bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radon monitoring on the territory of Northern Tajikistan
Authors: Mirsaidov U. M. , Nazarov Kh. M. , Shosafarova Sh. G. , Mahmudova M. M.
Published: April 2020

The article presents the results of radon monitoring on the territory of Northern Tajikistan. Analysis of the results of the monitoring shows that at present, relatively high values of radon concentration in the atmospheric air are found in the areas where uranium tailings are located, primarily in the city of Istiklol and the Dehmoy tailings dam. This is primarily due to the lack of protective coatings on the surface of the tail material, which turns this area, in fact, into radon-prone areas of technogenic origin. In different parts of the Dehmoy tailings dam, the radon concentration in the atmospheric air varies between 200 and 1000 Bq/m3, and the radon flux density from the surface reaches 65,000 mBq/(m2∙s). On the territory of tailings dam in the city of Istiklol, the value of radon concentration in the atmospheric air is in the range of 44–195 Bq/m3. At the same time, it was found that the radon potential of the tailings dams, where the surface has a protective coating, is much lower. For example, the radon flux density from the surface of the Gafurov tailings dam, where surface is covered with loess-like loams up to 2.5–3.0 m thick, does not exceed 100 mBq/(m2∙s), with average values of 40-60 mBq/(m2∙s); the radon concentration in the atmospheric air is about 55 Bq/m3. Despite the intense exhalation of radon from the surface of some tailings dams, their territory is not currently a residential zone and, accordingly, does not affect the radon situation in buildings located in the settlements nearby. In the cities of Khujand, Buston, Gafurov, Istiklol and the village of Adrasman, the average values of indoor radon concentration do not exceed maximum permissible levels. It is recommended to conduct a full rehabilitation of uranium legacy sites, primarily uranium tailings dams in the city of Istiklol and Dehmoy tailings dam, for the improvement of the radon situation in Northern Tajikistan with consideration for possible expansion of the settlements.
Shape of a water crisis: practitioner perspectives on urban water scarcity and ‘Day Zero’ in South Africa
Authors: Bischoff-Mattson Zachary , Maree Gillian , Vogel Coleen , Lynch Amanda , Olivier David , Terblanche Deon
Published: April 2020

The interruption of essential water services in Cape Town, foreshadowed as ‘Day Zero,’ is one of several recent examples of urban water scarcity connected to the language of urgent climate change. Johannesburg, with its larger and growing population and deeply enmeshed water and power infrastructures, is currently regarded as one drought away from disaster. As a result, the lessons to be learned from Cape Town are under active debate in South Africa. We used Q method to examine the structure of perspectives on urban water scarcity among South African water management practitioners. Our results illustrate distinct viewpoints differentiated by focus on corruption and politics, supply and demand systems, and social justice concerns as well as a distinct cohort of pragmatic optimists. Our analysis underscores the significance of public trust and institutional effectiveness, regardless of otherwise sound policy or infrastructure tools. As practitioners explicitly connect domains of competency to solvable and critical problems, integrated systems approaches will require deliberate interventions. Furthermore, urban water crises exacerbate and are exacerbated by existing experiences of racial and economic inequality, but this effect is masked by focus on demand management of average per capita water consumption and characterization of water scarcity as ‘the new normal.’
Electrochemical oxidation for decolorization of Rhodamine-B dye using mixed metal oxide electrode: modeling and optimization
Authors: Kothari Manisha S. , Shah Kosha A.
Published: April 2020

In the study the electrochemical oxidation process for decolorization of Rhodamine-B dye was studied using an anode coated with mixed metal oxides: TiO2, RuO2, and IrO2. Batch experimental studies were conducted to assess the effect of four important performance variables, current density, electrolyte concentration, initial pH and electrolysis time, on the decolorization and energy consumption. The process was modeled using an artificial neural network. Response surface methodology using central composite design (CCD) was utilized for optimization of the decolorization process. Based on the experimental design given by CCD, the results obtained by the statistical analysis show that the electrolysis time was the most influential parameter for decolorization whereas the current density had the greatest influence on the energy consumption. According to the optimized results given by the CCD model, maximum color removal of 97% and minimum energy consumption of 1.01 kWh/m3 were predicted in 4.9 minute of electrolysis time, using 0.031 M NaCl concentration at current density 10 mA/cm2 and an initial pH of 3.7. A close conformity was observed between the optimized predicted results and experimental results. The process was found to be efficient and consisted of indirect chemical oxidation producing strong oxidizing agents such as Cl2, HClO and OCl−.
Por uma socioantropologia da alimentação
Authors: dos Santos de Oliveira Thágila Maria
Published: April 2020

Jean Pierre Poulain é francês e atualmente professor da Universidade de Toulouse Jean Jaurès. Durante a semana de 22 a 26 de setembro de 2018, ele esteve em Natal para participar como professor convidado da disciplina de Antropologia da Alimentação do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Antropologia Social da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte.
Por uma ética pajubariana: a potência epistemológica das travestis intelectuais
Authors: Favero Sofia
Published: April 2020

O presente artigo analisa o deslocamento da posição de “pesquisadas” para a de “pesquisadoras” que tem sido empreendido pelas travestis intelectuais brasileiras. Para discutir essa questão, retoma algumas construções teóricas acerca dos saberes localizados, mas coloca em análise a fragilidade ontológica do conceito de local de fala. Nesse sentido, entende que é necessária a criação de uma ética capaz de conjugar os esquemas linguísticos e cosmológicos das travestis com o cenário científico que se desdobra na atualidade.
Synthesis of Eugenol Derivatives and Evaluation of their Antifungal Activity Against Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis
Authors: Maximino Sarah C. , Dutra Jessyca A.P. , Rodrigues Ricardo P. , Gonçalves Rita C.R. , Morais Pedro A.B. , Ventura José A. , Schuenck Ricardo P. , Júnior Valdemar Lacerda , Kitagawa Rodrigo R. , S. Borges Warley
Published: April 2020

Background:

Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis is a phytopathogen that causes one of the most destructive
diseases in black pepper crops, resulting in significant economic and crop production losses. Consequently, the
control of this fungal disease is a matter of current and relevant interest in agriculture.

Objective:

The objective was to synthesize eugenol derivatives with antifungal activity.

Methods:

In this study, using bimolecular nucleophilic substitution and click chemistry approaches, four new and
three known eugenol derivatives were obtained. The eugenol derivatives were characterized and their antifungal
and cytotoxic effects were evaluated.

Results:

Eugenol derivative 4 (2-(4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-3-chloronaphthalene-1,4-dione) was the most active
against F. solani f. sp. piperis and showed acceptable cytotoxicity. Compound 4 was two-fold more effective
than tebuconazole in an antifungal assay and presented similar cytotoxicity in macrophages. The in silico study of
β-glucosidase suggests a potential interaction of 4 with amino acid residues by a cation-π interaction with residue
Arg177 followed by a hydrogen bond with Glu596, indicating an important role in the interactions with 4, justifying
the antifungal action of this compound. In addition, the cytotoxicity after metabolism was evaluated as a mimic
assay with the S9 fraction in HepG2 cells. Compound 4 demonstrated maintenance of cytotoxicity, showing IC50
values of 11.18 ± 0.5 and 9.04 ± 0.2 μg mL-1 without and with the S9 fraction, respectively. In contrast, eugenol
(257.9 ± 0.4 and 133.5 ± 0.8 μg mL-1), tebuconazole (34.94 ± 0.2 and 26.76 ± 0.17 μg mL-1) and especially carbendazim
(251.0 ± 0.30 and 34.7 ± 0.10 μg mL-1) showed greater cytotoxicity after hepatic biotransformation.

Conclusion:

The results suggest that 4 is a potential candidate for use in the design of new and effective compounds
that could control this pathogen.
Prevention of Endothelial Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease by n-3 Fatty Acids-Inhibiting Action on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Yamagata Kazuo
Published: April 2020

Background:

Prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials have shown the protective effect of n-3 fatty acids against cardiovascular disease (CVD). The effect of n-3 fatty acids on vascular endothelial cells indicates their possible role in CVD prevention.

Objective:

Here, we describe the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on endothelial dysfunction-caused by inflammation and oxidative stress-and their role in the development of CVD.

Methods:

We reviewed epidemiological studies done on n-3 fatty acids in CVD. The effect of DHA and EPA on vascular endothelial cells was examined with regard to changes in various markers, such as arteriosclerosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, using cell and animal models.

Results:

Epidemiological studies revealed that dietary intake of EPA and DHA was associated with a reduced risk of various CVDs. EPA and DHA inhibited various events involved in arteriosclerosis development by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation associated with endothelial cell damage. In particular, EPA and DHA prevented endothelial cell dysfunction mediated by inflammatory responses and oxidative stress induced by events related to CVD. DHA and EPA also increased eNOS activity and induced nitric oxide production.

Conclusion:

The effects of DHA and EPA on vascular endothelial cell damage and dysfunction may involve the induction of nitric oxide, in addition to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. n-3 fatty acids inhibit endothelial dysfunction and prevent arteriosclerosis. Therefore, the intake of n-3 fatty acids may prevent CVDs, like myocardial infarction and stroke.
The Interaction of Schistosoma Japonicum Glutathione Transferase with Cibacron Blue 3GA and its Fragments
Authors: Platis Michalis , Vlachakis Dimitrios , Foudah Ahmed I. , Muharram Magdy M. , Alqarni Mohamed H. , Papageorgiou Anastassios C. , Labrou Nikolaos E.
Published: April 2020

Background:

The 26kDa glutathione transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) from Schistosoma
japonicum (SjGST) is recognized as the major detoxification enzyme of S. japonicum, a pathogenic
helminth causing schistosomiasis.

Objective:

In the present study, the interaction of the chlorotriazine dye Cibacron blue 3GA
(CB3GA) and its structural analogues with SjGST was investigated. The work aimed to shed light on
the non-substrate ligand-binding properties of the enzyme.

Methods:

Kinetic inhibition analysis, affinity labelling experiments and molecular modelling studies
were employed.

Results:

The results showed that CB3GA is a potent inhibitor (IC50 0.057 ± 0.003 μM) towards
SjGST. The enzyme was specifically and irreversibly inactivated by the dichlorotriazine-analogue of
CB3GA (IC50 0.190 ± 0.024 μM), following a biphasic pseudo-first-order saturation kinetics with
approximately 1 mol of inhibitor per mol of the dimeric enzyme being incorporated. All other
monochlorotriazine analogues behave as reversible inhibitors with lower inhibition potency (IC50
5.2-82.3 μM). Kinetic inhibition studies, together with molecular modelling and molecular dynamics
simulations, established that the CB3GA binding site overlaps both the G- and H-sites. Both hydrophobic/
polar interactions, as well as steric effects, have decisive roles in determining the inhibitory
strength of CB3GA and its analogues.

Conclusion:

The results of the present study might be useful in future drug design and development
efforts towards SjGST.
Antibiogram of Urinary Enterococcus Isolates from a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Bhat Nanditha Rajaram , Shivashankar Shruthi Bhat Kodur , Dhanashree Biranthabail
Published: April 2020

Purpose:

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the serious infections caused by enterococci. VancomycinResistant Enterococci (VRE), is a persevering clinical problem globally. This study aims to
detect high-level aminoglycoside and vancomycin resistance in uropathogenic Enterococcus spp.

Methodology:

A total of 75 clinically relevant Enterococcus spp. grown from urine samples, were collected
following convenience non-random sampling method. Identified by standard biochemical
tests and susceptibility to antibiotics was studied by Kirby Bauer’s disc diffusion method. The
MIC of vancomycin was detected by agar dilution test. Van A, and Van B genes in VREs
were detected by PCR.

Results:

Among the 75 Enterococcal isolates, 43 (57.3%) were E.faecalis, 12 (16%) were E.faecium,
six (8%) each were E.pseudoavium and E.casseliflavus, five (6.66%) were E.dispar and three
(4%) were E.durans. E.faecalis (n=19) and E.faecium (n=3) were resistant to High Level
Streptomycin (HLS). E.faecalis (n=21) and E.faecium (n=6) were resistant to High Level
Gentamicin (HLG). Four (9.3%) E.faecalis were vancomycin-resistant, of which three were
of Van A, and one was both Van A and Van B genotype.

Conclusion:

Isolation of high level aminoglycoside resistant (HLAR) Enterococci is a challenge for the
treating physician because aminoglycoside cannot be used in combination with glycopeptide
or ampicillin for such isolates. The occurrence of HLAR, Van A and Van B VRE genotypes is
a cause of concern as they may transfer drug resistance genes to other bacterial isolates, thus
leading to limited therapeutic options.
CHILDREN’S SOCIAL SKILLS THROUGH TRADITIONAL SPORT GAMES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Authors: Irmansyah Johan , Lumintuarso Ria , Sugiyanto FX. , Sukoco Pamuji
Published: April 2020

Traditional society still perceives that physical education is ineffective in shaping children’s character and that physical education is still considered as only a playing activity without having significant effects to the development of children’s social skill. This research aims to help children shape their social skills through the traditional games provided by physical education teachers with their comprehensive playing activities. The method used in this research was a qualitative approach, by doing some observations and unstructured interviews to teachers and students. The format of the game used in this research was the modification of traditional games called ‘Gobak Sodor’ which is adapted to the multilateral development of children and the theory of sports education. The result of observation and interview shows that the modified traditional games ‘Gobak Sodor’ can help children to shape their social skills, such as personal and social responsibility, teamwork, communication and the care of each other in the game. It can be concluded that the social skills of children can not be created instantly. It requires time and continuous learning process. One of the approaches which can be used in forming children’s social skills is modified traditional sport games ‘Gobak Sodor’.
Instituições participativas e repertórios de interação: os Conselhos Nacionais de Saúde e Assistência Social no contexto de impeachment
Authors: ALMEIDA DEBORA REZENDE , VIEIRA ANNE KAROLINE RODRIGUES , KASHIWAKURA GABRIELLA TANMYE
Published: April 2020

Neste artigo, sugerimos conectar as literaturas sobre instituições participativas e movimentos sociais para compreender o cenário da participação social nos conselhos de políticas no Brasil após o impeachment de Dilma Rousseff em 2016. Especificamente, adotamos o conceito de repertórios de interação, a fim de perceber quais são as reações e/ou resistências dos espaços e atores em relação às mudanças no contexto político e nas políticas públicas, e o que explicaria as semelhanças e diferenças entre os conselhos. O artigo baseia-se em pesquisa qualitativa e comparada entre dois conselhos nacionais com alto grau de institucionalização no Brasil: o Conselho Nacional de Saúde (CNS) e o Conselho Nacional de Assistência Social (CNAS), a partir de análise de conteúdo de documentos e entrevistas semiestruturadas. O texto mostra que os Conselhos inovaram e adotaram distintos repertórios de interação com o Estado, ao longo dos últimos três anos, mas apresentaram diferentes reações ao contexto em função da variação em dimensões que são chave para o estudo das IPs, como o desenho institucional, o histórico de interação socioestatal e o grau de institucionalização da política pública.
Люминесцентные и фотоэлектрические свойства гибридных структур на основе многослойного графена и 0D и 2D полупроводниковых квантовых нанокристаллов
Authors: Резник И.А. , Златов А.С. , Ильин П.О. , Заколдаев Р.A. , Мошкалёв С.A. , Орлова A.O.
Published: April 2020

Establishing the laws of the mechanisms underlying the interaction of nanostructured materials is one of the most important tasks on the way to creating a new generation of efficient photovoltaic devices.
In this paper, we study the luminescent and photoelectric properties of hybrid structures formed on the basis of multilayer graphene nanobelts and semiconductor quantum nanocrystals: 0D-: core-shell CdSe / ZnS quantum dots, and 2D-: CdSe nanoplatelets. It was shown that the multiexponential decay of the excitonic luminescence of CdSe nanoplates at room temperature originates from the delayed luminescence due to the presence of trap states on the surface of the nanoplates. It has been established that in the dry layers of nanoplatelets on a dielectric substrate and in the composition of hybrid structures with graphene nanoribbons, the efficiency of delayed excitonic luminescence of nanoplates increases. It has been demonstrated that the rate of increase in photoconductivity in hybrid structures based on CdSe nanoplatelets is an order of magnitude higher than the rate of this process in similar structures based on CdSe / ZnS quantum dots, which indicates the formation of an effective energy / charge transfer channel from nanoplatelets to graphene nanoribbons.
Re-Enactment as a Method to Reproduce Real-World Fall Events Using Inertial Sensor Data: Development and Usability Study
Authors: Sczuka Kim Sarah , Schwickert Lars , Becker Clemens , Klenk Jochen
Published: April 2020

Background

Falls are a common health problem, which in the worst cases can lead to death. To develop reliable fall detection algorithms as well as suitable prevention interventions, it is important to understand circumstances and characteristics of real-world fall events. Although falls are common, they are seldom observed, and reports are often biased. Wearable inertial sensors provide an objective approach to capture real-world fall signals. However, it is difficult to directly derive visualization and interpretation of body movements from the fall signals, and corresponding video data is rarely available.

Objective

The re-enactment method uses available information from inertial sensors to simulate fall events, replicate the data, validate the simulation, and thereby enable a more precise description of the fall event. The aim of this paper is to describe this method and demonstrate the validity of the re-enactment approach.

Methods

Real-world fall data, measured by inertial sensors attached to the lower back, were selected from the Fall Repository for the Design of Smart and Self-Adaptive Environments Prolonging Independent Living (FARSEEING) database. We focused on well-described fall events such as stumbling to be re-enacted under safe conditions in a laboratory setting. For the purposes of exemplification, we selected the acceleration signal of one fall event to establish a detailed simulation protocol based on identified postures and trunk movement sequences. The subsequent re-enactment experiments were recorded with comparable inertial sensor configurations as well as synchronized video cameras to analyze the movement behavior in detail. The re-enacted sensor signals were then compared with the real-world signals to adapt the protocol and repeat the re-enactment method if necessary. The similarity between the simulated and the real-world fall signals was analyzed with a dynamic time warping algorithm, which enables the comparison of two temporal sequences varying in speed and timing.

Results

A fall example from the FARSEEING database was used to show the feasibility of producing a similar sensor signal with the re-enactment method. Although fall events were heterogeneous concerning chronological sequence and curve progression, it was possible to reproduce a good approximation of the motion of a person’s center of mass during fall events based on the available sensor information.

Conclusions

Re-enactment is a promising method to understand and visualize the biomechanics of inertial sensor-recorded real-world falls when performed in a suitable setup, especially if video data is not available.
Using Natural Language Processing Techniques to Provide Personalized Educational Materials for Chronic Disease Patients in China: Development and Assessment of a Knowledge-Based Health Recommender System
Authors: Wang Zheyu , Huang Haoce , Cui Liping , Chen Juan , An Jiye , Duan Huilong , Ge Huiqing , Deng Ning
Published: April 2020

Background

Health education emerged as an important intervention for improving the awareness and self-management abilities of chronic disease patients. The development of information technologies has changed the form of patient educational materials from traditional paper materials to electronic materials. To date, the amount of patient educational materials on the internet is tremendous, with variable quality, which makes it hard to identify the most valuable materials by individuals lacking medical backgrounds.

Objective

The aim of this study was to develop a health recommender system to provide appropriate educational materials for chronic disease patients in China and evaluate the effect of this system.

Methods

A knowledge-based recommender system was implemented using ontology and several natural language processing (NLP) techniques. The development process was divided into 3 stages. In stage 1, an ontology was constructed to describe patient characteristics contained in the data. In stage 2, an algorithm was designed and implemented to generate recommendations based on the ontology. Patient data and educational materials were mapped to the ontology and converted into vectors of the same length, and then recommendations were generated according to similarity between these vectors. In stage 3, the ontology and algorithm were incorporated into an mHealth system for practical use. Keyword extraction algorithms and pretrained word embeddings were used to preprocess educational materials. Three strategies were proposed to improve the performance of keyword extraction. System evaluation was based on a manually assembled test collection for 50 patients and 100 educational documents. Recommendation performance was assessed using the macro precision of top-ranked documents and the overall mean average precision (MAP).

Results

The constructed ontology contained 40 classes, 31 object properties, 67 data properties, and 32 individuals. A total of 80 SWRL rules were defined to implement the semantic logic of mapping patient original data to the ontology vector space. The recommender system was implemented as a separate Web service connected with patients' smartphones. According to the evaluation results, our system can achieve a macro precision up to 0.970 for the top 1 recommendation and an overall MAP score up to 0.628.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that a knowledge-based health recommender system has the potential to accurately recommend educational materials to chronic disease patients. Traditional NLP techniques combined with improvement strategies for specific language and domain proved to be effective for improving system performance. One direction for future work is to explore the effect of such systems from the perspective of patients in a practical setting.
Mobile Health App for Japanese Adult Patients With Asthma: Clinical Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Harada Norihiro , Harada Sonoko , Ito Jun , Atsuta Ryo , Hori Satoshi , Takahashi Kazuhisa
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Inappropriate asthma control reduces quality of life and causes increased exacerbations. Mobile health (mHealth) employs information and communication technology for surveying health-related issues.

OBJECTIVE

This noninterventional, observational study assessed current real-world asthma control levels among Japanese patients with asthma and cough variant asthma (CVA) using the Zensoku-Log app.

METHODS

We developed the app using the ResearchKit platform and conducted a mobile-based, self-reporting, observational survey among patients with asthma and CVA. The app was downloaded 7855 times between February 2016 and February 2018, and enabled collection of data on symptoms, comorbidities, quality of life, medications, asthma control, and adherence.

RESULTS

Of the 1744 eligible participants (median age 33 years; range 20-74 years; male-to-female ratio 38.7:61.3), 50.97% (889/1744) reported unscheduled visits, 62.84% (1096/1744) reported regularly scheduled visits, 23.14% (402/1737) smoked, and 40.75% (705/1730) had pets. In addition, 91.89% (1598/1739) of participants had atopic predisposition, including allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Daily inhaled corticosteroid and oral corticosteroid treatment had been prescribed for 89.45% (1552/1735) and 22.07% (383/1735) of participants, respectively. Although an asthma control questionnaire demonstrated poor asthma control in 58.48% (1010/1727), a leukotriene receptor antagonist, theophylline, and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist had been prescribed for only 30.66% (532/1735), 15.91% (276/1735), and 4.38% (76/1735), respectively. The Adherence Starts with Knowledge 12 total score was 29. In the 421 participants who repeated the questionnaire, asthma control increased significantly between the initial and last rounds (P=.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Users of this mHealth app in Japan had poorly controlled asthma and may need more treatment for asthma and their comorbidities. Repeated app users demonstrated improved asthma control.

CLINICALTRIAL

UMIN Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000021043; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000023913.
Application of Computed Tomography Angiography Data Monitoring in Cerebral Glioma (Preprint)
Authors: Yu Yongmei , Du Zhaofeng , Yuan Changxin , Li Jian , Ardlee Bern
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Background: Glioma are tumors derived from neuroectodermal stromal cells and one of the most common malignant tumors of the brain.

OBJECTIVE

Objective：The objective is to understand the application of CT angiography in the proliferation of glioma cells more clearly and get more effective diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

METHODS

Methods：
The adult male healthy Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected as the research objects to construct the animal models. In addition, respective on the 7th day, 14th day, and the 21st day, the rats were submitted to CT scans. According to parameters and indicators such as cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), and time to peak (TTP), the stained cerebral tissues of rats at different time nodes were further analyzed.

RESULTS

Results:
The results of rat CT manifestation analysis and clinical analysis showed that with the time increased, the volume of the tumors in rats increased apparently, with symptoms such as listlessness appeared at the initial stage and hemiplegia appeared at the later stage. The comparative analysis results of CT parameters at different times nodes showed that in the same tumor area, before the 14th day, CBF, CBV, and TTP showed the increasing trends, which gradually decreased after the 14th day, with significant statistical difference (P<0.01). However, MTT showed a decreasing trend in general, which is not apparent. The results of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) staining of the tumor area, the peritumoral area, and the contralateral mirror area at different time nodes showed that the vascular endothelial cells, the smooth muscle cells of vessel walls, and the tumor cells were strongly positive. In addition, with the time increased, in the tumor area, the peripheral area, and the contralateral mirror area, the cells increased in both volume and quantity, showing significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Conclusion:
Therefore, through the research in this study, it is found that the computed tomography angiography data monitoring can reflect the angiogenesis of rat cerebral glioma.

CLINICALTRIAL
Clinical features, diagnosis, combine medicine treatment, epidemiological characteristics, and the therapy of 26 confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). (Preprint)
Authors: Jami Sayed Abdulla , Hao Liu Chang , Zhou Zhanwen , Das Niranta Kumar , Ahamed Danish , Tanvir M M Sohel
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Clinical features, diagnosis, medicine treatment, epidemiological characteristics, and the therapy of 26 confirmed cases were analyzed.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a scientific basis for formulating epidemic prevention with control strategies and measures.

METHODS

According to the Program of Investigation on Cases of Pneumonia Caused by Novel Coronavirus Infection in the fifth edition National Health Commission release guideline about Prevention, Treatment, and Control of Infection. An epidemiological survey, clinical features, treatment guidelines was conducted for the 26 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and have been treated in The General Hospital since Jan 2020.

RESULTS

The ratio of males and females were 3.25∶1. 25 cases of Han nationality of Chinese. 22 cases (84.62%) were more than 18 years old. There were 15 cases from the local area (57.69%), and 6 cases were from Hubei province (23.08%). There were 20(76.92%) cases of fever, 14(53.85%) cases of weakness, and 8(30.77%) cases of dry cough. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) therapy could help covid-19 patients overcome anxiety and sleep problems, which may give a boost in their mental strength to fight against this covid-19 during the staying isolation ward. Both the clinical results and quality of evidence will reveal for Ribavirin, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Moxifloxacin and Arbidol Hydrochloride combination with supportive drugs are probably major effective treatments in this study challenges that face frontline physicians who treat patients in a medical setting and evaluate prophylaxis for novel high-risk environments formed by large quarantined and isolated populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Most cases are male. The people aged more than 40 years old are the population group at high risk of the disease. Most of the early cases had a history of travel or business trips to Wuhan, and nearly 50% of cases were caused by living together and close contact. Different Combination drugs use for covid-19 are clinically successfully effective in published literature, including this study.
Turning the Crisis Into an Opportunity: Digital Health Strategies Deployed During the COVID-19 Outbreak (Preprint)
Authors: Pérez Sust Pol , Solans Oscar , Fajardo Joan Carles , Medina Peralta Manuel , Rodenas Pepi , Gabaldà Jordi , Garcia Eroles Luis , Comella Adrià , Velasco Muñoz César , Sallent Ribes Josuè , Roma Monfa Rosa , Piera-Jimenez Jordi
Published: April 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

Digital health technologies offer significant opportunities to reshape current health care systems. From the adoption of electronic medical records to mobile health apps and other disruptive technologies, digital health solutions have promised a better quality of care at a more sustainable cost. However, the widescale adoption of these solutions is lagging behind. The most adverse scenarios often provide an opportunity to develop and test the capacity of digital health technologies to increase the efficiency of health care systems. Catalonia (Northeast Spain) is one of the most advanced regions in terms of digital health adoption across Europe. The region has a long tradition of health information exchange in the public health care sector and is currently implementing an ambitious digital health strategy. In this viewpoint, we discuss the crucial role digital health solutions play during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to support public health policies. We also report on the strategies currently deployed at scale during the outbreak in Catalonia.
A Post Hoc Analysis of Statin Use in Tolvaptan Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Pivotal Trials
Authors: Shoaf Susan E. , Ouyang John , Sergeyeva Olga , Estilo Alvin , Li Hui , Leung Deborah
Published: April 2020

Background and objectives

Tolvaptan is approved to slow kidney function decline in adults with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) at risk of rapid progression. Because in vitro studies indicated that the tolvaptan oxobutyric acid metabolite inhibits organic anion–transporting polypeptide (OATP)1B1 and OATP1B3, United States prescribing information advises avoiding concurrent use with OATP1B1/1B3 substrates, including hepatic hydroxymethyl glutaryl–CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). This post hoc analysis of the pivotal phase 3 tolvaptan trials (Tolvaptan Efficacy and Safety in Management of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Its Outcomes [TEMPO] 3:4 trial [NCT00428948] and Replicating Evidence of Preserved Renal Function: an Investigation of Tolvaptan Safety and Efficacy in ADPKD [REPRISE] trial [NCT02160145]) examined the safety of concurrent tolvaptan/statin use.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

The trials randomized a combined total of 2815 subjects with early- to late-stage ADPKD to tolvaptan (n=1644) or placebo (n=1171) for 3 years (TEMPO 3:4) and 1 year (REPRISE). Statin use was unrestricted, and 597 subjects (21.2% overall; 332 [20.2%] tolvaptan, 265 [22.6%] placebo) received statins. Statin use (duration, dose change, statin change, permanent discontinuation), incidences of statin-related adverse events, and hepatic transaminase elevations were determined for subjects who received tolvaptan+statin, placebo+statin, tolvaptan alone, and placebo alone.

Results

No differences in statin use parameters between tolvaptan- and placebo-treated subjects were observed. No statistically significant increases in commonly reported statin-related adverse events (e.g., musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms) were seen between subjects receiving tolvaptan+statin and placebo+statin. For example, in TEMPO 3:4, frequencies were 5.4% and 7.8%, respectively, for myalgia (difference −2.4%; 95% confidence interval, −11.2% to 6.4%) and 9.3% and 7.8%, respectively, for abdominal pain (difference 1.5%; −7.9% to 10.9%). In an analysis that excluded participants concurrently using allopurinol, the frequency of alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase >3× upper limit of normal in the pooled study populations was 3.6% for the tolvaptan+statin group and 2.3% for the placebo+statin group (difference 1.4%; −2.0% to 4.7%).

Conclusions

Tolvaptan has been used safely in combination with statins in clinical trials.

Podcast

This article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2020_04_06_CJN.08170719.mp3
Darbepoetin Alfa in Patients with Advanced CKD without Diabetes: Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Hayashi Terumasa , Maruyama Shoichi , Nangaku Masaomi , Narita Ichiei , Hirakata Hideki , Tanabe Kenichiro , Morita Satoshi , Tsubakihara Yoshiharu , Imai Enyu , Akizawa Tadao ,   for the PREDICT Investigators
Published: April 2020

Background and objectives

Large, randomized, controlled trials targeting higher hemoglobin level with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for Western patients with CKD showed harm. However, the effect of anemia correction using erythropoiesis-stimulating agents may differ between CKD subpopulations. The Prevention of ESKD by Darbepoetin Alfa in CKD Patients with Non-diabetic Kidney Disease study, a multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group study, aimed to examine the effect of targeting hemoglobin levels of 11–13 g/dl using darbepoetin alfa with reference to a low-hemoglobin target of 9–11 g/dl on kidney outcome in patients with advanced CKD without diabetes in Japan.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

We enrolled 491 patients with CKD without diabetes, and an eGFR of 8–20 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Of these 491 patients, 239 and 240 were ultimately assigned to the high- and low-hemoglobin groups, respectively (12 patients were excluded). The primary outcome was a kidney composite end point (starting maintenance dialysis, kidney transplantation, eGFR≤6 ml/min per 1.73 m2, and 50% reduction in eGFR).

Results

Mean hemoglobin levels were 11.2±1.1 and 10.0±0.9 g/dl in the high- and low-hemoglobin groups, respectively, during the mean study period of 73.5±29.7 weeks. The kidney composite end point occurred in 105 (44%) and 116 (48%) patients in the high- and low-hemoglobin groups, respectively (log-rank test; P=0.32). The adjusted Cox proportional hazards model showed that the hazard ratio for the high- versus low-hemoglobin group was 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 1.03; P=0.08). Cardiovascular events occurred in 19 (8%) and 16 (7%) patients in each group, respectively, with no significant between-group difference (log-rank test; P=0.66).

Conclusions

Targeting a higher hemoglobin level (11–13 g/dl) with darbepoetin alfa did not improve kidney outcome compared with targeting a lower hemoglobin level (9–11 g/dl) in patients with advanced CKD without diabetes.

Clinical Trial registry name and registration number

Prevention of ESKD by Darbepoetin Alfa in CKD Patients with Non-diabetic Kidney Disease (PREDICT), NCT01581073.
Cálculo numérico de la matriz de flexibilidades de vigas de sección variable, con elementos finitos
Authors: Retama Velasco Jaime , Heras Cruz Ricardo
Published: April 2020

En este trabajo se derivan las propiedades de flexibilidad de elementos de una viga de sección variable, mediante la aplicación del segundo teorema de Castigliano, considerando la energía complementaria de deformación por flexión y cortante. Se propone la integración de los coeficientes de flexibilidad de forma numérica, por medio de una discretización del dominio, con elementos finitos rectangulares de primer orden. Al final, el método de cálculo propuesto se aplicará a la solución de una viga ahusada, discretizada con un máximo de cinco de elementos finitos. Se muestra que dicho procedimiento es general y se puede aplicar a vigas de sección variable, cuya sección transversal sea compleja, lo que permitirá obtener soluciones numéricas satisfactorias con tres elementos finitos para viga con una relación peralte-longitud del orden de diez.
Visiones del neoclásico en la Arquitectura
Authors: Pérez Ramos Yúmari
Published: April 2020

En la historia, el Neoclasicismo fue un parteaguas en las formas de vida de la humanidad, pero principalmente fue un movimiento estético que influyó de gran manera en el arte, la arquitectura y el urbanismo. Visiones del neoclásico en la Arquitectura ofrece una revisión desde esta disciplina en el continente americano, en particular, en dos países vecinos: México y Guatemala.

El libro es coordinado por Diana Ramiro Esteban y Luis Arnal Simón, ambos doctores en Arquitectura e investigadores del Centro de Investigaciones en Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Paisaje, de la Facultad de Arquitectura, de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Entre los coautores se incluyen eméritos, académicos, investigadores y estudiantes que conjugan sus conocimientos para recoger distintas interpretaciones y puntos de vista del neoclásico; ellos son Karim Chew, Xavier Cortés Rocha, Mario Ceballos, Verónica Carrera, Mario Ramírez de León, Martha Fernández, Isabel Cervantes, Ana López e Isis Isidoro y, junto con los coordinadores, son los ejecutores de esta obra.
La funcionalidad de lo ilegal en las experiencias de migrantes mexicanos
Authors: Fresneda Edel J.
Published: April 2020

Este artículo profundiza sobre el análisis de la ilegalidad en la migración desde la perspectiva migrante. Para ello, se analizaron prácticas históricas –usuales y asimiladas– en grupos seleccionados de migrantes mexicanos de acuerdo a su condición migratoria y lugar de asentamiento. La tesis que a continuación se expone es que esa ilegalidad tiene un carácter funcional para la reproducción de la trayectoria migrante. Se demuestra usando un análisis comparativo que las decisiones de los migrantes les permiten integrar sus trayectorias en dos contextos que evidencian un desarrollo desigual. Integración que determina la funcionalidad de sus actos de manera independiente a la existencia de políticas migratorias restrictivas en los contextos de Estado-nación.
Heterogeneidad laboral y procesos de empobrecimiento de los hogar en Argentina (2003-2017)
Authors: Poy Santiago
Published: April 2020

La persistencia de elevados niveles de pobreza en América Latina, luego de una década de retracción, reintroduce este tema en el centro de la agenda social regional. El presente artículo examina algunos factores que recrean la pobreza a partir del caso argentino. Mediante un diseño cuantitativo y técnicas multivariadas, se explora la incidencia de la heterogeneidad estructural del sistema ocupacional en la reproducción económica de los hogares bajo distintas fases político-económicas. Los resultados muestran la persistencia de fuertes inequidades en la estructura ocupacional –incluso tras un periodo de alto crecimiento– y la rigidez del patrón de distribución del ingreso laboral. La heterogeneidad de la estructura ocupacional condiciona las capacidades de reproducción de los hogares y provoca procesos selectivos de empobrecimiento.
Critical thinking skills of natural science undergraduate students on biology subject: Gender perspective
Authors: Hayati Nur , Berlianti Nindha Ayu
Published: April 2020

One of the most important skills needed to face the 21st-century challenges is critical thinking. Gender differences are considered to contribute to the critical thinking skills. The objective of this study was to determine students' critical thinking skills based on gender. This quantitative research involved 57 students of the Natural Sciences Education Study Program, Universitas Hasyim Asy’ari. The instrument employed was critical thinking skills test. The data was analyzed using independent samples t-test. The results showed that the average scores of critical thinking skills of male and female students were 2.60 and 2.99 respectively. In addition, there was significant difference of students’ critical thinking skills between male and female [t (55) = 2.065, p = 0.044]. In conclusion, female students tend to have the higher critical thinking skills than the male.
Vulnerability and Trust
Authors: Quepons Ignacio
Published: April 2020

The paper outlines an attempt at phenomenological description of two intermingled dimensions of human vulnerability. First, vulnerability understood as an essential dimension in the constitution of embodiment and second, vulnerability in regard to trust, as a form of emotive interpersonal disposition. In either case, vulnerability does not only refer to mere physical fragility but to the situational horizon where from emerge progressive anticipations of “possible harm”. According to this account, vulnerability appears as a practical horizon of emotional awareness of risk involving not only bodily fragility but a dimension of concrete existence of individual persons, namely, the intimate affectation of being harmed, injured or deprived or a practical aim. In this context the paper claims for a second and more radical sense of vulnerability that problematize the classical account of emotive protentionality, following Anthony Steinbock´s description of moral emotions. In this regard, vulnerability of trust involves an emotional risk and fragility that opens to consideration a dimension of human existence revealing human persons in their absolute and individual concreteness.
The Mission Education of Francis La Flesche: An American Indian Response to the Presbyterian Boarding School in the 1860s
Authors: Coleman Michael C.
Published: April 2020

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Roland Marchand's Advertising the American Dream: Making Way for Modernity, 1920-1940
Authors: Nye David
Published: April 2020

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Effect of Nonvisit Care on Resident Workload in a Family Medicine Residency
Authors: Jacobsen Vicki L. , Angstman Kurt B.
Published: April 2020

Background and Objectives: Primary care physicians can spend 24% of their ambulatory care work day on patient care duties outside the office visit (ie, nonvisit care [NVC]). Resident work hours must be performed within duty hour restrictions defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, making it crucial for program directors to understand how much time residents spend on NVC tasks. Little information is available on resident work hours dedicated to NVC generated in the continuity clinic. We designed this study to look at an objective measure of the time family medicine residents spend on NVC.
Methods: We collected and categorized from the electronic health record the NVC events completed by 22 family medicine residents in a rural residency training clinic over a 9-month period. With the use of an institutional time study performed in 2014, we identified the average amount of time required to complete a single event in each category of NVC.
Results: Residents spent a mean of 13.6 hours per month completing NVC, which was equivalent to 127.3 minutes of NVC per 100 empaneled patients per month for each resident.
Conclusions: This study quantified the amount of time residents spend on NVC, allowing program directors to plan curriculum so that residents can keep their work time within duty hour requirements.
Racism as Experienced by Physicians of Color in the Health Care Setting
Authors: Serafini Kelly , Coyer Caitlin , Brown Speights Joedrecka , Donovan Dennis , Guh Jessica , Washington Judy , Ainsworth Carla
Published: April 2020

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of racism experienced by physicians of color in the workplace.
Methods: We utilized a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, survey design. Seventy-one participants provided qualitative responses describing instances of racism from patients, colleagues, and their institutions. These responses were then coded in order to identify key domains and categories. Participants also completed quantitative measures of their professional quality of life and the incidence of microaggressions experienced while at work.
Results: We found that physicians of color were routinely exposed to instances of racism and discrimination while at work. Twenty-three percent of participants reported that a patient had directly refused their care specifically due to their race. Microaggressions experienced at work and symptoms of secondary traumatic stress were significantly correlated. The qualitative data revealed that a majority of participants experienced significant racism from their patients, colleagues, and institutions. Their ideas for improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace included providing spaces to openly discuss diversity work, constructing institutional policies that promote diversity, and creating intentional hiring practices that emphasize a more diverse workforce.
Conclusions: Physicians of color are likely to experience significant racism while providing health care in their workplace settings, and they are likely to feel unsupported by their institutions when these experiences occur. Institutions seeking a more equitable workplace environment should intentionally include diversity and inclusion as part of their effort.