bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of low impact development measures to mitigate inundation in tidal – impacted urban area: A case in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Pham N , Cabaltica A , Pham H T
Published: May 2021

Recently, urban inundation is becoming more severe in Ho Chi Minh City. Many structural measures have been proposed, but low impact development (LID) measures have not been sufficiently considered. This study quantitatively investigated the possibility of LID measures in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City using modelling approach. Based on the collected secondary data on land use, sewer network, and terrain elevation, a semi-two-dimensional storm water management model (PCSWMM-2D) was constructed and calibrated against heavy rainfall and high tidal event on 26 September 2016. Errors between measured and simulated inundated depths at several positions was smaller than 5%; thus, the calibrated model was at reliable accuracy to predict design scenarios. Using 10-year return period scenarios of tidal levels at Sai Gon River and rainfall at Tan Son Hoa gauging station, the model was used to analyse several designed LID measures including green roof, pervious pavement, and storage or flood retention lake/pond. The simulated results indicated that if green roof and pervious pavement are separately applied, the average magnitude of inundation depth can be reduced by 11.4% and 14.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, when a well-designed storage system including a gated-flood retention lake in combination with suitable conduits and a pumping station is constructed, the flooding situation is completely controlled. In conclusion, it is suggested that to manage urban inundation in terms of sustainable development for Ho Chi Minh City, a well-designed storage system is needed prior to the urbanizing area. In addition, those LID measures should be widely applied as long-term strategy for flooding management in Ho Chi Minh City.
Stability of Railway Embankment in Saturated and Unsaturated Conditions
Authors: Roshan M J , Rashid A S A , Wahab N A , Hezmi M A , Jusoh S N , Azmi M
Published: May 2021

Slope failure is a vital issue in civil engineering infrastructures. Besides, climate change implications made this problem more critical. Therefore, in this study, a railway embankment’s slope stability has been studied in saturated and unsaturated conditions. The soil sample was collected from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru. The necessary and required data obtained through lab experiments. The obtained data from lab experiments then used in Seep/W and Slope/W to model the railway embankment numerically. The results obtained from this study indicate that rainfall infiltration plays a vital role in the safety factor value. The obtained results also depicted that both rainfall intensity and duration play an important role in slope stability. The factor of safety showed a declining pattern with increasing rainfall and duration of rainfall. The safety factor decrement occurred since the matric suction was reduced (negative pore water pressure) by rainfall infiltration. Besides, the safety factor decrease was more acute when train load was applied in a rainy period. Thus, it is suggested that in a long period of rainy time, the railway authorities should stop the train operation, or the embankment stability should be increased using some stabilizations methods in the planning and designing stage.
Modelling the applicability of Low Impact Development (LID) technologies in a university campus in the Philippines using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM)
Authors: Frias R A , Maniquiz-Redillas M
Published: May 2021

Progressive land development increases the imperviousness of an area which disrupts the water balance and results to the degradation of water quality, high peak flow, and excessive volume of surface runoff. One efficient approach to address this issue on water is the application of Low impact development (LID) technologies. LID helps improve the water quality and water quantity of an area to maximize its land-use. In this study, the eight LID technologies available in SWMM namely, bio retention cell, infiltration trench, rain garden, green roof, permeable pavement, rain barrel, rooftop disconnection, and vegetative swale were applied in simulating the area of the De La Salle University - Laguna Campus, a pre-developed area in Binan, Laguna which currently undergoes land-use change. This study area was simulated without the use of LID, with the use of varying LID, and capturing the 80, 90, and 95 percent of all the rainfall from 1989-2018. Digital elevation model and disaggregated rainfall data were used as input in SWMM. The ArcMap 10.4 was utilized to delineate and produce the three sub catchments with an area of 24.13 ha., 10.18 ha., and 4.34 ha., respectively while Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) software was used in analyzing these sub catchments to produce water balance values. Results showed that more than 60 percent of the disaggregated rainfall was under the one-year return period. Also, bioretention cell with 80th percentile rainfall maximizes the reduction of runoff while infiltration trenches with 95th percentile rainfall were the most effective in increasing the infiltration among the eight LID technologies. It was also indicated that the surface runoff in first sub catchment was reduced to more than 80% using bioretention cell, infiltration trench, rain garden, or rooftop disconnection. Finally, the area of a sub catchment has a positive correlation in its reduced runoff while a negative correlation in its infiltration when integrating the LID technologies. This research can be a resource for further studies and in to support SDGs 6, 9, and 11 to have a better water management, resilient infrastructures, and attain sustainable cities and communities.
Optimization of deep soil mixing mass for construction of tunnel cross-passage in Bangkok
Authors: Seng Mengly , Boonyatee Tirawat
Published: May 2021

A cross-passage from a tunnel to an intervention shaft in Bangkok subsoils was modelled using three-dimensional finite element analysis. The optimization was performed for reducing the volume of soil-cement mass while maintaining ground stability. The result showed that the factor of safety increases linearly with the thickness of improved ground. The relationship between the improved groundmass and ground surface settlement curve was made. It was found that the predicted settlement profile can be captured by the formula proposed by Peck and O’Reilly, providing that the empirical coefficient of 0.6 is fit well with the results from the 3D simulation. This value was obtained from the average of empirical coefficient value 0.4 and 0.7, which are the empirical coefficient values of stiff clay and soft clay, respectively based on the overburden thickness.
Calibration and Validation of Lane Changing Following Gap Distance in VISSIM
Authors: Mohamed H A , Puan O C , Hassan S A , Azhari S F
Published: May 2021

Lane change (LC) is an essential feature of expressway driving behavior that affects traffic efficiency and safety. Thus, a wrongful execution of LC, could be due to the wrong choice of gap distance before the LC manoeuvre. This might lead to road crashes, mostly in form rear-end, sideswipe, or angled collision. This research evaluates the characteristics of drivers’ Following Gap Distance (FGD) during LC using VISSIM traffic simulation program. Data were collected along a representative segment along with Kuala Lumpur – Seremban expressway for two days using an instrumented vehicle approach. A passenger car was instrumented with a Video Velocity Box (VBox), an on-board data acquisition system used for video recording of the road’s traffic event. A total of 75 and 20 following incidences of lane changing were observed in first and second day, respectively. Standstill Distance (CC0), Gap Time (CC1) and Following Distance Oscillation (CC2) were used as calibration parameters in VISSIM model. FGD was used as a measure of performance for the model. The data from second day was used for model validation. The findings indicate that the model was well calibrated and validated. Therefore, it can be used for modelling various scenarios involving LC on the expressway.
Investigation of Pile Behaviour using Rotary-Jacking Method
Authors: Hassan N S , Ibrahim A
Published: May 2021

This research investigates the installation of a new pile using the rotary and jacking method. The use of hydraulic ram to apply static jacking force does not produce the noise and ground vibration produced by the traditional percussion and vibro-hammer methods. The pile jacking process can increase the bearing capacity and stiff base response but may occasionally cause excessive installation resistance. An innovative rotary jacking method can overcome these problems and enhance pile performance. The research seeks to determine the effect of pile loading and the pile response under axial loading. The laboratory experiment uses a 25-mm circular pile and a screw pile together with a large container filled with silica sand attached to a rotary jacking machine. The installed piles are subjected to the installation and static load tests. The results show that the rotary jacking method successfully installed the pile with less resistance between the sand and pile surface, which allows the piles to penetrate the required depth with less loading. The experimental results proved that the rotary jacking method reduced soil settlement and the time taken to drive the pile into the soil. This new innovative method will enhance pile installation in the construction industry.
Critical micelle concentration, interfacial tension and wettability alteration study on the surface of paraffin oil-wet sandstone using saponin
Authors: Alpandi A H , Inasyah F A , Sidek A , Husin H , Junin R , Jaafar M Z
Published: May 2021

Nowadays, the implementation of chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) techniques improves the oil recovery by injecting synthetic surfactants in reservoir. However, the recent use of this synthetic surfactant is quite expensive and possesses toxicity problems when exposed to the environment. This issue has forced the search for alternative, cheaper and natural synthetic surfactant to enhance oil recovery. Hence, this study aims to provide some insights into the effect of saponin as natural plant-based non-ionic surfactant on the surface of paraffin oil-wet sandstone. The effectiveness of saponin depends on the critical micelle concentration (CMC), interfacial tension (IFT) and wettability alteration. The surfactant concentration containing saponin was varying from 0.005wt% to 0.07wt% to determine CMC value using surface tension measurement, meanwhile for IFT measurement was conducted at 0.5wt% to 8wt% concentration using Krus Tensiometer K6. The experiments were conducted at standard condition with 25°C and 14.7psia. The findings showed that surface tension for CMC value of saponin is 0.05wt%. Approximately 27% reduction from initial IFT was achieved with 8wt% of saponin concentration. The saponin successfully alter the wetting state of oil-wet sandstone to intermediate-wet through quantitatively measurement of contact angle. Saponin with low CMC value is favourable to become a reference concentration as natural surfactant, effective to alter of reservoir rock properties, facilitate oil mobilization, increase oil recovery and suggested as an additive for mitigating wax deposition.
Dry wear behavior and mild-to-severe wear transition in an Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloy
Authors: Wang Y B , Li Liang , An J
Published: May 2021

This paper describes the wear behavior, mild-to-severe wear transition (MSWT), analysis of microstructure and property underneath the wear surface for an Mg-10.1Gd-1.4Y-0.4Zr alloy within 0.2–4.0 m s−1 under dry sliding condition. The volumetric wear rate was plotted against applied load at each experimental speed. The worn surfaces were examined by SEM and EDS techniques, from which the wear mechanisms were identified, and they were used to draw a wear mechanism transition map with mild and severe wear regions. The results reveal that there exists a turning point on the wear rate-load curve under each sliding speed, which actually corresponds to MSWT. Two different types of MSWT are found in different speed ranges. The first one is controlled by a severe oxidation wear, and it operates within 0.2–0.5 m s−1, while the second one is controlled by a severe plastic deformation (SPD) wear, and it works within 0.8–4.0 m s−1. An analysis of microstructure and property underneath the worn surface proves that the mechanism for the second type of MSWT is the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) induced softening of surface material. With the help of DRX dynamics theory of metals, the critical surface DRX temperatures for MSWTs within 0.8–4.0 m s−1 are estimated, and from which the transition loads are evaluated according to a simplified modeling for MSWT load. There is a good agreement between the calculated and measured transition loads, indicating that SPD-controlled MSWT follows contact surface DRX temperature criterion.
Design and analysis of biodegradable buttress threaded screws for fracture fixation in orthopedics: a finite element analysis
Authors: Chandra Girish , Pandey Ajay
Published: May 2021

Screws made up of non-biodegradable materials (Ti-alloy, etc.) have been used since long for temporary joining/fixation in applications involving skeleton damage or bone fracture. These screws need to be removed after complete healing as their sustained presence results in many complications, such as - micro-fracturing, stress shielding, etc. The removal of these screws is a little difficult too as it may result in the healed bone getting broken/damaged again. These problems can be overcome by employing metallic implants (plate, screws, etc.) made up of biodegradable metallic materials (Mg-alloy, etc.). Such implants exhibit optimal mechanical performance, are biocompatible, have adequate biodegradation rates, and rely on a unique design. Internal fracture fixation makes usage of screws with or without an accompanying plate. Buttress-threaded screws are the most frequently used ones. These screws must have the capacity to bear usually occurring loads and hold fractured segments of bone all through the process of healing. Finite element analysis (FEA) is an effective technique used for testing and validation of desired characteristics for Mg-based biodegradable buttress-threaded screw (BBTS). The characteristics of interest include maximum possible pullout resistance to tightly hold segments of bone, torsional ability for tightening or tapping, bending ability during providing plate support by screw head, and resistance to combined loading (tensile/compressive and bending) during the self-support stage using merely the screw(s). According to test results and subsequent validation through discretization error and convergence plot, BBTS made up of Mg-alloy are found safe for regular applications under usually encountered impact loads. Topological optimization and vibration analysis are also performed wherein it is observed that design of BBTS is good enough for possible usage in fracture fixation in orthopaedics.
Off-axis magnetic fields of a circular loop and a solenoid for the electromagnetic induction of a magnetic pendulum
Authors: Jang Taehun , Ha Hye Jin , Seo Yun Kyung , Sohn Sang Ho
Published: May 2021

In this study, two types of approximate analytic functions for the off-axis magnetic field

B
⃗

r
,
θ

of a circular loop and a finite-length solenoid are presented. The derived analytic functions reduce to a well-known magnetic field formula with respect to the vertical axis of the circular loop and the solenoid when

θ
=
0
.

In addition, we investigated two types of

B
⃗

r
,
θ

within the approximate conditions through a simulation performed using Wolfram Mathematica. The derived analytic functions can be used to determine the magnetic field

B
⃗

r
,
θ

at arbitrary points with large r and small θ around a circular loop and a solenoid. They are helpful for investigating the electromagnetic induction that can be attributed to a magnet swinging over a coil or a solenoid.
Ceria nanoparticle theranostics: harnessing antioxidant properties in biomedicine and beyond
Authors: Banavar Shubha , Deshpande Aaditya , Sur Shantanu , Andreescu Silvana
Published: May 2021

Theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) which provide both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities have potential to fundamentally change biomedical sciences and improve disease diagnostics and therapy. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of ceria NPs (CeNPs) therapeutics with combined free radical scavenging activity and biosensing functions as a promising class of theranostic probes in biomedicine. The unique physicochemical properties of CeNPs including the antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties are discussed in relation to their therapeutic efficacy in disease models including neurodegenerative diseases, anti-inflammatory, hypoxic damage, ischemia-reperfusion. The potential to combine the antioxidant properties with sensing functions to achieve synergistic therapeutic and biosensing functions is highlighted with a focus on personalized medicine and next generation therapy. The current state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities for future development of CeNPs as active theranostic probes in biomedicine are also discussed.
V-FROG—single-scan vectorial FROG
Authors: Ilan Haham Gil , Levin Alexander , Sidorenko Pavel , Lerner Gavriel , Cohen Oren
Published: May 2021

We propose and experimentally demonstrate single-scan vectorial frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) which characterizes the amplitude, phase and polarization of ultrashort laser pulses using a single measured spectrogram. It is carried out by rotating the polarization of the incoming pulse (using a half-wavelength waveplate), in parallel to scanning the delay between the pulse and its replica in an otherwise ordinary FROG apparatus. A ptychography-based phase retrieval algorithm extracts the full pulse information from the recorded spectrogram. We numerically show that this method is reliable and use it to experimentally reconstruct a pulse with intricate time-dependent polarization. We also show that this method can be used to remove time-reversal ambiguity of second harmonic generation FROG.
Who are refugees and other forced migrants?
Authors: Loescher Gil
Published: May 2021

This chapter defines who refugees are. Persons recognized as refugees are individuals who have fled persecution and conflict in their home country and no longer enjoy the legal protections afforded to citizens of a state. As a consequence, the 1951 Refugee Convention stipulates that refugees should be protected and should have access to national courts, the right to employment and education, and a host of other social, economic, and civil rights on a par with nationals of the host country. The chapter then looks at the differences between refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and why they leave their home countries. Together, they are referred to as forced migrants.
Refugees
Authors: Loescher Gil
Published: May 2021

This chapter traces the history of refugees. Throughout all periods of human history, people have been forcibly displaced and have fled their homes as a consequence of political, ethnic, and religious persecution, and wars. The practice of receiving societies and religious institutions offering some form of protection, political belonging, and rights for the displaced has an equally long history. By the late 1940s, the newly created United Nations recognized the need to extend the existing international treaties and organizations regarding refugees particularly to meet the growing post-war refugee problem in Europe. The result was a process that established the contemporary global refugee regime.
Causes of refugee movements
Authors: Loescher Gil
Published: May 2021

This chapter examines the causes of refugee movements. The majority of mass movements today are caused by internal conflicts, and ethnic cleansing, genocide, and politicide; religious, cultural, and ethnic intolerance; socio-economic inequalities; and increasingly by conflict-induced famine, mass starvation, and climate change. As a consequence, there has been a proliferation of complex emergencies that combine internal conflicts with large-scale displacement of people. Until the international community is able to effectively address these root causes, forced displacement will remain a common feature of world affairs. It is thus critical to ensure that international responses to forced migration also lay the foundation for refugees to find a solution to their plight.
Perceptions and misperceptions about refugees
Authors: Loescher Gil
Published: May 2021

This chapter looks at perceptions and misperceptions about refugees, considering anti-refugee and anti-migrant rhetoric. The lived experiences of refugees and asylum seekers are often far removed from how they are represented in the media and public discourse. While it would be hard to generalize from these diverse experiences, the responses of states, the lack of international cooperation, and the limits of the global refugee system have fuelled many misperceptions about refugees. The chapter then discusses how restrictive policies affect all refugees. They can compound the challenges faced by particular categories of vulnerable refugees, such as women, children and adolescents, the elderly, refugees with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community.
2. Water, lipids, and carbohydrates
Authors: Lorch Mark
Published: May 2021

This chapter discusses some simpler but no less important molecules: water, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleotides. These molecules form the physical structures that bound cells and the medium in which the very chemistry of life takes place. Water’s structure and composition allows it to participate makes it a polar molecule and an astonishingly good solvent. Meanwhile, lipids play three main roles in biochemistry: energy storage, signalling, and structure formation. Finally, carbohydrates provide the fuel that powers cells; they form the scaffolding around which so many structures are built; and they frequently embellish proteins, modifying their behaviours or adding functionality.
4. Nucleic acids
Authors: Lorch Mark
Published: May 2021

This chapter focuses on nucleic acids. It begins by describing the central dogma of molecular biology. Fundamentally, the central dogma consists of DNA replication—the straightforward copying of information; transcription—the process of creating RNA from a DNA template; and translation—the creation of a protein sequence from an RNA template. The chapter then looks at the nucleic acid molecule’s secondary structures, their form and function, and how these underpin the three trunk data flows of the central dogma. The chapter also explores the idea of a primordial world without DNA or proteins, where RNA played the role of both cellular machinery and storage medium for genetic information.
5. Powering a cell
Authors: Lorch Mark
Published: May 2021

This chapter looks at some examples of how the groups of major macro- and micromolecules that play a role in biochemistry work in unison, creating interconnected pathways of chemical reactions. The biochemical process that collects the Sun’s rays and uses their energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrate is photosynthesis. The most common light harvesting pigments are chlorophylls. Living organisms, including humans, then utilize the stored chemical energy in the carbohydrates, releasing carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The chapter then highlights the process of glycolysis, a ten-step metabolic pathway, with each step catalysed by specific proteins.
7. Following biochemistry within the cell
Authors: Lorch Mark
Published: May 2021

This chapter presents key advances in the study of individual molecules within cells. When one applies this individualistic methodology to biochemicals, one enters the realms of single-molecule biophysics. There are of course formidable technical challenges associated with single-molecule studies, not least of which is the signal-to-noise problem. The chapter discusses patch clamping, nanoscopes, and optical tweezers. Patch clamping provided insights into the protein machinery that controls the flow of ions in and out of cells. The chapter also examines cytokinesis, cytoskeletons, and motor proteins, and the use of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP).
8. Biotechnology and synthetic biology
Authors: Lorch Mark
Published: May 2021

This chapter explores the fields of biotechnology and synthetic biology. The micro-scale of synthetic biology clearly indicates the use of knowledge drawn from biochemistry. But its philosophy is more closely aligned to the principles of engineering than those of pure science. The chapter then looks at some examples of synthetic biochemistry, and reflects on what this new field might herald. It studies the creation of synthetic organisms and genomes. The chapter also considers gene editing and the emergence of a powerful gene editing technique, known as CRISPR (from clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats). Finally, it addresses ethical issues and the darker applications of these technologies.
1. Creativity
Authors: Glăveanu Vlad
Published: May 2021

This chapter defines creativity. It begins by studying the three examples of Prometheus, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Romanian protests, which illustrate three different expressions of creativity and three different universes of meanings associated with the term. The chapter then traces the history of creativity and appreciation for creative people. Ultimately, there is no single, unified definition of creativity. Cognitive definitions tell something about the creative person and the intra-psychological processes they engage in. Systemic and sociocultural reformulations help one consider the wider dynamic of creative expression beyond individual minds and point to the role played by the ideas of others and the broader culture.
2. The who of creativity
Authors: Glăveanu Vlad
Published: May 2021

This chapter discusses the question of ‘who’ creates. The answer to this question is the person who is creative, but this person is not alone. They create from within a network of relations with others and necessarily use cultural resources, from technology to language. It is thus important to expand the ‘who’ of creativity to include the context of the creative person: collaborators, audiences, gatekeepers, objects, spaces, and, ultimately, culture. And, with this expansion, one needs to consider the creative person as they develop over time, from early childhood into adulthood and old age. The chapter then looks at creativity’s relationship with intelligence, personality, and motivation.
4. The how of creativity
Authors: Glăveanu Vlad
Published: May 2021

This chapter focuses on creative processes. People would not be able to have creative ideas in the first place if they did not have a brain to support ideation and a body that allows movement and is receptive to the environment. As such, there is a neurological and embodied aspect to creative cognition. Beyond cognition itself, creativity is driven by different motives and coloured by a variety of emotions. Moreover, social interactions offer the ‘material’ to think about, feel into, and act upon. These psychological (cognitive, emotional, and motivational), social, and material dimensions of the creative process are connected to each other within what can be called creative action.
2. Energy
Authors: Davies Jamie A.
Published: May 2021

This chapter focuses on energy as just one aspect of body function. The chapter describes the energy-harvesting chemical reactions which happen in all human cells. For them to be possible, these cells must have access to glucose and oxygen, and must be able to dispose of the waste products, carbon dioxide and water. In a large organism such as a human, even these apparently simple requirements are challenging and are met by a complex set of physiological systems, in particular the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, and excretory organs of the body.
5. Reacting and thinking
Authors: Davies Jamie A.
Published: May 2021

This chapter assesses the nervous system. In the trunk of the body and the neck, the central nervous system (CNS) is called the spinal cord; in the head, it is called the brain. The CNS is dominated by two cell types: neurons and glia. The neurons form a vast network in which information is split, combined, and somehow processed. Examples of this processing include reflex arcs, the ‘circuitry’ that detects features such as edges in images coming from the eyes, and simple types of learning and memory. However, most other things in the brain, especially thinking and feeling, are not yet understood at all well.
6. From thought to action
Authors: Davies Jamie A.
Published: May 2021

This chapter addresses muscles. The ultimate result of sensation and thought is usually some kind of action, be it moving the whole body; manipulating an object with the hand; or moving diaphragm, mouth, tongue, and voice-box to speak. All of these depend on muscles which, in their various forms, provide a nearly universal means for the nervous system to control the body and the world. Muscle cells are highly adapted for turning chemical energy into mechanical force. The chapter then looks at skeletal muscle and the musculoskeletal system. Some muscles are arranged circumferentially around a cavity. Two examples of this are the heart and the gut.
Concluding remarks
Authors: Davies Jamie A.
Published: May 2021

This concluding chapter highlights one physiological principle that shines through the discussion of human physiology: the emergence of control through the cooperative, collective action of different entities. Studying physiology is about more than gaining facts. It is also about gaining an outlook that can see, analyse, and appreciate the action of cooperative systems. It is an outlook that fully acknowledges the importance of understanding at the molecular level, but that can still retain a focus on what the molecules are for. In this respect, physiology connects more than most with our deepest questions about what it is to be human.
Asymptomatic bacteriuria: Impact of an antimicrobial stewardship bundle to reduce unnecessary antibiotics in patients without urinary catheters
Authors: Rico Matthew , Sulaiman Rand , MacLeod Rachel
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an antimicrobial stewardship bundle on the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB).

Methods

In this quasi-experimental study, patients were selected by retrospective, consecutive sampling of patients with a positive urine culture report in 3 separate groups: preintervention, postdiagnostic intervention, and posteducation. Patients met the prespecified criteria for non–catheter-associated ASB. The diagnostic intervention involved a new urinalysis/urine culture ordering process in place of urinalysis with reflex to urine culture. Additionally, an educational intervention involved pharmacist-led sessions to educate providers with patient cases and guideline-based recommendations. The primary outcome of this study was the difference in the rate of inappropriate management of ASB, defined as the use of antimicrobial agents intended to treat ASB. Secondary outcomes included length of antimicrobial therapy, length of stay, and change in urine culture orders per 1,000 patient-days.

Results

A total of 120 patients were included. There was a significant reduction in the inappropriate management of ASB between the preintervention and postdiagnostic intervention groups (P = 0.0349). This was not seen when comparing the postdiagnostic intervention and posteducation groups (P = 0.93). Additionally, there was a significant difference in urinalysis/urine culture ordering between the preintervention and postdiagnostic intervention groups (370 vs 224 urinalysis orders per 1,000 days present, P < 0.0001; 131 vs 54 urine culture orders per 1,000 days present, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

An antimicrobial stewardship bundle involving a diagnostic stewardship intervention and pharmacist-led education reduced treatment of ASB in patients without urinary catheters.
News in Astronomy & Geophysics – June 2021
Authors: Bowler Sue , Gunn Alastair
Published: May 2021

A digest of some of the big stories from the past two months
Fermented date residue extract mix containing gamma-aminobutyric acid augments the immune function of mouse splenocytes
Authors: Hattori Keiyu , Yamamoto Yoshinari , Fujii Sotaro , Kumrungsee Thanutchaporn , Hasegawa Momoko , Yoshida Atsushi , Suzuki Takuya , Sambongi Yoshihiro
Published: May 2021

An extract of date (fruit of a palm tree) residue plus food-grade glutamate, acetic acid, and yeast extract (date residue extract mix, DREM) has been successfully fermented with using Lactobacillus brevis JCM 1059T to produce gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Here, mouse splenocytes were found to be viable when supplemented with DREM and fermented DREM containing GABA (fDREM). The addition of DREM and fDREM resulted in the secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α from the splenocytes, fDREM being more effective than DREM. The TNF-α secretion with DREM was elevated by exogenous addition of GABA and that with fDREM was in part mediated via A-type GABA receptors. Contrary to general understanding of the suppressive effects of GABA on various biological functions, our findings suggest that GABA-containing fDREM arguments the immune function as a food and pharmaceutical material.
Housing, Homelessness and Children’s Social Care: Towards an Urgent Research Agenda
Authors: Cross Sally , Bywaters Paul , Brown Philip , Featherstone Brid
Published: May 2021

Having a secure, safe and affordable home is an essential element in the experience of a ‘good enough’ childhood. This is not available to a large and growing number of children and parents in the UK because of a structural housing crisis affecting the availability, quality, affordability and regulation of accommodation. There is a clear body of evidence which demonstrates the negative effects of poor housing and homelessness on children’s health and development. A much smaller body of work implicates housing policies and conditions in child abuse and neglect, but there is a profound lack of good quality data or research about the role which housing and homelessness play in shaping demand for social care in the UK. This article reviews the available evidence, identifying limitations and gaps. Its aim is to open up policy and practice conversations about the increasing significance of housing and homelessness as a critical issue for children’s social care in the UK whilst making the case for an urgent research agenda.
On Your Marx…? A World to Win or the Dismantlement of a Profession? On Why We Need a Reckoning
Authors: Whelan Joe
Published: May 2021

This essay adds to the debate started by Chris Maylea, who called for ‘an end to social work’, and subsequently joined by Paul Michael Garrett, who offered a riposte to Maylea’s call, whilst also illustrating the possibility of ‘dissenting social work’. Whilst not constructed as a direct response to either, this essay does engage with each and enters similar territory in the hope of extending the debate. The main thrust of what is presented here then suggests that rather than dismantling the profession and before imagining a new social work paradigm, we would do well to examine how social work is currently defined and whether or not this definition is reflective of contemporary social work practice, particularly in the liberal welfare states of the anglosphere. Effectively, I argue that it is not and that this is evident through what I term ‘the unfulfilled promise of social justice’. On this basis, I want to argue for a more expansive understanding of social work as an act of reclamation that challenges how social work has become ensconced within repressive state apparatuses. In doing so, I suggest that we should move to ‘reclaim’ our radical roots by turning to ‘ideas lying around’.
Small leucine zipper protein promotes the metastasis of castration-resistant prostate cancer through transcriptional regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-13
Authors: Kim Suhyun , Kang Minsoo , Ko Jesang
Published: May 2021

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) function as central modulators of tissue remodeling. Abnormal expression and altered activity of MMPs result in excessive extracellular matrix degradation and increased tumor metastasis in various cancers. Small leucine zipper protein (sLZIP), belonging to the leucine zipper transcription factor family, functions as a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in various cellular processes. However, its role in MMP expression and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of sLZIP in MMP-13 expression and its involvement in CRPC metastasis. sLZIP increased MMP-13 transcription by directly binding to its promoter in CRPC cells. We found that the expression levels of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which represses MMP transcription, were elevated in CRPC cells. However, sLZIP suppressed the inhibitory effect of GR and enhanced the secretion of MMP-13 in CRPC cells. sLZIP promoted cell migration and invasion; however, a specific MMP-13 inhibitor blocked sLZIP-induced cell motility. Depletion of sLZIP using the CRISPR/Cas9 system downregulated MMP-13 messenger RNA expression in PC3 cells. Mice injected with sLZIP-depleted PC3 cells showed significantly reduced metastatic tumor volume in the lung compared with mice injected with control PC3 cells. Our findings suggest that sLZIP plays an important role in MMP-13 induction and CRPC metastasis. Therefore, sLZIP inhibition could be a novel therapeutic strategy for metastatic GR-enriched CRPC.
Climate Strikes in Millennial India: Social Capital and “On-Ground” Networks in Digital-First Movements
Authors: Khan Aasim , Natarajan Sarayu , Bhalla Sakshi
Published: May 2021

In September 2019, young people in India led a series of protest events, taking inspiration from a digital campaign for a series of Climate Strikes. Our article explores these events in the context of “millennial India,” particularly in terms of the networks that emerged in the course of climate action in two different regions. By using evidence from Delhi in the north and Bengaluru in the south, we also develop a comparative sociology of digital-first environmental movements and show how the significance of Twitter can only be understood in relation to the formations of social capital on the ground.
Chronicles of a Meme Foretold: Political Memes as Folk Memory in India
Authors: Baishya Anirban K
Published: May 2021

While memes evoke the idea of image (and text) based digital artifacts, memes are not merely visual or textual. Focusing on the demonetization drive undertaken by the BJP-led government in India in 2016, this forum piece makes the case for memes as a kind of memory culture. By this, I mean not only the representation of historical events in memes, but also memes themselves as memorial objects. Memes made in 2016 resurface even now as a form of humorous political critique and demonetization memes are further folded into critiques of current events such as the ongoing farmers' protests. Through an examination of such processes of recontextualization, repurposing and resurfacing, I demonstrate how the seemingly fragmented form of the meme impacts the way we remember through digital media. In effect, meme-culture in India accrues a “sticky” temporality that makes them powerful forms of digital “folk” archiving.
Emergence of the E484K Mutation in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Lineage B.1.1.345 in Upstate New York
Authors: Lesho Emil , Corey Brendan , Lebreton Francois , Ong Ana C , Swierczewski Brett E , Bennett Jason W , Walsh Edward E , McGann Patrick
Published: May 2021

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.1.345 variant carrying the E484K mutation was detected in 4 patients with no apparent epidemiological association from a hospital network in upstate New York. Subsequent analysis identified an additional 11 B.1.1.345 variants from this region between December 2020 and February 2021.
Detecting Malicious Domain Names with Abnormal WHOIS Records Using Feature-Based Rules
Authors: Cheng Yanan , Chai Tingting , Zhang Zhaoxin , Lu Keyu , Du Yuejin
Published: May 2021

Millions of new domain names are registered every day, but a large proportion of them are malicious and usually discovered and blacklisted after the crime has been committed. In order to improve the security of domain name registration, this paper proposes a lightweight detection method based on the AdaBoost to identify malicious domain names, which focuses on proactively detecting malicious domain names by exploring the abnormal WHOIS records. The domain name registries and registrars can adopt the proposed method as the first layer of defense to identify malicious domains on the domain registration stage. Extensive experiments on a large-scale database demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves satisfactory results on various malicious domain names.
Favorable Outcomes Combining Vedolizumab With Other Biologics or Tofacitinib for Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Llano Ernesto M , Shrestha Shreeju , Burstein Ezra , Boktor Moheb , Fudman David I
Published: May 2021

Background

Combining advanced therapies may improve outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but there are little data on the effectiveness and safety of this approach.

Methods

We examined outcomes of patients who received vedolizumab in combination with another biologic or tofacitinib between 2016 and 2020.

Results

Fourteen patients (10 ulcerative colitis [UC], 3 Crohn disease, 1 indeterminate colitis) received a combination of advanced therapies. Vedolizumab was combined with tofacitinib in 9 patients, ustekinumab in 3, and adalimumab in 2. Median follow-up on combination therapy was 31 weeks. Normalization of C-reactive protein (CRP) or fecal calprotectin (<5 mg/L and <150 µg/g, respectively) was achieved in 56% (5/9) and 50% (4/8) of patients. Paired median CRP decreased from 14 mg/L to <5 mg/L with combination therapy (n = 9, P = 0.02), and paired median calprotectin from 594 µg/g to 113 µg/g (n = 8, P = 0.12). Among patients with UC, paired median Lichtiger score decreased from 9 to 3 (n = 7, P = 0.02). Prednisone discontinuation was achieved in 67% (4/6) of prednisone-dependent patients. There were 4 infections: 2 required hospitalization (rotavirus, Clostridium difficile), and 2 did not (pneumonia, sinusitis). During follow-up, 5/14 patients discontinued combination therapy (2 nonresponse; 1 improvement and de-escalation; 1 noninfectious adverse effect; 1 loss of coverage).

Conclusions

In this retrospective case series of a cohort with refractory IBD, combining vedolizumab with other biologics or tofacitinib improved inflammatory markers, reduced clinical disease activity and steroid use, and was well tolerated.
HIV infection is associated with thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms: a prospective matched cohort study
Authors: Høgh Julie , Pham Michael Huy Cuong , Knudsen Andreas Dehlbæk , Thudium Rebekka Faber , Gelpi Marco , Sigvardsen Per Ejlstrup , Fuchs Andreas , Kühl , Jørgen Tobias , Afzal Shoaib , Nordestgaard Børge Grønne , Benfield Thomas , Køber Lars , Gerstoft Jan , Kofoed Klaus Fuglsang , Nielsen Susanne Dam
Published: May 2021

Aims

Little is known about the prevalence of aortic aneurysms among people living with HIV (PLWH). We investigated whether HIV status is independently associated with having aortic aneurysms. Furthermore, we determined risk factors associated with aortic aneurysms in PLWH.

Methods and results

PLWH aged ≥40 years (n = 594) were recruited from the Copenhagen Comorbidity in HIV Infection study and matched for age and sex with uninfected controls (n = 1188) from the Copenhagen General Population Study. Aortic dimensions were assessed using contrast enhanced computed tomography. Aortic aneurysms were defined according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, i.e. an aortic dilation of ≥50% or an infrarenal aortic diameter of ≥30 mm. Among PLWH and uninfected controls, the median (interquartile range) age was 52 (47–60) and 52 (48–61) and 88% and 90% were male, respectively. We found 46 aneurysms in 42 (7.1%) PLWH and 31 aneurysms in 29 (2.4%) uninfected controls (P < 0.001). PLWH had a significantly higher prevalence of ascending aortic aneurysms and infrarenal aortic aneurysms. In an adjusted model, HIV was independently associated with aortic aneurysms (adjusted odds ratio; 4.51 [95% confidence interval 2.56–8.08], P < 0.001). Within PLWH, obesity and hepatitis B co-infection were associated with aortic aneurysms.

Conclusion

PLWH had four-fold higher odds of aortic aneurysms compared to uninfected controls, and HIV status was independently associated with aortic aneurysms. Among PLWH, age, obesity and hepatitis B co-infection were associated with higher odds of aortic aneurysms. Our findings suggest that increased attention to aortic aneurysms in PLWH may be beneficial.
Regional and ethnic influences on the response to empagliflozin in patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction: the EMPEROR-Reduced trial
Authors: Lam Carolyn S P , Ferreira João Pedro , Pfarr Egon , Sim David , Tsutsui Hiroyuki , Anker Stefan D , Butler Javed , Filippatos Gerasimos , Pocock Stuart J , Sattar Naveed , Verma Subodh , Brueckmann Martina , Schnee Janet , Cotton Daniel , Zannad Faiez , Packer Milton
Published: May 2021

Aims

The aim of this article is to explore the influence of region and race/ethnicity on the effects of empagliflozin in the Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and a Reduced Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Reduced) trial.

Methods and results

Of 3730 patients, 1353 (36.3%) were enrolled in Europe, 1286 (34.5%) in Latin America, 425 (11.4%) in North America, and 493 (13.2%) in Asia; 2629 (70.5%) were White, 257 (6.9%) Black, and 672 (18.0%) Asian. Placebo event rates (per 100 patient-years) for cardiovascular death or heart failure (HF) hospitalization varied by region (Asia 27.7, North America 26.4, Latin America 21.4, and Europe 17.5) and race/ethnicity (Black 34.4, Asian 24.3, and White 18.7); driven by differences in HF hospitalization. The ratio of total HF hospitalization to cardiovascular death varied from 5.4 in Asia and 4.8 in North America to 2.1 in Europe; and from 4.8 in Black and 4.2 in Asian to 2.2 in White patients. Groups with the highest ratio had the greatest reduction in the primary outcome with empagliflozin. Inclusion of outpatient worsening HF episodes added more events in Europe vs. other regions; enhanced the placebo event rates in Europe vs. other regions; and increased the relative risk reduction with empagliflozin in Europe from 6% to 26%.

Conclusions

There were notable differences in the placebo event rates for major HF events across diverse regions and race/ethnic groups. The benefit of empagliflozin was most pronounced in groups with the highest ratio of HF hospitalization to cardiovascular death. Regional differences were attenuated when the definition of HF events was expanded to include outpatient worsening HF events.