bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Series of Norovirus Outbreaks Caused by Consumption of Green Coral Lettuce, Denmark, April 2016
Authors: Müller Luise , Rasmussen Lasse Dam , Jensen Tenna , Schultz Anna Charlotte , Kjelsø Charlotte , Barnadas Celine , Sigsgaard Kim , Larsen Anne Ribert , Jensen Carl Widstrup , Jeppesen Simon , Uhrbrand Katrine , Hove Nikolas , Mølbak Kåre , Ethelberg Steen
Published: April 2021

Introduction: In early April 2016, an unusual high number of point-source outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease were reported to occur in Denmark. Methods: Outbreaks were individually investigated. Two analytical studies were performed. Patient stool samples collected and analysed; positive stool samples were sequenced over the polymerase and/or capsid gene areas. Implicated lettuce heads were collected and analysed for the presence of norovirus. Foods were traced-back and traced-forward and international alert systems applied. Results: A total of 23 linked point-source outbreaks occurred over the course of one week. Fresh green coral lettuce (Lollo Bionda lettuce) had been consumed in all settings. In a cohort study including 234 participants a dish containing green lettuce was associated with illness. Norovirus of Genogroup I (GI) was detected in samples from 28 patients comprising eight of the outbreaks. Sequencing showed GI.P2-GI.2. GI norovirus was detected in one of 20 examined lettuce heads. All lettuce consumed was supplied by the same packer who in turn had bought the lettuce from a wholesaler in France. The two lots of lettuce came from two different growers in different parts of France. Discussion: Green coral lettuce produced in France was found to have caused a large series of linked norovirus outbreaks in Denmark as established by a number of lines of evidence. A similar incidence occurred in 2010. Fresh lettuce increasingly appear to be a risk food for norovirus infections.
Maximizing and evaluating the impact of test-trace-isolate programs: A modeling study
Authors: Grantz Kyra H. , Lee Elizabeth C. , D’Agostino McGowan Lucy , Lee Kyu Han , Metcalf C. Jessica E. , Gurley Emily S. , Lessler Justin
Published: April 2021

Background

Test-trace-isolate programs are an essential part of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control that offer a more targeted approach than many other nonpharmaceutical interventions. Effective use of such programs requires methods to estimate their current and anticipated impact.

Methods and findings

We present a mathematical modeling framework to evaluate the expected reductions in the reproductive number, R, from test-trace-isolate programs. This framework is implemented in a publicly available R package and an online application. We evaluated the effects of completeness in case detection and contact tracing and speed of isolation and quarantine using parameters consistent with COVID-19 transmission (R0: 2.5, generation time: 6.5 days). We show that R is most sensitive to changes in the proportion of cases detected in almost all scenarios, and other metrics have a reduced impact when case detection levels are low (<30%). Although test-trace-isolate programs can contribute substantially to reducing R, exceptional performance across all metrics is needed to bring R below one through test-trace-isolate alone, highlighting the need for comprehensive control strategies. Results from this model also indicate that metrics used to evaluate performance of test-trace-isolate, such as the proportion of identified infections among traced contacts, may be misleading. While estimates of the impact of test-trace-isolate are sensitive to assumptions about COVID-19 natural history and adherence to isolation and quarantine, our qualitative findings are robust across numerous sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Effective test-trace-isolate programs first need to be strong in the “test” component, as case detection underlies all other program activities. Even moderately effective test-trace-isolate programs are an important tool for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and can alleviate the need for more restrictive social distancing measures.
Barriers to utilize nutrition interventions among lactating women in rural communities of Tigray, northern Ethiopia: An exploratory study
Authors: Beyene Selemawit Asfaw , Weldegerima Lemlem , Tela Freweini Gebrearegay , Seid Omer , Brown Amal Tucker , Bezabih Afework Mulugeta
Published: April 2021

Background

While lactation is a physiological process requiring high energy demand to fulfill the nutrient requirements of the mother and the breastfeeding child, many factors affecting maternal nutrient intake can lead to nutritional deficits. Previous studies in Ethiopia have reported the prevalence of maternal and child undernutrition and related complications. However, qualitative studies exploring potential barriers to utilizing available nutrition interventions are limited. This study, therefore, sought to qualitatively explore barriers hindering the uptake of nutrition services among lactating mothers from rural communities in Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

Methods

We conducted 6 in-depth interviews, 70 key informant interviews, and 13 focus group discussions among purposively selected community groups, experts, and lactating mothers between November- 2017 and January- 2018. Audio records of all interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim (word-to-word) and translated into English. Then, translated data were analyzed thematically using qualitative data analysis software Atlas ti-version 7.4.

Results

The participants in this study perceived that lactating mothers in their study area are not properly utilizing available and recommended nutrition interventions, and as a result, their nutrient intake was reported as inadequate. Participants identified inadequate accessibility and availability of foods, feeding practices, cultural and religious influences, focus on agricultural production and productivity, barriers related to health services and poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene as major barriers hindering the uptake of nutrition interventions by lactating women in Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

Conclusion

The uptake of nutrition intervention services was low among lactating mothers and was hindered by multiple socio-cultural and health service related factors requiring problem-specific interventions at community, health facility, and administrative levels to improve the nutritional status of lactating mothers in the study area.
A decentralized hybrid computing consumer authentication framework for a reliable drone delivery as a service
Authors: Hannan Abdul , Hussain Faisal , Ali Noman , Ehatisham-Ul-Haq Muhammad , Ashraf Muhammad Usman , Mohammad Alghamdi Ahmed , Saeed Alfakeeh Ahmed
Published: April 2021

The thriving adoption of drones for delivering parcels, packages, medicines, etc., is surging with time. The application of drones for delivery services results in faster delivery, fuel-saving, and less energy consumption. Giant companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc., are actively working on developing, testing, and improving drone-based delivery systems. So far, a lot of work has been done for improving the design, speed, operating range, security of the delivery drones, etc. However, very limited work has been done to ensure a complete and reliable last-mile delivery from the merchant’s store to the hands of the actual customer. To ensure a complete and reliable last-mile delivery, a drone must authenticate the consumer before dropping the package. Therefore, in this work, we propose a consumer authentication (Consumer-Auth) hybrid computing framework for drone delivery as a service to make sure that the parcel is perfectly delivered to the intended customer. The proposed Consumer-Auth framework enables a drone to reach the exact destination by using the GPS coordinates of the customer autonomously. After reaching the exact location, the drone waits for the customer to come to the specific pinned location then it starts a two-factor consumer authentication process, i.e., one-time password (OTP) verification and face Recognition. The experimental results manifest the effectiveness of the proposed Consumer-Auth framework to ensure a complete and reliable drone-based last-mile delivery.
Mecobalamin as a Neuroprotective Effector against Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Colon and Rectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Hongyan Li , Wanting Lu , Fei Li
Published: April 2021

Palliative chemotherapy prolongs survival and improves quality of life. However, a variety of chemotherapeutics including oxaliplatin can cause severe side effects during treatments, leading to painful symptoms that might result in the interruption of cancer treatment. Although adding oxaliplatin to fluorouracil and leucovorin in adjuvant chemotherapy for colon and rectal cancer may improve disease-free survival, it also increases grade 3–4 sensory neuropathy. Our study aimed to determine whether oral Mecobalamin is neuroprotective against oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy. Forty-six stage III colon and rectal cancer patients receiving adjuvant biweekly oxaliplatin were randomized to oral Mecobalamin (1,500 mg; case group) or placebo (control group). Clinical neurological and electrophysiological evaluations were performed at baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 treatment cycles. Treatment-related toxicity was evaluated based on National Cancer Institute (NCI) criteria. After four cycles of chemotherapy, 9 of 23 patients in the control group and 8 of 23 patients in case group experienced grade 1 sensory neuropathy. After eight cycles, 13 patients experienced sensory neuropathy (grade 2–4 toxicity) in the control group; however, no patients in the case group experienced sensory neuropathy (P < 0.05). After 12 cycles, grade 2–4 sensory neuropathy was observed in 20 patients in the control group, but only in 4 patients in the case group (P < 0.05). We did not observe any significant electrophysiological changes in the case group after 4, 8, or 12 cycles of chemotherapy. Thus, we demonstrated that oral Mecobalamin reduces the incidence of neuropathy in colon and rectal cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy.
Calibration of the empirical fundamental relationship using very large databases
Authors: Mitsuyama Cardoso Juliana , Assirati Lucas , Setti José Reynaldo
Published: April 2021

This paper describes a procedure for fitting traffic stream models using very large traffic databases. The proposed approach consists of four steps: (1) an initial treatment to eliminate noisy, inaccurate data and to homogenize the information over the density range; (2) a first fitting of the model, based on the sum of squared orthogonal errors; (3) a second filter, to eliminate outliers that survived the initial data treatment; and (4) a second fitting of the model. The proposed approach was tested by fitting the Van Aerde traffic stream model to 104 thousand observations collected by a permanent traffic monitoring station on a freeway in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. The model fitting used a genetic algorithm to search for the best values of the model parameters. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Effects of Central Obesity on Esophageal Epithelial Barrier Function
Authors: Gibbens Ying Y. , Lansing Ramona , Johnson Michele L. , Blevins Christopher H. , Katzka David A. , Iyer Prasad G.
Published: April 2021

INTRODUCTION:

We assessed if obesity perturbs the esophageal epithelial barrier function independent of promotion of gastroesophageal reflux (GER).

METHODS:

Thirty-eight participants were divided into 4 groups: Obesity−/GER–, Obesity+/GER−, Obesity−/GER+, and Obesity+/GER+. Esophageal intercellular space and desmosome density (structural integrity) and fluorescein leak (functional integrity) were measured.

RESULTS:

The Obesity+/GER− group demonstrated increased intercellular space, reduced desmosome density, and increased fluorescein leak compared with control subjects. These changes were similar but not additive to findings seen in Obesity−/GER + and Obesity+/GER+ patients.

DISCUSSION:

Central obesity impairs structural and functional integrity of the esophageal barrier independent of GER, likely predisposing to esophageal injury.
Initial Evaluation, Long-Term Monitoring, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance of Chronic Hepatitis B in Routine Practice: A Nationwide US Study
Authors: Tran Sally , Jeong Donghak , Henry Linda , Cheung Ramsey C. , Nguyen Mindie H.
Published: April 2021

INTRODUCTION:

Previous studies, mostly small and single center, have shown gaps in the evaluation and monitoring of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection. We aimed to examine the rates and predictors of adherence to guidelines for CHB care in a large nationwide cohort.

METHODS:

We identified adult patients with CHB infection from the Truven MarketScan databases of commercially insured and Medicare patients with private insurance supplement (2007–2014) using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. The initial evaluation cohort had at least 6 months follow-up, whereas at least 12 months was required for the long-term monitoring cohort.

RESULTS:

We analyzed 55,317 eligible patients with CHB infection: mean age 46 ± 12 years, 58% men, and 14.8% with cirrhosis. Over a mean follow-up of 3.2 ± 2.3 years, 55.8% had specialist (gastroenterology or infectious diseases) visits. For initial evaluation, 59% of patients received both alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA tests, whereas only 33% had ALT, HBV DNA, and hepatitis B e antigen tests, with higher frequencies among patients with specialist visits. For long-term monitoring, only 25% had both ALT and HBV DNA tests performed annually. Among patients at higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (patients with cirrhosis, male patients without cirrhosis older than 40 years, and female patients without cirrhosis older than 50), less than 40% underwent annual hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, with 25% never receiving surveillance during the study period. Predictors of optimal initial evaluation and long-term monitoring were compensated cirrhosis (odds ratio: 1.60 and 1.47, respectively) and specialist visits (odds ratio: 1.86 and 1.31, respectively) (both P < 0.001).

DISCUSSION:

In this large cohort of patients with CHB infection with private insurance or Medicare with private insurance supplement, we observed poor adherence to the recommended initial evaluation and long-term monitoring. Among the predictors of adherence were specialist visits. Further efforts are needed to identify barriers and improve access to care.
Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Vitamin D Level and Bone Mineral Density in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Grover Indu , Gunjan Deepak , Singh Namrata , Benjamin Jaya , Ramakrishnan Lakshmy , Pandey Ravindra M. , Sati Hem C. , Saraya Anoop
Published: April 2021

Introduction:

In patients with cirrhosis, highly prevalent vitamin D deficiency and low bone mineral density (BMD) increase the burden of disease, and role of vitamin D supplementation is not clear. So, our aim was to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D level and BMD in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods:

Patients with cirrhosis (18–60 years) of any etiology were enrolled. We measured serum 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free T4, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and health-related quality of life at entry and at 1 year; however, serum calcium was measured at 3-month interval. BMD was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine and left hip neck at entry and after 1 year. Statistical analysis was performed according to intention-to-treat analysis.

Results:

Of 390 screened patients with cirrhosis, 164 participants (82 in each group) were randomized. There was significant increase in 25(OH)D levels in intervention group after 1 year (33.7 [24.3–45.7] ng/mL vs 23.1 [17–28.2] ng/mL; P < 0.001) when compared with placebo. The mean difference in BMD at lumbar spine and left hip neck was not significantly changed after 1 year of intervention with vitamin D between both groups. There was no significant change in both the groups in levels of calcium, thyroid-stimulating hormone, parathyroid hormone, free T4, IGF-1, and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and quality of life.

Discussion:

Supplementation with vitamin D for 1 year improves vitamin D levels but did not result in improvement in BMD at lumbar spine and left hip neck in patients with cirrhosis.
ADAPTIVE WAVELETS SLIDING MODE CONTROL FOR A CLASS OF SECOND ORDER UNDERACTUATED MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Authors: Nafa Fares , Boudouda Aimad , Smaani Billel
Published: April 2021

The control of underactuated mechanical systems (UMS) remains an attracting field where researchers can develop their control algorithms. To this date, various linear and nonlinear control techniques using classical and intelligent methods have been published in literature. In this work, an adaptive controller using sliding mode control (SMC) and wavelets network (WN) is proposed for a class of second-order UMS with two degrees of freedom (DOF).This adaptive control strategy takes advantage of both sliding mode control and wavelet properties. In the main result, we consider the case of un-modeled dynamics of the above-mentioned UMS, and we introduce a wavelets network to design an adaptive controller based on the SMC. The update algorithms are directly extracted by using the gradient descent method and conditions are then settled to achieve the required convergence performance.The efficacy of the proposed adaptive approach is demonstrated through an application to the pendubot.
Territorialização do mst no sudeste paraense a partir da construção dos projetos de assentamentos
Authors: Miranda Rogério Rego
Published: April 2021

A realidade do sudeste paraense é impactada diretamente pela hegemonia do agronegócio e da mineração, os quais recebem fortes incentivos estatais, seja via créditos seja via construção de infraestruturas que facilitam a produção e o escoamento da produção. Essa ampliação das commodities significa uma disputa territorial com os diversos outros sujeitos do campo, dentre eles, os camponeses, que outrora lutaram para conquistarem seu território, materializado nos Projetos de Assentamento, e hoje resistem para permanecerem nele. O presente artigo tem por objetivo discutir essa territorialização camponesa a partir dos assentamentos conquistados e organizados pelo Movimento dos trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) no sudeste paraense. Para esse fim, tece um conjunto de estratégias que envolvem a construção de uma rede geográfica solidária camponesa de luta pela terra; o uso da política de escala para ampliar a luta a nível global e tornar possível conquistas locais e/ou regionais; e a disputa dos aparelhos privados de hegemonia. Nesse sentido, a territorialização está assentada no tripé terra-educação-produção. Em termos metodológicos, o trabalho utilizou-se da pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, observação sistemática, entrevistas semi-estruturadas, questionários, registros fotográficos e a produção de uma cartografia temática.
Traditional Vernacular Buildings, Architectural Heritage and Sustainability
Authors: Samalavičius Almantas , Traškinaitė Dalia
Published: April 2021

The article is focused on vernacular dwellings in different parts of Europe: southern Italy and Lithuania that have their own traditions. The authors note that the attitude towards traditional vernacular architecture has largely changed due to ongoing research in this domail. Nevertheless, despite persistent continuity of traditional architecture, vernacular architecture was affected by the rise and development of modernist ideology that neglected the realm of tradition. The authors discuss some tyoes of vernacular buildings and their relation to local landscape, especially focusing on the traditional vernacular dwelling of Kuršių nerija (coastal regionbordering with Curonian spit and the Baltic Sea. This region was originally an area of fishermen villages and though some of the settlements ceasedf to exist there are a number of vernacula houses that belong to architectural heritage. The issues of dwellings, authenticity, survival and protection as well as some ambiguous issues of sustainability of traditional dwellings arer discussed. The authors conclude by suggesting that multiple assesment perspective should be employed while dealign with vernacular buildings suggesting that buildings of this type can perform functions extending the tourist consumption.
Analisis Kepuasan Pasien Dilihat dari Minat untuk Dirawat Kembali Terhadap Pelayanan Dokter dan Perawat
Authors: Masruron Lailil , Kuntjoro Tjahjono , Kartasurya Martha Irene
Published: April 2021

Title :Patient Satisfaction To Doctor’s And Nurse’s Care Associated To The Interest To Be Rehospitalized (A study at RSUD Dolopo, Madiun Regency). AbstractBed Occupancy Rate (BOR) at Dolopo Public Hospital had decreased from 56.16% in 2013 to 35.86% in 2104 and 35.2% in 2015, and the average ALOS (Average Length of Stay) and Turn over Interval (TOI) increased. The preliminary study on patients of Social Security Agency (BPJS Non PBI) showed a dissatisfaction to nurse’s and doctor’s services. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between patient satisfaction toward doctor’s & nurse’s services to the interest to be rehospitalized.This study was conducted in a cross sectional design. The subjects were 95 patients of  BPJS with Non PBI in inpatient room for class I, II, III, which was choosen by using accidental sampling. Data were gathered through interviews using structured questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted by Chi-square tests and logistic regression.Results showed that the patient satisfaction based on aspects of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy were lower than the expectations. Most of the subjects have positive attitudes, negative subjective norms and perceptions of behavior control and had a poor accesibility to the hospital. However 75.8% of the respondents were interested to be rehospitalized at Dolopo Hospital. There were correlations between patient satisfaction (p=0.009), attitude (p=0.000), subjective norm (p=0.002) with the interest to be rehospitalized. There was no correlation between control perception behavior (p=0.103), and access (p = 0.454) with the interest to be rehospitalized. After controlled for the attitude toward doctors’ and nurses’ services, the patients who were satisfied to the doctor’ and nurses’ services had 3.84 times to be interested to be rehospitalized than the patients who were not satifsfied (OR = 3.84 ; CI 95% : 0.98-15.12, p=0.054).Keywords       : Patient Satisfaction, Rehospitalized, BPJS.
Job Satisfaction is Dominant Factor Influencing of Nurse Performance in X Hospital Pekanbaru
Authors: Ismainar Hetty , Djuhaeni Henny , Magretta Jeanny Susana
Published: April 2021

Introduction: The provision of optimal health services is determined by the quality of health workers. The research objective was to explore the factors that influence the performance of nurses in health service.Method: It was a quantitative analytic study with a cross-sectional design. A total of 58 nurses participated with a purposive random sampling technique. The data was collected by questionnaire and worksheets observation. The statistical analysis was done by Smart PLS (Partial Least Square).Result: This study showed that individual characteristics are correlated to job satisfaction (p-value 0.001) but not correlated with the performance of nurses (p-value 0.468). Organizational factors were correlated to job satisfaction (p-value 0.000) but not correlated to work performance (p-value 0.865). Job satisfaction was correlated to work performance (p-value 0.001). There was a negative correlation between individual characteristics and nurse performance (-0.466). Meanwhile, the organizational factor only has a direct effect of 0.025 on nurse performance. Only job satisfaction has a direct effect on nurse performance with an increase of 0.5 (50%) for every increase of one value of job satisfaction.Conclusion: Job satisfaction is a dominant factor that has a direct effect on nurse performance. Hospital management needs to consider health workforce planning, mapping, and development competency to optimize nurse performance.
Sociodemographic And Social Activities Factors Associated With Premarital Sex Behaviour Among Late Adolescents In Semarang
Authors: Febrianti Putri , Udijono Ari , Saraswati Lintang Dian
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Premarital sexual behavior is one of the complex problems faced by adolescents. This behavior is increasingly prevalent throughout the world, especially in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the sociodemographic factors (gender, and monthly allowance) and social activities related to premarital sexual behavior in late adolescence in Semarang City.Methods : This research is a quantitative study with a cross sectional approach. The number of samples was 400 respondents aged 18-22 years using consecutive sampling technique. This study used univariate and bivariate analysis using the chi-square test.Results: The results showed that gender (p = 0,000), monthly allowance (p = 0,000) and social activity (p = 0,000) had a relationship with premarital sexual behavior in late adolescence.Conclusion: It is necessary to establish youth programs at SMA / SMK / equivalent and university levels to develop self-confidence and life skills with an increasing the ability of adolescents to avoid and / or reduce risky sexual behavior.
Od tekstu do kontekstu. O praktyce upodmiotowiania w przestrzeniach twórczości naukowej – prolegomena
Authors: Kafar Marcin , Pasikowski Sławomir
Published: April 2021

The article presents the practice of subjectivizing scientific creativity by referring to the role of intuition in the creation process, introspective reports and comments on spatial information processing. One of the main emphases is placed on the interaction between the author’s sense of subjectivity with the idea generated and developed by him, as well as on how the reader senses this interaction. These findings became the basis for adopting assumptions about individual and disciplinary differences in strategy and the intensity of the subjectivization of scientific texts by creators and recipients. The article was prepared in a performative and dialogical formula.
Rzut oka na trylogię (pod redakcją) Danuty Ulickiej
Authors: Skubaczewska-Pniewska Anna
Published: April 2021

The article contains a synthetic overview of the trilogy The Age of Theory, edited by Danuta Ulicka. It is the first comprehensive study of the achievements of Polish theoretical literary studies since its birth in the 1920s. The edition includes a multi-author monograph, organized according to “cultural themes” (as understood by Opler), to which the author of the article devotes most of her attention,and an extensive selection of texts preceded by factual introductions (two volumes of anthology) representative of the problem blocks discussed in the first part. Without questioning the content of the anthology, and especially the cognitive value of the monograph, which is based on innovative methodological assumptions and proves that modern literary theory was born in Central and Eastern Europe, and Polish works played an important role in its development, the author wishes it included the work of W. Borowy, the pioneer of intertextuality or J. Baudouin de Courtenay’s texts, which foresaw heteroglosia and minus-device.
„Zwijanie” ponowoczesności. O nowym realizmie Maurizia Ferrarisa
Authors: Zawadzki Andrzej
Published: April 2021

This article presents the views of Maurizio Ferraris, one of today’s best-known Italian middle-generation philosophers. Since the end of the 1990s, he has been constructing a concept he calls new realism. It is a critique of postmodernism defined in the broad sense, which, in Ferraris’ view, is characterised by the primacy of interpretation over facts, epistemology over ontology, conceptual schemes over reality. Ferraris assumes the possibility of strictly separating the two cognitive activities: the primary determination of facts and their secondary interpretation. Ferraris’ realist views are also expressed in his aesthetics and the concept of social document, founded on the notion of trace understood in the material sense. The author also attempts to critique Ferraris’ views on his understanding of realism and interpretation.
Phosphine oxide for reducing flammability of ethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymer
Authors: Jiang Jiawei , Guo Ruifeng , Shen Haifeng , Ran Shiya
Published: April 2021

In this work, a phosphorous-containing flame retardant, phenylphosphonate-based compound (EHPP), is synthesized by alcoholysis and hydrazinolysis of phenylphosphonic dichloride, which is subsequently introduced to ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA) copolymer to improve its flame retardant performance. The resultant compound was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and 31P NMR. The influence of the EHPP on the combustion behaviors of EVA is studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94, and cone calorimeter test. The results show that 1 wt% EHPP can reduce peak heat release rate (PHRR) by 40%. Moreover, 2 wt% EHPP can increase LOI from 20.5% to 25.5%. Thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TGA-FTIR) was used to detect the gaseous products of EVA/EHPP to study the gaseous-phase flame retardant mechanism. The EHPP released phosphorus-containing radicals to capture highly active free radicals to improve the flame retardancy of EVA.
Cohort study of the overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer in a hospital of specialties of Quito-Ecuador in the period 2007–2017
Authors: Moreno Roca Andrés , Armijos Acurio Luciana , Jimbo Sotomayor Ruth , Céspedes Rivadeneira Carlos , Rosero Reyes Carlos , López Ayala Carlos
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Pancreatic cancers in most patients in Ecuador are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease, which is associated with lower survival. To determine the characteristics and global survival of pancreatic cancer patients in a social security hospital in Ecuador between 2007 and 2017.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study and a survival analysis were performed using all the available data in the electronic clinical records of patients with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in a Hospital of Specialties of Quito-Ecuador between 2007 and 2017. The included patients were those coded according to the ICD 10 between C25.0 and C25.9. Our univariate analysis calculated frequencies, measures of central tendency and dispersion. Through the Kaplan-Meier method we estimated the median time of survival and analyzed the difference in survival time among the different categories of our included variables. These differences were shown through the log rank test.

Results

A total of 357 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 2007 and 2017 were included in the study. More than two-thirds (69.9%) of the patients were diagnosed in late stages of the disease. The median survival time for all patients was of 4 months (P25: 2, P75: 8).

Conclusions

The statistically significant difference of survival time between types of treatment is the most relevant finding in this study, when comparing to all other types of treatments.
The British Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Association: Struggle for Survival 1870‒1930
Authors: Moss Michael
Published: April 2021

Most firms in the British fertiliser industry of the 19th century were small and combined other activities, such as seed merchants, millers, manufacturers of sulphuric acid and in one case explosives. In the heyday of high farming there was almost no co-operation and no attempt to achieve economy of scale through merger and amalgamation. In 1875 just before the onset of the depression the Chemical Manure Manufacturers’ Association was formed to fix prices and address the challenges posed by proposed Government regulation of what was after all a noxious industry. This story mirrors much of British industry, where implicit (price-fixing) cartels failed and individual firms rejected collaboration in favour of what seems an irrational commitment to a free market ideology that was transparently misplaced.
Oilseed Cakes in Italy and France: Opportunities and Difficulties of a Market (late 19th and first half of the 20th Century)
Authors: Andreoni Luca
Published: April 2021

This paper addresses the trade and commercialisation of oilseed cakes (residues from the extraction of oils) and press cakes in Italy and France during the last decades of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century. It tries to demonstrate that the diffusion of oilseed cakes for livestock, a distinctive sign of the intensification of breeding that involved all of Europe, or as organic fertilisers, took place at the crossroads of multiple dynamics. Trade policy of the states, industrial choices and development paths of the different rural worlds help to explain the variations in timing, spatial scale and methods used. The spread of oilseed cakes confirms that the modernisation of European agriculture happened on different and interrelated fronts.
Synchronous primary malignancy of colon cancer and mantle cell lymphoma: A case report
Authors: Liao Haihong , Song Pengtao , Qi Quan , Jiang Yizhen , Han Shuwen , Pan Yuefen , Liu Yulong
Published: April 2021

Multiple primary malignancies in a single patient are relatively rare; however, the frequency of this has increased significantly in recent decades. Here, we retrospectively reported an unusual case of a 70-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and colon cancer and aimed to explore measures to reduce missed diagnosis. Based on the data, the investigation of the related literatures, colonoscopy examination, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan were conducted for the detection of colon cancer. Following this, a precise diagnosis of MCL was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and bone marrow biopsy, which were performed to analyze the clinical characteristics and essentials for the diagnosis and differential of the disease. The results of colonoscopy showed that the patient had colon cancer, while the abdominal CT scan demonstrated colon cancer accompanied by multiple lymphadenopathy throughout the entire body. Besides, the results of immunohistochemistry confirmed that the patient suffered from MCL. The bone marrow biopsy revealed the active hematopoietic tissue hyperplasia but no tumor issue involvement in the bone marrow. In conclusion, our study combined the analysis and summary of the diagnosis and treatment of the colon cancer with MCL to provide clinical guidance for the rare multiple primary malignancy.
Die Existenzweisen eines Fötus
Authors: Völkle Laura
Published: April 2021

Totgeborene sind Entitäten mit einem doppelt prekären Status, denn ihre Karriere alsPersonist bereits vorüber, bevor ihre Existenz alsMenschrichtig begonnen hat. Dieses Charakteristikum nutzt der Beitrag, um nach dem situierten Zusammenspiel von Prozessen der De/Personalisierung und De/Humanisierung zu fragen. Die Analyse verfolgt anhand ethnografischer Beschreibungen den Weg eines totgeborenen Fötus von seiner Entbindung im Kreißsaal bis zu seiner Beisetzung und nimmt dessen ontologisches Changieren zwischen unterschiedlichen Existenzweisen in den Blick. Damit schließt der Beitrag an die Debatte um die „Grenzen des Sozialen“ an und fasst Menschen und Personen als kontingente Phänomene, nach denen empirisch zu fragen ist. Er will mit seiner Analyse zu einer mikrosoziologischen Komplexitätsentfaltung von Grenzziehungsprozessen am Lebensanfang beitragen.
CeTiO2N oxynitride perovskite: paramagnetic 14N MAS NMR without paramagnetic shifts
Authors: Ma Zili , Lu Can , Chen Jianhong , Rokicińska Anna , Kuśtrowski Piotr , Coridan Robert , Dronskowski Richard , Slabon Adam , Jaworski Aleksander
Published: April 2021

14N magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of diamagnetic LaTiO2N perovskite oxynitride and its paramagnetic counterpart CeTiO2N are presented. The latter, to the best of our knowledge, constitutes the first high-resolution 14N MAS NMR spectrum collected from a paramagnetic solid material. The unpaired 4f-electrons in CeTiO2N do not induce a paramagnetic 14N NMR shift. This is remarkable given the direct Ce−N contacts in the structure for which ab initio calculations predict substantial Ce→14N contact shift interaction. The same effect is revealed with 14N MAS NMR for SrWO2N (unpaired 5d-electrons).
Silicon p-i-n photodiode with increased pulse sensitivity
Authors: Kukurudziak M. S. , Dobrovolsky Yu. G.
Published: April 2021

P-n junction semiconductor photodetectors are widely used in various fields of science and technology, including automation and telecontrol, instrumentation equipment, tracking systems, guidance, etc. The most demanded photoelectronic devices are silicon p-i-n photodiodes (PD). Their main field of application are installations using laser beams of near IR optical radiation spectrum, λ = 1060 nm, in particular.
The article provides considerations and limit requirements for production of high-responsivity silicon p-i-n photodiodes and making theoretical parameters consistent with real photodiodes made according to the design. Characteristic properties of technology, construction and final parameters of the manufactured four-element segment p–i–n photodiode with a guard ring are described.
The authors describe the criteria for choosing the material for making high-responsivity photodiodes. Results of the theoretical design for the capacitance of the photodiode based on the materials of different resistivity are presented. A theoretically possible value for the dark current of the responsive elements and the guard ring is considered for the silicon of 18 kOhm•cm. Criteria for the thickness of the PD crystal and the doped areas that provide for the maximum width of the space-charge region are presented. The dependence of the current pulse monochromatic responsivity from the operating voltage of the photodiode is shown for substrates with different thickness.
The photodiodes obtained during this study have the pulse monochromatic responsivity of 0.48 A/W, which is higher than that of commercial products of well-known foreign manufacturers. The results achieved demonstrate that this technology is effective and the assumptions made during the calculation stage are valid.
Strategy of Non-Formal Education Development Through Entrepreneurial Skills at CLC Budi Utama Surabaya
Authors: Widodo Widodo , Darmawanti Ira , Kharisma Novia Nur
Published: April 2021

The development of urban community needs for increasing self-competence is a great opportunity for Non-Formal Education (NFE), but the NFE program organized by Community Learning Centre (CLC) has not been able to answer. It needs the right strategy to develop NFE programs that are in accordance with the needs of urban communities, namely entrepreneurship. The research objective was to reveal the urban area entrepreneurship based NFE program development strategy carried out by CLC. The research used a descriptive qualitative approach, with the following research results. Entrepreneurship-based NFE program development strategy through stages; (1) strategy formulation which includes activities to identify potentials, formulate the vision, mission and objectives of the CLC institution, identify internal and external conditions of the CLC institution, select strategies, formulate strategies. (2) Implementation of culinary entrepreneurship strategies with attention to urban problems, effective organizational structures, marketing programs, budgets, developing management information systems, and linking with performance. (3) Evaluation of culinary entrepreneurship strategies; the effectiveness of the process and the achievement of results, namely the learning community has skills as a provision for entrepreneurship. This NFE program management strategy can solve the problem of unemployment, and for CLC institutions to develop and become independent. The conclusion is that the strategy of developing the NFE program based on entrepreneurial skills can create graduates who are ready to become entrepreneurs. So that graduates can provide benefits for their own life and social environment.
Analysis of The Resilience Conditions of Individual, Family, and Community during The Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Hasanah Viena Rusmiati , Boriboon Gumpanat , Jubaedah Yoyoh , Wulandari Hodijah
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, a disaster that shocked the whole world, has affected various aspects of people's lives, including the resilience of society, especially the poor. This study aims to see the condition of the resilience of the poor in Bandung in facing the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey method was chosen to obtain the latest data flexibly with a total of 200 respondents, through the distribution of a questionnaire of 40 items consisting of aspects of individual, family, and community resilience. The results show that individual resilience is very dominant during the COVID-19 pandemic disaster, this mutually affects family resilience and community resilience. The most dominant factor in the resilience of individuals and families is the factor of spirituality and optimism in facing this epidemic, the factors that affect community resilience are individual interactions in community activities in the security, social and religious fields
Promoting Financial and Cultural Citizenship Literacy as Multiliteracy in Tourism Village
Authors: Arbarini Mintarsih , Suminar Tri , Desmawati Liliek
Published: April 2021

Literacy skills provide opportunities to build society to face the global changes. This study aims to promoting the community members of the tourist village according to financial and cultural citizenship literacy as a part of multiliteracy in tourism village. This research applied descriptive qualitative approach. The subjects are 10 villagers in Jojogan Village, Wonosobo Regency. The method of data collecting use interview, observation, and documentation. Data analysis begins during the data collection process, performs data reduction, data presentation, and ends with drawing conclusions and verification. The findings describe promoting financial and cultural citizenship literacy as multiliteracy in Tourism Village is carried out in the community to have a financial and cultural literacy in their daily lives as a part of tourism village community. This activity promotes literacy cultur e by adjusting their free time because the learning schedule was coming from the community member's needs. With this condition, the manager and facilitator continuously try to adjust the conditions of the community members. These literacy learning activities include reading, writing, numerating, speaking, and listening. The benefit of this research is to provide an explanation that financial and cultural citizenship literacy as a part of multiliteracy in tourism village must be done.
Women Strengthening Through Information Technology Literacy in Tourist Village
Authors: Sujarwo Sujarwo , Kusumawardani Erma , Tristanti Tristanti , Santi Fitta Ummaya
Published: April 2021

Women have positive potentials that support their strategic role in development. This research aims to analysis implementing information technology literacy model guidelines in empowering women through community-based education and how increasing the knowledge, skills, and awareness of women in managing the productive potential of information technology-based environments. By the research and development method or Research & Development, this research tries to produce a product and test the effectiveness of the product in accordance with development goals. Women's empowerment activities through information technology including providing information technology-based entrepreneurship motivation, forming business groups, training in information technology-based business management, managing businesses and assisting business groups. Data was collected using the method of observation and interview. The collected data were analyzed with qualitative descriptive. The findings of the study are; 1) implementation program which includes: a. preparation for program implementation which includes program socialization, selection of participants, program objectives, materials, strategies, media, teaching materials, assessment, b. implementation of programs, providing information technology-based entrepreneurship, information technology-based business management training, managing businesses and assisting business groups, c. evaluating the implementation of the program by making direct observations during the process, 2) increasing the knowledge of the culinary group.
Improving the Training of Support Teachers in Italy: The Results of a Research on Attitudes Aimed at Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Gaggioli Cristina , Sannipoli Moira
Published: April 2021

This paper aims to bring research findings on the curricular teacher’s and curricular support teacher’s attitude toward students with intellectual disabilities. The results bring to imagine possible changes in the current training system that, deepening intellectual disability in discipline and laboratory terms, not necessarily and intentionally get a suitable space to evaluate and work on initial placements. The exercise of reflective competence, necessary to feed a mature self-awareness, is also essential to withstand the possible involutions experienced in school contexts, still far from the inclusive dimension.
When the Individual National Culture Meets a Transnational Research
Authors: Zhou Longjun
Published: April 2021

When evidence enters humanities and society, with its scientific and effective characteristics, it gradually becomes a new paradigm for educational research and practice. It is becoming popular worldwide (Slavin, 2020). At present, all over the world, evidence-oriented evidence-based research has become one of the critical analysis methods in the educational research method system. Especially in the United States and the United Kingdom, evidence on the effectiveness of education reforms has become increasingly important, and more and more scholars are using evidence-based methods to study educational issues.
Solvability for a system of Hadamard fractional multi-point boundary value problems
Authors: Xu Jiafa , Liu Lishan , Bai Shikun , Wu Yonghong
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we study a system of Hadamard fractional multi-point boundary value problems. We first obtain triple positive solutions when the nonlinearities satisfy some bounded conditions. Next, we also obtain a nontrivial solution when the nonlinearities can be asymptotically linear growth. Furthermore, we provide two examples to illustrate our main results.
On the problem of stability of a motion of essentially nonlinear systems
Authors: Martynyuk A.A. , Chernienko V.O.
Published: April 2021

This article discusses essentially nonlinear systems. Following the approach of applying the pseudolinear inequalitiesdeveloped in a number of works, new estimates for the variation of Lyapunov functions along solutionsof the considered systems of equations are obtained. Based on these estimates, we obtain sufficient conditionsfor the equiboundedness of solutions of second-order systems and sufficient conditions for the stability of anessentially nonlinear system under large initial perturbations. Conditions for the stability of affine systems arealso obtained.