bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gastroenteritis Rehydration Of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (GASTROSAM): A Phase II Randomised Controlled trial: Trial Protocol
Authors: Olupot-Olupot Peter , Aloroker Florence , Mpoya Ayub , Mnjalla Hellen , Passi George , Nakuya Margaret , Houston Kirsty , Obonyo Nchafatso , Hamaluba Mainga , Evans Jennifer A , Connon Roisin , George Elizabeth C , Gibb Diana M , Maitland Kathryn
Published: June 2021

Background: Children hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are frequently complicated (>50%) by diarrhoea (≥3 watery stools/day) which is accompanied by poor outcomes. Rehydration guidelines for SAM are exceptionally conservative and controversial, based upon expert opinion. The guidelines only permit use of intravenous fluids for cases with advanced shock and exclusive use of low sodium intravenous and oral rehydration solutions (ORS) for fear of fluid and/or sodium overload. Children managed in accordance to these guidelines have a very high mortality. The proposed GASTROSAM trial is the first step in reappraising current recommendations. We hypothesize that liberal rehydration strategies for both intravenous and oral rehydration in SAM children with diarrhoea may reduce adverse outcomes.

Methods An open Phase II trial, with a partial factorial design, enrolling Ugandan and Kenyan children aged 6 months to 12 years with SAM hospitalised with gastroenteritis (>3 loose stools/day) and signs of moderate and severe dehydration.  In Stratum A (severe dehydration) children will be randomised (1:1:2) to WHO plan C (100mls/kg Ringers Lactate (RL) with intravenous rehydration given over 3-6 hours according to age including boluses for shock), slow rehydration (100 mls/kg RL over 8 hours (no boluses)) or  WHO SAM rehydration regime (ORS only (boluses for shock (standard of care)).  Stratum B incorporates all children with moderate dehydration and severe dehydration post-intravenous rehydration and compares (1:1 ratio) standard WHO ORS given for non-SAM (experimental) versus WHO SAM-recommended low-sodium ReSoMal. The primary outcome for intravenous rehydration is urine output (mls/kg/hour at 8 hours post-randomisation), and for oral rehydration a change in sodium levels at 24 hours post-randomisation. This trial will also generate feasibility, safety and preliminary data on survival to 28 days.

Discussion. If current rehydration strategies for non-malnourished children are safe in SAM this could prompt future evaluation in Phase III trials.
Radiation Risk Assessment in Patients for Chest CT Diagnostics of COVID-19
Authors: Matkevich E.
Published: June 2021

Purpose: To assess effective radiation doses for chest CT for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and calculate the radiation risk of the effects of this exposure.

Material and methods: We analyzed the results of 1003 CT examinations of the chest performed in patients (6.2 %‒children 12–14 years, 15.3 %‒adolescents 15–19 years, 60.1 %‒adults 20–64 years, 18.4 %‒older persons 65 years and older) with suspected COVID-19 during one week in October 2020 in the city diagnostic center. In each group, the average effective dose (ED, mSv) was calculated.

Results: The average ED values and confidence intervals (P=0.05) for patients with a single CT scan were: in children 2.59±0.19 mSv, in adolescents 3.23±0.17 mSv, in adults 3.43±0.08 mSv, in older persons 3.28±0.19 mSv. The maximum radiation risk indicators were observed in groups of children (24.1×10-5) and adolescents (23.3×10-5). For adult patients the means risk was 14.4×10-5. In groups of women radiation risk was 1.3–2.3 twice as high, as in male patients. The risk values in children, adolescents and adults are in the range 10×10-5 – 100×10-5 (low), for the older patients were 2.6×10-5 (very low).

Conclusion: Because of the study established effective radiation doses for chest CT of patients with the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the radiation risk for 1-3 times chest CT by age and sex of patients was calculated. It was found that the radiation risk for single, double and triple chest CT for patients under 65 is low, 65 and older is very low. Taking into account the radiation risk during CT is necessary to reduce the long-term consequences of radiation exposure on the population.
To the Question of Maintaining the Professional Health of Staff in Educational Organizations
Authors: Perederiy V. , Skripnichenko L.
Published: June 2021

The article highlights the health issues, the problem of improving its parameters, which are directly related to the stable development of modern society. This topic is especially significant in the context of socio-economic instability, high inflation, rising prices for various goods and services, and the problems of implementing health policies. The physical potential and health status of the individual have a significant impact on the main areas of society, types of social and personal communications, are a source of using the appropriate channels for self-realization, preserving environmental safety. The health of employees is deteriorating under the influence of a number of factors: environmental pollution, poverty, quality of food, smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction, etc. Changes in society draw the attention of government bodies to public health problems and contribute to more productive and thorough work with labor resources.

By "professional health" the authors of the article mean a complex of psychophysiological and psychosocial individual qualities of workers that meet working conditions and ensure high efficiency of professional activity. The state of professional health of the personnel is associated with the absence of any deformations, representing the absolute psychophysical and social well-being of a person in working conditions. Simultaneously with professional health, modern researchers pay special attention to the psychological component of workers' health. Aspects such as constant overstrain, nervous and psychophysical overloads are of great interest to specialists in this field. Among the main causes of industrial accidents, overworking of workers is in the first place. The energy expenditure of workers in carrying out production tasks must be compatible with well-being. The health of the personnel is an economic value, since the efficiency and quality of labor activity of the entire enterprise depend on the efficiency, labor potential, involvement of employees in the labor process as a whole.
Employee Recognition Programs: Experience and New Reality
Authors: Konovalova Valeriya
Published: June 2021

The article is devoted to the problems of using tools for employee recognition in modern practice. The main and forms of recognition, their advantages and disadvantages are considered. It summarizes research evidence supporting both the positive effects of recognition on variables such as employee productivity and retention, morale, motivation, job satisfaction, happiness and positive mood, organizational and professional commitment and engagement, and the impact of lack of recognition on employee burnout. The factors that determine the increasing importance of justifying the strategy and programs of employee recognition, as well as trends in their development, including the desire to harmonize recognition programs, alignment with business goals, talent management processes are highlighted. An analysis of the reasons for the insufficient effectiveness of employee recognition programs is presented. Recognition programs have been shown to fail due to a lack of structure for employees to recognize each other, difficulty in choosing people to express recognition, lack of clarity about the goals of recognition programs, insufficient attention to age and perceptions of recognition, and the state of organizational culture. (Leaders declare certain values, but no one in the organization gains recognition in realizing these values; competitive cultures often suppress people's desire to recognize and praise their colleagues). Recommendations for improving the effectiveness of employee recognition programs are presented.
Current trends of digitalization in the field of personnel management
Authors: Tachanova K. , Myagkova S. , Pashkevich Yu.
Published: June 2021

The article reviews the theoretical foundations of digitalization in the field of personnel management: theoretical analysis of the phenomenon of "Digitalization in the field of personnel management"; where the authors consider domestic and foreign concepts describing the phenomenon of "Digitalization"; the authors present current digital tools in the field of personnel management used by modern organizations and trends in digitalization of the main directions of HR at the present stage.
A review of cases received by the Nepal Ambulance Service over one year
Authors: Peskett Anna Rebekah , Williams Jonathan , Thapa Kulesh
Published: June 2021

Nepal Ambulance Service (NAS) callout data was examined to aid future research into Nepali prehospital care, and identify trends and areas within NAS that may benefit from further training. A retrospective search was carried out of the NAS covering of the calls received and attended by NAS covering a period of 12 months. A total of 5486 cases from the NAS database were included. The data showed there had been a rise in NAS cases over the 12-month period, with 152 more cases being logged in July 2019 than in August 2018, an overall increase of 38.48%. The rise is fairly uniform and consistent month-on-month, except for February 2019, when there was an unexplained reduction. This rise is fairly uniform and consistent, except for February 2019, when there was an unexplained reduction. Respiratory and trauma were the most numerous types of case. The increase in cases is most likely because NAS is growing in popularity. Based on the findings of this paper, it would seem that NAS is set to continue its upward trajectory of callouts. Further research on this service is warranted.
Single LED positioning scheme based on angle sensors in robotics
Authors: Huang Linyi , Wen Shangsheng , Yan Zihong , Song Hongzhan , Su Shuomiao , Guan Weipeng
Published: June 2021

Indoor robotic localization is one of the most active areas in robotics research nowadays. Visible light positioning (VLP) is a promising indoor localization method, as it provides high positioning accuracy and allows for leveraging the existing lighting infrastructure. Apparently, accurate positioning performance is mostly shown by the VLP system with multiple LEDs, while such strict requirement of LED numbers is more likely to lead to VLP system failure in actual environments. In this paper, we propose a single-LED VLP system based on image sensor with the help of angle sensor estimation, which efficiently relaxes the assumption on the minimum number of simultaneously captured LEDs from several to one. Aiming at improving the robustness and accuracy of positioning in the process of continuous change of robot pose, two methods of visual-inertial message synchronization are proposed and used to obtain the well-matched positioning data packets. Various schemes of single-LED VLP system based on different sensor selections and message synchronization methods have been listed and compared in an actual environment. The effectiveness of the proposed single-LED VLP system based on odometer and image sensor as well as the robustness under LED shortage, handover situation and background non-signal light interference, are verified by real-world experiments. The experimental results show that our proposed system can provide an average accuracy of 2.47 cm and the average computational time in low-cost embedded platforms is around 0.184 s.
Transforming a green laser pointer in a self-mixing interferometer capable of submicrometer vibration sensing
Authors: Donati Silvano , Tsai Wan-Shao
Published: June 2021

We show that, by adding a photodiode and a plain glass beam splitter to a commercial green laser pointer, we can obtain a very sensitive self-mixing interferometer capable of detecting minute vibrations down to submicrometer amplitude, typically

≈

13

n
m

resolution, or make displacement measurements with half-wavelength (

λ

/

2
=
266

n
m

) count increments.
All-fiber probes for endoscopic optical coherence tomography of the large airways
Authors: Balakrishnan Santosh , Oldenburg Amy L.
Published: June 2021

Endoscopic optical coherence tomography of large airways poses unique challenges. A hybrid lens is described that consists of a section of coreless fiber and graded index fiber (GIF), followed by a ball lens section. This design produces low numerical aperture beams better suited for large airway imaging. The performance of this lens is compared against conventional GIF and ball lens designs. Forward- and side-viewing probes were modeled, fabricated, and tested. The impact of a sheath on the beam profile was also investigated. Probes with working distances larger than 10 mm and depth-of-focus exceeding 12 mm are demonstrated with the proposed design.
3.25  kW all-fiberized and polarization-maintained Yb-doped amplifier with a 20  GHz linewidth and near-diffraction-limited beam quality
Authors: Wang Yanshan , Sun Yinhong , Peng Wanjing , Feng Yujun , Wang Jue , Ma Yi , Gao Qingsong , Zhu Rihong , Tang Chun
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we demonstrate a high-power, narrow-linewidth, polarization-maintaining fiber amplifier with near-diffraction-limited beam quality. By optimizing the phase modulation signal, a nearly top-hat-shaped spectrum was generated for self-pulsing suppressing. That results in doubling the self-pulsing threshold we got from conventional white noise signal phase modulation with the same optical linewidth. Based on an optimized signal and a high power, polarization-maintaining, counter-pumped fiber amplifier, we obtain a 3.25 kW narrow-linewidth linearly polarized laser output with a linewidth of

∼

20

G
H
z

, the polarization extinction ratio is about 15 dB, and the

M
2

is less than 1.22 at the maximum output power. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a narrow-linewidth, linear polarization, all-fiber amplifier with 3.25 kW laser output.
High-resolution range profile reconstruction method for terahertz FMCW radar
Authors: Hu Weidong , Li Yade , Han Zhongde , Xu Zhihao , Zhao Yunzhang , Ni Jiaqi
Published: June 2021

Terahertz (THz) testing, by the frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) system, is often hampered by the limited range resolution. Thus, in this paper, a software method is proposed to reconstruct the range profile, yielding significant improvements in range resolution and in signal parameter extraction. Specifically, the multiple signal characterization algorithm is first introduced to indicate a higher-resolution range profile qualitatively and to acquire the echoes’ initial values. Then, multiple Gaussian functions are applied to fit those echoes in the whole original range profile and to accurately extract the parameters, including the amplitude, range, and width, of each echo. Finally, with these parameters, the range profile can be more precisely and flexibly reconstructed, facilitating the following detection procedure to a great extent. Both the simulated and the real THz data, acquired by a 150–220 GHz FMCW imager, have been used to demonstrate the superiority and effectiveness of our method, qualitatively and quantitatively.
Mid-infrared cascaded stimulated Raman scattering and flat supercontinuum generation in an As-S optical fiber pump at 2 µm
Authors: Wang Fang , Zhou Xue , Zhang Xuenan , Yan Xin , Li Shuguang , Suzuki Takenobu , Ohishi Yasutake , Cheng Tonglei
Published: June 2021

We demonstrate broadband mid-infrared cascaded stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and flat supercontinuum (SC) generation in a chalcogenide optical fiber made from

A
s

2

S

5

glass. By using a 2 µm nanosecond laser as the pump source, mid-infrared cascaded SRS up to six orders ranging from 2149 to 3425 nm was experimentally observed, and this all-fiber Raman laser operating at 3.43 µm was realized for the first time to our knowledge. By introducing a 2 µm femtosecond laser as the excited source, the broadband flat mid-infrared SC with the spectral range of

∼

10

d
B

(from

∼

1030

to 3441 nm) was observed. Our results verify that the

A
s

2

S

5

optical fibers possess promising applications for tunable mid-infrared Raman fiber lasers and SC light sources pumped by 2 µm pulsed lasers.
Lasting impressions: editorial
Authors: Bennett Gisele
Published: June 2021

Editor-in-Chief Gisele Bennett reflects on the significance of inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Characterization of a pair of superposed vortex beams having different winding numbers via diffraction from a quadratic curved-line grating
Authors: Rasouli Saifollah , Amiri Pouria , Kotlyar Victor V. , Kovalev Alexey A.
Published: June 2021

In a recent study, we have reported a simple, efficient, and robust method that is based on diffraction in an amplitude parabolic-line linear grating for determination of the topological charge (TC),

l

, of an optical vortex beam [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 37, 2668 (2020)JOBPDE0740-322410.1364/JOSAB.398143]. Here, we present a demonstration of the application of that method for characterization of a pair of superposed vortex beams having different winding numbers. It is shown that, when two vortex beams, described by Laguerre–Gaussian beams with winding numbers

l
1

and

l
2

and radial index

p
=
0

, impinge on-axis and collinearly on a diffraction grating having a quadratic curvature on its lines, with a simple analysis of the resulted diffraction patterns at the zero and first order, the TCs and their signs can be determined. The zero-order diffraction pattern shows an interference pattern of the beams. For close values of

l
1

and

l
2

, it has a petal-like pattern in which the number of spots is equal to

|

l
1

−

l
2

|

. It is also found that the first-order diffraction pattern depending to the signs of the beams’ TCs shows two different forms. If

l
1

and

l
2

have the same signs, the first-order diffraction pattern is only a set of elongated intensity spots. When the signs of

l
1

and

l
2

are opposite, the resulted pattern is a

(

l
1

+
1
)

by

(

l
2

+
1
)

slanted checkered-like matrix of bright spots. In addition, in this work, we use a simple, novel, and initiative method to generate and combine on-axis and collinearly a pair of vortex beams. Finally, a supporting theoretical study is presented that fully confirms the experimental results and simulation of propagation.
Circular dichroism spectroscopy and chiral sensing in optical fibers
Authors: Dezaki Somaye Kaviani , Askarpour Amir Nader , Abdipour Abdolali
Published: June 2021

Chirality is a property of broken mirror symmetry and detecting the handedness of chiral material in small quantities is an important problem in biology and biochemistry. Here, we present a waveguide-based method to measure chirality and distinguish the enantiomers of molecules. A bi-isotropic core in an optical waveguide lifts the degeneracy of modes in a cylindrically symmetric structure. This modal degeneracy lifting is exploited to measure the chirality of the core. The proposed sensor can determine the value of the chirality parameter of the material under test and it can be utilized for various materials with nonzero chirality parameter in different frequency bands. This approach improves the circular dichroism (CD) response and outperforms conventional CD spectroscopy methods by increasing their differential output signal. To compare the results with conventional CD spectroscopy, the CD parameter is adapted to optical waveguides.
Ablation characteristics and material removal mechanisms of a single-crystal diamond processed by nanosecond or picosecond lasers
Authors: Wang Hualu , Wen Qiuling , Xu Xipeng , Lu Jing , Jiang Feng , Cui Changcai
Published: June 2021

The microstructures on a diamond surface have attracted extensive attention in microelectronics, ultra-precision machining tools, and optical elements, etc. In this work, microgrooves were fabricated on a single-crystal diamond surface using ultraviolet nanosecond or infrared picosecond laser pulses. The surface and internal morphologies of the microgrooves were characterized. The chemical composition and phase transition of the diamond after laser irradiation were analyzed. Furthermore, the ablation threshold, ablation rate, and material removal rate of the diamond processed by nanosecond or picosecond lasers were also calculated. In addition, the temperature distributions of the diamond ablated by nanosecond or picosecond lasers were simulated. Finally, the material removal mechanisms of a single-crystal diamond processed by nanosecond or picosecond lasers were revealed. This work is expected helpful to provide a guidance for the laser fabrication of microstructures on diamond.
Predicting population genetic change in an autocorrelated random environment: Insights from a large automated experiment
Authors: Rescan Marie , Grulois Daphné , Aboud Enrique Ortega , de Villemereuil Pierre , Chevin Luis-Miguel
Published: June 2021

Most natural environments exhibit a substantial component of random variation, with a degree of temporal autocorrelation that defines the color of environmental noise. Such environmental fluctuations cause random fluctuations in natural selection, affecting the predictability of evolution. But despite long-standing theoretical interest in population genetics in stochastic environments, there is a dearth of empirical estimation of underlying parameters of this theory. More importantly, it is still an open question whether evolution in fluctuating environments can be predicted indirectly using simpler measures, which combine environmental time series with population estimates in constant environments. Here we address these questions by using an automated experimental evolution approach. We used a liquid-handling robot to expose over a hundred lines of the micro-alga Dunaliella salina to randomly fluctuating salinity over a continuous range, with controlled mean, variance, and autocorrelation. We then tracked the frequencies of two competing strains through amplicon sequencing of nuclear and choloroplastic barcode sequences. We show that the magnitude of environmental fluctuations (determined by their variance), but also their predictability (determined by their autocorrelation), had large impacts on the average selection coefficient. The variance in frequency change, which quantifies randomness in population genetics, was substantially higher in a fluctuating environment. The reaction norm of selection coefficients against constant salinity yielded accurate predictions for the mean selection coefficient in a fluctuating environment. This selection reaction norm was in turn well predicted by environmental tolerance curves, with population growth rate against salinity. However, both the selection reaction norm and tolerance curves underestimated the variance in selection caused by random environmental fluctuations. Overall, our results provide exceptional insights into the prospects for understanding and predicting genetic evolution in randomly fluctuating environments.
LAMP3 deficiency affects surfactant homeostasis in mice
Authors: Lunding Lars P. , Krause Daniel , Stichtenoth Guido , Stamme Cordula , Lauterbach Niklas , Hegermann Jan , Ochs Matthias , Schuster Björn , Sedlacek Radislav , Saftig Paul , Schwudke Dominik , Wegmann Michael , Damme Markus
Published: June 2021

Lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 3 (LAMP3) is a type I transmembrane protein of the LAMP protein family with a cell-type-specific expression in alveolar type II cells in mice and hitherto unknown function. In type II pneumocytes, LAMP3 is localized in lamellar bodies, secretory organelles releasing pulmonary surfactant into the extracellular space to lower surface tension at the air/liquid interface. The physiological function of LAMP3, however, remains enigmatic. We generated Lamp3 knockout mice by CRISPR/Cas9. LAMP3 deficient mice are viable with an average life span and display regular lung function under basal conditions. The levels of a major hydrophobic protein component of pulmonary surfactant, SP-C, are strongly increased in the lung of Lamp3 knockout mice, and the lipid composition of the bronchoalveolar lavage shows mild but significant changes, resulting in alterations in surfactant functionality. In ovalbumin-induced experimental allergic asthma, the changes in lipid composition are aggravated, and LAMP3-deficient mice exert an increased airway resistance. Our data suggest a critical role of LAMP3 in the regulation of pulmonary surfactant homeostasis and normal lung function.
Hypotension during endovascular treatment under general anesthesia for acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Collette Sabine L. , Uyttenboogaart Maarten , Samuels Noor , van der Schaaf Irene C. , van der Worp H. Bart , Luijckx Gert Jan R. , Venema Allart M. , Sahinovic Marko M. , Dierckx Rudi A. J. O. , Lingsma Hester F. , Kappen Teus H. , Bokkers Reinoud P. H. ,   MR CLEAN Registry Investigators
Published: June 2021

Objective

The effect of anesthetic management (general anesthesia [GA], conscious sedation, or local anesthesia) on functional outcome and the role of blood pressure management during endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke is under debate. We aimed to determine whether hypotension during EVT under GA is associated with functional outcome at 90 days.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data from patients with a proximal intracranial occlusion of the anterior circulation treated with EVT under GA. The primary outcome was the distribution on the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. Hypotension was defined using two thresholds: a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 70 mm Hg and a MAP 30% below baseline MAP. To quantify the extent and duration of hypotension, the area under the threshold (AUT) was calculated using both thresholds.

Results

Of the 366 patients included, procedural hypotension was observed in approximately half of them. The occurrence of hypotension was associated with poor functional outcome (MAP <70 mm Hg: adjusted common odds ratio [acOR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35–0.94; MAP decrease ≥30%: acOR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.48–1.21). In addition, an association was found between the number of hypotensive periods and poor functional outcome (MAP <70 mm Hg: acOR, 0.85 per period increase; 95% CI, 0.73–0.99; MAP decrease ≥30%: acOR, 0.90 per period; 95% CI, 0.78–1.04). No association existed between AUT and functional outcome (MAP <70 mm Hg: acOR, 1.000 per 10 mm Hg*min increase; 95% CI, 0.998–1.001; MAP decrease ≥30%: acOR, 1.000 per 10 mm Hg*min; 95% CI, 0.999–1.000).

Conclusions

Occurrence of procedural hypotension and an increase in number of procedural hypotensive periods were associated with poor functional outcome, whereas the extent and duration of hypotension were not. Randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm our hypothesis that hypotension during EVT under GA has detrimental effects.
The influence of transpiration on foliar accumulation of salt and nutrients under salinity in poplar (Populus × canescens)
Authors: Sharmin Shayla , Lipka Ulrike , Polle Andrea , Eckert Christian
Published: June 2021

Increasing salinity is one of the major drawbacks for plant growth. Besides the ion itself being toxic to plant cells, it greatly interferes with the supply of other macronutrients like potassium, calcium and magnesium. However, little is known about how sodium affects the translocation of these nutrients from the root to the shoot. The major driving force of this translocation process is thought to be the water flow through the xylem driven by transpiration. To dissect the effects of transpiration from those of salinity we compared salt stressed, ABA treated and combined salt- and ABA treated poplars with untreated controls. Salinity reduced the root content of major nutrients like K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+. Less Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the roots resulted in reduced leaf Ca2+ and leaf Mg2+ levels due to reduced stomatal conductance and reduced transpiration. Interestingly, leaf K+ levels were positively affected in leaves under salt stress although there was less K+ in the roots under salt. In response to ABA, transpiration was also decreased and Mg2+ and Ca2+ levels decreased comparably to the salt stress treatment, while K+ levels were not affected. Thus, our results suggest that loading and retention of leaf K+ is enhanced under salt stress compared to merely transpiration driven cation supply.
Simulating human behavioral changes in livestock production systems during an epidemic: The case of the US beef cattle industry
Authors: Yang Qihui , Gruenbacher Don M. , Brase Gary L. , Heier Stamm Jessica L. , DeLoach Scott A. , Scoglio Caterina M.
Published: June 2021

Human behavioral change around biosecurity in response to increased awareness of disease risks is a critical factor in modeling animal disease dynamics. Here, biosecurity is referred to as implementing control measures to decrease the chance of animal disease spreading. However, social dynamics are largely ignored in traditional livestock disease models. Not accounting for these dynamics may lead to substantial bias in the predicted epidemic trajectory. In this research, an agent-based model is developed by integrating the human decision-making process into epidemiological processes. We simulate human behavioral change on biosecurity practices following an increase in the regional disease incidence. We apply the model to beef cattle production systems in southwest Kansas, United States, to examine the impact of human behavior factors on a hypothetical foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The simulation results indicate that heterogeneity of individuals regarding risk attitudes significantly affects the epidemic dynamics, and human-behavior factors need to be considered for improved epidemic forecasting. With the same initial biosecurity status, increasing the percentage of risk-averse producers in the total population using a targeted strategy can more effectively reduce the number of infected producer locations and cattle losses compared to a random strategy. In addition, the reduction in epidemic size caused by the shifting of producers’ risk attitudes towards risk-aversion is heavily dependent on the initial biosecurity level. A comprehensive investigation of the initial biosecurity status is recommended to inform risk communication strategy design.
Pharmacist-led educational interventions provided to healthcare providers to reduce medication errors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jaam Myriam , Naseralallah Lina Mohammad , Hussain Tarteel Ali , Pawluk Shane Ashley
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Medication errors are avoidable events that can occur at any stage of the medication use process. They are widespread in healthcare systems and are linked to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Several strategies have been studied to reduce their occurrence including different types of pharmacy-based interventions. One of the main pharmacist-led interventions is educational programs, which seem to have promising benefits.

Objective

To describe and compare various pharmacist-led educational interventions delivered to healthcare providers and to evaluate their impact qualitatively and quantitatively on medication error rates.

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted through searching Cochrane Library, EBSCO, EMBASE, Medline and Google Scholar from inception to June 2020. Only interventional studies that reported medication error rate change after the intervention were included. Two independent authors worked through the data extraction and quality assessment using Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT). Summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model for rates of medication errors. Research protocol is available in The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD42019116465.

Results

Twelve studies involving 115058 participants were included. The two main recipients of the educational interventions were nurses and resident physicians. Educational programs involved lectures, posters, practical teaching sessions, audit and feedback method and flash cards of high-risk abbreviations. All studies included educational sessions as part of their program, either alone or in combination with other approaches, and most studies used errors encountered before implementing the intervention to inform the content of these sessions. Educational programs led by a pharmacist were associated with significant reductions in the overall rate of medication errors occurrence (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.65).

Conclusion

Pharmacist-led educational interventions directed to healthcare providers are effective at reducing medication error rates. This review supports the implementation of pharmacist-led educational intervention aimed at reducing medication errors.
Thiazide and other Cl-benzenesulfonamide-bearing clinical drug affinities for human carbonic anhydrases
Authors: Baranauskiene Lina , Škiudaitė Lina , Michailovienė Vilma , Petrauskas Vytautas , Matulis Daumantas
Published: June 2021

Twelve carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms catalyze carbon dioxide hydration to bicarbonate and acid protons and are responsible for many biological functions in human body. Despite their vital functions, they are also responsible for, or implicated in, numerous ailments and diseases such as glaucoma, high altitude sickness, and cancer. Because CA isoforms are highly homologous, clinical drugs designed to inhibit enzymatic activity of a particular isoform, can also bind to others with similar affinity causing toxic side effects. In this study, the affinities of twelve CA isoforms have been determined for nineteen clinically used drugs used to treat hypertension related diseases, i.e. thiazides, indapamide, and metolazone. Their affinities were determined using a fluorescent thermal shift assay. Stopped flow assay and isothermal titration calorimetry were also employed on a subset of compounds and proteins to confirm inhibition of CA enzymatic activity and verify the quantitative agreement between different assays. The findings of this study showed that pharmaceuticals could bind to human CA isoforms with variable affinities and inhibit their catalytic activity, even though the drug was intended to interact with a different (non-CA) protein target. Relatively minor structural changes of the compounds may cause significant changes in affinity and selectivity for a particular CA isoform.
The effect of mental health on sleep quality of front-line medical staff during the COVID-19 outbreak in China: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Yue Leiyu , Zhao Rui , Xiao Qingqing , Zhuo Yu , Yu Jianying , Meng Xiandong
Published: June 2021

Background

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern and poses a challenge to the mental health and sleep quality of front-line medical staff (FMS). The aim of this study was to investigate the sleep quality of FMS during the COVID-19 outbreak in China and analyze the relationship between mental health and sleep quality of FMS.

Methods

From February 24, 2020 to March 22, 2020, a cross-sectional study was performed with 543 FMS from a medical center in Western China. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data anonymously. The following tests were used: The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) for symptoms of anxiety, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for depressive symptoms, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality assessment.

Results

Of the 543 FMS, 216 (39.8%) were classified as subjects with poor sleep quality. Anxiety (P<0.001), depression (P<0.001), and the prevalence of those divorced or widowed (P<0.05) were more common in FMS with poor sleep quality than in participants with good sleep quality. The FMS exhibiting co-occurrence of anxiety and depression were associated with worse scores on sleep quality than those medical staff in the other three groups/categories. The difference in sleep quality between the FMS with only depression and the FMS experiencing co-occurrence of anxiety and depression was statistically significant (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in sleep quality between the FMS experiencing only anxiety and the FMS with co-occurrence of anxiety and depression (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a noteworthy increase in the prevalence of negative emotions and sentiments among the medical staff, along with poor overall sleep quality. We anticipate that this study can stimulate more research into the mental state of FMS during outbreaks and other public health emergencies. In addition, particular attention must be paid to enhance the sleep quality of FMS, along with better planning and support for FMS who are continuously exposed to the existing viral epidemic by virtue of the nature of their profession.
Diagnostic usefulness of the spot urine sodium/potassium ratio in cirrhotic patients with ascites
Authors: Lee Jin Wook , Hwang Jae Seok , Chung Woo Jin , Lee Heon Ju , Park Jung Gil , Lee Chang Hyeong , Kim Byung Seok , Song Jeong Eun , Kweon Young Oh , Tak Won Young , Park Soo Young , Jang Se Young , Suh Jeong Ill , Jang Byoung Kuk
Published: June 2021

Background and aims

The low-salt diet is considered important for control of ascites in cirrhotic patients. To validate whether the spot urine sodium (Na)/potassium (K) ratio could replace 24-h urine Na (uNa) excretion in assessing low-salt diet compliance.

Methods

We prospectively studied 175 patients. 24-h urine collection and spot urine collection were performed. Subsequently, 24-h uNa, urine creatinine (uCr), and spot urine Na and K were assessed. A complete urine collection was confirmed based on 24-h uCr excretion levels of 15mg/kg/day for men and 10mg/kg/day for women. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the feasibility of spot urine Na/K ratio in predicting 24-h uNa greater than 78mmol/day.

Results

Out of 175 patients, 24-h urine samples were completely collected in 57 patients only. Moreover, urine samples were not completely collected in 118 patients because their 24-h uCr excretion level was less than the established criteria. In complete urine collection group, AUROC curve for spot urine Na/K ratio in predicting 24-h uNa greater than 78mmol/day was 0.874±0.051 (P<0.001). In the incomplete urine collection group, the AUROC was 0.832±0.039 (P<0.001). In complete urine collection group, the classical cutoff value greater than 1.0 of spot urine Na/K ratio showed 90.9% sensitivity and 56.0% specificity.

Conclusions

The spot urine Na/K ratio reflects 24-h uNa, but the AUROC value obtained in this study is lower than that of a previous study. Considered the large number of patients with incomplete urine collection, validating 24-h complete urine collection criteria is necessary.
Antagonism of STAT3 signalling by Ebola virus
Authors: Harrison Angela R. , Todd Shawn , Dearnley Megan , David Cassandra T. , Green Diane , Rawlinson Stephen M. , Au Gough G. , Marsh Glenn A. , Moseley Gregory W.
Published: June 2021

Many viruses target signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) 1 and 2 to antagonise antiviral interferon signalling, but targeting of signalling by other STATs/cytokines, including STAT3/interleukin 6 that regulate processes important to Ebola virus (EBOV) haemorrhagic fever, is poorly defined. We report that EBOV potently inhibits STAT3 responses to interleukin-6 family cytokines, and that this is mediated by the interferon-antagonist VP24. Mechanistic analysis indicates that VP24 effects a unique strategy combining distinct karyopherin-dependent and karyopherin-independent mechanisms to antagonise STAT3-STAT1 heterodimers and STAT3 homodimers, respectively. This appears to reflect distinct mechanisms of nuclear trafficking of the STAT3 complexes, revealed for the first time by our analysis of VP24 function. These findings are consistent with major roles for global inhibition of STAT3 signalling in EBOV infection, and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of STAT3 nuclear trafficking, significant to pathogen-host interactions, cell physiology and pathologies such as cancer.
La visibilidad como factor de localización en los megalitos del sur de Galicia
Authors: Carrero-Pazos Miguel
Published: June 2021

Los estudios de la visibilidad de monumentos pretéritos cuentan con larga tradición en el campo arqueológico, siendo una de las aplicaciones de los métodos SIG más importantes en la actualidad. Este trabajo analiza la visibilidad como factor locacional en las concentraciones megalíticas gallegas de Monte Penide y Serra do Galiñeiro, utilizando los Sistemas de Información Geográfica y la estadística espacial. La investigación tiene por objetivo analizar si fue la visibilidad hacia los monumentos, desde ellos, o una explicación conjunta, el elemento que determinó el valor espacial de dichas estructuras megalíticas. Para ello, se analiza el territorio geográfico en el que se sitúan los megalitos –visualscapes– y las líneas de horizonte; se realiza un estudio del tamaño de sus cuencas visuales y otro combinado entre las rutas de tránsito natural y la visibilidad de los túmulos. Los resultados apuntan a una complejidad locacional de dicha variable que, con elevada probabilidad, fue crucial a la hora de escoger el emplazamiento de los túmulos megalíticos. Se defiende la idea de que una presencia visual homogénea del túmulo megalítico pudo haber sido uno de los elementos que marcaron la conformación de estructuras espaciales en las comunidades neolíticas, es decir, sus territorios.
Átjárók az Olymposra
Authors: Pataki Elvira
Published: June 2021

S. A. Brown 2017-es, az angolszász YA fantasy aktuális trendjeit vizsgáló tanulmányában meglepő, új jelenségként hívja fel a figyelmet a görög és római mitológia egyre jelentősebb térvesztésére. Állítása szerint a klasszikus antikvitás háttérbe szorulása, az ókori világ inspiratív erejének fogyatkozása pszichológiai és kulturális okokra vezethető vissza. Az olymposi istenek nagyfokú kegyetlensége, önzése, felelőtlensége lényegében a szülői tekintély sajátos megnyilvánulásaként értelmezhető, amely ellen természetszerűleg lázad az ifjú olvasó. Másrészt, a hagyományos európai oktatásban századokon át vezető szerepet játszó antik mítosz iskolai felülreprezentáltsága miatt mára kiüresedett, unalmassá vált. A jelen munka kettős megközelítésben tárgyalja újra Brown felvetéseit. A tanulmány első része vázlatos műfajtörténeti áttekintésben kíván rávilágítani a görög irodalom, mindenekelőtt a hellénizmus gyerekábrázolásának azon vonásaira, amelyek előképül szolgálhatnak a modern fantasy mitológiában kalandozó hősökről szóló elbeszéléseihez. A vizsgálat második része két, közelmúltban megjelent magyar fantasy-trilógia (Szakács Eszter: Grifflovasok; Bessenyei Gábor: A jövő harcosai) elemzésével kívánja bemutatni a görög–római ókor kultúrájára épülő regények narratív lehetőségeit és sajátos esztétikáját.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BERG BALANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL PROFILE ASSESSMENT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PHYSICAL FUNCTION AND BODY COMPOSITION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: SMEE D.J. , BERRY H.L. , WADDINGTON G. , ANSON J.
Published: June 2021

Background: Falls are of great concern to older adults and costly to the health system. In addition the relationship between falls risk and falls risk predictor characteristics is complex. Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between two objective fall-risk measures tools, the Physiological Profile Assessment and the Berg Balance Scale and to determine how an individual’s sex, level of physical function, health-related and body composition characteristics impact these objective falls risk measures. Design: A cross-sectional, observational study. Participants: 245 community-dwelling older adults (M age=68.12 years, SD=6.21; 69.8% female). Measurements: Participants were assessed for falls-risk (Physiological Profile Assessment and the Berg Balance Scale), physical activity, physical functional and body composition characteristics. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated to examine bivariate relationships and hierarchical multiple linear regression modelling was used to estimate the contribution of each predictor in explaining variance in falls-risk. Results: In females, there was a weak association between the two objective falls-risk measures (r =-0.17 p <0.05). The number of falls in the previous 12 months explained 6% of variance in Physiological Profile Assessment scores, with bone density of the lumbar spine contributing a further 1%. In males and females, variance in the Berg Balance Scale showed that age (25%) and physical function (16% for females, 28% for males) contributed significantly to the explaining variance in the falls-risk measure. Conclusion: Sex differences are apparent and as such males and females should be assessed (and potentially treated) differently with regards to falls risk. Results indicate that both falls risk assessment tools measure aspects of balance but are not interchangeable. The Berg Balance Scale may be more discriminative in older, less functioning adults and the Physiological Profile Assessment is more useful in assessing falls risk in females.
FRAILTY ACROSS AGE GROUPS
Authors: PÉREZ-ZEPEDA M.U. , ÁVILA-FUNES J.A. , GUTIÉRREZ-ROBLEDO L.M. , GARCÍA-PEÑA C.
Published: June 2021

Background: The implementation of an aging biomarker into clinical practice is under debate. The Frailty Index is a model of deficit accumulation and has shown to accurately capture frailty in older adults, thus bridging biological with clinical practice. Objectives: To describe the association of socio-demographic characteristics and the Frailty Index in different age groups (from 20 to over one hundred years) in a representative sample of Mexican subjects. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Setting: Nationwide and population-representative survey. Participants: Adults 20-years and older interviewed during the last Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (2012). Measurements: A 30-item Frailty Index following standard construction was developed. Multi-level regression models were performed to test the associations of the Frailty Index with multiple socio-demographic characteristics across age groups. Results: A total of 29,504 subjects was analyzed. The 30-item Frailty Index showed the highest scores in the older age groups, especially in women. No sociodemographic variable was associated with the Frailty Index in all the studied age groups. However, employment, economic income, and smoking status were more consistently found across age groups. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the Frailty Index in a representative large sample of a Latin American country. Increasing age and gender were closely associated with a higher score.
Implicações da experimentação como aporte em atividades por problematização para compreensão do fenômeno corrosão
Authors: Oliveira Regina Célia Barbosa de , Melo Carla Carvalho de , Souza Agilson Nascimento de
Published: June 2021

O objeto de estudo deste trabalho diz respeito ao ensino-apredendizagem de conceitos químicos junto a estudantes do ensino médio, a fim de analizar contribuições da experimentação em atividades problematizadoras, voltadas para a significação de conceitos químicos associados à corrosão. Foram gravados e analisados, qualitativamente, áudios de entrevistas semiestruturadas e de observação participante. As relações observadas dos(as) participantes demonstraram articulações entre conteúdos químicos e o tema corrosão, com um avanço no estado de compreensão de tal fenômeno, o que sugeriu a (re)construção de conhecimentos e conexões com outros contextos, potencializando o desenvolvimento de sua aprendizagem, no sentido de abstração do tema em estudo. Portanto, a estratégia de ensino contribuiu para os processos cognitivos e argumentativos, nos quais a experimentação se fez propícia às articulações entre o conhecimento químico e o contexto estudado, a partir das interações promovidas em meio à problematização, conduzindo os(as) estudantes a alcançarem significação conceitual.