bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beliefs and intention of heterosexual couples about undertaking Couple’s HIV Testing and Counselling (CHTC) services in Ethiopia
Authors: Hailemariam Tewodros Getachew , Rawstorne Patrick , Sisay Mitike Molla , Nathan Sally
Published: February 2020

Background

Couples HIV Testing & Counselling (CHTC) service is an approach that may enable more people to be reached and tested for HIV. However, little is known about how couples may use this service and what they think about CHTC as an approach to finding out their HIV status. This study aimed to understand how individuals who had ever been in an ongoing heterosexual relationship for 6 months or more intended to use CHTC in Ethiopia and their beliefs about its benefits and potential harms.

Methods

Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, in 2017. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with individuals who had ever been in an ongoing heterosexual relationship (n = 21) and key-informants (n = 11) including religious leaders, health care providers, and case managers. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and an inductive thematic analysis was conducted. The data were coded to look for concepts and patterns across the interviews and relevant themes identified which captured key aspects related to the individual’s views on undertaking HIV testing with a sexual partner.

Results

Most participants regarded CHTC as an important HIV testing approach for people who are in an ongoing heterosexual relationship and expressed the view that there was “nothing like testing together”. However, many of the individual participants revealed they would prefer first to get tested alone to find out their own HIV status. They feared the consequences if they were HIV-positive, including accusations of infidelity, relationship break-up, and being exposed in the community. Many also reported being pressured to undertake CHTC before marriage by a third party, including religious institutions. Key informant interviews also discussed the requirements for CHTC before marriage.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that people may be concerned about undertaking couples HIV testing without prior individual HIV testing. The intention of many to first test alone has policy and cost implications and underscores the possible harms of the implementation of CHTC in Ethiopia. Future research should examine whether the views identified in this qualitative study are reflected more broadly among couples in the community.
Betulinic acid shows anticancer activity against equine melanoma cells and permeates isolated equine skin in vitro
Authors: Weber Lisa A. , Meißner Jessica , Delarocque Julien , Kalbitz Jutta , Feige Karsten , Kietzmann Manfred , Michaelis Anne , Paschke Reinhard , Michael Julia , Pratscher Barbara , Cavalleri Jessika-M. V.
Published: February 2020

Background

Equine malignant melanoma (EMM) is a frequently occurring dermoepidermal tumor in grey horses. Currently available therapies are either challenging or inefficient. Betulinic acid (BA), a naturally occurring triterpenoid, is a promising compound for cancer treatment. To evaluate the potential of BA as a topical therapy for EMM, its anticancer effects on primary equine melanoma cells and dermal fibroblasts and its percutaneous permeation through isolated equine skin were assessed in vitro.

Results

BA showed antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on both primary equine melanoma cells and fibroblasts in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentrations were obtained 96 h after the beginning of drug exposure (12.7 μmol/L and 23.6 μmol/L for melanoma cells eRGO1 and MelDuWi, respectively, in cytotoxicity assay). High concentrations of the compound were reached in the required skin layers in vitro.

Conclusion

BA is a promising substance for topical EMM treatment. Further clinical studies in horses are necessary to assess safety and antitumoral effects in vivo.
Intra-arterial versus standard intravenous administration of lutetium-177-DOTA-octreotate in patients with NET liver metastases: study protocol for a multicenter, randomized controlled trial (LUTIA trial)
Authors: Ebbers Sander C. , Braat Arthur J. A. T. , Moelker Adriaan , Stokkel Marcel P. M. , Lam Marnix G. E. H. , Barentsz Maarten W.
Published: February 2020

Background

Lutetium-177-DOTA-octreotate (177Lu-DOTATATE) significantly increases survival and response rates in patients with grade I and grade II neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). However, survival and response rates are significantly lower in patients with bulky liver metastases. Increasing the tumor-absorbed dose in liver metastases may improve response to 177Lu-DOTATATE. The LUTIA (Lutetium Intra-Arterial) study aims to increase the tumor-absorbed dose in liver metastases by intra-arterial (IA) administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE, compared to conventional intravenous (IV) administration.

Methods

A multicenter, within-patient randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 26 patients with progressive, liver-dominant, unresectable grade I or grade II NET will be conducted. Patients with bilobar bulky disease will be randomly allocated to receive IA treatment into either the left or the right hepatic artery. Using this approach, one liver lobe will be treated intra-arterially (first-pass effect), while the contralateral lobe will receive an intravenous treatment as a second-pass effect. The primary endpoint of this study is the difference in tumor-to-non-tumor ratio of 177Lu-DOTATATE uptake between the two liver lobes on post-treatment SPECT/CT (IA versus IV). Secondary endpoints include absorbed dose in both liver lobes, tumor response, dose-response relationship, toxicity, uptake in extrahepatic lesions, and renal uptake.

Discussion

This multicenter, within-patient RCT will investigate whether IA administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE results in a higher activity concentration in liver metastases compared to IV administration.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03590119. Registered on 17 July 2018.
Thrombotic microangiopathy and liver toxicity due to a combination therapy of leflunomide and methotrexate: a case report
Authors: Pliquett Rainer Ullrich , Lübbert Christoph , Schäfer Christoph , Girndt Matthias
Published: February 2020

Background

Treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis may necessitate a methotrexate mono- or combination therapy. As in the present case, novel side effects may occur, when escalating therapy.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old Caucasian female patient with rheumatoid arthritis on methotrexate for 8 years and on leflunomide for 6 years was admitted for weakness, edema, ascites, and petechiae of the lower legs. Comorbidities included a urinary tract infection, metabolic syndrome with obesity, type-2 diabetes without necessity for insulin or oral antidiabetics, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Laboratory results showed acute liver failure, oliguric acute kidney injury, thrombocytopenia, and schistocyte-positive, Coombs-negative hemolytic anemia. On admission, her ADAMTS13 activity was decreased, and her leflunomide plasma level was elevated (120 μg/l). Due to severe hypoalbuminemia, an intravascular hypovolemia, and severe metabolic alcalosis with hypokalemia were found.

For the newly diagnosed thrombotic microangiopathy, leflunomide and methotrexate were discontinued, and 4 units of fresh-frozen plasma were given. Steroid therapy was administered for 5 days, until thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura was excluded. Intravenous human albumin, oral vitamin K, and cholestyramine were administered for liver failure and leflunomide overdosage, respectively. Liver biopsy revealed a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease transforming into liver cirrhosis. After 2 weeks, our patient was discharged. However, within 3 weeks after discharge, our patient was rehospitalized for a relapse of acute liver failure, urinary tract infection, and influenza. Leflunomide and methotrexate were not reintroduced before or thereafter. Over a period of 11 months after discharge, her thrombotic microangiopathy subsided, and her renal and liver function fully recovered.

Conclusions

Under a combination of leflunomide and methotrexate, liver toxicity and, for the first time, thrombotic microangiopathy occurred as side effects. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may have predisposed for the drug-induced liver toxicity.
Coupling library Jcup3: its philosophy and application
Authors: Arakawa Takashi , Inoue Takahiro , Yashiro Hisashi , Satoh Masaki
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we describe the design of the coupling library, Jcup, and report its various applications, including the coupling between global atmospheric and oceanic models of different grid systems. Jcup is a software library mainly focused on weather/climate models and was developed for coupling the components of various models. Jcup has the flexibility to be applied to an unspecified number of components of earth system models. To achieve a high level of safety and versatility, we classified the processes of the general coupling software into processes that change the value of the data and those that do not and placed the former outside of the program and under the control of the user. Consequently, Jcup exhibits two features: (1) the correspondence relationship between grid indexes is used as input information, and (2) the user can implement an arbitrary interpolation code. Jcup was applied to atmosphere-ocean coupling, IO component coupling, and the coupling between the seismic model and structure model, and the validity and usefulness of the design were demonstrated.
Amphiphilic hyperbranched polymers: synthesis, characterization and self-assembly performance
Authors: Ren Longfang , Niu Qiaoxuan , Zhao Jing , Qiang Taotao
Published: February 2020

A series of amphiphilic hyperbranched polymers (AHP-s, the “s” refers to the algebra of AHP) were synthesized by the reaction between hydroxyl-terminated hyperbranched polymers (HBP-s, the “s” refers to the algebra of HBP) and palmitoyl chloride. FTIR, NMR and GPC were used to determine the structure of AHP-s, the results showed that AHP-s exhibits core-shell structure. The thermal properties of polymers were investigated by DSC and TGA. It was found that AHP-2, AHP-3 and AHP-4 display higher thermal stability than AHP-1 (AHP-1, AHP-2, AHP-3 and AHP-4 represent the first, second, third and fourth generation AHP, respectively). Furthermore, the self-assembly performance of AHP-s in THF solvent was investigated by TEM and SEM. Finally, the encapsulation capacity of the AHP-s for methyl orange (MO) was explored at different concentrations of AHP-s and pH conditions. It was found that AHP-s is capable of accommodating hydrophilic guest MO. Moreover, the higher generation of AHP-s, the stronger encapsulation capacity obtained. And the encapsulation capacity closely associated with the pH of encapsulation system.

Graphical abstract
Standards, Guidelines, and Quality Measures for Successful Specialty Palliative Care Integration Into Oncology: Current Approaches and Future Directions
Authors: Kamal Arif H. , Bausewein Claudia , Casarett David J. , Currow David C. , Dudgeon Deborah J. , Higginson Irene J.
Published: February 2020

Although robust evidence demonstrates that specialty palliative care integrated into oncology care improves patient and health system outcomes, few clinicians are familiar with the standards, guidelines, and quality measures related to integration. These types of guidance outline principles of best practice and provide a framework for assessing the fidelity of their implementation. Significant advances in the understanding of effective methods and procedures to guide integration of specialty palliative care into oncology have led to a proliferation of guidance documents around the world, with several areas of commonality but also some key differences. Commonalities originate from a shared vision for integration; differences arise from diverse roles of palliative care specialists within cancer care globally. In this review we discuss three of the most cited standards/guidelines, as well as quality measures related to integrated palliative and oncology care. We also recommend changes to the quality measurement framework for palliative care and a new way to match palliative care services to patients with advanced cancer on the basis of care complexity and patient needs, irrespective of prognosis.
Understanding and Addressing the Role of Coping in Palliative Care for Patients With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Greer Joseph A. , Applebaum Allison J. , Jacobsen Juliet C. , Temel Jennifer S. , Jackson Vicki A.
Published: February 2020

Advanced cancer, with its considerable physical symptoms and psychosocial burdens, represents an existential threat and major stressor to patients and their caregivers. In response to such stress, patients and their caregivers use a variety of strategies to manage the disease and related symptoms, such as problem-focused, emotion-focused, meaning-focused, and spiritual/religious coping. The use of such coping strategies is associated with multiple outcomes, including quality of life, symptoms of depression and anxiety, illness understanding, and end-of-life care. Accumulating data demonstrate that early palliative care, integrated with oncology care, not only improves these key outcomes but also enhances coping in patients with advanced cancer. In addition, trials of home-based palliative care interventions have shown promise for improving the ways that patients and family caregivers cope together and manage problems as a dyad. In this article, we describe the nature and correlates of coping in this population, highlight the role of palliative care to promote effective coping strategies in patients and caregivers, and review evidence supporting the beneficial effects of palliative care on patient coping as well as the mechanisms by which improved coping is associated with better outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of the limitations of the state of science, future directions, and best practices on the basis of available evidence.
Use of a Novel Electronic Maternal Surveillance System and the Maternal Early Warning Criteria to Detect Severe Postpartum Hemorrhage
Authors: Klumpner Thomas T. , Kountanis Joanna A. , Meyer Sean R. , Ortwine Justin , Bauer Melissa E. , Carver Alissa , Piehl Anne Marie , Smith Roger , Mentz Graciela , Tremper Kevin K.
Published: February 2020

BACKGROUND:

A leading cause of preventable maternal death is related to delayed response to clinical warning signs. Electronic surveillance systems may improve detection of maternal morbidity with automated notifications. This retrospective observational study evaluates the ability of an automated surveillance system and the Maternal Early Warning Criteria (MEWC) to detect severely morbid postpartum hemorrhage (sPPH) after delivery.

METHODS:

The electronic health records of adult obstetric patients of any gestational age delivering between April 1, 2017 and December 1, 2018 were queried to identify scheduled or unscheduled vaginal or cesarean deliveries. Deliveries complicated by sPPH were identified and defined by operative management of postpartum hemorrhage, transfusion of ≥4 units of packed red blood cells (pRBCs), ≥2 units of pRBCs and ≥2 units of fresh-frozen plasma, transfusion with >1 dose of furosemide, or transfer to the intensive care unit. The test characteristics of automated pages and the MEWC for identification of sPPH 24 hours after delivery were determined and compared using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). McNemar test was used to compare these estimates for both early warning systems.

RESULTS:

The average age at admission was 30.7 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.1 years), mean gestational age 38 weeks 4 days, and cesarean delivery accounted for 30.0% of deliveries. Of 7853 deliveries, 120 (1.5%) were complicated by sPPH. The sensitivity of automated pages for sPPH within 24 hours of delivery was 60.8% (95% CI, 52.1–69.6), specificity 82.5% (95% CI, 81.7–83.4), PPV 5.1% (95% CI, 4.0–6.3), and NPV 99.3% (95% CI, 99.1–99.5). The test characteristics of the MEWC for sPPH were sensitivity 75.0% (95% CI, 67.3–82.7), specificity 66.3% (95% CI, 65.2–67.3), PPV 3.3% (95% CI, 2.7–4.0), and NPV 99.4% (95% CI, 99.2–99.6). There were 10 sPPH cases identified by automated pages, but not by the MEWC. Six of these cases were identified by a page for anemia, and 4 cases were the result of vital signs detected by the bedside monitor, but not recorded in the patient’s medical record by the bedside nurse. Therefore, the combined sensitivity of the 2 systems was 83.3% (95% CI, 75.4–89.5).

CONCLUSIONS:

The automated system identified 10 of 120 deliveries complicated by sPPH not identified by the MEWC. Using an automated alerting system in combination with a labor and delivery unit’s existing nursing-driven early warning system may improve detection of sPPH.
Thirty-five Years of Acute Pain Services: Where Do We Go From Here?
Authors: Stamer Ulrike M. , Liguori Gregory A. , Rawal Narinder
Published: February 2020

Acute pain services (APS) have developed over the past 35 years. Originally implemented solely to care for patients with regional catheters or patient-controlled analgesia after surgery, APS have become providers of care throughout the perioperative period, with some institutions even taking the additional step toward providing outpatient services for patients with acute pain. Models vary considerably in terms of tasks and responsibilities, staffing, education, protocols, quality, and financing. Many challenges face today’s APS, including the increasing number of patients with preexisting chronic pain, intake of analgesics and opioids before surgery, substance-dependent patients needing special care, shorter hospital stays, early discharge of patients in need of further analgesic treatment, prevention and treatment of chronic postsurgical pain, minimization of adverse events, and side effects of treatment. However, many APS lack a clear-cut definition of their structures, tasks, and quality. Development of APS in the future will require us to face urgent questions, such as, “What are meaningful outcome variables?” and, “How do we define high quality?” It is obvious that focusing exclusively on pain scores does not reflect the complexity of pain and recovery. A broader approach is needed―a common concept of surgical and anesthesiological services within a hospital (eg, procedure-specific patient pathways as indicated by the programs “enhanced recovery after surgery” or the “perioperative surgical home”), with patient-reported outcome measures as one central quality criterion. Pain-related functional impairment, treatment-induced side effects, speed of mobilization, as well as return to normal function and everyday activities are key.
Exercise Training Rapidly Increases Hepatic Insulin Extraction in NAFLD
Authors: HARI ADITHYA , FEALY CIARÀN E. , AXELROD CHRISTOPHER L. , HAUS JACOB M. , FLASK CHRIS A. , MCCULLOUGH ARTHUR J. , KIRWAN JOHN P.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

We aimed to determine the immediacy of exercise intervention on liver-specific metabolic processes in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods

We undertook a short-term (7-d) exercise training study (60 min·d−1 treadmill walking at 80%–85% of maximal heart rate) in obese adults (N = 13, 58 ± 3 yr, 34.3 ± 1.1 kg·m−2, >5% hepatic lipid by 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy). Insulin sensitivity index was estimated by oral glucose tolerance test using the Soonthorpun model. Hepatic insulin extraction (HIE) was calculated as the molar difference in area under the curve (AUC) for insulin and C-peptide (HIE = 1 − (AUCInsulin/AUCC-Pep)).

Results

The increases in HIE, V˙O2max, and insulin sensitivity index after the intervention were 9.8%, 9.8%, and 34%, respectively (all, P < 0.05). Basal fat oxidation increased (pre: 47 ± 6 mg·min−1 vs post: 65 ± 6 mg·min−1, P < 0.05) and carbohydrate oxidation decreased (pre: 160 ± 20 mg·min−1 vs post: 112 ± 15 mg·min−1, P < 0.05) with exercise training. After the intervention, HIE correlated positively with adiponectin (r = 0.56, P < 0.05) and negatively with TNF-α (r = −0.78, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

By increasing HIE along with peripheral insulin sensitivity, aerobic exercise training rapidly reverses some of the underlying physiological mechanisms associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, in a weight loss-independent manner. This reversal could potentially act through adipokine-related pathways.
Positron emission tomography/MRI for cardiac diseases assessment
Authors: Manabe Osamu , Oyama-Manabe Noriko , Tamaki Nagara
Published: February 2020

Functional imaging tools have emerged in the last few decades and are increasingly used to assess the function of the human heart in vivo. Positron emission tomography (PET) is used to evaluate myocardial metabolism and blood flow. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential tool for morphological and functional evaluation of the heart. In cardiology, PET is successfully combined with CT for hybrid cardiac imaging. The effective integration of two imaging modalities allows simultaneous data acquisition combining functional, structural and molecular imaging. After PET/CT has been successfully accepted for clinical practices, hybrid PET/MRI is launched. This review elaborates the current evidence of PET/MRI in cardiovascular imaging and its expected clinical applications for a comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular diseases while highlighting the advantages and limitations of this hybrid imaging approach.
EDITORIAL
Authors: Coelho Arnaldo Fernandes Matos , Weersma Laodicéia Amorim
Published: February 2020

As restrições econômicas, as pressões competitivas e a busca por conhecimento estão a destruir as fronteiras que têm mantido a ciência, de certa forma, fragmentada, conferido uma supremacia a certas regiões do globo. Sob esse olhar, entende-se que a cooperação internacional torna-se um elemento crítico para dar relevância à investigação e aumentar as possibilidades de publicar em revistas indexadas em bases de reconhecida notoriedade e que integrem os diferentes rankings de publicação.
Antenatal care providers’ attitudes and beliefs towards maternal vaccination in Kenya
Authors: Chander Subhash , Gonzalez-Casanova Ines , Chaves Sandra S. , Otieno Nancy A. , Widdowson Marc-Alain , Verani Jennifer , Frew Paula , Wilson Andrew , Omer Saad B. , Malik Fauzia
Published: February 2020

Background: Maternal immunization is known to be one of the best strategies to protect both mothers and their infants from infectious diseases. Studies have shown that healthcare providers play a critical role in implementation of maternal immunization. However, little is known about providers’ attitudes and beliefs towards vaccination that can influence their vaccine recommendations, specifically in low to middle income countries (LMIC).

Methods: A self-administrated knowledge, attitude and behavior (KAB) survey was provided to 150 antenatal care providers across four different regions (Nairobi, Mombasa, Marsabit, and Siaya counties) of Kenya. The research staff visited the 150 clinics and hospitals and distributed a quantitative KAB survey.

Results: Nearly all of the antenatal care providers (99%) recommended tetanus maternal vaccination. Similarly, 99% of the providers agreed that they would agree to provide additional vaccinations for pregnant women and reported that they always advise their patients to get vaccinated. Between 80 and 90% of the providers reported that religious beliefs, ethnicity, cultural background and political leaders do not affect their attitude or beliefs towards recommending vaccines.

Conclusions: Considering the positive responses of healthcare providers towards vaccine acceptance and recommendation, these results highlight an opportunity to work in partnership with these providers to improve coverage of maternal vaccination and to introduce additional vaccines (such as influenza). In order to achieve this, logistical barriers that have affected the coverage of the currently recommended vaccines, should be addressed as part of this partnership.
THE INFLUENCE OF LEGUMINOUS PLANTS AS PRECEDENTS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF POTATOES
Authors: Yakovleva Marina , Dimitriev Vladislav , Mefod'ev Georgiy
Published: February 2020

The purpose of the study is to study the possibility of using leguminous crops for grain as potato precursors. Field experiments were carried out in 2017–2019 in Krasnoarmeyskiy district of the Chuvash Republic. The soil of the experimental plot is gray forest, heavy loam granulometric composition with a humus content in the arable layer of 3.9%, mobile phosphorus - 140 and exchange potassium - 160 mg/kg of soil, pH - 5.1 units. Narrow leaf lupine, soybeans and fodder beans for grain were used as potato precursors; control was employed steam (vetch barley mixture for green fodder). Potato planting was carried out on May 10. The repetition of the experiment is 3 times, the size of the plots is 1.5 per 10 m, an area of 15 m2. The planting scheme of potatoes is 70 by 30 cm with embedment of tubers to a depth of 6 ... 8 cm. In the experiment, an early ripe variety Udacha was grown. Before planting, the tubers were treated with the insecto-fungicide Emesto Quantum (0.32 l/t). Plant care included pre-emergence and two post-emergence row-spacings cultivation, hilling, and weeding. The best precursors for potatoes are narrow-leaved lupins and soybeans. In these cases, there is a significant increase in tuber yield by 31.2 and 30.8%, dry matter - by 6.7 and 9.2%, and starch - by 4.3 and 5.5%, respectively.
THEORETICAL STUDY OF TERMS FOR ENSURING AN UNIFORM MOVEMENT AND SUBSTANTIATION OF BASIC PARAMETERS OF A SELF-PROPELLED SMALL-SIZED ROTARY TILLER WITH A VERTICAL AXIAL FOR HANDLING
Authors: Kupryashkin Vladimir , Shlyapnikov Mihail , Chatkin Mihail , Glotov Sergey , Kupryashkin Vladimir , Chetverov Nikolay
Published: February 2020

When performing the technological process of soil cultivation, a self-propelled rotary tiller moves due to the adhesion force of the drive wheels to the soil. Engine power is spent on overcoming rolling resistance of driving wheels, friction of the support slide on the soil and resistance to soil cutting by active working elements, and part of the power is lost in the transmission. Given the specific features of the functioning of a self-propelled small-sized rotary tiller with a vertical axis of rotation of active working units, namely its traction-drive nature of work, the equation for traction balance is a condition ensuring its uniform movement. When moving around the field of a self-propelled rotary tiller between the drive wheels and the soil, an FTK traction force arises, which is aimed at overcoming the drag forces when rolling the drive wheels FCK and overcoming the friction force Ffп of the support runner with the soil. In the process of tillage with rotor knives, forces arise, Fy1(Fy2), Fx1(Fx2). The force of gravity Fgм applied at the center of gravity also acts on the tillage aggregate, which can be decomposed into components: gravity Fgк,attributable to the drive wheels and gravity Fgф attributable to the rotary tiller. Based on the analysis of the forces acting on a self-propelled small-sized rotary tiller with a vertical axis of rotation of active working elements, the condition for uneven movement (stability of movement) is made. The solution of the equation regarding the number of rotors allows us to obtain the dependence of their optimal number on the design parameters of the cutter, operating conditions and soil conditions.
FREE AND RELATED AMINO ACIDS IN THE SOILS OF FOREST-STEPPE OF VOLGA REGION AND ITS ROLE
Authors: Murtazina Sufiya , Gaffarova Liliya , Murtazin Malik , Ahrarova Anastasiya
Published: February 2020

The article presents the results of studying the amino acid composition in the prevailing soils of the region (RT): sod-podzolic, gray forest, brown-gray, leached chernozem. Free and related amino acids are identified, their quantitative indicators are given. A study of the qualitative composition of free amino acids in the soils of the region showed that they are close in the qualitative composition of amino acids, but differ in their quantitative content. The total content of free amino acids is 4-20 mg/kg and increases in the series of soils: sod-medium podzolic, brown-gray, gray forest and leached chernozem. Moreover, there are significant differences in the content of individual groups of free amino acids: in all soils, most of the free amino acids are represented by neutral and basic amino acids (65-80%), much smaller by dicarboxylic (11-29%) and cyclic (5-11%). Easily and hardly hydrolyzable fractions of organic nitrogen are the closest reserves of nitrogen available to plants. Identification of the amino acid composition of these nitrogen fractions showed that the qualitative composition of bound amino acids is almost the same as free. In the studied soils, 19-31% of nitrogen of easily hydrolyzable and 33-60% of nitrogen of hard hydrolyzable fractions are represented by amino acid nitrogen. At the same time, 40-54% of the total amount of nitrogen of amino acids falls on the share of neutral, and 14-28% - on the share of basic amino acids. Their content naturally increases from sod-podzolic to gray soil and to chernozem, both in the composition of easily hydrolyzed and difficultly hydrolyzed fractions, which indicates an improvement in the quality of nitrogen in this direction.
Teamwork and Individual Productivity
Authors: Flores-Szwagrzak Karol , Treibich Rafael
Published: February 2020

We propose a new method to disentangle individual from team productivity, CoScore. CoScore uses the varying membership and levels of success of all teams to simultaneously infer an individual’s productivity and her credit for each of her teams’ successes. Crucially, the productivities of all individuals are determined endogenously via the solution of a fixed point problem. We show that CoScore is well defined, and we provide axiomatic foundations for the inferred credit allocation. We illustrate CoScore in scientific research and sports.

This paper was accepted by Manel Baucells, decision analysis.
Managing Supplier Social and Environmental Impacts with Voluntary Versus Mandatory Disclosure to Investors
Authors: Kalkanci Basak , Plambeck Erica L.
Published: February 2020

A buying firm might in the future incur costs associated with a supplier’s carbon dioxide emissions, safety violations, or other social or environmental impacts. Learning about a supplier’s impacts requires costly effort, but it is necessary (and sometimes sufficient) to reduce those impacts. The capital market valuation of a buying firm reflects investors’ estimate of future costs associated with a supplier’s impacts, as well as any costs that the buying firm incurs in order to learn about and reduce a supplier’s impacts. This paper analyzes a game theoretic model in which a manager—with the objective of maximizing the capital market valuation of the buying firm—decides whether to learn about a supplier’s impacts, how much cost to incur to reduce the supplier’s impacts, and whether to disclose the supplier’s impacts to investors. The investors have rational expectations (e.g., that a manager might withhold bad news about the supplier’s impacts) and value the buying firm accordingly. The paper considers a mandate to disclose information learned about a supplier’s impacts. The paper shows that the disclosure mandate deters learning and thus, under plausible conditions, results in higher expected impacts. The disclosure mandate can result in lower expected impacts only if buying firms face moderately high future costs associated with suppliers’ impacts. In contrast, a disclosure mandate always increases a buying firm’s expected discounted profit and capital market valuation. A disclosure mandate can induce cooperation among buying firms with a shared supplier, yet result in higher expected impacts by the supplier. When a buying firm has alternative suppliers, the disclosure mandate favors commitment to a supplier to facilitate learning about that supplier’s impacts (instead of searching for a lower-impact supplier).

This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
DELPHI METHOD: THE DEVELOPMENT OF ROBOTIC LEARNING SURVEY IN TERTIARY EDUCATION
Authors: Mat Nashir Irdayanti , Yusoff Abdullah , Khairudin Moh , Idris Muhammad Ridzuan , Imam Ma'arof Nurul Nazirah
Published: February 2020

This article clarify the development of instrument which is related with robotic based learning by using the Delphi methods. The Delphi method provides the chance for researchers to gather input from participants without demanding them to work face-to-face. Often, the process is used to find consensus among experts who have different opinions and observations. The Delphi method enables group problem-solving using an iterative process of problem definition, discussion, feedback, and revisions. This paper discussed the basics of the Delphi method, its application potential, the selection of expert panels and the means on how consensus can be reached among the participants and also the procedure to obtain the final criteria of robotic learning which is 67 from 188 initially.
Analysis of suitability and carrying capacity of mangrove ecosystem for ecotourism in Lembar Village, West Lombok District, Indonesia
Authors: Abdillah Sukuryadi , NUDDIN HARAHAB  , MIMIT PRIMYASTANTO  , BAMBANG SEMEDI
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Sukuryadi, Harahab N, Primyastanto M, Semedi B. 2020. Analysis of suitability and carrying capacity of mangrove ecosystem for ecotourism in Lembar Village, West Lombok District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 596-604. Mangrove ecosystems in Lembar Village, West Lombok District, Indonesia has high ecological role and economic potentials, and have been as a pilot area for mangrove conservation and rehabilitation activities. In 2015 the area was developed into a mangrove ecotourism area as a form of utilization to obtain ecological and economic sustainability for the local community. The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability and carrying capacity of the mangroves area for the development of mangrove ecotourism. Data collection was conducted using field surveys and direct observation. Data collected were then analyzed to calculate ecotourism suitability index and carrying capacity of the area. The results of data analysis showed that mangrove ecosystem area in Lembar Village is categorized as suitable to be developed as mangrove ecotourism at three stations with value of ecotourism suitability index of 77.78%, while at two stations are categorized conditionally suitable with ecotourism suitability index of 42.22%. Carrying capacity of the area is 2337 people/day with tourist attractions consisting of mangrove tracking (33 people/day), fishing (137 people/day), picnic (1620 people/day), camping ground (542 people/day) and bird watching (6 people/day). Utilization of area based on suitability and carrying capacity is needed to maintain the sustainability of mangrove ecosystems and the economy of coastal communities.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobium enhance the growth of Samanea saman (trembesi) planted on gold-mine tailings in Pongkor, West Java, Indonesia
Authors: Setyaningsih Luluk , AZHAR DIKDAYATAMA FIRLI , SEKAR WULANDARI ARUM
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Setyaningsih L, Dikdayatama FA, Wulandari AS. 2020. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobium enhance the growth of Samanea saman (trembesi) planted on gold-mine tailings in Pongkor, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 611-616. Revegetation of severely degraded lands, such as gold-mine tailings, requires comprehensive approach including the selection of appropriate tree species and the improvement of soil fertility with the application of microorganisms. This study aimed to analyze the growth of trembesi (Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr) seedlings inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and rhizobial bacteria (RB) on gold-mine tailings in Pongkor, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. The AMF, RB, and mixture of AMF and RB were inoculated into S. saman seedlings and then the seedlings were grown on gold mine tailings land. Seedling growth, AMF infection and RB nodulation were observed after 12 weeks after planting. The results showed that the treatments facilitated AMF colonization by up to 20.7% and RB nodulation up to 22 nodules per plant. The inoculation of S. saman seedlings with AMF and RB significantly increased the growth on diameter, biomass, and root length, with values of root-to-shoot ratio of 3.1-4.3. The roots of S. saman seedlings were also able to penetrate the depth of the tailings solum. These results showed that AMF and RB application effectively increased the growth of S. saman seedlings in the gold tailings field.
Potential habitat suitability of Iraqi amphibians under climate change
Authors: Kaky Emad
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Kaky E. 2020. Potential habitat suitability of Iraqi amphibians under climate change. Biodiversitas 21: 731-742. Biodiversity management and conservation planning are two techniques for reducing the rate of biodiversity loss, especially under the effect of climate change. Here 289 records of five species of amphibians from Iraq and seven environmental variables were used with MaxEnt to predict potential habitat suitability for each species under current and future conditions, using the 5th IPCC assessment  (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 for the year 2050). The models suggest that annual precipitation and the mean temperature of the wettest quarter are the main factors that shape the distributions of these species. The estimated current habitat suitability was closely similar to that for 2050 under both scenarios, with a high niche overlap between them for all species. Among species, there were low niche overlaps between the frogs Bufo viridis, Hyla savignyi and Rana ridibunda, and also between the salamanders Neurergus crocatus and Neurergus microspilotus. Future sampling should focus on areas not currently covered by records to reduce bias. The results are a vital first step in long-term conservation planning for these species. Via sharing these results with decision-makers and stakeholders a crucial conservation actions need to increase Iraqi Protected Areas to avoid losing biodiversity in Iraq especially the unique populations and threaten species.
Vortex competition in coastal outflows
Authors: Jamshidi Sean , Johnson Edward
Published: February 2020

Experiments and field observations have shown that there are at least two modes of behavior for river plumes. In many cases, the plume turns to the right (in the Northern Hemisphere) on leaving the river mouth and follows the direction of Kelvin-wave propagation. Alternatively, a “bulge”
can form in the plume and a fraction of the outflow volume becomes trapped near the mouth. This paper discusses how bulge formation can be affected by the vorticity profile at the river mouth. Due to the image effect, regions of cyclonic vorticity tend to propagate rightwards, whereas regions
of anticyclonic vorticity propagate leftward upon exit from the source. If an outflow consists of regions of cyclonic vorticity to the left of regions of anticyclonic vorticity, the two image effects are in competition. We explore this phenomenon using a quasi-geostrophic model with piecewise-constant
potential vorticity, which allows the vorticity profile at the source to be set as part of the problem. We present analytic solutions valid in the source region and at the head of the plume and show that all of the outflow travels rightwards if and only if the region of cyclonic vorticity
is dominant. The initial-value problem for the model is integrated numerically using the method of contour dynamics, and the full parameter space is explored. We find that if the cyclonic and anticyclonic contributions cancel, as in the experiments of Avicola and Huq (2003), then steady solutions
are unstable and a bulge can form downstream of the river mouth.
Algorithms for determining the spectral-energy characteristics of a random field of internal waves from fluctuations of lidar echo signals
Authors: Dolin L. S. , Dolina I. S.
Published: February 2020

The possibility of measuring the frequency-angular spectra of the mode components of a random field of small-amplitude pycnoclinic internal waves by the lidar method is theoretically studied. Equations are obtained for retrieving the spectra of internal waves from the measured spectra of relative fluctuations in the lidar echo signal power, if the profiles of the Väisälä frequency and light attenuation coefficient are known. The procedure for retrieving the spectra of a two-mode field is illustrated by a numerical experiment using real hydrological and hydro-optical data obtained in a region of the Barents Sea.
Fano effect in a one-dimensional photonic lattice with side-coupled P
T-symmetric non-Hermitian defects
Authors: Li Xue-Si , Huang Piao-Piao , He Jing , Zhang Lian-Lian , Gong Wei-Jiang
Published: February 2020

We theoretically study the transport properties in a one-dimensional photonic lattice influenced by the presence of side-coupled

P
T

-symmetric non-Hermitian defects. The

P
T

symmetry is manifested as the complex potentials on the defects and the complex defect-lattice couplings, respectively. These two mechanisms are found to induce the Fano effect in the transport processes, with the different characteristics of it. Next, if the complex potentials and defect-lattice couplings co-exist, the Fano effect will be achieved more efficiently. However, further enhancing either of them can weaken the Fano interference seriously. Our findings reveal the physical essence of the Fano effect on the

P
T

-symmetric non-Hermitian defects, and the results can provide insights into the engineering and dynamical control of Fano resonances in non-Hermitian photonic structures.
General design formalism for highly efficient flat optics for broadband applications
Authors: Werdehausen Daniel , Burger Sven , Staude Isabelle , Pertsch Thomas , Decker Manuel
Published: February 2020

The use of flat diffractive optical elements (DOEs) for broadband applications, e.g. conventional optical systems, requires DOEs that maintain high efficiencies across the required range of wavelengths, angles of incidence, and grating periods. Here we introduce a general framework for how dispersion engineering can be used to design DOEs that fulfill these requirements and use our approach to determine design rules for broadband DOEs. Our analysis shows that the key to making échelette-type gratings (EGs) suitable for broadband optical systems is the development of new optical materials with specific uncommon dispersion properties. Subsequently, we use our framework to design a representative range of prototype EGs, which allows us to link the specifications of an optical system to the requirements on the EGs’ materials. Finally, we show that our design rules apply to all DOEs based on propagation delays including GRIN DOEs and metagratings. Our design rules therefore guide the way towards unlocking the full potential of DOEs for different kinds of broadband applications.
Mirau-based line-field confocal optical coherence tomography
Authors: Dubois Arnaud , Xue Weikai , Levecq O. , Bulkin P. , Coutrot Anne-Lise , Ogien Jonas
Published: February 2020

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is an imaging technique in which A-scans are acquired in parallel through line illumination with a broadband laser and line detection with a line-scan camera. B-scan imaging at high spatial resolution is achieved by dynamic focusing in a Linnik interferometer. This paper presents an LC-OCT device based on a custom-designed Mirau interferometer that offers similar spatial resolution and detection sensitivity. The device has the advantage of being more compact and lighter. In vivo imaging of human skin with a resolution of 1.3 µm × 1.1 µm (lateral × axial) is demonstrated over a field of 0.9 mm × 0.4 mm (lateral × axial) at 12 frames per second.
Epidemiology, burden, and geographical distribution of cystic echinococcosis in Central Iran
Authors: Saghafipour Abedin , Divband Masoumeh , Farahani Leyli Zanjirani , Parsa Hadi Hamidi , Fard Hossein Golabchi
Published: February 2020

Background and Aim: Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important, neglected zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution which has been reported in different regions of Iran, including the central areas (e.g. Qom Province). The disease is caused by the Echinococcus granulosus parasite living in the intestine of dogs and other canids as definitive hosts. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology, burden, and geographical distribution of CE in Qom Province, Central Iran.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, the data of patients with diagnosed CE during 2011-2018 were collected from all urban and rural areas of Qom Province. The data of the epidemiological status of CE cases were extracted from the CE surveillance system in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Qom University of Medical Sciences which is owned and run by Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education. In addition, the economic burden of the disease was evaluated by Azarakhsh and Roozamad financial software; the geographical distribution of CE was obtained by ArcGIS 10.3 software (IBM Corp., Chicago, USA).

Results: The results reveal that the incidence rate of CE was 6.81/100,000 people over the 8-year period of the study. More than half of the cases were females (57.95%), housewives (57.47%), and residents (89.77%). The majority of the cases were Iranian (88.77%) and the rest were from the two neighboring countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. The economic burden of the human CE in the 8 years was estimated to be 3,761,352,526 rials (75,227 $). In terms of spatial distribution, the highest incidence rate of CE was observed in Salafchegan District in the southwest of Qom Province.

Conclusion: The economic burden of human CE infection provided by governmental health-care systems or as out-of-pocket expenses is relatively high, and housewives, especially those living in Salafchegan District, are more likely to be affected. More studies are recommended on different epidemiological aspects and the definitive hosts of the parasite; besides, people at risk need to be warned and educated so that the incidence rate of the disease is reduced.