bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pengembangan metode penilaian indikator transportasi berkelanjutan di Indonesia
Authors: Frazila Russ Bona , Zukhruf Febri , Nugroho Taufiq Suryo , Karsaman Rudy Hermawan , Rahman Harmein
Published: June 2021

Kegiatan ekonomi di suatu kawasan perlu ditunjang oleh mobilitas yang tinggi namun tetap efisien. Hal tersebut dapat diwujudkan dengan pengembangan sistem transportasi berkelanjutan di suatu kawasan. Sistem transportasi yang berkelanjutan memastikan bahwa sumber daya yang digunakan untuk melakukan mobilitas pada saat ini tidak akan menimbulkan dampak negatif bagi generasi yang akan datang. Makalah ini mengusulkan metode penilaikan indikator transportasi berkelanjutan di Indonesia dan membagi indikator transportasi berkelanjutan menjadi tiga pilar: ekonomi, sosial, dan lingkungan. Selain itu makalah ini mengusulkan metode perhitungan indikator transportasi berkelanjutan untuk 2 jenis kawasan: kawasan perkotaan, dan kawasan antar kota. Metode perhitungan indeks ini kemudian diaplikasikan untuk menghitung indeks transportasi berkelanjutan di kawasan kota-kota provinsi Jawa Barat. Untuk kawasan antar kota, perhitungan indeks untuk provinsi Jawa Barat kemudian dibandingkan dengan 4 provinsi lain di Indonesia dengan karakter yang hampir sama yaitu: Sumatera Utara, Banten, Jawa Tengah, dan Jawa Timur.
Kommunale Ordnungsdienste
Authors: Balzer Christoph
Published: June 2021

Das Buch hat sich in kurzer Zeit zu einem Standardwerk für Kommunale Ordnungsdienste in Deutschland entwickelt.

Im weiteren Verlauf des Buches werden die Eingriffsmaßnahmen des Ordnungs- bzw. Polizeirechtes und die Maßnahmen der Strafprozessordnung im Rahmen des Ordnungswidrigkeitenverfahrens dargestellt.

Behandelt werden zudem wichtige Rechtsgebiete, die die Schnittmenge der Aufgaben von Kommunalen Ordnungsdiensten in Deutschland bilden. Darunter zählen unter anderem das Jugendschutzrecht, das Verkehrsrecht, das Gewerberecht, das Umweltrecht und das Waffenrecht. Praxisbeispiele veranschaulichen dabei themenbezogen die rechtlichen Ausführungen. Sind Landesgesetze in dem Aufgabengebiet betroffen, stellt der Autor die länderspezifischen Regelungen detailliert und übersichtlich dar. An der ein oder anderen Stelle im Buch gibt der Autor Praxistipps aus seiner vielfältigen beruflichen Erfahrung.

Im zweiten Abschnitt des Buches erläutert der Autor mögliche Strukturen und Ideen, wie ein Kommunaler Ordnungsdienst aufgebaut, in die Strukturen einer Kommune eingegliedert, ausgebildet und ausgestattet werden kann.

Das Buch dient als Grundlagenwerk und ist sowohl für neue Mitarbeiter in Vollzugsdiensten als auch für Praxiserfahrene oder Mitarbeitende in den Kommunalverwaltungen empfehlenswert.

Es bietet einen Überblick über die rechtlichen Voraussetzungen von Kommunalen Ordnungsdiensten in allen Bundesländern sowie die daraus resultierenden Eingriffsbefugnisse im Ordnungs- bzw. Polizeirecht und dem Ordnungswidrigkeitenrecht.

Christoph Balzer sammelte reichhaltige Erfahrungen als Polizeibeamter, Abteilungs- und Fachdienstleiter in Ordnungsämtern. In Baden-Württemberg konzipierte er federführend, unter Mitwirkung von großen Kommunen, einen landeseinheitlichen Fortbildungslehrgang für Kommunale Ordnungsdienste. Auch hält er an kommunalen Fortbildungsinstituten in mehreren Bundesländern Seminare im Ordnungsrecht ab.
Stadtfinanzen - alte Probleme und neue Herausforderungen
Authors: Schwarting Gunnar
Published: June 2021

Fragen und Probleme aus dem Finanzbereich beschäftigen die Kommunen tagtäglich.
Das Buch gibt einen Überblick über die Finanzthemen, mit denen sich die Kommunen in der heutigen Zeit vor allem auseinandersetzen müssen. Das Themenspektrum deckt die Covid-19-Pandemie und den Finanzausgleich ebenso ab wie den demografischen Wandel, die interkommunale Zusammenarbeit, die Fragestellung "Make or Buy", die Digitalisierung, die Haushaltskonsolidierung und den Bürokratieabbau.
Die Beiträge in diesem Band wenden sich an in der Kommunalpolitik Aktive ebenso wie an eine interessierte Öffentlichkeit. Die Ausführungen sollen vor allem dazu dienen, Probleme und Herausforderungen für die (finanzielle) Entwicklung von Städten, Gemeinden und Kreisen zu verstehen.

Gunnar Schwarting war Beigeordneter und Stadtkämmerer sowie Geschäftsführer des Städtetages Rheinland-Pfalz; zurzeit ist er als Honorarprofessor an der Deutschen Universität für Verwaltungswissenschaften Speyer tätig.
Influência de ondas de calor no desempenho agronômico do feijão no município de Campos Novos, em Santa Catarina
Authors: Minuzzi Rosandro Boligon , Pickius Eduardo
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of heat waves on the agronomic performance of beans in the municipality of Campos Novos, in Santa Catarina State, Brazil located in Southern Brazil. Daily data of maximum, minimum temperatures and rainfall from 1997 to 2011 from the Meteorological Station of Campos Novos were used. The data were analyzed in the Aquacrop 6.0 software to determine the cycle duration, biomass, yield and water use efficiency through evapotranspiration. In the three harvest years evaluated, it can be observed that heat waves tend to decrease cycle duration from one to three days and bean yield to 333kg/ha. The effects of heat waves on biomass production and on the efficiency of bean water use were uncertain because they may be linked to other constraints.
Análise da Variabilidade Temporal da Precipitação na Cidade de Florianópolis/SC
Authors: Barcellos Deise Rodrigues , Wolf Mônica Aparecida Dias , Sanches Sérgio Roberto , Quadro Mário Francisco Leal de
Published: June 2021

The excess or deficiency of precipitation directly affects environmental conditions, influencing society and its various economic sectors. This study analyzes the variability of precipitation in Florianópolis / SC, using the Rain Anomaly Index (RAI). To identify possible changes in the precipitation pattern, non-parametric tests are performed with a 5% significance and linear regression with a 95% confidence level in the data from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) during the period 1979 to 2017. The results show that the most of the positive (negative) precipitation indexes correspond to the years of the warm (cold) phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and with the highest frequency of El Niño (La Niña) events. Annual time series indicate a decline in precipitation. It is also observed: (i) a small tendency to reduce rainfall in summer, autumn and winter; (ii) a significant tendency to reduce rainfall in the spring (61.4 mm in the period) and (iii) a reduction of 7.9 mm / year and a total of 308.6 mm in the period. It can be infer that rainfall totals in the months of greatest convective warming are decreasing in recent years due to the reduction in the number of rainy days or extreme rainfall.
A survey on the safety system maturity levels of electronics manufacturers in South Korea
Authors: Shim Joo , Park Jeong , Lee Jung , Park Dal , Lim Jae-Yong
Published: June 2021

The main objective is to identify the level of advancement of safety systems in various levels of smart factories. Smart level verification systems are being implemented in Korea, but safety systems are not paying much attention to smart factory level checks. Using a checklist, nine Korean electronics manufacturing enterprises checked their level of safety system. The checklist consists of 142 items, which were divided into four dimensions (laws and certifications, safety designs and configurations at the facilities, safety devices and guards, and maintenance and training). As a result, a high-ranked enterprise in smart factory level showed excellence in the safety system maturity level as well. Compared to the level of the company's smart factory, the level of advancement of safety systems has been confirmed to be lower.
Geotechnical monitoring during construction in difficult soil conditions
Authors: Bredikhin Vladimir , Khaustov Vladimir , Melkumov Dmitriy
Published: June 2021

One of the common and at the same time most difficult problems that developers may face is unstable soil layer at the base of a future building. This paper describes problems of construction on weak, subsidence and heaving soils in engineering and geological conditions of Kursk city. Real problem of construction property safety is shown with the example of one of the demanding geomorphological and lithological conditions of urban areas. The paper offers a description of geologic and hydrogeological features of the slope rock mass in the right bank of the Tuskar river. Groundwater level lies at 8.7 m. depth. It is possible to predict an increase in the level of groundwater in building maintenance because this area is potentially flooded. Various engineering and geological processes and such phenomena as ground subsidence, Karst, suffosia, landslides, flooding, etc., can also be found in the studied territory. Initially an insufficient engineering-geomorphological, hydrogeological, ecological and engineering-geological study of hazardous areas in the city of Kursk have led to its problematic development, which illustrates the situation with residential real estate in the studied territory. To predict dangerous engineering-geological processes and ensure the reliability of the construction fund, specific proposals have been developed for the organization of a geotechnical monitoring system based on the optimal integration of geomorphological, geodesic, engineering-geological, hydrogeological and environmental construction methods in complex engineering-geological conditions.
Measurement and evaluation of the earth's magnetic field parameters using the ECUADOR-UTE small cameras (HC1PX)
Authors: Dobroserdov Oleg , Frolov Sergey , Schitov Aleksey , Semenova Ludmila
Published: June 2021

The paper deals with the use of the small spacecraft Ecuador-UTE (HC1PX) designed to conduct space experiments in autonomous flight conditions and, in particular, to measure the Earth's electromagnetic field and study the ionosphere. The spacecraft has a built-in target load module, including a precision magnetometer that measures the Earth's magnetic field. The measurement results are used to study the properties and state of the circumterranean environment including magnetic anomalies. The latter may indicate certain tectonic structures in the sedimentary stratum, which are indicators of oil and gas, and magnetic pole displacement processes. Measurement results can also be used for prediction and forecasting efforts in anomalous zones. The compiled analytical dependences for the anomalous zones can serve as a forecasting device when studying the magnetic tension of the Earth's geographic regions by means of a spacecraft. Measuring the magnetic anomalies of the Earth's surface is should prove necessary for factoring them in and developing national industries.
Seakeeping and the Sailing Yachtsman
Authors: Compton Roger , Johnson Bruce , Van Duyne Carl
Published: June 2021

Waves cause undesireable forces and motions in yachts which vary in severity from mildly uncomfortable to catastrophic. The problems created by waves are receiving serious and increasingly analytical attention from the naval architects who design oceangoing ships. Many of the physical phenomena and engineering principles used to describe and analyze ship seakeeping performance are applicable to the sailing yacht. Discussion and explanation of such phenomena and principles are the subjects of this paper.
On the Probabilities of Environmental Extremes
Authors: Kedem Benjamin , Stauffer Ryan M. , Zhang Xuze , Pyne Saumyadipta
Published: June 2021

Environmental researchers, as well as epidemiologists, often encounter the problem of determining the probability of exceeding a high threshold of a variable of interest based on observations that are much smaller than the threshold. Moreover, the data available for that task may only be of moderate size. This generic problem is addressed by repeatedly fusing the real data numerous times with synthetic computer-generated samples. The threshold probability of interest is approximated by certain subsequences created by an iterative algorithm that gives precise estimates. The method is illustrated using environmental data including monitoring data of nitrogen dioxide levels in the air
How to Tell the Story?
Authors: Henriksen Lars Bo
Published: June 2021

In this paper I investigate the problems of data collection, data analysis and the final communication of the results of our research, when doing social science that we, ourselves, are part of. Central to this are the concepts life world, language games and stories and narratives. How do we collect stories and narratives in the field, how do we construct scientific narratives that are both reliable and valid? And finally, how do we, as researchers present our newly constructed narrative to a – hopefully – interested audience? That is, how do you, as a consumer of scientific narratives, read what I have been writing? Finally, I will discuss the problem of handing over research results to the people that we are doing research with. This is all done within a framework of a pragmatic constructivist paradigm.
Actor-Reality Construction – A pragmatic constructivist approach to management and accounting
Authors: Nørreklit Hanne
Published: June 2021

This article elaborates on the profile of the Research Group for Actor-Reality Construction, addresses the scope of ProPraCon, and discusses emerging research themes within pragmatic constructivism.
Methodologies for using performance measurement
Authors: Cinquini Lino , Mitchell Falconer , Nørreklit Hanne , Tenucci Andrea
Published: June 2021

The speech explores the operational dynamics of a PMS at the interface between a parent company and its subsidiary. The research is based on two case studies. The companies are both subsidiaries of US multinational companies located in Italy. Both are market leaders of different sectors and governed by different strategic mentalities and managerial methodologies that reflect the specific business strategy adopted by the parent company. The methodologies of performance management in use by the two companies are addressed respectively as pragmatic constructivism and pre- categorized analytical data paradigm.Drawing on the narrative of the two cases we conclude that these two methodologies of performance management use support two alternative views of strategy: competitive advantage and resource-based view. The findings show that it is not simply the structure or technical design of a PMS that will determine its impact on an organization and ultimately its practical success but also the strategic mentality that underpins its functional rationale.
Understanding performance measurement in public organization under pragmatic constructivism
Authors: Cinquini Lino , Tenucci Andrea , Campanale Cristina , Passetti Emilio
Published: June 2021

The aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly to explore how a constructivist pragmatic approach may be applied to understand critical aspects of performance measurement in a public organization. And secondly, to contribute in proposing some effective characteristics of the potential PMS in the same setting. To this aims we analyze how different topoi may cohabit in a Regional Authority. This topic is particular important because the convergence of different topoi is crucial for the achievement of common organizational visions and to achieve organizational goals. The investigation of topoi was supported by interviews and focus groups that involved two organizational positions of an Italian Regional Authority: Top Managers and Middle Managers. These two organizational positions were chosen because they perform different types of activities and hence we can expect different topoi. The aim of interviews and focus group was to trace values, facts, logic and communication that form the topos driving the perception of performance. Interviews involved 7 Top Managers in charge of the 7 divisions of the Region and 15 Middle Managers in charge of departments. 17 focus groups involved 90 Middle Managers in charge of responsibility areas under each department.Results underline that Top Managers and Middle Managers are driven by different topoi and have a different concept of performance at the base of their efforts: Top Managers require flexibility and professionalisms in their work, while Middle Managers require precise plans and rules. The result is that different topoi have different concepts of performance and that the performance of the Regional Authority and the contribution of organizational actors to the achievement of organizational goals result unclear and confused. Findings underline that the alignment of topoi is of utmost importance to the design of an effective PMS in the organization: increasing the communication between these two organizational levels may favor the convergence of the two topoi and increase the clarity of the Regional Authority performance goals and measures.
The family of constructivism and the contribution of a pragmatic dimension
Authors: Lueg Klarissa
Published: June 2021

Taking an agent-centred management perspective, this paper reviews several relevant streams of research and theory development in social constructivism in order to investigate the possible link for a pragmatic dimension. Whilst social constructivism and related theories and concepts have been (mis)perceived as either fostering an arbitrary perspective on or assessment of human action or “scepticism, critique and deconstruction” (Søderberg et al. 2002), pragmatic constructivism seems to be the only contemporary theoretical toolset that recognizes both structural constructions and the agents’ capability of action from a management perspective.
Social accounting in supply chain management: a pragmatic constructivist perspective
Authors: Pianezzi Daniela , Cinquini Lino
Published: June 2021

This study explores the role of accounting in the human rights management within the supply chain.Our interest for this issue arises from the recognition of significant changes occurred in the last decades. In today's global economy, “the competition has shifted more and more from an inter-firm to an inter-supply-chain level” (Gold et al., 2010) and many organizations are part of one or more supply chains (Samaranayake, 2005). As a result, “management processes now quite frequently transcend legal organizational boundaries” (Hopwood, 1996), as well as production processes. The financial crisis has emphasized the shift of power from nation states to transnational corporations at the centre of global value chains. These powerful actors are increasingly challenged by human rights violations occurring in the socio-political contexts in which they operate (Ruggie, 2007), especially where national law does not provide adequate protection. In these growing network systems, the main difficulty for a focal company is to exercise management control on suppliers over which it has no ownership, but for the behaviour of which it is held accountable (Andersen and Skjoett-Larsen, 2009). Indeed, in 2011, for the first time in the history, the UN Special Representative, John G. Ruggie, declared that corporations have direct human rights responsibilities, either through their own activities or as a result of their business relationships with other parties.
The illusion of New Public Management? An analysis of performance-based budgeting in the public sector
Authors: Cinquini Lino , Mauro Sara Giovanna , Pianezzi Daniela
Published: June 2021

The present research wishes to adopt a pragmatic constructivist approach in order to understand and explain the functionality of private- inspired reforms in the public sector. In particular, the research investigates the introduction and implementation of a relevant but challenging managerial reform, performance- based budgeting (PBB), become widespread in the public sector worldwide.
Human vs machine intelligence:
Authors: Bolander Thomas
Published: June 2021

To be able to predict the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the required human competences of the future, it is firstand foremost necessary to get an overview of what AI at all is and how it differs from human intelligence. The main goalof this paper is to provide such an overview to readers who are not experts in the area. The focus of the paper is on thesimilarities and differences between human and machine intelligence, since understanding that is of essential importanceto be able to predict which human tasks and jobs are likely to be automatised by AI - and what consequences it will have.
Incidence of clinical and subclinical macular edema in patients submitted to phacoemulsification in a university health service
Authors: Almeida Luciana de , Veiga Glaucia Luciano da , Oliveira Fernando Martins de , Fonseca Fernando Luiz Affonso , Lima Vagner Loduca , Abucham Neto Júlio Zaki
Published: June 2021

Introduction: The incidence of cystoid macular edema (CME) after cataract surgery varies substantially and depending on the diagnostic method used. In addition, other factors that influence the incidence of CME are the technique of surgery and the associated comorbidities. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the incidence of EMC after uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery, using the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: The incidence of sub-clinical and clinical CME was evaluated in 14 patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery, using OCT before the surgical procedure and after seven and 28 days after it. The volunteers could not use a prostaglandin analogue or present any retinopathy that compromised visual acuity. Results: The incidence of clinically significant CME was 6.4%, however retinal thickening by OCT was observed in all patients in the fourth postoperative week. Regarding gender and laterality, the percentages were similar. Conclusion: In this study, we obtained a low incidence of EMC in patients assisted at this center, corroborating multicenter studies.
Epidemiological profile and study on waiting lists for corneal transplants in a tertiary hospital
Authors: Bittencourt Jacqueline Lunardelli , Gatti Ítala de Mores Vieira , Lessa Carolina Falcão , Cirillo Luciano Rabello Netto , Ierardi Mariana Gameiro , Garcia Marina Paulino , Martins Luiz Antônio de Brito , Fonseca Fernando Luiz Affonso , Lima Vagner Loduca
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Epidemiological studies and about patients' waiting time on queues for corneal transplantation are important, as they allow us to know the assisted population and assist the medical team. Objective: To evaluate the epidemiological and demographic profile of patients undergoing corneal transplantation from January 2014 to September 2018 at a teaching hospital in the city of Santo André, as well as their waiting time for the procedure. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study, performed through analysis of medical records and data from the website of the Government of the State of São Paulo’s transplant center. The study was conducted at the External and Corneal Diseases sector of the discipline of Ophthalmology from Centro Universitário FMABC. The following data were evaluated: gender, age, race, origin and waiting time for the patient to have a transplant. Results: A total of 139 corneal transplant patients were recruited for the study, with a mean age of 47.4±23 years. According to gender, just over half of the transplanted were female (50.4%). Regarding to skin color, 45.3% of the patients were white, 44.6% were brown and 10.1% were black. As for their origin, most patients were from the city of Santo André. Conclusion: This study enabled the assessment and knowledge of the epidemiological profile and waiting time for corneal transplantation in our patients. This information is important, as it helps us to understand the profile of the assisted population and in the organization and planning of the medical team, contributing to better guidance and care for the patients.
Molecular dynamics simulation on shear thinning characteristics of non-Newtonian fluids
Authors: Yang Gang , Zheng Ting , Cheng Qi-Hao , Zhang Hui-Chen ,   College of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Published: June 2021

Non-Newtonian fluids are widely used in microfluidic systems and biomedical fields. In this paper, based on molecular dynamics simulation, taking the system composed of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose molecules and water molecules as the research object, the configuration evolutions of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution are simulated under different shear rates. Change of the solution viscosity is characterized by mean square displacement of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose molecules and the relative velocity between water layer and shear boundary. The effect of hydrogen bonding on the viscosity of the solution is analyzed emphatically. The results show that water molecules and solute molecules attract each other to form a more compact hydrogen bond network, which increases the viscosity of the solution; the peak value of the radial distribution function between the hydrogen atoms attached to carbon and the water oxygen atoms decreases when shear action is applied to the solution, and the hydrogen bond between the two atoms is weakened; the mobility of solute molecules increases and the blocking effect of water molecules on the movement of solute molecules weakens under the shear action; at the same time, the shorter the distance to the shear boundary, the closer to the shear velocity the velocity of water molecules is, and with the increase of distance, the velocity of water molecular layer decreases greatly. These results are macroscopically understood as the viscosity of the system decreasing. As the shear rate increases, the shear thinning of the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution becomes more significant.
Antiviral efficacy of short-hairpin RNAs and artificial microRNAs targeting foot-and-mouth disease virus
Authors: Currá Anabella , Cacciabue Marco , Gravisaco María José , Asurmendi Sebastián , Taboga Oscar , Gismondi María I.
Published: June 2021

RNA interference (RNAi) is a well-conserved mechanism in eukaryotic cells that directs post-transcriptional gene silencing through small RNA molecules. RNAi has been proposed as an alternative approach for rapid and specific control of viruses including foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), the causative agent of a devastating animal disease with high economic impact. The aim of this work was to assess the antiviral activity of different small RNA shuttles targeting the FMDV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase coding sequence (3D). Three target sequences were predicted within 3D considering RNA accessibility as a major criterion. The silencing efficacy of short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) targeting the selected sequences was confirmed in fluorescent reporter assays. Furthermore, BHK-21 cells transiently expressing shRNAs or amiRNAs proved 70 to >95% inhibition of FMDV growth. Interestingly, dual expression of amiRNAs did not improve FMDV silencing. Lastly, stable cell lines constitutively expressing amiRNAs were established and characterized in terms of antiviral activity against FMDV. As expected, viral replication in these cell lines was delayed. These results show that the target RNA-accessibility-guided approach for RNAi design rendered efficient amiRNAs that constrain FMDV replication. The application of amiRNAs to complement FMDV vaccination in specific epidemiological scenarios shall be explored further.
Association of hs-CRP Levels and Medications Adherence Status among Heart Failure Patients at a Cardiac Referral Hospital in Tanzania
Authors: Maganga Gabriel , Chillo Pilly , Janabi Mohamed , Kamuhabwa Appolinary
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Heart Failure (HF) is a global health problem, and despite much progress in new therapies, its prognosis remains poor. This is due to a number of factors including lack of adherence to HF medications. Previous studies have shown high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) to change with HF progression, and that plasma hsCRP levels can be used to predict HF progression and assessment of adherence to medications. This association however has not been studied in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, including Tanzania. Aim: To study the association between hsCRP levels and HF medications adherence among HF patients attending the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study, where all eligible adult HF patients were consecutively enrolled as they attended their regular clinics, until the sample size was reached. Patients’ socio-demographic and clinical information was collected through interviews and chart reviews. An 8-item Morisky tool was used to assess patients’ adherence to HF medications. Blood was collected and analysed for hsCRP, Complete Blood Count (CBC) and cholesterol panel. hsCRP was considered elevated when it was >5 mg/L. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software, version 21. All tests were 2-sided, and a p-value of <0.05 was considered to indicate a significant association. Results: In total, 210 HF patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 54±15.9 years and 53.8% were females. In the total population, the mean hsCRP was 7.15±4.94 mg/L, and 122 (58.1%) patients had elevated hsCRP. Poor medications adherence was present in 138 (65.7%) patients. Patients with poor medications adherence were more likely to have elevated hsCRP levels (68.1%) when compared to patients with good adherence (38.9%), p<0.001. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, elevated hsCRP independently predicted poor medications adherence (OR=4.27, 95% CI 2.14-8.51, p<0.001), irrespective of other variables. Conclusion: HF patients with poor medications adherence are 4-times more likely to have elevated hsCRP, irrespective of other clinical and socio-demographic factors in this study cohort. These findings suggest that hsCRP levels can be considered as surrogate to HF medications adherence.
COVID-19 And Malaria Co-infection Management in Post Liver Transplant- A Case Report
Authors: Shaikh Saniya Wasim , Mahendrakar Sampathkumar Mahadevappa , Ladhani Sulaiman Sadruddin , Khan Azizullah Hafizullah
Published: June 2021

The current pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posted unprecedented challenges to the community of clinicians in various aspects, ranging from prompt and early diagnosis to preventing complications. What makes the challenge even tougher is to be able to distinguish between diseases presenting with similar complaints, especially in tropical regions, and yet be able to treat judiciously and give a targeted treatment. The level of difficulty escalates when a patient with Solid-Organ Transplant (SOT) on immunosuppressive therapy presents to the clinician as suspected COVID-19 along with a co-infection. Incidences like these carry an increased burden of higher morbidity and mortality, with or without immunosuppression, if not timely diagnosed and judiciously treated, thus heralding the need to be vigilant in the current pandemic. Thus, to the best of our knowledge, this was the first documented and successfully treated case of a patient with past history of Liver Transplant (LT) with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia with co-existing Plasmodium vivax (P.vivax) malaria.
Investigation of Proton and Neutron Alignment in the Ba and Ce Isotopes within Interaction Interacting Boson Model and Triaxial Rotor Model
Authors: Sabbar Ali N. , Abood Saad N.
Published: June 2021

In the form of two quasi-particles coupled to a core described by the IBM-1 and Triaxil Rotor models, the high-spin states of the Ba and Ce isotopes are studied. Bands based on both (vh11/2)-2 and (configurations are considered, which is found to be appropriate for this region to better explain band-crossing systems. Between the recent experimental data and the calculated energy spectra and electric transition probability, fair agreement is achieved.
Effect of Different Surface Coatings on Shelf Life and Quality of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) CV. Allahabad Safeda
Authors: Saharika Sirisilla , Joshi Veena , Kumar A. Kiran , Prasanth P.
Published: June 2021

Aims: To evaluate the potentiality of surface coatings for achieving extended shelf life with enhance fruit quality attributes in Guava under ambient storage condition.

Study design: The lab experiment conducted in complete randomized design three replications on Allahabad safeda of Guava.

Place and duration of study: The experiment was conducted during November 2019 at College of Horticulture, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.

Methodology: Guava freshly harvested fruits were coated with three Surface coatings viz. Aloe vera (12.5%, 25% & 50%), Chitosan (0.5%, 1.0% & 1.5%), citric acid (1%, 2% & 3%). The coated fruits were stored at ambient room condition. Periodically effects of surface coatings were observed for physiological loss in weight, Shelf Life (days), Firmness (Kg/cm 2), Total Soluble Solids (%), Titrable Acidity (%), Ascorbic Acid (mg/100g), Total Sugars (%), Reducing Sugars (%), Non-Reducing Sugars (%).

Results: Surface coating physical parameters, fruits treated with T5-Chitosan (1%) showed minimum physiological loss in weight during storage, and least decay percentage. Among the treatments, highest shelf life (9.98 days), highest firmness (2.76 kg/cm2) was recorded in T5-Chitosan (1%) which was on par with T2-Aloe vera (25%) (9.67 days & 2.71 kg/cm2) while lowest shelf life was recorded in T10-Control (6.45 days). Among the treatments, T5- Chitosan (1%) recorded highest TSS (10.33 oB), highest ascorbic acid content (122.32 mg/100g), highest total sugar content, reducing sugar and least non reducing sugar content (9.72%, 6.02% & 2.84%) respectively followed by T2-Aloe vera 25% while least was noticed in T6-Chitosan 1.5% on 10th day of storage.

Conclusion: surface coating of Chitosan1% substantially improved the shelf life with retaining better fruit quality attributes under ambient conditions.
Residual Risk of HIV in African Transfusional Setting: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mangala Christian , Fokam Joseph , Bangola Denis Maulot , Moundanga Mireille , Nkoa Thérèse
Published: June 2021

Context: The residual risk of HIV transmission is still a real problem into the transfusional settings of limited resources countries. Blood banks of African countries confront the risk of transmitting HIV to recipients. The objective of this study is to estimate the residual risk of HIV in African transfusion settings and to compare this residual risk with that of other countries in the South (developping countries).

Methods: This study resulted of a systematic review with meta-analysis of data from several comprehensive studies carried out between 2011 and 2017 whose purpose was focused on the residual risk of HIV transmission through blood transfusion. The studies on the residual risk were systematically searched in the different databases (PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar). The eligibility criteria were based on published studies which had blood donors as participants, looking at the residual risk of HIV in developing countries and the technique was based on the search for antibodies-P24 Antigen of the HIV or on nucleic acid (RNA) testing. Studies carried out before 2011 and after 2017 were excluded. Studies in rich countries were also excluded. The Cochrane tool was used to assess the risk of bias.

Results: A total of 327,278 seronegative donors (for 12 eligible studies) were admitted for this study, i.e. 75.5% of men and 24.5% of women. The median age of all donors was 30.4 years. For studies carried out in the Africa zone (Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zimbabwe), 327,278 donors were initially seronegative, of which 626 were found to be positive. Indeed, out of 742 incident cases in this study from African countries and other countries of the South, 84.4% of positive donors came from African studies and 15.6% of positive donors came from other countries of the South in this study. The residual risk (RR) of HIV in Africa has been estimated at 13 per 1,000,000 donations, with an incidence rate (IR) of 21.5 per 100,000 person-years. And in the other countries of the South (Brazil, Croatia, India, Iran, Malaysia and Pakistan), the RR of HIV has been estimated at 0.6 per 1,000,000 donations, or an incidence rate of 1.1 per 100,000 person-years.

Conclusion: The residual risk of HIV in the transfusion environment is still high and still persists in blood banks in southern countries in general and in Africa in particular.
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C Viruses, and HIV among Antenatal Pregnant Women in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Authors: O. Onwe, Reuben , C. Maduka-Okafor, Charles , C. Nwachukwu, Ebuka , C. Ike, Anthony
Published: June 2021

Aim: Hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV infections remain major global health concerns as causes of high morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of HBsAg antibody, anti-Hepatitis C and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies in antenatal pregnant women in Nsukka, Nigeria.

Study Design, Area and Duration of Study: The study utilized both experimental and survey designs. Blood samples were collected from women attending antenatal clinics in two prominent hospitals in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria from April to August 2016.

Methods: Blood samples from 200 pregnant women were collected into plain vacutainers and allowed to clot. The serum was separated and used to test for antibodies to the viral infections using rapid test kits with immobilized antigens following the manufacturer’s instructions. Additional information was collected using standard questionnaire. 

Results: From the results, 11 (5.5%), 9 (4.5%) and 5 (2.5%) women tested positive for HBsAg antibody, anti-HCV and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies, respectively. None of the patients was co-infected with HBV/HCV, HBV/HIV, HCV/HIV or triple infections with HBV/HCV/HIV. The mean age distribution was 28.2 years (Standard Deviation = 6.46). Marital status, age distribution and occupation were found to be statistically insignificant to the prevalence of HBsAg antibody, anti-HCV and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies (P > 0.05). Blood transfusion and history of previous surgeries were the risk factors for HBsAg and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies (P < 0.05), but not for anti- HCV (P> 0.05) among the study population. None of the respondents had body tattoo or admitted to have multiple sexual partners.

Conclusion: There are still high seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV among antenatal pregnant women in the study area. Hence, there is need for integration of hepatitis screening tests among the antenatal pregnant women in the town.
Outcome of Intramedullary Interlocking Nailing in the Management of Gustillo-I Diaphyseal Fracture of Tibia
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Memon Faheem Ahmed , Butt Siraj Ahmed , Memon Shakeel Ahmed , Memon Iftikhar Ahmed , Memon Aamir Usman
Published: June 2021

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of intramedullary interlocking nailing in the management of Gustillo-I diaphyseal fracture of tibia.

Study Design: This is an observational study.

Setting: Study carried out at Orthopaedic Surgery department, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, form March 2018 to February 2021.

Materials & Methods: 72 consecutive patients of Gustillo Type-I diaphyseal fracture of tibia. All patients age between 18-60 years with traumatic fracture like Gustillo Type-I diaphyseal fracture of tibia were included in this study. Patients reported chest, abdominal and head trauma with neurovascular deficit were excluded. Patients were prepared for surgery after relevant investigation and radiographs.

Results: Out of 72 patients included in this study 11.11% were female (N=8) and 88.88% male (N=64); with mean age was 38.26±8.20 years (Range 18 to 60 years). Road traffic accident was common cause of tibia fracture (Gustillo Type-I). Postoperative mean union time of tibial fractures were 9.9±3. 2 week.Postoperatively started partial weight bearing associated with help of two axillary crutches. The patients walking with partial weight bearing allowed at 4.1±1.12 weeks. While patients walking with full weight bearing allowed at 10.8±2.4 weeks. Postoperatively 11(15.27%) patients were complaining of pain. Wound infection observed in 7(9.72%) cases. Clinically excellent results were found in 24(33.33%) patients, while good results remained in 30(41.66%) patients and fairs in 18(25%) patients.  

Conclusion: We conclude that interlocking intra-medullary nailing may be considered as a suitable option for treatment of Gustilo-I diaphyseal fracture of tibia.
The RNA demethylase ALKBH5 promotes osteoblast differentiation by modulating Runx2 mRNA stability
Authors: Feng Lingling , Fan Yunshan , Zhou Jinjun , Li Shuangshuang , Zhang Xiaohua
Published: June 2021

AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) has been reported as a key m6A demethylase that is involved in development and diseases; however, the function of ALKBH5 in osteogenesis remains unknown. In this study, we report that ALKBH5 mRNA and protein expression were upregulated during osteoblast differentiation and that ALKBH5 knockdown suppressed osteoblast differentiation, mineralization, and the expression of osteogenic biomarkers. Conversely, ALKBH5 overexpression promoted osteogenesis. Moreover, the expression of wild‐type ALKBH5, but not the m6A‐modified active site mutant ALKBH5, could rescue ALKBH5 knockdown‐induced osteogenesis inhibition. Furthermore, knockdown of ALKBH5 significantly impaired the mRNA stability of the transcription factor Runx2, which plays a key role in osteoblast differentiation. Taken together, our results suggest that ALKBH5 promotes osteogenesis through modulating Runx2 mRNA stability.
Automated data abstraction for quality surveillance and outcome assessment in radiation oncology
Authors: Kapoor Rishabh , Sleeman William C. , Nalluri Joseph J. , Turner Paul , Bose Priyankar , Cherevko Andrii , Srinivasan Sriram , Syed Khajamoinuddin , Ghosh Preetam , Hagan Michael , Palta Jatinder R.
Published: June 2021

Rigorous radiotherapy quality surveillance and comprehensive outcome assessment require electronic capture and automatic abstraction of clinical, radiation treatment planning, and delivery data. We present the design and implementation framework of an integrated data abstraction, aggregation, and storage, curation, and analytics software: the Health Information Gateway and Exchange (HINGE), which collates data for cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. The HINGE software abstracts structured DICOM‐RT data from the treatment planning system (TPS), treatment data from the treatment management system (TMS), and clinical data from the electronic health records (EHRs). HINGE software has disease site‐specific “Smart” templates that facilitate the entry of relevant clinical information by physicians and clinical staff in a discrete manner as part of the routine clinical documentation. Radiotherapy data abstracted from these disparate sources and the smart templates are processed for quality and outcome assessment. The predictive data analyses are done on using well‐defined clinical and dosimetry quality measures defined by disease site experts in radiation oncology. HINGE application software connects seamlessly to the local IT/medical infrastructure via interfaces and cloud services and performs data extraction and aggregation functions without human intervention. It provides tools to assess variations in radiation oncology practices and outcomes and determines gaps in radiotherapy quality delivered by each provider.
Small‐gain technique‐based adaptive fuzzy command filtered control for uncertain nonlinear systems with unmodeled dynamics and disturbances
Authors: Li Yulin , Xu Ning , Niu Ben , Chang Yi , Zhao Jinfeng , Zhao Xudong
Published: June 2021

This article studies the adaptive tracking control problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with unmodeled dynamics and disturbances. First, a fuzzy state observer is established to estimate unmeasurable states. To overcome the problem of calculating explosion caused by the repeated differentiation of the virtual control signals, the command filter with a compensation mechanism is applied to the controller design procedure. Meanwhile, with the help of the fuzzy logic systems and the backstepping technique, an adaptive fuzzy control scheme is proposed, which guarantees that all signals in the closed‐loop systems are bounded, and the tracking error can converge to a small region around the origin. Furthermore, the stability of the systems is proven to be input‐to‐state practically stable based on the small‐gain theorem. Finally, a simulation example verifies the effectiveness of the proposed control approach.
Phase Aggregation Suppression of Homogeneous Perovskites Processed in Ambient Condition toward Efficient Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Liu Yuqiang , Bu Tongle , Ono Luis K. , Tong Guoqing , Zhang Hui , Qi Yabing
Published: June 2021

Perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have attracted attention because of their high efficiencies. However, due to the sensitivity of perovskites to ambient condition, perovskite emitter layers are generally fabricated under an inert gas environment (e.g., dry N2), which increases processing complexity and cost. Here, air‐prepared quasi‐2D perovskites are reported for efficient PeLEDs. It is found that the phase aggregation is the major obstacle deteriorating the characteristics of air‐prepared perovskites. Through antisolvent engineering to modulate the nucleation and growth characteristics of perovskite films from precursor solution, phase aggregations are restrained. Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy results demonstrate homogeneous perovskite films with uniform photoluminescence distributions. Traps at grain boundaries are passivated, and exciton transfer among perovskite phases becomes effective. Finally, efficient green PeLEDs based on air‐prepared perovskites are realized with an external quantum efficiency of 15.4%. This work provides a promising strategy to fabricate cost‐effective perovskite devices in ambient air condition.
Room‐Temperature Quantum Memories Based on Molecular Electron Spin Ensembles
Authors: Lenz Samuel , König Dennis , Hunger David , van Slageren Joris
Published: June 2021

Whilst quantum computing has recently taken great leaps ahead, the development of quantum memories has decidedly lagged behind. Quantum memories are essential devices in the quantum technology palette and are needed for intermediate storage of quantum bit states and as quantum repeaters in long‐distance quantum communication. Current quantum memories operate at cryogenic, mostly sub‐Kelvin temperatures and require extensive and costly peripheral hardware. It is demonstrated that ensembles of weakly coupled molecular spins show long coherence times and can be used to store microwave pulses of arbitrary phase. These studies exploit strong coupling of the spin ensemble to special 3D microwave resonators. Most importantly, these systems operate at room temperature.