bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Qualitative Study: Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Indonesia (After Universal Health Coverage Implementation)
Authors: Icanervilia Ajeng Viska , Choridah Lina , Asselt Antoinette D.I. , Vervoort Johanna P.M , Postma Maarten J. , Rengganis Anggraeni Ayu , Kardinah Kardinah
Published: October 2021

ObjectivesEarly detection is of vital importance in breast cancer management. BPJS Kesehatan, as Indonesia’s national health insurance, is expected to provide an adequate health service for breast cancer patients. This study aimed to obtain insight into the current conditions of health care services in Indonesia, related to early detection of breast cancer, particularly after BPJS Kesehatan implementation. MethodsThe study was conducted in 2017 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia with a wide range of socio-demographic backgrounds. Subjects comprised breast cancer patients and their relatives, health care professionals (HCPs), and healthy women from the general population who had no history of breast cancer and no family members with breast cancer. The subjects’ experiences and knowledge of health care services regarding early detection of breast cancer, were investigated through in-depth interviews. The thematic analysis guided the result synthesis from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 25 participants.ResultsDespite more patients with earlier stages presenting in high level of care after the implementation of universal coverage, this study identified the lack of both screening as well as diagnostic procedures as a prominent obstacle in breast cancer management. Study results indicated a lack of knowledge and misperception among the community about breast cancer screening. Also, problems in implementing early diagnosis were revealed such as the lack of urgency and access for patients to get a proper diagnostic procedure. Furthermore, varying adherence to the guidelines in all levels of care were found. ConclusionsThis study identified several issues that cause delay in the detection of breast cancer in Indonesia. All these factors lead to suboptimal breast cancer management. BPJS Kesehatan (the national health insurance) must focus its attention on the improvement of enabling factors in all levels of care for early detection (i.e. increasing awareness, access, referral system and facilities).
Tenecteplase in Pulmonary Embolism Patients: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Zhang Zhu , Xi Linfeng , Zhang Shuai , Zhang Yunxia , Fan Guohui , Tao Xincao , Gao Qian , Xie Wanmu , Yang Peiran , Zhai Zhenguo , Wang Chen
Published: October 2021

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of tenecteplase in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS: We completed the literature search on May 31, 2021 using PubMed, EMBASE and the Web of Science. Analyses were conducted according to PE risk stratification, study design and duration of follow-up. The pooled risk ratios (RRs) and its 95% confident intervals (CIs) for death and major bleeding were calculated using a random-effect model.RESULTS: A total of six studies, with four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two cohort studies, were included in this study out of the 160 studies retrieved. For patients with high-risk PE, tenecteplase increased 30-day survival rate (16% vs 6%; P=0.005) and did not increase the incidence of bleeding (6% vs 5%; P=0.73). For patients with intermediate-risk PE, four RCTs suggested that tenecteplase reduced right ventricular insufficiency at 24h early in the onset and the incidence of hemodynamic failure without affecting mortality in a short/long-term [<30 days RR=0.83, 95% CI (0.47, 1.46);≥30 days RR=1.04, 95% CI (0.88, 1.22)]. However, tenecteplase was associated with high bleeding risk [<30 days RR=1.79, 95% CI (1.61, 2.00); ≥30 days RR=1.28, 95% CI (0.62, 2.64)].CONCLUSIONS: Tenecteplase may represent a promising candidate for patients with intermediate/high risk PE. Furthermore, tenecteplase may be preferable in the COVID-19 pandemic due to its all-at-once administration.
Maclaurin's series expansions of real powers of inverse (hyperbolic) cosine and sine functions with applications
Authors: Qi Feng
Published: October 2021

In the paper, by means of the Faa di Bruno formula, with the help of explicit formulas for special values of the Bell polynomials of the second kind with respect to a specific sequence, and by virtue of two combinatorial identities containing the Stirling numbers of the first kind, the author establishes Maclaurin's series expansions for real powers of the inverse cosine (sine) function and the inverse hyperbolic cosine (sine) function. By applying different series expansions for the square of the inverse cosine function, the author not only finds infinite series representations of the circular constant Pi and its square, but also derives two combinatorial identities involving central binomial coefficients.
Effects of Vertical Nonlinearity on the Superconducting Gravimeter CT #036 at Ishigakijima, Japan
Authors: Imanishi Yuichi , Nawa Kazunari , Tamura Yoshiaki , Ikeda Hiroshi
Published: October 2021

One of the characteristic features of the gravity recordings produced by the superconducting gravimeter CT #036 at Ishigakijima, Japan, is that it indicates gravity increase when a typhoon (hurricane) approaches the island. Since we are trying to detect small gravity signals associated with the long-term slow slip events in this region, it is very important in the interpretation of the observed data whether such gravity changes are of natural or instrumental origin. In this paper, we investigate whether or not nonlinearity in the sensor of the superconducting gravimeter is responsible for this phenomenon. Here we take the same theoretical approach as taken by Imanishi et al. (2018) which investigated the effect of coupling between horizontal and vertical components of the gravity sensor in order to understand the noise caused by the movements of a nearby VLBI antenna. From theoretical and experimental approaches, we prove that the gravity increase observed by CT #036 at the times of high background noise level can not be explained by instrumental effects such as the nonlinearity in the vertical component or the coupling between horizontal and vertical components of the gravity sensor. This implies that the observed gravity increases are real gravity signals of natural origin.
An assessment of exposure to benzene, toluene and xylene in a group of South African petroleum refinery workers.
Authors: Matatiele Puleng , Dabula Boitumelo , Kgarebe Boitumelo
Published: October 2021

Biomonitoring of exposure to benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) was conducted in a group of 29 petroleum refinery workers in South Africa. Post shift urine samples from 21 males and 8 females over a period of four years (2010 to 2013 inclusive) were received from one petroleum refinery. The samples were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and liquid-liquid extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for phenol, o-cresol and methylhippuric acid which are biomarkers of exposure to benzene, toluene and xylene, respectively. Benzene and xylene results were well within the recommended exposure levels with the exception of one worker in 2013 with an elevated phenol exposure level. A few workers (< 40%) were found to be randomly overexposed to toluene, with 17% of the workers exhibiting higher than the biological exposure index. No difference was observed in exposure with regard to age and gender (p>0.05), except in 2012 where females were more exposed to benzene than their male counterparts (p=0.003). Differences in exposure were found among the three exposure categories (low, medium and high exposure), for both xylene and benzene exposure in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Friedman’s ANOVA showed that over the four years of monitoring, the workers were exposed to variable levels of BTX (p < 0.05). Random individual overexposure to toluene and an anomaly for benzene were noted. Biomonitoring of petroleum workers and proper assessment of the health risks and planning for adequate health protection are highly recommended for this group of workers.
Characteristics of coarse woody debris in the «Vepssky Forest» reserve, a reference of primeval middle boreal forests
Authors: Шорохова М.А. , Березин Г.В. , Капица Е.А. , Шорохова Е.В.
Published: October 2021

Для разработки стратегии управления крупными древесными остатками с целью восстановления биологического разнообразия и экосистемных функций интенсивно эксплуатируемых лесов необходимо знать эталонные характеристики крупных древесных остатков, т. е. их характеристики в лесах, не затронутых хозяйственной деятельностью в течение продолжительного времени. В коренных лесах естественные нарушения (пожары, ветровалы и вспышки размножения насекомых) приводят к образованию значительных объемов крупных древесных остатков. Исследования осуществляли в 2020 г. в лесном массиве резервата «Вепсский лес», расположенного на Вепсовской возвышенности, в восточной части Ленинградской области. Учет крупных древесных остатков проводили на 74 круговых пробных площадях по 0,1 га, заложенных регулярно и представляющих собой разнообразие возрастных и динамических состояний древостоев резервата. Оценены запасы крупных древесных остатков (КДО) в массиве коренных среднетаежных лесов резервата «Вепсский лес». Общий запас крупных древесных остатков на всех круговых пробных площадях (7,4 га) составил 14456 м3, варьируя от 30 м3га-1 до 532 м3га-1, составляя в среднем 195 м3га-1. Наибольший запас КДО, в среднем 231 м3га-1, отмечен в ельниках черничных на дренированных суглинках. Преобладающую часть составляли КДО ели (Picea abies) 2-го и 3-го классов разложения. Ветровальная динамика древостоев массива резервата «Вепсский лес» обусловила структуру пула КДО, который представлен, в основном, валежом и зависшими деревьями. Значительные запасы КДО, их разнообразие по древесным породам, категориям (положению субстрата) и степени разложения позволяет предположить наличие редких ксилофильных видов и высокое разнообразие ксилофильных сообществ в лесном массиве «Вепсский лес».

Developing sustainable forest management strategy targeted to preserve biodiversity and forest ecosystem functions in managed forests requires knowledge of the characteristics of coarse woody debris in primeval (reference) forests. Natural disturbances such as fires, windthrows, and insect outbreaks cause significant tree stand mortality and consequently lead to the high input of coarse woody debris (CWD) [in primeval forests]. The study was carried out in 2020 in the «Vepssky Forest» reserve, which is situated in the eastern part of Leningrad region, Russia. The data were collected from 74 permanent circular sample plots (0.1 ha each). The tree stands were variable in terms of tree age structure, species composition, site type, and stage of successional dynamics. The stocks and diversity of CWD were evaluated in primeval forest ecosystems of the «Vepssky Forest» reserve. The volume of CWD varied from 30 to 532 m3ha-1, and averaged 195 m3ha-1. The highest amounts of CWD were found in the forest stands of Myrtillosum type (mean 231 m3ha-1). Norway spruce (Picea abies) CWD in the second and third decay classes had the highest share of all CWD volume.
VASYLVASYLIOVYCH ANDRIYEVSKY DURING THE PERIOD OFTHE UKRAINIAN REVOLUTION IN 1917-1921 IN CHERNIHIV REGION (based on the materials of Vasyl Andriyevsky’s archive-investigation file)
Authors: Vlasenko V. M. , Kurinnoy A. S.
Published: October 2021

The lack of the scientific literature concerning Vasyl Vasyliovych Andriyevsky’s
participation in the Ukrainian revolution in 1917-1921 in Chernihiv region is stated. His surname (as the leader of such immigrant organizations as Ukrainian Society
Prosvita, Ukrainian Community, the Union of Ukrainian Organizations in Yogoslavia) is
mentioned in solitary publications about the Ukrainian political immigration in the period between two world wars. The documents and materials of Vasyl Andriyevsky’s archiveinvestigation file used by the authors are kept in the Sectoral State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine. They are representational and fill the gap in the issue concerning his participation in the revolutionary events in Chernihiv region in 1917-1921. The main directions of Vasyl Andriyevsky’s activities while holding the positions of the commissar in Borzna county and the instructor-organizer of the Ukrainian National Rada in Sosnytsia county are covered.
The attention to Vasyl Andriyevsky’s participation in the Ukrainian province (Chernihiv) and county congresses (Borzna, Novgorod-Siversky, Sosnytsia), in relevant Ukrainian committees, in founding the detachments of “Ukrainian free Cossacks” is updated. His work in the institutions that ensured functioning of the Labour Congress in Kyiv is emphasized. Vasyl Andriyevsky’s achievements in the field of creative writing and journalism are characterized. The information concerning his publications on the pages of such periodical issues as “Ohni”, “Mayak”, “Muraveinik” (Kyiv) and “Chernihivska Zemska Hazeta” is mentioned. In the author’s opinion the studies of Vasyl Andriyevsky’s immigration period, participation in the immigrant unifying movement and literature efforts are promising.
Effects of Rootstock, Tree Density and Training System on Early Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Blush Pear
Authors: McClymont Lexie , Goodwin Ian , Whitfield Desmond , O’Connell Mark , Turpin Susanna
Published: October 2021

Vegetative growth, orchard productivity, fruit quality and marketable yield were evaluated for rootstock (D6, BP1 and Quince A), tree density (741–4444 trees/ha), and training system (Open Tatura trellis, two-dimensional vertical and three-dimensional traditional) effects on young trees of the blush pear cultivar ‘ANP-0131’. ‘ANP-0131’ is a vigorous scion and vegetative growth, precocity, and yield were influenced by the selected rootstocks. Tree density and training system treatments exerted a substantial effect on canopy radiation interception while increasing tree density improved yield. Increasing tree density from 2222 (high density) to 4444 (ultra-high density) trees/ha did not improve cumulative yield. Crop load affected fruit size, such that “marketable” yield (yield of fruit weighing between 150 and 260 g) was greatest for trees on D6 rootstock and trained to Open Tatura trellis at high and ultra-high densities.
Improving resistance properties of high-speed ships
Authors: K.Turgut Gürsel
Published: October 2021

Sustainable engineering solutions facilitate and/or force the use of energy more efficiently and, thus, reducing the carbon emission to the atmosphere. This study is related to improving resistance properties of ships, especially in the high speed range, in which they consume large amount of fuels. In this investigation, the model of the Kriso Container Ship (KCS) was taken as the basis to be studied and she was hydrodynamically analysed through the commercial software STAR-CCM+. After the successful validation of the results obtained in these computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses by those of the experiments of this model published in [1], the simulations carried out on the models equipped with stern flaps and a combination of stern flaps and interceptors for reducing resistance of the models, were performed in the same manner using the same software. Then the results obtained in all analyses were discussed by comparing those with the test ones.
Overview of the innovative heat exchangers technologies
Authors: Elena Rita Avram
Published: October 2021

The current paper analyzed the new trends and challenges in heat exchanger technologies. The progress of the studies on mini and micro devices used in industry are presented. Particular attention is paid to the heat exchangers used in marine and chemical industries where the resistance to heat transfer increases due to the fouling or scaling. In the industry, there are very important the reduction in the size of devices, and the micro heat exchangers, due to its variety of advantages offered, are well recognized for their higher performance. The applications of them are ranging from process control to military applications. New engineering approaches for modeling the heat and fluid flow processes in micro heat exchangers are analyzed in the present paper. One of these is based on the dimensional analysis and principles of similitude theory that allow the modeling of microscale systems using a physical system at the mini scale. There are identified constant relationships between dimensions permitting the analysis of the fluid flow through micro channels.
Brain‑derived neurotrophic factor and nitric oxide contribute to protective effects of rosiglitazone on learning and memory in hypothyroid rats
Authors: Baghcheghi Yousef , Beheshti Farimah , Salmani Hossein , Hosseini Mahmoud
Published: October 2021

The effects of the well‑known peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist rosiglitazone (Rosi) on brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nitric oxide (NO), and learning and memory were investigated in hypothyroid rats. Hypothyroidism was induced in immature Wistar rats by administration of propylthiouracil in drinking water. Rats were divided\\r\\ninto four groups: control, hypothyroid, and hypothyroid treated with Rosi at doses of 2 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg. Memory was then assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tests. Following anesthetization, brain samples were collected for biochemical measurements. Hypothyroidism increased the escape latency and traveled path in the learning trials\\r\\nof the MWM and decreased the time spent and the distance traveled in the target quadrant on the probe day. Hypothyroidism also impaired the avoidance behavior of rats in the PA test. Rosi improved the performance of rats in both MWM and PA tasks. Hypothyroidism also decreased hippocampal BDNF levels, increased NO metabolites, and induced oxidative damage in the brain.\\r\\nTreatment of hypothyroid rats with both doses of Rosi increased BDNF levels and decreased NO metabolites and malondialdehyde concentrations. In addition, thiol content and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were increased in the brain regions of hypothyroid rats receiving Rosi. The administration of 4 mg/kg Rosi also significantly increased serum thyroxin levels. The results of the present study showed that BDNF and NO play a role in the protective effects of Rosi against learning and memory impairment in hypothyroid rats.
The immune system and autism spectrum disorder: association and therapeutic challenges
Authors: Heidari Arash , Rostam-Abadi Yasna , Rezaei Nima
Published: October 2021

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting communication and behavior. Historically, ASD had been described as a purely psychiatric disorder with genetic factors playing the most critical role. Recently, a growing body of literature has been emphasizing the importance of environmental and immunological factors in its pathogenesis, with the autoimmune process attracting the most attention. This study provides a review of the autoimmune involvement in the pathogenesis of ASD. The\r\nmicrobiome, the representative of the innate immune system in the central nervous system (CNS), plays a critical role in triggering inflammation. Besides, a bidirectional communicational pathway between the CNS and the intestine called the gut‑brain‑axis is linked to the development of ASD. Moreover, the higher plasma level of pro‑inflammatory cytokines in ASD patients and the higher prevalence of autoimmune disorders in the first‑degree family members of affected persons are other clues of the immune system involvement in\r\nthe pathogenesis of ASD. Furthermore, some anti‑inflammatory drugs, including resveratrol and palmitoylethanolamide have shown promising effects by relieving the manifestations of ASD. Although considerable advances have been made in elucidating the role of autoimmunity in the ASD pathogenesis, further studies with stronger methodologies are needed to apply the knowledge to the definitive treatment of ASD.
Estrogen receptor agonists induce anti‑edema effects by altering α and β estrogen receptor gene expression
Authors: Khaksari Mohammad , Hajializadeh Zahra , Mahani Saeed , Soltani Zahra , Asadikaram Gholamreza
Published: October 2021

The present study aimed to examine whether the attenuation of estrogen receptor expression is prevented by propyl pyrazole triol (PPT), an agonist for estrogen receptor α (ERα) or and diarypropiolnitrile (DPN), an agonist for estrogen receptor β (ERβ) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The tests performed on ovariectomized female Wistar rats included sham group, vehicle group, and treated groups: PPT, DPN, and PPT+DPN 30 minutes after TBI. Blood‑brain barrier (BBB) disruption and brain water content were estimated. RT‑PCR and\r\nwestern blotting were utilized to evaluate ESR1 and ESR2 gene and protein expression. The data indicated that PPT, DPN, and PPT+DPN attenuated TBI‑induced brain edema. Also, BBB disruption after TBI was prevented in PPT, DPN, and PPT+DPN‑treated TBI animals. Estrogen agonist‑treated animals showed a significant elevation in Esr1 mRNA and protein expression levels in the brain tissue of TBI rats. In addition, the data indicated a significant elevation of Esr2 mRNA and protein expression levels in the brain tissue of estrogen agonist‑treated TBI rats. The data shows that both ESR1 and ESR2 agonists can enhance ER mRNA and protein levels in TBI animals’ brain. It appears that this effect contributes to the neuroprotective function of ER agonists.
A national survey of orthodontists in Malaysia and their use of functional appliances for Class II malocclusions
Authors: Bahar Aufa Dahlia , Kamarudin Yasmin , Chadwick Stephen
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of functional appliances by the currently practising orthodontists in Malaysia. The objectives were to identify the different types of functional appliances used by Malaysian orthodontists and to investigate the variation in treatment protocols when attempting growth modification.

Methods

An online questionnaire consisting of 24 open-ended and multiple-choice questions was emailed to members of the Malaysian Association of Orthodontists (MAO) (n = 183). The survey was based on a previous study conducted by members of the British Orthodontic Society and was modified to suit the Malaysian population. The data were analysed using SPSS to generate frequency tables and descriptive statistics.

Results

Seventy-two responses were received from current Malaysian orthodontists. Of the respondents, 71% practised in a government setting and 29% were in private practice. The Clark Twin Block was the most frequently used functional appliance by 90% of Malaysian orthodontists. Many of the respondents (57%) prescribed full-time wear of removable functional appliances for 6–9 months (except during mealtimes) (51%). Following active removable functional appliance therapy, 91% prescribed a period of retention which involved a reduction in the duration of wear. The retention phase extended for 2 to 3 months (41%) or for 4 to 6 months (39%) for the majority of the respondents.

Conclusions

The Clark Twin Block is the most frequently-used functional appliance for the management of a Class II malocclusion by orthodontists currently practising in Malaysia.
Genetic diversity of Cucurbita moschata inbred lines selected from six different populations using HFO-TAG markers
Authors: Elshafei Adel Ahmed , Alsadon Abdullah Abdulrahman , Aldoss Abdullah Abdulaziz , Alateeq Talal Khaled , Solieman Talaat Hassan , Ibrahim Abdullah Anwar
Published: October 2021

This study evaluated the genetic diversity among 18 inbred lines of Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) using HFO-TAG (high frequency oligonucleotide–targeting active gene) markers. The inbred lines were selected from six different populations in Saudi Arabia and Egypt according to genetic distance and population origin. A total of 132 alleles were detected. Sixteen HFO-TAG markers averaged 8.25 alleles per primer with 125 alleles showing polymorphisms that averaged 7.81 alleles per primer. A cluster analysis of the means of the HFO-TAG data created three groups with similarity coefficients between 0.34 and 0.74. In general, the 18 inbred lines were separated according to pedigree and population origin. Hybrids from the chosen inbred lines, S1 L-1 with E L-2, S1 L-2 with E L-3, and S1 L-3 with E L-1, may be the basis for improved hybridization programs and can be used in future hybridization program
Effect of ultrasonic vibration-assisted face milling on the surface microstructure and tribological properties
Authors: Zhang Cunying , Zhao Bo , Zhao Chongyang
Published: October 2021

The surface with a certain microstructure and morphology has a better wear resistance and allows reduction in the drag and noise. In this work, we supplemented an ultrasonic vibration and thereby proposed the underlying mechanism in the formation of the surface microstructure of ultrasonic vibration face milling using the kinematics model. Furthermore, we established the theoretical model of the machined surface microstructure. The cutting test of TC4 titanium alloy was conducted. The rationality of the theoretical model verified by adjusting the corresponding cutting parameters and the ultrasonic parameters. In addition, the friction and wear tests of the machined surface were also performed. The results showed that the amplitude had a significant influence on the micro-morphology, roughness, and friction coefficient of the ultrasonic vibration-assisted face milling. With the increase in the amplitude, the surface roughness and friction coefficient showed an initial decreasing trend with a subsequent increase. The surface roughness declined with the increase in the cutting speed, while had little effect on the surface friction coefficient of the material.
ONCE AGAIN ABOUT THE COGNOMEN OF IVAN KALITA
Authors: PASHIN Sergey S.
Published: October 2021

The article is devoted to the etymology of the Moscow Prince Ivan Danilovich Kalita’s cognomen. The cognomen “Kalita” was first recorded around 1446 in the appendix to the Komissionnyj copy of the Novgorod First Chronicle. However, the article “Genealogy of the same princes” with this cognomen could be created in 1415-1439 and have a North-Eastern Rus’ origin. Thus, Ivan Kalita first received the cognomen only 100 years after his death. With the gradual spread of princely genealogies in Russia, the cognomen was perceived by three (or four) scribes of the 16th century. By chance, almost all the texts of the 16th century with the mention of “Kalita” — the appendix of the Voskresenskaya Chronicle, The Book of degrees of the royal genealogy and the Volokolamsk Paterik (through the “Core of Russian History”) — were published in the second half of the 18th century and became available to historians, including N. M. Karamzin. The authority and fame of N. M. Karamzin played a decisive role in securing the cognomen “Kalita” for Prince Ivan Danilovich in the minds of most historians and ordinary readers alike. The historians of the 19th century followed the hagiographic tradition and believed that Ivan Kalita got his cognomen for the fact that he wore a purse (kalita) filled with money on his belt, which he distributed to beggars. The historians of the 20th-21th centuries usually perceive the cognomen “kalita” in a figurative sense and see in its carrier not an owner of a purse on a belt, but a ruler with certain character traits — thrift, unscrupulousness, etc. This prevents an objective assessment of the policy and personal qualities of Ivan Danilovich.
Foreign direct investment in Latin America and the Caribbean – the evolution of flows
Authors: Chirkin S. A.
Published: October 2021

The article examines the flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LACB) for the period from 2010 to 2020. The sources of capital inflows, their structural components, as well as the distribution of attracted investments by sectors of the recipient countries ' economies are analyzed. Quantitative indicators of FDI inflows and outflows for individual countries and for the region as a whole are presented, highlighting general trends. The trend of a decrease in the volume of attracted FDI in the LACB is emphasized. It is concluded that the decrease in foreign direct investment in South American countries confirms the direct dependence of FDI inflows on macroeconomic conditions and fluctuations in world commodity prices. Changes are noted in the approaches of multinational corporations to invest capital abroad in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in favor of their local or cross-border use. The assessment of the actions of the authorities of the states of the region to attract foreign investment is given. The article examines the situation in the field of unresolved investment disputes involving the countries of the region and its impact on investment attractiveness. The role of Chinese FDI in the region, including its effectiveness in political terms, is considered separately.
The Potential Therapeutic Value of Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors in the
Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Tabatabai Ehsan , Khazaei Majid , Parizadeh Mohammad R. , Nouri Mohammad , Hassanian Seyed M. , Ferns Gordon A , Rahmati Mohammad , Avan Amir
Published: October 2021

:

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer globally. Despite extensive preclinical and clinical
studies, it is still among the leading causes of cancer-related death, and a need for new therapeutic options is
required. The renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in regulating blood pressure and cell growth. In
addition to their hemodynamic effects, some of the renin-angiotensin system components, such as angiotensin,
are also growth factors that promote cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and its dysregulation is reported to be
associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. Here we describe the critical role of the renin-angiotensin
system pathway in colorectal cancer as well as the preclinical and clinical investigations renin-angiotensin system
inhibitors: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers as a potential therapeutic
target in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Several studies have been shown that the inhibition of these
pathways can reduce tumor growth and metastasis; however, some of the data remain inconsistent. There is accumulating
evidence of the therapeutic potential of some inhibitors, such as Losartan which are now in clinical
phases in the treatment of several malignancies using Nivolumab in combination with FOLFIRINOX in pancreatic
cancer. Further investigations are warranted to improve the efficacy and selectivity of current and future anticancer
strategies targeting renin-angiotensin systems.
Improving the Genome Annotation of Rhizoctonia solani Using Proteogenomics
Authors: Shu Jiantao , Yang Mingkun , Zhang Cheng , Yang Pingfang , Ge Feng , Li Ming
Published: October 2021

Background:

Rhizoctonia solani is a pathogenic fungus that causes serious diseases in many crops, including rice, wheat, and soybeans. In crop production, it is very important to understand the pathogenicity of this fungus, which is still elusive. It might be helpful to comprehensively understand its genomic information using different genome annotation strategies.

Methods:

Aiming to improve the genome annotation of R. solani, we performed a proteogenomic study based on the existing data. Based on our study, a total of 1060 newly identified genes, 36 revised genes, 139 single amino acid variants (SAAVs), 8 alternative splicing genes, and diverse post-translational modifications (PTMs) events were identified in R. solani AG3. Further functional annotation on these 1060 newly identified genes was performed through homology analysis with its 5 closest relative fungi.

Results:

Based on this, 2 novel candidate pathogenic genes, which might be associated with pathogen-host interaction, were discovered. In addition, in order to increase the reliability and novelty of the newly identified genes in R. solani AG3, 1060 newly identified genes were compared with the newly published available R. solani genome sequences of AG1, AG2, AG4, AG5, AG6, and AG8. There are 490 homologous sequences. We combined the proteogenomic results with the genome alignment results and finally identified 570 novel genes in R. solani.

Conclusion:

These findings extended R. solani genome annotation and provided a wealth of resources for research on R. solani.
Computer-aided Design of Coumarins for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Trends of the Last Decade
Authors: Yordi Estela Guardado , Santana Lourdes , Uriarte Eugenio , Borges Fernanda , Matos Maria J.
Published: October 2021

Computer-aided design of new drugs is an exponentially growing field, especially in the
last decade. The support of theoretical tools may accelerate the drug discovery process, which is a
long and very expensive journey. Tools as QSAR and docking calculations are on the top of the list
for helping medicinal chemists to find more potent and selective molecules as potential leads for
facing challenging diseases. Coumarins have been an important source of inspiration for the design
of new drugs. Due to their chemical properties and their affinity to some targets, special attention
has been paid to their role against neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the authors provide an
overview of the scientific reports describing the research and development of new drug design
tools supporting the discovery of coumarins as enzymatic inhibitors or receptor ligands involved in
these diseases. This review emphasizes the rationale behind the design of new drug candidates, and
particular attention is paid to the search for new leads over the last 10 years. QSAR and docking
studies are discussed, as well as new technologies applied for the research in this field. The
manuscripts discussed in this review have been collected from multiple electronic databases, including
Pubmed, SciFinder, and Mendeley.
CGRP and CGRP-Receptor as Targets of Migraine Therapy: Brain
Prize-2021
Authors: Vécsei László , Tajti János , Szok Délia , Nyári Aliz
Published: October 2021

Background :

Migraine is a highly prevalent primary headache with an unclear pathomechanism.
During the last 40 years, numerous hypotheses have arisen; among them, the theory
of the trigeminovascular system is the primary one. It serves as a skeleton in successful preclinical
studies and in the development of effective therapeutic options for migraine headache.

Objective :

The brain prize (awarded annually by the Lundbeck Foundation) is the most prestigious
tribute in neuroscience. The winners in 2021 were Lars Edvinsson, Peter Goadsby, Michael
Moskowitz and Jes Olesen. They are the fathers of migraine pathomechanism, which led to revolutionary
new treatments. This review summarizes their landmark findings.

Methods :

Data related to this topic were reviewed from PubMed records published between 1979
and May 2021. Searches were based on preclinical and clinical studies in the covered field. The
findings were listed in chronological order. From a therapeutic perspective, only randomized controlled
trials and meta-analysis were discussed.

Results:

The calcitonin gene-related peptide-related pathogenesis of migraine is based on the activation
of the trigeminovascular system. The therapeutic triad for migraine is triptans, gepants, and
calcitonin gene-related peptide-targeted monoclonal antibodies.

Conclusion:

In the past 40 years, the systematic work of leading headache scientists has resulted in
robust theoretical and therapeutic knowledge in the preclinical and clinical study of migraine.
The Unity of Opposites: The Flux Between Impulsiveness and Compulsiveness Mediated by the Endocannabinoid System
Authors: Tan Oguz
Published: October 2021

Background:

Impulsiveness and compulsiveness, though traditionally
assumed to represent the opposite poles of a spectrum, have increasingly been understood
to have common, rather than disparate, features.

Objective:

We investigated the influence of the ECS on the intricate interplay between
impulsiveness and compulsiveness.

Method:

We conducted a search in PubMed, PsyhInfo, and Scopus by using the
keywords compulsiveness, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), impulsiveness,
Impulse Control Disorders (ICDs), addiction, ECS, serotonin, and dopamine.

Results:

The ECS is famous for its role in motivational processes and reward signaling,
contributing to the hedonic effect elicited by pleasurable activities. Impulsiveness
involves an inability to delay pleasure; compulsiveness, in contrast, is associated
with a postponement of present pleasure due to an increased sense of menace.
Impulsiveness and compulsiveness work together to result in addiction.
The manipulation of the ECS through pharmacological or genetic methods is effective
on the manifestations of OCD, ICDs, and impulsiveness. The ECS is distributed
throughout the basal ganglia, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus
and interacts with serotonergic, dopaminergic, noradrenergic, GABAergic,
and glutamatergic neural circuits which are all involved in impulsive and compulsive
symptomatology. The ECS or cannabinoids exhibit divergent effects depending
on environmental conditions, dose, and duration of exposure. The endocannabinoids
are retrograde messengers inhibiting the presynaptic neurons (causing a
braking effect) and released “on demand”, generating a fine-tuning adjustment of
the neural activity.

Conclusion:

How impulsiveness and compulsiveness, two apparently opposite
traits, interoperate might be accounted for by the specific functions of the ECS.
A Mobile App (FallSA) to Identify Fall Risk Among Malaysian Community-Dwelling Older Persons: Development and Validation Study
Authors: Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit , Goh Jing Wen , Shaharudin Muhammad Iqbal , Shahar Suzana
Published: October 2021

Background

Recent falls prevention guidelines recommend early routine fall risk assessment among older persons.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop a Falls Screening Mobile App (FallSA), determine its acceptance, concurrent validity, test-retest reliability, discriminative ability, and predictive validity as a self-screening tool to identify fall risk among Malaysian older persons.

Methods

FallSA acceptance was tested among 15 participants (mean age 65.93 [SD 7.42] years); its validity and reliability among 91 participants (mean age 67.34 [SD 5.97] years); discriminative ability and predictive validity among 610 participants (mean age 71.78 [SD 4.70] years). Acceptance of FallSA was assessed using a questionnaire, and it was validated against a comprehensive fall risk assessment tool, the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA). Participants used FallSA to test their fall risk repeatedly twice within an hour. Its discriminative ability and predictive validity were determined by comparing participant fall risk scores between fallers and nonfallers and prospectively through a 6-month follow-up, respectively.

Results

The findings of our study showed that FallSA had a high acceptance level with 80% (12/15) of older persons agreeing on its suitability as a falls self-screening tool. Concurrent validity test demonstrated a significant moderate correlation (r=.518, P<.001) and agreement (k=.516, P<.001) with acceptable sensitivity (80.4%) and specificity (71.1%). FallSA also had good reliability (intraclass correlation .948; 95% CI .921-.966) and an internal consistency (α=.948, P<.001). FallSA score demonstrated a moderate to strong discriminative ability in classifying fallers and nonfallers. FallSA had a predictive validity of falls with positive likelihood ratio of 2.27, pooled sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 64%, and area under the curve of 0.802.

Conclusions

These results suggest that FallSA is a valid and reliable fall risk self-screening tool. Further studies are required to empower and engage older persons or care givers in the use of FallSA to self-screen for falls and thereafter to seek early prevention intervention.
Data-Driven Classification of Human Movements in Virtual Reality–Based Serious Games: Preclinical Rehabilitation Study in Citizen Science
Authors: Barak Ventura Roni , Stewart Hughes Kora , Nov Oded , Raghavan Preeti , Ruiz Marín Manuel , Porfiri Maurizio
Published: October 2021

Background

Sustained engagement is essential for the success of telerehabilitation programs. However, patients’ lack of motivation and adherence could undermine these goals. To overcome this challenge, physical exercises have often been gamified. Building on the advantages of serious games, we propose a citizen science–based approach in which patients perform scientific tasks by using interactive interfaces and help advance scientific causes of their choice. This approach capitalizes on human intellect and benevolence while promoting learning. To further enhance engagement, we propose performing citizen science activities in immersive media, such as virtual reality (VR).

Objective

This study aims to present a novel methodology to facilitate the remote identification and classification of human movements for the automatic assessment of motor performance in telerehabilitation. The data-driven approach is presented in the context of a citizen science software dedicated to bimanual training in VR. Specifically, users interact with the interface and make contributions to an environmental citizen science project while moving both arms in concert.

Methods

In all, 9 healthy individuals interacted with the citizen science software by using a commercial VR gaming device. The software included a calibration phase to evaluate the users’ range of motion along the 3 anatomical planes of motion and to adapt the sensitivity of the software’s response to their movements. During calibration, the time series of the users’ movements were recorded by the sensors embedded in the device. We performed principal component analysis to identify salient features of movements and then applied a bagged trees ensemble classifier to classify the movements.

Results

The classification achieved high performance, reaching 99.9% accuracy. Among the movements, elbow flexion was the most accurately classified movement (99.2%), and horizontal shoulder abduction to the right side of the body was the most misclassified movement (98.8%).

Conclusions

Coordinated bimanual movements in VR can be classified with high accuracy. Our findings lay the foundation for the development of motion analysis algorithms in VR-mediated telerehabilitation.
Complete and Resilient Documentation for Operational Medical Environments Leveraging Mobile Hands-free Technology in a Systems Approach: Experimental Study
Authors: Woo MinJae , Mishra Prabodh , Lin Ju , Kar Snigdhaswin , Deas Nicholas , Linduff Caleb , Niu Sufeng , Yang Yuzhe , McClendon Jerome , Smith D Hudson , Shelton Stephen L , Gainey Christopher E , Gerard William C , Smith Melissa C , Griffin Sarah F , Gimbel Ronald W , Wang Kuang-Ching
Published: October 2021

Background

Prehospitalization documentation is a challenging task and prone to loss of information, as paramedics operate under disruptive environments requiring their constant attention to the patients.

Objective

The aim of this study is to develop a mobile platform for hands-free prehospitalization documentation to assist first responders in operational medical environments by aggregating all existing solutions for noise resiliency and domain adaptation.

Methods

The platform was built to extract meaningful medical information from the real-time audio streaming at the point of injury and transmit complete documentation to a field hospital prior to patient arrival. To this end, the state-of-the-art automatic speech recognition (ASR) solutions with the following modular improvements were thoroughly explored: noise-resilient ASR, multi-style training, customized lexicon, and speech enhancement. The development of the platform was strictly guided by qualitative research and simulation-based evaluation to address the relevant challenges through progressive improvements at every process step of the end-to-end solution. The primary performance metrics included medical word error rate (WER) in machine-transcribed text output and an F1 score calculated by comparing the autogenerated documentation to manual documentation by physicians.

Results

The total number of 15,139 individual words necessary for completing the documentation were identified from all conversations that occurred during the physician-supervised simulation drills. The baseline model presented a suboptimal performance with a WER of 69.85% and an F1 score of 0.611. The noise-resilient ASR, multi-style training, and customized lexicon improved the overall performance; the finalized platform achieved a medical WER of 33.3% and an F1 score of 0.81 when compared to manual documentation. The speech enhancement degraded performance with medical WER increased from 33.3% to 46.33% and the corresponding F1 score decreased from 0.81 to 0.78. All changes in performance were statistically significant (P<.001).

Conclusions

This study presented a fully functional mobile platform for hands-free prehospitalization documentation in operational medical environments and lessons learned from its implementation.
Evaluating Web-Based Automatic Transcription for Alzheimer’s Speech Data: Transcript Comparison and Machine Learning Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Soroski Thomas , da Cunha Vasco Thiago , Newton-Mason Sally , Granby Saffrin , Lewis Caitlin , Harisinghani Anuj , Rizzo Matteo , Conati Cristina , Murray Gabriel , Carenini Giuseppe , Field Thalia Shoshana , Jang Hyeju
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

Speech data for medical research can be collected non-invasively and in large volumes. Speech analysis has shown promise in diagnosing neurodegenerative disease. To effectively leverage speech data, transcription is important as there is valuable information contained in lexical content. Manual transcription, while highly accurate, limits potential scalability and cost savings associated with language-based screening.

OBJECTIVE

To better understand the use of automatic transcription for classification of neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s Disease [AD], mild cognitive impairment [MCI] or subjective memory complaints [SMC] versus healthy controls), we compared automatically generated transcripts against transcripts that went through manual correction.

METHODS

We recruited individuals from a memory clinic (“patients”) with a diagnosis of mild-moderate AD, (n=44), MCI (n=20), SMC (n=8) and healthy controls living in the community (n=77). Participants were asked to describe a standardized picture, read a paragraph, and recall a pleasant life experience. We compared transcripts generated using Google speech-to-text software to manually-verified transcripts by examining transcription confidence scores, transcription error rates, and machine learning classification accuracy. For the classification tasks, Logistic Regression, Gaussian Naive Bayes, and Random Forests were used.

RESULTS

The transcription software showed higher confidence scores (P<.001) and lower error rates (P>.05) for speech from healthy controls as compared with patients. Classification models using human-verified transcripts significantly (P<.001) outperformed automatically-generated transcript models for both spontaneous speech tasks. This comparison showed no difference in the reading task. Manually adding pauses to transcripts had no impact on classification performance. Manually correcting both spontaneous speech tasks led to significantly higher performances in the machine learning models.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that automatically-transcribed speech data could be used to distinguish patients with a diagnosis of AD, MCI or SMC from controls. We recommend a human verification step to improve the performance of automatic transcripts, especially for spontaneous tasks. Moreover, human verification can focus on correcting errors and adding punctuation to transcripts. Manual addition of pauses, however, is not needed, which can simplify the human verification step to more efficiently process large volumes of speech data.