bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling the COVID-19 spread, a case study of Egypt
Authors: Deif Assem S. , El-Naggar Sahar A.
Published: May 2021

In this article, the authors applied a logistic growth model explaining the dynamics of the spread of COVID-19 in Egypt. The model which is simple follows well-known premises in population dynamics. Our aim is to calculate an approximate estimate of the total number of infected persons during the course of the disease. The model predicted—to a high degree of correctness—the timing of the pandemic peak$$t_{{\text{m}}}$$

t
m

and the final epidemic size$$P$$
P
; the latter was foreseen by the model long before it was announced by the Egyptian authorities. The estimated values from the model were also found to match significantly with the nation reported data during the course of the disease. The period in which we applied the model was from the first of April 2020 until the beginning of October of the same year. By the time the manuscript was returned for revision, the second wave swept through Egypt and the authors felt obliged to renew their study. Finally, a comparison is made with the SIR model showing that ours is much simpler; yet leading to the same results.
Role of engulfment and cell motility 1 (ELMO1) gene polymorphism in development of diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Omar Thoria A. , Zewain Shimaa K. , Ghonaim Mohamed M. , Refaat Khadija A. , Abou-Elela Dalia H.
Published: May 2021

Background

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a progressive kidney disease that affects diabetic patients irrespective of glycemic state or hypertension. Therefore, early detection of DKD is of critical importance. Many genome-wide association studies have identified the engulfment and cell motility 1 (ELMO1) gene as a genetic marker linked to DKD. This study aimed to investigate the association between ELMO1 rs741301 gene polymorphism and the development of DKD among Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Allele and genotype frequencies were investigated in 304 subjects by real-time PCR allelic discrimination assay: 100 DKD patients, 102 diabetic patients without DKD, and 102 healthy controls.

Results

GG genotype of ELMO1 (rs741301) SNP and its allele frequencies were significantly high in all diabetic patients. GG genotype had an odds ratio (OR) of 6.095 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 2.456–15.125, p < 0.001, while the frequent allele G had an OR of 2.366 and 95% CI of 1.450–3.859, p = 0.001. No significant difference was observed between T2DM without DKD and DKD.

Conclusion

Our results could not establish an association between the ELMO1 rs741301 variant and the progression of DKD.
Five-day outcome of hepatitis E-induced acute liver failure in the ICU
Authors: Chowdhury Debashis , Mahmood Farhana , Edwards Cathryn , Taylor-Robinson Simon D.
Published: May 2021

Background

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of acute liver failure (ALF) in Bangladesh with pregnant mothers being more vulnerable. As HEV occurs in epidemics, it limits medical capabilities in this resource-poor country. Cerebral oedema, resulting in raised intracranial pressure (ICP), is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Practical treatments are currently few.

To study the baseline characteristics and clinical outcome of HEV-induced ALF in a recent HEV epidemic

To detect raised ICP clinically and observe response to mannitol infusion.

This was a prospective cohort study from June until August 2018 of 20 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a major Bangladeshi Referral Hospital with HEV-induced ALF. We diagnosed HEV infection by detecting serum anti-HEV IgM antibody. All were negative for hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis A IgM antibody. Data were collected on 5-day outcome after admission to ICU, monitoring all patients for signs of raised ICP. An intravenous bolus of 20% mannitol was administered at a single time point to patients with raised ICP.

Results

Twenty patients were included in the study. Ten (50%) patients, seven (70%) females, received mannitol infusion. HE worsened in eight (40%): seven female and three pregnant. Glasgow Coma scores deteriorated in six (30%): all (100%) females and three pregnant. Consciousness status was not significantly different between pregnant and non-pregnant subjects, nor between those who received mannitol and those who did not. Six patients met King’s College Criteria for liver transplantation.

Conclusions

Female patients had a worse outcome, but pregnancy status was not an additional risk factor in our cohort. Mannitol infusion was also not associated with a significant difference in outcome.
Prognostic biomarkers in COVID-19 infection: value of anemia, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and D-dimer
Authors: Hashem Maiada K. , Khedr Eman M. , Daef Enas , Mohamed-Hussein Aliae , Mostafa Ehab F. , Hassany Sahar M. , Galal Hanan , Hassan Shimaa Abbas , Galal Islam , Amin Mariam Taher , Hassan Hebatallah M.
Published: May 2021

Background

Being highly infectious disease, COVID-19 exhausts most of efficient healthcare systems worldwide. Simple and rapid risk stratification methods are mandatory to recognize severe patients. This study aims to highlight the simple available laboratory biomarkers of good predictive value for COVID-19 severity.

Results

Three hundred fifty-one COVID-19 positive patients admitted to two University Hospitals between the 1st of June and the 31st of July 2020 were retrospectively collected and classified to severe and non-severe COVID-19 patients according to need for ICU admission. All basic laboratory biomarkers at time of admission were recorded. Of included patients, 145 (41.3%) needed ICU admission. Anemia, leukocytosis, lymphopenia, NLR, and PLR together with liver enzymes, INR, ferritin, CRP, and D-dimer were significantly higher in patients needed ICU admission (p < 0.001). However, by applying multivariate logistic regression, only anemia, high NLR, high PLR, and high D-dimer levels showed significant risk for ICU admission with OR equal 3.6 (95% CI 1.8–7.0), 9.0 (95% CI 3.6–22.6), 3.0 (95% CI 1.3–7.1), and 2.5 (95% CI 1.3–4.7), respectively.

Conclusion

Anemia, increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (> 8), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (> 192), and D-dimer level (> 0.9 mg\L) at time of admission could be simple available predictors for severe COVID-19 infection requiring ICU admission.
The healthcare resource impact of maternal mental illness on children and adolescents: UK retrospective cohort study
Authors: Hope Holly , Osam Cemre Su , Kontopantelis Evangelos , Hughes Sian , Munford Luke , Ashcroft Darren M. , Pierce Matthias , Abel Kathryn M.
Published: May 2021

Background

The general health of children of parents with mental illness is overlooked.

Aims

To quantify the difference in healthcare use of children exposed and unexposed to maternal mental illness (MMI).

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of children aged 0–17 years, from 1 April 2007 to 31 July 2017, using a primary care register (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) linked to Hospital Episodes Statistics. MMI included non-affective/affective psychosis and mood, anxiety, addiction, eating and personality disorders. Healthcare use included prescriptions, primary care and secondary care contacts; inflation adjusted costs were applied. The rate and cost was calculated and compared for children exposed and unexposed to MMI using negative binomial regression models. The total annual cost to NHS England of children with MMI was estimated.

Results

The study included 489 255 children: 238 106 (48.7%) girls, 112 741 children (23.0%) exposed to MMI. Compared to unexposed children, exposed children had a higher rate of healthcare use (rate ratio 1.27, 95% CI 1.26–1.28), averaging 2.21 extra contacts per exposed child per year (95% CI 2.14–2.29). Increased healthcare use among exposed children occurred in inpatients (rate ratio 1.37, 95% CI 1.32–1.42), emergency care visits (rate ratio 1.34, 95% CI 1.33–1.36), outpatients (rate ratio 1.30, 95% CI 1.28–1.32), prescriptions (rate ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.26–1.30) and primary care consultations (rate ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.23–1.25). This costs NHS England an additional £656 million (95% CI £619–£692 million), annually.

Conclusions

Children of mentally ill mothers are a health vulnerable group for whom targeted intervention may create benefit for individuals, families, as well as limited NHS resources.
Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Treatment for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
Authors: Gupta Apar , Jhawar Sachin R. , Sayan Mutlay , Yehia Zeinab A. , Haffty Bruce G. , Yu James B. , Wang Shi-Yi
Published: May 2021

PURPOSE

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) accounts for 20% of breast cancer cases in the United States and is potentially overtreated, leading to high expenditures and low-value care. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis evaluating all adjuvant treatment strategies for DCIS.

METHODS

A Markov model was created with six competing treatment strategies: observation, tamoxifen (TAM) alone, aromatase inhibitor (AI) alone, radiation treatment (RT) alone, RT + TAM, and RT + AI. Baseline recurrence rates were modeled using the NSABP B17 and RTOG 9804 trials for standard-risk and good-risk DCIS, respectively. Relative risk reductions and adverse event rates for each treatment strategy were derived from meta-analyses of large randomized trials. We used a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 in US dollars/quality-adjusted life-year and a lifetime horizon for two cohorts of women, age 40 and 60 years. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses evaluated the robustness of base-case results.

RESULTS

RT alone was cost-effective for patients with standard-risk DCIS, and observation was cost-effective for patients with good-risk DCIS, across both age groups. Strategies including TAM or AI resulted in fewer quality-adjusted life-years than observation, because of the prolonged decrement in quality of life outweighing the modest benefit in ipsilateral risk reduction. In sensitivity analysis, RT alone was cost-effective for age 40, good-risk patients when ipsilateral risk reduction matched that of the RTOG 9804 trial, there was minimal increased risk of contralateral breast secondary malignancy, or there was strong patient willingness to pursue RT.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that cost-effective and clinically optimal treatment strategies are RT alone for standard-risk DCIS and observation for good-risk DCIS, with personalization on the basis of patient age and preference for RT. Hormonal therapy is likely suboptimal for most patients with DCIS.
Approach to Obesity in the Older Population
Authors: Buch Assaf , Marcus Yonit , Shefer Gabi , Zimmet Paul , Stern Naftali
Published: May 2021

Until recently, weight loss in older obese people was feared because of ensuing muscle loss and frailty. Facing overall increasing longevity, high rates of obesity in older individuals (age ≥ 65 years) and a growing recognition of the health and functional cost of the number of obesity years, abetted by evidence that intentional weight loss in older obese people is safe, this approach is gradually, but not unanimously, being replaced by more active principles. Lifestyle interventions that include reduced but sufficient energy intake, age-adequate protein and micronutrient intake, coupled with aerobic and resistance exercise tailored to personal limitations, can induce weight loss with improvement in frailty indices. Sustained weight loss at this age can prevent or ameliorate diabetes. More active steps are controversial. The use of weight loss medications, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs (liraglutide as the first example), provides an additional treatment tier. Its safety and cardiovascular health benefits have been convincingly shown in older obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In our opinion, this option should not be denied to obese individuals with prediabetes or other obesity-related comorbidities based on age. Finally, many reports now provide evidence that bariatric surgery can be safely performed in older people as the last treatment tier. Risk-benefit issues should be considered with extreme care and disclosed to candidates. The selection process requires good presurgical functional status, individualized consideration of the sequels of obesity, and reliance on centers that are highly experienced in the surgical procedure as well as short-term and long-term subsequent comprehensive care and support.
The Madness of Hugo van der Goes: The Troubled Search for Origins in Early Netherlandish Painting
Authors: Brisman Shira
Published: May 2021

The extant works of Hugo van der Goes frustrated attempts among early historians of Netherlandish painting to organize the artist's career according to a chronology. The survival of a biographical document attesting to his madness additionally troubled the expectation of artistic progression. Goes earned the reputation of the first modern artist whose genius was connected to his aberrant psychology. This essay critically examines the impulse in art history toward temporal sequencing, arguing that such a practice is most profitably applied in the case of Goes not to his oeuvre as a whole but to a study of his process within an individual work. The alterations over time to the surface of The Fall of Man, which has often (but not unanimously) been deemed the artist's “first work,” afford consideration of how Goes thought about revision and how historians of early Netherlandish painting might engage disciplinary change by rethinking the impulse toward prioritization.
Mouse EWSR1 is crucial for spermatid post-meiotic transcription and spermiogenesis
Authors: Tian Hui , Petkov Petko M.
Published: May 2021

Spermatogenesis is precisely controlled by complex gene-expression programs. During mammalian male germ-cell development, a crucial feature is the repression of transcription before spermatid elongation. Previously, we discovered that the RNA-binding protein EWSR1 plays an important role in meiotic recombination in mouse, and showed that EWSR1 is highly expressed in late meiotic cells and post-meiotic cells. Here, we used an Ewsr1 pachytene stage-specific knockout mouse model to study the roles of Ewsr1 in late meiotic prophase I and in spermatozoa maturation. We show that loss of EWSR1 in late meiotic prophase I does not affect proper meiosis completion, but does result in defective spermatid elongation and chromocenter formation in the developing germ cells. As a result, male mice lacking EWSR1 after pachynema are sterile. We found that, in Ewsr1 CKO round spermatids, transition from a meiotic gene-expression program to a post-meiotic and spermatid gene expression program related to DNA condensation is impaired, suggesting that EWSR1 plays an important role in regulation of spermiogenesis-related mRNA synthesis necessary for spermatid differentiation into mature sperm.
Bumblebees can detect floral humidity
Authors: Harrap Michael J. M. , Hempel de Ibarra Natalie , Knowles Henry D. , Whitney Heather M. , Rands Sean A.
Published: May 2021

Floral humidity, a region of elevated humidity in the headspace of the flower, occurs in many plant species and may add to their multimodal floral displays. So far, the ability to detect and respond to floral humidity cues has been only established for hawkmoths when they locate and extract nectar while hovering in front of some moth-pollinated flowers. To test whether floral humidity can be used by other more widespread generalist pollinators, we designed artificial flowers that presented biologically relevant levels of humidity similar to those shown by flowering plants. Bumblebees showed a spontaneous preference for flowers that produced higher floral humidity. Furthermore, learning experiments showed that bumblebees are able to use differences in floral humidity to distinguish between rewarding and non-rewarding flowers. Our results indicate that bumblebees are sensitive to different levels of floral humidity. In this way floral humidity can add to the information provided by flowers and could impact pollinator behaviour more significantly than previously thought.
Hemolymph supply to locomotor muscles of the ghost crab Ocypode quadrata
Authors: Yang Siyuan , Douglas Tera D. , Ruia Ryan , Medler Scott
Published: May 2021

Ghost crabs are the fastest and most aerobically fit of the land crabs. The exceptional locomotory capacity of these invertebrate athletes seemingly depends upon effective coupling between the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscles, but how these systems are integrated has not been well defined. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between aerobic muscle fibers within the skeletal muscles used to power running and the blood vessels supplying these muscles. We used histochemical staining techniques to identify aerobic versus glycolytic fibers and to characterize membrane invaginations within the aerobic fibers. We also determined how the diameters of these two fiber types scale as a function of body size, across two orders of magnitude. Vascular casts were made of the blood vessels perfusing these muscles, and special attention was given to small, capillary-like vessels supplying the fibers. Finally, we injected fluorescent microspheres into the hearts of living crabs and tracked their deposition into different muscle regions to quantify relative hemolymph flow to metabolic fiber types. Collectively, these analyses demonstrate that ghost crab muscles are endowed with an extensive arterial hemolymph supply. Moreover, the hemolymph flow to aerobic fibers is significantly greater than to glycolytic fibers within the same muscles. Aerobic fibers are increasingly subdivided by membrane invaginations as crabs increase in size, keeping the diffusive distances relatively constant. These findings support a functional coupling between a well-developed circulatory system and metabolically active muscle fibers in these invertebrates.
Increased Local Inflammatory Response to MOC31PE Immunotoxin After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
Authors: Thorgersen Ebbe Billmann , Asvall Jørund , Frøysnes Ida Storhaug , Schjalm Camilla , Larsen Stein Gunnar , Dueland Svein , Andersson Yvonne , Fodstad Øystein , Mollnes Tom Eirik , Flatmark Kjersti
Published: May 2021

Background

Despite extensive cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC), most patients with resectable peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer experience disease relapse. MOC31PE immunotoxin is being explored as a novel treatment option for these patients. MOC31PE targets the cancer-associated epithelial cell adhesion molecule, and kills cancer cells by distinct mechanisms, simultaneously causing immune activation by induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD).

Methods

Systemic and local cytokine responses were analyzed in serum and intraperitoneal fluid samples collected the first three postoperative days from clinically comparable patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC with (n = 12) or without (n = 26) intraperitoneal instillation of MOC31PE. A broad panel of 27 pro- and antiinflammatory interleukins, chemokines, interferons, and growth factors was analyzed using multiplex technology.

Results

The time course and magnitude of the systemic and local postoperative cytokine response after CRS-HIPEC were highly compartmentalized, with modest systemic responses contrasting substantial intraperitoneal responses. Administration of MOC31PE resulted in changes that were broader and of higher magnitude compared with CRS-HIPEC alone. Significantly increased levels of innate proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as well as an interesting time response curve for the strong T-cell stimulator interferon (IFN)-γ and its associated chemokine interferon gamma-induced protein/chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (IP-10) were detected, all associated with ICD.

Conclusions

Our study revealed a predominately local rather than systemic inflammatory response to CRS-HIPEC, which was strongly enhanced by MOC31PE treatment. The MOC31PE-induced intraperitoneal inflammatory reaction could contribute to improve remnant cancer cell killing, but the mechanisms remain to be elucidated in future studies.
Πανδημία και Παιδεία
Authors: Ράπτης Αριστοτέλης
Published: May 2021

Στόχος της παρούσας εισήγησης είναι η κριτική αποτίμηση της γενικότερης κατάστασης στην Εκπαίδευση με αφορμή τα μαθήματα που πήραμε από την υγειονομική κρίση, καθώς και η ανάδειξη ορισμένων πτυχών του νέου νομοσχεδίου, που σχετίζονται με την διαχείριση του προβλήματος της επαγγελματικής ενδυνάμωσης και της ανάπτυξης του παιδαγωγικού ρόλου των εκπαιδευτικών.
Φιλόλογοι στις επάλξεις των διαδικτυακών μαθημάτων: Πρώτες διαπιστώσεις και προτάσεις για ένα πληθοποριστικό μοντέλο Εκπαιδευτικής Διαχείρισης των ψηφιακών εργαλείων
Authors: Ξέστερνου Μαρία
Published: May 2021

Η αιφνίδια αλλαγή της εκπαιδευτικής πρακτικής «στην εποχή του κορωνοϊού» ανέδειξε  στην ομάδα των φιλολόγων τις βασικές ελλείψεις και αμφιλεγόμενες αντιλήψεις για το ρόλο των νέων τεχνολογιών στην εκπαίδευση ενώ παράλληλα, μετέτρεψε φιλότιμα την εκπαιδευτική ανάγκη σε ενεργό διαδικτυακή διδασκαλία. Η καταγραφή καλών πρακτικών κατά την τρίμηνη εκπαιδευτική εξ αποστάσεως  διαδικασία, η συλλογή βασικών θεματικών ερωτημάτων που διατυπώθηκαν στην εκπαιδευτική κοινότητα με αφορμή την  εκπαιδευτική πράξη, οι πρώτες εντυπώσεις και διαπιστώσεις από την πρόσφατη εμπειρία κρίνονται ουσιώδους σημασίας για τη χάραξη του σχολείου του μέλλοντος. Η συλλογή πληροφοριών έγινε με επισκόπηση μελετών περίπτωσης και με τη μέθοδο της ποιοτικής, ημιδομημένης  συνέντευξης εις βάθος. Η έρευνα κατέδειξε τις εστίες ενδιαφέροντος και την ανάγκη δημιουργίας μίας πληθοποριστικής επιστημονικά υποστηριζόμενης συνεργατικής πλατφόρμας που θα αξιοποιεί την εμπειρία των πληθοποριστών της για να «απαντά» σε αναζητήσεις κατάλληλων ψηφιακών εργαλείων, επιλογών γνωστικού περιεχομένου και μεθοδολογιών μαθησιακής πρακτικής. Περιγράφονται οι αρχές μελέτης αυτής της πρότασης  σε θεωρητικό πλαίσιο και σε επιμέρους πεδία σχεδιασμού.
Επαυξημένη Πραγματικότητα και Σχολικά Εγχειρίδια: Μία ενναλακτική πρόταση διδασκαλίας σε σύγχρονες και ασύγχρονες ψηφιακές τάξεις
Authors: Κουτρομάνος Γεώργιος
Published: May 2021

Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας ήταν η εξέταση της δυνατότητας αξιοποίησης της Επαυξημένης Πραγματικότητας (Ε.Π.) στα σχολικά εγχειρίδια κατά τη διάρκεια της επείγουσας απομακρυσμένης διδασκαλίας λόγω της πανδημίας του COVID-19. Είκοσι δύο εκπαιδευτικοί πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης ανέπτυξαν και αξιοποίησαν την Ε.Π. σε συγκεκριμένες σελίδες και ενότητες σχολικών εγχειριδίων με τις οποίες αλληλεπίδρασαν οι μαθητές τους (Ν=76). Τα δεδομένα συλλέχθηκαν μέσω ερωτηματολογίων που στηρίχθηκαν στο θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο των μοντέλων αποδοχής της τεχνολογίας. Αυτά είχαν σχέση με την αντιληπτή ευκολία ανάπτυξης των ενοτήτων Ε.Π. σε σχολικά βιβλία και την αντιληπτή τους χρησιμότητα στη διδασκαλία από την πλευρά των εκπαιδευτικών, καθώς και την αντιληπτή ευκολία χρήσης και χρησιμότητας από την πλευρά των μαθητών. Επιπρόσθετα, εξετάστηκαν οι πεποιθήσεις ελέγχου σχετικά με τους παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν τη χρήση της Ε.Π. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι οι εκπαιδευτικοί, με την κατάλληλη προετοιμασία σε επίπεδο παιδαγωγικού σχεδιασμού, μπορούν να αναπτύξουν εύκολα επαυξημένο υλικό και οι μαθητές επίσης, να το χρησιμοποιήσουν χωρίς καμιά δυσκολία. Κατά την εφαρμογή της Ε.Π. σε σύγχρονες και ασύγχρονες ψηφιακές τάξεις χρειάζεται να έχουν επιλυθεί τα προβλήματα της πρόσβασης στην τεχνολογία τόσο των μαθητών όσο και των εκπαιδευτικών.
Καταγραφή επιμορφωτικών αναγκών εκπαιδευτικών την περίοδο του covid-19
Authors: Παράσχου Βασίλειος , Σπύρου Σπυρίδων , Σοφός Αλιβίζος , Φούζας Γεώργιος , Ρουσάκη Φεβρωνία , Γιασιράνης Στέφανος
Published: May 2021

H περίοδος της αναστολής λειτουργίας των σχολικών μονάδων λόγω της πανδημίας του COVID-19 αποτέλεσε σημαντική πρόκληση για το εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα, καθώς σε διάστημα λίγων ημερών οι εκπαιδευτικοί κλήθηκαν να μεταβούν από τη δια ζώσης διδασκαλία στην οργάνωση και υλοποίηση της εκπαιδευτικής διαδικασίας εξ αποστάσεως μέσω του διαδικτύου. Η απότομη μετάβαση αυτή αποτέλεσε μία ιδιαίτερη πρόκληση για τους ίδιους, αλλά και για τους όλους τους εμπλεκόμενους στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία, καθώς κλήθηκαν να αντιμετωπίσουν μία κατάσταση για την οποία ενδεχομένως δεν διέθεταν τις απαραίτητες γνώσεις και δεξιότητες. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας ήταν να ανιχνεύσει τις επιμορφωτικές ανάγκες των εκπαιδευτικών της πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης την περίοδο αυτή, όπως αυτές διαπιστώθηκαν από τους ίδιους μέσω των απαντήσεων τους σε σχετικό ερωτηματολόγιο. Η έρευνα διεξήχθη σε ένα δείγμα 127 εκπαιδευτικών από όλη την Ελλάδα οι οποίοι συμμετείχαν στα δωρεάν επιμορφωτικά προγράμματα για την αξιοποίηση των πλατφορμών διαχείρισης μάθησης και την ανάπτυξη ψηφιακού εκπαιδευτικού υλικού που οργανώθηκαν από την ομάδα media pedagogy του ΠΤΔΕ του Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου και στα οποία συμμετείχαν πάνω από 250 συνολικά εκπαιδευτικοί.
Η ανακάλυψη του «Ψηφιακού Τροχού» στην εποχή του Κορωναϊού. Τι μέλλει γενέσθαι;
Authors: Κλουβάτος Κωνσταντίνος
Published: May 2021

Στην παρούσα εισήγηση εξετάζουμε το φαινόμενο που πολλοί αποδίδουν στον Κορωναϊό, ότι ο αναγκαστικός εγκλεισμός προκάλεσε μια «βίαιη» αλλά χρήσιμη για το μέλλον «επανάσταση» στο πεδίο της εξ αποστάσεως επικοινωνίας, διδασκαλίας και μάθησης. Αρχικά επιχειρείται η κριτική παρουσίαση της προϋπάρχουσας κατάστασης:  επίπεδο διείσδυσης των ΤΠΕ και της εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης στο σχολείο και προσανατολισμός της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής ως προς το ζήτημα αυτό. Εστιάζουμε στις σημαντικότερες ψηφιακές υποστηρικτικές υποδομές της πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης, στον τεχνολογικό εξοπλισμό των σχολείων και την τεχνογνωσία των εκπαιδευτικών, καθώς και σε συγκεκριμένα παραδείγματα καινοτόμων πρακτικών εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης και αξιοποίησης της τεχνολογίας στην τάξη. Στη συνέχεια εξετάζεται η εξέλιξη των παραπάνω την περίοδο του πρώτου κύματος της πανδημίας και η δυναμική που διαμορφώθηκε. Τέλος, με βάση τις υφιστάμενες συνθήκες και τη δυναμική που έχει διαμορφωθεί, επιχειρείται η προβολή των τάσεων και προοπτικών που διανοίγονται για τη μετάβαση στις μελλοντικές συνθήκες εκπαίδευσης.
Σχεδιασμός και ανάπτυξη του Ανοικτού Διαδικτυακού Μαθήματος «Επιμόρφωση εκπαιδευτικών στη μεθοδολογία της εκπαίδευσης από απόσταση»
Authors: Λιοναράκης Αντώνης , Μανούσου Ευαγγελία , Παπαδημητρίου Σοφία , Χαρτοφύλακα Αντωνία , Ιωακειμίδου Βασιλική , Καραγιάννη Ευαγγελία
Published: May 2021

Τον Μάιο του 2020 ανακοινώθηκε η διάθεση του Ανοικτού Διαδικτυακού Μαθήματος «Επιμόρφωση εκπαιδευτικών στη μεθοδολογία της εκπαίδευσης από απόσταση». Το μάθημα είναι μια πρωτοβουλία του Υπουργείου Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων και υλοποιήθηκε με τη συνεργασία του Ινστιτούτου Εκπαιδευτικής Πολιτικής (ΙΕΠ) και του Ελληνικού Ανοικτού Πανεπιστημίου (ΕΑΠ). Εστιάζεται στην επιμόρφωση των εκπαιδευτικών στη μεθοδολογία της σχολικής εκπαίδευσης από απόσταση και είναι ανοικτό και διαθέσιμο προς κάθε ενδιαφερόμενο. Το υλικό αναπτύχθηκε με εθελοντική προσφορά των συντελεστών, στο καθεστώς των συνθηκών που προκλήθηκαν από την πανδημία του κορονοϊού COVID-19. Σκοπός του Ανοικτού Διαδικτυακού Μαθήματος είναι να εξοικειωθούν οι εκπαιδευτικοί με τη μεθοδολογία της εξ αποστάσεως σχολικής εκπαίδευσης με έμφαση στον παιδαγωγικό σχεδιασμό, προκειμένου να διαμορφωθεί μια κοινή αντίληψη για το ζήτημα. Στην παρούσα εργασία αναλύονται οι επιλογές που έγιναν από την ομάδα σχεδιασμού και συγγραφής που καθόρισαν τη φυσιογνωμία του Ανοικτού Διαδικτυακού Μαθήματος. Οι επιλογές αυτές αφορούν το περιεχόμενο, τη δομή, τον τρόπο παρουσίασης της πληροφορίας, τα εργαλεία που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν και τους περιορισμούς στο υπάρχον πλαίσιο εργασίας.
Η αξιοποίηση της Επαυξημένης Πραγματικότητας στην Εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση – Βιβλιογραφική Ανασκόπηση
Authors: Σπύρου Σπύρος , Γιασιράνης Στέφανος , Σοφός Αλιβίζος (Λοΐζος)
Published: May 2021

Η απότομη μετάβαση σε ψηφιακά περιβάλλοντα στον εκπαιδευτικό τομέα λόγω του κλεισίματος των σχολείων εξαιτίας του covid-19, οδήγησε τους εκπαιδευτικούς στην αναζήτηση ψηφιακών εργαλείων που θα μπορούσαν να αξιοποιήσουν στην εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση. Σύμφωνα με έρευνες, η Επαυξημένη Πραγματικότητα είναι ένα ενδεδειγμένο ψηφιακό εργαλείο που αξιοποιείται στην εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση με πολύ θετικά αποτελέσματα. Η Επ.Π. είναι η τεχνολογία που επιτρέπει την υπέρθεση ψηφιακών πληροφοριών σε φυσικά αντικείμενα και παρέχει δυνατότητες διάδρασης με αυτές σε πραγματικό χρόνο. Ωστόσο, δεν έχει πραγματοποιηθεί εμπεριστατωμένη βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση σχετικά με τη χρήση της Επ.Π. στην εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση. Η εισήγησή μας παρουσιάζει τα αποτελέσματα σχετικής βιβλιογραφικής ανασκόπησης και παρουσιάζει τους τρόπους που η Επ.Π. έχει αξιοποιηθεί στην εξΑΕ και τα αποτελέσματά που προέκυψαν. Στο τέλος, καταλήγουμε σε συμπεράσματα και προτάσεις εξ αποστάσεως αξιοποίησης της τεχνολογίας της Επ.Π. στην Α/θμια και στην Β/θμια εκπαίδευση στη χώρα μας.
Αξιοποίηση καινοτόμων εργαλείων στην Εξ Αποστάσεως Διδασκαλία των Φυσικών Επιστημών στην Ειδική Αγωγή την περίοδο του Covid-19
Authors: Τσιαβός Παναγιώτης , Κογιάμη Άννα , Φλάγκου Αικατερίνη
Published: May 2021

Η αξία της χρήσης των Νέων Τεχνολογιών (ΝΤ) αναφορικά με τα μαθησιακά αποτελέσματα και τη στάση των μαθητών/τριών στην εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση έχει μελετηθεί εκτεταμένα στη γενική αγωγή, ενώ στην ειδική αγωγή η ερευνητική δραστηριότητα είναι περιορισμένη, συνθήκη που αιτιολογείται και από το εύρος των ιδιαίτερων χαρακτηριστικών και αναγκών της εκάστοτε ειδικής εκπαιδευτικής ανάγκης ή/και αναπηρίας (ε.ε.α./α.). Με την παρούσα εργασία επιχειρείται μια σύντομη βιβλιογραφική επισκόπηση της εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης, των εργαλείων και της παιδαγωγικής αξιοποίησής τους στα διεθνή και ελληνικά δρώμενα την περίοδο του Covid-19. Παρουσιάζονται τρεις διδακτικές ενότητες των Φυσικών Επιστημών της Ε΄ Δημοτικού που δύναται να υλοποιηθούν εξ Αποστάσεως, βάσει των αρχών του εποικοδομητισμού, με την εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία να απευθύνεται σε μαθητές/τριες με και χωρίς ε.ε.α./α., με έμφαση στη Διάσπαση Ελλειμματικής Προσοχής / Υπερκινητικότητα (ΔΕΠ-Υ). Πιο συγκεκριμένα, εργαλεία της επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας (unity, blippar), καθώς και προσομοιώσεις PhET, αξιοποιούνται στον εκπαιδευτικό σχεδιασμό. Γίνεται ιδιαίτερη μνεία στα άτομα με ε.ε.α./α., λόγω της περιθωριοποίησής τους στα μέτρα που λήφθηκαν σχετικά με τα εκπαιδευτικά δρώμενα της χώρας. Κρίνεται σκόπιμη, λοιπόν, η ενεργοποίηση του εκπαιδευτικού, κοινωνικού και πολιτικού πλαισίου για την ισότιμη και λειτουργική ένταξη των μαθητών/τριών με αναπηρίες στο κοινωνικό σύνολο. Τονίζεται η ανάγκη ριζικής μεταρρύθμισης στα νέα εκπαιδευτικά μονοπάτια που δημιουργούνται μέσω της χρήσης καινοτόμων εργαλείων και της κατάλληλης κατάρτισης και επιμόρφωσης των ατόμων που συμμετέχουν στην εκπαίδευση των μαθητών/τριών με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες, αποσκοπώντας στην προσβασιμότητα όλων στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία, δια ζώσης ή εξ αποστάσεως, και διασφαλίζοντας ένα δημοκρατικό και δίκαιο εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα που σέβεται όλους/ες τους/τις μαθητές/τριες.
Determinants of retention strategies and sustainable performance of academic staff of government-owned universities in Nigeria
Authors: Salau Odunayo , Worlu Rowland , Osibanjo Adewale , Adeniji Anthonia , Atolagbe Tolulope , Salau Jumoke
Published: May 2021

Background: Retention of academic staff is gaining the attention of various educational stakeholders in many developing countries like Nigeria. However, there is little extant literature on how various determinants and risk factors affect retention strategies and sustainable performance of academic staff of government owned universities in Nigeria. Consequently, this paper showed the direct relationships between retention strategies and sustainable performance.

Methods: Copies of the designed questionnaire were distributed to members of the academic staff ranging from the Professors to Graduate Assistants of the selected state-owned Universities in Southern Nigeria. Statistical analysis for the study included descriptive measures, measurement and structural models.

Results: The determinants of retention strategies had significant impacts on the sustainable performance of academic staff at r = 0.660 (p < 0.05) and r = 0.558 (p < 0.05), respectively. A direct relationship was also established between academic retention and sustainable performance of staff in the selected universities (r = 0.187, p < 0.05). This implies that the 48.3% variance in sustainable performance is explained by the level of determinants/risk factors and retention of academic staff in the selected universities.

Conclusions: The study concludes that adequate funding provides Nigerian universities with the opportunity to meet the needs of the growing population and to match other top universities elsewhere in the development of vital highly skilled manpower, research and innovations, which are the tools for sustainable performance.
First draft genome assembly of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria
Authors: Verlinden Heleen , Sterck Lieven , Li Jia , Li Zhen , Yssel Anna , Gansemans Yannick , Verdonck Rik , Holtof Michiel , Song Hojun , Behmer Spencer T. , Sword Gregory A. , Matheson Tom , Ott Swidbert R. , Deforce Dieter , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Van de Peer Yves , Vanden Broeck Jozef
Published: May 2021

Background: At the time of publication, the most devastating desert locust crisis in decades is affecting East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and South-West Asia. The situation is extremely alarming in East Africa, where Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia face an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods. Most of the time, however, locusts do not occur in swarms, but live as relatively harmless solitary insects. The phenotypically distinct solitarious and gregarious locust phases differ markedly in many aspects of behaviour, physiology and morphology, making them an excellent model to study how environmental factors shape behaviour and development. A better understanding of the extreme phenotypic plasticity in desert locusts will offer new, more environmentally sustainable ways of fighting devastating swarms.

Methods: High molecular weight DNA derived from two adult males was used for Mate Pair and Paired End Illumina sequencing and PacBio sequencing. A reliable reference genome of Schistocerca gregaria was assembled using the ABySS pipeline, scaffolding was improved using LINKS.

Results: In total, 1,316 Gb Illumina reads and 112 Gb PacBio reads were produced and assembled. The resulting draft genome consists of 8,817,834,205 bp organised in 955,015 scaffolds with an N50 of 157,705 bp, making the desert locust genome the largest insect genome sequenced and assembled to date. In total, 18,815 protein-encoding genes are predicted in the desert locust genome, of which 13,646 (72.53%) obtained at least one functional assignment based on similarity to known proteins.

Conclusions: The desert locust genome data will contribute greatly to studies of phenotypic plasticity, physiology, neurobiology, molecular ecology, evolutionary genetics and comparative genomics, and will promote the desert locust’s use as a model system. The data will also facilitate the development of novel, more sustainable strategies for preventing or combating swarms of these infamous insects.
Worldviews of science teachers in educational-technological context as a key factor in digitalization of teaching practices
Authors: Tsybulsky Dina , Muchnik-Rozanov Yulia
Published: May 2021

Background:This research deals with science teachers' worldviews in the educational-technological context. Obtaining a deeper insight into teachers' discourse regarding school digitalization and understanding teachers' worldviews in the educational-technological context may be viewed as crucially important since the latter tends to play a central role in the process of digitalization of teaching practices.

Methods:This study addresses the following questions: (1) Was there a difference between the teachers regarding their foci of attention expressed via personal pronouns? (2) Was there a difference between the teachers in terms of the quality and degree of their emotional immersion in the discussed topic expressed through the use of emotion words? (3) What are the semantic fields of the word clusters that include the lexemes technology and digital, and do they implicitly convey differences in teachers' understanding of school digitalization? The data were extracted by means of in-depth interviews with 38 Israeli science teachers. The linguistic analysis was employed to examine teachers' language behavior.

Results:The results point out the differences in teachers' worldviews, manifested through language behavior. In particular, the differences between the three groups of teachers (outside observers, circumspect participants, and conscientious participants) were found regarding their foci of attention, the level of emotional immersion, and their implicitly conveyed understanding of the digitalization of teaching practices.

Conclusions:The teachers' worldviews are the key element for understanding what it means to be or not to be a teacher in a digital society. In addition, our study demonstrates that linguistic analysis in educational research is a promising methodological approach that can render an in-depth and comprehensive picture of the explored phenomenon.
Influence of hybrid assistive limb gait training on spatial muscle activation patterns in spinal muscular atrophy type III
Authors: Nishikawa Yuichi , Watanabe Kohei , Orita Naoya , Maeda Noriaki , Kimura Hiroaki , Tanaka Shinobu , Hyngstrom Allison
Published: May 2021

Background: Despite the potential benefits, the effects of Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) gait training on changes in neuromuscular activation that accompany functional gains in individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type III is not well known. In this article, we quantify the effects of HAL gait training on spatial muscle activity patterns in a patient with SMA type III using multi-channel surface electromyography (SEMG).

Methods: A 21-years old male (168 cm, 47.8 kg) with spinal muscular atrophy type III, when diagnosed at 18-years old by genetic screening, participated in this case study. Although he presented with forearm distal muscle weakness, atrophy of the intrinsic muscles of the hand, and neuromuscular fatigue, his activities of daily living is independent. The patient underwent a separate, single 33-minute session of both HAL and treadmill gait training. To evaluate the coefficient of variation (CoV) of force and alterations in the SEMG spatial distribution patterns, modified entropy and CoV of root mean square (RMS) were calculated from the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle before and after the intervention of HAL and treadmill gait training. Each training session was separated by a period of one month to avoid cross-over effects.

Results: There was a greater decrease in the ΔCoV of force and an increase in the magnitude of whole VL muscle activation from pre-intervention to post-intervention with the HAL gait training as compared to the treadmill gait training. In response to only HAL gait training, the CoV of RMS was higher, and the modified entropy was lower post-intervention than pre-intervention.

Conclusions: Our results support the notion that HAL gait training has a positive benefit on motor output not only in the magnitude of SEMG generated but also the patterns of neural activation.
Stage 1 Registered Report: Testing mediumship accuracy with a triple-blind protocol
Authors: Tressoldi Patrizio E. , Sinesio Fernando , Liberale Laura , Testoni Ines
Published: May 2021

Even if mediumship is a practice that probably originated at the outset of human history and is embedded in many cultural and religious traditions, scientific investigations into mediumship are quite recent. In this study, we aim to investigate if self-defined mediums can retrieve information about specific deceased persons in an unconventional way, that is, without retrieving the information from the parents or friends of the deceased person or by other conventional means. To our knowledge, this is the first registered report related to this phenomenon.

Our experimental design will be triple-blinded: the mediums and their interviewer will only know the first name of the deceased person and of the requesting person. The parents or the close friends of the deceased person will not interact in any way with the medium. Furthermore, they will be blind about which of two lists of information (readings) paired with deceased persons of the same gender is related to their parents or friend. Accuracy of information will be analysed by three criteria: (1) percentage of correct identification of the readings related to the requested person; (2) comparison of the global scores (on a scale 1 to 6) assigned to the intended readings with that of control readings; and (3) comparison of the difference between the percentage of correct minus incorrect information identified in the intended readings with that of the control readings.
COVID-19 associated spontaneous barotrauma: a literature review
Authors: Rehmani Razia , Salazar Juan , Sharma Shorabh , Cisneros Oscar , Arias-Morales Carlos E.
Published: May 2021

Reports of spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum as a complication of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been increasing. COVID-19 causes inflammatory disease mainly affecting the respiratory system. Severity varies from asymptomatic pulmonary findings on imaging to acute respiratory distress syndrome along with pleural effusions, consolidations and spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax.

The aim of this paper was to review the literature to explore the association between pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax and COVID-19 respiratory disease, both in patients on ventilators and without ventilators, on a spontaneous basis. To this end, we conducted a comprehensive online literature search using PubMed for articles published with the key words of ‘spontaneous pneumothorax’, ‘pneumomediastinum’ and ‘COVID-19’. Further references were obtained through cross-referencing the bibliographies cited in each publication.

We found that spontaneous barotrauma is one of the complications associated with COVID-19 infection and has been observed in patients with and without mechanical ventilation. The process of pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax development is not well understood, especially in patients without underlying lung disease or on mechanical ventilation. We identified various factors that predispose to barotrauma. First, the direct infection of the Type I and Type II pneumocytes by the virus. Second, the pressure gradient between the alveoli and the pulmonary interstitium. Finally, barotrauma can occur secondary to the severe inflammatory response from the COVID-19-related cytokine storm. These conditions are all associated with severe alveolar damage and rupture of the alveolar wall that can produce pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax, both in mechanically ventilated patients and non-ventilated patients.

COVID-19 is associated complications result in prolonged mechanical ventilation and length of stay, as well as overall increase in morbidity and mortality. Spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum are two serious complications. Education regarding the adjustment of ventilation settlings in the ventilator-dependent COVID-19 patient may perhaps offset the iatrogenic component of barotrauma seen in some such patients.
Simple statistical insights into the COVID-19 data of Saudi Arabia: figures prior to vaccination campaign
Authors: El-Masry Omar S.
Published: May 2021

Background: COVID-19, the disease caused by the newly emerging coronavirus, SARS-COV2, is still a major health burden worldwide as it continues to spread rapidly in many countries after being contained for a while. The aim of the study was to analyze the official current disease estimates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to anticipate future risks and needs.

Methods: Publicly available COVID-19 data published by the Saudi Ministry of Health were analyzed to extract statistical estimates of the disease. These include monthly case fatality rates, death rates/1000, comparison of death figures and regression analysis.

Results: The number of confirmed, recovered and deaths surged in the middle of the outbreak (June and July). The case fatality rates reported later in September-November were the highest despite the decline in the number of confirmed cases. The death rates/1000 were higher during the middle of the outbreak, where the highest numbers of deaths were recorded. The number of recovered cases was the highest as well during this time. Regression analysis showed that the number of deaths was related to that of confirmed cases, especially during the peak time. On the other hand, the number of recovered cases was related to that of confirmed cases at the beginning of the outbreak.

Conclusion: Statistical estimates of COVID-19 fatalities provide simple figures to understand the disease progression pattern and the health care management success in disease containment. However, the absolute numbers should never be disregarded to reflect on the real situation.
Sherlock: an open-source data platform to store, analyze and integrate Big Data for biology
Authors: Bohar Balazs , Fazekas David , Madgwick Matthew , Csabai Luca , Olbei Marton , Korcsmáros Tamás , Szalay-Beko Mate
Published: May 2021

In the era of Big Data, data collection underpins biological research more so than ever before. In many cases this can be as time-consuming as the analysis itself, requiring downloading multiple different public databases, with different data structures, and in general, spending days before answering any biological questions. To solve this problem, we introduce an open-source, cloud-based big data platform, called Sherlock (https://earlham-sherlock.github.io/). Sherlock provides a gap-filling way for biologists to store, convert, query, share and generate biology data, while ultimately streamlining bioinformatics data management. The Sherlock platform provides a simple interface to leverage big data technologies, such as Docker and PrestoDB. Sherlock is designed to analyse, process, query and extract the information from extremely complex and large data sets. Furthermore, Sherlock is capable of handling different structured data (interaction, localization, or genomic sequence) from several sources and converting them to a common optimized storage format, for example to the Optimized Row Columnar (ORC). This format facilitates Sherlock’s ability to quickly and easily execute distributed analytical queries on extremely large data files as well as share datasets between teams. The Sherlock platform is freely available on Github, and contains specific loader scripts for structured data sources of genomics, interaction and expression databases. With these loader scripts, users are able to easily and quickly create and work with the specific file formats, such as JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) or ORC. For computational biology and large-scale bioinformatics projects, Sherlock provides an open-source platform empowering data management, data analytics, data integration and collaboration through modern big data technologies.