bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carrot seeds vigor on plant performance and crop yield
Authors: Chipenete Gisela Hélnia Nunes , Dias Denise Cunha Fernandes dos Santos , Pinheiro Daniel Teixeira , Silva Laércio Junio da , Pazzin Dalcionei , Da Silva Aparecida Leonir
Published: March 2021

Rapid emergence and uniform seedling growth are essential attributes in the production of vegetables such as carrots, whose sowing is direct in the field. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of carrot seed vigor on seedling emergence, plant development, and yield. Four seed lots of carrot, cv. Brasília were characterized for their physiological potential by germination and vigor tests. A field experiment was conducted, where the seeds of each lot were sown in in the field to evaluate seedling emergence at 10 and 14 days, the length of the shoot and root at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing, the crop growth rate, commercial, non-commercial and commercial total roots yield. Seed vigor significantly affected the seedling emergence and development of carrot plants in the field. The less vigorous lot showed lower final emergence than the most vigorous lots and these negative vigor effects extended to the most advanced stages of plant development. Carrot seed vigor affects seedling emergence and plant growth in the field. Vigorous seeds causes greater emergence, plant height and plant dry matter during the vegetative phase. The use of less vigorous seeds causes yield losses of up to 27%.
Assessment of Skill with Regard to Standard Precautions after Foundation Course for Medical Undergraduates of a Government Medical College in Visakhapatnam
Authors: Aneeja Aneeja , Kajana , Phani Madhavi , Bhimarasetty Devi Madhavi
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND In compliance with Medical Council of India (MCI) recommendation, a month-long foundation course was introduced for the first time in Andhra Medical College for first year MBBS students of 2019 batch during August 2019. The aim of the study was to assess skill in standard precautions among first year MBBS students after foundation course. METHODS An observational cross-sectional study was carried out among first year MBBS students who attended basic skill training sessions on universal precautions as a part of their foundation course in a Government Medical College, Vishakhapatnam, who were admitted during the academic year 2019. In the present study, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is used in order to assess the skill. Students were asked to demonstrate 5 selected skills of standard precautions i.e. hand washing, wearing of cap, mask, apron and gloves. Their performance was noted in the checklist provided and was assessed accordingly. Data obtained from checklist was entered into excel sheet and was expressed in percentages. The difference in skill acquisition between boys and girls was tested for statistical significance using chi-square test. RESULTS Out of the 94 students who participated in the study, 54 % were boys and 46 % were girls. Only 19 % of students have demonstrated all the 5 skills correctly. Majority of the students i.e. 71 % were able to demonstrate 7 steps of hand washing correctly. About 44 % of the students demonstrated the donning of gloves correctly. About 66 % of students demonstrated the technique of wearing operation theatre mask correctly. Regarding wearing of surgical cap, 70 % of students did it correctly. 83 % of students demonstrated donning of apron correctly. In all skill demonstrations, boys performed better than girls and this difference was found to be statistically significant except in case of donning of apron. CONCLUSIONS The study findings indicate that imparting skill training to first year students has been beneficial to the students in terms of gaining skills related to universal skills. However, most of the students haven’t yet got the desired competence in all the procedures. Repeated training in their early clinical exposure may help them to develop the skills further. KEYWORDS Foundation Course, Standard Precautions, First Year MBBS Students
Histopathological Spectrum of Spongiotic Dermatitis from a Tertiary Care Centre
Authors: Leelamma Jayalakshmy Payippat , M.L. Deepthi Raj , C.K Anju
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND Spongiotic dermatitis is a common diagnosis in routine dermatopathology practice. Clinically it includes eczema and its clinicopathological variants. The main purpose of a biopsy in such cases is to come to a precise diagnosis. We wanted to study the different histopathological features commonly seen in spongiotic dermatitis. METHODS This is a cross sectional study conducted at a Government Medical College in Kerala, South India. All lesions reported as cases belonging to the category of spongiotic dermatitis during the one-year period were included in the study. Patients who presented with an established diagnosis of spongiotic dermatitis were excluded from the study. The study included 41 skin biopsies. RESULTS The age distribution pattern revealed that the highest percentage was in the 10 - 20 years age group (21.95 %) with a male preponderance (68.29 %). Small plaque parapsoriasis was the most common lesion (24 %) encountered in the study. CONCLUSIONS Some of the histopathological features are specific and characteristic for each entity like small plaque parapsoriasis, pityriasis rosea and erythema annulare centrifugum whereas some features overlap in lesions like irritant contact dermatitis and photoallergic contact dermatitis. Therefore, clinical history combined with microscopic features will help us render a precise diagnosis. KEYWORDS Spongiotic, Dermatitis, Inflammatory, Histopathological
Effect of Lunar Cycle on Delivery Rates in a Tertiary Care Hospital in India - A Retrospective Study
Authors: Pal Abirbhab
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND From ancient period, moon has been held responsible for many biological activities. The lunar cycle has long been thought to have many chemical & physical effects on human beings especially women. The menstrual cycle, conception, delivery and even fertility have been closely linked to the moon’s cycles. The relation of lunar phases to the birth rate has been the focus of considerable research with still controversial results. We wanted to study the moon phases with regard to birth rate, relationship between lunar position and the time of delivery, preterm delivery, intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), instrumental delivery, normal vaginal delivery (NVD), lower segment Caesarean section (LSCS) and multiple pregnancy. METHODS Retrospective data from daily antenatal mother admissions, and delivery rates present in the public domain of a tertiary care hospital of Midnapore Medical College, Midnapore, India from 1st Oct 2019 to 30th Sept 2020 was evaluated with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS Delivery rates were not related to lunar 1 st quarter, full moon, new moon, and last quarter of lunar cycle with total delivery (P < 0.05), LSCS (P > 0.05), NVD (P > 0.05), instrumental delivery (P > 0.05), twin delivery (P > 0.05), and IUFD (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Birth rates do not correlate with phases of the moon. KEYWORDS Lunar Cycle, Birth, Delivery, Pregnancy, Obstetrics
Early Detection of Hearing Impairment in Neonates - Screening by Otoacoustic Emission Test
Authors: Karkala Venkat Nagender Reddy , Thopicharla Mounika , Ramakrishna Jyothi , Bukkapatnam Rama Krishna Tirumala
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND Approximately 3 per 1000 live births suffer from congenital hearing loss in India. If detected before the age of 6 months, their mental, social and intellectual growth can be restored by early intervention and rehabilitation. Their speech development and social integration depends highly on early detection of hearing loss, at least before the first birthday. We wanted to screen all new-borns for hearing and assess the incidence of hearing impairment in at risk and no risk cases by using otoacoustic emissions. We also wanted to evaluate the two-stage testing by OAE in screening programme. METHODS The present study was conducted from Feb. 1st 2013 to Jan. 31st 2015. A total of 849 infants have been studied of which 63 had high risk factors. RESULTS The overall incidence of hearing impairment was found to be 3.75 / 1000 births in no-risk group whereas 61.22 / 1000 were found in high risk group. CONCLUSIONS Early detection of hearing loss in infants by otoacoustic emission (OAE) is a reliable tool. It conforms with high precision when done with a two-stage protocol that reduces false apprehensions. KEYWORDS Neonatal Hearing Loss, Universal Screening, Otoacoustic Emissions, Brain Stem Evoked Response Audiometry (BSERA), OAE
Method of Markovian summation for study the repeated flow in queueing tandem M|GI|∞ → GI|∞
Authors:   National Research Tomsk State University, Shklennik Maria A. , Moiseev Alexander N. ,   National Research Tomsk State University
Published: March 2021

The paper presents a mathematical model of queueing tandem M|GI|∞ → GI|∞ with feedback. The service times at the first stage are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) with an arbitrary distribution function B1(x). Service times at the second stage are i.i.d. with an arbitrary distribution function B2(x). The problem is to determine the probability distribution of the number of repeated customers (r-flow) during fixed time period. To solve this problem, the Markov summation method was used, which is based on the consideration of Markov processes and the solution of the Kolmogorov equation. In the course of the solution, the so-called local r-flow was studied — the number of r-flow calls generated by one incoming customer received by the system. As a result, an expression is obtained for the characteristic probability distribution function of the number of calls in the local r-flow, which can be used to study queuing systems with a similar service discipline and non-Markov incoming flows. As a result of the study, an expression is obtained for the characteristic probability distribution function of the number of repeated calls to the system at a given time interval during non-stationary regime, which allows one to obtain the probability distribution of the number of calls in the flow under study, as well as its main probability characteristics.
On the identification problem of the thermomechanical characteristics of the finite functionally graded cylinder
Authors:   Institute of Mathematics, Mechanics and Computer Sciences named after I. I. Vorovich, Southern Federal University, Vatulyan Alexander O. , Nesterov Sergei A. ,   Southern Mathematical Institute — the Affiliate of Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: March 2021

The problem of axisymmetric vibrations of a functionally graded finite hollow cylinder is considered. The ends of the cylinder are thermally insulated and are in a sliding fit. Zero temperature is maintained on the inner surface of the cylinder, free from stress, and a combined thermal and power load acts on the outer surface. The direct problem after applying the Laplace transform is solved based on the method of separation of variables. A set of canonical linear systems of differential equations of the 1st order is obtained, the solution of each of which is obtained numerically using the shooting method. The coefficient inverse problem of finding the thermomechanical characteristics of a finite length cylinder using additional information in Laplace transforms, given on the outer surface of the cylinder, is posed. The dimensionless thermomechanical characteristics of the cylinder were restored in two stages. At the first stage, the initial approximation was determined in the class of positive bounded functions. At the second stage, based on the solution of the corresponding Fredholm integral equations of the 1st kind, corrections of the reconstructed functions were found, and an iterative process of their refinement was constructed. In the course of computational experiments, it was found that monotonic characteristics are restored with good accuracy; the reconstruction procedure is resistant to input information noise.
Evaluation of the Incidence, Severity, and Mortality Rate of COVID-19 in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Receiving Interferon β-1a
Authors: Naser Moghadasi Abdorreza , Anjidani Nassim
Published: March 2021

The article's abstract is not available.
The Effect of Oral Tamsulosin vs. Oral Tamsulosin and Oral Isosorbide Dinitrate in Acute Urinary Retention Patients Due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial Study
Authors: Golikhatir Iraj , Feyzzadeh Kerigh Behzad , Sazgar Mohammad , Jahanian Fatemeh , Assadi Touraj , Zakariae Zakaria , Sarokolaei Reza Amri , Aminiahidashti Hamed
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Acute urinary retention due to benign prostatic enlargement is one of the clinical complaints that patients refer to the emergency department. Selective α-blockers are used after urinary catheterization. Recently, the use of nitrate compounds has been shown to relieve bladder neck and to treat acute urinary retention.
Objective: The aim of this study was to survey the addition of Isosorbide di nitrate to tamsulosin in the treatment of acute urinary retention in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Methods: This is a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. In all, 78 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia-related acute urinary retention referred to the emergency department were divided into two groups and randomly assigned to receive either 0.4 mg tamsulosin plus placebo or 0.4 mg tamsulosin plus isosorbide dinitrate 40 mg extended-release tablets daily for 3 days. At the same first visit, the catheter was removed and the ability to void in same time and 1 month later was assessed in each group.
Results: After catheter removal, 27 (67.5%) patients in the tamsulosin plus placebo group and 31 (81.6%) in the tamsulosin plus isosorbide dinitrate group voided successfully after 3 days (p = 0.155). After 1 month, 20 (50.0%) patients taking tamsulosin plus placebo and 23 (60.5%) taking tamsulosin plus isosorbide dinitrate could void, yet indicating no significant difference (p = 0.350).
Conclusions: Addition of isosorbide dinitrate to α-blockers has advantage in improving benign prostatic hyperplasia-related acute urinary retention versus tamsulosin alone, although was not statistically significant.
Technical Guide for Application of the Posterior Interosseous Bone Flap
Authors: Panjavi Behnam , Nabian Mohammad Hossein , Kamrani Reza Shahryar , Arabzadeh Aidin , Oryadi Zanjani Leila
Published: March 2021

The article's abstract is not available.
MODERN APPROACHES TO THE FORMATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND ECONOMIC MECHANISM OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE SPHERE OF TOURISM IN THE CONTEXT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL PROJECTS
Authors:   ст. преподаватель кафедры экономики и управления в сфере услуг Санкт-Петербургского Государственного Экономического Университета (СПбГЭУ), Масленникова Ольга Александровна
Published: March 2021

Based on the typological analysis of various approaches to defining the content of the concept of «organizational and economic mechanism» in the economic sphere, the author reveals the essence of the organizational and economic mechanism of staffing, the peculiarities of their formation in the field of tourism in the context of the implementation of national projects in the Russian Federation.
TOURISM INDUSTRY: IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC AND DE- VELOPMENT CONDITIONS
Authors:   д.э.н, профессор, МГУ имени М.В. Ломоносова, г. Москва, Россия, Шерешева Марина Юрьевна
Published: March 2021

In the first two decades of the XXI century, the tourism industry was one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors of the world economy, but 2020 was a disastrous year for market participants. The article examines the main trends in the global tourism industry on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the dramatic changes caused by the closure of almost all tourist destinations and the suspension of the market actor’s activity. In Russia, there was urgent support provided to companies in the tourism and hospitality sector, objective prerequisites formed for more intensive domestic tourism development. However, systemic solutions are necessary to create conditions for industry recovery and successful development.
DEVELOPMENT OF TOURIST AND RECREATION SPHERE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RISKS
Authors:   доктор географических наук, Пермский государственный национальный исследовательский университет, г. Пермь, Россия, Зырянов Александр Иванович
Published: March 2021

. The tourism industry has proven to be the most sensitive to the pandemic. The spread of the coronavirus during 2020 shows certain geographic features. The initial development of the epidemic is geographically associated with destinations, major cities, coastal areas, winter recreation centers, tourist events. The spatial course of the pandemic shows a dependence on climatic zonation and pronounced seasons of the year, corresponds to the hierarchy of settlement systems, since this global problem is most manifested in central places. In Russia, the global geographic patterns of the spread of coronavirus are manifested. The pandemic will lead to changes in the structural and spatial organization of tourism, will serve to the accentuated development of domestic tourism in Russia, an increase in interest in interregional and intraregional travel, and the development of municipal tourism. The real possibility of the risks of large epidemics will lead the tourist infrastructure to the idea of an areal, not a pole, development. Nature-oriented types of tourism (ecological, sports, fishing, rural) and recreation outside large cities are becoming promising.
STAFFING FOR ECOLOGICAL TOURISM AS A FACTOR IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL PROJECT “ECOLOGY”
Authors:   доктор экономических наук, профессор, ФГБОУ ВО «Сочинский государственный университет», г. Сочи, Россия, Романова Галина Максимовна , Брюханова Галина Дмитриевна ,   доктор медицинских наук, ФГБОУ ВО «Сочинский государственный университет», г. Сочи, Россия, Романов Максим Сергеевич ,   кандидат экономических наук, доцент, ФГБОУ ВО «Сочинский государственный университет», г. Сочи, Россия
Published: March 2021

The growing popularity of eco-tourism in different countries of the world shows a steady growth with a positive Outlook for the coming decades. At the beginning of this century, the development of ecotourism was largely due to people’s awareness of the negative results of their activities, which led to the degradation of the natural environment, and from 2020 – and a powerful social and psychological stress due to the coronavirus pandemic, which forced governments of different countries to respond to it with lockdowns and quarantines. Meanwhile, ecotourism in all its diversity can significantly increase the growth of regional revenues from domestic and inbound tourism, some of which countries direct to measures to protect and restore the ecological status of the natural environment in order to preserve its potential for future generations. The improvement of responsible tourism activities in the Russian Federation is hindered by the lack of personnel capable of organizing these types of tourism at a highly professional level and unlocking the unique potential of the regions for domestic and inbound tourism markets, as well as reducing barriers to their development. The paper describes the experience of Sochi state University in training specialists in ecotourism.
About pedagogical terms “training” and “teaching”
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University, Moskovkin L.V. , Rykova E.B. ,   North-Western state medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov
Published: March 2021

The article deals with the pedagogical terms “training” and “teaching”. Authors analyze their use in various contexts, including Ruscorpora examples and believe that training and teaching in the minds of teachers and many methodologists are types of pedagogical influence: teaching is the formation of knowledge, and training is the formation of skills. Attempts of scientists to establish subordination relations between them are recognized as illegal. The idea that training is a joint activity of a teacher and students is criticized.
Evaluasi Pembelajaran dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Minat Belajar Siswa pada Mata Pembelajaran IPA Kelas IX di SMPN 3 Tanjung Sakti Pumi Lahat Sumatra Selatan
Authors: Widiyawati Dewy , Putri Cici Dwi , Walid Ahmad
Published: March 2021

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui sejauh mana keberhasilan siswa dalam mencapai tujuan belajar dalam pembelajaran IPA serta mengetahui peran dan minat siswa terhadap pelajaran IPA disekolahnya.. penelitian ini menggunakan metode pendekatan kualitatif, dengan jenis penelitian deskritif, dari hasil menunjukan bahwa pelaksanaan evaluasi pembelajaran di Sekolah SMPN 3 Tanjung Sakti Pumi Lahat Sumatra Selatan berdasarkan observasi awal yang didapat 75% siswa sudah mampu mencapai standar rata-rata belajar dan ada juga beberapa siswa yang belum mencapai standar rata-ratanya.
FORMAÇÃO EM SAÚDE COM A VIVÊNCIA E EXPERIÊNCIA NO SISTEMA ÚNICO DE SAÚDE (SUS)
Authors: De Morais Geiziane Laurindo , Guglielmi Naiara , Medeiros Nathaly Willemann , Cichelero Janaina N. de Oliveira , Pinto Natália Duarte Machado , Petri Renata , Damásio Carla , Souza Rafaela Borges de , Nkadi Afonso David , De Souza Emanuel
Published: March 2021

O Programa de Vivências e Experiências na Realidade do SUS (VIVER SUS), traz edições anuais em cidades da região carbonífera, e foi construído no ano de 2013 pela Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC). Este trabalho trata de um relato de experiência que tem como objetivo apresentar as atividades realizadas em campo por intermédio do projeto VIVER SUS, através da imersão acadêmica no município de Urussanga, Santa Catarina, durante o período do dia vinte e três até o dia vinte e cinco do mês de julho de dois mil e dezoito. Os resultados demostraram um processo de imersão prática e teórica dentro do sistema de saúde do município, assim como levantamento de potencialidades e fragilidades na sua infraestrutura organizacional de saúde. Sendo assim, a imersão contribuiu para uma significativa aquisição de conhecimento diante das práticas de uma equipe multiprofissional inserida no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), extremamente importante para o aprendizado dos estudantes e futuros profissionais da saúde, culminando, após vivências e experiências, na reflexão, sabedoria, compreensão e comportamento diante das condições que são enfrentadas no sistema. Além disso, compreendeu-se a importância da associação entre a teoria e a prática do dia-a-dia para atender a comunidade e a necessidade de proporcionar uma visão integral e humanizada no âmbito da saúde pública e coletiva.
Specificity of chest computed tomography in COVID-19-associated pneumonia: a retrospective study
Authors: Korb T. A. , Gavrilov P. V. , Chernina V. Yu. , Blokhin I. A. , Aleshina O. O. , Mokienko O. A. , Morozov S. P. , Gombolevskiy V. A.
Published: March 2021

Aim: To assess the specificity of COVID-19- associated pneumonia detection by radiologists using a chest CT scan.Materials and methods: From mid-February to early March 2020, 65  patients have been retrospectively selected from the Moscow City Clinical Hospital database; all of them had been treated in an inpatient facility with a  verified diagnosis of COVID-19. In addition, 75  patients from the Unified Radiological Information Service have been randomly selected. In December 2019, these outpatients had been sent by an attending physician for a  chest CT scan with suspected pneumonia. The imaging studies showed non-specific inflammation signs in the lungs. All 140  scans were analyzed by seven radiologists from different Russian cities, who independently categorized each study as “COVID-19” or “Other pneumonia”.Results: Chest computed tomography had a  92%  specificity in the differential diagnosis of COVID-19-associated pneumonia, and its specificity in the general population is expected to be at least 80% with a high probability. The inter-rater variability was low (coefficient of variation for specificity 12.6%). The sensitivity in our study was 76.2%, and the coefficient of variation for sensitivity 23.5%. These findings are generally consistent with other studies. The primary study limitation is the absence of a sample with confirmed pneumonia caused by other viruses.Conclusion: Chest CT is highly specific for the detection of COVID-19-associated pneumonia.
Cardiac visceral fat volume estimation from low-dose chest computed tomography: a study with a designed beating heart phantom
Authors: Chernina V. Yu. , Kulberg N. S. , Aleshina O. O. , Korb T. A. , Blokhin I. A. , Morozov S. P. , Gombolevskiy V. A.
Published: March 2021

Background: Since 2017, a pilot project for lung cancer screening by chest low dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been implemented in Moscow. Patients to be included into the screening have risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD). The association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and coronary artery atherosclerosis, IHD, and atrial fibrillation has been demonstrated previously.Aim: To demonstrate the feasibility of LDCTbased EAT volumetry using a  dynamic (contracting) heart phantom.Materials and methods: The study was performed with the designed dynamic heart phantom and chest phantom in two stages. At stage I, two adipose tissue pieces were scanned inside and outside the chest phantom using CT and LDCT. At stage II, the dynamic heart phantom was scanned outside and inside the chest phantom. In addition, we scanned the heart phantom with a  coronary calcium phantom. The contracting heart phantom was developed within three months. All scans of the phantom were performed within one day. We determined the adipose tissue thresholds in LDCT and the EAT volumetric error with both chest CT and LDCT. Measurements of the adipose tissue volumes were performed by the radiologist twice with semi-automatic software.Results: The results of stage I helped to identify optimal density thresholds for LDCT-based adipose tissue volumetry in lung cancer screening, ranging from -250 HU to -30 HU. The stage II results showed that for all heart phantom scanning variants, the average EAT volumetry error did not exceed 5%, except for the case of contracting heart phantom with added coronary calcium in a chest phantom with body mass index (BMI) 29 (-5.92%). Adding the coronary calcium phantom to the heart phantom in LDCT increased the error by an average of 4% in BMI 23 and BMI 29 chest phantoms.Conclusion: LDCT-based EAT volumetry with fat density threshold from -250 HU to -30 HU is feasible in lung cancer screening, including patients with coronary calcium. However, considering the phantom design, further patient studies, and correlation of EAT volumes between LDCT for lung cancer screening and сoronary CT angiography are required.
Assessment of carotid arteries and brain matter in patients with isolated abnormal tortuosities and those combined with occlusion by computed tomography angiography
Authors: Vishnyakova Jr. M. V. , Lar'kov R. N. , Vishnyakova M. V. , Salomatin P. V.
Published: March 2021

Rationale: The prevalence of malformation of internal carotid arteries (ICA) in the population amounts to 46%. In 4 to 16% of the cases, it is associated with clinical manifestations of cerebrovascular insufficiency. Hemodynamic changes in the abnormal arterial vasculature and neurological symptoms are the main indications for surgical intervention. Computed tomography (CT) angiography has shown its high information value in the assessment of ICA occlusions; however, its informativity in the diagnosis of ICA malformations has not been established.Aim: To assess ICA and brain matter in the patients with abnormal tortuosities, both isolated and combined with occlusion, by CT angiography.Materials and methods: We performed a  retrospective analysis of medical files of 58 inpatients, who underwent ultrasound examination and CT angiography of extra and intracranial parts of brachycephalic arteries with 256  slice multidetector computer scanner (Philips iCT). CT angiography included native imaging, and contrast-enhanced arterial and venous phases. We assessed the impact of ICA abnormalities on the degree of brain matter lesions in patients with isolated ICA malformations (n=27) and with combination of ICA malformations with its occlusion (n=31).Results: In the group of the patients with isolated ICA malformations, there were no brain focal lesions in 14, small vessel focal lesions and single liquor cysts in 9, and areas and zones of cystic and glial abnormalities in 4. The most frequent in this group were S-like and C-like malformations, together with 2  saccular aneurysms (one of them true and one false). In the group of patients with combination of abnormal ICA tortuosities and occlusions, there were areas and zones of cystic and glial abnormalities in 7, various degrees of small vessel disease and few liquor cysts in 18, and no abnormal brain matter foci in 6. No ICA malformations in combination with true or false aneurysms were found. The patients with combination of ICA malformations and stenosis, the signs of chronic brain ischemia were more advanced, compared to those in the patients with isolated ICA malformations (p=0.012).Conclusion: CT angiography is a highly informative method for the assessment of carotid arteries and brain matter in patients with ICA malformations. The combination with ICA malformations and occlusion is associated with more advanced lesions of brain matter.
Educación y migración: de la desintegración a la rearticulación de capacidades. Apuntes para el caso mexicano
Authors: Fresneda Edel J.
Published: March 2021

This article analyzes the education factor in order to study in depth the correlation between migration and development. The main objective is to examine how the disintegration in the access to educational systems with development strategies promotes an imbalance making more complex those causes that endogenously influence the migration of human resources. In addition, this phenomenon spreads internationally the reproductive cycle of both qualified and highly qualified human resources when they are relatively marginalized in the endogenous labor markets. The concepts international insertion of the labor force and international rearticulation of capabilities are proposed herein to interpret the effects of this phenomenon that strengthen an alternative vision on the migration-development correlation
Obesity and COVID-19: A Forgotten Relationship
Authors: Barbosa Mariana , Lopes Sara , Fernandes Vera , Monteiro Ana Margarida
Published: March 2021

N/a.
Teletrabalho: Quais São as Consequências para a Saúde Mental?
Authors: Afonso Pedro
Published: March 2021

N/a.
“New Normal” of China’s Economy
Authors: Mozias P.
Published: March 2021

China’s economic growth has decelerated substantially in recent years. This state of affairs is described by Chinese economic researchers as a "new normal". Furthermore, such a definition has also been put forward by the officials as an ideological concept, and in that sense the "new normal" means not just the current situation, but also a prospective path of development. New structural trends do appear in China’s economy. But, by and large, macro-trends kept worsening in 2014- 2015. Industrial production grew by a diminishing margin, and its expansion pace was roughly the same as in the period of the global crisis in late 2008-2009. Sales at the real estate market plummeted, and the prospects of recovery are still unclear. The CPI has been touching a deflationary threshold, reflecting a relative sluggishness of the aggregate demand. Monetary policy turned toward a relaxation with a sequential cause of interest rates and reserve ratios going down. But the possibilities of a further monetary softening are limited because of a high leverage both at the corporate and parastatal sectors, and of a huge overcapacity in the various branches of manufacturing. Nevertheless, hard landing is unlikely to happen in the nearest future. Growth may sustain due not only to the monetary stimuli, but also to new institutional reforms. China’s economy is really rebalancing in favor of services, and that process leads to a fast creation of jobs, which, in its turn, assists a consumer demand’s expansion. Such a shift is promoted with the new tax reform carried out newly in the service sector. The investment demand has been weakening, not least because of the government’s efforts to curb the shadow banking activities and to deleverage at the regional and municipal levels. But, at the same time, a huge amount of new businesses has been established as a result of the minimum capital requirements liberalization. The concept of a "mixed ownership" pioneered by the top state leaders actually implies a new phase of privatization. Public-private partnership is being installed in the number of infrastructural industries. A wave of new reforms is also prevailing at the banking and equity markets. The government assists the Chinese companies' entry into foreign markets with additional export promotion policies and the "Go Out" investment drive.
Algebraic Rules for the Percentage Composition of Oligomers in Genomes
Authors: Petoukhov Sergey
Published: March 2021

The article presents the author's results of studying hidden rules of structural organizations of long DNA sequences in eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes. The results concern some rules of percentages (or probabilities) of n-plets in genomes. To reveal such rules, the author considers genomic DNA nucleotide sequences as multilayers sequences of n-plets and studies the percentage contents of n-plets in different layers. Unexpected rules of invariance of total sums of percentages in certain tetra-groupings of n-plets in different layers of genomic DNA sequences are revealed. These discovered rules are candidates for the role of universal genomic rules. A tensor family of matrix representations of interrelated DNA-alphabets of 4 nucleotides, 16 doublets, 64 triplets, and 256 tetraplets is used in the study. This matrix approach allows revealing algebraic properties of the mentioned genetic rules of probabilities, which are useful for developing algebraic and quantum biology. Some analogies of the discovered genetic phenomena with phenomena of Gestalt psychology are noted and discussed. The author connects the received results about the genomic percentages rules with a supposition of P. Jordan, who is one of the creators of quantum mechanics and quantum biology, that life's missing laws are the rules of chance and probability of the quantum world.
Prevalence and Multidrug Resistance Pattern of Methicillin Resistant S. aureus Isolated from Frozen Chicken Meat in Bangladesh
Authors: Parvin Mst. Sonia , Ali Md. Yamin , Talukder Sudipta , Chowdhury Emdadul Haque , Rahman Md. Tanvir , Islam Md. Taohidul
Published: March 2021

Infections by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are continuously expanding within the community. Chicken meat is usually contaminated by MRSA, and this contaminated chicken meat is an important source of foodborne infections in humans. In this study, a cross-sectional supershop survey was conducted to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of MRSA in 113 domestic frozen chicken meat samples purchased from nine branded supershops available in five divisional megacities of Bangladesh. The study also focused on the determination of methicillin resistance gene in MRSA isolates. S. aureus was identified by standard culture-based and molecular methods, and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. MRSA was screened by cefoxitin disk diffusion test. Methicillin resistance gene was identified by PCR. Of samples, 54.9% were positive for S. aureus, and, of these, 37.1% isolates were identified as MRSA. All the isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR): 52.2% were resistant to 6−8 antimicrobial classes, and 47.8% isolates to 9−12 classes. Three (3.2%) isolates of S. aureus were possible extensively drug resistant. The highest rates of resistance were observed against cefoxitin (100%), followed by nalidixic acid, ampicillin and oxacillin (97.7%), colistin (91.3%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and amoxicillin (87%), penicillin-G and cloxacillin (82.6%), oxytetracycline (78.3%) and cefixime (73.9%). Screening of methicillin resistance gene revealed that 43.5% isolates of MRSA were positive for mecA gene. The high prevalence of MDR MRSA in frozen chicken meat samples in this study emphasizes the need for better sanitary education of food handlers in hygienic practices focusing on their potential role as reservoirs and spreaders of MRSA.
Examining the Potential Impacts of Air Pollution on China’s Inbound Tourism: The Case of Beijing and Shanghai
Authors: Ni Xu , Ma Hongqing
Published: March 2021

Concerns about China’s air quality, and its impact on the important tourism industry have been on the debate in recent years. This article aims to investigate the potential effect of air pollution on direct economic impact of tourism, using the case of Beijing and Shanghai. The results indicate that air pollution negatively affects China's inbound tourism, resulting in huge loss of tourist arrivals and receipts, and Beijing suffers a greater loss in comparison with Shanghai, its loss in tourist number amounts to 1569,700 persons, equal to CNY 10264.268 million in tourism receipts, and the GDP losses ranges from CNY 20528.536 to 41057.072 across major source countries. This study provides a quantification of the impact helpful to generate a social awareness of air pollution detrimental impacts on inbound tourism and hence the economy.
Introducing the Privacy Aspect to Systems Thinking Assessment Method
Authors: Hirschprung Ron S. , Kordova Sigal
Published: March 2021

Systems thinking is a valuable skill that may be required for an individual to be promoted in the business arena to managerial or leading positions. Thus, assessing systems thinking skills is an essential transaction for decision-makers in the organization as a preceding step to the promotion decision. One of the well-known and validated tools for this task is a questionnaire. However, because some of the questions invade the employee / candidate’s privacy, the answer may be biased. In this paper, we consider this potential bias, a phenomenon that is becoming more and more significant as privacy concerns and awareness continuously increase in the modern digital world. We propose a formal methodology to optimize the questionnaire based on the privacy sensitivity of each question, thereby providing a more reliable assessment. We conducted an empirical study (n=142), and showed that a systems skills questionnaire can be enhanced. This research has a significant contribution to improving the systems skills assessment process in particular, and also lays the foundations for improving the evaluation of other skills / traits.
Understanding the impact of different landscape-level fuel management strategies on wildfire hazard
Authors: Benali Akli , Sá Ana C.L. , Pinho João , Fernandes Paulo , Pereira José M.C.
Published: March 2021

The disastrous 2017 fire season in Portugal lead to widespread recognition of the need for a paradigm shift in forest and fire management. We focused our study on Alvares, a parish in central Portugal which had 60% of its area burned in 2017, with a large record of historical. We evaluated how different fuel treatment strategies can reduce wildfire hazard in Alvares, through i) a fuel break network with different priorities and ii) random fuel treatments resulting from stand-level management intensification. To assess this, we developed a stochastic fire simulation system (FUNC-SIM) that integrates uncertainties in fuel distribution over the landscape. If the landscape remains unchanged, Alvares will have large burn probabilities in the north, northeast, and center-east areas of the parish that are very often associated with high fire line intensities. The different fuel treatment scenarios decreased burned area between 12.1-31.2%, resulting from 1%-4.6% increases in annual treatment area, and reduced 10%-40% the likelihood of wildfires larger than 5000 ha. On average, simulated burned area decreased 0.22% per each ha treated, and effectiveness decreased with increasing area treated. Overall, both fuel treatment strategies effectively reduced wildfire hazard and should be part of a larger, holistic and integrated plan to reduce the vulnerability of the Alvares parish to wildfires.
Roles of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in Stimulating Salinity Stress Defense in Plants: A Review
Authors: Ha-Tran Dung Minh , Nguyen Trinh Thi My , Hung Shih-Hsun , Huang Eugene , Huang Chieh-Chen
Published: March 2021

To date, soil salinity becomes a huge obstacle for food production worldwide since salt stress in plants is one of the major factors limiting agricultural productivity. It is estimated that a significant loss of crops (20%–50%) would be due to drought and salinity. To embark upon this harsh situation, numerous strategies such as plant breeding, plant genetic engineering, and a large variety of agricultural practices including the applications of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and seed biopriming technique have been developed to improve plant defense system against salt stress, resulting in higher crop yields to meet human’s increasing food demand in the future. In the present review, we update and discuss the advantageous roles of beneficial PGPR as green bioinoculants in mitigating the burden of high saline conditions on morphological parameters and on physio-biochemical attributes of plant crops via diverse mechanisms. In addition, the applications of PGPR as a useful tool in seed biopriming technique are also updated and discussed since this approach exhibits promising potentials in improving seed vigor, rapid seed germination, and seedling growth uniformity, Furthermore, the controversial findings regarding the fluctuation of antioxidants and osmolytes in PGPR-treated plants are also pointed out and discussed.
Determination of the modulus of elasticity using a Smartphone and
mode of unsupport beam Euler-Bernoulli
Authors: Huamaní   Castro Newton
Published: March 2021

This paper presents the simplified and quick way to obtain an experimental measure of the modulus
of elasticity(E) of a piece of metal rod using the Smartphone microphone and through the experimental
configuration in mode of unsupport beam Euler-Bernoulli(E-B). To understand it, it is required to have
knowledge about flexural vibration of E-B beams and to know the analysis of the spectogram of the audio signal. The methodology consists in measuring the flexural resonance frequency through an app installed on a Smartphone and using the E formula deduced from the E-B theoretical framework. The results of the experimental measurements have a discrepancy of less than 5% with respect to the factory value, for a carbon steel rod with circular cross section using the impact excitation technique. It describes the precision and accuracy of the experimental measurement. It is useful, because it helps to classify the materials in the Faculty of Engineering and it helps to make a more efficient quality control.
The Multifaceted Roles of Zinc in Neuronal Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Liu Hilary Y. , Gale Jenna R. , Reynolds Ian J. , Weiss John H. , Aizenman Elias
Published: March 2021

Zinc is a highly abundant cation in the brain, where it is essential for cellular function, including transcription, enzymatic activity, and cell signaling. However, zinc can also trigger injurious cascades in neurons, contributing to the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondria, critical for meeting the high energy demands of the central nervous system (CNS), are a principal target of the deleterious actions of zinc. An increasing body of work suggests that intracellular zinc, can, under certain circumstances, contribute to neuronal damage by inhibiting mitochondrial energy processes, including dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to ATP depletion. Additional consequences of zinc-mediated mitochondrial damage include reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial permeability transition, and calcium deregulation. Zinc can also induce mitochondrial fission, resulting in mitochondrial fragmentation, as well as inhibition of mitochondrial motility. Here, we review the known mechanisms responsible for the deleterious actions of zinc on the organelle, within the context of neuronal injury associated with neurodegenerative processes. Elucidating the critical contributions of zinc-induced mitochondrial defects to neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration may provide insight into novel therapeutic targets in the clinical setting.
Presentation of the Transmission Functions to the Mechanism of a 2T6R Robot in Direct Kinematics, Deduced by Two Original Methods
Authors: Ungureanu Liviu Marian , Petrescu Florian Ion
Published: March 2021

The paper deals with the problems of direct kinematics related to a 2T6R robot, the direct kinematics of the plane mechanism of the robot. The direct kinematics of this proposed new robot help to study the movement, including the dynamic one, to determine the forces in the mechanism and to model the possible trajectories of the final effector point, thus determining the robot's working space and some of its multiple possible uses. Two totally different methods were used to verify the calculation relations, the results obtained by both methods being practically identical. The first method used is an original trigonometric method, and the second is an original geometrically analytical method.
Evaluation of TiO2 Based Photocatalytic Treatment of Odor and Gaseous Emissions From Swine Manure With UV-A and UV-C
Authors: Lee Myeongseong , Koziel Jacek A. , Murphy Wyatt , Jenks William S. , Chen Baitong , Li Peiyang , Banik Chumki
Published: March 2021

It is essential to mitigate gaseous emissions that result from poultry and livestock production to increase industry sustainability. Odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and greenhouse gases (GHGs) have detrimental effects on the quality of life in rural communities, the environment, and climate. This study's objective was to evaluate the photocatalytic UV treatment of gaseous emissions of odor, odorous VOCs, NH3, and other gases (GHGs, O3 – sometimes considered as by-products of UV treatment) from stored swine manure on a pilot-scale. The manure emissions were treated in fast-moving air using a mobile lab equipped with UV-A and UV-C lights and TiO2-based photocatalyst. Treated gas airflow (0.25 to 0.76 m3/s) simulates output from a small ventilation fan in a barn. Through controlling the light intensity and airflow, UV dose was tested for techno-economic analyses. The treatment effectiveness depended on the UV dose and wavelength. Under UV-A (367 nm) photocatalysis, the percent reduction of targeted gases was up to i) 63% of odor, ii) 51%, 51%, 53%, 67%, and 32% of acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, p-cresol, and indole, respectively, iii) 14% of nitrous oxide (N2O), iv) 100% of O3, and 26% generation of CO2. Under UV-C (185+254 nm) photocatalysis, the percent reductions of target gases were up to i) 54% and 47% for p-cresol and indole, respectively, ii) 25% of N2O, iii) 71% of CH4, and 46% & 139% generation of CO2 & O3, respectively. The results proved that the UV technology was sufficiently effective in treating odorous gases, and the mobile lab was ready for farm-scale trials. The UV technology can be considered for the scaled-up treatment of emissions and air quality improvement inside livestock barns.