bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laisvėjimo strategijos: lietuvių emigrantų racionalumas ir emocinės būsenos dinamika
Authors: Genys Dainius
Published: February 2021

Lietuvių laisvėjimas po Nepriklausomybės paskelbimo neišvengiamai persipynė tiek su išsivadavimu iš sovietinių traumų, tiek su įsigalinimu XXI a. modernizmo tektoninių lūžių kaleidoskope. Emigracija šiame kontekste neišvengiamai tampa rodikliu, iliustruojančiu nedidelės tautos likimą kratantis geležinės uždangos ir atsiveriant globalumo iššūkiams. Atitinkamai straipsnyje keliamas tikslas – ieškoti koreliacijų tarp asmenybės tipo, grupių racionalizacijos tipo ir emocinės dinamikos. Straipsnyje konceptualiai derinant Vytauto Kavolio modernizacijos poveikio laisvėjimui tipologiją ir racionalaus pasirinkimo teoriją, empiriškai formuojamos pagrindinės išvykstančiųjų grupės (pagal išvykimo tikslus ir požiūrio savitumus) ir nužymima kiekvienos grupės emocinės būsenos dinamika. Empirinio tyrimo pagrindas – lietuvių išeivių apklausa, atlikta 2018 m. sausį–vasarį (N = 1 500). Empirinėje straipsnio dalyje išskiriamos ir analizuojamos trys grupės: „Užsidirbti“, „Išbandyti save“ ir „Pabėgti nuo lietuviško valdymo“, konceptualiai atitinkančios V. Kavolio asmenybės (modernistinis, pogrindinis ir postmodernistinis tipai) tipologiją, tačiau turinčios pastebimų emocinės būsenos skirtumų.
Didžiosios Britanijos lietuvių organizaciniai ir informaciniai tinklai XIX a. pabaigoje – XX a. pradžioje
Authors: Navickaitė Marija
Published: February 2021

XIX a. pabaigoje suintensyvėjus lietuvių emigracijai į Vakarų Europą ir JAV, susidarė išeivijos centrai su spauda bei organizacijomis, juose buvo plėtojami ryšiai, vyko tautinio identiteto paieškos. Vienas tokių centrų – Didžioji Britanija. Dėl minimalaus aktyvių, išsilavinusių ir konsoliduoti bendruomenę galėjusių lietuvių išeivių skaičiaus ir tarpinės stotelės žymės sunkiau formavosi bendruomenės organizacinė struktūra ir informaciniai tinklai. Nepaisant to, iki Pirmojo pasaulinio karo Didžiojoje Britanijoje galėjo veikti apie 30 lietuvių draugijų, klubų ir įvairių susivienijimų. Be to, prisidėta prie bendrų lietuvių akcijų, kurių metu buvo teikiama finansinė parama ir palaikomi ryšiai su kitų kraštų lietuviais, ypač renkant paramą „Kankinių kasai“. Buvo leidžiama ir periodinė spauda. Tiriamuoju laikotarpiu buvo leidžiami 6 leidiniai Škotijoje, įvyko keli leidybiniai bandymai Londone. Šio straipsnio tikslas – pažvelgti į lietuvių išeivijos branduolį ir informacinį tinklą Didžiojoje Britanijoje XIX a. pabaigoje iki Pirmojo pasaulinio karo.
Vytautas Kavolis ir liberalusis feminizmas
Authors: Noreika Alvydas
Published: February 2021

Straipsnio tikslas – nustatyti lietuvių išeivijos atstovo Vytauto Kavolio vietą feministinio mąstymo kontekste. Siekiant šio tikslo, V. Kavolio pažiūros moteriškumo ir vyriškumo prigimčių klausimu lyginamos su liberaliajam feminizmui būdingomis nuostatomis. Teigiama, kad lietuvių išeivių mokslininko santykis su liberaliuoju feminizmu yra dvejopas. Viena vertus, jis pritaria minėto feminizmo sparno atstovių tvirtinimui, kad iš prigimties vyrai ir moterys psichologiniu aspektu nesiskiria. Antra vertus, nuo liberaliojo feminizmo V. Kavolis nutolsta įrodinėdamas, kad nors, objektyviai žiūrint, prigimtinių psichologinių skirtumų tarp moterų ir vyrų nėra, dėl socialinių sumetimų reikia tarti, kad jie egzistuoja. Straipsnyje taip pat atkreipiamas dėmesys į kavoliškosios moterų ir vyrų įvaizdžių kritikos ypatybes.
Julius Kaupas Kosto Ostrausko kūryboje
Authors: Pabarčienė Reda
Published: February 2021

Straipsnyje aptariama Juliaus Kaupo recepcija Kosto Ostrausko kūryboje, jo asmeniui ir kūrybai suteiktos prasmės. K. Ostrauskas J. Kaupui dedikavo dramas „Gyveno kartą senelis ir senelė...“ (1963–1969), „Kvartetas“ (1969), parašė draminį esė „Coppelius“ (1971), kartu su Alfonsu Nyka-Niliūnu sudarė jo „Raštus“ (1997), paskelbė atsiminimų („Julius: keli praeities nutikimai“, 2005). Dramoje „Paskutinis kvartetas ir dr. Kripštukas“ (2004) J. Kaupas kartu su Antanu Škėma, Algimantu Mackumi, Henriku Radausku veikia kaip personažas. Išeities tašku straipsnyje pasirinkta ši drama, kurios kontekstinė analizė leidžia integruoti ir kitus J. Kaupo recepcijos atvejus. J. Kaupo paveikslas K. Ostrausko kūryboje išlaiko atpažįstamus asmens ir aplinkos bruožus, bet kartu yra suabstraktinamas – paverčiamas kauke, teatriniu vaidmeniu ir susiejamas su abiem autoriams svarbiomis kultūros istorijos, filosofijos, estetikos temomis.
Lietuva Urugvajuje: Alfredo Stanevičiaus ir Vytauto Dorelio biografijos
Authors: Jonušytė Vaida
Published: February 2021

Lietuvos literatūros ir meno archyvo ekspedicijos į Pietų Ameriką metu buvo surinkta ir į Lietuvą pargabenta daugiau nei 3 tūkst. vienetų archyvinės medžiagos. Tai – išskirtinė istorinė medžiaga, surinkta ir saugota pavienių Urugvajaus lietuvių bendruomenės narių, o vėliau perduota Lietuvos literatūros ir meno archyvui. Šiuo metu tvarkomą bendruomenės fondą sudaro įvairūs jos narių veiklos dokumentai: nuotraukos, laiškai, periodinė spauda, informaciniai leidiniai, datuojami 1928–2019 m. Iki šių dienų veikianti, nors ir sparčiai nykstanti Urugvajaus lietuvių bendruomenė susibūrė dar XX a. 3 dešimtmetyje. Didžiausia dalis bendruomenės yra įsikūrusi Urugvajaus sostinės Montevidėjo Sero rajone. Įvairiais šaltiniais remiantis, skaičiuojama, kad iki Antrojo pasaulinio karo čia galėjo gyventi nuo 6 iki 10 tūkst. lietuvių1. Nepaisant plačios bendruomenės veiklos – koncertų, susitikimų, pasirodymų JAV, Argentinoje, Brazilijoje, Urugvajaus lietuvių bendruomenės bei pavienių jos narių gyvenimas ir kultūrinė veikla vis dar mažai tyrinėta. Tyrimo tikslas – išanalizuoti Urugvajaus lietuvių bendruomenės Lietuvai perduotą dokumentinę medžiagą, saugomą Lietuvos literatūros ir meno archyve, ir papildyti iki šiol turimą informaciją apie du bendruomenei svarbius veikėjus – grafiką, skulptorių dr. Alfredo’ą Stanevičių ir audėją, muziką Vytautą Dorelį. Šios dvi asmenybės, kaip teigia bendruomenės nariai, buvo itin svarbios kuriant ir saugant lietuviškąją savimonę ir puoselėjant lietuviškąją tapatybę Urugvajuje, tad jų biografijų papildymas galėtų padėti pagrindą tolesniems lietuvių išeivijos Pietų Amerikoje tyrinėjimams.
'COMeIN' crece y se multiplica
Authors: Lalueza Ferran
Published: February 2021

Desde su nacimiento en 2011, la revista COMeIN no ha parado de crecer: el año pasado se superaron las 14.600 visitas mensuales (con más de 12.300 visitantes únicos), se rozaron las 18.000 páginas vistas también en un mes y se rebasaron las 500 suscripciones. Ahora, además, la revista acaba de dar a luz a su primogénito: el libro recopilatorio Profesionales de la información y la comunicación. Lo que hacemos y lo que haremos (Editorial UOC).
EKLF/KLF1 expression defines a unique macrophage subset during mouse erythropoiesis
Authors: Mukherjee Kaustav , Xue Li , Planutis Antanas , Gnanapragasam Merlin Nithya , Chess Andrew , Bieker James J
Published: February 2021

Erythroblastic islands are a specialized niche that contain a central macrophage surrounded by erythroid cells at various stages of maturation. However, identifying the precise genetic and transcriptional control mechanisms in the island macrophage remains difficult due to macrophage heterogeneity. Using unbiased global sequencing and directed genetic approaches focused on early mammalian development, we find that fetal liver macrophages exhibit a unique expression signature that differentiates them from erythroid and adult macrophage cells. The importance of erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF)/KLF1 in this identity is shown by expression analyses in EKLF-/- and in EKLF-marked macrophage cells. Single-cell sequence analysis simplifies heterogeneity and identifies clusters of genes important for EKLF-dependent macrophage function and novel cell surface biomarkers. Remarkably, this singular set of macrophage island cells appears transiently during embryogenesis. Together, these studies provide a detailed perspective on the importance of EKLF in the establishment of the dynamic gene expression network within erythroblastic islands in the developing embryo and provide the means for their efficient isolation.
The allosteric modulation of complement C5 by knob domain peptides
Authors: Macpherson Alex , Laabei Maisem , Ahdash Zainab , Graewert Melissa A , Birtley James R , Schulze Monika-Sarah ED , Crennell Susan , Robinson Sarah A , Holmes Ben , Oleinikovas Vladas , Nilsson Per H , Snowden James , Ellis Victoria , Mollnes Tom Eirik , Deane Charlotte M , Svergun Dmitri , Lawson Alastair DG , van den Elsen Jean MH
Published: February 2021

Bovines have evolved a subset of antibodies with ultra-long heavy chain complementarity determining regions that harbour cysteine-rich knob domains. To produce high-affinity peptides, we previously isolated autonomous 3–6 kDa knob domains from bovine antibodies. Here, we show that binding of four knob domain peptides elicits a range of effects on the clinically validated drug target complement C5. Allosteric mechanisms predominated, with one peptide selectively inhibiting C5 cleavage by the alternative pathway C5 convertase, revealing a targetable mechanistic difference between the classical and alternative pathway C5 convertases. Taking a hybrid biophysical approach, we present C5-knob domain co-crystal structures and, by solution methods, observed allosteric effects propagating >50 Å from the binding sites. This study expands the therapeutic scope of C5, presents new inhibitors, and introduces knob domains as new, low molecular weight antibody fragments, with therapeutic potential.
Using natural history collections to investigate changes in pangolin (Pholidota: Manidae) geographic ranges through time
Authors: Buckingham Emily , Curry Jake , Emogor Charles , Tomsett Louise , Cooper Natalie
Published: February 2021

Pangolins, often considered the world’s most trafficked wild mammals, have continued to experience rapid declines across Asia and Africa. All eight species are classed as either Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Alongside habitat loss, they are threatened mainly by poaching and/or legal hunting to meet the growing consumer demand for their meat and keratinous scales. Species threat assessments heavily rely on changes in species distributions which are usually expensive and difficult to monitor, especially for rare and cryptic species like pangolins. Furthermore, recent assessments of the threats to pangolins focus on characterising their trade using seizure data which provide limited insights into the true extent of global pangolin declines. As the consequences of habitat modifications and poaching/hunting on species continues to become apparent, it is crucial that we frequently update our understanding of how species distributions change through time to allow effective identification of geographic regions that are in need of urgent conservation actions. Here we show how georeferencing pangolin specimens from natural history collections can reveal how their distributions are changing over time, by comparing overlap between specimen localities and current area of habitat maps derived from IUCN range maps. We found significant correlations in percentage area overlap between species, continent, IUCN Red List status and collection year, but not ecology (terrestrial or arboreal/semi-arboreal). Human population density (widely considered to be an indication of trafficking pressure) and changes in primary forest cover, were weakly correlated with percentage overlap. Our results do not suggest a single mechanism for differences among historical distributions and present-day ranges, but rather show that multiple explanatory factors must be considered when researching pangolin population declines as variations among species influence range fluctuations. We also demonstrate how natural history collections can provide temporal information on distributions and discuss the limitations of collecting and using historical data.
Arousal modulates the motor interference effect stimulated by pictures of threatening animals
Authors: Cao Gai , Liu Peng
Published: February 2021

Previous research related to the motor interference effect from dangerous objects indicated that delayed responses to dangerous objects were associated with more positive parietal P3 amplitudes, suggesting that great attentional resources were allocated to evaluate the level of danger (i.e., negative valence). However, arousal covaried with valence in this research. Together with previous studies in which the P3 amplitude was found to be increased along with a higher arousal level in the parietal lobe, we raised the issue that more positive parietal P3 amplitudes might also be affected by a high arousal level. To clarify whether valence or arousal impacted the motor interference effect, this study used a motor priming paradigm mixed with a Go/NoGo task and manipulated the valence (negative, neutral and positive) and arousal (medium and high) of target stimuli. Analysis of the behavioral results identified a significant motor interference effect (longer reaction times (RTs) in the negative valence condition than in the neutral valence condition) at the medium arousal level and an increased effect size (increment of RT difference) at the high arousal level. The results indicated that negative valence stimuli may interfere with the prime elicited motor preparation more strongly at the high arousal level than at the medium arousal level. The ERP results identified larger centroparietal P3 amplitudes for the negative valence condition than for the neutral valence condition at a high arousal level. However, the inverse result, i.e., lower centroparietal P3 amplitudes for the negative valence condition than for the neutral valence condition, was observed at a medium arousal level. The ERP results further indicated that the effect size of the behavioral motor interference effect increased because subjects are more sensitive to the negative valence stimuli at the high arousal level than at the medium arousal level. Furthermore, the motor interference effect is related to the negative valence rather than emotionality of the target stimuli because different result patterns emerged between the positive and negative valence conditions. Detailed processes underlying the interaction between valence and arousal effects are discussed.
Anastomotic Leaks after Gastrointestinal Operations- A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Kumar Amit , Sambedna . , Mahapatra Sribatsa Kumar
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Anastomotic leak is the release of intestinal contents into the abdomen at the site of surgical stitch line, where two ends of the bowel have been joined for restoration of the gastrointestinal continuity. There are considerable variations in incidence of anastomotic leaks following gastrointestinal operations which have motivated the present study. Aim: To prospectively follow all the patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgeries and look for clinical signs of anastomotic leak in postoperative period. Materials and Methods: Study population comprised of 613 patients who underwent gastrointestinal operation at a Tertiary Care Hospital during the period from September 2011 to September 2013. After taking Institutional Ethical Committee Clearance enrolment in the study was done with written and informed consent. The site of leak, postoperative day of leak was diagnosed and noted based on clinical examination and radiological investigations.It was a prospectively designed descriptive study so no specific tests were applied. Statistical analysis and percentages were calculated using SPSS 16.0 software. Results: Most of the leaks occurred between eighth to ninth postoperative day and most of the obstruction occurred on sixth and seventh postoperative day. Incidence of anastomotic leaks in the study group was 3.26%. Incidence of anastomotic leaks in small bowel anastomosis is 0.489% compared to large bowel leaks reported to be 0.815%. Peritonitis was present in majority of patients presenting with leak. Incidence of obstruction in recto sigmoid anastomosis was 1.957%. Conclusion: The study suggests that as we move distally in Gastrointestinal Tract (GI) the incidence of anastomotic leak increases and it becomes maximum for colorectal surgeries. Anastomotic complication depends on various factors like age, sex, mode of presentation, procedure done, Hb%, dehydration, nutrition, blood sugar, albumin, peritonitis etc.
A Multicentric Study on the Clinical Profile, Serology, Neuroimaging and Treatment of Neurocysticercosis
Authors: Anadure Ravi K , Wilson Vinny , Ragini . , Saxena Rajeev , Mohimen Aneesh , Sivasankar Rajeev , Abhisheka Kumar
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic disease affecting the human brain, and the leading infectious cause of seizures/epilepsy in India. It is often a diagnostic challenge due to varying clinical and imaging presentations. Aim: To describe the clinical profile, serological testing, imaging features and treatment outcomes of NCC, in an Indian population. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study with a case control design was carried out over a period from June 2015 to June 2019, at two Tertiary Care Hospitals in Mumbai and Bangalore. Seventy four (74) cases who had evidence of parenchymal/extra-parenchymal NCC lesions based on Contrast MRI Brain (1.5 Tesla), were included in the study. Fifty matched controls with Idiopathic epilepsy were also recruited in the study, so as to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the commonly used ELISA test (IgG antibody) for NCC. All patients with viable parenchymal NCC lesions were given standard cysticidal therapy (Albendazole), along with anti-epileptic drugs, as per clinician discretion. Disability at six months follow-up was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to compare dependent variables. The p-values <0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results: Of the 74 cases with NCC enrolled in the study, 81% (60) were males and the mean age of the population was 36.4 years. Total 91% cases (68) presented with seizures. Neuro-imaging revealed majority of lesions were vesicular (28%). Total 42% (31/74) had Solitary Cystisercal Granuloma (SCG), only 26% (19/74) cases and 8% (4/50) controls were positive for the IgG anti-cysticercal antibody by ELISA. This gave the antibody test a sensitivity of 26%, and a specificity of 92%. This translated into a Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 83%, Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 45%, and a positive likelihood ratio of 3.21. In patients who had single or multiple viable parenchymal NCC lesions (57/74), cysticidal therapy with Albendazole (under steroid cover) was safe and effective in 88% (50/57) cases. Conclusion: NCC commonly presents with seizures, and is best diagnosed with contrast MR imaging of the brain. The commercially available ELISA based antibody test do not add significantly in the management of this tropical infection. Cysticidal therapy is safe and effective in a majority of the patients, however treatment of extra-parenchymal NCC remains a challenge.
C-Reactive Protein as a Predictor for Early Intervention in Patients with Ureteric Calculus- A Prospective Study
Authors: Pai Narendra , Puthalath Rajeev Thekke , Krishna Chethan Thotahalli , Hegde Suraj , Kumar Amit
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Inflammation of ureteric wall may impede the passage of calculus which reduces the chances of spontaneous expulsion. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) being an acute phase reactant elevates in almost all inflammatory conditions. Aim: To determine whether CRP levels can predict the need for early intervention in symptomatic ureteric calculus. Materials and Methods: The sample was estimated to be 140 patients over the age of 18 years during the study duration of six months. Ureteric calculus measuring 5-10 mm were subjected to Medical Expulsion Therapy (MET) (Silodosin 8 mg at night). CRP levels were estimated on day 1 and day 7 from the presentation. CRP less than 6 mg/L was considered normal, represented as ‘negative’ in the present study; more than or equal to 6 mg/L was taken as ‘positive’. Patients who demonstrated rising/elevated CRP were considered for early endoscopic/surgical intervention. Data was analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) v19.00. Results: Out of the 140 patients, 56 patients had positive CRP on day 7, of which only nine patients had expelled the stone at the end of two weeks (16.07%). Out of 84 negative CRP group patients, 56 showed evidence of spontaneous calculus expulsion within one week and 18 patients at the end of two weeks and 10 patients did not demonstrate spontaneous expulsion at the end of two weeks and required intervention. The present study showed a statistically significant correlation between the positive CRP levels and the rates of spontaneous expulsion of ureteric calculus (p=0.0001). Conclusion: CRP can be used as a predictor for an early intervention of symptomatic ureteric calculus.
Effect of Haemodialysis on QTc in Newly Diagnosed Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Gosavi Siddharth , Pradeep TV , Rao Amogh Ananda , Davis Sissmol , Pulavarti Bharat , Vaishnav Prathyaksh P
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease and mortality is twice as common in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) compared to the general population. The QT interval which depicts ventricular repolarisation, is a crude non-invasive marker of susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. Effects of haemodialysis on corrected QT (QTc) interval in newly diagnosed CKD patients is undocumented till date. Aim: To assess the effect of haemodialysis on QTc in patients with newly diagnosed CKD. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 50 newly diagnosed CKD patients admitted for their first session of haemodialysis in the Departments of General Medicine and Nephrology, at Bapuji Hospital between October and November 2019. ECGs were recorded before the first and after the third session of haemodialysis. Serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphorous and calcium), blood sugar and haemoglobin levels before haemodialysis were recorded. QT interval was calculated and corrected using Bazett’s and Framingham’s methods. Descriptive statistics, simple and multiple linear regression were used for analysis using Microsoft® Excel. Results: The mean predialysis QTc was 0.434 seconds and postdialysis QTc was 0.477 seconds. QTc prolongation was observed in 44 (88%) patients (mean=0.042 seconds). The QTc prolongation correlated positively with postdialysis QTc (p=0.00001, Framingham; p=0.0009, Bazett) (RBazett=0.61 and RFramingham=0.74). Conclusion: Substantial QTc prolongation after three sessions of haemodialysis screens a population that has a greater risk of adverse cardiovascular events. This warrants vigilant cardiac monitoring in patients on haemodialysis.
Aetiology and Management of Vascular Injuries in Extremity Trauma: An Observational Study
Authors: Koneru Lata Khatnani , Minda Subhash , Rai Nimish
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Management of peripheral vascular injury is a challenging task. To save life and to salvage the limb, early diagnosis and prompt intervention is required. Aim: To analyse the cause of injury, surgical approach, outcome and complications in patients with peripheral vascular trauma. Materials and Methods: This observational study assessed 60 consecutive patients who were operated for peripheral vascular injuries in the last one and half year (October 2018 to March 2020). Diagnostic tools were clinical examination in combination with vascular Doppler. Vascular repair with interposition autologous vein graft or primary repair was performed. Extensive injury with non-viable limb requiring primary amputation was excluded from the study. The primary outcome in form of limb salvage was selected. Fisher-exact test was used to analyse limb salvage rate between two groups having median revascularisation time less than six hours and more than six hours. Results: In the present study there were 55 male patients (91.6%) out of 60 patients. The mean age was 24.8±7.0 years. The mechanism of injury in 28 (46.6%) cases was blunt trauma and in 32 (53.3%) cases it was penetrating trauma. The associated orthopaedic injury was present in 20 (33.3%) patients. The most commonly injured artery was brachial 26 (43.3%) followed by popliteal 13 (21.6%) and femoral artery nine (15%). Primary repair was performed in 18 (30%) cases and interposition vein graft in 42 (70%) cases. Majority of patients, 53 cases (88.3%) had functional viable limb. Complications found were wound infection in six cases (10%), revision surgery in five cases (8.3%) and secondary amputation in seven cases (11.6%). Median time interval between injury and revascularisation surgery was 9.04 hours. Those who presenting late (>6 hours) had a higher amputation rate but it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Management of vascular injuries require prompt localisation and early surgical intervention. A successful outcome is seen in patients who were early diagnosed. However, limb salvation is possible, even in patients with delayed presentation.
A Structural Investigation on Polystyrene with Cyclohexene Mid-Chain Group: Thermal Stability and Self-Assembly Kinetics in Nonpolar and Polar Aprotic Solutions
Authors: Orujalipoor Ilghar , Ide Semra , Bayarı Sevgi , Degirmenci Mustafa , Celik Omer
Published: February 2021

This study was focused on cyclohexene (CH) mid-chain functional polymer of polystyrene (PSt-CH-PSt) because of its potential application in nanotechnology and its possible usage in hierarchical structures.

Molecular and nano scale structural characterizations and thermal behavior of the powder form PSt-CH-PSt functional polymer were carried out by FTIR, SAXS, XRD and DSC methods. Solutions of PSt-CH-PSt in tetrahydrofuran and chloroform were also investigated by SAXS and FTIR.

The stable one type nano particles which have oblate core-shell shape were determined in powder form and in solution of PSt-CH-PSt. The self-assembly kinetics of the polymer indicate that the mid chain part location in oblate core shell aggregations may be controlled by polar aprotic THF and nonpolar CLF solvent effects. Exponential decreasing in oblate shell volumes of PSt-CH-PSt nano globules in THF as a function of temperature was also determined by SAXS.
Metacognitive Strategies for Reading Comprehension in Basic Education Students
Authors: Navarro Zoila Isabel Tamayo
Published: February 2021

The objective of this review article was to determine how metacognitive strategies improve reading comprehension in Basic Education students, for which it was proposed to search for and select the recent scientific investigations regarding metacognitive strategies and reading comprehension. Sixty papers published between 2015 and 2020 in indexed journals that address metacognitive strategies and reading comprehension were analyzed. For the choice of articles, four tables were used aligned to what was established in the flow diagram of the Prisma protocol. It was found that 70% of articles were based on metacognition theory, 15% on constructivist theory and the other 15% on other theories. It was evidenced that 50% of the studies belong to South America, while 25% to Asia and 25% to Europe. Metacognitive strategies help improve reading comprehension in elementary school students, favor self-regulation during the reading process. The role of teachers is very important for the use of appropriate and diverse strategies, techniques in order to strengthen learning and reading comprehension. The problem of reading comprehension is also manifested in the study of foreign languages. The application of metacognitive strategies programs or workshops highly favored reading comprehension, and their application in the reading development phases were planning, supervision and evaluation, which helped to significantly improve the comprehension of texts.
Socio-Economic Development and Mental Health Connection in China: Evidence from China Family Panel Study
Authors: Xu Fenglin , Zhang Xuanfei
Published: February 2021

With the growing public awareness and attention towards mental health issues, policymakers and researchers are constantly increasing their efforts. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between socio-economic factors and mental health in China. The data used in this study is from a large scale nationally representative survey (the 2016 China Family Panel Studies). The CFPS is funded by the Chinese government through Peking University and conducted by the Institute of Social Science Survey (ISSS), which covers 16,000 households in 25 provinces in China using various questionnaires. Participants included in the survey are aged 16 and above. An Ordered Probit model is applied in this study. Life satisfaction is the dependent variable, and independent variables are total annual income for all jobs, sleeping hours per day, age, gender, currently registered residence, the highest academic background, and current marital status in this study. The results indicated that there is a positive relationship between independent variables such as total income, sleeping hours per day and age with the dependent variable life satisfaction. Compared to people whose educational attainment is equal or below Primary School, people who have finished Junior High and Senior High have worse mental health but people whose degree is above Senior High have better mental health. Furthermore, the results indicated that if people get divorced, they have a much higher probability to have mental health problems. In addition, males are more vulnerable than females overall, especially when both females and males get divorced.
Study on Wear form of Split Cone of Vertical Shaft Impact Crusher
Authors: Feng Feifei , Shi Jinfa , Yang Jie , Ma Junxu
Published: February 2021

The three-dimensional model rotor of vertical shaft impact crusher was established by using the three-dimensional software Solidworks and it was imported into the discrete element software EDEM for dynamic simulation. The force of the split cone, the motion trajectory and force of the particles were analyzed in rotor by using the post-processing function of EDEM. The results show that the split cone was mainly affected by the normal action of particles. According to the definition of impact wear, it was finally determined that the wear form of the split cone is impact wear.
PERCEPTIONS OF READINESS FOR ONLINE LEARNING FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN A MULTIPARTICIPANT ONLINE COURSE
Authors: Seifert Tami , Feliks Orna
Published: February 2021

Since online lessons lack a physical presence, different technological means are needed to create an environment for various teaching, learning, and evaluation methods and for creating a sense of belonging for students. This study investigated student-teachers’ attitudes, approaches, and willingness to engage with computer-assisted teaching and online teaching after they had participated in a multiparticipant online course. A mixed methods research paradigm combined both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The research findings indicate that the course goals were attained in terms of student-teachers’ acquiring the contents and attitudes, and that the careful design and organization of the course site, learning materials, and methods all contributed to the students’ acquisition of the contents and ability to cope with online learning and form positive attitudes regarding online teaching and learning. Although student-teachers felt that the online learning style was not suitable for them, they underwent a personal process, overcame difficulties, and developed positive attitudes towards ICT and its implementation. Hopefully, the research findings can inform the preparation of an optimal teaching-learning process for online teaching.
FOREIGN STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCE IN AN ONLINE INTERNATIONAL MARKET ANALYSIS COURSE IN MEXICO
Authors: Diaz Eduardo
Published: February 2021

This study involved 10 European undergraduate students enrolled in the online International Market Analysis (IMA) course offered through the International Business (IB) undergraduate program of CETYS Universidad. Using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) theoretical approach and a qualitative research design, it asked how the students felt about their online educational experience. The results suggest that the students appreciated the freedom and flexibility that the online course provided. However, the lack of the physical presence of the teacher, and the challenges associated with working independently, made the learning experience less than optimal.
Integrating Human Behavior and Safety Measure into Evacuation Route Planning in a Volcanic Crisis
Authors: Wibowo Budhi , Hartono Budi
Published: February 2021

Many traditional methods in evacuation route planning are motivated by the operational objective, such as total travel/clearance time. Little attention has been given to the human factor and the safety aspect of the evacuees during the planning phase. Our study aims to propose a simple yet practical route planning method that simultaneously considers human behavior, safety factor, and the travel time in a volcanic crisis context. The planning model is developed based on the shortest-path problem with a joint-cost parameter representing the three aspects. We present a large-scale street network in Merapi volcano as a case study. The result implies that employing a joint-cost parameter is effective for creating an evacuation route that is reasonably safe and in line with human cognition in navigation. The finding offers practical insights for the stakeholders as part of the greater effort to develop a systematic disaster management plan.
Analysis of the role of Frizzled 2 in different cancer types
Authors: Zhou Miaomiao , Sun Xuezhu , Zhu Yunhao
Published: February 2021

Frizzled 2 (FZD2) is an important receptor in the Wnt pathway, which is highly expressed in malignant tumors and helps regulate multiple tumor behaviors. Its expression level is related to prognosis. Here, bioinformatic analysis was performed to understand the expression of FZD2 in different tumors. We examined FZD2 expression using pan‐cancer data of 33 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differential expression analysis (Wilcoxon's test) was used to compare tumor and normal tissues. Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to compare gene expression and overall patient survival. COSMIC, cBioPortal, and CCLE were used to examine FZD2 mutations in human cancers. Dryness index was calculated using one‐class logistic regression (OCLR). Spearman's correlation was performed based on gene expression and dryness score and used to analyze the correlation between gene expression and stemness score, matrix score, immune score, estimated score, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and drug sensitivity. STRING website was used to construct an FZD2 protein interaction network and identify genes that interact with FZD2. We report that FZD2 is highly expressed in most tumors, differing between cancer types. Expression was related to patient overall survival (OS), disease‐specific survival, disease‐free interval (DFI), mutations, drug sensitivity, tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint gene expression, immunotherapy indicators (TMB, MSI), and tumor cell stemness. FZD2 influenced drug sensitivities, including cobimetinib (r = −0.553, P < 0.001), selumetinib (r = −0.539, P < 0.001), bafetinib (r = −0.538, P < 0.001), tamoxifen (r = −0.523, P < 0.001), alvespimycin (r = −0.520, P < 0.001), and nilotinib (r = −0.502, P < 0.001). FZD2 has the most significant correlation with ROR2 (r = 0.4, P < 0.001), Wnt2 (r = 0.37, P < 0.001), and Wnt4A (r = 0.34, P < 0.001). The results confirm the importance of FZD2 expression in cancer prognosis and treatment, and provide new clues for treatment strategies.
Incorporating parotid gland inhomogeneity into head‐and‐neck treatment optimization through the use of artificial base plans
Authors: Sample Caleb M. , Wu Jonn , Thomas Steven , Clark Haley
Published: February 2021

Despite a great improvement in target volume dose conformality made possible in recent years by modulated therapies, xerostomia remains a common and severe side effect for head‐and‐neck radiotherapy patients. It is known that parotid glands exhibit a spatially varying dose response; however, the relative importance of subregions throughout the entire gland has yet to be incorporated into treatment plan optimization, with the current standard being to minimize the mean dose to whole parotid glands. The relative importance of regions within contralateral parotid glands has been recently quantified, creating an opportunity for the development of a method for including this data in plan optimization. We present a universal and straightforward approach for imposing varying sub‐parotid gland dose constraints during inverse treatment planning by using patient‐specific artificial base plans to penalize dose deposited in sensitive regions. In this work, the proposed method of optimization is demonstrated to reduce dose to regions of high relative importance throughout contralateral parotids and improve predictions for stimulated saliva output at 1‐year post‐radiotherapy. This method may also be applied to impose varying dose constraints to other organs‐at‐risk for which regional importance data exists.
Incidence of and Risk Factors for Heart Failure in Patients With Psoriatic Disease: A Cohort Study
Authors: Koppikar Sahil , Colaco Keith , Harvey Paula , Akhtari Shadi , Chandran Vinod , Gladman Dafna D. , Cook Richard , Eder Lihi
Published: February 2021

Objective

To assess the incidence and risk factors for heart failure in patients with psoriatic disease and to describe their electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings.

Methods

A cohort analysis was conducted involving patients with psoriatic disease followed prospectively from 1978 to 2018. Participants were assessed according to a standard protocol every 6 to 12 months. The primary outcome was the time to first event of heart failure, further classified into ischemic and nonischemic heart failure (secondary outcomes). The association between cardiovascular risk factors, measures of disease activity, and heart failure events was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings associated with heart failure events were described.

Results

A total of 1,994 patients with psoriatic disease were analyzed, with 64 incident heart failure events (38 ischemic, 26 nonischemic). The incidence rate of first heart failure event was 2.85 per 1,000 patient‐years. In all events, the most common electrocardiographic findings were atrial fibrillation (22%) and bundle branch blocks (29%). Echocardiogram revealed 37% reduced ejection fraction and 63% preserved ejection fraction. In multivariable analysis, independent risk factors for all heart failure events were ischemic heart disease, adjusted mean tender joint count, adjusted mean swollen joint count, adjusted mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate, adjusted mean C‐reactive protein level, and physical function (by Health Assessment Questionnaire) (all P < 0.05). Minimal disease activity state was protective for all heart failure (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Increased risk of heart failure is associated with a combination of known cardiovascular risk factors and measures of disease activity, particularly in nonischemic heart failure. The effect of inflammation on heart failure may be partially independent of atherosclerotic disease.
Synthetic Biological Approaches for Optogenetics and Tools for Transcriptional Light‐Control in Bacteria
Authors: Baumschlager Armin , Khammash Mustafa
Published: February 2021

Light has become established as a tool not only to visualize and investigate but also to steer biological systems. This review starts by discussing the unique features that make light such an effective control input in biology. It then gives an overview of how light‐control came to progress, starting with photoactivatable compounds and leading up to current genetic implementations using optogenetic approaches. The review then zooms in on optogenetics, focusing on photosensitive proteins, which form the basis for optogenetic engineering using synthetic biological approaches. As the regulation of transcription provides a highly versatile means for steering diverse biological functions, the focus of this review then shifts to transcriptional light regulators, which are presented in the biotechnologically highly relevant model organism Escherichia coli.
Fast Nanoliter‐Scale Cell Assays Using Droplet Microarray–Mass Spectrometry Imaging
Authors: RamalloGuevara Carina , Paulssen Dorothea , Popova Anna A. , Hopf Carsten , Levkin Pavel A.
Published: February 2021

In pharmaceutical research and development, cell‐based assays are primarily used with readout that rely on fluorescence‐based and other label‐dependent techniques for analysis of different cellular processes. Superhydrophobic–hydrophilic droplet microarrays (DMA) and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) have recently emerged as key technologies for miniaturized high‐throughput cell assays and for label‐free molecular high‐content drug profiling, respectively. Here, nanoliter‐scale cell assays are integrated on DMAs with MALDI–MS imaging (MALDI–MSI) approaches to a droplet microarray–mass spectrometry imaging (DMA–MSI) platform. Using A549 lung cancer cells, concentration‐response profiling of a pharmaceutical compound, the fatty acid synthase inhibitor GSK2194069, are demonstrated. Direct cell culture on DMAs enables combination of microscopy and high speed, high molecular content analysis using MALDI–MSI. Miniaturization of array spots down to 0.5 mm confining 40 nL droplets allows for MALDI imaging analysis of as few as ten cells per spot. Partial automation ensures a fast sample preparation workflow. Taken together, the integrated DMA–MSI platform that combines MALDI‐MSI, as a label‐free analytical readout, with the miniaturized droplet microarray platform is a valuable complement to high throughput cell‐based assays technologies.
Phase Conversion of Ice‐Templated α‐Tricalcium Phosphate Scaffolds into Low‐Temperature Calcium Phosphates with Anisotropic Open Porosity
Authors: Seifert Annika , Groll Jürgen , Weichhold Jan , Boehm Anne V. , Müller Frank A. , Gbureck Uwe
Published: February 2021

The current study aims to extend the material platform for anisotropically structured calcium phosphates to low‐temperature phases such as calcium‐deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) or the secondary phosphates monetite and brushite. This is achieved by the phase conversion of highly porous α‐tricalcium phosphate (α‐TCP) scaffolds fabricated by ice‐templating into the aforementioned phases by hydrothermal treatment or incubation in phosphoric acid. Prior to these steps, α‐TCP scaffolds are either sintered for 8 h at 1400 °C or remain in their original state. Both nonsintered and sintered α‐TCP specimens are converted into CDHA by hydrothermal treatment, while a transformation into monetite and brushite is achieved by incubation in phosphoric acid. Hydrothermal treatment for 72 h at 175 °C increases the porosity in nonsintered samples from 85% to 88% and from 75% to 88% in the sintered ones. An increase in the specific surface area from (1.102 ± 0.005) to (9.17 ± 0.01) m2 g−1 and from (0.190 ± 0.004) to (2.809 ± 0.002) m2 g−1 due to the phase conversion is visible for both the nonsintered and sintered samples. Compressive strength of the nonsintered samples increases significantly from (0.76 ± 0.11) to (5.29 ± 0.94) MPa due to incubation in phosphoric acid.
Emerging Nanomedicine‐Enabled/Enhanced Nanodynamic Therapies beyond Traditional Photodynamics
Authors: Hu Hui , Feng Wei , Qian Xiaoqin , Yu Luodan , Chen Yu , Li Yuehua
Published: February 2021

The rapid knowledge growth of nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology enables and promotes the emergence of distinctive disease‐specific therapeutic modalities, among which nanomedicine‐enabled/augmented nanodynamic therapy (NDT), as triggered by either exogenous or endogenous activators on nanosensitizers, can generate reactive radicals for accomplishing efficient disease nanotherapies with mitigated side effects and endowed disease specificity. As one of the most representative modalities of NDT, traditional light‐activated photodynamics suffers from the critical and unsurmountable issues of the low tissue‐penetration depth of light and the phototoxicity of the photosensitizers. To overcome these obstacles, versatile nanomedicine‐enabled/augmented NDTs have been explored for satisfying varied biomedical applications, which strongly depend on the physicochemical properties of the involved nanomedicines and nanosensitizers. These distinctive NDTs refer to sonodynamic therapy (SDT), thermodynamic therapy (TDT), electrodynamic therapy (EDT), piezoelectric dynamic therapy (PZDT), pyroelectric dynamic therapy (PEDT), radiodynamic therapy (RDT), and chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Herein, the critical roles, functions, and biological effects of nanomedicine (e.g., sonosensitizing, photothermal‐converting, electronic, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, radiation‐sensitizing, and catalytic properties) for enabling the therapeutic procedure of NDTs, are highlighted and discussed, along with the underlying therapeutic principle and optimization strategy for augmenting disease‐therapeutic efficacy and biosafety. The present challenges and critical issues on the clinical translations of NDTs are also discussed and clarified.
Recent Advances in Functional Materials through Cellulose Nanofiber Templating
Authors: Lamm Meghan E. , Li Kai , Qian Ji , Wang Lu , Lavoine Nathalie , Newman Reagan , Gardner Douglas J. , Li Teng , Hu Liangbing , Ragauskas Arthur J. , Tekinalp Halil , Kunc Vlastimil , Ozcan Soydan
Published: February 2021

Advanced templating techniques have enabled delicate control of both nano‐ and microscale structures and have helped thrust functional materials into the forefront of society. Cellulose nanomaterials are derived from natural polymers and show promise as a templating source for advanced materials. Use of cellulose nanomaterials in templating combines nanoscale property control with sustainability, an attribute often lacking in other templating techniques. Use of cellulose nanofibers for templating has shown great promise in recent years, but previous reviews on cellulose nanomaterial templating techniques have not provided extensive analysis of cellulose nanofiber templating. Cellulose nanofibers display several unique properties, including mechanical strength, porosity, high water retention, high surface functionality, and an entangled fibrous network, all of which can dictate distinctive aspects in the final templated materials. Many applications exploit the unique aspects of templating with cellulose nanofibers that help control the final properties of the material, including, but not limited to, applications in catalysis, batteries, supercapacitors, electrodes, building materials, biomaterials, and membranes. A detailed analysis on the use of cellulose nanofibers templating is provided, addressing specifically how careful selection of templating mechanisms and methodologies, combined toward goal applications, can be used to directly benefit chosen applications in advanced functional materials.