bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial activity of Sunda porcupine quill extract (Hystrix javanica) against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Gifardi Muhammad Dirga , Sutardi Lina Noviyanti , Farida Wartika Rosa , Prawira Andhika Yudha , Agungpriyono Srihadi
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Gifardi MD, Sutardi LN, Farida WR, Prawira AY, Agungpriyono S. 2022. Antibacterial activity of Sunda porcupine quill extract (Hystrix javanica) against Staphylococcus aureus. Biodiversitas 23: 4355-4360. The Sunda porcupine (Hystrix Javanica) is a rare mammal with quill-like hair covering its body. Because the Sunda porcupine has extensive sebaceous glands, the neutral carbohydrate content is well-distributed and is known to have excellent wound healing. In addition, the high acid content of porcupine quills is believed to influence wound healing by inhibiting the growth of bacteria that cause infection on the skin. This study aims to demonstrate the antibacterial activity of the Sunda porcupine quill extract, determine the antibacterial ability of the Sunda porcupine quill extract, and examine the influence of concentration variations on the growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Well-diffusion testing of the antibacterial activity of the Sunda porcupine quill extract (so that it is well-diffusion). The test findings demonstrated that the Sunda porcupine quill extract possessed antibacterial properties. The antibacterial activity of porcupine quill extract was indicated by the diameter of the clear zone (inhibition zone) based on the variation of the extract concentration used, namely 100%, 50%, 25%, 12.5%, 6.25%, 3.125%, 1.5625%. The antibacterial activity of the Sunda porcupine quill extract was seen at concentrations of 100%, 50%, and 25%, with the average diameter of the clear zone being 14.88 mm ± 2.43; 12.24 mm ± 2.59; and 12.74 mm ± 3.69. The test results showed an effect of variations in the concentration of Sunda porcupine quill extract on the diameter of the clear zone (P??=0.05) based on the one-way ANOVA test. Sunda porcupine quill extract with concentrations of 100%, 50%, and 25% is included in the category of strong antibacterial so that it can be used as an antibacterial agent.
A review of pathobiological mechanisms and potential application of medicinal plants for vascular aging: focus on endothelial cell senescence
Authors: Barinda Agian Jeffilano , Arozal Wawaimuli , Yuasa Shinsuke
Published: August 2022

Endothelial cell (EC) senescence plays a pivotal role in aging and is essential for the pathomechanism of aging-related diseases. Drugs targeting cellular senescence, such as senolytic or senomorphic drugs, may prevent aging and age-related diseases, but these bullets remain undeveloped to target EC senescence. Some medicinal plants may have an anti-senescence property but remain undiscovered. Deep learning has become an emerging approach for drug discovery by simply analyzing cellular morphology-based deep learning. This precious tool would be useful for screening the herb candidate in senescent EC rejuvenescence. Of note, several medicinal plants that can be found in Indonesia such as Curcuma longa L., Piper retrofractum, Guazuma ulmifolia Lam, Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., and Garcinia mangostana L. might potentially possess an anti-senescence effect. This review highlighted the importance of targeting EC senescence, the use of deep learning for medicinal plant screening, and some potential anti-senescence plants originating from Indonesia.
On Terms: What's in a Name? Intellectual Disability and “Condition,” “Disorder,” “Syndrome,” “Disease,” and “Disability”
Authors: Thurm Audrey , Srivastava Siddharth
Published: August 2022

Individuals living with intellectual disability can have multiple co-occurring medical conditions including associated genetic diagnoses. The number of genetic etiologies associated with ID is growing, with some quite new and rare, and others more common and associated with what is often considered a syndrome. In the context of genetic etiologies and associated medical comorbidities, appropriate use of descriptive terminology warrants clarification. Using accurate nomenclature is essential for descriptions, especially as terms are used across both research and clinical reports. Here we discuss several terms that may be confused with each other, including “condition,” “disorder,” “syndrome,” “disease,” and “disability.” Our goal is to shed light on the meanings of the five descriptors and their appropriate use in the ID population, especially in relation to those who have a genetic diagnosis.
Improving Social and Play Outcomes for Students With Significant Disabilities During Recess
Authors: Amadi Chelsea J. , Brock Matthew E. , Barczak Mary A. , Anderson Eric J.
Published: August 2022

For students with autism, recess is often a missed opportunity to develop social competence and relationships. Although interventions have been developed to promote interactions and social skills for students with average or above-average intellectual functioning, there has been less focus on students with autism who have below-average intellectual functioning or who meet the criteria for intellectual disability. In this single-case design study, we tested the efficacy of a combined peer-mediated and social skills instruction intervention on the interactions, play, and social skills of three students with autism who met their state's criteria for alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Social skills instruction featured video models that portrayed same-aged peers demonstrating individualized social skills on the playground. For all three students, there were substantial increases in interactions, play and social skills, and students and their peers provided positive feedback about the intervention.
Single-pixel imaging for edge images using deep neural networks
Authors: Hoshi Ikuo , Takehana Masaki , Shimobaba Tomoyoshi , Kakue Takashi , Ito Tomoyoshi
Published: August 2022

Edge images are often used in computer vision, cellular morphology, and surveillance cameras, and are sufficient to identify the type of object. Single-pixel imaging (SPI) is a promising technique for wide-wavelength, low-light-level measurements. Conventional SPI-based edge-enhanced techniques have used shifting illumination patterns; however, this increases the number of the illumination patterns. We propose two deep neural networks to obtain SPI-based edge images without shifting illumination patterns. The first network is an end-to-end mapping between the measured intensities and entire edge image. The latter comprises two path convolutional layers for restoring horizontal and vertical edges individually; subsequently, both edges are combined to obtain full edge reconstructions, such as in the Sobel filter.
Performance analysis and parameter optimization for intelligent reflecting mirror array-aided visible light communications
Authors: Shi Xiao-Di , Hong Li-Hua , Yu Peng-Fei , Shi Jia-Wei , Liu Na , Wang Jin-Yuan
Published: August 2022

The effective deployment of an intelligent reflecting mirror array (IRMA) can enhance channel quality and improve the system performance in visible light communications (VLC) systems. This paper focuses on the performance analysis and parameter optimization of an IRMA-aided VLC system. Initially, the channel gains of both line-of-sight (LoS) link and non-LoS links are analyzed. Then, considering the blockage probability of a LoS link, a theoretical expression of the average bit error rate (ABER) is derived. To further improve the system performance, the optimization problems about the parameters of the IRMA are formulated, and schemes are proposed to solve these problems. Moreover, a kind of hardware implementation of the IRMA is provided. Numerical results verify the accuracy of the derived ABER expression and the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.
VO2-based superposed Fabry-Perot multilayer film with a highly enhanced infrared emittance and emittance tunability for spacecraft thermal control
Authors: Bowei Xie , Wenjie Zhang , Junming Zhao , Linhua Liu
Published: August 2022

Thermal control coating for spacecraft based on thermochromic film attracts increasing interest due to their ability of self-adaptive emittance switch and less resource consuming compared with traditional thermal control coatings. However, practical applications of thermochromic film for spacecraft are constrained by the low infrared emittance at a high temperature and narrow emittance tunability. In this work, a thermochromic film with simple structure, nearly perfect infrared emission and large emittance tunability is proposed for the application of spacecraft thermal control. The thermochromic film is a VO2-based superposed Fabry-Perot (FP) multilayer film, which is constructed by encapsulating three thin VO2 layers in four lossless BaF2 spacer on the Al substrate. The infrared emittance and emittance tunability of the superposed FP film is dramatically enhanced by the three superposed VO2-BaF2-Al FP resonances at wavelengths of 9, 15 and 20 µm, respectively. For VO2 layers under metallic state, the spectral normal emittance of the superposed FP film is close to unity in the entire mid-infrared spectral range, while for VO2 layers under dielectric state, the film is highly reflective. For the typical growth techniques of the VO2 layers considered here, the emittance tunability of the superposed FP film can exceed 0.70 with total normal emittance larger than 0.91 at high temperature, simultaneously. The largest total normal emittance of the superposed FP film can reach 0.95 with emittance tunability of 0.78. In addition, the infrared emission and emittance tunability performances of the superposed FP film remain excellent for incident angles up to 60°. This work proposes a simple structure with highly enhanced infrared emittance and emittance tunability that outperforms the existing thermochromic films, which could accelerate the application of thermochromic films in the field of spacecraft thermal control.
Performance enhancement of coherent modulation imaging in the presence of missing data
Authors: Liu Tao , Sun Meng , Zhang Fucai
Published: August 2022

Coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) has become a powerful imaging modality in synchrotron x-ray imaging and electron microscopy communities. In the far-field geometry, image quality of CDI depends strongly on the performance of detector; specifically, the dynamic range, pixel size, and the absence of missing data. Coherent modulation imaging (CMI), an innovative variant of CDI, improves the algorithmic convergence by inserting a modulator upstream of the detector. Here, we explore the potential of CMI in eliminating nonideal effects of detector by modifying the modulus constraint to extrapolate the missing part of diffraction pattern. Nine folds of extrapolation in area of diffraction pattern have been shown feasible in experiment; while sixteen folds in simulation. For image quality measured by Structural Similarity (SSIM), our method shows a maximum of 32% improvement over the traditional method. Our method provides a way to alleviate the effects of beamstop, gaps between modules, limited dynamic range, and limited detector size for CMI.
Experimental certification of nonprojective quantum measurements under a minimum overlap assumption
Authors: Fan Qin , Ma Meng-Yun , Sun Yong-Nan , Su Qi-Ping , Yang Chui-Ping
Published: August 2022

Certifying quantum measurements is increasingly important for foundational insights in quantum information science. Here, we report an experimental certification of unknown quantum measurements in a semi-device-independent setting. For the first time, we experimentally demonstrate that genuine three-outcome positive operator-valued measures (POVMs) can be certified under the assumption of a limited overlap between the prepared quantum states. The generalized quantum measurements are realized through discrete-time quantum walk and our experimental results clearly show that three-outcome POVMs can be certified even in the presence of noise. Finally, we experimentally investigate that optimal POVMs for performing unambiguous state discrimination can be self-tested. Our work opens new avenues for robust certification of quantum systems in the prepare-and-measure scenario.
Ultra-wide transmission band frequency-selective rasorber using 2.5-D miniaturized structures
Authors: Zhu Shengchi , Cao Zhenxin , Zhou Huaimin , Geng Ruolin , Deng Guohu , Quan Xin
Published: August 2022

In this paper, a miniaturized frequency-selective rasorber (FSR) with an ultra-wide transmission band (| S21 | <1 dB) is presented. The FSR is made up of a lossless multi-layer cascaded frequency-selective surface (FSS) with a 2.5-D lossy layer above, separated by an air gap. Modified metallic Jerusalem crosses loaded with lumped resistors serve as the unit cell of the lossy layer. An equivalent parallel LC circuit with high inductance and extremely low parasitic capacitance is introduced by zigzag strips and vias, which broaden the transmission band significantly. The equivalent circuit model (ECM) is constructed to provide further insight into the structure. Simulation results show that the proposed FSR exhibits an ultra-wide transmission band of 1-dB from 6.20 to 17.97 GHz (97.4%) with a minimum insertion loss of 0.074 dB. Meanwhile, an 80% absorption band covering 2.58-4.13 GHz is achieved below the passband. For demonstration, an experimental prototype of the 2.5-D FSR is fabricated and measured, and the simulated and measured results are reasonably consistent.
Research on calculation of surface irradiance for infrared extended sources based on CUDA parallel speedup
Authors: Zhang Puyousen , Li Yiwen , Li Yao , Chen Ge , Hua Weizhuo , Jiao Zhaoqiang
Published: August 2022

To correct the error caused by uneven distribution of target surface irradiance in the measurement of emissivity by the irradiation reflection method, a progressive method for calculating the surface irradiance for infrared extended sources was proposed, and its CPU-GPU heterogeneous operation speedup was realized based on the compute unified device architecture (CUDA). The proposed method calculated the radiation transfer at the scale of small surface sources while considering the multiple reflections between the sources, which better reflected the actual physical condition. The CUDA-based parallel speedup enabled calculation within a few seconds even for several data levels, which facilitated pixel-by-pixel analysis of surface emissivity measurements. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed calculation method was analyzed by adjusting multiple scene parameters. The advantage of the proposed method was analyzed by comparing it with several irradiance calculation methods in terms of the result and correction effect on emissivity measurements. The speedup effect of CPU-GPU heterogeneous operation was analyzed by adjusting the calculation parameters. The results revealed that the proposed method could effectively calculate the irradiance distribution on the target surface regardless of the distance between the radiation sources, and the calculation consumed a very short time. It could correct the emissivity measurement errors caused by uneven irradiance and was of great significance to further improving the accuracy of emissivity measurements by the irradiation reflection method.
Design and optimization of a support system for large aperture wedge prisms based on an integrated opto-mechanical analysis
Authors: Wen Wansha , Ruan Ping , Lv Tao , Li Baopeng
Published: August 2022

A stable and reliable support system for large aperture wedge prisms is the priority of the atmospheric dispersion corrector (ADC). The prism is not a rotationally symmetric component, and the stress distribution on large aperture wedge prisms caused by the support system is different compared with the rotationally symmetric mirror. A scheme of support forces passing through the prism center of gravity (COG) is proposed in this paper. Comparing with the scheme of support force passing through the prism geometry center of rotation (COR) under the same conditions, the root-mean-square (RMS) value of the optical surface shape error shows that the proposed scheme obtains better optical surface quality when the prism rotates from 0° to 360° under the conditions of gravity coupling at 2°C and 42°C. In addition, based on the proposed scheme, a multi-island genetic algorithm (MIGA) is used to optimize the position parameters of the supports. The results show that the RMS value of the optical surface deformation of the wedge prism decreases effectively. Under the conditions of gravity coupling at temperatures of 2°C and 42°C, the RMS value decreases from 260.7 nm to 107.8 nm with 58.6% and from 108.6 nm to 69.5 nm with 36.0%, respectively.
Metasurface-based broadband polarization-insensitive polarization rotator
Authors: Liu Wei , Zhang Lei , Ke Junchen , Liang Jingcheng , Xiao Cong , Cheng Qiang , Cui Tiejun
Published: August 2022

The polarizations of electromagnetic (EM) waves are very important for transceivers. We propose a broadband polarization-insensitive polarization rotator (PIPR), which can realize 90° polarization rotation for incident waves with an arbitrary azimuth angle. A unit of the PIPR is composed of two types of substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) units in a checkerboard pattern, which provides more than −0.2 dB transmission from 9.5 to 10.9 GHz. The electric field inside the cavity is analyzed to explain the working mechanism of the proposed rotator. A prototype is fabricated and measured to verify the proposed design, and satisfactory agreement between simulated and measured results is achieved, indicating that the converter has potential applications in imaging and communication systems.
Fast method for designing broadband achromatic diffractive optical elements
Authors: Hu Haiquan , Xu Hao , Chen Yueting , Xu Zhihai , Li Qi , Feng Huajun , Jiang Tingting
Published: August 2022

Diffractive optical elements play a crucial role in the miniaturization of the optical systems, especially in correcting achromatic aberration. Considering the rapidity and validity of the design method, we propose a fast method for designing broadband achromatic diffractive optical elements. Based on the direct binary search algorithm, some improvements have been made including the selection of the initial height map to mitigate the uncertainty, the reduction of the variations to accelerate the optimization and the increase of sampling rate to deal with the large operation bandwidth. The initial height map is calculated instead of random initial value. Due to different regions of the height map contributing to point spread functions differently, the variations are reduced to speed up the optimization. The large operation bandwidth is solved by increasing the sampling rate at unfitted wavelengths instead of setting weighting coefficients. We demonstrate via simulations that our method is effective through several examples. The design of broadband achromatic diffractive optical elements can be quickly achieved by our method.
New detector for next generation solar radiometers
Authors: Remesal Oliva Alberto , Finsterle Wolfgang
Published: August 2022

A new detector for solar absolute radiometers for ground-based applications was developed in a joint project by PMOD/WRC and Davos Instruments AG. New coating technology was applied and characterized, and a flat receiver was designed for the next generation of radiometers. The new detector, which is already commercially available, will also be considered and adapted for future space experiments.
RAFFT: Efficient prediction of RNA folding pathways using the fast Fourier transform
Authors: Opuu Vaitea , Merleau Nono S. C. , Messow Vincent , Smerlak Matteo
Published: August 2022

We propose a novel heuristic to predict RNA secondary structure formation pathways that has two components: (i) a folding algorithm and (ii) a kinetic ansatz. This heuristic is inspired by the kinetic partitioning mechanism, by which molecules follow alternative folding pathways to their native structure, some much faster than others. Similarly, our algorithm RAFFT starts by generating an ensemble of concurrent folding pathways ending in multiple metastable structures, which is in contrast with traditional thermodynamic approaches that find single structures with minimal free energies. When we constrained the algorithm to predict only 50 structures per sequence, near-native structures were found for RNA molecules of length ≤ 200 nucleotides. Our heuristic has been tested on the coronavirus frameshifting stimulation element (CFSE): an ensemble of 68 distinct structures allowed us to produce complete folding kinetic trajectories, whereas known methods require evaluating millions of sub-optimal structures to achieve this result. Thanks to the fast Fourier transform on which RAFFT (RNA folding Algorithm wih Fast Fourier Transform) is based, these computations are efficient, with complexity O ( L 2logL ).
A recombinant rabies vaccine that prevents viral shedding in rabid common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus)
Authors: Cárdenas-Canales Elsa M. , Velasco-Villa Andres , Ellison James A. , Satheshkumar Panayampalli S. , Osorio Jorge E. , Rocke Tonie E.
Published: August 2022

Vampire bat transmitted rabies (VBR) is a continuing burden to public health and agricultural sectors in Latin America, despite decades-long efforts to control the disease by culling bat populations. Culling has been shown to disperse bats, leading to an increased spread of rabies. Thus, non-lethal strategies to control VBR, such as vaccination, are desired. Here, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of a viral-vectored recombinant mosaic glycoprotein rabies vaccine candidate (RCN-MoG) in vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) of unknown history of rabies exposure captured in México and transported to the United States. Vaccination with RCN-MoG was demonstrated to be safe, even in pregnant females, as no evidence of lesions or adverse effects were observed. We detected rabies neutralizing antibodies in 28% (8/29) of seronegative bats post-vaccination. Survival proportions of adult bats after rabies virus (RABV) challenge ranged from 55–100% and were not significantly different among treatments, pre- or post-vaccination serostatus, and route of vaccination, while eight pups (1–2.5 months of age) used as naïve controls all succumbed to challenge (P<0.0001). Importantly, we found that vaccination with RCN-MoG appeared to block viral shedding, even when infection proved lethal. Using real-time PCR, we did not detect RABV nucleic acid in the saliva samples of 9/10 vaccinated bats that succumbed to rabies after challenge (one was inconclusive). In contrast, RABV nucleic acid was detected in saliva samples from 71% of unvaccinated bats (10/14 sampled, plus one inconclusive) that died of the disease, including pups. Low seroconversion rates post-vaccination and high survival of non-vaccinated bats, perhaps due to earlier natural exposure, limited our conclusions regarding vaccine efficacy. However, our findings suggest a potential transmission-blocking effect of vaccination with RCN-MoG that could provide a promising strategy for controlling VBR in Latin America beyond longstanding culling programs.
Preliminary study on a novel dedicated plate for iliac fractures in dogs
Authors: Moi Tryssia S. M. , Minto Bruno W. , Macedo Ana P. , Lucena Dayvid V. F. , Malta Caio A. S. , Dias Luis G. G. G.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate a novel plate designed specifically for the canine ilium using finite element methods. The cranial portion of the plate had an elliptical shape and contained nine screw holes. The caudal portion of the plate was triangular with three screw holes. Four and three screws were used at the cranial (screw 1 to 4) and caudal (screw 5 to 7) segment of the plate. Finite element models of the plate and canine pelvis were created. A load of 300 N was applied on the femur-hip joint contact area. Values of Von Mises Stress on the plate, screws and the maximum and minimum main stresses in the bone were used to capture the mechanical factors in this study.

Results

The novel implant had a plate stress of 51.9 megapascals (MPa) with higher stress in the dorsal part of the plate. Screws 2 and 4 showed similar stress values of 17.3 MPa. Screws 1 and 3 were the most loaded (51.9 MPa and 75 MPa, respectively). Screws 5, 6, and 7 showed similar dissipation and stress values (21.55 MPa). There was traction force in the dorsal region of the pubis and compression in the ventral part, with dissipation and values of 15.4 MPa and 23.9 MPa, respectively, acquiring balance between them.

Conclusion

The novel plate is potentially applicable and specifically suitable for iliac fractures in dogs. The screws distribution modeled proved itself strategical since the simulated stresses were evenly distributed throughout the implant construct.
Molecular characterization and genetic diversity analysis in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss.) varieties using SSR markers
Authors: Singh K. H. , Singh Lal , Parmar Nehanjali , Kumar Sunil , Nanjundan J. , Singh Guman , Thakur Ajay Kumar
Published: August 2022

In this study, we evaluated genetic diversity in a panel of 87 Indian mustard varieties using 200 genomic-SSR markers. A total of 189 SSRs resulted into positive amplification with 174 (92.06%) SSRs generating polymorphic products and 15 (7.94%) SSRs producing monomorphic amplicons. A total of 552 alleles were obtained and allele number varied from 2–6 with an average number of 3.17 alleles per SSR marker. The major allele frequency ranged from 0.29 (ENA23) to 0.92 (BrgMS841) with an average value of 0.58 per SSR locus. The polymorphic information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.10 (BrgMS841) to 0.68 (BrgMS519) with 0.39 as mean PIC value. The gene diversity per locus ranged from 0.13 (BrgMS841) to 0.72 (ENA23 & BrgMS519) with a mean value of 0.48 per SSR primer pair. Both Unweighted Neighbor Joining-based dendrogram and population structure analysis divided all the 87 varieties into two major groups/subpopulations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) inferred the presence of more genetic variation (98%) among individuals than among groups (2%). A total of 31 SSRs produced 36 unique alleles for 27 varieties which will serve as unique DNA-fingerprints for the identification and legal protection of these varieties. Further, the results obtained provided a deeper insight into the genetic structure of Indian mustard varieties in India and will assist in formulating future breeding strategies aimed at Indian mustard genetic improvement.
Twist-related protein 1 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and renal fibrosis through the upregulation of complement 3
Authors: Otsuki Tomoyasu , Fukuda Noboru , Chen Lan , Tsunemi Akiko , Abe Masanori
Published: August 2022

We have demonstrated that complement 3 (C3) is upregulated and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon and renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) kidney. We investigated roles of twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1) in EMT phenomenon and renal fibrosis through C3 upregulation in a mouse UUO model with gene silencer pyrrole-imidazole (PI) polyamides targeting TWIST1. We designed and synthesized PI polyamides targeting TWIST1 binding site on mouse pre-pro C3 promoter. Increased expression C3 mRNA with interferon-γ was significantly inhibited with PI polyamide in nephrotubular epithelial cells. Immunofluorescence showed suppression of E-cadherin and enhancement of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) stainings as EMT phenomena in UUO kidney. TWIST1 and C3 expression was significantly increased in UUO kidney versus contralateral unobstructed kidney (CUK). Expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), α-SMA and renin mRNAs was increased in UUO kidney versus CUK. Systemic administration of TWIST1 PI polyamide significantly suppressed increased C3 expression in UUO kidney versus CUK. PI polyamide administration also suppressed the increased expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA and renin mRNAs and histologically improved renal fibrosis in UUO kidney. These findings indicate that TWIST1 induces EMT phenomenon and renal fibrosis by TGF-β1 upregulation of C3 in mouse UUO model and that TWIST1 PI polyamide may be a novel medicine for renal fibrosis.
Evaluating fomite risk of brown paper bags storing personal protective equipment exposed to SARS-CoV-2: A quasi-experimental study
Authors: Unger Kyirsty , Dietz Leslie , Horve Patrick , Van Den Wymelenberg Kevin , Lin Amber , Kinney Erin , Kea Bory
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Literature is lacking on the safety of storing contaminated PPE in paper bags for reuse, potentially increasing exposure to frontline healthcare workers (HCW) and patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of paper bags as a barrier for fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by storing face masks, respirators, and face shields.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study evaluated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the interior and exterior surfaces of paper bags containing PPE that had aerosolized exposures in clinical and simulated settings. Between May and October 2020, 30 unique PPE items were collected from COVID-19 units at two urban hospitals. Exposed PPE, worn by either an infected patient or HCW during a SARS-CoV-2 aerosolizing event, were placed into an unused paper bag. Samples were tested at 30-minute and 12-hour intervals.

Results

A total of 177 swabs were processed from 30 PPE samples. We found a 6.8% positivity rate among all samples across both collection sites. Highest positivity rates were associated with ventilator disconnection and exposure to respiratory droplets from coughing. Positivity rates differed between hospital units. Total positivity rates were similar between 30-minute (6.7%) and 12-hour (6.9%) sample testing time intervals. Control samples exposed to inactivated SARS-CoV-2 droplets had higher total viral counts than samples exposed to nebulized aerosols.

Conclusions

Data suggests paper bags are not a significant fomite risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, controls demonstrated a risk with droplet exposure. Data can inform guidelines for storing and re-using PPE in situations of limited supplies during future pandemics.
Association between non-acute traumatic injury (TI) and heart rate variability (HRV) in adults: A systematic review protocol
Authors: Maqsood Rabeea , Khattab Ahmed , Bennett Alexander N. , Boos Christopher J.
Published: August 2022

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is an indirect measure of autonomic function. Attenuated HRV is linked to worsening health outcomes including Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE). The relationship between traumatic injury (TI) and HRV has been limitedly studied. This research protocol has been designed to conduct a systematic review of the existing evidence on the association between non-acute TI and HRV in adults. Four electronic bibliographic databases (Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, and Scopus) will be searched. The studies on non-acute (>7 days post injury) TI and HRV in adults will be included, followed by title-abstract screening by two reviewers independently. The quality and risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed using Axis and a six-item Risk of Bias Assessment tool for of Non-randomized Studies (RoBANS) respectively. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) will assess the quality of evidence. The extracted data will be synthesized using narrative syntheses and a Forest plot with or without meta-analysis- whichever permitted by the pooled data. This will be the first systematic review to examine the relationship between generalized TI and HRV in adults.

Trial registration: (PROPSERO registration number: CRD: CRD42021298530) https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021298530.
Peer review: Risk and risk tolerance
Authors: Gallo Stephen A. , Schmaling Karen B.
Published: August 2022

Peer review, commonly used in grant funding decisions, relies on scientists’ ability to evaluate research proposals’ quality. Such judgments are sometimes beyond reviewers’ discriminatory power and could lead to a reliance on subjective biases, including preferences for lower risk, incremental projects. However, peer reviewers’ risk tolerance has not been well studied. We conducted a cross-sectional experiment of peer reviewers’ evaluations of mock primary reviewers’ comments in which the level and sources of risks and weaknesses were manipulated. Here we show that proposal risks more strongly predicted reviewers’ scores than proposal strengths based on mock proposal evaluations. Risk tolerance was not predictive of scores but reviewer scoring leniency was predictive of overall and criteria scores. The evaluation of risks dominates reviewers’ evaluation of research proposals and is a source of inter-reviewer variability. These results suggest that reviewer scoring variability may be attributed to the interpretation of proposal risks, and could benefit from intervention to improve the reliability of reviews. Additionally, the valuation of risk drives proposal evaluations and may reduce the chances that risky, but highly impactful science, is supported.
Cultivating effective utility-regulator relationships around innovation: Lessons from four case studies in the U.S. municipal wastewater sector
Authors: Green Nylen Nell , Kiparsky Michael , Milman Anita
Published: August 2022

Regulation is critical for protecting public and environmental health but is often perceived as a barrier to innovation in the U.S. municipal wastewater sector. Before a wastewater utility can implement a new technology, it must navigate applicable regulatory processes and obtain necessary approvals, often including obtaining an updated wastewater discharge permit. While all regulatory processes involve interactions between regulators and regulated entities, innovative projects may require them to engage in new ways, heightening the importance of the relationships between them. We investigated four case studies to examine how regulatory relationships affect municipal wastewater utilities’ efforts to adopt new technologies. Through cross-case analysis, we identified five interconnected characteristics of regulatory relationships that appear to facilitate innovation, and whose absence could impede it: clarity, capacity building, continuity, trust, and bounded flexibility. Appropriately applied bounded flexibility—such as using regulatory discretion to tailor permits to reflect the particular risks, benefits, and information needs of the technology at issue—may be key for enabling socially and environmentally beneficial innovation. Yet all five characteristics play important and mutually reinforcing roles in supporting innovation. By cultivating these characteristics in their relationships, both utilities and regulators can take responsibility for enabling appropriate implementation of innovative technologies. However, some parties, particularly small and under-resourced utilities, may find cultivating these characteristics difficult. Therefore, sector-wide support for effective utility-regulator relationships, including coordinated regulatory and funding programs targeted to meet small utilities’ needs, may be needed to bring beneficial innovation within reach for many wastewater utilities and the communities they serve.
Optimization of polymerase chain reaction for the identification of Roe deer, Saiga, and Siberian stag living in Kazakhstan
Authors: Mukantayev Kanatbek , Kanayev Darkhan , Zhumabekova Sholpan , Shevtsov Alexander , Tursunov Kanat , Mukanov Kasim , Ramankulov Yerlan
Published: August 2022

Background and Aim: One of the reasons for the decline in the number of wild species of artiodactyls is poaching and the illegal trading of animal products. Molecular genetic identification of animals from a biological sample effectively proves poaching cases and illegal trade of animal products. This study aimed to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that allows for species identification of artiodactyl animals that are most often subject to poaching.

Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from meat and blood samples of animals killed by poachers using commercial kits. Three pairs of primers were designed and used to amplify the cytochrome b gene fragment of Roe deer, Saiga antelope, and Siberian stag.

Results: The proposed protocol allows amplification of specific PCR products of 542 bp with Roe deer DNA, 587 bp with Saiga DNA, and 525 bp with Siberian stag DNA. Specificity analysis showed no cross activity with DNA from other animal species. The detection limit of PCR ranged from 15.6 pg to 1.9 pg of DNA in 25 μL of the reaction mixture.

Conclusion: Sequencing the amplified products and subsequent comparison with the corresponding reference sequence showed a similarity ranging from 99.99% to 100%. The PCR based on the developed primers demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity when using DNA from homogeneous and heterogeneous animals.
Albert Ballin und die Räume der politischen Macht 1886-1918
Authors: Meyer-Lenz Johanna
Published: August 2022

Im ersten Teil erläutert Johanna Meyer-Lenz die verflochtenen lokalen, nationalen, transnationalen und globalen Dimensionen des unternehmerischen Handelns Ballins im Zuge der Weltpolitik Wilhelms II. bis 1914. In Hamburg wirkte Ballin als Stabilisator des Ancien Régimes und trug zur Vertiefung der Kluft zwischen Arbeiterbewegung und bürgerlichem Lager bei. Das sich im Laufe des Kriegsgeschehens wandelnde Verhältnis Ballins zur Kriegspolitik des Kaisers führte zu einer zunehmenden Distanz Ballins gegenüber dem Kaiser und dem Machtregime der OHL seit 1916. In diesem Prozess positioniert sich Ballin im Herbst 1918 im Sinne der Wilson'schen Linie und befürwortete die Transformation zu einem liberaldemokratischen Verfassungsstaat
Konfliktparteien und Konfliktdynamiken der Revolution
Authors: Meyer-Lenz Johanna
Published: August 2022

Als Ausgangspunkt der Analyse wählt Johanna Meyer-Lenz ein formales Konfliktmodell, dessen zentrale Konfiguration durch den Gegensatz zweier Lager, dem bürgerlichen und dem linken, bestehend aus unterschiedlichen »unrest groups«, gebildet wird. Gegenstand des Konflikts ist die Gestaltung der Transformation der politischen Macht von den »alten« Trägern auf ein zukünftiges partizipatives Regime, über dessen Ausgestaltung verschiedene Modelle vorliegen. Das wesentliche analytische Instrument zur Darstellung der Konflikte als Prozess, lehnt sich an den symbolischen Interaktionismus von Herbert Blumer an und führt zu neuen Einsichten in die Interpretation der Konfliktverläufe. Das erinnerungskulturell bedeutende Script der Revolution von Wolffheim (1918) wird dem Kapitel vorangestellt
Worum geht es in dem Buch?
Authors: Falk Friederike , Schüler Eliana , Zinsmaier Isabelle
Published: August 2022

Friederike Falk, Eliana Schüler und Isabelle Zinsmaier beschreiben, worum es in dem Buch geht. In dem Buch geht um Macht und Diskriminierung in der Theaterpädagogik. Die Autorinnen stellen drei Beiträge in einfacherer Sprache vor.
Macht- und diskriminierungskritische Ansätze in der Theaterpädagogik: Motivationen, Strategien, Leerstellen
Authors: Falk Friederike , Schüler Eliana , Zinsmaier Isabelle
Published: August 2022

Die Einleitung zum Sammelband »Zeitgenössische Theaterpädagogik« gibt einen Überblick über Ausgangspunkte, Motivationen und Inhalte des Bandes. Die leitenden Fragen des Buches zu Macht- und Diskriminierung(skritik) in der Theaterpädagogik werden in Diskursen der Theaterpraxis sowie verwandten Feldern wie der Kulturellen Bildung und Kunstvermittlung verortet. Entlang der drei Sektionen ( Positionen, Beziehungen und Repräsentationen; Zugänge und Institutionen; Vorannahmen und (ästhetische) Hegemonien) stellen die Herausgeberinnen die einzelnen Beiträge sowie weitere Themenschwerpunkte des Bandes, die zwischen den Sektionen liegen vor. Anschließend werden die Artikel übergreifende Kategorien wie Vertrauen und Verantwortung als mögliche Ausgangspunkte für ein Nachdenken über theaterpädagogische Praxis diskutiert und Schlaglichter auf Leerstellen des gegenwärtigen theaterpädagogischen Forschungsfeldes geworfen. Der Beitrag schließt mit einem Vorschlag für ein kritisches Verständnis von Zeitgenoss*innenschaft.
»DOING SAMMELBAND«
Authors: Falk Friederike , Schüler Eliana , Zinsmaier Isabelle
Published: August 2022

Der Beitrag widmet sich Fragen nach Macht- und Diskriminierungskritik in der Wissenschaft. Die Herausgeberinnen reflektieren ihre Praxis des Herausgebens und befragen sie auf ihr inhärente Machtstrukturen sowie Ausschlüsse und Diskriminierungspotenziale. Anhand ihrer Arbeit am vorliegenden Band und der Zusammenarbeit mit den Autor*innen beschreiben sie außerdem Strategien und Visionen, um wissenschaftliche Publikationspraxis diskriminierungsfreier und zugänglicher zu machen.
Theater der Verrückten: Sprechen wir von Revolution
Authors: Antczack Stephan B.
Published: August 2022

Dieser Beitrag stellt das >Theater der Verrückten< aus Berlin vor. Das Kollektiv gehört zur Selbsthilfeorganisation >Netzwerk Stimmenhören e.V.< und setzt sich aus krisenerfahrenen Teilnehmer:innen zusammen. Das Theater der Verrückten klärt Machtverhältnisse und leistet Kritik an den Einrichtungen der Mainstreampsychiatrie. Der Beitrag greift Diskurse um Begriffe im >Theater der Unterdrückten< des brasilianischen Theatermachers Augusto Boal auf. Er diskutiert das Verständnis von Revolution und unterstreicht die Notwendigkeit der gesellschaftlichen Veränderung.
»Represent more, represent hard!«
Authors: Rudolf Luca*Jacqueline
Published: August 2022

Luca * Jacqueline Rudolf widmet sich im Artikel »Represent more, represent hard!« dem Umgang mit Repräsentation und Partizipation, Identität und Diversität in theaterpädagogischen Inszenierungsformaten anhand von konkreten Beispielen. Als besonders relevant wird diese Verschränkung für eine theaterpädagogische Praxis mit partizipativem Anspruch beschrieben, in der die Lebenswirklichkeiten der Akteur*innen reflektiert und eingebunden werden. Die Arbeitsweise ist in diesen Fällen in spezifischer Weise mit den in theatralen Formaten vor Publikum reproduzierten Repräsentationen verbunden. Um Identitätskategorien dabei möglichst diversitätsbewusst und diskriminierungskritisch zu dynamisieren, wird ein ästhetisches Repräsentationsverständnis eingeführt und so neben der Frage, was/wer repräsentiert werden soll, das Wie in den Fokus gerückt.
Eine Praxis der Machtkritik
Authors: Ak Nadir , Kapinga Grab Kapi , Vögele Sophie , Willenbacher Sascha
Published: August 2022

Ausgehend von der Frage nach Ein- und Ausschlussprozessen an Kunsthochschulen diskutieren Nadir Ak, Kapi Kapinga Grab, Sophie Vögele und Sascha Willenbacher die Frage der Veränderbarkeit von Institutionen aus der Perspektive der Theaterpädagogik. Das Verhältnis zur Schauspielausbildung und der Blick auf die historische Entwicklung der beiden Ausbildungen erlaubt es, die eigene Institutionalisierung zu beschreiben und die Position der Theaterpädagogik als Störmoment an den Rändern zu verstehen. Weiter heben die Autor*innen durch die Schilderung ihrer eigenen Erfahrungen die Benennung von Herausforderungen und Diskriminierungen als notwendige - und konstruktive - Kritik hervor. Das Anliegen ist, Möglichkeitsräume zu schaffen und durch gemeinsame Verantwortung Institutionen zu bewegen.
Zur Relevanz rassismuskritisch informierter Theaterpädagogik in Theater und Schule
Authors: Blum Thomas , Simon Nina
Published: August 2022

Thomas Blum und Nina Simon widmen sich in ihrem Beitrag dem spezifischen, jedoch keinesfalls von anderen (Differenz-)Verhältnissen isolierten Herrschaftsverhältnis Rassismus. Ausgehend von den beiden unterschiedlichen institutionellen Logiken von Theater und Schule als weiße Institutionen (Liepsch et al. 2018) interessiert sie u.a. der Blick auf die verschiedenen Modi des »zeitgenössischen« Verfügbar-Machens von Differenz in diesen beiden Kontexten. Sie fragen danach, was erkennbar wird, wenn dies aus einer rassismuskritischen Perspektive beleuchtet wird und welche Konsequenzen sich daraus hinsichtlich (hochschul)didaktischer Belange und aus professionalitätstheoretischer Perspektive für eine herrschaftskritische theaterpädagogische Praxis an Theater und Schule sowie für die Gestaltung von Ausbildungsinhalten von Theaterpädagog*innen und Theaterlehrer*innen ableiten lassen.
Zum Fremdeln zwischen Ethnografie und Hochschulforschung
Authors: Hamann Julian
Published: August 2022

Der Beitrag diskutiert den Stellenwert der Ethnografie in der Hochschulforschung. Ihren Ausgangspunkt nimmt diese Diskussion in der Diagnose, dass das Verhältnis zwischen Ethnografie und Hochschulforschung kompliziert ist. Dieses Fremdeln ist zunächst kontraintuitiv, weil es sowohl aus Perspektive der Ethnografie als auch aus Perspektive der Hochschulforschung eine Reihe von guten Gründen dafür gibt, hochschulische Kontexte ethnografisch zu beforschen. Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, warum es trotzdem Berührungsängste zwischen Ethnografie und Hochschulforschung zu geben scheint und argumentiert, dass eine mangelnde Passung zwischen methodologischen Prinzipien der Ethnografie und spezifischen Charakteristika der Hochschulforschung den geringen Stellenwert der Ethnografie in der Hochschulforschung erklären kann. Vor dem Hintergrund dieser relativ abstrakten Überlegungen konkretisiert der Beitrag beispielhaft, vor welchen Herausforderungen ethnografische Hochschulforschung steht und warum es sich lohnen könnte, sich diesen Herausforderungen zu stellen.
Instruktion und ihre Teilnehmer: Was ist in einem Seminar?
Authors: Engert Kornelia
Published: August 2022

Der Beitrag von Kornelia Engert rückt die akademische Lehre in den Blick der ethnographischen Bildungs- und Hochschulforschung. Während in klassischen Positionen des Fachs vor allem die Vorlesung und in der qualitativen Bildungsforschung der schulische Unterricht thematisiert werden, ist das Seminar mit seinen Formen der Teilnehmerschaft zwischen Interaktion und Instruktion vergleichsweise unterbeleuchtet. Für den empirischen Zugriff werden der ethnographische Zugang wie auch das Interview (mit Lehrenden) diskutiert, womit sich unterschiedliche accounts der Lehrpraxis herausarbeiten lassen. Im Anschluss an die Ethnomethodologie werden mit diesen accounts die Relevanzen der Teilnehmer auf unterschiedliche Weise ins Feld geführt, dargestellt oder beschrieben. Am Beispiel der Geschichtswissenschaften wird das Seminar praktisch wie analytisch zentriert, um das spezifische Verhältnis von Instruktion und Interaktion der universitären Lehre auszuloten. In dem Zusammenhang wird vorgeschlagen, Ansätze der Bildungssoziologie, der qualitativen Unterrichtsforschung sowie der Wissenschaftsforschung stärker aufeinander beziehen und fruchtbar zu machen.
Brauchbare Operationalisierungen: Prüfungsbezogene Interaktionen von Studierenden im Internet
Authors: Tyagunova Tanya
Published: August 2022

Tanya Tyagunova analysiert in ihrem Beitrag Praktiken des Umgangs der Studierenden mit universitären Prüfungsanforderungen. Ein Ort, an dem sich solche Praktiken in situ beobachten lassen, sind studentische Facebook-Gruppen, in denen ein informeller Austausch bezüglich der bevorstehenden Prüfungen und prüfungsrelevanten Informationen stattfindet. Die Autorin fragt nach der Funktionalität dieser Kommunikation für die Beteiligten und zeigt, dass der kommunikative Wert dieser Interaktionen vor allem in den Operationalisierungen der unvermeidlich abstrakten akademischen Prüfungsanforderungen liegt: Im Austausch von Erfahrungen werden die formellen Anforderungen ins Verhältnis zu bestimmten Prüfenden gesetzt und die Vorbereitungen auf die bevorstehende Prüfung an die Relevanzen der Prüfenden angepasst.