bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Soil Type and Rocky Outcrops on the Species Distribution in a Woody Plant Community at Brazilian Semiarid
Authors: Moura José Cícero de , Lisboa Maria Amanda Nobre , Gonçalves Brenda Luana Muniz , Cruz Gabriel Venâncio , Barreto Eduardo S. S. Tavares , Pinho Antonio Ivanildo , Santos Marcos Aurélio Figueiredo dos , Cordeiro Luciana da Silva , Mendonça Ana Cleide Alcântara Morais , Silva Maria Arlene Pessoa da , Barros Luiz Marivando , Silva Toshik Iarley da , Rocha Leonardo Silvestre Gomes , Drumond Marcos Antônio , Júnior João Tavares Calixto
Published: April 2020

Cerrado is a biome that holds many phytophysiognomies, influenced by the edaphic factors, where the type of substrate is strongly related to the established vegetation. This study aims to verify on how soil physicochemical properties, as well as the presence of rocky outcrops, influence the species distribution of woody plants in a Cerrado fragment located in deep soils and tabular relief at Serra do Boqueirão (289 m elev.) Lavras da Mangabeira municipality (6º72′24″ S; 38º97′73″ W), Northeastern Brazil. Every individual with a DNS ≥ 3 cm in 12 sampling units with an area of 12 × 30 m (0.432 ha) was sampled. PAST v. 3.23 software was used in the Main Component analyses. The physical and chemical analyses of the soil were made with samples collected at 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths. Differences in diversity, hierarchy and dominance volume of woody plant populations were found between sites with or without the presence of rocky outcrops. The soil has a tendency for water erosion and the aluminum saturation reached values of concentration of 7.9 cmolc dm-3, with a pH value between 4.1-4.2 in rocky environments. The obtained results suggest that Q. parviflora and A. occidentale probably have some kind of resistance to the toxicity of aluminum in soil with a pH value below 5.0.
A Study of Subjectivity about Happiness among Undergraduate Students: Q methodological approach
Authors: Shim Hyung Wha
Published: April 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the subjectivity of undergraduate students about happiness. Methods: Q methodology, which scientifically measures individual subjectivity, was used. Thirty-four Q-statements selected from 40 participants were classified into a shape of normal distribution using a nine-point scale. The collected data were analyzed using a PQMethod PC program. Results: Type I: Self-directed, growth-seeking type. This group of people searches for their objectives and direction in life while consistently making efforts to realize their goals. Type II: Oriental and wealth-seeking type. This group of people sympathizes with the oriental worldview and believes in having luck such as wealth or health. Type III: Realistic and pleasure-seeking type. This group of people tries to think positively but while rooted in reality, searches for pleasure and satisfaction in their surroundings. Type IV: Altruistic and relationship-seeking type. This group of people stresses the importance of religious life, small happiness in life, and relationship with friends or neighbors. Conclusion: The results of this study provide the foundation for understanding college students' perception about their happiness. Furthermore, these results suggest the necessity of specific and integrated education to improve happiness.
The Effect of Pediatric Inpatient Fall Prevention Education on Caregivers' Fall-related Knowledge and Preventive Behaviors
Authors: Park So Yeon , Ju Hyeon Ok
Published: April 2020

Purpose: This study aims to identify the effect of pediatric fall prevention education with leaflets and picture books on the fall-related knowledge and preventive behaviors in caregivers of inpatient children. Methods: This study is a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. It divided 62 caregivers of inpatient children aged 5 and under into an experimental group and a control group in P general hospital located in B City. Results: Fall related knowledge score in the experimental group was increased by 2 points after the intervention and the score in the comparison group was increased by 0.1 points. The difference after the intervention in fall related knowledge scores between the two groups was statistically significant (t=7.67, p<.001). The fall related prevention behavior score of the experimental group increased by 9.3 points after the intervention, and the score of the comparison group increased by 2.5 points. The difference in the scores of fall related prevention behaviors between the two groups was statistically significant (t=5.71, p<.001). Conclusion: Pediatric inpatient fall prevention education using leaflets and picture books can improve caregivers' fall-related knowledge and preventive behaviors. In turn, this can reduce children's falls in pediatric wards in general hospitals.
Relationship Between Major Satisfaction, Career Decision Autonomy, and Career Search Behavior of Nursing College Students in Clinical Practice Experience
Authors: Lee Yu Jin , Kim Yun Su
Published: April 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify a causal relationship among major satisfaction, career decision autonomy, and career search behavior of nursing college students in clinical practice experience. Methods: Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaires from 197 nursing students in S city from December 1 to 23, 2016. These were then analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression using SPSS/PC+ program. Results: The results suggest that major satisfaction was correlated with career decision autonomy; likewise, major satisfaction was correlated with career search behavior. The factors influencing career search behavior were grades and major satisfaction. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop a learning method considering interest and aptitude to increase the satisfaction of the major and to apply the various programs to understand the self and the work environment so as to determine how desirable the course will be.
The Differences of Nurses' Perception of the Code of Ethics, Degree of Application of Nursing Ethics and Biomedical Ethical Consciousness according to Nursing Students' Clinical Practice Experience, Ethical Values and Biomedical Ethics Education
Authors: Jeong Gye Seon
Published: April 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the differences of the Code of Ethics, level of application of the Code of Ethics and consciousness of biomedical ethics of nurses about clinical practice experience, ethical values and biomedical ethics education experience of nursing students. Methods: A descriptive research design, t-test and one-way ANOVA were used. The data were collected 1st June to 31st August 2016 from two large cities. The participants were 246 nursing students with a mean age of 22.57 years. Among them, 209 (84.6%) were female, 94 (38.2%) had clinical practice experience, 155 (63.0%) listed their ethical value as different depending on the situation, and 127 (51.6%) had biomedical ethics education experience. Results: The scores were: awareness of the Code of Ethics of Nurses $4.29{pm}0.60$; application of the Code of Ethics of Nurses $4.24{pm}0.6$4; and consciousness of biomedical ethics $2.91{pm}0.19$. There were significant differences in application of the Code of Ethics of Nurses (t=-1.97, p=.050); consciousness of biomedical ethics (t=-2.25, p=.025) related to clinical practice experience; and consciousness of biomedical ethics related to biomedical education experience (t=2.67, p=.007). Conclusion: Clinical practice and biomedical ethics education experience contributed to enhance the level of application of the Code of Ethics of Nurses and consciousness of biomedical ethics of nursing students.
Influences of Participation Motivation and Satisfaction of Nursing Students on Continuance Willingness of Voluntary Activities
Authors: Yang Ya Ki
Published: April 2020

Purpose: This study was done to examine the relationship between participation motivation, satisfaction and continuance willingness of voluntary activities of nursing students, and to identify factors influencing continuance willingness of voluntary activities. Methods: The research participants were 175 nursing students in the nursing departments of 3 universities located in G city and J province in Korea. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression. Results: Participants' scores for participation motivation, satisfaction and continuance willingness of voluntary activities were $3.24{pm}0.76$, $3.11{pm}0.83$ and $3.03{pm}0.85$ respectively. Participation motivation and satisfaction of voluntary activities had positive correlations. Satisfaction and continuance willingness of voluntary activities had positive correlations. Factors influencing nursing students' continuance willingness of voluntary activities included participation motivation and satisfaction of voluntary activities. And these variables explained 74% of the variance in continuance willingness of voluntary activities. Conclusion: The findings show that development and application of educational programs to increase participation motivation and satisfaction of voluntary activities are important and will improve nursing students' continuance willingness of voluntary activities.
Career Exploration Process of Nursing Student in Clinical Practice: A Voyage to Find the Authentic Nurse of Pre-registration Nurses
Authors: Son Hyun Mi , Hong Yun Kyung , Kim Young Hae
Published: April 2020

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to understand the experiences of career exploration among nursing students during their clinical practice and to develop a theoretical framework for the career exploration process. Methods: From February 2 to 28, 2015, data were collected through focus group interviews from 24 participating fourth-year nursing students. The data were analyzed using grounded theory. Results: The central phenomenon of 'confusion between the ideal and the reality of nursing' occurred in contexts for various reasons of choosing one's major, nurses in the ideal, a vague fear of the field, arduous nursing assignments in the field, and severe adversity in the nursing field. Nursing students tried to deal with their confusion by using interaction strategies such as pursuing the intrinsic value of nursing, finding role models, trying to project oneself, and preparing for adapting to reality. The career exploration process in clinical practice was a voyage to discover the authentic nurse of the pre-registration nurse. Conclusion: This result shows that nursing students were to gain confidence in their career choices by finding the value of nursing and interacting with patients. Therefore, opportunities for learning experiences about interaction with patients and various positive experiences in clinical practice should be provided for nursing students.
A Correlational Study on the Knowledge, Stress and Self-care Performance among Tuberculosis Patients
Authors: Kim Yun Mi , Yoo Kyung Hee
Published: April 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the correlations among the knowledge, stress, and self-care performance in tuberculosis patients. Methods: The participants consisted of 140 outpatients who had been diagnosed with tuberculosis in S University Hospital. Data were derived from self-report questionnaires and analyzed by SPSS 22.0. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficients analysis. Results: Means of stress and self-care performance were 1.76 and 3.21, respectively. Percentage of correct answer of knowledge about tuberculosis was 71.8. Knowledge about tuberculosis was significantly different according to age (F=21.81, p<.001), marital status (F=13.79, p<.001), education (F=36.63, p<.001), and monthly income (F=16.23, p<.001). Stress was significantly different according to gender (t=3.58, p<.001). Self-care performance was significantly different according to age (F=5.74, p=.004), marital status (F=8.79, p<.001), education (F=9.15, p<.001), monthly income (F=7.87, p=.001), and attendance of tuberculosis education (t=2.34, p=.020). Self-care performance had significant correlation with knowledge about tuberculosis and stress. Conclusion: This study suggests that knowledge about tuberculosis and stress had significant correlations with self-care performance. Therefore, the nursing strategies of increasing knowledge about tuberculosis and decreasing stress which improve self-care performance should be developed for tuberculosis patients.
The Effects of Nursing Organizational Culture, Work Performance and Workplace Bullying Type on Workplace Bullying Consequence of Nurses
Authors: Jeong Ga Yeon , Jang Hyun Jung
Published: April 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among nursing organizational culture, work performance, and workplace bullying of nurses, and to identify the factors that affect workplace bullying. Methods: The design of this study was descriptive research, and the data were collected from October 26 to November 5, 2018. The research participants were 210 nurses in six general hospitals in G province. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, a t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheff? post-hoc test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and a stepwise multiple regression using SPSS 22.0. Results: The workplace bullying type showed negative correlations with innovation-oriented culture, relation-oriented culture, and work performance. The workplace bullying consequence showed negative correlations with the innovation-oriented culture, relation-oriented culture, and work performance, and showed positive correlations with the workplace bullying type. The factors influencing the results of the workplace bullying consequence were workplace bullying type followed by relation-oriented culture, and unmarried status. Conclusion: Workplace bullying among nurses was related to the nursing organizational culture and work performance. Therefore, in order to reduce the turnover rate of nurses and to help them adapt well to the nursing organizational culture, a bullying prevention and intervention program is necessary.
Recurrent late seroma after immediate breast reconstruction with latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap
Authors: Bae Seong Hwan , Lee Yong Woo , Nam Su Bong , Lee So Jeong , Park Heeseung , Kang Taewoo
Published: April 2020

The latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap (LDMCF) is widely used for breast reconstruction. However, it has the disadvantage of frequent seroma formation at the donor site, and late seroma has also been reported. The authors report histological findings after the surgical treatment of a late, repeatedly recurrent seroma at 10 years after breast reconstruction with LDMCF. In 2008, a 66-year-old female patient underwent immediate breast reconstruction with LDMCF. In 2015, a late seroma was found at the donor site. After aspiration and drainage, the seroma recurred again in 2018. Total surgical excision of the seroma was performed and bloody-appearing fluid was identified in the capsule. The excised tissue was biopsied. Histological examination revealed no evidence of blood in the fluid, and multinucleated giant cells with amorphous eosinophilic proteinaceous material were identified. The cyst was suggestive of chronic granulomatous inflammation. There was no recurrence at 8 months post-operatively. The patient described herein underwent surgical treatment of late seroma that recurred after immediate breast reconstruction with LDMCF, and histological findings were identified. These results may be helpful for other future studies regarding late seroma after breast reconstruction with LDMCF.
Geometrically Structured Microtumors in 3D Hydrogel Matrices
Authors: Molley Thomas G. , Wang Xiaochun , Hung Tzong‐tyng , Jayathilaka Pavithra B. , Yang Jia‐Lin , Kilian Kristopher A.
Published: April 2020

During cancer progression, a growing tumor encounters variation in the surrounding microenvironment leading to a diverse landscape at the tumor–matrix interface. Topological cues at the interface are believed to influence invasive characteristics; however, most laboratory models involve tumor spheroids that develop a uniform geometry within a homogenous hydrogel. In this communication, a method for templating hydrogels in well‐defined 3D architectures is reported. Using melanoma as a model cancer, fabrication of geometrically structured model tumors in a myriad of shapes and sizes is demonstrated. These microtumors can be encapsulated in virtually any polymeric matrix, with demonstrations using poly(ethylene glycol) and gelatin‐based hydrogels. Light sheet imaging reveals uniform viability throughout with regions of high curvature at the periphery influencing cellular heterogeneity. These hydrogel encapsulated microtumors can be harvested and implanted in animal models, providing a unique xenograft system where relationships between geometry, progression, and invasion may be systematically studied.
PEBA/PSf Multilayer Composite Membranes for CO2 Separation: Influence of Dip Coating Parameters
Authors: Elyasi Kojabad Mahdi , Momeni Masumeh , Babaluo Ali Akbar , Vaezi Mohammad Javad
Published: April 2020

Polyether block amide (PEBA) polymeric layers were prepared on polysulfone (PSf) supports via dip coating. The effects of the coating speed and the solution concentration on the membrane performance were studied. The membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and gas permeation. The coating speed was adjusted in the range of 0.32–0.48 cm s−1 at a solution concentration of 3 wt % to obtain suitable membranes so that the CO2 permeance and the CO2/N2 selectivity increased by more than three and ten times, respectively, compared to other speed ranges. Statistical analysis also showed that the effect of the interaction between solution concentration and coating speed is more considerable than the separate effects of both factors.
Artificial neural network approach to predict the lightfastness of gravure prints on the plastic film
Authors: Mandal Mahasweta , Bandyopadhyay Swati
Published: April 2020

The lightfastness of prints is an important property for assessing their print stability. The objective of this study is to determine the lightfastness rate of printed films due to long‐time exposure by applying artificial neural network (ANN). Package printing is gradually becoming extremely important because its color and quality increase the marketability of the product. Sometimes it has been observed that the initial print quality is bright and attractive. However, with time, it degrades the exposure of light, water, or other external parameters. Thus, it reduces the marketability if its color degrades before its expiration. Therefore, the lightfastness of prints may be considered for the authenticity or validity of the product. The plastic film substrate is chosen because it has extensive usage in food and other packaging industries. The samples printed in the gravure process are exposed in artificial lightfastness tester BGD 865/A Bench Xenon Test Chamber (B‐SUN) for assessing the lightfastness of prints. The ocean optics spectroradiometer (DH2000BAL) is used to measure the spectrophotometric properties of prints before and after exposure. The obtained reflectance spectra are modeled by applying an ANN technique that is proposed to predict the fading rate of the printed film. The optimal model gives excellent prediction with the minimum mean square error for each color and a correlation coefficient of 0.80 to 0.99. ANN model and a Regression model (assuming first‐order kinetic equation) are compared for predicting the lightfastness properties of prints. The results show that the ANN has better prediction capability than the regression model.
Engaging F‐words to create change: Rape, representation, and performance
Authors: Trinch Shonna , Cassidy Barbara
Published: April 2020

This essay, inspired by feminism, examines a program of engaged public anthropology through student‐led theater that uses what is often considered to be ‘bad language’ in U.S. colleges and universities. We suggest that the appropriation of taboo language varieties and taboo words in plays written by student‐playwrights and performed by professional actors in front of professors, administrators and student peers creates a powerful context for breaking the silence surrounding rape that then puts students at risk. Critical attention to the student‐playwrights' use of the f‐word in the public production of Seeing Rape suggests there is a place for it on campus.
Spatiotemporal variations in monthly relative humidity in China based on observations and CMIP5 models
Authors: Niu Zigeng , Wang Lunche , Fang Lulu , Li Jiarui , Yao Rui
Published: April 2020

The variation trends in surface relative humidity (RH) are analyzed from 1961 to 2015 in China and its eight subregions based on monthly mean surface RH data from 2,474 stations provided by the National Meteorological Information Center of China (NMIC). The annual mean surface RH is 59% in China, with a clear maximum and minimum in South China (SC, 80%) and over the Tibetan Plateau (TP, 45%). From 1961 to 2002, the regional RH shows increasing trends in most regions of China, but a particularly sharp reduction in RH is evident since 2003 in each subregion and throughout China, leading to a decreasing RH in China from 1961 to 2015. The decline is larger in East China (EC, −0.58% decade−1) and SC (−0.59% decade−1) than that in the West of Northwest China (WNC, −0.11% decade−1) and North China (NC, −0.05% decade−1), and the decreasing trend is −0.30% decade−1 throughout all of China. A drier trend has been observed in most regions of China, especially in urban and high‐altitude areas, which suggests that the water vapour supply from the ocean is limited, accompanied by weakened monsoons, and the increase in sunshine duration in northwestern China also causes a decrease in surface RH. On the other hand, urbanisation will also lead to local urban dry island effects in some regions with large populations and rapid urbanization. Finally, the RH would decrease more rapidly under the RCP8.5 scenario than under the RCP4.5 scenario because of the asymmetrical increase in vapour pressure and saturation vapour pressure under increasing temperature.
COVID‐19 and Union Prevention
Authors: Wich Scott
Published: April 2020

One month ago, few people could have foreseen the scope and impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic. At the time of this writing for the current issue of Management Report, the United States has the most confirmed cases of COVID‐19 in the world, the death toll is climbing, and experts say the situation will get worse before it gets better. Commerce in large areas of the country, including California and the Northeast, has largely shut down. The U.S. secretary of the treasury recently suggested that the U.S. unemployment rate could reach as high as 20 percent. Some economists have said it could go as high as during the economic devastation of the Great Depression, when the unemployment rate peaked at nearly 25 percent in 1933. Other economists have said it may reach 30 percent. It has been predicted that 37 million jobs may be the subject of temporary layoffs during this crisis, and 10 million may be lost permanently.
Rational roots of all‐terminal reliability
Authors: Brown Jason I. , DeGagné Corey D. C.
Published: April 2020

Given a connected graph G whose vertices are perfectly reliable and whose edges each fail independently with probability q ∈ [0, 1], the (all‐terminal) reliability of G is the probability that the resulting subgraph of operational edges contains a spanning tree (this probability is always a polynomial in q). The location of the roots of reliability polynomials has been well studied, with particular interest in finding those with the largest moduli. In this paper, we will discuss a related problem—among all reliability polynomials of graphs on n vertices, what can we say about the rational roots? We prove that (for n ≥ 2), the rational roots are −1, − 1/2, − 1/3,…, − 1/(n − 1), 1. Moreover, we show that for n ≥ 3, the root of minimum modulus among all graphs of order n is rational, and determine all roots of smallest moduli and the corresponding graphs. Finally, we provide the first nontrivial mathematical property that distinguishes, via reliability, the class of simple graphs (i.e., those without loops and multiple edges) from that of graphs in general.
Environmental determinants of diving beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) in an urban landscape
Authors: Liao Wenfei , Venn Stephen , Niemelä Jari
Published: April 2020

Blue infrastructure is an important component of urban green infrastructure, due to its capacity for water cycle regulation and soil formation, as well as supporting unique biodiversity. Urban ponds, as part of urban blue, can harbour a diverse assemblage of aquatic macroinvertebrates. As yet, it is not clear how urbanisation affects macroinvertebrate diversity. In this study, we focus on diving beetles (Dytiscidae) in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland, to investigate how urbanisation affects their diversity, as well as the effects of margin steepness and the presence or absence of fish on urban dytiscids. We sampled dytiscids using 1-L activity traps in 14 fishless ponds and 11 ponds with fish, at ten sites. We applied generalised linear mixed models (GLMM) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to analyse the effects on dytiscid assemblages. We found that urbanisation had a negative effect on species richness but not on abundance. Steepness of pond margins and the presence or absence of predatory fish, affected both species richness and abundance: dytiscids prefer ponds with gently sloping margins; they have 80% higher species richness and are 79% more abundant in fishless ponds, and medium to large-sized dytiscid species are more capable of coexisting with fish. Urban wetlands can support a diversity of dytiscids at the regional level, and the presence of ponds without predatory fish is beneficial for maintaining dytiscid diversity. We recommend maintaining a diverse range of ponds and wetland habitats for the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity in urban regions.
Führung und Sinn. Plädoyer für einen existenzanalytischen Umgang mit dem Sinnphänomen
Authors: Jung Rüdiger Heinrich
Published: April 2020

In diesem Beitrag der Zeitschrift „Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO)“ werden im Kontext der unmittelbaren Führungsbeziehung zwischen Vorgesetzten und Mitarbeitenden Sinn als Ergebnis werterealisierenden Verhaltens beschrieben, konkrete Werte- und Sinnpotenziale aufgezeigt und förderliche Rahmenbedingungen einer sinnorientierten Führung skizziert.

In der Diskussion um adäquate Formen von Führung und Organisation in der modernen Arbeitswelt erfährt das Sinnphänomen erhöhte Aufmerksamkeit. Dabei ist ein zum Teil vager, zum Teil großzügiger Umgang mit dem Sinnbegriff zu beobachten. Um Sinn als Motivationsfaktor sui generis nutzbar zu machen, plädiert der Beitrag für ein aus der anthropologischen Philosophie begründetes und dem existenzanalytischen Verständnis von Viktor E. Frankl entlehntes Sinnkonzept.
The Commission for the Preservation of Antiquities and its role in the appropriation of İstanbul’s diverse heritage as national heritage (1939–1953)
Authors: Aykaç Pınar
Published: April 2020

This paper argues that the early Republican attempts to reintegrate the Ottoman past into nationalist narratives later found their reflections in discussions regarding the preservation of İstanbul’s diverse heritage, coinciding with the redefinition of Turkish nationalism in the 1940s, incorporating Islam and marking a departure from the foundation ideology of the Republic of Turkey. In 1939, the Republican authorities decided to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1953. The Commission for the Preservation of Antiquities (Muhafaza-ı Asar-ı Atika Encümeni)—the body responsible for the preservation of historic monuments in İstanbul—was tasked with conducting restoration and repair works for the celebrations. Although the celebrations did not receive much attention in the following years, the annual celebrations in the city have now become a significant aspect of present-day İstanbul, which glorify its Ottoman-Islamic past. By presenting its negotiations and contestations with other state actors in the context of these preparations, this paper explores the role of the Preservation Commission in appropriating the inherited remnants of İstanbul’s multifaceted past as “national monuments.”
Facile preparation of a novel biogenic silver-loaded Nanofilm with intrinsic anti-bacterial and oxidant scavenging activities for wound healing
Authors: Bardania Hassan , Mahmoudi Reza , Bagheri Hamed , Salehpour Zeinab , Fouani Mohamad Hassan , Darabian Bita , Khoramrooz Seyed Sajjad , Mousavizadeh Ali , Kowsari Majid , Moosavifard Seyyed Ebrahim , Christiansen Gunna , Javeshghani Danesh , Alipour Mohsen , Akrami Mohammad
Published: April 2020

To eliminate the microbial infection from an injury site, various modalities have been developed such as dressings and human skin substitutes. However, the high amount of reactive oxygen species, microbial infection, and damaging extracellular matrix remain as the main challenges for the wound healing process. In this study, for the first time, green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Teucrium polium extract were embedded in poly lactic acid/poly ethylene glycol (PLA/PEG) film to provide absorbable wound dressing, with antioxidant and antibacterial features. The physicochemical analysis demonstrated, production of AgNPs with size approximately 32.2 nm and confirmed the presence of phytoconstituents on their surface. The antibacterial assessments exhibited a concentration-dependent sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa toward biosynthesized AgNPs, which showed a suitable safety profile in human macrophage cells. Furthermore, oxidant scavenging assays demonstrated exploitation of plant extract as a reducing agent, endows antioxidant activity to biogenic AgNPs. The formation of PLA/PEG nanofilm and entrapment of AgNPs into their matrix were clearly confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. More importantly, antibacterial examination demonstrated that the introduction of biogenic AgNPs into PLA/PEG nanofibers led to complete growth inhibition of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. In summary, the simultaneous antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of the novel biogenic AgNPs/PLA/PEG nanofilm showed its potential for application as wound dressing.
Kranke Schwester?! Resilienz bei psychiatrisch Pflegenden
Authors: Wendel Susanne
Published: April 2020

Gehen Sie aus Krisen gestärkt hervor? Haben Sie nach einem stressigen Arbeitstag noch Power für Familie und Freunde? Und behalten Sie trotz Schicksalsschlägen Ihren Optimismus? Dann haben Sie Glück, denn Sie sind resilient. Alle anderen sollten diesen Artikel lesen.
On the use of XML markup language in comics criticism
Authors: Murel Jacob
Published: April 2020

Building upon Walsh’s Comic Book Markup Language (CMBL) used for encoding text features of comics documents, this essay explores how CBML can be modified and expanded using additional Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) features to reflect alternative theoretical and critical approaches to comics. In doing so, this essay argues that markup languages offer not only a means for analyzing encoded documents but also a means for analyzing critical approaches to documents. Because markup language reflects the critical stance of whoever produces the encoding, any revision to the markup potentially reflects a revision to the critical theoretical framework from which the encoder operates. As such, implementation of markup language in comics studies can function not only as a metalanguage for describing comics but also as a form of meta-criticism. To this end, this essay explores methods for incorporating CBML and TEI to reflect commonly opposed approaches to analyzing comics documents.
Remote triage in paediatric critical care: A Canadian provincial-wide cohort study
Authors: Kawaguchi Atsushi , Guerra Gonzalo Garcia , Gilad Eli , Jain Praveen , DeCaen Allan
Published: April 2020

Objective

To describe remote triage of ‘potentially’ critically ill or injured children in a western Canadian province and to examine the associated factors with ‘missings’ in vital sign items recorded in centralized telephone triage consultations.

Methods

This is a provincial-wide prospective cohort study. We included all children under 17 years of age consulted through the central transport coordination centres in Alberta from June 2016 to July 2017. We labeled a value as ‘missing’ when the actual value was not identified in the audio records.

Results

In total, 429 cases were included in this study. The median duration of triage calls was 6.8 minutes. Although the patients’ demographics and primary diagnoses were similar, backgrounds of the referring physicians and hospitals were significantly different between the two cohorts (i.e., patients referred to Calgary versus Edmonton). The proportion of ‘missings’ among the vital sign items varied significantly, in which capillary refilling time (60%), pupils (86%), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (79%), and level of respiratory effort (50%) were not well recorded, whereas heart rate (proportion of ‘missings’: 12%), SpO2 (20%), and respiratory rate (26%) were recorded reasonably well. The lower proportion of ‘missings’ was observed in older aged patients for several vital sign items including systolic blood pressure and GCS.

Conclusions

The proportion of missing vital signs recorded varied significantly. The ‘missings’ could be associated with referring physician’s background and patients’ demographics such as ‘age’ that should be considered for the improvement of triage quality in the future.
Integrating Reproductive and Sexual Health Education and Services Into Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Programs: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Klaman Stacey L. , Turner Kea , Lorvick Jennifer , Jones Hendrée E.
Published: April 2020

Objectives:

Women with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the USA are at risk for poor reproductive and sexual health (RSH) outcomes. The qualitative research presented here is part of a larger mixed methods study. The qualitative component used an implementation science framework to investigate provider and staff perspectives regarding the integration of RSH education and services for reproductive-age women in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in North Carolina.

Methods:

Thirty-one semistructured interviews were conducted with providers and staff at 9 OTPs between November and December, 2017. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to assess multilevel implementation contexts (eg, patient, provider, organizational) to identify barriers and facilitators that might influence effective intervention implementation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed to identify key themes. Deductive and inductive approaches were used.

Results:

Barriers included transportation, childcare, and time constraints (patient-level), lack of communication between providers (provider-level), lack of political will, competing priorities, and shortages of available resources (organizational-level). Facilitators included a group education approach (patient-level), strong communication (provider-level), and a culture of collaboration (organizational-level).

Conclusions:

Assessing determinants of implementation is important to the development of RSH interventions. CFIR constructs were found to be important influences that could facilitate or hinder effective implementation. Integration of RSH education and services is a process, and, when addressed in stages, might be feasible. A broad range of RSH education and services has the potential to have a profound impact on the health of women with OUD and their children, their families, and their communities.
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: A Comparison of Outcomes in Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Using the National Inpatient Sample*
Authors: Chinai Brian , Gaughan John , Schorr Christa
Published: April 2020

Objectives:

Sepsis is the most common and costly diagnosis in U.S.’ hospitals. Despite quality improvement programs and heightened awareness, sepsis accounts for greater than 50% of all hospital deaths. A key modifier of outcomes is access to healthcare. The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, expanded access to health insurance coverage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in insurance coverage and outcomes in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock as a result of the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Design:

This retrospective study uses data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample during 2011–2016. Data were divided into two groups: 2011–2013 (pre Affordable Care Act) and 2014–2016 (post Affordable Care Act). Outcomes were in-hospital mortality, mortality rates based on insurance type, and hospital length of stay.

Patients:

Hospitalized adults between the ages 18 and 64.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

A total of 361,323 severe sepsis or septic shock hospital discharges were included. Comparing pre-Affordable Care Act with post-Affordable Care Act, there was a 4.75% increase in medicaid coverage and a 1.91% decrease in the uninsured. Overall in-hospital mortality decreased from 22.90% pre-Affordable Care Act to 18.59% post-Affordable Care Act. Pre-Affordable Care Act uninsured patients had the highest mortality (25.68%). Patients with medicaid had the greatest reduction in mortality (5.71%) and length of stay (2.45 d). The mean (sd) length of stay pre Affordable Care Act was 13.92 (17.42) days, compared with 12.35 (15.76) days post Affordable Care Act. All results were statistically significant (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

In this cohort, there was an increase in insured patients with severe sepsis and septic shock post Affordable Care Act. Mortality and length of stay decreased in the post-Affordable Care Act period with the greatest reduction identified in the medicaid population. The improvement in outcomes could be attributed to advances in management, earlier presentation, patients being less severely ill and receiving treatment sooner.
Universal Relation for Life-span Energy Consumption in Living Organisms: Insights for the origin of aging
Authors: Escala Andrés
Published: April 2020

Metabolic energy consumption has long been thought to play a major role in the aging process (1). Across species, a gram of tissue on average expends about the same amount of energy during life-span (2). Energy restriction has also been shown that increases maximum life-span (3) and retards age-associated changes (4). However, there are significant exceptions to a universal energy consumption during life-span, mainly coming from the inter-class comparison (5, 6). Here we present a unique relation for life-span energy consumption, valid for ∼300 species representing all classes of living organisms, from unicellular ones to the largest mammals. The relation has an average scatter of only 0.3 dex, with 95% of the organisms having departures less than a factor ofπfrom the relation, despite the ∼20 orders of magnitude difference in body mass, reducing any possible inter-class variation in the relation to only a geometrical factor. This result can be interpreted as supporting evidence for the existence of an approximately constant total number Nr∼ 108of respiration cycles per lifetime for all organisms, effectively predetermining the extension of life by the basic energetics of respiration.
CNSA: a data repository for archiving omics data
Authors: Guo Xueqin , Chen Fengzhen , Gao Fei , Li Ling , Liu Ke , You Lijin , Hua Cong , Yang Fan , Liu Wanliang , Peng Chunhua , Wang Lina , Yang Xiaoxia , Zhou Feiyu , Tong Jiawei , Cai Jia , Li Zhiyong , Wan Bo , Zhang Lei , Yang Tao , Zhang Minwen , Yang Linlin , Yang Yawen , Zeng Wenjun , Wang Bo , Wei Xiaofeng , Xu Xun
Published: April 2020

With the application and development of high-throughput sequencing technology in life and health sciences, massive multi-dimensional biological data brings the problem of efficient management and utilization. Database development and biocuration are the prerequisites for the reuse of these big data. Here, relying on China National GeneBank (CNGB), we present CNGB Sequence Archive (CNSA) for archiving omics data, including raw sequencing data and its analytical data and related metadata which are organized into six objects, namely Project, Sample, Experiment, Run, Assembly, and Variation at present. Moreover, CNSA has created the correlation model of living samples, sample information, and analytical data on some projects, so that all data can be traced throughout the life cycle from the living sample to the sample information to the analytical data. Complying with the data standards commonly used in the life sciences, CNSA is committed to building a comprehensive and curated data repository for the storage, management and sharing of omics data, improving the data standards, and providing free access to open data resources for worldwide scientific communities to support academic research and the bio-industry. Database URL:https://db.cngb.org/cnsa/
SSRE: Cell Type Detection Based on Sparse Subspace Representation and Similarity Enhancement
Authors: Liang Zhenlan , Li Min , Zheng Ruiqing , Tian Yu , Yan Xuhua , Chen Jin , Wu Fang-Xiang , Wang Jianxin
Published: April 2020

Accurate identification of cell types from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data plays a critical role in a variety of scRNA-seq analysis studies. It corresponds to solving an unsupervised clustering problem, in which the similarity measurement between cells in a high dimensional space affects the result significantly. Although many approaches have been proposed recently, the accuracy of cell type identification still needs to be improved. In this study, we proposed a novel single-cell clustering framework based on similarity learning, called SSRE. In SSRE, we model the relationships between cells based on subspace assumption and generate a sparse representation of the cell-to-cell similarity, which retains the most similar neighbors for each cell. Besides, we adopt classical pairwise similarities incorporated with a gene selection and enhancement strategy to further improve the effectiveness of SSRE. For performance evaluation, we applied SSRE in clustering, visualization, and other exploratory data analysis processes on various scRNA-seq datasets. Experimental results show that SSRE achieves superior performance in most cases compared to several state-of-the-art methods.
A novel hypomorphic allele ofSpag17causes primary ciliary dyskinesia phenotypes in mice
Authors: Abdelhamed Zakia , Lukacs Marshall , Cindric Sandra , Omran Heymut , Stottmann Rolf W.
Published: April 2020

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a human condition of dysfunctional motile cilia characterized by recurrent lung infection, infertility, organ laterality defects, and partially penetrant hydrocephalus. We recovered a mouse mutant from a forward genetic screen that developed all the phenotypes of PCD. Whole exome sequencing identified thisprimary ciliary dyskinesia only (Pcdo)allele to be a nonsense mutation (c.5236A>T) in theSpag17coding sequence creating a premature stop codon at position 1746 (K1746*). ThePcdovariant abolished different isoforms of SPAG17 in thePcdomutant testis but not in the brain. Our data indicate differential requirements for SPAG17 in different motile cilia cell types. SPAG17 is required for proper development of the sperm flagellum, and is essential for either development or stability of the C1 microtubule structure within cilia, but not the brain ependymal cilia. We identified changes in ependymal cilia beating frequency but these did not apparently alter lateral ventricle cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. Aqueductal (Aq) stenosis resulted in significantly slower and abnormally directed CSF flow and we suggest this is the root cause of the hydrocephalus. TheSpag17Pcdohomozygous mutant mice are generally viable to adulthood, but have a significantly shortened life span with chronic morbidity. Our data indicate that the c.5236A>TPcdovariant is a hypomorphic allele ofSpag17gene that causes phenotypes related to motile, but not primary, cilia.Spag17Pcdois a novel and useful model for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying development of PCD in the mouse.
Developing a novel recurrent neural network architecture with fewer parameters and good learning performance
Authors: Yamada Kazunori D , Lin Fangzhou , Nakamura Tsukasa
Published: April 2020

Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are among the most promising of the many artificial intelligence techniques now under development, showing great potential for memory, interaction, and linguistic understanding. Among the more sophisticated RNNs are long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent units (GRUs), which emulate animal brain behavior; these methods yield superior memory and learning speed because of the excellent core structure of their architectures. In this study, we attempted to make further improvements in core structure and develop a novel, compact architecture with a high learning speed. We stochastically generated 30000 RNN architectures, evaluated their performance, and selected the one most capable of memorizing long contexts with relatively few parameters. This RNN, YamRNN, had fewer parameters than LSTM and GRU by a factor of two-thirds or better and reduced the time required to achieve the same learning performance on a sequence classification task as LSTM and GRU by 80% at maximum. This novel RNN architecture is expected to be useful for addressing problems such as predictions and analyses on contextual data and also suggests that there is room for the development of better architectures.
An insula-driven network computes decision uncertainty and promotes abstinence in chronic cocaine users
Authors: Yu Ju-Chi , Fiore Vincenzo G. , Briggs Richard W. , Braud Jacquelyn , Rubia Katya , Adinoff Bryon , Gu Xiaosi
Published: April 2020

The anterior insular cortex (AIC) and its interconnected brain regions have been associated with both addiction and decision-making under uncertainty. However, the causal interactions in this uncertainty-encoding neurocircuitry and how these neural dynamics impact relapse remain elusive. Here, we used model-based fMRI to measure choice uncertainty in a motor decision task in 61 individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) and 25 healthy controls. CUD participants were assessed before discharge from a residential treatment program and followed for up to 24 weeks. We found that choice uncertainty was tracked by the AIC, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and ventral striatum (VS), across participants. Stronger activations in these regions measured pre-discharge predicted longer abstinence after discharge in individuals with CUD. Dynamic causal modelling revealed an AIC-to-dACC directed connectivity modulated by uncertainty in controls, but a dACC-to-AIC connectivity in CUD participants. This reversal was mostly driven by early-relapsers (<30 days). Furthermore, CUD individuals who displayed a stronger AIC-to-dACC excitatory connection during uncertainty encoding remained abstinent for longer periods. These findings reveal a critical role of an AIC-driven, uncertainty-encoding neurocircuitry in protecting against relapse and promoting abstinence.