bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural basis of the interaction between cyclodipeptide synthases and aminoacylated tRNA substrates
Authors: Bourgeois Gabrielle , Seguin Jérôme , Babin Morgan , Gondry Muriel , Mechulam Yves , Schmitt Emmanuelle
Published: July 2020

Cyclodipeptide synthases (CDPSs) catalyze the synthesis of various cyclodipeptides by using two aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) substrates in a sequential mechanism. Here, we studied binding of phenylalanyl-tRNAPhe to the CDPS from Candidatus Glomeribacter gigasporarum (Cglo-CDPS) by gel filtration and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. We determined the crystal structure of the Cglo-CDPS:Phe-tRNAPhe complex to 5 Å resolution and further studied it in solution using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The data show that the major groove of the acceptor stem of the aa-tRNA interacts with the enzyme through the basic β2 and β7 strands of CDPSs belonging to the XYP subfamily. A bending of the CCA extremity enables the amino acid moiety to be positioned in the P1 pocket while the terminal A76 adenosine occupies the P2 pocket. Such a positioning indicates that the present structure illustrates the binding of the first aa-tRNA. In cells, CDPSs and the elongation factor EF-Tu share aminoacylated tRNAs as substrates. The present study shows that CDPSs and EF-Tu interact with opposite sides of tRNA. This may explain how CDPSs hijack aa-tRNAs from canonical ribosomal protein synthesis.
Investigation of antimicrobial resistance in pigeons (Columba livia domestica) using indicator bacteria
Authors: ASLANTAŞ Ö , GÖVCE N.
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance as well as presence of resistance-associated genes in Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. strains isolated from pigeons. One hundred and fifty cloacal swabs were collected from apparently healthy pigeons in Hatay, Turkey, between March 2014 and June 2014. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the isolates were tested with disc diffusion method, and resistance genes were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). E. coli were isolated from 94.7% (142) of the examined cloacal swab samples. E. coli isolates revealed higher resistance rates to tetracycline (51.4%) and ampicillin (50%), followed bynalidixic acid (19.7%), streptomycin (12.7%), amoxycillin-clavulanic acid (15.5%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (10.6%), cephalothin (7.0%), ciprofloxacin (6.3%), kanamycin (4.9%), gentamicin (4.2%), tobramycin (4.2%), ceftazidime (4.2%), cefotaxime (4.2%), chloramphenicol (2.8%), aztreonam (2.8%), and cefoxitin (0.7%), respectively. Twentyeight (%19.7) E. coli isolates were susceptible to all tested antimicrobials. A total of 136 (90.7%) Enterococcus spp. were isolated and species distribution of the isolates was determined by species-specific PCR. The isolates were identified as 64 (47.1%) E. hirae, 17 (12.5%) E. faecium, 8 (5.9%) E. faecalis, 4 (2.9%) E. columbea, and 2 (1.5%) E. durans. The rest of the isolates (30.1%) were identified as Enterococcus spp. with the used primers. Enterococcus spp. were resistant to tetracycline (67.6%), erythromycin (23.5%), rifampicin (17.6%), chloramphenicol (6.6%) and ciprofloxacin (5.9%). By contrast, 38 (27.9%) Enterococcus spp. were sensitive to all tested antimicrobials. The data obtained in the study showed that pigeons were carriers of antimicrobial resistant E. coli and Enterococcus spp. in their intestinal microbiota, and may pose public health risk due to not only transmission of these resistant bacteria to humans but also contamination of the environment. The current status of antimicrobial resistance in different animal species should be continuosly monitored and control measures should also be taken.
HER-2 positivity rate in dogs with mammary carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: UZABACI E. , OZYIGIT M.O. , ERCAN I. , ARDA O.
Published: July 2020

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) plays an essential role in cell growth and survival. HER-2 overexpression occurs in 20-30% of human breast tumors and has prognostic value as it is associated with disease progression. HER-2 overexpression is also associated with tumor progression and metastasis in malignant mammary tumors of the canine. However, in the literature, different positivity classifications/scoring were used in the evaluation of HER-2 status, and there is no consensus in terms of scoring of HER-2 expressionin canine mammary tumors. In this study, it was aimed to estimate the HER-2 positivity rate by evaluating the results of the study using different positivity classifications by meta-analysis. In this context, by using ”HER-2 canine mammary tumor” keywords, Pubmed and Web of Science electronic databases were scanned until February 2019, and a total of 97 related studies were found. However, 20 of these studies were used for the analysis. Two different meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the HER-2 positivity status with “2+ and 3+” and “3+” scores. As a result, HER-2 positivity rates were determined at 25.87% and 25.99% for the studies using “2+ / 3+” scores and “3+” respectively for HER-2 positivity. Therefore, this result suggests that the rate of HER-2 positivity is similar between humans and dogs.
Isobolographic analysis of analgesic interactions of silymarin with ketamine in mice
Authors: NASER A.S. , ALBADRANY Y. , SHAABAN K.A.
Published: July 2020

The present study was undertaken to explore the analgesic effect of silymarin and ketamine alone or in combination in mice. Analgesia was measured by using a hot plate and the writhing test. The up-and-down method was used to determine the median effective analgesic dosages (ED50s) of silymarin and ketamine administered intraperitoneally (ip) either alone or together. The ED50s of both drugs were analyzed isobolographically to determine the type of pharmacological interaction between them. The analgesic ED50s for silymarin and ketamine in mice were 57.22 and 1.96 mg/kg, ip, respectively. Concomitant administration of the silymarin and ketamine at fixed ration (0.5:0.5) of their individual ED50s was 38.4 mg/kg and 1.28 mg/kg, ip, respectively. Silymarin and ketamine at fixed ration (1:1) of their individual ED50s were 47.54 mg/kg and 1.58 mg/kg, ip, respectively . Depending on the isobolographic analysis and calculating Y value, the type of pharmacological interaction between silymarin and ketamine at a ratio of 0.5:0.5 and 1:1 of their analgesic ED50 values of each drug , was antagonistic .In the writhing test the concomitant administration of silymarin and ketamine at 120mg/kg and 4mg/kg , ip, respectively reduce significantly the numbers of writhing in compare with silymarin120 mg/kg,ip and ketamine 4mg/kg, ip separately. The results suggest that the co-administration of silymarin and ketamine was ineffective to reduce the central pain while the concomitant administration of silymarin and ketamine was effective to reduce the visceral pain.
Changes in nano-mechanical properties of human epidermal cornified cells in children with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Haftek Marek , McAleer Maeve A , Jakasa Ivone , McLean WH Irwin , Kezic Sanja , Irvine Alan D.
Published: July 2020

Background: Impaired skin barrier is an important etiological factor in atopic dermatitis (AD). The structural protein filaggrin (FLG) plays a major role in maintenance of the competent skin barrier and its deficiency is associated with enhanced susceptibility to mechanical injury. Here we examined biomechanical characteristics of the corneocytes in children with AD and healthy controls.

Methods: We recruited 20 children with AD and 7 healthy children. They were genotyped for filaggrin gene (FLG) loss-of-function mutations. Stratum corneum was collected from clinically unaffected skin by adhesive tapes. Cell stiffness (apparent elastic modulus, Ea) was determined by atomic force microscopy and filaggrin degradation products (NMF) by liquid chromatography. Skin barrier function was assessed through trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and disease severity by the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) tool.

Results:  Corneocytes collected from AD patients showed a decreased elastic modulus which was strongly correlated with NMF and TEWL, but not with SCORAD. As compared with healthy controls, AD patients had reduced TEWL and NMF levels regardless of FLG mutations. NMF was strongly correlated with TEWL.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that AD patients have decreased corneocyte stiffness which correlates with reduced levels of filaggrin degradation products, NMF and skin barrier function. Altered mechanical properties of the corneocytes likely contribute to the loss of mechanical integrity of the SC and to reduced skin barrier function in AD.
Anonymised and aggregated crowd level mobility data from mobile phones suggests that initial compliance with COVID-19 social distancing interventions was high and geographically consistent across the UK
Authors: Jeffrey Benjamin , Walters Caroline E. , Ainslie Kylie E. C. , Eales Oliver , Ciavarella Constanze , Bhatia Sangeeta , Hayes Sarah , Baguelin Marc , Boonyasiri Adhiratha , Brazeau Nicholas F. , Cuomo-Dannenburg Gina , FitzJohn Richard G. , Gaythorpe Katy , Green William , Imai Natsuko , Mellan Thomas A. , Mishra Swapnil , Nouvellet Pierre , Unwin H. Juliette T. , Verity Robert , Vollmer Michaela , Whittaker Charles , Ferguson Neil M. , Donnelly Christl A. , Riley Steven
Published: July 2020

Background: Since early March 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic across the United Kingdom has led to a range of social distancing policies, which have resulted in reduced mobility across different regions. Crowd level data on mobile phone usage can be used as a proxy for actual population mobility patterns and provide a way of quantifying the impact of social distancing measures on changes in mobility.

Methods: Here, we use two mobile phone-based datasets (anonymised and aggregated crowd level data from O2 and from the Facebook app on mobile phones) to assess changes in average mobility, both overall and broken down into high and low population density areas, and changes in the distribution of journey lengths.

Results: We show that there was a substantial overall reduction in mobility, with the most rapid decline on the 24th March 2020, the day after the Prime Minister’s announcement of an enforced lockdown. The reduction in mobility was highly synchronized across the UK. Although mobility has remained low since 26th March 2020, we detect a gradual increase since that time. We also show that the two different datasets produce similar trends, albeit with some location-specific differences. We see slightly larger reductions in average mobility in high-density areas than in low-density areas, with greater variation in mobility in the high-density areas: some high-density areas eliminated almost all mobility.

Conclusions: These analyses form a baseline from which to observe changes in behaviour in the UK as social distancing is eased and inform policy towards the future control of SARS-CoV-2 in the UK.
Ograniczanie barier prawnych i administracyjnych w polityce transgranicznej Unii Europejskiej
Authors: Jaśkiewicz Jacek
Published: July 2020

Resolving Legal and Administrative Obstacles in the EU

Cross‑border Policy In the face of the crises in the European Union, it has become necessary to review the EU cohesion policy. This new approach can be seen in the recently introduced solutions, which are aimed at the development of cross‑border regions and the elimination of disproportions between them. However, they are not effective enough. Therefore, it is proposed to use further instruments in order to enforce changes in the legal and institutional environment in the regions. This idea is extended in the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a mechanism to resolve legal and administrative obstacles in a cross‑border context, which enables a direct application of law of one member state in a cross‑border region of the neighbouring country. The functioning of such mechanism will be a test of the durability of European integration and at the same time will verify if the Polish legal and political system belongs to modern Europe.
Od populizmu regionalistycznego do nacjonalistycznego
Authors: Fijał Małgorzata
Published: July 2020

From Regionalistic to Nationalistic Populism. Reflection on Italian Populism on the Example of the (Northern) League

The (Northern) League has been playing a key role on the Italian political scene for almost three decades. The article approaches the issue of the elements of rhetoric of the populist narrative proclaimed by the party with particular emphasis on the two types of populism: regionalistic and nationalistic populism. The purpose of the article is above all an attempt to reconstruct the most important populist characteristics and activities contributing to the League’s significant electoral success and verification of the research hypothesis that the phenomenon of populism in Italy is associated with the long‑standing regional character of the Italian state and the resulting attitude of putting their (often regional) interests above those of others.
Integrationskurse jako narzędzie polityki integracyjnej Republiki Federalnej Niemiec
Authors: Gierszewski Dorota , Matykiewicz Aleksandra
Published: July 2020

Integrationskurse as a Tool for the Integration Policy of the Federal Republic of Germany

After years of denying that Germany, as a country that is a destination of migration, needs a consistent migration policy, at the beginning of the 21st century the situation in that matter started to change. Since then, the rules for granting citizenship have been modified and the foundations of immigration policy and policies for integrating immigrants into the host society have been developed. The subject of the article are integration courses – a basic tool of this policy.
LA VITALIDAD LÉXICA EN LA ALPUJARRA: EL CASO DE MAIRENA.
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ-MORELL M.ª Lourdes , ÁGUILA ESCOBAR Gonzalo , MAROTO MARTOS Juan Carlos , RICO CASTRO Nuria
Published: July 2020

Within the framework of the VITALEX project, we intend to analyze the vitality’s degree and the kind of survival of the words and things of the local council of Mairena, in La Alpujarra. It is done through a contrastive study with the data provided by ALEA in the 1950s. This analysis of vitality delves into the lexical change produced in this period of time through the investigation of the different degrees of vitality which go from maintenance to total loss and also through the study of the direct and indirect types of knowledge.
WORD ORDER TYPOLOGY OF RĀJI.
Authors: HAGHBIN Faride , JAMALEDDIN Faranak , TALEBI-DASTENAEI Mahnaz
Published: July 2020

This paper reports on the results of an empirical study of word order correlations based on the samples of the Barzoki dialect of the Rāji language (Esfahan Province, Iran) with respect to Dryer's proposed criteria (1992). Barzoki Rāji is an endangered language with small communities of less than 50 speakers. The data was elicited from audio recordings of 4 of Rāji’s native participants, including 2 males and 2 females. The findings of this survey show that 15 criteria of 26 criteria act as an OV language and 11 criteria act like a VO language. Therefore, it can be stated that more than half of the Barzoki criteria show the linguistic criteria of OV language.
Construction and validation of UV-C decontamination cabinets for filtering facepiece respirators
Authors: Purschke Martin , Elsamaloty Mazzin , Wilde Jeffrey P. , Starr Nichole , Anderson R. Rox , Farinelli William A. , Sakamoto Fernanda H. , Tung Maryann , Tam Joshua , Hesselink Lambertus , Baer Thomas M.
Published: July 2020

We present evidence-based design principles for three different UV-C based decontamination systems for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) within the context of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak of 2019–2020. The approaches used here were created with consideration for the needs of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and other under-resourced facilities. As such, a particular emphasis is placed on providing cost-effective solutions that can be implemented in short order using generally available components and subsystems. We discuss three optical designs for decontamination chambers, describe experiments verifying design parameters, validate the efficacy of the decontamination for two commonly used N95 FFRs (3M, #1860 and Gerson #1730), and run mechanical and filtration tests that support FFR reuse for at least five decontamination cycles.
Visualizing human photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium cell mosaics in a single volume scan over an extended field of view with adaptive optics optical coherence tomography
Authors: Shirazi Muhammad Faizan , Brunner Elisabeth , Laslandes Marie , Pollreisz Andreas , Hitzenberger Christoph K. , Pircher Michael
Published: July 2020

Using adaptive optics optical coherence tomography, human photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are typically visualized on a small field of view of ∼1° to 2°. In addition, volume averaging is required for visualizing the RPE cell mosaic. To increase the imaging area, we introduce a lens based spectral domain AO-OCT system that shows low aberrations within an extended imaging area of 4°×4° while maintaining a high (theoretical) transverse resolution (at >7 mm pupil diameter) in the order of 2 µm. A new concept for wavefront sensing is introduced that uses light mainly originating from the RPE layer and yields images of the RPE cell mosaic in a single volume acquisition. The capability of the instrument for in vivo imaging is demonstrated by visualizing various cell structures within the posterior retinal layers over an extended field of view.
Semi-automated registration and segmentation for gingival tissue volume measurement on 3D OCT images
Authors: Wang Geng , Le Nhan Minh , Hu Xiaohui , Cheng Yuxuan , Jacques Steven L. , Subhash Hrebesh , Wang Ruikang K.
Published: July 2020

The change in gingival tissue volume may be used to indicate changes in
gingival inflammation, which may be useful for the clinical assessment
of gingival health. Properly quantifying gingival tissue volume
requires a robust technique for accurate registration and segmentation
of longitudinally captured 3-dimensional (3D) images. In this paper, a
semi-automated registration and segmentation method for micrometer
resolution measurement of gingival-tissue volume is proposed for 3D
optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. For quantification,
relative changes in gingiva tissue volume are measured based on
changes in the gingiva surface height using the tooth surface as a
reference. This report conducted repeatability tests on this method
drawn from repeated scans in one patient, indicating an error of the
point cloud registration method for oral OCT imaging is
63.08 ± 4.52µm (1σ), and the
measurement error of the gingival tissue average thickness is
-3.40 ± 21.85µm (1σ).
Engineering telecom single-photon emitters in silicon for scalable quantum photonics
Authors: Hollenbach Michael , Berencén Yonder , Kentsch Ulrich , Helm Manfred , Astakhov Georgy V.
Published: July 2020

We create and isolate single-photon emitters with a high brightness approaching 105 counts per second in commercial silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The emission occurs in the infrared spectral range with a spectrally narrow zero phonon line in the telecom O-band and shows a high photostability even after days of continuous operation. The origin of the emitters is attributed to one of the carbon-related color centers in silicon, the so-called G center, allowing purification with the 12C and 28Si isotopes. Furthermore, we envision a concept of a highly-coherent scalable quantum photonic platform, where single-photon sources, waveguides and detectors are integrated on an SOI chip. Our results provide a route towards the implementation of quantum processors, repeaters and sensors compatible with the present-day silicon technology.
Study on the dual-Fano resonance generation and its potential for self-calibrated sensing
Authors: Zhao Xiang , Cheng Zhuo , Zhu Ming , Huang Tianye , Zeng Shuwen , Pan Jianxing , Song Chaolong , Wang Yuhan , Shum Perry Ping
Published: July 2020

Sensors based on Fano resonance (FR) have become a promising platform for various biological and chemical applications. However, most investigations on FR are limited to the generation of individual resonance. In this paper, based on the coupling between surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and two photonic waveguide modes, a dual-FR system is designed and analyzed. To explain the coupling mechanism, an extended temporal coupled-mode model is established to provide the physical insight. The spectral response obtained from the model matches well with the numerical one. Due to the decoupled nature of the FRs, a self-calibrated or dual-parameter sensing scheme for refractive index and temperature is proposed. The refractive index sensitivity up to 765 nm/RIU and temperature sensitivity up to 0.087 nm/°C are obtained by wavelength interrogation with figure-of-merit (FOM) up to 33260.9 RIU−1 and 3.78 °C−1 respectively. The proposed sensor provides great potential in fields of the multi-parameter sensing.
USING A GAPS MODEL IN EXPLAINING THE DARK SIDE OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT ON LUXURY HOTEL
Authors: Aseh Khairi , Kenny Kamal
Published: July 2020

A luxury hotel does not automatically embrace low standard of service from customers. This paper is an attempt to understand the service quality in the hotel industry's luxury segment with gaps model. The author states that the gaps model is a valuable tool for partially exposing the dark side. There's more on the dark side, including privacy concerns, consumers' inability on establish a relationship with the service provider and the customer's shifting tastes and preferences. One luxury hotel (synchronous as an R-C hotel) was chosen in this study, and the research questions were answered in the industry as a whole using R-C hotel as a classic example of superior customer service efficiency. There has been mention of some easy steps to raising the dark side, which answer the third and last research issue.
Hermeneutics and Metacognition
Authors: DiEdwardo Maryann Pasda
Published: July 2020

.
Two flaws in fractional reserve banking.
Authors: Musgrave Ralph Stephen
Published: July 2020

The existing bank system, fractional reserve, is inherently risky because it involves accepting deposits while lending out about as much money as has been deposited, and telling depositors their money is safe, which it quite clearly is not and for the simple reason that if a bank makes silly loans, it cannot repay depositors. That problem is currently dealt with via taxpayer backed deposit insurance and billion dollar bail outs for banks. But that state support for banks amounts to preferential treatment for banks relative to other lenders, of which there are several: e.g. peer to peer lenders and trade credit lenders to name just two. That preferential treatment for one type of lender is a misallocation of resources.
Second, having a bank lend on your money is just as much a commercial transaction as having a stockbroker lend on or invest your money, and it is not to job of taxpayers to shield those involved in commerce from loss, unless there is an extremely good reason for doing so, which in this case there is not.
As for the idea which has become popular of late, namely that commercial banks create the money they lend on rather than intermediate between lenders and borrowers, that is not entirely true as was explained in a Bank of England article (McLeay, 2014).
The best solution to the above two flaws in fractional reserve is to abandon all state support for banks while letting those who want their money to be totally safe deposit it with the state, something the people in several countries have actually been free to do for a long time anyway. And that arrangement equals full reserve banking.
Earlier expositions of some of the basic ideas in this paper by the author are detailed in an endnote.
Prädiktive Pfadfolgeregelung für die kollisionsfreie Bewegungsplanung von Robotern
Authors: Völz Andreas , Graichen Knut
Published: July 2020

Dieser Beitrag stellt eine modellprädiktive Pfadfolgeregelung für die Kombination mit einer kollisionsfreien Bewegungsplanung für Roboter vor. Zwei Besonderheiten sind mit diesem Anwendungsfall verbunden. Zum einen wird keine hochgenaue Pfadfolge benötigt, solange die Bewegung kollisionsfrei ist. Somit kann die Pfadfolgeregelung vom geplanten Pfad abweichen, um die Zielkonfiguration effizienter zu erreichen. Zum anderen ist eine exakte Bewegung entlang des Pfades prinzipiell möglich, so dass mit Hilfe einer Referenztrajektorie rekursive Lösbarkeit und Stabilität garantiert werden kann. Die Vorteile zeigen sich vor allem bei graphbasierten Planungsverfahren, wo die berechneten Pfade typischerweise stückweise linear sind und eine exakte Pfadfolge sehr aufwändig ist. Die Anwendung der Methodik wird in Simulationen für einen Manipulator und einen mobilen Roboter gezeigt.
On complexity reduction of the discrete-event subsystem of Flat Hybrid Automata for control design
Authors: Kleinert Tobias , Zahn Frederik , Hagenmeyer Veit
Published: July 2020

The class of hybrid systems describes most technical systems in great detail. However, the respective models and their behavior tend to be very complex. Recently, a new subclass of hybrid automata has been introduced, the Flat Hybrid Automata (FHA) that relies on the concepts of differential flatness for the continuous parts, and strongly connected automaton graphs for the discrete event part, in order to deal with the complexity from a design perspective. Therefore, we introduce in the present paper an approach to reduce the automaton graph of an FHA in a systematic way by removing edges from the adjacency matrix. The main contribution of the paper is twofold: Firstly, based on practical considerations we develop a heuristic algorithm to reduce the automaton graph. Secondly, we present possible ways to include knowledge about the system in the reduction.
Blood biochemical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Deng Xiaoling , Liu Beibei , Li Jiahuan , Zhang Junli , Zhao Yajuan , Xu Keshu
Published: July 2020

Objective

Recently, there have been several studies on the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, these studies have mainly been concentrated in Wuhan, China; the sample sizes of each article were different; and the reported clinical characteristics, especially blood biochemical indices, were quite different. This study aimed to summarize the blood biochemistry characteristics of COVID-19 patients by performing a systemic review and meta-analysis of published studies.

Methods

Comprehensive studies were screened from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library through March 11, 2020. The inclusion criteria included studies investigating the biochemical indexes of patients with COVID-19. The statistical software R3.6.3 was used for meta-analysis.

Results

Ten studies including 1745 COVID-19 patients met the inclusion criteria for our meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed that 16% and 20% of patients with COVID-19 had alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels higher than the normal range, respectively. Thirty-four percent of patients showed albumin (ALB) levels lower than the normal range, and 6% of patients showed abnormal total bilirubin (TBil) levels. The levels of creatinine (CRE) were increased in 8% of patients. The creatine kinase (CK) level of 13% of patients exceeded the normal range, and 52% of patients had elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. In addition, six studies met the inclusion criteria for the systemic review evaluating the relevance between LDH levels and the severity of COVID-19, and all six studies showed a positive association between these two factors.

Conclusions

Some patients with COVID-19 had different degrees of blood biochemical abnormalities, which might indicate multiple organ dysfunction. Some biochemical indexes, such as abnormal ALB and LDH, could reflect the severity of the disease to a certain extent. These blood biochemical indicators should be considered in the clinical management of the disease.
Application of Irreversible Thermodynamics to Diffusion in Solids with Internal Surfaces
Authors: Knyazeva Anna G.
Published: July 2020

Two types of additional variables were included in the set of state variables and were used for a thermodynamic description of diffusion in an ordinary thermodynamic system. Vacancies are included in the mass balance. Internal surfaces are massless but are characterized by some energy, which is included in the energy balance of the thermodynamic system. Fluxes of components, vacancies, and surfaces were expressed via two groups of thermodynamic constitutive equations of with cross effects. The first group follows from the Gibbs equation. These are state equations in a differential form. The second group relates generalized thermodynamic fluxes to generalized thermodynamic forces. It was shown for a binary system that only three of six transfer coefficients are independent even if the mass transfer mechanism caused by the stress gradient is taken into account.
Experimental Techniques for the Study of the Cracking Mechanisms in Drying Clays
Authors: Wei X. , Bicalho K. V. , El Hajjar A. , Taibi S. , Hattab M. , Fleureau J.-M.
Published: July 2020

Desiccation cracking in drying clays is a common problem with a severe impact on the performance of clayey soils in various geotechnical engineering applications. This article highlights different methods to analyze the formation and propagation of cracks related to desiccation in clays. The research is based on an experimental study of different clays subjected to drying and a phenomenological study of cracking during free desiccation tests on thin clay layers. The approach consists, on one hand, in analyzing the characteristics of cracks with the Image-J software and, on the other hand, in determining the local two-dimensional strains and displacements fields using the digital image correlation (DIC) method. Various tests were carried out to verify the accuracy of the DIC method. Plotting the mechanical strain tensors results in a better understanding of the drying mechanisms of the studied clays. The results show that the combination of two image processing methods, associated to fracture mechanics, is a powerful tool to investigate the mechanisms of cracking in drying soils.
Ethnic Studies as Praxis
Authors: Campbell Malik , Leon Kelly De , Escobar Martha D. , González Dezzerie , Granados Guadalupe , Martínez Carla , Paniagua Diego , Rivera-Murillo Rocio , Sadek Tracy M.
Published: July 2020

The authors provide a collective counter-narrative of the movement at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) to resist educational policies that have negative implications for students, particularly students of color, and threaten Ethnic Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Queer Studies. The authors contextualize the movement that erupted in the fall of 2017 at CSUN within the struggles of the 1960s to transform higher education by establishing Ethnic Studies. Drawing from Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy and Critical Race Theory in education, the authors maintain that, in its best iterations, Ethnic Studies is praxis that empowers communities to create transformative social change.
TWLF Images
Authors: Barraza Jesús
Published: July 2020

Jesús Barraza is an interdisciplinary artist whose work centers on social justice themes. Jesús provides a brief introduction to his artwork, focusing on posters he created that reflect different anniversary years of the Third World Liberation Front and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley.
Lupus tonalis
Authors: Lockhart Ellen
Published: July 2020

There are two kinds of thing called the wolf: one is acoustic and music adjacent; the other is biomaterial. Together, they are an instance of what Donna Haraway called “figures”: that is, “material-semiotic nodes or knots in which diverse bodies and meanings co-shape one another.” This essay begins by observing these wolves in London, ca. 1806, where both conjured anxious musings on the human relationship to nature. From there, the perspective widens geographically and historically, to situate the figure of the wolf within a wider history of repressed animalia in Western art music.
The Japanese American Citizens League, Los Angeles Politics, and the Thomas Noguchi Case
Authors: Choi Anne Soon
Published: July 2020

This article examines the political mobilization of Japanese Americans by the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) against the 1969 firing of Los Angeles County Coroner Thomas Noguchi. By challenging the racism in the Noguchi case, the JACL opened a public discussion of the racism behind wartime incarceration, rejecting the quiescence that had marked Japanese Americans as the “model minority.” Activism in the Noguchi case proved the potential of grassroots organizing and built experience in forming cross-racial political alliances, effectively shaping political narrative in the media, and exercising clout in city politics. For Japanese Americans and the JACL, these experiences shaped a new political sensibility that underscored civil rights and served as a precursor to the later redress movement.
Effectiveness of mobile applications for behavioral changes in health: a systematic review
Authors: Paula Thais Rodrigues , Menezes Angélica Paixão de , Guedes Nirla Gomes , Silva Viviane Martins da , Cardoso Maria Vera Lúcia Moreira Leitão , Ramos Erivando de Sena
Published: July 2020

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile applications for behavioral changes focused in health. Methods: systematic review, from the PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Medline. The descriptors used were: Mobile applications and Health. The study used the protocol Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses, and the methodological quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute® instrument. The final sample was made up of eight articles. Results: most randomized clinical trials showed that interventions with applications are potentially effective strategies to change behavior in health, especially when associated to other strategies in accordance to the specific population/context. The articles included in the review were in accordance to at least nine of the thirteen questions of methodological quality evaluation. Conclusion: the use of applications has impacts on behavioral change and contributes for positive results in the state of health.
Preparation for the care of children with chronic diseases: the perception of caregivers
Authors: Torquato Rebecca Camurça , Rovere Giselle Pereira , Pitombeira Mardênia Gomes Vasconcelos , Pereira Aline de Souza , Santos Luciana Kelly Ximenes dos
Published: July 2020

Objective: to describe the caregivers' perception of preparation to care for children with chronic diseases. Methods: qualitative research, carried out with nine caregivers in a home transition unit in a tertiary hospital. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain the data, and the content analysis technique was used to describe the results. Results: with the qualitative material analysis process, the main perceptions of the reported care were obtained: Knowing the Care Unit; Training, learning and guidance and Difficulties faced. Conclusion: the preparation for the care of children with chronic diseases is complex and was perceived as a fundamental step towards leaving hospital, requiring from these caregivers donation and effort to face this process.
Experience of women in the transfer from planned home birth to hospital
Authors: Pereira Marina Fabricio Ribeiro , Rodrigues Suéllen de Sousa , Rodrigues Mariana de Sousa Dantas , Rodrigues Wilma Ferreira Guedes , Batista Morganna Guedes , Braga Luanna Silva , Andrade Smalyanna Sgren da Costa
Published: July 2020

Objective: to describe the experiences of women in the transfer from planned home birth to the hospital. Methods: qualitative research, subsidized by Thematic Oral History, in which six women participated, attended by the home birth team and transferred to a maternity ward, during the parturition process. The semi-structured interview script with oral history generated five categories. Results: five thematic categories emerged: Motivating factors for choosing planned home birth; Positive experiences on intrapartum care in the home environment; Indications of hospital transfer; Feelings experienced during and after hospital transfer; Obstetric violence during hospitalization. Conclusion: the motivations for choosing planned home birth favored the positive experience of the parturition process, while hospitalization reflected obstetric violence.
Sociodemographic factors and physical activity pattern in people with systemic hypertension
Authors: Silva Carla Tatiane Oliveira , Oliveira Cleise Cristine  Ribeiro Borges , Oliveira Lívia Brito , Sampaio Elieusa  e Silva , Pires Cláudia Geovana da Silva
Published: July 2020

Objective: to verify the association between sociodemographic factors and physical activity pattern in people with systemic hypertension. Methods: a cross-sectional study conducted with 220 hypertensive people. The international physical activity questionnaire was used for data collection and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for data treatment. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a robust Poisson regression model. Results: sedentary behavior pattern prevailed in all sections of the instrument. At work, the sedentary behavior pattern was prevalent in males and in participants aged ≥ 60 years. At home, males were 16.0% more sedentary, age ≥ 60 years old had 13.0% more sedentary behavior pattern and black race 43.0% more sedentary behavior pattern. Conclusion: an association was observed between the sex, age, and race variables in the home domain; and sex and age in the work dimension.
Measures used in intensive care units to prevent infection: an integrative review
Authors: Dantas Ana Clara , Araújo Jéssica Naiara de Medeiros , Nascimento Anália Andréia de Araújo , Martins Quenia Camille Soares , Araújo Mércio Gabriel de
Published: July 2020

Objective: to verify measures used in intensive care units to prevent infection related to health care. Methods: integrative review based on the data sources LILACS, SCOPUS, PubMed Central, Science Direct, Web of Science and CINAHL, whose descriptors used were: Infection Control and Intensive Care Units. Sample consisting of 146 studies. Results: thematic categories related to the relevant infection prevention measures were listed, developed in Intensive Care Units: bloodstream infection prevention measures, assistance-related pneumonia prevention measures, urinary tract infection prevention measure and preventive measures associated with general care. Conclusion: among the established thematic categories, care with skin preparation, oral hygiene, correct handling of the urinary catheter and daily bath with antiseptic were most frequently identified.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF SUPPORTING ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS USING POLYGLOT PERSISTENCE CONCEPT IN LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Authors: Arsirii Olena O. , Glava Maria G. , Kolonko Matthias , Glumenko Alina O.
Published: July 2020

This paper shows that performance of the learning management systems heavily depends on the choice, made during designing, of architectural solution for storage and processing of data. Based on analysis of evolution of the various architectural solutions dur-ing the information system design, beginning with monolith platform and ending with decentralized microservices, it has been de-termined that architecture based on microservices for a server side with code-level isolation and database-level decentralization for components is proved to be effective solution for high-performance system complexes for learning management system. However, for implementation of polyglot persistence concept based on multiple database managementsystems with various logical schemas, there is also a need for developing an information technology to support such architectural solutions. It has been shown that the de-velopment of databases for such learning management system, that operate with a large amount of various information, consists of the stages of conceptual, logical and physical modeling, and, precisely during the creation of logical models the requirements for the storage and processing of data, that are used by the selected entities for the implementation of business functions, are determined. The peculiar properties of using relational and non-relational database management systems such as: document, key-value, graph and column storages have been examined and analyzed in detail. A method for automated selection of logical data models based on initial information about a limited context has been developed, then used to develop a classifier. The efficiency of the classifier was tested on a dataset for two hundred thirty entities. As a result of the experiment, the reliability of the classification was ninety-three percent. The advantages of the developed information technology are shown on the example of designing JustStart learning management system. Analysis of the stress testing results of the developed system shows that due to the distribution of the load between the three databases, its average response time with simultaneous operation of one hundred fifty users was one point two seconds. At thesame time, simulation of the same number of users with only one database management system, the response time increased and the aver-age was approximately two point six seconds. Thus, the use of the developed information technology of supporting architectural solutions for organizing storage of large volumes of diverse data according to the polyglot persistence concept, that allowed to design and implement learning management system, the performance of which, if it is used simultaneously by a large audience, is on aver-age twice as fast as the average educational resource on the market.
Sizing and Routing of Wireless Sensor Networks for Traffic Vehicular Monitoring
Authors: Godoy-Pérez Karen Estefanía , Benítez-Tupiza Karen Vanessa , Valle-Jaramillo Jairo Stalin , Inga-Ortega Esteban Mauricio
Published: July 2020

The demand in the urban population affects the increase in vehicles caused by traffic in cities. The way to manage this problem is through the implementation of an intelligent traffic system that allows a better interrelation with all the elements that compose it. Communication with the elements occurs through information and communication technologies (ICT), which are required for the development of smart cities. Implementing a wireless sensor network in a city allows obtaining information on the state in which it is located in real-time so that the location of the sensors at traffic lights and traffic signals will allow obtaining the necessary data for decision-making correct based on local perception. Cities such as Quito have had a considerable increase in population, therefore, it can be seen that one of the main problems is the traffic that the city faces at peak hours, so the use of wireless sensors to monitor traffic is of great help. For everything detailed above, this document will show the dimensioning and routing of a wireless sensor network that offers a more efficient system to control and manage the flow of vehicular traffic.
A New Role for Neuropeptide F Signaling in Controlling Developmental Timing and Body Size in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Kannangara Jade R , Henstridge Michelle A , Parsons Linda M , Kondo Shu , Mirth Christen K , Warr Coral G
Published: July 2020

As juvenile animals grow, their behavior, physiology, and development need to be matched to environmental conditions to ensure they survive to adulthood. However, we know little about how behavior and physiology are integrated with development to achieve this outcome. Neuropeptides are prime candidates for achieving this due to their well-known signaling functions in controlling many aspects of behavior, physiology, and development in response to environmental cues. In the growing Drosophila larva, while several neuropeptides have been shown to regulate feeding behavior, and a handful to regulate growth, it is unclear if any of these play a global role in coordinating feeding behavior with developmental programs. Here, we demonstrate that Neuropeptide F Receptor (NPFR), best studied as a conserved regulator of feeding behavior from insects to mammals, also regulates development in Drosophila. Knocking down NPFR in the prothoracic gland, which produces the steroid hormone ecdysone, generates developmental delay and an extended feeding period, resulting in increased body size. We show that these effects are due to decreased ecdysone production, as these animals have reduced expression of ecdysone biosynthesis genes and lower ecdysone titers. Moreover, these phenotypes can be rescued by feeding larvae food supplemented with ecdysone. Further, we show that NPFR negatively regulates the insulin signaling pathway in the prothoracic gland to achieve these effects. Taken together, our data demonstrate that NPFR signaling plays a key role in regulating animal development, and may, thus, play a global role in integrating feeding behavior and development in Drosophila.
Ruxolitinib in Alleviating the Cytokine Storm of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Jianguo Li , Zhixuan Zhou , Rong Liu , Xiaodong Shi
Published: July 2020

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and life-threatening syndrome classified into primary HLH and secondary HLH. Secondary HLH is always caused by autoimmune disease, infections, or cancer. The first-line therapy for secondary HLH is the HLH 2004 protocol, including dexamethasone, etoposide, and supportive therapy. However, up to 30% of patients, especially pediatric patients, remain unresponsive to first-line treatment, and the mortality rate reaches 50% in children with HLH. Furthermore, some children who have special conditions, such as an active virus infection, are not suitable for immunosuppressants treatment. Recently, several HLH-promoting cytokines have been identified, including interferon-γ, interleukin-2, and interleukin-6. Janus kinase 1 and 2 control the signaling of many cytokines, notably interferon-γ, interleukin-2, and interleukin-6. Janus kinase 1 and 2 inhibitors, such as ruxolitinib, have been successfully used to treat HLH in mice. Here, we report that a boy, diagnosed with HLH and high titer of hepatitis B virus–DNA copies, improved quickly, and the cytokine storm of HLH was alleviated after receiving ruxolitinib. Five days after ruxolitinib treatment, entecavir was introduced and serum titer results of hepatitis B virus–DNA returned negative. With 3 months of ruxolitinib treatment and following-up 1 year, the boy’s situation maintained sustained remission. In this study, it is suggested that ruxolitinib might be a first-line drug, which could alleviate the cytokine storm of HLH. This treatment may be ushering in the age of glucocorticosteroid-free HLH treatment, which is particularly meaningful for children because it avoids the side effects of glucocorticosteroid.