bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and pattern of beta-haemolytic streptococcal throat infections among primary school children in a rural community in rivers state
Authors: Wonodi Woroma 
Published: April 2020

Background:
Group A beta-haemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in humans where it causes symptomatic pharyngitis and the non-suppurative sequelae of acute rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis. Regional evaluation of streptococcal throat infections may be helpful in disease surveillance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and pattern of GABHS throat infections among primary school children in a rural community in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Methodology:
This cross-sectional study was carried out between May and July 2015 in Emohua local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Pupils were recruited using a multistaged random sampling technique. Throat swabs obtained were cultured using sheep blood and sent for microscopy and Lancefield grouping.

Results:
A total of 456 pupils aged 6–12 years were recruited, of which 54 (11.8%) had a positive throat culture of beta-haemolytic Streptococcus (BHS). The isolates were Lancefield Groups B (23; 42.6%), A (18; 33.3%), D (9; 19.6%), C (3; 5.6%) and F (1; 1.8%). No Group G BHS was isolated. Age, sex, socioeconomic class, classroom and household overcrowding did not significantly influence the prevalence of BHS throat infections.

Conclusion:
The prevalence of BHS throat infections in this rural community was similar to that in the urban areas in Nigeria. There was no significant difference between the prevalence of BHS in symptomatic and asymptomatic pupils.
Characterizing the surface microlayer in the Mediterranean Sea: trace metal concentrations and microbial plankton abundance
Authors: Tovar-Sánchez Antonio , Rodríguez-Romero Araceli , Engel Anja , Zäncker Birthe , Fu Franck , Marañón Emilio , Pérez-Lorenzo María , Bressac Matthieu , Wagener Thibaut , Triquet Sylvain , Siour Guillaume , Desboeufs Karine , Guieu Cécile 
Published: April 2020

Abstract. The Sea Surface Microlayer (SML) is known to be enriched by trace metals
relative to the underlying water and harbor diverse microbial
communities (i.e., neuston). However, the processes linking metals and biota
in the SML are not yet fully understood. The metal (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mo,
V, Zn and Pb) concentrations in aerosol samples in the SML (dissolved and
total fractions) and in subsurface waters (SSWs; dissolved fraction at
∼1 m depth) from the western Mediterranean Sea were analyzed
in this study during a cruise in May–June 2017. The composition and
abundance of the bacterial community in the SML and SSW, the primary
production, and Chl a in the SSW were measured simultaneously at all stations
during the cruise. Residence times in the SML of metals derived from aerosol
depositions were highly variable and ranged from minutes for Fe (3.6±6.0 min) to a few hours for Cu (5.8±6.2 h). Concentrations of most
of the dissolved metals in both the SML and SSW were positively correlated
with the salinity gradient and showed the characteristic eastward increase
in the surface waters of the Mediterranean Sea (MS). In contrast, the total
fraction of some reactive metals in the SML (i.e., Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn) showed
a negative correlation with salinity and a positive correlation with
microbial abundance, which might be associated with microbial uptake. Our
results show a strong negative correlation between the dissolved and total
Ni concentration and heterotrophic bacterial abundance in the SML and SSW,
but we cannot ascertain whether this correlation reflects a toxicity effect
or is the result of some other process.
Determinants of Residency Program Choice in Two Central African Countries: An Internet Survey of Senior Medical Students
Authors: Kanmounye Ulrick S. , Temgoua Mazou , Endomba Francky T. 
Published: April 2020

Background: Central African countries have an increasing burden of disease, low specialist workforce densities, and under-resourced postgraduate medical education. The residency program choice of today’s medical students will determine specialist workforce density in the near future. This study aims to elucidate the factors that influence the choice of residency programs among medical students of two Central African countries.
Methods: We designed an online questionnaire in French and English with closed-ended, open-ended, and Likert scale questions. Links to both forms were shared via the international messaging application, WhatsApp, and data were collected anonymously for one month. Respondents were sixth- and seventh-year medical students enrolled in nine Cameroonian and Congolese schools. The threshold of significance was set at 0.05 for bivariate analysis.
Results: There were 149 respondents in our study, 51.7% were female, and 79.2% were from Cameroon. Almost every student (98%) expressed the wish to specialize, and a majority (77.2%) reported an interest in a residency program abroad. Preferred destinations were France (13.7%), Canada (13.2%), and the U.S.A. (11.9%). The most popular specialties were cardiology (9.4%), pediatrics (9.4%) and obstetrics and gynecology (8.7%). The choice of specialty was made based on the respondent’s perceived skills (85.9%), anticipated pay after residency (79.2%), and patient contact (79.2%).
Conclusion: Understanding which specialties interest Cameroonian and Congolese medical students and the reasons for these choices can help develop better local programs.
Medical Education in Naples, Italy, at the Time of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Pagano Gianluca , Luglio Gaetano 
Published: April 2020

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic dramatically changed our daytime routine. Our university world was deeply affected by this emergency situation and had to guarantee the teaching activity with online lessons and exams. While it is true that even in non-emergency conditions online teching is an integral part of many universities, the same cannot be said for graduation ceremonies. And what about students' clinical practice and research activity? In the present article, we will discuss about the experiences of a final-year medical student and of a young assistant professor of Surgery.
Forecasting Inflation: A Combination Approach
Authors: Bojaj Martin , Djurovic Gordana 
Published: April 2020

The objective of this paper is to investigate and forecast the determinants of Montenegrin inflation empirically, using forecast combination methods, from January 2006 to December 2016, and out-of-sample 12-month horizon forecasting from January 2017 to December 2017. The main research problem is that given the struggle policymakers have had to define proper criteria to diagnose the onset of inflation indicators, we felt compelled to identify an approach and methodology that the government of Montenegro can use in the threshold to accessing the European Union. We examine three individual-predictor SVAR models to forecast inflation. Model 1 examines the internal determinants of inflation. Model 2 relates to demand-pull and cost-push variables. Model 3 examines external determinants. Combining the above three forecasts, we disclose two more RMSEs: equal and inverse MSE weights. Model 1 predicts inflation at 1.3%, the inverse MSE at 1.5%, and the weighted average at 1.4%. They show forecasting performances that are sustainable and average inflation not more than 1.5% above the rate of the three best performing Member states: Cyprus (0.2%), Ireland (0.3%), and Finland (0.8%) over the 12 months covering April 2017-March 2018. Our findings allow the policymakers to understand the factors involved in identifying the onset of inflation dynamics and inflation expectations in Montenegro better and develop more effective government regulations that can be employed nationally. In so doing, this research advances and recommends the toolset needed, combining forecasts, to combat the concerns of many macroprudential policymakers in Montenegro, especially the Central Bank of Montenegro.
Signal crayfish in Lake Saimaa could be maladapted to the local conditions due toAphanomyces astaciinfection: A seven-year study
Authors: Jussial Japo , Tiitinen Vesa , Edsman Lennart , Kokko Harri , Fotedar Ravi 
Published: April 2020

AbstractWe conducted a seven-year survey (years 2009 - 2015) of the Lake Saimaa signal crayfish population. Lake Saimaa is the largest single waterbody in Finland, with a productive fishery and crayfishery. The signal crayfish were introduced to Lake Saimaa in mid-1990’s and a commercial fishery was initiated in the mid-2000s. At first, there was a small proportion of noble crayfish among the catch, but after 2007, an acute crayfish plague epidemic eradicated them, and the signal crayfish stock started showing frequent gross symptoms of chronic crayfish plague infection (e.g., melanised lesions, eroded uropods and pleopods, lost appendages with melanised stumps). This stock now shows gross symptoms of the infection at a rate of 45% to 79% of the annual trap catch, in addition to showing signs of eroded swimmeret symdrome (ESS) at a rate of 2.8 to 15.4%. The CPUE has remained rather low, between one and three crayfish throughout the survey, while the proportion of the commercial grade catch has been between 35% and 68% of the total catch. The signal crayfish populations in Lake Saimaa are still rather fragmented, and production is low. It appears that the Lake Saimaa signal crayfish population has developed slowly and is producing less than expected.
Geographic patterns of crayfish symbiont diversity persist over half a century despite seasonal fluctuations
Authors: Skelton James , Creed Robert P. , Landler Lukas , Geyer Kevin M. , Brown Bryan L. 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
We analyzed historical data from 1961-1965 for species occurrences of branchiobdellidans and their crayfish hosts throughout the Mountain Lake Region of southwestern Virginia, USA to quantify geographic variability in species composition and identify patterns in host and symbiont diversity. We collected contemporary census data of branchiobdellidan assemblages from the same region in 2011-2014 for intra-annual variation in symbiont abundance and species composition. We compared historical and contemporary records to assess the stability of geographic patterns in symbiont diversity over decadal timescales. Branchiobdellidan assemblages followed a hump-shaped relationship with Strahler stream order. Much of the geographic variation in symbiont species composition was explained by host species composition, despite low host fidelity in branchiobdellidans. There were strong seasonal cycles in branchiobdellidan abundance and species composition. A comparison of historical and contemporary records revealed little change in species distributions over 50 years. Thus, branchiobdellidan species composition changes predictably along habitat gradients, tracks variation in host composition, is repeatable across decadal timescales, and follow strong cyclic seasonal changes in total and relative abundances. These results suggest that complex but deterministic ecological processes drive symbiont population dynamics at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
Variables psicológicas asociadas a la corrupción: una revisión sistemática
Authors: Martín Julián  , Bonavia Tomás 
Published: April 2020

En la actualidad, la corrupción constituye uno de los principales problemas psicológicos, sociales, económicos y políticos a nivel mundial. El objetivo del presente estudio es analizar las variables psicológicas asociadas a la corrupción a través de una revisión sistemática de las publicaciones entre 2008 y 2018. Tras realizar una búsqueda en las bases de datos Psycinfo, Web of Science y Dialnet, se encontraron 41 artículos que cumplían con los criterios de selección propuestos. Los grandes núcleos encontrados fueron la ética organizacional, creencias y valores culturales, moral y normas percibidas, y personalidad y variables relacionadas. En general, los resultados apuntan a que variables organizacionales como la percepción de la conducta de sus dirigentes o las estrategias de justificación están relacionadas con la corrupción. Valores culturales meritocráticos y materialistas también han sido ligados a la conducta corrupta, como ocurre en el caso de la percepción de un entorno corrupto y de las normas sociales. En cuanto a la personalidad, rasgos como el narcisismo y la psicopatía se encuentran íntimamente ligados a este fenómeno. Por otra parte, variables como la percepción del poder o el sexo de los participantes han recibido un sustento empírico ambiguo.
Nowadays, corruption is one of the most important psychological, social, economic and political issues worldwide. The present paper aims to analyse psychological variables related to corruption through a systematic review of publications from 2008 to 2018. After carrying out a bibliographic search in scientific databases such as Psycinfo, Web of Science and Dialnet, 41 papers were found to match selection criteria. Core topics haven been organizational ethics, cultural beliefs and values, perceived norms and moral, and personality and related variables. Overall, results have shown that organizational variables such as leaders’ behaviour and justification strategies are linked to corruption. Meritocratic and materialist values have also been linked to corrupt behaviour, just like perceiving a corrupt environment and social norms. In regard to personality, features such as narcissism and psychopathy are deeply connected with this phenomenon. On the other side, perception of power and gender have a mixed empirical support.
Reading sentences in spanish: some similarities and differences between children with dyslexia and those with deafness
Authors: Alegria Jesus , Carrillo Maria-Soledad , Rueda Mercedes I. , Domínguez Gutiérrez Ana Belén 
Published: April 2020

Este estudio compara las estrategias para leer oraciones utilizadas por un grupo de escolares con dislexia (n = 107) y un grupo con sordera e implante coclear (n = 61) de lengua castellana. Los resultados indican que solo los participantes con sordera adoptan la estrategia de palabras clave (EPC), que consiste en identificar algunas de las palabras de la oración con contenido semántico propio, e ignorar las palabras funcionales. Se observa además que el uso de la EPC está asociado con un déficit sintáctico. Por otra parte, cuando los dos grupos se emparejan en el nivel lector con niños con desarrollo típico en lectura (Grupo Control, n = 785), las diferencias entre los Grupos Disléxico y Control desaparecieron. Sin embargo, los niños con sordera mantenían su tendencia a usar la EPC y seguían presentando dificultades para procesar las palabras funcionales. Estos resultados excluyen la hipótesis de que la EPC sea un procedimiento utilizado de forma general para compensar los déficits de lectura, pareciendo depender, más específicamente, de dificultades en la capacidad sintáctica
The present study compares the strategies to read sentences used by Spanish-speaking children with dyslexia (n = 107) and cochlear-implanted children with deafness (n = 61). The results show that children with deafness, but not with dyslexia, adopt the key-word-strategy (KWS), which consists of identifying some content words of the sentence while ignoring the function words. Furthermore, it appeared that the KWS was associated with poor syntactic ability. Moreover, when Dyslexic and Deaf Groups were carefully matched at reading level with normally developing children (Control Group, n = 785) all of the differences between dyslexics and normally developing children disappeared. Children with hearing loss however were still poor at dealing with function words and consequently maintained their tendency to use the KWS. These results exclude the hypothesis that the KWS is a broadly used procedure to compensate for reading deficits but seems, rather, to depend on poor syntactic ability.
Judgments of marital rape as a function of honor culture, masculine reputation threat, and observer gender: A cross‐cultural comparison between Turkey, Germany, and the UK
Authors: Gul Pelin , Schuster Isabell 
Published: April 2020

AbstractPrevious research has shown that there is higher tolerance of violence against women in cultures with salient gender‐specific honor norms, especially when the violence occurs in intimate relationships and in response to threat to male honor. The present cross‐cultural study (N = 398) extended these findings to sexual aggression (i.e., marital rape) by comparing participants from a culture that emphasizes honor (Turkey) and participants from cultures without strong honor traditions (Germany and Britain). Turkish participants blamed the victim and exonerated the perpetrator more than did German and British participants. In all cultural groups, participants blamed the victim and exonerated the perpetrator more when the husband's reputation was threatened than in the absence of such threat, and in all cultural groups, men blamed the victim and exonerated the perpetrator more than women. Yet, the effect of masculine reputation threat and this pattern of gender differences were somewhat more pronounced among Turkish than German or British participants. Results exploring the predictive role of honor norms at the individual level beyond rape myth acceptance and traditional gender role attitudes revealed that honor norms were the primary predictor of rape perceptions and blame attributions in Turkey (an honor culture), but not in Germany and Britain (dignity cultures) where rape myth acceptance was the strongest predictor. These results provide insights into the cultural factors influencing marital rape judgments in ways that may undermine victim's well‐being and fair handling of rape cases, and highlight the domains most urgently in need of potential intervention.
Highly Efficient Microscopic Charge Transport within Crystalline Domains in a Furan‐Flanked Diketopyrrolopyrrole‐Based Conjugated Copolymer
Authors: Tanaka Hisaaki , Kawamura Shinya , Sonar Prashant , Shimoi Yukihiro , Do Thu Trang , Takenobu Taishi 
Published: April 2020

AbstractElucidating the interrelation between the molecular structure and charge transport properties in conjugated polymer thin films is an essential issue in developing the design principle of high‐performance polymer materials for application in organic electronics. In particular, the backbone planarity is suggested to be a key element that governs the transport performance, especially in recently developed donor–acceptor (D–A)‐type copolymers exhibiting high mobility, whereas the direct evaluation of the intrinsic transport performance, usually realized only within the small crystalline domains, is difficult by using conventional macroscopic measurements. Here, it is demonstrated that a D–A type copolymer, PDPPF‐DTT, which consists of furan‐flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and dithienothiophene (DTT) units in the conjugated backbone, exhibits a highly efficient charge transport performance within the crystalline domains with a remarkably low activation energy of less than 8 meV, based on microscopic measurements using field‐induced electron spin resonance spectroscopy. This high transport performance is primarily caused by the high backbone planarity realized by introducing furan‐flanked DPP and fused dithienothiophene units, which is demonstrated from the density functional theory calculations. This result provides a microscopic indication of the effectiveness of the present molecular design to produce a planar backbone and realize highly efficient charge transport performance.
Multi‐Caged IrOx for Facile Preparation of “Six‐in‐One” Nanoagent for Subcutaneous and Lymphatic Tumors Inhibition against Recurrence and Metastasis
Authors: Zhen Wenyao , Liu Yang , Zhang Mengchao , Hu Wenxue , Wang Wei , Jia Xiaodan , Jiang Xiue 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSingle nanocarriers with intrinsic characteristics of diagnosis, effective therapy against solid malignancies with fatal metastasis, and tumor microenvironment regulation are promising in construction of a simple and effective multimode nanotheranostic system. Herein, multi‐caged IrOx nanocarriers are fabricated by direct thermal hydrolysis strategy, which exhibit good sono‐photodynamic response, outstanding gemstone spectral computed tomography, and photoacoustic (PA) imaging capabilities, universal loading, and pinpoint drug release properties. As a proof of concept, a gemstone spectral computed tomography/PA/fluorescence imaging–guided oxygen self‐sufficient sono‐photo‐chemotherapy nanoagent by simple loading of doxorubicin is constructed. The remarkable synergistic therapy and excellent hypoxia releasing capabilities can remove both subcutaneous and sentinel lymph nodes metastasis tumors, and effectively suppress tumor recurrence and lung metastasis, thus greatly prolonging survival time. The study provides an attractive candidate to construct a “six‐in‐one” (tri‐modal therapies and three imaging modalities) tumor theranostic system.
Heavy Water Additive in Formamidinium: A Novel Approach to Enhance Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency
Authors: Solanki Ankur , Tavakoli Mohammad Mahdi , Xu Qiang , Dintakurti Sai S. H. , Lim Swee Sien , Bagui Anirban , Hanna John V. , Kong Jing , Sum Tze Chien 
Published: April 2020

AbstractHeavy water or deuterium oxide (D2O) comprises deuterium, a hydrogen isotope twice the mass of hydrogen. Contrary to the disadvantages of deuterated perovskites, such as shorter recombination lifetimes and lower/invariant efficiencies, the serendipitous effect of D2O as a beneficial solvent additive for enhancing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of triple‐A cation (cesium (Cs)/methylammonium (MA)/formaminidium (FA)) perovskite solar cells from ≈19.2% (reference) to 20.8% (using 1 vol% D2O) with higher stability is reported. Ultrafast optical spectroscopy confirms passivation of trap states, increased carrier recombination lifetimes, and enhanced charge carrier diffusion lengths in the deuterated samples. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid‐state NMR spectroscopy validate the N–H2 group as the preferential isotope exchange site. Furthermore, the NMR results reveal the induced alteration of the FA to MA ratio due to deuteration causes a widespread alteration to several dynamic processes that influence the photophysical properties. First‐principles density functional theory calculations reveal a decrease in PbI6 phonon frequencies in the deuterated perovskite lattice. This stabilizes the PbI6 structures and weakens the electron–LO phonon (Fröhlich) coupling, yielding higher electron mobility. Importantly, these findings demonstrate that selective isotope exchange potentially opens new opportunities for tuning perovskite optoelectronic properties.
Tellurium: A High‐Volumetric‐Capacity Potassium‐Ion Battery Electrode Material
Authors: Dong Shuai , Yu Dandan , Yang Jie , Jiang Li , Wang Jiawei , Cheng Liwei , Zhou Yan , Yue Honglei , Wang Hua , Guo Lin 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCurrently, exploring high‐volumetric‐capacity electrode materials that allow for reversible (de‐)insertion of large‐size K+ ions remains challenging. Tellurium (Te) is a promising alternative electrode for storage of K+ ions due to its high volumetric capacity, confirmed in lithium‐/sodium‐ion batteries, and the intrinsic good electronic conductivity. However, the charge storage capability and mechanism of Te in potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) have not been unveiled until now. Here, a novel K–Te battery is constructed, and the K+‐ion storage mechanism of Te is revealed to be a two‐electron conversion‐type reaction of 2K + Te ↔ K2Te, resulting in a high theoretical volumetric capacity of 2619 mAh cm−3. Consequently, the rationally fabricated tellurium/porous carbon electrodes deliver an ultrahigh reversible volumetric capacity of 2493.13 mAh cm−3 at 0.5 C (based on Te), a high‐rate capacity of 783.13 mAh cm−3 at 15 C, and superior long‐term cycling stability for 1000 cycles at 5 C. This excellent electrochemical performance proves the feasibility of utilizing Te as a high‐volumetric‐capacity active material for storage of K+ ions and will advance the practical application of KIBs.