bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Digital Health Technology on Error Margins of Health Insurance Claims in Ghana: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Adzakpah Godwin , Dwomoh Duah
Published: July 2022

Introduction
An efficient medical claims billing system is critical to mitigating the challenges associated with claim denials and ensuring the sustainability of providing healthcare services. This study assesses the impact of Digital Health Technology (DHT) in reducing the rate of error margins of health insurance claims submitted by health facilities to the National Health Insurance Authority in Ghana.
Methods
The study used longitudinal data on monthly claims adjustments due to errors from both paper-based and claims submitted using different DHT systems from 2010 to 2019. The rate of error margins was estimated for each month. Prais-Winsten Segmented Interrupted Time-Series analysis was used to estimate the impact of DHT systems by comparing claims data before and after the system implementation for each facility. We employed meta-analysis techniques to generate a pooled impact estimate of DHT systems on error margins of health insurance claims.
Results
The total cost of deductions due to errors from the DHT system was significantly lower than the paper-based system (DHT = 8.15%, paper-based system = 10.13%). DHT contributed to an immediate 1.31 percentage point reduction in the error margins of health insurance claims compared to the paper-based system.
Conclusion
The DHT recorded lower denied claims costs than the paper-based claims system. Scaling up the use of DHT for claims submission will reduce the rate of claim denials and ensure the sustainability of providing healthcare services.
In-vivo oogenesis of oogonial and mesenchymal stem cells seeded in transplanted ovarian extracellular matrix
Authors: Mirzaeian Leila , Eivazkhani Farideh , Saber Maryam , Moini Ashraf , Esfandiari Fereshteh , Valojerdi Mojtaba Rezazadeh , Fathi Rouhollah
Published: July 2022

Objective (s):
One way to overcome the recurrence of cancer cells following ovarian tissue transplantation is to use decellularized tissues as a scaffold that does not have any cellular components. These cell-free scaffolds can be seeded with different type of stem cells for ovarian restoration.
Materials and Methods
OSCs, PMSCs and BMSCs (oogonial, peritoneal and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, respectively) were seeded into human decellularized ovarian tissue as 4 groups: Scaffold + OSCs (SO), Scaffold + OSC + PMSCs (SOP), Scaffold + OSC + BMSCs (SOB) and Scaffold + OSC + PMSCs + BMSCs (SOPB). The produced grafts were transplanted into the sub-peritoneal space of ovariectomized NMRI mice as artificial ovary (AO). The expression of Vegf, CD34, Gdf9, Zp3, Ddx4, Amh and Lhr genes in AOs were measured by qRT-PCR. Also, histotechniques were considered to detect the anti GFP, PCNA, VEGF, GDF9, ZP3 and AMH proteins.
Results
H & E staining showed follicle-like structures in all groups; the number of these structures, in the SOP and SOB groups, were the highest. In SO group, differentiation ability to oocyte and granulosa cells was observed. Endothelial, oocyte, germ, and granulosa cell-like cells were specially seen in SOP and angiogenesis capability was more in SOB group. However, angiogenesis ability and differentiation to theca cell-like cells were more often in SOPB group. While none of the groups showed a significant difference in AMH level, estradiol levels were significantly higher in SOPB group.
Conclusion
Integration of OSCs + PMSCs and those OSCs + BMSCs were more conducive to oogenesis.
Hydrology, nitrate and sediment fluxes towards the Mediterranean Sea: case of the main North Africa catchments
Authors: ZETTAM Amin , SAUVAGE Sabine , TALEB Amina , Nouria BELAIDI , SANCHEZ-PEREZ José Miguel
Published: July 2022

The objective of this study is to propose a modelling approach to quantify the contribution of mains coastal catchments of North Africa in sediment and nitrate fluxes to the Mediterranean Sea. We use the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) on the biggest coastal rivers, Moulouya (55 860 km2), Tafna (7200 km2), Chelif (44 694 km2) Oued el Kebir (8 824 km2) and Medjerda (23 213 km2). Simulation was performed monthly from 2003 to 2013. The model represents correctly the dynamics of water, sediment and nitrate flux. Rivers carry between 22 .103 to 390 103t yr-1 of sediments and Oued el Kebir contributes with 55% of the total amount, while nitrate fluxes vary from 182 to 1715 t yr-1 and Moulouya contributes with 32% of the total quantity. The simulations show us that the North African dams stocked a large amount of sediment (98%) and nitrates (39%) transported by rivers.
Spatial Distribution of Primary Radiation Damage in Microstructures
Authors: Burr Patrick , Brand Matthew , Obbard Edward
Published: July 2022

The universally-used theory of Norgett, Robinson and Torrens (NRT) for calculating primary radiation damage in materials assumes that materials are homogeneous. For many engineering materials, which have rich microstructures, this assumption is poor. As there are no alternative radiation damage theories that include heterogeneity, the role of the microstructure on primary radiation damage has been neglected. Here we extend the NRT formalism to account for microstructural variations and account for the damage caused in a phase by primary knock-on atoms that are produced in another nearby phase. The new approach converges to conventional NRT at suitably large length-scales, and agrees with binary collision approximation simulations for individual phases of a microstructure.
Applying the method to a ferritic superalloy, we show that the damage can vary by up to 30% from one phase to another, and up to 7% within a single phase. Substantially greater variations are predicted for more chemically heterogeneous alloys. Our new approach provides new physical insight into the interplay between microstructure and primary radiation damage.
Association of Extended Work and Higher Physical and Emotional Work Demands with Sleep Disturbance among Night-Shift Workers
Authors: Jeon Bo Min , Kim Su Hyun
Published: July 2022

Background: In-depth investigation of the factors that exacerbate sleep disturbance among night-shift workers is essential to develop a successful implementation strategy to improve sleep. Although some characteristics of work associated with sleep disturbances have been investigated, there are inconsistencies in the findings. This study aimed to assess the influence of working time and work characteristics on sleep disturbance among night-shift workers.Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of a nationally representative sample of data from the fifth Korean Working Condition Survey in 2017. A total of 1,678 wage workers aged between 15 and 59 with night shift schedules were selected and analyzed. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the influences of working time characteristics, including shift type, frequency of night shift, and extended work; as well as work characteristics, including physical work demands, workload, emotional work demands, social support, and communication, on sleep disturbance among night-shift workers. Results: Of those analyzed, 7.6% of night-shift workers experienced sleep disturbances. Night-shift workers with extended work and higher physical and emotional work demands were more likely to experience sleep disturbance. Conclusion: Extended work and higher physical and emotional work demands were significant factors for sleep disturbance among night-shift workers. These findings highlight the importance of adjusting work demands and mitigating extended work to reduce sleep disturbance in night-shift workers.
IL-9 stimulates an anti-tumor immune response and facilitates immune checkpoint blockade in the CMT167 mouse model
Authors: Feng Yuqian , Yan Sheng , Lam Sze Kwan , Ko Frankie Chi Fat , Chen Caoyang , Khan Mahjabin , Ho James Chung-Man
Published: July 2022

There is mounting evidence that interleukin-9 (IL-9) is associated with cancer although its function in lung cancer remains elusive. This study aimed to elucidate the role of IL-9 in lung cancer and the mechanisms involved. We report the detection of interleukin-9 receptor (IL-9R) expression in CMT167 cells, but not in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells. LLC or CMT167 cells were inoculated in wildtype C57BL/6J immunocompetent mice. Tumor-bearing mice were randomized on day 3 post-inoculation (8 mice per group) to receive intraperitoneal treatment with murine recombinant IL-9 (50 ng/mouse on alternate days) ± anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1, 10 mg/kg, every three days) or control until reaching humane endpoints whereby tumors were harvested. In LLC tumor-bearing mice, neither tumor growth nor intratumoral T cells were affected by IL-9 treatment. Nonetheless IL-9 decreased CMT167 tumor growth and enhanced anti-tumor T cell responses, both of which were absent in IL-9R knockdown CMT167 tumors. CD8+ T cells were identified as the key effector driving IL-9-induced tumor suppression in the CMT167 model. Increased dendritic cell population and MHC-I expression were observed in IL-9-treated CMT167 tumors. Simultaneously, PD-1 and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression by CD8+ T cells and CMT167 cells was upregulated. The combination of IL-9 and anti-PD-1 antibody synergistically suppressed CMT167 tumor and enhanced tumor-infiltrating proportion of CD8+ T cells. Taken together, our study determined the role of IL-9 in anti-tumor immunity and proposes IL-9 as a promising adjuvant to immune checkpoint blockade in lung cancer.
Physical Firmness Increases Structural Alignment
Authors: Cecutti Lorenzo , Lee Spike W.S.
Published: July 2022

Raising one's jammed fist is not just a common pictorial representation of struggle against the establishment but turns out to reflect a deeper connection between sensorimotor states and beliefs. The present research investigated how physical firmness, manipulated through muscle tightening, might shape beliefs. The central hypothesis, structural alignment, was tested against two other competing predictions: content extremity and content matching. Three studies provided evidence supporting structural alignment but not content matching or extremity. Specifically, the correlation between intelligence and personality lay beliefs (Studies 1-2), and the correlation between individualizing and binding moral foundations (Study 3) increased when participants jammed their fist (Study 1) or clenched their jaw (Studies 2-3). These effects emerged in the absence of mean-level differences (which would have reflected content matching or extremity). Moreover, they did not seem attributable to response bias or tiredness. Overall, sensorimotor experiences such as physical firmness can align higher-order cognitions such as beliefs in ways that are distinct from prior demonstrations of embodied cognition effects.
Whole-cell P450 biocatalysts using engineered Escherichia coli with fine-tuned heme supply
Authors: Hu Baodong , Zhou Jingwen , Li Jianghua , Chen Jian , Du Guocheng , Lee Sang Yup , Zhao Xinrui
Published: July 2022

By exploiting versatile P450 enzymes, whole-cell biocatalysis can be performed to synthesize valuable compounds in Escherichia coli. However, the insufficient supply of heme limits the whole-cell P450 biocatalytic activity. Here we report a strategy of improving intracellular heme supply for enhancing the catalytic efficiencies of P450s. After comparing the effects of enhancing heme transport and biosynthesis on P450 activities, intracellular heme supply was optimized through the integrated expression of necessary synthetic genes at proper ratio and the assembly of rate-limiting enzymes using DNA-guided scaffolds. By the combined use of mutated heme-sensitive biosensor and small regulatory RNA systems, the intracellular heme level was fine-tuned. The catalytic efficiencies of three different P450s, BM3, sca-2 and CYP105D7, were enhanced through fine-tuning heme supply for the synthesis of hydroquinone, pravastatin, and 7,3',4'-trihydroxyisoflavone as examples of chemical intermediate, drug, and natural product, respectively. This strategy will be useful to produce other hemoproteins with high activities.
Trade and Economic Growth: Does the Sophistication of Traded Goods Matter?
Authors: Ekanayake P. Niluka S. P. , Madsen Jakob B. , Bharati Tushar
Published: July 2022

Following the seminal paper of Frankel and Romer (1999), ‘Does trade cause growth?’, the income effects of aggregate trade openness have been controversial. This research shows that the type of product that is traded has first-order effects while the overall trade intensity has second-order effects on per capita income because of (i) the hierarchical structure of learning by doing in products with different levels of sophistication of the production processes; and (ii) the fertility and education effects of trade specialization following the quantity-quality tradeoff framework of Galor and Mountford (2006). Using data on trade disaggregated by the level of technological sophistication of the production process for 223 countries over the 1962-2019 period, we find that (1) the growth effects of foreign trade differ widely across technology categories; (2) high-tech trade has permanent growth effects; and (3) a significant fraction of the income effects of trade are mediated through education and fertility.JEL Codes: F14, F43, J13, O11, O33.
YOLOv4Tiny: Bearing Angle Based Pose Estimation and Semantic Segmentation For 3D Object Detection From LiDAR Point Cloud & RGB-D Data
Authors: Rajendran Ramana , B.S. Murugan
Published: July 2022

3D object detection is a computer vision task that is used for various applications. However, it has several drawbacks due to occlusion, noise, inefficient field of view, etc. In addition, the recent LiDAR point clouds-based 3D object detection methods lack sparsity and homogeneity which affects the detection accuracy. In this paper, we detect 3D objects based on static and dynamic states by performing preprocessing, segmentation, extraction of features, classification, and regression considering RGB-D images, and LiDAR point clouds. Firstly, the quality of the image is enhanced by performing preprocessing which consists of two levels. In the first level, noise removal is performed for both RGB-D images and LiDAR cloud points by implementing Thresholding based Adaptive Median Filtering (TAMF) algorithm. In the second level, we perform point to voxel conversion for the LiDAR point clouds and fuse both RGB-D images and 3D LiDAR point clouds for better segmentation. Secondly, object segmentation is performed using Improved Mask R-CNN algorithm which creates masked instant bounding boxes by performing semantic segmentation considering both point and local-based information. Estimating pose for the segmented objects using bearing angle-based affine transformation method to extract features efficiently. Thirdly, Feature extraction is performed from the segmented 3D objects by considering high and low-level features using Attention-based YOLO V4 Tiny network and fusing both features for reducing the feature redundancy. Finally, based on the extracted feature the objects are classified as static and dynamic, and 3D bounding boxes are generated to improve the 3D object detection accuracy. The proposed work is evaluated by KITTI dataset. MATLAB R2020a simulation tool is used to perform simulation for the proposed work. The performance of the 3D object detection is evaluated in terms of several performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F-measure, computation time, and ROC-AUC curve compared to existing methods.
ADHD and Psychopathy in Adolescent Asian-Americans: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Zhu Liyanjin
Published: July 2022

BackgroundThe positive association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the development of psychopathic traits in White-American juveniles has long been demonstrated in various studies. Less is known, however, about the role of specific attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology and how they interact with each dimension of the three-factor model of psychopathy in Asian juveniles. ObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between Asian-American juveniles with ADHD as evaluated by the ADHD Rating Scale-5: For Children and Adolescents (ADHD-RS-IV), and the exhibition of psychopathic traits as measured by the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed et al. 2002). Previous studies have examined the prevalence of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in White-American prison inmates and in forensic patients with psychopathic traits. However, it is not clear whether ADHD and psychopathy scores also correlate in Asian, teenage non-incarcerated samples. MeasuresThis is a quantitative survey investigating the relationship between 1000 Asian teenagers exhibiting characteristics of ADHD as evaluated by the ADHD Rating Scale-5: For Children and Adolescents (ADHD-RS-IV) and the exhibition of psychopathic traits as measured by the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed et al. 2002). LimitationsThe sample size is relatively small and the results should be appropriately considered as an indication rather than a generalization. ConclusionsPearson’s matrix showed a positive and significant correlation coefficient (0.91) for ADHD subscores and dimensions of psychopathy. In our Asian-American sample, males (49%) scored on average 5.1 points higher than females in the ADHD scale, and on average 8.5 points higher in the YPI scale. Interestingly, in the female population, a higher correlation was found between the hyperactivity (HI) subscore and the callous-unemotional (CU) subscore while in the male population, a significant correlation was found between the HI subscore and grandiose-manipulative (GM) subscore.
«Green» Vector of the Economic Development of the Country
Authors: Nesterenko Valeria O. , Dolhosheieva Olha I. , Kirilieva Anastasiia V. , Voronenko Viacheslav I. , HRYTSENKO PAVLO V.
Published: July 2022

The article is devoted to finding ways to ensure «green» economic growth in Ukraine. «Green» economic growth means growth based on stimulating environmental and economic development while ensuring the safety of natural assets and their uninterrupted provision of the resources and ecosystem services on which our well-being depends. The purpose of the study is to find the main factors of economic development for the development of an effective «green» strategy for economic development. The object of research is the process of ensuring the «green» economic growth of the country in modern conditions. The methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, dialectical and abstract-logical methods were used in the work. The main goals and objectives of the «green» economy at the national and global levels are identified, the issues of factors influencing «greening» in Ukraine are revealed, and the issues of genuine savings as a result of nature management are considered. Based on this, the problems and threats to the «green» economy in Ukraine are analyzed. The genuine savings of Ukraine for 2010‒2019 are calculated and possible ways to overcome the problem of their reduction are identified, which will contribute to the «green» development of the economy. It was found that in the system of reproduction of economic processes, investments play an important role, as they contribute to the restoration and increase of production resources, as well as accelerate the economic growth of the recipient country. It has been found that it is necessary to develop an adequate response to global environmental threats, which is a consequence of the unlimited use of natural resources. To achieve this goal, «green» economic growth must act as a catalyst for investment and innovation, which will promote sustainable growth and lead to new economic opportunities.
Scientific Aspects of the Formation of the Logistics System of Agricultural Companies
Authors: Taraniuk Leonid M. , Qiu Hongzhou
Published: July 2022

The use of research in the field of logistics management of agricultural companies allows increasing the level of information access and transparency of information on the economic feasibility of logistics systems of agricultural companies in China. We need leverage to influence the dissemination of science and the ability to obtain initial data on the logistics management of agricultural enterprises. This article analyses the work of representatives of international scientific schools and Chinese scientists on research of the logistics management system in the work of agricultural companies. The main elements of scientific research, containing theoretical provisions, methodological support in the study of logistics systems of agricultural companies. The concept of scientific research in the formation of the logistics system of agricultural companies, which contains the theoretical provisions of logistics management, methodological support for monitoring the product potential of logistics systems of agricultural companies, the formation of a system of indicators of logistics systems. Scientific principles of formation of logistic system of agricultural companies are offered, which include principles of system integrity, principles of voluntariness, principles of balance, principles of adaptation to peculiarities of agricultural production, principles of increasing basic competitiveness of agricultural enterprises, principles of integration and new construction. The volumes of the main agricultural products in physical terms of China, Japan, USA, Canada, France, Germany and the main indicators of efficiency of agricultural products of China and developed countries in terms of costs, productivity, capital turnover, stock, value-added in GDP. The general conclusion of scientific research and prospects of further scientific research are formed.
Qualitative Mechanisms of Modern Economic System’s Development
Authors: Stepura Tetiana M.
Published: July 2022

The article attempts to substantiate the author’s concept of the latest qualitative mechanisms for the development of the modern economic system. The evolution of the concept of quality in philosophical and economic discourse is considered. The content of the synthetic qualitative approach as a theoretical and methodological basis for the formation of the concept of qualitative economics, based on the fact that the main principles of its modern development are based on the functional of quality. The basic principle of functioning of the theoretical and reference model of qualitative economy and its substantive essence are determined. The modernization changes that take place in the key mechanisms of economic development and signal the formation of a qualitative economy are identified. These changes concern the provision of resources, the restructuring of production methods, the processes of exchange and consumption, the reform of the institution of property and the emergence of new economic elites. At the same time, its qualitative aspects, values, social capital and social trust become an integral part of economic development. The author’s vision of the logic of economic qualitization is presented. The basis of the sign of a qualitative economy is outlined. It is noted that the speed of modernization changes allows us to say about the qualitative revolution in the economy.
COMPETÊNCIAS PARA GESTÃO DE HOSPITAIS BRASILEIROS: EVIDÊNCIAS DA LITERATURA
Authors: Gonçalves Moura Silveira Daniel , Quiroz Villardi Beatriz
Published: July 2022

Objetivo: identificar as competências gerenciais requeridas e as evidenciadas em gestores em hospitais brasileiros. Método: trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura na qual foram considerados estudos publicados entre 01 de janeiro de 2007 a 31 de dezembro de 2020. Resultados: Foram analisados 21 (vinte e um) artigos para o presente estudo nos quais emergiram 49 competências gerenciais requeridas e 31 competências gerenciais evidenciadas em gestores de hospitais brasileiros. Os resultados indicam uma predominância de estudos voltados para gestores enfermeiros no contexto dos hospitais brasileiros. Evidenciou-se também que a maioria dos estudos abordam competências sob a perspectiva da escola americana em detrimento de outras escolas que consideram competências sob o ponto de vista do contexto ao qual se aplicam. Conclusão: Os estudos destacam a importância da prática gerencial e das estratégias de capacitação como treinamentos em serviço e a educação permanente em saúde como meios para desenvolver competências gerenciais nos gestores. Adicionalmente, os resultados sugerem a necessidade de outros estudos acerca de competências gerenciais com base em outras perspectivas de competências que considerem o contexto dos gestores, o que contribuirá para o avanço no conhecimento científico acerca de competências gerenciais.

                                                                                        

Palavras-chave: competências gerenciais; gestão hospitalar; competências profissionais.
A Novel Production Method of Polymer Bolts and the Effects of the Printing Orientation on Tensile and Shear Strength of the 3D Printed Bolts
Authors: DOĞAN Oğuz , KAMER Muhammed Safa
Published: July 2022

Lightweight structures are one of the most studied topics today. Many metal machine elements can be produced from lightweight polymer materials with 3D printer technology. In this study a novel manufacturing method is proposed for the polymer bolts and the effects of the printing directions on the tensile and shear strength are investigated experimentally. Firstly the bolt shafts are produced FDM method by using 3D printer for different print orientations and the final diameters of the bolt shafts are determined by the turning process. A special apparatus is designed and manufacture for threader tool. The screw pitches are opened by using this special apparatus with threader tool. After the manufacturing process, the performance of the produced tensile and shear test samples are defined by using tensile and shear tests. A special tensile test apparatus is also developed in this study. It is seen that the printing orientation has great effects on the tensile and shear durability of the bolts. It has been determined that the strength of the bolts produced with a production angle of 0º is the highest, and the strength of the bolts produced with 45º is the lowest.
The Art of Shringara: Revisiting the Kishangarh School of Rajasthani Painting
Authors:   Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India., Ghosh Soma
Published: July 2022

This article revisits the Kishangarh School of painting at its artistic peak under the patronage of Raja Sawant Singh (reigned 1748–57), an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. Under his guidance and patronage artist, Nihal Chand painted mostly on the theme of Radha-Krishna. Raja Sawant Singh visualized himself as Krishna and a lady called Bani Thani, a singer-poetess at Kishangarh court as his Radha. She had exquisite facial features which gave birth to a new aesthetic idiom, which included a high forehead, arched brows, drawn-out beautiful eyes and a sharp chin below thin lip. What followed was creation of some very iconic artworks which are much admired among art lovers. Bani Thani became something of a legend as she inspired landmark paintings of a prince and his muse in different settings which were close to being illustrations of the poetic works of Raja Sawant Singh, which he had penned in his devotion to Lord Krishna. The article traces the history and context of this style of the Kishangarh School, a sub-school of the larger Marwar School of Rajasthani painting.
A combined water quality pollution prediction model based on the Spark big data platform
Authors: Sun Zhihui , Fan Yiqing
Published: July 2022

Water quality prediction is the basic work of water resource management and pollution control, and it is crucial to accurately predict the trend of pollutant concentration in water bodies over time. Water quality data prediction has an important significance, as it provides data support for the effective estimation of water quality, and is also an indirect way to protect water resources and the environment. At present there are a variety of water quality prediction methods, but these methods still have some shortcomings. In this paper, the main water quality pollution indicators such as the dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and total phosphorus (P) data were the object of study to build a water quality prediction model. The water quality prediction index contains numerous nonlinear correlation characteristics that results in low training efficiency on a large-scale data. Therefore, a combined water quality prediction model based on integrated ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and cascade support vector machine (Cascade SVM) is proposed. First, the EEMD method is used to highlight the real characteristics of the original water quality data series. Then, the parallel training and prediction process are realized by the Spark, a distributed computing engine, to parallelize the traditional Cascade SVM. The experimental results show that the proposed combined model shows a strong superiority in many aspects of performance such as training efficiency and prediction accuracy.
Sero-Prevalence, Infectivity, and Associated Risk Factors of Hepatitis B Virus Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Sankura Primary Hospital, Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2021
Authors: Argaw Bedru , Kedir Shemsu , Mustefa Abdulmejid , Yesse Mubarek , Hussen Leila , Abdella Behradin , Muze Mohammed , Jemal Musa
Published: July 2022

Background:

Hepatitis B (HBV) infection causes a major public health problem around the globe. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the Seroprevalence, infectivity, and associated factors of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Sankura Primary Hospital, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study design was conducted in Sankura Primary Hospital, Southern Ethiopia, from April to June 2020. A total of 338 pregnant women were recruited using systematic random sampling. Sociodemographic and associated risk factors were collected through a structured questionnaire. Blood samples and plasma analysis were performed for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) using the rapid test strip method. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20, and P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

The overall Seroprevalence of HBsAg was 11 (3.3%) [95% CI 1.5% - 5.0%], of whom 2 (18.2%) were positive for HBeAg. In multivariate analysis, a history of blood transfusion [AOR=4.8 95% CI (1.25-6.69)] and contact with a family history of the liver [AOR=5.7 95% CI (1.28-7.9)] was found to be significant predictors of HBV infections.

Conclusion:

The Seroprevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in the study area was intermediate. Family history of liver disease and blood transfusion were risk factors associated with HBV infection. Hence, improving the screening of blood, increasing awareness about the transmission of HBV infection, and screening pregnant women for HBV infection should be implemented. The government will build efficient service delivery models equipped with an appropriate and well-trained workforce.
Regional Legislative Council Service Performance Acceleration Through Innovation: Case Study of Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate
Authors: Savira Evi Maya , Savitri Renny , Ahad Madya Putra Yaumil , Hutasoit Erisda , Simanjuntak Andres Willy
Published: July 2022

Public organizations' outputs are services both inside and outside the organization. Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate is one of the regional apparatus organizations (OPD) whose performance output is service to the bureaucracy, which in this case is to members and leaders of the Regional Legislative Council. The service performance of the Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate is still considered dissatisfaction, and the Government Agency Performance Accountability Report (LAKIP) scores B. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the novelty of the Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate in accelerating its performance through a stakeholder satisfaction survey and innovation. This study uses a mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The research questions are (1) What innovation acceleration does the Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate conduct to achieve organizational performance goals, and how? (2) How does the results of innovation development on the level of satisfaction of stakeholders on the performance of the Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate services in 2019-2021? (3) What lessons were learned from efforts to improve performance through surveys and innovations at the Secretariate? This study results from a stakeholder satisfaction survey followed up with four innovations to accelerate the performance of the Medan Regional Legislative Council Secretariate. The results of this study found that the development of these four innovations was not optimal; there was only one innovation that directly impacted organizational performance. Although technocratic studies have been carried out through stakeholder satisfaction surveys and innovation assistance, however, the innovation decisions made in the context of accelerating performance are highly dependent on the competence of human resources and priority activities.
Synopsis of the mantises (Insecta: Mantodea) of Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Authors: De Luna Manuel , Granados-Corea Yael A.
Published: July 2022

Se analizaron especímenes de mantis (Insecta: Mantodea) de dos colecciones entomológicas de Nuevo León, y, en conjunto con registros de la literatura recientes, se reveló la presencia de ocho especies agrupadas en siete géneros y tres familias. La especie Oligonyx bicornis es registrada por primera vez para el estado. Se cuestiona el registro de Pseudomusonia lineativentris para Nuevo León y México. Se propone una clave de identificación para las especies registradas en el estado, así como aquellas con potencial distribución en este.
Crecimiento de Pinus patula var. longepedunculata Loock en plantaciones de la Sierra Sur de Oaxaca
Authors: Pedro Cruz Adrián , Galán Larrea Rolando , De los Santos Posadas Héctor M. , Valera Venegas Gricelda , Rivera Nava Juana Laura , Sandoval García Celestino
Published: July 2022

Las investigaciones sobre crecimiento y rendimiento de plantaciones forestales, particularmente en especies de coníferas plantadas en las distintas regiones tropicales de México, son escasas. Los modelos matemáticos son una herramienta útil para el manejo óptimo de los recursos forestales maderables. En este trabajo, se ajustaron modelos de predicción explícita de rodal completo, con datos provenientes de parcelas permanentes, para determinar el crecimiento y rendimiento maderable de plantaciones forestales de Pinus patula var. longepedunculata Loock en la Sierra Sur de Oaxaca. El índice de sitio se determinó con el modelo de Schumacher tipo polimórfico, el cual se correlacionó con los modelos de área basal y volumen mediante regresión aparentemente no correlacionada. Se obtuvieron familias de curvas con índices de sitio de 9 m, 11 m, 13 m y 15 m para altura a una edad base de 10 años. En área basal se estimaron índices de sitio de 32.9 m2 ha-1, 37.9 m2 ha-1, 42.5 m2 ha-1 y 47 m2 ha-1 a la edad de 20 años. Asimismo, a esta edad se determinó un volumen por índices de sitio de 187.5 m3 ha-1, 234.3 m3 ha-1, 282 m3 ha-1 y 330.6 m3 ha-1. El rendimiento máximo obtenido para cada sitio fue de 10.23 m3 ha-1 año-1, 12.04 m3 ha-1 año-1, 14.12 m3 ha-1 año-1, 16.6 m3 ha-1 año-1, lo que sugiere turnos diferentes para cada sitio que van de 19 años a 30 años.
Serious Games Supporting the Prevention and Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Consumption in Youth: Scoping Review
Authors: Martínez-Miranda Juan , Espinosa-Curiel Ismael Edrein
Published: July 2022

Background

The consumption of alcohol and drugs, particularly in adolescents and young adults, has increased worldwide in the last several years, representing a significant public health challenge. Serious games have the potential to support preventive and treatment interventions for substance use, facilitating the acquisition of relevant knowledge and the motivation for changes in attitudes and behaviors regarding substance consumption.

Objective

This scoping review aims to analyze a set of 7 relevant characteristics of current serious games designed to support the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug consumption in adolescents and young adults—the substance addressed, the type of intervention, the theoretical basis, the computational techniques used, the mechanism for data security and privacy, the evaluation procedure followed, and the main results obtained.

Methods

The review was performed by following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Data were retrieved from January 2010 to May 2022, using PubMed, Scopus (Elsevier), IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital as data sources. The eligibility criteria included studies that described serious games designed to support the prevention or treatment of alcohol and drug consumption, targeted a population aged between 12 and 30 years, and included an evaluation procedure. Authors (JMM and IEEC) individually screened the titles and abstracts, and then full articles were reviewed for a final inclusion decision.

Results

A total of 629 records were obtained, and 29 (4.6%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most of the serious games (14/29, 48%) were focused on the prevention or treatment of alcohol use. The type of intervention that was the most supported was prevention (18/29, 62%), and most studies mentioned the theory, theoretical construct, or therapeutic technique used as a foundation (22/29, 76%). Most of the studies only provided information about the platform for execution (23/29, 79%), and few described the use of computational techniques, such as virtual reality or motion-based interaction (5/29, 17%). A small set of studies (10/29, 34%) explicitly mentioned how data security and privacy were addressed. Most of the reported evaluation protocols were pilot studies (11/29, 38%), followed by randomized controlled trials (10/29, 34%), and the reported results were positive in terms of acceptability, usability, and efficacy. However, more research is needed to assess long-term effects.

Conclusions

Given the increasing interest in the use of serious games as digital interventions to support the prevention or treatment of substance use, knowing their main features is highly important. This review highlights whether and how current serious games incorporate 7 key features that are useful to consider for the further development of the area.
Effects of Structured Supervised Exercise Training or Motivational Counseling on Pregnant Women’s Physical Activity Level: FitMum - Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)
Authors: Knudsen Signe de Place , Alomairah Saud Abdulaziz , Roland Caroline Borup , Jessen Anne Dsane , Hergel Ida-Marie , Clausen Tine D , Larsen Jakob Eg , van Hall Gerrit , Jensen Andreas Kryger , Molsted Stig , Bendix Jane M , Løkkegaard Ellen , Stallknecht Bente
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy is an effective and safe way to improve maternal health in uncomplicated pregnancies. However, compliance with PA recommendations remains low among pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of offering structured supervised exercise training (EXE) or motivational counseling on PA (MOT) during pregnancy on moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) level. Additionally, complementary measures of PA using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) and gold standard doubly labeled water (DLW) technique were investigated. The hypotheses were that both EXE and MOT would increase MVPA in pregnancy compared with standard care (CON) and that EXE would be more effective than MOT. In addition, the association between MVPA and the number of sessions attended was explored.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial included 220 healthy, inactive pregnant women with a median gestational age of 12.9 (IQR 9.4-13.9) weeks. A total of 219 women were randomized to CON (45/219), EXE (87/219), or MOT (87/219). The primary outcome was MVPA (minutes per week) from randomization to the 29th gestational week obtained by a wrist-worn commercial activity tracker (Vivosport, Garmin International). PA was measured by the activity tracker throughout pregnancy, PPAQ, and DLW. The primary outcome analysis was performed as an analysis of covariance model adjusting for baseline PA.

RESULTS

The average MVPA (minutes per week) from randomization to the 29th gestational week was 33 (95% CI 18 to 47) in CON, 50 (95% CI 39 to 60) in EXE, and 40 (95% CI 30 to 51) in MOT. When adjusted for baseline MVPA, participants in EXE performed 20 (95% CI 4 to 36) minutes per week more MVPA than participants in CON (P=.02). MOT was not more effective than CON; EXE and MOT also did not differ. MVPA was positively associated with the number of exercise sessions attended in EXE from randomization to delivery (P=.04). Attendance was higher for online (due to COVID-19 restrictions) compared with physical exercise training (P=.03). Adverse events and serious adverse events did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Offering EXE was more effective than CON to increase MVPA among pregnant women, whereas offering MOT was not. MVPA in the intervention groups did not reach the recommended level in pregnancy. Changing the intervention to online due to COVID-19 restrictions did not affect MVPA level but increased exercise participation.

CLINICALTRIAL

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03679130; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03679130

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043671
Purwarupa Pendeteksi Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) Menggunakan Sensor MQ-2 dengan Blynk
Authors: Kusumadewi Rismanda Tyas , Kurniadi Rizki , Oktiawati Unan Yusmaniar
Published: July 2022

Abstract - One technology that is currently often used by humans is the internet of things (IoT). With IoT technology, humans can easily overcome the problems of need, one of which is overcoming the problem of the threat of fire that occurs due to gas leaks. To prevent these potential threats and dangerous risks, awareness is needed. Humans need information in the form of timely warnings about gas leaks that are used as prevention of potential and dangerous risks that can threaten home security. With the development of technology today, humans can easily get information in real time. This technology is made in the form of a prototype which is integrated to develop a prototype of LPG gas leak detector with real-time information features, namely monitoring and notification using the Blynk application. This detector utilizes the MQ-2 sensor as a gas sensor, especially LPG gas and NodeMCU V3 ESP 8266 which can be connected to the internet and integrated with the Blynk application. In making the prototype, functionality and QoS (quality of service) testing are also carried out which are used as proof that the prototype can work well.Keywords : Blynk, IoT, monitoring, prototype, real-timeIntisari - Salah satu teknologi yang saat ini sering digunakan oleh manusia yaitu internet of things (IoT). Dengan teknologi IoT  manusia dapat dengan mudah mengatasi permasalahan kebutuhan salah satunya yaitu mengatasi permasalahan ancaman kebakaran yang terjadi akibat adanya kebocoran gas. Untuk mencegah potensi ancaman dan risiko yang berbahaya tersebut, kesadaran diperlukan. Manusia membutuhkan informasi berupa peringatan tepat waktu tentang kebocoran gas yang digunakan sebagai pencegahan potensi dan risiko berbahaya yang dapat mengancam keamanan rumah. Dengan berkembangnya teknologi sekarang ini manusia dapat dengan mudah mendapatkan informasi secara real-time. Teknologi ini dibuat dalam bentuk prototipe yang diintegrasikan untuk mengembangkan prototipe pendeteksi kebocoran gas LPG dengan fitur informasi real-time yaitu berupa pemantauan dan notifikasi menggunakan aplikasi Blynk. Pendeteksi ini memanfaatkan sensor MQ-2 sebagai sensor gas khususnya gas LPG dan NodeMCU V3 ESP 8266 yang dapat terhubung dengan internet dan terintegrasi dengan aplikasi Blynk. Dalam pembuatan prototipe, dilakukan pula pengujian fungsionalitas dan QoS  (quality of service) yang digunakan sebagai pembuktian bahwa prototipe  tersebut dapat bekerja dengan baik.Kata kunci : Blynk, IoT, pemantauan, purwarupa, real-time
Evaluation of the antimicrobial potential of actinobacteria strains isolated from mangrove soils in the municipality of São Caetano de Odivelas – Pará, Brazil
Authors: Martins Hadassa Hanna Soares , Caldas Daniel dos Santos , Castillo Jean Carlos Silva Del , Colares Tulio Vulcão , Uesugi Juliana Hiromi Emin , Pereira Emanoele Saraiva , Prazeres Maria Clara Coelho , Coelho Brunna Beatrys Farias , Pismel José Alyson Rocha , Bezerra Nilson Veloso
Published: July 2022

The actinobacteria compose a phylum of Gram-positive bacteria that possess a wide morphological and physiological variety. They are cocci or bacilli shaped and their reproduction is characterized by the formation of spores and septate pseudo hyphae similar to fungi. Physiologically, they have a great capacity to produce secondary metabolites, which give this group of bacteria a high pharmacological and commercial value. The aim of this work was to isolate and evaluate the antimicrobial potential of strains isolated from mangrove soils in the municipality of São Caetano de Odivelas-PA. As results, from the 19 isolates, 11 strains, showed a good performance against the tested pathogenic bacteria - S. aureus, E. coli and K. pneumoniae.
Moodle, digital board dan video conference: Inovasi media pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris selama emergency remote teaching di masa pandemi Covid-19
Authors: Septianasari Lina
Published: July 2022

Innovation in the use of learning media amid an Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) is indispensable, especially in teaching English as a foreign language. This study aims to document learning innovations carried out by English Lecturers and investigate students’ perspectives regarding learning innovations carried out by their classroom lecturers during ERT. Statistical quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in the research design of this study. Purposive sampling combined with questionnaires and interviews as instruments to collect data. The data were analyzed by using LISREL software supported with a descriptive qualitative approach to calculate statistical data from the questionnaire and to describe data from interviews. The findings indicate that the LMS combined with digital boards and video conference platforms have received quite a positive response from students in terms of material, self-efficacy, and usability. The innovations made by lecturers in integrating learning media can help the lecturers to maintain the achievement of learning activities during ERT.