bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A democracia como valor de debate: a discussão entre Carlos Nelson Coutinho e Adelmo Genro Filho
Authors: Neves Dédallo
Published: February 2021

Em 1978, já no contexto da redemocratização e “abertura lenta, gradual e segura” anunciada pelo General Ernesto Geisel, muitos debates em torno da temática “democracia” ocorreram. A revista Encontros com a Civilização Brasileira (ECB) era um dos espaços disponíveis para pensar o que seria a democracia no Brasil após duas décadas de regime militar. A ECB circulou entre 1978 e 1982 e foi editada por Ênio Silveira e Moacyr Félix. Entre os quatro anos foram publicados 29 volumes. O trabalho em questão pretende elencar dois textos produzidos na ECB em torno da temática “democracia”. O primeiro de Carlos Nelson Coutinho, “A democracia como valor universal”, onde o autor reflete sobre o vínculo existente entre democracia e socialismo e em que lugar há continuidades e rupturas entre a democracia de caráter burguês e a de caráter socialista. E o segundo de Adelmo Genro Filho, “A democracia como valor operário e popular”, cujo objetivo é responder Coutinho. Genro Filho acusa o primeiro autor de certo reformismo na maneira de compreender a passagem de uma democracia a outra. Assim sendo, tendo como pano de fundo o debate entre os dois autores, suas posições e conceitos trazidos para teorizarem sobre o que seria democracia no socialismo, o artigo pretende resgatar os debates realizados na ECB no contexto da redemocratização brasileira.
Civil defence aspects
Authors: Holloway R. H. F.
Published: February 2021

In New Zealand, Civil Defence exists because many natural hazards and man-made accidents can create disasters of dimensions that could not be dealt with by the normal emergency services. The destructive earthquake without warning is probably the most difficult and dangerous threat to public safety for Civil Defence to contend with. Most other causes of disaster either have some degree of warning or are relatively localised compared with the sudden and widespread effects of a major earthquake. Civil Defence planning is, in a sense, already based upon a vague and imprecise prediction of earthquakes known to be more likely to occur in some areas than in others and accepted as likely to happen at any time. The effect on Civil Defence of  better earthquake prediction will depend  on the probability, accuracy (in time, location and magnitude) of such prediction and how soon before the event it can be made.
Análisis de sentimiento en las campañas presidenciales: México 2018
Authors: Ortiz Espinoza Ángeles , Espejel Trujillo Angelina
Published: February 2021

Twitter se ha convertido en un medio de promoción de opiniones que no ha pasado desapercibido para los agentes políticos. Este trabajo revisa las publicaciones hechas por los candidatos a la presidencia de México en las elecciones de 2018 para revisar el contenido de los mensajes de Twitter; las reacciones que producen, y a qué sentimientos apelan. La hipótesis que se sustenta es que, pese a que las redes sociales pueden ser consideradas como un elemento que fomenta las relaciones entre la clase política y la ciudadanía, esta herramienta funciona como un instrumento de información unilateral y solo reafirma interacciones recurrentes en la cultura política sin propiciar la participación ciudadana. Asimismo, se propone como instrumento metodológico el uso de herramientas computacionales, en particular el análisis de sentimiento, para obtener y analizar información relacionada al quehacer político.
Association Between Length of Stay in the Intensive Care Unit and Sarcopenia Among Hemiplegic Stroke Patients
Authors: Jang Aeri , Bae Chang Hoon , Han Soo Jeong , Bae Hasuk
Published: February 2021

Objective To discuss the association between the length of stay at the intensive care unit (ICU) and sarcopenia among hemiplegic stroke patients.Methods This study evaluated 66 hemiplegic stroke patients with history of ICU admission using handgrip strength and bioelectrical impedance analysis to obtain height-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was made according to the muscle mass based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. The patients were divided into sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic groups. The two groups were statistically analyzed, and the significant factors with differences were studied. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between length of stay in the ICU and sarcopenia, after adjusting for potential confounders.Results Among 66 hemiplegic patients with an ICU admission history, 12 patients were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia patients showed lower scores on the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Additionally, patients with sarcopenia had a longer length of stay in the ICU, and univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed that the ICU length of stay was significantly related to sarcopenia (adjusted odds ratio=1.187; 95% confidence interval, 1.019–1.382; p=0.028).Conclusion The length of stay in the ICU was significantly associated with sarcopenia in hemiplegic stroke patients.
Epidemiology of Spinal Cord Injury: Changes to Its Cause Amid Aging Population, a Single Center Study
Authors: Kim Ha Seong , Lim Kil-Byung , Kim Jiyong , Kang Joongmo , Lee Hojin , Lee Sang Wan , Yoo Jeehyun
Published: February 2021

Objective To investigate the epidemiologic and demographic characteristics of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who were admitted to a department of rehabilitation of a university hospital.Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Medical records including sex, age at injury, type of disability, traumatic or non-traumatic etiology and presence of ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of patients with SCI who were admitted to the department of rehabilitation between 2012 and 2018 were reviewed.Results Of the 221 cases of SCI, 161 were traumatic and 60 were non-traumatic. The mean age at injury was 52.8 years. People aged 40–49 years showed highest proportion among overall SCI patients (19.0%). The proportion of male patients was higher in traumatic SCI at 4.96:1 than in non-traumatic SCI at 1.30:1. The most common cause of traumatic SCI was falling off (37.3%), followed by motor vehicle crash (35.4%) and tripping over (19.3%). Meanwhile, the most common cause of non-traumatic SCI was neoplasm (35.0%). Tripping over was the leading cause of traumatic SCI in patients aged ≥60 years (42.6%). A high proportion of traumatic SCI patients were found to have underlying OPLL (26.1%), particularly those who were injured by tripping over (64.5%).Conclusion The mean age of SCI patients was higher than that of previous studies. Falls was the single most common cause of traumatic SCI, and tripping over was the most common cause of injury in the elderly patients. OPLL was prevalent in patients who were injured from tripping over.
Clinical Factors Associated With Successful Gastrostomy Tube Weaning in Patients With Prolonged Dysphagia After Stroke
Authors: Jang Bo Seong , Park Jun Young , Lee Jae Hyun , Sim Young Joo , Jeong Ho Joong , Kim Ghi Chan
Published: February 2021

Objective To investigate the clinical factors associated with successful gastrostomy tube weaning in patients with prolonged dysphagia after stroke.Methods This study involved a retrospective medical chart review of patients diagnosed with prolonged dysphagia after stroke who underwent gastrostomy tube insertion between May 2013 and January 2020. Forty-seven patients were enrolled and consequently divided into gastrostomy tube sustaining and weaning groups. The numbers of patients in the sustaining and weaning groups were 31 and 16, respectively. The patients’ demographic data, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score, Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Functional Dysphagia Scale (FDS) score, and Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) score were compared between the two groups. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study was performed before making the decision of gastrostomy tube weaning. The clinical factors associated with gastrostomy tube weaning were then investigated.Results There were significant differences in age; history of aspiration pneumonia; K-MMSE, FDS, and PAS scores; and K-MBI between the groups. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the FDS (odds ratio [OR]=0.791; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.634–0.987) and PAS scores (OR=0.205; 95% CI, 0.059–0.718) were associated with successful gastrostomy tube weaning. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the FDS and PAS were useful screening tools for successful weaning, with areas under the curve of 0.911 and 0.918, respectively.Conclusion In patients with prolonged dysphagia, the FDS and PAS scores are the only factors associated with successful gastrostomy tube weaning. An evaluation of the swallowing function is necessary before deciding to initiate gastrostomy tube weaning.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Lumbosacral Orthoses on Early Spine Surgery Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Jang Soo Woong , Yang Hee Seung , Kim Young Bae , Yang Joo Chul , Kang Kyu Bok , Kim Tae Wan , Park Kwan Ho , Jeon Kyung Soo , Shin Hee Dong , Kim Ye Eun , Cho Han Na , Lee Yun Kyung , Lee Young , Lee Seul Bin Na , Ahn Dong Young , Sim Woo Sob , Jo Min , Jo Gyu Jik , Park Dong Bum , Park Gwan Su
Published: February 2021

Objective To compare the convenience and effectiveness of the existing lumbosacral orthoses (LSO) (classic LSO and Cybertech) and a newly developed LSO (V-LSO) by analyzing postoperative data.Methods This prospective cohort study was performed from May 2019 to November 2019 and enrolled and analyzed 88 patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease scheduled for elective lumbar surgery. Three types of LSO that were provided according to the time of patient registration were applied for 6 weeks. Patients were randomized into the classic LSO group (n=31), Cybertech group (n=26), and V-LSO group (n=31). All patients were assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) preoperatively and underwent plain lumbar radiography (anteroposterior and lateral views) 10 days postoperatively. Lumbar lordosis (LS angle) and frontal imbalance were measured with and without LSO. At the sixth postoperative week, a follow-up assessment with the ODI and orthosis questionnaire was conducted.Results No significant differences were found among the three groups in terms of the LS angle, frontal imbalance, ODI, and orthosis questionnaire results. When the change in the LS angle and frontal imbalance toward the reference value was defined as a positive change with and without LSO, the rate of positive change was significantly different in the V-LSO group (LS angle: 41.94% vs. 61.54% vs. 83.87%; p=0.003).Conclusion The newly developed LSO showed no difference regarding its effectiveness and compliance when compared with the existing LSO, but it was more effective in correcting lumbar lordosis.
Correlation Between Duration From Injury and Bone Mineral Density in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Choi Hyehoon , Chang So-youn , Yoo Jaewan , Lim Seong Hoon , Hong Bo Young , Kim Joon Sung
Published: February 2021

Objective To investigate the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and duration of injury in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods Patients with SCI who visited the outpatient department between January 2009 and January 2019 were enrolled. Patients’ most recent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry images were reviewed. According to the 2007 International Society for Clinical Densitometry guidelines, vertebrae with a local structural change were excluded when deriving spine BMD. If one or no vertebra is suitable for evaluation, spine BMD was judged as “improper for assessment”. Correlation analysis was performed between duration from injury and BMD Z-scores of the hip and spine.Results Among 83 individuals with SCI, the spines of 44 were judged as improper for assessment. The correlation analysis showed a significant negative relationship between the duration from injury and femur neck BMD (r=-0.40, p<0.01) and total proximal femur BMD (r=-0.39, p<0.01). However, no significant correlation was found between the duration from injury and spine BMD Z-score.Conclusion The duration of SCI correlated with hip BMD, but not with spine BMD. Further, more than half of the individuals with SCI could not undergo spinal assessment due to local structural changes. Therefore, spine BMD measurement is not an appropriate method for predicting future fracture risk in those with SCI.
Afdelingen Bijzondere Wetten bij het Nationale Politiekorps? Ja: broodnodig!
Authors: Fijnaut C.J.C.F.
Published: February 2021

Afdelingen Bijzondere Wetten bij het Nationale Politiekorps? Ja: broodnodig!

Tot in de jaren tachtig van de vorige eeuw hadden de grotere korpsen van gemeentepolitie een Afdeling Bijzondere Wetten. Deze afdelingen belichaamden de bestuurlijke handhaving van de rechtsorde en zorgden voor nauwe verbindingen tussen de politie, het bestuur en het bedrijfsleven. Jammer genoeg werden zij grotendeels opgedoekt in het kader van de politiereorganisatie van 1993 en – in samenhang hiermee – bij de toenmalige desorganisatie van de politiekorpsen door de stelselmatige invoering van wijkteams. Zodoende ging niet alleen een belangrijk deel van de traditionele rol van de politie in het maatschappelijk leven verloren, maar werd ook het lokaal en nationaal bestuur beroofd van zijn gekwalificeerde sterke arm bij de uitvoering van veel bijzondere wetten. Alleen al gegeven de toenemende rol van het bestuur bij de beheersing van zware misdaad, zou deze strategische blunder ongedaan moeten worden gemaakt door de heroprichting van de genoemde afdelingen bij de districten van het Nationale Politiekorps. Een dergelijke hervorming zou gepaard moeten gaan met de integratie van de gemeentelijke handhavingsdiensten in dit korps. Zo zou het wijze principe in ere worden hersteld dat er op het grondgebied van de gemeenten niet twee verschillende politiediensten moeten opereren.
Geographical analysis of forest types based on a digital elevation model generated from synthetic aperture radar
Authors: Erdenebaatar Nyamjargal , Damdinsuren Amarsaikhan
Published: February 2021

This research aims to examine forest type distribution, based on slope and aspect maps, generated from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. The study is conducted over an area about 1564.9 km2 located in Khutag-Undur soum of Bulgan aimag (province), northern Mongolia. Sentinel-1 interferometric SAR images acquired on 5 and 17 October of 2020 are used to generate a digital elevation model (DEM). For a forest type classification, geocoded Sentinel-2 multispectral images acquired on 5 July and 27 September of 2019 are used. Initially, a DEM creation from the SAR data is performed and the slope and aspect maps are generated, following which geographical analysis is performed using slope, aspect and classified forest type maps. The result of the analysis shows that about half of the forested areas face the north-west, north and north-east directions. It also revealed that evergreen conifers are distributed on slopes of moderate degrees facing towards the south-east and south, whereas the deciduous conifers are mainly distributed on relatively steep slopes facing south-west, west and north-west.
Ties between steppe and peninsula: Comparative perspective of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Мongolia and Кorea
Authors: Gantulga Jamiyan-Ombo
Published: February 2021

This article describes the results of a comparative study of some monuments (settlement, dolmen, rock art) and some artifacts (pottery, arrowhead, dagger, bronze mirror, bead, whetstone) of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Mongolian steppe and Korean Peninsula. The comparative study sought to clarify the external and internal structures of the monuments, as well as the burial practices. In the case of artifacts, their materials and functions were considered.
APRIMORAMENTOS DA SOLUÇÃO PARALELA BASEADA EM OPERAÇÕES COLETIVAS PARA O BOOTSTRAP DA RECONSTRUÇÃO DE ÁRVORES FILOGENÉTICAS NO PHYML 3.0
Authors: Ximena Torres Delgado Martha
Published: February 2021

Phylogenetics determines the evolutionary relationships between groups of species, through a phylogenetic tree. PhyML is among the main programs for the reconstruction of phylogenetic trees. Bootstrap is a statistical method used to measure the confidence of a given data set, which is usually applied in the analysis of inferred phylogenetic trees. In PhyML this method has two MPI parallel implementations: with point-to-point operations and collective operations. The second version is more efficient than the first, however it has a limitation on the number of bootstrap to be used due to the increase in memory consumption. In order to solve this problem, three proposals were developed. The objectives of this work were to carry out the validation of these versions together with performance tests. The validation showed that the proposed solutions present results equivalent to the point-to-point version. In the performance simulations, two solutions were shown to be superior to the point-to-point version, with the best one achieving gains of 28.46% and 39.64% for 32 and 64 processes, respectively. Therefore, the enhancements allow alternatives to the point-to-point version without limitingmemory.
O USO DO SOFTWARE SCRATCH NO ENSINO DA GEOMETRIA
Authors: Henrique Damião dos Santos Filho Carlos
Published: February 2021

In this paperpresentthe Scratch programming software as a method to the teaching of Mathematics. The aim of this study was to carry out angles and polygons construction, areaand perimeter calculationsthrough practical activities that will be guided by the teacher. The methodology consisted of theoretical study, bibliographic research as well as theuse of technology in education. In addition, the study’s applications were made using the technological hardware. Demandto present the basics of programming and carry out some efficient activities, in such a way, that the students can fully interact with the class of the teacher who will apply such teaching method. With this, expectedthat students acquire the necessary knowledge that the software has to offer, in addition to stimulating the fixing of the content and the teacher can teach a more dynamic, fun and more productive class using the technological resource that is available to be used in education.
PÓS-TRATAMENTO DE LIXIVIADO ESTABILIZADO POR CICLO COMPLETO, ADSORÇÃO E OXIDAÇÃO QUÍMICA
Authors: Yuri Almeida Sawaguchi Marcella , Giany Assunção Emily , Bruna de Tavares  Machado  Bolonhesi Isabela , Fonseca  da  Costa Gabriela , Gomes  da Assunção Júnior Vilson
Published: February 2021

The leachatefrom landfillhas high concentrations of organic matter, humic and nitrogenous compounds, heavy metals and inorganic salts, which requiresproper treatment for its final destinationand does not cause damage to the environment. Studies show that the biologically treated effluent requires an association of physical-chemical techniques.Thisstudy aimed to evaluate the application of complementary techniques to thebiological treatmentsuch as coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation(CFS)andFenton's reaction oxidation(FR), followed by adsorption. The CFS with ferric chloride and FRpost-treatments isolated had100% and 87,9%, organic mattercorrelated with true color removal and 53,6% and 67,0% of CODremoval,which meetwiththe requirements of CONAMA 357/05 e 430/11 for disposal in water bodies. The adsorption after Fenton reaction resulted in 84,5% organic matter correlated with true color removal and 67,0% of CODremoval. Adsorption after coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation was able to reduce 76,9% of COD. CFSshowed higher removal efficiency of organic matter correlated to the true color, while RFobtained higher removal efficiency of NKT, N-ammoniacal and COD parameters. The biologically treated leachate did not show significant toxicityacute to the test organism saline artemia, however, after the post-treatment, acute ecotoxicity in the limits established by CEMA 81/10.
Criação de um guia para selecionar métodos de avaliação para tecnologias de software M-learning
Authors: Alencar Ana Iza De Sousa , Marques Anna Beatriz Dos Santos
Published: February 2021

M-learning é uma das principais ferramentas de aprendizagem no contexto educacional e se refere à mobilidade na aprendizagem, em qualquer lugar, a qualquer hora e por qualquer pessoa. Considerando que o M-learning é relativamente novo, é importante investigar métodos adequados de avaliação da qualidade. Assim, esta pesquisa, objetiva criar um guia para selecionar um método adequado para avaliar a qualidade de tecnologias M-learning. Neste artigo, apresenta-se a criação do guia proposto e um estudo de viabilidade. Ao realizar uma revisão bibliográfica, identificou-se métodos de avaliação, características, critérios e subcritérios de qualidade a serem considerados em uma aplicação M-learning. Cada método encontrado foi relacionado aos critérios de qualidade que avalia. O guia foi criado como uma tabela dinâmica em formato de planilha. Para avaliar a viabilidade do guia, um experimento em duas turmas de Qualidade de Software foi conduzido. Os resultados mostram que mais de 80% dos participantes concordam que o guia é útil, fácil de usar e que pretendem utilizar o guia no futuro. Entretanto, foram observadas algumas dificuldades na utilização do guia, devido à falta ou pouca experiência com a ferramenta utilizada para a criação do guia. Como trabalho futuro, pretende-se desenvolver um software a fim de melhorar a facilidade de uso do guia e sua eficácia na sugestão de métodos de avaliação.
Green Supply Chain Management Practices and Firm Characteristics: Evidence from Cameroon
Authors: Kouty Manfred
Published: February 2021

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, green supply chain management (GSCM) has emerged as a set of managerial practices that integrate environmental issues into supply chain management. The purpose of this study is to investigate the firm characteristics and factors that could affect the use of green practices by the firm in Cameroon. Using the Cameroon Business Climate Survey (BCS) for the year 2016, our analysis shows that there exist substantial differences between the green firms and non-green firms. These differentials include factors such as size and skill workers. We also find some evidence that regulatory framework, skill workers, turnover exporting activities and firm size are consistent variables that influence whether a firm will use green practices in Cameroon.
Photodynamic Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Infections
Authors: Erick Palavecino Christian , Pérez Camila , Zuñiga Tania
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coconut that causes various life-threatening infections and, in turn, represents a major producer of healthcare-associated infections. This pathogen is highly resistant to antibiotics, which has made it difficult to eradicate in recent decades. Photodynamic therapy is a promising approach to address the notable shortage of antibiotic options against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This therapy combines the use of a photosensitizing agent, light, and oxygen to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms. The purpose of this study is to provide relevant bibliographic information about the application of photodynamic therapy as an alternative antimicrobial therapy for Staphylococcus aureus infections. Methods: This review was achieved through a bibliographic search in various databases and the analysis of relevant publications on the subject. Results: A large body of evidence demonstrates the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in eliminating biofilm- or biofilm-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as antibiotic-resistant strains. Conclusion: We conclude that photodynamic therapy against Staphylococcus aureus is a recommended antibacterial therapy that may complement antibiotic treatment.
Poor Air Quality: A Dark Cloud of Filth Poisons
Authors: Abdul Rehman Khan Syed , Shah Adeel , Yu Zhang
Published: February 2021

Our home, the Earth, is the rarest planet in-universe the to sustain life. The thing which makes it unique amongst heavenly bodies is balance in the environment. This balance is the key to sustain life for millions of years. Air is one of the most critical components of mother nature; it provides oxygen for all species, both plant and animal, to live. Air not only provides oxygen but is also essential for keeping the human body cool. The advantages of air are countless, from the cloud, weather, humidity, dust, and pollen migration to burning fire; without it, life will not continue. Air is made up of chemical components, and if pollutants added, it would become harmful for all living beings. The chapter put forward is to highlight the importance of the quality of ambient air, standards to measure, and sources of pollution. Further in the chapter, the impacts of polluted air on human health and the countries’ financial obstacles are discussed. The chapter concludes with a summary and recommendations for policymakers, NGOs, and affected people to better their lives and repair the damage caused to nature’s precious gift, the air.
Carbon-Based Nanocomposite Materials for High-Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Kumar Sahoo Prasanta , Tseng Chi-Ang , Huang Yi-June , Lee Chuan-Pei
Published: February 2021

Lightweight, flexible, wearable, and portable electronic gadgets have drawn significant attention in modern electronics industry. To power these gadgets, great efforts have been made to develop highly efficient energy-storage equipment. Among various power sources, a supercapacitor, acting as a bridge between the conventional battery and electrolytic capacitor, has been considered a promising portable energy storage device because of its high power density, fast charge/discharge rate, adequate operational safety, and excellent working lifetime. Hybrid supercapacitors, which combine redox materials with carbon-based materials, exhibit tremendous potential to fulfill the requirement of practical applications. In this chapter, we will review recent reports focusing on composite materials (i.e. metal oxide, metal hydroxide, and metal dichalcogenide composited with carbon materials) for the application in supercapacitors. The conclusion and futuristic prospects and challenges of highly efficient supercapacitors are briefly discussed.
An Evolutionary Perspective for Network Centric Therapy through Wearable and Wireless Systems for Reflex, Gait, and Movement Disorder Assessment with Machine Learning
Authors: LeMoyne Robert , Mastroianni Timothy
Published: February 2021

Wearable and wireless systems have progressively evolved to achieve the capabilities of Network Centric Therapy. Network Centric Therapy comprises the application of wearable and wireless inertial sensors for the quantification of human movement, such as reflex response, gait, and movement disorders, with machine learning classification representing advanced diagnostics. With wireless access to a functional Cloud computing environment Network Centric Therapy enables subjects to be evaluated at any location of choice with Internet connectivity and expert medical post-processing resources situated anywhere in the world. The evolutionary origins leading to the presence of Network Centric Therapy are detailed. With the historical perspective and state of the art presented, future concepts are addressed.
Nanowires Integrated to Optical Waveguides
Authors: Téllez-Limón Ricardo , Salas-Montiel Rafael
Published: February 2021

Chip-scale integrated optical devices are one of the most developed research subjects in last years. These devices serve as a bridge to overcome size mismatch between diffraction-limited bulk optics and nanoscale photonic devices. They have been employed to develop many on-chip applications, such as integrated light sources, polarizers, optical filters, and even biosensing devices. Among these integrated systems can be found the so-called hybrid photonic-plasmonic devices, structures that integrate plasmonic metamaterials on top of optical waveguides, leading to outstanding physical phenomena. In this contribution, we present a comprehensive study of the design of hybrid photonic-plasmonic systems consisting of periodic arrays of metallic nanowires integrated on top of dielectric waveguides. Based on numerical simulations, we explain the physics of these structures and analyze light coupling between plasmonic resonances in the nanowires and the photonic modes of the waveguides below them. With this chapter we pretend to attract the interest of research community in the development of integrated hybrid photonic-plasmonic devices, especially light interaction between guided photonic modes and plasmonic resonances in metallic nanowires.
Ivan Illich, Iatrogenesis and Pharmacogenetics
Authors: Antonio Diniz de Oliveira José
Published: February 2021

In Medical Nemesis - The expropriation of health, IVAN ILLICH highlights several aspects of the medicalization of society, which was already observed in the mid-1970s. He addressed the various forms of iatrogenesis, classifying the new disease caused by the set of medical care as an epidemic that would not exist if there were no medical intervention. Of the various forms of iatrogenesis, he also addressed drug iatrogenesis, including the cause of hospital admissions. In this article, more than 40 years after Illich’s seminal publication, we sought to revisit his thinking and assess the relevance of his narrative regarding the inconveniences resulting from the use of medicines, especially in their impacts on hospitalization, in addition to reflecting on the potential of pharmacogenetics to mitigate adverse events related to drugs that victimize people. After a brief presentation of Illich’s trajectory, a digression is made on the association between the concepts of medicalization and iatrogenesis, to then make quick considerations about social iatrogenesis, considering the effects of this phenomenon on society. After presenting the consequences of iatrogenesis, from a fluent literature review, an update of the findings is made, showing that the problem is relevant today. A brief conceptual presentation of pharmacogenetics is followed by some examples of its clinical consequences. It is concluded that, despite the unequivocal importance of pharmacotherapy, iatrogenesis remains a problem of increasing relevance. Pharmacogenetics presents itself as a possibility to minimize the problem, making it possible to expand its use in the practice of medical services.
Immunotherapy in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Authors: Matsuda Asako , Fujimoto Nobukazu
Published: February 2021

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an extremely aggressive plural malignancy mainly caused by asbestos exposure. Basic research about the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment in MPM has suggested that MPM might be a good candidate for immune therapy. Immunocheckpoint inhibitors have shown some promising results. A phase Ib trial with pembrolizumab, an antibody specific for the programmed cell death 1 protein (anti-PD-1), showed efficacy in patients with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive MPM. Among 25 patients tested, 5 patients (20%) achieved a partial response. A Japanese group evaluated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, for patients with advanced MPM in a phase II study. Ten (29%) patients showed an objective response. Based on those results, nivolumab was approved in Japan for unresectable recurrent MPM. A phase III randomized study was conducted to compare nivolumab plus ipilimumab to platinum doublet chemotherapy as a first-line therapy in unresectable MPM. The primary endpoint, overall survival (OS), was significantly improved in the nivolumab plus ipilimumab group. Cellular therapies and cancer vaccines are limited by many challenges; therefore, improvements to overcome these difficulties are urgently warranted. Further research is needed, including large-scale clinical trials, to clarify the utility and safety of immunotherapy in MPM.
Lifestyle Transition towards Sedentary Behavior among Children and Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Narrative Review
Authors: Wachira Lucy-Joy
Published: February 2021

Worldwide lifestyles are changing with the fastest transition being witnessed in lower-income countries, especially in developing countries like Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An influx of easily acquired labor saving screen-based gadgets in many homes has affected many lives. This phenomenon is widespread affecting urban and rural affluent households with income deprived communities playing quick ‘catch up’ in the belief that this is a sign of prestige. This has led to prolonged sitting hours and excessive screen-based sedentary time especially among children. The high crime rate in urban settings has forced more parents to keep children indoors and “keep them busy” with screen gadgets. Children and youths are vulnerable and easily influenced and habits formed in childhood are seen to be carried forward into adulthood. This chapter highlights the increased sedentary lifestyle of the unique SSA population, whose unique cultural and socioeconomic factors gave them very active lifestyles previously. The plight of children and youth as vulnerable groups; and the resulting effects of sedentary screen-based activities have been discussed. Ongoing monitoring and surveillance of sedentary behavior and time among children and youth in SSA for policy development and strategic intervention is strongly advised.
Sewage Sludge to Fertilise Durum Wheat: Effects on Crop and Soil
Authors: Mañas Pilar , de las Heras Jorge
Published: February 2021

The vast quantities of degradable waste generated in urban areas may negatively influence the environment if improperly managed. This study examines effects on soil properties, yield and morphological performance of winter wheat (Triticum turgidum L. cv. Vitron) after applying composted and air-dried sewage sludge. The experiment was conducted on the field scale in two different farm soil plots Toledo, (central Spain) with different characteristics, especially salinity, concentration of chlorides, sulphates and pH. Three fertiliser treatments were considered: commercial fertiliser; air-dried sewage sludge and composted sewage sludge. Sewage sludge promoted better yields than the commercial fertiliser, and preserved soil physico-chemical characteristics. The sewage sludge application (air-dried and composted) to soil improved the results of the morphological characteristics of the studied wheat in relation to the commercial fertiliser. In the saline soil plot, air-dried sewage sludge improved the morphological characteristics of spikes (length, weight, number of grains per spike), but not final grain weight and, consequently, yield. These were upgraded with the composted sewage sludge. Use of sewage sludge for winter wheat production was the better studied option and proved a sustainable approach to recycle such waste on land.
An Overview of Digital Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Turuk Mladen
Published: February 2021

The aim of the study is to explore and present an overview of digital entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern European countries and to examine how certain components of the DESI index affect GDP per capita in CEE countries and in what way modern information technologies affect their economies. The paper uses secondary data sources, mostly scientific and professional journals from the studied area, DESI reports, Eurostat data, and other Internet sources. The first part of the paper presents a short introduction on digitization digital entrepreneurship and digital technologies. The second part provides a descriptive analysis of digital entrepreneurship indicators and explores business demography in the ICT sector while the third part refers to the analysis of the DESI index. The panel method on data from 2015 to 2019 was used to show the influence of the different DESI index components on the observed countries’ GDP per capita. The hypothesis that the components of the DESI index have a positive impact on GDP per capita has been partially confirmed. DESI rank, Connectivity and Human capital did not prove to be significant, while Use of internet services, Integration of digital technology, and Digital public services proved their significant positive effect.
Moving up the ladder of source assessment: Expanding the CRAAP test with critical thinking and metacognition
Authors: Liu Grace
Published: February 2021

Information literacy is one of the fundamental skills to acquire to be able to navigate today’s complex information ecosystem, succeed as a lifelong learner, and make critical decisions as an active and informed citizen. Today’s information environment—saturated with misinformation, fake news, misleading information, propaganda, etc.—poses a great challenge to form unbiased views of the world and make sound judgment and decisions.
The display’s the thing: A successful interactive, analog community college library display
Authors: Terrile Vikki C.
Published: February 2021

One of the first things you see when you enter the Kurt R. Schmeller Library on the Queensborough Community College campus are three display cases arranged in a horseshoe, accented with a poster display case on a stand. This prime floor space often serves as a waiting space as students read their texts or wait for friends to join them in the library. Historically, the displays featured rotated content, generally heritage months and other broad topics, with the cases packed full of books (in varying states of repair and condition), artifacts, and matted description and information labels and captions. According to everyone, the displays were routinely ignored.
Multi-Fidelity Surrogate Models for VPP Aerodynamic Input Data
Authors: Peart Tanya , Aubin Nicolas , Nava Stefano , Cater John , Norris Stuart
Published: February 2021

Predicting the performance of a sail design is important for optimising the performance of a yacht, and Velocity Prediction Programs (VPPs) are commonly used for this purpose. The aerodynamic force data for a VPP is often calculated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models, but these can be computationally expensive. A full VPP analysis for sail design is therefore usually restricted to high-budget design projects or research activities and is not practical for many industry projects.

This work presents a method to reduce the computational cost of creating lift and drag force coefficient curves for input into a VPP using both multi-fidelity kriging surrogate modelling and data from existing sail designs. This method is shown to reduce the number of CFD simulations required for a desired accuracy when compared to a single-fidelity model. A maximum reduction in the required computational effort of 57% was achieved for model-scale symmetric spinnaker sails. For the same number of simulations, the accuracy of the model predictions was improved by up to 72% for scale-symmetric spinnaker sails, and 90% for asymmetric spinnakers.
Genomic Instability and Clonal Evolution in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical Relevance
Authors: Condoluci Adalgisa , Rossi Davide
Published: February 2021

Genomic instability and clonal heterogeneity can influence cancer progression, response to therapy, and relapse. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) harbors a variety of clones and subclones that will evolve differently according to intrinsic (microenvironment) and extrinsic (therapy) pressures. Different patterns of clonal evolution have been described, providing insights into the CLL leukemic cell, dynamics, selection, and treatment refractoriness. With the help of genomic technologies allowing a granular resolution of CLL clones, novel synergic therapeutic strategies can be tested with the aim of reaching a genomic–epigenomic ultrapersonalized, tailored approach. These efforts should consider the presence of targetable alterations, continuous cancer reshaping conferring disease refractoriness, and intratumoral clonal equilibrium to possibly avoid clonal selection.
Tumor Mutational Burden and Mismatch Repair Deficiency Discordance as a Mechanism of Immunotherapy Resistance
Authors: Bielska Agata A. , Chatila Walid K. , Walch Henry , Schultz Nikolaus , Stadler Zsofia K. , Shia Jinru , Reidy-Lagunes Diane , Yaeger Rona
Published: February 2021

Lynch syndrome is a heritable cancer syndrome caused by a heterozygous germline mutation in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. MMR-deficient (dMMR) tumors are particularly sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors, an effect attributed to the higher mutation rate in these cancers. However, approximately 15% to 30% of patients with dMMR cancers do not respond to immunotherapy. This report describes 3 patients with Lynch syndrome who each had 2 primary malignancies: 1 with dMMR and a high tumor mutational burden (TMB), and 1 with dMMR but, unexpectedly, a low TMB. Two of these patients received immunotherapy for their TMB-low tumors but experienced no response. We have found that not all Lynch-associated dMMR tumors have a high TMB and propose that tumors with dMMR and TMB discordance may be resistant to immunotherapy. The possibility of dMMR/TMB discordance should be considered, particularly in less-typical Lynch cancers, in which TMB evaluation could guide the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Russell and Chomsky as Advocates of Humanistic Education
Authors: Woodhouse Howard
Published: February 2021

This article shows how Bertrand Russell and Noam Chomsky’s approaches to humanistic education are grounded in the concepts of growth, knowledge, language, freedom, and social justice. Despite their epistemological differences, Russell and Chomsky agree on the need for educating the public to abuses of power. Their own practice of education is a source of inspiration for intellectuals, who wish to counter the current discourse in schools and universities by upholding the value of academic freedom.
Editorial
Authors: Folloni André , Hachem Daniel Wunder
Published: February 2021

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Judicialization of health: lawsuits for access to medicines in Uruguaiana-RS
Authors: Ziolkowski Mariana Ilha , Gomes Graziela Scheuer , Piegas Eduarda Martini , Parisotto Alcides José , Bittencourt Raqueli Altamiranda , Haas Sandra Elisa
Published: February 2021

Introduction: In Brazil, the right to health has a constitutional and universal provision. However, the judicial route has been widely used to access health goods and services. Objective: To analyze the lawsuits of medicines filed by citizens of a Brazilian municipality. Methods: Quantitative and retrospective study evaluating 652 lawsuits filed in 2016 conducted in Uruguaiana, state of Rio Grande do Sul. The information was made available by the State Department of Health. Results: 55.5% of lawsuits filed were related to drugs provided by the public health system Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). 44.5% did not fit into the guidelines of the Brazilian Policy for Pharmaceutical Services. Most of the lawsuits were filed by women over 60 years old. Regarding the therapeutic classification, the most requested drugs were for the nervous system. The most described pathological condition according to the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) was Diabetes Mellitus. Conclusion: These data corroborate the situation found in other parts of the country, demonstrating the need to reorganize the Pharmaceutical Service Policy to ensure universal and equitable access to medicines, as described in the Federal Constitution.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Brazilian children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Guedes Dartagnan Pinto , Mello Ellen Rodrigues Barbosa
Published: February 2021

The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among young Brazilian aged 5 to 19 years through systematic review and meta-analysis of data available in the literature. An electronic search was conducted for articles in the MedLine/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo e Lilacs published from 2000 to 2018 were selected using predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Measures of heterogeneity and variability were calculated, and random effect model were used to estimate pooled prevalence rates. Forest-plots graphs were generated by sex and age. Meta-regression models were fitted to identify possible sources of heterogeneity in the prevalence estimates. Of the 1,002 articles initially identified 26 met the inclusion criteria. In children (5-9 years) the pooled prevalence rates of overweight were 16.2% (95%CI 13.2-19.3; Q=411.7, p<0.001; I2=97.8%) in girls and 14.4% (95%CI 11.5-17.3; Q=403.9, p<0.001; I2=97.7%) in boys. Obesity, 9.2% (95%CI 5.9-12.3; Q=1111.7, p<0.001; I2=99.2%) and 9.0% (95%CI 5.5-12.5; Q=1413.1, p<0.001; I2=99.4%), respectively. Regarding adolescents (10-19 years), in girls 16.4% (95%CI 15.1-17.7; Q=245.6, p<0.001; I2=92.3%) for overweight and 6.2% (95%CI 4.9-7.5; Q=842.9, p<0.001; I2=97.7%) for obesity. In boys, 15.3% (95%CI 13.4-17.1; Q=493.7, p<0.001; I2=96.2%) and 6.7% (95%CI 5.0-8.5; Q=1200.4, p<0.001; I2=98.4%), respectively. Geographic region, year of data collection and diagnostic criteria had a significant impact on the heterogeneity of the prevalence of overweight and obesity. The review identified increasing trends in the prevalence rates, highlighting the urgent need to promote healthy lifestyles from the young ages, in order to effectively address the presence of excess body weight.
Evaluation of susceptibility and response in the surface of agents of surface mycoses (Trichophyton mentagrophytes; T. tonsurans) to antifungal drugs of interest in a medical clinic
Authors: Santos Júnior Claudio José dos , Melo Andressa Rafaelle de Lima , Nascimento Jéssica Maria Diniz do , Silva Silvana Maria Teixeira da , Araújo Maria Anilda dos Santos , Souza Aryanna Kelly Pinheiro
Published: February 2021

Introduction: The resistance of fungal species to drugs usually used in clinics is of great interest in the medical field. Objective: To evaluate susceptibility and in vitro response of species of Trichophyton spp. to antifungal drugs of interest in clinical medicine. Methods: 12 samples of clinical isolates from humans were used, nine of T. mentagrophytes and three of T. tonsurans. Susceptibility tests were performed according to the agar diffusion (AD) and broth microdilution (BM) methods. Results: In the AD method, the species T. tonsurans presented a percentage of sensitivity of 33% in relation to amphotericin B and 66% to itraconazole, with 100% resistance to ketoconazole and fluconazole. T. mentagrophytes also showed 100% resistance to ketoconazole in this technique, with 11% sensitivity to ketoconazole, 22% to itraconazole and 22% of samples classified as sensitive dose dependent. In the MC method, the species T. tonsurans presented a sensitivity percentage of 66%, 55% and 33% in relation to ketoconazole, fluconazole and itraconazole, respectively. The T. mentagrophytes species presented sensitivity percentages of 11%, 11%, 33% and 55% for amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole and fluconazole, respectively. Conclusion: There was resistance in vitro of the species of T. mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans against the antifungal fluconazole and relative resistance against ketoconazole in the AD method. In BM, however, important percentages of sensitivity were observed for the two species analyzed in relation to the antifungals fluconazole and ketoconazole when compared to itraconazole and amphotericin B.