bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hage, José Alexandre A. Política Energética no Brasil: sua participação no desenvolvimento econômico e no relacionamento internacional. 2020. Curitiba: Editora Appris. 1ª Edição. ISBN: 9788547342012.
Authors: Lyra Rodrigo Pedrosa
Published: May 2021

O livro traz importante discussão acerca de aspectos políticos do uso de diferentes modais energéticos no Brasil. O argumento central dos autores é de que energia é poder, portanto o tema deve ser analisado e debatido como uma política de Estado, que pode beneficiar tanto o desenvolvimento nacional quanto as relações exteriores do Brasil. Trata-se de interessante contribuição para se debater os possíveis caminhos e escolhas a serem feitas pelos próximos governos.Palavras-chave: Política Energética; Política Externa; Energia.ABSTRACTThis book brings an essential discussion about the political aspects of the use of energy in Brazil. The authors' central argument is that energy is power, so the theme must be analyzed and debated as a State policy. Both national development and Brazil's foreign relations might benefit from this perspective. Therefore, it is an exciting contribution to discuss the possible paths and choices to be made by the next Brazilian governments.Keywords: Energy Policy; Foreign Policy; Energy. Recebido em: 26 ago. 2020 | Aceito em: 23 dez. 2020.
ZUBOFF, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. New York: PublicAffairs, 2019, 691p. ISBN 9781610395694
Authors: De Brito Lucas
Published: May 2021

Shoshana Zuboff, em seu livro The age of surveillance capitalism: the fight for a human future at the new frontier of power, perpassa pelas diversas funções e características do capitalismo de vigilância, conceito instrumentalizado pela autora e que diz respeito a uma nova ordem econômica baseada na extração de dados para a predição de comportamento capitaneada pelas grandes empresas de tecnologia. Através de vários exemplos e de uma narrativa bem fundamentada a autora mostra as consequências, na vida cotidiana, do aparato sofisticado utilizado para a modificação de comportamento.Palavras-chave: Capitalismo de vigilância; Big tech; Poder comportamental.ABSTRACTShoshana Zuboff, in her book The age of surveillance capitalism: the fight for a human future at the new frontier of power, goes through the diverse functions and characteristics of surveillance capitalism, a concept instrumentalized by the author and which concerns a new economic order based on in data extraction to predict behavior led by large technology companies. Through several examples and a well-tied narrative, the author shows the consequences in everyday life of the sophisticated apparatus used for behavior modification.Key words: Surveillance capitalism; Big tech; Behavioral power. Recebido em: 09 out. 2020 | Aceito em: 23 jan. 2021.
Potential Factors Affecting Suspension at K-8 Schools in the United States
Authors: Islam Khairul
Published: May 2021

Suspension and expulsion are adversely related to negative outcomes of students, such as falling behind academically, an increased risk of absenteeism or dropout from schools. Suspension discrepancy due to ethnicity is evident and well known in the United States. The proper understanding of factors affecting suspension may lead to intervention towards the reduction of suspension episodes in the schools. The aim of this study is to determine how student, parent and school characteristics affect the likelihood of K-8 school students’ suspension in the United States. We analyze the National Household Education Surveys of 2019 with a sample of 9,699 K-8 students to evaluate the risk factors of suspension. The study finds that 6% students receive K-8 school suspensions. Bivariate analysis suggests that gender, ethnicity, poverty, parental education, school type, repeated grades, contacted for behavioral problem and school type are significantly associated with the K-8 students’ suspension. An adjusted analysis of these factors via multiple logistic regression suggests that the odds of suspension of NH-black students are 2.7 times the odds of NH-white students. Odds of suspension for students with parental education below HS is 3.2 (95% CI: 1.77-5.80) compared those with parental education at Graduate or professional level. Likewise, students of public schools have higher odds of suspension compared to private schools. There is significant evidence that students with repeated grades, poor parents, school type and those contacted for behavioral problems have substantially higher odds of suspension.
Literature review on shipyard productivity in Indonesia
Authors: Rizwan Thaib , Rizki Ayana , Salsabila Umiralaska , Muhammad Muhammad , Maulana Riyan , Chaliluddin Makwiyah A , Affan Junaidi M , Thaib Razali , Suhendrianto Suhendrianto , Muchlis Yusrizal
Published: May 2021

The shipyard industry plays an important role in supporting fishing activities and efforts to fulfill animal protein for humans. It is an industry that has an orientation to produce a product in the form of a ship. There are two types of shipyards, which are offshore buildings and floating buildings - both are used to build new ships and repair old ships. Based on the level of technology used by the shipyard industry, it is divided into modern, traditional, and semi-modern shipyards. Its productivity can see the advantages and disadvantages of a shipyard to ensure this industry remains to exist. Several factors need to be taken into account to increase the shipyard productivity, including land or location, human resources, technology, and materials.Keywords:ProductivityShipyardTechnology
The growth performance of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) co-cultured with different vegetable plants in aquaponics system
Authors: El Rahimi Sayyid Afdhal , Razeky Muammar Mirza , Perdana Adli Waliul , Putra Dedi Fazriansyah
Published: May 2021

A 28-days trial was conducted in an aquaponics culture system to determine the effect of the different vegetable plants application on the growth performance and survival rate of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Common carp seeds were obtained from local fish farmers in Aceh Besar District. A total of 360 common carp fingerlings (size 3-5 cm) were used and placed in 12 containers with the capacity of 80 L each. The study used four treatments, namely A (control), B Kale (Ipomoea aquatica), C Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and D Pakcoy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis), with three replications for each treatment. The result showed that different vegetable plants' applications significantly affected (P 0.05) the absolute weight gain, absolute length gain, and survival rate of common carp fingerlings. The highest value obtained was in treatment B (Ipomoea aquatic) with an absolute weight gain of 3.93 ± 0.28 g, absolute length gain of 3.81±0.21 cm, and survival rate of 100±0.0%, while the lowest was in treatment A (control) with an absolute weight gain of 1.21±0.76 g, absolute length gain of 1.70±0.10 cm and survival rate of 91±0.86%. Water quality was also collected in this study and the parameters during rearing were still within the tolerance limits of common carp rearing. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Kale plant, Ipomoea aquatica is the most recommended vegetable plant to be co-cultured with common carp in the aquaponics system.Keywords:AquaponicsCommon CarpVegetable Plants
Analysis of hairtail (Trichiurus sp.) fishing by handlines in Palabuhanratu Bay, West Java
Authors: Imron Mohammad , Komarudin Didin , Permana Arik , Sondita M Fedi , Purbayanto Ari
Published: May 2021

The waters of Palabuhanratu Bay are fertile and rich with fish resources. For a long time, fishermen have used the fish resources in these waters. Hairtail (Trichiurus sp.) was one of the fish resources in Palabuhanratu Bay that caught by fishermen using handlines. Fishery production landed at Palabuhanratu Fishing Port in 2019 was 5,414,240 kg with a total hairtail production of 314,107 kg. The problem raised in this study was knowing the right hairtail fishing season so that it provides optimum benefits for fishermen. In addition, knowing potential fishing areas could assist fishermen in choosing their fishing time and fishing ground. The purpose of this study was to describe the hairtail fishing unit, to analyze the catch composition of handline, to analyze the fishing season patterns of hairtail fish, and to analyze hairtail fishing ground in Palabuhanratu bay. The results of the analysis showed that the fishing season for hairtail (Trichiurus sp.) in the waters of Palabuhanratu Bay lasts for 5 years with the peak in October. However, the reality is that fishing operations can be carried out throughout the year. The average catch per unit effort (CPUE) of hairtail (Trichiurus sp) duringfishing seasons was 11.32 kg/trip in 2019. The potential fishing ground was in the waters of West Ujung Genteng, Southern waters of Sawarna, Southern waters of Karanghawu and the waters of West Ujung Karang Bentang.Keywords:Fishing season patternHairtail fishFishing groundPalabuhanratu Bay
Critical thermal limit and behavior of the Barramundi (Lates calcarifer Bloch, 1790) fingerling exposure with different temperature
Authors: Amir Fachrurozi , Nur Firman M. , Fadli Nur , Muchlisin Zainal Abidin
Published: May 2021

Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) is one of the commercial fish in Indonesia. The phenomenon of climate change due to global warming has affected the life of aquatic biota, including fish. The objectives of the present study were to determine a critical thermal maximum (CTMax) and the behavior of Barramundi (L. calcarifer) due to the increase in water temperature. The research was conducted at the Fishing Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Marine and Fisheries, Universitas Syiah Kuala in February 2021. The experiment was conducted in 10 aquariums equipped with heaters. The initial temperature of the treatment was 28oC and increased gradually every one minute by 0.2oC. The results showed that the abnormal behavior of Barramundi fingerling was started to appear at 37oC where the fish began to swim fast, then swim sideways at 38oC-39oC, hit the container wall at 39oC-40oC, jumped and weakened then dead at 40oC and 41oC. The average critical temperature of Barramundi fingerling was recorded at a temperature of 41oC within 65 minutes. Therefore, it is concluded that the Barramundi (L. calcarifer) display an abnormal behavior above the temperature of 35oC, however, they can survive up to 42oC exposure for 70 minutes.Keywords:Critical thermal maximumTemperature riseGlobal warming
Frequency-offset-tolerant optical frequency comb-based coherent transmission for intra-datacenter interconnections
Authors: Zeng Xiaobo , Ren Huiling , Fu Mengfan , Jiang Hexun , Yi Lilin , Hu Weisheng , Zhuge Qunbi
Published: May 2021

In recent years, in order to increase the capacity and scalability of intra-datacenter (DC) transmission, the optical frequency comb (OFC) source has been considered promising to replace discrete lasers, aiming to reduce the cost of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission within DC. In this paper, an OFC based coherent architecture is proposed. An OFC, in the receiver side, is split by a splitter with a uniform power ratio and separately used as local oscillators (LOs) to detect the demultiplexed signals. The signal spectrum is copied onto every tone of the LO-OFC, and a large frequency offset (FO) tolerance is achieved. In addition, the required ADC sampling rate is the same as a system without FO. Extensive simulations are conducted. In the simulated coherent WDM transmission system, a 3-tone-OFC is used to provide 3 carriers, and an 11-tone-OFC is split and used to provide LO-OFCs. For a 64GBd polarization multiplexing 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (PM-16QAM) WDM transmission, the tolerances of FO are up to about ±0.3THz and ±0.374THz for the 1st/3rd signal, and the 2nd signal, respectively, below the pre-forward error correction (FEC) bit error rate (BER) level of 1.25×10−2. Moreover, the maximum tolerance of FO linearly increases with the number of effective tones in LO-OFC. Further, extensive experiments with back-to-back connection are conducted to verify the performance. The tolerance of FO is up to >36 GHz for 36GBd PM-16QAM transmission with a 3-tone-LO-OFC below the BER level of 1.25×10−2. The proposed OFC based coherent architecture is a promising solution for intra-DC interconnections with a large FO.
MIMO carrier phase recovery for carrier-asynchronous SDM-MIMO reception based on the extended Kalman filter
Authors: Shibahara Kohki , Mizuno Takayuki , Miyamoto Yutaka
Published: May 2021

We propose a novel phase recovery scheme designed for coherent space division multiplexing (SDM) systems with independently-operated asynchronous light sources. The proposed scheme is based on the approach of the extended Kalman filter and is referred to as multiple-input multiple-output carrier phase recovery (MIMO-CPR). In the minimum mean squared error (MMSE) sense, it simultaneously and optimally obtains estimates of the multiple phase errors arising from phase-unlocked asynchronous light sources. To ensure the scheme’s application for SDM fibers with a time-varying property, we also describe a modification to incorporate a MIMO equalization scheme and analyze the computational complexity. The performance of the proposed MIMO-CPR scheme is investigated through numerical simulation, which shows that it has a tolerance for the sum linewidth symbol duration product of up to 3.4 × 10−4, 1.0 × 10−4 and 2.2 × 10−5 for QPSK, 16QAM, and 64QAM signals, respectively, if 1-dB optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) penalty is allowable to achieve BER of 10−3. Transmission experimental results using three spatial modes in a 51-km-long few-mode fiber (FMF) also verify the applicability of the MIMO-CPR scheme to carrier-asynchronous coherent SDM-MIMO systems.
Oscillatory self-organization dynamics between soliton molecules induced by gain fluctuation
Authors: Zhou Mengjie , He Jiangyong , Li Caiyun , Liu Yan-Ge , Yue Yang , He Ruijin , Chen Siyu , Zhang Luhe , Zhu Longfei , Zhu Kaiyan , Chang Kun , Wang Zhi
Published: May 2021

In passively mode-locked fiber lasers (PMLFLs), the dissipative solitons (DSs) can self-organize to form complex structures through delicate interactions. However, it is still elusive to control these soliton structures by external influences. We here find that at a certain critical power, the location between two soliton molecules can be controlled by a slow modulated pump power. After applying the pump power with periodic fluctuation, two soliton molecules oscillate from the state of soliton molecular complex to stable distribution with maximum inter-molecular separation. During this process, the internal structure of each soliton molecule keeps steady. The slow gain depletion and recovery mechanism which plays a dominant role affects the motion of soliton molecules. These results could further expand the molecular analogy of spectroscopy and stimulate the development of optical information storage and processing.
Foundry-processed optomechanical photonic integrated circuits: publisher’s note
Authors: Pruessner Marcel W. , Kozak Dmitry A. , Tyndall Nathan A. , Rabinovich William S. , Deenadayalan Venkatesh , Fanto Michael , Preble Stefan , Stievater Todd H.
Published: May 2021

This publisher’s note amends the author list of [OSA Continuum 4, 1215 (2021)10.1364/OSAC.419410].
Monolithic and single-functional-unit level integration of electronic and photonic elements: FET-LET hybrid 6T SRAM
Authors: Pal Antardipan , Zhang Yong , Yau Dennis D.
Published: May 2021

A broad range of technologies have been developed for the chip and wafer scale connections and integrations of photonic and electronic circuits, although major challenges remain for achieving the single-functional-unit-level integration of electronic and photonic devices. Here we use field-effect transistor/light-effect transistor (FET–LET) hybrid 6T static random-access memory (SRAM) as an example to illustrate a novel approach that can alleviate three major challenges to the higher-level integration of the photonic and electronic elements: size mismatch, energy data rate, and cascadability. A hybrid 6T SRAM with two access FETs being replaced by LETs and the electrical word lines replaced by optical waveguides is proposed. This hybrid 6T SRAM is analyzed to reveal its potential in improvement of the switching speed and thus total energy consumption over the conventional 6T SRAM. Numerical analyses, for instance, for a prototype 64 kB hybrid SRAM array, show a factor of 4 and 22 reduction in read delay and read energy consumption, and 3 and 4 in write delay and write energy consumption, respectively, when the access FETs are replaced by LETs. The potential impacts on the peripheral and assist circuits due to this hybrid structure and application of the LETs there are also briefly discussed.
An update to Hippocampome.org by integrating single-cell phenotypes with circuit function in vivo
Authors: Sanchez-Aguilera Alberto , Wheeler Diek W. , Jurado-Parras Teresa , Valero Manuel , Nokia Miriam S. , Cid Elena , Fernandez-Lamo Ivan , Sutton Nate , García-Rincón Daniel , de la Prida Liset M. , Ascoli Giorgio A.
Published: May 2021

Understanding brain operation demands linking basic behavioral traits to cell-type specific dynamics of different brain-wide subcircuits. This requires a system to classify the basic operational modes of neurons and circuits. Single-cell phenotyping of firing behavior during ongoing oscillations in vivo has provided a large body of evidence on entorhinal–hippocampal function, but data are dispersed and diverse. Here, we mined literature to search for information regarding the phase-timing dynamics of over 100 hippocampal/entorhinal neuron types defined in Hippocampome.org. We identified missing and unresolved pieces of knowledge (e.g., the preferred theta phase for a specific neuron type) and complemented the dataset with our own new data. By confronting the effect of brain state and recording methods, we highlight the equivalences and differences across conditions and offer a number of novel observations. We show how a heuristic approach based on oscillatory features of morphologically identified neurons can aid in classifying extracellular recordings of single cells and discuss future opportunities and challenges towards integrating single-cell phenotypes with circuit function.
Performance assessment of sample-specific network control methods for bulk and single-cell biological data analysis
Authors: Guo Wei-Feng , Yu Xiangtian , Shi Qian-Qian , Liang Jing , Zhang Shao-Wu , Zeng Tao
Published: May 2021

In the past few years, a wealth of sample-specific network construction methods and structural network control methods has been proposed to identify sample-specific driver nodes for supporting the Sample-Specific network Control (SSC) analysis of biological networked systems. However, there is no comprehensive evaluation for these state-of-the-art methods. Here, we conducted a performance assessment for 16 SSC analysis workflows by using the combination of 4 sample-specific network reconstruction methods and 4 representative structural control methods. This study includes simulation evaluation of representative biological networks, personalized driver genes prioritization on multiple cancer bulk expression datasets with matched patient samples from TCGA, and cell marker genes and key time point identification related to cell differentiation on single-cell RNA-seq datasets. By widely comparing analysis of existing SSC analysis workflows, we provided the following recommendations and banchmarking workflows. (i) The performance of a network control method is strongly dependent on the up-stream sample-specific network method, and Cell-Specific Network construction (CSN) method and Single-Sample Network (SSN) method are the preferred sample-specific network construction methods. (ii) After constructing the sample-specific networks, the undirected network-based control methods are more effective than the directed network-based control methods. In addition, these data and evaluation pipeline are freely available on https://github.com/WilfongGuo/Benchmark_control.
A framework for prospective, adaptive meta-analysis (FAME) of aggregate data from randomised trials
Authors: Tierney Jayne F. , Fisher David J. , Vale Claire L. , Burdett Sarah , Rydzewska Larysa H. , Rogozińska Ewelina , Godolphin Peter J. , White Ian R. , Parmar Mahesh K. B.
Published: May 2021

Background

The vast majority of systematic reviews are planned retrospectively, once most eligible trials have completed and reported, and are based on aggregate data that can be extracted from publications. Prior knowledge of trial results can introduce bias into both review and meta-analysis methods, and the omission of unpublished data can lead to reporting biases. We present a collaborative framework for prospective, adaptive meta-analysis (FAME) of aggregate data to provide results that are less prone to bias. Also, with FAME, we monitor how evidence from trials is accumulating, to anticipate the earliest opportunity for a potentially definitive meta-analysis.

Methodology

We developed and piloted FAME alongside 4 systematic reviews in prostate cancer, which allowed us to refine the key principles. These are to: (1) start the systematic review process early, while trials are ongoing or yet to report; (2) liaise with trial investigators to develop a detailed picture of all eligible trials; (3) prospectively assess the earliest possible timing for reliable meta-analysis based on the accumulating aggregate data; (4) develop and register (or publish) the systematic review protocol before trials produce results and seek appropriate aggregate data; (5) interpret meta-analysis results taking account of both available and unavailable data; and (6) assess the value of updating the systematic review and meta-analysis. These principles are illustrated via a hypothetical review and their application to 3 published systematic reviews.

Conclusions

FAME can reduce the potential for bias, and produce more timely, thorough and reliable systematic reviews of aggregate data.
Histoplasmosis in the Republic of Congo dominated by African histoplasmosis, Histoplasma capsulatum var. duboisii
Authors: Amona Fructueux Modeste , Denning David W. , Moukassa Donatien , Develoux Michel , Hennequin Christophe
Published: May 2021

The Republic of Congo (RoC) is one of the African countries with the most histoplasmosis cases reported. This review summarizes the current status regarding epidemiology, diagnostic tools, and treatment of histoplasmosis in the RoC. A computerized search was performed from online databases Medline, PubMed, HINARI, and Google Scholar to collect literature on histoplasmosis in the RoC. We found 57 cases of histoplasmosis diagnosed between 1954 and 2019, corresponding to an incidence rate of 1–3 cases each year without significant impact of the AIDS epidemic in the country. Of the 57 cases, 54 (94.7%) were cases of Histoplasma capsulatum var. duboisii (Hcd) infection, African histoplasmosis. Three cases (5.3%) of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum infection were recorded, but all were acquired outside in the RoC. The patients’ ages ranged between 13 months to 60 years. An equal number of cases were observed in adults in the third or fourth decades (n = 14; 24.6%) and in children aged ≤15 years. Skin lesions (46.3%), lymph nodes (37%), and bone lesions (26%) were the most frequent clinical presentations. Most diagnoses were based on histopathology and distinctive large yeast forms seen in tissue. Amphotericin B (AmB) was first line therapy in 65% of the cases and itraconazole (25%) for maintenance therapy. The occurrence of African histoplasmosis in apparently normal children raises the possibility that African histoplasmosis is linked to environmental fungal exposure.
The response of culturally important plants to experimental warming and clipping in Pakistan Himalayas
Authors: Karimi Saira , Nawaz Muhammad Ali , Naseem Saadia , Akrem Ahmed , Ali Hussain , Dangles Olivier , Ali Zahid
Published: May 2021

The relative effects of climate warming with grazing on medicinally important plants are not fully understood in Hindukush-Himalaya (HKH) region. Therefore, we combined the indigenous knowledge about culturally important therapeutic plants and climate change with experimental warming (open-top chambers) and manual clipping (simulated grazing effect) and compared the relative difference on aboveground biomass and percent cover of plant species at five alpine meadow sites on an elevation gradient (4696 m-3346 m) from 2016–2018. Experimental warming increased biomass and percent cover throughout the experiment. However, the interactive treatment effect (warming x clipping) was significant on biomass but not on percent cover. These responses were taxa specific. Warming induced an increase of 1 ± 0.6% in Bistorta officinalis percent cover while for Poa alpina it was 18.7 ± 4.9%. Contrastingly, clipping had a marginally significant effect in reducing the biomass and cover of all plant species. Clipping treatment reduced vegetation cover & biomass by 2.3% and 6.26%, respectively, but that was not significant due to the high variability among taxa response at different sites. It was found that clipping decreased the effects of warming in interactive plots. Thus, warming may increase the availability of therapeutic plants for indigenous people while overgrazing would have deteriorating effects locally. The findings of this research illustrate that vegetation sensitivity to warming and overgrazing is likely to affect man–environment relationships, and traditional knowledge on a regional scale.
Machine learning of EEG spectra classifies unconsciousness during GABAergic anesthesia
Authors: Abel John H. , Badgeley Marcus A. , Meschede-Krasa Benyamin , Schamberg Gabriel , Garwood Indie C. , Lecamwasam Kimaya , Chakravarty Sourish , Zhou David W. , Keating Matthew , Purdon Patrick L. , Brown Emery N.
Published: May 2021

In current anesthesiology practice, anesthesiologists infer the state of unconsciousness without directly monitoring the brain. Drug- and patient-specific electroencephalographic (EEG) signatures of anesthesia-induced unconsciousness have been identified previously. We applied machine learning approaches to construct classification models for real-time tracking of unconscious state during anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. We used cross-validation to select and train the best performing models using 33,159 2s segments of EEG data recorded from 7 healthy volunteers who received increasing infusions of propofol while responding to stimuli to directly assess unconsciousness. Cross-validated models of unconsciousness performed very well when tested on 13,929 2s EEG segments from 3 left-out volunteers collected under the same conditions (median volunteer AUCs 0.99-0.99). Models showed strong generalization when tested on a cohort of 27 surgical patients receiving solely propofol collected in a separate clinical dataset under different circumstances and using different hardware (median patient AUCs 0.95—0.98), with model predictions corresponding with actions taken by the anesthesiologist during the cases. Performance was also strong for 17 patients receiving sevoflurane (alone or in addition to propofol) (median AUCs 0.88—0.92). These results indicate that EEG spectral features can predict unconsciousness, even when tested on a different anesthetic that acts with a similar neural mechanism. With high performance predictions of unconsciousness, we can accurately monitor anesthetic state, and this approach may be used to engineer infusion pumps to intelligibly respond to patients’ neural activity.
Combination treatment of dendrosomal nanocurcumin and low-level laser therapy develops proliferation and migration of mouse embryonic fibroblasts and alter TGF-β, VEGF, TNF-α and IL-6 expressions involved in wound healing process
Authors: Ebrahiminaseri Afsaneh , Sadeghizadeh Majid , Moshaii Ahmad , Asgaritarghi Golareh , Safari Zohreh
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Pressure ulcer (PU) is known as the third most costly disorder usually caused by prolonged pressure and stagnation in various parts of the body. Although several therapeutic approaches are employing, obstacles in appropriate healing for skin lesions still exist which necessitates new practical alternative or adjunctive treatments. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) as one of the mentioned new strategies have gained attention. Besides, curcumin is an herbal medicine extracted from turmeric with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties with promising beneficial therapeutic effects in wound healing. Employing dendrosomal nanoparticles, we overcome the hydrophobicity of curcumin in the present study. We hypothesized that combination treatment of DNC+LLLT (450 nm) simultaneously may promote the wound healing process.

Material and methods

MTT assay, PI staining followed by flowcytometry, scratch assay and intracellular ROS measurement were used to investigate the effects caused by DNC and LLLT (450 nm) alone and in combination, on proliferation, cell cycle, migration and oxidative stress mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, respectively. The levels of growth factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by qRT-PCR and ELISA.

Results

Our results indicated that combination exposure with DNC and LLLT leads to increased proliferation and migration of MEFs as well as being more efficient in significantly upregulating growth factors (TGF-β, VEGF) and decline in inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6). Moreover, findings of this research provide persuasive support for the notion that DNC could reduce the LLLT-induced enhancement in intracellular ROS in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Conclusion

Concurrent exposure to anti-oxidant concentrations of DNC and LLLT enriched S phase entry and therefor increased proliferation as well as migration on MEFs through regulating the expression levels growth factors and shortening the inflammatory phase by modulating of cytokines. It should be noted that DNC were able to reduce the laser-induced oxidative stress, during wound healing, representing an informative accompaniment with LLLT.
African based researchers’ output on models for the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and public health interventions: A scoping review
Authors: Adetokunboh Olatunji O. , Mthombothi Zinhle E. , Dominic Emanuel M. , Djomba-Njankou Sylvie , Pulliam Juliet R. C.
Published: May 2021

Background

Applied epidemiological models are used in predicting future trends of diseases, for the basic understanding of disease and health dynamics, and to improve the measurement of health indicators. Mapping the research outputs of epidemiological modelling studies concerned with transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and public health interventions in Africa will help to identify the areas with substantial levels of research activities, areas with gaps, and research output trends.

Methods

A scoping review of applied epidemiological models of infectious disease studies that involved first or last authors affiliated to African institutions was conducted. Eligible studies were those concerned with the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and public health interventions. The review was consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews. Four electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications up to the end of April 2020.

Results

Of the 5927 publications identified, 181 met the inclusion criteria. The review identified 143 publications with first authors having an African institutional affiliation (AIA), while 81 had both first and last authors with an AIA. The publication authors were found to be predominantly affiliated with institutions based in South Africa and Kenya. Furthermore, human immunodeficiency virus, malaria, tuberculosis, and Ebola virus disease were found to be the most researched infectious diseases. There has been a gradual increase in research productivity across Africa especially in the last ten years, with several collaborative efforts spread both within and beyond Africa.

Conclusions

Research productivity in applied epidemiological modelling studies of infectious diseases may have increased, but there remains an under-representation of African researchers as leading authors. The study findings indicate a need for the development of research capacity through supporting existing institutions in Africa and promoting research funding that will address local health priorities.
Combined real-time fMRI and real time fNIRS brain computer interface (BCI): Training of volitional wrist extension after stroke, a case series pilot study
Authors: Matarasso Avi K. , Rieke Jake D. , White Keith , Yusufali M. Minhal , Daly Janis J.
Published: May 2021

Objective

Pilot testing of real time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) and real time functional near infrared spectroscopy (rt-fNIRS) as brain computer interface (BCI) neural feedback systems combined with motor learning for motor recovery in chronic severely impaired stroke survivors.

Approach

We enrolled a four-case series and administered three sequential rt-fMRI and ten rt-fNIRS neural feedback sessions interleaved with motor learning sessions. Measures were: Arm Motor Assessment Tool, functional domain (AMAT-F; 13 complex functional tasks), Fugl-Meyer arm coordination scale (FM); active wrist extension range of motion (ROM); volume of activation (fMRI); and fNIRS HbO concentration. Performance during neural feedback was assessed, in part, using percent successful brain modulations during rt-fNIRS.

Main results

Pre-/post-treatment mean clinically significant improvement in AMAT-F (.49 ± 0.22) and FM (10.0 ± 3.3); active wrist ROM improvement ranged from 20° to 50°. Baseline to follow-up change in brain signal was as follows: fMRI volume of activation was reduced in almost all ROIs for three subjects, and for one subject there was an increase or no change; fNIRS HbO was within normal range, except for one subject who increased beyond normal at post-treatment. During rt-fNIRS neural feedback training, there was successful brain signal modulation (42%–78%).

Significance

Severely impaired stroke survivors successfully engaged in spatially focused BCI systems, rt-fMRI and rt-fNIRS, to clinically significantly improve motor function. At the least, equivalency in motor recovery was demonstrated with prior long-duration motor learning studies (without neural feedback), indicating that no loss of motor improvement resulted from substituting neural feedback sessions for motor learning sessions. Given that the current neural feedback protocol did not prevent the motor improvements observed in other long duration studies, even in the presence of fewer sessions of motor learning in the current work, the results support further study of neural feedback and its potential for recovery of motor function in stroke survivors. In future work, expanding the sophistication of either or both rt-fMRI and rt-fNIRS could hold the potential for further reducing the number of hours of training needed and/or the degree of recovery.

ClinicalTrials.gov ID:NCT02856035.
The macroeconomics of abortion: A scoping review and analysis of the costs and outcomes
Authors: Rodgers Yana van der Meulen , Coast Ernestina , Lattof Samantha R. , Poss Cheri , Moore Brittany
Published: May 2021

Background

Although abortion is a common gynecological procedure around the globe, we lack synthesis of the known macroeconomic costs and outcomes of abortion care and abortion policies. This scoping review synthesizes the literature on the impact of abortion-related care and abortion policies on economic outcomes at the macroeconomic level (that is, for societies and nation states).

Methods and findings

Searches were conducted in eight electronic databases. We conducted the searches and application of inclusion/exclusion criteria using the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews. For inclusion, studies must have examined one of the following macroeconomic outcomes: costs, impacts, benefits, and/or value of abortion care or abortion policies. Quantitative and qualitative data were extracted for descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Of the 189 data extractions with macroeconomic evidence, costs at the national level are the most frequently reported economic outcome (n = 97), followed by impacts (n = 66), and benefits/value (n = 26). Findings show that post-abortion care services can constitute a substantial portion of national expenditures on health. Public sector coverage of abortion costs is sparse, and individuals bear most of the costs. Evidence also indicates that liberalizing abortion laws can have positive spillover effects for women’s educational attainment and labor supply, and that access to abortion services contributes to improvements in children’s human capital. However, the political economy around abortion legislation remains complicated and controversial.

Conclusions

Given the highly charged political nature of abortion around the global and the preponderance of rhetoric that can cloud reality in policy dialogues, it is imperative that social science researchers build the evidence base on the macroeconomic outcomes of abortion services and regulations.
Race and ethnicity do not impact eligibility for remdesivir: A single-center experience
Authors: Pischel Lauren , Walelo Makeda , Benson Jemma , Osborn Rebecca , Schrier Rachel , Tuan Jessica , Barakat Lydia , Ogbuagu Onyema
Published: May 2021

As the Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues, multiple therapies are rapidly being evaluated for efficacy in clinical trials. Clinical trials should be racially and ethnically representative of the population that will eventually benefit from these medications. There are multiple potential barriers to racial and ethnic minority enrollment in clinical trials, one of which could be that inclusion and exclusion criteria select for certain racial or ethnic groups disproportionately. In this observational cohort study at a single health care system, we examined if there were differences in eligibility for treatment with remdesivir based on clinical trial criteria for racial and ethnic minorities compared to non-Hispanic Whites. 201 electronic medical record charts were reviewed manually. Self-identified Whites were older than other racial or ethnic groups. At the time of presentation, Black, Latinx, and White participants met inclusion criteria for remdesivir at similar rates (72%, 80%, and 73% respectively), and exclusion criteria at similar rates (43%, 38% and 49% for Black, Latinx and White participants respectively). In this study, there was no difference in eligibility for remdesivir based on race or ethnicity alone.
The risk factors for insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing in military communities: A meta-analysis
Authors: Huang Yujia , Xu Jingzhou , Zheng Siqi , Xu Shuyu , Wang Yajing , Du Jing , Xiao Lei , Zhang Ruike , Wang Hao , Tang Yunxiang , Su Tong
Published: May 2021

Background

Many reviews and meta-analyses had been conducted to investigate risk factors for sleep disorders in the general population. However, no similar research has been performed in the military population though insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing are quite prevalent in that population.

Objectives

To investigate risk factors for insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing in military personnel.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed from inception to March 2021 and 6496 records were produced. Two authors independently screened records for eligibility. Results were presented as odds ratios, and a random-effect model was used to pool results. Data analysis was performed respectively according to military personnel type (i.e., veteran, active-duty personnel). Risk factors were sorted into three categories: sociodemographic, army-specific, and comorbidity. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO before data analysis (registration No: CRD42020221696).

Results

Twenty-seven articles were finally included in the quantitative analysis. For sleep-disordered breathing in active-duty personnel, four sociodemographic (i.e., overweight/obesity, higher body mass index, male gender, >35 years old) and one comorbidity (i.e., depression) risk factors were identified. For insomnia in active-duty personnel, four sociodemographic (i.e., aging, alcohol dependence, white race, and female gender), two army-specific (i.e., deployment experience, combat experience), and four comorbidity (i.e., depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and anxiety) risk factors were identified. For insomnia in veterans, one army-specific (i.e., combat experience) and one comorbidity (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder) risk factor was identified.

Conclusions

Several risk factors were identified for insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing in the current meta-analysis. Risk factors for veterans and active-duty personnel were partially different. Research on sleep breathing disorders remains limited, and more convincing evidence would be obtained with more relevant studies in the future.
How social networks affect the repression-dissent puzzle
Authors: Steinert-Threlkeld Shane , Steinert-Threlkeld Zachary
Published: May 2021

Scholars have offered multiple theoretical resolutions to explain inconsistent findings about the relationship of state repression and protests, but this repression-dissent puzzle remains unsolved. We simulate the spread of protest on social networks to suggest that the repression-dissent puzzle arises from the nature of statistical sampling. Even though the paper’s simulations construct repression so it can only decrease protest size, the strength of repression sometimes correlates with a decrease, increase, or no change in protest size, regardless of the type of network or sample size chosen. Moreover, the results are most contradictory when the repression rate most closely matches that observed in real-world data. These results offer a new framework for understanding state and protester behavior and suggest the importance of collecting network data when studying protests.
Diversity, distribution, agronomic and post-harvest management of local barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety in South Wollo, Ethiopia
Authors: Assamere Akale , Mamuye Alemu , Amare Kassahun , Fiseha Mulugeta
Published: May 2021

The structure of barley varieties were studied, using structured and semi-structured queries, at Legambo, Tenta and Worailu districts of South Wollo, Ethiopia. Eight local barley varieties (Belg, Ginbot, Sene/Nech, Tikur, Holker, Traveler Tegadime and Temezhi) were identified, and got their names found on seed color and planting season. According to farmers, Tegadime is the production leader among all, but the source of seeds and the market chain are the limiting factors for its popularity and this is why it’s not famous is because of the low price of the seed. Thus, Sene/Nech found to be popular and shared 46.91% at Tenta, 48.47% at Legambo and 51.55% at Wereilu followed by Tikur and Ginbote. High barley diversity was noted at Tenta (E = 0.773) followed by Wereilu (E = 0.678) and Legambo (E = 0.606). Sene/Nech (0.67), Belg (0.62), Tegadime (0.59), Tikur (0.55) and Ginbote (0.54) were found to be shared, but Traveler, Holker and Temezhi were rarely found. At farm, most farmers were plowing twice before sowing using horse. Biological fertilizer usages were well practice at Tenta, Legambo and Were’ilu, respectively. While, inorganic fertilizer usage was better at Wereilu, but none at Legambo. Pest management was better at Wereilu and hand weeding is a common system, but low at Legambo, and mowing by sickle, threshing by horse and store in Gotera were a shared practice. Farmers use outdated tools for agricultural practice and the yield is losing due to unavailable of update machinery. So, different managing approaches and new harvesting technologies should address.
An optimized initialization for LDPC decoding over GF(q) in impulsive noise environments
Authors: Liu Haoqiang , Zhao Hongbo , Chen Xiaowen , Feng Wenquan
Published: May 2021

Modern navigation satellite communication has the characteristic of high transmitting rate. To avoid bit errors in data transmission, low density parity check (LDPC) codes are widely recognized as efficient ways for navigation communication. Conventionally, the LDPC decoding is applied for additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel and degrades severely while facing the impulsive noise. However, navigation communication often suffers from impulsive interference due to the occurrence of high amplitude “spikes”. At this time, the conventional Gaussian noise assumption is inadequate. The impulsive component of interference has been found to be significant which influences the reliability of transmitted information. Therefore the LDPC decoding algorithms for AWGN channel are not suitable for impulsive noise environments. Consider that LDPC codes over GF(q) perform better than binary LDPC in resisting burst errors for current navigation system, it is necessary to conduct research on LDPC codes over GF(q). In this paper, an optimized initialization by calculating posterior probabilities of received symbols is proposed for non-binary LDPC decoding on additive white Class A noise (AWAN) channel. To verify the performance of the proposed initialization, extensive experiments are performed in terms of convergence, validity, and robustness. Preliminary results demonstrate that the decoding algorithm with the optimized initialization for non-binary LDPC codes performs better than the competing methods and that of binary LDPC codes on AWAN channel.