bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who Is Using Take-home Naloxone a Lot? An Examination of Super-savers
Authors: Eide Desiree , Lobmaier Philipp , Clausen Thomas
Published: October 2021

BackgroundAs the opioid overdose crisis persists and take-home naloxone (THN) programmes expand, it is important that the intervention is targeted towards those most likely to use it. We examined THN program participants to 1) describe those that return for refills, specifically those that reported multiple use (super-savers) and 2) to determine what rescuer characteristics were associated with higher rates of THN use. MethodsThis study included a cohort of consenting THN recipients from June 2014- June 2021 who completed initial and refill questionnaires from a widespread program in Norway. Adjusted logistic regression was used to explore associations with higher rates of THN use. ‘Super-savers’ reported three or more THN uses.ResultsA total of 1054 participants returned for a THN refill during the study period. Of these, 558 reported their last THN to have been used on an overdose. In the adjusted model, the only significant predictor for being a super-saver was previously witnessing 11-20 overdoses at baseline [AOR, 3.27 (1.18-9.07)]. Overall, those who returned for a refill were comparable, regardless of if their last THN had been used on an overdose. Conclusions﻿Witnessing a high number of overdoses was subsequently associated with higher reports of THN use. THN programs should continue to emphasize and prioritize THN for people actively using drugs, particularly those who have witnessed overdoses previously.
Macamide B Pretreatment Attenuates Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage of Mice Induced Apoptosis by Regulates Autophagy Via The PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
Authors: Yang Xiaoxia , Wang Mengxia , Zhou Qian , Bai Yanxian , Liu Jing , Yang Junhua , Li Lixia , Li Guoying , Luo Li
Published: October 2021

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is an annual or biennial herb from South America that is a member of the genus Lepidium L. in the family Cruciferae. This herb has antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and enhances autophagy functions and can prevent cell death, and protect neurons from ischemic damage. Macamide B, an effective active ingredient of maca, has a neuroprotective role in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD), and the underlying mechanism of its neuroprotective effect is not yet known. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of macamide B on HIBD-induced autophagy and apoptosis and its potential mechanism for neuroprotection. The modified Rice-Vannucci method was used to induce HIBD on 7-day-old (P7) macamide B and vehicle-pretreated pups. TTC staining was used to evaluate the cerebral infarct volume of pups, brain water content was measured to evaluate the neurological function of pups, neurobehavioral testing was used to assess functional recovery after HIBD, TUNEL and FJC staining was used to detect cell autophagy and apoptosis, and western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of the pro-survival signaling pathway phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and autophagy and the apoptosis-related proteins. The results show that macamide B pretreatment can significantly decrease brain damage, improve the recovery of neural function after HIBD. At the same time, macamide B pretreatment can induce the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway after HIBD, enhance autophagy, and reduce hypoxic-ischemic (HI)-induced apoptosis. In addition, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an inhibitor of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, significantly inhibits the increase in autophagy levels, aggravates HI-induced apoptosis, and reverses the neuroprotective effect of macamide B on HIBD. Our data indicate that macamide B pretreatment might regulate autophagy through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby reducing HIBD-induced apoptosis and exerting neuroprotective effects on neonatal HIBD. Macamide B may become a new drug for the prevention and treatment of HIBD.
Chitinolytic and Antagonistic Activity of Streptomyces Isolated from Fadama Soil against Phytopathogenic Fungi
Authors: Umar Aminu Argungu , Hussaini Aminu Bandam , Yahayya Jibril , Sani Ibrahim , Aminu Habiba
Published: October 2021

Chitinases which degrade chitin have attracted attention as biological antifungal agents. The purpose of this study is to isolate Streptomyces from Fadama soil and assess its chitinolytic and antagonist potential against phytopathogenic fungi for application as biocontrol agent. Streptomyces were isolated from Fadama soil. The selected isolate CT02 exhibited chitinolytic characteristics. Chitinase production was performed under different temperatures, pH and varying incubation period. The highest chitinase production by CT02 isolate was observed after five days of cultivation. The highest chitinase activity was observed at 35°C and pH 7. The crude extracellular enzyme exhibited a specific activity of 4.20 U/μg whereas partially purified extracellular enzyme exhibited a specific activity of 6.19 U/μg with purification fold of 1.47. The selected isolate CT02 and its extracellular crude chitinase showed in vitro antifungal antagonist potential by inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae. This indicates that Streptomyces derived chitinases are potential biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi.
Integrated geological and geophysical study of the Tagil river valley morphology in its middle course
Authors:   Ural State Mining University, Kuzin Aleksei V.
Published: October 2021

Relevance. Integrated geological and geophysical studies of a bridge in the Makhnevo village area are considered in the frame of the Urals eastern slope geology. Research objective is to study the lithology of the underlying part of the valley floor, determine soil physical and mechanical characteristics, and study a complex of fluvial terraces. Results. Relief elevations across the river valley have been studied, and four main fluvial terrace levels typical of the Urals eastern slope have been identified. An unstable section of the streambed with a canyonshaped valley above the neotectonic unwarping zone has been identified. The geological section of the river’s floodplain and streambed were studied based on geological and geophysical data. A change in the physical properties of glauconite sandstones and clays of Paleogene age in the recent underlying part of the river valley has been established. Layers of sand and glauconite sandstone that can be developed have been found at the new bridge site near the existing sand and gravel deposit. Conclusions. A complex of terraces of the Tagil river valley in its middle course is typical for the Urals eastern slope. The paleovalley is cut into a Paleogene glauconite sandstone layer. In the underlying part of the valley floor, changes in sandstones and clays physical properties have been recorded, and the presence of hypogene minerals was revealed. These are the signs of possible neotectonic processes in the series of the Cenozoic and Quaternary deposits.
The effect of methane emission on air distribution in potash mine production units
Authors:   Perm National Research Polytechnic University, Nikolaev Aleksandr
Published: October 2021

Introduction. It has been found that due to light gas (including methane) emission in rooms under development, there develops an additional natural draught between the mine workings. The calculation has shown that methane emission from the rock mass conditions the low value of the additional natural draught. However, even minor additional natural draught interacting with a thermal drop of pressure caused by temperature rise in the conveyor shaft changes the direction of the delivery air stream. While in up the dip blocks and panels the resultant natural draught promotes ventilation, in the down the dip production units it prevents air circulation in the required direction. Research methods. The methods and results of calculating the value and direction of the natural draught for real panels of potash mines at the Upper Kama potash deposit under various conditions have been presented together with the simulation observations of methane distribution in the room with a point source of emission. Results. Model analysis has shown that even under the low amount of gas emission out of the point source in the blind room (of a hole drilled in the roof), the concentration of gas in the gas-air mixture entering the belt heading reaches 2%. Conclusions. To ensure the safety of mining and reduce the risk of emergency when calculating the volume of air required to ventilate the production units, the dynamics of methane emission out of the rock mass should be taken into account as well as its further distribution across the mine workings.
New system of higher engineering education in Germany
Authors:   Berlin, Lukas Vilmar A.
Published: October 2021

Introduction. The paper registers some significant changes that higher mining education has undergone over the past decades, including the ones that occurred in Germany. Mineral production on the Eurasian continent has been decreasing gradually and resulted in the declining demand for mining specialists. It is in German that the tendency was the most pronounced. Reduced number of students and the subsequent reduction in the number of mining and geological departments concerned all leading centers of mining education. Relevance. Higher educational institutions in Germany are looking for a way out of the crisis reorienting their teaching and scientific activity to the allied sciences, in particular oil and gas production, underground engineering structures construction, production and processing of unconventional natural resources, subsea production, environment-related activities, and spoil disposal. Colleges also train specialists for other countries and international mining corporations. Methods of research. The paper provides examples and analysis of new curricula in the universities of Freiberg, Aachen, Clausthal, etc. These mining schools have accumulated considerable experience in reforming and developing mining education. Current state. The mining field of vocational training in German colleges has acquired an integrated name which can be translated as the “technology of mineral raw materials”. Traditional mining specialisms are being combined and consolidated. New methodological approaches are being extensively introduced. These steps are to improve the appeal of the mining education for the youth and arouse employers interest in the specialists of a new specialism.
The impact of firms’ and CEOs’ social media usage on corporate performance
Authors: Ghardallou Wafa
Published: October 2021

The impact of social media usage on corporate performance has not been examined in the Saudi context. This paper aims to investigate the influence of social media, namely companies’ and CEOs’ involvement in Twitter and LinkedIn, on the profitability of Saudi Arabia listed firms. A dynamic panel estimation method is used to empirically assess this relationship. The study employs 120 firms listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange Tadawul from 2014 to 2017. Data are obtained from the companies’ annual reports. Statements of financial status as well as income statements are used to collect data on the dependent variable and control variables. The results show that having a LinkedIn official account by both the CEO and the company does not improve the enterprise performance. In contrast, companies that are active on Twitter will contribute to an increase in their short-term performance. CEOs who engage in Twitter via a high number of followers help to boost the performance of their companies in the long and short term. Hence, this paper recommends that Saudi firms should be aware that their performance could be increased by monitoring their presence on social networks and by having a strong intention to use these tools.
AcknowledgmentsThis study was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University through the Fast-track Research Funding Program.
AVANÇOS ANALÍTICOS BASEADOS EM MODELOS DE CALIBRAÇÃO DE PRIMEIRA ORDEM E ESPECTROSCOPIA UV-VIS PARA AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DA ÁGUA: UMA REVISÃO - PARTE 1
Authors: Santos Grazielle , Paulino Gabriela , Borges Grazielle , Santiago Aníbal , Silva Gilmare
Published: October 2021

ANALYTICAL ADVANCES BASED ON FIRST-ORDER CALIBRATION MODELS AND UV-VIS SPECTROSCOPY FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY: A REVIEW – PART 1. This work aimed to infer about the scientific progress of the use of ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry for evaluations of water quality. The research started in the 60s, when the imminence of obtaining characteristics of the UV-Vis spectrum that estimated the water quality. From a temporal perspective, the 1990s began using first order multivariate calibration models, focus of this work, to predict water quality parameters utilizing the UV-Vis spectra. During the period evaluated, numerous studies used spectrophotometry to quantify analytes using univariate calibration. However, many works also report the fact that the determined substances absorb at the same wavelengths and describe how to resolve these interferences. But gaps such as low concentration determinations are still a bottleneck as the best results, for example, are related to high amounts of organic matter, fact also related to instrumental aspects. One of the gains was the introduction of chemometric approaches which allows quantification without the need of analytical curve construction during the prediction step. However, although they are already used techniques, the survey carried out here verified the applications are considered incipient, where, for example, dissolved organic carbon and nitrate predictions using first order multivariate calibration represent less than 30% of the determinations.
Bir Denim Konfeksiyon İşletmesinde Otomasyon Sistemlerinin, İş Sürelerindeki İyileşmeye Olan Etkisinin Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: BİLGİÇ Hilal
Published: October 2021

Bu çalışmada, bir denim konfeksiyon işletmesinde iş istasyonlarına göre, elle ve otomatik olarak yapılan işlerin zaman etüdü yapılmış ve kıyaslanmıştır. Dikim bölümünde işlem zorluğu ve işlem süresinin uzunluğu nedeni ile otomatlara ihtiyaç duyulan işlemler de etüt edilmiştir. Yapılan etütler sonucu dikimhanede kullanılan otomatlarda işlem süresi açısından en düşük iyileşme yüzdesi %28,94 ile rivet çakma otomatında (bu işlem, ürün yıkama öncesi yapıldığından, otomat, dikimhane departmanı içindedir), en yüksek iyileşme yüzdesi ise %88,57 ile kemer takma otomatında kaydedilmiştir. Denim konfeksiyona has kuru işlemlerde ise, 13 adet numunenin üzerlerindeki işlemlerin hem manuel, hem de otomatik makinelerdeki işlem süreleri etüt edilmiştir. Elde edilen verilere göre zaman açısından iyileşme yüzdeleri hesaplanmıştır. Numunelere uygulanan kuru bitim işlemlerinde ise zorluk derecesine göre işlem sürelerinde %25,52 ila %56,25 arasında iyileşme görülmüştür.
Evaluating the capability of hybrid data-driven approaches to forecast monthly streamflow using hydrometric and meteorological variables
Authors: Azarpira Fariba , Shahabi Sajad
Published: October 2021

Streamflow forecasting, as one of the most important issues in hydrological studies, plays a vital role in several aspects of water resources management such as reservoir operation, water allocation, and flood forecasting. In this study, wavelet-gene expression programming (WGEP) and wavelet-M5 prime (WM5P) techniques, as two robust artificial intelligence (AI) models, were applied for forecasting the monthly streamflow in Khoshkroud and Polroud Rivers located in two basins with the same names. Results of hybrid AI techniques were compared with those achieved by two stand-alone models of GEP and M5P. Seven combinations of hydrological (H) and meteorological (M) variables were considered to investigate the effect of climatic variables on the performance of the proposed techniques. Moreover, the performance of both stand-alone and hybrid models were evaluated by statistical criteria of correlation of coefficient, root-mean-square error, index of agreement, the Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient, and relative improvement. The statistical results revealed that there is a dependency between ‘the M5P and GEP performance’ and ‘the geometric properties of basins (e.g., area, shape, slope, and river network density)’. It was found that a preprocessed technique could increase the performance of M5P and GEP models. Compared to the stand-alone techniques, the hybrid AI models resulted in higher performance. For both basins, the performance of the WM5P model was higher than the WGEP model, especially for extreme events. Overall, the results demonstrated that the proposed hybrid AI approaches are reliable tools for forecasting the monthly streamflow, while the meteorological and hydrometric variables are taken into account.
A study of inline chemical coagulation/precipitation-ceramic microfiltration and nanofiltration for reverse osmosis concentrate minimization and reuse in the textile industry
Authors: Çelebi Mehtap Dursun , Dilaver Mehmet , Kobya Mehmet
Published: October 2021

Reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) is one of the major drawbacks in membrane treatment technologies specifically due to the scale-forming ions. It is important to remove these ions from ROC to enhance total water recovery and reuse in the textile industry that is the largest water-consumer and polluter industry. In this work, coagulation/high pH precipitation (CP) integrated with ceramic microfiltration (CMF) was studied as a pre-treatment method followed by nanofiltration (NF) to increase the efficiency of water recovery. To prevent organic fouling, ferric chloride (FeCl3) was applied at a concentration of 3 mM, and ceramic membranes were used for the removal of non-precipitating crystals and/or suspended solids (at high pH) before the NF processes. The CP-CMF method successfully removed calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), silica (SiO2), and TOC up to 97, 83, 92, and 87% respectively, which resulted in higher performance of the NF process. Moreover, this method provided higher flux at lower pressure that ultimately increased overall water recovery of the NF process to achieve near-zero liquid discharge (n-ZLD). A cost–benefit estimation showed that a high-quality effluent (COD<5 mg/L; conductivity 700<μS/cm; negligible residual color) can be generated and recycled in the textile industry at an economical cost (approximately 0.97 USD/m3). Therefore, ROC minimization and water recovery can help to achieve n-ZLD using the CP-CMF/NF method.
Investigating colloid-associated transport of cadmium and lead in a clayey soil under preferential flow conditions
Authors: Zhang Wenjie , Jiang Fengyong , Sun Wenjing
Published: October 2021

Colloids have a high adsorption capacity and can be mobile under preferential flow, and so may facilitate heavy metal migration. Heavy metal migration with soil colloids in a clayey soil under preferential flow conditions was investigated through experiments. Adsorption tests were carried out to determine the adsorption of Cd2+ and Pb2+ to the clay and colloids. The preferential flow characteristics in the soil column were investigated by dye tracing tests. The mobility of soil colloids in the soil column was studied by breakthrough tests. Leaching tests of cadmium and lead with and without colloids were carried out. The adsorption tests showed that soil colloids adsorbed more cadmium and lead than the silty clay. The dye tracing tests showed that moderate preferential flow in the soil column can be obtained by choosing clod-size distribution and dry density. The co-leaching test showed that the outflow of cadmium and lead was 1.49 and 33.88 times greater with colloids than without, respectively. The heavy metals adsorbed onto clay and the pore concentrations were both lower with colloids than without, indicating more heavy metals migrated downward with colloids. The migration of cadmium and lead was greatly enhanced by colloids under preferential flow conditions.
Levels and Hierarchy of Goals of the Modern Regional Socio-Economic Policy of Russia
Authors: Sorokina N. Yu.
Published: October 2021

The complexity of the implementation of regional policy in federal states, due, on the one hand, to the diversity of regions and their features, on the other – the presence of several levels of its implementation, determines the relevance of research devoted to the study of this instrument of public administration. The article suggests an approach that allows differentiating the goals of regional socio-economic policy by its levels. The composition is specified, and the hierarchy of goals of the regional socio-economic policy of Russia is developed. It is proved that in current conditions, the priority goal of the regional policy of the federal center should be to ensure the integrity and economic security of the state in terms of regional development, the regional policy of the subjects of the Federation – to achieve positive dynamics of the quality of life of the population of the region. It is shown that in the foreseeable future, the problem of smoothing interregional inequality and ensuring balanced socio-economic development of the country and regions on this basis will retain the status of a strategic goal of the state regional socio-economic policy in the Russian Federation. The implementation of the presented approach to goal-setting in the practice of public administration will contribute to the formation of an effective regional policy as the most essential condition for the balanced spatial development of the Russian Federation.
Janowe wyrażenie „Jednorodzony w łonie Ojca” (J 1,18) w kontekście Targumu Neofiti 1
Authors: Chwiła Dorota
Published: October 2021

Ewangelia Janowa jest ściśle związana ze środowiskiem judeochrześcijańskim, gdzie obecne były idee teologiczne zawarte w targumach. Jednym z nich jest Targum Neofiti 1, który używa specyficznych wyrażeń na określenie Boga. Są to: Memra (Słowo), Jekara (Chwała) i Szekina (Obecność). Te sformułowania opisują Boga, są jakby Jego innym imieniem, ale można zauważyć, że są w pewnym oddzieleniu od Niego. To przekonanie widoczne jest również w Ewangelii Janowej. Tak jak „Jednorodzony” będący w łonie Ojca jest Kimś odrębnym od osoby Ojca, tak też zauważalna jest ta ścisła i nierozerwalna więź wyrażona poprzez obraz przebywania w łonie Ojca (J 1,18). Niniejszy artykuł ukazuje znaczenie wyrażenia „Jednorodzony w łonie Ojca” w kontekście biblijnym i targumicznym. Pozwala to na głębsze wniknięcie w sens omawianego wyrażenia, jak i idei ojcostwa Boga ukazanego na kartach czwartej Ewangelii.
Regionalism in the Light of the Personalistic Category of Participation
Authors: Gocko Jerzy
Published: October 2021

Regionalism is not only a sociological phenomenon, but also an important culture-forming process influencing the development of the human person. The social thought of the Church refers to it straightforwardly as an anthropological phenomenon and interprets it as an axiological category. Referring to these assumptions, the article analyzes regionalism through the prism of the personalistic category of participation described by Karol Wojtyła in the book The Acting Person, the structure of which is based on two principles: solidarity and objection. These principles can serve as a criterion for assessing individual forms of regionalism in terms of answering the question of to what extent they recognize and acknowledge the subjectivity of each member of the regional community, and to what extent they refer to the key values of regional solidarity and the region’s common good.
Screening of Salmonella spp. and Chlamydophila psittaciin parrots domiciled in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil
Authors: Nascimento Breno Kalyl Freitas , Medeiros Luciana dos Santos , Machado Leandro dos Santos , Ribeiro Vânia Maria França
Published: October 2021

A large proportion of emerging infectious diseases (60.3%) globally are zoonotic pathogens, and of these, 71.8% originate from wild animals. Salmonellosis and psittacosis, diseases caused by Salmonella spp. and Chlamydophila psittaci, respectively, in wild animals are zoonoses with great risks to public health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence of Salmonella spp. and C. psittaci in parrots domiciled in Rio Branco, Acre. The animals in the study were raised as pets, and selection was performed based on convenience criteria. The birds were manually restrained to collect biological materials. Subsequently, conventional microbiological and biochemical tests were performed to identify Salmonella spp., and polymerase chain reaction analyses were conducted to identify C. psittaci and Salmonella spp. It was not possible to isolate Salmonella spp. and C. psittaci in the sampled birds. However, the presence of these bacteria in parrots cannot be ruled out because intermittent release and diagnostic limitations are widely described in the literature.
Cecocolic intussusception and cecal torsion in cattle
Authors: Conceição Ângela Imperiano da , Silva José Ricardo Barboza , Alcantara Uila Almeida Aragão de , Mendonça Carla Lopes de , Coutinho Luiz Teles , Cajueiro Jobson Filipe de Paula , Souto Rodolfo José Cavalcanti , Afonso José Augusto Bastos
Published: October 2021

This work aims to describe the clinical, laboratory, and anatomopathological findings of two bovines, one affected by cecocolic intussusception, and the other by dilation with cecal torsion. The clinical examination demonstrated metallic resonance from the right flank, ruminal and intestinal hypomotility, and abdominal distension, in addition to alterations in feces characteristics. Was observed in the two animals leukocytosis by neutrophilia with regenerative shift to the left, and hyperfibrinogenemia. The analysis of ruminal fluid revealed impairment of the microbiota and an increase in chloride levels. The laparoscopic examination performed on one of the animals showed dilation of the colon, the cecum with hyperemia and serous edema, with a dividing halo between affected and unaffected portions, in addition to reddish peritoneal fluid. In the laparotomy, an enlarged cecum was found, with gaseous and liquid contents, swollen and turgid colon, and peritonitis. In addition to the findings observed during surgery, the anatomopathological examination demonstrated, in bovine 01, intestinal intussusception in the region of the cecocolic valve, and, in bovine 02, twisting of the loop at the ileocecocolic junction. Despite the low occurrence of digestive system disorders in cattle, cecal torsion and intussusception represent serious intestinal clinical conditions. These reports take the attention to the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to provide a correct diagnosis of intestinal diseases.
Ketogenic Diet: A Promising Neuroprotective Composition for
Managing Alzheimer’s Diseases and its Pathological Mechanisms
Authors: Sridharan Badrinathan , Lee Meng-Jen
Published: October 2021

Ketogenic diet and ketone bodies gained significant attention in recent years
due to their ability to influence the specific energy metabolism and restoration of
mitochondrial homeostasis that can help in hindering the progression of many metabolic
diseases, including diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. A ketogenic diet consists
of high fat and low carbohydrate contents, which makes the body glucose deprived and
rely on alternative sources (ketone bodies) for energy. It has been initially designed and
supplemented for the treatment of epilepsy, and, later, its influence on many energyderiving
biochemical pathways made it a highly sorted food supplement for many
metabolic diseases and even for bodybuilding and calorie restriction in healthy
individuals. Among the reported therapeutic action over a range of diseases,
neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer’s disease, gained the attention of
many researchers and clinicians because of the higher benefits of the ketogenic diet on
this disease. Complex pathology and multiple influencing factors of Alzheimer’s disease
make exploration of its therapeutic strategies a demanding task. It was a common
phenomenon that energy deprivation in neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s
disease, progress rapidly. The ability of ketone bodies to stabilize the mitochondrial
energy metabolism makes it a suitable intervening agent. In this review, we will discuss
various research progress made with regards to ketone bodies/ketogenic diet for the
management of Alzheimer’s disease and elaborate in detail about the mechanisms that
are influenced during their therapeutic action.
Artificial Intelligence against COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive
Insight
Authors: Masood Sarfaraz , Equbal Azhar , Equbal Iftekhar , Ahmad Shafi , Khan Noor Zaman , Khan Zahid A.
Published: October 2021

:

COVID-19 is a pandemic initially identified in Wuhan, China, which is caused by a novel
coronavirus, also recognized as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-nCoV-2). Unlike
other coronaviruses, this novel pathogen may cause unusual contagious pain, which results in
viral pneumonia, serious heart problems, and even death. Researchers worldwide are continuously
striving to develop a cure for this highly infectious disease, yet there are no well-defined absolute
treatments available at present. Several vaccination drives using emergency use authorisation
vaccines have been held across many countries; however, their long-term efficacy and side-effects
studies are yet to be studied. Various analytical and statistical models have been developed, however,
their outcome rate is prolonged. Thus, modern science stresses the application of state-of-the-art
methods to combat COVID-19. This paper aims to provide a deep insight into the comprehensive
literature about AI and AI-driven tools in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The high efficacy
of these AI systems can be observed in terms of highly accurate results, i.e., > 95%, as reported
in various studies. The extensive literature reviewed in this paper is divided into five sections,
each describing the application of AI against COVID-19 viz. COVID-19 prevention, diagnostic, infection
spread trend prediction, therapeutic and drug repurposing. The application of Artificial Intelligence
(AI) and AI-driven tools are proving to be useful in managing and fighting against the
COVID-19 pandemic, especially by analysing the X-Ray and CT-Scan imaging data of infected
subjects, infection trend predictions, etc.
Thin Film Nanocomposite of Nanofiltration Membrane for Water Softening and Desalination
Authors: Tajuddin M.H.
Published: October 2021

This chapter discusses about nanofiltration (NF) membrane for water softening and desalination. The NF membrane system and thin film composite (TFC) membranes are discussed in general followed by their drawbacks. Next, recent trend of nanofillers in thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane is critically discussed and highlighted. The advantages and challenges of TFN membrane for water softening and desalination application are thoroughly analyzed. Lastly, the future directions of the TFN membrane for practical application are addressed.
Polymeric Membranes for O2/N2 Separation
Authors: Shakil R.
Published: October 2021

Over the last few decades, polymeric membranes-based O2/N2 separation techniques have been progressed from a laboratory curiosity to a commercial reality. These membranes show various advantages i.e., low energy consumption and cost, compared to the other conventional methods for O2 and N2 separation. These benefits generate a great deal of interest in industry and academia to accelerate the commercial feasibility of polymeric membranes for O2/N2 separation. For this, various materials have been developed in order to enhance both O2 permeability and O2/N2 selectivity of the polymeric membranes. In this chapter, the recent development of various polymeric membranes, including a different polymer matrix and polymer inorganic composite for O2/N2 separation, is discussed.
Sarcomatoid Carcinoma Of The Mediastinal : A Rare Case of Giant Mass Thymic Carcinoma Subtype
Authors: Santoso Agus Andreas , Parsama Putra Ngakan Putu , Setiawan Ungky Agus , Isharanto Artono , Erawati Dini Rachma , Yudhanto Hendy Setyo
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACTTitle:Â Sarcomatoid CarcinomaÂ Of The Mediastinum: AÂ Rare Case of Giant MassÂ Thymic CarcinomaÂ SubtypeAuthor: Agus Andreas Santoso, MD. Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine Department, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia. Supervisor: Ngakan Putu Persama Putra, MD, Pulmonologist Consultant, Ungky Agus Setiawan, MD, Pulmonologist Consultant, Artono I, MD, Cardiovascular and Thorax Surgeon, Dini Rachma Erawati, MD, Radiologist Consultant, Hendy Setyo Yudhanto, MD, Pathology Anatomy Specialist.Introduction: Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a type of thymus carcinoma that contains partial or complete spindle cells. Incidence of Sarcomatoid Carcinoma 5-10% of all patients with thymic carcinoma. Carcinoma Sarcomatoid is a highly progressive tumor, mostÂ patients will die after 3 years of diagnosis despite aggressive multimodality therapy.Case Description:Â A 47-year-old woman with chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, weight loss, enlargingÂ lump in the neck and chest was felt for 1 month. Physical and supporting examination showed anterior superior mediastinal tumors and soft mass tissue in the right region of the Colli. Based on the Transthoracal FNAB Guiding ultrasound and FNAB the anterior colli region concluded that Thymoma, thyroid oncocytic adenoma and Nodular colloid goiter with azkanasy cell proliferation. The patientÂ hadÂ Partial Sternotomy (Hemiclamshell), thymectomy with the final diagnosis of Sarcomatoid Carcinoma.Â Discussion:Â Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a type of thymic carcinomaÂ that hasÂ both malignant epithelium (carcinomatous) and spindle cells (sarcomatous/sarcomatoid), generally with a transition between the two. This caseÂ wasÂ interesting because of the rare occurrence of Sarcomatoid Carcinoma plus the large size of tumor mass in thisÂ patient.Â
ГЕНДЕРНІ ВІДМІННОСТІ ХАРАКТЕРУ ХАРЧУВАННЯ ХВОРИХ ПРАЦЕЗДАТНОГО ВІКУ З ОЖИРІННЯМ ТА АРТЕРІАЛЬНОЮ ГІПЕРТЕНЗІЄЮ
Authors: Коваль Сергій , Рєзнік Лариса , Старченко Татьяна , Пенькова Марина , Мисниченко Ольга
Published: October 2021

Мета: вивчення гендерних відмінностей характеру харчування хворих працездатного віку з абдомінальним ожирінням (АО) та артеріальною гіпертензією (АГ) (мешканців України).

Матеріали і методи. Обстежено 84 хворих на АО І-ІІ ступеня з АГ 2-3  ступеня (44  чоловіки  і 40 жінок) у віці -40-59 років (мешканців України).  Характер харчування хворих вивчали за допомогою аналізу анкети - «щоденника добового харчування».  Статистична обробка даних проведена за допомогою комп’ютерної програми SPSS 19.0. для Windows XP.

Результати.  У  хворих працездатного  з  АО та  АГ- і у чоловіків,  і у жінок  (мешканців України)  виявлені суттєві порушення норм здорового харчування:  перевищення загальної енергетичної цінності  добового раціону, порушення фізіологічного добового розподілу їжі за її калорійністю,  підвищення споживання жирів та вуглеводів,  насичених  жирних кислот, транс-ненасичених жирних кислот,  моносахаридів,  солі та алкоголю на тлі  значного зменшення  споживання харчових волокон. Встановлено, що  добовий раціон у чоловіків достовірно відрізнявся від такого у  жінок більш високою енергетичною цінністю, більшим вмістом жирів, у тому числі, насичених жирних кислот, та меншим  вмістом харчових волокон. Чоловіки  також більш часто "досолювали їжу" та вживали   алкоголь, ніж жінки.

          Висновки. Встановлені значні гендерні відмінності характеру харчування хворих працездатного з АО та АГ, які необхідно враховувати при  корекції дієти у  даної категорії хворих.
КІБЕРНЕТИЧНА ОДНОКОМПАРТМЕНТНА МОДЕЛЬ ДИНАМІКИ ГЛІКЕМІЇ ПРИ ПОРУШЕННЯХ ГЛЮКОЗНОГО ГОМЕОСТАЗУ
Authors: Микитюк Мирослава , Хижняк Оксана , Сокіл Евген , Лапта Станіслав , Соловьова Ольга
Published: October 2021

Медико-соціальні проблеми цукрового діабету, спричинені порушеннями в системі регуляції вуглеводного обміну, привели до глибокого рівня її досліджень, достатнього для опису засобами математичного моделювання. Розроблені до цього часу моделі стосуються лише окремих проявів поведінки цієї системи.
Без будь-яких гіпотез при математичному моделюванні системи регуляції вуглеводного обміну пропонується її кібернетична мінімальна математична модель у вигляді однокомпартментної моделі динаміки глікемії із опосередкованим урахуванням інсулінемії. Ця модель, не зважаючи на простоту, при довільному глюкозному навантаженні, без зміни її структури та без зміни значень основних її параметрів вперше повністю описує глікемічні криві всіх існуючих тестів толерантності до глюкози та дозволяє вирішити практичні питання об’єктивної діагностики.
У роботі використано узагальнення кібернетичного методу Н. Вінера визначення структури досліджуваної складної системи у вигляді негативного зворотного зв'язку за її реакцією на заданий вхідний сигнал. У дослідженні використані клінічні дані тестів толерантності до глюкози та аналітичний вигляд функцій внутрішньовенного та перорального надходження екзогенної глюкози в кров.
Нова модель представляє собою диференціальне рівняння першого порядку із запізненням аргументу, яке при чисельному аналізі зводиться до рекуррентної формули, зручної до роботи. Усім параметрам моделі надано певний фізіологічний сенс. Їх значення однозначно знаходяться при індивідуалізації моделі до пацієнта за його клінічними даними в процесі її параметричної ідентифікації при мінімізації цільової функції неув’язки між розрахунковими та клінічними значеннями глікемії.
Параметри моделі, індивідуалізованої до пацієнта за його клінічними даними, можуть бути використані як діагностичні.
Validation of Fitbit Charge 2 Sleep and Heart Rate Estimates Against Polysomnographic Measures in Shift Workers: Naturalistic Study
Authors: Stucky Benjamin , Clark Ian , Azza Yasmine , Karlen Walter , Achermann Peter , Kleim Birgit , Landolt Hans-Peter
Published: October 2021

Background

Multisensor fitness trackers offer the ability to longitudinally estimate sleep quality in a home environment with the potential to outperform traditional actigraphy. To benefit from these new tools for objectively assessing sleep for clinical and research purposes, multisensor wearable devices require careful validation against the gold standard of sleep polysomnography (PSG). Naturalistic studies favor validation.

Objective

This study aims to validate the Fitbit Charge 2 against portable home PSG in a shift-work population composed of 59 first responder police officers and paramedics undergoing shift work.

Methods

A reliable comparison between the two measurements was ensured through the data-driven alignment of a PSG and Fitbit time series that was recorded at night. Epoch-by-epoch analyses and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, the Matthews correlation coefficient, bias, and limits of agreement.

Results

Sleep onset and offset, total sleep time, and the durations of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non–rapid-eye movement sleep stages N1+N2 and N3 displayed unbiased estimates with nonnegligible limits of agreement. In contrast, the proprietary Fitbit algorithm overestimated REM sleep latency by 29.4 minutes and wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO) by 37.1 minutes. Epoch-by-epoch analyses indicated better specificity than sensitivity, with higher accuracies for WASO (0.82) and REM sleep (0.86) than those for N1+N2 (0.55) and N3 (0.78) sleep. Fitbit heart rate (HR) displayed a small underestimation of 0.9 beats per minute (bpm) and a limited capability to capture sudden HR changes because of the lower time resolution compared to that of PSG. The underestimation was smaller in N2, N3, and REM sleep (0.6-0.7 bpm) than in N1 sleep (1.2 bpm) and wakefulness (1.9 bpm), indicating a state-specific bias. Finally, Fitbit suggested a distribution of all sleep episode durations that was different from that derived from PSG and showed nonbiological discontinuities, indicating the potential limitations of the staging algorithm.

Conclusions

We conclude that by following careful data processing processes, the Fitbit Charge 2 can provide reasonably accurate mean values of sleep and HR estimates in shift workers under naturalistic conditions. Nevertheless, the generally wide limits of agreement hamper the precision of quantifying individual sleep episodes. The value of this consumer-grade multisensor wearable in terms of tackling clinical and research questions could be enhanced with open-source algorithms, raw data access, and the ability to blind participants to their own sleep data.
Central COVID-19 Coordination Centers in Germany: Description, Economic Evaluation, and Systematic Review
Authors: Schopow Nikolas , Osterhoff Georg , von Dercks Nikolaus , Girrbach Felix , Josten Christoph , Stehr Sebastian , Hepp Pierre
Published: October 2021

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Central COVID-19 Coordination Centers (CCCCs) have been established at several hospitals across Germany with the intention to assist local health care professionals in efficiently referring patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to regional hospitals and therefore to prevent the collapse of local health system structures. In addition, these centers coordinate interhospital transfers of patients with COVID-19 and provide or arrange specialized telemedical consultations.

Objective

This study describes the establishment and management of a CCCC at a German university hospital.

Methods

We performed economic analyses (cost, cost-effectiveness, use, and utility) according to the CHEERS (Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards) criteria. Additionally, we conducted a systematic review to identify publications on similar institutions worldwide. The 2 months with the highest local incidence of COVID-19 cases (December 2020 and January 2021) were considered.

Results

During this time, 17.3 requests per day were made to the CCCC regarding admission or transfer of patients with COVID-19. The majority of requests were made by emergency medical services (601/1068, 56.3%), patients with an average age of 71.8 (SD 17.2) years were involved, and for 737 of 1068 cases (69%), SARS-CoV-2 had already been detected by a positive polymerase chain reaction test. In 59.8% (639/1068) of the concerned patients, further treatment by a general practitioner or outpatient presentation in a hospital could be initiated after appropriate advice, 27.2% (291/1068) of patients were admitted to normal wards, and 12.9% (138/1068) were directly transmitted to an intensive care unit. The operating costs of the CCCC amounted to more than €52,000 (US $60,031) per month. Of the 334 patients with detected SARS-CoV-2 who were referred via EMS or outpatient physicians, 302 (90.4%) were triaged and announced in advance by the CCCC. No other published economic analysis of COVID-19 coordination or management institutions at hospitals could be found.

Conclusions

Despite the high cost of the CCCC, we were able to show that it is a beneficial concept to both the providing hospital and the public health system. However, the most important benefits of the CCCC are that it prevents hospitals from being overrun by patients and that it avoids situations in which physicians must weigh one patient’s life against another’s.
Personalized Recommendations for Physical Activity e-Coaching (OntoRecoModel): Ontological Modeling (Preprint)
Authors: Chatterjee Ayan , Prinz Andreas
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

Automatic e-coaching may motivate individuals to lead a healthy lifestyle with early health risk prediction, personalized recommendation generation, and goal evaluation. Multiple studies have reported on uninterrupted and automatic monitoring of behavioral aspects (such as sedentary time, amount, and type of physical activity); however, e-coaching and personalized feedback techniques are still in a nascent stage. Current intelligent coaching strategies are mostly based on the handcrafted string messages that rarely individualize to each user’s needs, context, and preferences. Therefore, more realistic, flexible, practical, sophisticated, and engaging strategies are needed to model personalized recommendations.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to design and develop an ontology to model personalized recommendation message intent, components (such as suggestion, feedback, argument, and follow-ups), and contents (such as spatial and temporal content and objects relevant to perform the recommended activities). A reasoning technique will help to discover implied knowledge from the proposed ontology. Furthermore, recommendation messages can be classified into different categories in the proposed ontology.

METHODS

The ontology was created using Protégé (version 5.5.0) open-source software. We used the Java-based Jena Framework (version 3.16) to build a semantic web application as a proof of concept, which included Resource Description Framework application programming interface, World Wide Web Consortium Web Ontology Language application programming interface, native tuple database, and SPARQL Protocol and Resource Description Framework Query Language query engine. The HermiT (version 1.4.3.x) ontology reasoner available in Protégé 5.x implemented the logical and structural consistency of the proposed ontology. To verify the proposed ontology model, we simulated data for 8 test cases. The personalized recommendation messages were generated based on the processing of personal activity data in combination with contextual weather data and personal preference data. The developed ontology was processed using a query engine against a rule base to generate personalized recommendations.

RESULTS

The proposed ontology was implemented in automatic activity coaching to generate and deliver meaningful, personalized lifestyle recommendations. The ontology can be visualized using OWLViz and OntoGraf. In addition, we developed an ontology verification module that behaves similar to a rule-based decision support system to analyze the generation and delivery of personalized recommendation messages following a logical structure.

CONCLUSIONS

This study led to the creation of a meaningful ontology to generate and model personalized recommendation messages for physical activity coaching.