bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synchronization of Coupled Fractional-order Reaction–Diffusion Neural Networks under Markovian Switching Topologies via Quantized Control
Authors: Liu Fengyi , Yang Yongqing , Hao Rixu , Zhang Lingzhong
Published: December 2022

In this study, we investigated the synchronization of coupled fractional-order Markovian reaction–diffusion neural networks (MRDNNs) with partly unknown transition rates. The novelty of this study lies in two aspects. First, the Markovian switching model and reaction–diffusion term are incorporated into a fractional order system, which is a difficult and uncommon problem in existing studies. The synchronization problem of fractional-order MRDNNs was solved by introducing a continuous frequency distribution model of a fractional integrator. Second, a new set of sufficient synchronization conditions with low conservativeness was derived. The (extended) Wirtinger inequality and delay-partitioning technologies were used to introduce generous free parameters, thereby effectively increasing the range of solutions. Through quantized control, the channel bandwidth and communication rate were reduced. Furthermore, a
simulation was performed to illustrate the validity of the results and demonstrate the influence of fractional order and reaction–diffusion term on the synchronization rate of the system.
Understanding Gender Labour Inequality in Chile from a Multisector Perspective
Authors: Soza-Amigo Sergio , May Daniel
Published: December 2022

Several academic works have studied the issue of the gender gap from the perspective of wage inequality (i.e. the gender wage gap). However, little work has been done to understand the gender gap from the perspective of labour (i.e. the gender labour gap). This article contributes to the research on the gender labour gap by studying the dynamic of the female labour market across different economic sectors in two macrozones of Chile. The results revealed that the impact of economic changes on the gender labour gap is heterogeneous and complex, and the way in which companies respond to these changes in terms of female labour depends on the sector and the geographical area. That is, in some contexts, economic changes reduced the gender labour gap and in others, the same changes caused an increase in the gender gap. This suggests that policy programs aimed at reducing the gender gap should be focused on the context of a sector with the assistance of the local authority. This is because aggregate data hides the sectorial complexity and this suggests that policies at the national level that are based on aggregate data may not be effective for all sectors.
JEL: J11, J16.
Effects of energy density on the mechanical properties, residual stress and thermal-fatigue of Fe-Cr alloy fabricated by laser directed energy deposition
Authors: Yue Haitao , Lv Ning , Guo Chenguang , Zhao Lijuan , Jiang Yihan , Dai Weibing , Li Qiang , Zhang Jianzhuo
Published: December 2022

Aiming at the problem that AISI4340, a common material for fully mechanized coal-mining equipment, is prone to wear failure in harsh working environment. To repair damaged area and improve service performance, the high-strength Fe-Cr alloy coatings having different laser energy densities were fabricated on the AISI4340 by laser directed energy deposition. The effects of the energy densities on the tensile properties, hardness, residual stress, wear and thermal-fatigue damage were systematically studied. The models of thermal-fatigue damage and service life were established and improved, and the prediction accuracy were verified. The results indicated that with the increasing energy density, the tensile strength and Rockwell hardness increased first and then decreased, and the residual stress on the coating surface aggrandized with increasing temperature gradient. When the energy density was 35.01 J/mm2, the wear depth and wear rate were 51.8 µm and 1.91×10− 2 mm3∙N− 1∙mm− 1, and the wear resistance was increased by two times compared with the substrate. Considered the effective crack propagation and loading order, the accuracy of the service life models were improved from 65.9% and 23.1–14.6% and 6.7%, respectively. Selecting appropriate energy density is beneficial to improve the mechanical properties and decrease the thermal-fatigue damage of Fe-Cr alloy coatings.
Bulk composites from microfibrillated cellulose made into a superior mechanical–performance structural material through lignocellulose/borate cross–linking
Authors: Shen Huajie , Dong Liangzhou , Zheng Xinyuan , Jiang Yifan
Published: December 2022

Since the cross-linking of borates strengthens the structural connection between cells, mechanically superior structural material based on lignocellulose/borate is synthesized using a s mechanical pretreatment method and a binder free hot-pressing method. The results show that the pine lignocellulose formed a dense laminated structure after compressive force, shears, and friction forces and hot–pressing. And microfibrillated cellulose material retained the chemical composition of untreated lignocellulose and the mechanical milling processes of active hydroxyl groups formed by the condensation reaction of borate orthoester with furfural resin adhesive. The flexural strength, modulus elasticity and internal bonding strength of microfibrillated cellulose material are 5, 2.5 and 4.1higher than the untreated lignocellulose specimen, respectively. Furthermore, the thickness swelling rate was 5.66%, which are 298% lower than untreated lignocellulose specimen, indicating its excellent dimensional stability. This is mainly due to the layering and branching of pine lignocellulose during mechanical milling, which gives it more ester and hydrogen bonds, expanding the ratio to surface area and exposing more hydroxyl groups. And the formation of furfuryl alcohol occurred in the hot-pressing process, including the degradation of monosaccharides to furfural, the condensation reaction between lignin and furfural, the resinization of furfural, and the formation of hydrogen bonds. The resulting stable laminated covalent cross–linking structure and the cross–linking of nano–lignocellulose/borate ensure that the material has an excellent mechanical performance, which provides some unique strategies and theoretical guidance to design a superior mechanical–performance structural material from lignocellulose.
Dual Influence of Nano Barium Oxide on Thermal Decomposition Reaction Kinetics and Chemical Stability of cellulose nitrate
Authors: TOUIDJINE Sabri , BOULKADID Moulai Karim , TRACHE Djalal , LOUAFI Elamine , AKBI Hamdane , BELKHIRI Samir , NOURINE Manel
Published: December 2022

This study concerns the determination of the dual influence of nanosized barium oxide (BaO) on thermal decomposition reaction kinetics and the chemical stability of nitrocellulose. Synthetized barium oxide (BaO) nanoparticles (NPs) by the precipitation method were combined with nitrocellulose (NC). The phase, composition, morphology, and structure of the prepared barium oxide NPs and NC- based composites were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transferred Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, RAMAN spectroscopy, helium densimetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal decomposition reaction kinetics of the NC- based composite were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) associated with different isoconversional kinetic approaches, namely, iterative Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (It-KAS), iterative Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (It-FWO) and Vyazovkin’s nonlinear integral with compensation effect (VYA/CE) methods. The effect of BaO NPs on the chemical stability of NC was studied using qualitative stability tests (methyl violet and Abel tests) and quantitative stability tests (Bergmann-Junk test (BJ) and Vacuum Stability Test (VST). Also, stability tests based on microcalorimetric measurement (HFC) were carried out. The results of the thermal kinetic investigation demonstrated an enhancement in the thermal stability of nitrocellulose with the addition of nano barium oxide. The results of the stability tests indicate an improvement of the chemical stability of the pristine NC after the addition of BaO NPs.
A CNTFET-based Mixer Design for 5G Communications
Authors: Villavicencio-Avila Itza Esther , Pacheco-Sanchez Anibal , Rodriguez-Mendez Luis M. , Ramirez-Garcia Eloy
Published: December 2022

This article presents the design of high-frequencydown-conversion mixers using a carbon nanotube fieldeffecttransistor (CNTFET). An experimentally-calibrated semiphysicalcompact model for high-frequency CNTFET technologieshas been used. The designed mixer is proposed using atopology composed of a 90º hybrid coupler at a frequencyof 25 GHz with a coupling factor of 3 dB, a CNTFET andmicrostrip-based coupling networks. The mixer operates in theupper band for 5G communications.The RF signal is used at afrequency of 25 GHz for an intermediate frequency conversion(IF) of 1 GHz using a LO of frequency 24 GHz. The designyields a conversion gain of 20 dB whereas the RF/LO isolationis -18.9 dBm and the LO/IF isolation is -25.6 dBm with ananotube density of 40 CNT/μm. By increasing the densityof nanotubes to 100 CNT/ μm, the conversion gain and portisolation RF/LO figures of merit improve to 26 dB and -20.7dB, respectively. The mixer consumes 9.52 μW from a -1.5 V supply.
Diet induced variation in gut microbiota is linked to growth performance of Chilo suppressalis
Authors: Zhu Peipei , Mamdouh Beshoy , Magdy Mahmoud , Chen Jingnan , Ma Weihua , Xu Letian
Published: December 2022

Chilo suppressalis is a major global host-specific pest of rice and water oat crops, having caused a severe yield damage and great economic loss. The pest occasionally fed on other plants, which cannot enable it complete a full life cycle. The dietary differences may shape gut microbiota of the pest and further influence its performance. To test such hypothesis, the assembly of gut bacterial community of C. suppressalis larvae reared on rice, water oat, corn, and an artificial diet were investigated using an amplicon-based next-generation sequencing approach. The larval body size and feeding rate on each diet type were analyzed in parallel. We found that C. suppressalis sizes and feeding rate varied among the different dietary regimes, as a low feeding rate was found on rice and corn diets, while the rice fed larvae has the biggest body size and the lowest body size in corn-fed larvae. Further high-throughput sequencing results showed the artificial diet fed larvae have the lowest bacterial diversity among all samples, and the corn-fed larvae presented the most diversified microbial community. Further analysis revealed the bacterial genera Enterococcus, Sphingobacterium, Klebsiella, Gluconobacter, Serratia, and Lactococcus possessed high abundance in C. suppressalis larvae, and the varied abundances contributed to the difference of community structure. The microbial function classification suggested that metabolic function categories were significantly increased while feeding on preferred diet (rice and water oat) and decreased in the case of artificial diet. This study expands our understanding of the microbe-insect interaction of C. suppressalis larvae in response to diet change and is an essential step towards future development of potential microbial based pest management.
Substituent and Solvent Effects on Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer Reactions of Orotic and Isoorotic Azo Dyes
Authors: Elroby Shaaban A. , Aloufi Khalid H. , Aziz Saadullah G , Osman Osman I
Published: December 2022

This study provides a complete analysis of the electronic and photophysical properties of orotic (OA) and isoorotic (IOA) azo dyes. The ability of the dye to work as an excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) was investigated by using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) methods. The effect of electron-donating substituents (CH3 and NMe2) and an electron-withdrawing one (NO2) was examined. In addition, the effect of the solvent polarity on the ESIPT process is studied. All the geometrical structures in the singlet ground (S0) and excited (S1) states, were optimized using B3LYP/6-311+G** level of theory. The intramolecular hydrogen bond parameters (IHBs), and the Infra-Red vibrational analysis of the O-H bond show that the IHBs are enhanced in the S1 state. Furthermore, the absorption spectra were simulated and the values of stokes shifts were observed. The PAIOA derivative with an electron withdrawing group shows large stokes shift compared with those having electron-donating ones. Therefore, we can safely conclude that the substitutents groups and the different solvents are extremely impactful on the ESIPT process.
On the culture of open access: the Sci-hub paradox
Authors: MADDI Abdelghani , Sapinho David
Published: December 2022

Shadow libraries have gradually become key players of scientific knowledge dissemination, despite their illegality in most countries of the world. Many publishers and scientist-editors decry such libraries for their copyright infringement and loss of publication usage information, while some scholars and institutions support them, sometimes in a roundabout way, for their role in reducing inequalities of access to knowledge, particularly in low-income countries. Although there is a wealth of literature on shadow libraries, none of this have focused on its potential role in knowledge dissemination, through the open access movement. Here we analyze how shadow libraries can affect researchers' citation practices, highlighting some counter-intuitive findings about their impact on the Open Access Citation Advantage (OACA). Based on a large randomized sample, this study first shows that OA publications, including those in fully OA journals, receive more citations than their subscription-based counterparts do. However, the OACA has slightly decreased over the seven last years. The introduction of a distinction between those accessible or not via the Sci-hub platform among subscription-based suggest that the generalization of its use cancels the positive effect of OA publishing. The results show that publications in fully OA journals (and to a lesser extent those in hybrid journals) are victims of the success of Sci-hub. Thus, paradoxically, although Sci-hub may seem to facilitate access to scientific knowledge, it negatively affects the OA movement as a whole, by reducing the comparative advantage of OA publications in terms of visibility for researchers. The democratization of the use of Sci-hub may therefore lead to a vicious cycle against the development of fully OA journals.
Bedside Evaluation of Edema: A simple technique for quantitative evaluation of an important clinical sign
Authors: Schreiber Richard
Published: December 2022

Background: Edema is a cardinal clinical manifestation. Most clinicians measure edema semi-quantitatively, which is susceptible to subjective and non-reproducible intra- and inter-observer variation. A quick and reliable quantitative method is needed for more accurate measurement.
Objective: To demonstrate the reliability of a new clinical examination technique, verified against a novel edema measuring device.
Design: A convenience sample enrolled in one day at a community hospital.
Patients: Seventeen adult patients with various clinical conditions. One patient was not examined by request and was excluded from analysis.
Interventions: Clinical and device estimation of pit depth of edema created by manual pressure at a standard location on 27 limbs.
Key Results: Clinical and device measurements were precisely the same 50% of the time; differences in measurements never exceeded 1 mm. The 95% confidence interval was 0.21 with an R2 statistic of 0.87 for all depths of edema, using either clinical or device measurement as the criterion standard, demonstrating excellent correlation between clinical examination and use of the device.
Conclusions: Clinical evaluation can estimate edema pit depth in millimeters very accurately. A novel edema measuring device confirms these measurements independently and objectively. It is hypothesized that this new technique will help standardize the teaching of the clinical examination of edema, increase the utility of edema depth measurement over time, and increase intra- and inter-observer reliability of edema evaluation. There is no longer a justification for semi-quantitative determination of edema.
NIH trial registry number: NCT03296085
Market Access and Value-added Strategies in the Specialty Crops Industry
Authors: Rodriguez Izaba Orlando F. , Torres Ariana P. , Marshall Maria I. , Thompson Aaron W.
Published: December 2022

Value-added (VA) technologies can help farmers in the specialty crops industry generate new products, increase off-season income sources, expand market access, and improve overall profitability. The United States Department of Agriculture defines VA agricultural products as those that have been changed physically or produced in a manner that enhances their value. Drawing from this definition, we investigated the adoption of VA technologies, such as drying, physical cutting into customer-ready portions, and washing, by specialty crops farmers. The objectives of this study were two-fold. First, we analyzed how market access drives specialty crop farmers to adopt VA technologies. Second, we addressed key identification issues by investigating the potential endogeneity between the adoption of VA technologies (vertical diversification) and the number of crops (horizontal diversification), which have not been addressed in the VA technology adoption literature. Data for this study were from a 2019 Web-based survey of specialty crops farmers in the United States. The results suggest that market access, growers’ networks, and crop diversification are major drivers of VA technology adoption in the specialty crops industry. The results indicate that farmers who adopted VA technologies experienced economic growth relative to their counterparts.
As motivações toponímicas das cidades potiguares
Authors: Silva Eliene Carvalho da , Lima Edmar Peixoto de
Published: December 2022

O objetivo deste trabalho consiste em discutir as motivações evidenciadas nas denominações das cidades do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, considerando as informações publicizadas no site oficial do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística – IBGE Cidades. Intentamos responder à seguinte indagação: de que maneira essas escolhas lexicais são influenciadas pelos fenômenos culturais da região? A pesquisa fundamenta-se nos pressupostos teórico-metodológicos da Semântica e da Toponímia, sobretudo, nas contribuições do modelo taxionômico de Dick (1990). Os resultados indicam que as denominações das cidades são motivadas, semanticamente, tanto pelas taxionomias de natureza física quanto antropocultural. Vale salientar que a taxe do antropotopônimo, de natureza antropocultural, e o hidrotopônimo, de natureza física, são as duas taxes que mais se destacam no corpus.
Some principal thoughts on place names and place naming
Authors: Jordan Peter
Published: December 2022

The article addresses in the manner of an opening speech basics of toponomastics like the symbolic and identity-shaping power of place names, the place-naming process with its implications not the least on the endonym/exonym divide, as well as major roles of place names in mediating between humans and geographical space. It adds some remarks on place-name standardization as it is exerted on the global level by the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) as well as by national and subnational authorities in various countries emphasizing on the one hand its benefits, but hinting also at the delicate relationship between place-name standardization and conceiving all place names as cultural heritage as well as on the fact that place-name standardization is not politically innocent.
Estado da arte da cartografia de paisagens para o semiárido brasileiro
Authors: Santos Riclaudio Silva , Cavalcanti Lucas Costa de Souza , Corrêa Antonio Carlos de Barros
Published: December 2022

O presente texto tem por objetivo discutir diferentes propostas de classificação integrada das paisagens que versam sobre o semiárido brasileiro, sejam obras diretamente direcionadas à área em questão ou àquelas que a englobam. São apresentadas um total de 19 diferentes propostas de classificação da paisagem, abrangendo um período de aproximadamente 70 anos de pesquisas voltadas ao estudo das paisagens naturais e que tratam do semiárido brasileiro. O trabalho oferece um guia para a compreensão das principais características destas propostas, abrangendo seus objetivos, bases teóricas, dados utilizados, escalas, metodologias, os principais conceitos, os critérios de classificação da paisagem, as unidades mapeadas, e os locais de destaque de aplicação das abordagens.
Toponímia de origem árabe em ruas de Belo Horizonte
Authors: Paula Jéssica Nayra Sayão de
Published: December 2022

Este trabalho teve como objetivo realizar pesquisa linguística, com enfoque no léxico toponímico urbano de Belo Horizonte, analisando, dentre o total de logradouros públicos que há na cidade, 68 topônimos de origem árabe.  O estudo se integra ao Projeto ATEMIG – Atlas Toponímico do Estado de Minas Gerais – coordenado e desenvolvido na Faculdade de Letras da UFMG, pela Profa. Dra. Maria Cândida Trindade Costa de Seabra. A proposta desta pesquisa é demonstrar que o estudo dos nomes de lugares possibilita resgatar parte da história e da cultura local de uma comunidade, uma vez que a toponímia evidencia marcas da história social. Os resultados obtidos mostraram a predominância dos antropotopônimos que se destacaram na capital mineira, principalmente, na área do comércio.
Attention Development in Elementary School Children: Psychological and Social Factors
Authors: Grogoleva Ol'ga , Belogai Ksenia , Borisenko Yuliya , Simkin Mikhail
Published: December 2022

The research featured the psychological and social factors of attention development in primary school children (10–11 y.o.), which also depends on such personal factors as mother-child relations and environment. The study involved 54 students of a comprehensive school in the city of Omsk, as well as their mothers. The Correction Test was used to measure the concentration, stability, and attentional set-shifting. The personal characteristics were studied using H. J. Eysenck's test of extraversion and neuroticism, as well as O. Yu. Grogoleva's questionnaire of motivation. The mothers were asked to fill in I. M. Markovskaya's Parent-Child Interaction Survey, as well as a questionnaire about their child's daily routine. The obtained data were processed using the Spearman correlation coefficient, the Fisher's criterion of angular transform, and the factor analysis. The attention span appeared to depend on both intrapersonal and socio-psychological factors. Emotional stability, extraversion, and academic motivation also affected children's attention. As for mother-child relations, mother's anxiety, satisfaction, and emotional closeness were the most important factors. Such environmental factors as the daily routine also contributed to the attention span.
The Concept of Cherry : Genesis of Cognitive Signs
Authors: Pimenova Marina
Published: December 2022

The article describes the motivating signs in the structure of the cherry concept in the Russian linguoculture. The author defined the primary signs, determined their cultural relevance, illustrated them, and identified those that became cognitive. The research covered twelve etymological and historical dictionaries of the Russian language, as well as the National Corpus of the Russian Language. The methods included etymological, descriptive, conceptual, and component analyses of dictionary definitions. The study revealed fifteen motivating signs of the cherry concept, which were classified as follows: 1) the plant and its components: branch, tree, (shrub) plant, small / round, mistletoe, fruits, rods, flowers, cherry; 2) color: crimson, brown, dark red; 3) substance: (glutinous) juice, bird glue; 4) qualitative state: sagging under its own weight. All the motivating signs have retained their relevance and assumed the status of cognitive (conceptual) ones, except for mistletoe and rods, which were not confirmed by the National Corpus of the Russian Language. The demand for primary signs proved the preservation of the prototypes underlying the word as the representative of the concept under study. Vegetative linguocultural concepts were also interconnected with the corresponding symbols.
Radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy
Authors: Milecki Piotr , Trzcińska Sylwia
Published: December 2022

Local treatment following radical prostatectomy used in prostate cancer patients with risk factors of recurrence or with biochemical recurrence and/or local recurrence consists of adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy. The postprostatectomy biochemical failure, according to some studies based on ten years of follow-up, is estimated at one-third of patients. It remains challenging to extract those patients who may benefit from implementing radiotherapy while minimizing the risk of overtreatment. Adjuvant radiotherapy is considered in a situation of the absence of biochemical recurrence with the presence of high-risk features in pathological staging defined as positive surgical margins (R1), extraprostatic extension (pT3a), or seminal vesicle invasion (pT3b) and Gleason score 8-10. Failure rate after RP is found approximately in 50% of men diagnosed with adverse pathologic features. It is recommended to implement adjuvant radiotherapy in case of very aggressive form of prostate cancer (pT3b, Gleason 8-10) without awaiting biochemical recurrence. However, salvage radiotherapy represents a therapeutic option for patients experiencing biochemical recurrence in case of no distant metastasis. Monitoring of serum PSA levels in each individual is crucial in deciding whether salvage radiotherapy is needed. The effectiveness of treatment increases along with early initiation of radiation therapy. Current guidelines developed by NCCN and EAU regard conversion of PSA from undetectable to detectable level as a sign of cancers’ recurrence. In addition, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET should be used as a part of modern imaging diagnostics for a precise determination of disease extent.
Ocena stopnia zaawansowania raka jelita grubego metodą PET-CT z użyciem radiofarmaceutyku 18F – fluorodeoksyglukozy
Authors: Zboralska Agata , Pietrzak Agata
Published: December 2022

Badanie pozytonowej tomografii emisyjnej - tomografii komputerowej z użyciem radiofarmaceutyku 18F-fluorodeoksyglukozy (z ang. positron emission tomography/computer tomography using fluorine-18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, 18F-FDG PET-CT) znajduje szerokie zastosowanie w wykrywaniu, ocenie stopnia zaawansowania, planowaniu leczenia i ocenie wznowy raka jelita grubego. Metoda ta wydaje się być szczególnie użyteczna w ocenie stopnia zaawansowania przed leczeniem i określeniu skuteczności zastosowanej terapii z uwagi na możliwość ewaluacji całego ciała w trakcie jednej akwizycji. Metodą z wyboru w ocenie raka jelita grubego jest MRI, jednakże technika PET-CT stosowana jest w przypadku niejednoznaczności uzyskanych wyników lub konieczności wykluczenia obecności przerzutów odległych do układu kostnego lub odległych narządów.
Early years of a border town: a micro-revisionism of Mexicali and his spatial and institutional stability, 1903-1915
Authors: Gruel Sández Víctor Manuel
Published: December 2022

The purpose of the article is to review the history of the emergence of Mexicali from evidence not contemplated by conventional explanations. According to this, its first 12 years of existence (between 1903 and 1915) were analyzed to establish a revisionism on a microscopic scale and thus observe how rebellions and continuous criminal attacks never broke the stability of the town, in the sense of maintaining a balance between private property and national sovereignty. Based on theoretical-methodological perspectives of microhistory, new institutionalism and the everyday forms of state formation, were also reviewed the main hydraulic and transport infrastructure works that irreversibly transformed the region are also reviewed, as well as the strengthening of the military authorities in the midst of the Mexican revolution. To conclude, border areas are ideal spaces for observing national processes.
Factors Related to Experiencing Pain in Patients Affected by Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: El Joumani Tfarah , Rkain Hanan , Taik Fatima Zahrae , Hassouni Kenza , Abouqal Redouane , Bahloul Sara , Alami Nada , Tahiri Latifa , Hajjaj-Hassouni Najia , Allali Fadoua
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pain experienced by patients with CIRD and to analyze the associated factors.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst patients with rheumatic diseases using a questionnaire providing information on patients and disease characteristics.

Patients were asked to assess the level of pain they had experienced before and during the pandemic, using a single Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (greatest pain).

Statistical Analysis System IBM SPSS Statistics V20.0.0 was used to analyze the study data.

We performed univariate multivariate analysis to search for any related factors to pain perception during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative values were analyzed by the chi2 test. Quantitative values were analyzed by the Student test when the measures were normally distributed or by nonparametric tests (Mann–Whitney U) when the measures were not normally distributed (the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was used to test normality).

Results:

Amongst the 350 patients who answered the questionnaire online, rheumatoid arthritis represented 62.3%, spondyloarthropathy 34.3%, and undifferentiated CIRD 3.4%. CIRD-related pain was reported by 79.1% of the patients

The level of pain, using the VAS of Pain, increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (4,6 ± 2,8 and 5,4 ± 3 before and during the pandemic; p<0.001).

In the multivariate analysis, the factors causing the pain were: the negative impact of the coronavirus on accessing rheumatology care, the discontinuation of treatment, the disturbed sleep, and the negative psychological impact.

Conclusion:

This survey showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased CIRD-related pain in patients. Factors influencing this pain should be considered to help patients cope with their chronic rheumatism in this global health crisis.
A Negative History of Epidemiologic and Demographic Factors Associated with High Numbers of Covid-19 Deaths
Authors: Errasfa Mourad
Published: December 2022

Background:

Substantial differences between countries have been observed in terms of Covid-19 death tolls during the past two years. It is of interest to find out how the epidemiologic and/or demographic history of the population may have had a role in the high prevalence of the Covid-19 in some countries.

Objective:

This observational study aimed to investigate possible relations between Covid-19 death numbers in 39 countries and the pre-pandemic history of epidemiologic and demographic conditions.

Methods:

We sought the Covid-19 death toll in 39 countries in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. Records (2019) of epidemiologic (Cancer, Alzheimer's disease) and demographic (natality, mortality, and fertility rates, percentage of people aged 65 and over) parameters, as well as data on alcohol intake per capita, were retrieved from official web pages. Data were analysed by simple linear or polynomial regression by means of Microsoft Excell software (2016).

Results:

When Covid-19 death numbers were plotted against the geographic latitude of each country, an inverted bell-shaped curve was obtained for both the first and second years (coefficient of determination R2=0.38) of the pandemic. In a similar manner, inverted bell-shaped curves were obtained when latitudes were plotted against the scores of cancer plus Alzheimer's disease (R2 = 0,65,), the percentage of advanced age (R2 = 0,52,), and the alcohol intake level (R2 = 0,64,). Covid-19 death numbers were positively correlated to the scores of cancer plus Alzheimer's disease (R2= 0.41, P= 1.61x10-5), advanced age (R2= 0.38, P= 4.09x10-5), and alcohol intake (R2= 0.48, P= 1.55x10-6). Instead, bell-shaped curves were obtained when latitudes were plotted against the birth rate/mortality rate ratio (R2 = 0,51) and the fertility rate (R2 = 0,33). In addition, Covid-19 deaths were negatively correlated with the birth rate/mortality rate ratio (R2= 0.67) and fertility rate (R2= 0.50).

Conclusion:

The results show that the 39 countries in both hemispheres in this study have different patterns of epidemiologic and demographic factors, and that the negative history of epidemiologic and demographic factors of the northern hemisphere countries as well as their high alcohol intake were very correlated with their Covid-19 death tolls. Hence, also nutritional habits may have had a role in the general health status of people in regard to their immunity against the coronavirus.
Applications of Ion Exchange Resins in Protein Separation and Purification
Authors: Ramirez Carvajal J.S.
Published: December 2022

The advances in therapeutics based on biological macromolecules and their pharmaceutical market have stimulated the development of separation and purification techniques like ion-exchange chromatography (IEC). In this regard, the effectiveness of biological therapies depends on high-purity protein fractions. Although, there are a few differences in each protein batch due to the amplification method or the degradation effect, which cause undesirable effects on patients. In this sense, the implementation of a reliable method like IEC is fundamental, and in recent years it has been adopted as a reference technique for protein separation and purification. Therefore, this chapter details the modification of resins to improve their sensitivity and the analysis and adjustment of variables to perform a successful protein separation by IEC.
Consumo de leña en el centro y sur de Chile: determinantes y diferencias regionales
Authors: Ferrada Luz María , Torres Gustavo , Montaña Virginia , Sáez Nicolás
Published: December 2022

La leña ha sido el dendroenergético más utilizado a escala residencial en regiones del centro y sur de Chile y su alto consumo en zonas urbanas ha afectado gravemente la calidad atmosférica. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar cómo factores económicos, sociodemográficos y características de la vivienda inciden en el consumo de leña de hogares en seis regiones del centro sur de Chile. Primero, se estudió el efecto en la probabilidad de consumir leña, mediante estimaciones logit y, luego, sobre la cantidad consumida con modelos Tobit, tanto para el área de estudio como por región. Se observó, a escala global, que aumentos en los ingresos del hogar incrementaron la probabilidad de consumir leña y las cantidades consumidas, siendo más fuerte el efecto en las cantidades. No obstante, el impacto entre regiones es muy distinto. Además, el consumo de leña disminuye frente a un aumento de su precio y aumenta ante el incremento del precio del gas siendo un bien sustituto. Aspectos sociodemográficos y características de la vivienda, como número de personas en el hogar, edad del jefe de hogar y superficie construida, se relacionaron positivamente con el consumo de leña. Los resultados contribuyen a formular políticas públicas regionales, de manera de enfrentar el problema planteado
Kajian Struktur Bawah Tanah Berdasarkan Parameter Mikroseismik di Kota Lama Semarang
Authors: Rahma Ilqia
Published: December 2022

Salah satu objek wisata sejarah yang terkenal di Semarang adalah Kota Lama. Kota Lama Semarang memiliki detail luas kawasan sebesar +- 31,24 Hektar dan berlokasi di Desa Bandarharjo, Semarang Utara. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan kajian struktur bawah tanah berdasarkan parameter mikroseismik dengan menggunakan alat Seismometer M.A.E tipe S3S yang dilengkapi dengan Vibralog dan kabel fiber optik. Analisis mikrotremor dapat dilakukan dengan metode HVSR. Dalam menganalisis data mikrotremor dengan metode HVSR dibantu dengan menggunakan software Geopsy. Hasil penelitian memperlihatkan rentang nilai frekuensi natural yang relatif bervariasi dan berada pada kisaran antara 5.5-18 Hz. Nilai amplifikasi dalam kisaran antara 0,2 - 0,86 dengan besar distribusi faktor amplifikasi dominan rendah. Nilai indeks kerentanan seismik di daerah tersebut tergolong kategori rendah dengan rentang 0,004-0,058 s2/cm. Daerah kota lama memiliki nilai PGA berkisar 38-71 gal dengan tingkat resiko rendah hingga sedang. Rentang nilai Ground Shear Strain pada Kota Lama Semarang berkisar antara 0,0005-0,0018 termasuk dalam kategori sifat dinamika tanah berupa elastoplastisitas.
Application of fuzzy analytical hierarchy process for choosing the best project cost estimation in the Gresik district
Authors:   Department of Informatics, Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia, Saurina Nia , Siswoyo Siswoyo ,   Department of Civil Engineering, Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia, Retnawati Lestari ,   Department of Informatics, Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this research is to make an application for cost estimation of road construction projects in the Gresik district. This project is a collaboration with civil engineering and informatics to make an application using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP). Many times the project manager gets bids from many contractors to complete a single project. Cost estimation is a determinant element and becomes a guide to formulating policies that can be taken primarily in determining the number of investment costs or the budget that must be allocated annually and can be made the best suggestion to the project manager which contractor can provide the greatest benefit to the project manager. There are several studies that have developed applications for cost estimation, and some have even involved experts to validate the output of the application. However, this study combines five studies as FAHP calculations and two experts to assess the results of the application. FAHP in this research has five criteria, there are drainage, earthworks, grained pavement and cement pavement, paved pavement, and structure. The FAHP method can be implemented in selecting the best project that can provide the lowest raw material purchase price and give the best profit to the project manager, which can be shown by the Application FAHP with the lowest Total Score value. This process is carried out by the admin doing pairwise comparisons with the AHP scale, transforming the pairwise comparison matrix into the TFN scale, calculating the fuzzy synthesis value (Si), the vector value (V), and the defuzzification ordinate (d'), input the project budget that has been implemented (or last year), normalization, calculating the consistency ratio and calculating the best cost estimation as a total score FAHP.
Treating cancerous cells with a continuous release of virus particles
Authors: Msmali Ahmed , Nelson Mark , Al Saadi Fahad
Published: December 2022

We investigate a model for the treatment of a tumour through the application of a virus. In the original model it was assumed that the virus particles are released only at one time. Such a treatment strategy cannot eliminate a tumour, as the tumour-free steady-state solution is unstable except for pathological circumstances in which the tumour does not grow and/or the virus does not die. We extend the model by allowing the tumour to be treated by a continuous release of virus particles. We show that the scaled delivery rate has two threshold values: below the lower threshold the system evolves to a stable periodic solution; above the higher threshold the tumour is eradicated.
References

C. E. Engeland, J. P. W. Heidbuechel, R. P. Araujo, and A. L. Jenner. Improving immunovirotherapies: The intersection of mathematical modelling and experiments. ImmunoInformatics 6 (2022), p. 100011. doi: 10.1016/j.immuno.2022.100011
A. L. Jenner, A. C. F. Coster, P. S. Kim, and F. Frascoli. Treating cancerous cells with viruses. Lett. Biomath. 5.2 (2018), S117–S136. doi: 10.1080/23737867.2018.1440977
A. L. Jenner, F. Frascoli, C.-O. Yun, and P. S. Kim. Optimising hydrogel release profiles for viro-immunotherapy using oncolytic adenovirus expressing IL-12 and GM-CSF with immature dendritic cells. Appl. Sci. 10.8 (2020). doi: 10.3390/app10082872
J. P. Tian. The replicability of oncolytic virus: Defining conditions in tumor virotherapy. Math. Bio. Eng. 8.3 (2011), pp. 841–860. doi: 10.3934/mbe.2011.8.841
Dropout Rate in Digital Health Interventions for the Prevention of Skin Cancer: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Metaregression
Authors: Hernández-Rodríguez Juan-Carlos , García-Muñoz Cristina , Ortiz-Álvarez Juan , Saigí-Rubió Francesc , Conejo-Mir Julián , Pereyra-Rodriguez Jose-Juan
Published: December 2022

Background

Digital strategies are innovative approaches to the prevention of skin cancer, but the attrition following this kind of intervention needs to be analyzed.

Objective

The aim of this paper is to assess the dropouts from studies focused on digital strategies for the prevention of skin cancer.

Methods

We conducted this systematic review with meta-analyses and metaregression according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statements. Search terms for skin cancer, digital strategies, and prevention were combined to search PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library from inception until July 2022. Randomized clinical trials that reported dropouts of participants and compared digital strategies with other interventions to prevent skin cancer in healthy or disease-free participants were included. Two independent reviewers extracted data for analysis. The Revised Cochrane Collaboration Bias tool was employed. We calculated the pooled dropout rate of participants through a meta-analysis of proportions and examined whether dropout was more or less frequent in digital interventions against comparators via an odds ratio (OR) meta-analysis. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. Subgroup meta-analyses were conducted in a meta-analysis of proportions and OR meta-analysis to assess the dropout events when data were sorted by digital interventions or control comparator. A univariate metaregression based on a random-effects model assessed possible moderators of dropout. Participants’ dropout rates as pooled proportions were calculated for all groups combined, and the digital and comparator groups separately. OR>1 indicated higher dropouts for digital-based interventions. Metaregressions were performed for age, sex, length of intervention, and sample size.

Results

A total of 17 studies were included. The overall pooled dropout rate was 9.5% (95% CI 5.0-17.5). The subgroup meta-analysis of proportions revealed a dropout rate of 11.6% for digital strategies (95% CI 6.8-19.0) and 10.0% for comparators (95% CI 5.5-17.7). A trend of higher dropout rates for digital strategies was observed in the overall (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.98-1.36) and subgroup OR meta-analysis, but no significant differences were found between the groups. None of the covariates moderated the effect size in the univariate metaregression.

Conclusions

Digital strategies had a higher dropout rate compared to other prevention interventions, but the difference was not significant. Standardization is needed regarding reporting the number of and reasons for dropouts.

Trial Registration

International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42022329669; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=329669
Using green background for dermatological images: A comparative analysis of artificial intelligence solution (Preprint)
Authors: Jiang Zixi , Deng Qian , Huang Kai , Ding Rui , Wu Zheng , Guo Kehua , Zhao Shuang
Published: December 2022

UNSTRUCTURED

This is a research letter, abstract is not applicable.
Low-Cost Yet High-Performance Hydrochar Derived from Hydrothermal Carbonization of Duku Peel (Lansium domesticum) for Cr(VI) Removal from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Mohadi Risfidian , Juleanti Novie , Normah Normah , Siregar Patimah Mega Syah Bahar Nur , Wijaya Alfan , Palapa Neza Rahayu , Lesbani Aldes
Published: December 2022

Carbon-based adsorbent as a hydrochar (Hc) material with Duku (Lansium domesticum) peel precursors has been successfully synthesized as evidenced by XRD, FT-IR, BET, and SEM analysis. XRD analysis showed the presence of diffraction peaks around 16° and 22° which indicated the presence of carbonaceous material. This is confirmed by FTIR analysis which shows the presence of vibration at 2931 cm−1 of cellulose. SEM data results showed that heterogeneous and has an irregular shape and surface area increased twice from Duku peel to Hc. Duku peel and Hc adsorbent materials were applied to adsorb heavy metal ions Cr(VI). Kinetic parameters of Cr(VI) using Duku peel and Hc showed that the optimum time reached was at 120 min. The adsorption kinetics model of Cr(VI) using Hc tends to follow the PFO model and Langmuir isotherm adsorption. Duku peel material used to adsorb Cr(VI) reached an adsorption capacity of 42.19 mg/g, while in Hc material there was an increase that reached 80.64 mg/g. The thermodynamic parameters of both materials show that the adsorption process is spontaneous.
On the Hypolipidemic Activity of Elicited Soybeans: Evidences Based on Computational Analysis
Authors: Hermanto Feri Eko , Warsito Warsito , Rifa'i Muhaimin , Widodo Nashi
Published: December 2022

Dietary intervention plays a significant role in regulating hyperlipidemia. Besides, elicited soybean has greater bioactive contents with numerous health benefits potential. However, there is no evidence of the hypolipidemic activity of elicited soybean. This study will explore the potential mechanism of hypolipidemic activity of bioactive compounds from elicited soybean through computational modeling. The phytocompounds from elicited soybean were identified by Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS), then screened for potential toxicity and drug-likeness properties. Compounds with low potential toxicity and excellent drug-likeness properties were screened for hypolipidemic activity against 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase (HMGCR) and Peroxisome Proliferator Activator Receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) through molecular docking coupled with molecular dynamics. The result showed that phytocompounds from the isoflavonoid group have an excellent affinity to bind with the HMGCR and PPAR-γ. Daidzein, Genistein, and Glycitein interacted with the catalytic residues of HMGCR to act as potential inhibitors with great affinity and stability. Genistein and Glycitein showed strong affinity and stability during their interaction with the agonistic sites of PPAR-γ. Further, the protein network described that targeting HMGCR inhibitor and PPAR-γ had the advantage in orchestrating cholesterol metabolism homeostasis. In summary, isoflavonoids from elicited soybean may have hypolipidemic activity through HMGCR inhibition and PPAR-γ activation.