bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural side effect discovery from user credibility and experience-assessed online health discussions
Authors: Nguyen Van-Hoang , Sugiyama Kazunari , Kan Min-Yen , Halder Kishaloy
Published: July 2020

Background

Health 2.0 allows patients and caregivers to conveniently seek medical information and advice via e-portals and online discussion forums, especially regarding potential drug side effects. Although online health communities are helpful platforms for obtaining non-professional opinions, they pose risks in communicating unreliable and insufficient information in terms of quality and quantity. Existing methods in extracting user-reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in online health forums are not only insufficiently accurate as they disregard user credibility and drug experience, but are also expensive as they rely on supervised ground truth annotation of individual statement. We propose a NEural ArchiTecture for Drug side effect prediction (NEAT), which is optimized on the task of drug side effect discovery based on a complete discussion while being attentive to user credibility and experience, thus, addressing the mentioned shortcomings. We train our neural model in a self-supervised fashion using ground truth drug side effects from mayoclinic.org. NEAT learns to assign each user a score that is descriptive of their credibility and highlights the critical textual segments of their post.

Results

Experiments show that NEAT improves drug side effect discovery from online health discussion by 3.04%from user-credibility agnostic baselines, and by 9.94%from non-neural baselines in term ofF1. Additionally, the latent credibility scores learned by the model correlate well with trustworthiness signals, such as the number of “thanks” received by other forum members, and improve credibility heuristics such as number of posts by 0.113 in term of Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Experience-based self-supervised attention highlights critical phrases such as mentioned side effects, and enhances fully supervised ADR extraction models based on sequence labelling by 5.502%in terms of precision.

Conclusions

NEAT considers both user credibility and experience in online health forums, making feasible a self-supervised approach to side effect prediction for mentioned drugs. The derived user credibility and attention mechanism are transferable and improve downstream ADR extraction models. Our approach enhances automatic drug side effect discovery and fosters research in several domains including pharmacovigilance and clinical studies.
Enabling ad-hoc reuse of private data repositories through schema extraction
Authors: Gleim Lars Christoph , Karim Md Rezaul , Zimmermann Lukas , Kohlbacher Oliver , Stenzhorn Holger , Decker Stefan , Beyan Oya
Published: July 2020

Background

Sharing sensitive data across organizational boundaries is often significantly limited by legal and ethical restrictions. Regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Rules (GDPR) impose strict requirements concerning the protection of personal and privacy sensitive data. Therefore new approaches, such as the Personal Health Train initiative, are emerging to utilize data right in their original repositories, circumventing the need to transfer data.

Results

Circumventing limitations of previous systems, this paper proposes a configurable and automated schema extraction and publishing approach, which enables ad-hoc SPARQL query formulation against RDF triple stores without requiring direct access to the private data. The approach is compatible with existing Semantic Web-based technologies and allows for the subsequent execution of such queries in a safe setting under the data provider’s control. Evaluation with four distinct datasets shows that a configurable amount of concise and task-relevant schema, closely describing the structure of the underlying data, was derived, enabling the schema introspection-assisted authoring of SPARQL queries.

Conclusions

Automatically extracting and publishing data schema can enable the introspection-assisted creation of data selection and integration queries. In conjunction with the presented system architecture, this approach can enable reuse of data from private repositories and in settings where agreeing upon a shared schema and encoding a priori is infeasible. As such, it could provide an important step towards reuse of data from previously inaccessible sources and thus towards the proliferation of data-driven methods in the biomedical domain.
Joint multi-domain feature learning for image steganalysis based on CNN
Authors: Wang Ze , Chen Mingzhi , Yang Yu , Lei Min , Dong Zhexuan
Published: July 2020

In recent years, researchers have been making great progress in the steganalysis technology based on convolution neural networks (CNN). However, experts ignore the contribution of nonlinear residual and joint domain detection to steganalysis, and how to detect the adaptive steganographic algorithms with low embedding rates is still challenging. In this paper, we propose a CNN steganalysis model that uses a joint domain detection mechanism and a nonlinear detection mechanism. For the nonlinear detection mechanism, based on the spatial rich model (SRM), we introduce the maximum and minimum nonlinear residual feature acquisition method into the model to adapt to the nonlinear distribution of steganography information. For the joint domain detection mechanism, we not only apply the high-pass filters from the SRM for spatial residuals, but also apply the patterns from the discrete cosine transform residual (DCTR) for transformation steganographic impacts, so as to fully capture the interference trace of spatial steganography to transform domain. We also apply a new transfer learning method to improve the model’s performance. That is, we apply the low embedding rate steganography samples to initialize the model, because we think that the method makes the network more sensitive than applying high embedding rate steganography samples to initialize the model. The simulation results also confirm this assumption. Combined with the above improved methods, the detection accuracy of the model for WOW and S-UNIWARD is higher than that of SRM+EC, Ye-Net, Xu-Net, Yedroudj-Net and Zhu-Net, which is about 4 ∼6% higher than that of the optimal Zhu-Net. The results can provide a certain reference for steganalysis and image forensics tasks.
Optimal consumption and portfolio selection with lower and upper bounds on consumption
Authors: Roh Kum-Hwan , Shin Yong Hyun
Published: July 2020

We investigate the optimal consumption and investment problem with lower and upper bounds on consumption constraints. We derive closed-form solutions by means of the dynamic programming approach. We also evaluate the effects of the optimal consumption and portfolio on consumption constraints and present some numerical/economic implications. In particular, we see that the upper bound on consumption acts as a bliss level in a quadratic utility model.
Response of soybean to Rhizobial inoculation and starter N fertilizer on Nitisols of Assosa and Begi areas, Western Ethiopia
Authors: Getachew Gebrehana Zerihun , Abeble Dagnaw Lijalem
Published: July 2020

Background

For manipulating N2 fixation and improve the N benefits to agricultural legumes, there is a need to reduce the inhibitory effect of applied N on Rhizobia inoculant. The optimum level of inorganic N as starter fertilizer with inoculation of Rhizobia is essential to increase the production of legumes in smallholder farmers. However, the effect of inorganic N level which should be used by farmers with an inoculation to increase the production of soybean is not yet well known in soils of western Ethiopia. Therefore, the study conducted to determine the amount of starter N application which could enhance N2 fixation and soybean seed yield using Rhizobial inoculation and different nitrogen doses.

Methods

Six levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 9, 18, 27, 36, and 54 kg N ha−1) and two levels of inoculation (inoculated (1) and un-inoculated (0)) were arranged using split-plot RCBD with three replications.

Result

Seed inoculation with Rhizobia was significantly superior over un-inoculated treatments. Both rhizobia inoculation and N rates applied alone increased nodulation and yield of soybean, however, their combination further increased nodulation, growth performance, and seed yield and yield traits of soybean. Although nodulation parameters showed inconsistent results across cropping seasons, N application improved nodulation and shoot dry weight and interacted positively with inoculation across locations. Increasing rates of N from zero up to 18 kg ha−1 increased nodule number and dry weight but further increase of N reduced nodulation. Application of N at 18 kg ha−1 increased nodule number and dry weight by 98.3 and 115.0%, respectively over un-fertilized control as well as by 61.0 and 58.0%, respectively over the greatest N rate (54 kg N ha−1). The highest seed yield of soybean was obtained when inoculation applied with N at 18 and 27 kg ha−1 in 2016/17 and 2017/18, respectively across locations. However, seed yield in the 2016/17 cropping season was much higher than 2017/18. In 2016/17 and 2017/18, inoculation together with N at 18 kg ha−1 increased grain yield by 75.0 and 76.8% compared with for the control plants, 50.7 and 31.6% compared with inoculation alone, respectively. In both cropping seasons, the un-inoculated plants had shown a trend that an increase in seed yield with increased N rate.

Conclusion

Application of fertilizer N up to 18 kg ha−1 may be an optimum rate for effective nodulation and enhanced N2 fixation and thereby improved soybean yield. The present results demonstrate the potential of improving soybean nodulation, growth, and seed yield profitability using Rhizobia inoculant together with starter N at low N Nitisols soils of Western Ethiopia.
Mindfulness in primary school children as a route to enhanced life satisfaction, positive outlook and effective emotion regulation
Authors: Amundsen R. , Riby L. M. , Hamilton C. , Hope M. , McGann D.
Published: July 2020

Background

Mindfulness programmes as a potential avenue of enhancing pupil wellbeing are beginning to show great promise. However, research concerning the effectiveness of mindfulness training for primary aged school children (7–11 years of age) has been neglected.

Methods

Building on methodological limitations of prior research, this study employed an active controlled design to assess the longer term wellbeing and emotion regulation outcomes after a 6 week mindfulness programme (Living Mindfully Programme, UK), for a group of school children aged between 9 and 10. The programme was delivered by class teachers as part of their normal curriculum entitlement. One hundred and eight children took part from across three schools in North East of England. Participants formed a treatment group (n = 64), active control (n = 19) and wait list control (n = 25). Self-report measures of wellbeing, mindfulness and emotion regulation were collected at pre and post training as well as at 3 months follow up.

Results

Reliable findings, judged by medium to large effect sizes across both post intervention, follow-up and between both controls, demonstrated enhancement in a number of domains. Immediately after training and follow up, when compared with the wait list control, children who received mindfulness training showed significant improvements in mindfulness (d = .76 and .77), Positive Outlook (d = .55 and .64) and Life Satisfaction (d = .65 and 0.72). Even when compared to an active control, the effects remained although diminished reflecting the positive impact of the active control condition. Furthermore, a significant positive relationship was found between changes in mindfulness and changes in cognitive reappraisal.

Conclusions

Taken together, this study provides preliminary evidence that the Living Mindfully Primary Programme is feasibly delivered by school staff, enjoyed by the children and may significantly improve particular components of wellbeing. Importantly, higher levels of mindfulness as a result of training may be related to effective emotional regulatory and cognitive reappraisal strategies.
Alloy ratio and raw material sourcing of Warring States Period bronze bracelets in Huili County, Southwest China by pXRF and MC-ICP-MS
Authors: Chen Dian , Yang Yingdong , Du Jing , Tang Xiang , Luo Wugan
Published: July 2020

Up to now, there have been few monographic analyses of metal ornaments in China. This study presents a case study of the metallurgical archaeology on bracelets from Huili (会理), which may shed light on the issue as production status, technical level, use of raw material and workmanship exchange. Ten bronze bracelets from the Fenjiwan (粪箕湾) site, Huili County and nine ancient slags within 2 km were analyzed by pXRF and MC-ICP-MS methods. The classification of bronze bracelets according to alloy ratio is exactly the same as that of lead isotope. One group used local copper from Huili without adding lead, while the other group added lead material from the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Combined with other relevant data, the results indicate that the technology route of bronze in Southwest China was from Cu-Sn binary alloys to Cu-Sn–Pb ternary alloys, and during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), this region may have certain contacts and exchanges with the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and even the Central Plains.
Post-transplant inflow modulation for early allograft dysfunction after living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Elshawy Mohamed , Toshima Takeo , Asayama Yoshiki , Kubo Yuichiro , Ikeda Shinichiro , Ikegami Toru , Arakaki Shingo , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Mori Masaki
Published: July 2020

Background

To treat small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), many procedures were described for portal flow modulation before, during, or after transplantation. The selection of the procedure as well as the best timing remains controversial.

Case presentation

A 43-year-old female with end-stage liver disease underwent LDLT with extended left with caudate lobe graft from her donor who was her 41-year-old brother (graft volume/standard liver volume (GV/SLV), 35.7%; graft to recipient weight ratio (GRWR), 0.67%). During the surgery, splenectomy could not be performed owing to severe peri-splenic adhesions to avoid the ruined bleedings. The splenic artery ligation was not also completely done because it was dorsal to the pancreas and difficult to be approached. Finally, adequate portal vein (PV) inflow was confirmed after portal venous thrombectomy. As having post-transplant optional procedures that are accessible for PV flow modulation, any other procedures for PV modulation during LDLT were not done until the postoperative assessment of the graft function and PV flow for possible postoperative modulation of the portal flow accordingly. Postoperative PV flow kept as high as 30 cm/s. By the end of the 1st week, there was a progressive deterioration of the total bilirubin profile (peak as 19.4 mg/dL) and ascitic fluid amount exceeded 1000 mL/day. Therefore, splenic artery embolization was done effectively and safely on the 10th postoperative day (POD) to reverse early allograft dysfunction as PV flow significantly decreased to keep within 20 cm/s and serum total bilirubin levels gradually declined with decreased amounts of ascites below 500 mL on POD 11 and thereafter. The patient was discharged on POD 28 with good condition.

Conclusions

SFSS can be prevented or reversed by the portal inflow modulation, even by post-transplant procedure. This case emphasizes that keeping accessible angiographic treatment options for PV modulation, such as splenic artery embolization, after LDLT is quite feasible.
Correlation between timed up and go, usual gait speed and dizziness handicap inventory in elderly with vestibular disorders: a retrospective and analytical study
Authors: Verdecchia Daniel Héctor , Monzón Agustina Maria , Urbina Jaimes Valentina , da Silva Paiva Laercio , Oliveira Fernando Rocha , de Carvalho Tatiana Dias
Published: July 2020

Background

This study was done to verify the associations between the usual gait speed (UGS), the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), and the perception of disability in elderly vestibular patients and to identify factors associated with TUG results.

Methods

This was a descriptive, analytical, and retrospective study that used data from the clinical records of vestibular patients aged 65 years or older at a rehabilitation service in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The records were examined for the following information: sex, age, type of vestibular disorder, dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) score and performance in the TUG and UGS tests before treatment. Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used depending on the distribution of data. Age and the DHI were factored into multiple linear regression models in order to model the tests. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive power of age, the DHI total, and the UGS for the sample’s TUG results. The level of significance was 5%.

Results

We evaluated 118 clinical records, of which 26 were excluded due to incomplete information, leaving data from 92 vestibular patients (73 females; 78.3 ± 5.8 years old). Unilateral vestibular hypofunction and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo presented the highest prevalence. The total score and the DHI domains showed a significant association with the TUG and UGS values. The age-adjusted DHI had a low predictive power for these same values.

Conclusions

The total score and DHI domains have a significant association with the TUG and UGS values for elderly adults with vestibular disorders. The age-adjusted DHI has a low predictive power for TUG and UGS values.
The use of non-living animals as simulation models for cranial neurosurgical procedures: a literature review
Authors: Al-Sharshahi Zahraa F. , Hoz Samer S. , Alrawi Mohammed A. , Sabah Mohammed A. , Albanaa Saja A. , Moscote-Salazar Luis Rafael
Published: July 2020

Simulation plays a pivotal role in neurosurgical training by allowing trainees to develop the requisite expertise to enhance patient safety. Several models have been used for simulation purposes. Non-living animal models offer a range of benefits, including affordability, availability, biological texture, and a comparable similarity to human anatomy. In this paper, we review the available literature on the use of non-living animals in neurosurgical simulation training. We aim to answer the following questions: (1) what animals have been used so far, (2) what neurosurgical approaches have been simulated, (3) what were the trainee tasks, and (4) what was the experience of the authors with these models. A search of the PubMed Medline database was performed to identify studies that examined the use of non-living animals in cranial neurosurgical simulation between 1990 and 2020. Our initial search yielded a total of 70 results. After careful screening, we included 22 articles for qualitative analysis. We compared the reports in terms of the (1) animal used, (2) type of surgery, and (3) trainee tasks.

All articles were published between 2003 and 2019. These simulations were performed on three types of animals, namely sheep, cow, and swine. All authors designed specific, task-oriented approaches and concluded that the models used were adequate for replicating the surgical approaches. Simulation on non-living animal heads has recently gained popularity in the field of neurosurgical training. Non-living animal models are an increasingly attractive option for cranial neurosurgical simulation training. These models enable the acquisition and refinement of surgical skills, with the added benefits of accessibility and cost-effectiveness. To date, 16 different microneurosurgical cranial approaches have been replicated on three non-living animal models, including sheep, cows, and swine. This review summarizes the experience reported with the use of non-living animal models as alternative laboratory tools for cranial neurosurgical training, with particular attention to the set of tasks that could be performed on them.
Transverse electric surface waves in ferrite medium surrounded by plasma layers
Authors: Umair M. , Ghaffar A. , Alkanhal Majeed A. S. , Alqahtani Ali H. , Khan Y.
Published: July 2020

The theoretical analysis of transverse electric surface waves in ferrite medium surrounded by isotropic plasma layers is presented in this manuscript. Maxwell’s equations in differential form are used, and we impose the boundary conditions to acquire the dispersion relation to formulate the proposed structure. The influence of number density, separation distance between the layers of plasma, and dielectric permittivity of ferrite film on the normalized propagation constant is studied. It is concluded from the result obtained that if the number density and values of dielectric permittivity of ferrite film increases the propagation constant Re(β) tends to decreases whereas the increase in separation distance between the layers of plasma tends to increase the propagation constant Re(β). Furthermore, to verify the surface waves, the normalized field distribution for plasma medium as well as ferrite medium are also presented in this manuscript. The present work has potential applications in communication, drug delivery, cancer treatment, and ferrite sensing waveguide structures in the GHz frequency regime.
A clinical and radiological study in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Authors: Sultan Lubna Ibrahim , Elnekidy Abdelaziz Mohamed , Elfatatry Amr Mohamed , Sayed Amira
Published: July 2020

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is one of the chronic causes of elevated intracranial pressure with no evident cause in neuroimaging and normal CSF analysis. It primarily affects overweight women of childbearing age.

Aim of work

To describe the clinical picture of IIH, neuroimaging and response to treatment after 3 months follow up in a sample of Egyptian patients.

Patients and methods

This was a prospective study carried out on 25 patients presented at Alexandria University Hospital with symptomatology of IIH. All the patients were subjected to complete history taking, neurological examination, fundus examination, lumbar puncture, and MRI brain and MR cerebral venography. The patients were followed-up for 3 months for assessment of treatment response.

Results

Patients’ ages ranged from 1 0to 50 years, with a mean BMI 32.32 ± 5.28 kg m2. Headache was the presenting manifestation in 100% of the patients. About 60% of the sample were either misdiagnosed or had a delayed diagnosis. There was a significant positive correlation between CSF opening pressure (r= 0.504,p= 0.010), severity of headache (r= 0.472,p= 0.017) and grade of papilledema. Optic hydropes and empty sellaturcica were the most common MRI abnormalities occurring in 95.8% and 70.8%, respectively. Only 30% of the cases had normal MRV. Stenosis at genu junction and focal stenosis at transverse sinus occurred in 24% and 20% of the cases, respectively. Combined medical and serial lumbar puncture were the most effective line of therapy in the recruited patients.

Conclusion

Headache is the most common presentation of IIH, and its severity is positively correlated with papilledema grade. CSF pressure is also positively correlated with papilledema grade.
Ina sua: The traditional Food Fermentation from Teon Nila Serua, Central of Maluku, Indonesia
Authors: Persulessy Cassandra Betsy , Kusdiyantini Endang , Ferniah Rejeki Siti , Agustini Tri Winarni , Budiharjo Anto
Published: July 2020

Traditional fermented food as a special delicacy is one of the elements of culinary diversity found in many regions of Indonesia. This type of food is closely related to the customs and surrounding environment, displaying the characteristics of each region and ethnicity. Maluku is one of the regions located in Eastern Indonesia. Ina sua is a simple and traditional fermented food made from fish using salt as a basic ingredient, commonly eaten at a variety of traditional events in Central Maluku, especially in Teon Nila Serua (TNS). Ina sua is made to be stored and consumed during a time when fish is not available and when there are community activities such as birthdays and traditional events. In making Ina sua, fish are salted with salt granules and stored for a certain time. Therefore, this food is famous for its unique taste produced by the fermentation component. In this article, the origin of Ina sua, its method of preparation, and the scientific perspectives surrounding it are discussed.
Serum hepcidin and interleukin-6 in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: crucial factors for correction of anemia
Authors: El-Shafey Abeer M. , Kamel Lamiaa M. , Fikry Abeer A. , Nasr Mohamad M. , Abdel Galil Sahar M.
Published: July 2020

Background

The incidence rate of anemia of chronic disease (ACD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) ranges between 30 and 80%. Serum iron is the main regulator of hepatic hepcidin production. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) upregulates hepcidin expression. The aim of this study is to compare between serum hepcidin and IL-6 in SLE patients and control subjects, and to find out if they are correlated with each other and with disease activity in order to find their role in treatment of anemia in SLE patients.

The study was carried out on 50 SLE patients, suffering from anemia, diagnosed according to SLICC revision of the ACR classification criteria for SLE, and 50 healthy individuals, taken as control. Disease activity was assessed using the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI-2 K). Serum hepcidin and IL-6 were measured by ELISA kit.

Results

There was a highly statistically significant difference in serum hepcidin and IL-6 levels between patients and control subjects. There was a statistically significant correlation between serum hepcidin and IL-6 in SLE patients. Moreover, both of them were correlated with SLEDAI and ESR and negatively correlated with hemoglobin. The mean value of serum hepcidin in SLE patients with normocytic normochromic anemia was higher than that in patients with microcytic hypochromic anemia. However, this difference did not reach a statistically significant level.

Conclusion

High serum IL-6 and hepcidin levels are associated with anemia in SLE. They are correlated with each other and with disease activity. Although our study revealed serum hepcidin to be correlated with disease activity, it should not be used as a marker of disease activity in SLE patients as our patient’s group was SLE patients suffering from ACD. However, IL-6 inhibition should be considered in patients with SLE with anemia to guide the control of anemia of chronic diseases resulting from cytokine production as a result of high disease activity in SLE patients. It should be noted that the occurrence of ACD associated with IL-6 flare up could be a player in other systemic rheumatic diseases and is not specific to SLE patients.
Multichannel synchrosqueezing generalized S-transform for time-frequency analysis of seismic traces
Authors: Wu Nanke , Zhou Huailai , Wang Yuanjun , Zhang Bo , Yan Haitao , Niu Cong
Published: July 2020

The synchrosqueezing generalized S-transform (SSGST) is commonly used to generate an isofrequency component of a signal by squeezing the decomposed frequency components of the signal. However, for seismic signals, the single-trace process can have a lack of lateral information in the squeezed results and lead to some discontinuous geologic information that will mislead the interpreter. Thus, to improve the stability of SSGST, we have developed a multichannel seismic trace squeezing method. Multichannel SSGST (MSSGST) considers the decomposed frequency components of neighboring traces of the analysis seismic trace and then reconstructs the center trace. Therefore, compared with SSGST, the multichannel processing improves the stability of the squeezing and produces more laterally continuous results that properly follow the geologic phenomenon. The effectiveness of MSSGST is validated using various field data. We use the application to demonstrate the potential of multichannel squeezing to perform well at (1) improving the energy focusing and continuity of the decomposed frequency components, (2) depicting the boundaries of geologic structures, and (3) identifying the thin layers.
Physical Activity Associations with Bone Mineral Density and Modification by Metabolic Traits
Authors: Buttan Anshu , Cui Jinrui , Guo Xiuqing , Chen Yii-Der I , Hsueh Willa A , Rotter Jerome I , Goodarzi Mark O
Published: July 2020

Objective

To assess the relationship of physical activity with bone mineral density (BMD) at various sites and examine potential modifying metabolic factors.

Methods

Responses from physical activity questionnaires were used to determine total physical activity (PA), moderate physical activity (mod-PA), and sedentary time. Regression analyses were performed to evaluate association of activity traits with insulin sensitivity by euglycemic clamp, adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in 741 healthy subjects.

Results

The cohort was relatively sedentary. Activity level was associated with arm, pelvis, and leg BMD in univariate analyses. In multivariate association analyses of arm BMD, only female sex (β = -0.73, P < 0.0001) and adiponectin (β = -0.076, P = 0.0091) were significant. Multivariate analyses of pelvis BMD found independent associations with body mass index (BMI) (β = 0.33, P < 0.0001), adiponectin (β = -0.10, P = 0.013), female sex (β = -0.18, P < 0.0001), sedentary time (β = -0.088, P = 0.034), PA (β = 0.11, P = 0.01), and mod-PA (β = 0.11, P = 0.014). Age (β = -0.10, P = 0.0087), female sex (β = -0.63, P < 0.0001), BMI (β = 0.24, P < 0.0001), and mod-PA (β = 0.10, P = 0.0024) were independently associated with leg BMD.

Conclusions

These results suggest that BMD increases with physical activity in the arms, legs, and pelvis and is inversely related to sedentary time in the pelvis and legs; these associations may be modified by age, sex, BMI, and adiponectin, depending on the site, with physical activity being more important to pelvis and leg BMD than arm BMD and sedentary time being important for pelvis BMD. Moreover, we demonstrated that CRP, PAI-1, and insulin sensitivity play a minor role in BMD.
Daughterless, the Drosophila orthologue of TCF4, is required for associative learning and maintenance of the synaptic proteome
Authors: Tamberg Laura , Jaago Mariliis , Säälik Kristi , Sirp Alex , Tuvikene Jürgen , Shubina Anastassia , Kiir Carl Sander , Nurm Kaja , Sepp Mari , Timmusk Tõnis , Palgi Mari
Published: July 2020

Mammalian transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to schizophrenia and intellectual disabilities, such as Pitt–Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). Here, we show that similarly to mammalian TCF4, fruit fly orthologue Daughterless (Da) is expressed widely in the Drosophila brain. Furthermore, silencing of da, using several central nervous system-specific Gal4 driver lines, impairs appetitive associative learning of the larvae and leads to decreased levels of the synaptic proteins Synapsin (Syn) and Discs large 1 (Dlg1), suggesting the involvement of Da in memory formation. Here, we demonstrate that Syn and dlg1 are direct target genes of Da in adult Drosophila heads, as Da binds to the regulatory regions of these genes and the modulation of Da levels alter the levels of Syn and dlg1 mRNA. Silencing of da also affects negative geotaxis of the adult flies, suggesting the impairment of locomotor function. Overall, our findings suggest that Da regulates Drosophila larval memory and adult negative geotaxis, possibly via its synaptic target genes Syn and dlg1. These behavioural phenotypes can be further used as a PTHS model to screen for therapeutics.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Adaptive Cycling
Authors: Gordon Andrew H. , De Luigi Arthur Jason
Published: July 2020

Adaptive athletes have globally embraced the sport of adaptive cycling, and participation is expanding rapidly on local, national, and international levels. With a diverse array of events supporting adaptive cyclist participation, there is a need to create more awareness about the history and classes of adaptive cycling, adaptive cycle technology, and injuries and medical concerns specific to this group of adaptive athletes. This communication aims to review the major aspects of adaptive cycling, from the technological aspects of both the cycles and adaptations of the athlete to injuries and medical concerns specific to adaptive cyclists.
Endovascular management of a large hepatic artery aneurysm related to type B aortic dissection
Authors: Reicher John , Tsiakkis Demetris , Green Barnabas R , Walker Paul
Published: July 2020

Management of visceral artery aneurysms can be challenging: there is limited evidence to determine size thresholds for intervention and it is often technically difficult to exclude the aneurysms while preserving visceral perfusion.

We present the case of a 68-year-old male with a rapidly enlarging hepatic artery aneurysm related to type B aortic dissection extending into the coeliac axis, which presented unique difficulties due to its morphology and filling via the false lumen. Endovascular treatment involved stent–graft placement from the coeliac axis into the splenic artery with the intention of excluding the coeliac supply to the common hepatic artery. Despite early stent–graft occlusion, the aneurysm was successfully excluded and adequate hepatic and splenic perfusion was maintained. The patient made a good recovery.
Validation strategies for antibodies targeting modified ribonucleotides
Authors: Weichmann Franziska , Hett Robert , Schepers Aloys , Ito-Kureha Taku , Flatley Andrew , Slama Kaouthar , Hastert Florian D. , Angstman Nicholas B. , Cardoso M. Cristina , König Julian , Hüttelmaier Stefan , Dieterich Christoph , Canzar Stefan , Helm Mark , Heissmeyer Vigo , Feederle Regina , Meister Gunter
Published: July 2020

Chemical modifications are found on almost all RNAs and affect their coding and noncoding functions. The identification of m6A on mRNA and its important role in gene regulation stimulated the field to investigate whether additional modifications are present on mRNAs. Indeed, modifications including m1A, m5C, m7G, 2′-OMe, and Ψ were detected. However, since their abundances are low and tools used for their corroboration are often not well characterized, their physiological relevance remains largely elusive. Antibodies targeting modified nucleotides are often used but have limitations such as low affinity or specificity. Moreover, they are not always well characterized and due to the low abundance of the modification, particularly on mRNAs, generated data sets might resemble noise rather than specific modification patterns. Therefore, it is critical that the affinity and specificity is rigorously tested using complementary approaches. Here, we provide an experimental toolbox that allows for testing antibody performance prior to their use.
Case Report: Non-microscopic surgical management of incomplete penile amputation
Authors: Putra Donny Eka , Kusbin Theddyon Bhenlie Apry , Satyagraha Paksi , Widodo Stephanie Taneysa
Published: July 2020

Background: Penile amputation is an emergency urologic condition requiring immediate attention in order to maximize functional outcomes. Unfortunately, there is limited experience and publication of case reports describing the successful replantation of penis after incomplete amputation, especially in facilities without adequate microsurgical tools and means. We hereby present a case of penile amputation caused by a mechanical grass cutter and a discussion of its surgical management.

Case description: A 33-year-old Indonesian male presented to the emergency department with incomplete penile amputation six hours post injury. The patient has no prior medical history and presented with penile amputation due to a mechanical grass cutter trauma. He underwent immediate non-microsurgery reconstructive replantation of the penis, reattaching all visible vascular, corporal, and fascia layers. After replantation, the patient recovered well and showed preserved normal appearance and sensitivity of the penis. Subsequent Doppler ultrasound investigation revealed adequate arterial flow at the distal end of the anastomosis. The patient was discharged five days after surgery. 

Conclusion: In the absence of microsurgical tools and means, the use of non-microsurgical replantation should be the choice of treatment in the case of incomplete penile amputation. The technique showed good outcomes involving adequate functional and cosmetic restoration.
Characterising demographics, knowledge, practices and clinical care among patients attending sickle cell disease clinics in Eastern Uganda
Authors: Olupot-Olupot Peter , Wabwire Ham , Ndila Carolyne , Adong Ruth , Ochen Linus , Amorut Denis , Abongo Grace , Okalebo Charles B. , Akello Sarah Rachael , Oketcho Joy B. , Okiror William , Asio Sarah , Odiit Amos , Alaroker Florence , Nyutu Gideon , Maitland Kathryn , Williams Thomas N.
Published: July 2020

Background: In Uganda to date, there are neither established registries nor descriptions of facility-based sickle cell disease (SCD) patient characteristics beyond the central region. Here, we summarize data on the baseline clinical characteristics and routine care available to patients at four clinics in Eastern Uganda as a prelude to a clinical trial.

Methods: Between February and August 2018, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients attending four SCD clinics in Mbale, Soroti, Atutur and Ngora, all in Eastern Uganda, the planned sites for an upcoming clinical trial (H-PRIME: ISRCTN15724013). Data on socio-demographic characteristics, diagnostic methods, clinic schedules, the use of prophylactic and therapeutic drugs, clinical complications and patient understanding of SCD were collected using a structured questionnaire.

Results: Data were collected on 1829 patients. Their ages ranged from 0 to 64 years with a median (IQR) of 6 (3-11) years. 49.1% of participants were male. The majority (1151; 62.9%) reported a positive family history for SCD. Approximately half knew that SCD is inherited from both parents but a substantial proportion did not know how SCD is transmitted and small numbers believed that it is acquired by either transfusion or from other people. Only 118/1819 (6.5%) participants had heard about or were using hydroxyurea while 356/1794 (19.8%) reported stigmatization. Participants reported a median of three (IQR 1-4) hospital admissions during the preceding 12 months; 80.8% had been admitted at least once, while 14.2% had been admitted more than five times. Pain was the most common symptom, while 83.9% of those admitted had received at least one blood transfusion.

Conclusion: The majority of patients attending SCD clinics in Eastern Uganda are children and few are currently being treated with hydroxyurea. The data collected through this facility-based survey will provide background data that will be useful in planning for the H-PRIME trial.
Diferenças no desempenho acadêmico a partir das características socioeconômicas, demográficas, comportamentais e psicológicas de estudantes portugueses da área de negócios
Authors: Santos Márcia Juliana da Cunha dos , Vilhena Estela , Antonelli Ricardo Adriano , Meurer Alison Martins
Published: July 2020

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar os fatores socioeconômicos, demográficos, comportamentais e psicológicos que diferenciam o desempenho acadêmico de estudantes portugueses da área de negócios. Foi realizada uma survey (n = 188) e obtidos dados secundários junto a instituição de ensino (N = 435). Verificou-se que o desempenho acadêmico difere de acordo com: nota de ingresso no Ensino Superior; idade; frequência; facilidade com cálculos matemáticos, interpretação de texto e raciocínio lógico; horas de sono e de estudo; formação do professor; e ser fumante. Nota-se a importância do acompanhamento do processo de ensino-aprendizagem para maximizar o desempenho dos acadêmicos.
Psychological features and problems of support of civil cases connected with protection of the rights and interests of children
Authors: Semakova Anasyasia , Arbusova Elena , Il'yankova Ekaterina
Published: July 2020

the article presents data from an analytical review of civil cases related to the protection of the rights and interests of minors in disputes over the right to raise children. The main purpose of the study is to justify the need for a significant correction of the procedure for participation in them by a specialist psychologist. The article shows that a large number of conclusions of psychologists have procedural, methodological and ethical errors. The expert's conclusion, which is accepted in the case as evidence, is not evaluated for completeness, validity and correctness of conclusions. However, the presence of a conclusion of a specialist psychologist in some cases is seen by the judge as a reason for refusing to appoint a forensic psychological examination, in cases where it is clearly necessary. At the same time, in order to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the psychological components of legally significant circumstances that need to be established and proven in disputes over the right to raise children, it is important to apply a more formally defined forensic psychological study. In our opinion, if the parties submit to the court a specialist's opinion based on the conclusions of a pre-trial psychological study, it is necessary to subject it to mandatory review by specialists of state and non-state expert institutions.
Digital competence of employees of internal affairs bodies as a clause for the effectiveness of fire training
Authors: Vahnina Viktoriya , Astashova Evgeniya
Published: July 2020

In the article the problem of digital competence formation in the process of fire training is considered. In order to improve the training process for police officers, a new computer program has been developed that can be used with different categories of students in various forms of training: full-time, distance, and interactive. The Situation program proposed by the authors allows using distance learning tools in order to implement continuous training and maintain the level of readiness of ATS employees for effective operational and service activities. The program is used by students of educational organizations at the initial stage of training, in order to improve the skills of using firearms in various legally significant situations. Classes are conducted in the following modes: remotely or face-to-face. As a result, the motivation to achieve success increases, confidence increases; social responsibility, in particular, compliance with the law when making a decision about the use of firearms. The program consists of three modules: "Preparation", "photo Testing", and "Video testing". The student was offered theoretical materials necessary for making a decision about the use of firearms, testing on photos in a static image of a potential threat; testing on video fragments represents a complex of situations in which weapons are used.
Psychological technology for preventing destructive coping strategies among the heads of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation
Authors: Pechenkova Elena , Rogov Anton , Samoylenko Anatoliy
Published: July 2020

Psychotechnologies for preventing destructive coping strategies are important not only for employees of the moral and psychological support unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, but also for the leaders and employees of internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation who are interested in their psychological health and in effectively solving the tasks facing the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Despite the fact that a significant amount of research by both foreign and domestic scientists is devoted to the study of personality coping, comprehensively preventive work to prevent and correct destructive coping strategies is not carried out. The formation of destruction in coping behavior is characteristic of the professional activities of law enforcement officers, the most prone to this psychological phenomenon, are leaders.

Destructions in the coping behavior of employees of the internal affairs bodies are a consequence of the state of emotional, mental and psychophysical exhaustion, determined by the conditions of professional activity, excessive workload and emotional interpersonal communication. Coping behavior is of a destructive nature and adversely affects the professional activities of the policeman and his personality.

To prevent and correct the destruction in coping behavior, the heads and employees of the internal affairs bodies offer an algorithm of psychotechnological actions in the article.
Baseball arbitration desde una perspectiva contractual
Authors: Bahamón Oviedo Alex
Published: July 2020

El baseball arbitration es un mecanismo alternativo de solución de conflictos que permite una solución pronta y económica de los conflictos, la cual, además, favorece la conservación de la relación subyacente, porque obliga a las partes a ser moderadas. No obstante, su implementación en Colombia aún no se ha logrado, dado que no se puede hacer como arbitraje ni como amigable composición. Por esto, en este artículo se propone un mecanismo de implementación en el país desde una perspectiva meramente contractual, a través del contrato de mandato, de transacción y de otras instituciones jurídicas nacionales.
THE CANADIAN NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMISSION’S READINESS TO REGULATE SMALL MODULAR REACTORS
Authors: Lee Kevin W.
Published: July 2020

Over the course of the last several years the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has engaged with numerous vendors and potential licenses of small modular reactor (SMR) technology. This paper discusses what an SMR is and what potentially makes them different from standard nuclear power plants (NPP). Readiness activities for the potential licensing of SMRs are described as well as modifications being made to the CNSC’s existing regulatory framework to facilitate the same, without reducing safety. The role of the CNSC’s discussion paper DIS-16-04, Small Modular Reactors: Regulatory Strategy, Approaches and Challenges (DIS 16-04) and how feedback received on it helped confirm the CNSC’s modifications to be undertaken to the regulatory framework, as well as areas requiring further clarity, are highlighted. Finally, the role of the CNSC Vendor Design Review process is described as well as other readiness activities undertaken by the CNSC that are helping to ensure that the CNSC will be ready to accept and evaluate a license application for an SMR.
Protagonismo negro, educação antirracismo e os quilombolas urbanos como “outros sujeitos”: uma problematização necessária
Authors: Mocelin Cassia Engres , Grossi Patrícia Krieger
Published: July 2020

Este artigo objetiva discutir a opressão e a segregação dos negros como “outros sujeitos”, o protagonismo de suas lutas como pressuposto de um processo político-social-educacional afirmativo e antirracista. Apoia-se no materialismo histórico-dialético como método e no material empírico, coletado nos quilombos urbanos do município de Porto Alegre, cotejando o enfoque educacional. Nesse sentido, os outros sujeitos são sujeitos de direitos e sujeitos que respondem, resistem e reagem a uma cultura hegemônica. Desse modo, não são assujeitados, mas sujeitos da contracultura, das singularidades dentro da universalidade, das diversidades e das diferenças. Assim sendo, é necessário pensar e tomar a educação como processos sociais e práticas afirmativas e antirracistas acerca das populações que foram historicamente oprimidas em sua cultura, condições e modos de vida. Vê-se, pois, uma dialética entre afirmação desses outros sujeitos e repressão e manutenção das formas de dominação e desigualdades sociais. Palavras-chave: educação antirracismo; lutas sociais; outros sujeitos; quilombos urbanos; sujeito de direitos.