bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vibration Reduction Using Tuned Mass Dampers in Composite Steel Box Girder Footbridge with Self-Anchored Suspension
Authors: Lu Pengzhen , Zhou Yutao , Wu Ying , Li Dengguo , Zhou Chenhao
Published: April 2021

Owing to the increasing span of pedestrian bridges and the use of new lightweight and high-strength materials, the natural frequency of pedestrian bridges has been reduced significantly. A pedestrian bridge experiences a wide range of vibrations while being walked on by large crowds. This type of vibration affects the comfort of people walking on the footbridge and also the safety of the footbridge. This paper proposes a dynamic design method that is suitable for long-span composite footbridges. The footbridge considered in this study comprises a composite steel box girder with self-anchored suspensions and has a main span of 70.5[Formula: see text]m. The dynamic characteristics of the long-span footbridge were analyzed using the finite element model, and the first 10 frequencies and mode shapes were obtained. Based on the global analysis of comfort standards, the comfort index for a practical evaluation was proposed, along with the walking excitation load. Meanwhile, a tuned mass damper (TMD) was adopted for the vibration reduction of the long-span footbridge constructed using a composite box girder with self-anchored suspensions in order to determine its applicability. Furthermore, the TMD layout was optimized using a GA. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can provide a theoretical basis and reference for the dynamic design of long-span composite pedestrian bridges.
Ontology-based E-learning Content Recommender System for Addressing the Pure Cold-start Problem
Authors: Joy Jeevamol , Raj Nisha S. , V. G. Renumol
Published: April 2021

E-learning recommender systems are gaining significance nowadays due to its ability to enhance the learning experience by providing tailor-made services based on learner preferences. A Personalized Learning Environment (PLE) that automatically adapts to learner characteristics such as learning styles and knowledge level can recommend appropriate learning resources that would favor the learning process and improve learning outcomes. The pure cold-start problem is a relevant issue in PLEs, which arises due to the lack of prior information about the new learner in the PLE to create appropriate recommendations. This article introduces a semantic framework based on ontology to address the pure cold-start problem in content recommenders. The ontology encapsulates the domain knowledge about the learners as well as Learning Objects (LOs). The semantic model that we built has been experimented with different combinations of the key learner parameters such as learning style, knowledge level, and background knowledge. The proposed framework utilizes these parameters to build natural learner groups from the learner ontology using SPARQL queries. The ontology holds 480 learners’ data, 468 annotated learning objects with 5,600 learner ratings. A multivariate k-means clustering algorithm, an unsupervised machine learning technique for grouping similar data, is used to evaluate the learner similarity computation accuracy. The learner satisfaction achieved with the proposed model is measured based on the ratings given by the 40 participants of the experiments. From the evaluation perspective, it is evident that 79% of the learners are satisfied with the recommendations generated by the proposed model in pure cold-start condition.
The International Aspects of Macroprudential Policy
Authors: Forbes Kristin J.
Published: April 2021

Countries are making more active use of macroprudential tools than in the past with the goal of improving the resilience of their broader financial systems. A growing body of evidence suggests that these tools can accomplish specific domestic goals and should reduce a country's vulnerability to many domestic and international shocks. The evidence also suggests, however, that these policies are not an elixir. They will not insulate economies from volatility, and they generate leakages to the nonbank financial system and spillovers through international borrowing, lending, and other cross-border exposures. Some of these unintended consequences can mitigate the effectiveness of macroprudential policies and generate new vulnerabilities and risks. The COVID-19 crisis provides a lens to evaluate the effectiveness of current macroprudential regulations during a period of extreme market volatility and economic stress. The experience to date suggests that macroprudential tools provide some benefits and should remain a focus of macroeconomic policy, but with realistic expectations about what they can accomplish.
A Neural Network-Based Approach to Material Removal Rate Prediction for Copper Chemical Mechanical Planarization
Authors: Xu Qinzhi , Chen Lan , Cao He , Liu Jianyun
Published: April 2021

In modern integrated circuits, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) has emerged as one of the most important solutions for surface global planarization. The surface uniformity and quality control are greatly dependent on the material removal rate (MRR) of the polished wafers. The construction of accurate physical CMP models to predict MRR is a great challenge due to the complexity of the coupling interplay of mechanical, chemical and design pattern effects in the CMP process. In this work, CMP experiments are designed and performed under different process conditions to obtain the removal rates and a data-driven neural network-based approach is developed to predict the MRR and reveal the relationship between the removal rate and polishing parameters for copper CMP. It is shown that the predicted results of the removal rates are consistent with the experimental data with an optimized network structure. The investigation of the neural networks (NNs) to model the MRR indicates that the NN-based method can provide a general way of capturing the removal rate profiles regardless of the complexity of the polishing mechanism. Therefore, the present CMP model has good potentials of assisting in achieving the surface uniformity control of the copper wafer in semiconductor manufacturing.
Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) induces ventricular arrhythmias and prolongs QTc interval in mice in an FGF receptor 4-dependent manner
Authors: Graves Jonah M. , Vallejo Julian A. , Hamill Chelsea S. , Wang Derek , Ahuja Rohan , Patel Shaan , Faul Christian , Wacker Michael J.
Published: April 2021

Here we provide direct evidence that fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a phosphaturic hormone elevated in chronic kidney disease, is proarrhythmic. FGF23 acutely triggered ventricular arrhythmias and prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) in isolated mouse hearts and in vivo. FGF23 also increased Ca2+ levels in ventricular muscle tissue. Blockade of the FGF receptor 4 signaling pathway using a monoclonal antibody ameliorated ventricular arrhythmias, QTc prolongation, and elevated ventricular Ca2+ induced by FGF23, and may represent a potential therapeutic target in chronic kidney disease.
A New Megastable Chaotic Oscillator with Blinking Oscillation terms
Authors: Veeman Dhinakaran , Natiq Hayder , Al-Saidi Nadia M. G. , Rajagopal Karthikeyan , Jafari Sajad , Hussain Iqtadar
Published: April 2021

Recently, megastable systems have grabbed many researchers’ interests in the area of nonlinear dynamics and chaotic systems. In this paper, the oscillatory terms’ coefficients of the simplest megastable oscillator are forced to blink in time. The forced system can generate an infinitive number of hidden attractors without changing parameters. The behavior of these hidden attractors can be chaotic, tori, and limit cycle. The attractors’ topology of the system seems unique and looks like picture frames. Besides, the existence of different coexisting attractors with different kinds of behaviors reflects the system′s high sensitivity. Using the sample entropy algorithm, the system’s complexity for different initial values is assessed. In addition, the circuit of the introduced forced system is designed, and the possibility of implicating the system with analog elements is investigated.
Cell-Based Therapies for the Treatment of Shoulder and Elbow Tendinopathies: A Scoping Review
Authors: Di Matteo Berardo , Ranieri Riccardo , Manca Angelo , Cappato Simone , Marcacci Maurilio , Kon Elizaveta , Castagna Alessandro
Published: April 2021

Introduction. Tendinopathies are a common cause of disability among the general population, and their management is challenging due to the degenerative nature of these disorders. The aim of this paper is to perform a scoping review of the available clinical evidence on the application of cell-based therapies for the management of elbow and rotator cuff tendinopathies, in order to summarize the current application methods and to shed light on the therapeutic potential and current limitations of these biologic approaches. Materials and Methods. A scoping review of the literature was performed on the PubMed and Scopus databases using the following inclusion criteria: clinical reports of any level of evidence, written in English, with no time limitation, on the use of cell-based approaches to treat rotator cuff or elbow tendinopathies, including studies on biological augmentation during the surgical procedure. Exclusion criteria were as follows: case reports or mini case series (<5 patients), articles not written in English, and reviews. Relevant data were then extracted and collected in a single database with the consensus of the two observers to be analyzed for the purposes of the present manuscript. Results. Seven papers dealing with rotator cuff tears were included. Four of them investigated the effect of injections, either MSCs alone or in combination with PRP, whereas three studies investigated the use of MSCs in combination with surgery. In all cases, an improvement was found in terms of clinical scores, with even evidence of tendon healing documented at second-look arthroscopy. Six papers dealt with elbow tendinopathies: three studies described the use of MSCs either with or without surgery, reporting significant clinical improvement and three studies analyzed the use of different types of cells (collagen-producing cells and autologous tenocytes) and, even in this case, clinical improvement was reported. Conclusion. All the papers included suggested a beneficial role of cell-based approaches to treat common upper limb tendinopathies, with an overall satisfactory safety profile. However, the lack of high-level evidence and the presence of controversial issues, such as interproduct variability, harvest source, and application strategies, do not allow standardization of these novel biologic approaches, whose efficacy needs to be confirmed with properly designed randomized trials.
Disparities in Sexual and Reproductive Health Service Utilization and Associated Factors among Adolescents with and without Disability in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Mesfin Yibeltal
Published: April 2021

Background. 1 in 4 people in Ethiopia are adolescents, and around 1% of them are affected by one form of disability. However, there is little knowledge about factors affecting sexual and reproductive health service utilization to the adolescent with or without disabilities. This study aimed to assess the disparities of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service utilization and factor associated among adolescents with or without disabilities in southern Ethiopia. Methods. Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 adolescents (211 with disabilities and 211 without disabilities). Multistage sampling was conducted. Data were collected by four diploma health workers, and one of the data collectors could communicate with sign languages. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic factors associated with outcome variables. Result. The SRH utilization among students with and without disabilities was 40.52% and 69.1%, respectively. Having an open discussion with peers (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.60–3.94), having good knowledge (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.21–3.09), and participating in a school club (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.19–3.19) were factors positively associated with SRH services utilization. Conclusion. The overall SRH utilization was found to be low for students both with and without disabilities. Variables like having good knowledge, ever having discussions on SRH issues with peers, and participating in school clubs were found to be significantly associated. Therefore, governmental and NGOs should strengthen their SRH friendly service with a special focus on peer discussion and awareness creations.
Effective Fatigue Evaluation on Rubber Mounts for Rail Vehicles
Authors: Luo Robert Keqi
Published: April 2021

The accurate evaluation of fatigue damage is a key issue in designs for rubber antivibration mounts. To find the most cost‐effective route for antivibration design, a fatigue criterion (effective stress) was fully (including both magnitude and orientation) applied to the suspension components of rail vehicles, i.e., a longitudinal buffer and sandwich products. Hyperelastic models, widely applicable to industry, were used for load‐deflection calculations and validated with the experimental data. The fatigue cracks were located at the points where the effective stress reached its maximum. The orientation prediction correlated with the experimental observations. For the buffer, the predicted crack initiation was approximately 45 k cycles at the top interface and 80 k cycles at the bottom interface, whereas nearly complete debonding in the top interface and ring‐shape debonding in the bottom interface were experimentally observed at 200 k cycles. For the sandwich mount, 150 k cycles for crack initiation were predicted against 380 k cycles with an observed crack length measuring approximately 150 mm from the fatigue test. Furthermore, an important aspect was that the orientation of the cracks was defined in analytical functions so that an expensive critical plane search could be evaded, which would save 99% of calculations (144 calculations are needed for three‐dimension analysis if the rotation angle is 15°, whereas only 1 calculation is required using the proposed methodology). As limited cases were verified, more engineering cases would be needed to verify this approach further.
Damage Strengthening Constitutive Model of Cemented Paste Backfill
Authors: Cheng Kangli , Tu Bingbing , Liu Lang , Zhang Bo , Qiu Huafu
Published: April 2021

In order to consider the influence of mesoscopic characteristics of materials on the constitutive model of cemented paste backfill (CPB), the uniaxial compression variables and the damage constitutive model, considering the influence of porosity and pore size of filling materials, were derived based on the strain equivalence principle and Weibull probability distribution function. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tests and unconfined compression strength (UCS) tests were carried out on 8 groups of CPB specimens with different slurry concentrations and cement‐tailings ratios. Then, the expression of damage strengthening coefficient is determined, and the stress‐strain curves measured by the theoretical model were compared with the experimental ones. The results show that the uniaxial compression constitutive model proposed is in good agreement with UCS test results and can effectively describe the damage evolution law and the development process of stress‐strain curve of CPB under uniaxial compression. The 28‐day compressive strength of CPB can reach 8 MPa, the residual strength is about 1∼2 MPa, the elastic modulus is about 200∼2000 MPa, and the porosity is about 3∼5%. The CPB with slurry concentration of 74% and 76% and cement‐tailings ratio of 1 : 4 and 1 : 6 is more reasonable, and the relevant mechanical parameters are more stable.
Attitudes of Medical and Health Sciences Students towards Abortion in Jordan
Authors: Saadeh Rami , Alfaqih Mahmoud , Odat Asma , Allouh Mohammed Z.
Published: April 2021

Background. Jordan laws on permitting abortion are considered moderate. Religion is one of the key determinants of people’s attitudes towards abortion and plays a crucial role in people’s readiness to accept or refute this practice. In this study, we examined the attitudes of medical and health sciences students towards abortion. Methods. In this cross‐sectional study, a self‐administered questionnaire survey was distributed to students at Jordan University of Science and Technology. Attitudes towards abortion were tested using 16 items that were included in the survey. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used in the analysis. Results. A total of 1324 students in the medicine and dentistry colleges participated in the study. Two‐thirds of the participants were women. Most participants were 20–25 years old, and they grew up in a family of 6–8 members. The overall attitude towards abortion was negative, except if the pregnancy was a threat to the mother’s life (91.5%) or if the conception occurred from rape (54.2%). Otherwise, the students indicated that every conceived child has the right to be born (76.8%) and that abortion is considered murder (53.1%). Furthermore, the students who were more likely to support abortion were those attending the medical college, living in a city, and/or raised in smaller families (p = 0.04). Conclusions. Compared with other students, medical students were more supportive of abortion. This implied the necessity to include training on safe abortion in the medical curriculum and increase public awareness of the importance of safe abortion.
Rare Associations with Posterior Urethral Valves
Authors: Mohamed Ahmed Osama , Eradi Bala , Owen Anthony , Rajimwale Ashok
Published: April 2021

Posterior urethral valves are a common cause of congenital bladder outlet obstruction. Known associations include cardiac malformations and gastrointestinal abnormalities. In this case series, we report on two cases of PUV associated with anorectal malformations along with a case of PUV in monochorionic diamniotic twins. We explore the difficulty in achieving a diagnosis and the final management. The association of posterior urethral valves in a patient with anorectal malformation should be suspected in case of associated oligohydramnios or oliguria postnatally. There should be a high index of suspicion in twin pregnancy even if only one of the twins is suspected of bladder outlet obstruction.
Comparison of Effects between Combined Lumbar-Sacral Plexus Block plus General Anesthesia and Unilateral Spinal Anesthesia in Elderly Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tang Lili , Fang Panpan , Fang Yuxin , Lu Yao , Xu Guanghong , Liu Xuesheng
Published: April 2021

Purpose. Hip fracture is a common injury in geriatric populations, which is associated with poor quality of life. However, the ideal anesthesia technique for this disease is yet to be identified. This study aimed to compare the combined lumbar-sacral plexus block (CLSB) plus general anesthesia (bispectral index (BIS) 60–80) with the unilateral spinal anesthesia (SA) on activity of daily living in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Methods. A total of 124 elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in the SA group received light-specific gravity spinal anesthesia, and patients in the CLSB group received lumbar and sacral plexus block with general anesthesia (BIS 60–80). The primary outcomes were 30-day activity of daily living (ADL). The secondary outcomes were postoperative pain scores, postoperative delirium, in-hospital cost, and major complications. Results. The ADL scores of postoperative day 30 (POD30) in the CLSB group are higher than those in the SA group (27.34 ± 7.01 versus 24.70 ± 6.40,

P
=
0.045

). Compared to preoperative ADL scores, there were higher increased scores in the CLSB group than in POD30 (CLSB group 8.09 ± 3.39 versus SA group 4.87 ± 3.90,

P
<
0.001

). Mild-to-moderate pain did not have differences between the two groups (rest pain: 3 versus 2,

P
=
0.344

; motion pain: 5 versus 4,

P
=
0.073

). There were no significant differences in incidence of postoperative delirium, PONV, and other complications. Conclusion. The unilateral SA can reduce the deterioration of ADL after hip fracture surgery and provide a better postoperative recovery.
ICS Software Trust Measurement Method Based on Dynamic Length Trust Chain
Authors: Shang Wenli , Xing Xiangyu
Published: April 2021

Aiming at the real-time requirements for industrial control systems, we proposed a corresponding trust chain method for industrial control system application software and a component analysis method based on security sensitivity weights. A dynamic length trust chain structure is also proposed in this paper. Based on this, the industrial control system software integrity measurement method is constructed. Aimed at the validity of the model, a simulation attack experiment was performed, and the performance of the model was repeated from multiple perspectives to verify the performance of the method. Experiments show that this method can effectively meet the integrity measurement under the condition of high real-time performance, protect the integrity of files, and improve the software credibility of industrial control system.
Central Auditory Nervous System Stimulation through the Cochlear Implant Use and Its Behavioral Impacts: A Longitudinal Study of Case Series
Authors: Cavalcanti Marina Isabel , Silva Liliane Aparecida Fagundes , Goffi Gomez Maria Valéria Schmidt , Koji Tsuji Robinson , Bento Ricardo Ferreira , Martinho de Carvalho Ana Cláudia , Gentile Matas Carla
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate, over a period of five years, the cortical maturation of the central auditory pathways and its impacts on the auditory and oral language development of children with effective use and without effective use of a Cochlear Implant (CI). A case series study was conducted with seven children who were CI users and seven children with normal hearing, with age- and gender-matched to CI users. The assessment was performed by long-latency auditory evoked potentials and auditory and oral language behavioral protocols. The results pronounced P1 latency decrease in all CI users in the first nine months. Over five years, five children with effective CI use presented decrease or stabilization of P1 latency and a gradual development of auditory and oral language skills, although, for most of the children, the electrophysiological and behavior results remained poor than their hearing peers’ results. Two children who stopped the effective use of CI after the first year of activation had worsened auditory and oral language behavioral skills and presented increased P1 latency. A negative correlation was observed between behavioral measures and the P1 latency, the P1 component being considered an important clinical resource capable of measuring the cortical maturation and the behavioral evolution.
Mutant KRAS Downregulates the Receptor for Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) to Enhance a Signature of Glycolysis in Pancreatic Cancer and Lung Cancer
Authors: Liu Suhu , Gandler Helen I. , Tošić Isidora , Ye Darwin Q. , Giaccone Zachary T. , Frank David A.
Published: April 2021

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by aberrant activity of oncogenic KRAS, which is mutated in 90% of pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Because KRAS itself is a challenging therapeutic target, we focused on understanding key signaling pathways driven by KRAS as a way to reveal dependencies that are amenable to therapeutic intervention. Analyses in primary human pancreatic cancers and model systems revealed that the receptor for the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is downregulated by mutant KRAS. Furthermore, downregulation of the LIF receptor (LIFR) is necessary for KRAS-mediated neoplastic transformation. We found LIFR exerts inhibitory effects on KRAS-mediated transformation by inhibiting expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1, a key mediator of the enhanced glycolysis found in KRAS-driven malignancies. Decreased LIFR expression leads to increased GLUT1 as well as increases in glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration. The repression of GLUT1 by LIFR is mediated by the transcription factor STAT3, indicating a tumor-suppressive role for STAT3 within cancer cells with mutated KRAS. Finally, reflecting a clinically important tumor-suppressive role of LIFR, decreased LIFR expression correlates with shorter survival in pancreatic cancer patients with mutated KRAS. Similar findings were found in non–small cell lung cancers driven by mutated KRAS, suggesting that silencing LIFR is a generalized mechanism of KRAS-mediated cellular transformation. These results indicate that the LIFR/STAT3 pathway may mediate either tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressive signaling pathways depending on the genetic background of tumor cells, and may play diverse roles within other cells in the tumor microenvironment.

Implications:

Mutant KRAS drives downregulation of the receptor for LIF, thereby allowing an increase in expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1 and increases in glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration.
Measuring Insulin Resistance in Humans
Authors: Sharma Vandhna R. , Matta Samantha T. , Haymond Morey W. , Chung Stephanie T.
Published: April 2021

Background: Insulin resistance is a pathophysiological condition associated with diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases that is characterized by a diminished tissue response to insulin action. Our understanding of this complex phenomenon and its role in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases is rooted in the discovery of insulin, its isolation and purification, and the challenges encountered with its therapeutic use. Summary: In this historical perspective, we explore the evolution of the term “insulin resistance” and demonstrate how advances in insulin and glucose analytics contributed to the recognition and validation of this metabolic entity. We identify primary discoveries which were pivotal in expanding our knowledge of insulin resistance, the challenges in measurement and interpretation, contemporary techniques, and areas of future exploration. Key Message: Measurements of insulin resistance are important tools for defining and treating cardiometabolic diseases. Accurate quantification of this pathophysiological entity requires careful consideration of the assumptions and pitfalls of the methodological techniques and the historical and clinical context when interpreting and applying the results.
Targeting the Intestinal Barrier to Prevent Gut-Derived Inflammation and Disease: A Role for Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase
Authors: Kühn Florian , Duan Ruifeng , Ilmer Matthias , Wirth Ulrich , Adiliaghdam Fatemeh , Schiergens Tobias S. , Andrassy Joachim , Bazhin Alexandr V. , Werner Jens
Published: April 2021

Background: Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) as a tissue-specific isozyme of alkaline phosphatases is predominantly produced by enterocytes in the proximal small intestine. In recent years, an increasing number of pathologies have been identified to be associated with an IAP deficiency, making it very worthwhile to review the various roles, biological functions, and potential therapeutic aspects of IAP. Summary: IAP primarily originates and acts in the intestinal tract but affects other organs through specific biological axes related to its fundamental roles such as promoting gut barrier function, dephosphorylation/detoxification of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and regulation of gut microbiota. Key Messages: Numerous studies reporting on the different roles and the potential therapeutic value of IAP across species have been published during the last decade. While IAP deficiency is linked to varying degrees of physiological dysfunctions across multiple organ systems, the supplementation of IAP has been proven to be beneficial in several translational and clinical studies. The increasing evidence of the salutary functions of IAP underlines the significance of the naturally occurring brush border enzyme.
Neurodevelopmental and Mental Health Screening for Patients with Turner Syndrome in Pediatric Endocrine Clinics: Results of a Pediatric Endocrine Society Survey
Authors: Davis Shanlee , Crerand Canice , Hutaff-Lee Christa , Thompson Talia , Tishelman Amy , Samara Omar , Umbaugh Hailey , Nahata Leena , Kremen Jessica
Published: April 2021

Introduction: International Turner syndrome (TS) Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend screening for neurodevelopmental (ND) and mental health (MH) concerns in girls with TS; however, it remains unclear whether this is implemented in current practice. The objective of this mixed methods study was to assess screening practices for ND and MH in girls with TS from the perspective of pediatric endocrinologists. Methods: Pediatric Endocrine Society members who provide care for girls with TS were invited to complete an electronic survey on screening practices. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize quantitative results concurrently with thematic analysis of free-text survey responses. Results: A total of 124 surveys were completed (86% attending pediatric endocrinologists, 81% at academic institutions). Overall, 25% of providers reported their patients with TS received both ND and MH screenings. Only 9 (9%) respondents endorsed screening for ND concerns themselves, while more providers (26%) reported they screen for MH concerns. Multiple barriers to screening for ND and MH concerns within the clinical setting were endorsed. Nearly all providers (>93%) reported they would consider using a short, validated screening tool for ND and MH concerns if such tools were available. Discussion: A minority of pediatric endocrinologists currently perform ND or MH screening for patients with TS, however, many would be interested in implementing a brief screening tool into their clinical practice. Given almost all girls with a TS diagnosis receive care from pediatric endocrinologists at least annually, this may be an effective method to increase the proportion of girls with TS who receive recommended screenings.
Metastasiertes nicht kleinzelliges Lungenkarzinom: Operation vor zielgerichteter Therapie mit EGFR-TKI
Authors: Rachow Tobias , Lang Susanne M.
Published: April 2021

Objectives: The characteristics and efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in advanced EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients with primary tumor resection (PTR) is not yet clear. Methods: We enrolled advanced EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR-TKI as first-line therapy to access the impact of PTR on the outcomes. Results: A total of 466 patients were enrolled with 76 patients (16.3%) undergoing PTR; 59 patients recurred after curative surgery, while 17 patients underwent surgery as diagnostic purposes. PTR patients displayed a better performance status, a lower metastatic burden, and much less measurable diseases (30.3 vs. 97.4%, p < 0.001). PTR patients experienced a significantly longer progression-free survival (25.1 [95% CI 16.6–33.7] vs. 9.4 [95% CI 8.4–10.4] months; aHR 0.40 [95% CI 0.30–0.54], p < 0.001) and overall survival (56.8 [95% CI 36.3–77.2] vs. 31.8 [95% CI 28.2–35.4] months; aHR 0.57 [95% CI 0.39–0.84], p = 0.004). Survival advantage was still observed while comparing PTR patients with the better performance and lower metastatic burden subgroup found within the non-resection group. Moreover, the progression-free survival and overall survival of 11 patients who were found having pleural metastases during surgery and underwent PTR plus pleural biopsy, were also longer than those with pure N0–1/M1a-malignant pleural effusion disease in the non-resection group (n = 19) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: PTR was associated with significantly better outcomes in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with EGFR-TKI. Further studies are needed to evaluate the biological role of PTR among these patients.
Comparison of Perfluorodecalin and Silicone Oil as Initial Tamponade for Giant Retinal Tear-Associated Retinal Detachment
Authors: Keller Johannes , Govetto Andrea , Ramasamy Pathma , Liyanage Sidath E.
Published: April 2021

Introduction: To compare visual outcomes and complication rates of giant retinal tear-associated retinal detachment (GRT-RD) cases treated with short-term perfluorodecalin (PFD) tamponade versus silicone oil (SiO). Methods: Database analysis of patients with GRT-RD operated on in the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2019. Results: Forty-five patients were operated for GRT-RD using PFD or SiO during this period. Two children, 7 patients receiving gas tamponade, and 2 lost to follow-up were excluded. Eighteen eyes (40%) received PFD and 27 (60%) received SiO. There were 15/18 (83%) macula-sparing cases in the PFD group and 18/27 (67%) in the SiO group (p = 0.13). The mean duration of oil tamponade was 91 days for SiO and 7.6 days for PFD (p < 0.0001). The mean length of follow-up was 274.5 days for PFD and 668.9 days for SiO. The mean BCVA was 6/18 (63.4 ± 26.0 ETDRS letters) for SiO and 6/12 (72.9 ± 12.7 ETDRS letters) for PFD (p = 0.42). Analysing macula-sparing pseudophakic eyes, the BCVA was 6/12 (67.4 ± 25.9 letters, n = 18) for SiO eyes and 6/9 (76.8 ± 9.9 letters, n = 11) for PFD eyes (p = 0.54). The recurrence rate was 22% (6/27) for SiO and 6% (1/18) for PFD (p = 0.12). The rate of cystoid macular oedema (CMO) was 22% for SiO and 22% for PFD. Epiretinal membrane (ERM) was found in 26% of SiO cases and 22% of PFD cases. Loss of vision after oil removal was not observed. Seven eyes (26%) receiving SiO and none receiving PFD developed chronic ocular hypertension (OHT) (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Short-term tamponade with PFD for GRT-RD appears similar to tamponade with SiO in terms of the visual outcomes and complication rates.
Detecting African hoofed animals in aerial imagery using convolutional neural network
Authors: Fang Yunfei , Du Shengzhi , Boubchir Larbi , Djouani Karim
Published: April 2021

Small unmanned aerial vehicles applications had erupted in many fields including conservation management. Automatic object detection methods for such aerial imagery were in high demand to facilitate more efficient and economical wildlife management and research. This paper aimed to detect hoofed animals in aerial images taken from a quad-rotor in Southern Africa. Objects captured in this way were small both in absolute pixels and from an object-to-image ratio point of view, which were not perfectly suit for general purposed object detectors. We proposed a method based on the iconic Faster region-based convolutional neural networks (R-CNN) framework with atrous convolution layers in order to retain the spatial resolution of the feature map to detect small objects. A good choice of anchors was of prime importance in detecting small objects. The performance of the proposed Faster R-CNN with atrous convolutional filters in the backbone network was proven to be outstanding in our scenario by comparing to other object detection architectures.
Parallel P-PD controller to achieve vibration and position control of a flexible beam
Authors: Abbas Ammar N. , Irshad Muhammad Asad
Published: April 2021

Robotic arms are considered as a cantilever beam fixed at one end and due to the length-to-weight ratio, it has a significant vibration-induced that needs to be controlled to achieve accurate position, speed control and to increase its efficiency. In this project, a discretized Timoshenko beam model is used to discuss the dynamics of the system. Further, to implement the control on the hardware an experimental setup is fabricated to observe the open-loop and closed-loop responses of the beam made of low-density polyethylene. An accelerometer as a feedback sensor is attached at one end of the flexible beam while another end is fixed at the moving cart having DC motor as an actuator. Simulink is used as the programming tool to perform all of the experimentation. Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) tuning is performed. Following that open-loop responses of the deflection of the beam parallel to the motion are observed with different input waveforms. By applying a proportional control scheme, another experiment is performed to demonstrate the disturbance rejection with an accelerometer as a feedback sensor, while ignoring position control. Finally, a PD and P based parallel control scheme is proposed to obtain simultaneously both position control and vibration reduction.
Jóvenes, activismos feministas y violencia de género en la Unam: genealogía de un conflicto
Authors: Di Napoli Pablo
Published: April 2021

(analítico)En los últimos años, la violencia de género se ha instalado en la agenda pública mexicana. Este artículo analiza el activismo feminista onlife que desarrollaron colectivas estudiantiles del Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, entre 2018 y 2020. Se realizó un análisis temático sobre páginas de Facebook, comunicados estudiantiles y de autoridades universitarias, notas periodísticas y observaciones participantes. Entrelos hallazgos se destacan tres modalidades de acción: la creación de perfiles en redes sociodigitales, la realización de tendederos de denuncia y la toma estudiantil de los planteles. Se concluye que, en el marco de cambios de la configuración emotiva en el trato intergéneros, la violencia contra las mujeres por motivos de género adquiere una visibilidad preponderante y se erige en foco de conflicto dentro de las instituciones educativas.
Palabras clave: Estudiantes, universidad, internet, brecha generacional.
Notas metodológicas en las postulaciones teóricas de Henri Lefebvre
Authors: Castro Martínez Enrique de Jesús
Published: April 2021

El artículo tiene como objetivo proponer que la amplitud teórica de Henri Lefebvre conlleva distintos diseños metodológicos, además del método dialéctico. Para cumplir con lo anterior, se apela a que el pensamiento de Lefebvre se concibe de manera tríadica y su postura epistemológica corresponde a un enfoque heterodoxo que da luz sobre la cuestión del método. A partir de esto, se pone de relieve algunos postulados que respaldan la presente investigación como: el método regresivo-progresivo; los juegos de tríadas se pueden relacionar promoviendo un diseño metodológico de totalidades abiertas; y, la teoría unitaria de la producción del espacio que fragmentada por dimensiones espaciales responden a configurar un método de análisis teórico-conceptual, aunque dejando diversas posibilidades al usuario del punto de aplicación que serviría como sustento teórico-metodológico en las proposiciones en David Harvey, Edward Soja y Neil Brenner.
Elementos do conservadorismo negro nos Estados Unidos: George Schuyler contra o movimento pelos direitos civis (1950-1968)
Authors: Francisco Flavio  Thales Ribeiro
Published: April 2021

O objetivo deste artigo é o de analisar o discurso conservador do intelectual negro George Schuyler durante o período do Movimento pelos Direitos Civis. Schuyler fez parte de uma linhagem de conservadores negros que pautaram o debate sobre a questão racial na segunda metade do século XX, enfatizando a importância da moderação no ativismo negro e pregando o empreendedorismo como estratégia de desenvolvimento social no capitalismo estadunidense. Nesse processo, Schuyler se deslocou do campo progressista negro para o campo conservador e criticou veementemente as estratégias de lideranças como Martin Luther King Jr, Ella Baker e Malcom X.
"O homem, em toda parte é a riqueza da nação": o discurso eugênico na Sociedade de Medicina de Porto Alegre nas décadas de 1920 e 1930
Authors: Munareto Geandra Denardi
Published: April 2021

A Eugenia, desde seu desenvolvimento como teoria científica por Francis Galton, teve grande difusão por diversos países durante a primeira metade do século XX. Advinda de um período de intensa discussão sobre hereditariedade, influência do meio ambiente e degeneração, a Eugenia assumiu diferentes referenciais na composição de suas propostas, resultando em um corpo teórico bastante heterogêneo e multifacetado. Esse artigo tem por objetivo analisar a difusão do ideário eugênico nos discursos da Sociedade de Medicina de Porto Alegre. Tendo como objeto de estudo o periódico da instituição, o Archivos Rio Grandenses de Medicina, buscamos entender como a ciência eugênica moldou a visão de determinados médicos não só sobre doenças venéreas e patologias infectocontagiosas, mas também sobre temas como reprodução, maternidade, primeira infância, vícios e mortalidade.
Prelabor cesarean section: the role of advanced maternal age and associated factors
Authors: Martinelli Katrini Guidolini , Gama Silvana Granado Nogueira da , Almeida André Henrique do Vale de , Nakamura-Pereira Marcos , Santos Neto Edson Theodoro dos
Published: April 2021

OBJECTIVE to evaluate whether advanced maternal age (AMA) is associated with prelabor cesarean section and to identify the factors associated with prelabor cesarean section in AMA women, according to the mode of type of labor financing (private or public). METHODS Based on the Birth in Brazil survey, the research was conducted on representative sample of mothers for the country (Brazil), regions, type of hospital and location (capital or not), in 2011/2012. This study included 15,071 women from two age groups: 20–29 years and ≥ 35 years. The information was collected from interviews with puerperal woman, prenatal cards, and medical records of mothers and newborns. Multiple logistic regression modelling was used to verify the association between prelabor cesarean section and maternal, prenatal and childbirth characteristics, according to the mode of financing. RESULTS Our results showed a higher use of prelabor cesarean section for AMA (≥ 35 years) women in the public service (OR = 1.63; 95%CI 1.38–1.94) and in the private service (OR = 1.44; 95%CI 1.13–1.83), compared with women aged 20–29 years. In the adjusted model, we recorded three factors associated with the prelabor cesarean section in AMA women in both, public and private sectors: the same professional in prenatal care and childbirth (OR = 4.97 and OR = 4.66); nulliparity (OR = 6.17 and OR = 10.08), and multiparity with previous cesarean section (from OR = 5.73 to OR = 32.29). The presence of obstetric risk (OR = 1.94; 95%CI .44–2.62) also contributed to the occurrence of prelabor cesarean section in women who gave birth in the public service. CONCLUSIONS AMA was an independent risk factor for prelabor cesarean in public and private services. In the public, prelabor cesarean in AMA was more influenced by clinical criteria. Higher chance of prelabor cesarean section in nulliparous women increases the chance of cesarean section in multiparous women, as we showed in this study, which increases the risk of anomalous placental implantation.
Locomotor activity in Aedes aegypti with different insecticide resistance profiles
Authors: Nakazato Bruno Magalhães , Macoris Maria de Lourdes da Graça , Urbinatti Paulo Roberto , Lima-Camara Tamara Nunes
Published: April 2021

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate locomotor activity in four field populations of Ae. aegypti with different insecticide resistance profiles from the state of São Paulo for two years. METHODS: This study comprised the susceptible Rockefeller strain and four populations from São Paulo, Brazil: two considered populations with “reduced susceptibility” to pyrethroids (Campinas and Marília), and two “resistant populations” (Santos and Ribeirão Preto). First, 2016 and 2017 eggs from these five populations were hatched in laboratory. Virgin females underwent experiments under laboratory conditions at 25°C, with 12:12h light/dark (LD) photoperiod; 24-hour individual activity was recorded using a locomotor activity monitor (LAM). RESULTS: In females from 2016 field populations, both resistant populations showed significant more locomotor activity than the two reduced susceptibility populations and the Rockefeller strain (p < 0.05). As for females from 2017 field populations, reduced susceptibility populations showed a significant increased locomotor activity than the Rockefeller strain, but no significant difference when compared to Santos resistant population (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that insecticide-resistant Ae. aegypti populations show increased locomotor activity, which may affect the transmission dynamics of their arboviruses.
Unfolded Protein Response as a Compensatory Mechanism and Potential Therapeutic Target in PLN R14del Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Feyen Dries A.M. , Perea-Gil Isaac , Maas Renee G.C. , Harakalova Magdalena , Gavidia Alexandra A. , Arthur Ataam Jennifer , Wu Ting-Hsuan , Vink Aryan , Pei Jiayi , Vadgama Nirmal , Suurmeijer Albert J. , te Rijdt Wouter P. , Vu Michelle , Amatya Prashila L. , Prado Maricela , Zhang Yuan , Dunkenberger Logan , Sluijter Joost P.G. , Sallam Karim , Asselbergs Folkert W. , Mercola Mark , Karakikes Ioannis
Published: April 2021

Background:

Phospholamban (PLN) is a critical regulator of calcium cycling and contractility in the heart. The loss of arginine at position 14 in PLN (R14del) is associated with dilated cardiomyopathy with a high prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias. How the R14 deletion causes dilated cardiomyopathy is poorly understood, and there are no disease-specific therapies.

Methods:

We used single-cell RNA sequencing to uncover PLN R14del disease mechanisms in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs). We used both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional functional contractility assays to evaluate the impact of modulating disease-relevant pathways in PLN R14del hiPSC-CMs.

Results:

Modeling of the PLN R14del cardiomyopathy with isogenic pairs of hiPSC-CMs recapitulated the contractile deficit associated with the disease in vitro. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed the induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway in PLN R14del compared with isogenic control hiPSC-CMs. The activation of UPR was also evident in the hearts from PLN R14del patients. Silencing of each of the 3 main UPR signaling branches (IRE1, ATF6, or PERK) by siRNA exacerbated the contractile dysfunction of PLN R14del hiPSC-CMs. We explored the therapeutic potential of activating the UPR with a small molecule activator, BiP (binding immunoglobulin protein) inducer X. PLN R14del hiPSC-CMs treated with BiP protein inducer X showed a dose-dependent amelioration of the contractility deficit in both 2-dimensional cultures and 3-dimensional engineered heart tissues without affecting calcium homeostasis.

Conclusions:

Together, these findings suggest that the UPR exerts a protective effect in the setting of PLN R14del cardiomyopathy and that modulation of the UPR might be exploited therapeutically.