bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Antimicrobial and Synergistic Strategies of Erythromycin Combined Synthesized Chitosan-Silver and Chitosan-Zinc Oxide Nanodrug on Oral Bacteria
Authors: Ashour Amal Adnan , Felemban Nayef H. , Enan Enas T. , Basha Sakeenabi , Gad El-Rab Sanaa M. F.
Published: August 2022

Dental infections cause chronic diseases, such as periodontitis and dental caries, thereby leading to the tooth loss. Antibacterial and antibiofilm efficiencies of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles combined with chitosan and erythromycin against several bacterial oral diseases have
been, therefore, demonstrated. Silver nanoparticles (TVE-AgNPs) were compared with a commercial ZnONPs that conjugated with chitosan to form TVE-AgNPs-CS and ZnONPs-CS. The synergistic efficiency of TVE-AgNPs-CS or ZnONPs-CS combined with erythromycin against Streptococcus mutans (S.
mutans), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) was estimated by broth micro-dilution assays, agar diffusion and biofilm formation. Herein, TVE-AgNPs were produced using Thymus vulgaris extract (TVE) and the peak obtained
of TVE-AgNPs at 450 nm indicated the formation of TVE-AgNPs. Furthermore, results displayed the creation of spherical TVE-AgNPs with diameters a ranging from 10 to 24 nm. The FTIR analysis suggested that TVE contains reducing agents that consequently had a function in silver ions reduction
and TVE-AgNPs formation. The minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value of TVE-AgNPs-CS and ZnONPs-CS with erythromycin exhibited an MIC value of 4–8 and 8–16 μg mL−1, respectively. The inhibition ratio versus biofilm was evaluated to be 75, 77.7, and
65.5% for S. mutans, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa, respectively at TVE-AgNPs-CS/erythromycin concentration of 4 μg mL−1, while it was 91.6, 83.3, and 79.3% at ZnONPs-CS/erythromycin concentration of 8 μg mL−1. Our
results provided an evidence of TVE-AgNPs-CS and ZnONPs-CS with erythromycin being antibacterial and antibiofilm agents against the tested bacteria. Also, they caused cell membrane damage of bacterial cells. Thus, ZnONPs-CS/erythromycin could be used in dental applications due to its non-toxicity
profile and may be an important in the future development of more effective therapies for control of dental diseases.
Therapeutic Activity of Saccharum spontaneum Extracts Against Acute Myocardial Infarction and Phylogenetic Analysis
Authors: Yang Zhi-Cai , Zhang Tian-Hua
Published: August 2022

The incidence of cardiovascular diseases has increased in the past several years. Saccharum officinarum is rich in water and sugar and contains various proteins, fats, vitamins, iron, calcium, organic acids, and other substances that are conducive to human metabolism. S. officinarum
is mainly used for sugar production and is an important medicinal plant for disease therapy. A new active ingredient was extracted from S. officinarum, and its potential for treatment against acute myocardial infarction and the underlying mechanism were analyzed. Inflammatory cytokines
in serum were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Real-time RT-PCR was carried out for activating the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway related to inflammation in myocardial tissues. The complete chloroplast genome of S. officinarum was investigated by Illumina pair-end
sequencing. Neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis was also conducted.
Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Lichenic Compounds Isolated from Menegazzia terebrata (Hoffm.) A. Massal
Authors: Rai Himanshu , Gupta Rajan Kumar , Verma Devvret , Gupta Shreesh , Mitra Debasis , Das Mohapatra Pradeep Kumar , Al-Meshal Areej Suliman , Sami Rokayya , Ashour Amal Adnan , Shafie Alaa
Published: August 2022

The antibiotic activity of lichenic compounds atranorin, physodic, and stictic acid isolated from Menegazzia terebrata were analyzed. The antibiotic bioactivity was assessed against eight bacterial inoculums i.e., 3 g positive and 5 g negative by analyzing the minimal inhibitory
concentrations (MICs) using the broth tube dilution method. All lichenic compounds showed antibiotic activities. The maximum bacterial growth inhibition activity was observed by atranorin (MIC, 0.030–0.5 mg/mL) and the minimum in physodic acid (MIC, 1 mg/mL). Stictic acid (MIC, 0.25–0.5
mg/mL) exhibited moderate antibiotic activity. Among the tested bacterial inoculums, all lichenic compounds reported antibacterial activity against a streptomycin-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As a result, the study referred to the antibiotic potential of lichenic compounds,
which could be developed further for pharmaceutical purposes.
Cellulose-Assisted Loading to Construct a Photocatalytic Coupled Microbial System for Pyridine Removal
Authors: Feng Qilin , Wang Jue , Wei Xuechun , Wan Zhou , Zhou Chenxu , Xiong Jianhua , Chen Guoning , Zhu Hongxiang
Published: August 2022

Pyridine is a typical nitrogen-containing organic compound, which is encountered in wastewaters. Due to their hazardous effects on ecosystems and human health, their removal is imperative. In this study, photocatalysis and biodegradation were combined to degrade pyridine. TiO2
was used as the photocatalyst. To help the catalysts coating, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was added to the catalyst dispersion system, and the performance of intimately coupled photocatalysis and biodegradation (ICPB) for pyridine degradation was evaluated under visible light conditions.
The effects of related parameters including carrier dosage, light intensity, initial concentration, and pH on the degradation of pyridine were investigated. The results showed that the degradation efficiency of pyridine was the highest under the optimal conditions of carrier dosage of 5%,
initial concentration of 50 mg/L, the light intensity of 1000 Lux, and pH of 6. Cyclic degradation is necessary, and the cycle performance of the system will provide a more sufficient reference for a system to degrade pyridine.
Toxicological impact of nanoparticles on human health: A review
Authors: Ajith Saniha Aysha , Mohamed Omnia , Sabouni Rana , Husseini Ghaleb , Karami Abdollah , Bai Renu Geetha
Published: August 2022

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing industry where nanomaterials are used in almost every field, including electronics, cosmetics, engineering, household products, biotechnology and medicine. Nanoparticles (NPs) have unique physical and chemical properties, which may cause potential
hazards to human health, especially with constant exposure. Various studies have shown that NPs can enter the human body either through the respiratory tract, dermal absorption or via the gastrointestinal system and have the potential to cause respiratory disorders, behavioral changes, neurological
disorders, as well as cancer. This review focuses on the health implications of NPs, specifically gold, silver, silica, titanium dioxide, aluminum, aluminum oxides, metal organic frameworks (MOF), aerosol particles, flame retardants, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes. Herein, we discuss the
routes of exposure and the impact of these nanoparticles on human health. We also summarize in-vitro and in-vivo studies that analyze the cytotoxicity profile and the associated health impact of these nanoparticles. This study could be utilized to develop well-defined guidelines
for setting exposure limits for different NP types as well as a summary of related characteristics such as size, shape, morphology, and surface charge.
Auxiliary effect and pain care of nano-silver-based temperature-sensitive gel on obstetric delivery
Authors: Cheng Weihong , Liu Ting , Chen Xu , Li Dongping , Fan Yingying , Wang Chengmin
Published: August 2022

To improve the safety of mothers and make delivery less painful we explored the auxiliary effect of the nano-silver-based temperature-sensitive gel in the vaginal delivery of primipara to reduce the pain during delivery. 120 primipara with full-term vaginal delivery were randomly divided
into a conventional midwifery control group (group A), a birth canal protection group with traditional way (group B), and a nano-silver-based temperature-sensitive gel midwifery experimental group (group C). Labor time, the uterine bleeding volume at 2 hours postpartum, and the pain care of
delivery were observed for each group. Postpartum follow-ups were performed on the maternal and fetus, to record the maternal soft birth canal injury, pelvic floor function recovery, adverse reactions, and Apgar score of the newborn. Compared with group A and group B, labor time (P
< 0.05), uterine bleeding (P < 0.05), and the visual analog scale significantly decreased in group C (P < 0.05). Group C showed increased efficacy of pain care (P < 0.05). The incidence of cervical laceration, hematoma, and lateral episiotomy significantly
decreased in the treatment group (P < 0.05). When lateral episiotomies did occur in group C the incidence of cervical laceration (0%) was significantly lower than that in group A (8.53%) and group B (4.26%) (P < 0.05). The Apgar score of newborns in group C significantly
increased at 1 and 5 minutes after birth (P < 0.05) and maternal pelvic floor function score was significantly higher at 42 days postpartum (P < 0.05). Thus, the nano-silver-based temperature-sensitive gel has benefits for maternal and fetal health, as well as, pain management
in obstetric delivery. These results support the wide used of nano-silver-based temperature-sensitive gel for vaginal delivery midwifery.
Non-destructive evaluation from deformed aluminum alloy 6063 and silicon carbides black and green reinforced aluminium alloy based composites
Authors: Prasanna N. Gnana , Rajkumar R. , Raj F. Michael
Published: August 2022

In this work, tensile mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy 6063 (AA6063) with reinforced silicon carbides (SiC) black and green aluminium based composites and the deformed specimens are analyzed using nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of ultrasonic inspections. The specimens making
of various weight proportions and its manufacturing of stir casting technique. After tensile test the deformed specimens measure the surfaces using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDX). Also, conduct the salt spray test of the deformed specimens and
compare the surfaces at before and after the deformation. The deformed specimen for NDE was observed interruption, twinning and debonding in onset of plastic deformation of the matrix interfaces. However, the interaction moment was significantly influence by the load bearing capacity from
the reinforcement to the matrix. The result was showed that AA6063 with SiC black and green composites are better tensile mechanical properties and better surface integrity was investigated. Furthermore, the regression analysis shows that the variations of interfaces on AA6063 with SiC black
and green composites and the factors influenced by the tensile properties, salt spray test and ultrasonic test are found significant and the MMCs are the specific applications of automotive industries.
Level of vitamins and minerals for people with coronavirus (Covid-19) in Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Hemdan Dalia I.
Published: August 2022

Few works studied the levels of vitamins and minerals in Saudi Arabia among COVID-19 patients, especially in the region of Taif (high altitude). So, this work aims to study the serum vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium and hemoglobin levels in recovered patients with COVID-19 and compare them to mortalities. The levels of a sample of 100 recovered patients and 93 mortalities were chosen from the Covid 19 patient records between March 2020 and February 2021 in King Faisal Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia. Vitamins and Minerals data were distilled for statistical analysis. The results reported that vitamin D was the highest in recovered patients compared with coronavirus mortalities, whilst vitamin B12 was the highest in mortalities compared with recovered patients with coronavirus. Calcium, as well as hemoglobin, were relatively elevated in recovered patients with coronavirus compared to mortalities with coronavirus. The results indicated that there is a significant difference between recovered patients and mortalities in age, Vitamin B12, Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium and hemoglobin. There is a significant positive correlation between Age and Vitamin B12 and Phosphorous. There is a significant negative correlation between Age and Magnesium and Hemoglobin. On the other hand, there is a significant positive correlation between Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. Finally, there is a significant positive correlation between Calcium and Phosphorous and between Calcium Hemoglobin. As a result, deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus and hemoglobin levels may cause a failure in the immune system against COVID-19 and cause a quick transfer to severe disease.
Effect of survivin-antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) nano gene-carrier on apoptotic cycle and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in rectal cancer cells
Authors: Dong Yangyang , Lin Zhibin , Zou Wenbing , Liu Yan , Qian Huiyang
Published: August 2022

To probe effect of Survivin-ASODN nano gene-carrier on apoptotic cycle of rectal cancer cells and expression of COX-2, SW837 cells were separated into blank control (A) group, liposome transfection Survivin-ASODN (B) group, and PLA-CS nanogene transfection Survivin-ASODN (C) group.
The transfection and cell apoptosis were observed under a microscope fluorescence inversion. Cell proliferation was tested by MTT method, and cell cycle was gauged by flow cytometry. Survivin and COX-2 protein expressions were detected by Western blotting. SW837 cells in group A had no fluorescent
signals, while there were obvious fluorescent signals in groups B and C. Transfection rate of Survivin-ASODN in group C (52.14%) was evidently higher than group B (38.16%) which presented lower proliferation rate than group A (P <0.05) and higher proliferation rate than group C (P
<0.05). From apoptosis results, the apoptosis of group B (21.59%) and group C (30.87%) was significantly increased (P <0.05) with obvious increase in group B (P <0.05). Results from apoptosis cycle showed that, the proportion of cells in groups B and C in G1 phase were
more than group A (P <0.05). Protein detection results showed increased protein content of Survivin and COX-2 in group A after transfection (P <0.05). Moreover, the protein contents of Survivin and COX-2 in groups B and C were reduced compared to group A (P <0.05)
after transfection with lower in group C (P <0.05). Nanocarriers can efficiently deliver Survivin-ASODN to rectal cancer cells, and effectively promote cancer cell apoptosis and reduce COX-2 expression, providing a reference method for clinical treatment of rectal cancer.
Rock fragmentation mechanism and engineering application by shaped water pressure smooth blasting
Authors: Liang Jiahao
Published: August 2022

In recent years, various regions are vigorously promoting road infrastructure construction, and the tunnel is one of the essential ways of road infrastructure in mountainous areas, but the traditional smooth blasting has problems such as large disturbance of surrounding rock, easy to exceed and underdog, high dust concentration, etc., which delays the construction process of tunnel drilling, time-consuming and laborious. To solve these problems, this paper, relying on the newly built Guantian tunnel project of the ZJHZQ-9 section of Zhangjiajie to Jishou-Huaihua railway Project, studied the stress propagation law of rock blasting, vibration and displacement changes generated by seismic waves and analyzed them through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, and drew the following conclusions: (1) Based on the basic theory of rock blasting, the principle of shaped charge action and forming mechanism of shaped charge jet are introduced. The effect of water medium and mortar on rock breaking in the blasting process and the movement law of mortar in the hole are analyzed; (2) ANSYS/LS-DYNA software was used for numerical simulation, and the blasting stress propagation law and surrounding rock damage were analyzed. The results showed that the stress propagation of the shaped water pressure smooth blasting was outstanding, and there was an obvious stress concentration phenomenon at the water bag, which verified the shaped energy jet effect of the shaped energy tank; (3) ANSYS/LS-DYNA software was used for numerical simulation, and the changes of vibration velocity and displacement of blasting simulation were analyzed respectively. The results showed that the vibration velocity of shaped charge hydraulic smooth blasting was the smallest, indicating that the water medium had certain energy storage and buffering effect, while the displacement change was on the contrary. Under the joint action of water bag and mortar, the water wedge enlarges the surrounding rock fissures so that the displacement variation of the shaped water pressure smooth blasting is the largest; (4) Through the field engineering application, the direction and width of blasting cracks correspond to the simulation results, which verifies the accuracy of the simulation.
Impacts of Stratospheric Polar Vortex Shift on the East Asian Trough
Authors: Zhang Chongyang , Zhang Jiankai , Xu Mian , Zhao Siyi , Xia Xufan
Published: August 2022

Impacts of stratospheric polar vortex shift on the wintertime East Asian trough (EAT) on intraseasonal time scales are investigated using a reanalysis dataset and a climate model. The result based on composite analysis shows that the shift of the stratospheric polar vortex toward eastern Siberia (ES-shift event) is associated with higher geopotential height at 500 hPa than normal over East Asia, corresponding to the weakened EAT. Furthermore, the simulated EAT is also weakened when nudging the stratospheric state toward that during the ES-shift events. This study further found that there is no significant difference in the stratospheric polar vortex intensity between the ES-shift events and nonshift events, implying that the polar vortex strength change may have little influence on the possible connection between the polar vortex shift and the EAT change. The underlying mechanisms are listed as follows: First, the positive potential vorticity (PV) anomalies in the lower stratosphere associated with ES-shift events could explain approximately 40% of the local westerly anomalies in the upper troposphere to the north of East Asia via PV conservation, leading to the rise of the geopotential height over East Asia and the weakening of the EAT. Second, the shift of stratospheric polar vortex could modulate the synoptic-scale Rossby wave activity in the upper troposphere, favorable for the southward propagation of synoptic-scale waves and divergence of extended Eliassen-Palm flux in the upper troposphere. Finally, the transient wave feedback could enhance the tropospheric westerly anomalies in the north of East Asia and induce positive height anomalies to its south, further weakening the EAT. Our results revealed that the stratospheric polar vortex shift leads the EAT intensity variation by around 2–5 days, implying that the stratospheric polar vortex shift could be applicable to the prediction of the EAT intensity.
Teachers’ awareness and perceptions of Health Education Nutrition Programmes in Greece: A qualitative study
Authors: Koutsaki Maria , Saltaouras Georgios , Diamantopoulou Eryfili , Dardavessis Theodoros , Androutsos Odysseas
Published: August 2022

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate primary and secondary school teachers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of Health Education Nutrition Programmes (HENPs) in Greece.

Design:

Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

Method:

In total, 18 teachers (7 men, 11 women), aged 36–55 years, working in primary ( n = 8) and secondary education ( n = 10) were recruited via purposive sampling from three counties in Greece and were interviewed via through an online platform. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.

Results:

Four main themes were identified: teachers’ awareness of HENPs; the role of the external environment in shaping students’ dietary habits; the value of experiential learning; and barriers and facilitators to the implementation of HENPs. Most teachers considered HENPs important and effective in improving children’s eating habits through experiential learning; however, training and support were very limited. The family has a crucial role in shaping children’s eating habits, which highlights the need for collaboration between school and family. The main barriers for the implementation of HENPs were lack of time and resources.

Conclusions and implications:

Teachers perceive HENPs as effective tools to improve children’s dietary behaviour. However, they need support/training from experts to deliver them successfully at school. Expert guidance to train the teachers and family involvement are needed to increase the effectiveness of the HENPs used in Greek primary and secondary schools.
Using Multiple Representations to Foster Multiplicative Reasoning in Students With Mathematics Learning Disabilities
Authors: Jitendra Asha K. , Dougherty Barbara , Sanchez Victoria , Suchilt Luisana
Published: August 2022

Developing and supporting understanding of the meaning of multiplication and multiplicative relationships in students with mathematics learning disabilities requires carefully designed instruction that emphasizes strategic representation use. This article discusses three ways in which teachers can incorporate multiple representations within multiplication instruction to develop a deep understanding of underlying mathematical structures. First, it is important to select concrete and semi-concrete representations (e.g., discrete objects and those that illustrate continuous quantities as length or area) that will help students most accurately model the multiplication or division concept or procedure. Next, provide students with multiple representations that are presented concurrently within the same lesson so that they can make connections among the different types of representations. Last, teachers can support students to use and connect representations through mathematical discourse that elicits student thinking by not only structuring tasks around three processes, reversibility, flexibility, and generalization, but also by posing questions to elicit different ways that students can communicate their ideas using accurate and precise vocabulary.
A Comparison of Three Popular Methods for Handling Missing Data: Complete-Case Analysis, Inverse Probability Weighting, and Multiple Imputation
Authors: Little Roderick J. , Carpenter James R. , Lee Katherine J.
Published: August 2022

Missing data are a pervasive problem in data analysis. Three common methods for addressing the problem are (a) complete-case analysis, where only units that are complete on the variables in an analysis are included; (b) weighting, where the complete cases are weighted by the inverse of an estimate of the probability of being complete; and (c) multiple imputation (MI), where missing values of the variables in the analysis are imputed as draws from their predictive distribution under an implicit or explicit statistical model, the imputation process is repeated to create multiple filled-in data sets, and analysis is carried out using simple MI combining rules. This article provides a non-technical discussion of the strengths and weakness of these approaches, and when each of the methods might be adopted over the others. The methods are illustrated on data from the Youth Cohort (Time) Series (YCS) for England, Wales and Scotland, 1984–2002.
Analysis of postoperative radiotherapy for non-metastatic head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma based on SEER data
Authors: Du Yan , Zeng Yong
Published: August 2022

Objective

The postoperative role of adjuvant radiotherapy in non-metastatic head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) remains controversial. We analyzed adjuvant radiotherapy’s effect on surgical patient survival.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with ACC from 2004 to 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database were analyzed. The overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) of patients after adjuvant radiotherapy were assessed using the Kaplan–Meier and multivariate Cox methods. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust confounders between patients with or without adjuvant radiotherapy; a forest plot was generated by subgroup analysis.

Results

The study included 742 patients. In the PSM cohort, adjuvant radiotherapy did not improve OS or DSS. Radiotherapy was not a protective factor for OS or DSS in the univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. In the subgroup analysis, postoperative radiotherapy improved the OS of female and N1-stage patients and those with oropharyngeal tumors or over 79 years and the DSS of N1-stage patients.

Conclusions

Postoperative radiotherapy showed different benefits in ACC patients, and postoperative radiotherapy recommendations should be individualized. Female and N1-stage ACC patients and those with oropharyngeal tumors or patients over 79 years without distant metastases postoperatively could benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy.
Risk Factors Associated With Opioid/Benzodiazepine Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Maffei Melissa Vu , Laehn Spencer , Bianchini Monica , Kim Andy
Published: August 2022

Background

Mechanically ventilated COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients often receive deeper sedation and analgesia to maintain respiratory compliance and minimize staff exposure, which incurs greater risk of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) and has been associated with worse patient outcomes. Objective: To identify potential risk factors and differences in patient outcomes associated with the development of IWS in COVID-19 ARDS patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of ventilated COVID-19 ARDS intensive care unit (ICU) patients who received continuous intravenous (IV) analgesia and sedation for ≥5 days from March 2020–May 2021. Patients were classified as IWS and non-IWS based on receipt of scheduled oral sedative/analgesic regimens after cessation of IV therapy. Risk factors were assessed in univariate analyses and multivariable modeling. Results: A total of 115 patients were included. The final multivariable model showed: (1) each additional day of IV opioid therapy was associated with an 8% increase in odds of IWS (95% CI, 1.02-1.14), (2) among sedatives, receipt of lorazepam was associated with 3 times higher odds of IWS (95% CI 1.12-8.15), and (3) each 1-point increase in Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II was associated with a 4% reduction in odds of IWS (95% CI 0.93-0.999). Conclusion: Prolonged and high dose exposures to IV opioids and benzodiazepines should be limited when possible. Additional prospective studies are needed to identify modifiable risk factors to prevent IWS.
Determination of epoxy resin usability for mass production of reinforced laminated veneer lumber
Authors: Çiftçi Seymen , Ciritcioglu Hasan Hüseyin , As Nusret , Tankut Nurgül
Published: August 2022

This study is part of a comprehensive study on the industrial production of reinforced laminated wood composites. The main aim of the study is to determine the production parameters of reinforced laminated wood composite board under an optimal production cycle time under temperature and pressure, using epoxy resin cured at room temperature for 24 h. For this purpose, 1.2 mm thick Samsun Poplar (Populus Deltoides I-77/51) veneer layers, three different pressing cycle times (15, 20, and 25 min), three different temperatures (100°C, 120°C, and 140°C), and three different amounts of adhesive (100, 150, and 200 g/m²) were used also 200 g/m² density twill woven glass–carbon fiber fabric was used as the reinforcement layer. In order to determine the production quality of reinforced laminated wood composite boards, the adhesion strength between the reinforcement layer and the wood veneer layer was determined according to TS EN 3969 314-1. Considering the adhesion strengths in terms of production parameters, the best results were observed at 100°C press temperature, 20 min press cycle time, 200 g/m² adhesive amount, and the use of glass fiber woven fabrics for reinforcement. Under these conditions, the best adhesion strength was found to be 4.17 N/mm².

When the samples were examined, it was seen that almost all of the failures occurred as a result of the fracture in the wood layer. This indicates that sufficient adhesion can be achieved between the reinforcement layer and the wood layer.
Who Moved my Welfare Scheme? Federalism and the Politics of Credit Attribution in Rural India
Authors: Gupta Priyanshu , Goyal Anuj , Bhattacharya Rajesh
Published: August 2022

The growing popularity of welfare schemes across several developing countries is crucially predicated on whether incumbent governments can derive consequent electoral benefits. A federal structure like India’s, characterized by overlapping policy design and implementation responsibilities, provides opportunities for diffused credit attribution. Therefore, the question of electoral returns depends on the ability of voters to assign credit for welfare benefits to different levels of government. We investigate voter attribution of credit for welfare policies and their electoral consequences using data from a large sample survey from the 2014 parliamentary elections in India. Our results indicate that welfare delivery and credit attribution mattered to the electorate and was one of the few factors that worked in favour of the incumbent United Progressive Alliance, but it was not decisive enough to yield an overall electoral victory. There are strong political imperatives for the roll-out and expansion of welfare schemes, as well as contestations around credit claims. Our analysis provides empirical support for intense party competition over credit for welfare benefits in a federal structure—which has been widely observed and commented upon in the media but has not been econometrically tested for its electoral significance. We find that welfare schemes are an essential dimension of performance evaluation by the electorate, a problem understudied in the extant literature on ‘performance voting’ and undertheorized in the literature on ‘distributive politics’ and ‘welfare provisions’, particularly in a federal structure.
Effective phase transformation behavior of NiTi triply periodic minimal surface architectures
Authors: Alagha Ali N. , Nguyen Viet , Zaki Wael
Published: August 2022

The effective behavior of shape memory alloy triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures is investigated using finite element analysis and numerical homogenization. The TPMS unit cells considered are primitive, IW-P, gyroid, and diamond subjected to different loading conditions. Under uniaxial displacement-driven loading, the results show a dramatic increase in effective stress and martensite volume fraction with increased relative density of the TPMS unit cell. Comparison among the four types of TPMS unit cells shows that diamond has superior mechanical performance for the loading cases considered. Based on numerical homogenization results, the onset and subsequent thresholds of phase transformation are determined for all four unit cells considering multiaxial loading. At lower relative density, the loading surfaces corresponding to the onset of phase transformation were reasonably well represented by either von Mises or Hill’s criteria. The observed fit with the von Mises model degenerated with increased effective martensite volume fraction, while a proper fit was maintained with Hill’s criterion. Subsequent loading surfaces, corresponding to monotonically increasing martensite volume fraction, show a nonlinear hardening behavior, which seems to follow a similar trend regardless of geometry. The loading surfaces were found to reach asymptotic states with distinctly different features compared to their initial shapes.
Assessing the New Municipalism Reform of Advisory Councils: The Cases of Madrid and Barcelona (2015–2019)
Authors: Fernández-Martínez José Luis , García-Espín Patricia , Alarcón Pau
Published: August 2022

New Municipalism governments in Madrid and Barcelona (2015 − 2019) promoted a new agenda which included participatory budgeting, e-initiatives, and randomly selected forums. Both cities implemented deep modifications in their Advisory Councils’ (AC) systems while the ‘New Municipalism movement’ (radical-left candidacies) was in government for first time. In this article we reflect on how these municipal administrations faced the different strategies for reform across their ecosystem of ACs. For this purpose, our analysis relies on six dimensions (drivers, inclusiveness, deliberation, communication, policy-making capacity and connectedness) which are identified in the literature and are empirically applied through a comparative case study (thirty-one interviews). Despite the common agenda, the cases show dissimilarities which are connected to alternative reform strategies: one case was characterized by experimentation (Madrid), the other by slight improvement (Barcelona). Path dependency contributes to understanding these alternative logics, even when a common agenda was at play.
Evaluation of tear parameters and meibomian gland morphology in keratoconus patients after epithelial-on corneal cross-linking
Authors: Akgöz Hasan , Fındık Hüseyin , Aslan Mehmet Gökhan
Published: August 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the variations in tear parameters and meibomian gland morphology after epithelial-on (epi-on) corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in keratoconus (KC) patients.

Methods

This prospective observational study included 38 KC eyes that underwent epithelium-on CXL. Thirty-three eyes of 33 stable KC patients with no prior CXL treatment formed the KC group and 35 eyes of 35 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group. All participants were evaluated by Schirmer I test, first and average noninvasive tear break-up time (NITBUT), ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire, and meibography scores. The CXL patients were evaluated preoperatively and at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months, and participants without any intervention (KC and control groups) were evaluated initially, at 1st, 3rd, and 6th months.

Results

The KC patients had significantly lower average NITBUT, higher OSDI scores, and impaired meibomian gland morphology than healthy individuals (NITBUT(seconds): KC, 12.8(2.4–17.6), healthy group (HG), 17.1(6.8–17.6); p = 0.012, OSDI: KC, 27.5(0.0–87.5), HG, 7.5(0.0–55.0); p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). A significant difference was found in Schirmer values of the CXL group at 0-1st months, first NITBUT values at 1–6 months, and average NITBUT values at 1–3 and 1–6 months (p = 0.003, p = 0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.001, respectively). All meibography parameters remained unchanged after CXL over a 6-month follow-up compared to initial measurements.

Conclusions

Even though the KC patients had lower NITBUT, higher OSDI scores, and increased meibomian gland disfunction, the CXL treatment did not significantly affect tear quantity, dry eye symptoms, and meibomian gland morphology.
Supporting continued work under the UNCRPD – views of employees living with mild cognitive impairment or early onset dementia
Authors: Karjalainen Katja , Issakainen Mervi , Ylhäinen Marjo , Marashi Sheida , Nedlund Ann-Charlotte , Boger Jennifer , Astell Arlene , Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen Anna , Nygård Louise
Published: August 2022

This article reports the results of a socio-legal investigation into how continued work among people living with progressive cognitive impairments such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early onset dementia (EOD) can be supported. This study that makes use of empirical data collected in Finland, Sweden and Canada seeks to give voice to people living with MCI or EOD and set their experiential knowledge in dialogue with equality rights related tools provided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The results illustrate that there are effective tools available that remove barriers to participation and support continued work of employees living with cognitive impairments at least for some time while impairments are mild. Ideally, flexibility and solidarity in the workplace automatically eliminates the effects of individual impairment. However, cognitive impairments are often such that along with general accessibility measures individual accommodations are needed. Supporting continued work expands the freedom to continue meaningful work in the preferred manner and offers people the means to gain a livelihood and participate in society as a member of the work community on equal basis with others.
Network characterization and simulation via mixed properties of the Barabási–Albert and Erdös–Rényi degree distribution
Authors: Mohd-Zaid Fairul , Schubert Kabban Christine , Deckro Richard F , Shamp Wright
Published: August 2022

Social network analysis (SNA) is a tool for the operations researcher to understand, monitor, and exploit social and military structures which are key in the intelligence community. However, in order to study and influence a network of interest, the network must first be characterized; preferably to a known network model that captures a mixture of graphical properties exhibited by the social network of interest. In this work, we present a novel statistical method for both characterizing networks via a Binomial-Pareto maximum-likelihood approach and simulating the characterized network using a graph of mixed Barabási–Albert (BA, scale-free) and Erdös–Rényi (ER, randomness) properties. Characterization is performed through a combination of hypothesis tests and method of moments parameter estimation on Pareto and Doubly Truncated Binomial distributions. Application on real-world networks suggests that such networks may be characterized with a mixture of scale-free and random properties as modeled through BA and ER graphs. We demonstrate that our simulation methods are able to capture the degree distribution and density of the networks examined. These results demonstrate that this work establishes a statistical framework upon which network characterization and simulation may be accomplished, thus enabling the adaptation of such methods when generating, manipulating, and observing networks of interest.
How a machine can understand the command intent
Authors: Schadd Maarten , Sternheim Anne Merel , Blankendaal Romy , van der Kaaij Martin , Visker Olaf
Published: August 2022

With recent technological advances, commanders request the support of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled systems during mission planning. Future AI systems may test a wide range of courses of action (COAs) and use a simulator to test each COA’s effectiveness in a war game. The COA’s effectiveness is however dependent on the commanders’ intent. The question arises to what degree a machine can understand the commanders’ intent? Currently, the intent has to be programmed manually, costing valuable time. Therefore, we tested whether a tool can understand a freely written intent so that a commander can work with an AI system with minimal effort. The work consisted of letting a tool understand the language and grammar of the commander to find relevant information in the intent; creating a (visual) representation of the intent to the commander (back brief); and creating an intent-based computable measure of effectiveness. We proposed a novel quantitative evaluation metric for understanding the commanders’ intent and tested the results qualitatively with platoon commanders of the 11th Airmobile Brigade. They were positively surprised with the level of understanding and appreciated the validation feedback. The computable measure of effectiveness is the first step toward bridging the gap between the command intent and machine learning for military mission planning.
Vaccination coverage at seven months of age in Limpopo Province, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Killion John P. , Silverman David T. , Evans Denise , Coetzee Lezanie , Tarullo Amanda R. , Hamer Davidson H. , Rockers Peter C.
Published: August 2022

Many low- and middle-income countries face challenges in attaining adequate levels of vaccination coverage, and the factors driving this under-coverage have not been completely elucidated. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated factors associated with vaccination coverage in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Between July and October 2017, we surveyed 317 caregivers (83% of whom were mothers) of seven-month-old infants in Mopani District about barriers faced when attaining vaccines and attitudes towards vaccination, and reviewed the infants’ documented vaccination history. Caregiver and child demographic data were collected shortly after birth. We described the coverage for vaccines that should be received by age seven months, according to South Africa’s Expanded Programme on Immunization schedule, and explored the relationship between coverage and caregiver characteristics, behavioral factors (e.g. attitudes towards vaccination), and structural factors (e.g. vaccination stock-outs at clinics). We found that caregivers reported positive attitudes towards vaccination, based on a seven-question survey of vaccination attitudes. Although coverage was high for most recommended vaccines, it was low for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), with just 36% of children having received it by age seven months. This appears to have been due to PCV stock-outs at government clinics. For vaccines other than PCV, children were more likely to be up-to-date on vaccinations if a community health worker (CHW) had visited their home in the past month (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.24, confidence interval (CI) (1.10–1.41); p < 0.001) and if the caregiver had more years of schooling (adjusted OR 1.03 (CI 1.01–1.05); p = 0.012). We conclude that addressing PCV stock-outs at government clinics in Mopani District is necessary to ensure coverage reaches adequate levels. Additionally, supporting CHW programs may be a productive avenue for improving vaccination coverage.
Detection of Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia Using Noninvasive Wearable Sensors: Electrocardiograms and Accelerometry
Authors: Dave Darpit , Vyas Kathan , Branan Kimberly , McKay Siripoom , DeSalvo Daniel J. , Gutierrez-Osuna Ricardo , Cote Gerard L. , Erraguntla Madhav
Published: August 2022

Background:

Monitoring glucose excursions is important in diabetes management. This can be achieved using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). However, CGMs are expensive and invasive. Thus, alternative low-cost noninvasive wearable sensors capable of predicting glycemic excursions could be a game changer to manage diabetes.

Methods:

In this article, we explore two noninvasive sensor modalities, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and accelerometers, collected on five healthy participants over two weeks, to predict both hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic excursions. We extract 29 features encompassing heart rate variability features from the ECG, and time- and frequency-domain features from the accelerometer. We evaluated two machine learning approaches to predict glycemic excursions: a classification model and a regression model.

Results:

The best model for both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia detection was the regression model based on ECG and accelerometer data, yielding 76% sensitivity and specificity for hypoglycemia and 79% sensitivity and specificity for hyperglycemia. This had an improvement of 5% in sensitivity and specificity for both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia when compared with using ECG data alone.

Conclusions:

Electrocardiogram is a promising alternative not only to detect hypoglycemia but also to predict hyperglycemia. Supplementing ECG data with contextual information from accelerometer data can improve glucose prediction.
The Use of Beta-Blockers in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia-Related Epistaxis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Albarki Hashm , Rimmer Joanne
Published: August 2022

Background

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disease affecting 1 in 5000 individuals. Epistaxis is seen in more than 90% of patients with HHT. Severe recurrent epistaxis can significantly decrease quality of life and may be resistant to standard treatment measures. Dysregulation of angiogenesis has been shown to cause the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels. As such, antiangiogenic treatments have been investigated including beta-blockers.

Objective

A systematic review of the efficacy of beta-blockers in topical treatment of epistaxis in patients with HHT based on epistaxis duration, frequency, and severity.

Methods

A systematic search was performed using the PubMed, Embase via Ovid, and Cochrane databases. The Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Studies that measured the efficacy of beta-blocker treatment of epistaxis in patients with HHT were included for qualitative analysis.

Results

Five studies (3 randomized controlled trials and 2 case series) with a total of 132 patients were included. Administration (systemically or topically via a spray or gel) of timolol and propranolol showed mixed evidence of improvement in epistaxis frequency, severity, and duration when compared with control groups. The evidence for propranolol appears more promising than timolol.

Conclusion

There are significant limitations in the included studies, and further investigation with larger longitudinal or randomized prospective trials is recommended. The available evidence suggests that beta-blocker treatment may have a positive effect on HHT-related epistaxis.
Personalized medicine with drugs targeting the underlying protein defect in cystic fibrosis: is monitoring of treatment response necessary?
Authors: Niedermayr Katharina , Gasser Verena , Rueckes-Nilges Claudia , Appelt Dorothea , Eder Johannes , Fuchs Teresa , Naehrlich Lutz , Ellemunter Helmut
Published: August 2022

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by two mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ( CFTR) gene. In the last years, drugs targeting the underlying protein defect like lumacaftor/ivacaftor (LUM/IVA) or tezacaftor/ivacaftor (TEZ/IVA) and more recently elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) were admitted. Outcome parameters evaluating therapy response like forced expiratory pressure in 1 s (FEV1), body mass index (BMI) or the efficacy of CFTR function in sweat glands showed improvement in several cases. Other, CFTR biomarkers were analysed rarely. This prospective observational study was aimed at evaluating CFTR function in patients treated with different CFTR modulators together with common valid clinical outcome parameters at standardized appointments (day 0, week 2, 4, 16). We followed four patients with the same mutation ( F508del-CFTR), sex, age and disease severity. Monitoring focused on lung function, gastrointestinal aspects and CFTR function of sweat glands, nasal and intestinal epithelium. Sweat tests were performed by pilocarpine iontophoresis. Nasal potential difference (NPD) measured transepithelial voltage in vivo and potential increased when CFTR function improved. Rectal biopsies were obtained for intestinal current measurements (ICM) ex vivo. Intestinal CFTR function was assessed by stimulating chloride secretion with different reagents. Response to CFTR modulators regarding clinical outcome parameters was rather variable. A sweat chloride reduction of 35.3 mmol/L, nasal CFTR rescue of 4.4% and fivefold higher CFTR function in the intestine was seen at week 16 post-LUM/IVA. Due to our monitoring, we identified a non-responder to LUM/IVA and TEZ/IVA. In case of ELX/TEZ/IVA, clinical parameters and CFTR bioassays improved and were concordant. Although our cohort is small, results emphasize that non-responders exist and conclusions could not be drawn if patients were not monitored. Data on CFTR function can confirm or disprove ongoing CFTR dysfunction and might be helpful selectively. Non-responders need other alternative therapy options as demonstrated with ELX/TEZ/IVA.