bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating nocturnal polyuria in Japanese children with nocturnal enuresis
Authors: Nishizaki Naoto , Hara Taichi , Obinata Kaoru , Shimizu Toshiaki
Published: April 2021

Background

The purpose of this study was to assess whether enuretic Japanese patients with nocturnal polyuria (NP) who met Hoashi’s criteria (6–9 years: ≥200 mL; 10 years and older: ≥250 mL) met the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS; expected bladder capacity × 130%) and Rittig’s criteria for nocturnal polyuria (>[age+9] × 20 mL). We also compared the effectiveness of 1‐desamino‐8‐d‐arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) with the three criteria.

Methods

Fifty‐four patients who had NP with normal bladder capacity were enrolled: 36 boys (67%); median age, 8 (interquartile range: 7–9). We compared the diagnostic differences between the Hoashi’s criteria and international standards (ICCS and Rittig’s) for NP and the short‐term effects of DDAVP. The patients received DDAVP for 8 weeks; we evaluated the association between each evaluation method and the effects of therapy.

Results

Only 17% of the patients met both Hoashi’s and ICCS criteria, whereas 26% met both Hoashi’s and Rittig’s criteria. The therapeutic effect of DDAVP did not differ significantly between these two groups: there was an effective rate of 73% (Hoashi’s criteria) versus 50% (ICCS criteria), P = 0.19, and an effective rate of 71% (Hoashi’s criteria) versus 62% (Rittig’s criteria), P = 0.84.

Conclusions

Hoashi’s criteria are widely used but, according to both the ICCS and Rittig’s criteria, approximately 80% of the patients did not fulfill the definition of NP. However, 8 weeks after the DDAVP treatment began, no significant difference was observed in the therapeutic effect of DDAVP according to each set of criteria. The definition of NP should account for the physical disparities between Japanese people and Westerners.
Patient preferences for growth hormone treatment in Japanese children
Authors: Tanaka Toshiaki , Sato Takahiro , Yuasa Akira , Akiyama Takeshi , Tawseef Adeeb
Published: April 2021

Background

There are not clear evidence to date evaluating patients' and caregivers' preferences for the recombinant‐human growth hormone (r‐hGH) injection in children in Japan. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluated the factors driving preferences for daily r‐hGH injections among Japanese children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) or their caregivers and to determine the relative importance of treatment delivery factors.

Methods

This study was performed among Japanese children with GHD or their caregivers who visited a specialized clinic in Japan as part of their routine care. The participants were asked to complete a web‐based discrete choice experiment (DCE) questionnaire.

Results

Choice‐based conjoint analysis was used to evaluate the relative importance of the attributes of the choice predictors and determine utility scores for each attribute. Of the 47 respondents who participated in this study, 41 were caregivers who responded on behalf of the patients, the remaining six were patients who completed the DCE themselves. The injection schedule was found to be the most important factor for both patients and caregivers; a once‐weekly injection schedule was preferred over a daily injection schedule. Storage and preparation was deemed more important to patients than it was to caregivers, with patients preferring storage at room temperature even if it required additional mixing (reconstitution). Both patients and caregivers showed a clear preference for devices that offered a dose‐setting memory.

Conclusions

A less frequent injection schedule may enhance adherence to r‐hGH treatment and expected improve quality of life for GHD patients over the long term.
Nordic cyanobacterial and algal lipids: Triacylglycerol accumulation, chemotaxonomy and bioindustrial potential
Authors: Santana‐Sánchez Anita , Lynch Fiona , Sirin Sema , Allahverdiyeva Yagut
Published: April 2021

The ability to capture and convert sunlight, water and nutrients into useful compounds make photosynthetic microbes ideal candidates for the bio‐industrial factories of the future. However, the suitability of isolates from temperate regions to grow under Nordic conditions is questionable. In this work, we explore the chemotaxonomy of Nordic strains of cyanobacteria and one green alga and evaluate their potential as raw materials for the production of lipid‐based bio‐industrial compounds. Thin‐layer chromatography was used to identify the presence of triacylglycerol, which were detected in the majority of strains. Fatty acid methyl ester profiles were analysed to determine the suitability of strains for the production of biodiesel or the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids for the nutraceutical industry. The Nordic Synechococcus strains were unique in demonstrating fatty acid profiles comprised mostly C14:0, C16:0 and C16:1 and lacking polyunsaturated fatty acids. These properties translated to superior predicted biodiesel qualities, including cetane number, cold filter plugging point and oxidative stability compared to the other evaluated strains. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were detected at high levels (38–53%), with Calothrix sp. 336/3 being abundant in two essential fatty acids, linoleic and alpha‐linolenic acid (21 and 17%, respectively). Gamma‐linoleic acid was the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid for the remaining strains (13–21%). In addition to assessing the potential of Nordic strains for bio‐industrial production, this work also discusses issues such as taxonomy and predictive modelling, which can affect the identification of prospective high‐performing strains.
Manufacturing and National Security
Authors: Schmid Steven R. , Melkote Shreyes N.
Published: April 2021

The importance of manufacturing to national security is recognized by defense professionals across the political spectrum. And yet, investments in American manufacturing infrastructure have fallen behind other nations, exacerbating security concerns. As a new administration sets its course for both economic and security policy, there is an opportunity for new investments in infrastructure, education, and research and development to support advanced manufacturing that can enhance the national defense.
Computational Efficiency Improvement of Dimple Textured Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing Using Progressive Mesh Densification Method
Authors: Syed Nayab Rasool , Kakoty Sashindra Kumar
Published: April 2021

There is a considerable amount of study carried out on textured hydrodynamic bearings. The numerical solution of textured bearings is a matter of concern for the researchers. There are several methods used to estimate the performance parameters of textured bearings. However, progressive mesh densification (PMD) method is not yet used for textured bearings while it has been used for mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) and thermo-EHL problems. In the present analysis, the PMD method is implemented to estimate the performance parameters of the textured journal bearing. It is compared with the multigrid and the fixed mesh methods and found to be very effective in improving computational efficiency.
Using Universal Design for Learning to Support Students with Disabilities in
a SCALE-UP Physics Course
Authors: James Westley , Cooney James H. , Chini Jacquelyn J. , Vasquez Eleazar , Schreffler Jillian
Published: April 2021

Students with disabilities comprise a large and growing fraction of college students; however, many instructors lack the training and knowledge to support them. In this paper, we discuss the impact of professional development about executive function disorders and Universal Design for Learning for an introductory physics instructor (second author) and his students.
Designing Laboratories for Online Instruction Using the iOLab
Device
Authors: Leblond Louis , Hicks Melissa
Published: April 2021

Scientific laboratories are among the most challenging course components to integrate into online instruction. Available technology restricts the design and nature of experiments, and it can be hard to replicate the collaborative lab environment where frequent and immediate instructor feedback is the norm. Here we report on technological and pedagogical aspects of newly developed labs for online courses using the Interactive Online Lab (iOLab) device. We argue that this technology, coupled with an online course design emphasizing teamwork, targeted feedbacks, and self-regulation skills, provides a robust framework for students to do reliable, engaging, inquiry-based and hands-on labs outside the classroom. After describing the implementation and technology, we explain our lab objectives and how the labs were integrated into two introductory physics courses. We conclude with an example lab on kinematics.
Conductors, Insulators, and Solar Cells: A Simple Introduction
Authors: Di Francia Girolamo
Published: April 2021

Young students show great interest in solar energy and a genuine curiosity towards the operating mechanisms of a solar cell. This study reports on a methodology that reveals an effective approach in explaining the operation of solar cells to young students with very limited knowledge in solid-state physics. The methodology can be presented in the form of slides or, in our experience, better by means of a kinesthetic activity involving the whole class.
A Long-Range Sunlight-Resistant Photogate
Authors: McCaughey Michael Paul , Henderson Madison
Published: April 2021

Photogates play an important part of many of today’s physics laboratory experiments. They signal when an infrared (IR) beam is interrupted, thus supplying the experimenter with important timing information. Currently photogates use an infrared photodiode (IR transmitter) and a phototransistor (IR receiver). User-built photogates have a weakness though. When a photogate-based experiment is run in a sunlit room, stray sunlight, under certain conditions, can temporarily saturate the phototransistor, causing it to fail unexpectedly. In this article we present an inexpensive IR receiver module that replaces the phototransistor. It is sunlight resistant, comparable in size to a phototransistor, and requires only minor modification to housing, wiring, and programming of the existing user-built systems. This module can also be used in a system designed to communicate data from an ongoing experiment over a long range. The module is commonly used in a handheld TV remote.
Using iPads for Video Analysis Physics Labs in Times of Social
Isolation
Authors: Trout K. P. , Adkins Mark , Bekker Jennifer , Harlacher Alexis , Ramirez Frandy , Swingler Andrew , Wagner Chase
Published: April 2021

For science students doing traditional laboratory experiments, often it may feel as if the apparatus and experiment have been specifically chosen for good results. They suspect that the science they are learning in the classroom will not match nearly as well in the real world. However, many educators have observed that student motivation and learning are improved when students make a connection between the classroom and the real world. Connecting the physics classroom to the real world can be accomplished, even in times of social isolation, with video analysis lab projects using videos taken by students based upon their interests.
Using Reflection from a Pane of Glass to Copy a Drawing
Authors: Greenslade Thomas B.
Published: April 2021

The woodcut in Fig. 1 comes from a late 19th-century French book on the wonders of science. In it a girl is using the reflection from a transparent glass surface to copy a picture.
An Improved Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Data Analysis Pipeline for the Identification of Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Gato Eva , Constanso Ignacio Pedro , Candela Ana , Galán Fátima , Rodiño-Janeiro Bruno Kotska , Arroyo Manuel Jesús , Méndez Gema , Mancera Luis , Alioto Tyler , Gut Marta , Gut Ivo , Álvarez-Tejado Miguel , Rodríguez-Sánchez Belén , Bou Germán , Oviaño Marina
Published: April 2021

The increasing emergence of carbapenemase-producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(CPK) isolates is a global health alarm. Rapid methods that require minimum sample preparation and rapid data analysis are urgently required.
CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral
Acropora Cervicornis
to a Changing Environment
†
Authors: Ramírez-Lugo Juan S. , Toledo-Hernández Carlos , Vélez-González Ivonne , Ruiz-Diaz Claudia P.
Published: April 2021

There is mounting evidence to support that students who participate in scientific research experiences are more likely to continue on to advanced degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). To introduce more students to the benefits of research, we have drawn on an ongoing project aimed at understanding how the Caribbean staghorn coral
Acropora cervicornis
responds to environmental fluctuations to develop a semester-long course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), entitled CREARE (Coral Response to Environment Authentic Research Experience).
Application of the Salient Practices Framework for Undergraduate Research Mentoring in Virtual Environments
Authors: Hall Eric , Bailey Elizabeth , Higgins Simon , Ketcham Caroline , Nepocatych Svetlana , Wittstein Matthew
Published: April 2021

Undergraduate research is an excellent example of student engagement that leads to numerous benefits for the student and faculty. However, for students to gain the most from the experience, high-quality mentorship is needed.
Teaching “Crafty Microbiology”: Safely Teaching Hands-On Microbiology Skills at Home
†
Authors: Estes Anne M. , Jozwick Anna S. , Kerr Jennifer E.
Published: April 2021

Using nontoxic craft items and disposable lab consumables, we have developed nine modules to teach fundamental, hands-on microbiology lab skills safely at home. These “Crafty” teaching modules can be paired with virtual instruction and/or data collected by an instructor to replicate traditional microbiology lab exercises that characterize an unknown microbe.
Complex Systems in a Complex Time: Two Flexible Activities Using Online Models to Study Infectious Disease Transmission and Code Complex Systems Simulations
†
Authors: Rholl Drew
Published: April 2021

With the advent of COVID-19, major media outlets and health organizations have been eager to provide projections on the spread of infectious disease through a population based on different variables. This report outlines two activities for leveraging the global interest in COVID-19 to (i) encourage students to explore simulations and data presentation, and (ii) develop models of complex systems using a block-based coding platform (StarLogo Nova).
Integrating Metacognitive Regulation into the Online Classroom Using Student-Developed Learning Plans
Authors: Roberts JoAnn S.
Published: April 2021

Students and instructors have been faced with unexpected challenges that presented rapidly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced students into an unfamiliar learning ecosystem to which they had to quickly adapt in order to continue to be successful in their courses.
Impact of COVID-19 Curricular Shifts on Learning Gains on the Microbiology for Health Sciences Concept Inventory
Authors: Seitz Heather , Rediske Andrea
Published: April 2021

As a validated assessment, the Microbiology for Health Sciences Concept Inventory (MHSCI) is a valuable tool to evaluate student progress in health sciences microbiology courses. In this brief analysis, we survey MHSCI faculty users and report student MHSCI scores to determine the impact on student learning gains of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine in spring 2020.
Teaching in the Time of COVID-19: Creation of a Digital Internship to Develop Scientific Thinking Skills and Create Science Literacy Exercises for Use in Remote Classrooms
†
Authors: Boury Nancy , Alvarez Kanwal S. , Costas Amaya Garcia , Knapp Gwendowlyn S. , Seipelt-Thiemann Rebecca L.
Published: April 2021

The extreme academic and social disruption caused by COVID-19 in the spring and summer of 2020 led to the loss of many student internships. We report here our creation of a novel internship for students majoring in the biological sciences.
Disparities in Remote Learning Faced by First-Generation and Underrepresented Minority Students during COVID-19: Insights and Opportunities from a Remote Research Experience
Authors: Barber Paul H. , Shapiro Casey , Jacobs Molly S. , Avilez Leslie , Brenner Katherine I. , Cabral Carmen , Cebreros Monika , Cosentino Evan , Cross Candice , Gonzalez Monica L. , Lumada Kaila T. , Menjivar Alison T. , Narvaez Jennifer , Olmeda Belinda , Phelan Rebecca , Purdy Destiney , Salam Saima , Serrano Leah , Velasco Miguel J. , Marin Erick Zerecero , Levis-Fitzgerald Marc
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented shift to remote instruction across higher education, reducing access to critically important undergraduate research experience and potentially magnifying inequities faced by first-generation and underrepresented minority (URM) students in higher education. Through a novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) at UCLA, delivered completely online, results of a unique, student-generated survey showed that the transition to remote learning was challenging for all students, increasing student workload, decreasing ability to focus on school, and limiting their ability to succeed.
Isn’t It Ironic? Adapting an Elective on Quarantine and Isolation for Online Delivery Due to a Pandemic
Authors: Iverson-Cabral Stefanie L.
Published: April 2021

The emergence of COVID-19 and the pandemic that followed have given us a front-row seat to the debate over individual rights versus public health.
Going Online in Pandemic Time: A DivulgaMicro Workshop Experience
†
Authors: Andrade de Oliveira Laura Maria , Cordeiro-Spinetti Eric , Neves Felipe Piedade Gonçalves , Sujii Patricia Sanae , Ribeiro Rachel Leite , de Lyra Sidcley Silva , Pinto Tatiana Castro Abreu , Bonatelli Maria Letícia
Published: April 2021

DivulgaMicro is a Brazilian Science Communication and Outreach project run by three young female scientists. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we promoted the first virtual edition of the DivulgaMicro Workshop.
Moving a Journal Article–Based Upper-Level Microbiology Dry Lab from In-Person to Online Instruction
†
Authors: Deutch Charles E.
Published: April 2021

During the spring semester of 2020, a journal article–based upper-level microbiology laboratory course was offered through Western New Mexico University at Glendale Community College in Glendale, AZ. Because most of the students had taken a lower-level microbiology class with a traditional wet laboratory, a dry lab format was used instead.
Critical Online Service-Learning Pedagogy: Justice in Science Education
Authors: Derreth R. Tyler , Wear Maggie P.
Published: April 2021

In the year 2020 the world changed dramatically. We went from busy lives spent largely away from home to spending most of our time at home while daily facing deepening national crises.
Outbreak! an Online Board Game That Fosters Collaborative Learning of Viral Diseases
Authors: de Almeida Luiz Gustavo , Pasternak Taschner Natalia , Lellis-Santos Camilo
Published: April 2021

Remote education has become necessary to resume teaching activities during the pandemic. Most educators were not prepared for this type of teaching or did not have access to the resources required for online classes.
Fur loss syndrome and lice infestations observed on Arctic foxes in central Nunavut, Canada
Authors: Buhler Kayla J. , Samelius Gustaf , Alisauskas Ray , Jenkins Emily
Published: April 2021

As temperatures in the circumpolar north continue to warm, shifts in species distribution and the breakdown of environmental barriers for arthropods may impact the diversity and distribution of ectoparasites in Arctic ecosystems. In May 2019, fur loss over the neck and shoulders was observed on Arctic foxes in a terrestrial Arctic ecosystem (Karrak Lake) in central Nunavut, Canada. This was inconsistent with normal patterns of shedding winter fur and had not been observed on Arctic foxes in this population over the previous 19 years of live-trapping. Operculated eggs attached to hair shafts were collected from one affected fox. Conventional PCR using universal louse primers targeting conserved regions of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rDNA confirmed that the eggs belonged to the order Phthiraptera. Sequencing results were inconclusive at the species level. Further investigation revealed a single unpublished report of an Arctic fox with similar fur loss trapped on mainland Nunavut, in 1997. Adult lice collected from this fox were identified as sucking lice (potentially from the genus Linognathus). Our findings emphasize the need for further monitoring and have significant implications for trappers and wildlife management, as infestations negatively impact the pelt quality of these important furbearers.
Designing for Social Connectivity (Not Everyone Likes Webcams)
Authors: Lord William P
Published: April 2021

COVID-19 has forced vast numbers of educational institutions to shift their operations from being delivered face-to-face to being delivered online. As a result, academic institutions have had to scramble to find complex solutions that meet systems-wide online teaching and learning needs. The quality of interaction that occurs between the educator and the student is crucial to the success of delivering education via online technologies, and it is incumbent on the host institution to provide a usable, effective, and satisfying form of communication all participants may communicate with while maintaining a sense of social presence. It requires little effort to compile a list of potential benefits of using webcams in educational settings. It is more challenging to come up with a list of conditions as to when you may not require all learners to communicate using webcams. This article explores the benefits and challenges of incorporating webcams in teaching and learning in the online learning environment.
A Retrospective on Fundamental Cause Theory: State of the Literature and Goals for the Future
Authors: Clouston Sean A.P. , Link Bruce G.
Published: April 2021

Fundamental cause theory (FCT) was originally proposed to explain how socioeconomic inequalities in health emerged and persisted over time. The concept was that higher socioeconomic status helped some people to avoid risks and adopt protective strategies using flexible resources: knowledge, money, power, prestige, and beneficial social connections. As a sociological theory, FCT addressed this issue by calling on social stratification, stigma, and racism as they affected medical treatments and health outcomes. The last comprehensive review was completed a decade ago. Since then, FCT has been tested, and new applications have extended central features. The current review consolidates key foci in the literature in order to guide future research in the field. Notable themes emerged around types of resources and their usage, approaches used to test the theory, and novel extensions. We conclude that after 25 years of use, there remain crucial questions to be addressed.
Models for Predicting Quality of Solar-Dried Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) during Storage Based on Protein Oxidation
Authors: Fu Yuye , Liu Yaqiong , Wang Wenxiu , Suo Ran , Wang Jie
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study was to explore the correlation between protein oxidation and quality and to study the changes in various indexes of solar-dried shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) stored at 37°C and 20°C through vacuum packing and vacuum packaging with antipressure sterilization. The results showed that ΔE as well as TVB-N and carbonyl contents increased, whereas moisture and free thiol (SH) contents decreased with time. Furthermore, SDS-PAGE and scanning electron microscopy revealed protein degradation and damage of shrimp muscle microstructure during storage. A quality prediction model based on protein oxidation was established according to Arrhenius equation. Verification of shrimp quality prediction models revealed that the relative errors of the models based on SH and carbonyl contents were below 10%, indicating that these protein oxidation parameters can be used for reliable estimation of quality changes in dried shrimp during storage.
Multiattribute Analysis of Trichomonas vaginalis Diagnostics and Its Correlation with Clinical Complaints and Contraceptive Methods in a Symptomatic Egyptian Cohort
Authors: Ghallab Marwa M. I. , Alaa Doaa , Morsy Salwa M.
Published: April 2021

Background. Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) infection has been long considered among the sexually transmitted diseases that possesses a clear effect on women’s health especially in the childbearing period. Methods. A 234 females of age range 18-45 years old attending the Gynecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic of Kasr El Aini Hospitals were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. The taken vaginal swabs were subjected to wet mount microscopy, Giemsa stain, modified Diamond’s culture, and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) amplification. Multiattribute and analytical hierarchy processes were conducted to detect laboratory utility. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to detect the multiple risk factors that may be associated with Trichomonas infection. Results. Based on nPCR, the prevalence of trichomoniasis was 26.9%. Wet mount, Giemsa stain, and culture showed 100% specificity but of low sensitivity (28.57%, 28.57%, and 57.14%, respectively). On the multivariate analysis, nPCR showed the highest rank for diagnostic performance and culture had the lowest rank. For univariate analysis, there was a significant correlation between T. vaginalis infection and vaginal discharge, burning sensation, dyspareunia, and the use of intrauterine device (IUD) (Pvalue < 0.05). Conclusion. The routine screening of trichomoniasis using nPCR was reliable, sensitive, and specific. Also, it could financially be considered a more suitable option in batch screening. Significant higher rates of infection were reported among IUD users compared to condom or hormonal-based methods.
A Barycenter Control Method for the Bioinspired Forest Chassis Robot on Slope
Authors: Sui Tingting , Liu Jinhao , Wang Jianli , Zhang Jianting
Published: April 2021

To improve the stability of forestry chassis on the slope, a chassis-installed barycenter adjustable mechanism (BAM) is designed, and the control method of the counterweight is proposed to make the chassis barycenter move suitably to achieve the design purpose. The kinematic analysis of BAM is carried out, and the relationship between the translation, rotation, and vertical displacement of counterweight and the chassis barycenter is calculated. Furthermore, the variation curves obtained in Matlab show the barycenter can translate 100 mm, rotate from 0 to 360 degrees, and lower about 180 mm in the vertical direction. Adams is adopted to complete the kinematics simulation of the chassis, indicating that the control method can effectively adjust the barycenter position. Finally, experiments are carried out under slope conditions to analyze chassis stability by testing plantar pressure. The results show that forest chassis using the barycenter control method helps keep stable on the slope of 15 degrees, much better than standard normal chassis.
Dynamic Combination Evaluation Method of Rural Environmental Pollution Control Effect
Authors: Li Xinjie
Published: April 2021

In recent years, the problem of environmental pollution has become more and more serious, and environmental pollution has become a topic of concern. PM2.5, PM10, hazy weather, and other words about environmental pollution have become hot words and topics for the media and the public to talk about, and environmental pollution control is called for by the media and the public. This reflects the rapid development of economy and the obvious changes in people’s living standards, and people have higher requirements and aspirations for their lives and the environment they live in, and their awareness of environmental protection is getting stronger and stronger; however, it also reflects that the rapid development of the economy comes at the cost of damaging the environment. This paper analyzes the current situation and governance dilemma of rural environment by means of field research from dynamic portfolio evaluation theory, explains the problems and causes of environmental pollution management under the requirement of polycentric governance, and proposes countermeasures to solve the problem of environmental pollution management in county. The paper aims to analyze the current state of environmental pollution in rural areas through literature review, villagers’ field interviews, and field research and to explain the application of polycentric governance to rural environmental pollution management in county in the region.
Mechanical Properties of Sandstones under Initial Unloading Damage
Authors: Zhang Hengbin , Wang Lehua , Li Jianlin , Deng Huafeng , Xu Xiaoliang
Published: April 2021

To study the influence of initial unloading damage on the mechanical properties of sandstone, the repeated loading test of unloading damaged sandstone was carried out considering 8 initial unloading quantities of 100%, 93.33%, 86.67%, 80%, 73.33%, 66.67%, 40%, and 0%. The results were compared with those of the triaxial compression test of intact samples. The results show that the peak strength of intact samples is higher than that of unloading damaged samples, and the difference is more obvious when the unloading quantity is more than 80%. During the unloading process, the strain increasing rate of rock samples is obvious, and the lateral dilatation is significant, and the deformation modulus and compressive strength of the rock sample deteriorate obviously. From the energy point of view, the greater the unloading damage, the smaller the stored elastic strain energy, which leads to the decrease of peak strength. At present, the unloading fracture inside the rock sample has developed, and the failure mode of the sample gradually changes from compression shear failure to tensile shear failure. In the process of engineering rock mass excavation, the unloading area and unloading damage amount of the rock mass is a dynamic adjustment process. To ensure the safety of the engineering rock mass, it is suggested to determine reasonable reinforcement time, reinforcement area, and reinforcement measures.
Study of Convergence of Reduced Differential Transform Method for Different Classes of Differential Equations
Authors: Moosavi Noori Seyyedeh Roodabeh , Taghizadeh Nasir
Published: April 2021

In this work, we study the sufficient condition for convergence of the reduced differential transform method for nonlinear differential equations. The main power of this method is its ability and flexibility in solving linear and nonlinear problems properly and easily and obtain solutions both numerically and analytically. Simple approaches of reduced differential transform method and the convergence results for different classes of differential equations such as linear and nonlinear ordinary, partial, fractional, and system of differential equations are briefly discussed. Eight examples are checked to confirm convergence results as well as the strength and efficiency of the method.
Effect of Culture Media and Plant Growth Regulators on Shoot Proliferation and Rooting of Internode Explants from Moroccan Native Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) Genotypes
Authors: Kodad Souhayla , Melhaoui Reda , Hano Christophe , Addi Mohamed , Sahib Nargis , Elamrani Ahmed , Abid Malika , Mihamou Aatika
Published: April 2021

In this study, several methods have been used to facilitate shoot formation from nodal explants of local almond ecotypes known as “Beldi” grown in Eastern Morocco. Nodal segments of divers old local genotypes were cultured on various concentrations of auxin (indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)) and cytokinins (6-benzyl-aminopurine (BAP), thidiazuron (TDZ), and kinetin (KIN)) added to two different media (Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Heller medium). The results showed that TDZ was more effective than the other tested hormones for in vitro proliferation of the “Beldi” ecotype. TDZ at the concentration of 1 mg/L significantly improved the nodal shoot proliferation rate, with the highest percentage (63.6% ± 0.63) and number of regenerated shoots (13 ± 0.54) recorded for S1 genotype inoculated on MS medium, while the most significant rooting rate (60.41% ± 0.81) of proliferated shoots and number of roots per shoot (7.3 ± 1.36) were achieved for S2 genotype on 1 mg/L of IBA incorporated to a half-strength MS medium. With 80% of plantlets survival, the rooted shoots were successfully adapted to the in vivo conditions and were grown vigorously in the greenhouse without any morphological abnormalities.
Early Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Traumatic Aortic Injury Caused by Thoracic and Abdominal Injuries: A Series of Four Cases with Literature Review
Authors: Wu Qiqi , Sun Shanshan , Xie Jie , Li Tianyu , Li Hui , Bai Xiangjun , Li Zhanfei , Wang Wei
Published: April 2021

Aortic injury, particularly traumatic aortic dissection caused by thoracic and abdominal injuries, is extremely rare. The diagnosis rate of blunt aortic injury caused by chest and abdominal injuries is often low, and its clinical manifestations are atypical. Once missed or misdiagnosed, the consequences are serious. Early diagnosis of traumatic aortic injury in complex thoracic and abdominal injuries is a key factor in reducing the mortality of trauma patients. Among all trauma patients treated in our department from December 2018 to December 2020, we diagnosed four cases of aortic injury, including three cases of aortic dissection and one case of intramural hematoma. Successful surgical treatment and clinical outcome were achieved in all four patients. We found that early diagnosis and surgical treatment can help to reduce the mortality of patients with traumatic aortic injury and improve the prognosis.
Increased Premature Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases in Dialysis Patients: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zheng Ke , Zhou Yangzhong , Qian Yujun , Wang Haiyun , Han Fei , Ni Jun , Hou Bo , You Hui , Chen Limeng , Zhu Yicheng , Feng Feng , Cui Liying , Li Xuemei
Published: April 2021

Background: Growing data indicate a higher prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases in patients with ESRD. Cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) is an important risk factor of stroke and dementia. A comprehensive assessment of CSVD in a dialysis population is needed. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we enrolled 179 dialysis patients and 351 controls matched by sex and age with normal serum creatinine. The presence and locations of 3 main features of CSVD in dialysis patients, including lacunes, cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), were evaluated with brain magnetic resonance imaging and compared with controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors. Results: Compared with controls, the prevalence of CSVD was significantly increased in dialysis patients (odds ratio [OR] 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26–5.62). Among them, risks of CMBs and WMHs were increased in dialysis (OR 4.01, 95% CI 1.78–9.42; 3.91, 95% CI 1.67–9.15), except for lacunes. The age of subjects with CSVD detected was significantly younger in the dialysis group (p = 0.002). Unlike controls, basal ganglia were most affected by lacunes and CMBs in dialysis patients. In dialysis patients, multivariate analysis further revealed that aging, smoking, and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with CSVD, while dialysis modality was not significant. Conclusion: We demonstrated a higher prevalence and early-onset tendency of CSVD in dialysis patients, especially for CMBs and WMHs. Dialysis patients showed different patterns and associated factors for CSVD.
Evidence-Based Digital Tools for Weight Loss Maintenance: The NoHoW Project
Authors: Stubbs R. James , Duarte Cristiana , Palmeira António L. , Sniehotta Falko F. , Horgan Graham , Larsen Sofus C. , Marques Marta M. , Evans Elizabeth H. , Ermes Miikka , Harjumaa Marja , Turicchi Jake , O’Driscoll Ruari , Scott Sarah E. , Pearson Beth , Ramsey Lauren , Mattila Elina , Matos Marcela , Sacher Paul , Woodward Euan , Mikkelsen Marie-Louise , Sainsbury Kirby , Santos Inês , Encantado Jorge , Stalker Carol , Teixeira Pedro J. , Heitmann Berit Lilienthal
Published: April 2021

Background: Effective interventions and commercial programmes for weight loss (WL) are widely available, but most people regain weight. Few effective WL maintenance (WLM) solutions exist. The most promising evidence-based behaviour change techniques for WLM are self-monitoring, goal setting, action planning and control, building self-efficacy, and techniques that promote autonomous motivation (e.g., provide choice). Stress management and emotion regulation techniques show potential for prevention of relapse and weight regain. Digital technologies (including networked-wireless tracking technologies, online tools and smartphone apps, multimedia resources, and internet-based support) offer attractive tools for teaching and supporting long-term behaviour change techniques. However, many digital offerings for weight management tend not to include evidence-based content and the evidence base is still limited. The Project: First, the project examined why, when, and how many European citizens make WL and WLM attempts and how successful they are. Second, the project employed the most up-to-date behavioural science research to develop a digital toolkit for WLM based on 2 key conditions, i.e., self-management (self-regulation and motivation) of behaviour and self-management of emotional responses for WLM. Then, the NoHoW trial tested the efficacy of this digital toolkit in adults who achieved clinically significant (≥5%) WL in the previous 12 months (initial BMI ≥25). The primary outcome was change in weight (kg) at 12 months from baseline. Secondary outcomes included biological, psychological, and behavioural moderators and mediators of long-term energy balance (EB) behaviours, and user experience, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. Impact: The project will directly feed results from studies on European consumer behaviour, design and evaluation of digital toolkits self-management of EB behaviours into development of new products and services for WLM and digital health. The project has developed a framework and digital architecture for interventions in the context of EB tracking and will generate results that will help inform the next generation of personalised interventions for effective self-management of weight and health.
A Mini Review of Plant-Based Diets in Hemodialysis
Authors: Dupuis Léonie , Brown-Tortorici Amanda , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar , Joshi Shivam
Published: April 2021

Background: Plant-based diets are defined as an eating pattern focused on the consumption of unprocessed fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, oils, and beans. They can include various forms of vegetarian, vegan, DASH, and Mediterranean diets. Plant-based diets have proven useful in the prevention and treatment of several lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Recently, a growing body of literature has emerged regarding plant-based diets for patients with kidney failure, including those on dialysis. Although evidence is still limited, preliminary findings are encouraging. Summary: This article reviews current literature on the use of plant-based diets in the treatment of patients on dialysis.
Detection of duplicate and non-face images in the eRecruitment applications using machine learning techniques
Authors: E. Manjunath K. , Honnavar Yogeen S. , Pritmani Rakesh , K. Sethuraman
Published: April 2021

The objective of this work is to develop methodologies to detect, and report the noncompliant images with respect to indian space research organisation (ISRO) recruitment requirements. The recruitment software hosted at U. R. rao satellite centre (URSC) is responsible for handling recruitment activities of ISRO. Large number of online applications are received for each post advertised. In many cases, it is observed that the candidates are uploading either wrong or non-compliant images of the required documents. By non-compliant images, we mean images which do not have faces or there is not enough clarity in the faces present in the images uploaded. In this work, we attempt to address two specific problems namely: 1) To recognise image uploaded to recruitment portal contains a human face or not. This is addressed using a face detection algorithm. 2) To check whether images uploaded by two or more applications are same or not. This is achieved by using machine learning (ML) algorithms to generate similarity score between two images, and then identify the duplicate images. Screening of valid applications becomes very challenging as the verification of such images using a manual process is very time consuming and requires large human efforts. Hence, we propose novel ML techniques to determine duplicate and non-face images in the applications received by the recruitment portal.
Fury and the Landscape Film: Three Men Who Left Their Will on
Concrete
Authors: Alekseyeva Julia
Published: April 2021

In the 1960s, Japanese artists and filmmakers directed their fury against the sterile urban landscapes which surrounded them. The “Theory of Landscape,” developed by Matsuda Masao as well as many other filmmakers, artists, and writers, posited that our lived landscape is an expression of dominant political power. This article uses the lens of Landscape Theory to analyze three Japanese political avant-garde films from the late 1960s and early 1970s, all of which mark frustration and anger through a reworking of the mundane urban environment that surrounds them: Wakamatsu Koji’s Go, Go Second Time Virgin (1969), Oshima Nagisa’s The Man Who Left His Will on Film (1970), and Terayama Shuji’s Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets (1971). These three films, whose narratives are fundamentally integrated with the discourse of Landscape Theory, use forms of violence to create gaps and fissures within the coldly modernized Tokyo landscape. While the forms of violence they use might differ, Wakamatsu, Oshima, and Terayama’s films critique and interrupt their cityscape, rendering the violence inherent in its concrete walls and buildings explicit.
Introduction to “City as Landscape” (1970) by Matsuda
Masao (1933–2020)
Authors: Prichard Franz
Published: April 2021

This introduction to Masao Matsuda’s essay, “The City as Landscape,” provides an outline of the essay’s role in the emergence of a radical discourse of landscape, known as fūkei-ron in Japan. In addition to illuminating crucial aspects of the political and discursive context of Matsuda’s writings, the introduction orients contemporary readers to this essay’s contributions to an expansion of the global imaginaries and aesthetic genealogies of the radical left.
Landscape and Its Double: The Technological Sublime
Authors: Harutyunyan Angela
Published: April 2021

The essay inquires about the historical condition of representation in our present while invoking the modern experience of the sublime and landscape as the medium of that experience. Can the sublime as the experience of the subject confronted with the very limits of representation be extended to our late capitalist conditions of mediatized representations? What constitutes “a landscape” as the site of the experience of the sublime in late capitalism? The essay addresses these questions through a renewed discussion of Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Technological Reproducibility” (1936) by focusing on the discussion of the aura and the decay of the aura in relation to landscape. In the wake of the failure of a transformative praxis to bring about a new social order, the technologically hyper-mediated engagement of man with nature under the conditions of extreme alienation and reification results in the production of the aesthetics of destruction experienced as “supreme pleasure”. In the age of the atomic bomb and technological hyper-mediation, the singularity of the moment of the experience of the sublime is multiply reproduced. The essay ends with an analysis of Werner Herzog’s 1992 film Lessons of Darkness as an example of rendering cinematically the aura’s survival under the conditions of its decay in the burning oil fields of Kuwait. Capitalism’s “desert of the real”, as the vast desert in Kuwait in Herzog’s film, is precisely the landscape in relation to which the subject attempts to represent that which evades representation (the event, nature, capitalism, and so on).
Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), a new species of woody bamboo from the northern Western Ghats, India

Authors: TETALI P. , TETALI SUJATA , MURALIDHARAN E.M. , BOKIL SARANG A. , CHOUDHARY RITESH KUMAR , DATAR MANDAR N.
Published: April 2021

Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii a new species of bamboo, locally known as Mes and traditionally utilized in the northern Western Ghats of India, is described and illustrated. The new species can be distinguished from its allied species, P. stocksii by longer and shining culms, young culms covered with white powdery scuff, undulating culm blades, fresh culm sheaths with waxy coating, black to brownish black hairs on culm sheaths, hollow culms with wall thickness of 0.9–1.9 cm at breast height and filaments united more than half of the length. A detailed description, photoplates, distribution map are provided for the new species in addition to the key for Indian Pseudoxytenanthera.
Maerua koratensis (Capparaceae), a new species from Thailand

Authors: SRISANGA PRACHAYA , MUANGSAN NOODUAN , CHOOPAN THIAMHATHAI , THANGTHONG JAKRAPONG , PRATCHAROENWANICH RATCHADA , WATTHANA SANTI
Published: April 2021

A new species, Maerua koratensis (Capparaceae), only known from a restricted locality in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, eastern Thailand, is here described and illustrated. This is the second species of Maerua to be described from South-East Asia. This new species is distinguished by the simple leaves, petaliferous flowers with distinctly 4-lobed laciniate disc, and cylindrical, torulose to moniliform fruits. Morphological characteristics of M. koratensis and M. juncea subsp. juncea, its most similar, are compared. A key to the Maerua species occurring in mainland South-East Asia is provided.
Murcybolus gen. nov., a new net-winged beetle genus from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Lycidae: Burmolycini)
Authors: LI YAN-DA , TIHELKA ERIK , HUANG DIYING
Published: April 2021

A new lycid beetle, Murcybolus longiantennus gen. et sp. nov., is reported from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (ca. 99 Ma). Murcybolus is placed in the recently erected fossil tribe Burmolycini based on the fully metamorphosed female, 10-segmented antennae, and pronotal disc with deep rounded punctures but without carinae. Murcybolus differs from the other genus in Burmolycini, Burmolycus, by its antennal morphology and elytral venation.