bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Incidence of Acute Respiratory Diseases in the Paediatric Population in Poland in the Light of the “Health Needs Map”
Authors: Lange Joanna , Kozielski Jerzy , Bartolik Kinga , Kabicz Paweł , Targowski Tomasz
Published: July 2020

Introduction: Statistical data on the structure of acute respiratory diseases incidence in the paediatric population are still scarce. The demand for such data results mainly from the need to constantly implement new systemic and economic solutions. The aim of the study was to attempt to use reported data for an assessment of the incidence of acute respiratory diseases in various age groups. Material and methods: An analysis of selected acute respiratory diseases was conducted in relation to diagnoses reported from 1 January to 31 December 2014 to the National Health Fund (NFZ, Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) in accordance with the codes of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision. The study was conducted under the Knowledge Education Development operational programme co-funded by the European Social Fund. Results: A total of 101,000 children were hospitalised due to acute respiratory diseases, which amounted to 1,554 hospitalisa-tions per 100.000. The most common causes of hospitalisation were pneumonia and bronchitis/bronchiolitis. Boys were hospital-ised more often in each age group. The shortest average length of stay (ALOS) was 5.21 days and concerned hospitalisation due to bronchitis. The longest length of stay for children was due to tuberculosis (14.3 days). The highest age average of a child was recorded in pleural diseases (10.51 years) and the lowest in bronchitis (2.93 years). Rehospitalisation was necessary in children in whom tuberculosis or pleural diseases were diagnosed (1.43 vs 1.34). A total of 67 inpatient deaths were recorded, of which 19 were due to pneumonia or its complications. Conclusions: Epidemiological data reported to the National Health Fund (NFZ) seem quite reliable and do not differ significantly from those reported in other European countries. The analysed data may be useful in estimating health needs in paediatrics.
Effective Components of Self-Management Programs for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: Scoping Review
Authors: Nohra Rita , Serhal Rola , Sacre Hala , Salameh Pascale , Rothan-Tondeur Monique
Published: July 2020

Introduction: To date, little guidance is available to support the development of effective programs for improving self-management in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Yet, given the global burden of this disease, it seems important to identify the components of a self-management program that are effective in terms of health outcomes for COPD patients. Objectives: This review aims to identify effective elements of a self-management program for COPD patients, the ones that may impact quality of life, emergency visits, and rehospitalization rates. Material and methods: A systematic literature search of three databases (Medline, Cochrane, and CINHAL) was conducted to identify studies on self-management of COPD, with three limiting parameters: published in twelve years prior to November 2019, in English or French, and including patients over 40 years old. Prisma was used to guide the work process. Results: The search yielded 361 studies from the three electronic databases by applying limiting criteria, and after removing duplicates. Sixty-five articles were identified as relevant based on their titles and abstracts. However, 16 documents were retained after full reading. The analysis of the included articles identified 4 components in self-management programs for COPD patients: initiation stage of the intervention, educational sessions, support and monitoring methods. Conclusions: Although the combination of self-management program initiation, educational sessions, support and monitoring methods were effective, further research is needed to identify the components that have better impact on COPD patients’ skills and quality of life.
An Uncommon Presentation of Osteosarcoma
Authors: Padmaja Mantha , Bhuniya Sourin , Naik Suprava , Sable Mukund , Ghosh Sudip , Mohapatra Prasanta Raghab
Published: July 2020

A 20-year old female presented to our department with complaints of sudden-onset dyspnea and right-sided chest pain for the last month [...]
PROFESSION OF A ‘MUSEUM CURATOR’.
ON LEGAL CHANGES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
EROSION OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY MUSEUM
CURATORS
Authors: Murawska Agnieszka , Fraś Jarosław M. , Frąckowiak Ewa , Rybicki Andrzej
Published: July 2020

Changes in the legislation related to museum
curators and museology, introduced with small steps in
harmony with the Overton Window concept, are discussed;
they are leading away from the letter and spirit of the Act
on Museums of 21 Nov 1996 and the traditions of Polish
museology based on creating collections of museum objects
and working on them in various manners. Regulations
and legal opinions on the museum curator profession are
presented, pointing to the fact that the initially cohesive
definitions and provisions are becoming blurred, to the extent
of losing their initial sense, and threatening the identity of
this professional group, as well as the identity of museums
as heritage-preserving organizations. Furthermore, attempts
to extend the concept of museum curator to encompass
also the institution’s executives or the entire museum staff
undertaken in order to depreciate this professional group
and deprive it of the impact on the institution’s management
have been signalled. A tendency has been observed to
deprive the employees fulfilling the museum’s basic activity,
museum curators included, of the influence on shaping state
policies with respect to museology, this clearly illustrated by
the composition of the Council for Museums and National Memorial Sites. Provisions of the labour legislation as regards
professions of public trust museum curators aspire to join
have been quoted. Mention has also been made of certain
activities they have undertaken to prevent the process of
de-professionalising the profession of a museum curator
in the museum-related legislation, and to subsequently
reverse it. The 2016 Bill on Museum Collections and on
Museums prepared by the National Section for Museums
and Institutions for the Preservation of Historical Monuments
of the Solidarity Trade Union has been presented. The main
demands of the Bill have been pointed to: the consolidation
of the status of museum collections as the main purpose of
the museum’s raison d’être, the status of a museum curator
as a profession of public trust, and the shift in museum
management from technocratic (New Public Management)
to modern, aiming to serve the national heritage and people
in harmony with the principles of the New Public Service.
Reflexões sobre o papel da Atenção Primária à Saúde na pandemia de COVID-19
Authors: Garcia Alves Maria Teresa
Published: July 2020

Artigo de opinião com reflexões sobre o papel da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) na pandemia de COVID-19 a partir da definição de seus atributos: acesso, longitudinalidade, integralidade, coordenação, orientação familiar, orientação comunitária e competência cultural.
Knowledge Discovery Through Time Series Applied to Students' Grades
Authors: Assunção Joaquim , Oliveira Fernando , Correa Claiton
Published: July 2020

Assessment is a constant activity in education, in the school system, and the teaching-learning process. The traditional approach classifies the students learning level through grades. This paper shows an application of knowledge discovery and data mining through classification and clustering via time series modeling on students' grades from high school. We collected historical data from an institute of technology, from this, we created models that can be used to extract patterns to help teachers to understand the profile of the students and provide early warns about possible poor results.
Um Panorama das Pesquisas Científicas focado no ENCompIF: Um Mapeamento Sistemático
Authors: Fernandes Filipe , Pereira Otacílio , Da Silva Loham
Published: July 2020

Context: The Federal Education network reached the mark of 562 units and plays an important role so that all people have access to the country's scientific and technological achievements. Understanding the performance of a certain scientific community allows its members to organize their decision making about what actions and directions to take in a certain context. Goal: Thus, the goal of this work is to present a Systematic Mapping (SM) of papers published in the National Computing Meeting of Federal Institutes (ENCompIF), with the purpose of characterizing the state of the art of computer research carried out by institutions of the Federal Education network. Method: The search strategy for this SM was defined as primary studies published in ENCompIF in the period between 2014 and 2019, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: In the six editions of ENCompIF, 112 studies were published. When applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, all studies were selected for analysis. Conclusions: From primary studies analyzed, 46.43% proposed software development as a solution; 19.64% and 13.39% of the studies work in Informatics in Education and Games and Digital Entertainment, respectively. Despite the slight decline in publications over the years, the community has intensified efforts to engage students, as well as developing solutions to support the teaching and learning process through computational solutions.
Individuelles Entscheidungsverhalten im Emissionszertifikatehandel
Authors: Kapff Bertil
Published: July 2020

Fuel emissions in the heating and transport sectors will be covered by a national emissions trading system in Germany from 2021. The European certificate trading system EU ETS will also be further tightened for the fourth trading phase from 2021 to 2030. Under unknown framework conditions and uncertainty regarding the development of certificate prices, the actors involved will have to make a variety of decisions: How many emission rights are to be acquired and when? Are investments in new technologies or fuels worthwhile?
This laboratory experiment on emissions trading examined which patterns and strategies can be identified in the individual decision-making behaviour of the actors.
The paper was awarded the Dr. Tyczka Energy Prize in 2018.
«Deh, non opinate, o Signora, così spregevolmente di noi»: l’Italia illustrata dalle italiane
Authors: Crivelli Tatiana
Published: July 2020

This article discusses the symbolic values assigned to Italian women writers in the historical age that precedes national unification. At the beginning of 19th century, aiming at its Risorgimento, Italy shaped its own identity. Establishing a cultural genealogy of its women, the nation-to-be finds a way to shed light on the persistence of an erudite stream rooted in the glorious tradition of the “roman mothers”, as well as to define an image of itself as an up-to-date modern European nation. The cultural condition of its women becomes, thanks to a simplifying and still effective mechanism, measurement for the emancipation of a whole nation. How this mechanism works can be explained by the example of a dispute between the Irish novel writer Lady Morgan and the Italian pedagogue Ginevra Canonici Fachini, by analyzing their apparently irreconcilable argumentations under the perspective of their time, which point to the making of the nation and of its narration. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that the setting up of an encyclopaedia of illustrious Italian women, that Canonici Fachini presents as a reply to the criticism expressed in Morgan's "Italy" (1821), constitutes, much more than explicit retorts that remain trapped in their own reciprocal contrasts, the constructive outcome of an encounter and clash of two different ways of narrating the nation. As postcolonial studies demonstrated, the more innovative propositions are in fact generated in those in-between spaces that are to be found in the wrinkles of an apparently insoluble contraposition: between the discourses with which the other represents us, and our own narration that institutes the myth of an objective self-definition.
Recensione a Dacia Maraini, "L’amore rubato", Milano, Rizzoli, 2012
Authors: Destefani Sibilla
Published: July 2020

"L’amore rubato", ultima fatica letteraria di Dacia Maraini, indaga il problema della violenza di genere attraverso la sua rappresentazione letteraria. Con otto racconti brevi, la scrittrice italiana mette in scena donne e bambine vittime di violenza; una violenza perpetrata all’interno e all’esterno della famiglia, sullo sfondo di una società che appare incapace di scindere l’amore dal possesso. In questa sede, oltre che a fornire una sintesi esaustiva del testo, si propone una chiave d’interpretazione del romanzo. A partire da alcune considerazioni sul problema della rappresentazione della violenza – anche in relazione alla letteratura contemporanea, che sempre di più sembra tendere verso una rappresentazione iper-violenta della realtà – si fornirà un’interpretazione estetico-stilistica del romanzo, in particolare con l’ausilio delle considerazioni di Adriana Cavarero, che in "Orrorismo, Ovvero della violenza sull’inerme" fornisce una interessante chiave di lettura dei conflitti contemporanei. Secondo la filosofa italiana, infatti, il neologismo ('orrorismo') permette di descrivere la violenza sulla popolazione civile indifesa dal punto di vista delle vittime e non dei carnefici. Un termine che può essere applicato anche al romanzo della Maraini, e che permette di offrirne una lettura inedita in chiave estetico-stilistica: protagonista dell’"Amore rubato" è il corpo femminile, insieme attore e palcoscenico di un dramma contemporaneo iper-orrorista.
L’‘espace’ letterario in "Stella mattutina" di Ada Negri
Authors: Vedovi Lucia
Published: July 2020

In 1920, Ada Negri announced the publication of her Buildungsroman "Stella mattutina" with the following words: «"Stella mattutina" è la storia interiore della mia vita dai sette ai diciassette anni, in terza persona. Vi ho scolpito la figura di mia madre». By combining Julia Kristeva’s theoretical conclusions on semiotic, as expressed in "Revolution in Poetic Language" (1984) and "Language – the Unknown: an Initiation into Linguistics" (1989), and Johanna Drucker’s concept of 'espace', as formulated in "Theorizing Modernism: Visual Art and the Critical Tradition" (1994), the essay examines how, in reconstructing the (hi)story of her family, and of her own childhood, Negri breaks through the traditional concept of space and time, and creates a somewhat lyrical espace from which she also and above all re-tells the history of the Italian working class at the turn of the twentieth century as well as seeks to claim women writers’ rights in male-dominated pre-Fascist Italy. Thus, I demonstrate how, by expanding the boundaries of what, in "Reading the Modernist Buildungsroman", Gregory Castle defines «a genre in crisis», the idea of a literary virtual 'espace' that characterizes modernity and Modernism functions as an alternative space, a re-discovered homeland, ultimately «a room of her own» in the case of such a prominent Italian woman writer of the 20th century.
Wellington 2013 – Ippolita rinascimentale: le Amazzoni americane nell’epica italiana
Authors: Aloé Carla
Published: July 2020

This paper analyses the mythography of ‘New World Amazons’ as it appears in Renaissance Italian epic poems, tracing perceptions of the myth from the discovery of America to the first half of the seventeenth century. The first part of the article documents the literary history of such legends, focusing in particular on the delayed advent of American Amazons in Italian verse. One reason for this, I argue, is that poets were unable to distance themselves from the classical tradition that identified Asia and Africa as the homeland of the Amazons. At the same time, they felt incapable of integrating the supposedly authoritative accounts of the New World into their poems without quoting them almost word for word. In the second part I analyse Giovanni Giorgini’s "Mondo nuovo" (1596) and Tommaso Stigliani’s "Mondo nuovo" (1617, 1628), the first two complete Italian poems entirely dedicated to the discovery and conquest of America. The Amazons who appear in these works are lent an unprecedented depth of characterisation since the poets are able to reject, in part, the total subordination to historical sources that had dogged previous depictions of them. They use them, instead, as a pretext for engaging with matters of contemporary concern, in particular, the hotly debated querelle des femmes. In the final analysis, I argue that in the New World poems, Amazons are used more to comment on the political and cultural realities of the Italian peninsula than to paint a ‘reliable’ picture of the newly discovered lands. They appear not so much in the New World as in the Old World projected, as it were, onto the new territories of America while maintaining the social categories and concerns of the world at home.
L’œuvre d’Igiaba Scego, femme et écrivaine : une vision interculturelle de l’héritage postcolonial
Authors: Valentino Vittorio
Published: July 2020

A new literary phenomenon, still in its infancy, is slowly growing in Italy: migrants’ children, born and/or raised in Italy, have begun to write. These writers evolves in italian society even if their origins are far more distant that the Mediterranean area: they include Congolese and Somalis, whose perspective rejects the idea of a monolithic sense of belonging. Their goal is to find a place to live without denying their origins or the community where they were born. We can therefore ask if these writers belong to an “in-between” dimension that characterizes them and locates them within the multidimensional spaces of hybrid culture; we can also ask whether their individual and cultural evolution in the Mediterranean, away from their parents’ countries of origin, has an influence on their writing. This article explores the work of Igiaba Scego, a writer marked by her experiences of immigration and Italian colonization, two important events in her life. Born in Italy in 1974 to Somali parents, in addition to her writing career, Scego, also collaborates with Italian news-papers, like «L’Unità». Her writing is the focus on this article because she addresses different themes: how migration and the Italian colonization affected women, the dialogue between cultures in Italy and women’s role in the intercultural society.
Saffo tra poesia e leggenda. Fortuna di un personaggio nei secoli XVIII e XIX, a cura di Adriana Chemello, Padova, Il Poligrafo, 2012, pp. 353
Authors: Piantoni Luca
Published: July 2020

The review discusses "Saffo tra poesia e leggenda. Fortuna di un personaggio nei secoli XVIII-XIX", edited by Adriana Chemello (Padova, Il Poligrafo, 2012, pp. 353). The volume is an anthology of texts that are accompanied by critical commentaries and a historical, critical and philological introduction. The anthologised texts are "Saffo" by Maria Fortuna (1776, with commentary by Salvatore Puggioni), "Faoniade" by Vincenzo Maria Imperiale (1780, with commentary by Francesca Favaro), "Vita di Saffo" by Bianca Milesi (1810, with commentary by the Puggioni), "Saffo" by Angelica Palli (1823, with commentary by Favaro) and the unpublished "Saffo in Leucade" by Teresa Bandettini (1809, with commentary by Monica Bandella). The book is preceded by an introduction (Adriana Chemello) which reveals how the various incarnations of Sappho express some of the tastes and style of the ‘modern’ authors by whom she is interpreted, as well as shedding light on «the ever shadowy world of early nineteenth-century women’s literature».
Identità e alterità nel romanzo "Amiche per la pelle" di Laila Wadia
Authors: Lazzari Laura
Published: July 2020

The article focuses on issues related to identity and representation of otherness in Laila Wadia’s novel "Amiche per la pelle". In the imaginary building of Via Ungaretti in Trieste, where the story takes place, live different types of people belonging to various nationalities: an Italian man, an Albanian couple, and Bosnian, Chinese and Indian families. The pluralism and diversity that characterize the main characters of the novel picture a complex description of the immigrants that are not defined in a fixed and stereotyped way, but as hybrid, multicultural and evolving personalities. Aspects that define multiple identity of the main characters, the stages and the difficulties encountered in the long process of integration in the Italian society (learning the language and local customs, the difficulty in finding an appropriate accommodation and a suitable work, the racism and prejudices they face, but also the solidarity shown by some Italians) are depicted in detail in the text. In addition to this, prejudices and stereotypes attributed by migrants to the Italian natives and their look towards their new Italian home are also analyzed.
Luigia Codemo: appunti per una biografia intellettuale
Authors: Chemello Adriana
Published: July 2020

This article offers an intellectual biography of the 19th century writer Luigia Codemo. While Codemo’s writing directly originates from the Manzoni's historical novel, which inspires her interest for the lower levels of the society (for the “genti meccaniche e di piccolo affare”), it nevertheless also refers to the vast body of short stories, to all the exempla, the moral narrations and the “true stories” that are to be found among the pages of Gozzi’s periodical «Gazzetta Veneta», as well as to the conversations in Venice’s campielli as Goldoni describes them, or to the sentimental and romantic plots of serial novels. Such a heterogeneous mix of narrative genres represents the main feature of Codemo’s writing: it is through a combination of short stories, tableaux, novels, dramas and sketches that she tries, just after Italy’s unification, to meet the needs of cultural integration and pacification of people’s “hearts”. By creating popular literature Codemo aimed at «making the Italians», exhorting them to work toward the good and pointing out a set of social and domestic «small virtues» related to the obligations towards God, the nation and the family. The most important device of Codemo’s educational pattern, which she made her “mission”, is the book that narrates true (i.e. biographies) or likely stories (i.e. familial pictures), with verisimilar heroes, like the worker and inventor Beniamino Franklin. Influenced by the romantic interest for the «good and gentle customs of the common people», Codemo aims to «educate and polish the crowd’s manners». An unknown chapter of her life is the philanthropic action, which intersects a developing female occupation in the contemporary Venice. It was there that Mazzini’s heritage was turned into pedagogical activities, such as in the undertakings of Rosa Piazza and Laura Goretti Veruda for the education of good mothers and for the institution of vocational schools for women. In taking part in such charitable activities Codemo also finds a symbolic compensation for her own maternal experience, tragically upset by the premature death of her son.
Aspectos protocolarios y de ceremonial en la Ley Provisional sobre organización del Poder Judicial de 1870 | Protocol and ceremonial aspects in the Transitional Act on the Judicial System (1870).
Authors: Mesa Göbel José Manuel
Published: July 2020

La instauración de un Gobierno Provisional tras la Revolución de 1868 traerá de forma inmediata un proceso regulador en materia judicial que desembocará en la Ley Orgánica Provisional del Poder Judicial, la cual en su articulado regulará aspectos protocolares y de ceremonial, entre otros aspectos relacionados._________________________________________The establishment of the Provisional Government following the 1868 Revolution will immediately bring about a regulatory process of the judiciary, leading to the Transitional Organic Act on the Judicial System, which will include regulations concerning protocol and ceremonials, among other related aspects.
Characteristics and Mitigation Measures of Aircraft Pollutant Emissions at Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG), China
Authors: Hu Rong , Zhu Jialin , Zhang Junfeng , Zheng Lijun , Liu Bowen
Published: July 2020

The assessment of local air pollution due to aircraft emissions at/near the airport is an important issue from the standpoint of environment and human health, but has not received due attention in China. In this paper, the pollutant emissions (i.e. HC, CO, NOx, SOx and PM) from aircraft during landing and take-off (LTO) cycles at Nanjing Lukou Airport (NKG) in 2016 were investigated using an improved method, which considered the taxi-in and –out time calculated based on the real data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), instead of using the referenced time recommended by ICAO. First, the pollutant emissions and their characteristics were studied from different perspectives. Second, two various mitigation measures of emissions were proposed, and the performance of emission reduction was analysed. Our analysis shows that: (1) A320 and B738 emitted the largest emissions at NKG; (2) pollutants were mainly emitted during the taxi mode, followed by climb mode; (3) B738 had the lowest emissions per (seat•LTO) among all aircraft, while CRJ had the lowest emissions per unit LTO; (4) shortening the taxiing time and upgrading aircraft engines are both effective measures to mitigate pollutant emissions.
The Profitability Analysis of the Logistics Industry Companies in the Balkan Countries
Authors: Vuković Bojana , Milutinović Sunčica , Mirović Vera , Milićević Nikola
Published: July 2020

The main purpose of this paper is to research the factors that have an impact on the company profitability in the logistics industry during a five-year period (2013-2017). The sample includes 748 active companies operating in the logistics industry in the Balkan countries. Bearing in mind that logistics is an essential instrument of competitiveness and profitability of the company operations and that logistics is one of the most profitable industries, this paper used the panel data model with fixed effect in order to analyse profitability. The obtained results showed that four out of the six studied variables (company size, tangibility of assets, liquidity, and asset turnover ratio) have a statistically significant impact on profitability. The results provide guidelines for increasing profitability and improving the performance of logistics companies, given that an efficient planning system, managing and controlling the logistics system are key determinants of profitable business operations.
Analysing the Effects of Land Use on the Choice of Intra-Zonal Trip Destinations – A Comparison Between Weekday and Weekend Travel
Authors: Gim Tae-Hyoung Tommy
Published: July 2020

Among the studies on the land use – travel relationship, few investigated it regarding weekend travel and destination choice. This study accordingly evaluates how the land use - destination choice relationship differs between weekdays and weekends using two multinomial logistic regression models in which the destination is classified into three types: microzone inside, microzone outside - macrozone inside, and macrozone outside. Major findings are that the choice of automobile alternatives for travel and their ownership are associated with the choice of the microzone inside while employment and income contribute to external trips. Among land use variables, nighttime population density turns out to be the only land use variable that consistently increases internal trips in all cases, regardless of the zone size and weekday - weekend difference, whereas daytime population density does not become significant in any case. Also, land use entropy and street connectivity are found to discourage a trip that moves from the microzone to the macrozone and transit system variables to facilitate a trip that goes beyond the microzone. Particularly, between two types of transit system variables, the choice of the microzone is likely to be associated with low bus stop density on weekdays and low metro station density on weekends.
National Maritime Single Window – Cost-Benefit Analysis of Montenegro Case Study
Authors: Kapidani Nexhat , Tijan Edvard , Jović Marija , Kočan Enis
Published: July 2020

In this paper, the costs and benefits of the National Maritime Single Window (NMSW) for coastal countries that have limited human resources and infrastructure related to maritime traffic are researched. A general method for conducting a cost-benefit analysis of NMSW implementation is proposed. Using this method and the input data for Montenegro, as an example of a small-sized coastal country, the authors assess whether such an investment in NMSW implementation can be beneficial to coastal countries with limited resources.
Goal Programming Approach for Carrying People with Physical Disabilities
Authors: Arik Oğuzhan Ahmet , Köse Erkan , Canbulut Gülçin
Published: July 2020

Most of today's optimization efforts aim to reduce costs, time or the number of resources used. However, optimization efforts should consider other factors as important as these, such as facilitating the lives of the disabled, elderly and pregnant and helping them in their daily lives. In this study, the Nuh Naci Yazgan (NNY) University (Kayseri/Turkey) personnel transport problems were discussed. The NNY University provides a shuttle service to bring employees to school at the start of the work and to leave them at home after work. In order to shorten the collection / distribution time and the total distance travelled, the service vehicle does not leave / pick up all employees in front of their homes. Instead, the employees are picked up / dropped at appropriate locations on an intuitively determined route. Since only the time and cost savings are taken into account when determining the service route, some employees have a long walking distance to the service route. This creates a very important problem, especially for the disabled and pregnant workers. In this study, a new mathematical model is proposed which takes into consideration the physical disadvantages and occupational positions of the employees in order to determine the shortest vehicle route. The results show that the proposed model can significantly reduce walking distances of physically disabled people without compromising the total distance travelled by the vehicle.
Intrinsic control of muscle attachment sites matching
Authors: Carayon Alexandre , Bataillé Laetitia , Lebreton Gaëlle , Dubois Laurence , Pelletier Aurore , Carrier Yannick , Wystrach Antoine , Vincent Alain , Frendo Jean-Louis
Published: July 2020

Myogenesis is an evolutionarily conserved process. Little known, however, is how the morphology of each muscle is determined, such that movements relying upon contraction of many muscles are both precise and coordinated. EachDrosophilalarval muscle is a single multinucleated fibre whose morphology reflects expression of distinctive identity Transcription Factors (iTFs). By deleting transcription cis-regulatory modules of one iTF, Collier, we generated viable muscle identity mutants, allowing live imaging and locomotion assays. We show that both selection of muscle attachment sites and muscle/muscle matching is intrinsic to muscle identity and requires transcriptional reprogramming of syncytial nuclei. Live-imaging shows that the staggered muscle pattern involves attraction to tendon cells and heterotypic muscle-muscle adhesion. Unbalance leads to formation of branched muscles, and this correlates with locomotor behavior deficit. Thus, engineeringDrosophilamuscle identity mutants allows to investigate, in vivo, physiological and mechanical properties of abnormal muscles.
The effects of humic substances on DNA isolation from soils
Authors: Wnuk Ewa , Waśko Adam , Walkiewicz Anna , Bartmiński Piotr , Bejger Romualda , Mielnik Lilla , Bieganowski Andrzej
Published: July 2020

Background

Humic substances (HS) are compounds with a complicated structure, present in the humus soil layer, water, lake sediments, peat, brown coal and shales. Due to their similar physicochemical properties to DNA, they may have an adverse effect on the subsequent use of the isolated material. The main aim of this research was to examine the effect of HS on DNA isolation depending on the soil type and land use, taking into account the spectroscopic full characteristics of HS fractions.

Methods

The research was conducted on eight types of soil sample. Soils represented the most important Soil Reference Groups for temperate climates: Fluvisols, Regosols, Cambisols, Arenosols, Histosols and Luvisols. Soil samples were also collected from areas diversified in terms of use: arable land, grassland and forest. The extraction of HS fractions was performed using the procedure recommended by the International HS Society. The fractional composition of HS was characterized by UV–Vis and fluorescence methods. Soil DNA is extracted by direct cell lysis in the using a CTAB-based method with a commonly-used commercial soil DNA isolation kit. The basis for assessing the quantity and quality of extracted DNA was the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reaction since the analysis of soil DNA often relies on the use of PCR to study soil microorganisms.

Results

Based on the results, it can be concluded that in the presence of a high concentration of HS, the isolated DNA was low quality and the additional purification procedure was necessary. Despite the differentiation of the internal structure of HS fractions, the decisive factor in the efficiency of DNA isolation from soil samples was the total carbon content in HS. Reduced DNA yields can significantly constrain PCR detection limits to levels inadequate for metagenomic analysis, especially from humus-rich soils.
Effectiveness of non-lethal predator deterrents to reduce livestock losses to leopard attacks within a multiple-use landscape of the Himalayan region
Authors: Naha Dipanjan , Chaudhary Pooja , Sonker Gaurav , Sathyakumar Sambandam
Published: July 2020

Lethal measures are widely adopted by local communities and governments to manage human-wildlife conflicts. Such measures lead to large scale decline of carnivore populations globally with trophic cascades on ecosystems and questionable impacts on human-wildlife conflicts. Mitigating human-carnivore conflicts through non-lethal measures will protect endangered predators and secure livelihoods. However, information on the effectiveness of such measures are extremely limited and hence cannot be applied in developing scientific evidence. Further to develop human-carnivore coexistence models, it is important for local community members, biologists and wildlife managers to actively participate in conservation programs. We evaluated the response of a non-lethal visual deterrent (i.e. fox lights) to deter leopard attacks on livestock within a multiple-use landscape of western Himalaya through community engagement. We monitored 16 experimental sites and 17 control sites within 27 villages and recorded data on livestock depredation by leopards between April 2018 to April 2019. A multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the influence of landscape predictors and animal husbandry practices on livestock depredation by leopards within the vicinity of human settlements. We found that visual deterrents discouraged common leopards to predate on livestock (cows and goats). We also demonstrated that community based conservation initiatives are successful in mitigating human-carnivore conflicts within large semi-natural landscapes. We suggest developing site specific coexistence strategies and adopting non-lethal measures to safeguard carnivores, livestock and humans within shared landscapes.
Sero-Epidemiological Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Apparently Healthy Young Adults in Omuaran-Community
Authors: Ndako James A. , Ojo Stephen , Dojumo Victor T. , Fajobi Victor O. , Ifeanyi Ilochi , Akinwumi Jeremiah A. , Akor Charity O.
Published: July 2020

Hepatitis B (HBV) infection is an important public health concern all over the globe. As a result of its asymptomatic nature, its prevalence among apparently healthy individuals becomes relevant for studies. Hence the prevalence survey of hepatitis B virus was conducted among apparently healthy young individuals. A total of two hundred samples were screened from volunteer subjects for Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg), using the one step immune-chromatographic test strip manufactured by Dia Spot® Diagnostics. Questionnaires were administered to obtain relevant information and demographic data. Overall result showed that 11 (5.5%) of the subjects tested were found to be positive. The highest prevalence was found among subjects aged 22-26 years with 7.8% prevalence compared to those aged 12-21 years with 4.4% prevalence (P=0.1012); (p˃0.05). Based on demographic factors, female workers tend to demonstrate high positivity of 12.5% compared to male with 10.0% prevalence, (P=0.4929); (p˃0.05). Subjects involved with risky behavioral pattern by the use of unsterilized objects recorded a high prevalence of 5.3%, (P=0.5748); (p˃0.05) among female subjects. Serum Alanine amino-tranferases result showed no significant difference among the positive subjects. The results showed some measure of prevalence among the study population. It therefore becomes pertinent that the community be enlightened on the possible risk of infection by the virus. Efforts should be made to ensure vaccination against this infectious agent is intensified.
Species – Specific Allometric Equations for Predicting Biomass of Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. In the Sudano-sahelian Savannahs of Far-North, Cameroon
Authors: Alexandre Tchindebe , Tchobsala . , Amadou Mamadou Laminou Mal , Ahmadou Halilou , Adamou Ibrahima
Published: July 2020

To contribute to the accurate assessment of carbon of agroforest species of Sudano-sahelian ecosystems, a study based on the establishment of mono-specific allometric equations were investigated in the arboreous parks of the Far-North Cameroon. A total of 20 individual trees of Faidherbia albida was harvested in savannah and distributed across a range of diameter classes, from 10 to 60 cm. The diameter at breast height of these individuals and their height were measured. After tree cutting, biomass of compartments of leave, branches and stem were determined after drying and weighing. Various allometric equations between biomasses and two parameters of the tree (the diameter and the height) were tested. The adjusted coefficient of determination (R2adj), the residual standard error (RSE) and the Akaike Information Criteria were used for choosing the best models. The main results reveal that there is a positive and significant relationship between the height of the trees and their diameter (R2 = 0.75, n = 17 and P < 0.05). The best model for the biomass prediction of all compartments of F. albida is in the form ln(B) = a + b*ln(D2H), with ln(B) = -1.42 + 0.58*ln(D2H) for leaf biomass, ln(B) = - 5.83 + 1.11*ln(D2H) for the branch, ln(B) = - 4.01 + 0.94*ln(D2H) for the stem, and finally ln(B) = -2.83 + 0.91*ln(D2H) for the total biomass. Their adjusted coefficient of determination is 0.71, 0.90, 0.93 and 0.93 respectively. The branch biomass represents about 42.16% of the total aerial biomass and is the highest relative to the other compartments. Theses equations bring a contribution to a reliable and quick assessment of carbon stock of arboreous parks to F. albida in the framework of study on climate change mitigation in Sudano-sahelian zone in particular and in the World in general.
Review on Termite Mound Soil Characteristics and Agricultural Importance
Authors: Subi S. , Sheela A. Merline
Published: July 2020

Addition of soil with various amendments to boost up the nutrient content and moisture holding capacity is necessary for improving the crop productivity. Among the various amendments, compost prepared from the crop residues attracted much attention in recent years. The crop residues used as feedstock are added with different bulking materials such as rice husk and sewage sludge.  In addition to these, termite mound soil which is available in plenty in tropical countries is found to be a suitable bulking material and is added with crop residues to obtain nutrient rich compost. In this paper we reviewed researches carried out on the characteristics, microbial diversity and organic matter degrading enzymes in termite mound soil. Further, the research carried out on the characteristics of compost amended with termite mound soil and its effect on crop productivity is also reviewed with the available literature. Majority of the investigations concluded that termite mound soil possessed more microbial population with a huge array of organic matter degrading enzymes. Few studies monitored the nutrient content of the soil and water holding capacity of the soil and crop yield when termite mound soil was used as a soil amendment. Limited studies were conducted using termite mound soil as a bulking material to compost crop residues. Based on the outcome of various studies, it is understood that the termite mound soil might be used as a soil amendment to increase growth and yield of crops.
A New Analytical Model for Predicting Natural Gas Transportation Compressor Power
Authors: Aimikhe V. J. , Ezendiokwere N. E.
Published: July 2020

The compressor power requirement for gas pipelines is critical to the efficient delivery of natural gas over long distances. Existing models for predicting compressor power using pipeline length and gas throughput as input parameters are limited. This study focused on developing a new analytical model using the general energy equation to capture better interrelationships between compressor power and other parameters affecting compressor power requirements of horizontal natural gas pipelines. The developed model was validated using Bryan Research and Engineering (BRE) ProMax 2.0 process simulation software. The results indicated that the developed model was reliably consistent and accurate when compared with ProMax results. In other to improve the efficiency of the developed model, correction factors for both pipe length and gas throughput were developed. The percentage average absolute deviation (% AAD) was 4.37 for the fixed pipe length with variable throughput and 0.68 for the fixed throughput with variable length, scenarios.
Is autism driven by epilepsy in infants with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex?
Authors: Moavero Romina , Kotulska Katarzyna , Lagae Lieven , Benvenuto Arianna , Emberti Gialloreti Leonardo , Weschke Bernhard , Riney Kate , Feucht Martha , Krsek Pavel , Nabbout Rima , Jansen Anna C. , Wojdan Konrad , Borkowska Julita , Sadowski Krzysztof , Hertzberg Christoph , Van Schooneveld Monique M. , Samueli Sharon , Maulisovà Alice , Aronica Eleonora , Kwiatkowski David J. , Jansen Floor E. , Jozwiak Sergiusz , Curatolo Paolo ,   the EPISTOP Consortium
Published: July 2020

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between age at seizure onset and neurodevelopmental outcome at age 24 months in infants with TSC, as well as the effect on neurodevelopmental outcome of early versus conventional treatment of epileptic seizures with vigabatrin (80–150 mg/kg/day).

Methods

Infants with TSC, aged ≤4 months and without previous seizures were enrolled in a prospective study and closely followed with monthly video EEG and serial standardized neurodevelopmental testing (Bayley Scales of Infant Development and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule).

Results

Eighty infants were enrolled. At the age of 24 months testing identified risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in 24/80 children (30.0%), and developmental delay (DD) in 26/80 (32.5%). Children with epilepsy (51/80; 63.8%) had a higher risk of ASD (P = 0.02) and DD (P = 0.001). Overall, no child presented with moderate or severe DD at 24 months (developmental quotient < 55). In 20% of children abnormal developmental trajectories were detected before the onset of seizures. Furthermore, 21% of all children with risk of ASD at 24 months had not developed seizures at that timepoint. There was no significant difference between early and conventional treatment with respect to rate of risk of ASD (P = 0.8) or DD (P = 0.9) at 24 months.

Interpretation

This study confirms a relationship between epilepsy and risk of ASD/DD. However, in this combined randomized/open label study, early treatment with vigabatrin did not alter the risk of ASD or DD at age 2 years.
Mass. data point to ADA violations over referrals to post‐acute care
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: July 2020

Data from 2018 shows that 15% of the time, post‐acute medical care facilities in Massachusetts acknowledged that their denial of care to a patient was because of an opioid use disorder (OUD), a practice that violates anti‐discrimination laws. Authors of a published review of referrals from Boston Medical Center cite multiple reasons why the actual percentage of post‐acute care facilities that are out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is likely much higher.
Shatterproof launches ATLAS, ‘Yelp’‐like tool for treatment
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: July 2020

When it comes to treatment that is evidence‐based, nonprofit Shatterproof, funded mainly by insurance companies, is keeping patients informed in a “Yelp”‐like tool. The New York City–based organization formally launched its ATLAS (Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards Platform) in six states last week.
Safe‐by‐Design Exfoliation of Niobium Diselenide Atomic Crystals as a Theory‐Oriented 2D Nanoagent from Anti‐Inflammation to Antitumor
Authors: Miao Zhaohua , Huang Doudou , Wang Yichuan , Li Wei‐Jian , Fan Linxin , Wang Jingguo , Ma Yan , Zhao Qingliang , Zha Zhengbao
Published: July 2020

The accompanying relationship between tumor and inflammation raises the concept of concurrent antitumor and anti‐inflammation treatment in the clinic. Despite the wide application of 2D atomic crystals for cancer theranostics, their anti‐inflammation function has been rarely explored. Herein, it is reported that niobium diselenide nanosheets (NbSe2 NSs), a “star” 2D superconducting atomic crystal, can serve as a theory‐oriented 2D nanoagent from anti‐inflammation to antitumor. A safe‐by‐design exfoliation strategy, integration of cryo‐pretreatment and DNA‐assisted exfoliation, is proposed for high‐efficiency exfoliation of atomically thin NbSe2 NSs. Especially, computational simulation reveals that NbSe2 NSs effectively eliminate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) via hydrogen atom transfer and redox reaction. Upon the injection of NbSe2 NSs into BALB/c mice, not only U87 subcutaneous tumors are rapidly ablated after photoacoustic imaging‐guided precise localization of tumor contour, but also lipopolysaccharide‐induced rear thigh inflammation or photothermal therapy‐mediated inflammation is efficiently inhibited through RONS scavenging. In addition, NbSe2 NSs are highly biocompatible both in vitro and in vivo due to high‐security element constituent and DNA modification. The work extends the biomedical application of 2D atomic crystals for anti‐inflammatory treatment.