bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study Between Outcome of Early and Conventional Catheter Removal After Transurethral Resection of Prostate
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Mahfuzur , Gupta Sudip Das , Mridha Nazrul Islam , Wahid Man , Begum Farhana
Published: October 2020

Objectives: To compare the effect of early and conventional catheter removal after TURP.
Methods: The cases were selected from the admitted patients with BPH by using simple purposive sampling technique. Sixty (60) cases were included in the study fulfilling selection criteria of the patient and numbered chronologically according to their data and time of operation. Odd numbers of cases were included in group-A (n=30) for early catheter removal within 48 hours and even numbers of cases in group-B (n=30) for conventional catheter removal within 3-5 days.
Results: Postoperative hospital stay 47.12 (±7.92) hours in group A and 113.23(±10.8) hours were in group B (p<0.001) that was statistically highly significant.
Conclusion: Early catheter removal within 48 hours following Transurethral Resection of Prostate (TURP) is safe. It reduces the catheter related morbidity and postoperative hospital stay.
Bangladesh Journal of Urology, Vol. 20, No. 2, July 2017 p.82-86
Developing a Program for Specialist Urological Care in the Rural Hospitals of Bangladesh
Authors: Salam MA
Published: October 2020

Abstract Not Available
Bangladesh Journal of Urology, Vol. 20, No. 2, July 2017 p.99-101
Sildenafil in the Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborn
Authors: Mamun Mohammad Abdullah Al
Published: October 2020

Abstract not available

DS (Child) H J 2019; 35(2) : 94-99
Association of Admission Temperature and Outcome among Neonates with Sepsis in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Shirin Mahfuza , Hossain M Monir , Afrin Manifa
Published: October 2020

Background: Neonatal sepsis is one of the major causes of mortality in neonates. Hypothermia is also an important contributing factor of neonatal mortality. Neonates with sepsis can present with normal temperature, hypo or hyperthermia.

Objectives: This study was design to find out the pattern of temperature on admission and its association with mortality among neonates admitted with sepsis.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2017 to April 2018 in the Department of Neonatal Medicine and NICU, Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital. Neonates up to thirty days of age, diagnosed as probable sepsis were enrolled. On admission, axillary temperature was recorded for 3 minutes and neonates were categorized according to the recorded temperature. Neonates were classified as early onset sepsis (EOS) and late onset sepsis (LOS) according to the age of onset of the sepsis. Outcome was also recorded. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS program version 25. Chi-square (X2) test was done to determine the association and p value, <0.05 was taken as significant.

Results: Among 493 enrolled neonates, 41.2% neonates were with early onset sepsis (EOS) and 58.8% were with late onset sepsis (LOS). Out of 493 neonates, 89(18.1%) died. Among the enrolled neonates, 54.4% had normal temperature, 16.6% had mild hypothermia, 14.6% had moderate hypothermia and 14.4% had hyperthermia. It was found that mild and moderate hypothermia were significantly more in EOS(p<0.05). Mortality was significantly high in neonates with mild and moderate hypothermia (p<0.05).

Conclusion: This study found that mortality was associated with mild and moderate hypothermia in neonates admitted with sepsis.

DS (Child) H J 2019; 35(2) : 150-155
DSH News Vol 35(2)
Authors: Editor The
Published: October 2020

Abstract not available

DS (Child) H J 2019; 35(2) : 187-188
Soybean and wild soybean genetic diversity for new functional food resources, focusing on tocopherol, lutein, and saponin
Authors: Maria Stefanie Dwiyanti
Published: October 2020

Soybean has been a major protein source for people in East and Southeast Asia. It contains numerous secondary metabolites that are useful for human and animal health, such as isoflavones, polyphenols, tocopherols, lutein, carotenoids, and saponins. Isoflavones are the most popular nutraceutical compounds of soybean. Several soybean varieties having high isoflavones have been developed and utilized as functional food resources. Tocopherols, lutein, and saponins are also antioxidants present in soybean seeds. Tocopherols are known as vitamin E, whereas lutein has potential to prevent age-related macular degeneration. DDMP saponins in soybean is reported to inhibit HIV infection in vitro and prevent colon cancer. Screening of soybean germplasm showed that soybean holds a large genetic diversity of content and composition of tocopherols, lutein and saponins that can be utilized to breed new soybean cultivars. In addition, the wild counterpart of soybean (wild soybean) can also be source of genetic variations useful for soybean breeding. This review will summarize studies on genetic diversity of tocopherols, lutein, and saponins found in soybean and wild soybean.
Çağdaş Toplumlarda Sınıfın Dört Yüzü: Çalışma, Mülkiyet, Gündelik Sosyal İletişim ve İdeoloji
Authors: ÖZKURT Cem
Published: October 2020

Bu çalışma, sınıfın kapitalist toplumlarda oluşturduğu, sosyal biçimlenmeleri ve bu biçimlenmelerin çok yönlü yansımalarını, sınıf teorisinin klasik teorisyenleri (Marx ve Engels) ve çağdaş yorumcularının (Poulantzas, Miliband, Mills, Wright, Goldthorp) yaklaşımları çerçevesinde, sınıfın günümüz toplumlarında bir sosyal durumsallık olarak var olup olmadığını tartışmayı amaç edinmektedir. Bu tartışma çerçevesinde, sınıf durumu, sosyolojik bir yaklaşımla ele alınmakta ve toplumsal yaşantının diğer dinamikleriyle irtibatı ilişkisel olarak ortaya koyulmaktadır. Sınıf ilişkilerine yön veren toplumsal örüntüler bir belirleme/belirlenme ekseninden çok, karşılıklı etkileşimler nosyonuna göre analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma, çağdaş toplumlarda sınıf durumunun ilişkisel bütünlüğüyle irtibatlı olabilecek toplumsal biçimlenmeleri: çalışma yaşantısı ve ritmi, mülkiyet edinim süreçleri, gündelik yaşantı ve akışı, ideoloji ve dünya görüşleri gibi toplumsal oluşlarla doğrudan bağlantılı süreçler olarak kavramsallaştırılmıştır. Sınıfın çağdaş toplumlardaki görünümleri hem makro ölçekli yapısal düzenlilikler, hem de mikro ölçekteki gündelik akışlar açısından değerlendirilmiştir. Böylece, sınıf tartışmasının boyutları, çoklu perspektifler ve ilişkisel etkilenmeler bakımından genişleme olanağı bulmuştur. Çalışma, günümüz toplumlarında “ sınıf “ sorunsalının hala ontolojik varlığını koruyan bir sosyal oluşum olduğunu ortaya koymaktır ve bu eksende yeni bir tartışmaya aracılık etmeyi amaçlamaktadır.
Petrol Fiyatlarından Enflasyona Geçiş Etkisi: Geleneksel Phillips Eğrisi Yöntemi ve Svar Analizi
Authors: ERTÜRK Emin , ERKAN Rümeysa
Published: October 2020

Petrol fiyatlarından enflasyona geçiş etkisinin incelendiği çalışmada 1980:01 - 2018:04 döneminden oluşan veri seti 2002:04 öncesi ve 2002:04 sonrası dönemler olarak ele alınmış ve söz konusu dönüm noktasında petrol fiyatlarının enflasyona geçiş etkisinde bir değişiklik olup olmadığı incelenmiştir. Geleneksel Phillips eğrisi denkleminden hareketle petrol fiyatlarından tüketici fiyatlarına geçiş etkisinin 2002:04 sonrası dönemde önceki döneme kıyasla artış gösterdiğini ancak etki tepki fonksiyonları sonucunda söz konusu bu etkinin 2002:04 öncesi döneme kıyasla daha kısa sürede ortadan kalktığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Petrol fiyatlarından enflasyona geçiş etkisinin yükselmesi 2002:04 yılı sonrasında petrol yoğunluğunun artmasıyla açıklanırken,söz konusu etkilerin daha kısa sürede ortadan kalkması ise 2002:04 yılı sonrasında değişen kurumsal yapı ile açıklanabilir.
The Allure of Synthesis: Science and the Literary in Comparative and World Literature
Authors: Mattana Alessio
Published: October 2020

This article offers a reconstruction of the scientific lineage of comparative and world literature. It will be argued that the approaches by Philarète Chasles and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe were influenced by the meaning of ‘comparative’ developed in scientific texts in the long eighteenth century. Building on the assumption that literature may be made into a hard science, a number of nineteenth-century comparatists then sought to elaborate syntheses of literature in the form of universal laws that would hold to all literary texts. I argue that this ‘scientifying’ approach to literature is still at work to this day, and I conclude my intervention by pointing to the epistemological issues that must be considered when the literary is treated scientifically.
World Literature According to Wikipedia Popularity and Book Translations: The Case of Modern Italian Poets
Authors: Blakesley Jacob
Published: October 2020

Most studies of world literature ignore statistics about the translation, circulation and reception of literary works, since no way exists to find such information on a global scale. Because of this, Western scholars generally assume that certain figures are canonical everywhere in the world, such as Shakespeare and Dante. This paper proposes a new and different approach to the study of literary canonicity, by drawing on an almost completely untapped dataset (the 310 global Wikipedias) and comparing Wikipedia popularity and newly collected data on book translations. By examining diverse measures of global popularity of a corpus of 101 modern Italian poets, I aim both to integrate a new resource (Wikipedia) into the study of world literature as well as to newly problematize the very concept of world literature. I will show how shifting one's criterion of canonicity – whether the number of translations or the number of Wikipedia pageviews of an author – affects our understanding of what makes an author canonical or not. In the end, I argue, we have not yet developed a subtle enough way to determine the canonicity of authors. But this dual strategy of comparing translations and Wikipedia popularity does show us a potential way forward.
Maximum Size of Stephanolepis diaspros (Tetraodontiformes: Monacanthidae)
Authors: METİN Gülnur , AKYOL Okan
Published: October 2020

Reticulated leatherjacket, Stephanolepis diaspros Fraser-Brunner, 1940 is one of the very first Lessepsian settlers in the Mediterranean. On 22 June 2020 a specimen of Stephanolepis diaspros (catalogue number: ESFM-PIS/2020-02) with 305 mm in total length (TL) was captured by an angler off Yassıcaada Island, Urla, Izmir Bay on sandy bottom at a depth of 18 m. The present ichthyologic record demonstrates maximum size of S. diaspros species and even, this large size is unique in the Mediterranean and the world seas until a new one is found.
Blind Quality Evaluation for Screen Content Images Based on Regionalized Structural Features
Authors: Dong Wu , Bie Hongxia , Lu Likun , Li Yeli
Published: October 2020

Currently, screen content images (SCIs) are widely used in our modern society. However, since SCIs have distinctly different properties compared to natural images, traditional quality assessment methods of natural images cannot precisely evaluate the quality of SCIs. Thus, we propose a blind quality evaluation method for SCIs based on regionalized structural features that are closely relevant to the intrinsic quality of SCIs. Firstly, the features of textual and pictorial regions of SCIs are extracted separately. For textual regions, since they contain noticeable structural information, we propose improved histograms of oriented gradients extracted from multi-order derivatives as structural features. For pictorial regions, since human vision is sensitive to texture information and luminance variation, we adopt texture as the structural feature; meanwhile, luminance is used as the auxiliary feature. The local derivative pattern and the shearlet local binary pattern are used to extract texture in the spatial and shearlet domains, respectively. Secondly, to derive the quality of textual and pictorial regions, two mapping functions are respectively trained from their features to subjective values. Finally, an activity weighting strategy is proposed to combine the quality of textual and pictorial regions. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves better performance than the state-of-the-art methods.
Venture Capitalists’ Investment Criteria in Poland: Entrepreneurial Opportunities, Entrepreneurs, and Founding Teams
Authors: Morawczyński Rafał
Published: October 2020

The aim of this article is to explore the decision-making policies by Polish Venture Capital (VC) firms, with special focus on the perception of entrepreneurs. This paper presents the results of a conjoint analysis and assessment of the importance of select characteristics among entrepreneurs and the qualities of a team of founders comprising managers of VC firms. The data were collected via face-to-face interviews with 26 Venture Capitalists. In the conjoint experiment, six attributes were presented, among which three represented characteristics of the entrepreneur (his/her passion and experience) and the management team (experience and completeness) alongside three characteristics of the opportunity (readiness of the product/service, growth rate of the market, and innovativeness of the whole project). VC managers ranked the importance of eight characteristics of the entrepreneurs related to their decisions and assessed the functional composition of the team of founders. The results of the experiment show that venture capitalists (VCs) most strongly appreciate the readiness of the product and entrepreneur’s passion. However, their preferences varied across the sample. The results of the ranking also show that the VC managers highly value the honesty of the entrepreneur. VCs typically prefer a team of founders, rather than a single-person project, preferably consisting of persons at least familiar with the technology and the market. This study contributes significantly to the state-of-the-art, as research on VC investment policy (investment criteria) is relatively rare in Central and Eastern Europe, where the VC industry is starting to flourish.
Reusable and Reliable Flight-Control Software for a Fail-Safe and Cost-Efficient Cubesat Mission: Design and Implementation
Authors: Latachi Ibtissam , Rachidi Tajjeeddine , Karim Mohammed , Hanafi Ahmed
Published: October 2020

While there is no rigorous framework to develop nanosatellites flight software, this manuscript aimed to explore and establish processes to design a reliable and reusable flight software architecture for cost-efficient student Cubesat missions such as Masat-1. Masat-1 is a 1Unit CubeSat, developed using a systems engineering approach, off-the-shelf components and open-source software tools. It was our aim to use it as a test-bed platform and as an initial reference for Cubesat flight software development in Morocco. The command and data handling system chosen for Masat-1 is a system-on-module-embedded computer running freeRTOS. A real-time operating system was used in order to simplify the real-time onboard management. To ensure software design reliability, modularity, reusability and extensibility, our solution follows a layered service oriented architectural pattern, and it is based on a finite state machine in the application layer to execute the mission functionalities in a deterministic manner. Moreover, a client-server model was elected to ensure the inter-process communication and resources access while using uniform APIs to enhance cross-platform data exchange. A hierarchical fault tolerance architecture was also implemented after a systematic assessment of the Masat-1 mission risks using reliability block diagrams (RBDs) and functional failure mode, effect and criticality analysis (FMECA).
Organic Matter Composition and Phosphorus Speciation of Solid Waste from an African Catfish Recirculating Aquaculture System
Authors: Prüter Julia , Strauch Sebastian Marcus , Wenzel Lisa Carolina , Klysubun Wantana , Palm Harry Wilhelm , Leinweber Peter
Published: October 2020

Recycling of phosphorus (P) from feed input in aquaculture systems gains increasing importance, especially relating to sustainable agriculture and food production. In order to find possible areas of application of African catfish solid waste, the purpose of this study was to characterize the elemental and organic matter composition and P speciation in the aquaculture fish waste. Pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS) was used to investigate the composition of organic matter and P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to describe the occurring P-containing compounds in African catfish solid waste from an intensive recirculation aquaculture system (RAS). The solid fish waste was mainly composed of sterols, free fatty acids and alkylaromatics, as it is common for digestive systems of animals. Ingredients such as the phytosterol beta-sitosterin confirm plant-based feed ingredients and some recalcitrance against digestion in the African catfish gut. The P in the solid fish waste was exclusively bound as calcium-phosphates. These calcium-phosphate minerals as major constituents of African catfish waste may have beneficial effects when applied to soils, suggesting the use of this waste as possible soil amendment in the future.
Currents Status, Challenges, and Future Directions in Identifying Critical Source Areas for Non-Point Source Pollution in Canadian Conditions
Authors: Rudra Ramesh P. , Mekonnen Balew A. , Shukla Rituraj , Shrestha Narayan Kumar , Goel Pradeep K. , Daggupati Prasad , Biswas Asim
Published: October 2020

Non-point source (NPS) pollution is an important problem that has been threatening freshwater resources throughout the world. Best Management Practices (BMPs) can reduce NPS pollution delivery to receiving waters. For economic reasons, BMPs should be placed at critical source areas (CSAs), which are the areas contributing most of the NPS pollution. The CSAs are the areas in a watershed where source coincides with transport factors, such as runoff, erosion, subsurface flow, and channel processes. Methods ranging from simple index-based to detailed hydrologic and water quality (HWQ) models are being used to identify CSAs. However, application of these methods for Canadian watersheds remains challenging due to the diversified hydrological conditions, which are not fully incorporated into most existing methods. The aim of this work is to review potential methods and challenges in identifying CSAs under Canadian conditions. As such, this study: (a) reviews different methods for identifying CSAs; (b) discusses challenges and the current state of CSA identification; and (c) highlights future research directions to address limitations of currently available methods. It appears that applications of both simple index-based methods and detailed HWQ models to determine CSAs are limited in Canadian conditions. As no single method/model is perfect, it is recommended to develop a ‘Toolbox’ that can host a variety of methods to identify CSAs so as to allow flexibility to the end users on the choice of the methods.
Promising Composts as Growing Media for the Production of Baby Leaf Lettuce in a Floating System
Authors: Giménez Almudena , Fernández Juan A. , Pascual José A. , Ros Margarita , Saez-Tovar José , Martinez-Sabater Encarnación , Gruda Nazim S. , Egea-Gilabert Catalina
Published: October 2020

The floating system is a successful strategy for producing baby leaf vegetables. Moreover, compost from agricultural and agri-food industry wastes is an alternative to peat that can be used as a component of growing media in this cultivation system. In this study, we experimented with three composts containing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), leek (Allium porrum L.), grape (Vitis vinifera L.), and/or olive (Olea europaea L.) mill cake residues, which were used as the main component (75/25 volume/volume) of three growing media (GM1, GM2 and GM3) to evaluate their effect on the growth and quality of red baby leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). We used a commercial peat substrate as a control treatment (100% volume) and in mixtures (25% volume) with the composts. The plants were cultivated over two growing cycles, in spring and summer, and harvested twice in each cycle when the plants had four to five leaves. We found that the percentage of seed germination was significantly higher in plants grown in peat than in those grown in compost growing media. The yield was affected by the growing media in the summer cycle, and we obtained the highest value with GM1. Furthermore, the second cut was more productive than the first one for all the growing media in both cycles. The lettuce quality was also affected by the growing media. In general, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in the leaves was higher in plants grown in the compost growing media, particularly in the second cut, but the nitrate content in the leaves was greater in some of the compost treatments compared with the peat treatment. In addition, an in vitro suppressive activity study demonstrated that the interaction between different fungi and bacteria observed through metagenomics analysis could contribute to the effectiveness of the compost in controlling Pythium irregulare. The use of compost as a component of the growing media in the production of baby leaf vegetables in a floating system does not only favor the crop yield and product quality, but also shows suppressive effects against P. irregulare.
Simulating the Impact of Long-Term Fertilization on Basic Soil Productivity in a Rainfed Winter Wheat System
Authors: Wang Ting , Ding Ningping , Li Lili , Lyu Xiaodong , Chai Qiang , Dou Xuecheng
Published: October 2020

Basic soil productivity (BSP) is the ability of a soil, in its normal environment to support plant growth. However, the assessment of BSP remains controversial. The aim of this study is to quantify and analyze the trends of BSP in winter wheat seasons using the decision support system for agrotechnologie transfer (DSSAT) model under a long-term fertilization experiment in the dark loessal soil region of the Loess Plateau of China. In addition, we evaluated the contribution percentage of BSP to yield and its influencing factors. A long-term fertilization experiment with a winter wheat/spring maize rotation was established in 1979 in a field of the Gaoping Agronomy Farm, Pingliang, Gansu, China, including six treatments: (1) no fertilizer as a control (CK), (2) chemical nitrogen fertilizer input annually (N), (3) chemical nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer input annually (NP), (4) straw return and chemical nitrogen fertilizer input annually plus phosphorus fertilizer added every second year (SNP), (5) manure input annually (M), and (6) M plus N and P fertilizers added annually (MNP). The application of the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model showed a satisfactory performance with good Wilmott d-index (0.78~0.95) and normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) (7.03%~18.72%) values for the tested genetic parameters of winter wheat. After the 26-years experiment, the yield by BSP of winter wheat under the M and MNP treatment significantly increased, at the rate of 2.7% and 3.82% a year, respectively, whereas that of CK and N treatments significantly decreased, at the rate of 0.23% and 3.03%. Moreover, the average contribution percentage of BSP to yield was 47.0%, 39.4%, 56.3%, 50.0%, and 61.9% in N, NP, SNP, M, and MNP treatments, respectively. In addition, soil organic carbon contents were the main controls of BSP under the different fertilization conditions in the dark loessial soil area. As a result, the combined application of organic fertilizer or straw and chemical fertilizer can be an effective form of fertilization management to greatly enrich basic soil productivity, continually promote the contribution percentage of BSP, and ultimately increase crop yield.
Interpretation and Evaluation of Electrical Lighting in Plant Factories with Ray-Tracing Simulation and 3D Plant Modeling
Authors: Kim Jaewoo , Kang Woo Hyun , Son Jung Eek
Published: October 2020

In plant factories, light is fully controllable for crop production but involves a cost. For efficient lighting, light use efficiency (LUE) should be considered as part of light environment design. The objectives of this study were to evaluate and interpret the light interception, photosynthetic rate, and LUE of lettuces under electrical lights using ray-tracing simulation. The crop architecture model was constructed by 3D scanning, and ray-tracing simulation was used to interpret light interception and photosynthesis. For evaluation of simulation reliability, measured light intensities and photosynthetic rates in a growth chamber were compared with those obtained by simulation at different planting densities. Under several scenarios modeling various factors affecting light environments, changes in light interception and LUE were interpreted. The light intensities and photosynthetic rates obtained by simulation showed good agreement with the measured values, with R2 > 0.86. With decreasing planting density, the light interception of the central plant increased by approximately 18.7%, but that of neighboring plants decreased by approximately 5.5%. Under the various scenarios, shorter lighting distances induced more heterogenetic light distribution on plants and caused lower light interception. Under a homogenous light distribution, the light intensity was optimal at approximately 360 μmol m−2 s−1 with an LUE of 6.5 g MJ−1. The results of this study can provide conceptual insights into the design of light environments in plant factories.
Comparing U-Net Based Models for Denoising Color Images
Authors: Komatsu Rina , Gonsalves Tad
Published: October 2020

Digital images often become corrupted by undesirable noise during the process of acquisition, compression, storage, and transmission. Although the kinds of digital noise are varied, current denoising studies focus on denoising only a single and specific kind of noise using a devoted deep-learning model. Lack of generalization is a major limitation of these models. They cannot be extended to filter image noises other than those for which they are designed. This study deals with the design and training of a generalized deep learning denoising model that can remove five different kinds of noise from any digital image: Gaussian noise, salt-and-pepper noise, clipped whites, clipped blacks, and camera shake. The denoising model is constructed on the standard segmentation U-Net architecture and has three variants—U-Net with Group Normalization, Residual U-Net, and Dense U-Net. The combination of adversarial and L1 norm loss function re-produces sharply denoised images and show performance improvement over the standard U-Net, Denoising Convolutional Neural Network (DnCNN), and Wide Interface Network (WIN5RB) denoising models.
Structural Features and PF4 Functions that Occur in Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) Complicated by COVID-19
Authors: Cai Zheng , Greene Mark I. , Zhu Zhiqiang , Zhang Hongtao
Published: October 2020

Platelet factor 4 (PF4, CXCL4) is a small chemokine protein released by activated platelets. Although a major physiological function of PF4 is to promote blood coagulation, this cytokine is involved in innate and adaptive immunity in events when platelets are activated in response to infections. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have abnormal coagulation activities, and severe patients develop higher D-dimer levels. D-dimers are small protein products present in the blood after blood clots are degraded by fibrinolysis. To prevent clotting, heparin is often clinically used in COVID-19 patients. Some clinical procedures for the management of COVID-19 patients may include extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and renal replacement therapy (CRRT), which also require the use of heparin. Anti-PF4 antibodies are frequently detected in severe patients and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) can also be observed. PF4 and its role in HIT as well as in pathologies seen in COVID-19 patients define a potential therapeutic option of using blocking antibodies in the treatment of COVID-19.
Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy with Adjunctive Amoxicillin/Metronidazole or Metronidazole When No Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Is Detected—A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Jentsch Holger F. R. , Dietrich Martin , Eick Sigrun
Published: October 2020

Background: The aim was to compare two different systemic antibiotics regimens adjunctive to non-surgical periodontal therapy when Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was not detected in the subgingival biofilm. Methods: A total of 58 patients with periodontitis and with no A. actinomycetemcomitans in the subgingival biofilm were treated with full-mouth subgingival instrumentation and either metronidazole (MET; n = 29) or amoxicillin/metronidazole (AMX/MET; n = 29). Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded at baseline, as well as after three and six months. Subgingival biofilm and gingival crevicular fluid were collected and analyzed for major periodontopathogens and biomarkers. Results: PD, CAL and BOP improved at 3 and 6 months (each p < 0.001 vs. baseline) with no difference between the groups. Sites with initial PD ≥ 6 mm also improved in both groups after 3 and 6 months (p < 0.001) with a higher reduction of PD in the AMX/MET group (p < 0.05). T. forsythia was lower in the AMX/MET group after 3 months (p < 0.05). MMP-8 and IL-1β were without significant changes and differences between the groups. Conclusion: When A. actinomycetemcomitans was not detected in the subgingival biofilm, the adjunctive systemic use of amoxicillin/metronidazole results in better clinical and microbiological outcomes of non-surgical periodontal therapy when the application of systemic antibiotics is scheduled.
May Mangafodipir or Other SOD Mimetics Contribute to Better Care in COVID-19 Patients?
Authors: Karlsson Jan Olof G , Jynge Per , Ignarro Louis J
Published: October 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is characterized by massive inflammation of the arterial endothelium accompanied by vasoconstriction and widespread pulmonary micro thrombi. As a result, due to the destruction of nitric oxide (•NO) by inflammatory superoxide (O2•−), pulmonary •NO concentration ceases, resulting in uncontrolled platelet aggregation and massive thrombosis, which kills the patients. Introducing •NO by inhalation (INO) may replace the loss of endothelium-derived •NO. The first results from clinical trials with INO in SARS-CoV-2 patients show a rapid and sustained improvement in cardiopulmonary function and decreased inflammation. An ongoing phase III study is expected to confirm the method’s efficacy. INO may hence become a first line treatment in SARS-CoV-2 patients. However, due to the rapid inactivation of •NO by deoxyhemoglobin to nitrate, pulmonary administration of •NO will not protect remote organs. Another INO-related pharmacological approach to protect SARS-CoV-2 patients from developing life-threatening disease is to inhibit the O2•−-driven destruction of •NO by neutralizing inflammatory O2•−. By making use of low molecular weight compounds that mimic the action of the enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). The MnSOD mimetics of the so-called porphyrin type (e.g., AEOL 10150), salen type (e.g., EUK-8) and cyclic polyamine type (e.g., M40419, today known as GC4419 and avasopasem manganese) have all been shown to positively affect the inflammatory response in lung epithelial cells in preclinical models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Manganese diPyridoxyL EthylDiamine (MnPLED)-type mangafodipir (manganese dipyridoxyl diphosphate—MnDPDP), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent that possesses MnSOD mimetic activity, has shown promising results in various forms of inflammation, in preclinical as well as clinical settings. Intravenously administration of mangafodipir will, in contrast to INO, reach remote organs and may hence become an important supplement to INO. From the authors’ viewpoint, it appears logical to test mangafodipr in COVID-19 patients at risk of developing life-threatening SARS-CoV-2. Five days after submission of the current manuscript, Galera Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced the dosing of the first patient in a randomized, double-blind pilot phase II clinical trial with GC4419 for COVID-19. The study was first posted on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04555096) 18 September 2020.
Antibacterial Activity of Synthetic Cationic Iron Porphyrins
Authors: Tovmasyan Artak , Batinic-Haberle Ines , Benov Ludmil
Published: October 2020

Widespread antibiotic resistance demands new strategies for fighting infections. Porphyrin-based compounds were long ago introduced as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy, but light-independent antimicrobial activity of such compounds has not been systematically explored. The results of this study demonstrate that synthetic cationic amphiphilic iron N-alkylpyridylporphyrins exert strong bactericidal action at concentrations as low as 5 μM. Iron porphyrin, FeTnHex-2-PyP, which is well tolerated by laboratory animals, efficiently killed Gram-negative and Gram-positive microorganisms. Its bactericidal activity was oxygen-independent and was controlled by the lipophilicity and accumulation of the compound in bacterial cells. Such behavior is in contrast with the anionic gallium protoporphyrin IX, whose efficacy depends on cellular heme uptake systems. Under aerobic conditions, however, the activity of FeTnHex-2-PyP was limited by its destruction due to redox-cycling. Neither iron released from the Fe-porphyrin nor other decomposition products were the cause of the bactericidal activity. FeTnHex-2-PyP was as efficient against antibiotic-sensitive E. coli and S. aureus as against their antibiotic-resistant counterparts. Our data demonstrate that development of amphiphilic, positively charged metalloporphyrins might be a promising approach in the introduction of new weapons against antibiotic-resistant strains.
Designing the Antioxidant Properties of Low-Processed Food
Authors: Świeca Michał
Published: October 2020

Food is the most valuable source of components exhibiting antioxidant properties [...]
Protective Effect of Geraniol on Oxidative, Inflammatory and Apoptotic Alterations in Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Role of the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathways
Authors: Younis Nancy S. , Abduldaium Mohamed S. , Mohamed Maged E.
Published: October 2020

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is still a major contributor to mortality worldwide, and therefore, searching for new drugs is an urgent priority. Natural products are a renewable source for medicinally and pharmacologically active molecules. The objective of this study was to explore the potential of geraniol, a monoterpene alcohol, to protect against MI. Methods: Five groups of Wister rats were used: a control group; a group treated only with geraniol; a group treated only with isoproterenol, to induce MI; and two groups pretreated with geraniol (100 or 200 mg/kg, respectively) for 14 days and challenged with isoproterenol on the 13th and 14th days. Several parameters were measured including electrocardiogram (ECG), cardiac markers, the expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and other downstream antioxidant enzymes, as well as the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and other downstream apoptotic and inflammatory mediators. Results: Geraniol treatment reduced the size of the infarct region, attenuated the levels of cardiac indicators, and diminished myocardial necrosis and immune cell infiltration. Geraniol treatment also activated the Keap1/Nrf2/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, modulated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and ameliorated myocardial autophagy, inflammation, and apoptosis. Conclusion: Geraniol may possess a protective effect against MI through moderating MI-induced myocardial oxidative stress (glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and Keap1/Nrf2 pathway), inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)), apoptosis (caspase-3, caspase-9, Bcl2, and Bax), and autophagy (PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway).
Properties and Mechanism of Hydration of Fly Ash Belite Cement Prepared from Low-Quality Fly Ash
Authors: Gong Yongfan , Liu Cong , Chen Yanli
Published: October 2020

Fly ash belite cement (FABC) is predominantly composed of α′L-C2S and C12A7. It is prepared from low-grade fly ashes by hydrothermal synthesis and low-temperature calcination methods. The formation, evolution process, and microstructure of FABC hydration productions were studied in this work, and the ultimate aim is to give a theoretical foundation and technological support for the application of the new cementitious material made of low-quality fly ash. The results showed that the optimal amount of gypsum was about 7% of cement by weight. The 3-day and 28-day compressive strength of cement pastes with 7% gypsum was 13.6 and 60.2 MPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the 28-day flexural and compressive strengths of mortars with 7% gypsum were 4.6 and 25.9 MPa, respectively. The early hydration heat release rate of this low-temperature calcined cement was higher compared with that of high-temperature calcined cement as Portland cement. FABC hydration pastes contained mostly C-S-H, ettringite (AFt), unreacted mullite, and quartz. It was significantly different from Portland cement in that no calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] was observed in the hydration products of different ages because all Ca(OH)2 formed in the hydration reaction could react completely to generate AFt. The ratio of harmful pores (d ≥ 50 nm) reached 55.04% after 3-day hydration. However, it decreased to 6.71%, which was lower than that of Portland cement pastes (35.72%) after 28-day hydration. In the later hydration period from 3 to 28 days, the strength developed rapidly, and a compact microstructure appeared in the hardened paste due to the presence of pores less than 20 nm in diameter.
Dynamic Analysis of Bolted Cantilever Beam with Finite Element Method Considering Thread Relation
Authors: Cao Chao , Zhao Xueyan , Song Zhenghe
Published: October 2020

There are complex nonlinear behaviors and mechanisms in the bolted joint interface. Thus, the bolted joint is crucial to the complex nonlinear dynamic response of the structure. However, in the traditional structural dynamic analysis, the screw connection is usually neglected, which makes it challenging to analyze and study the nonlinear dynamic behavior of bolted structures. Hence, based on the Timoshenko beam theory and finite element method, this paper introduces a model considering thread connection to analyze the dynamic response under different excitation. Eventually, the results indicate that owing to the local nonlinearity of bolts, the whole bolted cantilever beam shows hardening-type characteristics. In addition, the frequency response curve also depicts the typical nonlinear phenomenon of instability and uncertainty, namely bifurcation, which preliminarily verifies the correctness and accuracy of the bolted cantilever beam model.
Use of Data-Driven Simulation Modeling and Visual Computing Methods for Workplace Evaluation
Authors: Ojstersek Robert , Buchmeister Borut , Vujica Herzog Natasa
Published: October 2020

In the time of Industry 4.0, the dynamic adaptation of companies to global market demands plays a key role in ensuring sustainable financial and time justification. Financial accessibility, a wide range of user-friendliness, and credible results of the visual computing methods and data-driven simulation modeling enable a higher degree of usability in small, medium, and large enterprises. This paper presents an innovative method for modelling and simulating workplaces in manufacturing based on visual data captured with a spherical camera. The presented approach uses simulation scenarios to investigate the optimization of manual or collaborative workplaces. We evaluated and compared three simulated scenarios, the results of which highlight the potential for improvement regarding manufacturing productivity and cost. In addition, ergonomic analyses of a manual assembly workplace were performed using existing evaluation metrics. The results show the possibility of creating a three-dimensional model of a workplace captured with a spherical camera, which not only describes the model dimensionally but also adds terminological and other production parameters obtained through the analysis of manufacturing system videos. The confirmation of the appropriateness of introducing collaborative workstations is also confirmed by ergonomic analyses Ovaco working analyzing system (OWAS) and rapid upper limb assessment (RULA), which demonstrate the sustainable limits of manual assembly workplaces.
Repeatability and Reproducibility Assessment of a PolyJet Technology Using X-ray Computed Tomography
Authors: Pilipović Ana , Baršić Gorana , Katić Marko , Rujnić Havstad Maja
Published: October 2020

From the very start of their use until today, processes in Additive Manufacturing (AM) have found a way to grow from prototype production to individual and small-series production. Improvements in machinery, materials and other challenges in AM development have improved product quality, its mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy. Research in the field of dimensional accuracy must be focused on achieving better tolerances. From the beginning of AM, there has been a big issue in assuring dimensional repeatability and reproducibility of a part being printed over the course of several days. In order to examine that, a test plate was designed and built repeatedly with PolyJet technology over the course of several weeks. Measurements of dimensional accuracy and shape deviations of several typical features were carried out using X-ray Computed Tomography. Measurement results were analysed and presented in order to indicate the repeatability and reproducibility of PolyJet AM technology. Results show that PolyJet technology consistently produces parts within ±100 μm, at a 95% confidence interval, under reproducibility conditions of over a 1-month period. Accuracy for measurands (distance) in the x and y axis was significantly better than it was for the z axis which was from 56 to 197 µm, i.e., in the x and y axis, it was from −8 to 76 µm. Shape errors (i.e., cylindricity) were larger than positional or dimensional errors; this can be attributed to relatively large surface roughness and small feature sizes on the test plate that was used.
Experimental and Numerical Study on a Grouting Diffusion Model of a Single Rough Fracture in Rock Mass
Authors: Ding Wenqi , Duan Chao , Zhang Qingzhao
Published: October 2020

Grouting reinforcement is an important method used to solve problems encountered during tunnel construction, such as collapse and water gushing. The grouting diffusion process is greatly influenced by the structural characteristics of the fractures in a rock mass. First, an analytical grouting diffusion model of a single rough fracture under constant-pressure control is established based on the constitutive equation of a Bingham fluid. Second, the “quasi-elliptical” grouting diffusion pattern under the influence of roughness is revealed through a grouting diffusion experiment, which is conducted with an independently developed visualized testing apparatus. Furthermore, the analytical formula of roughness-corrected grouting diffusion characterized by the saw tooth density is established. Finally, an elaborate numerical simulation of the diffusion process of cement slurry (Bingham flow type) in a single rough fracture is carried out by introducing the Bingham–Papanastasiou rheological model. The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of the velocity field and pressure field during the grouting diffusion process are analyzed as well. Moreover, the method and range of the roughness correction factor in the analytical grouting diffusion model are proposed based on the fracture roughness unit.
Effect of Formwork Removal Time Reduction on Construction Productivity Improvement by Mix Design of Early Strength Concrete
Authors: Lee Taegyu , Lee Jaehyun , Kim Jinsung , Choi Hyeonggil , Lee Dong-Eun
Published: October 2020

In this study, we examined the effects of cement fineness, SO3 content, an accelerating agent, and chemical admixtures mixed with unit weights of cement on concrete early strength using concrete mixtures. C24 (characteristic value of concrete, 24 MPa) was used in the experiment conducted. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC), high fineness and SO3 OPC (HFS_OPC), and Early Portland cement (EPC) were selected as the study materials. The unit weights of cement were set to OPC 330, 350, and 380. Further, a concrete mixture was prepared with a triethanolamine (TEA)-based chemical admixture to HFS. A raw material analysis was conducted, and the compressive strength, temperature history, and maturity (D∙h) were examined. Then, the vertical formwork removal time was evaluated according to the criterion of each country. Finally, the time required to develop concrete strength of 5 MPa was estimated. Results showed that the early strength of concrete mixed with HFS and EPC was greater than that exhibited by concrete with an increased unit weight of cement with OPC. In addition, when HFS was used with EPC, its strength developed early, similar to the trend exhibited by EPC, even at low temperatures.
The Performance Evolution of Match Play Styles in the Spanish Professional Basketball League
Authors: Gómez Miguel-Ángel , Medina Ramón , Leicht Anthony S. , Zhang Shaoliang , Vaquera Alejandro
Published: October 2020

The aim of this study is to analyse the performance evolution of all, and the dominant, team’s performances throughout an eight-season period within the Spanish professional basketball league. Match-related statistics were gathered from all regular season matches (n = 2426) played during the period 2009–2010 to 2016–2017. The non-metric multidimensional scaling model was used to examine the team’s profiles across seasons and for the most successful (playoff) teams. The main results showed that: 3-point field goals made (effect size, d = 0.61; 90% confidence interval, CI = 0.23; 1.37) and missed (d = 0.72; 90% CI = 0.35; 1.46), and assists (d = 1.27; 90% CI = 0.82; 1.86) presented a positive trend with an increased number of actions across the seasons; 2-point field goals made (d = 0.21; 90% CI = −1.25; 2.02) and missed (d = 0.27; 90% CI = −0.52; 0.92) were decreased; free throws made and missed, rebounds, fouls, blocks, steals and turnovers showed a relatively stable performance. The matrix solution (stress = 0.22, rmse (root mean squared error) = 7.9 × 104, maximum residual = 5.8 × 103) indicated minimal season-to-season evolution with the ordination plot and convex hulls overlapping. The two most dominant teams exhibited unique match patterns with the most successful team’s pattern, a potential benchmark for others who exhibited more dynamic evolutions (and less success). The current findings identified the different performances of teams within the Spanish professional basketball league over eight seasons with further statistical modelling of match play performances useful to identify temporal trends and support coaches with training and competition preparations.
Editorial on Special Issue “Holography, 3-D Imaging and 3-D Display”
Authors: Poon Ting-Chung , Zhang Yaping , Cao Liangcai , Yoshikawa Hiroshi
Published: October 2020

Modern holographic techniques have been successfully applied in many important areas, such as 3D inspection, 3D microscopy, metrology and profilometry, augmented reality, and industrial informatics [...]