bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lung and mediastinum abscesses in Poland: a national hospital register-based study
Authors: Kanecki Krzysztof , Nitsch-Osuch Aneta , Goryński Paweł , Kosinska Irena , Kozłowska Aleksandra , Okręglicka Katarzyna , Tyszko Piotr Z.
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Airway infections represent one of the most common causes of mortality worldwide. The authors sought to describe patients hospitalized for lung and mediastinum abscesses in Poland from 2009 to 2016. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the disease in Poland.

Material and methods

The authors conducted a retrospective, population- based study, using data from 14,932 hospital discharge records. Lung and mediastinum abscesses incidence rates were estimated on the basis of data from a Polish hospital morbidity study, carried out by the National Institute of Public Health.

Results

The study group consisted of 12,049 patients (74.3% male and 25.7% female patients) hospitalized for the first time with the diagnosis of lung or mediastinum abscesses. The mean and median age was 57.2 and 59 years, respectively. The mean age was significantly higher in females than males (57.9 years vs. 57 years, p < 0.05). Patients were hospitalized with the following diagnosis: abscess of lung with pneumonia (60.9%), abscess of lung without pneumonia (24.9%), abscess of lung and mediastinum (2.6%), gangrene and necrosis of lung (2.8%), abscess of mediastinum (9.7%). The average annual incidence of lung abscesses, including gangrene or necrosis of lung, was 35.7 per million (95% CI: 34.1–37.4) and the average annual incidence of mediastinum abscess was 4.8 per million (95% CI: 4.3–5.3). The incidence rates for all cases of lung or mediastinum abscesses did not vary significantly between urban and rural regions.

Conclusions

Presented recent data on lung and mediastinum abscesses in Poland may be helpful in comparative analyses among European countries.
Cardiovascular risk and metabolic profile of Polish citizens from Lower Silesia. First signs of metabolic crisis?
Authors: Kozera Łukasz , Kuliczkowski Wiktor , Gocek Elzbieta
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Population biobanks are essential for the development of public health screening and improvement of personalized medicine. Since 2012, Biobank of Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development (PORT Biobank) has collected more than 120 000 biological samples from nearly 5000 inhabitants of Lower Silesia, together with a variety of demographic, anthropometric, life style and health information.

Material and methods

The analyzed group consisted of 2274 participants (1398 women, 876 men). Both women and men were further subdivided into five age decades (20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+). For this study, the level of lipids (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], triglycerides) was estimated and correlated with the level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and biometric parameters.

Results

We have demonstrated for the first time that biochemical changes
that may lead to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) occurred already in the group of people aged 30+. Our observation is based on measurements of lipids, glucose, inflammatory (hs-CRP) and biometric markers such as body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).

Conclusions

Positive correlations with age for these variables suggest the ongoing progress of metabolic changes, which in the end may lead to a fatal outcome such as myocardial infarction or stroke. It suggests that CVD screening programs should be dedicated to a wider group, especially younger citizens, in order to prevent fatal outcomes related to CVD.
Learning from The Mahabharata For an Anew Contemporary Political Understanding
Authors: Mishra K C
Published: October 2020

The Indian Spiritual Epic, the Mahabharata, is a precise write up of Indian mythology of yesteryears and the way social life was led by the top Statesmen who were at the helm of all societal affairs. The Indian Holy Scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, the socio-philosophical- literature of the Indian Socio-Cultural Milieu, also find special place within the Mahabharata in the format ‘Special Dialogue’, otherwise can be quoted as Spiritual Discourse. This literary work originally composed in Sanskrit, the Mother of all Indian Languages, sometime between 400 BC and 400 AD is set in a legendary era thought to relate to the period of Indian culture and history approximately during the tenth century BC.
Lesões cervicais não cariosas: uma abordagem no controle da dor e tratamento
Authors: Moreira Larissa , Oliveira Carla Cristiane Andrade Silva , Martins Victor Da Mota , Santos-Filho Paulo César de Freitas , Silva Camila Ferreira
Published: October 2020

Objetivo: o objetivo deste trabalho é relatar um caso clínico de hipersensibilidade severa associada a múltiplas lesões cervicais não cariosas, entender o mecanismo de ação e a eficácia dos agentes dessensibilizantes. Relato de caso: paciente do gênero masculino, 38 anos de idade, compareceu à clínica da Faculdade Morgana Potrich com um quadro de hipersensibilidade em vários elementos, bem como, a presença de lesão cervical não cariosa em alguns desses elementos. Durante a anamnese o paciente relatou o hábito de escovar os dentes várias vezes ao dia logo após se alimentar, exercendo muita força durante o ato, relatou também fazer consumo diário de cerveja que possui um pH ácido. Ao realizar análise da oclusão notou-se um desequilíbrio oclusal e contato prematuro nos dentes 24 e 34. O tratamento de escolha para esse caso foi o ajuste oclusal seguido do uso de dessensibilizantes e restaurações em resina composta nos dentes que havia a presença de lesões cervicais não cariosas com perda de estrutura dentária. Considerações finais: após esse tratamento, realizado em várias sessões, foi possível devolver ao paciente a função e eliminar a dor provocada pela hipersensibilidade, proporcionando uma melhor qualidade de vida para esse paciente.
Reabilitação estética e funcional de dentes decíduos anteriores com pino de fibra de vidro e matriz anatômica de celulóide: uma revisão da literatura
Authors: Noca de Souza Helen Tayná , De Lima Praxedes Neto Raimundo Antônio , Patrício Silva Pedro Vinicius , Mariano De Amorim Fernandes Myrella
Published: October 2020

Objetivo: expor, por meio de uma revisão de literatura, uma discussão sobre os benefícios do uso do pinode fibra de vidro e matriz de celulóide na reabilitação oral de crianças, como suas possibilidades e técnicasmais adequadas para o tratamento de pacientes com amplas destruições coronárias em dentes decíduos.A cárie dentária é uma das doenças crônicas mais comum na infância, se o diagnóstico adequado não forrealizado em estágios iniciais podem gerar danos irreparáveis, levando a perda dentária. Atualmente, se reconhece a importância de se preservar os dentes decíduos até o período correto de sua esfoliação, dessa forma, dependendo da quantidade de remanescente dental, o tratamento reabilitador estético em dentes decíduos, pode necessitar de um retentor intra-canal. Considerações finais: embora exista um número considerável de alternativas reabilitadoras, a mais utilizada é o de pino de fibra de vidro com matriz anatômica de celuloide, por ser de fácil execução, baixo custo e não necessitar de etapa laboratorial. Porém, a escolha do tratamento restaurador deve ser feita de comum acordo com os pais e um grande grau de colaboração dos pacientes.
The Range of Personal and Technical Skills 21st C. Teachers have from the Perspective of School Principals at the First Directorate of Education in Amman, Jordan
Authors: Mistareehi Hussein Hikmat
Published: October 2020

The study aimed to identify the range teachers of Arabic have regarding twenty-first century skills (personal and technical) from the perspective of school principals at Amman first directorate of education. Sample of the study comprised (80) principles. The researcher designed a questionnaire of two fields on the above-mentioned skills. Each of these fields include four sub-skills with eight indicators for each of them. Findings of the study unveiled that, with regard to the first filed (personal skills), Arabic language teachers got a very high level of leadership skill, but results of other skills rated high with various arithmetic means sequentially arranged as follows: critical thinking, distinction, and change.In the second field (technical skills), the findings revealed that teachers of Arabic possess various levels of skill in the following order: first came learning via technology, with a high level, while skills of research, computer and electronic learning were with medium levels.
The specific leaf area of forest species subjected to different degrees of shading did not differ when detached and full leaflets were compared
Authors: Guimarães Jacqueline Lucia , Hüther Cristina Moll , Almeida Ramonn Diego Barros de , Nogueira Lilian Thurler , Carvalho Luiza Ferreira de , Borella Junior , Machado Thelma de Barros
Published: October 2020

Studies of forest species under different environmental conditions are essential for enhancing our understanding of plant-environment relationships. Different light conditions interfere with the production of seedlings within forests, and this interference can be verified by assessing leaf area. However, several species have leaf compound that often contain numerous leaflets, which makes the direct measurement of leaf area difficult. This leads researchers to question whether these types of leaves should be separated for analysis or measured whole. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse specific leaf area in whole leaves and detached leaflets of six forest species subjected to different levels of shading. The forest species assessed all produced compound leaves and included Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (aroeira), Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. (braúna), Dalbergia nigra (Vell.) Fr. All. ex Benth. (jacaranda-da-bahia), Chorisia speciosa A. St.-Hil (paineira), Caesalpinia peltophoroides Benth (sibipiruna) and Plathymenia reticulata Benth (vinhático). Each species was subjected to six different degrees of shading: 0% (full sun); 20; 40; 60; 80 and 90%. Sombrite netting was used to shade plants. The analysis of the specific leaf area was performed using two different methods, which included the analysis of separate leaflets and whole leaves. To analyse leaflet area,50 leaflets per plant were assessed three times, and six plants per treatment were assessed. To assess whole leaves, data were obtained from the whole leaves of six plants per treatment. This process was repeated for all aforementioned species. Data obtained from both analysis methods indicated that all species assessed were similarly affected by shade, and leaf area varied according to the level of shading. This similarity of data demonstrates that, for these species, it is not necessary to use complex methods to obtain specific leaf area measurements. Thus, determining specific leaf by measuring the entire leaf provides results that did not statistically differ from those obtained by measuring individual leaflets.
Soil Water Storage Temporal Stability With and Without Outliers
Authors: Brito Alexsandro dos Santos , Libardi Paulo Leonel , Mota Jaedson Cláudio Anunciato , Moraes Sergio Oliveira
Published: October 2020

The knowledge on the temporal stability of spatial variability of soil water storage in the crops’ root zone is of fundamental importance for soil and water management. The objective of this work was to characterize the temporal distribution of water storage in a Latossolo vermelho amarelo and identify field locations with spatial patterns of high, intermediate and low soil water storage, in 13 samplings every 14 days. The assessed period included periods of drying and water recharge of the soil, along which soil water content was determined at 60 sampling points arranged in a 5 × 5 m grid covering an area of 1250 m2 (25 × 50 m). Soil water content was determined by means of a neutron probe, at soil depths of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 m. Soil water storage was calculated by Simpson’s rule and data were analyzed by the temporal persistence of the spatial pattern. Maximum values of soil water storage were obtained at the portion of the area with water flux concentration (sampling points 4, 28 and 57), with and without outliers, and low values of soil water storage were obtained at the highers levels of the site (sampling points 12, 18 and 19), with and without outliers. The sites representing the mean soil water storage were 32, 51 and 11, considering outliers, and 8, 11 and 53, without considering outliers.
Action of 1-Methylcyclopropene on Postharvest Conservation of Banana ‘Prata-Anã’ Gorutuba Clone
Authors: Aguiar Flávia S. , Dias Wlly P. A. , Santos Thais C. , Pinheiro Juceliandy M. S. , Mizobutsi Gisele P. , Castricini Ariane , Fonseca Sarah N. A. , Paraizo Eliene A. , Sobral Raquel R. S. , Oliveira Simônica M.
Published: October 2020

The banana is a highly perishable fruit in which storage and transport for a long period is limited due to the lack of post-harvest technologies that aim to retard fruit ripening. In this regard, the objective of this study was to evaluate the postharvest conservation period of the ‘Prata-Anã’ clone Gorutuba banana using different concentrations of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), associated with the modified atmosphere and refrigerated storage. Banana bunches (Musa spp. AAB) ‘Prata-Anã’ Gorutuba clone were obtained from Belém farm, located in Janaúba-MG. The pieces were decomposed in bouquets of 4 fruits and submitted to 1-MCP application at concentrations of 0.0; 0.2; 0.4; 0.6; 0.8 and 1.0 ppm for 24 hours and stored refrigerated at room temperature to 13±1 °C. Every 5 days physical and chemical evaluations were performed. There was a delay in the ripening of fruits subjected to refrigeration and treated with 0.6 ppm of 1-MCP and increase in shelf life, due to probable inhibition of ethylene, which showed firmer fruits. Respiratory activity decreased with increasing concentration of 1-MCP. In refrigerated storage, fruits treated with 1-MCP were kept longer than 30 days. For the fruits kept at room temperature shelf life was 21 days for fruit subjected to concentrations of 0.4 to 1.0 ppm. However, the use of 1-MCP associated with the modified atmosphere under refrigeration directly influenced the postharvest conservation of bananas, allowing a longer period of commercialization.
Symulacja współpracy z robotem w wirtualnym środowisku pracy. Wyniki badań ankietowych – założenia teoretyczne (1)
Authors: Grabowski Andrzej
Published: October 2020

W artykule przedstawiono zagadnienie wykorzystania rzeczywistości wirtualnej do badania wpływu przemysłowego robota współpracującego na pracownika, w szczególności wywołany bliską obecnością robota niepokój. Opisano procedurę badań obejmującą symulację w rzeczywistości wirtualnej współpracy z robotem przy montażu elementów silników. Przedstawiono narzędzia kwestionariuszowe planowane do użycia w trakcie badań z ochotnikami oraz wyniki badań pilotażowych. Wyniki właściwych badań opisane zostaną w drugiej części artykułu.
Nowe wymagania w zakresie parametrów ergonomicznych sprzętu ochrony układu oddechowego
Authors: Makowski Krzysztof
Published: October 2020

W artykule przedstawiono propozycje rozszerzenia i zmian zakresu badań parametrów sprzętu ochrony układu oddechowego, mających bezpośrednie przełożenie na ergonomię jego stosowania. Uwzględniono badania eksploatacyjne, opór oddychania, zawartość dwutlenku węgla w powietrzu wdychanym i ograniczenie pola widzenia. Zaproponowano wprowadzenie nowego parametru – pracy oddychania, która ma bezpośrednie przełożenie na podział sprzętu na klasy związane z ciężkością prac, dla których dany typ sprzętu jest przeznaczony. Zaproponowano również listę kontrolną umożliwiającą obecnym użytkownikom sprzętu ochrony układu oddechowego weryfikację podstawowych elementów wpływających na komfort użytkowania tego sprzętu.
Os Modelos PENS e GameFlow na Avaliação da Satisfação do Jogador: Uma Análise com o Jogo "Caixa de Pandora" Mobile
Authors: Felix Zildomar Carlos , Machado Liliane dos Santos , Silva Júlio Raphael O. , Silva Ana Tereza Medeiros C. S. , Almeida Luana Rodrigues de
Published: October 2020

Mensurar a qualidade da experiência do jogador vem sendo objeto de estudo da comunidade de desenvolvimento de jogos digitais. Neste sentido, entender a experiência do jogador nos jogos com propósitos educacionais têm sido um campo de pesquisa desafiador. A satisfação percebida pelo jogador a partir da sua experiência vem se configurando como um dos meios para potencializar o engajamento em jogos, principalmente quando se trata de jogos com propósito. Este artigo apresenta a avaliação do jogo Caixa de Pandora Mobile após o processo de redesign de uma versão anterior. O objetivo do trabalho foi primeiro verificar se existia diferença significativa na satisfação dos jogadores a partir da aplicação dos modelos GameFlow e PENS e, posteriormente, verificar a satisfação percebida do jogador em relação ao progresso do seu conhecimento no conteúdo enquanto jogava. Os resultados estatísticos mostraram que mesmo utilizando modelos com abordagens distintas, a avaliação não apresentou diferença significativa nos resultados, sugerindo que embora os métodos originem-se de teorias diferentes, a satisfação apresentou bons resultados com o redesign do jogo. Os resultados também apontaram que os jogadores aumentaram o seu conhecimento com relação ao conteúdo educativo abordado, sugerindo que o processo de redesign foi bem sucedido sob o ponto de vista educacional, tal qual na versão anterior do jogo.
O Impacto dos Traços de Personalidade do Aluno na Formação de Grupos de Trabalho
Authors: Tardelli André V. , França Juliana B. dos S. , Dias Angélica F. S. , Vivacqua Adriana S. , Borges Marcos R. da S.
Published: October 2020

Grupos de trabalho organizados tanto tecnicamente, quanto emocionalmente podem resultar em soluções mais próximas do desejável. Este artigo discute a aplicação do Framework para Formação de Grupos de Trabalho (FGT) em novas instâncias, trazendo à luz as características psicológicas dos participantes de um grupo de trabalho. Além disso, visa investigar como estas características psicológicas podem ser exploradas de tal forma a viabilizar as interações sociais e profissionais desses participantes e fomentar a solução de tarefas em grupo. Entende-se que através da análise dos participantes de um grupo de trabalho por um viés psicológico, é possível formar grupos que possuam maior compatibilidade com as necessidades da tarefa a ser realizada. O Framework (FGT) consiste em diferentes combinações de perfis psicológicos de acordo com o tipo de atividade, estimulando a evolução dos integrantes de forma gradual. Esta pesquisa está fundamentada na análise qualitativa e foi organizada em três ciclos conduzidos no curso de ciência da computação em uma universidade federal brasileira. O primeiro ciclo teve como objetivo observar a influência do perfil dos alunos participantes nos resultados alcançados, analisando especialmente as atividades do tipo debate e criação. O segundo ciclo visou confirmar os resultados do ciclo 1 e também investigar mais uma categoria de atividade com o aluno que foi a apresentação. E o terceiro ciclo gerou o design da aplicação tecnológica FGT. Os resultados mostraram a aplicabilidade do Framework e são detalhados neste artigo.
Can Existentialism Be a Posthumanism?
Authors: Daigle Christine ,   DePaul University
Published: October 2020

In this article, I demonstrate that Simone de Beauvoir’s philosophy represents a first major step toward a rejection of the humanist subject and therefore was influential for the development of contemporary posthumanist material feminism. Specifically, her unprecedented attention to embodiment and biology, in The Second Sex and other works, as well as her notion of ambiguity, serve to challenge the humanist subject. While I am not claiming that Beauvoir was a posthumanist or material feminist thinker avant la lettre, I show that she is an important precursor to some of their key ideas. Indeed, her thinking about the body, sex, gender, and the importance of embodiment and situation constitutes a challenge to the subject of humanism, thereby opening up a path for thinkers that follow to push Beauvoir’s critique and articulate a posthumanism that does away with the subject of humanism.
The Onto-Agathological Fold of Metaphysics: Aristotle, Plato and Heidegger
Authors: Slama Paul ,   Romanian Society for Phenomenology
Published: October 2020

The goal of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to identify in Heidegger’s work a determination of the history of metaphysics parallel to the famous onto-theological one, and which I will label onto-agathological. Based upon a text from the course of 1935, “Einführung in die Metaphysik,” I argue that for Heidegger the history of metaphysics is not only the Aristotelian onto-theology, but is also characterized by the Platonic pre-eminence of the good over being (Republic 509c). In short, it is an onto-agathological history. Second, and as a consequence of the first point, I will flesh out the hypothesis of another history metaphysics, and emphasize its strong phenomenological content which stands in opposition to the Neo-Kantianism of Windelband and Rickert.
À Denys: Tracing Jean-Luc Marion’s Dionysian Hermeneutics
Authors: Pearl J. Leavitt ,   Romanian Society for Phenomenology
Published: October 2020

Since his 1977 The Idol and Distance (L’idole et la distance), Jean-Luc Marion has almost continually drawn upon the work of the 5th-6th century Christian mystic Pseudo-Denys the Areopagite (Pseudo-Dionysius), not only within his explicitly theological considerations, but throughout his Cartesian and phenomenological work as well. The present essay maps out the influence of Denys upon Marion’s thinking, organizing Marion’s career into a three-part periodization, each of which corresponds to a distinct portion of the Dionysian corpus—in Marion’s work of the seventies the Celestial Hierarchy and the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy are foregrounded, in the eighties this emphasis is shifted to the The Divine Names, and in the nineties The Mystical Theology takes center stage. Insofar as these emphases directly correlate to the unique tasks that Marion has set himself in each of these various periods, Dionysius is revealed as a hermeneutical key, unlocking and clarifying crucial aspects of Marion’s theologically-inflected phenomenology.
Husserl’s Timaeus. Plato’s Creation Myth and the Phenomenological Concept of Metaphysics as the Teleological Science of the World
Authors: Trizio Emiliano ,   Romanian Society for Phenomenology
Published: October 2020

According to Husserl, Plato played a fundamental role in the development of the notion of teleology, so much so that Husserl viewed the myth narrated in the Timaeus as a fundamental stage in the long history that he hoped would eventually lead to a teleological science of the world grounded in transcendental phenomenology. This article explores this interpretation of Plato’s legacy in light of Husserl’s thesis that Plato was the initiator of the ideal of genuine science. It also outlines how Husserl sought conceptual resources within transcendental phenomenology to turn the key elements of Plato’s creation myth into rigorous scientific ideas.
"SEM CUJA APPROVAÇAÕ ME NAÕ ATREVO A OBRAR NADA": EDIÇÃO E ESTUDO FILOLÓGICO DE CARTA SETECENTISTA DO ESTADO DO GRÃO-PARÁ E MARANHÃO
Authors: Fachin Phablo Roberto Marchis , Silva Marina Pessoa
Published: October 2020

Neste artigo, apresenta-se o estudo de carta enviada por Gonçalo Pereira Lobato e Sousa a Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado, Governador e capitão general do Estado do Grão-Pará e Maranhão no período de 1751 - 1759. O estudo faz parte de pesquisa mais ampla, cujos objetivos são a edição semidiplomática e o estudo filológico de documentos manuscritos do século XVIII, da região norte do país, no “Período Pombalino”. Integra os trabalhos do Grupo de Pesquisa ETeP - Edição de Texto em Português (FFLCH-USP). Trata-se de análise linguístico-histórica, com o objetivo de contribuir para os estudos sobre a História da Língua Portuguesa.
Cryogenic soils in the area of Batagaika crater in Northern Yakutia
Authors: Vasil'chuk Yurij Kirillovich , Vasil'chuk Jessica Yur'evna , Ginzburg Alexander Pavlovich
Published: October 2020

The subject of this research is the soil and catena soils in the area of Batagaika crater located in Verkhoyansk District of Northern Yakutia. Soils are usually represented by Cryosols Gleyic and Podzols Entic, which are formed on eluvial and eluvial-deluvial deposits under larch forests. Exploration of soils was carried out in 2017, 2018 and 2019. On the slope to the Batagaika crater is the soil-geochemical catena, which included the ridge-top surface of the slope of Kirgilyah Mountain, the middle part of the slope, as well as levelled surfaces of Batagaika crater. Soil types are described in accordance with the classification of soils of Russia (2004) and the World Reference Base of Soil Resources (2014 WRB). The following conclusions were made: 1) The soil cover in the area Batagaika crater features various types of soils formed on the permafrost rocks, mainly Cryosols Gleyic, found in various landscape conditions, and Podzols Entic are also sporadically distributed in the area. On alluvial deposits in the valley of the Batagaika River may develop Podzols Haplic. Leptosols Lithic are confined to the elevation of the relief with bedrock located close to the surface; 2). The main processes typical for soils in the area of Batagaika crater are: cryogenic structuring, organic matter accumulation, coarse--humus accumulative processes, gleyification; 3) Nearby the horizon of permafrost rocks in the area of Batagaika crater is marked a local minimum of PH level in Podzols and Cryosols.
Estimation of the dietary exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Syria and their health risks assessment
Authors: KRAJIAN Hour
Published: October 2020

In this work, the exposure of people, through their diet, to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been assessed for the urban, rural, and general populations in Syria. The food categories consumed have been divided into major groups, and the health risk assessment on dietary exposure of PAHs determined in each food category. For this purpose, two approaches were used: incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and margin of exposure approach (MOE). The results showed that each of the following food categories: oils and fats, meat and meat products, vegetables, and cereals dominantly contribute in the dietary exposure of PAHs. Also their MOE values are the lowest. Additionally, they have higher ILCR values. Therefore, these groups are a main risk source to health. On the other hand, the dietary exposure of PAHs in each of urban, rural and general populations was of low health concern, whereas their ILCR values reached to 10E-05 in total food categories, nevertheless it remains lower than serious risk level (ILCR>10E-04). This work is the first study that is dealing with dietary exposure of PAHs and their health risk assessment in Syria.
Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of green coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) water kefir
Authors: Dwiloka Bambang , Rizqiati Heni , Setiani Bhakti Etza
Published: October 2020

This research aims to examine the effects of fermentation time on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of green coconut water kefir in order to determine the optimal fermentation time based on the resulting sensory attributes. There were four fermentation time treatments (12, 24, 36, and 48 hours), each with five replications. The materials used were green coconut water and 5% kefir grains. Physical analyses included pH and viscosity, while the chemical analyses included total dissolved solids (TDS), alcohol content, water content, protein content and fat content. Sensory attributes included sourness, soda sensation, sour aroma, viscosity and turbidity. The results showed that fermentation time had significant effects on pH, TDS, alcohol content, water content, protein content and the sensory attributes of green coconut water kefir. Viscosity and fat content were not affected by fermentation time. The ideal fermentation time was 12 hours resulting in a pH level of 4.6, viscosity of 0.09, TDS of 3.8° Brix, alcohol content of 1.16%, water content of 97.14 %, protein content of 6.64 % and fat content of 1.17%. Sensory evaluation found a low level of sourness, low soda sensation, high sour aroma, high viscosity and low turbidity.
The Wounded Prisoner: A Comparative Study on American and Vietnamese Students’ Perceptions of Moral Dilemmas
Authors: Byford Jeffrey M. , Lennon Sean M. , Anh Nguyen Ngoc , Hopper Sherrie , Nga Dang Thi Vuong
Published: October 2020

Throughout time, both American and Vietnamese educators have sought ways to teach both the complexity of war and the ability to teach contradicting views when presented in moral dilemmas. As the year's pass and political and economic relations between the two countries grow, the exploration of war-related moral dilemmas, which unfolded during the Vietnam War, is openly discussed and encouraged. Despite not directly affected by the war, students from both countries have differing interpretations, expressing an individual and potentially contradicting view and perception when presented in the form of a moral dilemma. This research intended to investigate how American and Vietnamese students’ reasons and reactions to a war-related moral dilemma through a fictional wartime scenario. Integrating the cognitive and affective domains through historical empathy, the study suggested that while both American and Vietnamese often selected morally ‘easy’ or popular choices amongst their peers, some students experienced great difficulty justifying their actions.
Trypanosoma cruzi-infected triatomines and rodents co-occur in a coastal island of northern Chile
Authors: Campos-Soto Ricardo , Díaz-Campusano Gabriel , Quiroga Nicol , Muñoz-San Martín Catalina , Rives-Blanchard Ninette , Torres-Pérez Fernando
Published: October 2020

Trypanosoma cruzi, the cause agent of Chagas disease, is transmitted mainly by blood-feeding insects of the subfamily Triatominae. The T. cruzi life cycle alternates between triatomines and mammalian hosts, excluding birds and reptiles. Triatomines of Mepraia genus are wild vectors of T. cruzi in Chile. Mepraia specimens infected with T. cruzi have been detected in Pan de Azúcar and Santa María islands. The most common vertebrates that inhabit these islands are birds and reptiles, and it is unknown whether small mammals are present. Consequently, it is relevant to know whether there are any T. cruzi-infected small mammals on those islands to elucidate the T. cruzi cycle. To clarify this crossroads, islands of northern Chile were explored to determine if T. cruzi-infected triatomines and rodents co-occur in islands of northern Chile. T. cruzi DNA was detected by conventional and real-time PCR in three islands: on Santa María and Pan de Azúcar islands T. cruzi was detected in Mepraia sp samples, while on Pan de Azúcar (6.1%) and Damas islands (15%) was detected in the rodent Abrothrix olivacea. We show for the first time in Chile the occurrence of insular rodents infected with T. cruzi, and a complete T. cruzi life cycle in a coastal island. Our results provide new insights to understand the T. cruzi infection in the wild cycle.
COVID-19 and Bangladesh: Socio-Economic Analysis towards the Future Correspondence
Authors: Begum Momotaj , Farid Md. Shaikh , Alam Mohammad Jahangir , Barua Swarup
Published: October 2020

The COVID-19 has caused gigantic negative effects on populace wellbeing, society, education, and the economy in Bangladesh. The aim is to deliver a comprehensive overview of the observed and the possible impacts that could appear in the coming days. The study is based on secondary information. During the early period, due to a lack of accurate facts about the case affected and death tension up-and-down among the nations. The total number of confirmed cases is increasing following geometric patterns in Bangladesh. Dairy farmers, vegetable producers, pharmaceuticals, poultry farmers are in deep crisis due to lower prices. Also, the pandemic has seriously affected educational systems, banking, FDI, ready-made garments, remittances, etc. Finally, it is not possible to mitigate the effects of pandemic individually but the integrated effort from the state authority as well as concern people of all sectors need to come forward.
Growth and Yield Performance of BINA Released Six Promising Aman Rice Varieties of Bangladesh
Authors: Akondo Md. Robiul Islam , Hossain Md. Belal , Akter Sayed Eshtiak , Islam Md. Morshedul
Published: October 2020

The experiment was conducted with six rice varieties to determine their growth and yield performance. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. All the growth and yield contributing attributes varied significantly among the six rice varieties. The results revealed that maximum No. of filled spikelets/panicle observed in Binadhan-16 (108.43) and that was statistically similar with Binadhan-17 (100.10). Minimum number of filled spikelets/panicle observed in Binadhan-11 (60.60) and that was statistically similar with Binadhan-15 (63.87). Maximum 1000-seed weight was observed in Binadhan-16 (25.67 g) that was statistically similar with Binadhan-20 (25.33 g). The minimum 1000-seed weight was observed in Binadhan-15 (22.33 g) that was statistically similar with Binadhan-17 (23.00 g). Maximum number of non effective tiller was observed in Binadhan-11 (11.53) and minimum number in Binadhan-17 (2.30) that was statistically similar with Binadhan-16 (2.94). Highest grain yield was obtained from Binadhan-16 (6.57 t ha-1) that was significantly different from other varieties. Lowest grain yield observed in Binadhan-15 (5.39 t ha-1) that was statistically similar to Binadhan-7 (5.54 t ha-1). The highest straw yield (6.80 t ha–1) is produced by Binadhan-16 (Fig. 2). The lowest (5.89 t ha–1) straw yield was produced by Binadhan-7.
Metabolomic profile of cancer stem cell‐derived exosomes from patients with malignant melanoma
Authors: Palacios‐Ferrer José Luis , García‐Ortega María Belén , Gallardo‐Gómez María , García María Ángel , Díaz Caridad , Boulaiz Houria , Valdivia Javier , Jurado José Miguel , Almazan‐Fernandez Francisco M. , Arias‐Santiago Salvador , Amezcua Víctor , Peinado Héctor , Vicente Francisca , Pérez del Palacio José , Marchal Juan A.
Published: October 2020

Malignant melanoma (MM) is the most aggressive and life‐threatening form of skin cancer. It is characterized by an extraordinary metastasis capacity and chemotherapy resistance, mainly due to melanoma cancer stem cells (CSCs). To date, there are no suitable clinical diagnostic, prognostic or predictive biomarkers for this neoplasia. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new MM biomarkers that enable early diagnosis and effective disease monitoring. Exosomes represent a novel source of biomarkers since they can be easily isolated from different body fluids. In this work, a primary patient‐derived MM cell line enriched in CSCs was characterized by assessing the expression of specific markers and their stem‐like properties. Exosomes derived from CSCs and serums from patients with MM were characterized, and their metabolomic profile was analysed by high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) following an untargeted approach and applying univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. The aim of this study was to search potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of this disease. Our results showed significant metabolomic differences in exosomes derived from MM CSCs compared with those from differentiated tumour cells and also in serum‐derived exosomes from patients with MM compared to those from healthy controls. Interestingly, we identified similarities between structural lipids differentially expressed in CSC‐derived exosomes and those derived from patients with MM such as the glycerophosphocholine PC 16:0/0:0. To our knowledge, this is the first metabolomic‐based study aimed at characterizing exosomes derived from melanoma CSCs and patients' serum in order to identify potential biomarkers for MM diagnosis. We conclude that metabolomic characterization of CSC‐derived exosomes sets an open door to the discovery of clinically useful biomarkers in this neoplasia.
CASBEE‐Wellness Office: An objective measure of the building potential for a healthily built environment
Authors: Hayashi Tatsuya , Hiyama Kyosuke , Kubo Ryutaro
Published: October 2020

The CASBEE‐Wellness Office (hereinafter CASBEE‐WO) was launched in June 2019 as a new CASBEE tool for assessing buildings and workplaces from the viewpoints of workers' health, workplace productivity, and resilience. In this paper, we introduce the structure of the evaluation system. The tool development has begun in response to emerging demands following recent social movements related to PRI and ESG investments. The new tool has added a function that evaluates wellness factors in the building evaluation process using the CASBEE family. While CASBEE‐WO can be used alone, the simultaneous evaluation with existing CASBEE tools can be selected. Two types of new building certifications are launched. The “Wellness Office” is the one certified with CASBEE‐WO alone, and the “Smart Wellness Office” is the simultaneous certification with the existing CASBEE tools. The technical background, such as the correlations with other evaluation tools, CASBEE‐OHC and WFun, is also explained. It shows that the CASBEE‐WO can properly evaluate buildings providing a work environment to reduce the risk of a high work functioning impairment. The third‐party certification process has been started, and the data are analyzed. The new version was released in May 2020 to fix some defects found through the analysis.
Evaluation of calibration factor of OSLD toward eye lens exposure dose measurement of medical staff during IVR
Authors: Asahara Takashi , Hayashi Hiroaki , Goto Sota , Kimoto Natsumi , Takegami Kazuki , Maeda Tatsuya , Kanazawa Yuki , Okazaki Tohru , Hashizume Takuya
Published: October 2020

The eye lens is a sensitive organ of which an x‐ray exposure dose should be managed during interventional radiology (IVR). In the actual situations, the eye lens is exposed to scattered x‐rays; they have different from the standard x‐ray energies which are used for general dose calibration of the dosimeter. To perform precise dose measurement, the energy dependence of the dosimeter should be properly accounted for when calibrating the dosimeter. The vendor supplies a calibration factor using 80‐kV diagnostic x‐rays under a free‐air condition. However, whether it is possible to use this calibration factor to evaluate the air kerma during the evaluation of the eye lens dose is unclear. In this paper, we aim to precisely determine calibration factors, and also examine the possible application of using a vendor‐supplied calibration factor. First, the x‐ray spectrum at the eye lens position during fluoroscopy was measured with a CdTe x‐ray spectrometer. We mimicked transfemoral cardiac catheterization using a human‐type phantom. Second, we evaluated the doses and calibration factors at three dosimetric points: front and back of protective goggles, and the front of the head (eye lens position). We used the measured x‐ray spectrum to determine the incident photon distribution in the eye lens regions, and x‐ray spectra corresponding to the dosimetric points around the eye lens were estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. Although the calibration factors varied with dosimetric positions, we found that the factors obtained were similar to the vendor‐supplied calibration factor. Furthermore, based on the experiment, we propose a practical way to calibrate an OSL dosimeter in an actual clinical situation. A person evaluating doses can use a vendor‐supplied calibration factor without any corrections for energy dependences, only when they add a systematic uncertainty of 5%. This evidence will strongly support actual exposure dose measurement during a clinical study.
Outcomes and Quality of Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis With or Without Video Telemedicine Follow‐Up Visits
Authors: Ferucci Elizabeth D. , Day Gretchen M. , Choromanski Tammy L. , Freeman Sarah L.
Published: October 2020

Objective

Telemedicine has been proposed to improve access to care in rheumatology, but few studies of telerheumatology have been published. The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes and quality of care for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients seen by video telemedicine follow‐up compared to in‐person only.

Methods

Individuals in the Alaska Tribal Health System with a diagnosis of RA were recruited when seeing a rheumatologist either in‐person or by video telemedicine, both of which were offered as part of usual follow‐up care. At baseline, participants completed the Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) questionnaire and a telemedicine perception survey and agreed to medical record review. Participants repeated surveys by telephone at 6 and 12 months, and medical record abstraction was performed at 12 months for quality measures.

Results

At the 12‐month outcome assessment, 63 of 122 RA patients (52%) had ever used telemedicine for RA. In univariate analysis, functional status improved over 12 months in the telemedicine group. In multivariate analysis, RAPID3 score and functional status were associated with telemedicine group (higher), with no statistically significant change over the 12‐month period. The only quality measure that differed between groups at 12 months in univariate analysis was the proportion of visits in which disease activity was documented (higher in the in‐person group, 40% versus 25%; P = 0.02), but this was not significant after multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

In short‐term follow‐up, there was no significant difference in most outcome and quality measures in patients with RA who incorporated telemedicine follow‐up in their care compared to in‐person only.
Willingness to Undergo Joint Surgery Following a First‐Line Intervention for Osteoarthritis: Data From the Better Management of People With Osteoarthritis Register
Authors: Dell’Isola Andrea , Jönsson Thèrèse , Rolfson Ola , Cronström Anna , Englund Martin , Dahlberg Leif
Published: October 2020

Objective

To assess the proportion of participants reconsidering their willingness to undergo surgery after 3 and 12 months. Secondary aims were to analyze and compare the characteristics of individuals willing and unwilling to undergo joint surgery for osteoarthritis (OA) before a first‐line intervention, and to study the association between pain intensity, walking difficulties, self‐efficacy, and fear of movement with the willingness to undergo surgery.

Methods

This was an observational study based on Swedish register data. We included 30,578 individuals with knee or hip OA who participated in a first‐line intervention including education and exercise.

Results

Individuals willing to undergo surgery at baseline showed a higher proportion of men (40% versus 27%) and more severe symptoms and disability. Respectively, 45% and 30% of the individuals with knee and hip OA who were willing to undergo surgery at baseline became unwilling after the intervention. At the end of the study period (12 months), 35% and 19% of those with knee and hip OA, respectively, who were willing to undergo surgery at baseline became unwilling. High pain intensity, walking difficulties, and fear of movement were associated with higher odds of being willing to undergo surgery at both follow‐ups, while increased self‐efficacy showed the opposite association.

Conclusion

A first‐line intervention for OA is associated with reduced willingness to undergo surgery, with a greater proportion among patients with knee OA than hip OA. Due to its temporal variability, willingness to undergo surgery should be used with care to deem surgery eligibility.
Boosting Dual‐Directional Polysulfide Electrocatalysis via Bimetallic Alloying for Printable Li–S Batteries
Authors: Shi Zixiong , Sun Zhongti , Cai Jingsheng , Fan Zhaodi , Jin Jia , Wang Menglei , Sun Jingyu
Published: October 2020

The rational design of electrocatalyst has readily stimulated a burgeoning interest in expediting polysulfide conversion and hence essentially restricting the “shuttle effect” in Li–S systems. Nevertheless, seldom efforts have been devoted to probing the dual‐directional polysulfide electrocatalysis to date. Herein, a CoFe alloy decorated mesoporous carbon sphere (CoFe‐MCS) serving as a promising mediator for Li–S batteries is reported. Such bimetallic alloying boosts dual‐directional electrocatalytic activity toward effective polysulfide conversion throughout detailed electroanalytic characterization, theoretical calculation, and operando instrumental probing. Accordingly, the S@CoFe‐MCS cathode harvests a stable cycling with a low capacity decay rate of 0.062% per cycle over 500 cycles at 2.0 C. More encouragingly, benefiting from the optimized redox kinetics and delicate grid architecture, printable S@CoFe‐MCS cathode achieves an excellent rate performance at a sulfur loading of 4.0 mg cm−2 and advanced areal capacity of 6.0 mAh cm−2 at 7.7 mg cm−2. This work explores non‐precious metal alloy electrocatalysts in printable cathodes toward dual‐directional polysulfide conversion, holding great potential in the pursuit of Li–S commercialization.
Dye‐Loaded Nanoemulsions: Biomimetic Fluorescent Nanocarriers for Bioimaging and Nanomedicine
Authors: Klymchenko Andrey S. , Liu Fei , Collot Mayeul , Anton Nicolas
Published: October 2020

Lipid nanoemulsions (NEs), owing to their controllable size (20 to 500 nm), stability and biocompatibility, are now frequently used in various fields, such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, drug delivery, and even as nanoreactors for chemical synthesis. Moreover, being composed of components generally recognized as safe (GRAS), they can be considered as “green” nanoparticles that mimic closely lipoproteins and intracellular lipid droplets. Therefore, they attracted attention as carriers of drugs and fluorescent dyes for both bioimaging and studying the fate of nanoemulsions in cells and small animals. In this review, the composition of dye‐loaded NEs, methods for their preparation, and emerging biological applications are described. The design of bright fluorescent NEs with high dye loading and minimal aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) is focused on. Common issues including dye leakage and NEs stability are discussed, highlighting advanced techniques for their characterization, such as Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Attempts to functionalize NEs surface are also discussed. Thereafter, biological applications for bioimaging and single‐particle tracking in cells and small animals as well as biomedical applications for photodynamic therapy are described. Finally, challenges and future perspectives of fluorescent NEs are discussed.
Shedding Light on the Role of Misfit Strain in Controlling Core–Shell Nanocrystals
Authors: Zhao Jianxiong , Chen Bing , Wang Feng
Published: October 2020

Heteroepitaxial modification of nanomaterials has become a powerful means to create novel functionalities for various applications. One of the most elementary factors in heteroepitaxial nanostructures is the misfit strain arising from mismatched lattices of the constituent parts. Misfit strain not only dictates epitaxy kinetics for diversifying nanocrystal morphologies but also provides rational control over materials properties. In recent years, advances in chemical synthesis along with the rapid development of electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction techniques have enabled a substantial understanding of strain‐related processes, which offers theoretical foundation and experimental guidance for researchers to refine heteroepitaxial nanostructures and their properties. Herein, recent investigations on heterogeneous core–shell nanocrystals containing misfit strains are summarized, with a focus on the mechanistic understanding of strain and strain‐induced effects such as tuning the epitaxial habit, modulating the optical emission, and enhancing the catalytic activity and magnetic coercivity.