bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnitude of Poor Sleep Hygiene Practice and Associated Factors among Medical Students in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Molla Alemayehu , Wondie Tirusew
Published: February 2021

Background. Good sleep hygiene plays an important role in human health. Medical students are notorious for insufficient and irregular sleep habits which are linked with students’ learning abilities, poor academic performance, and poor interpersonal relationship which predispose them to mental illnesses. However, it has not been studied among medical students in Ethiopia. Method. This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 576 undergraduate medical students selected by using a stratified sampling technique. Sleep hygiene (SHI) was assessed by a 13-item sleep hygiene questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the potential determinants of poor sleep hygiene among undergraduate medical students. Variables with

p

values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant, and the strength of the association was presented by adjusted odds ratio with 95% C.I. Result. The prevalence of poor sleep hygiene practice among undergraduate medical students was 48.1% (95% 43.7, 52.1). After adjusting for the possible confounders, being female (

AOR
=
1.53

, 95% CI 1.03, 2.26), having depressive symptoms (

AOR
=
3.55

, 95% CI 2.26, 5.59), with stress symptoms (

AOR
=
2.41

, 95% CI 1.61, 3.60), and having anxiety symptoms (

AOR
=
2.2

, 95% CI 1.42, 3.31) were associated with poor sleep hygiene practice at

p

value < 0.05. Conclusion. Almost half of the medical students had poor sleep hygiene practice. Routine screening of depressive and stress symptoms and education about sleep hygiene are warranted among medical students.
Forecast of Energy Consumption Based on FGM(1, 1) Model
Authors: Chen Haijun , Tong Yanzeng , Wu Lifeng
Published: February 2021

The normal supply of energy is related to the stable development of the economy and society. Forecasting energy consumption helps prepare for the normal supply of energy. In the study of energy consumption forecasting, different scholars have used different forecasting models. This paper uses five-year energy consumption data in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and uses the grey fractional FGM(1, 1) model to analyze the next six years. Then, the energy consumption of three places is predicted. The advantage of the grey score FGM(1, 1) model is that it can get more accurate prediction results based on a small amount of information. In this study, relatively outdated information affects the accuracy of prediction results. However, other prediction models have great limitations on data. Choosing the grey number fractional model for prediction research can get a more reasonable prediction result. We use the FGM(1, 1) model to make predictions and get the prediction results. In Beijing, the growth rate of natural gas consumption has slowed down and will be basically stable by 2023. The average annual deceleration of coal consumption is 32%. The average annual deceleration of coke consumption is 10%. Crude oil consumption decreased by 6.3% annually. Gasoline consumption is slowly increasing. The consumption of kerosene increased about 8% annually. Diesel consumption is slowly decreasing. Fuel oil consumption is reduced by 17% annually. The average annual growth rate of power consumption exceeds 6%. In Tianjin, the annual growth rate of natural gas consumption is about 5%. Coal consumption is reduced by about 8% every year. The average annual deceleration of coke consumption is 7%. Crude oil consumption decreased by 2.4% annually. Gasoline consumption is slowly decreasing. The consumption of kerosene has increased by about 20% annually. Diesel consumption is slowly decreasing. Fuel oil consumption is reduced by 20% annually. Electricity consumption is slowly increasing. In Hebei Province, the annual growth rate of natural gas consumption is about 15%. Annual coal consumption is reduced by about 3%. Coke consumption remained stable. Crude oil consumption is reduced by 3% annually. Gasoline consumption is slowly increasing, and kerosene consumption has increased by about 31% annually. Diesel consumption is reduced by about 3% annually. Fuel oil consumption remained stable. Electricity consumption is slowly increasing.
Perception Analysis and Early Warning of Home‐Based Care Health Information Based on the Internet of Things
Authors: Mao Yi , Zhang Lei , Wu Xin
Published: February 2021

Aiming at the problem of insufficient health monitoring of the elderly in the existing home care system, this paper designs a health information analysis and early warning system based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, which can monitor the physiological data of the elderly in real time. It also can be based on the elderly real‐time monitoring data, physical examination data, and other types of health data, which can be used to predict diseases, so as to achieve “early detection and early treatment” of diseases. First, analyse and design the architecture and content of the home care monitoring system based on the Internet of Things. Secondly, based on the collected heart rate, blood pressure, and three‐axis acceleration information of the elderly, it is analysed to determine whether the elderly are in danger of falling, and the designed system is used for early warning. Finally, this paper analyses the prediction algorithm theory of the disease prediction module in the health monitoring software of the home care system. In order to improve the accuracy of prediction, the DS evidence theory is used to optimize the traditional BP neural network (BPNN) algorithm and conduct experimental tests. The test results show that the health information analysis and early warning software of the home care system meet actual needs and achieve the expected goals.
The Ranking Prediction of NBA Playoffs Based on Improved PageRank Algorithm
Authors: Yang Fan , Zhang Jun
Published: February 2021

It is of great significance to predict the results accurately based on the statistics of sports competition for participants research, commercial cooperation, advertising, and gambling profit. Aiming at the phenomenon that the PageRank page sorting algorithm is prone to subject deviation, the category similarity between pages is introduced into the PageRank algorithm. In the PR value calculation formula of the PageRank algorithm, the factor W(u, v) between pages is added to replace the original Nu (the number of links to page u). In this way, the content category between pages is considered, and the shortcoming of theme deviation will be improved. The time feedback factor in the PageRank‐time algorithm is used for reference, and the time feedback factor is added to the first improved PR value calculation formula. Based on statistics from 1230 games during the NBA 2018‐2019 regular season, this paper ranks the team strength with improved PageRank algorithm and compares the results with the ranking of regular‐season points and the result of playoffs. The results show that it is consistent with the regular‐season points ranking in the eastern division by the use of improved PageRank algorithm, but there is a difference in the second ranking in the western division. In the prediction of top four in playoffs, it predicts three of the four teams.
On Comparing between Two Nonlinear Cournot Duopoly Models
Authors: Askar S. S.
Published: February 2021

The comparison between two nonlinear duopoly models constructed based on symmetric utility function that is derived from Cobb–Douglas is investigated in this paper. The first model consists of two firms which update their outputs using gradient‐based mechanism called bounded rationality. The second model contains a bounded rational firm that is competing with a firm whose outputs depend on a trade‐off between market share maximization and profit maximization. For the two models, the fixed points are calculated and their conditions of stability are analyzed. The obtained results show that the second model is more stabilizing provided that the second firm adopts low weights of trade‐offs. We show that the two models can be destabilized via flip bifurcation only. Furthermore, the noninvertibility of the two models that can give rise to several stable attractors is discussed.
On Harmonic Index and Diameter of Quasi-Tree Graphs
Authors: Abdolghafourian A. , Iranmanesh Mohammad A.
Published: February 2021

The harmonic index of a graph

G

(

H

G

) is defined as the sum of the weights

2
/

d

u

+

d

v

for all edges

u
v

of

G

, where

d

u

is the degree of a vertex

u

in

G

. In this paper, we show that

H

G

≥
D

G

+
5
/
3
−

n
/
2

and

H

G

≥

1
/
2

+

2
/

3

n
−
2

D

G

, where

G

is a quasi-tree graph of order

n

and diameter

D

G

. Indeed, we show that both lower bounds are tight and identify all quasi-tree graphs reaching these two lower bounds.
Central Sensitization in Neurological, Psychiatric, and Pain Disorders: A Multicenter Case-Controlled Study
Authors: Suzuki Keisuke , Haruyama Yasuo , Kobashi Gen , Sairenchi Toshimi , Uchiyama Koji , Yamaguchi Shigeki , Hirata Koichi
Published: February 2021

Background. The role of central sensitization in refractory pain-related diseases has not yet been clarified. Methods. We performed a multicenter case-controlled study including 551 patients with various neurological, psychological, and pain disorders and 5,188 healthy controls to investigate the impact of central sensitization in these patients. Symptoms related to central sensitization syndrome (CSS) were assessed by the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) parts A and B. Patients were categorized into 5 groups based on CSI-A scores from subclinical to extreme. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), addressing pain severity and pain interference with daily activities, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, assessing depressive symptoms, were also administered. Results. CSI-A scores and CSI-B disease numbers were significantly greater in patients than in controls (

p
<
0.001

). Medium effect sizes (r = 0.37) for CSI-A scores and large effect sizes (r = 0.64) for CSI-B disease numbers were found between patients and control groups. Compared with the CSI-A subclinical group, the CSI-A mild, moderate, severe, and extreme groups had significantly higher BPI pain interference and severity scores, PHQ-9 scores, and CSS-related disease numbers based on ANCOVA. Greater CSI-B numbers resulted in higher CSI-A scores (

p
<
0.001

) and a higher odds ratio (

p

for trend <0.001). CSS-related symptoms were associated with pain severity, pain interference with daily activities, and depressive symptoms in various pain-related diseases. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that CSS may participate in these conditions as common pathophysiology.
Dynamic Evaluation of Urban Sustainability Based on ELECTRE: A Case Study from China
Authors: Li Huimin , Huang Xin , Xia Qing , Jiang Zanmei , Xu Chenchen , Gu Xiang , Long Hui
Published: February 2021

Sustainable urban evaluation is an important management tool to grasp the status of urban development in real time and to make policy adjustments. In this study, the evaluation indicator system is constructed from the three dimensions of economy, society, and environment. The ELECTRE (elimination et choice translation reality) model based on information entropy weighting is employed to evaluate urban sustainability. The model applies three-dimensional data to explore the dynamics of sustainable urban development. The spatial measurement model is used to explore the spatial effects of cities. Finally, 17 cities in Henan Province from 2013 to 2017 are used as case studies for urban sustainable development evaluation. The results show that, in 2013–2017, the sustainability of cities such as Zhengzhou, Luoyang, and Sanmenxia was stable at a high level, while the sustainability levels of Kaifeng, Luohe, and Xinyang showed a fluctuating downward trend, and the sustainability levels of Puyang, Nanyang, and Xinxiang showed a fluctuating upward trend. Among the 17 cities, Zhengzhou has the highest sustainability level and its economic and social sustainability levels are significantly better than other cities. Zhoukou is the city with the lowest level of sustainability. In addition, from 2013 to 2016, the level of urban sustainability was not spatially correlated but gradually presented positive spatial correlation and the characteristics of clustering distribution in 2017. The cities such as Zhengzhou, Luoyang, and Jiaozuo are mainly represented by “high-high (H-H)” agglomeration. In contrast, Shangqiu, Zhoukou, and Zhumadian are mainly represented by “low-low (L-L)” agglomeration. This research provides suggestions and decision-making support for promoting urban sustainability.
Determination of Sudan I and II in Food by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography after Simultaneous Adsorption on Nanosilica
Authors: Pham Thi Chuyen , Dang Xuan Thu , Nguyen Bich Ngan , Vu Thi Tinh
Published: February 2021

Analytical techniques for analyte quantification are often complex, time-consuming, and costly. Further, samples must be carefully prepared to make them suitable for each analytical technique, thus increasing complexity and cost and often requiring toxic solvents. In this paper, we propose a simple and quick method for the pre-concentration of analytes using a nonporous adsorbent: nanosilica, which is prepared from rice husks, an ecofriendly waste material. Subsequently, analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector was used for accurate analyte quantification. To test our method, Sudan I and II dyes were selected because these are potential carcinogens that are often used to adulterate foods because of their bright colors. Although nanosilica has been used as an adsorbent before, the adsorption of hydrophobic organic dyes has not been investigated to date. Thus, the optimal conditions for dye adsorption on nanosilica were systematically studied and found to be 1 mM KCl, pH 3.0, and an adsorption time of 120 min, and the maximum adsorption capacities of the nanosilica for Sudan I and II were 0.619 and 0.699 mg·g−1, respectively. The adsorption of the dyes on the nanosilica is discussed in detail with respect to the surface area, functional groups, zeta potential, and adsorption isotherms. Under optimal conditions, the extraction efficiencies of Sudan I and Sudan II reached 98.3% and 92.8%, respectively, and the proposed method was applied for the analysis of several foods and achieved high recoveries (80–100%).
Cutaneous Metastasis vs. Isolated Skin Recurrence of Invasive Breast Carcinoma after Modified Radical Mastectomy
Authors: Hosseinpour Reza , Yavari Barhaghtalab Mohammad Javad
Published: February 2021

Background. Five to ten percent of the patients with operable breast cancer develop a chest wall recurrence within 10 years following the mastectomy. One of the most distressing presentations of locally recurrent breast cancer is the appearance of cutaneous metastases. To the best of authors’ knowledge, there is no study distinguishing skin metastasis from local recurrence, so the main aim of this report was to elucidate if these two features are important in the prognosis and management of the disease. Case Presentation. A 51-year-old woman referred to the breast clinic due to a painful mass in the left breast. The patient underwent the modified radical mastectomy (MRM) and left axillary lymph node dissection followed by 30 sessions of radiotherapy and 8 sessions of chemotherapy (T3N1M0, ER−, and HER2+). About 15 months after the surgery, she presented with redness and eruptive lesions over the mastectomy scar that increased in size within a three-month follow-up. Conclusion. Mastectomy is not an absolute cure in the treatment of an invasive breast cancer because almost always, there is a recurrence risk and possibility of metastasis. It is vital to differentiate between local recurrence and skin metastasis because it would alter the overall treatment decision, prognosis, and patient outcomes.
An Accidental Intestinal Myiasis Caused by Cochliomyia macellaria
Authors: Jayawardana P. P. , Yahathugoda T. C.
Published: February 2021

Intestinal myiasis is recognized as pseudomyiasis or accidental myiasis caused by dipteran fly larvae transmitted to humans via contaminated food or water. A case of intestinal myiasis acquired via contaminated food is reported in this case study. The patient is a 4-year-old boy who had frequent episodes of crampy abdominal pain and diarrhoea and the passage of many live worms at each time. As the child had the habit of eating ripe guava from his garden, the infection source was suggested as ripe guava, and the possibility was explored. All larvae collected from faeces and fruit were morphologically similar, and it has been identified as Cochliomyia macellaria. The treatment with several antihelmintics failed, and the recovery was achieved with a simple measure of abstinence from eating guava that came from his garden.
Global Existence for Two Singular One-Dimensional Nonlinear Viscoelastic Equations with respect to Distributed Delay Term
Authors: Choucha Abdelbaki , Boulaaras Salah Mahmoud , Ouchenane Djamel , Allahem Ali
Published: February 2021

In this current work, we are interested in a system of two singular one-dimensional nonlinear equations with a viscoelastic, general source and distributed delay terms. The existence of a global solution is established by the theory of potential well, and by using the energy method with the function of Lyapunov, we prove the general decay result of our system.
Implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) Using Hybrid Z‐DEMATEL‐ISM Approach
Authors: RezaHoseini Ali , Ahmadi Elmira , Saremi Pantea , BagherPour Morteza
Published: February 2021

Due to the shortcomings of the traditional construction project management system, there is a feeling among those involved in this industry that new tools and approaches should be used to facilitate simple and complex operations. On the contrary, there is no integrated database for all construction sectors, and of course the relationship between these sectors is a major problem for any construction project. The technology and tool that overcomes many of these shortcomings is BIM technology. This paper seeks to identify all the challenges that hinder the successful implementation of BIM and determine important challenges based on Z‐DEMATEL‐ISM Hybrid approaches. The DEMATEL method is used to obtain the weight of the challenges and the most influencing and influenced challenges. The ISM approach is then employed to design a hierarchical network of challenges and tries to determine the level and impact of each challenge in the planned structure. For closeness to the real‐world, Z‐number (an ordered pair of fuzzy numbers, where the first component controls on a fuzzy variable, and the second component is a measure of reliability for the fuzzy component) is also used to consider the expert’s mental uncertainties in the final results. This research tries to examine the literature related to the subject and consider the sources and opinions of many professors and university experts based on the filled questionnaires. The findings of this paper show that “misunderstanding the BIM technology” is recognized as the most important challenge with the most weight. At the same time, “lack of governmental support” is the most influencing challenge, and “lack of interaction and teamwork” is the influenced challenge.
Assessment of Freeze-Thaw Cycles Impact on Flexural Tensile Characteristics of Asphalt Mixture in Cold Regions
Authors: Duojie Cidan , Si Wei , Ma Biao , Hu Yongping , Liu Xue , Wang Xintong
Published: February 2021

Low average temperature, large temperature difference, and continual freeze-thaw cycles have significant impacts on mechanical property of asphalt pavement. Bending test was applied to illustrate the mixtures’ flexural tensile properties under freeze-thaw (F-T) conditions. Experiment results showed that the flexural tensile strength and strain declined as F-T cycles increased; the deterioration of flexural tensile properties decreased sharply during initial F-T cycles but turned smooth after 15–21 F-T cycles. ANOVA showed that F-T cycles, asphalt-aggregate ratio, and gradation had obvious influence on flexural tensile characteristics. Flexural characteristics of AC-13 behaved better than the other gradations. It turned out that the mixtures’ low-temperature bending characteristics were improved when 5.5% optimum asphalt-aggregation ratio or slightly larger AC-13 gradation was applied.
Lyme Disease in the Era of COVID-19: A Delayed Diagnosis and Risk for Complications
Authors: Novak Cheryl B. , Scheeler Verna M. , Aucott John N.
Published: February 2021

We describe a patient with fever and myalgia who did not have COVID-19 but instead had Lyme disease. We propose that the co-occurrence of COVID-19 and Lyme disease during the spring of 2020 resulted in a delayed diagnosis of Lyme disease due to COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in healthcare workflow and diagnostic reasoning. This delayed diagnosis of Lyme disease in the patient we describe resulted in disseminated infection and sixth nerve palsy. We present the use of telemedicine to aid in the diagnosis of Lyme disease and to provide prompt access to diagnosis and care during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in the future.
Determination of Water‐Proof Coal (Rock) Pillar Height in Mining Coal Seam Group under Water‐Bearing Rock Stratum
Authors: Wan Feng , Zhang Hongqing , Zhou Peijun , Guo Jie
Published: February 2021

In order to determine the reasonable height of water‐proof coal (rock) pillar when mining multiple coal seams under aquifer, this paper analyzes the expansion height of water‐conducting fracture zone when coal seams mining. Considering the expansion law of water‐conducting fracture zone in coal seams mining, two schemes of coal seams mining in upper and lower groups and one‐time mining of all coal seams are designed for comparative analysis, and the height of water‐proof coal (rock) pillar is determined based on the expansion height of water‐conducting fracture zone. The results show that the height of water‐proof coal (rock) pillar is calculated as 91.08 m when mining upper and lower groups and 105.46 m when mining all coal seams at the same time. According to UDEC numerical simulation results, the height of water‐proof coal (rock) pillar is 56.08 m when mining upper and lower groups and 86.36 m when mining all coal seams at the same time. Comparing the results of theoretical calculation and numerical analysis, the maximum value is selected as the final result, and the reasonable water‐proof coal (rock) pillar height is determined to be 105.46 m.
Catastrophic Brain Aspergillosis after Liver Transplantation
Authors: Abbasi Mohammadmahdi , Ardakani Shirin Shams , Fakhar Nasir , Eshaghi Hamid , Alimadadi Hosein , Faghihi Toktam , Gharib Behdad , Sharifzadeh Meisam , Safaei Masoomeh
Published: February 2021

Background. Liver transplantation has many complications. Because of receiving immunosuppressive regimens, infectious complications in these patients may have fatal results. Aspergillosis in solid organ recipients is one of the most common fungal infections that usually occur 1 month after transplantation. Aspergillus infection mainly involves the lungs. Although the central nervous system may get involved due to hematogenous spreading from lungs, isolated central nervous system involvement is rarely reported. Case Presentation. The patient was an 8-year-old boy, with a case of Wilson disease, who underwent liver transplantation due to acute fulminant hepatic failure. Four days after the surgery, he was affected by fever, agitation, loss of consciousness, hemiparesis, and focal seizure. Brain MRI showed abscess formation, whereas chest X-ray was normal. Intravenous antibiotics were initiated but the patient’s condition was not improving; therefore, surgical drainage of the abscess was performed. The pathological investigation was compatible with aspergillosis. Antifungal therapy with voriconazole was administrated. His symptoms were resolved but unfortunately, brain lesions caused persistent vegetative state. Discussion. Aspergillus is a ubiquitous organism that mainly occurs in immunocompromised patients. Aspergillosis could be prevented by environmental modification such as installing high-efficiency particulate air filters. Chemoprevention with triazoles, echinocandins, and polyenes is also effective. Voriconazole is the drug of choice for aspergillosis treatment. Although voriconazole is a highly effective antifungal drug, cerebral aspergillosis is often fatal.
Efficiency, Safety, and Efficacy of High-Power Short-Duration Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Sun Xuerong , Lu Jiang , Lin Jinxuan , Feng Tianjie , Suo Ni , Zheng Lihui , Liu Zhimin , Chen Gang , Fan Xiaohan , Zhang Shu , Niu Guodong
Published: February 2021

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF). Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is performed using a point-by-point method to achieve durable PVI. However, this procedure remains complex and time-consuming, and the long-term clinical outcomes are still not satisfactory. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the clinical application of high-power short-duration (HPSD) approaches in the field of RFCA. HPSD ablation, distinguishing it from the conventional ablation strategy, delivers RF energy at a high power and saves the dwell time at each site. It is unknown whether the HPSD approach can bring some gratifying changes in the field of RF energy ablation. A number of experimental studies and clinical studies have been conducted regarding this topic. The review aimed to summarize the research findings and evaluate the procedural efficiency, safety, and clinical outcomes of the HPSD approach based on the evidence available to date.
Delayed Presentation of Patients with Hip Fractures during the COVID-19 “Stay-at-Home” Order in the Southmost Region of the United States
Authors: Serra-Torres Michael , Barreda Raul , Weaver David , Torres-Reveron Annelyn
Published: February 2021

To evaluate the effects of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders in traumatic hip fractures presentation, we conducted a retrospective chart review cohort study from March 13 to June 13 in 2020 compared to 2019 from a single-hospital Trauma Level 2 Center. Males and females, 18 years of age and older presenting with a diagnosis of displaced or nondisplaced, intracapsular, or extracapsular hip fracture, underwent standard of care—comparative analysis of the patient’s characteristics and clinical outcomes. The primary study outcomes included age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index, the onset of injury, date of arrival, payer, the primary type of injury and comorbidities, mechanism of injury, treatment received, postoperative complications, days in an intensive care unit (ICU), discharge disposition, pre- and postinjury functional status, and COVID-19 test. Age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index were similar in the patients in 2019 compared to 2020. The patients’ average age was 76 years old, 80% reported Hispanic ethnicity, and 63% of the patients were females. Most injuries (90%) occurred due to falls. On average, patients in 2020 presented 4.8 days after the injury onset as compared to 0.7 days in 2019 (

p
<
0.05

). There was an increase in displaced fractures in 2019 compared to 2020 and an increase in patients’ disposition into rehabilitation facilities compared to skilled nursing facilities. Despite the delay in presentation, length of stay, days in the ICU, or functional outcomes of the patients were not affected. Although the patients showed a delayed presentation after hip fracture, this does not appear to significantly interfere with the short-term or the 6-month mortality outcomes of the patients, suggesting the possibility of guided delayed care during times of national emergency and increased strain in hospital resources.
Drug‐Related Problems among Hospitalized Surgical Elderly Patients in China
Authors: Meng Long , Qu Can , Qin Xia , Huang Huali , Hu Yongsheng , Qiu Feng , Sun Shusen
Published: February 2021

There is a lack of data on drug‐related problems (DRPs) among elderly patients from surgical departments. The current study is aimed at identifying and categorizing types of DRPs and assessing the severities of the DRPs. Medication orders for hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years from six surgery departments were reviewed to determine DRPs over 6 months in a tertiary teaching hospital of Chongqing, China. DRPs were classified based on the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe classification V8.02. The severity ratings of the DRPs were assessed using the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention classification. A total of 53,231 medication orders from 1,707 elderly patients were reviewed, and 1,061 DRPs were identified. Treatment safety (44.9%) was the most common DRP type. Drug selection (43.1%) and dose selection (43.1%) were the major causes of DRPs. A total of 75.1% of the DRPs were classified into severity categories B to D (causing no or potential harm), and 24.9% were classified as categories E to H (causing actual harm). DRPs are common in hospitalized elderly surgical patients. Pharmacists should provide medication order reviews in this vulnerable patient population.
Aggressive Differentiated Thyroid Cancer due to EML4e13-ALKe20 Fusion: A Case Presentation and Review of the Literature
Authors: Khthir Rodhan , Shaheen Zainab , Santhanam Prasanna , Sigdel Saroj
Published: February 2021

Background. Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is an indolent malignancy. It rarely presents with aggressive local invasion and/or distant metastatic disease. Patient findings. We describe a case of a 30-year-old man with a locally aggressive form of papillary thyroid cancer with EML4e13-ALKe20 fusion (EML4: echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4; ALK: anaplastic lymphoma kinase). He presented with right-side cervical lymphadenopathy with a highly suspicious right-side thyroid nodule. Total thyroidectomy and level IV lymph node resection showed extensive bilateral disease, with extrathyroidal and extranodal extension. FDG-PET CT scan following surgery confirmed the presence of significant residual disease in the neck area. He underwent bilateral lateral lymph node dissection followed by radioactive iodine treatment. Somatic mutation testing showed EML4e13-ALKe20 fusion. Summary. This case represents an aggressive form of DTC with EML4e13-ALKe20 fusion. The rapid progression of clinical signs and symptoms and the local extension beyond the thyroid and lymph nodes with the persistence of high-volume local disease after thyroidectomy highlight the aggressive nature of this mutation and the importance of performing genetic analysis to guide future treatments and determine prognosis. Conclusion. This case highlights the importance of using molecular diagnostics in patient care, especially if the presentation is unusual for DTC. A thorough evaluation of the tumor pathology and the somatic mutational profile analysis are important for obtaining vital therapeutic and prognostic guidance.
An Efficient Automatic Gait Anomaly Detection Method Based on Semisupervised Clustering
Authors: Yang Zhenlun
Published: February 2021

The aim of this work is to develop a common automatic computer method to distinguish human individuals with abnormal gait patterns from those with normal gait patterns. As long as the silhouette gait images of the subjects are obtainable, the proposed method is capable of providing online anomaly gait detection result without additional work on analyzing the gait features of the target subjects before ahead. Moreover, the proposed method does not need any parameter settings by users and can start producing detection results under the work by only collecting a very small number of gait samples, even though none of those gait samples are abnormal. Therefore, the proposed method can provide fast and simple deployment for various anomaly gait detection application scenarios. The proposed method is composed of two main modules: (1) feature extraction from gait images and (2) anomaly detection via binary classification. In the first module, a new representation of the most frequently involved area of the silhouette gait images called full gait energy image (F‐GEI) is proposed. Furthermore, based on the F‐GEI, a novel and simple method characterizing individual walking properties is developed to extract gait features from individual subjects. In the second module, based on the very limited prior knowledge on the target dataset, a semisupervised clustering algorithm is proposed to perform the binary classification for detecting the gait anomaly of each subject. The performance of the proposed gait anomaly detection method was evaluated on the human gaits dataset in comparison with three state‐of‐the‐art methods. The experiment results show that the proposed method is an effective and efficient gait anomaly detection method in terms of accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency.
Topological Design of a Mortar Base Plate under Impact Loads
Authors: Wang Fengfeng , Yang Guolai
Published: February 2021

In this work, the topology optimization of a mortar base plate is analysed under impact loading conditions. Usually, in this case, only ordinary topology optimization under volume constraints is considered. However, to reduce the quality of the mortar base plate and facilitate engineering applications, the topological optimization problem of the continuum of the base plate under the engineering and quality constraint is considered. A finite element model has been established and verified by testing for the mortar base plate. The variable density method was used to obtain the topological optimization results of the base plate based on the force transmission path, and then the structure was reconstructed. The mass of the optimization model of the base plate is 12.78% lower than that of the original model. In comparison with the original base plate before optimization, the results show that the maximum deformation and stress of the base plate decreased by 16.85% and 35.52%, respectively. Also, the firing stability of the mortar meets requirements, which not only meet the design requirement but also provide a reference for the performance improvement and structural optimization design of the base plate.
Plateletcrit and Mean Platelet Volume in the Evaluation of Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients
Authors: Michalak Agata , Cichoż-Lach Halina , Guz Małgorzata , Kozicka Joanna , Cybulski Marek , Jeleniewicz Witold
Published: February 2021

Platelet (PLT) indices have been proposed as potential markers in the assessment of liver fibrosis and exacerbation of liver failure. The aim of our study was to verify mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) in alcohol‐related liver cirrhosis (ALC) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. One hundred forty‐two patients with ALC, 92 with NAFLD, and 68 in control group were enrolled in this study. Hematological indices (MPV, PCT, and PDW) and serological (indirect and direct) markers of liver fibrosis (AAR, APRI, FIB‐4, GPR, PICP, PIIINP, TGF‐α, PDGF‐AB, laminin) were measured in each participant. MELD score in ALC patients and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) together with BARD score in the NAFLD group were also obtained. Results were compared between research and control groups. Then, a correlation between evaluated indices was performed in study groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) and area under the curve (AUC) values were applied to assess the diagnostic accuracy of measured indices. Significant increase in PDW and decrease in PCT in comparison to controls were noted in examined ALC (60.4% vs. 51.2% and 0.1% vs. 0.21%, respectively, p < 0.0001) and NAFLD (54.75% vs. 51.2% and 0.19 vs. 0.21%, respectively, p < 0.01) patients. Decreased level of MPV was observed in NAFLD group (7.85 fl vs. 8.90 fl, p < 0.0001). Additionally, PCT correlated with NFS (p < 0.0001). Evaluated PLT indices correlated with MELD score (MPV and PDW, p < 0.001; PCT, p < 0.05). They correlated with indirect and direct markers of liver fibrosis in the whole research group, too. PCT was the parameter with the greatest diagnostic accuracy in ALC patients (AUC = 0,839 for cutoff < 0.17%); in NAFLD group, it was MPV (AUC = 0,808 for cutoff < 7.9 fl). PCT in ALC and MPV in NAFLD can be perceived as potential diagnostic markers.
Assessment of Wind Characteristics and Wind Power Potential of Gharo, Pakistan
Authors: Hulio Zahid Hussain
Published: February 2021

The objective of this research work is to assess the wind characteristics and wind power potential of Gharo site. The wind parameters of the site have been used to calculate the wind power density, annual energy yield, and capacity factors at 10, 30, and 50 m. The wind frequency distribution including seasonal as well as percentage of seasonal frequency distribution has been investigated to determine accurately the wind power of the site. The coefficient of variation is calculated at three different heights. Also, economic assessment per kWh of energy has been carried out. The site-specific annual mean wind speeds were 6.89, 5.85, and 3.85 m/s at 50, 30, and 10 m heights with corresponding standard deviations of 2.946, 2.489, and 2.040. The mean values of the Weibull k parameter are estimated as 2.946, 2.489, and 2.040 while those of scale parameter are estimated as 7.634, 6.465, and 4.180 m/s at 50, 30, and 10 m, respectively. The respective mean wind power and energy density values are found to be 118.3, 92.20, and 46.10 W/m2 and 1036.6, 807.90, and 402.60 kWh/m2. As per cost estimation of wind turbines, the wind turbine WT-C has the lowest cost of US$ Cents 0.0346/kWh and highest capacity factors of 0.3278 (32.78%). Wind turbine WT-C is recommended for this site for the wind farm deployment due to high energy generation and minimum price of energy. The results show the appropriateness of the methodology for assessing the wind speed and economic assessment at the lowest price of energy.
Inhibition of ATM Induces Hypersensitivity to Proton Irradiation by Upregulating Toxic End Joining
Authors: Zhou Qin , Howard Michelle E. , Tu Xinyi , Zhu Qian , Denbeigh Janet M. , Remmes Nicholas B. , Herman Michael G. , Beltran Chris J. , Yuan Jian , Greipp Patricia T. , Boughey Judy C. , Wang Liewei , Johnson Neil , Goetz Matthew P. , Sarkaria Jann N. , Lou Zhenkun , Mutter Robert W.
Published: February 2021

Proton Bragg peak irradiation has a higher ionizing density than conventional photon irradiation or the entrance of the proton beam profile. Whether targeting the DNA damage response (DDR) could enhance vulnerability to the distinct pattern of damage induced by proton Bragg peak irradiation is currently unknown. Here, we performed genetic or pharmacologic manipulation of key DDR elements and evaluated DNA damage signaling, DNA repair, and tumor control in cell lines and xenografts treated with the same physical dose across a radiotherapy linear energy transfer spectrum. Radiotherapy consisted of 6 MV photons and the entrance beam or Bragg peak of a 76.8 MeV spot scanning proton beam. More complex DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) induced by Bragg peak proton irradiation preferentially underwent resection and engaged homologous recombination (HR) machinery. Unexpectedly, the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) inhibitor, AZD0156, but not an inhibitor of ATM and Rad3-related, rendered cells hypersensitive to more densely ionizing proton Bragg peak irradiation. ATM inhibition blocked resection and shunted more DSBs to processing by toxic ligation through nonhomologous end-joining, whereas loss of DNA ligation via XRCC4 or Lig4 knockdown rescued resection and abolished the enhanced Bragg peak cell killing. Proton Bragg peak monotherapy selectively sensitized cell lines and tumor xenografts with inherent HR defects, and the repair defect induced by ATM inhibitor coadministration showed enhanced efficacy in HR-proficient models. In summary, inherent defects in HR or administration of an ATM inhibitor in HR-proficient tumors selectively enhances the relative biological effectiveness of proton Bragg peak irradiation.

Significance:

Coadministration of an ATM inhibitor rewires DNA repair machinery to render cancer cells uniquely hypersensitive to DNA damage induced by the proton Bragg peak, which is characterized by higher density ionization.

See related commentary by Nickoloff, p. 3156
The Art of Charcot: An Outstanding Caricaturist
Authors: Teive Hélio A.G. , Franklin Gustavo L. , Lima Plínio , Germiniani Francisco M.B. , Camargo Carlos Henrique F. , Walusinski Olivier
Published: February 2021

Jean-Martin Charcot is considered the father of modern neurology; alongside his work as a physician, professor, and researcher in this area, he was also artistically gifted with a taste for caricature. This historical note summarizes 8 caricatures by Charcot that exhibit a mixture of humor, satire, irony, and sarcasm.
Problématique Pour une Meilleure Gestion Du Mul Tilinguisme Social de Type Afro-Européen en Afrique au Sud du Sahara
Authors: Baka Jean
Published: February 2021

Planning Policy on afro-european multilingualism in Sub-Saharian Africa

Generally two types of multilinguism are distinguished: individual multilinguism and social multilinguism. This paper has a double aim:

1. The analysis of the solutions designed for the management of social multilinguism in general and afro-european multilinguism in particular.

2. The proposal of a language policy approach, which takes into account ethnic differences, cultural particularities and the importance of languages of mass communication. This approach will allow democratise the education system by an augmentation of school attendance rates, the limitation of failures and school desertion and annihilation of illiteracy and rural exodus.

The approach offered is exemplified by the case of Republic of Congo.
Political Patronage and Political Values: The Developmental Role of Political Patronage and its Impact on Shaping Political Values in Rural Uganda
Authors: Titeca Kristof
Published: February 2021

Political patronage and political values: The developmental role of political patronage and its impact on shaping political values in rural Uganda.

This article points out the importance of neo-patrimonial theories in understanding local socio-political dynamics. Through the analysis of a case study in Western Uganda, it is firstly shown how within 'formal' state institutions, there is an 'informal' logic of competing political camps. These political camps, and their subsidiary networks of political patronage, have adverse effects for development. Secondly, this system has a profound impact on how people perceive the service-delivery functions of the state: people on the ground do not expect the state to be there for everyone, but only for the people of their 'political camp' or network. Also the role of the state is seen as strongly personalised, as the 'big men' are perceived to have taken over the service provision activities of the state.
Development and Maintenance of The Ethiopian Legal Information Website
Authors: Alemu Getaneh Agegn
Published: February 2021

Development and Maintenance of the Ethiopian Legal Information Website

Information and Communication Technology in general and the internet in particular have been creating unprecedented opportunities in facilitating and streamlining access to information.

Websites have become a common way of publishing legal information for the public in many countries. In Ethiopia, however, the availability of legal websites has been very limited or non-existent. Except for the constitution, no other basic Ethiopian law has ever been published online. To benefit from the tremendous potentials of the internet, a project was initiated to develop an Ethiopian Legal Information Web Site.

Based on users' requirements obtained from questionnaire analysis, and current paradigms and implications, the Ethiopian Legal Information Website was designed, developed, implemented and maintained The website is an online database of Ethiopian basic laws developed by Mekelle University, Ethiopia, in cooperation with the Non-Western Law Department of Ghent University, Belgium.

Basic laws included on the site at present are the Ethiopian Constitution, Civil Code, Criminal Code, Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Commercial Code and Family Code. The laws can be viewed and used in full text html, whereas some of the laws including the 2004 Criminal Code, Family Code, FDRE Constitution and the Tigray Regional State Constitution are available in pdf Laws can be searched by keywords using the site search engine. Comments and suggestions from experts and Ethiopian laws users have been collected, hence modifications, improvements and additions have been made to the website. The Ethiopian Legal Information Website was first hosted on the University of Ghent internet server and currently in the Mekelle University server at http://mail.mu.edu.et/~ethiopialaws/

The Ethiopian Legal Information Website has been found to be a useful web portal to access and use the basic Ethiopian laws. The University of Ghent, !LO, the Library of Congress, AUSTLII, WASHLAW, WIKIPEDIA and other major legal web portals make citations in reference to the site. While the website currently contains only the basic laws of the federal government, an action plan is prepared to include regional laws of Ethiopia. Other legal information including amendments to the laws, decisions and legal news will also be included on the site, hence a comprehensive Ethiopian Legal Web Portal will be developed and maintained.
Reducing HIV/AIDS in young people in Sub-Sahara Africa: gaps in research and the role of theory
Authors: Michielsen Kristien , Bosmans Marleen , Temmerman Marleen
Published: February 2021

This paper discusses the role of education in preventing HIV in children and young people in sub-Sahara Africa and presents the results of policy advisory research conducted on behalf of the Belgian Development Cooperation. The research consisted of a literature review and a field study in Rwanda. Relative to the high number of HIV prevention activities in sub-Sahara Africa, there is a limited number of scientific data on HIV risk reduction interventions for young people in this region. Longitudinal studies are especially scarce. Preliminary results show that many interventions have only a marginal impact on reducing sexual risk behaviour. Factors influencing programme effectiveness include the consistency and accuracy of messages and information, the provision of life-skills, social support and access to contraceptives, the intensity and duration of the programme, the training of the facilitators and the age of the target population. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has a potentially devastating impact on the education sector. Because few countries have monitoring systems in place that quantify the absenteeism, morbidity and mortality of teachers and students infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS, there is only anecdotal evidence available for illustrating this impact. The final section discusses the current gaps in research and the important role of theory in increasing the impact and improving the evaluations ofl IIV/AIDS education interventions.