bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with producing a scientific publication during medical training: evidence from a cross-sectional study of 40 medical schools surveyed in Latin America
Authors: Valladares-Garrido Mario J. , Mejia Christian R. , Rojas-Alvarado Annel B. , Araujo-Chumacero Mary M. , Córdova-Agurto Jhacksson S. , Fiestas Jessica , Rojas-Vilar Feeder J. , Culquichicón Carlos
Published: November 2020

Background: Scientific publication during medical training is key to promote enduring cutting-edge knowledge. The promotion of science among medical students in Latin America is a multi-sphere issue hampered by the unawareness of governments to invest in national research, as well as a lack of support from local universities. This study aims to determine the factors associated with producing a scientific publication during medical training among Latin American medical students of local scientific societies.

Methods: This is a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study initially conducted in 2016 to evaluate the use of information and communications technologies (TICs) among medical students of 40 local scientific societies of medical students affiliated to the Latin American Federation of Medical Students Scientific Societies (FELSOCEM, in Spanish). Teams in each local scientific society surveyed self-reported scientific publications and explored its association with socioeconomic, academic, and research training conditions. We included medical students enrolled in the 2016-I term and excluded medical interns. We implemented nested models to identify covariates associated with self-reported scientific publication until reaching a parsimonious mixed-effect multilevel model clustered by medical scientific society.

Results: We surveyed 11,587 medical students. The prevalence of scientific publications increased in 36% among medical students affiliated to a Scientific Society of Medical Students [parsimonious prevalence ratio (PRp)=1.36, 95%CI=1.16–1.59], 51% among medical students with advanced English proficiency [PRp=1.51, 95%CI=1.21 – 1.87], 85% among medical students who attended a scientific writing skills course [PRp=1.85, 95%CI=1.59–2.15], 81% among medical students who use Sci-Hub [PRp=1.81, 95%CI=1.50–2.20], and 108% among medical students who have access to a pirated academic account [PRp=2.08, 95%CI=1.83–2.36].

Conclusions: Producing a scientific publication among medical students is associated with being affiliated to a Scientific Society of Medical Students, English proficiency, training in scientific writing, use of Sci-Hub, and pirated academic accounts.
A dataset for the analysis of antibody response to glycan alpha-Gal in individuals with immune-mediated disorders
Authors: de la Fuente José , Urra José Miguel , Contreras Marinela , Pacheco Iván , Ferreras-Colino Elisa , Doncel-Pérez Ernesto , Fernández de Mera Isabel G. , Villar Margarita , Cabrera Carmen M. , Gómez Hernando Cesar , Vargas Baquero Eduardo , Blanco García Javier , Rodríguez Gómez Javier , Velayos Galán Alberto , Feo Brito Francisco , Gómez Torrijos Elisa , Cabezas-Cruz Alejandro , Gortázar Christian
Published: November 2020

Humans evolved by losing the capacity to synthesize the glycan Galα1-3Galβ1-(3)4GlcNAc-R (α-Gal), which resulted in the development of a protective response mediated by anti-α-Gal IgM/IgG/IgA antibodies against pathogens containing this modification on membrane proteins. As an evolutionary trade-off, humans can develop the alpha-Gal syndrome (AGS), a recently diagnosed disease mediated by anti-α-Gal IgE antibodies and associated with allergic reactions to mammalian meat consumption and tick bites. However, the anti-α-Gal antibody response may be associated with other immune-mediated disorders such as those occurring in patients with COVID-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Here, we provide a dataset (209 entries) on the IgE/IgM/IgG/IgA anti-α-Gal antibody response in healthy individuals and patients diagnosed with AGS, tick-borne allergies, GBS and COVID-19. The data allows correlative analyses of the anti-α-Gal antibody response with factors such as patient and clinical characteristics, record of tick bites, blood group, age and sex. These analyses could provide insights into the role of anti-α-Gal antibody response in disease symptomatology and possible protective mechanisms.
Processing of experimental data on a computer
Authors: Logunova Oksana , Romanov Petr , Il'ina Elena
Published: November 2020

The textbook provides information about the main methods and tools for automating computational processes used in data processing; methods for representing and generating models of experimental data; data models and classification of processing tasks; and the organization of the user interface in automated systems for processing experimental data. Contains structured chapters on the specifics of experimental research. The features of using software for processing experimental data are clearly and logically described. Theoretical material and basic algorithms for processing experimental data used in industrial statistics are presented. Examples of processing experimental data in the field of metallurgy and management in higher education are given. Meets the requirements of the Federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation. For students and postgraduates of higher educational institutions.
Civil right. Common part
Authors: Boltanova Elena , Bagrova Nataliya , Bevzenko Roman , Butenko Svetlana , Gavrilov Eduard , Gruzdev Oles' , Kvanina Valentina , Kulakov Vladimir , Rabec Anna , Tuzov Daniil , Shepel' Tamara
Published: November 2020

The textbook contains three sections ("General provisions", "Property law", "General provisions of the law of obligations"), which systematically and consistently set out the relevant topics of the training course of the General part of civil law and include an analysis of judicial practice. Meets the requirements of the Federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation. For students of educational organizations of higher education who study in the direction of training 40.03.01 "Law" and specialty 40.05.01 "Legal support of national security", as well as for undergraduates, postgraduates, applicants and other persons interested in civil law.
Vicio en Instagram: propiedades psicométricas de la Escala Bergen de Adicción al Instagram
Authors: Monteiro Renan Pereira , Monteiro Tatiana Medeiros Costa , Cassaro Andressa Cristina de Barros , De Lima Marcela Eduarda Bezerra , De Souza Nathalya Karollinne Vasconcelos , Ribeiro Thatielly Miranda Santos , Arantes Thallys Pereira
Published: November 2020

El presente artículo tuvo como objetivo adaptar, para el contexto brasileño, la Escala Bergen de Adicción a Instagram (EBAI), reuniendo evidencias de validez (factorial, convergente y concurrente) y precisión, además de inspeccionar los parámetros individuales de sus ítems (dificultad y discriminación). Participaron 217 usuarios de esa red social (Medad = 22.04; DPedad = 6.63; 73.7 % mujeres). Los resultados apuntaron para la unidimensionalidad de la medida, que tuvo sus ítems con discriminación alta y muy alta, de fácil y moderado endoso y que cubrió amplio rango del rasgo latente. Adicionalmente, el vicio en Instagram se asoció positivamente a malestar psicológico (e.g., depresión, estrés y ansiedad), además del puntaje total de la EBAI haber predicho el uso de esa red social (e.g., tiempo gastado y frecuencia de publicaciones). En general, los resultados demostraron que la EBAI es una medida corta y eficiente para la cuantificación del vicio en Instagram, que permite conocer los antecedentes y consecuencias del uso problemático de esa red social.
Emergency nursing assessment and care in Crohn's disease: a student case study of an osteoporosis-related hip fracture
Authors: Fraser Ruth , Baker Mark J
Published: November 2020

Crohn's disease is a long-term, painful inflammatory condition that may affect any or all parts of a person's gastrointestinal tract and is categorised under the umbrella term of inflammatory bowel disease. The exact aetiology is unclear, although a range of factors are thought to be responsible. Pharmacological interventions used to manage active Crohn's disease, such as steroids, can have a detrimental effect on the patient's bone density, leading to complications, such as osteoporosis, and subsequent bone fractures following minor trauma. A case study is presented of a patient with Crohn's disease who presented to the emergency department with a hip fracture, likely caused by osteoporosis due to a history of steroid use to manage his Crohn's disease. The case study illustrates a holistic, patient-centred approach to nursing assessment, management and evaluation of care, demonstrated by a student nurse under the supervision of a qualified nurse. It shows how nursing practice should be guided by reliable and credible evidence to ensure continuity of care and the best possible outcomes for patients, as well as ensure that the patient's psychological wellbeing, as well as their physical health, is cared for.
Improvement of Tetraplegia and Respiratory Symptoms with Complex Korean Medicine Treatment After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report
Authors: Cho Eunbyul , Woo Hyeonjun , Cho Nam geun
Published: November 2020

This study reports the effectiveness of traditional Korean medicine in treating tetraplegia and respiratory symptoms (including dyspnea) after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury surgery. The patient was treated with complex Korean medical treatment including electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. The manual muscle test (expanded Medical Research Council system) was used to measure the patient’s muscle strength. The Korean version of the modified Barthel index and the functional independent measure were used to evaluate the patient’s independence in performing daily activities. Following 2 hospitalizations and treatments, the patient’s muscle strength improved > 4+ score for all joints, and the Korean version of the modified Barthel index and functional independent measure scores increased from 26 to 79 and 56 to 95, respectively. Symptoms of dyspnea, coughing, and sputum gradually improved and finally disappeared during hospitalization. This study suggests complex Korean medicine treatment may be effective in the rehabilitation of post-surgical cervical spinal cord injury patients.
Assessment of the Quality of Case Reports in the Journal of Acupuncture Research Using the CARE and STRICTA Guidelines
Authors: Nam Eun-Young , Hwang Ji Hye
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of the case reports in the Journal of Acupuncture Research (JAR). All case reports were retrieved from November 2017 to June 2020. There were 19 case reports included in this assessment based on the case report (CARE) guidelines and case report and standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines. The overall quality of reporting was relatively high (83.08% on Case Report guidelines and 77.78% on Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture guidelines), but several crucial items remained substantially underreported, such as identifying as a case report (keywords), patient information and perspective, clinical findings, diagnostic assessment, and intervention information. In 18 out of 19 included case reports of acupuncturerelated interventions, several items remained considerably underreported such as acupuncture regimen variation, depth of needle insertion, response sought, and experience of acupuncturists. In the classification by disease, condition, or syndrome, 13 out of 19 included case reports were for musculoskeletal disorders (68.4%), which is the main clinical medical field of Korean medicine services. The results of this study may help develop more appropriate reporting guidelines for case reports published in JAR.
Investigation of mid-infrared rapid heating of a carbide-bonded graphene coating and its applications in precision optical molding
Authors: Zhang Lin , Yi Allen Y.
Published: November 2020

Graphene interacts with electromagnetic waves strongly in a wide range from ultra-violet to far-infrared, making the graphene coating suitable for a variety of applications. In this study, a novel localized rapid heating technique utilizing micro-patterned silicon stampers with carbide-bonded graphene coating, which directly heats up by absorbing mid-infrared light radiation, is implemented in rapid precision optical molding. The graphene network, as a functional coating to obtain thermal energy and improve the anti-adhesion of the mold surface, can heat up the mold surface rapidly (up to 18.16 K/s) and evenly above glass transition temperature over a large area within several seconds. Since the graphene coating was around tens of nanometers (∼45 nm) thick, the rapid precision surface molding process can be shortened into tens of seconds. Furthermore, the thermal response and repeatability of the graphene coated silicon wafer is investigated by repeated thermal cycling. This novel rapid precision surface molding technique is successfully tested to replicate grating structures and periodic patterns from silicon molds to thermoplastic substrates with high accuracy. Compared with conventional methods, this new approach can achieve much higher replication fidelity with a shorter cycle time and lower energy consumption.
Modeling of microsphere photolithography
Authors: Qu Chuang , Zhu Chen , Kinzel Edward C.
Published: November 2020

Microsphere photolithography (MPL) is a fabrication technique that combines the ability to self-assemble arrays of microspheres with the ability of a microsphere to focus light to a photonic jet, in order to create highly ordered nanoscale features in photoresist. This paper presents a model of photoresist exposure with the photonic jet, combining a full-wave electromagnetic model of the microsphere/photoresist interaction with the sequential removal of exposed photoresist by the developer. The model is used to predict the dose curves for the MPL process based on the photoresist thickness, illumination conditions, and development time. After experimental validation, the model provides insight into the process including the resolution, sensitivity, and effects of off-normal illumination. This guides the fabrication of sub-100 nm hole/disk arrays using lift-off, and superposition is shown to predict the geometry for split-ring resonators created using multiple exposures. This model will assist synthesizing fabrication parameters to create large area scalable metasurfaces with sensing and energy management applications.
Design of freeform lenses for illuminating hard-to-reach areas through a light-guiding system
Authors: Yang Lin , Liu Yingli , Ding Zhanghao , Zhang Jinlei , Tao Xiao , Zheng ZhenRong , Wu Rengmao
Published: November 2020

Designing freeform optics for illuminating hard-to-reach areas is a challenging and rewarding issue. The current designs of freeform illumination optics are mostly valid in the applications in which the region of interest is easily accessible. What we present here is a general formulation of designing freeform lenses for illuminating hard-to-reach areas. In this method, the freeform lens consists of two elaborately designed surfaces, by which both the intensity distribution and wave-front of the light beam are manipulated in a desired manner. The light beam after refraction by the freeform lens is further guided through a light-guiding system to produce a prescribed illumination on a target plane which is inaccessible. The properties of the light-guiding system are taken into account in the tailoring of the freeform lens profiles to guarantee the prescribed illumination on the target plane. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the elegance of this method in designing freeform optics for illuminating hard-to-reach areas.
Investigation on reliability of red micro-light emitting diodes with atomic layer deposition passivation layers
Authors: Huang Huang-Hsiung , Huang Sheng-Kai , Tsai Yi-Lin , Wang Shou-Wei , Lee Yi-Yang , Weng Shao-Yi , Kuo Hao-Chung , Lin Chien-chung
Published: November 2020

In this study, AlGaInP red light emitting diodes with sizes ranging from 5 to 50 micrometers were fabricated and characterized. The atomic layer deposition technology is applied to coat a layer of silicon dioxide for passivation and protection. The top emission area is covered by ITO layer to maximize the optical output. From the optical measurement, the linewidth and emission peaks shift very little among different current levels (from 30 to 150 A/cm2). High current level lifetests are performed and a 15 µm ALD device can last 27 hours of continuous operation at 100 A/cm2 before their diode junction failed. A much shorter lifetime of 5.32 hours was obtained when the driving current is raised to 400 A/cm2. When the same condition was applied to 15 µm PECVD devices, 25 hours and 4.33 hours are registered for 100 A/cm2 and 400 A/cm2 tests, respectively. The cross-sectional SEM reveals the voids, defects, and dark lines developed during the aging tests, and most of them are caused by top contact failure. The surface layers of ITO and SiO2 were melted and the dark lines which were originated from the top surface propagated through the device and led to the eventual failure of the diode. The optical intensity degradation slopes of different sizes of devices indicate a large device can last longer in this accelerated aging test. The efficiencies of the devices are also evaluated by the ABC model and the fitted bimolecular coefficient ranges from 1.35 to 3.40×10−10 cm3/s.
Dynamically tunable transmissive color filters using ultra-thin phase change materials
Authors: He Qiang , Youngblood Nathan , Cheng Zengguang , Miao Xiangshui , Bhaskaran Harish
Published: November 2020

Structural color filters (i.e. plasmonics and nano-cavities) provide vivid and robust color filtering in applications such as CMOS image sensors but lack simplicity in fabrication and dynamic tuning. Here we report a dynamically tunable, transmissive color filter by incorporating an ultra-thin phase change layer inside a thin-film optical resonator. The transmitted color spectrum can be designed over the entire visible range and shifted by around 50 nm after phase transition. Angle dependence shows little color variation within a ±30° viewing angle. Crucially, only film deposition is required to fabricate our phase change color filter, showing great potential for large-scale and inexpensive production. The dynamically tunable color filter, described in this paper, could be a promising component in display, CMOS sensor, and solar cell technology.
Asymmetric excitable phase triggering in an optically injected semiconductor laser
Authors: Dillane M. , Lingnau B. , Viktorov E. A. , Dubinkin I. , Fedorov N. , Kelleher B.
Published: November 2020

One of the defining characteristics of excitability is the existence of an excitable threshold: the minimum perturbation amplitude necessary to produce an excitable response. We analyze an optically injected dual state quantum dot laser, previously shown to display a dual state stochastic excitable dynamic. We show that deterministic triggering of this dynamic can be achieved via optical phase perturbations. Further, we demonstrate that there are in fact two asymmetric excitable thresholds in this system corresponding to the two possible directions of optical phase perturbations. For fast enough perturbations, an excitable interval arises, and there is a limit to the perturbation amplitude, above which excitations no longer arise, a phenomenon heretofore unobserved in studies of excitability.
Evidence of photochromism in a hexagonal boron nitride single-photon emitter
Authors: Feldman Matthew A. , Marvinney Claire E. , Puretzky Alexander A. , Lawrie Benjamin J.
Published: November 2020

Solid-state single-photon emitters (SPEs) such as the bright, stable, room-temperature defects within hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are of increasing interest for quantum information science. To date, the atomic and electronic origins of SPEs within hBN have not been well understood, and no studies have reported photochromism or explored cross correlations between hBN SPEs. Here, we combine irradiation time-dependent microphotoluminescence spectroscopy with two-color Hanbury Brown–Twiss interferometry in an investigation of the electronic structure of hBN defects. We identify evidence of photochromism in an hBN SPE that exhibits single-photon cross correlations and correlated changes in the intensity of its two zero-phonon lines.
Climate change and disease in plant communities
Authors: Burdon Jeremy J. , Zhan Jiasui
Published: November 2020

Climate change is triggering similar effects on the incidence and severity of disease for crops in agriculture and wild plants in natural communities. The complexity of natural ecosystems, however, generates a complex array of interactions between wild plants and pathogens in marked contrast to those generated in the structural and species simplicity of most agricultural crops. Understanding the different impacts of climate change on agricultural and natural ecosystems requires accounting for the specific interactions between an individual pathogen and its host(s) and their subsequent effects on the interplay between the host and other species in the community. Ultimately, progress will require looking past short-term fluctuations to multiyear trends to understand the nature and extent of plant and pathogen evolutionary adaptation and determine the fate of plants under future climate change.
Improved genetically encoded near-infrared fluorescent calcium ion indicators for in vivo imaging
Authors: Qian Yong , Cosio Danielle M. Orozco , Piatkevich Kiryl D. , Aufmkolk Sarah , Su Wan-Chi , Celiker Orhan T. , Schohl Anne , Murdock Mitchell H. , Aggarwal Abhi , Chang Yu-Fen , Wiseman Paul W. , Ruthazer Edward S. , Boyden Edward S. , Campbell Robert E.
Published: November 2020

Near-infrared (NIR) genetically encoded calcium ion (Ca2+) indicators (GECIs) can provide advantages over visible wavelength fluorescent GECIs in terms of reduced phototoxicity, minimal spectral cross talk with visible light excitable optogenetic tools and fluorescent probes, and decreased scattering and absorption in mammalian tissues. Our previously reported NIR GECI, NIR-GECO1, has these advantages but also has several disadvantages including lower brightness and limited fluorescence response compared to state-of-the-art visible wavelength GECIs, when used for imaging of neuronal activity. Here, we report 2 improved NIR GECI variants, designated NIR-GECO2 and NIR-GECO2G, derived from NIR-GECO1. We characterized the performance of the new NIR GECIs in cultured cells, acute mouse brain slices, andCaenorhabditis elegansandXenopus laevisin vivo. Our results demonstrate that NIR-GECO2 and NIR-GECO2G provide substantial improvements over NIR-GECO1 for imaging of neuronal Ca2+dynamics.
Hazara virus and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus show a different pattern of entry in fully-polarized Caco-2 cell line
Authors: Monteil Vanessa , Salata Cristiano , Appelberg Sofia , Mirazimi Ali
Published: November 2020

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) and Hazara virus (HAZV) belong to the same viral serotype and family. HAZV has lately been used as a model system and surrogate to CCHFV. However, virus-host cell interaction and level of pathogenicity for these viruses are not well investigated nor compared. In this study, we compared HAZV and CCHFV infection of human polarized epithelial cells to shed light on similarities and differences in virus-host cell interaction between these two viruses. We investigated the pattern of infection of CCHFV and HAZV in fully polarized human cells, the Caco-2 cell line. Polarization of Caco-2 cells lead to difference in expression level and pattern of proteins between the apical and the basolateral membranes. We found that CCHFV virus, in contrast to HAZV, is more likely infecting polarized cells basolaterally. In addition, we found that cytokines/pro-inflammatory factors or other viral factors secreted from CCHFV infected moDC cells enhance the entry of CCHFV contrary to HAZV. We have shown that CCHFV and HAZV early in infection use different strategies for entry. The data presented in this study also highlight the important role of cytokines in CCHFV-host cell interaction.
Support vector machine-based classification of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls using structural magnetic resonance imaging from two independent sites
Authors: Yamamoto Maeri , Bagarinao Epifanio , Kushima Itaru , Takahashi Tsutomu , Sasabayashi Daiki , Inada Toshiya , Suzuki Michio , Iidaka Tetsuya , Ozaki Norio
Published: November 2020

Structural brain alterations have been repeatedly reported in schizophrenia; however, the pathophysiology of its alterations remains unclear. Multivariate pattern recognition analysis such as support vector machines can classify patients and healthy controls by detecting subtle and spatially distributed patterns of structural alterations. We aimed to use a support vector machine to distinguish patients with schizophrenia from control participants on the basis of structural magnetic resonance imaging data and delineate the patterns of structural alterations that significantly contributed to the classification performance. We used independent datasets from different sites with different magnetic resonance imaging scanners, protocols and clinical characteristics of the patient group to achieve a more accurate estimate of the classification performance of support vector machines. We developed a support vector machine classifier using the dataset from one site (101 participants) and evaluated the performance of the trained support vector machine using a dataset from the other site (97 participants) and vice versa. We assessed the performance of the trained support vector machines in each support vector machine classifier. Both support vector machine classifiers attained a classification accuracy of >70% with two independent datasets indicating a consistently high performance of support vector machines even when used to classify data from different sites, scanners and different acquisition protocols. The regions contributing to the classification accuracy included the bilateral medial frontal cortex, superior temporal cortex, insula, occipital cortex, cerebellum, and thalamus, which have been reported to be related to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. These results indicated that the support vector machine could detect subtle structural brain alterations and might aid our understanding of the pathophysiology of these changes in schizophrenia, which could be one of the diagnostic findings of schizophrenia.
Context-dependent monoclonal antibodies against protein carbamidomethyl-cysteine
Authors: Cartee Naw May Pearl , Lee Soo Jung , Keep Simon G. , Wang Michael M.
Published: November 2020

Protein sulfhydryl residues participate in key structural and biochemical functions. Alterations in sulfhydryl status, regulated by either reversible redox reactions or by permanent covalent capping, may be challenging to identify. To advance the detection of protein sulfhydryl groups, we describe the production of new Rabbit monoclonal antibodies that react with carbamidomethyl-cysteine (CAM-cys), a product of iodoacetamide (IAM) labeling of protein sulfhydryl residues. These antibodies bind to proteins labeled with IAM (but not N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) or acrylamide) and identify multiple protein bands when applied to Western blots of cell lysates treated with IAM. The monoclonal antibodies label a subset of CAM-cys modified peptide sequences and purified proteins (human von Willebrand Factor (gene:vWF), Jagged 1 (gene:JAG1), Laminin subunit alpha 2 (gene:LAMA2), Thrombospondin-2 (gene:TSP2), and Collagen IV (gene:COL4)) but do not recognize specific proteins such as Bovine serum albumin (gene:BSA) and human Thrombospondin-1 (gene:TSP1), Biglycan (gene:BGN) and Decorin (gene:DCN). Scanning mutants of the peptide sequence used to generate the CAM-cys antibodies elucidated residues required for context dependent reactivity. In addition to recognition of in vitro labeled proteins, the antibodies were used to identify selected sulfhydryl-containing proteins from living cells that were pulse labeled with IAM. Further development of novel CAM-cys monoclonal antibodies in conjunction with other biochemical tools may complement current methods for sulfhydryl detection within specific proteins. Moreover, CAM-cys reactive reagents may be useful when there is a need to label subpopulations of proteins.
Data analysis and modeling pipelines for controlled networked social science experiments
Authors: Cedeno-Mieles Vanessa , Hu Zhihao , Ren Yihui , Deng Xinwei , Contractor Noshir , Ekanayake Saliya , Epstein Joshua M. , Goode Brian J. , Korkmaz Gizem , Kuhlman Chris J. , Machi Dustin , Macy Michael , Marathe Madhav V. , Ramakrishnan Naren , Saraf Parang , Self Nathan
Published: November 2020

There is large interest in networked social science experiments for understanding human behavior at-scale. Significant effort is required to perform data analytics on experimental outputs and for computational modeling of custom experiments. Moreover, experiments and modeling are often performed in a cycle, enabling iterative experimental refinement and data modeling to uncover interesting insights and to generate/refute hypotheses about social behaviors. The current practice for social analysts is to develop tailor-made computer programs and analytical scripts for experiments and modeling. This often leads to inefficiencies and duplication of effort. In this work, we propose a pipeline framework to take a significant step towards overcoming these challenges. Our contribution is to describe the design and implementation of a software system to automate many of the steps involved in analyzing social science experimental data, building models to capture the behavior of human subjects, and providing data to test hypotheses. The proposed pipeline framework consists of formal models, formal algorithms, and theoretical models as the basis for the design and implementation. We propose a formal data model, such that if an experiment can be described in terms of this model, then our pipeline software can be used to analyze data efficiently. The merits of the proposed pipeline framework is elaborated by several case studies of networked social science experiments.
A test of a triadic conceptualization of future self-identification
Authors: Bixter Michael T. , McMichael Samantha L. , Bunker Cameron J. , Adelman Robert Mark , Okun Morris A. , Grimm Kevin J. , Graudejus Oliver , Kwan Virginia S. Y.
Published: November 2020

People encounter intertemporal decisions every day and often engage in behaviors that are not good for their future. One factor that may explain these decisions is the perception of their distal future self. An emerging body of research suggests that individuals vary in how they perceive their future self and many perceive their future self as a different person. The present research aimed to (1) build on and extend Hershfield’s et al. (2011) review of the existing literature and advance the conceptualization of the relationship between the current and future self, (2) extend and develop measures of this relationship, and (3) examine whether and how this relationship predicts intrapsychic and achievement outcomes. The results of the literature review suggested that prior research mostly focused on one or two of the following components: (a) perceived relatedness between the current and future self in terms of similarity and connectedness, (b) vividness in imagining the future self, and (c) degree of positivity felt toward the future self. Additionally, differences in how researchers have labeled the overall construct lead us to proposefuture self-identificationas a new label for the three-component construct. Our research built on existing measures to test the validity of a three-component model of future self-identification. Across three samples of first-year undergraduates, this research established the psychometric properties of the measure, and then examined the relationships between the components and four outcome domains of interest: (1) psychological well-being (self-esteem, hope), (2) imagination of the future (visual imagery of future events, perceived temporal distance), (3) self-control, and (4) academic performance. We demonstrated that the three components of future self-identification were correlated but independent factors. Additionally, the three components differed in their unique relationships with the outcome domains, demonstrating the utility of measuring all three components of future self-identification when seeking to predict important psychological and behavioral outcomes.
An inversion model for estimating the negative air ion concentration using MODIS images of the Daxing’anling region
Authors: Yue Cui , Yuxin Zhao , Nan Zhang , Dongyou Zhang , Jiangning Yang
Published: November 2020

The negative air ion (NAI) concentration is an essential indicator of air quality and atmospheric pollution. The NAI concentration can be used to monitor air quality on a regional scale and is commonly determined using field measurements. However, obtaining these measurements is time-consuming. In this paper, the relationship between remotely sensed surface parameters (such as land surface temperature, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and leaf area index) obtained from MODIS data products and the measured NAI concentration using a stepwise regression method was analyzed to estimate the spatial distribution of the NAI concentration and verify the precision. The results indicated that the NAI concentration had a negative correlation with temperature, leaf area index (LAI), and gross primary production while it exhibited a positive correlation with the NDVI. The relationship between land surface temperature and the NAI concentration in the Daxing’anling region is expressed by the regression equation of y = -35.51x1 + 11206.813 (R2 = 0.6123). Additionally, the NAI concentration in northwest regions with high forest coverage was higher than that in southeast regions with low forest coverage, suggesting that forests influence the air quality and reduce the impact of environmental pollution. The proposed inversion model is suitable for evaluating the air quality in Daxing’anling and provides a reference for air quality evaluation in other areas. In the future, we will expand the quantity and distribution range of sampling points, conduct continuous observations of NAI concentrations and environmental parameters in the research areas with different land-use types, and further improve the accuracy of inversion results to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamic changes in NAI concentration and explore the possibility of expanding the application areas of NAI monitoring.
Z-score of the log-transformed A Body Shape Index predicts low muscle mass in population with abdominal obesity: The U.S. and Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Moon Shinje , Kim Yoon Jung , Yu Jae Myung , Kang Jun Goo , Chung Hye Soo
Published: November 2020

Background and objective

Sarcopenic obesity is associated with a higher risk of cardiometabolic disease and mortality than either sarcopenia or obesity alone. However, no study has investigated body shape indices for the assessment of sarcopenia in obese populations. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of body shape indices to assess sarcopenia in nationally representative populations with abdominal obesity.

Methods

Data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (U.S. NHANES) 1999–2006 and Korea NHANES (KNHANES) 2008–2011 were assessed. The association between Body Shape Index and sarcopenia was analyzed using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The Z-score of the log-transformed A Body Shape Index (LBSIZ) cut-off value was defined as that with the highest score of the Youden’s index. Changes in odds ratios (OR) for sarcopenia were investigated using restricted cubic spline (RCS) plots.

Results

This study included 8,013 American and 4,859 Korean adults with abdominal obesity. The overall area under the curve (AUC) of LBSIZ for sarcopenia was 0.816 (95% CI: 0.794–0.838) in U.S. NHANES and 0.822 (95% CI: 0.799–0.844) in KNHANES, which was higher than that of the body roundness index, conicity index, and waist to height ratio (p with DeLong’s test <0.001). The cut-off values for the LBSIZ were 1.05 (sensitivity, 88.0%; specificity, 81.5%) for American men, 0.45 (sensitivity, 77.1%; specificity, 70.6%) for American women, 1.15 (sensitivity, 77.5%; specificity, 77.1%) for Korean men and 0.95 (sensitivity, 74.3%; specificity, 69.3%) for Korean women in the development groups. Comparable results were verified in validation groups. The RCS plot indicated that ORs for sarcopenia rapidly increased with an increase in the LBSIZ cut-off value.

Conclusion

The increased LBSIZ could function as a reliable and cost-effective screening tool for assessing low muscle mass in populations with abdominal obesity.
The impact of climate change induced alterations of streamflow and stream temperature on the distribution of riparian species
Authors: Rogers Jennifer B. , Stein Eric D. , Beck Marcus W. , Ambrose Richard F.
Published: November 2020

Distributions of riparian species will likely shift due to climate change induced alterations in temperature and rainfall patterns, which alter stream habitat. Spatial forecasting of suitable habitat in projected climatic conditions will inform management interventions that support wildlife. Challenges in developing forecasts include the need to consider the large number of riparian species that might respond differently to changing conditions and the need to evaluate the many different characteristics of streamflow and stream temperature that drive species-specific habitat suitability. In particular, in dynamic environments like streams, the short-term temporal resolution of species occurrence and streamflow need to be considered to identify the types of conditions that support various species. To address these challenges, we cluster species based on habitat characteristics to select habitat representatives and we evaluate regional changes in habitat suitability using short-term, temporally explicit metrics that describe the streamflow and stream temperature regime. We use stream-specific environmental predictors rather than climatic variables. Unlike other studies, the stream-specific environmental predictors are generated from the time that species were observed in a particular reach, in addition to long term trends, to evaluate habitat preferences. With species occurrence data from local monitoring surveys and streamflow and stream temperature modeled from downscaled Coupled Model Intercomparison Project ‐ Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate projections, we predict change in habitat suitability at the end-of-century. The relative importance of hydrology and stream temperature varied by cluster. High altitudinal, cold water species’ distributions contracted, while lower elevation, warm water species distributions expanded. Modeling with short-term temporally explicit environmental metrics did produce different end-of-century projections than using long-term averages for some of the representative species. These findings can help wildlife managers prioritize conservation efforts, manage streamflow, initiate monitoring of species in vulnerable clusters, and address stressors, such as passage barriers, in areas projected to be suitable in future climate conditions.
Supraclavicular versus infraclavicular approach in inserting totally implantable central venous access for cancer therapy: A comparative retrospective study
Authors: Souadka Amine , Essangri Hajar , Boualaoui Imad , Ghannam Abdelilah , Benkabbou Amine , Amrani Laila , Mohsine Raouf , Majbar Mohammed Anass
Published: November 2020

Introduction

The insertion of an implantable central venous access is performed according to a variety of approaches which allow the access to the subclavian vein, yet the supraclavicular technique has been underused and never compared to the other methods. The aim of this study was to testify on the efficacy and safety of the subclavian puncture without ultrasound guidance « Yoffa » in comparison with the classical infraclavicular approach (ICA).

Material and methods

This is a retrospective study with prospective data collection on patients followed at the national oncology institute for cancer, in the period extending from May 1st 2017 to August 31st 2017. All patients had a totally implantable central venous access device inserted by the same surgeon AS for chemotherapy administration and demographic characteristics, as well as procedure details were examined. The primary outcomes were the intraoperative complications, while the secondary outcomes represented immediate postoperative and mid-term complications (at 15 months of follow up). Outcomes were compared between techniques by means of non parametric tests and the Fischer test.

Results

Our study included 135 patients with 70 patients undergoing the subclavian technique, while 65 were subject to the infraclavicular approach. Both groups had no statistically significant demographic characteristics. The number of vein puncture attempts exceeding once, the accidental artery puncture and operative time were more significant in the ICA group; (39,6 vs 17,6 p = 0,01) (9.2% vs 0; p = 0,01) and (27± 13 vs 23± 8min, p = 0.045) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the immediate and midterm complication rate between the two methods 1(1,4) vs 2 (3) p = 0.5.

Conclusion

In case of unavailability of ultrasonographic guidance, the use of the supra-clavicular landmarks approach is linked to higher success rates and less arterial punctures, thereby proving to be a safe and reliable approach.
Clinical factors as prognostic variables among molecular subgroups of endometrial cancer
Authors: Kolehmainen Anne , Pasanen Annukka , Tuomi Taru , Koivisto-Korander Riitta , Bützow Ralf , Loukovaara Mikko
Published: November 2020

Background

Clinical factors may influence endometrial cancer survival outcomes. We examined the prognostic significance of age, body mass index (BMI), and type 2 diabetes among molecular subgroups of endometrial cancer.

Methods

This was a single institution retrospective study of patients who underwent surgery for endometrial carcinoma between January 2007 and December 2012. Tumors were classified into four molecular subgroups by immunohistochemistry of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins and p53, and sequencing of polymerase-ϵ (POLE). Overall, cancer-related, and non-cancer-related mortality were estimated using univariable and multivariable survival analyses.

Results

Age >65 years was associated with increased mortality rates in the whole cohort (n = 515) and in the “no specific molecular profile” (NSMP) (n = 218) and MMR deficient (MMR-D) (n = 191) subgroups during a median follow-up time of 81 months (range 1‒136). However, hazard ratios for cancer-related mortality were non-significant for NSMP and MMR-D. Diabetes was associated with increased overall and non-cancer-related mortality in the whole cohort and MMR-D subgroup. Overweight/obesity had no effect on outcomes in the whole cohort, but was associated with decreased overall and cancer-related mortality in the NSMP subgroup, and increased overall and non-cancer-related mortality in the MMR-D subgroup. Overweight/obesity effect on cancer-related mortality in the NSMP subgroup remained unchanged after controlling for confounders. High-risk uterine factors were more common, and estrogen and progesterone receptor expression less common in NSMP subtype cancers of normal-weight patients compared with overweight/obese patients. No clinical factors were associated with outcomes in p53 aberrant (n = 69) and POLE mutant (n = 37) subgroups. No cancer-related deaths occurred in the POLE mutant subgroup.

Conclusions

The prognostic effects of age, BMI, and type 2 diabetes do not appear to be uniform for the molecular subgroups of endometrial cancer. Our data support further evaluation of BMI combined with genomics-based risk-assessment.
The pre-activated immune response induced by LPS protects host from leptospirosis
Authors: Chen Xi , Xie Xufeng , Wu Dianjun , Zhang Shilei , Zhang Wenlong , Cao Yongguo
Published: November 2020

Leptospirosis is an important global zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira. It is estimated that more than 1 million people are infected by Leptospira each year, and the death toll is about 60,000. Some studies showed that delayed immune response was associated with severe leptospirosis, and TLR4 was very important in the control of leptospirosis. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of the classical activator (LPS) of TLR4 on leptospirosis in susceptible and resistant hosts. The results showed that LPS pretreatment increased the survival rate of hamsters to 80%. And LPS pre-treatment also significantly reduced the leptospiral load and alleviated the pathological injury in organs of hamsters and mice. The result detected by ELISA in mice showed that the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were increased in the LPS-treated group compared to the control group before infection. However, two days after infection, the level of cytokines in LPS group was down-regulated compared with that in control group. In addition, in vitro results showed that LPS pre-treatment enhanced the phagocytosis and bactericidal ability of macrophages on Leptospira. Collectively, our results indicated that the pre-activated immune response induced by LPS enhanced the ability of host against leptospirosis.
Alcohol consumption increases non-adherence to ART among people living with HIV enrolled to the community-based care model in rural northern Uganda
Authors: Adrawa Norbert , Alege John Bosco , Izudi Jonathan
Published: November 2020

Background

Non-adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality among people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV). Community-based ART delivery model offers a decentralized and patient-centered approach to care for PLHIV, with the advantage of improved adherence to ART hence good treatment outcomes. However, data are limited on the magnitude of non-adherence to ART among PLHIV enrolled to the community-based ART model of care. In this study, we determined the frequency of non-adherence to ART and the associated factors among PLHIV enrolled to the community-based ART delivery model in a large health facility in rural northern Uganda.

Methods

This analytic cross-sectional study randomly sampled participants from 21 community drug distribution points at the AIDS Support Organization (TASO) in Gulu district, northern Uganda. Data were collected using a standardized and pre-tested questionnaire, entered in Epi-Data and analyzed in Stata at univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses levels. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors independently associated with non-adherence to ART, reported using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence level (CI). The level of statistical significance was 5%.

Results

Of 381 participants, 25 (6.6%) were non-adherent to ART and this was significantly associated with alcohol consumption (Adjusted (aOR), 3.24; 95% CI, 1.24–8.34). Other factors namely being single/or never married (aOR, 1.97; 95% CI, 0.62–6.25), monthly income exceeding 27 dollars (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.52–3.55), being on ART for more than 5 years (aOR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.23–1.59), receipt of health education on ART side effects (aOR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.12–1.05), and disclosure of HIV status (aOR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.04–3.20) were not associated with non-adherence in this setting.

Conclusion

Non-adherence to ART was low among PLHIV enrolled to community-based ART delivery model but increases with alcohol consumption. Accordingly, psychosocial support programs should focus on alcohol consumption.