bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology, antifungal susceptibility, risk factors, and mortality of persistent candidemia in adult patients in China: A multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Li Yanping , Gu Chenghong , Yang Yuling , Ding Yinhuan , Ye Caihong , Liu Jinbo , Zeng Zhangrui
Published: November 2022

Background: Data on persistent candidemia (PC), a recognized complication of candidemia, are lacking in China. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors for the mortality of PC among adults in China.
Methods: This 6-year retrospective study analyzed the prevalence, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility, risk factors, and patient mortality of PC among adults in three regional tertiary teaching hospitals in China from 2016 to 2021. PC was defined as the isolation of the same Candida species from positive blood culture for ≥5 days following the initiation of antifungal therapy.
Results: The definition of PC was fulfilled by 36 patients (13.7%, 36/263). The mean age of the patients was 59.9 years (60 years for patients with PC; 59.8 years for those with non-PC; P > 0.05), and 131 (60.1%) were men [16 with PC (44.4%), 115 with non-PC (63.2%), P < 0.05]. The mean annual incidence was 0.15/1000 admissions (including PC 0.03/1000 admissions vs non-PC 0.12/1000 admissions, P < 0.05). Candida parapsilosis(14/36, 38.9%) and Candida albicans (81/182, 44.5%) were the predominant pathogens in patients with PC and non-PC, respectively. Most isolates were susceptible to flucytosine (99.0%) and amphotericin B (99.5%), and the activity of antifungal agents against Candida species was not statistically significantly different between patients with PC and non-PC (P> 0.05). The 30-day mortality rate was 20.2% (16.7% with PC vs 20.9% with non-PC, P > 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis showed that use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and fluconazole were independent predictors of PC, sex (male) was the protective factor for PC. Respiratory dysfunction and length of hospital stay were independent predictors of 30-day mortality in patients with non-PC. C. tropicalis bloodstream infection (odds ratio, 12.642; 95% confidence interval, 1.059–150.951; P = 0.045) was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality in patients with PC.
Conclusions: The epidemiological data of patients with PC and non-PC were different in the distribution of Candida species, the mean annual incidence, and independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Flucytosine and amphotericin B could be used as first-choice drugs in the presence of PC infections.
Posterior Retroperitoneal versus Transperitoneal Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy in Adults: Results from the EUROCRINE ® Surgical Registry
Authors: Heede Klaas Van Den , Vatansever Safa , Girgin Tolga , Slycke Sam Van , Makay Özer
Published: November 2022

Purpose
This study aims to compare posterior retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy (PRLA) and laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenalectomy (LTA) in adults using pan-European data as conflicting results have been published regarding length of hospital stay, institutional volume, and morbidity.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the surgical registry EUROCRINE®. All patients undergoing PRLA and TLA for adrenal tumours and registered between 2015 and 2020 were included and compared for morbidity, length of hospital stay, and conversion to open surgery.
Results
A total of 2,660 patients from 11 different countries and 69 different hospitals were analyzed and 1,696 LTA were compared to 964 PRLA. Length of hospital stay was shorter after RPLA, with less patients (N=434, 45.5%, vs N=1094, 65.0%, p<0.001) staying more than 2 days. In total, 96 patients (3.6%) developed a complication Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher. No statistical difference was found between both study groups. After propensity score matching, length of hospital stay was shorter after PRLA (>2 days 45.2% vs 63.0%, p<0.001). After multivariable logistic regression, factors associated with morbidity were age (OR 1.03), male sex (OR 1.52), and conversion to open surgery (OR 5.73).
Conclusion
This study presents the largest retrospective observational analysis comparing LTA and PRLA. Our findings confirm the shorter length of hospital stay after PRLA. Both techniques are safe leading to comparable morbidity and conversion rates.
Multilevel Optimum Design of Double Rotor Brushless Flux-Switching Permanent Magnet Motor
Authors: Shirzad Ehsan , Shirzad Mohammad taghi
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes a brushless double mechanical port flux-switching permanent magnet motor (BDMPFSPMM) that this motor is used in fields of high power and hybrid electrical vehicles. In design of this motor is studied the purposes in order to useful and optimum motor design that this is dependent to choice of suitable design variables. Design purposes are maximum mean of torque for inner motor and outer motor and minimum ripple of torque for both of them, for realization this purposes is used genetic algorithm, so that, firstly for setting upper and lower band for all of variable parameters is used sensitive analysis then is used genetic algorithm to solve this problem. All of works is done with Maxwell software used Finite element method (FEM).
Dynamic Mechanism of Technology Innovation in Enterprise Based on Edge Cloud Computing Technology
Authors: Li Sicong , Cheng Zhiyu
Published: November 2022

With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and information technology, improving the technological innovation ability of enterprises is an important means to enhance their competitiveness in the capital market. As a vital driving force leading economic development, enterprise technological innovation can further promote the improvement of production efficiency and change the mode of economic growth while promoting the liberalization of international trade. In addition, the neural network model in the field of deep learning (DL) has significant application value in guiding the flow of enterprise funds and innovation. Therefore, according to the Back Propagation neural network (BPNN) model in DL, the problems of enterprise technological innovation and industrial structure reform from the theoretical level are explored. And each constituent element of the enterprise's technological innovation and dynamic mechanism, and the interaction between the elements are deeply studied. At the same time, based on the neural network model, through the deployment and architecture of the edge computing server, the delay of network data transmission is reduced. Through the analysis of different business scenarios of edge cloud computing platforms, the service resources of the base station management platform are optimized, and the transmission speed of the network data of the enterprise communication data system is greatly improved. Since the incentive mechanism model involves government, market, industry, and school, the realization path of the incentive mechanism model is discussed based on these four factors to realize the effective operation of the incentive mechanism. The results manifest that the government and market factors can promote the technological innovation and reform of enterprises, while the industry and school factors have no significant effect on the innovation of enterprises. The research has practical application value for promoting the economic development and technological innovation reform of enterprises. Moreover, the research has a guiding significance for the application of edge cloud computing technology in enterprise technology innovation.
PpSP32, Phlebotomus papatasi immunodominant salivary protein, exerts immunomodulatory effects on human monocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes
Authors: Souissi Cyrine , Marzouki Soumaya , Elbini-Dhouib Ines , Jebali Jed , Oliveira Fabiano , Valenzuela Jesus G. , Sra Najet , Kamhawi shaden , Ahmed Melika Ben
Published: November 2022

Background: The saliva of sand flies, vectors of Leishmaniaparasites,contains several components that exert pharmacological activities facilitating the acquisition of blood by the insect and contribute to the establishment of the infection.Previously, we demonstrated that PpSP32 is the immunodominant salivary antigen in humans exposed to Phlebotomus papatasibites and validated its usefulness as a predictive biomarker of the disease.PpSP32, whose functions are little known to date, is an intriguing protein due to its involvement in the etiopathogenesis of pemphigus, an auto-immune disease. Herein, we aimed to better decipher its role through the screening of several immunomodulatory activities either on lymphocytes or on monocytes/macrophages.
Methods: Peripheral mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers were stimulated with anti-CD3 / anti-CD28 antibodies, phytohemagglutinin, phorbol 12-myristate13-acetate / Ionomycin or lipopolysaccharide in the presence of increasing doses of PpSP32. Cell proliferation was measured after the addition of tritiated thymidine. Monocyte activation was tested by analyzing the expression of CD86 and HLA-DR molecules by flow cytometry. Cytokine production was analyzed in culture supernatants by ELISA. THP-1 derived macrophages were stimulated with LPS in the presence of increasing doses of PpSP32 and cytokine production was analyzed in culture supernatants by ELISA and multiplex technique. The effect of PpSP32 onNF-kB signaling was tested by Western blot. The anti-inflammatory activity of PpSP32 was assessed in vivo in an experimental inflammatory model, the carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats.
Results: Our data showed that PpSP32 down-modulated the expression of activation markers in LPS-stimulated monocytes and THP1-derived macrophages. This protein negatively modulated the secretion of Th1 and Th2 cytokines by human lymphocytes as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines by monocytes, and THP1-derived macrophages. PpSP32 treatment led to a dose-dependent reduction of theIκB phosphorylation. When PpSP32 was injected into the paw of carrageenan-injected rats, edema was significantly reduced.
Conclusions: Our data indicatesthat PpSP32 induces a potent immunomodulatory effect on monocytes and THP-1 derived macrophages. This inhibition could be mediated, among others, by the modulation of the NF-kB signaling pathway. The anti-inflammatory activity of PpSP32 was confirmed in vivo in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats.
BOUNCE: Memory-Efficient SIMD Approach for Lightweight Integer Compression
Authors: Hildebrandt Juliana , Habich Dirk , Lehner Wolfgang
Published: November 2022

Integer compression plays an important role in columnar database systems to reduce the main memory footprint as well as to speedup query processing. To keep the additional computational effort of (de)compression as low as possible, the powerful Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) extensions of modern CPUs are heavily applied. While a scalar compression algorithm usually compresses a block of N consecutive integers, the state-of-the-art SIMDified implementation scales the block size to k · N with k as the number of elements which could be simultaneously processed in an SIMD register. On the one hand, this scaling SIMD approach improves the performance of (de)compression but can lead to a degradation of the compression ratio compared to the scalar variant on the other hand. Within this article, we analyze this degradation effect for various integer compression algorithms and present a novel SIMD concept to overcome that effect. The core idea of our novel SIMD concept called BOUNCE is to concurrently compress k different blocks of size N within SIMD registers, guaranteeing the same compression ratio as scalar variant. As we are going to show, our proposed SIMD idea works well on various Intel CPUs and may offer a new generalized SIMD concept to optimize further algorithms.
Adaptive Update Handling for Graph HTAP
Authors: Jibril Muhammad Attahir , Baumstark Alexander , Sattler Kai-Uwe
Published: November 2022

Hybrid transactional/analytical processing (HTAP) workloads on graph data can significantly benefit from GPU accelerators. However, to exploit the full potential of GPU processing, dedicated graph representations are necessary, which mostly make in-place updates difficult. In this paper, we discuss an approach for adaptive handling of updates in a graph database system for HTAP workloads. We discuss and evaluate strategies for propagating transactional updates from an update-friendly table storage to a GPU-optimized sparse matrix format for analytics.
Dynamic Network Pruning Based on Expectation Scaling Factor
Authors: Sun Chuanmeng , Chen Jiaxin , Ma Tiehua , Li Xinyu , Wei Yu
Published: November 2022

Convolutional neural networks are limited by the large number of floating-point operations (FLOPs) and cannot be easily ported to edge devices. Popular pruning methods formulate a fixed pruning strategy with the assistance of the intrinsic attributes of the model, ignoring of the effect of the dataset on the pruning results. This study introduces the expectation scaling factor (δE) as the zero-order attribute of the channel, which reflects the expectation changing of the channel on the pixel distribution of the image dataset. This attribute establishes a connection between the input and output of the convolutional layer and reflects the overall information of the channels. Then, during the fine-tuning, we formulate a pruning strategy by observing the changes in δE to improve the adaptability of the pruned model to a specific dataset, and call this method DExp. Extensive experiments on representative image classification tasks reveal that DExp outper-forms mainstream methods. For example, with DExp, on CIFAR-10, the FLOPs of ResNet-56 are reduce by 53.99%, and the accuracy improved by 0.38%; on ILSVRC-2012, the FLOPs of ResNet-50 are reduced by 58.43%, and the Top-1 accuracy only loses by 1.15%. The code is available at: https://github.com/EXP-Pruning/DExp pruning.
Extracapsular Extension of Transitional Zone Prostate Cancer Miss-detected by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Chen Xin , Li Wei , Yang Jiajian , Huang Chen , Zhou Chenchao , Chen Yongchang , Lin Yuxin , Hou Jianquan , Huang Yuhua , Wei Xuedong
Published: November 2022

Objectives
To demonstrate the importance of extracapsular extension (ECE) of transitional zone (TZ) prostate cancer (PCa), examine the causes of its missed detection by Mp-MRI, and develop a new predictive model by integrating multi-level clinical variables.
Materials and Methods
This retrospective study included 304 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy after 12 + X needle transperineal transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-MRI-guided targeted prostate biopsy from 2018 to 2021 in our center was performed.
Results
In this study, the incidence rates of ECE were similar in patients with MRI lesions in the peripheral zone (PZ) and TZ (P = 0.66). However, the missed detection rate was higher in patients with TZ lesions than in those with PZ lesions (P < 0.05). These missed detections result in a higher positive surgical margin rate (P < 0.05). In patients with TZ lesions, detected MP-MRI ECE may have grey areas: the longest diameters of the MRI lesions were 16.5–23.5 mm; MRI lesion volumes were 0.63–2.51 ml; MRI lesion volume ratios were 2.75–8.86%; PSA were 13.85–23.05 ng/ml. LASSO regression was used to construct a clinical prediction model for predicting the risk of ECE in TZ lesions from the perspective of MRI and clinical features, including four variables: the longest diameter of MRI lesions, TZ pseudocapsule invasion, ISUP grading of biopsy pathology, and number of positive biopsy needles.
Conclusions
Patients with MRI lesions in the TZ have the same incidence of ECE as those with lesions in the PZ, but a higher missed detection rate.
Improving the performance status in Advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with Chemotherapy (ImPACt trial): a phase 2 study
Authors: Pathak Neha , Garg Rakesh , Khurana Sachin , Kumar Sudhir , Kumar Akash , Pushpam Deepam , Khan Maroof Ahmad , Mohan Anant , Pathy Sushmita , Yadav Mukesh , Prasad Chandra Prakash , Malik Prabhat Singh
Published: November 2022

Purpose
This phase II trial is designed to test whether the performance status(PS) of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer(mNSCLC) patients(pts) can improve with chemotherapy if their poor PS(Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group(ECOG)PS of ≥ 2) is due to disease burden rather than comorbidities.
Methods
Age18-65 years, Charlson’s comorbidity index < 9, serum albumin ≥ 3.5g/dl, adequate bone marrow and organ function, & ECOG PS ≥ 2 as judged by the worst score of three independent physicians were administered 3 doses of weekly paclitaxel at 60mg/m2/dose. The primary endpoint was an improvement in ECOG PS by 1 point at 4 weeks; others: toxicity (CTCAE v 5.0), quality of life(QoL)assessment at baseline and 4 weeks by EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-LC13. Optimal Simon’s 2-stage design was used.
Results
Forty-six patients were included with a median age of 56years(interquartile range, IQR 54–59), 12(26%) had comorbid conditions, and 87% with ECOG PS 3/4. PS improved in 11 pts at 4 weeks and in 7 beyond this time point. Grade 3/4 toxicities are seen in 20%(most common: anemia and diarrhea). At a median follow-up of 4.8m (95% CI: 3.27–14.9), the median progression-free survival & overall survival were 3.3 months (95% CI: 2.36–5.6) & 6.8months (95% CI 2.47–8.8),respectively. QoL improved for global QoL, role functioning, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, pain in chest, pain in other parts, & worsened for alopecia and sore mouth.
Conclusions
Abbreviated chemotherapy is a useful, well-tolerated strategy in carefully selected poor PS mNSCLC patients that can improve PS and QoL. Clinical trial information: CTRI/2020/01/022617.
The American epic novel in the ulyssean tradition
Authors:   , Steinhilber Dominik
Published: November 2022

James Joyce's Ulysses is treated as one of the most influential, paradigmatic texts of high modernism. Novels like Thomas Pynchon’s 1973 Gravity’s Rainbow and David Foster Wallace’s 1996 Infinite Jest, which equally raise claims to being the paradigms of their respective time, are perpetually compared to and measured against Joyce’s epic novel. However, novels like Ulysses, Gravity’s Rainbow and Infinite Jest are usually either grouped together due to their length, complexity and importance, to examine direct allusions in the texts or analyse a rather general “style” or to conversely stress the novels’ singularity and autonomy. I argue that not only can Joyce’s Ulysses, Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow and Wallace’s Infinite Jest be meaningfully put in relation to one another but that their singularity and paradigmatic status in 20th century literature should be understood through the relationality of a Ulyssean Tradition. Novels like Gravity’s Rainbow and Infinite Jest can be fruitfully read in a Ulyssean Tradition. Their singular, paradigmatic aesthetic projects emerge from a reciprocal dialogue with Ulysses in their self-inscription into a Ulyssean Tradition. The intertextual connection of this Ulyssean Tradition is integrally constitutive of the autonomy through which these novels claim the status of singular representations of their respective human condition and thus epic paradigms of a new way of writing the world. By positioning themselves in the literary field alongside Ulysses as the received paradigm of modernism, Wallace in Infinite Jest and Pynchon in Gravity’s Rainbow legitimize their own, independent project and their own claims to paradigmaticness. The Ulyssean Tradition thereby becomes not only a way of writing,a nd this study not merely a study of literary influence, but also a way of reading that can generate new, independent readings through the relationality of a Ulyssean Tradition
Wir sind, wir sind zur Stelle – Die Syntax, Semantik und Pragmatik rhetorischer Wiederholungsfiguren: Anadiplose und Geminatio in Gedichten
Authors: Engelberg Stefan
Published: November 2022

Lexikalische Wiederholungen nehmen in der Lehre von den rhetorischen Stilfiguren viel Raum ein; in der Linguistik des schriftsprachlichen Deutsch spielen sie dagegen kaum ein Rolle. Die Arbeit überprüft, inwieweit sich die Funktionsweise zweier Figuren der meist unmittelbaren Ausdruckswiederholung, der Geminatio und der Anadiplose, auf der Basis von Standardannahmen zur Syntax, Semantik und Pragmatik des Deutschen erklären lässt.

Zugrunde liegt der Arbeit eine Sammlung von über 700 Instanzen der Geminatio und Anadiplose aus deutschsprachigen Gedichten des 17. bis 21. Jahrhunderts. Es wird daran gezeigt, wie die Geminatio unter Ausnutzung von satztopologischen und NP-internen Positionierungen und darauf aufbauenden bedeutungskompositionellen und implikaturenbasierten Prozessen der Bedeutungkonstitution zum ikonischen Ausdruck der Gradierung von Eigenschaften dient. Die Anadiplose wiederum entpuppt sich als Mittel zur Hervorhebung von Themen und Propositionen, die pragmatisch und informationsstrukturell auf ihrer Einbindung in Herausstellungskonstruktionen und Satzverknüpfungen gründet.

Damit liefern die beiden rhetorischen Figuren kaum Argumente für die Abweichungstheorie literarischer Sprache, derzufolge die Sprachverwendung in literarischen und insbesondere lyrischen Texten oft nicht den Regeln und dem Usus des nicht-literarischen Deutsch folgt. Die Funktionsweise der Geminatio und der Anadiplose ist gut in das syntaktische, semantische und pragmatische System des Deutschen eingebunden. Insbesondere die Geminatio zeigt dabei in Gedichten auch deutliche Parallelen zu entsprechenden Phänomenen im gesprochenen Deutsch.
Adult Personality and Its Relationship with Stress Level, Coping Mechanism and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Nursing Students
Authors:   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mohamed Zainah , Jit Singh Gurbinder Kaur ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dediwadon Nurulain Shafiqah: ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mohamad Saleh Nurul Akma ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jupri Nazzatul Nabilah ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ganesan Yashnavee ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Published: November 2022

Background: Stress related to nursing education and clinical placement encounters by students since the beginning of their nursing course has been an issue of concern. This study aims to examine the prevalence of adult personality traits and their relationship with stress levels, coping mechanisms and academic performance among nursing students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 92 nursing students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The Big Five Inventory (BFI), Student Nurse Stress Index and Brief COPE instruments were used to measure the respondents’ personality traits, stress level and coping mechanisms, respectively. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 26. Results: The most prevalent personality trait of the students was openness (mean = 33.58). Conscientiousness (r = –0.226, P = 0.030) and neuroticism (r = 0.326, P = 0.002) are significantly related to stress level. Extraversion (r = 0.219, P = 0.036), conscientiousness (r = 0.206, P = 0.049) and openness (r = 0.219, P = 0.036) show significant relationships with the approach coping mechanism, while agreeableness (r = –0.257, P = 0.013) and neuroticism (r = 0.297, P = 0.004) show significant relationships with the avoidant coping mechanism. However, no significant relationship was noted between personality traits and academic performance (r = 1.000, P > 0.05). Conclusion: Knowledge of ones’ personality traits may benefit students in understanding themselves and in using the best ways to cope with their stress while studying nursing.
Application of the Logic Model to the School-Based Fit and Smart Adolescent Smoking Cessation Programme
Authors:   Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Abdul Halim Nur Atikah , Wee Lei Hum ,   Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,   School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Taylor's University, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd Saat Nur Zakiah ,   Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jit Singh Swinderjit Jag ,   National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ching Sin Siau ,   Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Caryn Mei Hsien Chan ,   Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Published: November 2022

Background: School-based smoking cessation intervention programmes are challenging to implement and evaluate. This study aimed to explain the process of developing the Fit and Smart Adolescent Smoking Cessation Programme (FSSCP). Logic model is a visual tool that helps programme planners to create an activity action plan that suits the target group to achieve programme objectives and goals. Methods: This two-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial was implemented between January 2018 and November 2018. Six schools were selected using stratified random sampling, whereby students were purposively selected and invited. The criteria of inclusion to the programme were secondary school students (aged 13 years old–17 years old) who smoked conventional cigarettes (CC) and electronic cigarettes (EC). Results: A total of 422 students from six schools participated in this study. Three schools were designated as intervention (n = 250) and the other three as control schools (n = 172). Formative evaluation of participants in the FSSCP using the logic model showed that participants were satisfied with the overall programme (91.5%), were motivated to stop smoking (90.4%) and were prevented from relapse (89.2%). The quit rate at a 3-month follow-up was 41.8%. Conclusion: The logic model supported the development of the programme, with details on the processes, dissemination activities, identification of barriers, evaluation criteria and outcomes provided.
Adequacy of Empiric Antibiotics Therapy and Its Impact on Outcomes in Adult Critically Ill Sepsis Patients: A Review
Authors:   Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, Al-Ani Ahmad Habeeb Hattab Dala Ali ,   College of Pharmacy, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Othman Noordin ,   Department of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia,   Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Management and Science University, Selangor, Malaysia, Hassali Mohamed Azmi ,   Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, Ibrahim Baharudin ,   Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Published: November 2022

Sepsis is a medical emergency that involves a systemic immunological response due to an infection, resulting in the end-stage-organs malfunction and death. It is associated with high mortality rate despite a better understanding of the disease pathology and the mechanism involved. This review was designed to summarise the available evidences regarding the adequacy of the empiric antimicrobial therapy (EAMT), its predictors and its impact on the outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) sepsis patients. Providing an adequate EAMT is considered one of the cornerstones of sepsis management as it has been found to be associated with better survival and is a good predictor for shorter ICU-length-of-stay. In contrast, inadequate EAMT in sepsis patients is associated with poor clinical outcomes including increased mortality and prolonged hospital stay. Evidence from this review suggest that it is important to identify determinants of inadequate EAMT to optimise the antimicrobial therapy provided to sepsis patients. Predictors of inadequate EAMT included co-morbidities (cancer), source and type of infection, higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHI-II) score and long hospital stay prior to the infection. As EAMT is considered as one of the effective treatment strategies to prevent sepsis associated death, healthcare providers should ensure the adequate antimicrobial therapy is provided for sepsis patients to improve and optimise their management.
Method Verification of the Caretium XC-A30 Automated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Analyser for Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
Authors:   Faculty of Medical Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand, Khongwichit Soemwit , Saelim Menapha ,   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand, Na-Songkhla Yanisa ,   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand, Buncherd Hansuk ,   Faculty of Medical Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand, Nopparatana Chawadee ,   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand, Srinoun Kanitta ,   Faculty of Medical Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
Published: November 2022

Background: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) analyser is widely used in haematological testing. In addition to the Westergren method, new automatic methods for ESR measurements have been developed. We aimed to study the reliability, precision, accuracy and stability of the Caretium XC-A30 automated ESR analyser. Methods: Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-treated blood samples were analysed via the Caretium XC-A30 automated ESR analyser and the Westergren method to compare accuracy. Precision was assessed using control samples and patient samples were classified into three groups—low, medium and high—according to their rates of sedimentation. Moreover, a stability test was performed. Results: The correlation coefficient of the results of the Caretium XC-A30 and Westergren analyses was 0.97. The correlation coefficient of ESR values obtained from the two methods assessed in the low, medium and high groups were r = 0.80, r = 0.68 and r = 0.74, respectively. The coefficient of variation of within-run (%CVw) and between-run (%CVb), with replicates performed with commercial controls samples, were 7.54% and 8.04% for the normal control and 4.68% and 3.50% for abnormal control, respectively. The %CVw obtained with patient samples in the low, medium and high groups were 10.68%, 13.13% and 4.45%, respectively. The Caretium XC-A30 measurements were stable for up to 24 h when samples were stored at 4 °C. Conclusion: The Caretium XC-A30 ESR analyser proved to be a suitable instrument for routine analysis of ESR.
Slyudyankaite, Na28Ca4(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6(S6)1/3(CO2)·2H2O, a new sodalite-group mineral from the Malo-Bystrinskoe lazurite deposit, Baikal Lake area, Russia
Authors: Sapozhnikov Anatoly N. , Bolotina Nadezhda B. , Chukanov Nikita V. , Shendrik Roman Yu. , Kaneva Ekaterina V. , Vigasina Marina F. , Ivanova Larisa A. , Tauson Vladimir L. , Lipko Sergey V.
Published: November 2022

The new sodalite-group mineral species slyudyankaite, ideally Na28Ca4(Si24Al24O96) (SO4)6(S6)1/3(CO2)·2H2O, was discovered in altered lazurite-bearing metasomatic rock at the Malo-Bystrinskoe gem lazurite deposit, Baikal Lake area, eastern Siberia, Russia. The associated minerals are diopside, calcite, fluorapatite, phlogopite, lazurite, and pyrite. Slyudyankaite forms green to pale blue isolated anhedral equant grains up to 0.5 cm across and their aggregates. The streak is white and the luster is vitreous. Slyudyankaite is brittle, with a Mohs hardness of 5½. Cleavage and parting are not observed. Density measured by flotation in heavy liquids is equal to 2.46(2) g·cm–3. Density, calculated using the empirical formula and unit-cell volume refined from single-crystal XRD data, is 2.454 g·cm–3. Slyudyankaite was characterized using the IR, Raman, ESR, near infrared (NIR), visible (Vis), and ultraviolet (UV) absorption, XPS and photoluminescence spectroscopy methods. The chemical composition is (wt%, electron microprobe, H2O and CO2 determined by selective sorption of ignition products, CO2 confirmed by quantitative IR spectroscopic method, sulfate sulfur determined by wet chemical analysis): Na2O 19.28, K2O 0.12, CaO 5.13, Al2O3 27.01, SiO2 33.25, SO3 10.94, S 1.75, Cl 0.10, CO2 1.42, H2O 0.90, –O≡(Cl,HS) –0.03, total 99.87. The empirical formula is Na27.57Ca4.05 K0.11(Si24.52Al23.48O96)(SO4)6.06S2.420Cl0.12(CO2)1.43·2.21H2O where S2.420 is the total sulfide sulfur, mainly occurring as neutral S6 and subordinate S4 molecules, according to the structural data. XPS spectroscopy confirms the presence of sulfide sulfur in neutral form. The crystal structure was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R = 0.0428. Slyudyankaite is triclinic, space group P1, a = 9.0523(4) Å, b = 12.8806(6) Å, c = 25.681(1) Å, α = 89.988(2)°, β = 90.052(1)°, γ = 90.221(1)°, V = 2994.4(2) Å3, Z = 1. Slyudyankaite contains two kinds of sodalite cages occurring in the structure in a ratio of 3:1. Cages of the first kind are completely occupied by SO42− anions and extra-framework cations, whereas cages of the second type contain only neutral molecules (S6, CO2, H2O, and minor S4). The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 6.45 (11) (004, 112, 020), 3.716 (100) (204, 220, 116, 132), 2.878 (12) (136, 028, 044), 2.625 (23) (208, 240), 2.431 (6) (209), 2.275 (6) (048), 2.143 (12) (0.0.12, 336), 1.784 (7) (444, 1.1.14, 356, 172).
Analisis Pengaruh Digital Divide Terhadap User Satisfaction dan Individual Performance pada Pengguna Sistem Informasi Akademik
Authors: Setifani Niken Ayu , Rolliawati Dwi , Wahyudi Noor
Published: November 2022

Since the pandemic, various sectors have shifted their online activities, which have also been applied to education, specifically in universities. Universities have individuals with different conditions, which encourages the management to provide information systems that support the implementation of activities at these universities. Not only learning activities but also academic administration is generally known as the Academic Information System (AIS). AIS was implemented at the Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health in Surabaya, labelled Academic Management Information System (SIM Akademik). This polytechnic has campuses spread across several cities in East Java. Each campus has different resources, thus supporting the digital divide. This study’s objective was to determine the effect of the digital divide, user satisfaction, and individual performance of Academic SIM users. These examine could develop the theory of the three variables and determine the digital range between campuses and user satisfaction. According to the results of three hypotheses tested using PLS-SEM with the Disjoint Two-Step Approach method, the digital divide had a significant positive effect on user satisfaction, the same as user satisfaction on individual performance. The digital divide had a positive, however not statistically significant, impact on individual performance. Furthermore, there was a digital divide between campuses in two aspects of measurement, and academic SIM user satisfaction is greater than 85% in all aspects of size. Employees experience the most significant performance improvement when using Academic SIMs, followed by students at 85,76 % and lecturers at 79,44 %.
Etička, pravna i lingvistička propitivanja položaja zatočenih životinja u zoološkim vrtovima
Authors: Bakota Boris , Bakota Lidija
Published: November 2022

Među mnogobrojnim primjerima čovjekove specističke pristranosti prema pripadnicima vlastite vrste, predrasudama i zanemarivanjima pripadnika članova drugih vrsta, u radu se držanje životinja u zatočeništvima zooloških vrtova najprije razmatra kao primjer specističke djelatnosti. Zatim, opisuju se zakonsko-pravni okviri pružanja zaštite životinja, s posebnim osvrtom na prekršajne i kaznene prijave glede zanemarivanja i/ili zlostavljanja životinja te njihova eutanaziranja u zoo-vrtovima. Iako je osnivanje i rad zooloških vrtova zakonski regulirano, kao i zaštita životinja u njima, u radu je pomnim iščitavanjem zakonskih regulativa potvrđena Viskovićeva misao da ni u najbogatijim društvima nema »zbiljske moralne i pravne discipline u držanju i izlaganju zatočene faune«. Zbog toga se u radu specistička uvjerenja o opravdanosti postojanja zooloških vrtova preispituju moralno-etički. Na tom će se tragu specizam ogledati i u zlonamjernim jezičnim konstruktima potvrđenim u semantičkom polju zoološki vrt u hrvatskome jeziku.
A Influência de Países Colonizadores nos Indicadores Econômicos e Sociais dos Seus Colonizados
Authors: David António Luísa da Anunciação , Cruz June Alisson Westarb , Costa Manuel Janice Alexandra , Quadros Weymer Alex Sandro , Ribeiro Serra Fernando Antonio
Published: November 2022

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a influência das colônias de Portugal, Espanha e Inglaterra no desenvolvimento dos países por eles colonizados. Para atingir esse objetivo, foi realizada uma regressão linear múltipla a partir de dados públicos institucionais com foco em indicadores econômicos e sociais que, após o cumprimento dos pressupostos da análise fatorial, evidenciou a relação insipiente entre Colonizador e o Desenvolvimento Social e Econômico. Embora os resultados para a variável D.S propiciaram pouco poder de explicação a partir colonizador, exceto no caso da Espanha, a análise de regressão para a variável D.E, indicou que, mesmo de forma limitada, Portugal é o país que têm maior relação com desempenho econômico dos países colonizados. O respaldo teórico deste estudo sugere que a compreensão mais aprofundada da relação entre as variáveis analisadas, deve levar em consideração o contexto histórico, especialmente no que tange ao modelo de administração colonial aplicado pelas potências europeias, denominados “Indirect Rule” e “Direct Rule”, que têm relação com a capacidade dos países colonizados de potencializar e consolidar seus desenvolvimentos.
O Plano Nacional de Educação (PNE) e o ensino superior entre as regiões brasileiras
Authors: Trombini Duarte Michelle Matilde Semiguen Lima , Da Rocha Monica Aparecida , Lima Fernando Silva
Published: November 2022

O Plano Nacional de Educação (PNE) 2014-2024 prevê como uma das metas para o Ensino Superior, elevar a taxa bruta de matrícula, em especial no segmento público. Ao se observar, contudo, os dados relativos ao cumprimento dessa meta, constata-se um contexto de desigualdade regional na educação superior brasileira, notadamente mais expressivo na Região Norte do país. A história e os modelos de universidades são utilizados como importantes fontes de investigação para refletir sobre a atualidade do Ensino Superior. Essa pesquisa caracteriza-se como exploratória e descritiva, e foi realizada por meio do levantamento bibliográfico e documental, com uma abordagem quali-quantitativa. Como resultado, foi demonstrada a existência de heterogeneidades entre as regiões do país bem como a necessidade de criação de políticas públicas que possibilitem a ampliação do acesso na perspectiva da democratização, combatendo a desigualdade regional da educação superior no país. Ademais, é importante considerar a necessidade da contenção do crescimento do setor privado e da expansão do setor público a fim de equalizar essas assimetrias.
Modeling of the oxygen aeration performance efficiency of gabion spillways
Authors: Srinivas Rathod , Tiwari N. K.
Published: November 2022

The current paper discussed the application and comparison of machine learning algorithms such as the gradient boosting machine (GBM), neural network (NN), and deep neural network (DNN) in estimating the oxygen aeration performance efficiency (OAPE20) of the gabion spillways. Besides, traditional equations, namely developed multivariable linear regression (MLR) and multivariable nonlinear regression (MNLR) along with the previous models were also employed in estimating OAPE20 of the gabion spillways. Results in the testing phase showed that the DNN with the highest value of correlation (correlation of coefficient (CC) = 0.9713) and lowest values of errors (root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.1684, mean squared error (MSE) = 0.0283, and mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.1532) demonstrated the best results in estimating OAPE20 of the gabion spillways; however, other applied models such as GBM, NN, MLR, and MNLR were giving comparable results evaluated to statistical appraisal metrics, but previous studies were performing incredibly poor with the lowest value of correlation and highest values of errors. The datasets employed here were collected by conducting experiments. From the relative significance of input parameters, the Reynolds number (Re) was observed to be a crucial parameter. At the same time, the ratio of the mean size gabion materials to the length of the gabion spillway (d50/L) had the least impact over the OAPE20 of the gabion spillways.
Regression modeling of combined sewer overflows to assess system performance
Authors: A. Bizer Matthew , Kirchhoff Christine J.
Published: November 2022

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur when untreated raw sewage mixed with rainwater, runoff, or snowmelt is released during or after a storm in any community with a combined sewer system (CSS). Climate change makes CSOs worse in many locales; as the frequency and severity of wet weather events increases, so do the frequency and volume of CSO events. CSOs pose risks to humans and the environment, and as such, CSS communities are under regulatory pressure to reduce CSOs. Yet, CSS communities lack the tools needed, such as performance indicators, to assess CSS performance. Using the city of Cumberland, Maryland as a case study, we use public data on CSOs and precipitation over a span of 16 years to identify a new critical rainfall intensity threshold that triggers likely CSO incidence, and a multiple linear regression model to predict CSO volume using rainfall event characteristics. Together, this indicator and modeling approach can help CSS communities assess the performance of their CSS over time, especially to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to reduce CSOs.
A novel carbonized derivative of Fe-Cu bimetallic organic framework (Fe-Cu-MOF@C): preparation and optimization
Authors: Guo Shengxuan , Ren Dajun , Huang Yongwei , Wang Zhaobo , Zhang Shuqin , Zhang Xiaoqing , Gong Xiangyi
Published: November 2022

A carbon derivative with Fe-Cu bimetallic organic framework (Fe-Cu-MOF@C) was prepared by microwave synthesis and pyrolysis. Using potassium persulfate (PS) as oxidant and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) as target pollutant, the optimal preparation conditions of Fe-Cu-MOF@C were studied. The factors affecting the synthesis of Fe-Cu-MOF include microwave power, microwave time, microwave temperature, the molar ratio of metal ions to organic ligands, the molar ratio of iron and copper, etc. In addition, the influence of pyrolysis temperature on the performance of Fe-Cu-MOF@C cannot be ignored. The results show that Fe-Cu-MOF@C has the best catalytic performance when the microwave time is 30 min, the microwave power is 600 W, the microwave temperature is 150 °C, the molar ratio of (Fe2+ + Cu2+)/H2BDC is 10:3, the molar ratio of Fe2+/Cu2+ is 10:1, and the pyrolysis temperature is 700 °C. After 90 min of reaction, 2,4-DCP was completely removed. Repeatable experiments show that Fe-Cu-MOF@C has good stability and its service life can be restored by heat treatment. In this study, a heterogeneous catalyst with strong catalytic capacity, high stability and easy recovery was prepared by a simple and efficient process, which is conducive to the development of advanced oxidation technology and the progress of water environmental protection.
‘Indo direto ao assunto’
Authors: Tiradentes Rodrigo , Mouta Marques Priscilla
Published: November 2022

Neste artigo, apresentamos uma análise da construção com adjetivo adverbial de sentido qualitativo. Adotando a perspectiva teórica da Linguística Funcional Centrada no Uso (LFCU), propomos que o verbo e o adjetivo adverbial sejam conceptualizados e instanciados em conjunto, compondo um único pareamento forma-sentido (TRAUGOTT; TROUSDALE, 2013; GOLDBERG, 2019). Interessa-nos, portanto, depreender a configuração da construção [V AA]Qualit, com base na investigação de suas propriedades formais, semânticas, discursivo-pragmáticas e contextuais, em análise quali-quantitativa. Os dados foram coletados nos corpora Corpus do Português e C-Oral-Brasil e correspondem ao português brasileiro contemporâneo. Nossa análise demonstra que tal construção tende a ser formada por um verbo intransitivo ou em uso intransitivo, principalmente de sentido material, seguido imediatamente de um adjetivo mais abstrato, de diferentes tipos semânticos. Além disso, os resultados indicam que a construção é mais vinculada à estrutura informacional de foco exclusivo e é mais frequente em textos mais informais e prototipicamente orais.
Piezoelectric Thin Films and their Applications
Authors: Rizwan M.
Published: November 2022

Lead free piezoelectric thin films are very pivotal in technological applications. There has been a tremendous amount of research in the lead free piezoelectric thin films. KNN and ZnO piezoelectric thin films are very crucial in the miniaturization of piezoelectric devices. Characterization methods for piezoelectric thin films such as resonant spectrum method and pneumatic loading method are briefly deliberated here. Piezoelectric thin films provide several advantages in various applications such as highly sensitive sensors, large displacements and low voltage actuators. All applications of piezoelectric materials exhibit a high piezoelectric coefficient, insight into future outlook and integration for real-world applications is deliberated here.
Contemporary Jewish Homiletics: Some Key Component
Authors: Marmur Michael
Published: November 2022

This article deals with the derasha, the Jewish sermon and offers an inventory of the key dimensions of the Jewish sermon as practiced today and in the past from a reformed Jewish perspective. It shows its connection to the particular moment, its functions (further distinguished as contextual, intentional, educational, and symbolic), its message, sources, structure, and the techniques involved in its delivery and gives a brief example of one of the author’s own derashot from July 2015.
The Practice of Homiletical Theology in a Confessional Mode: An Interim Report on the Homiletical Theology Project
Authors: Jacobsen David Schnasa
Published: November 2022

Preachers rightly fret about getting from text to sermon, but their commission is to go preach the gospel. While homiletical theology generally is focused on seeing preaching as a theological task focused on the “gospel in context,” confessional homiletical theology, as a particular type, considers preaching to be a theological enterprise centered on the gospel and brought into critical dialogue with texts, contexts, and situations. Consistent with the position of André Resner, who argues preachers start this dialogue from a “working gospel,” this article explores how this confessional, working gospel as theological habitus then dialogues critically with texts, contexts and situations reflectively and critically so the gospel might be heard for the life of the church and for the sake of the world that God so loves.