bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic algorithm–optimized support vector machine for real-time activity recognition in health smart home
Authors: Hu Yan , Wang Bingce , Sun Yuyan , An Jing , Wang Zhiliang
Published: November 2020

Health smart home, as a typical application of Internet of things, provides a new solution for remote medical treatment. It can effectively relieve pressure from shortage of medical resources caused by aging population and help elderly people live at home more independently and safely. Activity recognition is the core of health smart home. This technology aims to recognize the activity patterns of users from a series of observations on the user’ actions and the environmental conditions, so as to avoid distress situations as much as possible. However, most of the existing researches focus on offline activity recognition, but not good at online real-time activity recognition. Besides, the feature representation techniques used for offline activity recognition are generally not suitable for online scenarios. In this article, the authors propose a real-time online activity recognition approach based on the genetic algorithm–optimized support vector machine classifier. In order to support online real-time activity recognition, a new sliding window-based feature representation technique enhanced by mutual information between sensors is devised. In addition, the genetic algorithm is used to automatically select optimal hyperparameters for the support vector machine model, thereby reducing the recognition inaccuracy caused by manual tuning of hyperparameters. Finally, a series of comprehensive experiments are conducted on freely available data sets to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
A facile method to synthesize vildagliptin
Authors: Zhang Li , Jiang Lan , Guan Xiaoshu , Cai Linhong , Wang Jingyu , Xiang Peng , Pan Junyi , Hu Xiangnan
Published: November 2020

An efficient and high-yielding synthetic method for the preparation of vildagliptin via four steps is reported. The process starts from L-proline and involves a successful reaction with chloroacetyl chloride in tetrahydrofuran to afford ( S)-1-(2-chloroacetyl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid, followed by a reaction with acetonitrile in the presence of sulfuric acid to give ( S)-1-(2-chloroacetyl)pyrrolidine-2-carbonitrile. This is then reacted with 3-aminoadamantanol to give vildagliptin. 3-Aminoadamantanol is prepared from 1-aminoadamantane hydrochloride via oxidation with sulfuric acid/nitric acid and boric acid as the catalyst followed by ethanol extraction. The overall yield is 95%.
Administrative Reform in the Myanmar Police Force: Decision-Making and Community-Based Policing
Authors: Maung Aung Myo
Published: November 2020

The ongoing administrative reform in the Myanmar Police Force (MPF) has included adoption of community-based policing as the main philosophy of the police department since 2012; however, the democratic values inherent in the community-oriented concept have stagnated under the military influences in Myanmar caused by political instability and armed conflicts among the ethnicities of the country. Many research reports reveal that the success of reform with community-based policing is highly dependent on reducing military influences and establishing the police department as an independent organisation. Subsequently, the problem of adopting community-oriented policing has become chronic under the existing democratisation process. By utilising Herbert A. Simon’s decision-making study, the current study examined the decision-making process in community-based policing, and found that the problem of stagnation of democratic reform in the police department was caused by the nature of the MPF, cognitive limitations in the decision-making process, and value conflicts, rather than military influence.
Role of gender, age and BMI in prognosis of heart failure
Authors: Sciomer Susanna , Moscucci Federica , Salvioni Elisabetta , Marchese Giovanni , Bussotti Maurizio , Corrà Ugo , Piepoli Massimo F
Published: November 2020

The prognostic stratification of heart failure remains an urgent need for correct clinical management of the affected patients. In fact, due to the high mortality and morbidity rates, heart failure constantly requires an updated and careful management of all aspects that characterise the disease. In addition to the well-known clinical, laboratory and instrumental characteristics that affect the prognosis of heart failure, gender, age and body mass index have a different impact and deserve specific insights and clarifications. At this scope, the metabolic exercise cardiac kidney index score research group has produced several works in the past, trying to identify the role of these specific factors on the prognosis of heart failure. In particular, the different performances in the cardiopulmonary exercise test of specific categories of heart failure patients, such as women, elderly and obese or overweight individuals, have requested dedicated evaluations of metabolic exercise cardiac kidney index score power.
The Remembered Anthropologist: Engaging with the Insights of M. N. Srinivas
Authors: Mathur Nita
Published: November 2020

The plethora of M. N. Srinivas’s articles and books covering a wide range of subjects from village studies to nation building, from dominant caste in Rampura village to nature and character of caste in independent India, and from prospects of sociological research in Gujarat to practicing social anthropology in India have largely influenced the understanding of society and culture for well over five decades. Additionally, he meticulously wrote itineraries, memoirs and personal notes that provide a glimpse of his inner being, influences, ideologies, thought all of which have inspired a large number of and social anthropologists and sociologists across the world. It is then only befitting to explore the major concerns in the life and intellectual thought of one whose pioneering contributions have been the milestones in the fields of social anthropology and sociology in a specific sense and of social sciences in India in a general sense. This article centres around/brings to light the academic concerns that Srinivas grappled with the new avenues of thought and insights that developed consequently, and the extent of his rendition their relevance in framing/understanding contemporary society and culture in India.
Authentic Leadership Fostering Creativity in Start-ups: Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Employee Task Proactivity
Authors: Sengupta Santoshi , Sharma Swati , Singh Aishwarya
Published: November 2020

This study investigates the effect of authentic leadership (AL) on employee creativity and the mediating role of work engagement (WE) and employee task proactivity (ETP) in the context of start-ups. Data collected from 300 leaders and 300 employees of Indian start-ups were analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings suggest that AL has direct and significant effects on creativity and the same is mediated by WE and ETP. For a start-up, it is essential that employees perceive their founders or leaders to have high moral perspective, clear sense of self-awareness and exhibit transparency in their behaviours with their followers. Such behaviours motivate the followers to invest soulfully in their work and do things in a proactive manner, which then leads to creativity. For any start-up to succeed, both a strong form of positive leadership and high levels of creativity from employees are required.
Do MOOCs Make You More Marketable? An Experimental Analysis of the Value of MOOCs Relative to Traditional Credentials and Experience
Authors: Rivas Mariela J. , Baker Rachel B. , Evans Brent J.
Published: November 2020

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are marketed as opportunities for participants to improve their labor market outcomes, and tens of thousands of students have paid for career-focused MOOC certificate programs. However, there is limited and conflicting research on MOOCs and labor market outcomes. Using two randomized control trials, we test Amazon’s Mechanical Turk respondents’ preferences for hiring hypothetical freelance web developers. In the first experiment, we examine preferences for profiles with MOOCs as compared to profiles with traditional degrees (bachelor’s, associates, and community college certificates). Respondents preferred all traditional degrees over a MOOC; MOOCs do not serve as substitutes for traditional postsecondary credentials. In the second experiment, we examine preferences for MOOCs as compared to no listed credential. Results demonstrate a 61–percentage point preference for MOOC credentials compared to no MOOC credential; the preference does not vary across levels of professional experience.
Compassionate use of delamanid in adults and children for drug-resistant tuberculosis: 5-year update
Authors: Ghosh Sambuddha , Breitscheidel Lusine , Lazarevic Natasa , Martin Alexandra , Hafkin Jeffrey , Hittel Norbert
Published: November 2020

Background

Although delamanid has been approved for the treatment of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in numerous regions, in areas where it is not yet registered it can be accessed as part of salvage therapy (in particular for those patients with limited treatment options)viathe Otsuka compassionate use programme. Here we present the analysis of interim treatment outcomes by 24 weeks of more than 200 MDR-TB patients globally who received delamanid under this programme.

Methods

We evaluated treatment efficacy with respect to culture negativity at 24 weeks, as well as the safety profile of delamanid, in an MDR-TB patient cohort treated under compassionate use between 2014 and 2019.

Results

Among patients who received delamanid as part of a multidrug regimen, 123 (61%) out of 202 had extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), 66 (33%) out of 202 had HIV co-infection and 34 (17%) out of 202 were children aged between 6 and 17 years. Of those patients who were culture positive at delamanid treatment initiation and who completed 24 weeks of delamanid treatment in combination with other anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs, culture negativity was achieved in 116 (79%) out of 147 cases. The corresponding rates of culture negativity for patients with XDR-TB and HIV co-infection, as well as the paediatric subgroup were 69 (77%) out of 90, 44 (92%) out of 48 and 20 (80%) out of 25, respectively. QT interval prolongation was the most frequently observed serious adverse event and was reported in 8% of patients receiving delamanid. Overall, treatment safety outcomes did not reveal any new or unidentified risks.

Conclusions

The use of delamanid combined with other active drugs has the potential to achieve high rates of culture negativity in difficult-to-treat drug-resistant TB cases, with a favourable safety profile.
CAPRIB: a user-friendly tool to study amino acid changes and selection for the exploration of intra-genus evolution
Authors: Guerra Maldonado Juan F. , Vincent Antony T. , Chenal Martin , Veyrier Frederic J.
Published: November 2020

Background

The evolution of bacteria is shaped by different mechanisms such as mutation, gene deletion, duplication, or insertion of foreign DNA among others. These genetic changes can accumulate in the descendants as a result of natural selection. Using phylogeny and genome comparisons, evolutionary paths can be somehow retraced, with recent events being much easier to detect than older ones. For this reason, multiple tools are available to study the evolutionary events within genomes of single species, such as gene composition alterations, or subtler mutations such as SNPs. However, these tools are generally designed to compare similar genomes and require advanced skills in bioinformatics. We present CAPRIB, a unique tool developed in Java that allows to determine the amino acid changes, at the genus level, that correlate with phenotypic differences between two groups of organisms.

Results

CAPRIB has a user-friendly graphical interface and uses databases in SQL, making it easy to compare several genomes without the need for programming or thorough knowledge in bioinformatics. This intuitive software narrows down a list of amino acid changes that are concomitant with a given phenotypic divergence at the genus scale. Each permutation found by our software is associated with two already described statistical values that indicate its potential impact on the protein’s function, helping the user decide which promising candidates to further investigate. We show that CAPRIB is able to detect already known mutations and uncovers many more, and that this tool can be used to question molecular phylogeny. Finally, we exemplify the utility of CAPRIB by pinpointing amino acid changes that coincided with the emergence of slow-growing mycobacteria from their fast-growing counterparts. The software is freely available at https://github.com/BactSymEvol/Caprib.

Conclusions

CAPRIB is a new bioinformatics software aiming to make genus-scale comparisons accessible to all. With its intuitive graphical interface, this tool identifies key amino acid changes concomitant with a phenotypic divergence. By comparing fast and slow-growing mycobacteria, we shed light on evolutionary hotspots, such as the cytokinin pathway, that are interesting candidates for further experimentations.
Propensity score adjusted comparison of three-factor versus four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate for emergent warfarin reversal: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Margraf David J. , Seaburg Scott , Beilman Gregory J. , Wolfson Julian , Gipson Jonathan C. , Chapman Scott A.
Published: November 2020

Background

Prothrombin Complex Concentrates (PCC) are prescribed for emergent warfarin reversal (EWR). The comparative effectiveness and safety among PCC products are not fully understood.

Methods

Patients in an academic level one trauma center who received PCC3 or PCC4 for EWR were identified. Patient characteristics, PCC dose and time of dose, pre- and post-INR and time of measurement, fresh frozen plasma and vitamin K doses, and patient outcomes were collected. Patients whose pre-PCC International Normalized Ratio (INR) was > 6 h before PCC dose or the pre-post PCC INR was > 12 h were excluded. The primary outcome was achieving an INR ≤ 1.5 post PCC. Secondary outcomes were the change in INR over time, post PCC INR, thromboembolic events (TE), and death during hospital stay. Logistic regression modelled the primary outcome with and without a propensity score adjustment accounting for age, sex, actual body weight, dose, initial INR value, and time between INR measurements. Data are reported as median (IQR) or n (%) with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

Eighty patients were included (PCC3 = 57, PCC4 = 23). More PCC4 patients achieved goal INR (87.0% vs. 31.6%, odds ratio (OR) = 14.4, 95% CI: 3.80–54.93, p < 0.001). This result remained true after adjusting for possible confounders (AOR = 10.7, 95% CI: 2.17–51.24, p < 0.001). The post-PCC INR was lower in the PCC4 group (1.3 (1.3–1.5) vs. 1.7 (1.5–2.0)). The INR change was greater for PCC4 (2.3 (1.3–3.3) vs. 1.1 (0.6–2.0), p = 0.003). Death during hospital stay (p = 0.52) and TE (p = 1.00) were not significantly different.

Conclusions

PCC4 was associated with a higher achievement of goal INR than PCC3. This relationship was observed in the unadjusted and propensity score adjusted results.
Haptoglobin gene diversity and incidence of uncomplicated malaria among children in Iganga, Uganda
Authors: Lwanira Catherine N. , Kironde Fred , Swedberg Göte
Published: November 2020

Background

Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein that takes part in systemic regulation of haem during Plasmodium falciparum infections. Numerous genotypes of haptoglobin have been reported in malaria endemic populations. In this study, the relationship between haptoglobin genotypes and incidence of uncomplicated malaria in a cohort of children living in a malaria-endemic area of Uganda was determined.

Methods

This is an extension of a longitudinal study comprising of 423 children aged between six months and nine years, who were actively followed up for one year. Malaria episodes occurring in the cohort children were detected and the affected children treated with national policy drug regimen. Haptoglobin genotypes were determined by an allele-specific PCR method and their frequencies were calculated. A multivariate negative binomial regression model was used to estimate the impact of haptoglobin genotypes on incidence of uncomplicated malaria in the children’s cohort. In all statistical tests, a P–value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.

Results

The prevalence of the Hp 1–1, Hp 2–1 and Hp 2–2 genotypes in the children’s cohort was 41%, 36.2% and 22.9%, respectively. The overall frequency for the Hp 1 allele was 59%, while Hp 2 allele occurred at a frequency of 41%. After adjustment of incidence rates for age, insecticide treated bed net (ITN) use and malaria history, the incidence of uncomplicated malaria for children carrying the Hp 2–2 genotype and those with the Hp 2–1 genotype was statistically similar (P = 0.41). Also, no difference in the incidence of uncomplicated malaria was observed between children carrying the Hp 1–1 genotype and those having the Hp 2–1 genotype (P = 0.84) or between Hp 2–2 Vs Hp 1–1 genotypes (P = 0.50).

Conclusions

This study showed that the Hp 1–1 and Hp 2–1 genotypes each occur in nearly 4 in 10 children and the Hp 2–2 genotype occurs in 2 of every 10 children. No association with incidence of uncomplicated malaria was found. Additional studies of influence of haptoglobin genotypes on P. falciparum malaria severity are needed to understand the role of these genotypes in malarial protection.
Protocol for a systematic review on the experience of informal caregivers for people with a moderate to advanced dementia within a domestic home setting
Authors: James Charles , Walshe Catherine , Froggatt Katherine
Published: November 2020

Background

The knowledge about the experience of informal caregivers who provide care to people with moderate to advanced dementia in a domestic home setting is limited. A consequence of long hours of caregiving in addition to dealing with normal challenges of daily living is their experience of a poor quality of life. Some of their experiences may be described in terms of a feeling of powerlessness to make changes during care provision. This feeling may also suggest an experience of moral distress. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise qualitative evidence relating to these experiences.

Methods

This review adopts a narrative synthesis approach. A search will be conducted for studies written in the English language in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Academic Search Complete covering periods from 1984 to present. Included studies will be qualitative or mixed-methods designs. The search terms will be related to dementia and caregivers, and the process will be focused on dementia at the moderate to the advanced stages within the domestic home setting. Reference lists of included papers will also be searched for additional relevant citations. Search terms and strategies will be checked by two independent reviewers. The identification of abstracts and full texts of studies will be done by the author, while the quality and the risk of bias will also be checked by the two independent reviewers.

Discussion

Psychological distress is cited as an experience reported within informal caregiving. For the caregiver, it is associated with a negative impact on general health. To date, no synthesis exists on the specific experience of informal caregiving for people with moderate to advanced dementia within the domestic home setting. This review considers that variation of accounts contributes to how the informal caregivers’ general experience is explored in future research. This may enable gaps in current knowledge to be highlighted within the wider context of caregiving in the domestic home setting.

Systematic review registration

This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183649).
A one health framework to estimate the cost of antimicrobial resistance
Authors:   the GAP-ON€ network, Morel Chantal M. , Alm Richard A. , Årdal Christine , Bandera Alessandra , Bruno Giacomo M. , Carrara Elena , Colombo Giorgio L. , de Kraker Marlieke E. A. , Essack Sabiha , Frost Isabel , Gonzalez-Zorn Bruno , Goossens Herman , Guardabassi Luca , Harbarth Stephan , Jørgensen Peter S. , Kanj Souha S. , Kostyanev Tomislav , Laxminarayan Ramanan , Leonard Finola , Hara Gabriel Levy , Mendelson Marc , Mikulska Malgorzata , Mutters Nico T. , Outterson Kevin , Baňo Jesus Rodriguez , Tacconelli Evelina , Scudeller Luigia
Published: November 2020

Objectives/purpose

The costs attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain theoretical and largely unspecified. Current figures fail to capture the full health and economic burden caused by AMR across human, animal, and environmental health; historically many studies have considered only direct costs associated with human infection from a hospital perspective, primarily from high-income countries. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Platform for ONE-Burden Estimates (GAP-ON€) network has developed a framework to help guide AMR costing exercises in any part of the world as a first step towards more comprehensive analyses for comparing AMR interventions at the local level as well as more harmonized analyses for quantifying the full economic burden attributable to AMR at the global level.

Methods

GAP-ON€ (funded under the JPIAMR 8th call (Virtual Research Institute) is composed of 19 international networks and institutions active in the field of AMR. For this project, the Network operated by means of Delphi rounds, teleconferences and face-to-face meetings. The resulting costing framework takes a bottom-up approach to incorporate all relevant costs imposed by an AMR bacterial microbe in a patient, in an animal, or in the environment up through to the societal level.

Results

The framework itemizes the epidemiological data as well as the direct and indirect cost components needed to build a realistic cost picture for AMR. While the framework lists a large number of relevant pathogens for which this framework could be used to explore the costs, the framework is sufficiently generic to facilitate the costing of other resistant pathogens, including those of other aetiologies.

Conclusion

In order to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses to choose amongst different AMR-related interventions at local level, the costing of AMR should be done according to local epidemiological priorities and local health service norms. Yet the use of a common framework across settings allows for the results of such studies to contribute to cumulative estimates that can serve as the basis of broader policy decisions at the international level such as how to steer R&D funding and how to prioritize AMR amongst other issues. Indeed, it is only by building a realistic cost picture that we can make informed decisions on how best to tackle major health threats.
Fracture fixation strategy and specific muscle tissue availability of neutrophilic granulocytes following mono- and polytrauma: intramedullary nailing vs. external fixation of femoral fractures
Authors: Greven Johannes , Horst Klemens , Qiao Zhi , Bläsius Felix Marius , Mert Ümit , Teuben Michel Paul Johan , Becker Nils Hendrik , Pfeifer Roman , Pape Hans-Christoph , Hildebrand Frank
Published: November 2020

Background

In the stabilization of femoral fractures in mono- and polytrauma, clinical practice has shown better care through intramedullary nailing. However, the reason why this is the case is not fully understood. In addition to concomitant injuries, the immunological aspect is increasingly coming to the fore. Neutrophil granulocytes (PMNL), in particular next to other immunological cell types, seem to be associated with the fracture healing processes. For this reason, the early phase after fracture (up to 72 h after trauma) near the fracture zone in muscle tissue was investigated in a pig model.

Material and methods

A mono- and polytrauma pig model (sole femur fracture or blunt thoracic trauma, hemorrhagic shock, liver laceration, and femur fracture) was used to demonstrate the immunological situation through muscle biopsies and their analysis by histology and qRT-PCR during a 72 h follow-up phase. Two stabilization methods were used (intramedullary nail vs. external fixator) and compared with a nontraumatized sham group.

Results

Monotrauma shows higher PMNL numbers in muscle tissue compared with polytrauma (15.52 ± 5.39 mono vs. 8.23 ± 3.36 poly; p = 0.013), regardless of the treatment strategy. In contrast, polytrauma shows a longer lasting invasion of PMNL (24 h vs. 72 h). At 24 h in the case of monotrauma, the fracture treated with external fixation shows more PMNL than the fracture treated with intramedullary nailing (p = 0.026). This difference cannot be determined in polytrauma probably caused by a generalized immune response. Both monotrauma and polytrauma show a delayed PMNL increase in the muscle tissue of the uninjured side. The use of intramedullary nailing in monotrauma resulted in a significant increase in IL-6 (2 h after trauma) and IL-8 (24 and 48 h after trauma) transcription.

Conclusion

The reduction of PMNL invasion into the nearby muscle tissue of a monotrauma femur fracture stabilized by intramedullary nailing supports the advantages found in everyday clinical practice and therefore underlines the usage of nailing. For the polytrauma situation, the fixation seems to play a minor role, possibly due to a generalized immune reaction.
Density-based clustering of static and dynamic functional MRI connectivity features obtained from subjects with cognitive impairment
Authors:   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Rangaprakash D. , Odemuyiwa Toluwanimi , Narayana Dutt D. , Deshpande Gopikrishna
Published: November 2020

Various machine-learning classification techniques have been employed previously to classify brain states in healthy and disease populations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). These methods generally use supervised classifiers that are sensitive to outliers and require labeling of training data to generate a predictive model. Density-based clustering, which overcomes these issues, is a popular unsupervised learning approach whose utility for high-dimensional neuroimaging data has not been previously evaluated. Its advantages include insensitivity to outliers and ability to work with unlabeled data. Unlike the popular k-means clustering, the number of clusters need not be specified. In this study, we compare the performance of two popular density-based clustering methods, DBSCAN and OPTICS, in accurately identifying individuals with three stages of cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease. We used static and dynamic functional connectivity features for clustering, which captures the strength and temporal variation of brain connectivity respectively. To assess the robustness of clustering to noise/outliers, we propose a novel method called recursive-clustering using additive-noise (R-CLAN). Results demonstrated that both clustering algorithms were effective, although OPTICS with dynamic connectivity features outperformed in terms of cluster purity (95.46%) and robustness to noise/outliers. This study demonstrates that density-based clustering can accurately and robustly identify diagnostic classes in an unsupervised way using brain connectivity.
Neurosurgical education during COVID-19: challenges and lessons learned in Egypt
Authors: Ashry Ahmed Hamdy , Soffar Hussein Mohammed , Alsawy Mohamed Fathalla
Published: November 2020

Background

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has disrupted the routine neurosurgical education and practice worldwide and so more in developing countries. Continuing the neurosurgical training while maintaining the well-being of our residents should be the primary concern of leaders of training programs.

Objectives

The aim of this cross-sectional study was the evaluation of the impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical residency programs and neurosurgical practice in five tertiary medical centers in our country. We also aimed at detecting the shortcomings in training programs and provide solutions.

Methods

An online questionnaire-based survey was prepared and sent to 73 neurosurgery residents in 5 tertiary centers in 4 governorates by social networks. The questions focused on the evaluation of clinical and surgical activities before and after the pandemic. Safety precautions, education, and residents’ mental health were also evaluated.

Results

Fifty residents responded to our survey. We identified a significant reduction in surgical cases, inpatient services, and working hours per week during the pandemic comparing to the pre-pandemic era. We also identified a significant increase in research hours and changes in educational methods from in-person methods to virtual ones. Seventy-four percent reported that personal protective equipment was not adequate for their duties. Sixty-eight percent experienced burnout symptoms. Unavailability of personal protective equipment, negative concerns regarding the surgical career, and financial strains significantly affected the mental health of residents.

Conclusions

The survey highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical practice and education. Being in a developing country, this negative effect was amplified due to financial reasons and weak infrastructure. Inadequate personal protective equipment increased the risk of infection and work-related stress among neurosurgery residents. We lacked telemedicine services in our country. Online education gained more visibility and awareness.
A new analysis approach for single nephron GFR in intravital microscopy of mice
Authors: Kessel Friederike , Kröger Hannah , Gerlach Michael , Sradnick Jan , Gembardt Florian , Todorov Vladimir , Hugo Christian
Published: November 2020

Background: Intravital microscopy is an emerging technique in life science with applications in kidney research. Longitudinal observation of (patho-)physiological processes in living mice is possible in the smallest functional unit of the kidney, a single nephron (sn). In particular, effects on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) - a key parameter of renal function - can be assessed.

Methods: After intravenous injection of C57BL/6 mice with a freely filtered, non-resorbable, fluorescent dye a time series was captured by multiphoton microsopy. Filtration was observed from the glomerular capillaries to the proximal tubule (PT) and the tubular signal intensity shift was analyzed to calculate the snGFR.

Results: Previous methods for this analysis relied on two manually defined measurement points in the PT and the tubular volume was merely estimated in 2D images. We extended the workflow in FIJI by adding continuous measurement of intensity along the PT in every frame of the time series. Automatic modelling of actual PT volume in a 3D dataset replaced 2D volume estimation. Subsequent data analysis in R, with a calculation of intensity shifts in every frame and normalization against tubular volume, allowed exact assessment of snGFR by linear regression. Repeated analysis of image data obtained in healthy mice showed a striking increase of reproducibility by reduction of user interaction.

Conclusions: These improvements maximize the reliability of a sophisticated intravital microscopy technique for the precise assessment of snGFR, a highly relevant predictor of kidney function.
GeNePy3D: a quantitative geometry python toolbox for large scale bioimaging
Authors: Phan Minh-Son , Chessel Anatole
Published: November 2020

The advent of large-scale fluorescence and electronic microscopy techniques along with maturing image analysis is giving life sciences a deluge of geometrical objects in 2D/3D(+t) to deal with. These objects take the form of large scale, localised, precise, single cell, quantitative data such as cells’ positions, shapes, trajectories or lineages, axon traces in whole brains atlases or varied intracellular protein localisations, often in multiple experimental conditions. The data mining of those geometrical objects requires a variety of mathematical and computational tools of diverse accessibility and complexity. Here we present a new Python library for quantitative 3D geometry called GeNePy3D which helps handle and mine information and knowledge from geometric data, providing a unified application programming interface (API) to methods from several domains including computational geometry, scale space methods or spatial statistics. By framing this library as generically as possible, and by linking it to as many state-of-the-art reference algorithms and projects as needed, we help render those often specialist methods accessible to a larger community. We exemplify the usefulness of the  GeNePy3D toolbox by re-analysing a recently published whole-brain zebrafish neuronal atlas, with other applications and examples available online. Along with an open source, documented and exemplified code, we release reusable containers to allow for convenient and wide usability and increased reproducibility.
Mental distress and quality of life following provision of vascular imaging results of the coronary and carotid arteries to asymptomatic adults: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Anokye Reindolf , Jackson Ben , Dimmock James , Dickson Joanne M. , Blekkenhorst Lauren C. , Hodgson Jonathan M. , Lewis Joshua R. , Stanley Mandy
Published: November 2020

Background: Non-invasive screening for atherosclerosis or asymptomatic cardiovascular disease of the coronary and carotid arteries is commonly undertaken, and research has been focussed on how results from these screenings lead to behaviour change. However, no review has focused on the effects of these results on mental distress and quality of life. This protocol will outline how a scoping review will be conducted to map all available evidence on mental distress or quality of life outcomes following the provision of vascular imaging results of the coronary and carotid arteries.

Methods: Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework will guide the scoping review. Databases such as MEDLINE (Clarivate), APA PsychINFO, EMBASE, Social Work Abstracts, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) will be searched using MeSH terms  such as "Coronary stenosis", "Carotid Stenosis", "Psychological Distress" and "Quality of Life" and related terms. Two investigators will screen title and abstract and all articles meeting inclusion criteria will be extracted.  Data on authors, publication year, country of origin, aims/purpose, methodology, intervention, outcome measures as well as key findings that relate to the scoping review questions will be extracted for each included study. The findings will be presented using tables and thematic narrative synthesis. The scoping review will not produce a pooled estimate of the impact of vascular imaging results on mental distress and quality of life but will present information from the included studies related to mental distress and QOL.

Conclusion:  The review will highlight and address gaps in knowledge and provide direction for future investigations.
Evidencing the need for psycho-socio-economic action to support the rural upskilled youth to cope with the COVID-19 health crisis: a state-wide audit
Authors: Saju M D , Scaria Lorane , Cheguvera Natania , Benny Anuja Maria , P J Lizy , Joseph Binoy
Published: November 2020

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic extends beyond morbidity and mortality to social, psychological, and economic implications. This study aims to determine the grouping of modifiable impacts of COVID-19 among the rural poor youth working in unorganized sectors in Kerala, India.

Methods: We conducted a state-wide telephonic survey, in the context of a COVID-19 national lockdown with 14430 youth, who had been trained through the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), a skill development program of the Government of India, in the last year. Economic, health and health care, social and emotional issues, basic amenity needs, and interpersonal issues were explored in detail. We further prioritized the needs of vulnerable subgroups; pregnant women, people living alone, and those living with comorbid health conditions within this population.

Results: All the participants were aged between 18-35 years and were economically poor rural residents. Only 28% had a permanent job and 6.8% of the participants were not working due to the COVID-19 related lockdown. Among the issues shared, the five domains with the highest frequency were financial toxicity, such as loss of income (32.99%), poor financial backup and debt (31.29%), concerns regarding the future job opportunities (23.92%) and fear of losing their current job (14.75%). 98% of the respondents expressed interest in following up with supportive engagements.

Conclusion: This research aims to voice students’ needs to the concerned authorities to design a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, and multi-systemic approach to reduce their distress in the context of pandemic outbreak.
Whole blood genome-wide transcriptome profiling and metagenomics next-generation sequencing in young infants with suspected sepsis in a low-and middle-income country: A study protocol
Authors: Popescu Constantin R. , Tembo Bentry , Chifisi Rhoda , Cavanagh Miranda M.M. , Lee Amy Huei-Yi , Chiluzi Blessings , Ciccone Emily J. , Tegha Gerald , Alonso-Prieto Esther , Claydon Jennifer , Dunsmuir Dustin , Irvine Mike , Dumont Guy , Ansermino J. Mark , Wiens Matthew O. , Juliano Jonathan J. , Kissoon Niranjan , Mvalo Tisungane , Lufesi Norman , Chiume-Kayuni Msandeni , Lavoie Pascal M.
Published: November 2020

Conducting collaborative and comprehensive epidemiological research on neonatal sepsis in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is challenging due to a lack of diagnostic tests. This prospective study protocol aims to obtain epidemiological data on bacterial sepsis in newborns and young infants at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. The main goal is to determine if the use of whole blood transcriptome host immune response signatures can help in the identification of infants who have sepsis of bacterial causes. The protocol includes a detailed clinical assessment with vital sign measurements, strict aseptic blood culture protocol with state-of-the-art microbial analyses and RNA-sequencing and metagenomics evaluations of host responses and pathogens, respectively. We also discuss the directions of a brief analysis plan for RNA sequencing data. This study will provide robust epidemiological data for sepsis in neonates and young infants in a setting where sepsis confers an inordinate burden of disease.
SUPPORT ZONES AS THE BASIS OF RUSSIAN POLICY IN ITS ARCTIC ZONE
Authors:   Centre for Physical and Technic Problems of Energetics in Nothern Areas Federal Research Centre  “Kola Science Centre” of RAS, Pobedonosceva Veronika , Pobedonosceva Galina ,   Luzin Institute for Economic Studies Federal Research Centre“Kola Science Centre” of  RAS
Published: November 2020

The article explores the mechanism of the so-called "support zones" and its use in the Arctic zone of Russia to determine its role as the basis of Russian politics and a catalyst for economic growth in the Arctic regions. The conclusion is drawn on the promotion of the use of “support zones” to strengthen Russian positions in the Arctic at a new qualitative level.
TEMPERATURE FIELD OF EXHAUST CARS GASES AND CALCULATIONS OF THE STATISTICAL INFORMATION
Authors: Nasr Abduljabbar Tareq Mohammed , Voinov K. N. , Hildayati Annisa , Al-Raidi Hussein Aiman Humadi Mohammed
Published: November 2020

Существует много проблем с газами, которые вылетают постоянно из выхлопных труб легковых автомобилей и грузовиков, особенно если имеет место этот процесс в закрытых помещениях (гараж, лаборатория, класс, станция диагностики или ремонта транспортных систем с дизельным или бензиновым двигателем). Практически все газы отравляют воздух, приносят существенный вред здоровью людей и всей природе. Поэтому многие учёные утверждают, что газы создают негативный парниковый эффект в атмосфере и влияют на появление озоновых дыр. Некоторые важные эксперименты и исследования в настоящее время сделаны.В этой статье есть несколько технических решений не только как уменьшить негативное влияние газов, но и специальные расчёты, используя персональный компьютер и статистическую информацию, чтобы описать процесс графически.
The Communicative Potential of the “European Home” Concept (Based on Michel Houellebecq’s Works)
Authors: Korolev A.
Published: November 2020

The article examines the communicative potential of the "European home" concept building on the work of the outstanding French writer Michel Houellebecq. The article presents the grounds for referring to fiction when clarifying issues related to the study of the peculiarity of the cultural space of the United Europe, it highlights the value of "culture lens" implementation used along with special philological and philosophic research. Moreover the article below shows the said concept’s significance for understanding the distance between the characters Of M. Houellebecq and the writer himself as the author of these works as well as traces the key aspects of studying the existential experiences of these characters (loneliness, confusion, loss of life objectives) in the context of a new type of communication defined by new technologies (including those of social governance). It is concluded that it is necessary to shift the research perspective when it comes to the analysis of artistic images created by M. Houellebecq, this shift having three main axes: political (the ideology of euroscepticism: "European Home" is but a fiction), religious ("European home" loses its gods) and humanitarian (France transmits the idea of a" common European home "in a paradoxical way by actively disseminating so called "Euro values" while maintaining its nationally minded cultural orientation). M. Houellebecq's attitude to the change in the existential content of the new European communication space is reconstructed on the basis of his metaphorical use of the "European home" concept, which has a distinctly ambivalent potential.
Job-induced Commuting between Two Residences – Characteristics of a Multilocational Living Arrangement in the Late Modernity
Authors: Reuschke Darja
Published: November 2020

Against the background of the ongoing flexibilisation of labour markets and a rising labour force participation of (highly) qualified women, job-related commuting between a main and secondary residence has become more important in Western capitalist countries as is the case in contemporary Germany. The limited number of recent empirical studies on this kind of multilocational living arrangement almost entirely focuses on commuters in couple/family households. The main objective of this article is, firstly, to provide data about the characteristics and formation contexts of job-related multilocational household organisations as a whole, in order to make a contribution to the discussion of the forms and causes of this currently important phenomenon. Secondly, by means of comparison analyses, the multilocational form of living is compared to the group of long-distance movers, in order to provide insights into who prefers commuting to migration with the complete household under which circumstances. The article draws on data of a field research study, which have been obtained from an individual based random sample from official registers of inhabitants of four metropolises in Germany. The sample was restricted to individuals with specific characteristics (in-movers, age 25 to 59). The fully structured postal interviews were complemented by qualitative telephone interviews with selected commuters. The results show that commuters are a heterogeneous group. Living in a partnership and the social connections established thereby play a prominent role for multilocational household organisations. Among male commuters, one can distinguish between those who are young, never married and predominantly childless, on the one hand, and a group of older married commuters with children in the household, on the other. The vast majority of female commuters, however, live childless. As men commute between two residences even if they live with a family, they significantly more often have a job-related secondary residence than women. Late modern characteristics of job-related multilocational living arrangements are dual earner households for male commuters and high occupational positions for female commuters. The commuting between two accommodations is strongly connected to the career entry, on the one hand, and is also important in a later occupational career phase as a partly longer-lasting period, on the other hand. It may be suggested that the rise of fix-term employment will further increase the importance of multilocational living arrangements in Late Modernity.
The Future Demand for Long-term Carers in Germany: Model Calculations for the Federal Länder until 2020
Authors: Pohl Carsten
Published: November 2020

The increase in the birth rate shortfall, at the same time as an increase in life expectancy, will lead to more elderly people living in Germany in future, in both relative and absolute terms. The possible development in the demand for professional long-term carers until 2020 for the individual Federal Länder is illustrated in this essay using model calculations. Because of the differences in demographic change between the Federal Länder, the labour market for long-term care will develop heterogeneously in the federal territory as a whole. The increase in the number of persons in need of long-term care from its current level of 2.25 million to a forecast level of 2.9 million by 2020 will mean that professional long-term care in particular will continue to become more significant in Germany as a whole. The demand for long-term carers (in full-time equivalent posts) could increase from its current level of 561,000 to up to 900,000 by 2020. The actual development on the professional labour market will however be heavily dependent on the commitment of care-giving relatives. Additionally, possible productivity advances in the provision of long-term care services will play a role, as can be shown in various scenarios of the model calculations.
Elternschaft und Lebenszufriedenheit in Deutschland
Authors: Pollmann-Schult Matthias
Published: November 2020

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen Elternschaft und Lebenszufriedenheit. Im Zentrum des Interesses steht die Frage, inwiefern die elterliche Lebenszufriedenheit durch individuelle und familiale Kontextfaktoren beeinflusst wird. Grundlage der empirischen Untersuchung sind die Daten der ersten Welle des Beziehungs- und Familienpanels (pairfam). Insgesamt zeigen die durchgeführten Querschnittsanalysen, dass Eltern zwar eine verringerte Zufriedenheit mit ihrer Freizeit, ihren sozialen Kontakten und ihrer Partnerschaft verzeichnen, jedoch mit ihrem Leben allgemein zufriedener sind als kinderlose Personen. Eine erhöhte Lebenszufriedenheit wird insbesondere in den ersten Jahren nach der Geburt eines Kindes beobachtet. Die Zufriedenheit der Eltern ist jedoch von verschiedenen Kontextfaktoren abhängig. Eine vergleichsweise hohe Lebenszufriedenheit berichten Eltern in den mittleren und höheren Einkommenslagen, wohingegen bei einkommensschwachen Personen ein nur geringer Zusammenhang zwischen der Elternschaft und der Lebenszufriedenheit beobachtet wird. Ferner variiert die Lebenszufriedenheit von Müttern, aber nicht die der Väter mit ihrem Erwerbsstatus. So berichten lediglich nichterwerbstätige und teilzeitbeschäftigte Mütter eine höhere Lebenszufriedenheit als kinderlose Frauen. Schließlich verzeichnen Väter, bei denen die Familiengründung vermutlich ungeplant erfolgte, kein höheres Zufriedenheitsniveau als Männer ohne Kinder.