bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Proximate, and Selected Mineral Status of Egyptian Citrus paradisi Fruit obtained from Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State, North-western Nigeria
Authors: Ibrahim BandiIkilima , Cyril Ogbiko
Published: August 2020

The search for new antioxidant compounds and minerals to combat the nutritional needs of the populace of Nigeria is on the increase. This study investigates the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, proximate, and mineral status of Egyptian Citrus paradise: A popular citrus fruit consumed in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State using standard procedures. The result revealed that the presence of important phytoconstituents, namely, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, phenolics, cardiac glycosides, and reducing sugars with alkaloid was reported to be absent. The juice concentrates exhibit an appreciable but significantly lower (P < 0.05) 1, 1-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazylradical free screening activity compared to the reference antioxidant. The result of the vitamin, proximate, and mineral analysis confirms the concentrate to be a rich source of Vitamin C, minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, as well as a moderately to poor source of carbohydrate, lipid, protein, fiber, and potassium. These findings will greatly help nutritionist in properly making nutrition recommendations to meet the nutritional priorities of the populace.
Cardiovascular Diseases in Context: Multilevel Analysis of Risk Factors in India (2004–2014)
Authors: Biswas Ayantika , Singh Shri Kant
Published: August 2020

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), accounting for approximately half of all deaths owing to non-communicable diseases worldwide, have become a major public health concern. The CVD risk is high among the Indian population, as well as varies by geography. The purpose of the current study was to test the independent effects of contextual socio-economic variables, whilst adjusting for individual socio-economic variables on CVD risk factors in India. Data from the 52nd, 60th, and 71st NSSO rounds pertaining to Social Consumption related to Health have been utilized for the current study. A four-level multilevel model has been fitted to examine the measured individual, household, community, and district factors on the prevalence of CVDs.District educational attainment, household expenditure quintile, and proportion of district urbanicity have emerged as important factors with few contra-indications in terms of traditional directions of association, as opposed to extant literature. Religious and ethnic composition of the communities and districts have also been found to have an impact. In order to better manage the CVD health of the nation, there is a strong need to focus on community-level and district-level interventions, in addition to individual-level factors. Future research should investigate these factors to account for unexplained variations in CVD management.
Study the Neurological Improvement after Surgical Management of Traumatic Paraplegia in Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fractures
Authors: Misra Subarna , Mukherjee Subhankar , Banerjee Upal , Chattopadhyay Abhishek , Sasmal Anindya , Dinkar Shashi
Published: August 2020

Background: Traumatic paraplegia is an unanticipated catastrophe in an individual’s life, posing a huge economic as well as social burden. We evaluated all the patients for neurological improvement after surgical management of traumatic paraplegia in traumatic thoracolumbar fractures. Materials and Methods: The prospective study was conducted in the department of orthopedics of a tertiary care teaching institute in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The patients were evaluated by X-ray of spine (anteroposterior and lateral view) and sometimes computed tomography scan. In most cases, pedicle screw with plate or rod was used and posterior stabilization and posterior fusion with corticocancellous bone graft from posterior iliac crest were done. Pre-operative and post-operative neurological charts (according to Frankel’s grade and American Spinal Cord Injury Association score [motor and sensory]) were maintained with regular assessment for proper post- operative neurological recovery assessment. Results: Forty-six patients in whom posterior stabilization of the spine was done in this institution and followed up for a period ranging from 6 months to 2 years, 4 of 46 patients lost follow-up. Remaining 42 patients were considered for the study. When decompression done within the 1st week in incomplete paraplegia, 80% of the patients show Grade 3 power return, whereas 25% of the patients show return of Grade 3 power when decompression done in the 3rd week in incomplete paraplegia cases. In complete paraplegia cases, 11% of the patients had return of power up to Grade 3 when decompression done within the 1 week, where no cases showed return of Grade 3 power when decompression done after the 2nd or 3rd week. In incomplete paraplegia, 80% of the patients had onset of sensory recovery within 1 week, when the decompression done within the 1st week. In complete paraplegia, 11% of the patients had sensory recovery within 2 weeks when decompression done within 1 week. Conclusion: Hence, our conclusion is that early decompression definitely has some role regarding motor and sensory function return, both in complete and incomplete paraplegia.
Scoping Recreational Disturbance of Shorebirds to Inform the Agenda for Research and Management in Tropical Asia
Authors: Sumudu Marasinghe  , Greg D. Simpson  , David Newsome  , Priyan Perera
Published: August 2020

In addition to scoping the impacts of the four most reported sources of recreational disturbance on shorebirds, this study also advances the concept of Tropical Asia (TA) to collectively describe tourist destinations in the ecologically and geopolitically diverse part of the planet that incorporates the tourism megaregion of South and Southeast Asia. At a time of growing global concern about the rapid decline of shorebird populations, many governments in TA are embracing and capitalising on the exponential growth in demand for coastal recreation and tourism across the region. This political response is partly driven by efforts to deliver economic development, aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in order to secure the livelihoods of people living in less developed coastal areas. However, the rapid increase in visitor numbers and the development of infrastructure to support the booming demand for coastal tourism destinations in TA are further exacerbating the pressures on shorebird populations across the region. Despite these growing pressures and the wealth of research reporting on shorebird populations across the Asian flyways, this scoping study identified surprisingly little research that reports on the recreational disturbance (RD) of shorebirds in TA. While undertaken to inform future research, this study also provides a synthesis of management strategies reported in the global literature into a set of management recommendations for coastal destinations in TA.
Correlação empírica para massa específica de biodiesel de fontes diversas e suas misturas com o diesel
Authors: Azevedo Paulo Gabriel Ferreira de , Silva Ivan Costa da , Farias Cláudia Teresa Teles , Cavalcanti Luiz Antonio Pimentel
Published: August 2020

Diante dos problemas ambientais e econômicos causados pelo uso excessivo de combustíveis de origem petrolífera, o biodiesel se mostra uma alternativa viável para uso em motores que operam no ciclo diesel. Para tal aplicação, o conhecimento das propriedades fluidodinâmicas desse combustível, como a massa específica, é indispensável, já que as mesmas estão diretamente relacionadas com o desempenho do motor. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar um modelo de regressão linear com o intuito de predizer a massa específica dos biodiesel de algodão (B100-A), soja (B100-S) e sebo bovino (B100-SB), bem como suas misturas com diesel petróleo (misturas BX). Tais misturas foram formuladas com base gravimétrica com percentuais de biodiesel na mistura de 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% e 50% (m/m) e foram avaliadas a massa específica dos combustíveis na faixa de temperatura de 293,15 K a 363,15 K em intervalos de 10 K. Com base nos dados experimentais de massa específica dos biodiesel avaliados e suas misturas com o diesel, provenientes da literatura, foram construídos gráficos tridimensionais que relacionam a massa específica em função da temperatura e fração de biodiesel presente na mistura em cada caso, verificou-se que os dados experimentais poderiam ser ajustados a um plano, dessa forma, obteve-se um modelo para a essa propriedade, sendo que os parâmetros para cada tipo de biodiesel foram estabelecidos pelo software Matlab, utilizando o aplicativo Curve Fitting. Os ajustes dos parâmetros do modelo apresentaram desvio percentual máximo de 0,15%, no caso do B100-S, e coeficiente de determinação (R²) mínimo de 0,9994, também para o B100-S. Ao avaliar os dados pelo método qui-quadrado, foi observado que o modelo proposto representa satisfatoriamente os dados avaliados, podendo este ser utilizado para predizer os valores de massa específica do biodiesel e misturas com o diesel de petróleo para o intervalo de temperatura estudado.
Research on the decision-making of flood prevention emergency plans during reservoir construction based on generalized intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets and TOPSIS
Authors: Wu Han , Wang Junwu , Feng Jingtao , Liu Denghui , Liu Sen
Published: August 2020

Reservoir engineering is of great significance for the reduction of regional flood disasters and ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture. This paper proposed a decision-making model based on generalized intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets and TOPSIS. First, an evaluation index system was comprehensively identified and constructed. Then, generalized intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets were used to describe the index attribute values of emergency plans to fully reflect the certainty, uncertainty, and hesitancy of indexes, and their weights were calculated by Fuzzy Ordered Weighted Averaging (FOWA) to adequately consider the ambiguity of experts' judgment. Finally, the TOPSIS method was extended via the generalized intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets to the sequencing of emergency plans. In addition, the Wangjiazhou Reservoir Project in China was selected as a case study. The case study demonstrated that full use of emergency materials and personnel was the most important factor, and the plan of the overflow rock-fill dam was the optimal flood prevention emergency plan. Compared with the classical TOPSIS, the new model proposed in this paper was found to have improved feasibility and effectiveness, and its evaluation results were more objective and reasonable. Therefore, the proposed method could provide both theoretical and practical reference.
Screening of Hub Gene Targets for Lung Cancer via Microarray Data
Authors: Su Chang , Liu Wen-Xiu , Wu Li-Sha , Dong Tian-Jian , Liu Jun-Feng
Published: August 2020

Background:

Lung cancer is one of the malignancies exhibiting the fastest increase in
morbidity and mortality, but the cause is not clearly understood. The goal of this investigation was
to screen and identify relevant biomarkers of lung cancer.

Methods:

Publicly available lung cancer data sets, including GSE40275 and GSE134381, were
obtained from the GEO database. The repeatability test for data was done by principal component
analysis (PCA), and a GEO2R was performed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs),
which were all subjected to enrichment analysis. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs), and the
significant module and hub genes were identified via Cytoscape. Expression and correlation
analysis of hub genes was done, and an overall survival analysis of lung cancer was performed. A
receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to test the sensitivity and
specificity of the identified hub genes for diagnosing lung cancer.

Results:

The repeatability of the two datasets was good and 115 DEGs and 10 hub genes were
identified. Functional analysis revealed that these DEGs were associated with cell adhesion, the
extracellular matrix, and calcium ion binding. The DEGs were mainly involved with ECM-receptor
interaction, ABC transporters, cell-adhesion molecules, and the p53 signaling pathway. Ten genes
including COL1A2, POSTN, DSG2, CDKN2A, COL1A1, KRT19, SLC2A1, SERPINB5, DSC3, and
SPP1 were identified as hub genes through module analysis in the PPI network. Lung cancer patients
with high expression of COL1A2, POSTN, DSG2, CDKN2A, COL1A1, SLC2A1, SERPINB5, and
SPP1 had poorer overall survival times than those with low expression (p #60;0.05). The CTD database
showed that 10 hub genes were closely related to lung cancer. Expression of POSTN, DSG2,
CDKN2A, COL1A1, SLC2A1, SERPINB5, and SPP1 was also associated with a diagnosis of lung
cancer (p#60;0.05). ROC analysis showed that SPP1 (AUC = 0.940, p = 0.000*, 95%CI = 0.930-0.973,
ODT = 7.004), SLC2A1 (AUC = 0.889, p = 0.000*, 95%CI = 0.791-0.865, ODT = 7.123), CDKN2A
(AUC = 0.730, p = 0.000*, 95%CI = 0.465-1.000, ODT = 6.071) were suitable biomarkers.

Conclusions:

Microarray technology represents an effective method for exploring genetic targets
and molecular mechanisms of lung cancer. In addition, the identification of hub genes of lung
cancer provides novel research insights for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
Variations in Mineral/heavy Metals Profiling and Preventive Role of Trichomes in Peach Fruits Treated with CaC2
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Abbas Safdar , Azhar Beenish Jehan , Ahmad Shakeel , Muhammad Hafsah , Ahmed Ishaq , Hussain Javed , Shakeel Samina N.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Phytonutrients in peach fruits have health-promoting antioxidants against
various chronic diseases. However, there is no extensive data to show the nutritional values of
Local peach cultivars after post-harvest treatments.

Objective:

Mainly this study was objective to determine the effect of calcium carbide on nutritional
value and quality of fruits of Pakistani peach cultivars.

Methods:

The peach fruits were collected from three different peach orchids of KPK and the fruits
were divided into 4 groups while 5th group was collected from a local fruit shop. Each
experimental group was treated with different concentrations of calcium carbide whereas control
group was not treated. The peel and pulp samples were oven dried and ground to fine powder
separately. The elemental compositions were determined using Particle Induced X-ray emission
and Pelletron Tandem Accelerator.

Results:

Sixteen elements were identified in peach fruits and the elements were Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca,
Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Se. In peel, the concentration of some elements increased or
decreased after treatment with CaC2 while in pulp the conc. of nearly all detected elements was
increased in treated samples. We found a significantly higher amount of heavy metals traces,
including As, Se, Co, Si, and P in peach fruits treated with CaC2. Interestingly, the presence of
trichomes in peach skin prevents the transfer of these heavy metals deep into the pulp which was
also verified by the elemental profiling of nectarines.

Conclusion:

Conclusively, the artificial ripening with CaC2 changed the nutritional value of peach
fruits that has higher health risks if consume with the peel. According to our best knowledge, this
is the first report that highlights the effects of CaC2 which deteriorate the nutritional value of peach
fruits in Pakistan.
Development and Challenges of the Discovery of HER2 Inhibitors
Authors: Sun Zhi-Gang , Zhao Liang-Hui , Li Zhi-Na , Zhu Hai-Liang
Published: August 2020

The treatment of cancer has always been a major problem in the world. Some cancers cannot be treated with surgery, but only with cancer drugs. Among many cancer drugs, small molecule inhibitors play an irreplaceable role. HER2 is one of the HER families, and the development of HER2 inhibitors has made a huge contribution to the treatment of cancer. Some HER2 inhibitors are already on the market, and some HER2 inhibitors are undergoing clinical research. The design, synthesis and development of new HER2 inhibitors targeting different targets are also ongoing, and some are even under clinical research. The HER2 inhibitors that are on the market have developed resistance, which brings great challenges to the HER2 inhibitor development in the future. This article reviews the development and challenges of the discovery of HER2 inhibitors.
The Role of Autophagy in the Pathogenesis of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Shi Qianyu , Cheng Quancheng , Chen Chunhua
Published: August 2020

Autophagy is a strictly regulated process that degrades and recycles long-lived or misfolded
proteins and damaged organelles for the maintenance of energy and function homeostasis of
cells. Insufficient oxygen and glucose supply caused by cerebral ischemia lead to a higher ratio of
AMP/ATP, which will activate the AMPK pathway to initiate the process of autophagy. Accumulating
evidence shows that autophagy participates in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke as a double-
edged sword. However, the exact role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke is
controversial and yet to be elucidated. In this review, the autophagy pathway, both in physiological
conditions and in ischemic stroke, is expounded. The focus was also on discussing the doubleedged
sword effect of autophagy in brain ischemia and its underlying mechanisms. In addition, potential
therapeutic strategies for ischemic stroke targeting autophagy pathway were also reviewed.
SIRT1 Promotes Neuronal Fortification in Neurodegenerative Diseases through Attenuation of Pathological Hallmarks and Enhancement of Cellular Lifespan
Authors: Mishra Priya , Mittal Amit Kumar , Kalonia Harikesh , Madan Swati , Ghosh Shampa , Sinha Jitendra Kumar , Rajput Satyendra Kumar
Published: August 2020

Neurodegeneration is a complex neurological phenomenon characterized by disturbed
coherence in neuronal efflux. Progressive neuronal loss and brain damage due to various age-related
pathological hallmarks perturb the behavioral balance and quality of life. Sirtuins have been
widely investigated for their neuroprotective role, with SIRT1 being the most contemplated member
of the family. SIRT1 exhibits significant capabilities to enhance neurogenesis and cellular lifespan
by regulating various pathways, which makes it an exciting therapeutic target to inhibit neurodegenerative
disease progression. SIRT1 mediated neuronal fortification involves modulation of
molecular co-factors and biochemical pathways responsible for the induction and sustenance of
pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative environment in the cellular milieu. In this review, we present
the major role played by SIRT1 in maintaining cellular strength through the regulation of genomic
stability, neuronal growth, energy metabolism, oxidative stress, inhibiting mechanisms and anti-inflammatory
responses. The therapeutic significance of SIRT1 has been put into perspective
through a comprehensive discussion about its ameliorating potential against neurodegenerative stimuli
in a variety of diseases that characteristically impair cognition, memory and motor coordination.
This review enhances the acquaintance concerned with the neuroprotective potential of SIRT1
and thus promotes the development of novel SIRT1 regulating therapeutic agents and strategies.
Review on Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles through Plants
Authors: Shumail Hoor , Khalid Shah , Ahmad Izhar , Khan Haroon , Amin Surriya , Ullah Barkat
Published: August 2020

Nature has the potential to reduce metal salts to their relative nanoparticles. Traditionally,
physical and chemical methods were used for the synthesis of nanoparticles but due to the use of toxic
chemicals, non-ecofriendly methods and other harmful effects, green chemistry approaches are now
employed for synthesizing nanoparticles which are basically the most cost effective, ecofriendly and
non-hazardous methods. In this review, we aimed to evaluate and study the details of various mechanisms
used for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from plants, their size, shape and potential applications.
A total of 150 articles comprising both research and review articles from 2009 to 2019 were
selected and studied in detail to get in-depth knowledge about the synthesis of silver nanoparticles
specifically through green chemistry approaches. Silver ions and their salts are well known for their
antimicrobial properties and have been used in various medical and non-medical applications since the
emergence of human civilization. Miscellaneous attempts have been made to synthesize nanoparticles
using plants and such nanoparticles are more efficient and beneficial in terms of their antibacterial,
antifungal, antioxidant, anti-biofilm and cytotoxic activities than nanoparticles synthesized through
physical and chemical processes. Silver nanoparticles have been studied as an important research area
due to their specific and tunable properties and their application in the field of biomedicine such as
tissue and tumor imaging and drug delivery. These nanoparticles can be further investigated to find out
their antimicrobial potential in cell lines and animal models.
Regulatory Requirements and Comparison of Approval of New and Generic Drugs in the United States of America and Japan: Implication for Future Strategies
Authors: Malik Paramjeet , Pawar Neelam , Bahmani Kavita
Published: August 2020

Safety, efficacy and quality of a therapeutic product are the major concerns for the pharmaceutical companies. FDA and PMDA are the main regulatory authorities in the USA Japan respectively, that ensure the maintenance of these required parameters by forming standard guidelines and process for drug approval. These regulatory authorities review a pharmaceutical drug product from its discovery phase to the marketed product. Dossier plays an important role in the approval process of a drug product, as it allows both applicants and review team members to evaluate the data in an effective manner. A dossier consists of five modules containing informative data of various stages of a drug product but in a brief pattern with folders and subfolders. In the present paper, the authors focus on an in-depth review of the approval process for new and generic drugs in the USA and Japan.
Encontrabilidade da informação em ambientes informacionais: diálogo teórico entre os conceitos Intencionalidade e affordance
Authors: Vechiato Fernando Luiz , Trindade Alessandra Stefane Cândido Elias da
Published: August 2020

Informational environments needs to adopt mechanisms that make it possible to find information. Affordances are object/environments elements that shows the subjects action possibilities. The Intentionality consists of the subject’s experiences, competences, skills and knowledge related to environments and objects interaction. The research questioned how the studies of the Intentionality and affordance could contribute to the information findability on informational environments. It aims to understand the theoretically relationship between Intentionality and affordance concepts, and propose informational environments design and assessment recommendations from bibliographical and exploratory research using the quadripolar method. The results show the concepts effective dialogue and development of digital, analog or hybrid informational environments project and evaluation recommendations. It’s concluded that both theories can be reflected in the informational environment design as they contribute to information findability as well as that subject’s Intentionality influences the affordances detection process.
As autarcas portuguesas na imprensa nacional: Análise à projeção mediática de mulheres detentoras de cargo político
Authors: Afonso Amália Cunha , Ribeiro Vasco
Published: August 2020

There is no doubt that access to politics is a difficult path for them, especially in local government. The goal of this article is to (1) understand how the woman holds political office, (2) as it is mentioned in the national press, more specifically, in Jornal de Noticias and Público. And by complementing interviews with the analysis of press content, we can verify from this work that women have, over time, occupied a weaker position in the social structure, both in the public and private dimensions. It is curious, after a few years in democracy, that the number of women in politics is still so small.
Letramento Académico: prática cultural discursiva
Authors: Rodrigues Olira Saraiva
Published: August 2020

This article aims to discuss the respect for the need for didactic and pedagogical strategies in relation to academic teaching, in the understanding of university students, as subjects of language, with values and identity marks. A proposal of this research is theoretically theoretical or academic literacy, as well as launching some perspectives, from the possibilities of appropriation practices in the university environment by academics. The study aims to collaborate with the construction of knowledge that interferes and will (re) mean the process of academic literacy, through reflections, for students who are builders of their only speeches and not only reproducers of legitimate speeches. Methodologically, a research carried out in bibliographic and descriptive studies, with a qualitative approach. Therefore, an epistemological analysis based on Foucault (1996), Orlandi (1988) and Rodrigues (2009) for the notion of discourse; Soares (2009) for teaching and Lea and Street (2014) for academic teaching.
Численное решение задачи определения температурной зависимости теплофизических параметров твердых сред
Authors: Обухов А.А. , Новикова Т.А. , Лебедев В.Г. , Ладьянов В.И. , Обухов А.В.
Published: August 2020

Рассмотрены два различных подхода для определения теплофизических свойств исследуемого материала. Необходимые экспериментальные данные по термическим кривым были получены из имитационного моделирования процесса распространения тепла на основе численного решения одномерной задачи уравнения теплопроводности. Значения коэффициентов теплопроводности и температуропроводности рассчитаны независимо друг от друга по предлагаемым методикам. Результат исследования позволяет оценить погрешность полученных параметров за счет сравнения с данными, заложенными в имитационное моделирование. Предлагаемая методика дает качественное и количественное представления о теплофизических свойствах материалов. Ключевые слова: численный эксперимент, температура, уравнение теплопроводности, теплофизические свойства.
Исследование влияния вторичных объемных концентраторов на выходные параметры фотоэлектрических модулей
Authors: Потапович Н.С. , Давидюк Н.Ю. , Ларионов В.Р. , Хвостиков В.П.
Published: August 2020

Разработаны и исследованы вторичные оптические концентраторы (фоконы), предназначенные для работы в солнечном концентраторном фотоэлектрическом модуле с линзами Френеля. Были созданы как объемные преломляющие концентраторы, так и концентраторы с внутренними отражающими поверхностями в форме перевернутых усеченных конусов и пирамид. Использование фоконов в конструкции фотоэлектрического модуля позволило добиться значительного увеличения (больше чем в два раза) допустимого угла отклонения оптической оси концентраторной системы от нормального положения. Ключевые слова: фотоэлектрический преобразователь, концентраторный фотоэлектрический модуль, вторичный оптический концентратор, фокон, линза Френеля.
Лавинный пробой в 4H-SiC диодах Шоттки: вопросы надежности
Authors: Иванов П.А. , Потапов А.С. , Лебедева Н.М. , Грехов И.В.
Published: August 2020

Рассмотрены вопросы, связанные с надежностью силовых 4H-SiC диодов Шоттки при кратковременных электрических перегрузках в обратном направлении (при работе диодов в импульсном лавинном режиме). В частности, обсуждается влияние неоднородности лавинного пробоя по площади диода на величину максимальной лавинной энергии (МЛЭ), которая может быть рассеяна диодом до того, как в нем произойдет вторичный тепловой пробой. Для оценки того, насколько однороден лавинный пробой, предложено сравнивать измеренную импульсную обратную вольт-амперную характеристику (ВАХ) диода с расчетной ВАХ идеального квазиодномерного диода. Проведены измерения обратных ВАХ промышленных 4H-SiC ДШ: через диоды пропускались одиночные импульсы лавинного тока длительностью ~1 μs; в процессе измерений амплитуда импульсов поднималась до величин, при которых происходил катастрофический отказ диодов. Показано, что увеличенное дифференциальное сопротивление диодов на лавинном участке ВАХ и пониженное экстраполированное напряжение пробоя (по сравнению с их расчетными значениями для идеальных диодов) предсказывают снижение величины МЛЭ. Ключевые слова: карбид кремния, диод Шоттки, лавинный пробой, надежность.
Хаотический генератор с выделенной инерционностью высокой мощности на биполярном транзисторе
Authors: Савельев С.В. , Морозова Л.А.
Published: August 2020

Впервые изложены результаты исследования возможности создания мощного широкополосного источника хаотического сигнала микроволнового диапазона длин волн на основе однотранзисторной системы на мощном биполярном транзисторе путем реализации генератора с выделенной инерционностью. Произведены теоретические расчеты, показывающие возможность построения такого генератора. Разработан экспериментальный макет генератора хаоса с выделенной инерционностью в гибридно-интегральном исполнении на основе отечественного мощного транзистора 2Т982А-2. Продемонстрирована возможность генерации хаотического СВЧ-сигнала с центральной частотой 4.55 GHz и интегральной мощностью 1.1 W. Эффективная ширина спектра мощности хаотического сигнала составляла 11% при неравномерности спектральной характеристики 3 dB, спектральная плотность генерируемых шумовых колебаний была 2.2·10-3 W/MHz, КПД равнялся 15%. Ключевые слова: мощный биполярный транзистор, динамический хаос, генератор с выделенной инерционностью.
Examining Responsiveness to an Incentive-Based Mobile Health App: Longitudinal Observational Study
Authors: Brower Jacob , LaBarge Monica C , White Lauren , Mitchell Marc S
Published: August 2020

Background

The Carrot Rewards app was developed as part of a public-private partnership to reward Canadians with loyalty points for downloading the app, referring friends, completing educational health quizzes, and health-related behaviors with long-term objectives of increasing health knowledge and encouraging healthy behaviors. During the first 3 months after program rollout in British Columbia, a number of program design elements were adjusted, creating observed differences between groups of users with respect to the potential impact of program features on user engagement levels.

Objective

This study examines the impact of reducing reward size over time and explored the influence of other program features such as quiz timing, health intervention content, and type of reward program on user engagement with a mobile health (mHealth) app.

Methods

Participants in this longitudinal, nonexperimental observational study included British Columbia citizens who downloaded the app between March and July 2016. A regression methodology was used to examine the impact of changes to several program design features on quiz offer acceptance and engagement with this mHealth app.

Results

Our results, based on the longitudinal app use of 54,917 users (mean age 35, SD 13.2 years; 65.03% [35,647/54,917] female), indicated that the key drivers of the likelihood of continued user engagement, in order of greatest to least impact, were (1) type of rewards earned by users (eg, movies [+355%; P<.001], air travel [+210%; P<.001], and grocery [+140%; P<.001] relative to gas), (2) time delay between early offers (−64%; P<.001), (3) the content of the health intervention (eg, healthy eating [−10%; P<.001] vs exercise [+20%, P<.001] relative to health risk assessments), and (4) changes in the number of points offered. Our results demonstrate that reducing the number of points associated with a particular quiz by 10% only led to a 1% decrease in the likelihood of offer response (P<.001) and that each of the other design features had larger impacts on participant retention than did changes in the number of points.

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrate that this program, built around the principles of behavioral economics in the form of the ongoing awarding of a small number of reward points instantly following the completion of health interventions, was able to drive significantly higher engagement levels than those demonstrated in previous literature exploring the intersection of mHealth apps and financial incentives. Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of incentive matters to user engagement; however, our results indicate that the number of points offered for these reward point–based health interventions is less important than other program design features such as the type of reward points being offered, the timing of intervention and reward offers, and the content of the health interventions in driving continued engagement by users.
A Combined Digital and Biomarker Diagnostic Aid for Mood Disorders (the Delta Trial): Protocol for an Observational Study
Authors: Olmert Tony , Cooper Jason D , Han Sung Yeon Sarah , Barton-Owen Giles , Farrag Lynn , Bell Emily , Friend Lauren V , Ozcan Sureyya , Rustogi Nitin , Preece Rhian L , Eljasz Pawel , Tomasik Jakub , Cowell Daniel , Bahn Sabine
Published: August 2020

Background

Mood disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, imposing a substantial medical and economic burden. Existing diagnostic methods for mood disorders often result in a delay until accurate diagnosis, exacerbating the challenges of these disorders. Advances in digital tools for psychiatry and understanding the biological basis of mood disorders offer the potential for novel diagnostic methods that facilitate early and accurate diagnosis of patients.

Objective

The Delta Trial was launched to develop an algorithm-based diagnostic aid combining symptom data and proteomic biomarkers to reduce the misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) as a major depressive disorder (MDD) and achieve more accurate and earlier MDD diagnosis.

Methods

Participants for this ethically approved trial were recruited through the internet, mainly through Facebook advertising. Participants were then screened for eligibility, consented to participate, and completed an adaptive digital questionnaire that was designed and created for the trial on a purpose-built digital platform. A subset of these participants was selected to provide dried blood spot (DBS) samples and undertake a World Health Organization World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen to maximize the safety of a trial population that was both relevant to the trial objectives and generalizable. To provide statistical power and validation sets for the primary and secondary objectives, 840 participants were required to complete the digital questionnaire, submit DBS samples, and undertake a CIDI.

Results

The Delta Trial is now complete. More than 3200 participants completed the digital questionnaire, 924 of whom also submitted DBS samples and a CIDI, whereas a total of 1780 participants completed a 6-month follow-up questionnaire and 1542 completed a 12-month follow-up questionnaire. The analysis of the trial data is now underway.

Conclusions

If a diagnostic aid is able to improve the diagnosis of BD and MDD, it may enable earlier treatment for patients with mood disorders.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/18453
Rapid Implementation and Innovative Applications of a Virtual Intensive Care Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Study
Authors: Dhala Atiya , Sasangohar Farzan , Kash Bita , Ahmadi Nima , Masud Faisal
Published: August 2020

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a rapid increase of space in highly infectious disease intensive care units (ICUs). At Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH), a virtual intensive care unit (vICU) was used amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objective

The aim of this paper was to detail the novel adaptations and rapid expansion of the vICU that were applied to achieve patient-centric solutions while protecting staff and patients’ families during the pandemic.

Methods

The planned vICU implementation was redirected to meet the emerging needs of conversion of COVID-19 ICUs, including alterations to staged rollout timing, virtual and in-person staffing, and scope of application. With the majority of the hospital critical care physician workforce redirected to rapidly expanded COVID-19 ICUs, the non–COVID-19 ICUs were managed by cardiovascular surgeons, cardiologists, neurosurgeons, and acute care surgeons. HMH expanded the vICU program to fill the newly depleted critical care expertise in the non–COVID-19 units to provide urgent, emergent, and code blue support to all ICUs.

Results

Virtual family visitation via the Consultant Bridge application, palliative care delivery, and specialist consultation for patients with COVID-19 exemplify the successful adaptation of the vICU implementation. Patients with COVID-19, who were isolated and separated from their families to prevent the spread of infection, were able to virtually see and hear their loved ones, which bolstered the mental and emotional status of those patients. Many families expressed gratitude for the ability to see and speak with their loved ones. The vICU also protected medical staff and specialists assigned to COVID-19 units, reducing exposure and conserving personal protective equipment.

Conclusions

Telecritical care has been established as an advantageous mechanism for the delivery of critical care expertise during the expedited rollout of the vICU at Houston Methodist Hospital. Overall responses from patients, families, and physicians are in favor of continued vICU care; however, further research is required to examine the impact of innovative applications of telecritical care in the treatment of critically ill patients.
Gaps in Team Communication About Service Statistics Among Health Extension Workers in Ethiopia: Secondary Data Analysis
Authors: Lee Seohyun , Kim Eunji , Desta Tekaligne Birhane
Published: August 2020

Background

In Ethiopia, health extension workers (HEWs) are deployed across the country by the government to meet public health needs. Team communication is important for effective teamwork, but community health workers in low-resource settings like Ethiopia may face challenges in carrying out team meetings to compile service statistics. This is due to the nature of their outreach activities, which requires extensive travel.

Objective

This study aimed to identify gaps in team communication about service statistics among HEWs in Ethiopia. Considering mobile communication and data collection as tools for bridging these gaps, we examined disparities in access to electricity, which has been identified as one of the major barriers to this approach.

Methods

Data from the most recent Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 service delivery point survey were used for our analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify disparities in team communication on service statistics for family planning, which is a major component of the HEW’s job. Disparities were examined across health facilities with different levels of HEW integration in their staffing structure (ie, no HEWs, at least one HEW, or only HEWs). Additionally, a chi-square test was conducted to examine disparities in access to electricity to explore the potential of mobile communication and data collection integration.

Results

In total, 427 health facilities of four different types (ie, hospitals, health centers, health posts, and health clinics) were included in our analysis. At most health posts (84/95, 88%), only HEWs were employed; none of the health clinics integrated the HEW model into their staffing structure. Among the 84 health posts, the odds of having team meetings on family planning service statistics in the past 12 months were 0.48 times the odds of those without HEWs (P=.02). No statistically significant differences were found between HEW-only facilities and facilities with at least one HEW. Most health facilities (69/83, 83.13%) with HEWs as the only staff had no electricity at the time of the survey while 71.25% (57/80) had intermittent access (ie, service disruption lasting 2 or more hours that day). There were statistically significant differences in electricity access among health facilities with different levels of HEW integration (P<.001).

Conclusions

Facilities employing only HEWs were less likely to have regular team meetings to discuss service statistics. Since their responsibilities involve extensive outreach activities, travel, and paper-based recordkeeping, empowering HEWs with mobile communication and data collection can be a workable solution. The empirical evidence regarding disparities in electricity access also supports the need for and the feasibility of this approach.
Food Communication and its Related Sentiment in Local and Organic Food Videos on YouTube (Preprint)
Authors: Vargas Meza Xanat , Yamanaka Toshimasa
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND

Local and organic foods have shown increased importance and market size in recent years. However, attitudes, sentiment, and habits related to such foods in the context of video social networks have not been thoroughly researched. Given that such media have become some of the most important venues of internet traffic, it is relevant to investigate how sustainable food is communicated through such video social networks.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the diffusion paths of local and organic foods on YouTube, providing a review of trends, coincidences, and differences among video discourses.

METHODS

A combined methodology involving webometric, framing, semantic, and sentiment analyses was employed.

RESULTS

We reported the results for the following two groups: organic and local organic videos. Although the content of 923 videos mostly included the “Good Mother” (organic and local organic: 282/808, 34.9% and 311/866, 35.9%, respectively), “Natural Goodness” (220/808, 27.2% and 253/866, 29.2%), and “Undermining of Foundations” (153/808, 18.9% and 180/866, 20.7%) frames, organic videos were more framed in terms of “Frankenstein” food (organic and local organic: 68/808, 8.4% and 27/866, 3.1%, respectively), with genetically modified organisms being a frequent topic among the comments. Organic videos (N=448) were better connected in terms of network metrics than local organic videos (N=475), which were slightly more framed regarding “Responsibility” (organic and local organic: 42/808, 5.1% and 57/866, 6.5%, respectively) and expressed more positive sentiment (M ranks for organic and local organic were 521.2 and 564.54, respectively, Z=2.15, P=.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that viewers considered sustainable food as part of a complex system and in a positive light and that food framed as artificial and dangerous sometimes functions as a counterpoint to promote organic food.
Respiration Rate Estimation Based on Independent Component Analysis of Accelerometer Data: Pilot Single-Arm Intervention Study (Preprint)
Authors: Lee JeeEun , Yoo Sun K
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND

As the mobile environment has developed recently, there have been studies on continuous respiration monitoring. However, it is not easy for general users to access the sensors typically used to measure respiration. There is also random noise caused by various environmental variables when respiration is measured using noncontact methods in a mobile environment.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to estimate the respiration rate using an accelerometer sensor in a smartphone.

METHODS

First, data were acquired from an accelerometer sensor by a smartphone, which can easily be accessed by the general public. Second, an independent component was extracted to calibrate the three-axis accelerometer. Lastly, the respiration rate was estimated using quefrency selection reflecting the harmonic component because respiration has regular patterns.

RESULTS

From April 2018, we enrolled 30 male participants. When the independent component and quefrency selection were used to estimate the respiration rate, the correlation with respiration acquired from a chest belt was 0.7. The statistical results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to determine whether the differences in the respiration counts acquired from the chest belt and from the accelerometer sensor were significant. The P value of the difference in the respiration counts acquired from the two sensors was .27, which was not significant. This indicates that the number of respiration counts measured using the accelerometer sensor was not different from that measured using the chest belt. The Bland-Altman results indicated that the mean difference was 0.43, with less than one breath per minute, and that the respiration rate was at the 95% limits of agreement.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no relevant difference in the respiration rate measured using a chest belt and that measured using an accelerometer sensor. The accelerometer sensor approach could solve the problems related to the inconvenience of chest belt attachment and the settings. It could be used to detect sleep apnea through constant respiration rate estimation in an internet-of-things environment.
A Combined Digital and Biomarker Diagnostic Aid for Mood Disorders (the Delta Trial): Protocol for an Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Olmert Tony , Cooper Jason D , Han Sung Yeon Sarah , Barton-Owen Giles , Farrag Lynn , Bell Emily , Friend Lauren V , Ozcan Sureyya , Rustogi Nitin , Preece Rhian L , Eljasz Pawel , Tomasik Jakub , Cowell Daniel , Bahn Sabine
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND

Mood disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, imposing a substantial medical and economic burden. Existing diagnostic methods for mood disorders often result in a delay until accurate diagnosis, exacerbating the challenges of these disorders. Advances in digital tools for psychiatry and understanding the biological basis of mood disorders offer the potential for novel diagnostic methods that facilitate early and accurate diagnosis of patients.

OBJECTIVE

The Delta Trial was launched to develop an algorithm-based diagnostic aid combining symptom data and proteomic biomarkers to reduce the misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) as a major depressive disorder (MDD) and achieve more accurate and earlier MDD diagnosis.

METHODS

Participants for this ethically approved trial were recruited through the internet, mainly through Facebook advertising. Participants were then screened for eligibility, consented to participate, and completed an adaptive digital questionnaire that was designed and created for the trial on a purpose-built digital platform. A subset of these participants was selected to provide dried blood spot (DBS) samples and undertake a World Health Organization World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen to maximize the safety of a trial population that was both relevant to the trial objectives and generalizable. To provide statistical power and validation sets for the primary and secondary objectives, 840 participants were required to complete the digital questionnaire, submit DBS samples, and undertake a CIDI.

RESULTS

The Delta Trial is now complete. More than 3200 participants completed the digital questionnaire, 924 of whom also submitted DBS samples and a CIDI, whereas a total of 1780 participants completed a 6-month follow-up questionnaire and 1542 completed a 12-month follow-up questionnaire. The analysis of the trial data is now underway.

CONCLUSIONS

If a diagnostic aid is able to improve the diagnosis of BD and MDD, it may enable earlier treatment for patients with mood disorders.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/18453