bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements in Myctophids in the Oxygen Minimum Zone Ecosystem of the Gulf of California
Authors: Figueiredo Cátia , Baptista Miguel , Grilo Tiago , Caetano Miguel , Markaida Unai , Raimundo Joana , Rosa Rui
Published: February 2020

Myctophids are key members of mesopelagic communities with a world biomass estimated at 600 million tons. They play a central role in oceanic food webs and are known to perform diel vertical migrations, crossing the thermocline and reaching the oxygen minimum zone, however, very scarce information exists on trace element content in these organisms. Therefore, the trace elemental composition (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and Pb) of Triphoturus mexicanus and Benthosema panamense specimens was determined. Zinc (Zn) was the most common trace element for both species, T. mexicanus presented 39.8 µg.g−1 dw and B. panamense 30.6 µg.g−1 dw. Contrasting, for T. mexicanus the less abundant trace element was Ni (0.332 µg.g−1 dw) and for B. panamense was Pb (0.236 µg.g−1 dw). T. mexicanus exhibited significantly higher concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb in comparison to B. panamense, and these differences seemed to be related to inherent physiological and/or ecological traits rather than environmental element availability. These diel vertical migrators are crucial in the energy transfer between the deep-sea and epipelagic zones (and vice-versa), and the estimation of the Biomagnification Factor (based on Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) levels revealed that both T. mexicanus and B. panamense play a major role in trace element transfer to higher trophic levels in the pelagic food web of the Gulf of California.
Emergence of Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV: Need for Rapid Vaccine and Biologics Development
Authors: Shanmugaraj Balamurugan , Malla Ashwini , Phoolcharoen Waranyoo
Published: February 2020

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is an emerging pathogen that was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December 2019. This virus is responsible for the ongoing outbreak that causes severe respiratory illness and pneumonia-like infection in humans. Due to the increasing number of cases in China and outside China, the WHO declared coronavirus as a global health emergency. Nearly 35,000 cases were reported and at least 24 other countries or territories have reported coronavirus cases as early on as February. Inter-human transmission was reported in a few countries, including the United States. Neither an effective anti-viral nor a vaccine is currently available to treat this infection. As the virus is a newly emerging pathogen, many questions remain unanswered regarding the virus’s reservoirs, pathogenesis, transmissibility, and much more is unknown. The collaborative efforts of researchers are needed to fill the knowledge gaps about this new virus, to develop the proper diagnostic tools, and effective treatment to combat this infection. Recent advancements in plant biotechnology proved that plants have the ability to produce vaccines or biopharmaceuticals rapidly in a short time. In this review, the outbreak of 2019-nCoV in China, the need for rapid vaccine development, and the potential of a plant system for biopharmaceutical development are discussed.
3D-Printed Modular Microfluidic Device Enabling Preconcentrating Bacteria and Purifying Bacterial DNA in Blood for Improving the Sensitivity of Molecular Diagnostics
Authors: Abafogi Abdurhaman Teyib , Kim Jaewon , Lee Jinyeop , Mohammed Merem Omer , van Noort Danny , Park Sungsu
Published: February 2020

Molecular diagnostics for sepsis is still a challenge due to the presence of compounds that interfere with gene amplification and bacteria at concentrations lower than the limit of detection (LOD). Here, we report on the development of a 3D printed modular microfluidic device (3DpmμFD) that preconcentrates bacteria of interest in whole blood and purifies their genomic DNA (gDNA). It is composed of a W-shaped microchannel and a conical microchamber. Bacteria of interest are magnetically captured from blood in the device with antibody conjugated magnetic nanoparticles (Ab-MNPs) at 5 mL/min in the W-shaped microchannel, while purified gDNA of the preconcentrated bacteria is obtained with magnetic silica beads (MSBs) at 2 mL/min in the conical microchamber. The conical microchamber was designed to be connected to the microchannel after the capturing process using a 3D-printed rotary valve to minimize the exposure of the MSBs to interfering compounds in blood. The pretreatment process of spiked blood (2.5 mL) can be effectively completed within about 50 min. With the 3DpmμFD, the LOD for the target microorganism Escherichia coli O157:H7 measured by both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with electrophoresis and quantitative PCR was 10 colony forming unit (CFU) per mL of whole blood. The results suggest that our method lowers the LOD of molecular diagnostics for pathogens in blood by providing bacterial gDNA at high purity and concentration.
Reliable Task Management Based on a Smart Contract for Runtime Verification of Sensing and Actuating Tasks in IoT Environments
Authors: Hang Lei , Kim Do-Hyeun
Published: February 2020

With the gradual popularization of Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications and the development of wireless networking technologies, the use of heterogeneous devices and runtime verification of task fulfillment with different constraints are required in real-world IoT scenarios. As far as IoT systems are concerned, most of them are built on centralized architectures, which reveal various assailable points in data security and privacy threats. Hence, this paper aims to investigate these issues by delegating the responsibility of a verification monitor from a centralized architecture to a decentralized manner using blockchain technology. We present a smart contract-based task management scheme to provide runtime verification of device behaviors and allows trustworthy access control to these devices. The business logic of the proposed system is specified by the smart contract, which automates all time-consuming processes cryptographically and correctly. The usability of the proposed solution is further demonstrated by implementing a prototype application in which the Hyperledger Fabric is utilized to implement the business logic for runtime verification and access control with one desktop and one Raspberry Pi. A comprehensive evaluation experiment is conducted, and the results indicate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system.
Graph Constraint and Collaborative Representation Classifier Steered Discriminative Projection with Applications for the Early Identification of Cucumber Diseases
Authors: Li Yuhua , Wang Fengjie , Sun Ye , Wang Yingxu
Published: February 2020

Accurate, rapid and non-destructive disease identification in the early stage of infection is essential to ensure the safe and efficient production of greenhouse cucumbers. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of most existing methods relies on the disease already exhibiting obvious symptoms in the middle to late stages of infection. Therefore, this paper presents an early identification method for cucumber diseases based on the techniques of hyperspectral imaging and machine learning, which consists of two procedures. First, reconstruction fidelity terms and graph constraints are constructed based on the decision criterion of the collaborative representation classifier and the desired spatial distribution of spectral curves (391 to 1044 nm) respectively. The former constrains the same-class and different-class reconstruction residuals while the latter constrains the weighted distances between spectral curves. They are further fused to steer the design of an offline algorithm. The algorithm aims to train a linear discriminative projection to transform the original spectral curves into a low dimensional space, where the projected spectral curves of different diseases own better separation trends. Then, the collaborative representation classifier is utilized to achieve online early diagnosis. Five experiments were performed on the hyperspectral data collected in the early infection stage of cucumber anthracnose and Corynespora cassiicola diseases. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method was feasible and effective, providing a maximal identification accuracy of 98.2% and an average online identification time of 0.65 ms. The proposed method has a promising future in practical production due to its high diagnostic accuracy and short diagnosis time.
A Highly Sensitive Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor Based on Graphene Oxide/Polypyrrole@Polyurethane Sponge
Authors: Lv Bing , Chen Xingtong , Liu Chunguo
Published: February 2020

In this work, polyurethane sponge is employed as the structural substrate of the sensor. Graphene oxide (GO) and polypyrrole (PPy) are alternately coated on the sponge fiber skeleton by charge layer-by-layer assembly (LBL) to form a multilayer composite conductive layer to prepare the piezoresistive sensors. The 2D GO sheet is helpful for the formation of the GO layers, and separating the PPy layer. The prepared GO/PPy@PU (polyurethane) conductive sponges still had high compressibility. The unique fragmental microstructure and synergistic effect made the sensor reach a high sensitivity of 0.79 kPa−1. The sensor could detect as low as 75 Pa, exhibited response time less than 70 ms and reproducibility over 10,000 cycles, and could be used for different types of motion detection. This work opens up new opportunities for high-performance piezoresistive sensors and other electronic devices for GO/PPy composites.
Wireless Sensing of Lower Lip and Thumb-Index Finger ‘Ramp-and-Hold’ Isometric Force Dynamics in a Small Cohort of Unilateral MCA Stroke: Discussion of Preliminary Findings
Authors: Barlow Steven , Custead Rebecca , Lee Jaehoon , Hozan Mohsen , Greenwood Jacob
Published: February 2020

Automated wireless sensing of force dynamics during a visuomotor control task was used to rapidly assess residual motor function during finger pinch (right and left hand) and lower lip compression in a cohort of seven adult males with chronic, unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke with infarct confirmed by anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A matched cohort of 25 neurotypical adult males served as controls. Dependent variables were extracted from digitized records of ‘ramp-and-hold’ isometric contractions to target levels (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 Newtons) presented in a randomized block design; and included force reaction time, peak force, and dF/dtmax associated with force recruitment, and end-point accuracy and variability metrics during the contraction hold-phase (mean, SD, criterion percentage ‘on-target’). Maximum voluntary contraction force (MVCF) was also assessed to establish the force operating range. Results based on linear mixed modeling (LMM, adjusted for age and handedness) revealed significant patterns of dissolution in fine force regulation among MCA stroke participants, especially for the contralesional thumb-index finger followed by the ipsilesional digits, and the lower lip. For example, the contralesional thumb-index finger manifest increased reaction time, and greater overshoot in peak force during recruitment compared to controls. Impaired force regulation among MCA stroke participants during the contraction hold-phase was associated with significant increases in force SD, and dramatic reduction in the ability to regulate force output within prescribed target force window (±5% of target). Impaired force regulation during contraction hold-phase was greatest in the contralesional hand muscle group, followed by significant dissolution in ipsilateral digits, with smaller effects found for lower lip. These changes in fine force dynamics were accompanied by large reductions in the MVCF with the LMM marginal means for contralesional and ipsilesional pinch forces at just 34.77% (15.93 N vs. 45.82 N) and 66.45% (27.23 N vs. 40.98 N) of control performance, respectively. Biomechanical measures of fine force and MVCF performance in adult stroke survivors provide valuable information on the profile of residual motor function which can help inform clinical treatment strategies and quantitatively monitor the efficacy of rehabilitation or neuroprotection strategies.
Deep Neural Networks for the Classification of Pure and Impure Strawberry Purees
Authors: Zheng Zhong , Zhang Xin , Yu Jinxing , Guo Rui , Zhangzhong Lili
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a comparative study of the effectiveness of deep neural networks (DNNs) in the classification of pure and impure purees is conducted. Three different types of deep neural networks (DNNs)—the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), the Long Short Term Memory (LSTM), and the temporal convolutional network (TCN)—are employed for the detection of adulteration of strawberry purees. The Strawberry dataset, a time series spectroscopy dataset from the UCR time series classification repository, is utilized to evaluate the performance of different DNNs. Experimental results demonstrate that the TCN is able to obtain a higher classification accuracy than the GRU and LSTM. Moreover, the TCN achieves a new state-of-the-art classification accuracy on the Strawberry dataset. These results indicates the great potential of using the TCN for the detection of adulteration of fruit purees in the future.
The Application of Robust Least Squares Method in Frequency Lock Loop Fusion for Global Navigation Satellite System Receivers
Authors: Han Mengyue , Wang Qian , Wen Yuanlan , He Min , He Xiufeng
Published: February 2020

The tracking accuracy of a traditional Frequency Lock Loop (FLL) decreases significantly in a complex environment, thus reducing the overall performance of a satellite receiver. In order to ensure high tracking accuracy of a receiver in a complex environment, this paper proposes a new tracking loop combining the vector FLL (VFLL) with a robust least squares method, which accurately matches the weights of received signals of different qualities to ensure high positioning accuracy. The weights of received signals are selected at the signal level, not at the observation level. In this paper, the ranges of strong and weak signals of the loop are determined according to the different expressions of the distribution function at different signal strengths, and the concept of loop segmentation is introduced. The segmentation results of the FLL are taken as a basis of the weight selection, and then combined with the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics (IGGIII) weight function to obtain the equivalent weight matrix; the experiments are conducted to prove the advantages of the proposed method over the traditional methods. The experimental results show that the proposed VFLL tracking method has strong denoising capability under both normal- signal and harsh application environment conditions. Accordingly, the proposed model has a promising application perspective.
A Participatory Journalism Management Platform: Design, Implementation and Evaluation
Authors: Panagiotidis Kosmas , Tsipas Nikolaos , Saridou Theodora , Veglis Andreas
Published: February 2020

During the last two decades, citizens’ participation in news production process has attracted significant interest from both academia and the media industry. Media production and consumption have been altered considerably and traditional concepts, such as gatekeeping, have been under discussion. Many news organisations include in their websites tools and applications that allow users to be active consumers or even co-producers of journalistic content, by liking, sharing, commenting and submitting material. At the same time, large amounts of user-generated content are uploaded every day on social media platforms. Subsequently, media organisations must deal with continually available information which requires management, classification and evaluation not only to keep high journalistic standards, but also to avoid problems. The latter category can include grammar mistakes, fake or misleading information and hate speech. All the above-mentioned parameters highlight the obvious need for platforms that can support journalism manage practice. Such a platform should utilise semantic technologies, which can support organised collection and moderation of content in an effective way and in short time. This study discusses the design and the implementation of a participatory journalism management platform.
The Heterogeneous Impacts of R&D on Innovation in Services Sector: A Firm-Level Study of Developing ASEAN
Authors: Zhang Jianhua , Islam Mohammad Shahidul
Published: February 2020

Identifying the determinants of firms’ investment in knowledge, this study first explores the heterogeneous impacts of research and development (R&D) on product, process, organization, and marketing innovation. Second, it examines if there exists a complementary (substitute) relation in terms of firms’ preference between four types of innovation. Studying 1500 firms of seven developing economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), we applied the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), a machine learning-based regression, to identify key predictors likely to influence firms’ R&D propensity and intensity. Estimating the knowledge function, we found—in line with LASSO—that medium-sized firms, human capital (training) and credit facilities favorably affect firms’ decision to invest in R&D. Contrarily, the impact is adverse if the first or main product generates firms’ large share of revenue, a unique finding not captured by previous studies. The marginal effects of four univariate probit models indicate that firms’ investment in R&D translates into innovation. However, the application of the Geweke–Hajivassiliour–Keane (GHK)-simulator based multivariate probit, which considers simultaneity of firms’ innovation decisions that univariate probit ignores, suggests that the relationship between different types of innovation is complementary. Firms’ strategy to adopt a particular type of innovation is influenced by other types. This led to the estimation of R&D’s impact on technological and nontechnological innovation, which shows that while firms innovate both types, there is a skewed link between nontechnological innovation and the services sector.
A Combined Method of r-NPS and t-NPS Evaluations for Identification of Negative Triggers of Detractors’ Experience
Authors: Feng Lin , Wei Wei
Published: February 2020

User experience has garnered increasing interest from researchers in the field of sustainable human–computer interaction (HCI) design. One of the key pillars to building sustainable user experience for digital applications is to be able to identify powerful triggers of detracting behavior and especially those of radical detraction. In the past, traditional methods of user experience analysis have often led to the assumption that pragmatic aspects constitute the priority issues for user experience improvement given the prevalence of these aspects in user feedback surveys. However, our econometric analysis based on net promoter score (NPS) survey results defeats this assumption and reveals that the most powerful degraders of the detractors’ experience are in fact the emotive aspects of experience such as transparency of transactions and customer service interaction. Based on our analysis, we arrive at several insights regarding the building of a sustainable HCI strategy. First, hedonic aspects of user experience are the most significant determinants of the degree of user detraction among the detractors. Second, membership cannot be taken for granted as a token of customer loyalty. Building on the theoretical framework of Hassenzahl, Haines-Gadd, and others, we generate new evidence for the importance of servicing hedonic aspects of user experience for digital applications businesses to form a sustainable customer relation and product strategy.
Simulasi Sistem Pelayanan Rawat Jalan di Rumah Sakit Menggunakan Simulasi Kejadian Diskrit
Authors: Dewanto Setiawan , Santosa Alam
Published: February 2020

Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk memberikan usulan perbaikan mengenai sistem pelayanan rawat jalan pada rumah sakit. Pelayanan merupakan hal yang sangat diperhatikan di dalam rumah sakit, rumah sakit yang merupakan tempat pelayanan kesehatan penting sekali untuk menjaga dan meningkatkan kualitas pelayanan. Banyaknya rumah sakit saat ini yang mudah dijangkau masyarakat mengakibatkan persaingan antar rumah sakit untuk mendapatkan konsumen, salah satu cara untuk mendapatkan konsumen yaitu dengan memberikan kualitas pelayanan yang sebaik mungkin. Pelayanan rawat jalan di rumah sakit sering mengalami antrian yang panjang dikarenakan waktu pelayanan yang diberikan memakan waktu yang lebih lama dibandingkan waktu kedatangan serta kurangnya kuota pelayanan untuk melayani pasien. Kejadian tersebut dapat digambarkan dengan simulasi kejadian diskrit untuk mengetahui waktu pelayanan dan jumlah kuota pelayanan yang sesuai. Metode simulasi kejadian diskrit yang digunakan berdasarkan pada penjelasan Harrell, yaitu menetapkan tujuan dengan memberikan usulan perbaikan jadwal pelayanan, menetapkan ruang lingkup dan kebutuhan penelitian, mengumpulkan dan analisis data, lalu membangun model dan memvalidasi model. Melakukan eksperimen dan menampilkan hasil yang telah didapatkan. Proses yang dilakukan pertama yaitu mendapatkan semua data lokasi yang akan dilalui oleh pasien, lalu mendapatkan seluruh data waktu pelayanan rawat jalan, data jumlah kedatangan selama satu bulan, dan waktu kedatangan pasien. Langkah selanjutnya yaitu membuat model dari sistem pelayanan rawat jalan serta melakukan eksperimen. Hasil dari penelitian ini dengan melakukan pengolahan data-data tersebut menggunakan ProModel untuk menghasilkan model sistem pelayanan rawat jalan, model memperlihatkan terdapat beberapa lokasi pemeriksaan yang membutuhkan penambahan kuota dan waktu pelayanan hingga menghasilkan perbaikan jadwal waktu pelayanan, serta membutuhkan perbaikan pada aliran di bagian pendaftaran untuk mengurangi waktu tunggu pasien saat mendaftar dan jumlah loket pada waktu-waktu tertentu.
La pauvreté des enfants à la naissance en France. Résultats de l’enquête Elfe
Authors: Castillo Rico Barbara , Leturcq Marion , Panico Lidia
Published: February 2020

Utiliser le revenu pour mesurer les conditions de vie des enfants est de plus en plus critiqué, en particulier pour les très jeunes enfants. Cet article propose une description multidimensionnelle de la pauvreté des enfants en France, au moment de leur naissance et pendant leur première année de vie, en utilisant une mesure de la pauvreté monétaire et une approche de la pauvreté en conditions de vie, à partir de l’Étude longitudinale française depuis l’enfance (la cohorte Elfe) qui est une enquête nationale représentative portant sur plus de dix-huit mille enfants nés en France en 2011. Les résultats montrent que la pauvreté monétaire ne coïncide pas toujours avec la pauvreté en conditions de vie : certains enfants vivent dans des ménages à faibles revenus sans pour autant être considérés comme pauvres tandis que d’autres dont les revenus sont plus élevés peuvent néanmoins être considérés comme pauvres au regard des conditions de vie. Cette approche permet d’être plus précis et plus nuancé dans la compréhension de la pauvreté des enfants à de très jeunes âges.
Le bien-être des enfants face à la pauvreté et à l’instabilité familiales au Royaume-Uni. La cohorte UK millennium
Authors: Schoon Ingrid
Published: February 2020

Cet article explore le rôle des pratiques parentales dans la promotion du bien-être des enfants vivant dans des conditions de pauvreté et d’instabilité familiales. À partir des données de la cohorte UK Millennium, la pauvreté familiale et le bien-être de l’enfant sont pensés selon une approche multidimensionnelle. L’effet de la pauvreté monétaire sur l’adaptation cognitive, sociale et émotionnelle est étudié à la lumière de plusieurs facteurs socioéconomiques et sociodémographiques afin d’évaluer les effets des risques indépendants et combinés. Les résultats suggèrent que la pauvreté persistante et intermittente est associée de manière significative à de faibles niveaux de scolarité et d’adaptation socio-émotionnelle chez les jeunes enfants. Si la structure familiale et l’instabilité montrent des effets de risques indépendants, leurs effets combinés se révèlent être plus forts que leur effet individuel. Enfin, la qualité de la relation parent-enfant démontre des effets indépendants et bénéfiques sur le développement des enfants. Cette approche multidimensionnelle facilite la compréhension des effets indépendants et cumulés des risques et permet de mieux cerner les effets différentiels des pratiques parentales.
Custody arrangements and social inequalities among children
Authors: Garriga Anna , Bernardi Laura
Published: February 2020

The recent concentration of divorce and separation among the least advantaged, and the increase in shared physical custody of children raises the question of how such family developments affect social inequalities among children. Our paper contributes to this debate by examining the moderating role of parental socioeconomic background in the relationship between children’s health and well-being and child custody arrangements. From the Spanish ‘Health Behaviour in School-aged Children’ survey, we test the competing compensatory and floor effect hypotheses, distinguishing the separate effects of father’s and mother’s education and occupation on multiple children outcomes, such as psychological complaints and life satisfaction. Our results indicate that growing up in a “non-intact” family still has greater negative consequences for disadvantaged children, and that social inequalities in child health and well-being after separation persist in contemporary Spain.
Ultrathin Hematite Photoanode with Gradient Ti Doping
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Wang Chongwu , Wang Lijie , Wu Xuefeng , Zheng Lirong , Yang Hua Gui
Published: February 2020

The poor photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance derived from insufficient charge separation in hematite photoanode crucially limits its application. Gradient doping with band bending in a large region is then considered as a promising strategy, facilitating the charge transfer ability due to the built-in electric field. Herein, we developed a synthetic strategy to prepare gradient Ti-doped ultrathin hematite photoelectrode and systematically investigated its PEC performance. The as-synthesized electrode (1.5-6.0% doping level from the surface to the substrate) delivered a photocurrent of about 1.30 mA cm
-2
at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is nearly 100% higher than that of homogeneously doped hematite electrode. The enhanced charge transfer property, induced by the energy band bending due to the built-in electric field, has been further confirmed by electrochemical measurements. This strategy of gradient doping should be adaptable and can be applied for other functional materials in various fields.
Advances in Immunonutrient Application to Treat Cancer Cachexia Syndrome
Authors: Zhang Liang , Zhuo Wen Lei
Published: February 2020

Cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by the loss of body weight, and has been observed in more than 50% of cancer patients. It arises as a result of anorexia and increased energy expenditure, leads to a reduced tolerance of cancer therapy and a reduced quality of life, resulting in a poorer prognosis and decreased survival. In the past few years, tremendous achievements have been made in cancer cachexia research. Systemic inflammation has been proven to play important roles in the etiology of cancer cachexia, leading to functional impairment and rapid deterioration, which suggests that anti-inflammatory agents may represent a promising strategy for cancer cachexia treatment. Thus, a variety of agents have been postulated to treat cachexia, with modulation of inflammation, the immune response, and reactive oxygen species being the most promising. Some immune-enhancing nutrients, ‘immunonutrients’, such as ε-3 fatty acids, arginine, nucleotides, L-carnitine, probiotics, phytochemicals, and specific minerals have been tested for their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. They have also been used to treat, prevent or attenuate cancer cachexia in both experimental models and clinical trials. A number of studies on the use of immunonutrients for the treatment of cancer cachexia have been published over the past decade, with some promising results supporting the routine use of immune-enhancing formulas in patients with cachexia. However, the effects and efficacy of these substances have not been conclusively proven. In this review, we discuss recent studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia and the application of several immunonutrients.
Combining the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) and Objective Nutrition Assessment Parameters Better Predicts Malnutrition in Elderly Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Wen Jun , Li Ting Ting , Wang Xu , Li Wei , Cui Jiu Wei
Published: February 2020

Background

Malnutrition is common in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, especially in elderly patients. The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) is a widely used tool developed to detect malnutrition. The aim of this study was to compare the value of the PG-SGA and objective nutrition assessment parameters, in order to identify a better predictive index for malnutrition in elderly patients with CRC.

Methods

A total of 131 elderly patients (age ≥ 60 years) with CRC were included and were evaluated for their individual nutritional status using the PG-SGA. Anthropometric and serological indicators were also assayed within 48 h of admission to the hospital. Body composition analysis was implemented by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) instrument. The Chi-squared test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, or Spearman’s rank correlation analysis were used to determine the differences among the above indices and parameters with regard to predicting malnutrition.

Results

According to the PG-SGA score, the incidence of total malnutrition in elderly patients with CRC was 80.92% (PG-SGA score ≥ 2), which increased with age. It was found that 28% of the patients with PG-SGA classification A (PG-SGA score 0-1) had a low fat-free mass index (FFMI). Compared with those with PG-SGA A, patients with PG-SGA C PG-SGA score ≥ 9) showed an increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and an increased platelet and lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (median = 1.78 VS. 2.35, P = 0.015 and median = 108.8 VS. 141.6, P = 0.001, respectively). In terms of objective nutrition assessment parameters, severely malnourished CRC patients had significantly lower values of serum albumin (ALB), and retinol conjugated protein (RBP) than those who were well-nourished [(38.35 ± 4.84 ) g/L VS. (40.56 ± 3.44) g/L, P = 0.039 and (30.31±15.83) mg/L VS. (39.01 ± 11.95) mg/L, P = 0.033, respectively]. The Spearman’s rank correlation analysis showed that the PG-SGA findings had positive correlations with the NLR and PLR; while it had negative correlations with the FFMI, body mass index (BMI), ALB, prealbumin, and RBP.

Conclusions

In clinical practice, a comprehensive nutritional diagnosis, including the PG-SGA score and these objective indicators, can avoid the underdiagnosis of malnutrition, and is more suitable to detect malnutrition (as well as its causes) in elderly patients with CRC.
Bioinformatics Analysis of HKDC1 Expression in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Its Relationship to Survival
Authors: Wang Lei , Li Wei Yuan , Li Fang Fang , Yang Chun Yan , Mu Deng Cai , Zheng Shang Yong
Published: February 2020

Lung cancer has become one of the most common types of cancer, and has the highest morbidity and mortality rates. We herein performed a bioinformatic analysis to explore the gene expression of hexokinase domain containing 1 (HKDC1) to further illuminate the molecular mechanisms involved in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We also examined the relationship between HKDC1 expression and patient survival. The Oncomine and cBioPortal cancer genomics databases were used to investigate the expression of HKDC1 in NSCLC. Then the protein-protein interaction network and protein expression intensity of HKDC1 were examined with the Gene MANIA and The Human Protein Atlas databases. Finally, the prognostic impact of HKDC1 was evaluated via the GEPIA, Oncolnc and Kaplan-Meier Plotter online tools. HKDC1 was significantly up-regulated in NSCLC patients. In addition, the mutation frequency of HKDC1 in NSCLC was high in a large number of studies. Moreover, HKDC1 expression was correlated with a poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. These findings suggest that HKDC1 represents a novel therapeutic target for NSCLC.
Two people who showed grace in the field of Akatthurai
Authors: R Madan Kumar
Published: February 2020

Grace Texts given by the Nayanmars and Alvars in Tamil has given the unique status of the language of devotion. They are the biographical record of the people who have led the life of the Blessed Sacrament. In the line of witnesses who insisted on piety, Manikkavacakar and Thirumangai Alvar, renouncing their dynasties, were doing their best through piety. They rejoice in their ungodly prayer, based on the unadulterated love of music that the Sangam Literature points out. They used the instinctive love-events of the senses to convey a sense of bliss that is beyond the senses, to human knowledge. This article discusses the Grace Texts of Manikkavacakar and Thirumangai Alvar given in the field of Akatthurai.
DEVELOPMENT OF VERTEBRATE PEST MANAGEMENT MODELS FOR SUGARCANE CROP
Authors: Tariq Syeda Azra , Pervez Amjad , Ahmed Syed Muzaffar , Zaffar Hina
Published: February 2020

Sugarcane crop is heavily damaged by a complex of rodent species and wild boar. The damaged sugarcane becomes infested with microorganisms and other physiological stresses, resulting in reduction of weight and sugar recovery. In this regard a study was carried out to know the damage caused by rodents to four varieties of sugar cane grown at Thatta. In these studies maximum damage by rodents was observed to BL-4 (10.29±0.44%) variety followed by BL-129 (10.23±0.35) and Thatta-10 (7.31±0.22%) in the month of November. To manage the vertebrate pests Integrated Pest Management approach was tested and the pest management model is designed for its adoption by the sugarcane growers after research and practical studies. In these studies egg mixed brodifacoum bait proved the most promising one in achieving (92.55±0.55%) rat reduction followed by bromdiolone (89.87±0.6%) and Zinc Phosphide bait (84.10±1.00%). Paraffinized Zinc Phosphide Capsular Technology used to kill wild boar population proved very successful by reducing the activity upto 98.11 Percent on the fifth day. The proposed model is a combination of mechanical, chemical and habitat manipulation approaches, which will help to enhance the crop yield through minimizing pest infestation.
Chuyên san Dạy và Học - Số 20 - Phản tư (Reflection)
Authors: Hoang Anh-Duc , Giang Dang Thanh , Le Thanh Hang  , Anh Duong Phu Viet , Nguyen Linh-Chi , Lan Phung Ngoc , Diep Nguyen Ngoc , Le Kim Ngan Nguyen
Published: February 2020

Dịch viêm phổi cấp do chủng mới của virus corona SAR-CoV-2 đang đem lại nhiều tác động về kinh tế, xã hội và cả giáo dục. Bên cạnh những thiệt hại chưa thể đo lường được chính xác, chúng ta cũng đang đón nhận được nhiều bài học mới, nhất là năng lực ứng phó, hành động cho một tương lai bền vững. Ban Biên tập Lộn xộn xin gửi tới các thầy, cô chuyên san Dạy và Học số 20 với tựa Phản tư như một lời mời nhỏ để cùng biến nguy cơ thành cơ hội.Mở đầu số 20, chuyên mục Học thế nào sẽ cùng chúng ta nhìn lại “Các hoạt động vui chơi trong nhà trường”, và một góc nhìn thú vị về “Hoạt động đan len, dưới góc nhìn thần kinh học.”Trong tình cảnh dịch bệnh, nhiều trường, lớp đã triển khai dạy học trực tuyến. Đó có thể là giải pháp dành cho một số ít hay một số đông, nhưng có lẽ chưa phải giải pháp dành cho tất cả mọi người. Điều đáng lo ngại, chính là việc duy trì được thói quen, thái độ học tập của cả thầy và trò. Chuyên mục Dạy thế nào kỳ này xin giúp chút sức bé nhỏ để duy trì và cải thiện các thói quen đó với “7 chiến lược duy trì động lực học tập”, “Làm thế nào để giáo dục thế hệ sao lãng?”, và “Lớp học của một giáo viên hiệu quả sẽ trông ra sao?”.Cũng trong guồng của cơn sóng khủng hoảng, chuyên mục Cải tổ xin giới thiệu “Thiết kế môi trường học tập e-learning từ góc nhìn sư phạm”, “Để trở thành một nhà lãnh đạo có tư duy đổi mới”, và “Học tập hợp tác để trở thành một giáo viên tốt hơn.” Bên cạnh đó, loạt bài viết “Các Frameworks Giáo dục” kỳ này xin giới thiệu bài thứ ba: “Khung NESET về Giáo dục Xã hội và Cảm xúc”.Khép lại Dạy và Học số 20, một lần nữa, chúng tôi xin gửi tới quý vị “Sổ tay Nâng cao sức khoẻ tinh thần trong mùa dịch” với hi vọng sẽ giúp ích được cho quý cô thầy, các bạn học sinh và cả quý vị phụ huynh những thông tin, kiến thức quý báu để nâng cao sức khoẻ tinh thần không chỉ trong, mà cả sau mùa dịch.
TRANSTORNOS DE DOR GÊNITO-PÉLVICA/PENETRAÇÃO: UMA EXPERIÊNIA DE ABORDAGEM INTERDISCIPLINAR EM SERVIÇO PÚBLICO
Authors: Tatiane Gomes de Araujo Tatiane , Cristina Poerner Scalco Sandra
Published: February 2020

Este estudo relata a implantação de uma abordagem interdisciplinar oferecida nas Disfunções Sexuais Femininas, para as pacientes com queixas de dor génito-pélvica/penetração. Trata-se de um ambulatório especializado para atendimento em saúde sexual, em um hospital público, localizado na região sul do Brasil. As pacientes são atendidas através de consultas-conjuntas, as quais reúnem no mesmo cenário ginecologista especialista em saúde sexual  e fisioterapeuta pélvica, junto a paciente com o intuito de aperfeiçoar a assistência. O objetivo é compartilhar a experiência das autoras na condução dessa abordagem dos Transtornos de Dor Gênito-pélvica/penetração, buscando demonstrar que é possível atender as pacientes com queixa de dor na relação sexual em um ambulatório público pelo Sistema Único de Saúde, alinhando estratégias de tratamento, de forma interdisciplinar.
EDITORIAL
Authors: Canosa Ana
Published: February 2020

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Intensive care
Authors: Haroon Muhammad , Qazi Uzma , Khan Sarfaraz
Published: February 2020

This is a Cliniquiz.
سياسة اعادة الافراز السكني والنتائج الناجمة عنها منطقة الدراسة (مدينة بغداد)
Authors: Al-Sa'ady Jamal Baqer , Abbas Sana sata , Abd-Al-Razak Haidar Abd-Al-Razak
Published: February 2020

يعد السكن من الضروريات الاساسية لحياة الانسان. ويعتمد توفير السكن في العراق بصورة عامة

على قطاعات المجتمع جميعها (العام والذاص والجميعات التعاونية). يتطلب توفير السكن تهيئة الوسائل الملائمة

لذلك. وتعد القوانين والتشريعات من أهم تلمك الوسائل. يعتبر قرارا مجلس قيادة الثورة المعنيان بافراز القطع

السكنية (القرار رقم 850 سنة 1979 القرار رقم 940 لسنة 1987) أحد الاساليب لحل العجز السكني

الذي تعاني منه مدينة بغداد كما أنهما يمثلان ردة فعل ضد السياسات التي كانت سائدة في توفير قطع سكنية

كبيرة نسبيا. يهدف البحث الى تسليط الضوء على سياسة اعادة الافراز السكني والنتائج الناجمة عنها، حيث تناول

البحث هذه السياسة بالعلاقة مع كل من مشكلة الطلب على السكن والتوسع الافقي والكثافة الاسكانية.

توصل البحث الى نموذج نظري بين واقع الرصيد السكني من القطع السكنية لكل منطقة تخطيطية

حيث صنف البحث مدينة بغداد الى (74) منطقة تخطيطية كما توصل البحث الى ان هذه السياسة أكثر وضوحا

في المناطق ذات الدخول الواطئة، واعتبر عامل المساحة (وخاصة التي تزيد عن 400 م) هو العامل الأكثر

تأثيرا في فعالية هذه السياسة وصولا إلى المساحة الدنيا المعمول بها.  ساهمت هذه السياسة مساهمة فبالة في سوق السكن للدور المنفردة الاسرة، حيث سدت جزءا من  العجز السكني.
Architecture in Enrichment
Authors: Al‐ Dabbagh Asma Hasan
Published: February 2020

Architectural literatures and practices presented the concept of Enrichment asone of the solutions for the problems of Modemism. The importance of this conceptemerges due to its relation with other phenomena like visual complexity and ambiguity.Enrichment is a product character and a strategy to its creation. This productpossess abundance and detail in the visual tools causing the meaning enrichment and itsreadiness for multi interpretations.This concept is present in to two levels; the first, formal and includescomplexity and riddles, while the second is moral which includes the multiinterpretations.These sub-concepts cover many tools to achieve it like redundance,contrast, formal transformations, slight contrast within a strong order and an ambiguousmeaning.
Quantitative characteristic of phase signal with changed pulse in the coherent PHI-OTDR system
Authors: Zhong Zhen , Zhang Xuping
Published: February 2020

In the coherent PHI-OTDR system, the phase
signal is retrieved based on the reference point and the observation point
which are off and closer to the two sides of step of the phase change. In the
experiment, the optical pulse with the changed peak power, width or shape is
injected into the fiber for interrogating the change of the quantitative
characteristic of the measured phase signal. When the pulse width is fixed at
200 ns and its peak power is adjusted from 14 dBm to -23 dBm, the amplitude is
slightly increased from 17.3575 rad to 17.4411 rad as long as the Rayleigh
backscattering signal can be found in the electrical signal. Changing the pulse
width from 260 ns to 80 ns when the peak power is fixed at 14 dBm, the maximum
amplitude and the minimum amplitude of the measured phase signal are 17.4625
rad to 17.4509 rad, respectively. When the arbitrary shape of the optical pulse
generated from the MZI structure with a changed delay fiber from 3 m to 6 m,
the amplitude varies from 17.4558 rad to 17.4819 rad. For every measurement,
the change of frequency is also small. And the small value of standard
deviation supports the accuracy of the measurement. All the measurements show
that the changed pulse nearly has no impact on the quantitative characteristic
of the measured phase signal in the coherent PHI-OTDR system. Moreover, we also find that the phase signal of
external event can be correctly extracted as long as the Rayleigh
backscattering signal can be detected.
Efectos de la imposición de aranceles a productos agropecuarios de Estados Unidos en importaciones de México, TLCAN
Authors: Villa Hernández Yuselim Angélica , Kido Cruz Antonio , Hernández Silva Virginia , Madrigal Moreno Salvador
Published: February 2020

En el marco de las renegociaciones del Tratado de Libre Comercio y derivado de la imposición de aranceles al acero y al aluminio de Estados Unidos a todos los países incluyendo a México, la represalia de México ha sido imponer aranceles a productos agropecuarios a Estados Unidos. En el presente estudio se determinan y analizan los efectos multiplicadores que existen entre los aumentos de precios en las importaciones del sector agropecuario de México y los demás sectores, el industrial y el de servicios, mediante la Teoría Estructural, y el Modelo de Precios. Se confirma que los impuestos arancelarios a la importación de los productos agropecuarios producen un efecto negativo en los tres sectores económicos del país, es por ello que México debe encontrar una solución a la negociación del TLCAN que beneficie a los tres países involucrados a la brevedad.
Cambio técnico en la industria manufacturera en México, 2003-2008 y 2008-2012
Authors: Murillo Villanueva Brenda
Published: February 2020

Este documento analiza el cambio técnico de los veintiún subsectores de la industria manufacturera en México en 2003-2008 y 2008-2012. El análisis se basa en identificar los tipos de cambio técnico más observados y en ubicar los subsectores más propensos al cambio técnico. El estudio del cambio técnico y su evolución se llevó a cabo a partir de las matrices de insumo-producto de México que permiten observar para cada subsector la evolución de los requerimientos de insumos intermedios y primarios. Los resultados muestran que la mayoría de los subsectores manufactureros han optado en los últimos años por un menor uso del factor trabajo, que se ha acompañado por un uso más intensivo de insumos con mayor contenido tecnológico.
¿El poder de mercado está asociado a variaciones positivas de precios en estructuras oligopólicas? El caso de las marcas líderes por sus ventas en la industria automotriz mexicana (2018)
Authors: Ríos Nequis Eric Israel , Carbajal Cansino Daniela Edith , Hernández Solís Michelle Edith
Published: February 2020

El artículo aborda las características de la industria automotriz, su estructura y concentración en distintos rubros o temáticas. La información recabada indica que es un oligopolio con medianos niveles de concentración, aunque posee un patrón de competencia distintivo: la diferenciación de productos, el cual explica la variabilidad de los precios en este sector industrial en tanto reduce la capacidad del poder del monopolio para incidir positivamente en ellos; se asume que el mercado es grande y capaz de soportar los niveles de diferenciación de producto y de mostrar poca sensibilidad a los cambios de precios.
Los jóvenes ¿Son ciudadanos digitales?
Authors: Mendoza González Brenda , Morales Reynoso Tania , Serrano Barquín Carolina , Serrano García Javier Margarito
Published: February 2020

Las habilidades, pensamientos y acciones respecto al uso de Internet, quelogran que una persona tenga una participación activa dentro de las sociedadesconstruidas en el mundo de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación daorigen a la ciudadanía digital, necesaria para alcanzar una convivencia armónica. Elobjetivo del estudio es conocer la incidencia de las conductas en Ciudadanía Digital,identificando las diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres. Se realizó unainvestigación cuantitativa, descriptivo y diseño transversal, con 350 estudiantesmexiquenses de una escuela pública. Para medir la variable de estudio se utilizóla Escala de Ciudadanía Digital (α=.88). Los resultados señalan que los jóvenes notienen habilidades básicas para comprender y evaluar los contenidos e informaciónmediática para tomar decisiones, así como tampoco tienen participación política nisocial “en línea”, los resultados también indican que no hay un sexo que predomineen ciudadanía digital.
Acontecimientos estresantes por sexo en estudiantes del primer año de medicina en una escuela privada
Authors: Sánchez Angeles Miriam , Esquivel Cañas Katya
Published: February 2020

El estrés es una respuesta ante diversos acontecimientos personales, familiares, económicos y académicos; que es experimentada por los individuos durante el transcurso de estos. El objetivo del trabajo consistió en medir la presencia, vigencia e intensidad de los sucesos estresantes en alumnos de medicina en una escuela privada y compararlos por sexo. Se estudiaron 128 alumnos a los que se les aplicó la Escala de Apreciación del Estrés (EAE) en su versión general, desarrollada por Fernández y Mielgo. Con los datos se realizó una t de Student en cada una de las categorías que evalúa el instrumento y se encontraron diferencias significativas en la intensidad y la vigencia (actual) de los eventos estresantes, siendo mayor la media de las mujeres que la de los hombres. En el caso de la presencia, la intensidad y la vigencia pasada no se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas.
Cumplimiento de las Disposiciones legales en la Fiscalización del Fondo de Infraestructura Social Municipal, en el Municipio de Hermosillo, para el Ejercicio 2018
Authors: Caraveo Bojórquez José Lucas
Published: February 2020

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar el cumplimiento de las disposiciones legales en la fiscalización del Fondo de Infraestructura Social Municipal, para el municipio de Hermosillo a través de la revisión de la cuenta pública 2018.