bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of machine learning models in estimation of ground reaction forces during balance exergaming
Authors: Vonstad Elise Klæbo , Bach Kerstin , Vereijken Beatrix , Su Xiaomeng , Nilsen Jan Harald
Published: February 2022

Background

Balance training exercise games (exergames) are a promising tool for reducing fall risk in elderly. Exergames can be used for in-home guided exercise, which greatly increases availability and facilitates independence. Providing biofeedback on weight-shifting during in-home balance exercise improves exercise efficiency, but suitable equipment for measuring weight-shifting is lacking. Exergames often use kinematic data as input for game control. Being able to useg such data to estimate weight-shifting would be a great advantage. Machine learning (ML) models have been shown to perform well in weight-shifting estimation in other settings. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the performance of ML models in estimation of weight-shifting during exergaming using kinematic data.

Methods

Twelve healthy older adults (mean age 72 (± 4.2), 10 F) played a custom exergame that required repeated weight-shifts. Full-body 3D motion capture (3DMoCap) data and standard 2D digital video (2D-DV) was recorded. Weight shifting was directly measured by 3D ground reaction forces (GRF) from force plates, and estimated using a linear regression model, a long-short term memory (LSTM) model and a decision tree model (XGBoost). Performance was evaluated using coefficient of determination ($$R^2$$

R
2

) and root mean square error (RMSE).

Results

Results from estimation of GRF components using 3DMoCap data show a mean (± 1SD) RMSE (% total body weight, BW) of the vertical GRF component ($$F_z$$

F
z

) of 4.3 (2.5), 11.1 (4.5), and 11.0 (4.7) for LSTM, XGBoost and LinReg, respectively. Using 2D-DV data, LSTM and XGBoost achieve mean RMSE (± 1SD) in $$F_z$$

F
z

estimation of 10.7 (9.0) %BW and 19.8 (6.4) %BW, respectively. $$R^2$$

R
2

was $$>.97$$

>
.
97

for the LSTM in the $$F_z$$

F
z

component using 3DMoCap data, and $$>.77$$

>
.
77

using 2D-DV data. For XGBoost, $$F_z$$

F
z

$$R^2$$

R
2

was $$>.86$$

>
.
86

using 3DMoCap data, and $$>.56$$

>
.
56

using 2D-DV data.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that an LSTM model can estimate 3-dimensional GRF components using 2D kinematic data extracted from standard 2D digital video cameras. The $$F_z$$

F
z

component is estimated more accurately than $$F_y$$

F
y

and $$F_x$$

F
x

components, especially when using 2D-DV data. Weight-shifting performance during exergaming can thus be extracted using kinematic data only, which can enable effective independent in-home balance exergaming.
Outcomes of total versus partial colectomy in fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis: a propensity matched analysis
Authors: Ahmed Nasim , Kuo Yen-Hong
Published: February 2022

Background

The Total Abdominal Colectomy (TAC) is the recommended procedure for Fulminant Clostridium Difficile Colitis (FCDC), however, occasionally, FCDC is also treated with partial colectomies. The purpose of the study was to identify the outcomes of partial colectomy in FCDC cases.

Method

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was accessed and eligible patients from 2012 through 2016 were reviewed. Patients 18 years and older who were diagnosed with FCDC and who underwent colectomies were included in the study. Patients’ demography, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, mortality, morbidities, length of hospital stay and discharge disposition were compared between the group who underwent partial colectomy and the group who underwent TAC. Univariate analysis followed by propensity matching was performed. A P value of < 0.05 is considered as statistically significant.

Results

Out of 491 patients who qualified for the study, 93 (18.9%) patients underwent partial colectomy. The pair matched analysis showed no significant difference in patients’ characteristics and comorbidities in the two groups. There was no significant difference found in mortality between the two groups (30.1% vs. 30.1%, P > 0.99). There were no differences found in the median [95% CI] hospital length of stay (LOS) (23 days [19–31] vs. 21 [17–25], P = 0.30), post-operative complications (all P > 0.05), and discharged disposition to home ( 33.8% vs. 43.1%) or transfer to rehab (21.55 vs. 12.3%, P = 0.357) between the TAC and partial colectomy groups.

Conclusion

The overall 30 days mortality remains very high in FCDC. Partial colectomy did not increase risk of mortality or morbidities and LOS.

Level of evidence

Level IV.

Study type

Observational cohort.
Combining Hepatic Percutaneous Perfusion with Ipilimumab plus Nivolumab in advanced uveal melanoma (CHOPIN): study protocol for a phase Ib/randomized phase II trial
Authors: Tong T. M. L. , van der Kooij M. K. , Speetjens F. M. , van Erkel A. R. , van der Meer R. W. , Lutjeboer J. , van Persijn van Meerten E. L. , Martini C. H. , Zoethout R. W. M. , Tijl F. G. J. , Blank C. U. , Burgmans M. C. , Kapiteijn E.
Published: February 2022

Background

While immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has revolutionized the treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, no standard treatments are available for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (UM). Several locoregional therapies are effective in the treatment of liver metastases, such as percutaneous hepatic perfusion with melphalan (M-PHP). The available literature suggests that treatment with ICI following locoregional treatment of liver UM metastases can result in clinical response. We hypothesize that combining M-PHP with ICI will lead to enhanced antigen presentation and increased immunomodulatory effect, improving control of both hepatic and extrahepatic disease.

Methods

Open-label, single-center, phase Ib/randomized phase II trial, evaluating the safety and efficacy of the combination of M-PHP with ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4 antibody) and nivolumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) in patients with unresectable hepatic metastases of UM in first-line treatment, with or without the limited extrahepatic disease. The primary objective is to determine the safety, toxicity, and efficacy of the combination regimen, defined by maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and progression-free survival (PFS) at 1 year. Secondary objectives include overall survival (OS) and overall response rate (ORR). A maximum of 88 patients will be treated in phase I and phase II combined. Baseline characteristics will be described with descriptive statistics (t-test, chi-square test). To study the association between risk factors and toxicity, a logistic regression model will be applied. PFS and OS will be summarized using Kaplan-Meier curves.

Discussion

This is the first trial to evaluate this treatment combination by establishing the maximum tolerated dose and evaluating the efficacy of the combination treatment. M-PHP has shown to be a safe and effective treatment for UM patients with liver metastases and became the standard treatment option in our center. The combination of ICI with M-PHP is investigated in the currently described trial which might lead to a better treatment response both in and outside the liver.

Trial Registration

This trial was registered in the US National Library of Medicine with identifier NCT04283890. Registered as per February 2020 - Retrospectively registered.

EudraCT registration number: 2018-004248-49.

Local MREC registration number: NL60508.058.19.
ICONIC study—conservative versus conventional oxygenation targets in intensive care patients: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Grim C. C. A. , van der Wal L. I. , Helmerhorst H. J. F. , van Westerloo D. J. , Pelosi P. , Schultz M. J. , de Jonge E. ,   for the ICONIC Investigators and PROVE Network, del Prado M. R. , Wigbers J. , Sigtermans M. J. , Dawson L. , van der Heijden P. L. J. , den Berg E. Y. Schriel-van , Loef B. G. , Reidinga A. C. , de Vreede E. , Qualm J. , Boerma E. C. , Rijnhart-de Jong H. , Koopmans M. , Cornet A. D. , Krol T. , Rinket M. , Vermeijden J. W. , Beishuizen A. , Schoonderbeek F. J. , van Holten J. , Tsonas A. M. , Botta M. , Winters T. , Horn J. , Paulus F. , Loconte M. , Battaglini D. , Ball L. , Brunetti I.
Published: February 2022

Background

Oxygen therapy is a widely used intervention in acutely ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). It is established that not only hypoxia, but also prolonged hyperoxia is associated with poor patient-centered outcomes. Nevertheless, a fundamental knowledge gap remains regarding optimal oxygenation for critically ill patients. In this randomized clinical trial, we aim to compare ventilation that uses conservative oxygenation targets with ventilation that uses conventional oxygen targets with respect to mortality in ICU patients.

Methods

The “ConservatIve versusCONventional oxygenation targets inIntensiveCare patients” trial (ICONIC) is an investigator-initiated, international, multicenter, randomized clinical two-arm trial in ventilated adult ICU patients. The ICONIC trial will run in multiple ICUs in The Netherlands and Italy to enroll 1512 ventilated patients. ICU patients with an expected mechanical ventilation time of more than 24 h are randomized to a ventilation strategy that uses conservative (PaO255–80 mmHg (7.3–10.7 kPa)) or conventional (PaO2110–150 mmHg (14.7–20 kPa)) oxygenation targets. The primary endpoint is 28-day mortality. Secondary endpoints are ventilator-free days at day 28, ICU mortality, in-hospital mortality, 90-day mortality, ICU- and hospital length of stay, ischemic events, quality of life, and patient opinion of research and consent in the emergency setting.

Discussion

The ICONIC trial is expected to provide evidence on the effects of conservative versus conventional oxygenation targets in the ICU population. This study may guide targeted oxygen therapy in the future.

Trial registration

Trialregister.nlNTR7376. Registered on 20 July, 2018.
Child food insecurity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: urgent need for policy evaluation and reform in Israel’s school feeding programs
Authors: Azarieva Janetta , Berry Elliot M. , Troen Aron M.
Published: February 2022

Even in high-income countries like Israel, children have been particularly vulnerable to the surge in food insecurity driven by quarantines, unemployment, and economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under normal circumstances, School Feeding Programs (SFPs) can help to ensure child food security. In the wake of the pandemic, policy makers worldwide have been challenged to adapt national SFPs to provide nutritional support to children (and indirectly to their families) during extended school closures. Most national SFPs implemented contingency plans to ensure continued nutritional support for children. In Israel, where SFPs were largely suspended during long periods of mandated school closing, there was a loss of 30–50% of feeding days for the ~ 454,000 children enrolled in the program. The lack of emergency contingency planning and failure to maintain Israeli SFPs during school closures reveals longstanding structural policy flaws that hindered coordination between relevant ministries and authorities and impeded the mobilization of funds and existing programs to meet the emergent need. The school feeding law does not identify child food security as an explicit aim, there are no benchmarks for monitoring and evaluating the program to ensure that the food aid reaches the children most in need, even routinely, and the Ministry of Education had no obligation to maintain the program and to marshal data on the participants that could be acted upon in the emergency. Moreover, because Israeli SFPs are “selective”, in other words, implemented according to community risk (low-income, high poverty rate) and geographical factors, attendant stigma and financial burdens can make participation in the program less attractive to families and communities that need them the most. We argue that Israel should make urgent, long-term improvements to the SFPs as follows: First, eliminating childhood food insecurity should be made an explicit goal of legislation in the broader context of national social, health, and nutritional goals, and this includes ensuring SFPs are maintained during emergencies. Second, the government should assume responsibility for the routine assessment and data collection on food insecurity among Israeli children. Third, SFPs should be subjected to rigorous independent program evaluation. Finally, a “universal” SFP providing nutritious diets would likely improve the health of all Israeli children, across all socioeconomic backgrounds. These steps to guarantee that Israeli children have food to realize their full physical and cognitive potential would emphasize Israel’s firm commitment to support multiple dimensions of health, educational achievement, and societal values, to combat the complex and long-term consequences of the pandemic, and to prepare for the next one.
Psychometric properties of patient-reported outcome measures for dysphagia in head and neck cancer: a systematic review protocol using COSMIN methodology
Authors: Manduchi Beatrice , Che Zhiyao , Fitch Margaret I. , Ringash Jolie , Howell Doris , Martino Rosemary
Published: February 2022

Background

Dysphagia (swallowing difficulty) is one of the most common and debilitating sequelae of head and neck cancer (HNC). Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are a fundamental component of dysphagia outcomes evaluation, as they inform treatment consequences that cannot be captured by objective clinician measures. Many PROMs for dysphagia in HNC are available, but their validity is unclear. As a consequence, the selection of the most appropriate PROM for dysphagia in HNC is complex and often based on the clinician’s personal preferences, rather than on valid psychometric properties. This protocol describes a systematic review aiming at (1) identifying PROMs specific to dysphagia symptoms, swallowing functional status, swallowing-related health status, and swallowing-related quality of life in HNC, (2) mapping them to our conceptual framework of dysphagia-related PROs, and (3) appraising their psychometric properties using the Consensus Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instrument (COSMIN) methodology.

Methods

Six electronic databases will be searched from inception to December 2020 for all primary studies in any language and design detailing PROM development, reliability, validity, feasibility, interpretability, and/or cross-cultural adaptation. Eligibility criteria will target PROMs for patients with HNC (≥ 90% of the study sample) with ≥ 20% of their items pertaining to swallowing. Two independent raters will screen abstract and full texts and a third rater will resolve discrepancies. Data will be extracted on study, sample and PROM characteristics, and results of psychometric testing. PROMs will be mapped to our conceptual framework. The methodological quality of included PROMs and their psychometric properties will be appraised using the COSMIN risk of bias checklist and evidence will be summarized using a modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Discussion

This systematic review will provide a summary of existing dysphagia-related PROMs for people with HNC and a comprehensive account of their psychometric properties. We will provide recommendations on PROMs selection which will aid healthcare professionals to the most appropriate PROM based on its validity, reliability, feasibility, interpretability and suitability for clinical and research settings. Further recommendations will be made on areas of measurement property requiring further testing.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42021237877
Antenatal care follow-up decreases the likelihood of cultural malpractice during childbirth and postpartum among women who gave birth in the last one-year in Gozamen district, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Ambaw Yeshinat Lakew , Yirdaw Birhanu Wubale , Biwota Mulunesh Abuhay , Mekuryaw Abebayehu Melesew , Taye Birhan Tsegaw
Published: February 2022

Background

Recent evidence has found widespread reports of women experiencing cultural malpractice during childbirth in Asia and sub-Saharan African countries. Despite an endeavor made to drop maternal and neonatal mortality, Ethiopia remains amongst the highest mortality rate. Thus, strengthening antenatal care (ANC) follow-up is the midst of cultural malpractice reduction during childbirth. This study was aimed to assess the magnitude of cultural malpractice and associated factors during childbirth and postpartum among women who gave birth within one year in Gozamen district, Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 1st to December 30th, 2019. A two-stage sampling technique was used to get a total of 600 women who gave birth within the last one year. Data were collected by using a semi-structured and pretested questionnaire. Then, data were entered into Epi info version 7.0 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Both bivariate analysis and a multivariable logistic regression model were fitted. The level of significance was declared based on the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p-value of ≤0.05.

Result

The Overall magnitude of cultural malpractices during childbirth and postpartum was found to be 31.2% (95%CI: 27.8, 34.7). Out of 600 women, 203(33.9%) were delivered at home, 67(11.2%) practiced abdominal massage, 31(16.6%) avoided colostrum, 24(12.8%) practiced pre-lacteal feeding and 138 (23%) washed their baby before 24 h after delivery. Mothers who have antenatal follow-up (AOR=0.52 95%CI 0.28, 0.94), married marital relation (AOR=0.24, 95%CI:0.07, 0.89), being farmer husband occupation (AOR=6.25 (95%CI: 1.22, 30.30), parity ≥5 (AOR=5, 95%CI: 2.44, 9.52), had significant association with cultural malpractice during childbirth and postpartum.

Conclusions

This study showed there is an improvement in the magnitude of cultural malpractices during childbirth and postpartum, but still it’s high as compared to the country’s maternal health service utilization aim. A well-enforced health education program by well-trained healthcare personnel besides sufficient number of ANC visits are needed to overcome these cultural practices. Further, intervention modalities health education communication outreach programs would be very important to reduce the prevalence of cultural malpractices in the community.
Performance evaluation of furrow irrigation water management practice under Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate condition, in Central Ethiopia
Authors: Yadeta Belay , Ayana Mekonen , Yitayew Muluneh , Hordofa Tilahun
Published: February 2022

Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate (WSSE) is one of the large-scale irrigation schemes in Ethiopia which was established in 1951. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of current furrow irrigation water management practices of WSSE. Performance evaluation of the current furrow irrigation was evaluated based on field experiment and the WinSRFR model. For this purpose, ten fields were selected from commonly used furrow lengths (32, 48, and 64 m). Application efficiency, distribution uniformity, and deep percolation performance indicators were used for evaluation. The performance of furrow irrigation showed poor performance, and as an improvement option, inflow rate and cutoff time were altered keeping furrow geometry constant. Advance and recession times for all furrow lengths were recorded and simulated using the WinSRFR model to obtain an accurate cutoff time of irrigation. The result obtained showed that the time allocated for all furrow lengths was not accurately determined. As an improvement option, both inflow rate and cutoff time changed and the performance of furrow irrigation significantly improved. By changing those decision variables, application efficacy and deep percolation performance indicators were significantly improved but distribution uniformity was not changed. In almost all statistical indices used, predicted performances by model were better than computed values in the existing situation. From the current result, it can be concluded that the inflow rate and cutoff time should be changed to attain good performance and increase furrow irrigation efficiency.
Deep learning identifies robust gender differences in functional brain organization and their dissociable links to clinical symptoms in autism
Authors: Supekar Kaustubh , de los Angeles Carlo , Ryali Srikanth , Cao Kaidi , Ma Tengyu , Menon Vinod
Published: February 2022

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous disorder that affects nearly 1 in 189 females and 1 in 42 males. However, the neurobiological basis of gender differences in ASD is poorly understood, as most studies have neglected females and used methods ill-suited to capture such differences.

Aims

To identify robust functional brain organisation markers that distinguish between females and males with ASD and predict symptom severity.

Method

We leveraged multiple neuroimaging cohorts (ASD n = 773) and developed a novel spatiotemporal deep neural network (stDNN), which uses spatiotemporal convolution on functional magnetic resonance imaging data to distinguish between groups.

Results

stDNN achieved consistently high classification accuracy in distinguishing between females and males with ASD. Notably, stDNN trained to distinguish between females and males with ASD could not distinguish between neurotypical females and males, suggesting that there are gender differences in the functional brain organisation in ASD that differ from normative gender differences. Brain features associated with motor, language and visuospatial attentional systems reliably distinguished between females and males with ASD. Crucially, these results were observed in a large multisite cohort and replicated in a fully independent cohort. Furthermore, brain features associated with the motor network's primary motor cortex node predicted the severity of restricted/repetitive behaviours in females but not in males with ASD.

Conclusions

Our replicable findings reveal that the brains of females and males with ASD are functionally organised differently, contributing to their clinical symptoms in distinct ways. They inform the development of gender-specific diagnoses and treatment strategies for ASD, and ultimately advance precision psychiatry.
Introduction
Authors: Bou Ali Nadia
Published: February 2022

This roundtable revolves around the translation of selections from Amel's book Is the Heart for the East and Reason for the West? On Edward Said's Marx in “Orientalism,” published in Arabic in 1986. The importance of bringing this Arabic text to an English and global readership is twofold: it sheds light on the work of an influential and widely read Arabic critical social theorist and philosopher; and the translation of this critical theoretical work from “the margin” opens up central epistemological and conceptual problems in Marxist theory and its relation to postcolonialism in the present. The work of translation here does not simply involve introducing a marginal novelty into mainstream critical theory; rather it is a process of exhuming the elements that are untranslatable in the text—that is, the conceptual problems that have universal implications from within the particular site of their articulation.
Συστήματα υποστήριξης αποφάσεων πολιτικών ενεργειακής απόδοσης
Authors: Γκόνης Νικόλαος
Published: February 2022

Η ενεργειακή απόδοση κατέχει πρωταγωνιστικό ρόλο στη παγκόσμια προσπάθεια έναντι της κλιματικής κρίσης αλλά και προς την επίτευξη των σχετικών φιλόδοξων ευρωπαϊκών στόχων. Ο οικονομικά και κοινωνικά βέλτιστος σχεδιασμός πολιτικών ενεργειακής απόδοσης απαιτεί να συμπεριληφθούν πολλαπλές παραμέτροι, καθιστώντας το έργο των οργάνων χάραξης πολιτικής ιδιαίτερα απαιτητικό. Αντικείμενο της διδακτορικής διατριβής αποτελεί η ανάπτυξη ενός σπονδυλωτού επιστημονικού υποδείγματος για την αντιμετώπιση διαφορετικής κλίμακας προβλημάτων κατά την λήψη αποφάσεων στο σχεδιασμό ενεργειακών πολιτικών και συγκεκριμένα πολιτικών για την ενεργειακή απόδοση.Η διατριβή, διαρθρώνεται μέσω της αναλυτικής παρουσίασης τεσσάρων συνιστωσών υποστήριξης αποφάσεων, διευρυνόμενης κλίμακας, σε νευραλγικούς τομείς διαμόρφωσης πολιτικών ενεργειακής απόδοσης υπό το πρίσμα των Εθνικών και Ευρωπαϊκών δεσμεύσεων. Για κάθε σπονδυλωτή συνιστώσα, παρουσιάζεται το σχετιζόμενο πλαίσιο του προβλήματος, τα σημεία συμβολής της διατριβής, η προτεινόμενη μεθοδολογία καθώς και μια εφαρμογή εφαρμοσμένης έρευνας.Συγκεκριμένα οι συνιστώσες αφορούν την:•Υποστήριξη διαμόρφωσης πολιτικών για την αναβάθμιση του εθνικού κτιριακού αποθέματος κατοικιών•Υποστήριξη διαμόρφωσης πολιτικών για τον καθορισμό ενεργειακών απαιτήσεων νέων κτιρίων κατοικιών•Υποστήριξη διαμόρφωσης Εθνικών Σχεδίων Δράσης Ενεργειακής Απόδοσης•Υποστήριξη διαμόρφωσης πολιτικών Ενεργειακής Απόδοσης στο πλαίσιο ενός ενιαίου Εθνικού Σχεδίου Δράσης για την Ενέργεια και το Κλίμα. Τέλος παρουσιάζεται το MuPIA (Multi Perspective Investment analysis tool), ένα υπολογιστικό εργαλείο κρίσιμων δεικτών που αποσκοπεί στην υποστήριξη των φορέων σχεδιασμού πολιτικών ενεργειακής απόδοσης.
In silico screening of chloroquine analogues for compounds with more affinity for the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine transporter as potential antimalarial drugs
Authors: Otieno Filex , Walekhwa Michael
Published: February 2022

Background: Malaria is an acute febrile illness affecting over 229 million people worldwide. Children aged five years and below are affected the most, with the highest prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Chloroquine was previously used as the first-line treatment for malaria due to its affordability and high efficacy, but resistance has developed. Resistance to chloroquine is due to a mutation in the protein Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Transporter (pfCRT) which effluxes the drug from the parasitic digestive vacuole, decreasing the drug concentration. Resistance has however been shown to be reversible by compounds that can bind to the protein.

Methods: In silico screening for chloroquine analogues was done using SwissSimilarity, SWISSADME, SwissTargetPrediction, Pubchem sketcher, Chimera and Avogadro tools to predict pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic profiles of the selected analogues.

Results: About 20 compounds with a similarity index of > 95% were obtained from the ZINC database. In total, 12 of the 20 compounds showed a higher binding affinity to the mutant pfCRT protein. Overall, four of the 12 had a binding affinity less than -8.0 compared to -7.0 for chloroquine. Compound ZINC01596768 had the greatest binding strength at -8.3. The other analogues were ZINC38050614, ZINC38050617, and ZINC38050615 with binding interaction strengths of -8.0, -8.2 and -8.2 respectively. Pharmacokinetic profile prediction showed all 12 compounds inhibited the enzymes CYP1A2 and CYP2D6, followed the Lipinski rules, had a high GI absorption, were permeant to the blood brain barrier, had no alerts on the PAINS criteria and had violated the rule of XLOGP3 > 3.5 in lead likeness. Compounds ZINC38050614, ZINC38050617, and ZINC38050615 were predicted to be substrates of P-glycoprotein. The synthetic accessibility score for the twelve compounds were below 3.07.

Conclusions: Results demonstrated that the compounds ZINC01596768, ZINC38050614, ZINC38050617, and ZINC38050615 were potential candidates that could be tested and developed as co-formulations of chloroquine.
Comparative study of the effects on the EEG of drinking monotherapy with Naftussya water and therapy supplemented with “Myroslava” and “Khrystyna” mineral waters
Authors: Hrytsak Myroslava , Popovych Dariya , Badiuk Nataliya , Hrytsan Ivanna , Zukow Xawery
Published: February 2022

Background. Earlier we showed that the newly created sulfate-chloride sodium-magnesium drinking mineral waters of Truskavets’ spa have favorable effects on metabolism and neuroendocrine-immune complex of patients with their dysfunction. This report analyzes the effect of balneotherapy on the parameters of the electroencephalogram of the same contingent of patients. Materials and Methods. The object of clinical-physiological observation were 34 men aged 23-70 years, who underwent rehabilitation treatment of chronic cholecystitis and pyelonephritis in remission in the Truskavets’ spa. The examination was performed twice, before and after a 7-10-day course of balneotherapy. All patients received bioactive water Naftussya, however, 11 men additionally drank water "Khrystyna", and the other 11 men - water "Myroslava". The subject of the study were the parameters of the electroencephalogram. Results. The complex balneotherapy by interval use of sulfate-chloride sodium-magnesium mineral waters with Naftussya water causes significant changes in the constellation of EEG parameters, which are different from the effects of Naftussya water monotherapy. Own effects of mineral waters are estimated by modeling. Two patterns of neurotropic effects have been identified - activating and inhibitory. In general, the neuromodulating effects are physiologically favorable. Conclusion. The newly created sulfate-chloride sodium-magnesium drinking mineral waters of Truskavets’ spa have favorable neuromodulating effects on patients with chronic cholecystitis and pyelonephritis.
Does Industry Employment of Active Regulators Weaken Oversight?
Authors: Heese Jonas
Published: February 2022

I study whether industry employment of active regulators weakens oversight. To examine this question, I exploit that the Financial Reporting Enforcement Panel (FREP), the German capital-market regulator responsible for enforcing public firms’ compliance with accounting standards, allows its senior regulators to serve on boards of public firms during their FREP tenure. I find that firms are less likely to face enforcement actions after they appoint active regulators to their board. After such an appointment, firms are more likely to receive a qualified audit opinion, more likely to have an above-normal risk of accounting manipulation, as measured by an F-score greater than one, and exhibit higher income-increasing abnormal accruals. These findings suggest that directorships of active regulators can result in conflicts of interest that weaken oversight.

This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting.

Supplemental Material: Data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4326 .
Optical Properties of Lentil Seed Coats Using Fiber-Optic Spectroscopy
Authors: Jackson Nsuhoridem I. , Vandenberg Albert , Subedi Maya , Noble Scott D.
Published: February 2022

Highlights

A fiber-optic spectroscopy system was set up and validated for measurement of optical properties of lentil seed coat.

Light transmission properties of major lentil seed coat types were measured to evaluate their protective ability.

Light transmission was detected mainly in the UVA and visible regions in all seed coat types except zero tannin.

The protective abilities differed depending on seed coat type (important in breeding for cotyledon protection).

Abstract. The light transmission of 20 lentil genotypes, representing six color classes (black, green, tan, brown grey, and zero tannin) was investigated to determine the degree to which seed coats prevent light transmission and possible photodegradation of cotyledon color. A fiber-optic spectroscopy system was set up for measurement; it consisted a deuterium-halogen light source, spectrometer, fiber-optic incidence and transmission probes, and sample holders. The nadir-aligned transmission spectra were measured in wavelength ranges of 250 to 850 nm. To study variability in light transmission of the different seed coat types, the curves were integrated in three wavelength regions to obtain Cumulative UV Transmission (CUVT, 250 to 400 nm), Cumulative VIS Transmission (CVIST, 401 to 700 nm), and Cumulative NIR Transmission (CNIRT, 701 to 850 nm), respectively. Tests for significant differences in light transmission were then done using analysis of variance (ANOVA) via General Linear Modelling and Posthoc GLM Tukey tests. Results showed that all the seed coat types, except zero tannin, showed no detectable transmission of UV light from 250 to 315 nm. Black seed coats showed detectable transmission from 615 to 850 nm, while other seed coat types transmitted varying percentages of light from 315 to 850 nm. The results of ANOVA showed that there were significant (p<0.05) differences in light transmission properties of the major seed coat types. Keywords: Fiber optics, Lentils, Light transmission, Pulse quality, Spectroscopy, Seed coat.
A New Semi-Automated Method for Service Identification
Authors: Hekmat Shahrzad , Parsa Saeed , Vaziri Babak
Published: February 2022

Service identification plays a key role in the design of service-oriented systems. There are non-model-based and model-based methods for extracting services from business processes. These methods suggest a set of mostly descriptive solutions that do not pay sufficient attention to service design guidelines and the conceptual relations between tasks. The challenge is to develop an algorithm to automatically identify services from business processes to simplify the analysis and reduce the gap between information technology and business needs. In this paper, we develop a semi-automated service identification method that addresses this gap. This method incorporates the Goal, Data, and Business Process Models (BPM) to identify services based on related tasks, shared data, and business requirements. It advances previous methods by simultaneously considering both semantic and structural relations between tasks which permits better and more accurate identification of services. Moreover, the proposed method considers the principles of service design such as internal cohesion of service methods, loose coupling of services, and reusability of the identified services.
The Strategic Implications of India's Illiberalism and Democratic Erosion
Authors: Markey Daniel
Published: February 2022

executive summary: This article assesses the international implications of illiberalism and democratic erosion in India's domestic politics and considers whether and how Washington should recalibrate its strategic partnership with New Delhi. main argument
The U.S.-India relationship is founded on common interests, including a deepening strategic convergence with respect to China. U.S. policymakers also cite a shared commitment to liberal democratic governance as a central reason for closer alignment with India. Yet India's prevailing political culture is not best defined as "liberal," and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's commitment to democracy is increasingly in doubt. Erosion is most obvious in the areas of tightened media controls, limits on civil society organizations, and reduced protections for minorities. The evolving character of India's domestic politics is likely to influence India's foreign policy aims and decision-making processes, hard-power capabilities, and the way India relates to other states, including the U.S. policy implications
• The U.S.-India strategic partnership is strong and likely to remain durable because of shared concerns about China's power and influence. Yet because India's domestic political culture and international worldview reflect unique historical, ideological, and cultural wellsprings, U.S. policymakers should not assume U.S.-India convergence on liberal aims, including India's commitment to the defense of the liberal international order. • Rhetorically, the Biden administration has attached great significance to liberal democracy and thus risks politically costly criticism if it appears to ignore undemocratic trends in India. To avoid hypocrisy and, most importantly, to set realistic expectations for U.S.-India partnership, U.S. officials should convey their concerns about India's political trajectory forthrightly but bearing in mind that the U.S. has little influence over India's internal politics. • Further erosion of democratic institutions and practices would, on balance, make India a less powerful and predictable international actor, and would reduce its capacity for reassurance and building partnerships with other states, including the U.S. • The U.S. government should monitor political developments in India. If democratic erosion worsens, managing U.S. relations with India will demand a tricky balancing act that preserves and even strengthens partnership in areas deemed critical to geopolitical competition with China without extending U.S.-India cooperation into areas that would mistake India for an entirely like-minded U.S. treaty ally.
Risk factors for postpartum haemorrhage in the Northern Province of Rwanda: A case control study
Authors: Bazirete Oliva , Nzayirambaho Manassé , Umubyeyi Aline , Karangwa Innocent , Evans Marilyn
Published: February 2022

Background

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) remains a major global burden contributing to high maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Assessment of PPH risk factors should be undertaken during antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum periods for timely prevention of maternal morbidity and mortality associated with PPH. The aim of this study is to investigate and model risk factors for primary PPH in Rwanda.

Methods

We conducted an observational case-control study of 430 (108 cases: 322 controls) pregnant women with gestational age of 32 weeks and above who gave birth in five selected health facilities of Rwanda between January and June 2020. By visual estimation of blood loss, cases of Primary PPH were women who changed the blood-soaked vaginal pads 2 times or more within the first hour after birth, or women requiring a blood transfusion for excessive bleeding after birth. Controls were randomly selected from all deliveries without primary PPH from the same source population. Poisson regression, a generalized linear model with a log link and a Poisson distribution was used to estimate the risk ratio of factors associated with PPH.

Results

The overall prevalence of primary PPH was 25.2%. Our findings for the following risk factors were: antepartum haemorrhage (RR 3.36, 95% CI 1.80–6.26, P<0.001); multiple pregnancy (RR 1.83; 95% CI 1.11–3.01, P = 0.02) and haemoglobin level <11 gr/dL (RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.00–2.30, P = 0.05). During the intrapartum and immediate postpartum period, the main causes of primary PPH were: uterine atony (RR 6.70, 95% CI 4.78–9.38, P<0.001), retained tissues (RR 4.32, 95% CI 2.87–6.51, P<0.001); and lacerations of genital organs after birth (RR 2.14, 95% CI 1.49–3.09, P<0.001). Coagulopathy was not prevalent in primary PPH.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, uterine atony remains the foremost cause of primary PPH. As well as other established risk factors for PPH, antepartum haemorrhage and intra uterine fetal death should be included as risk factors in the development and validation of prediction models for PPH. Large scale studies are needed to investigate further potential PPH risk factors.
Numerical investigation of the effect of cohesion and ground friction on snow avalanches flow regimes
Authors: Ligneau Camille , Sovilla Betty , Gaume Johan
Published: February 2022

With ongoing global warming, snow avalanche dynamics may change as snow cohesion and friction strongly depend on temperature. In the field, a diversity of avalanche flow regimes has been reported including fast, sheared flows and slow plugs. While the significant role of cohesion and friction has been recognized, it is unclear how these mechanical properties affect avalanche flow regimes. Here, we model granular avalanches on a periodic inclined plane, using the distinct element method to better understand and quantify how inter-particle cohesion and ground friction influences avalanche velocity profiles. The cohesion between particles is modeled through bonds that can subsequently break and form, thus representing fragmentation and aggregation potentials, respectively. The implemented model shows a good ability to reproduce the various flow regimes and transitions as observed in nature: for low cohesion, highly sheared and fast flows are obtained while slow plugs form above a critical cohesion value and for lower ground frictions. Simulated velocity profiles are successfully compared to experimental measurements from the real-scale test site of Vallée de la Sionne in Switzerland. Even though the model represents a strong simplification of the reality, it offers a solid basis for further investigation of relevant processes happening in snow avalanches, such as segregation, erosion and entrainment, with strong impacts on avalanche dynamics research, especially in a climate change context.
¿Un currículum acerca del juego libre? Un análisis multisituado de la historia de un currículum nacional en la educación infantil danesa
Authors: Plum Maja
Published: February 2022

En 2004 se aprobó el primer currículum en el ámbito de la educación de la primera infancia (ECE) en Dinamarca. Quienes se han opuesto al currículum han argumentado que introduce el pensamiento escolar en el área de la ECE, orientándolo hacia objetivos particulares. Por el contrario, los defensores sostienen que el currículum se refiere al niño natural y debe considerarse como una continuación de una tradición centrada en el niño. Como tal, gran parte del debate parece reflejar un interés en las intenciones de los actores que están detrás del currículum y si la filosofía de estos actores está de acuerdo con una filosofía del pasado centrada en el niño. Una filosofía que a menudo se considera que proviene de la visión de Friedrich Fröbel de un «Jardín de infacia» a principios del siglo xix y que se inspira más ampliamente en las ideas de un niño natural formuladas por Rousseau en el siglo xviii.Con la ambición de historizar el presente, argumentaré que este primer currículum nacional crea el andamiaje de formas de pensamiento que cruzan las dicotomías filosóficas tradicionales entre el interior (naturaleza) y el exterior (objetivo). Por lo tanto, la cuestión histórica no es si este currículum está de acuerdo con una tradición que abarca al niño natural, sino cómo se articula el pensamiento sobre la naturaleza infantil –y las formas en que debe ser redimida– en la obra de Fröbel y sus seguidores daneses Hedvig Bagger y Anna Wulff. Además, el documento aborda la forma en que esta noción de naturaleza se transforma en y a través de las psicologías del desarrollo de principios del siglo xx y las teorías sociológicas de la infancia que florecieron a finales del siglo xx y principios del XXI. Esto implica que no me concentro en la filosofía como filosofía, como si fuera coherente y posible de esencializar. En lugar de examinar las intenciones o el significado de los grandes pensadores del pasado de la infancia, me detendré en las formas mismas de pensar la relación entre el conocimiento y el Gobierno que se expone en y a través de la labor de dichos pensadores, pero que también se aplica en ámbitos distintos de la educación, como la administración y la gestión públicas. Así pues, desentrañar la historia de este primer currículum nacional implica referirse a múltiples sitios diferentes.
Una breve historia de la educación matemática
Authors: Andrade-Molina Melissa
Published: February 2022

Este escrito presenta una forma diferente de mirar la historia: repensar la historia no como un movimiento lineal-cronológico, sino como flexible y rizomática, como un entramado multidimensional de eventos interconectados. Para ello, toma elementos de Michel Foucault y de Gilles Deleuze y Félix Guattari. Comienza reflexionando sobre los posibles orígenes de la educación matemática, al buscar indicios de su enseñanza y aprendizaje. Se sitúan puntos de entrada del entramado rizomático en Grecia, Mesopotamia, Prusia, incluso en Chile. En este movimiento, se posicionan distintos puntos de fuga que introdujeron vuelcos en la disciplina. Continúa retratando ciertos episodios que elevaron la educación matemática a una categoría de campo de estudio científico y que posicionaron la matemática como elemento clave para educar a las masas. Este escrito presenta una breve mirada al rizoma que se despliega al historizar la educación matemática.
Aceptar los límites históricos de la inclusión: cuando construir una mentalidad matemática no es suficiente
Authors: Díaz Jennifer
Published: February 2022

Este estudio examina la idea que existe del sentido común en el Estados Unidos contemporáneo acerca de que todos los niños necesitan desarrollar una «mentalidad matemática» para tener éxito en el aula de matemáticas de sus escuelas. La mentalidad matemática parece centrarse en fomentar la creencia de que el aprendizaje y los logros en matemáticas pueden desarrollarse, y no están relacionados con el intelecto fijo o las habilidades inherentes. Esta forma de pensar sobre todos los niños y la inclusión dentro de las reformas de la educación matemática elemental en los EE. UU. deja sin examinar cómo los rasgos psicológicos que definen una mentalidad matemática no son formas neutrales o naturales de pensar en los niños y su aprendizaje. Por el contrario, son creados histórica y culturalmente y producen la imagen del niño que se supone que encarna el tipo de mentalidad «correcta» para el aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Tomando la creatividad y la motivación como normas psicológicas asumidas que definen una mentalidad matemática, este artículo analiza cómo los términos para la inclusión en el aula de matemáticas de primaria también excluyen creando una imagen del niño que no parece tener esa mentalidad. Más que sobre las matemáticas, el trabajo histórico busca comprender cómo la creación de un tipo particular de niño contribuye a una forma de pensar sobre la inclusión que diferencia y divide aún más.