bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organização do processo de trabalho da enfermagem no setor de curativos: relato de experiência
Authors: Holovaty Manuella Reis de Almeida , Mendes Monique Alves , Figueiredo Raissa Luz de , Sánchez Maritza Consuelo Ortiz , Xavier Maria Lelita , Moraes Érica Brandão de , Valente Geilsa Soraia Cavalcanti , Chrizostimo Miriam Marinho
Published: October 2020

Objetivo: Relatar a experiência de acadêmicos do curso de graduação em enfermagem da Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) sobre a organização do processo de trabalho no setor de curativos na atenção primária. Metodologia: Pesquisa do tipo relato de experiência, realizada no primeiro semestre do ano de 2019, baseada na vivência dos acadêmicos de enfermagem de uma Universidade Pública acerca do processo de trabalho dos enfermeiros do setor de curativos de uma Policlínica Regional no município de Niterói-RJ. Resultados e discussão: Observou-se que a realização de cada etapa do processo de trabalho é empregada pelos profissionais de enfermagem no setor de curativos, em busca da melhora clínica e segurança do paciente como produto final. O setor é gerenciado por uma enfermeira, cujo trabalho compreende planejamento, comunicação, assistência qualificada, ensino, pesquisa e relações éticas. Desse modo, ressalta-se que a boa comunicação enfermeira-técnica, enfermeira-paciente, prática abordando minuciosamente cada etapa do processo de trabalho e baseada em evidências garante o atendimento diferenciado, assertivo e tendo como produto final a segurança do paciente. Considerações finais: O presente estudo contribuiu para a formação do aprendizado dos acadêmicos envolvidos no que diz respeito ao processo de trabalho e gerenciamento. O desempenho do enfermeiro gerente está diretamente relacionado com o bom funcionamento de um setor, posto sua autonomia e qualificação para o trabalho realizado, sendo este objeto de estudo em sua formação.
Use of photobiomodulation in the treatment of acute tendon injury
Authors: Dutra Jr Eneas de Freitas , Hidd Silvia Maria Cardoso Magalhães , Amaral Marcello Magri , Maia Filho Antonio Luiz Martins , Assis Lívia , Martignago Cintia Cristina Santi , Figueredo-Silva José , Tim Carla Roberta
Published: October 2020

In the face of controversies about the treatment of tendon injuries, non-surgical treatment using photobiomodulation therapy has been shown to be effective in repair. Objective was to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation therapy on the tendon repair process. 42 Rattus norvegicus belonging to the wistar lineage were used, which were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups: Control (CG); Photobiomodulation (PBM). The groups were subdivided into 3 experimental periods: 7, 14 and 21 days. PBM started 24 hours after injury induction and followed for 7, 14, 21 days. For FBM, the 660 nm, 40 mW, 0.23 J and 6 s laser was used. The volume of the edema was evaluated, immediately before the tendon transection; 24 hours later; on the day of euthanasia, following their respective experimental periods. Histopathological analysis of the region of the transect and the quantification of blood vessels were performed using HE. Edema results: 24 hours after injury induction, there was no statistical difference between the experimental groups. After the experimental periods, 7, 14 and 21 days, the PBM group was effective in reducing the edema compared to the control. Histological results revealed that the PBM group had a greater tendon injury compared to the control after 7 days. After 14 and 21 days, the PBM group showed a better repair process compared to the control group. Likewise, PBM showed a greater number of blood vessels when compared to the control, after all experimental periods. The PBM treatment was effective in reducing the volume of the edema, preventing degenerative morphological alterations of the tendon, after 21 days.
Potencial do inhame no desenvolvimento de produtos para celíacos
Authors: Silva Yana Rocha e , Oliveira Tatiele Castelo de , Bezerra Keila Cristiane Batista , Landim Liejy Agnes dos Santos Raposo
Published: October 2020

O presente estudo objetivou realizar uma revisão integrativa sobre o potencial do inhame no desenvolvimento de produtos para celíacos. Para a seleção da amostra foi estabelecido critérios de artigos indexados de 2014 a 2020, publicados em periódicos nacionais e internacionais, disponibilizados na íntegra em língua portuguesa e inglesa. A coleta de dados foi efetivada nas bases de dados eletrônicos: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), National Library of Medicine (PubMED) e o Google Acadêmico. Para o levantamento das pesquisas foram empregados os descritores: “dioscorea”, “doença celíaca” e “dieta livre de glúten” cadastrados nos Descritores em Ciência da Saúde (DeCS). A busca resultou inicialmente com 20 artigos, pelos quais acometiam os descritores; restando 7 artigos para análise, interpretação e discussão, após a aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. Nos estudos examinados notou-se que o inhame se apresenta como um alimento de alta potencialidade para o mercado, em relação a variedade de produtos alimentícios que podem ser desenvolvidos a partir da sua inclusão e de seus respectivos benefícios. Dessa forma, conclui-se que a elaboração de produtos através desse tubérculo tem se mostrado uma alternativa tecnológica viável para os celíacos, com boa qualidade sensorial, nutricional e de intenção de compra.
Infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde: conhecimento, atitude e prática da equipe de enfermagem
Authors: Silva Rosimeire , Kozusny-Andreani Dora Inés
Published: October 2020

As infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde impactam negativamente ao bem estar dos pacientes, e refletem em elevados índices de morbimortalidade, além de propiciar o aumento de gastos econômicos para a instituição hospitalar, tanto em recursos materiais, quanto em profissionais. Objetivou-se neste estudo analisar o conhecimento da equipe de enfermagem sobre infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde e sua atuação na prevenção e controle deste agravo. A pesquisa foi descritiva com abordagem qualitativa, relacionada à atuação da assistência de enfermagem aos pacientes hospitalizados. O cenário da pesquisa abrangeu todos os setores de assistências a pacientes de um hospital do Noroeste Paulista e os sujeitos avaliados foram os enfermeiros, auxiliares e técnicos em enfermagem, que responderam de forma voluntária a um questionário semiestruturado e autoaplicável. Os dados obtidos foram agrupados pela semelhança e analisados estatisticamente. Verificou-se que a maioria dos profissionais de enfermagem possuíam conhecimento sobre a transmissão, prevenção e tratamento das infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde. No entanto, é de fundamental importância destacar que, embora os colaboradores possuam domínio sobre a problemática em questão, as instituições de saúde devem oferecer condições para que os profissionais de enfermagem possam desenvolver as suas atividades conforme as necessidades do paciente internado, evitando assim a transmissão e disseminação de doenças.
A importância da elevação do seio maxilar para a instalação de implantes dentários
Authors: Fernandes Filho Wladimir , Paiva Daniel Felipe Fernandes , Pinheiro Juliana Campos , Silva Gabriel Gomes da , Maia Neto José Sérgio , Botelho Saulo Hilton Batista
Published: October 2020

Diante da atrofia maxilar, o assoalho do seio tende a apresentar apenas uma fina parede óssea cortical, impondo limitações para a colocação de implantes dentários. O objetivo desta revisão de literatura foi avaliar o desempenho sobre a importância da elevação do seio maxilar para a instalação de implantes dentários. Foi realizada uma revisão da literatura nas bases de dados PubMed / Medline, Scielo e Science direct. Os artigos publicados entre 2014 e 2020 foram selecionados com base nos seguintes critérios de inclusão: disponibilidade do texto completo, publicação em inglês e clareza nos detalhes metodológicos utilizados. Estudos têm demonstrado que a anatomia do seio maxilar deve ser investigada antes do planejamento dos implantes na região posterior da maxila, a fim de diagnosticar a presença de patologias sinusais, a presença de septos e pneumatização. É importante ressaltar que a elevação do seio maxilar é um procedimento que apresenta bons resultados, apresentando poucas complicações no pós-operatório. Além disso, a tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico deve ser o exame de imagem de primeira escolha quando este procedimento for indicado para a instalação de implantes dentários.
Multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of ossifying fibroma: Case report
Authors: Colombo Luara Teixeira , Jesus Laís Kawamata de , Santos Ana Flávia Piquera , Hadad Henrique , Martins Everton Pontes , Garcia Júnior Idelmo Rangel , Souza Francisley Ávila
Published: October 2020

Ossifying fibroma is a type of fibro-bone lesion characterized by asymptomatic volumetric increase, of slow evolution, which can reach large dimensions resulting in facial asymmetry, causing tooth displacement and functional impairment of the stomatognathic system structures. The purpose of this article was to the clinical report a case of a female patient, seen at the University Clinic, with a complaint of a volumetric increase in the right mandibular region with an evolution of approximately 1 (one) year. Before the total excision of the lesion, an incisional biopsy was performed with the diagnosis of ossifying fibroma. Due to the proportions of the lesion, the patient presented dysphagia, which resulted in an anemic condition, requiring normalization of the condition prior to the total excision of the lesion.
After 6 months of follow-up, the patient showed significant improvement in the shape and function of the operated region, in addition to the nutritional deficiency. The assessment of the patient's nutritional status is extremely important, should not be neglected, since malnutrition is directly linked to the evolution of the disease, and interferes with postoperative recovery.
Dental curing light: non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation and its possible genotoxic effects
Authors: Sousa Michele de Sampaio , Silva Laryssa Roque da , Ferreira Danniel Cabral Leão , Amaral Fabrício Pires Moura do , Marques Rosemarie Brandim , Maia Filho Antonio Luiz Martins
Published: October 2020

Objective: In this scientific study, we aimed to evaluate genotoxic effects in rats (Rattus norvegicus), related to different periods of exposures to the LED curing light. Methodology: For the genotoxicity evaluation, the rats received lights from the LED photopolymerizer for 40 sec, 10 min and 7-and-a-half minutes, while the negative and positive control groups were treated with distilled water and cyclophosphamide by intraperitoneal, respectively. A sample of peripheral blood was collected from the animals for the comet assay. The bone marrow was collected from each rat for the micronucleus test. Results: It was observed that in the comet assay and micronucleus test, the animals exposed to LED for 10 min, showed genotoxic damage, and they have not presented toxicity degree in the periods of 40 sec and 7-and-a-half minutes. Conclusion: It is possible to conclude that, there was genotoxic effects on the animals' teeth when exposed to the LED curing light in 10 min. However, in the periods of 40 sec, and 7- and-a-half minutes, have been not observed genotoxic effects. This means these times are safe for professional dentists in clinical care.
Método de utilização do Fuzzy Logic Toolbox do software MATLAB para modelagem matemática de variáveis biométricas e nutricionais da cultura da soja
Authors: Góes Bruno César , Goes Renato Jaqueto , Cremasco Camila Pires , Gabriel Filho Luís Roberto Almeida
Published: October 2020

A lógica fuzzy foi introduzida no meio científico na década de 1960 pelo então matemático Lotif Asker Zadeh. Seu conceito baseia-se na abordagem do princípio da incerteza não probabilística, composta de subjetividade e imprecisão nos termos linguísticos da informação, atribuindo valores para o grau de pertinência entre 0 e 1. A lógica fuzzy está presente nos mais diversos campos de atuação, desde construção de aeronaves à ampla utilização na área médica. Dessa forma, seu uso vem se intensificando no campo das ciências agrárias, dado possuir maior grau de acerto em relação aos modelos estatísticos, realizados de experimentos agronômicos. O objetivo foi realizar uma descrição didática da metodologia fuzzy utilizada para construção de um sistema fuzzy aplicado na cultura da soja cultivada em sistema plantio direto. Para modelagem foi utilizado o software MATLAB R2019a, no qual foi realizado “print” da tela de cada passo durante a construção do modelo, de modo a contribuir para ampla divulgação dos sistemas fuzzy nas ciências agrárias.
Shevchenko in perception of ‘little russian’ environment of the 19th century
Authors: Kharchuk Roxana
Published: October 2020

The paper deals with the perception of Shevchenko’s works in the ‘Little Russian’ environment of the 19th century. The interpretations within this social group may be defined as profane because its representatives treated Shevchenko exclusively in the limits of ethnography and as a poet of the common people, while his artistic, national, and political significance was obscured. The author refers to private, public, and secret documents. These are P. Seletskyi’s memoirs; P. Galagan’s journal; the correspondence of K. Kersten with her cousin, member of Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood O. Markovych; M. Rigelman’s polemical paper on Ukrainophilism; T. Florynskyi’s work on Ukrainian language and Ukrainian literary separatism; the notes on the Ukrainophile movement by M. Yuzefovych. The following spectrum of ‘Little Russian’ discourse regarding Shevchenko has been defined: ambivalent attitude (P. Seletskyi); an attempt to combine respect for Shevchenko with loyalty to the Russian emperor and empire (H. Galagan); strictly negative and arrogant attitude (K. Kersten); attempts to separate Shevchenko from Ukrainophilism, Ukrainian language and literature (M. Rigelman and T. Florynskyi), understanding of Shevchenko as a creator of Ukrainophilism (M. Yuzefovych). The presence of the poet’s name in reports to the 3rd Department indicates that apprehending Ukrainian separatism, the Russian imperial structures traditionally treated Shevchenko at the political level, just like issues of the Ukrainian language, culture or education. In the context of prohibitions concerning Ukrainian language and culture, the ‘Little Russian’ discourse of interpreting Shevchenko was inevitably politicized and became identified with the imperial one.
Evaluation of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio and Mean Platelet Volume in Patients with Hypothyroidism
Authors: Pekgör Selma , Eryılmaz Mehmet Ali , Kaya İbrahim Fuat Kayıhan
Published: October 2020

Aim: Our aim was the evaluation of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume levels in the patient and control groups with hypothyroidism.

Methods: Our study was conducted with 111 participants; 68 patients and 43 healthy individuals as the control group. Thyroid hormones, lipid panel and hemogram levels of the participants were examined. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume levels were calculated.

Results: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume levels were similar between the patients with subclinical and overt hypothyroidism and the control group. A positive correlation was found between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet lymphocyte ratio. A negative correlation was found between platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume. While there was no relationship between thyroid stimulating hormone and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume; a negative correlation was found between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and free thyroxine.

Conclusion: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume levels were similar in the hypothyroidism and control groups. We believe that prospective studies that evaluate neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume together with other inflammatory parameters are needed to predict the risk of microinflammation and cardiovascular disease in patients with hypothyroidism.

Keywords: Neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, mean platelet volume, hypothyroidism
DERMOID CYST OF FRONTO-ZYGOMATIC REGION IN A PAEDIATRIC PATIENT – A CASE REPORT
Authors: V ASHWIN , p ANBUMANI , .NARWADE PALLAVI UDDHAV
Published: October 2020

A one year old female patient was brought with a chief complaint of localized pain and a slow growing swelling with relation to the left eye region which was diagnosed as dermoid cyst involving the supraorbital rim. Complete surgical excision was done and postoperative follow up revealed resolution of symptoms along with aesthetic healing of surgical scar.

Key Words :
Dermoid cyst– Periorbital region– excision– cortical expansion
Root Handling Affects Carboxylates Exudation and Phosphate Uptake of White Lupin Roots
Authors: Tiziani Raphael , Mimmo Tanja , Valentinuzzi Fabio , Pii Youry , Celletti Silvia , Cesco Stefano
Published: October 2020

The reliable quantification of root exudation and nutrient uptake is a very challenging task, especially when considering single root segments. Most methods used necessitate root handling e.g. root dissecting/cutting. However, there is a knowledge gap on how much these techniques affect root physiology. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the effect of different root handling techniques on the phosphate (Pi) uptake and carboxylate exudation of white lupin roots. White lupin plants were grown hydroponically in a full and Pi-deficient nutrient solution for 60 days. Phosphate uptake and carboxylate exudation of cluster and non-cluster roots were measured using custom made cells 1, 4, and 8 h after the onset of light. Three different experimental set-ups were used: i) without cutting the root apparatus from the shoots, nor dissecting the root into smaller root sections — named intact plant (IP); ii) separating the roots from the shoots, without dissecting the root into smaller sections — named intact root (IR); iii) separating the roots form the shoots and dissecting the roots in different sections—named dissected roots (DR). The sampling at 8 h led to the most significant alterations of the root Pi uptake induced by the sampling method. Generally, roots were mainly affected by the DR sampling method, indicating that results of studies in which roots are cut/dissected should be interpreted carefully. Additionally, the study revealed that the root tip showed a very high Pi uptake rate, suggesting that the tip could act as a Pi sensor. Citrate, malate and lactate could be detected in juvenile, mature and senescent cluster root exudation. We observed a significant effect of the handling method on carboxylate exudation only at sampling hours 1 and 8, although no clear and distinctive trend could be observed. Results here presented reveal that the root handling as well as the sampling time point can greatly influence root physiology and therefore should not be neglected when interpreting rhizosphere dynamics.
Accuracies of Genomic Prediction for Growth Traits at Weaning and Yearling Ages in Yak
Authors: Ge Fei , Jia Congjun , Bao Pengjia , Wu Xiaoyun , Liang Chunnian , Yan Ping
Published: October 2020

Genomic selection is a promising breeding strategy that has been used in considerable numbers of breeding projects due to its highly accurate results. Yak are rare mammals that are remarkable because of their ability to survive in the extreme and harsh conditions predominantly at the so-called “roof of the world”—the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. In the current study, we conducted an exploration of the feasibility of genomic evaluation and compared the predictive accuracy of early growth traits with five different approaches. In total, four growth traits were measured in 354 yaks, including body weight, withers height, body length, and chest girth in two early stages of development (weaning and yearling). Genotyping was implemented using the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip. The predictive accuracy was calculated through five-fold cross-validation in five classical statistical methods including genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and four Bayesian methods. Body weights at 30 months in the same yak population were also measured to evaluate the prediction at 6 months. The results indicated that the predictive accuracy for the early growth traits of yak ranged from 0.147 to 0.391. Similar performance was found for the GBLUP and Bayesian methods for most growth traits. Among the Bayesian methods, Bayes B outperformed Bayes A in the majority of traits. The average correlation coefficient between the prediction at 6 months using different methods and observations at 30 months was 0.4. These results indicate that genomic prediction is feasible for early growth traits in yak. Considering that genomic selection is necessary in yak breeding projects, the present study provides promising reference for future applications.
Mutually Isomeric 2- and 4-(3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pyrimidines Inspired by an Antimycobacterial Screening Hit: Synthesis and Biological Activity against the ESKAPE Panel of Pathogens
Authors: Chuprun Sergey , Dar’in Dmitry , Rogacheva Elizaveta , Kraeva Liudmila , Levin Oleg , Manicheva Olga , Dogonadze Marine , Vinogradova Tatiana , Bakulina Olga , Krasavin Mikhail
Published: October 2020

Starting from the structure of antimycobacterial screening hit OTB-021 which was devoid of activity against ESKAPE pathogens, we designed, synthesized and tested two mutually isomeric series of novel simplified analogs, 2- and 4-(3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pyrimidines, bearing various amino side chains. These compounds demonstrated a reverse bioactivity profile being inactive against M. tuberculosis while inhibiting the growth of all ESKAPE pathogens (with variable potency patterns) except for Gram-negative P. aeruginosa. Reduction potentials (E1/2, V) measured for selected compounds by cyclic voltammetry were tightly grouped in the −1.3–−1.1 V range for a reversible single-electron reduction. No apparent correlation between the E1/2 values and the ESKAPE minimum inhibitory concentrations was established, suggesting possible significance of other factors, besides the compounds’ reduction potential, which determine the observed antibacterial activity. Generally, more negative E1/2 values were displayed by 2-(3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pyrimidines, which is in line with the frequently observed activity loss on moving the 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl moiety from position 4 to position 2 of the pyrimidine nucleus.
OPF/PMMA Cage System as an Alternative Approach for the Treatment of Vertebral Corpectomy
Authors: Rezaei Asghar , Giambini Hugo , Miller Alan L. , Liu Xifeng , Elder Benjamin D. , Yaszemski Michael J. , Lu Lichun
Published: October 2020

The spinal column is the most common site for bone metastasis. Vertebral metastases with instability have historically been treated with corpectomy of the affected vertebral body and adjacent intervertebral discs, and have more recently been treated with separation surgery. With demographics shifting towards an elderly population, a less-invasive surgical approach is necessary for the repair of vertebral defects. We modified a previously reported expandable hollow cage composed of an oligo[poly(ethylene glycol) fumarate] (OPF) containment system that could be delivered via a posterior-only approach. Then, the polymer of interest, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement, was injected into the lumen of the cage after expansion to form an OPF/PMMA cage. We compared six different cage formulations to account for vertebral body and defect size, and performed a cage characterization via expansion kinetics and mechanical testing evaluations. Additionally, we investigated the feasibility of the OPF/PMMA cage in providing spine stability via kinematic analyses. The in-vitro placement of the implant using our OPF/PMMA cage system showed improvement and mechanical stability in a flexion motion. The results demonstrated that the formulation and technique presented in the current study have the potential to improve surgical outcomes in minimally invasive procedures on the spine.
The Impact of Vacuum and Convective Drying Parameters on Kinetics, Total Phenolic Content, Carotenoid Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta)
Authors: Bialik Michał , Wiktor Artur , Rybak Katarzyna , Witrowa-Rajchert Dorota , Latocha Piotr , Gondek Ewa
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to investigate the impact of convective and vacuum drying performed at different temperatures on the content of bioactive components of kiwiberry. Dried fruits obtained from Geneva and Weiki cultivars were analyzed for total carotenoid content, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The secondary goal was to establish drying kinetics and to find the best-fitting model for the drying process. The results showed that the highest total carotenoid content was found in Geneva fruits dried by vacuum method and was equal to 39.55–90.27 µg/g dry matter (d.m.). Considering free radical scavenging activity, the best results were also achieved for vacuum dried Geneva cultivar. These samples exhibited EC50 equal to 0.16–0.51 mg d.m./mL and 0.05–0.24 mg d.m./mL as evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. Vacuum drying method usually better preserved the phenolic content of kiwiberry—samples dried at 50 °C did not differ significantly from fresh material. Generally, the shortest drying time was observed for the samples dried at 70 °C regardless of the drying method. Changing the temperature during drying from 80 to 50 and 60 °C did not cause expected benefits regarding chemical property preservation. In most cases, the Midilli et al. model represented the best fit to describe obtained drying kinetics.
Increasing the Energy Efficiency of an Internal Combustion Engine for Ship Propulsion with Bottom ORCs
Authors: Casisi Melchiorre , Pinamonti Piero , Reini Mauro
Published: October 2020

The study examines the option of adding a bottom Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) for energy recovery from an internal combustion engine (ICE) for ship propulsion. In fact, energy recovery from the exhaust gas normally rejected to the atmosphere and eventually from the cooling water circuit (usually rejected to the sea) can significantly reduce the fuel consumption of a naval ICE during its operation. In the paper, different possible bottom ORC configurations are considered and simulated using the Aspen® code. Different working fluids are taken into account, jointly with regenerative and two-temperature levels designs. The energy recovery allowed by each solution is evaluated for different engine load, allowing the identification of the most suitable ORC configuration. For the selected case, the preliminary design of the main heat exchangers is carried out and the off-design performance of the whole combined propulsion plant (ICE + ORC) is evaluated, leading to a preliminary analysis of cost saving during normal ship operation. The results of this analysis show an increase in power output of about 10% and an expected Payback Time of less than 6 years.
Signal-Processing Framework for Ultrasound Compressed Sensing Data: Envelope Detection and Spectral Analysis
Authors: Kim Yisak , Park Juyoung , Kim Hyungsuk
Published: October 2020

Acquisition times and storage requirements have become increasingly important in signal-processing applications, as the sizes of datasets have increased. Hence, compressed sensing (CS) has emerged as an alternative processing technique, as original signals can be reconstructed using fewer data samples collected at frequencies below the Nyquist sampling rate. However, further analysis of CS data in both time and frequency domains requires the reconstruction of the original form of the time-domain data, as traditional signal-processing techniques are designed for uncompressed data. In this paper, we propose a signal-processing framework that extracts spectral properties for frequency-domain analysis directly from under-sampled ultrasound CS data, using an appropriate basis matrix, and efficiently converts this into the envelope of a time-domain signal, avoiding full reconstruction. The technique generates more accurate results than the traditional framework in both time- and frequency-domain analyses, and is simpler and faster in execution than full reconstruction, without any loss of information. Hence, the proposed framework offers a new standard for signal processing using ultrasound CS data, especially for small and portable systems handling large datasets.
Biometrics Verification Modality Using Multi-Channel sEMG Wearable Bracelet
Authors: Said Sherif , Karar Abdullah S. , Beyrouthy Taha , Alkork Samer , Nait-ali Amine
Published: October 2020

Electrical biosignals have the potential for use as biometric authenticators, owing to their ability to facilitate liveness detection and concealed nature. In this work, the viability of using surface electromyogram (sEMG) as a biometric modality for users verification is investigated. A database of multi-channel sEMG signals is created using a wearable armband from able-bodied users. Each user used his/her muscles to form a password that consists of a unique combination of specific hand gestures. A total of 18 features are extracted from the signals in order to distinguish between the users. Several features are extracted in the frequency domain after estimating the power spectral density while using the Welch’s method. Specifically, average frequency, signal power, median frequency, Kurtosis, Deciles, coefficient of dissymmetry, and the peak frequency of the sEMG signal are considered. To further increase the accuracy of the classifier, time domain features are also extracted through segmentation of the signal into 10 segments, and then calculating both the root mean square and length of the signal. Several classifiers that are based on K-nearest Neighbors (KNN), Linear Discernment Analysis (LDA), and Ensemble of Classifiers are constructed, trained, and statistically compared, resulting in an average accuracy in 97.4%, 98.3%, and 98.5%, respectively. False acceptance rate (FAR) and False Rejection Rate (FRR) are estimated for each classifier in order to determine the effectiveness of the biometrics verification system. Although the ensemble classifier accuracy was found to be the highest, the results show that the KNN classifier exhibits a FAR of 0.2% and FRR of 2.9%. Thus, the KNN classifier was found to he the optimum classifier after the extraction of all 18 features. This work demonstrates the usefulness of sEMG as a biometric authenticator in user verification.
Contributions of Imaging to Neuromodulatory Treatment of Drug-Refractory Epilepsy
Authors: Foit Niels Alexander , Bernasconi Andrea , Ladbon-Bernasconi Neda
Published: October 2020

Epilepsy affects about 1% of the world’s population, and up to 30% of all patients will ultimately not achieve freedom from seizures with anticonvulsive medication alone. While surgical resection of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -identifiable lesion remains the first-line treatment option for drug-refractory epilepsy, surgery cannot be offered to all. Neuromodulatory therapy targeting “seizures” instead of “epilepsy” has emerged as a valuable treatment option for these patients, including invasive procedures such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), responsive neurostimulation (RNS) and peripheral approaches such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). The purpose of this review is to provide in-depth information on current concepts and evidence on network-level aspects of drug-refractory epilepsy. We reviewed the current evidence gained from studies utilizing advanced imaging methodology, with a specific focus on their contributions to neuromodulatory therapy.
Selinexor Sensitizes TRAIL-R2-Positive TNBC Cells to the Activity of TRAIL-R2xCD3 Bispecific Antibody
Authors: Martini Silvia , Figini Mariangela , Croce Aurora , Frigerio Barbara , Pennati Marzia , Gianni Alessandro Massimo , De Marco Cinzia , Daidone Maria Grazia , Argueta Christian , Landesman Yosef , Zaffaroni Nadia , Satta Alessandro
Published: October 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Recent advances in the immunotherapy field have enabled the development of new treatment strategies, among which the use of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), able to redirect T cells against tumors, has shown promising results. In particular, a BsAb that uses TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2 (TRAIL-R2) as a target was constructed and demonstrated good results in redirecting CD3+ T cells to kill TRAIL-R2-expressing TNBC cells. In the present study, we investigated whether treatment with selinexor, a selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE) targeting exportin-1/chromosome maintenance protein 1 (XPO1/CRM1), could potentiate the antitumor activity of this BsAb. In combination experiments, we found that selinexor-exposed TNBC cells exhibited greater growth inhibition when treated with the TRAIL-R2xCD3 BsAb than that expected by simple additivity. Similarly, the apoptosis rate in selinexor/TRAIL-R2xCD3 BsAb-treated TNBC cells was significantly higher than that observed after exposure to either single agent. Together, our results suggest that the combination of selinexor and TRAIL-R2xCD3 BsAb can be a viable anticancer strategy and indicate this treatment as a promising therapeutic option for TNBC patients.
The Evaluation of Dental Anxiety in Primary School Children: A Cross-Sectional Study from Romania
Authors: Vlad Ramona , Pop Anca Maria , Olah Peter , Monea Monica
Published: October 2020

Current data report that high levels of dental anxiety in children have a negative impact on oral health. The aim of this study was to measure dental anxiety, based on the Abeer Children Dental Anxiety Scale (ACDAS) used as a self-reported measure and to correlate its values with the salivary cortisol levels. The study was conducted in 2019 and included 389 children aged 6–9 years old; evaluation of dental anxiety and saliva sampling were performed. The influence of gender on the presence of dental anxiety was analyzed using Fisher’s exact test, the salivary cortisol level was compared between anxious and non-anxious children and was further correlated with the ACDAS score (p < 0.05). Girls had higher odds of experiencing dental anxiety (odds ratio: 1.533, p = 0.041). Salivary cortisol levels were higher in anxious compared to non-anxious children (median 1.251 vs. 1.091 ng/mL, p < 0.001) and showed a positive moderate correlation with the ACDAS score (r = 0.411, p < 0.001). Children aged 6–9 years have a high prevalence of dental anxiety, with girls being more susceptible to this condition. Salivary cortisol levels are higher in anxious children and correlate positively with the ACDAS score, proving that ACDAS can be used for the detection of dental anxiety.
Simulated Fieldwork: A Virtual Approach to Clinical Education
Authors: Mattila Amy , Martin Retta M. , DeIuliis Elizabeth D.
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate student satisfaction and perceived clinical reasoning and learning using a computer-based simulation platform that incorporates case-based learning principles. The simulation was used to replace a previously scheduled face-to-face clinical rotation which was cancelled due to COVID-19. A descriptive design was used to implement the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience Scale (SSES) with students (n = 27) following each a low fidelity (paper cases) and high fidelity (Simucase™) simulation. A comparison of the SSES data following paper cases and simulation scenarios indicated statistically significant increases in Debrief and Reflection (p = 0.008) and Clinical Reasoning (p = 0.043), suggesting that students develop in-depth reflection, reasoning, and clinical abilities as they progress through their simulated experience.
Automatic Drusen Segmentation for Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Fundus Images Using Deep Learning
Authors: Pham Quang T. M. , Ahn Sangil , Song Su Jeong , Shin Jitae
Published: October 2020

Drusen are the main aspect of detecting age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ophthalmologists can evaluate the condition of AMD based on drusen in fundus images. However, in the early stage of AMD, the drusen areas are usually small and vague. This leads to challenges in the drusen segmentation task. Moreover, due to the high-resolution fundus images, it is hard to accurately predict the drusen areas with deep learning models. In this paper, we propose a multi-scale deep learning model for drusen segmentation. By exploiting both local and global information, we can improve the performance, especially in the early stages of AMD cases.
Nested Kriging with Variable Domain Thickness for Rapid Surrogate Modeling and Design Optimization of Antennas
Authors: Pietrenko-Dabrowska Anna , Koziel Slawomir
Published: October 2020

Design of modern antennas faces numerous difficulties, partially rooted in stringent specifications imposed on both electrical and field characteristics, demands concerning various functionalities (circular polarization, pattern diversity, band-notch operation), but also constraints imposed upon the physical size of the radiators. Conducting the design process at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations, otherwise dictated by reliability, entails considerable computational expenses, which is another and a serious challenge. It is especially pronounced for the procedures involving repetitive EM analyses, e.g., parametric optimization. Utilization of fast surrogate models as a way of mitigating this issue has been fostered in the recent literature. Unfortunately, construction of reliable surrogates for antenna structures is hindered by their highly nonlinear responses and even more by the utility requirements: design-ready models are to be valid over wide ranges of operating conditions and geometry parameters. Recently proposed performance-driven modeling, especially the nested kriging framework, addresses these difficulties by confining the surrogate model domain to a region that encapsulates the designs being optimum with respect to the relevant figures of interest. The result is a dramatic reduction of the number of training samples needed to render a usable model. This paper introduces a variable-thickness domain, which is an important advancement over the basic nested kriging. The major benefit demonstrated using two antenna examples is a further and significant (up to seventy percent) reduction of the training data acquisition cost. It is achieved while ensuring that the model domain covers the regions containing optimum designs for various sets of performance specifications.
Posit Arithmetic Hardware Implementations with The Minimum Cost Divider and SquareRoot
Authors: Xiao Feibao , Liang Feng , Wu Bin , Liang Junzhe , Cheng Shuting , Zhang Guohe
Published: October 2020

As a substitute for the IEEE 754-2008 floating-point standard, Posit, a new kind of number system for floating-point numbers, was put forward recently. Hitherto, some studies have proven that Posit is a better floating-point style than IEEE 754-2008 in some fields. However, most of these studies presented the advantages of Posit from the arithmetical aspect, but none of them suggested it had a better hardware implementation than that of IEEE 754-2008. In this paper, we propose several hardware implementations that contain the Posit adder/subtractor, multiplier, divider, and square root. Our goal is to achieve an arbitrary Posit format and exploit the minimum circuit area, which is required in embedded devices. To implement the minimum circuit area for the divider and square root, the alternating addition and subtraction method is used rather than the Newton–Raphson method. Compared with other works, the area of our divider is about 0.2×–0.7× (FPGA). Furthermore, this paper provides the synthesis results for each critical module with the Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA VC709 platform.
Using a Multi-Level Process Comparison for Process Change Analysis in Cancer Pathways
Authors: Kurniati Angelina Prima , McInerney Ciarán , Zucker Kieran , Hall Geoff , Hogg David , Johnson Owen
Published: October 2020

The area of process change over time is a particular concern in healthcare, where patterns of care emerge and evolve in response to individual patient needs. We propose a structured approach to analyse process change over time that is suitable for the complex domain of healthcare. Our approach applies a qualitative process comparison at three levels of abstraction: a holistic perspective (process model), a middle-level perspective (trace), and a fine-grained detail (activity). Our aim was to detect change points, localise and characterise the change, and unravel/understand the process evolution. We illustrate the approach using a case study of cancer pathways in Leeds where we found evidence of change points identified at multiple levels. In this paper, we extend our study by analysing the miners used in process discovery and providing a deeper analysis of the activity of investigation in trace and activity levels. In the experiment, we show that this qualitative approach provides a useful understanding of process change over time. Examining change at three levels provides confirmatory evidence of process change where perspectives agree, while contradictory evidence can lead to focused discussions with domain experts. This approach should be of interest to others dealing with processes that undergo complex change over time.
Clustering of Six Key Risk Behaviors for Chronic Disease among Adolescent Females
Authors: Gardner Lauren A. , Champion Katrina E. , Parmenter Belinda , Grummitt Lucinda , Chapman Cath , Sunderland Matthew , Thornton Louise , McBride Nyanda ,   The Health4Life Team, Newton Nicola C.
Published: October 2020

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of disability and mortality globally. In Australia, females are at heightened risk. This research explored the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of six key risk behaviors (physical inactivity, poor diet, recreational screen time, inadequate sleep, alcohol use, and smoking) among adolescent females and whether knowledge of health guidelines was associated with adherence. Adolescent females completed an anonymous online questionnaire (N = 687; Mage = 13.82). Logistic regression assessed the association between knowledge and adherence. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and three-step procedure identified risk behavior clusters and their correlates. Despite positive health self-ratings (77% good/very good), most participants reported insufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 89%), vegetable intake (89%), and excessive screen time (63%). Knowledge of guidelines was associated with adherence for MVPA, vegetable intake, sleep, and alcohol abstinence. Three classes emerged: “moderate risk” (76%), “relatively active, healthy eaters” (19%), and “excessive screen users” (5%). These risk-behavior clusters were associated with perceived value of academic achievement and physical wellbeing. Adolescent females commonly perceive they are in good health, despite engaging in unhealthy behaviors. Public health interventions should utilize effective behavior change strategies, adopt a multiple health behavior change approach (MHBC), and be tailored to specific risk profiles and values among females.
Cross-Sectional Seroepidemiologic Study of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among Close Contacts, Children, and Migrant Workers in Shanghai
Authors: Xu Shuang-Fei , Lu Yi-Han , Zhang Tao , Xiong Hai-Yan , Wang Wei-Bing
Published: October 2020

(1) Background: Along with an increasing risk caused by migrant workers returning to the urban areas for the resumption of work and production and growing epidemiological evidence of possible transmission during the incubation period, a study of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is warranted among key populations to determine the serum antibody against the SARS-CoV-2 and the carrying status of SARS-CoV-2 to identify potential asymptomatic infection and to explore the risk factors. (2) Method: This is a cross-sectional seroepidemiologic study. Three categories of targeted populations (close contacts, migrant workers who return to urban areas for work, and school children) will be included in this study as they are important for case identification in communities. A multi-stage sampling method will be employed to acquire an adequate sample size. Assessments that include questionnaires and blood, nasopharyngeal specimens, and feces collection will be performed via home-visit survey. (3) Ethics and Dissemination: The study was approved by the Institute Review Board of School of Public Health, Fudan University (IRB#2020-04-0818). Before data collection, written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The manuscripts from this work will be submitted for publication in quality peer-reviewed journals and presented at national or international conferences.
Ecological Engineering for the Optimisation of the Land-Based Marine Aquaculture of Coastal Shellfish
Authors: Philippart Catharina J. M. , Dethmers Kiki E. M. , van der Molen Johan , Seinen André
Published: October 2020

Whilst the demand for nutritious and sustainable seafood is increasing, fishing yields are declining due to overfishing and climate change. The inshore aquaculture of marine molluscs—e.g., the suspension-feeding cockle Cerastoderma edule for NW Europe—might be an alternative practice if cost-effective and nature-based technology enhances growth and survival. Our inshore experiments revealed that increasing the seawater residence time resulted in improved water quality. The reduction in sediment loads and stimulation of pelagic microalgal growth resulted in enhanced shell growth and meat content of the wild cockles seeded into the system. Shorter residence times resulted also in an increase in benthic microalgae, but the concurrent increase in silt content of the sediment appeared to hamper effective filtration by cockles. The growth conditions (with respect to the water and sediment quality) for the inshore cultivation of cockles can indeed be improved by means of ecological engineering, suggesting that the inshore aquaculture of marine shellfish can provide sustainable food and income for coastal communities, in particular when the shellfish farms are located in low-lying salinized coastal areas where common agriculture practices are no longer profitable. The involvement of the shellfishery industry was and will be crucial for studying and understanding the complex practice of cockle cultivation.
Prevention of Unintended Appearance in Photos Based on Human Behavior Analysis
Authors: Kaihoko Yuhi , Tan Phan Xuan , Kamioka Eiji
Published: October 2020

Nowadays, with smartphones, people can easily take photos, post photos to any social networks, and use the photos for various purposes. This leads to a social problem that unintended appearance in photos may threaten the facial privacy of photographed people. Some solutions to protect facial privacy in photos have already been proposed. However, most of them rely on different techniques to de-identify photos which can be done only by photographers, giving no choice to photographed person. To deal with that, we propose an approach that allows a photographed person to proactively detect whether someone is intentionally/unintentionally trying to take pictures of him. Thereby, he can have appropriate reaction to protect the facial privacy. In this approach, we assume that the photographed person uses a wearable camera to record the surrounding environment in real-time. The skeleton information of likely photographers who are captured in the monitoring video is then extracted and put into the calculation of dynamic programming score which is eventually compared with a threshold for recognition of photo-taking behavior. Experimental results demonstrate that by using the proposed approach, the photo-taking behavior is precisely recognized with high accuracy of 92.5%.