bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Turkish handwriting recognition system using multi-layer perceptron
Authors: Kuncan Melih , Vardar Enes , Kaplan Kaplan , Ertunç H. Metin
Published: November 2020

Recently, handwriting recognition has found many application areas along with technological advances. Handwriting recognition systems can greatly simplify human life by reading tax returns, forwarding mail, reading bank checks, and so on. On the other hand, these systems can reduce the need for human interaction. Therefore, academic and commercial studies of handwriting characters have recently become an important research topic in pattern recognition. In this study, Turkish handwritten letter recognition system from A to Z was developed in C++ environment by using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). After the feature data were extracted, handwriting images were presented to the network, the training process of ANN was completed, and different handwriting images were classified with trained ANN. In this study, MLP (Multi-Layered Perceptron: MLP) type ANN and back-propagation learning algorithm were used. The ANN used has 35 inputs and 23 outputs. In the hidden layer, ANNs with different numbers of artificial neural cells (neurons) were evaluated and the most appropriate neural number ANN was selected. As a result, ANN with 24 neurons was selected in the hidden layer and handwriting images was classified with an accuracy rate of 94.90 %.
Avrupa Ülkelerinden Türkiye’ye Yönelik Turizm Talebini Etkileyen Faktörler: Panel Veri Analizi
Authors: Şengel Ümit , Zengin Burhanettin
Published: November 2020

Rekabetin giderek yoğunlaştığı turizm pazarında arz ve talep önemli kavramlar olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Destinasyonlar bu yoğun rekabet ortamında tercih edilebilmenin yollarını aramaktadır. Dolaysıyla her bir destinasyon için talebi etkileyen faktörlerin bilinmesi önem taşımaktadır. Bu araştırmada, Avrupalı turistlerin Türkiye’ye olan taleplerini etkileyen faktörlerin tespit edilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Bu kapsamda, Batı Avrupa ve Avrupa Birliği ülkelerinin ekonomik, sosyo-demografik, turizm-seyahat ve teknoloji ile ilgili değişkenlerinden hangilerinin belirleyici olabildiği test edilmektedir. Araştırmada nicel araştırma yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Analize edilen veriler ülkelere ait resmi verilerdir. Veri analizinde Panel veri ekonometrisi kullanılmıştır. Veriler Stata 14.2 programı yardımıyla analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmanın sonuçlarına göre teknoloji değişkenleri dışındaki diğer değişkenlerin çoğunun Avrupa ülkelerinden Türkiye’ye yönelik talebi etkilediği görülmektedir. Avrupa ülkelerinin ekonomik, sosyo-demografik ve turizm-seyahat yapılarının bölgeden Türkiye’ye yönelik turizm talebini etkilediği belirlenmiştir.
Comparative Analysis of Bilateral Filter and its Variants for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Kaur Bobbinpreet , Dogra Ayush , Goyal Bhawna
Published: November 2020

Background:

With the increase in research in the direction of making images noise free a number of algorithms have been designed.

Methods:

The choice of Denoising method will be made in such a way that it reduces or removes noise content on one hand and on the other hand it preserves the information content of the image. Our article focuses on analyzing the performance of bilateral filters and its derivatives for Denoising of MRI images.

Results:

The bilateral filter is a hybridized version of basic range filtering and domain filtering techniques.

Conclusion:

A comparative review of these filters is presented for MRI images taking different altitudes of Gaussian noise added to the image.
Reforma Gustavo Capanema no Atheneu Sergipense: entre a legislação educacional e as práticas educativas discentes (1942-1961)
Authors: Siqueira Alves Eva Maria , Oliveira João Paulo Gama , Costa Rosemeire Marcedo
Published: November 2020

Este estudo tomou como ponto de partida a Reforma de Capanema, em vigor no Brasil nos anos de 1942 a 1961, pela Lei Orgânica do Ensino Secundário, a fim de analisar seus reflexos nas práticas educativas discentes. O texto apresenta os desdobramentos de tal legislação notadamente no Atheneu Sergipense, centrando-se no papel do aluno não apenas como partícipe do cotidiano escolar, mas como produtor deste. O processo investigativo seguiu as recomendações de Viñao Frago (2000), que englobam três pontos de vista: o teórico, o legal e o real. As fontes recorridas neste estudo foram: peças legislativas que determinaram ações efetivas no colégio, ofícios e, sobretudo, jornais estudantis e comerciais que revelaram práticas discentes de destaque, como a organização de agremiações, redação de jornais, criação, direção e encenação de peças teatrais, apresentações musicais, enfim, manifestações artístico-culturais, recreativas e de formação complementar, elaboradas pela classe estudantil sergipana, fomentadas naquela “Casa de Educação Literária”.
expansão do ensino secundário em pernambuco:
Authors: Santos Kalline Laira Lima dos , Chaloba Rosa Fatima de Souza
Published: November 2020

Este texto apresenta resultados de pesquisa sobre a história do ensino secundário no estado de Pernambuco, no período de 1948 a 1963, considerando a atuação dos atores políticos e sociais envolvidos na expansão dos ginásios públicos. Com base em diversificadas fontes documentais como relatórios de governo, legislação educacional, anais da Assembleia Legislativa, dados estatísticos, projetos de lei e artigos veiculados na imprensa, o texto trata em primeiro lugar das iniciativas levadas a termo nos anos 40 do século XX para a ampliação do secundário público no estado. Na sequência, analisa o processo de interiorização dos ginásios públicos destacando a ação dos municípios, dos deputados e governadores. A lenta e tardia expansão do secundário público no estado de Pernambuco põe em evidencia aspectos da produção das desigualdades regionais no campo da educação e os limites da política estatal para a educação média.
vicissitudes da democratização do ensino secundário no Rio Grande do Norte (1940-1961)
Authors: Araújo Marta Maria de
Published: November 2020

O propósito do artigo é discutir as tendências de ampliação das oportunidades socioeducacionais do ensino secundário para a juventude escolar do Rio Grande do Norte no âmbito das políticas públicas da Lei Orgânica do Ensino Secundário (1942-1961). Para tanto, fez-se uso extensivo de documentos institucionais e de mensagens governamentais. Metodologicamente, o trabalho fundamenta-se nas categorias expansão escolar e extensão educacional, analisadas à luz da estatística descritiva, aplicada aos dados oriundos da matrícula inicial do ciclo ginasial e do colegial científico e clássico, bem como dos dados referentes à conclusão desse nível de ensino médio. Os documentos analisados revelaram, que, a tendência da ampliação das oportunidades socioeducacionais do ensino secundário no Rio Grande de Norte (1942-1961) apresentava-se, principalmente, impulsionada pelo aumento da rede de estabelecimentos de ensino secundário particulares, em sua maioria femininos.
Ensino secundário no Paraná: expansão e transformação (1940/1950)
Authors: Chaves Junior Sergio Roberto
Published: November 2020

Texto apresenta questões sobre o ensino secundário no estado do Paraná, assinalando o final da década de 1940 como marco do processo de expansão do nível de ensino. As fontes mobilizadas indicam aspectos sociais que modificaram a demanda pelo ensino secundário, as ações governamentais para procurar atender às necessidades e as contradições do processo de expansão. Tais questões dão contornos a uma rede de estabelecimentos públicos de ensino secundário numericamente superior às instituições da esfera privada, embora os óbices da expansão possam ter dificultado a garantia de acesso ao ensino secundário para uma parcela mais significativa da população. Ao final, localiza o engendramento de debates e ações visando à transformação desse nível de ensino.
Práticas de saúde de estudantes do gênero masculino de um curso superior em saúde
Authors: Dantas Coelho Maria Thereza Ávila , Pereira Rocha Daniele Machado , De Sales Ribeiro Jorge Luís Lordelo
Published: November 2020

Atualmente há uma escassez de pesquisas que abordem a temática das práticas de saúde e doença, no sentido coletivo e individual de grupos específicos da população brasileira, em especial a masculina, que possui um histórico de falta de cuidado com a saúde. Objetivo: Identificar e analisar as práticas de saúde e doença de estudantes do gênero masculino, de um curso superior em saúde. Métodos: Os participantes desta pesquisa foram estudantes do gênero masculino, que responderam as perguntas de um questionário semiestruturado. As respostas foram analisadas com base na análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Resultados: Os estudantes responderam, em sua maioria, que utilizavam práticas de atividade física (AT) e alimentação saudável (AS) para manter uma boa saúde e prevenir doenças. Outras práticas de saúde também foram informadas, como práticas integrativas/complementares e religiosas de saúde, porém em pouca quantidade. Conclusão: A maioria das respostas dos alunos (AT e AS) está ligada à concepção de uma boa saúde, podendo significar cuidado, mas também reproduzindo ações reducionistas de saúde. O diálogo com o alunado é importante, no sentido da ampliação das práticas de saúde no âmbito coletivo e terapêutico, considerando, inclusive, práticas não convencionais.
Ensino e aprendizagem de Geografia:
Authors: Sampaio Andrecksa Viana Oliveira , Oliveira Luciana Amorim de , Santos Maiane Fonseca
Published: November 2020

O artigo apresenta uma discussão sobre o ensino de Geografia perpassando pela formação até as práticas docentes. As reflexões consideram a formação docente em uma perspectiva histórica, no sentido de acompanhar seu percurso e evolução, assim como aspectos que abrangem as práticas pedagógicas e os efeitos na aprendizagem dos alunos. A profissão docente é carregada de desafios que exige uma constante busca por conhecimentos adquiridos, sejam em ambientes formais ou no cotidiano. O professor, nesse contexto, se constrói e reconstrói entre teoria e prática, ensinar e aprender. Os debates referentes à dicotomia entre teoria e prática permanecem até os dias atuais, o que desperta para outras reflexões sobre a formação de professores e a busca de novas alternativas para velhos problemas.
Ciência dos jogos aplicada a educação: um estudo do processo criativo de confecção do jogo analógico Umuechem.
Authors: Antunes Jeferson , Nascimento Verônica Salgueiro do , De Queiroz Zuleide Fernandes
Published: November 2020

O presente estudo tem por objetivo demonstrar o processo criativo de concepção do jogo analógico Umuechem, utilizando a metodologia do Ciclo Criativo de Jogos Colaborativos, além de descrever seu processo de criação a partir das escolhas subjacentes aos objetivos perquiridos pelo jogo e refletir sobre a ação interdisciplinar no processo de criação do jogo. Este é apresentado na forma de relato do processo de criação de jogos educativo utilizando uma metodologia científica que auxilia a gestão dos processos e a descrição detalhada do objeto de pesquisa. O jogo estudado foi criado na Universidade Federal do Cariri, com o objetivo de discutir o tema da sustentabilidade no âmbito da educação superior, inovado o processo de ensino-aprendizagem a partir da mediação dos saberes de forma lúdica. Como resultados este apresenta-se como uma contribuição para a educação, propiciada por uma base científica interdisciplinar, repleta de referências ligadas ao design de jogos, educação, história, literatura e estatística; o processo não é aleatório, mas intencional, pensado a partir do público alvo e de objetivos educacionais bem delimitados.
O ensino secundário no Brasil enquanto um subcampo da educação: da legislação à realidade educacional
Authors: Dos Santos Claudecir , Gil Leoncio Vega
Published: November 2020

Este artigo problematiza a relação entre a legislação que estabelece as Diretrizes do ensino secundário no Brasil e a realidade educacional desse nível de ensino. Ao fazer isso, e esse é o seu objetivo, o artigo defende a ideia de que o ensino secundário no Brasil, a partir de uma abordagem do conceito de campo de Pierre Bourdieu, reúne as condições para ser estudado como um subcampo da educação. O ponto de partida da análise é o Decreto-Lei 2/1837, que converteu o Seminário de São Joaquim em colégio de instrução secundária, denominando-o de Collegio de Pedro II, e, o ponto de chegada é a Lei nº 13.415/2017, que estabeleceu mudanças na estrutura do atual ensino médio. Em suas conclusões o artigo destaca que o poder de refração do ensino secundário, embora decorra da legislação que fixa suas Diretrizes, será tanto mais claro quanto maior for à participação dos sujeitos que atuam nesse nível de ensino.
Электрополевой эффект в спектрах ЭПР центров Fe-=SUP=-3+-=/SUP=- и Mn-=SUP=-4+-=/SUP=- в тонких пластинках SrTiO-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-
Authors: Габбасов Б.Ф. , Родионов А.А. , Никитин С.И. , Трепаков В.А. , Юсупов Р.В.
Published: November 2020

The results of the study of the electric field effect in the electron paramagnetic
resonance spectra of the Fe3+ and Mn4+ impurity ions in thin oriented strontium titanate single-crystal plates are presented. The crystal structure of plates at T> 105 K turned out to be tetragonal, different
from both the cubic and the antiferrodistortive tetragonal, inherent to SrTiO3 at T < 105 K.
It is shown that for the studied centers, the electric field effect is quadratic in the applied electric field and
has the same sign and order of magnitude, indicating the nonpolar origin of the observed high
temperature tetragonal state. Analysis of the dependences of the axiality value on the applied
field indicates that the electric field effect does not originate from the electrostriction and is due to the modification the wavefunction of the ground state of the impurity centers.
Особенности катионного распределения и магнитных свойств гексаферритов BaFe-=SUB=-12-x-=/SUB=-Y-=SUB=-x-=/SUB=-О-=SUB=-19-=/SUB=-
Authors: Костишин В.Г. , Коровушкин В.В. , Исаев И.М. , Миронович А.Ю. , Труханов С.В. , Турченко В.А. , Астапович К.А. , Труханов А.В.
Published: November 2020

BaYxFe12-хO19 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 1.2) hexaferrites were studied using Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetometry, and X-ray diffraction. A low isomorphic capacity of hexaferrite is shown, which at x = 0.6 leads to phase separation with the formation of BaFe2O4 and Y3Fe5O12 impurity phases. The data of Mössbauer spectroscopy showed that the Y3 + ions occupied the 12k position with the formation of the nonequivalent position 12k ′ due to the breaking of two magnetic bonds Fe (12k) - O - Fe (12k) in the triad of octahedra 12k with their replacement by Fe (12k ) - O - Y (12k). It is shown that BaYxFe12-хO19 hexaferrites are less magnetically hard than BaFe12-хAlxO19.
Модель образования дискретных дислокаций термоупругого мартенситного превращения
Authors: Малыгин Г.А.
Published: November 2020

В рамках теории неравновесных фазовых переходов первого рода Гинзбург-Ландау и ряда разумных предположений впервые рассматривается вопрос перехода предмартенситной наноструктуры кристалла с ЭПФ в структуру дискретных дислокационных петель мартенситного превращения. При решении уравнения Г-Л получены два его асимптотических решения: одно для гомогенного источника наномодуляции кристалла, второе --- для пространственно-периодической предмартенситной наноструктуры. Анализ этих решений показал, что консолидация локальных упругих полей наноструктуры может быть причиной образования дискретных дислокационных петель мартенситного превращения. Ключевые слова: сплавы с ЭПФ, предмартенситная наноструктура, неравновесный фазовый переход, дискретные дислокации мартенситного превращения.
Электронные и теплофизические свойства газовых гидратов: результаты моделирования из первых принципов
Authors: Юнусов М.Б. , Хуснутдинов Р.М. , Мокшин А.В.
Published: November 2020

The results of an ab-initio molecular dynamics study of the electronic and thermophysical properties of methane hydrate with a cubic sI structure are presented. Good agreement of the simulation results for heat capacity at constant volume and density with experimental data is found. Based on the analysis of the density of electronic states, the temperature dependences of the electronic properties of methane hydrate, including the Fermi energy level, width and boundaries of the band gap are determined. For the empty framework of the hydrate (water clathrate framework), the electron energy spectra E(k) were calculated along the directions M-X, X-G, G-M, and G-R. It was found that the presence of CH4 molecules in an aqueous clathrate leads to an increase in the Fermi energy of the hydrate from 2.4 to 3.0 eV.
Механическое упрочнение наноструктурированных кристаллов Ba-=SUB=-0.9-=/SUB=-R-=SUB=-0.1-=/SUB=-F-=SUB=-2.1-=/SUB=- (R --- редкоземельные элементы): размерный эффект
Authors: Сорокин Н.И.
Published: November 2020

The effect of strong deviations from stoichiometry in the structural type of fluorite (CaF2) on the microhardness of Ba0.9R0.1F2.1 crystals (R is the rare earth elements La-Lu) has been studied. Mechanical hardening of heterovalent Ba0.9R0.1F2.1 solid solutions in comparison with the BaF2 matrix is due to the formation of nanosized clusters of point defects [Ba8R6F69], replacing structural fragments [Ba14F64] (block type of isomorphism). It was found that, with a decrease in the cluster size from [Ba8La6F69] to [Ba8Lu6F69], the microhardness of nanostructured Ba0.9R0.1F2.1 crystals increases by 73%.
Comprehensive Computer-Aided Decision Support Framework to Diagnose Tuberculosis From Chest X-Ray Images: Data Mining Study
Authors: Owais Muhammad , Arsalan Muhammad , Mahmood Tahir , Kim Yu Hwan , Park Kang Ryoung
Published: November 2020

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most infectious diseases that can be fatal. Its early diagnosis and treatment can significantly reduce the mortality rate. In the literature, several computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) tools have been proposed for the efficient diagnosis of TB from chest radiograph (CXR) images. However, the majority of previous studies adopted conventional handcrafted feature-based algorithms. In addition, some recent CAD tools utilized the strength of deep learning methods to further enhance diagnostic performance. Nevertheless, all these existing methods can only classify a given CXR image into binary class (either TB positive or TB negative) without providing further descriptive information.

Objective

The main objective of this study is to propose a comprehensive CAD framework for the effective diagnosis of TB by providing visual as well as descriptive information from the previous patients’ database.

Methods

To accomplish our objective, first we propose a fusion-based deep classification network for the CAD decision that exhibits promising performance over the various state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, a multilevel similarity measure algorithm is devised based on multiscale information fusion to retrieve the best-matched cases from the previous database.

Results

The performance of the framework was evaluated based on 2 well-known CXR data sets made available by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Our classification model exhibited the best diagnostic performance (0.929, 0.937, 0.921, 0.928, and 0.965 for F1 score, average precision, average recall, accuracy, and area under the curve, respectively) and outperforms the performance of various state-of-the-art methods.

Conclusions

This paper presents a comprehensive CAD framework to diagnose TB from CXR images by retrieving the relevant cases and their clinical observations from the previous patients’ database. These retrieval results assist the radiologist in making an effective diagnostic decision related to the current medical condition of a patient. Moreover, the retrieval results can facilitate the radiologists in subjectively validating the CAD decision.
Email Consultations Between Patients and Doctors in Primary Care: Content Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Atherton Helen , Boylan Anne-Marie , Eccles Abi , Fleming Joanna , Goyder Clare R , Morris Rebecca L
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Increasingly, consultations in health care settings are conducted remotely using a range of communication technologies. Email allows for 2-way text-based communication, occurring asynchronously. Studies have explored the content and nature of email consultations to understand the use, structure, and function of email consultations. Most previous content analyses of email consultations in primary care settings have been conducted in North America, and these have shown that concerns and assumptions about how email consultations work have not been realized. There has not been a UK-based content analysis of email consultations.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore and delineate the content of consultations conducted via email in English general practice by conducting a content analysis of email consultations between general practitioners (GPs) and patients.

METHODS

We conducted a content analysis of anonymized email consultations between GPs and patients in 2 general practices in the United Kingdom. We examined the descriptive elements of the correspondence to ascertain when the emails were sent, the number of emails in an email consultation, and the nature of the content. We used a normative approach to analyze the content of the email consultations to explore the use and function of email consultation.

RESULTS

We obtained 100 email consultations from 85 patients, which totaled 262 individual emails. Most email users were older than 40 years, and over half of the users were male. The email consultations were mostly short and completed in a few days. Emails were mostly sent and received during the day. The emails were mostly clinical in content rather than administrative and covered a wide range of clinical presentations. There were 3 key themes to the use and function of the email consultations: the role of the GP and email consultation, the transactional nature of an email consultation, and the operationalization of an email consultation.

CONCLUSIONS

Most cases where emails are used to have a consultation with a patient in general practice have a shorter consultation, are clinical in nature, and are resolved quickly. GPs approach email consultations using key elements similar to that of the face-to-face consultation; however, using email consultations has the potential to alter the role of the GP, leading them to engage in more administrative tasks than usual. Email consultations were not a replacement for face-to-face consultations.
Correction: Recommendations From the Twitter Hashtag #DoctorsAreDickheads: Qualitative Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Sharma Anjana Estelle , Mann Ziva , Cherian Roy , Del Rosario Jan Bing , Yang Janine , Sarkar Urmimala
Published: November 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

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Usability Testing of a Patient-Centered Mobile Health App for Supporting and Guiding the Pediatric Emergency Department Patient Journey: Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)
Authors: Rochat Jessica , Ehrler Frédéric , Siebert Johan N , Ricci Arnaud , Garretas Ruiz Victor , Lovis Christian
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Patient experience in emergency departments (EDs) remains often suboptimal and can be a source of stress, particularly in pediatric settings. In an attempt to support patients and their families before, during, and after their visit to a pediatric ED, a mobile health (mHealth) app was developed by a multidisciplinary team based on patient-centered care principles.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the usability (effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction) of a new mHealth app, InfoKids, by potential end users through usability testing.

METHODS

The app was assessed through an in-laboratory, video-recorded evaluation in which participants had to execute 9 goal-oriented tasks, ranging from account creation to the reception of a diagnostic sheet at the end of the emergency care episode. Effectiveness was measured based on the task completion rate, efficiency on time on task, and user satisfaction according to answers to the System Usability Scale questionnaire. Think-aloud usability sessions were also transcribed and analyzed. Usability problems were rated for their severity and categorized according to ergonomic criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 17 parents participated in the study. The overall completion rate was 97.4% (149/153). Overall, they reported good effectiveness, with the task successfully completed in 88.2% (135/153) of cases (95% CI 83%-93%). Each task, with the exception of the first, created difficulties for some participants but did not prevent their completion by most participants. Users reported an overall good to excellent perceived usability of the app. However, ergonomic evaluation identified 14 usability problems occurring 81 time. Among these, 50% (7/14) were serious as their severity was rated as either major or catastrophic and indicated areas of improvements for the app. Following the suggested usability improvements by participants, mitigation measures were listed to further improve the app and avoid barriers to its adoption.

CONCLUSIONS

Usability of the InfoKids app was evaluated as good to excellent by users. Areas of improvement were identified, and mitigation measures were proposed to inform its development toward a universal app for all ED patients visiting a digitalized institution. Its contribution could also be useful in paving the way for further research on mobile apps aimed at supporting and accompanying patients in their care episodes, as research in this area is scarce.
Predicting complications of diabetes mellitus through machine learning based on topic modeling: study design (Preprint)
Authors: Han Benedict , Choi Jinwook
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Predicting the complications of diabetes mellitus from an early stage would be beneficial for its management. Topic modeling is a posterior procedure to estimate semantic objects in a dataset through a statistical approach. The topic model can play the role of a feature set for supervised classification.

OBJECTIVE

: We performed a study to predict diabetic retinopathy (DMR), diabetic nephropathy (DMN), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from clinical notes using semi-supervised classification based on topic modeling.

METHODS

: We applied four types of machine learning algorithms for classification: random forest (RF), gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine (SVM), and fully connected artificial neural network (ANN) We reviewed the topic models through statistical analysis to determine whether these topic models are clinically plausible.

RESULTS

F1 scores were above 0.8 when predicting all kinds of target diseases with all types of classification methods, and above 0.9 using RF or GBM.
Hypertension and dyslipidemia seem to be statistically associated with DMR, DMN, and NAFLD. They may be important clues with which we can predict DMR, DMN, and NAFLD.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that complications of diabetes mellitus that are likely to occur later in life can be predicted from the clinical notes of outpatient departments. We believe that this kind of predictive model could be utilized by patients and physicians in outpatient departments as a useful tool, similar to clinical decision support systems.
Machine Learning for Risk Group Identification and User Data Collection in a Herpes Simplex Virus Patient Registry: Algorithm Development and Validation Study (Preprint)
Authors: Surodina Svitlana , Lam Ching , Grbich Svetislav , Milne-Ives Madison , van Velthoven Michelle , Meinert Edward
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Researching people with herpes simplex virus (HSV) is challenging because of poor data quality, low user engagement, and concerns around stigma and anonymity.

OBJECTIVE

This project aimed to improve data collection for a real-world HSV registry by identifying predictors of HSV infection and selecting a limited number of relevant questions to ask new registry users to determine their level of HSV infection risk.

METHODS

The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2015-2016) database includes the confirmed HSV type 1 and type 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively) status of American participants (14-49 years) and a wealth of demographic and health-related data. The questionnaires and data sets from this survey were used to form two data sets: one for HSV-1 and one for HSV-2. These data sets were used to train and test a model that used a random forest algorithm (devised using Python) to minimize the number of anonymous lifestyle-based questions needed to identify risk groups for HSV.

RESULTS

The model selected a reduced number of questions from the NHANES questionnaire that predicted HSV infection risk with high accuracy scores of 0.91 and 0.96 and high recall scores of 0.88 and 0.98 for the HSV-1 and HSV-2 data sets, respectively. The number of questions was reduced from 150 to an average of 40, depending on age and gender. The model, therefore, provided high predictability of risk of infection with minimal required input.

CONCLUSIONS

This machine learning algorithm can be used in a real-world evidence registry to collect relevant lifestyle data and identify individuals’ levels of risk of HSV infection. A limitation is the absence of real user data and integration with electronic medical records, which would enable model learning and improvement. Future work will explore model adjustments, anonymization options, explicit permissions, and a standardized data schema that meet the General Data Protection Regulation, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and third-party interface connectivity requirements.
How community health information exchanges can evolve to support population health and healthcare: The case study of the Indiana Network for Patient Care (Preprint)
Authors: Williams Karmen , Rahurkar Saurabh , Dixon Brian , Grannis Shaun , Schleyer Titus
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Community Health Information Exchange (HIEs) organizations were originally designed to support individual patient care, but their ability to aggregate health and non-health information about populations offers significant opportunities.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper is to discuss and illustrate current opportunities for HIEs using the status and trajectory of the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC), the oldest and one of the largest HIEs in the United States.

METHODS

We reviewed the research and clinical applications the INPC has developed and introduced numerous innovations and initiatives.

RESULTS

HIEs have the positioning and opportunity to provide highly relevant services in today’s healthcare, and public and population health contexts, such as research-ready data sets, state registry collaborations, data commons, population health applications, clinical applications, nationwide interoperability, and support of accountable care organizations.

CONCLUSIONS

Community HIEs can help advance the practice of medicine and population health and help shift sick-focused to health-focused care. To fully take advantage of their potential, community HIEs must continue to innovate and evolve.
Correction: Risk-Taking Behaviors and Adherence to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Users of Geosocial Networking Apps: Real-World, Multicenter Study (Preprint)
Authors: Wang Hongyi , Zhang Jing , Chu Zhenxing , Hu Qinghai , Dong Willa , Huang Xiaojie , Chen Yaokai , Wang Hui , He Xiaoqing , Zhang Lukun , Hu Zhili , Bao Rantong , Li Shangcao , Li Hang , Cui Sitong , Jin Xia , Ding Haibo , Geng Wenqing , Jiang Yongjun , Xu Junjie , Shang Hong
Published: November 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

REMOVE
Associations Between Health Literacy, eHealth Literacy, and COVID-19–Related Health Behaviors Among Chinese College Students: Cross-sectional Online Study (Preprint)
Authors: Li Shaojie , Cui Guanghui , Kaminga Atipatsa Chiwanda , Cheng Sixiang , Xu Huilan
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the internet has significantly spread information, providing people with knowledge and advice about health protection regarding COVID-19. While a previous study demonstrated that health and eHealth literacy are related to COVID-19 prevention behaviors, few studies have focused on the relationship between health literacy, eHealth literacy, and COVID-19–related health behaviors. The latter includes not only preventative behaviors but also conventional health behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to develop and verify a COVID-19–related health behavior questionnaire, explore its status and structure, and examine the associations between these behaviors and participants’ health literacy and eHealth literacy.

METHODS

A snowball sampling method was adopted to recruit participants to complete anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire surveys online that assessed sociodemographic information, self-reported coronavirus knowledge, health literacy, eHealth literacy, and COVID-19–related health behaviors.

RESULTS

Of 1873 college students who were recruited, 781 (41.7%) had adequate health literacy; the mean eHealth literacy score was 30.16 (SD 6.31). The COVID-19–related health behavior questionnaire presented a two-factor structure—COVID-19–specific precautionary behaviors and conventional health behaviors—with satisfactory fit indices and internal consistency (Cronbach α=.79). The mean score of COVID-19–related health behaviors was 53.77 (SD 8.03), and scores differed significantly (P<.05) with respect to residence, college year, academic major, family economic level, self-reported health status, having a family member or friend infected with coronavirus, and health literacy level. Linear regression analysis showed that health literacy and eHealth literacy were positively associated with COVID-19–specific precautionary behaviors (βhealth literacy=.149, βeHealth literacy=.368; P<.001) and conventional health behaviors (βhealth literacy=.219, βeHealth literacy=.277; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19–related health behavior questionnaire was a valid and reliable measure for assessing health behaviors during the pandemic. College students with higher health literacy and eHealth literacy can more actively adopt COVID-19–related health behaviors. Additionally, compared to health literacy, eHealth literacy is more closely related to COVID-19–related health behaviors. Public intervention measures based on health and eHealth literacy are required to promote COVID-19–related health behaviors during the pandemic, which may be helpful to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection among college students.
PROPRANOLOL HYDROCHLORIDE TOPICAL GEL FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFANTILE HEMANGIOMA
Authors: MURALI MANEESHA , THAYYILAKANDY SUJAID , P. A. MUHAMMED SHAFI , VENU ARATHI , SURENDRAN SARITHA A. , NAIR SREEJA C.
Published: November 2020

Objective: To formulate and evaluate propranolol hydrochloride topical gel for overcoming the limitations and low oral bioavailability associated with conventional therapy.

Methods: The propranolol hydrochloride topical gels were prepared by the cold mechanical method. The preliminary evaluation and further characterisation studies was conducted to find the optimised formulation. The in vitro release and ex vivo permeation studies were investigated. The histopathological studies and stability studies was also assessed.

Results: The propranolol hydrochloride topical gel was successfully prepared. The in vitro release of optimized topical propranolol hydrochloride gel formulation (G2) showed the highest cumulative percentage drug release that is, 95.55%±0.15 after 7.5 h. (G2) the formulation showed a higher flux value of 4.61μg/cm2/h. The histopathological study using pig skin revealed that the optimized formulation was found to be safe for topical application.

Conclusion: The formulated topical gel containing propranolol Hydrochloride seems to be a promising dosage form for enhanced skin delivery of propranolol hydrochloride in treating Infantile Hemangioma.
VALIDATION OF THE QUALITATIVE DETERMINATION OF HPLC METODS FOR SUCROSE AND PEG-2000-DSPE IN A LIPOSOMAL FORM OF THE PHOTOSENSITIZER LIPOPHTHALOCYAN
Authors: LANTSOVA ANNA , SANAROVA EKATERINA , DMITRIEVA MARIA , ORLOVA OLGA , OBOROTOVA NATALIA , GLEMBOTSKAYA GALINA , NIKOLAEVA LYUDMILA , BUNYATYAN NATALYA
Published: November 2020

Objective: This study was undertaken with the aim of the validate the simple isocratic metods high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) for the estimation of PEG-2000-DSPE and sucrose in liposomal medicinal formulations of the phthalocyanine photosensitizer Lipophthalocyan.
Methods: HPLC quantification was carried out by using of YMC-Pack Polyamine II column. The mobile phase (for sucrose: acetonitrile: water: ethyl acetate in the ratio of 450: 200: 20; for PEG-2000-DSPE: water in the ratio 10: 90) was pumped at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. Following the guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), the methods was validated for various analytical parameters like specificity, linearity, detection limit, quantitative limit, correctness, and accuracy.
Results: The obtained results of the analysis were validated statistically. The correlation coefficient for the linearity was 0.999292, for sucrose, and 0.997650 for PEG-2000-DSPE. The methods can be assessed as correct, as the results obtained are close to the true value and the confidence interval for both methods include 100%. The coefficients of variation in both methods in determining the accuracy were less than 3%.
Conclusion: The proposed HPLC methods were validated according to the ICH guidelines and results and statistical parameters demonstrated that the developed methods are sensitive, precise, reliable and simple for the estimation of PEG-2000-DSPE and sucrose in Lipophthalocyan.
FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF STABILIZED EPROSARTAN NANOSUSPENSION
Authors: RAJA M. SANTHOSH , VENKATARAMANA K.
Published: November 2020

Objective: The objective of the current study is to enhance the solubility of Eprosartan mesylate a BCS Class II drug by employing the nanoprecipitation technique.

Methods: Polymeric nanoparticles of Eprosartan mesylate were prepared by precipitation technique with various polymers like PVP K30, HPMC K15M, and Eudragit L100 in various ratios. The incompatibility issues which may arise between the drug and polymers were tested by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The formed nanosuspensions were evaluated for various parameters like particle size, zeta potential, drug content, and dissolution testing.

Results: Among all the nanosuspension formulations, E12 formulation prepared with Eudragit L 100 showed better evaluation characteristics. SEM and DSC analysis showed no major interactions with the excipients. The maximum drug release was showed at 12h. The formulation E12 showed the particle size of 81.5±5.5 nm and zeta potential of-55.1mv.

Conclusion: The nano-precipitation method improved the dissolution as well as the bioavailability of Eprosartan mesylate nanosuspension.
DERIVATIVES OF THE RATIO SPECTRA FOR DETERMINATION OF ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID, ACETAMINOPHEN, AND CAFFEINE IN FIXED-DOSE COMBINATION FORMULATIONS: APPLICATION TO DISSOLUTION STUDIES
Authors: MEDINA-LÓPEZ JOSE RAUL , PACHECO PINEDA JOSUE GIOVANI , ROJAS GARFIAS PEDRO ALBERTO , CASTRO CHÁVEZ NICASIO
Published: November 2020

Objective: To develop a ratio-derivative spectrophotometric method for the simultaneous quantification of acetilsalycilic acid (ASA), acetaminophen (ACE), and caffeine (CAF) in fixed-dose combination formulations. The proposed method was applied to the reference drug product Excedrin® in dissolution studies.
Methods: The method is based on the use of the first-and second-derivatives of the ratio spectra and measurements at zero-crossing wavelengths. The dissolution profiles of ASA, ACE, and CAF were obtained following pharmacopeial conditions, USP Apparatus 2 at 100 rpm and 900 ml of water. Dissolution samples were treated with the proposed UV-derivative method and the results were compared with those obtained with a validated HPLC procedure. The dissolution efficiency was used to compare dissolution profiles (HPLC vs. UV-derivative method).
Results: The method was linear in the range of 5-25 µg/ml of ASA, 2.5-20 µg/ml of ACE, and 1-8 µg/ml of CAF (R2>0.999, *P<0.05). The precision and accuracy of synthetic mixtures were within acceptable criteria (2.11-3.43% and 96.78-104.15%, respectively). Nitrocellulose filters were the best option to filter samples and stability of all drugs was adequate when standard solutions were stored at 4 °C during 24 h. No significant differences were found between dissolution profiles (*P>0.05).
Conclusion: The proposed UV-derivative method allows the simultaneous determination of ASA, ACE, and CAF in commercial formulations. The method is simple, accurate, and precise and can be used in dissolution studies. Spectrophotometric methods are of low cost and harmless to the environment and, therefore, a better alternative than chromatographic methods.
Популярность химических соединений. О чем это?
Authors: Мильман Б.Л. , Журкович И.К.
Published: November 2020

В статье рассмотрена статистика популярности химических соединений – частота их встречаемости в современных химических базах данных. Эти данные отражают относительное значение тех или иных химических соединений в научных исследованиях и практической деятельности человека, их распространенность в природе и искусственных объектах. Популярность соединений можно оценивать по ее различным статистическим показателям, которые связаны с конкретными базами данных. Обсуждаемые характеристики используются в быстро развивающейся области аналитики – нецелевом анализе.
Analytical Method for Studying the Force Interaction of Elements of Steel Ropes when Working on Blocks
Authors: Novikov V. N. , Ivanov A. G. , Kalentyev E. A. , Tarasov V. V.
Published: November 2020

Рассматривается вопрос силового взаимодействия элементов стальных канатов (проволока, пряди и др.) при работе на блоках. Первоначально исследуется вопрос взаимного относительного перемещения проволоки при изгибе. Это явление более широко известно как депланация поперечного сечения проволочного каната. При определении дополнительных смещений учтено, что удлинение элементов каната происходит в обе стороны от точки набегания каната на блок (и в прямолинейный, и в криволинейный участки каната). Также учитываются дополнительные смещения, возникающие в изогнутой части каната.Решается задача аналитического определения сил трения между проволоками каната, набегающего на вращающийся блок. Используемый подход основан на решении уравнения Эйлера для изогнутой на барабане нити. На завершающем этапе установлены зависимости для работы сил трения в зависимости от коэффициента трения между контактирующими поверхностями, обусловленные видом канатной смазки. В частности из полученных выражений следует, что при уменьшении коэффициента трения между элементами каната произойдет снижение совершаемой силами трения работы. Полученные результаты подтверждают, что использование эффективной канатной смазки будет способствовать энергосбережению, продлению срока службы стального каната.
PROMOTING STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Challenges and Strategies
Authors: Tathahira Tathahira
Published: November 2020

Living in the millennial era has encouraged all the learners to one step ahead maximizing the existed and updated technology for learning. Maintaining autonomous and long-distanced learning should have been introduced and implemented in higher education. Involving in an online learning environment is not enough without the ability to think critically. Critical thinking is the ability that is essentially required for learners in a higher education context. This paper discusses the challenges and strategies for implementing learners’ critical thinking through online learning. This paper used the literature study approach, in which all the information in this paper was obtained from books and journal articles. Briefly, the findings reveal that online learning can be good support for students to improve their critical thinking ability. However, there are also several challenges to do so involving the socio-cultural matter, the students’ previous learning habits, and the familiarity of using updated technology for learning. To end the discussion, the author provides several strategies to overcome those challenges. The well-designed online discussion (interactivity), critical-thinking learning content, and well-maintained instructions are several factors needed by online course instructors in order to improve their students’ critical thinking.
POOR READING COMPREHENSION ISSUE IN EFL CLASSROOM AMONG INDONESIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: Scrutinizing the causes, impacts and possible solutions
Authors: Nanda Dodi Widia , Azmy Khairul
Published: November 2020

Reading comprehension is considered a challenging part of learning English for many Indonesian secondary school students. This study aims to explore the causes, impacts, and possible solutions for poor reading comprehension issues. The study scrutinizes the issue by reviewing previous studies, in which a number of articles and books were critically analyzed. The results indicate that poor reading comprehension occurs due to three remarkable factors, which are students’ lack of motivation, low prior knowledge, and poor English vocabulary. Moreover, this issue also leads to three main adverse impacts, such as reducing students’ learning achievement, hindering students’ problem-solving skills, and inhibiting students’ future studies and careers. Therefore, in responding to the problem above, this study proposes two learning approaches, which are the Cooperative Integrated and Reading Composition (CIRC) Technique and Metacognitive Strategy.
Amazonia colombiana: organización social en el noroeste del Amazonas
Authors: Correa François
Published: November 2020

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Cataruben: una aproximación a los Achaguas
Authors: Mora Camargo Santiago
Published: November 2020

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Subregionalización del altiplano cundiboyacense: reflexiones metodológicas
Authors: Ramírez de Jara Maria Clemencia , Sotomayor María Lucía
Published: November 2020

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Online Experimentation @FEUP: Five Years of Evaluations
Authors: Urbano Diana , Restivo Teresa , Chouzal Maria de Fátima
Published: November 2020

The Online Experimentation @FEUP lab gathers a set of experimental resources based on Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Haptic Systems. The design, development and implementation of those resources are guided by the following main goals: familiarizing students with the referred technologies, complement hands-on experimentation, motivate students and promote knowledge gain.  A brief presentation of the online experimental activities most utilized and evaluated in the past five years in context of different undergraduate courses and at the K12 level is presented.  In all the studies conducted, the strategies adopted involve pre- and post-testing to assess knowledge gain, experimental group activities, and individual response to surveys to assess student reaction. The results published in journals, conferences proceedings and book chapters are discussed.
Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Beyond: Laboratory of Computer Applications for Health Care at University of São Paulo
Authors: Nunes Fatima , Aranha Renan , Testa Rafael , Ribeiro Matheus
Published: November 2020

The Laboratory of Computer Applications for Health Care at University of São Paulo develop multidisciplinary research involving Computer Science areas and other knowledge fields such as Physiotherapy, Psychiatry, Radiology, and Cardiology. Most studies use concepts besides Computer Science, by aggregating knowledge to solve real problems. In this paper we present the main projects in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality areas, highlighting serious games, computer-aided diagnosis and therapy, simulation and training. Besides the social and scientific impact inherent to the type of the developed research, some systems are available to health professionals in order to allow technology transfer and consequent technological and economic impact in daily activities of health tasks.