bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O4A.1 Night shiftwork, dna methylation, and telomere length in female nurses
Authors: Carugno Michele , Crespi Eleonora , Bollati Valentina , Tarantini Letizia , Dioni Laura , Ferrari Luca , Bonzini Matteo , Consonni Dario , Maggioni Cristina , Costa Giovanni , Pesatori Angela Cecilia
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Studies on female nurses have reported a higher breast cancer risk among night shift (NS) workers, without a clear understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms.

Aim

To assess the association between night shiftwork and molecular alterations potentially related to a higher carcinogenic risk, in details: DNA methylation of estrogen receptor (ER-Alpha, ER-Beta) and tumor suppressor (BRCA1, BRCA2, p53, p16) genes, global DNA methylation estimated on repeated elements (LINE-1, Alu), and telomere length (TL).

Methods

46 female nurses who had been working in NS for at least two years in a Hospital in Milan, Italy, were matched by age (30–45 years) and length of service (at least 5 years) with 51 female colleagues not working in NS. Each subject was administered a structured questionnaire and withdrawn a 12 ml blood sample. We applied linear regression models adjusted for age, BMI, smoking habit, parity, and oral contraceptive use.

Results

Currently working in NS (yes/no) was associated with hypomethylation of ER-Alpha (β: −1.635, 95% CI: −2.715; −0.554). When examining both current and former NS workers, the number of years (NY) in NS was associated with hypermethylation of Alu (β: 0.078, 95% CI: 0.016; 0.138). After graphical inspection of the association between NYNS and TL, we classified the study population according to NS duration (<15 vs.≥15 years). Among workers with at least 15 years of NS, NYNS was associated with TL reduction (β: −0.065, 95% CI: −0.122; −0.008) and hypomethylation of ER-Alpha (β: −2.009, 95% CI: −3.164; −0.853). Association between NYNS and hypermethylation of p53, p16, BRCA1, BRCA2, and LINE-1 was much stronger, albeit not significant, in workers with at least 15 years of NS.

Conclusions

Our findings show NS-associated epigenetic alterations that might be involved in processes such as cellular aging, genomic instability, and cancer development.
O1A.4 Assessment of pesticide-related pollution and occupational health of vegetable farmers
Authors: Lu Jinky Leilanie
Published: May 2020

Objectives

This study assessed the pesticide exposure and the occupational health of the agricultural farmers in the Philippines. The study site is one of the largest vegetable-producing province in the Philippines.

Methods

This study used both survey questionnaire and physical health assessment, including mental state examination. The pesticide exposure was estimated based on the duration of years of use of pesticide, as well as the amount applied per spray application. The data results were segregated between gender because women are also heavily engaged in agriculture in this part of the Philippines.

Results

The results showed that pesticide exposure usually happened during agricultural activities such as spray application in the field (63.9%), mixing (38.4%), loading (34.1%) and field re-entry (9.7%) The most frequently used pesticides were Tamaron (OP), Selecron (OP), and Dithane (Carbamate). The mean years of pesticide use was 14.23 years for males, and 15.4 years for fe-males. For the exposure to pesticides, expressed in terms of number of years and amount used per spray application, the average exposure of the males was 2,024.43 ml-years; and for females, it was 993.55. Among farmers, 49% complained of being sick because of work. Of those who got ill, a large percentage of this, 69.8%, did not receive any medi-cal attention. The most prevalent health symptoms were muscle pain (63.3%), easy fatigability (52.4%), and loss of appetite (27.5%). For the mini-mental state examination, abnormalities were found in 5.4% for males and 40.8% in females. The use of insecticide was associated with weak-ness, easy fatigability and weight loss.

Conclusion

Pesticide exposure is considerable among the farmers. The occupational health condi-tions presented by the farmers can be linked with their pesticide investigation. Although this study has presented some risk factors associated with general health symptoms, further investigation should look into specific pesticide-health correlation.
O4A.6 Occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and melatonin in male rotating shift workers
Authors: Turner Michelle C , Gracia-Lavedan Esther , Castaño-Vinyals Gemma , Skene Debra J , Middleton Benita , Cardis Elisabeth , Kogevinas Manolis
Published: May 2020

Background

Occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) is a suspected cancer risk factor, however, the epidemiological literature is limited and potential biological mechanisms unclear. Night shift work and associated circadian misalignment, leading to decreased melatonin production is also suspected in cancer. It has been suggested that ELF-MF exposure may decrease melatonin production leading to the promotion of cancer development, however previous findings are inconsistent. We assessed ELF-MF exposure and melatonin production in a recent study of male rotating shift workers.

Methods

A total of 50 male shift workers rotating in a 3 week night, 3 week evening, and 3 week morning schedule were recruited at a local car manufacturing facility. Personal full-shift measurements of ELF-MF exposure were performed (EMDEX II, 40–800 Hz) and urine samples from all voids over 24 hour collected on two working days (end of 3 week night and end of 3 week morning shifts). Urinary concentrations of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), the main melatonin metabolite, were measured in all samples (creatinine corrected), with the mesor (24 hour mean) derived based on cosinor models.

Results

Arithmetic mean (AM (SD)) and geometric mean (GM (GSD)) ELF-MF levels were 0.05 (0.06) µT and 0.03 (0.02) µT, respectively. Peak production of aMT6s occurred 9 hours later in night compared with morning shifts, though with a similar mesor indicating adaptation. The adjusted mesor varied somewhat by age group and other personal characteristics, and was somewhat lower among those with higher AM and GM ELF-MF levels (i.e. ≥50 th or 75th percentile), with differences ranging from 0.94–1.38 ng/mg creatinine/hour in the morning to 0.96–4.33 in the night shift observed, with some differences significant.

Conclusions

Overall, small differences in mean aMT6s levels were observed according to ELF-MF. Workers during the night shift adapted, showing a delay in the peak time of aMT6s production compared to the day shift.
O4B.3 The impact of income support systems on healthcare quality and functional capacity in workers with LBP: a realist review
Authors: Donato Michael Di , Iles Ross , Lane Tyler , Collie Alex
Published: May 2020

Background

Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of work disability. While absent from work, workers with LBP may receive income support from a system such as workers’ compensation or social security. Current evidence suggests that income support systems can influence recovery from LBP, but provides little evidence as to why and how these effects occur. This study examines how and in what contexts income support systems impact the healthcare quality and functional capacity of people with work disability and LBP.

Methods

We performed a realist review, a type of literature review that seeks to explain how social interventions and phenomena in certain contexts generate outcomes, rather than simply whether or not they do. Five initial theories about the mechanisms of the relationship were developed, tested, and refined by acquiring and synthesising academic literature from purposive and iterative electronic database searching. This process was supplemented by grey literature searching for policy documents and legislative summaries, and semi-structured interviews with experts in income support, healthcare, and LBP.

Results

Income support systems influence healthcare quality through healthcare funding restrictions, healthcare provider administrative burden, and allowing an employer to select healthcare providers. Income support systems influence worker functional capacity through the level of participation and share of income support funding required of employers, and through certain administrative procedures. These mechanisms are often exclusively context-dependent, and generate differing and unintended outcomes depending on features of the healthcare and income support system, as well as other contextual factors such as socioeconomic status and labour force composition.

Conclusion

Income support systems impact the healthcare quality and functional capacity of people with work disability and LBP through context-dependent financial control, regulatory, and administrative mechanisms. Future policy design and research efforts should consider how income support systems may indirectly influence workers with LBP via the workplace.
O4B.5 Measuring association of occupational light vehicle driving with low back pain: an IRT approach
Authors: Grzebyk Michel , Boini Stéphanie , Dziurla Mathieu , Kouadio Jean-Jacques Atain- , Radauceanu Anca
Published: May 2020

Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem for drivers but the analysis of associations of occupational exposures with LBP is hampered by the absence of a standardized clinical examination. Therefore, LBP is commonly assessed by a questionnaire in which useful information is scattered over many items. Many one-item-at-a-time analyses may not adequately evaluate these associations. We applied item response theory-like model (IRT) with one latent variable to examine the association of occupational light vehicle driving with LBP in 406 workers in the mail and parcel delivery sector using a 14-items questionnaire on LBP in the last 12 months investigating the cumulative duration of LBP, pain intensity, level and radiation in the lower limbs, medical consultation, pain medication use and sick leaves. We normalized the latent variable by constraining its variance to one. The link between the latent variable and the LBP indicators was logistic for binary variables, ordered logistic for ordered categories and linear for quantitative variables. Ordinal variables and quantitative variables were ordered in ascending order of severity. The relationship between LBP and occupational exposure to driving was estimated by multiple linear regression models with the latent variable as dependent variable, adjusting for individual factors, other occupational physical constraints and psychosocial factors, separately in men and women. All the factor loadings between the latent variable and LBP indicators were positive (p<0.001) indicating that the latent scale is consistent with health impairment on the low back. In men, driving time (p=0.007) and high perceived driving-related physical constraints (p=0,024) were associated to LBP whereas in women no driving-related constraints were associated to LBP. In the absence of a standardized clinical tool, studies about association between occupational exposures and LBP could benefit from methods that are able to retrieve diffuse information broken out into ad hoc questionnaire.
O4B.6 Do we need repeated measurements for reliable classification of case status regarding musculoskeletal pain?
Authors: Hillert Lena , Alderling Magnus , Lind Carl , Norberg Annika Lindahl , Forsman Mikael
Published: May 2020

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are major causes for disability, reduced work ability and early exit from the labour market. The aetiology is understood to be multifactorial and MSDs are known to have a recurrent course characterized by development, recovery, reoccurrence and chronic states. Studies classifying participants as suffering from e.g. low back pain based on self-reported symptoms solely at one time are therefore at risk of just capturing the point prevalence of pain and not a more representative state characterizing the participants.

In order to investigate how well a classification based on self-reported musculoskeletal complaints of the neck, shoulders and lower back in a baseline questionnaire represents the situation of the respondents´ pain and functional status over a 12 month period, we analysed data collected in a study on 129 employees at selected Swedish home-care providers. The participants completed a baseline questionnaire on work environment and mental and physical health and responded to questions on the impact on work capacity of pain sent monthly to their phones by text messages.

The results show that classification into cases and non-cases cases based on reported musculoskeletal complaints at baseline was a statistically significant predictor of persistent differences between groups with regard to pain and work capacity throughout the 12 months covered by text messages. The variation in work capacity over time seemed to be more pronounced in case groups.

In conclusion, classifying respondents as cases and non-cases based on self-reported musculoskeletal complaints of the neck, shoulders and lower back at baseline seems to be a good predictor of persistent differences in self-reported work capacity due to neck, shoulder and low back pain during the following year.
O4C.1 Female landfill waste pickers and their health
Authors: Wilson Kerry , Kootbodien Tahira , Ntlebi Vusi , Made Felix , Naiker Nisha
Published: May 2020

Informal waste pickers and employees working on a landfill site are exposed to multiple risks such as noise, toxic chemicals, metals, dust and ergonomic hazards. How these hazards affect the health of workers may differ by sex.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among waste pickers aged 18 years or older, working in major landfill sites in Johannesburg. Information on health, work hazards and health care access were collected in interviews in the workers own language.

Results

A third (27%) of the 363 waste-pickers interviewed in this study were female. These women were on average older and less educated than the men and a significantly larger proportion were born in neighbouring countries. Women waste pickers had a higher prevalence of hypertension (30.9% vs 18.4%) and HIV (24% vs 7.0%) than men. This is unlikely to be a reporting bias as women had higher BMI’s (p=0.0002), glucose blood levels (p=0.022), cholesterol (p=0.0014) and diastolic blood pressure (p=0.0081).

Discussion

The factors driving women to work as waste pickers appear different to men and women’s health is worse than that of the men in terms of lifestyle diseases and HIV. Although in general waste pickers have a lower prevalence than the general population. This follows the pattern of the South African Demographic and Health Survey 2016.
Human papillomavirus and surgical smoke: a systematic review
Authors: Fox-Lewis Andrew , Allum Caroline , Vokes David , Roberts Sally
Published: May 2020

Objective

To evaluate what is currently known about the risk to surgeons and other operating theatre (OT) staff of human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission and HPV-related disease following surgical smoke exposure.

Methods

A systematic literature search of Embase and Ovid-MEDLINE was undertaken for primary studies relevant to the presence of HPV in surgical smoke, contamination of OT staff with HPV after performing or attending smoke-generating surgical procedures, and the presence of HPV or HPV-related disease in OT staff following occupational surgical smoke exposure. Additional articles were identified by searching the reference lists of relevant published papers.

Results

Twenty-one relevant articles were identified. These demonstrate that surgical smoke from the treatment of HPV-related lesions can contain HPV DNA, and that this can contaminate the upper airways of OT staff. Whether this corresponds to infectious virus is not known. Increased prevalence of HPV infection or HPV-related disease in OT staff following occupational exposure to surgical smoke has not been convincingly shown.

Conclusions

While HPV transmission to OT staff from surgical smoke remains unproven, it would be safest to treat surgical smoke as potentially infectious. Necessary precautions should be taken when performing smoke-generating procedures, consisting of: (1) local exhaust ventilation, (2) general room ventilation and (3) full personal protective equipment including a fit tested particulate respirator of at least N95 grade. There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend HPV vaccination for OT staff or to state that the above precautions, when used properly, would not be effective at preventing HPV transmission from surgical smoke.
Providing uninterrupted care during COVID-19 pandemic: experience from Beijing Tiantan Hospital
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Chen Yu , Li Zixiao , Wang David , Wang Yongjun
Published: May 2020

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has already stressed the healthcare system in the world. Many hospitals have been overwhelmed by the large number of patients with COVID-19. Due to the shortage of equipment and personnel and the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, many other healthcare services are on hold. However, at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, a rapid response system has been in place so that routine care is not interrupted. We, therefore, would like to share our hospital-wide prevention and management policy during this pandemic to help other healthcare systems to function in this crisis.

Method

Tiantan hospital is one of the leading neuroscience institutions in the world. With 1650 beds, its annual inpatient admission exceeds 30 000 patients. Its COVID-19 rapid response policy was reviewed for its functionality.

Results

There are nine key components of this policy: an incident management system; a comprehensive infection prevention and control, outpatient triage and flow system; a designated fever clinic; patient screening and administration; optimised surgical operations, enhanced nucleic acid testing; screening of returning employees; and a supervision and feedback system. In addition, a specific protocol was designed for treating patients with acute stroke.

Conclusion

A comprehensive policy is helpful to protect the employee from infection and to provide quality and uninterrupted care to all who need these, including patients with acute ischaemic stroke.
Quantifying the social costs and benefits of tobacco in Estonia
Authors: Saar Indrek , Koitla Helle
Published: May 2020

Background

The tobacco cost literature has predominantly focused on estimating direct healthcare costs and productivity losses from morbidity and mortality. This study places a greater focus on the effects that arise through the fiscal system, illicit trade and fire accidents to estimate the social costs and benefits of tobacco use in Estonia in 2018.

Methods

A prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach was used, relying on data from the 2017–2018 period. Age-specific tobacco-attributable fractions were employed to estimate the costs and benefits of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Data on mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs were received from the National Institute of Health Development and the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. We used data for offences and fires from the Estonian Rescue Board and the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

Results

It was estimated that the total social cost attributable to tobacco in Estonia in 2018 was €174 million, representing 0.67% of the nation’s GDP. If future benefits are also considered, the net social cost is €78 million. While the greatest cost components are productivity losses from mortality and morbidity, the level of tobacco-related law enforcement costs are comparable to direct healthcare costs, both of which exceed €10 million annually.

Conclusions

Despite the substantial social benefits arising through the fiscal system, tobacco-related costs outweighed these benefits in Estonia in 2018. In addition, a considerable portion of the economic burden of tobacco is associated with illicit trade. Therefore, the healthcare and law enforcement sectors would both benefit from effective tobacco control policies.
Tensile response and fracturing process in moderate- and high-plasticity clays
Authors: Forlati Giulia , Shepley Paul
Published: May 2020

Sinkholes in clay soils can be considered as the collapse of a soil layer previously bridging a void. Here, flexural deformation in the clay drives the formation of tensile cracks from the lowest surface of the layer and the consequent soil collapse is from crack propagation. Considering a simplified model of the sinkhole geometry, this paper aims to describe the tensile and fracture behaviour of clay soils with different plasticity indices. Speswhite kaolin, London, and Durham clays were tested using direct tensile and bending tests. Moderate- and high-plasticity clays showed a nonlinear fracture response with increasing moisture content, while low-plasticity clays demonstrated a linear response. Bending tests confirmed the importance of the moisture content while the plasticity index confirmed the difference in ductile or fragile collapse for fracture propagation. To assess the results, elasto-plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) theory was applied to clays with appropriate modifications. The analysis demonstrated that EPFM theory provides a good baseline for predicting tensile fracture behaviour in clay soils, which can be extended in future research.
First isolation and characterization of Brucella suis from yak
Authors: Yang Xiaowen , Wang Ning , Cao Xiaofang , Bie Pengfei , Xing Zhifeng , Yin Shihui , Jiang Hai , Wu Qingmin
Published: May 2020

Brucella spp., facultative intracellular pathogens that can persistently colonize animal host cells and cause zoonosis, affect public health and safety. A Brucella strain was isolated from yak in Qinghai Province. To detect whether this isolate could cause an outbreak of brucellosis and to reveal its genetic characteristics, several typing and whole-genome sequencing methods were applied to identify its species and genetic characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis based on MLVA and whole-genome sequencing revealed the genetic characteristics of the isolated strain. The results showed that the isolated strain is a B. suis biovar 1 smooth strain, and this isolate was named B. suis QH05. The results of comparative genomics and MLVA showed that B. suis QH05 is not a vaccine strain. Comparison with other B. suis strains isolated from humans and animals indicated that B. suis QH05 may be linked to specific animal and human sources. In conclusion, B. suis QH05 does not belong to the Brucella epidemic species in China, and as the first isolation of B. suis from yak, this strain expands the host range of B. suis.
Pair production of scalars around near-extremal Kerr-Sen black holes
Authors: Siahaan Haryanto M.
Published: May 2020

We investigate the charged scalar pair production near the horizon of a near-extremal Kerr-Sen black holes. The condition for pair production to occur has relation to the violation of Breitenlohner–Freedman bound in an $$\hbox {AdS}_2$$AdS2 space. The method employed in this work has been used to show the pair production in the near-horizon of a near-extremal Kerr–Newman black hole and its non-rotating case as well. We also discuss the static limit of our result.
Quantum fluctuations and the Casimir effect
Authors: Chemisana Daniel , Giné Jaume , Madrid Jaime
Published: May 2020

The most important observable consequence of the vacuum fluctuations is the Casimir effect. Its classical manifestation is a force between two uncharged conductive plates placed a few nanometers apart. In this work, we improve the deduction of the Casimir effect from the uncertainty principle by using an effective radius for the quantum fluctuations. Moreover, the existence of this effective distance is discussed. Finally, a heuristic derivation of the Casimir energy for a spherical shell and a sphere-plate cases is given.
Hadron resonance gas with van der Waals interactions
Authors: Vovchenko Volodymyr
Published: May 2020

An overview of a hadron resonance gas (HRG) model that includes van der Waals (vdW) interactions between hadrons is presented. Applications of the excluded volume HRG model to heavy-ion collision data and lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) equation of state are discussed. A recently developed quantum vdW HRG model is covered as well. Applications of this model in the context of the QCD critical point are elaborated.
Many-body Dyson equation approach to the seniority model of pairing
Authors: Schuck Peter
Published: May 2020

As is well known, the single level seniority model of pairing has been solved exactly, since long using angular momentum algebra. It is shown that it can also be solved using the Dyson equation of standard many-body theory. The formalism shows some interesting many-body aspects.
THE EFFECT OF ALUMINA NANOPARTICLES ADDITION ON HIGH-TEMPERATURE WEAR BEHAVIOR OF INTERMETALLIC IRON ALUMINIDE PRODUCED BY THE SPARK PLASMA SINTERING PROCESS
Authors: ADIVI HAMID GHANBARI , EBRAHIMZADEH IMAN , HADI MORTEZA , TAYEBI MORTEZA
Published: May 2020

The pure iron and aluminum powders were milled with 3[Formula: see text]wt.% and 7[Formula: see text]wt.% of alumina nanoparticles in planetary ball mill in order to produce iron aluminide by mechanical alloying technique. The resulting powder mixture was sintered after the formation of iron aluminide by spark plasma sintering (SPS) method to achieve specimens with the highest densification. SPS technique was utilized on specimens under the condition of 40[Formula: see text]MPa pressure at 950∘C for 5[Formula: see text]min. The microstructures were analyzed after sintering using scanning electron microscopy and EDS analysis. The results indicated that the aluminide iron phase has been produced at high purity. The sintered specimens were treated under hardness and density tests, and it was characterized that the specimen included 3[Formula: see text]wt.% of alumina nanoparticles had the highest microhardness. Likewise, it was revealed that the unreinforced sample had a maximum relative density. The wear behavior of specimens was performed at 600∘C. The results of weight loss showed after 1000[Formula: see text]m of wear test, the weight loss of unreinforced specimen was reduced up to 0.21[Formula: see text]g while the specimen with 3[Formula: see text]wt.% of alumina nanoparticle indicated the lowest weight loss about 0.02[Formula: see text]g. The worn surfaces were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy which indicated that the main wear mechanism at high temperature included adhesive wear and delamination.
OLD PROBLEMS, CLASSICAL METHODS, NEW SOLUTIONS
Authors: LIPTON ALEXANDER
Published: May 2020

We use a powerful extension of the classical method of heat potentials, recently developed by the present author and his collaborators, to solve several significant problems of financial mathematics. We consider the following problems in detail: (a) calibrating the default boundary in the structural default framework to a constant default intensity; (b) calculating default probability for a representative bank in the mean-field framework; and (c) finding the hitting time probability density of an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. Several other problems, including pricing American put options and finding optimal mean-reverting trading strategies, are mentioned in passing. Besides, two nonfinancial applications — the supercooled Stefan problem and the integrate-and-fire neuroscience problem — are briefly discussed as well.
Max-projective modules
Authors: Alagöz Yusuf , Büyükaşık Engi̇n
Published: May 2020

Weakening the notion of [Formula: see text]-projectivity, a right [Formula: see text]-module [Formula: see text] is called max-projective provided that each homomorphism [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is any maximal right ideal, factors through the canonical projection [Formula: see text]. We study and investigate properties of max-projective modules. Several classes of rings whose injective modules are [Formula: see text]-projective (respectively, max-projective) are characterized. For a commutative Noetherian ring [Formula: see text], we prove that injective modules are [Formula: see text]-projective if and only if [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is a small ring. If [Formula: see text] is right hereditary and right Noetherian then, injective right modules are max-projective if and only if [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a semisimple Artinian and [Formula: see text] is a right small ring. If [Formula: see text] is right hereditary then, injective right modules are max-projective if and only if each injective simple right module is projective. Over a right perfect ring max-projective modules are projective. We discuss the existence of non-perfect rings whose max-projective right modules are projective.
IDENTIFICATION OF UNIAXIAL DEFORMATION BEHAVIOR AND ITS INITIAL TANGENT MODULUS FOR ATHEROMATOUS INTIMA IN THE HUMAN CAROTID ARTERY AND THORACIC AORTA USING THREE-PARAMETER ISOTROPIC HYPERELASTIC MODELS
Authors: BHAT SUBRAYA KRISHNA , SAKATA NORIYUKI , YAMADA HIROSHI
Published: May 2020

Uniaxial stretching tests are used for mechanical identification of small fibrous regions of atheromatous arteries. Material constants in isotropic hyperelastic models are determined to minimize the fitting error for the stress–strain curve. We developed a novel method to better characterize the material constants in typical forms of Yeoh, Ogden, Chuong–Fung (CF) and Gasser–Ogden–Holzapfel (GOH) isotropic hyperelastic models for fibrous caps and normal intimal layers from human carotid artery and thoracic aorta by incorporating Young’s modulus, i.e., the initial tangent modulus of uniaxial stress–strain relationships, as one of three material constants. We derived a unified, isotropic form for the anisotropic exponential-type strain energy density functions of CF and GOH models. The uniaxial stress–strain relationship equations were expanded to Maclaurin series to identify Young’s modulus as a coefficient of the linear term of the strain and to examine the roles of the material constants in the nonlinear function. The remaining two material constants were determined by curvefitting. The incorporation of Young’s modulus into the CF and GOH models gave reasonable curvefitting, with errors [Formula: see text], whereas large errors ([Formula: see text]) were observed in one case for the Yeoh model and in two cases for the Ogden model.
Biomonitoring of Workers Exposed to Volatile Organic Compounds Associated with Different Occupations by Headspace GC-FID
Authors: Yaqub Ghazala , Hamid Almas , Khan Nikhat , Ishfaq Sunaina , Banzir Asha , Javed Tayyaba
Published: May 2020

The present study has been undertaken to analyze the total accumulated burden of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in blood of occupationally exposed workers. The headspace technique combined with gas chromatography with flame ionization detector was used for the quantitative analysis of the different volatile organic compounds (isopropyl alcohol, phenol, benzene, dichloromethane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and toluene) in 80 blood samples from the workers belonging to different occupations i.e., shoe polish workers, thinner handlers, paint workers, furniture polish workers, petrol station attendants, textile dyeing workers, printing press workers, and dry port workers as biomonitoring is one of the most promising methods for analyzing the individual burden of VOCs. Another purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between detected concentrations of VOCs and associated health issues reported by the workers of these professions. Results of the study revealed the presence of different VOCs in blood samples of approximately 70 workers out of 80, and statistical analysis proved a strong relationship between the reported work experience, working hours, and diseases and the detected concentrations of respective volatile organic compounds.
Changes in Soluble TWEAK Concentrations, but Not Those in Amyloid-β(1–40), Are Associated with a Decrease in Carotid Intima-Media Thickness after Bariatric Surgery in Obese Women
Authors: Gómez-Martin Jesús M. , Aracil Enrique , Insenser María , de la Peña Gema , Lasunción Miguel A. , Galindo Julio , Escobar-Morreale Héctor F. , Balsa José A. , Botella-Carretero José I.
Published: May 2020

Background/Aim: Soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) and amyloid-β(1–40) (Aβ40) emerged as markers of cardiovascular risk because of their actions in the endothelium and their role in atherosclerotic progression. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of these two factors with the decrease in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) after bariatric surgery in obese women. Methods: We studied 60 severely obese women, of whom 20 were submitted to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 20 to sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and 20 to lifestyle modification therapy. Circulating sTWEAK, Aβ40, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and cIMT were measured at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Results: sTWEAK increased similarly after both surgical procedures, whereas the increase observed after lifestyle intervention did not reach statistical significance. Aβ40 showed no differences between groups of women, nor did it change during follow-up. The decrease in cIMT at 12 months correlated with the decrease in body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.45; p < 0.001) and fasting insulin (r = 0.30; p = 0.038), and also with the increase in sTWEAK (r = –0.43; p = 0.002). Multivariate linear regression showed that only the changes in BMI (β = 0.389; p = 0.005) and sTWEAK (β = –0.358; p = 0.009) were associated with the decrease in cIMT (R2 = 0.313; F = 9.348; p < 0.001). Conclusions: One year after bariatric surgery, RYGB and SG induced a similar increase in circulating sTWEAK that occurred in parallel to the decrease observed in cIMT.
McCune Albright Syndrome: Gastrointestinal Polyps and Platelet Dysfunction over 12 Years
Authors: Grob Francisca , Zacharin Margaret
Published: May 2020

Background and Objective: Gastrointestinal (GI) polyps with unknown malignant potential and a platelet storage pool deficiency that increases the risk of severe intraoperative and other types of bleeding have been identified in McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS). The natural course of these disorders has not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to report the follow-up of GI polyps and platelet dysfunction (PD) in a cohort of 28 patients with MAS. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with MAS (15 females) were included. Endoscopic screening for GI polyps was undertaken in 14 subjects and 19 were tested for PD. Results: Six subjects (5 males) were diagnosed with GI polyps at a median age of 23 (range 15–43) years, and were monitored for a median period of 8 (range 4.5–11.5) years. At endoscopic follow-up, the 4 patients with hamartomatous polyps at first endoscopy had either normal findings (n = 2), or duodenal gastric metaplasia (n = 2). Two patients with caecal polyps were identified. Of 8 subjects with a platelet storage pool deficiency, 5 required transfusions during surgery, and subsequent platelet cover in 2 markedly reduced intraoperative blood loss. Conclusions: New polyps with uncertain malignant potential are diagnosed after long term follow-up in MAS. Platelet cover reduces the need for red blood cell transfusion during orthopaedic surgery and may be useful to reduce non-operative bleeding events. We recommend regular upper and lower endoscopy and screening for PD in all MAS patients.
A New Two-Step Anesthesia for 23- or 25-Gauge Vitrectomy Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Fan Hua , Qian Zhuyun , Tzekov Radouil , Lin Dong , Wang Hongxia , Li Wensheng
Published: May 2020

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of topical anesthesia combined with subconjunctival anesthesia (termed two-step anesthesia) for 23- or 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy or other posterior segment surgery. Methods: Patients (n = 90) requiring 23-/25-gauge vitrectomy or other posterior segment surgery were randomized into 3 groups. Group 1 received peribulbar anesthesia, group 2 received retrobulbar anesthesia and group 3 received two-step anesthesia. A 5-point visual analog pain scale (VAPS) was used to measure self-report of patient pain. Complications were recorded for subsequent analysis. Results: VAPS scores for overall intraoperative pain ranged from 0 to 3 (1.07 ± 1.07) in group 1, from 0 to 2 (0.69 ± 0.93) in group 2 and from 0 to 3 (1.06 ± 0.98) in group 3. Assessment of surgeon discomfort score ranged from 0 to 2 (0.31 ± 0.66) in group 1, from 0 to 3 (0.38 ± 0.82) in group 2 and from 0 to 2 (0.47 ± 0.62) in group 3. Both scores reveal no significant difference among the 3 groups. While there were no complications noted in group 1, there was an ocular perforation in group 2. Additionally, there were no complications in group 3 related to the anesthetic technique. Conclusions: Results suggest that two-step anesthesia is a safe and effective anesthetic approach for selected patients undergoing 23- or 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy or other posterior segment surgeries. It may offer a viable alternative to peribulbar anesthesia and retrobulbar anesthesia for carefully selected 23- or 25-gauge cannular-access ocular surgeries.
Marketing em mídias sociais
Authors: Araújo Walqueline Da Silva , Freire Gustavo Henrique De Araújo
Published: May 2020

A Biblioteca recebe influências da globalização e das tecnologias, com as quais pode fazer uso para garantir a qualidade na prestação de seus serviços. O estudo apresenta características e conceitos de mídia social e de marketing; propõe ações que podem servir ao bibliotecário nas atividades desempenhadas nas mídias sociais. Possui um caráter exploratório por fornecer uma visão geral do tema estudado, neste caso, as mídias sociais e o marketing. Apresenta ações que os bibliotecários podem se orientar no contexto das mídias sociais, visando construir uma presença digital positiva. Conclui que as bibliotecas precisam estar continuamente se adaptando aos espaços de comunicação modernos e tecnológicos, buscando se comunicar de maneira dinâmica e inovadora, acompanhando, dessa forma, a natureza mutável da sociedade contemporânea.
Ciência da informação e usabilidade
Authors: Machado Raquel Bernardete , Vianna William Barbosa , Matias Márcio
Published: May 2020

O artigo tem por objetivo identificar e discorrer com base em pesquisa bibliográfica sobre os aspectos teórico-epistemológicos da ciência da informação e da usabilidade em suas inter-relações conceituais fundamentais. Aporta conceitos da filosofia da tecnologia que considera o conhecimento tecnológico como advento das observações dos fenômenos que envolvem a tecnologia e os objetos tecnológicos, produtos da criação humana relacionados à noção de conforto e de facilidade na execução de tarefas e requer o conhecimento subjetivo do usuário. Nesse sentido, o texto fundamenta a usabilidade como área de estudo que possibilita avaliar a experiência humana no uso de sistemas tecnológicos, considerando aspectos relacionados ao usuário, à tarefa realizada por este, ao equipamento utilizado para alcançar os objetivos, ao ambiente e ao contexto de uso e ao produto em si. Nesse processo, o resultado do uso necessita ser medido com base na eficácia, na eficiência e na satisfação. Como área interdisciplinar, que envolve interesses de profissionais dos variados ramos do conhecimento, a usabilidade e a ciência da informação complementam-se no que se refere a estudos envolvendo o uso de tecnologia de informação.
Inovação tecnológica da UFRGS
Authors: Santos Fernanda Bochi dos , Alves Thiago Monteiro , Queiroz Daniela Gralha de Caneda , Brandão Felipe Grando , Gabriel Junior Rene Faustino , Moura Ana Maria Mielniczuk de
Published: May 2020

É um estudo de caráter descritivo, com viés patentométrico, que objetiva estudar as características da colaboração interinstitucional nas patentes da UFRGS, contemplando as redes de colaboração com outras instituições e países, e identificando os campos tecnológicos e os principais inventores. Foram coletados dados de 124 registros indexados na base de dados Orbit, que foram tratados e analisados com a ajuda dos softwares Pajek, MapChart, VOSviewer e Excel, resultando em redes, mapas e tabelas. Apresenta nos resultados que a UFRGS: possui forte parceria com Brasken, Universidade de Caxias do Sul e Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; colabora mais intensamente com instituições brasileiras, mas aparecem Paraguai, Argentina e Uruguai nas suas relações estrangeiras; possui mais registros nas áreas de Necessidades Humanas, Química, Operações de Processamento e Transporte e Física, com patentes depositadas majoritariamente no escritório do Brasil, destacando inventores das áreas da engenharia, farmácia, veterinária e química. Finaliza com a ideia de que a UFRGS está buscando colaboração internacional.
Home‐Time After Discharge Among Patients With Type 2 Myocardial Infarction
Authors: McCarthy Cian P. , Murphy Sean , Rehman Saad , Jones‐O'Connor Maeve , Olshan David S. , Cohen Joshua A. , Cui Jinghan , Singh Avinainder , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Januzzi James L. , Wasfy Jason H.
Published: May 2020

Background

Home‐time, defined as the time spent alive outside of a healthcare institution, has emerged as a patient‐centered health outcome. The discharge locations and distribution of home‐time after a type 2 myocardial infarction are unknown.

Methods and Results

Patients with a type 2 myocardial infarction between October 2017 and May 2018 at Massachusetts General Hospital were included. Patients discharged to hospice or without follow‐up data were excluded. Our primary outcome was home‐time defined as the number of days lived outside of a hospital, long‐term acute care facility, skilled nursing facility, or rehabilitation facility. We identified 359 patients with type 2 myocardial infarction over the study period. Of those discharged alive (N=321), 62.9% were discharged home, and the remainder went to a facility or hospice. Among those with available follow‐up data (N=289), the median home‐time was 30 (interquartile range [
IQR
], 16–30) days at 30 days, 171 (IQR, 133–180) days at 180 days, and 347 (IQR, 203–362) days at 365 days. At 1 year, 29 patients (10%) with type 2 myocardial infarction had spent no time at home and only 57 patients (19.7%) spent the entire year alive and at home. At 1 year, postdischarge all‐cause mortality was 23.2%, all‐cause readmission was 69.2%, and major adverse cardiovascular events (composite of all‐cause mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, or stroke) was 34.9%. Home‐time through 1 year correlated strongly with time‐to‐event all‐cause mortality (τ=0.54,
P
<0.001) and major adverse cardiovascular events (τ=0.52,
P
<0.001) and modestly with a composite of all‐cause mortality or readmission (τ=0.44,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

Home‐time is low after a hospitalization for type 2 myocardial infarction and correlates strongly with mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events.
From Personal Threat to Cross-Cultural Learning: an Eidetic Investigation
Authors: DeRobertis Eugene M. , Bland Andrew M.
Published: May 2020

This study was an eidetic, phenomenological investigation of cross-cultural learning that involves overcoming an experience of personal threat. The study and its findings were placed within the context of Husserl’s genetic phenomenology and the extant humanistic literature on cross-cultural encounter. This appeared especially appropriate given phenomenology’s history “within the movement of the so-called ‘Third Force’ psychology” (Giorgi, 1970, p. xi). The eidetic reduction revealed the phenomenon to be rooted in an essential unfamiliarity with the other compounded by presumptions of the other as representing a substandard foreignness harboring danger. For the phenomenon to unfold required the learner to witness spontaneous emotional expression and empathically discover that the other struggles and suffers “like any other human being.” Openness to the other progressively builds and new meanings emerge from the interpersonal exchange as compartmentalized, intellectualized understandings of the other are outmoded.
The Body Politic Metaphor in Communal and Post-Communal Italy – Some Remarks on the Case of Lombardy
Authors: Gamberini Andrea
Published: May 2020

This paper uses the body politic metaphor to explore the dialectic of power between different political players in communal and post-communal Lombardy. On the one hand, notions of corporeal links, drawing upon an ancient and venerable tradition, were key strands of public debate on state formation in the Late Middle Ages. On the other hand, there were distinctively communal and post-communal discourses based upon the body politic metaphor. My purpose is to investigate all of these aspects through analysis of the so-called “pragmatic writings” (such as letters, decrees, notarial deeds), sources usually overlooked by historians of political thought. As is shown in this paper, the novelty of this approach makes it possible to appreciate corporeal metaphors as performative tools and instruments of political action.
First record of Lissotrachelus ferrugineonotatus cricket producing ultrasound (Orthoptera: Grylloidea)
Authors: HE ZHU-QING , SHEN CHU-ZE
Published: May 2020

The range of hearing for human is about 50 to 20,000 Hz, but some animals can produce ultrasounds over 20000 Hz. These include bats, cetaceans, rodents and even frogs (Feng et al., 2006). Katydids and crickets are famous singing insects belonging to order Orthoptera. Many katydids can produce ultrasounds even over 100 kHz (Montealegre-Z et al., 2006). However, the dominant frequency of most crickets ranges from 2 to 8 kHz (Walker & Carlysle, 1975; Robillard & Desutter-Grandcolas, 2004). In previous studies, only Eneopterinae crickets were reported to produce high-frequency songs (Robillard et al. 2007; Robillard & Tan 2013). We report that Lissotrachelus ferrugineonotatus crickets produce ultrasounds with peak at 26.25 kHz.
A new black fly species of Simulium (Nevermannia) (Simuliidae: Diptera) from the Southern Eastern Ghats, India
Authors: ANBALAGAN SANKARAPPAN , REKHA KALIMUTHU , VIJAYAN SURULIYANDI , BALACHANDRAN CHELLAPANDIAN , DINAKARAN SUNDARAM , KRISHNAN MUTHUKALINGAN
Published: May 2020

A new black fly species, Simulium (Nevermannia) karavalliense sp. nov. is described from Southern Eastern Ghats of South India. This new species is placed in the Simulium ruficorne species-group of the subgenus Nevermannia. S. (N.) karavalliense sp. nov. is characterized by female with a long sensory vesicle, male upper eye with 14 vertical columns and 16 horizontal rows of large facets, pupal gill with 8 filaments and larval hypostoma with 6 hypostomal bristles lying parallel to lateral margin. Taxonomic keys are provided to distinguish this new species from related species in India.
Limia mandibularis, a new livebearing fish (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) from Lake Miragoane, Haiti
Authors: RODRIGUEZ-SILVA RODET , TORRES-PINEDA PATRICIA , JOSAPHAT JAMES
Published: May 2020

Limia mandibularis, a new livebearing fish of the family Poeciliidae is described from Lake Miragoane in southwestern Haiti on Hispaniola. The new species differs from all other species in the genus Limia by the presence of a well-developed lower jaw, the absence of preorbital and preopercular pores, and preorbital and preopercular canals forming an open groove each. The description of this new Limia species from Lake Miragoane confirms this lake as an important center of endemism for the genus with a total of nine described species so far.