bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive Biochemical Factors for Pre-eclampsia in Early Pregnancy
Authors: Baron Lorna Muscat , Baron Byron
Published: January 2022

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is one of the major pregnancy complications, affecting up to 10 % of all pregnancies in some regions of the world. The clinical diagnosis, characterised by hypertension and proteinuria often late during pregnancy, with the added inability to treat (other than delivery), can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in both mother and unborn foetus. Moreover, as yet, only low dose aspirin administration is accepted as a preventive measure for PE. This puts more pressure to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of PE from blood or urine for the non-invasive screening of pregnant women before pregnancy becomes complicated. Over the years, a number of DNA and protein molecules, such as cell-free DNA, VEGF, sFLT1, PlGF, PP-13, ADMA, and several other biomarkers, have been linked to specific pathophysiological observations and proposed as predictive markers for PE. However, their reliability and reproducibility have been put to the test by numerous studies. The aim of this review is to cover the key clinical and biochemical features of pregnancies complicated by PE and evaluate the robustness of data gathered from various studies in order to better understand the link between the proposed biomarkers and the development of PE so as to better quantify their relevance in diagnostic or prognostic applications. The overall goal is to use such biomarkers for earlier detection, better molecular monitoring, and, where possible, lessening of symptoms, hopefully leading to a reduction in the yearly PE-related deaths worldwide.
Treatment of Tuberculosis in Nano Era: Recent Avenues
Authors: Rathi Ritu , Nagpal Manju , Kaur Malkiet , Ballouria Priyansh , Dutta Redhima , Aggarwal Geeta , Arora Sandeep
Published: January 2022

Tuberculosis (TB) is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium
tuberculosis (MTB), which mostly affects the lungs. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO) report 2020, there were over 10 million cases of tuberculosis worldwide,
with around 1.4 million people dying, wherein India accounts for over 26% of the global burden.
Prolonged treatment, high pill burden, low compliance, development of multiple drug resistance
and subsequent intolerable toxicity lead to the emergence of new nanotechnology-based drug delivery
approaches involving micro-metric and nano-metric carriers. Nanotechnology is superior to
conventional therapies as it offers site specific drug delivery of antimicrobial drugs that increases
therapeutic efficacy and reduces systemic toxicity associated with higher doses and also prevents
the drug from early degradation, increased solubility and blood retention time. This review focuses
on the different nanotechnological carriers via pulmonary route, including liposomes, niosomes,
solid lipid nanocarriers, dendrimers, nanoparticles, microspheres and microparticles for tackling
the problems related to the treatment of TB. The current review gives a summary of the possible
utilization of nanotechnology-based carrier systems to overcome the disadvantages of TB therapy.
It also provides a summary of the importance and advancements of directing nanocarriers at bacterial
reservoir. Eventually, the article presents an overview of the success in clinical application of
such systems.
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Macrophage
PD-L1 Expression and Attenuate Acute Lung Injury in Mice
Authors: Tu Chengshu , Wang Zhangfan , Xiang E. , Zhang Quan , Zhang Yaqi , Wu Ping , Li Changyong , Wu Dongcheng
Published: January 2022

Background:

Acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains
a serious clinical problem but has no approved pharmacotherapy. Mesenchymal stem cells
(MSCs) represent an attractive therapeutic tool for tissue damage and inflammation owing to their
unique immunomodulatory properties. The present study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and
underlying mechanisms of human umbilical cord MSCs (UC-MSCs) in ALI mice.

Objective:

In this study, we identify a novel mechanism for human umbilical cord-derived MSCs
(UC-MSCs)-mediated immunomodulation through PGE2-dependent reprogramming of host
macrophages to promote their PD-L1 expression. Our study suggests that UC-MSCs or primed-
UC-MSCs offer new therapeutic approaches for lung inflammatory diseases.

Methods:

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI mice were injected with 5×105 UC-MSCs via
the tail vein after 4 hours of LPS exposure. After 24 hours of UC-MSC administration, the total protein
concentration and cell number in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and cytokine levels
in the lung tissue were measured. Lung pathological changes and macrophage infiltration after UCMSC
treatment were analyzed. Moreover, in vitro co-culture experiments were performed to analyze
cytokine levels of RAW264.7 cells and Jurkat T cells.

Results:

UC-MSC treatment significantly improved LPS-induced ALI, as indicated by decreased
total protein exudation concentration and cell number in BALF and reduced pathological damage
in ALI mice. UC-MSCs could inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1,
IL-2, and IFN-γ), while enhancing anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 expression, as well as reducing
macrophage infiltration into the injured lung tissue. Importantly, UC-MSC administration
increased programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in the lung macrophages.
Mechanistically, UC-MSCs upregulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) expression and prostaglandin
E2 (PGE2) secretion in response to LPS stimulation. UC-MSCs reduced the inflammatory cytokine
levels in murine macrophage Raw264.7 through the COX2/PGE2 axis. Furthermore, UC-MSC-
derived PGE2 enhanced PD-L1 expression in RAW264.7 cells, which in turn promoted programmed
cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expression and reduced IL-2 and IFN-γ production in Jurkat
T cells.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that UC-MSCs attenuate ALI via PGE2-dependent reprogramming
of macrophages to promote their PD-L1 expression.
Stem Cells in Tendon Regeneration and Factors governing Tenogenesis
Authors: Ding Lingli , Zhou BingYu , Hou Yonghui , Xu Liangliang
Published: January 2022

Tendons are connective tissue structures of paramount importance to the human ability of locomotion.
Tendinopathy and tendon rupture can be resistant to treatment and often recurs, thus resulting
in a significant health problem with a relevant social impact worldwide. Unfortunately, existing treatment
approaches are suboptimal. A better understanding of the basic biology of tendons may provide a better
way to solve these problems and promote tendon regeneration. Stem cells, either obtained from tendons
or non-tendon sources, such as bone marrow (BMSCs), adipose tissue (AMSCs), as well as embryonic
stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), have received increasing attention toward
enhancing tendon healing. There are many studies showing that stem cells can contribute to improving
tendon healing. Hence, in this review, the current knowledge of BMSCs, AMSCs, TSPCs, ESCs, and
iPSCs for tendon regeneration, as well as the advantages and limitations among them, has been highlighted.
Moreover, the transcriptional and bioactive factors governing tendon healing processes have been
discussed.
Diagnostic Stewardship in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Singhal Lipika , Kour Ivneet , Gupta Varsha
Published: January 2022

A cluster of unknown acute pneumonia cases by a novel coronavirus signaled an outbreak in Wuhan province of China in December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially declared COVID-19 as the global public health emergency on 30th January 2020 and subsequently a pandemic on March 11, 2020. It was also stated that the spread of COVID-19 may be interrupted by early detection, isolation, prompt treatment, and the implementation of a robust system to trace contacts. Testing is a key strategy and the role of Diagnostic Stewardship (DS) is essential to allocate and engage the present as well as new testing resources strategically, effectively, efficiently, and safely. Thus, diagnostic stewardship aims to select the right test for the right patient, at the right time to generate accurate, clinically relevant results which will optimally influence better clinical care outcome and will conserve the available health care resources.
Role of Unani Polyherbal Formulations in the Treatment of Diseases with Special Reference to Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Siddique Yasir Hasan
Published: January 2022

Unani system of medicine is based on the use of natural plant products. Unani polyherbal formulations (UPFs) are being prescribed for the treatment of various ailments. The preparations of the UPFs also required the animal products such as honey and umber. UPFs have been reported to cure various diseases but still lack scientific credibility. The Unani system is based on the holistic approach; the synergistic role of the compounds has been suggested to play a protective role against the illness. The present review has compiled the studies carried out on UPFs used to treat various diseases with special reference to neurodegenerative ailments. The exorbitant cost of conventional treatment has led the world to think towards alternative therapy with less cost and no or little side effects compared to conventional treatments. More research is required for UPFs on the experimental models along with the case controlled studies in order to establish UPFs in the mainstream of treatment.
Review of Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Approaches for Type 2 Diabetes and Related Disorders
Authors: Saeedi Mohammad , Mehranfar Fatemeh , Ghorbani Fateme , Eskandari Mohammadali , Ghorbani Majid , Babaeizad Ali
Published: January 2022

Type 2 diabetes (T2D), which affects many people around the world, is one of
the diseases that is on the rise. Various studies have revealed that insulin resistance and
lessened insulin production have been associated with T2D, and they also show that this
disease can have a genetic origin and is associated with different genes, such as KCNQ1,
PPAR-γ, calpain-10, ADIPOR2, TCF7L2, which can be utilized as therapeutic targets. Different
therapeutic approaches and strategies such as exercise and diet, pharmacological approaches,
and utilization of nanoparticles in drug delivery and gene therapy can be effective
in the treatment and control of T2D. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and sodiumglucose
cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) have both been considered as drug classes in the treatment
of T2D and T2D-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and renal disease,
and have considerable influences such as diminished cardiovascular mortality in individuals
with T2D, ameliorated postprandial glycaemia, ameliorated fasting glycaemia, and diminished
bodyweight on disease treatment and improvement process. In the present review
article, we have attempted to explore the risk factors, genes, and diseases associated with
T2D, therapeutic approaches in T2D, the influences of drugs such as dapagliflozin, metformin,
acarbose, Januvia (sitagliptin), and ertugliflozin on T2D in clinical trials and animal
model studies. Research in clinical trials has promising results that support the role of
these drug approaches in T2D prophylaxis and ameliorate safety even though additional
clinical research is still obligatory.
Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Eutectoid Growth Mn-rich
Ge1-xMnx Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors
Authors: Zhang Xiuxiu , Su Hui , Liu Qinghua
Published: January 2022

Background:

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) have attracted great attention in
recent years due to their potential applications in spintronic devices.

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the magnetic and electronic properties of Mn-rich Ge
semiconductors.

Methods:

The magnetic and electronic properties of eutectoid growth Mn-rich Ge1-xMnx dilute magnetic
semiconductors (DMSs) with a high Mn dopant close to the composition of Ge2Mn are investigated
by the first-principles calculations.

Results:

Using the diamond structure models of Ge24Mn8, Ge22Mn10, and Ge20Mn12, we show that
the magnetic interactions of Mn atoms are dominated by ferrimagnetic coupling and that the Mn 3d
states are substantially hybridized with the valence bands of the Ge matrix.

Conclusion:

This indicates that Mn-rich Ge1-xMnx DMSs demonstrate a ferromagnetic and metallic
character, and their carriers can mobilize in the lattice more freely. The present investigation could
provide insights into understanding the nature of transition-metal-rich dilute magnetic semiconductors.
Prediction of Secondary and Tertiary Structure and Docking of Rb1WT
And Rb1R661W Proteins
Authors: Sajid Aimen , Saeed Muhammad Shaoor , Malik Rabbiah Manzoor , Fazal Sahar , Malik Shaukat , Kamal Mohammad Amjad
Published: January 2022

Background:

Retinoblastoma, a malignancy occurring in the juvenile cells of the retina,
is responsible for light detection. It is one of the most emerging ra re childhood and infant cancer.
It is initiated by the mutation in Rb1, a first tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 13q14.
Rb1 protein is responsible for cell cycle regulation.

Methods:

In our study, secondary and 3D-Structural predictions of Rb1WT and Rb1R661W were made
by comparative or homology modeling to find any structural change leading to the disruption in its
further interactions. Quality assurance of the structures was done by Ramachandran Plot for a stable
structure. Both the proteins were then applied by docking process with proteins of interest.

Results:

Secondary structure showed a number of mutations in helixes, β-Hairpins of Rb1R661W. The
major change was the loss of β-Hairpin loop, extension and shortening of helixes. 3D comparison
structure showed a change in the groove of Rb1R661W. Docking results, unlike RB1 WT, had different
and no interactions with some of the proteins of interest. This mutation in Rb1 protein had a deleterious
effect on the protein functionality.

Conclusion:

This study will help to design the appropriate therapy and also understand the mechanism
of disease of retinoblastoma, for researchers and pharmaceuticals.
Disinfection of Electrical Hand Dryer Using Plasma and Ozone
Authors: Leung Andrew Y.T.
Published: January 2022

Electric hand dryers are more environmentally friendly than hand towels to eliminate
solid waste and reduce maintenance of refilling. Hand dryers can attract microbes from the floor or
wall. Likewise, hand towel attracts microbes from the environment. We present a two-stage (ozone
and plasma) disinfection electric hand dryer to dry hands through viral free air. Ozone can disinfect
dryers’ wet internal surfaces and air but can be dangerous in high concentrations. We use it for two
seconds to disable microbes by 90%. In air exhaust, there are a pair of plasma generators deactivating
the remaining microbes and ozone at the air outlet. With the combination use of ozone and
plasma, 99.9% of microbes were disabled. Plasma accelerates the neutralization of ozone to oxygen
at the outlet.
Green Synthesis of Deep Ultraviolet Response Nanophosphors with Tunable
Full-visible-spectra Emission for Luminescent Temperature Sensing
Authors: Jiao Yiran , Liu Jun , Wang Fen , Pu Yuan , Cai Fuhong , Wang Dan
Published: January 2022

Background:

Recently, the CaMoO4 nanocrystal has been viewed as one of the most promising
substrates for rare-earth-doped nanophosphors due to its high density, stable chemical properties,
and good deep-ultraviolet (DUV) responding characteristics.

Aim:

In this work, a green synthesis approach is proposed to obtain rare-earth-doped CaMoO4 nanodispersion
with full-visible-spectra emission by using an ethanol-water mixed solvent in a rotating
packed bed (RPB) reactor.

Method:

The obtained nanophosphors exhibited bright luminescent emission with tunable color in the
range of full-visible-spectra via doping of Eu3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+, when they were excited by deepultraviolet
(DUV) light. The RPB promoted the uniform distribution of rare-earth ions and the crystallinity
of CaMoO4 particles, and the use of ethanol-water as solvents with no toxicity and less environmental
pollution was beneficial for large-scale production.

Result:

The quantum yields for nanophosphors of CaMoO4: Na+, Eu3+, CaMoO4: Na+, Tb3+, and Ca-
MoO4: Na+, Dy3+ were measured to be 46.96 %, 28.05 %, and 10.27 %, respectively, which were
among the highest values ever reported for rare-earth-doped CaMoO4-based nanophosphors with similar
morphology. The temperature-dependent luminescence of CaMoO4: Eu3+, Na+ nanophosphors was
investigated in the range of 298 K - 498 K.

Conclusion:

The clear correlation between luminescence intensity and temperature indicates the potential
novel application areas for CaMoO4: Na+, Eu3+ nanophosphor as a non-invasive thermometer. Upon
regulating different nanophosphor material ratios, the obtained product shows a flexible fluorescence
towards full-visible-spectra emission.
DPP4 Inhibitors: Could they be One of the Solutions for COVID-19 Patients
with Prediabetes?
Authors: Sibiya Ntethelelo Hopewell , Mkhize Bongeka Cassandra , Khathi Andile
Published: January 2022

Recent reports suggest that prediabetes is a risk factor for developing severe COVID-19
complications through underlying mechanisms involving undiagnosed sub-clinical inflammation.
However, we remain without a clinical approach for managing COVID-19 in prediabetic cases. The
subclinical inflammation in prediabetes is associated with elevated DPP4 levels and activity. DPP4
has pleiotropic actions, including glycaemia regulation and immuno-modulation. Recently, DPP4 has
been recognised as a co-receptor for COVID-19 for entering host cells. In addition to improving glycaemia,
DPP4 inhibition is associated with reduced inflammation. In this submission, we explore the
potential use of DPP4 inhibitors as therapeutic agents for prediabetic patients in managing the deleterious
effects of COVID-19. DPP4 inhibitors (gliptins), such as linagliptin and sitagliptin, have therapeutic
effects, which have been shown to extend beyond glycaemic control with no risk of hypoglycaemia.
By the nature of their mechanism of action, gliptins are not associated with hypoglycaemia,
unlike their anti-glycaemic counterparts, as they mainly target postprandial glycaemia. Moreover,
DPP4 inhibitors may represent a safer option for prediabetic individuals in managing prediabetes either
as a prophylactic or curative treatment for COVID-19. We envisage that beyond improved glycaemic
control, the use of DPP4 inhibitors would also alleviate the cytokine storm, resulting in a reduction
in the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and consequently reducing the morbidity and mortality
in prediabetic COVID-19 patients.
Development of jigsaw methods and digital-based design methods in gymnastic learning
Authors: Pitnawati Pitnawati , Erianti Erianti , Zulbahri Zulbahri , Astuti Yuni , Damrah Damrah , Rosmawati Rosmawati
Published: January 2022

This research is motivated by the limited development of learning media for floor Gymnastics (artistic), especially for schools located in the regions or the village. This study aims to produce a product in the form of media from the development of the Jigsaw method and digital-android-based design. The subjects of this research were Students at the Sports Science Faculty who took basic and advanced or learning Gymnastics lectures with a total of 80 people for small group trials and 120 people for field trials. The data used in this research are qualitative and quantitative. This research was conducted using "Research and Development". The model that becomes the reference is the Borg & Gall development research model with 10 developments, in this research the researchers adopted the following Steps: 1) Preliminary Study (research and data collection); 2) Develop planning and analyze the media to be made; 3) Initial product development; 4) Conduct small group trials; 5) Product Revision; 6) Conduct field trials; and 7) Revise the final product.
Evaluating the Role of Veterinarians in the One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance in Jordan
Authors: Bazzi Randa
Published: January 2022

Background

Antimicrobials, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics, are drugs used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the role of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Jordanian veterinarians in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and to summarize the registered veterinary drugs between 2017 and 2020.

Methods

The descriptive study data were collected using a standardized questionnaire focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Jordanian veterinarians.

Results

The results were analyzed descriptively and showed that the mean knowledge of the participants who agreed with the statement on AMR definition was 84%. The majority (95.65%) agreed that AMR is a challenge for the veterinary sector in Jordan and should be prioritized among other zoonotic diseases. Around 69% of the participants believe that the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials by quacks—fraudulent and unauthorized practitioners—are the main reasons for AMR challenge. The most common practice among the respondents was recommending clients (farmers, owners, etc) to practice good animal husbandry (80%). The study also revealed that there was a significant difference (P=.02) between attending training about AMR and their professional sector (private, public, and academic).

Conclusions

This study showed the importance of implementing a continuous education program on antimicrobial resistance to improve veterinarians’ knowledge in all aspects of antimicrobial resistance and to increase their advisory skills. Laws should also be enacted to ensure that veterinarians prescribe the correct antimicrobials and improve the surveillance system to monitor the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine.
Multiple Internet Divides and Mental Health Among Older Adults in China: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Li Long , Jin Guangzhao , Guo Yalong , Zhang Yiyang , Jing Rize
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Previous studies found that general internet use was associated with better mental health. However, there was little evidence about how this relationship would change across multiple subdimensions of internet divides and multiple subpopulations of older adults, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the associations between multiple subdimensions of internet divides and mental health among older adults, as well as the potential moderating effects of rural/urban hukou status on these associations in China.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the 2018 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), which provided a nationally representative sample of 11,418 participants aged 60 years and older. Multivariate linear regression models were used to analyze the associations of general internet use and three successive subdimensions (including access divide, support divide, and usage divide) with depressive symptoms (measured using the CES-D scale). The moderating roles of rural/urban hukou status were tested based on the interaction terms.

RESULTS

Among Chinese older adults, 18.3% (2,085/11,418) used the internet, with the proportion of rural participants (624/6,528, 9.6%) much lower than that of urban counterparts (1,461/4,890, 29.9%). After controlling for the confounders, older adults who used the internet reported significantly lower depressive symptom levels than non-users in China (β=-1.2; P<0.001). Further, access to internet devices, support for internet use from family, and using the internet for entertainment or as instruments were found to be significantly associated with a lower likelihood of suffering from depressive symptoms (P<0.05). Additionally, the associations between multidimensional internet divides and depressive symptoms were moderated by rural/urban hukou status, with these associations being significantly stronger among rural older people (P<0.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Lack of internet-enabled device access, technical support for internet use, and internet usage opportunities were the important barriers for Chinese older adults to take advantage of the internet in promoting mental health. Policy interventions targeting the access divide, support divide, and usage divide, respectively, should be taken to empower older adults, especially those with a rural hukou, for active engagement with the internet.
Machine learning prediction models for depression symptoms among Chinese health care workers during the COVID-19 outbreak (Preprint)
Authors: Zhou Zhaohe , Luo Dan , Yang Bing Xiang , Liu Zhongchun
Published: January 2022

UNSTRUCTURED

Background: The COVID-19 related depression symptoms of health care workers have received world-wide recognition. Although many studies identified risk exposures associated with depression symptoms among health care workers, few have focused on a predictive model using machine learning methods. As a society, governments and organizations are concerned about the need for immediate interventions and alert systems for health care workers who are mentally at-risk.This study aims to develop and validate machine learning-based models for predicting depression symptoms using survey data collected during the COVID-19 outbreak in China.
Method: Surveys were conducted of 2,574 health care workers in hospitals designated to care for COVID-19 patients. The outcome measure was a score of >=5 on the Patient Health Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. Four machine learning approaches were developed (75% of data) and validated (25% of data) using cross-validation with 100 repetitions to identify important predictors for depression symptoms. Finally, all models were compared to evaluate their predictive performances and screening utility: (1) decision tree, (2) logistics regression with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), (3) random forest, and (4) gradient-boosting tree.
Results: Descriptive statistics showed that 46.11% of health care workers experienced depression symptoms. Important risk predictors identified and ranked by the machine learning models were highly consistent: self-perceived health status factors always occupied the top five most important predictors, followed by worried about infection, working on the frontline, a very high level of uncertainty, having received any form of psychological support material and having COVID-like symptoms. The C-statistics [95% CI] of machine learning models were as follows: LASSO model, 0.824 [0.792-0.856]; random forest, 0.828 [0.797-0.859]; gradient-boosting tree, 0.829 [0.798-0.861]; and decision tree, 0.785 [0.752-0.819]. The calibration plot indicated that the LASSO model, random forest, and gradient-boosting tree fit the data well. Decision curve analysis showed that all models obtained net benefits for predicting depression symptoms.
Conclusions: This study shows that machine learning prediction models are suitable for making predictions about mentally at-risk health care workers predictions in a public health emergency setting. The application of machine learning models could support hospitals’ and health care workers’ decision-making on possible psychological interventions and proper mental health management; However, their substitution over conventional tools in general diagnostic settings requires further development and comparison.
Acoustic and Linguistic Features of Impromptu Speech and Their Association With Anxiety: Validation Study (Preprint)
Authors: Teferra Bazen Gashaw , Borwein Sophie , DeSouza Danielle D , Simpson William , Rheault Ludovic , Rose Jonathan
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

The measurement and monitoring of generalized anxiety disorder requires frequent interaction with psychiatrists or psychologists. Access to mental health professionals is often difficult because of high costs or insufficient availability. The ability to assess generalized anxiety disorder passively and at frequent intervals could be a useful complement to conventional treatment and help with relapse monitoring. Prior work suggests that higher anxiety levels are associated with features of human speech. As such, monitoring speech using personal smartphones or other wearable devices may be a means to achieve passive anxiety monitoring.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to validate the association of previously suggested acoustic and linguistic features of speech with anxiety severity.

METHODS

A large number of participants (n=2000) were recruited and participated in a single web-based study session. Participants completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale assessment and provided an impromptu speech sample in response to a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test. Acoustic and linguistic speech features were a priori selected based on the existing speech and anxiety literature, along with related features. Associations between speech features and anxiety levels were assessed using age and personal income as covariates.

RESULTS

Word count and speaking duration were negatively correlated with anxiety scores (r=–0.12; P<.001), indicating that participants with higher anxiety scores spoke less. Several acoustic features were also significantly (P<.05) associated with anxiety, including the mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, linear prediction cepstral coefficients, shimmer, fundamental frequency, and first formant. In contrast to previous literature, second and third formant, jitter, and zero crossing rate for the z score of the power spectral density acoustic features were not significantly associated with anxiety. Linguistic features, including negative-emotion words, were also associated with anxiety (r=0.10; P<.001). In addition, some linguistic relationships were sex dependent. For example, the count of words related to power was positively associated with anxiety in women (r=0.07; P=.03), whereas it was negatively associated with anxiety in men (r=–0.09; P=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Both acoustic and linguistic speech measures are associated with anxiety scores. The amount of speech, acoustic quality of speech, and gender-specific linguistic characteristics of speech may be useful as part of a system to screen for anxiety, detect relapse, or monitor treatment.
Using Social Media Data and an Aspect-based Sentiment Analysis for Usability Evaluation of a Wearable Mixed Reality Headset: A Perspective of COVID-19 and Healthcare (Preprint)
Authors: Jeong Heejin , Bayro Allison , Umesh Sai Patipati , Mamgain Kaushal , Lee Moontae
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Mixed reality (MR) devices provide real-time environments for physical-digital interaction across many domains. Due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, mixed reality technologies supported many new use cases in the healthcare industry, enabling social distancing practices to minimize the risk of contact and transmission. Despite their novelty and increasing popularity, public evaluations are sparse and often rely on social interactions between users, developers, researchers, and potential buyers.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to use aspect-based sentiment analysis to explore changes in sentiment during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as new use cases emerged in the health care industry, to characterize net insights for MR developers, researchers, and users, and to analyze features of HoloLens 2 that are helpful for certain fields and purposes.

METHODS

To investigate the user sentiment, we collected 8,492 tweets on a wearable mixed reality headset, Microsoft HoloLens 2, during the initial ten months since its release in late 2019, coinciding with the onset of the pandemic. Then human annotators rated individual tweets as positive, negative, neutral, and inconclusive classes. Further, by hiring an inter-annotator to ensure agreements between the annotators, we used various word vector representations to measure the impact of specific words on the sentiment ratings. Following sentiment classification for each tweet, we trained a model for sentiment analysis via supervised learning.

RESULTS

The results of our sentiment analysis showed that the Bag of Words tokenizing method using a Random Forest supervised learning approach produced the highest accuracy of the test set at 81.29%. Further, the results show an apparent change in sentiment through the pandemic. During the pandemic onset, consumer goods were severely affected, which aligns with a drop in both positive and negative sentiment. Following this, there is a sudden spike in positive sentiment, hypothesized to be caused by the new use cases of the device in health care education and training. This time also aligns with drastic changes in the increased number of practical insights for MR developers, researchers, and users and positive net sentiments towards the HoloLens 2 characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our approach suggests a simple yet effective idea to survey public opinion about new hardware devices quickly. The study's findings contribute to a holistic understanding of public perception and acceptance of MR technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight several new implementations of the HoloLens 2 in health care. We hope such findings inspire new use cases and technology features.
Transfer of mental health services for medical students to cyberspace during the Covid-19 pandemic: service use and students’ preferences for psychological self-help techniques (Preprint)
Authors: Oláh Barnabás , Kuritárné Szabó Ildikó , Kósa Karolina
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

The high risk for mental health problems among medical students has been compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic which greatly reduced formal and informal social contacts. In order to help students, the mental health support service of the medical school of one Hungarian university was not only transferred to the online learning management system but was expanded by self-help materials in three domains: improving study skills, stress management techniques, and reducing stress related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Separate portals were developed for medical students at Hungarian and English courses.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to investigate the pattern of access to the online self-help materials among medical students and the characteristics of those who used the portals.

METHODS

Access to the online materials between April 2020-April 2021 among Hungarian and international medical students was analyzed using the logging data of the system.

RESULTS

15% (n=458) of medical students entered the portal. Women were more likely to visit the site than men among both Hungarian (female: 72%) and international students (female: 59%). Fifth-year students (27%) among Hungarians and first-year students (24%) among internationals comprised the largest proportion of visitors. Of all students who logged in at any time during the examined period, 36.6– 40.4% viewed materials for improving study skills, 23-29% viewed stress management materials of which short-duration techniques in audio format were preferred. The access rate of content targeting coping with mental health effects of Covid-19 was 9.5-24%.

CONCLUSIONS

The pattern of access can be used for the development of interventions that are of most interest to medical students. Support to improve study skills and brief stress management techniques were the most preferred types of self-help materials.
Working at Sanborns: Gender, Paternalism, and Union Movement (1920-1948)
Authors: Chrisman Kevin M.
Published: January 2022

Between 1920 and 1948, Sanborns developed into Mexico’s most prestigious social institution. As the business evolved from a drugstore into a modern department store, the owners hired a  redominantly female workforce to cater to visiting customers. This work explores how Sanborns adopted a paternalistic labor system and gendered hierarchy over its workforce. Women workers rejected this paternalism, motivated by eruptions of outside organizations, fellow employees, and visiting  customers. Workingwomen at Sanborns navigated around gender,  race, and class divisions during their  work routines. This work observes how precarious labor conditions at Sanborns led to labor movements directed against the store management.
Eigenvalue problem of an impulsive differential equation governed by the one-dimensional p-Laplacian operator
Authors: Bouabdallah Mohamed , Chakrone Omar , Chehabi Mohammed
Published: January 2022

In this paper we study a nonlinear boundary eigenvalue problema governed by the one-dimensional p-Laplacian operator with impulse, we give some properties of the first eigenvalue λ1 and we prove the existence of eigenvalues sequence {λn}n∈N∗ by using the Lusternik-Schnirelman principle, as well as by the characterization of the sequence of eigenvalues, we discuss the strict monotonicity of the first eigenvalue and we prove that the eigenfunction corresponding to second eigenvalue λ2 changes sign only once on [0, 1].
Efektivitas pelatihan mindfulness untuk mengatasi insomnia pada mahasiswa
Authors: Wijayaningsih Awidha Dwi , Hasanah Muhimmatul , Sholichah Ima Fitri
Published: January 2022

The goal of this study tested the effectiveness of Mindfulness training to overcome insomnia in college students.The number of participating subjects amounted to 8 people in the weight category, with four people in each group(experiment and control). Treatment was given to subjects in the experimental group as many as four meetings with11 sessions within one month. For control is given a mindfulness diary to find out the emotional condition and sleep of the subject. The study used the Jakarta Psychiatric Study Group – Insomnia Rating Scale as a pre-test and post-test to measure insomnia levels before and after treatment. The data analysis technique used in the study was the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that the experimental group’s results (Mdn=7) were higher than those of the control group (Mdn=15.8). Mann-Whitney’s test results showed a significant difference in pain scores between the experimental and control groups (N experiment = 4, Control = 4, Z =-2,337; p=0.019). This can be seen in the decrease in insomnia score in the experimental group. Mindfulness training proved to be appropriate for overcoming insomnia in college students.
Peran leader member exchange (LMX), kepribadian openness to experiences, dan harmonious passion dalam membentuk perilaku kerja yang inovatif
Authors: Pratiwi Brianita Riga , Parahyanti Endang
Published: January 2022

Innovative work behavior is considered an effective predictor of encouraging organizations to adapt to today's uncertain environment. This study aims to determine the harmonious role of the relationship between leader-member exchange and innovative work behavior through the mediation of personality openness to experience. Online survey used to employees from various fields of work in Indonesia. Through the snowball sampling technique, the researchers obtained a total sample of 327 people. The results of the study show that harmonious passion plays an indirect moderating role between leader-member exchange and IWB through openness to experience coefficientR2 of .37 in the model F(6, 320) = 31.27, P<.001. Moderated mediation index (model 14) harmonious relationship significantly moderated indirect relationship between LMX and IWB through openness to experience (b= .06, CI [.01,.11]). Thus, to bring up innovative work behavior in employees, the quality of relationships with superiors, personality, and passion have an important role.
Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation, Organisational Learning And SMEs’ Performance
Authors:   Kwara State University, Akpoviroro Kowo Solomon , Amos Akinbola Olufemi , Olusegun Oyedele Ola ,   University of Agriculture Abeokuta
Published: January 2022

The cornerstone of entrepreneurship is Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) and it is one of the significant predictors of SMEs performance. The concept of EO has been widely discussed through previous studies in entrepreneurship, so it can be considered as one of the main topics in this field, and the most commonly used measure of entrepreneurial behaviour or inclination in strategies and entrepreneurship studies. EO has emerged as an area of research, and EO impact studies have become a sub-field in Entrepreneurship Education research. The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of organisational learning (OL) on SMEs performance and also to examine the effect of innovative performance on EO. The study population refers to the managers of SMEs registered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in Lagos State, Nigeria. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation efficiency, and regression analysis was employed. The research found that EO affects organisational learning in an SME context. EO has a strong effect on learning and expands learning scope by encouraging companies to challenge the status quo and to make it more flexible and alter the way they work. There is a significant and positive relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and organisational learning within firms because it was revealed that entrepreneurial orientation has different impacts on the individual components of strategic learning. Moreover, the results of the study indicated that EO affects innovative performance. Entrepreneurialism significantly affects innovation and performance. Innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking have a  strong impact on creating innovation, and entrepreneurial activity which enhances innovative behaviour. The  study recommends that SMEs in Nigeria should be more proactive in developing strategies, improving operations, and paying attention to entrepreneurial orientation and organisational learning. Entrepreneurial orientation behaviours should be strengthened within SMEs, and should take advantage of the  outputs in order to develop organisational learning processes, creative performance, corporate performance, improved decision-making processes, and adaptation to a  rapidly changing work environment. Additionally, managers of these enterprises should encourage risk-taking in new initiatives and project planning processes.
Pattern of Students’ Enrolment and Graduation Rates in Al-Hikmah University, Nigeria: Implications for Management
Authors:   Al-Hikmah University, Suleiman Yusuf , Ishola Mustapha Adam , Dewunmi Adedokun Afeez , Abiola Abdulqodir Aminah ,   University of Ilorin
Published: January 2022

Enrolment and graduation rates are regarded as important indices that can be used to measure the growth and development of higher institutions, be it private or public. It is on this premise that this study assessed the students’ enrolment and graduation rates in Al-Hikmah University and its implication for the management. Two research questions were raised to guide the study. In order to provide answers to the research questions, secondary data were collected that consists of number of students’ enrolment from 2006–2019. Also, number of students that graduated were obtained from 2009–2019. Data collected were analysed using descriptive method. Findings of the study revealed high students’ enrolment from 2006 to 2020. Specifically, the highest enrolment in the university was in 2019 where it had 2793 at undergraduate level while 288 students were admitted in the year 2020 at postgraduate level. On graduation rate, findings showed that in the 2015/2016, 874 students graduated from the university, been the highest number of graduands ever recorded at undergraduate level while 64 postgraduate students were graduated in the year 2017/2018 session, been the highest number since the inception of the university. Based on the foregoing, the study concludes that enrolment and graduation rates are key determinants of school success. The study recommends that there is need for recruitment of agents to assist the  university in sourcing for students that are yearning for admission. The  agents to be recruited must be remunerated based on number of students they bring to the  university; this will increase their recruitment drive. Lastly, there is need for downward review of the school fees so as to increase the enrolment of students.
Aldea ceremonial de Orongo, Rapa Nui
Authors: Ramírez Aliaga José Miguel
Published: January 2022

La Aldea Ceremonial de Orongo es uno de los íconos de la arqueología rapanui. Su uso público intensivo y la fragilidad de su arquitectura hacen de su conservación un problema permanente. Se analizan los datos que explican su precariedad, se evalúan las intervenciones realizadas y se proponen medidas para una conservación integral en el largo plazo.
Derecho y Literatura en Latinoamérica: la aparición imbunche
Authors: Arancibia H. Camilo
Published: January 2022

El movimiento Derecho y Literatura empieza a desarrollarse en Latinoamérica y ya muchos países de esta cuentan con cátedras, entidades, congresos y publicaciones que dan cuenta de ello. Este trabajo pretende explorar una vía de acercamiento a la disciplina desde el mito del imbunche como figura para pensar en nuestro continente, una poética, una literatura y un sujeto que permita comprender ese Otro, que dada la forma imperante de interpretar el Derecho (positivismo), no aparece. Para ello me basaré, principalmente, en el tratamiento del mito del imbunche en la novela El obsceno pájaro de la noche (1970) de José Donoso, en el concepto de espacio de aparición de Hannah Arendt, de polifonía de Mijaíl Bajtín y de sujeto migrante de Antonio Cornejo Polar. Con ello espero demostrar que esta otra disciplina puede servir a los efectos del Derecho para iluminar subjetividades y fenómenos asociados a ellas, que permanecen en la oscuridad.
Efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes with Ag doped ZnO nanoparticles under UV light irradiation
Authors: Kumar M. Senthil Kumar , C. Arunagiri
Published: January 2022

Semiconductor based photocatalyst for degradation of cationic and anionic dye pollutants under UV light was demonstrated for wastewater treatment. In the present work, un-doped and Ag (mol% = 0, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1)-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirms that the samples are found to be of highly crystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image reveals that the morphology of the doped ZnO nanoparticles are highly affected by the addition of silver (Ag). Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and energy-dispersive spectra (EDS) demonstrates the presence of Ag in the ZnO lattice. UV–Vis absorption spectra shows that the Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a red-shift with reduced bandgap energy compared with un-doped ZnO nanoparticles. Hence, our aim is to find the effect of Ag- doping in ZnO nanoparticles for the improvement of photocatalytic degradation. The photocatalytic activities of these Ag-doped nanoparticles were evaluated by measuring the rate of photo-degradation reaction of hazardous methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dye under UV-light irradiation. Photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of MB and MO dyes was compared with the efficiency of un-doped ZnO. The effects of various factors like solution pH, photocatalytic dosage and UV irradiation time with concentration of MB and MO on photocatalytic degradation were studied. It was found that cationic dyes shows better photo-degradation than the anionic dyes. The main objective of the present work was optimizing the various factor for better photocatalytic activity, complete mineralization and evaluating the photocatalytic-degradation mechanism.