bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bio-Preservative Potential of Microorganisms Isolated from Red Grape against Food Contaminant Fungi
Authors: Dopazo Victor , Luz Carlos , Mañes Jordi , Quiles Juan Manuel , Carbonell Raquel , Calpe Jorge , Meca Giuseppe
Published: June 2021

Fungal spoilage is one of the main reasons of economic losses in the food industry, especially in the wine sector. Consequently, the search for safer and new preservation techniques has gained importance in recent years. The objective of this study was to investigate the antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic activity from 28 microorganisms (MO) isolated from red grape. The antifungal activity of a cell free supernatant of fermented medium by the isolated MO (CFS) was tested with the agar diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) assay. Additionally, different antifungal compounds from the CFS were identified and quantified (organic acids, phenolic compounds, and volatile organic compounds). Finally, the most active CFS were tested as red grape bio-preservative agents. Results evidenced that CFS fermented by the strain UTA 6 had the highest antifungal activity, above all isolates, and produced a wide pool of antifungal compounds. The use of UTA 6 CFS as bio-preservative agent showed a reduction of 0.4 and 0.6 log10 spores per gram of fruit in grapes contaminated by A. flavus and B. cinerea, respectively. Moreover, UTA 6 CFS treatment reduced the occurrence of aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin (B2, B3, and B4) production in grapes contaminated by 28–100%.
Drug Development Using Natural Toxins
Authors: Lee Gihyun
Published: June 2021

Natural toxins are poisonous substances produced by bacteria, insects, animals, or plants [...]
Discovery of Antivirals Using Phage Display
Authors: Sokullu Esen , Gauthier Marie-Soleil , Coulombe Benoit
Published: June 2021

The latest coronavirus disease outbreak, COVID-19, has brought attention to viral infections which have posed serious health threats to humankind throughout history. The rapid global spread of COVID-19 is attributed to the increased human mobility of today’s world, yet the threat of viral infections to global public health is expected to increase continuously in part due to increasing human–animal interface. Development of antiviral agents is crucial to combat both existing and novel viral infections. Recently, there is a growing interest in peptide/protein-based drug molecules. Antibodies are becoming especially predominant in the drug market. Indeed, in a remarkably short period, four antibody therapeutics were authorized for emergency use in COVID-19 treatment in the US, Russia, and India as of November 2020. Phage display has been one of the most widely used screening methods for peptide/antibody drug discovery. Several phage display-derived biologics are already in the market, and the expiration of intellectual property rights of phage-display antibody discovery platforms suggests an increment in antibody drugs in the near future. This review summarizes the most common phage display libraries used in antiviral discovery, highlights the approaches employed to enhance the antiviral potency of selected peptides/antibody fragments, and finally provides a discussion about the present status of the developed antivirals in clinic.
Factors Influencing SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in a Population-Based Sample in Italy
Authors: Del Riccio Marco , Boccalini Sara , Rigon Lisa , Biamonte Massimiliano Alberto , Albora Giuseppe , Giorgetti Duccio , Bonanni Paolo , Bechini Angela
Published: June 2021

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 represents an effective and safe tool to protect the population against the disease; however, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy could be a major barrier to achieving herd immunity. Despite the severity of the current pandemic, the population’s intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is still not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 among a convenience sample of the general population resident in Italy and the factors associated with hesitancy and acceptance of the vaccine in the context of the current pandemic before the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines. An anonymous online survey was diffused among a general adult population living in Italy. Participants aged 18 or older and living in Italy were considered eligible. Incomplete questionnaires were excluded. Overall, 7605 valid questionnaires were collected. Most of the participants (81.9%) were inclined to get vaccinated; male sex (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12–1.71), a high level of trust in institutions (OR 3.93, 95% CI 2.04–7.83), and personal beliefs about high safety of COVID-19 vaccines (OR 56.33, 95% CI 31.57–105.87) were found to be among the significant predictors of COVID-19 acceptance. These data could help design larger studies to address the problem of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the current pandemic.
Identification and Characterization of Immunodominant Proteins from Tick Tissue Extracts Inducing a Protective Immune Response against Ixodes ricinus in Cattle
Authors: Knorr Sarah , Reissert-Oppermann Sophia , Tomás-Cortázar Julen , Barriales Diego , Azkargorta Mikel , Iloro Ibon , Elortza Félix , Pinecki-Socias Sophia , Anguita Juan , Hovius Joppe W. , Nijhof Ard M.
Published: June 2021

Ixodes ricinus is the main vector of tick-borne diseases in Europe. An immunization trial of calves with soluble extracts of I. ricinus salivary glands (SGE) or midgut (ME) previously showed a strong response against subsequent tick challenge, resulting in diminished tick feeding success. Immune sera from these trials were used for the co-immunoprecipitation of tick tissue extracts, followed by LC-MS/MS analyses. This resulted in the identification of 46 immunodominant proteins that were differentially recognized by the serum of immunized calves. Some of these proteins had previously also drawn attention as potential anti-tick vaccine candidates using other approaches. Selected proteins were studied in more detail by measuring their relative expression in tick tissues and RNA interference (RNAi) studies. The strongest RNAi phenotypes were observed for MG6 (A0A147BXB7), a protein containing eight fibronectin type III domains predominantly expressed in tick midgut and ovaries of feeding females, and SG2 (A0A0K8RKT7), a glutathione-S-transferase that was found to be upregulated in all investigated tissues upon feeding. The results demonstrated that co-immunoprecipitation of tick proteins with host immune sera followed by protein identification using LC-MS/MS is a valid approach to identify antigen–antibody interactions, and could be integrated into anti-tick vaccine discovery pipelines.
SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Variability and Non-Specific Immunity Associated with the Use of Different BCG Strains—A Molecular and Clinical Approach
Authors: Kulus Jakub , Kulus Magdalena , Stefańska Katarzyna , Sobolewski Jarosław , Piotrowska-Kempisty Hanna , Mozdziak Paul , Kempisty Bartosz
Published: June 2021

The effect of BCG vaccination against tuberculosis on the reduction in COVID-19 infection is related to the effect of the BCG vaccine on the immunomodulation of non-specific immunity. In the early stages of the pandemic, countries with universal BCG vaccination programs registered a low number of new cases of COVID-19, with the situation now reversed, as exemplified by India. The high genetic variability of SARS-CoV-2, a known characteristic of RNA viruses, causing the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 variants may have led to the virus adapting to overcome the initial immune protection. The strains from the United Kingdom (B1.1.7), Brazil (B1.1.28 and B1.1.33), South Africa (B.1.351), and India (B.1.617) are characterized by a greater ability to spread in the environment, in comparison with the original infectious agent of SARS-CoV-2. It should be remembered that the large variation in the genetic makeup of SARS-CoV-2 may result in future changes in its pathogenicity, immunogenicity and antigenicity, and therefore it is necessary to carefully study the mutations occurring within the virus to determine whether the current vaccines will remain effective. However, most studies show that monoclonal antibodies produced after vaccination against COVID-19 are effective against the newly developed variants.
Current Management of Amblyopia with New Technologies for Binocular Treatment
Authors: Boniquet-Sanchez Sandra , Sabater-Cruz Noelia
Published: June 2021

Amblyopia is the most common cause of monocular poor vision affecting up to 3.7% of the global population. Classically, the first step in treatment has been optical correction, followed by patching and/or pharmacological treatment. However, this is an evolving scenario, since researchers and clinicians are interested in new binocular treatments due to the increasing development of new technologies. In this article main, current binocular treatments as Dig Rush, falling blocks, I-BiT, Occlu-tab, Vivid Vision, and movies are reviewed for binocular amblyopia management.
Land-Use/-Cover Changes and Their Effect on Soil Erosion and River Suspended Sediment Load in Different Landscape Zones of European Russia during 1970–2017
Authors: Gusarov Artyom V.
Published: June 2021

Contemporary trends in cultivated land and their influence on soil/gully erosion and river suspended sediment load were analyzed by various landscape zones within the most populated and agriculturally developed part of European Russia, covering 2,222,390 km2. Based on official statistics from the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union, this study showed that after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, there was a steady downward trend in cultivated land throughout the study region. From 1970–1987 to 2005–2017, the region lost about 39% of its croplands. Moreover, the most significant relative reduction in cultivated land was noted in the forest zone (south taiga, mixed and broadleaf forests) and the dry steppes and the semi-desert of the Caspian Lowland—about 53% and 65%, respectively. These territories are with climatically risky agriculture and less fertile soils. There was also a widespread reduction in agricultural machinery on croplands and livestock on pastures of the region. A decrease in soil/gully erosion rates over the past decades was also revealed based on state hydrological monitoring data on river suspended sediment load as one of the indicators of the temporal variability of erosion intensity in river basins and the published results of some field research in various parts of the studied landscape zones. The most significant reduction in the intensity of erosion and the load of river suspended sediment was found in European Russia’s forest-steppe zone. This was presumably due to a favorable combination of the above changes in land cover/use and climate change.
Change Point Enhanced Anomaly Detection for IoT Time Series Data
Authors: Apostol Elena-Simona , Truică Ciprian-Octavian , Pop Florin , Esposito Christian
Published: June 2021

Due to the exponential growth of the Internet of Things networks and the massive amount of time series data collected from these networks, it is essential to apply efficient methods for Big Data analysis in order to extract meaningful information and statistics. Anomaly detection is an important part of time series analysis, improving the quality of further analysis, such as prediction and forecasting. Thus, detecting sudden change points with normal behavior and using them to discriminate between abnormal behavior, i.e., outliers, is a crucial step used to minimize the false positive rate and to build accurate machine learning models for prediction and forecasting. In this paper, we propose a rule-based decision system that enhances anomaly detection in multivariate time series using change point detection. Our architecture uses a pipeline that automatically manages to detect real anomalies and remove the false positives introduced by change points. We employ both traditional and deep learning unsupervised algorithms, in total, five anomaly detection and five change point detection algorithms. Additionally, we propose a new confidence metric based on the support for a time series point to be an anomaly and the support for the same point to be a change point. In our experiments, we use a large real-world dataset containing multivariate time series about water consumption collected from smart meters. As an evaluation metric, we use Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The low MAE values show that the algorithms accurately determine anomalies and change points. The experimental results strengthen our assumption that anomaly detection can be improved by determining and removing change points as well as validates the correctness of our proposed rules in real-world scenarios. Furthermore, the proposed rule-based decision support systems enable users to make informed decisions regarding the status of the water distribution network and perform effectively predictive and proactive maintenance.
Socio-Hydrological Approach to Explore Groundwater–Human Wellbeing Nexus: Case Study from Sundarbans, India
Authors: Halder Soham , Kumar Pankaj , Das Kousik , Dasgupta Rajarshi , Mukherjee Abhijit
Published: June 2021

Coastal regions are the residence of an enormously growing population. In spite of rich biodiversity, coastal ecosystems are extremely vulnerable due to hydroclimatic factors with probable impact on socio-economy. Since the last few decades, researchers and policymakers were attracted towards the existing water demand–resource relationship to predict its future trends and prioritize better water resource management options. Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) serves the wholesome purpose of modeling diverse aspects of decision analysis using water algorithm equations for proper planning of water resource management. In this study, future groundwater demand (domestic, agricultural, and livestock sector) in the fragile Sundarbans ecosystem was estimated considering different human population growth rates (high, low, and current) for 2011–2050. The results showed that the sustainability of coastal aquifer-dependent rural livelihood is expected to face great danger in the near future. The total groundwater demand is expected to rise by approximately 17% at the current growth rate in the study area to fulfill the domestic and agricultural requirement, while this value goes up to around 35% for a higher growth rate and around 4% for a lower growth rate. The impact of increasing groundwater demand was analyzed further to identify any socio-economic shifts in this region.
Sediment and Nutrient Retention in Ponds on an Agricultural Stream: Evaluating Effectiveness for Diffuse Pollution Mitigation
Authors: Robotham John , Old Gareth , Rameshwaran Ponnambalam , Sear David , Gasca-Tucker David , Bishop James , Old Joanne , McKnight David
Published: June 2021

The creation of ponds and wetlands has the potential to alleviate stream water quality impairment in catchments affected by diffuse agricultural pollution. Understanding the hydrological and biogeochemical functioning of these features is important in determining their effectiveness at mitigating pollution. This study investigated sediment and nutrient retention in three connected (on-line) ponds on a lowland headwater stream by sampling inflowing and outflowing concentrations during base and storm flows. Sediment trapping devices were used to quantify sediment and phosphorus accumulations within ponds over approximately monthly periods. The organic matter content and particle size composition of accumulated sediment were also measured. The ponds retained dissolved nitrate, soluble reactive phosphorus and suspended solids during baseflows. During small to moderate storm events, some ponds were able to reduce peak concentrations and loads of suspended solids and phosphorus; however, during large magnitude events, resuspension of deposited sediment resulted in net loss. Ponds filtered out larger particles most effectively. Between August 2019 and March 2020, the ponds accumulated 0.306 t ha−1 sediment from the 30 ha contributing area. During this period, total sediment accumulations in ponds were estimated to equal 7.6% of the suspended flux leaving the 340 ha catchment downstream. This study demonstrates the complexity of pollutant retention dynamics in on-line ponds and highlights how their effectiveness can be influenced by the timing and magnitude of events.
COVID-19 e complicações neurológicas: uma pequena revisão sistemática
Authors: Santos Brandão Arthur , De Nazaré Tavares Cardoso Souza Isabela , Rocha Rosa Isadora , Barbosa Amaral Laíse Maria , Campos Maia Lucas , Chermont Berni Luigi , De Almeida Cavalcante Aranha Maria Fernanda , Sousa Andrade Júnior Robson Leandro , Monteiro Paiva Garcia Thaynara , Silva de Oliveira Rita de Cássia
Published: June 2021

Introdução. A COVID-19 é uma doença provocada pela infecção de um beta-coronavírus conhecido como SARS-CoV-2, o qual desencadeia diversas manifestações relacionadas com vários sistemas orgânicos. Nesse contexto, complicações neurológicas foram descritas na literatura, as quais associaram vários distúrbios neurológicos com a infecção pelo SARS-CoV-2. Objetivo. Deste modo, o objetivo do presente estudo consistiu em fazer uma pequena revisão sistemática, correlacionando a COVID-19 com neuropatologias neurodegenerativas. Método. Foram utilizadas as seguintes bases de dados: PUBMED, RIMA e LILACS. Os descritores selecionados foram encontrados no dicionário Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DeCS) e Medical Subject Heading Terms (MeSH). Com isso, selecionou-se os seguintes: (COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV-2) AND (NEURODEGENERATION OR NEUROLOGIC COMPLICATIONS). Foram lidos os títulos e resumos de todos os pré-selecionados e retirados os que não se enquadravam no estilo metodológico. Excluiu-se dos achados: revisões sistemáticas com meta-análise, revisões sistemáticas com meta-síntese, e cartas. Vários motivos levaram a exclusão dos artigos, como: não causalidade entre o SARS-CoV-2 e patologias neurológicas e a preexistência de condições neurodegenerativas nos indivíduos.  Resultados. Os principais achados clínicos foram: Síndrome de Guillain-Barré, Acidente Vascular Cerebral, encefalopatias, hemorragias intracranianas, anosmia e algesia. Conclusão. Conclui-se, com a revisão, que os sintomas proporcionados pela COVID-19 podem variar e que nos casos mais graves, geram complicações neurodegenerativas. É cabível ressaltar que são necessárias mais investigações acerca da temática para ratificar a relação entre neurodegeneração e infecção por coronavírus.
A differential game of N persons in which there is Pareto equilibrium of objections and counterobjections and no Nash equilibrium
Authors: Zhukovskii V.I. , Mukhina Yu.S. , Romanova V.E.
Published: June 2021

A linear-quadratic positional differential game of N persons is considered. The solution of a game in the form of Nash equilibrium has become widespread in the theory of noncooperative differential games. However, Nash equilibrium can be internally and externally unstable, which is a negative in its practical use. The consequences of such instability could be avoided by using Pareto maximality in a Nash equilibrium situation. But such a coincidence is rather an exotic phenomenon (at least we are aware of only three cases of such coincidence). For this reason, it is proposed to consider the equilibrium of objections and counterobjections. This article establishes the coefficient criteria under which in a differential positional linear-quadratic game of N persons there is Pareto equilibrium of objections and counterobjections and at the same time no Nash equilibrium situation; an explicit form of the solution of the game is obtained.
Iterative algorithms for minimizing the Hausdorff distance between convex polyhedrons
Authors: Lebedev P.D. , Uspenskii A.A. , Ushakov V.N.
Published: June 2021

The problem of finding the optimal location of moving bodies in three-dimensional Euclidean space is considered. We study the problem of finding such a position for two given polytopes A and B at which the Hausdorff distance between them would be minimal. To solve it, the apparatus of convex and nonsmooth analysis is used, as well as methods of computational geometry. Iterative algorithms have been developed and justification has been made for the correctness of their work. A software package has been created, its work is illustrated with specific examples.
Ci vediamo alla mezza?
Authors: Altissimi Elisa
Published: June 2021

Alcuni lettori chiedono quale sia il significato delle espressioni la mezza o alla mezza quando utilizzate per indicare un orario. Altri, indicando il significato di “(al)le ore 12.30”, chiedono se il loro uso sia ammesso anche in testi formali o per quale motivo in italiano la mezza non equivalga a mezzogiorno ma a mezzogiorno e mezzo.
Ashantis in Warsaw: Notions of “Blackness” in Polish Society at the Turn of the 20th Century – A Preparatory Contribution to Polish Colonial History
Authors: Łuksza Agata
Published: June 2021

The author recognizes Włodzimierz Perzyński’s comedy Aszantka as a meaningful remnant of „blackness” in the history of Polish theatre, and therefore she uses it as a point of entrance into a broader inquiry about the entanglement of Polish society into European colonial project, and the ideas, values, and cultural practices it entailed. That is why in the article the author attempts to reconstruct possible concepts and images of “blackness” which Warsaw dwellers might have shared at the end of the 19th century by analysing the reception of the performances of alleged representatives of Ashanti people in the Warsaw circus in 1888. From “Ashanti” performances on, the popularity of this type of entertainment – so called ethnographic shows or human zoos – grew in the colonized capital of the Kingdom of Poland. The author points to “savageness” and “nakedness” as constitutive traits of “blackness” which she understands as a specific human condition, experienced both by overseas colonized societies as well as subaltern social groups (to which “Aszantka” from Perzyński’s comedy belonged) in European societies.
ON ALGORITHMIC SOLVABILITY OF THE PROBLEM OF GENERALIZED CONJUGACY OF SUBGROUPS IN COXETER GROUPS WITH A TREE STRUCTURE
Authors:   Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Higher Mathematics, The Civil Defence Academy of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, Khimki,, Russia, Dobrynina I. V. , Turenova E. L. ,   Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Higher Mathematics, The Civil Defence Academy of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, Khimki, Russia
Published: June 2021

The main algorithmic problems of combinatorial group theory posed by M. Den and G. Titze at the beginning of the twentieth century are the problems of word, word conjugacy and of group isomorphism. However, these problems, as follows from the results of P.S. Novikov and S.I. Adyan, turned out to be unsolvable in the class of finitely defined groups. Therefore, algorithmic problems began to be considered in specific classes of groups. The word conjugacy problem allows for two generalizations. On the one hand, we consider the problem of conjugacy of subgroups, that is, the problem of constructing an algorithm that allows for any two finitely generated subgroups to determine whether they are conjugate or not. On the other hand, the problem of generalized conjugacy of words is posed, that is, the problem of constructing an algorithm that allows for any two finite sets of words to determine whether they are conjugated or not. Combining both of these generalizations into one, we obtain the problem of generalized conjugacy of subgroups. Coxeter groups were introduced in the 30s of the last century, and the problems of equality and conjugacy of words are algorithmically solvable in them. To solve other algorithmic problems, various subclasses are distinguished. This is partly due to the unsolvability in Coxeter groups of another important problem – the problem of occurrence, that is, the problem of the existence of an algorithm that allows for any word and any finitely generated subgroup of a certain group to determine whether this word belongs to this subgroup or not. The paper proves the algorithmic solvability of the problem of generalized conjugacy of subgroups in Coxeter groups with a tree structure.
Comparing the Academic Motivation of Conventional and Distance Education Students: A Study about a Turkish University
Authors: Muhammad Abid Malik  , Bulent Akkaya
Published: June 2021

Distance and online education are becoming increasingly common in the current era. Along with many purely online and distance education universities, many conventional universities are also offering programs through distance education. Students studying in distance education programs have a different environment, culture, study habits, and other factors that may influence them and their motivation level. This study compares academic motivation levels between conventional and distance education students studying in a Turkish university program. Data were collected from 218 students through the Academic Motivation Scale. Independent T-test and Chi-square tests were used to analyze the data with the help of the SPSS program. The results show that the academic motivation level of the students in a conventional program is statistically significantly higher than those studying through a distance program. Moreover, while there were differences based on all three demographical variables (age, gender, and grade), statistically significant differences were found only based on age and grade. The study suggests that there is a need to add motivational materials and strategies for distance education students. This especially becomes important for those conventional education students who have been forced to learn through distance/ online education during Covid-19.
Estrutura populacional de Uca (Minuca) mordax (Smith, 1870) (Decapoda: Ocypodidae) em um sistema estuarino impactado no Sul do Brasil
Authors: Scalco Allan C. S. , Ramos Camila A. , Boos Harry
Published: June 2021

A estrutura populacional do caranguejo chama-maré Uca (Minuca) mordax (Smith, 1870) foi estudada no estuário do Rio Itajaí-Açú, Santa Catarina, Brasil. Este estuário sofre impacto ao receber efluentes domésticos, industriais e agrícolas dos municípios do Vale do Itajaí, um dos mais importantes polos industriais e urbanos do estado de Santa Catarina. As coletas dos caranguejos foram efetuadas mensalmente no verão de 2012/2013 (dezembro a fevereiro) em quatro áreas, onde ocorreu a caracterização da cobertura vegetal e do percentual de matéria orgânica no sedimento. Foram coletados 394 espécimes, sendo 219 machos e 175 fêmeas (17 ovígeras). As áreas amostradas distantes da foz do rio (áreas C e D) foram responsáveis pela captura de aproximadamente 75% do total de espécimes amostrados. A razão sexual total não seguiu a proporção 1:1, ocorrendo predomínio de machos (1,3:1). O tamanho médio da largura da carapaça (LC, mm) dos machos (17,0 ± 2,6 mm) foi significativamente superior ao das fêmeas (16,1 ± 2,1 mm), com o maior macho medindo 26,1 mm, correspondendo ao maior indivíduo desta espécie já registrado na literatura. Apesar da deterioração ambiental do estuário do Rio Itajaí-Açú, a população de U. (M.) mordax ainda apresenta estrutura etária e sexual semelhante às registradas em outras localidades. Contudo, novas alterações das características naturais, como a perda de habitat observada em uma das áreas amostradas, terão influência direta no recrutamento, crescimento e reprodução desta e outras espécies. Portanto, torna-se urgente a manutenção das áreas naturais remanescentes.
Kaedah Pembentukan Identiti Nasional dalam Universiti Awam di Malaysia
Authors: Lukmanulhakim Nur Nadia
Published: June 2021

Identiti nasional merupakan komponen penting dalam memupuk perpaduan antara rakyat berbilang kaum di Malaysia. Kajian ini dijalankan bertujuan untuk meneliti kaedah pembentukan identiti nasional di peringkat universiti awam di Malaysia. Sebuah universiti awam telah dipilih daripada 20 buah universiti awam di Malaysia sebagai tempat kajian iaitu Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Kajian dijalankan melalui kaedah kualitatif dengan temu bual ke atas lima orang pegawai Hal Ehwal Pelajar Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Dapatan yang diperoleh menunjukkan kaedah pembentukan identiti nasional di universiti awam mencakupi aktiviti akademik, kokurikulum serta sahsiah. Implementasi kaedah pembentukan identiti nasional ini pula mencakupi pelbagai bahagian dalam universiti, melalui program serta kerjasama antara bahagian juga dengan institusi luar. Penambahbaikan ke atas kaedah sedia ada boleh dilakukan dengan mengambil kira keperluan mahasiswa universiti yang terdiri daripada pelbagai budaya.
CONTRASTIVE STUDY OF ENGLISH AND UZBEK PUNCTUATION RULES
Authors:   Student Faculty of Foreign Philology, Department of English philology National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirza Ulugbek Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Najmiddinova Madinabonu Rakhmon qizi , Jalolova Shakhnoza Mukhamedjanovna ,   Doctor of philosophy (PhD) of philological sciences, Associate professor National University of Uzbekistan
Published: June 2021

This article provides a comparative view of the use of punctuation in English and Uzbek, and explores the similarities and differences between them. There are also some ideas on how to use punctuation effectively and correctly. However, given that punctuation is one of the most important aspects of written and spoken speech, it is emphasized that their proper use will provide effective results not only for English linguists, but also for translators and grammar experts.
Közúti közlekedési balesetek miatt kialakult torlódások okozta időveszteség csökkentésének lehetőségei, avagy miként gyorsítható a helyszíni eljárás
Authors: Major Róbert
Published: June 2021

Road congestions caused by accidents generate serious national economic damage. It is a rightful demand of the civil society that the necessary investigation on the site of a road traffic accident should be over in the shortest amount of time, removing the holdup. This study undertakes the task to uncover the factors deciding the amount of road congestion, and also to make suggestions to minimize the time of road congestions caused by traffic accidents.
DETERMINATION OF URBAN SPRAWL ON ECOLOGICAL NETWORK USING EDGE ANALYSIS: A CASE STUDY OF USAK (TURKEY)
Authors: Kocan Nurhan
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the urban development of Usak city onto natural and urban open green spaces around the city during a -fifty- year period between 1954–2004. The data is based on aerial photographs of Usak urban area in 1954, 1971, 1994 and from Ikonos satellite image of 2004. The statistical data and the visual maps created in geographic information system software. This study puts forward the rapid spread of urbanization from 1971 to 1994 and hence, a significant change in landscape mosaic; urban areas increased by 102.9% between 1954–1971, 226.1% between 1971–1994 and 99.3% between 1994–2004. The most crucial change is evident in agricultural and open areas. According to the results of the edge analysis, urban areas, border ecologically valuable natural areas and the highest rate value was found to be in 2004; proving the development of the city towards agricultural areas.
Magnetohydrodynamic Winds Driven by the Line Force from the Standard Thin Disk around Supermassive Black Holes. I. The Case of Weak Magnetic Field
Authors: Yang Xiao-Hong , Ablimit Kamarjan , Li Qi-Xiu
Published: June 2021

Absorption lines with high blueshifted velocities are frequently found in the ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray spectra of luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This implies that high-velocity winds/outflows are common in AGNs. In order to study the formation of high-velocity winds, especially ultrafast outflows (UFOs), we perform two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. Initially, a magnetic field is set to be weaker than the gas pressure at the disk surface. In our simulations, line force operates on the region like filaments because the X-ray radiation from corona is shielded by dense gas in the inner region at some angle. The location of filaments changes with time and then the line-driven winds are exposed to X-rays and become highly ionized. The line force at the UV bands does not directly drive the highly ionized winds. In the sense of time average, the properties of high-velocity winds meet the formation condition of UFOs. Compared with line force, the function of magnetic field is negligible in directly driving winds. In the MHD model, the region around the rotational axis becomes magnetic-pressure dominated, which prevents gases from spreading to higher latitudes and then enhances the gas column density at middle and low latitudes (20°–70°). Higher column density is helpful to shield X-ray photons, which causes the line force to be more effective in the MHD model than in the hydrodynamic model. Higher-velocity winds with a broader opening angle are produced in the MHD model.
Soil fungal communities of ectomycorrhizal dominated woodlands across West Africa
Authors: Meidl Peter , Furneaux Brendan , Tchan Kassim I. , Kluting Kerri , Ryberg Martin , Guissou Marie-Laure , Soro Bakary , Traoré Aïssata , Konomou Gbamon , Yorou Nourou S. , Rosling Anna
Published: June 2021

Forests and woodlands in the West African Guineo-Sudanian transition zone contain many tree species that form symbiotic interactions with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. These fungi facilitate plant growth by increasing nutrient and water uptake and include many fruiting body-forming fungi, including some edible mushrooms. Despite their importance for ecosystem functioning and anthropogenic use, diversity and distribution of ECM fungi is severely under-documented in West Africa. We conducted a broad regional sampling across five West African countries using soil eDNA to characterize the ECM as well as the total soil fungal community in gallery forests and savanna woodlands dominated by ECM host tree species. We subsequently sequenced the entire ITS region and much of the LSU region to infer a phylogeny for all detected soil fungal species. Utilizing a long read sequencing approach allows for higher taxonomic resolution by using the full ITS region, while the highly conserved LSU gene allows for a more accurate higher-level assignment of species hypotheses, including species without ITS-based taxonomy assignments. We detect no overall difference in species richness between gallery forests and woodlands. However, additional gallery forest plots and more samples per plot would have been needed to firmly conclude this pattern. Based on both abundance and richness, species from the families Russulaceae and Inocybaceae dominate the ECM fungal soil communities across both vegetation types. The community structure of both total soil fungi and ECM fungi was significantly influenced by vegetation types and showed strong correlation within plots. However, we found no significant difference in fungal community structure between samples collected adjacent to different host tree species within each plot. We conclude that within plots, the fungal community is structured more by the overall ECM host plant community than by the species of the individual host tree that each sample was collected from.
Medium and large-sized mammals in Private Natural Heritage Reserves in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Corrêa Thales Claussem Vicente , Mendes Lara Modesto , Barbosa Kleiber José Vaz de Melo , de Melo Fabiano Rodrigues
Published: June 2021

Habitat fragmentation has been shown to be constantly growing and increasingly affecting the conservation of species that require large areas for their populations to subsist, as is the case for most large animals. In Minas Gerais, there are 45 species threatened with extinction in the Brazilian Red List and for most mammal species there is not yet sufficient data on their populations and distributions, which makes it difficult to understand their conservation status. To understand the composition of medium and large mammals in two Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs) in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais (Cata Branca and Córrego Seco), in a transition zone between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado, a camera trapping survey of mastofauna was carried out between November 2019 and May 2020. The combined RPPNs have a rich diversity with 20 species of medium and large mammals and provide a fundamental service for the protection of animals threatened with extinction, in addition to harbouring important species for the maintenance of local ecosystems. However, they are areas with a strong anthropic impact and have a lower richness than some other reserves also located in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, especially Cata Branca, which had a lower richness than Córrego Seco.
The Use of Telemedicine for Patients with Mental Illness and COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Caralis Panagiota
Published: June 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the health of the public. Social distancing and quarantining during the pandemic have affected mental health as well. This study set out to determine the impact of COVID-19 and the use of telemedicine on managing patients with mental illness. It evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 infection on 403 patients who are United States military veterans: 160 patients with chronic mental illnesses and 243 without mental illness. The patients were observed remotely using a telehealth clinic until they were free of COVID-19 symptoms or tested negative for coronavirus RNA. Telemedicine was used successfully to manage patients with mental illness and acute COVID-19 infections. These patients maintained their therapeutic engagement using telephone or video-on-demand encounters. The use of this technology allowed for follow-up visits over an extended period of time, including resolution of their symptoms, re-test results, and management of their comorbidities. The outcomes of their infections mirrored those of patients without preexisting mental illness. They did require more intense psychiatric interventions, primarily with medications, but no hospitalizations for mental health occurred. Although the pandemic has several elements known to impact greatly on mental health (social illness, loneliness, fear, and uncertainty), the effect on patients with COVID-19 infection and mental illness diagnosis does not appear to cause psychiatric decompensation. Telemedicine offered a means for more intense engagement on follow-up of these patients, which may have played a role. Because of the small numbers in this study and the unique resources available for veterans, more extensive study is required to determine the effect of the pandemic in patients with mental illness who are not veterans.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2021;51(6):283–286.]
Prevention of Psychiatric Illness in the Community: Seeds of Change
Authors: Holt Daphne J. , DeTore Nicole R.
Published: June 2021

Despite the existence of established risk factors for psychiatric illnesses and a growing number of promising, risk-reducing interventions, the prevention of serious mental illnesses has not been a focus of psychiatric care. This may be, in part, because the majority of such preventive and early detection efforts may need to occur within the communities in which youth or adults who have a particular set of risk factors live, attend school, and work, because such people are often relatively asymptomatic and thus not seeking clinical services. Exciting new opportunities for school-based programs, scalable emerging technologies, “risk calculators,” and successful examples from other fields of medicine suggest that the quality of the evidence and available tools may soon be sufficient to generate widespread support for community-based approaches for preventing serious mental illnesses.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2021;51(6):255–260.]
Growth patterns of the lanternfish Ceratoscopelus maderensis in the western Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Real Enric , Bernal Ainhoa , Morales-Nin Beatriz , Molí Balbina , Alvarez Itziar , Pilar Olivar M.
Published: June 2021

The age and growth patterns of the mesopelagic fish Ceratoscopelus maderensis (family Myctophidae) of the western Mediterranean Sea were described throughout its entire life cycle (from larvae to adult stages) using the sagittae otoliths of 59 individuals collected in December 2009. Three characteristic zones were identified along the cross-section of the sagittae (larval, metamorphic and juvenile-adult zones). Assuming growth rings as daily increments, the age of the analysed individuals (from 3.5 to 64 mm standard length [SL]) would range from 7 to 332 days. The relationship between the number of increments and the fish SL was fitted to a von Bertalanffy growth model (SL=70.5899Å~(1–exp(–0.0501(t+2.6705))). The growth pattern of C. maderensis in the western Mediterranean Sea was similar to that reported for this species in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Though from a body size of 40-45 mm SL, growth rates declined more slowly in individuals from the western Mediterranean Sea, growth differences between these individuals and those from the northeast Atlantic Ocean were not statistically significant. This study provides new insights into the age and growth patterns of one of the most abundant mesopelagic fish species in the Mediterranean Sea that have clear implications for the study and management of marine ecosystems.
Natural and anthropic pollution episodes during the Late Holocene evolution of the Tinto River estuary (SW Spain)
Authors: Arroyo Marta , Ruiz Francisco , González-Regalado María Luz , Rodríguez Vidal Joaquín , Cáceres Luis Miguel , Olías Manuel , Campos Juan Manuel , Fernández Lucía , Abad Manuel , Izquierdo Tatiana , Gómez Paula , Toscano Antonio , Romero Verónica , Gómez Gabriel
Published: June 2021

This paper investigates the paleoenvironmental evolution of a core extracted in the middle sector of the Tinto River estuary, SW Spain, one of the most polluted areas in the world due to mining over thousands of years (>4 kyr BP) and recent industrial discharges. This evolution includes alluvial sands (>6.4 cal kyr BP), bioclastic sands and silts deposited in subtidal and intertidal channels during and after the Holocene transgression maximum (6.4-4.3 cal kyr BP), the sedimentation of clayey-sandy silts in low and high marshes during the last 2.4 kyr BP and a final anthropic filling. Three sharp peaks of pollution have been detected, representing a) a natural origin during the Holocene transgression; b) the impact of the first mining activities (~4.5 cal kyr BP); and c) the effect of industrial discharge and a new period of mining activity throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Foraminifera, ostracods and molluscs disappeared during these last two peaks.
Human Cord Blood B Cells Differ from the Adult Counterpart by Conserved Ig Repertoires and Accelerated Response Dynamics
Authors: Budeus Bettina , Kibler Artur , Brauser Martina , Homp Ekaterina , Bronischewski Kevin , Ross J. Alexander , Görgens Andre , Weniger Marc A. , Dunst Josefine , Kreslavsky Taras , Vitoriano da Conceição Castro Symone , Murke Florian , Oakes Christopher C. , Rusch Peter , Andrikos Dimitrios , Kern Peter , Köninger Angela , Lindemann Monika , Johansson Patricia , Hansen Wiebke , Lundell Anna-Carin , Rudin Anna , Dürig Jan , Giebel Bernd , Hoffmann Daniel , Küppers Ralf , Seifert Marc
Published: June 2021

Neonatal and infant immune responses are characterized by a limited capability to generate protective Ab titers and memory B cells as seen in adults. Multiple studies support an immature or even impaired character of umbilical cord blood (UCB) B cells themselves. In this study, we provide a comprehensive molecular and functional comparison of B cell subsets from UCB and adult peripheral blood. Most UCB B cells have a mature, naive B cell phenotype as seen in adults. The UCB Ig repertoire is highly variable but interindividually conserved, as BCR clonotypes are frequently shared between neonates. Furthermore, UCB B cells show a distinct transcriptional program that confers accelerated responsiveness to stimulation and facilitated IgA class switching. Stimulation drives extensive differentiation into Ab-secreting cells, presumably limiting memory B cell formation. Humanized mice suggest that the distinctness of UCB versus adult B cells is already reflected by the developmental program of hematopoietic precursors, arguing for a layered B-1/B-2 lineage system as in mice, albeit our findings suggest only partial comparability to murine B-1 cells. Our study shows that UCB B cells are not immature or impaired but differ from their adult mature counterpart in a conserved BCR repertoire, efficient IgA class switching, and accelerated, likely transient response dynamics.
Effectiveness of fine needle aspiration cytology versus excisional biopsy in cervical lymphadenopathy
Authors: Pillai Anoop Vasudevan , Ramachandran Riju , Borkar Pallavi Vijay , Bhaskaran Renjitha
Published: June 2021

Background:

Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common cause of referral to the surgery department. In low-resource countries, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been advocated as an alternative to more expensive surgical excision biopsies. Although FNAC is a simple and effective procedure in many conditions, its sensitivity and specificity still remains a question.

The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of FNAC of head-and-neck lymph nodes using histopathology as the gold standard.

Methods:

All patients clinically diagnosed with cervical lymphadenopathy were included in the study, and they underwent FNAC followed by surgical excision and histopathology. The results were tabulated and analyzed using IBM SPSS V.20.0 software. To test the statistical significance between benign and malignant groups, Chi-square test was used, and the difference in FNAC and histopathology were analyzed using McNemar's test.

Results:

The mean age group in our study of 86 patients was 45.20 ± 18.20 years with equal sex distribution. Among 23 male patients with age above 45 years, 15 patients (65.2%) had malignancy in the lymph node. Level V lymph nodes were most commonly involved (n = 31 [36%]), of which 13 were diagnosed as malignancy and 10 as tuberculosis (TB). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value of FNAC in comparison to histopathology for diagnosis of malignancy were found to be 79.4%, 98.1%, 96.4%, and 87.9%, respectively, and for TB was 77.8%, 87.5%, 87.5%, and 77.8%, respectively.

Conclusion:

FNAC of head-and-neck lymph nodes has comparable sensitivity and specificity with histopathological examination. It has a very high (96.4%) PPV in detecting malignancy and 100% for detecting metastatic disease in cervical lymph nodes. In patients with suspected lymphoproliferative disorder and in patients above 45 years of age, open biopsy is recommended. For younger patients and in level V cervical lymphadenopathy, irrespective of age, FNAC should be the first invasive diagnostic tool of choice.