bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Transdisciplinary Approach to Get a Deeper Insight in the Context of Ebola Virus Outbreaks in War-torn Regions: A Comprehensive Guide for NGOs
Authors: Baelen Jef , Coolen Karolien , Deforche Benoit , Frateur Hanne-Lise , Langeraet Joachim , Van Oystaeyen Imogen , Wawina-Bokalanga Tony , Vandamme Anne-Mieke
Published: March 2021

Ebola virus disease is a deadly disease with mortality rates ranging from 25% to 90%. The previous outbreak in the north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) posed extra challenges since it took place in a war-torn region. The roots of this conflict can be traced back to the
beginning of colonization (at the end of the 19th century) and have led to struggles concerning land tenure and local identity. The political and socioeconomic situation further complicated an adequate Ebola virus outbreak response. Early efforts and control strategies taken by
the DRC Ministry of Health, supported by the WHO, UN peacekeepers and a number of humanitarian aid organizations eventually resulted in the tenth Congolese outbreak being controlled. However, medical NGOs encountered many obstacles, ranging from mistrust by the local population, to an unsafe
working environment, lack of infrastructure, etc. This paper identifies building trust as one of the key ele ments for NGOs to optimize cooperation with the local population. Our data, gathered from semi-structured interviews, showed that establishing a relationship of trust with affected
people and their communities is a crucial step in the Ebola virus outbreak response. This includes building a better comprehension by medical care workers of the local dynamics and cultural affinities. Therefore, we created a questionnaire to be used by medical aid organizations to increase
their understanding of the local situation from an anthropological perspective. Such an understanding will contribute to building trust between the local community and medical aid organizations working in the field. This will hopefully enable them to anticipate future problems, and do their
job in a more profound and comprehensive way, incorporating the local community as a partner for success. We have summarized our conclusions in a small 10-minute video.
Fostering Transdisciplinary Collaboration Through Transdisciplinary Literature Reviews: Investigating the Accessibility of mHealth Technologies
Authors: Mendes Ana Barbosa , Vandewalle Bert , Andreadi Danai , Coppens Jan , Vercauteren Jurgen
Published: March 2021

Transdisciplinary research aims to investigate complex problems by integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines through knowledge co-creation. Initiating and planning transdisciplinary research requires a thorough review of the literature within many disciplines, demanding that researchers
conciliate meanings of concepts from different disciplines, define the boundaries of each discipline within the topic and identify synergies between disciplines. Thus, conducting a transdisciplinary literature review can pose a challenge to researchers, and little guidance is available on
how to approach this challenge in a systematic way. To address this, we develop a protocol for transdisciplinary literature reviews, extending the heuristics proposed by Leavy (2011). We describe how researchers can determine the relevant bodies of knowledge for the issue investigated, how
they can locate and summarise relevant literature from all relevant disciplines, how they can determine the scope of each discipline within the project and how they can visualise the interaction between disciplines in regards to the topic researched. We also suggest methods for researchers
to create new interactions between disciplines and propose new conceptual frameworks on the basis of the literature synthesis performed in the transdisciplinary literature review. To demonstrate how our framework can be employed to review literature on complex issues while integrating knowledge
from multiple disciplines, we use the issue of accessibility of mHealth technologies as a case study and apply our guidelines to conduct a transdisciplinary literature review on the topic. We integrate findings from the social sciences, ethics, economics, law, psychology, medicine and engineering,
among other disciplines to examine the accessibility of mHealth and propose promising areas for future transdisciplinary projects. The findings from this case study suggest the proposed transdisciplinary review guidelines can be used as a sole research methodology for initial transdisciplinary
research projects, as well as an auxiliary tool for larger transdisciplinary projects.
Tackling the Challenge of Inclusive Cities from an Urban Food Perspective
Authors: Anthoni E. , Casteels A. , Erol Y. , Kubesova K. , Ossewaarde J. , Sun X. , Valencia M. , Yang N. , Wang Q. , Canoy N. , Hannes K.
Published: March 2021

This paper focuses on food as a case study to understand issues of inclusivity in cities. More specifically, we focus on the process of food production, distribution, consumption, and sharing in the city of Leuven. Most urban spaces encompass material and discursive practices that influence
differing rights and abilities to engage in the urban food chain. In this study, we initially used constellation mapping to identify relevant actors and conducted a follow-up field study to generate an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms and processes of inclusion and exclusion linked
to the urban food chain in the city of Leuven. We collected data from multiple stakeholders using interviews and field obser vations. Iterative analysis was conducted using a within and cross-case approach. Based on our findings, we propose three solutions to stimulate inclusivity through
the concept of food: closing the knowledge gap, removing social stigma from the distribution process and optimising the supply chain. These are influenced by the idea that we enter the food chain not only as consumers and distributors, but also as social beings invited into the food chain
and working towards inclusivity through our own personal acts of solidarity.
Youngsters' Sustainable Food Choices in the Supermarket
Authors: Haverbeke Charles , Housmans Joëlle , Marchand Isabel , Teixeira Marina Mérola , Vandamme Anne-Mieke , Zuallaert Katrien , Van Meulder Liesbeth
Published: March 2021

As climate change is gaining recognition and its impacts manifest, the role of the individual is increasingly being investigated. More specifically, the impact consumption has on both the environment and actors throughout the food chain is crucial in this role. Considering the small
share sustainable consumption currently has in overall shopping, bridging the gap between unsustainable and sustainable choices will be paramount in addressing the increasing threat climate change and unjust development pose to our society. The attitude–behavior gap is a phenomenon further
complicating the issue. It points out that although a person may have an understanding and desire to act upon knowledge that certain products are more sustainable than others, he does not actually act upon that knowledge when shopping. The limited research regarding the attitude–behavior
gap, especially for young people, hinders retailers from creating a shopping environment that encourages sustainable shopping. To address this problem, the authors aimed at understanding consumption behavior in a supermarket environment, with special focus on food choices by students. More
specifically, we addressed the following question: "How can we overcome the attitude–behavior gap for pro-sustainable attitudes in supermarkets?" Our survey-based research amongst 248 students could provide insights for effective interventions – such as education, social programming
or in-store modifications – to ensure more sustainable mindsets while grocery shopping. We found that students are not consistently making sustainable choices, despite most having a general understanding of sustainability. Women tend to choose sustainable food more often than men, even
though price and quality also had a substantial influ ence, together with health. We also found that students may consider or even believe in the importance of sustainability and being eco-conscious consumers without actually taking the necessary steps, showing an attitude–behavior gap.
Enacting widespread sustainable development will require many small-scale paradigm shifts, such as a local supermarket incorporating more local and seasonal products or fighting food waste. However, climate change mitigation and environmental justice can only be realized by a widespread cooperation
of these initiatives.
Contrasting recruitment of skin‐associated adipose depots during cold challenge of mouse and human
Authors: Kasza Ildiko , Kühn Jens‐Peter , Völzke Henry , Hernando Diego , Xu Yaohui G. , Siebert John W. , Gibson Angela L. F. , Yen C. ‐L. Eric , Nelson David W. , MacDougald Ormond A. , Richardson Nicole E. , Lamming Dudley W. , Kern Philip A. , Alexander C. M.
Published: March 2021

Key points

Several distinct strategies produce and conserve heat to maintain the body temperature of mammals, each associated with unique physiologies, with consequences for wellness and disease susceptibility

Highly regulated properties of skin offset the total requirement for heat production

 We hypothesize that the adipose component of skin is primarily responsible for modulating heat flux; here we evaluate the relative regulation of adipose depots in mouse and human, to test their recruitment to heat production and conservation

We found that insulating mouse dermal white adipose tissue accumulates in response to environmentally and genetically induced cool stress; this layer is one of two adipose depots closely apposed to mouse skin, where the subcutaneous mammary gland fat pads are actively recruited to heat production

In contrast, the body‐wide adipose depot associated with human skin produces heat directly, potentially creating an alternative to the centrally regulated brown adipose tissue

Mammalian skin impacts metabolic efficiency system‐wide, controlling the rate of heat loss and consequent heat production. Here we compare the unique fat depots associated with mouse and human skin, to determine whether they have corresponding functions and regulation. For humans, we assay a skin‐associated fat (SAF) body‐wide depot to distinguish it from the subcutaneous fat pads characteristic of the abdomen and upper limbs. We show that the thickness of SAF is not related to general adiposity; it is much thicker (1.6‐fold) in women than men, and highly subject‐specific. We used molecular and cellular assays of β‐adrenergic‐induced lipolysis and found that dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT) in mice is resistant to lipolysis; in contrast, the body‐wide human SAF depot becomes lipolytic, generating heat in response to β‐adrenergic stimulation. In mice challenged to make more heat to maintain body temperature (either environmentally or genetically), there is a compensatory increase in thickness of dWAT: a corresponding β‐adrenergic stimulation of human skin adipose (in vivoor in explant) depletes adipocyte lipid content. We summarize the regulation of skin‐associated adipocytes by age, sex and adiposity, for both species. We conclude that the body‐wide dWAT depot of mice shows unique regulation that enables it to be deployed for heat preservation; combined with the actively lipolytic subcutaneous mammary fat pads they enable thermal defence. The adipose tissue that covers human subjects produces heat directly, providing an alternative to the brown adipose tissues.
El cine como máquina de pensamiento y control
Authors: Durán Castro Mauricio
Published: March 2021

Tanto en su complejidad mecánica como en su articulación con el cuerpo social, el cine puede ser comprendido como una máquina con una doble potencia: por un lado, tiene la capacidad de representar y narrar el mundo y el ser humano; y, por el otro, es un aparato de control y sometimiento de hombres y mujeres, que vigila y registra todo desde cualquier lugar y momento o, de manera más subrepticia, desde el poder hipnótico de sus imágenes, capaz de mover las emociones de las masas. Mauricio Durán Castro examina en este libro esta doble potencia del cine, como una creación que le permite al hombre moderno ampliar su mirada científica y filosófica y, a la vez, atrapar su inconsciente. De esta manera, el cine, con sus creadores y sus espectadores, es estudiado desde las ideas de máquina de guerra, aparato de control, dispositivo de visión y autómata. Este acercamiento crítico invita a revisar la obra de cineastas como Dziga Vertov, Jean Epstein, Sergei Eisenstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Roberto Rossellini, Stanley Kubrick, Alain Resnais, Jean-Luc Godard, Harun Farocki o Chris Marker, a partir de las conceptualizaciones de importantes pensadores del siglo XX, como Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Walter Benjamin, Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben y Henri Bergson.
Catequesis y espiritualidad en el De uirtutibus sancti Martini episcopi, de Gregorio de Tours (siglo VI)
Authors: Aguirre Durán Marcelo
Published: March 2021

Durante la segunda mitad del siglo VI, el obispo Gregorio de Tours (573-594) redactó una compilación de cuatro libros de milagros realizados por la intercesión de San Martín, obra conocida como De uirtutibus sancti Martini episcopi. Este texto constituye una valiosa fuente para el estudio de la vida de la Iglesia en la antigua Galia merovingia, pues presenta al santo patrono de la diócesis de Tours como el modelo excelso de obispo e intercesor de los cristianos de la región. Por medio de un análisis de los relatos portentosos y de las características propias de la literatura hagiográfica de la Antigüedad tardía, el trabajo propone un estudio del sentido catequético-doctrinal del mencionado compendio de favores, los cuales son presentados al lector de la época como acontecimientos providentes que posibilitan un acercamiento a las dimensiones personal y comunitaria de la vida cristiana. De este modo, la narración pastoral ejemplifica de manera física y sobrenatural cómo los fieles que llegaban a la tumba-santuario de la ciudad del Loira experimentaban la conversión del alma y, conforme a ello, la acción prodigiosa de Dios. Gracias a la intercesión del santo protector de Tours, el relato expone de manera pedagógico moral el valor de la oración privada, de la penitencia individual y de la puesta en práctica de los ideales ascéticos. Así, la narración literario-pastoral del prelado galorromano Gregorio pone el acento en la acción divina de los milagros, los que constituyen el resultado de un proceso interior que culmina con la compunción del alma, que nace de una sincera humildad cristiana, virtud fundamental para la ascensión espiritual de los bautizados que siguen el ejemplo de san Martín.
Design of a Novel Parallel Mechanism for Haptic Device
Authors: Lixing Jin , Xingguang Duan , Changsheng Li , Qingxin Shi , Hao Wen , Jin Wang , Haoyuan Li
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a novel parallel architecture with seven active degrees of freedom (DOFs) for general-purpose haptic devices. The prime features of the proposed mechanism are partial decoupling, large dexterous working area, and fixed actuators. The detailed processes of design, modeling, and optimization are introduced and the performance is simulated. After that, a mechanical prototype is fabricated and tested. Results of the simulations and experiments reveal that the proposed mechanism possesses excellent performances on motion flexibility and force feedback. This paper aims to provide a remarkable solution of the general-purpose haptic device for teleoperation systems with uncertain mission in complex applications.
Redescriptions of two little known species of Neoseiulus Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) with description of a new species from Russia

Authors: Döker İsmail , Khaustov Vladimir A. , Joharchi Omid
Published: March 2021

Two little known species of the genus Neoseiulus Hughes, N. plantagenis (Kolodochka) and N. tervus Meshkov are redescribed based on the specimens collected from grass-soil in North Caucasus, and Tyumen province, Russia, respectively. In addition, Neoseiulus caucasicus Döker & Khaustov sp. nov. is described based on the adult females which were also collected from grass-soil in North Caucasus, Russia.
New species of Augeriflechtmannia and Tetranychus (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae) and a review of Augeriflechtmannia

Authors: Mahdavi Sayed Mosayeb , Asadi Mahdieh , Latifi Malihe , Seeman Owen D.
Published: March 2021

Two new tetranychine spider mites are described from Astragalus in Iran: Tetranychus neosalsolae sp. nov. and Augeriflechtmannia astragalus sp. nov. The possible close relationship between the new species prompted us to review the genus Augeriflechtmannia Koçak & Kemal, 2008—formerly Diplonychus Auger & Flechtmann, 2003. We refine the genus diagnosis and move Tetranychus armeniaca Bagdasarian, 1951 and Tetranychus iraniensis Mahdavi & Ueckermann, 2013 to Augeriflechtmannia and discuss the possible synonymy of these species. The genus now comprises five species from Armenia, Iran and Tunisia.
Influence of Fluconazole Administration on Gut Microbiome, Intestinal Barrier, and Immune Response in Mice
Authors: Heng Xing , Jiang Yuanhe , Chu Weihua
Published: March 2021

Antibiotics that can treat or prevent infectious diseases play an important role in medical therapy. However, the use of antibiotics has potentially negative effects on the health of the host.
Biofilm Formation by
Listeria monocytogenes
15G01, a Persistent Isolate from a Seafood-Processing Plant, Is Influenced by Inactivation of Multiple Genes Belonging to Different Functional Groups
Authors: Nowak Jessika , Visnovsky Sandra B. , Pitman Andrew R. , Cruz Cristina D. , Palmer Jon , Fletcher Graham C. , Flint Steve
Published: March 2021

The major source of contamination of food with
Listeria monocytogenes
is thought to be due to biofilm formation and/or persistence in food-processing plants. By establishing as a biofilm,
L. monocytogenes
cells become harder to eradicate due to their increased resistance to environmental threats.
Evaluation of Diagnostic Accuracy of Eight Commercial Assays for the Detection of Measles Virus-Specific IgM Antibodies
Authors: Hiebert Joanne , Zubach Vanessa , Charlton Carmen L. , Fenton Jayne , Tipples Graham A. , Fonseca Kevin , Severini Alberto
Published: March 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has targeted measles for global eradication through mass immunization. For effective monitoring of eradication targets, high-quality surveillance is needed.
Stage-Specific
De Novo
Synthesis of Very-Long-Chain Dihydroceramides Confers Dormancy to
Entamoeba
Parasites
Authors: Mi-ichi Fumika , Ikeda Kazutaka , Tsugawa Hiroshi , Deloer Sharmina , Yoshida Hiroki , Arita Makoto
Published: March 2021

Entamoeba
is a protozoan parasite that thrives in its niche by alternating its two forms between a proliferative trophozoite and dormant cyst. Cysts are the only form able to transmit to a new host and are differentiated from trophozoites in a process termed “encystation.” During
Entamoeba
encystation, cell metabolites, components, and morphology drastically change, which occur sequentially in an orchestrated manner.
Magnetostratigraphic study of a Late Cretaceous–Paleogene succession in the eastern Xining basin, NE Tibet: Constraint on the timing of major tectonic events in response to the India-Eurasia collision
Authors: He Chi-Cheng , Zhang Yue-Qiao , Li Shao-Kai , Wang Kai , Ji Jian-Qing
Published: March 2021

Cretaceous-Cenozoic basins developed in the NE Tibetan Plateau contain key archives to unravel the growth history of the plateau in response to the India-Eurasia collision. Here we present magnetostratigraphic results of a Late Cretaceous to Paleogene succession of the Zhongba section outcropping at the southern margin of the eastern Xining basin. This succession consists of three lithological units punctuated by two stratigraphic unconformities, which best recorded the deformation history of this foreland basin. Detailed magnetostratigraphic investigation show that the lower terrestrial sedimentary rock unit, the Minhe Group, was deposited in latest Cretaceous in the time span of ca. 74.5–69.2 Ma; the middle unit was deposited in Paleogene in the time span of ca. 49.3–22 Ma; and the upper conglomeratic unit, not dated, possibly was deposited in early Miocene. Accordingly, the Cretaceous–Paleogene unconformity, widely observed in the foreland basins of NE Tibet, represents a sedimentary hiatus duration of ∼19.9 m.y., from ca. 69.2 Ma to ca. 49.3 Ma, which possibly recorded the far-field response to the tectonic transition from Neo-Tethys oceanic plate subduction to the India-Eurasia collision in southern Tibet. Changes in provenance, sedimentary accumulation rate, and mean susceptibility value at ca. 33–30 Ma, and the total prolate anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) ellipsoids and provenance shifting since ca. 23–19 Ma, point to the pulsed growth of West Qinling, and rapid uplift of Laji Shan, respectively, indicating an enhanced effect of the India-Eurasia collision in Oligocene and early Miocene. AMS results show a clockwise rotation of the shortening direction from NEN-SWS in latest Cretaceous to NE-SW in Paleogene.
Sporadic, classic-type renal angiomyolipoma with renal vein and inferior vena cava extension: an incidental case
Authors: Matute Martinez Carlos Felipe , Hamdan Ahmad , Sierra David Juan Guillermo , Kolli Swapna
Published: March 2021

Renal angiomyolipomas (AMLs) were first described in the early 1900s by Gravitz, but it was not until 1951 that they were named renal AML. These kidney tumours are rare, occurring in 0.13%–0.44% of the population. These mesenchymal tumours are composed of smooth muscle-like, adipocyte-like and epithelioid cells. Depending on the predominant cell population, it can be further subclassified into classic, epithelioid and AML with epithelial cyst. A 32-year-old woman presented with mild, intermittent, epigastric and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasound revealed an incidental lesion within the inferior vena cava (IVC). A CT scan showed a lesion within the left renal vein extending into the IVC with 40% narrowing and a fat-containing mass in the lower pole of the left kidney of 15 mm suggesting an AML. Thrombectomy was performed. The specimen resulted positive for classic variant renal AML. Initial diagnosis is centred on imagining studies, based in fatty tissue concentration. The AML expresses melanocytic markers. This helps differentiate from renal cell carcinoma. Although AML is considered a benign condition, there is evidence of malignant transformation. Active surveillance is recommended for lesions <4 cm. Nephron sparing surgery is the procedure of choice. Nephrectomy is recommended if there is a high probability of malignancy. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors have been proposed to be an alternative treatment.
Child with dengue haemorrhagic fever complicated by ileocaecal intussusception
Authors: Thadchanamoorthy Vijayakumary , Dayasiri Kavinda
Published: March 2021

Dengue fever is one of the most common neglected tropical diseases with an increasing trend seen in Sri Lanka and many other tropical countries. A number of unusual presentations and complications of dengue fever have been reported, and acute abdomen is one such presentation. However, intussusception as the cause of acute abdomen in a patient with dengue haemorrhagic fever has not been previously reported. The authors report a child who was diagnosed to have intussusception during the critical phase of dengue haemorrhagic fever while having a platelet count of 15×103/cumm. The child had initial point-of-care ultrasound followed by detailed ultrasound of the abdomen by the radiologist, and the diagnosis of ileocaecal intussusception was confirmed. Intussusception was relieved by saline reduction and without needing laparotomy. Early diagnosis and non-operative management prevented emergency laparotomy.
Lemierre’s syndrome with cavernous sinus thrombosis caused by dental infection
Authors: Sukkul Peerawat , Kasemsap Narongrit
Published: March 2021

Lemierre’s syndrome is a rare multisystemic infection beginning in oropharynx commonly caused by oral anaerobic organisms and leading to internal jugular vein thrombosis with septic emboli. Here, we describe a 45-year-old woman with hypertension and unrecognised type 2 diabetes who presented to a community hospital with fever, double vision and septic shock. Examination showed neck pain aggravated by neck flexion, limited ocular movement of right lateral rectus, left medial rectus and left superior oblique and incomplete ptosis of the left eye. These symptoms were suggestive of bilateral cavernous sinus syndrome. CT of the brain showed bilateral proximal internal jugular vein and cavernous sinus thrombosis. CT angiography revealed septic emboli at both upper lungs. The patient had good improvement of neurological symptoms after dental extraction, intravenous antibiotic and anticoagulant.
Diagnosis and resection of a giant ovarian cyst presenting in a young patient with contralateral back pain and lower limb deep vein thrombosis
Authors: Perera Duranka , Bolina Anita K , Hoque Nazneen , Razvi Khalil
Published: March 2021

We present a case of a giant ovarian cyst in a 20-year-old woman who presented atypically at our Emergency Department with left-sided back pain followed by acute left leg swelling. Blood tests showed significantly raised C-Reactive Protein and D-Dimer. CT-Abdomen-Pelvis demonstrated a large mass in the region of the right ovary with suspicious heterogeneous filling defects in the left external iliac vein, confirmed as a left-sided deep-vein thrombosis on ultrasound Doppler. MRI revealed the lesion to be cystic and the deep venous thrombosis was treated with twice-daily Clexane. Prior to removal of the cyst, an Inferior Vena Cava Filter was placed to reduce thromboembolic risk. The cyst was resected without complication and the postoperative period was uneventful. This case occurred while face-to-face services were limited by COVID-19 and illustrates the need for robust systemic measures to safeguard patients against the emergency sequelae of insidious gynaecological pathology.
Prone positioning for severe ARDS in a postpartum COVID-19 patient following caesarean section
Authors: Roddy John T , Collier William S , Kurman Jonathan S
Published: March 2021

A 31-year-old pregnant woman presented with symptomatic COVID-19, which was complicated by progressive hypoxaemia requiring intensive care and emergent delivery by caesarean section. Afterward, she was successfully supported with mechanical ventilation and prone positioning and ultimately recovered. We review literature regarding complications of COVID-19 affecting pregnancy and evidence-based treatment strategies.
Use of point-of-care lung ultrasonography in the critical care setting as an aid to identifying the correct diagnosis in an acutely desaturating patient with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Lock Chris , Nix Catherine M
Published: March 2021

A 64-year-old man was intubated and ventilated for COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. He had a background history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischaemic heart disease. His oxygen saturations dropped rapidly to 80% on day 9 of ICU admission. Chest auscultation revealed absent breath sounds over the left upper chest which raised suspicions for pneumothorax, of which a small stable left apical pneumothorax was documented on a recent CT scan of the thorax. Point-of-care ultrasonography was performed prior to attempting chest drain insertion which demonstrated sliding pleura on the left side (GE Healthcare model: Vscan Extend—display: 5 inches, 720×1280 pixels resolution, sector probe—broad bandwidth: 1.7–3.8 MHz, 24 cm penetration and linear probe—broad bandwidth: 3.3–8 MHz, 8 cm penetration). A portable chest X-ray was obtained which demonstrated left upper lobe collapse secondary to mucus plugging. The mucus plug was successfully suctioned from the patient’s airway using bedside bronchoscopy subsequently improving the patient’s oxygen saturation. A follow-up chest X-ray and CT scan of the thorax demonstrated interval resolution of the left upper lobe collapse. While expansion of his existing pneumothorax was first on the list of differential diagnoses, the use of ultrasonography early in the patient’s assessment ensured it was ruled out prior to attempting chest drain insertion, thus prompting the acquisition of the chest X-ray which subsequently demonstrated the left upper lobe collapse as the correct diagnosis.
Comparative effectiveness of exercise training program in patients with heart failure: protocol for a systematic review of randomised controlled trials and network meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Min , Huang Yangxi , Wang Qianyi , Gu Zejuan , Sun Guozhen
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Heart failure (HF) is an end-stage of numerous heart diseases including hypertension, coronary heart disease and arrhythmia, in which the heart is unable to perform its circulatory function with sufficient efficiency due to structural or functional dysfunction (systolic or diastolic alterations). Strategies such as exercise rehabilitation may improve cardiac function, exercise capacity and health-related quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression in patients with HF. However, the relative effectiveness as well as the hierarchy of exercise interventions have not been well established, although various exercise options are available. Therefore, this protocol proposes to conduct a network meta-analysis (NMA) aiming to compare the effectiveness of different types of exercise training in patients with HF.

Methods and analysis

PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library will be searched from inception to March 2021 for relevant randomised controlled trials. Other resources, such as Google Scholar and Clinical Trials.gov will also be considered. Studies assessing exercise rehabilitation in patients with HF will be selected. Two independent reviewers will identify eligible trials. The PEDro risk of bias assessment tool will be used to assess the quality of the included studies. Bayesian NMA will be used when possible to determine the comparative effectiveness of the different exercise interventions. The mean ranks and surface will estimate the ranking probabilities for the optimal intervention of various treatments under the cumulative ranking curve. Subgroup, sensitivity and meta-regression will be conducted to explain the included studies’ heterogeneity if possible. We will also use the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system to assess the strength of evidence.

Ethics and dissemination

This systematic review and NMA will synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of the different exercises in patients with HF. The results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. No ethical approval will be required because the data used for the review will be exclusively extracted from published studies.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020165870.
Parents’ Active Role and ENgagement in The review of their Stillbirth/perinatal death 2 (PARENTS 2) study: a mixed-methods study of implementation
Authors: Burden Christy , Bakhbakhi Danya , Heazell Alexander Edward , Lynch Mary , Timlin Laura , Bevan Charlotte , Storey Claire , Kurinczuk Jennifer J , Siassakos Dimitrios
Published: March 2021

Objective

When a formal review of care takes places after the death of a baby, parents are largely unaware it takes place and are often not meaningfully involved in the review process. Parent engagement in the process is likely to be essential for a successful review and to improve patient safety. This study aimed to evaluate an intervention process of parental engagement in perinatal mortality review (PNMR) and to identify barriers and facilitators to its implementation.

Design

Mixed-methods study of parents’ engagement in PNMR.

Setting

Single tertiary maternity unit in the UK.

Participants

Bereaved parents and healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Interventions

Parent engagement in the PNMR (intervention) was based on principles derived through national consensus and qualitative research with parents, HCPs and stakeholders in the UK.

Outcomes

Recruitment rates, bereaved parents and HCPs’ perceptions.

Results

Eighty-one per cent of bereaved parents approached (13/16) agreed to participate in the study. Two focus groups with bereaved parents (n=11) and HCP (n=7) were carried out postimplementation to investigate their perceptions of the process.

Overarching findings were improved dialogue and continuity of care with parents, and improvements in the PNMR process and patient safety. Bereaved parents agreed that engagement in the PNMR process was invaluable and helped them in their grieving. HCP perceived that parent involvement improved the review process and lessons learnt from the deaths; information to understand the impact of aspects of care on the baby’s death were often only found in the parents’ recollections.

Conclusions

Parental engagement in the PNMR process is achievable and useful for parents and HCP alike, and critically can improve patient safety and future care for mothers and babies. To learn and prevent perinatal deaths effectively, all hospitals should give parents the option to engage with the review of their baby’s death.
Antirheumatic drugs for cardiovascular disease prevention: the case for colchicine
Authors: Lems Willem , Boers Maarten , van Vollenhoven Ronald F , Nurmohamed Mike
Published: March 2021

We summarised four pivotal Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) with antirheumatic drugs on the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. The favourable effects of canakinumab and colchicine confirm (low-grade) inflammation as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. While colchicine might be the first drug in the clinic, we expect that this is only the first in a future series of anti-inflammatory drugs used in secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.
Multiplexed and single-cell detection of microRNA with plasmonic nanoparticle assemblies
Authors: Ghotra Gurbrinder , Le Nguyen H. , Hayder Heyam , Peng Chun , Chen Jennifer I.L.
Published: March 2021

We present a label-free, low cost, and miniatured biosensing platform based on the disassembly of core-satellite plasmonic nanoparticle assemblies. The rapid and selective detection of an exemplary nucleic acid biomarker, has-miRNA-210-3p, was achieved via the strand displacement nucleic acid reaction. Target binding leads to dehybridization of the DNA linkers and changes in the scattering properties of nanostructures as monitored by darkfield microscopy. We demonstrate the ability to detect microRNA expunged from single cells and the potential to multiplex discrete assemblies to enable diverse biological applicability. The work may help translate the applicability of microRNA as diagnostic biomarkers, quantitate their abundance in the microenvironment, and facilitate the study of their correlation or causation to other biomolecules at the single-cell level.
FRW cosmological models with cosmological constant in f(R, T) theory of gravity
Authors: Pradhan Anirudh , Garg Priyanka , Dixit Archana
Published: March 2021

In the present paper, we have generalized the behaviors of the transit-decelerating to accelerating FRW cosmological model in f(R, T) gravity theory, where R and T are Ricci scalar and trace of the energy–momentum tensor, respectively. The solution of the corresponding field equations is obtained by assuming a linear function of the Hubble parameter H (i.e., q = c1 + c2H), which gives a time-dependent deceleration parameter [Formula: see text], where c3 and c2 are arbitrary integrating constants (Tiwari et al. Eur. Phys. J. Plus, 131, 447 (2016); Ibid. 132, 126 (2017)). There are two scenarios in which we explain the particular form of scale factor thus obtained: (i) by using the recent constraints from observational Hubble data (OHD) and joint light curves (JLA) data, which show a cosmic deceleration to acceleration and (ii) by using new constraints from supernovae type Ia union data, which show accelerating expansion of the universe (q < 0) throughout its evolution. We have observed that EoS parameter, energy density parameters, and important cosmological planes yield results compatible with the modern observational data. For the derived models, we have calculated various physical parameters as luminosity distance, distance modulus, and apparent magnitude versus redshift for both current supporting observations.
A neural network approach for solution of the Schrödinger equation for a particle in the Pöschl–Teller potential
Authors: Arora Garvit , Singh Apoorva , Bandhu Ashutosh Vishwa
Published: March 2021

We use a shallow artificial neural network (ANN) to solve the Schrödinger equation and find the ground state energy and wavefunction for a particle in the Pöschl–Teller potential. We also use the finite difference method (FDM) to find these quantities and compare the results obtained using the two methods with the analytical results. Results obtained using the neural network are in good agreement with the analytical results. Our work reaffirms the promising nature of application of artificial neural networks in quantum mechanics.
AKITA: A CAREER COUNSELING CASE FOR PRACTICE AND THEORETICAL REFLECTION
Authors: WONG SHUI-WAI
Published: March 2021

A case in the Hong Kong Chinese context is presented in this paper to illustrate the use of both quantitative (Holland's SDS) and qualitative career assessment (Card Sorts) to help a 16-year-old girl overcome career indecision. Guided by both Holland's Hexagonal Career Types Theory and Socio-Cognitive Career Theory, a career counsellor can promote a client's positive changes after two counseling sessions. This case supports Tracey's (2002) and Nauta et al.'s (2002) postulated bidirectional causal path between self-efficacy and interests. In addition, it highlights that partial match instead of perfect match between Self-directed search (SDS) scores and choice of academic major is more pragmatic or effective while performing quantitative assessment. Finally, it points to the need for establishing local SDS norms, examining the Holland codes for occupations in Hong Kong, and researching the link between congruence and maximal career outcomes in future research.
從寫工到寫功：論專業文書工作對社工的重要性
Authors: 梁 建雄
Published: March 2021

作為一個以「執行」與「實踐」為主的專業，社會工作主要是以不同的介入手段，促成人或事情的改變；而為了保障我們的工作合符專業規範與水平，並且向服務資助方說明我們工作的專業性與價值，完善與具質素的文書紀錄、例如方案書、個案紀錄和計劃報告等，對社工都有重要的價值。或者因為文書工作的數量一直在增加，近年社工界興起的反管理主義討論中，文書工作就被認定為管理主義的標誌。而作為一位資深公務員社工，本文作者以日常工作經驗和反思，說明了文書工作對社工的確切重要性，並且提出改進相關能力的意見，以供同業參考。
Possible new evidence for Mid-Pleistocene glaciation in the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire, UK
Authors: Fairburn William A. , Bateman Mark D.
Published: March 2021

Whilst the Late Devensian glaciation (MIS2) of the Vale of Pickering is well-documented, earlier glaciations within it are not. A proposed limited glaciation in the Mid-Pleistocene, thought to be of Marine Isotope Stage 8 (MIS) age is not well constrained. This paper aims to obtain preliminary ages for two of the most prominent geomorphic features in the Vale of Pickering to see if they related to pre-Devensian glaciations. New luminescence dating by infra-red stimulation of feldspars from sand accumulations near the summit of Gallows Hill, part of the Wykeham Moraine, and from a section through poorly sorted fluvial sand and gravel on the flanks of the Hutton Buscel Terrace in Yedman Dale gave ages of 176  ±  14 ka and 156  ±  12 ka, respectively. Evidence suggests they represent a glacial incursion (MIS 6) into the Vale of Pickering blocking its eastern end and forming a pre-Devensian Glacial Lake Pickering. Whilst they could be older, this style of glaciation is very different to the limited plateau ice-field proposed for MIS 8 at the western end of the Vale of Pickering. Taken at face value, these preliminary ages suggest that the Vale of Pickering was partially glaciated in MIS 6 as part of a wider ice sheet and contemporary with the Saalian glaciation in Europe.
The Book Review Column
Authors: Green Frederic
Published: March 2021

In this column, we review these three books: 1. Algorithmic Aspects of Machine Learning, by Ankur Moitra. A succinct book about theoretical aspects of ML. Review by Sarvagya Upadhyay. 2. Network Flow Algorithms, by David Williamson. An examination of many aspects of these important algorithms. Review by S.V. Nagaraj. 3. The Theory of Quantum Information, by John Watrous. A new, unified treatment of this vital area. Review by Steve Fenner.
Technical Report Column
Authors: Kelley Dean
Published: March 2021

Welcome to the Technical Reports Column. If your institution publishes technical reports that you'd like to have included here, please contact me at the email address above.
SIGACT News Complexity Theory Column 108
Authors: Hemaspaandra Lane A.
Published: March 2021

Warmest thanks to Rafael Pass and Muthu Venkitasubramaniam for this issue's guest column, "Average-Case Complexity Through the Lens of Interactive Puzzles." When I mentioned to them that my introduction would have a section on Alan Selman's passing, they immediately wrote back that they were very sorry to hear of Alan's passing, and mentioned (as you will see discussed in the second page of their article), "The main problem that we are addressing actually goes back to a paper of Even, Selman, and Yacobi from 1984: "The Complexity of Promise Problems with Applications to Public-Key Cryptography'." It is beautiful, and a tribute to the lasting influence of Alan's research, that in the 2020s his work from many decades earlier is helping shape the field's dialogue.
Guest Column
Authors: Pass R. , Venkitasubramaniam M.
Published: March 2021

We review a study of average-case complexity through the lens of interactive puzzles- interactive games between a computationally bounded Challenger and computationally-bounded Solver/Attacker. Most notably, we use this treatment to review a recent result showing that if NP is hard-on-the-average, then there exists a sampleable distribution over only true statements of an NP language, for which no probabilistic polynomial time algorithm can find witnesses. We also discuss connections to the problem of whether average-case hardness in NP implies averagecase hardness in TFNP, or the existence of cryptographic one-way functions.
Byzantine Agreement with Less Communication
Authors: Cohen Shir , Keidar Idit , Naor Oded
Published: March 2021

The development of reliable distributed systems often relies on Byzantine Agreement (BA) [26]. In this problem, a set of correct processes aim to reach a common decision, despite the presence of malicious ones. BA has been around for four decades, yet practical use-cases for it in large-scale systems have emerged only in the last decade. One major application for BA is cryptocurrencies. For example, Bitcoin [30], the rst cryptocurrency, requires a large set of users to agree on the state of the blockchain. Since Bitcoin is a real currency with real value, the need to protect it against Byzantine users is crucial. Following Bitcoin, many other blockchains and FinTech platforms have emerged, e.g., [6,21,30,36]. Consequently, an efficient implementation, in terms of communication, has become one of the main foci of BA solutions.
Remembrances of Alan
Authors: Fenner Stephen
Published: March 2021

Alan L. Selman, who profoundly shaped the eld of computational complexity and who sup- ported and encouraged students and colleagues in so many ways, died on January 22, 2021 at the age of 79. On the pages that follow are six remembrances of him and his work from people who knew him well, ranging from the personal to the technical. I'd like to thank them all profusely|Lance Fortnow, Steven Homer, Mitsu Ogihara, Ken Regan, Jin-Yi Cai, Aduri Pavan|for their contribu- tions on such short notice, and I apologize in advance for not reaching out to others, simply for lack of time.
Selective and Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of ATP in Human Serum Samples at ZrO2 Hallow Spheres Modified GCE
Authors: Kalaiyarasi J. , Pandian K.
Published: March 2021

Zirconium oxide hollow sphere with nanoscale 3D dimensions was successfully synthesized using the carbon sphere as a hard template in which ZrOCl2 was used as a metal oxide precursor. Slow hydrolysis of zirconium oxide precursor yields a thin layer coating over the carbon sphere after subsequent calcinations at elevated temperature results hollow spheres of uniform-sized ZrO2 was obtained. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies were used to establish the interfacial electron transfer of the modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). An enhanced electrochemical oxidation peak potential of ATP was noted at + 1.35 V vs Ag/AgCl at Chit-ZrO2 modified GCE which was used as an indicator electrode. A linear graph was obtained by plotting Ip vs conc. ATP at Chit-ZrO2/GCE yields good linearity in the different concentration ranges from 0.6 μM to 98.0 μM based on amperometry studies with a LOD of 70 nM and the resulting electrochemical current sensitivity of 113.11 μA·μM−1 · cm−2. Henceforth, the preparation method can be utilized for electrochemical detection of ATP which is considered as one of the biomarkers for bacterial infection in serum samples.
Investigation of W, Ag, and Pt Quasi-Reference Electrode Stability in Molten NaCl-CaCl2 with Ce(0)/Ce(III) as an Internal Reference Redox Reaction
Authors: Killinger Dimitris , Phongikaroon Supathorn
Published: March 2021

This work reports on the stability of quasi-reference electrode (QRE) material candidates for use in a NaCl-CaCl2 molten salt eutectic at 823 K in comparison to that of the conventional Ag(I)/Ag reference electrode in a mullite sheath with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and an internal reference of the cerium redox couple (Ce(0)/Ce() via CeCl3 addition). In addition, effects of QRE size, working electrode surface area, and scan rate were investigated for potential QRE candidates. A tungsten rod (1.5 mm) has been determined to be most stable with repeatable results and a long usable life of the QRE materials studied. The stability of the measured current using the tungsten quasi-reference electrode is affected by both scan rate (mV/s) and surface area of the working electrode during the CV technique. In contrast to tungsten, the stability of the platinum wires in this system were considered poor. Silver wire becomes more stable with increasing size.
Footballer Action Tracking and Intervention Using Deep Learning Algorithm
Authors: Yang Guanghui , Wang Lijun , Xu Xiaofeng , Xia Jixiang
Published: March 2021

Fédération Internationale de Football Association is the governing body of the football world cup. The international tournament of football requires extensive training of all football players and athletes. In the training process of footballers, players and coaches recognize the training actions completed by footballers. The training actions are compared with standard actions, calculate losses, and scientifically intervene in the training processes. This intervention is important for better results during the training sessions. Coaches must determine and confirm that every action performed by the footballers meets the minimum standards. It is because the actions of individual players are performed quickly; as a result, the coach’s eye may not produce accurate results as human activities are prone to errors. Therefore, this paper designs and develops a footballer’s motion and gesture recognition and intervention algorithm using a convolutional neural network (CNN). In this proposed algorithm, initially, texture features and HSV features of the footballer’s posture image are extracted and then a dual-channel CNN is constructed. Each characteristic is extracted separately, and the output of the dual-channel network is combined. Finally, the obtained results are passed from a fully connected CNN to estimate and construct the posture image of the footballer. This article performs experimental testing and comparative analysis on a wide range of data and also conducts ablation studies. The experimental work shows that the proposed algorithm achieves better performance results.