bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory, practice, and politics - Policy decision-making process based on epidemiology and public health evidence proved to be feasible in multistage research on blood-borne infections in Poland.
Authors: GĘBSKA-KUCZEROWSKA ANITA , Gajda Robert
Published: January 2020

Objective This study presented a research methodology used to prepare the proposal of assumptions regarding the strategy for preventing blood-borne diseases in Poland. Methods The project was carried out from 18th July to 30th November 2016. The tasks under that project were assigned to an outsourcing company to avoid the tendency in respondents’ answers. The research was divided into three stages. The first stage diagnosed the problem from the perspectives of service providers, practitioners, and epidemiologists – persons who encounter problems related to blood-derivative infections at work. The second stage involved analysis at the level of local and country health policy – the institution of supervision, authorities, and administration through the engagement of experts, and public healthcare specialists. In the third stage, decision makers were interviewed (key representatives– that is, the opinions of leaders were sought) and asked to summarize and define priorities regarding conclusions determined in the earlier phases of the project, i.e., during the first and second stages. Results The final output of the entire project is a list of key problems/challenges and solution proposals associated with medical and nonmedical services that are connected to the breakage of tissue continuity. Conclusions Results composed from the multi-stage survey regarded proposed assumptions for the strategy for the prevention of blood-borne infections in Poland. Statistical data allowed the assessment of the health effects, while the methodology applied also allowed diagnosis of the processes leading to these effects.Funding This study was supported by a Swiss Contribution and Ministry of Health grant (KIK35).
Oral Cavity Swabbing for Diagnosis of Group A Streptococcus: a prospective study
Authors: Adler Limor , Parizade Miriam , Koren Gideon , Yehoshua Ilan
Published: January 2020

Background Throat pain is a common complaint in the ambulatory setting. Diagnosis of group A Streptococcus is made with a culture or rapid antigen detection test from the tonsils or the posterior pharyngeal wall, while other areas of the oral cavity are considered unacceptable. The purpose of the study is to compare cultures from the tonsils or posterior pharyngeal wall (throat) with cultures from the oral cavity (mouth). Methods A prospective study conducted in ambulatory care. Eleven family physicians collected 2 swabs (throat and mouth) from 200 consecutive patients who complaint about throat pain. Inclusion criteria were throat pain and Centor Criteria >2. Exclusion criteria were tonsillectomy and age (<3 or >65 years old). Participants were later divided into two groups – pediatrics (3-18 years old) and adults (19-65 year old). Sensitivity and specificity of mouth culture were calculated, with throat culture considered the reference gold standard. Results Between November 2017 and March 2019, 200 swabs were collected (101 adults and 99 children). In the adult group sensitivity of mouth culture was 72.1% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 59.9%-82.3%) and specificity was 100% (95% CI 92.7%-89.4%-100%). In the pediatric group sensitivity of mouth culture was 78.3% (95% CI 65.8%-87.9%) and specificity was 100% (95% CI 92.5%-100%). Conclusion Our study demonstrated higher sensitivity of mouth culture for GAS than previously published. This finding suggests that areas of the oral cavity that were considered as unacceptable sites for culture of GAS pharyngitis may be considered as acceptable swabbing sites.
Restraint stress induces uterine microenvironment disorder in mice during early pregnancy through the β 2 -AR/cAMP/PKA pathway
Authors: Lu Jiayin , Liu Guanhui , Wang Zixu , Cao Jing , Chen Yaoxing , Dong Yulan
Published: January 2020

Background According to statistics, one in four people worldwide suffers from mental illness, and the probability of a pregnant women experiencing mental illness is much higher than that of others. However, research on the mechanism of female reproductive diseases caused by stress is still incomplete. Methods In our work, a restraint stress model was used to simulate psychological stress. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA were used to explore whether restraint stress causes uterine microenvironment disorders in pregnant females. β 2 -AR agonists and blockers, cAMP agonists, PKA blockers, ERK blockers and NF-κB p65 blockers were used to explore whether stress initiates the β 2 -AR/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in endometrial stromal cells. To analyze the effects of restraint stress and gestational age on the experimental data, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s post hoc test was performed. The difference between control and stressed mice at the same gestational age was evaluated by independent sample t test. Results Restraint stress caused the weight of pregnant mice to be reduced, and the blood glucose and NE levels were increased. Also, the mRNA and protein levels of β 2 -AR, an adrenergic receptor, were increased. The protein level of MMP-9 was decreased, and the protein levels of pERK1/2, Caspase-3 and pNF-κB p65 were increased. In vitro studies showed that after β 2 -AR was activated, the ERK 1/2 and Caspase-3 levels were increased. However, they were decreased when PKA was blocked. The protein level of Caspase-3 was reduced when ERK and NF-κB were blocked. Conclusions Restraint stress induces uterine microenvironment disorder. The β 2 -AR/cAMP/PKA pathway promotes apoptosis and affects the development of the uterus through the ERK and NF-κB signaling pathway, and this may cause embryonic dysplasia. The findings of this study may provide evidence for reproduction under psychological stress.
Comprehensive comparison of immune features between ultra-low and ultra-high mutation burden non-small cell lung cancers
Authors: Wang Zhigang , Duan Zhaojun , Chen Chong , Bai Xiaoyin , Liu Wei , Bu Dechao , Luo Jiancheng , He Yongqun , Yang Xiaolin , Yang Bo
Published: January 2020

Background: Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is associated with the formation of tumors and the outcomes of immunotherapy, especially in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to study immune features of NSCLC with different mutation burdens. We performed a comprehensive comparison of immune features, including driver mutations, up- or down-regulated expression of key biological pathways, tumor cell evolution, tumor cell stemness, etiology, and immune cell infiltration, between ultra-low (UL) and ultra-high (UH) TMB NSCLC. Results: Generally, we found that UL-TMB tumors contained a higher proportion of driver mutations and maintained an “immune-desert” tumor microenvironment with reduced effector cell infiltration and increased suppressor cell infiltration. In UH-TMB tumors, the expression levels of cell cycles, DNA replication and mismatch repair pathways were up-regulated. We discovered that UL-TMB tumors had different up-regulated pathways between a denocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Basically, the expression levels of primary bile acid biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, and drug metabolism pathways were up-regulated in LUAD; however, the expression level of CaM pathway and the PLC-gamma1 signaling pathway were up-regulated in LUSC. Most mutations in UH-TMB tumors occurred in the early stages, while UL-TMB tumors showed the opposite trend. UH-TMB tumors had a relatively high stemness score. Despite the mutations and neo-antigens increasing in UH-TMB tumors, the overall antigen presentation capacity was weak. Conclusions: These results support rational design of therapeutic strategies for NSCLC with different mutation burdens.
Sahaj Samadhi Meditation versus a Health Enhancement Program for depression in chronic pain: protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial and Implementation Evaluation
Authors: Sud Abhimanyu , Nelson Michelle L. A. , Cheng Darren K. , Armas Alana , Foat Kirk , Greiver Michelle , Hosseiny Fardous , Katz Joel , Moineddin Rahim , Mulsant Benoit H. , Newman Ronnie I. , Rivlin Leon , Vasudev Akshya , Upshur Ross
Published: January 2020

Background: Despite the high prevalence of comorbid chronic pain and depression, this comorbidity remains understudied. Meditation has demonstrated efficacy for both chronic pain and depression independently, yet there have been few studies examining its effectiveness when both conditions are present concurrently. Furthermore, while meditation is generally accepted as a safe and effective health intervention, little is known about how to implement meditation programs within or alongside the healthcare system. Methods: We will conduct a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation evaluation. To measure effectiveness, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing Sahaj Samadhi Meditation (SSM) versus the Health Enhancement Program (HEP) in 160 people living with chronic pain, clinically significant depressive symptoms, and on long-term opioid therapy. Changes in depressive symptoms will be our primary outcome; pain severity, pain related function, opioid use, and quality of life will be the secondary outcomes. The primary endpoint will be at 12 weeks with a secondary endpoint at 24 weeks to measure sustainability of acute effects. Patients will be recruited from a community-based chronic pain clinic in a large urban centre in Mississauga, Canada. The meditation program will be delivered in the clinical environment where patients normally receive their chronic pain care by certified meditation teachers who are not regulated health care providers. We will use a mixed-methods design using the multi-level framework to understand the implementation of this particular co-location model. Discussion: Results of this hybrid evaluation will add important knowledge about the effectiveness of meditation for managing depressive symptoms in people with chronic pain. The implementation evaluation will inform both effectiveness outcomes and future program development, scalability, and sustainability. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04039568, registered July 31, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04039568
A Cross-Sectional Study Of The Association Between Skin Tags And Vascular Risk Factors In Patients With Severe And Complicated Obesity
Authors: Fang Clarissa Ern Hui , Crowe Catherine , Murphy Annette , O’Donnell Martin , Finucane Francis Martin
Published: January 2020

Objective: We sought to determine whether the presence of cervical or axillary skin tags was associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile in Irish adults with severe obesity. Results: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients attending our regional bariatric centre. Of 167 patients, 100 (31% male, 37% with type 2 diabetes, 36% on lipid lowering therapy, 41% on antihypertensive therapy) agreed to participate. 85 patients had cervical or axillary tags while 15 had none. Those with any skin tags had higher systolic blood pressure (138.0±16.0 versus 125.1±8.3 mmHg, p=0.003) and higher glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (46.5±13.2 versus 36.8±3.5 mmol/mol, p=0.017). 94.6% of patients with diabetes, compared to 79.4% of those without diabetes had skin tags (p=0.039). 45.8% of patients with skin tags compared to 13.3% with no tags were on antihypertensive therapy (p=0.018). Skin tags were not associated with any differences in lipid profiles. In Irish adults with severe obesity, skin tags are associated with higher systolic blood pressure and HbA1c and a higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, consistent with increased vascular risk, though differences in lipid profiles were not found.
Phylogenetic And Sequence Variability Analyses Of Vp1 Protein Of Foot And Mouth Disease Viruses In Cattle In Amhara Region Of Ethiopia
Authors: Yirgalem Metages , Dawo Fufa , Gizaw Daniel , Mamo Bedaso , Bilata Tsion , Shegu Dereje
Published: January 2020

Background: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the contagious and the most economically devastating viral diseases caused by the FMD virus. The present study was conducted with the aim of molecular characterization of the FMD virus isolated from outbreaks that occurred in cattle in two different districts of Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. Samples collected from outbreaks were isolated on BHK-21 cell and serotype were detected using antigen detection ELISA. Phylogenetic and amino acid variability analyses of isolated viruses were undertaken after sequencing the VP1 gene in World Reference Laboratory, Pirbright, UK.Result: In the present study only serotypes O was found in the samples analysed using antigen detection ELISA and in 10 out of 13 (76.9%) cultured samples, virus were isolated on BHK-21 cells. Phylogenetic analysis of these isolates revealed that, they belonged to East Africa topotype-3 (EA-3) and shared 96.6% nucleotide similarity with Sudan’s isolates. A total of 10.3% amino acid variations were recorded between VP1 gene sequences of the field isolates of serotype O FMDV and vaccine strain (O/ETH/38/2005) used in Ethiopia for vacccine production.Conclusion: The phylogenetic analysis serotype O detected in this study revealed that the virus was clustered with East African topotype-3 (EA-3) and exhibited high genetic similarity with isolates from Sudan. A number of amino acid variations were also noted at different sites of VP1 gene when comparing field isolates with the vaccine strain. Thus, to enhance control of FMD in Ethiopia, detailed molecular analysis of the field isolates along with in-vitro vaccine matching tests need to be undertaken at frequent intervals to assess the protective potential of the vaccine strain in use.
Arthroscopic Remnant-Preserving Anterior Talofibular Ligament Reconstruction does not Improve the Short-term Function of Ankle
Authors: Feng Shi-Ming , Maffulli Nicola , Oliva Francesco , Sun Qing-Qing , Wang Ai-Guo
Published: January 2020

Background Anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) reconstruction is a valid treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of preserving and not preserving remnant in ATFL reconstruction, as well as the clinical efficacy.Methods From January 2015 to July 2017, fifty-three admitted remnant-preserving CLAI patients with ATFL injury were prospectively randomized as remnant-preserving group (preservation of ATFL) and non-preserving group (no preservation of ATFL). All patients received anatomic reconstruction of ATFL using the semitendinosus tendon autograft. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Karlsson Ankle Functional Score (KAFS), Anterior Talar Translation (ATT), and ankle proprioceptive recovery in both groups were compared.Results All patients were followed up for at least 2 years, and difference in the follow-up time between two groups was not statistically significant. Differences in VAS, AOFAS, KAFS, ATT and ankle proprioceptive recovery between two groups were not statistically significant.Conclusions Compared with non-remnant-preserving surgery, there are no short-term follow-up differences in postoperative ankle function, stability and proprioceptive recovery when semitendinosus tendon autograft is used to treat CLAI through remnant-preserving ATFL reconstruction.Level of Evidence: Level III, a prospective comparative study.Trial registration: Xuzhou Central Hospital, ZXYY-2015090. Registered 21 November 2014
The effect of vertebrae rotation on the position of the aorta relative to the spine in patients with adult degenerative scoliosis
Authors: Liang Yan , Xu Shuai , Zhu Zhenqi , Meng Fanqi , Liu Haiying
Published: January 2020

Purpose : Few study has been published for quantitative relation of the vertebrae rotation on the position of the aorta relative to spine in adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS). Thus, this study was to explore the effect of the vertebrae rotation on the position of the aorta relative to spine in patients with ADS and identify the risk factor of vertebrae rotation. Methods : A retrospective analysis was performed for 71 patients with ADS divided into left scoliosis (LS group, 40cases) and right scoliosis (RS group, 31cases). The two group were well-matched in demographics. Apical vertebrae, Cobb angle (°), coronal displacement and thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) were measured on X-ray. Aorta-vertebrae angle ( α ), aorta-vertebrae distance (d) and rotation angle (γ) for each level of T12-L4 on MRI were obtained within a Cartesian coordinate system. Results : There was no significant difference in apical vertebrae distribution between the LS and RS group, so were Cobb angle and coronal horizontal displacement distance (P˃0.05). There was no significance on mean γ of of apical vertebrae among different levels in LS group (P=0.337) and RS group (P=0.253). Pearson correlation analysis showed γ was a positively correlated to Cobb angle and coronal horizontal displacement distance (P<0.001) in both groups. There was no significant correlation between the γ and α, d, whichever the group (P˃0.05). Coronal movement was the independent risk factor of γ (P=0.003) in LS group while Cobb angle (P=0.001) and coronal horizontal movement (P=0.006) were risk factors in RS group. Conclusion : Vertebral rotation could be calculated by Cobb angle or coronal movement without MRI in ADS. Aorta maintained a relatively normal position in patients with ADS. The surgeons should aware of this to avoid the injury of the aorta.
The efficacy of enhanced recovery after surgery for elderly patients receiving surgery for intertrochanteric fracture: a study protocol for a randomized blinded controlled clinical trial
Authors: Yin Mengchen , Yan Yinjie , Fan Zhaoxiang , Fang Niankang , Wan Hongbo , Mo Wen , Wu Xuequn
Published: January 2020

Background: Intertrochanteric fracture (ITF) is increasing with the rapid increase in the aging population, often cause a high mortality rate in old patients and increase the economic burden of the family and society. ERAS is a powerful guarantee for patients to accelerate their recovery after surgery. TCM promote repair of injured tissues and eliminate traumatic aseptic inflammation. Therefore, this prospective randomized controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the clinical effect of the evidence-based ERAS pathway of integrating TCM with and western medicine on perioperative outcomes in ITF patients undergoing intramedullary fixation, and provide reliable evidence-based data for applying the program to clinical practice. Methods/design: We will conduct a prospective randomized, blinded, controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of ERAS care pathway with traditional care pathway, and to investigate whether the ERAS care pathway can improve the perioperative outcome in ITF patients undergoing intramedullary fixation. A total of 60 patients with ITF will be enrolled and treated with the two care pathway, respectively. Length of stay, economic indicators, Harris score, VAS score, time get out of bed, 30-day readmission rates, postoperative transfusion rates, discharge to home and mortality will be evaluated. Any signs of acute adverse reactions will be recorded at each visit during treatment. Discussion: Although an evidence-based process using the best available literature and Delphi expert-opinion method has been used to establish an ERAS pathway of integrating TCM with western medicine. But, there is a lack of consensus about its effectiveness. This trial will provide convincing evidence about the effect of ERAS pathway Trial registration: Registered on 12 Oct 2019; Trial number is ChiCTR190t0026487Keywords: intertrochanteric fracture; enhanced recovery after surgery; perioperative period; integrating TCM with and western medicine; randomized controlled trial
Dijital Sanat Oyununa Anlatıbilimsel Bir Yaklaşım: Gece Yolculuğu'nda Lirizm, Şiir-Oyun ve Yaratıcı Etkileşimlilik
Authors: Sayılgan Özge
Published: January 2020

Dijital
oyuna kuramsal yaklaşımların bir bölümü oyunların anlatıbilim mi yoksa ludoloji
kavram ve yöntemleriyle mi çözümlenmesi gerektiği şeklinde belirginleşirken,
bir başka tartışma da dijital oyunların sanat olarak kabul edilip edilemeyeceği
odağında gerçekleşmiştir. Bu araştırma birbirinden farklı iki koldan sürmüş ve
dijital oyun literatürüne şekil vermiş olan bu iki tartışmayı biraraya
getirmektedir. Bill Viola’nın Gece Yolculuğu başlıklı deneysel sanat oyunu,
dijital sanat için bir örnek oluşturmasının yanında, aynı zamanda anlatıbilim
çerçevesinden lirik dramaturjik bir yapıt olarak okunmuştur. Gece Yolculuğu
anlatısal değildir, fakat hala temsilidir ve öyküsel bir çizgiden bağımsız açık bir yapıt olarak işler. Bu
araştırma kapsamında Gece Yolculuğu örneği üzerinden şiir-oyunun lirik dramaturjisini meydana getiren motifler
bulgulanmış; doğrudan nedenselliğin çözüldüğü oyun içi yaratıcı etkileşimlilik
yapısı sorgulamaya açılmıştır. Buna göre, bir tema olarak yolculuk, tefekkürün bir
amaçlı eylem olarak tasarlandığı oyun mekanikleri, netsiz görsel-işitsel evren
ile sanatçının kullandığı kaynakların yazılı, görsel ve etkileşimli kullanımı
lirik üslubu oluşturan birimler olarak tanımlanmıştır.
Ekspresyonizm Akımının Sahne Kostümünde Yarattığı Etkilerin Tiyatro Oyunları Üzerinden İncelenmesi
Authors: Öztürk Dönmez Fatma
Published: January 2020

Öz

Dışavurumculuk akımının etkisiyle ortaya çıkan oyunlar sahnelenme
yöntemleriyle, diğer klasik sahneleme metotlarından farklı bir anlatım şekli
ortaya koyarak, yenilikçi biçimlerin şekillenmesine öncülük etmiştir. Bireyin,
kimliğini sorgulamaya başladığı, böylece ortaya koyduğu tüm eylemsi durumları
bir araya getirip sanatçıların yaklaşımlarını tam bir dışavurumcu biçimde ifade
etmesini sağlamıştır. Özellikle David Kuhns ile ortaya çıkarılan üç farklı dışavurumcu
oyunculuk tarzının bu akım altında yaratılan oyunlarda başat belirleyici olduğu
araştırmalarda ortaya çıkmaktadır. Dışavurumculuk akımında yapılan oyunların,
sahne ve kostüm tasarımlarında, seyirciye yeni bir ifade biçimi sunulması
hedeflenmiştir. Bu makalede; Kokoschka, Toller, ve Treadwell gibi yazarların oyunları
incelenerek, sahne anlatımlarında kullanılan kendi yeni yöntemleri araştırılmış,
bir sonraki dönemin tiyatro anlayışına etkileri incelenmiştir. Belge tarama
yöntemiyle, verilerin toplanıp değerlendirilerek, dışavurumcu sahne kostümü
anlayışının çıkış biçimleri, sahne üzerinde ifade yöntemleri, dışavurumculuk
eğiliminin etkisiyle yapılan sahne çalışmaları incelenmiş, elde edilen
bulgularla klasik sahneleme yöntemlerinden farkı ortaya konmuştur.
Geleneğe Bağlı Bir Devrimci: John Cage
Authors: Özkul Mustafa Kemal
Published: January 2020

Amerikalı
besteci John Cage, çağdaş müziğin evriminin kilit isimlerinden biridir. Adı 20.
yüzyıl Batı müziğinin neredeyse tüm akımları içinde geçer: Dadaisttir,
modernisttir, gürültücüdür, elektronik müzikçidir, somut müzikçidir, deneysel
müzikçidir, minimalisttir, postmodernisttir, çağdaş müzikçidir... Böylesi geniş
bir yelpazeye yayılan eserleri, insanların müziğe bakış açılarını değiştirmiş,
müziğin ne olduğunu, müzik dinlerken aslında neyi dinlediğimizi tarışmaya
açmıştır. Fakat yarattığı avantgard eserlerin Batı müziği geleneğinin doğrudan
bir uzantısı olduğu çoğu zaman gözlerden kaçar. John Cage, başta Eric Satie ve
Arnold Schönberg olmak üzere birçok Batı müziği bestecisinden ilham almış,
onların düşüncelerini daha ilerki boyutlara taşımıştır. Bu bestecilerin yanında
Batı dışı kültürlerin müzikleri, Robert Rauschenberg ve Marcel Duchamp gibi
sanatçılar, ve tabii teknolojiye olan ilgisi de Cage’in yaratıcılık sürecine
katkıda bulunmuştur. Bu makalede John Cage’in yaratma sürecinin gelişimi
bestecinin kendi anlatımları temel alınarak incelenecek, eserleri Batı müziği
ve ilham aldığı diğer kaynaklar ışığında yorumlanacak ve çağdaş müziğe yaptığı
katkılar ele alınacaktır.
Kültürel Dönüşümler ve Teknolojik Gelişmeler İlişkisinde Jeneratif Sanat
Authors: Güney Engin , Uysal Serpil
Published: January 2020

Bilim, sanat ve
teknoloji gibi kültürel dinamikler her çağda dönüşüm geçirmekte ve yeni
dengeler oluşturmaktadır. 21. yüzyılda sanat, bilim ve teknoloji entegrasyonu
yaşamın her alanını etkilediği gibi sanata da yeni yorumlar kazandırmaktır.
Geçmişten günümüze bir sanat üretim yöntemi olarak varlık gösteren jeneratif
sanat, çağın bilimsel bilgisini ve yeni medya teknolojilerini kullanmaktadır.
Bu çalışmada zamanla değişen kültürel yapılanmalar ve teknolojik gelişmeler
paralelliğinde jeneratif sanatta gerçekleşen dönüşümlerin ilişkisini ortaya
koymak amaçlanmıştır.  

Günümüzde yeni
medya sanatı kapsamında değerlendirilen jeneratif sanat oldukça eski bir üretim
yöntemidir. Çalışmada, jeneratif sanatın tarihsel süreç içerisinde geçirdiği
dönüşümü, sanat üretim felsefesi, jeneratif sistemlerin tasarımı incelenmiş ve
farklı dönemlere ait jeneratif eserlerle sürecin gelişimi irdelenmiştir. Yeni
medya teknolojileriyle entegre olan jeneratif sanat, günümüzde otonom
sistemleri ve üretim süreciyle sanatçısına ve izleyicisine yeni kültürel
eşikler oluşturmaktadır. Gelecekçi teknolojilerle etki alanını giderek
artıracağı öngörülen jeneratif sanatın yaratacağı olası dönüşümlere vurgu
yapılmış; toplum, sanatçı, sanat ve eğitim kurumları için önemine
değinilmiştir.
Nonlinear Fracture Mechanics Analysis Considering Material Inhomogeneity of Welded Joints
Authors: Okada Hiroshi
Published: January 2020

Professor Hiroshi Okada and his team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Japan, are engaged in the field of computational fracture mechanics. This is an area of computational engineering that refers to the creation
of numerical methods to approximate the crack evolutions predicted by new classes of fracture mechanics models. For many years, it has been used to determine stress intensity factors and, more recently, has expanded into the simulation of crack nucleation and propagation. In their work, the
researchers are proposing new methods for fracture mechanics analysis and solid mechanics analysis.
Beautiful renewable energy
Authors: Kawakami Hinako , Matsuo Yasumitsu
Published: January 2020

As the world's consumption of non-renewable fuels continues to grow, so do the associated problems. Coal, gas and nuclear are all on the rise with each presenting significant environmental problems. The fossil fuels contribute to global warming through CO2 emissions as well
as polluting the environment through particulates and waste products. Nuclear energy, whilst cleaner, still produces significant and long-term dangerous waste products. In addition, the raw materials are finite and will be exhausted sometime this century. The battle to develop effective clean
alternatives is one of the key fights that will come to define the 21st century. The process will require considerable innovation and greater effort by business and state to improve the situation. Many researchers are working towards a myriad of different solutions that, together, could form
the basis for re-gearing the global economy towards the use of renewable and sustainable resources and fuels. One such alternative is the fuel cell and variations of this. A fuel cell harnesses the energy released when hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water to produce electricity. Its
inputs are cheap and readily available whilst its outputs are completely clean. In order to effectively assimilate new technologies such as these, it is necessary to consider how this technology can be applied and integrated into modern life. Doing so will allow new technologies to be adopted
and employed far quicker after development. Two researchers from Setsunan University, Japan are working together to make cheap and renewable fuel cells that can be integrated directly into new, green architecture.
Verification of a clocking scheme that enables operation based on typical-case delays
Authors: Goshima Masahiro
Published: January 2020

Computer architects have delivered a ten-fold increase in processing speed of processors in 10 years with different strategies to reflect the changing characteristics of semiconductors, by increasing clock speed in 1990s and by increasing the number of executed instructions in a clock
cycle after 2000. Behind this change in the strategies is the fact that it has not been possible to reduce the power supply voltage far below 1V. Then, the power consumption and the resultant heat have been the main factors limiting chip performance. Variation - particularly within-die (WID)
random variation - is one of the main reasons for this limitation. As the circuit elements in semiconductor chips become ever smaller, even a variation as small as one atom has an impact on the performance of the circuit elements produced. Thus, it is essentially difficult to solve this problem
by semiconductor technology, and circuit- and architecture-level technologies are needed to mitigate the problem. The authors have uncovered a phenomenon that occurred when dynamic timing error detection is applied to a two-phase latch clocking circuit. The normal process in conventional circuits
means that, even though the previous steps in processing sequence typically complete in much shorter time, subsequent steps must always wait until the time estimated to be needed in the worst-case passes. The cycle time of the clock is determined by this worst-case time. On the other hand,
proposed scheme shortens the cycle time allowing the subsequent steps to start as soon as the previous steps complete. In other words, the subsequent steps can dynamically borrow unused waiting time from the preceding steps. If the cycle time of conventional circuits without this dynamic time
borrowing is shortened, timing faults occur too frequently, imposing a recovery penalty that can nullify any performance gain realised. The lower limit of the clock cycle is given by the limit to correctly detect timing errors and decreased by half from the conventional systems. This timing
budget can also be used to lower the supply voltage.
Systematization of Shock Response Control Based on Momentum Exchange and Energy Exchange and Its Application to Lunar/Planetary Spacecraft
Authors: Hara Susumu
Published: January 2020

Professor Susumu Hara is based at the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Nagoya University in Japan explains that when the Mars rover Opportunity was set to land on that planet in the first weeks of 2004, onlookers held their breath as it dropped from orbit and hurtled toward the
red surface. 'Any failure in the calculations or landing systems would mean a harder than expected impact,' he highlights. 'The impacts sustained by a rover such as Opportunity can derail a mission before it even starts, damaging cargo or vital systems required to complete the mission.' Impacts
occur during landing but also as the craft enters the atmosphere, when it makes sudden moves, while it is on surface or when debris strikes it. 'Therefore, a system and materials to protect a craft are vital,' outlines Hara. 'Surprisingly, the solutions to this problem are not sophisticated.
In fact, most craft still employ devices resembling automobile bumpers, which absorb the energy from an impact by crumpling under the force of said impact.' Unfortunately, these cannot be reused, even during testing phases a new prototype is required after every single test run. Recent missions
also employed techniques like airbags or sky cranes. While successful they too have drawbacks. 'Airbags create huge rebounds which can jostle the craft and the contents inside while sky cranes are extremely costly to develop,' Hara says. For this reason, he is dedicated to designing a new
highly reliable and cost-effective shock control mechanism.
Flight Path Planning of Robot for Environmental Measurement Considering Accuracy Assurance
Authors: Doki Kae , Funabora Yuki , Doki Shinji
Published: January 2020

Every day we are seeing an increasing number of robots being employed in our day-to-day lives. They are working in factories, cleaning our houses and may soon be chauffeuring us around in vehicles. The affordability of drones too has come down and now it is conceivable for most anyone
to own a sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). While fun to fly, these devices also represent powerful new tools for several industries. Anytime an aerial view is needed for a planning, surveillance or surveying, for example, a UAV can be deployed. Further still, equipping these vehicles
with an array of sensors, for climate research or mapping, increases their capability even more. This gives companies, governments or researchers a cheap and safe way to collect vast amounts of data and complete tasks in remote or dangerous areas that were once impossible to reach. One area
UAVs are proving to be particularly useful is infrastructure inspection. In countries all over the world large scale infrastructure projects like dams and bridges are ageing and in need of upkeep. Identifying which ones and exactly where they are in need of patching is a huge undertaking.
Not only can this work be dangerous, requiring trained inspectors to climb these megaprojects, it is incredibly time consuming and costly. Enter the UAVs. With a fleet of specially equipped UAVs and a small team piloting them and interpreting the data they bring back the speed and safety of
this work increases exponentially. The promise of UAVs to overturn the infrastructure inspection process is enticing, but there remain several obstacles to overcome. One is achieving the fine level of control and positioning required to navigate the robots around 3D structures for inspection.
One can imagine that piloting a small UAV underneath a huge highway bridge without missing a single small crack is quite difficult, especially when the operators are safely on the ground hundreds of meters away. To do this knowing exactly where the vehicle is in space becomes a critical variable.
The job can be made even easier if a flight plan based on set waypoints can be pre-programmed and followed autonomously by the UAV. It is exactly this problem that Dr Kae Doki from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Aichi Institute of Technology, and collaborators are focused on solving.
Information hiding in geometric patterns and its application to fabric authentication
Authors: Ito Hiroshi
Published: January 2020

Geometric patterns have been used since ancient times as a means of decoration in art and architecture, with distinctive styles demonstrated in Islamic and Japanese cultures. They are now also being used as communication media, allowing information embedded in the pattern to be imparted
in applications such as barcodes. By combining simple graphical tiles into geometric patterns, Professor Hiroshi Ito, from Nihon University in Japan, believes that the interesting structure of such patterns may make them less obstructive when printed onto materials, therefore making them easier
to use in broader applications. Ito's focus lies in information binding to geometric patterns that encompass results for patterns known as dragon curves as well as Penrose tiling. This builds on his previous work using serpentine patterns, which involves manipulating two cells to create repetitive
patterns reminiscent of the undulation of a snake. In this latest study, Ito and his colleagues consider the use of these patterns combined with a filter for use in applications such as document authentication.
Acciones de inteligencia en la Operación Militar "Chavín de Huántar"
Authors: Doria Velarde Adán José
Published: January 2020

Este artículo describe las acciones de inteligencia realizadas entre el 17 de diciembre de 1996 al 22 de abril de 1997, conducentes al rescate de las personas secuestradas por el Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA) en la residencia del embajador del Japón en el Perú. El objetivo de la investigación fue identificar si el gobierno mantuvo su rol de ente decisor, gerente social y creador de valor público (con las fuerzas del orden como ejecutantes de la decisión política, y en qué medida las indagaciones realizadas por la comunidad de inteligencia contribuyeron al éxito de la operación de rescate. Con ello, se abre el debate sobre el tema de la implementación de políticas públicas para resolver la crisis que genera una toma de rehenes por grupos subversivos.
Psychometric evaluation of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) (Preprint)
Authors: Terhorst Yannik , Philippi Paula , Sander Lasse , Schultchen Dana , Paganini Sarah , Bardus Marco , Santo Karla , Knitza Johannes , Machado Gustavo , Schoeppe Stephanie , Bauereiß Natalie , Portenhauser Alexandra , Domhardt Matthias , Walter Benjamin , Krusche Martin , Baumeister Harald , Messner Eva Maria
Published: January 2020

BACKGROUND

Mobile health apps (MHA) have the potential to improve health care. The commercial MHA market is rapidly growing, but the content and quality of available MHA are unknown. Consequently, instruments of high psychometric quality for the assessment of the quality and content of MHA are highly needed. The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) is one of the most widely used tools to evaluate the quality of MHA in various health domains. Only few validation studies investigating its psychometric quality exist with selected samples of MHAs. No study has evaluated the construct validity of the MARS and concurrent validity to other instruments.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the construct validity, concurrent validity, reliability, and objectivity, of the MARS.

METHODS

MARS scoring data was pooled from 15 international app quality reviews to evaluate the psychometric properties of the MARS. The MARS measures app quality across four dimensions: engagement, functionality, aesthetics and information quality. App quality is determined for each dimension and overall. Construct validity was evaluated by assessing related competing confirmatory models that were explored by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A combination of non-centrality (RMSEA), incremental (CFI, TLI) and residual (SRMR) fit indices was used to evaluate the goodness of fit. As a measure of concurrent validity, the correlations between the MARS and 1) another quality assessment tool called ENLIGHT, and 2) user star-rating extracted from app stores were investigated. Reliability was determined using Omega. Objectivity was assessed in terms of intra-class correlation.

RESULTS

In total, MARS ratings from 1,299 MHA covering 15 different health domains were pooled for the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a bifactor model with a general quality factor and an additional factor for each subdimension (RMSEA=0.074, TLI=0.922, CFI=0.940, SRMR=0.059). Reliability was good to excellent (Omega 0.79 to 0.93). Objectivity was high (ICC=0.82). The overall MARS rating was positively associated with ENLIGHT (r=0.91, P<0.01) and user-ratings (r=0.14, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

he psychometric evaluation of the MARS demonstrated its suitability for the quality assessment of MHAs. As such, the MARS could be used to make the quality of MHA transparent to health care stakeholders and patients. Future studies could extend the present findings by investigating the re-test reliability and predictive validity of the MARS.
The Development of Muslim Community (Ummah) of Republic of Tatarstan in Late 2018–2019
Authors: Khabutdinov A. Yu.
Published: January 2020

The article is devoted to the development of the Muslim community of the Republic of Tatarstan (RT) at the end of 2018 and 2019. Here the author continues a series of publications exploring the Muslim community of Tatarstan in 2000s and 2010s. The leadership of the Muslim Spiritual Administration of the Republic of Tatarstan (DUM RT) is based on its own version of “traditional Islam”, where Sufism and the Maturidite ‘aqidah of the Hanafi madhhab occupy the principal place. In the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as all in other republics within the Russian Federation, the role of Islam in spiritual, educational and cultural spheres is growing due to the abolition of compulsory studying of titular languages in secondary schools. The spiritual administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan (DUM RT) continues to maintain a monopoly among Muslim organizations in the Republic of Tatarstan. Nevertheless, the activity of representatives of radical organizations banned in the Russian Federation is still to observe in the Republic. Law enforcement agencies are actively fi ghting with them; it leads to the elimination of their cells in the Republic of Tatarstan, arrests and sentencing with real terms.
IJTIHAD â€™ALÃŽ IBN ABÃŽ THÃ‚LIB BIDANG JINÄ€YAH DALAM KITAB MUWATHAâ€™ IMÃ‚M MÃ‚LIK
Authors: Faisal Faisal
Published: January 2020

. 'AlÃ® made the decision diyat in Yemen, but not accepted by the tribes in Yemen, so that they said to the Prophet. This shows that ijtihad 'AlÃ® was not followed by these tribes.' 'AlÃ® has also been requested by MuÃ¢wiyah opinion on issues in the region, this shows the depth of the science of 'Ali. In this paper will be described ijtihad 'AlÃ® in the book Muwatha' will then be sought about the extent jinÃ¢yah ijtihad was followed by the priests of his contemporaries and schools. There are two ijtihad ImÃ¢m 'AlÃ® in Muwatha', the first woman who gave birth within six months is not proof that she committed adultery, ijtihad is followed by the schools of his contemporaries and the priests, the second sentence wine drinkers eighty lashes, this opinion is followed by 'Umar ibn KhaththÃ¢b, the HanafÃ® and MÃ¢likÃ®.

Keywords: Ijtihad, â€™AlÃ®, JinÃ¢yah
Hukuman bagi Pelaku Pelecehan Seksual terhadap Sesama Jenis - 22
Authors: Sari Intan Permata
Published: January 2020

Bentuk pelecehan seksual sesama jenis menurut hukum positif pada dasarnya adalah sama dengan pelecehan seksual terhadap lawan jenis, hanya saja pelecehan seksual sesama jenis pelaku dan korbannya dari sesama jenis.Unsur-unsur perbuatan pelecehan seksual sesama jenis adalah adanya suatu perbuatan yang berhubungan dengan seksual, wujud perbuatan berupa fisik dan non-fisik dan tidak ada kesukarelaan. Sedangkan yang membedakannya pelecehan seksual sesama jenis di dalamnya terkait pelaku berasal dari jenis kelamin yang sama.Namun menurut hukum Islam hukuman bagi pelecehan seksual sesama jenis sama halnya dengan hukuman homo seksuall karena kesukaan pelaku pada sesama jenis, hanya saja perbedaannya jika homo seksual dilakukan karena suka sama suka, sedangkan pelecehan terjadi di sebabkan paksaan oleh pihak lain. Pembuktian terhadap pelaku pelecehan seksual sesama jenis dilakukan sesuai dengan ketentuan Pasal 184 ayat (1) KUHAP bahwa pembuktian dilakukan dengan adanya keterangan saksi, keterangan ahli, surat, petunjuk dan keterangan terdakwa. Pembuktian tindak pidana pelecehan seksual sesama jenis juga memerlukan peranan dokter guna memberikan keterangan medis melalui visum etrepertum.Di dalam hukum Islam larangan berperilaku seks menyimpang seperti homoseksual maupun lesbian adalah ketentuan qathâ€™i (tegas) dan muhkamat (jelas ketetapan hukumnya), sehingga ada tiga hukuman berat terhadap pelaku homoseksual: Pertama; Dibunuh. Kedua; Dibakar. Ketiga; Dilempar dengan batu setelah dijatuhkan dari tempat yang tinggi. Hal ini sesuai dengan mazhab Syafiâ€™i karena banyak penduduk Indonesia yang mengikutinya.
Pidana Mati dalam Undang-Undang Tindak Pidana Korupsi (Kajian Teori Zawajir dan Jawabir)
Authors: Yuhermansyah Edi , Fariza Zaziratul
Published: January 2020

Tindak pidana korupsi merupakan suatu kejahatan luar biasa (extraordinary crime), sehingga dalam pemberantasannya harus dilakukan dengan langkah-langkah yang luar biasa (extraordinary measure), serta menggunakan instrument-instrument hukum yang luar biasa pula (extraordinary instrument). Dalam hal ini, Undang-Undang Nomor 31 Tahun 1999 Jo 20 Tahun 2001 dalam Pasal 2 ayat (2) disebutkan; pidana mati terhadap koruptor dapat dijatuhkan dalam keadaan tertentu. Pertanyaan penelitian dalam skripsi ini adalah bagaimana ketentuan Undang-Undang Nomor 31 Tahun 1999 Jo 20 Tahun 2001 tentang ancaman pidana mati terhadap tindak pidana korupsi, dan bagaimana tinjauan teori zawajir dan jawabir terhadap pidana mati bagi koruptor. Bahan yang penulis gunakan untuk menjawab pertanyaan tersebut adalah bahan hukum primer dan bahan hukum sekunder. Metode yang penulis gunakan adalah kajian kepustakaan (library research) yaitu dengan membaca dan menelaah bahan-bahan yang bersifat teoritis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pidana mati dalam Pasal 2 ayat (2) Undang-Undang Nomor 31 Tahun 1999 Jo 20 Tahun 2001 dapat dijatuhkan kepada koruptor dalam keadaan tertentu. Berhubung yang digunakan adalah kata â€œdapatâ€ dalam Pasal 2 ayat (2), maka penjatuhan pidana mati terhadap pelaku tindak pidana korupsi tersebut sifatnya adalah fakultatif. Artinya, meskipun tindak pidana korupsi dilakukan dalam â€œkeadaan tertentuâ€ sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 2 ayat (2), dapat saja tidak dijatuhi pidana mati. Sedangkan pidana mati terhadap koruptor menurut teori zawajir dan jawabir, hanya memiliki fungsi sebagai zawajir saja, dosa terpidana tidak terhapus karena hukuman itu. Karena sanksi ini merupakan jarimah taâ€™zir yang hukumannya ditentukan oleh penguasa. Sementara teori jawabir hanya berlaku bagi jarimah yang dijatuhi hukuman hadd, contohnya zina, sariqah (pencurian), qadhf (tuduhan zina), dan lain-lain, yang perbuatan dan sanksinya sudah ditentukan oleh Allah SWT.
AVALIAÇÃO DO PROCESSO DE VERMICOMPOSTAGEM EM SOLO CONTENDO FÁRMACO CEFALEXINA
Authors: Hoehne Lucélia , De Castro Camila Roberta , Kuhn Daniel , Schweizer Ytan Andreine , Cordeiro Sabrina Grando
Published: January 2020

É de grande preocupação o estado em que se encontra o meio ambiente com relação à poluição. Uma nova classe de poluentes está chamando a atenção dos pesquisadores e órgãos governamentais, chamadas de micropoluentes emergentes, preocupantes por serem substâncias tóxicas capazes de gerar danos ao meio ambiente mesmo em pequenas quantidades. Uma das classes de micropoluentes são os fármacos, entre eles, estão os antibióticos, consumidos tanto por medicina humana como medicina veterinária. Para a indicação da presença de alteração ambiental, podem ser usados organismos vivos, chamados de bioindicadores ou indicadores biológicos. As minhocas são consideradas bioindicadores da qualidade do solo realizando também o processo de vermicompostagem, usado para a degradação da matéria orgânica. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do antibiótico cefalexina em processo de vermicompostagem, utilizando minhocas da espécie Eisenia andrei. Foram feitos minhocários em pequena escala, com solo contendo o antibiótico, nas concentrações de 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg e 1000 mg/kg, monitorados por um período de 4 meses. Os parâmetros analisados no solo foram sódio, potássio, nitrogênio e pH do húmus gerado pelo processo de vermicompostagem. Já para as minhocas avaliou-se a biomassa, reprodução, fuga e mortalidade. Como resultado, foi possível observar que não houve alteração nos parâmetros analisados. Conclui-se que o antibiótico cefalexina, nas concentrações testadas, não alterou a reprodução e biomassa das minhocas, bem como a qualidade de húmus gerado.