bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary relationships among the snakelike pygopodid lizards: a review of phylogenetic studies of an enigmatic Australian adaptive radiation
Authors: Jennings W. Bryan
Published: June 2021

Here, I review phylogenetic studies of the lizard family Pygopodidae, a group of 47 extant species that diversified in Australia and New Guinea. The goal of this study was to examine published phylogenetic and phylogenomic hypotheses on pygopodids to identify the strengths and weaknesses in our understanding of their phylogeny. Many parts of the pygopodid family tree are well established by multiple independent tree inferences including: (1) all multispecies genera (i.e., Aprasia, Delma, Lialis, Pletholax, and Pygopus) are monophyletic groups; (2) the root of the pygopodid tree is located along the branch leading to the Delma clade, thus showing that Delma is the sister group to all other pygopodid genera; (3) the Aprasia repens group, Delma tincta group, and several other groups of closely related species are demonstrated to be monophyletic entities; and (4) the monotypic Paradelma orientalis is the sister lineage to the Pygopus clade. Based on accumulated phylogenetic evidence, two taxonomic recommendations are given: Paradelma merits generic status rather than being subsumed into Pygopus as some earlier studies had suggested, and the monotypic Aclys concinna should be recognized as a member of Delma (following current practice) until future studies clarify its placement inside or outside the Delma clade. One chronic problem with phylogenetic studies of pygopodids, which has limited the explanatory power of many tree hypotheses, concerns the undersampling of known species. Although the continual addition of newly described species, especially over the past two decades, has been a major reason for these taxon sampling gaps, deficits in species sampling for ingroups and/or outgroups in several studies of pygopodid species complexes has confounded the testing of some ingroup monophyly hypotheses. Ancient hybridization between non-sister lineages may also be confounding attempts to recover the relationships among pygopodids using molecular data. Indeed, such a phenomenon can explain at least five cases of mito-nuclear discordance and conflicts among trees based on nuclear DNA datasets. Another problem has been the lack of consensus on the relationships among most pygopodid genera, an issue that may stem from rapid diversification of these lineages early in the group’s history. Despite current weaknesses in our understanding of pygopodid phylogeny, enough evidence exists to clarify many major and minor structural parts of their family tree. Accordingly, a composite tree for the Pygopodidae was able to be synthesized. This novel tree hypothesis contains all recognized pygopodid species and reveals that about half of the clades are corroborated by multiple independent tree hypotheses, while the remaining clades have less empirical support.
Taxonomic relevance of petiole anatomical and micro-morphological characteristics ofClematisL. (Ranunculaceae) taxa from South Korea
Authors: Park Beom Kyun , Son Dong Chan , Ghimire Balkrishna
Published: June 2021

We assessed the micro-morphological and anatomical structures of the petioles of 19Clematistaxa from South Korea. The petiole surface features were observed with the help of stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the anatomical features are studied via microtomy and light microscopy. The results of this study showed that the presence/absence and abundance of trichomes, petiole cross-section outlines, upper surface wings and grooves, and the number of vascular bundles were useful for species discrimination inClematis. Among the studied taxa,C. hexapetalawas the only species with a glabrous petiole surface. Two types of trichomes were observed in the other 18 taxa: long, non-glandular and flagelliform trichomes and short, glandular capitate trichomes. We found four to six major vascular bundles and a maximum of eight interfascicular vascular bundles (C. heracleifoliaandC. urticifolia) in the 19 taxa. A cluster analysis based on UPGMA identified six clusters with 18 nodes. Although the number of taxa investigated was limited, taxa from the sectionsTubulosae,Viorna, andAstrageneclustered with each other in the UPGMA phenogram due to the overall similarity of petiole features. Based on this observation, we can conclude that most of the petiole features are limited to the species level, and thus, the data obtained could be used as descriptive and/or diagnostic features for particular taxa, which may be useful for the investigation of problematic taxa in the genus.
Vowel Context Effect on the Perception of Stop Consonants in Malayalam and Its Role in Determining Syllable Frequency
Authors: Mohan Dhanya , Maruthy Sandeep
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives: The study investigated vowel context effects on the perception of stop consonants in Malayalam. It also probed into the role of vowel context effects in determining the frequency of occurrence of various consonant-vowel (CV) syllables in Malayalam.Subjects and Methods: The study used a cross-sectional pre-experimental post-test only research design on 30 individuals with normal hearing, who were native speakers of Malayalam. The stimuli included three stop consonants, each spoken in three different vowel contexts. The resultant nine syllables were presented in original form and five gating conditions. The consonant recognition in different vowel contexts of the participants was assessed. The frequency of occurrence of the nine target syllables in the spoken corpus of Malayalam was also systematically derived.Results: The consonant recognition score was better in the /u/ vowel context compared with /i/ and /a/ contexts. The frequency of occurrence of the target syllables derived from the spoken corpus of Malayalam showed that the three stop consonants occurred more frequently with the vowel /a/ compared with /u/ and /i/.Conclusions: The findings show a definite vowel context effect on the perception of the Malayalam stop consonants. This context effect observed is different from that in other languages. Stop consonants are perceived better in the context of /u/ compared with the /a/ and /i/ contexts. Furthermore, the vowel context effects do not appear to determine the frequency of occurrence of different CV syllables in Malayalam.
Effect of Listening Biographies on Frequency Following Response Responses of Vocalists, Violinists, and Non-Musicians to Indian Carnatic Music Stimuli
Authors: Bhat J Prajna , Krishna Rajalakshmi
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives: The current study investigates pitch coding using frequency following response (FFR) among vocalists, violinists, and non-musicians for Indian Carnatic transition music stimuli and assesses whether their listening biographies strengthen their F0 neural encoding for these stimuli.Subjects and Methods: Three participant groups in the age range of 18-45 years were included in the study. The first group of participants consisted of 20 trained Carnatic vocalists, the second group consisted of 13 trained violinists, and the third group consisted of 22 non-musicians. The stimuli consisted of three Indian Carnatic raga notes (/S-R2-G3/), which was sung by a trained vocalist and played by a trained violinist. For the purposes of this study, the two transitions between the notes T1=/S-R2/ and T2=/R2-G3/ were analyzed, and FFRs were recorded binaurally at 80 dB SPL using neuroscan equipment.Results: Overall average responses of the participants were generated. To assess the participants’ pitch tracking to the Carnatic music stimuli, stimulus to response correlation (CC), pitch strength (PS), and pitch error (PE) were measured. Results revealed that both the vocalists and violinists had better CC and PS values with lower PE values, as compared to non-musicians, for both vocal and violin T1 and T2 transition stimuli. Between the musician groups, the vocalists were found to perform superiorly to the violinists for both vocal and violin T1 and T2 transition stimuli.Conclusions: Listening biographies strengthened F0 neural coding, with respect to the vocalists for vocal stimulus at the brainstem level. The violinists, on the other hand, did not show such preference.
Challenges Faced by Final Year Medical Postgraduate Students during Pandemic COVID 19
Authors: Raja V. Pragadeesh , Shivasakthy M. , Lavakumar .
Published: June 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world into a health and economic crisis. Different countries have established different forms of quarantine, interrupting numerous ordinary routines and affecting work, free movement, trade, and, in particular, education. The inability of the examiner to travel during lockdown/ post lockdown discouragement of travel as per advisory, rules out the possibility of the traditional method of the in-person presence of external examiner for evaluation, while a completely new method of only online mode of practical examination may not be advisable or fair as per assessment principles.

Objective: The main objective of the study was to assess the challenges faced by final year medical postgraduate students during Pandemic COVID 19.

Methods and Materials: A Cross-Sectional study conducted among final year medical post-graduate students. An online survey was conducted from April 1st 2021 to April 30th  2021 to collect the information. A structural questionnaire link using ‘Google form’ was sent to students’ through WhatsApp and E-mail. A non-probability technique known as consecutive sampling was used to select the respondents.

Results: During the study period, 55 medical postgraduate students have included study, 30 students were male and 25 were men, Most of the student from the anesthesia department 14 (28%) and  Community Medicine 12 (24%). 39 (70.9%) strongly agreed for their academic activity disturbed due to the COVID pandemic. Among students, 32 (58.2%) percentage students finished their thesis. 39 (70.9%) students strongly disagree for to postpone the final exam.

Conclusion: Students to do their academic activity by side by side during covid duty also and do their research project in the COVID patients. This is COVID pandemic every one suffered in the world, so to understand to cross this period, this is not for single person problem, so medical students to understand to do the duty very well and service to this nation with their safety measure take care their health including mental health.
Characteristics of Fish Protein Concentrate (FPC) of Marine Fish
Authors: Junianto . , Rinaldi Al Marisa , Yulianti Tia , Riandi Siti Zahra
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this review article is to study the types of marine fish that can be processed into FPCs, methods for FPCs production, and the characteristics of marine fish FPCs known from various research in Indonesia. Based on a review of various articles and other literature, it can be concluded that the types of marine fish that can be processed into FPC are tuna, mackerel, anchovies, snapper, and rainbow runner. The method of FPCs production that can be used are reduction, whole meal, dry reduction and solvent extraction. The characteristics of the FPCs from various studies depend on the type of fish and the method of FPCs production.
Assessment of Nutritive Quality of Maize (Zea mays L.) Produced and Stocked from Rural Conditions in Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Désiré Kouamé , Marius Biego Henri , Léonce Niamketchi Gilles , Ysidor Konan , Daouda Sidibé
Published: June 2021

Aims: Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major staple food for millions of people in Côte d’Ivoire. Due                         to its high productivity and low cost of calorie it is preferred crop for food security of the                      country. Thus, this study was conducted to assess nutritive quality of maize produced and               stocked in five purposively selected regions of Côte d’Ivoire which represents five agroecological settings.

Study Design: A total of 1500 samples of maize as grains, epis and spathes were collected at rate of 500 samples by region (Gbêkê, Poro, Hambol, Indénié-Djuablin and Gontougo) and sent to the laboratory in order to analyse their nutritional quality.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out during March 2016 to January 2017. The collected sample were carried out at the laboratory unit of Food Sciences and Biochemistry of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan.

Methodology: Proximate analyses were carried out using standard methods AOAC (2000).

Results: The results show significant difference from the biochemical compositions of maize type and region. Mean value intervals were as follow: dry matter (85.83 – 91.42%), ash (1.19 - 2%), proteins (7.99 - 9.32), lipids (3.21 - 4.47), carbohydrates (71.80 - 77.94), starches (62.30 - 68.44%), fibers (5.03 - 5.83%), total sugars (2,13 - 2.99%), reducing sugars (0.33 - 0.66%), free fat acidity (1.86- 4.50%), peroxide value (1.34 - 3.07 meq O2/kg), iodine value (100.93 - 130.56 g I2/100 g), unsaponifiable (0.89 - 1.54%) and energy values (357.88 - 374.39 kcal).

Conclusion: A significant variability from one region to another can be noticed at level of maize quality regardless the type of maize. The nutritive quality of maize seems to be tied to postharvest treatments (drying), type of storage (epis, grains and spathes) and structure of storage.
Agromorphological Diversity among Popcorn (Zea mays. everta) Landraces Grown in Zambia
Authors: Bbebe N. , Tembo L. , Kamfwa K.
Published: June 2021

Thirty nine (39) popcorn landraces alongside three (3) check varieties were evaluated for variability and relationships based on 15 agromorphological traits in Kabwe, Zambia during 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. A randomized complete block design was used with three replications in both instances. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant (p<0.001) differences among the popcorn landrace populations in some traits such as days to anthesis, days to silking, anthesis-silking interval, 100 seed weight, ear and plant heights.Principal component analysis also delineated these traits as the most important in contributing to the variability among the landraces alongside tassel length. The first two principal components accounted for 71.1% of total variability with PC-1 accounting for 41.7 and PC-2 with 28.4%. Genetic diversity based on discriminant analysis revealed low mean differentiation (D2=0.12) among the landrace populations. The check population ‘Lion popcorn’ had the largest mean genetic distance among the studied populations (D2=0.42) while ZMP 1932 was the most differentiated among the landraces (D2=0.38). Cluster analysis resulted in seven clusters with the clustering mostly based on the relative strength of the popcorn landraces in particular traits such as long A-S interval (cluster I) and high seed weight (cluster VII). Overall, two popcorn landraces were identified for their relatively high genetic diversity index (ZMP 1932 and ZMP 1902). These alongside the check variety ‘Lion popcorn’ can be used to cross with the local landraces as a way of increasing genetic diversity.
The Association between Nutritional Parameters and the Prognosis of Community Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Mayya Hiba , Hejazie Malek , Zreik Youssef , Alkhayer Alkassem
Published: June 2021

Background: Community–acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common potentially fatal infectious disease in adults worldwide. Prognosis depends on many factors including nutritional status. (P.S this research began before COVID19 pandemic arrivals to our country). 

Objective: The present study aims to assess the association between markers of nutritional status and severity of CAP.

Materials and Methods: This is observational descriptive study conducted in the Department of Pulmonology in Tishreen University Hospital –Lattakia- Syria from November 2019 to November 2020. Adult patients with the diagnosis of CAP were enrolled in the study.

Results: A total of 70 patients were included, Median age was 65 years, 40 (57.10%) were male. Serum albumin and cholesterol levels were lower in patients older than 65 years; (3.07±0.4 vs 3.5±0.5, p:0.001) and (135.2±33.2 vs 154.8±31.7, p: 0.01), respectively. Levels of albumin and cholesterol were significantly higher in survivors group; (3.6±0.4 vs. 2.7±0.3, p:0.001) and (158.3±23.9 vs. 120.3±35.08, p: 0.0001).

Pearson's correlation analysis revealed negative correlation between pneumonia severity index (PSI) and: serum albumin (r = -0.61, p:0.0001), cholesterol(r = -0.45, p:0.0001) and BMI (r = -0.16, p: 0.1). The CRP showed negative correlation with serum albumin (r = -0.55, p:0.0001), cholesterol (r = -0.51 ,p:0.0001) and BMI (r = -0.09, p: 0.4).

Conclusion: Serum albumin and cholesterol values were found to be related to the severity of CAP and initial levels may be a useful biomarkers to predict the outcome of patients.
A Questionnaire-Based Examination of Placebo Prescribing Patterns among the Doctors at Tertiary Healthcare Services
Authors: Nazir Mahnoor , Memon Sameena Gul , Ahmed Atif , Bhatti Kanwal Abbas , Gul Fahmida
Published: June 2021

Background: The major theme of the research is relieving the patients by prescribing the placebo prescription by the health care provider of tertiary health care services.

Materials and methods: Descriptive cross-sectional research was conducted for the period of one year from February 2020 to January 2021 at various government and private tertiary care institutes of Nawab Shah, Kotri, Jamshoro and Hyderabad Districts after approval of the ethical committee of concern institutes and total 238 study subjects were selected.

Results: The consequences of placebo prescription were approximately 80%. 137 were males and 101 were females. 130(54.62%) Doctors were from the government sector, 108(45.37%) were from private institutes. 21(8.8%) placebo prescriptions was assumed as alternative medicine, 52(21.84%) as Prebiotics, 63(26.47%) as saline injections. 41(17.22%) placebo was prescribed because patients need them, 67(28.5%) placebo was prescribed for psychological therapy. 41(17.22%) placebo was usually effective, 129(54.2%) were sometimes effective, 20(8.40%) never had any effect and 48(20.16%) had other outcomes for the placebo prescriptions.

Conclusion: Descriptive cross-sectional research was conducted for the period of one year from February 2020 to January 2021 at various government and private tertiary care institutes of Nawab Shah, Kotri, Jamshoro and Hyderabad Districts after approval of the ethical committee of concerned institutes
Outcomes of Bacterial Meningitis Treatment and its Associated Risk Factors among the Children of Nawabshah, Pakistan
Authors: Sial Sikander Ali , Larik Awais Bashir , Jamali Anwar Ali , Kajal Laxmi , Kumar Dileep , -Ain Qurat-Ul , Ahmer Arslan
Published: June 2021

Background: Meningitis happens all the more ordinarily during the main month of life than during some other ensuing period and it is related with high horribleness and mortality.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the outcomes of meningitis treatment and its associated risk factors among the children.

Methodology: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 400 children, sample size was calculated by using Slovin’s Formula “n=N÷(1+Ne2)” at 0.05 margin of error and by using convenience sampling. Patients who were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis aged from 0 to 18 years were included in the study. Data was collected by well-structured questionnaire. SPSS version 23.0 was used to analyze the data. Multivariate logistic and Bivariate regression analyses was performed to analyze the data. P value ≤0.05 was considered as statistical significant. Results: 262 (65.5%) males were reported and females were 138 (34.5%). Sepsis was found in 24 (6%) patients due to meningitis. Outcomes of the treatment of meningitis patients were found good among 308 (77%) patients.

Conclusion: It was concluded that adjustments of starting anti-toxin routine, level of obviousness at hospitalization and season of show to the medical care office from indication beginning altogether affected therapy results of intense bacterial meningitis in youngsters.
Investigating Representation Ethos Émotif in 2007 French Presidential Election
Authors: Firmonasari Aprillia , Syabana Rosidin Ali
Published: June 2021

The issue of immigration became prominent in French political discourse in 2005 that leads to debate about France and nationalism. During the lead-up to the 2007 French Presidential election, various concepts of a French national identity were promoted by candidates: Nicolas Sarkozy, Ségolene Royal, François Bayrou, and Jean-Marie Le Pen. Candidates gave particular attention to ethos, specifically ethos émotif. In this article, the researcher will characterize the ethos émotif presented by the four candidates mentioned above. The ethos will be then examined whether it were successfully embodied in these candidates' speeches by investigating the public reaction they received based on articles published in the French media. This research will apply a critical discourse analysis and interactional sociolinguistics approach using elements of interaction formulated by Stébe (2008) and Kerbrat-Orecchioni (1990). Data will be classified using the software LEXICO 3.
Vintage Ladies in Cubist Exhibitions: Pablo Picasso's Cubist Women and Judith Butler's Performativity
Authors: Saeid Samaneh , Atashi Laleh
Published: June 2021

As a prominent figure in the history of painting, Pablo Picasso has bestowed upon the world his uniquely striking paintings in different styles, the most revolutionary of which being his Cubist art. The representation of women occupies a significant space in Picasso’s Cubist works. While the painter’s style is highly revolutionary, rejecting the accepted principles of painting, the subject matter does not change as such: nude women are objectified with a cubist look. Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity which examines the roots of naturalized concepts of gender, has been applied to Picasso’s representations of women in his cubist paintings. This research examines the way naturalized definitions of gender have found their way into Picasso’s paintings.  By applying the Butlerian concept of gender performativity to a number of Picasso’s cubist artworks, we try to indicate how stereotypes of gender linger in the discourse of modernism. Analyses lead to the conclusion that although the cubist style of painting is an experimentation in form, hardly any avant-gardism can be traced in the representation of gendered identities in Picasso.
Hedges and Boosters as Modality Markers: An Analysis of Nigerian and American Editorials
Authors: Ojo Oluwasola Emmanuel
Published: June 2021

Many studies have been carried out on the use of hedges and boosters as persuasive strategies, but little is known about their employment when texts such as editorials are compared cross culturally. This study comparatively examined the employment of modality markers to express doubt and conviction in Nigerian and American editorials. Farrokhi and Emami’s (2008) classification of hedges and boosters was employed to analyze twenty editorials selected from two Nigerian newspapers and two American newspapers. Findings reveal that both sets of editorial writers made use of hedges and boosters a lot in their writings. However, lexical verbs were not employed as boosters in the analyzed editorials. The fact that the Nigerian editorial writers as ESL writers equally made great use of hedges and boosters implies that in texts such as editorials, writers from different cultures equally employ the same linguistic devices to express doubt and conviction.
The Struggles of the Kretek Workers in Iksaka Banu’s Novel, Sang Raja (The King)
Authors: Widyastuti Thera
Published: June 2021

Novel is able to present the development of one character, complex social situations, relationships involving many or few characters, and complicated events that occurred several years ago in detail. Novel The King was written by Iksana Banu, an famous Indonesian author and artist.   He published the novel in 2017. The King tell the story about people who work in Kretek Cigarette factory. They have to struggle how to defend the cigarette factory from competition with other factories, and worldwide economic depression. The main character, Philip Gerardus Rechterhand, a Dutch man who borned in Indonesia. Intrinsic (character and setting), and extrinsic (sociology of literature, personality theory, and history) approaches are using to analyze this research. Kretek become part of society life, and many people have economic dependence on the kretek factory.
Reimagining Peter Pan: The Postmodern Childhood Portrayal in Wendy (2020)
Authors: Hapsarani Dhita , Lutfiputri Nadia Farah
Published: June 2021

As a social construct, the view towards childhood remains to change over time. Literary works, such as films or novels from different periods of time which feature children's characters as the protagonists can be the right medium to identify those shifts. This article analyzes Wendy (2020) film as the latest adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic children's novel Peter Pan (1911). This film has made some transformations from the original novel to make the story more relevant in today’s context, including how it showcases childhood that is experienced by the children’s characters. Using textual and comparative analysis, this study attempts to see the transformations in the film adaptation and how it shows a different childhood construction from the one appearing in the source novel. Referring to the concept of postmodern childhood, Linda Hutcheon’s adaptation theory, and Bordwell and Thompson’s elements of film analysis, this study reveals how Wendy (2020) has exemplified the concept of postmodern childhood through the portrayal of children’s roles, children’s agency, and children-adults relationship.
C
4
Photosynthesis
Authors: Leegood Richard C
Published: June 2021

Fundamental differences in photosynthetic metabolism have been surprisingly unexploited as a means to increase plant productivity and thus provide more food and fuel, and this applies particularly to C
4
photosynthesis, despite the fact that it is the photosynthetic pathway found in maize, one of the world's major, and most productive, crops. It operates to raise the CO
2
concentration in the vicinity of Rubisco and thus to reduce the wasteful process of photorespiration. Overall, if the characteristics of C
4
photosynthesis were introduced into C
3
crops, this would increase yield, reduce land area needed for cultivation and limit both irrigation and fertiliser applications because of their improved productivity and efficiency in use of water and nitrogen. The occurrence of C
4
photosynthesis in multiple lineages, and with differing mechanisms, also provides a deep biological resource to increase our understanding of the process.

Key Concepts

A CO
2
‐concentrating mechanism is a biochemical or biophysical mechanism that raises the CO
2
concentration in the vicinity of Rubisco so as to suppress oxygenation and hence photorespiration.

C
4
photosynthesis is a variant of the C
3
photosynthetic pathway that provides increased efficiency in the use of CO
2
, water and nitrogen.

C
4
plants include highly productive tropical grasses that are also important crop plants like maize, sugar cane and sorghum.

The biochemical pump and anatomy in C
4
plants has evolved independently more than 60 times and is a striking example of convergent evolution.

C
4
photosynthesis involves cooperation and transport between two clearly differentiated cell types – the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells.

C
4
photosynthesis is accompanied by unique mechanisms of intracellular transport and regulation of enzymes and gene expression.
Privacy of Genetic Information: Medical Advance versus Personal Autonomy
Authors: Field Robert I
Published: June 2021

Genetic science is opening exciting prospects for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases that had once seemed unimaginable. New technologies to repair disease‐causing genes and create new ones may become routine in medical practice within the next few years. Much of this progress stems from analysis of information in large databases containing data on as many as millions of people. However, such large accumulations of information create risks of unauthorised disclosure that can threaten the privacy and personal autonomy of data subjects and may result in a range of harms, including personal embarrassment, social stigma and discrimination. The risk is heightened when a genetic trait indicates susceptibility to an infectious disease, such as COVID‐19. The major federal laws in the United States that protect data subjects leave significant gaps as all were enacted before many recent advances were anticipated. Updated enactments to close these gaps must be designed carefully to protect privacy without constraining continued scientific progress.

Key Concepts

Genetic science has led to significant medical advances, but research with genetic data risks breaching the privacy of data subjects.

Unauthorised disclosure of genetic information may lead to a range of harms, including discrimination in employment, insurance, housing, finance and other areas.

Even anonymous genetic data presents a risk if it is disclosed because it can be deanonymised with increasing ease.

Genetic disclosures present risks that are distinct from those presented by conventional medical data, because they reflect an individual's entire physiology, are immutable and can implicate relatives.

Existing laws to protect data subjects have significant limitations, and for data maintained by commercial database companies, the primary legal protection in the United States is the companies' terms of service, which are often vague and changeable.

Modernised laws could better protect data subjects, but they must carefully balance the ethical imperatives of utilitarianism, which calls for producing the greatest good for the greatest number through unfettered research, and autonomy, which calls for protecting the right of individuals to determine the way data concerning them are used.
Adaptive actuator failure compensation for cooperative robotic manipulators with parameter uncertainties
Authors: Rugthum Thummaros , Tao Gang
Published: June 2021

This article develops a new framework of adaptive actuator failure compensation control for cooperative manipulator systems with parameter uncertainties in addition to actuator failures, and designs and analyzes effective actuator failure compensation schemes for such robotic systems. The new adaptive control design uses an integration of multiple individual failure compensators and direct adaptation to handle various types of uncertainties in such robotic systems. The design can also be used for concurrent actuator failure cases, to expand the capability of adaptive actuator failure compensation. With a complete proof and performance analysis, it is shown that the proposed control scheme guarantees the desired closed‐loop stability and asymptotic output tracking, despite actuator failures whose patterns, time instants and values are all unknown. Simulation results of a benchmark cooperative manipulator system are presented to verify the desired control performance of the system with both typical constant and square‐wave actuator failure signals.
The Magic of Asking ‘What if?’: Radical Architectural Pedagogy
Authors: Manferdini Elena
Published: June 2021

Since it was founded in 1972, the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI‐Arc) in Los Angeles has been one of a small cohort of peers at the forefront of progressive schools of architecture. This is an environment where everything is questioned and nothing taken for granted – a fecund, inventive and highly productive breeding ground for new architectures. Graduate Programs Chair Elena Manferdini proffers some of its recent graduate schemes and outlines its pedagogic philosophy.
Disciplinary Displacements: The Revaluation of Conventions through the Postgraduate Thesis
Authors: Young Michael
Published: June 2021

The school of architecture at the Cooper Union, New York has historically been renowned for its imaginative pedagogy and experimental architectural propositions. The work of post‐professional students here culminates in their design thesis project, explored and developed through thesis studios. One such studio in 2019, led by Assistant Professor Michael Young and his teaching partner Anna Bokov, asked the question ‘What is Contemporary?’ Young sets out the particular value of design theses in comparison to undergraduate theses, and how this studio investigated performance, bodies in space and numerous points of view constructing what architecture might be in the 21st century.
Project Documentaries: The Rise of the Cinematic Portfolio
Authors: Morris Mark
Published: June 2021

The recent pandemic has forced schools of architecture to re‐evaluate the ways they teach. The Architectural Association (AA) in London is no exception in this respect. Mark Morris, its Head of Teaching and Learning, discusses how film and animation have been the method of choice for students who are holed up in their homes across the world and subject to a myriad of time zones. Here he guides us through some of the institution's recent MArch/ AA Diploma graduates who received honours.
Nanoclay Reinforced Biomaterials for Mending Musculoskeletal Tissue Disorders
Authors: Erezuma Itsasne , Eufrasio‐da‐Silva Tatiane , Golafshan Nasim , Deo Kaivalya , Mishra Yogendra Kumar , Castilho Miguel , Gaharwar Akhilesh K. , Leeuwenburgh Sander , Dolatshahi‐Pirouz Alireza , Orive Gorka
Published: June 2021

Nanoclay‐reinforced biomaterials have sparked a new avenue in advanced healthcare materials that can potentially revolutionize treatment of musculoskeletal defects. Native tissues display many important chemical, mechanical, biological, and physical properties that engineered biomaterials need to mimic for optimal tissue integration and regeneration. However, it is time‐consuming and difficult to endow such combinatorial properties on materials via feasible and nontoxic procedures. Fortunately, a number of nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, MXenes, and nanoclays already display a plethora of material properties that can be transferred to biomaterials through a simple incorporation procedure. In this direction, the members of the nanoclay family are easy to functionalize chemically, they can significantly reinforce the mechanical performance of biomaterials, and can provide bioactive properties by ionic dissolution products to upregulate cartilage and bone tissue formation. For this reason, nanoclays can become a key component for future orthopedic biomaterials. In this review, we specifically focus on the rapidly decreasing gap between clinic and laboratory by highlighting their application in a number of promising in vivo studies.
Wide‐Range and High‐Stability Flexible Conductive Graphene/Thermoplastic Polyurethane Foam for Piezoresistive Sensor Applications
Authors: Lü Xiaozhou , Yu Tingting , Meng Fancheng , Bao Weimin
Published: June 2021

Flexible pressure sensors based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) conductive polymer foam can be applied to health monitoring, motion detection, and electronic skin. For satisfying the demand of long‐term use in high‐pressure range, the TPU conductive polymer foam requires improvements in detection range, stability, and repeatability. In this paper, a flexible conductive reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) porous foam with ultra‐wide pressure detection range and high‐stability is proposed. First, an elastic and flexible TPU polymer foam matrix is fabricated via freeze‐drying. Then, the rGO/TPU foam is prepared by dip‐coating it into graphene oxide (GO) solution followed by chemical reduction. The electromechanical properties of the foam are studied by gradual and cyclic compression tests, thereby investigating the influence of different rGO loadings on the properties of the foam. Experimental results suggest that the prepared foam possesses outstanding performance in pressure detection range (20 kPa to 1.94 MPa), sensitivity (0.0152 kPa−1), response (166 ms), and stability (>10 000 cycles, at 0–35 kPa), satisfying the demand of long‐term use in high‐pressure range. The foam being assembled as a wearable pressure sensor to monitor human motions exhibits satisfactory performance, offering potential for high‐pressure detection and high‐stability electronic sensing devices.
One‐Step Synthesis of Carbon‐Protected Co3O4 Nanoparticles toward Long‐Term Water Oxidation in Acidic Media
Authors: Lai Qiwen , Vediyappan Veeramani , Aguey-Zinsou Kondo-Francois , Matsumoto Hiroshige
Published: June 2021

The design and development of highly efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts in acid media are important for various renewable technologies. Herein, an advanced Co3O4 electrocatalyst supported on a mesoporous hydrophobic carbon paper (Co/29BC) is formed via a simple one‐step thermal decomposition of cobalt nitrate. Through this novel approach, the amorphous carbon layer resulting from the thermal decomposition of carbon‐containing species in the mesoporous layer provides enhanced electronic conduction and protection against corrosion to the Co3O4 nanoparticles. Equally important, the OER performance is found to be correlated with the morphology and surface composition of Co3O4. With optimized Co3+ active sites and oxygen vacancies at the metal oxide surface, the Co3O4 catalyst shows superior OER performance and durability in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer, with a small overpotential (350 mV) at a constant current density of 10 mA cm−1 for over 50 h. Accordingly, this work provides new insights toward the design of high‐performance and highly stable OER electrocatalysts in corrosive acidic environments.
Covid‐19's Impact On Best Practices In Arbitration and Mediation
Authors: Feerick John D.
Published: June 2021

The Covid‐19 pandemic has been referred to as a liminal point in time—the “in‐between.” It is a good time to pause and evaluate where we are as individuals and as an ADR profession.
The Post‐Pandemic Compromise: Hybrid Mediation!
Authors: Creo Robert A.
Published: June 2021

In the September 2020 column, I concluded that, contrary to my expectations, remote mediation can work and, at times, can be more effective than a traditional series of meetings.
Extracellular Vesicles as Drug Delivery System for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders: Optimization of the Cell Source
Authors: Haney Matthew J. , Zhao Yuling , Fallon John K. , Wang Yue , Li Samuel M. , Lentz Emily E. , Erie Dorothy , Smith Philip C. , Batrakova Elena V.
Published: June 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a next generation drug delivery system that combines nanoparticle size with extraordinary ability to cross biological barriers, reduced immunogenicity, and low offsite toxicity profiles. A successful application of this natural way of delivering biological compounds requires deep understanding EVs intrinsic properties inherited from their parent cells. Herein, EVs released by cells of different origin, with respect to drug delivery to the brain for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, are evaluated. The morphology, size, and zeta potential of EVs secreted by primary macrophages (mEVs), neurons (nEVs), and astrocytes (aEVs) are examined by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoTEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Spherical nanoparticles with average size 110–130 nm and zeta potential around −20 mV are identified for all EVs types. mEVs show the highest levels of tetraspanins and integrins compared with nEVs and aEVs, suggesting superior adhesion and targeting to the inflamed tissues by mEVs. Strikingly, aEVs are preferentially taken up by neuronal cells in vitro, followed by mEVs and nEVs. Nevertheless, the brain accumulation levels of mEVs in a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson's disease are significantly higher than those of nEVs or aEVs. Therefore, mEVs are suggested as the most promising nanocarrier system for drug delivery to the brain.
Wavelength‐Scale Photonic Space Switch Proof‐Of‐Concept Based on Photonic Hook Effect
Authors: Geints Yuri E. , Minin Oleg V. , Yue Liyang , Minin Igor V.
Published: June 2021

The proof‐of‐concept of a new wavelength‐scaled all‐optical two‐channel switch based on the photonic hook phenomenon is proposed and demonstrated. By means of the numerical finite‐difference time‐domain simulations, several prototypes of such devices are considered based on dielectric microstructures with broken symmetry of both geometric shape and optical properties without the use of micromechanical devices or non‐linear materials. Due to the unique property of the photonic hook to change its curvature depending on the optical wavelength, the proposed switch is a promising candidate for the implementation of optical switching in modern optoelectronics and miniature “on‐chip” devices. Optical isolation that is close to 20 dB is discovered at the wavelengths of 1.5 and 1.9 µm for a dielectric Janus microbar‐based switch with linear dimensions of about (6λ)3 (λ is the wavelength of the incident plane wave).
Proximity‐aware research leadership recommendation in research collaboration via deep neural networks
Authors: He Chaocheng , Wu Jiang , Zhang Qingpeng
Published: June 2021

Collaborator recommendation is of great significance for facilitating research collaboration. Proximities have been demonstrated to be significant factors and determinants of research collaboration. Research leadership is associated with not only the capability to integrate resources to launch and sustain the research project but also the production and academic impact of the collaboration team. However, existing studies mainly focus on social or cognitive proximity, failing to integrate critical proximities comprehensively. Besides, existing studies focus on recommending relationships among all the coauthors, ignoring leadership in research collaboration. In this article, we propose a proximity‐aware research leadership recommendation (PRLR) model to systematically integrate critical node attribute information (critical proximities) and network features to conduct research leadership recommendation by predicting the directed links in the research leadership network. PRLR integrates cognitive, geographical, and institutional proximity as node attribute information and constructs a leadership‐aware coauthorship network to preserve the research leadership information. PRLR learns the node attribute information, the local network features, and the global network features with an autoencoder model, a joint probability constraint, and an attribute‐aware skip‐gram model, respectively. Extensive experiments and ablation studies have been conducted, demonstrating that PRLR significantly outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art collaborator recommendation models in research leadership recommendation.
Cyclodextrin‐Cross‐Linked Hydrogels for Adsorption and Photodegradation of Cationic Dyes in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhang Ying‐Ming , Liu Yu
Published: June 2021

Possessing three‐dimensional porous structures and tunable mechanical strengths, cyclodextrin‐containing polymeric hydrogels are one of the most promising water‐based adsorbent materials due to their easy availability, simple chemical modification and environmental friendliness. In this work, two kinds of hydrogels were prepared via the copolymerization with acrylic acid and vinyl‐derivatized β‐cyclodextrins in water. These two gels have showed good adsorption performance towards cationic dyes through the noncovalent interactions with their anionic backbones and porous network. Meanwhile, pseudo‐second‐order model was selected to clarify the adsorption kinetics process. Moreover, nano‐scaled TiO2 was doped into these resultant cyclodextrins‐based hydrogels to achieve efficient degradation of dyes upon light irradiation. The obtained TiO2‐loaded hydrogels could exhibit improved adsorption performance and make the adsorbed dyes photo‐degraded with the decolorization rates above 95%. It can be envisioned that such cyclodextrin‐based soft materials may find applications in dye clearance and water treatment.
Recent Advances in Bimetallic Cu‐Based Nanocrystals for Electrocatalytic CO2 Conversion
Authors: Talukdar Biva , Mendiratta Shruti , Huang Michael H. , Kuo Chun‐Hong
Published: June 2021

An elevated level of anthropogenic CO2 has been the major cause of global warming, and significant efforts are being made around the world towards the development of CO2 capture, storage and reuse technologies. Among various CO2 conversion technologies, electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2RR) by nanocrystals is one of the most promising strategies as it is facile, quick, and can be integrated with other renewable energy techniques. Judiciously designed catalytic nanomaterials promise to be the next generation of electrochemical electrodes that offer cutting‐edge performance, low energy consumption and aid in reducing overall carbon footprint. In this minireview, we highlight the recent developments related to the bimetallic Cu‐based nanocatalysts and discuss their structure‐property relationships. We focus on the design principles and parameters required for the enhancement of CO2 conversion efficiency, selectivity, and stability.
Association of adverse childhood experiences and precuneus volume with intrusive reexperiencing in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Kitamura Soichiro , Makinodan Manabu , Matsuoka Kiwamu , Takahashi Masato , Yoshikawa Hiroaki , Ishida Rio , Kishimoto Naoko , Yasuno Fumihiko , Yasuda Yuka , Hashimoto Ryota , Miyasaka Toshiteru , Kichikawa Kimihiko , Kishimoto Toshifumi
Published: June 2021

Compared to typically developing (TD) children, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an increased risk of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Exposure to ACEs is associated with adult ASD psychological comorbidities, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Occurrence of intrusive event reexperiencing, characteristic of PTSD, often causes social dysfunction in adults with ASD, but its pathological basis is unclear. This study examined brain regions related to the severity of intrusive reexperiencing and explored whether ACE severity was associated with that of intrusive reexperiencing and/or extracted regional gray matter volume. Forty‐six individuals with ASD and 41 TD subjects underwent T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging and evaluation of ACEs and intrusive reexperiencing. Brain regions related to the severity of intrusive reexperiencing in both groups were identified by voxel‐based whole brain analyses. Associations among the severity of intrusive reexperiencing, that of ACEs, and gray matter volume were examined in both groups. The severities of intrusive reexperiencing and ACEs were significantly associated with reduced gray matter volume in the right precuneus in individuals with ASD but not in TD subjects. Although the right precuneus gray matter volume was smaller in individuals with ASD and severe ACEs than in those with mild ACEs or TD subjects, it was similar in the latter two groups. However, ACE‐dependent gray matter volume reduction in the right precuneus led to intrusive reexperiencing in individuals with ASD. This suggests that exposure to ACEs is associated with right precuneus gray matter reduction, which is critical for intrusive reexperiencing in adults with ASD.

Lay Summary

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and of subsequent manifestation of intrusive reexperiencing of stressful life events. The present study found that reduced gray matter volume in the right precuneus of the brain was associated with more severe intrusive reexperiencing of ACEs by individuals with ASD. These results suggest that ACEs affect neural development in the precuneus, which is the pathological basis of intrusive event reexperiencing in ASD.