bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transdermal magnesium therapy – should it be done?
Authors: Ledwoń Anna , Lau Karolina , Jośko-Ochojska Jadwiga
Published: July 2021

Magnez pełni bardzo wiele funkcji w ludzkim organizmie, jest kofaktorem enzymów, chroni przed chorobami sercowo-naczyniowymi, usprawnia pracę układu odpornościowego, jest też budulcem kości i zębów. Skutki jego niedoboru, takie jak częste skurcze mięśni, są dobrze znane. Doustna suplementacja magnezem jest szeroko rozpowszechniona w społeczeństwie. Naukowcy dogłębnie przebadali tę formę suplementacji i udowodnili jej skuteczność, jednak doniesienia z ostatnich lat wskazują, że efektywniejsza wydaje się terapia transdermalna (np. oleje magnezowe – wodne roztwory chlorku magnezu). Za taką terapią przemawiają dobra wchłanialność przez skórę, dostarczanie pierwiastka bezpośrednio do komórek oraz pominięcie drogi pokarmowej w procesie absorpcji. Zarówno w piśmiennictwie naukowym, jak i na portalach medycznych pojawiają się artykuły dowodzące skuteczności stosowanej przezskórnie terapii, a część autorów decyduje się na stwierdzenie, iż jest ona skuteczniejsza niż tradycyjna terapia doustna. Praca stanowi przegląd piśmiennictwa oraz prowadzonych w ostatnich latach badań dotyczących transdermalnej terapii magnezem oraz jej skuteczności.
ОЦЕНКА СУФФОЗИОННОЙ ОПАСНОСТИ ТЕРРИТОРИИ ПОС. САБЕТТА (ПОЛУОСТРОВ ЯМАЛ)
Authors: Строкова Людмила Александровна , Епифанова Екатерина Александровна
Published: July 2021

Актуальность. Активное освоение полуострова Ямал приводит к трансформации геологической среды, часто сопровождающейся активизацией природных и техноприродных процессов. Многочисленные исследования посвящены описанию геокриологических процессов этого региона. В данной работе внимание уделяется особому слабоизученному процессу – суффозии, на основе изучения гранулометрического состава песков, широко распространенных на территории Ямала. Целью работы является оценка суффозионной устойчивости грунтов и определение пространственных закономерностей распространения суффозионно-опасных грунтов в районе населенного пункта Сабетта. Методы. На первом этапе в ArcGIS составлены тематические карты факторов, обусловливающих развитие суффозии. Было выбрано четыре фактора: уклон, кривизна поверхности, экспозиция склонов, геологическое строение территории. На втором этапе проведена обработка данных по гранулометрическому составу грунтов. Были определены: степень неоднородности гранулометрического состава, максимальный размер суффозионных частиц, степень суффозионности грунтов основных стратиграфо-генетических комплексов, распространенных в районе. Оценка суффозионности песчаных грунтов выполнена по двум методикам. Составлена инвентаризационная карта проявлений суффозионно-опасных песков. Заключительным этапом стало составление прогнозной карты восприимчивости территории к суффозии на основе изучения пространственных закономерностей распределения проявлений с учетом веса обусловливающих ее факторов. Результаты работы и область их применения. Наиболее предрасположены к суффозии зоны развития современных аллювиальных отложений, средней восприимчивостью характеризуется территория второй надпойменной террасы и с уклонами поверхности более 12 градусов, наименее предрасположена к суффозии территория развития современных аллювиально-морских отложений. Полученные данные по степени суффозионности песчаных грунтов рекомендуется использовать при проектировании инженерных сооружений. Используемую в работе технологию построения карт восприимчивости к суффозии рекомендуется опробовать при изучении геокриологических процессов, в первую очередь, бугров пучения.
ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПЕТРОФИЗИЧЕСКИХ СВОЙСТВ СЛОЖНОПОСТРОЕННЫХ КАРБОНАТНЫХ ТОЛЩ ПО КОМПЛЕКСНЫМ ГЕОФИЗИЧЕСКИМ ДАННЫМ
Authors: Чучалина Кристина Юрьевна , Коровин Михаил Олегович
Published: July 2021

Актуальность исследования определена необходимостью прогнозирования латеральной изменчивости литологических типов пород, что оказывает влияние на разработку и экономическую оценку месторождения. Очень часто нефтяные компании имеют ограниченный набор геолого-геофизической информации, в связи с чем возникают трудности для прогнозирования перспективных областей, что способствует увеличению неопределенностей при изучении территории месторождения. Цель: выделение и статистическое обоснование фациального строения по данным геолого-геофизической информации на примере одного из месторождений Томской области, приуроченного к палеозойскому фундаменту Западной Сибири. Объектом исследования являются отложения палеозойского фундамента юго-восточной части Западно-Сибирской плиты – коллекторы сложнопостроенных карбонатных толщ, окно исследования, которое охватывает объем горной породы, равный 40 м, выбрано исходя из условий построения сейсмофациальной карты. Методы исследования основаны на использовании комплексного анализа данных – статистическое сопоставление геофизических исследований и кернового материала. Такой анализ способствует уменьшению неопределенностей в процессе оценки и прогноза геологической среды. В работе отмечено, что использование широкого спектра информации влияет на оценку и прогноз распределения геологических тел в пространстве. Предложена методика сравнения акустических свойств, полученных из первоначального источника – сейсмические данные, с расчетными акустическими свойствами по керновым данным. Выявлены взаимосвязи между сейсмической, геофизической информацией и лабораторными исследованиями керна. Обоснование полученной сейсмофациальной карты на основе комплексирования данных позволяет эффективно прогнозировать геологическое распределение фаций в пространстве и времени, но также уменьшать неопределенности при построении геологической модели.
УПРАВЛЕНИЕ ТОКОМ Z-ИНВЕРТОРА С ЧЕТВЕРТОЙ СТОЙКОЙ ДЛЯ АВТОНОМНОЙ ФОТОЭЛЕКТРИЧЕСКОЙ СИСТЕМЫ НА ОСНОВЕ ПРОГНОЗИРУЮЩЕГО УПРАВЛЕНИЯ
Authors: Буссабер Мохамед Т. , Рабхи Буалага , Абуэлсауд Раиф , Ибрагим Ахмед , Туми Джаафар , Зеллума Лейд , Гарганеев Александр Георгиевич
Published: July 2021

Возобновляемые источники для производства электроэнергии вызывают больший интерес у учёных и исследователей по сравнению с традиционными источниками, работающими на основе использования углеводородного топлива. Одним из типов возобновляемых источников энергии, отвечающих реализации концепции «зеленая энергетика», являются фотоэлектрические системы, способные эффективно использоваться в качестве автономной системы электроснабжения для потребителей, географически расположенных в отдаленных, труднодоступных районах. Производительность автономной системы электроснабжения во многом определяется системой преобразования и ее алгоритмами управления. В статье рассмотрена новая и альтернативная система управления автономных фотоэлектрических станций, основанная на стратегии прогнозирующего управления напряжением и током нагрузки Z-инвертора с четвертой стойкой.  Цель: разработка алгоритма, основанного на стратегии прогнозирующего управления, для регулирования токов нагрузки автономной фотоэлектрической системы электроснабжения. Методы: математическое и компьютерное моделирование с использованием программной среды MatLab/Simulink. Результаты. Благодаря использованию Z-инвертора система преобразования энергии для фотоэлектрических систем генерации сокращается до одноступенчатой структуры. Результаты показывают, что предложенный алгоритм управления может эффективно регулировать ток нагрузки при сбалансированных и несбалансированных нагрузках с высокой эффективностью управления. Предлагаемый алгоритм управления имеет отличные характеристики в установившихся и переходных режимах.
​Incorporated Wastewater Aquaculture
Authors: Santhosh K.
Published: July 2021

The use of wastewater in fish culture depends on supplement reusing, which improves essential usefulness, planktonic biomass, macrophytes, what’s more, benthic living beings that determine fish creation. The creation of fishes could be improved to 10 tons/ha through wastewater reusing by legal stock control and the board. The decrepit grounds around a sewage fish ranch could be used for agrihorticultural creation by reusing both muck and sewage water, bringing about an absolute agro creation of around 110 ton/ha through rotational vegetable trimming. The potential for extra creation of vegetables not just improves income yet additionally makes business.
Segmentation and Classification of Breast Cancer Tumour
Authors: Cinarer Gokalp , Emiroglu Bulent Gursel , Yurttakal Ahmet Hasim
Published: July 2021

Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the world. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women. Early detection of breast cancer tumours is crucial in the treatment. In this study, we presented a computer aided diagnosis expectation maximization segmentation and co-occurrence texture features from wavelet approximation tumour image of each slice and evaluated the performance of SVM Algorithm. We tested the model on 50 patients, among them, 25 are benign and 25 malign. The 80% of the images are allocated for training and 20% of images reserved for testing. The proposed model classified 2 patients correctly with success rate of 80% in case of 5 Fold Cross-Validation 

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI);
Assessment of Male Infertility
Authors: Aksoy Ahu , Yilmaz Duygu VefikuluÃ§ay
Published: July 2021

As a result of modern life, postponement of gestational age, obesity, electromagnetic waves, hormone and genetically modified foods, stress, smoking and alcohol use and sexually transmitted diseases directly cause negative effects on human health. The reproductive system, which is sensitive to environmental changes, is the most affected. In recent years, the usage of assisted reproductive techniques led to an increase in the number of men as well women who consults health institutions for assistance in conception. Because factors pertaining to males comprise half of all fertility problems. In this context, all these factors should be considered when assessing infertile men. Nowadays, many new methods such as endocrine tests, sperm analysis, radiological evaluation, testis biopsy, immunological tests and sperm function tests have been developed to diagnose and assess male infertility. Thanks to these methods, fertility success rates have increased.  Therefore, when assessing infertile males, nurses should determine the condition causing fertility, provide accurate information about the prognosis, provide counseling during the research, provide support and training, and offer treatment options according to the evaluation results.

Keywords: Infertility assessment, male infertility, fertility, nursing.
Evidence Based Care for Couples with Fertility Problems
Authors: Degirmenci Filiz , YÄ±lmaz Duygu VefikuluÃ§ay , Uzel Asiye
Published: July 2021

Fertility refers to the occurance and continuation of pregnancy in a period less than one year and the birth of a living baby. Couples may experience fertility problems in the period they want to have children. In this negative experience, nurses, who are the most co-existing health professionals with couples, have a significant role. Evidence-based practice is to show how to give the best care to the patient with the results of researches which conducted carefully and honestly, and yielded clear and accurate decisions. In this respect, nurses should work on the basis of evidence for meeting the education and counseling needs of couples with fertility problems. In this review article, evidence-based education, counseling and evaluation requirements of couples with fertility problems were reviewed in accordance with current guidelines. In addition, comments were made on how to inform nurses about evidence-based care in couples with fertility problems and how they should play a role in the care process.

Keywords: Fertility problems; evidence based care; nursing.
Tail docking and castrating lambs: does the administration of local anaesthetic or meloxicam reduce the pain response exhibited?
Authors: Evangeline Dunthorne
Published: July 2021

PICO question

In healthy lambs, does the administration of local anaesthetic reduce the pain response after castration and tail docking compared to the administration of meloxicam?

 

Clinical bottom line

Category of research question

Treatment

The number and type of study designs reviewed

Three prospective randomised clinical trials (RCT) and one clinical trial without stated randomisation were critically reviewed

Strength of evidence

Moderate to strong evidence in terms of their experimental design due to having three RTCs which are all relatively recent research. However, their implementation is moderate to weak as they fail to prove the hypothesis

Outcomes reported

In all four studies there was improvement in the pain related behaviours post administration of anaesthesia or analgesia. There is conflicting evidence on meloxicam’s efficacy, but this could be a result of time spent observing outcomes, which relates to the drugs onset of action and time of peak concentration. Lidocaine has consistently shown a reduction in acute abnormal behaviours irrespective of equipment used

Conclusion

Based on the studies appraised in this Knowledge Summary there is not enough evidence to determine whether local anaesthesia is more effective than meloxicam at reducing the pain exhibited by lambs undergoing castration or tail docking. It has been shown that the use of local anaesthesia in the form of injectable lidocaine will reduce acute pain displayed during marking but there remains conflicting evidence for meloxicam with likely benefits occurring after several hours

 

How to apply this evidence in practice

The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources.

Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.
Collaboration to Improve Neuroprotection and Neuropromotion in the NICU: Team Education and Family Engagement
Authors: Knudsen Kati , McGill Ginny , Ann Waitzman Kara , Powell Jason , Carlson Megan , Shaffer Ginny , Morris Mindy
Published: July 2021

The number of babies born extremely low birth weight surviving to be discharged home after experiencing the NICU continues to improve. Unfortunately, early sensory development for these babies occurs in an environment vastly different from the intended in-utero environment and places them at high risk of long-term neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive challenges. Our goal in the NICU must transition from simply discharge home to supporting the neurosensory development necessary for a thriving lifetime. To accomplish a goal of thriving families and thriving babies, it is clear the NICU interprofessional team must share an understanding of neurosensory development, the neuroprotective strategies safeguarding development, the neuropromotive strategies supporting intended maturational development, and the essential nature of family integration in these processes. We share the educational endeavors of 11 center collaboratives in establishing the foundational knowledge necessary to support preterm babies and their families.
Steps 1 and 2: Asking a Compelling Clinical Question and Searching for the Best Evidence
Authors: Bell Susan Givens , O'Donovan Patrice
Published: July 2021

A compelling clinical question using the PICOT format sets the stage for a successful search for relevant evidence. This column describes the PICOT format with examples for each component and uses a specific example to demonstrate, through a first-person librarian narrative, how to conduct a literature search for relevant evidence.
Psicolingüística empírica en Colombia
Authors: Vásquez Arango Claudia Fernanda , Muñetón  Ayala Mercedes
Published: July 2021

La psicolingüística inició su desarrollo como ciencia independiente, en Colombia, en 1970. Este principio se caracterizó por el estudio de la adquisición del lenguaje desde una perspectiva cualitativa; mientras que el estudio empírico estaba relegado. Esta revisión documental tiene el objetivo de observar el panorama actual de los estudios psicolingüísticos empíricos en Colombia. La metodología consistió en una búsqueda y análisis de 51 artículos científicos, publicados entre 2013 y 2020, en bases de datos. Los resultados mostraron estudios en los temas de adquisición del lenguaje, dificultades en adquisición del lenguaje y aprendizaje, lectura, dificultades en la adquisición de la lectura y escritura. Se encontró mayor número de publicaciones en dos ciudades: Bogotá y Medellín, en tres universidades: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidad de Antioquia y Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. El 82% de los artículos analizó posibles causas y efectos, el 10% realizó intervenciones y el 8% validó pruebas. Las pruebas más utilizadas fueron Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) (Wechsler, 2005), (35%), y la Evaluación Neuropsicológica Infantil (ENI) (Matute, Rosselli, Ardila & Ostrosky, 2007), (32%). En conclusión, la investigación psicolingüística en Colombia muestra desarrollos significativos en los últimos años. Actualmente, hay mayor apertura a temas de investigación, con metodología empírica.
Sufijos aumentativos y la reduplicación en el español oral actual
Authors: Tarazona Edinson
Published: July 2021

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo estudiar los sufijos aumentativos -ón y -ote y el fenómeno de la reduplicación en el español actual. Hemos observado que la repetición de estos sufijos es recurrente en el registro familiar y popular y que se utiliza para intensificar la característica determinada por la palabra base sin necesidad de emplear adverbios o adjetivos. Pero antes de estudiar el fenómeno es necesario indagar sobre los dos sufijos: su origen y su uso para saber si hay algo en ellos que motiva la reduplicación. Esta propuesta se realiza a la luz de la filología y las investigaciones de los lingüistas estadounidenses sobre la reduplicación tomando en cuenta los ejemplos encontrados en una historieta colombiana, en la literatura y en ciertas redes sociales.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH OF ELLEN WHITE IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION ORGANIZATION CONCERNING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Authors: Rumbay Christar Arstilo , Katuuk Deitje A , Lengkong Jeffry S. J. , Rotty Viktory N. J.
Published: July 2021

The educational management quality is poor and weak. Massive works have been issued to increase its quality. However, those approaches work independently and separately, as a consequence, it does not solve the problem comprehensively. Philosophical and Christian education approaches are far from attention. Ellen White as a Christian education philosopher with an American background shares a potential concept to the tension. This essay employs qualitative research methods and literature study to formulate White's holistic approach concerning total quality management. In sum, with her anthropological and religious features, she argues that spiritual, physical, and mental dimensions should work together in harmony to establish the expected result in educational total quality management in Indonesia.

BAHASA INDONESIA ABSTRACT: Manajemen mutu terpadu pendidikan masih lemah dan buruk. Banyak pekerjaan yang telah dilakukan untuk meningkatkan kualitasnya. Namun, pendekatan-pendekatan dilakukan secara terpisah dan sendiri-sendiri, sebagai akibatnya, persoalan tidak terselesaikan secara utuh. Pendekatan filsafat dan pendidikan Kristen masih kurang mendapatkan perhatian. Ellen White sebagai filsuf pendidikan Kristen dengan latar belakang Amerika memberikan konsep yang menjanjikan untuk percakapan ini. Dengan menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif disertai studi literatur, penelitian ini mencoba untuk mengformulasikan pendekatan holistik White sehubungan dengan manajemen mutu terpadu. Sebagai kesimpulan, dengan kekhasan antropologi dan agamanya, dia berpendapat bahwa dimensi rohani, fisik dan pikiran harus bekerja sama dalam keharmonisan untuk menciptakan hasil yang diharapkan pada manajemen mutu terpadu terhadap pendidikan di Indonesia.
THE POTENTIAL OF GREEN VILLAGE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ON THE SACRED STREET OF BANJARMASIN CITY
Authors: Yuli Andri
Published: July 2021

This study aims: (I) to determine the potential for the development of green village tourism, (2) strategies to develop the tourism potential of the green village so that it becomes a tourist attraction.The research method used in this research is qualitative. The data source was selected by purposive sampling. Data collection was carried out using observation, interview and documentation techniques. Analysis of research results using data reduction steps, display, and verification. The results of this study indicate that: (I) the development potential of a green village, namely the development of a green village, is carried out by the government entirely to change the riverbanks that originally looked slum into a beautiful one, (2) The strategy for developing the potential for village tourism is carried out by the community and the government with how to promote through social media and hold events such as competitions in the green village.
CULTURAL ACCULTURATION OF CHINESE: ETNOGRAPHIC STUDY IN BANJARMASIN
Authors: Handy Muhammad Rezky Noor , Mutiani Mutiani , Putra Muhammad Adhitya Hidayat , Jumriani Jumriani , Rahman Akhmad Munaya
Published: July 2021

Kedatangan dari orang Cina ke Indonesia termasuk ke Banjarmasin hingga sekarang membaur sekaligus juga mempertahankan kebudayaan mereka sampai sekarang dengan akukturasi kebudayaan antara orang Tionghoa dengan Banjar sendiri hingga sekarang. Penelitian ini menggunakan Metode penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan pengumpulan data melalui pengamatan, wawancara, dan studi dokumentasi. Data dianalisis menggunakan model Miles dan Hubermen dengan cara reduksi data, display data dan kesimpulan/verifikasi. Proses akulturasi kebudayaan orang Tionghoa di Banjarmasin dan menetap di wilayah yang sekarang bernama Pacinan sudah sejak lama dan budaya-budaya Tionghoa Pacinan Banjarmasin bertahan hingga sekarang yang didapatkan oleh peneliti antara lain Religi seperti perayaan Imlek, Cheng Beng, Tiong Kuan, Tarian Barongsai, sistem mata pencaharian hidup, bahasa dan lainnya.The arrival of the Chinese to Indonesia, including to Banjarmasin until now, has blended and at the same time preserved their culture until now with the cultural structure between the Chinese people and the Banjar itself until now. This research uses a research method using a qualitative approach to data collection through observation, interviews, and documentation studies. Data were analyzed using Miles and Hubermen models by data reduction, data display, and conclusion/verification. The process of acculturation of Chinese culture in Banjarmasin and settled in the area now called Pacinan has been a long time and Chinese culture of Banjarmasin Pacinan survives until now obtained by researchers including religions such as Chinese New Year Celebration or Imlek, Cheng Beng, Tiong Kuan, Barongsai dance, economic system livelihood, language and more.
PERKEMBANGAN MORAL SISWA SMP TERHADAP PERMASALAHAN LINGKUNGAN PESISIR PANTAI KOTABARU MELALUI PENYELESAIAN MASALAH
Authors: Hayati Nida , Biyatmoko Danang , Putra Aminuddin Prahatama
Published: July 2021

Penerapan moral di kalangan remaja kurang begitu mendapat perhatian atau diterapkan baik oleh remaja sendiri ataupun oleh lingkungan. Berdasarkan survey lapangan di pesisir Pantai Kotabaru bahwa banyak kegiatan yang dilakukan di daerah pesisir mengakibatkan daerah ini sangat rentan terhadap pencemaran lingkungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan tahap perkembangan moral siswa SMPN terhadap permasalahan pesisir pantai di Kotabaru melalui penyelesaian masalah yang valid dan reliabel. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif, subjek dalam penelitian ini ada 8 siswa SMPN 2 Kotabaru yang telah dipilih melalui teori hipotetik. Teknik pengumpulan data dengan observasi, dokumentasi, wawancara, dan triangulasi. Analisis data ada 3 tahapan yaitu: reduksi data (data reduction), paparan data (data display), penarikan kesimpulan dan verifikasi (conclusion drawing/ verifying). Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan Tahap perkembangan moral siswa SMP terhadap permasalahan di pesisir Pantai Kotabaru melalui penyelesaian masalah diperoleh 4 tahap PMPPP yaitu 1) merumuskan masalah, 2) menyusun penyelesaian, 3) mengelompokkan data, dan 4) menarik kesimpulan.
PREPARATION OF POLYACRYLONITRILE MEMBRANES WITH ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES
Authors: Vakuliuk Polina , Furtat Iryna , Potvorova Nadya , Zabava Lutsiia , Sobczuk Henryk
Published: July 2021

We describe the method of formation of polyacrylonitrile membranes with antibacterial properties by addition into the casting solution casting of antibacterial polymeric compounds: polyhexamethyleneguanidine chloride, oligourethanesemicarbazide with terminal cationic pyridinium chloride groups, and the polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex. We investigated the effect of the addition of antibacterial compounds to the casting solution casting on the physicochemical, transport and antibacterial properties of the obtained membranes. We show that increasing the concentration of the bactericidal additives in the casting solution to 3% (wt.) leads to a change in the investigated physicochemical characteristics, water flux and membrane rejection, of polyethyleneglycol and low molecular weight electrolyte type 2-1 (CaCl2). We found that membranes prepared from the casting solution with 3% (wt.) of antimicrobial substances are characterized by high antibacterial activity.
Feasibility of Neural Network Based Virtual Sensor for Vehicle Unsprung Mass Relative Velocity Estimation
Authors: Šabanovič Eldar , Kojis Paulius , Šukevičius Šarūnas , Shyrokau Barys , Ivanov Valentin , Dhaens Miguel , Skrickij Viktor
Published: July 2021

With the automotive industry moving towards automated driving, sensing is becoming an increasingly important part of enabling technology. The virtual sensors allow data fusion from various vehicle sensors and provide a prediction for measurement that is hard or too expensive to measure in another way or in the case of demand on continuous detection. In this paper, virtual sensing is discussed for the case of vehicle suspension control, where information about the relative velocity of the unsprung mass for each vehicle corner is required. The corresponding goal can be identified as a regression task with multi-input sequence input. The hypothesis is that the state-of-art method of Bidirectional Long-Short Term Memory (BiLSMT) can solve it. In this paper, a virtual sensor has been proposed and developed by training a neural network model. The simulations have been performed using an experimentally validated full vehicle model in IPG Carmaker. Simulations provided the reference data which was used for Neural Network (NN) training. The extensive dataset covering 26 scenarios has been used to obtain training, validation and testing data. The Bayesian Search was used to select the best neural network structure using root mean square error as a metric. The best network is made of 167 BiLSTM, 256 fully connected hidden units and 4 output units. Error histograms and spectral analysis of the predicted signal compared to the reference signal are presented. The results demonstrate the good applicability of neural network-based virtual sensors for the estimation of vehicle unsprung mass relative velocity.
An Experimental Comparison of Simple Measurements used for the Characterization of Sand Equestrian Surfaces
Authors: Blanco Maria Alejandra , Hourquebie Raúl , Dempsey Kaleb , Schmitt Peter , Peterson Michael "Mick"
Published: July 2021

Quantitative measurements of performance parameters has the potential to increase consistency and enhance performance of the surfaces as well as to contribute to the safety of horses and riders. This study investigates how factors known to influence the performance of the surface, incorpo-ration of a drainage package, control of the moisture control, and introduction of a geotextile reinforcement, affect quantitative measurements of arena materials. The measurements are made by using affordable lightweight testing tools which are readily available or easily constructed. Sixteen boxes with arena materials at a consistent depth were tested with the Going Stick (GS), both penetration resistance and shear, the impact test device (ITD), and the rotational peak shear device (RPS). Volumetric moisture content (VMC %) was also tested with time-domain reflectometry (TDR). Results obtained using GS, RPS, ITD, and TDR indicate that the presence of the drainage package, moisture content, and geotextile addition were detected. Alterations due to combinations of treatments could also be detected by GS, ITD, and TDR. While the testing showed some limi-tations of these devices, the potential exists to utilize them for quality control of new installations as well as for the monitoring of maintenance of the surfaces.
A Re-Evaluation of the Swiss Hail Suppression Experiment using Permutation Techniques shows Enhancement of Hail Energies when Seeding
Authors: Auf der Maur Armin , Germann Urs
Published: July 2021

Grossversuch IV is a large and well documented experiment on hail suppression by silver iodide seeding. The original 1986 evaluation remained vague, although indicating a tendency to increase hail when seeding. The strategy to deal with distributions of hail energy far from normal was not optimal. The present re-evaluation sticks to the question asked and avoids both misleading transformations and unsatisfactory meteorological predictors. The raw data show an increase by about a factor of 3 for the hail energy when seeding. This is the opposite of what seeding is supposed to do. The probability to obtain such a result by chance is below 1%, calculated by permutation and bootstrap techniques applied on the raw data. Confidence intervals were approximated by bootstrapping as well as by a new method called "correlation imposed permutation" (CIP).
First Metatarsophalangeal Lateral Collateral Ligament Repair in an Athlete
Authors: Walley Kempland C. , Muscatelli Stefano R. , Singer Natalie , Nicholas Madeline , Holmes James R. , Walton David M. , Talusan Paul G.
Published: July 2021

Case:

Evidence-based surgical strategies to reconstruct the collateral ligament complex of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint are not available. We report a case of first MTP lateral collateral ligament insufficiency in a young, female gymnast with varus laxity and subsequent satisfactory mid-term and long-term outcomes.

Conclusion:

This case report describes an efficient suture anchor technique for restoring stability of the first MTP joint because of chronic varus laxity with acceptable results both clinically and with patient-reported outcome scores at mid-term and long-term follow-ups. We suggest that our strategy is a viable option for addressing chronic varus laxity of the first MTP joint.

Level of evidence:

Level IV, case report.
The Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Reducing Pain in Hip Osteoarthritis
Authors: Dimino Karli
Published: July 2021

Hip osteoarthritis is the process of chondral degeneration leading to synovial inflammation, which in turn advances the articular degradation in a cyclical manner. The impact of hip arthritis is increasing with an aging population and obesity. Conservative treatments include activity modification, physical therapy, steroid injections, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioids. Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are also options for temporary pain relief. In the past decade, there has been a trend toward the use of biologics for limiting the pain of hip arthritis. PRP is one biologic showing promise. Using biologics such as PRP is a simple, less expensive, and minimally invasive procedure compared with surgery.
Online Learning Amidst COVID-19 Emergency: A Case of the University of Malawi’s School of Education
Authors: Maseko Bob , Gondwe Foster , Winiko Symon , Chiziwa Symon
Published: July 2021

This paper explores faculty members’ concerns and level of preparedness for open and distance learning (ODL) at the University of Malawi’s School of Education during the recent Covid-19 pandemic within a context that considers ODL as a means of mitigating the impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with four experienced academic leaders within the school of education. The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM), particularly stages of concerns, served as a framework to understand the faculty’s concerns about the implementation of ODL initiatives. Inductive and deductive analysis approaches were used to analyse the interview transcripts to identify emerging themes. Deductive analysis revealed that faculty members expressed several concerns such as awareness, informational, as well as consequences concerns as they talked about their feelings and attitudes towards the implementation of ODL. Inductive analysis on the other hand revealed that faculty members’ perceptions such as minimal preparation, negative orientations, and lack of policy awareness hamper the implementation of ODL. These findings underscore the importance of members’ orientation change to ensure effective implementation of ODL in contexts like the institution under study. We discuss these and propose that professional development could help members develop positive attitudes towards ODL.
Platelet transfusion and mortality in patients with sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia: a propensity score-matching analysis
Authors: Zhou Aiming , Wu Shanshan , Chen Qin , Chen Lili , Pan Jingye
Published: July 2021

Thrombocytopenia is common among sepsis patients. Platelet transfusion is frequently administered to increase platelet counts but its clinical impacts remain unclear in sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia. The goal of this study was to explore the association between platelet transfusion and mortality in patients with sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) III database. In this study, we included 1733 patients with sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia, and these patients were divided into two groups: platelet transfusion group (PT group) and no platelet transfusion group (NPT group). Propensity-score matching was used to reduce the imbalance. We found that patients in the PT group had a higher in-hospital mortality as compared with the NPT group. Furthermore, in the subgroup of age (>60 years), gender (female), sequential organ failure assessment score (≤8), simplified acute physiology score (≤47), platelet count (>27/nL), congestive heart failure, platelet transfusion was associated with increased in-hospital mortality. However, there was no significant difference in the 90-day mortality and the length of ICU stays (LOS-ICU) between these two groups. All these results remain stable after adjustment for confounders and in the comparisons after propensity score matching. In conclusion, platelet transfusion was associated with increased in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis-induced thrombocytopenia.
Green in times of COVID-19: urban green space relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Buenos Aires City
Authors: Marconi Patricia Laura , Perelman Patricia E. , Salgado Vanina G.
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on the way we perceive our world. This study explores its particular effect on Urban Green Space (UGS) perception ín Buenos Aires City (CABA), Argentina. We provide a detailed overview of the distribution of UGS in CABA, along with an analysis of visitors' profile and perception before and during the restrictive measures adopted by the national authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak (July to December of 2020). We conducted a series of surveys based on open and closed questions. Before the pandemic, surveys were carried out in situ in eight parks of six districts, randomly chosen. During the confinement, online surveys were conducted. According to our results, the mean UGS density in CABA is 6.09 m2 /person, but marked differences between districts exist, ranging from 0.02 m2 /person to 17.68 m2 /person. This uneven distribution causes differences in the quality of life of CABA inhabitants, perhaps more pronounced during reduced-mobility situations like COVID-19 confinement. Regarding UGS visitors, before the confinement, the majority of respondents were employees or students; during the confinement, employees and retirees predominated. When asked to choose important attributes to describe their perception about the UGS from a given list, respondents selected “calm,” “green,” and “sounds of nature,” without differences before and during the confinement. However, when asked about the UGS role, the main answer was “a place to be with nature” before the confinement and “an important place in the city” during it. Understanding how society perceives the UGS, especially during crises, is essential to rethink the urban landscape and prepare our cities for a more sustainable future.
Statistical Analysis of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Propagation East of the Rocky Mountains
Authors: Hwang Yunsung , Li Yanping
Published: July 2021

In this work, we characterized the occurrences and propagation speeds of Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) east of the Rocky Mountains, using 15 years of radar data. The central United States has a complex topography. The region also has atmospheric environments that initiate and maintain MCSs at multiple scales. The diurnal and regional variability of MCSs based on their longevities was obtained using high-resolution observation data (Stage IV) and an object tracking algorithm MODE-Time Domain (MTD). MTD-determined MCSs in spring and summer were divided into daytime (initiated from 12 to 23 UTC, MCS12) and nighttime MCSs (formed between 00 and 11 UTC, MCS00) and into short lived (less than the 75th percentile) and long lived MCSs (greater or equal to the 75th percentile). Propagation speeds of MCSs were calculated using distances between MCSs’ centroids at each time step. We suggest a novel way to obtain a Hovmoller diagram to indicate average propagation speeds. There were two key results: 1) Spatial and temporal features of propagation speeds vary at each location and time and, 2.) heavy rainfall (rain rates ≥ 5.0 mmhr-1 ) contributed more than lighter rainfall to overall precipitation. In the east during spring, long-lived MCSs occurred more frequently in the spring than in summer. Short-lived daytime MCSs in spring and summer exhibited similar spatial distributions. In summer alone, short-lived nighttime MCSs occurred more frequently that they did in spring. To the east, the average propagation speeds of short-lived MCSs increased in spring and summer, whereas long-lived MCSs indicated decreasing trends.
The Study of Atomic Structure and Temperature Effects On Optimization of Carbon Nanotubes’ Adhesion Force With Dynamic Molecular Simulation
Authors: Molaei Vahid , Damircheli Mehrnoosh
Published: July 2021

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and their application in biomedical engineering, space robotics, or material development are fast-paced revolutionary fields. The key parameter in defining the strength and failure mechanisms of any CNT is their adhesion force capacity to different substrates. Therefore, it is of high importance to find the optimum geometrical and environmental conditions that can optimize the adhesion force for different types of CNTs. This comprehensive work presents the study of the effects of CNTs’ angle, length, diameter, temperature, chirality, and atomic defects on adhesion force. To systematically measure their effect on the adhesion force of CNTs, the single wall nanotube is simulated between two ideal graphene sheets. The simulation results show that the adhesion force increases as the angle, length, and diameter of various CNTs increase. Additionally, the temperature of the nanotubes plays a major role in the adhesion force. Adhesion force is maximized when the temperature is 300 K. Temperature can become a limiting factor on different applications of CNTs due to the atomic resonance and changes of the potential energies in their atoms. This study investigates the effect of chirality on different types of nanotubes. The results present that chirality has a higher effect on armchair-type nanotubes compared to other types. Moreover, the adhesion force of a nanotube with vacancies decreases by increasing the number of lost atoms. Thus, the adhesion force in an ideal nanotube with (11, 9) chirality is 6.14 nN. This is higher by 28%, 35%, 42%, and 53% compared to mono-vacancy, di-vacancy, tri-vacancy, and Stone-Wales defects if these defects are placed in the middle of nanotubes. Although there are extensive studies done in this field, the novelty of our work relies on the fact that different types of CNTs with different types of vacancies (with different locations) for different geometries are studied with the objective of enhancing adhesion force between CNT and graphene sheets.
Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Lung Cancer According to Patient Age and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zou Xue-lin , Chen Wei-yong , Zhang Guang-yan , Ke Hua , Yuan Jiao , Tang Qing , Cheng Qi , Zhao Shuang , Lei Liang-zhi , Yu Qian , Li Jing , Yang Qiu-hong , Zhou Chen-Jiao , Li Xiao-bo
Published: July 2021

Background
For treatment of advanced lung cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) + chemotherapy or the combination of dual ICIs has become the standard first-line treatment in recent years. Considering the differences among patients’ immune systems, the response to ICIs may vary. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the predictive implications of patient age and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) for the efficacy of ICIs for the treatment of lung cancer.
Methods
We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases for articles published between January 2010 and September 2020 that compared overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates between patients with lung carcinoma who were administered ICIs and control treatments.
Results
Twenty-four trials including 15,584 patients were selected. ICIs significantly improved the OS rates in patients aged < 65 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65–0.82) and ≥ 65 (0.75 [0.70–0.82]) years, with an age cut-off of 65 years; patients aged < 65 (0.83 [0.72–0.95]) years, when age was classified as < 65, 65–74, and ≥ 75 years; and patients with an ECOG PS score of 0 (0.77 [0.69–0.86]) and 1 (0.78 [0.72–0.85]). However, the differences between the two age groups (p = 0.69), the three age groups (p = 0.43), and the ECOG PS groups (p = 0.82) were not insignificant. Significant advantages of ICIs in terms of PFS rates were found in patients aged < 65 (0.64 [0.52–0.79]) and ≥ 65 (0.73 [0.64–0.84]) years and in those with an ECOG PS score of 0 (0.63 [0.49–0.82]) and 1 (0.66 [0.59–0.75]). No significant difference was observed between the age (p = 0.35) and ECOG PS groups (p = 0.89).
Conclusions
Younger patients benefited more from ICI administration; however, lung cancer treatment cannot be decided based on age. Patients with different ECOG PS could benefit from ICIs, but data on patients with an ECOG PS score of ≥ 2 are lacking. In future studies, more patients with poor ECOG PS scores should be included.
Continuous Infusion of Endostar Combined with Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced or Recurrent Mucosal Melanoma: A Real-World Cohort Study
Authors: Zhang Xiaowei , Jin Feng , Jiang Shiyu , Cao Jun , Meng Yanchun , Xu Yu , Wang Chunmeng , Chen Yong , Kong Yunyi , Yang Huijuan , Liu Xin , Luo Zhiguo
Published: July 2021

BackgroundMucosal melanoma is rare and has distinct clinical and genetic features. Even with advances in targeted and immune therapy, the survival of patients with advanced or recurrent mucosal melanomas remains poor. The standard treatment remains controversial and we conducted this real-world study aimed to test continuous intravenous Endostar infusion plus chemotherapy in this population in the first-line setting. Methods Overall, 43 patients with advanced or recurrent mucosal melanoma treated at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between April 2017 and August 2020 were retrospectively included. Patients received dacarbazine plus cisplatin or temozolomide plus cisplatin regimens per the investigators’ preference. Endostar (105 mg/m2) was administered with continuous infusion for 168 hours (Civ 168h). ResultsOf the 43 patients, 72.1% had metastatic disease, and the most common primary site was the gastrointestinal tract (51.2%). The most commonly observed mutations were NRAS (23.1%), BRAF (7.7%) and CKIT (5.1%). An objective response was observed in 12 (30.0%) of the 40 evaluable patients, and disease control was achieved in 31 (77.5%) patients. With a median follow-up of 17.6 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 4.9 and 15.3 months, respectively. Additionally, a high lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) (p=0.023, HR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.10-0.84) and BRAF/KIT/RAS mutation (p=0.028, HR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07-0.86) were independently correlated with prolonged OS. Toxicity was manageable overall. ConclusionContinuous Endostar infusion plus chemotherapy was effective and safe for the treatment of advanced or recurrent mucosal melanoma. A high LMR was correlated with favorable PFS and OS in this patient population.
Recognition of High-Frequency Sea-Level Fluctuations in Late Silurian to Early Permian Deposits, Perlis, Malaysia.
Authors: Zamri Nurul Syazwin , Teoh Ying Jia , AbuBakr Khalf Khiri , Hassan Meor Hakif Amir , Ismail Nur Azwin , Muztaza Nordiana Mohd
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this paper is to present information on the past sea-level fluctuations of sedimentary rock succession of the Perlis area that covers the Mempelam Limestone, Timah Tasoh Formation, Sanai Limestone, Telaga Jatoh Formation, Kubang Pasu Formation, and Chuping Formation at Bukit Tungku Lembu and Guar Sanai, Perlis, Malaysia. Based on sedimentology logging, cycle stacking patterns, and accommodation variations revealed by Fischer plots, 51 cyclic sequences of third-order depositional sequences are recognized. These sequences generally consist of transgressive and regressive events. As the thickness of the cycle column increases, it forms an increase in accommodation space and subsidence rate and results in rising sea level. As the thickness of the cycle column decreases, it will form a decrease in accommodation space and subsidence rate and resulting in sea-level fall. Generally, the facies of the cycle are vertically arranged, forming coarsening and fining upward patterns observed from sedimentology logging. The Silurian Mempelam Limestone-Carboniferous Chepor Member sequence is characterized by a progressive increase and decrease in accommodation space, indicating a rise and fall in sea level. In contrast, the Carboniferous Uppermost Kubang Pasu-Permian Chuping Limestone sequence is characterized by a progressive decrease in accommodation space, indicating a longer-term fall in sea level. The regressive-transgressive cycles recognize deviations in the accommodation space and sediment supply from the cyclic successions. In turn, these cycles are expressing the long-term of Perlis’s sea-level fluctuations. The results notably reflect the cycles consistent with the long-term rising and falling trend on different regions globally in Paleozoic times.