bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Polarity Trend Amidst the Coronavirus Crisis in Peoples’ Attitudes toward the Vaccination Drive
Authors: Batra Rakhi , Imran Ali Shariq , Kastrati Zenun , Ghafoor Abdul , Daudpota Sher Muhammad , Shaikh Sarang
Published: May 2021

It has been more than a year since the coronavirus (COVID-19) engulfed the whole world, disturbing the daily routine, bringing down the economies, and killing two million people across the globe at the time of writing. The pandemic brought the world together to a joint effort to find a cure and work toward developing a vaccine. Much to the anticipation, the first batch of vaccines started rolling out by the end of 2020, and many countries began the vaccination drive early on while others still waiting in anticipation for a successful trial. Social media, meanwhile, was bombarded with all sorts of both positive and negative stories of the development and the evolving coronavirus situation. Many people were looking forward to the vaccines, while others were cautious about the side-effects and the conspiracy theories resulting in mixed emotions. This study explores users’ tweets concerning the COVID-19 vaccine and the sentiments expressed on Twitter. It tries to evaluate the polarity trend and a shift since the start of the coronavirus to the vaccination drive across six countries. The findings suggest that people of neighboring countries have shown quite a similar attitude regarding the vaccination in contrast to their different reactions to the coronavirus outbreak.
Feasibility and Economic Impacts of the Energy Transition
Authors: Dupont Elise , Germain Marc , Jeanmart Hervé
Published: May 2021

There is currently no consensus regarding whether or not renewable energies are capable of supplying all of our energy needs in the near future. To shed new light on this controversy, this paper develops a methodology articulating a macroeconomic model with two sectors (energy and non-energy) and an energy model that is able to calculate the maximum potentials of solar and wind energy. The results show that, in a business-as-usual context, a complete energy transition on a global scale is unachievable before the end of the century. The reason lies in the increasing capital needs of the energy sector, which slows, if not stops, economic growth and the energy transition. A complete transition can be achieved by 2070 provided that (i) energy demand is kept under control at its current level, (ii) a sufficient rate of capital growth is sustained (above its historical level), and (iii) substantial progress is made in terms of energy efficiency. However, this strategy requires a significant increase in the savings rate, with a negative impact on consumption, which ends up stagnating at the end of the transition.
Post-COVID 19 Tourism: Will Digital Tourism Replace Mass Tourism?
Authors: Akhtar Nadeem , Khan Nohman , Mahroof Khan Muhammad , Ashraf Shagufta , Hashmi Muhammad Saim , Khan Muhammad Muddassar , Hishan Sanil S.
Published: May 2021

Recently, nations are struggling to mitigate the impact of the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak on their economy. Many countries have imposed traveling restrictions to reduce people’s movement in order to avoid infection transmission. Traveling restrictions have jeopardized the tourism industry around the globe. If the situation persists, it will become challenging for the nations to open tourism. For this reason, the digitalization of tourism is a viable solution for this situation. However, it is essential to map whether digital technologies can provide alternative solutions to the situation and whether digital tourism can replace conventional tourism? With that backdrop, this study has two objectives: (a) to find the future of digital tourism development beyond the COVID-19 pandemic situation, and (b) to find collaborative research work among nations to develop digital tourism after the current pandemic crisis. To achieve these objectives, we conducted a systematic literature review of past research on the development of digital tourism from 2016–2020. The study applies the PRISMA-2015 statement to select and synthesize 60 articles from Scopus and ‘Web of Science’ databases. Content analysis was performed to analyze the underlying clusters of research on digital tourism and, later, bibliometric analysis was conducted to examine collaborative research between different countries. The findings highlighted three major research clusters namely; virtual reality tourism, virtual tourism, and augmented reality. In addition, the research finding shows that virtual tourism is a practical and valuable option for mass tourism during the COVID-19 outbreak and can replace mass tourism after the pandemic. Although virtual tourism does not feel like a visit to a natural destination, it is still getting attention from tourists. Virtual spaces must develop more features and value additions to achieve tourist satisfaction in the future.
Assessing Habitat Vulnerability and Loss of Naturalness: Applying the GLOBIO3 Model in the Czech Republic
Authors: Pechanec Vilém , Cudlín Ondřej , Zapletal Miloš , Purkyt Jan , Štěrbová Lenka , Chobot Karel , Tangwa Elvis , Včeláková Renata , Prokopová Marcela , Cudlín Pavel
Published: May 2021

Global and regional biodiversity loss is caused by several drivers including urban development, land use intensification, overexploitation of natural resources, environmental pollution, and climate change. The main aim of our study was to adapt the GLOBIO3 model to the conditions of the Czech Republic (CR) to assess loss of naturalness and biodiversity vulnerability at the habitat level on a detailed scale across the entire CR. An additional aim was to assess the main drivers affecting the biodiversity of habitat types. The GLOBIO3 model was adapted to CZ-GLOBIO by adapting global to local scales and using habitat quality and naturalness data instead of species occurrence data. The total mean species abundance (MSA) index of habitat quality, calculated from the spatial overlay of the four MSA indicators by our new equation, reached the value 0.62. The total value of MSA for natural and near-natural habitats was found to be affected mainly by infrastructure development and fragmentation. Simultaneously, intensity of land use change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition contributed primarily to the low total value of MSA for distant natural habitats. The CZ-GLOBIO model can be an important tool in political decision making to reduce the impact of the main drivers on habitat biodiversity in the CR.
The Role of Appreciative Inquiry to Supporting Students’ Healthy Transition into the Post-Graduate World: A Case Study at the University of Malta
Authors: Dalli Gonzi Rebecca , Camilleri Joan
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore ways to integrate student self-development into preparation for a post-graduate internship. The research problem to be investigated is the identified gap in support services for student wellbeing and self-esteem alongside academic development prior to entering the professional sphere. The Faculty for the Built Environment within the University of Malta conducted this as a pilot study in collaboration with the Counselling Services Unit to support students in finding ways to improve their work/study balance. The methodology used was an appreciative inquiry through workshops and focus groups over two academic years. The main findings suggest that students requested time management and resilience techniques to strengthen their study–work–life balance and develop an improved work ethic once university life is complete. Students who felt valued throughout the study period appreciated their ideas and self-identity more than others. Results were presented to the faculty staff who suggested an action–response approach to transition management. Conclusions indicated that the strength of the approach undertaken served to manage students’ transition from academic life to career entry, conduct a gap analysis to identify issues between students and staff, and facilitate a discussion of values and ethics in preparation for post-graduation career performance.
Identification of Ecological Risk Zoning on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from the Perspective of Ecosystem Service Supply and Demand
Authors: Shi Wei , Qiao Fuwei , Zhou Liang
Published: May 2021

With the interaction of global change and human activities, the contradistinction between supply and demand of ecosystem services in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is becoming increasingly tense, which will have a profound impact on the ecological security of China and even Asia. Based on land cover data on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in 1990, 2005, and 2015, this paper estimated the supply capacity of ecosystem services using the value equivalent method, calculated the demand for ecosystem services using population density and economic density, established an ecosystem risk index based on the idea of an ecosystem service matrix to reveal the spatio-temporal pattern of the supply and demand of ecosystem services in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and identified the potential ecological risk areas arising from the imbalance between supply and demand. The results showed that: (1) In terms of the spatio-temporal pattern of land use change, the desert area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau decreased the most with 26,238.9 km2, and other types of land use increased, of which construction land increased by 131.7%; (2) In terms of the supply and demand of ecosystem services, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was mainly dominated by low-level surplus areas, accounting for 64.0%, and the deficit in some areas has worsened significantly; and (3) In terms of division pattern of ecological risk areas, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau presented characteristics of high risk in the east and low risk in the west. The high-risk area accounted for 1.1%, mainly distributed in the Huangshui Valley and the “One River and Two Tributaries” (Yarlung Zangbo River, Lhasa River, Nianchu River). The research results can provide reference for ecosystem management and policy formulation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and have important significance for realizing the coupling and coordinated development of human–land relationship in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
A Bibliometric Analysis and Network Visualisation of Human Mobility Studies from 1990 to 2020: Emerging Trends and Future Research Directions
Authors: Wang Siqin , Zhang Mengxi , Hu Tao , Fu Xiaokang , Gao Zhe , Halloran Briana , Liu Yan
Published: May 2021

Studies on human mobility have a long history with increasingly strong interdisciplinary connections across social science, environmental science, information and technology, computer science, engineering, and health science. However, what is lacking in the current research is a synthesis of the studies to identify the evolutional pathways and future research directions. To address this gap, we conduct a systematic review of human mobility-related studies published from 1990 to 2020. Drawing on the selected publications retrieved from the Web of Science, we provide a bibliometric analysis and network visualisation using CiteSpace and VOSviewer on the number of publications and year published, authors and their countries and afflictions, citations, topics, abstracts, keywords, and journals. Our findings show that human mobility-related studies have become increasingly interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional, which have been strengthened by the use of the so-called ‘big data’ from multiple sources, the development of computer technologies, the innovation of modelling approaches, and the novel applications in various areas. Based on our synthesis of the work by top cited authors we identify four directions for future research relating to data sources, modelling methods, applications, and technologies. We advocate for more in-depth research on human mobility using multi-source big data, improving modelling methods and integrating advanced technologies including artificial intelligence, and machine and deep learning to address real-world problems and contribute to social good.
Economic Valuation of Benefits in Freshwater Ecosystems: Complex Wetlands System Belonging to the San Juan River in the Magdalena Medio Region, Colombia
Authors: Sierra Lya , Marin Wilmer , Castro Luis Guillermo , Hernández-Manrique Olga Lucía
Published: May 2021

This paper identifies and assesses the economic value of the main natural benefits relating to the complex system of wetlands (CSW) belonging to the San Juan River in the Colombian Magdalena Medio. This is a region rich in biodiversity and natural resources, which in the past was hit by violence and the actions of different armed groups. Benefit estimation takes into account diverse monetary valuation techniques, such as market prices for direct wetland uses and the transfer of benefits, for the assessment of indirect use and non-use values. The results reveal that the most important values relate to ecotourism (60.1%) as a possible future use of the CSW, the benefit of preventing flooding (28.4%), and the biodiversity that inhabits the area (6.7%). All three values represent the total economic value of the CSW. This research also finds that the benefits of the ecosystems currently provided by the CSW exceed the opportunity cost, represented by the total conversion of the area to livestock. Lastly, the net present value (NPV) of 25 and 75 years, relating to the benefits of the CSW, exceeds the income from the conversion of land to livestock, revealing profitable investments in conservation and ecotourism projects.
Mindfulness and Next-Generation Members of Family Firms: A Source for Sustainability
Authors: Arzubiaga Unai , Plana-Farran Manel , Ros-Morente Agnès , Joana Albert , Solé Sílvia
Published: May 2021

Family businesses are considered complex organizations where emotional and management challenges need to be faced. This is even more difficult when time of succession arrives and the new members are expected to engage with the business. In this study, a total of 204 university students were asked about their present and future situation regarding the family business. Mindfulness levels were also evaluated using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. There were no significant mindfulness level differences between students who pertained to a family business and those who did not. In the first group, however, those students who were sure about their future in the family business, and had more motivation about it, obtained higher scores on the mindfulness scale as well as being more satisfied with their social relationships. It could be concluded that certainty and motivation about their future in a family business of young family business members correlates with higher mindfulness levels and social well-being.
Design, Construction, and Curing Integrated Management of Defects in Finishing Works of Apartment Buildings
Authors: Yoon Seogun , Son Seunghyun , Kim Sunkuk
Published: May 2021

The site analysis performed in the last ten years has found that building defects result from inconsistent decision-making and performance in the design, construction, and curing (DCC) processes. Therefore, for sustainable quality control, DCC integrated analysis and the management of causes by type and response measures should be in place. The objective of this study is to propose DCC integrated management of defects in finishing works of apartment buildings. To this end, the study surveyed 69,944 defects from 3299 apartment households and analyzed the defect types and causes by project stage. As a result, in the case of opening work (WT1), opening and closing (DT1) accounted for the highest proportion at 35.7%. In the case of furnishing work (WT2), floor installation (DT1) has the most defects. Moreover, the proposed integrated defect management technique was applied onsite, which resulted in an improvement where the defect frequency decreased by 56.80%. The results of this study will be used as the basic data for high-quality finishing projects, and the proposed management concept can be used as reference data in the establishment of a defect management system.
Singularity Formation in the Inviscid Burgers Equation
Authors: Coclite Giuseppe Maria , di Ruvo Lorenzo
Published: May 2021

We provide a lower bound for the blow up time of the H2 norm of the entropy solutions of the inviscid Burgers equation in terms of the H2 norm of the initial datum. This shows an interesting symmetry of the Burgers equation: the invariance of the space H2 under the action of such nonlinear equation. The argument is based on a priori estimates of energy and stability type for the (viscous) Burgers equation.
Higgs and BSM Physics at the Future Muon Collider
Authors: Franceschini Roberto , Greco Mario
Published: May 2021

We describe recent work on the physics of the Higgs boson and breaking of the electroweak symmetry at future muon colliders. Starting from the low-energy muon collider at the Higgs boson pole we extend our discussion to the multi-TeV muon collider and outline the physics case for such machines about the properties of the Higgs boson and physics beyond the Standard Model that can be possibly discovered.
Bremsstrahlung of Light through Spontaneous Emission of Gravitational Waves
Authors: Wang Charles , Mieczkowska Melania
Published: May 2021

Zero-point fluctuations are a universal consequence of quantum theory. Vacuum fluctuations of electromagnetic field have provided crucial evidence and guidance for QED as a successful quantum field theory with a defining gauge symmetry through the Lamb shift, Casimir effect, and spontaneous emission. In an accelerated frame, the thermalisation of the zero-point electromagnetic field gives rise to the Unruh effect linked to the Hawking effect of a black hole via the equivalence principle. This principle is the basis of general covariance, the symmetry of general relativity as the classical theory of gravity. If quantum gravity exists, the quantum vacuum fluctuations of the gravitational field should also lead to the quantum decoherence and dissertation of general forms of energy and matter. Here we present a novel theoretical effect involving the spontaneous emission of soft gravitons by photons as they bend around a heavy mass and discuss its observational prospects. Our analytic and numerical investigations suggest that the gravitational bending of starlight predicted by classical general relativity should also be accompanied by the emission of gravitational waves. This in turn redshifts the light causing a loss of its energy somewhat analogous to the bremsstrahlung of electrons by a heavier charged particle. It is suggested that this new effect may be important for a combined astronomical source of intense gravity and high-frequency radiation such as X-ray binaries and that the proposed LISA mission may be potentially sensitive to the resulting sub-Hz stochastic gravitational waves.
Revisited—The Subliminal Channel in Blockchain and Its Application to IoT Security
Authors: Chen Tzung-Her , Lee Wei-Bin , Chen Hsing-Bai , Wang Chien-Lung
Published: May 2021

Although digital signature has been a fundamental technology for cryptosystems, it still draws considerable attention from both academia and industry due to the recent raising interest in blockchains. This article revisits the subliminal channel existing digital signature and reviews its abuse risk of the constructor’s private key. From a different perspective on the subliminal channel, we find the new concept named the chamber of secrets in blockchains. The found concept, whereby the secret is hidden and later recovered by the constructor from the common transactions in a blockchain, highlights a new way to encourage implementing various applications to benefit efficiency and security. Thus, the proposed scheme benefits from the following advantages: (1) avoiding the high maintenance cost of certificate chain of certificate authority, or public key infrastructure, and (2) seamlessly integrating with blockchains using the property of chamber of secrets. In order to easily understand the superiority of this new concept, a remote authentication scenario is taken as a paradigm of IoT to demonstrate that the further advantages are achieved: (1) avoiding high demand for storage space in IoT devices, and (2) avoiding maintaining a sensitive table in IoT server.
Perfluoroalkylated Substances (PFAS) Associated with Microplastics in a Lake Environment
Authors: Scott John W. , Gunderson Kathryn G. , Green Lee A. , Rediske Richard R. , Steinman Alan D.
Published: May 2021

The presence of both microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is ubiquitous in the environment. The ecological impacts associated with their presence are still poorly understood, however, these contaminants are extremely persistent. Although plastic in the environment can concentrate pollutants, factors such as the type of plastic and duration of environmental exposure as it relates to the degree of adsorption have received far less attention. To address these knowledge gaps, experiments were carried out that examined the interactions of PFAS and microplastics in the field and in a controlled environment. For field experiments, we measured the abundance of PFAS on different polymer types of microplastics that were deployed in a lake for 1 month and 3 months. Based on these results, a controlled experiment was conducted to assess the adsorption properties of microplastics in the absence of associated inorganic and organic matter. The adsorption of PFAS was much greater on the field-incubated plastic than what was observed in the laboratory with plastic and water alone, 24 to 259 times versus one-seventh to one-fourth times background levels. These results suggest that adsorption of PFAS by microplastics is greatly enhanced by the presence of inorganic and/or organic matter associated with these materials in the environment, and could present an environmental hazard for aquatic biota.
An Smp43-Derived Short-Chain α-Helical Peptide Displays a Unique Sequence and Possesses Antimicrobial Activity against Both Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Luo Xudong , Ding Li , Ye Xiangdong , Zhu Wen , Zhang Kaiyue , Li Fangyan , Jiang Huiwen , Zhao Zhiwen , Chen Zongyun
Published: May 2021

Scorpion venoms are rich resources of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). While the short-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs have attracted much attention as templates for drug development, the antimicrobial potential of long-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs has been largely overlooked. Here, by using the online HeliQuest server, we designed and analyzed a series of 14-residue fragments of Smp43, a 43-residue long-chain noncysteine-containing AMP identified from the venom of Scorpio maurus palmatus. We found that Smp43(1-14) shows high antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and is nontoxic to mammalian cells at the antimicrobial dosage. Sequence alignments showed that the designed Smp43(1-14) displays a unique primary structure that is different from other natural short-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs from scorpions, such as Uy17, Uy192 and IsCT. Moreover, the peptide Smp43(1-14) caused concentration-dependent fluorescence increases in the bacteria for all of the tested dyes, propidium iodide, SYTOXTM Green and DiSC3-5, suggesting that the peptide may kill the bacteria through the formation of pore structures in the plasma membrane. Taken together, our work sheds light on a new avenue for the design of novel short-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs and provides a good peptide template with a unique sequence for the development of novel drugs for use against bacterial infectious diseases.
Recurrence of Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis Secondary to COVID-19
Authors: Parekh Yesha H. , Altomare Nicole J. , McDonnell Erin P. , Blaser Martin J. , Parikh Payal D.
Published: May 2021

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 leading to COVID-19 induces hyperinflammatory and hypercoagulable states, resulting in arterial and venous thromboembolic events. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been well reported in COVID-19 patients. While most DVTs occur in a lower extremity, involvement of the upper extremity is uncommon. In this report, we describe the first reported patient with an upper extremity DVT recurrence secondary to COVID-19 infection.
Rabies Prophylactic and Treatment Options: An In Vitro Study of siRNA- and Aptamer-Based Therapeutics
Authors: Scott Terence Peter , Nel Louis Hendrik
Published: May 2021

If the goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030 is to be achieved, effective mass dog vaccination needs to be complemented by effective prophylaxis for individuals exposed to rabies. Aptamers and short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have been successful in therapeutics, but few studies have investigated their potential as rabies therapeutics. In this study, siRNAs and aptamers—using a novel selection method—were developed and tested against rabies virus (RABV) in a post-infection (p.i.) scenario. Multiple means of delivery were tested for siRNAs, including the use of Lipofectamine and conjugation with the developed aptamers. One siRNA (N53) resulted in an 80.13% reduction in viral RNA, while aptamer UPRET 2.03 demonstrated a 61.3% reduction when used alone at 2 h p.i. At 24 h p.i., chimera UPRET 2.03-N8 (aptamer-siRNA) resulted in a 36.5% inhibition of viral replication. To our knowledge, this is the first study using siRNAs or aptamers that (1) demonstrated significant inhibition of RABV using an aptamer, (2) tested Lipofectamine RNAi-Max as a means for delivery, and (3) produced significant RABV inhibition at 24 h p.i. This study serves as a proof-of-concept to potentially use aptamers and siRNAs as rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) replacements or therapeutic options for RABV and provides strong evidence towards their further investigation.
Harnessing Natural Mosaics: Antibody-Instructed, Multi-Envelope HIV-1 Vaccine Design
Authors: Sealy Robert E. , Dayton Barry , Finkelstein David , Hurwitz Julia L.
Published: May 2021

The year 2021 marks the 40th anniversary since physicians recognized symptoms of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a disease that has since caused more than 30 million deaths worldwide. Despite the passing of four decades, there remains no licensed vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the etiologic agent of AIDS. Despite the development of outstanding anti-retroviral drugs, there are currently more than one-half million deaths each year due to AIDS. Here, we revisit a conventional vaccine strategy used for protection against variable pathogens like HIV-1, which combines an array of diverse surface antigens. The strategy uses antibody recognition patterns to categorize viruses and their surface antigens into groups. Then a leader is assigned for each group and group leaders are formulated into vaccine cocktails. The group leaders are ‘natural mosaics’, because they share one or more epitope(s) with each of the other group members. We encourage the application of this conventional approach to HIV-1 vaccine design. We suggest that the partnering of an antibody-instructed envelope cocktail with new vaccine vectors will yield a successful vaccine in the HIV-1 field.
Assessment of Microplastics in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant with Tertiary Treatment: Removal Efficiencies and Loading per Day into the Environment
Authors: Bayo Javier , Olmos Sonia , López-Castellanos Joaquín
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the removal of microplastics from wastewater in an urban wastewater treatment plant located in Southeast Spain, including an oxidation ditch, rapid sand filtration, and ultraviolet disinfection. A total of 146.73 L of wastewater samples from influent and effluent were processed, following a density separation methodology, visual classification under a stereomicroscope, and FTIR analysis for polymer identification. Microplastics proved to be 72.41% of total microparticles collected, with a global removal rate of 64.26% after the tertiary treatment and within the average retention for European WWTPs. Three different shapes were identified: i.e., microfiber (79.65%), film (11.26%), and fragment (9.09%), without the identification of microbeads despite the proximity to a plastic compounding factory. Fibers were less efficiently removed (56.16%) than particulate microplastics (90.03%), suggesting that tertiary treatments clearly discriminate between forms, and reporting a daily emission of 1.6 × 107 microplastics to the environment. Year variability in microplastic burden was cushioned at the effluent, reporting a stable performance of the sewage plant. Eight different polymer families were identified, LDPE film being the most abundant form, with 10 different colors and sizes mainly between 1–2 mm. Future efforts should be dedicated to source control, plastic waste management, improvement of legislation, and specific microplastic-targeted treatment units, especially for microfiber removal.
Continuous, risk-based, consultation peer review in out-of-hours general practice: a qualitative interview study of the benefits and limitations
Authors: Bennett-Britton Ian , Banks Jonathan , Carson-Stevens Andrew , Salisbury Chris
Published: May 2021

Background

Systems to detect and minimise unwarranted variation in clinician practice are crucial to ensure increasingly multidisciplinary healthcare workforces are supported to practise to their full potential. Such systems are limited in English general practice settings, with implications for the efficiency and safety of care.

Aim

To evaluate the benefits and limitations of a continuous, risk-based, consultation peer-review system used for 10 years by an out-of-hours general practice service in Bristol, UK.

Design and setting

A qualitative study in South West England.

Method

Semi-structured interviews with intervention users (clinicians, peer reviewers, and clinical management), analysed by inductive thematic analysis and integrated into a programme theory.

Results

Twenty clinicians were interviewed between September 2018 and January 2019. Interviewees indicated that the intervention supported clinician learning through improved peer feedback, highlighting learning needs and validating practice. It was compared favourably with existing structures of ensuring clinician competence, supporting standardisation of supervision, clinical governance, and learning culture. These benefits were potentially limited by intervention factors such as differential feedback quality between clinician groups, the efficiency of methods to identify learning needs, and limitations of assessments based on written clinical notes. Contextual factors such as clinician experience, motivation, and organisational learning culture influenced the perception of the intervention as a support or a stressor.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate the potential of continuous, risk-based, consultation peer review to support clinicians in an increasingly multidisciplinary general practice workforce to efficiently and safely practise to their full potential. The programme theory provides a theoretical basis to maximise the benefits and accommodate the potential limitations of this methodology
Intelligent Shape-Morphing Micromachines
Authors: Chen Qianying , Lv Pengyu , Huang Jianyong , Huang Tian-Yun , Duan Huiling
Published: May 2021

Intelligent machines are capable of switching shape configurations to adapt to changes in dynamic environments and thus have offered the potentials in many applications such as precision medicine, lab on a chip, and bioengineering. Even though the developments of smart materials and advanced micro/nanomanufacturing are flouring, how to achieve intelligent shape-morphing machines at micro/nanoscales is still significantly challenging due to the lack of design methods and strategies especially for small-scale shape transformations. This review is aimed at summarizing the principles and methods for the construction of intelligent shape-morphing micromachines by introducing the dimensions, modes, realization methods, and applications of shape-morphing micromachines. Meanwhile, this review highlights the advantages and challenges in shape transformations by comparing micromachines with the macroscale counterparts and presents the future outlines for the next generation of intelligent shape-morphing micromachines.
A Markov chain-based feature extraction method for classification and identification of cancerous DNA sequences
Authors: Khodaei Amin , Feizi-Derakhshi Mohammad-Reza , Mozaffari-Tazehkand Behzad
Published: May 2021

Introduction: In recent decades, the growing rate of cancer incidence is a big concern for most societies. Due to the genetic origins of cancer disease, its internal structure is necessary for the study of this disease. Methods: In this research, cancer data are analyzed based on DNA sequences. The transition probability of occurring two pairs of nucleotides in DNA sequences has Markovian property. This property inspires the idea of feature dimension reduction of DNA sequence for overcoming the high computational overhead of genes analysis. This idea is utilized in this research based on the Markovian property of DNA sequences. This mapping decreases feature dimensions and conserves basic properties for discrimination of cancerous and non-cancerous genes. Results: The results showed that a non-linear support vector machine (SVM) classifier with RBF and polynomial kernel functions can discriminate selected cancerous samples from non-cancerous ones. Experimental results based on the 10-fold cross-validation and accuracy metrics verified that the proposed method has low computational overhead and high accuracy. Conclusion: The proposed algorithm was successfully tested on related research case studies. In general, a combination of proposed Markovian-based feature reduction and non-linear SVM classifier can be considered as one of the best methods for discrimination of cancerous and non-cancerous genes.
Role of cellulose family in fibril organization of collagen for forming 3D cancer spheroids: In vitro and in silico approach
Authors: Dalir Abdolahinia Elaheh , Jafari Behzad , Parvizpour Sepideh , Barar Jaleh , Nadri Samad , Omidi Yadollah
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Cell aggregation of three-dimensional (3D) culture systems (the so-called spheroids) are designed as in vitro platform to represent more accurately the in vivo environment for drug discovery by using semi-solid media. The uniform multicellular tumor spheroids can be generated based on the interaction of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules such as collagen and integrin. This study aimed to investigate the possible interactions between the cellulose family and collagen using both in vitro and in silico approaches. Methods: The 3D microtissue of JIMT-1 cells was generated using hanging drop method to study the effects of charge and viscosity of the medium containing cellulose family. To determine the mode of interaction between cellulose derivatives (CDs) and collagen-integrin, docking analysis and molecular simulation were further performed using open source web servers and chemical simulations (GROMACS), respectively. Results: The results confirmed that the addition of CDs into the 3D medium can promote the formation of solid spheroids, where methylcellulose (MC) yielded uniform spheroids compared to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Moreover, the computational analysis showed that MC interacted with both integrin and collagen, while sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) only interacted with collagen residues. The stated different behaviors in the 3D culture formation and collagen interaction were found in the physicochemical properties of CDs. Conclusion: Based on in vitro and in silico findings, MC is suggested as an important ECM-mimicking entity that can support the semi-solid medium and promote the formation of the uniform spheroid in the 3D culture.
Occurrence of Congenital Anomalies in Iran and Implications of Osr-o-Haraj "Denegation of Intolerable Hardship Rule" in Shia Fiqh
Authors: dastgiri saeed , Kazemi Abdolhassan , heidarzadeh Mohammad , Alian Morteza , Samadi Bahram , Seif-farshad Ali , Sayyah Melli Foroogh Sadat , Mirzajanzadeh Hossein , Yasini Mariam Beigom
Published: May 2021

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to explain the examples of "the Jurisprudential Rule of "Osr o- Haraj" or Denegation of Intolerable Hardship in the occurrence of congenital anomalies and genetic disorders and show that according to the current laws of the country, more of these diseases can be prevented. Material and Methods: Data for occurrence of congenital anomalies were derived from two major regional and national epidemiological studies based on 6,465,849 births in the country. A comprehensive review of literature was carried out on the details of ‘Denegation of Intolerable Hardship Rule. The details of medical termination of pregnancies diagnosed for congenital anomalies and the role of ‘Denegation of Intolerable Hardship’ principle in the prevention of birth defects were explored in several Focused Group Discussions formed by peditricians, geneticists, psychiatrists, neotatalogists and expert jurisprudents. Results: The statistical estimates indicate that there are now nearly 100,000 births with one of the birth defects occurring every year in Iran. The total prevalence of the anomalies has more than tripled in the last 18 years. Conclusion: The occurrence of congenital anomalies and genetic disorders will undermine the gene pool of the population if preventive measures are not properly implemented in the community genetics services to control those disorders. According to the current law on therapeutic abortion, disorders that lead to the hardships of father, mother, family, community, as well as future generations may be diagnosed by the three specialists (before the 16th week of pregnancy, the time of onsetting the soul). They can then be referred for medical abortion. A minimum of 70,000 birth defects may be avoided using the therapeutic termination of pregnancies diagnosed for congenital anomalies if the ‘no hardship and negation of distress and constriction’ principle is suitably explored in maternal, pediatric, neonatal settings and for public health authorities.
The Course of Parosmia Improvement in Patients with COVID-19 in Iran
Authors: Aljadayel Doha Abo , Jalilvand Hadi , Abdi Mojtaba , Jahandideh Hesam
Published: May 2021

Background and Objectives: Smell disorder such as dostorted olfaction (parosmia) is one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the improvement of symptoms of parosmia in patients with COVID-19 in 2020. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in summer and spring of 2020 using a data collection form which was validated with Cronbach's alpha of r=0.826. The study was done in an international health center in Tehran. To report descriptive results, mean, standard deviation, absolute frequency and absolute frequency percentage, and for analysis, independent t-test and chi-square test were used using SPSS software version 16 and the significance level was considered to be 0.05. Results: In total ,350 patients participated in the study, the prevalence of parosmia in patients was 15.14% and the mean and age deviation of patients was 32.71 ± 10.93 years. There was not a significant relationship between parosmia and gender (p value=0.317), age (p value=0.271), previous history of allergic symptoms (p value=0.083), family history of the disease (p value=0.638), taste disorder (p-value=0.768), and smoking (p-value=0.558). 31 cases (58.49 % of Patients) with parosmia had complete remission within 4-6 weeks. Conclusion: Due to the high prevalence of olfactory disorders, especially parosmia in patients with COVID-19, parosmia and other olfactory disorders can be used to screen and triage patients with COVID-19, especially moderate and mild patients. Patients with parosmia should be followed for at least 4 to 6 weeks and if they do not recover for up to 12 weeks, they should be referred to ENT specialists for more specific measures.
Educational and Professional Challenges of Dentistry During Covid-19 Pandemic; a Literature Review
Authors: Pournagi Azar fatemeh , Hadilou Mahdi
Published: May 2021

In the year 2020 Covid-19 disease caused an extensive pandemic world-wide. It arose from Wuhan city in China and spread to whole world resulting in many deaths. Immediately, researchers conducted many studies to assess the etiology, epidemiology, ways of transmission and protective instructions and materials against Covid-19, but still there are not enough studies about challenges which dentists, dental students and patients referring to dental clinics encounter regarding their social, economic and psychological status. In this review, authors tried to focus on the literature regarding these problems. The literature search was conducted using natural language keywords and controlled vocabulary using MeSH through PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar from 1st of January 2020 to 21st of November 2020. In addition, Gray literature and manual search of references were also performed. Articles with low quality methodology were excluded based on critical appraisal. The articles about the effects of Covid-19 on "dental education", "pediatric dentistry", "geriatric dentistry" and "dental professions and practice" were included in the study. The results showed that due to the practical nature of the dental profession and education and the importance of social distance during this pandemic (Covid-19), the dental community and even patients in need of dental treatment have been affected by this pandemic in different ways that should be considered by health officials for facilitating feedback to this pandemic.
Factors Affecting the Promotion of Yazd Brand as a Health Tourism Destination with a Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping Approach
Authors: Zahmatkesh saredorahi Mahdieh , Mohammadpour Shirazi Fatemeh , Ardian Aram , Siadatan Mohammad , Hashemi Seyede Noshin
Published: May 2021

Abstract Background and Objectives: Nowadays, multi-national hospitals, competitive prices, quality of international standards and the level of specialized technologies are among the examples of globalization of health so that countries compete with each other in attracting medical tourists. The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the promotion of Yazd brand as a health tourism destination. Material and Methods: This is a mixed method research, in terms of purpose is applied and in terms of data collection is a descriptive study. The factors affecting the promotion of Yazd brand were identified through literature review. Then Expert Panel of 15 health tourism experts with at least 5 years of experience were appraised and approved the criteria. A matrix questionnaire was prepared and presented to 123 tourists who had traveled to Yazd province for taking health services for the second appraise of the identified criteria. Finally, the data obtained from health tourists by using fuzzy cognitive mapping tools and techniques were analyzed, and the final model of the research was drawn by social networks analysis (SNA). Results: The findings of analysis of experts' opinions data indicate that the factors of validity, brand performance and health tourism marketing are more central than other factors, because the total impact and effectiveness of these factors is more than other factors, so more attention should be paid to these factors. Conclusion: Destination image has a significant role in the decision-making and destination selection process, which with the increase in the number of new tourist destinations around the world, has led to the growing importance of health services in promoting health tourism and attention to the brand of tourism destination. In order to promote the health tourism brand, paying attention to the three factors of credibility, brand performance and marketing are in the priority of this research.
Effect of Problem-Based Learning and Reasoning Tests on Learners' Critical Thinking Skills Before and After the Educational Intervention in Graduate Students of Basic Sciences
Authors: Zarea Gavgani Vahideh , Hazrati Hakimeh , Sohrabi Zohreh
Published: May 2021

Abstract Background and Objectives: Critical thinking skills are not learned spontaneously. Higher education system should strengthen critical thinking skills of learners by integrating critical thinking skills into educational programs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of problem-based learning and reasoning tests on strengthening learners' critical thinking skills before and after the educational intervention in graduate students of basic sciences. Material and Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental study that was conducted in 2020 at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and Iran. Participants in the study were graduate students in the fields of medical education and Medical Library and Information Science. Problem-based learning theory and application of reasoning tests in the level of critical thinking of learners before and after the educational intervention; the California Critical Thinking Questionnaire was reviewed. Data analysis was performed using Spss 19 software. Statistical methods such as frequency, percentage and mean standard deviation have been used to study descriptive statistics and the significance level of the data has been investigated using nonparametric Wilcoxon test. Results: The level of critical thinking of students in the field of medical education before the educational intervention was moderate (2.92 ± 9.01) and weak in the field of Medical Library and Information Science (6.80 ± 80.95). After the educational intervention, the level of critical thinking of learners in both disciplines has significantly increased. In the field of analysis, the rate of critical thinking in both disciplines was lower than other domains before the intervention, which was higher than the other domains after the educational intervention. Conclusion:The present study showed that designing effective educational interventions in the fields of teaching and assessment methods lead to strengthening learners' critical thinking skills. By using new methods of evaluation and teaching, the education system can produce graduate students with the competency to create new ideas and novel approaches.
Evaluation of Capabilities of Health Care Management Bachelor of Science Graduates
Authors: Khodayari-zarnaq Rahim , Nosratnejad Shirin , Mobasseri Khorshid , Kakemam Edris
Published: May 2021

Abstract Background and Objectives: Health services management is one of the important fields in health system. Assessing the abilities of graduates in this field will help to identify educational needs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the competency of bachelor graduateswho have employed in the health system units. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 51 graduates, 41 junior employee and 28 senior employees of health-related organizations in East Azerbaijan Province and from the perspective of all three groups. The 360-degree method was employed using a researcher-made validity and reliability questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Results: Graduates in the field of ethics from a superior perspective (4.01 ±0.76), Customer orientation from the perspective of graduates (4.13 ± 0.76), Problem solving from the perspective of a colleague (3.94 ± 0.89), Service delivery management (3.93 ± 0.91) and change management from the perspective of a graduate (3.90 ± 0.85) And in the field of financial management (3.32 ± 1.14), human resource management (3.74 ± 0.81) and knowledge management from a superior perspective (3.46 ± 1.01) had less ability. The largest gap was identified in the field of financial management from the perspective of all three groups, but from the perspective of the graduates themselves, there was a greater gap in the field of information and communication management (3.89. 0.84). Conclusion: This study showed that graduates in financial management and information and communication management need to be promoted. Therefore, reviewing the educational curriculum, using new teaching methods and holding supplementary training courses in these fields can help to improve graduates' abilities.