bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical analysis considerations within longitudinal studies of physical qualities in youth athletes: A qualitative systematic methodological review
Authors: Owen Cameron , Till Kevin , Darrall-Jones Josh , Jones Ben
Published: July 2022

Background

The evaluation of physical qualities in talent identification and development systems is vital and commonplace in supporting youth athletes towards elite sport. However, the complex and dynamic development of physical qualities in addition to temporal challenges associated with the research design, such as unstructured data collection and missing data, requires appropriate statistical methods to be applied in research to optimise the understanding and knowledge of long-term physical development.

Aim

To collate and evaluate the application of methodological and statistical methods used in studies investigating the development of physical qualities within youth athletes.

Methods

Electronic databases were systematically searched form the earliest record to June 2021 and reference lists were hand searched in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they tested physical qualities over a minimum of 3 timepoints, were observational in nature and used youth sporting populations.

Results

Forty articles met the inclusion criteria. The statistical analysis methods applied were qualitatively assessed against the theoretical underpinnings (i.e. multidimensional development, non-linear change and between and within athlete change) and temporal challenges (i.e. time variant and invariant variables, missing data, treatment of time and repeated measures) encountered with longitudinal physical testing research. Multilevel models were implemented most frequently (50%) and the most appropriately used statistical analysis method when qualitatively compared against the longitudinal challenges. Independent groups ANOVA, MANOVA and X2 were also used, yet failed to address any of the challenges posed within longitudinal physical testing research.

Conclusions

This methodological review identified the statistical methods currently employed within longitudinal physical testing research and addressed the theoretical and temporal challenges faced in longitudinal physical testing research with varying success. The findings can be used to support the selection of statistical methods when evaluating the development of youth athletes through the consideration of the challenges presented.
Intravenous transplantation of amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes functional recovery and alleviates intestinal dysfunction after spinal cord injury
Authors: Takamiya Soichiro , Kawabori Masahito , Yamazaki Kazuyoshi , Yamaguchi Sho , Tanimori Aki , Yamamoto Koji , Ohnishi Shunsuke , Seki Toshitaka , Konno Kotaro , Tha Khin Khin , Hashimoto Daigo , Watanabe Masahiko , Houkin Kiyohiro , Fujimura Miki
Published: July 2022

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is often accompanied by gastrointestinal dysfunction due to the disconnection of the spinal autonomic nervous system. Gastrointestinal dysfunction reportedly upregulates intestinal permeability, leading to bacterial translocation of the gut microbiome to the systemic circulation, which further activates systemic inflammation, exacerbating neuronal damage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) reportedly ameliorate SCI. Here, we aimed to investigate their effect on the associated gastrointestinal dysfunction. Human amnion-derived MSC (AMSCs) were intravenously transplanted one day after a rat model of midthoracic SCI. Biodistribution of transplanted cells, behavioral assessment, and histological evaluations of the spinal cord and intestine were conducted to elucidate the therapeutic effect of AMSCs. Bacterial translocation of the gut microbiome was examined by in situ hybridization and bacterial culture of the liver. Systemic inflammations were examined by blood cytokines, infiltrating immune cells in the spinal cord, and the size of the peripheral immune tissue. AMSCs released various neurotrophic factors and were mainly distributed in the liver and lung after transplantation. AMSC-transplanted animals showed smaller spinal damage and better neurological recovery with preserved neuronal tract. AMSCs transplantation ameliorated intestinal dysfunction both morphologically and functionally, which prevented translocation of the gut microbiome to the systemic circulation. Systemic inflammations were decreased in animals receiving AMSCs in the chronic phase. Intravenous AMSC administration during the acute phase of SCI rescues both spinal damage and intestinal dysfunction. Reducing bacterial translocation may contribute to decreasing systemic inflammation.
Inhibitory effect of lingonberry extract on HepG2 cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion
Authors: Zhu Liangyu , Zhang Yandong , Li Yongchun , Wang Hua , Shen Guang , Wang Zhenyu
Published: July 2022

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaeaL.) extract contains various active ingredients with strong inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth. HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of lingonberry extract, cell inhibition rate was measured by CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis rate by annexin-propidium iodide double-staining assay. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, and cell migration and invasion by transwell assay. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR and western blotting were employed to analyze the expression of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 3 (CXCL3). Ki-67, TUNEL, and transwell assays were used to verify the relationship between CXCL3 expression and cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The composition of lingonberry extract was: 37.58% cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, 10.96% kaempferol 3-O-arabinoside, 4.52% epicatechin, 4.35% chlorogenic acid, 3.83% catechinic acid, 1.54% isoquercitrin, 1.05% 4-hydroxycinnamon acid, 1.03% cyanidin chloride, 0.85% 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 0.55% quercetin, 0.36% D-(-)-quininic acid, 0.96% caffeic acid, 0.16% ferulic acid, 0.12% oleanolic acid, and 0.03% ursolic acid. Lingonberry extract inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. After 48 h exposure to 100 μg/mL extract the inhibition rate and IC50were 80.89±6.05% and 22.62 μg/mL, respectively. Lingonberry extract promoted late apoptosis in HepG2 cells and arrested the cell cycle at G2/M and S phases. Lingonberry extract also promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 cancer cells, inhibiting their proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating the expression of CXCL3. This study offers new insight into the antihepatoma activity of lingonberry extract and provides a basis for the development of pilot antitumor drugs.
Probing conformational changes during activation of ASIC1a by an optical tweezer and by methanethiosulfonate-based cross-linkers
Authors: Vaithia Anand , Kellenberger Stephan
Published: July 2022

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are neuronal, proton-gated, Na+-selective ion channels. They are involved in various physiological and pathological processes such as neurodegeneration after stroke, pain sensation, fear behavior and learning. To obtain information on the activation mechanism of ASIC1a, we attempted in this study to impose distance constraints between paired residues in different channel domains by using cross-linkers reacting with engineered Cys residues, and we measured how this affected channel function. First, the optical tweezer 4′-Bis(maleimido)azobenzene (BMA) was used, whose conformation changes depending on the wavelength of applied light. After exposure of channel mutants to BMA, an activation of the channel by light was only observed with a mutant containing a Cys mutation in the extracellular pore entry, I428C. Western blot analysis indicated that BMA did not cross-link Cys428 residues. Extracellular application of methanethiosulfonate (MTS) cross-linkers of different lengths changed the properties of several Cys mutants, in many cases likely without cross-linking two Cys residues. Our observations suggest that intersubunit cross-linking occurred in the wrist mutant A425C and intrasubunit cross-linking in the acidic pocket mutant D237C/I312C. In these mutants, exposure to cross-linkers favored a non-conducting channel conformation and induced an acidic shift of the pH dependence and a decrease of the maximal current amplitude. Overall, the cross-linking approaches appeared to be inefficient, possibly due to the geometrical requirements for successful reactions of the two ends of the cross-linking compound.
Effects of the combination of a monoclonal agonistic mouse anti-OX40 antibody and toll-like receptor agonists: Unmethylated CpG and LPS on an MB49 bladder cancer cell line in a mouse model
Authors: Gulyás Dominik , Kovács Gábor , Jankovics István , Mészáros László , Lőrincz Márta , Dénes Béla
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The basis of the antitumor immunotherapy, of which the purpose is the stimulation of the immune system. We have used two of the Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns: unmethylated CpG oligonucleotide, a ligand of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which is recognized by TLR4, combined with an agonistic OX40 receptor-specific monoclonal antibody (anti-OX40), which is expressed by activated regulatory T-cells (and by other activated T-cell populations as well). The objective of this study was to prove the effectiveness of the aforementioned compounds in an animal model, on a bladder cancer cell line.

Methods

We have instilled MB49 cells subcutaneously, to the left musculus biceps femoris. We have created three observation groups, each containing ten mice. After eleven days, all treated mice bearing the size of 5–8 mm (in diameter) tumor were administered CpG + anti-OX40 or LPS + anti-OX40 three times with a three-day lap between each treatment. Mice in the control group did not receive any treatment.

Results

All the specimens from the control and LPS + anti-OX40 groups have died by the sixtieth day of the observation period, however, five mice from the CpG + anti-OX40 group were still alive. The experiment lasted until the last surviving mouse died, which occurred on the 357th day after tumor implantation.

Discussion

The treatment with LPS did not make anti-OX40 more potent and did not increase the survival times. However, CpG + anti-OX40 has shown increased antitumor activity compared to the other two groups.
Assessing the vulnerability of marine life to climate change in the Pacific Islands region
Authors: Giddens Jonatha , Kobayashi Donald R. , Mukai Gabriella N. M. , Asher Jacob , Birkeland Charles , Fitchett Mark , Hixon Mark A. , Hutchinson Melanie , Mundy Bruce C. , O’Malley Joseph M. , Sabater Marlowe , Scott Molly , Stahl Jennifer , Toonen Rob , Trianni Michael , Woodworth-Jefcoats Phoebe A. , Wren Johanna L. K. , Nelson Mark
Published: July 2022

Our changing climate poses growing challenges for effective management of marine life, ocean ecosystems, and human communities. Which species are most vulnerable to climate change, and where should management focus efforts to reduce these risks? To address these questions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Climate Science Strategy called for vulnerability assessments in each of NOAA’s ocean regions. The Pacific Islands Vulnerability Assessment (PIVA) project assessed the susceptibility of 83 marine species to the impacts of climate change projected to 2055. In a standard Rapid Vulnerability Assessment framework, this project applied expert knowledge, literature review, and climate projection models to synthesize the best available science towards answering these questions. Here we: (1) provide a relative climate vulnerability ranking across species; (2) identify key attributes and factors that drive vulnerability; and (3) identify critical data gaps in understanding climate change impacts to marine life. The invertebrate group was ranked most vulnerable and pelagic and coastal groups not associated with coral reefs were ranked least vulnerable. Sea surface temperature, ocean acidification, and oxygen concentration were the main exposure drivers of vulnerability. Early Life History Survival and Settlement Requirements was the most data deficient of the sensitivity attributes considered in the assessment. The sensitivity of many coral reef fishes ranged between Low and Moderate, which is likely underestimated given that reef species depend on a biogenic habitat that is extremely threatened by climate change. The standard assessment methodology originally developed in the Northeast US, did not capture the additional complexity of the Pacific region, such as the diversity, varied horizontal and vertical distributions, extent of coral reef habitats, the degree of dependence on vulnerable habitat, and wide range of taxa, including data-poor species. Within these limitations, this project identified research needs to sustain marine life in a changing climate.
Closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship: The importance of skill variety
Authors: Krieger Alexander , Block Jörn , Stuetzer Michael , Obschonka Martin , Salmela-Aro Katariina
Published: July 2022

Given that skill variety is widely regarded a key component of entrepreneurial human capital, gender differences in entrepreneurship could be rooted in the formation of such skill variety. Analyzing 12-year longitudinal data following 1,321 Finnish adolescents into adulthood, we study whether gender differences in skill variety open up early in the vocational development of entrepreneurs vs. non-entrepreneurs, thereby contributing to the persisting gender gap in entrepreneurship in adulthood. Specifically, structural equation modeling was used to test and compare the mediating effect of early skill variety in adolescence vs. education- and work-related skill variety in early adulthood on the gender gap in entrepreneurial intentions in adulthood. We find that education- and work-related skill variety indeed operate as an obstacle for women entrepreneurship, despite women outperforming men in early skill variety in adolescence. Hence, we identify a critical turning point in early adulthood where women fall behind in their development of entrepreneurial human capital.
An integrative phylogenetic approach for inferring relationships of fossil gobioids (Teleostei: Gobiiformes)
Authors: Gierl Christoph , Dohrmann Martin , Keith Philippe , Humphreys William , Esmaeili Hamid R. , Vukić Jasna , Šanda Radek , Reichenbacher Bettina
Published: July 2022

The suborder Gobioidei is among the most diverse groups of vertebrates, comprising about 2310 species. In the fossil record gobioids date back to the early Eocene (c. 50 m.y. ago), and a considerable increase in numbers of described species is evident since the middle Miocene (c. 16 m.y. ago). About 40 skeleton-based gobioid species and > 100 otolith-based species have been described until to date. However, assignment of a fossil gobioid species to specific families has often remained tentative, even if well preserved complete specimens are available. The reasons are that synapomorphies that can be recognized in a fossil skeleton are rare (or absent) and that no phylogenetic framework applicable to gobioid fossils exists. Here we aim to overcome this problem by developing a phylogenetic total evidence framework that is suitable to place a fossil skeleton-based gobioid at family level. Using both literature and newly collected data we assembled a morphological character matrix (48 characters) for 29 extant species, representing all extant gobioid families, and ten fossil gobioid species, and we compiled a multi-gene concatenated alignment (supermatrix; 6271 bp) of published molecular sequence data for the extant species. Bayesian and Maximum Parsimony analyses revealed that our selection of extant species was sufficient to achieve a molecular ‘backbone’ that fully conforms to previous molecular work. Our data revealed that inclusion of all fossil species simultaneously produced very poorly resolved trees, even for some extant taxa. In contrast, addition of a single fossil species to the total evidence data set of the extant species provided new insight in its possible placement at family level, especially in a Bayesian framework. Five out of the ten fossil species were recovered in the same family as had been suggested in previous works based on comparative morphology. The remaining five fossil species had hitherto been left as family incertae sedis. Now, based on our phylogenetic framework, new and mostly well supported hypotheses to which clades they could belong can be presented. We conclude that the total evidence framework presented here will be beneficial for all future work dealing with the phylogenetic placement of a fossil skeleton-based gobioid and thus will help to improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of these fascinating fishes. Moreover, our data highlight that increased sampling of fossil taxa in a total-evidence context is not universally beneficial, as might be expected, but strongly depends on the study group and peculiarities of the morphological data.
Predictive significance of joint plasma fibrinogen and urinary alpha-1 microglobulin-creatinine ratio in patients with diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Pan Lianlian , Wo Mingyi , Xu Chan , Wu Yan , Ye Yali , Han Fan , Fei Xianming , Zhu Fengjiao
Published: July 2022

Background

Although many biomarkers have high diagnostic and predictive power for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), less studies were performed for the predictive assessment in DKD and its progression with combined blood and urinary biomarkers. This study aims to explore the predictive significance of joint plasma fibrinogen (FIB) concentration and urinary alpha-1 microglobulin-creatinine (α1-MG/CR) ratio in DKD.

Methods

A total of 234 patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled, and their clinical and laboratory data were retrospectively assessed. A ROC curve analysis was performed to evaluate the power of plasma FIB and urinary α1-MG/CR ratio for identifying DKD and advanced DKD, respectively. The predictive power for DKD and advanced DKD was analyzed by regression analysis.

Results

Plasma FIB and urinary α1-MG/CR levels were higher in patients with DKD than with pure T2D (p<0.001). The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 5.047 (95%CI: 2.276–10.720) and 2.192 (95%CI: 1.539–3.122) (p<0.001) for FIB and α1-MG/CR as continuous variables for DKD prediction, respectively. The optimal cut-off values were 3.21 g/L and 2.11mg/mmol for identifying DKD, and 5.58 g/L and 11.07 mg/mmol for advanced DKD from ROC curves. At these cut-off values, the sensitivity and specificity of joint FIB and α1-MG/CR were 0.95 and 0.92 for identifying DKD, and 0.62 and 0.67 for identifying advanced DKD, respectively. The area under curve was 0.972 (95%CI: 0.948–0.995) (p<0.001) and 0.611, 95%CI: 0.488–0.734) (p>0.05). The multivariate-adjusted ORs for joint FIB and α1-MG/CR at the cut-off values were 214.500 (95%CI: 58.054–792.536) and 3.252 (95%CI: 1.040–10.175) (p<0.05), respectively.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that joint plasma FIB concentration and urinary α1-MG/CR ratio can be used as a powerful predictor for general DKD, but it is less predictive for advanced DKD.
Histone deacetylase inhibitor, panobinostat, exerts anti-proliferative effect with partial normalization from aberrant epigenetic states on granulosa cell tumor cell lines
Authors: Hazama Yukiko , Tsujioka Takayuki , Kitanaka Akira , Tohyama Kaoru , Shimoya Koichiro
Published: July 2022

The prognosis of the patients with inoperable or advanced granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) is still poor, and therefore it is important to establish a novel treatment strategy. Here we investigated the in vitro effects of a histone deacetylase inhibitor, panobinostat (PS) on two GCT cell lines (KGN and COV434). GCT cell lines were found to be susceptible to PS treatment and it inhibited cell growth mainly by apoptosis. In cell cycle analysis, PS reduced only the ratio of S phase in GCT cell lines. Combined treatment of PS with a deubiquitinase inhibitor, VLX1570 enhanced the expression of p21, cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-9, heme oxygenase-1, and the acetylation of histone H4 and α-tubulin, leading to an additive anti-proliferative effect on KGN and COV434. The gene set enrichment analysis revealed that PS treatment suppressed DNA replication- or cell cycle-related gene expression which led to chemotherapeutic cell death and in addition, this treatment induced activation of the gene set of adherens junction towards a normalized direction as well as activation of neuron-related gene sets that might imply unexpected differentiation potential due to epigenetic modification by a HDAC inhibitor in KGN cells. Exposure of KGN and COV434 cells to PS increased the expression of E-cadherin, one of the principal regulators associated with adherens junction in quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis. In the present study, we indicate a basis of a novel therapeutic availability of a HDAC inhibitor for the treatment of GCTs and further investigations will be warranted.
Radiation Dose Distribution of a Surgeon and Medical Staff during Orthopedic Balloon Kyphoplasty in Japan
Authors: Ono Koji , Kumasawa Takafumi , Shimatani Keiichi , Kanou Masatoshi , Yamaguchi Ichiro , Kunugita Naoki
Published: July 2022

Background: The present study investigated the radiation dose distribution of balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) among surgeons and medical staff, and this is the first research to observe such exposure in Japan.Materials and Methods: The study subjects were an orthopedic surgeon (n = 1) and surgical staff (n = 9) who intervened in BKP surgery performed at the National Hospital Organization Disaster Medical Center (Tokyo, Japan) between March 2019 and October 2019. Only disposable protective gloves (0.022 mmPb equivalent thickness or less) and trunk protectors were used, and no protective glasses or thyroid drapes were used.Results and Discussion: The surgery time per vertebral body was 36.2 minutes, and the fluoroscopic time was 6.8 minutes. The average exposure dose per vertebral body was 1.46 mSv for the finger (70 μm dose equivalent), 0.24 mSv for the lens of the eye (3 mm dose equivalent), 0.11 mSv for the neck (10 mm dose equivalent), and 0.03 mSv for the chest (10 mm dose equivalent) under the protective suit.The estimated cumulative radiation exposure dose of 23 cases of BKP was calculated to be 50.37 mSv for the fingers, 8.27 mSv for the lens, 3.91 mSv for the neck, and 1.15 mSv for the chest.Conclusion: It is important to know the exposure dose of orthopedic surgeons, implement measures for exposure reduction, and verify the safety of daily use of radiation during surgery and examination.
Trois systèmes de raisonnement en conception architecturale
Authors: Claeys Damien , Roobaert Louis
Published: July 2022

Résumé. La conception architecturale est modélisée de manière heuristique comme un processus de recherche au cours duquel le concepteur doit résoudre un problème mal défini de manière réflexive. Le concepteur oriente un processus de conception architecturale en réponse à un contexte donné, pour faire émerger une solution sous la forme d'un projet d'architecture. En psychologie cognitive, à la croisée des écrits de Jean Piaget et Bärbel Inhelder, de Daniel Kahneman et Amos Tversky, et d'Oliver Houdé, au moins trois systèmes de raisonnement ont été successivement définis : la pensée intuitive, la pensée réfléchie et la métacognition. Ceux-ci peuvent être transposés au champ de la conception architecturale en établissant une analogie avec les trois figures du concepteur caricaturées par J. Christopher Jones : les concepteurs magicien, ordinateur et auto-organisé.

Abstract. Architectural design is heuristically modeled as a research process in which designers must solve an ill-defined problem in a reflexive manner. The designer guides an architectural design process in response to a given context, in order to shape a solution, brought forth in the form of an architectural project. In cognitive psychology, at the juncture between the works of Jean Piaget and Bärbel Inhelder, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, as well as Olivier Houdé, at least three reasoning systems have been successively defined: intuition, reasoning, and metacognition. These can be transposed to the field of architectural design, by drawing an analogy with the three figures portrayed by J. Christopher Jones: the magician, the computer and the self-organized designer.
Analyse de la dynamique des espaces industriels de Kinshasa (RD Congo)
Authors: Kibala Ntondele Gloire
Published: July 2022

Résumé. Cette thèse aborde un problème préoccupant, celui de l'avenir des espaces industriels de Kinshasa. Jadis ils constituaient des concentrations d'emplois pour cette grande métropole subsaharienne. La faillite des entreprises et le phénomène des friches, éléments consécutifs aux multiples conflits sociopolitiques et économiques postcoloniaux (zaïrianisation, crise économique, pillages, mondialisation…) ainsi que la mauvaise gouvernance urbaine et la mauvaise politique de gestion foncière à Kinshasa ont plongé l'économie de la métropole dans une régression profonde. Les espaces industriels ont été grignotés au profil de l'habitat et des activités informelles. Pour expliquer ce phénomène, nous défendons l'hypothèse selon laquelle les espaces industriels de Kinshasa ont connu dans leurs trajectoires des dynamiques à différents destins (des sites se sont maintenus, se sont reconvertis, en friche, en dynamique urbaine, d'autres sont exploités de manière opportuniste ou en arrêt d'activité industrielle).

Abstract. This thesis addresses a worrying problem, that of the future of Kinshasa's industrial spaces. In the past, they were concentrations of employment for this large sub-Saharan metropolis. The bankruptcy of companies and the phenomenon of wastelands, elements following upon the multiple post-colonial socio-political and economic conflicts (Zairianization, economic crisis, looting, globalization...), as well as poor urban governance and the misguided policy of land management in Kinshasa, have plunged the economy of the metropolis into a deep regression. Industrial spaces have been nibbled away in favor of housing and informal activities. To explain this phenomenon, we defend the hypothesis according to which the industrial spaces of Kinshasa have experienced, along their trajectories, a variety of different dynamics (sites that are maintained, that have been reconverted, are disused, in the course of development, under informal or opportunistic occupation, in commercial collapse...).
Fines for Illegal Trade of Wild Fauna: A Difficult to Impose Sanction in Colombia?
Authors: Ramírez-Zamudio Natalia
Published: July 2022

This research aimed to identify the causes of the low imposition of fines on the illegal trade of wild fauna in Colombia, and to identify how much of the responsibility falls on the current methodology that Colombian environmental authorities must use to calculate these fines (i.e., “Methodology for the Calculation of Fines for Infringement of the Environmental Normative”). For this purpose, a survey was applied to public officials belonging to Colombian environmental authorities. The results revealed that these entities have several reasons for not imposing fines on the illegal trade of wild fauna. The most important cause is the fact that the referred methodology does not serve the purpose of estimating fines on this illicit activity, since its variable “Degree of environmental affectation” was not designed to be calculated on fauna. This impossibility of calculating fines on the illegal trade of wild fauna has generated two types of behaviors in Colombian environmental authorities: 1) some have refrained from imposing fines on this illicit activity (thus impeding a deterrent effect); and 2) others have modified the methodology (thus breaching the principle of legality), in order to be able to the calculate the fines in the case of this illicit activity. Therefore, given that neither of these two behaviors is suitable, this research calls for the Government of Colombia to enact a new or modified methodology to calculate fines for environmental infringements that adjusts to the characteristics and environmental affectations of the illegal trade of wild.
Role of Laser Produced Silver Nanoparticles in Reversing Antibiotic Resistance in Some MultidrugResistant Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Hamad Abubaker H. , Chawsheen Mahmoud A. , Al-Naqshbandi Ahmed A.
Published: July 2022

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were produced through nanosecond laser in deionized water. These nanoparticles were characterized by UV–VIS spectrometer and transmission electron microscopy. VITEK®2 compact system was used to identify Escherichia coli (ESBL strain) and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA strain) as multidrug-resistance (MDR) bacteria. The antibacterial activity of Ag NPs, ampicillin (AMP), and their combinations was tested against both bacterial isolates through standard microbiological culturing techniques. Our data show that both of E. coli and S. aureus were highly resistant to AMP. Ag NPs alone reduced growth in both bacterial isolates considerably. Growth declined drastically in both bacteria when AMP was used in combination with Ag NPs. The minimal inhibitory concentration of combined agents for E. coli was 20 µg/ml Ag NPs + 1 mg AMP/ml and for S. aureus was 10 µg/ml Ag NPs + 1 mg AMP/ml. The results show that the Ag NPs have great potentials in enhancing the antimicrobial activities of drugs that used to be ineffective against MDR bacteria. Administering combinations of antibiotic(s) with AgNPs may help in treating patients suffering from infections caused by MDR bacteria. Further in vivo and in vitro investigations are required to evaluate the side effects of these combinations.
Developing Pre-service Mathematics Teachers' Mental Rotation Skills through Dynamic Geometry Software-Supported Instruction
Authors: KURBAN Feyza , YANIK Hüseyin Bahadir
Published: July 2022

Spatial skills, including mental rotation, are necessary to understand, comprehend, explore and learn mathematics, but research in mathematics education points out insufficient spatial skills of pre-service mathematics teachers. In this study, the effectiveness of the instruction, designed by taking Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) as the reference frame and executed in the Dynamic Geometry Learning Environment (DGLE), was investigated. The study sample was four pre-service mathematics teachers determined by the purposeful sampling technique. Individual teaching experiment, executed in three steps (pre-evaluation— teaching sessions/instruction— post-evaluation), was used as the method. The collected quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings showed that participants' mental rotation skills were basic or below, before the instruction. They had low mental imagery skills, inadequacies in mathematics language use, and misconceptions about rotation and its components. After the instruction, their mental rotation skills, compassing the mental rotation performance, mental imagery skills, mathematical language use, and concept schemes about rotation and its components, developed. It is recommended that cognitive loads be considered while designing instruction executed in a DGLE.
A Qualitative Study on Primary School First Grade Turkish Course Curriculum
Authors: ESER Nagihan , KARABAY TURAN Aysegul
Published: July 2022

This study aims to identify the views of classroom teachers about primary school first-grade Turkish course curriculum implemented in the 2018-2019 education year and explore teachers' practices in the process of the instruction of first reading and writing. The interview part of the study included five teachers who taught first-grade students in Kayseri in the 2018-2019 education year. The observation part of the study had one classroom teacher who instructed first-grade students. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation forms. The data were analyzed using content analysis methods. The analysis results of the interviews regarding the implementation of the curriculum indicated that the teachers found their knowledge about the curriculum insufficient, and they had difficulties in implementing the curriculum. Classroom observations showed that the Teacher performed reading and writing instruction through various activities related to letter, syllable, word, and sentence instruction. The Teacher was found to take individual differences into account while he approached students, managed the lesson, and instructed the course. Teachers should be provided with efficient and comprehensive training about the revised Turkish course curriculum.
Student reactions to using interactive tutorials as part of the proPIC
study programme
Authors: Baldwin Richard , Ruhtenberg Tobias
Published: July 2022

In this chapter, we outline the use of interactive textbooks or
tutorials in the form of iBooks that were developed as a major output of the
proPIC project. All of these iBooks can also be retrieved on the
accompanying project website. Interactive textbooks or tutorials are
documents, software, or other media digitally created for the purpose of
(interactively) presenting any kind of content and can further comprise a
wide variety of tasks for the reader. This chapter focuses on so-called
iBooks, a distinct form of e-books available exclusively for the Mac
Operating System (OS – by Apple).
The evolution of tonally conditioned allomorphy in Triqui: evidence from spontaneous speech corpora
Authors: DiCanio Christian
Published: July 2022

One of the defining characteristics of tonal systems in phonological theory is the notion of tonal stability (Goldsmith, John. 1990.Autosegmental and metrical phonology. Oxford: Blackwell; Yip, Moira. 2002.Tone. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). Tones remain stable even if their tone-bearing unit changes or is deleted. In the context of historical sound change, tones may either persist as floating tones (from an autosegmental-metrical perspective) or fuse with adjacent syllables and give rise to more complex tonal inventories. However, the process of segmental loss which ultimately conditions historical tonal change is gradual in nature. Tone-bearing units may lenite or they may be optionally realized, leading listeners to rely on coarticulatory cues or phonetic information on adjacent syllables. In the current paper, I examine how variation in the realization of clitic pronouns is conditioned by adjacent tonal cues in Itunyoso Triqui (Otomanguean) within a corpus of spontaneous speech recordings. This research examines and provides evidence for the hypothesis that tonally conditioned allomorphy arises specifically when two conditions are met: (a) there is a morphological context where prosodic units are likely to lenite (highly redundant contexts); and (b) adjacent tonal cues are most informative at this morphophonological boundary. The findings shed light not only on how phonologically conditioned allomorphy arises but also on how variable deletion is sensitive to patterns of multiple exponence during language use.
Timocreon of Ialysos, frr. 5–8 PMG and 7, 9, and 10 IEG
Authors: Tsagalis Christos C.
Published: July 2022

This is the second and last part of a study on Timocreon of Ialysos. In the first part I offered an up-to-date presentation of and running commentary on fragments 1–4 of his poetry. In this second part, I discuss and comment on the rest of his extant fragments. The numeration is continuous: frr. 1–4 PMG were presented in Tsagalis 2020, 228–266; frr. 5–8 PMG and 9–11 (= 7, 9, and 10 IEG) are analyzed in this study.
Planning education for best practices in point-of-care testing
Authors: Yenice Sedef
Published: July 2022

The increasing availability and use of POCT are influenced by many factors, including the industry trend toward patient-centered care and decentralization of health care; the increasing prevalence of infectious diseases, which includes the current use of rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing; the increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension; and advances in in-vitro medical diagnostics. The use of POCT can increase the efficiency of services and improve patient outcomes. However, the variability of the testing environment and conditions, as well as the competency of the staff performing the tests, can have a significant impact on the quality and accuracy of POCT results. Most personnel performing POCT are not trained laboratory staff and may not be as familiar with the processes associated with testing, such as patient preparation, specimen collection, management of equipment and supplies, calibration and maintenance of equipment, the performance of the test, quality control, interpretation of results, and reporting/documentation of results related to the particular patient. Therefore, personnel performing POCT must have the appropriate training and experience to ensure that test results are accurate and reliable. This review outlines the specific personnel training requirements based on international standards that must be considered to ensure the quality of test results and describe the competency criteria required for POCT compliance.
Genesis 1 and the Beginnings of Gnosticism
Authors: Markschies Christoph
Published: July 2022

The contribution examines whether some early Christian thinkers, usually classified as “gnostics,” were influenced in a special way by interpretations of the biblical account of creation in developing their particular doctrine (Cerinthus, Menander, Simon Magus, and Saturninus/Satornil). It turns out, however, that not only is there too little solid information about these thinkers, but the apparent specifics of interpretation are taken from contemporary Judaism. Only the distance between the supreme God and his helpers in creation seems to be more clearly accentuated than in many texts, but this may also be polemics of these Gnostics majority church opponents.
Oligomeric interactions maintain active‐site structure in a noncooperative enzyme family
Authors: Li Yaohui , Zhang Rongzhen , Wang Chi , Forouhar Farhad , Clarke Oliver B , Vorobiev Sergey , Singh Shikha , Montelione Gaetano T , Szyperski Thomas , Xu Yan , Hunt John F
Published: July 2022

The evolutionary benefit accounting for widespread conservation of oligomeric structures in proteins lacking evidence of intersubunit cooperativity remains unclear. Here, crystal and cryo‐EM structures, and enzymological data, demonstrate that a conserved tetramer interface maintains the active‐site structure in one such class of proteins, the short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. Phylogenetic comparisons support a significantly longer polypeptide being required to maintain an equivalent active‐site structure in the context of a single subunit. Oligomerization therefore enhances evolutionary fitness by reducing the metabolic cost of enzyme biosynthesis. The large surface area of the structure‐stabilizing oligomeric interface yields a synergistic gain in fitness by increasing tolerance to activity‐enhancing yet destabilizing mutations. We demonstrate that two paralogous SDR superfamily enzymes with different specificities can form mixed heterotetramers that combine their individual enzymological properties. This suggests that oligomerization can also diversify the functions generated by a given metabolic investment, enhancing the fitness advantage provided by this architectural strategy.
The Key to Translation: An Examination of Children’s Human Rights Under Government Care and Protection in Manchester and Santa Cruz, Jamaica
Authors: Fakunle Damilola
Published: July 2022

According to the Care and Protection Act of Jamaica (2004), protection and provisional rights have historically taken precedence over the participation rights of children – that is, the right to freely express views and maintain a voice in decisions that affect them. To fulfill the participation rights of children, as outlined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), government organizations are encouraged to develop practices that optimize the individual freedom, autonomy, and views of children. I conducted an ethnographic study of the practices used to address the human rights and social needs of abused and neglected children placed under government care and protection in Manchester, Jamaica. My ethnographic research reveals how government staff and caretakers prioritized children’s participation rights, giving them input into their standard of care. As such, it illustrates the process of “vernacularization,” which refers to the translation of global human rights ideas to socially relevant norms in communities.
The Preventive Effect of Dexmedetomidine Against Delirium in Patients with Aortic Dissection: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhang Shen , Yin Qi , Wang Yinghua , Yu Kaiyan , Shen Peiming
Published: July 2022

Background: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is often used to reduce the incidence of delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. However, it was found in our clinical practice that the incidence of delirium in some patients with aortic dissection (AD) remained high even after using DEX. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether the protective effects of DEX against delirium were different between Stanford type A and B AD patients during ICU stay.
Methods: Data of patients with Stanford type A or B AD who were treated in the ICU of our hospital between 2015 and 2018 retrospectively were reviewed. They were divided into four groups: A1 group (Stanford type A AD patients using DEX), A2 group (Stanford type A AD patients without using DEX), B1 group (Stanford type B AD patients using DEX), and B2 group (Stanford type B AD patients without using DEX). Patients in A1 and B1 groups received intravenous administration of DEX within 1 h admission to the ICU and after surgery or stent implantation at a loading dose of 1 µg/kg, followed by continuous infusion of 0.2–0.7 µg/(kg·h) for >24 h. The mortality rate, delirium incidence, length of ICU stay, and drug administration were compared between the four groups.
Results: After intravenous administration of DEX, the delirium incidence in B1 group was reduced significantly compared with that in B2 group (2.8% vs. 17.8%, P = 0.04), while there was no significant difference between A1 and A2 group (20.8% vs. 24.3%, P = 0.7). However, DEX administration significantly reduced the use of anti-hypertensive drugs (P = 0.04) and morphine (P = 0.02) in Stanford type A AD patients.
Conclusion: The use of DEX reduced the incidence of delirium in Stanford type B AD patients during ICU stay, therefore reducing the risk of medical accidents and risk of rupture of the aortic dissecting aneurysm. The preventive effect of DEX against delirium in Stanford type A AD patients was not obvious, and whether increasing the dosage of DEX could enhance the therapeutic efficacy in this group of patients needs to be further observed in future studies.
New Data to the Rare Spider Species (Arachnida, Aranei) from Kyiv Region (Ukraine)
Authors: Yanul V. , Terekhova V. , Polchaninova N.
Published: July 2022

Seven rare spider species collected in the Kyiv Region are listed. Eresus moravicus Řezáč, 2008, Parasyrisca arrbonica Szinetár & Eichardt, 2009, and Enoplognatha bryjai Řezáč, 2016 are recorded for the first time from the East European Plain. P. arrbonica and E. bryjai are new to the spider fauna of Ukraine; Atypus muralis Bertkau, 1890, A. piceus (Sulzer, 1776), and Mustelicosa dimidiata (Thorell, 1875) are new the Kyiv Region. Comments on the geografical distribution and illustrations of four species are provided.
Регіональні особливості формування гуманітарної інтелігенції в Правобережній Україні (60-ті рр. ХІХ – перші десятиліття ХХ ст.)
Authors: Михайлик Артур
Published: July 2022

Мета статті – дослідити формування гуманітарної інтелігенції на території Правобережної України протягом 60-х рр. ХІХ – перших десятиліть ХХ ст. Поява цієї соціальної групи в регіоні мала цілий ряд особливостей, пов`язаних з географічним, національним і економічним факторами. Методи дослідження. Досягнення мети дослідження та вирішення його основних завдань обумовило використання загальнонаукових, загальноісторичних і джерелознавчих методів соціальних наук. Важливим є використання методів аналізу та синтезу, що сприяє акцентуванню на ключових елементах окресленого питання. Основні результати: Прикордонне розташування краю та його тривале перебування в складі Речі Посполитої призвели до того, що культурний вплив з боку Російської імперії тут був слабкішим, аніж в інших регіонах Наддніпрянщини, а значна кількість місцевої інтелігенції була польського та єврейського походження. Важливою віхою на шляху становлення української інтелігенції були ліберально-демократичні реформи Олександра ІІ, які зняли перешкоди на шляху розвитку капіталізму та заклали основи соціальної рівності в суспільстві. Саме після селянської реформи у Правобережжі ці процеси відбувалися більш швидкими темпами, аніж в інших частинах Російської імперії, українська інтелігенція перестає бути становою, а саме поняття, що визначає цю частину суспільства, наближається до сучасного розуміння. Під впливом цих факторів гуманітарна інтелігенція Правобережної України на початку ХХ ст. не лише виконує притаманні їй професійні і мистецько-культурні функції, але й перетворюється на провідну верству національного державотворення. Наукова новизна полягає у комплексному висвітлені ролі різних умов і чинників становлення інтелігенції на території великого українського регіону – Правобережної України. Розкрито вплив різноманітних факторів на історичний поступ краю в досліджуваний періоді. Тип статті: теоретична.
Філософська рефлексія феномену пандемії COVID-19
Authors: Шніцер Марія
Published: July 2022

Метою даної публікації є розглянути погляди філософів на феномен пандемії COVID-19 та її вплив на життя як окремої людини, так і суспільства загалом. Майже всі філософи, хто сьогодні розмірковує та пише про пандемію COVID-19, впевнені, що вона назавжди змінила світ. Її перебіг засвідчив кризу сучасної фази розвитку глобалізації, капіталізму і лібералізму та неочікувано для багатьох продемонстрував сильні сторони комунізму китайського зразка. Пандемія COVID-19 допомогла людині краще пізнати себе, адже відкрила їй очі на саму себе як на істоту не всемогутню, а тендітну та обмежену. Вона нагадала усім нам про смертність, про те, що наше життя залежить від незрозумілого поєднання непередбачених обставин. Це змусило людей вірити виключно у «голе біологічне існування». Перебуваючи у полоні страху зараження коронавірусом, вони добровільно прийняли запроваджені владою обмеження та підтримали політику соціального дистанціювання, яка передбачає заміну міжособистісних контактів цифровими технологічними пристроями. Мова йде про обмеження життєвого простору та вимушене існування людей у віртуальній реальності. У сучасному пандемічному світі саме віртуалізація будь-яких соціальних контактів стала гарантією безпеки людей та трактується як новий прояв любові та дружби. Однак, соціальне дистанціювання хоча і є порятунком в умовах пандемії COVID-19, в жодному випадку не варто вважати панацеєю від усіх людських та суспільних проблем. Високі технології не вирішують проблему людини як Людини, адже ми є бінарними істотами, які, крім біологічних, мають й соціальні потреби – живе спілкування та соціальні контакти. Пандемія COVID-19 зруйнувала звичний для нас світ. Вона не тільки змусила нас знову замислитися над тим, що є справжньою цінністю людського життя, але й поставила на порядок денний необхідність прийняти рішення про те, якої форми набуде «нова нормальність» у постковідному світі.