bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Which Factors Are Predicting the Mortality in Patients With Covid 19 in the Intensive Care Unit?
Authors: Parpucu Murat , Turan Sema , Dal Hayriye Cankar , Tosun Damla , Yalnız Kudret Yasemin , Kazancı Dilek
Published: March 2021

Background: COVID 19 infection is a global health problem; clinical and laboratory parameters have been developed to predict this disease-related mortality/morbidity. Some of these parameters are clinical parameters, while some are laboratory parameters. This study aims to determine whether APACHE II, GCS, age, presence of comorbidity, and absolute lymphocyte count effectively predict mortality in patients admitted to intensive care due to COVID 19.Method: We have included 108 PCR-positive COVID 19 patients admitted to the intensive care between 1 October and 31 November 2020 in our research. Demographic characteristics of all patients, APACHE II values within the first 24 hours of admission to intensive care, the Glasgow Coma Scale, the presence of comorbidity, lymphocyte count during intensive care admission, duration of intensive care stay, and the mortality rates were recorded.Results: The average age of 108 individuals evaluated in the study was 67 ± 13.61 years, and 56.5% of the patient group consisted of the geriatric age range. Seventy (64.8%) of the patients were female, eighty-nine (82.4%) patients had at least one comorbidity. In the multivariate analysis, it was determined that lymphocyte value, APACHE II score, and the presence of any comorbidity are independent prognostic factors for mortality when accepted to ICU.Conclusion: In our study, we have determined that age, APACHE II value, presence of comorbidity, and baseline lymphocyte counts are independent predictors of mortality.Trial Registry: SEMA TURAN-2021-01-13T10_31_59Registry address:https://bilimselarastirma.saglik.gov.tr
Molecular analysis of goose parvovirus field strains from the Derzsy’s disease outbreak revealed the local European-associated variants
Authors: Isidan Hakan , Turan Turhan , ATASOY Mustafa Ozan , Coskun Alparslan
Published: March 2021

Since the first recognition in the early '60s, Derzsy’s disease has occasioned significant economic losses in the goose meat industry through the world. Today, Derzsy’s disease still maintains its importance for small-scale waterfowl farming, despite not having a remarkable impact on public health. In the present study, we investigated the distribution of goose parvovirus (GPV) strains and its potential variants from the 2019 outbreak in Turkey. The tissue samples were obtained from the infected eggs and the goslings, which were raised in the distinct farming areas of the various provinces. For this purpose, a novel primer set which amplifies the 630 bp of VP3 region was designed to confirm the GPV infection by conventional PCR method. After the diagnosis, 4709 base nucleotide data including structural, non-structural and 5' inverted terminal repeat regions were obtained from the three samples in the Middle Anatolian region. The multiple comparison and phylogenetic analyses together demonstrated that the field strains clustered with European group 2 and presented a series of unique amino acid substitutions which could determine the virulence. These results confirmed the European-related field strains caused the outbreak in minor Asia, which could assist to understand the GPV circulation between Asia and Europe.
Single cell transcriptomic profiling of neurodegeneration mediated by tau propagation in a novel 3D neuron-astrocyte coculture model
Authors: Rickner Hannah , Jiang Lulu , Hong Rui , O'Neill Nicholas K. , Wolozin Benjamin , Cheng Christine
Published: March 2021

Research into neurodegeneration has been hampered by lack of systems that accurately recapitulate neurodegenerative processes1. Propagation of tau through a ‘prion-like’ process has emerged as an important aspect of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease2. However, molecular mechanism of tau propagation is still largely unknown and a human 3D cellular model is still lacking. Here, we report development of the AstAD system, which uses human iPSCs to create neuron-astrocyte spheroids that incorporates propagation of toxic tau oligomers3,4. Single cell transcriptomic profiling reveals roles for ribosomes, TNF mediated neuroinflammation and heat shock proteins (HSP) as major elements of the disease stress response. Treatment with the HSP90 inhibitor PU-H71, which is selective for the dysfunctional HSP epichaperome, demonstrates reduction of pathology and neurodegeneration in the AstAD system5.*Hannah Drew Rickner & Lulu Jiang contributed equally.
Using concept mapping to prioritize barriers to diabetes care and self-management for those who experience homelessness
Authors: Grewal Eshleen K , Campbell Rachel B , Booth Gillian L , McBrien Kerry A , Hwang Stephen W , O'Campo Patricia , Campbell David J. T.
Published: March 2021

Background
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition which demands that patients engage in self-management to achieve optimal glycemic control and avoid severe complications. Individuals who have diabetes and are experiencing homelessness are more likely to have poor glycemic control and adverse outcomes. Our objective was to collaborate with individuals living with homelessness to better understand the barriers they face in managing diabetes, as a first step in identifying solutions for enhancing diabetes management in this population.
Methods
We recruited individuals with lived experience of homelessness and diabetes (i.e. clients; n = 32) from Toronto and health and social care providers working in the areas of diabetes and/or homelessness (n = 27) from across Canada.
We used concept mapping, a
participatory research method, to engage participants in
brainstorming barriers to diabetes management, which were
subsequently categorized into clusters and rated based on their
impact on diabetes management.
The ratings were also standardized for
each participant group, organized according to the clients’ cluster
structure, and those clusters were compared using t-tests.
The Concept Systems Global MAX software was utilized to generate cluster maps.
Results
The brainstorming identified 43 barriers to diabetes management. The clients’ map featured 9 clusters of barriers: Challenges to getting healthy food, Inadequate income, Navigating services, Not having a place of your own, Relationships with professionals, Diabetes education, Emotional wellbeing, Competing priorities, and Weather-related issues. The providers’ map had 7 clusters: Access to healthy food, Dietary choices in the context of homelessness, Limited finances, Lack of stable, private housing, Navigating the health and social sectors, Emotional distress and competing priorities, and Mental health and addictions. The highest rated clusters were Challenges to getting healthy food (clients) and Mental health and addictions (providers). After standardizing, Challenges to getting healthy food was rated higher by the clients (p = 0.01) and Competing priorities (p = 0.03) was rated higher by the providers.
Conclusions
Experiencing homelessness poses numerous barriers to managing diabetes, the greatest of which according to clients, is Challenges to getting healthy food. This study showed that the way clients and providers perceive these barriers differs considerably, which highlights the importance of including clients’ insights when assessing needs and designing effective solutions.
Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma with uncommon cardiac invasion: Case Report from Palestine
Authors: Daralammouri Yunis , Hamayel Hamza , Ismail Yahya , Majadla Sajed , Odeh Razan
Published: March 2021

Background: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common histologic subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Secondary involvement of the heart is seen late in advanced cases and it is uncommon for DLBCL to present as a cardiac mass.Case Presentation: A 26-year-old female patient presented with progressive shortness of breath, facial swelling, and lower limb swelling. Echocardiography showed a large right atrial mass that was obstructing the tricuspid valve. Computed topography (CT) scan confirmed the findings and a large mediastinal mass with a filling defect in the right atrium occluding the distal Superior Vena Cava was identified. Histopathology showed DLBCL. She received 6 cycles R-CHOP chemotherapy (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) with good response and complete resolution of the mass.Conclusions: DLBCL can present with atypical, uncommon sites as the first presentation, such as the heart. Early diagnosis and appropriate management is crucial given the poor outcome with late presentation. A high index of suspicion and the proper investigations including CT scan is recommended to allow for early intervention and favorable outcomes as what happened with the case under discussion.
Development of a Conceptual Framework of Patient-reported Outcomes in Light Chain Amyloidosis: A Qualitative Study
Authors: D'Souza Anita , Myers Judith , Cusatis Rachel , Dispenzieri Angela , Finkel Muriel , Panepinto Julie , Flynn Kathryn E
Published: March 2021

Background Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a plasma cell neoplasm associated with high early mortality and severe morbidity that can cause severe disability. We explored the impact of AL amyloidosis on symptoms and well-being from the perspectives of patients and health care providers who regularly care for AL patients. We intended to develop a conceptual understanding of patient-reported outcomes in AL amyloidosis to identify the context of use and concept of interest for a clinical outcome assessments tool in this disease.Method Twenty patients and 10 professionals were interviewed. Patient interviews captured the spectrum of amyloidosis experience including time from diagnosis, type of organ involvement, and presence and type of treatment received. Interviews with professionals included physicians, advanced practice providers, registered nurse, and a patient advocate; these interviews covered similar topics. Results The impact of AL amyloidosis on patients’ life was multidimensional, with highly subjective perceptions of normality and meaning. Four major themes from patients and experts included diagnosis of AL amyloidosis, living with AL amyloidosis, symptom burden, and social roles. Barriers to patient-reported outcomes data collection in patients were additionally explored from experts. The themes provide a comprehensive understanding of the important experiences of symptom burden and its impact on daily life from AL amyloidosis patients’ and from the perspectives of professionals who care for patients with AL amyloidosis. Conclusion These findings further the conceptual understanding and identification of a preliminary model of concept of interest for development of a clinical outcome assessments tool for AL amyloidosis.
Resilient Event-based Control for Nonlinear Cyber-Physical Systems under Intermittent Deception Attacks
Authors: Yang Fan , Gu Zhou , Yan Shen
Published: March 2021

We address the resilient event-based control of nonlinear cyber-physical systems subject to deception attacks. In particular, an improved Takagi–Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model is employed to solve the mismatch problem between the fuzzy system and fuzzy controllers. From the attacker's point of view, we construct a novel queuing model to depict the intermittent behaviors of deception attacks. Then, a resilient event-based communication scheme is proposed, which is dynamically switched with different attack modes. The idea is to appropriately reduce the number of triggers according to the severity level of attacks, which can further save network resources. By using piecewise Lyapunov functional methods, we find a solution to the co-design of fuzzy controllers and event-triggering parameters while the concerned system is guaranteed to be exponentially stable. Finally, we apply the proposed approaches to a mass–spring–damping system, where the effectiveness is well verified.
Energy harvested end nodes and performance improvement of LoRa networks
Authors: Gupta Gunjan , Van Zyl Robert
Published: March 2021

LoRa technology is derived from chirp spread spectrum (CSS) having embedded forward error correction (FEC). A wide band is used for transmissions to counter interference and to handle frequency offsets. The paper investigates low power wide area networks (LPWAN) transmissions in the uplink, where the end nodes are powered by using energy harvested from the surroundings. Long-range (LoRa) networks demonstrate their capability to support Internet of Things (IoT) applications, where the end nodes utilize the harvested energy for transmission to gateways using different spreading factor (SF) codes. The work fairly improves the throughput of the LoRa nodes while keeping the other parameters, like time duration of the energy harvesting (EH), SF, and transmit power, optimally. Initially, a mathematical expression is derived for collisions between packets of the end nodes; keeping this as an important factor, an algorithm is proposed that fairly assigns SFs to the nodes. Simulation results confirm the improvement in packet error rate and time on air when fewer LoRa nodes are used for lower SFs, as compared to higher SFs. The number of LoRa nodes that can communicate using SF = 7 is almost four times as compared to using SF = 11, while maintaining a low packet error rate. Also, for SF = 7, changing the coding rate from 1 to 4 increases time on air by around 20 ms, while time on air increases by 1,200 ms for SF = 12. The energy efficiency is also compared for different SFs and different transmission powers. A lower SF and lower transmission powers are more suitable for smaller distance and provides better energy efficiency.
The role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the decision-making process of consumers in Ukraine
Authors: Lobachevska Ganna , Daub Claus-Heinrich
Published: March 2021

This paper aims to investigate the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies on consumer buying behavior in the Ukrainian market. The qualitative data for this study were collected with the help of semi-structured interviews conducted with a total of 10 respondents, including 5 Ukrainian consumers (with different levels of responsible consumption adoption) and 5 CSR experts from FMCG companies located in Ukraine (both local and global; with CSR adoption level varying from low to well-developed). The data obtained for this study revealed that the level of consumer awareness about CSR in Ukraine is still low. However, the level of awareness and the actual consumption of responsible products are constantly growing. The results also show that Ukrainian consumers who already have some level of awareness about CSR perceive CSR communication as more credible when it does not originate from the company directly or is endorsed by a third party. At the same time, interviewed experts stated that to raise awareness among the wider population, FMCG companies have to communicate their CSR achievements directly and massively. Ukrainian consumers are mostly impacted by the product-related CSR type, such as bio-ingredients and sustainable packaging. Price premium for responsible products is the key factor that causes the “intention-behavior gap” in Ukraine.Practitioners from the FMCG industry in Ukraine may use the information provided by this study to shape their CSR strategies, which will allow them to cater to societal demands and, as a result, impact consumer buying behavior.
Determinants of innovativeness of Slovak SMEs
Authors: Hajduova Zuzana , Peráček Tomáš , Coroničová Hurajová Jana , Bruothová Michaela
Published: March 2021

The integration of the Slovak Republic into the European Union and the globalization process create conditions that significantly reduce barriers to entry into particular markets, but, on the other hand, enhance the intensity of competition. The relevance of the study lies in the extent of the European Union’s support for the effectiveness of innovation activities in Slovakia. This paper investigates the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors on the competitiveness of Slovak enterprises over the period 2006–2018. The study is aimed at determining the causal relationship of factors that determine the competitiveness of enterprises. To investigate the relationship between the endogenous and exogenous factors, the Granger causality method is used. Mathematical models are used to identify the relationship between innovation expenditures on the one hand and different types of innovation activity with market expansion on the other. The results of the study provide a statistically significant relationship between the performance measured by the percentage of revenues of enterprises that have introduced innovations with a two-year lag and the concentration measured by the total R&D expenditure of an enterprise. The results of this study should also be used to ensure that, in the case of the Slovak SME sector, R&D expenditure is a significant driver of innovation in enterprises, as innovation in enterprises is expected to improve the quality of products and services, increase profits and expansion in domestic and foreign markets. AcknowledgmentThis paper has been supported by funds of the project VEGA No. 1/0240/20 and VEGA No. 1/0813/19 Managing the development of innovative and start-up forms of businesses in international environment and verification of INMARK concept, which has received funding from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic.
Association between Malondialdehyde, GSH/GSSG Ratio and Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Jusup Innawati , Batubara Lusiana , Ngestiningsih Dwi , Fulyani Faizah , Paveta Devina Afraditya , Bancin Putri Theresia Lemmo Ate
Published: March 2021

Background: Osteoporosis is one of chronic degenerative diseases especially in postmenopausal women, characterized by a decreased bone mass due to imbalance activity between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Recently, oxidative stress is believed to play an important role in osteoporosis pathogenesis. Oxidative stress is commonly considered as the consequence of an imbalance between pro and antioxidants species, which results in damage in the affected tissue. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is frequently used as a biomarker of oxidative stress in many health problems since MDA is produced at high levels during lipid peroxidation. Meanwhile, glutathione is well known as one of antioxidant which against oxidative stress by preserving its homeostasis in the reduced form of glutathione sulfhydryl (GSH) and the oxidized form of glutathione disulphide (GSSG). This study was aimed to determine the association between MDA, GSH/GSSG ratio and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women.Materials and method: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 40 postmenopausal women. MDA and GSH/GSSG ratio were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Bone mineral density (BMD) was obtained from secondary data. The statistical analysis was conducted using Spearman rho’s correlation test.Results: Based on the test, we didn’t found significant correlation between MDA and BMD (r=-0.054, p=0.741), but we found significant moderate correlation between GSH/GSSG ratio (r=0.436, p=0.005) and BMD in postmenopausal women. Conclusion: There was no correlation between MDA and BMD in postmenopausal women. However, there was significant moderate correlation between GSH/GSSG ratio and BMD in postmenopausal women.Keywords: MDA, GSH/GSSG ratio, BMD, osteoporosis
Fusion Expression and Fibrinolytic Activity of rPA/SP-B
Authors: Tang Yi-Shan , Zhang Xiao-Jun , Wang Wan-Neng , Wang Ting , Cao Wu-Long , Zhang Qiu-Han , Chen Fu
Published: March 2021

Background:

Pulmonary surfactant dysfunction is an important pathological factor in
acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pulmonary fibrosis (PF).

Objective:

In this study, the characteristics of recombinant mature surfactant protein B (SP-B) and
reteplase (rPA) fusion protein maintaining good pulmonary surface activity and rPA fibrinolytic activity
in acute lung injury cell model were studied.

Methods:

We studied the characteristics of SP-B fusion expression, cloned rPA gene and N-terminal
rPA/C-terminal SP-B co-expression gene, and constructed them into eukaryotic expression vector
pEZ-M03 to obtain recombinant plasmids pEZ-rPA and pEZ-rPA/SP-B. The recombinant plasmids
was transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) K1 cells and the expression products were
analyzed by Western Blot. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce CCL149 (an alveolar
epithelial cell line) cell injury model. Fluorescence staining of rPA and rPA/SP-B was carried out
with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) that comes with pEZ-M03; the cell Raman
spectroscopy technique was used to analyze the interaction between rPA/SP-B fusion protein and
the phospholipid structure of cell membrane in CCL149 cells. The enzyme activity of rPA in the fusion
protein was determined by fibrin-agarose plate method.

Results:

The rPA/SP-B fusion protein was successfully expressed. In the CCL149 cell model of
acute lung injury (ALI), the green fluorescence of rPA/SP-B is mainly distributed on the CCL149
cell membrane. The rPA/SP-B fusion protein can reduce the disorder of phospholipid molecules
and reduce cell membrane damage. The enzyme activity of rPA/SP-B fusion protein was 3.42, and
the fusion protein still had good enzyme activity.

Conclusion:

The recombinant eukaryotic plasmid pEZ-rPA/SP-B is constructed and can be expressed
in the eukaryotic system. Studies have shown that rPA/SP-B fusion protein maintains good
SP-B lung surface activity and rPA enzyme activity in acute lung injury cell model.
A Review on Novel Ligand Targeted Delivery for Cardiovascular Disorder
Authors: Jaiswal Shweta , Rajnikanth P.S. , Thakur Sunita , Deepak Payal , Anand Sneha
Published: March 2021

Cardiovascular diseases cover various disorders like ischemic heart disease, hyperlipidemia,
atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, hypertension, etc. There are many synthetic drugs
available for the treatment of cardiovascular therapy. However, they have several drawbacks like
high dosing, toxicity, elevated blood potassium levels, low blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues,
etc. To overcome these side effects of synthetic drugs, targeting the drug to the specific cardiac tissue
is the best novel method in cardiovascular therapy. The highest targeting efficacy of ligand-
based therapy with proper mechanisms and improved expandability provides a novel therapeutic
strategy in cardiovascular diseases. Ligand therapy is more cost-effective compared to cell-
based therapy. The surface area of protein is much larger than the orally bioavailable drug. Therefore,
the targeting of various less active drug molecules to the particular ligand can be possible.
The efficacy of ligands to induce cardiomyocytes proliferation has been ratified. The fact that ligand-
based approaches are effective for cardiac transformation has been pointed out. Ligands interact
with proteins in target cells, which are influenced by chemical signals. These various receptors
selectively bind to biased ligands and energize the intracellular signaling pathway. The ligands can
directly stabilize the active receptor conformations by a non-standard connective site. The key function
of ligands is functional selectivity, which enhances the therapeutic efficacy and minimizes the
side effects of drugs through the interpretation of signal transduction pathways. This review covers
the role and effectiveness of novel ligands in cardiovascular disorders.
Synthesis and Functionalization of Coumarin-Pyrazole Scaffold: Recent Development, Challenges, and Opportunities
Authors: Jadhav Nitin K. , Kale Balkrishna R. , Alam Mohammad S. , Gaikwad Vishwas B. , Prasad Virendra , Kale Raju R.
Published: March 2021

Heterocycles are the main structural motif of DNA and RNA and play a crucial role in various
chemical reactions of metabolisms. Therefore, heterocyclic compounds show good physiological and pharmacological
properties. Coumarin and pyrazole scaffolds are present in many commercial drug molecules and
natural products. This review overviews the progress made in the synthesis and functionalization of the coumarin-
pyrazole hybrid heterocycle. It also includes discussion on the possible reactive sites of heterocycles,
functionalization, and mechanistic pathways to incorporate pyrazole pharmacophore unit in synthesis. Several
synthesis and biological studies reveal that the combination of the coumarin-pyrazole moiety is a prominent
structural motif to find lead compounds in drug discovery.
Highly Sensitive, Naked Eye, and On-Spot Detection of pH Change Using Novel Phenothiazine Based Schiff Base
Authors: Anand Vivek
Published: March 2021

Background:

Visual pH sensors have received significant attention in the fields of environmental monitoring, analytical chemistry, food safety and biomedicine. Therefore, a single organic moiety showing both naked-eye and fluorescence sensing of pH change are rare and in higher demands.

Objective:

A novel phenothiazine based Schiff base PTz-SB was synthesized via facile organic transformations. This molecule showed promising naked-eye and on-spot pH sensing application, both using UV-visible and fluorescence techniques.

Method:

The novel phenothiazine based Schiff base was synthesized via facile organic transformation. The Schiff base was applied for both naked eye and fluorescence sensing of pH, using UV-visible and fluorescence techniques, respectively.

Result:

A Redshifts of 27 nm and 80 nm were observed in the λmax of absorption and emission
spectra, respectively, on changing the pH from 12.2 to 1. The naked-eye pH sensing
may be attributed to the change in colour from blue (higher pH) to dark green (lower pH),
under daylight conditions. Furthermore, the change in fluorescence spectra is more pronounced.
The fluorescence colour of the compound changes from dark blue to green and then
finally to orange, on changing the pH from 12.2 to 4 to 1.5, respectively. Moreover, the electrochemical
studies of the Schiff base were also procured. The bandgap obtained from the cyclic
voltammetry studies was found to be 2.04 eV, which is characteristic of green emission.

Conclusion:

The easily synthesizable novel Schiff base can be utilized for real-life, on-spot practical application of pH sensing, which does not require sophisticated analytical instruments. Moreover, the time and cost of detection of pH using this thermally robust Schiff base are also very promising.
Benzodiazepines, Amphetamines, Testosterone, and Sildenafil as New Candidate Drugs for Sexual Interest, Desire and/or Arousal Disorder
Authors: Wix Richard J. , Uribe Ezequiel
Published: March 2021

Background:

The FDA approved drugs for female sexual interest, desidere and/or arousal disorder (FSIAD), and hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), however this have low tolerability for patients because its multiple side effects and does not show real therapeutic efficacy. Hypoactive Sexaul Desire affects from 750.000.000 to 1.400.000.000 people worldwide.

Methods:

In this paper we analyze therapeutic candidate in clinical practice as well as the methodologies clinical trials of possible therapeutic targets of different systems related to the dysfunction.

Results:

Therefore New Drugs (Benzodiazepines, Amphetamines, Testosterone, Sildenafil or New Compound) Clinical Trials to treat this disorder are necessary.
Processing, Characteristics And Applications Of Bulk Nanostructured Metals And Alloys
Authors: Srivatsan T. S. , Manigandan K.
Published: March 2021

:

An ability to achieve useful properties in structural materials is largely dependent on their bulk microstructure. Over the years, the innate ability to achieve noticeable improvements in structural materials has relied upon processing as a viable means and/or alternative, which in turn determines the resulting microstructure and properties or behavior. Sustained research and development efforts in the domains encompassing materials science, materials engineering and manufacturing processes has made possible the arrival of a time period in which specific properties of a material can be obtained by carefully controlling the architecture of its constituents. Nanostructuring of materials to include both metals and their alloy counterparts is a key for obtaining extra ordinary properties that made them attractive for purpose of selection and use in both structural applications and functional applications. In recent years, the production of bulk nanostructured materials [BNMs] by techniques of severe plastic deformation [SPD] has attracted considerable scientific and technological interest since it offers new opportunities for the fabrication of commercial nanostructured metals and alloys that can be chosen for use in a variety of specific applications. Such nanostructured materials must essentially be not only porosity free and but also contaminant free, which makes them an ideal choice for studying, observing and documenting their characteristics spanning microstructure, properties and mechanical behavior. In this paper, we provide a compelling overview of the approaches most widely used for the purpose of achieving grain refinement using the technique of plastic deformation. An outline of the four most commonly used plastic deformation processing techniques is provided. Salient aspects specific to the technique of equal channel angular pressing [ECAP], high pressure torsion [HPT], accumulative roll bonding [ARB] of bulk nanostructured metals and surface mechanical attrition treatment [SMAT] of nanostructured layers is provided and briefly discussed. A need for the selection of certain metals and alloys for use in specific applications in the domains spanning medicine and technology are briefly discussed. The emergence and use of computational nanotechnology, which in essence synergizes the rapid developments in computational techniques and material development is presented and briefly discussed.
Parenthood and the concept of the biological tie
Authors: Maung Hane
Published: March 2021

It is widely assumed that there is value in the biological tie between parent and child. An implication of this is that adoption is often considered a less desirable alternative to procreation. This paper offers a philosophical defence of adoptive parenthood as a valuable and authentic form of parenthood. While previous defences have suggested that society’s valorisation of the biological tie is unjustified, I argue herein that the conception of the biological tie that features in the normative discourse on parenthood is too narrowly genocentric. Against this genocentric conception, recent work in the philosophy of biology has emphasised the roles of joint determination, dynamic construction, and extended inheritance in development, which I suggest can substantiate a more inclusive conception of the biological tie. Accordingly, I propose that adoptive parents form a rich variety of biological ties with their children, some of which are as heritable and formative as genetic relatedness.
Unseen? A qualitative study on how mothers and fathers living with a visual impairment experience parenthood
Authors: Van Havermaet Jentel , De Schauwer Elisabeth , Van Hove Geert
Published: March 2021

It is barely taken into account that a visually impaired child might one day become a parent. Research on the insider perspectives of parents on parenting with a visual impairment is scarce. This exploratory study reports on how six mothers and seven fathers living with a visual impairment experience parenthood. An individual or paired open interview, followed by qualitative content analysis, captured their multi-layered and personal lived experiences on parenting. Analysis of the data collected revealed three themes: the actual practices of daily parenting as an exploration of a personal and unique toolbox for each parent; a parental urge to prove themselves to overcome extra doubts, pressure and othering; and the relational work of parents with their partner and child(ren).
Cover & table of contents
Authors: Segers Seppe , Cavaliere Giulia
Published: March 2021

Cover & table of contents - Parenthood: Norms and experiences
PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER MELALUI PEMBELAJARAN SASTRA
Authors: Suryaman Maman
Published: March 2021

Abstract: Character Education through Literature Learning. One of the importantaspects in appropriate literature learning is character education. Based on theresults of several studies, some conclusions can be drawn. First, essentiallyliterature is a medium of mental and intellectual enlightenment, the mostimportant aspect in character education. Second, there are a variety of literaryworks that need appreciating as they are important in the character development.Third, literature learning relevant to the character development is one that enableslearners to develop their awareness of reading and writing as importantprerequisites for the character development. Fourth, literary books relevant to thecharacter development are those with beautiful language capable of making thereaders moved, containing high humanistic values, and encouraging the readers totreat other people and creatures well.Keywords: literature, literature learning, character education
CURRICULUM REFORM IN THE DECENTRALIZATION OF EDUCATION IN INDONESIA: EFFECT ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS
Authors: Dewi Anggia Utami
Published: March 2021

This study examines the estimated effect of curriculum reform in the Indonesian secondary education after the implementation of the decentralization policy in 2001. Whilst decentralization reform is argued to be positive for the improvement of school quality and efficiency due to more autonomy given for provincial and local governments, the empirical evidence on such reform towards the improvement of students’ learning outcomes is very limited. Using the propensity score analysis, this study shows that the curriculum reform has not produced a substantial return in the aspect of improved learning outcomes. This finding resonates with the evidence from previous studies on the impact of decentralization on the education quality in Indonesia. Additionally, other findings present a positive effect of pre-school attendance on students’ performance and the crucial issue of persisting gap on the education quality between regions even after almost twenty years of decentralization in the country.
DESIGN AND MULTIMEDIA LEARNING PRINCIPLES ON MOOC INDONESIAX
Authors: Adriyanto Andreas Rio , Santosa Imam , Syarief Achmad , Irfansyah Irfansyah
Published: March 2021

The “Kampus Merdeka” or “Freedom Campus” policy from the Indonesian Ministry of Education gives students the freedom to participate in learning activities outside their study program. Learning resources can be obtained from online-based learning. One online learning resource is MOOC (Massive Online Open Course), which has gained massive participation. Good quality learning materials can help students construct their knowledge. Indonesian MOOC providers have developed their learning materials, but they are still not optimal in quality. This study aims to analyze the implementation of design and multimedia principles on Indonesian MOOC’s learning materials. The research used a quantitative strategy with the data collection method of visual observation of the IndonesiaX materials compared to those of edX, Udemy, and Coursera materials. Data analysis was based on the visual analysis of 9 design principles and 12 multimedia learning principles. In this research, the findings reveal that the design consistency and icon representation principles are yet to have an optimal grade. The same conditions are also found in implementing the multimedia principles of coherence, redundancy, and modality. The findings in this study are expected to be a consideration for MOOC providers in designing better online learning materials.
Virtual Health Care for Community Management of Patients With COVID-19 in Australia: Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Hutchings Owen Rhys , Dearing Cassandra , Jagers Dianna , Shaw Miranda Jane , Raffan Freya , Jones Aaron , Taggart Richard , Sinclair Tim , Anderson Teresa , Ritchie Angus Graham
Published: March 2021

Background

Australia has successfully controlled the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar to other high-income countries, Australia has extensively used telehealth services. Virtual health care, including telemedicine in combination with remote patient monitoring, has been implemented in certain settings as part of new models of care that are aimed at managing patients with COVID-19 outside the hospital setting.

Objective

This study aimed to describe the implementation of and early experience with virtual health care for community management of patients with COVID-19.

Methods

This observational cohort study was conducted with patients with COVID-19 who availed of a large Australian metropolitan health service with an established virtual health care program capable of monitoring patients remotely. We included patients with COVID-19 who received the health service, could self-isolate safely, did not require immediate admission to an in-patient setting, had no major active comorbid illness, and could be managed at home or at other suitable sites. Skin temperature, pulse rate, and blood oxygen saturation were remotely monitored. The primary outcome measures were care escalation rates, including emergency department presentation, and hospital admission.

Results

During March 11-29, 2020, a total of 162 of 173 (93.6%) patients with COVID-19 (median age 38 years, range 11-79 years), who were diagnosed locally, were enrolled in the virtual health care program. For 62 of 162 (38.3%) patients discharged during this period, the median length of stay was 8 (range 1-17) days. The peak of 100 prevalent patients equated to approximately 25 patients per registered nurse per shift. Patients were contacted a median of 16 (range 1-30) times during this period. Video consultations (n=1902, 66.3%) comprised most of the patient contacts, and 132 (81.5%) patients were monitored remotely. Care escalation rates were low, with an ambulance attendance rate of 3% (n=5), emergency department attendance rate of 2.5% (n=4), and hospital admission rate of 1.9% (n=3). No deaths were recorded.

Conclusions

Community-based virtual health care is safe for managing most patients with COVID-19 and can be rapidly implemented in an urban Australian setting for pandemic management. Health services implementing virtual health care should anticipate challenges associated with rapid technology deployments and provide adequate support to resolve them, including strategies to support the use of health information technologies among consumers.
Temporal Dynamics of Public Emotions During the COVID-19 Pandemic at the Epicenter of the Outbreak: Sentiment Analysis of Weibo Posts From Wuhan
Authors: Yu Shaobin , Eisenman David , Han Ziqiang
Published: March 2021

Background

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychological stress experienced by the general public in various degrees worldwide. However, effective, tailored mental health services and interventions cannot be achieved until we understand the patterns of mental health issues emerging after a public health crisis, especially in the context of the rapid transmission of COVID-19. Understanding the public's emotions and needs and their distribution attributes are therefore critical for creating appropriate public policies and eventually responding to the health crisis effectively, efficiently, and equitably.

Objective

This study aims to detect the temporal patterns in emotional fluctuation, significant events during the COVID-19 pandemic that affected emotional changes and variations, and hourly variations of emotions within a single day by analyzing data from the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

Methods

Based on a longitudinal dataset of 816,556 posts published by 27,912 Weibo users in Wuhan, China, from December 31, 2019, to April 31, 2020, we processed general sentiment inclination rating and the type of sentiments of Weibo posts by using pandas and SnowNLP Python libraries. We also grouped the publication times into 5 time groups to measure changes in netizens’ sentiments during different periods in a single day.

Results

Overall, negative emotions such as surprise, fear, and anger were the most salient emotions detected on Weibo. These emotions were triggered by certain milestone events such as the confirmation of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19. Emotions varied within a day. Although all emotions were more prevalent in the afternoon and night, fear and anger were more dominant in the morning and afternoon, whereas depression was more salient during the night.

Conclusions

Various milestone events during the COVID-19 pandemic were the primary events that ignited netizens’ emotions. In addition, Weibo users’ emotions varied within a day. Our findings provide insights into providing better-tailored mental health services and interventions.
Correction: Using Serious Games for Antismoking Health Campaigns: Experimental Study (Preprint)
Authors: Kim Jihyun , Song Hayeon , Merrill Jr Kelly , Jung Younbo , Kwon Remi Junghuem
Published: March 2021

UNSTRUCTURED

REMOVE
Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Thomas George , Bennie Jason A , De Cocker Katrien , Dwi Andriyani Fitria , Booker Bridget , Biddle Stuart J H
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND

Automated wearable cameras present a new opportunity to accurately assess human behavior. However, this technology is seldom used in the study of adolescent’s screen exposure, and the field is reliant on poor-quality self-report data.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine adolescents’ screen exposure by categorizing the type and context of behaviors using automated wearable cameras.

METHODS

Adolescents (mean age 15.4 years, SD 1.6 years; n=10) wore a camera for 3 school evenings and 1 weekend day. The camera captured an image every 10 seconds. Fieldwork was completed between February and March 2020, and data were analyzed in August 2020. Images were date and time stamped, and coded for screen type, content, and context.

RESULTS

Data representing 71,396 images were analyzed. Overall, 74.0% (52,842/71,396) of images contained screens and 16.8% (11,976/71,396) of images contained multiple screens. Most screen exposures involved television sets (25,950/71,396, 36.3%), smartphones (20,851/71,396, 29.2%), and laptop computers (15,309/71,396, 21.4%). The context of screen use differed by device type, although most screen exposures occurred at home (62,455/64,856, 96.3%) and with solitary engagement (54,430/64,856, 83.9%). The immediate after-school period saw high laptop computer use (4785/15,950, 30.0%), while smartphone use (2059/5320, 38.7%) peaked during prebedtime hours. Weekend screen exposure was high, with smartphone use (1070/1927, 55.5%) peaking in the early morning period and fluctuating throughout the day.

CONCLUSIONS

There was evidence for high screen use during the after-school and weekend period, mostly through solitary engagement, and within the home environment. The findings may inform the basis of larger studies aimed at examining screen exposure in free-living conditions.
Examining the Feasibility of Early Mobilization With Virtual Reality Gaming Using Head-Mounted Display and Adaptive Software With Adolescents in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Case Report (Preprint)
Authors: Lai Byron , Powell Maegen , Clement Anne Grace , Davis Drew , Swanson-Kimani Erin , Hayes Leslie
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND

Early rehabilitative mobilization for adolescents is safe and feasible. However, there is a lack of published rehabilitation strategies and treatments that can maximize engagement and outcomes among adolescents in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Virtual reality (VR) gaming using a head-mounted display (HMD) and adaptive software can allow active and nonactive gameplay at the bedside for people with limited arm mobility, making it a potentially inclusive and enjoyable treatment modality for adolescents in the PICU.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this brief case study is to report on the preliminary feasibility of incorporating adaptive VR gaming using an HMD with 2 adolescents who received early mobility treatment within the PICU.

METHODS

This study was a mini-ethnographic investigation of 2 adolescents (a 15-year-old male and a 13-year old male) in the PICU who underwent VR gaming sessions as part of their early mobilization care, using an Oculus Rift HMD and adaptive software (WalkinVR) that promoted full gameplay in bed. The Rift was plugged into a gaming laptop that was set up on a table within the patient’s room before each session. The intervention was delivered by an adapted exercise professional and supervised by a physical therapist. Patients had access to a variety of active games (eg, boxing, rhythmic movement to music, and exploratory adventure) and nonactive games (eg, racing and narrative adventure). Gaming sessions were scheduled between usual care, when tolerable and requested by the participant. The interventionist and therapists took audio-recorded and written notes after completing each gaming session. These data were analyzed and presented in a narrative format from the perspective of the research team.

RESULTS

Case 1 participated in 4 gaming sessions, with an average of 18 minutes (SD 11) per session. Case 2 participated in 2 sessions, with an average of 35 minutes (SD 7) per session. Both cases were capable of performing active gaming at a moderate level of exercise intensity, as indicated by their heart rate. However, their health and symptoms fluctuated on a daily basis, which prompted the gameplay of adventure or nonactive games. Gameplay appeared to improve participants’ affect and alertness and motivate them to be more engaged in early mobilization therapy. Gameplay without the WalkinVR software caused several usability issues. There were no serious adverse events, but both cases experienced symptoms based on their condition.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study suggest that VR gaming with HMDs and adaptive software is likely a feasible supplement to usual care for adolescents within the PICU, and these findings warrant further investigation. Recommendations for future studies aimed at incorporating VR gaming during early mobilization are presented herein.