bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acesso às Áreas Verdes Urbanas e Equidade Verde: um estudo em Campo Grande, MS
Authors: Almeida Wanda Maira Muniz , Fernandes Ronaldo Oliveira , Guaraldo Eliane
Published: May 2023

As áreas verdes prestam serviços ecossistêmicos fundamentais para as cidades. Tais benefícios, entretanto, precisam ser distribuídos na malha urbana de forma que sejam igualmente acessíveis a todos os cidadãos, princípio denominado equidade verde. Este estudo analisou a distribuição de áreas verdes nos onze bairros da região urbana do Prosa, na cidade de Campo Grande, capital do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, por meio dos dados vetoriais disponibilizados pelo Sistema Municipal de Indicadores (SISGRAN), da Prefeitura Municipal de Campo Grande (PMCG). As áreas verdes e a rede de transporte viário da Região foram analisadas por meio do plugin Space Syntax e mapas temáticos gerados no QGis e, em seguida, comparados com dados de distribuição de renda dos moradores da região. Os resultados permitiram apontar a ocorrência de segregação espacial na região em relação ao acesso às áreas verdes pelos moradores. Observou-se que a maioria das áreas verdes estão localizadas nos bairros com maior renda e com privilégios de deslocamento e acesso pelas principais vias da região. O oposto ocorreu em parte dos bairros de menor renda per capita, com variação na ocorrência e no acesso às áreas vegetadas. Esta pesquisa pôde, portanto, constatar a correlação positiva entre renda e acesso às áreas verdes em 72% dos bairros analisados, validando a metodologia de análise.
Secure consensus control for multi-agent systems under communication constraints via adaptive sliding mode technique
Authors: Ding Meng , Chen Bei
Published: May 2023

The consensus tracking problem is investigated for a class of multi-agent systems (MASs) under communication constraints. In particular, as a result of the impact of amplitude attenuation and random interference, communication among followers may inevitably suffer from the fading phenomenon. Meanwhile, the controllers may also be subject to malicious deception attacks, which will disrupt the correct operation of the MASs. Thus, the agents can only update their states based on fading information exchanged with their neighbors and the false control input under attacks. The consensus tracking error variables are first designed via the fading signal received from neighbors. Then, an online estimation strategy is introduced to estimate the unknown attacks, based on which the adaptive sliding mode controller is designed to attenuate the effect of the time-varying attacks on MASs. Convergence analysis of the MASs under the designed control strategy is provided by using the Lyapunov stability theory and adaptive sliding mode control method. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical results is verified via numerical simulations.
The Dark Side of Nosocomial Infections in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Biondo Carmelo , Ponzo Elena , Midiri Angelina , Ostone Giuseppe Bernardo , Giuseppe Mancuso
Published: May 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a potentially serious acute respiratory infection caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, the virus has spread to more than 200 countries with more than 500 million cases and more than 6 million deaths reported globally. It has long been known that viral respiratory tract infections predispose patients to bacterial infections and that these co-infections often have an unfavourable clinical outcome. Moreover, nosocomial infections, also known as health care-associated infections (HAIs), are those infections that are absent at the time of admission and acquired after hospitalization. However, the impact of coinfections or secondary infections on the progression of COVID-19 disease and its lethal outcome is still debated. The aim of this review was to assess the literature on the incidence of bacterial co-infections and superinfections in patients with COVID-19. The review also highlights the importance of the rational use of antibiotics in patients with COVID-19 and the need to implement antimicrobial stewardship principles to prevent the transmission of drug-resistant organisms in healthcare settings. Finally, alternative antimicrobial agents to counter the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections in COVID-19 patients will also be discussed.
Design and Analysis of a Typical Vertical Pressure Vessel using ASME Code and FEA Technique
Authors: Hazizi Kristaq , Ghaleeh Mohammad
Published: May 2023

As the demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) continues to increase worldwide, more LPG facilities are being constructed. However, the design and manufacture of pressure vessels used to store dangerous liquids or pressurised fluids, such as LPG, has been a major cause of hazards, including explosions and leakage. In this study, we aim to address this issue by designing and analysing a vertical pressure vessel with a capacity of 10 m3 of pressurised LPG in accordance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code.

Safety is the primary concern in designing pressure vessels due to the potential risks posed by accidents. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to design a pressure vessel that is safe from failure. The vessel is cylindrical with two elliptical heads, two nozzles, a manway and four leg supports, and we used Autodesk Inventor Professional 2023 for geometric modelling and Inventor Nastran for FEA analysis.

To investigate the displacements, deflections and Von-Mises stresses in the pressure vessel, we used the finite element method, and Autodesk Inventor Nastran was employed for the analysis. Our results showed that changes to the structure of the pressure vessel were needed to reduce stress in the structure. Specifically, the displacement showed an inverse relationship with the tank section shell thickness. Moreover, we observed that the factor of safety increased linearly with shell thickness.

We carefully considered permissible pressures and determined the required wall thickness to ensure acceptable maximum stresses. Our results indicate that the design is safe from failure, and the highest stresses are experienced by the manway followed by the shell, while the heads, nozzles and legs support experienced the lowest stresses. We also performed a theoretical calculation for the entire model and checked the results to ensure they were within the acceptable limits.

In summary, our study highlights the importance of designing pressure vessels in accordance with ASME codes to ensure safety and prevent hazards caused by improper design and manufacturing. By using the finite element method, we identified potential stress points in the pressure vessel and were able to make modifications to improve its safety.
Complications Associated with Preventive Management to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 Spread After Surgery for Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Ushirozako Hiroki , Suda Kota , Matsumoto Harmon Satoko , Komatsu Miki , Ota Masahiro , Shimizu Tomoaki , Minami Akio , Takahata Masahiko , Iwasaki Norimasa , Matsuyama Yukihiro
Published: May 2023

Background:

Preventive management to reduce the risk of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) spread led to delays in active rehabilitation, which may have negatively impacted the outcomes of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore, the aim of this study was to clarify the influence of preventive management on the rate of perioperative complications after surgical treatment for SCI.

Methods:

This single-center retrospective study examined the cases of 175 patients who had SCI surgery between 2017 and 2021. We could not continue early rehabilitation interventions starting on April 30, 2020, because of our preventive management to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread. Using a propensity score-matched model, we adjusted for age, sex, American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale score at admission, and risk factors for perioperative complications described in previous studies. Perioperative complication rates were compared between the COVID-19 pandemic and prepandemic groups.

Results:

Of the 175 patients, 48 (the pandemic group) received preventive management. The preliminary analysis revealed significant differences between the unmatched pandemic and prepandemic groups with respect to age (75.0 versus 71.2 years, respectively; p = 0.024) and intraoperative estimated blood loss (152 versus 227 mL; p = 0.013). The pandemic group showed significant delays in visiting the rehabilitation room compared with the prepandemic group (10 versus 4 days from hospital admission; p < 0.001). There were significant differences between the pandemic and prepandemic groups with respect to the rates of pneumonia (31% versus 16%; p = 0.022), cardiopulmonary dysfunction (38% versus 18%; p = 0.007), and delirium (33% versus 13%; p = 0.003). With a propensity score-matched analysis (C-statistic = 0.90), 30 patients in the pandemic group and 60 patients in the prepandemic group were automatically selected. There were significant differences between the matched pandemic and prepandemic groups with respect to the rates of cardiopulmonary dysfunction (47% versus 23%; p = 0.024) and deep venous thrombosis (60% versus 35%; p = 0.028).

Conclusions:

Even with early surgical intervention, late mobilization and delays in active rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic increased perioperative complications after SCI surgery.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Buku Ajar Pengantar Teknik Interfacing
Authors: Wisaksono Arief , Syahrorini Syamsudduha , Anshory Izza
Published: May 2023

Interfacing (antar muka) adalah bagian dari disiplin ilmu komputer yang mempelajari teknik-teknik menghubungkan komputer dengan peralatan elektronika lainnya. Sistim komputer yang berpusat pada pemroses utama (baik itu Mikroprosesor maupun Mikrokontroler) memiliki kemampuan yang besar dalam memecahkan masalah tetapi tidak ada manfaatnya tanpa menghubungkan dengan peralatan lainnya. Suatu teknik khusus diperlukan untuk dapat menghubungkan dengan peralatan-peralatan tersebut. Menghubungkan pemroses utama dengan peralatan elektronik lainnya bukanlah persoalan yang mudah. Kita tidak dapat langsung menghubungkan pemroses utama dengan peralatan tersebut, disebabkan oleh hal-hal berikut
Manajemen Blended Learning di SDMT Ponorogo
Authors: Pangastuti Mariana , Choiri Miftachul
Published: May 2023

Pada masa pandemi, penyelenggaraan pendidikan dilakukan secara blended learning. Pembelajaran blended learning di Sekolah Dasar Muhammadiyah Terpadu (SDMT) Ponorogo mengalami beberapa permasalahan, yaitu kurangnya keaktifan siswa, kurangnya interaksi siswa dan guru, internet tidak stabil, dan kurangnya kemandirian sebagian siswa. Oleh karena itu diperlukan solusi pembelajaran blended learning yang efektif.. Peneliti menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan studi kasus. Teknik pengumpulan data yaitu  wawancara, observasi dan dokumentasi. Peneliti menggunakan interaktif model Miles Huberman dan Saldana untuk menganalisis data penelitian berupa pengumpulan data, penyajian data, kondensasi data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menjabarkan dan menganalisis perencanaan, pelaksanaan dan evaluasi pembelajaran blended learning pada masa pandemi Covid-19 di SDMT Ponorogo. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan: 1) Perencanaan pembelajaran yaitu mengadakan bimbingan teknis pembuatan perangkat pembelajaran, persiapan sarana prasarana, sosialisasi kepada murid dan wali murid tentang pembelajaran blended learning, 2) Pelaksanaan pembelajaran dilakukan dengan mengacu kepada Keputusan Bersama Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Menteri Agama, Menteri Kesehatan, dan Menteri dalam Negeri Republik Indonesia tentang penyelenggaraan pembelajaran di masa pandemi Covid-l9. Selain itu, sekolah membuat kebijakan menambah durasi tatap muka di sekolah karena guru dan siswa dapat berinteraksi secara lebih intensif, 3) Evaluasi pembelajaran dilakukan melalui rapat evaluasi, evaluasi dan monitoring, supervisi serta evaluasi sesama teman sejawat.
Strategi Guru Dalam Mengatasi Kesulitan Belajar Siswa di Masa New Normal Covid-19 di SDN Krajan 3 Kabupaten Magetan
Authors: Ahmad Fathoni Ihsan  , Basuki
Published: May 2023

Dalam pembelajaran harus mempunyai strategi pembelajaran karena menjadi suatu cara pengorganisasian isi pelajaran, pemnyampaian pelajaran. Salah satu strategi pembelajaran yang digunakan yaitu menggunakan Gerakan literasi dan numerasi merupakan pengetahuan dan kecakapan memahami suatu pernyataan, melalui aktivitas dalam memanipulasi simbol atau bahasa. Bedasarkan gambaran umum yang telah dijelaskan maka tujuan penelitian ini untuk menjelaskan tentang strategi sekolah dalam mengatasi kesulitan belajar siswa. Untuk mengetahui tentang faktor pendukung dan faktor penghambat proses penerapan strategi pembelajaran dalam mengatasi kesulitan belajar siswa. Untuk mengetahui tentang dampak penerapan strategi pembelajaran dalam mengatasi kesulitan belajar siswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan jenis penelitian kualitatif serta menggunakan pendekatan studi kasus. Data yang di dapat pada penelitian ini berupa kata-kata dari hasil wawancara dan berupa Tindakan dari hasil observasi. Adapun sumbernya data adalah kata-kata hasil wawancara, data berkenaan tindakan-tindakan  diperoleh dari hasil observasi, dan sumber data lainnya dari dokumen  dari hasil dokumentasi. Data yang didapat yaitu tentang proses pembelajaran dari perencanaan, pelaksanaan dan evaluasi. Dalam pelaksanaan pebelajaran yang diterapkan ada beberapa strategi yang digunakan oleh pendidik salah satunya dengan penerapan strategi gerakan literasi dan numerasi untuk mengatasi kesulitan dalam membaca, menulis dan menghitung. Dalam penerapan Pelaksanaan program literasi numerasi di masa New normal dengan cara tiga tahapan yaitu :Tahap pembiasaan, Tahap pengembangan dan Tahap pembelajaran. Kemudian penerapan strategi gerakan literasi dan numerasi tetap dilanjutkan sampai sekarang dan diakhiri dengan melakukan tahap evaluasi,  sehingga dengan penerapan gerakan literasi numerasi di masa new normal bisa meningkatan kemampuan peserta didik dalam pengembangan nilai karakter dan mampu meningkatkan kemampuan membaca, menulis dan menghitung serta bisa mengkatkan nilai kognitif dan psikomotor peserta didik.
Strategi Sekolah dalam Meningkatkan Peluang Kerja Lulusan di Dunia Usaha dan Dunia Industri
Authors: Santoso Rudi , Basuki
Published: May 2023

Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK), adalah sekolah yang mencetak dengan keahlian khusus dimana lulusan Sekolah Menegah Kejuruan (SMK) diharapkan dapat langsung bekerja di dunia usaha dan dunia industri. atau dengan keterampilan kewirausahaan. Sehingga dibutuhkan strategi kerja sama antara sekolah dengan dunia usaha dan dunia industri dari sekolah untuk mewujudkan hal tersebut. SMK Negeri 3 Madiun melakukan strategi kerjasama dengan dunia usaha dan dunia industri untuk mewujudkan hal tersebut.Dari strategi sekolah dalam meningkatkan peluang kerja lulusan, diharapkan dapat memaksimalkan keterserapan yang ada dilingkungan SMK Negeri 3 Madiun. Terdapat 54% lulusan yang terserap, diharapkan dengan memaksimalkan strategi dan keterampilan sekolah menjadikan keterserapan menjadi 80%. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendiskripsikan faktor Internal  Faktor External dan Strategi kepala sekolah dalam meningkatkan pelung kerja lulusan SMK Negeri 3 Madiun di dunia usaha dan dunia industri.Penelitan ini termasuk penelitian kualitatif deskriftif dengan pendekatan studi kasus di SMK Negeri 3 Madiun. Teknik pengumpulan data melalui observasi, wawancara yang mendalam dan dokumentasi. Teknik analisis dengan model interaktif yang dilakukan dengan empat tahapan yaitu:  pengumpulan data, display data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menghasilkan temuan: (1) faktor Internal kekuatan yang dimiliki SMK Negeri 3 Madiun adalah motivasi guru terhadap siswa, pengajaran guru bervariasi, fasilitas, minat belajar yang sangat tinggi, hubungan kerjasam 85 perusahan. Kelemahan yang dimiliki SMK Negeri 3 Madiun adalah ruang kelas belum mencukupi (2) Faktor External peluang yang dimiliki SMK Negeri 3 Madiun adalah  SMK yang  dan ancaman lulusan SMK Negeri 3 Madiun. (3) Strategi kerja sama kepala sekolah dalam meningkatkan peluang kerja lulusan SMK Negeri 3 Madiun di dunia usaha dan dunia industri meliputi strategi strengths  opportunities, weaknesses opportunities, strengths threats dan weaknesses threats
Strategi Pembudayaan Lesson Study Melalui Divusi Inovasi di SMP Negeri 3 Madiun
Authors: Hasanah Umi Nur , Desy Vera , Ngadimah Mambaul , Humaisi Syafiq
Published: May 2023

Lesson Study is a model of fostering the educational profession through collaborative and continuous learning studies based on the principles of legality and mutual learning to build learning communities. This research will describe how the innovation divusi process can cultivate Lesson study activities at SMP Negeri 3 Madiun The results of this study show that the emergence of understanding and persuasion from lesson study activities is built through morning and afternoon breefing carried out by the principal. Decision making for lesson study activities begins through deliberations with staff and teachers in official meeting forums. The implementation of lesson study activities is carried out on a scheduled basis with the target that each teacher will become a model teacher once a year .Thus each semester targets 17 teachers who will become model teachers. Confirmation of lesson study is carried out when the lesson study activity is completed by producing a decision that lesson study activities have a huge impact in increasing understanding of the material, learning methods, improving the ability to observe learning and with lesson study can be improved the colegality system in finding quality learning
Implementasi Fungsi Manajemen dalam Program Ekstrakurikuler di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Pesantren Anak Sholeh Baitul Quran
Authors: Khabibah Siti
Published: May 2023

Belajar bukan sekedar transmisi ilmu pengetahuan, namun belajar merupakan proses mengolah daya penalaran sebagai bekal dasar bagi setiap warga negara. Salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan untuk meningkatkan daya nalar siswa adalah dengan meningkatkan prestasi non akademis. Prestasi nonakademis bisa dilakukan dengan pemberdayaan program ekstrakurikuler. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji permasalahan mengenai: 1) Implementasi fungsi manajemen program ekstrakurikuler; 2) menganalisis kendala dan hambatan manajemen program ekstrakurikuler; 3) implikasi manajemen program ekstrakurikuler dalam peningkatan prestasi non akademik. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian lapangan dengan pendekatan deskriptif kualitatif. Data diperoleh melalui pengamatan, di mana peneliti sebagai instrumen kunci untuk melakukan observasi, wawancara mendalam dengan sumber data utama/informan dan studi dokumentasi. Data dianalisis melalui 3 tahapan yaitu reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Dari penelitian diperoleh: 1) fungsi manajemen telah diterapkan dalam program ekstrakurikuler yang meliputi perencanaan pengorganisasian, pelaksanaan, dan pengawasan, 2) Terdapat kendala dan hambatan berupa waktu, biaya, sarana dan prasarana, pemetaan peserta dan pembimbing, 3) implikasi manajemen program ekstrakurikuler berdampak pada peningkatan prestasi nonakademis dan penanaman nilai positif yakni berpikir bebas dan mandiri, bertanggungjawab, mampu berorganisasi, dan ukhuwah islamiyah.
Flood Management: Solving Conformance or Sweep Efficiency Problems: Part 1
Authors: Smith David
Published: May 2023

_

Since the advent of secondary recovery mechanisms, waterflooding or gas displacement, the oil industry has suffered from a variety of problems that yield inefficient displacement of hydrocarbon fluids during flooding. The industry has also suffered from a very low success rate at correcting these poor sweep efficiency problems. The first three articles in this series are designed to enhance our ability to identify, characterize, solve, and evaluate performance of solutions applied to conformance or sweep efficiency problems. This process structure will allow us to discuss key elements that should generate a higher success rate in solving conformance problems. Part 1 of this series focuses on candidate selection and problem clarification or problem understanding which are the first two elements of Fig 1.

Overview

The process wheel shown in Fig. 1 is used to identify the steps most production engineering companies take as they work through their conformance or sweep efficiency problems. This provides a basis by which we can discuss the various elements of solving these problems. The companies I have worked for chose to call this “conformance engineering.” Let’s define conformance engineering as: The process of utilizing reservoir and wellbore information to understand the flood performance and then use that understanding to adjust aspects of the flood which results in improved oil recovery.

That is the working definition this series of articles will use for conformance engineering. I think we can all agree that this includes a large variety of sweep efficiency problems. These range from deep reservoir displacement fluid control issues to near-wellbore control issues and every combination of these elements. This includes issues for controlling displacing fluids at the injector or the producer.

We can also use this to understand and characterize human-induced floods vs. natural processes. Strong water aquifer drives have the same displacement mechanisms as waterflooding. They have significant differences to elements like the pressure source, which is broad for aquifer drive and a very specific point source of pressure for pattern floods. In addition, a strong aquifer drive utilizes gravity segregation to enhance the efficiency of the drive where a pattern waterflood can suffer from gravity underrun. This is one of the reasons a peripheral waterflood can be a very effective secondary recovery process. We also consider fields where natural gas cap expansion drives oil displacement. In some fields, the gas cap is supported by gas reinjection. Prudhoe Bay is a prime example where there is no market for natural gas, so gas reinjection into the gas cap and gas cap expansion becomes a strong recovery mechanism for this field.

For the sake of this JPT article series we will consider any flood process whether natural or induced to be part of flood management basics.
Effect of dentin surface conditions and curing mode of resin cement on the dentin bond strength for an indirect restoration
Authors: Son Sung-Ae , Kim Jae-Hoon , Seo Deog-Gyu , Park Jeong-Kil
Published: May 2023

Background: During the cementation of indirect restorations, the conditions of the dentin surface and dentin adhesive's curing technique that affect the adhesion between dentin and an indirect restoration are essential issues for clinicians. This study investigates the effects of dentin's wetness, roughness, and curing modes of resin cement on bond strength when using universal adhesives for the cementation of indirect restorations.
Methods: Forty human teeth were divided into eight groups according to three experimental factors: 1) dentin's roughness achieved by 250-or 600-grit Silicon-carbide (SiC) paper (coarse or fine), 2) dentin wetness with an air-drying time (5-s or 10-s), and 3) Single Bond Universal adhesive's curing mode by co-curing with RelyX Ultimate resin cement or light-curing separately after applying the adhesive(co-curing or light-curing). After resin discs were cemented with RelyX Ultimate, the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) was measured (n = 15 each). The failure mode and adhesive layers were observed using stereoscopic and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).
Results: The roughness of the dentin surface did not significantly affect the bond strength (p > 0.05), and the curing mode of dentin adhesive and the 5-s drying group of dentin had significant effects on bond strength (p < 0.05). Light-curing groups and 5-s drying groups showed significantly higher bond strength than co-curing groups (p < 0.05), and 10-s drying groups (p < 0.05), respectively.
Conclusions: When using Single Bond Universal adhesive and RelyX Ultimate resin cement, the light curing mode, in which the adhesive and resin cement is light-cured, showed higher bond strength than the co-curing mode. The bond strength between the resin cement and dentin was improved in the 5-s drying groups than in the 10-s drying groups.
Neuroprotective effect and possible mechanism of edaravone in rat models of spinal cord injury: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Xiao-bo , Zhou Long-yun , Chen Xu-qing , Li Ran , Yu Bin-bin , Pan Meng-xiao , Fang Lu , Li Jian , Cui Xue-jun , Yao Min , Lu Xiao
Published: May 2023

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most disabling and devastating neurological conditions, afflicting individuals and societies widely. Edaravone, a well-known synthetic ROS scavenger, is approved in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In recent years, the role of edaravone in the treatment of SCI has been investigated in a growing number of studies.
Methods: The systematic review will include the controlled studies evaluating the neurological roles of edaravone on experiment rat models following SCI. The primary outcome is the 21-point Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale, and preservation of white matter areas and malondialdehyde will be employed as the secondary outcomes. Two researchers will search PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library from their inception date independently. Following study selection, data extraction, and assessment of methodological quality in the included studies using the SYRCLE’s RoB tool, data from eligible studies will be pooled and analyzed using random‑effects models with RevMan 5.3 software. In case of sufficient data, subgroup analyses with respect to species, age, sex, duration of intervention, dose or route of administration will be carried out to explore the factors modifying on BBB scores. For exploring the appropriate dose of edaravone, a network meta-analysis approach will be conducted based on the Bayesian method. Importantly, the proposed mechanisms and changes of related molecules will be also extracted from included studies for comprehensively investigating the neuroprotective mechanism behind edaravone.
Discussion: In this study, we will quantitatively analyze the role of edaravone in locomotor recovery and tissue damage in SCI rat model. Besides, the efficacy of edaravone in distinct scenarios will be investigated by subgroups, and we plan to predict the candidate dose that exerts the greater neuroprotective effect with network meta-analyses. Moreover, we will provide comprehensive overview on the mechanisms underlying the emerging neuroprotective effects of edaravone in SCI. This study will provide implications for future preclinical studies and clinical applications of SCI.
Postsurgical Macular Edema after Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: Risk Factors for Recalcitrance to First-Line Therapy and Long-Term Response to Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant
Authors: Allou Violaine , Trucchi Laura , Mer Yannick Le , Tadayoni Ramin , Couturier Aude , Souissi Soufiane
Published: May 2023

Objectives: To assess the risk factors for recalcitrance to first-line therapy and the long-term response to dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex®) of postsurgical macular edema (PSME) after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).
Methods: This was a retrospective consecutive cohort study of patients who underwent RRD repair between January 2014 and December 2020 at the Rothschild Foundation Hospital and who experienced PSME with at least 18 months of follow-up.
Results: Of the 1 152 patients screened, 36 eyes had a PSME (incidence: 3.1%). The mean follow-up was 45.2 months (18.0-80.5 months). Twenty-five eyes (69.4%) were recalcitrant to first-line therapy and received at least one Ozurdex® (mean number: 2.7 [1-12]). On multivariate analysis, perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL)-assisted drainage was found to significantly increase the risk of recalcitrance (adjusted odds ratio 8.65; 95% confidence interval 1.97-15.33; p = 0.01). A significant difference in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) was found before Ozurdex® and at the last follow-up visit: 0.57 ± 0.47 LogMAR vs. 0.34 ± 0.32 LogMAR (p = 0.02) and 483.0 ± 124.0 µm to 354.6 ± 96.5 µm (p=0.001). The absence of serous retinal detachment and the presence of hyperreflective foci at baseline were negative prognostic factors both for recalcitrance and for response to Ozurdex®. Two patients (8%) experienced hypertony, which was well controlled with hypotonic drops.
Conclusion: PSME after RRD is highly recalcitrant. Ozurdex® could be reasonably proposed as a first-line treatment, at least if it occurs after PFLC-assisted drainage, given the favorable benefit/risk ratio in the long term.
Cadmium effects on Lupinus albus L growth, phenolic compounds, and enzyme activities
Authors: M’rah Sabeh , Zaier Hanen , Boudali Ghazoua , Chaffei-Haouari Chiraz
Published: May 2023

Cadmium (Cd) is had received particular attention not only as potent hazards to human health but also given their constant increase in the environment and bioaccumulation throughout the food chain. The aim of this work was to evaluate the response of the white lupine plant (Lupinus albus L.) to different cadmium concentrations. For this purpose, seedlings were exposed in nutrient solution to 0, 10, 20, 50,100 and 150 µM CdCl2 for 7 days. The obtained data demonstrated that, Lupinus albus L. was affected especially by high Cd2+ doses (100 and 150 µM Cd). Cadmium exposure mainly reduced plant growth parameters and photosynthetic activity. In addition, Cd generated nutritional deficiencies, toxic accumulation of ammonium and oxidative damage in plant. However, Lupinus albus L. could tolerate moderate the cadmium stress by the increase of cellular metabolites like soluble sugar and proline to avoid the ionic and osmotic effects of Cd2+. Furthermore, Cd2+ treatment increased the production of secondary metabolites in different plant organs, and also increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Besides its importance in food applications and health benefits, white lupin is proposed, as a candidate for cadmium phytostabilization of soil polluted by cadmium.
Efficacy and safety of first-line combination therapy versus monotherapy for vitreoretinal lymphoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Jing , Peng Xiaoyan , Wang Liang
Published: May 2023

Background
Vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is usually treated with a combo of intraocular methotrexate, high-dose intravenous methotrexate, and local radiotherapy as the first options. The effectiveness and safety of monotherapy such as BTK inhibitors, temozolomide, and pomalidomide for PVRL remain uncertain.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trial data and conference abstracts in VRL patients treated with first-line combination therapy and monotherapy were conducted through a search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases until December 2022. A total of 17 studies comprising 278 patients were included, and survival data were extracted from 151 patients due to inconsistent units across studies.
Results
The combined treatment group used ioMTX + chemotherapy (in 3 studies), bilateral RT + chemotherapy (in 2 studies), ioMTX/IV HD-MTX based regimen (in 2 studies), ioMTX + chemotherapy + rdWBRT (in 2 studies), and ioMTX + lenalidomide/BTKi (in 2 studies). The monotherapy group used pomalidomide, temozolomide, and BTKi. The combination therapy had a higher overall response rate (ORR) and complete response rate (CRR) than monotherapy (ORR: 95% vs. 72%, CRR: 94% vs. 63%). Combination therapy also resulted in a longer median progression-free survival (33 months vs. 13 months, p = 0.0059). However, the combination therapy group had more severe side effects (grade 3/4 toxicity) than the monotherapy group (46% vs. 8%).
Conclusion
The study showed combination therapy had better OR and CR rates, longer survival, and more toxicity than monotherapy. While BTK inhibitors were well-tolerated, long-term effectiveness needs confirmation from prospective studies.
Systematic review registration: CRD42023400305
Dexmedetomidine improves the outcomes for pediatric severe sepsis with mechanical ventilation
Authors: Zhao Chun , YIN YI , Zhang Tianxin , Li Jing , Zhou Xiaoming , Wang Yujuan , Wang Wei , Wang Qiwei , Jin Youpeng
Published: May 2023

Background: The sedative dexmedetomidine has been shown to reduce mortality in adult patients with severe sepsis, but it is not known whether children benefit. This study explored the effects of dexmedetomidine on the outcomes of children with severe sepsis with mechanical ventilation.
Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, children with severe sepsis requiring mechanical ventilation from 2016 to 2020 were categorized as dexmedetomidine and non-dexmedetomidine group. The propensity score matching was performed to match cases in both groups. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, and the secondary outcomes were acute kidney injury, ventilator-free days, lengths of PICU and hospital stays. The Kaplan-Meier method and was the log-rank test used to estimate the 28-day mortality rate and assess between-group differences.
Results: In total, 250 patients were eligible patients: 138 in the dexmedetomidine group and 112 in the non-dexmedetomidinegroup. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 61 children in each group. dexmedetomidine group showed more lower 28-day mortality (9.84% vs 26.23%, P=0.008). During the 7-day observation period after PICU admission, the dexmedetomidine group showed significantly lower neurological and renal sub-scores at day 7 and serum creatinine level at day 3 and day 7. There were no statistical differences in the incidence of acute kidney injury, ventilator-free days, lengths of PICU and hospital stays between the two groups.
Conclusions: dexmedetomidine treatment in children with severe sepsis is associated with better outcomes and should therefore be considered for the sedation strategy.
Phylogenetic relatedness of plant species co-occurring with an invasive alien plant species (Anthemis cotula L.) varies with elevation
Authors: . Afshana , Pinto-Ledezma Jesús N. , Reshi Zafar Ahmad
Published: May 2023

Darwin's naturalization conundrum, which posits that the alien species either succeed in the introduced region because being phylogenetically related to the native species hence being pre-adapted, or are phylogenetically dissimilar to native species and thus occupy unfilled niches, has received a lot of attention but the results have been contradictory. Instead of the usual phylogenetic comparison between native and introduced species to address this conundrum, we followed a novel approach of studying the phylogenetic relationship of a highly widespread and invasive species,Anthemis cotulaL. (focal species) separately with the native species and all its co-occurring species (including native and non-native species) along an elevation gradient. The abundance ofA. cotuladeclined continuously with an increase in elevation and species richness. The phylogenetic relationship between the focal species and all the co-occurring species using abundance-weighted mean pair-wise distance (MPDaw) showed an increase with an increase in elevation and species richness. A similar but slightly weaker relationship was noticed when the non-abundance weighted mean pair-wise distance (MPDpa) was used. Interestingly, the phylogenetic distance between the focal species and the native species based on MPDaw declined with elevation as well as species richness, but such a decline was seen when MPDpa was used. Our study also revealed that soil nutrients influence the abundance ofA. cotulaand the phylogenetic distance between the focal and other species, thereby indicating the role of micro-ecological factors and spatial heterogeneity in community assembly.
Vancomycin and Daptomycin Dosing Recommendations in Patients Receiving Home Hemodialysis Using Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Lewis Susan J. , Jang Soo Min , Mueller Bruce A.
Published: May 2023

Background:
Few drug dosing recommendations for patients receiving home hemodialysis (HHD) have been published which has hindered the adoption of HHD. HHD regimens vary widely and differ considerably from conventional, thrice weekly, in-center hemodialysis in terms of treatment frequency, duration and blood and dialysate flow rates. Consequently, vancomycin and daptomycin clearances in HHD are also likely to be different, consequently HHD dosing regimens must be developed to ensure efficacy and minimize toxicity when these antibiotics are used. Many HHD regimens are used clinically, this study modeled ten common HHD regimens and determined optimal vancomycin and daptomycin dosing for each HHD regimen.
Methods:
Monte Carlo simulations using pharmacokinetic data derived from the literature and demographic data from a large HHD program treating patients with end stage kidney disease were incorporated into a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Virtual vancomycin and daptomycin doses were administered post-HHD and drug exposures were determined in 5,000 virtual patients receiving ten different HHD regimens. Serum concentration monitoring with subsequent dose changes was incorporated into the vancomycin models. Pharmacodynamic target attainment rates were determined for each studied dose. The lowest possible doses that met predefined targets in virtual patients were chosen as optimal doses.
Results:
HHD frequency, total dialysate volumes and HHD durations influenced drug exposure and led to different dosing regimens to meet targets. Antibiotic dosing regimens were identified that could meet targets for 3- and 7-hour HHD regimens occurring every other day or 4-5 days/week. HHD regimens with 3-day interdialytic periods required higher doses prior to the 3-day period. The addition of vancomycin serum concentration monitoring allowed for calculation of necessary dosing changes which increased the number of virtual subjects meeting pharmacodynamic targets.
Conclusions:
Doses of vancomycin and daptomycin that will meet desired pharmacodynamic targets in HHD are dependent on patient and HHD-specific factors. Doses used in conventional thrice weekly hemodialysis are unlikely to meet treatment goals. The antibiotic regimens paired with the HHD parameters studied in this analysis are likely to meet goals but require clinical validation.
Detection of Subclinical Neurotrophic Keratopathy by Non-Contact Esthesiometry
Authors: Villalba Marta , Sabates Victor , Ghalibafan Seyyedehfatemeh , Perez Victor , Swaminathan Swarup , Sabater Alfonso
Published: May 2023

Objectives.
To analyze corneal sensitivity with a new noncontact and hand-held esthesiometer (Brill Engines, Spain) in patients with dry eye disease (DED) and patients on hypotensive drops, and to compare it with healthy subjects.
Methods.
31 patients (57 eyes) with DED, 23 patients (46 eyes) with glaucoma and 21 healthy patients (33 eyes) were recruited. In all patients, corneal sensitivity was measured. Subsequently, a keratography test (Keratograph 5M, Oculus) was carried out to measure tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive break up time (NIBUT), bulbar redness (Jenvis scale) and corneal staining (CS, Oxford scale). Both corneal sensitivity and ocular surface parameters were compared between DED, glaucoma, and healthy subjects. Linear mixed models were constructed to utilize data from both eyes of patients. A 95% confidence level was considered statistically significant.
Results.
The mean age was 56.1±16.1 years in DED group, 69.5±11.7 years in the glaucoma group and 36.3±10.5 years in the control group. Adjusting for age and sex, esthesiometry was significantly worse in DED and glaucoma vs control group (p = 0.02 and p = 0.009, respectively). NIBUT was lower in DED and glaucoma patients (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Redness and CS values were higher in DED group (p = 0.04 and p = 0.001, respectively). TMH was lower in the glaucoma patients (p = 0.03).
Conclusions.
Corneal sensitivity measured with a novel noncontact esthesiometer was reduced in DED and glaucoma patients compared to controls. In clinical practice, this esthesiometer could be an easy-to-use device to evaluate for patients with subclinical neurotrophic keratopathy.
The Association between Working Memory Precision and the Nonlinear Dynamics of Frontal and Parieto-occipital EEG Activity.
Authors: Chang Wen-Sheng , Liang Wei-Kuang , Li Dong-Han , Muggleton Neil G. , Balachandran Prasad , Huang Norden E. , Juan Chi-Hung
Published: May 2023

Working memory (WM) research in electrophysiology reveals that brain areas communicate through macroscopic oscillatory activities across multiple frequency bands. Interactions across different frequency components generate nonlinear amplitude modulation (AM) in the observed signal. Traditionally, AM is expressed as the coupling strength between the signal and a prespecified modulator at a lower frequency. Therefore, the idea of AM and coupling cannot be studied separately. In this study, 33 participants completed a color recall task while their brain activity was recorded through EEG. The AM of the EEG data was extracted using the Holo-Hilbert spectral analysis (HHSA), an adaptive method based on the Hilbert-Huang transforms. The results showed that frontal theta power enhancement and parieto-occipital alpha/beta power suppression predicted individual differences in WM precision. Furthermore, the AM of parieto-occipital alpha/beta power predicted WM precision after presenting a target-defining probe array. The phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) between the frontal theta phase and parieto-occipital alpha/beta AM increased with WM load while processing incoming stimuli, but the PAC itself did not predict the subsequent recall performance. These results suggest frontal and parieto-occipital regions communicate through theta-alpha/beta PAC. However, the overall recall precision depends on the alpha/beta AM following the onset of the retro cue.
How the Implementation of Internal Carbon Pricing Impacts on Carbon Reduction: Facilitating or Hindering
Authors: Qin Linxin , Wang Zhan , Pan Ane
Published: May 2023

A growing number of companies are incorporating internal carbon pricing into their climate management strategies, making it one of the ways in which the private sector can combat carbon emissions and respond to the climate crisis. In this study, we used the synthetic control method in an attempt to discover whether the implementation of internal carbon pricing has an impact on the carbon reduction of typical firms at an individual level. As some of the firms cannot be properly fitted, statistical approaches were then applied to the S&P 500 constituent firms to test if there is any correlation between the emission cuts and internal carbon pricing. We also conducted a channel analysis and found that internal carbon pricing affects the amount of carbon emissions by firms mainly through two channels, namely the level of energy intensity and R&D investments. Among them, the energy intensity plays a positive mediating role between emission reduction and internal carbon pricing. As to another channel, contrary to expectations, internal carbon pricing, to some extent, suppresses the R&D investments which will promote carbon emission reduction. That is, the size of R&D investments has masking effects in the relationship between emission cuts and internal carbon pricing. Our findings contribute to researches on the carbon pricing, emission reduction and climate management efforts from the private sector, and have implications for practices.
Comparative evaluation of skeletal, dental and soft tissue changes in skeletal class II treatment using PowerScope and AdvanSync2–A single center, retrospective study
Authors: Gupta Seema , Bhambri Eenal , Sharma Manish , PG Avisha Middha
Published: May 2023

Background: Fixed functional appliances are used for correcting Skeletal Class II due to retrognathic mandible.
Objectives: The current study's goal was to assess and contrast the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue changes produced by PowerScope and AdvanSync2. The null hypothesis was that there were no significant differences in the treatment effects of both the appliances.
Material and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on growing 75 female subjects with skeletal class II malocclusion, divided into 3 groups: Group 1: 25 Subjects of AdvanSync2 (Mean age- 12.61±1.52years); Group 2: 25 subjects of PowerScope (Mean age- 12.23±1.32years) and Group 3: untreated class II control sample of 25 subjects (Mean age- 12.91±0.92years). Lateral cephalograms were traced at T0 (pretreatment) and T1 (post functional) for measuring various skeletal, dental, and soft tissue parameters. ANOVA and Post Hoc Tukey test was used for comparison between the groups.
Results: Statistically significant changes were seen in skeletal, dental, and soft tissue parameters with both appliances compared with the control group. AdvanSync2 had statistically significant restrictive effects on the maxilla (p<0.05), produced greater mandibular advancement, retraction and extrusion of the upper incisors, proclination of the lower incisors, overjet reduction, and distalization of the upper molars, whereas PowerScope had non-significant effects on the maxilla and mainly produced dentoalveolar changes with good overbite reduction. Both appliances greatly improved the soft tissue profile of the patients compared with that of the control group.
Clinical implications: AdvanSync 2 is recommended for treating Skeletal Class II for better skeletal effects.
Conclusions: The null hypothesis was rejected in this study. AdvanSync 2 produced better skeletal effects than PowerScope, which displayed better dentoalveolar changes.
The effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on motor skill development of 6- and 7-year old children in the Netherlands: a longitudinal study
Authors: Uil Anne R. den , Doorn Hemke van , Schweitzer Mandy , Janssen Mirka , Scholte Ron H.J. , Busch Vincent
Published: May 2023

Background: The closing of schools and sports clubs during the COVID-19 lockdown raised questions about the possible impact on children’s motor skill development. Therefore, we compared motor skill development over a one-year period among four different cohorts of primary school children of which two experienced no lockdowns during the study period (control cohorts) and two cohorts experienced one or two lockdowns during the study period (lockdown cohorts).
Methods: A total of 992 children from 9 primary schools participated in this study (age 5 – 7; 47.5% boys, 52.5% girls). Their motor competence was assessed twice using the 4-Skills Test, first in grade 3 (T1) and thereafter in grade 4 (T2). Children in control group 1 and lockdown group 1 were assessed a third time after two years (T3). Mixed factorial ANOVA’s were used to analyse our data.
Results: No significant differences in motor skill development over the study period between the lockdown groups and control groups (p > 0.05) were found, but a difference was found between the two lockdown groups: lockdown group 2 developed significantly better than lockdown group 1 (p = 0.008). While socioeconomic status was an effect modifier, sex and motor ability did not modify the effects of the lockdowns.
Conclusions:The COVID-19 lockdowns in the Netherlands did not negatively affect motor skill development of young children in our study. Due to the complexity of the factors related to the pandemic lockdowns and the dynamic systems involved in motor skill development of children, caution must be taken with drawing general conclusions. Therefore, children’s motor skill development should be closely monitored in the upcoming years and we should pay attention to individual differences.