bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics of tolfenamic acid in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) after intravenous and intramuscular administration
Authors: Raweewan Natsuda , Chomcheun Thanaphan , Laovechprasit Weerapong , Jongkolpath Oranee , Klangkaew Narumol , Phaochoosak Napasorn , Giorgi Mario , Poapolathep Amnart , Poapolathep Saranya 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe present study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic features of tolfenamic acid (TA) in green sea turtles,Chelonia mydas.Green sea turtles were administered single either intravenous (i.v.) or intramuscular (i.m.) injection of TA, at a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). Blood samples were collected at preassigned times up to 168 hr. The plasma concentrations of TA were measured using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. Tolfenamic acid plasma concentrations were quantifiable for up to 168 hr after i.v. and i.m. administration. The concentration of TA in the experimental green sea turtles with respect to time was pharmacokinetically analyzed using a noncompartment model. TheCmaxvalues of TA were 55.01 ± 8.34 µg/ml following i.m. administration. The elimination half‐life values were 32.76 ± 4.68 hr and 53.69 ± 3.38 hr after i.v. and i.m. administration, respectively. The absolute i.m. bioavailability was 72.02 ± 10.23%, and the average binding percentage of TA to plasma protein was 19.43 ± 6.75%. Based on the pharmacokinetic data, the i.m. administration of TA at a dosage of 4 mg/kg b.w. might be sufficient to produce a long‐lasting anti‐inflammatory effect (7 days) for green sea turtles. However, further studies are needed to determine the clinical efficacy of TA for treatment of inflammatory disease after single and multiple dosages.
Associations between nephrolithiasis and diabetes mellitus, hypertension and gallstones: A meta‐analysis of cohort studies
Authors: Lin Bing‐Biao , Huang Rong‐Hua , Lin Bing‐Liang , Hong Ying‐Kai , Lin Ming‐En , He Xue‐Jun 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAimTo review and clarify the strengths and directions of associations between nephrolithiasis and hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM) and gallstones (GS) given the inconsistent results reported in cohort studies.MethodsRelevant literature was searched in PubMed and EMBASE from inception to July 2019, for cohort studies that examined the relationships between kidney stones and these three diseases among adults. Pooled relative risks (RRs) were calculated by maximally adjusted risk estimates using a random effect model. Subgroup analysis, meta‐regression and sensitivity analysis were conducted whenever appropriate.ResultsOf 3537 papers, 21 articles with each including 1 to 3 cohorts were identified. In this meta‐analysis, nephrolithiasis was reciprocally linked to HTN, DM and GS. Kidney stones were significantly associated with 31%, 33% and 46% higher risks of incident HTN, DM and GS whereas GS was associated with a significantly higher risk of nephrolithiasis (RR: 1.49; 95% CI, 1.28‐1.73), followed by HTN (RR: 1.30; 95% CI, 1.11‐1.52) and DM (RR: 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07‐1.29). Also, females with DM (RR: 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08‐1.55) were more likely to develop kidney stones than diabetic male patients (RR: 0.91; 95% CI, 0.75‐1.10).ConclusionAlthough additional studies are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate the mechanisms, this study revealed possible bidirectional associations between nephrolithiasis and HTN, diabetes and GS, which reinforced the notion of nephrolithiasis as a systemic disease that requires comprehensive investigations.
Histological features and survival in young patients with HPV‐negative oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Mascitti Marco , Tempesta Angela , Togni Lucrezia , Capodiferro Saverio , Troiano Giuseppe , Rubini Corrado , Maiorano Eugenio , Santarelli Andrea , Favia Gianfranco , Limongelli Luisa 
Published: June 2020

AbstractObjectivesThe frequency of oral squamous cell carcinoma in young adults has increased in the last decades, and there are conflicting results in literature about its prognosis in young subjects. The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical and pathological features of oral squamous cell carcinoma in a cohort of young adults in order to investigate the presence of new independent prognostic markers.Materials and MethodsOnly HPV‐negative young patients (under 40‐year‐old) affected by oral squamous cell carcinoma were considered in this study. Clinical and pathological data were collected. Patients were re‐staged according to the 8th edition of AJCC.ResultsOverall, 66 patients were considered in this study. Perineural invasion significant correlated with both 7th and 8th edition of AJCC, and lymphovascular invasion (p‐value < .05). The multivariate survival analysis showed that patients with perineural invasion had a significant worse prognosis (HR = 6.384 95% C.I. 1.304–31.252; p‐value = .022).ConclusionsPerineural invasion emerged as an independent prognostic factor for disease‐specific survival in young patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, the evaluation of this parameter is simple, inexpensive and can be used to augment the risk stratification of oral cancer based on the 8th edition of AJCC.
Comparative effectiveness of probiotic strains for the treatment of pediatric atopic dermatitis: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Tan‐Lim Carol Stephanie C. , Esteban‐Ipac Natasha Ann R. , Mantaring Jacinto Blas V. , Chan Shih Yen Edwin , Recto Marysia Stella T. , Sison Olivia T. , Alejandria Marissa M. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe current evidence on the use of probiotics in treating atopic dermatitis is inconclusive. This study determined the comparative effectiveness of the different types of probiotic strains in treating pediatric atopic dermatitis.MethodologySystematic and manual search for all randomized controlled trials available from inception until January 31, 2020, was done. Two independent authors conducted the search, screening, appraisal, and data abstraction. Network meta‐analysis was conducted using STATA 14 software.ResultsTwenty‐two studies involving 28 different probiotic strains were included. The top three ranked probiotic strains in terms of efficacy are Mix1 (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis CECT 8145, Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347, and Lactobacillus casei CECT 9104); Lactobacillus casei DN‐114001; and Mix6 (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus salivarius). Compared with placebo, Mix1 reduces atopic dermatitis symptoms with high certainty evidence (SMD −1.94, 95% CI −2.65 to −1.24; 47 participants). Mix6 compared with placebo probably reduces atopic dermatitis symptoms based on moderate certainty evidence (SMD −0.85, 95% CI −1.50 to −0.20; 40 participants). Lactobacillus casei DN‐114001 compared with placebo may reduce atopic dermatitis symptoms based on low certainty evidence (SMD −1.35, 95% CI −2.04 to −0.65). In terms of safety, the highest ranked strain is Lactobacillus fermentum VRI‐003, while the lowest ranked strain is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.ConclusionCertain probiotic preparations show benefit in reducing allergic symptoms in pediatric atopic dermatitis.
Airway bacterial carriage and childhood respiratory health: A population‐based prospective cohort study
Authors: van Meel Evelien R. , Jaddoe Vincent W. V. , Looman Kirsten I. M. , de Jongste Johan C. , Moll Henriëtte A. , Duijts Liesbeth 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBackgroundAirway bacterial carriage might play a role in respiratory disease. We hypothesize that nasal carriage with Staphylococcus aureus or nasopharyngeal carriage with Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae predisposes individuals to adverse respiratory health.ObjectiveTo examine the association of early‐life airway bacterial carriage with respiratory tract infections and vice versa, and of early‐life airway bacterial carriage with wheezing, lung function, and asthma in later childhood.MethodsWe collected upper airway swabs for bacterial culturing for S aureus, H influenzae, M catarrhalis, and H influenzae at six timepoints between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years among 945 children participating in a population‐based prospective cohort study. Information on respiratory tract infections and wheezing until age 6 years, and asthma at age 10 years was obtained by questionnaires. Lung function at age 10 years was measured by spirometry. We tested possible bidirectional associations between airway bacterial carriage and respiratory tract infections by cross‐lagged models, and associations of repeatedly measured airway bacterial carriage with wheezing, lung function, and asthma by generalized estimating equations models and regression models.ResultsCross‐lagged modeling showed that early‐life airway bacterial carriage was not consistently associated with upper and lower respiratory tract infections or vice versa. Nasopharyngeal carriage with any bacteria in infancy was associated with an increased risk of wheezing (OR [95% CI]: 1.66 [1.31, 2.10]). Airway bacterial carriage was not consistently associated with school‐age lung function or asthma.ConclusionNasopharyngeal carriage with any bacteria is associated with wheezing, but not respiratory tract infections, asthma, or lung function.
Rash as a presenting complaint in a child with COVID‐19
Authors: Klimach Anna , Evans Jordan , Stevens Jennifer , Creasey Nikola 
Published: June 2020

AbstractCutaneous manifestations are becoming increasingly well‐documented in adults with COVID‐19. There is now also a growing body of literature regarding skin involvement in children, with reports of papulovesicular, petechial and widespread macular and papular lesions, and chilblains (pernio). We describe the case of a 13‐year‐old boy with confirmed COVID‐19 in the United Kingdom who presented with skin findings localized to the plantar aspects of the feet, axillae, and lower limbs. The morphology was predominantly maculopapular but also included petechiae and annular lesions.
Change Point Analysis of Historical Battle Deaths
Authors: Fagan Brennen T. , Knight Marina I. , MacKay Niall J. , Jamie Wood A. 
Published: June 2020

SummaryIt has been claimed and disputed that World War II has been followed by a ‘long peace’: an unprecedented decline of war. We conduct a full change point analysis of well-documented, publicly available battle deaths data sets, using new techniques that enable the robust detection of changes in the statistical properties of such heavy-tailed data. We first test and calibrate these techniques. We then demonstrate the existence of changes, independent of data presentation, in the early to mid-19th century, as the Congress of Vienna system moved towards its collapse, in the early to mid-20th century, bracketing the World Wars, and in the late 20th century, as the world reconfigured around the end of the Cold War. Our analysis provides a methodology for future investigations and an empirical basis for political and historical discussions.
Responsibility: the State of the Question Fault Lines in the Foundations
Authors: Shoemaker David 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIn this article, I discuss five major fault lines in the foundations of responsibility theory—a relatively new field—fault lines traceable to P. F. Strawson's groundbreaking “Freedom and Resentment.” They are about the proper methods and content of responsibility theory, and disputes over these foundational issues have led to a messy and wildly divergent set of theories and approaches in the field. My aim is simply to identify and sort out these fault lines so that we can at least agree on the source of our disagreements, and so that we may also perhaps realize the pressing need to address these fault lines first, in order to help resolve some of our downstream disputes and nurture responsibility theory into a more unified and theoretically sophisticated philosophical enterprise.
FREE YOUR MIND: BUDDHISM, CAUSALITY, AND THE FREE WILL PROBLEM
Authors: Coseru Christian 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe problem of free will is associated with a specific and significant kind of control over our actions, which is understood primarily in the sense that we have the freedom to do otherwise or the capacity for self‐determination. Is Buddhism compatible with such a conception of free will? The aim of this article is to address three critical issues concerning the free will problem: (1) what role should accounts of physical and neurobiological processes play in discussions of free will? (2) Is a conception of mental autonomy grounded in practices of meditative cultivation compatible with the three cardinal Buddhist doctrines of momentariness, dependent arising, and no‐self? (3) Are there enough resources in Buddhism, given its antisubstantialist metaphysics, to account for personal agency, self‐control, and moral responsibility?
THE ANIMAL BODY MULTIPLE: SCIENCE, RELIGION, AND THE INVENTION OF HALAL STUNNING
Authors: Chao En‐Chieh 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThis article proposes a specific kind of ontological investigation in the field of science and religion. I argue that science and religion can create distinct practices that enact multiple realities, and thus they should be seen as more than different views of the same world. By analyzing the details of scientific experiments crucial for the invention of halal stunning, I demonstrate that religion and science are both permeable to the social, the biological, and to each other, and that seemingly incommensurable realities can co‐occur in the body of an animal. Here, animals’ modes of existence are interdependent with the technologies being used, and with the web of interactions that they are drawn into. In the process of inventing halal stunning, it is not so much about the same animal body that is thought about differently as it is about animals spanning across multiple, physiological, realities as they are recruited into different webs of interactions to create a new slaughter method.
INTRODUCING THE BRAVE NEW CRISPR WORLD
Authors: Gouw Arvin M. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractClustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) has been the buzzword for genome editing in the past few years, especially with the birth of Lulu and Nana, twin girls who were genetically edited using the CRISPR/Cas system. To discuss this, a group of scientists, theologians, and ethicists gathered at the 2019 Institute on Religion in the Age of Science (IRAS) conference to discuss the implications of CRISPR gene editing. It became quickly apparent through our discussions that this CRISPR revolution will impact not only human medicine, but any application that involves DNA in every organism from bacteria to plants and animals. Moreover, there are multiple stakeholders in this technology—not only the scientific community, but also the business, legal, and religious communities, to name a few. As a scientist myself, I am providing a brief overview of the scientific hopes and concerns about this powerful technology.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTICS: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE SCIENCE AND RELIGION FORUM
Authors: Straine Gillian K. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe Science and Religion Forum (SRF) seeks to be the premier organization promoting the discussion between science and religion in the United Kingdom for academics, professionals, and interested lay people. Each year, the SRF holds a conference tackling a topical issue, and in 2019 focused on artificial intelligence and robotics. This article introduces the thematic section which is made up of three papers from that conference and provides a summary of the event.
THE ARTIFICIALIZATION OF MIND AND WORLD
Authors: Chaudhary Mohammad Yaqub 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to renewed ambitions of developing artificial general intelligence. Alongside this has been a resurgence in the development of virtual and augmented reality (V/AR) technologies, which are viewed as “disruptive” technologies and the computing platforms of the future. V/AR effectively bring the digital world of machines, robots, and artificial agents to our senses while entailing the transposition of human activity and presence into the digital world of artificial agents and machine forms of intelligence. The intersection of humans and machines in this shared space brings humans and machines into ontological continuity as informational entities in a totalizing informational environment, which subsumes both cyber and physical space in an artificially constructed virtual world. The reconstruction of mind (through AI) and world (through V/AR) thus has significant epistemological, ontological, and anthropological implications, which constitute the underlying features in the artificialization of mind and world.
ENCOUNTERS WITH EMERGENT DEITIES: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SCIENCE FICTION NARRATIVE
Authors: Hipple David 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIn the mid‐twentieth century, theorists began seriously forecasting possibilities for artificial intelligence (AI). As related research gathered momentum and resources, the topic made impressions on public discourse. One effect was increasingly pointed emphasis on AI in popular narratives. Although considerably earlier thematic examples may be located, we can observe swelling and generally pessimistic threads of speculation in science fiction of the 1950s and 1960s. This discussion identifies some pertinent science fiction texts from that period, alongside public discussion arising from contemporary research. One consistent theme is human receptiveness to the numinous, and the capacity to ascribe personality and even divinity to sufficiently impressive manifestations, even artificial ones. Science fiction has long contemplated such reactions, prefiguring today's anticipations of AIs that might abruptly develop themselves beyond any possible human comprehension or control. This body of exploratory projections is a useful resource for the engineers and philosophers currently grappling with realistic prospects for Western humanity's shifting conception of itself.
Assessment of Residents’ Socio-demographic Factors Associated with Visit to Green Infrastructure Facilities in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria
Authors: Ayodele Dipeolu Adedotun , Ralph Aluko Olusola , Samuel Omoniyi Sunday , Abiodun Oyinloye Michael 
Published: June 2020

Despite global efforts at promoting environmental sustainability through development of Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities at urban centres; social menaces, depletion and wrong use of green spaces still persists in many developing nations. Indeed, attitude of residents towards the use of these facilities have not been commensurate to the reasons why the GI facilities were created. This study therefore examines the socio-demographic factors associated with visiting GI sites among residents of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics was used to explore data distributions while Chi-square test was used to investigate residents’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with visit to green infrastructure sites in the study area. Participants were mostly men (58.6%) and younger than 50 years old (85.8%). Percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for either spiritual exercises (male=26.4%, female=23.8%) or joblessness (male=48.9%, female=52.1%) is higher than percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for recreation/relaxation (male=24.7%, female=24.1%) activities in Lagos Metropolis. The study suggests among others that, the Lagos State government should develop GI facilities to enhance more opportunity for job generation, while more public orientation on positive attitude toward use of GI facilities should be emphasized ABSTRACT Despite global efforts at promoting environmental sustainability through development of Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities at urban centres; social menaces, depletion and wrong use of green spaces still persists in many developing nations. Indeed, attitude of residents towards the use of these facilities have not been commensurate to the reasons why the GI facilities were created. This study therefore examines the socio-demographic factors associated with visiting GI sites among residents of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics was used to explore data distributions while Chi-square test was used to investigate residents’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with visit to green infrastructure sites in the study area. Participants were mostly men (58.6%) and younger than 50 years old (85.8%). Percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for either spiritual exercises (male=26.4%, female=23.8%) or joblessness (male=48.9%, female=52.1%) is higher than percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for recreation/relaxation (male=24.7%, female=24.1%) activities in Lagos Metropolis. The study suggests among others that, the Lagos State government should develop GI facilities to enhance more opportunity for job generation, while more public orientation on positive attitude toward use of GI facilities should be emphasized.
Interdisciplinary Science to Confront Coccidioidomycosis
Authors: Sarafoglou Nikias , Laniado-Laborin Rafael , Sprigg William A. , Kafatos Menas 
Published: June 2020

The long journey of research to lower risks of Coccidioidomycosis (CM) began in the late 19th century in Argentina and continued north to Mexico, the US and other countries. During this trip, medical science led the way. Although interdisciplinary research is not alien to medical science, e.g. geographic epidemiology, interaction with other disciplines has been low priority. This paper argues that the efficacy of CM mitigation and treatment can be improved through multi- and inter-disciplinary information exchange, particularly with earth and environmental sciences. Greater interaction and open publication practice are essential. Section 1 describes CM-epidemiology, the clinical features, the diagnosis and finally, the treatment.Section 2 discusses epidemiological evidence for atmospheric influence on cases of CM.Section 3 highlights the most important contributions and controversies in the history of CM-research through scientometric or bibliometric evaluations of research that are based on Garfield’s work on the propagation of scientific thinking.
Higher-Order Stabilized Perturbation for Recursive Eigen-Decomposition Estimation
Authors: Mucchielli Paul , Bhowmik Basuraj , Hazra Budhaditya , Pakrashi Vikram 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Eigen-decomposition remains one of the most invaluable tools for signal processing algorithms. Although traditional algorithms based on QR decomposition, Jacobi rotations and block Lanczos tridiagonalization have been proposed to decompose a matrix into its eigenspace, associated computational expense typically hinders their implementation in a real-time framework. In this paper, we study recursive eigen perturbation (EP) of the symmetric eigenvalue problem of higher order (greater than one). Through a higher order perturbation approach, we improve the recently established first-order eigen perturbation (FOP) technique by creating a stabilization process for adapting to ill-conditioned matrices with close eigenvalues. Six algorithms were investigated in this regard: first-order, second-order, third-order, and their stabilized versions. The developed methods were validated and assessed on multiple structural health monitoring (SHM) problems. These were first tested on a five degrees-of-freedom (DOF) linear building model for accurate estimation of mode shapes in an automated framework. The separation of closely spaced modes was then demonstrated on a 3DOF + tuned mass damper (TMD) problem. Practical utility of the methods was probed on the Phase-I ASCE-SHM benchmark problem. The results obtained for real-time mode identification establishes the robustness of the proposed methods for a range of engineering applications.