bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inflammation-Related Factors Identified as Biomarkers of Dehydration and Subsequent Acute Kidney Injury in Agricultural Workers
Authors: Houser Madelyn C. , Mac Valerie , Smith Daniel J. , Chicas Roxana C. , Xiuhtecutli Nezahualcoyotl , Flocks Joan D. , Elon Lisa , Tansey Malú Gámez , Sands Jeff M. , McCauley Linda , Hertzberg Vicki S.
Published: May 2021

Globally, there is increasing recognition that agricultural workers are at risk for chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKD u). Recurrent heat exposure, physical exertion, dehydration, muscle damage, and inflammation are hypothesized to contribute to the development of CKD u, but the relative importance of these processes and the interactions among them remain unclear. Moreover, there is a need to identify biomarkers that could distinguish individuals who are at greatest risk for kidney damage to target preventative interventions for CKD u. In this study, we evaluated dehydration and markers of inflammation, muscle damage, and renal function in agricultural workers at a non-workday baseline assessment. Urine specific gravity and kidney function were measured before and after work shifts on three subsequent days, and heat index, core body temperature, and heart rate were monitored during the work shifts. A combination of direct comparisons and machine learning algorithms revealed that reduced levels of uromodulin and sodium in urine and increased levels of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in serum were indicative of dehydration at baseline, and that dehydration, high body mass index, reduced urine uromodulin, and increased serum interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein at baseline were predictive of acute kidney injury on subsequent workdays. Our findings suggest a method for identifying agricultural workers at greatest risk for kidney injury and reveal potential mechanisms responsible for this process, including pathways overlapping in dehydration and kidney injury. These results will guide future studies confirming these mechanisms and introducing interventions to protect kidney health in this vulnerable population.
Long term results of accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking in pediatric keratoconus
Authors: Cinar Yasin , Han Cagla Cilem , Sahin Alparslan , Syed Zeba A
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

To evaluate the long term visual, refractive, and corneal tomographic outcomes of epithelium-off accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking (ACXL) in the management of pediatric keratoconus (KC).

Methods:

This retrospective study included patients under 18 years old with progressive KC who underwent ACXL between 2012 and 2019 at Dicle University Hospital. Complete ophthalmic examination was performed including uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), best spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest refraction, and corneal tomography. Evaluations were performed preoperatively and at 6 months intervals postoperatively.

Results:

Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients were included in the study. The mean age of patients at the time of ACXL was 14.2 ± 1.8 (range: 9.5–17.3) years. Mean follow up was 4.61 ± 1.90 (range: 2.0–8.1) years. The mean LogMAR UDVA improved from 0.94 ± 0.41 to 0.81 ± 0.43, 0.69 ± 0.41, and 0.67 ± 0.33 after 1, 3, and 5 years respectively ( p = 0.001). The mean LogMAR CDVA improved from 0.58 ± 0.36 to 0.46 ± 0.31, 0.34 ± 0.23, and 0.39 ± 0.27 after 1, 3, and 5 years respectively ( p = 0.015). The mean refractive cylinder improved significantly from 6.01 ± 2.07 diopters (D) to 5.46 ± 1.87, 5.38 ± 2.18, and 5.02 ± 2.31 D after 1, 3, and 5 years respectively ( p = 0.005). As compared to preoperative values, steep keratometry and maximum keratometry were not significantly different ( p = 0.805 and 0.448, respectively) following ACXL, while flat keratometry significantly improved after ACXL ( p = 0.012). Although central corneal thicknesses decreased significantly ( p = 0.029), the decrease in thinnest corneal thickness was not statistically significant ( p = 0.205).

Conclusion:

Epithelium-off ACXL seems to be effective for halting KC progression with long term clinical benefits in pediatric patients.
Bilateral idiopathic choroidal hyperpigmentation
Authors: Venkatesh Ramesh , Reddy NikithaGurram , Cherry Jophy Philips , Pereira Arpitha , Yadav Naresh Kumar , Chhablani Jay
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

To report a series of cases showing bilateral circumpapillary hyperpigmentation on routine fundus examination.

Methods:

In this observational case series, three patients showing bilateral circumpapillary hyperpigmentation on routine fundus examination were included. Multimodal retinal imaging was done for these cases.

Results:

Multimodal imaging of the lesion showed the hyper pigmentation to be confined to the choroid. The optical coherence tomography scans described the features through the hyperpigmented area, adjacent hypopigmented area and the normally pigmented area of the fundus as suggestive of choroidal hyper melanosis. Follow-up of these lesions over a period of 2–6 years showed no change in the vision or characteristics of the lesion.

Conclusion:

Bilateral circumpapillary hyperpigmentation needs to be considered as a differential for bilateral peripapillary pigmented lesions.
Borderlands Earth Care Youth Institute Restoration Work in the U.S./Mexico Borderlands
Authors: Weaver Caleb
Published: May 2021

The Borderlands Earth Care Youth (BECY) Institute is an example of hands-on environmental education where high school students engage with restoration. BECY inspires and trains the next generation of land stewards by hiring borderland youth to restore their home watersheds. The 12-person youth crews, currently located in two rural communities just north of the U.S./Mexico border, are paid to implement hands-on restoration, utilizing science-based techniques, to return biodiversity to the landscape and urban binational communities. During its 8-year program, BECY interns have been hired to refill plummeting groundwater tables, stabilize dwindling native pollinator populations, revegetate barren landscapes, arrest erosion, link fragmented wildlife corridors, and support sustainable food systems. Each BECY crew is led by two young adults, ages 21 to 26, who are graduates of the program. Restoration projects are completed in collaboration with local conservation professionals working in careers accessible to local youth. Along with tiered near-peer mentorship, BECY crews develop leadership and team-building skills while learning critical concepts in watershed, ecosystem, and food system restoration. Youth interns graduate from the BECY crew by completing independent restoration projects and presenting a report of their project at a community graduation ceremony. Through prolonged contact with restoration professionals across the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative, BECY has bridged a gap in establishing viable restoration-based economies in multiple underserved rural border communities, with the goal of catalyzing an ethic of cross-border land stewardship for generations into the future.
Lateralization of lexical processing in monolinguals and bilinguals
Authors: Mergen Filiz , Kuruoglu Gulmira
Published: May 2021

Aims and objectives:

This study aims to investigate how lexical processing (LP) is organized in early Turkish–English bilinguals and Turkish monolinguals.

Methodology:

We used a visual hemifield paradigm where bilingual ( n = 48) and monolingual ( n = 53) participants performed a lexical decision task. Bilingual participants performed the task in both their languages.

Data and analysis:

We recorded response times (RTs) and the accuracy rates (ARs) of the participants. An analysis of variance and t-test were run to analyze the bilingual and monolingual data, respectively.

Findings:

The results obtained from the analysis of the RTs and ARs for the Turkish and English words showed a balanced hemispheric organization in LP in bilingual speakers. The RTs for Turkish words in the monolingual group provided supportive evidence for the predominant role of the left hemisphere in LP. However, no significant difference was found in the accuracy of their answers, suggesting that the monolingual participants’ performance was not influenced by visual field of presentation of the words. Finally, the comparison of the two groups revealed that bilingual participants’ performance was inferior to monolinguals’ in speed and accuracy of processing of words presented in both visual fields. This result gives further support for the differential representation of LP in monolinguals and bilinguals.

Originality:

The psycholinguistic literature abounds with studies of LP in bilinguals and monolinguals from a variety of language backgrounds; however, there is much less data regarding the brain correlates of LP in Turkish–English bilinguals and Turkish monolinguals.

Implications:

Since Turkish–English bilinguals and Turkish monolinguals are underrepresented in the literature as compared to the population who speak other languages with alphabetic writing, this study provides preliminary data for future studies.

Limitations:

We did not control for gender or lexical factors such as orthographic neighbors when designing the word sets used as stimuli.
Impacts of ambient pressure on the stability of smoke layers and maximum smoke temperature under ceiling in ventilated tunnels
Authors: Xu Tong , Tang Fei , Xu Xuhao , He Qing
Published: May 2021

In tunnel fire, smoke is a great threat to successful emergency escapes, and its spreading patterns at high altitude tunnel may differ. Therefore, the impact of ambient pressure on the stability of smoke layers and maximum smoke temperature under ceiling in ventilated tunnels were investigated in this study. Results show that the temperature of smoke layer is negatively correlated with the longitudinal velocity and ambient pressure. Besides, the influence of longitudinal velocity at different ambient pressures on the shear velocity between the smoke and air layers was further studied. Using Richardson number ( Ri) and Froude number ( Fr), smoke flow can be classified into three patterns, namely stable and obvious smoke stratification ( Ri>3.2 or Fr < 0.38), a stable smoke layer but with blurred interface (2.3 <  Ri < 3.2 or 0.38 <  Fr < 0.53) and a completely unstable smoke stratification ( Ri < 2.3 or Fr > 0.53). Furthermore, a model has been developed to predict maximum smoke temperature under the tunnel ceiling, which agrees well with previous studies at standard atmospheric pressure. The results of the present work provide information for tunnel structure protection and safe evacuation in fire accidents at different ambient pressures.
Enhancing the tellability of death-row exoneree narratives: Exploring the role of rhetoric
Authors: Rajah Valli , Thomas Christopher , Shlosberg Amy , Chu Sarah P
Published: May 2021

Individuals make sense of experience through telling stories they hope others will hear. To establish an interpretive connection with their audience, narrators must tell stories that are tellable, conceptualized as engaging but not too socially or emotionally challenging. We analyze the narratives of death-sentenced exoneree activists. When depicting their wrongful convictions, we find exoneree activists convey accepted critiques of criminal justice system processing through familiar tropes that reinforce shared understanding with their audience. When representing their unique suffering and conveying a more critical perspective, exonerees marshal sarcasm, metaphor, and litotes. These rhetorical devices convey irony that encourages listeners to question their assumptions, thereby, enhancing audience receptivity to exonerees’ perspectives. We consider the broader significance of figurative language in narrative representations of justice-system involvement.
“I have to be a man for my son”: The narrative uses of fatherhood in prison
Authors: Schultz William J , Bucerius Sandra M , Haggerty Kevin D
Published: May 2021

Research on incarcerated fathers tends to accentuate the harmful familial consequences of parental incarceration and discuss how having children might prompt incarcerated fathers to desist from crime. Less attention has focused on how narratives of fatherhood shape the day-to-day dynamics of incarceration. Drawing on 93 qualitative interviews with incarcerated fathers in Western Canada, we focus specifically on our participants’ parenting narratives. Such narratives are significant interventions in the world, allowing incarcerated fathers to frame their identities in particular ways while simultaneously shaping personal behaviour. Our research, 1. Identifies important fatherhood narratives provided by our participants, and 2. Details how such narratives operate in prison, allowing our participants to advance personal agendas that are themselves related to the dynamics of incarceration. In doing so, we provide insights into incarcerated fathers’ situations and advance criminological efforts to appreciate how different actors entangled in the criminal justice system conceive, manage, and narrate their situation.
Stability analysis of rotating shaft under electromagnetic and bearing oil-film forces
Authors: Eftekhari Mojtaba , Eftekhari Malihe , Rahmatabadi Asghar Dashti
Published: May 2021

The stability of the fixed pints of a flexible rotor supported by journal bearings is investigated through the Bifurcation diagrams. In this paper the effect of nonlinear electromagnetic harmonic force is added to the simultaneous consideration of the effects of the nonlinearity in curvature and inertia, mass eccentricity and hydrodynamic forces of the journal bearings. Solution of the Reynolds equation renders the pressure distribution in the bearings. The bearing forces are found from integrating the pressure distribution on the surface of bearings. Derivation of the equations is performed using the Hamilton's principle and the nonlinearity terms are related to the eccentricity and the curvature of shaft. Primary and combination resonances are imposed to the rotor-bearing system and steady state responses show the effects of magnetic and bearing forces on the stability of amplitudes. In combination resonance, frequency of the electromagnetic load is tuned as the average of the forward and backward natural frequencies of the rotor. Existence of unstable Hopf points demonstrates that periodic, quasi-periodic and chaotic motions may be arisen in the nonlinear behavior of rotor.
Lost in the stream? Professional efficacy perceptions of journalists in the context of dark participation
Authors: Wintterlin Florian , Langmann Klara , Boberg Svenja , Frischlich Lena , Schatto-Eckrodt Tim , Quandt Thorsten
Published: May 2021

Online comments and contributions from users are not always constructive nor rational. This also applies to content that is directed at journalists or published on journalistic platforms. So-called ‘dark participation’ in online communication is a challenge that journalists have to face because it lowers users’ perceived credibility of media brands and hinders a deliberative discourse in comment sections. This study examines how journalists perceive themselves in relation to dark participation, what measures they take against it, and how they assess the efficacy of these measures. Based on in-depth interviews ( N = 26), we find that journalists overall considered themselves to be effective in handling dark participation. The perceived efficacy differed according to the grade of engagement with users. Journalists who interacted very much or very little with users perceive the efficacy of their interventions to be highest, whilst those with medium levels of interaction rate their efficacy to be lower. Furthermore, the perceived amount of dark participation also affected the perceived efficacy.
After the revolution: Tunisian journalism students and a news media in transition
Authors: Bowe Brian J. , Nielsen Carolyn , Kooli Arwa , Somai Rafia , Gosen Joe
Published: May 2021

A decade after the Jasmine Revolution ushered in the Arab Spring, Tunisia remains a bright spot for democratic reform and press freedom in the Middle East and North Africa. However, this transition is still tentative, and the reforms remain fragile. This study examines Tunisian journalism students ( N = 193) to understand their motivations for earning a degree in the field and how they conceptualize journalism’s role in society. By studying Tunisian journalism students’ motivations for entering this transforming field, and how those students perceive their pre-professional roles, we may gain a glimpse into how they are internalizing the lessons of the revolution. The results of this survey showed that students emphasized social responsibility motivations for studying journalism. Participants most strongly valued the role of journalists in promoting tolerance and cultural diversity, educating the audience, letting people express their views, reporting things as they are, and supporting national development. These results suggest that Tunisian students view their work as assuming monitorial and interventionist roles.
High-output diesel engine heat transfer: Part 1 - comparison between piston heat flux and global energy balance
Authors: Gingrich Eric , Tess Michael , Korivi Vamshi , Ghandhi Jaal
Published: May 2021

High-output diesel engine heat transfer measurements are presented in this paper, which is the first of a two-part series of papers. Local piston heat transfer, based on fast-response piston surface temperature data, is compared to global engine heat transfer based on thermodynamic data. A single-cylinder research engine was operated at multiple conditions, including very high-output cases – 30 bar IMEPg and 250 bar in-cylinder pressure. A wireless telemetry system was used to acquire fast-response piston surface temperature data, from which heat flux was calculated. An interpolation and averaging procedure was developed and a method to recover the steady-state portion of the heat flux based on the in-cylinder thermodynamic state was applied. The local measurements were spatially integrated to find total heat transfer, which was found to agree well with the global thermodynamic measurements. A delayed onset of the rise of spatially averaged heat flux was observed for later start of injection timings. The dataset is internally consistent, for example, the local measurements match the global values, which makes it well suited for heat transfer correlation development; this development is pursued in the second part of this paper.
Numerical investigation of a fueled pre-chamber spark-ignition natural gas engine
Authors: Kim Joohan , Scarcelli Riccardo , Som Sibendu , Shah Ashish , Biruduganti Munidhar S , Longman Douglas E
Published: May 2021

Pre-chamber spark-ignition (PCSI) is a leading advanced ignition concept for internal combustion engines with the potential to enable diesel-like efficiency in medium-duty/heavy-duty (MD/HD) natural gas (NG) engines. By leveraging distributed ignition sources from multiple turbulent jets, the PCSI technology can deliver extremely short combustion duration in ultra-lean mixtures and significantly improve the engine thermal efficiency. However, in the automotive industry there is a lack of adequate science base and predictive simulation tools required for commercial development of PCSI engines. In this study, Reynolds-Average Navier-Stokes simulations are carried out to describe the combustion process in lean-burn NG engines, focusing on the combustion modeling approach. Two combustion models, multi-zone well-stirred reactor (MZ-WSR) and G-equation, are used to simulate the combustion process in an MD NG engine equipped with a fueled-PCSI system for four operating conditions close to the lean operating limit. A skeletal chemical mechanism and a laminar flame speed tabulation are used to compute the combustion accurately. Simulation results are compared with experimental data regarding measured cylinder pressure, heat release rate, and combustion duration. By dividing the PCSI combustion process into four distinct phases, the difference between the two models’ results for each phase is analyzed in detail. The MZ-WSR model overestimates the combustion duration for early flame kernel growth in the pre-chamber due to the lack of a specific formulation to take turbulence-chemistry interaction into account. Despite the prolonged combustion duration and low pressure built-up inside the pre-chamber, the model matches the combustion rate in the main-chamber. In contrast, the G-equation model delivers good agreements for the pre-chamber combustion and turbulent jet-driven combustion processes. However, the model starts to underestimate the combustion rate in the main-chamber, especially under ultra-lean mixture conditions. Finally, improvements are needed for both models to simulate the later combustion stage that occurred in the near-wall regions.
Hub biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma based on microarray technology
Authors: Cui Kai , Chen Jin-hui , Zou Yang-fan , Zhang Shu-yuan , Wu Bing , Jing Kai , Li Li-weng , Xia Liang , Sun Caixing , Dong Ya-lan
Published: May 2021

Background:

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common clinical intracranial malignancy worldwide, and the most common supratentorial tumor in adults. GBM mainly causes damage to the brain tissue, which can be fatal. This research explored potential gene targets for the diagnosis and treatment of GBM using bioinformatic technology.

Methods:

Public data from patients with GBM and controls were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Gene Expression Omnibus 2R (GEO2R). Construction of the protein–protein interaction network and the identification of a significant module were performed. Subsequently, hub genes were identified, and their expression was examined and compared by real-time quantitative (RT-q)PCR between patients with GBM and controls.

Results:

GSE122498 (GPL570 platform), GSE104291 (GPL570 platform), GSE78703_DMSO (GPL15207 platform), and GSE78703_LXR (GPL15207 platform) datasets were obtained from the GEO. A total of 130 DEGs and 10 hub genes were identified by GEPIA and GEO2R between patients with GBM and controls. Of these, strong connections were identified in correlation analysis between CCNB1, CDC6, KIF23, and KIF20A. RT-qPCR showed that all 4 of these genes were expressed at significantly higher levels in patients with GBM compared with controls.

Conclusions:

The hub genes CCNB1, CDC6, KIF23, and KIF20A are potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of GBM.
A low-complexity, energy-efficient data securing model for wireless sensor network based on linearly complex voice encryption mechanism of GSM technology
Authors: Khan M Saud , Khan Noor M , Khan Ahmad , Aadil Farhan , Tahir M , Sardaraz M
Published: May 2021

A wireless sensor network is the formation of a temporary network of sensor nodes equipped with limited resources working in an ad hoc environment. Routing protocol is one of the key challenges while designing a wireless sensor network, which requires optimum use of limited resources of a sensor node, such as power and so on. Similarly, data security and integrity is another open issue that has emerged as a flash point in research community in the last decade. This article proposes a secure model for routing data from source to destination named as secure and energy-efficient routing. The proposed secure and energy-efficient routing is inherited from authentication and voice encryption scheme developed for Global System for Mobile Communications. Necessary modifications have been carried out in order to fit the Global System for Mobile Communications technology in a wireless sensor network ad hoc environment. Due to its low complexity, the secure and energy-efficient routing consumes lesser battery power both during encryption/decryption and for routing purposes. It is due to the XoR operation used in the proposed scheme which is considered as the most inexpensive process with respect to time and space complexity. It is observed through simulations that secure and energy-efficient routing can work effectively even in critical power level in a sensor network. The article also presents a simulation-based comparative analysis of the proposed secure and energy-efficient routing with two notable existing secure routing protocols. We proved that the proposed secure and energy-efficient routing helps to achieve the desired performance under dynamically changing network conditions with various numbers of malicious nodes. Moreover, in Global System for Mobile Communications, generally three linear feedback shift registers are used to fragment the key in data encryption mechanism. In this article, a mathematical model is proposed to increase the number of possible combinations of shift register in order to make the data encryption mechanism more secure which has never been done before. Due to its liner complexity, lesser power consumption, and more dynamic route updating, the secure and energy-efficient routing can easily find its use in the emerging Internet-of-Things systems.
Mental Health in Lifestyle Medicine: A Call to Action
Authors: Merlo Gia , Vela Alyssa
Published: May 2021

Mental health symptoms are pervasive, with 1 in 5 American adults experiencing a mental disorder. Poor mental health is associated with a significant global cost burden, from disability to economic impacts. The field of lifestyle medicine, which emphasizes the role of lifestyle factors in the onset and treatment of disease and well-being, is well suited to address mental health. More recently, there has been attention to the need to incorporate mental health into the field of lifestyle medicine and to attend to the bidirectional role of mental health and lifestyle. Thus, there is a critical opportunity for the field of lifestyle medicine to incorporate mental health into each of the foundational pillars (diet, exercise, substance use, psychological well-being/stress, relationships, sleep) while also specifically targeting lifestyle interventions for populations with mental disorders. The current article provides a framework for the role of mental health within lifestyle medicine by addressing the scope of the problem, clarification regarding mental health, and areas of practice (ie, psychiatry), and providing an overview of the relevant mental health literature for each pillar. This article serves as a call to action to explicitly address and include mental health within all aspects of lifestyle medicine research and practice.
Sensitivity analysis of the hygrothermal behaviour of homogeneous masonry constructions: Interior insulation, rainwater infiltration and hydrophobic treatment
Authors: Calle Klaas , Van Den Bossche Nathan
Published: May 2021

Historical masonry constructions are difficult to mimic in hygrothermal models. The material properties of the walls are often highly uncertain due to the natural origin of the aggregates and the various, manual production processes used through time. Therefore, sensitivity analyses based on probabilistic simulations are powerful tools to indicate the risks on damage in masonry constructions. Damage criteria for relevant pathologies such as frost damage, potential decay of wooden beam heads and mould growth at the interior surface are used. The assessment methods (Scatter plots, Classification trees and Sobol indices) are based on 1D Heat, Air and Moisture simulations, including realistic variations on climate parameters and wall properties. These methodologies are applied to probabilistic simulations in which a potential damage risk is expected in historic masonries. The application of interior insulation, the use of hydrophobic treatments, and the impact of potential water infiltrations through cracks are discussed. In most of these situations a high dependency of each of the damage criteria on the rain intensity, the trend of the moisture retention/liquid conductivity curve and the absorption coefficient is evident, but also additional insights are found. For example, the thermal impact of interior insulation is negligible compared to its reduction of the first phase drying potential towards the interior. For hydrophobic treatments, the risk for damage typically decreases, but in combination with a rain water infiltration rate above approximately 5% of the wind driven rain the risk on mould growth at the interior surface significantly increases.
Biomechanical comparison of intramedullary screw fixation, dorsal plating and K-wire fixation for stable metacarpal shaft fractures
Authors: Galbraith John G. , Huntington Lachlan S. , Borbas Paul , Ackland David C. , Tham Stephen K. , Ek Eugene T.
Published: May 2021

We compared four methods of metacarpal shaft fixation: 2.2 mm intramedullary headless compression screw; 3.0 mm intramedullary headless compression screw; intramedullary K-wire fixation; and dorsal plate fixation. Transverse mid-diaphyseal fractures were created in 64 metacarpal sawbones and were assigned into four groups. Peak load to failure and stiffness were measured in cantilever bending and torsion. We found that dorsal plating had the highest peak load to failure. However, initial bending stiffness of the 3.0 mm intramedullary headless compression screw was higher than that of the dorsal plates. In torsion testing, dorsal plating had the highest peak torque, but there was no significant difference in torsional stiffness between the plate and intramedullary headless compression screw constructs. We concluded that intramedullary headless compression screw fixation is biomechanically superior to K-wires in cantilever bending and torsion; however, it is less stable than dorsal plating. In our study, the initial stability provided by K-wire fixation was sufficient to cope with expected loads in the early rehabilitation period, whereas dorsal plates and IHCS constructs provided stability far in excess of what is required.
Proyecto piloto de promoción de la salud en consumo dual de cannabis y tabaco en universitarios: ÉVICT-Universidad
Authors: Villanueva Víctor J. , Herrera-Gutiérrez Eva , Redondo-Martín Susana , Isorna Manuel , Lozano-Polo Adelaida
Published: May 2021

Introducción:

La universidad es el lugar de formación de los futuros profesionales de los ámbitos educativo, sanitario y social. La implementación de programas de formación, prevención de adicciones y promoción de la salud con universitarios provoca un doble impacto, sobre el propio individuo y, dado su papel mediador, sobre la comunidad universitaria en general. El objetivo del trabajo es, partiendo de un proyecto piloto de investigación-acción, establecer un marco de promoción de la salud en contraposición al consumo dual de cannabis y tabaco en el contexto universitario, involucrando a la comunidad universitaria como agente de cambio.

Metodología:

Estudio descriptivo de la implementación, cobertura y resultados preliminares del Proyecto piloto ÉVICT-Universidad.

Resultados:

Entre el 2018 y el 2020 se implementó el Proyecto ÉVICT-Universidad en 11 universidades. Se formó a estudiantes universitarios como mediadores y se realizaron actividades comunitarias de sensibilización e información orientadas a la promoción de la salud y la prevención del uso de cannabis y tabaco, con especial foco en el consumo dual de estas sustancias, alcanzando a un total de 1471 beneficiarios en los tres años de implementación.

Conclusiones:

La experiencia piloto permite detectar fortalezas, aspectos de mejora y resultados prometedores sobre el nivel de conocimientos, contribuyendo a la adopción de estilos de vida saludables en el ámbito universitario. En especial, se destaca la contribución a la formación como agentes promotores de salud de estudiantes y, por tanto, el empoderamiento en salud desde la propia comunidad universitaria.
Novel therapeutics for patients with well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Das Satya , Dasari Arvind
Published: May 2021

Gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent the most common subtype of NETs. The incidence of all NETs, and specifically GEP NETs, has risen exponentially over the last three decades. Only within the past several years have these tumors been appropriately classified, allowing for meaningful drug development. Broadly, some of the most exciting drug classes being developed for patients with well-differentiated GEP NETs include newer types of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) or combinations which increase the potency of lutetium-177 (177Lu)-Dotatate, novel multi-target receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKIs) and immunotherapy modalities, beyond checkpoint inhibitors, which seek to unleash the immune system against NETs. Specifically looking at newer types of PRRT, somatostatin receptor antagonists and alpha-emitter radionuclides each have demonstrated the ability to elicit greater DNA damage than 177Lu-Dotatate in preclinical models. Early clinical experiences with each of these agents suggest they may be more cytotoxic than 177Lu-Dotatate. Other approaches seeking to build upon the DNA damage created by 177Lu-Dotatate include combinations of PRRT with radiosensitizers such as heat shock protein 90 inhibitors, hedgehog inhibitors, chemotherapy combinations, and triapine. Many of these combinations have just begun to be tested clinically. With regards to novel RTKIs, some of the ones which have demonstrated potent cytoreductive potential include cabozantinib and lenvatinib. Other RTKIs which are further along the clinical development spectrum and have demonstrated benefit in randomized trials include surufatinib and pazopanib. And though single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors have not demonstrated significant anti-tumor activity in patients with GEP NETs, outside of certain biomarker selected subsets, somatostatin receptor-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and vaccines such as SurVaxM, which targets survivin, represent two means through which NET-directed immunity may be modulated. The potential of these agents, if clinically realized, will likely improve outcomes for patients with well-differentiated GEP NETs.
Oral candidiasis in HIV-uninfected pediatric population in areas with limited fungal diagnosis: A case study from a tertiary hospital, Tanzania
Authors: Mushi Martha F. , Loi Neema , Mshana Stephen E.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Oral candidiasis (OC) is an indirect indicator of cell-mediated immunodeficiency with a high predictive value of disseminated candidiasis. Here, we report the prevalence and factors associated with laboratory-confirmed OC in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-uninfected children with clinical OC attending the outpatient clinic or admitted in pediatric wards of the Bugando Medical Center (BMC).

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2017. Social demographic and clinical data were collected using a pre-tested data collection tool. Oral swabs were collected using a sterile cotton swab and mycological culture was done to detect Candida spp. followed by susceptibility testing as per European Committee on Antimicrobial Testing (EUCAST) guidelines. Data were analyzed using STATA version 13 following study objectives.

Results:

A total of 325 non-repetitive oral swabs from HIV-uninfected children aged between 2 and 156 months were collected. Candida spp. were detected in 123 (37.8%) children. One (1.8%) C. albicans isolate was resistant to fluconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 256 μg/ml, 32 μg/ml, and 0.31 μg/ml, respectively. Upon multivariate logistic regression analysis, being a male child (OR 2, 95% CI 1.2–3.2, p = 0.008) and having a history of antibiotic use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1–2.8, p = 0.017) independently predicted laboratory-confirmed OC among HIV-uninfected children.

Conclusion:

Only a third of children with clinical OC were laboratory confirmed, and this was more likely in male children with a history of antibiotic use. Most of the isolates were highly susceptible to commonly used antifungal agents like fluconazole. Treatment of children at risk should be prioritized to reduce associated morbidity.
What do we see when we look at networks: Visual network analysis, relational ambiguity, and force-directed layouts
Authors: Venturini Tommaso , Jacomy Mathieu , Jensen Pablo
Published: May 2021

It is increasingly common in natural and social sciences to rely on network visualizations to explore relational datasets and illustrate findings. Such practices have been around long enough to prove that scholars find it useful to project networks in a two-dimensional space and to use their visual qualities as proxies for their topological features. Yet these practices remain based on intuition, and the foundations and limits of this type of exploration are still implicit. To fill this lack of formalization, this paper offers explicit documentation for the kind of visual network analysis encouraged by force-directed layouts. Using the example of a network of Jazz performers, band and record labels extracted from Wikipedia, the paper provides guidelines on how to make networks readable and how to interpret their visual features. It discusses how the inherent ambiguity of network visualizations can be exploited for exploratory data analysis. Acknowledging that vagueness is a feature of many relational datasets in the humanities and social sciences, the paper contends that visual ambiguity, if properly interpreted, can be an asset for the analysis. Finally, we propose two attempts to distinguish the ambiguity inherited from the represented phenomenon from the distortions coming from fitting a multidimensional object in a two-dimensional space. We discuss why these attempts are only partially successful, and we propose further steps towards a metric of spatialization quality.
Psychological distress and attachment styles in emerging adult students attending and not attending a university counselling service
Authors: Riva Crugnola Cristina , Bottini Marta , Madeddu Fabio , Preti Emanuele , Ierardi Elena
Published: May 2021

Emerging adulthood is a turning point in the life cycle with regard mental health. To assess psychological distress and attachment styles 688 university students of which 370 requested a counselling support responded to Symptom Checklist 90 Revised and Attachment Style Questionnaire. Counselling attending students (vs counselling non-attending students) have a higher psychological risk profile, with more psychological distress and insecure attachment. A marked percentage of students not attending counselling presents psychological distress. In both groups associations emerged between psychopathological problems and insecure attachment. The importance of communication strategies aimed to those students who, albeit non requesting psychological help, display psychological distress is discussed.
Determining the Cutoff Points of the 5C Scale for Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccines Psychological Antecedents among the Arab Population: A Multinational Study
Authors: Ghazy Ramy Mohamed , Abd ElHafeez Samar , Shaaban Ramy , Elbarazi Iffat , Abdou Marwa Shawky , Ramadan Ahmed , Kheirallah Khalid A.
Published: May 2021

Background

One of the newly faced challenges during the COVID-19 is vaccine hesitancy (VH). The validated 5C scale, that assesses 5 psychological antecedents of vaccination, could be effective in exploring COVID-19 VH. This study aimed to determine a statistically valid cutoff points for the 5C sub-scales among the Arab population.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 446 subjects from 3 Arab countries (Egypt, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Jordan). Information regarding sociodemographics, clinical history, COVID-19 infection and vaccination history, and 5C scale were collected online. The 5C scores were analyzed to define the cutoff points using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and to verify the capability of the questionnaire to differentiate whether responders are hesitant or non-hesitant to accept vaccination. ROC curve analysis was conducted for previous vaccine administration as a response, with the predictors being the main 5 domains of the 5C questionnaire. The mean score of each sub-scale was compared with COVID-19 vaccine intake.

Results

The mean age of the studied population was 37 ± 11, 42.9% were males, 44.8% from Egypt, 21.1% from Jordan, and 33.6% from the UAE. Statistically significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants, respectively, were detected in the median score of confidence [6.0(1.3) versus 4.7(2.0)], complacency [(2.7(2.0) versus 3.0(2.0)], constraints [1.7(1.7) versus 3.7(2.3)], and collective responsibility [6.7(1.7) versus 5.7(1.7)]. The area under the curve of the 5 scales was 0.72, 0.60, 0.76, 0.66, 0.66 for confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility at cutoff values of 5.7, 4.7, 6.0, 6.3, and 6.2, respectively.

Conclusion

The Arabic validated version of the 5C scale has a good discriminatory power to predict COVID-19 vaccines antecedent.
A Review on Green Technology Practices at BRICS Countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
Authors: Miranda Isabella Tamine Parra , Moletta Juliana , Pedroso Bruno , Pilatti Luiz Alberto , Picinin Claudia Tania
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study is to identify the main Green Technology practices carried out in the countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), through a systematic review without temporal delimitation. BRICS countries were chosen due to the high potential for impact on the environment, as well as the possibility of increasing the theoretical subsidy in discussions related to sustainable practices in these countries. The Methodi Ordinatio methodology was used to select and map the portfolio of relevant articles in the area, which allowed the identification of the main Green Technology practices used in the BRICS countries. The final portfolio was composed of 170 studies. The main Green Technology practices used in the BRICS are related to products, processes, and raw materials; a sustainable agriculture; water treatment and retention; waste management; green energy and energy reduction; carbon and biogas reduction; green buildings; and sustainability and ecocities policies. A greater number of researches on Green Technology and its practices took place in the countries of China and India, which can be explained due to its more sustainable development, greater number of sustainable actions, and growing interest by the country’s local academy. Brazil, Russia, and South Africa did not excel in Green Technology practices. The study provided an overview of the practices used in these countries and that can contribute to guidance for companies that are concerned with sustainability. It is worth mentioning that the political interest in this topic was identified, because there are political actions that encourage Green Technology practices.
The Effects of Difficult Co-Workers on Employee Attitudinal Responses and Intention to Leave Among Chinese Working Adults
Authors: Yu Billy Tat Wai , To Wai Ming
Published: May 2021

Difficult co-workers cause stress and create unpleasant work environments. Yet, the characteristics of difficult co-workers are not thoroughly explored. Following Fritz’s typology of troublesome others at work, this study conceptualized difficult co-workers as those whose traits and behaviors may provoke antipathy. The study also hypothesized that difficult co-workers would trigger negative attitudinal responses. Data were collected from 719 Chinese working adults. Results of structural equation modeling showed that difficult co-workers led to negative employees’ attitudes toward them, and indirectly led to employee intention to leave. Specifically, the study explored the cause of antipathy at work by identifying major unpleasant traits and behaviors of difficult co-workers.
Rural Entrepreneurship in Wintergreen Oil
Authors: Karki Dipesh , Risal Hari Gopal
Published: May 2021

Wintergreen is a wild herb that grows in the hills of Nepal that can be used for extracting oil which has several medicinal values. It is being sold into premium-value markets in the USA by doTERRA Inc. doTERRA has a co-impact sourcing partnership with the NGO Choice Humanitarian, scouts the local farmers or entrepreneurs and helps them set up the production business. The difference between the price of the final product and the price that local entrepreneurs get is very high. Despite this, the venture has created a new opportunity for local farmers to make large profit as the cost of production is low. However, the business itself has several challenges from scalability and sustainability aspects. Further, the price is set by the single buyer and the market has monopsonist characteristics; hence, the producer has less bargaining power. Despite these challenges, creating a better business environment enables the export of essential oil and that can be a potential foreign currency source for country like Nepal.
Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy, 5% Sodium Hypochlorite and 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate in Root Canal Treated Teeth: A Clinical Study
Authors: Bharti Ramesh , Tikku Aseem Prakash , Chandra Anil , Gupta Prashant
Published: May 2021

Aim:

To evaluate the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and chlorhexidine gluconate (CHO) in the endodontic re-treatment in the removing of microorganisms from previously filled infected root canals.

Materials and Methods:

The study samples consist of 54 root canal treated anterior teeth with apical periodontitis were randomly divided into three groups according to the disinfection protocol. Microbiological samples from the root canals were collected after removing the gutta-percha (S1) and following the endodontic re-treatment (S2) with either 5% NaOCl, 2% CHO or PDT procedure for 1 minute. Microbiological samples were cultivated on selective plates to assess the presence or absence of microbial growth and determine the average reduction of viable microorganisms.

Results:

Significant reduction in the total bacterial count in all the groups at post treatment ( P < .001). PDT provided statistically higher (99.74%) elimination of Enterococcus faecalis in comparison to NaOCl (95%) and CHO (88%).

Conclusions:

The use of PDT in endodontic re-treatment led to the significant reduction of the remaining bacterial species. So, PDT can be used for routine endodontic disinfection in failed root canal cases.