bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences of Serum 25- (OH) D3 Level and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes between Women with Gestational Diabetes and Healthy Pregnant Women
Authors: JIANG Yingfeng , ZHANG Jing , LIU Yuan , HUANG Ting , CAO Zheng , SHI Xiangkui
Published: January 2021

Background: The difference in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-(OH) D3) level between the gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and healthy pregnant women was analyzed, to provide the experimental evidence for the vitamin supplement in pregnant women, especially those with GDM.
Methods: Pregnant women (n=50) who received prenatal care in the Obstetrical Clinic of Xuzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in summer and winter of 2016 were enrolled. They were assigned to the summer GDM group, winter GDM group, summer control group and winter control group. The level of serum 25- (OH)D3 was determined using immunochromatography.
Results: The mean level of serum 25-(OH)D3 in pregnant women of four groups was lower than normal level. Compared with control group in corresponding season, the winter and summer GDM groups had significantly lower level of 25-(OH)D3 than the winter and summer control groups (P<0.05). The winter GDM group had significantly lower level of 25-(OH)D3 than the summer GDM group (P<0.05). The winter control group had significantly lower level of 25-(OH)D3 than the summer control group (P<0.05). The percentage of deficient 25-(OH)D3 level was the highest in winter GDM group. Vitamin D deficiency was severer in pregnant women with GDM than healthy pregnant women. In winter, vitamin D deficiency was severer than that in summer.
Conclusion: Pregnant women, especially those with GDM, should pay more attention to vitamin D supplementation.
Comparison of the Prevalence of Microbial Surface Components Recognizing Adhesive Matrix Molecules (MSCRAMMs) among Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in a Burn Unit with Non-Burning Units
Authors: SEDAGHAT Hossein , NARIMANI Tahmineh , NASR ESFAHANI Bahram , MOBASHERIZADEH Sina , HAVAEI Seyed Asghar
Published: January 2021

Background: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most important pathogens in burn infections colonized in the nose and increase the risk of infections.
Methods: Overall, 85 S. aureus isolates were isolated from clinical and nasal hospitalized patients and health care workers (HCWs) in a burn unit and non-burn units in Isfahan from June 2016 and September 2016. Genes encoding penicillin-binding protein 2a (mecA) and adhesive surface proteins, including fibronectin-binding proteins (fnbA, fnbB), fibrinogen binding protein (fib), laminin-binding protein(eno), collagen binding protein (cna), elastin binding protein (ebps), intracellular adhesion operon (icaA and icaD) were detected using PCR method.
Results: The rate of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) among burn and non-burn isolates were 62% (18/29) and 25% (14/56), respectively. The most prevalent MSCRAMMs genes in burn units were eno (86%) and fib (66%). The most common gene pattern in burn center was icaA+fib+eno. The frequency of icaD, fib and ebpS was higher in clinical samples than nasal samples. No relation was found between the MSCRAMMs genes in the burn unit and non-burn units.
Conclusion: The high prevalence of MRSA in burn center can be a new challenge for clinicians. The higher frequency of icaD, fib and ebpS in clinical isolates than nasal isolates may reflect the important role of these genes in colonization and pathogenesis of S. aureus.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Serotyping, and Molecular Characterization of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Pregnant Women with a History of Abortion
Authors: HEIDARZADEH Siamak , POURMAND Mohammad Reza , HASANVAND Saeedeh , PIRJANI Reyhaneh , AFSHAR Davoud , NOORI Matina , SOLTAN DALLAL Mohammad Mehdi
Published: January 2021

Background: Listeria monocytogenes show high mortality among pregnant women and newborns. This study aimed to detect L. monocytogenes in pregnant women with a history of abortion and assess the serotypes, antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and its resistance genes.
Methods: Overall, 400 vaginal swabs were taken from pregnant women with a history of abortion in the past few years in a tertiary care hospital in Tehran, Iran, during 2015-2018. Antibiotics susceptibility to a panel of 10 antibiotics was determined using the standard disk diffusion method and the isolates serotyped by the agglutination method. The antimicrobial-resistant isolates were also screened for the presence of tetM, ermB and dfrD genes by PCR.
Results: Overall, 22 L. monocytogenes isolates were identified. High rates of resistance were observed for trimethoprim (50%; n=11), sulphamethoxazole (50%; n=11), tetracycline (45.45%; n=10) and gentamicin (36.36%; n=8). From 22 L. monocytogenes isolates, 13 (59.10 %), 5 (22.73%), 3 (13.63%) and 1 (4.54%) belonged to serotypes 4b, 1/2a, 1/2b, and 3c, respectively. The genetic determinant tetM was detected in 70% of the tetracycline-resistant isolates. Out of 11 trimethoprim-resistant isolates, 27.27% isolates contained dfrD. Moreover, the ermB gene was found in 83.33% of the erythromycin-resistant isolates.
Conclusion: Ampicillin and partly penicillin consider to be suitable antimicrobial agents to treat human listeriosis. Moreover, due to resistance against many antibiotics, it is necessary to continue monitoring and managing antimicrobial resistance.
Dynamic Postural Stability Characteristic in Functional Ankle Instability
Authors: KIM Kewwan , HYUN Seunghyun , JEON Kyoungkyu
Published: January 2021

The article's abstract is not available.
Biliary of Fascioliasis in Kermanshah Province, Western Iran
Authors: BASHIRI Homayoon , BOZORGOMID Arezoo , HAMZAVI Yazdan
Published: January 2021

The article's abstract is not available.
Simple and Efficient Measurement of the User Experience in Health Information Systems: A Persian Version
Authors: HESHMATI Arefe , MOFTIAN Nazila , REZAEI-HACHESU Peyman , SAMAD-SOLTANI Taha
Published: January 2021

The article's abstract is not available.
Prevalence of Post-partum Depression among Sudanese Women Using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in Two Major Delivery Hospitals in Khartoum State
Authors: Mabyoue Maram Osman Elawad
Published: January 2021

Background: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after childbirth; it can occur at any time during the first year after delivery. Mothers experience depressive symptoms that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of postpartum depression among Sudanese women as well as determining the association between postpartum depression (PPD), socio-demographic, and obstetric characteristics.
Method:  In this cross-sectional study, 129 women selected through convenient sampling technique were interviewed; the participants were recruited from the postnatal and child welfare clinics at the Saad Abueleella and the Dream International Hospitals. To assess any possible depression, information was collected at six weeks postpartum using a structured questionnaire in addition to a screening tool.
Results: At a cutoff score of ≥12, the prevalence of PPD was found to be 10.9% (Confidence Interval 6.5–17.3%); while 79.1% of mothers revealed no signs of PPD and scored <9 points, 10.1% scored 9–11, indicating a need for extra visits. Interestingly, 59.7% of the respondents were aged between 25 and 35 years, 76% were university graduates, 64.3% housewives, 20.9% had obstetric complications, 3.1% reported a history of PPD, and almost 97.7% breastfed their babies. Moreover, PPD was found to be associated with occupational status (p = 0.01) and a previous history of PPD (p = 0.01).
Conclusion: The prevalence of postpartum depression was 10.9% among the studied sample. Interventions to address its risk factors should be implemented, physicians and health personnel should be qualified on screening and referring depressed mothers for further clinical assessment. 
Keywords: Postpartum depression, Prevalence, Screening, Sudanese
IL1β exon5 3954 C/T Polymorphism: A Potential Genetic Risk Factor of Heart Diseases predisposition in Sudanese Patients
Authors: Fadl Manal A. , Algalil Sahar S. Noor
Published: January 2021

IL-1β was known to cause an inflammation in heart tissue leading to progressive loss of contractile tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate “for the first time” the relationship between IL-1β polymorphism (rs1143634) and the risk of heart diseases (HDs) in Sudanese patients. Methods: Fifty patients with HD and 65 healthy controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The IL-1β (rs1143634) polymorphism was detected by PCR-RFLP using TaqI restriction enzyme. Results: About 82% of the HD cases were aged >40 years. No gender difference was reported between the two groups (P = 0.28). 24% of the cases had a previous history of heart attack. Family history of HD was associated with a six-fold increased risk of HD. The analysis provides evidence that the mutant genotype (CT + TT) of the IL1β polymorphism is significantly associated with HD, with up to four-fold increased risk of the disease (P = 0.015, OR = 3.8). The mutant allele T was significantly higher in HD patients as compared to the controls (P = 0.023). The frequency of the CT genotype among patient who have family history, previous attack of HD, hypertension, and diabetes was 79%, 33%, 81%, and 90% respectively. Conclusion: The IL1β (rs1143634) polymorphism was associated with the increased risk of HD in our samples. The carriage of the mutant allele among those who have family history of HD, previous attack, hypertension, and diabetes might be a predictive factor for the onset of clinical manifestation of HD in Sudanese patients.
Key words: heart diseases’ risk factors, gene polymorphisms, Interleukin (IL)-1 β
Enhancing the Knowledge of Cervical Cancer Screening among Female Nursing Students: An Interventional Educational Program
Authors: Fathey A. Eittah Hayam , Aljohani Khalid Abdullah S. , Aljohani Mohammed Saeed E.
Published: January 2021

Background: Cervical cancer is a growing health risk facing women worldwide with the human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary underlying cause. Pap smear is a simple screening test that can detect early changes in cervical cells, which might develop into cancer cells. Raising awareness of cervical cancer prevention has a significant impact on decreasing the burden of the disease. The aim of the study is to assess female nursing students' knowledge on early detection and screening of cervical cancer, and to determine the effectiveness of an educational program. Methods: A quasi-experimental research design (one group for pre- and post-tests) was utilized with a convenience sample of 130 female nursing students in one of the nursing colleges in Saudi Arabia. The study’s educational intervention included information about anatomy of genital tract and the importance of regular check-ups. The pre- and post-tests were applied to identify changes after intervention measures. Results: The mean age of the participants were 21.32 years (SD: 1.34). The findings revealed a significant improvement of post-test students’ knowledge in all items related to risk factors, signs and symptoms, occurrence, identification of HPV as causative agent, vaccination against HPV, and finally Pap smear for early detection and screening of cervical cancer. Conclusion: The study results support implementing educational intervention to improve nursing students' knowledge and awareness about cervical cancer prevention. Furthermore, it is imperative that cervical cancer awareness education modules should be developed and integrated within the nursing curriculum. Further studies with large sample size are recommended to increase generalization of the results. 
Key words: cervical cancer, education program, primary prevention, nursing students, Saudi Arabia
Potential COVID-19 Vulnerabilities in Employment and Healthcare Access by Sexual Orientation
Authors: Gonzales Gilbert , de Mola Emilio Loret
Published: January 2021

The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to more than 235,000 deaths and 9 million reported positive cases in the United States. Most of the country implemented stay-at-home orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has led to job losses and more than 40 million claims for unemployment insurance. The objective of this study was to estimate the potential impact of COVID-19-related closures in employment and healthcare access by sexual orientation. We used data from the 2015 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey and employment industry codes to describe the working adult population who may be vulnerable to COVID-19 job losses by sexual orientation. Multivariable logistic regression models identified the risk factors for working in a COVID-19-sensitive industry and differences in healthcare access by sexual orientation. We estimate that there may be approximately 1.7 million sexual minorities and 36.6 million heterosexual adults employed in industries that make them vulnerable to unemployment, uninsurance, and limited access to care. Nearly two-thirds of working adults—regardless of sexual orientation—are at risk of severe illness should they become infected with COVID-19. Almost half of the sexual minority and heterosexual adults in industries sensitive to COVID-19 may remain or become uninsured during the pandemic. Approximately 60% of sexual minorities and 40% of heterosexual adults in COVID-19-sensitive industries are renting their home or apartment (rather than owning their home). Because sexual minority adults vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic are renting or within family income ranges for premium tax credits in the individual insurance marketplaces, policymakers should consider expanding protections for renters and broadening special enrollment periods for people seeking coverage in the federal and state-based marketplaces.
ADVANTAGES AND RISKS OF ISLAMIC INVESTMENT
Authors: Toto Toto , Herlina Elin , Darna Nana
Published: January 2021

In the Islamic context, investing is highly recommended so that the future can be guaranteed. Of course, investments made by Muslims must be in accordance with Islamic rules. Investing in economy Islamic concepts will provide a sense of security and comfort for Muslim investors, without fear of deviating from Islamic teachings. As a devout Muslim, of course, investment choices must be appropriate and in accordance with the concept of Islam. The difference between conventional Islamic investment lies in the benefits given. The advantages of Islamic investment are in the form of profit sharing, while the conventional concept is interest. In the teachings of Islam, interest is haram, because it does not recognize value for money. In the view of Islam, money will not developed by itself but must go through productive and ruleful efforts. The purpose of making this paper is to discuss the advantages and risks in Islamic investment. This paper uses a literature review approach that comes from journals, books, the internet, and other sources. The results show that the advantages of Islamic investment are riba-free, minimal risk, Islamic management, halal and promoting social activities. Meanwhile, the risks that may be faced by investors are the risk of losing capital, the risk of uncertainty of return, and the difficulty of selling investment products. From the results, it was found that currently Islamic investment products are favored by non-Muslims alike. The concept of profit sharing is considered more profitable than interest. It can be concluded that Islamic rules can now be accepted by various groups of people in the world.
THE STRATEGY OF OGAN ILIR DISTRICT’S OFFICE OF POPULATION CONTROL AND FAMILY PLANNING FOR ACTUALIZING THE PROSPEROUS FAMILY
Authors: HAK Nurmala
Published: January 2021

This research’s purpose is to know how is the implementation of Family Planning by the office of population control and family planning, women empowerment and child protection, for reaching a prosperous family, balanced population growth, two healthy kids (DAHSAT) in Indralaya Sub-district, OganIlir District, and also to know about the success that has been done by the office of population control and family planning in Indralaya Sub-district, such as come directly to the field (jemput bola) by using dedicated car (mobilkeliling), held a family planning counseling training for health workers and village hall workers, which the goals are to be able to give good service towards family planning acceptor achievement in Indralaya Sub-district, and mainly for achievement of family planning participants that using a contraception device MKJP and NON MKJP. This research used a descriptive research method with qualitative approach, expectedly be able to examine the achieved strategy in implementation of family planning such as by family planning counseling training in Indralaya Sub-district, OganIlir District. Based on the research’s result, the amount of family planning acceptors in year 2017 – 2019 showed a success attempt, this all been done by family planning counselling implementation called communication, information, and education (KB KIE) and also doing some coachings that called by the name of Tribina, Bina Balita, Bina Remaja, Bina Lansia, in Indralaya Sub-district, but in practice it is not maximally deliver good result, because of the limited number of trained counselling workers and the lacks of equipment required, the family planning counselling also has been done in parallel with Integrated Healthcare Center (Posyandu) activities and other related activites.
Analisis Kestabilan Model Matematika Penyebaran Penyakit Schistosomiasis dengan Saturated Incidence Rate
Authors: Widya Elda , Miswanto Miswanto , Alfiniyah Cicik
Published: January 2021

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by infections of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomiasis can be transmitted through schistosoma worms that contact human skin. Schistosomiasis is a disease that continues to increase in spread. Saturated incidence rates pay attention to the ability to infect a disease that is limited by an increase in the infected population. This thesis formulates and analyzes a mathematical model of the distribution of schistosomiasis with a saturated incidence rate. Based on the analysis of the model, two equilibrium points are obtained, namely non-endemic equilibrium points (E0) and endemic equilibrium points (E1). Both equilibrium points are conditional asymptotically stable. The nonendemic equilibrium point will be asymptotically stable if rh > dh, rs > ds and R0 < 1, while the endemic equilibrium point will be asymptotically stable if R0 > 1. Sensitivity analysis shows that there are parameters that affect the spread of the disease. Based on numerical simulation results show that when R0 < 1, the number of infected human populations (Hi), the number of infected snail populations (Si), the amount of cercaria density (C) and the amount of miracidia density (M) will tend to decrease until finally extinct. Otherwise at the time R0 > 1, the number of the four populations tends to increase before finally being in a constant state.
Hybrid Crow Search Algorithm - Simulated Annealing untuk Menyelesaikan Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows
Authors: Subari Bella Pristianisa , Pratiwi Asri Bekti , Suprajitno Herry
Published: January 2021

Penulisan artikel ini bertujuan untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) dengan menggunakan Hybrid Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) dengan Simulated Annealing (SA). Hybrid CSA dengan SA adalah gabungan dari kedua algoritma dengan cara melakukan proses CSA kemudian hasil terburuknya diperbaiki dengan proses SA untuk sepuluh iterasi pertama. Proses algoritma ini dimulai dengan inisialisasi parameter, membangkitkan posisi dan memori awal, menghitung fungsi tujuan, memperbarui posisi gagak, menghitung fungsi tujuan posisi baru gagak, update memori gagak, menentukan solusi terburuk dari posisi gagak kemudian dilakukan modifikasi, hasil modifikasi dengan SA menggantikan solusi terburuk pada posisi gagak, proses berlanjut sampai maksimal iterasi dipenuhi dan menentukan solusi terbaik dari memori gagak. Berdasarkan hasil implementasi pada tiga tipe data dapat disimpulkan  bahwa semakin banyak jumlah iterasi, jumlah gagak, dan proses Simulated Annealing maka nilai fungsi tujuan yang diperoleh cenderung semakin baik, sedangkan nilai probabilitas kewaspadaan (AP) tidak memberikan pengaruh pada solusi permasalahan.
Phase Transition to Quadrupolar Vortices in a Spherical Model of the Energy-Enstrophy Theory — Exact Solution
Authors:   Department of Mathematical Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Lim C.C.
Published: January 2021

A new energy-enstrophy model for the equilibrium statistical mechanics of barotropic flow on a sphere is introduced and solved exactly for phase transitions to quadrupolar vortices when the kinetic energy level is high. Unlike the Kraichnan theory, which is a Gaussian model, we substitute a microcanonical enstrophy constraint for the usual canonical one, a step which is based on sound physical principles. This yields a spherical model with zero total circulation, a microcanonical enstrophy constraint and a canonical constraint on energy, with angular momentum fixed to zero. A closed-form solution of this spherical model, obtained by the Kac – Berlin method of steepest descent, provides critical temperatures and amplitudes of the symmetry-breaking quadrupolar vortices. This model and its results differ from previous solvable models for related phenomena in the sense that they are not based on a mean-field assumption.
Hamiltonian Thermodynamics
Authors:   Ishlinsky Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Rashkovskiy S.A.
Published: January 2021

It is believed that thermodynamic laws are associated with random processes occurring in the system and, therefore, deterministic mechanical systems cannot be described within the framework of the thermodynamic approach. In this paper, we show that thermodynamics (or, more precisely, a thermodynamically-like description) can be constructed even for deterministic Hamiltonian systems, for example, systems with only one degree of freedom. We show that for such systems it is possible to introduce analogs of thermal energy, temperature, entropy, Helmholtz free energy, etc., which are related to each other by the usual thermodynamic relations. For the Hamiltonian systems considered, the first and second laws of thermodynamics are rigorously derived, which have the same form as in ordinary (molecular) thermodynamics. It is shown that for Hamiltonian systems it is possible to introduce the concepts of a thermodynamic state, a thermodynamic process, and thermodynamic cycles, in particular, the Carnot cycle, which are described by the same relations as their usual thermodynamic analogs.
On the Quark Scaling Theorem and the Polarisable Dipole of the Quark in a Scalar Field
Authors: Roza Engel
Published: January 2021

In this article the possible impact on the present state of particle physics theory is discussed of two unrecognized theoretical elements. These elements are the awareness that (a) the quark is a Dirac particle with a polarisable dipole moment in a scalar field and that (b) Dirac’s wave equation for fermions, if derived from Einstein’s geodesic equation, reveals a scaling theorem for quarks. It is shown that recognition of these elements proves by theory quite some relationships that are up to now only empirically assessed, such as for instance, the mass relationships between the elementary quarks, the relationship between the bare mass and the constituent mass of quarks, the mass spectrum of hadrons and the mass values of the Z boson and the Higgs boson.
Statistical Principles of Natural Philosophy
Authors: Guo Tao
Published: January 2021

Currently, natural philosophy (Physics) lacks the most fundamental model and a complete set of self-consistent explanations. This article attempts to address several issues to fill in the gaps. Starting from the most basic philosophical paradoxes, I deduce a physical model (the natural philosophical outlook) to describe the laws governing the operation of the universe. Based on this model, a mathematical model is established to describe the generalized diffusion behavior of a moving particle swarm, and its simple verification is carried out. In this article, the gravitational force and relativistic effects are interpreted for the first time as a statistical effect of randomly moving particles. Thus, the gravitational force and special relativistic effects are integrated into a single equation (achieved by selecting an initial wave function with a specific norm when solving it), and the cause of stable particle formation is also revealed. The derived equation and the method of acquiring the initial wave function are fully self-consistent with the hypotheses stated in the physical model, thereby also proving the reliability of the physical model to some extent. Some of these ideas may have potential value as a basis for understanding the essence of quantum mechanics, relativity and superstring theory, as well as for gaining a further understanding of nature and the manufacture of quantum computers.
Revision of the Atmospheric Modeling for SNR Observations in Ground-Based GNSS Reflectometry
Authors: Reinking Jörg
Published: January 2021

The application of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) observations from ground-based GNSS Reflectometry is becoming an operational tool for coastal sea-level altimetry. As in all data analyses, systematic influences must be reduced here too, to achieve reliable results. A prominent influence results from atmospheric refraction. Different approaches exist to describe or to correct for this influence. In our contribution we will revise the latest developments and suggest a simple atmospheric interferometric delay model that takes into account ray bending as well as along-path propagation delay. The model takes into account a spherical reflector and can therefore be applied for data from very low elevation angles, too. The findings are double-checked by numerical experiments based on a step-by-step raytracing procedure.
Recent Experiments Raised Doubt On the Vertebrate Temporal Collinearity of the Hox Genes. A Biophysical Model May Reconcile the Conflicting Findings
Authors: Papageorgiou Spyros
Published: January 2021

Hox gene collinearity (HGC) is a multiscalar property of many animal phyla particularly important during embryogenesis. It relates events occurring in Hox clusters inside the chromosome DNA and embryonic tissues. These two entities differ in size by more than four orders of magnitude. HGC is observed as spatial collinearity (SC) where the Hox genes are located in the order H1, H2, H3 … along the 3’ to 5’ direction of the DNA sequence. The corresponding embryonic tissues (E1, E2, E3, …) are activated along the Anterior – Posterior axis in the same order. Besides this collinearity a temporal collinearity (TC) has been also observed in many vertebrates. According to TC first is H1 expressed in E1, later is H2 in E2, followed by H3,… Lately doubt has been raised whether TC really exists. A biophysical model (BM) has been formulated and tested in the last twenty years. According to BM, physical forces are created which pull the Hox genes one after the other driving them to a transcription factory domain where they are transcribed. The existing experiments support this BM description. In the present work two equivalent realizations of BM are presented which explain the recent findings on TC as observed in the vertebrates.
Seakeeping Tests of a Fowt in Wind and Waves: An Analysis of Dynamic Coupling Effects and Their Impact on the Predictions of Pitch Motion Response
Authors: Amaral Giovanni Aiosa do , Mello Pedro , Carmo Lucas Henrique Souza , Alberto Izabela Franzão , Malta Edgard Borges , Simos Alexandre Nicolaos , Franzini Guilherme Rosa , Gonçalves Rodolfo T. , Suzuki Hideyuki
Published: January 2021

The present work highlights some of the dynamic couplings observed in a series of tests performed in a wave basin with a scaled-model of a FOWT with semi-submersible substructure. The model was moored by means of a conventional chain catenary system and an actively controlled fan was used for emulating the thrust loads during the tests. A set of wave tests comprising regular and irregular waves was done for different wave angles and wind velocities. The experimental records illustrate the main coupling effects involved and how they affect the FOWT motions in waves, especially when the floater presents a non-negligible tilt angle.. In addition, an analysis of the frequency-domain dynamic model was made in order to evaluate its ability to capture these effects properly. The influence of different modes of fan response, floater trim angles (changeable with ballast compensation) and variations of the mooring stiffness with the offsets were investigated in the analysis. Results attest that significant changes in the FOWT responses may indeed arise from coupling effects, thus indicating that caution must be taken when simplifying the hydrodynamic frequency-domain models often used as a basis for the simulation of FOWTs in waves and in in optimization procedures for the design of the floater and mooring lines.
An Innovative Metaheuristic Strategy for Solar Energy Management Through a Neural Framework
Authors: Moayedi Hossein , Mosavi Amir
Published: January 2021

Proper management of solar energy, as an effective renewable source, is of high importance toward sustainable energy harvesting. This paper offers a novel sophisticated method for predicting solar irradiance (SIr) from environmental conditions. To this end, an efficient metaheuristic technique, namely electromagnetic field optimization (EFO) is employed for optimizing a neural network. This algorithm quickly mines a publicly available dataset for non-linearly tuning the network parameters. To suggest an optimal configuration, five influential parameters of the EFO (i.e., NPop, R_rate, Ps_rate, P_field, and N_field) are optimized by an extensive trial and error practice. Analyzing the results showed that the proposed model can learn the SIr pattern and predict it for unseen conditions with high accuracy. Furthermore, it provided about 10% and 16% higher accuracy compared to two benchmark optimizers, namely shuffled complex evolution and shuffled frog leaping algorithm. Hence, the EFO-supervised neural network can be a promising tool for the early prediction of SIr in practice. The findings of this research may shed light on the use of advanced intelligent models for efficient energy development.
Durability Properties of concrete incorporating calcined Phyllite
Authors: CHUNDAWAT DALPAT , SHARMA DINESH , Tomar Sandeep
Published: January 2021

The environmental and economic concern is the biggest challenge that concrete industry is facing today. Advancement in utilization of wastes in concrete as a mixture reduces usage of natural resources. Phyllite is a kind of foliated metamorphic rock generates during underground mining .Phyllite was calcined at 850 to 900oC in furnace and ground in ball mill. In this study, cement was partially replaced by weight with calcined phyllite to make M30 grade of concrete with 0% (Control mix), 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, & 10%, (which are designated as M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6). The laboratory tests such as slump value, compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, chloride ion penetration and durability in acidic and basic medium were conducted on the phyllite concrete and results are compared with the control mix. Through results it is concluded that cement can be replaced in concrete at the tune of 8% with Calcine Phyllite (CP) without affecting the strength and durability. The aim of the experiment is to find the maximum content of mines calcined Phyllite that can be used as a partial replacement of cement without compromising the quality on any of the characteristics of concrete.
End Point Rate Tool for QGIS (EPR4Q): Validation using DSAS and AMBUR
Authors: Terres de Lima Lucas , Fernández-Fernández Sandra , Marcel de Almeida Espinoza Jean , da Guia Albuquerque Miguel , de Almeida Bernardes Cristina
Published: January 2021

This paper presents the validation of the End Point Rate (EPR) tool for QGIS (EPR4Q), a tool built-in QGIS Graphical Modeler to calculate the shoreline change by End Point Rate method. The EPR4Q tries to fill the gap of user-friendly and free open-source tool for shoreline analysis in Geographic Information System environment, since the most used software - Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) - although is a free extension, is suited for commercial software. Besides, the best free open-source option to calculate EPR called Analyzing Moving Boundaries Using R (AMBUR), since it is a robust and powerful tool, the complexity and heavy processes can restrict the accessibility and simple usage. The validation methodology consists of applying the EPR4Q, DSAS, and AMBUR on different examples of shorelines found in nature, extracted from the U.S. Geological Survey Open-File. The obtained results of each tool were compared with Pearson correlation coefficient. The validation results indicate that the EPR4Q tool created acquired high correlation values with DSAS and AMBUR, reaching a coefficient of 0.98 to 1.00 on linear, extensive, and non-extensive shorelines, guarantying that the EPR4Q tool is ready to be freely used by the academic, scientific, engineering, and coastal managers communities worldwide.
Economics of the Natural Capital and The Way Forward
Authors: Meraj Gowhar , Kumar Suraj
Published: January 2021

Natural capital is the wealth of nations that give them the economic status they represent. Worldwide, vulnerable people depend on natural capital for employment, salaries, wealth, and livelihoods and, in turn, determine the developmental index of the nation to which they belong. The availability of ecological services is crucial for clean water and air, food and fodder, and agricultural development. In this short commentary, we have tried to sum up the ideas and discussions over natural capital's role in ascribing economic status to countries. We have discussed how the prosperity of humans is intertwined with the services ecosystems provide and how poor natural resource management (NRM) has adversely cost human well-being. The paper concludes that to ensure the current and future human well-being, an in-depth understanding of the services ecosystems provide, is essential.
Thyroid Cancer Overdiagnosis and Overtreatment: a cross- sectional study at a thyroid cancer referral center in Ecuador
Authors: Solis-Pazmino Paola , Salazar-Vega Jorge , Lincango-Naranjo Eddy , Garcia Cristhian , Koupermann Gabriela Jaramillo , Ortiz-Prado Esteban , Ledesma Tannya , Rojas Tatiana , Alvarado-Mafla Benjamin , Carcamo Cesar , Ponce Oscar J. , Brito Juan P.
Published: January 2021

Background: In contrast to the rapid increase in thyroid cancer incidence, the mortality has remained low and stable over the last decades. In Ecuador, however, thyroid cancer mortality has increased. The objective of this study is to determine possible drivers of high rates of thyroid cancer mortality, through a cross-sectional analysis of all patients attending a thyroid cancer referral center in Ecuador.Methods: From June 2014 to December 2017, a cross-sectional study was conducted at the Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo, a regional reference public hospital for endocrine neoplasia in adults in Quito, Ecuador. We identified the mechanism of detection, histopathology and treatment modalities from a patient interview and review of clinical records. Results: Among 452 patients, 74.8% were young adults and 94.2% (426) were female. 13.7% had a family history of thyroid cancer, and patients’ median tumor size was 2 cm. The incidental finding was 54.2% whereas 45.8% was non-incidental. Thyroid cancer histology reported that 93.3% had papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), 2.7% follicular, 1.5% Hurtle cells, 1.6% medullary, 0.7% poor differentiated, and 0.2% anaplastic carcinoma. The mean MACIS (metastasis, age, completeness, invasion, and size) score was 4.95 (CI 4.15-5.95) with 76.2% of the thyroid cancer patients having MACIS score less than or equal to 6. The very low and low risk of recurrence was 18.1% (79) and 62% (271) respectively. An analysis of 319 patients with non-metastatic thyroid cancer showed that 10.7% (34) of patients had surgical complications. Moreover, around 62.5% (80 from 128 patients with thyroglobulin laboratory results) of TC patients had a stimulated-thyroglobulin value equal or higher than 2 ng/ml. Overall, a poor surgical outcome was present in 35.1% (112) patients. Out of 436 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, 86% (375) received radioactive iodine. Conclusion: Thyroid cancer histological characteristics and method of diagnosis are like those described in other reports without any evidence of the high frequency of aggressive thyroid cancer histology. However, we observed evidence of overtreatment and poor surgical outcomes that demand additional studies to understand their association with thyroid cancer mortality in Ecuador.
Mmu-miR-27a-5p Promotes the Polarization of Macrophages to the M2 Phenotype at the Site of Spinal Cord Injury in Mice
Authors: Yang Mingkun , Dang Xiaoqian , Zhang Xu , Liu Chuan , He Min
Published: January 2021

BackgroundTo investigate the effect of mmu-miR-27a-5p on macrophage polarization in the injured spinal cord and the recovery of motor function after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice.MethodsA total of 160 specific-pathogen-free male mice were randomly divided into sham, model, mmu-miR-27a-5p, mmu-miR-27a-5p-negative control (NC) groups, with 40 mice in each group. Hindlimb motor function was assessed using the Basso Mouse scale (BMS) before injury and at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after surgery. Spinal cord tissue samples were obtained at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after surgery, and macrophage polarization types were detected by using western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and RT-qPCR.ResultsThe BMS score in the mmu-miR-27a-5p group was significantly higher than that in the model and mmu-miR-27a-5p-NC groups at 7 and 14 days after SCI (X2=26.45-57.62, P<0.05). No significant changes in the expression of M1 markers IL-1β, TNF-α and M2 markers IL-10, Arginase-1 at each time point in the sham group (P=0.96). The expression of IL-1β and TNF-α was significantly lower, while the expression of IL-10 and Arginase-1 were significantly higher in the mmu-miR-27a-5p group as compared to the model and mmu-miR-27a-5p-NC groups at 7 and 14 days after SCI (P<0.05).Conclusion﻿Administration of mmu-miR-27a-5p can promote the polarization of macrophages to the M2 phenotype in the injured spinal cord, and improve motor function recovery within 14 days after SCI in mice.
Health System Preparedness for Coincidence of Natural Disasters and COVID-19: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Sohrabizadeh Sanaz , Yousefian Shiva , Bahramzadeh Amir hosein , Vaziri Mohammad Hosein
Published: January 2021

Background: In December 2019, the Chinese city of Wuhan has reported a novel pneumonia caused by COVID-19. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been increasingly affecting the world, the occurrence of natural disasters resulted in complex emergencies. The present review is aimed to identify the research focused on coincidence of natural disasters and COVID-19 and describe the preparedness and response actions applied by affected countries. Methods: This study was conducted and reported based on PRISMA checklist. The databases of Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and World Health Organization Library were searched. The inclusion criteria were all forms of published articles which investigated the dual risk or coincidence of natural disasters and COVID-19 pandemic. Once the studies selection was completed and the relevant papers was finalized, the analysis was done.Findings: Out of 1245 studies generated by initial search, a number of 13 articles was selected for final analysis. Earthquake was the most frequent disaster which its coincidence with COVID-19 was studied by researchers (31%). The implications of researchers for healthcare system were explained in three sections of climatic events, earthquakes and all hazard approach in relation to COVID-19.Conclusion: Extracting the lessons learned from the regions affected by disasters at the time of COVID-19 pandemic can be helpful for healthcare professionals and policy-makers to modify their preparedness and response plans for cascading risk of natural disasters and a serious pandemic such as COVID-19. Further research is needed to identify the factors strengthen the preparedness of health system for the dual risk of natural hazards and pandemics.
MCAs in Arabidopsis are Ca2+-permeable mechanosensitive channels innately sensitive to membrane tension
Authors: Yoshimura Kenjiro , Iida Kazuko , Iida Hidetoshi
Published: January 2021

Mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels respond to mechanical stress and convert it to electric and ionic signals that activate appropriate cellular mechanisms. Although the force-sensing mechanisms of MS channels remain obscure, the following have been proposed: activation by force from membrane lipids and activation by force delivered from associated proteins. Five MS channel families have been identified to date in plants, including the Arabidopsis thaliana Mid1-Complementing Activity (MCA) channel; however, their activation mechanisms have not yet been elucidated in detail. We herein demonstrated that the MCA2 channel is a Ca2+-permeable mechanosensitive channel that is directly activated by membrane tension. The N-terminal 173 residues of MCA1 and MCA2 were synthesized in vitro, purified, and reconstituted into artificial liposome membranes. Ca2+ fluorometry demonstrated that liposomes reconstituted with MCA1(1-173) or MCA2(1-173) mediated Ca2+ influx. The patch-clamp technique revealed that the application of pressure to the membrane reconstituted with MCA2(1-173) elicited channel currents. This channel was also activated by voltage. Blockers for mechanosensitive channels inhibited stretch, but not voltage, activation. Since MCA proteins are found exclusively in plants, these results suggest that MCA represents a plant-type MS channel that opens directly with membrane stretch.
Exploratory Analysis of Machine Learning Methods in Predicting Subsurface Temperature and Geothermal Gradient of Northeastern United States
Authors: Shahdi Arya , Lee Seho , Karpatne Anuj , Nojabaei Bahareh
Published: January 2021

Geothermal scientists have used bottom hole temperature data from extensive oil and gas well datasets to generate heat flow and temperature-at-depth maps to locate potential geothermally active regions. Considering that there are some uncertainties and simplifying assumptions associated with the current state of physics-based models, in this study, the applicability of several machine learning models is evaluated for predicting temperature-at-depth and geothermal gradient parameters. Through our exploratory analysis, it is found that XGBoost results in the highest accuracy for subsurface temperature prediction with average mean-absolute-error and root-mean-square-error of 3.19[°C] and 4.94[°C], respectively. Furthermore, we apply our model to regions around the sites to provide 2D continuous temperature maps at three different depths using XGBoost model, which can be used to locate prospective geothermally active regions. We also validate the proposed XGBoost and DNN models using an extra dataset containing measured temperature data along the depth for fifty-eight wells in the state of West Virginia. Accuracy measures show that machine learning models are highly comparable to the physics-based model and can even outperform the thermal conductivity model. Also, a geothermal gradient map is derived for the whole region by fitting linear regression to the XGBoost predicted temperatures along the depth. Finally, thorough our analysis, the most favorable geological locations are suggested for potential future geothermal developments.
Long-read metagenomics retrieve complete single-contig bacterial genomes from canine feces
Authors: Cusco Anna , Pérez Daniel , Viñes Joaquim , Fàbregas Norma , Francino Olga
Published: January 2021

BackgroundLong-read sequencing in metagenomics facilitates the assembly of complete genomes out of complex microbial communities. These genomes include essential biologic information such as the ribosomal genes or the mobile genetic elements, which are usually missed with short-reads. We applied long-read metagenomics with Nanopore sequencing to retrieve high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (HQ MAGs) from a dog fecal sample.ResultsWe used nanopore long-read metagenomics and frameshift aware correction on a canine fecal sample and retrieved eight single-contig HQ MAGs, which were > 90% complete with < 5% contamination, and contained most ribosomal genes and tRNAs. At the technical level, we demonstrated that a high-molecular-weight DNA extraction improved the metagenomics assembly contiguity, the recovery of the rRNA operons, and the retrieval of longer and circular contigs that are potential HQ MAGs. These HQ MAGs corresponded to Succinivibrio, Sutterella, Prevotellamassilia, Phascolarctobacterium, Catenibacterium, Blautia, and Enterococcus genera. Linking our results to previous gastrointestinal microbiome reports (metagenome or 16S rRNA-based), we found that some bacterial species on the gastrointestinal tract seem to be more canid-specific –Succinivibrio, Prevotellamassilia, Phascolarctobacterium, Blautia_A sp900541345–, whereas others are more broadly distributed among animal and human microbiomes –Sutterella, Catenibacterium, Enterococcus, and Blautia sp003287895. Sutterella HQ MAG is potentially the first reported genome assembly for Sutterella stercoricanis, as assigned by 16S rRNA gene similarity. Moreover, we show that long reads are essential to gain biological insights that are otherwise missed in short-read MAGs catalogs, as shown by the mobilome functions detected in the long-read HQ MAGs.ConclusionsWe recovered eight single-contig HQ MAGs from canine feces of a healthy dog with nanopore long-reads. We also retrieved relevant biological insights from these specific bacterial species previously missed in public databases, such as complete ribosomal operons and mobilome functions. The high-molecular-weight DNA extraction improved the assembly's contiguity, whereas the high-accuracy basecalling, the raw read error correction, the assembly polishing, and the frameshift correction reduced the insertions and deletion errors. Both experimental and analytical steps ensured the retrieval of complete bacterial genomes.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet Consumption Reduced Fatty Liver Indices: Finding From A Large Cohort Study in the Kurdish Population
Authors: Darbandi Mitra , Hamzeh Behrooz , Ayenepour Azad , Rezaeian Shahab , Najafi Farid , Shakiba Ebrahim , Pasdar Yahya
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was the assess association between of dietary inflammatory index (DII) and non-invasive markers of liver status in adults. This cross-sectional study was performed on 8,520 adults, recruited in Ravansar Non-Communicable Diseases (RaNCD) cohort study, the west of Iran. DII score was calculated based on participants’ dietary intakes obtained from Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Fatty Liver Index (FLI) score was calculated by anthropometric measurements and some non-invasive markers of liver status. Linear regression models were used to estimate the associations and adjust for possible confounding factors. A greater DII score was significantly associated with higher energy intake, BMI (body mass index), BFM (body fat mass), blood pressure and FLI (P<0.001). Participants with the highest DII score had a significantly higher consumption saturated fat, trans fat and red meat than those in the lowest quartile (P<0.001). After adjustment for age and sex, participants in the highest quartile of DII score had a greater risk of FLI (β: 0.742, 95% CI: 0.254, 0.601). The more pro-inflammatory diet in participants was associated with higher FLI; DII score was positively associated with non-invasive liver markers. Thus having an anti-inflammatory diet can help balance liver enzymes, reduce obesity and fatty liver.