temáticas de la Geografía Económica desde 1920 a la actualidad.
Entropy Regularization for Mean Field Games with Learning
Authors: Guo Xin , Xu Renyuan , Zariphopoulou Thaleia
Published: February 2022

Entropy regularization has been extensively adopted to improve the efficiency, the stability, and the convergence of algorithms in reinforcement learning. This paper analyzes both quantitatively and qualitatively the impact of entropy regularization for mean field games (MFGs) with learning in a finite time horizon. Our study provides a theoretical justification that entropy regularization yields time-dependent policies and, furthermore, helps stabilizing and accelerating convergence to the game equilibrium. In addition, this study leads to a policy-gradient algorithm with exploration in MFG. With this algorithm, agents are able to learn the optimal exploration scheduling, with stable and fast convergence to the game equilibrium.
Adult-onset Mild Encephalitis/Encephalopathy with a Reversible Splenial Lesion Induced by MRSA Endocarditis
Authors: Hagiya Hideharu , Otsuka Fumio
Published: February 2022

Background: Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy and a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is a clinicoradiological syndrome with an unknown pathogenic mechanism, which usually involves children. Thus, adult-onset MERS is quite rare. Case presentation: A 71-year-old man, undergoing haemodialysis due to diabetes-induced chronic kidney disease, manifested a persistent fever and disorientation. Blood culture detected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), while echocardiography revealed vegetation in the aortic and mitral valves. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed a fluid-attenuated inversion recovery-high, diffusion-weighted image-high lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum, with a number of emboli. Accordingly, the patient was diagnosed with MERS induced by MRSA endocarditis. Discussion: Neurological impairment by MERS can be reversible. However, the differential diagnosis of the disease includes ischaemic lesions, multiple sclerosis, malignant lymphoma, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and posterior reversible encephalopathy. Clinicians should consider these diseases when MERS is suspected.
Multiresistance and endemic status of Corynebacterium striatum associated with nosocomial infections: a critical situation in Intensive Care Units and varied wards of a tertiary care hospital, Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, Brazil
Authors: Silva Cecília Maria F. , Mota Higor F. , Cabra Felipe de O. , Farias Yuri V. , Dimas Stefany M. , De Santana Giorgio S. , Gusmão Letícia N. M. , Nogueira Barbara A. , Ramos Juliana N. , De Souza Mônica Cristina , Dos Santos Louisy S. , Leão Robson de S. , De Oliveira Marcus Vinícius G. , Mattos-Guaraldi Ana Luíza , De Souza Cassius
Published: February 2022

Nowadays, Corynebacterium striatum has been reported asetiologic agent of mild to severe hospital-acquired infections,including patients undergoing endotracheal intubation withfatal outcome. A continuous survey of infections due multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. striatum in South American countriesremains necessary. This retrospective and prospective studyaimed to analyze clinical-microbiological features of C. striatumclinical isolates from patients attended at a Braziliantertiary care hospital, during a nine-year period. C. striatumstrains (n=130) were isolated from infected patients attended attwenty nosocomial wards, mainly of tracheal aspirate (n=53)and blood and/or intravenous catheter (n=21/n=13). Notably,original cases of nosocomial infections due to C. striatum wereverified in children making use of invasive devices, includingone fatal neonatal case, in addition to a fatal respiratoryinfection in patient with cystic fibrosis, as well as urinarytract infections of kidney transplant recipients. Most of C.striatum strains expressed MDR profiles (88.46%). Emergenceof vancomycin (1.90%) and linezolid (7.41%) resistance wasverified among MDR and non-MDR-strains. In conclusion,endemic condition with wide dissemination among hospitalwards of varied types of infections due to MDR and non-MDRC. striatum strains expressing heterogenic virulence potentialand genetic features may occur in hospital units.
Editorial
Authors: Carrerete Fabricio Borges
Published: February 2022

In the next year, 2022, we are planning to return toour in-person activities. After a long period in remotework, this brings us great breath and hope for betterdays. Mass vaccination is a gold medal won despitemany difficulties and obscure obstacles, in oppositionto our principle of taking science above beliefs, emptyopinions, without ambiguity, and fake news.This issue of our journal crowns this hopeful returnwith interesting articles such as the epidemiologicalstudy of hypertensive elderly people, risk factors associatedwith many morbidities including respiratorysyndrome caused by viruses; association betweensmoking and COVID 19, a subject always highlightedby the current and importance of the topic; well-designedprotocols for clinical studies with vibrationexercises; infectious diseases in intensive care units, amatter of extreme relevance, given the exponentialincrease in these patients caused by the pandemic;in addition to studies in genetics and biochemistry,important analytical parameters in studies of cancerand metabolic alterations related to smoking, a greatepidemic of our times.Finally, review articles with relevant topics intropical infectious disease and cancer. We close with aclinical case to sharpen our reasoning and bring a lightand stimulating learning experience.A good read for everyone, happy 2022.
Investigation of the Initiating and Catalytic Behavior of Tri-n-butyltin(IV) n-Butoxide in Ring-Opening Polymerization of ε-Caprolactone and Transesterification of Poly(L-lactic acid)
Authors:   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Punyodom Winita ,   Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Meepowpan Puttinan ,   Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Thapsukhon Boontharika ,   Division of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand, Dumklang Manita ,   Faculty of Sciences and Agricultural Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna Tak, Tak 63000, Thailand, Limwanich Wanich ,   Faculty of Sciences and Agricultural Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Published: February 2022

T ri-n-butyltin(IV) n-butoxide (nBu3SnOnBu) was successfully synthesized and utilized as a stable and homogeneous initiator for the small-scale synthesis of biodegradable polymers in our laboratory. From our previous works, the initiating performance of nBu3SnOnBu in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic ester monomers was completely investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that nBu3SnOnBu acted as the slow initiator in the ROP of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) due to its high steric hindrance around the active center. Moreover, it could be used in the stereoselective ROP of racemic-lactide (rac-LA). The synthesized nBu3SnOnBu showed higher stereoselectivity than the conventional tin(II) octoate (Sn(Oct)2) system. In this present work, the effectiveness of nBu3SnOnBu in scaled-up (250 g) of the synthesis of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was further investigated comparing to small-scale polymerization (4 g). Furthermore, the catalytic performance of this nBu3SnOnBu in the transesterification of high molecular weight poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) was also investigated for the first time. The transesterification of PLA with 0.05 M and 0.10 M of soluble nBu3SnOnBu catalyst in CHCl3 was successfully investigated by the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) technique. It was found that the molecular weight of PLA dramatically decreased with increasing time and nBu3SnOnBu concentration. From the kinetics study, nBu3SnOnBu acted as a highly active transesterification catalyst for PLA. From a mechanistic study, the transesterification mechanism of PLA with nBu3SnOnBu catalyst was proposed through intramolecular transesterification.
Performance of Shear Wave Speed Measurements by Using Reverberant Optical Coherence Elastography
Authors:   School of Physics, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand, Kunanta Nirawit , Zvietcovich Fernando ,   Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627, New York, United States, J. Parker Kevin ,   Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627, New York, United States, P. Rolland Jannick ,   Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627, New York, United States, Meemon Panomsak ,   School of Physics, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand,   Center of Excellent in Advanced Functional Material, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, 30000 Thailand
Published: February 2022

Elasticity of biological tissue is important to understand its properties, which could play important role in medical diagnosis and treatment, especially in its early stage of pathology. Optical Coherence Elastography (OCE) has been intensively developed for mapping the elasticity contrast of various biological tissues. OCE techniques based on tracking of shear vibrational wave propagation is one of the most popular techniques. The high speed of shear wave propagation in biological media leads to challenges in both data acquisition and data processing. Recently, the concept of reverberant shear wave fi eld has been applied to OCE, called Rev3D-OCE. In this work, we experimentally investigate the performance of Rev3D-OCE to differentiate gelatin phantoms with a slight difference of elasticity. We verifi ed that Rev3D-OCE can differentiate different shear wave speeds associated with different concentrations of gelatin phantoms, where higher shear wave speed was observed in a higher concentration of the phantom as expected. The average shear wave speed of gelatin with 3 wt% and 4 wt% concentrations were measured as 1.3 ± 0.2 m/s and 1.5 ± 0.1 m/s with about 11% and 14% of errors as compared with that obtained by standard mechanical testing, respectively. In addition, the spatial resolution of Rev3D-OCE as determined from the edge response measurement at the boundary between two gelatins of 3 wt% and 4 wt% concentrations was measured to be 0.3 millimeters.
Purification of TiO2 from Leucoxene for the Synthesis of NIR-Reflective Cr-doped CaTiO3 Pigment
Authors:   Department of material technology, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand, Sinmongkolkul Kanyawee , Rakkwamsuk Pattana ,   Department of material technology, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand, Palathai Tippaban ,   Department of material technology, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand, Wattanarach Sasijuta ,   National Metal and Materials Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand, Thavorniti Parjaree ,   National Metal and Materials Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand, Supothina Sitthisuntorn ,   National Metal and Materials Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
Published: February 2022

This work aimed to explore the possibility of producing NIR-reflective pigment from Thai leucoxene which is an abundant mineral consisting of ~89 wt.% TiO2, 6 wt.% SiO2 and 5 wt.% other oxides such as Al2O3 and Fe2O3. The leucoxene was purified by selective leaching of undesired oxides with NaOH under hydrothermal condition. Effects of NaOH concentration, hydrothermal temperature and time were investigated. The results revealed that dissolutions of the SiO2 and Al2O3 increased with an increased NaOH concentration, while that of the ZrO2 and Fe2O3 remained the same, resulting in the increased TiO2 concentration. The SiO2 dissolution also increased with an increased temperature and time. The optimum leaching condition, i.e. 4 M NaOH, 180 °C and 60 min, yielded TiO2 content of 93.94 ±0.14 wt.%. The Cr-doped CaTiO3 pigments (CaCrxTi1-xO3; x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.75 and 0.1), synthesized from the purified leucoxene, CaO and Cr2O3 by solid-state reaction at 1100 °C, exhibited brown color hue and NIR reflectance in a range of 34.5−59.8% depending on the Cr content. At the Cr content of 0.05, the pigment exhibited decent brownish appearance and modest NIR reflectance of 50.7% which was close to that of the pigment synthesized from pure rutile. The glaze consisting of 10 wt.% pigment had a glossy light brown appearance, and possessed NIR reflectance of 75.0 %, indicating a promising application in a field of NIR-reflective coating.