bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bottled water brands are contaminated with multidrug resistant bacteria which are associated with companies handling procedures in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Adam Mohamed Safia , Nyerere Andrew , Sang Willie Kipkemboi , Ngayo Musa
Published: November 2020

Background: The demand for water has necessitated the proliferation of bottled water companies in Kenya. This study evaluated if retailed bottled water in Nairobi Kenya complies with both local and international reference criteria.

Methods: A total of 42 different water brands (25 approved by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and 17 banned brands) were analyzed for both physicochemical and bacteriological quality. Spread plate method was used to obtain the total plate count of bacteria, while the membrane filter method was used to obtain total coliform count (TCC) and fecal coliform count (FCC). Structured interviews were used to gather company-related information.

Results: Overall, 16% of KRA-approved and 35.3% of banned bottled water were contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria. Of the approved water brands, 4% were positive for total coliforms, compared with 17% of the banned brands.  Similarly, 4% and 17% approved and banned water brands were positive for fecal coliforms, respectively. Escherichia coli (19.1%), Pseudomonas spp. (9.5%) and Klebsiella spp. (4.8%) were the most common bacterial types isolated from all water brands, most of which exhibited multidrug resistance. In multivariable analysis, water companies that cleaned pipework and bottles using chlorine-based disinfectants (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.8), those that had food safety programs (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.019 to 0.9), had standard operating procedures (SOP) for water sourcing (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.012 to 0.9) and SOP for contamination protection (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.9) remained independently associated with bottled water brands exceeding WHO TCC limits.

Conclusions: A number of bottled water brands were contaminated with one or more types of indicator bacteria, some of which were multidrug resistant. Water bottling companies’ processes contribute to contamination; rigorous regulation and monitoring will improve on water quality and safety.
Rare health conditions 40: Gaucher's disease, Pompe disease, Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Barber Chris
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this series is to briefly highlight a range of rare health conditions. Rare health conditions are those that affect no more and usually less than 1 person in every 2000 and many HCAs and nurses will encounter some of these conditions given the high number of these conditions.

This 40th article will briefly explore four of these conditions.
DABIGATRAN
Authors: Rees Sharon
Published: November 2020

In this column, Sharon Rees aims to refresh knowledge and interest in some of the commonly used drugs in a series of tweets. This month she is talking about #dabigatran
End-of-life care in a global pandemic
Authors: Robertson Deborah
Published: November 2020

Deborah Robertson provides an overview of recently published articles that may be of interest to non-medical prescribers. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided
Tunable multilayer-graphene-based broadband metamaterial selective absorber
Authors: Jiang Xinpeng , Zhang Zhaojian , Chen Dingbo , Wen Kui , Yang Junbo
Published: November 2020

We propose a tunable multilayer-graphene-based broadband metamaterial selective absorber using the finite-difference time domain. The simulation results reveal that the absorption spectra of the proposed metamaterial with the nano-cylinder and 30-layer graphene show high absorption (88.3%) in the range of 250–2300 nm, which covers the entire solar spectrum. Moreover, the graphene-based metamaterial has a low thermal emittance of 3.3% in the mid-infrared range (4–13 µm), which can greatly reduce the heat loss. The proposed metamaterial has a tunable cutoff wavelength, which can be tuned by controlling the Fermi level of graphene. In addition, our structure is an angle-insensitive absorber, and the device has the potential to be widely used in solar cell and thermal detectors.
Analytical model for the perceived retinal image formation of 3D display systems
Authors: Xu Mohan , Huang Hekun , Hua Hong
Published: November 2020

The optical design process of conventional stereoscope-type head mounted displays for virtual and augmented reality applications typically neglects the inherent aberrations of the eye optics or refractive errors of a viewer, which misses the opportunity of producing personal devices for optimal visual experiences. Although a few research efforts have been made to simulate the retinal image formation process for some of the emerging 3D display systems such as light field displays that require modeling the eye optics to complete the image formation process, the existing works generally are specific for one type of display methods, unable to provide a generalized framework for different display methods for the benefit of comparison, and often require the use of at least two different software platforms for implementation which is challenging in handling massive data and implementing compensation of wavefront aberrations induced by display engine or eye refractive errors. To overcome those limits, we present a generalized analytical model for accurately simulating the visual responses such as retinal PSF, MTF, and image formation of different types of 2D and 3D display systems. This analytical model can accurately simulate the retinal responses when viewing a given display system, accounting for the residual eye aberrations of schematic eye models that match with the statistical clinical measurements, eye accommodative change as required, the effects of different eye refractive errors specific to viewers, and the effects of various wavefront aberrations inherited from a display engine. We further describe the numerical implementation of this analytical model for simulating the perceived retinal image with different types of HMD systems in a single computational platform. Finally, with a test setup, we numerically demonstrated the application of this analytical model in the simulation of the perceived retinal image, accommodative response and in the investigation of the eye refractive error impacts on the perceived retinal image based on the multifocal plane display, integral imaging based light field display, computational multilayer light field display, as well as the stereoscope and natural viewing for comparison.
Real-time 1.5 kHz adaptive optical system to correct for atmospheric turbulence
Authors: Kudryashov Alexis V. , Rukosuev Alexey L. , Nikitin Alexander N. , Galaktionov Ilya V. , Sheldakova Julia V.
Published: November 2020

Problems of constructing an adaptive optical system intended for correcting the wavefront of laser radiation that has passed through a turbulent atmosphere are considered. To ensure high-quality wavefront correction, the frequency of the discrete system should be at least 1 kHz or more. This performance can be achieved by using FPGA as the main control element of the system. The results of a laboratory experiments of the laser beam phase fluctuations caused by turbulence, produced by the airflow of a fan heater, correction by means of the FPGA-based adaptive optical system are presented. The system efficiency was evaluated at various correction frequencies up to 1875 Hz.
Experimental investigation of point-by-point off-axis Bragg gratings inscribed by a femtosecond laser in few-mode fibers
Authors: Qiu Tong , Yang Shuo , Wang Anbo
Published: November 2020

Off-axis Bragg gratings with varied horizontal and vertical distances off the center in a step-index two-mode fiber were fabricated by 800 nm infrared-femtosecond laser pulses through a point-by-point technique. In this article, we experimentally investigate these gratings via measuring the transmitted power and the reflected intensity profiles under different input polarization, with multiple characteristics reported for the first time to the best of our knowledge. To highlight, we find that the birefringence induced to the LP01 reaches its maximum magnitude at an intermediate offset, followed by the fast and slow axes switching at a further slightly increased offset. We also show that the peak reflectivity of the LP11 exhibits strong polarization dependence, with the much stronger peak reflectivity constantly corresponding to the polarization perpendicular to the damage-point-to-center line, whereas the peak reflectivity of the LP01 has almost no polarization dependence. Moreover, we report that the reflected mode patterns of the cross-coupling of the LP01 and LP11 are linked to the direction of linear polarization, through which one can selectively excite an arbitrarily oriented LP11 by merely altering the polarization.
Differentiable scattering matrix for optimization of photonic structures
Authors: Zhu Ziwei , Zheng Changxi
Published: November 2020

The scattering matrix, which quantifies the optical reflection and transmission of a photonic structure, is pivotal for understanding the performance of the structure. In many photonic design tasks, it is also desired to know how the structure’s optical performance changes with respect to design parameters, that is, the scattering matrix’s derivatives (or gradient). Here we address this need. We present a new algorithm for computing scattering matrix derivatives accurately and robustly. In particular, we focus on the computation in semi-analytical methods (such as rigorous coupled-wave analysis). To compute the scattering matrix of a structure, these methods must solve an eigen-decomposition problem. However, when it comes to computing scattering matrix derivatives, differentiating the eigen-decomposition poses significant numerical difficulties. We show that the differentiation of the eigen-decomposition problem can be completely sidestepped, and thereby propose a robust algorithm. To demonstrate its efficacy, we use our algorithm to optimize metasurface structures and reach various optical design goals.
Visual data detection through side-scattering in a multimode optical fiber
Authors: Marima Daniel , Hadad Barak , Froim Sahar , Eyal Avishay , Bahabad Alon
Published: November 2020

Light propagation in optical fibers is accompanied by random omnidirectional scattering. The small fraction of coherent guided light that escapes outside the cladding of the fiber forms a speckle pattern. Here, visual information imaged into the input facet of a multimode fiber with a transparent buffer is retrieved, using a convolutional neural network, from the side-scattered light at several locations along the fiber. This demonstration can promote the development of distributed optical imaging systems and optical links interfaced via the sides of the fiber.
Speed of phototransduction in the microvillus regulates the accuracy and bandwidth of the rhabdomeric photoreceptor
Authors: Frolov Roman V. , Ignatova Irina I.
Published: November 2020

Phototransduction reactions in the rhabdomeric photoreceptor are profoundly stochastic due to the small number of participating molecules and small reaction space. The resulting quantum bumps (QBs) vary in their timing (latency), amplitudes and durations, and these variabilities within each cell are not correlated. Using modeling and electrophysiological recordings, we investigated how the QB properties depend on the cascade speed and how they influence signal transfer. Parametric analysis in the model supported by experimental data revealed that faster cascades elicit larger and narrower QBs with faster onsets and smaller variabilities than slower cascades. Latency dispersion was stronger affected by modification of upstream than downstream activation parameters. The variability caused by downstream modifications closely matched the experimental variability. Frequency response modeling showed that corner frequency is a reciprocal function of the characteristic duration of the multiphoton response, which, in turn, is a non-linear function of QB duration and latency dispersion. All QB variabilities contributed noise but only latency dispersion slowed and spread multiphoton responses, lowering the corner frequency. Using the discovered QB correlations, we evaluated transduction noise for dissimilar species and two extreme adaptation states, and compared it to photon noise. The noise emitted by the cascade was non-additive and depended non-linearly on the interaction between the QB duration and the three QB variabilities. Increased QB duration strongly suppressed both noise and corner frequency. This trade-off might be acceptable for nocturnal but not diurnal species because corner frequency is the principal determinant of information capacity. To offset the increase in noise accompanying the QB narrowing during light adaptation and the response-expanding effect of latency dispersion, the cascade accelerates. This explains the widespread evolutionary tendency of diurnal fliers to have fast phototransduction, especially after light adaptation, which thus appears to be a common adaptation to contain stochasticity, improve SNR and expand the bandwidth.
Identity-by-descent with uncertainty characterises connectivity of Plasmodium falciparum populations on the Colombian-Pacific coast
Authors: Taylor Aimee R. , Echeverry Diego F. , Anderson Timothy J. C. , Neafsey Daniel E. , Buckee Caroline O.
Published: November 2020

Characterising connectivity between geographically separated biological populations is a common goal in many fields. Recent approaches to understanding connectivity between malaria parasite populations, with implications for disease control efforts, have used estimates of relatedness based on identity-by-descent (IBD). However, uncertainty around estimated relatedness has not been accounted for. IBD-based relatedness estimates with uncertainty were computed for pairs of monoclonalPlasmodium falciparumsamples collected from five cities on the Colombian-Pacific coast where long-term clonal propagation ofP. falciparumis frequent. The cities include two official ports, Buenaventura and Tumaco, that are separated geographically but connected by frequent marine traffic. Fractions of highly-related sample pairs (whose classification using a threshold accounts for uncertainty) were greater within cities versus between. However, based on both highly-related fractions and on a threshold-free approach (Wasserstein distances between parasite populations) connectivity between Buenaventura and Tumaco was disproportionally high. Buenaventura-Tumaco connectivity was consistent with transmission events involving parasites from five clonal components (groups of statistically indistinguishable parasites identified under a graph theoretic framework). To conclude,P. falciparumpopulation connectivity on the Colombian-Pacific coast abides by accessibility not isolation-by-distance, potentially implicating marine traffic in malaria transmission with opportunities for targeted intervention. Further investigations are required to test this hypothesis. For the first time in malaria epidemiology (and to our knowledge in ecological and epidemiological studies more generally), we account for uncertainty around estimated relatedness (an important consideration for studies that plan to use genotype versus whole genome sequence data to estimate IBD-based relatedness); we also use threshold-free methods to compare parasite populations and identify clonal components. Threshold-free methods are especially important in analyses of malaria parasites and other recombining organisms with mixed mating systems where thresholds do not have clear interpretation (e.g. due to clonal propagation) and thus undermine the cross-comparison of studies.
Body mass index and risk of dying from a bloodstream infection: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Rogne Tormod , Solligård Erik , Burgess Stephen , Brumpton Ben M. , Paulsen Julie , Prescott Hallie C. , Mohus Randi M. , Gustad Lise T. , Mehl Arne , Åsvold Bjørn O. , DeWan Andrew T. , Damås Jan K.
Published: November 2020

Background

In observational studies of the general population, higher body mass index (BMI) has been associated with increased incidence of and mortality from bloodstream infection (BSI) and sepsis. On the other hand, higher BMI has been observed to be apparently protective among patients with infection and sepsis. We aimed to evaluate the causal association of BMI with risk of and mortality from BSI.

Methods and findings

We used a population-based cohort in Norway followed from 1995 to 2017 (the Trøndelag Health Study [HUNT]), and carried out linear and nonlinear Mendelian randomization analyses. Among 55,908 participants, the mean age at enrollment was 48.3 years, 26,324 (47.1%) were men, and mean BMI was 26.3 kg/m2. During a median 21 years of follow-up, 2,547 (4.6%) participants experienced a BSI, and 451 (0.8%) died from BSI. Compared with a genetically predicted BMI of 25 kg/m2, a genetically predicted BMI of 30 kg/m2 was associated with a hazard ratio for BSI incidence of 1.78 (95% CI: 1.40 to 2.27; p < 0.001) and for BSI mortality of 2.56 (95% CI: 1.31 to 4.99; p = 0.006) in the general population, and a hazard ratio for BSI mortality of 2.34 (95% CI: 1.11 to 4.94; p = 0.025) in an inverse-probability-weighted analysis of patients with BSI. Limitations of this study include a risk of pleiotropic effects that may affect causal inference, and that only participants of European ancestry were considered.

Conclusions

Supportive of a causal relationship, genetically predicted BMI was positively associated with BSI incidence and mortality in this cohort. Our findings contradict the “obesity paradox,” where previous traditional epidemiological studies have found increased BMI to be apparently protective in terms of mortality for patients with BSI or sepsis.
UNSW Face Test: A screening tool for super-recognizers
Authors: Dunn James D. , Summersby Stephanie , Towler Alice , Davis Josh P. , White David
Published: November 2020

We present a new test–the UNSW Face Test (www.unswfacetest.com)–that has been specifically designed to screen for super-recognizers in large online cohorts and is available free for scientific use. Super-recognizers are people that demonstrate sustained performance in the very top percentiles in tests of face identification ability. Because they represent a small proportion of the population, screening large online cohorts is an important step in their initial recruitment, before confirmatory testing via standardized measures and more detailed cognitive testing. We provide normative data on the UNSW Face Test from 3 cohorts tested via the internet (combined n = 23,902) and 2 cohorts tested in our lab (combined n = 182). The UNSW Face Test: (i) captures both identification memory and perceptual matching, as confirmed by correlations with existing tests of these abilities; (ii) captures face-specific perceptual and memorial abilities, as confirmed by non-significant correlations with non-face object processing tasks; (iii) enables researchers to apply stricter selection criteria than other available tests, which boosts the average accuracy of the individuals selected in subsequent testing. Together, these properties make the test uniquely suited to screening for super-recognizers in large online cohorts.
Oncologic outcomes after resection of para-aortic lymph node metastasis in left-sided colon and rectal cancer
Authors: Sakamoto Junichi , Ozawa Heita , Nakanishi Hiroki , Fujita Shin
Published: November 2020

Aim

The optimal surgical management strategy for para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis has not attracted as much attention as surgery for liver or lung metastasis. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the oncologic outcomes after synchronous resection of PALN metastasis in left-sided colon and rectal cancer.

Methods

Between January 1986 and August 2016, 29 patients with pathologically positive PALN metastases who underwent curative resection at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We examined clinicopathological characteristics, long-term oncologic outcomes, and factors related to favorable prognosis in these patients.

Results

The 3-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 50.5% and 17.2%, respectively. In total, 6 (20.7%) patients experienced no recurrence in the 3 years after surgery, while postoperative complications were seen in 9 (31.0%) patients. The 3-year RFS rate was significantly better in the pM1a group than in the pM1b/pM1c group (26.3% and 0.0%, respectively, p = 0.032).

Conclusion

PALN dissection for patients without other organ metastases in left-sided colon or rectal cancer is a good indication as it is for liver and lung metastasis.
A profession in danger: Stakeholders’ perspectives on supporting the pharmacy profession in Lebanon
Authors: Alameddine Mohamad , Bou-Karroum Karen , Kassas Sara , Hijazi Mohamad Ali
Published: November 2020

Background

Lebanon boosts one of the highest pharmacists to population ratios globally (20.3/10,000). Yet, workforce analysis elicited serious concerns with the distribution, practice environments and regulation of Lebanese pharmacists. Recent workforce data shows that the profession has been majorly destabilized with hundreds of pharmacists closing their pharmacies or losing their employment. Proper planning for the future of the pharmacy profession in Lebanon necessitates a deeper understanding of the current challenges and the necessary policy and practice recommendations. The aim of this study is to examine stakeholders’ perspectives on the current pharmacist workforce challenges and the necessary measures to support the profession.

Methods

The research team carried out a series of semi-structured interviews with twenty-one key stakeholders within the pharmacy profession in Lebanon. We categorized stakeholders according to their experience as policy makers, practitioners, academicians, and media experts. The interview guide included questions about workforce trends, labor market challenges and recommendations for improvement. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically.

Results

Four major themes emerged from this study: the oversupply of pharmacists in Lebanon, the demand supply imbalance, poor regulation of the pharmacy practice, and the difficult practice environment. There was a consensus among interviewees that the oversupply of pharmacists is due to the poor workforce planning and weak regulatory framework, combined with the easy integration of foreign-trained pharmacists into the labor market. The lack of coordination between the educational and practice sectors is further widening the demand-supply gap. Interviewees further revealed that the regulatory policies on pharmacy practice were outdated and/or weakly enforced which increases the risk of unethical practices and erodes the image of pharmacists in the society. With respect to the practice environment, there is an ongoing struggle by Lebanese pharmacists to maintain profitability and exercise their full scope of practice.

Conclusion

The poor pharmacy workforce planning and regulation is significantly weakening the pharmacy profession in Lebanon. A concerted effort between the various stakeholders is necessary to enhance workforce planning, regulate supply, optimize the integration of pharmacists into work sectors of need, and improve the financial and professional wellbeing of pharmacists in Lebanon.
Providing person-centered care for patients with complex healthcare needs: A qualitative study
Authors: Peters Vincent J. T. , Meijboom Bert R. , Bunt Jan Erik H. , Bok Levinus A. , van Steenbergen Marianne W. , de Winter J. Peter , de Vries Esther
Published: November 2020

Background

People with chronic conditions have complex healthcare needs that lead to challenges for adequate healthcare provision. Current healthcare services do not always respond adequately to their needs. A modular perspective, in particular providing visualization of the modular service architecture, is promising for improving the responsiveness of healthcare services to the complex healthcare needs of people with chronic conditions. The modular service architecture provides a comprehensive representation of the components and modules of healthcare provision. In this study, we explore this further in a qualitative multiple case study on healthcare provision for children with Down syndrome in the Netherlands.

Methods

Data collection for four cases involved 53 semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals and 21 semi-structured interviews with patients (the parents of children with Down syndrome as proxy). In addition, we gathered data by means of practice observations and analysis of relevant documents. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed utilizing the Miles and Huberman approach.

Results

Our study shows that the perspectives on healthcare provision of professionals and patients differ substantially. The visualization of the modular service architecture that was based on the healthcare professionals’ perspective provided a complete representation of (para)medical outcomes relevant to the professionals’ own discipline. In contrast, the modular service architecture based on the patients’ perspective, which we define as a person-centered modular service architecture, provided a representation of the healthcare service that was primarily based on functional outcomes and the overall wellbeing of the patients.

Conclusion

Our study shows that visualization of the modular service architecture can be a useful tool to better address the complex needs and requirements of people with a chronic condition. We suggest that a person-centered modular service architecture that focuses on functional outcomes and overall wellbeing, enables increased responsiveness of healthcare services to people with complex healthcare needs and provision of truly person-centered care.
Long-lasting eﬀects of red and blue light exposure on the growth of soil fungi
Authors: Vinnikova Olga I.
Published: November 2020

The experimental assessment of inter-species difference in long lasting effects produced in fungi by a brief exposure to the monochromatic light was performed. 24-h cultures grown from 1 mm mycelium fragments of Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus clavatus, Fusarium fujikuroi, Penicillium citrinum and Trichoderma viride were exposed for 30 min to blue light (BL, 450 nm) or red light (RL, 660 nm) and cultured for the next 10 days. Radial growth rate, conidial yield and germination, contents of proteins and phenolsand fungal antibacterial activity were estimated. BL- or RL-exposure did not essentially affect the ﬁnal size of colonies of A. clavatus but delayed the growth of P. citrinum and stimulated it in A. alternata and F. fujikuroi; these changes were more profound after BL, than after RL. In T. viride the BL exposure led to a remarkable delay of growth, whereas the RL signiﬁcantly increased the growth rate. Photo-induced changes in the conidial yield, conidial germination, contents of proteins and phenols also were dependent on the light wavelength and showed strong inter-species heterogeneity. Fungal antibacterial activity in exposed cultures was similar to the unexposed control. The observed effects are indicative targets for future research of possible molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the photobiology in different fungal taxons.
Functional skull asymmetries in Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae Gray, 1825: Carollinae)
Authors: Parés-Casanova Pere M. , Otin Gerard
Published: November 2020

Analysing asymmetry in wild or domestic species enables the evaluation of the morphological responses to functional requirements and/or stress. This report is a study of the cranial asymmetry of Seba's short-tailed bat Carollia perspicillata by means of geometric morphometric techniques. We studied three types of bilateral asymmetries -ﬂuctuating asymmetry, directional asymmetry and antisymmetry- using 15 skull landmarks on dorsal aspect of 45 skulls of Carollia perspicillata (21 males and 24 females) from different localities in Colombia. Directional asymmetry appeared to be significant and clearly higher than ﬂuctuating asymmetry, with the braincase presenting the larger variance. There were no differences between sexes. Echolocation has a great anatomical effect on the bat cranium, and this would explain detected asymmetry.
The prevalence, preventive measures and economic impact of pandemic COVID-19 in India: the initial phase
Authors: Ganguly Arindam , Konar Ujjal , Kundu Animesh , Ghosh Subhadeep , Chatterjee Ishita , Nad Susmita , Chatterjee Sandeep , Nandi Sristishil , Singha Sourav , Kali Sukhen
Published: November 2020

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is posing a serious threat to the mankind with its massive infection rate and potentially fatality. A total of 212 countries have been infected within the 112 days of ﬁrst report causing 2 314 621 conﬁrmed cases and 157 847 deaths worldwide. India, the country which is already battling with poverty, malnutrition and high population density is also at the second stage of coronavirus transmission. The situation is worsening and the attention has focused on the prevalence and preventive measures to be taken to protect 1.35 billion people of the largest democratic country of the world. In this review, a study has been designed to evaluate the prevalence, transmission, clinical symptoms, and preventive measures to control the community transmission of this fatal disease. The initial impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak on Indian economy has also been dealt with. This study reviews and summarizes the main points of the epidemic in India until the end of April 2020.
O bem-estar social e as políticas públicas destinadas à inclusão das pessoas com deficiência no mercado de trabalho no Brasil e em Portugal
Authors: Borges Marcia Leite , Moura Danieli Veleda , Patella Pase Ana Paula Dupuy , Dos Santos Caricia Hercilia Alves Oliveira , Parada Manuela Medeiros
Published: November 2020

O trabalho buscou responder: Como têm sido desenvolvidas as políticas públicas de inclusão das pessoas com deficiência no mercado de trabalho em países semiperiféricos? Para isso, utilizou-se a comparação entre dois países que ocupam a posição de semiperiferia no sistema mundo: Portugal e Brasil. O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em investigar as políticas públicas de inclusão no mercado de trabalho em Portugal e no Brasil, com a finalidade de realizar uma comparação entre ambos os países quanto a inclusão social das pessoas com deficiência. Tem-se como hipótese que em ambos os países o Estado transferiu efetivamente a responsabilidade da inclusão da pessoa com deficiência no mercado de trabalho à sociedade civil, ficando a ação estatal restrita à fiscalização. A metodologia utilizada foi a análise comparativa entre os dois países estudados no que tange tanto a legislação quanto aos principais estudos desenvolvidos sobre o tema, identificando as suas principais similaridades e diferenças. A partir desta análise comparativa, foi possível verificar que tanto Portugal como o Brasil têm investido em ações de combate à discriminação e à exclusão social, mas em ambos os países ainda é muito forte a concepção da deficiência como problema individual.
Influência da temperatura e da velocidade de trafego na previsão de área trincada de pavimentos as-fálticos
Authors: Santos Anthony Belo Vasconcelos , Soares Jorge Barbosa , Babadopulos Lucas Feitosa de Albuquerque Lima
Published: November 2020

O Brasil passa por um importante momento na área da pavimentação asfáltica com a proposição de atualização do método de dimensionamento. Neste trabalho é investigada a importância das variáveis de temperatura e velocidade de tráfego na previsão de área trincada do revestimento asfáltico (%AT) no tempo por meio do programa CAP3D-D. Por meio de rotinas de análise mecanicistas aliadas a funções empíricas de previsão, foi investigado o desempenho de 4 misturas em 16 cenários diferentes, considerando a mesma estrutura de pavimento. Os resultados confirmam significativa sensibilidade de respostas de %AT, com variações de 6 a 40% ao fim de 120 meses em simulação entre temperaturas da Região Nordeste e Sul do Brasil, respectivamente, e de variações de até 33% para comparações entre 10 km/h e 90 km/h. Mostra-se que além dos diferentes resultados de trincamento, as misturas apresentaram diferentes níveis de sensibilidade às variações de clima e velocidade, evidenciando a importância de se considerar estes parâmetros nas previsões de %AT.
Avaliação preliminar da resiliência na mobilidade urbana decorrente do transporte público
Authors: Azolin Luiza Gagno , Rodrigues da Silva Antônio Nélson
Published: November 2020

O objetivo deste estudo é inserir o transporte público em uma estratégia para avaliação da resiliência na mobilidade urbana diante de uma eventual restrição na oferta de combustível. Considerando como disponíveis apenas os modos ativos e o transporte público, são avaliados diferentes cenários com distâncias máximas possíveis para os modos a pé e bicicleta e de funcionamento do transporte público. As viagens são então classificadas em persistentes, excepcionais, adaptáveis ou transformáveis, sendo as três primeiras categorias apontadas como resilientes. No estudo de caso realizado na cidade de São Carlos-SP, observou-se que a inserção do transporte público, mesmo em condições de mínimo funcionamento, proporcionou um ganho considerável na resiliência: 21,4% no cenário mais pessimista para os modos ativos. A abordagem proposta também permite identificar linhas de transporte público que não agregam novos trechos atendidos ao serem colocadas em funcionamento, o que justificaria a sua não utilização na situação de crise avaliada.
DEVELOPMENT OF NUMERICAL MODELS FOR THE PREDICTION OF TEMPERATURE AND SURFACE ROUGHNESS DURING THE MACHINING OPERATION OF TITANIUM ALLOY (Ti6Al14V)
Authors: Daniyan Ilesanmi , Tlhabadira Isaac , Mpofu Khumbulani , Adeodu Adefemi
Published: November 2020

Temperature and surface roughness are important factors, which determine the degree of machinability and the performance of both the cutting tool and the work piece material. In this study, numerical models obtained from the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) techniques were used for predicting the magnitude of the temperature and surface roughness during the machining operation of titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V). The design of the numerical experiment was carried out using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for the combination of the process parameters while the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with 3 input layers, 10 sigmoid hidden neurons and 3 linear output neurons were employed for the prediction of the values of temperature. The ANN was iteratively trained using the Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation algorithm. The physical experiments were carried out using a DMU80monoBLOCK Deckel Maho 5-axis CNC milling machine with a maximum spindle speed of 18 000 rpm. A carbide-cutting insert (RCKT1204MO-PM S40T) was used for the machining operation. A professional infrared video thermometer with an LCD display and camera function (MT 696) with infrared temperature range of −50−1000 °C, was employed for the temperature measurement while the surface roughness of the work pieces were measured using the Mitutoyo SJ – 201, surface roughness machine. The results obtained indicate that there is high degree of agreement between the values of temperature and surface roughness measured from the physical experiments and the predicted values obtained using the ANN and RSM. This signifies that the developed RSM and ANN models are highly suitable for predictive purposes. This work can find application in the production and manufacturing industries especially for the control, optimization and process monitoring of process parameters.
A COMPARISON OF TWO MODAL ANALYSIS METHODS: AN IMPACT HAMMER VERSUS LASER VIBROMETRY
Authors: Krejčí Jakub , Beneš Petr
Published: November 2020

This paper presents a comparative experimental-analytical study on the performance of Multi-Input Single-Output (MISO) and Single-Input Multi-Output (SIMO) techniques to identify the modal properties of a cantilever beam. A 2-D laser interferometry was employed to perform the SIMO modal test, while for the MISO test configuration, a conventional accelerometer was used to measure the response of the structure. Comparing the experimentally-measured natural frequencies with those calculated by the FEM model, a maximum difference of 4% between natural frequencies was observed. The repeatability of both techniques is also investigated in this paper and it is shown that the difference between modal properties identified under different operators is less than 0.5% for both the MISO and SIMO techniques.
Marie Lloyd (1870–1922) and Biographical Constructions of the Nineteenth-Century Female Superstar
Authors: Watt Paul
Published: November 2020

Marie Lloyd (1870–1922) was a vocal superstar of the late nineteenth century. With tens of thousands of ardent followers in Britain and America—and an income that eclipsed even what Adele Patti and Nellie Melba earned—Lloyd was a vocal sensation. Biographers of the prima donna, the female vocal celebrity, are often quick to turn their subjects into heroines through the conferment of appellations such as “The Swedish Nightingale” (for Jenny Lind), “The Queen of Song” (Adelina Patti), and “The Voice of Australia,” in the case of Nellie Melba. Marie Lloyd was also bestowed a heroic title, but in an entirely different milieu: “Queen of the Music Hall.” This article probes the varied reasons—and ambiguities—of this appellation in biographical constructions of Lloyd, especially in relation to the dexterity of her voice that was arguably more varied in its scope than most of her operatic peers. Lloyd's biographers provide disembodied narratives of her career and achievements, since they have virtually nothing to say about the extraordinary range and versatility of her voice. With the aid of historic recordings it is possible to finally make an estimate of Lloyd's technique, and the results are surprising: she was no mere music-hall singer. Lloyd's voice and acting encompassed techniques ranging from eighteenth-century melodrama to nineteenth-century diseuse, allowing for an alternative reading of Lloyd's reputation as Queen of the Music Hall and the varied range of singing found in this institution.
THE OCEAN. CONCEPTUAL BASES OF DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR MARINE SCIENCES AND INNOVATIONS IN UKRAINE
Authors:   Center for Problems of Marine Geology, Geoecology and Sedimentary Ore Formation of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine, Yemelianov Volodymyr O.
Published: November 2020

The rapid development of marine sciences and innovations in the world leads to the increasing use of their fundamental and applied results, including sea-related technologies, in virtually all spheres of human existence. In the public policy of developed maritime countries, researches and developments aimed at better understanding the role of the world ocean and the possibilities of its use to address socio-economic and security challenges have long been among the highest priorities. Analyzing the basic problems of organization and functioning of domestic maritime scientific and innovative activities, the author notes that further delay in developing a strategy for such activities may not only lead to the final loss of maritime status by our country, but also complicate prospects for further socio-economic development and weaken the system of national security. The article proposes the conceptual foundations of the strategy for the development of marine scientific and innovative activities in Ukraine.
Alessia Prioletta, Inscriptions from the Southern Highlands of Yemen: The Epigraphic Collections of the Museums of Baynūn and Dhamār
Authors: Agostini Alessio
Published: November 2020

Review
Predrag Bukovec, ed., Christlicher Orient im Porträt – Wissenschaftsgeschichte des Christlichen Orients. Kongreßakten der 1. Tagung der RVO (4. Dezember 2010, Tübingen), I–II
Authors: Bausi Alessandro
Published: November 2020

Review
Odonata from Bahia Solano, Colombian Pacific Region
Authors: Palacino-Rodríguez Fredy , Palacino-Penagos Diego Andrés , Gonzalez-Neita Albert Antonio
Published: November 2020

We present a checklist of Odonata species from Bahia Solano Municipality in the Pacific Region of Colombia. Sampling effort included 715 h between December 2018 and January 2020. We recorded 51 species in 27 genera and seven families. The most representative families were Libellulidae with 14 genera and 29 species and Coenagrionidae with 10 genera and 16 species. Argia fulgida Navás, 1934 and Erythrodiplax funerea (Hagen, 1861) are newly recorded from Chocó Department. The richer localities in terms of species numbers are conservation areas which are little impacted by indigenous traditional agriculture.
Transarterial Chemoembolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Clinical Efficacy Study of Ganoderma Lucidum Extract Polysaccharide Peptide β-Glucan
Authors: Poedjomartono Bagaswoto , Faisal Arif , Nurjanah Siti
Published: November 2020

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver malignancy with high prevalence rate, associated primarily with the Hepatitis B Virus. HCC is the third leading cause of death worldwide. The prevalence in Indonesia is estimated at 100 per100,000 inhabitants. Treatment is generally ineffective as patients are already at advanced stages when diagnosed. Trans-arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) is a promising treatment, and Î²-Glucan combined therapy is expected to treat HCC more efficiently. This study evaluated the treatment response of TACE in HCC combined with Î²-Glucan orally. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 63 patients with HCC. The subjects of the study were randomly assigned into two groups: 32 administered TACE plus Î²-Glucan, and 31 with TACE plus placebo. Results: In the Î²-Glucan group, there were four patients (12.50%) with complete response, 16 (50%) partial response, 3 (9.38%) no response, and 9 (28.12%) in deteriorated response. In the placebo group, there were 0 complete response, 11(35.48%) partial, 2(6.45%) no response, and 18 (58.07%) deteriorated response. The survival rate of the Î²-Glucan group was longer (median 39 weeks) than the placebo group (median 26 weeks). CD4, CD8 and IL-2 post-TACE increased significantly (p<0.05). The placebo group had 4.143 times, significantly higher hazard risk (p<0.05).Conclusion: HCC therapy with a combination of TACE and Î²-Glucan is beneficial to increase the therapeutic response, immunity and survival rate.
Sclerosing lipogranuloma of the penis: a review of management and classification
Authors: Soebhali Boyke
Published: November 2020

Enlargement of penile girth is has always long been a subject of extensive debate and controversy. Genital injection of high-viscosity fluids like paraffin and mineral oil has been performed for more than 100 years. The debilitating effect has been long known, and the procedure has been abandoned by most medical practitioners. Injection often performed by non-professional persons or by the patients themselves, in a non-standardized way. The mineral oil contains foreign lipid that cannot be metabolized by human body, thus foreign body reaction will occur. The inflamed tissue and foreign body reaction will result in sclerosing lipogranuloma. This disorder also known with the injected materials names, e.g. paraffinoma, siliconoma or vaselinoma of the penis. Complications of the injection vary from inflammation, swelling, pain, hardened penile skin, to disastrous effects like ulcers, skin necrosis, pain in erection, sexual disability caused by pain either the patient or the sexual partner, and death by embolism. After injection of the mineral oil, in many patients the symptoms will occur almost instantly. Swelling, inflammation of the penile skin, redness, oedema (that will give an impression of larger penile girth) are among the symptoms occurred. Surgery is the best viable option to treat this disorder. Complete excision of the affected area, followed by covering the healthy area either by grafts or flaps. If available, scrotal skin is a good choice to cover the affected area. A good classification system of sclerosing lipogranuloma of the penis will be helpful in reporting and treating the disease.
The expression of TNF-Î±, IL-1Î², and IL-10 in the diabetes mellitus condition induced by the combination of spirulina and chitosan
Authors: Hendrijantini Nike , Sitalaksmi Ratri Maya , Ari Muhammad Dimas Aditya , Hidayat Tiffany Josephine , Putri Prisca Agustina Nurcahyan , Sukandar Daniel
Published: November 2020

Background: Rapid wound healing is needed after tooth extraction treatment so that prosthodontics treatment can be done immediately. However, systemic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, can inhibit the wound healing process. The state of hyperglycemia in people with diabetes mellitus can interfere with the function of macrophages and neutrophils. This condition can cause an imbalance in the cytokines IL-1Î², TNF-Î± and IL-10 that are produced by macrophages and thus will affect the wound healing process. Spirulina and chitosan are two natural substances that have been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. This study was aimed to determine whether the combination of 12% spirulina and 20% chitosan can accelerate wound healing through its intervention in cytokines IL-1Î², TNF-Î± and IL-10.Method: The samples used were 36 Wistar rats suffering from diabetes mellitus and divided into control groups induced by CMC Na base gel and treatment groups induced by the combination of 12% spirulina and 20% chitosan in the socket. These 2 groups were further divided into groups terminated on one day, three days and seven days post-extraction.Results: The amount of IL-1Î² and TNF-Î± in the treatment groups is lower than that of the control group. Meanwhile, the treatment group of IL-10 showed an increase in IL-10 levels.Â Conclusion: The combination of 12% spirulina and 20% chitosan can accelerate wound healing. They are decreasing the amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1Î² and TNF-Î± as well as increasing the number of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10.