bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENGEMBANGAN TAMAN BACAAN MASYARAKAT SEBAGAI SUMBER BELAJAR
Authors: Sitepu Bintang Petrus
Published: July 2021

Learning society is established and developed starting from reading community within this is in the mind, the role of Community Reading Centers (CRC) holds a strategic position in developing the community to become a reading and learning society. The Indonesian community and goverment made significant efforts to diseminate CRC through out Indonesia. This research was intended to describe the development of CRC particularly of those achieved financial assistance from the government. The research was conducted at 7 (seven) CRCs spread out in Banten Province in June through November 2011. Applying qualitative paradigm, the research collected data using observation, interview, and study document techniques. The data were analyzed qualitatively to draw conclusions and suggestions. The research findings show that the development of CRCs received the grant is not as expected. Based on the findings the research suggest the concerned institutions to intensify monitoring and supervision on the CRCs.
PENGARUH PARTISIPASI SISWA DALAM EKSTRAKURIKULER PRAMUKA TERHADAP PERILAKU PROSOSIAL SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR
Authors: Kenanga Frista
Published: July 2021

This research is aimed to get empirical data about the influence of studentâ€™s participation in scout toward studentâ€™s 3rd grade elementary school prosocial behavior. The research was conducted at SDN 09 and 11 Lubang Buaya, East Jakarta on May until June 2013. This research used Expost Facto method. The sample in this research is amount 40 students of 3rd grade in SDN 09 and 11 Lubang Buaya, East Jakarta, there are 20 students as the experiment group and 20 students as the control group. The sample of this research was taken by using cluster random sampling. Data collection technique in this research used questioner and observation. The technique for data analysis used Liliefors test and Fisher test. The technique for hypothesis used t-test. The t-test result showed tcount = 30,1 > ttable = 1,686, that means H0 was rejected and Ha was accepted. Thus, the conclusion is the studentâ€™s prosocial behavior in experiment group is higher than the studentâ€™s prosocial behavior in control group, that showed the studentâ€™s participation in scout has significant effect on studentâ€™s 3rd grade elementary school prosocial behavior in Lubang Buaya, East Jakarta.
PROFIL KETERLIBATAN ORANG TUA DALAM PENDIDIKAN ANAK USIA TK
Authors: Amini Mukti
Published: July 2021

This study aimed at obtaining an overview of demographic data (education and employment) of the parents of kindergarten children, the parental involvement in the kindergarten activities and in educating their children at home. As an exploratory research with descriptive analysis, the study was conducted in the school year of 2013/2014 in Pamulang and Serpong, Sub District of South Tangerang, Banten, where 238 parents were participaed as the subjects of the research. The finding of the research showed, in terms of education and employment many parents are potential enough to take part in child care. The involvement of both parents both in the kindergarten and at home is pretty good, but needs to be improved, especially in educating their children at home everyday to be independent. The parents are also needed to persuade to be volunteers in the kindergarten. Therefore, further research is recommended to identify appropriate strategies to make the parents more involved in their childrenâ€™s education.
PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT PASCA KEAKSARAAN FUNGSIONAL MELALUI KELOMPOK BELAJAR USAHA UNTUK MENINGKATKAN TARAF HIDUP
Authors: Winarti Agus
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to empower the community of post functional literacy through business study groups in Cimenyan village, Cimenyan Subdistrict, Bandung District. The research was conducted as from March through May 2015, and the data were collected by interviewing 20 resource persons with various professional backgrounds. The data were analyzed qualitatively to draw conclusion. The result of the study indicates, the formation of Business Study Groups (KBU) empowers the community to develop their business and improves their incomes and raises their living standards.
LEMBAGA PAUD DI LINGKUNGAN PERUMAHAN UNTUK PENYEBARAN AKSES DAN PENINGKATAN KUALITAS PENDIDIKAN
Authors: Subijanto Subijanto
Published: July 2021

The existence of Early Childhood Education (ECE) has become a need for equalizing the access to educational service for early age children (0-6 years old). This also became the policy of Ministry of Education and Culture up to 2014. However, the policy could not be implemented completely and equally, particularly in the housing compound in urban and rural areas. The purpose of this policy study is to review the improvement of service accessibility and ECE quality. This study applied document study on legal products and relevant document related to ECE. The result of the study indicates (1) The distribution of ECE in the housing compound is unequal, (2) ECE services are badly needed by the community in the housing compound, (3) improvement access to ECE services in the housing compound provides educational opportunity to all early aged children with different economic and social status background of their parents, and (4) instruction based on integrative holistic approach can improve the access and service quality of ECE. It can be concluded, the access to ECE is not well distributed and expanded yet and not well supported by developer and local government.
HUBUNGAN PELATIHAN BERCERITA TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN GURU DALAM BERCERITA DI TAMAN KANAK-KANAK
Authors: Rahmah Rahmah
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this research is to discover the correlation of story telling training with the teacherâ€™s story telling skill in Kindergarten. Applying quantitative paradigm, this research used the 37 teachers of the Kindergartens in Simpang Tiga Subdistrict, Pekanbaru, as the subjects. The data were collected by distributing questionnairer. The results showed, t counted was higher than t table, so Ho was rejected meaning that there is a significant correlation between story telling training with the teacherâ€™s story telling skill in Kindergartens in Simpang Tiga Sub-district, Pekanbaru. Then the result of reliability test of each variable showed variable X (story telling training) is higher indicating all data analyzed with Alpha method was reliable. The result for variable Y (teacherâ€™s story telling skill) was higher indicating all data analyzed with Alpha method was reliable.
DAMPAK PELATIHAN KETERAMPILAN HIDUP (LIFE SKILLS) MONTIR OTOMOTIF TERHADAP KESEMPATAN KERJA DAN PENDAPATAN WARGA BELAJAR
Authors: Hidayat Dayat
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the implementation of life skills for automotive mechanic in CLC Cepat Tepat, which includes the steps of planning, implementation and assessment to improve employment and learners income. The approach used in this study is qualitative case study method. The data collection techniques through observation, interviews and documentation study. Subjects are six people consisting of four learners, one of organizer, and one of learning resources or trainers. Analysis of data used an interactive model, through the following steps: collection of data, reduction of data, display of data, and conclusion or verification. The results showed that the implementation of life skills training for automotive mechanic started by the analysis of learning needs of learners and carrying capacity which available in the CLC. Life skill training program for automotive mechanic is going well by involving all components of life skills. The results showed that the implementation of life skill training are skill enhancing in the areas of automotive and entrepreneurial attitudes of learners independently. The impact of life skills training program showed an increasing of getting chance to have job and learnersâ€™ income to open his own workshop or others automotive ones and automotive industry companies in Karawang.
ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНАЯ ОЦЕНКА ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ СТРУКТУРЫ И КОЛЛЕКТИВНОЙ ДОЗЫ ОТ КТ-ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ ЗА ПЕРИОД МАРТ-ИЮНЬ 2020 г. В СВЯЗИ С ДИАГНОСТИКОЙ COVID-19 В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
Authors: Водоватов Александр , Романович Иван , Историк Ольга , Еремина Людмила , Морозов Сергей , Рыжов Сергей , Беркович Глеб , Камышанская Ирина , Труфанов Геннадий , Чипига Лариса , Дружинина Полина , Библин Артем , Ахматдинов Руслан , Басек Илона , Каратецкий Александр , Меркулов Дмитрий , Исправникова Юлия , Приц Виктория , Полищук Никита , Мухортова Анна
Published: July 2021

Распространение новой коронавирусной инфекции (COVID-19) в Российской Федерации привело к значительному увеличению числа компьютерных томографий органов грудной клетки, выполняемых пациентам в рамках диагностики и оценки эффективности проводимой терапии COVID-19. Стремительный рост компьютерной томографии ассоциирован с ростом коллективной дозы населения Российской Федерации от медицинского облучения и, как следствие, с дополнительными случаями радиационно-индуцированных раков и наследственных эффектов. В данной работе представлены предварительные результаты оценки динамики числа исследований и коллективной дозы от компьютерной томографии, основанные на данных, полученных в отдельных медицинских организациях и субъектах Российской Федерации. Показано, что коллективная доза от КТ-исследований в Российской Федерации за март-июнь 2020 г. предположительно возросла в два раза (с 16 тыс. чел.-Зв до 32 тыс. чел.-Зв); коллективная доза пациентов с COVID-19 составила около 12 тысяч чел.-Зв. Данное увеличение коллективной дозы будет ассоциировано с дополнительными 5-6 случаями радиационно-индуцированных раков и наследственных эффектов, ассоциированных с КТ-диагностикой, дополнительно к фоновой заболеваемости на 1 млн. чел. населения Российской Федерации. Для более детальной и достоверной оценки динамики изменения структуры лучевой диагностики и уровней облучения пациентов Российской Федерации необходимо проведение сбора данных в субъектах Российской Федерации и отдельных медицинских организациях.
Некоторые аспекты патогенеза Сovid-19 и возможные патогенетические методы профилактики и лечения
Authors: Омарова Хадижат , Макашова Вера , Понежева Жанна , Усенко Денис , Малеев Виктор , Акимкин Василий
Published: July 2021

В настоящее время внимание исследователей приковано к изучению механизмов проникновения вируса SARS-Cov-2 в организм человека и последующего воздействия его на различные органы и системы. Тропность вируса к рецепторам ангиотензин-превращающего фермента 2 типа (АПФ2), которые находятся на поверхности различных клеток: пневмоцитов, эпителиоцитов пищевода и кишечника, кардиомиоцитов, эндотелия капилляров, мочевыделительной и нервной системы, а также в других органах, позволяет рассматривать возможность регулирования активности рецептора AПФ2 для лечения и профилактики инфекции COVID-19.
Эффективность и безопасность применения фавипиравира при COVID-19 легкого и среднетяжелого течения: результаты рандомизированного исследования
Authors: Руженцова Татьяна , Чухляев Павел , Хавкина Дарья , Гарбузов Александр , Осешнюк Родион , Солуянова Татьяна , Шестакова Ирина , Вафин Адель , Дмитрикова Елена , Мустафаев Джаваншир , Домостроева Татьяна , Отпущенникова Мария , Покровский Константин , Русанова Марина , Быстрицкий Дмитрий , Маркова Татьяна , Каплун Елена , Петина Диана , Костина Наталья , Лесина Виктория , Щербак Сергей , Агафьина Алина , Брук Юрий , Бронов Олег , Шульц Евгений , Красавина Эмилия , Самсонов Михаил , Зинченко Аркадий , Никольская Мария , Разживина Виктория , Филон Ольга
Published: July 2021

Цель исследования: Оценка эффективности и безопасности применения фавипиравира у амбулаторных и госпитализированных пациентов с лабораторно подтвержденной новой коронавирусной инфекцией (COVID-19) легкого и среднетяжелого течения, по сравнению со стандартно применяемой этиотропной терапией.

Материалы и методы. Было проведено открытое, рандомизированное, многоцентровое, клиническое исследование по оценке эффективности и безопасности применения фавипиравира у пациентов с COVID-19 легкой и среднетяжелой формы. В исследование было включено 168 пациентов в возрасте 18-60 лет с подтвержденной инфекцией SARS-CoV-2 (по ПЦР мазков из рото- и носоглотки). Среди них на момент включения в исследование и начало терапии 127 пациентов получали лечение амбулаторно, а 41 – в стационаре. Пациенты были рандомизированы в соотношении 2:1. Группа 1 получала фавипиравир по 1800 мг два 2 в день в 1-й день, далее: со 2-го по 10-й дни - по 800 мг 2 раза в день). В группе 2 проводили стандартную терапию: умифеновир + интраназальный интерферон альфа-2b или гидроксихлорохин до 10 дней. Все пациенты получали необходимую сопутствующую симптоматическую терапию. В качестве комбинированной первичной конечной точки была взята оценка медиан периода до улучшения клинического статуса и до элиминации вируса.

Результаты и обсуждение. По данным исследования установлено, что при применении фавипиравира клиническое улучшение регистрировали на 4 дня быстрее, чем при стандартной терапии: медианы времени составили 6,0 (МКД: 4,0; 9,3) дней и 10,0 (МКД 5,0; 21,0) дней, соответственно. Клиническое улучшение на 7-е сутки в группе 1 наступало в 1,5 раза чаще: у 52,7%, в то время как в группе 2 - у 35,7%. Частота элиминации вируса, как на 3-й, так и на 5-й день в группе, получавшей фавипиравир, была значимо выше: на 3-й день - у 71,4% пациентов в группе фавипиравира и у 57,1% в группе стандартной терапии, а на 5-й день: у 81,2% и 67,9%, соответственно. Фавипиравир хорошо переносился пациентами. Большинство нежелательных явлений имели легкую степень тяжести. Достоверных различий между сравниваемыми группами по частоте нежелательных явлений выявлено не было.

Вывод. Полученные результаты подтверждают преимущество применения фавипиравира по сравнению с умифеновиром в сочетании с интерфероном и гидроксихлорохином у пациентов с COVID-19 легкого и среднетяжелого течения.
ДИНАМИКА ИЗМЕНЕНИЙ ПОПУЛЯЦИОННОГО ИММУНИТЕТА К ВИРУСУ SARS-CоV-2 У ЖИТЕЛЕЙ ИРКУТСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ПАНДЕМИИ COVID-19
Authors: Балахонов Сергей , Дубровина Валентина , Пятидесятникова Анна , Брюхова Дарья , Киселева Наталья , Корытов Константин , Войткова Валентина , Пережогин Алексей , Чеснокова Маргарита , Гаврилова Татьяна , Селедцов Александр
Published: July 2021

Пандемия COVID-19 в мире и в России была и остается главным событием в настоящее время. В связи с этим изучение закономерностей развития и проявлений эпидемического процесса новой короновирусной инфекции COVID-19 является актуальным направлением исследований. Важная роль в борьбе с этим вирусным заболеванием отводится изучению развития популяционного иммунитета к вирусу SARS-CoV-2 с целью оценки динамики серопревалентности и процесса формирования постинфекционного гуморального иммунитета, прогноза развития эпидемиологической ситуации, выявления особенностей эпидемического процесса, а также планирования мероприятий по специфической и неспецифической профилактике заболевания.

Цель исследования – определение уровня и структуры популяционного иммунитета к SARS-CoV-2 среди населения Иркутской области в период пандемии COVID-19.

В рамках проекта Роспотребнадзора по оценке популяционного иммунитета к SARS-CoV-2 у населения Российской Федерации проведены исследования среди населения Иркутской области в периоды с 23.06.2020 по 19.07.2020 г. (1 этап), с 16.09.2020 по 25.09.2020 г. (2 этап) и с 7.12.2020 по 18.12.2020 г. (3 этап) с учетом протокола, рекомендованного ВОЗ. Содержание антител к SARS-CoV-2 определяли методом иммуноферментного анализа с использованием набора реагентов для анализа сыворотки или плазмы крови человека на наличие специфических иммуноглобулинов класса G к нуклеокапсиду вируса SARS-CoV-2 производства ФБУН ГНЦПМиБ Роспотребнадзора (г. Оболенск).

Показано, что в период эпидемического подъема заболеваемости COVID-19 сформировался невысокий уровень серопревалентности (1 этап – 5,8±0,5%; 2 этап –12,1±0,7%), а в условиях длительного максимального роста заболеваемости – 25,9±1,0% (3 этап). Значительная доля бессимптомных форм инфекции на первых двух этапах исследования (1 этап – 81,2±3,2%, 2 этап – 90,9±1,9%) характеризует высокую интенсивность скрыто развивающегося эпидемического процесса. Высокий уровень IgG у перенесших COVID-19 сохранялся в среднем от 3 до 4,5 месяцев.

Результаты оценки популяционного иммунитета к вирусу SARS-CoV-2 у населения Иркутской области свидетельствуют о том, что уровень серопревалентности на 3 этапе исследования составил 25,9%. После перенесенного заболевания в среднем у 41,6% лиц, антитела не выявлены. Полученные результаты следует учитывать при организации профилактических мероприятий, включая вакцинацию, и прогнозирование заболеваемости.
Внебольничные пневмонии бактериальной этиологии и спектр чувствительности возбудителей к антибиотикам у коронапозитивных и коронанегативных больных
Authors: Павлович Наталья , Цимбалистова Марина , Аронова Надежда , Анисимова Анастасия , Водопьянов Сергей , Водопьянов Алексей , Гудуева Елена , Сагакянц Маргарита , Ковалев Евгений , Носков Алексей
Published: July 2021

Актуальность. В условиях продолжающейся пандемии коронавирусной инфекции на фоне снижения иммунного статуса организма течение вирусной пневмонии достаточно часто осложняется присоединением бактериальной микрофлоры. Возбудители такой коинфекции могут проявлять множественную лекарственную резистентность, что существенно снижает эффективность этиотропной терапии. В этой связи целесообразным представляется микробиологическое сопровождение пациентов с целью выбора наиболее оптимальных схем лечения.

Цель. Изучение видового состава бактериальных возбудителей внебольничных пневмоний (ВП) у коронапозитивных (Covid-19 +) и коронанегативных (Covid-19 -) пациентов и определение спектра их чувствительности/устойчивости к антибактериальным препаратам.

Материал и методы. Исследован видовой состав микроорганизмов образцов мокроты от 723 пациентов с ВП, поступивших из ЛПО г. Ростова-на-Дону в августе и декабре 2020 года. Идентификацию выделенных культур проводили с помощью бактериологического и масс-спектрометрического методов. Чувствительность бактерий к антибиотикам определяли диско-диффузионным методом.

Результаты. Показано, что в августе в спектре возбудителей ВП превалировали пневмококки и стафилококки, тогда как в декабре вырос процент выделений Acinetobacter spp. и S. haemolyticus. Обнаружена высокая степень изоляции различных видов дрожжей р. Candida, причем у Cov+ больных выявлена тенденция к большей обсемененности (≥104 м.кл./мл). Некоторые возбудители (A. baumannii, S. haemolyticus, P. aeruginosa, S. maltophilia) характеризуются полиантибиотикорезистентностью, а отдельные штаммы этих видов – панрезистентностью ко всем группам антибиотиков.

Заключение. Полученные данные демонстрируют, что тяжелые формы внебольничной пневмонии могут быть обусловлены вирусо-бактериальными и вирусо-бактериально-дрожжевыми ассоциациями возбудителей, включая бактерии с узким спектром чувствительности к антибактериальным препаратам.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Surgical Intervention for Spinal Metastases
Authors: Schoenfeld Andrew J. , Bensen Gordon P. , Blucher Justin A. , Ferrone Marco L. , Balboni Tracy A. , Schwab Joseph H. , Harris Mitchel B. , Katz Jeffrey N. , Losina Elena
Published: July 2021

Background:

Operative and nonoperative treatments for spinal metastases are expensive interventions with a high rate of complications. We sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of a surgical procedure compared with nonoperative management as treatment for spinal metastases.

Methods:

We constructed a Markov state-transition model with health states defined by ambulatory status and estimated the quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs for operative and nonoperative management of spine metastases. We considered 2 populations: 1 in which patients presented with independent ambulatory status and 1 in which patients presented with nonambulatory status due to acute (e.g., <48 hours) metastatic epidural compression. We defined the efficacy of each treatment as a likelihood of maintaining, or returning to, independent ambulation. Transition probabilities for the model, including the risks of mortality and becoming dependent or nonambulatory, were obtained from secondary data analysis and published literature. Costs were determined from Medicare reimbursement schedules. We conducted analyses over patients’ remaining life expectancy from a health system perspective and discounted outcomes at 3% per year. We conducted sensitivity analyses to account for uncertainty in data inputs.

Results:

Among patients presenting as independently ambulatory, QALYs were 0.823 for operative treatment and 0.800 for nonoperative treatment. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for a surgical procedure was $899,700 per QALY. Among patients presenting with nonambulatory status, those undergoing surgical intervention accumulated 0.813 lifetime QALY, and those treated nonoperatively accumulated 0.089 lifetime QALY. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for a surgical procedure was $48,600 per QALY. The cost-effectiveness of a surgical procedure was most sensitive to the variability of its efficacy.

Conclusions:

Our data suggest that the value to society of a surgical procedure for spinal metastases varies according to the features of the patient population. In patients presenting as nonambulatory due to acute neurologic compromise, surgical intervention provides good value (ICER, $48,600 per QALY). There is a low value for a surgical procedure performed for patients who are ambulatory at presentation (ICER, $899,700 per QALY).

Level of Evidence:

Economic and Decision AnalysisLevel III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЙ РОСТ И ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ: ПРОБЛЕМЫ КОЛИЧЕСТВЕННОГО И КАЧЕСТВЕННОГО СООТНОШЕНИЯ
Authors: МАРГАРЯН А. , ТАГАРЯН А.
Published: July 2021

Экономический рост является одной из важных проблем современной экономики. В рамках исследования была выявлена сущность категорий экономического роста и экономического развития, определены сходства и различия между этими понятиями. Также на основе эконометрического моделирования была изучена взаимосвязь между технологическим прогрессом, институционалной средой и экономическим ростом.
ТРАНСФЕР ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ КАК ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЙ ФЕНОМЕН
Authors: ГУРСКИЙ В. , КЛИМЕНКО В. , ШУТ В.
Published: July 2021

В статье проведен анализ теоретических основ трансферта технологий, рассматриваются проблемы влияния технологий на развитие национальных и мировой экономик.
Transformative Leadership for Women's Rights (TLWR): Lessons and recommendations from Oxfam's experiences
Authors: Smyth Ines
Published: July 2021

The aim of promoting gender equality and women’s rights as integral parts of development efforts is enshrined in the key strategies and plans of many organizations. This is the case for the individual affiliates that comprise Oxfam International (OI), and the Oxfam confederation as a whole. This report sets out to assist Oxfam to better understand and learn from the Confederation’s work in this area to date. The purpose of the report is to provide an initial mapping of work on transformative leadership for women's rights (TLWR) in order to offer suggestions, impetus and a programmatic framework for the development of an ambitious global program on TLWR. It is intended to complement and drive Oxfam’s efforts to bring about the transformation of the pervasive gender inequality that limits women’s wellbeing, confidence and potential, reproduces negative masculinity traits, and contributes to the inequity dominant in contemporary societies.
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD): Game changer or mirage?
Authors: Tomlinson Brian
Published: July 2021

Total Official Support for Sustainable Development, or TOSSD, is a new statistical metric that has been in the making for almost 10 years. It is meant to capture a broad range of global flows of public money in support of sustainable development. These include aid, loans on non-concessional terms, and public funds aimed at mobilising private finance for development. Metrics matter. It is essential to track the resources that the international community is allocating to turn the ambitions of Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into reality. Without such data, it is impossible to determine whether there is progress. ActionAid, AidWatch Canada and Oxfam International are publishing this discussion paper to shed light on how TOSSD works in practice as well as on its ambitions, shortcomings and the contending political perspectives on this new metric. The paper emphasizes that TOSSD could significantly shape the future of development finance.
Funding the Frontline: How an Oxfam Emergency Response Fund facilitated local humanitarian action
Authors: Manlutac Janice Ian
Published: July 2021

From 2014 to 2020 Oxfam embedded an Emergency Response Fund (ERF) in its multiyear disaster risk reduction programs in Asia-Pacific and Central America. The Oxfam ERF was designed as a flexible funding mechanism to prioritize small-scale, under-the-radar, and forgotten emergencies and help local actors respond to and mitigate the impacts of disasters in their communities. ERF grants totaling US$1.9 million were disbursed and supported 24 small-scale responses led by 15 local organizations in nine countries. The ERF, through the support of a donor who values local leadership, helped local actors shape humanitarian responses, and the simplicity of fund administration unlocked creativity and delivered speed without compromising the quality and accountability of humanitarian aid.
Gender and Technology: A rights-based and intersectional analysis of key trends
Authors: Ceia Vanessa , Nothwehr Benji , Wagner Liz
Published: July 2021

This report employs an intersectional feminist framework to identify and analyze key trends related to gender and technology. It aims to provide a holistic picture of how gender and technology are embedded in and influenced by a myriad of intersecting issues and challenges that complicate how ICT for development (ICT4D) initiatives concretely impact women’s lives. Based on synthesized research, the report provides recommendations for relevant stakeholders on how to approach the field of international development using technology as a tool for social good in ways that benefit the most marginalized members of our global community.
3D implicit modeling applied to the evaluation of CO2 geological storage in the shales of the Irati Formation, Paraná Basin, Southeastern Brazil
Authors: de Oliveira Saulo B. , Tassinari Colombo C. G. , A-A. Richardson M. , Torresi Ignacio
Published: July 2021

The Paris Agreement established global ambitious targets for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, requiring the rapid and extensive development of low carbon technologies, and one of the most efficient is CO2 geological storage. Among the deep geological formations used for CO2 storage, the shale layers have been a new emerging topic showing to be efficient because they are abundant and have a high content of organic matter, being favorable for CO2 retention. However, one of the challenges in evaluating a location for possible reservoirs is the adequate geological characterization and storage volume estimates. This research evaluated the Irati Formation of the Paraná Basin, through the information from hydrocarbon exploration wells in Southeastern Brazil, where most stationary sources of carbon emissions are located. Three-dimensional (3D) implicit modeling techniques were applied not only for the volume calculation purpose, but also in the site selection stage, generating thematic 3D models of thickness, depth, structures, and distance to aquifer systems. The limestones, shales, and black shales of the Irati Formation were locally divided into six units according to geological composition and spatial continuity. The E black shale unit was considered for CO2 geological storage indicating a theoretical capacity of 1.85 Gt of CO2. The potential of the achieved capacity is promising not only for been greater than the total of CO2 locally produced but also for supporting the implantation of new projects in this region.
Patients’ Perspectives on the Use of Non-pharmacological Home Remedies in Geneva: a Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Winkler Neria E. , Sebo Paul , Haller Dagmar M. , Maisonneuve Hubert
Published: July 2021

Background: Home remedies are anchored in patients’ everyday life, but their use in Western cultures remains scarcely explored. Our objectives were to investigate primary care patients’ perspectives and use of non-pharmacological home remedies in Geneva (Switzerland).Methods: In spring 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among adult primary care patients in randomly selected general practices (N=15). Patients were recruited in the waiting rooms and asked to complete a questionnaire about their sociodemographic characteristics, their home remedy use, and their expectations and reasons for using (or not using) home remedies. We employed descriptive statistics to summarise the data and logistic regression adjusted for clustering within practices to explore associations between home remedy use and participants’ sociodemographic characteristics.Results: 314 of 390 patients agreed to participate in the study (participation rate 80.5%). Home remedies were used by 64.4% of patients. The main reasons given were for preventive purposes (55.3%), self-care (41.0%), as an alternative to conventional medicine (40.5%) and to avoid or delay a medical consultation (38.5%). One-third of patients considered that it was the GP’s role to spontaneously inform them about home remedies (36.4%), another third considered that it was the GP’s role to inform them, but only upon specific request (32.3%), and the last third of patients declared that it was not the GP’s role to provide information about home remedies (30.3%). Patients living in an urban zone (adjusted OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.0-4.4; p 0.05) and those with a tertiary education background (adjusted OR 1.9; 95%CI 1.0-3.6; p 0.05) believed that it was their GP’s role to inform them about home remedies.Conclusions: Home remedies are used by a majority of primary care patients in Geneva. For a comprehensive and safe health-care management in the context of patient-oriented medicine, more evidence-based research on efficacy and safety of home remedies as well as their place in primary care consultation is required.
MOTEO: A Novel Multi-Objective Thermal Exchange Optimization Algorithm for Optimal Design of Truss Structures
Authors: Khodadadi Nima , Talatahari Siamak , Eslamlou Armin Dadras
Published: July 2021

In the present paper, a physics-inspired metaheuristic algorithm is presented to solve multi-objective optimization problems. The algorithm is developed based on the concept of Newtonian cooling law that recently has been employed by the Thermal Exchange Optimization (TEO) algorithm to efficiently solve single-objective optimization problems. The performance of the multi-objective version of TEO (MOTEO) is examined through bi- and tri-objective mathematical problems as well as bi-objective structural design examples. According to the comparisons between the MOTEO and several well-known algorithms, the proposed algorithm can provide quality Pareto fronts with appropriate accuracy, uniformity and coverage for multi-objective problems.
Using the Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Point Coverage Problem with Moving Targets in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: He Fen , Peng Zhihao , Mirkamali Seyedsaeid
Published: July 2021

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have been used in many sectors in recent years. Easy deployment and low prices are the main reasons for using WSN. On the other hand, power source limitations and unstructured overlay networks are the major concerns in these kinds of networks. Region coverage is one of the problems that should be solved smartly in order to maximize the productivity of the network. Appropriate sensor selection and efficient energy usage are essential in region coverage. Pointwise coverage is a well-known version of the coverage problem. Since this is an NP-complete problem, many approaches have already been designed to solve it. The main shortcoming in previous works is the short network lifetime due to high energy consumption. In this paper, an enhanced method has been proposed based on the Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA). By means of an adjusted version of the cuckoo search and a heuristic fitness function, it has been possible to expand the lifespan of the network. The proposed algorithm is composed of three phases: the first phase is setting up, the second phase is the selection, and the third phase is stable status. Simulation results show that the proposed method in comparison with recent works has achieved a sensible optimization in energy consumption, lifetime, and coverage quality.
New Insights Into the Biological Interaction Between Unripe Citrus Fruits and the Tephritid Fly Bactrocera Minax Based on Omics
Authors: Zhang Guijian , Xu Penghui , Wang Yaohui , Cao Shuai , Qi Xuewei , Ren Xueming , Niu ChangYing
Published: July 2021

The adaptation of phytophagous insects to host defence is an important aspect of plant-insect interactions. The reciprocal adaptability between specialist insects and their hosts have been adequately explored; however, the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of tephritid fruit fly specialists, a group of notorious pests worldwide, to unripen host fruits remain elusive. Here, plant metabolomes and insect transcriptomes were analysed for the first time to explore the interaction between unripe citrus fruits and the Chinese citrus fly Bactrocera minax. Seventeen citrus secondary metabolites, mainly flavones, alkaloids and phenylpropanoids, were identified in the unripe citrus fruit metabolome and they accumulated during larval feeding. Three detoxification genes (1 P450 gene, 2 ABCs genes) were highly expressed in B. minax larvae collected from unripe citrus fruits compared with the ones fed on artificial diets and ripe citrus fruits. Based on omics data, a novel ABC gene was screened through plant allelopathy tests and the gene was significantly upregulated in B. minax larvae treated with defensive secondary metabolites; additionally, the mortality rate of the larvae reached 51% after silencing the ABC gene by RNAi technique. Overall, these results shed light on the mechanisms underlying the biological interactions between tephritid fruit fly specialists and host fruits.
Prophylaxis With Diosmin Mitigates Kidney Damage Induced by Gentamicin in Rats
Authors: Geshnigani Seyed Sajad Hossieni , Mahdavinia Masoud , Kalantar Mojtaba , Goudarzi Mehdi , Khorsandi Layasadat , Kalantar Hadi
Published: July 2021

Background Gentamicin is a crucial aminoglycoside antibiotic but it is used only to treat severe bacterial infections, because of its high nephrotoxicity among patients. We evaluated the preventive effects of diosmin (as a natural ingredient) on gentamicin-related renal damage in rats. MethodsIn this research, 28 male Wistar rats were assigned to 4 groups: control, gentamicin (100 mg/kg, (i.p.), daily for 1 week), and gentamicin plus diosmin (50mg/kg, p.o., daily for two weeks), diosmin (50mg/kg/day, p.o. for two weeks). After, the final gavage, blood specimens were gathered for determining serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. kidneys used for biochemical, inflammation and histological test.Results Creatinine, BUN, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations significantly increased and glutathione, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities decreased after gentamicin treatment. Creatinine, BUN, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) concentrations significantly reduced and glutathione level, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities significantly increased via co-administration with diosmin. ConclusionDiosmin had ameliorative impacts against gentamicin-related kidney injury that can be owing to its antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities.
The Implications of Hyperoxia, Type 1 Diabetes and Sex on Cardiovascular Physiology in Mice
Authors: Bojkovic Katarina , Rodgers Jennifer , Vichare Riddhi , Nandi Asmita , Mansour Hussein , Saleem Faizan , Abidin Zain , Vanthenapalli Sahit , Cheng Feng , Panguluri Siva
Published: July 2021

Oxygen supplementation, although a cornerstone of emergency and cardiovascular medicine, often results in hyperoxia, a condition characterized by excessive tissue oxygen which results in adverse cardiac remodeling and subsequent injurious effects to physiological function. Cardiac remodeling is further influenced by various risk factors, including pre-existing conditions and sex. Thus, the purpose of this experiment was to investigate cardiac remodeling in Type I Diabetic (Akita) mice subjected to hyperoxic treatment. Overall, we demonstrated that Akita mice experience distinct challenges from wild type (WT) mice. Specifically, Akita males at both normoxia and hyperoxia showed significant decreases in body and heart weights, prolonged PR, QRS, and QTc intervals, and reduced %EF and %FS at normoxia compared to WT controls. Moreover, Akita males largely resemble female mice (both WT and Akita) with regards to the parameters studied. Finally, statistical analysis revealed hyperoxia to have the greatest influence on cardiac pathophysiology, followed by sex, and finally genotype. Taken together, our data suggest that Type I diabetic patients may have distinct cardiac pathophysiology under hyperoxia compared to uncomplicated patients, with males being at high risk. These findings can be used to enhance provision of care in ICU patients with Type I diabetes as a comorbid condition.
Linked Nosocomial COVID-19 Outbreak in Three Facilities for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Due to SARS-CoV-2 Variant B.1.1.519 with Spike Mutation T478K in the Netherlands
Authors: Gorgels Koen M.F. , Dingemans Jozef , Veer Brian M.J.W. van der , Hackert Volker , Hensels Audrey Y.J. , Heijer Casper D.J. den , Alphen Lieke B. van , Savelkoul Paul H.M. , Hoebe Christian J.P.A.
Published: July 2021

BackgroundIndividuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in congregated settings have increased risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality. Little is known about variant B.1.1.519 with spike mutation T478K, dominant in Mexico. We describe a linked SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.519 outbreak in three IDD facilities in the Netherlands.Methods Following notification of the index, subsequent cases were identified through serial PCR group testing. Positive specimens were submitted for whole-genome-sequencing. Clinical information was gathered through interviews with staff members of the three facilities.ResultsAttack rate (AR) in clients of the index facility was 92% (23/25), total AR in clients 45% (33/73) and in staff members 24% (8/34). 55% (18/33) of client cases were asymptomatic, versus 25% (2/8) of staff members. Five client cases (15%) were hospitalized, two died (6%). Sequencing yielded the same specific B.1.1.519 genotype in all three facilities. No significant difference in median viral load was established comparing the B.1.1.519 variant with other circulating variants. The index of the linked outbreak reported no travel history or link to suspected or confirmed cases suggesting regional surveillance. Observed peak regional prevalence of B.1.1.519 during the outbreak supports this.ConclusionAR, morbidity and mortality prior to control measures taking effect were high, probably related to the specific characteristics of the IDD setting and its clients. We assessed no evidence for intrinsic contributing properties of variant B.1.1.519. Our study argues for enhanced infection prevention protocols in the IDD setting, and prioritization of this group for vaccination against COVID-19.
Traditional Chinese Medicine For HIV-Associated Acute Herpes Zoster: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
Authors: Jiang Yue , Zheng Ruo-xiang , Yu Ze-yu , Zhang Xiao-wen , Li Jing , Lan Hui-di , Qiao Shu-yu , Han Mei , Cao Hui-juan , Liu Jian-ping
Published: July 2021

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common infection in individuals with immunocompromised immune systems, such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used widely in clinical practice for HZ, which remains not supportive from evidence. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TCM in treating HIV-associated HZ.Methods: Eight electronic databases, including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, WHO ICTRP, CENTRAL, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov, were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing TCM in treating HIV-associated HZ. Data were extracted on citations, study design, interventions, and outcomes. Cochrane risk of bias tool 2.0 were used for quality evaluation. We performed meta-analyses by Revman 5.3 software. Effect estimates were presented as risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data and mean difference (MD) for continuous data with their 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Twelve RCTs (644 patients) were included, majority of them had high or unclear risk of bias in terms. The result of meta-analysis showed that, pain intensity (VAS 0-5) in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) group was lower than it in drugs group (MD=-0.87, 95%CI [-1.69, -0.04], 2 trials, n=93). Duration of herpes related pain (days) of patients in combination group was shorter than those in drugs group (MD=-9.19, 95%CI [-16.73, -1.65], n=144). The incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in combination group was lower than it in drugs group (RR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.25, 0.99], n=202). As for cure rate (defined as complete absence of pain and herpes), 2 trials showed that CHM was better than drugs (RR = 1.58 , 95% CI [1.13, 2.22], n=93), 5 trials showed combination treatment was better than drugs (RR = 1.40, 95% CI = [1.08, 1.82], n=224). Cure rate in acupuncture group was more improved than that in drugs group (RR=1.99, 95%CI=[1.18, 3.36], n=120). Four trials reported adverse effects which found no serious adverse events occurred.Conclusion: Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture demonstrate more benefits than drugs in relieving pain, improving cure rate and reducing incidence of PHN for HIV-associated HZ. However, given to the limited data and various TCM therapies, the conclusions need to be verified in future trials.
Synergic Effects of Anticancer Peptide CIGB-552 and Cisplatin in Lung Cancer Models
Authors: Rodriguez Yolanda Gomez , Arguelles Brizaida Oliva , Romo Mario Riera , Fernandez-De-Cossio Jorge , Perez Hilda Elisa Garay , Masso Julio Raul Fernandez , Vallespi Maribel Guerra
Published: July 2021

Non-small cell lung cancer constitutes one the most frequent and lethal forms of the disease. The antitumor peptide CIGB-552 is a new targeted anticancer therapy which molecular mechanism is associated with the inhibition of the transcription factor NF-kB, mediated by COMMD1 protein stabilization. However, its pharmacological potential in combination with chemotherapy is unknown. In this study, we examined the antiproliferative capacity of CIGB-552 in combination with chemotherapeutic agents in the non-small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H460 and we confirmed drug interactions in vivo, in a mouse model of TC-1 lung cancer. We focus our research in the combination of CIGB-552 and the antineoplastic agent Cisplatin (CDDP) in a concomitant treatment. Our results demonstrate a clear synergic effect between 37.5 µM of CIGB-552 and 5 µM of CDDP under concomitant scheme, on proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction and oxidative stress response. The effect of CIGB-552 (1 mg/kg) and CDDP (0.4 mg/kg) administrated as a combined therapy was demonstrated in vivo in the TC-1 murine model where the combination achieved an effective antitumor response, without any deterioration signs or side effects. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of the concomitant combination of both drugs in preclinical studies and support the use of this therapy in clinical trials.
Structure-activity mapping of the peptide- and force-dependent landscape of T-cell activation
Authors: Fordyce Polly , Feng Yinnian , Zhao Xiang , White Adam , Garcia K.
Published: July 2021

Adaptive immunity relies on T lymphocytes that use αβ T-cell receptors (TCRs) to discriminate amongst peptides presented by MHC molecules (pMHCs). An enhanced ability to screen for pMHCs capable of inducing robust T-cell responses could have broad applications in diagnosing and treating immune diseases. T-cell activation in vivo relies on biomechanical forces to trigger activation by sparse antigenic pMHCs. However, in vitro screening tests potential pMHCs without force and at high (non-physiological) pMHC densities and thus often fails to predict potent agonists in vivo. Here, we present a technology that uses biomechanical force to initiate T-cell triggering in high throughput. BATTLES (Biomechanically-Assisted T-cell Triggering for Large-scale Exogenous-pMHC Screening) displays candidate pMHCs on spectrally encoded ‘smart beads’ capable of applying physiological loads to T cells, facilitating exploration of the force- and sequence-dependent landscape of T-cell responses. BATTLES can be used to explore basic T-cell mechanobiology and T cell-based immunotherapies.
The Effect of Photographic Light Exposure on Cup to Disc Ratio Grading
Authors: McSoley Matthew , Rosenfeld Eldar , Grajewski Alana , Chang Ta Chen
Published: July 2021

Background: Digital optic disc images are integral in remote telehealthcare, yet no quality control standards exist for the exposure setting of the images. This study evaluated the relationship between exposure setting and cup/disc ratio (c/d) grading among glaucoma specialists. Methods: Color disc photos were taken of 50 eyes of pediatric patients under anesthesia at 3 light exposure settings: dark, medium, and bright. 9 glaucoma specialists evaluated the c/d of the imaged discs in random order. The relationships between the exposure levels and the c/d estimates as well as between c/d size and variability were evaluated.Results: A total of 150 photos of 50 optic discs were graded. The c/d estimates were significantly larger among bright when compared to photos taken at the medium exposure setting(0.53 vs 0.48, P < 0.001) as well as the dark exposure setting (0.47, P < 0.001). In addition, images with larger mean c/d did not show more variability amongst readers (P = 0.59). Conclusion: Image exposure affects c/d grading of nonstereoscopic disc images. The brighter exposure is associated with larger c/d grading. Exposure consistency is key in longitudinal care.