bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prurigo actínico en un centro dermatológico de referencia en Colombia: 108 casos
Authors: Pardo-Zamudio Andrea Carolina , Valbuena Martha Cecilia , Jiménez-Torres Héctor David , Colmenares-Mejía Claudia Carolina
Published: September 2020

Introducción. El prurigo actínico es una fotodermatosis crónica. Afecta con mayor frecuencia a la población latinoamericana, predomina en mujeres y compromete la piel expuesta al sol, las conjuntivas y los labios.Objetivo. Actualizar la información sobre las características clínico-epidemiológicas y el tratamiento de pacientes con prurigo actínico en Colombia.Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio de corte transversal que incluyó los registros clínicos de pacientes con prurigo actínico atendidos en el Servicio de Fotodermatología del Hospital Universitario Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta entre el 2011 y el 2016, y se describieron sus características demográficas, clínicas e histopatológicas, así como su tratamiento.Resultados. Se incluyeron 108 pacientes, el 71,3 % de ellos mujeres y el 28,7% hombres, con predominio de los fototipos III-IV (70 %). La enfermedad se había iniciado durante la primera década de vida en el 66,4% de los casos y el 25 % de los pacientes tenía antecedentes familiares de la enfermedad. Las lesiones predominaban en el rostro (93,5 %), los antebrazos (79,6 %) y el dorso de las manos (70,4 %). También, se documentó compromiso ocular (87,9 %) y de los labios (88,8 %). Se hizo la prueba de fotoprovocación con radiación ultravioleta A en el 25 % de los casos y biopsia cutánea en el 19,4 %. Todos los pacientes se trataron con protección solar química y física. En los casos leves a moderados, se formularon corticoides tópicos (91,7 %) e inhibidores de la calcineurina (65,7 %), y en los graves, talidomida (33,3 %) y pentoxifilina (14,8 %).Conclusión. Las características de los pacientes colombianos con prurigo actínico son similares a las reportadas en otros países latinoamericanos: inicio temprano de la enfermedad, predominio en mujeres, compromiso frecuente de conjuntivas y labios, y adecuada respuesta al tratamiento tópico y sistémico.
A survey of tire-breeding mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Dominican Republic: Considerations about a pressing issue
Authors: González Mikel A. , Rodríguez-Sosa María Altagracia , Vásquez-Bautista Yohan Enmanuel , Rosario Elizabeth del Carmen , Durán-Tiburcio Jesús Confesor , Alarcón-Elbal Pedro María
Published: September 2020

Introduction: Discarded vehicle tires represent a serious threat both to the environment and to public health as they have the potential to harbor important mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) vectors.Objective: To assess the importance of used vehicle tires as larval habitats for mosquito fauna that colonize these artificial reservoirs in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.Materials and methods: Used tires were sampled with pipettes at specialized tire fitting shops and scattered stockpiles of tires between June and August, 2018.Results: We sampled 396 tires; 57 (Container Index=14.4%) were positive for immature stages and contained 2,400 specimens, 11 species, and four genera (Anopheles, Aedes, Culex, and Toxorhynchites). The most abundant species was Aedes albopictus (42.3%) followed by Aedes aegypti (34.3%), and Culex quinquefasciatus (14.0%) while other species (9.4%) were less abundant. The container index varied significantly among the different tire sizes (χ2=13.4; p≤0.05). The highest infestation levels were found in the largest tires. A low positive correlation (r=0.38, n=396; p≤0.001) between the tire size and the prevalence of immature stages was recorded. The presence of organic matter had an overall positive effect on the infestation levels (U=11,430.0; p≤0.001).Conclusions: These rubber residues, usually located nearby human populations, represent suitable breeding sites for arboviruses vectors such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and West Nile.
Severe corneal burn due to the accidental application of salicylic acid packed in a plastic dropper bottle
Authors: Galvis Virgilio , Tello Alejandro , Carreño Néstor I. , Niño Camilo A. , García Natalia A. , Otoya Valeria , Arana Rodrigo
Published: September 2020

Eye burns due to the accidental application of pharmacological or nonpharmacological substances packaged in plastic dropper bottles have been described for more than three decades and continue to occur. These burns can cause potentially serious corneal injuries. We report the case of a patient who mistakenly applied salicylic acid to the right eye after confusing it with an eye lubricant, which caused him a severe corneal burn. Fortunately, after aggressive medical and surgical management (including oxygen therapy and amniotic membrane grafting), the visual results were good.We suggest conducting educational campaigns and taking legislative measures in our country to avoid packaging corrosive substances in this type of dropper bottle to reduce the risk of accidental burns.
A survey of accepted authors in computer systems conferences
Authors: Frachtenberg Eitan , Koster Noah
Published: September 2020

Computer Science researchers rely on peer-reviewed conferences to publish their work and to receive feedback. The impact of these peer-reviewed papers on researchers’ careers can hardly be overstated. Yet conference organizers can make inconsistent choices for their review process, even in the same subfield. These choices are rarely reviewed critically, and when they are, the emphasis centers on the effects on the technical program, not the authors. In particular, the effects of conference policies on author experience and diversity are still not well understood. To help address this knowledge gap, this paper presents a cross-sectional study of 56 conferences from one large subfield of computer science, namely computer systems. We introduce a large author survey (n = 918), representing 809 unique papers. The goal of this paper is to expose this data and present an initial analysis of its findings. We primarily focus on quantitative comparisons between different survey questions and comparisons to external information we collected on author demographics, conference policies, and paper statistics. Another focal point of this study is author diversity. We found poor balance in the gender and geographical distributions of authors, but a more balanced spread across sector, experience, and English proficiency. For the most part, women and nonnative English speakers exhibit no differences in their experience of the peer-review process, suggesting no specific evidence of bias against these accepted authors. We also found strong support for author rebuttal to reviewers’ comments, especially among students and less experienced researchers.
Executing native Java code in R: an approach based on a local server
Authors: Fortin Mathieu
Published: September 2020

The R language is widely used for data analysis. However, it does not allow for complex object-oriented implementation and it tends to be slower than other languages such as Java, C and C++. Consequently, it can be more computationally efficient to run native Java code in R. To do this, there exist at least two approaches. One is based on the Java Native Interface (JNI) and it has been successfully implemented in the rJava package. An alternative approach consists of running a local server in Java and linking it to an R environment through a socket connection. This alternative approach has been implemented in an R package called J4R. This article shows how this approach makes it possible to simplify the calls to Java methods and to integrate the R vectorization. The downside is a loss of performance. However, if the vectorization is used in conjunction with multithreading, this loss of performance can be compensated for.
Drought stress strengthens the link between chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic traits
Authors: Zhuang Jie , Wang Yonglin , Chi Yonggang , Zhou Lei , Chen Jijing , Zhou Wen , Song Jun , Zhao Ning , Ding Jianxi
Published: September 2020

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) has been used to understand photosynthesis and its response to climate change, particularly with satellite-based data. However, it remains unclear how the ChlF ratio and photosynthesis are linked at the leaf level under drought stress. Here, we examined the link between ChlF ratio and photosynthesis at the leaf level by measuring photosynthetic traits, such as net CO2 assimilation rate (An), the maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (Vcmax), the maximum rate of electron transport (Jmax), stomatal conductance (gs) and total chlorophyll content (Chlt). The ChlF ratio of the leaf level such as maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) is based on fluorescence kinetics. ChlF intensity ratio (LD685/LD740) based on spectrum analysis was obtained. We found that a combination of the stomatal limitation, non-stomatal limitation, and Chlt regulated leaf photosynthesis under drought stress, while Jmax and Chlt governed the ChlF ratio. A significant link between the ChlF ratio and An was found under drought stress while no significant correlation in the control, which indicated that drought stress strengthens the link between the ChlF ratio and photosynthetic traits. These results suggest that the ChlF ratio can be a powerful tool to track photosynthetic traits of terrestrial ecosystems under drought stress.
Identification of an 8-miRNA signature as a potential prognostic biomarker for glioma
Authors: Ji Baowei , Chen Lihua , Cai Qiang , Guo Qiao , Chen Zhibiao , He Du
Published: September 2020

Background

Glioma is the most common form of primary malignant intracranial tumor.

Methods

In the current study, miRNA matrix were obtained from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), and then univariate Cox regression analysis and Lasso regression analysis were utilized to select candidate miRNAs and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to establish a miRNA signature for predicting overall survival (OS) of glioma. The signature was assessed with the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and validated by data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).

Results

Eight miRNAs (miR-1246, miR-148a, miR-150, miR-196a, miR-338-3p, miR-342-5p, miR-548h and miR-645) were included in the miRNA signature. The AUC of ROC analysis for 1- and 3-year OS in the CGGA dataset was 0.747 and 0.905, respectively. In the GEO dataset, The AUC for 1- and 3-year was 0.736 and 0.809, respectively. The AUC in both the CGGA and GEO datasets was similar to that based on WHO 2007 classification (0.736 and 0.799) and WHO 2016 classification (0.663 and 0.807). Additionally, Kaplan–Meier plot revealed that high-risk score patients had a poorer clinical outcome. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that the miRNA signature was an independent prognosis-related factor [HR: 6.579, 95% CI [1.227−35.268],p = 0.028].

Conclusion

On the whole, in the present study, based on eight miRNAs, a novel prognostic signature was developed for predicting the 1- and 3- year survival rate in glioma. The results may be conducive to predict the precise prognosis of glioma and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. However, further experimental researches of miRNAs are needed to validate the findings of this study.
The Influence of Credit Interest Rate and Credit Risk on Market Performance
Authors: Wahyudi Sely Megawati
Published: September 2020

This study aims to analyze the effect of credit interest rates and credit risk on market performance. Non Performing Loans (NPL) reflect bank credit risk, where the higher the NPL level, the greater the credit risk borne by the financing party. Due to high NPLs, financing will be more careful (selective) in channeling credit. This is due to the potential for uncollectible credit. The high NPL will increase the risk premium, which will lead to higher loan interest rates. Credit interest rates that are too high will reduce public demand for credit. The high NPL also resulted in the emergence of larger reserves, so that in the end bank capital was also eroded. Thus, the amount of NPL is one of the obstacles to the channeling of financing credit. The research method used is quantitative research. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. The study was conducted on finance companies with a research period of 2015-2018. The analytical method used is the multiple regression test using SPSS.22 analysis tools, namely with a descriptive test, a classic assumption test, a model suitability test, and a regression test. The results of credit interest rates have no significant effect on market performance, and credit risk has a significant effect on market performance. This shows the interest of inventors to invest in shares of companies whose non-performing loans are not high even though the interest rates on these companies increase.
Pregnancy Outcomes in Egyptian Women on Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Multicenter Observational Study
Authors: Megahed Abir Farouk , Kannishy Ghada El , Azawy Hassan El , Megahed Hanan Farouk , Hashish Ehab Hussein , Ahmed Nagy Sayed-
Published: September 2020

Background and Aims: Women in the childbearing period on hemodialysis (HD) have decreased fertility when compared with the general population. However, pregnancy in this patients’ population is still possible. The aim of the current study was to assess the conception rate in Egyptian HD females.

Methods: The study comprises 2 phases: phase one studied the frequency of conception in HD females in Egypt, while phase two studied the live birth frequency and factors affecting it in 22 hemodialysis units (HDUs) including 211 females with sexually active partner in their childbearing period comprising 33 females with HD coincidental pregnancies.

Results: 5-year conception rate was 5.2%, and was associated with higher planned dialysis dose (higher blood flow rate, larger dialyzer size, and session length), better control of blood pressure, as well as a lower level of serum ferritin. Live birth frequency was 33.3% and was statistically significantly associated with younger age of the pregnant lady, higher length of dialysis sessions, lower serum phosphorus level, and suggested better nutrition. There was no maternal mortality associated with HD coincidental pregnancies. There was a better neonatal outcome observed with the caesarian section.

Conclusion: Fertility is possible and safe in Egyptian HD female with a sexually active partner as there is no maternal mortality but not as such for the fetal outcome. Better conception potentials and the outcome are related to better-planned dialysis dosing and adequate control of phosphate and inflammation.
Floristic Diversity in Secondary Forest under Munduruku Indigenous Agroextractivism
Authors: Oliveira Patrícia Chaves de , Souza Beatriz Costa de Oliveira Queiroz de , Gasparin Elói
Published: September 2020

Aims: Knowledge is currently low about composition, richness and abundance of native plant species from secondary forests in traditional communities in the Tapajós River Basin, Western Amazon. These forests are of great importance to indigenous populations being niches of resistance to the advances of monocultures. The objective of this work was to evaluate the floristic composition of a secondary forest with typical indigenous extractive interventions.

Study Design: The secondary forest studied located in indigenous Village. This forest had 15 years of natural regeneration and was therefore an anthropized forest, where the indigenous people removed wood, fibers, oils and fruits, thus characterizing the agroextractivism on this environment and a very particular floristic composition always in evolution.

Place and Duration of Study: The research was in Santarem city, Pará state, in Ipaupixuna Village (02°32´46” S, 54°20'15” W) between June 2019 to December 2019.

Methodology: The research had a descriptive approach for floristic study, but in the same time had a quantitative point of view with the use of regression analysis. The parameters evaluated were: 1. Species abundance, 2. Floristic Richness; 3. Plant diversity measured by the Jentsch Mixing Coefficient; 4. Relations between Circumference & Height of trees. The size of the sampled area was 1 (one) hectare of secondary forest.

Results: A high abundance was found for Tapirira guianensis Aubl followed by Buchenavia huberi Ducke and Bellucia grossularioides (L.) Triana. Fabaceae was the family of greatest quantitative expression in this 15-year-old secondary forest in indigenous landscapes followed by Arecaceae.

Conclusion: The secondary forest studied of 15 years of natural regeneration and random anthropogenic interventions by agroextractivists activities of Munduruku Indigenous people showed medium floristic richness and low floristic diversity. Interventions to enrich this secondary forest with plant species with high economic potential can bring environmental and economic benefits to these indigenous people.
Deterioration Profile of Postharvest Onion (Allium cepa L.) Bulbs Induced by Potential Pathogenic Microorganisms
Authors: Torimiro Nkem , Makinde Ifeoluwa Oluwabusola , Omole Richard Kolade , Daramola Oluwafemi Bamidele
Published: September 2020

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a highly nutritive vegetable with about 2 million metric tons grown annually in Nigeria, but the majority is lost to postharvest spoilage, especially through microbial infection. In this study, we identified bacteria and fungi associated with postharvest spoilage in onion bulbs and determined the pathogenicity of the bacterial isolates. Two weeks stored onion bulbs were purchased at a market in Ile-Ife, rinsed in 5% HOCL and aseptically cut into seven sections each. The fourteen sections obtained were swabbed daily with sterile cotton-tipped applicators for seven days. The swabs were streaked onto the surface of Nutrient Agar (NA) and selective/differential media plates for the isolation of bacteria, and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates for the cultivation of fungi. The bacterial plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, while the fungal plates were incubated at 25°C for 5 days. The isolates were identified based on standard microbiological methods. Pathogenicity tests of the bacterial isolates from each of the genera was carried out by re-inoculation on the inner tissues of fresh onion bulbs that have been cleaned with 1% NaOCL, an uninoculated onion bulb served as the control. Thirty-five (35) bacterial isolates belonging to four different genera were identified, which included; 11 (31.4%) Staphylococcus spp., 9 (25.7%) Micrococcus spp., 8 (22.9%) Bacillus spp. and 7 (20%) Flavobacterium spp. Seven (7) fungal isolates were identified which included; 5 (71.4%) Aspergillus fumigatus, 1 (14.3%) Gibellula suffulta and 1 (14.3%) Hirsutella saussueri. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all the bacterial isolates were able to cause rot in onion in comparison with the control which had no observable rot; Flavobacterium spp. (28 mm) was the most pathogenic, while Micrococcus spp. was the least pathogenic (14 mm) based on the diameter of rot formation within seven days. These findings revealed that spoilage microorganisms can cause onion rot, hence, onions already showing contamination symptoms should be separated from fresh ones to avoid cross-contamination, while adequate care should be taken before consumption of onion to avoid foodborne illnesses and diseases.
Human Health Risk Assessment of Some Toxic Metals in Groundwater Resources in Four Selected Towns of Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Nkitikpor K. , Jemerigbe R. E.
Published: September 2020

Aims: The health risk assessment of some toxic metals in groundwater in four selected towns of Delta State, Nigeria was confirmed by this study.

Methodology: Ninety six groundwater samples were obtained from sixty four hand-dug wells and thirty two boreholes between December 2016 and May 2017. Samples were analyzed for heavy metals using standard procedures. Data collected was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows version 22.0. Health Risk Assessment for Non cancer hazard and carcinogenic effects were determined.

Results: The HQ of Cr, Mn and Ni were below 1.0 indicating no threat to the water consumers while the HQ values for Pb, Cd and Cu were above 1.0 indicating risk to human health. The HI value was found to be greater than 1.0, indicating noncarcinogenic adverse effects. The estimated Lifetime of Carcinogenic Risks (LTCR) for Pb, Cr, Cd and Ni exceeded the predicted lifetime risk for carcinogens of 10−6 from ingestion pathway. The groundwater had higher risks of Cr and Cd as LTCR value in most sites were >10−4. The high LTCR should be given high priority as public health is concerned.

Conclusions: This study indicated possible non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic human health hazard from groundwater consumption in study area through oral consumption.
The Effect of Private Investment on Real Interest Rate in CFA Franc Zone
Authors: Ngouo Emmanuel Blaise Efon , Ndeffo Luc Nembot
Published: September 2020

This paper investigates the effect of private investment on real interest rate in CFA franc zone during the period 1980-2015. To attain this objective, the methodology adopted is the system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). The result shows a negative and significant effect of private investment on real interest rate. In view of the result obtained, we suggest that African countries in the franc zone should vigorously pursue the establishment of favorable conditions for the development of private sector. Public policies for improving private investment should be promoted: improving the business climate, ameliorate political environment, fight against terrorism ravaging part of Africa including Mali.
The Effect of Private Investment on Public Expenditure in the CFA Franc Zone
Authors: Ngouo Emmanuel Blaise Efon , Ndeffo Luc Nembot
Published: September 2020

This paper investigates the effect of private investment on public expenditure in the CFA franc zone during the period 1980-2015. To attain this objective, the methodology adopted is the system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). The result shows a positive and significant effect of private investment on public expenditure. This result thus justifies that private investment is an important source of increase in public expenditure. This result implies that public policies for improving private investment should be promoted: improving the business climate, improving the quality of institutions, ameliorate political environment, fight against terrorism ravaging part of Africa including Mali.
Thermal Optimization of Partitioned Electric Water Heaters for Energy Conservation
Authors: Kar A. K. , Yazicioglu R. , Yazicioglu O.
Published: September 2020

Optimum design and selection of storage type electric water heaters were analyzed for energy conservation. The thermal performance of a single tank electric water heater is compared with that of partitioned electric water heater for the same average domestic hourly hot water use pattern according to Becker’s profile. Both water heaters have the same volume capacity and total power rating while the temperature of the hot water was kept between 60 and 65oC. It is concluded that a partitioned electric water heater provides more hot water and reduces energy consumption whereas the upper part of the tank has 25% of the total volume and 75% of the total power rating.

 To evaluate single tank and partitioned electric water heaters transient energy balance equations have been derived and solved. Some assumptions made and thermodynamic properties received to use the evaluate differential equations. To represent water heater models equations required data obtained from literature.
Evapotranspiration Estimation Using Artificial Neural Network over South-Western Nigeria
Authors: Yusuf Habeeb A. , Abidakun Olawale J. , Makinde Samuel B.
Published: September 2020

This study was carried out to estimate evapotranspiration over the South-Western region of Nigeria, Artificial Neural Network was used for the estimation of Evapotranspiration over South-Western Nigeria. Using a 36 years meteorological data of South-Western Nigeria obtained from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Power data, the Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network and Radial Basis Function Neural Network under several Neural Network Architecture was used, training, testing and validation operations also were performed for estimating evapotranspiration closely to the target calculated value. The performance of each neural network under several NN Architecture was evaluated using statistical indicator such as R (Correlation of Coefficient), R2 (Coefficient of Determination), MAE (Mean Absolute Error) and RMSE (Root Mean Square Error). Results present Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network the best neural network with about 70% of its R-values (0.70) because ETo varies in the same pattern as the four of the input parameters used (minimum and maximum air temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed) compare to Radial Basis Network that has 50% of its R-values below (0.70) under several NN Architecture because of the inverse relationship and poor correlation of the ETo and relative humidity. Also, LAGOS and OYO dataset produced the highest performance with an R-value of (0.999998) as a result of uniformity in the climatic trend over 36 years while OGUN dataset produced the lowest performance of (0.467169) as a result of significant variation in the climatic trend over the past 36 years. The study presented here has profound implications for future studies of estimating evapotranspiration and one day help solve the problem of water scarcity and food insecurity.
Distribution and Geospatial Maps Based on Spatial Availability of Soil Physicochemical Characteristics at a Cyclone-affected Area in Southwestern Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Arafat , Farzana Fariha , Islam M. S. , Jahanara Ishrat , Mohiuddin A. S. M. , Akter Mahmuda , Uddin M. J.
Published: September 2020

On account of evaluating and mapping the spatial distribution of some selected physicochemical attributes of soil including the percentage of sand, silt and clay, textural class, soil reaction (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), and organic matter contents over a period of last 20 years, an investigation was carried out at cyclone-afflicted Shyamnagar sub-district, Satkhira, Bangladesh. Particle size analysis was examined by following the hydrometer method, whereas pH and EC were determined instrumentally. The carbon content of the soils was examined volumetrically by the wet-oxidation method. The amount of sand was less than the silt and clay fractions in the studied sites. Silt contents were significantly increased for over 20 years. Consequently, siltation has been taken place for the last two decades. Soil salinity was associated with the development of silt texture, altered from clay loam texture. The field moisture contents were observed to be increased (52%) which attributed to the increase of clay content with depth. Investigation revealed a very slow to moderate soil permeability class. An incremental trend (4.55% to 27.27%) of pH and EC (12.25 to 46.40 mS/cm) was noticed in the present study in contrast to the study of 1996.  Alongside, corresponding spatial variability maps of the selected chemical soil properties were plotted by applying the Inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation method. Results demonstrated the southern, southeastern, and southwestern corners of the study area were experienced greater clay content, alkalinity, and significant depletion of organic matter. This situation might become worsened in near future. Moreover, the adoption of several effective countermeasures should be taken in this cyclone-affected soil to alleviate the soil salinity, improve soil health, and thereby deal with a more variable climate.
Effect of an Educational Intervention about Herbal Medicine on the Knowledge of Physicians and Pharmacists
Authors: Tyrell Ede , Jeeboo Karishma , Carter Jewel Edmonson- , Thomas Troy , Kurup Rajini
Published: September 2020

Aims: To evaluate the effect of a video educational intervention, on the knowledge of physicians and pharmacists with respect to their awareness of the difference between local bush medicines (bush) and imported herbal medicines (herb); and, their uses, side effects, contraindications and drug interactions. Also, to determine if there was exposure to and an interest in formal training on Complementary, Alternative and Bush Medicine (CABM).

Study Design: A cross-sectional study of registered pharmacists and physicians in Guyana, attending their annual conferences, was carried out with a self-administered survey questionnaire on medicinal plants.

Methodology: Participants completed the Pre-Questionnaire; then were shown a video and subsequently given a similar Post-Questionnaire. The impact of the video was investigated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Wilcoxon Sign Rank tests and logistic and multinomial regression models.

Results: A total of 274 (134 pharmacists and 140 doctors) persons participated. The bush which most were aware of, was corilla/bitter melon, both in the pre-questionnaire (60%) and in the post-questionnaire (83%). Cranberry (pre-score 48%, post-score 51%) was the most identified herb. A comparison of the pre and post scores using the paired t-test (t=2.528, df=175, P=0.005) indicated improved awareness. Most persons were able to identify one use of corilla/bitter melon (pre-score 61%, post-score 70%). However, for the other bush/herbs, and for the side effects, contraindications and drug interactions, knowledge was lacking although there were significant improvements after the intervention. 44% indicated that CABM was part of their formal training and pharmacists were more likely to have had formal training. 88% were interested in further training.

Conclusion: The study found a paucity of knowledge about medicinal plants and therefore strongly recommends implementing formal education on CABM in university curricula and in future Continuing Education (CE) sessions. The video intervention had a significant impact and should be used as a template.
Factors Determining the Intention to Use Electronic Health Records: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model
Authors: Okediran Oladotun O. , Wahab Wajeed B. , Oyediran Mayowa O.
Published: September 2020

This paper details an empirical investigation of the factors that determine the intention of adopting and using electronic health records (EHR). The paper’s goal is a study aimed at examining the possibilities and intents towards EHR amongst healthcare professionals in Nigeria. In this study, an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that incorporates Subjective norm, Social influence, Result demonstrability, Computer self-efficacy and System quality to the original TAM constructs was proposed. The proposed model was empirically tested using data collected from a sample of 126 healthcare professionals across 14 healthcare delivery institutions in Oyo State, Southwestern, Nigeria by applying structural equation modeling (SEM). These data were collected by administering a questionnaire containing 30 items. The results of the evaluation showed that all constructs have significant effect on healthcare professionals’ behavioural intention to use EHR.
In Situ Measurement of the Compressive Strength of Local Concrete: Correlation between Non-destructive and Destructive Tests
Authors: Bamogo Saïdou , Toguyeni David Y. K. , Zoma Fati , Yerbanga Mohamed
Published: September 2020

The method used to evaluate the quality of concrete in structures includes, among other things, compressive strength testing of specimens cast on site. This method has shortcomings due to the non-uniformity in their formulation processes of the concrete studied in laboratories and that of the structure on site and the tardiness in obtaining test results. This is why the development of reliable methods of non-destructive assessment of the compressive strength of concrete in situ is essential for a better performance assessment of structures.There are a multitude of non-destructive methods, but in this article, the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and the rebound hammer (RH) are the methods used as they are easy to get manipulate, accessible and permit fast access to results. Analyses using single and multiple linear regression methods have been carried out with the results from compression tests and measurements of pulse velocity and rebound indices carried out between February and April 2018 on over 90 specimen samples in total. This resulted in correlation equations for the in-situ estimation of the compressive strength of the concrete studied.
Fine‐tuning Nanog expression heterogeneity in embryonic stem cells by regulating a Nanog transcript‐specific microRNA
Authors: Samanta Tagari , Kar Sandip
Published: September 2020

In embryonic stem cells (ESCs), the transcription factor Nanog maintains the stemness of ESCs despite exhibiting heterogeneous expression patterns under varied culture conditions. Efficient fine‐tuning of Nanog expression heterogeneity could enable ESC proliferation and differentiation along specific lineages to be regulated. Herein, by employing a stochastic modeling approach, we show that Nanog expression heterogeneity can be controlled by modulating the regulatory features of a Nanog transcript‐specific microRNA, mir‐296. We demonstrate how and why the extent of origin‐dependent fluctuations in Nanog expression level can be altered by varying either the binding efficiency of the microRNA–mRNA complex or the expression level of mir‐296. Moreover, our model makes experimentally feasible and insightful predictions to maneuver Nanog expression heterogeneity explicitly to achieve cell‐type‐specific differentiation of ESCs.
Austerity urbanism
Authors: Ponder C.S.
Published: September 2020

In the early 2000s, a financial bubble occurred in a poorly understood sector of the US mortgage market. When the bubble eventually burst, it produced a liquidity crisis within the world's interconnected capitalist financial system, the aftermath of which left governments scrambling to recoup their losses. In order to focus on the recovery of their financial sectors, national governments withdrew much of their traditional funding support for urban governance priorities, including public services and needed infrastructures. During the ensuing Great Recession, city revenues shrank even further as tax receipts fell precipitously, forcing urban leaders to choose between paying their creditors or keeping the lights on in schools, utility and hospital districts, and other socially necessary services. This bereft post‐crisis urban terrain has since become the new normal, and as a governance paradigm it has been given the name “austerity urbanism” by those who study it.
Ktedonobacter
Authors: Cavaletti Linda , Monciardini Paolo , Donadio Stefano
Published: September 2020

Kte.do.no.bac'ter. Gr. fem. n.
ktedon
, fiber; N.L. masc. n.
bacter
, rod or staff. N.L. masc. n.
Ktedonobacter
filamentous rod.

Chloroflexi / Ktedonobacteria / Ktedonobacterales / Ktedonobacteraceae / Ktedonobacter

Members of the genus
Ktedonobacter
are filamentous bacteria with mycelial growth reminiscent of that of
Actinomycetales
. Strains are Gram‐positive, non‐acid‐fast, aerobic heterotrophs that can also grow under microaerophilic conditions. Strains present cream to orange pigmentation when cultivated onto acidic ISP3 agar and produce aerial mycelium that bears round, nonmotile spores onto HSA5 agar plates. Mesophilic, with optimal growth at temperatures between 28 and 33°C; slightly acidophilic, growing well in the pH range from 5.2 to 6.5, optimal growth around 6.

The major cell‐wall sugars are mannose, xylose, and glucose. They contain
d
‐glutamic acid, glycine,
l
‐serine,
l
‐alanine,
d
‐alanine, β‐alanine, and
l
‐ornithine as peptidoglycan amino acids.

C
16:1
2OH is the major component of the cellular fatty acids, and MK‐9(H
2
) is the major menaquinone. Known habitats are soils with pH not higher than 6.5.

DNA G + C content (mol%)
: 53.9 (HPLC).

Type species
:
Ktedonobacter racemifer
Cavaletti et al. 2007.
Thermosulfurimonas
Authors: Slobodkin Alexander
Published: September 2020

Ther.mo.sul.fu.ri.mo'nas. Gr. masc. adj.
thermos
hot; L. neut. n.
sulfur
sulfur; Gr. fem. n.
monas
a unit, monad; N.L. fem. n.
Thermosulfurimonas
thermophilic sulfur monad.

Thermodesulfobacteria / Thermodesulfobacteria / Thermodesulfobacteriales / Thermodesulfobacteriaceae / Thermosulfurimonas

Cells of members of the genus
Thermosulfurimonas
are ovals or short rods, growing singly or in pairs. Cells are motile with single polar flagellum. The cell envelope is of Gram‐negative type. Does not form endospores. Thermophilic with temperature optimum >70°C, and neutrophilic. Members of the genus are chemolithoautotrophic anaerobes that grow with elemental sulfur as an energy source and bicarbonate/CO
2
as a carbon source. Elemental sulfur is disproportionated to sulfide and sulfate. Growth is enhanced with poorly crystalline iron(III) oxide (ferrihydrite) as a sulfide‐scavenging agent. Able to grow by disproportionation of thiosulfate and sulfite or by oxidation of elemental sulfur with nitrate as an electron acceptor. Does not reduce sulfate and Fe(III). Does not utilize organic compounds as electron donors. Member of the class
Thermodesulfobacteria
. Known habitats are deep‐ and shallow‐sea hydrothermal vents.

DNA G + C content (mol %)
: 50–55 (genome analysis or
T
m
).

Type species
:
Thermosulfurimonas dismutans
Slobodkin et al. 2012.
Ktedonobacterales
Authors: Monciardini Paolo , Cavaletti Linda , Yabe Shuhei , Yokota Akira , Donadio Stefano
Published: September 2020

Kte.do.no.bac.te.ra'les, N.L. masc. n.
Ktedonobacter
, type genus of the order, suff. ‐
ales
ending to denote an order; N.L. fem. pl. n.
Ktedonobacterales
, the
Ktedonobacter
order.

Chloroflexi / Ktedonobacteria / Ktedonobacterales

The order
Ktedonobacterales
comprises Gram‐stain‐positive, aerobic bacteria showing mycelial growth and formation of spores. Catalase‐positive. Cell wall amino acids are Glu, Gly, Ala, β‐Ala, and Orn; Ser is also present in most strains. Menaquinones with nine isoprene units are present and most strains have MK‐9(H
2
). Polar lipid pattern always includes phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylglycerol. The order includes the families
Thermosporothrichaceae
,
Ktedonobacteraceae
,
Dictyobacteraceae,
and the newly proposed
Ktedonosporobacteraceae
, as well as some isolates for which no description is currently available. Monophyletic origin of the order is indicated by 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny. Members of the order were isolated from soil, compost, and from leaves deposited on geothermally heated soil.

DNA G + C content (mol%)
: 51–56.

Type genus
:
Ktedonobacter
Cavaletti et al. 2007 (Effective publication: Cavaletti et al. 2006).
Cardiac sympathetic innervation and vesicular storage in pure autonomic failure
Authors: Goldstein David S. , Isonaka Risa , Holmes Courtney , Ding Yu‐Shin , Sharabi Yehonatan
Published: September 2020

Objective

Pure autonomic failure (PAF) is a rare disease characterized by neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH), absence of signs of central neurodegeneration, and profound deficiency of the sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Reports have disagreed about mechanisms of the noradrenergic lesion. Neuropathological studies have highlighted denervation, while functional studies have emphasized deficient vesicular sequestration of cytoplasmic catecholamines in extant neurons. We examined both aspects by a combined positron emission tomographic (PET) neuroimaging approach using 11C‐methylreboxetine (11C‐MRB), a selective ligand for the cell membrane norepinephrine transporter, to quantify interventricular septal myocardial noradrenergic innervation and using 18F‐dopamine (18F‐DA) to assess intraneuronal vesicular storage in the same subjects.

Methods

Seven comprehensively tested PAF patients and 11 controls underwent 11C‐MRB PET scanning for 45 minutes (dynamic 5X1’, 3X5’, 1X10’, static 15 minutes) and 18F‐DA scanning for 30 minutes (same dynamic imaging sequence) after 3‐minute infusions of the tracers on separate days.

Results

In the PAF group septal 11C‐MRB‐derived radioactivity in the static frame was decreased by 26.7% from control (p = 0.012). After adjustment for nonspecific binding of 11C‐MRB, the PAF group had a 41.1% mean decrease in myocardial 11C‐MRB‐derived radioactivity (p = 0.015). The PAF patients had five times faster postinfusion loss of 18F‐DA‐derived radioactivity (70 ± 3% vs. 14 ± 8% by 30 minutes, p < 0.0001). At all time points after infusion of 18F‐DA and 11C‐MRB mean 18F/11C ratios in septal myocardium were lower in the PAF than control group.

Interpretation

PAF entails moderately decreased cardiac sympathetic innervation and a substantial vesicular storage defect in residual nerves.
Structure and Mechanical Behavior of Al–Nb Hybrids Obtained by High‐Pressure‐Torsion‐Induced Diffusion Bonding and Subsequent Annealing
Authors: Korznikova Galiia , Korznikova Elena , Nazarov Konstantin , Shayakhmetov Ruslan , Khisamov Rinat , Khalikova Gulnara , Mulyukov Radik
Published: September 2020

The main approach of mechanical consolidation of dissimilar metals consists in solid state joining of thin discs or powders by means of pressure‐assisted shear deformation. Prior to this research, most strongly dissimilar systems, such as Al–W and Al–Ti, were only bonded by means of mechanical alloying and subsequent powder compaction. Herein, pioneering experimental research on the one‐step synthesis of an Al–Nb composite by means of diffusion bonding through high‐pressure torsion that allows figuring out several unusual results is presented. The maximal microhardness value is revealed to locate in the middle radius area, decreasing at the sample edge. Formation of a small amount of Al3Nb intermetallic phase is detected at room temperature deformation, while its equilibrium formation normally occurs above 600 °C. Post‐deformational annealing at 400 °C results in the overall decrease of the microhardness value along with its growth on the sample edge. Annealing at 600 °C does not lead to any degradation of the mechanical characteristics by comparison to those after annealing at 400 °C. The obtained results are discussed and explained in frames of contribution of different factors to the strengthening and softening dynamics of the composite material.
Omnidirectional, Broadband Light Absorption in a Hierarchical Nanoturf Membrane for an Advanced Solar‐Vapor Generator
Authors: Kim Jong Uk , Kang Seung Ji , Lee Sori , Ok Jehyung , Kim Yongjae , Roh Seung Hun , Hong Haeleen , Kim Jung Kyu , Chae Heeyeop , Kwon Seok Joon , Kim Tae‐il
Published: September 2020

Solar‐thermal materials have been intensively studied in the context of production and localization of thermal energy, targeting an industry level application. Although photonic and optical strategies for enhancing light absorption have increased the efficiency of photo excitation/conversion into thermal energy, most of them have several limitations such as large area fabrication, thermal stability and broadband/omnidirectional light absorption. In this study, a gold‐coated hierarchical nanoturf membrane (Au/h‐Nanoturf membrane) incorporated with randomly distributed high aspect ratio (AR) nanostructures and micro‐through holes is proposed. The Au/h‐Nanoturf has peculiar black structures that provide advantages in forming a membrane with a large area and in absorbing broadband solar light spectrum. Furthermore, the membrane is combined with micro‐cone array which makes it exhibit exceptionally omnidirectional light absorption properties. Using computational analysis, it is confirmed that the micro‐cone array substantially contributes to the omnidirectional solar absorption irrespective of the wavelength. The optimized structural parameters for the maximum efficiency of the solar‐thermal materials are also found. The prepared solar‐vapor generator with the optimized structural features exhibits 91% average conversion efficiency under one sun condition. The efficiency is sustainable for up to four weeks. The highly efficient and omnidirectional broadband‐absorbing solar‐thermal membrane can be readily employed, targeting an industry level application.
Robust Hydroxyapatite Coating by Laser‐Induced Hydrothermal Synthesis
Authors: Um Seung‐Hoon , Chung Yong‐Woo , Seo Youngmin , Seo Hyunseon , Ok Myoung‐Ryul , Kim Yu‐Chan , Han Hyung‐Seop , Chung Justin J. , Edwards James R. , Jeon Hojeong
Published: September 2020

Owing to enhanced biocompatibility and osseointegration, hydroxyapatite (HAp) coatings are often applied to biomedical devices that are implanted directly on the bone. Although various HAp coating techniques have been developed, they are restricted due to the time‐consuming HAp synthesis and additional coating processes. Herein, the development of a rapid single‐step method for simultaneous synthesis and coating of HAp via nanosecond laser surface treatment is described. In the conventional HAp‐coating method, the resulting interface between the HAp layer and the base material is clearly distinguished. However, in this method, HAp synthesis and coating occur simultaneously via the melting of the base material (i.e., titanium, polyetheretherketone, and polycaprolactone) to form a gradient HAp‐base material composite coating layer. The resultant coating layer on a titanium surface exhibits a binding force of 31.7–47.2 N, which is sufficient for medical implant applications. Changing the laser irradiation conditions provides quantitative adjustment of the HAp formation process and coating layer thickness. Furthermore, the resulting HAp coating layer better facilitates the attachment of bone cells. These results offer a breakthrough in the surface treatment of bone‐bonding sites of metal and polymer biomedical devices.
Rational Design of Multifunctional Integrated Host Configuration with Lithiophilicity‐Sulfiphilicity toward High‐Performance Li–S Full Batteries
Authors: Wei Yunhong , Wang Boya , Zhang Yin , Zhang Mi , Wang Qian , Zhang Yun , Wu Hao
Published: September 2020

High‐energy‐density Li–S batteries are considered one of the next‐generation energy storage systems, but the uncontrolled Li‐dendrite growth in Li metal anodes and the shuttling of polysulfides in S cathode severely impede the commercial development of Li–S batteries. Herein, a conductive composite architecture that is made up of bio‐derived N‐doped porous carbon fiber bundles (N‐PCFs) with co‐imbedded cobalt and niobium carbide nanoparticles is employed as a multifunctional integrated host for simultaneously addressing the challenges in both Li anodes and S cathodes. The implantation of Co and NbC nanoparticles bestows the N‐PCFs matrix with synergistically enhanced degree of graphitization, electrical conductivity, hierarchical porosity, and surface polarization. Theoretical calculations and experimental results show that NbC with specific lithiophilic and sulfiphilic features can synchronously regulate the Li and S electrochemistry by realizing homogeneous lithium deposition with suppressed Li‐dendrite growth and exerting catalytic effects for promoting the polysulfide conversion together with fast Li2S nucleation. Hence, the assembled Li–S full batteries exhibit a superb rate capability (704 mAh g−1 at 5 C) and cycling life (≈82.3% capacity retention after 500 cycles) at a sulfur loading over 3.0 mg cm−2, as well as high reversible areal capacity (>6.0 mAh cm−2) even at a higher sulfur loading of 6.7 mg cm−2.