bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Need for a Collaborative Natural Resource Management Strategy for the Marine Environment—The Case of Plastics in the Mediterranean
Authors: Soto Chalhoub Michel 
Published: August 2020

Natural resource management issues are at the heart of sustainability and are seldom limited to a localized community. We address marine plastic pollution which not only infests local beaches, but is found in the present research to have high mobility, a serious impact on human health, and a damaging effect on ecosystems. Plastics have reached the deepest points of our oceans and while all oceans are affected, the Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to pollution because of its high biodiversity density, its enclosed geometry, and its bathymetry. We collected primary and secondary data and drew on separate studies performed by the author. We gauged public attitudes towards plastic waste management in Lebanon and found that the public is aware of the issue and supports the formation of a Mediterranean Rim consortium to address both remedial and preventive strategies. A regression analysis is introduced where a dependent variable represents the need for regional natural resource strategies. It was found to be positively and significantly correlated with the establishment of national policies, engineering innovation as a preventive strategy, and the adoption of local implementation. Our case study in Lebanon unveiled lack of public policies for solid waste management and marine plastic litter, causing implementation challenges. We recommend that the problem of plastic pollution be tackled with cross-border cooperation among neighboring countries around the Mediterranean.
Deseos de futuro, intencionalidades y construcción de territorios. La experiencia de zonas rurales en la región chaqueña argentina
Authors: Sili Marcelo 
Published: August 2020

Este trabajo analiza las formas y los mecanismos con que los múltiples actores involucrados en un territorio generan acciones en vistas a construir el futuro. Para poder eludir el uso del concepto de desarrollo como marco referencial, este trabajo moviliza el concepto de acción territorial, por entender que el mismo permite analizar más cabalmente las formas con que múltiples actores, con diversas y a veces contradictorias representaciones acerca del futuro, ponen en marcha iniciativas para construir y gestionar sus territorios. Esta propuesta conceptual y metodológica se pone en práctica en un territorio rural de la región chaqueña, territorio que ha vivido procesos de transformación similares a los de otras regiones del país, y que por lo tanto puede ser considerado un modelo representativo, no sólo de transformaciones territoriales, sino también de mecanismos y formas de construir la acción pública, privada y colectiva en torno a un proyecto de futuro territorial
This work analyses the forms and mechanisms with which the multiple actors involved in a territory generate actions in order to build the future. In order to avoid the use of the concept of development as a referential framework, this work mobilizes the concept of territorial action, because it allows us to analyses more fully the ways in which multiple actors, with diverse and sometimes contradictory representations about the future, put into march initiatives to build and manage their territories. This conceptual and methodological proposal is put into practice in a rural area of ​​the Argentinian Chaco, a territory that has undergone processes of transformation similar to those of other regions of the country, and that therefore can be considered a representative model, not only of transformations territorial, but also of representations of the future on the part of their actors and models of intervention by public, private and collective action.
Physiological Performance of White Oat Seeds Treated with Phosphite-based Products
Authors: Monzon Daisy Leticia Ramirez , Lemke Iara Maiqueli Stern , Ayala Lider , Vera Maria Johana Gonzalez , Menegelho Geri Eduardo 
Published: August 2020

Aims: White oats are considered one of the most important cereals in the world. Currently, fertilizers based on phosphorus and silicon are being studied as inductors of resistance in the treatment of seeds, since they have as advantages such as low costs and excellent absorption by plants. The effects of seed treatment with phosphite resistance inducers are still unknown, being necessary the study in relation to interact with the seed at the time of twinning.
Study Design: The experimental design used was completely randomized, with four replications, two commercial products based on phosphite FullTec Mais and Ultra Plus and five doses.
Place and Duration of Study: The work was conducted at the Didactic Laboratory of Seed Analysis of the Faculty of Agronomy Eliseu Maciel of the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas-RS, in 2019.
Methodology: White oat seeds were used, produced in the 2018/2019 agricultural kharif and treated with commercial products based on FullTec Mais and Ultra Plus phosphites, in five doses: 0; 1.0; 2.0; 3.0; 4.5 mL for each 100 kg of seeds. The variables evaluated were first germination count (CP), germination (G), shoot length (CA), root length (CR), total length (CT), accelerated aging (EV) and total dry mass (MST). The data expressed as a percentage were subjected to analysis of variance to verify the effect of treatments. Then, the Duncan means test (P=0.5) was performed, for the discrimination between the treatment means. Statistical analyzes were performed using the R Core Team (2020).
Results: The results showed that the FullTec Mais product stimulates the physiological performance of white oat seeds for the variables first germination count (CP), germination (G) and shoot length (CA), with a dose of 2 mL of the product per 100 kg of seeds that showed the highest expression. For the Ultra Plus product at a dose of 1 mL of the product per 100 kg of seeds it is more efficient in the accelerated aging test (EV), for the other variables it did not show significant differences.
Conclusion: It is possible to use phosphite-based micronutrients in seed treatment, without causing physiological damage to the seed during the twinning process.
Effect of Methanolic Extract of Caryota no on Antioxidant Levels in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Maduagwuna Chinonye A. , Omale Simeon , Etuh Monday A. , Gyang Steven S. 
Published: August 2020

Aims: To investigate the anti-oxidant activity of the methanolic extracts of Caryota no seeds in Drosophila melanogaster (DM).
Study Design: Experimental design.
Place and Duration: Sample: African Centre of Excellence for Phytomedicine Research and Development, University of Jos, Jos Plateau State Nigeria between June 2018 and February 2019.
Methodology: These assays were conducted by exposing 50 flies per vial to the selected concentrations (350 mg, 400 mg and 500 mg) of the extract in 5 independent replicates for seven days while control group received distilled water. The total protein content was then determined from the supernatant of the fly homogenate. The antioxidant activity and levels of GST, CAT and total thiol were then measured. The statistical difference among test groups was presumed at P < .05.
Results: The methanolic extract of Caryota no caused nonsignificant (P = .33) decrease in total proteins in DM below basal levels in a dose-dependent pattern. The antioxidant activity showed nonsignificant (P = .28) lowering of the GST activity in DM below control levels. The methanolic extract of CN nonsignificantly (P > .05) increased the levels of catalase (P = .36) and total thiol levels (P = .22).
Conclusion: It can therefore be concluded that the methanolic extract of Caryota no contains appreciable concentrations of different types of antioxidants. This may provide perspectives for the evaluation and development of effective and safe phytomedicines created from the local biodiversity.
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Using a Packed Bio-tower Approach
Authors: Doelle Klaus , Wang Qian 
Published: August 2020

The study tested a designed and built pilot scale packed bio-tower system under continuous operation using pre-clarified municipal wastewater. Performance was evaluated by measuring the removal of chemical oxygen demand and nitrogen ammonia.
The pilot scale packed bio-tower system had a diameter of 1209 mm (4 ft.) and a height of 3,962 mm (13 ft.) and contained Bentwood CF-1900 bacteria growth media with a surface area of 6,028.80 ft² (560.09 m²). The municipal residential sewage was fed into a 1,481 l (375 gal.) recirculation reservoir at a temperature of 15°C (59.0°F) and a flow rate between 7,571 l/d (2000 gal/d) and 90,850 l/d (24,000 gal/d) and recirculated through the bio-tower with a fixed recirculation rate of 75.7 l/min (20 gal/min).
The influent COD value reduction achieved is between 63.4% and 84.8%, whereas the COD influent value varied between 87 mg/l and 140 mg/l. The influent NH3-N reduction achieved was between 99.8% and 91.8% whereas the influent NH3-N value was between 28.8 mg/l and 18.6 mg/l at a flow rate between 7571 l/d (2000 gal/d) and 90,850 l/d (24,000 gal/d).
The Frequency of Familial Mediterranean Fever Gene Mutations and the Correlations between Phenotype and Genotype in Turkish Children
Authors: Erdogan Hakan , Sonkur Ayse Cavidan , Görükmez Orhan , Erdogan Ayse , Saymazlar Dilek Damla , Unal Fatih 
Published: August 2020

Aim: Familial Mediterranian Fever is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by recurrent inflammatory attacks of serosal membranes. The aim of the current study was to determine the frequency of the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene pathogenic variants in 158 children (78 male, 80 female) diagnosed with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and to compare the phenotype-genotype correlation.
Methods: In our retrospective case-control study, 158 FMF patients (78 males, 80 females) who were diagnosed with MEFV gene mutation in Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics between January 2018 and June 2019 were included in the study. Mutation screening of the MEFV gene was performed for 12 mutations and the 8 most common mutations were taken into the study.
Results: Abdominal pain (77.8%), fever (74%) and arthralgia (46.2%) were the most prevalent clinical features in our patients. The most frequent mutations were M694V, E148Q, V726A, M680I and P369S. In cases with M694 mutation, it was noted that the incidence of arthritis was 2.5 times, appendectomy frequency 3.1 times higher, and early diagnosis probability 3.2 times higher. The frequency of chest pain was 2.9 times higher in the M680I mutation, and the frequency of arthralgia was 2.2 times higher in the P369S mutation.
Conclusion: Patient’s mutations in FMF patients are important for clinical expectations, and some mutations such as P369S are not as innocent as expected. However, reevaluation of phenotypes of mutations that are rare with more patients will be significant.
Time-Homogeneous Markov Process for Low Birth Weight Progression under Treatment
Authors: Ofori Michael Fosu , Twum Stephen Boakye , Jackson Osborne A. Y. 
Published: August 2020

Background: Low birth weight incidence is quite high in the sub region, which has a public health concern. The weight of a baby at birth has dire consequences on the child as an infant, in childhood and as an adult.
Methods: The aim of this study was to explore and examine the spread and gravity of incidence of low birth weight by using a multi-state model to understand low birth weight progression. This study utilised data by Ghana Statistical Service from Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey conducted in 2011 to monitor progress of children and women.
Results: The multi-state Markov model dealt into the low birth weight transitions and severity under three treatments where transition intensities, transition probabilities and the mean sojourn times were estimated which show that low birth weight children tend to spend less time in bad states than in good states.
Conclusion: Generally, the survival of a low birth weight child in future time decreases from state 1 to state 4, hence treatment must be applied on time.
Re-thinking Metronidazole: Anti-microbial Synergism of Hexane Extracts of Garcinia kola and Aframomum melegueta
Authors: Joy I. Odimegwu , Babatunde Asabisi , Mariam Sodeinde , Margaret O. Ilomuanya 
Published: August 2020

Aims: This research evaluates knowledge, attitudes, and practice with regard to food poisoning treatment. It compares the antimicrobial effects of Garcinia kola (Gk) and Aframomum melegueta (Am) seeds with Metronidazole and Gentamicin as standards.
Study Design: A survey with questionnaires was carried out among community Pharmacists in Lagos, Nigeria on drug of choice for suspected food poisoning and the responses analyzed. Hexane extracts of Gk and Am seeds were used on selected microbials that cause food poisoning.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy; Phytochemistry Laboratory and Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology; Pharmaceutical Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Lagos.
Methodology: Agar diffusion assays were carried out using and using Gk and Am with Metronidazole and Gentamicin as controls. Gas chromatography and Mass spectroscopy of the extracts was also carried out to ascertain the possible active phytocomponents.
Results: Our discovery on knowledge showed that 98.6% of the interviewed Pharmacists use Metronidazole for food poisoning treatment. 41.7% of the respondents prescribe Ciprofloxacin while 66.7% prescribed Tetracycline as adjunct medications. Gk and Am exerted powerful anti-microbial effects in a dose dependent manner. Gk on S. typhi showed 1.4-1.7 cm zone of inhibition (zi) at 200mg/ml and with E. coli, 1.2 cm at same concentration. Am with S. typhi showed1.2-1.8 cm and E. coli 1.5 cm zi at same concentration too, much better than Gk. Their mixture for the synergistic experiments had 2.0-2.2 cm and E. coli, 2.4 cm zi at 200 mg/ml, the best performance of the extracts as anti-infective agents against food poisoning. 19 compounds were discovered through GC/MS in Gk and 31 in Am. They each exerted more antimicrobial effects than Metronidazole and their mixture used for synergistic experiments compared favorably with Gentamicin.
Conclusion: Hexane extracts of Gk and Am are good alternatives for the treatment of food poisoning. The study encourages further drug discovery research in order to ascertain the particular bioactive compounds in the extracts responsible for their powerful antimicrobial actions. Metronidazole is not the drug of choice for food poisoning management.
Utilization of an Instructional Package on Patient Safety Culture to Enhance Knowledge of Nursing Students in Two Selected Universities in South-West, Nigeria
Authors: Christiana Emeghara, Obiageli , Okechukwu Emeghara , Christian C. C. Asonye , Olawale Oladapo Rasheed , Quamariyat Akinlawon Adekemi 
Published: August 2020

Aims: The culture of keeping patients safe is a global issue which should be emphasized within the nursing profession. Despite exposure of nursing students to patient safety teachings, its knowledge among nursing students has been low. Re-emphasizing a positive culture of patient safety in classroom is essential in the training of nurses that will provide high quality care. This study was developed to assess the outcome of an instructional package on the knowledge of baccalaureate nursing trainees concerning patient safety culture in two chosen Universities in Southwest, Nigeria.
Study Design: The researchers adopted a two groups nonequivalent pre-test, and post-test quasi-experimental design.
Place and Duration of Study: Babcock University, Ogun State and Afe Babalola University, Ekiti State between March and April 2018.
Methodology: The study participants comprised 143 nursing students from Babcock University (experimental group) and Afe Babalola University (control group). A self-developed questionnaire was employed to obtain data on the knowledge of patient safety culture pre-intervention and two weeks post intervention. Data was examined using Statistical package for the social science (SPSS) and t-test was done at a significance level of P<0.05.
Results: Findings revealed experimental mean knowledge gain of 2.425, while control group mean knowledge gain was 0.110. Significant differences were found in the participants knowledge of patient safety culture between the experimental group and control group (P<0.001) and between knowledge of error reporting in the experimental group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Teaching sessions on patient safety culture can improve nursing students’ knowledge about patient safety. The findings of the study recommends that patient safety education should be reinforced in the curriculum of nursing schools, and that supplementary boosting sessions be executed periodically to ensure the retention of learned materials.
Clinical Outcome of Intravascular Ultrasound Guided Left Main Coronary Intervention
Authors: Ezzelregal Mohamed , Testa Luca , Alashmawy Medhat , Elsaid Ayman , Kassem Hanan 
Published: August 2020

Introduction: Intravascular ultrasound is a new imaging modality that facilitate the process of coronary intervention. The angiographic evaluation of left main lesions significance is always questionable, IVUS detect the significance, guide the procedure and some studies proves a benefit in mortality.
Objectives: To investigate whether intravascular ultrasound IVUS guided Left Main coronary intervention could improve clinical outcomes compared with angiographic-guided Left main coronary PCI.
Patients and Methods: This controlled study was carried out between June 2017 and June 2019, in Tanta university Hospital and San Donato Hospital, Milan, 83 patients eligible to Left Main coronary intervention divided into two groups, IVUS-guided group (n=19) and angiographic-guided group(n=64). The occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE): death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularizations) were recorded 6 and18 Months of follow-up.
Results: The IVUS-guided group had a lower rate of 18-months MACE than the control group. The incidence of target lesion revascularization was lower in the IVUS-guided group than in the control group. The incidence of TLR after 6 months was not different between both groups (1 cases in IVUS group (5.3%), 6 cases in angiography group (9.4%) (P value 0.686) while the incidence of TLR after 18 months was significantly different between both groups (1 cases in IVUS group (5.3%), 17 cases in angiography group (26.6%) (P value 0.048), However, there were no differences in death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and number of patients treated with CABG in the 2 groups.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that IVUS-guided LM angioplasty can improve 18 -months MACE events especially the incidence of target lesion revascularization.
ACTA2‐AS1 suppresses lung adenocarcinoma progression via sequestering miR‐378a‐3p and miR‐4428 to elevate SOX7 expression
Authors: Ying Kangtai , Wang Ling , Long Guangyan , Lian Chan , Chen Zhe , Lin Wei 
Published: August 2020

AbstractLung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological subtype of lung cancer. The abnormal expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can facilitate or suppress the development of malignant tumors. lncRNA actin alpha 2, smooth muscle antisense RNA 1 (ACTA2‐AS1) has been reported to function as a tumor suppressor in liver cancer, nevertheless, its influences on LUAD remain to be investigated. In this paper, ACTA2‐AS1 was identified as a downregulated lncRNA in LUAD samples and cells. Functionally, ACTA2‐AS1 overexpression restrained cell proliferation but accelerated cell apoptosis in LUAD. In addition, we determined the suppressive effect of ACTA2‐AS1 on LUAD cell invasion, migration, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition progress. Mechanistically, ACTA2‐AS1 exert functions as a competing endogenous RNA through serving as a sponge for microRNA‐378a‐3p (miR‐378a‐3p) and microRNA‐4428 (miR‐4428) to elevate SRY‐related high‐mobility group box 7 (SOX7) expression. Importantly, SOX7 silencing could recover the ACTA2‐AS1‐mediated cell functions. To summarize, ACTA2‐AS1 suppresses the malignant processes of LUAD cells through sequestering miR‐378a‐3p and miR‐4428 to augment SOX7 expression.
Application instrumentation for performance analysis and tuning with focus on energy efficiency
Authors: Vysocký Ondřej , Říha Lubomír , Bartolini Andrea 
Published: August 2020

SummaryProfiling and tuning of parallel applications is an essential part of HPC. Analysis and elimination of application hot spots can be performed using many available tools, which also provides resource consumption measurements for instrumented parts of the code. Since complex applications show different behavior in each part of the code, it is essential to be able to insert instrumentation to analyse these parts. Because each performance analysis or autotuning tool can bring different insights into an application behavior, it is valuable to analyze and optimize an application using a variety of them. We present our on request inserted shared C/C++ API for the most common open‐source HPC performance analysis tools, which simplify the process of the manual instrumentation. Besides manual instrumentation, profiling libraries provide different methods for instrumentation. Of these, the binary patching is the most universal mechanism, and highly improves the user‐friendliness and robustness of the tool. We provide an overview of the most commonly used binary patching tools, and describe a workflow for how to use them to implement a binary instrumentation tool for any profiler or autotuner. We have also evaluated the minimum overhead of the manual and binary instrumentation.
Elastic modulus evolution of triaxially stressed mudstone at high temperature up to 400°C
Authors: Feng Zijun , Zhang Chao , Dong Fuke , Yang Dong 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe elastic modulus is a key parameter in the constitutive equation of rock material, which changes with exterior conditions, including temperature. To study the evolution of the elastic modulus of the surrounding rock in some high‐temperature underground engineering works (eg, underground coal gasification, in situ pyrolysis of oil shale), a servo‐controlled rock testing machine was used in a study of the variation in elastic modulus of Jimsar mudstone (the roof stratum of Jimsar oil shale) when subjected to triaxial compression at high temperatures. The elastic modulus exhibited nonmonotonal variation when heated to 400°C while subjected to triaxial compression. This occurred in three stages. An empirical model involving piecewise linear function was used to quantitatively describe the relationship between elastic modulus and temperature. Elasticity increased between room temperature and 265°C, then weakened between 265 and 341°C, then increased at 341‐400°C, in accordance with the calculated result from the empirical model. Thermal expansion, thermal cracking, water loss, and structure reconstruction had a combined effect on the elastic modulus of the mudstone. The results will be helpful for understanding the mechanism of strata movement in some underground high‐temperature engineering operations.