bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fertilización artificial aplicado a la conservación de la rana hojarasca desvanciente (Craugastor evanesco)
Authors: Samaniego Diego , Arcia Igli , Della Togna Gina
Published: August 2021

Dentro de los vertebrados, los anfibios representan una clase biológica de gran diversidad que enfrenta la situación más crítica. Existen dificultades dentro de los programas de reproducción en cautiverio que limitan la reproducción exitosa de dichas especies y su posterior reintroducción. La prioridad de establecer programas de conservación ex situ ha promovido la creación de centros de conservación en cautiverio con la finalidad de mantener vivas a estas especies y reproducir especímenes genéticamente viables Entre ellas, el poco conocimiento sobre la biología general y las características reproductivas específicas de cada especie. Craugastor evanesco es una de nuestras especies endémicas que habita en la cuenca atlántica y Coclé, apenas descrita en el año 2010 y es muy susceptible a la infección del hongo patógeno Bd, con alta probabilidad de desaparecer en vida silvestre. Por lo mencionado anteriormente, nuestro objetivo general es desarrollar un protocolo de fertilización artificial aplicado a la conservación de la rana hojarasca desvaneciente (Craugastor evanesco). Para este fin se comparará la efectividad de estimulación de una sola dosis ovulatoria vs la efectividad de estimulación utilizando dosis preparatorias previas de menor concentración seguidas de la administración de la dosis ovulatoria de mayor concentración. Los huevos obtenidos mediante estimulación con el/los tratamientos más efectivos serán colocados en un plato Petri humedecido con ARS. Las muestras de esperma de alta calidad (motilidad y movimiento progresivo > 90%) serán distribuidas sobre la masa de huevos utilizando una pipeta.
Conocimientos y Actitudes Asociados al Cuidado de la Salud Sexual y Reproductiva en los Adultos Jóvenes de la Ciudad de Panamá Durante el Año 2021
Authors: Centeno Mariel , Saldaña Paola , Oviedo Diana
Published: August 2021

Los jóvenes son la población más expuesta a conductas sexuales de riesgo como: el comienzo precoz de la actividad sexual, promiscuidad, coito sin protección, entre otros. El objetivo de este anteproyecto es determinar el nivel de conocimiento y las actitudes asociadas al cuidado de la salud sexual y reproductiva en los adultos jóvenes de Panamá. Este es un estudio descriptivo, cuantitativo, no experimental, transversal. Para ello, 30 jóvenes entre 19 a 30 años rellenaron los siguientes cuestionarios: El Cuestionario de Conocimientos y Actitudes Sobre la Salud Sexual y la Salud Reproductiva, el Cuestionario de Conducta Sexual de Riesgo en Jóvenes, el Cuestionario de Actitudes Sobre Prevención de Infecciones de Transmisión Sexual y Métodos Anticonceptivos y el Cuestionario de Actitudes sobre las Conductas Sexuales de Riesgo. Los adultos jóvenes presentaron un nivel alto en conocimientos sobre la salud sexual y reproductiva (97%) y, en menor proporción (3%) un nivel de conocimiento medio en dicha temática. Los adultos jóvenes presentaron una actitud neutral sobre las conductas sexuales riesgo (77%) y, en menor proporción (23%) una actitud favorable en dicha temática. En conclusión, la mayoría de los adultos jóvenes presentan un nivel alto de conocimientos sobre salud sexual y reproductiva, así como, una actitud neutral hacia las conductas sexuales de riesgo, aunque el colectivo de creyentes practicantes de una religión constituyó el grupo con mayores actitudes de conducta sexual de riesgo. Esto puede deberse al tabú que existe en Panamá alrededor de la sexualidad, trayendo como consecuencia la falta de educación sexual integral.
Effect of an increase in coronary perfusion on transmural ventricular repolarization
Authors: Zhang Y-Z , He B , Wang L-X
Published: August 2021

The effect of increased coronary flow on transmural ventricular repolarization was investigated in six pentobabital-anesthetized sheep. Fresh blood at 10 ml/min was injected into the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) in addition to the normal coronary flow. Unipolar electrocardiograms were simultaneously registered from epicardium, mid-myocardium and endocardium with fine plunge needles. Activation-recovery interval (ARI) was measured from the unipolar electrocardiograms and was used for estimating the ventricular repolarization duration. It was found that intracoronary blood injection (n=3) prolonged ARI in the epicardium, mid-myocardium and endocardium by an average of 34 +/- 16, 28 +/- 18 and 25 +/- 13 ms, respectively (p<0.01). Pretreatment with nitro-L-arginine (n=3), a nitric synthase inhibitor, diminished the flow-induced ARI prolongation across the ventricular wall. In conclusion, an increase in coronary flow lengthens the duration of transmural ventricular repolarization. These effects appear to be mediated by nitric oxide from the coronary endothelium.
Performa Kondisi Fisik Atlet Pelatprov Provinsi Lampung Menuju PON Papua 2020
Authors: Priyono Dwi , Nurseto Fransiskus , Suwarli Suwarli , Cahyadi Ardian
Published: August 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat sejauh mana kondisi kardiovaskular dan kekuatan atlet Pelatihan Provinsi Lampung yang akan berlaga pada Prakualifikasi PON XX Papua 2020. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan metode tes dan pengukuran. Penelitian survai merupakan penelitian yang biasa dilakukan untuk subyek penelitian yang banyak, dimaksudkan untuk mengumpulkan pendapat atau informasi mengenai status gejala pada waktu penelitian dilangsungkan. Dari hasil penelitian didapat bahwa kondisi fisik atlet yang mengikuti pelatihan provinsi (Pelatprov) dalam kategori “sedang” (56%), sedangkan atlet yang dalam kategori “Baik Sekali” (1%), kategori “Baik” (39%), dan kategori kurang (4%).Simpulan penelitian ini bahwa atlet pelatihan provinsi (Pelatprov) dalam kategori “Sedang”. maka kepada pelatih hendaknya   segera   membenahi   pelaksanaan   latihan   yang   sudah   dilakukan, sehingga  akan  menghasilkan  kardiovaskular dan kekuatan  yang  baik  serta  memperhatikan  faktor- faktor yang mendukung, sehingga dengan kardiovaskular dan kekuatan yang baik mereka lebih siap dalam mengikuti prakualifikasi PON XX tahun 2020 di Papua.
Pengaruh Kekuatan, Koordinasi Mata Tangan dan Percaya Diri Terhadap Hasil Shooting Free Throw Atlet Bola Basket Palembang
Authors: Agustiawan Adityo
Published: August 2021

Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh antara kekuatan, koordinasi mata tangan, dan percaya diri terhadap hasil shooting free throw pada atlet bola basket kota Palembang. Sampel menggunakan 30 atlet bola basket di kota Palembang. Teknik pengumpulan data melalui tes. Analisis data dilakukan secara kuantitatif. Hasil penelitian sebagai berikut: 1) ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan antara kekuatan terhadap hasil shooting free throw yang ditunjukkan oleh hasil analisis regresi sebesar 0,047 dan korelasi pada = 0,365, 2) ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan antara koordinasi mata tangan terhadap hasil shooting free throw yang ditunjukkan oleh hasil analisis regresi sebesar 0,004 dan korelasi pada = 0,515, 3) ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan antara percaya diri terhadap hasil shooting free throw yang ditunjukkan oleh hasil analisis regresi sebesar 0,012 dan korelasi pada = 0,451.
Model Latihan Teknik Dasar Dribling Futsal (AS) Berbasis Permainan Untuk Anak Usia Sekolah Menengah Pertama
Authors: Arrahman Arrahman
Published: August 2021

Tujuan penelitian adalah menghasilkan model latihan keterampilan teknik dasar dribbling futsal (AS) berbasis permainan yang dapat memberikan manfaat kepada pelatih untuk mempermudah pelatih dalam menerapkan materi latihan. Penelitian ini menggunakan modifikasi Research and Development dari Borg dan Gall. Subjek berjumlah 80 siswa usia SMP yang terbagi 40 siswa dengan 28 item model latihan dan 40 siswa tidak diberi perlakuan. Tahapan dalam penelitian ini adalah: 1) penelitian pendahuluan, 2) evaluasi pakar, 3) uji coba produk yang terdiri dari small group try-out dan field try group, serta 4) uji efektivitas produk. Uji efektivitas model menggunakan tes keterampilan teknik dasar dribbling dengan membandingkan kelompok kontrol dan eksperimen. Uji perbandingan kelompok kontrol dan eksperimen dengan SPSS-16 adalah dribbling = 0.000, atau p-value < 0.05 maka terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan pada kelompok kontrol dan kelompok eksperimen sebelum dan setelah pemberian treatment. Penerapan model latihan keterampilan teknik dasar dribbling futsal (AS) berbasis permainan untuk usia SMP dapat dilakukan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan teknik dasar siswa.
Penguasaan Keterampilan Dasar Bermain Futsal Pada Siswa U-15 Akademi Futsal GMS Kabupaten Lahat Sumatera Selatan
Authors: Novianto Taufik , Nugraheningsih Ginanjar
Published: August 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui tingkat keterampilan dasar bermain futsal siswa Akademi Futsal GMS di Kabupaten Lahat Sumatera Selatan. Metode yang digunakan adalah survei dengan tes dan pengukuran. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif. Subjek yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa Akademi Futsal GMS di Kabupaten Lahat Sumatera Selatan yang berjumlah 21 siswa putra U-15 dan merupakan penelitian populasi (total sampling). Instrumen yang digunakan adalah tes keterampilan bermain futsal (Agus Susworo, Saryono, & Yudanto 2009) melalui uji validitas dan reliabilitas instrumen. Analisis data menggunakan teknik analisis statistik deskriptif yang dituangkan dalam bentuk persentase (%). Hasil dari penelitian ini ditemukan bahwa tingkat keterampilan dasar bermain futsal siswa Akademi Futsal GMS Kabupaten Lahat Sumatera Selatan berada pada kategori “sangat kurang” sebesar 9,52% (2 siswa), kategori “kurang” sebesar 23,81% (5 siswa), kategori  “cukup” sebesar 23,81% (5 siswa),  kategori “baik” sebesar 38,10% (8 siswa), dan kategori “sangat baik” 4,76% (1 siswa). Sehingga disimpulkan tingkat keterampilan dasar bermain futsal siswa akademi futsal U-15 GMS Kabupaten Lahat Sumatera Selatan termasuk pada kategori “BAIK” yaitu 38,10% dengan rata-rata 45,46. Dengan demikian siswa akademi futsal U-15 GMS Kabupaten Lahat Sumatera Selatan pada saat latihan rata-rata sudah mendapat latihan keterampilan teknik dasar futsal secara menyeluruh, yang meliputi: teknik passing, controlling, dribbling, dan shooting sudah baik.
Upaya Meningkatkan Motivasi Siswa Belajar Olahraga Lempar Lembing Dengan Media Lempar Rocket di Sekolah Dasar Negeri 01 Buay Runjung
Authors: Gupita Erni Cahya , Wibowo Antonius Tri
Published: August 2021

Dalam pembelajaran olahraga atletik kreatifitas guru sangat diperlukan untuk melahirkan ide gerak yang mudah dilakukan oleh siswa, guru dapat memanfaatkan alat-alat sederhana yang terpenting dari semuanya itu adalah faktor kegembiraan pada anak yang ditimbulkan dari kegiatan tersebut, sehingga anak akan tertarik dan mulai menyukai olahraga atletik. Untuk mewujudkan suasana yang menggembirakan diperlukan pengembangan atletik yang bernuansa permainan. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk meningkatkan motivasi belajar siswa Sekolah Dasar Negeri 01 Buay Runjung terhadap olahraga lempar lembing dengan media lempar rocket. Metode dalam penelitian ini merupakan penelitian tindakan kelas (classroom action research). Adapun jenis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data kualitatif dan data kuantitatif yang terdiri dari data angket (kuesioner) minat belajar siswa. Data hasil evaluasi belajar kognitif, psikomotor, dan afektif pada siswa. Berdasarkan hasil dari angket motivasi dan hasil tes yang diberikan pada saat siklus I nilai rata rata angket motivasi siswa diperoleh 55.80 dan pada siklus II nilai rata rata diperoleh 80.89 sudah terlihat peningkatannya. Sedangkan hasil evaluasi belajar diperoleh rata-rata pada siklus I 66.54 dan pada siklus II diperoleh 81.33 terlihat meningkat dari siklus sebelumnya. Dari hasil perbaikan pembelajaran yang telah dilaksanakan dalam dua siklus, Hasil belajar siswa kelas V Sekolah Dasar Negeri 01 Buay Runjung pada mata pelajaran Penjaskes dengan materi modifikasi lempar lembing menggunakan media rocket mengalami peningkatan yang signifikan setelah pembelajaran menggunakan objek nyata modifikasi lempar rocket dengan metode demonstrasi.
Division of Frosting Type and Frosting Degree of the Air Source Heat Pump for Heating in China
Authors: Tang Rui , Wang Feng , Wang Zhihao , Yang Weibo
Published: August 2021

The frosting type and frosting degree of the outdoor heat exchanger of air source heat pump (ASHP) in the heating season are greatly affected by the local environmental temperature and humidity. China has a vast territory, and the climate varies greatly in different regions. Therefore, when the ASHP is running in different climate zones for heating in winter, there are significant differences in the frosting type and frosting degree. In order to achieve deeper understanding of frost formation and provide more accurate guidance for the suitability application of antifrosting and defrosting technologies, a study on the division of frosting type and frosting degree was performed in this work. Based on the three-phase diagram of water and combined with the theory of phase change dynamics, the outdoor heat exchanger of the ASHP in the heating season was divided into four states: neither frosting nor condensation, condensation, condensation frosting, and sublimation frosting, and the proportion of each state in a typical city in different climate zones was calculated. The results showed that more than 80% of the heating seasons in Nanjing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Changsha, Xi’an, and Harbin had the frosting phenomenon. Sublimation frosting was the main frosting type in Xi’an, Beijing, and Harbin, while Chongqing was all condensation frosting. Moreover, a frosting model was developed and the frosting degree was divided into mild frosting, moderate frosting, and heavy frosting, according to the performance attenuation of the ASHP under frosting conditions. The proportion of each frosting degree in a typical city was achieved. About 50% of the heating seasons in Nanjing and Changsha were distributed in the heavy frost area and 100% in Chongqing.
Double Distal Perfusion Catheters for Severe Limb Ischemia on the IABP Side in Patients Who Received Femoro-Femoral VA-ECMO With IABP
Authors: Xin Meng , Wang Liangshan , Tian Xiaqiu , Hou Dengbang , Wang Hong , Wang Jiangang , Jia Ming , Hou Xiaotong
Published: August 2021

Background: Limited research is available on the pattern of double distal perfusion catheters in patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) with an intra-aortic balloon pump(IABP). Here, we compared the outcomes of a double distal perfusion catheter and conventional treatment in patients who received VA-ECMO with IABP and had severe lower limb ischemia on the IABP side.

Methods: We reviewed the data of 15 adult patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock who received VA-ECMO via femoral cannulation combined with an IABP in the contralateral artery that was complicated with severe acute limb ischemia (ALI) on the same side as the IABP between January 2004 and December 2016. Patients underwent symptomatic treatment (conventional group, n = 9) and double distal perfusion catheterization treatment (DDPC group, n = 6). ALI was monitored using near-infrared spectroscopy placed on both calves after double distal perfusion catheters. The outcomes were compared.

Results: All 6 patients who underwent double distal perfusion catheters were successfully decannulated without the development of osteofascial compartment syndrome, amputation, or bleeding and infection of the double distal perfusion catheters. The number of patients who weaned from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation successfully in the DDPC and conventional groups was 6 (100%) and 3 (33%, p = 0.028), respectively. The in-hospital mortality rates were 17% and 89% for the DDPC and conventional groups, respectively (p = 0.011).

Conclusions: DDPC can be considered a strategy for severe limb ischemia on the IABP side in patients who received femoro-femoral VA-ECMO with IABP.
Coagulation and Fibrinolysis Biomarkers as Potential Indicators for the Diagnosis and Classification of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
Authors: Li Shuai , Qian Yaqi , Pei Yue , Wu Kaiqi , Lu Shiming
Published: August 2021

Background: Accurate diagnosis and classification of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is important for its management. We employed a new high-sensitivity chemiluminescence immunoassay to detect the thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), plasmin alpha2-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), and tissue plasminogen activator-inhibitor complex (TPAI-C), and evaluated their diagnostic and classification performance for OHSS.

Methods: A total of 106 women were enrolled, including 51 patients with OHSS (25 mild or moderate OHSS, 26 severe OHSS), and 55 without OHSS (control group). TAT, PIC, sTM, and TPAI-C levels were measured using the Sysmex HISCL5000 automated analyzer.

Results: Compared to the control group, TAT, PIC, and TPAI-C levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively), whereas the sTM level was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the patients with OHSS. The receiver operating characteristic was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency. For the diagnosis of OHSS, the area under the curves (AUCs) for TAT, PIC, sTM, and TPAI-C were 0.991, 0.973, 0.809, and 0.722, respectively. In particular, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for TAT and PIC were all above 90%. For the differential diagnosis of mild–moderate and severe OHSS, the AUCs for TAT, PIC, and TPAI-C were 0.736, 0.735, and 0.818, respectively. The cutoff values of TAT, PIC, and TPAI-C for the differential diagnosis of mild–moderate and severe OHSS were 11.5 ng/mL, 2.4 μg/mL, and 5.8 ng/mL, respectively. Based on these cutoff values, eight cases of mild–moderate OHSS exceeded the cutoff values, two of which developed to severe OHSS in the following days. However, of the remaining 17 cases of mild–moderate OHSS patients with negative biomarkers, none subsequently developed severe OHSS.

Conclusions: TAT, PIC, sTM, and TPAI-C can be used as sensitive biomarkers in the diagnosis of OHSS. Meanwhile, TAT, PIC, and TPAI-C also displayed remarkable potential in the classification of OHSS. In addition, the levels of TAT, PIC, and TPAI-C above the cutoff values in patients with mild–moderate OHSS might predict a high risk of developing severe OHSS.
Improvements in Medical System Safety Analytics for Authentic Measure of Vital Signs Using Fault-Tolerant Design Approach
Authors: Lakkamraju Prasadraju , Anumukonda Madhu , Chowdhury Shubhajit Roy
Published: August 2021

The study presents a novel design method that improves system availability using fault-tolerant features in a non-invasive medical diagnostic system. This approach addresses the effective detection of functional faults, improves the uninterruptible system operating period with reduced false alarms, and provides an authentic measure of vital cardiac signs using diverse multimodal sensing elements like the photoplethysmogram (PPG) and the ECG. Most systems rely on a 1oo1 (one-out-of-one) design method, which inherently limits accuracy in existing practice. In this proposed approach, the quality of segregated authentic vital sign measured values could tremendously benefit the performance of resourceful nursing with negligible alarm fatigue and predict illness more accurately. The system builds upon the selected 2oo2 (two-out-of-two) safety-related design architecture and is evaluated with implemented functions like the fault detection and identification logic, the correlation coefficient-based safety function, and the fault-tolerant safe degradation switching mechanism for accurate measurements. The system was tested on 50 adults of various age groups. The analyzed captured data showed highly accurate vital sign data in this fault-tolerant approach with reduced false alarms. The proposed design method evaluated safety-related mechanisms along with a combination of the same and diverse sensors in a medical monitoring device, showing more reliable functioning of the system and authentic data for better nursing. This design approach showed a 45–55% increased improvement in system availability, thus allowing for accurate and uninterruptable tracking of vital signs for better nursing during critical times in the ICU.
Discovering Potential Taxonomic Biomarkers of Type 2 Diabetes From Human Gut Microbiota via Different Feature Selection Methods
Authors: Bakir-Gungor Burcu , Bulut Osman , Jabeer Amhar , Nalbantoglu O. Ufuk , Yousef Malik
Published: August 2021

Human gut microbiota is a complex community of organisms including trillions of bacteria. While these microorganisms are considered as essential regulators of our immune system, some of them can cause several diseases. In recent years, next-generation sequencing technologies accelerated the discovery of human gut microbiota. In this respect, the use of machine learning techniques became popular to analyze disease-associated metagenomics datasets. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease and affects millions of people around the world. Since the early diagnosis in T2D is important for effective treatment, there is an utmost need to develop a classification technique that can accelerate T2D diagnosis. In this study, using T2D-associated metagenomics data, we aim to develop a classification model to facilitate T2D diagnosis and to discover T2D-associated biomarkers. The sequencing data of T2D patients and healthy individuals were taken from a metagenome-wide association study and categorized into disease states. The sequencing reads were assigned to taxa, and the identified species are used to train and test our model. To deal with the high dimensionality of features, we applied robust feature selection algorithms such as Conditional Mutual Information Maximization, Maximum Relevance and Minimum Redundancy, Correlation Based Feature Selection, and select K best approach. To test the performance of the classification based on the features that are selected by different methods, we used random forest classifier with 100-fold Monte Carlo cross-validation. In our experiments, we observed that 15 commonly selected features have a considerable effect in terms of minimizing the microbiota used for the diagnosis of T2D and thus reducing the time and cost. When we perform biological validation of these identified species, we found that some of them are known as related to T2D development mechanisms and we identified additional species as potential biomarkers. Additionally, we attempted to find the subgroups of T2D patients using k-means clustering. In summary, this study utilizes several supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms to increase the diagnostic accuracy of T2D, investigates potential biomarkers of T2D, and finds out which subset of microbiota is more informative than other taxa by applying state-of-the art feature selection methods.
GABAB Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Dendro-Somatic Synergy in Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons
Authors: Schulz Jan M. , Kay Jim W. , Bischofberger Josef , Larkum Matthew E.
Published: August 2021

Synergistic interactions between independent synaptic input streams may fundamentally change the action potential (AP) output. Using partial information decomposition, we demonstrate here a substantial contribution of synergy between somatic and apical dendritic inputs to the information in the AP output of L5b pyramidal neurons. Activation of dendritic GABABreceptors (GABABRs), known to decrease APsin vivo, potently decreased synergy and increased somatic control of AP output. Synergy was the result of the voltage-dependence of the transfer resistance between dendrite and soma, which showed a two-fold increase per 28.7 mV dendritic depolarization. GIRK channels activated by dendritic GABABRs decreased voltage-dependent transfer resistances and AP output. In contrast, inhibition of dendritic L-type Ca2+channels prevented high-frequency bursts of APs, but did not affect dendro-somatic synergy. Finally, we show that NDNF-positive neurogliaform cells effectively control somatic AP via synaptic activation of dendritic GIRK channels. These results uncover a novel inhibitory mechanism that powerfully gates cellular information flow in the cortex.
Non-Lethal Concentration of MeHg Causes Marked Responses in the DNA Repair, Integrity, and Replication Pathways in the Exposed Human Salivary Gland Cell Line
Authors: Nogueira Lygia Sega , Vasconcelos Carolina P. , Plaça Jessica Rodrigues , Mitre Geovanni Pereira , Bittencourt Leonardo Oliveira , Kataoka Maria Sueli da Silva , de Oliveira Edivaldo H. C. , Lima Rafael Rodrigues
Published: August 2021

In Brazilian northern Amazon, communities are potentially exposed and vulnerable to methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity through the vast ingestion of fish. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that the salivary glands as a susceptible organ to this potent environmental pollutant, reporting alterations on physiological, biochemical, and proteomic parameters. However, the alterations caused by MeHg on the gene expression of the exposed human salivary gland cells are still unknown. Therefore, the goal was to perform the transcriptome profile of the human salivary gland cell line after exposure to MeHg, using the microarray technique and posterior bioinformatics analysis. The cell exposure was performed using 2.5 µM MeHg. A previously published study demonstrated that this concentration belongs to a range of concentrations that caused biochemical and metabolic alterations in this linage. As a result, the MeHg exposure did not cause lethality in the human salivary gland cells line but was able to alter the expression of 155 genes. Downregulated genes (15) are entirety relating to the cell metabolism impairment, and according to KEGG analysis, they belong to the glycosphingolipid (GSL) biosynthesis pathway. On the other hand, most of the 140 upregulated genes were related to cell-cycle progression, DNA repair, and replication pathway, or cellular defenses through the GSH basal metabolism. These genomic changes revealed the effort to the cell to maintain physiological and genomic stability to avoid cell death, being in accordance with the nonlethality in the toxicity test. Last, the results support in-depth studies on nonlethal MeHg concentrations for biomarkers identification that interpret transcriptomics data in toxicological tests serving as an early alert of physiological changes in vitro biological models.
Gender Disparities in Anti-dementia Medication Use among Older Adults: Health Equity Considerations and Management of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Authors: Lu Z. Kevin , Xiong Xiaomo , Wang Xinyuan , Wu Jun
Published: August 2021

Objective: The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in women is higher than men. However, the knowledge of gender disparity in ADRD treatment is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the gender disparities in the receipt of anti-dementia medications among Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD in the U.S.

Methods: We used data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey 2016. Anti-dementia medications included cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs; including rivastigmine, donepezil, and galantamine) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists (including memantine). Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression models were implemented to determine the possible gender disparities in the receipt of anti-dementia medications. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify gender disparities among beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and those with only AD-related dementias.

Results: Descriptive analyses showed there were statistically significant differences in age, marital status, and Charlson comorbidities index (CCI) between Medicare beneficiaries who received and who did not receive anti-dementia medications. After controlling for covariates, we found that female Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD were 1.7 times more likely to receive anti-dementia medications compared to their male counterparts (odds ratio [OR]: 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19–2.45). Specifically, among Medicare beneficiaries with AD, females were 1.2 times more likely to receive anti-dementia medications (Odds Radio: 1.20; 95% confidence interval: 0.58–2.47), and among the Medicare beneficiaries with only AD-related dementias, females were 1.9 times more likely to receive anti-dementia medications (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.23–2.95).

Conclusion: Healthcare providers should be aware of gender disparities in receiving anti-dementia medications among patients with ADRD, and the need to plan programs of care to support both women and men. Future approaches to finding barriers of prescribing, receiving and, adhering to anti-dementia medications by gender should include differences in longevity, biology, cognition, social roles, and environment.
Executive Functioning in Chinese Patients With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Ren Huicong , Li Haibin , Huang Jin , Zhang Nan , Chen Ruiqin , Liu Wenjuan , Zhang Zhaohui , Zhang Chencheng
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Studies have shown that patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) often perform more poorly than healthy control (HC) participants on cognitive tasks involving executive functions. Most studies, however, have been performed in Western countries and societies, making it uncertain whether impaired executive functions can also be observed among non-Western patients with OCD. To address this gap in the literature, we evaluated several executive functions in Chinese patients with OCD and HCs.

Methods: Participants included consisted of 46 Chinese patients with OCD (25 men, 21 women), ranging in age from 19 to 56 years, and 45 matched HCs without any self-reported lifetime psychiatric disorder. They all lived in Shanghai or the surrounding area. Five tests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to evaluate several executive functions (response inhibition, spatial working memory, planning, and cognitive flexibility) along with testing basic learning and visual recognition memory. Statistical tests using a Bonferroni-corrected significance level of p = 0.003 were performed to assess overall patient-control group differences in cognitive performance. Additionally, we explored performance differences between patients classified as having either relatively mild symptoms or severe symptoms based on the individual total scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale.

Results: There were no significant performance differences between patients with OCD and HC in any of the cognitive tests. Similarly, cognitive performance of patients with relatively mild OCD symptoms did not differ significantly from that of patients with severe symptoms.

Conclusions: These results do not seem to support the view that impaired executive functioning represents a basic cognitive and pathophysiological feature of Chinese patients with OCD. However, due to study limitations, additional research is required before this conclusion can be well accepted.
Trends in Psychotropic Medication Prescriptions in Urban China From 2013 to 2017: National Population-Based Study
Authors: Xu Lu , Lv Xiaozhen , Wang Huali , Liu Qingjing , Zhou Shuzhe , Gao Shuangqing , Yu Xin , Deng Siwei , Wang Shengfeng , Chang Zheng , Zhan Siyan
Published: August 2021

Purpose: Psychotropic medications are commonly used for treating mental disorders; however, there is currently no study on how commonly they are used in China. This study reported the trends in psychotropic medications prescriptions in urban China.

Methods: A national population-based study was conducted using the China Health Insurance Research Association database to estimate the period prescription prevalence of 11 major classes of psychotropic medications annually during 2013–2017. The World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification codes were used to identify psychotropic medications.

Results: The prescription prevalence of any psychotropic medication increased from 8.110% (8.106–8.114%) in 2013 to 11.362% (11.357–11.366%) in 2017. The prescription prevalence of six classes increased significantly during 2013–2017, including sedatives-hypnotics (from 3.177 to 5.388%), anxiolytics (from 1.436 to 2.200%), antiepileptic drugs (from 1.416 to 2.140%), antipsychotics (from 0.809 to 1.156%), antidepressants (from 0.891 to 1.045%), and psycholeptic polypills (from 0.682 to 0.866%). The prescription prevalence of antidementia drugs increased from 0.069 to 0.122%, and mood stabilizers increased from 0.029 to 0.037%, although not statistically significant. The prescription prevalence of nootropic drugs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications and drugs used in the treatment of addictive disorders was largely stable. Psychotropic medication prescription increased with age for all classes except for ADHD medications and mood stabilizers.

Conclusion: Increasing trends in prescription prevalence were observed for most classes of psychotropic medications in urban China, although the prevalence was still lower than that in most developed countries. Further research is warranted to explore the potential treatment gap between China and most developed countries.
Perfectionism in Adolescence: Associations With Gender, Age, and Socioeconomic Status in a Norwegian Sample
Authors: Sand Liv , Bøe Tormod , Shafran Roz , Stormark Kjell Morten , Hysing Mari
Published: August 2021

Background:Perfectionism in adolescence has received increased attention, but few studies have examined this in non-clinical samples. This study investigated perfectionism among adolescents from the general population in relation to demographic factors.

Methods:The present study is cross-sectional and draws on the epidemiologicalyouth@hordalandstudy. The sample consisted of 10.217 adolescents aged 16–19 years (52.9% girls). Self-reported perfectionism was assessed by the EDI-P scale from the Eating Disorder Inventory with two dimensions of perfectionism, namely self-oriented (SOP) and socially prescribed (SPP) perfectionism, and a total score. Perfectionism was analyzed in relation to age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) by perceived economic well-being and parental education level. Chi-squared tests,t-tests, and regression analyses were performed.

Results:There were few gender differences on the mean scores on perfectionism, with similar levels on the total score of EDI-P and SOP, while girls scored slightly higher on SPP (p< 0.001). The latter gender difference represented a small effect size (Cohen'sd= 0.053). Chi-square analyses with perfectionism split at the 90th percentile across gender showed that there were significantly more girls than boys among the high scorers both for EDI-P, EDI-SOP, and EDI-SPP. There were no significant differences between levels of perfectionism between the three age groups. The logistic regression analyses adjusted by age and gender showed that adolescents with a better perceived economic well-being had increased odds of high perfectionism. This was evident for overall EDI-P (OR = 1.760, 95% CI = 1.493–2.076), SOP (OR = 1.543, 95% CI = 1.292–1.843), and SPP (OR = 1.836, 95% CI = 1.559–2.163). Parental education was not significantly associated with perfectionism scores among the adolescents.

Conclusions:The levels of perfectionism were relatively similar between the genders in the present study, besides slightly higher SPP among girls than boys. There were also significantly more girls than boys among the high scorers on overall perfectionism, SOP, and SPP, respectively. High perfectionism was related to SES for perceived economic well-being, but not for parental education level. Implications for further research and clinical interventions were suggested.
Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Analysis of Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Type 2 Diabetes Comorbidity in China: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Zhang Shijie , Tong Xiang , Wang Lei , Zhang Tianli , Huang Jizhen , Wang Dongguang , Wang Lian , Fan Hong
Published: August 2021

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading communicable diseases, with significant morbidity and mortality. Diabetes can increase the risk of developing TB and the related adverse outcomes. This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with pulmonary TB and type 2 diabetes comorbidity.

Methods: About 282 cases with pulmonary TB and type 2 diabetes comorbidity were identified from West China Hospital between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2016, and were followed up for at least 3 years. We further used Kaplan–Meier methods and COX regression analysis to identify the influence factors for all-cause death.

Results: Compared to the survival patients, patients who died were older, exhibited significantly lower albumin and hemoglobin levels, but higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score at admission, and had a lower usage rate of metformin. The all-cause mortality rates at 1 and 5 years were 5.67 and 20.59%, separately. For 1-year all-cause death, higher albumin level (HR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81–0.99) was the independently protective factor, but older age (HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01–1.13) and CCI score ≥3 (HR = 6.77, 95% CI: 1.40–32.69) were the independent risk factors. For long-term all-cause death, higher albumin level (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.88–1.00), the use of metformin (HR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.07–0.59), insulin (HR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.10–0.74), or sulfonylureas (HR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07–0.74) were the independently protective factors, but older age (HR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00–1.07) and CCI score ≥3 (HR = 7.15, 95% CI: 2.56–19.92) were the independent risk factors.

Conclusions: The lower albumin level, older age, and CCI score ≥3 were predictors of all-cause death in patients with pulmonary TB and type 2 diabetes comorbidity. In the long run, patients who use metformin, insulin, or sulfonylureas as hypoglycemic agents may have a lower incidence of death.
A Comprehensive Review on Radiomics and Deep Learning for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Imaging
Authors: Li Song , Deng Yu-Qin , Zhu Zhi-Ling , Hua Hong-Li , Tao Ze-Zhang
Published: August 2021

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common malignant tumours of the head and neck, and improving the efficiency of its diagnosis and treatment strategies is an important goal. With the development of the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and medical imaging in recent years, an increasing number of studies have been conducted on image analysis of NPC using AI tools, especially radiomics and artificial neural network methods. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of NPC imaging research based on radiomics and deep learning. These studies depict a promising prospect for the diagnosis and treatment of NPC. The deficiencies of the current studies and the potential of radiomics and deep learning for NPC imaging are discussed. We conclude that future research should establish a large-scale labelled dataset of NPC images and that studies focused on screening for NPC using AI are necessary.
Determinants of the EU Citizens’ Attitudes towards the European Energy Union Priorities
Authors: Janik Agnieszka , Ryszko Adam , Szafraniec Marek
Published: August 2021

The European Union has adopted very ambitious climate and energy goals for the coming years. The key prerequisite to successfully achieve these goals seems to be extensive support and adequate commitment of the member states and their citizens to the implementation of the clean energy transition and climate neutrality measures. Therefore, this study presents a comprehensive analysis aiming to identify the factors determining the EU citizens’ attitudes towards the European Energy Union priorities. The analysis was based on representative data obtained from residents of twenty-seven EU countries using a Eurobarometer survey. The collected data were subjected to a comparative analysis and binary logistic regression. The research results demonstrated that the support for specific energy policy priorities varies significantly depending on different perceptions of the EU citizens and was affected by a number of demographic variables. It was indicated that perceiving the environment, climate and energy as the most important issues from the perspective of an individual, a country and the EU significantly affects attitudes towards energy policy priorities. However, this mostly concerned the awareness of the importance of these issues at the EU level. Individuals who supported a common energy policy among the EU member states were more likely to point to green energy priorities, whereas guaranteeing low energy prices for companies and consumers seemed less important for them. It was remarkable that the reduction of energy consumption was indicated as an energy policy priority by respondents expecting both more and less decision-making at the European level in the field of environmental protection. People with a right-wing orientation were the most likely to support the competitiveness of the EU’s industry, while individuals with a leftist ideology showed the strongest tendency to opt for environmental protection. Furthermore, gender, occupation and the place and country of residence emerged as very important determinants of attitudes towards the European Energy Union priorities, whereas age and the educational level were predictors in very few cases only.
Combining Ad Hoc Text Mining and Descriptive Analytics to Investigate Public EV Charging Prices in the United States
Authors: Trinko David , Porter Emily , Dunckley Jamie , Bradley Thomas , Coburn Timothy
Published: August 2021

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is present all over the United States, but charging prices vary greatly, both in amount and in the methods by which they are assessed. For this paper, we interpret and analyze charging price information from PlugShare, a crowd-sourced EV charging data platform. Because prices in these data exist in a semi-structured textual format, an ad hoc text mining approach is used to extract quantitative price information. Descriptive analytics of the processed dataset demonstrate how the prices of EV charging vary with charging level (Direct Current Fast Charging versus Level 2), geographic location, network provider, and location type. Our research indicates that a great deal of diversity and flexibility exists in structuring the prices of EV charging to enable incentives for shaping charging behaviors, but that it has yet to be widely standardized or utilized. Comparisons with estimates of the levelized cost of EV charging illustrate some of the challenges associated with operating and using these stations.
The Influence of Glazing on the Functioning of a Trombe Wall Containing a Phase Change Material
Authors: Lichołai Lech , Starakiewicz Aleksander , Krasoń Joanna , Miąsik Przemysław
Published: August 2021

Among the technological solutions for external walls, the Trombe wall is an interesting proposition for obtaining solar radiation energy. The aim of the presented research is to determine the influence of glazing parameters on the thermal performance of the Trombe wall containing a phase change material (PCM). In the experimental tests, three glazing (G1, G2, and G3) with different heat transfer coefficient (Ug) and total solar energy transmittance factor (g) were used. The tests were carried out under laboratory conditions in a small-scale simulation chamber. The thermal energy of absorbed solar radiation was simulated with a heating panel. All of the walls are characterized by high dynamics of operation in the first two days. From the moment of heating, the walls achieve the minimum value of the heat flux after 16–18 h. In practice, this means the highest thermal efficiency of the wall during the night of the next day. A noticeable influence of the type of glazing on the operation of the barrier was found. The obtained results suggest that the most effective barrier for “sunny days” is the B1 barrier. The B2 barrier is suitable for alternating days in the cycle: “sunny day”, “cloudy day”. However, the B3 barrier is the most advantageous in periods with a predominance of “cloudy days”. In addition to the experimental studies, a numerical model of the B1 barrier was developed and simulation was carried out using the finite element method. The simulation results were consistent with the experimental tests. The second numerical simulation confirmed the rightness of using the heating panel in experimental tests.
Environmental and Economic Aspects of Biomethane Production from Organic Waste in Russia
Authors: Zueva Svetlana , Kovalev Andrey A. , Litti Yury V. , Ippolito Nicolò M. , Innocenzi Valentina , De Michelis Ida
Published: August 2021

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), only a tiny fraction of the full potential of energy from biomass is currently exploited in the world. Biogas is a good source of energy and heat, and a clean fuel. Converting it to biomethane creates a product that combines all the benefits of natural gas with zero greenhouse gas emissions. This is important given that the methane contained in biogas is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2). The total amount of CO2 emission avoided due to the installation of biogas plants is around 3380 ton/year, as 1 m3 of biogas corresponds to 0.70 kg of CO2 saved. In Russia, despite the huge potential, the development of bioenergy is rather on the periphery, due to the abundance of cheap hydrocarbons and the lack of government support. Based on the data from an agro-industrial plant located in Central Russia, the authors of the article demonstrate that biogas technologies could be successfully used in Russia, provided that the Russian Government adopted Western-type measures of financial incentives.
A Multivariate Load Trading Optimization Method for Energy Internet Based on LSTM and Gaming Theory
Authors: Pan Mingming , Tian Shiming , Yuan Jindou , Chen Songsong , He Sheng
Published: August 2021

Energy Internet is a complex nonlinear system. There are many stakeholders in the load trading market, which is usually regarded as a multi-player gaming. Although gaming theory has been introduced to solve Multivariate Load trading problems, different conditions should be considered to accurately optimize the multivariate load trading problem. For example, the selling side needs to reduce the reserve capacity and improve profits, but the consumer side needs to reduce costs and minimize the impact on its own electricity consumption. These contradictory conditions require multiple Nash equilibrium to achieve obviously. To address this issue, a unified architecture of the power system cloud trading is constructed in this paper, which is combined with the multiple load classification of the power system. In addition, according to the power market operation mechanism, a price-guided multivariate load trading game strategy is designed. More importantly, a multivariate load trading optimization method based on LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) and gaming theory is proposed in this work. LSTM is introduced for real time prediction, which can be combined with the game theory for strategy searching. The global stability and optimal solution theory prove the feasibility of the proposed neural network, and finally the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by using numerical simulation.