bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of erythropoietin for traumatic brain injury: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Liu Motao , Wang Amy J. , Chen Yu , Zhao Gexin , Jiang Zhifeng , Wang Xinbang , Zhang Tiansong , Sun Bomin , Williams Ziv , He Hua , Hu Kejia
Published: June 2020

Background Recent studies regarding the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) for treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been inconsistent. This study conducts a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the safety and efficacy of EPO for TBI patients at various follow-up time points. Methods A literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library for RCTs studying EPO in TBI patients published through March 2019. Non-English manuscripts and non-human studies were excluded. The assessed outcomes include mortality, neurological recovery and associated adverse effects. Dichotomous variables are presented as risk ratios (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results A total of seven RCTs involving 1197 TBI patients were included in this study. Compared to the placebo arm, treatment with EPO did not improve acute hospital mortality or short-term mortality. However, there was a significant improvement in mid-term (6 months) follow-up survival rates. EPO administration was not associated with neurological function improvement. Regarding adverse effects, EPO treatment did not increase the incidence of thromboembolic events or other associated adverse events.Conclusions This meta-analysis indicates a slight mortality benefit for TBI patients treated with EPO at mid-term follow-up. EPO does not improve in-hospital mortality, nor does it increase adverse events including thrombotic, cardiovascular and other associated complications. Our analysis did not demonstrate a significant beneficial effect of EPO intervention on the recovery of neurological function. Future RCTs are required to further characterize the use of EPO in TBI.
Geospatial analysis, web-based mapping and determinants of prostate cancer incidence in Georgia counties: evidence from the 2012-2016 SEER data
Authors: Aheto Justice Moses Kwaku , Utuama Ovie A. , Dagne Getachew A.
Published: June 2020

Background: Prostate cancer (CaP) cases are high in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, there are an estimated number of 174,650 CaP new cases in 2019. The estimated number of deaths from CaP in 2019 is 31,620, making CaP the second leading cause of cancer deaths among American men with lung cancer been the first. Our goal is to estimate and map prostate cancer relative risk, with the ultimate goal of identifying counties at higher risk where interventions and further research can be targeted.Method: The 2012-2016 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program data was used in this study. Analyses were conducted on 159 Georgia counties. The outcome variable is incident prostate cancer. We employed a Bayesian geospatial model to investigate both measured and unmeasured spatial risk factors for prostate cancer. We visualised the risk of prostate cancer by mapping the predicted relative risk and exceedance probabilities. We finally developed interactive web-based maps to guide optimal policy formulation and intervention strategies.Results: Number of persons above age 65 years and below poverty, higher median family income, number of foreign born and unemployed were risk factors independently associated with prostate cancer risk in the non-spatial model. Except number of foreign born, all these risk factors were also significant in the spatial model with the same direction of effects. Substantial geographical variations in prostate cancer incidence were found in the study. The predicted mean relative risk was 1.20 with a range of 0.53 to 2.92. Individuals residing in Towns, Clay, Union, Putnam, Quitman, and Greene counties were at increased risk of prostate cancer incidence while those residing in Chattahoochee were at the lowest risk of prostate cancer incidence.Conclusion: Our results can be used as an effective tool in the identification of counties that require targeted interventions and further research by program managers and policy makers as part of an overall strategy in reducing the prostate cancer burden in Georgia State and the United States as a whole.
Effects of objects and image quality on melanoma classification using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Akkoca-Gazioğlu Bilge Süheyla , Kamasak Mustafa
Published: June 2020

Background: Melanoma is a type of skin cancer with a higher mortality compared to other types of skin cancers. Early and accurate diagnosis of melanoma has critical importance on its prognosis. Recently, deep neural network based models dominated the CAD systems for classification of the potential melanoma lesions. In clinical settings, capturing impeccable skin images is not always possible. In some cases, an external object such as a ruler is required for determination of lesion size. Sometimes, the skin images can be blurry, noisy or have low contrast. The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of external objects (ruler, hair) and image quality (blur, noise, contrast) on the classification of melanoma using commonly used Convolutional Neural Network(CNN) models.Results: Performance is analyzed using accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and precision metrics over 6 different test sets. Hair set has 89.22%, ruler set has 86% and none set has 88.81% as the best accuracy with DenseNet121 architecture. Also, DenseNet has the best average accuracy with comparing the other three models in other datasets, which are noise and blur. We find that ResNet is better for contrast dataset. We can infer that DenseNet can be used for melanoma classification with image distortions and degradations. Conclusion: In this study, we investigate the effect of ruler/hair and image blur, noise and contrast on the melanoma detection performance of four commonly used CNN models: ResNet50, DenseNet121, VGG16 and AlexNet. Melanoma images can be better recognized under contrast changes unlike the benign images, we recommend ResNet model whenever there is contrast issue. Noise significantly degrades the performance on melanoma images and the recognition rates decrease with compared to benign lesions in noisy set. DenseNet121 also works well in this set. Both classes are sensitive to blur changes and best accuracy is obtained with DenseNet model. The images contain ruler has decreased the classification accuracy and ResNet has better performance if there is ruler in an image. Hairy images have the best success rate in our system since it has the maximum number of images in total dataset. DenseNet performs better for both hairy and high quality images.
Uso de Tecnologías Digitales Disponibles para la enseñanza de la Contabilidad en Educación Media
Authors: Pinto Mailen , Durán-Aponte Emilse
Published: June 2020

La investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar de qué forma el uso de Tecnologías Digitales Disponibles puede influir en la motivación y el rendimiento académico de la asignatura de Contabilidad, en alumnos de educación media. Participaron 59 estudiantes, 28 hombres y 31 mujeres con edades entre 14 y 15 años. Se  trabajó a través de Facebook para realizar actividades síncronas a distancia para el dictado de modo semipresencial de la nombrada asignatura. Los resultados fueron comparados en alumnos que recibieron los mismos contenidos de forma presencial, a través de la técnica de análisis de diferencias de media. El rendimiento y los niveles de motivación mejoraron de forma parcial, específicamente en la atribución que hacen al tipo de asignación, lo que sugiere que los alumnos consideran que la estrategia influyó positivamente en sus resultados. Se sugiere aplicar este tipo de estrategia en otras asignaturas para lograr la motivación e interés del alumnado.
Aprendizaje con robótica del patrón AB en niños de 3 años
Authors: Romero-Tena Rosalía , Romero-González Antonio
Published: June 2020

La robótica es una tecnología que se está introduciendo en todos los niveles educativos, el profesorado de Educación Infantil intenta no quedarse al margen. Su evidente potencialidad para desarrollar en los estudiantes el pensar a pensar y su vinculación con todas las áreas STEAM anima a los docentes a la creación de propuestas didácticas en las que la robótica se convierte en una aliada para el aprendizaje de conceptos abstractos difíciles de interiorizar. El trabajo que se presenta pretende mostrar que la utilización de un robot en Infantil de 3 años para el aprendizaje del patrón AB favorece y consolida el aprendizaje del mismo, más que otros recursos. Se diseñó e implementó una secuencia didáctica en dos aulas de infantil, y en una de ellas se introdujo el robot. Se concluye que la utilización del robot contribuyó a que el alumnado que lo utilizó obtuviera mejores resultados no sólo a nivel cognitivo sino también emocional y motivacional.
Evaluasi Usability Google Classroom Menggunakan System Usability Scale
Authors: Setiawan Dimas , Wicaksono Suluh Langgeng
Published: June 2020

Pandemi Covid-19 membuat pengguna E-learning di masa meningkat pesat, hal ini dikarenakan adanya kebijakan WFH (work from home) dari pemerintah sehingga seluruh proses kegiatan pembelajaran di kelas digantikan dengan model pembelajaran secara online, tak tekecuali di Universitas PGRI Madiun. Salah satu platform E-Learning yang banyak digunakan adalah Google Classroom, sebagai salah satu platform yang banyak digunakan tentunya perlu dilakukan evaluasi kepuasan agar terdapat perbaikan kedepannya. System Usability Scale merupakan salah satu metode evaluasi yang digunakan untuk melihat usabilitas dari sebuah produk perangkat lunak. Evaluasi Usability ini dilakukan kepada 10 responden pengguna Google clasrrom mahasiswa lintas angkatan, khususnya di program studi sistem informasi dan Teknik informatika UNIPMA. Berdasarkan hasil evaluasi Usability E-learning platform Google calssroom memiliki score 82,8 dan dianggap telah memenuhi unsur Usablity
Effect of ENSO-based upstream water withdrawals for irrigation on downstream water withdrawals
Authors: Sangha Laljeet , Lamba Jasmeet , Kumar Hemendra
Published: June 2020

In the Southeast US, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), climate variability phenomena affect the quantity of water that is available for irrigation. The goals of this study were to determine the effect of upstream surface water withdrawals for irrigation on the quantity of water available for irrigation in downstream areas as a function of the ENSO phase and quantify the watershed area that can be irrigated using water withdrawn from streams in an ecologically sustainable manner. The study was conducted in the Swan Creek watershed (97 km2) located in Limestone County, Alabama, USA. The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was used to simulate stream flows and develop water withdrawal prescriptions. Results indicated that when simultaneous water withdrawals were made at the outlet of each subwatershed throughout the year, on average water withdrawals were sufficient to irrigate 4–16% of the area upstream of withdrawal point depending on stream order. On making sustainable withdrawals at the outlets of all subwatersheds and at the watershed outlet throughout the year, approximately 40% of the watershed area could be irrigated.
Optimization of ibuprofen degradation in water using high frequency ultrasound-assisted biological reactor
Authors: Abdelhay Arwa , Allafi Aya , Albsoul Abeer
Published: June 2020

Ultrasound (US) is being considered as a promising emerging advanced oxidation process to degrade persistent organic-pollutants. This paper investigated the effect of several operating parameters on the degradation of a recalcitrant pharmaceutical product, namely ibuprofen (IBP), using an ultrasound-assisted biological reactor. The tested operating parameters are the power density (960, 480) W/L, US frequency (1,142, 860, 578) kHz, working volume (500, 250) mL, initial IBP concentration (30, 60) mg/L, and pH (8.2, 4). It was observed that the IBP degradation was directly influenced by the power density, and the highest degradation efficiency (99%) was obtained at 960 w/L. However, the degradation of IBP at sonication time of 120 min was found to increase from 39% to 96% while decreasing the US frequency from 1,142 to 578 kHz. The working volume had no clear effect on the IBP degradation. The optimal pH was found to be 4, which resulted in 99.5% IBP degradation efficiency after 120 min of sonication time. The degradation of IBP followed the first order kinetics. Finally, the sonically-treated water was fed to a subsequent aerobic biological reactor. The results revealed that the remaining chemical oxygen demand (COD) after sonication was lowered in the biological reactor by a percentage of 47%.
Molecular Docking and QSAR Studies of Coumarin Derivatives as NMT Inhibitors: Simple Structural Features as Potential Modulators of Antifungal Activity
Authors: Dabade Sapna Jain , Mandloi Dheeraj , Bajaj Amritlal
Published: June 2020

Background:

Treatments of fungal diseases, including Candidiasis, remain not up to scratch in spite of the mounting catalog of synthetic antifungal agents. These have served as the impetus for investigating new antifungal agents based on natural products. Consequently, genetic algorithm-multiple linear regression (GA-MLR) based QSAR (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship) studies of coumarin analogues along with molecular docking were carried out.

Methods:

Coumarin analogues with their MIC values were used to generate the training and test sets of compounds for QSAR models development; the analogues were also docked into the binding pocket of NMT (MyristoylCoA: protein N-myristoyltransferase).

Results and Discussion:

The statistical parameters for internal and external validation of QSAR analysis (R2= 0.830, Q2= 0.758, R2Pred= 0.610 and R2m overall= 0.683 ), Y Randomization, Ridge trace, VIF, tolerance and model criteria of Golbraikh and Tropsha data illustrate the robustness of the best proposed QSAR model. Most of the analogues bind to the electrostatic, hydrophobic clamp and display hydrogen bonding with amino acid residues of NMT. Interestingly, the most active coumarin analogue (MolDock score of -189.257) was docked deeply within the binding pocket of NMT, thereby displaying hydrogen bonding with Tyr107, Leu451, Leu450, Gln226, Cys393 and Leu394 amino acid residues.

Conclusion:

The combinations of descriptors from various descriptor subsets in QSAR analysis have highlighted the role of atomic properties such as polarizability and atomic van der Waals volume to explain the inhibitory activity. The models and related information may pave the way for important insight into the designing of putative NMT inhibitors for Candida albicans.
Structural and Morphological Changes in the Liver Due to Intestinal Endotoxins
Authors: Malev Alexander L. , Zakharova Anna N. , Kaliberdenko Vitalii B. , Fominykh Tatyana A. , Kulanthaivel Shanmugaraj , Balasundaram Keerthanaa
Published: June 2020

Background:

Under normal physiological conditions, endotoxin (ET) released during
self-renewal of the colibacillus pool is an obligate stimulus for the formation of the immune system
and homeostasis of the body. Violation of the barrier function of the intestinal wall and the mechanisms
of neutralization of endotoxin lead to systemic endotoxemia of intestinal origin. Its development
is facilitated by stress, intoxication, a decrease in nonspecific resistance of the body, as well
as damage to the intestinal mucosa and dysbiosis, where the mucous membrane is more vulnerable
and permeable to endotoxin.

Purpose of the Research:

The aim of this study is to compare and assess the severity and nature of
hepatocyte damage from endotoxin exposure and the degree of manifestation of stress due to oxidation,
to determine the characteristics of structural changes in hepatocytes and to assess the oxidation
stress during endotoxin intoxication in the experiment with biochemical markers.

Materials and Methods:

The experiments were conducted on 40 non-linear rats, divided into two
groups of 20 animals. Group 1 animals received intraperitoneal injections of ET of Escherichia coli
drug (Sigma USA K-235) for seven days at a rate of 0.1 mg/kg of the body weight. Animals of the
second group served as the control group. Character and stage of liver damage were studied using
morphological methods, including electron and light microscopy. In studying oxidizing stress, biochemical
methods were used to define the changes, such as conjugated dienes and dienketones,
spontaneous oxidizing modification of proteins.

Results and Conclusion:

1. The severity and depth of morphological changes in the liver during endotoxin
intoxication were correlated with the dynamics of the content of lipid oxidation products
(CD and DK, MDA) and proteins. There was a tendency for a more significant increase in the
oxidative modification of proteins in serum. This confirms the data on the primary damage of proteins
by free radicals. 2. When exposed to intestinal microflora endotoxin, pronounced dyscirculatory
changes, fatty and hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes with signs of toxic damage to their nuclei
were determined, but at the same time, the increased hyperplastic activity of sinusoidal cells remained
associated with the effects of endotoxin. These changes are associated with both the direct
toxic effect of endotoxin, and the effects of oxidative stress, in which endotoxin is a potent inducer.
Understanding the Molecular Mechanism(s) of SARS-CoV2 Infection and Propagation in Human to Discover Potential Preventive and Therapeutic Approach
Authors: Raj Sibi , Chandel Vaishali , Rathi Brijesh , Kumar Dhruv
Published: June 2020

Exported across the world might create a serious controversy. Severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection into the host undergoes a huge number of complex replicative
machineries which remains unclear. Understanding the mechanism (s) of replication and mode of
infection of SARS-CoV2 to human cells will help us in the development of novel vaccines or drugs for
the eradication and prevention of the disease. This review compiles the knowledge of SARS-CoV2 replicative
machinery, mode of infection to the human cells and the development of drugs and vaccines
which are currently under clinical trials.
Using an Interactive App for Symptom Reporting and Management Following Pancreatic Cancer Surgery to Facilitate Person-Centered Care: Descriptive Study (Preprint)
Authors: Gustavell Tina , Sundberg Kay , Langius-Eklöf Ann
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic and periampullary cancers are rare but have high mortality rates. The only hope for cure is surgical removal of the tumor. Following pancreatic surgery, the patients have a great deal of responsibility for managing their symptoms. Patients report a lack of sufficient knowledge of self-care and unmet supportive care needs. This necessitates a health care system responsive to these needs and health care professionals who pay close attention to symptoms. Person-centered care is widely encouraged and means a shift from a model in which the patient is the passive object of care to a model involving the patient as an active participant in their own care. To address the challenges in care following pancreatic cancer surgery, an interactive app (Interaktor) was developed in which patients regularly report symptoms and receive support for self-care. The app has been shown to reduce patients’ symptom burden and to increase their self-care activity levels following pancreaticoduodenectomy due to cancer.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to describe how patients used the Interaktor app following pancreaticoduodenectomy due to cancer and their experience with doing so.

METHODS

A total of 115 patients were invited to use Interaktor for 6 months following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Of those, 35 declined, 8 dropped out, and 46 did not meet the inclusion criteria after surgery, leaving 26 patients for inclusion in the analysis. The patients were instructed to report symptoms daily through the app for up to 6 months following surgery. In case of alerting symptoms, they were contacted by their nurse. Data on reported symptoms, alerts, and viewed self-care advice were logged and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Also, the patients were interviewed about their experiences, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The patients’ median adherence to symptom reporting was 82%. Fatigue and pain were the most reported symptoms. Alerting symptoms were reported by 24 patients, and the most common alert was fever. There were variations in how many times the patients viewed the self-care advice (range 3-181 times). The most commonly viewed advice concerned pancreatic enzyme supplements. Through the interviews, the overarching theme was “Being seen as a person,” with the following 3 sub-themes: “Getting your voice heard,” “Having access to an extended arm of health care,” and “Learning about own health.”

CONCLUSIONS

Interaktor proved to be well accepted. It made patients feel reassured at home and offered support for self-care. The app facilitated person-centered care by its multiple features targeting individual supportive care needs and enabled participation in their own care. This supports our recent studies showing that patients using the app had less symptom burden and higher self-care activity levels than patients receiving only standard care.
How personality relates to distress in parents during the COVID-19 lockdown: testing a moderated mediation model (Preprint)
Authors: Mazza Cristina , Ricci Eleonora , Marchetti Daniela , Fontanesi Lilybeth , Di Giandomenico Serena , Verrocchio Maria Cristina , Roma Paolo
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Since the initiation of the COVID-19 lockdown, Italian parents have been forced to manage their children at home.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed at investigating the psychological distress of parents during the lockdown, identifying contributing factors.

METHODS

An online survey was administered to 833 participants from 3–15 April 2020. Mediation and moderated mediation models were run to explore: (a) the association between parent neuroticism and parent distress, mediated by child hyperactivity-inattention and child emotional symptoms; and (b) the moderating effect of living only with child(ren) on the direct and indirect effects of parent neuroticism on parent distress.

RESULTS

For parents living only with child(ren), high levels of psychological distress depended exclusively on their levels of neuroticism. For parents living with at least one other person in addition to child(ren), distress levels were also mediated by child behavioral and emotional difficulties. Furthermore, parent psychological distress decreased in line with increased child age.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm that neuroticism is an important risk factor for mental health. Preventive measures should be primarily target multicomponent families with younger children and directed towards parents who are already known to present emotional instability and to parents of children who have received local mental health assistance for behavioral and/or emotional difficulties.

CLINICALTRIAL

N/A
The Twitter Social Mobility Index: Measuring Social Distancing Practices With Geolocated Tweets (Preprint)
Authors: Xu Paiheng , Dredze Mark , Broniatowski David A
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Social distancing is an important component of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minimizing social interactions and travel reduces the rate at which the infection spreads and “flattens the curve” so that the medical system is better equipped to treat infected individuals. However, it remains unclear how the public will respond to these policies as the pandemic continues.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to present the Twitter Social Mobility Index, a measure of social distancing and travel derived from Twitter data. We used public geolocated Twitter data to measure how much users travel in a given week.

METHODS

We collected 469,669,925 tweets geotagged in the United States from January 1, 2019, to April 27, 2020. We analyzed the aggregated mobility variance of a total of 3,768,959 Twitter users at the city and state level from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

We found a large reduction (61.83%) in travel in the United States after the implementation of social distancing policies. However, the variance by state was high, ranging from 38.54% to 76.80%. The eight states that had not issued statewide social distancing orders as of the start of April ranked poorly in terms of travel reduction: Arkansas (45), Iowa (37), Nebraska (35), North Dakota (22), South Carolina (38), South Dakota (46), Oklahoma (50), Utah (14), and Wyoming (53). We are presenting our findings on the internet and will continue to update our analysis during the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed larger travel reductions in states that were early adopters of social distancing policies and smaller changes in states without such policies. The results were also consistent with those based on other mobility data to a certain extent. Therefore, geolocated tweets are an effective way to track social distancing practices using a public resource, and this tracking may be useful as part of ongoing pandemic response planning.
Kesalahan Terjemahan Konjungtor -te pada Kalimat Majemuk Bahasa Jepang: Kajian Struktur dan Makna
Authors: Nishfullayli Saidatun , Setyaningsih Wahyu Handayani
Published: June 2020

In translating Japanese compound sentences, generally, students still have difficulty in interpreting the meaning of the -te verb which functioned as a conjunction (-te conjunction) in compound sentences. Semantically, the -te verb form has some meanings that can be distinguished based on the context of the sentence. Inaccuracy in determining the meaning of the -te conjunction can affect the results of translating compound sentences. In this research, the forms of -te conjunction translation errors which causes the error in translating compound sentence will be elaborated. Data in this research taken from the translation of 'Haha no Tanjobi', which is one of the subtitles in the Rudolf Beethoven biography book titled Beetoben Kodomo Denki Zenshuu, translated by semester VI students of the Japanese Language Program, Vocational College, UGM. From the analysis, the causes of errors in translating conjunctions can be concluded as follows: learners do not understand the classification of the -te conjunctions’ meaning, lack of mastery of Japanese and Indonesian compound sentence structures, and have not been able to understand the message/ meaning of each clause forming compound sentences in Japanese.
Improving Speaking Skill by Using Group Work Method
Authors: Madjid Merla
Published: June 2020

There are four skills in English and one of the skills that students think is very difficult is speaking. Speaking is the skill that needs more practice and exercise, otherwise speaking fluency cannot be improved. Teacher needs to use different teaching techniques in order to reach all students effectively. The objective of this research is to see whether the method in teaching Speaking English by using the group work technique has a positive effect on the academic achievement of the students at Polytechnic ATIM (ATI Makassar), especially for Agro Industrial Engineering students who studied at the second grade. This research was carried out through class action research where teacher give some materials , apply the method, then give direct testing such as written test to find out how far students understand about the materials after they discussed in group. It is one of the assessment materials. Others assessments are taken from groups’ activities in class room, groups’ presentation, Individual’s interview test and questionnaire. This technique plays a positive role in improving the academic achievement in speaking. The technique can also improve students’ motivation in learning English; develop their Self-confidence and cooperation among students. The finding from questionnaire proves that this method can also be used to improve students’ mastery of grammar in use and motivate students in learning grammar. The method promotes learner autonomy by allowing students to make their own decision in the group without being told what to do by the teacher.
[Book Review] Jizoku Kanou na Daigaku no Ryuugakusei Seisaku: Ajia Kakuchi to Renkei shita Nihongo Kyouiku ni Mukete (Sustainable University’s International Students Policy: Toward Japanese Language Education in Collaboration with Various Asian Countries)
Authors: Djafri Fatmawati
Published: June 2020

This book explains the importance of re-examining sustainable education policies for international students at the university level and the role of Japanese language education in its application. This theme has become the focus of research in recent years along with the increasing number of international students and Japanese language learners in Japan, as well as in various Asian countries in the world. This book specifically focuses on national education policy and acceptance of international students at higher educational institutions in Japan. Analysis of educational policies at the micro level through the discussion of case studies at three groups of universities, namely large, medium and small scale universities, is what distinguishes this book from other similar books. In addition, the perspectives of universities in 11 Asian countries regarding their student mobility policy to Japan accompanied by an overview of the Japanese language education situation in each country were also discussed in depth by Japanese language education practitioners. A balanced presentation of two perspectives, Japan as a host country and Asian countries as sending countries, provides a thorough understanding of the application of educational policies for international students and the role of Japanese language education.
Economic and Social Balance of 15 Years of Eastern Enlargement
Authors: Galgóczi Béla
Published: June 2020

The Eastern EU enlargement (2004, 2007, 2013) is still one of the success stories of the EU (and unprecedented in the world), but at the same time it is controversial and is perceived as controversial. One of the core problems has been its unbalanced character: the whole process had a clear `Single Market` focus and the values of a `Social Europe` were of secondary importance. Based on a neofunctionalist approach the paper discusses the integration of the new member states from the point of view of economic and income convergence. Along with a literature review, data on wages, productivity and output will be analysed to demonstrate that upward convergence of the poorer new member states towards the EU average had been stalled in wake of the 2009 crisis. The resulting cleavages put the core hypothesis of the neofunctionalist approach - that EU integration has a `direction` in terms of an upwards convergence - into question.
Variação espacial da temperatura de superfície durante o verão em Erechim – RS
Authors: Murara Pedro , Agnolin Eduarda , Prina Bruno
Published: June 2020

Diante do fato de que cerca de 54% da população mundial vive em áreas urbanas, problemáticas de diversas naturezas envolvendo a degradação de determinados ambientes passam a fazer parte da vida dos citadinos. Estudos sobre a identificação de ilhas de calor nas áreas urbanas passaram a ser investigados a partir dos processos de urbanização. Neste sentido, o presente artigo buscou identificar a ocorrência do fenômeno de ilhas de calor na área urbana de Erechim, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Pautado inicialmente na compreensão da dinâmica atmosférica da área de estudo, os procedimentos envolveram a coleta, análise e tratamento de imagens de satélite, bem como, a elaboração de mapas por meio de cálculos e índices que deram suporte metodológico e tecnológico para identificação e caracterização das ilhas de calor urbanas. Os resultados permitem concluir que os locais sujeitos a retirada da cobertura vegetal, nos quais foram efetuadas impermeabilização do solo, seja por construções ou asfaltamento, as temperaturas registradas são superiores as localidades com cobertura vegetal, assim como, localidades de fundo de vale, devido a altitude e presença de vegetação.
Reproductive characteristics of two Triturus species (Amphibia: Caudata)
Authors: Vucic Tijana , Ivanovic Ana , Nikolic Sonja , Jovanovic Jovana , Cvijanovic Milena
Published: June 2020

During three consecutive years, we compared the reproductive characteristics and oviposition dynamics of two crested newt species, Triturus ivanbureschi and T. macedonicus. These two well-defined species are of special interest because of complex interactions at their contact zone, which include hybridization, species replacement and asymmetric mitochondrial DNA introgression. In common garden experiments, females were introduced to conspecific males, to males of other species and to hybrid males. We monitored the total number and size of the deposited eggs, as well as the dynamics and duration of oviposition during three consecutive years. The number of deposited eggs of Triturus species was much higher than previously reported. Triturus macedonicus lay more eggs that were of larger size in comparison to T. ivanbureschi. Also, the onset of T. macedonicus oviposition was considerably delayed compared to T. ivanbureschi. These are fundamental data, important for understanding complex species interactions in their contact zones.
Biosorption of lead ions from aqueous solutions by beech sawdust and wheat straw
Authors: Bozic Dragana , Gorgievski Milan , Stankovic Velizar , Cakic Milorad , Dimitrijevic Silvana , Conic Vesna
Published: June 2020

This paper presents the results of the Pb2+ adsorption from synthetic Pb(NO3)2 solutions, using the beech sawdust and wheat straw as adsorbents. Physicochemical characterization of the adsorbents included the specific surface area, pHpzc, SEM-EDS and FTIR analysis. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms, as well as changes in the pH solution during the process, were monitored and analyzed. The results showed that the adsorption is well explained by the pseudosecond order kinetic model for both adsorbents. Adsorption of the Pb2+ on sawdust and straw is well described by the Temkin isotherm, which is confirmed by the high values of the regression coefficient R2. The maximum adsorption capacity of lead ions on the beech sawdust and wheat straw was 9.9 and 9.7 mg g-1, respectively. The obtained results have indicated that the beech sawdust and wheat straw are suitable adsorbents for the adsorption of lead ions from dilute aqueous solutions.
Artificial Intelligence for Decision-Makers
Authors: Elliot Viktor H. , Paananen Mari , Staron Miroslaw
Published: June 2020

We propose an exercise with the purpose of providing a basic understanding of key concepts within AI and extending the understanding of AI beyond mathematics. The exercise allows participants to carry out analysis based on accounting data using visualization tools as well as to develop their own machine learning algorithms that can mimic their decisions. Finally, we also problematize the use of AI in decision-making, with such aspects as biases in data and/or ethical concerns.

JEL Classifications: A29; C44; C45; D81; M41.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular and Microvascular Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Findings From a Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Adderley Nicola J , Subramanian Anuradhaa , Toulis Konstantinos , Gokhale Krishna , Taverner Thomas , Hanif Wasim , Haroon Shamil , Thomas G Neil , Sainsbury Christopher , Tahrani Abd A , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah
Published: June 2020

Objective: To determine risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), microvascular
complications and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes who subsequently
develop obstructive sleep apnoea(OSA) compared to patients with type 2 diabetes
without a diagnosis of OSA.

Research Design and Methods: An age-, sex-, body mass index-
and diabetes duration-matched cohort study using data from a UK primary care database
from 01/01/2005 to 17/01/2018. Participants aged ≥16 years with type 2 diabetes
were included. Exposed participants were those who developed OSA after their
diabetes diagnosis; unexposed participants were those without diagnosed OSA. Outcomes
were composite CVD (ischaemic heart disease(IHD), stroke/transient ischaemic
attack(TIA), heart failure(HF)); peripheral vascular disease(PVD); atrial fibrillation(AF);
peripheral neuropathy(PN); diabetes-related foot disease(DFD); referable
retinopathy; chronic kidney disease(CKD); all-cause mortality. The same
outcomes were explored in patients with pre-existing OSA before a diagnosis of type
2 diabetes versus diabetes without diagnosed OSA.

Results: 3,667 exposed participants and 10,450 matched controls were included.
Adjusted hazard ratios for the outcomes were: composite CVD 1.54(95%CI 1.32,1.79);
IHD 1.55(1.26,1.90); HF 1.67(1.35,2.06); stroke/TIA 1.57(1.27,1.94); PVD 1.10(0.91,1.32);
AF 1.53(1.28,1.83); PN 1.32(1.14,1.51); DFD 1.42(1.16,1.74); retinopathy
0.99(0.82,1.21); CKD (stage 3-5) 1.18(1.02,1.36); albuminuria 1.11(1.01,1.22); all-cause
mortality 1.24(1.10,1.40). In the prevalent OSA cohort the results were similar
but some associations not observed.

Conclusions: Patients with type 2 diabetes who develop OSA are at increased risk of CVD,
AF, PN, DFD, CKD, and all-cause mortality compared to patients without diagnosed
OSA. Patients with type 2 diabetes who develop OSA are a high-risk population
and strategies to detect OSA and prevent cardiovascular and microvascular
complications should be implemented.
Association of Long-Term Change and Variability in Glycemia with Risk of Incident Heart Failure among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus – A Secondary Analysis of the ACCORD Trial
Authors: Segar Matthew W. , Patel Kershaw V. , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Caughey Melissa C. , Butler Javed , Fonarow Gregg C. , Grodin Justin L. , McGuire Darren K. , Pandey Ambarish
Published: June 2020

Objective: Evaluate the associations between
long-term change and variability in glycemia with risk of HF among patients
with T2DM.

Research Design and Methods: Among
participants with T2DM enrolled in the ACCORD trial, variability in HbA1c was
assessed from stabilization of HbA1c following enrollment (8 months) to 3 years
of follow-up as follows: average successive variability (ASV=average absolute difference
between successive values), coefficient of variation (CV=standard
deviation/mean), and standard deviation. Participants with HF at baseline or
within 3 years of enrollment were excluded. Adjusted Cox models were used to
evaluate the association of % change (from baseline to 3 years of follow-up)
and variability in HbA1c over the first 3 years of enrollment and subsequent
risk of HF.

Results: The study included 8,576 patients.
Over a median follow-up of 6.4 years from the end of variability measurements
at year 3, 388 patients had an incident HF hospitalization. Substantial changes
in HbA1c were significantly associated with higher risk of HF [HR (95% CI) for ≥10%
decrease = 1.32 (1.08-1.75), ≥10% increase = 1.55 (1.19-2.04), ref: <10%
change in HbA1c]. Higher long-term variability in HbA1c was significantly associated
with higher risk of HF [HR (95% CI) per 1 SD of ASV = 1.34 (1.17-1.54)]
independent of baseline risk factors and interval changes in cardiometabolic parameters.
Consistent patterns of association were observed using alternative measures of glycemic
variability.

Conclusions: Substantial long-term changes and
variability in HbA1c were independently associated with risk of HF among
patients with T2DM.
Evento contextualizado: uma proposta para o ensino e a aprendizagem de equações diferenciais ordinárias na engenharia civil
Authors: LOPES PINTO RIEUSE , LOUREIRO DE LIMA GABRIEL
Published: June 2020

ResumoEste artigo é um recorte de uma pesquisa de doutorado que está sendo desenvolvida sobre o ensino e a aprendizagem de Equações Diferenciais Ordinárias (EDO). Apresentamos a questão que norteia essa pesquisa, os objetivos, o referencial teórico-metodológico adotado (A Matemática no Contexto das Ciências), e parte de uma organização didática que compõe o evento contextualizado. Esse evento foi elaborado a partir de um problema integrando disciplinas matemáticas com não matemáticas da Engenharia Civil, e engloba uma série de conceitos matemáticos e físicos relacionados aos conceitos da Termodinâmica e à transferência de calor. A organização didática, construída a partir da análise do comportamento térmico de três configurações de paredes em alvenaria durante uma prática laboratorial, tem como finalidade possibilitar ao estudante a utilização da Lei de Fourier, que é uma EDO, para determinar o fluxo térmico, ou seja, a taxa de transferência de calor por unidade de área. Palavras-chave: Sequência Didática; Equações Diferenciais; Engenharia Civil; Matemática no Contexto das Ciências.AbstractThis article is an excerpt from a doctoral research that is being developed on the teaching and learning of Ordinary Differential Equations (EDO). We show the issues that guides this research, the objectives, the theoretical-methodological framework adopted (Mathematics in the Context of Science), and part of a didactic organization that makes up the contextualized event. This event was elaborated from a problem integrating mathematical disciplines with non-mathematical Civil Engineering and encompasses a series of mathematical and physical concepts related to the concepts of Thermodynamics and heat transfer. The didactic organization, built from the analysis of the thermal behavior of three masonry wall configurations during a laboratory practice, aims to enable the student to use the Fourier Law, which is an EDO, to determine the thermal flow, in other words, the rate of heat transfer per unit area.Keywords: Didactic Sequence; Differential Equations; Civil Engineering; Mathematics in the Context of Science.
Scouring Pattern of Movable-Bed Channel Due to Mutual Constriction Structures: Laboratory-scale Model
Authors: Prasetyo Wahono Endro , Kustiani Ika , Suharno
Published: June 2020

Pada beberapa tahun terakhir, permasalahan lingkungan telah menjadi hal yang sangat penting dalam proses pengambilan pada berbagai bidang rekayasa. Naturalisasi tumbuhanpada bantanran Sungai Ciliwung misalnya adalah salah satu contoh betapa aspek lingkungan telah diadopsi dalam manajemen sungai. Wahono (2002) menyatakan bahwa tumbuhan di bantaran sungai dapat mempunyai dampak yang analog dengan sebuah serial bangunan penyempitan. Untuk itu pengetahuan mengenai perilaku gerusan local akibat penyempitan berseri akan sangat penting untuk memahami resiko dari kerusakan bantaran dan bangunan sungai lain akibat gerusan local. Tujuan utama dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi perilaku gerusan lokal akibat balok penyempitan berseri pada saluran terbuka dan lurus. Jarak antar balok dan lebar balok merupakan variabel bebas penelitian ini, sedangkan profil gerusan local merupakan salah satu variable tak bebas yang diteliti. Berdasarkan hasil analisa dari data penelitian, diperoleh tendensi bahwa dengan meningkatnya lebar balok penyempitan (dari 3 cm sampai 12 cm) serta dengan meningkatnya jarak antar balok (dari 0,5b sampai 5b), menghasilakn kecenderungan penurunan luasan daerah gerusan lokal dan kecepatan alirannya. Gerusan lokal minimum (luasan) terjadi pada balok dengan lebar 12 cm dan atau pada jarak 5b. Sedangkan gerusan local maksimum (luasan) terjadi pada balok dengan lebar 3 cm dan atau jarak 0,5b. Penyempitan pada kedua sisi saluran serta saluran yang berkelok-kelok dengan aliran tidak tunak direkomendasikan sebagai seting penelitian lanjutan dari hasil ini untuk mendekati kondisi alami sungai dan memberikan penjelasan ilmiah naturalisasi bantaran sungai. Penelitian model fisik dengan skala yang yang mendekati ukuran alamiahnya sangat direkomendasikan untuk mendapatkan hasil yang lebih realistik.
Comparative Study of Mamdani-type and Sugeno-type Fuzzy Inference Systems for Coupled Water Tank
Authors: Mudia Halim
Published: June 2020

The level and flow control in tanks are the heart of all chemical engineering system. The control of liquid level in tanks and flow between tanks is a basic problem in the process industries. Many times the liquids will be processed by chemical or mixing treatment in the tanks, but always the level of fluid in the tanks must be controlled and the flow between tanks must be regulated in presence of non-linearity. Threfore, in this paper will use fuzzy inference systems to control of  level 2 are developed using Mamdani-type and Sugeno-type fuzzy models. The outcome obtained by two fuzzy inference systems is evaluated. This paper summarizes the essential variation among the Mamdani-type and Sugeno-type fuzzy inference systems with setpoint of level is 10 centimeter. Matlab fuzzy logic toolbox is used for the simulation of both the models. This also confirms which one is a superior choice of the two fuzzy inference systems to control of level 2 in tank 2. The results show madani-type fuzzy inference system is superior as compared to sugeno-type fuzzy inference system.
Patient Satisfaction with the Work of Nurses in Primary Health Care
Authors: Franjo Jasminka , Režić Slađana , Tot Boris
Published: June 2020

Introduction. Patient satisfaction with provided health care is an important indicator of health care quality. Research on patient satisfaction has been very frequent in recent years.
Aim. A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Health Centre of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia between April and June 2019. The aim of this study was to examine the satisfaction of patients with the work of nurses in primary health care.

Methods. A standardized Nursing Practitioner Satisfaction Survey questionnaire, for which we received the author’s approval, was used. The study involved 200 patients from the Health Centre of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia. Patients who came to the Health Centre’s outpatient clinics requiring only the services of nurses were included in the study. Out of 200 patients surveyed, 185 questionnaires were filled out correctly, while 15 were filled out incorrectly.

Results. Patients from the Health Centre of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia are satisfied with the work of nurses in primary health care. There is no statistically significant difference in the satisfaction with the work of nurses in primary health care according to gender, education, marital or working status. There is a statistically significant difference in patient satisfaction with the work of nurses according to the respondents’ age, where respondents in the age group between 26 and 40 years are less satisfied (Kruskal-Wallis test, Me=3.8). There is a statistically significant difference in the satisfaction of patients with the work of nurses in primary health care according to the respondents’ annual income, where satisfaction is more pronounced among respondents with an annual income between 26.000 to 35.000 HRK and in the range between 36.000 to 45.000 HRK (Kruskal-Wallis test, p<0.01).
Conclusion. The patients who took part in the study are satisfied with the work of nurses in primary health care. There are significant differences in terms of age and annual income.