bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Antiseizure and Psychiatric
Medications
Authors: Zaccara Gaetano , Franco Valentina
Published: May 2022

Antiseizure medications and drugs for psychiatric diseases are frequently used in combination.
In this context, pharmacokinetic interactions between these drugs may occur. The vast majority
of these interactions are primarily observed at a metabolic level and result from changes in the activity
of the cytochrome P450 (CYP). Carbamazepine, phenytoin, and barbiturates induce the oxidative biotransformation
and can consequently reduce the plasma concentrations of tricyclic antidepressants,
many typical and atypical antipsychotics and some benzodiazepines. Newer antiseizure medications
show a lower potential for clinically relevant interactions with drugs for psychiatric disease. The
pharmacokinetics of many antiseizure medications is not influenced by antipsychotics and anxiolytics,
while some newer antidepressants, namely fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and viloxazine, may inhibit CYP
enzymes leading to increased serum concentrations of some antiseizure medications, including phenytoin
and carbamazepine. Clinically relevant pharmacokinetic interactions may be anticipated by
knowledge of CYP enzymes involved in the biotransformation of individual medications and of the
influence of the specific comedication on the activity of these CYP enzymes. As a general rule, these
interactions can be managed by careful evaluation of clinical response and, when indicated, individualized
dosage adjustments guided by measurement of drugs serum concentrations, especially if pharmacokinetic
interactions may cause any change in seizure control or signs of toxicity. Further studies are
required to improve predictions of pharmacokinetic interactions between antiseizure medications and
drugs for psychiatric diseases providing practical helps for clinicians in the clinical setting.
Withdrawn: Brain Tumor Identification by Hybrid CNN-SWT Model
Authors: Kader Isselmou Abd El , Xu Guizhi , Shuai Zhang , Saminu Sani , Javaid Imran , Salim Isah Ahmad , Kamhi Souha
Published: May 2022

Since the authors are not responding to the editor’s requests to
fulfill the editorial requirement, therefore, the article has been
withdrawn.

Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for
any inconvenience this may have caused.

The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be
found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.
php

BENTHAM SCIENCE DISCLAIMER:

It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted
to this journal have not been published and will not be
simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere. Furthermore,
any data, illustration, structure or table that has been published
elsewhere must be reported, and copyright permission for
reproduction must be obtained. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden,
and by submitting the article for publication, the authors agree
that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate
action against the authors if plagiarism or fabricated
information is discovered. By submitting a manuscript, the
authors agree that the copyright of their article is transferred to
the publishers if and when the article is accepted for
publication.
The Immune-based Prognostic Score for the Immunogenomic Landscape
Aanalysis and Application of Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Lu Qianzi , Wang Shiyuan , Pan Yi , Yu Yao , Xiong Yuqiang , Wei Haodong , Su Dongqing , Zuo Yongchun , Yang Lei
Published: May 2022

Background:

Breast cancer is one cancer that develops from breast tissue and one of the major reasons for the death of women all over the world. The tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in tumor immune microenvironment are correlated with the prognosis in breast cancer patients, and play an important role in the occurrence and development of breast cancer.

Method:

In this study, by integrated the immune gene expression of 20 breast cancer cohorts from the public dataset, an immune-based prognostic score was established. This immune-based prognostic score was found to be correlated with prognosis, stromal score, tumor purity, three famous immune checkpoints, and immune escape mechanism in breast cancer patients.

Results:

The clinical application of the prognostic score was verified by the breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, and good therapeutic benefit of the prognostic score was obtained. In addition, the XGBoost classifier was used to construct for predicting the high and low prognostic score subtypes, and the predictive results indicated that the XGBoost was suitable to predict these two subtypes in breast cancer patients.

Conclusion:

Based on these results, we believed that the prognostic score may be used as an effective prognostic marker and may provide great help for chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer patients
The Content and Sources of Breastfeeding Knowledge for New Mothers in the Netherlands
Authors: Oosterhoff Alberta T. , Sellen Daniel , Haisma Hinke
Published: May 2022

Background:

In the context of decreasing breastfeeding rates and unsuccessful breastfeeding promotion campaigns, a qualitative research project in the Northern part of the Netherlands was initiated.

Objectives:

As part of the overall project, the aim of this study was to explore the content and sources of breastfeeding knowledge among primiparous women. Identifying and categorizing the content and the sources of breastfeeding knowledge could guide professionals such as midwives and maternity nurses as well as others in the women’s surroundings to engage in disseminating knowledge and therefore support women in achieving their breastfeeding goals.

Methods:

We conducted 26 in-depth interviews from the emic perspective with 13 new mothers pre- and postpartum, up to saturation level. Transcripts were analysed applying thematic analysis. As sensitising concepts, the themes identified were divided into two categories: those gained from 'professional' sources and those obtained from 'popular' sources.

Results:

Five knowledge content themes were identified: (1) pros and cons of breastfeeding, (2) how breastfeeding works, (3) individual breastfeeding practice, (4) expressing milk, and (5) formula feeding. ‘Professional’ sources are perceived as more helpful than ‘popular’ sources, whereas ‘intuition’ was inductively identified as an important knowledge source.

Conclusion:

Limited breastfeeding practice exposure, along with the recommendations to breastfeed for six months and perceptions of breastfeeding as ‘natural’ at the same time, generates much pressure in women. Emphasizing all knowledge content in campaigns, addressing a variety of target groups in women’s social environment, and recognizing intuition as an adequate source of knowledge supported by professionals will facilitate women in making informed infant feeding decisions.
The Association between Health Behavior and Health Promotion Needs of Village Health Volunteers in Thailand
Authors: Taejarernwiriyakul Ormjai , Keatrungarun Chorlada , Yuenton Thanachapon , Jantosee Panita , Sommatas Apisara
Published: May 2022

Background:

Village health volunteers (VHV) are health community leaders responsible for improving the health and quality of life of the people of a community.For example, screening for COVID-19 in the community.

Materials and Methods:

The cross-sectional survey research aimed to study the association between health behavior and health promotion needs of VHV in Ongkharak District, Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand. The subjects consisted of 270 VHV in Ongkharak District. The research instrument was a questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient at 0.81. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.

Results:

The health behaviors of VHV (M = 1.9 SD = 0.3) were at a moderate level. The health promotion needs (M = 2.9 SD = 0.3) were at high level. Health behavior was positively related to the health promotion needs of the VHV significantly (r = 0.0318, p – value = 0.000).

Conclusion:

The findings of this study may be used to provide insights to agencies involved in health promotion in order to determine how to best assist VHV in receiving health promotion and suitable services that conform to their requirements.
Transfer Validity of Pediatric Supracondylar Humeral Fracture Pin Placement Practice on In-Theater Performance by Orthopedic Trainees Using an Augmented Reality Simulator: Protocol for a Pilot Interventional Cohort Study With a Retrospective Comparator Cohort
Authors: Guo Joyce , Blyth Phil , Clifford Kari , Hooper Nikki , Crawford Haemish
Published: May 2022

Background

Supracondylar humeral fractures (SCHF) are a common cause of orthopedic morbidity in pediatric populations across the world. The treatment of this fracture is likely one of the first procedures involving x-ray–guided wire insertion that trainee orthopedic surgeons will encounter in their career. Traditional surgical training methods of “see one, do one, teach one” are reliant on the presence of real-world cases and must be conducted within an operative environment. We have developed an augmented reality simulator that allows trainees to practice this procedure in a radiation-free environment at no extra risk to patients.

Objective

This study aims to examine whether training on a simulator in addition to traditional surgical training improves the in-theater performance of trainees.

Methods

This multicenter, interventional cohort study will involve orthopedic trainees from New Zealand in their first year of advanced training between 2019 and 2023. Advanced trainees with no simulator exposure who were in their first year in 2019-2021 will form the comparator cohort, while those in the years 2022-2023 will receive additional regular simulator training as the intervention cohort. The comparator cohort’s performance in pediatric SCHF surgery will be retrospectively audited using routinely collected operative outcomes and parameters over a 6-month period. Data on the performance of the intervention cohorts will be collected in the same way over a comparable period. The data collected for both groups will be used to determine whether additional training with an augmented reality training shows improved real-world surgical outcomes compared to traditional surgical training.

Results

As of February 2022, a total of 8 retrospective comparator trainees have been recruited by email. The study is financially supported through an external grant from the Wishbone Orthopaedic Research Foundation of New Zealand (September 2021) and an internal research grant from the University of Otago (July 2021).

Conclusions

This protocol has been approved by the University of Otago Health Ethics committee (reference HD21/087), and the study is due for completion in 2024. This protocol may assist other researchers conducting similar studies in the field.

Trial Registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12623000816651; https://tinyurl.com/mtdkecwb

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/38282
Use of Bacopa monnieri in the Treatment of Dementia Due to Alzheimer Disease: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Basheer Aneesh , Agarwal Ayush , Mishra Biswamohan , Gupta Anu , Padma Srivastava Madakasira Vasantha , Kirubakaran Richard , Vishnu Venugopalan
Published: May 2022

Background

Bacopa monnieri, a herb that has been used for many centuries in India, has shown neuroprotective effects in animal and in vitro studies; human studies on patients with Alzheimer disease have been inconclusive.

Objective

The primary objective of this review was to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of B. monnieri in persons with mild, moderate, or severe dementia, or mild cognitive impairment, due to Alzheimer disease.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, clinical trial registries (World Health Organization, Australia-New Zealand, United States, and South Africa), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials, and CINAHL. We intended to include all randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials that compared B. monnieri, its extract or active ingredients (at any dosage), with a placebo or a cholinesterase inhibitor among adults with dementia due to Alzheimer disease and in those with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer disease.

Results

Our comprehensive search yielded 5 eligible studies. A total of 3 studies used B. monnieri in combination with herbal extracts while the remaining 2 used B. monnieri extracts only. Two studies compared B. monnieri with donepezil while the others used a placebo as the control. There was considerable variation in the B. monnieri dose used (ranging between 125 mg to 500 mg twice daily) and heterogeneity in treatment duration, follow-up, and outcomes. The major outcomes were Mini-Mental State Examination scores reported in 3 trials, Cognitive subscale scores of the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale in 1 study, and a battery of cognitive tests in 2 studies. Using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, overall, we judged all 5 studies to be at high risk of bias. While all studies reported a statistically significant difference between B. monnieri and the comparator in at least one outcome, we rated the overall quality of evidence for the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, Postgraduate Institute Memory Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Wechsler Memory Scale to be very low due to downgrading by 2 levels for high risk of bias and 1 more level for impreciseness due to small sample sizes and wide CIs.

Conclusions

There was no difference between B. monnieri and the placebo or donepezil in the treatment of Alzheimer disease based on very low certainty evidence. No major safety issues were reported in the included trials. Future randomized controlled trials should aim to recruit more participants and report clinically meaningful outcomes.

Trial Registration

PROSPERO CRD42020169421; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=169421
Artificial Intelligence and the diagnosis of lung cancer in early stage: scoping review. (Preprint)
Authors: Hamdeh Abdul , Househ Mowafa , Abd-Alrazaq Alaa , Muchori Gilbert , Al-Saadi Abdelrahman , Alzubaidi Mahmood
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is considered to be the most fatal out of all diagnoseable cancers. This is, in part, due to the difficulty in detecting lung cancer at an early stage. Moreover, approximately one in five individuals who will develop lung cancer will pass away due to a misdiagnosis. Fortunately, Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) is considered to be a promising solution for detection of lung cancer through developments in radiology.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this paper is to is to review how AI can assist identifying and diagnosing of lung cancer in an early stage.

METHODS

PRISMA was utilized and were retrieved from 4 databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, EMBASE, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). In addition, two phases of screening were implemented in order to determine relevant literature. The first phase was reading the title and abstract, and the second stage was reading the full text. These two steps were independently conducted by three reviewers. Finally, the three authors use a narrative synthesis to present the data.

RESULTS

Overall, 543 potential studies were extracted from four databases. After screening, 26 articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in this scoping review. Several articles utilized privet data including patients’ data and other public sources. 15 articles used data from UCI repository dataset (58%). However, CT scan images was utilized on 9 studies (normal CT was mentioned in 5 articles (19%), two studies used CT scan with PET (7.7%), and two articles used FDG with CT (7.7%). While two articles used demographic data such as age, sex, and educational background (7.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review illustrates recent studies that utilize AI models to diagnose lung cancer. The literature currently relies on private and public databases and compare models with physicians or other machine learning technology. Additional studies should be conducted to explore the efficacy of these technologies in clinical settings.
FPGA Implementation of Rectangle Lightweight Block Cipher
Authors: Sayyed Karishma Shaukat , Ganolkar Prof. S. R. , Rajankar Prof. S. O.
Published: May 2022

Abstract: Block ciphers are basic building blocks for network security. In recent years, designing a lightweight block cipher is the main goal of VLSI design engineers. In this paper, we have designed and verified the functionality of the RECTANGLE block cipher which is one of the lightweight block cipher using Modelsim simulator and implemented using Intel Quartus Prime 18.0 FPGA device. Using the bit-slice technique a RECTANGLE block cipher allows lightweight and fast implementations. The en-cryption architecture has two parts one is round transformation and the other is key scheduling. RECTANGLE uses Substitution-Permutation network. It takes 64-bit plain text and an 80-bit key as an input and converts it into a 64-bit ciphertext. There are three main advantages of using the RECTANGLE block cipher. First, it has a simple design. Second, it is very hardware friendly. By selecting the proper S-block RECTANGLE can achieve good security performance. Index Terms: Lightweight Block Cipher, Block Ciphers, Encryption, Bit-slice technique, Round Transformation, Key Scheduling, Substitution Block, Permutation Block.
IMDB Box Office Prediction Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Gore Mohini , Sheth Aishwarya , Abbad Samrudhi , Jain Paryul , Mishra Prof. Pooja
Published: May 2022

Abstract: Movies are a big part of our world! But nobody knows how a movie will perform at the box office. There are some bix budget movies that bomb and there are smaller movies that are smashing successes. This project tries to predict the overall worldwide box office revenue of movies using data such as the movie cast, crew, posters, plot keywords, budget, production companies, release dates, languages, and countries. The dataset on Kaggle contains all these data points that you can use to predict how a movie will fare at the box office. Among many movies that have been released, some generate high profit while the others do not. This paper studies the relationship between movie factors and its revenue and build prediction models. Besides analysis on aggregate data, we also divide data into groups using different methods and compare accuracy across these techniques as well as explore whether clustering techniques could help improve accuracy Keywords: component: regression; predictive analytics; Clustering; Expectation-maximization; K-means; Movies
Study on the Effect of Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete and Concrete Tiles Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Bhoi Ghanshyam , Pate Vinay , Patel Mahesh Ram
Published: May 2022

Abstract: The objective of this research is to explore the compressive strength, split-tensile strength and flexural strength properties of concrete reinforced with short discrete fibers. The study will be carried out on M-20 grade concrete and the size of glass fibers will be used 30mm and variation of fibre will be 0% to 0.3% of the total weight of concrete. also the effect of glass fiber on cement and concrete tiles will be studied whose fibre content will be varied from 0% to 0.7% of the total weight of concrete. Keywords: GFRC, Concrete tiles, Cement Matrix, MORTH
Blood Bank App Management Using Android Application
Authors: Joshi Aniketh J , Ambre Siddhesh S
Published: May 2022

Abstract: Blood donations have helped patients with life-threatening diseases and live longer with better quality of life. Blood donations also support many complex medical and surgical procedures as they also play an essential life-saving role in caring for children and mothers, especially during times of natural or man-made emergencies around the world. This blood bank app is based on Android mobile app framework i.e., Flutter, a Google development framework which is a open-source mobile app that can be developed for both IOS and Android devices. To make a blood bank more accessible to all mobile users. An app can also help people in need of blood by providing details and searching for the donor. If there are no donors who have the same group and within their own city, they can access addresses with contact phone numbers. people in big cities. The main goal of this project is to create a suitable and complete system that will provide a solution for managing blood banks for both donors and patients. Design an Android application for blood banks. Create a blood donation system by providing a safe donation process. This application aims to design, develop, and implement an online blood bank management system and allows you to manage your blood donor information. Keywords: Blood Bank, Android, Flutter, Firebase, Blood Donation
Obstacle Detection and Navigation for Blind Using Smart Blind Stick
Authors: M Chaitanya , Karthik G. , Prathyusha K. , Leela K. Shiva
Published: May 2022

Abstract: In this paper we are going to discuss the implementation and working of smart blind stick for obstacle detection and navigation. This project is implemented to provide a smart electronic guide for blind people. Different kinds of blindness and visual impairment makes people difficult to move from one place to another place. The main of our project is to provide some type of guidance to blind people while moving by helping them in detecting obstacles in their way via ultrasonic sensors, navigating them using GPS module and sending emergency message for rescuing them to caretakers using GSM technology. The system we proposed is an economical, easy-to-use solution for the blind to increase their mobility. Index Terms: Arduino UNO, Node MCU, ultrasonic sensors, APR9600 voice record playback module, GPS, GSM
A Study on Using Biophilic Design to Connecting People with Nature
Authors: Yadav Divya , Bano Dr. Farheen
Published: May 2022

Abstract: When building a structure, physical well-being, comfort, and emotional well-being are all important factors to consider. We typically neglect nature throughout the design process. For nature, there is no other option. As a result, it's crucial to think about while building a structure. In reaction to external stimuli, humans have evolved behavioral processes and problem-solving mechanisms. In this situation, architecture has complete influence over a location's character and stimulus production. The Biophilic Hypothesis argues that physical, mental, and intellectual stimulation is well-planned and delivered to the environment. The impact of biophilic design on employee health and well-being in the workplace is investigated in this study, which presents a unified paradigm for biophilic space design implementation. Keywords: Surrounding spaces, Psychologically, Biophilic Design, Behavioral Mechanism
Mujeres indígenas rurales y pobreza. Los impactos de las desventajas frente a los recursos
Authors: Morales López Julio Ulises , MARTÍNEZ DOMÍNGUEZ MARLEN , Gómez Navarro Dulce Angélica
Published: May 2022

El presente estudio expone los impactos de la pobreza en las mujeres de un municipio indígena de Oaxaca de alta marginación, al identificar los recursos, las estrategias y su efectividad, desde el enfoque teórico de las desventajas acumuladas. Se utilizó el método etnográfico mediante observaciones directas y entrevistas con perspectiva de género, culturalmente situada. Los hallazgos sugieren que la migración familiar fue una estrategia de sobrevivencia que incentivó el acceso a activos durante el siglo XX, sin embargo, en las últimas décadas los ingresos generados por la migración han perdido relevancia en el ingreso total para disminuir la pobreza. Asimismo, los programas sociales han contribuido al sostenimiento de las familias, pero no han logrado evitar la migración de las mujeres y sus familias. Los resultados de este trabajo plantean perspectivas renovadas para estudiar la pobreza del nuevo siglo, bajo otras categorías que conlleven a estrategias para comprenderla y reducirla.
Macrophage phenotype after human refluxate exposure, esophageal dysmotility and their correlation with gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Paraskevova A. V. , Trukhmanov A. S. , Storonova O. A. , Lyamina S. V. , Kalish S. V. , Pirogov S. S. , Ponomarev A. B. , Rumyantseva D. E. , Malyshev I. Yu. , Maev I. V. , Ivashkin V. T.
Published: May 2022

Aim of the study. To investigate the esophageal dysmotility, changes in the esophageal mucosa and the immune response depending on the type of refluxate in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients.

Material and methods. 68 patients with GERD were recruited: 28 (14 men; mean age, 45.74 ± 2.23 years) nonerosive reflux disease (NERD), 22 (15 men; mean age, 45.0 ± 3.24 years) erosive reflux disease (EE), 18 (13 men; mean age, 47.22 ± 2.95) Barrett’s Esophagus (BE). GERD patients underwent esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM) with a 22-channel water-perfused catheter and Solar GI system (Medical Measurements Systems, Enschede, the Netherlands), 24-hour impedance and pH monitoring using the Ohmega Ambulatory Impedance pH Recorder (Medical Measurements Systems). We analyzed receptor characteristics of monocyte-derived macrophages in all groups of patients.

Results. On HRM examination, we showed that DCI (distal contractile integral) in NERD patients was higher than in EE (p = 0.088) and BE (p = 0.076), also LES RP (lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure) in NERD patients was higher than in EE (p = 0.039) and BE (p = 0.012). The analysis of reflux characteristics showed that the total reflux time with pH < 4 for BE patients was longer than that for NERD and EE patients. An analysis of receptor characteristics of monocyte-derived macrophages showed the prevalence of CD25 and CD80 expression in all groups of patients.

Conclusion. An analysis of the phenotype of macrophages derived from blood monocytes of GERD patients revealed a prevalence of М1 macrophages that was typical for the Th1 type of immune response. The degree of esophageal dysmotility was correlated with GERD severity and type.
Successful living donor liver transplantation of the left lateral sector with simultaneous atypical resection of the S2 for focal nodular hyperplasia
Authors: Rzayev R. T. , Kamalov Yu. R. , Kryzhanovskaya E. Yu. , Tatarkina M. A. , Kovaleva A. L.
Published: May 2022

The purpose of presenting a clinical observation. Description of a clinical observation of a successful atypical resection of focal nodular hyperplasia of the segment II of the liver to a relative donor, followed by transplantation of the left lateral sector of the liver to a one-year-old child with cirrhosis of the liver in the outcome of biliary atresia.

General provisions. Patient Z., 29 years old, was examined as donor for related liver sector transplantation. The oval structure with fairly smooth contours, hyperechoic in the central parts and hypoechoic in the periphery, was found in the segment II during the ultrasound examination; assessment of blood flow was difficult due to acoustic interference. According to computed tomography, it was a weak hypervascular formation with fuzzy contours, accumulating contrast medium unevenly in the arterial phase, with visualization of a small hypodense area around, also accumulating contrast medium in the venous phase. According to magnetic resonance imaging, there is a zone of increased MR signal, with contrast enhancement uniformly accumulating contrast in the arterial phase. It was assumed that the patient had focal nodular liver hyperplasia. The patient underwent surgery, during which the left lateral sector of the liver was removed and a single-step atypical resection of the segment II was performed. Histological examination of the surgical material confirmed the presence of FNH. After excision and suturing of vascular structures in conditions of continued blood circulation, the left lateral sector was removed from the wound and implanted into the recipient in an orthotopic position. The postoperative period passed without complications. The donor and recipient were discharged from the hospital in a satisfactory condition on the planned date.

Conclusion. This observation demonstrates the possibility of using a liver fragment as a transplant after resection of focal nodular hyperplasia.
Repeated and Prolonged Drought Exposure Reveals Contrasting Hydraulic Management Strategies Used by Tolerant and Sensitive Genotypes of Sorghum bicolor
Authors: Lehrer Melissa A. , Hawkins Jennifer S.
Published: May 2022

Climate change-induced variations in temperature and precipitation
negatively impact plant growth and development. To ensure future food
quality and availability, a critical need exists to identify phenotypic
and physiological responses that confer drought tolerance in
agronomically important crop plants. In this study, two Sorghum
bicolor accessions that differ in their pre-flowering responses to
drought were exposed to cycles of drying and rewatering. Morphological,
physiological, and histological traits were measured across juvenile and
adult developmental stages. Our results suggest that induction of
stomatal closure works to prevent hydraulic damage under drought
conditions, particularly when morphological and histological adjustments
are unable to compensate for this hydraulic risk. These findings
demonstrate that morphology, histology, and physiology may work
independently over developmental time to achieve a shared goal of
regulating transpirational water loss to mitigate the risk of xylem
embolism.
Septic arthritis of Pubic Symphysis: a case report
Authors: Kian Behnam , Teimouri Arash
Published: May 2022

Septic arthritis is an inflammatory process involving the joints
secondary to an infectious etiology such as bacterial, fungal,
mycobacterial, viral, or other pathogens. Septic arthritis of the
symphysis of the pubic is a rare cause of hip and pubic pain and is
difficult to diagnose.
The Na+/H+ exchanger NHE3 inhibitor tenapanor prevents intestinal obstructions in CFTR-deleted mice
Authors: Tan Xingjie , Kini Archana , Roemermann Dorothee , Seidler Ursula
Published: May 2022

Background and purpose: Mutations in the CFTR chloride channel result in
intestinal o-structive episodes in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and in
CF animal models. This study explores the possibility of reducing the
frequency of obstructive episodes in the
Cftr mice by the oral application of a gut
selective NHE3 inhibitor tenapanor and searches for the underlying
mechanisms involved. Experimental approach: Sex and age-matched
Cftr and Cftr
mice were orally gavaged twice daily with 30mgkg
tenapanor or vehicle for a period of 21 days. Body weight and stool
water content was assessed daily and gastrointestinal transit time (GTT)
once weekly. The mice were sacrificed when an intestinal obstruction was
suspected or after 21 days, and stool and tissues were collected for
further analysis. Key results: 21 day tenapanor application resulted in
a significant increase in stool water content, stool alkalinity, and a
significant decrease in GTT in Cftr and
Cftr mice. Tenapanor significantly reduced
obstructive episodes to 8% compared to 46% in vehicle treated
Cftr mice and prevented mucosal
inflammation. A decrease in cryptal hyperproliferation, mucus
accumulation and mucosal mast cell number was also observed in tenapanor
compared to vehicle treated unobstructed
Cftr mice. Conclusion and implications: Oral
tenapanor application prevented obstructive episodes in CFTR deficient
mice and was safe in Cftr and
Cftr mice. These results suggest that
tenapanor may be a safe and affordable adjunctive therapy in cystic
fibrosis patients to alleviate constipation and prevent recurrent DIOS.
Assessment of a PLL-ASMO Position/Speed Estimator for Sensor-less Control of Rotor-Tied DFIG (RDFIG)
Authors: Mbukani Mwana Wa Kalaga , Gule Nkosinathi
Published: May 2022

In this paper, an adaptive sliding mode observer (ASMO) associated with
a phase locked loop (PLL) is assessed for the sensor-less control of a
rotor-tied doubly-fed induction generator (RDFIG). In the proposed
PLL-ASMO estimator, the ASMO utilizes the stator current, the stator
voltage and the back electromotive force (EMF) as state variables. The
proposed ASMO is used in order to estimate the back-EMF from which the
slip position/speed is extracted using a PLL. The design of the ASMO
gains is based on the Lyapunov stability criteria to ensure the
convergence of the proposed observer in a finite time. Therefore, the
main contribution of this paper is to propose a PLL-based ASMO estimator
that aims to improve the estimation by reducing the chattering effect. A
comparative study between the standard PLL-SMO estimator and the
ASMO-PLL estimator is presented. Also, For the first time, an adaptive
sliding mode observer is used for the sensor-less control of a RDFIG.
The performance of the proposed sensor-less control strategy is
validated through simulation and experimental measurements under various
operating conditions. Furthermore, the estimator is shown to be robust
to machine parameter variation.
First detection of SARS CoV-2 like antibodies in domestic and wild animals in Kenya
Authors: Heshborne Tindih Sheltone , Obara Isaiah , Alessandro Marcello , Mercy Akinyi Matindi , Nyambega John , George Adinoh Omondi
Published: May 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2),
etiological agent of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has
spread since December 2019, resulting in massive health and economic
crisis worldwide. While efforts to stop the pandemic are crucial,
collecting epidemiological data to help manage current and future
pandemics will be important. In addition to humans, serological and
molecular based studies have demonstrated SARS CoV-2 exposure in several
wild, domestic and farmed animals. For examples Shriner and the team
showed serologically an exposure of 40% to the white deer living in
close proximity to urban centers. Additional reports have also emerged
of susceptibility of animal’s species like cats, ferrets, raccoon dogs,
cynomolgus macaques, rhesus macaques, white-tailed deer, rabbits,
Egyptian fruit bats, and Syrian hamsters to SARS-CoV-2 infection.. It’s
worth emphasizing that these reports are based on experimental data
mostly derived from Europe, USA, South America and parts of Asia. In
limited instances natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in
pet dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, pumas, gorillas at zoos
and farmed mink and ferrets. The presence of the virus in animal species
and an understanding of whether these are natural or recent human to
animal transmissions is important. It’s possible that such transmission
could passage the virus or subject the virus to a different
immunological pressure thereby helping with the development of viral
variants in addition to being a host for future reservoirs of the virus.
In Kenya SARS-CoV-2 was first detected on March 12
2020 from imported human cases of persons who had travelled from the
United States. This was followed by detection of imported cases majorly
from China, Sweden and United Kingdom. Later infections were confirmed
in Nairobi and Mombasa suggesting further cases of disease importations
through the major ports of entry. However, no comparable data on animal
exposure have hitherto been generated in Kenya. To address this key
concern, we focused on three objectives; 1) development of a robust
antibody ELISA based on crude SARS-CoV-2 lysate. 2) SARS-CoV-2 serology
of domestic animals in Kenya. 3) Corroboration of the crude lysate based
seroprevalence data and a commercial ELISA kit based on the Spike
receptor binding domain (RBD) antigen. Our sample set included camel
sera (both pre- & post outbreak sera), as well as sera from cats and
dogs collected at the peak of the pandemic. Our results using the ELISA
based on crude SARS-CoV-2 lysate indicated SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in
camels (71%, N=145), cats 11% (N=16) and dogs (81%, N=36) with
varying titer levels.
Determination of silicon dioxide content in bauxite: Comparing the ICP-OES method with the UV-VIS method
Authors: Ostojic Gordana , Lazic Dragica , Zeljkovic Sasa
Published: May 2022

In this paper, the ICP-OES method (induced coupled plasma optical emission
spectrometry) was used to determine the content of silicon dioxide in
bauxite, as an important impurity that affects the quality and application
of bauxite in alumina production by the Bayer process. Twenty bauxite
samples from seven different deposits were analysed. The results were
compared with the reference spectrophotometric UV-VIS method. The mean
relative difference between the silicon dioxide content determined by the
ICP-OES method and the reference method is found to be 4.88 %. Statistical
tests were used to assess the comparability of the two methods, followed by
a scatter plot, the Bland Altman, Passing-Bablok, and the "Mountain" plot.
Graphical comparisons generally do not show statistically significant
differences between methods. The accuracy and precision of the ICP-OES
method were verified by using the standard reference material SRM NIST 697,
Dominican Bauxite. Recovery and repeatability values, expressed as relative
standard deviation (RSD), are within the acceptance criteria. Based on the
t-test, there is a statistically significant difference between the mean
value of ICP-OES measurements and the certified value of silicon dioxide,
which can be attributed to the effect of systematic error of ICP-OES
analysis.
New evidence of central nervous system damage in diabetes mellitus: impairment of fine visual discrimination
Authors: Chen He , Wang Menghan , Xia Lin , Dong Jiong , Xu Guangwei , Wang Ziyi , Feng Lixia , Zhou Yifeng
Published: May 2022

  

Diabetes can damage both the peripheral sensory organs, causing retinopathy, as well as the central visual system, leading to contrast sensitivity and impaired color vision in patients without retinopathy. Orientation discrimination is important for shape recognition by the visual system. Our psychophysical findings in this study show diminished orientation discrimination in diabetic patients without retinopathy. To reveal the underlying mechanism, we established a diabetic mouse model and recorded in vivo electrophysiological data in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and primary visual cortex (V1). Reduced orientation selectivity was observed in both individual and populations of neurons in V1 and dLGN, which increased in severity with disease duration. This diabetes-associated neuronal dysfunction appeared earlier in the V1 than dLGN. Additionally, neuronal activity and signal-to-noise ratio is reduced in V1 neurons of diabetic mice, leading to a decreased capacity for information processing by V1 neurons. Notably, the V1 in diabetic mice exhibits reduced excitatory neuronal activity and lower levels of phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Our findings show that altered responses of both populations and single V1 neurons may impair fine vision, thus expanding our understanding of the underlying causes of diabetes-related impairment of the central nervous system.
Dedikerede sangere i amatørkor under covid-19-pandemien
Authors: Holgersen Sven-Erik
Published: May 2022

The Nordic countries have a strong tradition for amateur choirs for adults that have a fundamental cultural and social importance for the participants as well as in a broader societal perspective. Since March 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the conditions for amateur choirs and, referring to recent research, the immediate consequences of the pandemic for choir singing are briefly described. A phenomenological ground is described as point of departure for the problem: How do dedicated singers in amateur choirs experience being a choir singer in the light of the Covid19 pandemic, and what kinds of meaning do the singers connect with social, aesthetic and ethic aspects?
Interviews with 16 experienced choir singers show that singing in choir may be existentially meaningful and that musical aesthetic experiences are what they most deeply are missing since the lock down of choir singing since March 2020. Regarding the risk of contamination during the pandemic, it is a widely held opinion among the participants that each member of the choir should be responsible for her-/himself at least by complying with the given restrictions, and that the responsibility for other participants therefore should be ‘reduced’ (given back) to the Other’s responsibility for her-/himself. In case of personal concerns, the implication is to not participate. The article discusses aesthetical, social and ethical problems related to the practice of amateur choirs and the meaning creation of the participants.
Korsang og musikalsk ledelse for mestring og velvære
Authors: Daling Grete , Almvik Arve
Published: May 2022

Singing in a choir is shown to have a good impact and effect on both physical, mental, emotional, cognitive and social areas and in relation to meaning and context in life. On the other hand, we have little knowledge of what the participants in the choir experience of learning, skills training and joy, as well as why and how. The purpose of this chapter is to contribute to knowledge about musical leadership in a choir where mastery and well-being for the participants is the goal. The chapter is based on empirical data from the research and development project Sing yourself well1. Data is collected through focus group interviews of participants in a project-based choir for people with mental health challenges. The main theme of the interviews was the facilitation and implementation of musical practice with emphasis on the musical aspects of singing in the choir Sing yourself well. The data are analyzed on the basis of Malterud’s phenomenological analysis and systematic text condensation. Central findings are that breathing, vocal exercises and musical imitation are perceived as important for the participants’ feeling of proficiency. The way the communication between conductor and choir participants takes place is crucial for creating trust and security. What contributes to the participants’ experience of mastery is discussed with emphasis on methodology, communication and learning processes.
Fyrtårnet i Øst
Authors: Hansen Flemming Splidsboel
Published: May 2022

Fyrtårnet i Øst er en yderst velskrevet og informativ analyse af den fascination, som Ruslands præsident Vladimir Putin og hans system nyder i mange forskellige kredse i Vesten. Bogen er rig på detaljer, og den dækker et stort antal lande og forskellige typer af Putin-fascination. Den er kærkommen læsning i forbindelse med dels krigen i Ukraine, dels det politiske opgør som vil følge efter krigen. Her vil den uundgåelige diskussion være, om alt for mange gik alt for langt i deres dyrkelse af Putin og hans system?
Fyrtårnet i Øst (Lighthouse in the East) offers a well-written, informative analysis of the fascination accorded to Vladimir Putin and his system in various circles in the West. Rich in details, the book covers a large number of countries and different types of ‘Putin fascination’. It is a welcome read in relation to the war in Ukraine, as well as the political showdown which is bound to ensue. The inevitable question will be: did too many go too far in their idolization of Putin and his system?
Misdirection and the Regulation of Herbalism in France and England
Authors: Cloatre Emilie , Urquiza-Haas Nayeli
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we propose to explore how the regulation of herbalism, in France and in the UK, rests on series of ‘misdirections,’ with the coexistence of law and herbalism depending on multiple magical illusions. Attempts to regulate herbalists, and the responses they invite, involve multiple sleights of hands both by the law and by herbalists. Herbalists perform misdirections to maintain an illusion of legality, even where they bend legal rules that they deem incompatible with their practice. But far from being the only, or even the most effective, tricksters, herbalists are only one set of performers in a more complex layering of legal illusions. The regulatory and legal infrastructure itself relies on misdirections enacted through everyday legal procedures that trick the general public into believing that the law is ‘acting’ to protect vulnerable consumers from dangerous healers and their medicines, while the effects of its actions may be to tolerate or indeed produce, zones of illegal, or ‘barely legal’, practices. At the same time, this performance is enabled by playing a disappearing act, in which the knowledge of herbalists, and the demands of their users, are disappeared behind the screen of apparent legal protection. Drawing attention away from competing claims to knowledge, and towards its protective intervention, the legal system thereby embeds misdirections of its own kind.
Jóvenes migrantes de retorno: construyendo nociones alternativas de ciudadanía en México
Authors: Jacobo Mónica , Despagne Colette
Published: May 2022

Esta investigación examina a jóvenes y adultos de retorno, pertenecientes a la generación 1.5 de migrantes en Estados Unidos, durante su regreso a México. Nuestro análisis desagrega las nociones que esos adultos y jóvenes tienen respecto a “ser mexicano” para entender cómo experimentan y construyen su ciudadanía en México. Los migrantes de retorno pasan por dos aprendizajes importantes durante su proceso de construcción ciudadana. Por una parte, aprenden a ejercer su ciudadanía formal (derechos y obligaciones) derivada de su nacionalidad mexicana. Por otra, aprenden también a “ser mexicanos” sustanciales en México al desarrollar actos de resistencia que les permiten sobrellevar las tensiones asociadas a la creación de su propia definición de ciudadanos mexicanos.
El 1 porciento más rico en México, 1984-2018
Authors: Escobedo de Luna Jesús Manuel
Published: May 2022

El propósito de este artículo es mostrar un panorama económico y sociodemográfico del percentil más rico de México. El artículo se divide en dos partes: 1) haciendo uso de las encuestas de ingreso y gasto de los hogares en México a través del periodo 1984-2018 se hace una correlación de los ingresos absolutos y relativos entre diferentes periodos para observar la oscilación de su ingreso absoluto, su participación en el total del ingreso, la acumulación periódica y el tipo de procedencia del ingreso; 2) asumiendo que existe una desestimación sobre los ingresos en la parte más alta de las encuestas, se realiza una modificación en los ingresos absolutos basada en porcentajes similares realizados por otros autores.
Sobrerrepresentación de afrodescendientes del Chota en el futbol profesional ecuatoriano
Authors: Escobar-Jiménez Christian , Palacios-Ocles Diego
Published: May 2022

En este trabajo se discute la sobrerrepresentación de jugadores afrodescendientes en el futbol profesional ecuatoriano, tanto a nivel de equipos, como en selecciones nacionales. El concepto de “biotipo”, la industria del futbol, un cambio en la institucionalidad deportiva del país y los éxitos internacionales llevaron a la modificación favorable para su práctica en miras a la profesionalización y a la movilidad social. La inclusión mayoritaria de jugadores de El Valle del Chota en las selecciones nacionales y las pocas salidas laborales ayudaron a crear escenarios favorables e incentivos para la práctica del futbol entre los chicos de la zona a pesar de las dificultades de su realización.
Ficciones democráticas: un estudio sobre desigualdades sociales tornadas en asimetrías políticas- Libro de Gustavo Urbina
Authors: Luján David
Published: May 2022

En esta reseña se ofrece una lectura del libro más reciente de Gustavo Urbina y se argumenta sobre sus aspectos más sobresalientes que dan pie para reflexionar sobre ciudadanía, poder y participación. Además se exploran algunas limitaciones del texto y líneas de investigación futura.