bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-world use of ceftolozane/tazobactam: a systematic literature review
Authors: Puzniak Laura , Dillon Ryan , Palmer Thomas , Collings Hannah , Enstone Ashley
Published: April 2021

Background

Antibacterial-resistant gram-negative infections are a serious risk to global public health. Resistant Enterobacterales andPseudomonas aeruginosaare highly prevalent, particularly in healthcare settings, and there are limited effective treatment options. Patients with infections caused by resistant pathogens have considerably worse outcomes, and incur significantly higher costs, relative to patients with susceptible infections. Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) has established efficacy in clinical trials. This review aimed to collate data on C/T use in clinical practice.

Methods

This systematic literature review searched online biomedical databases for real-world studies of C/T for gram-negative infections up to June 2020. Relevant study, patient, and treatment characteristics, microbiology, and efficacy outcomes were captured.

Results

There were 83 studies comprising 3,701 patients were identified. The most common infections were respiratory infections (52.9% of reported infections), urinary tract infections (UTIs; 14.9%), and intra-abdominal infections (IAIs; 10.1%). Most patients included were seriously ill and had multiple comorbidities. The majority of patients had infections caused byP.aeruginosa(90.7%), of which 86.0% were antimicrobial-resistant. C/T was used as both a 1.5 g q8h and 3 g q8h dose, for a median duration of 7–56 days (varying between studies). Outcome rates were comparable between studies: clinical success rates ranged from 45.7 to 100.0%, with 27 studies (69%) reporting clinical success rates of > 70%; microbiological success rates ranged from 31 to 100%, with 14 studies (74%) reporting microbiological success rates of > 70%. Mortality rates ranged from 0 to 50%, with 31 studies (69%) reporting mortality rates of ≤ 20%. In comparative studies, C/T was as effective as aminoglycoside- or polymyxin-based regimens, and in some instances, significantly more effective.

Conclusions

The studies identified in this review demonstrate that C/T is effective in clinical practice, despite the diverse group of seriously ill patients, different levels of resistance of the pathogens treated, and varying dosing regimens used. Furthermore, comparative studies suggest that C/T offers a successful alternative to standard of care (SoC).
Challenges and opportunities in crop simulation modelling under seasonal and projected climate change scenarios for crop production in South Africa
Authors: Kephe Priscilla Ntuchu , Ayisi Kingsley Kwabena , Petja Brilliant Mareme
Published: April 2021

A broad scope of crop models with varying demands on data inputs is being used for several purposes, such as possible adaptation strategies to control climate change impacts on future crop production, management decisions, and adaptation policies. A constant challenge to crop model simulation, especially for future crop performance projections and impact studies under varied conditions, is the unavailability of reliable historical data for model calibrations. In some cases, available input data may not be in the quantity and quality needed to drive most crop models. Even when a suitable choice of a crop simulation model is selected, data limitations hamper some of the models’ effective role for projections. To date, no review has looked at factors inhibiting the effective use of crop simulation models and complementary sources for input data in South Africa. This review looked at the barriers to crop simulation, relevant sources from which input data for crop models can be sourced, and proposed a framework for collecting input data. Results showed that barriers to effective simulations exist because, in most instances, the input data, like climate, soil, farm management practices, and cultivar characteristics, were generally incomplete, poor in quality, and not easily accessible or usable. We advocate a hybrid approach for obtaining input data for model calibration and validation. Recommended methods depending on the intended outputs and end use of model results include remote sensing, field, and greenhouse experiments, secondary data, engaging with farmers to model actual on-farm conditions. Thus, employing more than one method of data collection for input data for models can reduce the challenges faced by crop modellers due to the unavailability of data. The future of modelling depends on the goodness and availability of the input data, the readiness of modellers to cooperate on modularity and standardization, and potential user groups’ ability to communicate.
Investigation of the effect of tufts contribution on the in-plane mechanical properties of flax fibre reinforced green biocomposite
Authors: Rashid M. , Hanus J. L. , Chetehouna K. , Khellil K. , Aboura Z. , Gascoin N.
Published: April 2021

Traditional laminated composites have fibres oriented only in the in-plane of the laminate due to their manufacturing process, and are therefore very susceptible to transverse cracking and delamination from out-of-plane actions. Delamination can considerably reduce the load bearing capacity of a structure hence several reinforcement solutions, based on the principle to add out-of-plane reinforcement to the 2D fabric, have been explored to enhance the delamination resistance. However, the usual textile technologies for Z-reinforcement such as weaving, knitting, stitching, z-pinning, and tufting generates perturbations that may alter the in-plane mechanical properties. Although tufting is a single needle and single thread based one side stitching (OSS) technique which can incorporate almost tension free through the thickness reinforcement in a material, various types of microstructural defects may be created during the manufacturing process and lead to a degradation of the in-plane properties of the composite. Moreover, due to awareness in environmental concerns, the development and use of eco-friendly biocomposites to replace synthetic ones has been increasing.

This research work investigates the effect on in plane mechanical properties of adding through the thickness reinforcement (TTR) by tufting in a flax based composite laminate to improve the transversal strength. The glass fibre tufted laminates of 550 g/m2 flax fibre were moulded using a 38% biobased thermoset resin by vacuum bag resin transfer moulding (VBRTM). The tufted and un-tufted in-plane mechanical properties of green biocomposite were determined in tension, compression and shear in accordance with ASTM 3039, ASTM D7137 and EN ISO 14130, using universal INSTRON 1186 and MTS 20 M testing machines. The quantification of the in-plane mechanical properties established a reduction of the in plane tensile mechanical properties, due to tufting, whereas the reduction effects are marginal in compression. As expected, the glass fibre tufts strength the connection between core and skin of the composite so that the interlaminar shear strength, deduced from flexural tests with small span-to-thickness ratio, is increased. Thanks to Digital Image Correlation (DIC) performed during shear tests, an increase in interlaminar shear modulus is highlighted.
Risk factors for losing hepatitis B virus surface antibody in patients with HBV surface antigen negative/surface antibody positive serostatus receiving biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: a nested case-control study
Authors: Hung Ming-Hui , Tien Ya-Chih , Chiu Ying-Ming
Published: April 2021

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation consequent to immunosuppressive therapy is an increasingly prevalent problem with serious clinical implications. Treatment with biologic agents conduces to the loss of protective antibody to HBV surface antigen (anti-HBs), which significantly increases the risk of HBV reactivation. Hence, we investigated the risk factors for losing anti-HBs in patients with rheumatic diseases and HBV surface antigen negative/anti-HBs positive (HBsAg−/anti-HBs+) serostatus during treatment with biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Methods

Using a nested case-control design, we prospectively enrolled patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis/psoriasis, or juvenile idiopathic arthritis, who were treated with biologic DMARDs at Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan, from January 2013 to June 2019 and had HBsAg−/anti-HBs+ serostatus; the analytic sample excluded all patients with HBsAg+ or anti-HBs− serostatus. Anti-HBs titers were monitored 6-monthly and cases were defined as anti-HBs < 10 mIU/ml during follow-up. Cases were matched one-to-all with controls with anti-HBs ≥ 10 mIU/ml on the same ascertainment date and equivalent durations of biologic DMARDs treatment (control patients could be resampled and could also become cases during follow-up). Between-group characteristics were compared and risk factors for anti-HBs loss were investigated by conditional logistic regression analyses.

Results

Among 294 eligible patients, 23 cases were matched with 311 controls. The incidence of anti-HBs loss was ~ 2.7%/person-year during biologic DMARDs treatment. Besides lower baseline anti-HBs titer (risk ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.97), cases were significantly more likely than controls to have diabetes mellitus (risk ratio 4.76, 95% CI 1.48–15.30) and chronic kidney disease (risk ratio 14.00, 95% CI 2.22–88.23) in univariate analysis. Risk factors remaining significantly associated with anti-HBs loss in multivariate analysis were lower baseline anti-HBs titer (adjusted risk ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.88–0.97) and chronic kidney disease (adjusted risk ratio 45.68, 95% CI 2.39–871.5).

Conclusions

Besides lower baseline anti-HBs titer, chronic kidney disease also strongly predicts future anti-HBs negativity in patients with HBsAg−/anti-HBs+ serostatus who receive biologic DMARDs to treat rheumatic diseases. Patients with low anti-HBs titer (≤ 100 mIU/ml) and/or chronic kidney disease should be monitored during biologic DMARDs therapy, to enable timely prophylaxis to preempt potential HBV reactivation.
Ultrasonic signal detection based on Fabry–Perot cavity sensor
Authors: Yang Wu , Zhang Chonglei , Zeng Jiaqi , Song Wei
Published: April 2021

Acoustic/ultrasonic sensors are devices that can convert mechanical energy into electrical signals. The Fabry–Perot cavity is processed on the end face of the double-clad fiber by a two-photon three-dimensional lithography machine. In this study, the outer diameter of the core cladding was 250 μm, the diameter of the core was 9 μm, and the microcavity sensing unit was only 30 μm. It could measure ultrasonic signals with high precision. The characteristics of the proposed ultrasonic sensor were investigated, and its feasibility was proven through experiments. Its design has a small size and can replace a larger ultrasonic detector device for photoacoustic signal detection. The sensor is applicable to the field of biomedical information technology, including medical diagnosis, photoacoustic endoscopy, and photoacoustic imaging.
From novice to expert: methods for transferring implementation facilitation skills to improve healthcare delivery
Authors: Ritchie Mona J. , Parker Louise E. , Kirchner JoAnn E.
Published: April 2021

Background

There is substantial evidence that facilitation can address the challenges of implementing evidence-based innovations. However, facilitators need a wide variety of complex skills; lack of these can have a negative effect on implementation outcomes. Literature suggests that novice and less experienced facilitators need ongoing support from experts to develop these skills. Yet, no studies have investigated the transfer process. During a test of a facilitation strategy applied at 8 VA primary care clinics, we explored the techniques and processes an expert external facilitator utilized to transfer her skills to two initially novice internal facilitators who became experts.

Methods

In this qualitative descriptive study, we conducted monthly debriefings with three facilitators over a 30-month period and documented these in detailed notes. Debriefings with the expert facilitator focused on how she trained and mentored facilitation trainees. We also conducted, recorded, and transcribed two semi-structured qualitative interviews with each facilitator and queried them about training content and process. We used a mix of inductive and deductive approaches to analyze data; our analysis was informed by a review of mentoring, coaching, and cognitive apprenticeship literature. We also used a case comparison approach to explore how the expert tailored her efforts.

Results

The expert utilized 21 techniques to transfer implementation facilitation skills. Techniques included both active (providing information, modeling, and coaching) and participatory ones. She also used techniques to support learning, i.e., cognitive supports (making thinking visible, using heuristics, sharing experiences), psychosocial supports, strategies to promote self-learning, and structural supports. Additionally, she transferred responsibility for facilitation through a dynamic process of interaction with trainees and site stakeholders. Finally, the expert varied the level of focus on particular skills to tailor her efforts to trainee and local context.

Conclusions

This study viewed the journey from novice to expert facilitator through the lens of the expert who transferred facilitation skills to support implementation of an evidence-based program. It identified techniques and processes that may foster transfer of these skills and build organizational capacity for future implementation efforts. As the first study to document the implementation facilitation skills transfer process, findings have research and practical implications.
Adapting and adopting highly specialized pediatric eating disorder treatment to virtual care: a protocol for an implementation study in the COVID-19 context
Authors: Couturier Jennifer , Pellegrini Danielle , Miller Catherine , Agar Paul , Webb Cheryl , Anderson Kristen , Barwick Melanie , Dimitropoulos Gina , Findlay Sheri , Kimber Melissa , McVey Gail , Lock James
Published: April 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted individuals with eating disorders; resulting in increased symptoms, as well as feelings of isolation and anxiety. To conform with social distancing requirements, outpatient eating disorder treatment in Canada is being delivered virtually, but a lack of direction surrounding this change creates challenges for practitioners, patients, and families. As a result, there is an urgent need to not only adapt evidence-based care, including family-based treatment (FBT), to virtual formats, but to study its implementation in eating disorder programs. We propose to study the initial adaptation and adoption of virtual family-based treatment (vFBT) with the ultimate goal of improving access to services for youth with eating disorders.

Methods

We will use a multi-site case study with a mixed method pre/post design to examine the impact of our implementation approach across four pediatric eating disorder programs. We will develop implementation teams at each site (consisting of therapists, medical practitioners, and program administrators), provide a remote training workshop on vFBT, and offer ongoing consultation during the initial implementation phase. Therapists will submit videorecordings of their first four vFBT sessions. We propose to study our implementation approach by examining (1) whether the key components of standard FBT are maintained in virtual delivery measured by therapist self-report, (2) fidelity to our vFBT model measured by expert fidelity rating of submitted videorecordings of the first four sessions of vFBT, (3) team and patient/family experiences with vFBT assessed with qualitative interviews, and (4) patient outcomes measured by weight and binge/purge frequency reported by therapists.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate an implementation strategy for virtually delivered FBT for eating disorders. Challenges to date include confirming site participation and obtaining ethics approval at all locations. This research is imperative to inform the delivery of vFBT in the COVID-19 context. It also has implications for delivery in a post-pandemic era where virtual services may be preferable to patients and families living in remote locations, where access to specialized services is extremely limited.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04678843, registered on December 21, 2020.
Supportive Care: Low Cost, High Value
Authors: Popescu Razvan Andrei , Roila Fausto , Arends Jann , Metro Giulio , Lustberg Maryam
Published: April 2021

Supportive care aims to prevent and manage adverse effects of cancer and its treatment across the entire disease continuum. Research and clinical experience in dedicated centers have demonstrated that early appropriate supportive care interventions improve symptoms, quality of life, and overall survival in a cost-effective manner. The challenge is to assess symptoms and needs with validated tools regularly and, ideally, between clinic appointments; electronic patient-reported outcome measures and dedicated easily accessible supportive care units can help. As management of certain problems improves, others come to the fore. Cancer-related fatigue and malnutrition are very frequent and need regular screening, assessment of treatable causes, and early intervention to improve. Pharmacologic agents and phytopharmaceuticals are of little use, but other interventions are valuable: physical exercise, counseling on fatigue, and cognitive behavioral therapy/mind-body interventions (e.g., for fatigue). Nutrition should be oral, rich in proteins, and accompanied by muscle training adapted to the patient’s condition. Psychological and societal counseling is often useful; nausea or other problems such as gastrointestinal dysmotility or metabolic derangements must be tackled. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy frequently worsens quality of life and has no established prevention strategy (notwithstanding current interest in cryotherapy and compression therapy) and thus requires careful assessment of patient predisposition to develop it with the consideration of feasible dose and treatment alternatives. When painful, duloxetine helps. Nonpharmacologic strategies, including acupuncture, physical exercise, cryotherapy/compression, and scrambler therapy, are promising but require large phase III trials to become the accepted standard. Personalization of chemotherapy, dependent on realistic goals, is key.
Η επίδραση της εκπαίδευσης στην προσήλωση ασθενών με κίρρωση ήπατος στις θεραπευτικές συστάσεις
Authors: Οικονόμου Αικατερίνη
Published: April 2021

Εισαγωγή: Η κίρρωση του ήπατος (ΚΗ) αποτελεί χρόνια νόσο, με σοβαρές επιπλοκές που επιδεινώνουν την ποιότητα ζωής (ΠΖ) των ασθενών και οδηγούν σε σημαντική επιβάρυνση του συστήματος υγείας. Η πλημμελής προσήλωση στη θεραπευτική αγωγή αποτελεί κύριο παράγοντα αναποτελεσματικής αντιμετώπισης της νόσου. Σκοπός: Εκτίμηση της επίδρασης της εκπαίδευσης στην προσήλωση στις θεραπευτικές συστάσεις ασθενών με ΚΗ. Μεθοδολογία: Πρόκειται για μελέτη παρέμβασης, με χρήση ομάδας ελέγχου, στην οποία συμμετείχαν ασθενείς με ΚΗ, οι οποίοι παρακολουθούνταν στο ηπατολογικό ιατρείο γενικού νοσοκομείου της Αθήνας από τον Ιανουάριο 2015 έως τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2018. Η παρέμβαση περιλάμβανε μία συνεδρία εκπαίδευσης από νοσηλευτή και τη χορήγηση ενημερωτικού εντύπου. Τα δεδομένα συλλέχτηκαν κατά την πρώτη εκτίμηση και ακολούθως στους 3 και 6 μήνες. Η εκτίμηση της προσήλωσης στη φαρμακευτική αγωγή έγινε με ειδικές κλίμακες όπως η Α-14, ενώ η εκτίμηση της ΠΖ έγινε με τη χρήση του ερωτηματολογίου CLDQ. Η στατιστική ανάλυση των δεδομένων έγινε με τη χρήση του προγράμματος SPSS 22.0 και το επίπεδο στατιστικής σημαντικότητας ορίστηκε στο 0,05. Αποτελέσματα: Συνολικά 125 ασθενείς συμμετείχαν στη μελέτη, από τους οποίους 65 ανήκαν στην ομάδα παρέμβασης και 60 στην ομάδα ελέγχου. Η μέση ηλικία των ασθενών της ομάδας παρέμβασης ήταν τα 66,5 έτη (τυπική απόκλιση=11,8 έτη) και της ομάδας ελέγχου τα 64,2 έτη (τυπική απόκλιση=13,7 έτη). Η παρέμβαση οδήγησε σε στατιστικά σημαντική βελτίωση του βαθμού προσήλωσης στις θεραπευτικές συστάσεις και η βελτίωση παρέμεινε καθόλη τη διάρκεια παρακολούθησης (p<0,001). Επίσης, η παρέμβαση βελτίωσε την ΠΖ των ασθενών της ομάδας παρέμβασης (p<0,001) και μείωσε το ποσοστό ασθενών με τουλάχιστον μία επανεισαγωγή καθώς και το συνολικό αριθμό επανεισαγωγών (p<0,001) κατά τη διάρκεια παρακολούθησης των 6 μηνών. Η πολυπαραγοντική στατιστική ανάλυση έδειξε ότι η επίδραση της εκπαίδευσης στην προσήλωση των ασθενών στη θεραπευτικές συστάσεις και στην ΠΖ ήταν ανεξάρτητη από δημογραφικά και κλινικά χαρακτηριστικά των ασθενών. Συμπεράσματα: Η εκπαίδευση αναδεικνύεται ως μια σημαντική νοσηλευτική παρέμβαση για τη βελτίωση τόσο της προσήλωσης των ασθενών με ΚΗ στις θεραπευτικές συστάσεις όσο και της ΠΖ.
Ο φανταστικός χώρος στον δημιουργικό λόγο των παραμυθιών
Authors: Σουλογιάννη Δάφνη
Published: April 2021

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας διδακτορικής έρευνας αποτελεί η καταγραφή, μελέτη και ερμηνεία του Φανταστικού Χώρου, έτσι όπως αυτός ορίζεται στα κείμενα των παραμυθιών και των ιστοριών με παραμυθικά στοιχεία. Ο Φανταστικός χώρος ορίζεται σε αντιδιαστολή με τον ρεαλιστικό χώρο - αποφεύγεται ο όρος "πραγματικός" χώρος, καθώς η υπόθεση είναι ότι πραγματικός, εντός του πλαισίου του, είναι και ο Φανταστικός χώρος, με ποικιλία εφάμιλλη του ρεαλιστικού. Κοιτίδα αυτού του Φανταστικού Χώρου αποτελεί ο δημιουργικός λόγος του συγγραφέα των παραμυθιών, ο οποίος, στο πλαίσιο της αφήγησης, αναπτύσσει και ζωντανεύει ένα μοναδικό και αύταρκες σύμπαν, όπου θα εκτυλιχθεί η δράση με τρόπο μονοσήμαντο: μόνο εντός του συγκεκριμένου σύμπαντος της κάθε ιστορίας είναι δυνατό να διαδραματιστεί η συγκεκριμένη ιστορία. Προς την αναζήτηση του Φανταστικού χώρου χρησιμοποιούνται ως παραδειγματικές εφαρμογές τα κείμενα των παραμυθιών Η Ωραία Κοιμωμένη, Χάνσελ και Γκρέτελ, Η Βασίλισσα του Χιονιού, Η Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων, Πέρα από τον Καθρέπτη, Ο Ανιψιός του Μάγου, και της επταλογίας με κεντρικό χαρακτήρα τον Harry Potter. Μέσω της εφαρμογής συγκεκριμένης μεθοδολογίας - το έργο των γλωσσολόγων/σημειολόγων Ferdinand de Saussure και Roland Barthes, καθώς και η κειμενογλωσσολογική προσέγγιση του Paul Werth, με επίκεντρο το γνωσιακό φαινόμενο της Μεταφοράς - αναζητούνται τα δομικά στοιχεία του Φανταστικού χώρου, ο ρόλος του εντός της αφήγησης αλλά και η λειτουργία του εντός του κειμενικού κόσμου. Σκοπός της διδακτορικής έρευνας είναι αυτός ο Φανταστικός χώρος να δειχτεί ως η κινητήριος δύναμη για την ανοικοδόμηση ενός πλήρους σύμπαντος και την συνεπακόλουθη εξέλιξη της αφήγησης, και να αναγνωριστεί ως ένα σύστημα με δομή και κανόνες, το οποίο έχει κάποιου είδους αναφορά στη δομή και τους κανόνες που ισχύουν στον ρεαλιστικό χώρο της φυσικής μας εμπειρίας.
Ανάπτυξη γενικευμένων μαθηματικών προσομοιωμάτων για την ανελαστική καμπτική συμπεριφορά λυγηρών γραμμικών στοιχείων Ο/Σ
Authors: Σφονδύλης Δημήτριος
Published: April 2021

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας διατριβής είναι η ανάπτυξη μαθηματικών προσωμοιωμάτων που αφορούν λυγηρά - κυρίως καμπτόμενα - στοιχεία Ο/Σ τύπου δοκού, τα οποία έχουν γενική εφαρμογή για οποιοδήποτε σχήμα διατομής δοκού ή υποστυλώματος, είναι εύχρηστα και μπορούν να αποτελέσουν πρότυπα στην κατηγορία των προσομοιωμάτων τύπου ινών ή πολυγωνικής διακριτοποίησης της διατομής. Στην παρούσα διατριβή αναπτύχθηκαν δύο τέτοια μαθηματικά προσομοιώματα γραμμικών στοιχείων Ο/Σ, τα οποία εμπίπτουν στην κατηγορία κατανεμημένης πλαστικότητας με διακριτοποίηση της διατομής είτε σε ίνες (μοντέλα ινών) είτε σε πολύγωνα (τραπέζια, τρίγωνα). Τα μοντέλα αυτών των κατηγοριών θεωρείται ότι είναι ικανά να περιγράψουν καλύτερα τη συμπεριφορά του στοιχείου κατά την έννοια του μήκους του, αφού η απόκρισή του προκύπτει από αριθμητική ολοκλήρωση των δυσκαμψιών των διατομών του, ενώ παράλληλα παρουσιάζουν έναν ιδανικό συνδυασμό ακρίβειας, απλότητας και υπολογιστικού κόστους. Η συμπεριφορά της διατομής περιγράφεται μέσω των καταστατικών σχέσεων σ-ε των υλικών της για ανακυκλιζόμενη φόρτιση. Στόχος της διατριβής είναι η αξιοποίηση όλης της συσσωρευμένης μέχρι σήμερα γνώσης στο αντικείμενο της ανάπτυξης ανελαστικών προσομοιωμάτων με σκοπό την κατάλληλη μαθηματική διατύπωση των νόμων που τα διέπουν, έτσι ώστε να είναι απαλλαγμένα από τους περιορισμούς των μέχρι σήμερα αντίστοιχων διαθέσιμων, οδεύοντας έτσι στην ευρύτερη υιοθέτηση τους στις πρακτικές εφαρμογές των μηχανικών. Οι βασικοί πυλώνες ανάπτυξης των δύο μαθηματικών προσομοιωμάτων είναι η αυξημένη ακρίβεια των αποτελεσμάτων, σε σχέση με υφιστάμενα πειραματικά, η χωρίς όρια γενίκευση της εφαρμογής τους, όσον αφορά στο σχήμα των διατομών, με μόνη οριοθέτηση το ότι αναφέρονται σε λυγηρά στοιχεία και φυσικά η άρση των αριθμητικών δυσχερειών που παρουσιάζεται στην υλοποίηση αντίστοιχων προσομοιωμάτων, η οποία οδηγεί στη μή πρακτική εφαρμογή τους σε πραγματικές κατασκευές. Για την επιβεβαίωση των στόχων που προαναφέρθηκαν έγινε σύγκριση με πειραματικά αποτελέσματα στοιχείων Ο/Σ σε μεγάλη έκταση παραμέτρων που αφορούν διαφορετικού τύπου διατομές και συνθήκες φόρτισης. Επιπλέον, για την εξακρίβωση της δυνατότητας πρακτικής εφαρμογής των προτεινόμενων προσομοιωμάτων πραγματοποιήθηκαν εφαρμογές τους για τα αποτελέσματα δύο δοκιμίων μονώροφων επίπεδων πλαισίων καθώς και πλήρους πειραματικού τετραώροφου κτιρίου Ο/Σ.
Τραγουδώντας την Επανάσταση
Authors: Λιάβας Λάμπρος , Σαρρής Χάρης
Published: April 2021

Η συμβολή του Κέντρου Ελληνικής Μουσικής «Φοίβος Ανωγειανάκης» (ΚΕΜΦΑ) στη συγκρότηση του Ψηφιακού Αρχείου 1821 υλοποιείται από τον Λάμπρο Λιάβα, καθηγητή  εθνομουσικολογίας του ΕΚΠΑ, σε συνεργασία με τον εθνομουσικολόγο Χάρη Σαρρή, διδάκτορα του ΕΚΠΑ. Στο πλαίσιο του Προγράμματος, πραγματοποιήθηκαν ο εντοπισμός, η αποδελτίωση, η ψηφιοποίηση και η ένταξη στο Αρχείο υλικού που αναφέρεται στον ρόλο και τη λειτουργία της μουσικής και του χορού κατά την περίοδο της Εθνεγερσίας.
Case Report: A rare cause of vaginal bleeding at Keren Zonal Referral Hospital, Eritrea
Authors: Abraha Million , Solomon Shiden
Published: April 2021

Vaginal bleeding due to leech infestation is a very uncommon but important gynaecological problem. This report presents the case of a 65-year-old woman who presented to Keren Regional Referral Hospital, Eritrea, with vaginal bleeding of two and half weeks duration, dizziness and fatigue. On the day of her admission complete blood count and speculum exam were done and she was diagnosed with anaemia due to cervical leech infestation. Routine speculum exam for vaginal bleeding is recommended in cases with history of holy water or springs visits to prevent unnecessary diagnostic tests and for rapid management.
Specifying who delivers behaviour change interventions: development of an Intervention Source Ontology
Authors: Norris Emma , Wright Alison J. , Hastings Janna , West Robert , Boyt Neil , Michie Susan
Published: April 2021

Background:  Identifying how behaviour change interventions are delivered, including by whom, is key to understanding intervention effectiveness. However, information about who delivers interventions is reported inconsistently in intervention evaluations, limiting communication and knowledge accumulation. This paper reports a method for consistent reporting: The Intervention Source Ontology. This forms one part of the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology, which aims to cover all aspects of behaviour change interventions.

Methods: The Intervention Source Ontology was developed following methods for ontology development and maintenance used in the Human Behaviour-Change Project, with seven key steps: 1) define the scope of the ontology, 2) identify key entities and develop their preliminary definitions by reviewing existing classification systems (top-down) and reviewing 100 behaviour change intervention reports (bottom-up), 3) refine the ontology by piloting the preliminary ontology on 100 reports, 4) stakeholder review by 34 behavioural science and public health experts, 5) inter-rater reliability testing of annotating intervention reports using the ontology, 6) specify ontological relationships between entities and 7) disseminate and maintain the Intervention Source Ontology.

Results: The Intervention Source Ontology consists of 140 entities. Key areas of the ontology include Occupational Role of Source, Relatedness between Person Source and the Target Population, Sociodemographic attributes and Expertise. Inter-rater reliability was found to be 0.60 for those familiar with the ontology and 0.59 for those unfamiliar with it, levels of agreement considered ‘acceptable’.

Conclusions: Information about who delivers behaviour change interventions can be reliably specified using the Intervention Source Ontology. For human-delivered interventions, the ontology can be used to classify source characteristics in existing behaviour change reports and enable clearer specification of intervention sources in reporting.
Ultrafast thulium-doped fiber laser mode-locked by antimonides
Authors: Shaodong Hou , Chengjin Lu , Haifeng Lin , Jinzhang Wang , Chunyu Guo , Jianqun Cheng , Min Zhang , Peiguang Yan
Published: April 2021

We report, for the first time, the nonlinear absorption at the 2 µm waveband of three Sb-related materials including two Sb compounds, GaSb and InSb, and one Sb alloy, Ge8Sb92. These saturable absorbers (SAs) were coated on tapered single mode fibers by the magnetron-sputtering deposition method. By incorporating these SAs into Tm-doped fiber lasers, ultrafast mode-locked solitons could be readily obtained. Stable pulse trains with 922 fs/753 fs/1005 fs pulse durations, 31.35 mW/37.70 mW/16.60 mW output powers, 93 dB/80 dB/92 dB signal-to-noise ratios were achieved with GaSb/InSb/Ge8Sb92, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that these materials can be widely used for photonic devices in the 2 µm waveband where ultrafast optical switching and modulating are desired.
Which plasmonic nano-antenna is best for free-space out-coupling of single photon emission from a hyperbolic metamaterial resonator?
Authors: Ahmed Nadeem , Inam Faraz Ahmed
Published: April 2021

Recently, hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) have shown large emission-rate/Purcell enhancement for emitters coupled to them. However, due to the large momentum (

k

) mismatch between the high-k hyperbolic modes of HMMs and free-space modes, the far-field out-coupling of the emission is limited and requires an antenna. In this work, we present an in-depth theoretical study of the performance of some commonly known plasmonic antennas—cylindrical, cuboid, crossed, and bow-tie—when coupled to a HMM. Of all these antennas, the cylindrical antenna was observed to be the best for out-coupling to the high-

k

HMM modes with the Purcell factor and collection efficiencies reaching 1000 and 0.5, respectively. The hyperbolic HMM modes are observed to be efficiently coupled to the resonance modes of the cylindrical antenna, with the antenna modes getting effectively out-coupled into free space. These values are expected to result in two to three orders of fluorescence enhancement from a solid-state single photon source. For other antennas, the greater momentum mismatch between the hyperbolic HMM modes and the antenna modes resulted in relatively much weaker free-space out-coupling.
Superluminal and slow femtosecond laser pulses in hyperbolic metamaterials in epsilon-near-zero regime
Authors: Novikov V. B. , Leontiev A. P. , Napolskii K. S. , Murzina T. V.
Published: April 2021

Flourish of optics of hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) is stimulated by their exotic optical properties. Here, we demonstrate resonant changes of the group retardation and superluminal-like propagation of femtosecond laser pulses in nanorod-based HMMs in the vicinity of epsilon-near-zero spectral point responsible for the transition between topologically distinct elliptic and hyperbolic light dispersions. Resonant dynamics of ultrashort pulses appears in a unique case when their spectral components are in both dispersion regimes simultaneously. Our findings suggest HMMs as a powerful platform for future ultrafast photonics and are pivotal for growing nonlinear optics of hyperbolic media.
High-quality reconstruction of an optical image by an efficient Laguerre-Gaussian mode decomposition method
Authors: Ma Jiantao , Wei Dan , Wang Luyi , Zhang Yong , Xiao Min
Published: April 2021

We propose and experimentally demonstrate an optical image reconstruction in the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) domain. Because LG mode features circular symmetry, it has unique advantages to decompose an image with rotational symmetry. In the experiment, we realize a high-fidelity reconstruction of an optical image by using about 104 LG modes. In the proposed configuration, the radial sampling points are much fewer than those in the existing methods, which can significantly improve the efficiency. Furthermore, we show azimuthal image noise reduction through LG domain filtering. Our results open a door for LG-mode based optical image processing.
Sperm acrosome overgrowth and infertility in mice lacking chromosome 18 pachytene piRNA
Authors: Choi Heejin , Wang Zhengpin , Dean Jurrien
Published: April 2021

piRNAs are small non-coding RNAs required to maintain genome integrity and preserve RNA homeostasis during male gametogenesis. In murine adult testes, the highest levels of piRNAs are present in the pachytene stage of meiosis, but their mode of action and function remain incompletely understood. We previously reported that BTBD18 binds to 50 pachytene piRNA-producing loci. Here we show that spermatozoa in gene-edited mice lacking a BTBD18 targeted pachytene piRNA cluster on Chr18 have severe sperm head dysmorphology, poor motility, impaired acrosome exocytosis, zona pellucida penetration and are sterile. The mutant phenotype arises from aberrant formation of proacrosomal vesicles, distortion of the trans-Golgi network, and up-regulation of GOLGA2 transcripts and protein associated with acrosome dysgenesis. Collectively, our findings reveal central role of pachytene piRNAs in controlling spermiogenesis and male fertility.
Widespread imprinting of transposable elements and variable genes in the maize endosperm
Authors: Anderson Sarah N. , Zhou Peng , Higgins Kaitlin , Brandvain Yaniv , Springer Nathan M.
Published: April 2021

Fertilization and seed development is a critical time in the plant life cycle, and coordinated development of the embryo and endosperm are required to produce a viable seed. In the endosperm, some genes show imprinted expression where transcripts are derived primarily from one parental genome. Imprinted gene expression has been observed across many flowering plant species, though only a small proportion of genes are imprinted. Understanding how imprinted expression arises has been complicated by the reliance on single nucleotide polymorphisms between alleles to enable testing for imprinting. Here, we develop a method to use whole genome assemblies of multiple genotypes to assess for imprinting of both shared and variable portions of the genome using data from reciprocal crosses. This reveals widespread maternal expression of genes and transposable elements with presence-absence variation within maize and across species. Most maternally expressed features are expressed primarily in the endosperm, suggesting that maternal de-repression in the central cell facilitates expression. Furthermore, maternally expressed TEs are enriched for maternal expression of the nearest gene, and read alignments over maternal TE-gene pairs indicate that these are fused rather than independent transcripts.
Environmental DNA sampling provides new management strategies for vernal pool branchiopods in California
Authors: Kieran Shannon Rose C. , Hull Joshua M. , Finger Amanda J.
Published: April 2021

California’s vernal pools are declining ecosystems that support valuable native plant and animal diversity. Vernal pool branchiopods are particularly at risk from vernal pool habitat loss and conservation efforts have targeted their long-term protection through the establishment of preserves and conservation banks. These conservation strategies require repeated, perpetual monitoring of preserved habitat, which is currently carried out through dip-net surveys and visual identification of specimens. Dip-netting may be destructive and frequently requires some sacrifice of protected species. Environmental DNA offers a new, modern method to monitor many protected freshwater organisms. We designed qPCR-based species-specific assays for four of California’s vernal pool branchiopods: The Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp Branchinecta lynchi (BRLY), the Midvalley Fairy Shrimp Branchinecta mesovallensis (BRME), and the Conservancy Fairy Shrimp Branchinecta conservatio (BRCO), and the Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp Lepidurus packardi (LEPA). We tested these assays using eDNA sampling protocols alongside traditional dip-net surveys to assess their viability as an alternative method to monitor vernal pool branchiopods. Based on occupancy modeling, each of our assays achieved a 95% or higher detection rate when using optimized sampling protocols.
Existence and features of the myodural bridge in Gentoo penguins: A morphological study
Authors: Chen Cheng , Yu Sheng-bo , Chi Yan-yan , Tan Guang-yuan , Yan Bao-cheng , Zheng Nan , Sui Hong-Jin
Published: April 2021

Recent studies have evidenced that the anatomical structure now known as the myodural bridge (MDB) connects the suboccipital musculature to the cervical spinal dura mater (SDM). In humans, the MDB passes through both the posterior atlanto-occipital and the posterior atlanto-axial interspaces. The existence of the MDB in various mammals, including flying birds (Rock pigeons and Gallus domesticus) has been previously validated. Gentoo penguins are marine birds, able to make 450 dives per day, reaching depths of up to 660 feet. While foraging, this penguin is able to reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour. Gentoo penguins are also the world’s fastest diving birds. The present study was therefore carried out to investigate the existence and characteristics of the MDB in Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), a non-flying, marine bird that can dive. For this study, six Gentoo penguin specimens were dissected to observe the existence and composition of their MDB. Histological staining was also performed to analyze the anatomic relationships and characteristic of the MDB in the Gentoo penguin. In this study, it was found that the suboccipital musculature in the Gentoo penguin consists of the rectus capitis dorsalis minor (RCDmi) muscle and rectus capitis dorsalis major (RCDma) muscle. Dense connective tissue fibers were observed connecting these two suboccipital muscles to the spinal dura mater (SDM). This dense connective tissue bridge consists of primarily type I collagen fibers. Thus, this penguin’s MDB appears to be analogous to the MDB previously observed in humans. The present study evidences that the MDB not only exists in penguins but it also has unique features that distinguishes it from that of flying birds. Thus, this study advances the understanding of the morphological characteristics of the MDB in flightless, marine birds.
Factors associated with dietary diversity among pregnant women in the western hill region of Nepal: A community based cross-sectional study
Authors: Shrestha Vintuna , Paudel Rajan , Sunuwar Dev Ram , Lyman Andrew L. Thorne , Manohar Swetha , Amatya Archana
Published: April 2021

Background

Dietary diversity can play an important role in providing essential nutrients for both mother and fetus during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with dietary diversity during pregnancy in the western hill region of Nepal.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 327 pregnant women was conducted in an urban municipality of Baglung district in the western hill region of Nepal. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on household demographic and socioeconomic status, food taboos, household food security status, nutrition-related knowledge in pregnancy, and women’s empowerment. Women consuming ≥5 of 10 food groups in the past 24 hours were defined as consuming a diverse diet using the Minimum Dietary Diversity Score for Women (MDD-W) tool. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to understand factors associated with dietary diversity.

Results

Almost 45% (95% CI: 39.6–50.4) of the participants did not consume a diverse diet and the mean dietary diversity score was 4.76 ± 1.23. Multivariable analysis revealed that women with greater empowerment (aOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.9–9.9), from wealthier households (aOR = 5.1, 95% CI: 2.7–9.3), joint families (aOR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4–5.1), employment (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2–4.1), and had adequate nutrition knowledge (aOR: 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.4) had higher odds of dietary diversity.

Conclusion

Along with socioeconomic status, women’s empowerment and nutrition knowledge were modifiable risk factors that should be considered as targets for programs to improve women’s health during pregnancy.
Risk assessment for airborne disease transmission by poly-pathogen aerosols
Authors: Nordsiek Freja , Bodenschatz Eberhard , Bagheri Gholamhossein
Published: April 2021

In the case of airborne diseases, pathogen copies are transmitted by droplets of respiratory tract fluid that are exhaled by the infectious that stay suspended in the air for some time and, after partial or full drying, inhaled as aerosols by the susceptible. The risk of infection in indoor environments is typically modelled using the Wells-Riley model or a Wells-Riley-like formulation, usually assuming the pathogen dose follows a Poisson distribution (mono-pathogen assumption). Aerosols that hold more than one pathogen copy, i.e. poly-pathogen aerosols, break this assumption even if the aerosol dose itself follows a Poisson distribution. For the largest aerosols where the number of pathogen in each aerosol can sometimes be several hundred or several thousand, the effect is non-negligible, especially in diseases where the risk of infection per pathogen is high. Here we report on a generalization of the Wells-Riley model and dose-response models for poly-pathogen aerosols by separately modeling each number of pathogen copies per aerosol, while the aerosol dose itself follows a Poisson distribution. This results in a model for computational risk assessment suitable for mono-/poly-pathogen aerosols. We show that the mono-pathogen assumption significantly overestimates the risk of infection for high pathogen concentrations in the respiratory tract fluid. The model also includes the aerosol removal due to filtering by the individuals which becomes significant for poorly ventilated environments with a high density of individuals, and systematically includes the effects of facemasks in the infectious aerosol source and sink terms and dose calculations.
Comparison of a one-step real-time RT-PCR and a nested real-time RT-PCR for a genogroup II norovirus reveals differences in sensitivity depending upon assay design and visualization
Authors: Manuel Clyde S. , Suther Cassandra , Moore Matthew D. , Jaykus Lee-Ann
Published: April 2021

Human norovirus (NoV) is the leading cause of acute viral gastroenteritis and a major source of foodborne illness. Detection of NoV in food and environmental samples is typically performed using molecular techniques, including real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and less frequently, nested real-time PCR. In this study, we conducted a controlled comparison of two published NoV detection assays: a broadly reactive one-step real-time RT-PCR and a two-step nested real-time PCR assay. A 20% human fecal suspension containing a genogroup II human NoV was serially diluted, genome extracted, and subjected to amplification using the two assays compared via PCR Units. Additional amplicon confirmation was performed by dot blot hybridization using digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled oligonucleotide probes. Both assays displayed similar amplification standard curves/amplification efficiencies; however, the nested assay consistently detected one log10 lower virus. Dot blot hybridization improved the detection limit of the nested real-time PCR by one log10 NoV genome copies but impaired the detection limit of the one-step real-time RT-PCR by one log10 NoV genome copies. These results illustrate the complexities in designing and interpreting molecular techniques having a sufficient detection limit to detect low levels of viruses that might be anticipated in contaminated food and environmental samples.
Similar incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with rheumatic diseases with and without hydroxychloroquine therapy
Authors: Macías Juan , González-Moreno Paz , Sánchez-García Esther , Morillo-Verdugo Ramón , Pérez-Venegas José J. , Pinilla Ana , Macho MªMar , Martínez MªVictoria , González-Serna Alejandro , Corma Anaïs , Real Luis M. , Pineda Juan A.
Published: April 2021

Background

Hydroxychloroquine is not efficacious as post-exposure prophylaxis against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is not known whether as pre-exposure prophylaxis it may prevent COVID-19.

Objective

To compare the incidence of COVID-19 in Spanish patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases treated with and without hydroxychloroquine.

Patients and methods

Retrospective electronic record review, from February 27th to June 21st, 2020, of patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases followed at two academic tertiary care hospitals in Seville, Spain. The cumulative incidence of confirmed COVID-19, by PCR or serology, was compared between patients with and without hydroxychloroquine as part of their treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases.

Results

Among 722 included patients, 290 (40%) were receiving hydroxychloroquine. During the seventeen-week study period, 10 (3.4% [95% CI: 1.7%-6.7%] cases of COVID-19 were registered among patients with hydroxychloroquine and 13 (3.0% [1.6%-5.1%]) (p = 0.565) in those without hydroxychloroquine. COVID-19 was diagnosed by PCR in four (1.4%, 95% CI 0.38%-3.5%) subject with hydroxychloroquine and six (1.4%, 95% CI 0.5%-3.0%) without hydroxychloroquine (p = 0.697). Three patients on hydroxychloroquine and four patients without hydroxychloroquine were admitted to the hospital, none of them required to be transferred to the intensive care unit and no patient died during the episode.

Conclusions

The incidence and severity of COVID-19 among patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases with and without hydroxychloroquine was not significantly different.
Changes in geometrical aspects of a simple model of cilia synchronization control the dynamical state, a possible mechanism for switching of swimming gaits in microswimmers
Authors: Hamilton Evelyn , Cicuta Pietro
Published: April 2021

Active oscillators, with purely hydrodynamic coupling, are useful simple models to understand various aspects of motile cilia synchronization. Motile cilia are used by microorganisms to swim and to control the flow fields in their surroundings; the patterns observed in cilia carpets can be remarkably complex, and can be changed over time by the organism. It is often not known to what extent the coupling between cilia is due to just hydrodynamic forces, and neither is it known if it is biological or physical triggers that can change the dynamical collective state. Here we treat this question from a very simplified point of view. We describe three possible mechanisms that enable a switch in the dynamical state, in a simple scenario of a chain of oscillators. We find that shape-change provides the most consistent strategy to control collective dynamics, but also imposing small changes in frequency produces some unique stable states. Demonstrating these effects in the abstract minimal model proves that these could be possible explanations for gait switching seen in ciliated micro organisms like Paramecium and others. Microorganisms with many cilia could in principle be taking advantage of hydrodynamic coupling, to switch their swimming gait through either a shape change that manifests in decreased coupling between groups of cilia, or alterations to the beat style of a small subset of the cilia.