bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Showdown at the UC Corral
Authors: Barinaga Marcia
Published: October 2021

Berkeley—University of California President Richard Atkinson came close to losing his job last week when he told the regents that the university would not be able to implement a new race- and gender-blind admissions policy until the fall of 1998. The regents had asked for it to be in place by fall 1997. In the end, Atkinson said he would have it ready by the spring of 1998, and the crisis ended.
NCI Cuts Contracts to Fund More Grants
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: October 2021

Richard Klausner, the new director of the National Cancer Institute, has asked for a 10% cut in the institute's spending on contract research, and he is plowing the savings into extramural grants. As a result, the fraction of approved grants that will be funded should rise from 15% to 23%. He is also planning a scheme for expedited review of proposals that just fail to make the cut. These plans will be discussed by the National Cancer Advisory Board later this month.
Fusion Plan Gathers Steam
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

Stunned last year by a massive cut in the U.S. fusion budget, advocates have rallied around a plan to preserve the field at a price not much higher than current spending levels. Although they received support for their plan in President Clinton's new budget, the real test will come later this year before a skeptical Congress.
Crunch Ahead for Space Science
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

This year should be the busiest in history for U.S. space science, with a launch scheduled nearly once a month and existing missions sending back a slew of astronomical data. But scientists worry that 1996 may be a high-water mark for the field, which faces steep cuts over the next several years as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tries to honor its commitments in other areas despite a shrinking budget.
Yucca Blowup Theory Bombs, Says Study
Authors: Taubes Gary
Published: October 2021

Last year, an unpublished paper from two physicists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory raised the possibility that the planned nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, might erupt in massive nuclear explosions if isotopes from the waste concentrated in the surrounding rock. The idea got heavy publicity, but a major study by the University of California, Berkeley, now says it is not credible, given the physics and chemistry of the waste and the geological processes at work in Yucca Mountain.
Report Backs Industry-Government Ties
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

An upcoming report by a nonpartisan panel will make the case for government-industry research partnerships, a pillar of the Clinton Administration's technology strategy but a favorite target for Republican budget cutters. The report from the Council on Competitiveness, to be released on 10 April, also urges politicians to stop bickering over definitions of basic and applied research, saying the distinction is meaningless in setting public policy.
Swiss Plan Next-Generation X-ray Source
Authors: Biggin Susan
Published: October 2021

Venice, Italy—Swiss physicists are hailing a decision by their government to allocate $1.5 million to study the construction of a new x-ray source that would put Switzerland in the big leagues of synchrotron radiation research. The planned facility, called the Swiss Light Source, would use a circulating beam of electrons with an energy of up to 2.1 gigaelectron volts to produce lower energy “soft” x-rays. If the government follows through on the planning grant with construction funds—as many now expect—the $135 million facility could be up and running by 2001.
Plan Would Shut Kitt Peak Facilities
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: October 2021

Astronomers who use the National Optical Astronomy Observatories' (NOAO's) five telescopes on Kitt Peak in Arizona have known for a few years that money was tight and that some of the instruments might have to be shuttered. But it wasn't until last month that they found out the hit list includes the biggest scope on the mountain—the 4-meter Mayall—and that it could happen as early as 1999. The current crisis was triggered by projections of a flat budget for many years from the National Science Foundation and a recent National Research Council report recommending that NOAO put its money elsewhere.
Review Threatens Royal Observatories
Authors: Williams Nigel
Published: October 2021

London—The British government dealt a potentially fatal blow last week to two of Britain's oldest scientific institutions: the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. These two venerable bodies, which trace their origins to the 17th and 18th centuries, manage most of Britain's ground-based telescopes and develop leading-edge instruments for them. But the government has decided, after a tough review of the observatories' management, that they will now have to compete for this work with other public and private organizations
Academy's About-Face on Forensic DNA
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: October 2021

Four years ago, the National Research Council (NRC) published a controversial report advising the courts on the use of DNA evidence in criminal trials. The advice drew harsh criticism from prosecutors and some population geneticists, who lambasted it as arbitrary, illogical, and heavily tilted in favor of the defendant. Last week, the NRC tried again, releasing a 200-page report that recommends a more flexible approach to calculating the odds of a chance match between the defendant's DNA and DNA left at the crime scene.
A $1 Billion 'Tax' on R&D Funds
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: October 2021

Since 1983, 11 federal agencies have been spending an increasing share of their research budgets on a program to help small, high-tech businesses find a way to commercialize their ideas. Now the $1 billion program is under fire by academics—and being questioned by some legislators and federal officials, too—because the tax it imposes on existing programs is becoming a burden on R&D budgets that are no longer growing.
The Aurora by Night and by Day
Authors: Kerr Richard A.
Published: October 2021

A new satellite called Polar, launched last February, brings a new capability to aurora-watching from orbit: the ability to see the aurora in the daylit hemisphere. By screening out the effects of sunlight on the upper atmosphere, Polar reveals a complete ring of aurora around the pole. The images suggest that the aurora dumps even more energy into the atmosphere by day than by night.
Science Intrudes on Brent Spar Saga
Authors: Clery Daniel
Published: October 2021

London—This time last year, the environmental group Greenpeace made headlines when its activists boarded an oil storage buoy called the Brent Spar and temporarily halted the Shell Oil company's plan to scuttle it in the deep Atlantic off the west coast of Scotland. Greenpeace claimed that the sunken rig would pose a toxic threat. Last week, a panel of scientists passed judgment on Greenpeace's claims—and both Greenpeace and Shell are claiming vindication. The panel concluded that Brent Spar, by itself, would have a very small impact on the marine environment, but it pointed out that repeated dumping of similar structures might have a large cumulative impact.
Koch Keeps New Watch on Infections
Authors: Koenig Robert
Published: October 2021

Berlin—Germany is stepping up its infectious-disease surveillance systems, and it has enlisted the venerable Koch Institute to investigate outbreaks when local authorities ask for help. The government is reorienting the institute toward epidemiology and applied research, and it will be the focal point for keeping track of emerging and re-emerging infections.
HHS Is Still Looking for a Definition
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: October 2021

A set of sweeping proposals for changing the way the federal government handles allegations of scientific misconduct, put forward last year by the congressionally appointed Commission on Research Integrity, is getting a decidedly mixed reception in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). An internal working group has backed away from several of the commission's key recommendations, including a new definition of misconduct that has already drawn sharp criticism from several scientific organizations. The next step is up to HHS Secretary Donna Shalala.
Task Offloading with Task Classification and Offloading Nodes Selection for MEC-Enabled IoV
Authors: Zhang Rui , Wu Libing , Cao Shuqin , Hu Xinrong , Xue Shan , Wu Dan , Li Qingan
Published: October 2021

The Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)-based task offloading in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) scenario, which transfers computational tasks to mobile edge nodes and fixed edge nodes with available computing resources, has attracted interest in recent years. The MEC-based task offloading can achieve low latency and low operational cost under the tasks delay constraints. However, most existing research generally focuses on how to divide and migrate these tasks to the other devices. This research ignores delay constraints and offloading node selection for different tasks. In this article, we design the MEC-enabled IoV architecture, in which all vehicles and MEC servers act as offloading nodes. Mobile offloading nodes (i.e., vehicles) and fixed offloading nodes (i.e., MEC servers) provide low latency offloading services cooperatively through roadside units. Then we propose the task offloading scheme that considers task classification and offloading nodes selection (TO-TCONS). Our goal is to minimize the total execution time of tasks. In TO-TCONS Scheme, we divide the task offloading into the same region offloading mode and cross-region offloading mode, which is based on the delay constraints of tasks and the travel time of the target vehicle. Moreover, we propose the mobile offloading nodes selection strategy to select offloading nodes for each task, which evaluates offloading candidates for each task based on computing resources and transmission rates. Simulation results demonstrate that TO-TCONS Scheme is indeed capable of reducing total latency of tasks execution under the delay constraints in MEC-enabled IoV.
MicroRNA-139-5p Alleviates High Glucose-Triggered Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Injury by Targeting LIM-Only Factor 4
Authors: Shao Kan , Chen Gong , Xia Lili , Chen Cheng , Huang Shan
Published: October 2021

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a type of diabetes complication, which can result in loss of vision in adults worldwide. Increasing evidence has revealed that microRNAs (miRs) can regulate DR progression. Thus, the present study was aimed at assessing the possible mechanism of miR-139-5p in high glucose- (HG-) incubated retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. The present results demonstrated that miR-139-5p expression was notably reduced in the serum samples of patients with DR, as well as in ARPE-19 cells treated with HG in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, miR-139-5p was markedly overexpressed by transfection of miR-139-5p mimics into ARPE-19 cells. Overexpression of miR-139-5p markedly induced cell viability and repressed HG-triggered apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-139-5p relived HG-enhanced oxidative stress injury. It was found that HG induced malondialdehyde levels but decreased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in ARPE-19 cells. In addition, overexpression of miR-139-5p could markedly decrease intracellular stress. The results demonstrated that overexpression of miR-139-5p effectively repressed HG-activated inflammation, as indicated by the upregulation of inflammation cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, and Cox-2, in ARPE-19 cells. Subsequently, it was identified that LIM-only factor 4 (LMO4) could act as a downstream target for miR-139-5p. LMO4 expression was significantly increased in patients with DR and HG-treated ARPE-19 cells. Mechanistically, knockdown of LMO4 reversed the biological role of miR-139-5p in proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and release of inflammation factors in vitro. Collectively, these results suggested that miR-139-5p significantly decreased ARPE-19 cell injury caused by HG by inducing proliferation and suppressing cell apoptosis, oxidant stress, and inflammation by modulating LMO4.
Ferroptosis Mediated by Lipid Reactive Oxygen Species: A Possible Causal Link of Neuroinflammation to Neurological Disorders
Authors: Cheng Ying , Song Yiting , Chen Huan , Li Qianqian , Gao Yuan , Lu Guanchao , Luo Chengliang
Published: October 2021

Increasing evidence indicates a possible causal link between neuroinflammation and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and stroke. A putative mechanism underlying such a link can be explained by ferroptosis. Current studies have shown that disturbances of iron homeostasis, glutamate excitatory toxicity, lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), and other manifestations related to ferroptosis can be detected in several neurological disorders caused by neuroinflammation. To date, compelling evidence indicates that damage‐associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecules (e.g., ROS) produced in the process of ferroptosis activate glial cells by activating neuroimmune pathways and then produce a series of inflammatory factors which contribute to neurological disorders. Our review article provides a current view of the involvement of ferroptosis or ROS in the pathological process of neuroinflammation, the effects of neuroinflammation mediated by ferroptosis in neurological disorders, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying ferroptosis participates in neuroinflammation, and the potential treatments for neurological disorders. In addition, further research on the mechanisms of ferroptosis as well as the link between ferroptosis and neuroinflammation will help provide new targets for treatment.
Research on the Dynamic Model of Entrepreneurship Based on Improved Machine Learning
Authors: Zhu Mengbin , Yang Yan , Cao Huaying
Published: October 2021

There are many influencing factors in the entrepreneurial process, which lead to a variety of unknown situations in the entrepreneurial process and affect the entrepreneurial process. In order to improve the effect of entrepreneurial analysis, this paper improves the traditional machine learning algorithm and proposes an entrepreneurial dynamic model based on improved machine learning. Aimed at the opportunistic behavior of the following venture capital institution under joint investment, this paper constructs an evolutionary game model between the leading venture capital institution and the following venture capital institution under joint investment and constructs an industrial cluster knowledge fusion and entrepreneurial innovation model. Moreover, this paper confirms through the structural equation model that the use of information fusion technology can improve the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of internal and external knowledge of industrial clusters. In addition, this paper uses experimental analysis methods to evaluate the performance of the entrepreneurial dynamic model constructed in this paper. From the research results, it can be seen that the system constructed in this paper has a certain effect.
The Metabolome of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection in Plasma
Authors: Wen Zhongwei , Liu Mei , Rui Dong , Liao Xiaoxiao , Su Rui , Tang Zhenming , Wen Zhineng , Ling Zhougui
Published: October 2021

Aim. Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae- (CR-Kp-) mediated infections represent a challenge for clinical practitioners due to their expanding prevalence in hospital environments and antibiotic resistance. However, few studies have shown metabolic changes of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and CR-Kp-negative patients, and relevant studies are urgently needed. Methods. In this study, we comprehensively profile the metabolites of 20 CR-Kp-positive and 18 CR-Kp-negative patients in plasma by using 2D gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS). Results. We identified 58 metabolites that were carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae-associated. N-Acetyl glucosamine, butanedioic acid, and myoinositol play a significant character in CR-Kp infection. Conclusions. Our study provides valuable data to serve as potential targets for developing therapies against CR-Kp infection.
Analysis on the Temporal and Spatial Heterogeneity of Factors Affecting Urbanization Development Based on the GTWR Model: Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Ma Wenbo , Tian Weiteng , Zhou Qian , Miao Qianqian
Published: October 2021

Revealing the key influencing factors in urbanization is of great significance to the operability of national urbanization planning and decision‐making. Taking 110 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the sample, this paper explores the driving mechanism of urbanization development during 2007–2016 by using Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression Model (GTWR). The results show that the effects of the four dominant factors of social economy, education, secondary industry, and living environment are in line with expectations, with strong time fluctuation, obvious spatial nonstationarity, and a certain spatial gradient distribution. The formulation and implementation of the urbanization strategy should be based on the driving mechanism shown by the four models, coordinate the use of relevant policies, and give priority to ensuring the effective play of the primary driving factors.
Dance Movement Recognition Technology Based on Multifeature Information Fusion
Authors: Liu Xin , Hu Jiazhe
Published: October 2021

Multifeature data integration technology uses computer technology to automatically analyze and process the observation data obtained by multiple sensors in chronological order according to a defined threshold. And it can complete the necessary decision‐making and evaluation tasks in the data processing process. This article is aimed at studying the effect of multifeature information fusion on dance movement recognition technology. The article mainly adopts the principle of structural risk mitigation and the image thresholding method to effectively obtain the binarized image of the dancer’s moving image, so as to select an appropriate threshold, use the threshold as its distinguishing standard, and then segment the pixel threshold. The method of multifeature information fusion and dance movement recognition technology is introduced. The performance of image classification algorithms is compared, and the experiment of dance video movement, human behavior recognition, and gait phase recognition are carried out. The experimental data show that in the power identification algorithm of this article, when the peak value is 1000 bits, the experimental data is 256 bits, the analysis and comparison data is 457 bits, and the experimental environment is 812 bits. When the peak value is 2000 bits, the experimental data is 451 bits, the analysis and comparison data is 635 bits, and the experimental environment is 947 bits. The experimental data is 562 bits, the analysis and comparison data is 546 bits, and the experimental environment is 774 bits. The experimental results show that the dance action recognition technique based on multifeature information fusion is studied well.
Ischemic Stroke in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: From the KCHF Registry
Authors: Iguchi Moritake , Kato Takao , Yaku Hidenori , Morimoto Takeshi , Inuzuka Yasutaka , Tamaki Yodo , Ozasa Neiko , Yamamoto Erika , Yoshikawa Yusuke , Kitai Takeshi , Hamatani Yasuhiro , Yamashita Yugo , Masunaga Nobutoyo , Ogawa Hisashi , Ishii Mitsuru , An Yoshimori , Taniguchi Ryoji , Kato Masashi , Takahashi Mamoru , Jinnai Toshikazu , Ikeda Tomoyuki , Nagao Kazuya , Kawai Takafumi , Komasa Akihiro , Nishikawa Ryusuke , Kawase Yuichi , Morinaga Takashi , Kawato Mitsunori , Seko Yuta , Toyofuku Mamoru , Furukawa Yutaka , Ando Kenji , Kadota Kazushige , Abe Mitsuru , Akao Masaharu , Sato Yukihito , Kuwahara Koichiro , Kimura Takeshi
Published: October 2021

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a known risk factor for ischemic stroke, but data regarding ischemic stroke during hospitalization for acute decompensated HF (ADHF) are limited.

Methods and Results

We analyzed the data from a multicenter registry (Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure [KCHF] Registry) that enrolled 4056 consecutive patients with ADHF in Japan (mean age, 78 years; men, 2238 patients [55%]; acute coronary syndrome [ACS], 239 patients [5.9%]). We investigated the incidence and predictors of ischemic stroke during hospitalization for ADHF. During the hospitalization, 63 patients (1.6%) developed ischemic stroke. The median interval from admission to the onset of ischemic stroke was 7 [interquartile range: 2–14] days, and the most common underlying cause was cardioembolism (64%). Men (OR, 1.87; 95%CI, 1.11–3.24), ACS (OR, 2.31; 95%CI, 1.01–4.93), absence of prior HF hospitalization (OR, 2.21; 95%CI, 1.24–4.21), and high B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP)/N‐terminal proBNP (NT‐proBNP) levels (above the median) at admission (OR, 3.15; 95%CI, 1.84–5.60) were independently associated with ischemic stroke. In patients without ACS, the independent risk factors for ischemic stroke were fully consistent with those in the main analysis. Higher quartiles of BNP/NT‐proBNP levels were significantly associated with higher incidence of ischemic stroke (
P
for trend, <0.001). Patients with ischemic stroke showed higher in‐hospital mortality, longer length of hospital stay, and poorer functional status at discharge.

Conclusions

During hospitalization for ADHF, 1.6% of the patients developed ischemic stroke. Men, ACS, absence of prior HF hospitalization, and high BNP/NT‐proBNP levels at admission were independently associated with ischemic stroke.
Analyses of the photosynthetic characteristics, chloroplast ultrastructure, and transcriptome of apple (Malus domestica) grown under red and blue lights
Authors: Li Zhiqiang , Chen Qiaojing , Xin Youyan , Mei Zhuoxin , Gao Aiyun , Liu Wenjun , Yu Lei , Chen Xuesen , Chen Zijing , Wang Nan
Published: October 2021

Background

Light quality significantly affects plant growth and development, photosynthesis, and carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is a widely cultivated and economically important fruit crop worldwide. However, there are still few studies on the effects of different light qualities on the growth and development of apple seedlings.

Results

In this study, we explored the effects of blue and red light treatments on the growth and development, photosynthetic characteristics, leaf chloroplast ultrastructure, and carbon and nitrogen metabolism of apple seedlings. Blue light significantly inhibited apple plant growth and leaf extension, but it promoted the development of leaf tissue structures and chloroplasts and positively affected leaf stomatal conductance, the transpiration rate, and photosynthetic efficiency. The red light treatment promoted apple plant growth and root development, but it resulted in loosely organized leaf palisade tissues and low chlorophyll contents. The blue and red light treatments enhanced the accumulation of ammonium nitrogen in apple seedlings. Moreover, the blue light treatment significantly promoted nitrogen metabolism. Additionally, an RNA-seq analysis revealed that both blue light and red light can significantly up-regulate the expression of genes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Blue light can also promote amino acid synthesis and flavonoid metabolism, whereas red light can induce plant hormone signal transduction. The expression of a gene encoding a bHLH transcription factor (MYC2-like) was significantly up-regulated in response to blue light, implying it may be important for blue light-mediated plant development.

Conclusions

Considered together, blue and red light have important effects on apple growth, carbon and nitrogen metabolism. These findings may be useful for determining the ideal light conditions for apple cultivation to maximize fruit yield and quality.
A ten-genes-based diagnostic signature for atherosclerosis
Authors: Zhu Feng , Zuo Lili , Hu Rui , Wang Jin , Yang Zhihua , Qi Xin , Feng Limin
Published: October 2021

Background

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease with a high mortality worldwide. Understanding the atherosclerosis pathogenesis and identification of efficient diagnostic signatures remain major problems of modern medicine. This study aims to screen the potential diagnostic genes for atherosclerosis.

Methods

We downloaded the gene chip data of 135 peripheral blood samples, including 57 samples with atherosclerosis and 78 healthy subjects from GEO database (Accession Number: GSE20129). The weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify atherosclerosis-related genes. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted by using the clusterProfiler R package. The interaction pairs of proteins encoded by atherosclerosis-related genes were screened using STRING database, and the interaction network was further optimized with the cytoHubba plug-in of Cytoscape software.

Results

The logistic regression diagnostic model was constructed to predict normal and atherosclerosis samples. A gene module which included 532 genes related to the occurrence of atherosclerosis were screened. Functional enrichment analysis basing on the 532 genes identified 235 significantly enriched GO terms and 44 significantly enriched KEGG pathways. The top 50 hub genes of the protein–protein interaction network were identified. The final logistic regression diagnostic model was established by the optimal 10 key genes, which could distinguish atherosclerosis samples from normal samples.

Conclusions

A predictive model based on 10 potential atherosclerosis-related genes was obtained, which should shed light on the diagnostic research of atherosclerosis.
Serum CA-125 for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhao Ping , Yu Qin , Zhang Aijie , He Fang , Xu Songyan , Chen Liang
Published: October 2021

Background

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer. Serum CA-125 test are useful in the diagnosis of PTB. Although studies on the relation between CA-125 and PTB have been reported, the specificity and sensitivity of serum CA-125 in diagnosing PTB vary widely among different studies. The present study was performed to evaluate the accuracy of CA-125 for the diagnosis of PTB via a meta-analysis of data obtained from previous studies.

Methods

English and Chinese medical electronic databases were searched for eligible studies published up to February 2020. STATA software was used to obtain a pooled estimation of the diagnostic accuracy of CA-125 and analyze the heterogeneity of the recruited studies. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) was used to evaluate the quality of the obtained studies.

Results

A total of 16 articles were included in this study. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of CA-125 were 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75–0.91] and 0.87 (95% CI 0.78–0.93), respectively. Moreover, the pooled positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR−), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of CA-125 were 6.65 (95% CI 3.62–12.20), 0.18 (95% CI 0.10–0.31), and 37.82 (95% CI 13.17–108.60), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.93.

Conclusions

Taken together, the results indicate that serum CA-125 presents potential practical value for diagnosing PTB, but its clinical applicability must be further examined.
Health care manager commitment towards implementation of citizen charter standards and associated factors in public hospitals of Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Getachew Nigusu , Tsega Gebeyehu , Worku Firehiwot , Fufa Debela Tilahun , Melese Dejene , Ali Yesuf Elias , Siraneh Yibeltal
Published: October 2021

Background

Managerial commitment is important for effective design and implementation of citizen charter to assure the quality of health service delivery as per the standards depicted in the document. Hence the objective of this study is to assess the level of managerial commitment towards implementation of the citizen charter standards and associated factor in Jimma zone public hospitals.

Methods

A Facility based cross-sectional study design was employed in Jimma zone public hospitals from March 14 to May 16, 2019 and 422 health managers who were currently working at all levels of management were participated in the study. After checking its completeness, the data was entered into EPI data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for statistical analysis. Factor analysis was conducted. Simple and multiple linear regression were done using 95%CI and significance was declared at P < 0.05. All assumptions of linear regression and principal component analysis were checked.

Results

The percentages mean score of managerial commitment for health managers working in jimma zone public hospitals was 58%. Perceived value and care for managers (β = .329,95% CI,.245,.413, p-value<.001), Interaction between staff and managers’ (β = 0.077,95%CI,.032,.122, p-value< 001),involvement during implementation of citizen charter(β = 0.061,95%CI,.010,.112,p-value = 018) and positional level(β = − 122,95%CI,-.242,-.002,p-value = .046) as predictors of managerial commitment towards implementation of citizen charter standards.

Conclusions

In this study, the percentage mean score of managerial commitment for health care managers working in Jimma zone public hospitals was medium. Hence, all levels of managers to consider and maintain factors identified in this study in their management practice to foster a higher level of managerial commitment towards implementation of citizen charter standards in jimma zone public hospitals.
Association of diabetes mellitus with clinical outcomes in patients with different coronary artery stenosis
Authors: Zhang Hui-Wen , Jin Jing-Lu , Cao Ye-Xuan , Guo Yuan-Lin , Wu Na-Qiong , Zhu Cheng-Gang , Xu Rui-Xia , Dong Qian , Li Jian-Jun
Published: October 2021

Background

It has been demonstrated that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. However, little is known regarding the long-term prognosis in diabetic patients who experience mild-to-intermediate coronary artery stenosis (CAS). This study was to assess the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients with different severity of CAS.

Methods

We consecutively enrolled 10,940 patients hospitalized due to angina-like chest pain and followed up for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) covering cardiac death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, unplanned coronary revascularization and angina-related hospitalization. According to coronary angiography, patients were divided into non-obstructive CAS (NOCAS, < 50% stenosis), intermediate CAS (ICAS, 50–69% stenosis), and severe CAS (SCAS, 70–100% stenosis) subgroups, and were further categorized into six groups as NOCAS with DM and non-DM, ICAS with DM and non-DM, and SCAS with DM and non-DM.

Results

During a median follow-up of 40 months, 1,017 (11.1%) MACEs occurred. In patients with ICAS or SCAS, the incidence of events was higher when patients coexisted with DM (p < 0.05, respectively). In subgroup analyses, patients with ICAS and DM, SCAS and non-DM, SCAS and DM had increased risk of events [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.709, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.106–2.641, p = 0.016; HR: 1.911, 95% CI 1.460–2.501, p < 0.001; HR: 2.053, 95% CI 1.514–2.782, p < 0.001] compared to ones with NOCAS and non-DM. Besides, the Kaplan–Meier curves indicated the highest risk of MACEs in patients with SCAS and DM than others (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Diabetic patients with ICAS had the worse outcome, which was comparable to patients with SCAS alone.
Prognostic value of a novel biomarker combining DNA ploidy and tumor burden score for initially resectable liver metastases from patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Peng Jianhong , Li Weihao , Fan Wenhua , Zhang Rongxin , Li Xinyue , Xiao Binyi , Dong Yuejin , Wan Desen , Pan Zhizhong , Lin Junzhong , Wu Xiaojun
Published: October 2021

Background

Colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) has not been identified as a unified disease entity due to the differences in the severity of metastatic disease and tumor aggressiveness. A screen for specific prognostic risk subgroups is urgently needed. The current study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of DNA ploidy, stroma fraction and nucleotyping of initially resectable liver metastases from patients with CRLM.

Methods

One hundred thirty-nine consecutive patients with initially resectable CRLM who underwent curative liver resection from 2006 to 2018 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were selected for analysis. DNA ploidy, stroma fraction and nucleotyping of liver metastases were evaluated using automated digital imaging systems. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models.

Results

DNA ploidy was identified as an independent prognostic factor for RFS (HR, 2.082; 95% CI 1.053–4.115; P = 0.035) in the multivariate analysis, while stroma-tumor fraction and nucleotyping were not significant prognostic factors. A significant difference in 3-year RFS was observed among the low-, moderate- and high-risk groups stratified by a novel parameter combined with the tumor burden score (TBS) and DNA ploidy (72.5% vs. 63.2% vs. 37.3%, P = 0.007). The high-risk group who received adjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly better 3-year RFS rate than those without adjuvant chemotherapy (46.7% vs. 24.8%; P = 0.034).

Conclusions

Our study showed that DNA ploidy of liver metastases is an independent prognostic factor for patients with initially resectable CRLM after liver resection. The combination of DNA ploidy and TBS may help to stratify patients into different recurrence risk groups and may guide postoperative treatment among the patients.
Lipase elevation in serum of COVID-19 patients: frequency, extent of increase and clinical value
Authors: Caruso Simone , Aloisio Elena , Dolci Alberto , Panteghini Mauro
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Previous studies reported lipase elevations in serum of COVID-19 patients trying to establish a causal link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and pancreatic damage. However, the degree and prevalence of hyperlipasemia was not uniform across studies.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 1,092 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and at least one available lipase result. The number and frequency of patients with lipase above the upper reference limit (URL), >3 URL, and >6 URL were estimated. Correlations between lipase values and other biomarkers of organ or tissue damage were performed to identify possible extra-pancreatic sources of lipase release. The potential prognostic role of lipase to predict death and intensive care unit (ICU) admission during hospitalization was also evaluated.

Results

Lipase was >URL in 344 (31.5%) of COVID-19 patients. Among them, 65 (5.9%) and 25 (2.3%) had a peak lipase >3 URL and >6 URL, respectively. In the latter group, three patients had acute pancreatitis of gallstone or drug-induced etiology. In others, the etiology of lipase elevations appeared multifactorial and could not be directly related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. No correlation was found between lipase and other tested biomarkers of organ and tissue damage. Lipase concentrations were not different between survivors and non-survivors; however, lipase was significantly increased (p<0.001) in patients admitted to the ICU, even if the odds ratio for lipase as predictor of ICU admission was not significant.

Conclusions

Lipase was elevated in ∼1/3 of COVID-19 patients, but the clinical significance of this finding is unclear and irrelevant to patient prognosis during hospitalization.
Social Dimensions of Education in the Era of the Internet of Things (IoT) and COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Parjuangan Sabam , Meliyanti Meliyanti
Published: October 2021

Internet of things (IoT) brings disruption to services in society including education. New platforms in educational services made possible by the internet of things have changed the way of teaching and learning activities. The question was how schools provide services to their stakeholders. This disruption was accelerated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to identify the social dimensions of education and their characteristics caused by the disruption of IoT technology and COVID-19. It examines social dimensions from the point of view of social intelligence, which comprises of three dimensions, namely social sensitivity, social insight, and social communication. In doing so, this study used a qualitative method based on a survey that involved respondents and their experience of learning through the IoT platforms. The results of this study indicate that social sensitivity and social communication were the most problematic social dimensions in learning and teaching activities through the IoT platforms. On the other hand, social insight was a very good dimension experienced by students in learning and teaching activities through IoT and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Legitimacy of Government and People’s Political Participation: The Case of the 2020 West Sumatra Regional Election, Indonesia
Authors: Marsallindo Agung , Safitri Cici
Published: October 2021

West Sumatra is one of the Indonesian provinces that conducted the simultaneous regional elections in 2020. It was said that it had the highest rate of election vulnerability index in 2020 based on the indicators of assessment including political participation, socio-political context, free and fair elections, contest, and vulnerability due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. In West Sumatra, the three regional head elections in 2005, 2010, and 2015 show that public political participation decreased from 64% to 58%. However, in the 2020 election, the voter turnout rate rose to 61.68%. Therefore, this article analyzes how did the West Sumatra government build public legitimacy to increase public political participation in the 2020 election, which was held in the Covid-19 Pandemic with all its limitations? In doing so, it uses a literature study method. The collected data were analyzed according to the principles of the qualitative method. The results of this study indicate that public legitimacy of the 2020 regional election in West Sumatra was built by three actors in the consolidation of democracy in the gubernatorial election as follows: a) local government, b) election participants and c) election management institutions, each of which had strategic steps in restoring public trust in the election during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Lessons from the History of the U.S. Regulatory Perimeter
Authors: Vardoulakis Alexandros , Kudiya Asad , Hwang Byoung Hwa , Demartini Courtney , McGonegle Dan , Smith Gavin , Cheng Jess , Di Lucido Katherine E. , Wilson Kathy , Zhang Jeffery Y. , Cox Joseph , Watkins Mary L. , Donovan Meg , Tabor Nicholas K. , Ehlert Nick , Schreft Stacey L.
Published: October 2021

Banking organizations in the United States have long been subject to two broad categories of regulatory standards. The first is permissive: a "positive" grant of rights and privileges, typically via a charter for a corporate entity, to engage in the business of banking.
REVISITING THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF PRIVATE FACTS IN CYBERWORLD
Authors: S Papadopoulos
Published: October 2021

Traditional jurisprudence holds that a person who posts private information onto a social networking website does not have a legitimate expectation of privacy, however online social networking has revolutionised the way people communicate and share information with one another. This article considers ways in which a person could have a legitimate expectation of privacy on the internet by attempting to answer questions such as whether privacy can exist where there is no physical space or inherently private subject matter, secrecy or seclusion and, more pertinently, whether the established jurisprudence can be applied within the phenomenon of social networking sites.
SMOKERS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES WHO SMOKE
Authors: Arthur van Coller
Published: October 2021

The intentional exposure of minors to environmental tobacco smoke is a serious concern. The State is obliged by international obligations and the dictates of the Bill of Rights to manage this conflict of interest between smokers and minors. The risk to minors must, as a result, be mitigated through the introduction of legal limitations on the scope of the “rights” of smokers who, by their actions, intentionally expose minors to harm. The Tobacco Products Control Act has introduced a restriction on smoking in motor vehicles where minors younger than 12 are present; however, the responsibility for the enforcement of this restriction is not only vague, but also ineffective. Owing to the nature of the restriction, it is submitted that the Regulations to the National Road Traffic Act are the appropriate means to enforce compliance with this restriction on smoking in vehicles.
SIDUMO REVISITED – THE JUDGMENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
Authors: MJ Boyens  , Adriaan van der Walt
Published: October 2021

The primary purpose of this article is to revisit and reconsider the development of the review test set out in the Constitutional Court judgment of Sidumo v Rustenburg Platinum Mines Ltd ((2007) 28 ILJ 2405 (CC)) and consequently ascertain the correct approach to be adopted by our Labour Courts in the application of such test. The secondary purpose, entails the determination of the extent to which Labour Court judges interfere with the merits of awards and the resulting impact on the distinction between appeal and review. In order to establish whether the test for review has been correctly developed and to determine whether our review proceedings deter recurrent interference by our judges, an edifying consideration of judicial review in South Africa, an extensive analysis of various judgments pertaining to such development, followed by a comprehensive comparison with the United Kingdom`s application of review proceedings and judicial composition are made. The research methodology is based on a contour of Sidumo, commencing with the Sidumo judgment, followed by three contentious Labour Appeal Court judgments and concluding with a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment, which clarify the operation of the review test. The contour is interlinked with the notion of reasonableness. In a follow-up article a trilogy of LAC judgments that place a gloss on Sidumo will be analysed.
RECONSIDERING THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
Authors: Mbuzeni Johnson Mathenjwa
Published: October 2021

Privileges and immunities of elected assemblies protect freedom of speech andpromote vigorous debates in these assemblies. South Africa is ahead of the UnitedKingdom (UK) and Canada regarding the law on privileges of municipal councils, inthat municipal councils in South Africa enjoy absolute privilege, whereas in the UKand Canada they enjoy qualified privileges. Yet, the absolute privilegenotwithstanding, the law regarding privileges of municipal councils is not precise orclearly stated. The Constitution entrusts Parliament with the power to provide for aframework, and – to give content to this – provincial legislatures with the power toprovide for privileges and immunities in municipal councils. However, it does notprovide minutiae and details on the nature and extent of such privileges andimmunities. The provision of municipal privileges by fragmented provincial legislationmay result in disparity in municipal councils. Freedom of speech may require uniformlegislation that applies across the nation. Thus, the Constitution should be amendedto entrust Parliament to provide for uniform legislation on the privileges of municipalcouncils.
OBTAINING INVOLUNTARY MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTIONAL DISPENSATION
Authors: Marike Kersop  , Francois van den Berg
Published: October 2021

The history of mental health care in South Africa has come a long way from the flawed past, where individuals who suffered from mental disabilities were treated like criminals and where social problems were blamed on and confused with mental deviance. While positive policy changes have undoubtedly been brought about by the Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002 (MHCA), the question remains whether effect is truly being given to the upholding of rights envisaged by this Act and by theConstitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (the Constitution). While substantive issues are admittedly of cardinal importance, especially when viewed in the light of the past, due process is something which cannot be disregarded when dealing with involuntary mental health care. The aim of this contribution is to determine to what extent the MHCA upholds mental health care users’ fundamental rights, as afforded by the Bill of Rights, specifically in the process of obtaining involuntary mental health care. This will be done against the background of the history of mental health legislation and its development in South Africa as well as the procedure by means of which involuntary mental health care must be obtained under current legislation. When scrutinising this procedure it will become clear that the MHCA requires the consideration of several factors when the decision concerning the provision of involuntary mental health care is made. It will subsequently become evident that the MHCA is transparent in terms of its procedure to obtain involuntary care, specifically regarding the administrative law aspect thereof, and that it provides sufficient procedural and substantive protection for mental health care users’ rights, in accordance with the Constitution.
SERIOUS INJURY CLAIMS REJECTED BY THE ROAD ACCIDENT FUND: THE APPEAL PROCESS
Authors: M Slabbert  , HJ Edeling
Published: October 2021

The Road Accident Amendment Act came into effect in 2008. This Act limits the Road Accident Fund’s liability for compensation in respect of claims where serious injuries have been sustained. In the event of the Road Accident Fund rejecting a serious injury claim the appeal process is prescribed by the regulations to the Act. The disputed case has to be referred to an Appeal Tribunal under the auspices of the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The Tribunal faces many challengesdespite the fact that the use of the AMA Guides is intended to yield objective and consistent findings.
DNA PROCESSING CONTEMPLATED IN THE CRIMINAL LAW (FORENSIC PROCEDURES) AMENDMENT ACT 37 OF 2013 AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY
Authors: Izette Knoetze  , Lilla Crouse
Published: October 2021

The article focuses on the provisions of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act 37 of 2013, which established the National Forensic DNA Database (NFDD) of South Africa. The implications of DNA taking, retention, and profiling on an individual’s constitutional rights are discussed with special reference to the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). The value of DNA evidence in combating crime is not disputed. Policies relating to the parameters of the database and the duration of DNA storage are also highlighted. It is submitted that the different categories of expungement of DNA samples and profiles raise constitutional issues. The article also deliberates whether there is adequate awareness of rights and adequate resources to ensure the proper destruction or expungement of DNA samples. Although the writers are prima facie of the opinion that the individual’s right to privacy is not violated by the abovementioned Acts, only time will tell whether this opinion is correct.