bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing microbiome associations with survival times at both the community and individual taxon levels
Authors: Hu Yingtian , Li Yunxiao , Satten Glen A. , Hu Yi-Juan
Published: March 2022

Background: Finding microbiome associations with possibly censored survival times is an important problem, especially as specific taxa could serve as biomarkers for disease prognosis or as targets for therapeutic interventions. The two existing methods for survival outcomes, MiRKAT-S and OMiSA, are restricted to testing associations at the community level and do not provide results at the individual taxon level. An ad hoc approach testing each taxon with a survival outcome using the Cox proportional hazard model may not perform well in the microbiome setting with sparse count data and small sample sizes.Methods: We have previously developed the linear decomposition model (LDM) for test- ing continuous or discrete outcomes that unifies community-level and taxon-level tests into one framework. Here we extend the LDM to test survival outcomes. We propose to use the Martingale residuals or the deviance residuals obtained from the Cox model as continu- ous covariates in the LDM. We further construct tests that combine the results of analyzing each set of residuals separately. Finally, we extend PERMANOVA, the most commonly used distance-based method for testing community-level hypotheses, to handle survival outcomes in a similar manner.Results: Using simulated data, we showed that the LDM-based tests preserved the false dis- covery rate for testing individual taxa and had good sensitivity. The LDM-based community- level tests and PERMANOVA-based tests had comparable or better power than MiRKAT-S and OMiSA. An analysis of data on the association of the gut microbiome and the time to acute graft-versus-host disease revealed several dozen associated taxa that would not have been achievable by any community-level test, as well as improved community-level tests by the LDM and PERMANOVA over those obtained using MiRKAT-S and OMiSA.Conclusions: Unlike existing methods, our new methods are capable of discovering individ- ual taxa that are associated with survival times, which could be of important use in clinical settings.
A network-based analysis for evaluating conditional covariance estimates
Authors: Scozzari Andrea , Drago Carlo
Published: March 2022

Modeling and forecasting of dynamically varying covariances have received much attention in the literature. The two most widely used conditional covariances and correlations models are the BEKK and the DCC ones. In this paper, we advance a new method based on Network analysis and a new targeting approach for both the two above models with the aim of better estimate covariance matrices associated with financial time series. Our approach is based on specific groups of highly correlated assets in a financial market, and assuming that these relationships remain unaltered at least in the long run. Based on the estimated parameters, we evaluate our targeting method on simulated series by referring to two well-known loss functions introduced in the literature. Furthermore we find and analyze all the maximal cliques in correlation graphs to evaluate the effectiveness of our method. Results from an empirical case study are encouraging, mainly when the number of assets is not large.
Is a 6-month Treatment for Isoniazid-resistant Tuberculosis Effective?
Authors: Kulizhskaya A. I. , Gurieva T. I. , Nikishova E. I. , Eliseev P. I. , Perkhin D. V. , Maryandyshev А. O.
Published: March 2022

The objective: to compare treatment efficacy and relapse rates in patients with isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis treated with 9- and 6-month courses of chemotherapy.

Subjects and Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The period from 2010 to 2015 was evaluated. The cases of tuberculosis registered on the territory of Arkhangelsk Region were studied. In 2010-2013, all patients with isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis (n = 130) in the region received a 9-month course of treatment. From 2014 to 2015, the duration of treatment for isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis in the region was reduced from 9 to 6 months. The patients (n = 54) received short-course treatment: aminoglycoside or polypeptide (2 months), rifampicin, pyrazinamide, fluoroquinolone, and ethambutol.

There was no statistically significant difference in treatment outcomes of isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis between two regimens: The outcome of effective treatment made 76.2% for the 9-month regimen and 74.1% for the 6-month regimen. The relapse rate per 100 person-years was 0.7 (95% CI 0.1-1.9) for the 9-month regimen and 1.9 (95% CI 0.2-6.7) for the 6-month regimen. This study confirmed the need to decrease the duration of treatment for isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis to 6 months.
Gem-bearing granitic pegmatites in Malawi : their mineralogy, geochemistry, age, and fluid compositional variations
Authors:   , Kankuzi Charles Frienderson
Published: March 2022

The gem bearing granitic pegmatites from different pegmatite fields across Malawi intrude all important geological entities from the Palaeoproterozoic in the north, the Mesoproterozoic in central Malawi and the Pan-African basement in the south. U/Pb zircon and Rb/Sr mineral isochron ages indicate pegmatite emplacement from the Palaeoproterozoic to Pan-African and Mesozoic time. Most pegmatites are related to the Pan-African cycle; no Mesoproterozoic pegmatites were observed in this study. Within the Pan-African pegmatite groups there are two important subgroups. Some pegmatites show Sr isotopic compositions that indicate mantle components contributing to the parental granites from which the pegmatites evolved. Others show higher Sr initials, indicating crustal granites as primary pegmatite sources or significant crustal contamination. Only for few pegmatites, such as the Palaeoproterozoic and Ordovician gem tourmaline pegmatites in the Chitipa and Dowa Districts, the granitic source is evident from their field context. For all others the granitic origin is interpreted by mineralogical and geochemical evidence. All analysed pegmatites belong to either the Rare Element Class or the Miarolitic Class, but they vary in their degree of fractionation. The more evolved pegmatites are more enriched in incompatible elements such as Be, Li, B, and Ta, which resulted in the formation of gem minerals such as beryl, aquamarine, tourmaline and topaz, which may or may not be associated with tantalite. The Rare Element pegmatites can be further subdivided into the REL-Li subclass, beryl type, beryl-columbite subtype, and in the complex type and elbaite subtype. The Miarolitic pegmatites include Mi-Li subclass and beryl-topaz type. Fluid inclusion studies (heating-cooling stage, Raman spectroscopy) identified a variety of fluid compositions that were present at different times and different places, indicating a variety of fluid sources. They range from aqueous-saline to CO2–rich carbonic fluids (CO2 +C3H8+ N2), or aqueous-carbonic fluids (H2O-CO2-CH4 and H2O-CO2-H2-H2S-CH4). The dominant solutes and species for the pegmatites show genetic variations over time and orogen (Paleo-/Meso-/Neoproterozoic). Uniform homogenisation temperatures and salinities in individual samples indicate that the gem-bearing pegmatites contained homogeneous fluids at the time of their capturing in quartz. Based on fluid inclusion data, the estimated trapping conditions of inclusions in quartz for all studied pegmatites except for one pegmatite suggest low pressures between 0.9 to 2.6 kb at temperatures of 400-600 C. The other pegmatite formed at slightly higher pressures of 2.2 to 3.6 kb. However, the pressure range for all the pegmatites is in agreement with the known liquidus conditions of Rare-Element pegmatite crystallisation. The shallow crustal emplacement level (3.4-9.8 km) and the greater depth (8.3 to 13.6 km) favoured the formation of gemstones.
LEXICAL-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY ASPECTUAL VERBS IN SERBIAN
Authors:   University of Novi Sad Faculty of Philosophy Department of English Studies, R. Milivojević Nataša
Published: March 2022

The present research is an attempt at systematic and consistent formal analysis of lexical semantics of Serbian secondary aspectual verbs krenuti, uzeti and stati. Theoretical background of the research is the Lexical Projectionist Model proposed by B. Levin (1993), along with the primary postulates of aspectual event segmentation introduced by A. Freed (1979). We claim that the primary lexical meaning of the verbs krenuti, uzeti and stati is the key to their capacity to appear with additional (modal and phase) denotations when they are used as complement-taking verbs. We propose formal lexical specifications which are to encode all the relevant semantic features and complement preferences for each verb under analysis, on the level of the lexicon. Secondary aspectualisers also carry markers of inherent semantics which inﬂuence the way in which they denote phase: krenuti is additionally marked for dynamicity and causality, whereas uzeti and stati both express strong dynamic Aktionsart on the constructional (syntactic) level. In terms of event segmentation, krenuti modifies either the onset or the nucleus of the aspectual event, while uzeti and stati as a rule refer to its nucleus. Consequently, out of the three analysed verbs, only krenuti can appear with the complement whose event can be cancelled (cf. Dufey 2006, Nagy 2016, Milivojević 2021c).
THE IMPACT OF CULTURE AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ON STUDENTSʼ E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE – A PILOT STUDY
Authors:   University of Novi Sad Faculty of Technical Sciences, Ž. Bogdanović Vesna , J. Tratnik Alenka ,   University of Maribor Faculty of Organisational Sciences, M. Gak Dragana ,   University of Novi Sad Faculty of Technical Sciences
Published: March 2022

E-mail correspondence between teachers and students is common. Online communication provides students with possibilities to write to teachers directly, using a diverse level of knowledge, level of ignorance and personal beliefs. The aim of this paper is to answer whether culture and cultural dimensions (defined by Hofstede’s high and low Power Distance dimension) inﬂuence the professional correspondence between teachers and students. The small-scale corpus consists of 100 e-mails, 50 written by Slovene students in English or Slovene, and 50 by Serbian students in Serbian or English. The research investigates the choice of e-mail template, the choice of language (native tongue or language of instructions), and the norms related to politeness and power distance, with the focus on salutations, formality, polite expressions, and directness. Usage of lexical modifiers, such as downtoners, upstaters and hedges will also be investigated. The results will demonstrate that e-mails by Slovene students follow new cultural standards and have become more indirect and informal, while Serbian students write e-mails with formal salutations and direct requests following the inherited hierarchy and still unmodified cultural dimensions.
THE PRESENCE OF FEMININE GRAMMATICAL GENDER IN THE NOMINA AGENTIS CATEGORY IN ITALIAN DICTIONARIES DE MAURO AND IL SABATINI COLETTI
Authors:   University of Banja Luka Faculty of Philology, D. Vučenović Nataša
Published: March 2022

This paper aims to examine the relationship between language and gender in the Italian language, with specific reference to the names indicating professions. The work is divided into two parts: in the first part a general picture of the situation is outlined through a synthesis of the most significant academic and institutional contributions in the field of language and gender studies in Italy, with particular reference to the Raccomandazioni per un uso non sessista della lingua Italiana by Alma Sabatini. Furthermore, some basic hints are given of the morphological mechanisms of formation of the feminine of nouns that indicate feminine professions. The second part, on the other hand, consists in analysing the presence of the feminine of professional names in two prestigious Italian dictionaries available online: De Mauro and Il Sabatini Coletti. The final objective of the analysis is to examine to what extent recommendations and initiatives aimed at the use of the female gender for professional qualifications have been put into practice.
LE PRINCIPALI CARATTERISTICHE DELLʼITALIANO NEO-STANDARD IN DUE ROMANZI ITALIANI CONTEMPORANEI (ASPETTO MORFOLOGICO)
Authors: N. Vujović Marija , E. Beneduci Luigi
Published: March 2022

Se l’italiano standard è la varietà linguistica codifcata nei libri di grammatica, per neo-standard si intendono le abitudini comunicative, parlate e scritte, di una fascia di parlanti acculturati, in una varietà linguistica più informale. Utilizzando le tassonomie di Sabatini e Berruto, gli autori dello studio hanno rintracciato la presenza del neo-standard in un corpus formato da due romanzi italiani contemporanei, Io e te di Niccolò Ammaniti ed Esco a fare due passi di Fabio Volo. Considerando l’alto numero di occorrenze, ci si è limitati all’aspetto morfologico del sistema pronominale e verbale, con valore esemplifcativo. Le opere analizzate sono diversamente signifcative di due autori agli antipodi: il romanzo di un acclamato scrittore e il romanzo di esordio di un DJ e conduttore televisivo. Il risultato dello studio è che, a parte poche diﬀerenze, i tratti neo-standard caratterizzano entrambe le operazioni di scrittura, con l’intento di raggiungere l’immediatezza comunicativa della lingua parlata. Se ne conclude che i narratori hanno colto, rappresentato e riprodotto l’urgenza e la penetrazione delle nuove forme della lingua italiana, che potrebbero diventare un nuovo futuro standard normativo.
THE SUBMISSIVENESS MOTIF OF А WOMAN: THE GRISELDA TALE BY GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO
Authors:   University of Banja Luka Faculty of Philology, N. Kobilj Ćuić Sanja
Published: March 2022

This paper presents the analysis of Griselda, the main female character of the last novella of Decameron. Tis novella has had diﬀerent classical and feminist interpretations due to its central position and the violence caused to Griselda by her husband, marquis Saluzzo. The main methodological tool used in this article is the one applied by Marilyn Migiel in her works The Ethical dimension of the Decameron and A Rhetoric of the Decameron, the rhetorical reading. The same tool, through the close analysis of the speech acts of Griselda shows us her powerless social position and the lack of self-awareness, but also the carelessness showed by mainly male critics in the process of analysing this novella.
A STUDY OF PU SONGLING AND HIS LIAOZHAI ZHIYI IN CHINA IN THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF THE 21ST CENTURY — CENTERING ON THE WORKS PUBLISHED IN THIS PERIOD
Authors:   Nanjing University, Miao Huaiming
Published: March 2022

In the twenty years of the 21st century, there are more than one hundred books published about Pu Songling and his Liaozhai zhiyi in China. New changes have taken place in both the focus and the perspective, and new features have emerged. Although the focus of the researchers is still on Liaozhai zhiyi, their attention to the author, version and text has gradually shifted to the study of the book’s cultural elements, influence and acceptance, and the adaptation and translation of Liaozhai zhiyi has become a research hotspot. In addition to Liaozhai zhiyi, Liaozhai liqu and Pu Songling’s other works have been fully studied in this period.
ON THE SPREAD OF BUDDHIST STORIES IN FOLK MILIEU: THE PRECIOUS SCROLL OF GUANYIN WITH A FISH BASKET IN RECITATION PRACTICE OF THE CHANGSHU AREA OF JIANGSU, CHINA
Authors:   Fudan University, Berezkin Rostislav
Published: March 2022

The story of Bodhisattva Guanyin with a Fish Basket (or Fishmonger Guanyin) already has attracted attention of scholars of Chinese literature and popular beliefs, as it represents an indigenous modification of the Indian Buddhist deity; but until now scholars in different countries mainly have studied textual variants of this story dating back to the late 19th — early 20th centuries. At the same time, precious scroll devoted to the story of Guanyin with a Fish Basket is still recited by local performers in the city of Changshu and its vicinity now. The analysis of the Precious Scroll of Guanyin with a Fish Basket in the context of recitation practice of “telling scriptures” in Changshu allows demonstrating the special features of functioning of a Chinese Buddhist narrative in the folk ritual practice. In this variant of a precious scroll, the story of Bodhisattva Guanyin converting the inhabitants of a fishermen village is combined with the veneration of local tutelary deities, placed on the “family altars”; thus representing the secularized form of Chinese Buddhist devotion.
“A LOST TREASURE”: ON FOLK ORIGINS OF THE VERSES OF CHU (CHUCI)
Authors: Kravtsova Marina
Published: March 2022

This article is focused on analysis of the hypothesis of the local song folklore origins of the famous poetic phenomenon chuci (elegies/songs of Chu) that represents the literary heritage of the southern (Yangtze Basin) region of the Ancient China (the Zhou epoch, 11th–3rd centuries B. C.) and is associated with the emergence of the Chinese poetry. Although today the thesis about the folklore origins of chuci, or rather of the poetic pieces presented by the Chuci (Verses/Elegies of Chu, Songs of the South) collection, is generally accepted, the author argues that, first, during the 1st–7th centuries A. D. the chuci poetry was stable considered within the Chinese book knowledge to be created by exclusively the literary genius of Qu Yuan (4th–3rd centuries B. C.), the great poet of the Chu Kingdom (11th–3rd centuries B. C.). Secondly, the views on chuci as an autochthonous (“southern”) poetic tradition dating back to the local folk art emerged in the 12th–13th centuries and finally established itself in the Chinese literature studies of the first third of the 20th century, all these under the influence of the ideological processes, caused by synchronic historical and political events. Thirdly, although the existence of developed song-poetic folklore in Chu Kingdom seems quite permissible, it for some reason remained out of fixation by that day written sources, including transmitted texts and archaeological materials (epigraphic inscription and excavated manuscripts). Therefore, almost nothing is known as a matter of fact of the hypothetic Chu song folklore what makes it impossible to recognize its true influence on origins and further on evolution of the chuci tradition.
INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON THE CREATIVITY OF THE GUANGDONG POET HUANG LIHAI
Authors:   Literary Federation of Dongkeng, Zeng Haijin
Published: March 2022

Huang Lihai is one of the most active contemporary Chinese poets in the past two decades. His poems are a return to poetry, language and life. In the era of change and grand discourse dominating the aesthetic interpretation of literature, Huang Lihai’s poetry and spiritual exploration have obvious implications. His vitality in poetry creation and poetry activities has an important connection with his Christian faith and his thought resources. Huang Lihai pays close attention to individual life with heavy religious feelings, and tries to restore the relationship between man and god, the relationship between man and man, and the relationship between man and nature in the post-modern era. Backed by belief, he maintained human dignity and integrity with poetry, and opened up the divine dimension of poetry writing, which opened up a new aesthetic dimension for the Chinese contemporary poetry.
THE “WAY OF POETRY” (UTA-NO MICHI) IN THE TREATISES OF MASTERS OF “LINKED VERSE”
Authors:   A. M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dyakonova Elena ,   HSE University
Published: March 2022

The paper analyzes Sasamegoto (Whispered Conversations, 1463–1464), a treatise by Shinkei, the influential Buddhist poet and thinker of the Muromachi period (1392–1568). In this treatise on the collaborative poetry of “linked verse” (renga), the author addresses the category of the “Way” (michi) or the “Way of Poetry” (uta-no michi), which he interprets on the basis of ancient Chinese philosophers (Confucius and Lao Tze) and early Japanese authors of Zen school (e. g., Mujū Ichien, who wrote the Shasekishū — The Collection of Sand and Rocks, 13th century) and even endows it with a new meaning. In Shinkei’s view, the Way is not only mastery and its perfection. This is a sum total of many diverse things: the entire corpus of belles-lettres, theoretical treatises, schools, teachers and disciples, ideal poets, trends, styles, inner discipline, lifestyles, the past and the present.
VIETNAMESE WRITER BAO NINH: TALKING ABOUT TIME, WAR AND LITERATURE
Authors:   Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS, Sokolov Anatoly
Published: March 2022

In the history of world literature, there are many examples of one book writers, when only one work of the literary heritage of a particular author was famous, in the shadow of which the rest of his work remains. In Vietnamese literature, this is Bao Ninh, the author of the novel The Sorrow of War (first released in 1987 under the title The Destiny of Love), after which his writing life came a long pause. Bao Ninh was born in 1952 in Hanoi. In 1969, he went to the front and fought for the next six years. After the publication of his first novel, The Sorrow of War, he became one of the most famous writers at home and abroad. This book told the real truth about the recent liberation war of the Vietnamese people. His interviews have been published in national and foreign media, which help to understand what happened to the famous novelist over the years. They served a certain compensatory function, allowing Bao Ninh to remain in the national literary process.
Podcasts em sala de aula
Authors: Ribas Pedro , Noronha Ana
Published: March 2022

O presente artigo parte de dados etnográficos coletados pela equipe Mundaréu, um podcast de antropologia produzido em colaboração entre o Departamento de Antropologia da Universidade de Brasília (DAN-UnB) e o Laboratório de Estudos Avançados em Jornalismo da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Labjor-Unicamp). Apresentamos o projeto "O que faz a Antropologia? Desenvolvimento e estruturação de um podcast como um recurso digital de apoio ao ensino e à aprendizagem". Com isso, exploramos como podcasts podem ser usados em projetos educativos voltados para o ensino da antropologia. Além disso, debateremos o contexto de ensino em que o uso de tecnologias digitais vem crescendo e transformando as relações pedagógicas. Por fim, apontamos diferentes formas de como o projeto utilizou o podcast para incluir o áudio e a oralidade no ensino de antropologia. O objetivo do artigo é elencar argumentos que reflitam a oralidade sendo um elemento essencial nas relações de ensino e aprendizagem.
Chemical, Biological and Clinical Aspects of Dexrazoxane and Other Bisdioxopiperazines
Authors: Hasinoff B.B. , Hellmann K. , Herman E.H. , Ferrans V.J.
Published: March 2022

The bisdioxopiperazine dexrazoxane (ICRF-187) has proven to be clinically very effective in reducing the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin and other anthracyclines. Doxorubicin is thought to exert its toxicity through iron-based oxygen free radical-induced oxidative stress on the relatively unprotected cardiac muscle. Upon hydrolysis, dexrazoxane forms a compound similar to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) which, like EDTA, is a strong chelator of iron. Dexrazoxane presumably exerts its cardioprotective effects by either binding free or loosely bound iron, or iron complexed to doxorubicin, thus preventing or reducing site-specific oxygen radical production that damages cellular components. The chemistry, biochemistry, and cell biology of dexrazoxane and other bisdioxopiperazines are discussed. The pre-clinical studies demonstrating the protective effects of dexrazoxane against toxicities caused by doxorubicin, other anthracyclines, bleomycin, alloxan, acetaminophen, and oxygen are also discussed. In vitro and in vivo studies of the cardioprotective and other effects of other bisdioxopiperazines are also covered. Also discussed are the anti-metastatic and radiosensitization effects of razoxane and dexrazoxane. The current clinical status of dexrazoxane in preventing anthracycline-induced toxicities in both adult and pediatric patients is reviewed.
Structural Aspects of Monoamine Oxidase and its Reversible Inhibition
Authors: Wouters Johan
Published: March 2022

Among the various types of amine oxidases, monoamine oxidase (MAO) is of special interest for neuropsychiatry. It appears to play a central role in several psychiatric and neurological disorders, including clinical depre­ssion and Parkinson's Disease. The purpose of this paper is to review the major structural aspects of MAO, in relation with its primary sequence (site-directed mutagenesis, chimeric constructions), secondary and three-dimensional structures. The consequences of the inhibition of monoamine oxidase are considered, mainly focusing on the new generations of reversible and selective MAO inhibitors. Recent efforts to design and develop those inhibitors are emphasized and discussed.
Ninety Years of Pentamidine: The Development and Applications of
Pentamidine and its Analogs
Authors: Zhang Bo , Jin Yushan , Zhang Lei , Wang Hongshuang , Wang Xiaohui
Published: March 2022

Pentamidine, an FDA-approved human drug for many protozoal infections,
was initially synthesized in the late 1930s and first reported to be curative for parasitosis
in the 1940s. After ninety years of sometimes quiet growth, pentamidine and its derivatives
have gone far beyond antibacterial agents, including but not limited to the ligands
of DNA minor groove, modulators of PPIs (protein-protein interactions) of the transmembrane
domain 5 of lateral membrane protein 1, and the blockers of the SARS-CoV-2 3a
channel. This mini-review highlights the development and applications of pentamidine
and its analogs, aiming to provide insights for further developing pentamidine derivatives
in the following decades.
Thiophene Ring-Opening Reactions V. Expedient Synthesis of 1,3,4-
Thiadiazoline-Sulfanyl[1,3]thiazin-4-one Hybrids
Authors: Jarrar Abdullah K. , El-Abadelah Mustafa M. , Sabri Salim S. , Zahra Jalal A. , Hamdan Mohammad S.
Published: March 2022

The preparation of 6-chloro-5-nitrothieno[3,2-e][1,3]thiazin-4-one incorporating 2-(Nmorpholinyl)
moiety is achieved via a conventional route. Interaction of the latter substrate with a set
of N'-(aryl) benzothiohydrazides 1a-f, in the presence of triethylamine, led to a thiophene ring-opening
process with the consequent generation of the respective thiolate salts 8a-f. Alkylation of the latter,
using methyl iodide or allyl chloride, generated the respective novel 1,3,4-thiadiazoline–6-sulfanyl-1,3-
thiazin-4-one hybrids, the structures of which were verified by HRMS and NMR spectral data.
†Dedicated to the memory of our friend and advisor Professor Dr. Wolfgang Voelter.
Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome in Pediatrics: An Up-to-date
Authors: Simões e Silva Ana Cristina , da Silva Filha Roberta , Burini Kassia , Pires Laura Gregório , Brant Pinheiro Sérgio Veloso
Published: March 2022

Background:

Idiopathic or Primary Nephrotic Syndrome (INS) is a common glomerular disease in pediatric population, characterized by proteinuria, edema and hypoalbuminemia with var-iable findings in renal histopathology.

Objective:

This review aims to summarize current data on the etiopathogenesis diagnosis, protocols of treatment and potential therapeutic advances in INS.

Methods:

This narrative review searched for articles on histopathology, physiopathology, genetic causes, diagnosis and treatment of INS in pediatric patients. The databases evaluated were PubMed and Scopus.

Results:

INS is caused by an alteration in the permeability of the glomerular filtration barrier with unknown etiology. There are several gaps in the etiopathogenesis, response to treatment and clinical course of INS that justify further investigation. Novel advances include the recent understanding of the role of podocytes in INS and the identification of genes associated with the disease. The role of immune system cells and molecules has also been investigated. The diagnosis relies on clinical find-ings, laboratory exams and renal histology for selected cases. The treatment is primarily based on steroids administration. In case of failure, other medications should be tried. Recent studies have al-so searched for novel biomarkers for diagnosis and alternative therapeutic approaches.

Conclusion:

The therapeutic response to corticosteroids still remains the main predictive factor for the prognosis of the disease. Genetic and pharmacogenomics tools may allow the identification of cases not responsive to immunosuppressive medications.
Domain-Specific Sedentary Behaviour and Health-Related Quality of Life
by Age among Japanese Living in Malaysia
Authors: Izawa Kazuhiro P. , Oka Koichiro
Published: March 2022

Background:

Recently, the number of Japanese people living in Asia has increased. A pre-vious study suggested that obesity and overweight are growing health problems both in Malaysia and worldwide that result from lifestyle changes such as a decrease in physical activity, an increase in sedentary behaviour, and poor eating habits.

Objective:

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of differences in social de-mographic factors and domain-specific sedentary behaviour and health-related quality of life by age in Japanese living overseas.

Methods:

We surveyed 109 participants by self-entry questionnaire for social demographic factors and domain-specific sedentary behaviour by life scenario and by Short Form-36 (SF-36) for health-related quality of life. The subjects were divided into the ≥65 years group and <65 years group.

Results:

Significant differences were noted in age, employment, alcohol intake, and marital status be-tween the groups, whereas none were noted for transportation, driving, television viewing, and smartphone/personal computer use. Work time and total sitting time of sedentary behaviour were higher, and leisure-time activity and SF-36 Mental Component Score for health-related quality of life were lower in the <65 years group.

Conclusion:

By assessing differences in social demographic factors and discouraging sedentary be-haviour, sitting time in overseas-dwelling Japanese residents may be reduced, and effective strategies to improve health-related quality of life can be developed to combat such behaviour.
WITHDRAWN: Design of Smart Temperature Monitoring and Automatic Sanitizer Dispenser
Authors: Varshney Gunjan , Askari Rizvi Syed Hasan , Gupta Shreya , Tohangar Riya , Mishra Vedika , Srivastava Tushar
Published: March 2022

The article has been withdrawn at the request of the editor of the journal Recent Patents on Engineering.

Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.php

Bentham Science Disclaimer:

It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted to this journal have not been published and will not be simultaneously
submitted or published elsewhere. Furthermore, any data, illustration, structure or table that has been published elsewhere
must be reported, and copyright permission for reproduction must be obtained. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, and by submitting
the article for publication the authors agree that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate action against the
authors, if plagiarism or fabricated information is discovered. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright
of their article is transferred to the publishers if and when the article is accepted for publication.
Development of Fluorescently Labeled Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery
Systems (SEDDS) for Prolonged Stability, In Vitro Sustained Release, and
Cellular Uptake
Authors: Malkawi Ahmad Saleh , Haddad Razan , Malkawi Azhar , Alrabadi Nasr
Published: March 2022

Aim:

In this study, four fluorescein hydrophobic ionic complexes were formed with the
cationic polymers Eudragit RS, Eudragit RL, Eudragit E, and polyethyleneimine (PEI) to provide
fluorescein sustained release, sustained cellular uptake, and stability.

Methods:

Complexes were loaded in a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) composed
of 40% Tween 80, 20% Kolliphor EL, 15% 2-n-Octyl-1-dodecanol, and 25% dipropylene glycol.
SEDDS were investigated regarding their size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and cytotoxicity.
Fluorescein release from SEDDS was performed in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8 and pH 8),
and the released fluorescein was evaluated for cellular uptake. Moreover, fluorescein from all of
the SEDDS pre-concentrates was released at different time points to check its long-term stability
over six months.

Results:

The average fluorescein load in SEDDS was 0.045%. SEDDS showed an average droplet
size of 24.9 ± 1.6 nm with PDI ≤ 0.3. SEDDS complexes diluted 1:100 increased the zeta potential
from -7.3 mV to +3.7 mV and provided > 85% cell viability. A 92.27 ± 3.18% fluorescein exhibited
a few seconds of immediate release when used as control or PEI complex in SEDDS. On the
contrary, Eudragit-fluorescein complexes in SEDDS showed sustained release of 87.01 ± 5.22%
fluorescein in ≤ 70 min with 22.19 ± 14.56% and 59.27 ± 16.57% released at 10 min in pH 6.8 and
pH 8 release media, respectively. Comparatively, the medium at pH 6.8 maintained a significantly
improved sustained fluorescein release (p ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, Eudragit RS/RL compared to
Eudragit E, significantly exhibited a slower fluorescein release rate from SEDDS (p ≤ 0.01). The
cellular uptake of the released fluorescein was 72.4 ± 8.2% for all SEDDS complexes after 3 h.
Eudragit complexes compared to PEI complex in SEDDS significantly showed m ore sustained
fluorescein cellular uptake at 1 h and 2 h (p ≤ 0.001). However, SEDDS complexes showed the
longest fluorescein stability with PEI after six months, whereas fluorescein stability for SEDDS
containing fluorescein as Eudragit complex and control showed 39.1% and 82.5% fluorescence
decrease, respectively, after three months.

Conclusion:

In the developed SEDDS, the presence of hydrophobic ionic complexes can significantly
promote longer stability and sustained cellular uptake of fluorescein while releasing in a
sustained manner.
Investigation of Intervention Solutions to Enhance Adherence to Oral Anticancer Medicines in Adults: Overview of Reviews
Authors: Dang Thu Ha , Forkan Abdur Rahim Mohammad , Wickramasinghe Nilmini , Jayaraman Prem Prakash , Alexander Marliese , Burbury Kate , Schofield Penelope
Published: March 2022

Background

Adherence to anticancer medicines is critical for the success of cancer treatments; however, nonadherence remains challenging, and there is limited evidence of interventions to improve adherence to medicines in patients with cancer.

Objective

This overview of reviews aimed to identify and summarize available reviews of interventions to improve adherence to oral anticancer medicines in adult cancer survivors.

Methods

A comprehensive search of 7 electronic databases was conducted by 2 reviewers who independently conducted the study selection, quality assessment using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2, and data extraction. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 checklist was adapted to report the results.

Results

A total of 29 reviews were included in the narrative synthesis. The overall quality of the systematic reviews was low. The 4 main strategies to promote adherence were focused on education, reminders, behavior and monitoring, and multicomponent approaches. Digital technology–based interventions were reported in most reviews (27/29, 93%). A few interventions applied theories (10/29, 34%), design frameworks (2/29, 7%), or engaged stakeholders (1/29, 3%) in the development processes. The effectiveness of interventions was inconsistent between and within reviews. However, interventions using multiple strategies to promote adherence were more likely to be effective than single-strategy interventions (12/29, 41% reviews). Unidirectional communication (7/29, 24% reviews) and technology alone (11/29, 38% reviews) were not sufficient to demonstrate improvement in adherence outcomes. Nurses and pharmacists played a critical role in promoting patient adherence to oral cancer therapies, especially with the support of digital technologies (7/29, 24% reviews).

Conclusions

Multicomponent interventions are potentially effective in promoting patient adherence to oral anticancer medicines. The seamless integration of digital solutions with direct clinical contacts is likely to be effective in promoting adherence. Future research for developing comprehensive digital adherence interventions should be evidence-based, theory-based, and rigorously evaluated.
Strengthening Interpersonal Relationships in Maternal and Child Health Care in Rural Tanzania: Protocol for a Human-Centered Design Intervention (Preprint)
Authors: Isangula Kahabi , Shumba Constance , Pallangyo Eunice S , Mbekenga Columba , Ndirangu-Mugo Eunice
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Evidence indicates that clients’ dissatisfaction with providers’ competencies within maternal and child health (MCH) continues to impact trust in formal health care systems, service uptake, continuity with care, and MCH outcomes. A major problem with existing interventions is the failure to address all the complexities of provider-client relationships necessitating targeted, contextualized, innovative solutions that place providers and clients at the forefront as agents of change in optimizing intervention design and implementation. To improve the provider-client relationship, the Aga Khan University is piloting a human-centered design (HCD) intervention where MCH nurses and clients are invited to partner with researchers in the intervention design and evaluation process.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to co-design an intervention package (prototype) for improving nurse-client relationships in the rural Shinyanga region of Tanzania using a series of iterative HCD steps, involving key stakeholders to tailor solutions for complex problems impacting provider-client interactions in MCH care.

METHODS

The following 5-step HCD approach will be implemented: (1) community-driven discovery through qualitative descriptive research methods using focus group discussions and key informant interviews; (2) co-design of an intervention package through consultative ideation and cocreation meetings with nurses, clients, and other stakeholders; (3) prototype validation through qualitative insight gathering using focus group discussions; (4) refinement and adaptation meeting; and (5) documentation and sharing of lessons learned before the final prototype is tested and validated in a broader community.

RESULTS

A prototype characterized by a package of interventions for improving nurse-client relationships in MCH care in rural contexts is expected to be developed from the co-design process.

CONCLUSIONS

An HCD approach provides a novel entry point for strengthening provider-client relationships, where clients are invited to partner with providers in the design of acceptable and feasible interventions.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/37947
A Theoretical Framework for Strengthening Women “Employment” Opportunities in Digital Technologies in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Gadi Nailah Hassan
Published: March 2022

Digital technology is revolutionising employment, creating new job opportunities while disrupting traditional occupations. Few studies, however, have examined the impact of technology on women’s employment in developing countries. There is a scarcity of literature on employment opportunities arising from the digitalization of economies for women in Arab countries, especially in Saudi Arabia. In this study, the major theories suggesting the applications and construction of technological knowledge and skills for improving the prospects of women’s employment in digital technologies are presented. Numerous theories reviewed have emphasized the urgency of digital skills and competencies for enabling women to harness the job opportunities due to deployment of digital technologies, but they have not provided the mechanisms and ways to achieve the increased competencies and subsequently increased participation level in the labour markets in general, and in the labour market of Saudi Arabia in particular. Thus, the impact of digital technologies on the employment opportunities in digital technologies for women in Saudi Arabia need to be further assessed, since the unique political, social and economic characteristics of the state compound may contribute to employment opportunities and barriers against the successful participation of Saudi women in the labour market. This paper therefore highlights on the need for adoption of relevant approaches to address the research issue relating to the impact of digital technologies on the women’s employment in Saudi Arabia. This study should therefore serves as guide for identifying areas of research needs in relation to factors that are necessary for increasing women’s employment opportunities resulting from proliferation of digital technologies in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.
DTMF Controlled Robot Using Arduino
Authors: Sanhith Katkuri , Raj Bejjanki Sai , Teja Arpula Surya , Ramani S.
Published: March 2022

Abstract: In this paper, we will control the Robotic car using the Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) technology. DTMF technology is useful technique in the present days. It works on the methods digital signal processing. Wireless control robots will use RF circuit that has many drawbacks like limited working range and limited control. This DTMF will have advantage over the RF; it will increases the range of working and also gives the good results in case of motion and direction of robot using the mobile phone through a micro controller. This type of wireless communication gives an remote handling operation of Robot using the DTMF. An robot is a electro-mechanical machine which has been guided by the computer, Mobile phone or programming, and is able to do the tasks by its own. The Robot Institute of America had defined A robot is an reprogrammable multifunctional manipulator -designed to move material parts, tools , specialized device through a variable programmed motions for an performance of many variety of tasks. Conventionally, wireless controlled robots will uses the RF circuits, which has the drawbacks of limited working of range & frequency range, use of mobile phones can be overcomed by this limitation. Keywords: DTMF, arduino, motor driver, mobile phone.
COVID-19 Prediction and Detection using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Mehtele Aryan , Modak Aditya , Sanhal Rohit , Tilak Prof. Sujit
Published: March 2022

Abstract: This study focuses on the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning models to predict the possible corona positive cases and detect the spread of corona among individuals by scanning their X-Rays. Linear Regression Model is used to achieve the desired Prediction output. Along with Linear Regression we have used SVR model to attain comparative analysis among different model prediction techniques. Finally a forecasting model Holt’s model was developed which seemed to be better than the above two models. Classical ML related Python libraries are extensively used in this project to train and preprocess large amounts of data. In the Detection phase, the Convolutional Neural Network model is used to detect COVID-19 infection among individuals. In the detection phase we have added multiple filtering rounds to achieve the best accuracy. The model is trained upto certain epochs to improve the accuracy and reduce the overall loss. The datasets used for all the above-mentioned models are extracted from github repositories associated with some data collection organisations. This study also includes the global analysis of COVID-19 and displays the trend shown in a graphical representation. Keywords: X-Rays, Linear Regression, SVR, Holt’s Model, Convolutional Neural Network, epochs
Offline aesthetic design of restaurants and consumers' online intention to post photographs: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Zhang Yu , Yang Yongzhong , Yang Ruo , Tang Yunyan
Published: March 2022

Consumers' motivation for photograph posting as a taste expression practice on social media platforms from an offline aesthetic perspective has been neglected in the literature. We explored the influential mechanisms in this relationship using positive emotional arousal and self-expression
as mediators and centrality of visual servicescape aesthetics as a moderator. Data were collected from 273 consumers who had recently dined in well-designed restaurants in China and used social media. The results support the direct and indirect role of offline aesthetic design in consumers'
formation of the intention to post photographs of their dining ambience on social media, and the partially moderating role of their aesthetic trait. Theoretical and practical implications for hospitality management and social media research are discussed.
Perancangan Aplikasi Pengamanan File Teks dengan Skema Hybrid Menggunakan Algoritma Enigma dan Algoritma RSA
Authors: Prasetyo Yovie , Triandi Budi , Hardianto Hardianto
Published: March 2022

Perkembangan teknologi informasi yang semakin pesat memberi pengaruh yang besar, Salah satunya adalah kriptografi dimana pesan disamarkan menjadi pesan tersandi. Dalam proses penyandian, penyandian yang digunakan adalah Enigma dan RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) . Dimana Enigma sebagai proses penyandian simetris pada pesan dan RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) sebagai proses penyandian asimetris pada kunci sehingga terjadinya Kriptografi Hybrid. Kriptografi Hybrid sebenarnya metode yang sangat aman dikarenakan memakai dua jenis algoritma yaitu algoritma simetris dan asimetris, untuk algoritma simetris Ciphertext yang dihasilkan akan sama panjang dengan Plaintext yang di enkripsi, lain halnya dengan algoritma asimetris yang berfungsi hanya untuk proses enkripsi kunci pada penelitian ini, karena jika algoritma asimetris dipakai untuk enkripsi maka Ciphertext yang dihasilkan akan lebih besar jumlah datanya.
Regresi Linear Dalam Mengestimasi Jumlah Pemakaian Bahan Baku Dan Tenaga Pekerja Dalam Pembangunan Rumah Tinggal Pada PT. Segar Jaya Nurindo
Authors: Nurhayati Nurhayati , Nasari Fina , Sari Ria Eka
Published: March 2022

Membangun sebuah rumah tinggal dibutuhkan bahan baku dan tenaga kerja agar terciptanya rumah tinggal tersebut. Dalam pembangunan rumah tinggal sering terjadi keterlambatan dalam proses pembangunan sehingga tidak selesai sesuai waktu yang telah ditentukan. Hal ini diakibatkan ketidaksesuaian persediaan bahan baku dan tenaga pekerja dengan jumlah rumah tinggal yang akan dibangun, akibatnya proses pembangunan rumah tinggal menjadi tertunda tidak selesai sesuai waktu yang telah ditentukan sehingga ada pihak yang dirugikan. Dalam proses pembangunan owner ataupun perusahaan tidak dapat menentukan jumlah pemakaian bahan baku dan tenaga pekerja pada pembangunan rumah tinggal itu sendiri. Untuk membangun rumah tinggal agar siap dengan waktu yang telah ditentukan maka diperlukan persediaan bahan baku dan tenaga pekerja yang sesuai dengan jumlah rumah tinggal yang akan dibangun. Regresi linear dalam mengestimasi pemakaian bahan baku dan tenaga pekerja dalam pembangunan rumah tinggal untuk membantu memperkirakan pemakaian bahan baku dan tenaga pekerja dalam pembangunan rumah tinggal yang sesuai dengan jumlah rumah tinggal yang akan dibangun, sehingga pembangunan rumah tinggal selesai sesuai waktu yang telah ditentukan. Hasil dari mengestimasi akan dijadikan persediaan utama dalam pembangunan rumah tinggal.