bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonspecific complaints in the emergency department – a systematic review
Authors: Kemp Kirsi , Mertanen Reija , Lääperi Mitja , Niemi-Murola Leila , Lehtonen Lasse , Castren Maaret
Published: January 2020

Background

Nonspecific complaint (NSC) is a common presenting complaint in the emergency setting, especially in the elderly population. Individual studies have shown that it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This prognostic systematic review draws a synthesis of reported outcomes for patients presenting with NSC and compares them with outcomes for patients presenting with a specific complaint.

Methods

We conducted a literature search for publications, abstracts and conference presentations from Ovid, Scopus and Web of Science for the past 20 years. Studies were included which treated adult patients presenting to the Emergency Medical Services or Emergency Department with NSC. 2599 studies were screened for eligibility and quality was assessed using the SIGN assessment for bias tool. We excluded any low-quality studies, resulting in nine studies for quantitative analysis. We analysed the included studies for in-hospital mortality, triage category, emergency department length of stay, admission rate, hospital length of stay, intensive care admissions and re-visitation rate and compared outcomes to patients presenting with specific complaints (SC), where data were available. We grouped discharge diagnoses by ICD-10 category.

Results

We found that patients presenting with NSC were mostly older adults. Mortality for patients with NSC was significantly increased compared to patients presenting with SC [OR 2.50 (95% CI 1.40–4.47)]. They were triaged as urgent less often than SC patients [OR 2.12 (95% CI 1.08–4.16)]. Emergency department length of stay was increased in two out of three studies. Hospital length of stay was increased by 1–3 days. Admission rates were high in most studies, 55 to 84%, and increased in comparison to patients with SC [OR 3.86 (95% CI 1.76–8.47)]. These patients seemed to require more resources than patients with SC. The number for intensive care admissions did not seem to be increased. Data were insufficient to make conclusions regarding re-visitation rates. Discharge diagnoses were spread throughout the ICD-10 main chapters, infections being the most prevalent.

Conclusions

Patients with NSC have a high risk of mortality and their care in the Emergency Department requires more time and resources than for patients with SC. We suggest that NSC should be considered a major emergency presentation.
The analgesic efficacy of bilateral superficial cervical plexus block for thyroid surgery under general anesthesia: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Woldegerima Yophtahe B. , Hailekiros Amare G. , Fitiwi Girmay L.
Published: January 2020

Objective

Uses of simple analgesics were found insufficient to manage pain after thyroid surgery. We hypothesized that using bilateral superficial cervical plexus block (BSCPB) might influence the pattern of immediate postoperative pain and analgesic consumption. The general objective of the study was to assess the analgesic efficacy of bilateral superficial plexus block for thyroid surgery under general anesthesia.

Results

A total of 74 willing patients involved. Half of them had received BSCPB with 10 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine just before induction and the remaining half did not. Postoperatively, patients were assessed at immediate, 2nd, 6th, 12th and 24th h. At all endpoints, NRS-11 scores for pain were significantly lower in the block group. The time to first analgesic requirement was significantly longer 132.3 ± 71.5 min vs 71.4 ± 60.0 min, p = 0.009. Opioid and total analgesic consumption were reduced by BSCPB in the first 24 postoperative hours. There was low but non-significant rate of PONV in the block group. No clinically important adverse event was noted related to BSCPB.

Trial registration The study was registered in Pan African Clinical Trial Registry on 13/01/2020 and the registration number is PACTR202001579588451. Retrospectively registered.
Umbilical cord-matrix stem cells induce the functional restoration of vascular endothelial cells and enhance skin wound healing in diabetic mice via the polarized macrophages
Authors: Zhang Shichang , Chen Li , Zhang Guoying , Zhang Bo
Published: January 2020

Background

Chronic nonhealing wounds represent one of the most common complications of diabetes and require advanced treatment strategies. Increasing evidence supports the important role of mesenchymal stem cells in diabetic wound healing; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we explored the effects of umbilical cord-matrix stem cells (UCMSCs) on diabetic wound healing and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

UCMSCs or conditioned medium (UCMSC-CM) were injected into the cutaneous wounds of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The effects of this treatment on macrophages and diabetic vascular endothelial cells were investigated in vivo and in vitro.

Results

Our results reveal that UCMSCs or UCMSC-CM accelerated wound healing by enhancing angiogenesis. The number of host macrophages recruited to the wound tissue by local infusion of UCMSCs was greater than that recruited by fibroblast transplantation or control. The frequency of M2 macrophages was increased by UCMSC transplantation or UCMSC-CM injection, which promoted the expression of cytokines derived from M2 macrophages. Furthermore, when cocultured with UCMSCs or UCMSC-CM, lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages acquired an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype characterized by the increased secretion of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-10 and vascular endothelial growth factor and the suppressed production of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-6. UCMSC-CM-activated macrophages significantly enhanced diabetic vascular endothelial cell functions, including angiogenesis, migration, and chemotaxis. Moreover, the action of UCMSC-CM on macrophages or vascular endothelial cells was abrogated by the administration of neutralizing antibodies against prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) or by the inhibition of PGE2 secretion from UCMSCs.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that UCMSCs can induce the functional restoration of vascular endothelial cells via the remodeling of macrophage phenotypes, which might contribute to the marked acceleration of wound healing in diabetic mice.

Graphical Abstract
Physical Activity Following Hip Arthroscopy in Young and Middle-Aged Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Jones Denise M. , Crossley Kay M. , Ackerman Ilana N. , Hart Harvi F. , Dundules Karen L. , O’Brien Michael J. , Mentiplay Benjamin F. , Heerey Joshua J. , Kemp Joanne L.
Published: January 2020

Background

Hip arthroscopy is a common surgical intervention for young and middle-aged adults with hip-related pain and dysfunction, who have high expectations for returning to physical activity following surgery. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the impact of hip arthroscopy on physical activity post-arthroscopy.

Methods

A systematic search of electronic databases was undertaken in identifying studies from January 1st 1990 to December 5th 2019. The search included English language articles reporting physical activity as an outcome following hip arthroscopy in adults aged 18-50 years. Quality assessment, data extraction and synthesis of included studies were undertaken.

Results

Full text articles (n = 234) were assessed for eligibility following screening of titles and abstracts (n = 2086), yielding 120 studies for inclusion. The majority (86%) of the studies were level 4 evidence. One study reported objective activity data. The most frequently occurring patient-reported outcome measure was the Hip Outcome Score-sport-specific subscale (HOS-SS, 84% of studies). Post--arthroscopy improvement was indicated by large effect sizes for patient-reported outcome measures (standard paired difference [95% confidence interval] −1.35[−1.61 to −1.09] at more than 2 years post-arthroscopy); however, the majority of outcome scores for the HOS-SS did not meet the defined level for a patient-acceptable symptom state.

Conclusion

The current level of available information regarding physical activity for post arthroscopy patients is limited in scope. Outcomes have focused on patients’ perceived difficulties with sport-related activities with a paucity of information on the type, quality and quantity of activity undertaken.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, systematic review of Level 2 through to Level 4 studies
Protocol for a systematic review of prognostic models for recurrent events in chronic conditions
Authors: Watson Victoria , Tudur Smith Catrin , Bonnett Laura
Published: January 2020

Background

Prognostic models for repeated events of the same type are highly useful in predicting when a patient may have a recurrence of a chronic disease or illness. Whilst methods are currently available for analysing recurrent event data in prognostic models, to our knowledge, most are not widely known or applied in a medical setting. As a result, often only the first recurrence is analysed meaning valuable information for multiple recurrences is discarded. Therefore, the aim of this review is to systemically review models for repeated medical events of the same type, to determine what modelling techniques are available and how they are applied.

Methods

MEDLINE will be used as the primary method to search sources. Various databases from the Cochrane Library and EMBASE will also be searched. Trial registries such as Clinicaltrials.gov.uk will be searched, as will registered trials that are ongoing and not yet published. Abstracts submitted to conferences will also be searched, and non-English sources will also be considered. Studies to be included in the review will be decided based on PICO guidelines, where the study population and outcomes correspond to this study’s aims and target population. The prognostic models used in each study chosen for inclusion in the review will be summarised qualitatively.

Discussion

As recurrent event data is not widely analysed in prognostic models, the results from this systematic review will identify which methods are available and which are commonly used. It is also unknown if certain methods which will be identified in the review perform better given certain conditions. Therefore, if included studies assess predictive performance, the results of this review could also provide evidence to determine if certain models are better fitting dependant on the event rate of the chronic condition. The results will be used to determine if model selection varies across disease area. The review will also provide an insight into the development of any new methods used for analysing recurrent events.

Trial registration

The review has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019116031).
Concurrent use of oblique sagittal and oblique coronal MRI: does it enhance the specificity and the accuracy of diagnosing complete and partial ACL tears?
Authors: Soliman Hazem Hamed
Published: January 2020

Background

The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of utilization of oblique sagittal and oblique coronalMRItechniques separately and concurrently in improving the diagnosis ofanterior cruciate ligament(ACL) complete and partial tears. Between December 2017 and November 2018, 71 patients, with suspected ACL injury, were examined by MRI using four diagnostic approaches: standard routine images only (approach A), standard and oblique coronal images (approach B), standard and oblique sagittal images (approach C), and standard images with both oblique coronal and sagittal images (approach D). Two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists evaluated the MRI images separately and in a random order using the four methods, and findings were compared with arthroscopy results as a gold standard.

Results

The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for approach A in diagnosis of partial ACL tear was significantly lower than that for approaches B, C, and D (pvalue < 0.05). The PPV and NPV for approaches B (82% and 85%) and C (83% and 87%) in diagnosis of partial ACL tear which were significantly lower than that for approach D (94% and 95%). The four approaches revealed no significant difference in diagnosis of complete ACL tear (pvalue > 0.05). Approach D demonstrated highest interobserver agreement (94% in complete and 88% in partial ACL tears) in comparison to B (79% in complete and 66% in partial) and C (85% in complete and 71% in partial) when combining oblique sagittal and oblique coronal images in identifying both complete and partial ACL tears

Conclusion

The addition of oblique sagittal and coronal images improved diagnostic accuracy of detection of complete and partial ACL tears. The concurrent use of sagittal and coronal oblique images enhanced the diagnostic efficacy of diagnosis of partial ACL tears only.
Structural characterization of potentially seismogenic faults in the Fort Worth Basin
Authors: Horne Elizabeth A. , Hennings Peter H. , Osmond Johnathon L. , DeShon Heather R.
Published: January 2020

From 2006 through mid-2018, there have been 125 [Formula: see text] recorded earthquakes within the Fort Worth Basin and the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. There is general scientific consensus that this increase in seismicity has been induced by increases in pore-fluid pressure from wastewater injection and from cross-fault pore-pressure imbalance due to injection and production. Previous fault stress analyses indicate that many of the faults are critically stressed; therefore, careful consideration should be taken when injecting in close proximity to these structures. Understanding the structural characteristics that control geomechanical aspects of these earthquake-prone faults is vital in characterizing this known hazard. To improve understanding of faults in the system, we have developed a characterization using a new basin-wide fault interpretation and database that has been assembled through the integration of published data, 2D and 3D seismic surveys, outcrop mapping, earthquakes, and interpretations provided by operators resulting in a 3D structural framework of basement-rooting faults. Our results show that a primary fault system trends northeast–southwest, creating a system of elongate horsts and grabens. Fault architectures range from isolated faults to linked and cross-cutting relay systems with individual segments ranging in length from 0.5 to 80 km. The faults that have hosted earthquakes are generally less than 10 km long, trend toward the northeast, and exhibit more than 50 m of normal displacement. The intensity of faulting decreases to the west away from the Ouachita structural front. Statistical analysis of the fault length, spacing, throw, and linkage tendency enables a more complete characterization of faults in the basin, which can be used to mitigate the seismic hazard. Finally, we find that a significant percentage of the total population of faults may be susceptible to reactivation and seismicity as those that have slipped recently.
Evidence-Based Network Approach to Recommending Targeted Cancer Therapies
Authors: Kancherla Jayaram , Rao Shruti , Bhuvaneshwar Krithika , Riggins Rebecca B. , Beckman Robert A. , Madhavan Subha , Corrada Bravo Héctor , Boca Simina M.
Published: January 2020

PURPOSE

In this work, we introduce CDGnet (Cancer-Drug-Gene Network), an evidence-based network approach for recommending targeted cancer therapies. CDGnet represents a user-friendly informatics tool that expands the range of targeted therapy options for patients with cancer who undergo molecular profiling by including the biologic context via pathway information.

METHODS

CDGnet considers biologic pathway information specifically by looking at targets or biomarkers downstream of oncogenes and is personalized for individual patients via user-inputted molecular alterations and cancer type. It integrates a number of different sources of knowledge: patient-specific inputs (molecular alterations and cancer type), US Food and Drug Administration–approved therapies and biomarkers (curated from DailyMed), pathways for specific cancer types (from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes [KEGG]), gene-drug connections (from DrugBank), and oncogene information (from KEGG). We consider 4 different evidence-based categories for therapy recommendations. Our tool is delivered via an R/Shiny Web application. For the 2 categories that use pathway information, we include an interactive Sankey visualization built on top of d3.js that also provides links to PubChem.

RESULTS

We present a scenario for a patient who has estrogen receptor (ER)–positive breast cancer with FGFR1 amplification. Although many therapies exist for patients with ER-positive breast cancer, FGFR1 amplifications may confer resistance to such treatments. CDGnet provides therapy recommendations, including PIK3CA, MAPK, and RAF inhibitors, by considering targets or biomarkers downstream of FGFR1.

CONCLUSION

CDGnet provides results in a number of easily accessible and usable forms, separating targeted cancer therapies into categories in an evidence-based manner that incorporates biologic pathway information.
Standardizing Chemotherapy Regimen Nomenclature: A Proposal and Evaluation of the HemOnc and National Cancer Institute Thesaurus Regimen Content
Authors: Rubinstein Samuel M. , Yang Peter C. , Cowan Andrew J. , Warner Jeremy L.
Published: January 2020

PURPOSE

Due to decades of nonstandardized approaches to the naming of chemotherapy regimens, representation in electronic health records and secondary systems is highly variable. This hampers efforts to understand patterns of chemotherapy usage at the population level. In this article, we describe a proposal for rules to standardize the nomenclature of chemotherapy regimens and illustrate applications of these rules.

METHODS

Through our experience with building HemOnc.org, which has been under construction since 2011, we formulated a set of guidelines and recommendations for the standard representation of chemotherapy regimen names. We then performed a mapping between the HemOnc and National Cancer Institute Thesaurus vocabulary’s regimens and evaluated conformance with the naming conventions. Finally, we assembled a database of acronyms and names for multiple myeloma regimens to illustrate the scope of the problem.

RESULTS

For the first use case, 242 of 527 (45.1%) of the regimen names differed. The schema was able to allocate a preferred source for 217 (89.4%) of these regimens. For the second use case, we expanded 130 multiple myeloma regimens to 1,138 unique regimen names and demonstrate ways in which the schema can collapse these into disambiguated, but abbreviated, regimen names.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first proposal to normalize chemotherapy regimen nomenclature. If our recommendations are adopted, we expect that the uniformity of treatment exposure representation in hematology/oncology will increase, which will enable large-scale efforts such as ASCO’s CancerLinQ to achieve better standardization.
Time-Maps
Authors: Cooppan Vilashini
Published: January 2020

This article considers how time, space, and history are mobilized across a contemporary range of debates in postcolonial studies, world literature theory, and memory studies. The time-maps surveyed all revolve around Eurochronology and its contestations, and range from novels by Joseph Conrad and V.S. Naipaul, to a video installation and essay by the South African artist William Kentridge, to the critical study of the Indian Ocean world. Traversing literature, art, critical theory, and personal story, the essay provides an imaginative and imagistic guide to new ways of thinking time. It concludes with a speculation on the promise of a “soft” rather than “mean” time, the latter evoking imperial standardization and the former describing a terrain in which affect and history are set in rippling motion.
Febre maculosa na Região Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais - Brasil: Descrição dos casos e dos ambientes prováveis de infecção, 2017
Authors: Sousa Orlando Marcos Farias de , Tourinho Bruna Dias , Leite Priscila Leal e , Souza Priscila Boschi de , Dure Ana Iris de Lima , Veloso Isabela , Said Rodrigo Fabiano do Carmo , Brito Mariana Gontijo de , Oliveira Stefan Vilges de
Published: January 2020

Objetivo: investigar os casos de febre maculosa, verificar os aspectos relacionados à assistência à saúde e caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico desses e do ambiente de infecção. Métodos: estudo descritivo dos casos confirmados de FM entre janeiro e novembro de 2017. Foi elaborado um formulário semiestruturado para coleta dos dados. Para as análises epidemiológicas, foram utilizados os programas EpiInfoTM 7 e Qgis® 2.18.1. Foram calculadas frequências, medidas de tendência central, dispersão e indicadores de oportunidade de assistência. Nos ambientes prováveis de infecção, foram realizadas coletas de carrapatos que foram identificados e submetidos à pesquisa de Rickettsia do grupo da FM. Resultados: foram confirmados 15 casos de FM; desses, a maioria foi do sexo masculino (93%) com média de 42 anos de idade; 10 evoluíram para óbito. Todos apresentaram febre, 13(87%) cefaleia e 12(80%) mialgia. Apresentaram mediana e média de evolução para óbito pela doença de 6 dias (1 a 9), oportunidades de hospitalização, tratamento, diagnóstico e notificação de 4,5(0 a 8); 7(0 a 26); 9(DP±6) e 33(DP±45) dias, respectivamente. Para assistência à saúde, 14(93%) casos procuraram atendimento mais de duas vezes, com tempo de internação de 4,5 dias (0 a 8 dias). O hospital foi o serviço procurado, exclusivamente, no quarto atendimento. Dengue e FM foram as hipóteses diagnósticas mais frequentes. Foram coletados 250 espécimes de carrapatos em quatro municípios, sendo em um município identificado Amblyomma sculptum naturalmente infectados. Conclusões: foram assinaladas condições assistenciais pouco sensíveis à ocorrência da FM, o que, provavelmente, colaborou para ocorrência de óbitos, além da necessidade de sensibilização de equipes de saúde e vigilância quanto à ocorrência da FM na região.
Precision medicine in inflammatory bowel disease: concept, progress and challenges
Authors: Borg-Bartolo Simon P. , Boyapati Ray Kiran , Satsangi Jack , Kalla Rahul
Published: January 2020

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are increasingly prevalent, relapsing and remitting inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) with variable disease courses and complications. Their aetiology remains unclear but current evidence shows an increasingly complex pathophysiology broadly centring on the genome, exposome, microbiome and immunome. Our increased understanding of disease pathogenesis is providing an ever-expanding arsenal of therapeutic options, but these can be expensive and patients can lose response or never respond to certain therapies. Therefore, there is now a growing need to personalise therapies on the basis of the underlying disease biology and a desire to shift our approach from “reactive” management driven by disease complications to “proactive” care with an aim to prevent disease sequelae. Precision medicine is the tailoring of medical treatment to the individual patient, encompassing a multitude of data-driven (and multi-omic) approaches to foster accurate clinical decision-making. In IBD, precision medicine would have significant benefits, enabling timely therapy that is both effective and appropriate for the individual. In this review, we summarise some of the key areas of progress towards precision medicine, including predicting disease susceptibility and its course, personalising therapies in IBD and monitoring response to therapy. We also highlight some of the challenges to be overcome in order to deliver this approach.
Recent advances in understanding the role of Cdk1 in the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint
Authors: Serpico Angela Flavia , Grieco Domenico
Published: January 2020

The goal of mitosis is to form two daughter cells each containing one copy of each mother cell chromosome, replicated in the previous S phase. To achieve this, sister chromatids held together back-to-back at their primary constriction, the centromere, have to interact with microtubules of the mitotic spindle so that each chromatid takes connections with microtubules emanating from opposite spindle poles (we will refer to this condition as bipolar attachment). Only once all replicated chromosomes have reached bipolar attachments can sister chromatids lose cohesion with each other, at the onset of anaphase, and move toward opposite spindle poles, being segregated into what will soon become the daughter cell nucleus. Prevention of errors in chromosome segregation is granted by a safeguard mechanism called Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC). Until all chromosomes are bipolarly oriented at the equator of the mitotic spindle, the SAC prevents loss of sister chromatid cohesion, thus anaphase onset, and maintains the mitotic state by inhibiting inactivation of the major M phase promoting kinase, the cyclin B-cdk1 complex (Cdk1). Here, we review recent mechanistic insights about the circuitry that links Cdk1 to the SAC to ensure correct achievement of the goal of mitosis.
The B-side of Xist
Authors: Monfort Asun , Wutz Anton
Published: January 2020

Female mammals express the long noncoding X inactivation-specific transcript (Xist) RNA to initiate X chromosome inactivation (XCI) that eventually results in the formation of the Barr body. Xist encompasses half a dozen repeated sequence stretches containing motifs for RNA-binding proteins that recruit effector complexes with functions for silencing genes and establishing a repressive chromatin configuration. Functional characterization of these effector proteins unveils the cooperation of a number of pathways to repress genes on the inactive X chromosome. Mechanistic insights can be extended to other noncoding RNAs with similar structure and open avenues for the design of new therapies to switch off gene expression. Here we review recent advances in the understanding of Xist and on this basis try to synthesize a model for the initiation of XCI.
Arquitectura institucional, contexto sociocultural e integridad electoral
Authors: Nohlen Dieter
Published: January 2020

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Cindy Sherman e o posicionamento de Untitled #264 em sua produção artística
Authors: Rena Aline
Published: January 2020

Este artigo pretende apresentar de forma concisa as diversas séries fotográficas da artista visual americana Cindy Sherman (1954), questionando, com base em entrevistas, artigos críticos, catálogos de exposições e livros sobre o trabalho da artista publicados ao longo de sua carreira, o posicionamento atualmente consolidado da obra Untitled #264 (1992) na série sex pictures.
Francis Alÿs: Encontros e percursos na Cidade do México
Authors: De Laurentiis Clara Barzaghi
Published: January 2020

Francis Alÿs desenvolveu, desde o começo dos anos 1990, uma relação bastante interessante com o centro histórico da capital mexicana, onde realiza muitas de suas obras. Este artigo revê alguns aspectos do processo de desenvolvimento urbano da cidade, considerando as transformações que moldaram os contextos urbano e cultural encontrados pelo artista quando chegou em território mexicano, em 1986. A partir de um olhar que busca aquilo que escapa das estratificações do espaço institucionalizado, apresento alguns trabalhos de Alÿs que encaram diretamente a imensidão e o caos urbano da capital mexicana. A partir de uma aproximação dos encontros do artista com essa realidade metropolitana, desenvolvo reflexões disparadas pelas respostas poéticas de Alÿs, que habita a cidade à medida que observa e registra as variadas formas encontradas por outrém, e por ele mesmo, de afirmar suas existências.
Investigating cattle artificial insemination technique on farm
Authors: Walker Claire
Published: January 2020

‘Do it yourself’ artificial insemination (DIY AI) is employed on many cattle enterprises in the UK. This requires the client having a number of skills that should be properly assessed when veterinarians are assisting with fertility management on the farm. When analysis of farm data suggest that conception rates are suffering due to AI technique, the process from ‘tank to cow’ needs to be investigated. The areas to be addressed must include oestrus detection, semen storage, handling and thawing of frozen semen, handling of thawed semen and placement of the semen. For the latter a good understanding of the bovine reproductive tract is essential.
Prevalence and risk factors of some arthropod-transmitted diseases in cattle and sheep in Jordan
Authors: Hijazeen Zaidoun S. , Ismail Zuhair Bani , Al-Majali Ahmad M.
Published: January 2020

Aim: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of bluetongue virus (BTV) in sheep and bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) in dairy cattle in Jordan.

Materials and Methods: A simple randomized study was designed to collect 600 serum samples from sheep and 300 serum samples from dairy cattle located in the Northwestern parts of Jordan. In addition, data regarding farm management were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire through personal interview to determine potential risk factors. The seroprevalences of BEF and BTVs were determined using serum neutralization test and BTV group-specific competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.

Results: The overall seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies against BEFV in dairy cattle was 45.37%. The overall seroprevalence of BTV group-specific antibodies in sheep was 47.8% (54% true seroprevalence). Logistic regression analysis identified geographic location (Irbid) (odds ratio [OR]=1.0; confidence interval [CI]=0.5-2.1), no use of disinfectants on the farm (OR=1.0; CI=0.05-0.1), and lack of veterinary services (OR=10; CI=3.5-13.2) as risk factors associated with high seropositivity against BTV in sheep. Geographic location (Jarash) (OR=3; CI=1.0-5.5), age of the animal (1-2 years of age (OR=1; CI=0.3-1.9), and lack of veterinary services (OR=9; CI=4-11) were identified as risk factors associated with high seroprevalence against BEFV in dairy cattle.

Conclusion: Results of this study indicate that BEFV in dairy cattle and BTV in sheep are endemic in Northwestern regions of Jordan. Implementation of appropriate control measures is, therefore, required to reduce the adverse effects of these diseases on animal health and productivity.
How do College Students in India Respond to Gender-Based Violence (GBV)?
Authors: Asher Stephanie , Nagaraj Nitasha , Vyas Amita
Published: January 2020

Rates of gender-based violence remain high during college in India, a time of adolescent malleability where gender norms, gender perspectives, and responses to violence are open to change. Few gender-based violence interventions focus on college students and even fewer on bystander intervention as a preventative approach - a concept novel to India.

This cross-sectional study reached 603 college students in India to examine current gender norms and perspectives, bystander intervention behaviours, and discussion of gender-based violence on campuses. Statistically significant differences were found between male and female college students in all scenarios of bystander intervention response and frequency of discussion of gender-based violence. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed significant differences in those who had never seen violence or had a positive bystander intervention response, compared to those who responded negatively. Given the findings, targeting college students appears a promising approach to change the narrative of gender-based violence and norms in India.
Prognostic Significance and Functional Relevance of Olfactomedin 4 in Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ye Liangtao , Kriegl Lydia , Reiter Florian P. , Munker Stefan M. , Itzel Timo , Teufel Andreas , Ziesch Andreas , Török Helga Paula , Kirchner Thomas , Gerbes Alexander L. , Guba Markus , Mayerle Julia , De Toni Enrico N.
Published: January 2020

OBJECTIVES:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cancer-related cause of death. Unfortunately, recurrence is common even after curative treatment of early-stage patients, and no adjuvant treatment has yet been established. Aberrant expression of OLFM4 in human cancers has been reported; yet, its specific function during tumor development remains poorly understood, and its role in HCC is unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine the prognostic significance of OLFM4 and its functional relevance in determining recurrence in patients with early-stage HCC.

METHODS:

Immunohistochemical staining to assess expression, cellular distribution, and prognostic significance of OLFM4 was performed in a tissue microarray comprising 157 HCC tissues and matched nontumor tissues. In addition, expression of OLFM4-coding mRNA was assessed in a separate patients' cohort. The findings were validated by in vitro functional studies using siRNA directed against OLFM4 to assess its effect on cell motility and proliferation.

RESULTS:

The fraction of HCC samples exhibiting positive OLFM4 staining was higher in comparison with that observed in hepatocytes from matched nontumor tissue (61% vs 39%). However, cytoplasmic-only staining for OLFM4 was associated with vascular invasion (P = 0.048), MMP-7 expression (P = 0.002), and poorer survival (P = 0.008). A multivariate analysis confirmed the independent significance of OLFM4 in determining patients' outcome (5-year survival [58.3% vs 17.3%; HR: 2.135 {95% confidence interval: 1.135–4.015}; P = 0.019]). Correspondingly, inhibition of OLFM4 by siRNA modulated the expression of MMP-7 and E-cadherin, causing inhibition of cell proliferation, motility, and migration.

DISCUSSION:

To the best of our knowledge, we provide the first report on the prognostic significance of OLFM4 in HCC and identify its mechanistic role as crucial mediator of MMP family protein and E-Cadherin in determining cell invasion and metastasis formation.
Pengembangan Ekonomi Kreatif Berbasis Kearifan Lokal Pandanus Handicraft dalam Menghadapi Pasar Modern Perspektif Ekonomi Syariah (Study Case di Pandanus Nusa Sambisari Yogyakarta)
Authors: Azizah Siti Nur , Muhfiatun Muhfiatun
Published: January 2020

Studi ini bertujuan untuk lebih memahami keberadaan ekonomi kreatif sebagai strategi yang diprediksi mampu memicu daya saing baik dalam skala nasional maupun dalam kancah internasional dalam rangka menghadapi pasar modern. Hingga saat ini, pengangguran kemiskinan, eksploitasi alam besar-besaran yang pada akhirnya menyebabkan ketimpangan baik dari segi sosial maupun pertumbuhan ekonomi masih menjadi persoalan klasik yang memerlukan solusi. Oleh karena itu, perlu adanya keselarasan dalam mendapatkan solusi tersebut, salah satu dengan harmonisasi ekonomi dan kearifan lokal yang tentu saja dapat memicu daya saing ekonomi, meningkatkan produktifitas yang pada akhirnya meningkatkan taraf hidup masyarakat dengan tetap mempertahankan budaya, adat istiadat yang menjadi karakter khas yang ditinjau dari perspektif ekonomi Islam.studi ini menggunakan pendekatan deskriptifkualitatif dengan metode pengumpulan data observasi, interview, dan analisis datata, sebagai sample peneliti mengambil realita pengembangan ekonomi kreatif berbasis kearifan lokal pandanus handicraft dalam menghadapi pasar modern dalam perspektif ekonomi syariah di CV Pandanus Nusa Sambisari Yogyakarta. Hasil analisis menyatakan bahwasanya handycraft memiliki efek multyplier terhadap masyarakat, karena anyaman pandan telah berkontribusi menggerakan sektor perdagangan jasa dan pertanian. Serta mampu mengembalikan nilai-nilai kearifan lokal masyarakat baik dari sisi Integrasi sektor ekonomi maupun integrasi bidang sosial yang meliputi ukhuwah islamiyah, dan terciptanya solidartas sosial.
Urgensi Wakaf untuk Kesejahteraan dan Pembangunan
Authors: Ash-Shiddiqy Muhammad
Published: January 2020

Abstrak. Paper ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan dan menganalisis peran wakaf untuk kesejahteraan dan pembangunan infrastruktur serta prospek perwakafan di Indonesia, utamanya pasca lahirnya Undang-Undang No. 40 Tahun 2004 tentang Wakaf. Analisis terhadap perwakafan terfokus pada manajemen dan pengelolaan harta wakaf oleh lembaga wakaf yang masih tradisional dan jauh dari orientasi produktif sebagaimana yang diinginkan Undang-undang Wakaf. Problematika ini dilatarbelakangi oleh beberapa hal, seperti: Kurangnya sosialisasi tentang fiqh wakaf maupun peraturan perundangan; manajemen wakaf yang setengah hati, per-soalan komitmen nadzir, lemahnya sistem pengawasan kelembagaan, dan permasalah-an pendanaan. Lahirnya undang-undang wakaf diyakini sebagai terobosan awal yang memiliki arti signifikan dan strategis dalam rangka memperkuat prospek lembaga perwakafan di Indonesia menjadi lebih baik. Hal ini untuk menunjukkan bahwa wakaf bisa menjadi istrumen syariah untuk kesejahteraan masyarakat dan pembangunan nasional.
Desain Pembekalan Enterpreneurship bagi Warga Binaan Pemasyarakatan pada Fase Pra Asimilasi Berbasis Asmaa-ul Husna (Studi Kasus di Lembaga Pemasyarakatan Perempuan Kelas IIA Wirogunan Yogyakarta)
Authors: Pangestuti Dinik Fitri Rahajeng
Published: January 2020

Abstrak. Penjara merupakan tempat yang memiliki konotasi sangat negatif di masyarakat. Orang-orang yang pernah menjalani kehidupan di penjara mayoritas mendapatkan pandangan miring di masyarakat. Kondisi ini menyebabkan penurunan konsep diri sehingga mantan Warga Binaan Pemasyarakatan (WBP) akan mengalami kendala sosial ketika kembali ke masyarakat pasca hukuman. Maka dari itu perlu adanya pembekalan yang mampu memberikan spirit bagi WBP agar memiliki lifeskill yang memadai. Metode pembelajaran tersebut telah ada di dalam Al Qur’an, yaitu “Bacalah dengan (menyebut) nama Tuhanmu yang menciptakan, Dia telah menciptakan manusia dari segumpal darah. Bacalah, dan Tuhanmulah Yang Maha Mulia, yang mengajarkan manusia dengan pena. Dia mengajarkan kepada manusia apa yang tidak diketahuinya.” (Q.S Al ‘Alaq : 1-5). Ayat ini merupakan ayat yang pertama kali diturunkan kepada Rasululloh SAW, yang merupakan pertanda bahwa beliau merupakan insan yang dipilih untuk mengemban tugas kerasulan, yaitu membawa pesan kerahmatan bagi seluruh alam (rahmatan lil alamin). Tujuan Penelitian: Penelitian ini bertujuan menggali, membina dan mengembangkan potensi para Warga Binaan Pemasyarakatan (WBP) dengan memberikan treatment untuk membangkitkan kesadaran diri dan kepribadian positif dengan cara dzikir Asmaa-ul Husna. Metode Penelitian: Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian mixed methode dengan pendekatan community based action research. Data yang dikumpulkan berupa data kuantitatif dan kualitatif. Untuk data kuantitatif diolah dengan menggunakan Paired Sample T-Test, sedangkan data kualitatif akan memperkuat hasil pengujian secara kuantitatif. Hasil: Penelitian ini menunjukkan hasil bahwa terjadi perubahan yang signifikan pada karakter enterpreneurship, ketenangan hati dan well being sebelum dan sesudah mengikuti program.
ASSESSMENT OF CONTRACTORS’ PRACTICES TOWARDS RISKS OUT OF CONTRACTORS CONTROL IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Authors: Algahtany Mohammed , Kashiwagi Dean , Sullivan Kenneth , Kashiwagi Jacob , Alzara Majed
Published: January 2020

Research has shown that public construction projects in Saudi Arabia have exhibited poor performance for the past three decades. Recent studies have identified the ownership of parties who cause risks and lead to low performance in the Saudi construction industry. These studies identified that contractors are not the main party that cause risks as owners, consultants, and other parties have the major share of causing risks in the industry. The aim of this study is to assess the current risk management and performance measurement practices applied by contractors to minimize risk out of their control (caused by other parties) through conducting a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire survey was sent to contractors who work in public construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The assessment included the contractors’ practices in the identification of projects activities and risks, contractors’ practices in mitigating other parties’ activities and risks, and contractors’ practices in measuring the performance of all project parties. The study identified that contractors’ current risk management and performance measurement practices are not effective in minimizing projects risks caused by other parties and ineffective in measuring performance of all parties. The study recommends a proactive risk management approach that can help contractors to minimize risks caused by other parties and can measure the performance of all parties in projects.
CROWD-SOURCED VISUAL DATA COLLECTION FOR MONITORING INDOOR CONSTRUCTION IN 3D
Authors: Amer Fouad , Golparvar-Fard Mani
Published: January 2020

Complete and accurate 3D monitoring of indoor construction progress using visual data is challenging. It requires (a) capturing a large number of overlapping images, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive to collect, and (b) processing using Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms, which can be computationally expensive. To address these inefficiencies, this paper proposes a hybrid SfM-SLAM 3D reconstruction algorithm along with a decentralized data collection workflow to map indoor construction work locations in 3D and any desired frequency. The hybrid 3D reconstruction method is composed of a pipeline of Structure from Motion (SfM) coupled with Multi-View Stereo (MVS) to generate 3D point clouds and a SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) algorithm to register the separately formed models together. Our SfM and SLAM pipelines are built on binary Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) descriptors to tightly couple these two separate reconstruction workflows and enable fast computation. To elaborate the data capture workflow and validate the proposed method, a case study was conducted on a real-world construction site. Compared to state-of-the-art methods, our preliminary results show a decrease in both registration error and processing time, demonstrating the potential of using daily images captured by different trades coupled with weekly walkthrough videos captured by a field engineer for complete 3D visual monitoring of indoor construction operations.
DESIGNING RESILIENT ROOF SYSTEMS
Authors: Hutchinson Thomas W.
Published: January 2020

Recent powerful climate storms in the USA have the government discussing the need for resilient buildings: Buildings that can withstand severe storms, provide life safety and be quickly repaired. A building’s roof is often the first line of defense in the changing climate conditions with its catastrophic natural disasters. The roof, if designed properly, can mitigate the impacts of these emergencies and allow a building to withstand and recover from the disruption caused. Resilience is increasingly being viewed as an important performance objective for governmental, educational, commercial and industrial construction. Interest in resiliency is high and is being actively discussed at all levels of the building industry: Governmental, Codes and Standards and Trade Organizations (ASTM, Resilient). This paper will review key resilient roof system elements that need to be considered by roof system designers: Best design and detail practices for roofing to achieve resiliency. The needed level of design and detailing will be reviewed. Recommendations to achieve resilient roof systems will be provided.
HUMAN RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN ENGINEERING DESIGN COMPANIES
Authors: Rizk Ruba , Srour Issam
Published: January 2020

The human capital is a major asset for engineering companies. On-time completion of project tasks and cost effectiveness are contingent on proper allocation of human resources. In practice, most engineering mangers assign resources according to availability without considering the level of employee’s expertise while making the assignment decision. This may result in lower quality of design production or a difficulty in meeting deadlines in case an employee requires training or coaching. To better attain project requirements, the assignment practice could be improved by including resource characteristics and critical project information. This paper is part of an ongoing study that aims to develop a reliable resource assignment mathematical model that takes into account engineers’ years of experience, their level of familiarity with different software programs used by the company, and other task-related attributes. Examples of the latter include scheduled submission date, and range of estimated period required to complete a task. The output of the model consists of assignment variables through pairing a group of human resources to a group of tasks with the objective of minimizing project duration and cost while maximizing resource utilization. Extensions to the model can allow engineering managers to monitor and control the progress of the project or the lack thereof.
ADMINISTERING CONDITION PRECEDENT NOTICES IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
Authors: Khalife Salam , Abdul-Malak Mohamed-Asem
Published: January 2020

Notices represent a main area of concern for engineering and architecture professionals involved in construction contract administration, as the failure to satisfy their requirements can jeopardize the concerned party’s performance under the contract. This is specifically true of those notices that are stated or inferred to be condition precedent to the preservation or the establishment of the rights of either party. A screening of all instances stipulating the issuance of notices under the standard conditions for the construction contract issued by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) revealed that 41 out of the 93 encountered instances require condition-precedent notices to be issued for preserving or establishing relevant rights. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the three classes that were found to encompass these notices. As such, it sheds light on the distribution of the responsibilities for issuing them between the contractor, on one hand, and the owner or the Engineer on his behalf, on the other hand. It further discusses possible compositions of their structures, highlighting the time bars as well as the prerequisite events that are likely to be involved. The merit of the work lies in mapping these notices, with the aim of helping contract administration practitioners properly deal with them such that the contractual risks associated with their requirements can be avoided.
ON MODELING ACTIVITY CRASHING AND OVERLAPPING: A FIRST ALGORITHM
Authors: Elamrousy Kamel Mohamed , Ballesteros-Pérez Pablo
Published: January 2020

Accelerating construction projects is a commonly used method for meeting the project deadlines and/or compensating for current delays. There are several approaches to speed-up a project, such as activity crashing and overlapping. Activity crashing means reducing activity durations through adding more resources. Activity overlapping means executing certain activities in parallel when they were supposed to be sequential in the original plan. Construction management literature is mostly focused on studying each acceleration mode separately, while the focal point of this paper is to develop a joint model and a first algorithmic implementation that involves both acceleration methods. Particularly, on reviewing the project management and scheduling literature, a mathematical model combining activity crashing and overlapping is reformulated. Also, a Genetic Algorithm is implemented on a fictitious case study. Preliminary findings of the model and algorithmic implementations identify that activity crashing alone and a mixed approach are preferred when significant compression is required, whereas activity overlapping is recommended for minimizing compression costs when only a small compression is required.