bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Constraint Method of Elastic Diaphragm on Numerical Simulation of Pressure-Compensating Emitter
Authors: Chen Xueli , Wei Zhengying , Wei Caixiang , Ma Jinpeng , Chen Zhuo
Published: March 2021

Highlights

Deformation of the elastic diaphragm can affect the flow field characteristics of a pressure-compensating emitter.

The contact constraint method’s simulation of the elastic diaphragm were consistent with its actual deformation.

The contact constraint method can reduce the relative errors between simulated and experimental results.

Abstract. Numerical simulation is an important method for revealing the working principle and optimizing the design of drip emitters. The hydraulic performance of pressure-compensating (PC) emitters is determined by the interaction between the elastic diaphragm and the flow field; therefore, correct deformation of the elastic diaphragm is one of the factors determining the accuracy of numerical simulation of PC emitters. This study investigated the effects of three constraint methods of the elastic diaphragm on the numerical simulation of PC emitters. The three methods were fully fixed constraint (FFC), upper surface fixed constraint (UFC), and contact constraint (CC). Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation was used to analyze the deformation characteristics of the elastic diaphragm, the flow field characteristics, and the flow rate of the PC emitter. The simulated diaphragm deformation and flow rates were compared with the results of a visual experiment and a hydraulic performance experiment, respectively. The simulation results showed that the constraint method affected the diaphragm deformation and flow field of the PC emitter. In comparing the simulation results with the experimental results, the CC method had the highest accuracy among the three constraint methods, but an extremely long computation time was required. The FFC method had the lowest accuracy but required less computation time. The accuracy of the UFC method was lower than CC and higher than FFC, but its computation time decreased by 60.03% compared with CC. This study provides a foundation for further research on the numerical simulation and design of PC emitters. Keywords: Constraint method, Deformation characteristics, Flow field characteristics, Fluid-structure interaction, Visual experiment.
Quality of soy bean grain stored in bag silo
Authors: Pinto Vinicius Duarte , Dias Lucas Mingotti , Hoscher Renata Henrique , Gomes Fabiano Rodrigo , Oliveira Marcelo Alvares de , Schoeninger Vanderleia
Published: March 2021

Because of the rise in the use of bag silo in the last harvests due to the lack of static capacity in Brazil, the storage of grain in type of structure is currently seen as a solution to our storage deficit. Thus, the importance of maintaining the quality of grains for commercialization in these systems is considered. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the quality of soybean grain stored in a silo bag, in the region of Dourados, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazilian Central-West. The experiment was carried out in a cooperative, where soybean grain stored in silo bag are collected. The product had been received, processed at the end of the summer harvest and previously stored in metallic silos, and then transferred to the silo bags upon reception of the winter harvest. Thus, soybeans with an average water content of 11% w.b. were packed in bags composed of high-density polyethylene and hermetically sealed over a total period of 125 days, with collections of data on temperature and air relative humidity and grain sampling every 40 days. The collected samples were subjected to plant classification and analyses of water content, water activity, protein, lipids and color parameters were also performed. Na average rise of 5° C was observed in the temperature and 14% for air relative humidity which resulted in the of moldy and fermented grains after 125 days in the bags. The storage period factor was significant (p <0.05) in the variables of water content, color and oil. It was concluded that for soybeans the storage period in hermetic bags influences the quality of the grains and the internal environmental conditions in these structures are influenced by the convective microcurrents observed in the different positions inside the silo bag.
Changing meanings of university teaching: the emotionalisation of academic culture in Russia, Israel and the US
Authors: Lerner Julia , Zbenovich Claudia , Kaneh-Shalit Tamar
Published: March 2021

In this study, we reflexively focus our gaze on the global shift toward the emotionalisation of academic culture, taking the perspective of a university institution and its staff. We argue that emotional consumerism is fundamental to the current condition of academic teaching; it is embedded in its institutional agenda and shapes faculty’s subjective experiences. Our ethnographic analysis reveals also that understanding emotional academic capitalism requires a cross-cultural lens. Thus, we probe the meanings of teaching in three academic contexts – Russia, Israel and the US – tracing how local neoliberalism, cultural emotional communicative scripts and educational traditions, as well as political cultures, shape the emotionalisation of university teaching differently. Academic teaching in the US appears as care combined with fear; teaching in Israel is articulated as a therapeutic power struggle; while in Russia, teaching is interpreted as a peculiar combination of authoritative impersonalised services. This juxtaposition exposes different local manifestations of neoliberal emotional university discourse that merges therapeutic logic and its emotional language, reconfigures hierarchical relations, and integrates national political ethos into the act of teaching.
Therapeutic advances in the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: A review
Authors: Azim Marium , Khan Saeed Ahmad , Ullah Saleem , Ullah Shafiq , Anjum Syed Ishtiaq
Published: March 2021

Cutaneous leishmaniasis has been endemic since decades. Millions of cases are reported worldwide specially in developing and underdeveloped countries. There are 2 major types of cutaneous leishmaniasis based on the causating species found in different regions of the world. These include New and Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis, which are self-healing, but if not treated, these may cause severe scars and many other complications like mucosal involvement. The conventional gold standard treatment for both types is mainly intralesional or parenteral administration of antimonial. Lately, a great deal of research has been done on development of topical treatment based on single agent or combination therapy. This review summarizes the current state of literature regarding therapeutic outcome of topical treatment against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by different species in different regions.
Household rat infestation in urban slum populations: Development and validation of a predictive score for leptospirosis
Authors: Costa Federico , Zeppelini Caio Graco , Ribeiro Guilherme S. , Santos Norlan , Reis Renato Barbosa , Martins Ridalva D. , Bittencourt Deborah , Santana Carlos , Brant Jonas , Reis Mitermayer G. , Ko Albert I.
Published: March 2021

Domestic rats are the principal reservoir for urban leptospirosis. However, few studies have identified infestation markers in slums and evaluated their predictivity for leptospirosis risk. We compared households with leptospirosis cases in Salvador, Brazil between 2007 and 2009 and their neighbors using a case control design, surveying for rodent infestation signs and environmental characteristics. With the 2007–2008 data, a conditional logistic regression modeling identified the peridomiciliar presence of rodent burrows (OR, 3.30; 95% CI, 1.50–7.26), rat feces (2.86; 1.24–6.59), runs (2.57; 1.06–6.22), households bordering abandoned houses (2.48; 1.04–6.02), and unplastered walls (2.22; 1.02–6.02) as risk factors and developed a predictive score for leptospirosis. With an independent data set from 2009, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis evaluated the prediction score performance, with the area under the curve being 0.70 (95% CI, 0.64–0.76) for score development and 0.71 (0.65–0.79) for validation. Results indicate that high proportions of urban slum households are infested with R. norvegicus. The score performed well when identifying high-risk households within slums. These findings need confirmation in other urban centers, but suggest that community-based screening for rodent infestation can allow to target rodent and environmental control measures in populations at highest risk for leptospirosis.
When personality gets under the skin: Need for uniqueness and body modifications
Authors: Weiler Selina M. , Tetzlaff Bjarn-Ove , Herzberg Philipp Yorck , Jacobsen Thomas
Published: March 2021

Do individuals modify their bodies in order to be unique? The present study sought to investigate need for uniqueness (NfU) subcomponents as possible motives for modifying one’s body. To this end, the study obtained information from 312 participants about their NfU (using the German NfU-G global scale and three sub-scales) and their body modifications (tattoos, piercings, and extreme body modifications such as tongue splitting). By analyzing the three subcomponents of NfU, the study was able to investigate the differential relationship of the sub-scales with the outcome measures, which facilitated a fine-grained understanding of the NfU–body-modification relationship. The study found that tattooed, pierced, and extreme-body-modified individuals had higher NfU-G scores than individuals without body modifications. Moreover, it seemed that individuals with tattoos took a social component into consideration while lacking concern regarding others’ reaction toward their tattoos, although not wanting to cause affront. Pierced and extreme-body-modified individuals, contrarily, tended to display a propensity to actively flout rules and not worry about others’ opinions on their modifications. However, although statistically significant, the effect size (d) for the NfU-G differences in the tattooed and pierced participants’ mean scores was small to medium in all three subcomponents. The extreme-body-modified group presented medium and medium to large effects. Further, the study observed that the number of body modifications increased with an increasing NfU in tattooed and pierced individuals. These findings demonstrated multifaceted interrelations between the NfU, its subcomponents, and the three kinds of body modifications investigated in the present study.
Predicting major bleeding among hospitalized patients using oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation after discharge
Authors: Qazi Jakub Z. , Schnitzer Mireille E. , Côté Robert , Martel Marie-Josée , Dorais Marc , Perreault Sylvie
Published: March 2021

Aim

Real-world predictors of major bleeding (MB) have been well-studied among warfarin users, but not among all direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) users diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). Thus, our goal was to build a predictive model of MB for new users of all oral anticoagulants (OAC) with AF.

Methods

We identified patients hospitalized for any cause and discharged alive in the community from 2011 to 2017 with a primary or secondary diagnosis of AF in Quebec’s RAMQ and Med-Echo administrative databases. Cohort entry occurred at the first OAC claim. Patients were categorized according to OAC type. Outcomes were incident MB, gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), non-GI extracranial bleeding (NGIB) and intracranial bleeding within 1 year of follow-up. Covariates included age, sex, co-morbidities (within 3 years before cohort entry) and medication use (within 2 weeks before cohort entry). We used logistic-LASSO and adaptive logistic-LASSO regressions to identify MB predictors among OAC users. Discrimination and calibration were assessed for each model and a global model was selected. Subgroup analyses were performed for MB subtypes and OAC types.

Results

Our cohort consisted of 14,741 warfarin, 3,722 dabigatran, 6,722 rivaroxaban and 11,196 apixaban users aged 70–86 years old. The important MB predictors were age, prior MB and liver disease with ORs ranging from 1.37–1.64. The final model had a c-statistic of 0.63 (95% CI 0.60–0.65) with adequate calibration. The GIB and NGIB models had similar c-statistics of 0.65 (95% CI 0.63–0.66) and 0.67 (95% CI 0.64–0.70), respectively.

Conclusions

MB and MB subtype predictors were similar among DOAC and warfarin users. The predictors selected by our models and their discriminative potential are concordant with published data. Thus, these models can be useful tools for future pharmacoepidemiologic studies involving older oral anticoagulant users with AF.
Trends in heart failure-related cardiovascular mortality in rural versus urban United States counties, 2011–2018: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Pierce Jacob B. , Shah Nilay S. , Petito Lucia C. , Pool Lindsay , Lloyd-Jones Donald M. , Feinglass Joe , Khan Sadiya S.
Published: March 2021

Background

Adults in rural counties in the United States (US) experience higher rates broadly of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with adults in urban counties. Mortality rates specifically due to heart failure (HF) have increased since 2011, but estimates of heterogeneity at the county-level in HF-related mortality have not been produced. The objectives of this study were 1) to quantify nationwide trends by rural-urban designation and 2) examine county-level factors associated with rural-urban differences in HF-related mortality rates.

Methods and findings

We queried CDC WONDER to identify HF deaths between 2011–2018 defined as CVD (I00-78) as the underlying cause of death and HF (I50) as a contributing cause of death. First, we calculated national age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) and examined trends stratified by rural-urban status (defined using 2013 NCHS Urban-Rural Classification Scheme), age (35–64 and 65–84 years), and race-sex subgroups per year. Second, we combined all deaths from 2011–2018 and estimated incidence rate ratios (IRR) in HF-related mortality for rural versus urban counties using multivariable negative binomial regression models with adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, risk factor prevalence, and physician density. Between 2011–2018, 162,314 and 580,305 HF-related deaths occurred in rural and urban counties, respectively. AAMRs were consistently higher for residents in rural compared with urban counties (73.2 [95% CI: 72.2–74.2] vs. 57.2 [56.8–57.6] in 2018, respectively). The highest AAMR was observed in rural Black men (131.1 [123.3–138.9] in 2018) with greatest increases in HF-related mortality in those 35–64 years (+6.1%/year). The rural-urban IRR persisted among both younger (1.10 [1.04–1.16]) and older adults (1.04 [1.02–1.07]) after adjustment for county-level factors. Main limitations included lack of individual-level data and county dropout due to low event rates (<20).

Conclusions

Differences in county-level factors may account for a significant amount of the observed variation in HF-related mortality between rural and urban counties. Efforts to reduce the rural-urban disparity in HF-related mortality rates will likely require diverse public health and clinical interventions targeting the underlying causes of this disparity.
Radiographic differences in the concomitant deformities in two types of medial ankle osteoarthritis
Authors: Choi Wooyoung , Chung Chin Youb , Park Moon Seok , Lee Sanghoon , Lee Kyoung Min
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Motion preserving surgeries could be unsuccessful because of underestimation of deformities of the foot and knee in ankle osteoarthritis. This study aimed to investigate the concomitant deformities in medial ankle osteoarthritis and the difference between the two types, varus angulation and medial translation.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted using medical records and radiographic data. Patients with medial ankle osteoarthritis that underwent weight-bearing X ray imaging and radiographic measurements including tibial plafond inclination (TPI), tibiotalar tilt angle (TT), lateral talo-first metatarsal angle, naviculo-cuboid overlap, and mechanical tibiofemoral angle (mTFA) were studied. The patients were categorized into two groups, the varus angulation group (TT ≥4°) and medial translation group (TT <4°). The radiographic measurements were compared between the two groups.

Results

A total of 102 patients (male = 44; female = 58) were included; the mean age was 64.9 years (SD 8.3 years). The varus rotation group (N = 66) showed a significantly smaller lateral talo-first metatarsal angle (p<0.001), naviculo-cuboid overlap (p<0.001), and mTFA (p = 0.019) compared to the medial displacement group (N = 36). The TT showed a significant correlation with lateral talo-first metatarsal angle (r = -0.520, p<0.001), naviculo-cuboid overlap (r = -0.501, p<0.001), and mTFA (r = -0.243, p = 0.014). Lateral talo-first metatarsal angle was found to be the significant factor (p = 0.018) discriminating varus angulation and medial translation types in the binary logistic analysis.

Conclusions

Varus angulation of the ankle was correlated with knee alignment and foot deformity. Radiographic indices were different between the varus angulation and medial translation groups. The role of concomitant deformities needs to be further investigated in terms of a causal relationship. Surgeons need to pay attention to concomitant deformities in the treatment of medial ankle osteoarthritis.
Urinary cytokines in women with refractory detrusor overactivity: A longitudinal study of rotating antibiotic versus placebo treatment
Authors: Chen Zhuoran , Ognenovska Samantha , Sluyter Ronald , Moore Kate H. , Mansfield Kylie J.
Published: March 2021

Over 50% of women with detrusor overactivity (DO), who do not respond to therapy have been shown to have bacteriuria, which may stimulate the release of inflammatory cytokines than can enhance nerve signalling, leading to symptoms of urgency. This study made use of a consecutive series of urine samples collected from women with refractory DO, who participated in a clinical trial of rotating antibiotic therapy. The aim was to determine the effect of bacteriuria and antibiotic treatment on the levels of urinary cytokines, and to correlate the cytokine concentration with patient outcome measures relating to urgency or urge incontinence. The urinary cytokines chosen were IL-1α, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, CXCL10 (IP-10), MCP-1 and TNF-α. The presence of bacteriuria stimulated a significant increase in the concentrations of IL-1α (P 0.0216), IL-1 receptor antagonist (P 0.0264), IL-6 (P 0.0003), IL-8 (P 0.0043) and CXCL-10 (P 0.009). Antibiotic treatment significantly attenuated the release of IL-1α (P 0.005), IL-6 (P 0.0027), IL-8 (P 0.0001), IL-10 (P 0.049), and CXCL-10 (P 0.042), i.e. the response to the presence of bacteria was less in the antibiotic treated patients. Across the 26 weeks of the trial, antibiotic treatment reduced the concentration of five of the nine cytokines measured (IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and CXCL-10); this did not reach significance at every time point. In antibiotic treated patients, the urinary concentration of CXCL-10 correlated positively with four of the six measures of urgency. This study has shown that cytokines associated with activation of the innate immune system (e.g. cytokines chemotactic for or activators of macrophages and neutrophils) are reduced by antibiotic therapy in women with refractory DO. Antibiotic therapy is also associated with symptom improvement in these women, therefore the inflammatory response may have a role in the aetiology of refractory DO.
Assessing the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 disease based on a predictive tree model: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Marin-Gomez Francesc X. , Fàbregas-Escurriola Mireia , Seguí Francesc López , Pérez Eduardo Hermosilla , Camps Mència Benítez , Peña Jacobo Mendioroz , Comellas Anna Ruiz , Vidal-Alaball Josep
Published: March 2021

Background

Primary care is the major point of access in most health systems in developed countries and therefore for the detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. The quality of its IT systems, together with access to the results of mass screening with Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, makes it possible to analyse the impact of various concurrent factors on the likelihood of contracting the disease.

Methods and findings

Through data mining techniques with the sociodemographic and clinical variables recorded in patient’s medical histories, a decision tree-based logistic regression model has been proposed which analyses the significance of demographic and clinical variables in the probability of having a positive PCR in a sample of 7,314 individuals treated in the Primary Care service of the public health system of Catalonia. The statistical approach to decision tree modelling allows 66.2% of diagnoses of infection by COVID-19 to be classified with a sensitivity of 64.3% and a specificity of 62.5%, with prior contact with a positive case being the primary predictor variable.

Conclusions

The use of a classification tree model may be useful in screening for COVID-19 infection. Contact detection is the most reliable variable for detecting Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases. The model would support that, beyond a symptomatic diagnosis, the best way to detect cases would be to engage in contact tracing.
Development of a multiplex Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay for on-site diagnosis of SARS CoV-2
Authors: Jang Woong Sik , Lim Da Hye , Yoon Jung , Kim Ahran , Lim Minsup , Nam Jeonghun , Yanagihara Richard , Ryu Sook-Won , Jung Bo Kyeung , Ryoo Nam-Hee , Lim Chae Seung
Published: March 2021

A newly identified coronavirus, designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2), has spread rapidly from its epicenter in China to more than 150 countries across six continents. In this study, we have designed three reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) primer sets to detect the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), Envelope (E) and Nucleocapsid protein (N) genes of SARS CoV-2. For one tube reaction, the detection limits for five combination SARS CoV-2 LAMP primer sets (RdRP/E, RdRP/N, E/N, RdRP/E/N and RdRP/N/Internal control (actin beta)) were evaluated with a clinical nasopharyngeal swab sample. Among the five combination, the RdRP/E and RdRP/N/IC multiplex LAMP assays showed low detection limits. The sensitivity and specificity of the RT-LAMP assay were evaluated and compared to that of the widely used Allplex™ 2019-nCoV Assay (Seegene, Inc., Seoul, South Korea) and PowerChek™ 2019-nCoV Real-time PCR kit (Kogenebiotech, Seoul, South Korea) for 130 clinical samples from 91 SARS CoV-2 patients and 162 NP specimens from individuals with (72) and without (90) viral respiratory infections. The multiplex RdRP (FAM)/N (CY5)/IC (Hex) RT-LAMP assay showed comparable sensitivities (RdRP: 93.85%, N: 94.62% and RdRP/N: 96.92%) to that of the Allplex™ 2019-nCoV Assay (100%) and superior to those of PowerChek™ 2019-nCoV Real-time PCR kit (RdRP: 92.31%, E: 93.85% and RdRP/E: 95.38%).
Die Dritte Option: Uneindeutigkeit im Fadenkreuz von Macht und Herrschaft
Authors: Barta Elena , Schrader Kathrin
Published: March 2021

In diesem Artikel wird, ausgehend von Konzepten der Intersektionalität, auf die Vulnerabilität von Subjekpositionen geblickt und die Wechselwirkung von Heternormativität, Bodyismus und Klassismus beschrieben. In den Beispielfeldern Wohnungslosigkeit, Asylverfahren und Knästen wird außerdem die Frage von Psychiatrisierung und Ableismus als Teil von Bodyismus diskutiert. Die Analyse von interdependenten Herrschaftsverhältnisse wird im Artikel jeweils mit Angriffsmöglichkeiten auf diese verknüpft. Er endet mit Vorschlägen zur Erweiterung der Handlungsfähigkeit in der Sozialen Arbeit und der betroffenen-geleiteten Forschung.
Die Frauen und Kinder deutscher Kriegsgefangener
Authors: Kolwes Ann-Kristin
Published: March 2021

Die Lebensumstände der Frauen und Kinder deutscher Kriegsgefangener waren geprägt vom Status ihres Ehemannes und Vaters. Die politische Haltung gegenüber den Internierten beeinflusste maßgeblich den gesellschaftlichen Umgang mit den Angehörigen der Kriegsgefangenen. Anhand eines Vergleichs ihrer jeweiligen Situation während des Nationalsozialismus, in der Bundesrepublik und der DDR zeichnet Ann-Kristin Kolwes nach, wie die Umbruchprozesse zwischen 1941 und 1956 das Leben der Angehörigen beeinflussten. Dabei verknüpft sie Alltags-, Geschlechter- und Sozialgeschichte miteinander und liefert wichtige Erkenntnisse über die späten Kriegs- und die Nachkriegsjahre.
Grenzen des Hörens
Authors: Wallraf David
Published: March 2021

Was ist der Klang der Macht? Wie verschafft sich Widerstand Gehör? In Grenzen des Hörens widmet sich David Wallraf jenen verdrängten Seiten des Hörbaren, die als Lärm, Rauschen, Geräusche und Störungen vernehmbar werden. Ausgehend von Noise als einem subkulturellen Genre, das die traditionellen Parameter der Musik dekonstruiert, zeichnet er den Begriff bis in Diskurse der Akustik, Thermodynamik und Informationstheorie nach und entwirft dabei eine politisch-ästhetische Theorie des Auditiven. Vor dem Hintergrund seiner Praxis als experimenteller Noise-Künstler legt er mit seiner kenntnisreichen und äußerst lesbaren Abhandlung eine kritische Ergänzung zu den Sound Studies vor.
Geflüchtete im deutschen Hochschulsystem
Authors: Struchholz Caroline
Published: March 2021

Wie erleben Studierende mit Fluchthintergrund den Einstieg in das deutsche Hochschulsystem und wie kann ihre Integration an den Institutionen verbessert werden? Caroline Struchholz zeigt: Diese Fragen bewegen sich an der Schnittstelle von Bildungstheorie, empirischer Bildungsforschung, Biographieforschung und erziehungswissenschaftlicher Migrationsforschung und beschreiben gemeinsam das biographische Bildungsmigrationserleben von Studierenden und Studieninteressierten mit Fluchthintergrund.
Achtsamkeit und Meditation im Hochschulkontext
Authors: de Bruin Andreas
Published: March 2021

Warum ist es wichtig, Konzepte der Achtsamkeit und Meditation an unseren Hochschulen zu etablieren? Welche Auswirkungen hat dies auf das Bildungssystem und auf die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer? Andreas de Bruin widmet sich den Ergebnissen der ersten zehn Jahre des seit 2010 existierenden Münchner Modells »Achtsamkeit und Meditation im Hochschulkontext«, an dem bislang über 2000 Studierende teilnahmen. In Meditationstagebuchnotizen berichten sie darüber, welche Bedeutung das Praktizieren von Achtsamkeit und Meditation in ihrem Studium und im täglichen Leben erhalten hat. Neben einem Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Forschung, vertiefenden Beiträgen und Erläuterungen wichtiger Begriffe aus der Achtsamkeits- und Meditationspraxis finden sich im Buch auch zahlreiche Übungen samt Anleitungen.
Die Ära der Entwicklung: Das Ende eines Mythos
Authors: Sachs Wolfgang
Published: March 2021

Mit der Coronakrise und ihren heute bereits absehbaren verheerenden Auswirkungen auf den globalen Süden taucht plötzlich ein Wort wieder auf, das fast in der Versenkung verschwunden zu sein schien: Entwicklung. Denn genau das ist die Frage - ob es dergleichen, und zwar inzwischen nicht mehr nur für den Süden, sondern auch für den gesamten Globus, noch einmal geben kann, oder ob wir eine weiter zunehmende, fundamentale Disruption der Welt erleben.
Enhancement of graphene oxide through β-cyclodextrin composite to sensitive analysis of an antidepressant: Sulpiride
Authors: Urcuk Ayca , Karadurmus Leyla , Bakirhan Nurgul K. , Ozkan Sibel A.
Published: March 2021

In this study, the electrochemical behavior of sulpiride (SUL) was examined deeply by using pyrolytic graphite electrode modified with graphene oxide (GO) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The developed nanosensor indicated considerable impact by significantly increasing the signal of SUL compared with the bare electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and square wave voltammetry (SWV) methods were utilized to investigate the SUL electrochemical analysis in aqueous solutions. Under optimum experimental conditions, calibration plot for SUL with a limit of detection of 2.83 × 10−9 M was obtained at accumulation time of the 30 s using square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric technique (AdSSWV) in the range of 1.0 × 10−7to 5.0 × 10−5 M. The effects of accumulation potential, accumulation time, pH, scan rate, electrolyte, and interfering agents were studied to obtain the intensive peak signal of the analyte. The presented method is validated and successfully performed for the determination of the SUL tablet and capsule. The fabricated nanosensor was carried out for the detection of SUL in the urine. Excellent recoveries among 104.37, 103.82, and 101.95% were obtained for tablet and capsule forms and urine analysis.
Vitamin D and new insights into pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Vondra Karel , Hampl Richard
Published: March 2021

Deficiency in vitamin D plays a role in the onset and development of insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A normal level of vitamin D is able to reduce low grade inflammation, which is a major process in inducing insulin resistance. It is also engaged in maintaining low resting levels of reactive species and radicals, normal Ca2+ signaling, a low expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines but increased formation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Vitamin D is also able to prevent hypermethylation (of DNA) and consequent functional inactivation of many genes, as well as other epigenetic alterations in β cells and in other insulin-sensitive peripheral tissues, mainly liver, adipose tissue and muscle. Vitamin D deficiency thus belongs to key factors accelerating the development of IR and consequently T2DM as well. However, vitamin D supplementation aimed at the control of glucose homeostasis in humans showed controversial effects. As a result, further studies are running to gain more detailed data needed for the full clinical utilization of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention and treatment of T2DM. Until new results are published, supplementation with high doses of vitamin D deficiency is not recommended. However, prevention of vitamin D deficiency and its correction are highly desired.
The emerging role of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan family in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Lin Jia-zhe , Duan Ming-rui , Lin Nuan , Zhao Wei-jiang
Published: March 2021

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a kind of linear polysaccharide that is covalently linked to proteins to form proteoglycans. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) consist of a core protein, with one or more CS chains covalently attached. CSPGs are precisely regulated and they exert a variety of physiological functions by binding to adhesion molecules and growth factors. Widely distributed in the nervous system in human body, CSPGs contribute to the major component of extracellular matrix (ECM), where they play an important role in the development and maturation of the nervous system, as well as in the pathophysiological response to damage to the central nervous system (CNS). While there are more than 30 types of CSPGs, this review covers the roles of the most important ones, including versican, aggrecan, neurocan and NG2 in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis. The updated reports of the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases are involving CSPGs.
Choosing Among Alternative Brands: Revisiting the Way Involvement Drives Consumer Selectivity
Authors: Konstantoulaki Kleopatra , Kokkinaki Flora , Rizomyliotis Ioannis
Published: March 2021

This study provides original theoretical and practical insights on the role of involvement in consumer decision making by demonstrating its negative effect on the relative size of the consideration set. Two experimental studies were conducted to test the relations between these constructs. The moderating effect of the nature of a product category and of the decision-making context was also examined. The results suggest that high involvement makes consumers more selective when evaluating the brands, they consider for purchase. This points towards different marketing practices in order to enhance brand attitudes or strengthen brand awareness accordingly.
The Goths, the Wielbark Culture and over 100 years of research on the eponymous site
Authors: Łuczkiewicz Piotr , Kleemann Jörg , Jankowski Michał , Noryśkiewicz Agnieszka M. , Sykuła Marcin , Kuzioła Aneta
Published: March 2021

The cemetery site for which the Wielbark Culture was named has been known for over a century. The scientific value of the site is, however, only now beginning to be realised. With a continuous sequence of use spanning five centuries, the site may hold clues that can shed new light on population continuity and the migrations of the Goths.
Progress in Psychotherapy: The Perspective of Control-Mastery Theory
Authors: Rodomonti Martina , Fiorenza Eleonora , Gazzillo Francesco , Dazzi Nino
Published: March 2021

In the classical psychoanalytic tradition, the patient is seen as unconsciously governed by forces that are at odds with the healing process. But over the years, the concept of resistance against change has been subjected to modifications, and the patient's contribution to the therapeutic relationship has come to be seen as more oriented to a conscious and unconscious collaboration with the clinician. This article aims to explore a new way of understanding how progress in psychotherapy is achieved and to reframe the therapeutic relationship from the point of view of Control-Mastery Theory (CMT). According to CMT, people are motivated to achieve adaptive goals, to master their traumas, and to feel better; to this purpose, patients unconsciously assume proactive roles in the therapeutic process. Indeed, they work during therapy to disprove their pathogenic beliefs, testing them in the therapeutic relationship, and helping the therapist through coaching behaviors, attitudes, and communications aimed at providing helpful information to understand the components of their own unconscious plan.
Cosmography as Cultural Capital: Power Struggle in the Visigothic Kingdom
Authors: Kovacs Arpad
Published: March 2021

Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital can be used to show that the cosmography of the learned bishop Isidore of Seville (560–636) was intended to acculturate the Visigothic elite to the Roman worldview, shedding new light on the relations of these two ruling elites. By being the provider and guardian of the culture, the Hispano–Roman aristocracy retained significant power and exercised its influence through the Catholic Church. Three dialectical categories — transformation of quantity to quality, development through contradiction, spiral forms of development — help advance the analysis of Isidore's cosmography. A case study on Isidorian planetary orbital values provides an illustration of this dialectical development. It was, therefore, cultural capital as exemplified by Isidore that enabled the Hispano–Roman aristocracy to maintain its position as a ruling elite.
Morality as Fuel for Violence? Disentangling the Role of Religion in Violent Conflict
Authors: Cousar Kayleigh A. , Carnes Nate C. , Kimel Sasha Y.
Published: March 2021

Past research finds contradictory evidence suggesting that religion both reduces and increases violent conflict. We argue that morality is an important hub mechanism that can help us understand this disputed relationship. Moreover, to reconcile this, as well as the factors underlying religion's impact on increased violence (i.e., belief versus practice), we draw on Virtuous Violence Theory and newly synthesize it with research on both moral cognition and social identity. We suggest that the combined effect of moral cognition and social identity may substantially increase violence beyond what either facilitates alone. We test our claims using multilevel analysis of data from the World Values Survey and find a nuanced effect of religion on people's beliefs about violence. Specifically, religious individuals were less likely to condone violence while religious countries were more likely to. This combination of theoretical and empirical work helps disentangle the interwoven nature of morality, religion, and violence.
Morality as a Regulator of Divergence: Protecting Against Deviance While Promoting Diversity
Authors: Wright Jennifer Cole
Published: March 2021

Living together cooperatively in groups requires creating and maintaining healthy socio-cultural normative structures (i.e., shared “normed” beliefs, values, practices, and so on) that allow all members of the group to function well, both as individuals and as a part of the communal whole. This requires maintaining a delicate and dynamic balance between protecting members of the group from undue harm, while allowing for individual freedom, choice, and creativity—for example, determining when a new belief, value, or practice is a form of acceptable (even desirable) diversity to be allowed, and when it is a form of deviance to be shut down. I will argue that maintaining this balance is the primary function of morality—and that it requires an understanding of ourselves as moral beings oriented towards “the good” that is stable enough to be shared and passed down to future generations, yet flexible enough to adapt and change as our cumulative experiences expand and alter that understanding.
Dokument króla Władysława III dla kościoła w Giedlarowej z 1439 r. jako przykład średniowiecznego falsyfikatu
Authors:   Dr hab., prof. UR, Instytut Historii, Kolegium Nauk Humanistycznych, Uniwersytet Rzeszowski, Polska, Zawitkowska Wioletta
Published: March 2021

Samuel Nakielski in his work “Miechovia, sive promptuarium (…)” included a copy of the document issued by Władysław III Jagiellończyk of January 18, 1439, in which the king confirms the foundation of the church of St. Nicholas in Giedlarowa in the Przemyśl region, made by Mikołaj Giedlar, a burgher from Leżajsk and mayor in Giedlarowa. A precise analysis of two other documents: Mikołaj, the son of Drogosz, a tenutary of Krzeszów, in which he entrusts the embed under Magdeburg Law of the village of Giedlarowa to Mikołaj Giedlar on the date: Leżajsk, January 18, 1409, and Władysław III Jagiellończyk of March 10, 1440. (which – perhaps likewise is a forgery) approving and transuming this document, allows the confirmation (the assumptions of, among others, W. Bukowski, G. Klebowicz, J. Kurtyka, W. Zawitkowska) that the act of 1439 is a forgery produced on the basis of these two documents. The forgery from 1439 was to confirm the rights of the Holy Sepulcher from Miechów to the parish in Giedlarowa. Most likely, however, the Miechowici drafted this document only after 1470, when none of the people mentioned in the account and the chancery formulas still lived. It may have been related to the consecration of the local church in 1478 and/or a wider action carried out by the Miechowites at that time in that area. It was then, as J. Wolski showed, that the patronage in Rudołowice and Tuligłów was changed, and the rights of the Holy Sepulchre were to be confirmed by other forgeries prepared by them.
Doświadczenia przeszłości a współczesny wizerunek marki Nowego Jorku i Singapuru. Analiza porównawcza
Authors:   Mgr, absolwent Administracji Uniwersytetu Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy, Polska, Marushchak Vasyl
Published: March 2021

The city's brand has become a huge non-material resource that exerts an influence on its competitive advantage and the power of its impact. The article presents the experiences of the past in making city brands. New York and Singapore have been selected as examples. Those cities are among the global metropolises that have changed their image by creating the city brand. The aim of this article was to investigate the role of city branding as a factor which stimulates its development, compare the marketing campaigns of the given metropolis and analyze theirs methods of creating a positive city brand. The analysis showed that the high standard of living as well as the interest of investors and tourists in New York and Singapore consists of many factors, such as infrastructure, nature and environmental protection, the city's presence on the Internet, feeling of safety, and even the city's atmosphere with feeling of pride in being a resident of a given city. For those metropolises, building their own brand using the experience of the past has become one of the key factors for the city's development, and economic and cultural growth. Their high position among cities around the world, can prove how important city brand is. Over time, the logo replaced the emblem of the city and became its symbol. The indicated solutions may help in the creation of strong city brands for developing cities. Given this need, the topic remains current.
THE INTEGRATED RATING MECHANISM APPLICATION TO THE DECISION OF THE PROJECT SELECTION PROBLEM
Authors:   Perm Scientific-Industrial Instrument Making Company, Kataeva Tatiana ,   Perm National Research Polytechnic University
Published: March 2021

The article describes the model of a complex organizational management system where the several approaches are simultaneously implementing: functional, process and design. The relevance of applying integrated assessment mechanisms to management tasks in organizational systems, in particular, to solving the problems of coordinated decision-making, is substantiated. The reasons for the inconsistency of interests in the decision-making process are described. Examples of management tasks in organizational systems are given. The example of solving the problem of selecting projects into a portfolio using the integrated assessment mechanism is considered in detail. A set of evaluation criteria is given and convolution matrices are described. The development plan for the project assessment mechanism including risk assessment, taking into account the rank of expert is proposed.
ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCE IN THE OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEM OF HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS
Authors:   Perm National Research Polytechnic University, Derevyankina Polina
Published: March 2021

Household savings are an important component of the financial system. An increase in the number of households following the savings and investment financial strategies leads to economic growth. The financial behavior of the Russian population can be described as passive without a long-term strategy. Therefore, the task of its activating requires careful state regulation. Special significance it acquires in the middle class, which has sufficient income and seeks to rationalize in all areas of their lives. The article explores the problem of managing of middle-class households savings using optimal control methods, correlation and regression analysis, mathematical and computer modeling. A mathematical model of the problem of managing savings by regulating the non-savers share is presented in the form of a boundary control problem for a distributed system with a parabolic equation. The methodology for obtaining quantitative estimates of the impact of economic factors on the household savings distribution by their size is described. An example of determining the optimal reduction of the share of non-savers households in the Perm Region is given and its quantitative relationship with the volume of investment is established. The proposed methodology and the results of the calculations can be used in the development of programs to stimulate savings and socio-economic development of the region in order to increase the validity of management decisions.
ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROGRAM CONTROL IN THE PROBLEM ON ATTAINABLE VALUES OF ON-TARGET FUNCTIONALS FOR DYNAMIC ECONOMIC MODELS WITH DISCRETE MEMORY
Authors:   Perm State University, Maksimov Vladimir
Published: March 2021

Main constructions and relationships for program control actions are proposed as applied to the problem on attainable prescribed values of on-target functionals for continuous-discrete dynamic economic mathematical model with discrete memory under given polyhedral constrains with respect to control. The form of on-target functionals covers widely used kinds of functionals such as multipoint, integral ones and linear combinations of those. The feature of the control system under consideration is the presence of two kinds of the state variables, namely, a part of them depends on continues time, whereas others depend on discrete time. Aftereffect of the system is defined by its discrete memory located at a given collection of instants. The results are obtained on the basis of the principal statements from the general theory of continuous-discrete systems. In the constructive part of the research, the basic idea is the reduction of the original problem to a variant of the general moment problem with taking into account pointwise polyhedral constraints on controls. This allows us to construct estimates of the attainability set and to build program controls on the base of solutions to a series of linear programming problems. Every such a problem provides us with values of the program control on a partial segment. All these values are used while constructing the program control as a whole. The mentioned procedures use in essence the Cauchy operator to the hybrid system under consideration. The property of this operator are studied in the cited previous papers. The obtained results constitute an instrumental basis for efficient studying and constructing solutions to urgent applied problems with constrained resources of control.
SÖZCÜKLERİN SINIFLANDIRILMASINDA KULLANILAN ÖLÇÜTLER ve SINIFLANDIRMAYA HERMENUETİK YAKLAŞIM
Authors: ÇÜRÜK Yasemin
Published: March 2021

Antik Yunan’dan itibaren yapılan dil çalışmalarının temelinde yer alan sözcük türlerinin tasnif çalışmaları devam etmektedir. Çalışmamızda öncelikle, şimdiye kadar yapılmış çalışmalara değinilecektir. Bu çalışmalarda ortaya konan bulgular değerlendirilecektir. Ancak yapılan çalışmalarda ortak noktalarda buluşulamamıştır. Bu çalışmada hermeneutik felsefeden ve dil felesefesinin sorularından, önerilerinden yararlanılacaktır. Buna göre Wittgenstein’ın da vurguladığı gibi dilin kullanımı üzerinde durulacaktır. Felsefi sorular ve tartışmalar belki önümüzü açacak, belki daha fazla karışıklığa sebep olacaktır. Yine de bu soruların sorulması, cevap alınmasa bile önem arz etmektedir. Neticede bu çalışmada bu konuya genel giriş yapılıp yapılan çalışmalar hakkında bilgi verilecek, hermeneutik felsefe açıklanacak, dil üzerine düşünmüş pek çok düşünürün fikirlerinden yararlanılacak, özellikle de Wittgenstein’in Felsefi Soruşturmaları bu çalışmada önemli yer tutacak, sonuç olarak ise genel bir değerlendirme yapılacaktır.