bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Basis for the Use of Substitutes for Medicinal Flora and Harmonization of Rational Use
Authors: Srikanth Narayanam , Mahajon Bidhan , Chincholikar Mukesh , Narayanan Rakesh , Venigalla Sridevi , Sharma Bhagwan S , Khanduri Shruti , Ahmad Ashfaque
Published: September 2020

Background:

Non-availability, indefinite identity, and adulteration of medicinal plants are key worrying areas in herbal or natural product-based industry/market. In this regard, the approach of ancient physicians does not seem to be hypothetical or haphazard. They had applied their mind and laid down certain principles and also evolved a methodology to identify and adopt substitutes. Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi (Rhazes) (865–925 AD), a leading physician of Unani System of Medicine and Persian scholar of the early Islamic world compiled an exclusive monograph entitled as “Maqala Fi Abdal al-Adwiya al-Mustamala Fi al-Tibb wa al-Ilaj” popularly known as “Kitab al-Abdal” which is the first and foremost unique book on substitutes of Drugs in Unani Medicine.

Aims and objective:

This review aims to explore the rationality for substitution of the drugs mentioned by Rhazes in view of fundamental principles of Ayurveda.

Materials and methods:

All the 223 substitutes of 122 original drugs mentioned in the transcript of “Kitab al-Abdal” have been thoroughly scrutinized and categorized accordingly as per the adopted fixed criteria (i.e., Category I: Single substitutes for an original drug, Category II: Double substitutes for an original drug, Category III: Triple substitutes for an original drug, Category IV: Tetrad/four substitutes for an original drug). Any drugs or substitutes, which are not available in Ayurveda texts, were excluded from the analysis.

Result and discussion:

Analyzed data highlight that about 76% substitutions are having similarity with fundamentals of Ayurveda (Rasapañcaka) and Unani Medicine (Yaksaniyat-e-mizaj). Although the maximum substitutes mentioned in “Kitab al-Abdal” are not practiced or directly mentioned in the texts of Ayurveda as a source of substitute/alternative source of the particular original drug, but the rationales behind the substitution are often similar with the fundamental concept of Ayurveda (Rasapañcaka). The review may serve as ready references for the researcher, physicians, as well as industry of both Ayurveda and Unani system of medicine in order to find the appropriate substitution of a rare raw drug. This may also confess the scope of multidimensional research for harmonization of unique substitution and their inclusion in the National Pharmacopeia.
Ethnomedicinal Claims on Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg.
Authors: Buha Mital M , Acharya Rabinarayan
Published: September 2020

Aim and objective:

Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg., family Euphorbiaceae, one of the medicinal plants highlighted for its uses in almost all classical texts of Ayurveda, is also traditionally used by local traditional healers for various disease conditions. The present review aims to collect all available ethnomedicinal information and research updates on M. philippensis.

Material and methods:

Reported ethnomedicinal uses of M. philippensis from available 20 books related to medicinal plants and 77 research articles on ethnomedicine, published till February 2020, were reviewed. Name and place of the reporting tribe, vernacular names, parts used along with their therapeutic indications, with specific method of administration, if any, through either external (E) or internal (I), as well as economic use were also noted.

Results and discussion:

Mallotus philippensis has been reported for its therapeutic uses in 18 states of India and other 3 countries. Its fruit, seed, plant part unspecified, leaf, stem bark root, flower, branches, whole plant, and young shoot are used in 67 different disease conditions, either through internal administration or external applications. Among these, maximum are indicated in the treatment of worms, skin disease, wounds, burn, etc. Its fruits have maximum applications in 48 disease conditions, followed by seed in 27, plant part unspecified in 27, leaf in 20, stem bark in 17, root in 11, flower in 9, branches in 1, whole plant in 1 and young shoot in 1 disease conditions. Its different parts are also used in economically as a dye, pesticide, religious rites, etc. Pharmacological studies report its anthelmintic, antibacterial, anticancer, purgative, and wound healing activities.

Conclusion:

Mallotus philippensis is having multifaceted ethnomedicinal uses. Much of the information are not noted in the classical texts of Ayurveda. Its use in worms, skin disease, constipation, rheumatism and wounds should be evaluated through pharmacological and clinical studies to establish the ethnic claims.
Ayurveda Arsenal for Strengthening Host Defense System against SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Need for Whole System Research
Authors: Chiluveri Sudha K , Chiluveri Ashwin C , Kumar Shobhit , Londhe Deepak J , Singh Rajeshwari , Goel Sumeet , Rao BCS , Srikanth Narayanam
Published: September 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become a major public health menace. Along with the conventional medicine, Ayurveda is also exploring various single herbs and compound formulations against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID- 19). The present paper is an attempt to explore the Ayurveda arsenal in strengthening the host defense system against SARS-CoV-2 infection and the relevance and necessity for whole system research. For the present study, Ayurveda classics, Ayurveda Pharmacopoeia, and Formulary were probed to obtain an insight into the diseases as well as relevant therapeutic formulations. The electronic databases Google Scholar and PubMed were searched for relevant contemporary literature. The host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is either well-coordinated healthy or dysfunctional immune responses. It is crucial to determine the host factors that influence the consequences of host-agent interaction. Factors conducive to the maintenance of good health (Swasthyam yena anuvartate) and preventing the attacks of diseases (Ajatanam Vikaranam Anutpattikara) mentioned in Ayurveda may be considered as pivotal factors influencing homoeostatic (Samayogavahi) mechanisms of host defense system (Vyadhi-Utpada-Pratibandhakatvam and Vyadhi-Bala-Virodhitvam). Furthermore, it is observed that current research practice of Ayurveda is predominantly drug-based, reflecting the perspective of conventional medicine module, however, compromising the core principles of Ayurveda. Finding effective solutions to COVID-19 pandemic, the Ayurveda arsenal for strengthening host defense system needed to be explored. The holistic method of Ayurveda followed in its clinical practice is needed to be adopted for clinical research as well, with focus on whole system research as compared to drug-based in order to generate tangible evidence.
Management of Vicharchika (Eczema) with Rakta Karavira Taila
Authors: Patel Vivek K , Acharya Rabinarayan
Published: September 2020

Background:

Many drugs are available for the management of eczema but a quick and effective management is still the need of the time. Root bark of Karavira (Nerium oleander L.), a semi-poisonous drug of Ayurveda has been reported for its efficacy in skin disorder. Ayurveda considers Vicharchika (eczema) disease condition, under Kshudrakustha (group of minor skin diseases).

Aim:

To study and evaluate the efficacy of Rakta Karavira Taila in the treatment of Vicharchika (eczema) through an open-label clinical trial.

Materials and methods:

An open-label clinical trial was performed to assess the effect of Rakta Karavira Taila in Vicharchika. The trial drug was prepared by mixing root bark of red variety of Nerium oleander L. and Sarshapa Taila (mustard oil) following the recommended method of oil preparation in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Total 30 patients, diagnosed as Vicharchika, were treated by applying required amount of Rakta Karavira Taila externally twice a day for 28 consecutive days. Response to the treatment in the recruited patients was recorded on a weekly basis and therapeutic effect was evaluated through symptomatic relief.

Results:

Rakta Karavira Taila, is an oil preparation, which is effective against all the major clinical symptoms of Vicharchika like Kandu (itching), Pidika (papular eruptions), Vaivarnyata (discoloration), Daha (burning sensation), Vedana (pain), and Rukshata (dryness). The study yields statistically significant results in symptoms like Kandu (itching) (p < 0.001), Vaivarnyata (discoloration) (p < 0.001), and Rukshata (dryness) (p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Rakta Karavira Taila has proven to be effective in reducing the symptoms of Vicharchika, when applied for a period of 28 days.
Efficacy and Safety of Ayurveda Interventions as Stand-alone or Adjuvant Therapy in Management of COVID-19
Authors: Ahmad Azeem , Rai Amit K , Negandhi Himanshu , Gundeti Manohar S , Rao BCS , Srikanth Narayanam
Published: September 2020

Background:

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. World Health Organization (WHO) labeled it as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Currently, there is no approved vaccine or treatment for the prevention and management of COVID- 19, although multiple pharmacological/nonpharmacological options are being explored. Several clinical trials are going on in conventional as well as traditional medicines to find out an effective and safe treatment regimen.

Aim:

To study and identify Ayurveda interventions for the management of patients with COVID-19 as a stand-alone or an adjuvant therapy in clinical practice.

Materials and methods:

A systematic review protocol was developed based on the PRISMA-P statement. Articles for review will be selected from AYUSH Research Portal's “National Repository on AYUSH COVID-19 Clinical and Other R&D Initiatives” and other electronic databases, i.e., PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, DHARA, IndMED, Google Scholar, etc. Readily accessible peer-reviewed full articles published in English or Hindi will be included. There will be no restrictions on the type of study or study setting or date of publication. Data from the included studies will be extracted independently by two review authors on study characteristics (i.e., authorship, publication-related information, methodology, participants, interventions, comparators, outcomes, and results) in a prestructured format for assessment of study quality and data analysis. The risk of bias in included studies will be assessed through suitable existing tools. We will conduct meta-analysis only when the included studies will be sufficiently homogeneous in terms of design, study population characteristics, interventions, and outcome measures. If it is not possible to conduct a meta-analysis, we will summarize the results of included studies as systematic qualitative synthesis.

Conclusion:

The results generated from this review will be helpful in identifying the status of evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of Ayurvedic interventions for the management of COVID-19. It will also provide ideas for future research to generate good-quality evidence regarding the efficacy of Ayurvedic interventions in COVID-19.

Study registration:

Registered with PROSPERO - [CRD42020206588].
Édipo, Tirania e Verdade
Authors: Pucheu Alberto
Published: September 2020

Em Édipo Rei, há uma cena que já foi dita ser a cesura, o antirrítimo no ritmo, o incalculável no cálculo: a do tirano com Tirésias. Como o vidente é dito ser aquele em quem “[...] só/ se infunde o Desocultamento: Alétheia”, leio tal cena como uma cena de alétheia, como uma cena em que alétheia se encena. Certamente, é uma cena análoga ao que é contado da relação de Édipo com a Esfinge, em que esta resguarda o enigmático, enquanto aquele acredita na decifração do enigmático. Se Édipo é, como diz, o investigador de todos os discursos, como ele se porta em relação a isso que, na linguagem, enquanto alétheia, é o que mais importa? Do mesmo modo, como Tirésias se porta? Como a linguagem porta alétheia que nela aporta? Enquanto, em sua posição frente à verdade, Édipo assume uma posição de tirania, em Tirésias, alétheia e aporia se sobrepõem, fazendo-nos pensar, se ainda nos for preciso usar o nome, em uma “verdade” aporética como a que poeticamente nos cabe. Assim, haveria um duplo paradigma na respectiva tragédia quanto ao modo de pensar a verdade: um a ser evitado, o de Édipo; outro, a ser seguido, o de Tirésias.
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Authors: Scagliola Stefania
Published: September 2020

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Translation as Defamiliarization: Translating Tawada Yōko’s Wordplay
Authors: Tobias Shani
Published: September 2020

Keijirō Suga coins the term “translational poetics” to describe the essential similarities between literary translation and creative writing, since both perform a linguistic revolution or transformation. Japanese-German writer, Yoko Tawada, exhibits a literary style that exemplifies this transformative and interactive potential of language, deriving from her self-described existence in the “poetic ravine” or border zone between languages and identities. Many of the characters in her works are also travelers and lack a sense of national identity or most-comfortable language. Tawada forces her readers to question their belief in the naturalness of their native language through a defamiliarizing style that often involves wordplay, such as humorously drawing attention to the literal meaning behind commonly-used idioms and proverbs. This paper focusses on an excerpt from Yoko Tawada’s 2002 work Yōgisha no yakōressha, “To Zagreb”, and its English translation by Margaret Mitsutani, considering how the defamiliarizing effects of Tawada’s wordplay can be conveyed to an English audience. While double meanings and puns are inevitably achieved differently in the two languages, various translation strategies may create similar effects, such as making Japanese and English creatively interact, or exploiting the inherent possibilities of wordplay in English.
The Generalist’s Dilemma: How Accidental Language Teachers Are at the Center of Japanese Pedagogy
Authors: Dowdle Brian C.
Published: September 2020

This article introduces the role and issues of generalist in Japanese-language education. Generalists teach both Japanese- and English-language courses, across the curriculum. They may be “accidental” Japanese teachers, who were trained in other fields but find themselves teaching language due to the nature of the job market. Hence, unlike specialist Japanese language educators, generalists may lack an academic identity of language teacher. This article shows how the generalist’s dilemma provides a window into larger problems of diversity in Japanese language instruction and its relationship to Japan studies, more broadly. It shows how the place generalists may help us: reconsider the divided between “content courses” and Japanese-language courses; understand the structural disincentives for generalists to identify as language teachers; and appreciate the modes of interdisciplinary learning and language competency modeled by generalsits.
The Shape of Love and Loss: Izumi Shikibu’s “Gojusshu waka” (五十首和歌, Fifty-Poem Sequence)
Authors: Bundy Roselee
Published: September 2020

This paper will examine the lesser known poetry of Izumi Shikibu (b. 976?). As a poet, she had an interest in composing (or at times assembling) sets of poems in novel formats, and through a number of them, summoning up an image of herself as a solitary woman, bereft of the care of family or a lover.   This paper proposes to examine two of these sequences of novel format: “Jūdai jusshu” (Ten Poems on Ten Topics) and “Gojusshu waka ” (Fifty-Poem Sequence).“Jūdai jusshu,” a less ambitious forerunner of “Gojusshu waka,” presents in ten poems on ten self-assigned topics the feelings of a woman dwelling alone without a lover, who fashions an image of herself within the poetic narrative of love, in particular that of the “waiting woman.” I will argue that these two sequences show the integration of two forms of poetic production: the composition of novel formats of poems that became popular from the mid-tenth into the eleventh century and women’s tenarai, the solitary composition or copying of verses to express or explore their feelings, especially in times of emotional distress.
Back matter
Authors: Nara Hiroshi
Published: September 2020

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Contributors
Authors: Nara Hiroshi
Published: September 2020

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Transferencia de autoridad en cibermedios mediante hiperenlaces: el efecto de la endogamia en internet de los grupos mediáticos españoles
Authors: Lopezosa Carlos , Pérez-Montoro Mario , Gonzalo-Penela Carlos , Rovira Cristòfol
Published: September 2020

Existe una gran competencia entre los grupos mediáticos para la captación de audiencias en internet. Esto está motivando la aplicación de estrategias de posicionamiento en buscadores como un intento de ventaja competitiva. Además, los grupos mediáticos cuentan, por lo general, con una gran cantidad de sitios web cada uno de ellos con miles de páginas,  con los que puede tener un control absoluto sobre el SEO Off Page, mediante el autoenlazado entre sus diferentes cabeceras, desvirtuando así el análisis de enlaces, que deja de ser una fuente de autoridad fiable en el ámbito del periodismo. Este trabajo caracteriza el autoenlazado de las webs de los grupos mediáticos e identifica su uso en los principales grupos mediáticos españoles. Gracias a este análisis transversal se ha podido definir esta práctica como enlazado endogámico, se ha elaborado un ranking con el porcentaje de endogamia de cada uno de los grupos analizados y se ha podido demostrar que la determinación de la autoridad web mediante el análisis de hiperenlaces no es fiable en el ámbito de la información de prensa gracias a que se ha analizado la evaluación de esta práctica durante un año
Milton's Genderqueer Christianity
Authors: Sanchez Melissa E.
Published: September 2020

Queer theory has never been an explicit strand of Milton studies, nor has Milton been central to early modern queer studies, in part because he resists the secularization that has been assumed to be a necessary condition of queerness. I propose that Milton's value for early modern queer and trans theory in fact arises from his unique authority and canonical status as a radical Christian poet. We can trace in his writing the ambiguities and exclusions that inevitably permeate queer and trans scholarship as a contested and heterogeneous field. It is because of his Christian convictions, not in spite of them, that Milton allows us to understand religious thought as producing the unstable and promiscuous genders and desires that modern evangelical politics would prohibit.
Muscle-specific Expression of Erry in the Myostatin Null Background Leads to the Development of Hypertrophied Oxidative Muscle
Authors: Omairi Saleh , Matsakas Antonios , Torelli Silvia , Patel Ketan
Published: September 2020

A fundamental concept of skeletal muscle proposes an inverse relation between oxidative
metabolic potential of muscle fiber and its cross-sectional area (CSA). The dystrophin-glycoprotein
complex (DGC) play a vital role in transducing the contractile force of myofibrils as well as
mitigating contraction-induced damage. Aims: Investigate the relationships between muscle fibersize
and oxidative capacity, and muscle fiber-phenotype with DGC. Methods: We obtained the
hypertrophic-highly oxidative phosphorylation model by over-expressing the estrogen-related
receptor gamma (Erry) on the Myostatin (a potential inhibitor of skeletal muscle enlargement) null
(Mtn -/-) background mice. Results: Superimposition of Erry on the Mtn-/- background results
in hypertrophic muscle that displays a high oxidative capacity (Mtn-/-/ErryTg/+). Conclusion: The study revealed firstly that the prospect of producing muscle fibers that have large CSA are associated
with high oxidative capacity. Secondly, the expression of sarcolemma DGC proteins would be massively
regulated by the metabolic phenotype of muscle fibers.
Approaches to Reduce the Familial and Community Burdens of NMDs in Qatar
Authors: Dr. Mohamed Bin Hamad Al-Thani Sheikh
Published: September 2020

Congenital muscular dystrophies and neuromuscular disorders are characterized by their heterogeneity
in clinical presentations. A growing list of underlying causative genes, and different patterns of
inheritance, mainly autosomal recessive, lead to the requirement of complex care, particularly in the
congenital group.

Significant progress has been made in the diagnostic procedures, tools for prevention, guidelines of
health care as well as in therapeutic modalities curing congenital forms of muscular dystrophies.
This discussion is aimed at achieving better understanding of the community priorities with regard to
the so-called «rare genetic diseases». It further contributes towards forward steps in care and cure of
Neurogenetic disorders as part of Qatar National Vision plans for 2030.
INTERVENÇÕES ASSISTIDAS POR ANIMAIS: EFEITOS AOS CÃES TERAPEUTAS E SERES HUMANOS
Authors: Lima Camila Moura de , Silva Emanuele Prado , Flores Anne Karoline Da Silveira , Nunes Dione Moreira , Da Silva Tatiane Morgana , Sapin Carolina Da Fonseca , Krug Fernanda Dagmar Martins , Nobre Márcia De Oliveira
Published: September 2020

As Intervenções Assistidas por Animais (IAAs) utilizam os animais como facilitadores de um processo terapêutico, envolvendo a interação com diversos profissionais da área da saúde e da educação. Os animais participantes das atividades necessitam de um rigoroso controle de higiene e saúde, a fim de promover o bem-estar dos co-terapeutas e assistidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o efeito das Intervenções Assistidas por Animais aos assistidos e também analisar o bem-estar dos co-terapeutas durantes as sessões. As visitas ocorreram, semanalmente, com duração aproximada de 30 a 60 minutos nas instituições, INST1 e INST2, da cidade de Pelotas/RS. Durante as intervenções buscou-se desenvolver atividades que envolvessem a temática do cão terapeuta tanto na forma presencial, e/ou na forma de brinquedos lúdicos relacionados aos cães co-terapeutas. A avaliação dos assistidos foi através de um questionário contendo dez questões objetivas abrangendo o efeito das IAAs aos assistidos e também pela avaliação inicial e final de cada assistido realizado pelos profissionais envolvidos de cada instituição. O bem-estar dos cães co-terapeutas foi avaliado através dos sinais vitais e da análise comportamental. Foi verificado, que os assistidos apresentaram melhora na socialização, concentração na escola e em desenvolver suas tarefas, e demonstraram-se mais motivados e tranquilos nos dias das sessões. Não houve alterações nos sinais vitais e comportamentais dos cães. Conclui-se que as Intervenções Assistidas por Animais proporcionaram sensações de tranquilidade e bem-estar aos assistidos, e nas condições deste estudo os co-terapeutas não demonstraram sinais de desconforto e estresse durante as sessões.
Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella species and Escherichia coli in broiler chickens from farms, abattoirs, and open markets in selected districts of Zambia
Authors: Phiri Nelson , Mainda Geoffrey , Mukuma Mercy , Sinyangwe Ntazana N. , Banda Luke J. , Kwenda Geoffrey , Muonga Elizabeth M. , Flavien Bumbangi N. , Mwansa Mwaba , Yamba Kaunda , Munyeme Musso , Muma John B.
Published: September 2020

Objective: Salmonella species and Escherichia coli are major bacterial enteropathogens of worldwide public health importance that cause devastating foodborne diseases, thereby contributing to increased human morbidity and mortality. Both pathogens have also been found to contribute towards the spread of antimicrobial resistance through the food chain, especially in poultry. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella spp. and E. coli in broiler chickens at farm level, abattoirs, and open markets in selected districts of Zambia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in seven districts of Zambia to determine the resistance profiles of Salmonella spp. and E. coli obtained from broiler chickens at farms, abattoirs, and open markets. A total of 470 samples were collected which include; litter, cloacal swabs, and carcass swabs. Samples were inoculated into buffered peptone water and incubated for 24 hours then sub-cultured onto MacConkey and Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar plates. Identification of Salmonella spp. and E. coli was done using the API-20E kit and confirmation by 16S rDNA sequencing. Confirmed isolates were tested against a panel of 09 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and interpreted according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Data analysis of the antibiotic sensitivity test results was done using WHONET 2018 software.Results: Overall, 4 Salmonella spp. and 280 E. coli were isolated. One of the Salmonella spp. was resistant to ampicillin (25%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (25%), and cefotaxime (25%). E. coli antibiotic resistance was highest to tetracycline (81.4%) and 100% susceptibility to imipenem. The antibiotic susceptibility profile revealed 75.7% (237/280) multidrug-resistant (MDR). The highest MDR profile was observed in 8.2% (23/280) isolates in which 6 out of the 9 classes of antibiotics tested were resistant. Out of the 280 isolates, 11.4% (32/280) exhibited Extensive Drug resistance (XDR).Conclusion: The study found antimicrobial resistance to E. coli and Salmonella spp. in market-ready broiler chickens which were resistant to important antibiotics and is of public health concern.
Evaluating Safety of Type-A Weaving Sections Using Geometric and Traffic Operational Factors
Authors: Mallipaddi Venkata , Anderson Michael
Published: September 2020

The efficiency and safety of type-A freeway weaving sections in urban areas are constrained by recurrent bottlenecks. Limited space in freeway weaving sections cause traffic congestion and crashes during peak-hours. Various factors, including length of weaving section, continuity of lanes, and number of lanes will have significant effects on the level of service and safety performance of the weaving sections. Eight years (2010-2017) of crash data in the type-A weaving sections was used in this analysis. The objective of this study aims to evaluate geometric design factors and operational factors on total crashes and each of the four crash types: rear-end, sideswipe, angle, and single-vehicle in type-A weaving sections using traditional negative binomial approach and develop crash modification factors (CMFs) to improve safety in the type-A weaving section. The results revealed that on-ramp traffic per hour, off-ramp traffic per hour, non-weaving traffic per hour, weaving ratio, length of the weaving section, direction of the freeway, width of inside shoulder, and width of outside shoulder were influencing crashes in type-A weaving sections. Furthermore, the estimated crash modification factors (CMFs) result revealed that total crashes gradually decrease as inside shoulder width increases. This implies that widening inside shoulder width have positive effects on weaving section safety. In addition, ramp metering, and advisory warning signs could improve safety in type-A weaving sections.
Optimization of Insurance Coverage Time (Just on Time Insurance) – Legal Aspects of the Use of Information Technology in Insurance
Authors: Orlicki Marcin
Published: September 2020

Modern information technologies enable easy communication of information on activities performed by the policyholder/insured person and on the occurrence of certain events related to the subject of insurance or the risk parameters. It facilitates the creation of insurance products in which the duration of insurance cover is shaped dynamically based on the customer’s declaration of intent or by reading parameters using the IT equipment. Such formation of the insurance coverage period is permitted under Polish law (with the exception of some compulsory insurances) – without affecting rights and interests of customers receiving insurance services,
Percepção Ambiental no Entorno da Floresta Nacional de Ritápolis
Authors: Ferreira Arlon Cândido , Pereira Filipe César , Gomes Ivair , Vallejo Luiz Renato
Published: September 2020

As unidades de conservação são unidades com fins preservacionistas. Mas qual seria a relação, como vivem e o que pensam os moradores vizinhos a essas unidades? Tentando responder a esse questionamento esse artigo tem por objetivo entender como se dá a percepção ambiental dos moradores do entorno de uma unidade de conservação. Concluiu-se, dentre outras coisas, que os moradores entendem a necessidade de preservação e apoiam a existem da UC, mas que as penalidades e as restrições aplicadas a população são o maior fator de atrito e poderiam ser mitigadas se houvesse um maior diálogo entre as entidades fiscalizadoras e os moradores do entorno.
As dinâmicas territoriais da agricultura familiar no município de Tabapuã - SP
Authors: Pelisson Guilherme Valagna
Published: September 2020

Este trabalho tem como objetivo compreender as estratégias dos agricultores familiares em períodos de expansões das culturas do café, da laranja e da cana-de-açúcar no município de Tabapuã – SP, desde a sua emancipação político-administrativa como município em 1929 até o ano de 2015. Fez-se necessário, coleta de dados secundários (IBGE, Fundação Seade, Casa da Agricultura, visita ao Sindicato dos Trabalhadores Rurais e Biblioteca Municipal); estabeleceu-se saltos temporários no século XX (períodos onde as expansões tiveram seu ápice, periodização) e trabalho de campo em estabelecimentos com predominância da agricultura familiar. Após a sistematização dos dados e alinhados as abordagens selecionadas, analisou a principal produção da unidade familiar e suas estratégias de manutenção no campo e chegou as seguintes situações: as quais salientam que os períodos analisados desencadearam estratégias diversas, processos de organização/reorganização socioespacial da unidade territorial, ocasionando a desarticulação e redução de agricultores familiares nas últimas décadas, mas não o fim da atividade, que vem se mantendo e se ressignificando. Nesse cenário verificou-se também que não há uma assistência efetiva de auxílio (assistência técnica) para esses agricultores no quesito de manutenção de suas atividades tradicionais e/ou com programas de financiamento. A valorização desses indivíduos e a manutenção de suas atividades com garantia para sua permanência no campo só é possível por meio de políticas públicas que os valorizem e que os reconheçam como fundamentais para o abastecimento da merenda escolar, das feiras, dos (super)mercados, e como fornecedores de alimentos para as mesas dos brasileiros.
The production of development expectations and the pace of agricultural expansion: analysis of land-use practices by small farmers in northern Mato Grosso State – Brazil
Authors: DESCONSI, C
Published: September 2020

In recent decades, soybean has become one of the most important agricultural food crops worldwide. Brazil has been expanding its share in this market, especially since the 2000s when the soybean became its largest export in volume and occupied most of the farming land in the country. That occurred not only due gains in productivity but also through the expansion of mechanized farming into “new land” of the Brazilian Cerrado and Amazon biomes incentivized by countless public policies. The mid-north portion of the state of Mato Grosso greatly contributed to soybean reaching such position, particularly after the 1990s, when the crop experienced a boom in its expansion. As reported in several studies, the crop is predominantly developed in large agricultural enterprises. However, the areas where expansion is ongoing feature various agents – small farmers, squatters, workers, and agrarian reform settlers – who move to these “new lands” and take part in the process of social-ecological transformation motivated by personal and family expectations of achieving better living conditions and who, therefore, actively contribute to the “movement for land.”
The Typicality of Hydrothermal Conditions of the Forest Steppe and Their Influence on the Productivity of Crops
Authors: Butenko Andrii , Litvinov Dmytrо , Borys Natalia , Litvinova Olena , Masyk Ihor , Onychko Viktor , Khomenko Lidiya , Terokhina Nataliia , Kharchenko Sergii
Published: September 2020

Analysis of changes in hydrothermal conditions of growing crops in the forest steppe zone of Ukraine over a period of 2004–2016 showed that by the average monthly air temperature more than a half of the years under study and by rainfall nearly a third of the researched period differed significantly from the average long-term value and were close to extreme weather. Statistical analysis of long-term indicators of the air temperature regime is evidence of a steady trend towards an increase in average annual air temperature with significant fluctuations in indices in separate periods from 7.9 ± 2.9 to 10.0 ± 2.5oС and a decrease in the amount and instability of natural moisture entry.
The influence of weather conditions on the formation of productivity of spiked cereals (winter and spring wheat, spring barley) and maize was assessed at the current agrometeorological risks in the forest steppe of Ukraine. Based on the correlation-regression analysis, mathematical models were created that reproduce the dependence of grain yields upon the complex weather conditions of the growing season, the impact of which reached 60–70%. The conditions of eight years (2006–2008, 2011–2014 and 2016), when the hydrothermal index for the vegetation period was 1.13–1.76, turned out to be optimal by hydrothermal indicators to harvest maize yield at 5.83–9.47 t/ha. However, the years of 2005, 2009–2010 and 2015 were unfavorable as they received precipitation by 120 mm lower than a norm or 36% of the norm. The rainfall by 37–61% lower than a norm in June–July and grain yield 3.12–6.51 t/ha were also characteristic of the years mentioned above.
Experimental Investigations of Solatube Daylighting System for Smart City Applications in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alzaed Ali , Balabel Ashraf
Published: September 2020

The smart cities programme is at the core of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The development of smart cities is based on adapting innovative technologies and solutions to meet local needs and possibilities in order to reduce both cost and energy resources consumption. In smart cities, more than 40% of electrical energy consumption should be saved. One of the most important electrical energy saving techniques is the application of the Solatube daylight system in sustainable buildings. In the present paper, an experimental investigation into the Solatube daylight system is performed according to the local climate conditions of Taif city, Saudi Arabia. A test chamber was designed with dimensions of 1 m3, made from medium density fibreboard. The model of Solatube used in the present research is Solatube 160 DS, 10” in diameter and with a length up to 30’. The HS1010-LCD digital light meter is used for measuring light intensity. A comparison of illumination obtained from the Solatube with that obtained from artificial bulbs of standard ratings was made at two different vertical distances inside the test chamber (z = 0.8 m, z = 1.0 m). The results showed that the Solatube, at both vertical distances, gave a better illuminance than standard artificial bulbs. Moreover, the results indicated that the Solatube daylight system converted about 60% of sunlight to passive light inside the test chamber. Generally, it is concluded that the Solatube daylight system can be efficiently used in residential, commercial, or industrial buildings in smart cities according to the available solar characteristics.
Editorial
Authors: Dvarionienė Jolanta
Published: September 2020

Editorial
A New Boundary Element Formulation for Modeling and Optimization of Three-Temperature Nonlinear Generalized Magneto-Thermoelastic Problems of FGA Composite Microstructures
Authors: Abdelsabour Fahmy Mohamed
Published: September 2020

The main purpose of this chapter is to propose a new boundary element formulation for the modeling and optimization of three-temperature nonlinear generalized magneto-thermoelastic functionally graded anisotropic (FGA) composite microstructures’ problems, which is the gap of this study. Numerical results show that anisotropy and the functionally graded material have great influences on the nonlinear displacement sensitivities and nonlinear thermal stress sensitivities of composite microstructure optimization problem. Since, there are no available data for comparison, except for the problems with one-temperature heat conduction model, we considered the special case of our general study based on replacing three-temperature radiative heat conductions with one-temperature heat conduction. In the considered special case, numerical results demonstrate the validity and accuracy of the proposed technique. In order to solve the optimization problem, the method of moving asymptotes (MMA) based on the bi-evolutionary structural optimization method (BESO) has been implemented. A new class of composite microstructures problems with holes or inclusions was studied. The two-phase magneto-thermoelastic composite microstructure which is studied in this chapter consists of two different FGA materials. Through this chapter, we investigated that the optimal material distribution of the composite microstructures depends strongly on the heat conduction model, functionally graded parameter, and shapes of holes or inclusions.
The Relationship of Adulthood Chronic Disease and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Implications Regarding Prevention and Promotion in International Health
Authors: Holter Jordan , Marchionni Christine , Bhatt Bankim
Published: September 2020

Several studies, including the innovative 1998 ACE Study by CDC-Kaiser Permanente, have assessed the association among adulthood chronic disease and the prevalence of maladaptive, health-harming behaviors including: excessive alcohol use, tobacco use, physical inactivity, psychiatric illness including suicidal ideation or attempts, promiscuous sexual behavior (>50 sex partners), history of STI/STD and severe obesity (obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2)), subsequent to an individual’s exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Individuals that have encountered numerous instances of ACEs are almost twice as likely to die before the age of 75, demonstrating a dose-dependent relationship between the instances of ACEs and an increased morbidity/mortality in regard to chronic disease. This excerpt examines the contribution of ACEs to chronic disease and the consequential maladaptive behavior to said adversity, the consequential physiologic and biomolecular changes explained by the Biological Embedding of Childhood Adversity Model in addition to the implications of recounted ACEs on international health security in regard to concepts like conflict, displacement and food insecurity. The apparent association among adulthood chronic disease and ACEs demand changes that promote preventative processes as a means to address the implications these interconnections have on international health.
Water Plant and Soil Relation under Stress Situations
Authors: Filipović Adrijana
Published: September 2020

Water is an important component in every plant’s life helping them to perform basic metabolic processes. The biggest challenge of today’s agriculture is how to ensure sufficient water needs at the key phase of plant development and how they can use the available moisture in the soil through the rhizosphere system.
Addressing Sustainability Planning in Higher Education Research
Authors: Pius Nudzor Hope
Published: September 2020

In recent times, the term “sustainability” has come to gain significant popularity in policy-oriented research and has become part of our everyday lexis in higher education research. Yet, in an attempt to deal with the issue of sustainability planning in research project proposals, the term has been conceptualized to refer solely to financial sustainability as if to say other types of sustainability either do not exist or do not matter. This chapter addresses this issue of sustainability planning in higher education research. In the process, financial sustainability is elucidated, and through that two other categories/types of sustainability are identified and discussed crisply for rumination. Following up on this, steps to sustainability planning are outlined to set in context the contention of the chapter that sustainability planning in research project management requires long term planning to facilitate diverse donor engagements and for improving institutional capacity of target populations. Thereafter, and using an example of a research proposal which responds to Open Call for project proposals for funding from a renowned multilateral funding agency, the chapter exemplifies how sustainability planning in research project proposals can be addressed to help strengthen the proposals to attract research funding from potential donors.
Airway Management in Full Stomach Conditions
Authors: Al Bassam Saba , Zaghw Ahmed , Jaffar Khan Muhammad , Arun Neethu , Karmakar Arunabha
Published: September 2020

Pulmonary aspiration in the perioperative period is one of the well-known complications under anesthesia and procedural sedation. A full stomach condition either due to non-adherence to fasting guidelines or due to various other factors that delay gastric emptying are the most common causes. Following aspiration, a patient may develop a wide spectrum of clinical sequelae. The key factors in preventing aspiration include proper pre-operative assessment, appropriate premedication and operating room preparations. Rapid sequence induction and intubation is the recommended technique for securing the airway in cases of full stomach. Management of aspiration depends on the nature of the aspirate. Pre-operative fasting guidelines have been established by various medical societies which may be modified in special circumstances of high risk of aspiration. Prediction of difficult airway in certain cases of full stomach necessitates clinical expertise in airway management.
Lipoproteomics: Methodologies and Analysis of Lipoprotein-Associated Proteins along with the Drug Intervention
Authors: C. Torres-Romero Julio , César Lara-Riegos Julio , Antonio Estrella Parra Edgar , Fernández Sánchez Verónica , E. Arana-Argáez Victor , Uc-Colli Sushally , Ángel Peña-Rico Miguel , Alberto Ramírez-Camacho Mario , Dolores Ponce Regalado Maria , Elizbeth Alvarez-Sánchez María
Published: September 2020

Lipoproteins are specialized particles involved in the transport and distribution of hydrophobic lipids, as cholesterol and triglycerides, throughout the body. The lipoproteins exhibit a basic spherical shape as complexes of lipids and proteins, and these latter are known as apolipoproteins. Initially, the proteins associated with lipoproteins were recognized as integral or peripheral proteins that only maintain the dynamics and metabolism of lipoproteins. However, there exist many studies on different lipoproteins evidencing that the quantity and type of apolipoproteins and lipoprotein-associated proteins are diverse and could be associated with different lipoprotein function outcomes. Here, we summarized recent processes in the determination of apolipoproteins and lipoprotein-associated proteins profiles through a proteomic approach, analyzing the major methods available and are used to achieve this. We also discuss the relevance of these lipoproteomic analyses on the human disease outcomes.
Frequency of Brucellosis and Hepatitis B Virus Seropositivity in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Authors: EKİNCİ Omer , EBİNC Senar , DOGAN Ali , DEMİR Cengiz
Published: September 2020

Objective: Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) show defective cellular and humoral immune responses. Although such immune failure is known to be associated with an increase in the frequency of particularly gram–positive and –negative bacterial infections, data on the increase in the frequency of zoonoses such as brucellosis and viral infections such as the hepatitis B virus (HBV) are inconclusive. This study aims to investigate the frequency of brucellosis and HBV seropositivity in patients diagnosed with CLL.

Methods: Patients followed–up for CLL between 2005 and 2019 were evaluated. Results of patients who were tested for HBsAg and anti–HBs serology using the ELISA assay and for brucellosis using the serum agglutination (Wright) test were recorded. Demographic data and laboratory results of all patients included in the study were evaluated.

Results: This study included 188 patients diagnosed with CLL, of whom 56 (29.8%) were female and 132 (70.2%) were male. Median age was 62 (33–92) years. Complete blood count parameters at diagnosis were as follows: median leukocyte count, 54.4×109/L (5.1–312.3×109/L); median lymphocyte count, 42.3×109/L (2.8–296.8×109/L); median platelet count, 148×109/L (86.3–342.3×109/L); median hemoglobin level, 13.4 g/dL (8.5-16.9 g/dL). HBsAg and anti–HBs were tested in 142 patients. A total of 16 (11.27%) patients were HBsAg–positive; with 5 (3.52%) positive cases in females and 11 (7.75%) in males. A total of 105 (73.95%) patients were anti–HBs–positive; with 32 (22.54%) positive cases in females and 73 (51.41%) in males. Wright agglutination test was performed on 82 patients. A total of 4 (4.88%) patients reacted positively to the Wright test; with 3 (3.66%) positive cases in females and 1 (1.22%) in males.

Conclusion: Compared with the epidemiological studies conducted in the same region; the rate of positive reactions to the Wright agglutination test was consistent with the literature data; however, a higher rate of HBsAg positivity was determined. This may be linked to the increase in the risk of HBV transmission due to the immune defect caused by CLL or the immunosuppressive picture induced by the medication used in the treatment, or viral reactivation.
Histopathological Analysis of The Eye And Optic Nerve Structure In The Blind Mole Rat
Authors: İKİNCİ  KELEŞ Ayşe , BİTERGE SÜT Burcu , KANKILIÇ Teoman
Published: September 2020

Objective: Blind mole rats (Nannospalax xanthodon Nehring, 1898) are subterranean mammals that are well-known for their high tolerance to hypoxia and resistance to cancer. Due to their unusual habitat, these animals have developed several adaptations during their evolution. Therefore, this study aimed to identify possible structural differences in Nannospalax visual system in comparison to other mammals that might have arisen as a result of adaptation to underground life.

Method: Six blind mole rats were used in the study. No procedure was performed on the rats. After the animals were anesthetized with ether, their eyes and optic nerves were removed. For this purpose, pseudo-eyes and optic nerves were harvested and fixed in 10% formaldehyde for a week. Tissues were embedded into paraffin and blocked via routine histological procedures. Five micrometer sections in thickness were taken and stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) and Cresyl Violet.

Results: Histopathological analysis of the eye revealed the presence of cornea, retina, sclera, iris, zonula adherens, lacrimal gland and ducts, fatty tissue, muscle layer and the vascular structures. No pathology was observed of optic nerve.

Conclusions: We found that the visual system of N. xanthodon share some similarities with other blind mole rat species from Israel, while some histological properties were defined by our study for the first time in the literature.