bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An economic model to understand the cost-effectiveness of olanzapine orally dispersible tablets (ODT) and olanzapine film coated tablets as a group compared with other oral atypical antipsychotics for treating schizophrenia in Morocco
Authors: Tazi Ahmed , Errachidi Prof. Faouzi , Sonawane Dipesh , Tahri Ghizlane , Rao Sameer , Mehta Suyog
Published: February 2024

Background:
Antipsychotic medications are the primary treatment for schizophrenia, with olanzapine being an effective medication for schizophrenia. The economic cost for each individual with schizophrenia is high, with antipsychotic medication being a major expense. This study aims to develop an economic decision model that compares different treatment options for schizophrenia patients, including olanzapine Orally Dispersible Tablets (ODT), olanzapine [ODT + Standard Oral Tablet (SOT)], risperidone (ODT + SOT), and aripiprazole (ODT + SOT), to determine their cost-effectiveness with an objective to optimize healthcare resource allocation in Morocco.
Methods:
The study used published medical literature and a clinical expert panel to develop a decision analytic model. This model was designed to capture parameters such as adherence levels, treatment discontinuation, relapse with and without hospitalization, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), treatment-related adverse events, healthcare resource utilization, and associated costs. The main outcomes of interest included the total annual direct cost per treatment, QALYs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per 1 QALY gained. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were employed to account for parameter uncertainty.
Results:
According to the simulation model, the ODT and ODT + SOT as a group form of olanzapine was the most effective treatment option in terms of a lowest percentages of inpatient relapse, and patients who remained stable (11% and 79% respectively) than risperidone (19% and 62% respectively) and aripiprazole ODT (26% and 50% respectively) and ODT + SOT formulation groups. Olanzapine (ODT + SOT) therapy group was cost-effective when compared to the combined group of ODT + SOT forms of risperidone (ICER: Moroccan Dirham (MAD) 103,907), and aripiprazole (ICER: MAD 65,047). Additionally, olanzapine ODT was found to be cost-effective compared to olanzapine SOT with an ICER of MAD 3,921, risperidone ODT with an ICER of MAD 1,02,298, risperidone SOT with an ICER of MAD 31,088, and aripiprazole ODT or SOT formulations. All the above ICERs fall under the willingness-to-pay threshold in Morocco of MAD 250,832.40. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of the findings.
Conclusions:
The model concluded that olanzapine ODT is the most cost-effective first-line treatment option for schizophrenia in Morocco when compared to other atypical antipsychotic medications in ODT and SOT formulations.
Ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic bile acids attenuate systemic and liver inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats
Authors: Milivojac Tatjana , Grabež Milkica , Krivokuća Aleksandra , Maličević Uglješa , Bojić Milica Gajić , Đukanović Đorđe , Uletilović Snežana , Mandić-Kovačević Nebojša , Cvjetković Tanja , Barudžija Maja , Vojinović Nataša , Šmitran Aleksandra , Amidžić Ljiljana , Stojiljković Miloš P , Čolić Miodrag , Mikov Momir , Škrbić Ranko
Published: February 2024

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces general inflammation, by activating pathways involving cytokine production, blood coagulation, complement system activation, and acute phase protein release. The key cellular players are leukocytes and endothelial cells, that lead to tissue injury and organ failure. The aim of this study was to explore the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytoprotective properties of two bile acids, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) in LPS-induced endotoxemia in rats. The experiment involved six distinct groups of Wistar rats, each subjected to different pretreatment conditions: control and LPS groups were pretreated with propylene glycol, as a bile acid solvent, while the other groups were pretreated with UDCA or CDCA for 10 days followed by an LPS injection on day 10. The results showed that both UDCA and CDCA reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines: TNF-α, GM-CSF, IL-2, IFNγ, IL-6, and IL-1β and expression of nuclear factor- κB (NF-κB) induced by LPS. In addition, pretreatment with these bile acids showed a positive impact on lipid profiles, a decrease in ICAM levels, an increase in antioxidant activity (SOD, |CAT, GSH), and a decrease in prooxidant markers (H2O2 and O2 –). Furthermore, both bile acids alleviated LPS-induced liver injury. While UDCA and CDCA pretreatment attenuated homocysteine levels in LPS-treated rats, only UDCA pretreatment showed reductions in other serum biochemical markers, including creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and high-sensitivity troponin I. It can be concluded that both, UDCA and CDCA, although exerted slightly different effects, can prevent the inflammatory responses induced by LPS, improve oxidative stress status, and attenuate LPS-induced liver injury.
Predicting Cognitive Functioning in High-Grade Glioma: Evaluating Different Representations of Tumor Location in a Common Space
Authors: Boelders Sander Martijn , De Baene Wouter , Postma Eric , Gehring Karin , Ong Lee-Ling Sharon
Published: February 2024

Introduction
: Cognitive functioning is increasingly considered when making treatment decisions for patients with a brain tumor in view of a personalized onco-functional balance. Ideally, one can predict cognitive functioning of individual patients to make treatment decisions considering this balance. To make accurate predictions, an informative representation of tumor location is pivotal, yet comparisons of representations are lacking. Therefore, this study compares brain atlases and principal component analysis to represent voxel-wise tumor location.
Methods
Pre-operative cognitive functioning was predicted for 246 patients with a high-grade glioma across eight cognitive tests while using different representations of voxel-wise tumor location as predictors. Voxel-wise tumor location was represented using 13 different frequently-used population average atlases, 13 randomly generated atlases, and 13 representations based on principal component analysis. ElasticNet predictions were compared between representations and against a model solely using tumor volume as a predictor.
Results
Preoperative cognitive functioning could only partly be predicted from the representations of tumor location. Representations based on principal component analysis resulted in better predictions compared to those based on population average- and random atlases. Population average atlases did not result in better predictions when compared to random atlases.
Discussion
For the prediction of cognitive performances, representations based on principal component analysis should be favored over population average atlases for prediction if the decrease in interpretability is acceptable. Population average atlases possibly cannot distinguish between functionally distinct areas when applied to patients with a glioma. Researchers should develop and validate methods for individual parcellations in the presence of lesions.
Characterization of Two-compartment Bioreactor for Anaerobic Biohythane Production: Effects of Kitchen Waste Concentration
Authors: Abdul Peer Mohamed , Lay Chyi-How , Lin Chiu-Yue , Vo Tan-Phat , Chang Chia-Min
Published: February 2024

Anaerobic digestion is a promising technology for kitchen waste treatment, as it has high energy recovery and reduces environmental problems. A two-compartment bioreactor (TCR) constructed with a hydrogen compartment and a methane compartment with the working volume of 300 mL and 4700 mL respectively was cultivated at various kitchen waste from 10 to 80 g COD/L at hydraulic retention time 2 d to characterize the biohythane production performance. Results show biohythane composition H2, CH4 and CO2 were 0-9%, 35-48%, and 48-58%, respectively during steady-state conditions. After 80 days of cultivation, Firmicutes dominated the hydrogen compartment and Methanobacteriaceae and Methanomicrobiaceae dominated the methane compartment.
Climate adjusted projections of the distribution and frequency of poor air quality days for the Contiguous United States
Authors: Wilson Bradley , Pope Mariah , Melecio-Vasquez David , Hsieh Ho , Alfaro Maximilian , Shu Evelyn , Porter Jeremy R. , Kearns Edward J.
Published: February 2024

Unhealthy air quality conditions can strongly affect long-term human health and well-being, yet many air quality data products focus on near real-time alerts or short-term forecasts. Understanding the full state of air quality also requires examining the longer term frequency and intensity of poor air quality at ground level, and how it might change over time. We present a new modeling framework to compute climate-adjusted estimates of air quality hazards for the contiguous United States (CONUS) at 10 kilometer horizontal resolution. The framework blends results from statistical, machine-learning, and climate-chemistry models – including a bias-adjusted version of the EPA Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) time series as described in (Wilson et al., 2022) - for ground-level ozone, anthropogenic fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and wildfire smoke PM2.5 into consistent estimates of days exceeding the ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ (orange colored) classification on the EPA Air Quality Index for 2023 and 2053. We find that joint PM2.5 and ozone orange + days range from 1 day to 41 days across CONUS, with a median value of 2 days, across all years. Considering all properties across CONUS, we find that 63.5% percent are exposed to at least one orange or greater day in 2023, growing to 72.1% in 2053. For a 7-day threshold, 3.8% and 5.7% of properties are exposed in 2023 and 2053, respectively. Our results also support the identification of which parts of the country are most likely to be impacted by additional climate-related air quality risks. With growing evidence that even low levels of air pollution are harmful, these results are an important step forward in empowering individuals to understand their air quality risks both now and into the future.
Analysis of gene expression and immune infiltration in white adipose tissue of patients with obesity: bioinformatics analysis and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Qiuying , Ren Yifan , He Linfeng , Zeng Tianshu
Published: February 2024

Background
The physiological and pathological process of obesity involves inflammation and immunity. The alterations in the number and function of immune cells may have an effect on systemic inflammation and homeostasis. This study aimed to explore the different biological processes and immune infiltration landscape in obesity.
Methods
Nine obesity-related datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs)in adipose tissues were identified by “limma” R package or GEO2R and then Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed. Meanwhile, we conducted the immune infiltration analysis with gene expression data and Meta-analysis was performed based on the results of immune infiltration. Finally, we selected hub genes and tried to find out the connection between hub genes and immune infiltration.
Results
46 common DEGs were identified, among which the up-regulated genes were involved in biological processes such as the regulation of hemopoiesis, leukocyte differentiation, activation and migration, cell adhesion, cytokine secretion, and interactions. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the percentages of monocytes and macrophages were increased in obesity, while there was no significant difference in neutrophils. The obese patients had a higher proportion of CD4 T cells, induced regulatory T (iTreg) cells, T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, T helper 2 (Th2) cells, T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, and lower levels of CD8 T cells, B cells, CD8 naive cells, exhausted T (Tex) cells, and γδ T cells compared with the controls. PTPRC、ITGAX、CD86、MMP9、ITGB2、CCR1、TLR8、CCL19、SPP1、TREM2 were identified as hub genes.
Conclusion
In obesity, genes related to immunity and inflammation are upregulated in adipose tissue, and the function and abundance of immune cells are changed. There are more monocytes and macrophages in obese people than those in non-obese individuals, and there are also differences in lymphocytes and their subsets.
Stress status of earthquakes in the immediate vicinity before and after 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes (Mw7.7 and Mw7.6) in terms of prediction of destructive earthquakes
Authors: Akar Fahriye
Published: February 2024

b value analysis obtained using earthquake catalogues has been associated with stress accumulation for a very long time. In this study, the spatial and temporal distribution of the b value, also known as the frequency magnitude distribution factor, was calculated and examined before and after the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes (Mw7.7 and Mw7.6). For this, all earthquakes that occurred between 1900 and the earthquakes of February 6, 2023, and all aftershocks that occurred until September 1, 2023, were used. A circular area with a radius of 300 km, including nearby active faults from the center of the first earthquake to the center of the second earthquake, was divided into grids of equal size. The b value was calculated for each grid using the maximum likelihood method. Very low b values were detected in the area where the first earthquake occurred, and it was observed that the b value decreased relatively in the area where the second earthquake occurred. From the change in b value over time, it was determined that the b value has decreased significantly in recent years. This situation is associated with stress accumulation in the area where both earthquakes occurred, especially the low b values of the region where the first earthquake occurred. The fact that b values obtained using aftershocks are still low is evidence that the tension in the region has not been completely relieved and aftershocks will continue for a long time. At the same time, as a result of this study, the low b value was considered as a precursor to major earthquakes.
Biochar derived from post brewing tea waste as efficient anodic catalyst for tailoring the oxidation reactions in clay microbial fuel cell
Authors: SHARMA ITI
Published: February 2024

Rising demand of tea promotes the generation of massive amounts of tea waste causing serious environmental issues. The leftover tea granules (Camellia sinensis) after extraction of water-soluble components as a hot drink denoted as post brewing tea waste (PBTW), which were effetively used to synthesize activated carbon (AC-PBTW). Synthesized AC-PBTW was applied on carbon felt to increase anode surafce area of microbial fuel cell (MFC) for supporting the better colonization of electrogenic bacteria. Three identical clayware MFCs were used in which MFC-1 worked as a control, in MFC-2 raw PBTW and in MFC-3 synthesized AC-PBTW was coated on the carbon felt anode. MFC-3 achieved the highest current density of 848.48 mA/m2, followed by MFC-1 and MFC-2 with 204 mW/m2 and 194 mW/m2, respectively, with corresponding current densities of 488.34 mA/m2 and 476.68 mA/m2. Such developed anode catalyst showed enhanced electrocatalytic activities for anodic oxidation and electron transfer. Power density of MFC increased significantly by 1.5 times after using low-cost activated carbon derived from organic tea waste; hence, it can be recommended to be used in MFC as an anode catalyst to improve electricity generation.
Using video analytics to standardise complexity of Gallbladder surgery
Authors: Naseem Humair , Tam Adam , Naseem Hasnat , Hutton Michael , Clarke Michael , Finlay Ian , Clark James
Published: February 2024

Background:
Cholecystitis is a widespread disease with an associated spectrum of complications; hence, laparoscopic cholecystectomies are commonly performed. Current grading scales are quantitative and objective. There is a need for a dynamic scoring tool that can help standardise training, theatre scheduling, and utilisation and could be incorporated into artificial intelligence.
Aim/Hypothesis:
• To develop and validate a dynamic scoring tool that incorporates the procedure's difficulty and severity of cholecystitis in correlation to operation time.
• We hypothesise that a higher score correlates positively with increasing time, which could dynamically enhance operating room efficiency and turnover.
Material & Method:
A retrospective review of n = 123 LC videos of anonymised patients of Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, Treliske, the UK, between April 2019 - September 2021 was performed. A scoring system was proposed to analyse the correlation between cholecystitis severity, the difficulty of the operation and operative time. The tool comprised variables such as gall bladder characteristics, operative steps, anomalies, and additional procedures.
Results:
During the study period, n = 123 cholecystectomy procedures were analysed, n = 81 (65.85%) met the inclusion criteria and n=42 (34.15%) were excluded. The average total score per video was 8.63, with an average completion time of approx. 65 minutes. The results confirmed a positive correlation of R= 0.791 between higher scores leading to extended operative time. Further analysis showed a positive correlation of R= 0.607 was achieved between the Initial Assessment Score and the Initial Assessment Time to assess the gall bladder characteristics. Additionally, a strong positive correlation of R= 0.944 was attained for Total Score, Completion Time, and Initial Assessment Score.
Conclusion:
The proposed grading scale is a practical predictor of the complexity of the procedure in correlation with the duration of the operation. The grading scale should be helpful in surgical training and improved theatre scheduling and utilisation.
Herstellung und Charakterisierung von gemischten Monolagen mit Dipol-, Quadrupol- und Charge-Transfer-Wechselwirkungen
Authors:   , Wiesner Adrian
Published: February 2024

Der Fokus der Arbeit liegt auf der Untersuchung von Wechselwirkungen zwischen Molekülen in selbst-anordnenden Monolagen (SAMs) auf Goldoberflächen mittels Rastertunnelmikroskopie und komplementären Methoden wie z.B. Infrarot-Reflektions-Absorptions-Spektro-skopie. In dieser Arbeit wurde das kürzlich etablierte Konzept von eingebetteten Dipolmomenten in aromatischen, SAM-bildenden Molekülen eingehender untersucht. Das Ausmaß des Dipol-moments und die Größe der SAM-bildenden Moleküle wurden synthetisch variiert und der Einfluss auf die Struktur und elektronischen Eigenschaften der SAMs untersucht. Binäre, gemischte Monolagen aus SAM-bildenden Molekülen mit "entgegen gerichteten", Dipolmomenten wurden hergestellt und charakterisiert. Zur Herstellung der binären, gemischten Monolagen wurden zwei Methoden verwendet: die Monolagen wurden a) aus bereits gemischten Lösungen der Moleküle abgeschieden oder b) eine reine SAM in die Lösung des anderen Moleküls eingelegt, so dass ein Austausch stattfand. Der Vergleich der beiden Methoden ermöglicht Rückschlüsse über die Abscheidungsprozesse. Die Charakterisierung der SAMs dieser Mischungsreihen gab Aufschluss über Eigenschaften wie Packungsdichte, Austrittsarbeit, elektronischen Ladungstransport in Monolagen und Orientierung der Moleküle relativ zur Oberfläche und erlaubte Schlussfolgerungen über die Mischbarkeit und das Ausmaß der Dipolwechselwirkungen der Moleküle in der Monolage. In einem ähnlichen Ansatz zu dem oben beschriebenen Vorgehen wurden Quadrupolwechselwirkungen zwischen SAM-bildenen, Benzol-, Naphtalin- und Anthracenderivaten untersucht. In Mischungsreihen wurden SAMs von nicht- und teilweise (hoch)fluorierten, SAM-bildenden Molekülen auf Goldoberflächen charakterisiert. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen können bei der gezielten Einstellung der elektronischen Eigenschaften in elektronischen Bauteilen wie OFETs Anwendung finden. In einem weiteren Projekt wurde der Einfluss von polaren Endgruppen auf die in situ Abspaltung von Schutzgruppen an Terphenylthiol-Derivaten untersucht, wobei die Ergebnisse zum Aufbau größerer, aus organischer Elektronik bestehender, Netzwerke verwendet werden können.
The Problem of the Reliability of Bending Models for Composite Plates of Medium Thickness
Authors: Shvabyuk Vasyl , Rotko Svitlana , Ribeiro Luis Frölén , Kuts Nadiia , Zaharchuk Victor , Shvabyuk Volodymyr
Published: February 2024

Most refined bending models of medium-thick plates, which consider transverse shear and partial compression deformations, differ little. However, despite a significant increase in the order of the governing differential equations, the results obtained from their equations give mainly a small increase in accuracy compared to the existing theories. On the other hand, such an increase in the order of the constructed systems of differential equations requires a significant increase in the effort required to solve them, complicates their physical interpretation, and narrows the range of people who can use them, primarily engineers and designers. Therefore, developing a plate-bending model that incorporates all the above factors and is on par with previously applied theories regarding the complexity of the calculation equations remains relevant. For example, most of the applied theories that do not consider transverse compression cannot be used to solve problems of contact interaction with rigid and elastic dies and bases because it is impossible to satisfy the conditions at the contact boundary of the outer surface of the plate, as well as the boundary conditions at the edges of the plate. Therefore, to provide guaranteed accuracy of the results, some researchers of these problems have introduced such a concept as “energy consistency” between the functions of representation of the displacement vector components, their number, the order of equations, and the number of boundary conditions. The authors, based on the developed version of the model of orthotropic plates of medium thickness, investigate the problem of taking into account the so-called “energy consistency” effect of the bending model, depending on the order of the design equations and the number of boundary conditions, as well as its usefulness and disadvantages in practical calculations. The equations of equilibrium in displacements and expressions for stresses in terms of force and moment forces are recorded. For rectangular and circular plates of medium thickness, test problems are solved, and the numerical data are compared with those obtained using spatial problems of elasticity theory, as well as the refined Timoshenko and Reissner theories. An analysis of the obtained results is provided.
Assessing Master Gardener Practices and Confidence in Responding to Clientele Questions about Home Food Preservation in Texas
Authors: Anding Jenna D. , Fry Jayla
Published: February 2024

Interest in home food preservation has grown, especially among those who grow their own produce. Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) are trained to teach consumers how to produce fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but little is known about how often they are asked questions about how to preserve them or their ability to answer such questions. This study used an online survey to ask EMGs across Texas about their food preservation practices and the extent to which they are asked questions about home food preservation. We also assessed their perceived confidence in answering those questions using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not confident at all; 5 = very confident). Most (91%) of the 1875 EMGs who responded reported preserving food using one or more methods. More than half (n = 1034; 55%) had been asked questions about home food preservation, but their level of confidence in answering those questions ranged from a high of 3.1 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) for freezing fruits and vegetables to a low of 1.6 ± 1.1 for pressure canning low-acid foods. Interest in learning more about home food preservation was high, especially regarding safe practices and recipes, drying herbs, freezing fruits and vegetables, and canning salsa and tomato products. The results suggest that EMG training programs could benefit from including basic information about home food preservation, especially sources of reliable information and recipes.
Design of a Majorana trijunction
Authors: Torres Luna Juan Daniel , R. Kuppuswamy Sathish , Akhmerov Anton R.
Published: February 2024

Braiding of Majorana states demonstrates their non-Abelian exchange statistics. One implementation of braiding requires control of the pairwise couplings between all Majorana states in a trijunction device. To have adiabaticity, a trijunction device requires the desired pair coupling to be sufficiently large and the undesired couplings to vanish. In this work, we design and simulate a trijunction device in a two-dimensional electron gas with a focus on the normal region that connects three Majorana states. We use an optimisation approach to find the operational regime of the device in a multi-dimensional voltage space. Using the optimization results, we simulate a braiding experiment by adiabatically coupling different pairs of Majorana states without closing the topological gap. We then evaluate the feasibility of braiding in a trijunction device for different shapes and disorder strengths.
Ciudades inteligentes y la academia
Authors: Dávila Sguerra Manuel
Published: February 2024

Dentro de las transformaciones que vienen afectando a la sociedad en general, el tema de las Ciudades Inteligentes cubre ya un terreno muy amplio, que si bien en sus comienzos nació con solo intentos de definiciones teóricas para explicar en qué consiste ese paradigma, cada vez se acerca más a ser un estado del arte.

Con el tiempo se fueron implementando tecnologías que solucionaron aspectos funcionales de las ciudades en forma no estructurada, pero que fueron solucionando problemas nacidos de las situaciones del momento. En otros casos, algunos países decidieron trabajar de manera formal con la participación del Estado para construir no solo la Ciudad Inteligente en sino las taxonomías que definieran un modelo formal de esta iniciativa.

En ese sentido, Colombia está en ese proceso y hay experiencias que muestran grandes posibilidades de lograrlo de manera estructurada de lo cual veremos resultados en tiempos cercanos. Mientras tanto nos preguntamos: ¿En dónde está la academia en este proceso? Ese es el tema que trataremos en esta editorial porque ya se están viendo resultados que se espera concluyan en una participación visible de la academia como aportantes al desarrollo del país y un reconocimiento de las posibilidades de nuestras universidades como actores en estos procesos.

Abstract

Within the transformations that have been affecting society in general, the topic of Smart Cities already covers a very broad field, which although in its beginnings it was born with only attempts at theoretical definitions to explain what this paradigm consists of, each time it is closer to being a state of the art. Over time, technologies were implemented that solved functional aspects of cities in an unstructured way, but that were solving problems born of the situations of the moment. In other cases, some countries decided to work formally with the participation of the State to build not only the Smart City, but also the taxonomies that would define a formal model for this initiative. In this sense, Colombia is in this process and there are experiences that show great possibilities of achieving it in a structured way, from which we will see results in the near future. Meanwhile we ask ourselves: Where is the academy in this process? That is the subject that we will discuss in this editorial because we are already seeing results that are expected to conclude in a visible participation of the academy as contributors to the development of the country and a recognition of the possibilities of our universities as actors in these processes.
Inserção profissional, trabalho freelancer e microempreendedorismo:
Authors: Delpino Lucas de Oliveira , Kieling Ana Paula
Published: February 2024

Com as reformas trabalhistas e a globalização, o modelo de trabalho freelancer despontou no mercado. No contexto do profissional de Produção Multimídia, consolidou-se como uma forma de inserção no trabalho, direcionando para uma gestão de carreira autônoma. Este artigo tem por objetivo principal identificar as influências e motivações de profissionais de Produção Multimídia ao optar pelo trabalho freelancer como forma de carreira, bem como suas percepções quanto à modalidade de microempreendedor individual (MEI) e sua formação acadêmica. Para a obtenção desses resultados, realizou-se pesquisa exploratória, de abordagem qualitativa, mediante a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas on-line, com 12 discentes e egressos do Curso Superior de Tecnologia em Produção Multimídia do Instituto Federal de Santa Catarina - Campus Palhoça Bilíngue. Com a análise dos dados, identificou-se que o freelancer de Produção Multimídia se motiva pela flexibilidade e remuneração proporcionada por este tipo de contratação.
A percepção dos empresários do comércio de combustíveis quanto ao uso da informação contábil:
Authors: Sousa Joyce Caetano do Nascimento , Nascimento Mauriceia Carvalho , Melo Wilton Alexandre de , Cordeiro Josimar Farias , Cabral Bruno Rodrigues
Published: February 2024

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo principal conhecer a percepção quanto ao uso da informação contábil dos empresários do comércio de combustíveis do Cariri Ocidental Paraibano. Como objetivos específicos caracterizar o perfil dos empresários e das empresas; comparar as principais informações que são demandadas pelo empresário; e, identificar as informações contábeis no gerenciamento do negócio. No que se refere aos procedimentos metodológicos este estudo classificou-se como descritivo e comparativo, mediante abordagem quali-quantitativa e de casos múltiplos. Como instrumento de coleta de dados foi feita utilização de questionário. A amostra foi composta por 22 empresários do comércio de combustíveis do Cariri Ocidental Paraibano. Os dados revelam que os empresários possuem uma faixa etária entre 28 a 65 anos, majoritariamente do gênero masculino. No que diz respeito às empresas a maioria é tributada pelo regime de lucro presumido e estão a mais de dez anos no mercado. Ainda, os empresários utilizam as informações contábeis para fins fiscais e obrigatórios, e mesmo reconhecendo a importância dos serviços dos profissionais contábeis e das informações geradas, os mesmos não as utilizam para gerenciamento e tomada de decisão de cunho mais gerencial na empresa.
Water in Industry
Authors: Zhang Yongjun , Geissen Sven-Uwe , Track Thomas
Published: February 2024

Water of different qualities is used in a wide range of industrial processes. After usage, various substances enter the water streams, generating the industrial wastewater whose characteristics may include recalcitrant organics, high salinity, heavy metals, extreme pH, high turbidity, etc. Nowadays, water in industry tends to form a recycling loop, as boosted by regional water scarcity, strict policies on emission control and arising public concerns. The trend increases the challenge of technical solutions and management tools. This book seeks to answer some of the challenges of industrial water management, and covers topics such as membrane separation, adsorption, advanced oxidation and applications.

In Focus–a book series that showcases the latest accomplishments in water research. Each book focuses on a specialist area with papers from top experts in the field. It aims to be a vehicle for in-depth understanding and inspire further conversations in the sector.
ABRINDO A CAIXA-PRETA DO DESASTRE DA BRASKEM
Authors: Prates Camila , Verissimo Juliane , Lopes Carlos Eduardo , Lima Roberto
Published: February 2024

Esse texto coletivo surgiu a partir da interação entre Roberto Lima e Camila Prates (pesquisa as controvérsias tecnocientíficas em contextos de conflitos e desastres ambientais) na mesa de encerramento da 6ª Semana de Antropologia da UFS ocorrida no dia 24 de novembro e dos aportes de Juliane Lima (pesquisa o conflito ambiental da Braskem) e Carlos Lopes (pesquisador da etnofotografia no contexto do desastre), no chat do evento. A partir disso surgiu a ideia de fazer uma entrevista ao trio de pesquisadores sobre o desastre da Braskem em Maceió. Rapidamente foi organizado coletivamente os pontos de interesse meus e dos colegas e a conversa foi realizada no dia 6 de dezembro de 2024. Essa versão que está sendo publicada é o resultado da transcrição da conversa com a revisão por cada um dos autores de suas falas individuais. Convém lembrar que o desastre da Braskem se dá em decorrência da extração de Sal-gema no subsolo alagoano (iniciado na década de 1970). O desastre foi direcionado pela extração industrial e sem as devidas fiscalizações, com o Serviço Geológico do Brasil atestando a Braskem como responsável pelo afundamento (subsidência) do solo de cinco bairros.
JUREMA E TRANSIÊNCIA ONTOLÓGICA
Authors: Santana de Jesus Aparecida , Moutinho Sá Rui Miguel
Published: February 2024

O presente artigo tem como objeto de análise a interação da planta jurema com o humano em novas paisagens ritualísticas e espirituais. Existe um legado histórico e cultural conexo dos estudos sobre a jurema no Brasil, ainda fortemente relacionados com o seu uso no âmbito das religiões de matriz africana e indígena. No entanto, essa conexão parece estar a proporcionar novos vínculos através de fluxos emergentes e interações que vão além dessas estruturas e limites tradicionais. Pretende-se assim, contribuir para uma melhor compreensão daquilo que são transiências ontológicas a partir do estudo de caso da jurema que parece transcender não só a sua própria categoria de planta, mas também a posição que ocupa no espaço através da sua expansão cultural para Portugal. Partindo da lente científica da Antropologia tem sido possível, através do método etnográfico, submergir nessa intrincada relação planta-humano, analisando a transição dos cenários por onde a jurema está trilhando. Para isso, a partir da realização de trabalho de campo no Brasil (2019 a 2021) e em Portugal (iniciada de forma exploratória em 2022) foi-se perscrutando essa relação que permitiu estabelecer diálogo direto com alguns interlocutores. Neste sentido, as primeiras impressões em torno dos rituais de jurema praticados em Portugal, estes “outros” sujeitos parecem procurar um desenvolvimento mediúnico; melhoria de condições vida e bem-estar em todos os campos (físico, mental, financeiro, espiritual); superação de dificuldades, projetando na entidade jurema: um apoio, um auxílio, ensino e força para prosseguirem a sua vida terrena.
DA SALA OU DA COZINHA: QUE HORAS ELA VOLTA? - ESTUDO DE RECEPÇÃO COM DOMÉSTICAS E PATROAS: REFLEXÕES SOBRE PERCURSOS METODOLÓGICOS
Authors: De Almeida Nunes Everton , Barros Erna , Parfentieff de Noronha Danielle
Published: February 2024

O presente artigo propõe discutir alguns dos aspectos conceituais da Teoria Fundamentada em Dados (Grounded Theory) e apresentar a aplicabilidade deste procedimento metodológico na análise de recepção, utilizando como exemplo a pesquisa de mestrado intitulada Da Sala ou Da Cozinha: Que horas ela volta? - estudo de recepção com domésticas e patroas. A dissertação foi realizada no curso de Comunicação Social da Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), entre 2015 a 2018, e tomou como ponto de partida o filme brasileiro “Que Horas Ela Volta? (2015), dirigido por Anna Muylaert. Neste texto buscamos apresentar como tal abordagem teórica, junto aos Estudos da Recepção, pode contribuir na compreensão dos significados construídos pelo recorte de audiência a ser analisado, sobretudo por ser uma metodologia com raízes no interacionismo simbólico.
CRISE DEMOCRÁTICA E RACISMO NO BRASIL
Authors: Finguerut Ariel , Silva Priscila E.
Published: February 2024

Tendo por perspectiva a crise democrática atual este artigo visa ampliar a compreensão sobre a figura política de Jair Messias Bolsonaro buscando entender como seu governo se relaciona com a crise. O caminho metodológico seguido foi à análise de seu pensamento a partir de alguns de seus discursos (tornados públicos), bem como o de algumas figuras de seu governo, à luz de aportes teóricos da Ciência Política e da Sociologia (com ênfase na Sociologia das Relações Raciais). Objetivamos ressaltar aspectos presentes no governo de Bolsonaro que nos ajudam a construir uma visão mais sistêmica (ampla) sobre a crise democrática brasileira. Tal análise nos possibilita concluir que o governo de Jair M. Bolsonaro não só se alinha a uma mentalidade retrógrada e racista como também instrumentaliza (por meio de estratégias populistas e nacionalistas) o descontentamento de parte dos brasileiros frente aos desafios de um regime democrático em favor de um projeto de poder disruptivo, porém em concordância com a colonialidade de poder que ainda nos atravessa.
Bacterial Proteins and Peptides as Potential Anticancer Agents: A Novel Search for Protein-based Therapeutics
Authors: Pyla Mahitha , Kankipati Sanjana , Sumithra Bapatla , Mishra Piyush Kumar , Mishra Bishwambhar , Mandal Sanjeeb Kumar , Panda Jibanjyoti , Chopra Hitesh , Avula Satya Kumar , Attia Mohamed Salah , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Kamal Mohammad Amjad
Published: February 2024

Tumor diseases remain among the world's primary causes of death despite
substantial advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The adverse chemotherapy
problems and sensitivity towards drugs for some cancer types are among the most
promising challenges in modern treatment. Finding new anti-cancer agents and drugs is,
therefore, essential. A significant class of biologically active substances and prospective
medications against cancer is comprised of bacterial proteins and peptides. Among these
bacterial peptides, some of them, such as anti-cancer antibiotics and many toxins like
diphtheria are widely being used in the treatment of cancer. In contrast, the remaining
bacterial peptides are either in clinical trials or under research in vitro studies. This
study includes the most recent information on the characteristics and mechanism of action
of the bacterial peptides that have anti-cancer activities, some of which are now being
employed in cancer therapy while some are still undergoing research.
Coexistencia de procesos productivos y de conservación en la Amazonía
ecuatoriana
Authors: Sánchez-Capa Maritza , Anguaya Isama Hilda Fabiola
Published: February 2024

La región amazónica de Ecuador está conforma por las provincias
Sucumbíos, Orellana, Napo, Pastaza, Morona Santiago y Zamora Chinchipe, su
extensión es de ~120.000 Km2 1. En las dos últimas décadas, la educación
superior se ha implementado en cada una de las provincias, buscando
responder a las necesidades de profesionales en los diferentes sectores que
constituyen las actividades económicas principales de cada provincia.
Sucumbíos y Orellana son provincias que sustentan su economía en la
producción petrolera, sin embargo, en esta superficie se encuentran áreas
protegidas como la reserva de la biósfera YASUNÍ, parque nacional Cuyabeno,
reserva Limoncocha, que son áreas con una gran biodiversidad por lo que la
coexistencia entre conservación y producción industrial generan una búsqueda
consante de alternativas sustentables y sostenibles
Somatic Cell Count Evaluation in Early Lactation between Primiparous and Multiparous Bos indicus Cows
Authors: Guamán-Rivera Santiago Alexander , Guerrero-Pincay Angela Edith , Ortiz-Naveda Nelson Rene , González-Marcillo Raúl Lorenzo , Herrera-Feijoo Robinson J.
Published: February 2024

Using Bos indicus cows, a study examined the relationship between somatic cell count (SCC) and milk yield. For this study, one hundred fifty cows (Primiparous, PM, 75 and Multiparous, MP 75) in early lactation (days in milk, PM =134 ± 3; MP = 136 ± 5), milk production (9,88 kg/d, on average) of the creole breed Gyr lechers were enrolled. Before being assigned to each treatment, the SCC values were lower than 220,000 cells/mL, on average. All cows were maintained to graze daily on Megathyrsus maximus and supplemented with Morus alba ad libitum, being hand-milking at 0700 daily. Before analysis, the SCC was logarithmically transformed (log10). Then, PROC Mixed from SAS version 9.4 was used to evaluate all measurements. Regarding our results, the MP had greater milk yields than PM cows (10.83 vs. 9.18 ± 0.38 kg/d; P = 0.003). Similar results were observed for fat-corrected milk (8.26 vs. 6.80 ± 0.34; P = 0.002), although the fat values did not differ between both groups (P = 0.86) being lower than referential values for these breeds (2.46 ± 0.16, on average). No differences were observed in the other milk components (P = 0.65 to 0.85). Despite that, the somatic cell count (SCC) values showed a statistical tendency in PM than in MP (1.89 vs. 2.13 ± 0.05; P = 0.07). In conclusion, low-fat contents were observed in both groups, possibly due to the low quality of foods used in ruminant feeding. While that, the parity and advanced lactation conditioned the SCC contents. Therefore, other studies should be performed to identify more factors that could be determinants.

Keywords: Milk, Tropical livestock, Udder health
Análisis multitemporal de deforestación y cambio de la cobertura del suelo, en el cantón La Joya de los Sachas, período 1990-2018.
Authors: Paredes-Arcos Fernando , Tinoco-Jaramillo Leider , Congo-Yépez Carlos , Vargas-Tierras Yadira Vargas-Tierras
Published: February 2024

La Joya de los Sachas, es uno de los principales cantones productores de petróleo y productos agrícolas; sin embargo, el incremento de la frontera agrícola ha ocasionado cambios importantes en la cobertura y uso del suelo. Ante esta situación, el estudio tuvo la finalidad de conocer las causas y efectos que ha ocasionado el cambio de cobertura para obtener las tasas anuales e índices de cambio de cobertura. El análisis se realizó mediante el geoprocesamiento de información geográfica disponible en el portal del Ministerio de Ambiente Agua y Transición Ecológica (MAATE) y el Instituto Geográfico Militar (IGM), se utilizó el método de tablas de tabulación cruzada y sobreposición de capas para determinar el contraste de las coberturas entre las fechas establecidas. Los resultados muestran un incremento acumulado de 17.626,5 ha de tierra agrícola y 16.767,6 ha de pasto en los últimos 28 años; las actividades agropecuarias se han convertido en la principal causa de deforestación. Durante el período 1990-2018 se perdieron 36.413 ha de bosques, con una tasa anual de deforestación de 1.300 ha*año-1. Este comportamiento permitió estimar si la tendencia persiste, en 30 años aproximadamente La Joya de los Sachas perderá completamente el bosque. Además, las políticas públicas, dolarización, apertura de caminos y cambios en la actividad agrícola causaron impactos en las coberturas y usos de suelo durante los tres periodos evaluados (1990-2000, 2000-2008 y 2008-2018).

Palabras Clave: Suelo, Uso de suelo, cobertura, tierra agrícola, pastizal, bosque, mapas.
Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use of Electronic Health Records in Jordan UNRWA Health Centers: Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study (Preprint)
Authors: El-Aydi Eman , Jafri Fatima , Jarrah Samiha , Ballout Ghada
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of healthcare providers (HCPs) are using electronic health records (EHRs) to manage patient records, and it is important to assess HCP technological acceptance of different EHR systems in order to streamline and improve the EHR experience. Following the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the two factors that are most important in determining technological acceptance are perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) of the technology.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the PU and PEOU of the E-Health system in United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Jordan field health centers, as well as predictors of PU and PEOU.

METHODS

This study included 84 HCPs from Jordan UNRWA health centers with various job titles, specifically recruiting from HCPs who were hired within the past five years. PU and PEOU were measured using 14-question surveys on a five-point Likert scale. Demographic information was also collected, such as job title, gender, and computer skills. To determine the overall PU and PEOU on a five-point scale, Likert scale responses were converted to numerical values with 1 meaning lowest PU or PEOU and 5 meaning highest PU or PEOU. Scored were then averaged to create a composite score. The data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Science (IBM-SPSS) version 26, and multiple regression analyses were run to determine predictors of PU and PEOU.

RESULTS

The study found that the average PU of E-Health among Jordan HCPs was 4.20 on a five-point scale, while the average PEOU was 3.82. Predictors of PU were age (P = .013), receiving training in E-Health (P = .048), and computer skills (P =.050), while predictors of PEOU were gender (P = .035), receiving training (P = .042), and computer skills (P = .029).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the PU and PEOU of E-Health were found to be fairly high by Jordan UNRWA HCPs, but these findings also reflected the importance of quality E-Health training and computer skills training for HCPs to maximize the PU and PEOU of the E-Health system.
Telehealth Interventions in Pharmacy Practice: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Recommendations for Singapore (Preprint)
Authors: Chong Lai Kay, Rachel , Chan Andrew Siang Ee , Lai Yi Feng
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Telehealth services have been increasingly adopted in recent years with advancement in technology and the Covid-19 pandemic being major drivers of this change.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review of reviews was to consolidate existing literature on the impact of telehealth on future pharmacy practice and to analyze those already implemented in current pharmacy practice, with the objective of providing recommendations on how these interventions may be applied in the context of Singapore.

METHODS

The PRISMA framework was used to guide this review. Four databases were searched for relevant studies: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library. Title, abstract and full text screening was performed and 18 reviews met the selection criteria. The search period was from April to August 2023. The quality of the reviews was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale and a GRADE-CERQual scale.

RESULTS

Based on the 18 identified reviews, telehealth interventions were categorized into: Teleconsultation, Telemonitoring, Telecollaboration, Telesupport. Teleconsultation was the most frequently utilized, followed by a combination of interventions, telesupport, telemonitoring and telecollaboration.

Telephones were most common in teleconsultations and telemonitoring, while mobile, web or computer applications were most frequent in telesupport. A combination of methods was most commonly used to facilitate telecollaboration (eg. telephone, fax, electronic messaging, shared electronic records, video conferencing).

The identified reviews were evaluated by health outcomes, hospital readmission rates, patient safety, adherence, satisfaction, pharmacist shortage, and quality and access to care. The use of telehealth in pharmacy has generally seen an improvement in overall outcomes compared to traditional pharmacy practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth has shown promise in improving overall outcomes in pharmacy practice. The findings from this study can be used to inform future implementation of telehealth interventions in pharmacy, including in the context of Singapore.