bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ouvindo mulheres no cuidado ao recém-nascido: saberes e práticas no período gravídico puerperal
Authors: Alves Yamê Regina , Couto Leila Leontina , Mateus Barreto Ana Claudia , Pereira Maia de Oliveira Luíza
Published: November 2020

Objetivo: Analisar as percepções vivenciadas pelas mulheres no cuidado ao filho recém-nascido. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo de natureza qualitativa, descritiva e exploratória, realizado em dois municípios da baixada litorânea no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Dez mulheres participantes atenderam aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. A coleta de dados ocorreu utilizando como técnica de coleta de dados grupo focal e abordagem pedagógica a roda de conversa. Os grupos foram filmados e os dados oriundos da transcrição das falas foram analisados segundo Bardin. Resultados: a apreciação dos dados evidenciou que as atividades de educação e saúde no período gravídico foram consideradas deficientes, visto que as consultas foram reduzidas em procedimentos técnicos, e as orientações foram adquiridas somente após o parto. O puerpério segundo as mulheres foi um momento de sofrimento físico e emocional. Destacaram ainda que as dores físicas se entrelaçaram com as dores emocionais referentes às adaptações da mãe com o recém-nascido. Conclusão: Dentre as percepções vivenciadas pelas mulheres no pré-natal foi identificada certa barreira relacionada ao vínculo profissional, na difusão do conhecimento sobre os cuidados o recém-nascido nas atividades de educação em saúde, com destaque para os cuidados diretos ao filho recém-nascido e medos relacionados à maternidade.
Estratégias pedagógicas e uso de metodologias ativas na graduação em Enfermagem em tempos de pandemia do Coronavírus - COVID-19
Authors: Vieira Taísa Diva Gomes Felippe , Santos Mauro Leonardo Salvador Caldeira dos
Published: November 2020

Introdução: A Pandemia do Coronavírus (COVID – 19), muda a forma de enxergar o mundo em que vivemos. Frente inesperada mudança em todos os aspectos culturais, sociais, políticos e econômicos a nível mundial, os desafios também afetaram a educação. A aula remota foi o recurso pedagógico adotado e autorizado pelo Ministério da Educação, e com a utilização de metodologias ativas dentro do contexto virtual os docentes buscam manter a qualidade da aula que seria ministrado presencialmente. Objetivo do artigo: Refletir as possibilidades pedagógicas da utilização de metodologias ativas nos ambientes virtuais, visando proporcionar ensino de qualidade aos futuros enfermeiros. Metodologia: artigo de reflexão sobre das possibilidades pedagógicas utilizadas pelo curso de graduação em enfermagem para utilização de metodologias ativas nos ambientes virtuais decorrentes dos efeitos da pandemia do coronavírus na educação. Resultados e Discussão: Como forma de garantir aulas e atividades dos cursos e das disciplinas, as instituições de ensino estão utilizando atividades remotas ou intensificando o uso das plataformas digitais por meio da modalidade de educação a distância. As estratégias pedagógicas exprimem a sala de aula invertida, aqui serão apresentados os seguintes recursos: vídeo based, fórum invertido e gamificação. Conclusão: A enfermagem teve seu protagonismo e visualização mundial devido a pandemia ao longo da assistência aos pacientes hospitalizados pelo coronavírus. Corrobora a premissa de promover cada vez mais um ensino de qualidade na formação de enfermeiros capazes de agir com raciocínio clínico, crítico e reflexivo. Que todos possam ampliar a utilização de metodologias ativas no ensino a enfermagem visando.
Educação e saúde: análise documental da produção de um núcleo de pesquisa em enfermagem
Authors: Menezes Harlon França de , Silva Elizabete Farias Lima , Rasche Alexandra Schmitt , Santos Maria da Soledade Simeão dos , Rosas Ann Mary Machado Tinoco Feitosa , Rufino Cleide Gonçalo
Published: November 2020

Objetivos: Apresentar a produção acadêmica do Núcleo de Pesquisa em Educação e Saúde em Enfermagem da Escola de Enfermagem Anna Nery, na Pós-Graduação strictu sensu, no recorte temporal 2007 a 2019 e analisar o produto advindo desta construção para a Enfermagem e a formação em Enfermagem. Método: pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva realizada, por meio da análise documental das dissertações e teses defendidas. Dados coletados por meio da leitura dos resumos e dos textos completos. Resultados: Foram defendidos 51 estudos, de metodologia qualitativa, sendo o cenário hospitalar representou 46% dos estudos e a técnica de entrevista foi utilizada em 31 estudos. Foram publicados 38 artigos e 02 livros. Conclusão: o Núcleo mostrou consolidação e potência na construção do conhecimento na Educação em Enfermagem através da discussão de temas relacionados a saúde da população e o cuidado em enfermagem, bem como sobre o processo que permeia o sistema educacional e formação em Enfermagem.
Laboratório de formação de capital humano em um curso stricto sensu de enfermagem: Relato de experiência
Authors: Souza Cláudio José de , Silvino Zenith Rosa , Souza Deise Ferreira de , Joaquim Fabiana Lopes , Izu Marina , Soares Hyago Henriques
Published: November 2020

O presente estudo teve como objetivo socializar as vivências de um grupo de pesquisa em laboratório de formação de capital humano. Trata-se de um relato de experiência da proposta de continuidade das atividades acadêmicas de um grupo de pesquisa com foco na formação de capital humano para a área de enfermagem. O grupo de pesquisa faz parte do Programa Acadêmico em Ciências do Cuidado em Saúde da Universidade Federal Fluminense, em Niterói (RJ). As atividades realizadas no grupo de pesquisa possibilitaram diversas estratégias de formação, culminando no então denominado “laboratório de formação de capital humano”. As estratégias constituíram importante meio de formação e qualificação do capital humano, uma vez que as atividades conjuntas permitiram compartilhar saberes em prol dos avanços da coletividade.
Estilos de Aprendizagem de estudantes do Ensino Médio integrado
Authors: Marçal Viviane Gomes , Evangelista Wemerton Luis , Franco Raquel Aparecida Soares Reis
Published: November 2020

O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar os estilos de aprendizagem predominantes dos estudantes de um curso técnico integrado, assim como analisar as mudanças nesses estilos em função de estarem no primeiro, segundo ou terceiro ano do curso. Dessa maneira, a referência para a condução foi baseada em Felder e Silverman (1988). Os autores indicam que os estudantes aprendem de diversas formas como vendo e ouvindo, refletindo e agindo, por raciocínio lógico e intuição, visualizando e memorizando, construindo analogias e modelos matemáticos, de forma constante e por etapas. Adotou-se uma perspectiva qualitativa e quantitativa para análise dos dados. Em relação às técnicas empregadas para coleta de dados foi elaborado um questionário aplicado para os estudantes. Verificou-se que os estudantes se identificam com os aspectos visuais/verbais, possuem maior preferência por imagens e diagramas nos três anos do curso analisado. De modo geral, os estudantes apresentam raciocínio linear.
Bactérias endofíticas e a promoção de crescimento de plantas de pimenta-do-reino
Authors: Oliveira Luana Cardoso de , Nakasone Alessandra Keiko , Lacerda Lidia , Nechet Kátia de Lima , Lemos Walkymário de Paulo , Marinho Andrey Moacir do Rosario , Halfeld-Vieira Bernardo de Almeida
Published: November 2020

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a capacidade de isolados de bactérias endofíticas em promover o crescimento de plantas de pimenta-do-reino. As bactérias endofíticas foram inoculadas em mudas de pimenta-do-reino por imersão em suspensão bacteriana na concentração de 108 UFC mL-1 por 5 minutos. Plantas do tratamento controle foram imersas em água destilada estéril. Em seguida, as mudas foram plantadas em vasos contendo fibra de coco estéril. Para avaliar a promoção de crescimento das plantas foram medidas a altura, o diâmetro do caule e a massa seca. Os isolados C5.11, C6.2, T2.2 e C1.4 promoveram  crescimento  de plantas de pimenta-do-reino, com aumento na altura de 26,82, 27,37, 35,55 e 37,99%, respectivamente, na massa seca, aumento em valores de 10,13, 3,92, 6,25 e 10,17%, respectivamente, e em relação ao crescimento em diâmetro do caule, o isolado C5.11 promoveu aumento de 33,66% na taxa de crescimento em relação ao tratamento controle. No presente estudo, os isolados C6.2, T2.2, C5.11 e C1.4 promoveram crescimento de plantas de pimenta-do-reino, com o aumento na altura e massa seca das plantas em comparação ao tratamento controle.
Desnaturação proteica: importâncias na indústria de laticínios
Authors: Bueno Tainah Morais , Schiassi Maria Cecília Evangelista Vasconcelos , Carvalho Gabriel Ribeiro , Queiroz Fabiana , Pimenta Carlos José
Published: November 2020

O leite é um alimento que possui propriedades únicas e essenciais para a dieta humana. O seu processamento pode elevar a gama de produtos ofertados no mercado, diminuir custos e facilitar o transporte e armazenamento e ainda pode aumentar a vida útil. As proteínas do leite constituem ingredientes dos mais valorizados pelas suas excelentes propriedades nutritivas, tecnológicas e funcionais. Tratamentos térmicos são aplicados no leite cru com diversas finalidades, entre elas manutenção da saúde pública através da eliminação de patógenos e microrganismos deteriorantes e a inativação de enzimas e/ou a coagulação de proteínas celulares. No entanto, a aplicação do calor provoca alterações químicas reversíveis e irreversíveis que afetam diretamente o produto final. O interesse na desnaturação proteica mantém-se constante ao longo dos anos, e pesquisas sobre o assunto continuam a ser realizadas, por isso a relevância de se entender a estrutura e os fatores que afetam a estabilidade micelar e como se dá o controle desse processo. O artigo descreve brevemente sobre a estrutura do leite e suas propriedades, dando ênfase nos tratamentos que podem ser aplicados afim de desnaturar as proteínas e suas aplicações na indústria de laticínios. Conclui-se que a estabilidade destas proteínas é um fator importante para garantir adequadas condições de processamento, aumentar a vida útil de derivados lácteos e proporcionar maior qualidade ao consumidor final, além de que possui grande importância comercial, por ser uma das melhores fontes de proteína alimentar.
Evolução do desmatamento e do passivo ambiental em projeto de assentamento de reforma agrária no Sudeste Paraense
Authors: Amorim Ismael Alves , Homma Alfredo Kingo Oyama
Published: November 2020

Atualmente os Projetos de Assentamentos de Reforma agrária do Sudeste Paraense estão no foco das discussões sobre a perda de cobertura florestal na Amazônia, pois figuram entre as áreas que mais contribuem para o processo de desmatamento. Neste sentido, este trabalho objetivou avaliar a evolução do desmatamento e do passivo ambiental no Projeto de Assentamento São Francisco, município de Eldorado do Carajás, em um universo temporal que vai de 1990 a 2020, identificando os principais processos que levam a perda da cobertura florestal no local de estudo. Para tanto, o trabalho foi baseado e sustentado por métodos de análise da paisagem, nomeadamente as geotecnologias, adotando-se os mesmos conceitos trabalhados pelo PRODES que mensura polígonos de desmatamento por corte raso. No geral, observou-se um significativo aumento do desmatamento no local de estudo, que perdeu aproximadamente 5.000 hectares de vegetação. Em termos gerais, essa taxa representa mais de 60% de floresta perdida e convertida em outros usos. Atualmente, a nível de reserva legal, o passivo ambiental chega a mais de 20% do total da área e em relação as APP’s houve uma redução também de mais 20% na vegetação ciliar, o que implica na perda de importantes serviços ambientais prestados por esses locais. Percebe-se assim, que sem o uso de tecnologia agropecuária adequada e assistência técnica aos pequenos produtores não há uma sustentabilidade dos meios de produção e dos recursos naturais a longo prazo, sendo necessárias alternativas de produção que aliem o aproveitamento das áreas já abertas, gerando emprego e renda.
Investigação dos perfis de aprendizado na Engenharia Civil e no Técnico em Edificações sob a ótica dos alunos do Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais (IFMG)
Authors: Ferreira Tobias Ribeiro , Canaval Júnior Henrique , Costa Junior Edio da
Published: November 2020

Em nenhum outro momento da história houve um volume tão elevado de conhecimento. Além disso, o acesso a essas informações é relativamente simples e fácil. Contudo, para que o indivíduo seja capaz de armazenar e externar esses conhecimentos, faz-se necessário o uso de métodos de aprendizagem e armazenamento do conteúdo estudado. Considerando a classificação de Felder e Silverman (1988), foi realizada uma pesquisa com um grupo de estudantes dos cursos Técnico em Edificações, Integrado e Bacharelado em Engenharia Civil para conhecer a percepção desses estudantes quanto aos processos de aprendizagem, bem como construir e avaliar o perfil de uma sala de aula na qual diversos indivíduos estão inseridos e, em geral, precisam aprender a partir de uma única forma ou dinâmica de ensino. Este estudo teve por objetivo identificar o estilo de aprendizagem predominante entre os alunos do Ensino Técnico Integrado ao Ensino Médio e do Ensino Superior em Engenharia Civil, do IFMG – Campus Avançado Piumhi. O levantamento dos estilos de aprendizagem foi feito pela aplicação de questionário online através da ferramenta Google Forms e os dados foram compilados no aplicativo Microsoft Excel. Participaram da pesquisa 45 alunos do Ensino Médio Integrado e 94 alunos do Ensino Superior em Engenharia Civil. Pela análise dos dados foi possível verificar que a maioria dos estudantes do Ensino Técnico Integrado ao Ensino Médio possui características que os classificam como sensoriais, visuais, reflexivos e globais. Já para o Ensino Superior, a maioria dos estudantes se classificaram como sensoriais, visuais, ativos e sequenciais.
Impact of preoperative nutritional status on surgical outcomes in patients with pediatric gastrointestinal surgery
Authors: Koofy Nehal El , Eldin Hadeer Mohamed Nasr , Mohamed Wesam , Gad Mostafa , Tarek Sara , Tagy Gamal El
Published: November 2020

Background: Malnutrition has a high incidence among pediatric surgical patients and contributes to increased risks of postoperative complications and extended hospital stays.Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the influence of preoperative nutritional status on the postoperative outcomes of pediatric patients who underwent elective gastrointestinal (GI) surgery.Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital. According to the designated inclusion criteria, 75 surgical cases of both sexes were included. A structured questionnaire was developed and administered. This questionnaire included 3 main sections: demographic data and nutritional status parameters at admission and discharge. Pre- and postoperative nutritional statuses were compared.Results: According to both the subjective global nutritional assessment and STRONGKIDS score Questioner, more than 60% of patients in the upper GI patient group were at risk of malnutrition. Wasting status was most common in the upper GI patient group (67%; vs. 39.1% in the lower GI group). Underweight status was more common in the hepatobiliary and upper GI patient groups (nearly 50% for each group) than in the lower GI group (30.4%). On the other hand, stunted patients had a higher incidence of complications and a prolonged hospital stay (P=0.003 and P=0.037, respectively), while underweight lower GI patients experienced a prolonged hospital stay (P=0.02). A higher proportion of patients with preoperative anemia than those without preoperative anemia required a blood transfusion (P=0.003).Conclusion: Nutritional assessment is a crucial component of pediatric surgical patient management. Both underweight and wasting statuses were more common among hepatobiliary and upper GI patients. Postoperative complications and a long hospital stay were more common among stunted patients.
Changes in the prevalence of anemia in Korean adolescents, 1998–2018
Authors: An Jun Young , Hong Yoo Rha , Kong Seom Gim
Published: November 2020

Background: Anemia is an important health problem affecting approximately 25% of the global population. Although its prevalence is decreasing worldwide, few studies have examined the prevalence of anemia in Korean adolescents.Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia in Korean adolescents over the past 21 years using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Methods: We investigated the prevalence of anemia in adolescents aged 10–18 years for the period 1998–2018 according to sex, age, residential area, and household income. The effects of menarche age and menstruation were examined in female adolescents for the period 2001–2018.Results: Among the total 11,782 participants, the weighted prevalence of anemia was 4.0%. The prevalence of anemia in male participants significantly decreased (from 3.0% to 0.5%, P<0.001), whereas that in female participants did not change significantly over time (from 7.9% to 8.5%, P=0.054). The average age at menarche was 12.4±0.0 years; the prevalence of anemia in females increased from age 13 years onward. Multivariate analysis revealed that anemia was more common in female than male participants (odds ratio [OR], 9.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.19–13.57; P<0.001). In female adolescents, the prevalence of anemia increased with age (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.15–1.38, P<0.001) and was 3.6 times higher after than before menarche (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.21–6.05, P<0.001).Conclusion: Over the 21-year study period, the prevalence of anemia decreased among male adolescents but did not change in female adolescents. In female adolescents, age and menarche were identified as significant risk factors that require continued attention.
A Stochastic Framework to Optimize Monitoring Strategies for Delineating Groundwater Divides
Authors: Allgeier Jonas , González-Nicolás Ana , Erdal Daniel , Nowak Wolfgang , Cirpka Olaf A.
Published: November 2020

Surface-water divides can be delineated by analyzing digital elevation models. They might, however, significantly differ from groundwater divides because the groundwater surface does not necessarily follow the surface topography. Thus, in order to delineate a groundwater divide, hydraulic-head measurements are needed. Because installing piezometers is cost- and labor-intensive, it is vital to optimize their placement. In this work, we introduce an optimal design analysis that can identify the best spatial configuration of piezometers. The method is based on formal minimization of the expected posterior uncertainty in localizing the groundwater divide. It is based on the preposterior data impact assessor, a Bayesian framework that uses a random sample of models (here: steady-state groundwater flow models) in a fully non-linear analysis. For each realization, we compute virtual hydraulic-head measurements at all potential well installation points and delineate the groundwater divide by particle tracking. Then, for each set of virtual measurements and their possible measurement values, we assess the uncertainty of the groundwater-divide location after Bayesian updating, and finally marginalize over all possible measurement values. We test the method mimicking an aquifer in South-West Germany. Previous works in this aquifer indicated a groundwater divide that substantially differs from the surface-water divide. Our analysis shows that the uncertainty in the localization of the groundwater divide can be reduced with each additional monitoring well. In our case study, the optimal configuration of three monitoring points involves the first well being close to the topographic surface water divide, the second one on the hillslope toward the valley, and the third one in between.
RETRACTED: Spiking Correlation Analysis of Synchronous Spikes Evoked by Acupuncture Mechanical Stimulus
Authors: Qin Qing , Liu Ya-Jiao , Shan Bo-Nan , Che Yan-Qiu , Han Chun-Xiao , Qin Ying-Mei , Wang Jiang
Published: November 2020

Acupuncturing the ST36 acupoint can evoke the response of the sensory nervous system, which is translated into output electrical signals in the spinal dorsal root. Neural response activities, especially synchronous spike events, evoked by different acupuncture manipulations have remarkable differences. In order to identify these network collaborative activities, we analyze the underlying spike correlation in the synchronous spike event. In this paper, we adopt a log-linear model to describe network response activities evoked by different acupuncture manipulations. Then the state-space model and Bayesian theory are used to estimate network spike correlations. Two sets of simulation data are used to test the effectiveness of the estimation algorithm and the model goodness-of-fit. In addition, simulation data are also used to analyze the relationship between spike correlations and synchronous spike events. Finally, we use this method to identify network spike correlations evoked by four different acupuncture manipulations. Results show that reinforcing manipulations (twirling reinforcing and lifting-thrusting reinforcing) can evoke the third-order spike correlation but reducing manipulations (twirling reducing and lifting-thrusting reducing) does not. This is the main reason why synchronous spikes evoked by reinforcing manipulations are more abundant than reducing manipulations.
On-Line Open-Phase Fault Detection Method for Switched Reluctance Motors with Bus Current Measurement
Authors: de la Guerra Alejandra , Jimenez-Mondragon Victor M. , Torres Lizeth , Escarela-Perez Rafael , Olivares-Galvan Juan C.
Published: November 2020

This article introduces an on-line fault diagnosis (FD) system to detect and recognize open-phase faults in switched reluctance motors (SRMs). Both tasks, detection and recognition, are based on functions built with the same information but from different sources. Specifically, these functions are constructed from bus current measurement provided by a sensor and from the estimate of such a current provided by an extended Kalman filter (EKF) that performs the estimation from only rotor angular position measurements. In short, the FD system only requires two measurements for employment: bus current and angular position. In order to show its efficacy, results from numerical simulations (performed in a virtual test bench) are presented. Specifically, these simulations involve the dynamics of the SRM, including the magnetic phenomena caused by the analyzed faults. The motor dynamics were obtained with finite element simulations, which guarantee results close to the actual ones.
Genetic Profiles and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Salmonella Infantis Strains Isolated in Italy in the Food Chain of Broiler Meat Production
Authors: Proietti Patrizia Casagrande , Stefanetti Valentina , Musa Laura , Zicavo Alessia , Dionisi Anna Maria , Bellucci Sara , Mensa Agnese La , Menchetti Laura , Branciari Raffaella , Ortenzi Roberta , Franciosini Maria Pia
Published: November 2020

This work aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of 87 Salmonella Infantis strains isolated in Italy from 2016 to 2019 along the food chain of broiler meat production and in humans and to determine the genetic profiles of the strains in order to establish a possible correlation with the antimicrobial pattern. All isolates were tested by the disk diffusion method to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility toward sixteen antimicrobials, and the broth microdilution method was used to confirm extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production. PCR and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were applied to characterize ESBL-encoding and AmpC β-lactamase genes and to analyze the S. Infantis strains genetic profiles respectively. S. Infantis isolates showed high prevalence of resistance, in particular toward nalidixic acid (97.7%), tetracycline (96.5%), sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (91%) and cefepime (72.4%). The 80.5% of isolates were ESBL, cefotaxime-resistant, carrying the blaCTX-M1 gene. The most prevalent PFGE profile was XbaI.0126 (35.6%). The remaining strains had a genetic homology from 81% to 97% with the XbaI.0126 profile. The strains belonging to these profiles were isolated from different matrices collected along the broiler food chain independently on the year and from the region and there was no correlation between the PFGE profiles and resistance patterns. We found two ESBL-producing S. Infantis strains with the same XbaI.2621 profile isolated from humans and from poultry feces, not yet reported in Italy. Our findings confirmed the diffusion of ESBL-multi drug resistant (MDR) S. Infantis along the broiler food chain and in humans and underlined the importance of continuous monitoring to control and to reduce the prevalence of this bacterium, applying a global One Health approach.
Inhibitory Action of Antidiabetic Drugs on the Free Radical Production by the Rod Outer Segment Ectopic Aerobic Metabolism
Authors: Ravera Silvia , Caicci Federico , Degan Paolo , Maggi Davide , Manni Lucia , Puddu Alessandra , Nicolò Massimo , Traverso Carlo E. , Panfoli Isabella
Published: November 2020

Rod outer segments (OS) express the FoF1-ATP synthase and the respiratory chain, conducting an ectopic aerobic metabolism that produces free radicals in vitro. Diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of vision loss, is associated with oxidative stress in the outer retina. Since metformin and glibenclamide, two anti-type 2 diabetes drugs, target the respiratory complexes, we studied the effect of these two drugs, individually or in association, on the free radical production in purified bovine rod OS. ATP synthesis, oxygen consumption, and oxidative stress production were assayed by luminometry, oximetry and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of FoF1-ATP synthase was studied by immunogold electron microscopy. Metformin had a hormetic effect on the OS complex I and ATP synthetic activities, being stimulatory at concentrations below 1 mM, and inhibitory above. Glibenclamide inhibited complexes I and III, as well as ATP production in a concentration-dependent manner. Maximal concentrations of both drugs inhibited the ROI production by the light-exposed OS. Data, consistent with the delaying effect of these drugs on the onset of diabetic retinopathy, suggest that a combination of the two drugs at the beginning of the treatment might reduce the oxidative stress production helping the endogenous antioxidant defences in avoiding retinal damage.
Osteoprotective Roles of Green Tea Catechins
Authors: Huang Hsuan-Ti , Cheng Tsung-Lin , Lin Sung-Yen , Ho Cheng-Jung , Chyu Joanna Y. , Yang Rong-Sen , Chen Chung-Hwan , Shen Chwan-Li
Published: November 2020

Osteoporosis is the second most common disease only secondary to cardiovascular disease, with the risk of fracture increasing with age. Osteoporosis is caused by an imbalance between osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis processes. Osteoclastogenesis may be enhanced, osteoblastogenesis may be reduced, or both may be evident. Inflammation and high reactive oxygen enhance osteoclastogenesis while reducing osteoblastogenesis by inducing osteoblast apoptosis and suppressing osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation. Catechins, the main polyphenols found in green tea with potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, can counteract the deleterious effects of the imbalance of osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis caused by osteoporosis. Green tea catechins can attenuate osteoclastogenesis by enhancing apoptosis of osteoclasts, hampering osteoclastogenesis, and prohibiting bone resorption in vitro. Catechin effects can be directly exerted on pre-osteoclasts/osteoclasts or indirectly exerted via the modulation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)/stromal cell regulation of pre-osteoclasts through activation of the nuclear factor kB (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) system. Catechins also can enhance osteoblastogenesis by enhancing osteogenic differentiation of MSCs and increasing osteoblastic survival, proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization. The in vitro effects of catechins on osteogenesis have been confirmed in several animal models, as well as in epidemiological observational studies on human subjects. Even though randomized control trials have not shown that catechins provide anti-fracture efficacy, safety data in the trials are promising. A large-scale, placebo-controlled, long-term randomized trial with a tea regimen intervention of optimal duration is required to determine anti-fracture efficacy.
ROS-Induced SIRT2 Upregulation Contributes to Cisplatin Sensitivity in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Wang Wenyu , Im Jihye , Kim Soochi , Jang Suin , Han Youngjin , Yang Kyung-Min , Kim Seong-Jin , Dhanasekaran Danny N. , Song Yong Sang
Published: November 2020

Cisplatin resistance remains a significant obstacle for improving the clinical outcome of ovarian cancer patients. Recent studies have demonstrated that cisplatin is an important inducer of intracellullar reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggering cancer cell death. Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), a member of class III NAD+ dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs), has been reported to be involved in regulating cancer hallmarks including drug response. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of SIRT2 in oxidative stress and cisplatin response in cancer. Two ovarian cancer cell lines featuring different sensitivities to cisplatin were used in this study. We found different expression patterns of SIRT2 in cisplatin-sensitive (A2780/S) and cisplatin-resistant (A2780/CP) cancer cells with cisplatin treatment, where SIRT2 expression was augmented only in A2780/S cells. Furthermore, cisplatin-induced ROS generation was responsible for the upregulation of SIRT2 in A2780/S cells, whereas overexpression of SIRT2 significantly enhanced the sensitivity of cisplatin-resistant counterpart cells to cisplatin. Our study proposes that targeting SIRT2 may provide new strategies to potentiate platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.
Flexible P(VDF-TrFE) Shared Bottom Electrode Sensor Array Assisted with Machine Learning for Motion Detection
Authors: Ding Wenqing , Lu Lijun , Chen Yu , Liu Jingquan , Yang Bin
Published: November 2020

Lightweight, flexible and distributed-pixel piezoelectric sensors are desired in activity monitoring and human–machine interaction (HMI). In this work, a flexible P(VDF-TrFE) piezoelectric sensor array using ITO-coated PET substrate as the shared bottom electrode is demonstrated. The traditional array fabrication, which connects an individual sensor unit into an array, could easily lead to the signal discrepancy due to fabrication and assembly errors. To this end, this work introduces the shared ITO-coated-PET substrate and proposes a synchronous-fabrication method for generating the same thickness of every P(VDF-TrFE) sensor unit through a single spin coating. The designed Au top electrodes were sputtered on the spin-coated P(VDF-TrFE) to form the sensor array at one time without additional assembly step, further ensuring unit consistency. The performance of the cross-shaped sensor array was tested under cyclic compressing–releasing agitation. The results of the positive compression test show that our sensor array has a high consistency. Then, the cross-shaped array design that covers the central position is put forward, which realizes tactile sensing ability with a small number of units. Moreover, the fabricated flexible multi-pixel sensor has the advantage of sensitive identification of different contact scenes, and a recognition accuracy of 95.5% can be obtained in different types of hand touch through the machine learning technology.
On the Elastic Properties and Fracture Patterns of MoX2 (X = S, Se, Te) Membranes: A Reactive Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Pereira Júnior Marcelo Lopes , Viana de Araújo Cícera Maria , De Sousa José Moreira , de Sousa Júnior Rafael Timóteo , Roncaratti Júnior Luiz Fernando , Ferreira Giozza William , Ribeiro Júnior Luiz Antonio
Published: November 2020

We carried out fully-atomistic reactive molecular dynamics simulations to study the elastic properties and fracture patterns of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) MoX2 (X = S, Se, Te) membranes, in their 2H and 1T phases, within the framework of the Stillinger–Weber potential. Results showed that the fracture mechanism of these membranes occurs through a fast crack propagation followed by their abrupt rupture into moieties. As a general trend, the translated arrangement of the chalcogen atoms in the 1T phase contributes to diminishing their structural stability when contrasted with the 2H one. Among the TMDs studied here, 2H-MoSe2 has a higher tensile strength (25.98 GPa).
Using In-Situ Laboratory and Synchrotron-Based X-ray Diffraction for Lithium-Ion Batteries Characterization: A Review on Recent Developments
Authors: Llewellyn Alice V. , Matruglio Alessia , Brett Dan J. L. , Jervis Rhodri , Shearing Paul R.
Published: November 2020

Renewable technologies, and in particular the electric vehicle revolution, have generated tremendous pressure for the improvement of lithium ion battery performance. To meet the increasingly high market demand, challenges include improving the energy density, extending cycle life and enhancing safety. In order to address these issues, a deep understanding of both the physical and chemical changes of battery materials under working conditions is crucial for linking degradation processes to their origins in material properties and their electrochemical signatures. In situ and operando synchrotron-based X-ray techniques provide powerful tools for battery materials research, allowing a deep understanding of structural evolution, redox processes and transport properties during cycling. In this review, in situ synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction methods are discussed in detail with an emphasis on recent advancements in improving the spatial and temporal resolution. The experimental approaches reviewed here include cell designs and materials, as well as beamline experimental setup details. Finally, future challenges and opportunities for battery technologies are discussed.
Fish Assemblage Structure in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Is Associated with the Architectural Complexity of Coral-Reef Habitats
Authors: Fukunaga Atsuko , Kosaki Randall K. , Pascoe Kailey H. , Burns John H. R.
Published: November 2020

The architectural complexity of coral-reef habitat plays an important role in determining the assemblage structure of reef fish. We investigated associations between the reef habitats and fish assemblages in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) using in situ fish counts and data on habitat metrics and benthic community composition that were obtained from three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetric reconstructions of the surveyed sites. The structure of fish assemblage as a whole on the basis of Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, species richness and the abundances of herbivores and piscivores were associated with habitat metrics, with higher levels of architectural complexity generally supporting greater numbers of fish species and individuals. Benthic cover did not explain additional variation in these variables after the effects of habitat metrics were taken into account. Corallivorous fish was the only group that showed positive associations with both habitat metrics and benthic cover (Acropora and Pocillopora corals). The total fish abundance and the abundances of planktivores and invertivores did not show associations with either habitat metrics or benthic cover. This study suggests that an appropriate combination of habitat metrics can be used to account sufficiently for the effects of habitat architecture on fish assemblages in reef monitoring efforts in the NWHI.
A Review of the Ecomorphology of Pinnotherine Pea Crabs (Brachyura: Pinnotheridae), with an Updated List of Symbiont-Host Associations
Authors: de Gier Werner , Becker Carola
Published: November 2020

Almost all pea crab species in the subfamily Pinnotherinae (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) are considered obligatory endo- or ectosymbionts, living in a mutualistic or parasitic relationship with a wide variety of invertebrate hosts, including bivalves, gastropods, echinoids, holothurians, and ascidians. While the subfamily is regarded as one of the most morphologically adapted groups of symbiotic crabs, the functionality of these adaptations in relation to their lifestyles has not been reviewed before. Available information on the ecomorphological adaptations of various pinnotherine crab species and their functionality was compiled in order to clarify their ecological diversity. These include the size, shape, and ornamentations of the carapace, the frontal appendages and mouthparts, the cheliped morphology, the ambulatory legs, and the reproductive anatomy and larval characters. The phylogenetic relevance of the adaptations is also reviewed and suggestions for future studies are made. Based on an updated list of all known pinnotherine symbiont–host associations and the available phylogenetic reconstructions, it is concluded that, due to convergent evolution, unrelated species with a similar host interaction might display the same morphological adaptations.
Effects of Tau and Sampling Frequency on the Regularity Analysis of ECG and EEG Signals Using ApEn and SampEn Entropy Estimators
Authors: Espinosa Ricardo , Talero Jesica , Weinstein Alejandro
Published: November 2020

Electrocardiography (ECG) and electroencephalography (EEG) signals provide clinical information relevant to determine a patient’s health status. The nonlinear analysis of ECG and EEG signals allows for discovering characteristics that could not be found with traditional methods based on amplitude and frequency. Approximate entropy (ApEn) and sampling entropy (SampEn) are nonlinear data analysis algorithms that measure the data’s regularity, and these are used to classify different electrophysiological signals as normal or pathological. Entropy calculation requires setting the parameters r (tolerance threshold), m (immersion dimension), and τ (time delay), with the last one being related to how the time series is downsampled. In this study, we showed the dependence of ApEn and SampEn on different values of τ, for ECG and EEG signals with different sampling frequencies (Fs), extracted from a digital repository. We considered four values of Fs (128, 256, 384, and 512 Hz for the ECG signals, and 160, 320, 480, and 640 Hz for the EEG signals) and five values of τ (from 1 to 5). We performed parametric and nonparametric statistical tests to confirm that the groups of normal and pathological ECG and EEG signals were significantly different (p < 0.05) for each F and τ value. The separation between the entropy values of regular and irregular signals was variable, demonstrating the dependence of ApEn and SampEn with Fs and τ. For ECG signals, the separation between the conditions was more robust when using SampEn, the lowest value of Fs, and τ larger than 1. For EEG signals, the separation between the conditions was more robust when using SampEn with large values of Fs and τ larger than 1. Therefore, adjusting τ may be convenient for signals that were acquired with different Fs to ensure a reliable clinical classification. Furthermore, it is useful to set τ to values larger than 1 to reduce the computational cost.
Combining Sparse and Dense Features to Improve Multi-Modal Registration for Brain DTI Images
Authors: Moldovanu Simona , Toporaș Lenuta Pană , Biswas Anjan , Moraru Luminita
Published: November 2020

A new solution to overcome the constraints of multimodality medical intra-subject image registration is proposed, using the mutual information (MI) of image histogram-oriented gradients as a new matching criterion. We present a rigid, multi-modal image registration algorithm based on linear transformation and oriented gradients for the alignment of T2-weighted (T2w) images (as a fixed reference) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) (b-values of 500 and 1250 s/mm2) as floating images of three patients to compensate for the motion during the acquisition process. Diffusion MRI is very sensitive to motion, especially when the intensity and duration of the gradient pulses (characterized by the b-value) increases. The proposed method relies on the whole brain surface and addresses the variability of anatomical features into an image stack. The sparse features refer to corners detected using the Harris corner detector operator, while dense features use all image pixels through the image histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) as a measure of the degree of statistical dependence between a pair of registered images. HOG as a dense feature is focused on the structure and extracts the oriented gradient image in the x and y directions. MI is used as an objective function for the optimization process. The entropy functions and joint entropy function are determined using the HOGs data. To determine the best image transformation, the fiducial registration error (FRE) measure is used. We compare the results against the MI-based intensities results computed using a statistical intensity relationship between corresponding pixels in source and target images. Our approach, which is devoted to the whole brain, shows improved registration accuracy, robustness, and computational cost compared with the registration algorithms, which use anatomical features or regions of interest areas with specific neuroanatomy. Despite the supplementary HOG computation task, the computation time is comparable for MI-based intensities and MI-based HOG methods.
On Energy–Information Balance in Automatic Control Systems Revisited
Authors: Rubtsov Vladimir
Published: November 2020

We revise and slightly generalize some variational problems related to the “informational approach” in the classical optimization problem for automatic control systems which was popular from 1970–1990. We find extremals for various degenerated (derivative independent) functionals and propose some interpretations of obtained minimax relations. The main example of such functionals is given by the Gelfand–Pinsker–Yaglom formula for the information quantity contained in one random process in another one. We find some balance relations in a linear stationary one-dimensional system with Gaussian signal and interpret them in terms of Legendre duality.
Systematic Encoding and Shortening of PAC Codes
Authors: Arıkan Erdal
Published: November 2020

Polarization adjusted convolutional (PAC) codes are a class of codes that combine channel polarization with convolutional coding. PAC codes are of interest for their high performance. This paper presents a systematic encoding and shortening method for PAC codes. Systematic encoding is important for lowering the bit-error rate (BER) of PAC codes. Shortening is important for adjusting the block length of PAC codes. It is shown that systematic encoding and shortening of PAC codes can be carried out in a unified framework.
On the Variability of Heart Rate Variability—Evidence from Prospective Study of Healthy Young College Students
Authors: Cui Xingran , Tian Leirong , Li Zhengwen , Ren Zikai , Zha Keyang , Wei Xinruo , Peng Chung-Kang
Published: November 2020

Heart rate variability (HRV) has been widely used as indices for autonomic regulation, including linear analyses, entropy and multi-scale entropy based nonlinear analyses, and however, it is strongly influenced by the conditions under which the signal is being recorded. To investigate the variability of healthy HRV under different settings, we recorded electrocardiograph (ECG) signals from 56 healthy young college students (20 h for each participant) at campus using wearable single-lead ECG device. Accurate R peak to R peak (RR) intervals were extracted by combing the advantages of five commonly used R-peak detection algorithms to eliminate data quality influence. Thorough and detailed linear and nonlinear HRV analyses were performed. Variability of HRV metrics were evaluated from five categories: (1) different states of daily activities; (2) different recording time period in the same day during free-running daily activities; (3) body postures of sitting and lying; (4) lying on the left, right and back; and (5) gender influence. For most of the analyzed HRV metrics, significant differences (p < 0.05) were found among different recording conditions within the five categories except lying on different positions. Results suggested that the standardization of ECG data collection and HRV analysis should be implemented in HRV related studies, especially for entropy and multi-scale entropy based analyses. Furthermore, this preliminary study provides reference values of HRV indices under various recording conditions of healthy young subjects that could be useful information for different applications (e.g., health monitoring and management).
Monitoring Parameter Change for Time Series Models of Counts Based on Minimum Density Power Divergence Estimator
Authors: Lee Sangyeol , Kim Dongwon
Published: November 2020

In this study, we consider an online monitoring procedure to detect a parameter change for integer-valued generalized autoregressive heteroscedastic (INGARCH) models whose conditional density of present observations over past information follows one parameter exponential family distributions. For this purpose, we use the cumulative sum (CUSUM) of score functions deduced from the objective functions, constructed for the minimum power divergence estimator (MDPDE) that includes the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), to diminish the influence of outliers. It is well-known that compared to the MLE, the MDPDE is robust against outliers with little loss of efficiency. This robustness property is properly inherited by the proposed monitoring procedure. A simulation study and real data analysis are conducted to affirm the validity of our method.
Dissipative Structures, Organisms and Evolution
Authors: Kondepudi Dilip K , De Bari Benjamin , Dixon James A.
Published: November 2020

Self-organization in nonequilibrium systems has been known for over 50 years. Under nonequilibrium conditions, the state of a system can become unstable and a transition to an organized structure can occur. Such structures include oscillating chemical reactions and spatiotemporal patterns in chemical and other systems. Because entropy and free-energy dissipating irreversible processes generate and maintain these structures, these have been called dissipative structures. Our recent research revealed that some of these structures exhibit organism-like behavior, reinforcing the earlier expectation that the study of dissipative structures will provide insights into the nature of organisms and their origin. In this article, we summarize our study of organism-like behavior in electrically and chemically driven systems. The highly complex behavior of these systems shows the time evolution to states of higher entropy production. Using these systems as an example, we present some concepts that give us an understanding of biological organisms and their evolution.