bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Norfloxacin Prophylaxis to Prevent Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mücke Marcus M. , Mücke Victoria T. , Graf Christiana , Schwarzkopf Katharina M. , Ferstl Philip G. , Fernandez Javier , Zeuzem Stefan , Trebicka Jonel , Lange Christian M. , Herrmann Eva
Published: August 2020

INTRODUCTION:

With the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms, the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) has been debated. The aim of this study was to assess factors impacting effectiveness of SBP prophylaxis.

METHODS:

We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Registry from inception to May 2019 to identify randomized controlled trials of patients with liver cirrhosis that assessed SBP occurrence/recurrence during antibiotic prophylaxis with the common antibiotic agents. Network meta-analysis was performed, pooling data with regard to incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of SBP, death, or extraperitoneal infections.

RESULTS:

Overall, 1,626 patients in 12 randomized controlled trials were included. During primary prophylaxis, the incidence rate of SBP and death in the norfloxacin-treated patients was 0.117 and 0.438 per patient-year, respectively, and IRRs of placebo vs norfloxacin were significantly higher (IRR 5.35, 95% confidence interval 1.99–14.38, P = 0.0009 for SBP and IRR 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.20–3.44, P = 0.008 for death). The efficacy of norfloxacin to prevent SBP, but not death, decreased over time (annual percent change from 1992 to 2015 8.2%, P = 0.019), The positive treatment effect was lower in studies including patients with increased ascites protein (P = 0.021) or exceedingly high serum bilirubin (P = 0.012) levels. Norfloxacin was not superior to other antibiotics. The incidence rate of SBP was 2.5-fold higher in patients treated with norfloxacin as secondary compared with primary prophylaxis. No significant differences between treatment designs were observed in secondary prophylaxis.

DISCUSSION:

Norfloxacin remained superior to placebo in preventing SBP, yet the efficacy to prevent SBP, not death, decreased over time. Further studies to understand this phenomenon are urgently needed.
Modern possibilities of the urine steroid profile testing applying for the adrenocortical cancer diagnosis
Authors: Shcherbakov Ilya E. , Chernikov Roman A. , Rusakov Vladimir F. , Fedorov Elysey A. , Fedotov Uriy N. , Sablin Ilya V. , Chinchuk Igor K. , Sleptcov Ilya V. , Krasnov Leonid M. , Rebrova Dina V. , Uvarova Marina A. , Ivanov Andrey V.
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND: X-ray diagnostics methods are important in detection of adrenal neoplasms malignant nature. The sensitivity and specificity of these methods are high enough. However the hormonal tests are also necessary to make an accurate clinical diagnosis with the high diagnostic efficiency of modern X-ray methods for adrenal tumors diagnosing. The urine steroid profile violations are detected with the adrenal glands various pathologies (primary hyperaldosteronism, hypercorticism, congenital hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex and adrenocortical cancer). Urine steroid profile tests in patients with diagnosed adrenal neoplasms are intended primarily to confirm or refute the adrenocortical cancer risk. At the same time in the medical community to date there are a number of disagreements accumulated regarding the accuracy and significance of the urine steroid profile tests.
AIMS: The study aims to determine the urine steroid profile determination accuracy limits for the adrenocortical cancer diagnosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total 62 samples were tested for urine steroid profile by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 58 patients had morphologically confirmed adrenal neoplasms. The study was blind prospective. To increase the study accuracy the 30 patients with adrenocortical adenomas (n = 17) and adrenocortical cancer (n = 13) were selected out of 58 tested persons. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the urine steroid profile were determined in order to assess information content of such method for the adrenocortical carcinoma diagnosis.
RESULTS: The possibilities of the urine steroid profile determining for the adrenocortical cancer diagnosis are estimated. The method sensitivity was 46.2%, specificity and accuracy were 70.6% and 60% respectively. The most reliable of adrenocortical cancer markers were tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (38.5% of cases) increasing concentrations.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates relatively low diagnostic efficacy of the urine steroid profile as a primary diagnostic method for adrenocortical cancer determining. This is especially evident in comparison with X-ray diagnostic methods. The technique interpretation is complex and accessible only to specialists with extremely high qualifications. Such fact complicates the distribution and widespread use in clinical practice of this testing method. At the same time the urine steroid profile determination in the future (after additional study) may be apply as an auxiliary diagnostic method which in some cases determines the treatment tactics for patients undergoing adrenocortical cancer adrenalectomy treatment.KEYWORDS: dPheochromocytoma; intraoperative hemodynamic instability; laparoscopic adrenalectomy; Endovascular embolization of preoperative; сase report.
FRand: MATLAB Toolbox for Fuzzy Random Number Simulation
Authors: Figueroa Garcia Juan Carlos , Tenjo García Jhoan Sebastian
Published: August 2020

Context: This paper presents a MATLAB code implementation and the GUI (General User Interface) for fuzzy random variable generation. Based on previous theoretical results and applications, a MATLAB toolbox has been developed and tested for selected membership functions.

Method: A two–step methodology was used: i) a MATLAB toolbox was implemented to be used as interface and ii) all .m functions are available to be used as normal code. The main goal is to provide graphical and code–efficient tools to users.

Results: The main obtained results are the MATLAB GUI and code. In addition, some experiments were ran to evaluate its capabilities and some randomness statistical tests were successfully performed.

Conclusions: Satisfactory results were obtained from the implementation of the MATLAB code/toolbox. All randomness tests were accepted and all performed experiments shown stability of the toolbox even for large samples (>10.000). Also, the code/toolbox are available online.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank to the Prof. M Sc. Miguel Melgarejo and Prof. Jos´e Jairo Soriano–Mendez sincerely for their interest and invaluable support, and a special gratefulness is given to all members of LAMIC.
Procesos socio-territoriales Orinoquía: itinerarios y tendencias
Authors: Díaz Diego
Published: August 2020

El libro tiene como propósito comprender la importancia que ha adquirido la Orinoquía en la actual fase de acumulación capitalista, y en particular, analizar “su configuración como espacio de emergencia y reproducción de conflictos socio-territoriales y de nuevas formas y expresiones del antagonismo social” (Estrada et al. 2014: 18). En otras palabras, busca destacar que, de la mano de la importancia estratégica que ha adquirido la Orinoquía a raíz de las dinámicas económicas que allí se vienen registrando, se ha recreado una conflictividad social que involucra a diversos grupos humanos que la habitan, en particular, a las comunidades indígenas, campesinas y a sectores de la clase obrera. Para dar desarrollo al planteamiento, el libro está estructurado en dos partes, que a su vez, se subdividen en varias secciones.
Estrategias para la superación de la violencia
Authors: CiudadPazando Revista
Published: August 2020

Ya han pasado dos años desde que se firmó el acuerdo para la terminación del conflicto armado con las Fuerzas armadas revolucionarias de Colombia (Farc).
Del cuerpo poético al cuerpo político. Figuras de la memoria en los cuerpos del teatro contemporáneo bogotano
Authors: Silva Lurduy Laura Jimena
Published: August 2020

En una conversación entre teatralidad, cuerpo y política el punto de partida y el punto de regreso puede ser hablar de memoria. En el desarrollo de este escrito se presenta una investigación que se nutre tanto de las ciencias sociales como de las artes, cuyo sujeto de estudio tiene relación con el trabajo de la teatralidad contemporánea en torno a la acción política de los cuerpos productores en la escena. Esta investigación se fundamenta en la tríada de estudio «arte, cuerpo, política» y desde allí, han suscitado indagaciones sobre el papel del arte y particularmente del teatro en el contexto colombiano actual modificado y transformado por procesos de violencia y conflicto en el país. Los estudios del cuerpo como motivo de creación y acción artística, social y política generan un campo emergente para el análisis de distintos problemas contemporáneos que componen múltiples expresiones, manifestaciones e intervenciones; y hacen de ello una reflexión corporal teórico-práctica cotidiana. Asimismo, en el campo de las artes escénicas, estudiar el cuerpo podría ser de mil maneras resignificar el papel de la corporalidad, de concebir la acción artística y su función social y política. En el caso de Colombia, es a mediados del siglo pasado que grupos de teatro y colectivos artísticos, buscaron en algunos el reconocimiento del cuerpo, y en otros, la transformación de escenarios en conflicto que se presentaron en coyuntura de violencia política desde las corporalidades. Cuerpo: medio, instrumento y obra de diversos usos artísticos; manifestación y representación de dinámicas y múltiples realidades sociales y políticas. A partir de lo anterior, la investigación tiene relación con el trabajo de –la teatralidad- desde una perspectiva contemporánea e interdisciplinar, cuya mirada hacia el cuerpo se remite como obra, espacio y herramienta vital de creación. En este orden de ideas, el enfoque es presentar algunas luces de lo que fue la investigación de grado de manera teóricopráctica, exponer los acercamientos teóricos, metodológicos y reflexivos para dar a conocer el proceso llevado a cabo en los últimos tres años y reconocer la importancia sobre el lugar que ocupa el cuerpo en la teatralidad contemporánea colombiana, como práctica relevante para construir las narrativas en torno a lo político en el país y en nuestro contexto latinoamericano.
Descolonizar el cuerpo de las mujeres: las violencias contra las mujeres tzeltales y “la sanación del corazón” como un acto político en contra del sistema colonial/patriarcal
Authors: Saavedra Hernández Laura E.
Published: August 2020

El trabajo que aquí se presenta se basa en algunos de los resultados de la investigación “Construyendo justicia (s) más allá de la ley: Las experiencias de las mujeres indígenas que participan con El Centro de Derechos de la Mujer de Chiapas, A.C.”. El trabajo retoma diferentes aproximaciones teóricas, principalmente, los feminismos de la descolonización y las filosofías indígenas. Para ello utilicé una metodología colaborativa. El objetivo de este artículo se centra en analizar una propuesta práctica para descolonizar el cuerpo de las mujeres que viven violencias desde la generación de diálogos interculturales que tomen en cuenta los saberes propios de las mujeres indígenas, pensando en siguientes preguntas ¿Cómo se marcan, viven, sienten y piensan las violencias contra las mujeres en sus cuerpos desde la cosmovisión de los pueblos tzeltales? ¿Por qué es importante descolonizar el cuerpo de las mujeres como un acto político de resistencia?
“Doing what it takes to keep the school open”: The philanthropic networks of progressive charter schools
Authors: Castillo Elise
Published: August 2020

Researchers have demonstrated how venture philanthropic networks advance the growth of charter schools underpinned by market tenets. However, little remains known about how progressive charter schools mobilize financial support when most funding from philanthropic networks flows to market-oriented charters. This qualitative study examines how three progressive charter schools in New York City mobilized financial support, the extent to which charters’ financial supporters operated in a networked context, and the extent to which charters’ resource mobilization activities reflected their founding progressive tenets. Findings reveal that the focal charters incorporated market logic when cultivating financial support networks. In doing so, schools endeavored to secure their own resource advantages while reinforcing resource inequities across New York City’s unequal educational landscape, hence undermining the equity and community responsibility dimensions of their progressive missions.
How do students experience choice? Exploring STEM course-offerings and course-taking patterns in Texas charter and non-charter public schools
Authors: David Bernard G. , Marder Michael , Marshall Jill , González-Howard María
Published: August 2020

Charter schools are positioned by proponents as a key component of reform efforts striving to expand school choice. Proponents argue that charter schools have the flexibility to experiment with novel curricular and instructional models outside the constraints of the traditional public education system, and therefore have the potential to transform students’ experiences. Influential reports over the last three decades have highlighted the need to improve students’ preparation in STEM, and charter schools have emerged as a reform with the potential to do so. This work uses methods from social network analysis and logistic regression to investigate how course-taking patterns in Texas charter and non-charter schools either promote or constrain student engagement within the STEM disciplines by: 1) exploring STEM course offerings in Texas charter and non-charter public secondary schools; and 2) identifying students’ STEM course-taking patterns in these schools. Findings suggest charter schools are less likely than non-charter public schools to offer STEM courses tailored for special education students and that charter school students’ course-taking patterns tend to be either slightly more advanced or more basic than the course-taking patterns of students in non-charter schools. In addition, students in charter schools tend to be more mobile (e.g., transfer between schools) than students in non-charter public schools.
State educational agencies in an uncertain environment: Understanding state provided networks of English Language Arts curricular resources
Authors: Salloum Serena J. , Hodge Emily M. , Benko Susanna L.
Published: August 2020

Rapid adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the Race to the Top (RTTT) competition, and backlash around these policies created widespread uncertainty among state educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs may have not had a clear direction about how to support standards implementation in a new context, and therefore, may have looked to their professional networks, their geographic neighbors or other highly regarded SEAs, or other sources for information and resources to guide their decisions about where to send teachers for information about standards. Drawing on institutional theory (Meyer & Rowan, 1977) and isomorphism specifically (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983), we posit that coercive forces (primarily due to RTTT application and CCSS status) as compared to mimetic and normative forces influenced the organizations to which SEAs turn for curriculum materials. Using Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure and a data set of over 2,000 state-provided resources for secondary English Language Arts teachers from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., we indeed found that coercive forces had a relationship with shared organizational ties, demonstrating that RTTT application and CCSS adoption influenced resource provision.
Using policy network analysis to understand ideological convergence and change in educational subsystems
Authors: Galey-Horn Sarah , Ferrare Joseph J.
Published: August 2020

In recent years, education policy scholars have begun to utilize social network concepts and methods to describe contemporary policy changes across P-16 levels. While many insights have emerged from this growing literature base, we argue that a more formal network approach rooted in policy network analysis (PNA) is needed to fulfill its conceptual and analytical ambitions. Policy network analysis integrates concepts from social network analysis with theoretical assumptions developed in the field of political science. Toward this end, we first argue that a more rigorous treatment of policy beliefs is needed to analyze the impact of ideas on the policy agenda. Existing literature on the ideological dimensions of market-based reform movements tends to define them largely within the bounds of neo-liberalism and thus far has failed to systematically explain how policy beliefs emerge and converge in this context. Second, we contend that previous work has generally lacked theoretical grounding in formal policy network analysis (PNA). Although there are clear links between the concepts and findings in traditional PNA literature and educational research – particularly the use of networked governance as a concept for understanding the interconnectedness of educational reform networks – a more diligent application of PNA theory and methods would enable educational policy scholars to gain deeper insights into the explanatory processes of policy change. We pay particular attention to the usefulness of these approaches for examining two-mode network data and for modeling ideological policy change.
Ablepharon macrostomia syndrome in a Thai patient: case report and literature review
Authors: Kor-anantakul Phawin , Suphapeetiporn Kanya , Jaruratanasirikul Somchit
Published: August 2020

Ablepharon macrostomia syndrome (AMS) is a rare congenital disorder. To our knowledge, only 20 cases have been reported to date, and all in patients from Western countries. We report a case of AMS in a Thai patient, who presented at age 3 months with severe ectropion of both upper and lower eyelids, alopecia totalis, no palpable clitoris, and hypoplasia of both labia minora and labia majora. Trio whole exome sequencing analysis was performed, which revealed a heterozygous missense c.223G>A (p.Glu75Lys) variation in TWIST2. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of AMS in a patient from Thailand and the first reported case of AMS in Asia.
A posteriori analysis of the spectral element discretization of a non linear heat equation
Authors: Abdelwahed Mohamed , Chorfi Nejmeddine
Published: August 2020

The paper deals with a posteriori analysis of the spectral element discretization of a non linear heat equation. The discretization is based on Euler’s backward scheme in time and spectral discretization in space. Residual error indicators related to the discretization in time and in space are defined. We prove that those indicators are upper and lower bounded by the error estimation.
How do Optimistic Individuals Affect Insurance Advertisements?
Authors: Fujii Yoichiro , Ogaku Michiko , Okura Mahito , Osaki Yusuke
Published: August 2020

Some people have optimistic expectations regarding their accident probability, and thus, refrain from purchasing adequate insurance. This study investigates how insurance firms use advertisements to lower the ratio of optimistic individuals in the market. The main results are as follows: first, the optimal level of advertisements is maximized when the insurance premium is moderate. Second, the maximum level of advertisement varies according to the degree of optimism, which is measured by the difference between accurate and optimistic accident probabilities. Third, the advertisement decision is affected by the free-rider problem, and the equilibrium number of insurance firms with advertisement is always larger than that of firms without advertisement in a competitive insurance market.
Kinder über das Vorlesen für naturwissenschaftlich-technische Themen begeistern
Authors: Thate Stefanie
Published: August 2020

Viele naturwissenschaftliche und technische Phänomene lassen sich über spannende Geschichten erklären und erzählen. Wissenschaftliche Studien zeigen, dass sich gerade im Grundschulalter durch die Beschäftigung mit mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlich-technischen Fragestellungen die Sprach- und Lesekompetenz fördern lässt und umgekehrt.MINT-Vorlesepaten begeistern Kinder zwischen drei und zehn Jahren über das Vorlesen geeigneter Lesematerialien (Bücher und Apps) und Anschlussaktionen für MINT-Themen und fördern ihre Sprach- und Lesekompetenz.
„Wie entsteht eigentlich Zukunft?“
Authors: Brandt Susanne
Published: August 2020

Mit dem Projekt „Das weiße Blatt“ hat die Büchereizentrale Schleswig-Holstein 2018 einen Prozess begonnen, der in besonderer Weise eine lebendige Auseinandersetzung mit Zukunftsfragen anregt und sich an einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung orientiert. Kennzeichen des Projekts sind die Offenheit für Kooperationen und eine dynamische Fortsetzung, auch über den ursprünglichen Projektzeitraum hinaus, geprägt von einer multimedialen, digitalen wie analogen Vielfalt, die sich bis heute aus den Impulsen des Projekts mit kreativ gestalteten Formen wie E-Book, Film, Podcast, Blog u.v.m. laufend weiterentwickelt. Von elementarer Bedeutung ist dabei außerdem die globale Perspektive, die in verschiedenen internationalen Bezügen des Projekts zum Ausdruck kommt. Mit dem folgenden Bericht wird dieser Entwicklungsprozess von den Grundüberlegungen bis hin zu den vielfältigen Variantenbildungen, die seither aus dem Projekt hervorgegangen sind – auch aktuell unter den besonderen Bedingungen der Pandemie – nachgezeichnet. Ende offen ...
Video-Streaming in Bibliotheken – vom Pilotprojekt zum internationalen Publikum
Authors: Bohn Anna , Mutter Moritz
Published: August 2020

Angesichts der disruptiven Veränderungen auf dem Filmmarkt stellt sich für Bibliotheken die Herausforderung, digitale Angebote des Online-Zugangs zu Filmen per Video-Streaming zu entwickeln. Ziel ist, die filminteressierte Nutzerschaft nicht zu verlieren, den Bildungsauftrag wahrzunehmen und soziale Teilhabe zu sichern. Der Verbund der Öffentlichen Bibliotheken Berlins mit der Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin (ZLB) entwickelte gemeinsam mit Partnern aus der Filmindustrie in Pionierarbeit neue Video-Streaming-Angebote für Bibliotheken. Im Rahmen des Projekts Digitale Welten des Verbunds der Öffentlichen Bibliotheken Berlins (VÖBB), zu dem die ZLB gehört, konnten zwei Video-Streaming-Angebote erfolgreich starten: Audio Visual Access, abgekürzt AVA in Kooperation mit der reelport GmbH, Köln, und co-finanziert durch das Creative Europe Media-Programm der EU-Kommission, sowie filmfriend in Kooperation mit der filmwerte GmbH, Potsdam. Dank des wachsenden Netzwerks teilnehmender Bibliotheken sind die Video-Streaming-Angebote AVA und filmfriend inzwischen für ein überregionales und internationales Publikum mit Bibliotheksausweis zugänglich.
Technical challenges for offshore cultivation of kelp species: lessons learned and future directions
Authors: Bak Urd Grandorf , Gregersen Ólavur , Infante Javier
Published: August 2020

Traditional kelp farming methods require a high amount of labor and are limited in geographic distribution – occurring mainly in nearshore, sheltered sites. To address growing global demand for sustainable biomass, the continued expansion of kelp cultivation will most likely have to move further offshore. Although many offshore cultivation trials have been done over the last 50 years, few were sufficiently robust to be viable in exposed and deep-water areas. In the North Atlantic Ocean, a Faroese company developed and tested a structural farm design that has survived in open-ocean conditions since 2010. The durable structure has withstood harsh weather events common in the Faroe Islands and thereby presents a potential strategy and method for moving kelp farming further offshore. This paper describes the primary challenges of offshore kelp farming and provides an overview of work previously done. Ultimately, the improved productivity, system survivability and scalability the MacroAlgal Cultivation Rig (Faroe Islands) and the BioArchitecture Lab cultivation grid (Chile) represent state-of-the-art and powerfully transformative strategies to pursue large-scale offshore farming to support mass production of kelp in the near future.
The intertwining of differentiation and attraction as exemplified by the history of recipient transfer and benefactive alternations
Authors: Traugott Elizabeth Closs
Published: August 2020

De Smet et al. (2018) propose that when functionally similar constructions come to overlap, analogical attraction may occur. So may differentiation, but this process involves attraction to other subnetworks and is both “accidental” and “exceptional”. I argue that differentiation plays a considerably more significant role than De Smet et al. allow. My case study is the development of the dative and benefactive alternations. The rise of the dative alternation (e.g., “gave the Saxons land” ∼ “gave land to the Saxons”) has been shown to occur in later Middle English between 1400 and 1500 (Zehentner 2018). Building on Zehentner and Traugott (2020), the rise of the benefactive alternation (e.g., “build her a house” ∼ “build a house for her”) in Early Modern English c1650 is analyzed from a historical constructionalist perspective and compared with the rise of the dative alternation. The histories of the alternations exemplify the rise of functionally similar constructions that overlap, and show that differentiation from each other plays as large a role as attraction. Both attraction and differentiation occur at several levels of abstraction: verb-specific constructions, schemas and larger systemic changes.
Ancient solutions for Andrews’ hypersurface flow
Authors: Lu Peng , Zhou Jiuru
Published: August 2020

We construct the ancient solutions of the hypersurface flows in Euclidean spaces
studied by B. Andrews in 1994.

As time

t
→

0
-

{t\rightarrow 0^{-}}

the solutions collapse to a round point where 0 is the singular time.
But as

t
→

-
∞

{t\rightarrow-\infty}

the solutions become more and more oval.
Near the center the appropriately-rescaled pointed Cheeger–Gromov limits are round cylinder solutions

S
J

×

ℝ

n
-
J

{S^{J}\times\mathbb{R}^{n-J}}

,

1
≤
J
≤

n
-
1

{1\leq J\leq n-1}

.
These results are the analog of the corresponding results in Ricci flow (

J
=

n
-
1

{J=n-1}

) and mean curvature flow.
Virtual cycles of gauged Witten equation
Authors: Tian Gang , Xu Guangbo
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we construct virtual cycles on moduli spaces of solutions to the perturbed gauged Witten equation over a fixed smooth r-spin curve, under the framework of [G. Tian and G. Xu, Analysis of gauged Witten equation, J. reine angew. Math. 740 (2018), 187–274]. Together with the wall-crossing formula proved in the companion paper [G. Tian and G. Xu,
A wall-crossing formula for the correlation function of gauged linear σ-model, preprint], this paper completes the construction of the correlation function for the gauged linear σ-model announced in [G. Tian and G. Xu, Correlation functions in gauged linear σ-model, Sci. China Math. 59 (2016), 823–838] as well as the proof of its invariance.
The Development of Information System with Strategic Planning for Integrated System in the Indonesian Pharmaceutical Company
Authors: Gaol Ford Lumban , Rahayu Suci , Matsuo Tokuro
Published: August 2020

This research aims to develop an integrated information system for pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia, which has separate business units in two different locations. An Integrated System is needed to provide the value of competence in the technology and information systems that companies use in their business processes. The development stage starts from the assessment and understanding of the current situation both in the business environment and the IS/IT environment. The business environment includes the internal business environment and external business environment.Similarly, the IS/IT environment which includes internal and external IS/IT environments. With a deep understanding of current conditions, it can be determined the Information System(IS) strategy, Information Technology(IT) strategy and future IS/IT strategies. This study reveals the following results: The absence of good system integration with the business units involved makes the company in a weak position. But in terms of opportunity is quite high so that the use of technology and information systems that fit business needs is recommended in this study. The results of this study recommends some applications that can solve problems commonly experienced by companies such as system integration and business process automation to achieve more efficient and effective business processes.
Eco-friendly synthesis of AuNPs for cutaneous wound-healing applications in nursing care after surgery
Authors: Nie Shijun , Wei Ran , Zhou Haoxin , Zhang Liang , Chen Zhinan , Hou Limin
Published: August 2020

The current work described the preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the plant extract of Impatiens balsamina followed by evaluating their wound-healing potential. The formed NPs were studied by performing UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Further, both the thermal and excision wound models were used to understand the wound-healing ability of AuNPs. It is exhibited that at a concentration of 20 mg, the AuNPs exhibited substantial decrease in excision wound within 8 days. The obtained wound-healing results indicated that the AuNPs prepared from the leaf extract of I. balsamina exhibited active wound-healing potential when related to traditional drugs; hence, AuNPs could have future applications in the development of dressing materials in nursing care for wound healing after surgery.
Response of sunflower hybrids to crop density in the steppe of Ukraine
Authors: Andriienko Olha , Vasylkovska Kateryna , Andriienko Andrii , Vasylkovskyi Oleksii , Mostipan Mykola , Salo Larysa
Published: August 2020

Field studies conducted in 2018–2019 in the northern Steppe of Ukraine with sunflower hybrids of different maturity groups (LG 50300, LG 5580, LG 5478, LG 5638, LG 5662) showed that the crop density of early-crop hybrid LG 50300 from 55,000 plants/hectare to 70,000 plants/hectare led to a decrease in productivity by 0.11 t ha−1 and a decrease in oil content by 0.9%. The density of middle-early hybrid LG 5580 resulted in a decrease in sowing productivity of 0.21 t ha−1, while oil content remained nearly the same. Another middle-early hybrid LG 5478 showed slight variations in productivity and oil content with an increase of crop density. The study of the mid-season hybrid LG 5038 showed a decrease in sowing productivity by 0.2 t ha−1 with the density up to 70,000 plants/hectare. Mid-season hybrid LG 5662 with density of 70,000 plants/hectare showed productivity increase by 0.14 t ha−1.
Electric discharge method of synthesis of carbon and metal–carbon nanomaterials
Authors: Kuskova Natalya Ivanivna , Syzonenko Olha Mykolaivna , Torpakov Andrii Serhiyovuch
Published: August 2020

The current state and prospective of electric discharge methods of synthesis of carbon and metal–carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) in different areas of science, technology and industry are considered in the present paper. It was shown that as a result of electric discharge treatment of liquid hydrocarbons, the productivity of CNMs (namely, onion-like carbon, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers and carbon thin films) in terms of the percentage of carbon, released from initial liquid as a nanomaterial, was 6.1% for pentane, 10.2% for hexane, 8.7% for cyclopentane, 14.4% for cyclohexane, 12.0% for benzene and 16.8% for kerosene. Component and phase composition of obtained products depends on the electrode material and composition of initial hydrocarbon liquid.
Multivariate quasi-beta regression models for continuous bounded data
Authors: Petterle Ricardo R. , Bonat Wagner H. , Scarpin Cassius T. , Jonasson Thaísa , Borba Victória Z. C.
Published: August 2020

We propose a multivariate regression model to deal with multiple continuous bounded data. The proposed model is based on second-moment assumptions, only. We adopted the quasi-score and Pearson estimating functions for estimation of the regression and dispersion parameters, respectively. Thus, the proposed approach does not require a multivariate probability distribution for the variable response vector. The multivariate quasi-beta regression model can easily handle multiple continuous bounded outcomes taking into account the correlation between the response variables. Furthermore, the model allows us to analyze continuous bounded data on the interval [0, 1], including zeros and/or ones. Simulation studies were conducted to investigate the behavior of the NORmal To Anything (NORTA) algorithm and to check the properties of the estimating function estimators to deal with multiple correlated response variables generated from marginal beta distributions. The model was motivated by a data set concerning the body fat percentage, which was measured at five regions of the body and represent the response variables. We analyze each response variable separately and compare it with the fit of the multivariate proposed model. The multivariate quasi-beta regression model provides better fit than its univariate counterparts, as well as allows us to measure the correlation between response variables. Finally, we adapted diagnostic tools to the proposed model. In the supplementary material, we provide the data set and R code.
Convergence theorems for generalized hemicontractive mapping in p-uniformly convex metric space
Authors: Ugwunnadi Godwin C. , Izuchukwu Chinedu , Mewomo Oluwatosin T.
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we introduce and study an Ishikawa-type iteration process for the class of generalized hemicontractive mappings in 𝑝-uniformly convex metric spaces, and prove both Δ-convergence and strong convergence theorems for approximating a fixed point of generalized hemicontractive mapping in complete 𝑝-uniformly convex metric spaces.
We give a surprising example of this class of mapping that is not a hemicontractive mapping.
Our results complement, extend and generalize numerous other recent results in CAT(0) spaces.
An Aramaic Incantation Bowl and the Fall of Hatra
Authors: Marcato Enrico
Published: August 2020

The present paper offers an analysis of certain Northern Mesopotamian demons attested on an Aramaic incantation bowl in square script. This object displays at its centre a list of evil entities drawn from a Mandaic forerunner, some of which are paralleled in the epigraphic corpus of Hatra and nearby sites. The analysis explores whether this may provide new evidence regarding the fate of Hatra’s inhabitants and cults in the aftermath of the fall of the city in 240/1 AD; the suggested scenario is that some Hatrenes could have been deported to Babylonia, where they encountered the Mandaean culture in its early phases and acquainted it with a part of their pantheon.
Mandatory Incident Reporting as a Means to Counter C/B Terrorism: Moving from Accident-based to Incident-based Systems
Authors: Krishnakumar Tarun
Published: August 2020

Terrorism involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) weapons is as dangerous a threat in practice as it is controversial a topic in national security policymaking. While none seriously dispute the destructive potential of a successful CBRN attack, the rarity of such incidents raises important and contentious questions relating to the optimal levels of resource dedication required to deter, prepare for, and respond to these threats.
The 2014 Global Health Security Agenda
Authors: Calvo Juan
Published: August 2020

The Global Health Security Agenda is a comprehensive and multilateral action plan that is designed to “achieve a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberately released.” The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) involves various organizations spanning across over 50 nations. Many of these nations also have multiple agencies that have a role in furthering the objectives of the GHSA.
Ayurvedic formulations containing benzoic and ascorbic acids as additives: benzene formation during storage and impact of additives on quality parameters
Authors: Sharma Priyanka , Maithani Mukesh , Gupta Vikas , Bansal Parveen
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Ayurvedic formulations are becoming the prior choice of people as health care supplements. The increasing demand for these formulations has led to extensive development of Ayurvedic pharmaceutical industries worldwide. The reaction between the preservatives (sodium benzoates and ascorbic acid) used in these formulations could generate benzene. Benzene is classified as class-1 human carcinogen and responsible for various short and long term health effects.

Methods

In this study, 25 formulations (containing ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate) of various manufacturers available as over the counter products were obtained and their benzene content were determined using gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector.

Results

The result showed that 64% of the formulations were free from benzene contamination whereas 36% of formulations were found to be contaminated with benzene. A simple, less time-consuming, economic, and validated gas chromatographic method for estimation of benzene in Ayurvedic formulations was also developed successfully in present study.

Conclusions

The data revealed that the level of benzene was within permissible limits, yet the presence of a carcinogen in the marketed formulations intended for internal use is an alarming situation.
A variant of the large sieve inequality with explicit constants
Authors: Grześkowiak Maciej
Published: August 2020

We give an effective version with explicit constants of the large sieve inequality for imaginary quadratic fields. Explicit results of this kind are useful for estimating the computational complexity of algorithms which generate elements, whose norm is a rational prime, in an arithmetic progression of the corresponding ring of integers.
Northernmost finding and further information on water deer Hydropotes inermis in Primorskiy Krai, Russia
Authors: Belyaev Dmitry A. , Jo Yeong-Seok
Published: August 2020

Although the water deer, Hydropotes inermis is one of the most common large mammals in South Korea (Republic of Korea), it had limited distribution along southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula and currently inhabits most of the peninsula after several releases in 1950s and 1960s. Currently, water deer was documented from Primorskiy Krai, Russia in the vicinity of northeastern border of North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). The first report was a camer trapped water deer in 2019 about 45 km from North Korean border and we found the older harvest record of water deer in 2014 about 210 km from North Korea. Although the North Korean government translocated water deer from the west coast to the northeast in the 1950s and 1960s, range expansion or dispersal of water deer was not reported until these records. Further research is needed to confirm if they represent whether it’s a persistent population or transient dispersers.
The Trust Model of Children’s Rights
Authors: Pike Kenneth R.
Published: August 2020

Is parental control over children best understood in terms of trusteeship or similar fiduciary obligations? This essay contemplates the elements of legal trusts and fiduciarity as they might relate to the moral relationship between children and parents. Though many accounts of upbringing advocate parent-child relationship models with structural resemblance to trust-like relationships, it is unclear who grants moral trusts, how trustees are actually selected, or how to identify proper beneficiaries. By considering these and other classical elements of relationships of trust, this essay seeks to clarify and explore the trust model’s role, if any, in understanding children’s rights. Such exploration raises the possibility that another element of common law, the duty to rescue, may serve to enhance the trust model of children’s rights.
Upper bounds of some special zeros for the Rankin-Selberg L-function
Authors: Bllaca Kajtaz H.
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we prove some conditional results about the order of zero at central point s = 1/2 of the Rankin-Selberg L-function L(s, πf
× π͠′
f
). Then, we give an upper bound for the height of the first zero with positive imaginary part of L(s, πf
× π͠′
f
). We apply our results to automorphic L-functions.
Long time decay of 3D-NSE in Lei-Lin-Gevrey spaces
Authors: Benameur Jamel , Jlali Lotfi
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we prove a global well-posedness of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equation under initial data, which belongs to the Lei-Lin-Gevrey space

Z

a
,
σ

−
1

$\begin{array}{}
Z^{-1}_{a,\sigma}
\end{array}$

(ℝ3) and if the norm of the initial data in the Lei-Lin space 𝓧−1 is controlled by the viscosity. Moreover, we will show that the norm of this global solution in the Lei-Lin-Gevrey space decays to zero as time approaches to infinity.
Bn
-maximal operator and Bn
-singular integral operators on variable exponent Lebesgue spaces
Authors: Ekincioglu Ismail , Guliyev Vagif S. , Kaya Esra
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we prove the boundedness of the Bn
maximal operator and Bn
singular integral operators associated with the Laplace-Bessel differential operator Δ
Bn

on variable exponent Lebesgue spaces.
Multi-opponent James functions
Authors: Hammond Christopher N. B. , Johnson Warren P.
Published: August 2020

The James function, also known as the “log5 method”, assigns a probability to the result of a competition between two teams based on their respective winning percentages. This paper, which builds on earlier work of the authors and Steven J. Miller, explores the analogous situation where a single team or player competes simultaneously against multiple opponents.
The crystal structure of (E)-1-(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)-2-((1-(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)pyridin-2(1H)-ylidene)amino)pyridin-1-ium, C30H25BrN5
Authors: Alexander Orbett T. , Roodt Andreas
Published: August 2020

C30H25BrN5, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 15.685(4) Å, b = 9.317(2) Å, c = 18.373(4) Å, β = 114.422(7)°, V = 2444.8(10) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0377, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0849, T = 112(2) K.
Crystal structure of tert-butyl (1S,2R,5R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-3-carboxylate, C17H23NO5
Authors: Caracelli Ignez , Zukerman-Schpector Julio , Garcia Ariel L. Llanes , Correia Carlos Roque D. , Tiekink Edward R.T.
Published: August 2020

C17H23NO5, monoclinic, P21 (no. 4), a = 6.0479(9) Å, b = 9.7032(10) Å, c = 14.711(2) Å, β = 94.174(9)°, V = 861.0(2) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0440, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1436, T = 293(2) K.
From gut feelings to memories of visceral pain
Authors: Elsenbruch Sigrid , Benson Sven , Ricarda Koenen Laura , Labrenz Franziska , Icenhour Adriane
Published: August 2020

The role of pain-related fear learning and memory processes, conceptually embedded within the fear-avoidance model of chronic pain, is increasingly recognized. The unique biological salience of interoceptive, visceral pain with its cognitive, emotional, and motivational facets fosters associative learning. Conditioned fear is in principle adaptive but may turn maladaptive and contribute to hypervigilance and hyperalgesia in chronic pain. This review summarizes current knowledge on the formation, extinction, and return of pain-related memories with a focus on visceral pain. It provides a conceptual background, describes experimental approaches, and summarizes findings on behavioral and neural mechanisms in healthy humans and patients with chronic pain. Future directions underscore the potential of refining knowledge on the role of associative learning in the pathophysiology and treatment of chronic visceral pain in disorders of gut–brain interactions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Evaluation of texture in jelly gums incorporating berries and aromatic plants
Authors: Guiné Raquel P. F. , Correia Paula M. R. , Reis Cátia , Florença Sofia G.
Published: August 2020

In the confectionery market, jelly gums are one of the most relevant sectors, being frequently consumed by many people, from children to adults. The present work intended to evaluate the textural properties in newly developed jelly gums made with berry fruits and herbs, given the critical role of texture in products with a gel-like structure. Four types of gums were developed (Strawberry & Anise, Strawberry & Mint, Raspberry & Mint, Blueberry & Mint) and their texture was evaluated through two types of tests (compression with a 75 mm probe and puncture with a 2 mm probe) allowing to calculate several textural properties. The results showed some differences between the two faces of the jelly gums analysed, i.e. on the top and on the bottom. As for the compression test, the Strawberry & Anise gums were among the softer (25.6 N) and with lower resilience (36.3%) and chewiness (16.9 N), despite being more adhesive (−0.5 N s). As for the puncture test, the sample Strawberry & Mint had the highest adhesiveness (−2.0 N s) but the lowest stickiness (−0.38 N). Additionally, very strong correlations were encountered between some of the properties studied (r = 0.861 or r = 0.822), and the factor analysis allowed defining three factors, the first clearly associated with the puncture properties while the other two were related to the compression properties. This work allowed concluding that the jelly gums presented different textural properties, particularly when assessed through different types of measurements. Hence, the use of different types of tests for texture analysis is recommended, since the results are complementary. This is relevant when developing food products intended for industrial production and commercialization.
Influence of cellulose fibers on physicochemical properties of biodegradable films based on polysaccharide derivatives
Authors: Antosik Adrian K. , Wilpiszewska Katarzyna
Published: August 2020

The article presents a method of obtaining films based on carboxymethyl polysaccharide derivatives cross-linked with citric acid and reinforced with cellulose fibers (CFs). The addition of CFs to a film improves the mechanical properties of the composite. With the increase of filler content, the water solubility drops from 64 to 61%, respectively, for a system without a filler and that containing 7 wt% CFs, whereas Young’s modulus increases from 4.8 to 24.8 MPa for a film containing 5 wt% filler.
Do the determinants of food security differ in improved rice variety adoption? Evidence from Sierra Leone
Authors: Mansaray Bashiru , Jin Shaosheng
Published: August 2020

The Sierra Leonean government has implemented the improved rice varieties directed at enhancing more rice production to reduce food insecurity. This paper evaluates the food security effect of improved rice variety adoption using cross-sectional data collected in 2017 from a randomly selected sample of 624 rice farmers in Sierra Leone. The analysis uses the endogenous switching regression and propensity score matching (PSM) approach. The results revealed that the adoption of improved rice varieties has a significant positive effect on food security. That confirms the crucial role of improved rice variety adoption in increasing food production and food security. Therefore, the study recommended the intensification of policies that promote improved rice variety adoption, if more food production and food security are to be realized. Further, the government should continue the lead in rice variety promotion and dissemination and in enhancing an enabling environment for the effective adoption of farmers. Given the preponderant evidence of the different factors of food security, appropriate policies that seek to promote formal education, more income generation for farmers, and easy and credible access to farmland for landless farmers would enhance food security.