bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The psychological impact of COVID19 pandemic on health care workers in Pontevedra (Spain)
Authors: Alvarez-Perez Vicente , Gago-Ageitos Ana Maria , Vicente-Alba Javier , Garcia-Hijano Carmen Mercedes , Duran-Maseda Maria Jose , Vidal-Millares Maria
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed health care workers (HCWs) to increased workload and high risk of contagion with a negative impact in their mental healthWe present a descriptive and observational study performed with a total sample of 306 healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Pontevedra Area, which include two Hospitals: Hospital do Salnés and Hospital Clinico-Universitario de Pontevedra and Primary Care Health Centers (“Centros de Saúde”: CS and AP, “Puntos de Atención Continuada”: PACS) from 3th to 16th May 2021. (Figure1) (1)Aim: To study the psychological impact in healthcare workers in our community, (Pontevedra, 300000 inhabitants). Method: An online massive survey was administered with “Google Forms”. We performed a battery of sociodemographic and work conditions questions, medical history, psychiatric drugs consumption, substance use, personality test (Salamanca Personality test), SCL-90-R (depression and anxiety subscales) and perceived stress scale (PSS-10). Respondents were 306 HCWs (80.4% women; 19.3% men, 1 non-binary)Results: We find that 22.4% of HCWs present high perceived stress, 85.7% have sleep problems and 20.6% are using psychiatric drugs (either anxiolytics or antidepressants). 65.5% of HCWs on psychiatric medication recognize the need to increase doses during the pandemic. Besides, 12.1% has started taking antidepressants. We find an increase in alcohol and tobacco use. The fear to infect family, the front-line professionals and the extreme working conditions (work overload and the feeling of having few means and little support available) are the main variables that impact the mental health of HCWs during the pandemic. The personality traits shape coping strategies. The highest perceived stress happens in HCWs working in Primary Health Centers (especially those that work in both places: hospitals and Primary Health Centers).
Trends in PhysChem Properties of Newly Approved Drugs over the Last Six Years; Predicting Solubility of Drugs Approved in 2021
Authors: Avdeef Alex , Kansy Manfred
Published: July 2022

For the ‘small-molecule’ NMEs (new molecular entities) approved in 2021 by the US FDA, quantitative solubility values were found for 28 drugs, nearly all from published New Drug Applications (NDAs). Comparisons of physicochemical properties over the last six years indicate that the NMEs are slowly continuing to increase in size and decrease in solubility. Since 2016, the intrinsic solubility values (S0) have decreased on the average by 0.50 log unit, the calculated octanol-water partition coefficients (clogP) have increased by 0.34 log unit, and the molecular weights (MW) have increased by 22 g·mol-1 (to 477, compared to 298 in older drugs). The average number of Hbond acceptors has remained constant, while the average number of H-bond donors and the Kier Φ molecular flexibility indices have decreased slightly. The reported solubility data for the 2021 small-molecule NMEs were processed using the program pDISOL-X to obtain S0 values, normalized to 25 oC. The S0 values ranged from 2 ng·mL-1 (avacopan) to 43 mg·mL-1 (viloxazine). In the new set, MW spanned from 233 g·mol-1 (dexmethylphenidate) to 1215 g·mol-1 (voclosporin). Values of clogP ranged from − 0.3 (serdexmethylphenidate, a quaternary ammonium molecule) to 8.1 (avacopan). Five different in-silico models were used to predict the aqueous intrinsic log solubility of the 28 novel NMEs: (i) Yalkowsky’s General Solubility Equation (GSE(classic)), (ii) Abraham’s Linear Solvation Equation (ABSOLV), (iii) Avdeef-Kansy ‘Flexible-Acceptor’ General Solubility Equation ((GSE(Φ,B)), (iv) Breiman’s Random Forest Regression (RFR), and (v) consensus model based on (ii) and (iii) above. The various models were retrained with an enlarged version of the Wiki-pS0 database (currently at 7655 log S0 entries of drug-relevant molecules). The consensus model (r2 = 0.67, RMSE = 1.08) just slightly outperformed the other four models. The relatively-simple consensus prediction equation can be easily incorporated into spreadsheet calculations. As new drugs are approved, it will be important to continue monitoring the quality of measured solubility. Matching prediction to measurement is valuable when prediction methods are applied to virtual libraries, in order to seek opportunities to minimize pharmacokinetic risks of large, but otherwise promising, candidate molecules.
Estimation equation of limb lean soft tissue mass in Asian athletes using bioimpedance analysis
Authors: Lai Yeong-Kang , Ho Chu-Ying , Huang Ai-Chun , Hsieh Kuen-Chang
Published: July 2022

The lean soft tissue mass (LSTM) of the limbs is approximately 63% of total skeletal muscle mass. For athletes, measurement of limb LSTM is the basis for rapid estimation of skeletal muscle mass. This study aimed to establish the estimation equation of limb lean soft tissue mass in Asian athletes using bioimpedance analysis (BIA). A total of 198 athletes (121 males, 77 females; mean age 22.04 ± 5.57 years) from different sports in Taiwan were enrolled. A modeling group (MG) of 2/3 (n = 132) of subjects and a validation group (VG) of 1/3 (n = 68) were randomly assigned. Resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) were measured using 50KHz current measurement in whole-body mode. Predictor variables were height, weight, age, gender, Xc, resistance index (RI; RI = h2 / R). Lean soft tissue mass of upper and lower limbs measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was the response variable. Multivariate stepwise regression analysis method was used to establish BIA estimation equations as ArmsLSTMBIA-Asian and LegsLSTMBIA-Asian. Measurement equations performance was confirmed by cross-validation. The established single-frequency BIA estimation equation quickly and accurately measures lean soft tissue mass of the arms and legs of Asian athletes.
Determination of the total antioxidant capacity of the Chinese tea based on a novel “peroxidase/zirconium phosphonate” composite electrochemical sensor
Authors: Liu Li-Min , Liang Xin-Jian , Deng Fei , Liu Xue-Xia , Xu Ling-Feng , Wang Zhi-Jun , Huang Chun-Fang
Published: July 2022

In this work, a novel zirconium phosphonate (ZrPR1R2) was prepared by decorating both the aminoethoxy- group (R1) and the carboxypropyl- group (R2) on the zirconium phosphate layers in order to manipulate further the immobilization of the peroxidase (POD), and an antioxidant biosensor with higher sensitivity was constructed by dropping the POD/ZrPR1R2 composite onto the glassy carbon electrode surface. The activity of the POD/ZrPR1R2 composite was detected by Uv-vis spectra. The direct electrochemical behavior, the electrocatalytic response to dissolved oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, as well as the ability to detect total antioxidant capacity in tea sample were investigated by the methods of cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that the immobilization of POD in ZrPR1R2 nanosheets matrix enhanced the enzymatic activity, and achieved the fast and direct electron transfer between POD and glassy carbon electrode. Moreover, the POD/ZrPR1R2 composite modified electrode show the electrocatalytic response to hydrogen peroxide in the linear range of 8.82×10− 8 to 8.82×10− 7mol L− 1, with the detection limit of 3.31×10− 8mol L− 1. Attributing to the sensitive response to dissolved oxygen, the total antioxidant capacity can be detected directly in the real tea water by this POD/ZrPR1R2 composite modified electrode.
Differentiation of three different types of high temperature Daqu based on melanoidin content and mid-infrared spectrum analysis
Authors: ， Shanqimuge , Wang Fan , Tang Ping , Guo Ying , Wang Li , Bi Rongyu , Li Changwen , Lu Jun
Published: July 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
COA-Cl evokes protective responses against H 2 O 2 -and 6-OHDA-induced toxic injury in PC12 cells
Authors: Jamal Mostofa , Tsukamoto Ikuko , Maki Takata , Konishi Ryoji , Kinoshita Hiroshi
Published: July 2022

COA-Cl, a novel adenosine-like nucleic acid analog, has recently been shown to exert neuroprotective effects and to increase dopamine levels both in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, we hypothesized that COA-Cl could protect dopaminergic neurons against toxic insults. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of COA-Cl against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)- and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced toxicity in PC12 cells, and to elucidate the possible mechanisms. PC12 cells were incubated with COA-Cl (100 µM) with or without H2O2 or 6-OHDA (200 µM) for 24 h. Exposure to H2O2 resulted in a decrease in cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. H2O2 enhanced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and caspase-3 activity, and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio. H2O2 also triggered apoptosis as measured by TUNEL analysis. However, treatment with COA-Cl attenuated the decrease in cell viability, SOD activity and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio caused by H2O2. In addition, COA-Cl attenuated the increase in LDH release, ROS production, caspase-3 activity and apoptosis. 6-OHDA also dose-dependently decreased cell viability and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and increased LDH release. However, COA-Cl greatly protected PC12 cells against the toxicity caused by 6-OHDA, as evidenced by an increase in cell viability and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and a decrease in LDH release. Our results are the first to demonstrate that COA-Cl potentially protects PC12 cells against toxicity induced by H2O2 and 6-OHDA, implying that COA-Cl could be a promising neuroprotective agent for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Human microbiota drives hospital-associated antimicrobial resistance dissemination in the urban environment and mirrors patient case rates
Authors: Salazar Cecilia , Giménez Matías , Parada Andrés , Puig Josefina , Galiana Antonio , Grill Fabio , Vieytes Mariela , Mason Christopher , Antelo Verónica , D'Alessandro Bruno , Risso Jimena , Iraola Gregorio , Riera Nadia
Published: July 2022

Background: The microbial community composition of urban environments is primarily determined by human activity. The use of metagenomics to explore how microbial communities are shaped in a city provides a novel input that can improve decisions on public health measures, architectural design, and urban resilience. Of note, the sewage system in a city acts as a complex reservoir of bacteria, pharmaceuticals, and antimicrobial resistant (AMR) genes that can be an important source of epidemiological information. Hospital effluents are rich in patient-derived bacteria, and can thus readily become a birthplace and hotspot reservoir for antibiotic resistant pathogens which are eventually incorporated into the environment. Yet, the scope to which nosocomial outbreaks impact the urban environment is still poorly understood.Results: In this work, we extensively show that different urban waters from creeks, beaches, sewage spillways and collector pipes enclose discrete microbial communities that are characterized by a differential degree of contamination and admixture with human-derived bacteria. The abundance of human bacteria correlates with the abundance of AMR genes in the environment, with beta-lactamases being the top-contributing class to distinguish low vs. highly-impacted urban environments. Indeed, the abundance of beta-lactamase resistance and carbapenem resistance determinants in the urban environment significantly increased in a one-year period. This was in line with a pronounced increase of nosocomial carbapenem-resistant infections reported during the same period, that was mainly driven by an outbreak-causing, carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC) ST-11 strain. Genome-resolved metagenomics of urban waters before and after this outbreak, coupled with high-resolution whole-genome sequencing, confirmed the dissemination of the ST-11 strain and a novel KPC megaplasmid from the hospital to the urban environment. City-wide analysis showed that geospatial dissemination of the KPC megaplasmid in the urban environment inversely depended on the sewage system infrastructure.Conclusions: We show how urban metagenomics and outbreak genomic surveillance can be coupled to generate relevant information for infection control, antibiotic stewardship, and pathogen epidemiology. Our results highlight the need to better characterize and understand how human-derived bacteria and antimicrobial resistance disseminate in the urban environment to incorporate this information in the development of effluent treatment infrastructure and public health policies.
Relationship between corticosteroid administration and incidence of ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections in COVID-19 patients: a retrospective multicenter study
Authors: SAURA Ouriel , ROUZE Anahita , MARTIN-LOECHES Ignacio , POVOA Pedro , KREITMANN Louis , TORRES Antoni , METZELARD Matthieu , DU CHEYRON Damien , LAMBIOTTE Fabien , TAMION Fabienne , LABRUYERE Marie , GERONIMI Claire BOULLE , LUYT Charles-Edouard , NYUNGA Martine , POULY Olivier , THILLE Arnaud W. , MEGARBANE Bruno , SAADE Anastasia , MAGIRA Eleni , LLITJOS Jean-François , IOANNIDOU Iliana , PIERRE Alexandre , REIGNIER Jean , GAROT Denis , BAUDEL Jean-Luc , VOIRIOT Guillaume , PLANTEFEVE Gaëtan , MORAWIEC Elise , ASFAR Pierre , BOYER Alexandre , MEKONTSO-DESSAP Armand , BARDAKA Fotini , DIAZ Emilio , VINSONNEAU Christophe , FLOCH Pierre-Edouard , WEISS Nicolas , CECCATO Adrian , ARTIGAS Antonio , NORA David , DUHAMEL Alain , LABREUCHE Julien , NSEIR Saad
Published: July 2022

Background Ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections (VA-LRTI) are common in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The aim of this ancillary analysis of the coVAPid multicenter observational retrospective study is to assess the relationship between corticosteroid adjuvant administration and the incidence of VA-LRTI. MethodsPlanned ancillary analysis of a multicenter retrospective European cohort in 36 ICUs. Adult patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours for a SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were consecutively included between February and May 2020. VA-LRTI diagnosis required strict definition with clinical, radiological and microbiological documentation. We assessed the association of VA-LRTI with corticosteroid administration using univariate and multivariate cause-specific Cox’s proportional hazard models with adjustment on prespecified confounders.Results 545 patients were included, of whom 191 (35%) received corticosteroids. The proportional hazard assumption for the effect of corticosteroids on the incidence of VA-LRTI was violated (p=0.018) indicating that this effect varied during the ICU stay. We found a lower risk of VA-LRTI for corticosteroid treated patients during the first days in the ICU and an increased risk for longer ICU stay. By modeling the effect of corticosteroids with time dependent coefficients, the association between corticosteroids and the incidence of VA-LRTI was not significant (overall effect p=0.068), with time-dependent hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of 0.45 (0.18 to 1.10) at day 2, 0.89 (0.62 to 1.27) at day 7, 1.38 (0.99 to 1.92) at day 14 and 1.80 (1.08 to 2.98) at day 21.Conclusions No significant association was found between corticosteroid adjuvant therapy and the incidence of VA-LRTI, although a significant time-varying effect of corticosteroids was identified along the 28-day follow-up.
Real-time Interior Orientation Elements Variation Calculation of Aerial Imaging Model Based on DEM
Authors: Dai Dongchen , Zheng Lina , Yuan Guoqin , Wang Haijiang , Kang Qi
Published: July 2022

The focal plane position of the aerial camera needs to be adjusted in real time because of the change of the external environment and other reasons. The defocus number of the focal plane can be obtained according to the change of the interior orientation elements in the aerial camera. This paper presents a new method to calculate the change of interior orientation elements between images in real time using DEM assisted aerial camera. Based on calibrating the interior orientation elements of the aerial camera in the laboratory, an aerial imaging model is established based on the WGS84 earth ellipsoid model and transforming its coordinate systems. Use the pre-acquired DEM image, according to the characteristics of overlapping areas between adjacent aerial images in the same flight belt. The change of internal orientation elements is calculated after removing the external errors through the aerial imaging model and the position of feature points. Through experiments, the calculation error of the change of internal orientation elements in the same flight band of aerial camera is not more than 2 pixels. And the running speed of the algorithm can reach the millisecond level, which can meet the real-time needs of various applications of aerial camera.
Behavioral changes during the pandemic worsened income diversity of urban encounters
Authors: Yabe Takahiro , Bueno Bernardo Garcia Bulle , Dong Xiaowen , Pentland Alex , Moro Esteban
Published: July 2022

Diversity of physical encounters and social interactions in urban environments are known to spur economic productivity and innovation in cities, while also to foster social capital and resilience of communities. However, mobility restrictions during the pandemic have forced people to substantially reduce urban physical encounters, raising questions on the social implications of such behavioral changes. In this paper, we study how the income diversity of urban encounters have changed during different periods throughout the pandemic, using a large-scale, privacy-enhanced mobility dataset of more than one million anonymized mobile phone users in four large US cities, collected across three years spanning before and during the pandemic. We find that the diversity of urban encounters have substantially decreased (by 15% to 30%) during the pandemic and has persisted through late 2021, even though aggregated mobility metrics have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Counterfactual analyses show that while the reduction of outside activities (higher rates of staying at home) was a major factor that contributed to decreased diversity in the early stages of the pandemic, behavioral changes including lower willingness to explore new places and changes in visitation preferences further worsened the long-term diversity of encounters. Our findings suggest that the pandemic could have long-lasting negative effects on urban income diversity, and provide implications for managing the trade-off between the stringency of COVID-19 policies and the diversity of urban encounters as we move beyond the pandemic.
ILD-GAP combined with the Charlson Comorbidity Index score (ILD-GAPC) as a prognostic prediction model in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, and collagen vascular disease-related interstitial pneumonia
Authors: Fujii Hiroaki , Hara Yu , Saigusa Yusuke , Tagami Yoichi , Murohashi Kota , Nagasawa Ryo , Aoki Ayako , Izawa Ami , Seki Kenichi , Watanabe Keisuke , Horita Nobuyuki , Kobayashi Nobuaki , Kaneko Takeshi
Published: July 2022

BackgroundThe ILD-GAP scoring system has been widely used to predict the prognosis of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). The ability of the ILD-GAP scoring system combined with the Charlson Comorbidity Index score (CCIS) (ILD-GAPC) to predict ILD prognosis was investigated.MethodsIn ILD patients including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (iNSIP), and collagen vascular disease-related interstitial pneumonia (CVD-IP) treated between April 2013 and April 2017, the relationships between baseline clinical parameters including age, sex, CCIS, ILD diagnosis, pulmonary function test results, and 3-year ILD-related events, including cause-specific death and first acute exacerbation (AE), were retrospectively assessed, and the ability to predict prognosis was compared between ILD-GAP and ILD-GAPC.ResultsA total of 174 patients (mean age, 74 years), all of whom underwent pulmonary function testing including percentage predicted diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide, were assessed. ILD diagnosis consisted of IPF in 57 cases, iNSIP, and CVD-IP in 117 cases. ILD-GAPC provided a greater area under the 3-year time dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (0.743) for predicting 3-year ILD-related events than ILD-GAP (0.710). In addition, log-rank tests showed that survival curves differed significantly among low, middle, and high ILD-GAPC scores (P = 0.003), unlike ILD-GAP scores (P = 0.240).ConclusionsILD-GAPC could provide more accurate information for predicting prognosis in patients with ILD than ILD-GAP alone.
A Movie recommender system based on topic modeling using machine learning methods
Authors: Kordabadi Mojtaba , Nazari Amin , Mansoorizadeh Muharram
Published: July 2022

In recent years, we have seen an increase in the production of films in a variety of categories and genres. Many of these products contain concepts that are inappropriate for children and adolescents. Hence, parents are concerned that their children may be exposed to these products. As a result, a smart recommendation system that provides appropriate movies based on the user’s age range could be a useful tool for parents. Existing movie recommender systems use quantitative factors and metadata that lead to less attention being paid to the content of the movies. This research is motivated by the need to extract movie features using information retrieval methods in order to provide effective suggestions. The goal of this study is to propose a movie recommender system based on topic modeling and text-based age ratings. The proposed method uses latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) modelling to identify hidden associations between words, document topics, and the levels of expression of each topic in each document. Machine learning models are then used to recommend age-appropriate movies. It has been demonstrated that the proposed method can determine the user’s age and recommend movies based on the user’s age with 93% accuracy, which is highly satisfactory.
The conjunctival microbiome before and after azithromycin mass drug administration for trachoma control in a cohort of Tanzanian children
Authors: Pickering Harry , Ramadhani Athumani , Massae Patrick , Mafuru Elias , Malisa Aiweda , Mbuya Kelvin , Makupa William , Mtuy Tara , Derrick Tamsyn , Houghton Joanna , Bailey Robin , Mabey David , Burton Matthew , Holland Martin
Published: July 2022

Background
Trachoma, caused by ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, is a neglected tropical disease that can lead to blinding pathology. Current trachoma control programmes have successfully used mass drug administration (MDA) with azithromycin to clear C. trachomatis infection and reduce transmission, alongside promoting facial cleanliness for better personal hygiene and environmental improvement. In areas of low-trachoma endemicity, the relationship between C. trachomatis infection and trachomatous disease weakens, and non-chlamydial bacteria have been associated with disease signs.
Methods
We enrolled a cohort of children aged 6–10 years from three adjacent trachoma endemic villages in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, Northern Tanzania. Children were divided into four clinical groups based on the presence or absence of ocular C. trachomatis infection and clinical signs of trachomatous papillary inflammation (TP). To determine the impact of treatment on the ocular microbiome in these clinical groups, we performed V4-16S rRNA sequencing of conjunctival DNA from children 3–9 months pre-MDA (n = 269) and 3-months post-MDA (n = 79).
Results
C. trachomatis PCR-negative, no TP children had the highest pre-MDA ocular microbiome alpha diversity, which was reduced in C. trachomatis infected children and further decreased in those with TP. Pre-MDA, Haemophilus and Staphylococcus were associated with C. trachomatis infection with and without concurrent TP, while Helicobacter was increased in those with TP in the absence of current C. trachomatis infection. Post-MDA, none of the studied children had ocular C. trachomatis infection or TP. MDA increased ocular microbiome diversity in all clinical groups, the change was of greater magnitude in children with pre-MDA TP. MDA effectively reduced the prevalence of disease causing pathogenic non-chlamydial bacteria, and promoted restoration of a normal, healthy conjunctival microbiome.
Conclusions
We identified Helicobacter as a non-chlamydial bacterium associated with the clinical signs of TP. Further investigation to determine its relevance in other low-endemicity communities is required. MDA was shown to be effective at clearing C. trachomatis infection and other non-chlamydial ocular pathogens, without any detrimental longitudinal effects on the ocular microbiome. These findings suggest that azithromycin MDA may be valuable in trachoma control even in populations where the relationship between clinical signs of trachoma and the prevalence of current ocular C. trachomatis infection has become dissociated.
Isoflavone consumption reduces inflammation through modulation of phenylalanine and lipid metabolism
Authors: Shrode Rachel L. , Cady Nicole , Jensen Samantha N. , Borcherding Nicholas , Mangalam Ashutosh K.
Published: July 2022

IntroductionPhytoestrogen found in soy, fruits, peanuts, and other legumes, has been identified as a metabolite capable of providing beneficial effect in multiple pathological conditions due to its ability to mimic endogenous estrogen. Interestingly, the health promoting effect of phytoestrogens such as isoflavone is dependent on the presence of gut bacteria with ability to metabolize dietary phytoestrogen into metabolite such as equol which have higher affinity for endogenous estrogen receptors. We have previously shown that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a neuroinflammatory disease lack gut bacteria with the ability to metabolize phytoestrogen. We have validated the importance of phytoestrogen and gut bacteria in disease protection utilizing an animal model of MS. Specifically, we have shown that an isoflavone rich diet can protect from neuroinflammatory diseases and that protection was dependent on the ability of gut bacteria to metabolize isoflavone into equol. Additionally, mice on a diet with isoflavone showed an anti-inflammatory response compared to the mice on a phyto-free diet. However, it is unknown how isoflavone and/or equol mediates its protective effect especially the effect of isoflavone on host metabolomics. ObjectivesIn this study we utilized untargeted metabolomics to identify the metabolites modulated by the presence of dietary isoflavone. ResultsWe found that the consumption of isoflavone increases anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fatty acids and beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids while reducing pro-inflammatory glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, phenylalanine metabolism, and arachidonic acid derivatives. ConclusionIsoflavone consumption alters the systemic metabolic landscape through resultant increase in monounsaturated fatty acids and beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids while reducing proinflammatory metabolites and pathways. This highlights a potential mechanism by which an isoflavone diet modulate immune mediated disease.
Accessing Trends, and Measuring Sexual and Location Disparities of the Performance of National Examination Examinees: The case of Amhara Regional State Grade Ten Students
Authors: Alemu Kidanie Aragaw , Mohammed Mohammed Oumer
Published: July 2022

Background
Examinations are given to certify and select candidates for higher educations. The Ethiopian General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (EGSECE) was administered from 2001 to 2019. This study was done on grade ten students’ results who were taken the EGSECE exams in Amhara region 2001 to 2017. The purpose of this research was to see the trends of absolute and relative measures of the national exam sitters and passers, and evaluate sexual and locational disparities of their performances.
Method
The researchers would use retrospective research design and adopted multi stage cluster random sampling. Students were the primary units while Zones where their schools found were secondary. All grade ten students registered to take the EGSECE exam in each year in several high schools found in different administrative zones of the region were our sample. To analyze the data, the researchers used trend and variance analysis.
Results
Though the numbers of EGSECE exams sitters in the region were increased year to year, the relative numbers of passers were very low. The researchers found the gap between the trends of the numbers of students registered and took the national examinations were narrow. As time increased, the area between the trends of the numbers of students took the national exam and those got pass mark became wider. The trends of the promotion rates were the mirror images of the repetition rates. As time goes, the areal gap between the trends of the promotion rates of males and females became narrow. The mean promotion rate differences between male and female students were significant. Also, the average promotion rate differences of students among their administrative zones were significant.
Conclusion
In Amhara region little information exists on trend analysis of national exam results of students, and comparison of their mean promotion rates segregated by gender and zone. This research will enable the regional and zonal education bureau and woreda education offices to predict the future movement of its student’s national exam performances, measure gender and location disparity, and perceive quality and internal efficiency of the education system in the region, zone and woreda.
Prioritizing management options using a risk assessment for soil erosion based on GIS, remote sensing, and RUSLE. A case study of Midhagdu Watershed, Eastern Ethiopia.
Authors: Mohammed Sultan , Gemechu Gadisa Fayera , Aliyi Michael , Gemechu Tewekel Melese
Published: July 2022

This study prioritises management options and assesses the risk of soil erosion in the Midhagdu Watershed in eastern Ethiopia. The themed map was developed using satellite data including SRTM-DEM, Landsat OLI, rainfall data, and soil data. The RUSLE model as well as GIS and remote sensing methods were used in the experiment. The experiments revealed that the factors that affect soil erosion risk such as rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS), cover management (C), and anthropogenic soil erosion control practises factor values were distributed spatially and ranged in values from 41.365 to 43.793MJ mm ha-1yr-1, 0.26 to 0.31t ha-1MJ-1mm-1, 0 to 220.512, 0.21 to 0.87, and 0.11 to 1, respectively, and the most powerful factor that influences soil erosion risk was topography(LS) with a value of 0.885.
The results of the grid cell-based RUSLE model showed that 52.24 percent of the Midhagdu watershed (28.37 km2 out of 54.3 km2) had low to moderate soil erosion levels and that 47.76 percent (25.94 km2 out of 54.3 km2) had high to extremely high soil erosion risk levels. By taking into account regions and priority classes based on soil erosion risk levels, the conclusions of this article suggest an early intervention to better plan soil erosion risk management.
Awareness And Knowledge of Moonlighting in the Public Service: A Case of Ghana Scholarship Secretariat
Authors: Acheampong Joseph Ofori
Published: July 2022

The paper aims to explore the awareness/knowledge, motives, and implications of moonlighting behavior in the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat. A qualitative approach was the primary source of data collection. Data collection was conducted through an in-depth semi-structured interview with key informants who were purposively selected. Field data were transcribed into a written report and analyzed thematically. It emerged from the study public servants are aware and have knowledge of the phenomenon of moonlighting. The study found that income supplement and retirement planning are the main reason why the majority of public servants engage in moonlighting, although few highlighted the negative implication of the practice. The moonlighting policy at the public service was weak and leniently enforced. Moonlighting behavior affects the performance and delivery of public service. The study conclusion is that moonlighting is pervasive at the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat. The interviewees recommended that the Public Service Commission should enact policy actions to regulate moonlighting practices.
Role of lung ultrasound in the assessment of hydration status of chronic haemodialysis patients
Authors: Dongmo Sylviane Fomekong , Moulion Jean-Roger Tapouh , Teuwafeu Denis Georges , Chuangueu Samory Guedje , Folefack François Jérôme Kaze , Moifo Boniface
Published: July 2022

Background
Fluid overload is frequent in haemodialysis (HD) and is one of the major factors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality for chronic haemodialysis patients. The main challenge with chronic haemodialysis patients is indeed the maintenance of a normal extracellular volume through dry weight determination. Our study aimed at assessing the role of lung ultrasound in the detection of B-lines for the determination of hydration status in chronic haemodialysed patients.
Methods
We conducted a cross sectional study including 31 patients undergoing chronic HD treatment for at least 3 months, in Yaounde University Teaching Hospital dialysis unit. Lung ultrasonography and clinical examinations were performed immediately before dialysis, and 30 minutes after dialysis. Differences between variables before and after dialysis were measured to assess dialysis’s effect. Association between categorical variables was assessed with Chi-squared test or Fischer test, and Rho’s Spearman coefficient for quantitative variables.
Results
There were reduction in median of B-lines score after dialysis [12(7–26) versus 8(5–13)], clinical score [2(1–3) versus 0((-1)-2)], mean of systolic blood pressure (164.74 ± 26.50 versus 158.48 ± 27.89), frequency of dyspnoea in patients (32.3% versus 6.5%); and raising frequency of cramps in patients (0% versus 19.4%), all statistically significant (p ≤ 0.031). B-lines score before and after dialysis was associated with dyspnoea and raised jugular venous pressure (p < 0.05). B-lines score before dialysis was correlated with B-lines score after dialysis (r = 0.805; p < 0.001), B-lines reduction (r = 0.862; p < 0.001) and clinical score (r = 0.49; p = 0.005). Reduction of B-lines score was not correlated with weight loss.
Conclusion
Lung ultrasound for detection of B-lines reflects variation of extracellular volume during dialysis and can even capture pulmonary oedema at pre-clinical stage. It is then a reliable and sensible method in assessing hydration status. It could constitute a better alternative in objective and accurate definition of dry weight, specifically in the African and Cameroonian context, with its assets at low cost, its availability, its easiness to perform in large population of haemodialysis patients.
Dynamics of unemployment and economic growth on terrorism in Nigeria - Evidence from a linear quantile modelling approach
Authors: Saidu Mohammad Tukur
Published: July 2022

The study is aim to developed a model that examines the effect of unemployment and economic growth on terrorism activities in Nigeria by adopting immiserizing modernization theory with a simulation using a linear quantile modelling approach. The study covers a period between 1990 to 2020 using annual data. The result from the study shows that, increase in unemployment leads to higher level of terrorism activity in the country especially Boko Haram activities having a higher impact. It is also found that, lower economic growth contribute to higher terrorism, as a result of the poor performance in various sector of the economy especially government expenditure on security will then became too low. The result point to an urgent need to control the level of unemployment by injecting more in the economy to promote various sectors which will definitely increase job opportunities and provision of an enabling environment for the working population to engage themselves in a more efficient sector of the economy capable in absorbing larger percentage of our youth, especially agro-allied industry which will further improve the economic performance.JEL classification; E24, J64, O40
Problems of Unemployment in Ukraine Under the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sotnyk Iryna M. , Nahornyi Mykola , Maslii Mariana Yu. , Nikulina Maryna P. , Yehorov Yehor V.
Published: July 2022

The article studies the problems of unemployment in Ukraine under the impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The reasons for unemployment growth in the country during 2020-2021 have been analyzed. They include strict quarantine restrictions on doing business, imbalance of supply and demand in the domestic labor market, inadequate wages in some industries, the economy’s structural changes such as transformations due to lockdowns. The combined impact of these factors caused a 1.5-fold increase in the number of registered unemployed during the first wave of quarantine restrictions in the spring of 2020, while the unemployment rate in the national economy declined in the subsequent lockdown waves in 2020-2021. In this context, the consequences of mass unemployment in Ukraine have been identified and substantiated. Among them are: lowering living standards, increasing social insecurity of citizens; reduction of tax incomes, problems with filling the Pension Fund; disparities in the development of different types of economic activity; rising crime level; exacerbation of employment issues for migrant workers who returned to the country; worsening demographic situation. However, positive trends in employment growth emerged in some areas such as online commerce, digital banking, home delivery, and teleworking. Instead, a significant reduction in jobs was observed among HR managers, marketers, IT specialists, administrative staff, hotel and restaurant business employees, etc. Based on the conducted analysis, there have been formed ways out from the current crisis in the Ukrainian labor market. They include creating new jobs under multilevel infrastructure modernization programs, support of small and medium-sized businesses, remote employment development, repatriation of migrant workers, etc.
Perancangan Website Informasi Kain Ulos Batak Toba Sebagai Upaya Pelestarian
Authors: Novianti Dika , Agus Haryano Nugroho , Restyandito
Published: July 2022

User Interface (Interface) is a visual display that can bridge the system or application with the user. Therefore, the interface is an important thing for a system or application as it looks seen by the user. This interface is implemented on websites that are built easily for users. The website that was built aims to build user understanding that cultural preservation is important. The preservation of this culture is the Toba Batak Ulos Fabric from Medan, North Sumatra. Ulos cloth is a characteristic of the Batak tribe and has been continuously developed for generations. Therefore, the author built an interface website to help digitally preserve Ulos Fabrics that can be accessed by everyone. In this study, the website was built using the Goal- Directed Design method which consisted of 6 stages, namely Research, Modeling, Requirements, Framework Definition, Refinement, and Development Support. After completing the 6 stages, the website that was built was tested using the Usability Testing and System Usability Scale (SUS) methods. Usability Testing uses 2 aspects, namely Task Success and Time On Task, while the System Usability Scale uses questionnaires to 50 respondents. The final result of the test experienced a significant increase that the usability of the website was aboveaverage.
Understanding Event-Generation Networks via Uncertainties
Authors: Bellagente Marco , Haussmann Manuel , Luchmann Michel , Plehn Tilman
Published: July 2022

Following the growing success of generative neural networks in LHC
simulations, the crucial question is how to control the networks
and assign uncertainties to their event output. We show how
Bayesian normalizing flows or invertible networks capture uncertainties from
the training and turn them into an uncertainty on the
event weight. Fundamentally, the interplay between density and
uncertainty estimates indicates that these networks learn
functions in analogy to parameter fits rather than binned event
counts.
From classical to quantum regime of topological surface states via defect engineering
Authors: Salehi Maryam , Yao Xiong , Oh Seongshik
Published: July 2022

Since the notion of topological insulator (TI) was envisioned in late 2000s, topology has become a new paradigm in condensed matter physics. Realization of topology as a generic property of materials has led to numerous predictions of topological effects. Although most of the classical topological effects, directly resulting from the presence of the spin-momentum-locked topological surface states (TSS), were experimentally confirmed soon after the theoretical prediction of TIs, many topological quantum effects remained elusive for a long while. It turns out that native defects, particularly interfacial defects, have been the main culprit behind this impasse. Even after quantum regime is achieved for the bulk states, TSS still tends to remain in the classical regime due to high density of interfacial defects, which frequently donate mobile carriers due to the very nature of the topologically-protected surface states. However, with several defect engineering schemes that suppress these effects, a series of topological quantum effects have emerged including quantum anomalous Hall effect, quantum Hall effect, quantized Faraday/Kerr rotations, topological quantum phase transitions, axion insulating state, zeroth-Landau level state, etc. Here, we review how these defect engineering schemes have allowed topological surface states to pull out of the murky classical regime and reveal their elusive quantum signatures, over the past decade.
Investigation of Bending Strength of Honeycomb Sandwich Structures with Different Cell Diameters Produced by 3D Printer
Authors: KAVELOĞLU Serdar , TEMİZ Şemsettin , DOĞAN Oğuz , KAMER Muhammed Safa
Published: July 2022

Honeycomb structures are frequently used in many constructions today. For this reason, the investigation of the mechanical properties of products produced from honeycomb structures is a current issue. In this study, the bending strengths of sandwich structures with honeycomb core produced with a three-dimensional printer using ABS and PLA materials were experimentally investigated. In the experiments, the effect of the cell diameter change of the honeycomb core on the bending strength was investigated experimentally in the sandwich structures. For this purpose, experiments were carried out for three different cell diameters. A total of eighteen three-point bending tests were applied, with each experiment repeated three times. In addition, positioning equipment has been specially designed and produced to increase the reliability of the experiments. As a result of the experiments carried out, force-elongation curves were obtained. It has been determined that the samples produced from PLA material are more durable than ABS samples. In addition, it was determined that the samples with a cell diameter of 9 mm had the highest strength, while the samples with a cell diameter of 12 mm had the lowest strength for both materials.
A System Dynamics Model of Sustainable Construction for High rise Residential Projects in Developing Countries: Case of Indonesia
Authors: Sutantio Aditya , Anwar Nadjadji , Wiguna I Putu Artama , Suryani Erma
Published: July 2022

Introduction:

Despite its contribution to urban development, high rise residential projects also cause adverse impact on the living environment. To address the problem, a sustainable construction as a new paradigm has been introduced. Various papers have examined the importance of sustainable construction. However, most studies focused on social and environmental aspects and with few consideration on the economic objective of the business. This study aimed to fill the research gap by presenting a dynamic model to improve social, environmental and economic performance of sustainable construction for high rise residential projects in developing countries.

Methods:

This study started with a literature review as a basis for a qualitative survey conducted in thirty high rise residential projects in Indonesia, to identify the influencing factors and the interrelationships. To analysis the data, a system dynamics approach was utilized.

Results:

The simulations reveal that the current regulation and construction practices are insufficient to reduce environmental negative impacts. In order to formulate better policies, three scenarios comprised the implementation of building energy regulation, tax incentives policy, and a policy mix were employed. The results show that the scenarios could improve construction sustainability performance in some extends.

Conclusion:

The combination of building regulation and tax incentives policy is effective to achieve environmental and social as well as economic aspects of sustainable construction which is suitable for investors. Based on the results, it is concluded that the model can be used to formulate various policies in the future to enhance sustainable construction of high rise residential projects in developing countries.
Efficacy of Anterior Tooth Simulations with Clear Aligner Therapy - A Retrospective Cohort study of Invisalign and Flash Aligner Systems
Authors: Sorour Hanadi , Fadia Dhaval , Ferguson Donald J. , Makki Laith , Adel Samar , Hansa Ismaeel , Vaid Nikhilesh R.
Published: July 2022

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of tooth movement between two clear aligner systems by comparing the predicted treatment outcomes versus actual outcomes achieved using a 3D best-fit algorithm.

Materials & Methods:

Clear aligner therapy (CAT) was used to treat 62 patients; n=38 Invisalign® and n=24 Flash®. The Invisalign group had a male to female distribution of 13:25 and a mean age of 35.5, while the Flash group had a male to female distribution of 6:18, with a mean age of 29.2. Differences in predicted versus achieved actual outcomes were compared using eModel Compare 8.1 software.

Results:

1) Intra-group differences between predicted and achieved tooth movements for angular movements were statistically (P<0.05) and clinically (>2°) significant with both treatment methods, except for tipping of maxillary and mandibular incisors for Flash® (<2◦). 2) Inter-group results demonstrated statistically significant differences in favor of Flash® for maxillary central incisor Tip (1.3°), BL movements for maxillary canines (0.1mm), and mandibular central incisor Rotations (1°). These did not exceed the threshold for the clinical relevance of 2° or 0.5mm.

Conclusions:

There were no differences in clinical accuracy and efficacy between Invisalign or Flash aligner systems in achieving predicted tooth movement.