bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technology for the Bacillus megaterium Fodder Biomass Production
Authors: Baurina Aleksandra , Baurin Dmitry , Shakir Irina , Panfilov Victor
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Obtaining protein and vitamin fodder is one of the urgent tasks that modern industrial biotechnology has to solve. Another task is a search of novel medium compositions for microbial fermentation that can lower production costs. Russian food industry produces a significant amount of sunflower seed processing byproducts every year. Sunflower meal is a promising source of sunflower protein isolate. The research objective was to develop a new technology for the production of Bacillus megaterium bacterial biomass for fodder purposes. Study objects and methods. The research featured a sunflower protein isolate, an enzyme complex Protex 7L, and a B. megaterium strain (VKPM B-3750). The carbohydrate content was determined using a modified Bertrand method. Amine nitrogen was studied using formol titration, the number of viable cells – by the Koch method, the content of amino acids – by capillary electrophoresis. Results and discussion. When processed with enzyme complexes, sunflower protein can be an alternative source of nitrogen for industrial fermentation. The study featured amino acid of sunflower protein isolate and enzymatic hydrolyzate obtained using Protex 7L. A comparative analysis of the content of amino acids in the hydrolyzate and the protein isolate showed that enzymatic hydrolysis can significantly increase the content of free amino acids in the medium available for microbial accumulation. The research proved that sunflower protein enzymatic hydrolyzate obtained using Protex 7L can be used to cultivate strains of B vitamins producers. Conclusion. Sunflower protein enzymatic hydrolyzate can be used as a nitrogen source for B vitamins producer fermentation and as an alternative to expensive meat peptone. The research involved technical and economic assessment of the B. megaterium fermentation on enzymatic hydrolysates of sunflower protein at a production capacity of 100 kg per year. The cost of the protein-vitamin supplement was calculated as 413 rubles per kg, while the market price could reach 826 rubles per kg. The payback period for capital expenditures was estimated at 1.5 years. Thus, replacing commercial meat peptone with sunflower protein enzymatic hydrolyzate obtained with Protex 7L reduced the cost of 1 kg of feed additive by three times without affecting B. megaterium. Overproduction of B vitamins by the B. megaterium strain on a medium containing sunflower protein hydrolyzate requires optimization of fermentation conditions.
Monetization Management in Restaurant Business
Authors: Kotliarov Ivan
Published: March 2021

Introduction. The traditional model of restaurant business demonstrates an asymmetry between the structure of the complex service provided by restaurants and the structure of the customer payments, as restaurants normally charge only the price of meals while providing customers with a place for eating and offering them waiter services. This asymmetry creates mutual misunderstanding between restaurants and customers and undermines the performance of restaurants. Therefore, it creates a demand for a new model of monetization of restaurant service that would take into account the complex nature of these services.

Study objects and methods. The paper reviews the existing practice of restaurant business. It focuses on the case study of the True Cost restaurant chain (Moscow, Russia), which is a typical example of the “true cost” model. Models of monetization are structured on the basis of strategic matrices method.

Results and discussion. The author described the non-economic and economic tools that can be used to capture the value created by the complex restaurant service and built a hierarchical model of monetization system. The “true cost” monetization model sets up separate prices for meals and dining room. The economic nature of this model presupposes a direct link between elements of customers’ payments, elements of the complex service provided by restaurants, and elements of cost – fixed and variable. The author defined advantages and disadvantages of the “true cost” model and assessed the possibility of using it in other sectors of service industry. The paper also introduces a structured system of monetization models in restaurant business.

Conclusion. The tradition monetization model blurs the nature of the restaurant services and reduces the financial results. Restaurants should implement monetization models that valorize all elements of the complex service. This goal can be chieved by pricing different elements of the complex service separately.
Clonal Micropropagation of Cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.)
Authors: Makarov Sergey , Kuznetsova Irina , Upadyshev Mikhail , Rodin Sergey , Chudetsky Anton
Published: March 2021

Introduction. The last decade saw a considerable increase in the demand for European cranberry planting material (Oxyccocus palustris Pers.) among consumers of non-timber forest products. Cranberry possesses high nutritional and medicinal value. Cultivars and hybrids of European cranberry prove extremely productive for plantation growth using the method of clonal micropropagation with revitalized planting material. Study objects and methods. The research featured European cranberry plants of the Dar Kostromy cultivar and its hybrid form 1-15-635. The study focused on the effect of various medications and growth regulators on the biometric profile of European cranberry and its adaptation to non-sterile conditions at all stages of in vivo clonal micropropagation. Results and discussion. During the introduction stage, the highest viability belonged to the explants treated with AgNO3 (95–96%) and Lizoformin 3000 (5%) as the main sterilizing solutions at a 10-min exposure and a 5% solution of Ecosterilizer (1:1) at a 20-min exposure (90–95%). During the micropropagation proper, the number, average length, and total growth of shoots increased as the concentration of cytokinin 2ip in the WPM 1/4 nutrient medium rose from 1.0 to 5.0 mg/L. At the stage of in vitro rooting, the maximal number, average length, and total growth of roots in regenerated plants for both cultivars were observed when Kornerost 5.0 mg/L was added to the WPM 1/4 nutrient medium. At the stage of adaptation to in vivo conditions, Micogel 0.2 mg/L contributed to the highest survival rate (94–100%). Conclusion. During clonal micropropagation in vitro, the biometric profile of European cranberry (Oxyccocus palustris Pers.) and its survival rate under non-sterile conditions in vivo proved to depend on various growth-regulating substances and their concentrations.
Impact of Obesity, Visceral Adiposity and Metabolic Syndrome on Male Fertility
Authors: GUR Esra Bahar , GULEC Ebru Sahin , INCE Sadik , KESKIN Mehmet Zeynel , DEMIR Ahmet , SENGUL Baris , GUR Mehmet Serkan
Published: March 2021

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the association between the separate anthropometric indexes including visceral adiposity and metabolic syndrome on male fertility.
STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, the visceral and subcutaneous fat thickness of 162 participants were measured by ultrasonography. Participants' body mass index, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio were determined. Participants' biochemical metabolic parameters and reproductive hormones were measured and semen parameters were recorded. Participants were divided into groups according to body mass index and different percentiles of the visceral fat thickness. Differences between groups were investigated by One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Pearson Chi-Square test. The relationship between anthropometric measurements and sperm parameters was evaluated by Pearson and Spearman’s rank correlation test. The effect of anthropometric indexes on sperm parameters was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis.
RESULTS: It was seen that only total testosterone of sex hormones decreased significantly in the obesity group (p=0.003). There was a significant and reverse association between visceral fat thickness with sperm morphology (rho=–0.2, p=0.01). There was no significant correlation between semen parameters and other anthropometric measurements. In multiple regression analysis, the effect of anthropometric measurements, including visceral fat thickness, on semen parameters was not found, but only smoking was found to be a factor affecting sperm concentration, progressive motility, and morphology (p=0.03, p=0.03, and p=0.01).
CONCLUSION: In this study, it was shown that increased obesity was associated with low testosterone levels and increased visceral fat was associated with abnormal sperm morphology. More extensive studies are required on this subject.
Correlación de las dimensiones de agotamiento con las características demográficas y de salud de estudiantes de Medicina
Authors: Alves de Sousa Milena Nunes , Reinaldo Antonelly Romeiro Galvão , Oliveira Daniela Priscila Azevedo de , Estrela Yoshyara da Costa Anacleto , Rezende Ariany Cibelle Costa , Bezerra André Luiz Dantas
Published: March 2021

Objetivo: Correlacionar las dimensiones del Síndrome de Burnout con las características demográficas y de salud de los estudiantes de Medicina de una universidad del noreste de Brasil. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, trans-versal, correlacional con enfoque cuantitativo. Un total de 138 estudiantes de la Facultad de Medicina del Centro Universitario UNIFIP en Patos-PB participaron en la investigación. Los criterios de inclusión fueron ser un estudiante de Medicina matriculado regularmente en el curso FIP y tener 18 años de edad o más. La recolección de datos se realizó mediante la aplicación de un cuestionario social y demográfico y el Inventario de Burnout de Maslach - Encuesta de estudiantes. Los datos se analizaron en SPSS a partir de las correlaciones de Bisserial y Pearson. Resultados: La mayoría de los estudiantes eran mujeres (58,7 %), de 18 a 24 años (83,3 %) y solteras (96,4 %). El estudio mostró altos promedios de agotamiento emocional y efectividad profesional, y un bajo nivel de desconfianza. Sin embargo, a medida que los estudiantes evolucionan con el tiempo, aumenta el agotamiento emocional y la desconfianza, y se reduce el rendimiento profesional. Aun así, los estudiantes que pensaron en abandonar el curso tendieron a obtener puntajes más altos en agotamiento emocional e incredulidad, y puntajes más bajos en logros profesionales. Conclusiones: No hubo indicios de síndrome de Burnout en la muestra; sin embargo, existe el riesgo de desarrollarlo entre los estudiantes en períodos más avanzados, entre aquellos insatisfechos con el curso y los que considerar abandonarlo.
Nivel de estrés académico por evaluación oral y escrita en estudiantes de Medicina de una universidad del Departamento de Sucre
Authors: Otero-Marrugo German , Carriazo-Sampayo Guillermo , Tamara-Oliver Scarleth , Lacayo- Lepesqueur Maria Katty , Torres-Barrios Giovanni , Pájaro Castro Nerlis Paola
Published: March 2021

Introducción: Todas las personas, independientemente de su raza, sexo o cualquier otra diferencia puede experimentar estrés, puesto que cotidianamente estamos expuestos a factores estresantes, y el ámbito educativo no es ajeno a este fenómeno. El objetivo de este trabajo es comparar el nivel de estrés en los estudiantes de Medicina de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud sometidos a evaluación oral y escrita. Metodología: Se evaluó el perfil de estrés en los estudiantes por lo menos una semana antes de presentar una prueba oral o escrita. Posteriormente, se procedió a aplicar el test para evaluar estrés académico en los estudiantes sometidos a prueba oral y escrita empleando el inventario Sisco. Resultados: Los estudiantes de Medicina tienen estrés académico cuando son sometidos a evaluación escrita u oral indistintamente. Además de la evaluación, los estresores con mayor impacto son sobrecarga de tareas y trabajos escolares, no entender los temas que se abordan en clase y el tiempo limitado para hacer el trabajo. Los síntomas más frecuentes que demuestran el estrés académico fueron somnolencia o mayor necesidad de dormir, ansiedad, angustia o desesperación, aumento o reducción del consumo de alimentos y como estrategia se afrontamiento se encontró una gran tendencia a practicar la religiosidad. Conclusiones: Las evaluaciones son una fuente importante de estrés académico en los estudiantes, por lo cual se recomienda implementar un plan de acción para reducir los niveles de estrés académico.
Terapia endovascular múltiple para el manejo del vasoespasmo cerebral refractario
Authors: Salazar-Díaz Luis Carlos , Neira-Escobar Fabián Enrique
Published: March 2021

El vasoespasmo cerebral es una complicación severa de la hemorragia subaracnoidea. La monitorización y la detección del vasoespasmo por métodos no invasivos, así como la terapia endovascular han revolucionado la atención médica tradicional. Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 45 años con aneurisma roto de la arteria comunicante anterior, quien desarrolló vasoespasmo severo refractario desde el octavo día de hemorragia subaracnoidea. El vasoespasmo fue detectado oportunamente con técnicas no invasivas y tratado en cinco ocasiones mediante terapia endovascular, logrando mejoría inmediata de los síntomas y sin secuelas neurológicas. Este reporte contribuye a demostrar el beneficio de la terapia endovascular múltiple para el manejo del vasoespasmo cerebral refractario, en combinación con la utilización de técnicas no invasivas para la monitorización y detección oportuna del vasoespasmo. Adicionalmente, se revisan las recomendaciones actuales de medicina basada en la evidencia sobre el uso del Doppler transcraneal para la detección del vasoespasmo cerebral.
Linfoma intravascular de células B grandes con afección cerebral
Authors: Mayner-Tresol Gabriel , Reyna-Villasmil Eduardo
Published: March 2021

El linfoma intravascular de células B grandes es una rara variante del linfoma no Hodgkin que se caracteriza por proliferación clonal de células linfoides neoplásicas que crecen dentro de la luz de la microvasculatura. La diversidad de su presentación clínica dada su posibilidad de aparición en cualquier órgano, a menudo lo convierte en un diagnóstico difícil. El espectro clínico es heterogéneo dominado por manifestaciones neurológicas y puede pasarse por alto o diagnosticarse erróneamente. El diagnóstico sigue siendo un reto, ya que no existen hallazgos patognomónicos de neuroimágenes y aún no se ha establecido un tratamiento óptimo. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 38 años con linfoma intravascular de células B grandes con afección cerebral.
Effects of sea ice change on the Arctic climate: insights from experiments with a polar atmospheric regional climate model
Authors: Liu Xiying , Lu Chenchen
Published: March 2021

To get insights into the effects of sea ice change on the Arctic climate, a polar atmospheric regional climate model was used to perform two groups of numerical experiments with prescribed sea ice cover of typical mild and severe sea ice. In experiments within the same group, the lateral boundary conditions and initial values were kept the same. The prescribed sea ice concentration (SIC) and other fields for the lower boundary conditions were changed every six hours. 10-year integration was completed, and monthly mean results were saved for analysis in each experiment. It is shown that the changes in annual mean surface air temperature have close connections with that in SIC, and the maximum change of temperature surpasses 15 K. The effects of SIC changes on 850 hPa air temperature is also evident, with more significant changes in the group with reduced sea ice. The higher the height, the weaker the response in air temperature to SIC change. The annual mean SIC change creates the pattern of differences in annual mean sea level pressure. The degree of significance in pressure change is modulated by atmospheric stratification stability. In response to reduction/increase of sea ice, the intensity of polar vortex weakens/strengthens.
Kinetic study of biogas production from anaerobic digestion of vinasse waste
Authors: Usmani A. , Pangkumhang B. , Wongaree M. , Wantala K. , Khunphonoi R.
Published: March 2021

Vinasse, a sugar-ethanol residue, is used as a substrate for biogas production. The characteristics of the vinasse wastewater used were 216,000 mg-COD/L, pH 4.1, and 68.42 mg/L volatile solids. The sludge/wastewater ratio was controlled at about 1.5−2.0, by weight. Biogas production enhancement was studied in relation to two parameters – Citadel BioCat + , a commercial biocatalyst containing a large microorganism population as the methanogenic bacteria source (5 and 10 g), and reaction temparature (30 and 37 °C). Biogas production kinetics were evaluated. The presence of the biocatalyst enhanced biogas production significantly, as well as reducing the time required for anaerobic digestion. The first-order kinetic model described the biodegradation process. The best results were found using 10 g of biocatalyst at 37 °C – i.e., the optimum results based on biogas production potential (A), the highest biogas production rate (U), the minimum biogas production time (λ), and kinetic organic biodegradability constants (k) of 102.71 mL/g-COD, 11.17 mL/g-COD/d, 0.95 day, and 0.0533 day−1, respectively. COD removal efficiency was up to 60%.
Aggravated biofouling caused by chlorine disinfection in a pilot-scale reverse osmosis treatment system of municipal wastewater
Authors: Luo Li-Wei , Wu Yin-Hu , Wang Yun-Hong , Tong Xin , Bai Yuan , Chen Gen-Qiang , Wang Hao-Bin , Ikuno Nozomu , Hu Hong-Ying
Published: March 2021

The reverse osmosis (RO) system is widely applied to produce reclaimed water for high-standard industrial use. Chlorine disinfection is the main biofouling control method in the RO systems for wastewater reclamation. However, researchers reported the adverse effects of chlorine disinfection which aggravated biofouling in laboratory-scale RO systems. In this study, four parallel 4-inch spiral wound RO membranes were used to study the effect of chlorine on biofouling in a pilot-scale RO system. The free chlorine dosages in four experimental groups were 0, 1, 2 and 5 mg/L, respectively. After continuous chlorination and dechlorination, the feed water entered the RO system. It was found that chlorine pretreatment caused a 1.9–36.7% increase in relative feed water pressure of the RO system, suggesting that chlorine aggravated the membrane fouling in the pilot-scale RO system. The microbial community structures of living bacteria in the feed water of the RO system were determined by the PMA (propidium monoazide)-PCR method and showed that the relative abundance of chlorine-resistant bacteria (CRB) was significantly increased after disinfection. Nine major genera which maintained higher relative abundance in experimental groups with high chlorine dosage were considered as possible key species causing membrane fouling, including Pedobacter, Clostridium and Bradyrhizobium.
Analysis of water quality indices and machine learning techniques for rating water pollution: a case study of Rawal Dam, Pakistan
Authors: Ahmed Mehreen , Mumtaz Rafia , Hassan Zaidi Syed Mohammad
Published: March 2021

Water Quality Index (WQI) is a unique and effective rating technique for assessing the quality of water. Nevertheless, most of the indices are not applicable to all water types as these are dependent on core physico-chemical water parameters that can make them biased and sensitive towards specific attributes including: (i) time, location and frequency for data sampling; (ii) number, variety and weights allocation of parameters. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate these indices to eliminate uncertainties that make them unpredictable and which may lead to manipulation of the water quality classes. The present study calculated five WQIs for two temporal periods: (i) June to December 2019 obtained in real time (using the Internet of Things (IoT) nodes) at inlet and outlet streams of Rawal Dam; (ii) 2012–2019 obtained from the Rawal Dam Water Filtration Plant, collected through GIS-based grab sampling. The computed WQIs categorized the collected datasets as ‘Very Poor’, primarily owing to the uneven distribution of the water samples that has led to class imbalance in the data. Additionally, this study investigates the classification of water quality using machine learning algorithms namely: Decision Tree (DT), k-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Logistic Regression (LogR), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and Naive Bayes (NB); based on the parameters including: pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, fecal coliform and temperature. The classification results showed that the DT algorithm outperformed other models with a classification accuracy of 99%. Although WQI is a popular method used to assess the water quality, there is a need to address the uncertainties and biases introduced by the limitations of data acquisition (such as specific location/area, type and number of parameters or water type) leading to class imbalance. This can be achieved by developing a more refined index that considers various other factors such as topographical and hydrological parameters with spatial temporal variations combined machine learning techniques to effectively contribute in estimation of water quality for all regions.
Ground water toxicity due to fluoride contamination in Southwestern Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Yasar Abdullah , Javed Tariq , Kausar Firdaus , Shamshad Jaweria , Hayat Khan Muhammad Umar , Iqbal Rashid
Published: March 2021

The prevalence of dental/bone deformities provides motivation for studying the distribution, severity and sources of the Fluoride (F−1). The ground water samples (n = 77) were collected, from the districts of Lahore and Kasur of approximately 750 km2 area. The water was analyzed for fluoride (F−), pH, electric conductivity (EC), alkalinity and hardness. The results revealed F− concentration ranges from 0.25–21.3 mg. An inverse relation between depth and fluoride concentration was observed. On the basis of cluster analysis three zones were identified. Highly toxic zone was a strip of 15 km wide and 3 km long, along Multan Road from Sunder to Phool Nagar bypass, with fluoride concentration (08–21.3 mg/L). The highly toxic zone inhabited a number of industrial units, disposing off their wastewater through soaking pits. These units contribute pollution to the shallow water, which further penetrates to the surroundings. Hence the shallow water (depth of 45–50 feet) was the most contaminated. The intensity of toxic effects decreases from highly to mild toxic zone. It was concluded that the problem was actually associated with the industrial wastewater. Therefore, to overcome the issue, measures of supplying fresh drinking water from the deep aquifer as well as treatment of industrial water is suggested.

HIGHLIGHT

Industry was actually responsible for fluoride toxicity in the region rather than natural sources.
Modeling interspecific competition of the microbial community during anaerobic digestion based on cellular automata and ADM1
Authors: Zhang Miao , Shi En , Li Yafeng
Published: March 2021

Interspecific competition for substrate and space gives rise to considerable variation in biomass distribution within the microbial community. To study microbial community in depth, we used several research methods as sampling and analytical measurements, and developed a cellular automata (CA) model that would facilitate a description of the microbial growth process based on Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) of the International Water Association (IWA). Using the CA model, we aimed to determine whether interspecific competition occurs among acidogens, acetogens and methanogens, and to examine the influence of interspecific competition on the spatial structure of microbial communities. We found that acetogens and methanogens competed for core space, resulting in a multi-layer structure. Butyrate-degrading acetogens increased in number, resulting in inhibition of propionate-degrading acetogens. Hydrogenotrophic methanogens showed stronger competitive advantage than acetotrophic methanogens. The simulation showed that the multi-layer structure of the microbial community was formed by interspecific competition.
Recovery of iron by jarosite crystallization and separation of vanadium by solvent extraction with extractant 7101 from titanium white waste liquid (TWWL)
Authors: Li Wang , Niu Zepeng , Zhu Xiaobo
Published: March 2021

The jarosite crystallization and new extractant system for extractant 7101 was used to separate iron and extract vanadium from titanium white waste liquid (TWWL). The influence factors and mechanisms of crystallization and solvent extraction were investigated and analyzed using SEM-EDS, XRD, FT-IR, solution thermodynamic theory and extraction isothermal curve. More than 97% of iron was precipitated with the following conditions: potassium chlorate 15 g/L, pH value of 1.6, temperature of 95 °C and time of 90 min, in which the crystallization product was jarosite with a purity of 99.5%; the pH value of the solution decreased after precipitation. The extraction efficiency of vanadium reached 88.6% with 10% Fe, 5% Al(III) but less for Mg(II), K(I) and Na(I) under the conditions X7101 of 0.5, pH value of 2.0, time of 4 min and stirring speed of 40 r/min. The extraction of metal ions occurred in the order V(V) > Fe(III) > Al(III) > Mg(II) > K(I). Vanadium minimally existed as at pH 2.0, and the functional groups NH and C–N contributed to vanadium extraction using the extractant 7101. Four stages extraction and three stages of re-extraction were predicated by McCable–Thiele plots.
Comments on the contents of the dependability terminology standard
Authors: Zelentsov B. P.
Published: March 2021

Aim. The long-lasting discussion of the dependability-related terminology is evidence of the relevance of the subject matter and, at the same time, identifies difficulties associated with finding middle-ground solutions. This article aims to eliminate the shortcomings associated with the application of the conventional, yet insufficiently substantiated terms in the GOST 27.002-2015 interstate standard. Correct understanding and use of terms are of great significance.

Methods. The paper lays down the requirements for the used terminology in terms of internal logical consistency and identifies specific terms, the use of which violates such requirements. Several terms from the standard underwent a logical and terminological analysis based on statutory requirements and the semantic meanings of such terms.

 Findings and conclusions. The paper states that the perfection of terms, definitions and basic concepts comes down to the fact that a standard shall not contain synonyms, homonyms and terms previously adopted in other standards with new or modified definitions. The terminological analysis helped to identify the terms whose use is unjustified. It was noted that the term “dependability” is clearly defined as a property, whose content and meaning are set forth with adequate substantiation. However, other definitions of dependability in the standard are not substantiated. Several cases of the use of terms that do not comply with the proposed requirements were considered, e.g., “dependability estimation”, “dependability indicators estimation”, “state of item”, etc.
A method of accounting for censored items as part of fatigue testing of composite materials
Authors: Gadolina I. V. , Maydanov I. S. , Smelov S. A. , Suslova Yu. V.
Published: March 2021

The Aim of the paper is to create a method for including information on censorship for the purpose of adjusting the estimates of the S-N diagram of composite materials. Censored items are such items that did not fail by the end of testing, for which a certain operation time has been registered. It must be noted that, currently, researchers often ignore the operation time data of the items that did not fail by the end of testing, which does not appear to be justified in terms of cost saving and reliability of statistical conclusions. Censorship information is very important in terms of assessing durability. It only needs the right tool to use it.

The proposed Method consists in bootstrapping-based simulation, a method from the group of computer-intensive methods. In the process of the method’s development, the previously used approaches (for instance, as regards metals) were considered. In the examined example of the method’s application, the data was taken from literary sources.

Results. The paper shows an example of fatigue testing conducted by the authors that produced a large number of censored items. The results obtained using the method were compared with real data. It is shown that the quality of statistical estimation improves with the use of the method. The paper sets forth certain observations regarding the mechanical testing tool for quality control. The source of data dispersion associated with fatigue testing is discussed.

Conclusions. The application of the method will help include the information on censored items in the estimation of the S-N diagram. For scientists who are involved in the experimental research of the fatigue resistance of composite materials, the suggested method might prove to be quite useful. It takes into consideration the characteristic features of the strength analysis of composite materials (large properties dispersion and absence of unlimited fatigue range). The method will allow taking onto account an important, but not always so far used information on the items that operated a certain number of cycles, but did not fail.
Evolução das lesões precursoras do câncer de colo uterino e do câncer de mama em uma cidade no interior do estado do Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Azevedo Gabriela Aparecida , Campo Dall'Orto Orlando Antônio
Published: March 2021

O câncer de mama é uma neoplasia maligna de relevante recorrência e suas taxas de mortalidade também são proporcionalmente elevadas, em razão disso, motiva ampla discussão em torno de medidas que promovam seu rastreio. Já o câncer de colo uterino, do mesmo modo, também possui índices de mortalidade ainda elevados e se destaca a necessidade de conscientização das mulheres à realização periódica do exame de citologia oncótica a fim de detectar precocemente possíveis lesões precursoras de tumores. Realizou-se um estudo transversal, de base populacional na cidade de Vassouras, RJ, no período pré-determinado de 2017 a 2019, a partir de anotações de exames para rastreio, perante uma amostra de 130 pacientes para lesões precursoras ao câncer de mama e 70 pacientes para lesões precursoras ao câncer de colo uterino. Foram coletadas informações a partir das pacientes que frequentaram as Unidades Básicas de Saúde do município neste período citado. A prevalência observada foi de que 76,1% das pacientes que apresentaram alguma lesão em mamas realizaram o seguimento e 23,8% delas não o realizaram. Com relação aos dados do câncer de colo uterino, 67,1% das mulheres que revelaram alguma lesão no colo do útero, mantiveram-se fazendo o seguimento e, 32,8% delas o abandonaram. Assim, constatou-se que existem índices mais positivos em relação à adesão dos programas de rastreamento no município, todavia, profissionais da saúde devem continuar orientando as mulheres sobre os cânceres de mama e colo uterino, buscando identificar os motivos pelos quais algumas pacientes falham em manter sua rotina nos consultórios ginecológicos.
Abordagem e tratamento de úlcera de pressão infectada em idosa sob cuidado domiciliar: da atenção primária à especializada
Authors: Campos Guerra Maria Julia , Pereira Alvim Júlia , Oliveira Salles Lucas , Rola Albergaria Roberta Maria , Dantas Teixeira José Carlos , Trovão Queiroz Aline
Published: March 2021

Nos últimos anos, a população idosa vem aumentando no Brasil e tal fato é acompanhado pelo surgimento de comorbidades, dentre as quais a úlcera por pressão (UP), uma afecção de etiologia multifatorial, considerada problema de saúde pública. Nesse contexto, o cuidado domiciliar prestado pela família do doente, com apoio da equipe da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF), se apresenta como tática capaz de responder à necessidade real da pessoa com condições crônicas. No âmbito da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS), a equipe da ESF, visando garantir a integralidade do cuidado, é responsável por referenciar, quando necessário, o paciente à Atenção Secundária. Esse artigo objetiva relatar o caso de uma idosa com fatores de risco para UP, que apresentou uma UP em calcâneo infectada por miíase, sendo referenciada ao serviço de Cirurgia Geral de um Hospital Universitário para desbridamento da lesão e, posteriormente, retornando à APS para continuidade do cuidado. Os dados deste relato foram colhidos do prontuário da paciente em um Hospital Universitário. Para revisão e discussão deste artigo foram utilizadas as bases de dados Lilacs, Scielo, Medline, BVS e Pubmed. Ressalta-se a importância do cuidado integral, buscando garantir a promoção, proteção, recuperação, reabilitação e manutenção da saúde do paciente. Desse modo, os cuidadores familiares, orientados por profissionais de saúde, são também atores essenciais na continuidade do cuidado, pois assim, aliando práticas curativas às preventivas, em todos os níveis de atenção à saúde, busca-se uma melhor qualidade de vida para o paciente.

Palavras-chave: Lesão por Pressão; Assistência Domiciliar; Atenção Primária à Saúde; Integralidade em Saúde; Atenção Secundária à Saúde.
Vírus Sincicial Respiratório (VSR): Avanços Diagnósticos
Authors: Rodrigues Souza Goncalves Joelma , Bhering Carlos Alberto
Published: March 2021

O VSR é a principal causa de infecção aguda do trato respiratório superior e inferior em crianças com até 5 anos de idade e a forma grave da BVA em bebês e menores de 2 anos. O diagnóstico preciso e rápido permite a implementação de estratégias de prevenção e terapias antivirais apropriadas. Ultimamente, observou-se um aprimoramento nos testes para diagnóstico viral. Foram pesquisadas produções científicas de 2015 – 2020. Foram consultadas as  bases de dados: Scielo, Bireme-Medline, Lilacs, Cochrane Library e Pubmed. Foram selecionados  55 publicações científicas que preencheram os critérios de inclusão. A infecção pelo VSR pode ser diagnosticada por cultura celular; detecção direta rápida do antígeno viral, detecção do genoma do vírus por técnicas de diagnóstico rápido incluindo RT-PCR, RT-PCR em tempo real e RT-PCR multiplex. Os mais inovadores métodos diagnósticos derivam do conceito de amplificação de ácidos nucleicos, dentre os quais se destacam os ensaios de PCR e suas variantes como a RT-qPCR que possibilita analisar quantitativamente a carga viral numa dada amostra. Destaca-se que o diagnóstico da BVA por VSR deve ser complementado com um teste laboratorial. Ressaltamos as vantagens dos Painéis Multiplex para firmar um diagnóstico preciso e detectar eventuais coinfecções virais e/ou bacterianas, além de evitar o uso desnecessário de antibióticos.
The Delineation of the Homme Fatale in Angela Carter’s “The Bloody Chamber”
Authors: Turkı Harith , Saeed Tavgah
Published: March 2021

Angela Carter’s “The Bloody Chamber” is her most anthologized short story among all her other short stories. The importance of this story stems from the fact that it shows the writer’s most talented art of short story writing and also the most interesting themes a postmodern writer would ever deal with. One of the most interesting themes of this short story is the role of the homme fatale. This word homme fatale is derived from French, which means the fatal or destructive man. This man first tempts his victims and then enjoys killing them. Carter’s entire story is concerned with the Marquis’ acts of torturing and killing his wives. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine the role and the portrayal of the main villain of the short story, the Marquis, and his monstrous acts of torturing and killing his wives very sadistically. As an homme fatale, the Marquis first seduces his wives and entraps them in order to marry him, then after enjoying them sexually he tortures and kills them. The only survivor of his wives is in fact the narrator of this story, who shows aptly the real features of the Marquis.
Combinatorial Synthesis of Novel 3/5(3,5)-(Di)nitro/chloropaeonol
Carbonyl Hydrazone Derivatives as Nematicidal Agents
Authors: Chen Genqiang , Zhu Lina , Xia Yanfei , Yang Jinming , Zhang Song , Li Yuanhao , Guo Xiaolong , Sun Di , He Jiaxuan , Tian Yuee , Liu Shengming , Jiang Jia , Che Zhiping
Published: March 2021

Background:

Developing the high-efficiency and low-risk small-molecule greennematocide
is the key of effective control of the nematodes. Paeonol, is a naturally occurring
phenolic compound, isolated from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa and the whole plant of
Cynanchum paniculatum. Due to its crucial phenolic ketone skeleton, modern biological science
research has indicated that paeonol has a wide range of biological activities. The structural
modification of paeonol into paeonol carbonyl hydrazone derivatives is a potential approach for the
development of novel nematodes, which showed more toxicity than paeonol. However, there are
no reports on the nematicidal activity of paeonol carbonyl hydrazone derivatives to control
Heterodera glycines.

Results:

We always endeavor to discover and develop biorational natural products-based pesticidal
agents, 4 significant intermediates and 21 novel 3/5(3,5)-(di)nitro/chloropaeonol carbonyl
hydrazone derivatives were prepared, and their structures well characterized by 1H NMR, HRMS,
MS, and mp. Due to the steric hindrance, the substituents on the C=N double bond of all hydrazine
compounds adopted E configuration. Results of nematicidal activity revealed that, among all
compounds, especially 5-nitropaeonol (5) and 3,5-dinitropaeonol (7) displayed the most potent
nematicidal activity H. glycines in vivo with LC50 values of 0.0323 and 0.0367 mg/mL,
respectively.

Conclusion:

It suggested that for the 3/5(3,5)-(di)nitro/chloropaeonol carbonyl hydrazone
derivatives, a nitro group introduced at C5 position of 1 was necessary for obtaining the potent
compound as nematicidal agents. These preliminary results will pave the way for further
modification of paeonol in the development of potential new nematicides.
Functional Exploration of Chaperonin (HSP60/10) Family Genes and their Abiotic Stress-induced Expression Patterns in Sorghum bicolor
Authors: Nagaraju M. , Kumar Anuj , Jalaja N. , Rao D. Manohar , Kishor P.B. Kavi
Published: March 2021

Background:

Sorghum, the C4 dry-land cereal, important for food, fodder, feed and fuel, is a model crop for abiotic stress tolerance with smaller genome size, genetic diversity, and bioenergy traits. The heat shock proteins/chaperonin 60s (HSP60/Cpn60s) assist the plastid proteins, and participate in the folding and aggregation of proteins. However, the functions of HSP60s in abiotic stress tolerance in Sorghum remain unclear.

Methods:

Genome-wide screening and in silico characterization of SbHSP60s were carried out along with tissue and stress-specific expression analysis.

Results:

A total of 36 HSP60 genes were identified in Sorghum bicolor. They were subdivided into 2 groups, the HSP60 and HSP10 co-chaperonins encoded by 30 and 6 genes, respectively. The genes are distributed on all the chromosomes, chromosome 1 being the hot spot with 9 genes. All the HSP60s were found hydrophilic and highly unstable. The HSP60 genes showed a large number of introns, the majority of them with more than 10. Among the 12 paralogs, only 1 was tandem and the remaining 11 segmental, indicating their role in the expansion of SbHSP60s. Majority of the SbHSP60 genes expressed uniformly in leaf while a moderate expression was observed in the root tissues, with the highest expression displayed by SbHSP60-1. From expression analysis, SbHSP60- 3 for drought, SbHSP60-9 for salt, SbHSP60-9 and 24 for heat and SbHSP60-3, 9 and SbHSP10- 2 have been found implicated for cold stress tolerance and appeared as the key regulatory genes.

Conclusion:

This work paves the way for the utilization of chaperonin family genes for achieving abiotic stress tolerance in plants.
Longitudinal Association between White Matter Hyperintensities and White Matter Beta-Amyloid Deposition in Cognitively Unimpaired Elderly
Authors: Wang Ming-Liang , Yu Meng-Meng , Li Wen-Bin , Li Yue-Hua
Published: March 2021

Background:

White matter (WM) beta-amyloid uptake has been used as a reference region
to calculate the cortical standard uptake value ratio (SUVr). However, white matter hyperintensities
(WMH) may have an influence on WM beta-amyloid uptake. Our study aimed to investigate
the associations between WMH and WM beta-amyloid deposition in cognitively unimpaired
elderly.

Methods:

Data from 83 cognitively unimpaired individuals in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging
Initiative (ADNI) dataset were analyzed. All participants had complete baseline and four-year
follow-up information about WMH volume, WM 18F-AV-45 SUVr, and cognitive function, including
ADNI-Memory (ADNI-Mem) and ADNI-Executive function (ADNI-EF) scores. Cross-sectional
and longitudinal linear regression analyses were used to determine the associations between
WMH and WM SUVr and cognitive measures.

Results:

Lower WM 18F-AV-45 SUVr at baseline was associated with younger age (β=0.01,
P=0.037) and larger WMH volume (β=-0.049, P=0.048). The longitudinal analysis found an annual
increase in WM 18F-AV-45 SUVr was associated with an annual decrease in WMH volume
(β=-0.016, P=0.041). An annual decrease in the ADNI-Mem score was associated with an annual
increase in WMH volume (β=-0.070, P=0.001), an annual decrease in WM 18F-AV-45 SUVr
(β=0.559, P=0.030), and fewer years of education (β=0.011, P=0.044). There was no significant association
between WM 18F-AV-45 SUVr and ADNI-EF (P>0.05).

Conclusions:

Reduced beta-amyloid deposition in WM was associated with higher WMH load and
memory decline in cognitively unimpaired elderly. WMH volume should be considered when WM
18F-AV-45 SUVr is used as a reference for evaluating cortical 18F-AV-45 SUVr.
Leading predictors of early and late hospital mortality among patients with acute decompensated heart failure and ways to improve prognosis
Authors: Polyakov D. S. , Fomin I. V. , Vinogradova N. G. , Badin Yu. V. , Shcherbinina E. V. , Vaisberg А. R.
Published: March 2021

Objective: to analyze the leading causes of early (first two days) and late (after the second day) hospital mortality among of patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Materials and methods: a retrospective single-center cohort (n=718) of patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Results: predictors of prognosis for early hospital mortality were pulmonary edema, hepatomegaly, the need for inotropic and vasopressive drugs, the level of systolic blood pressure and creatinine. Predictors of prognosis for late hospital mortality were pulmonary edema, the need for inotropic drugs, community-acquired pneumonia, and laboratory markers of acute renal injury.

Conclusion: Tactical approaches are proposed to reduce hospital mortality of patients with acute decompensated heart failure.
Reducing the Impact of Confounding Factors on Skin Cancer Classification via Image Segmentation: Technical Model Study
Authors: Maron Roman C , Hekler Achim , Krieghoff-Henning Eva , Schmitt Max , Schlager Justin G , Utikal Jochen S , Brinker Titus J
Published: March 2021

Background

Studies have shown that artificial intelligence achieves similar or better performance than dermatologists in specific dermoscopic image classification tasks. However, artificial intelligence is susceptible to the influence of confounding factors within images (eg, skin markings), which can lead to false diagnoses of cancerous skin lesions. Image segmentation can remove lesion-adjacent confounding factors but greatly change the image representation.

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of 2 image classification workflows where images were either segmented or left unprocessed before the subsequent training and evaluation of a binary skin lesion classifier.

Methods

Separate binary skin lesion classifiers (nevus vs melanoma) were trained and evaluated on segmented and unsegmented dermoscopic images. For a more informative result, separate classifiers were trained on 2 distinct training data sets (human against machine [HAM] and International Skin Imaging Collaboration [ISIC]). Each training run was repeated 5 times. The mean performance of the 5 runs was evaluated on a multi-source test set (n=688) consisting of a holdout and an external component.

Results

Our findings showed that when trained on HAM, the segmented classifiers showed a higher overall balanced accuracy (75.6% [SD 1.1%]) than the unsegmented classifiers (66.7% [SD 3.2%]), which was significant in 4 out of 5 runs (P<.001). The overall balanced accuracy was numerically higher for the unsegmented ISIC classifiers (78.3% [SD 1.8%]) than for the segmented ISIC classifiers (77.4% [SD 1.5%]), which was significantly different in 1 out of 5 runs (P=.004).

Conclusions

Image segmentation does not result in overall performance decrease but it causes the beneficial removal of lesion-adjacent confounding factors. Thus, it is a viable option to address the negative impact that confounding factors have on deep learning models in dermatology. However, the segmentation step might introduce new pitfalls, which require further investigations.
Measurement of Heart Rate Using the Polar OH1 and Fitbit Charge 3 Wearable Devices in Healthy Adults During Light, Moderate, Vigorous, and Sprint-Based Exercise: Validation Study
Authors: Muggeridge David Joseph , Hickson Kirsty , Davies Aimie Victoria , Giggins Oonagh M , Megson Ian L , Gorely Trish , Crabtree Daniel R
Published: March 2021

Background

Accurate, continuous heart rate measurements are important for health assessment, physical activity, and sporting performance, and the integration of heart rate measurements into wearable devices has extended its accessibility. Although the use of photoplethysmography technology is not new, the available data relating to the validity of measurement are limited, and the range of activities being performed is often restricted to one exercise domain and/or limited intensities.

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Polar OH1 and Fitbit Charge 3 devices for measuring heart rate during rest, light, moderate, vigorous, and sprint-type exercise.

Methods

A total of 20 healthy adults (9 female; height: mean 1.73 [SD 0.1] m; body mass: mean 71.6 [SD 11.0] kg; and age: mean 40 [SD 10] years) volunteered and provided written informed consent to participate in the study consisting of 2 trials. Trial 1 was split into 3 components: 15-minute sedentary activities, 10-minute cycling on a bicycle ergometer, and incremental exercise test to exhaustion on a motorized treadmill (18-42 minutes). Trial 2 was split into 2 components: 4 × 15-second maximal sprints on a cycle ergometer and 4 × 30- to 50-m sprints on a nonmotorized resistance treadmill. Data from the 3 devices were time-aligned, and the validity of Polar OH1 and Fitbit Charge 3 was assessed against Polar H10 (criterion device). Validity was evaluated using the Bland and Altman analysis, Pearson moment correlation coefficient, and mean absolute percentage error.

Results

Overall, there was a very good correlation between the Polar OH1 and Polar H10 devices (r=0.95), with a mean bias of −1 beats·min-1 and limits of agreement of −20 to 19 beats·min-1. The Fitbit Charge 3 device underestimated heart rate by 7 beats·min-1 compared with Polar H10, with a limit of agreement of −46 to 33 beats·min-1 and poor correlation (r=0.8). The mean absolute percentage error for both devices was deemed acceptable (<5%). Polar OH1 performed well across each phase of trial 1; however, validity was worse for trial 2 activities. Fitbit Charge 3 performed well only during rest and nonsprint-based treadmill activities.

Conclusions

Compared with our criterion device, Polar OH1 was accurate at assessing heart rate, but the accuracy of Fitbit Charge 3 was generally poor. Polar OH1 performed worse during trial 2 compared with the activities in trial 1, and the validity of the Fitbit Charge 3 device was particularly poor during our cycling exercises.