bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ambient and household air pollution on early-life determinants of stunting – a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pun Vivian Chit , Dowling Russell , Mehta Sumi
Published: April 2020

Background Stunting is an important risk factor for early growth and development with health implications throughout the life course. While maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been linked to early determinants of stunting, existing evidence has rarely captured the most vulnerable populations. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the peer-reviewed literature to assess the evidence of the association between ambient and household PM pollution exposure and postnatal stunting (height-for-age z-score), and prenatal determinants (i.e., intrauterine growth restriction and small for gestational age) that would greatly increase children’s risk of stunting. Relevant manuscripts published from 2000 to 2019 were reviewed. Random effect models were used to estimate pooled odds ratios (OR). Results Thirty-two studies conducted in 18 countries met our inclusion criteria. We found significant positive associations between prenatal determinants of stunting and a 10 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 during the first trimester (OR=1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00–1.04) and second trimester (OR=1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07). Similar associations were found for prenatal determinants of stunting of high versus low quartiles of PM 2.5 exposure during the whole pregnancy. Postnatal stunting was found to be positively, though insignificantly, associated with postnatal exposure to household air pollution. Conclusions Our analysis shows evidence of increased risk of prenatal determinants of stunting with ambient particulate exposure, especially during first trimester, and suggestive evidence of elevated stunting risk with postnatal exposure to household air pollution. This evidence reinforces the importance of promoting clean air as part of an integrated approach to preventing stunting.
Correlation between CT findings and outcomes in 46 Patients with Coronavirus Disease-19
Authors: Lei Qiang , Li Guangming , Ma Xiaofen , Tian Junzhang , Wu Yunfan , Chen Hui , Xu Wen , Li Cheng , Jiang Guihua
Published: April 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze chest Computed Tomography (CT) findings in COVID-19 pneumonia and identify features associated with poor prognosis.Methods: This retrospective review included 46 patients with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 infection. Basic clinical characteristics and detailed CT features were evaluated and compared between patients who recovered (n = 40) from coronavirus and those who expired (n = 6). Chest CT examinations for ground-glass opacity, crazy-paving pattern, consolidation, and fibrosis were scored by two reviewers. The total CT score comprised the sum of lung involvement (5 lobes, scores 1-5 for each lobe, range; 0, none; 25, maximum) was determined.Results: We analyzed clinical data from 46 patients (26 males and 20 females; age 9-82 years) with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia were evaluated. The chest CTs showed 27 (58.7%) patients had ground-glass opacity, 19 (41.3%) had ground glass and consolidation, and 35 (76.1%) patients had crazy-paving pattern. None of the patients who expired had fibrosis, in contrast to six (15%) patients who recovered from coronavirus. Most patients had subpleural lesions (89.0%), bilateral (87.0%) and lower (93.0%) lung lobe involvement. Diffuse lesions were present in four (67%) patients who succumbed to coronavirus, but only one (2.5%) patient who recovered (p = 0.000). CT identified a greater area of lung lobe involvement in patients who died (p = 0.000). In the group of patients who expired, the total CT score was higher than that of the recovery group (17.2 ± 7.8 vs. 7.1 ± 4.3, p = 0.005). Patients in the death group had lower lymphocyte count and higher C-reactive protein than those in the recovery group (p = 0.011 and p = 0.041, respectively).Conclusion: The CT of patients with COVID-19 mainly showed ground-glass opacity and ground-glass opacity plus consolidation, with a peripheral lower lobe preference. Early fibrosis may correlate with well prognosis. Lymphopenia, elevated C-reactive protein, and high CT score in conjunction with diffuse distribution of lung lesions are indicative of disease severity and short- term mortality.
Temporal lung changes on thin-section CT in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors: Zhang Zhiyan , Tang Runhui , Sun Heyang , Dai Haiyang , Chen Kangyin , Ye Xinmiao , Ye Wei , Li Shengkai , Lan Bowen , Li Li , Ou Chun-Quan
Published: April 2020

We examined characteristics of chest CT during different time periods for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia in Huizhou, China. This study included 56 COVID-19 patients having abnormal CT acquired between January 22 and March 3, 2020. Scans of 56 patients were classified into 4 groups (Group 1-Group 4) based on the date on which scan was obtained at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd week and longer than 3 weeks after illness onset. Forty-five patients with follow-up scans were categorized into 4 groups according to extents that lesions reduced. GGO was prevalent in Groups 1-4 (58.1-82.6%). Consolidation was the more common in Group 2 (26.2%) and then declined in Group 3 and 4 (20.0%; 9.7%). The highest frequency of fibrous stripes occurred in Group 3 (46.7%) and then decreased to 35.5% in Group 4. CT scores were higher for Group 2 than others. Among 45 follow-up patients, 11 (24.4%) of them recovered with lesions reducing ≥75% and had shorter hospital durations compared with others. There were temporal patterns of lung abnormalities in COVID-19 patients, with the highest extent of lesion involvement occurring in the 2nd week. Isolation and review are required for COVID-19 patients who have been discharged from hospital.
MAIORIDADE PENAL: UMA ANÁLISE JURÍDICA
Authors: PIFFER Ana Carolina Barbosa
Published: April 2020

Este estudo procura expor juridicamente as divergências doutrinarias a respeito da redução da maioridade penal para 16 anos, que atualmente no Brasil é de 18 anos. O trabalho consiste em demonstrar os prós e contras da redução, através da abordagem de estudiosos da área. Inclusive sobre a possibilidade de ser cláusula pétrea, fator muito discutido entre os doutrinadores, podendo o Supremo Tribunal Federal decidir sobre a (in)constitucionalidade da norma. Analisando diversas opiniões, como Dalmo Dallari, Alexandre de Moraes, Pedro Lenza, dentre outros doutrinadores que expões suas opiniões a cerca deste tema. Estudos variados são apresentados, de forma a concluir o melhor caminho para a diminuição da criminalidade. Visa inclusive mostrar o funcionamento do ECA , a aplicabilidade das medidas, e ainda o que pode ser melhorado, a fim de realmente ajudar as crianças e adolescentes a não reincidirem no crime. Utilizando, também, dados comparativos com outros países, e o meio mais efetivo a longo prazo, afinal, a redução da maioridade penal, tem como justificativa a redução da criminalidade. Percebe-se inclusive que para conter a criminalidade é preciso combater as causa, problema da educação, social, que envolvem a cobrança da população para que o Estado cumpra seu papel, de forma que invista em positivas publicas voltadas para os menores, oferecendo uma melhor condição de vida, de forma que o crime não seja a ultima opção para esses jovens.
Crossing Ethnic Barriers Enforced by the KGB: Kharkiv Writers' Lives in the 1960s-70s
Authors: Bertelsen Olga
Published: April 2020

This study analyzes the foundations of unity developed by the Kharkiv multi-ethnic community of writers, and explores post-Khrushchev Kharkiv as a political space and a place of state violence aimed at combating Ukrainian nationalism and Zionism, two major targets in the 1960s-70s. Despite their various cultural and social backgrounds, the Kharkiv literati might be identified as a distinct bohemian group possessing shared aesthetic and political values that emerged as the result of de-Stalinization under Khrushchev. Archival documents, diaries, and memoirs suggest that the 1960s-70s was a period of intense covert KGB operations and “active measures” designed to disrupt a community of intellectuals and to fragment friendships, bonds, and support among Ukrainians, Russians, and Jews along ethnic lines. The history of the literati residing in Kharkiv in the 1960s-70s, their formal and informal practices and rituals, and their strategies of coping with state antisemitism, anti-Ukrainianism, terror, and waves of repression demonstrate that the immutability of ethnic barriers, often attributed to Ukrainian-Russian-Jewish encounters and systematically reinforced by the KGB, seems to be a myth and a stereotype. The writers negated them, escaping from and at the same time augmenting the politics of the place. Their spatial and social practices and habits helped them create a cohesive community grounded in shared history, shared interests in literature and dedication to it, and shared threats emanating from city politics and the KGB. They transcended ethnic boundaries constructed by the authorities, striving for unity, free from Soviet definitions.
Kharkiv As a University City: The Evolution of Symbolic Space
Authors: Posokhov Serhii , Rachkov Yevhen
Published: April 2020

The emergence and evolution of the symbolic space of Kharkiv, one of the largest university centres in Ukraine, represent changes in the urban cultural landscape and the urban narrative of memory. Here, the transformations of sign-space (ritual practices and symbolism) in Kharkiv’s institutions of higher education are traced from the first half of the nineteenth century to the present time. The genesis of sign-space in the city’s institutes of higher education is an example of the transfer of western European university ideas to eastern European terrain, and their further adaptation there. The functioning of sign-space is studied in the fifteen largest institutions of higher learning in Kharkiv today.
University symbols and rituals define a system of views of the modern university, its functions, and its ideals. Building a university sign-space is also interpreted as a competition for the symbolic environment of the city in which it exists. In this way, institutions of higher education seek not only to be represented in the urban milieu, but also to promote the consolidation of a certain part of the surrounding urban community. Kharkiv’s symbolic space as a university city is tightly knit but heterogeneous, representing a complex system and comprising a wide variety of visual and verbal elements. The current forms of visual (self)representation of Kharkiv’s universities are a synthesis of local and borrowed academic traditions. The “commercialization” and “service function” of the modern university clash with the “old” ideals of Enlightenment, a conflict reflected in the symbolic and ritual forms perceived by the university community.
Kharkiv's Soulful Places: An Artistic Research
Authors: Zaiets' Dmytro
Published: April 2020

What makes certain places in a city fascinating, even magical? This is not about the so-called “nice city” areas, be it views of historical districts or monuments or city parks—places that are by default associated with pleasant ambiance or recreation. This essay is about places that create an immediate impression and that can become intimate, eliciting an emotional response or addressing our hidden needs. It describes research results achieved by sociology students of the Kharkiv School of Architecture in the 2017-18 academic year. The research was dedicated to urban places with a “soul,” with all of the possible shades and differences this social construct implies. The purpose of this research was to find a way to recreate the charm of places, to recreate their atmosphere and their aura in other contexts. Overall, this essay emphasizes the importance of authentic places and stresses the need to study and preserve them as a basis for the urban life of contemporary Kharkiv.
CALCULATION OF HEAT CAPACITY IN MEAT DURING ITS FREEZING CONSIDERING PHASE CHANGE
Authors: Berezovskiy Yuriy M. ,  Korolev Igor A. , Sarantsev Taras A.
Published: April 2020

As a consequence of insufficient study of water phase change in meat accompanied by water crystallization, its modeling is currently based on the empirical dependence of the frozen water portion on temperature. Such model does not allow answering a number of questions such as of metrological order, and also of physicochemical interpretation of processes occurring in meat during water crystallization. In this paper, we propose an approach to modeling the phase change process of meat during its freezing on the basis of the phonon theory of Debye crystallization, which allows to obtain physically justified dependences of heat capacity on temperature in the phase change region. The obtained dependences may serve as a simple method for calculating the heat capacity of meat in the temperature range of 113 K to the cryoscopic temperature of the given meat type, or as a basis for the analysis and correction of factors affecting the meat freezing in the temperature range of the phase change.
DEVELOPMENT OF LITHIUM–CONTAINING FEED ADDITIVE AND ITS USE FOR FORTIFICATION OF CHICKEN BROILERS MEAT AND BY-PRODUCTS
Authors:  Miftahutdinova Elena A. , Tikhonov Sergey L. , Tikhonova Natal’ya V.
Published: April 2020

The article presents the researches on the development of a feed additive for broiler chickens, including succinic (amber) acid, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, lithium carbonate, L-carnitine, betaine. It was found that the introduction of the developed feed additive to mice food in a dose exceeding 5000 mg / kg per body weight did not affect the general condition of the animals. The experimental results did not allow determining the LD50 of the researched feed additive. The lithiumcontaining feed additive does not have chronic toxicity, does not cause pathological processes in the internal organs of mice and it belongs to hazard class IV (low-hazard substances). It was found that the introduction of a feed additive in amount of 2,350 g per 1 ton of mixed forage for broiler chickens (the concentration of ionized lithium is 66 mg per 1 kg of feed) allows increasing the content of lithium in cooked meat, minced meat and by-products in comparison with samples of products taken from the experimental group. The lithium content in boiled white meat is 0.418 mg / 100 g, which is 211% higher than in the control sample; 0.452 mg / 100 g in boiled red meat which is 426.4% higher than in the control sample. Eating of 300 g of boiled chicken meat fortified with lithium obtained in the process of broiler chickens cramming, this meat provides the recommended daily dose of the specified trace element. The obtained data allow using the raw meat and by-product for the production of lithium fortified food products.
Hall anomaly and moving vortex charge in layered superconductors
Authors: Auerbach Assa , Arovas Daniel
Published: April 2020

Magnetotransport theory of layered superconductors in the flux flow
steady state is revisited. Longstanding controversies concerning
observed Hall sign reversals are resolved. The conductivity separates
into a Bardeen-Stephen vortex core contribution, and a Hall conductivity
due to moving vortex charge. This charge, which is responsible for Hall
anomaly, diverges logarithmically at weak magnetic field. Its values can
be extracted from magetoresistivity data by extrapolation of vortex core
Hall angle from the normal phase. Hall anomalies in
YBa_22Cu_33O_{7}7,
Bi_22Sr_22CaCu_22O_{8-x}8−x,
and Nd_{1.85}1.85Ce_{0.15}0.15CuO_{4-y}4−y 
data are consistent with theoretical estimates based on doping
dependence of London penetration depths. In the appendices, we derive
the Streda formula for the hydrodynamical Hall conductivity, and refute
previously assumed relevance of Galilean symmetry to Hall anomalies.
Anomaly matching in the symmetry broken phase: Domain walls, CPT, and the Smith isomorphism
Authors: Hason Itamar , Komargodski Zohar , Thorngren Ryan
Published: April 2020

Symmetries in Quantum Field Theory may have ’t Hooft anomalies. If
the symmetry is unbroken in the vacuum, the anomaly implies a nontrivial
low-energy limit, such as gapless modes or a topological field theory.
If the symmetry is spontaneously broken, for the continuous case, the
anomaly implies low-energy theorems about certain couplings of the
Goldstone modes. Here we study the case of spontaneously broken discrete
symmetries, such as \mathbb{Z}_2ℤ2
and TT.
Symmetry breaking leads to domain walls, and the physics of the domain
walls is constrained by the anomaly. We investigate how the physics of
the domain walls leads to a matching of the original discrete anomaly.
We analyze the symmetry structure on the domain wall, which requires a
careful analysis of some properties of the unbreakable
CPTCPT
symmetry. We demonstrate the general results on some examples and we
explain in detail the mod 4 periodic structure that arises in the
\mathbb{Z}_2ℤ2
and TT
case. This gives a physical interpretation for the Smith isomorphism,
which we also extend to more general abelian groups. We show that via
symmetry breaking and the analysis of the physics on the wall, the
computations of certain discrete anomalies are greatly simplified. Using
these results we perform new consistency checks on the infrared phases
of 2+12+1
dimensional QCD.
El trans-sexualismo: ¿realidad o ficción?, ¿verdad o falsedad? Una mirada filosófica
Authors: Arroyave Valencia Orlando
Published: April 2020

Siguiendo una metodología heideggeriana, se intenta describir desde lo fáctico la manera como la tradición trató el tema de la trans-sexualidad. Al abrir las posibilidades hermenéuticas, se explora el tema desde las bases ontológicas que arroja Heidegger, de tal manera que se descubre que la postmodernidad es la época en la cual la liberación sexual, y la toma de conciencia que esta conlleva, pone en entredicho algunos postulados lógicos que predominaron durante mucho tiempo en nuestra cultura.
Evaluation of automated groundwater level measurements for transmissivity and storativity calculation
Authors: Kirlas M. C. , Katsifarakis K. L.
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we discuss the accuracy of aquifer transmissivity (T) and storativity (S) values, obtained through the processing of hourly and 5-min groundwater level data, regularly and accurately recorded by automated stations. In particular, we discuss the role of the selection of (a) the initial undisturbed hydraulic head level, which might be influenced by prior pumping cycles, and (b) the exact time of start or shutdown of the pump, which might not be exactly recorded. Furthermore, the accuracy of T and S values based on sparse measurements is also examined. The Cooper–Jacob method and the recovery test method have been applied to obtain both T and S, and T values, respectively. Groundwater level measurements at Moudania aquifer, Chalkidiki, Greece, are used as an illustrative example. Our main conclusions are (a) assuming that pumping starts earlier than it actually does, leads to the underestimation of T and the overestimation of S, (b) transmissivity might be overestimated if the residual drawdown, due to previous pumping cycles, is substantial, (c) in recovery tests, the deviation of the straight line that fits the experimental points from the point (1,0) is an indication of residual drawdown, and (d) sparse measurements can offer reasonable estimates.
Privacy Language in Scholarly Literature on Mental Health Apps: Systematic Review (Preprint)
Authors: Ebben Maureen , Murphy Julien S.
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Mental health apps raise critical questions about privacy. Personal mental health information, if collected and distributed inappropriately through these apps, can threaten employment, social and political opportunities, personal relationships, and contribute to social isolation and other detrimental effects. Given this context, examination of privacy in mental health apps is warranted.

OBJECTIVE

This study traces the trajectory of privacy language in scholarship about mental health apps since their arrival in the marketplace in 2008 and offers a critical, meta-analysis of this body of empirical research.

METHODS

Articles for analysis (N=136) were drawn from a comprehensive search of over 340 academic databases for peer-reviewed journal articles from 2008 to June 2019. Qualitative thematic analysis charts the development of privacy discourse on mental health apps.

RESULTS

The concept of privacy is under-theorized in mental health app research. The study characterizes the development of privacy language in three phases: Phase One: Discourse of Technological Possibility, Phase Two: Discourse of Privacy Challenges and Threats, and Phase Three: Discourse of Advocacy. Results show a developing acknowledgement of privacy concerns culminating in strategic approaches to protecting privacy by addressing security issues such as risk mitigation, privacy certification, and advocacy for mental health app regulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings show that mental health apps pose unique and fundamental concerns about privacy. The meta-analysis of this body of scholarship demonstrates that digital privacy in mental health apps requires substantive security measures to protect users from harm.

CLINICALTRIAL

n/a
Asynchronous mHealth Interventions in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systematic Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Seppen Bart F , den Boer Pim , Wiegel Jimmy , ter Wee Marieke M , van der Leeden Marike , de Vries Ralph , van der Esch Martin , Bos Wouter H
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have surged in popularity in recent years, generating numerous possibilities for their use in health care as mobile health (mHealth) tools. One advantage of mHealth is that it can be provided asynchronously, signifying that health care providers and patients are not communicating in real time. The integration of asynchronous mHealth into daily clinical practice might therefore help to make health care more efficient for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The benefits have been reviewed in various medical conditions, such as diabetes and asthma, with promising results. However, to date, it is unclear what evidence exists for the use of asynchronous mHealth in the field of RA.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to map the different asynchronous mHealth interventions tested in clinical trials in patients with RA and to summarize the effects of the interventions.

METHODS

A systematic search of Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, and PsycINFO was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were initially screened and later assessed by two independent researchers. Disagreements on inclusion or exclusion of studies were resolved by discussion.

RESULTS

The literature search yielded 1752 abstracts. After deduplication and screening, 10 controlled intervention studies were included. All studies were assessed to be at risk for bias in at least one domain of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. In the 10 selected studies, 4 different types of mHealth interventions were used: SMS reminders (to increase medication adherence or physical activity; n=3), web apps (for disease monitoring and/or to provide medical information; n=5), smartphone apps (for disease monitoring; n=1), and pedometers (to increase and track steps; n=1). Measured outcomes varied widely between studies; improvements were seen in terms of medication compliance (SMS reminders), reaching rapid remission (web app), various domains of physical activity (pedometer, SMS reminders, and web apps), patient-physician interaction (web apps), and self-efficacy (smartphone app).

CONCLUSIONS

SMS reminders, web apps, smartphone apps, and pedometers have been evaluated in intervention studies in patients with RA. These interventions have been used to monitor patients or to support them in their health behavior. The use of asynchronous mHealth led to desirable outcomes in nearly all studies. However, since all studies were at risk of bias and methods used were very heterogeneous, high-quality research is warranted to corroborate these promising results.
Reasoning about Who to Notify to avoid Alarm Fatigue: Algorithm Development and Validation (Preprint)
Authors: Fernandes Chrystinne , Miles Simon , Lucena Carlos José Pereira De
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Alarm Fatigue is a scenario experienced by an overwhelmed and fatigued healthcare team that is desensitized and slow to respond to alarms. The most common alarm-related issues that may lead to Alarm Fatigue include the excessive number of alarms, a number of alarms generated by many different types of alarm devices, and the high percentage of false alarms (80%-99%). All of these alerts have to be processed by the healthcare teams who are consistently under pressure: they should analyze the high volume of inputs they are receiving in order to answer to them quickly and correctly, by making decisions in real-time about the response to the next alarm. Under alarm fatigue conditions, the staff may ignore and/or silence alarms, putting patients in risky situations.

OBJECTIVE

This paper’s main goal is to propose a feasible solution for mitigating alarm fatigue by using an automatic reasoning mechanism to choose the best caregiver to be assigned to a given notification within the set of available caregivers in an Intensive Care Unit.

METHODS

Our main contribution in this work consists of an algorithm that decides who is the best caregiver to notify in an ICU. We formalized this problem as a Constraint-Satisfaction Problem and we present one example of how it can be solved. We designed a case study where patients’ vital signs were collected through a vital signs’ generator that also triggers alarms. We conducted five experiments to test our algorithm considering different situations for an ICU. The evaluation of our algorithm was made through the comparison between the results of the choices made by our reasoning algorithm and another strategy that we call “blind” strategy, which randomly assigns caregivers to notifications.

RESULTS

Experiments are used to demonstrate that providing a reasoning system we could decide who is the best caregiver to receive a notification. By comparing the choices made by our reasoning algorithm and the “blind” strategy, our reasoning algorithm achieved a better result in terms of prioritizing the assignments we wanted to make based on our defined criteria: patient’s severity, the distance between caregivers and patients, caregivers’ experience, the probability of a notification to be false, and the number of notifications caregivers have received.

CONCLUSIONS

The experimental results strongly suggest that this reasoning algorithm is a useful strategy for mitigating alarm fatigue. We showed, in our experiments, that caregivers with higher levels of experience received more notifications than the ones with lower levels. Our future work is to deal with resource negotiation and to evaluate the distribution of the notifications to the caregivers’ teams made by the algorithms.
Smartphone Medical App Use and Associated Factors Among Physicians at Referral Hospitals in Amhara Region, North Ethiopia, in 2019: Cross-sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Teferi Gizaw Hailiye , Tilahun Binyam Cheklu , Guadie Habtamu Alganeh , Amare Ashenafi Tazebew
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Information in health care is rapidly expanding and is updated very regularly, especially with the increasing use of technology in the sector. Due to this, health care providers require timely access to the latest scientific evidence anywhere. Smartphone medical apps are tools to access the latest reputable scientific evidence in the discipline. In addition, smartphone medical apps could lead to improved decision making, reduced numbers of medical errors, and improved communication between hospital medical staff.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess smartphone medical app use and associated factors among physicians working at referral hospitals of the Amhara region, Ethiopia.

METHODS

An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among physicians working at 5 referral hospitals in the Amhara region, Ethiopia, from February 5 to May 27, 2019. A simple random sampling method was used to select 423 physicians. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data and analyzed using SPSS, version 21 (IBM Corp). Binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with smartphone medical app use among physicians. A value of P<.05, corresponding to a 95% CI, was considered statistically significant. The validity of the questionnaire was determined based on the view of experts and the reliability of it obtained by calculating the value of Cronbach alpha (α=.78)

RESULTS

In this study, most of the 417 respondents (375, 89.9%) had medical apps installed on their smartphones. Of those 375 respondents, 264 (70.4%) had used medical apps during clinical practice. The medical apps most commonly used by the respondents were UpToDate, Medscape, MedCalc, and Doximity. According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, attitude (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.64, 95% CI 1.05-2.55), internet access (AOR 2.82, 95% CI 1.75-4.54), computer training (AOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.09-2.67), perceived usefulness of the app (AOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.05-2.54), information technology support staff (AOR 2.363, 95% CI 1.5-3.08), and technical skill (AOR 2.52, 95% CI 1.50-4.25) were significantly associated with smartphone medical app use.

CONCLUSIONS

Most respondents have a smartphone medical app and have used it in clinical practice. Attitude, internet access, computer training, perceived usefulness of the app, information technology support staff, and technical skill are the most notable factors that are associated with smartphone medical app use by physicians.
Using Reports of Symptoms and Diagnoses on Social Media to Predict COVID-19 Case Counts in Mainland China: Observational Infoveillance Study (Preprint)
Authors: Shen Cuihua , Chen Anfan , Luo Chen , Zhang Jingwen , Feng Bo , Liao Wang
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. This disease poses an extraordinary challenge for public health systems because screening and surveillance capacity is often severely limited, especially during the beginning of the outbreak; this can fuel the outbreak, as many patients can unknowingly infect other people.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze posts related to COVID-19 on Weibo, a popular Twitter-like social media site in China. To our knowledge, this infoveillance study employs the largest, most comprehensive, and most fine-grained social media data to date to predict COVID-19 case counts in mainland China.

METHODS

We built a Weibo user pool of 250 million people, approximately half the entire monthly active Weibo user population. Using a comprehensive list of 167 keywords, we retrieved and analyzed around 15 million COVID-19–related posts from our user pool from November 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020. We developed a machine learning classifier to identify “sick posts,” in which users report their own or other people’s symptoms and diagnoses related to COVID-19. Using officially reported case counts as the outcome, we then estimated the Granger causality of sick posts and other COVID-19 posts on daily case counts. For a subset of geotagged posts (3.10% of all retrieved posts), we also ran separate predictive models for Hubei province, the epicenter of the initial outbreak, and the rest of mainland China.

RESULTS

We found that reports of symptoms and diagnosis of COVID-19 significantly predicted daily case counts up to 14 days ahead of official statistics, whereas other COVID-19 posts did not have similar predictive power. For the subset of geotagged posts, we found that the predictive pattern held true for both Hubei province and the rest of mainland China regardless of the unequal distribution of health care resources and the outbreak timeline.

CONCLUSIONS

Public social media data can be usefully harnessed to predict infection cases and inform timely responses. Researchers and disease control agencies should pay close attention to the social media infosphere regarding COVID-19. In addition to monitoring overall search and posting activities, leveraging machine learning approaches and theoretical understanding of information sharing behaviors is a promising approach to identify true disease signals and improve the effectiveness of infoveillance.
Successful strategies for preventing spread of COVID-19 in the Middle East: A model from Jordan (Preprint)
Authors: Khatatbeh Moawiah
Published: April 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

COVID-19 has been invaded more than 200 countries around the world. Countries have responded in varied ways to combat the diseases. Jordan, in the Middle East, has responded in a strict way. Measures taken in Jordan proved to be effective compared to other countries in the region by having the lowest number of cases.
Google Trends and COVID-19 in Italy. Could we brace for impact? (Preprint)
Authors: Ciaffi Jacopo , Meliconi Riccardo , Landini Maria Paola , Ursini Francesco
Published: April 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

Our hypothesis is that Google Trends could provide useful insights to predict the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. A search was performed using the Italian words “tosse” and “febbre”, respectively meaning “cough” and “fever” in English, and we analysed temporal correlation between Google trends and official data on increase in ICU admissions and new deaths from COVID-19 in Italy over the period between February 24th and April 6th. We visualized a lag period between trends in search volumes for “tosse” and “febbre” and ICU admissions or deaths, respectively of about 1 and 2 weeks. Therefore, we plotted the increase in ICU admissions against Google Trends for “tosse” and “febbre” 1 week earlier, and the number of new deaths against the search volumes for “tosse” and “febbre” 2 weeks earlier. A significant correlation was observed. Second waves of COVID-19 are expected and our viewpoint is that, integrated with traditional public health surveillance systems, the interpretation of Google Trends data could be useful to alert and prepare the healthcare system in advance.
Mitigating COVID-19 impact on the Portuguese population mental health: the opportunity that lies in Digital Mental Health (Preprint)
Authors: Mendes-Santos Cristina , Andersson Gerhard , Weiderpass Elisabete , Santana Rui
Published: April 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

COVID-19 mitigation measures present unprecedent challenges in mental healthcare delivery, posing high risk to the mental health of populations. Ensuring safe and equitable access to mental healthcare requires resorting to innovative psychosocial intervention strategies such as, Digital Mental Health.
In this perspective piece, we discuss how timely implementation of a comprehensive Digital Mental Health strategy, coupling research, education, implementation and quality assessment initiatives, might strengthen the Portuguese mental healthcare system and, therefore, buffer COVID-19´s impact on the Portuguese society.
Pilot Study of Return of Genetic Results to Patients in Adult Nephrology
Authors: Nestor Jordan G. , Marasa Maddalena , Milo-Rasouly Hila , Groopman Emily E. , Husain S. Ali , Mohan Sumit , Fernandez Hilda , Aggarwal Vimla S. , Ahram Dina F. , Vena Natalie , Bogyo Kelsie , Bomback Andrew S. , Radhakrishnan Jai , Appel Gerald B. , Ahn Wooin , Cohen David J. , Canetta Pietro A. , Dube Geoffrey K. , Rao Maya K. , Morris Heather K. , Crew Russell J. , Sanna-Cherchi Simone , Kiryluk Krzysztof , Gharavi Ali G.
Published: April 2020

Background and objectives

Actionable genetic findings have implications for care of patients with kidney disease, and genetic testing is an emerging tool in nephrology practice. However, there are scarce data regarding best practices for return of results and clinical application of actionable genetic findings for kidney patients.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

We developed a return of results workflow in collaborations with clinicians for the retrospective recontact of adult nephrology patients who had been recruited into a biobank research study for exome sequencing and were identified to have medically actionable genetic findings.

Results

Using this workflow, we attempted to recontact a diverse pilot cohort of 104 nephrology research participants with actionable genetic findings, encompassing 34 different monogenic etiologies of nephropathy and five single-gene disorders recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics for return as medically actionable secondary findings. We successfully recontacted 64 (62%) participants and returned results to 41 (39%) individuals. In each case, the genetic diagnosis had meaningful implications for the patients’ nephrology care. Through implementation efforts and qualitative interviews with providers, we identified over 20 key challenges associated with returning results to study participants, and found that physician knowledge gaps in genomics was a recurrent theme. We iteratively addressed these challenges to yield an optimized workflow, which included standardized consultation notes with tailored management recommendations, monthly educational conferences on core topics in genomics, and a curated list of expert clinicians for patients requiring extranephrologic referrals.

Conclusions

Developing the infrastructure to support return of genetic results in nephrology was resource-intensive, but presented potential opportunities for improving patient care.

Podcast

This article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2020_04_16_12481019.mp3
Problematics of Saints Cult in Works of Jadidist-Theolologians of the Late XVIII and the Early XX cc
Authors: Seidametov Eldar Khalilovich
Published: April 2020

The article deals with the analysis of the problems of the cult of saints in the religious views of the greatest Tatar Jadid - theologians of the late 18th and the early 20th centuries. The research aims to investigate the views of Abdennacer Kursawe, Shihab Al-din al-Marjani, Galimjan Barudi, Rizaetdin Fakhretdin, Musa Jarullah Bigiev. The scholars searched the reasons for the crucial decline that involved the Muslim peoples, they believed that the only way out was the correction of Muslim beliefs, the refusal of religious innovations and the return to the Holy Quran and Sunnah. They criticized various manifestations of ignorance and superstition as well as some traditions that, in their opinion, were contrary to the canons of Islam and prevented the progress of Muslims. The Jadids supported the reform of the education system, the study of worldly sciences, the borrowing and use of global scientific and technological and other achievements. The similar position of Tatar theologians contributed to the formation of Islamic cultural values and present new ways for Russian Muslims to unify to the achievements of the world civilization.
The effect of transcranial electrostimulation on the frontal crust of students during a psychoemotional stress
Authors: Kade Azamat Halidovich , Ahejak-Naguze Caida Kazbekovna , Durov Viktor Vladimirovich , Kashina Yulia Viktorovna , Tacenko Elena Genadevna , Penzhoyan Artem Grigorevich , Nikitin Roman Viktorovich , Abushkevich Valeriy Gordeevich
Published: April 2020

Relevance: transcranial electrical stimulation has an anti-stress effect in humans. One of the possible mechanisms is due to changes in the functional state of the frontal region of the cerebral cortex.The aim: to evaluate the dynamics of tractography of the frontal region of the human cerebral cortex during psychoemotional stress before and after transcranial electrical stimulation. Materials and methods: Observations were performed on 26 conditionally healthy young men. Students assessed the level of stress resistance by N.N. Kirsheva, N.V. Ryabchikova and heart rate variability in the test period. Brain MRI was performed on a high-field tomograph (magnetic field strength 3 T) from General Electric (USA), followed by software processing and tractography. 16 subjects (main group) underwent transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) therapy. TES therapy was performed using the TRANSAIR-02 apparatus with monopolar impulses. Sessions were held in the evening from 18 to 22 hours every other day. The course consisted of 5 sessions of 30 minutes, the current strength was from 2.0 to 3.0 mA After a course of TES therapy, MRI of the brain and tractography were repeated. In the comparison group (10 people), TES therapy was not performed, but MRI and tractography were similarly repeated. The tractograms compared the area of the tracts in the frontal region of the cerebral cortex in both groups, as well as before and after TES therapy. For statistical analysis of the results of the study used the program: “STATISTICA 10”. Results: On the tractograms of the frontal cortex of the brain, in students experiencing stress due to the training load in the crediting period, the tract area on the tractogram was 7.9 ± 0.4 cm2. After 5 sessions of transcranial electrical stimulation, the level of stress resistance increased. On the tractograms of the frontal cortex, the area of the tracts increased and amounted to 13.4 ± 0.5 cm2.The conclusion: After transcranial electrical stimulation, when psychoemotional stress is removed, students restore paths in the frontal region of the cerebral cortex
Yarns Emitting Far Infrared Rays
Authors: YÜCE İsmail
Published: April 2020

Infrared radiation refers to
electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than visible light, but
shorter than terahertz and microwave radiation. Far infrared radiation (FIR)
denotes radiation that is considered a kind of infrared radiation and includes
wavelengths between 5.6-1000 micron. These rays are emitted by sun rays,
human body, metals and some minerals. The positive effect of these rays on human
health has already been mentioned and they are widely used especially in Far
East countries in textile products and saunas. For
the textile products to emit such rays, the fibres or fabrics are required to
gain some features. For this purpose, bioseramic powder is applied to the
fibres and hence the textile becomes able to emit far infrared rays. This study
deals with yarns that have acquired the ability to emit far infrared rays and
their usage areas in textile. This review examines
bioceramic powders, black body, production of FIR emitting yarns, features of
yarns, various usage areas and future trends by means of literature review
method.
Vibration Behavior of Composite Materials Produced by Waste Metal Recycling
Authors: GÜNEŞ Aydın , GÜLBAHÇE Erdi , SALUR Emin , ASLAN Abdullah , ŞAHİN Ömer Sinan
Published: April 2020

In this study, waste
metal chips were transformed into metal matrix composites by isostatic hot
pressing and the vibrational behavior of these composite materials was
investigated. Bronze chips (CuSn10) was used as a matrix component and
spheroidal cast iron (GGG40) chips were used as reinforcement component. The
metal matrix composites are produced with different GGG40 contents as
40%-30%-20% and 10%. Metal chips were pressed at pressure of 170 MPa and a
temperature of 450 °C during production. The results of natural frequency and
modal stiffness were evaluated on the basis of mixture ratios by applying the
impact hammer test to the metal matrix composite materials produced.
Characterization of Hydroxyapatite Coating on Ti6Al4V by Sol-gel Method
Authors: GÜRAKSIN Gür Emre , BİÇER Eyüp Can , EVCİN Atilla
Published: April 2020

Biomaterials are
natural or synthetic materials that are used in human body and are materials to
evaluate, treat, support or replace any tissue, organ, or function of the body.
Due to its favorable biocompatibility and mechanical properties, HA-coated metal-based
implants are used in the orthopedic surgery operations. For this purpose,
sol-gel synthesized nano sized HA powders were produced. Ti6Al4V alloy was
coated with hydroxyapatite(HA) by using the sol–gel method. Surface
morphologies, thermal, mineralogical properties and bioactivity of the coatings
were examined and the characterization of the coatings was performed by using
DTA-TG, XRD, SEM, and EDX.
Reactive Compatibilization of Poly(lactic acid) and Polycarbonate Blends Through Catalytic Transesterification Reactions
Authors: MELİA Guessoum , NADJAT Chelghoum , NACERDDİNE Haddaoui
Published: April 2020

The combination of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with
polycarbonate (PC) which presents high inherent thermal stability and
mechanical properties is an attractive strategy to overcome PLA brittleness and
poor thermal resistance. To improve affinity between the two materials and
their dispersion into the blend, an organophilic montmorillonite (MMT) has been
added and reactive compatibilization through catalyzed transesterification has
been investigated. The properties were studied using differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and
scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study of the thermal properties
revealed the immiscibility of the uncatalyzed blend but noticeable changes were
detected on the PLA crystallization and melting behaviors after the addition of
the catalyst. The SEM observations showed that MMT and the catalyst contribute
in the improvement of the dispersion. The TG results revealed that MMT
increases the thermal stability of the blend and showed new stages of
decomposition due to the different structures resulting from the interchange
reactions.
Natural Radiation Measurement in Some Soil Samples from Basra oil field, IRAQ State
Authors: ALBIDHANI Hadi , GUNOGLU Kadir , AKKURT İskender
Published: April 2020

The main objective of this project is to study the natural radioactivity in the oil field environment, and its potential future effects on the workers in particular and the environment in general when increasing the concentration of natural radionuclides resulting from oil extraction. This is done by collecting a number of soil samples, were taken from one of the oil fields north of the Basra city, and measuring and analyzing the results using the gamma spectrum analysis system NaI, at the University of Sulaiman Demirel - Republic of Turkey. The normal radioactivity of radionuclides for natural isotopes 238U, 232Th and 40K are evaluated after measuring by comparing results with worldwide average values in natural soil. The average values of the measurement results were within the worldwide average values, and there were increase Radioactivity concentrations of Radium and potassium in sample 3, that required monitoring to this site for any increase in radioactivity, also to taking of the preventive measures.
Environmental Radiation Doses from Patients Undergoing Tc-99m DMSA Cortical Renal Scintigraphy
Authors: GÜNAY Osman , SARIHAN Mucize , ABAMOR Evrim , YARAR Onur
Published: April 2020

Ionizing
radiation is often used for imaging in health applications. One of them is
scintigraphic method. one of the radiation emitters used in nuclear medicine is
technesium-99m (Tc-99m). This isotope releases gamma rays at about the same wavelength
as conventional X-ray diagnostic equipment, with 140 keV gamma ray energy which
has a ideal short half-life (t½ = 6 h)  for diagnostic nuclear imaging. Before
imaging, the patient is injected with Tc-99m. After injecting Tc-99m, the
patient begins to emit radiation to the environment. Determination of this
radiation dose emitted by the patient is very important for public health. The
main objective of this study was to determine the environmental radiation doses
in patients undergoing Tc-99m DMSA cortical renal scintigraphy. In this study,
the radiation dose rate emitted by the patient about 5, 35 and 68 minutes after
Tc-99m injection was measured at different distances from the patient. As a
result of this study, the mean radiation dose at 5.07, 35.60 and 68.57 minutes
after injection was found to be 5.06 µSvh-1, 4.76 µSvh-1 and
4.18 µSvh-1 at a distance of 100 cm from the patient's chest level,
respectively. The results are important in terms of knowing the radiation dose
to which the patient will be exposed.