bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Sustentabilidade da política fiscal na presença de quebras estruturais: uma evidência para o Rio Grande do Sul
Authors: Oliveira Cristiano Aguiar de , Pias Daniela
Published: October 2020

Este artigo avalia a sustentabilidade da política fiscal do estado do Rio Grande do Sul no longo prazo. Para isso, utiliza informações do período compreendido entre 1970 e 2015, a fim de testar a existência de raízes unitárias no resultado primário e na dívida pública, bem como testar a existência de cointegração entre a dívida pública e o resultado primário e entre a receita tributária e a despesa primária, a partir de testes que permitem a presença de quebras estruturais. Diferentemente da literatura existente, os resultados deste estudo indicam que a política fiscal do estado não é sustentável no longo prazo. O artigo conclui que são necessárias mudanças na política fiscal, com o aumento de receitas e/ou redução de despesas, a fim de que não somente o estado tenha recursos para honrar seus compromissos no curto prazo, mas também para garantir sua solvência no longo prazo.
Review of Data Mining and Data Warehousing Implementation in E-Governance
Authors: Jha Dr. Rohini
Published: October 2020

Nowadays, the role of information and communication technology plays an important part in the Indian government administration. Because of the government, it has to handle a large amount of citizen’s data and recent increases of online accessibility. However, due to the lack of unstructured knowledge, it develops complexity while analyzing the data. The issues in the e-governance can be solved using efficient data mining methods. In this review, various researches on the works in the data mining as well as data warehouse in e-governance are investigated and compared. The significances and issues in the e-governance are discussed for the future enhancement. Consequently, the illiteracy rate and literacy rate after the development of e-governance in India is measured. Moreover, the few performance evaluations of e-governance application are an investigation for the validation of the efficiency. The meta-analysis of execution has been done in this review.
GEBCO GRIDDED BATHYMETRIC DATASETS FOR MAPPING JAPAN TRENCH GEOMORPHOLOGY BY MEANS OF GMT SCRIPTING TOOLSET
Authors: Lemenkova Polina
Published: October 2020

The study investigated geomorphology of the Japan Trench located east of Japan, Pacific Ocean. A high-resolution GEBCO
Gridded Bathymetric Dataset was used for modeling, mapping and visualization. The study aimed to compare and analyse variations in the geomorphic
structures of the two parts of the trench and to visualize variations in the geological, geophysical and bathymetric settings. Technically, the
cartographic work was performed using scripting based on the Generic Mapping Toolset (GMT). Modelled cross-sectioning orthogonal profiles transecting
the trench in a perpendicular direction were automatically digitized and graphed in the two segments. The results of the bathymetric analysis shown
that the southern part is shallower: with deeper values in absolute (139 samples between –7000 to –8000 m) and statistical records (the most frequent
values are within –5500 to –5800 m) comparing to the northern segment (–5300 to –5500 m). The geomorphological analysis shows a more complicated relief
in the northern part of the trench, which has a higher seismic activity. The southern part has a gentler slope on the Honshu island side. The geoid
modeling along the trench ranges in 0–20 mGal. The highest values are recorded by the Honshu Island (>40 mGal). The rest of the area has rather
moderate undulations (20–40 mGal). The free-air marine gravity of the Sea of Japan is <40 mGal. The results include 2D and 3D graphical models,
thematic cartographic maps, spatial and statistical analysis of the Japan Trench geomorphology. Tested GMT functionality can be applied to future
regional bathymetric modeling of the ocean trenches. All presented maps and graphs are made using GMT scripting toolset.
MULTIOBJECTIVE APPROACH TO PORTFOLIO OPTIMIZATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE CREDIBILITY THEORY
Authors: Garcia Fernando , González-Bueno Jairo , Guijarro Francisco , Oliver Javier , Tamošiūnienė Rima
Published: October 2020

The present research proposes a novel methodology to solve the problems faced by investors who take into consideration
different investment criteria in a fuzzy context. The approach extends the stochastic mean-variance model to a fuzzy multiobjective model where
liquidity is considered to quantify portfolio’s performance, apart from the usual metrics like return and risk. The uncertainty of the future
returns and the future liquidity of the potential assets are modelled employing trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. The decision process of the proposed
approach considers that portfolio selection is a multidimensional issue and also some realistic constraints applied by investors. Particularly,
this approach optimizes the expected return, the risk and the expected liquidity of the portfolio, considering bound constraints and cardinality
restrictions. As a result, an optimization problem for the constraint portfolio appears, which is solved by means of the NSGA-II algorithm. This
study defines the credibilistic Sortino ratio and the credibilistic STARR ratio for selecting the optimal portfolio. An empirical study on the
S&P100 index is included to show the performance of the model in practical applications. The results obtained demonstrate that the novel
approach can beat the index in terms of return and risk in the analyzed period, from 2008 until 2018.
Tectonique et religions
Authors: Gaudin Thierry
Published: October 2020

L’analyse des carottes de glace – technique inventée par Claude Lorius – n’a pas seulement permis de comprendre l’évolution du climat, elle a aussi permis de repérer les explosions volcaniques passées, leurs dates, leurs caractéristiques et leurs conséquences. Au-delà de celle du Vésuve qui détruisit, en l’an 79, Herculanum et Pompéi, voici quelques exemples récemment analysés, moins connus mais tout aussi dévastateurs, dans lesquels les pouvoirs et même les religions ont été bouleversés par des éruptions inattendues.
Les paradoxes de la prophétie de malheur. Critique de la collapsologie
Authors: Dupuy Jean-Pierre
Published: October 2020

Depuis quelques années, en France, l’écologie catastrophiste a, sous le nom de collapsologie, un impact notable sur l’opinion publique. La cause pour laquelle ses adeptes se battent est juste – personne ne peut écarter l’éventualité d’un « effondrement » de la civilisation industrielle, voire de la fin du monde –, mais leur message est gravement déficient au plan conceptuel. S’il est entendu, il risque de contribuer à la panique que l’anticipation des catastrophes à venir ne peut manquer de déclencher. Nous nous attacherons dans cet article à démonter un sophisme qu’ils commettent au sujet de la temporalité qui nous sépare d’une catastrophe annoncée mais de date inconnue. Les disciplines en cause sont toutes des branches de la philosophie : la métaphysique, la logique, l’éthique et la politique.
La recherche française sur les risques et catastrophes naturels : bilan d’une décennie de financements de l’Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) et perspectives d’avenir
Authors: Lieutaud Anne , Devès Maud H. , Eckert Nicolas , Grandjean Gilles , Pateau Mélanie , Billière Céline
Published: October 2020

Le cadre d’action de Sendai pour la réduction des risques de catastrophe rappelle que le succès de toute politique de gestion et de prévention des risques dépend de l’implication de l’ensemble de la société. Pourvoyeuse de connaissances, la recherche scientifique joue ici un rôle fondamental. Prenant acte de ce constat, l’Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) a souhaité faire, en 2019, un bilan des projets de recherche qu’elle a financés sur la thématique des risques et catastrophes naturels. Ce travail, réalisé par un comité scientifique constitué pour l’occasion, a donné lieu à la publication d’un cahier 1 , puis, en collaboration avec les alliances AllEnvi et Athéna, à l’organisation d’une journée d’échange 2 avec la communauté des chercheurs. Cet article revient sur les principaux points du bilan, ainsi que sur les pistes de réflexion ouvertes par les discussions engagées lors du séminaire.
Catastrophe et pilotage : la sortie de tous nos « domaines de vol »
Authors: Lagadec Patrick
Published: October 2020

Au début des années 1970, un rapport fit grand bruit en Grande-Bretagne 1 . Le constat était abrupt : la complexité nouvelle des installations industrielles et la quantité exponentielle des produits stockés appelaient à une remise à plat de l’approche des risques technologiques. Cette impulsion, qui eut son équivalent en France, conduisit à une nouvelle donne en matière d’installations à risque : directives Seveso, expertise exigeante, information du voisinage, préparation en cas d’accident majeur. Un demi-siècle plus tard, la même réflexion-mutation s’impose – et avec une ambition encore plus profonde. Car voici que la cartographie de nos risques est bouleversée, marquée par des interdépendances et turbulences systémiques majeures. Il nous faut « fracturer nos univers mentaux », nous mettre en condition pour inventer de nouvelles navigations collectives, alors que nos risques ont largement échappé au domaine de validité de nos visions, démarches et outils de référence.
Catastrophes et sécurité sanitaire : aspects conceptuels et politiques
Authors: Dab William
Published: October 2020

Le concept de catastrophe est ambigu, c’est un jugement de valeur qui n’apporte rien à la décision. Il faut en revenir au concept de risque pour l’évaluer et le qualifier. En fonction du niveau d’incertitude, la réponse au risque relève de la prévention ou de la précaution. Des crises peuvent survenir pour des soupçons de risques, tandis que des risques forts ne provoquent pas nécessairement des crises. Deux implications sont discutées : d’une part, tenir compte de la perception sociale des risques dans ces situations de risque ; d’autre part, construire une véritable politique du risque sanitaire sans laquelle la notion de catastrophe sera galvaudée.
Le changement climatique : quels enjeux pour les entreprises ?
Authors: Galas Godefroy , Prieto Angel
Published: October 2020

Le dernier séminaire annuel de l’Amicale du Corps des mines s’est tenu le vendredi 4 octobre 2019 à l’École des mines de Paris et a été consacré à la thématique suivante : « Le changement climatique : quels enjeux pour les entreprises ? ». La journée a été ponctuée de conférences plénières où sont intervenus experts et grands témoins, ainsi que d’ateliers de réflexion en groupe portant sur des thématiques diversifiées, telles que l’alimentation, les transports, l’urbanisme et l’aménagement du territoire, le numérique, l’équité ou encore les changements de modes de vie. Le présent article revient sur les principaux enseignements de cette journée riche en réflexions, afin de mettre en lumière le rôle crucial que doivent jouer les entreprises dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique et leur nécessaire engagement en faveur du défi majeur de notre siècle que constitue la transition bas-carbone.
Les étapes du développement du marché du livre imprimé en France du XV e au début du XVII e siècle
Authors: Walsby Malcolm
Published: October 2020

Si l’industrie du livre imprimé ne se développa pas immédiatement en France, le pays devint néanmoins rapidement un des principaux producteurs de livres en Europe. Entre 1470 et le début du xvii e siècle, il est possible d’identifier une série d’étapes dans le développement du marché du livre français. En contraste avec l’historiographie traditionnelle, cet article réfute l’idée d’une progression relativement linéaire de l’imprimé. Il identifie et examine les caractéristiques de chaque moment du développement et tente de jauger l’influence des conjonctures. La mise en place d’un réseau de distribution sophistiqué et la place du libraire sont analysées pour comprendre leur impact sur l’accès au livre et ses retombées. Le déroulement des guerres de religion et ses conséquences tant pour l’économie générale que pour le livre sont aussi considérés tant au niveau national que par leur impact sur le négoce international. Ce travail se base sur des analyses qualitatives et quantitatives à partir de sources archivistiques et bibliographiques pour l’ensemble du royaume de France. En identifiant les étapes du développement du marché du livre en France, cet article montre l’importance stratégique de quatre facteurs principaux : l’économie de production, la distribution, les changements dans la forme du livre et l’impact de la conjoncture économique, politique et religieuse.
Une politisation contre la politique. Les luttes électorales étudiantes à l’université de Berlin (années 1880-1900)
Authors: Dubois Antonin
Published: October 2020

À travers l’analyse des élections au cabinet de lecture académique et au comité des étudiants de l’université de Berlin, cet article interroge les modalités et les possibilités de politisation des étudiants allemands à la fin du xix e siècle. Les élections à ces deux institutions autogérées permettent aux étudiants d’exprimer et de mettre en pratique leur vision du monde et de l’ordre social élaborée plus généralement, alors qu’ils expriment leur rejet de la politique active et partisane. Ce ne sont pas des questions corporatistes et universitaires, mais bien le national qui devient un enjeu central de l’opposition entre étudiants. En effet, malgré le rejet officiel de la politique et les mesures prises par les autorités universitaires pour empêcher tout conflit (politique), les étudiants nationalistes réussissent à imposer le national comme ligne de clivage et désignent les étudiants juifs et progressistes comme une menace pour l’unité allemande, du moins à l’université. Pourtant, les concurrences entre organisations étudiantes ne se limitent pas à ce clivage autour de la nation et de la définition du bon étudiant allemand. L’analyse de ces luttes électorales étudiantes contribue ainsi à la socio-histoire des processus de politisation en-dehors du suffrage universel.
Pour une approche conjoncturelle des violences dans le football amateur : Elias à l’épreuve des situations
Authors: Delfavero Thibault
Published: October 2020

La théorie eliasienne sur le sport s’inscrit dans une dimension civilisationnelle qui ne peut être interrogée autrement qu’à partir d’enquêtes de moindre envergure, empiriques surtout. Cette contribution va dans ce sens et cherchera moins à prétendre à sa falsification qu’à la mettre à l’épreuve d’un objet spécifique sur un terrain particulier, celui des violences (physiques, verbales) survenues dans le cadre du football amateur. L’article avancera que ces comportements relèvent davantage du registre du résiduel, de la rareté et de l’aléatoire. Il montrera, en s’appuyant sur les résultats d’enquêtes menées dans le cadre d’une thèse de doctorat, que l’occurrence et la récurrence des faits impliquent nécessairement d’inscrire la démarche dans une perspective micro-située. En effet, la statistique interroge plus qu’elle n’apporte de réponses. Les logiques de sanction incriminent/discriminent plus qu’elles n’éclairent les conditions de production des violences et les contextes de pratique les plus concernés ne permettent d’entrevoir qu’un ensemble de conditions favorables aux violences sans garantie d’accéder aux passages à l’acte. Il semblerait que les logiques d’autocontrôle se jouent aussi et surtout en situation. Ce postulat fondé sur les résultats de plusieurs enquêtes a conduit à mobiliser les apports de la sociologie configurationnelle d’Elias dans une dimension acteur/situation.
Mozart par Elias
Authors: Solini Laurent
Published: October 2020

Dans ce texte, je choisis de revenir sur l’analyse de Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart par Norbert Elias. Captivante est la justesse avec laquelle l’historien mobilise le processus de civilisation des mœurs pour rendre intelligible la réception de sa musique. Il distille notamment, le long de cet essai, les manières dont le corps du compositeur joue pour ainsi dire « contre » l’accueil de sa musique au sein des configurations de l’aristocratie de cour. À l’appui de sa démonstration sont utilisés les échanges épistolaires que Mozart entretient avec ses proches, échanges que je prends le parti d’augmenter parfois afin d’appuyer ou de pondérer les thèses défendues dans Sociologie d’un génie .
Specific factors influencing operations management courses taught in English in Spanish business degrees
Authors: Alfaro-Tanco José A. , Roothooft Hanne , Breeze Ruth
Published: October 2020

Purpose: The objective of the present study is to analyze the effects of the transition to English Medium Instruction on lecturers in Spanish universities in one specific area, namely Operations Management courses taught in Business degrees.Design/methodology/approach: we present an overview of research so far into the effects of English Medium Instruction (EMI) on teaching and learning Operations Management in Business degrees of Spanish universities. Empirically, a survey was administered to 20 EMI lecturers in the area of Operations Management, and s the results in the light of both the bibliography on EMI and the empirical results were discussed. Using online questionnaires, information was obtained from a sample of EMI lecturers in thirteen Spanish Universities.Findings: Most professors report that they initially reacted negatively to the idea of having to teach in English, but now realize that most of their fears were ungrounded. They emphasize that it is very important to invest time in training seminars and the exchange of experiences. Other relevant findings are the perceived lack of incentives to teach in English, the need to use tools and techniques to improve the interaction with students, and the considerable amount of time needed for class preparation.Originality/value: The results of this small-scale study of EMI in OM are consistent with previous research in the area of EMI in other fields, but also provide some ideas that may pave the way for further research and development.
En torno al urbanismo precolombino de América: el marco teórico
Authors: Alcina Franch José
Published: October 2020

No disponible.
El Clero cubano y su participación en la enseñanza primaria (1800-1868)
Authors: Huerta Martínez Ángel
Published: October 2020

No disponible.
Muerte regia en cuatro ciudades peruanas del barroco
Authors: Mejías Alvarez M.ª Jesús
Published: October 2020

No disponible.
Rebeliones andinas anticoloniales. Nueva Granada, Perú y charcas entre el siglo XVIII y el XIX
Authors: O'Phelan Godoy Scarlett
Published: October 2020

No disponible.
El arbitrismo en el gremio minero novohispano o la representación de J. de la Borda Páginas y J. L. Lazaga ( 1767). (Documentos)
Authors: Langue Frédérique
Published: October 2020

A diferencia de la célebre representación dada a conocer en 1774 por J. L. Lazaga y J. Velázquez de León, el texto de 1767, redactado por Lazaga y el conocido minero y empresario José de La Borda, no pasó a la posteridad. De ahí la publicación de este documento original que permite valorar la evolución experimentada en estos años de crisis por la minería novohispana, tanto en sus aspectos económicos, sociales y tecnológicos como institucionales. No dejó de influir, en efecto, en la creación de lo que llegó a ser el organismo representativo del gremio minero, el Tribunal de Minería ( 1777), en el que uno de los autores desempeñará precisamente un papel relevante.
¿Los créditos compulsivos deterio­raron económicamente a los mercaderes españoles? Nueva información para el caso Córdoba (1806-1830)
Authors: Converso Félix E.
Published: October 2020

A la luz de nueva información, se revisa la tradicional versión historiográfica que atribuye a la política del crédito compulsivo aplicado al comercio de Córdoba, y en particular a sus agentes españoles, la resultante de un deterioro económico. Esta es una interpretación originada en fuentes cualitativas, que no refleja la real dimensión del impacto sobre el peculio de los aludidos mercaderes. El estudio de otras fuentes permite inferir una situación bien distinta.
El régimen municipal de la isla de Cuba en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX
Authors: Hijano Pérez Mª De Los Angeles
Published: October 2020

Con este artículo se pretende ofrecer una panorámica del régimen municipal cubano en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, que sea útil para completar la exigua información existente sobre la materia. Conviene resaltar el carácter innovador del artículo, puesto de manifiesto en la utilización de unas fuentes documentales, prácticamente inéditas, los Proyectos de Ordenanzas Municipales y el Proyecto de Reglamento de Régimen Local de 1854, que han sido la base para establecer las conclusiones.
Las normas de carácter local, las Ordenanzas Municipales, se perfilan como un elemento imprescindible para valorar aspectos tan importantes como la participación de los municipios cubanos y de sus autoridades, en la elaboración de la normativa local y, en última instancia, su análisis permite establecer cuál fue la relación de la colonia con respecto a la metrópoli, siendo el resultado obtenido el de una notoria centralización por parte de la monarquía española, en detrimento de la autonomía isleña.
Un cosmoscape sous le Bouddha : le piédestal de l’icône principale de Yakushi-ji, soutien de l’empire des souverains
Authors: J. Bogel Cynthea
Published: October 2020

L’icône principale du temple japonais de Yakushi-ji est un Bouddha de la médecine (Yakushi) en bronze haut de 254,7 cm, assis les jambes croisées sur un piédestal à plusieurs niveaux de 152 cm, et flanqué de deux bodhisattva. Visuellement aussi aboutis et historiquement aussi rares que cette triade colossale du début du viiie siècle, ce sont les reliefs, singuliers et remarquables, sur les quatre côtés de son piédestal qui ont longtemps fasciné les chercheurs. Ce piédestal, témoin visuel du discours des souverains du Yamato, commanditaires de l’icône, situe le bouddhisme et le gouvernement juste dans un empire imaginaire de type chinois en construction, vers 650-750. Les figures et les motifs du piédestal s’accordent avec les concepts énoncés dans les œuvres littéraires classiques contemporaines. Cette première étude consacrée au Yakushi-ji dans une langue autre que le japonais propose une nouvelle interprétation du piédestal comme cosmographie – la cosmologie d’un royaume impérial imaginé par ses créateurs – avec un Bouddha guérisseur/gouverneur juste, omniprésent, à son sommet.
Nouveaux acteurs, nouveaux enjeux : le marché de l’art japonais à l’épreuve de la « bulle spéculative » de la fin des années 1980
Authors: Patin Cléa
Published: October 2020

Relatée par la presse européenne et étasunienne, la « bulle spéculative » de la fin des années 1980 au Japon est un phénomène connu : pendant quatre années d’une conjonction exceptionnelle entre dynamisme économique et euphorie du marché de l’art – de 1987 à 1991 – le Japon a enfin semblé prendre sa place sur le marché international de l’art, les acheteurs nippons s’arrachant les œuvres impressionnistes et modernes, surtout en ventes publiques. Cependant, son ampleur et sa complexité nous poussent aussi à nous pencher sur les observations et les témoignages des acteurs japonais eux-mêmes. Qu’ont-ils ressenti alors ? Si elle peut être appréhendée de manière générale comme un révélateur des conséquences néfastes que peut apporter sur le marché de l’art une ouverture trop soudaine, elle présente aussi des temps forts et des moments de rupture. En effet, elle a mis en mouvement, au-delà des investissements à court terme des spéculateurs, des forces profondes, tant du côté des particuliers que des entreprises. Beaucoup ont vu dans l’accès aux chefs-d’œuvre mondiaux le signe d’une revanche vis-à-vis de l’Occident ou l’occasion d’un partage culturel. Cet engagement massif s’est pourtant soldé par un échec : portés par les records de prix, les acheteurs japonais ont beaucoup considéré l’art comme un actif spéculatif et souffert d’asymétries informationnelles vis-à-vis des marchands européens et américains. Au final, la majorité des œuvres sont retournées à « prix cassés » dans leurs pays d’origine – à l’exception de celles retenues au cours des années 1990 par les musées publics, surtout municipaux et départementaux.
Conceptions de l’ornement en quête de discours scientifique
Authors: van Eck Caroline
Published: October 2020

Les trois livres étudiés ici offrent un nouvel éclairage sur l’histoire complexe de l’ornement en Occident. L’étude de Clare Guest sur la compréhension de l’ornement à la Renaissance est une tentative ambitieuse et très savante de retracer la préhistoire des concepts avant l’émergence de l’esthétique kantienne. Guest remonte aux débuts de la pensée occidentale sur l’ornement, dans l’Ancien Testament, dans les pensées grecques platonicienne, aristotélicienne et sophistique, et dans la scolastique, pour retrouver une conception de l’ornement et de la beauté qui ne soit pas déterminée à partir d’un concept relatif de la beauté, et qui résonne tout de même avec l’idée grecque selon laquelle l’ornement serait l’éclat de la vérité et de la beauté. Le livre de Rémi Labrusse se penche quant à lui sur l’histoire de l’ornement après le moment kantien. Il s’agit d’une étude tout aussi dense et très sophistiquée des tentatives du xixe siècle pour repenser l’ornement, sa conception et son histoire, face aux défis posés par l’émergence d’une prise de conscience de la nature globale de l’art et de l’ornementation humaine et des changements radicaux que la révolution industrielle imprime à la production artistique. C’est un nouveau départ fondamental. Tourné vers le xxe siècle, le volume Histories of Ornament. From Global to Local, dirigé par Gülru Necipoglu et Alina Payne, remet en question le paradigme moderniste, ou plutôt son rejet de l’ornement, à partir de la résurgence de l’ornementation de surface dans l’œuvre d’architectes contemporains tels que Herzog & De Meuron ou Farshid Moussavi. Ces trois livres se distinguent par une remise en cause fondamentale des idées reçues sur l’ornement conçu comme complément de l’objet qu’il orne, et donc superflu, et montrent de différentes manières que la question de l’ornement est au cœur de l’art et de la culture matérielle humains.
Learning Analytics in Higher Education
Authors: Raghavjee Rushil , Subramaniam Prabhakar Rontala , Govender Irene
Published: October 2020

It is known that big data has penetrated several if not all spheres of life. In higher education, the ability to take these large amounts of data and process it into something meaningful for academic decision making is commonly referred to as learning analytics. This chapter provides an overview of learning analytics and its importance, as well as identifying academic data sources, techniques used for learning analytics and prediction, and data visualisation techniques used to present analysis for better understanding and eventual decision making. It also includes a discussion of learning analytics frameworks for research and some identified research challenges.
Combination of Fruquintinib and Anti–PD-1 for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Wei Bin , Gao Jianhua , Cai Xiaomin , Xu Lingyan , Zhong Haiqing , Wang Binglin , Sun Yang , Guo Wenjie , Xu Qiang , Gu Yanhong
Published: October 2020

Identification of effective therapies for colorectal cancer (CRC) remains an urgent medical need, especially for the microsatellite-stable (MSS) phenotype. In the current study, a combination of fruquintinib plus anti–PD-1 for MSS CRC therapy was investigated. First, a case of advanced MSS CRC was reported. After failure of multiline therapy, the patient finally achieved rapid response after receiving fruquintinib plus anti–PD-1 treatment. Then the effect of fruquintinib plus anti–PD-1 was verified using a murine syngeneic model of CT26 cells (MSS). The results showed that cotreatment significantly inhibited tumor growth and promote survival time for tumor-bearing mice compared with the single drug alone. In addition, fruquintinib/anti–PD-1 cotreatment decreased angiogenesis, enhanced normalization of the vascular structure, and alleviated tumor hypoxia. Moreover, the combination therapy reprogrammed the immune microenvironment by enhancing chemotactic factor release, increasing CD8+ T cell infiltration and activation, decreasing ration of regulatory T cells, and promoting M1/M2 ratio of macrophage. Finally, the enhanced antitumor effect of fruquintinib/anti–PD-1 cotreatment was significantly reversed in CD8 knockout mice compared with that in the wild-type mice. Our study indicated that combination of fruquintinib and anti–PD-1 could synergistically suppress CRC progression and altered the tumor microenvironment in favor of antitumor immune responses.
Absence of the C5a Receptor C5aR2 Worsens Ischemic Tissue Injury by Increasing C5aR1-Mediated Neutrophil Infiltration
Authors: Wu Mike C. L. , Lee John D. , Ruitenberg Marc J. , Woodruff Trent M.
Published: October 2020

Neutrophil infiltration to ischemic tissues following reperfusion worsens injury. A key driver of neutrophil recruitment and activation is the complement factor C5a, which signals through two receptors, C5aR1 and C5aR2. In this study, we used a neutrophil-dependent mouse model of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury to investigate the underexplored role of C5aR2 in neutrophil mobilization, recruitment, and disease outcomes. We show that intestinal IR induces rapid neutrophil mobilization along with a concomitant reduction in plasma C5a levels that is driven by both C5aR1 and C5aR2. Intestinal IR in C5aR2−/− mice led to worsened intestinal damage and increased neutrophil infiltration. Inhibition of C5aR1 signaling in C5aR2−/− mice with PMX53 prevented neutrophil accumulation and reduced IR pathology, suggesting a key requirement for enhanced neutrophil C5aR1 activation in the absence of C5aR2 signaling. Interestingly, C5aR2 deficiency also reduced circulating neutrophil numbers after IR, as well as following G-CSF–mediated bone marrow mobilization, which was independent of C5aR1, demonstrating that C5aR2 has unique and distinct functions from C5aR1 in neutrophil egress. Despite enhanced tissue injury in C5aR2−/− IR mice, there were significant reductions in intestinal proinflammatory cytokines, highlighting complicated dual protective/pathogenic roles for C5aR2 in pathophysiology. Collectively, we show that C5aR2 is protective in intestinal IR by inhibiting C5aR1-mediated neutrophil recruitment to the ischemic tissue. This is despite the potentially local pathogenic effects of C5aR2 in increasing intestinal proinflammatory cytokines and enhancing circulating neutrophil numbers in response to mobilizing signals. Our data therefore suggest that this balance between the dual pro- and anti-inflammatory roles of C5aR2 ultimately dictates disease outcomes.
The synanthropic status of wild rock doves (Columba livia) and their contribution to feral pigeon populations
Authors: Baldaccini Natale Emilio
Published: October 2020

Wild rock doves still breed in suitable habitats along southern and insular Italy, even if their colonies are threatened by the genetic intrusion of feral pigeons. One of their prominent behaviours is the daily foraging flights from colonial to feeding grounds which involves coming into contact with man-made buildings. These are exploited firstly as roosting places near crop resources and later for nesting. This incipient synanthropy is not extended to direct food dependence on humans, by which they tend to remain independent. In the same way that ferals genetically intruded the wild colonies, in urban habitats, rock doves mix with ferals because of the large interbreeding possibilities. In the natural range of the wild species, this has occurred since the appearance of the feral form of pigeons and still continues with the residual populations of rock doves, representing their endless contribution to the feral populations, at least until the dissolution of the gene pool of the primordial form of wild rock dove.
Chronic Manganese Toxicity in Indian Mines—An Historical Account of the Contributions of Dr. T.P. Niyogi
Authors: Sharma Sanjay , Katrak Sarosh M.
Published: October 2020

The mining of manganese ore in India started in the year 1899, in Nagpur district of the Central Provinces. Almost six decades later, in 1957, Dr. T. P. Niyogi examined several young men involved in dry drilling of Manganese ore, who had symptoms of muscular pain, weakness, clumsy movements, asthenia, anorexia, insomnia, and gait difficulties. These patients were also emotionally disturbed and prone to falls and accidents. He concluded that these symptoms were due to chronic manganese toxicity with parkinsonian features and psychiatric manifestations which he published in 1958.[1] This lead to the formation of an Enquiry Committee by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India which instituted corrective measures in mining of manganese in India. Very few reports of chronic toxicity due to inhalation of manganese have been reported subsequently. This paper highlights the contributions of Dr. T.P. Niyogi who was the Civil Surgeon in Chhindwara, MP during that period.
Late intraocular lens exchange in dissatisfied patients with multifocal intraocular lens implantation
Authors: Kuo Yu-Wei , Hou Yu-Chih
Published: October 2020

Intraocular lens (IOL) exchange may be required after multifocal IOL implantation due to dissatisfaction. Late IOL exchange is more challenging when it is done with capsulotomy. We presented a retrospective case series study enrolling four consecutive eyes reviewing late IOL exchange due to decreased vision and dysphotopsia. High residual hyperopia, astigmatism, and IOL tilt occurred in 3 eyes, respectively. The mean time to the IOL exchange was 15.8 ± 10.63 months. After separation of the adhesions by visco-dissection assisted with a 27-gaze needle and sinskey hook, IOL was explanted. One-piece IOL was implanted in the bag in two eyes without posterior capsulotomy, whereas three-piece IOL was implanted in the sulcus after viscoelastic tamponade in the other 2 eyes with capsulotomy. No complication occurred and dysphotopsia disappeared. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved from 0.33 ± 0.12 preoperatively to 0.11 ± 0.13 postoperatively. In conclusion, late IOL exchange could be safely performed with proper technique and achieve good results.
Ocular surface disorder among adult patients with type II diabetes mellitus and its correlation with tear film markers
Authors: Manchikanti Vijayakumari , Kasturi Nirupama , Rajappa Medha , Gochhait Debasis
Published: October 2020

PURPOSE:

The purpose is to study the ocular surface changes among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and to correlate them with tear film markers such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, interleukin (IL)-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The study was carried out on diabetic patients (>5 years' duration) and healthy age- and gender-matched controls with 21 individuals in each group. Schirmer's test for basal and reflex tear secretion, tear film breakup time (TBUT) for tear stability, ocular staining score (OSS) for dryness severity, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) for symptomatic assessment of dryness and conjunctival impression cytology (IC) for epithelial cell integrity, keratinization, squamous metaplasia, and goblet cell density was studied. Thirty microliters of tears were collected to test IGF-1, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels.

RESULTS:

Patients with DM showed significantly low Schirmer's, TBUT, and OSS values than controls. OSDI score showed moderate-severe dryness in patients with DM and only mild symptoms among controls. An abnormal IC score was seen among cases and controls. The level of TNF-α was significantly increased in patients with DM and positively correlated with Schirmer and TBUT values (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Dry eye is more prevalent in patients with DM compared to controls as evidenced by poor OSDI score, Schirmer, TBUT, and OSS. TNF-α in the tears of patients with DM is a useful marker that showed a good correlation with Schirmer, TBUT, and dry eye symptoms. IC could not conclusively differentiate the dry eye status in patients with DM from controls.
(18F)-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging assessment of hypometabolism patterns in clinical phenotypes of suspected corticobasal degeneration
Authors: Franceschi Ana , Clifton Michael , Naser-Tavakolian Kiyon , Ahmed Osama , Cruciata Giuseppe , Bangiyev Lev , Clouston Sean , Franceschi Dinko
Published: October 2020

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder presenting with atypical parkinsonian symptoms that characteristically involves the frontoparietal region including the primary sensorimotor cortex, ipsilateral basal ganglia, and thalamus, typically in an asymmetric pattern. We aim to evaluate the metabolic and volumetric abnormalities in patients with clinically suspected CBD phenotypes utilizing hybrid 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography–magnetic resonance (PET/MR) brain imaging. A retrospective analysis was performed on 75 patients (mean age 74 years, 31 males and 44 females) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/MR imaging (MRI) as part of their clinical dementia workup. Images were obtained using an integrated Siemens mMR 3T PET/MRI scanner. Two board-certified neuroradiologists and a nuclear medicine physician evaluated the metabolic and volumetric data of each hemisphere to assess for symmetric or asymmetric involvement of regions of interest in the subset of patients with suspected CBD. Of the 75 patients, 12 were diagnosed with suspected CBD based on a combination of clinical symptoms, neurocognitive testing, and hybrid neuroimaging findings. Ten of 12 patients (87%) demonstrated asymmetrically decreased FDG uptake involving a single cerebral hemisphere and ipsilateral subcortical structures, whereas two of 12 patients (13%) demonstrated striking hypometabolism of the bilateral sensorimotor cortices. Our study highlights two characteristic patterns of hypometabolism in patients with clinical and neuroimaging findings suggestive of the underlying CBD. The first pattern is asymmetric hypometabolism and volume loss, particularly within the frontoparietal and occipital cortices with involvement of ipsilateral subcortical structures, including the basal ganglia and thalamus. The second, more atypical pattern, is symmetric hypometabolism with striking involvement of the bilateral sensorimotor cortices.
Real topological Hochschild homology
Authors: Dotto Emanuele , Moi Kristian , Patchkoria Irakli , Precht Reeh Sune
Published: October 2020

This paper interprets Hesselholt and Madsen’s real topological Hochschild homology functor THR in terms of the multiplicative norm construction. We show that THR satisfies cofinality and Morita invariance, and that it is suitably multiplicative. We then calculate its geometric fixed points and its Mackey functor of components, and show a decomposition result for group algebras. Using these structural results we determine the homotopy type of THR(

\mathbb F_p

) and show that its bigraded homotopy groups are polynomial on one generator over the bigraded homotopy groups of H

\mathbb F_p

. We then calculate the homotopy type of THR(

\mathbb Z

) away from the prime 2, and the homotopy ring of its geometric fixed-points spectrum

\Phi^{\mathbb Z/2}

THR(

\mathbb Z

).
The Dirichlet problem in domains with lower dimensional boundaries
Authors: Feneuil Joseph , Mayboroda Svitlana , Zhao Zihui
Published: October 2020

The present paper pioneers the study of the Dirichlet problem with

L^q

boundary data for second order operators with complex coefficients in domains with lower dimensional boundaries, e.g., in

\Omega := \mathbb{R}^n \setminus \mathbb{R}^d

, with

d < n-1

. Following results of David, Feneuil and Mayboroda, we introduce an appropriate degenerate elliptic operator and show that the Dirichlet problem is solvable for all

q > 1

, provided that the coefficients satisfy the small Carleson norm condition.

Even in the context of the classical case

d = n-1

, (the analogues of) our results are new. The conditions on the coefficients are more relaxed than the previously known ones (most notably, we do not impose any restrictions whatsoever on the first

n-1

rows of the matrix of coefficients) and the results are more general. We establish local rather than global estimates between the square function and the non-tangential maximal function and, perhaps even more importantly, we establish new Moser-type estimates at the boundary and improve the interior ones.
Colistin resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from critically ill patients: clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility and outcome
Authors: Elham Bukhari , Fawzia Alotaibi
Published: October 2020

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) is increasingly becoming a clinically relevant organism due to the rising number of associated nosocomial infections. The therapeutic options are extremely minimal because of its ability to develop resistance to all available antimicrobials, including colistin (CST). Data on the clinical and microbiological characteristics of colistin-resistant A. baumannii infections remain scarce to date.Methods: In this prospective study, clinical isolates of colistin resistance among Acinetobacter strain was evaluated from the database of Microbiology Laboratory of King Khalid University Hospital, Saudi Arabia.Results: In a total of 142 patients with 136 Acinetobacter isolates, Acintobacter baumannii was the predominant serotype 73% of the isolates and Acinetobacter lwoffii constituted 27% of the isolate .There was 8.5% colistin resistant isolates with colistin E-test MIC >4. The clinical characteristics were determined for colistin resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. All patients were critically ill and 64% of them were hositalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). All patients have been previously given antibiotics. Other associated clinical characteristics included; morbid obesity and sleeve gastrectomy (21 %), mechanical ventilation and central venous catheter (50%). High mortality rate was found(28%).Conclusion: There is an increase of colistin resistance among clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii causing serious infections especially in critically ill patients.Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii, colistin resistance, clinical characteristics.
Comparison between plasma neopterin and the urine neopterin: creatinine ratio as inflammatory biomarkers
Authors: Thomas Bianca , Bipath Priyesh , Viljoen Margaretha
Published: October 2020

Background: Neopterin, a product of cell-mediated immunity, is a non-specific biomarker of inflammation. Plasma/serum is generally the body fluid of choice for neopterin assessment, but urine is often used as it does away with venepuncture. Analysis of urine neopterin is based on collection of a single urine sample and expressed as μmol neopterin/mol creatinine.Objectives: To examine published correlations between plasma neopterin levels and urine neopterin:creatinine ratios and to determine whether they are in diagnostic agreement. Methods: Literature search was performed by databases and by hand. Databases included Academic Search Complete; Africa-Wide Information; AHFS Consumer Medication Information; eBook Collection (EBSCOhost); Family & Society Studies Worldwide; MasterFILE Premier; MEDLINE; TOC Premier.Results: Positive correlations of varying statistical significance generally exist between plasma neopterin and urine neopterin:creatinine ratios. With a decline in renal clearance, plasma neopterin over-estimates inflammatory activity. With immune-complex renal disease, urine neopterin:creatinine ratios over-estimate systemic inflammation. The two biomarkers can differ in diagnostic validity.Conclusion: Correlations between plasma neopterin and urine neopterin:creatinine ratios suggest both as suitable biomarkers. However, since correlations reflect equality of means and not individual values, significant correlations, do not necessarily imply diagnostic agreement. Therefore, plasma and urine cannot summarily be assumed interchangeable for diagnostic/prognostic purposes.Keywords: Neopterin, inflammation, biomarkers, renal, creatinine.
Prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction in healthy women in Turkey
Authors: Kılıç Meral
Published: October 2020

Objectives: This is a cross sectional study conducted in order to determine sexual dysfunction in healthy women and risk factors.Patients and methods: The population of the study consisted of 282 women. The whole of the population, without sample selection, was included in the study. For data, questionnaire and Female Sexual Function Index-FSFI, whose Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted, were used. Student t and chi-square significant tests and logistic regression analysis were used to carry out statistical analysis.Results: It was found that 35.8% of 282 women who participated in the study were in the age range of 30-39 years, 54.6% had high school educational level or above, and 59.6% worked. Prevalence was determined as 53.2% FSFI score < 26 according to Female Sexual Function Index FSFI; 23% of the women had complaints about urinary incontinence UI. According to logistic regression results, it is determined that CFB risk is increased in patients with age and urination problem. It was determined that there was no significant correlation between income, number of children, prceived economic status, dyspareunia, having problem with the partner, experiencing premenstrual syndrome, and SD. Conclusion: In this study, approximately half of healthy women had SD and development of SD was affected based on some descriptive characteristics. As sexual life was considered as a factor increasing life quality, it was thought that it is fairly important to discuss the questioning of problems related to sexual life for systematic evaluation of patients, as well.Keywords: SD, risk factors, prevalence, Turkey.
Breastfeeding skills of full-term newborns and associated factors in a low-and-middle-income setting
Authors: Krüger Esedra E , Kritzinger Alta AM , Pottas Lidia L
Published: October 2020

Background: Normative information on the breastfeeding of term newborns may guide clinicians in early identification of breastfeeding difficulties and oro-pharyngeal dysphagia (OPD), and may support optimal breastfeeding practices. Objective: To describe breastfeeding skills of term newborn infants in a South African hospital, a lower-middle-income setting, and investigate associations between infants’ feeding and other factors.Method: One breastfeeding session of each of the 71 healthy newborn full-term infants (mean chronological age=1.9 days; mean gestation=39.1 weeks) was evaluated using the Preterm Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS), suitable for use with term newborns.Results: All participants were exclusively breastfed. Thirteen participants (18%) were HIV-exposed. There was no significant difference in the findings of the PIBBS between HIV-exposed and unexposed participants. Most newborns had obvious rooting, latched deeply onto the nipple and some of the areola, had repeated long sucking bursts (mean length=16.82 sucks/burst), and swallowed repeatedly. Most participants were in either the drowsy or quiet-alert state, which are optimal behavioural states for breastfeeding. One to two-hourly on-demand feeds was significantly associated with mothers who had normal births and did not use galactogogues to promote lactation.Conclusion: Results may be used for early identification of OPD in newborns. The findings may be useful to primary care clinicians.Keywords: Full-term, newborn, breastfeeding, feeding skills, feeding characteristics, normative data.