bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Germination and Initial Seedling Development of Krantz Aloe by Smoke-saturated Water and Seed Imbibition
Authors: Espinosa-Leal Claudia A. , Garcia-Lara Silverio
Published: July 2020

Krantz aloe (Aloe arborescens) is one of two aloe species currently used for the extraction of active ingredients that can be useful in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, krantz aloe plants have been frequently collected from the wild, which is threatening wild populations. In vitro tissue culture would allow the growth of krantz aloe under controlled conditions, optimizing the production of active ingredients without risk to wild populations. The establishment of cultures from krantz aloe plant explants has proved difficult as a result of the long response times of the explants and their release of polyphenols. Krantz aloe seeds are not commonly used as a means of propagation because of their low germination percentages. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of seed imbibition (SI) with water and the addition of smoke-saturated water (SSW) to the culture medium on the in vitro germination and initial seedling development of krantz aloe. Seeds were germinated in vitro in axenic conditions. The treatments used were the addition of 10% SSW to the culture media, SI, and a combination of both (10% SSW + SI). Daily germination was recorded and gross morphology was measured after 1 month of culture establishment. The maximum germination percentage (GP) was achieved when 10% SSW was in the medium (97.2%), followed by the combined application of 10% SSW + SI (96.6%), both of which were almost 30% greater and significantly different from that of the control (69.4%). SI had an 83.3% GP. No significant differences were observed among treatments in any of the observed development parameters (leaf and root length and number). Taken together, these findings show that the use of SSW improves the in vitro germination of krantz aloe without affecting seedling development, indicating preliminarily that SSW represents a useful in vitro germination promoter for this species.
La teoría de Adam of Wodeham sobre la percepción no verídica de círculos suspendidos en el aire
Authors: Gamboa Lydia Deni
Published: July 2020

Cuando vemos una vara moviéndose en círculos, aparece un círculo en el aire desde la perspectiva de la primera persona. Esta ilusión fue explicada por Peter Auriole mediante la idea según la cual, en tal caso, existe una entidad aparente en nuestra visión, la cual es la causa directa de tal ilusión. Wodeham presenta una explicación diferente pero similar a la de Ockham. Para él, cuando un agente cree que existe un círculo suspendido, él mismo forma una inferencia cuya conclusión es "existe un círculo suspendido en el aire". Esta inferencia es casi imperceptible para nosotros, según Wodeham. En este artículo reconstruyo la explicación que ofrece Wodeham del proceso por el cual un agente cree que "existe un círculo suspendido en el aire". Este proceso es diferente a lo propuesto por Ockham.
El problema ontológico mente-cuerpo: ¿irresoluble o mal entendido?
Authors: Gómez-Tabares Anyerson Stiths , Ospina Carmona Jose Fernando , Micolta Henao Andrés Felipe
Published: July 2020

Este artículo tiene por objetivo plantear que el problema mente-cuerpo, entendido en términos de la determinación de una ontología, ya sea de tipo monista o dualista, ha sido mal abordado; de ahí que lleve a caminos intrincados y conclusiones erróneas, además de extravagantes. Entender la relación de la mente con el cerebro, en términos ontológicos, se debe, entre otros factores, a la herencia cartesiana y su claro dualismo. Se argumenta que el problema mente-cuerpo filosófico no es diferente a un problema mente-cuerpo (cerebro) científico, en el cual se debe buscar asidero en la evidencia empírica. Finalmente, se sostiene que un análisis filosófico exitoso respecto a la relación entre lo mental y lo cerebral debe ser considerado como un problema conceptual asociado al significado lingüístico con consecuencias epistemológicas, pero no ontológico. Asimismo, se concluye que muchos de los conceptos relacionados con lo mental deben considerarse en relación con la realidad institucional para evitar un intento de naturalización de carácter eliminativo.
Hermenéutica Simbólica
Authors: Jaramillo Restrepo Víctor Raúl
Published: July 2020

Este artículo pretende una mirada que vincule de nuevo lo que ha sido roto. Es una suma de sentidos —mediados por el acontecer académico— que buscan relacionar el lenguaje a través del estudio del símbolo y su dimensión cultural y existencial. Todo, como reflejo de una interpretación cada vez más dada a ampliar su horizonte, pese a las evidentes restricciones. Aquí se intenta la relación de la palabra como concepto, como extensión imaginaria o metafórica si se quiere, y sus posibilidades para alcanzar una comprensión de los diferentes aspectos de la conducta y la razón humanas. Siempre conscientes de la dificultad que tal tarea exige, dispuestos a aceptar una derrota en el empeño.
RU Department of Environmental Science: Research Data
Authors: Science RU Department of Environmental
Published: July 2020

This collection contains research data as collated by the Department of Environmental Science at Rhodes University
Internal Corporate Governance Practices and Choice of External Auditor in Nigeria: A Logistic Regression Analysis
Authors: Soyemi Kenny Adedapo
Published: July 2020

The research provided empirical evidence on how internal corporate governance practices were proxied by board size, board independence, and share ownership by institutional investors with firm size and leverage as control variables. It might influence the choice of the external auditor, (a dummy proxied with the Big4 versus non-Big4 audit firms dichotomy). The sample was composed of 27 purposely selected quoted non-financial firms spread across 10 sectors on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). There were 189 firms/year of dataset observations. These secondary panel data were sourced mainly from selected firms’ annual reports and accounts from 2011 to 2017. Moreover, descriptive analysis and test of mean difference were conducted, while the panel logistic regression was adopted as the estimation method. The test of mean difference reveals that many firms with larger board size, board independence, and considerably higher institutional investors engage Big4 auditors. Meanwhile, firms with higher leverage employ non-Big4 auditors. The results from the multivariate analysis show that key determinants of the choice of external auditors are board independence and firm size. This suggests that firms have a higher propensity of choosing a Big4 audit firm as the number of independent board members, as well as their increase in sizes. These findings are mostly consistent with previous studies.
Marketing Strategy and Capability as the Mediators in Relationship of Market Orientation and Export Performance: A Case Study of Rattan Processing SMEs
Authors: Muis Indra
Published: July 2020

The research examined the performance of export marketing performance through the implementation of market orientation intervened by export marketing strategy and export marketing capability. Primary data were collected through questionnaires from 108 samples out of 148 rattan processing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in nine provinces in Indonesia. The respondents were marketing managers or owners of SMEs with at least two years of experience. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), which was processed by using Lisrel 8.7, was employed. The results indicate that market orientation, export marketing strategy, and export marketing capability are well implemented in the business operation of SMEs. However, the export marketing performance needs to be improved. Concerning the variables studied, market orientation has a significant effect on export marketing strategy, export marketing capability, and export marketing performance. Then, export marketing strategy affects export marketing performance significantly. Moreover, export marketing capability also has a significant effect on export marketing performance. Finally, export marketing strategy and capability intervene in the relationship between market orientation and export performance.
Finding Customer Perception of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending Financial Technology in Pohon Dana
Authors: Tandiono Joshua , Djojo Brata Wibawa , Candra Sevenpri , Heriyati Pantri
Published: July 2020

The research aimed to discover some factors influencing customer perception toward Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending Financial Technology (FinTech). It was an empirical study in which the survey was conducted using an online questionnaire from June to August 2019. The research sample was collected from 56 respondents of Pohon Dana customers by simple random sampling. The data collected were analyzed with Partial Least Square Path Modelling by presenting several factors influencing customer perception. The analysis tool was SmartPLS ver 3.2.8. The research finds out that benefits and security have a positive and significant relationship to customer perception. Meanwhile, ease of use, self-efficacy, and trust have a negative and insignificant relationship to customer perception.
Implementation of Structured Object-Oriented Formal Language for Warehouse Management System
Authors: Afifudi Irfin , Martina Inge
Published: July 2020

Designing process is inseparable from software development. Like other software development processes, designing process faces many problems, such as improper and ambiguous specifications. These problems may be overcome by applying formal engineering methods. One of which is Structured Object-Oriented Formal Language (SOFL). The analysis and formation of the design and implementation of SOFL are carried out as a solution to the problem. The application of SOFL is divided into three parts according to SOFL rules, namely informal specification, semi-formal specification, and formal specification. The design and implementation are measured and tested using rigorous review and maintainability index. This research uses a warehouse management system, a safety-critical system, as a case study. Rigorous analysis shows that SOFL in warehouse management system increases the maintainability index of 56.94%. It means that it is easier to develop.
Color Extraction and Edge Detection of Nutrient Deficiencies in Cucumber Leaves Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Qur'ania Arie , Harsani Prihastuti , Triastinurmiatiningsih Triastinurmiatiningsih , Wulandhari Lili Ayu , Gunawan Alexander Agung Santoso
Published: July 2020

The research aims to detect the combined deficiency of two nutrients. Those are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and phosphorus and potassium (K). Here, it is referred to as nutrient deficiencies of N and Pand P and K. The r esearchers use the characteristics of Red, Green, Blue (RGB) color and Sobel edge detection for leaf shape detection and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for the identification process to make the application of nutrient differentiation identification in cucumber. The data of plant images consist of 450 training data and 150 testing data. The results of identifying nutrient deficiencies in plants using backpropagation neural networks are carried out in three tests. First, using RGB color extraction and Sobel edge detection, the researchers show 65.36% accuracy. Second, using RGB color extraction, it has 70.25% accuracy. Last, with Sobel edge detection, it has 59.52% accuracy.
ERKEN EVRE DİZ OSTEOARTRİTLİ HASTALARDA POSTÜRAL STABİLİTENİN SAĞLIKLI BİREYLER İLE KARŞILAŞTIRILMASI
Authors: GÖKŞEN Ayşenur , CAN Filiz , TAŞ Serkan , KORKUSUZ Feza
Published: July 2020

Amaç: Çalışmanın amacı, erken evre (1-2) diz osteoartriti (OA) olan hastalarda sağlıklı bireylere göre dengenin etkilenip etkilenmediğinin incelenmesi ve erken evre diz OA olan hastalarda denge ile diz fonksiyonu, ağrı şiddeti ve vücut kütle indeksi arasındaki ilişkinin araştırılmasıydı. Yöntem: Bu çalışma, 20 kadın ve dokuz erkek olmak üzere 29 diz OA’lı hastanın katılımı ile gerçekleşti. Sağlıklı kontrol grubu ise, 24 kadın, altı erkek olmak üzere 30 asemptomatik bireyden oluştu. Çalışmaya katılan bireylerin dengesi Biodex Denge Sistemi (BDS) kullanılarak, ağrı şiddeti Vizüel Analog Skalası (VAS) ile, diz fonksiyonları ise, Westhern Ontario Osteoartrit İndeksi (WOMAC) ile değerlendirildi. Sonuçlar: Her iki grubun gözler açık pozisyonda postüral stabilite test sonuçlarının benzer olduğu bulundu (p>0,05). Gözler kapalı pozisyonda ise, diz OA olan hastaların anterioposterior (p=0,013), mediolateral (p=0,024) ve toplam (p=0,001) postüral stabilite test puanlarının kontrol grubuna göre arttığı bulundu. Diz OA olan hastalarda gözler kapalı pozisyonda mediolateral postüral stabilite test puanı ile WOMAC arasında ilişki olduğu bulundu (r=0,687-0,615, p<0,05). VAS ve vücut kütle indeksi ile postüral stabilite test puanları arasında ilişki bulunmadı (p>0,05). Tartışma: Erken evre diz OA olan bireylerde gözler kapalı pozisyonda postüral salınım miktarı sağlıklı bireylere göre artar ve bu artış fonksiyonel düzeydeki kayıpla ilişkilidir. Diz OA’da erken dönemden itibaren denge etkilenmeye başlar ve bu yüzden dengeyi geliştirmeye yönelik girişimler tedavi programına dahil edilmelidir.
FARKLI FONKSİYONEL SEVİYEDEKİ SEREBRAL PALSİLİ ÇOCUKLARDA OMURGA DÜZGÜNLÜĞÜ VE KAS İSKELET SİSTEMİ ETKİLENİMİNİN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ
Authors: ARIKAN Zeynep , MUTLU Akmer , LİVANELİOĞLU Ayşe
Published: July 2020

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın birincil amacı Omurga Düzgünlüğü ve Normal Eklem Hareketi Ölçümü (ODNEH)’nün Türkçe’ye çevirisini yapmak ve bu değerlendirme yöntemini ülkemizde bu alanda çalışan fizyoterapistlerin kullanımına sunmaktı. İkincil amacı ise, farklı fonksiyonel seviyedeki serebral palsili (SP) çocukların omurga düzgünlüğünü ve eklem hareket açıklığını ODNEH ile değerlendirmekti. Yöntem: Çalışmaya 6-18 yaş arası, Kaba Motor Fonksiyon Sınıflandırma Sistemi (KMFSS) seviyelerinden her bir seviyede 25’er çocuk olmak üzere, beş seviyede toplam 125 SP’li çocuk dâhil edildi. Çocukların motor fonksiyon seviyeleri KMFSS, omurga düzgünlüğündeki bozukluklar ve kontraktürler ODNEH kullanılarak değerlendirildi. Sonuçlar: Çocukların KMFSS düzeylerine göre ODNEH puanları arasında fark olduğu bulundu (p<0,001). Fonksiyonel seviyesi düşük olan çocukların (KMFSS Seviye V) fonksiyonel seviyesi iyi olan çocuklara (KMFSS Seviye I) göre ODNEH ile ilgili tüm puanlarının daha yüksek olduğu saptandı (p<0,001). Tartışma: Fonksiyonel seviyesi iyi olan çocuklarda eklem hareket açıklığı limitasyonlarına kıyasla omurga deformiteleri daha az görülürken, düşük fonksiyonel seviyeyedeki çocuklarda omurga problemlerine ek olarak eklem limitasyonlarının şiddeti de artmıştır. Bu sonuçlara göre, SP’li çocuklarla çalışan fizyoterapistlerin hareket ve fonksiyon gelişiminin yanı sıra, özellikle çocuğun büyümesi ile birlikte gelişmesi olası kas-iskelet sistemi deformiteleri ve kontraktürlerine de odaklanması gerekmektedir. Bu çerçevede Türkçe çevirisini yapmış olduğumuz ODNEH, fizyoterapistlerin SP’li çocuklarda olası deformiteleri ve kontraktürleri değerlendirmesini sağlayan bir araç olacaktır.
AN EVALUATION OF SWALLOWING FUNCTION AFTER CANCER TREATMENT IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS
Authors: YAŞAROĞLU Ömer Faruk , SEREL ARSLAN Selen , KILINÇ Hasan Erkan , DEMİR Numan , KARADUMAN Aynur Ayşe
Published: July 2020

Purpose: Evaluation of swallowing and feeding types are essential in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). This study aimed to evaluate the swallowing function of patients treated for HNC. Methods: One hundred fifty-seven patients with HNC who were referred for swallowing disorder were included. Descriptive information including age, gender, weight, height, diagnosis, and feeding type was recorded. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) was performed to assess swallowing function. Penetration and aspiration severity was determined using the Penetration and Aspiration Scale (PAS). Results: The mean age was 54.16±12.90 years, of which 66.9% was male. The 23.6% of patients were treated for oropharyngeal cancer, 17.2% for nasopharyngeal cancer, and 59.2% for hypopharyngeal cancer. The 26.75% of patients underwent surgery, and 25.5% received chemoradiotherapy, and 45.9% underwent surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy. The mean PAS score for liquid was 4.96±2.93, and the mean PAS score for pudding was 3.76±3.05 according to the VFSS. While only liquid aspiration was 70.1%, aspiration in liquid and pudding was 37.2%. A significant difference was found between referral and recommended feeding types (p=0.003). No difference was detected in terms of PAS score for liquids, PAS score for pudding, and recommended feeding type according to received treatment types (p>0.05). Conclusion: More than half of the patients had airway aspiration, and their referral feeding type was not appropriate. Therefore, swallowing function should be evaluated in patients with HNC, and appropriate feeding type should be determined in an early period.
The ice cover shapes the spatial and temporal characteristics of water quality in Hulun Lake during winter
Authors: Ao Wen , Dou Hua-shan , Yu Cen-cen , Wang Wen-lin , Wang Zeng-long , Wang Qi , Lu Lu , Zhou Xing-jun , Han Rui-ming , Zou Chang-xin
Published: July 2020

Being the largest boreal steppe lake in Northeast China, Hulun Lake has been characterized by eutrophication induced by abnormally high organic matter. This work investigated therefore the physicochemical and water quality parameters of Hulun Lake, and that of the inflowing Crulen River and Orshen River through winter, to reveal the spatial and temporal characteristics of water quality without impact of algal bloom, atmospheric deposition, wind or allochthonous nutrient input. Results showed that the prevention of wind-induced sedimentary resuspension accompanied with the minimized volume of tributary inflows is supposed to predominate the eutrophication alleviation. The formation of ice cover had a slight concentrative effect on water ion content. However, ice cover resulted in an increasingly homogenous distribution of phosphorus and oxygen-depleting organic matter over the entire lake. The two headwater streams demonstrated limited impact on water quality in estuaries in winter without showing evident coordination in upstream water nutrient level. It is suggested that the prevention of wind disturbance by ice cover and the subsequently modified hydrodynamic and water ecological processes are the determinant factors on water quality in Hulun Lake during winter.
Tendencies of the Russian and International Markets of Corporate Information Systems
Authors: Pushkin Semen Sergeevich
Published: July 2020

The paper provides a definition and describes the types of corporate information systems, problems of using systems and development trends of CIS in the Russian and international markets. The relevance of choosing this topic for the research is due to the current economic situation, taking into account today’s tendencies of the growing amount of information in the world and the levels of automatization and computer use in companies.
Information Technology: Current and Future Trends for Airlines
Authors: Garina Ekaterina Sergeevna
Published: July 2020

This paper analyzes current state of information technology in airline industry and demonstrates future tendencies of IT used by airlines.
Methods of Strength Building of Qualified Weightlifters
Authors: Bolshoi Aleksandr Vladimirovich
Published: July 2020

The article shows that in the training process of modern weightlifters of high qualification, combinations of several most effective methods of developing muscle strength are used. During the preparation of the article, the analysis of scientific and methodological literature on the research topic was carried out. The training plans of qualified weightlifters were also studied. The results of the study allow us to conclude that from 70% to 90% of the total training load of qualified weightlifters falls on exercises performed using the method of repeated effort and the method of short-term maximum stress
An Approach to Developing a LitRPG Psychology Teaching Guide in Undergraduate Education
Authors: Tovbaz Elena Gennadevna
Published: July 2020

The given article deals with aspects of studying psychology in the modern world and reasons for developing a teaching guide (course) with Literary RPG elements. The article focuses on a connection between psychology and literature as sources of psychological knowledge. The article defines components of the teaching model which embodies psychological cognition methods with elements typical for LitRPG game mechanics: plot, quest solving, immersion, character’s role in the learning game environment, based on the realia of the target discipline.
The Interaction of the Microtubule Targeting Anticancer Drug Colchicine with Human Glutathione Transferases
Authors: Premetis Georgios , Marugas Panagiotis , Fanos Georgios , Vlachakis Dimitrios , Chronopoulou Evangelia G. , Perperopoulou Fereniki , Dubey Kashyap Kumar , Shukla Pratyoosh , Foudah Ahmed Ibrahim , Muharram Magdy Mohamed , Aldawsari Mohammed F. , Papageorgiou Anastassios C. , Labrou Nikolaos E.
Published: July 2020

Background:

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are a family of Phase II detoxification enzymes that
have been shown to be involved in the development of multi-drug resistance (MDR) mechanism toward chemotherapeutic
agents. GST inhibitors have, therefore, emerged as promising chemosensitizers to manage and
reverse MDR. Colchicine (COL) is a classical antimitotic, tubulin-binding agent (TBA) which is being explored
as anticancer drug.

Methods:

In the present work, the interaction of COL and its derivative 2,3-didemethylcolchicine (2,3-DDCOL)
with human glutathione transferases (hGSTA1-1, hGSTP1-1, hGSTM1-1) was investigated by inhibition analysis,
molecular modelling and molecular dynamics simulations.

Results:

The results showed that both compounds bind reversibly to human GSTs and behave as potent inhibitors.
hGSTA1-1 was the most sensitive enzyme to inhibition by COL with IC50 22 μΜ. Molecular modelling predicted
that COL overlaps with both the hydrophobic (H-site) and glutathione binding site (G-site) and polar interactions
appear to be the driving force for its positioning and recognition at the binding site. The interaction of COL with
other members of GST family (hGSTA2-2, hGSTM3-3, hGSTM3-2) was also investigated with similar results.

Conclusion:

The results of the present study might be useful in future drug design and development efforts towards
human GSTs.
Recent Advances in the Sustainable Synthesis of Quinazolines Using Earth-Abundant First Row Transition Metals
Authors: Zaib Sumera , Khan Imtiaz
Published: July 2020

Achieving challenging molecular diversity in contemporary chemical synthesis
remains a formidable hurdle, particularly in the delivery of diversified bioactive heterocyclic
pharmacophores for drug design and pharmaceutical applications. The coupling methods that
combine a diverse range of readily accessible and commercially available pools of substrates
under the action of earth-abundant first row transition metal catalysts have certainly matured
into powerful tools, thus offering sustainable alternatives to revolutionize the organic synthesis.
This minireview highlights the successful utilization of the catalytic ability of the first
row transition metals (Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu) in the modular assembly of quinazoline heterocycle,
ubiquitously present in numerous alkaloids, commercial medicines and is associated with a
diverse range of pharmacological activities. The broad substrate scope and high functional group tolerance of the
targeted methods were extensively explored, identifying the future strategic advances in the field. The investigation
will also be exemplified with mechanistic studies as long as they are deemed necessary.
The Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships between GABAA Receptor
and Ligands based on Binding Interface Characteristic
Authors: Cheng Shu , Ding Yanrui
Published: July 2020

Background:

Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) methods based on machine learning play a
vital role in predicting biological effect.

Objective:

Considering the characteristics of the binding interface between ligands and the inhibitory neurotransmitter
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid A(GABAA) receptor, we built a QSAR model of ligands that bind to the human GABAA
receptor.

Method:

After feature selection with Mean Decrease Impurity, we selected 53 from 1,286 docked ligand molecular
descriptors. Three QSAR models are built using gradient boosting regression tree algorithm based on the different
combinations of docked ligand molecular descriptors and ligand-receptor interaction characteristics.

Results:

The features of the optimal QSAR model contain both the docked ligand molecular descriptors and ligand-receptor
interaction characteristics. The Leave-One-Out-Cross-Validation (Q2 LOO) of the optimal QSAR model is 0.8974, the
Coefficient of Determination (R2) for the testing set is 0.9261, the Mean Square Error (MSE) is 0.1862. We also used this
model to predict the pIC50 of two new ligands, the differences between the predicted and experimental pIC50 are -0.02 and
0.03 respectively.

Conclusion :

We found the BELm2, BELe2, MATS1m, X5v, Mor08v, and Mor29m are crucial features, which can help to
build the QSAR model more accurately.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Oral Inflammatory Diseases: Research Progress and Future Perspectives
Authors: Gong Wang , Wang Fei , He Yuqing , Zeng Xin , Zhang Dunfang , Chen Qianming
Published: July 2020

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for clinical diseases associated with inflammation and tissue damage has become a progressive treatment strategy. MSCs have unique biological functions, such as homing, immune regulation, and differentiation capabilities, which provide the prerequisites for the treatment of clinical diseases. Oral diseases are often associated with abnormal immune regulation and epithelial tissue damage. In this review, we summarize previous studies that use MSC therapy to treat various oral inflammatory diseases, including oral ulceration, allergic diseases, chemo/radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis, periodontitis, osteonecrosis of the jaw, Sjögren's syndrome (SS), among other similar diseases. We highlight MSC treatment as a promising approach in the management of oral inflammatory diseases, and discuss the obstacles that remain and must be overcome for MSC treatment to thrive in the future.
16x16-Bit Binary Multiplier Using High-Speed Modified Compressor
Authors: Maitra Subhashis
Published: July 2020

Background:

For higher-order multiplications, a huge number of adders or compressors are
used to perform the addition of the partial products.

Objective:

Hence, the area and the propagation delay will increase. Researchers are trying to reduce
the number of additions of partial products.

Method:

In this paper, different modified compressors have been proposed and based on these compressors,
16x16-bit binary multiplier has been discussed.

Results:

The proposed design provides better area, power consumption, critical path delay and less
number of transistor counts when compared to other designs using the conventional compressors.
Here, the proposed method has been used in the Wallace tree multiplier or Dadda tree multiplier. The
compressor used here has been implemented using Microwind DSCH 3.8 lite.

Conclusion:

The modified compressor makes the multiplier faster and reduces the number of addition
of partial products.
Research and Design of Pipe Cleaning Device with Self-Rotation
Authors: Chen Zhong , Qiu Xiaoyang , Yang Hu , Yang Lingling
Published: July 2020

Background:

With more and more blockages in the drainage pipe, recent patents on the design
of the pipe cleaning device are also being addressed increasingly. But the current pipe cleaning
device has only a single dredging function, and due to the inefficiency of the nozzle head, it cannot be
used for cleaning of the seriously blocked pipelines.

Objective:

In order to solve these problems, a novel pipe cleaning device with self-rotation is proposed
and the fluid simulation analysis is adopted for the low-efficiency problem of the nozzle head in this
paper.

Methods:

Firstly, the overall structure of the drainage pipeline cleaning device was designed. Secondly,
the size of the nozzle and the nozzle head was determined. Thirdly, the fluid simulation analysis of the
nozzle head was carried out to realize the optimal design of the nozzle head. Finally, according to the
above design, a prototype was manufactured.

Results:

This paper presents a novel pipe cleaning device with self-rotation, which is different from
current patents. It is divided into the nozzle head system, walking system, cleaning system, threedimensional
modeling and assembly of the above three mechanical systems. The simulation results
demonstrated that if a deflector is not fixed inside the nozzle head, the pressure of the nozzle head is
about 8542751.89Pa, and the flow rate at the outlet of the nozzle head is 354.897m/s. If a deflector is
fixed, the corresponding data is 1.32e + 008Pa and 446.336m/s. The result shows that the proposed new
nozzle head optimization is effective.

Conclusion:

The new design solves the problems of the current patents on pipe cleaning device, and
solves the key technical problems of inconvenient cleaning of pipe blockage and low efficiency nozzle
head under complex working conditions. As a whole, this paper provides new ideas and new methods
for the efficient work of pipe cleaning device and the removal of hard dirt on the inner wall of the pipeline.
A Secure Framework to Preserve Privacy of Biometric Templates on Cloud Using Deep Learning
Authors: Arora Shefali , Bhatia M.P.S.
Published: July 2020

Introduction:

Cloud computing involves the use of maximum remote services through a network using minimum
resources via internet. There are various issues associated with cloud computing, such as privacy, security and reliability.
Due to rapidly increasing information on the cloud, it is important to ensure security of user information. Biometric template
security over cloud is one such concern. Leakage of unprotected biometric data can serve as a major risk for the privacy of
individuals and security of real-world applications.

Method:

In this paper, we improvise a secure framework named DeepCrypt, that can be applied to protect biometric
templates during authentication of biometric templates. We use deep Convolutional Neural Networks to extract features
from these modalities. The resulting features are hashed using a secure combination of Blowcrypt (Bcrypt) and SHA-256
algorithm, which salts the templates by default before storing on the server.

Results:

Experiments conducted on the CASIA-Iris-M1-S1, CMU-PIE and FVC-2006 datasets achieve around 99% Genuine
accept rates, proving that this technique helps to achieve better performance along with high template security.

Discussion:

The proposed method is robust and provides cancellable biometric templates, high security
and better matching performance as compared to traditional techniques used to protect the biometric
template.
Os estratagemas psicológicos utilizados pelo Programa do Movimento Escola sem Partido
Authors: Moura Claudia Helena Gonçalves , Da Silva Pedro Fernando
Published: July 2020

O artigo tem como objetivo explicitar os estratagemas psicológicos utilizados pelo Movimento Escola sem Partido em seus projetos de lei, desvelando as estratégias psicológicas empregadas para suscitar concordância e adesão dos sujeitos aos discursos e métodos do Movimento. Realizou-se uma análise de conteúdo dos projetos de lei do Movimento apresentados na esfera federal. Foi possível constatar que o Movimento utiliza reiteradamente de estratagemas típicos da propaganda totalitária, que buscam se aproveitar da debilidade dos sujeitos na sociedade que os predispõe a discursos autoritários. Ainda que os projetos não tenham sido aprovados na esfera federal, seus discursos produziram efeitos no campo das políticas públicas de educação, bem como nas escolas e na sociedade. Embora haja certa imprecisão quanto aos seus objetivos, é possível concluir que o Movimento busca impedir a experiência mais básica de uma educação diversa e democrática, impondo a uniformização do pensamento.
Quantitative Methods for Analyzing Intimate Partner Violence in Microblogs: Observational Study
Authors: Homan Christopher Michael , Schrading J Nicolas , Ptucha Raymond W , Cerulli Catherine , Ovesdotter Alm Cecilia
Published: July 2020

Background

Social media is a rich, virtually untapped source of data on the dynamics of intimate partner violence, one that is both global in scale and intimate in detail.

Objective

The aim of this study is to use machine learning and other computational methods to analyze social media data for the reasons victims give for staying in or leaving abusive relationships.

Methods

Human annotation, part-of-speech tagging, and machine learning predictive models, including support vector machines, were used on a Twitter data set of 8767 #WhyIStayed and #WhyILeft tweets each.

Results

Our methods explored whether we can analyze micronarratives that include details about victims, abusers, and other stakeholders, the actions that constitute abuse, and how the stakeholders respond.

Conclusions

Our findings are consistent across various machine learning methods, which correspond to observations in the clinical literature, and affirm the relevance of natural language processing and machine learning for exploring issues of societal importance in social media.
Barriers and Enablers in Implementing Electronic Consultations in Primary Care: Scoping Review
Authors: Baines Rebecca , Tredinnick-Rowe John , Jones Ray , Chatterjee Arunangsu
Published: July 2020

Background

Often promoted as a way to address increasing demands, improve patient accessibility, and improve overall efficiency, electronic consultations are becoming increasingly common in primary care, particularly in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite their increasing use, a theoretically informed understanding of the factors that support and inhibit their effective implementation is severely limited.

Objective

With this scoping review, we sought to identify the factors that support and inhibit the implementation of electronic consultations in primary care.

Methods

In total, 5 electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were systematically searched for studies published in 2009-2019 that explored the impact and/or implementation of electronic consultations in primary care. Database searches were supplemented by reference list and grey literature searches. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and synthesized using Normalization Process Theory (NPT).

Results

In total, 227 articles were initially identified and 13 were included in this review. The main factors found to hinder implementation included awareness and expectations; low levels of engagement; perceived suitability for all patient groups, conditions, and demographics; cost; and other contextual factors. Reports of information technology reliability and clinical workload duplication (as opposed to reduction) also appeared detrimental. Conversely, the development of protocols and guidance; patient and staff education; strategic marketing; and patient and public involvement were all identified as beneficial in facilitating electronic consultation implementation.

Conclusions

This review highlights the need for proactive engagement with patients and staff to facilitate understanding and awareness, process optimization, and delivery of coherent training and education that maximizes impact and success. Although the necessity to use online methods during the COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated awareness, concerns over workload duplication and inequality of access may remain. Future research should explore health inequalities in electronic consultations and their economic impacts from multiple perspectives (eg, patient, professional, and commissioner) to determine their potential value. Further work to identify the role of meaningful patient involvement in digital innovation, implementation, and evaluation is also required following the rapid digitization of health and social care.
Fingerprint Biometric System Hygiene and the Risk of COVID-19 Transmission
Authors: Okereafor Kenneth , Ekong Iniobong , Okon Markson Ini , Enwere Kingsley
Published: July 2020

Biometric systems use scanners to verify the identity of human beings by measuring the patterns of their behavioral or physiological characteristics. Some biometric systems are contactless and do not require direct touch to perform these measurements; others, such as fingerprint verification systems, require the user to make direct physical contact with the scanner for a specified duration for the biometric pattern of the user to be properly read and measured. This may increase the possibility of contamination with harmful microbial pathogens or of cross-contamination of food and water by subsequent users. Physical contact also increases the likelihood of inoculation of harmful microbial pathogens into the respiratory tract, thereby triggering infectious diseases. In this viewpoint, we establish the likelihood of infectious disease transmission through touch-based fingerprint biometric devices and discuss control measures to curb the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
The P Value Line Dance: When Does the Music Stop?
Authors: Bendtsen Marcus
Published: July 2020

When should a trial stop? Such a seemingly innocent question evokes concerns of type I and II errors among those who believe that certainty can be the product of uncertainty and among researchers who have been told that they need to carefully calculate sample sizes, consider multiplicity, and not spend P values on interim analyses. However, the endeavor to dichotomize evidence into significant and nonsignificant has led to the basic driving force of science, namely uncertainty, to take a back seat.
In this viewpoint we discuss that if testing the null hypothesis is the ultimate goal of science, then we need not worry about writing protocols, consider ethics, apply for funding, or run any experiments at all—all null hypotheses will be rejected at some point—everything has an effect. The job of science should be to unearth the uncertainties of the effects of treatments, not to test their difference from zero. We also show the fickleness of P values, how they may one day point to statistically significant results; and after a few more participants have been recruited, the once statistically significant effect suddenly disappears. We show plots which we hope would intuitively highlight that all assessments of evidence will fluctuate over time. Finally, we discuss the remedy in the form of Bayesian methods, where uncertainty leads; and which allows for continuous decision making to stop or continue recruitment, as new data from a trial is accumulated.
Mobile Mental Health Apps in China: Systematic App Store Search (Preprint)
Authors: Yin Huifang , Wardenaar Klaas J , Wang Yuhao , Wang Nan , Chen Wenjin , Zhang Yan , Xu Guangming , Schoevers Robert A
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

Smartphones have become ubiquitous in China, offering a promising way to deliver mental health interventions; however, little is known about the current use and characteristics of smartphone apps for mental health.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into mobile mental health apps available in China as of December 2018.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted to identify and evaluate the most downloaded apps from iOS and Android platforms. Apps were categorized according to their main purpose and downloaded to evaluate their content. Each app’s affiliation, cost, target users, information security, and evidence-based nature were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 172 unique apps that were identified, there were 37 apps (21.5%) for psychological counseling, 50 apps (29.1%) for assessment, 12 apps (7.0%) to relieve stress, 24 apps (14.0%) for psychoeducation, and 49 (28.4%) multipurpose apps (ie, a combination of counseling and assessment). Most apps were developed for adults in the general population (166/172, 96.5%), rather than for psychiatric patients. App-based counseling was mostly provided by psychologists, and of the assessed apps, only 40% (70/172) used evidence-based scales to assess mental health problems such as anxiety or depressed mood. Guided meditation was used as the main technique in stress-relieving apps.

CONCLUSIONS

Many apps contained useful and evidence-based elements, such as good quality information, validated measurements, and useful meditation methods; however, for mobile apps to contribute significantly to mental health care in China, considerable challenges remain, including the need for more patient-focused apps that can actually take on the role of a health care provider. In addition, efficacy studies are needed.
Results and Guidelines From a Repeated-Measures Design Experiment Comparing Standing and Seated Full-Body Gesture-Based Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames: Within-Subjects Evaluation (Preprint)
Authors: Xu Wenge , Liang Hai-Ning , He Qiuyu , Li Xiang , Yu Kangyou , Chen Yuzheng
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

Although full-body seated exercises have been studied in a wide range of settings (ie, homes, hospitals, and daycare centers), they have rarely been converted to seated exergames. In addition, there is an increasing number of studies on immersive virtual reality (iVR) full-body gesture-based standing exergames, but the suitability and usefulness of seated exergames remain largely unexplored.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the difference between playing a full-body gesture-based iVR standing exergame and seated exergame in terms of gameplay performance, intrinsic motivation, and motion sickness.

METHODS

A total of 52 participants completed the experiment. The order of the game mode (standing and sitting) was counterbalanced. Gameplay performance was evaluated by action or gesture completion time and the number of missed gestures. Exertion was measured by the average heart rate (HR) percentage (AvgHR%), increased HR%, calories burned, and the Borg 6-20 questionnaire. Intrinsic motivation was assessed with the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), whereas motion sickness was assessed via the Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ). In addition, we measured the fear of falling using a 10-point Likert scale questionnaire.

RESULTS

Players missed more gestures in the seated exergame than in the standing exergame, but the overall miss rate was low (2.3/120, 1.9%). The analysis yielded significantly higher AvgHR%, increased HR%, calories burned, and Borg 6-20 rating of perceived exertion values for the seated exergame (all P<.001). The seated exergame was rated significantly higher on peripheral sickness (P=.02) and sopite-related sickness (MSAQ) (P=.004) than the standing exergame. The score of the subscale “value/usefulness” from IMI was reported to be higher for the seated exergame than the standing exergame. There was no significant difference between the seated exergame and standing exergame in terms of intrinsic motivation (interest/enjoyment, P=.96; perceived competence, P=.26; pressure/tension, P=.42) and the fear of falling (P=.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Seated iVR full-body gesture-based exergames can be valuable complements to standing exergames. Seated exergames have the potential to lead to higher exertion, provide higher value to players, and be more applicable in small spaces compared with standing exergames. However, gestures for seated exergames need to be designed carefully to minimize motion sickness, and more time should be given to users to perform gestures in seated exergames compared with standing exergames.
Theme Trends and Knowledge Structure on Mobile Health Apps: Bibliometric Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Peng Cheng , He Miao , Cutrona Sarah L , Kiefe Catarina I , Liu Feifan , Wang Zhongqing
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

Due to the widespread and unprecedented popularity of mobile phones, the use of digital medicine and mobile health apps has seen significant growth. Mobile health apps have tremendous potential for monitoring and treating diseases, improving patient care, and promoting health.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to explore research trends, coauthorship networks, and the research hot spots of mobile health app research.

METHODS

Publications related to mobile health apps were retrieved and extracted from the Web of Science database with no language restrictions. Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder was employed to extract bibliographic information (publication year and journal source) and perform a descriptive analysis. We then used the VOSviewer (Leiden University) tool to construct and visualize the co-occurrence networks of researchers, research institutions, countries/regions, citations, and keywords.

RESULTS

We retrieved 2802 research papers on mobile health apps published from 2000 to 2019. The number of annual publications increased over the past 19 years. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (323/2802, 11.53%), Journal of Medical Internet Research (106/2802, 3.78%), and JMIR Research Protocols (82/2802, 2.93%) were the most common journals for these publications. The United States (1186/2802, 42.33%), England (235/2802, 8.39%), Australia (215/2802, 7.67%), and Canada (112/2802, 4.00%) were the most productive countries of origin. The University of California San Francisco, the University of Washington, and the University of Toronto were the most productive institutions. As for the authors’ contributions, Schnall R, Kuhn E, Lopez-Coronado M, and Kim J were the most active researchers. The co-occurrence cluster analysis of the top 100 keywords forms 5 clusters: (1) the technology and system development of mobile health apps; (2) mobile health apps for mental health; (3) mobile health apps in telemedicine, chronic disease, and medication adherence management; (4) mobile health apps in health behavior and health promotion; and (5) mobile health apps in disease prevention via the internet.

CONCLUSIONS

We summarize the recent advances in mobile health app research and shed light on their research frontier, trends, and hot topics through bibliometric analysis and network visualization. These findings may provide valuable guidance on future research directions and perspectives in this rapidly developing field.