Diverse Origins Research Articles

The Gramophone Industry and Chinese Records in Pre-war Singapore: Global Network and Local Consumption

Abstract This paper presents the history of the gramophone industry and Chinese records in pre-war Singapore, through exploring the position of Singapore in the global commercial networks of transnational gramophone enterprises, and the local consumption of Chinese music records. At the turn of the twentieth century, the emergence of gramophone companies in the United States and European countries enabled Chinese opera and music in different regional languages to be manufactured into records, and consumed as commodities by Chinese communities all around the globe. Shaped by multiple routes of trade and cultural connections, the Chinese records sold in Singapore were of diverse historical origins and regional languages that catered to the different Chinese dialect groups. By the 1920s and 1930s, the popularization of gramophones and Chinese records had engendered an unprecedented sonic experience in Singapore.

Design, structural, spectral, DFT and analytical studies of novel nano-palladium schiff base complex

A novel nano-palladium (II) Schiff base complex (C1) is synthesized by the reaction between palladium chloride and the Schiff base N, N’-1, 2-phenylene) bis (3 -aminobenzamide (A1). The prepared compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). A combined solvent sublation-ICP OES methodology has been studied for the preconcentration, separation and determination of trace palladium (II) in media of diverse origin using the Schiff base ligand (A1). The different experimental variables that affect the sublation efficiency (S, %) were thoroughly investigated viz.: pH of sample solution; amounts of A1, Pd (II) and TBAB; type and amounts of surfactants, types of organic solvent, temperature and stirring time. The method involves the determination of trace palladium (II) after selective separation by solvent sublation, thus eliminating the effect of foreign ions and increasing the sensitivity. Also, palladium is determined directly in the organic phase, which decreases the determination time and its loss during determination. At optimum conditions, the linear range of Pd (II) was 10.0–100.0 ngmL−1. The coefficient of determination, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.9943, 21.29 ngL−1 and 64.5 ngL−1, respectively. This sublation method was applied to real samples and recoveries of more than 95% were obtained in the spiked samples with a preconcentration factor of 100. The mechanism of solvent sublatation of the TBA.[PdII-(A1)2] ion pairs is discussed. The computational studying was estimated to approve the geometry of the isolated solid compounds.

Metabolic fate of black raspberry polyphenols in association with gut microbiota of different origins in vitro

Polyphenols, ubiquitous in plant-originated foods, exhibit multifarious health benefits but are notorious for their low bioavailability. As the majority of polyphenols enter the colon where they are metabolized into the more bioavailable metabolites with multifarious bioactivities, gut microbiota composition is critical for realizing the health benefits of polyphenols. Black raspberries (BRB) are highly abundant in health-promoting but poorly absorbable polyphenols, primarily ellagitannins and anthocyanins. This study aimed to dissect the bilateral interactions between polyphenols and gut microbiotas of diverse origins. Using an optimized extraction procedure, BRB polyphenols were first comprehensively characterized by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Next, in vitro anaerobic fermentations with microbiota from human adults, infants, rats, and mice were conducted for comparison of phenolic profile (by metabolomics) and microbiota composition (by 16S rDNA sequencing) before and after fermentation. Bioinformatics analysis further revealed unique polyphenol-microbiota interactions and identified several bacterial species that could potentially produce bioactive and bioavailable phenolic metabolites following BRB consumption.

A drug delivery system constructed by a fusion peptide capturing exosomes targets to titanium implants accurately resulting the enhancement of osseointegration peri-implant

BackgroundExosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC-exos) have been shown triggering osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of MSCs, but exosomes administered via bolus injections are rapidly sequestered and cleared. Therefore, we considered the implant as a new organ of patient’s body and expected to find a method to treat implant with BMSC-exos in vivo directly.MethodsA fusion peptide (PEP), as a drug delivery system (DDS) which contained a titanium-binding peptide (TBP) possessing the ability to selectively bind to the titanium surface and another peptide CP05 being able to capture exosomes expertly, is constructed to modify the titanium surface.ResultsBoth in vitro and in vivo experiments prove PEP retains the ability to bind titanium and exosome simultaneously, and the DDS gain the ability to target exosomes to titanium implants surface following enhancing osseointegration post-implantation. Moreover, the DDS constructed by exosomes of diverse origins shows the similar combination rate and efficiency of therapy.ConclusionThis drug delivery system demonstrates the concept that EXO-PEP system can offer an accurate and efficient therapy for treating implants with long-term effect.

A crustal LVZ in Iceland revealed by ambient noise multimodal surface wave tomography

The crustal low-velocity zone (LVZ), an important anomaly found in some regional structures of Iceland, is still absent in the Icelandic average velocity structure due to limitations of tomography methods. Using stations from the HOTSPOT experiment and other supplemental stations throughout Iceland, we apply the frequency-Bessel transform method (F-J method) to extract the first two mode dispersion curves from ambient noise data. We obtain an average S-wave velocity (Vs) model of Iceland down to 120 km depth, where two LVZs at depths of 12–22 km and below 55 km are found. The shallow LVZ, whose rationalities are justified using theoretical dispersion curves of certain models to recover themselves, may improve the understanding of the Icelandic average crust. Furthermore, our model shows better representativeness by comparing travel time residuals of the primary wave between observed and synthetic data predicted using different average velocity models. Based on the variations of the Vs gradient, the Icelandic crust with an average thickness of 32 km is divided into the upper crust (0–10 km), middle crust (10–22 km), and lower crust (22–32 km). The asthenosphere starts from the deeper LVZ at 55 km depth, potentially indicating the relatively concentrated melt in this depth range. In this study, crustal LVZs are revealed both in a volcanic active zone and a non-volcanic zone, which may also suggest the LVZ in the average model has more complex origins than the high-temperature zone beneath the central volcanoes. The prevalent thick-cold crustal model of Iceland, considered to rule out the existence of a broad region of partial melt in the crust, also strengthens the possibility of diverse origins. The variations in petrology may also contribute to the crustal LVZ in the average model.

Sustainable sample preparation method based on hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvents. Chemometric tools and green metrics for ibuprofen in groundwater

A sustainable sample preparation based on Hydrophobic Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent was developed and validated. 12 NADES were designed and characterized by FT-IR. The optimal H-NADES selected for extracting ibuprofen from groundwater samples was based on lactic acid and thymol. The variables affecting ibuprofen extraction yields were optimized following green chemistry criteria: the number of exploratory assays was minimized using a Box-Behnken experimental design. The optimal conditions were: 5 mL groundwater, acetic acid 1 % (v/v), 10 mg mL−1 of NaCl, 500 µL Thymol Lactic acid NADES 1:3.1. FT-IR analysis was carried out to characterize the NADES-forming constituents and the eutectic solvent formed, demonstrating that H bonds are the driving forces for the formation of the eutectic system.The resulting analytical parameters for water samples were recoveries of 94.70–97.90 %, and limits of quantification and detection of 2.02 and 6.14 ng mL−1, respectively. The Enhancement Factor obtained for the present methodology was 20. The precision of the proposed analytical method was measured in terms of RSD values ​​and did not exceed 2.30 %. The matrix effect was evaluated in water samples of diverse origins, showing no signal suppression. The greenness of the methodology was evaluated using the AGREE and AGREEprep softwares, obtaining 0.64 and 0.67, respectively, turning out to be greener than other similar procedures reported. In this sense, H-NADES for replacing the traditional solvents defines a greener sample preparation methodology.

Geotechnical Characterization and Stabilization of Gully Erosion Soils at Auchi, Anambra Basin Southeastern Nigeria

Gully erosion is a severe ecological concern in Auchi and its environs, which has led to destruction of lives and properties. Termite reworked soils have been observed to possess improved engineering properties and have over the years been used to improve soil properties. This research therefore seeks to mitigate the effects of the erosion by stabilizing the gully soils using termite-reworked soils of different genetically diverse origins. Soils from gully walls and beds from two gully erosion sites in the Auchi area and termite-reworked soils from different geological terrains were sampled. All the soils were analyzed for the determination of natural moisture content, grain size analyses, and Atterberg limits. The gully soil samples were thereafter compacted with termite-reworked soils at optimum blending ratio ranging between 27 to 50% by weight gotten through an arithmetic method by adopting grading limits for soil-aggregate mixtures. Shear strength parameters were determined on the compacted soils at OMC. The results revealed that the gully soil is non-plastic unconsolidated poorly graded sand with uniformity coefficient between (1.70-2.50), coefficient of curvature (0.77-1.15), natural moisture content between (4.00-9.00), while the termite reworked soils of both terrains are fairly graded inorganic soil of low to medium plasticity composed of kaolinite as the dominant clay mineral, indicating non-swelling and shrinkage potentials. Both termite-reworked soils are classified as lean clay soils, indicative of their suitable binding properties. The gully soils possess low maximum dry density showing the soils are unconsolidated and friable while the effect of the stabilization increases the MDD and reduces the OMC. Pre-stabilized gully soils have an average cohesion value of 15.5 KN/m2 indicating a very loose soil while the SBT (Sedimentary base termitarium) stabilized gully soil and the BCT (Basement complex termitarium) stabilized gully soil have an average cohesion value of 51.3 KN/m2 and 57.3 KN/m2 indicating the presence of binding material. Conclusively, blending of gully soil with termite-reworked soils significantly enhanced the cohesion between the grain particles of the gully soils, improved its strength and can thus help prevent gully.

Stem rust on barberry species in Europe: Host specificities and genetic diversity.

The increased emergence of cereal stem rust in southern and western Europe, caused by the pathogen Puccinia graminis, and the prevalence of alternate (sexual) host, Berberis species, have regained attention as the sexual host may serve as source of novel pathogen variability that may pose a threat to cereal supply. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the functional role of Berberis species in the current epidemiological situation of cereal stem rust in Europe. Surveys in 11 European countries were carried out from 2018 to 2020, where aecial infections from five barberry species were collected. Phylogenetic analysis of 121 single aecial clusters of diverse origin using the elongation factor 1-α gene indicated the presence of different special forms (aka formae speciales) of P. graminis adapted to different cereal and grass species. Inoculation studies using aecial clusters from Spain, United Kingdom, and Switzerland resulted in 533 stem rust isolates sampled from wheat, barley, rye, and oat, which confirmed the presence of multiple special forms of P. graminis. Microsatellite marker analysis of a subset of 192 sexually-derived isolates recovered on wheat, barley and rye from the three populations confirmed the generation of novel genetic diversity revealed by the detection of 135 multilocus genotypes. Discriminant analysis of principal components resulted in four genetic clusters, which grouped at both local and country level. Here, we demonstrated that a variety of Berberis species may serve as functional alternate hosts for cereal stem rust fungi and highlights the increased risks that the sexual cycle may pose to cereal production in Europe, which calls for new initiatives within rust surveillance, epidemiological research and resistance breeding.

On the History of the Princeton University Library Collection of Islamic Manuscripts

Abstract Princeton University’s collection of Islamic manuscripts is by far the largest collection of its kind in the Western hemisphere and one of the most valuable collections in the world. It consists of some 13,500 manuscripts with diverse origins in public and private libraries from the Western to the Eastern Islamic lands. The collection is not only notable for its size and diversity, but also its quality, containing a large number of autograph and otherwise unique manuscripts. Despite its importance, its histories and provenances have not been the subject of an in-depth study. This paper begins to fill this lacuna. Drawing on a number of previously unstudied archival and documentary sources, including personal correspondence and paratextual manuscript notes, the article traces the development of the sub-collections, studies the collectors who built them, their methods and sources, and tells the stories of their collections’ journeys to Princeton.

IfCNV: A novel isolation-forest-based package to detect copy-number variations from various targeted NGS datasets

Copy-number variations (CNVs) are an essential component of genetic variation distributed across large parts of the human genome. CNV detection from next-generation sequencing data and artificial intelligence algorithms have progressed in recent years. However, only a few tools have taken advantage of machine-learning algorithms for CNV detection, and none propose using artificial intelligence to automatically detect probable CNV-positive samples. The most developed approach is to use a reference or normal dataset to compare with the samples of interest, and it is well known that selecting appropriate normal samples represents a challenging task that dramatically influences the precision of results in all CNV-detecting tools. With careful consideration of these issues, we propose here ifCNV, a new software based on isolation forests that creates its own reference, available in R and python with customizable parameters. ifCNV combines artificial intelligence using two isolation forests and a comprehensive scoring method to faithfully detect CNVs among various samples. It was validated using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) datasets from diverse origins (capture and amplicon, germline and somatic), and it exhibits high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. ifCNV is a publicly available open-source software (https://github.com/SimCab-CHU/ifCNV) that allows the detection of CNVs in many clinical situations.

Molecular analysis of Annexin expression in cancer

BackgroundUptake of apoptotic cells induces a tolerogenic phenotype in phagocytes and promotes peripheral tolerance. The highly conserved Annexin core domain, present in all members of the Annexin family, becomes exposed on the apoptotic cell-surface and triggers tolerogenic signalling in phagocytes via the Dectin-1 receptor. Consequently, Annexins exposed on tumour cells upon cell death are expected to induce tolerance towards tumour antigens, inhibiting tumour rejection.MethodsExpression analysis for all Annexin family members was conducted in cancer cell lines of diverse origins. Presentation of Annexins on the cell surface during apoptosis of cancer cell lines was investigated using surface washes and immunoblotting. Expression data from the GEO database was analysed to compare Annexin levels between malignant and healthy tissue.ResultsSix Annexins at least were consistently detected on mRNA and protein level for each investigated cell line. AnxA1, AnxA2 and AnxA5 constituted the major part of total Annexin expression. All expressed Annexins translocated to the cell surface upon apoptosis induction in all cell lines. Human expression data indicate a correlation between immune infiltration and overall Annexin expression in malignant compared to healthy tissue.ConclusionsThis study is the first comprehensive analysis of expression, distribution and presentation of Annexins in cancer.

Unveiling Mycoviromes Using Fungal Transcriptomes.

Viruses infecting fungi are referred to as mycoviruses. Here, we carried out in silico mycovirome studies using public fungal transcriptomes mostly derived from mRNA libraries. We identified 468 virus-associated contigs assigned to 5 orders, 21 families, 26 genera, and 88 species. We assembled 120 viral genomes with diverse RNA and DNA genomes. The phylogenetic tree and genome organization unveiled the possible host origin of mycovirus species and diversity of their genome structures. Most identified mycoviruses originated from fungi; however, some mycoviruses had strong phylogenetic relationships with those from insects and plants. The viral abundance and mutation frequency of mycoviruses were very low; however, the compositions and populations of mycoviruses were very complex. Although coinfection of diverse mycoviruses in the fungi was common in our study, most mycoviromes had a dominant virus species. The compositions and populations of mycoviruses were more complex than we expected. Viromes of Monilinia species revealed that there were strong deviations in the composition of viruses and viral abundance among samples. Viromes of Gigaspora species showed that the chemical strigolactone might promote virus replication and mutations, while symbiosis with endobacteria might suppress virus replication and mutations. This study revealed the diversity and host distribution of mycoviruses.

Gene expression profiles of specific chicken skeletal muscles

The chicken provides large amounts of protein for the human diet and is also used as a model organism for biomedical research. Increasing meat production is an important goal in the poultry industry and skeletal muscles have highly diverse origins, shapes, metabolic features, and physical functions. Previous gene expression atlases have largely ignored the differences among diverse types of skeletal muscles; therefore, comprehensive transcriptional maps of all skeletal muscles are needed to improve meat production traits. In this study, we sequenced 58 samples from 10 different skeletal muscles of 42-day-old White Plymouth Rock chickens. We also measured myofiber diameter and generated myofiber-type datasets of these 10 tissues. We generated 418.4 Gb high-quality bulk RNA-Seq data from four or six biological replicates of each skeletal muscle (four replicates from extraocular samples) (approximately 7.4 Gb per sample). This dataset provides valuable information for understanding the muscle fiber characteristics of White Plymouth Rock chickens. Furthermore, our data can be used as a model for heterogeneity analysis between tissues with similar properties.

A novel gene signature unveils three distinct immune-metabolic rewiring patterns conserved across diverse tumor types and associated with outcomes.

Existing immune signatures and tumor mutational burden have only modest predictive capacity for the efficacy of immune check point inhibitors. In this study, we developed an immune-metabolic signature suitable for personalized ICI therapies. A classifier using an immune-metabolic signature (IMMETCOLS) was developed on a training set of 77 metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) samples and validated on 4,200 tumors from the TCGA database belonging to 11 types. Here, we reveal that the IMMETCOLS signature classifies tumors into three distinct immune-metabolic clusters. Cluster 1 displays markers of enhanced glycolisis, hexosamine byosinthesis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. On multivariate analysis, cluster 1 tumors were enriched in pro-immune signature but not in immunophenoscore and were associated with the poorest median survival. Its predicted tumor metabolic features suggest an acidic-lactate-rich tumor microenvironment (TME) geared to an immunosuppressive setting, enriched in fibroblasts. Cluster 2 displays features of gluconeogenesis ability, which is needed for glucose-independent survival and preferential use of alternative carbon sources, including glutamine and lipid uptake/β-oxidation. Its metabolic features suggest a hypoxic and hypoglycemic TME, associated with poor tumor-associated antigen presentation. Finally, cluster 3 is highly glycolytic but also has a solid mitochondrial function, with concomitant upregulation of glutamine and essential amino acid transporters and the pentose phosphate pathway leading to glucose exhaustion in the TME and immunosuppression. Together, these findings suggest that the IMMETCOLS signature provides a classifier of tumors from diverse origins, yielding three clusters with distinct immune-metabolic profiles, representing a new predictive tool for patient selection for specific immune-metabolic therapeutic approaches.

Nature and origin of anorthosite enclaves within Proterozoic granite of Chotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex of Eastern India

The Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ) is a Proterozoic suture along which the Northern and Southern Indian Blocks are inferred to have amalgamated, forming the Greater Indian Landmass. The Chotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex (CGGC) represents the eastern extension of the CITZ and exposes several granite plutons. Enclaves of diverse origin are present as minor constituents within these granitic bodies. This study reports new major and trace element data for anorthosite enclaves hosted within granites in the Pattharkatti and Rajgir area from the northern margin of CGGC to get modern insights into the petrogenesis of anorthosites. Anorthosite enclaves show sharp contact with the host granite. They contain cumulus plagioclase (An87–94), intercumulus amphibole (magnesiohornblende and ferrotschermakite), and biotite (Mg-biotite and phlogopite) along with minor iron oxides. Amphibole crystallization pressure and temperature are constrained between 0.5 and 6.4 kbar and 653–780°C for the anorthosites. The studied anorthosites display a very gradual and steady increase in whole-rock rare earth element (REE) contents from Lu to La [(La/Yb)N = 1.22–13.08]. They also show a sharp decline in Fe2O3(t) and MgO, whereas Al2O3 increases with increasing silica contents from 45.69 to 51.16 wt%. In the chondrite normalized REE diagram, plagioclase exhibits LREE enriched patterns with strong positive Eu anomaly. The composition of parental liquid for anorthosite from the study area was estimated by adopting the equilibrium distribution method. Parental melt curves from Sm to La are near parallel and constrained broadly between trapped melt fractions (TMF) = ∼5%–15%. Anorthosites of the study area may have formed from the plagioclase-saturated basaltic melt.

Genetic diversification of an invasive honey bee ectoparasite across sympatric and allopatric host populations.

Invasive parasites are major threats to biodiversity. The honey bee ectoparasite, Varroa destructor, has shifted host and spread almost globally several decades ago. This pest is generally considered to be the main global threat to Western honey bees, Apis mellifera, although the damages it causes are not equivalent in all its new host's populations. Due to the high virulence of this parasite and the viruses it vectors, beekeepers generally rely on acaricide treatments to keep their colonies alive. However, some populations of A. mellifera can survive without anthropogenic mite control, through the expression of diverse resistance and tolerance traits. Such surviving colonies are currently found throughout the globe, with the biggest populations being found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Recently, genetic differences between mite populations infesting surviving and treated A. mellifera colonies in Europe were found, suggesting that adaptations of honey bees drive mite evolution. Yet, the prevalence of such co-evolutionary adaptations in other invasive populations of V. destructor remain unknown. Using the previous data from Europe and novel genetic data from V. destructor populations in South America and Africa, we here investigated whether mites display signs of adaptations to different host populations of diverse origins and undergoing differing management. Our results show that, contrary to the differences previously documented in Europe, mites infesting treated and untreated honey bee populations in Africa and South America are genetically similar. However, strong levels of genetic differentiation were found when comparing mites across continents, suggesting ongoing allopatric speciation despite a recent spread from genetically homogenous lineages. This study provides novel insights into the co-evolution of V. destructor and A. mellifera, and confirms that these species are ideal to investigate coevolution in newly established host-parasite systems.

Structure and functions of Aggregation-Induced Emission-Photosensitizers in anticancer and antimicrobial theranostics.

Photosensitizers with Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) can allow the efficient light-mediated generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) based on their complex molecular structure, while interacting with living cells. They achieve better tissue targeting and allow penetration of different wavelengths of Ultraviolet-Visible-Infrared irradiation. Not surprisingly, they are useful for fluorescence image-guided Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) against cancers of diverse origin. AIE-photosensitizers can also function as broad spectrum antimicrobials, capable of destroying the outer wall of microbes such as bacteria or fungi without the issues of drug resistance, and can also bind to viruses and deactivate them. Often, they exhibit poor solubility and cellular toxicity, which compromise their theranostic efficacy. This could be circumvented by using suitable nanomaterials for improved biological compatibility and cellular targeting. Such dual-function AIE-photosensitizers nanoparticles show unparalleled precision for image-guided detection of tumors as well as generation of ROS for targeted PDT in living systems, even while using low power visible light. In short, the development of AIE-photosensitizer nanoparticles could be a better solution for light-mediated destruction of unwanted eukaryotic cells and selective elimination of prokaryotic pathogens, although, there is a dearth of pre-clinical and clinical data in the literature.

Using human urinary extracellular vesicles to study physiological and pathophysiological states and regulation of the sodium chloride cotransporter.

The thiazide-sensitive sodium chloride cotransporter (NCC), expressed in the renal distal convoluted tubule, plays a major role in Na+, Cl- and K+ homeostasis and blood pressure as exemplified by the symptoms of patients with non-functional NCC and Gitelman syndrome. NCC activity is modulated by a variety of hormones, but is also influenced by the extracellular K+ concentration. The putative “renal-K+ switch” mechanism is a relatively cohesive model that links dietary K+ intake to NCC activity, and may offer new targets for blood pressure control. However, a remaining hurdle for full acceptance of this model is the lack of human data to confirm molecular findings from animal models. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have attracted attention from the scientific community due to their potential roles in intercellular communication, disease pathogenesis, drug delivery and as possible reservoirs of biomarkers. Urinary EVs (uEVs) are an excellent sample source for the study of physiology and pathology of renal, urothelial and prostate tissues, but the diverse origins of uEVs and their dynamic molecular composition present both methodological and data interpretation challenges. This review provides a brief overview of the state-of-the-art, challenges and knowledge gaps in current uEV-based analyses, with a focus on the application of uEVs to study the “renal-K+ switch” and NCC regulation. We also provide recommendations regarding biospecimen handling, processing and reporting requirements to improve experimental reproducibility and interoperability towards the realisation of the potential of uEV-derived biomarkers in hypertension and clinical practice.

Palpebral Tumors: A Retrospective, Epidemiological, Clinical And Therapeutic Study: About 16 Cases

The eyelid has the characteristic of containing tissues of very diverse origins in a small volume. All these tissues can degenerate in a malignant or benign way with a benign majority. The orbito-palpebral tumors are characterized by a histological diversity due to the architectural complexity of the orbito-palpebral region. Our study consists in an epidemiological, histological, therapeutic and evolutionary analysis of these carcinomas through a retrospective study extended over a period between April 2021 and March 2022, regrouping 16 patients with eyelid tumors operated in the department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Center for Burned Patients, CHU Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima. The age of our patients varies between 8 and 80 years with an average age of 62.37 years with a clear male predominance. The rural origin represented (68.75%) and the majority was exposed to the sun. All regions of the eyelid were involved with a concentration of lesions in the upper eyelid (75%). Basal cell carcinoma is the most frequent histological type (75%), followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (18.75%). The macroscopic appearance of the carcinomas was ulcerated in the majority of cases (47.22%). Tumor excision was the therapeutic rule in all our patients, respecting a margin of safety adapted to the histological type and the tumor size. Exenteration has been performed on 13 patients. The repair procedure was adapted to the site and extent of the substance loss. Reconstruction involved locoregional flaps in 63% of cases. Adjuvant radiotherapy was required in 5 patients. The evolution was favorable with a spectacular regression of the clinical signs.

Discrimination meets interculturalism in theory, policy and practice

AbstractDiscrimination of immigrants and racialized minorities as the Roma is increasing in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Different policy approaches to diversity management tackle this issue differently, both in terms of recognizing ethnic discrimination as a key obstacle to integration and in terms of defining the ideal forms of conviviality in superdiverse societies. In this special issue, we focus on interculturalism as a policy approach to diversity management that is applied mainly at the city level in numerous countries. It is expected to foster social cohesion and counteract racism and discrimination of immigrants and ethnic minorities, which makes anti‐discrimination a central part of its DNA. However, policies and measures to efficiently address ethnic/racial discrimination and the inequalities it produces have not been salient within the intercultural framework. This article, which defines the conceptual framework of the special issue, focuses on the ways in which discrimination and interculturalism are closely linked. We argue that discrimination is a central factor hindering the egalitarian forms of contact between people of diverse origins that are fundamental for the intercultural ideals of positive interethnic conviviality.