bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metastasierender Morbus Crohn vielleicht häufiger als bisher angenommen
Authors: Blumenstein Irina
Published: December 2020

Background: Metastatic Crohn’s disease (CD) is a rare manifestation of CD. It involves inflammatory skin lesions with histopathological findings (granulomas) similar to CD, without connection to the gastrointestinal tract. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) has been suggested as a possible treatment option. Objective: This study aimed to identify and treat a consecutive series of patients with biopsy-proven metastatic CD and monitor wound healing using prospectively acquired outcomes. Methods: Pathology results of all patients with ongoing perineal wound-healing problems after proctectomy between 2005 and 2018 at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre were assessed for metastatic CD. Patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of perineal metastatic CD were offered HBO (40 daily sessions of 100% oxygen at 2.4 atmosphere absolute). Wound healing was monitored using photographs and standardised questionnaires (the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale and the Female Sexual Function Index) at baseline and 1 and 3 months after HBO. Results: Out of 13 patients in the cohort with persisting perineal wounds after proctectomy, six (46%) had biopsy results consistent with metastatic CD. Of these, three accepted treatment with HBO. All three patients were female. One patient had complete healing of her perineal wound; another patient showed initial improvement but had a flare of luminal and perineal disease at the 3-month follow-up. The third patient showed improvement solely in the questionnaires, with higher scores on all three questionnaires. Conclusion: A high rate of metastatic CD was found in patients with ongoing wound-healing problems after proctectomy, implying that the disease might not be as rare in these selected patients as previously thought. HBO might be beneficial in the treatment of metastatic CD.
Verlauf der interstitiellen Lungenerkrankung bei systemischer Sklerose
Authors: Aringer Martin
Published: December 2020

Objectives: To identify overall disease course, progression patterns and risk factors predictive for progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated ILD (SSc-ILD), using data from the European Scleroderma Trials And Research (EUSTAR) database over long-term follow-up. Methods: Eligible patients with SSc-ILD were registered in the EUSTAR database and had measurements of forced vital capacity (FVC) at baseline and after 12 ± 3 months. Long-term progressive ILD and progression patterns were assessed in patients with multiple FVC measurements. Potential predictors of ILD progression were analysed using multivariable mixed-effect models. Results: 826 patients with SSc-ILD were included. Over 12 ± 3 months, 219 (27%) showed progressive ILD: either moderate (FVC decline 5% to 10%) or significant (FVC decline >10%). A total of 535 (65%) patients had multiple FVC measurements available over mean 5-year follow-up. In each 12-month period, 23% to 27% of SSc-ILD patients showed progressive ILD, but only a minority of patients showed progression in consecutive periods. Most patients with progressive ILD (58%) had a pattern of slow lung function decline, with more periods of stability/improvement than decline, whereas only 8% showed rapid, continuously declining FVC; 178 (33%) experienced no episode of FVC decline. The strongest predictive factors for FVC decline over 5 years were male sex, higher modified Rodnan skin score and reflux/dysphagia symptoms. Conclusion: SSc-ILD shows a heterogeneous and variable disease course, and thus monitoring all patients closely is important. Novel treatment concepts, with treatment initiation before FVC decline occurs, should aim for prevention of progression to avoid irreversible organ damage.
A demanda por empreender: uma proposta para o estudo do empreendedorismo de acordo com a psicologia social do trabalho
Authors: Oliveira Flávia Manuella Uchôa de
Published: December 2020

Este artigo busca estabelecer uma proposta para o estudo do empreendedorismo a partir da perspectiva da psicologia social do trabalho. Tal proposta surge da necessidade de repensar o anúncio constante de que “somos todos empreendedores”, assim como da necessidade de pensar as várias formas de trabalho para além do emprego e do trabalho regulamentado – nomeadamente, a polimorfia do trabalho –, e como estas foram governamentalizadas a partir do final do século XX. Para este exercício, utilizamos a noção desenvolvida em pesquisa anterior, sobre o empreendedorismo pensado como uma demanda. Argumentamos que tal demanda funciona como um dispositivo de governo neoliberal e que estabelece uma continuidade colonial, impondo uma determinada modernidade a ser alcançada. Concluímos indicando que a demanda empreendedora torna a “viração” uma forma de governar o trabalho e os trabalhadores.
A look over on Red Sanders
Authors: Ramanan S. Suresh
Published: December 2020

N/A
Development of a New Nontoxic Thiazole Derivative Dye for Cell Labeling by Using Nanoparticles
Authors: Gurbuz Havva Nur , Arpaci Pembegul Uyar , Sariguney Ahmet Burak , Kocabas Erdal , Coskun Ahmet , Cagil Esra Maltas
Published: December 2020

Fluorescent labeling of L-929 fibroblast cells was studied by using newly synthesized ligand which was named as 2- N -methylamino-5-(pyrene-1-yl)-thiazole (ABS 40). The maximum fluorescence intensity of ABS 40 was detected at an excitation and emission wavelengths of 350 nm and 400
nm. Fluorescence intensity of the ligand was changed by the addition of DNA from calf thymus (CT-DNA) and human serum albumin (HSA). Both biomolecules and ABS 40 formed complexes that changed the fluorescence intensity of the ligand at the given wavelengths. Cytotoxicity tests were done with
XTT analysis. L-929 fibroblast cells were cultured in the presence of ABS 40 to show cell labeling. Results showed that ABS 40 at 318 μM was labeled the cells at an excitation wavelength of 403.7 nm by using confocal microscopy. in vivo cell labeling was also confirmed by
using Ct-DNA immobilized iron nanoparticles.
Novel Mechatronic Sensors for Irregular Movements of Autonomous Land Vehicles
Authors: Boucetta Rahma , Bahri Radwen , Ali Saloua Bel Hadj
Published: December 2020

In this paper, novel sensors using physical phenomena deduced from ultrasound waves are proposed to overcome problems of cost, availability and adaptability in the measure of position, velocity and tilt of Autonomous Land Vehicles. The true challenge for the Autonomous Land Vehicles
concerns essentially the accurate perception of hazardous environments to receive faithful information about reality. Current sensors used nowadays are viewed very expensive, complicated and unable to give accurate measures without time delay. For that, our contribution is located in this
context. At first, fundamental principle of ultrasonic waves and their specific physical properties are described to introduce their use in the proposed sensors. Mechatronic concepts of sensors are then detailed with the corresponding mathematical models. Indeed, online implementation and
real time experiences are conducted to verify the effectiveness of measurements.
A Rotation-Speed Measurement System Based on Magneto-Inductive Effect
Authors: Wang Tao , Wang Bicong , Chen Yuyi , Luo Yufeng
Published: December 2020

There are few reports on high rotational speed measurement of brushless direct current (DC) motors based on giant magneto-inductive effect. In this study, a rotational speed measurement system based on giant magneto-inductive effect is established for measuring the rotational speeds
of DC motors. Successive sawtooth waves are found when rotating shaft is close to the GMI sensor. Through using the magneto-inductive sensing system, different high rotational speeds (1500∼24000 r/min) of the motor are accurately measured. Therefore, this giant magneto-inductive sensor
may be used for high rotational speed measurement of motors.
Quality Monitoring of Saccharum officinarum (Sugarcane) Using Image Analysis
Authors: Sekar Jayavanta Shakthi Poorna , Jayaparvathy R.
Published: December 2020

The yield of the sugarcane depends on the quality of the seed used for plantation. The traditional methods of cultivation of sugarcane by cutting random sections of a stalk called sets and sowing them for propagation purposes result in quality degradation. When a defective sugarcane
part is used for propagation purposes poor quality sugarcanes are obtained. This results in wastage of a large number of resources used for cultivation purposes. In the paper, we propose an efficient method using image processing for determining the nodes of the sugarcane crop that are found
suitable for the propagation of good quality sugarcane. We present the design of a hardware prototype that automatically cuts and gives the cultivator a suitable node that has to be sowed for fresh cultivation. We validate the proposed method by determining the quality of fifty samples of
sugarcane stalks and observe that our method works with 93.62 percent efficiency.
A Multispectral Spectroscopic Based Sensing System for Quality Parameters Measurement in Raw Milk Samples
Authors: Srivastava Satyam , Tiwari Abhai , Kumar Pankaj , Sadistap Shashikant
Published: December 2020

Lactometer is used to monitor milk quality at various dairy centers but this may lead towards incorrect results because it requires human intervention and exact temperature correction as well as overall process is time-consuming. Presented work proposes the multispectral based spectroscopic
approach along with the comparative study of different chemometric and artificial neural network (ANN) based techniques to measure different milk quality parameters. A multispectral spectroscopic sensing module has been designed using off the shelf components and further interfaced with 8-bit
microcontroller based embedded system to produce three different spectrums of transmittance and scattering at +90 degree and –90 degree over the wavelength range of 340–1030 nm. Data acquisition process has been performed for 150 milk samples (cow, buffalo, and mix) collected from
the bulk milk cooling center (BMC), Jaipur. Different statistical modeling techniques such as principle component regression (PCR), multiple linear regression (MLR) and partial least square regression (PLSR) have been implemented to develop correlation models between extracted features and
target milk parameters. Implemented techniques have been compared based on the accuracy of their prediction models and it has been observed that PLSR shows better results compared to other two techniques. ANN-based modeling approach also has been explored to improve the accuracy of results.
Five different artificial neural networks (ANN) based modeling techniques (LevenbergMarquardt, Bayesian regulation, scaled conjugate gradient, gradient descent and resilient) have been used to predict targeted milk quality parameters. Out of them, Gradient descent modeling technique performs
better to predict fat content of the milk (R2 = 0.96198), Bayesian regulation performs better to predict lactose content (R2 = 0.90594) and others (solid non-fat (SNF), protein) are just satisfactory (R2 = 0.76077 for SNF using scaled conjugate
gradient, R2 = 0.41935 for protein using Levenberg Marquardt). Produced results are validated with the MilkoScan FT1 system installed at Rajasthan Corporation of Dairy Federation (RCDF), Jaipur and it has been observed that results presented higher order of coefficient of
determination as mentioned above (except protein, S.N.F.). A smartphone-based android application also has been developed to acquire data from the embedded system using Bluetooth protocol and transfer to cloud with the location information for further analysis.
Improved Sensitivity of Dielectric Modulated Junctionless Transistor for Nanoscale Biosensor Design
Authors: Singh Shradhya , Bala Shashi , Raj Balwant , Raj Balwinder
Published: December 2020

This work has proposed a device i.e., Dielectric Modulated (DM) Junctionless Transistor which is utilizes as Label-Free (LF) electrical characteristic detection of bio-molecules. The electrical characteristics used for the detection of biomolecules are electric field, surface potential,
drain current and threshold voltage (Vth). Due to immobilization of biomolecules in the cavity region, the threshold voltage change in comparison to the absence of biomolecule, which is utilizes as the sensitivity metric. The sensitivity of biomolecule detection can be enhanced
by using asymmetric gate operation of the device. In asymmetric mode the degree of sensitivity is almost five times higher than that of the symmetric mode of operation.
Comparative Study of Efficient Design, Control and Monitoring of Solar Power Using Internet of Things
Authors: Kaur Parminder , Pandey Vikas , Raj Balwinder
Published: December 2020

The shortage of electricity is a major constraint to economic growth. Renewable energy such as solar energy has many advantages but also has many challenges to enhance its efficiency which is limited by the weather changes, dust particles, and material dependant properties. This affect
various parameters like fill factor, short circuit current (jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc) and module efficiency. This paper represents different materials used in solar cell structures and gives a realistic approach of factors affecting the performance of photovoltaic
modules. The material used must produce cost-effective solar cells by reducing the amount of silicon material used in its production and enhance the power output. To enhance the performance of the PV cell, various methods and technologies are used. Effective use of solar power can be obtained
using Internet of Things (IoT) technology which is used for solar tracking, monitoring, and forecasting.
Aluminium Gallium Nitride (AlGaN)/Gallium Nitride (GaN)/Boron Gallium Nitride (BGaN) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT): From Normally-On to Normally-Off Transistor
Authors: Maati Wafa , Hamdoune Abdelkader
Published: December 2020

In this paper, using the simulator TCAD SILVACO, the physical parameters to pass from a normallyon to a normally-off AlGaN/GaN HEMT with a BGaN back-barrier, was studied. With n-doped donor layer at 1 × 1016 cm–3, as a results we obtain a threshold
voltage of 0.509 V normally-off AlGaN/GaN HEMT. The first transistor is able to operate in high power in better way; the second one is efficient for weak signals up to the X-band, and it has the advantage of being normally-off.
Performance Comparison of Secure Communication in Mobile Ad Hoc NETwork Using Intrusion Detection Techniques
Authors: Suganya D. , Babu A. V. Santhosh
Published: December 2020

In recent years, wireless networks are the key concern in communication field. Mobile Ad Hoc NETwork (MANET) comprised number of wireless nodes to communicate with each other for information exchange. MANET is temporary network constructed for particular purpose and no need of any pre-established
infrastructure. MANET became well-liked technology due to its flexibility for various applications. The flexibility brings new security threats in MANET. Intrusion detection system used to identify and prevent the security attacks at different levels. IDS needed continuous monitoring which
resulted in fast exhaustion of node battery life. Many researchers introduced different intrusion detection techniques for detecting the attacks variants. But, the energy consumption and intrusion detection performance was not improved. In order to address these problems, the existing intrusion
detection techniques are reviewed.
Sensitive Determination of Epinephrine in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid at Poly(diphenylamine sulfonic acid) Modified Sensor
Authors: Erdoğdu Gamze
Published: December 2020

A sensitive and simple modified sensor was prepared by electrodeposition of diphenylamine sulfonic acid (DPSA) to the glassy carbon electrode surface by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. The electrooxidation of epinephrine (EP) was accomplished by CV and differential pulse voltammetry
at poly(DPSA) modified sensor. As a result of the findings, the current values were enhanced and both substances were separated at the modified sensor compared to the bare electrode. There was linearly between the oxidation current and concentration of EP from 0.2 to 100 μM in phosphate
buffer solution at pH 7.0. The limit of detection was 5.0 nM and the sensitivity was 0.4205 μA/μM. The determination of EP was successfully and satisfactorily carried out in real samples such as human blood serum and urine at the poly(DPSA) sensor. To the best knowledge
of this work, this is the first study that detect the EP in the presence of ascorbic acid at poly(DPSA) sensor in the literature.
Porcelain Insulator Inspection Using Infrared Thermography
Authors: Lerantzis P. I. , Tsarabaris P. T. , Theodorou N. J.
Published: December 2020

Inspection with thermography is a non-invasive, non-destructive process used in Power Systems facilities. Most temperature signatures that are not in the visible light range can be measured using thermal cameras, thus enabling the search of thermal behavior of porcelain insulators.
Overheating can help to detect problems, concerning the proper operation of insulators. The precision of temperature measurement using an infrared camera is influenced by the value of emissivity parameter that is set on camera. In the present study the influence of distance and angle between
the camera and the insulator on emissivity parameter value selection in camera is examined experimentally.
Adaptive Power Control and Fuzzy Based Duty Cycle Scheduling in Under Water Sensor Network (UWSN)
Authors: Sivagami L. , Manickam J. Martin Leo
Published: December 2020

In Under Water Sensor Network (UWSN), power control algorithm should consider channel condition and frame loss probability. Also the queue length variations or traffic load should be considered for fixing the sleep duty cycle. In this paper, we propose to design an Adaptive Power Control
and Fuzzy based Duty Cycle Scheduling (APC-FDS) algorithm for clustered UWSN. In the adaptive power control algorithm, the sender node will fix the minimum transmit power such that the energy consumption and frame loss probability are minimized. In adaptive duty cycle scheduling, the duty
cycle is adaptively adjusted by considering the connection value and traffic load using fuzzy logic technique. The connectivity between a cluster and its neighboring cluster is estimated using the connection value. The cluster head collects the traffic information from its members. Experimental
results show that the APS-FDS algorithm reduces the average energy consumption and frame loss probability.
Fluorescent ZnO Quantum Dot Probe to Study Glucose–Glucose Oxidase Interaction via Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
Authors: Verma Awadhesh Kumar , Ansari Z. A.
Published: December 2020

In this work, emphasis is to utilize FRET method to analyze GOx and glucose interaction using fluorescent ZnO QDs as the probes. Fluorescent ZnO and ZnOext QDs were synthesized using sol– gel technique and green synthesis method as donor and acceptor nanoprobes.
Structural, optical and morphological characterization of QDS were carried out using UV-visible absorption, fluorescence, FTIR, XRD and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Band gap estimated from Tauc plot is 3.49 and 3.35 eV for ZnO and ZnOext QDs and XRD reveal Wurtzite
structure of grown crystals. Systematic absorption study for ZnO–GOx and ZnOext–GOx reveal association constant of –8.3361 M–1 and –2.57646 M –1 for ZnO and ZnOext using Benesi-Hildebrand
plot. The binding constant obtained from Stern-Volmer equation is 1.0466 μM –1 and 1.97 μM –1 for ZnO/ZnOext–GOx conjugate and suggest static quenching in the system. CD spectroscopy reveal native state
of protein in conjugate sytem. Constant Förster radius (Ro) in ZnOext–GOx system suggest the average 〈κ2〉 as 2/3 and is independent of donor–acceptor distance as normally assumed in FRET system varies
from ∼4.5% in ZnO–GOx and ∼5% in ZnOext–GOx system. It indicate better energy transferrin earlier system than formal. The physiological range of glucose from 60 mg–440 mg/dl using this technique in which ZnOext–GOx
as donor probe exhibit better response towards glucose than ZnO–GOx system and correlated to the presence of phyotochemicals on the QD surface.
Excellent Cyclic Retention and Supercapacitive Performance of Electrochemically Active Nanocomposite Electrode
Authors: Bavatharani C. , Muthusankar E. , Lee Soo Chool , Johan Mohd Rafie , Ragupathy D.
Published: December 2020

In this work, electrochemically active polydiphenylamine-silica reinforced graphene nanocomposite was prepared via an interfacial chemical oxidative polymerization method for energy storage application. The morphological views of synthesized nanocomposite were captured through scanning
electron microscope (SEM). The supercapacitance behaviour of fabricated modified electrode was investigated by electrochemical analyses such as galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) and bode plot experiments. These results found that the chemically modified nanocomposite provides a high
conductivity and also an afforded specific capacitance of ∼433 F/g with good cycling retention of 91% upto 500 cycles. Furthermore, the attained data will help in the profound study and further developments in energy storage device applications.
Electrophoretic Deposition of Uniform Carbon Nanotubes for Nickel Nanocomposites Based Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensor
Authors: Shabbir Syeda Ammara , Shamaila Shahzadi , Sharif Rehana , Zafar Nosheen , Latif Hamid , Ashiq Muhammad Gul Bahar
Published: December 2020

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have enormous applications but restricted due to low dispersibility. In this project, dispersion efficiency of nonfunctionalized, covalently functionalized and non-covalently functionalized CNTs has been investigated. The surfactant, Sodium Dodecyl
Sulphate (SDS), played an important role in stable dispersion. UV-Visible spectroscopy compared the dispersion behavior of all CNTs suspensions. The surfactant functionalized CNTs revealed the maximum dispersion. The as produced highly stable dispersion was utilised in fabrication of highly
homogeneous CNTs electrode using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and its redox peak currents were higher than Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrodes, indicating increased charge transport by CNTs. The fabricated CNTs electrode was modified with Nickel (Ni) nanoparticles for Ni/CNTs nanocomposite
based nonenzymatic glucose sensor fabrication. The CNTs coated FTO substrate was decorated with Ni nanoparticles (NPs) using electrodeposition by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electron microscopic analysis showed the uniformly dispersed particles of Ni on CNTs electrodes. The Ni/CNTs/FTO based
non enzymatic glucose sensor exhibits ∼4 s fast response time and ∼605.0 μAmM–1 cm–2 sensitivity along with wide concentration (0.005–3.5 mM) and the detection limit ∼5.0 μM. The easy fabrication technique of Ni-CNTs electrodes
made them a reliable glucose sensor having good stability.
A Dynamic Routing Path Reduction Protocol in Underwater Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Hemavathy N. , Sudha S. , Ramesh K.
Published: December 2020

Recently, underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) have emerged as a promising networking technique for various underwater applications. An energy efficient routing protocol plays a vital role in data transmission and practical applications. However, due to the specific characteristics
of UWSNs, such as dynamic structure, narrow bandwidth, rapid energy consumption, and high latency, it is difficult to build routing protocols for UWSNs. In this paper, We propose a location aware opportunistic routing algorithm for under water communication. We analyse three main problems
in under water communication; forwarding set selection forwarding set ranking to handle FSR problem, void handling method to handle the communication void (CV) and overhear and suppression procedure to deal with duplicate forwarding suppression (DFS) problems. The importance of the work is
that it will provide an energy efficient pressure based opportunistic routing algorithm for wireless sensor network (UWSN). The routing protocol has been implemented in the ns2-AqaSim simulator and testbed for measurement of the performance metrics of the UASN. The simulation results showed
that the novel routing method throughput has increased by 16%, 33%, and 55% when compared with SUN, VBF and DF method. It can effectively improve the throughput of nodes, balance positioning performance as well as energy use efficiency, and optimize the positioning result of UWASN.
Delayed Respiratory Failure After Blunt Chest Trauma
Authors: Martin Christina S. , Lu Ning , Inouye David S. , Nakagawa Kazuma , Ng Karen , Yu Mihae , Hayashi Michael S.
Published: December 2020

Background

Patient factors associated with delayed respiratory failure (DRF) after blunt chest trauma are not well documented. Earlier identification and closer monitoring may improve outcomes for these patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and clinical predictors of DRF in patients after blunt chest trauma.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective review of adult patients admitted to a Level 1 trauma center after blunt chest trauma between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013, was conducted. Patients with early respiratory failure were compared to patients with DRF using Fisher’s exact tests, chi square, and Student’s t-tests. A P-value of <.05 was considered significant.

Results

1299 patients had blunt chest trauma and at least 1 rib fracture, of which 830 met inclusion criteria. 5.8% of patients progressed to respiratory failure. Respiratory failure was delayed in 25% of these patients. DRF patients had significantly lower ISS (16.5 vs. 22.7, P = .04), more bilateral rib fractures (66.7% vs. 28.7%, P = .02) and fewer pulmonary contusions (16.7% vs. 50.0%, P = .04).

Discussion

Injury patterns, including bilateral rib fractures without pulmonary contusions and low but severe Injury Severity Score burden, may help identify high-risk patients who may benefit from closer monitoring and more aggressive therapy.
The effect of haemolysis on the direct and indirect ion selective electrode measurement of sodium
Authors: Kalaria Tejas , Gill Henry , Harris Steve , Ford Clare , Gama Rousseau
Published: December 2020

Background

We compared the effect of haemolysis in sodium measurement using indirect and direct ion-selective electrodes to test the hypothesis that haemolytic effect on sodium would be greater with indirect ion-selective electrode due to electrolyte exclusion effect from released intracellular proteins.

Methods

Plasma lithium heparin samples ( n = 36) from four volunteers were prepared to give a range of haemolytic indices (H-indices). Samples were analysed for sodium by indirect ion-selective electrode, H-index and total protein on an Abbott Architect c16000 and sodium by direct ion-selective electrode on a Siemens RAPIDPoint 500. Percentage changes in sodium in paired direct and indirect ion-selective electrode values were compared.

Results

Abbott H-index, which represents haemoglobin concentration in g/L, correlated with percentage negative change in sodium by direct ion-selective electrode (ρ 0.995, P < 0.001) and indirect ion-selective electrode (ρ 0.991, P < 0.001). Percentage negative change was less when sodium was measured by direct ion-selective electrode compared to indirect ion-selective electrode (Wilcoxon signed-rank Z = 3.46, P = 0.01). The difference in percentage change in sodium between direct ion-selective electrode and indirect ion-selective electrode correlated with total protein (ρ 0.751, P < 0.001). The negative bias in sodium results exceeded the reference change value of 2.2% at an H-index of 8.31 for indirect ion-selective electrode and 9.26 for direct ion-selective electrode.

Conclusion

Haemolysis causes negative influence with sodium measured by both indirect and direct ion-selective electrode due to a dilutional hyponatremia. The additional interference in indirect ion-selective electrode is due to the electrolyte exclusion effect but this is unlikely to be clinically significant as it is small in magnitude.
Qohelet’s Implied Author and Implied Readers
Authors: Goldingay John
Published: December 2020

Qohelet is not only an anthology of journalings or an exposition of an individual’s agonizings; it is also (perhaps more) a book of teaching and a piece of rhetoric. It aims to disturb the assumptions and thinking of people in the Second Temple period who think that they understand reality, think that work is all-important, don’t take death seriously, feel relaxed about their financial position, undervalue everyday things, think that the country’s structures are working satisfactorily, and take their relationship with God for granted. The postscript, however, whether by the same author or by someone else, does then reaffirm the truth of the Torah and the Prophets.
Altruism and Burnout: Long Hours in the Teaching Profession
Authors: Gicheva Dora
Published: December 2020

This article explores why many public school teachers work substantially more hours than required by contract, given that the elasticity of their earnings with respect to their hours is close to zero. The author introduces a theoretical framework for public-sector employees in which high levels of effort can indicate either altruism (for intrinsically motivated employees) or low productivity (for low-ability employees). Because intrinsically motivated employees derive higher utility from working in the public sector, they are less likely to exit it. Over time, selection makes high levels of effort more strongly predictive of altruism than of low ability. Findings show that teachers with very low levels of experience exhibit little or no relationship between weekly hours and the probability of remaining in teaching. This correlation becomes more positive as teaching experience increases. Similarly, the level of work hours is positively related to self-reported burnout at low levels of experience, but the relationship is reversed for teachers who have been in the profession longer.
Toward an Intersectional Approach to Health Justice
Authors: Borras Arnel M.
Published: December 2020

Despite unprecedented global wealth creation, health inequity—the unjust health inequality between classes and groups among and within countries—persists, reviving the relevance of social justice as a lens to understand and as an instrument to intervene in these issues. However, the theoretical aspects and polysemous character of social justice as applied in the field of public health are often assumed rather than explicitly explained. An intersectional justice approach to understanding health inequality, inequity, and injustice might be useful. It argues that preexisting class-, race/ethnicity-, and gender-based health injustice and the socially differentiated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are shaped, interconnectedly, by economic maldistribution, cultural misrecognition, and political misrepresentation. Pursuing health justice requires analyses, strategies, and interventions that integrate the economic, cultural, and political spheres of redistribution, recognition, and representation, respectively. Such an intersectional approach to health justice is even more relevant and compelling in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is broadly about class, race/ethnicity, and gender political economy of public health—but with a narrower focus on maldistribution, misrecognition, and misrepresentation, shaping social and health injustices.
Religious coping in the time of COVID-19 Pandemic in India and Nigeria: Finding of a cross-national community survey
Authors: Fatima Huma , Oyetunji Tosin Philip , Mishra Sudha , Sinha Krittika , Olorunsogbon Olorunyomi Felix , Akande Oluwayemi Samson , Srinivasan  , Kar Sujita Kumar
Published: December 2020

Background:

Religious and spiritual coping strategies is one of the possible tools that can be used to deal with stress and the negative consequences of life problems and illnesses. The study aims to assess religious coping in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology:

It was an online survey. The sample was collected using a snowball sampling technique as the data were collected through Google forms. The survey started on 22 April 2020 and was closed on 28 May 2020. The participants were from two countries, India and Nigeria. The inclusion criteria were age between 18 and 60 years, having completed at least 10 years of formal education, and have internet access. For data collection, Semi-structured proforma (demographic and personal characteristics) and Brief RCOPE was used to see the extent to which individuals engage in positive and negative forms of religious coping.

Results:

A total of 647 individuals (360 from Nigeria and 287 from India) participated in the survey. A total of 188 (65.5%) participants in India reported no change in their religious activities since they heard about COVID-19, while, 160 (44.4%) in Nigeria reported a decrease in religious activities. Positive religious coping in the Nigerian population was significantly higher than the Indian population. Similarly, negative religious coping was significantly higher (for most of the items in the brief RCOPE) in the Indian population than the Nigerian population.

Conclusion:

Significant percentages of people after the COVID-19 pandemic took religious coping steps to overcome their problems. During this pandemic, positive religious coping among the Indian and Nigerian communities is more prevalent than negative religious coping. There is a substantial cross-national difference between Indians and Nigerians in the religious coping modes.
This time is different! Or is it? NeoMalthusians and environmental optimists in the age of climate change
Authors: Gleditsch Nils Petter
Published: December 2020

Warning about dire effects of climate change on armed conflict is a recent variation of a scenario that has been promoted by environmental pessimists for over two centuries. The essence is that human activities lead to resource scarcities that in turn will generate famine, pestilence, and war. This essay reviews three stages of the argument: first, the original Malthusian thesis that focused on food production. Second, the broader neoMalthusian concern from the 1970s about limits to growth and developing scarcities in a range of necessities. And recently, the specter of climate change. In each phase, the Malthusians have met firm opposition from environmental optimists, who argue that emerging scarcities can be countered by human ingenuity, technological progress, and national and international economic and political institutions and that environmental change is not in itself a major driver of human violence. In the third phase, the Malthusian case appears to be stronger because human activities have reached a level where they have a truly global impact. Environmental optimists still insist that these problems can be overcome by human ingenuity and that the long-term trend towards less violence in human affairs is unlikely to be reversed by climate change. The stakes seem higher, but the structure of the debate remains largely the same.
Reducing the Effect of Functional Disability on Life Satisfaction Among Persons With a Lived Experience of an Infectious Viral Disease in Taiwan: A Tri-Mediation Model
Authors: Wang Ming Hung , Brooks Jessica Marie , Iwanaga Kanako , Wu Jia Rung , Chen Xiangli , Lee Beatrice , Rumrill Stuart , Chan Fong
Published: December 2020

The purpose of the study was to examine whether disability acceptance, hope, and resilience mediate the relationship between functional disability and life satisfaction in people with a lived experience of an infectious viral disease (i.e., polio and postpolio syndrome [PPS]). Participants consisted of 157 individuals diagnosed with polio or PPS who were recruited from two community support organizations in Taiwan. Participants completed self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed with a simultaneous regression analysis. The tri-mediation model indicated that disability acceptance, hope, and resilience were associated with life satisfaction, accounting for a large effect size of 46% of the variance in the life satisfaction scores. The direct effect of functional disability on life satisfaction became insignificant when the mediators were controlled for in the model. Hope, disability acceptance, and resilience were found to fully explain the association between functional disability and life satisfaction. This study demonstrated that positive psychosocial factors might help to buffer the indirect and direct negative effects of functional disability on life satisfaction. Implications of these findings for future research and clinical practice when supporting individuals with a lived experience of an infectious viral disease, including COVID-19, are discussed.
The exploitation of quartzite in the Lower Juniata and Susquehanna Valleys: Outcrops and cobble sources
Authors: Raber Paul A
Published: December 2020

Studies at 36JU104 on the Juniata River and 36DA159 on Susquehanna River allow a comparison of the use of quartzite outcrops and river cobble sources. Travelers through the Lewistown Narrows camped at 36JU104 for over 8000 years and used Tuscarora quartzite from nearby outcrops mainly for expedient tools. At 36DA159 the inhabitants used easily obtainable stream cobbles of Tuscarora quartzite for both formal and expedient tools, although outcrops occur nearby. Quartzite use through time at the two sites is compared to examine variation in why and how quartzite was used and the role of both sites as persistent places on the landscape.
Demobilised or dormant? Exploring pro-strike attitudes among employees who have never joined a strike
Authors: Frangi Lorenzo , Boodoo Muhammad Umar , Hebdon Robert
Published: December 2020

The general decline of strikes does not necessarily imply that workers are demobilised. A dormant strike potential can be present. Drawing on strikes as ‘experience goods’, this article sheds light on this point by studying pro-strike attitudes among employees in 24 countries who have never been on strike. The variation in pro-strike attitudes is explained by both contextual (collective bargaining coverage, economic conditions and freedom of rights and liberties) and individual (union membership and confidence in unions, political values and household financial situation) factors. Deeper analyses of three countries highlight the potential impact of specific repertoires of contention developed over time on the formation of pro-strike attitudes. Implications for the labour conflict literature and union strategies are discussed.
The green economy and inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Avoidable thresholds and thresholds for complementary policies
Authors: Asongu Simplice A , Odhiambo Nicholas M
Published: December 2020

The study examines nexuses between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, renewable energy consumption and inequality in 39 Sub-Saharan African countries for the period 2004–2014. The empirical evidence is based on Quantile regressions. First, in the 25th quantile of the inequality distributions, as long as CO2 emissions metric tons per capita are kept below 4.700 (4.100), the Gini coefficient (Atkinson index) will not increase. These are avoidable CO2 emissions thresholds. Second, renewable energy consumption should be complemented with other policies to: (i) reduce the Gini coefficient when renewable energy consumption is at 50.00% of total final energy consumption and (ii) mitigate the Atkinson index when renewable energy consumption is at 62.500% of total final energy consumption in the bottom quantiles of the Atkinson index distribution and at 50.00% of total final energy consumption in the 75th quantile of the Atkinson index distribution. These are renewable energy consumption thresholds for complementary policies. The novelty of this study in the light of extant literature is fundamentally premised on providing policy makers with avoidable thresholds of CO2 emissions as well as corresponding thresholds of renewable energy consumption for complementary policies, in the nexus between the green economy and inequality.
Hispanic Male Recruitment into Obesity-Related Research: Evaluating Content Messaging Strategies, Experimental Findings, and Practical Implications
Authors: Valdez Luis A. , Garcia David O.
Published: December 2020

Hispanic men have the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among men in the U.S. Current research is lacking to inform best practices to engage Hispanic men in obesity-related research. The purpose of this work was to evaluate messaging strategies to engage Hispanic men in obesity-related research. Outreach took place in an outdoor marketplace in Southern Arizona, US. Messaging strategies (fear appeal/arousal, positive masculinity, and spousal convergence) identified in formative research were utilized. Two six-foot standing banners displayed content messages and infographics in both English and Spanish. Trained bilingual and bicultural staff collected health information survey cards that elicited self-reported demographic information and health concerns. Four aspects of recruitment were evaluated: volume, efficiency, community representation, and primary health concerns. A comparative analysis was conducted in the fall of 2016 to determine the effectiveness of each messaging strategy. 387 survey cards were collected, 221 were from Hispanic men. Obesity, diabetes, and cancer were identified as the most pertinent health concerns. Fear appeal yielded 209 completed surveys, followed by 110 for positive masculinity, and 68 for spousal convergence. Fear appeal/arousal and positive masculinity content messaging were effective approaches to engage Hispanic males in research, preventive and treatment efforts. Findings warrant replication as there is potential for confounding seasonal effects.
A comprehensive analysis of self-corrected publications in the imaging literature
Authors: Hong Ji Hyun , Yoon Dae Young , Moon Ji Yoon , Baek Sora , Lim Kyoung Ja , Seo Young Lan , Yun Eun Joo
Published: December 2020

Background

The characteristics of self-corrected publications have not been fully evaluated.

Purpose

To evaluate the annual number and characteristics of self-corrected publications in the imaging literature within the last 20 years.

Material and Methods

We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed) using the following keyword: (“Published Erratum” [Publication Type] OR “Corrected and Republished Article” [Publication Type]) in the imaging literature to identify all self-corrected publications in which initial versions of articles were published during 1999–2018. Extracted data included: date of publication of the original version; date of correction notification; the time interval between initial publication and correction; journal name; journal impact factor (IF); type of articles; number of authors; country of origin; and location of errors. Journals were divided into four quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on their IF.

Results

A total of 1071 self-corrected publications were identified, representing 0.30% of all papers published in the imaging literature. Trend analysis showed exponential growth of the number and rate of self-corrected publications during 1999–2018. The median (range) time interval from initial publication to correction was 120 days (0–7755 days). The rate of self-corrected publications in Q4 journals (0.17%) was significantly lower than those in Q1 (0.35%, P<0.0001), Q2 (0.26%, P=0.0007), and Q3 (0.30%, P<0.0001) journals. Additionally, 80.8% of self-corrected publications were original articles, 29.2% were from the USA, and 30.7% were corrected for author information (name, affiliation, and email address).

Conclusion

Self-corrected publications in the imaging literature have increased exponentially during 1999–2018 and author information was the most common location of error correction.
Determination and pharmacokinetic analysis of ticarcillin disodium–clavulanate potassium for injection in rat plasma by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS
Authors: Wang Moli , Gao Yanxia , Liu Xueli , Zhang Jing , Wang Qiang , Chang Junshan , Zhang Lantong
Published: December 2020

Objective

To establish a specific and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for measuring ticarcillin and clavulanate levels in rat plasma.

Methods

A Waters ACQUITY BEH C18 column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) and SCIEX QTRAP® LC-MS/MS System were used. Analyses were conducted to optimize the chromatographic and MS conditions, and the pharmacokinetic parameters of ticarcillin and clavulanate were assessed.

Results

Linear relationships were observed in the ranges of 10 to 10,000 ng/mL for ticarcillin R (r2 = 0.9967) 30 to 10,000 ng/mL for ticarcillin S (r2 = 0.9961), and 30 to 10,000 ng/mL for clavulanate (r2 = 0.9981). The average extraction recoveries of all compounds ranged from 86.9% to 96.4%. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the ticarcillin R and S isomers in rats were distinctive. The ticarcillin R and S isomers and clavulanate were rapidly absorbed in vivo. Ticarcillin S and clavulanate had similar elimination rates, whereas that of ticarcillin R was slower.

Conclusion

A UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of ticarcillin and clavulanate in rat plasma.
Avoidance of the NLRP3 Inflammasome by the Stealth Pathogen, Coxiella burnetii
Authors: Delaney Martha A. , Hartigh Andreas den , Carpentier Samuel J. , Birkland Timothy P. , Knowles Donald P. , Cookson Brad T. , Frevert Charles W.
Published: December 2020

Coxiella burnetii, a highly adapted obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen and the cause of the zoonosis Q fever, is a reemerging public health threat. C. burnetii employs a Type IV secretion system (T4SS) to establish and maintain its intracellular niche and modulate host immune responses including the inhibition of apoptosis. Interactions between C. burnetii and caspase-1-mediated inflammasomes are not fully elucidated. This study confirms that C. burnetii does not activate caspase-1 during infection of mouse macrophages in vitro. C. burnetii–infected cells did not develop NLRP3 and ASC foci indicating its ability to avoid cytosolic detection. C. burnetii is unable to inhibit the pyroptosis and IL-1β secretion that is induced by potent inflammasome stimuli but rather enhances these caspase-1-mediated effects. We found that C. burnetii upregulates pro-IL-1β and robustly primes NLRP3 inflammasomes via TLR2 and MyD88 signaling. As for wildtype C. burnetii, T4SS-deficient mutants primed and potentiated NLRP3 inflammasomes. An in vivo model of pulmonary infection in C57BL/6 mice was developed. Mice deficient in NLRP3 or caspase-1 were like wildtype mice in the development and resolution of splenomegaly due to red pulp hyperplasia, and histologic lesions and macrophage kinetics, but had slightly higher pulmonary bacterial burdens at the greatest measured time point. Together these findings indicate that C. burnetii primes but avoids cytosolic detection by NLRP3 inflammasomes, which are not required for the clinical resistance of C57BL/6 mice. Determining mechanisms employed by C. burnetii to avoid cytosolic detection via NLRP3 inflammasomes will be beneficial to the development of preventative and interventional therapies for Q fever.
Neoliberalism is not dead – On political implications of Covid-19
Authors: Šumonja Miloš
Published: December 2020

The news is old – neoliberalism is dead for good, but this time, even Financial Times knows it. Obituaries claim that it had died from the coronavirus, as the state, not the markets, have had to save both the people and the economy. The argument of the article is that these academic and media interpretations of ‘emergency Keynesianism’ misidentify neoliberalism with its anti-statist rhetoric. For neoliberalism is, and has always been, about ‘the free market and the strong state’. In fact, rather than waning in the face of the coronavirus crisis, neoliberal states around the world are using the ongoing ‘war against the virus’ to strengthen their right-hand grip on the conditions of the working classes.