Industrial Illegitimacy and Negative Externalities: the Case of the Illinois Livestock Industry

An industry's legitimacy depends on stakeholders' perceptions and assessments of the appropriateness of its behavior across a wide array of settings. While products and services may be highly valued, and in some cases essential, business externalities serve as a powerful counterforce undermining legitimacy. The work draws on the theory of industrial legitimacy and employs a taxonomy of four different legitimacy sub components; pragmatic, regulative, normative, and cognitive. The paper identifies how externalities affect an industry's legitimacy and the relative contribution of each sub component. The research then empirically tests the theory using the case of the Illinois livestock industry.Livestock Production/Industries,

From regenerated wood pulp fibers to cationic cellulose: preparation, characterization and dyeing properties

The global demand for sustainable textile fibers is growing and has led to an increasing research interest from both academia and industry to find effective solutions. In this research, regenerated wood pulp fibers were functionalized with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTAC) to produce modified regenerated cellulose with cationic pending groups for improved dye uptake. The resultant cationic cellulose with a degree of substitution (DS) between 0.13 and 0.33 exhibited distinct morphologies and contact angles with water ranging from 65.7◦ to 82.5◦ for the fibers with DS values of 0.13 and 0.33, respectively. Furthermore, the thermal stability of the modified regenerated cellulose fibers, albeit lower than the pristine ones, reached temperatures up to 220 ◦C. Additionally, the modified fibers showed higher dye exhaustion and dye fixation values than the non-modified ones, attaining maxima values of 89.3% ± 0.9% and 80.6% ± 1.3%, respectively, for the cationic fibers with a DS of 0.13. These values of dye exhaustion and dye fixation are ca. 34% and 77% higher than those obtained for the non-modified fibers. Overall, regenerated wood pulp cellulose fibers can be used, after cationization, as textiles fiber with enhanced dye uptake performance that might offer new options for dyeing treatments.publishe

Análise Social: seis décadas de temas e problemas

Este artigo analisa estatisticamente os títulos dos artigos publicados na Análise Social (1963-2022), comparando as palavras utilizadas ao longo de seis décadas. Parte-se da premissa de que a escolha de determinadas palavras é reveladora de diversos “mundos do texto”, organizados em função de motivações e interesses distintos. Enunciadas em determinados contextos históricos e mediadas pelo trabalho das sucessivas equipas editoriais, as palavras constituintes dos léxicos da revista mostram linhas de continuidade e mudança temática ao longo do tempo.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Use of 3D Optical Coherence Tomography to Analyze the Architecture of Cyanobacterial Biofilms Formed on a Carbon Nanotube Composite

The development of environmentally friendly antifouling strategies for marine applications is of paramount importance, and the fabrication of innovative nanocomposite coatings is a promising approach. Moreover, since Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a powerful imaging technique in biofilm science, the improvement of its analytical power is required to better evaluate the biofilm structure under different scenarios. In this study, the effect of carbon nanotube (CNT)-modified surfaces in cyanobacterial biofilm development was assessed over a long-term assay under controlled hydrodynamic conditions. Their impact on the cyanobacterial biofilm architecture was evaluated by novel parameters obtained from three-dimensional (3D) OCT analysis, such as the contour coefficient, total biofilm volume, biovolume, volume of non-connected pores, and the average size of non-connected pores. The results showed that CNTs incorporated into a commercially used epoxy resin (CNT composite) had a higher antifouling effect at the biofilm maturation stage compared to pristine epoxy resin. Along with a delay in biofilm development, a decrease in biofilm wet weight, thickness, and biovolume was also achieved with the CNT composite compared to epoxy resin and glass (control surfaces). Additionally, biofilms developed on the CNT composite were smoother and presented a lower porosity and a strictly packed structure when compared with those formed on the control surfaces. The novel biofilm parameters obtained from 3D OCT imaging are extremely important when evaluating the biofilm architecture and behavior under different scenarios beyond marine applications

Early Dropout Prediction for Programming Courses Supported by Online Judges

Many educational institutions have been using online judges in programming classes, amongst others, to provide faster feedback for students and to reduce the teacher’s workload. There is some evidence that online judges also help in reducing dropout. Nevertheless, there is still a high level of dropout noticeable in introductory programming classes. In this sense, the objective of this work is to develop and validate a method for predicting student dropout using data from the first two weeks of study, to allow for early intervention. Instead of the classical questionnaire-based method, we opted for a non-subjective, data-driven approach. However, such approaches are known to suffer from a potential overload of factors, which may not all be relevant to the prediction task. As a result, we reached a very promising 80% of accuracy, and performed explicit extraction of the main factors leading to student dropout

Oclusão arteriolar retiniana e a oxigenoterapia hiperbárica

Introdução: A oxigenoterapia hiperbárica (OTHB) consiste na administração de uma fracção inspirada de oxigénio próximo de 100%, num ambiente com uma pressão superior (2,5 atm) a pressão atmosférica a nível do mar. este aumento de pressão irá resultar num aumento da pressão arterial e tecidular de oxigénio, em que o volume de oxigénio dissolvido e transportado pelo plasma, aumenta mais de 22 vezes, o que estará na base da maioria dos efeitos fisiológicos e terapêuticos do oxigénio hiperbárico. O principio de actuação da OTHB na oclusão arteriolar retiniana é o aumento de oxigénio ligado à hemoglobina e fundamentalmente no plasma, com consequentemente aumento da concentração de oxigénio no território vascular da coroideia. De acordo com as recomendações baseadas na evidência cientifica emitidas pelo European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) as doenças oftalmológicas isquémicas agudas têm uma medicação de tipo III-opcional. Objectivos: Avaliar os resultados funcionais e estruturais em doentes com oclusão arteriolar retiniana tratados co OTHB. Métodos: Os autores apresentam os resultados funcionais e estruturais de três doentes submetidos a esta terapêutica, no contexto de oclusão da artéria central da retina (doente 1) da artéria cilio-retiniana (doente 2) e de ramo da artéria central da retina (doente 3). Os casos foram documentados com retinografia e tomografia de coerência óptica de forma seriada. Resultados: Nos casos clínicos apresentados, assistiu-se a uma acentuada melhoria funcional e estrutural. O doente 1 iniciou OTHB às 24 horas de evolução e ocorreu uma melhoria de acuidade visual (AV) de “movimentos de mão” para 0,3, o doente 2 iniciou OTHB às 18 horas de evolução e ocorreu uma melhoria de AV de 0,1 para 0,5; o doente 3 iniciou OTHB às 20 horas de evolução e ocorreu uma melhoria da AV de 0,4 para 1,0 com procura de campo. Conclusão: Embora não existam estudos controlados e aleatorizados que confirmem a eficiência da terapia com oxigénio hiperbárico no tratamento da patologia retiniana oclusiva este pode ser uma alternativa válida, a par do controlo dos factores de risco predisponentes

Holocene evolution of a barrier island system, Ria Formosa, South Portugal

Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system was studied through the examination of a large subsurface dataset acquired from 191 boreholes and five seismic refraction profiles. Two boreholes with total depths of 26 and 16.5 m were selected for a multi-proxy detailed laboratory analysis, including mean grain size distribution, organic matter (OM) content, color variation, shell identification, and benthic foraminifera assemblages. Selected cores are thought to be representative of the identified depositional sub-basins. Subsurface age data from 16 AMS C-14 dated samples were plotted against depth and resulted in a coherent age model of sedimentary infill. The system evolution was largely controlled by sediment availability, accommodation space, and Holocene sea level rise, first at a rapid rate of 7 mm/yr from 10 kcal yr BP to 7.25 kcal yr BP, followed by a slowdown to 1.1 mm/yr until present. A conceptual model for the origin and Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system implies three main steps, leading to the present system geomorphology: (1) marine flooding of incised palaeovalleys by the rapid transgression of palaeovalleys in the early Holocene(2) development of a proto-barrier island chain perched on Pleistocene detritic headlands and steeper interfluve areas during the early to middle Holoceneand (3) full development of the barrier islands chain and enclosing of the coastal lagoon, followed by the maturation of the system with subsequent siltation and salt marsh expansion from the middle Holocene until present. The onset of barrier system formation dates back to ca. 8 kcal yr BP, predating previously proposed age.SIHER project [PTDC/CTE-GIX112236/2009]EU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management (MACOMA) fellowship grant, under University of AlgarveEU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management (MACOMA) fellowship grant, under University of Cadi

Highly conducting bombyx mori silk fibroin-based electrolytes incorporating glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and [Bmim]PF6

Green, transparent and flexible electrolyte films composed of a Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) host biopolymer doped with glycerol (G), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, D) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Bmim]PF6) ionic liquid (IL), were synthesized. The materials were represented by the notation SF@GD@ILx (x = 15, 20 and 30 is the mass ratio of SF/[Bmim]PF6 in %). SF@, SF@G, SF@D and SF@GD samples were also prepared. DMSO was found to play a dual-role, acting as solvent of [Bmim]PF6, and enhancing ionic conductivity. DMSO, alone or combined with [Bmim]PF6, led to the increase of the mean roughness and induced the formation of more ordered Silk II conformations (beta-sheets). No structural modifications were detected in the SF@GD@ILx samples upon increasing the temperature up to 100 degrees C. The highest ionic conductivity was exhibited by the IL-rich sample SF@GD@IL30 (1.07 and 4.61 mS cm(-1), at 22 and 100 degrees C, respectively). In the [Bmim]PF6-doped electrolytes "free" and coordinated PF6- ions coexist. The weight losses occurring below 200 degrees C involved essentially the release of adsorbed water and DMSO. The suitable mechanical properties, high ionic conductivity and good electrochemical stability suggest that these electrolytes are attractive candidates for application in electrochemical devices.Veronica de Zea Bermudez would like to express her gratitude to Professor Michel Armand who, during her PhD thesis at Grenoble (1989-1992), was an endless source of ideas that made her work productive and stimulating. His qualities, as an inspiring and extraordinary scientist, equal his kindness, generosity and great heart. This work was supported by National funds by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/QUI/00686/2018, UID/QUI/00686/2019, UID/QUI/50006/2019 and UID/QUI/00313/2020. The authors thank FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program and National Funds through FCT under the projects PEst-OE/QUI/UI0616/2014, LUMECD (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016884 and PTDC/CTMNAN/0956/2014), UniRCell (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016422 and SAICTPAC/0032/2015), PORPLANTSURF (POCI-01-0145FEDER-029785 and PTDC/CTM-REF/29785/2017), and NORTE01-0145-FEDER-030858. R.F.P.P thanks FCT-UM for the researcher contract in the scope of Decreto-Lei 57/2016 and 57/2017. H.M.R. Goncalves was funded by PTDC/BTM-MAT/30858/2017

New localities and lineages of the Atlas dwarf lizard Atlantolacerta andreanskyi identified using mitochondrial DNA markers

Atlantolacerta andreanskyi (Werner, 1929) is an endemic lizard from the High Atlas Mountains region of Morocco. A previous molecular assessment of this species using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers uncovered extensive genetic diversity with seven lineages indicative of a species complex. A morphological assessment of six of these lineages did not establish simple diagnostic features, and proposed these should be considered as a cryptic species, while highlighting the need for greater sampling across the range. In this study, we sampled 8 individuals from 5 previously unsampled localities and carried out genetic analyses to compare these populations to the known variation. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on mitochondrial DNA markers (12S rRNA and ND4) corroborates the previously described lineages and identified a new one. Interestingly, the two samples that account for this newly identified lineage have been collected from distinct localities – M’goun and Toumliline – that form a sister taxon to the population of Jbel Azourki

Short RNAs Are Transcribed from Repressed Polycomb Target Genes and Interact with Polycomb Repressive Complex-2

Polycomb proteins maintain cell identity by repressing the expression of developmental regulators specific for other cell types. Polycomb repressive complex-2 (PRC2) catalyzes trimethylation of histone H3 lysine-27 (H3K27me3). Although repressed, PRC2 targets are generally associated with the transcriptional initiation marker H3K4me3, but the significance of this remains unclear. Here, we identify a class of short RNAs, ~50–200 nucleotides in length, transcribed from the 5′ end of polycomb target genes in primary T cells and embryonic stem cells. Short RNA transcription is associated with RNA polymerase II and H3K4me3, occurs in the absence of mRNA transcription, and is independent of polycomb activity. Short RNAs form stem-loop structures resembling PRC2 binding sites in Xist, interact with PRC2 through SUZ12, cause gene repression in cis, and are depleted from polycomb target genes activated during cell differentiation. We propose that short RNAs play a role in the association of PRC2 with its target genes.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant HG002668)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant NS055923