bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uncovering associations between data-driven learned qMRI biomarkers and chronic pain
Authors: Morales Alejandro G. , Lee Jinhee J. , Caliva Francesco , Iriondo Claudia , Liu Felix , Majumdar Sharmila , Pedoia Valentina
Published: November 2021

Knee pain is the most common and debilitating symptom of knee osteoarthritis (OA). While there is a perceived association between OA imaging biomarkers and pain, there are weak or conflicting findings for this relationship. This study uses Deep Learning (DL) models to elucidate associations between bone shape, cartilage thickness and T2 relaxation times extracted from Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) and chronic knee pain. Class Activation Maps (Grad-CAM) applied on the trained chronic pain DL models are used to evaluate the locations of features associated with presence and absence of pain. For the cartilage thickness biomarker, the presence of features sensitive for pain presence were generally located in the medial side, while the features specific for pain absence were generally located in the anterior lateral side. This suggests that the association of cartilage thickness and pain varies, requiring a more personalized averaging strategy. We propose a novel DL-guided definition for cartilage thickness spatial averaging based on Grad-CAM weights. We showed a significant improvement modeling chronic knee pain with the inclusion of the novel biomarker definition: likelihood ratio test p-values of 7.01 × 10–33 and 1.93 × 10–14 for DL-guided cartilage thickness averaging for the femur and tibia, respectively, compared to the cartilage thickness compartment averaging.
Description of five new species of the Madagascan flagship plant genus Ravenala (Strelitziaceae)
Authors: Haevermans Thomas , Hladik Annette , Hladik Claude-Marcel , Razanatsoa Jacqueline , Haevermans Agathe , Jeannoda Vololoniaina , Blanc Patrick
Published: November 2021

Madagascar’s emblematic traveller’s tree is a monospecific genus within Strelitziaceae, the family of the South African bird of paradise. Until now, this endemic genus consisted of a single species: Ravenala madagascariensis Sonn., which is grown everywhere in the tropics as an ornamental plant. The plant is immediately recognizable for its huge fan-forming banana-like leaves and is locally referred to in Magagascar by several vernacular names. “Variants” have been mentioned in the literature, but without any attempt to recognize formal taxa based on diagnostic features. In this paper, we formally describe five new species and fix the application of the name R. madagascariensis to the populations growing on the eastern coast of Madagascar, with the epitype growing in the marshy Fort-Dauphin area in the south. This paper has numerous implications for conservation biology and other domains of life sciences, due to the importance of this genus for the conservation of Madagascan ecosystems, the ornamental plant trade, as well as for its invasive status in several tropical areas.
Lack of affective priming indicates attitude-behaviour discrepancy for COVID-19 affiliated words
Authors: Moro Stefania S. , Steeves Jennifer K. E.
Published: November 2021

The ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in the enforcement of national public health safety measures including precautionary behaviours such as border closures, movement restrictions, total or partial lockdowns, social distancing, and face mask mandates in order to reduce the spread of this disease. The current study uses affective priming, an indirect behavioural measure of implicit attitude, to evaluate COVID-19 attitudes. Explicitly, participants rated their overall risk perception associated with contracting COVID-19 significantly lower compared to their perception of necessary precautions and overall adherence to public health measures. During baseline trials, participants explicitly rated COVID-19 affiliated words as unpleasant, similar to traditional unpleasant word stimuli. Despite rating the COVID-19 affiliated words as unpleasant, affective priming was not observed for congruent prime-target COVID-19 affiliated word pairs when compared to congruent prime-target pleasant and unpleasant words. Overall, these results provide quantitative evidence that COVID-19 affiliated words do not invoke the same implicit attitude response as traditional pleasant and unpleasant word stimuli, despite conscious explicit rating of the COVID-19 words as unpleasant. This reduction in unpleasant attitude towards COVID-19 related words may contribute towards decreased fear-related behaviours and increased incidences of risky-behaviour facilitating the movement of the virus.
Adapting the visuo-haptic perception through muscle coactivation
Authors: Carboni Gerolamo , Nanayakkara Thrishantha , Takagi Atsushi , Burdet Etienne
Published: November 2021

While the nervous system can coordinate muscles’ activation to shape the mechanical interaction with the environment, it is unclear if and how the arm’s coactivation influences visuo-haptic perception and motion planning. Here we show that the nervous system can voluntarily coactivate muscles to improve the quality of the haptic percept. Subjects tracked a randomly moving visual target they were physically coupled to through a virtual elastic band, where the stiffness of the coupling increased with wrist coactivation. Subjects initially relied on vision alone to track the target, but with practice they learned to combine the visual and haptic percepts in a Bayesian manner to improve their tracking performance. This improvement cannot be explained by the stronger mechanical guidance from the elastic band. These results suggest that with practice the nervous system can learn to integrate a novel haptic percept with vision in an optimal fashion.
Amyloid-beta peptide (25–35) triggers a reorganization of lipid membranes driven by temperature changes
Authors: Ivankov Oleksandr , Murugova Tatiana N. , Ermakova Elena V. , Kondela Tomáš , Badreeva Dina R. , Hrubovčák Pavol , Soloviov Dmitry , Tsarenko Alexey , Rogachev Andrey , Kuklin Alexander I. , Kučerka Norbert
Published: November 2021

The amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) is considered a key factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD) ever since the discovery of the disease. The understanding of its damaging influence has however shifted recently from large fibrils observed in the inter-cellular environment to the small oligomers interacting with a cell membrane. We studied the effect of temperature on the latter interactions by evaluating the structural characteristics of zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) membranes with incorporated Aβ25–35 peptide. By means of small angle neutron scattering (SANS), we have observed for the first time a spontaneous reformation of extruded unilamellar vesicles (EULVs) to discoidal bicelle-like structures (BLSs) and small unilamellar vesicles (SULVs). These changes in the membrane self-organization happen during the thermodynamic phase transitions of lipids and only in the presence of the peptide. We interpret the dramatic changes in the membrane's overall shape with parallel changes in its thickness as the Aβ25–35 triggered membrane damage and a consequent reorganization of its structure. The suggested process is consistent with an action of separate peptides or small size peptide oligomers rather than the result of large Aβ fibrils.
Multidisciplinary investigation reveals the earliest textiles and cinnabar-coloured cloth in Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Gleba Margarita , Bretones-García M. Dolores , Cimarelli Corrado , Vera-Rodríguez Juan Carlos , Martínez-Sánchez Rafael M.
Published: November 2021

Textile production is among the most fundamental and more complex technologies in human prehistory, but is under-investigated due to the perishable nature of fibrous materials. Here we report a discovery of five textile fragments from a prehistoric (fourth-third millennium cal BC) burial deposit located in a small cave at Peñacalera in Sierra Morena hills, near Córdoba, Southern Spain. These textiles accompanied a set of human remains as grave goods, together with other organic elements such as fragments of wood and cork, and some pottery vessels. They were characterized and dated using digital microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Two of the fragments described here are the oldest examples of loom-woven textiles in the Iberian Peninsula, dating from the second half of the fourth millennium cal BC. This correlates chronologically with the first appearance of loom weights in the archaeological record of this region. The more recently dated textile is the earliest preserved cloth intentionally coloured with cinnabar in the western Mediterranean. The Peñacalera finds are a key reference for understanding the development of textile technologies during the Neolithic and Copper Age in western Europe and beyond.
Design of hybrid narrow-band plasmonic absorber based on chalcogenide phase change material in the infrared spectrum
Authors: Alves Oliveira Israel , Gomes de Souza Igor Leonardo , Rodriguez-Esquerre Vitaly Felix
Published: November 2021

Structures absorbing electromagnetic waves in the infrared spectral region are important optical components in key areas such as biosensors, infrared images, thermal emitters, and special attention is required for reconfigurable devices. We propose a three-dimensional metal-dielectric plasmonic absorber with a layer of PCM’s (Phase Change Materials). The phase shift effects of PCMs are numerically analyzed, and it is possible to obtain a shifting control of the resonant absorption peaks between the amorphous and crystalline states using the Lorentz–Lorenz relation. By using this empirical relation, we analyzed the peak absorption shift at intermediate phases between the amorphous and the crystalline. The geometric parameters of the structure with the PCM layer in the semi-crystalline state were adjusted to exhibit strong absorption for normal incidence. The effects of the oblique incidence on the absorption for the TM and TE polarization modes were also analyzed. Our results demonstrate that PCMs have great potential for reconfigurable nanophotonic devices.
Transplantation of rat cranial bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injury
Authors: Maeda Yuyo , Otsuka Takashi , Takeda Masaaki , Okazaki Takahito , Shimizu Kiyoharu , Kuwabara Masashi , Hosogai Masahiro , Yuge Louis , Mitsuhara Takafumi
Published: November 2021

Cell-based therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a novel treatment strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI). MSCs can be isolated from various tissues, and their characteristics vary based on the source. However, reports demonstrating the effect of transplanted rat cranial bone-derived MSCs (rcMSCs) on rat SCI models are lacking. In this study, we determined the effect of transplanting rcMSCs in rat SCI models. MSCs were established from collected bone marrow and cranial bones. SCI rats were established using the weight-drop method and transplanted intravenously with MSCs at 24 h post SCI. The recovery of motor function and hindlimb electrophysiology was evaluated 4 weeks post transplantation. Electrophysiological recovery was evaluated by recording the transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potentials. Tissue repair after SCI was assessed by calculating the cavity ratio. The expression of genes involved in the inflammatory response and cell death in the spinal cord tissue was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The transplantation of rcMSCs improved motor function and electrophysiology recovery, and reduced cavity ratio. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines was suppressed in the spinal cord tissues of the rats that received rcMSCs. These results demonstrate the efficacy of rcMSCs as cell-based therapy for SCI.
Pheromones that correlate with reproductive success in competitive conditions
Authors: Luzynski Kenneth C. , Nicolakis Doris , Marconi Maria Adelaide , Zala Sarah M. , Kwak Jae , Penn Dustin J.
Published: November 2021

The major urinary proteins (MUPs) of house mice (Mus musculus) bind and stabilize the release of pheromones and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urinary scent marks, which mediate chemical communication. Social status influences MUP and VOC excretion, and the urinary scent of dominant males is attractive to females. Urinary pheromones influence the sexual behavior and physiology of conspecifics, and yet it is not known whether they also affect reproductive success. We monitored the excretion of urinary protein and VOCs of wild-derived house mice living in large seminatural enclosures to compare the sexes and to test how these compounds correlate with reproductive success. Among males, urinary protein concentration and VOC expression correlated with reproductive success and social status. Territorial dominance also correlated with reproductive success in both sexes; but among females, no urinary compounds were found to correlate with social status or reproductive success. We found several differences in the urinary protein and volatile pheromones of mice in standard cages versus seminatural enclosures, which raises caveats for conventional laboratory studies. These findings provide novel evidence for chemical signals that correlate with male reproductive success of house mice living in competitive conditions.
Recent advances in electrocatalysis with phthalocyanines
Authors: Yang Shaoxuan , Yu Yihuan , Gao Xinjin , Zhang Zhengping , Wang Feng
Published: November 2021

This review provides a timely and comprehensive overview of the recent progresses in the synthesis and application of phthalocyanine-based heterogeneous electrocatalysts, as well as the structure/composition–catalytic activity relationship, and future prospects.
Antimicrobial and pro-angiogenic properties of soluble and nanoparticle-immobilized LL37 peptides
Authors: Comune Michela , Rai Akhilesh , Palma Paulo , TondaTuro Chiara , Ferreira Lino
Published: November 2021

NP-immobilized LL37 peptides have superior antimicrobial activity than the soluble LL37 peptides. Both NP-immobilized LL37 and soluble LL37 peptides elicit different signalling pathways in human endothelial cells.
Rh(iii)-Catalyzed mild straightforward synthesis of quinoline-braced cyclophane macrocyclesviamigratory insertion
Authors: Ghosh Bidhan , Bera Satabdi , Ghosh Pintu , Samanta Rajarshi
Published: November 2021

A mild and straightforward Rh(iii)-catalysed macrocylization strategy is developed to deliver quinoline braced cyclophane type macrocycles based on migratory insertion of metal–carbenes into the C8-methyl group of quinoline scaffolds.
Elucidating the charge storage mechanism of carbonaceous and organic electrode materials for sodium ion batteries
Authors: Lau Vincent Wing-hei , Kim Jae-Bum , Zou Feng , Kang Yong-Mook
Published: November 2021

This article critically reviews the analytical methodologies and characterization techniques employed for elucidating the charge storage mechanism of carbonaceous and organic electrode materials for sodium ion batteries.
Design of a surrogate for high throughput screening of fatty aldehyde reductase engineering
Authors: Worakaensai Suphanida , Kluaiphanngam Surayut , Wet-osot Sirawit , Charoenwattanasatien Ratana , Ngivprom Utumporn , Duangkamol Chuthamat , Kamkaew Anyanee , Lai Rung-Yi
Published: November 2021

A fatty aldehyde surrogate containing a formyl thioester group can be reduced by fatty aldehyde reductase (FALR) with stoichiometric formaldehyde generation. It can be rapidly visualized and quantified using the Purpald assay for screening applications.
Morphology evolution of primary Mg2Si in Ca-modified Al–Mg2Si alloy with various contents of Mg/Si
Authors: Yu Hong-Chen , Men Yu-Zhuo , Yang Shu-Guo , Liu Hui , Yu Lei , Xu Xue-Dong , Li Yi-Fei , Zou Chang-Sheng , Wang Hao-Nan , Zhong Wei-Rong
Published: November 2021

The combined influence of Mg/Si and Ca contents on the crystallization of primary Mg2Si in Al–Mg2Si alloy is investigated.
The coexistence of superior intrinsic piezoelectricity and thermoelectricity in two-dimensional Janus α-TeSSe
Authors: Chen Shaobo , Chen Xiangrong , Zeng Zhaoyi , Geng Huayun , Yin Huabing
Published: November 2021

A new group-VI Janus ternary compounds α-TeSSe monolayer exhibits outstanding piezoelectric and thermoelectric performances, which has broad application prospects in the fields of piezoelectrics and thermoelectrics.
Carbon-supported WOx–Ru-based catalysts for the selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol
Authors: Bellè Alessandro , Kusada Kohei , Kitagawa Hiroshi , Perosa Alvise , Castoldi Lidia , Polidoro Daniele , Selva Maurizio
Published: November 2021

A quantitative and highly selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol was achieved under mild conditions over bifunctional Ru/WOx catalysts.
Emerging investigator series: quantifying the impact of cloud cover on solar irradiance and environmental photodegradation
Authors: Nevins Michelle G. , Apell Jennifer N.
Published: November 2021

Assessing the influence of cloud cover on solar irradiance and environmental photodegradation using machine learning models with cloudiness, time of day, and day of year as inputs.
Surface active ionic liquid assisted metal-free electrocatalytic-carboxylation in aqueous phase: a sustainable approach for CO2 utilization paired with electro-detoxification of halocarbons
Authors: Pandit Sarwar Ahmad , Bhat Sajad Ahmad , Rather Mudasir Ahmad , Sofi Feroz Ahmad , Ingole Pravin P. , Manzoor Bhat Zahid , Thotiyl Musthafa Ottakam , Bhat Khursheed Ahmad , Rehman Shakeel U. , Bhat Mohsin Ahmad
Published: November 2021

Electrocarboxylation of halocarbons in aqueous micellar solutions of Imidazolium based surface active ionic liquids offers a promising green strategy for capture, fixation and utilization of CO2 for the synthesis of high-added value compounds.
Molecular-level understanding of the hTAS2R1 receptor-bitter tasting tetra-peptide binding: a structural biology study based on computational approaches
Authors: Wang Fangfang , Yang Wei , Zhou Bo
Published: November 2021

Effective computational approaches for bitter-tasting peptides have been developed and analyzed in the present work.
Formulation of nanopesticide with graphene oxide as the nanocarrier of pyrethroid pesticide and its application in spider mite control
Authors: Gao Xiaoduo , Shi Fengyu , Peng Fei , Shi Xuejuan , Cheng Caihong , Hou Wenlong , Xie Haicui , Lin Xiaohu , Wang Xiuping
Published: November 2021

Nanopesticides with controlled release can achieve more effective utilization of pesticides.
Novel core-substituted naphthalene diimide-based conjugated polymers for electrochromic applications
Authors: Wang Kai , Zhu Lin , Hu Xuening , Han Mingxi , Lin Junyu , Guo Zhiyong , Zhan Hongbing
Published: November 2021

The strategic implementation of using a core-substituted naphthalene diimide derivative to electropolymerize an ionized polymer for a better electrochromic performance is proposed.
Effect of rs4646994 polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme on the risk of nonischemic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Shen Jinsheng , Qian Xuesong , Mei Xiaofei , Yao Jialu , Jiang Hezi , Li Kexin , Chen Tan , Jiang Yufeng , Zhou Yafeng
Published: November 2021

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphisms have recently been shown to be associated with risk of developing left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). However, the results were controversial. We aimed to conduct this meta-analysis to further confirm the association between ACE rs4646994 polymorphism and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)/dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: PubMed, Embase, the Chinese National Knowledge Information, and Wanfang databases were searched for eligible studies. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of included studies. Then we evaluated the association between ACE gene mutation and HCM/DCM by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Subgroup analysis was further performed to explore situations in specialized subjects. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias was assessed to confirm the study reliability.

Results: There were 13 studies on DCM (2004 cases and 1376 controls) and 16 studies on HCM (2161 controls and 1192 patients). ACE rs4646994 polymorphism was significantly associated with DCM in all genetic models. However, in HCM, four genetic models (allele model, homozygous model, heterozygous model, and dominant model) showed significant association between ACE rs4646994 polymorphism and DCM. In subgroup analysis, we found that ACE rs4646994 polymorphism was significantly associated with DCM/HCM in Asian population. Finally, we also conducted a cumulative meta-analysis, which indicates that the results of our meta-analysis are highly reliable.

Conclusion: ACE rs4646994 polymorphism increases the risk of DCM/HCM in Asians, but not in Caucasians. More case–control studies are needed to strengthen our conclusions and to assess the gene–gene and gene–environment interactions between ACE rs4646994 polymorphism and DCM/HCM.
Impact of covid 19 pandemic on knowledge, practice and mental health of breastfeeding women: experience of souissi maternity hospital of Rabat, Morocco
Authors: Laamiri Fatima zahra , Barich Fatima , Slaoui Aziz , Hasswane Nadia , Elgot abdeljalil , Kharbach Aicha , Aguenaou Hassan , Barkat Amina
Published: November 2021

In Morocco, the promotion of maternal and child health is an important axis of the strategy to fight against the repercussions of the covid-19 pandemic. We aim to explore knowledge, practices and mental health of breastfeeding mothers. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the maternity hospital center in Rabat. The data has been collected through a face-to-face interview with mothers. Information regarding mental health were collected using the questionnaire of the post-traumatic stress disorder. Analysis showed that three quarters of mothers were unaware of transmission of the virus through the fetal route and through breastfeeding. This ignorance was significantly high among illiterate mothers compared to educated women (p <0.001). Analysis of practices showed that early breastfeeding, practice skin-to-skin, use of a facemask and compliance with respiratory hygiene rules during breastfeeding were found only in 53.4%, 43.1%, 38.3% and 42.2% of mothers respectively. Psychological disorder concerned 45.7% of mothers and was significantly associated with place of residence (p <0.001), educational level (p <0.001), profession (p <0.001) and monthly expenditure (p = 0.019). This study can be used to evaluate the national Covid 19 pandemic monitoring and response plan and highlights the importance of mental health care for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Overview of genomic surveillance related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrom Coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2)
Authors: Bahouq Hanane , Bahouq Madiha , Soulaymani Abdelmajid
Published: November 2021

Since the start of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrom Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, several thousand of variants circulated and others are emerging. Therefore, genomic surveillance is crucial, which aims to detect the emergence of new variants, in particular Variants of Concern (VOC) and to assess the impact of priority mutations on the transmissibility and lethality of the virus, the performance of viral diagnostic methods and vaccine efficiency. An overview of available papers was performed to understand conduct, tools and utility of genomic sequencing and surveillance related to Covid-19 disease. We also report the experience of Morocco in this filed through available data. A national SARS-Cov-2 genomic consortium has been established in order to continuously inform the health authorities of the genetic evolution of circulating strains in Morocco. Genomic sequencing shows that Moroccan genomes spread did not show a predominant SARS-CoV-2 lineage. Genomes are dispersed across the evolutionary tree of SARS-CoV-2 and held between 4 and 16 mutations. As the pandemic ongoing, continuous genomic surveillance and regular sequencing are fundamental to understand the spread of SARS-CoV-2, to rapidly identify potential global transmission networks and to consolidate response strategies especially targeted Covid-19 vaccination.
Education in Government Communications: Case of Ukraine
Authors: Lesya Ilchenko-Syuyva , Gennadii Riabtsev , Valerii Tertychka
Published: November 2021

The article highlights building prerequisites that help to tackle problems related to the insufficient government communications and poor information provided to potential audiences in participatory democracies. The analysis has shown that many counties face the lack of strategic communications (both horizontal and vertical) and thus, create concerns about misunderstanding and bottlenecks in design and implementation of public policies. This problem expands when countries undergo rapid, systemic, fundamental changes, in particular due to the energy transition. Ukraine is not an exemption. Lack of real competition between MPA programs, pre-service and in-service training programs for public servants in Ukraine and poor quality of programs leave a niche for educational institutions to take the leading position. Hence, Kyiv Mohyla School of Governance (hereinafter – KMSGov) launched very specific and need oriented MPA program in Government Communications. The program was designed in close cooperation with Ukrainian public authorities and become client oriented. The program is innovative and one of a kind due to its integrity and consistency. It is student-centered and widely uses case studies, simulations and PBL techniques. In addition, the program consists of logically interconnected courses, which complement each other and provide broad pattern of particularities of evidence-based public policy design and implementation, public administration and management theory and practice, modern features of government communications and policy advocacy. Due to COVID restrictions and worldwide lockdown the Government Communication MPA program provided by KMSGov was fully transferred into on-line format without losing its quality. It became possible due modern information and communication technologies (tested in February-July 2020). The paper provides brief overview and main results of the analysis of the existing MPA programs and key particularities of the newly launched program.
Metabolic Syndrome: What is the difference between the two definitions IDF and NCEP ATP III in Morocco? Case of the population of Marrakech
Authors: Hannoun Zineb , Makdad Meryem , Harraqui Khouloud , Boussenna Imane , Kenfaoui Ikram , Bour Abdellatif
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome according to the two definitions: NCEP-ATP III and IDF 2005 and to analyze their differences in a population in Marrakech, Morocco. The study was carried out at Ibn Zohr hospital in Marrakech. The body mass index (BMI) was calculated to assess the degree of obesity of each subject. The blood parameters were measured by an appropriate biochemistry automaton. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was made according to the definitions of NCEP-ATP III and IDF 2005. All statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS software. A total of 300 subjects participated in the study, including 57.3% of women and 42.7% of men, with a sex ratio of 0.74. The mean age of our population was 51.6 ± 13.42 years. According to NCEP-ATP III, 79 of the participants (26.3%) had the metabolic syndrome, with a predominance of women: 60 women (20.0%) and 19 men (6.3%); according to the IDF, 139 or (46.3%) of the participants had MS, in which 31.0% were women and 15.3% were men. Waist circumference and hyperglycemia were the two predominant criteria according to both definitions. The study showed that all criteria were statistically associated with the presence of MS. The metabolic syndrome is common in our population regardless of the definition criteria used. The implementation of prevention strategies and the encouragement of a healthy lifestyle will minimize serious health problems in Marrakech city.
Bio contamination of surfaces and medical devices in controlled environment areas at a hospital in Morocco
Authors: Jaouhar Samira , El Ouali Lalami Abdelhakim , Ouarrak Khadija , Bouzid Jawad , Maoulouaa Mohammed , Bekhti Khadija
Published: November 2021

The hospital environment, especially medical devices and surfaces, represents a secondary reservoir for pathogens. This work aims to evaluate the microbiological quality of surfaces and medical equipment of controlled environment services (burn unit, operating room, and sterilization service) at a hospital in Meknes (center of Morocco). This study was carried out for three months (September-December of 2017). A total of 63 samples were taken by swabbing technique from different surfaces and medical equipment after bio-cleaning. Identification was performed according to conventional bacteriological methods and by microscopic observation for fungi. The study showed that 68% of the surface was contaminated. The operating room recorded a rate of 93% of contamination (p-value <0.01), 83% for sterilization service, and 47% for burn unit. A percentage of 67% of the isolates were identified as Gram-positive bacteria against 32% Gram-negative bacteria (p-value <0.05). Bacterial identification showed Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (45%), Enterobacter cloacae (14%), Micrococcus sp (10%), Klebsiella pneumoniae, peptostreptococcus sp and Pseudomonas fluorescens (7% for each one), Escherichia coli, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (5% for each one). These results require corrective action represented by rigorous cleaning and disinfection procedures.
Application of Six Sigma in a company Automotive in Morocco
Authors: Achibat Fatima Ezzahra , Lebkiri Ahmed , Aouane El Mahjoub
Published: November 2021

Customer satisfaction is the key to success in all organizations and this satisfaction has a correlational relationship with the quality so that is why we notice that during the last ten years, the automotive sector focuses on the quality whose new strategy reinforces to develop quality and anchors Morocco in the global automotive industry. This article describes the use of Six Sigma through the DMAIC method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) during production lines in a wiring company. The objective is to reduce the defect rate to improve the quality of the product. After defining the workplace and measuring the defect rate, a structured analysis was done to find the root causes and then actions were implemented to reduce the defect rate. To this effect, the deployment of this method has reduces the rate of defects. The use of the Six Sigma method plays a key role in improving the quality of the product as well as financial gains for the different companies.
Territorial offer and FDI’s attractiveness: energy competitiveness and factor analysis
Authors: El Aouami Camelia , Louhmadi Abdeljalil
Published: November 2021

The competitiveness of the territorial offer characteristics determines the attractiveness of FDI (foreign direct investments), the components of the territory such as the climate, natural resources, energy competitiveness, infrastructures, the business climate, and others several factors which constitute the components of the territorial offer. In through a survey conducted with investors foreigners settled in the area TTA (Tangier-Tetouan, Al Hoceima) we tried to analyze the set are features of the offer of u territory while emphasizing energy and competitiveness of the climate. Still, we have Vons tried to determine the are obstacles enrayant attractiveness for FDI. Thus, the results of our analysis can be classified into groups the variables are the offer of territory according to the choice priority of investors and therefore a diagnosis (strengths / weaknesses) of the territory. Competitiveness in energy infrastructures plays a driving role in the attractiveness of the offer; on the other hand, energy costs can constitute an obstacle to the attractiveness of the territory.
Excessive smartphone use symptoms associated with psychological distress as consequence of early phase COVID-19 restrictions
Authors: Hadrya Fatine , El Hattimy Faiçal , Zouini Btissame , Sfendla Anis
Published: November 2021

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been associated to various mental health problems and its consequences such as lock-down and social distancing were linked to various adaptations forms including increased smartphone usage. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms related to smartphone excessive use and to detect smartphone addiction symptoms related to general psychological distress. Participants were (N=260) surveyed during the first two weeks of lockdown measure. Online measures were introduced including sociodemographic background, Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV), and the Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI). Among 260 Moroccan adults, the prevalence of excessive smartphone use was 48.4% (women: 59.6% / men: 40.4%). Withdrawal, preoccupation, simultaneous presence of withdrawal and tolerance, with or without preoccupation, were significantly more observed among female users (p=.019, p=.042, p=.023 and p=.003; respectively). Comparing excessive smartphone users to non-excessive users, GSI and all BSI dimensions, showed higher significant difference in mean scores (r ranging from .15 to .31). SAS-SV total score was positively correlated with general distress (rho=.19, p<.05), depression (rho=.27, p<.01), and paranoid ideation (rho=.20, p<.05) in excessive smartphone users. Smartphone excessive use appears strongly associated with general distress, regardless of the circumstances. The results of this work provide sufficient evidence for the implementation of psychological interventions in general population during possible lock down measures or potential quarantine for potential next pandemic waves.
Recycling of Wash Water as a Way to Reduce the Environmental Load and Increase the Utilization Rate of Raw Materials
Authors: Boitsova T.N. , Dementieva N.V.
Published: November 2021

The problem of recovering the protein and other valuable components from wash water (low-concentrated suspensions) exists in almost all areas of the food industry. Research in this field is quite successful and is mainly based on the processes of evaporation, flotation, the use of force fields, and other physical and chemical methods. The variety of proposed methods for extracting the protein substances, the permanent search for new methods confirm the incompleteness and urgency of the problem under study. The possibility was demonstrated and the conditions for purification of wash waters of minced meat production and technological liquids for processing the algae were determined. The use of an acidic solution of chitosan was proposed for cleaning the wash water of minced meat production. Considering the ability of chitosan to sediment from solutions having a pH in the range of 5,6, crystalline sodium bicarbonate was used to adjust the pH value. The calculation showed that 0,66 g of sodium bicarbonate was required to neutralize a 2% solution of chitosan in 2% acetic acid. The largest mass of the sediment was obtained at the ratio of wash water / chitosan solution as 25/2 – 25/4. Ultrafiltration was used for the purification of technological waters for processing the algae. The results of the study showed that after passing through the filtration bed, the purified water contained 4 times less mineral components and organic substances compared to the original content.
Petroleum Bottling Model in the Arctic Zone of Krasnoyarsk Region by Neural Network Forecasting
Authors: Moskalev Aleksander , Grebnev Yaroslav
Published: November 2021

Industrial development and active development of resources in the territory of the fragile Arctic ecosystem requires proper control of technological processes at enterprises located in these areas. Analysis and subsequent modelling of oil and oil products spills are performed in order to elaborate preventive measures concerning emergencies, means and methods of their liquidation being constantly ready to ensure safety of people and territories, as well as to reduce damage and losses as much as possible in case of their occurrence. The methods of oil product spill area assessment used at present, especially in the Arctic zone, have a number of limitations. This article presents modelling of the process of oil products spill to calculate pollutants concentration distribution and prediction of pollution area up to the moment of its localization with the application of neural network methods. The empirical results were got with NeuroPro neural network simulator and the PHOENICS software product were chosen. The simulation results were correlated with the data obtained in the analysis of an accident caused by depressurization of an aircraft fuel transfer pipeline from on an oil-loading pier on a river in the Arctic zone of Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Damage Function and Its Application
Authors: Tarantsev Andrey , Babikov Igor , Savelyev Dan , Vasiliev Mikhail , Raspopov Denis
Published: November 2021

The types of damage functions for objects in the event of various emergency situations - fires, accidents, emergencies, etc. - are considered. The methods of constructing damage functions using expert methods and taking into account the actions of emergency services to eliminate emergency situations and their consequences are presented. The possibility of comparing the effectiveness of various methods of emergency response using the damage function is shown. An example of assessing damage reduction while increasing the efficiency of fire extinguishing by automatic installations is provided.
Assessment of the Efficiency of Wind Energy Use in Russia
Authors: Bataev Alexey , Eskina Elena
Published: November 2021

The constant increase in the requirements for the generation of electricity forces the search for new means of generating energy. It is not the first year that technologies for the development of alternative energy sources have been considered and introduced in the largest countries of the world. Wind power occupies a special place in this direction. In Russia, this industry is still not sufficiently developed to provide a significant share of energy consumption, but the industrial potential with the proper level of technological support can radically correct this situation. This article discusses the perspectives for using wind power plants in Russia. A mathematical model of a wind power plant was built in this study, taking into account the parameters of a WH6.4-5000W type wind generator and consisting of a virtual synchronous generator, which is an element of the SimPowerSystem library, and blocks from the Simulink application of the Matlab software package that simulates the effect of wind and the movement of the mechanical part of the wind generator. An assessment of the economic efficiency of the use of wind turbines in Russia was carried out using the constructed model.
Universities Development Data Analysis. A Case Study
Authors: Gazizulina Albina
Published: November 2021

Statistical accounting of universities in the Russian Federation is available to any prospective students or organizations worldwide. The purpose of collecting statistical reports is to demonstrate the indicators and achievements of the university for applicants who choose a university for their further study and for organizations that would like a partnership with the university. Besides, this statistical collection is an effective tool for assessing the quality of the university administration’s work, including monitoring the level of academic staff salaries and researchers. Therefore, the adequacy, and reliability of the information in the data of statistical reports is an extremely relevant and important task.
Data Analysis Model of High Self-Organization Processes
Authors: Klochkov Yury , Glushkov Sergey , Solovyeva Ekaterina , Aytasova Aliya
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the development of quality management systems in terms of the growth of process self-organization. Formulas for calculating the share and level of self-organization of processes are given based on the transaction expenses, compliance, and non-compliance costs. Forms of maps and schemes for monitoring processes of quality management systems with a high degree of self-organization are proposed.
Research and Design of Cross Flow Water Turbines for Small HPP
Authors: Obretenov Valentin , Tsalov Tsvetan
Published: November 2021

This paper presents the experience of the Hydroaerodynamics and hydraulic machinery department of the Technical university of Sofia (Bulgaria) in the research and design of cross flow water turbines. The methods and computer programs used for the synthesis of the elements of the flow part of the cross flow turbines are described. Results of numerical and experimental (model and field) studies of turbines of this type are presented. The peculiarities of the elements of the designed turbines are analyzed and specific examples of their used in small hydropower plants in Bulgaria are shown.
Experimental and Calculation Studies of Main Line Oil Pumps Efficiency Change Due to Smooth Coatings
Authors: Akimov S. V.
Published: November 2021

The study is dedicated to investigation of impact made by smooth coatings applied on the flow part surfaces of main line oil pumps with reference to energy efficiency performance of the said pumps. Loctite 7227 and Belzona 1341 were used as coatings which allowed to significantly reduce the roughness of the coated surfaces. Distinctive features of the abovementioned coatings are low cost and easy application (by spraying or using a brush) which is, despite lack of hydrophobic behavior, makes them applicable for use in operating conditions at oil pumping stations. Experimental studies have been carried out including coatings testing on full-scale pumps MOL 1250-60 and MOL 10000-210. The results of the experimental studies have been compared with the results of analytic calculations. Based on the results of the studies the applicability of smooth non-hydrophobic coatings was confirmed on condition of their application on the surfaces of volute flow parts of mainline oil pumps. Besides, the suggested analytical procedure for coatings efficiency evaluation was validated.
Übersicht über das vegetative Nervensystem und dessen Einbindung in die Behandlung
Authors: Peuker Elmar T.
Published: November 2021

Hauptaufgabe des vegetativen (autonomen) Nervensystems ist die Aufrechterhaltung der inneren Homöostase. Darüber hinaus ist es u. a. in Prozesse der Schmerzwahrnehmung eingebunden. Therapeutische Maßnahmen, die auf diese Modalitäten einwirken, entfalten ihre Wirksamkeit über die Beeinflussung vegetativer Afferenzen und Efferenzen. Während im Bereich der Extremitäten und an der Oberfläche des Körperstamms ausschließlich sympathische Effektorstrukturen anzutreffen sind, lässt sich der Parasympathikus im Bereich der Ohrmuschel leicht erreichen und beeinflussen. In diesem Artikel wird ein Überblick über die allgemeine Anatomie des vegetativen Nervensystems gegeben; zudem werden einige wichtige Studien zum Einfluss auf das vegetative Nervensystem vorgestellt und deren Ergebnisse zusammengefasst.
Hygiene neu verstehen: Teil 3
Authors: Handke Denis Maximilian
Published: November 2021

Der Hygieneplan sollte regelmäßig überprüft werden, wobei Überprüfungszyklen der unterschiedlichen Elemente zum Teil vorgegeben sind und teilweise Empfehlungen vorliegen. Bestehende Hygienevorkehrungen sollten im Rahmen regelmäßiger Überprüfungen infrage gestellt werden, um beispielsweise nicht notwendige Prozesse zu ermitteln und mit diesen aufzuhören. Bei der Aktualisierung des Hygieneplans sollte nicht nur das Dokument an sich geprüft werden, sondern auch alle Dokumente, die mit den verschiedenen Aspekten zusammenhängen.
Geld stinkt nicht
Authors: Bierbach Elvira
Published: November 2021

Vermögensaufbau ist nicht nur etwas für Menschen, die viel verdienen. Auch zum Beispiel mit 50 € monatlich lässt sich mit dem systematischen Aufbau von Vermögen beginnen. Aus Erfahrung der Autorin scheuen sich viele Heilpraktikerinnen eher davor, sich mit finanziellen Fragen wie Honorarhöhe zu beschäftigen. Die Autorin möchte bei den DHZ-Leserinnen das Gegenteil erreichen. Neben leicht umsetzbaren Tipps in 10 Schritten, zum Beispiel für den Kassensturz oder die Wahl der richtigen Anlageform, liefert der Beitrag eine Liste mit Büchern und Links für das Selbststudium zum Thema Finanzen.
Proteomics in Thrombosis and Hemostasis
Authors: Letunica Natasha , Van Den Helm Suelyn , McCafferty Conor , Swaney Ella , Cai Tengyi , Attard Chantal , Karlaftis Vasiliki , Monagle Paul , Ignjatovic Vera
Published: November 2021

Proteomics, the simultaneous study of all proteins in a given cell, tissue or organism, is an innovative approach used to identify novel markers for diagnosis, prognosis and the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with diseases. Proteomic methodologies have been used in a variety of contexts such as investigating changes in protein abundance that may occur with disease presence, the response to therapeutic treatments as well as the impacts of age on the plasma proteome.

Over the last decade, significant technological advancements in proteomic techniques have resulted in an increase in the use of proteomics in thrombosis and hemostasis research, particularly in order to identify relevant and novel clinical markers associated with bleeding and thrombosis. This mini-review explores the use of proteomics in the setting of thrombosis and hemostasis from 2010-2020, across five main domains (platelets, blood clot composition, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and therapeutics), as well as provides insights into key considerations for conducting proteomic studies.
Obscuring digital route-choice information prevents delay-induced congestion
Authors: Krall Verena , Burg Max F. , Pagenkopf Friedrich , Wolf Henrik , Timme Marc , Schröder Malte
Published: November 2021

Although routing applications increasingly affect individual mobility choices, their impact on collective traffic dynamics remains largely unknown. Smart communication technologies provide accurate traffic data for choosing one route over other alternatives; yet, inherent delays undermine the potential usefulness of such information. Here, we introduce and analyze a simple model of collective traffic dynamics, which results from route choice relying on outdated traffic information. We find for sufficiently small information delays that traffic flows are stable against perturbations. However, delays beyond a bifurcation point induce self-organized flow oscillations of increasing amplitude—congestion arises. Providing delayed information averaged over sufficiently long periods of time or, more intriguingly, reducing the number of vehicles adhering to the route recommendations may prevent such delay-induced congestion. We reveal the fundamental mechanisms underlying these phenomena in a minimal two-road model and demonstrate their generality in microscopic, agent-based simulations of a road network system. Our findings provide a way to conceptually understand system-wide traffic dynamics caused by broadly used non-instantaneous routing information and suggest how resulting unintended collective traffic states could be avoided.