bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-hospital Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention among Very Elderly Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease in a Dedicated Cardiac Hospital
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Arifur , Rahman Afzalur , Rahman Mohammd Mahbubur , Ahmed Farhana , Hasan Md Kamrul , Farjana Jinat , Majumder Md Azizur Rahaman , Huq Ahmed Mamunul , Rahman Atikur
Published: September 2020

Background: Cardiovascular disease, and ischemic heart disease (IHD), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the very elderly patients (>80 years) worldwide. These patients represent a rapidly growing cohort presenting for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), now constituting more than one in five patients treated with PCI in real-world practice. Furthermore, they often have greater ischemic burden than their younger counterparts, suggesting that they have greater scope of benefit from coronary revascularization therapy. The elderly usually has higher prevalence of co morbidities and more often experience complications during and after revascularization procedures. Our aim was to evaluate clinical outcomes of PCI in patients older than 80 years, compared to their younger counterparts.

Materials and methods: From July 2017 to July 2018 we included 212 patients with IHD purposively in Cardiology department of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases undergone PCI who were divided into 2 groups according to age: e” 80 years (n = 74) and < 80 years (n = 138). Baseline clinical characteristics, indications for coronary intervention, in hospital outcomes were obtained. Study endpoint were Renal impairment, MI, LVF, emergency revascularization and death.

Results: Very elderly patients were more frequently male (86%) and nonsmoker at present (41% vs. 63%, p=0.003), had higher prevalence of hypertension (60% vs. 50%, p<0.13), and more often presented with NSTEMI (54% vs. 23%, p<0.001). Elderly group had higher incidence of TVD and LM disease (36% vs. 26% and 9.5% vs. 2.9%, p=0.07) and more incidence of ostial (16.2% vs.5.1%,p=0.007) and calcified lesions (31.1% vs. 14.5%, p=0.004). Procedural success (TIMI III) were high in both groups, but still lower in the elderly as compared to younger group (95% vs. 97%, p=0.65). Very elderly patients had higher incidence of post PCI bleeding, CIN, MI, LVF and death (9.5% vs.6.1%, 8.2% vs.3.7%, 6.8% vs.5.8%, 9.5% vs. 5.1% and 5.4%vs.3.6%,p=0.07), whereas emergency revascularization were higher in younger group (5.4% vs. 6.5%, p=0.07).

Conclusion: Very elderly patients aged ≥80 years face more vascular site complications during PCI, usually have more LM and TVD with more ostial and calcified lesions in comparison with younger group. Though procedural success is similar with younger group, they face more post PCI CIN, LVF and MI. Repeat revascularization was higher in younger group.

Bangladesh Heart Journal 2020; 35(1) : 61-65
Why Is Family-Oriented Organ Transplantation Policy and Practice Necessary for Bangladesh?
Authors: Siraj Md. Sanwar
Published: September 2020

In the West, in countries such as the US and UK, people are equally encouraged to donate organs both to their relatives and nonrelatives. In practice, although family is the priority in the US and UK, anybody can donate organs to anyone else lawfully. Contrastingly, in Bangladesh, people are only legally allowed to donate organs for transplantation to close relatives. Bangladesh’s living organ transplantation policy and practice is in stark contrast with the Western secular biomedical perspective. In this artcile, I address that the notion of individual freedom and liberty in regard to the donation of organs for transplantation in the West is consistent with secular culture and biomedical perspectives, but such biomedical policy and practice is at odds with the Bangladeshi Muslim culture, socio-economic reality and biomedical perspective. As Bangladesh is a family-oriented collective society, the kinship relation and strong familial bonds may encourage relatives into donating organs to a patient. More than 20% of people still live below the poverty line, and the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed poor people into extreme poverty. The practice of allowing unrelated altruistic donors as is done in the West and Iran, or even in the special circumstance in Paksitan, the act of donating organs will comprehensievly increase organ trade in Bangladesh, which in turn will cause more harms than benefits. This study conludes that the government should uphold family-oriented biomedical policy and practice in Bangladesh until poverty is eliminated. It implies that patients who do not have close relatives, or whose poetntial relative donors are medically unsuitable for transplantations should wait for deceased organs for transplantation.
On the edge: assessing fish habitat use across the boundary between Pacific oyster aquaculture and eelgrass in Willapa Bay, Washington, USA
Authors: Muething KA , Tomas F , Waldbusser G , Dumbauld BR
Published: September 2020

Estuaries are subject to diverse anthropogenic stressors, such as shellfish aquaculture, which involve extensive use of estuarine tidelands. Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas aquaculture is a century-old practice in US West Coast estuaries that contributes significantly to the regional culture and economy. Native eelgrass Zostera marina also commonly occurs in intertidal areas where oyster aquaculture is practiced. Eelgrass is federally protected in the USA as ‘essential fish habitat’, restricting aquaculture activities within or near eelgrass. To contribute scientific information useful for management decisions, we sought to compare fish habitat use of oyster aquaculture and eelgrass, as well as the edges between these 2 habitats, in Willapa Bay, Washington, USA. Furthermore, given a recent shift towards off-bottom culture methods, in part to protect seagrasses, long-line and on-bottom oyster aquaculture habitats were compared. A combination of direct (underwater video, minnow traps) and indirect (predation tethering units, eelgrass surveys) methods were employed to characterize differences in fish habitat use. Eelgrass density declined within both aquaculture habitats but less so within long-line aquaculture. Most fish species in our study used long-line oyster aquaculture and eelgrass habitats similarly with minimal edge effects, and on-bottom aquaculture was used less than either of the other 2 habitat types. These results are consistent with previously observed positive relationships between fish abundance and vertical habitat structure, but also reveal species-specific behavior; larger mesopredators like Pacific staghorn sculpins were sighted more often in aquaculture than in interior eelgrass habitats.
Effect of Dual Task Training on Balance and Functional Mobility in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Kvedaravičienė Karolina , Solianik Rima
Published: September 2020

Research background. It was found that dual task training improves functional abilities in subjects with neurological disorders, however it is not known how dual task training affects balance and functional mobility in children with cerebral palsy (CP).The aim. To determine the effectiveness of dual motor tasks training and basic physiotherapy programme on balance and functional mobility in children with spastic diplegic CP.Methods. The study included 20 children with spastic diplegic CP. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: control group (40 min basic physiotherapy programme) and experimental group (20 min basic physiotherapy programme and 20 min dual motor task training). Physiotherapy was applied for 3 weeks (5 times a week). Balance and functional mobility were assessed at baseline and at the end.Results. There was a statistically significant improvement in balance and functional mobility in both the control and experimental groups after three weeks of physiotherapy (p < 0.05). Comparing two groups with each other, there was a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group on balance and walking (p < 0.05).Conclusion. Dual task training can be used as an effective intervention to improve balance and walking in children with spastic diplegic CP.Keywords: motor tasks, cerebral palsy, balance, functional mobility.
A Queer Response to Caroline Bergvall’s Hyphenated Practice: Towards an Interdependent Model of Reading
Authors: Rudy Susan
Published: September 2020

This chapter argues that Caroline Bergvall’s multi-media, multilingual, transhistorical work explores a hyphenated practice based on an interdependent relation between reader and text. Drawing on Jessica Benjamin, who argues that in the mother-child bond we find an alternative theory of the production of meaning, Rudy argues that the mother-child relation also offers an affective theory of the reception of experiemental work, since such work offers spaces where readers can also become ‘different, new’. Rudy approaches the queer texts in this ‘expanded field’ as a queer literary critic, drawing on the work of Lisa Ruddick and other practices of intersubjecvitity, she explores the notion that, through such practices, Bergvall’s writing has become a ‘public project’ into which we are invited to enter.
Introduction
Authors: McKeever Gerard Lee
Published: September 2020

This introduction clarifies the book’s contribution to the study of Scottish Romanticism, Enlightenment and improvement. Improvement, it argues, was sufficiently important as a modality, trope and environmental condition to be viewed plausibly as a defining feature of literary production in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Scotland. The introduction includes a working genealogy of improvement and a survey of the motley field of scholarship on the topic. A section on the national implications of improvement in the Scottish context is next, followed by more detail on the book’s dialectical approach. There is then an analysis of the category of Scottish Romanticism as it has been treated elsewhere and as it is modified by the book’s own case studies, summaries of which form the final section.
Introduction
Authors: Levy Michelle
Published: September 2020

The Introduction draws upon recent work in the fields of book history, literary and media studies, textual scholarship and digital humanities, to advance the fundamental thesis of early modern scholars – that manuscript production and circulation continued long after the advent of print. It also supports the consensus of media historians – that newer media (such as print) did not overtake and subsume older media forms (such as manuscript). Repudiating a ‘decline and rise’ or ‘succession’ model of technological change, this book instead posits a model characterized by media interaction and exchange. Taking Romantic-era literary manuscript culture and its inevitable entanglement with print as its central subject, the subsequent six chapters examine the literary manuscripts and writing practices of several central Romantic authors, and the shifting set of cultural and political conditions they faced. In doing so, this study presents a new account of literary Romanticism, one that recalibrates accounts of individual authors’ works, careers and practices; reconstructs networks of authors, editors, publishers and readers; and reconfigures concepts of privacy, sociability and publicity. It also addresses how the expanding print culture of the late eighteenth century impacted both the practices and the values ascribed to manuscript culture.
Intentionality and the Romantic Literary Manuscript
Authors: Levy Michelle
Published: September 2020

Chapter 1 supplies an essential description of manuscript and print cultures in the Romantic period. It probes the attempts by book historians, manuscript scholars, and textual editors to establish guidelines for understanding modern literary manuscripts, that is, manuscripts created in the age of print. It questions conceptions of scribal culture that rest upon the scholar’s capacity to discern authorial intention, and that exclude from consideration those manuscripts intended for print. Donald Reiman, in his categorisation of modern manuscripts into three groups – private, confidential or social, and public – relies upon an editor’s ability to determine the intended audience of any given manuscript. However, as this chapter demonstrates, intention is rarely discernible. This chapter grounds its theoretical analysis in a detailed survey of the literary writing and material practices of Charlotte Smith and Dorothy Wordsworth, two authors who have long been regarded as belonging, respectively and exclusively, to the divided worlds of print and script.
Literary Reviews and the Reception of Manuscript Culture
Authors: Levy Michelle
Published: September 2020

Chapter 2 examines how literary reviews engaged in debates about what should appear in print. As reviewers encountered large quantities of published literary writing, some of which had identifiable origins in sociable manuscript culture, they faced both a practical problem – how to keep up with the rising tide of new publications – and an ethical dilemma – how to respond to the proliferation of print. Did the large increases in literary print publication (and the increasing number of authors entering print) signal a decline in taste and a degeneration of literary standards, or the enlightened progress of society and the improvement of literary taste? This chapter compares the reviewing practices and editorial policies in the Edinburgh Review, which was outspoken in its criticism of the publication of manuscript writing, and the Annual Review, which was tolerant of all literary productions. Specifically, it finds that the Edinburgh constructed print as a public medium and, by necessary contrast, manuscript as a private one, a division that came to be understood as intrinsic to script and print, rather than what it was, a product of an ideological dispute, fought in part in the pages of the literary reviews.
nuevo marco regulador europeo de los servicios audiovisuales bajo petición y de intercambio de vídeo. Su repercusión en el mercado español de plataformas
Authors: Aguado-Guadalupe Guadalupe , Bernaola Itziar
Published: September 2020

El presente artículo analiza cómo está configurado el nuevo marco regulador europeo de los servicios  audiovisuales  bajo petición  y de intercambio  de vídeos, en el contexto actual de intersección y convergencia entre la televisión y los servicios de Internet. Además, se observa qué caracteriza a las diez principales plataformas de vídeo que operan en el mercado español de cara a su adaptación a la nueva regulación. Para ello se profundiza en los aspectos más relevantes contemplados al respecto en la Directiva Europea de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual (2018) y en la Directiva de Derechos de Autor (2019), así como las implicaciones que tiene la neutralidad tecnológica. Se llega a la conclusión de que el nuevo marco regulador aplica a las plataformas reglas similares a las que ya regulan los canales  de televisión  europeos,  y aporta  mayor  transparencia,  más protección para  los usuarios y creadores de contenidos, así como medidas de no discriminación en el acceso a los contenidos.  Se  observa  que  las  plataformas  objeto  de  estudio  que  operan  en  España requerirán una adaptación al nuevo escenario audiovisual europeo, especialmente en lo que se refiere  a  contenidos  para  menores,  verificación  de  edad  de usuarios  y  porcentaje  de producción europea.
Contenido generado por los usuarios, su relación con la personalidad de marca y el valor de marca
Authors: Ruiz-Aguilar Mario Antonio , Avalos-Pelayo Rafael
Published: September 2020

Las redes sociales digitales (RSD) son una gran herramienta de comunicación de marca para las organizaciones en la actualidad. Debido a que las investigaciones en México son escasas, es relevante conocer cómo los contenidos que los consumidores crean en estas plataformas se relacionan con las percepciones que ellos desarrollan acerca de las marcas. Se realizó una investigación cuantitativa que tuvo como objetivo determinar las relaciones entre tres variables perceptuales, las cuales son los contenidos generados por los usuarios (CGU), la personalidad de marca (PM) y el valor de marca con base en el consumidor (VMBC) referente al sector teléfonos móviles inteligentes (smartphones). Con una muestra de 211 usuarios de teléfonos celulares se hizo un análisis factorial confirmatorio, a partir del cual se elaboró un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, con el que se encontró que la PM influye a los CGU y el VMBC, pero que los CGU no influyen directamente en el VMBC en el contexto mexicano de la Zona Metropolitana de Guadalajara.
IMPLEMENTASI METODE FUZZY MAMDANI DAN LINEAR CONGRUENTIAL GENERATOR (LCG) PADA GAME HIDDEN OBJECT
Authors: Al Zarkasi Roki Syah , Hormansyah Dhebys Suryani , Wibowo Dimas Wahyu
Published: September 2020

Game dewasa ini telah menjadi populer di kalangan masyarakat, sebagai suatu bentuk hiburan, mendukung interaksi sosial antara mereka. Game atau permainan sejatinya dibuat untuk digunakan sebagai sarana menghibur. Game hidden object merupakan salah satu konsep game yang ada pada genre game puzzle. Game puzzle merupakan salah satu permainan yang dapat mengasah otak dan sangat menantang. Metode Linear Congruential Genetator (LCG) digunakan untuk membangkitkan bilangan acak dengan distribusi uniform. Random number atau bilangan acak adalah sebuah bilangan yang dihasilkan dari sebuah proses, yang keluarannya tidak dapat diprediksi. Logika Fuzzy adalah peningkatan dari logika Boolean yang mengenalkan konsep kebenaran sebagian. Fuzzy Mamdani merupakan salah satu model dalam metode fuzzy yang sudah umum digunakan. Fuzzy mamdani sering juga dikenal dengan nama Metode Max-Min. Selain itu metode fuzzy mamdani terkenal sederhana dan tidak banyak proses komputasi yang dilakukan dimana proses komputasi dapat membuat sistem akan berjalan lebih lama. Penelitian ini berfokus pada implementasi metode LCG untuk mengacak list object yang ada pada game secara random, dan metode Fuzzy mamdani untuk menghitung skor dan sebagai penentuan level. Fokus Dari penelitian adalah untuk mencai tahu apakah metode LCG dan juga metode fuzzy mamdani dapat diimplemntasikan dengan baik pada game dengan konsep hidden object. Dari hasil implementasi fuzzy mamdani dan LCG didapati bahwa fuzzy mamdani memiliki tingkat keakuratan perhitungan sebesar 98,5% sedangkan LCG memiliki keakuratan pengacakan list objek sebesar 100%. Sehingga dapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa metode fuzzy mamdani dan LCG dapat di implementasikan dengan baik pada game dengan konsep hidden object.

Kata kunci: Game, Hidden object, LCG, Fuzzy Mamdani
Effect of High Dietary Level (8%) of Fish Oil on Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid n-3 Content in Pig Tissues and Plasma Biochemical Parameters
Authors: Komprda Tomas , Jůzl Miroslav , Matejovičová Milena , Levá Lenka , Piechowiczová Markéta , Nedomová Šárka , Popelková Vendula , Vymazalová Pavla
Published: September 2020

There were two objectives of the present study using dietary fish oil (FO) in pigs: to use pigs as a model for studying the effects of high FO doses on selected physiological markers; and to evaluate the physical traits and nutritive value of pork enriched with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3. Two groups of six female pigs were fed for 30 days with either a standard feed mixture (control, C) or the same mixture supplemented with 8% FO (F). Physical characteristics of the muscle, fatty acid deposition in tissues and selected hematologic and plasma markers were tested. The daily weight gain of the F-pigs was lower in comparison with controls (p < 0.05). Dietary fish oil decreased Warner-Bratzler shear force of the longissimus muscle (p < 0.01). The eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid content was higher (p < 0.05) in all tested F-tissues. Dietary fish oil had no effect on plasma cholesterol (p < 0.05), but it increased plasma triacylglycerol levels by 260% (p < 0.05), and increased counts of leukocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils in the blood plasma (p < 0.05). In conclusion, high dietary FO improved the texture and nutritive value of meat, but negatively affected plasma biochemical parameters.
Analysis of XX SRY-Negative Sex Reversal Dogs
Authors: Albarella Sara , Lorenzi Lisa De , Rossi Elena , Prisco Francesco , Riccardi Marita Georgia , Restucci Brunella , Ciotola Francesca , Parma Pietro
Published: September 2020

Impaired fertility associated with disorders of sex development (DSDs) due to genetic causes in dogs are more and more frequently reported. Affected dogs are usually of specific breeds thus representing a cause of economic losses for breeders. The aim of this research is to report the clinical, cytogenetic and molecular genetic findings of four XX SRY-negative DSD dog cases. All the subjects showed a female aspect and the presence of an enlarged clitoris with a penis bone. Morphopathological analyses performed in three of the four cases showed the presence of testes in two cases and ovotestis in another. Conventional and R-banded cytogenetic techniques were applied showing that no chromosome abnormalities were involved in these DSDs. CGH arrays show the presence of 11 copy number variations (CNVs), one of which is a duplication of 458 Kb comprising the genomic region between base 17,503,928 and base 17,962,221 of chromosome 9 (CanFam3 genome assembly). This CNV, confirmed also by qPCR, includes the promoter region of SOX9 gene and could explain the observed phenotype.
Measuring Antibiotic Stewardship Programmes and Initiatives: An Umbrella Review in Primary Care Medicine and a Systematic Review of Dentistry
Authors: Teoh Leanne , Sloan Alastair J , McCullough Michael J , Thompson Wendy
Published: September 2020

Antibiotic stewardship aims to tackle the global problem of drug-resistant infections by promoting the responsible use of antibiotics. Most antibiotics are prescribed in primary care and widespread overprescribing has been reported, including 80% in dentistry. This review aimed to identify outcomes measured in studies evaluating antibiotic stewardship across primary healthcare. An umbrella review was undertaken across medicine and a systematic review in dentistry. Systematic searches of Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase and Web of Science were undertaken. Two authors independently selected and quality assessed the included studies (using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for the umbrella review and Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs for the systematic review). Metrics used to evaluate antibiotic stewardship programmes and interventions were extracted and categorized. Comparisons between medical and dental settings were made. Searches identified 2355 medical and 2704 dental studies. After screening and quality assessment, ten and five studies, respectively, were included. Three outcomes were identified across both medical and dental studies: All focused on antibiotic usage. Four more outcomes were found only in medical studies: these measured patient outcomes, such as adverse effects. To evaluate antibiotic stewardship programmes and interventions across primary healthcare settings, measures of antibiotic use and patient outcomes are recommended.
Influence of NOM on the Stability of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Ecotoxicity Tests
Authors: Lee Byoung-cheun , Hong Gilsang , Lee Hyejin , Kim Pyeongsoon , Seo Do-Yeon , Hwang Gukhwa , Kim Geunbae , Kim Pilje
Published: September 2020

Nanomaterials are known to aggregate in the presence of ions. Similarly, the aggregation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) exposed to various ions such as sodium chloride and calcium chloride in water systems increases with the ionic strength. Therefore, for accurate toxicity studies, it is necessary to conduct a test using natural organic matters (NOMs) as additional dispersants that strengthen stability with increased repulsive forces. The three types of ecotoxicity tests based on the dispersion stability test using NOM showed that the toxicities of the three test samples decreased in the presence of NOM. To determine how NOM improved dispersion and reduced toxicities, we analyzed the ionization degree of ZnO NPs with and without NOM and found that the solubility was below 2 mg/L with a negligible change over time, implying that the ionization effect was low. The absolute value of the surface charge of particles increased in the presence of NOM, resulting in increased repulsive electrostatic forces and steric hindrance, causing less aggregation and more dispersion. Additionally, although the NOM used in the test is considered an effective dispersant that does not have a toxicological effect on aquatic organisms, the presence of NOM resulted in reduced toxicities and should be further investigated to establish it as a standard test method.
Development and Application of a Motion Analysis Protocol for the Kinematic Evaluation of Basic and Functional Hand and Finger Movements Using Motion Capture in a Clinical Setting—A Repeatability Study
Authors: Fischer Gabriella , Jermann Diana , List Renate , Reissner Lisa , Calcagni Maurizio
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this study was to develop a motion analysis protocol that allows the simultaneous assessment of all hand and finger joint movements. The objective was to demonstrate repeatability for future clinical applications in functional assessments. This study includes selection of marker positions, movement tasks, kinematic approaches and a comparison of the two most commonly used finger marker sets. By using a test–retest measurement of the range of motion in twenty healthy volunteers, the repeatability of the developed protocol was validated. Estimated errors of the presented method ranged from 1.2° to 6.4°. Finger joint angles derived from the marker set with two markers per segment showed better repeatability (3.7°) than with markers located on the joints (5.1°). Given the high repeatability found, the presented method appears to be suitable for clinical applications. For the fingers, measurement repeatability can be improved by using at least two markers per segment. Within this study, advanced kinematic approaches, such as functional determination of joint centers and axes, are applied to the analysis of hand movements. The provided standard values and estimate of the minimal detectable differences provide a valuable basis for meaningful data interpretation and may be used for future comparison with other protocols.
Experimental Investigation of Anisotropic Diffusion Applied in Ghost Imaging Reconstruction
Authors: Gong Xiaobin , Tao Min , Su Gang , Li Baohua , Guan Jian , Song Junfeng , Yu Siyao , Chen Jian , Gong Wenlin , Gao Fengli
Published: September 2020

In iterative pseudo-inverse ghost imaging (IPGI), how much the noise interference item of the current iteration approximates the real noise greatly depends on the clarity of initial image. In order to improve IPGI, we propose a method that introduces anisotropic diffusion to construct a more accurate noise interference term, where anisotropic diffusion adapts to both the image and the noise, so that it balances the tradeoff between noise removal and preservation of image details. In our algorithm, the anisotropic diffusion equation is used to denoise the result of each iteration, then the denoised image is used to construct the noise interference term for the next iteration. Compared to IPGI, our method has better performance in visual effects and imaging quality, as the image edges and details are better preserved according to the experimental results.
An Approach on Velocity and Stability Control of a Two-Wheeled Robotic Wheelchair
Authors: Nikpour Mostafa , Huang Loulin , Al-Jumaily Ahmed M.
Published: September 2020

Conventional robotic wheelchairs (three or four-wheeled) which are statically stable are poor in mobility. Though a two-wheeled robotic wheelchair has better mobility, it is not statically stable and needs an active stability controller. In addition to mobility and stability, velocity control is also important for the operation of a wheelchair. Conventional stability and velocity controllers rely on the motion of the wheels and require high driving torque and power. In this paper, this problem is tackled by adding a compact pendulum-like movable mechanism whose main function is for stability control. Its motion and those of the wheels are controlled through a quasi-sliding mode control approach to achieve a simultaneous velocity and stability control with much less driving torque and power. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Neural Network Based Country Wise Risk Prediction of COVID-19
Authors: Pal Ratnabali , Sekh Arif Ahmed , Kar Samarjit , Prasad Dilip K.
Published: September 2020

The recent worldwide outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has opened up new challenges to the research community. Artificial intelligence (AI) driven methods can be useful to predict the parameters, risks, and effects of such an epidemic. Such predictions can be helpful to control and prevent the spread of such diseases. The main challenges of applying AI is the small volume of data and the uncertain nature. Here, we propose a shallow long short-term memory (LSTM) based neural network to predict the risk category of a country. We have used a Bayesian optimization framework to optimize and automatically design country-specific networks. The results show that the proposed pipeline outperforms state-of-the-art methods for data of 180 countries and can be a useful tool for such risk categorization. We have also experimented with the trend data and weather data combined for the prediction. The outcome shows that the weather does not have a significant role. The tool can be used to predict long-duration outbreak of such an epidemic such that we can take preventive steps earlier.
Maternal Obesity Does Not Exacerbate the Effects of LPS Injection on Pregnancy Outcomes in Mice
Authors: Virginkar Natasha , Christians Julian K.
Published: September 2020

Obesity increases the risk of a number of pregnancy complications, potentially due to chronic inflammation. We predicted that an obesogenic high-fat diet (HFD) in mice would create an inflammatory environment that would exacerbate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an inflammatory insult, administered during pregnancy. Females were placed on a HFD or a low-fat diet (LFD) prior to mating, injected with 2 µg LPS or control on gestational day 7 and collected on day 14. Treatment with LPS increased the odds that a female thought to be pregnant at injection had no conceptuses at day 14 (p = 0.024), suggesting that injection with LPS was more likely to induce complete abortion. However, there was no effect of diet on the odds of having no conceptuses at day 14 and no interaction between diet and LPS injection. Diet and LPS injection had no effect on the number of viable fetuses in females still pregnant at day 14. For fetal weight, there was a significant interaction between diet and treatment (p = 0.017), whereby LPS reduced fetal weight in HFD females but not in LFD females. However, LPS treatment of HFD females reduced fetal weight to that observed in control-injected LFD females. Although LPS increased the odds of abortion, there was little evidence that a HFD exacerbated the effects of LPS.
Prepulse Inhibition of the Auditory Startle Reflex Assessment as a Hallmark of Brainstem Sensorimotor Gating Mechanisms
Authors: Gómez-Nieto Ricardo , Hormigo Sebastián , López Dolores E.
Published: September 2020

When a low-salience stimulus of any type of sensory modality—auditory, visual, tactile—immediately precedes an unexpected startle-like stimulus, such as the acoustic startle reflex, the startle motor reaction becomes less pronounced or is even abolished. This phenomenon is known as prepulse inhibition (PPI), and it provides a quantitative measure of central processing by filtering out irrelevant stimuli. As PPI implies plasticity of a reflex and is related to automatic or attentional processes, depending on the interstimulus intervals, this behavioral paradigm might be considered a potential marker of short- and long-term plasticity. Assessment of PPI is directly related to the examination of neural sensorimotor gating mechanisms, which are plastic-adaptive operations for preventing overstimulation and helping the brain to focus on a specific stimulus among other distracters. Despite their obvious importance in normal brain activity, little is known about the intimate physiology, circuitry, and neurochemistry of sensorimotor gating mechanisms. In this work, we extensively review the current literature focusing on studies that used state-of-the-art techniques to interrogate the neuroanatomy, connectomics, neurotransmitter-receptor functions, and sex-derived differences in the PPI process, and how we can harness it as biological marker in neurological and psychiatric pathology.
Beyond Chemotherapies: Recent Strategies in Breast Cancer Treatment
Authors: Foulon Arthur , Theret Pierrick , Rodat-Despoix Lise , Kischel Philippe
Published: September 2020

In 2018, about 2.1 million women have been diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide. Treatments include—among others—surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or endocrine therapy. The current policy of care tends rather at therapeutic de-escalation, and systemic treatment such as chemotherapies alone are not systematically considered as the best option anymore. With recent advances in the understanding of cancer biology, and as a complement to anatomic staging, some biological factors (assessed notably via gene-expression signatures) are taken into account to evaluate the benefit of a chemotherapy regimen. The first aim of this review will be to summarize when chemotherapies can be avoided or used only combined with other treatments. The second aim will focus on molecules that can be used instead of chemotherapeutic drugs or used in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs to improve treatment outcomes. These therapeutic molecules have emerged from the collaboration between fundamental and clinical research, and include molecules, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies (such as anti-PD-L1). In the fight against cancer, new tools aiding decision making are of the utmost importance: gene-expression signatures have proven to be valuable in the clinic, notably, to know when chemotherapies can be avoided. When substitution treatments are also available, a big step can be made toward personalized medicine for the patient’s benefit.
Influence of Abrasive Load on Wettability and Corrosion Inhibition of a Commercial Superhydrophobic Coating
Authors: Manoj Arjun , Ramachandran Rahul , Menezes Pradeep L.
Published: September 2020

The poor mechanical stability of hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces and coatings severely hinder their commercial and industrial applicability. In addition to being expensive and time-consuming to manufacture, the ability of these coatings to maintain their non-wetting properties after mechanical abrasion and wear is currently not well-understood. In this work, the influence of increasing abrasive loads on the roughness, wettability, and corrosion inhibition properties of a commercial superhydrophobic coating was studied. It was shown that the wetting and corrosion properties of the superhydrophobic coating was affected by the abrasive load. Increasing abrasive loads were applied using a tribometer and the electrochemical response was studied using open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The wetting and roughness behavior of the coating before and after the application of the abrasive load was characterized using contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and optical profilometry. The protective properties of the superhydrophobic coating was observed to deteriorate as the abrasive load increased. Similarly, after a specific abrasive load, the coating transitioned from the Cassie-Baxter state of wetting into that of the Wenzel state.
Size-Dependent and Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance of Solar Cells Based on Si Quantum Dots
Authors: Cao Yunqing , Zhu Ping , Li Dongke , Zeng Xianghua , Shan Dan
Published: September 2020

Recently, extensive studies have focused on exploring a variety of silicon (Si) nanostructures among which Si quantum dots (Si QDs) may be applied in all Si tandem solar cells (TSCs) for the time to come. By virtue of its size tunability, the optical bandgap of Si QDs is capable of matching solar spectra in a broad range and thus improving spectral response. In the present work, size-controllable Si QDs are successfully obtained through the formation of Si QDs/SiC multilayers (MLs). According to the optical absorption measurement, the bandgap of Si QDs/SiC MLs shows a red shift to the region of long wavelength when the size of dots increases, well conforming to quantum confinement effect (QCE). Additionally, heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on Si QDs/SiC MLs of various sizes are presented and studied, which demonstrates the strong dependence of photovoltaic performance on the size of Si QDs. The measurement of external quantum efficiency (EQE) reveals the contribution of Si QDs to the response and absorption in the ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) light range. Furthermore, Si QDs/SiC MLs-based solar cell shows the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.15% by using nano-patterned Si light trapping substrates.
Process Integration of Green Hydrogen: Decarbonization of Chemical Industries
Authors: Ostadi Mohammad , Paso Kristofer Gunnar , Rodriguez-Fabia Sandra , Øi Lars Erik , Manenti Flavio , Hillestad Magne
Published: September 2020

Integrated water electrolysis is a core principle of new process configurations for decarbonized heavy industries. Water electrolysis generates H2 and O2 and involves an exchange of thermal energy. In this manuscript, we investigate specific traditional heavy industrial processes that have previously been performed in nitrogen-rich air environments. We show that the individual process streams may be holistically integrated to establish new decarbonized industrial processes. In new process configurations, CO2 capture is facilitated by avoiding inert gases in reactant streams. The primary energy required to drive electrolysis may be obtained from emerging renewable power sources (wind, solar, etc.) which have enjoyed substantial industrial development and cost reductions over the last decade. The new industrial designs uniquely harmonize the intermittency of renewable energy, allowing chemical energy storage. We show that fully integrated electrolysis promotes the viability of decarbonized industrial processes. Specifically, new process designs uniquely exploit intermittent renewable energy for CO2 conversion, enabling thermal integration, H2 and O2 utilization, and sub-process harmonization for economic feasibility. The new designs are increasingly viable for decarbonizing ferric iron reduction, municipal waste incineration, biomass gasification, fermentation, pulp production, biogas upgrading, and calcination, and are an essential step forward in reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions.
Decolonizing Ways of Knowing: Heritage, Living Communities, and Indigenous Understandings of Place
Authors: Breunlin Rachel
Published: September 2020

In “Decolonizing Ways of Knowing: Heritage, Living Communities, and Indigenous Understandings of Place”, we build on the scholarly and artistic practice of deep memory work to present a collection of articles, films, and artwork that contribute critical genealogies from the United States, Africa, and the South Pacific. In this introduction, examples from Antoinette Jackson’s work in the American South and Rachel Breunlin’s work with the Neighborhood Story Project in New Orleans and Western Australia are used to build the special issue’s framework around public scholarship and art. With a particular emphasis on polyvocality, visual ethnography and creative nonfiction, the introduction argues that the work of decolonizing genealogy can be supported by respecting epistemologies that are deeply connected to place. Collectively, the contributors to the special issue demonstrate that creative practices around personal and collective histories can be an important way of reconnecting ties that may have been severed during years of colonialism.
An Assessment of Data Location Vulnerability for Human Factors Using Linear Regression and Collaborative Filtering
Authors: Hughes-Lartey Kwesi , Qin Zhen , Botchey Francis E. , Dsane-Nsor Sarah
Published: September 2020

End-user devices and applications (data locations) are becoming more capable and user friendly and are used in various Health Information Systems (HIS) by employees of many health organizations to perform their day to day tasks. Data locations are connected via the internet. The locations have relatively good information security mechanisms to minimize attacks on and through them in terms of technology. However, human factors are often ignored in their security echo system. In this paper, we propose a human factor framework merged with an existing technological framework. We also explore how human factors affect data locations via linear regression computations and rank data location vulnerability using collaborative filtering. Our results show that human factors play a major role in data location breaches. Laptops are ranked as the most susceptible location and electronic medical records as the least. We validate the ranking by root mean square error.
Diversity and Regulation of S-Adenosylmethionine Dependent Methyltransferases in the Anhydrobiotic Midge
Authors: Deviatiiarov Ruslan , Ayupov Rustam , Laikov Alexander , Shagimardanova Elena , Kikawada Takahiro , Gusev Oleg
Published: September 2020

Multiple co-localized paralogs of genes in Polypedilum vanderplanki’s genome have strong transcriptional response to dehydration and considered to be a part of adaptation machinery at the larvae stage. One group of such genes represented by L-isoaspartate O-methyltransferases (PIMT). In order to highlight specific role of PIMT paralogization in desiccation tolerance of the larvae we annotated and compared S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) dependent methyltransferases of four insect species. From another side we applied co-expression analysis in desiccation/rehydration time course and showed that PIMT coding genes could be separated into five clusters by expression profile. We found that among Polypedilum vanderplanki’s PIMTs only PIMT1 and PIMT2 have enzymatic activity in normal physiological conditions. From in silico analysis of the protein structures we found two highly variable regions outside of the active center, but also amino acid substitutions which may affect SAM stabilization. Overall, in this study we demonstrated features of Polypedilum vanderplanki’s PIMT coding paralogs related to different roles in desiccation tolerance of the larvae. Our results also suggest a role of different SAM-methyltransferases in the adaptation, including GSMT, JHAMT, and candidates from other classes, which could be considered in future studies.
Clinical Features and Chest Imaging as Predictors of Intensity of Care in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Cocconcelli Elisabetta , Biondini Davide , Giraudo Chiara , Lococo Sara , Bernardinello Nicol , Fichera Giulia , Barbiero Giulio , Castelli Gioele , Cavinato Silvia , Ferrari Anna , Saetta Marina , Cattelan Annamaria , Spagnolo Paolo , Balestro Elisabetta
Published: September 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly become a global pandemic with lung disease representing the main cause of morbidity and mortality. Conventional chest-X ray (CXR) and ultrasound (US) are valuable instruments to assess the extent of lung involvement. We investigated the relationship between CXR scores on admission and the level of medical care required in patients with COVID-19. Further, we assessed the CXR-US correlation to explore the role of ultrasound in monitoring the course of COVID-19 pneumonia. Clinical features and CXR scores were obtained at admission and correlated with the level of intensity of care required [high- (HIMC) versus low-intensity medical care (LIMC)]. In a subgroup of patients, US findings were correlated with clinical and radiographic parameters. On hospital admission, CXR global score was higher in HIMCs compared to LIMC. Smoking history, pO2 on admission, cardiovascular and oncologic diseases were independent predictors of HIMC. The US score was positively correlated with FiO2 while the correlation with CXR global score only trended towards significance. Our study identifies clinical and radiographic features that strongly correlate with higher levels of medical care. The role of lung ultrasound in this setting remains undetermined and needs to be explored in larger prospective studies.
Sharing Cancer Survivorship Care between Oncology and Primary Care Providers: A Qualitative Study of Health Care Professionals’ Experiences
Authors: Lisy Karolina , Kent Jennifer , Dumbrell Jodi , Kelly Helana , Piper Amanda , Jefford Michael
Published: September 2020

Survivorship care that is shared between oncology and primary care providers may be a suitable model to effectively and efficiently care for the growing survivor population, however recommendations supporting implementation are lacking. This qualitative study aimed to explore health care professionals’ (HCPs) perceived facilitators and barriers to the implementation, delivery and sustainability of shared survivorship care. Data were collected via semi-structured focus groups and analysed by inductive thematic analysis. Results identified four overarching themes: (1) considerations for HCPs; (2) considerations regarding patients; (3) considerations for planning and process; and (4) policy implications. For HCPs, subthemes included general practitioner (GP, primary care physician) knowledge and need for further training, having clear protocols for follow-up, and direct communication channels between providers. Patient considerations included identifying patients suitable for shared care, discussing shared care with patients early in their cancer journey, and patients’ relationships with their GPs. Regarding process, subthemes included rapid referral pathways back to hospital, care coordination, and ongoing data collection to inform refinement of a dynamic model. Finally, policy implications included development of policy to support a consistent shared care model, and reliable and sustainable funding mechanisms. Based on study findings, a set of recommendations for practice and policy were developed.
Osteoclasts and Microgravity
Authors: Smith John Kelly
Published: September 2020

Astronauts are at risk of losing 1.0% to 1.5% of their bone mass for every month they spend in space despite their adherence to diets and exercise regimens designed to protect their musculoskeletal systems. This loss is the result of microgravity-related impairment of osteocyte and osteoblast function and the consequent upregulation of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. This review describes the ontogeny of osteoclast hematopoietic stem cells and the contributions macrophage colony stimulating factor, receptor activator of the nuclear factor-kappa B ligand, and the calcineurin pathways make in osteoclast differentiation and provides details of bone formation, the osteoclast cytoskeleton, the immune regulation of osteoclasts, and osteoclast mechanotransduction on Earth, in space, and under conditions of simulated microgravity. The article discusses the need to better understand how osteoclasts are able to function in zero gravity and reviews current and prospective therapies that may be used to treat osteoclast-mediated bone disease.