bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pristine and activated bentonite for toxic metal removal from wastewater
Authors: Ibigbami Tope B. , Adeola Adedapo O. , Olawade David B. , Ore Odunayo T. , Isaac Babatunde O. , Sunkanmi Alabi A.
Published: February 2022

Natural bentonite clay (NBC) was activated using nitric acid (HNO3). Characterization techniques including FTIR, SEM, XRD and BET were employed to examine the morphology of NBC and ABC (activated bentonite clay) sorbents. Comparative application of ABC and NBC to remove heavy metals (Fe2+, Zn2+, Ni2+) from pharmaceutical effluents was investigated under various experimental conditions. The maximum proportional removal by ABC was 88.90, 81.80 and 75.50% at pH 8, and 63.90, 59.60, 58.70% at pH 10 for NBC, both for Zn2+, Fe2+ and Ni2+ respectively. The Freundlich multilayer adsorption model and pseudo-second-order kinetics best fit the experimental data, suggesting the formation of multiple adsorption layers via strong ionic and electrostatic interactions. Heavy metals adsorption is more favorable with ABC than NBC, due to the availability of more sorption sites and a larger specific surface. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔG°) revealed that the adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous in nature for both ABC and NBC.
Chemical Advances in Therapeutic Application of Exosomes and Liposomes
Authors: Chew Boon Cheng , Liew Fong Fong , Tan Hsiao Wei , Chung Ivy
Published: February 2022

Exosomes and liposomes are vesicular nanoparticles that can encapsulate functional cargo. The chemical similarities between naturally occurring exosomes and synthetic liposomes have accelerated the development of exosome mimetics as a therapeutic drug delivery platform under physiological and pathological environments. To maximise the applications of exosomes and liposomes in the clinical setting, it is essential to look into their basic chemical properties and utilise these characteristics to optimise the preparation, loading, modification and hybridisation. This review summarises the chemical and biological properties of both exosomal and liposomal systems as well as some of the challenges related to their production and application. This article concludes with a discussion on potential perspectives for the integration of exosomal and liposomal technologies in mapping better approaches for their biomedical use, especially in therapeutics.
Investigating the Mechanism of Shengmaiyin (Codonopsis pilosula) in the
Treatment of Heart Failure Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Kan Mo , Wang Jifeng , Ming Sitong , Sui Xin , Zhang Zhuang , Yang Qing , Liu Xiaoran , Lin Jianan , Zhang Yanhong , Pang Qihang , Liu Yaxin , Li Zhen , Li Na , Lin Zhe
Published: February 2022

Background and Objective:

To explore the molecular mechanism by which Shengmaiyin
(Codonopsis pilosula) (SMY) improves isoproterenol (ISO)-induced heart failure (HF) in rats
via a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) integrated pharmacology research platform, The Chinese
Medicine Integrated Pharmacology Platform (TCMIP V2.0).

Method::

The chemical constituents and drug targets of SMY medicines were identified through
TCMIP, and HF disease target information was collected. A prescription Chinese medicinecomponent-
core target network was constructed through the TCM network mining module, and biological
process and pathway enrichment analyses of core targets were conducted. In vivo experiments
in rats were performed to verify the pathway targets. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was
used to observe myocardial tissue morphology. ELISA kits were used to detect cAMP content, and
Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of signaling pathway-related proteins.

Results:

The TCMIP analysis indicated that SMY treatment of HF activates the GS-β-adrenergic
receptor (βAR)-cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway. The in vivo experimental results
confirmed this finding. High-dose SMY significantly improved the morphology of ISO-injured
myocardium. The levels of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), adenylate cyclase (AC), βAR, and
PKA proteins in myocardial tissue were significantly increased in the SMY group. In addition, the
content of cAMP in myocardial tissue was increased, and the content of cAMP in serum was decreased.

Conclusion:

Based on the analysis of TCMIP, SMY treatment of HF may activate the GS-βARcAMP-
PKA signaling pathway. The findings provide a theoretical basis for further research on the
anti-HF mechanism of SMY.
A Study on Immune Cell Infiltration in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhao Hongwen , Sun Bingqing
Published: February 2022

Background:

As a vital part of the tumor environment, immune cells affect the progression
of tumors, and their composition and role vary in different types of tumors and influence
prognosis. These immune cells have the potential to be beneficially targeted for immunotherapy,
or, conversely, they may react negatively, even leading to drug resistance. For these reasons, probing
into the composition and possible effects of immune cells in lung cancer is conducive to discovering
valuable therapeutic targets.

Materials and Methods:

The lung adenocarcinoma gene expression data were downloaded from
the TCGA database (https://cancergenome.nih.gov/; https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/), and the lung
adenocarcinoma gene expression matrix was converted into an immune cell-matrix using CIBERSORT
software (https://cibersort.stanford.edu/), followed by an analysis of immune cells in lung
adenocarcinoma tissues.

Results:

The results showed that among all immune cells in lung adenocarcinoma tissues, macrophages
(Mφ) had the highest number, followed by T cells. The number of plasma cells in lung adenocarcinoma
tissues was higher than in adjacent normal tissues. Compared with those in adjacent
normal tissues, the number of resting memory clusters of differentiation 4 (CD4)+ T cells was lower,
whereas active memory CD4+ T cells were higher in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. In addition,
the number of CD8+ T cells was negatively related to that of resting memory CD4+ T cells, with a
correlation coefficient of -0.44, whereas it showed a positive association with the number of active
memory CD4+ T cells, with a correlation coefficient of 0.47. It was found that among various immune
cells infiltrating lung adenocarcinoma tissues, unstimulated Mφ (M0), alternatively activated
Mφ (M2), and resting memory CD4+ T cells accounted for the largest proportions. However, these
three types of immune cells were found to be lower in lung adenocarcinoma tissues than in adjacent
normal tissues.

Conclusion:

Immune cells infiltrating lung adenocarcinoma tissues are complex, which affect the
development and progression of the tumor and may also be a significant cause of drug resistance.
Studying the changes in immune cell infiltration during the development of specific types of tumors
contributes to disease progression interpretation, prognosis assessment, and potential solutions
to the existing drug resistance issue. In this paper, the status of immune cells in lung adenocarcinoma
tissues was preliminarily discussed based on the database mining, but more experimental
studies and in-depth discussions are needed in the future.
Therapeutic Potential of Silybum marianum and Pergularia tomentosa
Extracts from Jordanian Origin in Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Sweidan Nuha I. , Abu Khalaf Reema A. , Shatat Alaa' M. , Hammad Wa'ed A.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Jordan is a country well-known for its diversity in wild plants, and for
many decades, folk medicines have represented part of its cultural heritage. In the present study,
investigations have been focused on the therapeutic potential of Silybum marianum and Pergularia
tomentosa on type 2 diabetes mellitus. In type 2 diabetes, which is considered a global health problem,
the body cannot respond to or produce insulin hormonem, which raises the blood glucose
level, resulting in mortality, morbidity, healthcare expenses, and reduced life quality. Dipeptidyl
peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) enzyme, a serine protease, is responsible for deactivating incretin hormones
that promote insulin secretion. Accordingly, the DPP-IV inhibitory activity of these plant
extracts that prolong the hypoglycemic effect of incretins was evaluated.

Method:

The aerial parts of S. marianum and P. tomentosa were dried, ground, and extracted with
ethanol. The ethanol extract was dried under reduced pressure and was partitioned by methanol,
butanol, and hexane according to a systematic procedure. The inhibition of the DPP-IV enzyme by
the different extracts was studied (at 10.0 mg/mL concentration). Sitagliptin was used as the positive
control.

Results:

Fortunately, most of the plant extracts have noticeable inhibitory activity against the DPPIV
enzyme. It was found that the tested methanol extract of S. marianum has an inhibitory activity
of 75.6% and the butanol extract of P. tomentosa has an inhibitory activity of 73.6%, which are
analogous to DPP-IV inhibition of sitagliptin (78.5%), the used positive inhibitor. A superior inhibition
of 98.1% was displayed for the butanol extract of S. marianum at 10.0 mg/ mL concentration.

Conclusion:

The revealed DPP-IV inhibitory activity of tested extracts advocates that their active
constituents, particularly flavonoids, are capable of binding to the enzyme’s active cleft.
Transdermal Patches Approach Towards Self-Nano-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS) Using Essential Oil as Penetration Enhancer
Authors: Farooqui Heena , Upadhyay Sukirti , Upadhyay Prashant
Published: February 2022

A transdermal patch is a topically applied adhesive patch that delivers a medication dose directly
into the blood. The patch allows for the safe delivery of a drug to the targeted site, ideally by a
permeable layer covering a reservoir of the drug by melting small patches of drug embedded in the adhesive,
which is one benefit of transdermal drug delivery over most types of pharmaceutical deliveries,
including oral, topical, intramuscular, intravenous, and several others. This can also help heal a damaged
body part, improving patient compliance, treatment efficacy, and dose frequency while minimizing
the side effects. This review covers the production, methods of evaluation, quality, use of penetration
enhancers, and pros and downsides of transdermal patches, as well as the benefits of essential oil
as a penetration enhancer. Compared to chemical enhancers, essential oils have shown the ability to
break down the stratum corneum layer, allowing drugs to penetrate deeper into the skin. Essential oils
are excellent penetration enhancers for the skin. These penetration enhancers are cost-effective, biocompatible,
readily available, non-toxic, chemically modifiable, and possibly biodegradable. In this
review, attention has been paid to the formulation and evaluation of transdermal patches with the help
of SNEDDS (self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems) using essential oil as a penetration enhancer,
and their future prospects.
Squeeze-Film Damping of Microbeam and Microplate Resonators in the Free Molecular Regime
Authors: Wang Zhaodong , Li Pu , Sun Beibei
Published: February 2022

Background:

Correct modeling of squeeze-film damping (SFD) is an important consideration in the design of high-Q microresonators. In 2002, using the molecular dynamics (MD) approach, Bao et al. developed an analytical MD model for the evaluation of the SFD of a parallel-plate device in the free molecular regime. Their model was based on the energy exchange between the oscillating plate and gas molecules. Bao’s model is now widely used in microsystem design. However, Bao’s model cannot reduce to the air damping model in free space and is unsuitable for flexible microbeams.

Objective:

This paper first presents a more accurate analytical model for the evaluation of the SFD of the parallel plate. Then the present analytical model is extended to model the SFD of flexible microbeams with deformed shapes.

Methods:

This paper is based on the momentum transfer between the vibration plate and gas molecules.
Results: The analytical results of the present model have shown a good agreement with the available experimental results.

Conclusion:

The limitations in the previous model are overcome.
Analysis and Evaluation of Fatigue Strength for Engine Bracket Considering Load Characteristics
Authors: Li Qiang , Wu Que , Wang Shuci , Liu Xintian
Published: February 2022

Background:

To obtain the load characteristics and fatigue characteristics of the engine
bracket during the working process, the automobile engine bracket is taken as the research object, and
the force characteristics are analyzed.

Objective:

This paper provides a theoretical basis for engine bracket design that improves the reliability
and durability of the engine bracket.

Methods:

Under cyclic loading, the fatigue characteristics are analyzed through the bench test. According
to the experimental results, the critical points of the engine bracket are examined.

Results:

According to the S-N curve, the estimated range of fatigue life of the engine bracket is from
34236 times to 127219 times. When the load level is low, the life span changes significantly with the
stress. As the load increases, the fatigue life is less affected and shows a slight decrease. When the stress
level is lower than the equivalent stress threshold value, the stress will not cause fatigue failure, and the
specimen has an infinite life.

Conclusion:

This paper lays a foundation for the prediction of fatigue life and the bench test of fatigue
durability of the engine bracket subjected to complex and variable random loads. The research method
can also be used to estimate the fatigue life of other bearing parts.
A Novel Approach to Transformer Fault Diagnosis Based on Transfer
Learning
Authors: Hao Bai , Chao Su , Wenquan Chen
Published: February 2022

Background:

The condition of the power transformer directly affects the reliability and efficiency of the power system. The dissolved gas analysis (DGA) has been widely recognized as one of the effective methods in the field of transformer fault diagnosis.

Objective:

To tackle the problem of insufficient single transformer fault data and weak generalization ability of the diagnosis model, this paper proposes a transformer fault diagnosis model based on data cleaning and transfer learning.

Methods:

21 kinds of dissolved gas characteristics of the to-be-diagnosed transformer (TDT) and auxiliary transformers (ATs)are selected as fault features to detect transformer fault. The first data cleaning is used for auxiliary fault data (AFD) based on similarity analysis between target fault data (TFD) and AFD. Then the TFD and AFD are all cleaned to remove the singular edge interference data for the second cleaning. The transfer learning algorithm is applied to extract effective information from AFD and train the fault diagnosis model.

Results:

Test results show that the proposed method can improve the efficiency of fault diagnosis and the accuracy of fault identification

Conclusion:

The two data cleanings complement each other and both play a role in eliminating bad data and ensuring the accuracy of the fault diagnosis. Transfer learning can effectively extract effective information from AFD and train a better transformer fault diagnotor to improve fault diagnosis accuracy.
Doğum Şekli ve Pariteye Göre Doğum Memnuniyeti ile Doğum Sonu Konfor İlişkisi
Authors: FATA Sevcan , ALUŞ TOKAT Merlinda , AYPAR AKBAĞ Nuran Nur , EKİNCİ Fulya
Published: February 2022

Amaç: Doğum şekli ve parite doğumdan memnuniyet ve doğum sonu konforu etkileyen önemli faktörlerdir. Vajinal doğum ile sezaryen doğum yapan ya da primipar ile multipar olan kadınların doğum memnuniyeti ve doğum sonu konforunun ayrı ayrı incelendiği çalışmalarda, vajinal doğum yapan kadınların ve primipar kadınların doğum memnuniyetinin ve doğum sonu konforunun yüksek olduğu görülmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı doğum şekli ve pariteye göre kadınların doğum memnuniyeti ile doğum sonu konforu arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı ve karşılaştırmalı çalışmanın verileri Kasım 2017-Temmuz 2019 tarihleri arasında bir üniversite hastanesinin kadın doğum kliniğinde toplanmıştır. Çalışmaya dahil edilen 200 doğum sonu anneye Anne Tanıtım Formu, Doğum Memnuniyeti Değerlendirme Formu ve Doğum Sonu Konfor Ölçeği uygulanmıştır. Bulgular: Doğum şekli (t=1.110, p=0.268) ve paritenin (t=0.812, p=0.418) doğum memnuniyetine etkisinin olmadığı saptanmıştır. Primipar kadınların vajinal veya sezaryen doğum yapması doğum memnuniyetinde fark yaratmazken (t=0.025, p=0.980), multipar kadınlarda vajinal doğum yapanların doğum memnuniyeti anlamlı düzeyde yüksek bulunmuştur (t=2.280, p=0.025). Doğum şekli (t=1.841, p=0.067) ve paritenin doğum sonu konforunu etkilemediği görülmüştür (t=1.518, p=0.131). Ancak primiparlarda psikospiritüel konforun multiparlara göre daha yüksek olduğu görülmüştür (t=2.044, p=0.042). Ayrıca sezaryen doğum yapan annelerde memnuniyetin artışı ile psikospiritüel konforun da arttığı görülmüştür (r=0.222, p=0.114). Primipar annelerde doğum memnuniyeti arttıkça psikospiritüel konforun da arttığı bulunurken (r=0.353, p=0.001), multipar annelerde doğum memnuniyeti ile doğum sonu konfor ve alt boyutları arasında anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmamıştır (r=0.059, p=0.531; r=0.012, p=0.897; r=0.019, p=0.844; r=0.115, p=0.224). Sonuç: Multipar kadınlarda vajinal doğum yapan annelerin doğum memnuniyetinin daha yüksek olması doğum sürecini bilmesinden kaynaklanıyor olabilir. Primipar vajinal doğum yapan kadınların ilk doğumunu vajinal yaptığı için güçlü hissetmesinden ve multipar sezaryen doğum yapan kadınların da sosyal desteğe sahip olmasından dolayı psikospiritüel konforunun yüksek olduğu tahmin edilmektedir. Sonuçların klinik açıdan önemli bir sonuç olduğu ve hemşire ve ebelerin prenatal dönemde sağlıklı gebeleri doğumun normal sürecine hazırlamada önemli bir rol oynayabileceği düşünülmektedir.
Evde Sağlık Hizmeti Alan Alzheimer Hastalarına Bakım Verenlerin Yaşam Kalitelerinin Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: MÜDERRİSOĞLU Seçil , CUBUKCU Mahcube
Published: February 2022

Amaç: Çalışmada evde sağlık hizmeti alan Alzheimer hastalarına bakım verenlerin yaşam kalitelerini etkileyen faktörleri değerlendirmek amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipteki bu araştırma, 24.06.2021 ve 10.07.2021 tarihleri arasında, Samsun ilinde Evde Sağlık Hizmetleri Birimi’nden hizmet alan 118 Alzheimer hastasına primer bakım veren 118 bakım veren ile yürütüldü. Bakım verenlere sosyo-demografik veriler formu ve 17 soruluk kısa form SF-36 Yaşam Kalitesi Ölçeği uygulanmıştır. Ortalama puan 0-100 arasında değişmektedir ve puan arttıkça yaşam kalitesi artmaktadır. Yatağa bağımlılık durumu Katz’ın Günlük Yaşam Aktiviteleri Ölçeği ile değerlendirilmiştir. Verilerimiz Ki-kare testi ve Kruskal Wallis testi, Mann-Whitney U testi ve Student t-test uygulanarak karşılaştırılmıştır. İstatistiksel olarak p <0,05 anlamlı kabul edilmiştir. Bulgular: Çalışmaya dahil edilen 118 Alzheimer hastasının yaş ortalaması 70,69±15,09 (min 18, max 91) yıl idi. Hastaların %57,6’ sı kadın, %33,5’ i evliydi ve %65,6’ sının kendine özel odası mevcuttu. Bakım verenlerin %58,5’ i kadın, %46,6’ sı ilkokul mezunu, %41,3’ ü ev hanımı, %66,2’ si evliydi. Bakım verenlerin yaş ortalamaları ise 51,65±15,89 yıl idi. SF-36 ölçeği ile incelenen ortalama yaşam kalitesi puanı 49,73±15,32 idi. SF-36 kadın bakım verenlerde fiziksel fonksiyon (48,62±14,30) ve mental sağlık (50,54±13,30) alanında daha düşük olduğu saptanmıştır. Kadın ve ileri yaşta olan bakım verenlerin SF-36 skorlarının daha düşük olduğu bulunmuştur (p=0,003, p=0,012). Sonuç: Bakım verenlerin yaşam kaliteleri oldukça düşüktü. Kadın cinsiyet ve daha ileri yaştaki bakım verenlerin yaşam kaliteleri daha kötüydü. Bakım verenlerin yaşam kalitesini yükseltecek şekilde yeni tedavi, girişim ve bakım yaklaşımı geliştirilmesi gerekmektedir.
Ebelerde Mesleki Aidiyetin Profesyonel Değer Tutumuna Etkisi
Authors: ÜNVER Hacer , ŞİMŞEK KÜÇÜKKELEPÇE Didem , ÜNVER Zeynep
Published: February 2022

Amaç: Araştırma, ebelerde mesleki aidiyetin profesyonel değer tutumuna etkisini belirlemek amacıyla yapıldı. Yöntem: Araştırma 15.08.2020 – 15.02.2021 tarihleri arasında, tanımlayıcı olarak yapıldı. Araştırmanın örneklemini 212 ebe oluşturdu. Verilerin toplanmasında kişisel tanıtım formu, Ebelik Aidiyet Ölçeği ve Ebelerin Profesyonel Değerleri Ölçeği kullanıldı. Bulgular: Ebelerin yaş ortalamasının 29.07±6.15 yıl, haftalık çalışma süresinin 44.38±8.75 saat olduğu ve %71.7’sinin lisans mezunu olduğu saptandı. Ebelerin mesleki aidiyeti ile profesyonel değer tutumları arasında yapılan korelasyon analizinde orta düzeyde pozitif yönde ilişki belirlenmiş olup yapılan regresyon analizinde mesleki aidiyetin ebelerin profesyonel değerleri % 41 oranında açıkladığı saptandı (r:0.646,: 0.646, p0.001). Sonuç: Araştırma sonucunda ebelerde mesleki aidiyetin profesyonel değer tutumunu etkileyen önemli bir değişken olduğu ve ebelerde mesleki aidiyet arttıkça profesyonel değer tutumunun da arttığı görüldü. Ebelerde mesleki aidiyetin arttırılmasının profesyonel değer tutumuna da yansıyacağı ve hasta bakım kalitesini de olumlu yönde etkileyeceği düşünülmektedir.
Kemampuan siswa SMP dalam menyelesaikan soal matematika berbasis HOTS
Authors: Myelnawan Myelnawan , Setyaningrum Wahyu
Published: February 2022

Penelitian deskriptif kualitatif ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan kemampuan siswa SMP di Kabupaten Mamuju dalam menyelesaikan soal matematika berbasis Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Kemampuan siswa dilihat berdasarkan indikator menganalisis, mengevaluasi, dan mencipta. Subjek penelitian adalah 98 siswa SMP di Kabupaten Mamuju, Indonesia, yang berasal dari empat sekolah dengan kategori tinggi. Pengumpulan data menggunakan tes pilihan ganda, tes uraian, dan wawancara untuk menggali informasi lebih mendalam dari siswa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa secara umum kemampuan siswa SMP di Kabupaten Mamuju dalam menyelesaikan soal matematika berbasis HOTS berada pada kriteria rendah. Persentase siswa yang mampu menjawab soal untuk indikator menganalisis termasuk pada kriteria sedang. Sedangkan, persentase siswa yang mampu menjawab soal untuk indikator mengevaluasi dan mencipta termasuk pada kriteria sangat rendah.AbstractThis qualitative descriptive study aims to describe the ability of junior high school students in Mamuju Regency to solve mathematics problems based on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Students’ abilities were seen based on indicators of analyzing, evaluating, and creating. The research subjects were 98 junior high school students from four high-performance schools in Mamuju Regency, Indonesia. Data collection used multiple-choice tests, essay tests, and interviews to dig deeper information from students. The study results revealed that the overall ability of junior high school students in Mamuju Regency in solving mathematics problems based on HOTS was in the low criteria. The percentage of students who could answer questions for analyzing indicators was included in the medium criteria. Meanwhile, the percentage of students who were able to answer questions for indicators of evaluating and creating was included in the very low criteria.
Яркость и эффективность светодиода с транспортно-блокирующими слоями полиметилметакрилата и квантовыми точками: теоретическая модель, эксперимент, оптимизация
Authors: Саунина А.Ю. , Ткач А.A. , Александров А.Е. , Лыпенко Д.А. , Никитенко В.Р. , Набиев И.Р. , Самохвалов П.С.
Published: February 2022

The results of studies of the influence of the thicknesses of the electron-blocking, hole-conducting and recombination layers on the luminance-voltage and other electrophysical characteristics of a multilayer light-emitting diode with an active layer based on semiconductor quantum dots are presented. Optimized thicknesses and voltages are determined to achieve the maximum efficiency of electroluminescence of the light-emitting diode.
Функционализация поверхности low-k диэлектриков ионами Ar низкой энергии
Authors: Соловых А.А. , Сычева А.А. , Воронина Е.Н.
Published: February 2022

In this work low-energy Ar impacts on low-k surfaces were simulated with ab initio density functional theory method. The obtained results reveal the mechanism of CH3 group removal under Ar atom/ion irradiation; the threshold energy of this process was estimated.
Дробный осциллятор с экспоненциально-степенной функцией памяти
Authors: Рехвиашвили С.Ш. , Псху А.В.
Published: February 2022

A new model of damped vibrations of an oscillator based on the use of the mathematical apparatus of fractional integro-differentiation with an exponential-power function of dynamic memory is considered. Using the Wright function, the exact solution of the equation of motion of the oscillator is obtained. Theoretical analysis shows that the model can be effectively used to describe vibrational processes in low-Q dynamic systems (in particular, mechanical or electrical systems).
Исследование геометрии рельефа оболочки клеток буккального эпителия человека методами атомно-силовой микроскопии
Authors: Торхов Н.А. , Евстигнеев М.П. , Мосунов А.А. , Бучельникова В.А.
Published: February 2022

The analysis of the shape of the Brownian relief of the surface of human buccal epithelium cells was carried out using the method of fractal geometry. The scaling coefficients ,  and the fractal dimension Df were used to estimate their actual areas Scfact and linear characteristics lf.
Relationship between Thermal Variance and Hatchery Estimates of Fertility in a Multispecies Assemblage of Anadromous Salmonids in Response to Managed Flows
Authors:   California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Region 1, Wildlife/Lands Program, P.O. Box 1185 Weaverville, California 96093, Sullivan Robert M. , Hileman John P. ,   California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Region 1, Fisheries Program, Trinity River Project, P.O. Box 1185, Weaverville, California 96093
Published: February 2022

Our study sought to identify a regional explanation for declining fertility in stocks of co-occurring salmonids in the upper Trinity River, northern California, USA. We focused on evaluating the relationship between thermal variance in river water and hatchery-measured estimates of female fertility as a function of highly managed annual flow regimes. We evaluated annual and seasonal variation in volume of flow and water temperature in response to managed flows associated with annual in-river restoration actions. We assessed the relationship between flow-mediated thermal variance in river water and estimates of fertility in hatchery parental bloodstock in a multi-species assemblage of co-occurring anadromous salmonids. Results of our study found: 1) significant differences between flow-types in flow volume and the thermal variance evaluated with reference to the historical run-time schedule of each taxon; 2) significant differences among species-specific flow-types for each environmental variable measured; 3) significant declines in the averaged daily number of total eggs harvested in all species except steelhead; 4) significant differences in the estimates of fertility for all species-specific flow-types, in which 83.3% of planned pairwise comparisons differed between flow-types for each taxon; 5) significant declines in the annual estimates of fertility in all species; and 6) significant negative correlations between species-specific estimates of fertility and thermal variance in water temperature. Overall, our findings suggest that increased temperature variation from managed flows may reduce estimates of fertility in hatchery-spawned salmonids; and that concordant patterns in response to thermal variance in species with divergent life histories may in part be a function of anthropogenic altered flow regimes on ecosystem processes and the fisheries resources they support.
Embedding and Integrating a Digital Patient Management Platform Into Everyday Primary Care Routines: Qualitative Case Study
Authors: Frennert Susanne , Erlingsdóttir Gudbjörg , Muhic Mirella , Rydenfält Christofer , Milos Nymberg Veronica , Ekman Björn
Published: February 2022

Background

Traditional primary care is characterized by patient consultations via phone and physical visits. However, the current development in Swedish primary care is to blend digital solutions with traditional solutions. This paper addresses this development by examining the normalization of embedding and integrating a digital health care platform into everyday care routines in a primary care clinic. The digital health care platform enables both synchronous (video calls) and asynchronous (chat) communication, as well as self-registration of patient data using automated questions and forms requiring the patient’s input.

Objective

This study aims to explore the work that health care professionals (HCPs) have to undertake to implement and sustain a digital health care platform as part of their everyday work practice.

Methods

HCPs were observed and interviewed to assess their individual and collective engagement and the mechanisms involved in the implementation of the digital platform and its effects on everyday work routines. The normalization process theory (NPT) was used to frame the data analysis.

Results

The analysis identified several themes related to the four NPT constructs: coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, and reflexive monitoring. The use of these constructs enabled the analysis to identify ways of supporting implementation. For example, it showed the benefits of having implementation champions and scheduling work hours for HCPs to use the platform. The analysis also revealed a theme of materiality that deviated from the NPT constructs, as NPT gives ontological priority to human actors and social structures.

Conclusions

Digital health care platform implementation is a complex process. Our findings provide insights into how individual and collective actions can be supported to embed and integrate a digital platform into everyday care routines. Primary health care organizations need to involve HCPs throughout the implementation process by reorganizing work and providing frequent feedback loops. HCPs are more likely to engage with and commit to changing practices if they perceive the digital platform to be beneficial compared with the current practice. However, they also need resources (eg, time, training, and continuous support) to put the platform into practice. Patient engagement and appraisal are important elements in implementation. Unless patients are willing to use the platform, there is no motivation for HCPs to embed the digital platform into everyday care practice.
Human-Centered Design of a Digital Health Tool to Promote Effective Self-care in Patients With Heart Failure: Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Johnston William , Keogh Alison , Dickson Jane , Leslie Stephen J , Megyesi Peter , Connolly Rachelle , Burke David , Caulfield Brian
Published: February 2022

Background

Effective self-care is an important factor in the successful management of patients with heart failure (HF). Despite the importance of self-care, most patients with HF are not adequately taught the wide range of skills required to become proficient in self-care. Digital health technology (DHT) may provide a novel solution to support patients at home in effective self-care, with the view to enhancing the quality of life and ultimately improving patient outcomes. However, many of the solutions developed to date have failed to consider users’ perspectives at the point of design, resulting in poor effectiveness. Leveraging a human-centered design (HCD) approach to the development of DHTs may lead to the successful promotion of self-care behaviors in patients with HF.

Objective

This study aimed to outline the HCD, development, and evaluation process of a DHT designed to promote effective self-care in patients with HF.

Methods

A design thinking approach within the HCD framework was undertaken, as described in the International Organization for Standardization 9241-210:2019 regulations, using a 5-step process: empathize, ideate, design, develop, and test. Patients with HF were involved throughout the design and evaluation of the system. The designed system was grounded in behavior change theory using the Theoretical Domains Framework and included behavior change techniques. Mixed methods were used to evaluate the DHT during the testing phase.

Results

Steps 1 to 3 of the process resulted in a set of evidence- and user-informed design requirements that were carried forward into the iterative development of a version 1 system. A cross-platform (iOS and Android) mobile app integrated with Fitbit activity trackers and smart scales was developed. A 2-week user testing phase highlighted the ease of use of the system, with patients demonstrating excellent adherence. Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews identified the early potential for the system to positively influence self-care. Specifically, users perceived that the system increased their confidence and motivation to engage in key self-care behaviors, provided them with skills and knowledge that made them more aware of the importance of self-care behaviors, and might facilitate timely help seeking.

Conclusions

The use of an HCD methodology in this research has resulted in the development of a DHT that may engage patients with HF and potentially affect their self-care behaviors. This comprehensive work lays the groundwork for further development and evaluation of this solution before its implementation in health care systems. A detailed description of the HCD process used in this research will help guide the development and evaluation of future DHTs across a range of disease use cases.
How Vaccine Ambivalence Can Lead People Who Inject Drugs to Decline COVID-19 Vaccination and Ways This Can Be Addressed: Qualitative Study
Authors: Aronson Ian David , Bennett Alex S , Ardouin-Guerrier Mary-Andrée , Rivera-Castellar German , Gibson Brent , Santoscoy Samantha , Vargas-Estrella Brittney
Published: February 2022

Background

People who inject drugs are disproportionately impacted by SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, yet they do not frequently accept vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 when offered.

Objective

This study aimed to explore why people who inject drugs decline free vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and how barriers to vaccination can potentially be addressed.

Methods

We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 17 unvaccinated adult persons who inject drugs during August and September 2021 at a New York City syringe service program, where approximately three-fourth of participants identified as Latino (55%) or African American (22%). Interviews lasted roughly 20 minutes. The interview guide examined reasons for declining vaccination, participants’ understanding of COVID-19 risks, and how messages could be developed to encourage vaccine uptake among people who inject drugs.

Results

Participants acknowledged that they faced increased risk from SARS-CoV-2 owing to their injection drug use but feared that long-term substance use may have weakened their health, making them especially vulnerable to side effects. Fears of possible side effects, compounded by widespread medical mistrust and questions about the overall value of vaccination contributed to marked ambivalence among our sample. The desire to protect children and older family members emerged as key potential facilitators of vaccination.

Conclusions

Community-developed messages are needed in outreach efforts to explain the importance of vaccination, including the far greater dangers of COVID-19 compared to possible unintended side effects. Messages that emphasize vaccines’ ability to prevent inadvertently infecting loved ones, may help increase uptake. Community-focused messaging strategies, such as those used to increase HIV and hepatitis C virus testing and overdose prevention among people who inject drugs, may prove similarly effective.
A Canadian Weekend Elective Pediatric Surgery Program to Reduce the COVID-19–Related Backlog: Operating Room Ramp-Up After COVID-19 Lockdown Ends—Extra Lists (ORRACLE-Xtra) Implementation Study
Authors: Matava Clyde , So Jeannette , Williams RJ , Kelley Simon ,   ORRACLE-Xtra Group
Published: February 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus has resulted in unprecedented challenges for the health care system. A decrease of surgical services led to substantial backlogs for time-sensitive scheduled pediatric patients. We designed and implemented a novel pilot weekend surgical quality improvement project called Operating Room Ramp-Up After COVID Lockdown Ends—Extra Lists (ORRACLE-Xtra).

Objective

Our overall goals are to increase patient access to surgery (and reduce the wait list), improve operating room efficiencies, and optimize parent and staff experience.

Methods

Using the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) framework, we implemented ORRACLE-Xtra in a tertiary care academic pediatric hospital during a quiescent period of the COVID-19 pandemic. We defined process and outcome measures based on provincial targets of out-of-window cases. Parental and staff satisfaction was tracked by surveys.

Results

ORRACLE-Xtra led to 247 patients receiving surgery during the pilot period, resulting in a 5% decrease in the total number of patients on our wait list with Paediatric Canadian Access Targets for Surgery IV (147/247, 59.5%), with 38.1% (94/247) out-of-window of provincial targets. Most of the process and outcome measures were met or exceeded. Overall parental satisfaction was at 95.8% (110/121), with 79% (64/81) of staff reporting satisfaction with working weekends.

Conclusions

Through the ORRACLE-Xtra pilot program, we have shown that hospitals impacted by COVID-19 can reduce the surgical backlog using innovative models of service delivery in a Canadian context. Sustained funding is critical to achieving more meaningful reductions in wait times for scheduled surgeries over the longer term and needs to be balanced with staff well-being.
Embedding and Integrating a Digital Patient Management Platform Into Everyday Primary Care Routines: Qualitative Case Study (Preprint)
Authors: Frennert Susanne , Erlingsdóttir Gudbjörg , Muhic Mirella , Rydenfält Christofer , Milos Nymberg Veronica , Ekman Björn
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND

Traditional primary care is characterized by patient consultations via phone and physical visits. However, the current development in Swedish primary care is to blend digital solutions with traditional solutions. This paper addresses this development by examining the normalization of embedding and integrating a digital health care platform into everyday care routines in a primary care clinic. The digital health care platform enables both synchronous (video calls) and asynchronous (chat) communication, as well as self-registration of patient data using automated questions and forms requiring the patient’s input.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the work that health care professionals (HCPs) have to undertake to implement and sustain a digital health care platform as part of their everyday work practice.

METHODS

HCPs were observed and interviewed to assess their individual and collective engagement and the mechanisms involved in the implementation of the digital platform and its effects on everyday work routines. The normalization process theory (NPT) was used to frame the data analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis identified several themes related to the four NPT constructs: coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, and reflexive monitoring. The use of these constructs enabled the analysis to identify ways of supporting implementation. For example, it showed the benefits of having implementation champions and scheduling work hours for HCPs to use the platform. The analysis also revealed a theme of materiality that deviated from the NPT constructs, as NPT gives ontological priority to human actors and social structures.

CONCLUSIONS

Digital health care platform implementation is a complex process. Our findings provide insights into how individual and collective actions can be supported to embed and integrate a digital platform into everyday care routines. Primary health care organizations need to involve HCPs throughout the implementation process by reorganizing work and providing frequent feedback loops. HCPs are more likely to engage with and commit to changing practices if they perceive the digital platform to be beneficial compared with the current practice. However, they also need resources (eg, time, training, and continuous support) to put the platform into practice. Patient engagement and appraisal are important elements in implementation. Unless patients are willing to use the platform, there is no motivation for HCPs to embed the digital platform into everyday care practice.
Investigating into phishing risk behaviour among healthcare staff: The phish or the patient? (Preprint)
Authors: Yeng Prosper Kandabongee , Yang Bian , Fauzi Muhammad Ali , Nimbe Peter
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND

Through phishing attacks, the memory of the negative impact of security breaches in healthcare will remain with the inflicted for long. The healthcare sector is mostly associated with time sensitivity and the urgency to access patients’ records, especially during emergency situations. This creates a sense of force for management to opt for a ransom payment. Phishing is one of the less difficult ways to circumvent sophisticated technical security measures and it is used to exploit the psychological and other factors of the healthcare system users to succeed in the ransomware attack.

OBJECTIVE

Motivated by these, this study empirically examined the phishing susceptibility level among healthcare staff in Ghana. The study seeks to determine phishing appraisal threat levels among healthcare staff as well as their ability to resist phishing baits. Such knowledge would help hospital authorities to adopt better strategies to improve upon the security practice of the healthcare staff in a way towards mitigating real potential attacks

METHODS

Guided with the state-of-the-arts in phishing simulated study in healthcare and after deeply assessing the ethical dilemmas, an SMS-based phishing simulation was conducted among healthcare workers in Ghana. The study adopted an in-the-wild study approach alongside quantitative and qualitative surveys.

RESULTS

From the state-of-the-art studies, the in-the-wild study approach was commonly used as compared to laboratory-based experiments and statistical surveys because its findings are generally reliable and effective. The attack results showed that more than half of the targeted healthcare staff (61%) were susceptible to the attack. A survival bias phone call made to the participants showed that some of the healthcare staff were not victims. They prioritized patient care whereas other staff were victims because they were distracted by patient care. This raised a vital question as to what caused the susceptibility; is it the patient or the bait in the phishing? The intended phishing behavior risk of healthcare workers was generally lower than their actual behavior. A correlation between perception and work factor variables showed that perceived barrier was a predictor of self-reported intended phishing behaviour among healthcare staff, workload significantly predicted self-efficacy risk (r=0.494, p-value=0.05) and work emergency predicted perceived barrier risk in the reverse direction at a significant level of r=-0.401, p-value=0.05.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results, the study outlined various study implications including phishing security training, awareness and incentives with future directions for the scientific community to explore.
Pertanian Biodinamik: Studi Kasus Sistem Produksi Anggur Alternatif di Ihringen, Jerman Selatan
Authors: Wilis Lara
Published: February 2022

Industrialisasi pertanian di Jerman diwarnai dengan penggunaan input kimiawi, mekanisasi pertanian dengan tujuan produktivitas dan efisiensi. Dampak lingkungan industrialisasi adalah berkurangnya kesuburan tanah dan biodiversitas. Di sisi lain industrialisasi pertanian mendorong usaha tani skala kecil keluar dari sektor pertanian karena tidak mampu berkompetisi sebagai petani industrial. Praktik pertanian berkelanjutan mulai muncul sebagai gerakan tandingan. Sistem ini menolak penggunaan input kimiawi dan menjunjung tinggi keberlanjutan lingkungan dengan harapan juga dapat meningkatkan kemakmuran petani dengan pemotongan rantai komoditas. Di tengah kompetisi paar yang tinggi, di Desa Ihringen, Jerman Selatan, yang dikenal sebagai wilayah penghasil anggur terdapat usaha tani skala kecil biodinamik. Praktik pertanian ini adalah pertanian ramah lingkungan yang dianggap agak mistis karena panduan kalender rembulan dan sistem pertanian yang spesifik dengan preparasi biodinamik (biodynamische präparate) diyakini mampu menghubungkan energi kosmis dengan pertanian. Praktik tersebut dipercayai dapat mengoptimalkan kualitas pangan. Pada praktiknya pengusahaan tani skala kecil biodinamik ini tidak diterapkan secara ideal karena petani masih berhadapan dengan tantangan kompetitivitas pasar.
The use and meaning of the parachute metaphor in biomedicine: a citation analysis of a systematic review and a randomized trial of the parachute for freefall
Authors: Xu Alexander , Prasad Vinay
Published: February 2022

Background:
Numerous authors have used the ‘parachute' analogy to comment on the importance of and need for randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) in the hierarchy of medical evidence.
Methods:
The authors completed a retrospective literature analysis examining publications citing the 2003 parachute paper by Smith and Pell and a 2018 RCT of a parachute by Yeh
et al.
For all of the articles that directly analogized a medical intervention to a parachute, the authors identified the desired outcome of the practice and searched PubMed for relevant RCTs.
Results:
Authors citing the parachute analogy are often critical of RCTs and often draw comparisons to interventions that are not parachutes.
Propuesta de adopción de tecnologías asociadas a la industria 4.0 en las pymes mexicanas
Authors: Buenrostro Mercado Héctor Edgar
Published: February 2022

Objetivo: presentar una propuesta para incorporar los elementos tecnológicos básicos que se requieren en las pymes mexicanas para integrarse a la industria 4.0.Diseño metodológico: se realiza un análisis de cuatro fuentes secundarias; las características de las tecnologías digitales asociadas, la revisión de bibliografía sobre estudios de caso, las metodologías y manuales internacionales para su adopción y, las condiciones de digitalización de las pymes en México.Resultados: se propone un proceso compuesto por una etapa pre-industria 4.0 y cuatro fases, determinadas por la complejidad de las tecnologías digitales y en las posibilidades de uso que viabiliza la incorporación de cada una de ellas. Limitaciones: este trabajo es resultado de un análisis de fuentes secundarias, por lo que requiere de la comprobación en estudios de caso para contrastar su viabilidad y solo es válido para el caso mexicano.Hallazgos: debido a las características y condiciones de las empresas, así como del entorno nacional, se requiere de una etapa previa de digitalización para que las pymes puedan incorporar de manera efectiva las tecnologías asociadas a la industria 4.0.