bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
¡Digitalizad@s del mundo, a las redes! De la cuarta y abundante revolución industrial a la ruptura digital y la escasez superstar
Authors:   Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Torrent-Sellens Joan
Published: March 2022

Este artículo revisa y utiliza tres conceptos de la economía evolucionista: las tecnologías de utilidad o propósito general, el paradigma tecnoeconómico y la revolución industrial para explicar las principales tendencias e implicaciones económicas de fondo de la transformación digital. En primer lugar, se utiliza la idea de las tecnologías de utilidad general para abordar las singularidades del proceso de la I+D digital y para plantear la creciente generación de efectos de renta y de extracción de valor por parte de los superstars de la digitalización, lo que explicaría buena parte del crecimiento acuciante de la desigualdad en época digital. En segundo lugar, se utiliza el concepto de paradigma tecnoeconómico para explicar que el paradigma digital ya acumula dos ondas largas y un proceso de transición: desde las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación y la economía del conocimiento, hasta las tecnologías de la transformación digital y la economía dato/tarea masiva. Y en tercer lugar, se revisa el concepto, demasiado ambiguo e incorrecto, de cuarta revolución industrial, y se propone la idea de la ruptura o escisión industrial para describir la interacción tecnológica, económica, social, institucional/política y cultural que se estaría produciendo en la segunda oleada de la digitalización.
Futuro del empleo: nuevos desafíos para aspiraciones pendientes
Authors:   Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Ficapal-Cusí Pilar , Motellón Corral Elisabet
Published: March 2022

Con motivo de la celebración de los veinticinco años de la creación de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), las autoras aprovechan para reflexionar sobre la evolución reciente del mercado de trabajo en España y sus relaciones laborales, así como sus retos de futuro. Un periodo que se inicia con una larga fase de expansión de la economía española y finaliza con la irrupción de la pandemia ocasionada por la COVID-19. En medio, acontecimientos con un relevante efecto económico y laboral como: i) la deslocalización que ha acompañado a la globalización, ii) los movimientos migratorios que nos han convertido en un país de acogida, iii) el violento impacto que supuso la Gran Recesión iniciada en 2008 y iv) la Gran Pandemia de 2020, así como v) el proceso de transformación tecnológica y digital en el que estamos inmersos. Con todo ello, el artículo no tiene vocación de pasado y se detiene en el análisis de dos grandes retos. La calidad del empleo, un desafío presente estos últimos veinticinco años y que, lejos de resolverse, se ha vuelto más urgente. Y su digitalización, la gran prueba de la economía y sociedad española que puede suponer un punto de inflexión en nuestra estructura del empleo.
Interface modulation and physical properties of heterostructure of metal nanoparticles and two-dimensional materials
Authors: Sun Ying-Hui , Mu Cong-Yan , Jiang Wen-Gui , Zhou Liang , Wang Rong-Ming ,   Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, School of Mathematics and Physics, Beijing Key Laboratory for Magneto-Photoelectrical Composite and Interface Science, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Published: March 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) material has atomic smooth surface, nano-scale thickness and ultra-high specific surface area, which is an important platform for studying the interface interaction between metal nanoparticles (NPs) and 2D materials, and also for observing the surface atomic migration, structural evolution and aggregation of metal NPs in real time and in situ. By rationally designing and constructing the interfaces of metal NPs and 2D materials, the characterization of the interface structure on an atomic scale is very important in revealing the structure-property relationship. It is expected that the investigation is helpful in understanding the mechanism of interaction between metal and 2D materials and optimizing the performance of the devices based on metal-2D material heterojunctions.

In this review, the recent progress of interface modulation and physical properties of the heterostructure of metal NPs and 2D materials are summarized. The nucleation, growth, structural evolution and characterization of metal NPs on the surface of 2D materials are reviewed. The effects of metal NPs on the crystal structure, electronic state and energy band of 2D materials are analyzed. The possible interfacial strain and interfacial reaction are also included. Because of the modulation of electrical and optical properties of 2D materials, the performance of metal NPs-2D material based field effect transistor devices and optoelectronic devices are improved. This review is helpful in clarifying the physical mechanism of microstructure affecting the properties of metal NPs-2D material heterostructures on an atomic scale, and also in developing the metal-2D material heterostructures and their applications in the fields of electronic devices, photoelectric devices, energy devices, etc.
Add a SideNet to your MainNet
Authors: Morisot Adrien
Published: March 2022

As the performance and popularity of deep neural networks has increased, so too has their computational cost. There are many effective techniques for reducing a network’s computational footprint--quantisation, pruning, knowledge distillation--, but these lead to models whose computational cost is the same regardless of their input. Our human reaction times vary with the complexity of the tasks we perform: easier tasks--e.g. telling apart dogs from boats--are executed much faster than harder ones--e.g. telling apart two similar-looking breeds of dogs. Driven by this observation, we develop a method for adaptive network complexity by attaching a small classification layer, which we call SideNet, to a large pretrained network, which we call MainNet. Given an input, the SideNet returns a classification if its confidence level, obtained via softmax, surpasses a user-determined threshold, and only passes it along to the large MainNet for further processing if its confidence is too low. This allows us to flexibly trade off the network’s performance with its computational cost. Experimental results show that simple single hidden layer perceptron SideNets added onto pretrained ResNet and BERT MainNets allow for substantial decreases in compute with minimal drops in performance on image and text classification tasks.
A deep crowd density classification model for Hajj pilgrimage using fully convolutional neural network
Authors: Bhuiyan Md Roman , Abdullah Junaidi , Hashim Noramiza , Al Farid Fahmid , Ahsanul Haque Mohammad , Uddin Jia , Mohd Isa Wan Noorshahida , Husen Mohd Nizam , Abdullah Norra
Published: March 2022

This research enhances crowd analysis by focusing on excessive crowd analysis and crowd density predictions for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Crowd analysis usually analyzes the number of objects within an image or a frame in the videos and is regularly solved by estimating the density generated from the object location annotations. However, it suffers from low accuracy when the crowd is far away from the surveillance camera. This research proposes an approach to overcome the problem of estimating crowd density taken by a surveillance camera at a distance. The proposed approach employs a fully convolutional neural network (FCNN)-based method to monitor crowd analysis, especially for the classification of crowd density. This study aims to address the current technological challenges faced in video analysis in a scenario where the movement of large numbers of pilgrims with densities ranging between 7 and 8 per square meter. To address this challenge, this study aims to develop a new dataset based on the Hajj pilgrimage scenario. To validate the proposed method, the proposed model is compared with existing models using existing datasets. The proposed FCNN based method achieved a final accuracy of 100%, 98%, and 98.16% on the proposed dataset, the UCSD dataset, and the JHU-CROWD dataset, respectively. Additionally, The ResNet based method obtained final accuracy of 97%, 89%, and 97% for the proposed dataset, UCSD dataset, and JHU-CROWD dataset, respectively. The proposed Hajj-Crowd-2021 crowd analysis dataset and the model outperformed the other state-of-the-art datasets and models in most cases.
Knowing the gap: medication use, adherence and blood pressure control among patients with hypertension in Indonesian primary care settings
Authors: Setiadi Adji Prayitno , Febriandini Anita , Trinanda Eltia , Aryaguna Wiweka , Chusna Irene Mutho’atin , Nurlaili Yulia , Sunderland Bruce , Wibowo Yosi Irawati
Published: March 2022

Background

Hypertension is a major risk factor for global disease burden, however, little is known regarding the profiles of patients with hypertension in Indonesian primary care settings.

Objective

This study aimed to profile medication use, adherence to medications and lifestyle modifications as well as blood pressure control among patients with hypertension in Indonesian primary health centres (PHCs).

Methods

A cross-sectional study design used a structured data collection tool (questionnaire and checklist). Patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of hypertension, and prescribed an antihypertensive medication, and attending follow-up visits in the five PHCs in Surabaya, Indonesia, during a two-week study period (May–October 2019) were included. Descriptive analyses summarised the data, while binary logistic regression provided any independent associations between adherence profiles and blood pressure control.

Results

Of 457 eligible patients, 276 patients consented: PHC A (n = 50/91), PHC B (n = 65/116), PHC C (n = 47/61), PHC D (n = 60/88), PHC E (n = 54/101), giving an overall response rate of 60.4%. Patients were mainly treated with a single antihypertensive medication,i.e., amlodipine (89.1%), and many had not achieved blood pressure targets (68.1%). A majority reported notable levels of non-adherence to medication (low/intermediate, 65.2%) and poor healthy lifestyle behaviours, particularly physical activity (inadequate, 87.7%) and discretionary salt use (regularly, 50.4%). Significant associations were found between low medication adherence, discretionary salt use and smoking, with blood pressure control.

Conclusions

The study findings provide the evidence needed to improve the current level of sub-optimal blood pressure management among patients with hypertension in these Indonesian primary care settings. Particular emphasis should be placed on antihypertensive medication adherence and healthy lifestyle behaviours through locally tailored hypertension-related interventions.
A longitudinal study of risk factors associated with white spot disease occurrence in marine shrimp farming in Rayong, Thailand
Authors: Yaemkasem Sompit , Boonyawiwat Visanu , Sukmak Manakorn , Thongratsakul Sukanya , Poolkhet Chaithep
Published: March 2022

Background

A longitudinal study was conducted to analyze farm characteristics, farm practices, and biosecurity measures that influenced the occurrence of white spot disease (WSD) in shrimp farming in Rayong, Thailand.

Methods

Data were collected using a structured interview schedule administered between October 2017 and September 2019. A generalized estimating equations (GEE) model was used to identify risk factors. From the 270 responses, 86 possible risk factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

We found that 17 possible risk factors were statistically significant with an alpha level of 1% and associated with WSD status. In the final model, multivariate analysis found that two independent variables were statistically significant. First, the absence of inclement weather during ponding was a statistically significant factor associated with WSD occurrence and it prevented WSD occurrence as the odds ratio (OR) was <1 (OR = 0.196, P = 1.3 × 10−5). Second, the separation of ponds into three specific types (cultured, water treatment, and pond for water reservoir) was significantly associated with WSD occurrence. Likewise, the presence of this ponding system was a protective factor against WSD (OR = 0.0828, P = 0.001).

Conclusions

The results of this study offer a reference for farmers and relevant authorities when addressing WSD occurrence in shrimp farming. In addition, our results can help relevant authorities in controlling WSD in other endemic areas.
Acute kidney injury-attributable mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis
Authors: Wang Zhiyi , Weng Jie , Yang Jinwen , Zhou Xiaoming , Xu Zhe , Hou Ruonan , Zhou Zhiliang , Wang Liang , Chen Chan , Jin Shengwei
Published: March 2022

Background

To assess whether acute kidney injury (AKI) is independently associated with hospital mortality in ICU patients with sepsis, and estimate the excess AKI-related mortality attributable to AKI.

Methods

We analyzed adult patients from two distinct retrospective critically ill cohorts: (1) Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC IV; n = 15,610) cohort and (2) Wenzhou (n = 1,341) cohort. AKI was defined by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. We applied multivariate logistic and linear regression models to assess the hospital and ICU mortality, hospital length-of-stay (LOS), and ICU LOS. The excess attributable mortality for AKI in ICU patients with sepsis was further evaluated.

Results

AKI occurred in 5,225 subjects in the MIMIC IV cohort (33.5%) and 494 in the Wenzhou cohort (36.8%). Each stage of AKI was an independent risk factor for hospital mortality in multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for baseline illness severity. The excess attributable mortality for AKI was 58.6% (95% CI [46.8%–70.3%]) in MIMIC IV and 44.6% (95% CI [12.7%–76.4%]) in Wenzhou. Additionally, AKI was independently associated with increased ICU mortality, hospital LOS, and ICU LOS.

Conclusion

Acute kidney injury is an independent risk factor for hospital and ICU mortality, as well as hospital and ICU LOS in critically ill patients with sepsis. Thus, AKI is associated with excess attributable mortality.
The Correlation between Parenting Styles and Learning Disciplines of Cadets in Merchant Marine Polytechnic of West Sumatra During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Saransi Faisal , Erlinda Nelfi , Fauziah Roselia Dan
Published: March 2022

The parenting styles could affect children’s behavior, one of them are the learning discipline of children. Based on the observations done by the writers in, there were several cadets who were not discipline in following teaching and learning process during the covid-19 pandemic which was assumed due to different parenting styles. Therefore, this study aims to find the correlation between parenting practice and the learning discipline of cadets in batch IV and V in Merchant Marine Polytechnic of West Sumatra during the Covid-19 pandemic. The result data shows there is a significant correlation between the parenting styles and the discipline level of cadets in batch IV and V in the even semester of 2020/2021. The analysis data results tcount = 2,48 and ttable.  at a significant level of 5% of 1.66.
Fiscal Policy Measures and Investment Decisions in Nigeria (1995 – 2019)
Authors: C. Otiwu Kingsley
Published: March 2022

This paper examined the extent to which fiscal policy measures could effectively be used to promote investment decision in Nigeria.  The data employed covered the period of 1995 to 2019 which include fiscal measures such as capital expenditure, recurrent expenditure, value added tax and investment.  In performing the empirical analysis, econometric techniques such as auto regressive distributed lag (ARDL), unit root, Granger Causality test and bound test were applied on the data to produce acceptable results.  The results from the analysis revealed that capital expenditure is positive and significant while recurrent expenditure and value added tax are insignificant to investment growth in the economy.  Based on our results, we conclude that more priority should be place on capital expenditure in the country for it will stimulate investment growth respectively.
Family Characteristics and Adolescent Sexual Behaviour in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria
Authors: Ojiho I. H. , Isokon B. , Tiku T. O
Published: March 2022

This study investigated family characteristics and adolescent sexual behavior in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State. The study employed descriptive research survey type was chosen for this study. The population for this study consisted of all adolescents in public secondary schools from senior secondary one to senior secondary three in Yala Local Government Area. A sample of three hundred (300) respondents (students) from senior secondary school one to secondary three was selected using simple random sampling techniques. The instrument employed in the study was a self-developed structured questionnaire Adolescent Questionnaire (AQ). The data collected after coding were analyzed using Mean, Standard deviation and t-test statistic. T-test statistic was used to test the four hypotheses formulated at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that family structure, parental monitoring, socioeconomic status and religious background have a significant influence on adolescent sexual behavior in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State. It was therefore recommended that parents should discuss sexuality issues with their adolescent children to disabuse their minds from early engagement in sexual activities. Parents should also respect the institution of marriage and the core values that keep a family together so that their adolescent children will follow their examples.
Studies on the Pilot Scale Filtration System for Coir Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Jayabalakrishnan R. M. , Rani S. , Sudhalakshmi C.
Published: March 2022

Pilot scale low cost system was carried out in the Coconut Research Station for treating coir industry wastewater using Vetiver zizanioides along with Vermiculite clay mineral. Wastewater collected from the two different sites were considered as two treatments. The reduction in pH, EC, BOD, COD, TDS and Polyphenols at both the treatments (T1 and T2) was observed. Major reduction was observed in the TDS content with the reduction percentage of 49.73% and 51.03% for T1 and T2 respectively. Likewise, reduction percentage of polyphenols in T1 and T2 were 4.76% and 4.9%, respectively. Hence, phytoremediation using vetiver was found to be a promising approach for remediation of coir industry wastewater.
Seroprevalence of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Immunoglobulin G Antibodies (HPV 16-IgG) among Women Attending General Hospital Kagarko, Kagarko Lga, Kaduna State
Authors: Dike-Ndudim Joy Nkeiruka , Olaniran Ayodeji Sunday , Ndubueze Chizaram Winners , Uwandu Chidinma Ursula
Published: March 2022

A large majority of cervical cancer (more than 95%) is due to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV type 16 account more than half of cervical cancers Worldwide. This study investigated the sero-prevalence of HPV-16 IgG antibodies among women attending General Hospital Kagarko, Kagarko Local government, Kaduna State. Serum samples and questionnaires were administered to 110 women for collection of data. HPV-16 specific IgG antibodies were detected by the use of an HPV-16 virus-like particle ELISA. The highest HPV-16 IgG sero-positivity 24.5% (27/110), was found at the age >20-59 years and at 95% confidence interval. Sero-positivity increased from 9.5% in women having one lifetime sex partner to 62.5% in women with more than three sex partners (p=0.006). Age at first intercourse, number of lifetime sex partners, and having had sex with men who have multiple sex partners were significantly associated with HPV-16 IgG antibodies. These information on HPV sero-epidemiology will be important for designing prevention efforts including vaccine programs.
Neotropical Micodiversity of Mato Grosso, Central Region of Brazil: Ethnomicological Aspects and Systematic Research of the Literature
Authors: Leite Jr. Diniz Pereira , Tadano Tomoko , Pereira Ronaldo Sousa , Ribeiro de Souza Janaina Vasconcellos , Yamamoto Ana Caroline Akeme , Martins Evelin Rodrigues , Alves Simões Sara de Almeida , Siqueira Nathan Pereira , Queiroz Júnior Luiz de Pádua , Gasparetto André , Assis Baroni Francisco de , Da Costa Gisela Lara , Carvalho Melhem Márcia de Souza , De Oliveira Manoel Marques Evangelista , Pal Mahendra , Rodrigues Paula Claudete
Published: March 2022

Introduction: The knowledge about fungal diversity in Mato Grosso, central Brazil records unknown and scattered information, some related to taxonomy, ecology and description of species listed for the geographic region, consisting of three main biomes: Cerrado, Amazon and Pantanal.

 Aims: To present fungi related to the Mato Grosso region, aspects and species cataloged for central region of Brazil, reported through an extensive review of integrative scientific literature in publications in databases from 1979-2021.

Results: We identified 190 articles included in the review, of which 69 (36.3%) were highlighted, due to their fungal aspects for the Midwest region of Brazil, medical mycology shows a strong relationship in publications to pathogenic, mycelial and yeast fungi. The Cerrado of Mato Grosso is the main biome in the Brazilian Midwest, with the largest number of records, with 88.6% of the findings, followed by the Amazon biome with 8.6% and the Pantanal with 5.7%. The capital of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá (67.1%), contributes with most publications relevant to fungi for the Midwest region, showing a wealth and variety. The phylum Ascomycota (56%) had the highest number of records in research, the class of Eurotiomycetes (21.5%) had the highest number of records and the most expressive order was that of Onygenales (30%). Researches with human clinical material (66.3%) were the most representative.

Conclusion: Assessing the results presented in this study, we can observe that the medical and clinical mycology, including systemic fungi, mainly from the genera Cryptococcus, Candida and Paracoccidioides, were the most studied for the Mato Grosso region, as they present characteristics of pathogenic fungal entities that cause infections in immunocompetents and immunocompromised patients.
Evaluation of Chenopodium Quinoa Extract on Diazepam Induced Memory Impairment in Animal Models
Authors: Raju M. Ganga , Mondal Triyasha , Reddy V. N. V. L. Suvarchala , Anila M.
Published: March 2022

Aim: The present study explored the pharmacological and insilico studies of ethanolic seed extract of Chenopodium quinoa.

Materials and Methods: The screening of in vivo anti- amnesic activity of the ethanolic seed extract of Chenopodium quinoa was carried out using Actophotometer and Rotarod apparatus. The extract exhibited active constituents like myristic acid, palmitic acid, eicosadienoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, tocopherols, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, quercetin, benzoic acid, kaempferol, arachidonic acid, benzofuran and 2-bromodecanoic acid. In silico approaches like docking studies (Mcule software) and Ramchandran plot (procheck), online softwares were used in the study to establish mechanism of action of active constituents present in the extract.

Results: The extract treated groups at doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, bd.wt) showed significant anti-amnesic activity. The basal activity score in actophotometer is as an indicator for impairment of learning and memory. Fall of time by rotarod is used to evaluate learning and memory in rodent models of CNS disorders as in case of amnesia. The results revealed that quercetin, kaempferol, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stigmasterol, lenolenic acid, pentadecanoic acid, tocopherols, arachidonic acid and standard donepezil have got highest glide scores against selected Protein Data Bank (PDB ID): 1EVE, 2FY4, 7CUM and 3EJ8. According to Ramachandran plot a good quality model would be expected to have over 90% in the most favoured region. Proteins like PDB ID: 1EVE, 2FY4, 7CUM and 3EJ8 showed almost 80-90% favoured region which clearly indicates that the selected proteins in the present study are of good quality.

Conclusion: Our research unveiled that ethanolic seed extract of Chenopodium quinoa possessed significant anti- amnesic activity.
Effect of Kabasura Kudineer Extract on Inhibitory Kappa B Kinase Beta and m TOR mRNA Complex Expression in Lung Cancer Cells (A549 Cell)
Authors: Ashwin S. P. , Preetha S. , Selvaraj J. , Sridevi G.
Published: March 2022

Background: Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate and highest rate of metastasis. Kabasura kudineer was used widely during the Covid period. The aim of the study is to find the effect of kabasura kudineer extract on inhibitory kappa B kinase beta and mTOR mRNA complex expression in lung cancer cells.

Materials and Methods: Cell viability test was done using MTT assay. mRNA expression of inhibitory kappa B Kinase and mTOR was done by real-time PCR. The data was analysed statistically by one way analysis of variance and Duncan multiple range test with graph prism version 5. p<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Kabasura kudineer caused a marked increase in cell death in dose dependent manner. At the end of 48 hours, maximum inhibition was at 300 and 400 µg/ml. Kabasura kudineer has inhibited the mRNA expression of inhibitory kappa B Kinase and mTOR in lung cancer cell lines (A549 cell).

Conclusion: The study indicates that kabasura kudineer extract has anti cancer activity on the lung cancer cell line (A549 cell).
Correlation of MTHFR Gene Polymorphism with Male Infertility
Authors: More Akash , Gajbe Ujwal , Bhandekar Bhagyashree , Shrivastava Deepti
Published: March 2022

Background: Folate is present in Vitamin B, which is not present in the body, and one has to consume it from outside. Its functions are to help in the production of RBCs, helps in the production of genes, DNA, RNA, and protein, helps in the metabolism of homocysteine, and is also the main component which is required for the process of methylation. For the metabolism of the folate group, the MTHFR gene is responsible. When there is a problem occurs in the MTHFR gene such as SNP, then it can create a problem with many allied metabolisms and other biological reactions or processes in the body of human body and deficiency of folate in the body may lead to affect various processes such as it can increase the homocysteine level in the body and can cause hyperhomocysteinemia, which has been linked with many diseases along with causing male infertility.

Objectives:

To identify nucleotide polymorphism in cases and control group.

To correlate polymorphism status with male infertility.

To correlate MTHFR polymorphism with abnormal semen parameters.

To correlate BMI with male infertility.

Methodology: For this study, we will use various collective methods to conduct the study which includes the recording of treatment history and the indications of infertile patients visiting WARDHA TEST TUBE CENTRE and counselling them. After that semen collection and analysis will be done along with blood collection, DNA extraction, DNA quantification with nanodrop and agarose gel, PCR, and RFLP. We have also made use of PubMed for getting related articles.

Results and Conclusion: We have done many searches on PubMed and NCBI sites (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/) with keyword MTHFR gene, polymorphism in MTHFR gene, methylation, folate methylation, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, and primer for MTHFR gene and retrieved many articles related to primers for MTHFR gene and will design our primer for forward and reverse annealing with the help of Amplify software (Engels, 1993). With the help of our study, we will analyze the MTHFR genomic sequence along with analysis of RFLP, in which we will design an amplicon of 513bps in which we will find restriction site for Hinf I and will check that if polymorphism is there then it will cut the DNA amplicon into two and will confirm it with electrophoresis.
A Clinico–radiological Correlation of Patients with Lumbar Spinal Instability
Authors: Dudhekar Ulhas J. , Ambade Ratnakar , Saoji Kiran , Kekatpure Aditya , Gupta Sarthak
Published: March 2022

Background: A larger than normal range of motion in the spinal segment defines lumbar segmental instability, which is a sort of aberrant motion to physiologic stressors. Clinical complaints and signs such as low back ache or radiculopathy, as well as Kotilainen and Valtonen's three criteria for instability (painful catch, instability catch, and apprehension) will be correlated with an MRI investigation to determine lumbar spinal instability. Disc degeneration and facet degeneration along with soft tissues supporting spinal motion segment are important provocative factors for lumbar spine instability. The existence of lumbar instability must be identified since it can alter the treatment approach and patient prognosis.

Objective: To evaluate clinical signs and symptoms in patients with Lumbar spinal instability, as well as to investigate radiological signs using X-rays and an MRI scan.

Methods and Materials:  In this study in which patients with history suggestive of Lumbar spinal instability will be evaluated clinically and radiologically. Patients of age group of 25-75 years will be included in this study. Clinical tests, static and dynamic Xrays and MRI scan will be studied.

Expected Outcomes: By this study we can expect clinico–radiological co relation in patient with low back ache in lumbar spinal instability. Outcome data will be assessed on Clinico-radiological Criteria of Lumbar Instability and clinic-radiological correlation will be done.
Comparative Study between Bone Marrow- mesenchymal Stem Cells and Adipose Tissue- mesenchymal Stem Cells in Restoration of Male Fertility
Authors: Ebrahim Osama Fouad Ahmed , Shalaby Saadia A. , Eid Essam M. , Ibrahim Mai H. Abdel Samad , Faruk Eman Mohamed
Published: March 2022

Background: Male infertility is considered a major cause of couple infertility as it represents 25- 50 % of infertility cases. In addition, non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) represents 10% of all infertile men.There is no definite curable treatment for such cases.

Aim of Work: The purpose of this research was to assess the efficacy of BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs in treating busulfan-induced azoospermia in wistar rats.

Materials and Methods: BM-MSCs were extracted from the femur bones of five adult Wistar rats and AT-MSCs from preperitoneal adipose tissue. They were then evaluated for morphology, MSC markers, osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. To produce azoospermia in male Wistar rats, two doses of busulfan (15 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally during a 21-day period. The seminiferous tubules of each testis were injected with 2.5106 MSCs 35 days after the second busulfan injection. 12 weeks after cell therapy, the testes were examined histopathologically and histomorphometrically.

Results: Like the control group, the seminiferous tubules treated with BM-MSCs demonstrated normal spermatogenesis in compared to the busulfan-induced azoospermic testes. In contrast to the busulfan-induced azoospermic testes, the seminiferous tubules treated with AT-MSCs exhibited a practically typical look of spermatogenesis.

Conclusion: BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs were shown to be beneficial in treating azoospermia in the wistar rat model, restoring fertility to busulfan-induced azoospermic animals after MSC transplantation. As a result, this discovery may pave the way for the future use of MSCs in the treatment of human azoospermia, although more research should be conducted to confirm the findings.
Marlin's Wynd
Authors: Cook Martin , Cross Morag , Lawson John A , Haggarty George , Wilmott Hugh , Holmes Nicholas
Published: March 2022

The 17th-century Tron Kirk, on the High Street, Edinburgh (NGR: NT 2592 7363), is built over the remains of tenement buildings that were pulled down to allow its construction. The re-development of the building provided an opportunity to complete the earlier excavations carried out between 1974 and 1983 and a more complete footprint of the tenements emerged, together with a fragment of the old High Street. The archaeological investigation has been complemented by documentary research which has populated the tenements with colourful occupants as far back as the late 15th century. The artefact assemblages from both the recent and earlier excavations contain only material of 16th- and 17th-century date, which suggests that the tenements had been redeveloped during the late 15th/early 16th centuries, thus removing all but a trace of the earlier medieval settlement.
Scale‐Up in Chemical Engineering
Authors: Moran Sean
Published: March 2022

Chemical engineers model processes mathematically and physically to assist them in designing new industrial plants. Scale‐up is one of a range of tools used to do this.

Scale‐up is not a trivial or purely theoretical matter, and process safety in the scale‐up process is a key concern. However, scale‐up has limited application since the vast majority of new plant designs do not involve significant scale‐up, and professional engineers avoid novelty as much as possible.

The important issues at each proposed stage of scale‐up are:

Is a complete physical model required, or will a computer model validated by partial models suffice?

If a physical model is required, how complete/big should it be?

Should physical properties differ between model(s) and larger plant?

Which rules govern the adaptation of the process parameters in the model measurements to those of the full‐scale plant?

Is it possible to achieve complete similarity between the processes in the model and those in its full‐scale counterpart?

If not: how should one proceed?

What data will be gathered, and how will it be analyzed?

What will the plant cost to build and operate?

Will it be safe to operate?

How will it be controlled?
Longitudinal assessment of quality assurance measurements in a 1.5 T MR‐linac: Part II—Magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Subashi Ergys , Dresner Alex , Tyagi Neelam
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To describe and report longitudinal quality assurance (QA) measurements for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) component of the Elekta Unity MR‐linac during the first year of clinical use in our institution.

Materials and methods

The performance of the MRI component of Unity was evaluated with daily, weekly, monthly, and annual QA testing. The measurements monitor image uniformity, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), resolution/detectability, slice position/thickness, linearity, central frequency, and geometric accuracy. In anticipation of routine use of quantitative imaging (qMRI), we characterize B0/B1 uniformity and the bias/reproducibility of longitudinal/transverse relaxation times (T1/T2) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Tolerance levels for QA measurements of qMRI biomarkers are derived from weekly monitoring of T1, T2, and ADC.

Results

The 1‐year assessment of QA measurements shows that daily variations in each MR quality metric are well below the threshold for failure. Routine testing procedures can reproducibly identify machine issues. The longitudinal three‐dimensional (3D) geometric analysis reveals that the maximum distortion in a diameter of spherical volume (DSV) of 20, 30, 40, and 50 cm is 0.4, 0.6, 1.0, and 3.1 mm, respectively. The main source of distortion is gradient nonlinearity. Maximum peak‐to‐peak B0 inhomogeneity is 3.05 ppm, with gantry induced B0 inhomogeneities an order of magnitude smaller. The average deviation from the nominal B1 is within 2%, with minimal dependence on gantry angle. Mean ADC, T1, and T2 values are measured with high reproducibility. The median coefficient of variation for ADC, T1, and T2 is 1.3%, 1.1%, and 0.5%, respectively. The median bias for ADC, T1, and T2 is −0.8%, −0.1%, and 3.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

The MRI component of Unity operates within the guidelines and recommendations for scanner performance and stability. Our findings support the recently published guidance in establishing clinically acceptable tolerance levels for image quality. Highly reproducible qMRI measurements are feasible in Unity.
Soil properties are resilient despite grass invasion, fire, and grazing
Authors: Gerhard Leslie , Gasch Caley K , Sedivec Kevin
Published: March 2022

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensisL.; hereafter referred to as bluegrass) is an invasive perennial grass that has become naturalized throughout the entire United States. This species is an effective competitor and produces abundant litter, which in turn creates a thick thatch layer. In the northern Great Plains, fire and grazing are effective management tools for reducing the thatch layer, promoting expression of native grasses and forbs, and improving forage quality. The overall objective of this research was to examine belowground characteristics under accumulated thatch in response to management with fire and grazing. Soil samples were collected from plots dominated by bluegrass with thatch and from plots one year after management with fire and season‐long grazing. Additionally, to understand immediate and in‐season effects of fire and grazing on soil properties, we sampled soil immediately before and at increasing time steps after spring fires and exposure to grazing. All soils were analyzed for carbon and nitrogen pools, microbial abundance and community structure, and decomposition rates. In general, belowground pools of carbon, nitrogen, and microbial communities were stable despite vegetation management treatments. However, prescribed burning caused a brief decline of labile carbon and decomposition rates in shallow soil, but both properties returned to prefire levels within one year after burning. Our observations indicate that the combination of fire and grazing has minimal effect on the soil and is effective at removing thatch and reducing bluegrass.
Enantioselektive Tail‐to‐Head‐Terpencyclisierungen durch optisch aktive hexamere Resorcin[4]aren‐Kapselderivate
Authors: Sokolova Daria , Piccini GiovanniMaria , Tiefenbacher Konrad
Published: March 2022

Molekulare Kapseln ermöglichen die Umwandlung von Substraten innerhalb eines geschlossenen Hohlraumes und ahmen bis zu einem gewissen Grad die enzymatische Katalyse nach. Ein Chiralitätstransfer von der molekularen Kapsel auf das eingekapselte Substrat wurde nur in wenigen Fällen untersucht. Hier zeigen wir, dass ein Chiralitätstransfer innerhalb eines relativ großen molekularen Behälters von etwa 1400 Å3 möglich ist. Insbesondere präsentieren wir (1) die ersten Beispiele optisch aktiver hexamerer Resorcin[4]aren Kapseln, (2) ihre Fähigkeit zur enantioselektiven Katalyse von Tail‐to‐Head‐Terpencyclisierungen und (3) die überraschend hohe Empfindlichkeit der Enantioselektivität auf die strukturellen Modifikationen.
Decarbonylierende Transferhydrochlorierung von Alkenen und Alkinen auf Grundlage einer B(C6F5)3‐ausgelösten Grob‐Fragmentierung
Authors: Xie Kaixue , Oestreich Martin
Published: March 2022

Gut verfügbare Derivate cyclohexa‐2,5‐dien‐1‐ylsubstituierter Acylchloride werden als lagerfähige HCl‐Surrogate für Transferhydrochlorierungen von terminalen und internen Alkenen sowie ausgewählten Alkinen vorgestellt. Die schrittweise Grob‐Fragmentierung jener Säurechloride in Chlorid, Kohlenmonoxid, einen niedermolekularen Aromaten und ein Proton wird durch B(C6F5)3 vermittelt. Dieser decarbonylierende Transferprozess ermöglicht die Addition von HCl an C−C‐Doppel‐ und Dreifachbindungen mit Markownikow‐Selektivität bei Raumtemperatur.
Postoperative respiratory depression caused by iatrogenic hypermagnesaemia
Authors: Premkumar C. R. , Parthasarathy R. , Kumar S. , Vijaykumar S.
Published: March 2022

Hypermagnesaemia is an uncommon electrolyte disorder which can be fatal if not recognised and treated promptly. The signs and symptoms of hypermagnesaemia are non‐specific, making it an under‐diagnosed cause of cardiovascular dysfunction, hypocalcaemia, and neurological and respiratory depression. Since magnesium homeostasis is handled almost exclusively by the kidneys, symptomatic hypermagnesaemia seldom occurs in the context of normal renal function; when it does, it is usually iatrogenic. Here, we report a case of iatrogenic hypermagnesaemia which presented as respiratory depression, preventing weaning from mechanical ventilation following cardiac surgery in a patient in the early stages of chronic kidney disease. On investigation he was found to have isolated severe hypermagnesaemia, following an intravenous bolus of magnesium sulphate administered intra‐operatively to treat tachyarrhythmia. Before administering intravenous magnesium therapeutically, it is important for clinicians to assess renal function and baseline serum magnesium along with other possible risk factors for hypermagnesaemia, and to actively look for signs and symptoms of magnesium toxicity when the patient is receiving therapeutic magnesium.
Bimetallic CoMoO4@C nanorod catalyzes one‐pot synthesis of benzimidazoles from benzyl alcohol and o‐phenylendiamine without alkali
Authors: Xiong Yucong , Wang Kaizhi , Ma Lei , Zhu Jiukang , Miao Yujia , Gong Li , Mu Xiao , Wan Jiang , Li Rong
Published: March 2022

Benzimidazoles possess a series of applications for industrial chemistry and biomedicine. However, the complicated synthetic steps and harsh reaction conditions limit its further development. Herein, we reported an efficient, environmentally friendly, and stable bimetallic CoMoO4@C catalyst, which used low‐cost cobalt and molybdenum as the basic raw material. In base‐free conditions, it has been proved that the yield could achieve to 99.9% for the synthesis of benzimidazoles with liberating water as the sole byproduct, and the catalyst remains stable and efficient even after five successive cycle tests. Additionally, experiments and characterizations confirm the good oxidation activity of the catalyst benefits from the numerous oxygen vacancies provided by the high concentration of low‐valent cobalt (Co2+) and the doping of carbon improves the intermolecular transport of electrons. Furthermore, this strategy could potentially be applied in the industrial production of benzimidazoles.
Fabrication of antimicrobial poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid)/silk fibroin/aloe anthraquinone fibrous membranes for potential application of wound healing
Authors: Ran Ruilong , Peng Yan , Xiao Lang , Wang Yanlai , Zhang Tonghua , Liu Zhongwen , Li Zhi
Published: March 2022

Antibacterial wound dressings can kill bacteria around the wound and then accelerate the wound healing. To fabricate an antibacterial membrane for potential application of wound healing, poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA), silk fibroin (SF), and natural antimicrobial agent aloe anthraquinone (AA) were blended for electrospinning. The electrospun PLGA/SF/AA fibrous membrane consists of smooth and uniform fibers with an average diameter of 583 ± 112 nm. The stress of the PLGA/SF/AA fibrous membrane is 3.88 ± 0.34 MPa, which can ensure its application in skin wound healing. Owing to the good hydrophilicity of blended SF, PLGA/SF/AA fibrous membrane can release 47% of AA at 48 h and 62% of AA in 15 days. PLGA/SF/AA membrane also exhibits good antimicrobial properties and cell compatibility. These results indicate that the fabricated PLGA/SF/AA fibrous membrane in this study has a good application potential for wound healing.
Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as an efficient and biocompatible binder for metal alloy processing: A case study with Ti‐20Zr‐11Nb‐3Sn
Authors: Sinha Tridib Kumar , Lim Jin Hwan , Chothe Harshada R. , Kim Jung Gi , Nam Taehyun , Lee Taekyung , Oh Jeong Seok
Published: March 2022

Titanium (Ti) being a lightweight, biocompatible, and strong metal, immense attention is being paid to develop Ti‐based different low‐cost and efficient biomedical implants by employing additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing. Binder having abundant binding efficacy binds the alloying metal powders and maintains their stoichiometry and close attachment. However, in the case of Ti‐alloy, the Ti, or other alloying metals, e.g., zirconium (Zr), because of their high reactivity with ambient moisture and oxygen, needs to be stabilized before the alloy formation. In this work, instead of using various non‐biocompatible thermoplastic and semi‐crystalline polymers responsible for causing stress‐induced defects in the final structure, the efficacy of a biocompatible amorphous polymer (i.e., polyvinyl pyrrolidone [PVP]) as a binder towards developing the Ti‐alloy has been examined. PVP‐bound alloying metal powders were found to be stable for 30 days (as per the XRD analysis) and exhibited a nearly similar composition to the experimental formula. Thermal debinding was examined for two temperatures, 600 and 1000°C, and compared with the help of SEM and XRD analyses. The better debinding (i.e., reduction of carbon content as per the EDX analysis) was found for the 1000°C debinding temperature.
Development of polymeric insulating foams for low‐temperature thermal energy storage applications
Authors: Galvagnini Francesco , Valentini Francesco , Dorigato Andrea
Published: March 2022

Refrigeration plays an important role in several sectors in 21st‐century life, such as food, air conditioning, healthcare, industry, and energy. In food industry it plays a vital role for reducing the post‐harvest losses and in the preservation of food products. In this paper different amounts of a microencapsulated paraffin having a melting temperature of −10°C were used as phase change material (PCM) for the preparation of multifunctional rigid polyurethane foams (PUF) for refrigeration applications. The processability issues, the microstructural and thermo‐mechanical properties of the resulting panels were comprehensively investigated. Morphological analysis evidenced a tendency of the incorporated PCM to damage the original closed cell structure of the PUF, and a fully open‐cell microstructure was obtained for PCM contents higher than 20 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) evidenced a proportional correlation between the PCM concentration while the thermal energy storage efficiency of the prepared panels was also confirmed by monitoring the trend of the inner temperature in cubic specimens subjected to programmed heating and cooling ramps. Concerning the mechanical response, flexural tests evidenced that the stiffness of the foams was not substantially influenced by the PCM content, while a heavy drop of the failure properties was detected.
UTU: Sāmoa archaeology and cultural heritage database
Authors: Jackmond Gregory , Fonoti Dionne , Meleisea Malama , Schoeffel Penelope , Durling Matthew , Tautunu Matiu Matavai , Sahib Mohammed
Published: March 2022

The Sāmoa Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Database was begun in 2016 as an ongoing means of encouraging and assisting more archaeological research in Sāmoa. It is also building a stronger engagement between the Archaeology and Cultural Heritage research and teaching programme at the Centre for Sāmoan Studies at the National University with government agencies here, and is contributing to the still incomplete processes of preparing heritage protection legislation. Known as “Utu” (meaning “a container for treasures”). The Sāmoa Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Database maps known archaeological sites and previously undocumented sites identified by surveys and analysis of LiDAR images using a global information system (GIS) program. Mapped sites are linked to information about them, including archaeological analysis, historical sources, and oral traditions and any other available information. The work so far has provided new evidence for Sāmoa's prehistory in relation to population size and distribution, settlement patterns and land use.