bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional Outcome After Nonoperative Treatment of a Proximal Humeral Fracture in Adults
Authors: Goudie Ewan B. , MacDonald Deborah J. , Robinson C. Michael
Published: December 2021

Background:

The functional outcome following nonoperative treatment of a proximal humeral fracture and the factors that influence it are poorly defined. We aimed to prospectively assess patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in a patient cohort at 1 year after the injury.

Methods:

In this study, 774 adult patients sustaining a proximal humeral fracture completed PROM assessments, including the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), the EuroQol-5 Dimensions-3 Levels (EQ-5D-3L), and visual analog scale (VAS) assessments of pain, health, and overall treatment satisfaction at 1 year. The mean patient age was 65.6 years, and 73.8% of patients were female. The influences of demographic and fracture measurements and complications on the OSS and EQ-5D-3L were assessed.

Results:

The 1-year mean scores were 33.2 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 32.1 to 34.2 points) for the OSS and 0.58 (95% CI, 0.55 to 0.61) for the EQ-5D-3L. There was considerable heterogeneity in the reported scores, and the 3 demographic variables of higher levels of dependency, higher levels of social deprivation, and a history of affective (mood) disorder were most consistently associated with poorer outcomes, accounting for between 37% and 43% of the score variation. The initial fracture translation potentially leading to nonunion accounted for 9% to 15% of the variation, and a displaced tuberosity fracture was also predictive of 1% to 4% of the outcome variation. There was evidence of a ceiling effect for the OSS, with 238 patients (30.8%) having a score of ≥47 points but a mean outcome satisfaction of only 72.9 points, and this effect was more pronounced in younger, active individuals. At the other end of the spectrum, 239 patients (30.9%) reported an OSS of ≤24 points, and 120 patients (15.5%) had a “worse-than-death” EQ-5D-3L score.

Conclusions:

Nonoperative treatment of proximal humeral fractures produces considerable variation in shoulder-specific and general health outcomes at 1 year, and a substantial proportion of patients have poor perceived functional outcomes. The outcome for the majority of less-displaced fractures is mainly influenced by preexisting patient-related psychosocial factors, although the fracture-related factors of displacement, nonunion, and tuberosity displacement account for a small but measurable proportion of the variation and the poorer outcomes in the minority with more severe injuries.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
DEA WINDOW ANALYSIS FOR INDONESIAN ISLAMIC BANKS’ EFFICIENCY
Authors: Rusydiana Aam Slamet , As-Salafiyah Aisyah
Published: December 2021

This study measures the efficiency of Islamic banks in Indonesia using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) window methods for 14 Indonesia’s Islamic banks covering the period spanning from 2011 to 2020.. The results show that the efficiency of Islamic banks   averages 80% and exhibits increasing trend over the period 2011-2020.  Based on stability measures, which are standard deviation (SD), Long Distance per Window (LDW), Long Distance per Period (LDP), and Long Distance per Year (LDY), we find the efficiency of PT Bank BRI Syariah (BSI) and PT Bank Syariah Mandiri (BSI) to be relatively stable.
Modelling of Ring-Shaped Compound Ultrasonic Waveguides by Means of Finite Elements Method
Authors: Stepanenko D. A. , Bunchuk K. A.
Published: December 2021

The paper describes a technique for modelling and optimization of ring-shaped compound ultrasonic waveguides consisting of two sequentially joined segments of different materials by means of finite elements method. The possibility of using such waveguides for amplifying vibrations in amplitude has been justified in the paper. The advantage of the developed technique consists in possibility of its realization by means of standard engineering software, particularly COMSOL Multiphysics. The correctness and efficiency of the technique is proved by comparing the numerical data with the simulation results by means of transfer matrix method using equations of vibration of Euler – Bernoulli and Timoshenko type. It is shown that in compound ring-shaped waveguides two kinds of vibration modes are possible – variable-sign and constant-sign, moreover only constant-sign modes are of practical interest for amplification of vibration amplitude. Recommendations for selection of optimal geometric parameters of the waveguides are given, particularly it is shown that for ensuring maximum vibration amplification factor it is necessary to choose central angles of the waveguide segments with account for calculated dependence between amplification factor and angle, characterized by presence of several local maxima of the amplification factor. It is noted that the high accuracy of the existing semi-analytical methods for calculating and designing ring-shaped waveguides is achieved using methods based on the application of Timoshenko-type equations of vibration.
Production of Thin PbxSn1–xTe Films by “Hot Wall” Method for Creating IR-Photodetectors
Authors: Ivanov V. A. , Krasovskii V. V. , Gremenok V. F. , Postnova L. I.
Published: December 2021

Alloys of lead and tin telluride (PbxSn1–xTe) are materials with good thermoelectric properties, as well as semiconductors that can be used as long-wave infrared detectors. Polycrystalline telluride of PbxSn1–xTe (0.05 £ x £ 0.80) alloys has been synthesized by direct fusion technique. Thin films of these materials have been obtained by the hot wall method depositing Сorning 7059 on glass substrates at Tsub = (200–350) oC and vacuum of about 10–5 Torr. The microstructure of the films has been investigated by XRD, SEM and EDX methods. The X-ray spectra of thin films have been in satisfactorily agreement with the spectra of the powder target and indicated the absence of binary phases. The films have shown a natural cubic crystalline structure. While increasing the lead content, the unit cell parameter of the crystal also increases. The established linear relationship between the unit cell parameter and the elemental composition corresponds to Vegard's law. The SEM analysis has shown that the films are polycrystalline, have a columnar structure, are tightly packed and have good mechanical adhesion. The grain size depends on the chemical composition and temperature of the substrate. The electrical measurements have shown that the grown films are non-degenerate semiconductors of p-type conductivity. The conductivity of the films was in the range of σ = (3 × 101)–(1 × 104) Ω–1×cm–1. An increase of lead concentration leads to a decrease in electrical conductivity. Hall mobility in the grown thin films increases in the range of changes in the lead content from ~10 to ~23 at. %, and decreases with a further increase to ~33 at. %. At the same time, the strongest dependence of the decrease in mobility on an increase in temperature increase is observed for films with a high lead content and is explained by the predominant scattering of charge carriers by vibrations of the crystal lattice. For a sample with an average lead concentration, an alternative effect of two scattering mechanisms is observed in the temperature dependence of the mobility: by impurity ions and by phonons.
Determining Parameters of Functioning of Passenger Transport Routes by Means of Computer Simulation of Processes
Authors: Dolia V. K. , Dolia K. V. , Dolia O. E.
Published: December 2021

The efficiency of the functioning of urban passenger transport routes has been studied in the paper. It has been established that the functioning of urban passenger transport routes takes place in a non-isolated environment, which affects the system from the moment of its formation and can lead to discrepancy between the calculated and actual efficiency of the system. As a result of the fucntioning indicator analysis of the passenger transportation route, it has been revealed that the environment of the route functioning affects the efficiency in a complex manner. Consequently, the mutual influence of one factor on others should be taken into account. Performance evaluation should be carried out for the entire route system, and not within the separately considered subsystem. As a result of the analysis of such key indicators as income, fuel costs, lubricants, maintenance and repair, discrepancies have been found between the planned values of indicators and actual data. It is determined that the distribution function of the random variables of these indicators is described by a normal law. At the final stage of the study, regularities in the influence of the road transport enterprise parameters on the probability of investment return have been obtained. The proposed integrated approach to determining the efficiency of urban passenger transport routes is based not only on the established, but also on the stochastic parameters that occur during the functioning of these routes. An algorithm has been developed for determining the efficiency of urban route passenger traffic, which takes into account the interrelation of income and expenses, modern ideas about the patterns of change in the prpbability of development of optimistic, pessimistic and intermediate scenarios for improvement of route efficiency events. The algorithm is based on formalized dependences of the change in time of the probabilities of income and expenses which are taken into account in the operation process of urban passenger transport routes with their various parameters.
Dimensión temporal y territorial de la pandemia COVID-19 en Asturias
Authors: Fernández García Felipe , Herrera Arenas Daniel , Fernández Bustamante Cristina
Published: December 2021

Tras analizar las fuentes disponibles para estudiar la incidencia de la COVID-19 en Asturias, se aborda el estudio de la evolución diaria de la pandemia en la región a lo largo de 360 jornadas, comparándola con la del conjunto del país, y tratando de determinar las causas que explican la aparición y desarrollo de las tres olas detectadas, y la existencia de periodos de baja incidencia. Se aborda a continuación el análisis de las diferencias intrarregionales mediante el estudio de los valores a escala municipal, relacionando los desiguales registros observados con la estructura del poblamiento y con el grado de envejecimiento de la población. Se concluye que la evolución de la pandemia en Asturias presenta unos rasgos similares a la del conjunto del país, aunque con singularidades, derivadas en un primer momento de las medidas de restricción adoptadas y de la facilidad para el control de los intercambios con el exterior, y posteriormente de la relajación generada por el proceso de apertura y la sensación de seguridad producida por la existencia de un largo periodo sin casos. Se concluye asimismo que la concentración de la población en las áreas urbanas facilitó la proliferación en ellas de casos detectados.
Impacto de la crisis de la COVID-19 en el empleo del sector turístico en España: perspectivas territorial y de género
Authors: Gago-García Cándida , González-Relaño Reyes , Serrano Cambronero Milagros , Babinger Frank
Published: December 2021

El sector turístico español se ha visto afectado gravemente por los impactos de la pandemia de la COVID-19. Sus repercusiones se han producido de manera diferencial por regiones, por tipologías de la actividad y también por sexo. Así, el trabajo ahonda en los impactos, tanto territoriales como de género, ocurridos en el empleo turístico como consecuencia de la primera ola de la pandemia. Se ha empleado una metodología cuantitativa, confeccionando una base de datos con indicadores estructurales y coyunturales a escala provincial y municipal, parte de estos desagregados por sexo. Con ellos se ha elaborado cartografía temática y se han efectuado análisis de componentes principales complementados con análisis de autocorrelación espacial (Índice de Moran). El estudio revela, entre los resultados significativos, que aquellos territorios muy especializados (ej. turismo de sol y playa), fueron muy vulnerables a la crisis, en relación con la caída de la demanda internacional. Los ámbitos rurales y los de montaña se han mostrado más resilientes, debido a las preferencias del turismo nacional. El empleo femenino también experimentó un decrecimiento importante y tuvo un comportamiento similar al conjunto de la actividad, tanto desde un punto de vista sectorial como en relación con las variaciones territoriales.
Fuzzy Based Spatial Risk Evaluation of Plastic Pollution: A Case Study of Anambra State of Nigeria
Authors: Chukwuma Emmanuel Chibundo , orakwe Louis Chukwuemeka , Emenike Ejikeme Emmanuel , Okonkwo Chukwuma Chris
Published: December 2021

Natural systems, human health, and artistic sensitivities are all threatened by plastic pollution in most developed and developing countries. Plastic has emerged as a major global threat with rivers serving as sink for transported plastics, emanating from the terrestrial environment as a result of human activities. Anambra State in Nigeria is arguably the business hub of the South-eastern part of Nigeria, with a massive output of plastic wastes daily from individuals, commercial activities and industries. Owing to an inefficient waste management system, plastic leakage into her drainage networks is a critical environmental challenge. The aim of this study is to geospatially model the vulnerability associated with the various plastic leakage factors to the environment. To achieve this aim, data on different thematic variables which include plastic waste density, slope, land-use, drainage density and distance to drainage network of the study area were modelled, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to delineate the variables in order to obtain final risk map for the study area. The result of the study indicates that a total area very high risk is 1840.03 km2, this constitutes about 40.11% of the study area. Local Governments Areas (LGA) located in the southern part of the study area is more susceptible to plastic waste leakage, this could be linked to factors like high dense population and increasing rate of urbanization in the region. It is recommended that waste collection should be frequent, strategic and higher priority should be attached to the high risked area from this study. Anambra State Government also needs to work together with plastic recycling companies, for effective collection of plastic wastes in the areas classified as hotspots in plastic litter accumulation as one of the mitigation measures.
Prediction of Focal Image for Solar Parabolic Dish Concentrator With Square Facets – An Analytical Model
Authors: Kopalakrishnaswami Arjun Singh , Loni Reyhaneh , Najafi Ghoalmhosein , NATARAJAN SENDHIL KUMAR
Published: December 2021

Solar parabolic dish concentrator is one of the high-temperature applications of more than 400 °C for thermal and electrical power generation. In the solar parabolic dish concentrator, the arrangement of reflectors over the surface area is the significant factor for effective concentration of solar radiation. Also, focal image is one of the most influencing parameters in the design of receiver. Among the various reflectors, the square shaped reflectors (facets) are comparatively effective in converging the incoming radiations to attain better focal image. In this regard, an attempt has been made to predict the focal image diameter of a solar parabolic dish concentrator with a square facet of different influencing parameters using a novel mathematical model. The influencing parameters considered for the study are aperture diameter, rim angle, and facet length of the dish concentrator. Based on the proposed model, the focal image dimension and aperture area of a solar parabolic dish concentrator with square facets can be predicted accurately for efficient design of a solar parabolic dish collector system. Finally, the proposed model is validated with the experimentally obtained focal image diameter and it is observed that the predicted result is in good agreement with the experimental one. Thus, the proposed model can be effectively used for the design of parabolic dish system for sustainable development.
Control Efficiency and Mechanism of Spinetoram Seed-Pelleting Against the Striped Flea Beetle Phyllotreta Striolata
Authors: Xiong Tengfei , satyabrata Nanda , Jin Fengliang , Lin Qingsheng , Feng Xia
Published: December 2021

The striped flea beetle (SFB, Phyllotreta striolata) is an important pest of the cruciferous crops in Asia. SFB is regarded as the most destructive pest of cruciferous crops in China due to the severe crop loss and frequent infestation incidents. As no SFB resistant cultivar is available at present, therefore, application of insecticides is the primary method of SFB control. On the contrary, the exploitation of chemical insecticides causes severe environmental issues and is not cost-effective. The use of a seed-pelletized coating of spinetoram effectively reduced SFB feedings on the flowering cabbage seedlings, whereas in combination with the insect-proof net, it controlled the SFB infestation throughout the cabbage growth period. The analysis of the pesticide residues in soil and different cabbage parts indicated the degradation dynamics of spinetoram. Furthermore, estimation of the half-life of spinetoram revealed that via seed-palletized application spinetoram half-life was found to be 2.82 days in soil, 4.21 days in the root, 5.77 days in the stem, and 3.57 days in the leaf, respectively. Both the lower pesticide residues and the half-life of spinetoram in soil and cabbage parts suggested it to be a promising environment and food-safe pesticide in controlling SFB. Moreover, the seed-pelletized coating ensured a sustainable release of spinetoram that can reduce the pesticide application frequency and be cost-effective and pocket-friendly for the farmers.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Roots and Leaves of Bupleurum Chinense DC. Seedlings Under Drought Stress
Authors: Fan Ya , Geng Yannan , Cao Hailu , Liu Li , Zhang Quanfang , Yan Sun , Kan Du , Wang Ping , Gao Demin
Published: December 2021

Background
drought stress is one of the important environmental factors affecting the quality and yield of medicinal materials, and is the main factor restricting the field production of Bupleurum chinense. B. chinense seedlings sensitive to low moisture, but there are few reports on the molecular mechanism of B. chinense seedlings under drought stress. Therefore, the transcriptome of the leaves and roots of B. chinense seedlings before and after drought were analyzed by Illumina sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis.
Results
a total of 59.82 GB of clean data was obtained, and the unigenes were compared with Nr, Swissprot, String, GO, KEGG, and Pfam databases. Under drought stress, 3,737 and 6,816 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in leaves and roots of B. chinense, respectively. The obtained DEGs from leaves and roots were classified into 37, and 36 GO terms and were involved in 222 and 253 KEGG pathways, respectively. SSR analysis were obtained identified 33,728 loci, wherein dinucleotides accounted for the largest proportion. Genes involved in diterpenoid and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were significantly over-expressed in roots under drought stress, suggesting these two cellular processes underpin the adaptation and resistance of B. chinense seedlings to drought stress.
Conclusions
the results provided a theoretical basis for further identification of the molecular mechanism of drought resistance and breeding of drought resistance varieties of B. chinense.
Optimal Characterization of 28 GHz Bowtie Antenna for 5G Applications
Authors: ULUSLU AHMET
Published: December 2021

Here, the selection of the design parameters of the bowtie patch antenna (BPA) for 5G applications is presented as a multidimensional, multi-purpose design optimization problem. The operating frequency of the proposed antenna is 28 GHz, which is the standard for millimeter waveband and 5G technologies. In order to overcome this difficult design optimization, a new, fast and powerful optimization algorithm was used by modified the non-dominant sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA)-III and optimal characterization of the microwave antenna design was obtained. It is assumed that the optimal characterization gives the best solution for the determined cost function, among the possible solutions within the specified range. The superiority of the proposed method has been proven by comparing it with similar types of algorithm. The antennas in the results found have good performance operating at 28 GHz, with a return loss of up to –49 dB, a gain of around 1.96 dB, good directivity, and the radiation pattern of the proposed antenna has a good match over the required frequency. Therefore, the proposed design can be used in 5G devices. As a whole, the proposed design optimization process is an efficient, fast and reliable solution for all antenna design problems.
Bismuth Subgallate as a Local Hemostatic Agent
Authors: Rahajoe Poerwati Soetji , Hasan Cahya Yustisia , Pranoto Amelia Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

Background: Patients on clopidogrel increased bleeding risk after surgery. This drug prolonged bleeding time, increased bleeding volume and induced secondary bleeding because its active metabolite inhibited platelets aggregation and interfered with haemostatic plug stabilization. Conventional methods, such as pressing sterile gauze on the surgery site, showed less effective to stop bleeding in patients on clopidogrel. This research aims to prove the haemostatic effect of bismuth subgallate both on normal and delayed platelet aggregation due to clopidogrel.Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were equally and randomly administered with clopidogrel (10 mg/kgBW) or NaCl 0.9% (saline) via oral gavage. After anesthetizing, we amputated transversely their tail 10 mm from the distal tip. Bleeding after amputation was controlled with pressing gauze soaked in saline or bismuth subgallate solution. After 60 seconds, bleeding assays (bleeding time, bleeding volume, and secondary bleeding) have been observed, recorded, and analysed both in normal and clopidogrel groups.Results: Clopidogrel groups had significantly longer bleeding time, greater bleeding volume, and had more secondary bleeding rather than saline groups (p <.05). Using bismuth subgallate as local haemostatic agent decreased bleeding time and bleeding volume significantly (p <.05) both in normal and clopidogrel groups. Conclusions: Bismuth subgallate has a haemostatic effect on both clopidogrel and normal rat tail bleeding models.
Hippo Pathway-related Genes Expression Is Deregulated in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms
Authors: Cacemiro Maira da Costa , Cominal Juçara Gastaldi , Pereira Luiz Miguel , Berzoti-Coelho Maria Gabriela , Berbel Giovana Michelassi , Baroni Luciana , Malta Tathiane , Tognon Raquel , Nunes Natalia de Souza , Souto Elizabeth Xisto , de Figueiredo-Pontes Lorena Lobo , Yatsuda Ana Patricia , de Castro Fabiola Attié
Published: December 2021

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are hematological disorders characterized by increased proliferation of precursor and mature myeloid cells. MPN patients may present driver mutations in JAK2, MPL, and CALR genes, which are essential to describe the molecular mechanisms of MPN pathogenesis. Despite all the new knowledge on MPN pathogenesis, many questions remain to be answered to develop effective therapies to cure MPN or impair its progression to acute myeloid leukemia. The present study examined the expression levels of the Hippo signaling pathway members in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF), as well as the role that they play in disease pathogenesis. The Hippo pathway is a tumor suppressor pathway that participates in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. Our main findings were: (i) expression of tumor suppressor genes from Hippo pathway were downregulated and seemed to be associated with cell resistance to apoptosis and increased proliferation rate; and (ii) Hippo pathway-related gene expression was associated with mutation status in ET and PMF patients. Therefore, the decreased expression of Hippo pathway-related genes may contribute to the malignant phenotype, apoptosis resistance, and cell proliferation in MPN pathogenesis.
Fatigue Strength Evaluation of Welded Structure on Aluminum Alloy Car Body Based on Multi-Axial Stress
Authors: Shangguan Yiming , Wang Wenjing , Yang Chao , He Anrui
Published: December 2021

With the continuous development of the subway, the demand for its safety and stability is getting higher and higher. It is of great significance to accurately evaluate the fatigue life of the carbody to ensure the subway's safe operation. In this paper, the finite element model of a subway head carbody was established, and the fatigue strength of the welded structure on the carbody was evaluated based on Multi-axial stress. The local coordinate system was defined according to the geometrical characteristics of the welds. Local stresses perpendicular and parallel to the weld seam were obtained to calculate the stress ratio, stress range, and allowable stress value corresponding to the stress component. According to the joint fatigue resistance, the components of the degree of utilization and comprehensive degree of utilization are calculated to evaluate the structural fatigue strength under the survival rate of 97.5% and load cycles of 10 7 . The evaluation of the fatigue strength of the pivotal weld joints shows that the fatigue strength of the aluminum alloy carbody meets the design requirements, the weld of the carbody has a strong ability to resist fatigue damage. The fatigue strength of the weld is mainly affected by the normal stress component, while the shear stress has little effect on the fatigue strength of the structure. In addition, compared with the filleted weld joint and the butt-welded joint, the normal stress parallels to and perpendicular to the weld direction and shear stress have the greatest effect on the lap-welded joint. Meanwhile, the comprehensive degree of utilization of the lap-welded joint is the largest at 0.49. The introduction of multi-axial stress for the fatigue strength evaluation is beneficial when considering the material utilization degree in multiple structural directions. This research results provide a reference for fatigue strength evaluation of subway carbody's welded structure.
Assessment of Veterinary Extension Service and Public Perception on Major Infectious and Zoonotic Disease at Robe Veterinary Clinic of Bale Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Neja Sultan Abda , Adam Amir
Published: December 2021

Background

A survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to August 2021 to assess veterinary extension service and public perception on major infectious and zoonotic diseases at Robe veterinary clinic. 384 animal owners who brought their animals for treatment were interviewed.
Results

The result indicated that 70.8% of respondents had no veterinary extension service. The majority (88%) had no access to the veterinary consultant. Although 51.6% of them used AI, only 7.8% of them know how to detect estrous. The most frequently known zoonotic diseases were Rabies (96.6%) followed by Anthrax (33.07%), and Tuberculosis (4.2%). Out of the 96.6% of respondents that replied to know about Rabies, 51.8% of them mentioned the disease can be transmitted only through dog biting while 14.8% of them say through biting and contact with saliva. Likewise, only 43.3% of respondents perceive that Anthrax is transmitted through ingestion, whereas 85% of them mentioned Tuberculosis can be transmitted from animal to humans only through inhalation. Although most animal owners prefer early treatment of animals in the veterinary clinic, there are also practices of traditional animal treatment. Remarkable only 16.4% and 24.7% of respondents know the importance of vaccination and slaughterhouse respectively. 93.8% and 94.8% of them still consume raw milk and meat respectively.
Conclussion

: The finding indicates that veterinary extension services are a neglected venture; the knowledge, attitude, and practice on prevention and control of major infectious and zoonotic diseases are still insufficient. Therefore there should be multidisciplinary one-health approach in educating the community about infectious and zoonotic diseases.
Learning Curves of Robotic Spine Surgery in a System Lack of Active Perception: Potential Roles of Teamwork and Unmet Needs
Authors: Su Yu-feng , Tsai Tai-Hsin , Kuo Keng-Liang , Wu Chieh-Hsin , Tsai Cheng-Yu , Lu Yen-Mou , Hwang Shiuh-Lin , Lin Pei-Chen , Lieu Ann-Shung , Lin Chih-Lung , Chang Chih-Hui
Published: December 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the learning curve of robotic spine surgery quantitatively with the well-described power law of practice.Methods: Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital set up a robotic spine surgery team by the neurosurgery department in 2013 and the orthopedic department joined the well-established team in 2014. A total of 150 cases and 841 transpedicular screws were enrolled into 3 groups: the first 50 cases performed by neurosurgeons, the first 50 cases by orthopedic surgeons, and 50 cases by neurosurgeons after the orthopedic surgeons joined the team. The time per screw and accuracy by each group and individual surgeon were analyzed.Results: The time per screw for each group was 9.56±4.19, 7.29±3.64, and 8.74±5.77 minutes respectively. The accuracy was 99.6% (253/254), 99.5% (361/363), and 99.1% (222/224), respectively. The first group took significantly more time per screw, but without significance on the nonlinear parallelism test. Analysis of 5 surgeons and their first 10 cases of short segment surgery showed the time per screw by each surgeon was 12.28±5.21, 6.38±1.54, 8.68±3.10, 6.33±1.90, and 6.73±1.81 minutes. The first surgeon who initiated the robotic spine surgery took significantly more time per screw and the nonlinear parallelism test also revealed only the first surgeon had a steeper learning curve. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that differences of learning curves between individual surgeons and teams. The roles of teamwork and the unmet needs due to lack of active perception are discussed.
A Simplified Gibson Assembly Method for Site Directed Mutagenesis Using Non-Gibson Primers
Authors: Olszakier Shunit , Berlin Shai
Published: December 2021

Background: Site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) is a key method in molecular biology; allowing to modify DNA sequences at single base pair resolution. Although many SDM methods have been developed, methods that increase efficiency and versatility of this process remain highly desired. Method: We present a versatile and simple method to efficiently introduce a variety of mutation schemes using the Gibson-assembly without the need for unique Gibson primers. The method entails use of standard SDM primers (shorter and completely overlapping in sequences in contrast to Gibson primers) that are separately employed with common primer (~25 bps long) for amplification of fragments flanking the site of mutagenesis, followed by rapid amplification of the Gibson-assembled product for added visualization and sequencing steps for ensuring high success rates.Results: We find that assembly of the fragments via the Gibson reaction mixture is attainable within as short as 15 minutes, despite the need for extensive digestion of the DNA (by exonuclease) past the entire SDM primer sequence (to expose non-clashing overlap between the fragments). We also find that the amount of the assembled Gibson product is too low to be visualized and assessed on standard agarose gel. We thereby introduce a short amplification step (by use of the same short primers initially employed) to 1) easily resolve whether the product (only the correct size can yield a product) has been obtained, and 2) for isolation of product for DNA-sequencing (to assess whether mutation(s) have been introduced). No other SDM method enables assessment of mutagenesis prior completion of the process. Conclusion: We employ our approach to delete, replace, insert, and degenerate sequences within target DNA sequences, specifically in DNA sequences that proved very resistant to mutagenesis by multiple other SDM methods (standard and commercial). The entire protocol spans only four days, requires minimal primers sets (as well as can be used with most in-house primers) and provides very high yields and success rates (>98%).
Link Between Unmet Need and Economic Status in Bangladesh: Gap in Urban and Rural Areas
Authors: Shabuz Zillur Rahman , Haque Md. Ershadul , Islam Md. Kawsarul , Bari Wasimul
Published: December 2021

Background: Unmet need for family planning (FP) is a core concept in designing FP programmes and reduction of unmet need for FP can improve reproductive and maternal health services. Bangladesh is still away from achieving the target regarding unmet need for FP. This study aimed to explore the composite effect of economic status and place of residence on unmet need for FP among currently married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh after controlling the effect of other selected covariates.Methods: The study used the data extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-2018, which is a nationally representative survey implemented using a stratified two-stage cluster sample design. A total of 13031 currently married women of reproductive age were included in the final analysis. Binary logistic regression model has been employed to identify the factors influencing the unmet need for FP. Model-I investigated the effect of composite variable place-wealth on unmet need for FP and Model-II examined the effect of place-wealth on unmet need for FP after adjusting for the effect of other selected covariates. The Odds Ratios with p-values were reported to identify significant covariates.Results: The rate of unmet need for FP was 15.48%. The composite factor of economic status and place of residence had significant influence on unmet need for FP in both models. Generally, rural women were significantly more likely to have unmet need for FP than their urban counterparts. In particular, women from rural areas and belong to rich families had the highest likelihoods of unmet need for FP. The other selected covariates also had significant influence on unmet need for FP. Conclusion: This study shows that rural women had higher odds of unmet need for FP than urban women. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) should take necessary actions to motivate women to use contraceptive specially the women who are residing in the rural areas.
Presepsin and platelet to lymphocyte ratio predict the progression of septic subclinical acute kidney injury to septic acute kidney injury and the prognosis of subclinical septic acute kidney injury patients: a pilot study
Authors: Shimoyama Yuichiro , Umegaki Osamu , Kadono Noriko , Minami Toshiaki
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to determine whether presepsin can predict the progression of septic subclinical acute kidney injury (AKI) to septic AKI among intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Presepsin values were measured immediately after ICU admission (baseline) and on Days 2, 3, and 5 after ICU admission. Glasgow Prognostic Score, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Prognostic Index, and Prognostic Nutritional Index were measured at baseline. Presepsin values and these indices were compared between septic AKI and septic subclinical AKI patients.
There were 38 septic AKI patients and 21 septic subclinical AKI patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed the following cut-off values for AKI (relative to subclinical AKI): 708.0 (pg/ml) for presepsin on Day 1 (AUC, 0.69; sensitivity, 82%; specificity, 52%), 1283.0 (pg/ml) for presepsin on Day 2 (AUC, 0.69; sensitivity, 55%; specificity, 80%), and 368.66 for PLR (AUC, 0.67; sensitivity, 71%; specificity, 62%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed PLR to be a predictor of septic subclinical AKI (odds ratio, 1.0023; 95% confidence interval, 1.0000-1.0046; p=0.046).
Presepsin and PLR predicted the progression of septic subclinical AKI to septic AKI and the prognosis of subclinical septic AKI patients.
Poor Tricuspid Regurgitation Signal on Echocardiogram: How Does It Correlate with Pulmonary Artery Pressure as Measured by Right Heart Catheterization?
Authors: Aziz Mohammad , Romero Steven , Price Matthew , Mohan Rajeev
Published: December 2021

BackgroundTricuspid Regurgitation (TR) gradient on echocardiogram is used to approximate pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) on echocardiography. A common dilemma is encountered when PAP measurement is indeterminate due to poor TR signal. We hypothesized that patients with poor TR signal would be unlikely to have pulmonary hypertension (PH) on right heart catheterization (RHC). MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of 141 patients who underwent RHC and had a corresponding echocardiogram showing poor TR signal within 2 months of RHC. A cutoff of 25 mm Hg was used as the upper limit of normal to define PH. ResultsFifty percent of patients had mean PAP (mPAP) greater than 25 mm Hg. 82% of values were 35 mm Hg or below. ConclusionsPoor TR signal does not rule out PH but may indicate lower likelihood of severe PH.
Succinyl-CoA-based energy metabolism dysfunctions in chronic heart failure
Authors: Takada Shingo , Maekawa Satoshi , Furihata Takaaki , Kakutani Naoya , Setoyama Daiki , Ueda Koji , Nambu Hideo , Hagiwara Hikaru , Handa Haruka , Fumoto Yoshizuki , Hata Soichiro , Fukushima Arata , Yokota Takashi , Kang Dongchon , Kinugawa Shintaro , Sabe Hisataka
Published: December 2021

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of death and repeated hospitalizations1. HF progression generally involves mitochondrial dysfunction2-4. However, how mitochondria react to chronic HF remains unclear. Here, we show the molecular basis of mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic HF, which is characterized by altered succinyl-CoA metabolism. In myocardial mitochondria of coronary ligated mice, heme synthesis and ketolysis, and enzymes using succinyl-CoA in these events were upregulated, and enzymes synthesizing succinyl-CoA at the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were also increased. Intriguingly, the ADP-specific, but not the GDP-specific, subunit of succinyl-CoA synthetase, which uses succinyl-CoA in the TCA cycle, was decreased. Myocardial succinyl-CoA levels were significantly reduced in chronic HF, impairing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Consequently, the administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)5, an intermediate in the pathway from succinyl-CoA to heme synthesis, prevented HF progression in mice. Previous reports also support the presence of succinyl-CoA metabolism abnormalities in HF patients6,7. Our results indicated that changes in succinyl-CoA usage in various energy production systems in myocardial mitochondria is characteristic to chronic HF, and that although similar alterations occur in healthy conditions, such as during strenuous exercise, they may often occur irreversibly in HF. Moreover, nutritional interventions compensating the metabolic changes are likely to provide effective methods to treat HF.
Rotating 5D black holes: Interactions and deformations near extremality
Authors: Castro Alejandra , Pedraza Juan , Toldo Chiara , Verheijden Evita
Published: December 2021

We study a two-dimensional theory of gravity coupled to matter that
is relevant to describe holographic properties of black holes with two
equal angular momenta in five dimensions (with or without cosmological
constant). We focus on the near-horizon geometry of the near-extremal
black hole, where the effective theory reduces to Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT)
gravity coupled to a massive scalar field. We compute the corrections to
correlation functions due to cubic interactions present in this theory.
A novel feature is that these corrections do not have a definite sign:
for AdS_55
black holes the sign depends on the mass of the extremal solution. We
discuss possible interpretations of these corrections from a
gravitational and holographic perspective.
We also quantify the imprint of the JT sector on the UV region, i.e. how
these degrees of freedom, characteristic for the near-horizon region,
influence the asymptotically far region of the black hole. This gives an
interesting insight on how to interpret the IR modes in the context of
their UV completion, which depends on the environment that contains the
black hole.
Experimental investigation of simultaneous effect of parabolic trough collector and flat external reflectors on performance of stepped solar still
Authors: Pirkandi Jamasb , Kassaei Farshid , Hashemabadi Mahdi
Published: December 2021

In this research, the performance of a stepped solar still has been experimentally evaluated. For this purpose, a parabolic trough collector has been used to preheat the saline water entering the solar still. Also, two flat external reflectors have been employed to increase the amount of solar energy received by the steps and the collector of the system. The findings of this research indicate that the use of two flat external reflectors is more effective than using the trough collector. Also, it is more efficient to apply both mechanisms simultaneously than to use them separately. According to the obtained results, the distilled water output of the solar still is 760, 1,560, 2,440 and 2,760 ml/m2, respectively, for operating the conventional solar still, using the trough collector, using the two flat external reflectors, and using the collector and reflectors simultaneously. The electrical conductivity due to the presence of salt and chemical substances dissolved in the distilled water discharged from the still is 255, 215, 62 and 38 micro Siemens per centimetre, respectively, for each of the four mentioned cases. These experiments show that by applying the proposed mechanisms, the amount of distilled water can be increased, and its purity can be enhanced.
UNIVERSIDADE DAS CRIANÇAS
Authors: De Melo Barreto Rafaela , Elduina Ferreira Elisângela , Suzette Rodrigues Silva Regina , COSTA RAQUEL ALVES
Published: December 2021

O projeto Universidade das Crianças teve como objetivo discutir com os estudantes o problema real da alimentação, os valores nutricionais dos alimentos e os padrões de beleza muitas vezes impostos pela sociedade. As atividades foram desenvolvidas numa Escola Estadual em São João del Rei –MG, em duas turmas do 8º ano do Ensino Fundamental e envolveu os professores de Ciências e Educação Física. O projeto foi baseado em três etapas principais: Primeiramente, a temática foi escolhida pelos professores das turmas. Em seguida, foram realizadas oficinas em busca de curiosidades e dúvidas dos alunos com relação ao tema e, ao final das oficinas, cada aluno escreveu perguntas por livre escolha acerca do tema proposto. Foram obtidas aproximadamente 40 perguntas. A terceira etapa consiste em oficinas para responder as questões levantadas e gerar discussão sobre o tema. Além disso, nesta etapa, para ressaltar todos os conceitos abordados nas oficinas anteriores, foi utilizado um modelo anatômico e observadas algumas lâminas em um microscópio óptico. Assim, as atividades procuraram dar autonomia para que os alunos refletissem e entendessem que os hábitos alimentares e o modo de vida estão intimamente relacionados com a saúde, e que cada um é responsável por ela.
A importância das atividades do PIBID para a formação inicial de professores
Authors: Dos Santos Lopes Cynthia Loren , Sebastiana Alves Soares Klayriene , Rocha Nunes Ana Néia , Rocha Valesca Paula
Published: December 2021

O presente estudo objetivou relatar atividades e experiências vivenciadas por licenciandas do curso de Ciências Biológicas desenvolvidas durante a participação no Subprojeto PIBID-Biologia na Unidade Escolar José Patrício Franco, no município de Uruçuí, Piauí. O estudo utilizou-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, do tipo relato de experiência, realizada durante o período de agosto de 2018 a janeiro de 2019. O programa visa antecipar a experiência prática do licenciando ainda na primeira metade do curso com a escola pública de educação básica, contribuindo com a valorização do magistério. A participação no PIBID além de oportunizar uma compreensão ampliada a respeito dos estudantes e profissionais ali inseridos, também favoreceu na busca de identidade profissional enquanto futuras docentes e a relacionar a teoria, vista em âmbito acadêmico, com a prática.

Palavras-chave: Ciências biológicas. Formação docente. Vivências.
Contribuições da arquitetura da informação para o projeto de um repositório institucional
Authors: Leite Bruno Pacheco Coelho , Ribeiro Claudio José Silva
Published: December 2021

A partir do questionamento sobre como os elementos provenientes da Arquitetura da Informação podem contribuir no planejamento de um Repositório Institucional para o Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo geral propor uma estrutura de organização da informação de um Repositório Institucional para o Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo. Seus objetivos específicos foram: analisar os aspectos teóricos e metodológicos que envolvem a Arquitetura da Informação para embasar a elaboração da estrutura informacional de um Repositório Institucional para o Ifes; coletar as informações institucionais do Ifes com o propósito de identificar e analisar as propriedades dos conteúdos presentes no âmbito organizacional; representar os componentes da estrutura informacional do repositório supracitado utilizando-se da modelagem conceitual. Quanto à sua metodologia, trata-se de uma pesquisa aplicada, qualitativa e exploratória, pois está voltada para a aplicação prática de soluções de problemas específicos por meio de análises conceituais que visam atender o objetivo proposto. Os resultados foram a criação de modelos de conteúdo e navegação para o ambiente informacional que é objeto deste estudo. A partir das análises dos modelos, concluiu-se que a AI pode fornecer um nível adequado para organização da informação dentro de um RI. Constata-se que o processo de modelagem auxilia no enriquecimento da representação dos conteúdos além de ser importante para que o arquiteto da informação identifique possíveis falhas no projeto.
A contribuição da curadoria digital em repositórios digitais
Authors: Sanchez Fernanda Alves , Vidotti Silvana Aparecida Borsetti Gregório , Vechiato Fernando Luiz
Published: December 2021

Instituições de ensino e pesquisa, por meio das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC), fazem uso de ambientes informacionais digitais - denominados Repositórios Digitais - devido à necessidade de disseminar e, acima de tudo preservar suas produções. Dada a preocupação com o valor que os dados digitais e objetos digitais de pesquisa realizadas por essas instituições necessitam, cria-se o conceito de Curadoria Digital que, segundo a Digital Curation Center (DCC), trata-se de manutenção, preservação e agregação de valores aos dados garantindo uso e reuso dos dados no presente e no futuro. Nessa pesquisa temos como objetivo contextualizar quais as contribuições da Curadoria Digital em Repositórios Digitais, a partir do modelo de ciclo de vida. A metodologia de pesquisa caracteriza-se como exploratória e bibliográfica, possuindo uma abordagem qualitativa, por meio do método de análise de conteúdo. Podemos verificar que a aplicação de atributos presentes no modelo do ciclo de vida da Curadoria Digital usado para essa pesquisa transforma esses ambientes informacionais digitais em espaços colaborativos de qualidade em relação a padrões e normas, organização, recuperação, acesso, disseminação e preservação da informação.