bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pattern of peer review proforma of medical journals of Pakistan
Authors: Shah Faaiz Ali , Ali Mian Amjad , Nazar Zahid , Rasheed Haroon Ur
Published: June 2019

Objective: To analyze the contents and format of peer review proforma of Medical journals of Pakistan.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Lady reading Hospital Peshawar Pakistan from 3rd August 2018 to 9th February 2019. An email was sent to the chief editors of all the medical journals listed on the official website (www.pmdc.org.pk) of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC). They were requested to send peer review proformas of their journals. The received proformas were analyzed for major contents and format or style. The proforma had a structured format when each portion of the manuscript i.e, title, abstract, key words, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion and references were individually sectioned for evaluation. Whereas in the unstructured proformas the reviewer was asked to assess the manuscript as a whole.

Results: We received 41 proformas via emails. Majority (82.9%) of the proformas were structured while 17% were unstructured. A scoring or rating system for the manuscript was present in 31.7% of the proformas while 43.9% of the proformas were without any scoring system. Guidelines for the peer reviewers were given in 58.5% of the proformas. The peer review policy (closed or open) was mentioned in only 7.3%. About 9.7% of the proformas asked the reviewers to disclose conflict of interests.

Conclusion: A spectrum of contents and format of peer review proformas of medical journals were observed. We found structured peer review proforma with a scoring scale comprehensive and more appropriate for peer review.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.713

How to cite this:Shah FA, Ali MA, Nazar Z, Haroon Ur Rasheed. Pattern of peer review proforma of medical journals of Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(4):1013-1017. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.713

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Rice plants reduce methane emissions in high-emitting paddies
Authors: Oda Masato , Chiem Nguyen Huu
Published: June 2019

Background: Rice is understood to enhance methane emissions from paddy fields in IPCC guidelines. However, rice actually has two separate functions related to methane: i) emission enhancement, such as by providing emission pathways (aerenchyma) and methanogenetic substrates; and ii) emission suppression by providing oxygen pathways, which suppress methanogenesis or enhance methane oxidation. The overall role of rice is thus determined by the balance between its enhancing and suppressing functions. Although previous studies have suggested that rice enhances total methane emissions, we aimed to demonstrate in high-emitting paddy fields that the overall methane emission is decreased by rice plants.

Methods: We compared methane emissions of with and without rice plants in triple cropping rice paddies in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The gas samples are collected using chamber method and ware analyzed by gas chromatography.

Results: We found that rice, in fact, suppressed overall methane emissions in high-emitting paddies. The emission reductions increased with the growth of rice to the maximum tillering stage, then decreased after the heading stage, and finally recovered. 

Discussion:  Our result indicates that the overall methane emission by ebullition is larger than the overall emission of rice planted area. In addition, although many studies in standard-emitting paddies have found that the contribution of soil organic matter to methanogenesis is small, our results in high-emitting paddies suggest that methanogenesis depended mainly on soil organic matter accumulated from past crops. The higher the methane emission level, the lower the contribution of the rice-derived substrate; therefore, the role of rice in high-emitting paddies is the opposite to in that of standard-emitting paddies.

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that during the growing season, rice is suppressing methane emissions in high-emitting paddies. This means the significance of using the rice variety which has high suppressing performance in high-emitting paddies.
Large-scale analysis of B-cell epitopes of envelope: Implications for Zika vaccine and immunotherapeutic development
Authors: Almansour Iman , Alfares Rahaf , Aljofi Halah
Published: June 2019

Background:Cases of the re-emergence of Zika virus in 2015 were associated with severe neurologic complications, including Gillien-Barre syndrome in adults and congenital Zika syndrome in newborns. The major structural determinant of immunity to the Zika virus is the E protein. Although B-cell epitopes of Zika E protein were recently identified, data regarding epitope variations among Zika strains in pre-epidemic and epidemic periods are lacking.

Methods:Here, we conducted systematic bioinformatics analyses of Zika strains isolated between 1968 and 2017. Multiple sequence alignment of E protein as well as B-cell epitopes annotations were performed. In addition, homology-based approach was utilized to construct three-dimensional structures of monomeric E glycoproteins to annotate epitope variations. Lastly, prediction of ofN-glycosylation patterns and prediction of protein stability upon mutations were also investigated.

Results:Our analyses indicates that epitopes recognized by human mAbs ZIKV-117, ZIKV-15, and ZIKV-19 were highly conserved, suggesting as attractive targets for the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutics directed against diverse Zika strains. In addition, the epitope recognized by ZIKV-E-2A10G6 mAb derived from immunized mice was mostly conserved across Zika strains.

Conclusions:Our data provide new insights regarding antigenic similarities between Zika strains circulating worldwide. These data are essential for understanding the impact of evolution on antigenic cross-reactivity between Zika lineages and strains. Furtherin-vitroanalyses are needed to determine how mutationsat predefined epitopes could impact the development of vaccines that can effectively neutralize Zika viruses.
Climate change-induced species distribution modeling in hyper-arid ecosystems
Authors: Ksiksi Taoufik Saleh , K. Remya , Mousa Mohamed T. , Al-Badi Shima K. , Al Kaabi Salama K. , Alameemi Shamsa M. , Fereaa Sanad M. , Hassan Fatima E.
Published: June 2019

Background: The impact of climate change on selected plant species from the hyper-arid landscape of United Arab Emirates (UAE) was assessed through modeling of their habitat suitability and distribution. Calotropis procera, Prosopis cineraria and Ziziphus spina-christi were used for this study. The specific objectives of this study were to identify the current and future (for 2050s and 2070s) suitable habitats distribution using MaxEnt, an Ecological Envelope Model.

Methods: The adopted method consists of extraction of current and future bioclimatic variables together with their land use cover and elevation for the study area. MaxEnt species distribution model was then used to simulate the distribution of the selected species. The projections are simulated for the current date, the 2050s and 2070s using Community Climate System Model version 4 with representative concentration pathway RCP4.5.

Results: The current distribution model of all three species evolved with a high suitable habitat towards the north eastern part of the country. For C. procera, an area of 1775 km2 is modeled under highly suitable habitat for the current year, while it is expected to increase for both 2050s and 2070s. The current high suitability of P. cinararia was around an area of 1335 km2 and the future projection revealed an increase of high suitability habitats. Z. spina-christi showed a potential area of 5083 km2 under high suitability and it might increase in the future.

Conclusions: Precipitation of coldest quarter (BIO19) had the maximum contribution for all the three species under investigation.
Pricing Ancillary Service Subscriptions
Authors: Wang Ruxian , Dada Maqbool , Sahin Ozge
Published: June 2019

We investigate heterogeneous customer choice behavior in the presence of main products—ancillary services with options of pay-per-use and subscription—and outside option. The willingness to pay for a service subscription is derived as a closed-form expression, which enables us to characterize the optimal pricing strategy and the impact of service subscriptions on customer surplus. Analytical results and numerical experiments show that offering service subscriptions may result in “win-win,” “win-win-win,” “win-win-lose,” or “lose-lose-win” scenarios or in other situations for the firm, competitors, and customers in a variety of monopolistic and duopolistic scenarios. The advantages of service subscription still remain with heterogeneous customers differing on multiple dimensions including the nominal utility, uncertainty in the need of ancillary service, and purchase frequency. We find that if the product quality for both firms, measured by nominal utility, is not significantly different, more fierce price competition by offering a service subscription may result in a higher customer surplus, compared with that without a service subscription. Ancillary service subscription can help firms to better price-discriminate heterogeneous customers through different subscription decisions and subsequent purchase behavior.

This paper was accepted by Gad Allon, operations management.
OM Forum—Distributed Ledgers and Operations: What Operations Management Researchers Should Know About Blockchain Technology
Authors: Babich Volodymyr , Hilary Gilles
Published: June 2019

Problem definition: Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology. While it has grown in prominence, its full potential and possible downsides are not fully understood yet, especially with respect to operations management (OM). Academic/practical relevance: This article fills this gap. Methodology: After briefly reviewing the technical foundations, we explore multiple business and policy aspects. Results: We identify five key strengths, the corresponding five main weaknesses, and three research themes of applying blockchain technology to OM. The key strengths are (1) visibility, (2) aggregation, (3) validation, (4) automation, and (5) resiliency. The corresponding weaknesses are (1) lack of privacy, (2) lack of standardization, (3) garbage in, garbage out, (4) black box effect, and (5) inefficiency. The three research themes are (1) information, (2) automation, and (3) tokenization. Managerial implications: We illustrate these research themes with multiple promising research problems, ranging from classical inventory management, to new areas of ethical OM, and to questions of industrial organization.
A CRÍTICA DA ECONOMIA POLÍTICA EM ÉTIENNE BALIBAR
Authors: Pimenta Alexandre Marinho
Published: June 2019

Esse artigo analisa a contribuição de Étienne Balibar à crítica da economia política.Focando em sua obra de 1974, Cinq études du matérialisme historique, colocaremos em evidência como o autor relaciona o processo de produção-valorização do capital e as classes sociais (em luta), sob o marxismo, e seus impactos na teoria social. Trata-se de uma singular apropriação do pensamento de Marx que tem como base as teses da chamada escola althusseriana.
HOSPITAL COLÔNIA DE BARBACENA: UM PASSADO QUE INSISTE EM SE REPETIR
Authors: Manzi Filho Ronaldo
Published: June 2019

primeiramente, esse texto busca trazer à tona uma barbárie acontecida no Brasil hápoucos anos: o que aconteceu em “O hospital colônia de Barbacena”. Podemos hoje ter acesso ao ocorrido devido a alguns relatos, como da pesquisa realizada pela jornalista Daniela Arbex. Com esse material em mãos, é possível analisar o que se passava nesse “hospital” à luz do acontecimento Auschwitz. A proposta desse artigo é mostrar que ainda ressoa a desumanização ocorrida em Auschwitz na atualidade (de forma legal e sob os olhos da sociedade), tal como em Barbacena. Minha proposta é analisar esse fato a partir do autoritarismo brasileiro.
Immunocytochemical Labeling of Rhabdomeric Proteins in Drosophila Photoreceptor Cells Is Compromised by a Light-dependent Technical Artifact
Authors: Schopf Krystina , Smylla Thomas K. , Huber Armin
Published: June 2019

Drosophila photoreceptor cells are employed as a model system for studying membrane protein transport. Phototransduction proteins like rhodopsin and the light-activated TRPL ion channel are transported within the photoreceptor cell, and they change their subcellular distribution in a light-dependent way. Investigating the transport mechanisms for rhodopsin and ion channels requires accurate histochemical methods for protein localization. By using immunocytochemistry the light-triggered translocation of TRPL has been described as a two-stage process. In stage 1, TRPL accumulates at the rhabdomere base and the adjacent stalk membrane a few minutes after onset of illumination and is internalized in stage 2 by endocytosis after prolonged light exposure. Here, we show that a commonly observed crescent shaped antibody labeling pattern suggesting a fast translocation of rhodopsin, TRP, and TRPL to the rhabdomere base is a light-dependent antibody staining artifact. This artifact is most probably caused by the profound structural changes in the microvillar membranes of rhabdomeres that result from activation of the signaling cascade. By using alternative labeling methods, either eGFP-tags or the self-labeling SNAP-tag, we show that light activation of TRPL transport indeed results in fast changes of the TRPL distribution in the rhabdomere but not in the way described previously.
A. en el País de las maravillas (normalizadas)
Authors: Fernando Magarzo Ana
Published: June 2019

Imaginar el reciente hallazgo de un ejemplar de la primera edición del Arte de Proyectar en Arquitectura, repleto de asombrosas anotaciones al margen, y no tan al margen, arrojaría un nuevo interés, y completamente  inesperado, sobre el que ha sido durante mucho tiempo el manual de la normalización y el estandarte de la funcionalidad por excelencia.El gran vademécum  habría sido encontrado en la última casa de Ernst Neufert, en Bugneaux-sur-Rolle, Suiza. Se descartarían que las anotaciones fueran del propio Ernst, y se barajaría la posibilidad de que hubiesen sido realizadas, bien por la pintora Alice Vollmer, mujer de Ernst, y discípula de Georg Munche y Paul Klee, o por un tal Andreas Vollmer, del que apenas quedaría rastro, y que habría sido, al parecer, durante años, ayudante (¿secretario?, ¿chofer?, ¿arquitecto?) del arquitecto. Este descubrimiento supondría, no sólo una nueva perspectiva respecto a ese Arte de Proyectar en Arquitectura (con todas las contradicciones que ello implica), sino respecto a lo que hasta ahora hemos entendido (que entendían) por función, o por medida.
El paisaje marítimo como patrimonio urbano, estético-artístico y cultural en Bilbao. Elementos de conservación y transformación en el área metropolitana
Authors: Vivas Ziarrusta Isusko , Lekerikabeaskoa Gaztañaga Amaia
Published: June 2019

El artículo científico desarrollado en estas páginas trabaja la vertiente específica de una investigación más amplia en el tiempo y extensa en el espacio. En el marco de los estudios acerca de la maritimidad en su perspectiva urbana, estético-artística y cultural, entronca no solo temática sino estructuralmente con enfoques problematizados por el urbanismo, la arquitectura y la antropología que desde sus campos disciplinares vinculan paisaje y elementos materiales así como fenómenos inmateriales/intangibles, con la idea de patrimonio enraizado en contextos históricos y socioculturales de cambio y alteración en las esferas físicas/simbólicas de la ciudad. La aportación tiene por objeto descubrir e identificar dichos parámetros de análisis en el territorio singular de la Ría y Abra de Bilbao, que conforman el área metropolitana fluvial. Se estima necesaria la mirada integradora transversal e interdisciplinar, para encauzar las trazabilidades que han contribuido a que los entornos citados puedan ser interpretados críticamente, tal y como son percibidos en la actualidad. Desde la montaña hasta el puerto, vemos transformarse y mutar la fisonomía, su razón de ser y sus motivaciones económico-productivas hacia los avatares propios del tercer sector, regido por los servicios avanzados y las comunicaciones. Finalmente, los grandes procesos de remodelación inciden en las dimensiones identitarias e imaginarios latentes.
Müştâk Baba ve Kuddûsî Baba Dîvânlarında İlâhî Aşk Anlayışı Üzerine Değerlendirme
Authors: ÇETİN Nuran
Published: June 2019

Anadolu’da yetişen önemli mutasavvıf şâirlerimizden olan Müştâk Baba (ö. 1247/1832) ve Kuddûsî Baba (ö. 1265/1849) Kur’ân ve sünnet bağlamında bir hayat yaşamış ilâhî aşk yolunda tasavvufî makamlarda önemli mesafeler katetmiş iki isimdir. 19. yüzyılda yaşayan bu zâtlar gönül dünyalarında tecrübe ettikleri mânevî hâlleri şiir diliyle sembolik olarak ifade etmişlerdir. Her iki ismin pek çok ortak noktalarının olduğu görülmektedir. Aynı yüzyıl içinde yaşamaları, Kādirî tarîkatına mensûbiyetleri, zâhirî ve bâtınî ilimlerdeki nitelikleri, dinî ve tasavvufî sahada eserler kaleme almaları, telifleri arasında Dîvân’larının bulunması, ömürlerini ilim irfân faaliyetleriyle geçirmeleri, muhtelif memleketlere seyahatler yapmaları bu ortak noktalardan bazılarıdır. Müştâk Baba ve Ahmed Kuddûsî’nin eserlerine ve özellikle Dîvân’larına bakıldığında tasavvufî unsurların daha ağırlıklı olduğu görülmektedir. Bu anlamda her ikisinin de şiirlerinde yoğun olarak ilâhî aşka ulaşma gayesiyle zikir, zühd, kalp tasfiyesi, nefs tezkiyesi gibi muhtelif konuları ele aldıkları anlaşılmaktadır. Bu makalede, Ahmed Kuddûsî ve Müştâk Baba’nın Dîvân’ları bağlamında onların ilâhi aşk anlayışları üzerinde durulacaktır. Giriş ve iki bölümden oluşacak olan makalenin birinci bölümünde Müştâk Baba’nın hayatı, eserleri ve ilâhi aşk anlayışına, ikinci bölümde ise Kuddûsî Baba’nın hayatı, eserleri ve ilâhi aşk anlayışına yer verilecektir. Sonuç kısmında ise her iki ismin işaret ettiği ilâhi aşkın yanı sıra ortak noktaları üzerinde değerlendirme yapılacaktır.
Assessment of GNSS Position Integrity with the Use of Post-Processed EGNOS Data in the Area of Szczecin -Świnoujście Waterway
Authors: Bilewski Mateusz , Zalewski Paweł
Published: June 2019

GNSS measurements can be supplemented by the information available in EGNOS system even if one has only GNSS receiver that is not processing Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems data. The article describes how to obtain the variances of ranges to the satellites used for positioning when the final antenna position and satellites’ elevation and azimuths values are recorded. To verify how the resultant estimates of position error correspond to real errors the research based on GPS receiver was conducted.
The Shell Ocean Discovery Xprize Competition Impact on the Development of Ocean Mapping Possibilities
Authors: Zwolak Karolina , Zarayskaya Yulia , Wigley Rochelle Ann , Lacerda Christina , Ketter Tomer , Anderson Robert , Bazhenova Evgenia , Bohan Aileen , Dorshow Wetherbee , Elsaied Mohamed , Fitzcarrald Andres , Falconer Robin , Kearns Timothy , Proctor Alison , Roperez Jaya , Ryzhov Ivan , Sade Hadar , Sattiabaruth Seeboruth , Simpson Benjamin , Sumiyoshi Masanao , Tinmouth Neil
Published: June 2019

The paper presents the impact that the XPRIZE Foundation competition, the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, has had on the development of current ocean mapping possibilities. A race for the prize has accelerated the development of innovative seabed mapping approaches that concentrated on new systems engineering or cutting-edge and innovative methods of existing equipment exploitation. The GEBCO - Nippon Foundation (NF) Alumni Team’s entry is presented in details as a state of the art example of mature and robust oceanmapping solution utilizing a high degree of autonomy and providing the possibilities of deepocean mapping that were unattainable before.
Estimation of Slant Tropospheric Delays from GNSS Observations with Using Precise Point Positioning Method
Authors: Savchuk Stepan , Khoptar Alina
Published: June 2019

Global Navigation Satellite Systems give opportunities for atmospheric parameters analysis in behalf of solving many atmosphere monitoring tasks. The authors of this article demonstrated possibility of slant tropospheric delays determination with using precise point positioning method – PPP. The atmospheric parameters, retrieved from GNSS observations, including zenith tropospheric delays, horizontal gradients, and slant tropospheric delays, are analyzed and evaluated. It was obtained slant tropospheric delays, along the satellite path, for each satellite, at a certain elevation angle and azimuth, at each time, instead of obtaining a single zenith tropospheric delay composed of all visible satellites at one time. The results obtained proved that suggested method was correct.
Analogy-Based Approaches to Improve Software Project Effort Estimation Accuracy
Authors: Resmi V , Vijayalakshmi S
Published: June 2019

In the discipline of software development, effort estimation renders a pivotal role. For the successful development of the project, an unambiguous estimation is necessitated. But there is the inadequacy of standard methods for estimating an effort which is applicable to all projects. Hence, to procure the best way of estimating the effort becomes an indispensable need of the project manager. Mathematical models are only mediocre in performing accurate estimation. On that account, we opt for analogy-based effort estimation by means of some soft computing techniques which rely on historical effort estimation data of the successfully completed projects to estimate the effort. So in a thorough study to improve the accuracy, models are generated for the clusters of the datasets with the confidence that data within the cluster have similar properties. This paper aims mainly on the analysis of some of the techniques to improve the effort prediction accuracy. Here the research starts with analyzing the correlation coefficient of the selected datasets. Then the process moves through the analysis of classification accuracy, clustering accuracy, mean magnitude of relative error and prediction accuracy based on some machine learning methods. Finally, a bio-inspired firefly algorithm with fuzzy analogy is applied on the datasets to produce good estimation accuracy.
Experience with intramuscular glucagon for infants with early neonatal hypoglycemia
Authors: Smolkin Tatiana , Makhoul Joanne S. , Elias Razan , Farah Fadi , Kugelman Amir , Dallashi Mariam , Makhoul Imad R.
Published: June 2019

Parenteral options for treating neonatal hypoglycemia (NH) include: intramuscular (i.m.) glucagon or intravenous (i.v.) glucose 10%. So far, the role of i.m. glucagon in treating NH has not been adequately assessed. We retrospectively studied 236 neonates with NH. One hundred and twenty-one infants received oral glucose-fortified-milk-based formula (OGFM) and their blood glucose level (BGL) was maintained thereafter. Two groups of infants required intervention: (a) OGFM + i.m. glucagon (n = 77, 32.6%) and (b) OGFM + i.v. glucose bolus (n = 38, 16.1%). BGL1, BGL2 and BGL3 denote pre-treatment BGL, 2–2.5 h post-treatment and BGL within 2.5–4 h post-treatment; respectively. The two groups were compared regarding two outcome measures: Outcome no. 1: BGL2 ≥ 45 mg/dL and outcome no. 2: BGL3 ≥ 45 mg/dL. Compared to i.v. glucose, the i.m. glucagon group had significantly more infants with BGL2 ≥ 45 mg/dL (40% vs. 76%, p = 0.028), and marginal significant difference regarding BGL3 ≥ 45 mg/dL (62% vs. 77%, p = 0.08). Univariate analysis showed that i.m. glucagon, male gender, vacuum extraction, cesarean delivery and one or more NH risk factors were significantly associated with outcome measure no. 1. I.m. glucagon, small for gestational age status, cesarean delivery, BGL1 and NH risk factors were associated with outcome measure no. 2. Multi-variate analysis showed that i.m. glucagon was significantly and independently associated with BGL2 ≥ 45 mg/dL. I.m. glucagon is worth consideration as a treatment option for NH.
MESOTIP: Phase II multicenter randomized trial evaluating the association of PIPAC and systemic chemotherapy vs. systemic chemotherapy alone as 1st-line treatment of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma
Authors: Sgarbura Olivia , Gourgou Sophie , Tosi Diego , Bakrin Naoual , Bouazza Nabila , Delaine Stéphanie , De Forges Hélène , Pocard Marc , Quénet François
Published: June 2019

Background

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare tumoral disease characterized by the diffuse involvement of the peritoneal serosa. The standard frontline treatment of MPM is cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) unless the peritoneal disease is considered unresectable. For unresectable patients the standard frontline treatment is a combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed but the prognosis remains ominous with only 13 months of overall survival (OS).

Methods

The proposed study is a multicenter randomized non-comparative study evaluating the association of Pressurized Intra-Peritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) and systemic chemotherapy vs. systemic chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment of MPM. Patients will be randomized with a 2:1 ratio using a minimization technique. Sixty-six patients have to be enrolled. Stratification will be performed according to histology (epithelioid vs. sarcomatoid and biphasic), presence of extraperitoneal disease and center. Primary objective is OS and secondary objectives include progression-free survival (PFS), safety, compliance, feasibility, conversion to resectability, histological response to treatment and quality of life.

Conclusions

We expect to show that intensification of the first line treatment with PIPAC for initially unresectable MPM patients increases OS.

Trial registration

Prospective study. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03574493 EudraCT: 2019–001515-23.
Effect of Indium Doping on Optical Parameter Properties of Sol–Gel-Derived ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Kocyigit Adem , Erdal Mehmet Okan , Yıldırım Murat
Published: June 2019

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has gained great interest for two decades, and its structural, optical, and electrical properties have been investigated by scientists for technological applications. The optical properties of ZnO provide an opportunity for its application in solar cells, lasers, and light-emitting diodes. We prepared ZnO thin films with various In doping levels by using a spin coating technique, and characterised their morphological and detailed optical properties for optical applications. According to the morphological properties obtained by atomic force microscopy, the film surfaces are homogeneous and the In doping level affects the surface morphology of the films. The optical properties of the films were investigated using an ultraviolet–visible spectrometer, and some optical parameters such as band gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, single oscillator parameters, real and imaginary functions of the dielectric coefficient, and optical conductivity were calculated and discussed in detail. The various In doping levels affected the optical properties, and the In-doped ZnO thin films can find applications in industry.
Secondary metabolites from Penicillium sp. 8PKH isolated from deteriorated rice straws
Authors: El Euch Imene Z. , El-Metwally Mohammad M. , Frese Marcel , Sewald Norbert , Abdissa Negera , Shaaban Mohamed
Published: June 2019

In the search for bioactive secondary metabolites from terrestrial fungi, four compounds, namely, 3-methyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (1), aurantiomide C (2), 3-O-methylviridicatin (3), and dehydrocyclopeptine (4), were isolated from Penicillium sp. 8PKH, fungal strain, isolated from deteriorated rice straws. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified by extensive NMR and mass analyses and comparison with literature data. This is the first report of the structure of 3-methyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (1) with full NMR spectral data having been previously identified by GC-MS from Piper beetle. Analysis of the non-polar fractions of the strain extract by GC-MS revealed the presence of additional eight compounds: methyl-hexadecanoate, methyl linoleate, methyl-9 (Z)-octadecenoate, methyl-octadecanoate, cis-9-oxabicyclo (6.1.0) nonane, 9,12-octadecadienal (9E,12E), ethyl-(E)-9-octadecenoate, and 3-buten-2-ol. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities and exhibited little or no inhibitory activities against the test strains. The taxonomical characterisation and fermentation of the fungal strain were reported as well.
Groundwater Management in California’s Central Valley: A Focus on Disadvantaged Communities
Authors: MacLeod Clara , Méndez-Barrientos Linda Estelí
Published: June 2019

In the state of California, groundwater serves 85% of Californians for at least part of their water. During the last drought (2011–2016), a high proportion of domestic wells went dry, most of which were located in disadvantaged communities (DACs) in the California Central Valley. Prior to 2014, voluntary groundwater management plans (GMPs) existed as one of the main groundwater governance options. However, little is known about the adoption of these GMPs and their effect on groundwater management. This case study analyzes the adoption of voluntary GMPs statewide and their impact on DACs that primarily rely on groundwater for drinking water. Our analysis shows low adoption of voluntary GMPs (15% for Assembly Bill [AB] 3030 and 12% for Senate Bill [SB] 1938) by local agencies. Even though GMPs were most frequently adopted in the Central Valley, the majority of domestic well shortages and DACs are concentrated there. Furthermore, water agencies, such as irrigation and water districts, had the highest adoption rate (70%), followed by cities (18%) and counties (7%), which indicates that institutional capacity is key for groundwater management. However, since only public agencies were eligible to adopt GMPs, the inclusion of private groundwater users within public agencies is questionable. In sum, the lack of voluntary GMP adoption shows that they were unsuccessful in incentivizing or facilitating institutional action. Finally, restrictions on eligibility to design GMPs underscore the persistent challenge of involving all users in local water management, which may be key to close the gap between policy design and socio-ecological outcomes.
Does the use of a colour coded inpatient capillary blood glucose monitoring chart influence outcomes?
Authors: Sharma Dhiraj , Gerlach Matthew , Sharma Vivek , Dhatariya Ketan
Published: June 2019

Background: Dysglycaemia in hospital inpatients is associated with harm. However, bedside capillary glucose monitoring often occurs with inadequate frequency, with inappropriate action taken when dysglycaemia occurs.Aims: To assess whether the introduction of a colour coded blood glucose monitoring chart had an impact on glycaemic control, documentation of action taken, length of stay and mortality in an unselected cohort of hospital inpatients.Methods: A cross-sectional study before (2014) and after (2017) the introduction of the new chart was undertaken. Data were collected for the 24 hours prior to inclusion in the study.Results: Data from 56 individuals were collected in 2014 and from 161 in 2017. 57% and 22% experienced dysglycaemia in 2014 and 2017, respectively. Action was taken in 24.2% of cases in 2014 and in 56.8% in 2017. Median length of stay was 16.1 days (IQR 8.4–39.4) in 2014 and 13.1 days (5.7–25.3) in 2017. For those who experienced dysglycaemia and in whom action was not recorded, mortality was 30% and 20% in 2014 and 2017 compared with 6% and 15%, respectively, for those who had no dysglycaemia.Conclusions: The introduction of a colour coded blood glucose monitoring chart led to more action being recorded when dysglycaemia occurred and reduced length of hospital stay and mortality.
Changing inpatient diabetes care in a district general hospital
Authors: Wallner Marie , Andrabi Basharat , Russell-Jones David , Herring Roselle
Published: June 2019

Introduction: People with diabetes in hospital have longer lengths of stay and are at higher risk of experiencing avoidable harm. This has a significant impact on patient flow and capacity in any hospital Trust.Aims and Methods: A Trust-wide peripatetic inpatient diabetes service redesign was performed to deliver reduced medication errors, improved patient flow, reduced length of stay and reduced inpatient risk. The service redesign was delivered without new recurring expenditure on senior staff. The model of care was multidisciplinary and introduced consensus and evidence-based care with clear governance processes.Results: Following introduction of the new service on 7 December 2017 to 1 June 2018, a reduction in length of stay in both medicine and surgical divisions was seen with 2,168 ‘saved’ inpatient bed days compared with the same time period in the preceding year, which represented a significant cost saving for the Trust and improvement in patient flow. This was associated with a reduction in the number of diabetes-related Datix reports and serious untoward incidents.Conclusions: This is the first major diabetes service redesign in a small district general hospital. The introduction of a dedicated inpatient diabetes service has led to Trust-wide improvements in patient care and patient flow without additional cost to the Trust.
ENHIDE telehealth primary care support of adults with diabetes and chronic kidney disease: a pilot study – rationale and study design
Authors: Winocour Peter H , Moore-Haines Karen , Solomon Andrew , Currie Anne , Hardy Dawn
Published: June 2019

Introduction: Diabetes is considered the main identified cause of end stage renal disease and this combination is becoming more prevalent as populations age and become more obese. Individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) have additional multi-morbidity and may represent 25–40% of those on diabetes registers in primary care, where the majority receive medical care. The East and North Herts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) commissioned the East and North Herts Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (ENHIDE) to pilot an innovative approach to the identification and care of this complex cohort in primary care. This paper reports the project design and objectives.Aims: There were five core objectives of the pilot: (1) to examine the feasibility of extraction of comprehensive datasets from primary care diabetes registers; (2) to examine the feasibility of the individualised data utilisation for patient care; (3) to evaluate the practicality and acceptability of primary care of telehealth virtual case-based reviews; (4) to evaluate the extent of unmet clinical need; and (5) to create new sources of information to improve self-management. In addition, three key performance indicators were set for those with CKD: (1) change in any aspect of management in 20%; (2) reduction of admissions and ambulance call outs for hypoglycaemia in 20%; and (3) reductions in admissions with active foot disease by 20%.Study outline: All patients with estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) <60 mL/min and/or urine albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) >10 mg/mmol were to be identified from practice diabetes registers enabling a holistic review of ‘15 pillars of care’. In addition to blood glucose management and review of renal function, this included recording of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factor status, risk of hypoglycaemia, assessment of anaemia, metabolic bone disease, foot and retinal health and hospitalisation.Progress: The project was initiated in December 2016 and data are currently being updated for full analysis. 20 of the 55 general practices in the catchment area of the acute trust agreed to participate in the project, enabling case review of 2,874 cases. This initial phase of the pilot has established that the core principles of the project can be delivered in larger numbers, subject to developing new models of data capture and creation of clinically underpinned care algorithms.
Matrix Linear Models for High-Throughput Chemical Genetic Screens
Authors: Liang Jane W , Nichols Robert J , Sen Śaunak
Published: June 2019

We develop a flexible and computationally efficient approach for analyzing high-throughput chemical genetic screens. In such screens, a library of genetic mutants is phenotyped in a large number of stresses. Typically, interactions between genes and stresses are detected by grouping the mutants and stresses into categories, and performing modified t-tests for each combination. This approach does not have a natural extension if mutants or stresses have quantitative or nonoverlapping annotations (e.g., if conditions have doses or a mutant falls into more than one category simultaneously). We develop a matrix linear model (MLM) framework that allows us to model relationships between mutants and conditions in a simple, yet flexible, multivariate framework. It encodes both categorical and continuous relationships to enhance detection of associations. We develop a fast estimation algorithm that takes advantage of the structure of MLMs. We evaluate our method’s performance in simulations and in an Escherichia coli chemical genetic screen, comparing it with an existing univariate approach based on modified t-tests. We show that MLMs perform slightly better than the univariate approach when mutants and conditions are classified in nonoverlapping categories, and substantially better when conditions can be ordered in dosage categories. Therefore, it is an attractive alternative to current methods, and provides a computationally scalable framework for larger and complex chemical genetic screens. A Julia language implementation of MLMs and the code used for this paper are available at https://github.com/janewliang/GeneticScreen.jl and https://bitbucket.org/jwliang/mlm_gs_supplement, respectively.
Tipología de las tecnologías de tratamiento de aguas residuales ordinarias instaladas en Costa Rica
Authors: Centeno Mora Erick , Murillo Marín Adrián
Published: June 2019

Este artículo presenta el perfil de las plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales ordinarias en Costa Rica, comparándolo con el de varios países de América Latina y el Caribe. Con datos de 47 plantas administradas por entidades públicas, complementados con el análisis de una muestra de 382 sistemas tramitados para su construcción entre el 2011 y el 2016, se caracterizó la tipología de las plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales promovidas en territorio costarricense, en términos de capacidad instalada y tecnología utilizada. Los resultados muestran que más del 90 % de los sistemas operados por entidades públicas puede ser considerado de pequeña capacidad, con 70% concebido para caudales inferiores a 5.0 L/s. En el caso de los proyectos tramitados para su construcción, más del 90 % de las plantas tiene una capacidad menor a 5.0 L/s y 84 % corresponde a sistemas para condominios privados. Con respecto a las tecnologías más usadas en el país, el número de plantas que emplean lodos activados representa la mayoría, con 57 % de los sistemas operado por entidades públicas y 98 % de los proyectos tramitados para su construcción. Costa Rica tiene una proporción de sistemas de pequeña capacidad (Q < 25 L/s) y utiliza la tecnología de lodos activados en mayor medida que los otros países de la región contemplados en este análisis. Estas 2 condiciones pueden resultar en costos de operación más elevados, por lo que se recomienda evaluar dicha práctica, con el fin de promover un saneamiento universal y más sostenible.
Solvability of control problem for fractional nonlinear differential inclusions with nonlocal conditions
Authors: Chadha Alka , Sakthivel Rathinasamy , Bora Swaroop Nandan Nandan
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we study the approximate controllability of nonlocal fractional differential inclusions involving the Caputo fractional derivative of order q ∈ (1,2) in a Hilbert space. Utilizing measure of noncompactness and multivalued fixed point strategy, a new set of sufficient conditions is obtained to ensure the approximate controllability of nonlocal fractional differential inclusions when the multivalued maps are convex. Precisely, the results are developed under the assumption that the corresponding linear system is approximately controllable.
Asymptotic behaviour of mild solution of nonlinear stochastic partial functional equations
Authors: Diop Mamadou Abdoul Abdoul , Gbaguidi Amoussou Amour Toffodji Toffodji , Ogouyandjou Carlos , Sakthivel Rathinasamy
Published: June 2019

This paper presents conditions to assure existence, uniqueness and stability for impulsive neutral stochastic integrodifferential equations with delay driven by Rosenblatt process and Poisson jumps. The Banach fixed point theorem and the theory of resolvent operator developed by Grimmer [R.C. Grimmer, Resolvent operators for integral equations in a Banach space, Trans. Am. Math. Soc., 273(1):333–349, 1982] are used. An example illustrates the potential benefits of these results.
Dissipativity analysis of stochastic fuzzy neural networks with randomly occurring uncertainties using delay dividing approach
Authors: Senthilraj Sundaram , Raja Ramachandran , Cao Jinde , Fardoun Habib M. M.
Published: June 2019

This paper focuses on the problem of delay-dependent robust dissipativity analysis for a class of stochastic fuzzy neural networks with time-varying delay. The randomly occurring uncertainties under consideration are assumed to follow certain mutually uncorrelated Bernoulli-distributed white noise sequences. Based on the Itô's differential formula, Lyapunov stability theory, and linear matrix inequalities techniques, several novel sufficient conditions are derived using delay partitioning approach to ensure the dissipativity of neural networks with or without time-varying parametric uncertainties. It is shown, by comparing with existing approaches, that the delay-partitioning projection approach can largely reduce the conservatism of the stability results. Numerical examples are constructed to show the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
“Go ask Alice, when she’s 10-feet tall”: Psychosocial correlates to lifetime LSD use among a national sample of US adults
Authors: Yockey Robert Andrew , King Keith A. , Vidourek Rebecca A.
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Once thought a rarely used drug, LSD use is steadily increasing among US adults. A greater understanding of social factors and psychological determinants leading to lifetime LSD use can assist health educators and professionals in treating this growing problem. This study analyzed psychosocial factors related to LSD use among a national sample of adults.

Methods

A secondary data analysis of the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health was performed.

Results

Results from the final multivariate logistic regression revealed that those who were male, African American or Hispanic, used alcohol, ecstasy, marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, and cigarettes before the age of 21 years, thought about suicide, got a kick out of doing things risky, and tested oneself to do risky things were more likely to use LSD.

Conclusions

This suggests that psychodynamic processes, for example, possible activation of emotional conflicts – can take place spontaneously – during ayahuasca intake in this particular setting. Some participants attributed symbolic meaning to the visionary content, which was more likely to take place in psychotherapeutically motivated clients. The specific setting influence as well as corresponding expectations of the participants in native wisdom could have considerable influence on experiences and interpretations, such as communication with entities as well as receiving personal teachings.
WASIAT WAJIBAH UNTUK ANAK ANGKAT DALAM KHI DAN FIKIH
Authors: Misno Misno
Published: June 2019

AbstrakIslam sebagai aturan hidup yang paripurna memiliki seperangkat aturan yang komprehensif mencakup berbagai sendi kehidupan manusia. Salah satu aturan dalam Islam adalah mengenai pengambilan seorang anak sebagai anak angkat. Islam mengatur bagaimana hubungan antara anak angkat dan orang tua angkatnya. Anak angkat tidak boleh dinasabkan kepada orang tua angkatnya dan di antara mereka tidak saling mewa­risi. Permasalahan akan muncul ketika seorang mengambil seorang anak sebagai anak angkat, namun tiba-tiba orang tua tersebut mening­gal dunia. Sementara anak angkatnya masih kecil dan belum mampu untuk mencari nafkah sendiri. Apakah anak tersebut tetap tidak bisa mendapatkan bagian harta warisan orang tua angkatnya? Bagaimana persepsi Imam Madzhab mengenai hal ini?Kesimpulan dalam penelitian adalah bahwa Imam Madzhab membahas mengenai wasiat dalam mak­na umum, mereka belum membahas secara spesifik mengenai Wasiat wajibah. Namun statement mereka mengenai wasiat dapat menjadi dasar hukum bagi kebolehan Wasiat wajibah bagi anak angkat. Alasan­nya adalah adanya kemashalahatan bagi anak angkat karena tidak ada yang menanggung beban hidupnya. Jika dia tidak bisa mendapatkan bagian dari harta yang ditinggalkan orang tua angkatnya, tentu akan memunculkan kemudharatan baginya.Kata Kunci: Wasiat Wajibah, KHI, Anak Angkat
KEWENANGAN MAHKAMAH KONSTITUSI DALAM UNDANG-UNDANG DASAR NEGARA REPUBLIK INDONESIA TAHUN 1945
Authors: Asro M.
Published: June 2019

AbstrakKekuasaan kehakiman sesudah amandemen UUD Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945 mengalami perubahan signifikan. UUD Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945 di satu sisi telah mampu memberikan jaminan tentang kebebasan dan kemandirian kekuasaan kehakiman, namun di sisi lain, telah memberikan peluang kepada lembaga lain untuk “mengganggu kebebasan dan kemandirian keku­asaan keha­kiman”. Kewenangan Mahkamah Konstitusi menjadi kajian tersendiri dari tulisan ini. Sesuai dengan ketentuan Pasal 24C Ayat (1) dan (2) adalah untuk mengadili pada tingkat pertama dan terakhir untuk menguji UU terhadap UUD, memutus sengketa kewenangan lem­baga negara yang kewenangannya diberikan UUD, memutus pembu­baran partai partai politik, dan memutus perselisihan tentang hasil pemilihan umum. Di samping itu, MK juga wajib memberikan putusan atas pen­dapat DPR mengenai dugaan pelanggaran oleh presiden dan/atau wakil presiden menurut UUD. Dengan kewenangan tersebut, jelas bahwa MK memiliki hubungan tata kerja dengan semua lembaga negara, yaitu apabila terdapat sengketa antarlembaga negara atau apabila terjadi proses judicial review yang diajukan oleh lembaga kepada MK.
LINKAGE PROGRAM DAN PASAR MODAL SEBAGAI ALTERNATIF DALAM AKSES PENDANAAN UMKM DI ERA MASYARAKAT EKONOMI ASEAN (MEA)
Authors: Tripalupi Ramadhani Irma
Published: June 2019

AbstrakUsaha Mikro, Kecil dan Menengah (UMKM) relatif lebih bertahan ketika Indonesia dilanda krisis ekonomi tahun 1998 dan 2008.Hal tersebut yang menyebabkan peme­rintah terus mendorong dan memberikan per­hatian kepada pengem­bangan UMKM. Namun di sisi lain, baru 30% UMKM yang mampu mengakses pendanaan melalui pembiayaan. Pentingnya akses pem­biayaan adalah salah satu faktor dalam mempe­ngaruhi dan mendukung daya saing UMKM di era Masyarakat Ekonomi Asean (MEA). Linkage Program dan Pasar Modal merupakan sektor non perbankan atau industri keuangan non bank (IKNB) yang bisa dijadikan alternatif untuk pendanaan UMKM. Kenaikan penyaluran Kredit Usaha Kecil (KUR) dari tahun 2010-2016 di mana beberapa mekanisme mela­lui Linkage Prog­ram serta kemudahan dan dukungan pemerintah agar UMKM dapat mengakses pasar modal dalam pendanaan diantaranya pemerintah me­ngeluarkan kebijakan melalui OJK untuk memfasilitasi akses UMKM ke pasar modal (capital market) dengan rencana penam­bahan papan (board) khusus untuk UMKM. Selain dari trading board regular, dapat juga digunakan sebagai alternatif dalam akses penda­naan UMKM di Era MEA.