bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ANCA-associated Vasculitis Management in the United States: Data From the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) Registry
Authors: Wallace Zachary S. , Yun Huifeng , Curtis Jeffrey R. , Chen Lang , Stone John H. , Choi Hyon K.
Published: February 2021

Objective.

The management of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis (AAV) has evolved substantially over the last 2 decades. We sought to characterize AAV treatment patterns in the United States.

Methods.

We identified patients with AAV in the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry who had at least 2 rheumatology clinician visits between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017. Demographics, medications, laboratory test results, and billing codes were extracted from the medical record. Demographic and prescription trends were assessed overall and across US regions.

Results.

We identified 1462 patients with AAV, 259 (18%) with new or relapsing AAV. The majority were classified as having granulomatosis with polyangiitis (75%). The mean age was 59.8 years and 59% were female. The majority of patients were in the South (45%) followed by the Mid-West (32%), West (12%), and Northeast (8%). Patients had a median of 3 visits and follow-up of 579 days. The most commonly prescribed medications during the study period were glucocorticoids (86%) followed by rituximab (45%), methotrexate (33%), azathioprine (32%), and mycophenolate mofetil (18%); cyclophosphamide (CYC) was rarely used (7%). At the most recent visits in RISE, 47% of patients were on glucocorticoids. Prescription trends were similar across regions.

Conclusion.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the demographics and management of AAV by rheumatologists outside of major referral centers. Management strategies vary widely, but CYC is rarely used. These observations can be used to inform future research priorities. Additional studies are needed to characterize AAV severity in RISE as well as patient and provider treatment preferences.
Farm holdings and the owner’s residence location in the aspect of direct payments from the EU: A case study in nine regions in Poland
Authors: Kocur-Bera Katarzyna
Published: February 2021

Instruments promoting rural development have been implemented by many countries. Areabased payments for farmers allocated under the Common Agricultural Policy constitute one of such instruments in the European Union. The support system for rural areas, including the size of the declared reference parcels, is monitored as part of the cross-compliance mechanism. Parcels with unfavorable landuse patterns are more difficult to farm. According to estimates, more than 30% of agricultural farms in Poland fall into this category. This study proposes a universal algorithm for controlling the information submitted by farmers in payment applications. More than 76,000 applications were analyzed, and farms with the defective spatial structure of land were randomly selected. The results show that most errors occur in the case of land parcels situated the farthest from a farm holding (declared in the application), but the analysis revealed no strong correlation in this respect.
Thickness and geodetic mass balance changes for the Triglav Glacier (southeastern Alps) from 1952 to 2016
Authors: Triglav Čekada Mihaela , Zorn Matija
Published: February 2021

Various geodetic and lidar measurements performed on the Triglav Glacier (Julian Alps, Slovenia) make it possible to study not only the extent of the glacier but also changes in its thickness and volume. These measurements also make it possible to calculate the geodetic mass balance of the glacier. Thickness and volume changes were calculated using glacier area measurements from 1952, 1975, and 1992, and annually between 1999 and 2016. The mean thickness decreased from 39.2m in 1952 to 2.45m in 2012. The maximum thickness decreased from 48.3 m in 1952 to 5.2 m in 2007. The mean specific mass balance was calculated for the area of 1 hectare that the glacier covered in 2016. From 1952 to 2016, the annual specific mass balance was −0.45m w.e.a−1.
Culturally Responsive Instruction as Computer-Based Reading Engagement and Literacy Among Native American Students
Authors: Lauritzen Jacob
Published: February 2021

The chapter presents a review of the literature on Native American education and the use of culturally responsive instruction to guide the implementation of a computer-based reading program to increase engagement and reading levels for Native American secondary students for a quantitative single-case study on the effects of using Achieve3000 while using a culturally responsive model for selecting reading samples. Study findings noted though student reading levels increased and reading engagement improved in some key areas, no significant difference was found between groups. The implications of these findings are that use of a culturally responsive pedagogy to select self-relevant materials for a computer-based reading program may help Native American students to increase their reading levels and reading engagement scores, but not at a significant rate. Future research should consider whether these pedagogies and other strategies may improve Native American reading literacy.
Struggles With Historical Trauma
Authors: Koenig Kirsten A.
Published: February 2021

The chapter presents results from a qualitative phenomenological heuristic study of the perceptions of historical trauma across Native American nations. Historical trauma has been established as a by-product of cultural and physical suppression. Cultural psychology details the impact of an individual's culture on the psychological development of the individual. Therefore, by examining the change to the culture that resulted in historical trauma, determination could be made regarding how the individual was impacted. This research addressed these contentions by interviewing Native American persons from the Eastern and Northern nations of North America and Canada and determined how historical trauma had influenced their psychological development via symptoms they experienced. The research identified several areas that differed from the extant literature regarding the Eastern and Northern nations.
When the Process Fails
Authors: Turner Lauren A. , Beers Michael C.
Published: February 2021

Details of a sexual harassment investigation were shared with members of the community by the employee who initially filed the related complaint and were subsequently leaked to the local media. Such details are regarded as confidential personnel matters, and parties to an investigation are encouraged not to discuss details in order to ensure full and impartial fact gathering. With that said, parties to complaints of this nature are not obligated to hold details in confidence – largely because it is their personal story. The broad distribution of details led to workplace protests, expressions of distrust of leadership, impassioned calls for greater transparency in handling of sexual harassment complaints by Human Resources, and a demand for review of sanctions levied on parties found responsible for violating policies. Leadership responded by convening a task force to examine current policies, to research best practices in sexual harassment response and prevention, and to recommend a plan of action.
The Outsourcing Dilemma of SMEs
Authors: Auškāps Dāvis , Rozentāls Dans , Kravčenko Dmitrijs
Published: February 2021

It is far from uncommon for entrepreneurial SMEs to rely on outsourced labor, especially in knowledge-intensive industries. There is a plethora of benefits to doing so – quick and cost-effective access to highly skilled, self-motivated workers is certainly appealing, especially for resource-limited enterprises. That being said, outsourcing may also raise a range of issues, including loss of control, limited retention of knowledge, and communication challenges, as well as to exert unsustainable levels of pressure on a typically weak or non-existent HRM function of such organizations. This case study considers the case of five small Latvian tech firms and their relationships with outsourcing work to freelancers. The authors raise questions about the feasibility of effective HRM practices and potential for meaningful business growth, and observe how SMEs mediate their inherently precarious relationships with freelancers by bringing desired individuals into the orbit of the organization through relationship-building.
Epidemiology and Economic Importance of African Animal Trypanosomiasis
Authors: Kimaro Esther Gwae , Abiola Popoola Moshood
Published: February 2021

African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT), also called Nagana, is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by an extracellular protozoan belonging to the genus Trypanosoma. It has serious effects on the health status and welfare of domestic mammals which considerably results in a reduction in their productivity. In this review, a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology of AAT was provided with a special focus on its general clinical aspects (the clinical signs and pathogenesis as well as its transmission cycle), the parasite (Trypanosoma spp.), the parasite life cycle and transmission, its vector (Glossina spp.), tsetse fly lifecycle and reproduction, risk factors of AAT, and economic importance of AAT in the affected countries. The present work gave a detailed account of epidemiology in the context of infestation patterns, the parasite causing it, its vector, and the economic impacts of the disease on different livestock species.
Non-Tsetse-Transmitted Animal Trypanosomosis (NTT)
Authors: Olaho-Mukani William
Published: February 2021

The non-tsetse-transmitted animal trypanosomoses are infections caused by three main mammalian trypanosome species, namely Trypanosoma evansi, T. equiprdum, and T. vivax. Their global distribution is much wider than tsetse-transmitted trypanosomoses and includes Africa and Latin America, Asia, and Euro-Asia. These trypanosomoses affect a very wide range of domestic animals and game and negatively impact on the development of the animal industry, thus directly affecting national economies and people's livelihoods.
Epidemiology and Economic Importance of Tick-Borne Diseases of Cattle in Africa
Authors: Mukolwe Donald Lubembe , Byaruhanga Charles , Obonyo Fredrick Ojiambo
Published: February 2021

The tropical and sub-tropical climate in Africa favours multiplication and maintenance of tick vectors and transmission of various pathogens to cattle. Key challenges including acaricide resistance, policy issues, transboundary animal movements, and inadequate veterinary services compromise effective control of tick-borne diseases (TBDs). This chapter discusses important host, pathogen, climatic, and management factors that impact the control of TBDs among cattle in Africa, and which affect the productivity and overall contribution to economic development. The economic losses in cattle production attributed to tick infestation and TBDs in Africa are also reviewed. The use of a sustainable integrated control approach, including vaccination, strategic tick control, surveillance for acaricide resistance, and multi-stakeholder involvement is also evaluated.
Environmental Impact Assessment for New Nuclear Power Plants in Mediterranean Countries
Authors: Bulut Acar Banu
Published: February 2021

Nuclear power is one of the sources of energy used or considered as an option by many countries in the Mediterranean as well as in the world. There are several countries in the region that currently have nuclear reactors or are planning to embark on a nuclear power program in the near future. Since the use of nuclear energy, like the other energy sources, has some environmental footprints, identification and assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts of existing and planned nuclear power plants is important with regard to management and conservation of the Mediterranean environment. This chapter describes the interaction of nuclear power plants with the environment and focuses on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes conducted in nuclear power programs of the countries in the Mediterranean region.
Innovation, Macroeconomic Effects, and Environmental Degradation
Authors: Gedikli Ayfer , Derindağ Mehmet Rıza
Published: February 2021

All over the world, rising population, diminishing natural resources, and the necessity of sustainable growth pointed out the importance of innovation. In the growth strategies, the ability to innovate, as knowledge capital, is one of the most important determinants of sustainable development for all developing countries as their aim is to generate added value, higher development, and a sustainable environment. The aim of this study is to present the importance of innovation for sustainable growth performance in the 13 Mediterranean countries. In the chapter, the role of innovation in macroeconomic performance and sustainable environment in the aforementioned countries will be analyzed. This chapter not only provides an analysis of the relationship between the innovation, macroeconomic factors, and environmental degradation but also policy suggestions to put forth to have more innovative technologies, sustainable growth performance, and environment conservation.
The Societal Transformation Framework
Authors: Trad Antoine
Published: February 2021

The nation of Semite tribes has influenced humanities for thousands of years by their creativity, perseverance, migrations, and a holistic vision of various domains of life. This historic nation that mainly includes Arameans, Hebrews, Phoenicians, Akkadians, Babylonian, Assyrians, and other Yemenite tribes, inhabited the lands of Shem, drawing their origins from the southern Yemenite inlands. It is the oldest structured and networked civilization that has chosen the Middle Eastern area as a jumpstart for their expansions to reach various parts of the world. Navigation, religion(s), alphabet, language, mathematics, sciences, culture, commerce, finance, and many other fields were originated and developed by this exceptional and enduring nation of tribes. From their origin until today, this historic nation of tribes faced many challenges, confrontation, genocides, and even risks of extinction like in the dark ages of Nazism, pan-Arabism, middle-age inquisition, extreme Islamism.
The Threat of Ponzi Schemes
Authors: Mookerjee Sourya , Sardesai Varun
Published: February 2021

A flood of corporate fraud has hit the market in the most recent decade, resuscitating attention to the impact of these incidences on corporate administration and stock market responses. Of particular relevance are Ponzi schemes that are considered practically the same as frauds. As more and more investors fall into the deep trap of Ponzi schemes, the situation is getting even more irrepressible. The reasons for a rise in the number of such swindles are mainly attributed to the breakdown in governance in different countries across the globe. This chapter dwells over the root causes of Ponzi schemes with specific focus on Asia and its developing regions. Through an in-depth study of the causes, the chapter looks to recommend possible solutions in mitigating the crisis, steps to ensure financial stability, and prevention of fraud risks.
Policy Analysis of Individual Financial Planning Affected by Personal Bias Factors in Indonesia
Authors: Azzachra Yurike Rachma , Hidayatno Akhmad , Komarudin Komarudin
Published: February 2021

Even in making individual financial decisions, humans will naturally still be affected by personal biases which leads to less than optimal, illogical, and irrational decisions. It will be an important issue due to individual financial decisions which accumulate as a whole country's economic performance. This research introduces the idea to combine personal biases stated in behavioral economic theory with individual financial decision models using a system dynamics approach. The research uses vignette a fractional factorial studies method to calculate the score of personal bias factors. The main findings of the research show that there is a positive feedback loop on individual financial planning which is influenced by personal biases. The research concludes that personal bias factors such as the hedonic editing effect, future spending, category budgeting, endowment effect, and house-money effects are important factors in individual financial planning. Thus, paying attention to these personal biases then may help policy maker to control saving, spending, and investment rates in Indonesia.
FinTechs as Service Innovators - Understanding the Service Innovation Stack
Authors: Riikkinen Mikko , Saraniemi Saila , Still Kaisa
Published: February 2021

Fundamental internal and external changes coupled with digitalisation have enabled new market entrants, FinTechs, to innovate services, creating competitive solutions to incumbents' offering. The purpose of this article is to understand the service innovation approach of FinTech companies. The complexities of service innovation are explained with a theoretical concept of service innovation stack, which presents the multiple components needed for successful service innovation. The usefulness of this construct is observed with a longitudinal case study of 10 FinTech startup from Finland using interviews and other data. These are shown with a visual representation, which ties in the internal activities with the external ones and shows the interplay between them. With the representation of the service innovation stack, the service innovation within financial industry can be better understood and further developed. The authors further suggest that though the framework is based on cases from FinTech startups, it might be relevant also for the incumbents.
Mobile Financial Services
Authors: Kimari Alexander Maina , Niyitunga Eric Blanco
Published: February 2021

The chapter explores financial exclusion, its causes, and consequences in society. The chapter found that the existing discrepancy in financial inclusion between the developed and developing world is driven by financial exclusion that makes it difficult for financial service providers to expand outreach to the poor at affordable prices. The chapter aims to investigate the role of mobile financial service design and development in dealing with financial exclusion. It was found that mobile financial services are promoting financial inclusion in various markets. However, few studies have been undertaken on the benefits of mobile financial services in dealing with the high rates of financial exclusion. The chapter recommended that to achieve financial inclusion, there is need for mobile financial services providers to take into account customer experience through the ease of using the phone interface. The chapter concluded that there is need for scholars in the fields of finance and economics to conduct research in the areas of mobile financial services and their role in society.
Challenges Faced by Banks for Financial Inclusion
Authors: Pillai Deepa , Kumar V. V. Ravi
Published: February 2021

The banking system in India significantly differs from that of other Asian nations due to unique geographic, social, and economic spread. In India, financially excluded sections largely comprise of marginal farmers, slum dwellers, migrants, women, self-employed, and senior citizens. There have been many formidable challenges in financial inclusion for bridging the gap between the demand and supply side. The chapter deliberates the challenges faced by banks for financial inclusion in context of infrastructure and institutional credit, risk perception, illiteracy, compliances, financial awareness, products, and services. Barriers to financial services expansion and product and service delivery in rural markets will be reviewed, and the primary focus will be on challenges with respect to marketing and delivery of financial services in rural areas. Reaching out to the excluded sections through financial literacy campaigns, and in the process marketing, the banks and their schemes would be an important step towards financial inclusion.
Evaluating Financial and Fiscal Knowledge for an Inclusive Society
Authors: Varela-Candamio Laura , Enríquez-Díaz Joaquín
Published: February 2021

Financial education and fiscal awareness are considered two fundamental branches of knowledge in the training of citizens from the first stages of learning. Thus, it is necessary to teach them in order to know the different savings products that can be acquired in a bank, to understand the basic information related to savings and the means of payment, or to differentiate between investment and risk. This work seeks to analyze the factors that determine the degree of financial knowledge and also fiscal knowledge of the current population. As a case study, the authors have selected a small sample of young people between 9 and 19 years at middle schools in the region of A Coruna (Spain). Findings reveal the low level of both financial and fiscal knowledge of the youngest population.
Addressing Financial Risks and Uncertainties Through Financial Literacy Education
Authors: McKain Danielle
Published: February 2021

The world is full of financial risks and uncertainties even for those who have financial literacy. There are many factors to consider when planning financially: the stock market, hyperinflation, and climate change all play roles and are unpredictable. This chapter will focus on the actions that are being taken to establish financial literacy across the world and the impact these actions have on individual financial stability. Although financial literacy certainly cannot eliminate the risks and uncertainties that accompany unforeseen events, it is one way to prepare for these events. Even in times of normalcy, lack of financial literacy can put individuals at an increased risk of financial instability. This chapter presents a variety of recommendations and resources for financial literacy education as well as the risks and uncertainties that accompany their use.
Acquisition of Financial Literacy as a Life Skill
Authors: Gezmen Başak , Eken ihsan
Published: February 2021

Alongside the phenomena such as crisis, prosperity, etc., which emerged with the increase of global competition, the development of literacy levels has become critical. In the acquisition and development of financial literacy, first of all, the current situation should be determined, then the relevant policies should be developed and the literacy should be acquired through the necessary trainings to be provided. This chapter determines the relationship between the acquisition of financial literacy awareness as a life skill and the participation of the students who took the Introduction to Economics course in the Faculty of Communication at Istanbul Medipol University in 2018-2019 in the axis of survey method. Authors discuss the students' financial literacy awareness and skill in general. The chapter also gains insight into the situation of similar courses such as economics and finance to improve the perspective on financial literacy awareness.
Financial Literacy Education Program Post Financial Housing Crisis
Authors: Lu Shanel
Published: February 2021

As Americans faced financial devastation resulting from the 2008 housing financial crisis, left them in a critical financial hardship. Many affluent suburban neighborhoods now resembled desolate ghost towns as families abandon homes in the middle of the night to avoid ugly snares and embarrassment (Bradford, 2011). Homeowners that once lived in upper middle-class communities achieving the American dream faced the horrifying reality of facing foreclosure, bankruptcies that will force themselves into financial ruin (Bradford, 2011). As a result of the financial housing crisis, 6.9 million homeowners faced mortgage delinquency causing financial institutions to begin foreclosure proceedings (Bradford, 2011; Crotty, 2009). This research focuses on the background to the problem, the underserved populations that were deeply impacted by the financial housing crisis and financial literacy education program that can assist the community toward financial recovery.
Using Eye Tracking to Explore Visual Attention in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Michalek Anne M. P. , Bobzien Jonna , Lugo Victor A. , Chen Chung Hao , Bruhn Ann , Giannakos Michail , Michalek Anne
Published: February 2021

Video social stories are used to facilitate understanding of social situations for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study explored the use of eye tracking technology to understand how adolescents with and without ASD visually attend to video social story content and whether visual attention is related to content comprehension. Six adolescents, with and without ASD, viewed a video social story of visiting a dental office. Eye gaze metrics, including fixation duration and count, and visit duration were collected to measure visual attention, and a knowledge assessment was administered for comprehension. Results indicated adolescents with ASD fixated and maintained visual attention at rates lower than peers without ASD. Adolescents with ASD scored higher (M=77.78) than peers without ASD (M=72.22) on the assessment indicating no relationship between eye gaze metrics and knowledge accuracy. Impact and implications of visual image type on frequency and duration of visual attention generated by participants is discussed.
Performance Assessment of Ensemble Learning Model for Prediction of Cardiac Disease Among Smokers Based on HRV Features
Authors: Rathod S. R. , Patil C. Y.
Published: February 2021

Smoking impacts the pattern of heart rate variability (HRV); HRV therefore acts as a predictor of cardiac diseases (CD). In this study, to predict CD non-invasively among smokers, ensemble machine learning methods have been used. A single model is created based on ensemble voting classifier with a combined boosting technique to improve the accuracy of predictive model. The final ensemble model shows an accuracy of 95.20%, precision of 97.27%, sensitivity of 92.35%, specificity of 98.07%, F1 score of 0.95, AUC of 0.961, MCE of 0.0479, kappa statistics value of 0.9041, and MSE of 0.2189. The obtained accuracy by using the proposed method is the highest value achieved so far for the prediction of CD among smokers using HRV data.
A Study of the Impact of Internet Gaming on Aspects of Quality of Life and Flourishing of Young Undergraduates in India
Authors: Gulati Isha , Shukla Jyotsana
Published: February 2021

The present study was conducted to study the impact of internet gaming on the quality of life and flourishing of undergraduates. For this purpose, 80 internet gamers and 80 internet non-gamers lying within the age range of 17-24 years were recruited. For assessing the extent of internet gaming, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF) was utilized while for assessing quality of life and flourishing, the WHO Quality of Life – BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Flourishing Scale were used, respectively. The results indicated significant differences in aspects of quality of life between the two groups. Further, the relationship of internet gaming with various aspects of quality of life and flourishing was also explored. The results reveal that internet gaming may indeed influence young undergraduates' quality of life and flourishing.
Scalable Biclustering Algorithm Considers the Presence or Absence of Properties
Authors: Balamane Abdelilah
Published: February 2021

Most existing biclustering algorithms take into account the properties that hold for a set of objects. However, it could be beneficial in several application domains such as organized crimes, genetics, or digital marketing to identify homogeneous groups of similar objects in terms of both the presence and the absence of attributes. In this paper, the author proposes a scalable and efficient algorithm of biclustering that exploits a binary matrix to produce at least three types of biclusters where the cell's column (1) are filled with 1's, (2) are filled with 0's, and (3) some columns filled with 1's and/or with 0's. This procedure is scalable and it's executed without having to consider the complementary of the initial binary context. The implementation and validation of the method on data sets illustrates its potential in the discovery of relevant patterns.
Last Minute Medical Appointments No-Show Management
Authors: Sousa Daniel M. , Vasconcelos André
Published: February 2021

A no-show occurs when a client has an appointment of some sort with another entity, and voluntarily or not, the client does not show up to that appointment. A patient missing an appointment will mean that the clinic's and health professional's time slot will be wasted. The goal of this research is to find a solution that minimizes no-shows, detecting when a patient is not going to come to the appointment and finding an appropriate replacement. The authors propose a hybrid solution which combines two different behavior prediction techniques: population-based behavior and individual-based behavior. The algorithm starts by computing a no-show probability based on the population's behavior using a logistic regression model. After that, using Bayesian inference, that probability is personalized for each patient. After computing the no-show probabilities for every candidate patient, the algorithm checks if any of them are interested on taking the appointment. The proposed algorithm was assessed using lab data and healthcare provider data.
Blockchain Application to the Cancer Registry Database
Authors: Kasten Joseph E.
Published: February 2021

Blockchain, since its 2008 conceptual inception, has largely been contextualized in crypto currencies. Today, blockchain technology has matured to a level that allows the exploration of its application to other and diverse domains, including the management of cancer registries. When collecting and handling data relating to cancer diagnosis and treatment as mandated by law in many municipalities, the process is both time-consuming and requires significant coordination among multiple levels of data collecting jurisdictions. This often leads to inconsistent data vis-à-vis the various levels of data storage. This paper calls for using a blockchain-based mechanism to alert the data users on possible inconsistencies prior to applying the collected data in cancer research. A system framework drawing on the design science research methodology is found to result in increased data quality so as to improve cancer research outcome accuracies.
Spectral-Spatial Classification of Hyperspectral Image Based on Support Vector Machine
Authors: Yang Weiwei , Song Haifeng
Published: February 2021

Recent research has shown that integration of spatial information has emerged as a powerful tool in improving the classification accuracy of hyperspectral image (HSI). However, partitioning homogeneous regions of the HSI remains a challenging task. This paper proposes a novel spectral-spatial classification method inspired by the support vector machine (SVM). The model consists of spectral-spatial feature extraction channel (SSC) and SVM classifier. SSC is mainly used to extract spatial-spectral features of HSI. SVM is mainly used to classify the extracted features. The model can automatically extract the features of HSI and classify them. Experiments are conducted on benchmark HSI dataset (Indian Pines). It is found that the proposed method yields more accurate classification results compared to the state-of-the-art techniques.
The Position of ADME Predictions in Multi-Objective QSAR
Authors: Tsantili-Kakoulidou Anna
Published: February 2021

ADME properties and toxicity predictions play an essential role in prioritization and optimization of drug molecules. According to recent statistics, drug efficacy and safety are principal reasons for drug failure. In this perspective, the position of ADME predictions in the evolution of traditional QSAR from the single objective of biological activity to a multi-task concept is discussed. The essential features of ADME and toxicity QSAR models are highlighted. Since such models are applied to prioritize existing or virtual project compounds with already established or predicted target affinity, a mechanistic interpretation, although desirable, is not a primary goal. However, a broad applicability domain is crucial. A future challenge with multi-objective QSAR is to adapt to the realm of big data by integrating techniques for the exploitation of the continuously increasing number of ADME data and the huge amount of clinical development endpoints for the sake of efficacy and safety of new drug candidates.
QSAR Classification of Anticancer Heterocyclichydrazones With Reactivity Descriptors
Authors: Rodriguez Maria Rosa , Duchowicz Pablo Roman , Comelli Nieves Carolina
Published: February 2021

In this study, validated PLS-DA models that discriminate heterocyclichydrazones with potent anticancer activity (GI50/IC50<50x10-6M) from those with low activity (GI50/IC50>=50x10-6M) against the cancer cell lines HCT-116 (colon), OVCAR-8 (human ovary), HL-60 (leukemia), and SF-295 (glioblastoma) were developed. A dataset of 24-a-(N)-heterocyclichydrazones and 14 N-acylhydrazonyl-thienyl and various global and local reactivity descriptors were used for modeling. The best models classified for training and test sets with an accuracy range between 67-100%, a class specificity and sensitivity range between 71-100%, error rate range between 0-0.27, and non-error rate range between 0.73-1.0. An external set of 20 compounds was predicted and the models showed which new compounds are not suggested for further biological investigation. The molecular properties with impact on the modeled endpoints show that the antitumor activity can be improved with electron-acceptor N-acylhydrazonyl-thienyl derivatives and a-(N)-heterocyclichydrazones with moderate electron-donating character.
Network Intrusion Detection in Internet of Things (IoT)
Authors: Yaokumah Winfred , Clottey Richard Nunoo , Appati Justice Kwame
Published: February 2021

The open nature of the internet of things network makes it vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Intrusion detection systems aid in detecting and preventing such attacks. This paper offered a systematic review of studies on intrusion detection in IoT, focusing on metrics, methods, datasets, and attack types. This review used 33 network intrusion detection papers in 31 journals and 2 conference proceedings. The results revealed that the majority of the studies used generated or private datasets. Machine learning (ML)-based methods (85%) were used in the studies, while the rest used statistical methods. Eight categories of metrics were identified as prominent in evaluating IoT performance, and 94.9% of the ML-based methods employed average detection rate. Moreover, over 20 attacks on IoT networks were detected, with denial of service (DoS) and sinkhole being the majority. Based on the review, the future direction of research should focus on using public datasets, machine learning-based methods, and metrics such as resource consumption, energy consumption, and power consumption.
A Power Control Strategy for IoT Sensors Developed for 5G Networks
Authors: Mwashita Weston , Odhiambo Marcel Ohanga
Published: February 2021

This research work presents a power control mechanism developed for ProSe-enabled sensors so that the sensors can be smoothly integrated into the fifth generation (5G) of mobile networks. It is strongly anticipated that 5G networks will provide an enabling environment for the 21st century innovations like the internet of things (IoT). Sensors are pivotal in IoT. The proposed power control mechanism involves an open loop power control (OLPC) mechanism that a ProSe-enabled sensor has to use to establish communication with a base station (BS) and a closed loop power control (CLPC) the BS then has use to establish transmit power levels for devices to be involved in a device to device (D2D) communication depending on the prevailing channel conditions. The results obtained demonstrate that the developed scheme does not adversely affect the quality of service (QoS) of a 5G mobile network.
RECREAÇÃO E LAZER NA PRAÇA FARIA NEVES: DESAFIOS PARA A GESTÃO DA CONSERVAÇÃO DE UM ESPAÇO PÚBLICO PATRIMONIAL NO RECIFE
Authors: Pimentel Martins Ana Betânia de Souza , Barros Juliane de Lima , Carneiro Ana Rita Sá , Maciel Caio Augusto Amorim
Published: February 2021

A Praça Faria Neves, situada no bairro de Dois Irmãos, no Recife, é um jardim histórico tombado, em 2015, pelo Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional junto a outras cinco praças projetadas pelo paisagista Roberto Burle Marx. Foi criada prevendo o uso para o lazer, como a contemplação e a recreação infantil, se constituindo em uma antessala do Parque Estadual Dois Irmãos, extensa área vegetada onde está situado o zoológico. Contudo, com as transformações urbanas vivenciadas nos espaços públicos da capital pernambucana, percebe-se que emergiram novas possibilidades e demandas de uso da praça, o que se torna um desafio a ser enfrentado pelos gestores públicos, ainda mais agravante pela sua condição de monumento histórico. Apoiado no conceito de espaço público e nos princípios da conservação integrada, o presente trabalho buscou, através da observação direta in loco das atividades na praça, registro fotográfico e ainda da aplicação de entrevistas com moradores do entorno, identificar as principais atividades de recreação e lazer desenvolvidas na referida praça, bem como apontar, de forma preliminar, algumas diretrizes para gestão compartilhada desse jardim histórico e espaço público de lazer da cidade.
ANÁLISE QUANTITATIVA DE PERDAS DE SOLO DA BACIA HIDROGRÁFICA DE PRIMEIRA ORDEM DO CÓRREGO ZAÚNA - MARINGÁ (PR)
Authors: Uema Diogo Yukio , Gasparetto Nelson Vicente Lovatto
Published: February 2021

A erosão laminar é considerada uma das principais causas de degradação dos solos, resultando na perda de nutrientes do solo e prejuízo às atividades agrícolas, além de poluir e assorear os cursos hídricos de sua rede hidrográfica. A atividade humana é a principal responsável pela aceleração desse processo natural, pelo uso inadequado do solo. Para elaborar um planejamento ambiental adequado, é necessário um diagnóstico da quantidade de solo erodido e os locais onde a perda de sedimentos é maior. Com esse intuito, o presente artigo utilizou a Equação Universal de Perdas de Solo (EUPS) e a Razão de Produção de Sedimentos (RPS) na bacia hidrográfica de primeira ordem do córrego Zaúna, no município de Maringá – PR, a fim de identificar a quantidade de sedimentos produzidos, transportados e retidos. O período analisado foi entre os meses de julho de 2016 e junho de 2017. Os resultados apresentaram pequenas quantidades de material erodido na área, com maior destaque para as classes entre 0-3 e 3-5 (ton.saz), separadas em cálculos sazonais (4) e anuais (2), um considerando o solo exposto e o solo coberto). As maiores perdas de solo na bacia hidrográfica ocorreram na estação da primavera e no cálculo anual de solo exposto.
ORIENTAÇÃO PROFISSIONAL: PERSPECTIVAS DOS DOCENTES DO ENSINO MÉDIO DA REDE PÚBLICA DA MESORREGIÃO CENTRO-OCIDENTAL PARANAENSE, BRASIL
Authors: Bovo Marcos Clair , França Fabiane Freire , Oliveira Diego de Melo , Kalinovski Gomes Érica Fernanda
Published: February 2021

Este artigo faz parte do projeto intitulado “Unespar/Fecilcam em diálogo com a educação básica: jovens ao encontro de caminhos profissionais”, do Programa Universidade Sem Fronteiras, cujo propósito foi investigar e discutir a orientação profissional no âmbito educacional e, a partir deste, incentivar os alunos, em fase de conclusão da Educação Básica, a cursar o Ensino Superior. A esse respeito, procurou-se, na presente pesquisa, em compreender qual a concepção dos professores-diretores de colégios com baixo Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH) da Mesorregião Centro Ocidental do Paraná, por intermédio da prática desenvolvida a partir de pesquisa qualitativa e da metodologia da pesquisa-ação. Inicialmente, foram realizados encontros com os alunos a fim de proporcionar-lhes o entendimento do propósito da Orientação Profissional, que visa nortear sua escolha, bem como as diferentes e diversas áreas do conhecimento. Em seguida, houve a aplicação de questionários e, por fim, a utilização de fontes orais, por meio de entrevistas com os professores-diretores dos colégios. Diante disso, averiguou-se de maneira intencional, as concepções dos docentes acerca do processo de orientação profissional, de modo a visualizar se realizam ações nesse sentido. Dentre os resultados obtidos, destacaram-se que os professores, bem como os alunos sentem a necessidade de práticas voltadas ao aconselhamento profissional, no entanto não as realizam em grande parte, pela falta de profissionais especializados na área, ou por terem que atender a outras exigências do ambiente educacional.
Investigation of Optimal Esterification Conditions of Lactic Acid with Butanol by Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Zheng Meng Jun , Tseng Hsin Chi , Chiu Bo Yao , Hung Wei Cheng , Horng Richard S.
Published: February 2021

Esterification reaction of lactic acid with butanol to produce butyl lactate and its optimal conditions were investigated. Cyclohexane was used as entrainer to remove water to promote reaction yield. Catalyst of NaHSO4 was also used to increase reaction rate. Reaction parameters of butanol/lactic acid ratio, cyclohexane/lactic acid ratio, catalyst amount, and reaction time were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Results showed that the butanol/lactic acid ratio was the most significant factor for esterification yield while interactions between butanol/lactic acid ratio and cyclohexane/lactic acid ratio, butanol/lactic acid ratio, and reaction time were less significant. The correlation coefficient between predicted values and experiment values was 0.985. The optimal conditions for the experiment are: ethanol/lactic acid ratio 5:1, cyclohexane/lactic acid ratio 1:1, catalyst loading 1.5%, and incubation period 3 hours. The esterification yield reaches 99.8% under these conditions.
Dexmedetomidine and Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome in Critically Ill Children
Authors: Geven Barbara M. , Maaskant Jolanda M. , Ward Catherine S. , van Woensel Job B.M.
Published: February 2021

Background

Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome is a well-known adverse effect of sedatives and analgesics commonly used in patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the pediatric intensive care unit, with an incidence of up to 64.6%. When standard sedative and analgesic treatment is inadequate, dexmedetomidine may be added. The effect of supplemental dexmedetomidine on iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome is unclear.

Objective

To explore the potentially preventive effect of dexmedetomidine, used as a supplement to standard morphine and midazolam regimens, on the development of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome in patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Methods

This retrospective observational study used data from patients on a 10-bed general pediatric intensive care unit. Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome was measured using the Sophia Observation withdrawal Symptoms-scale.

Results

In a sample of 102 patients, the cumulative dose of dexmedetomidine had no preventive effect on the development of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (P = .19). After correction for the imbalance in the baseline characteristics between patients who did and did not receive dexmedetomidine, the cumulative dose of midazolam was found to be a significant risk factor for iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (P < .03).

Conclusion

In this study, supplemental dexmedetomidine had no preventive effect on iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome in patients receiving sedative treatment in the pediatric intensive care unit. The cumulative dose of midazolam was a significant risk factor for iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome.
Laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchidopexy for intra-abdominal cryptorchid testis: a single institution experience
Authors: Papparella Alfonso , De Rosa Laura , Noviello Carmine
Published: February 2021

Fowler-Stephens Laparoscopic Orchiopexy (FSLO) permits the mobilization of Intra-Abdominal Testis (IAT) to the scrotal position after spermatic vessel ligation. We reported our experience of FSLO for IAT. The charts of all boys who underwent a FSLO were retrospectively reviewed. Data were analysed for demographic data, procedure, complications and follow-up results. From January 2008 to June 2016, 160 laparoscopies for Non Palpable Testis (NPT) were performed at a mean age of 3,2 years. 61% of patients had a right NPT, while 6% were bilateral. In 64 cases, an IAT was found: 20 were managed by FSLO with a two-stage procedure in 11 patients. There were no differences in hospitalisations; one patient had a prolonged ileus. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 8 years. Of the 20 patients who underwent FSLO, testicular atrophy developed in three; the remaining testes were in the scrotal position, with normal consistency. FSLO was applied in 31% of IAT. The overall success rate of the technique was 85 %. The percentage of atrophy associated after spermatic vessels interruption appears to provide a good chance of testicular survival.
Albuminuria Is Associated with Steatosis Burden in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Han Eugene , Kim Mi Kyung , Jang Byoung Kuk , Kim Hye Soon
Published: February 2021

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between hepatic steatosis burden and albuminuria in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods: We recruited 100 patients with both T2DM and NAFLD, but without chronic kidney disease. Albuminuria was defined as a spot urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) ≥30 mg/g. Transient elastography was performed, and the steatosis burden was quantified by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) with significant steatosis defined as CAP >302 dB/m.Results: The prevalence of significant steatosis and albuminuria was 56.0% and 21.0%, respectively. Subjects with significant steatosis were significantly younger and had a significantly shorter duration of T2DM, greater waist circumference, and higher body mass index, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, than subjects without severe NAFLD (all P<0.05). Albuminuria was higher in patients with significant steatosis than in patients without significant steatosis (32.1% vs. 6.8%, P=0.002). Urinary ACR showed a correlation with CAP (r=0.331, P=0.001), and multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant association between a high degree of albuminuria and high CAP value (r=0.321, P=0.001). Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated the independent association between urinary ACR and significant steatosis after adjustment for confounding factors including age, body mass index, duration of T2DM, low density lipoprotein level, and renin-angiotensin system blocker use (odds ratio, 1.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.31 to 2.71; P=0.001).Conclusion: T2DM patients with NAFLD had a higher prevalence of albuminuria, which correlated with their steatosis burden.