bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fascicle- and Glucose-Specific Deterioration in White Matter Energy Supply in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Roy Maggie , Rheault François , Croteau Etienne , Castellano Christian-Alexandre , Fortier Mélanie , St-Pierre Valérie , Houde Jean-Christophe , Turcotte Éric E. , Bocti Christian , Fulop Tamas , Cunnane Stephen C. , Descoteaux Maxime 
Published: June 2020

Background: White matter energy supply to oligodendrocytes and the axonal compartment is crucial for normal axonal function. Although gray matter glucose hypometabolism is extensively reported in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), glucose and ketones, the brain’s two main fuels, are rarely quantified in white matter in AD. Objective: Using a dual-tracer PET method combined with a fascicle-specific diffusion MRI approach, robust to white matter hyper intensities and crossing fibers, we aimed to quantify both glucose and ketone metabolism in specific white matter fascicles associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 51) and AD ( n = 13) compared to cognitively healthy age-matched controls (Controls; n = 14). Methods: Eight white matter fascicles of the limbic lobe and corpus callosum were extracted and analyzed into fascicle profiles of five sections. Glucose (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose) and ketone (11C-acetoacetate) uptake rates, corrected for partial volume effect, were calculated along each fascicle. Results: The only fascicle with significantly lower glucose uptake in AD compared to Controls was the left posterior cingulate segment of the cingulum (–22%; p = 0.016). Non-significantly lower glucose uptake in this fascicle was also observed in MCI. In contrast to glucose, ketone uptake was either unchanged or higher in sections of the fornix and parahippocampal segment of the cingulum in AD. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of brain fuel uptake calculated along white matter fascicles in humans. Energetic deterioration in white matter in AD appears to be specific to glucose and occurs first in the posterior cingulum.
Analysis of Taste Sensitivities in App Knock-In Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Narukawa Masataka , Takahashi Suzuka , Saito Takashi , Saido Takaomi C. , Misaka Takumi 
Published: June 2020

Background: Some studies have reported a decline in taste sensitivities in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. However, the detail remains unknown. Objective: We investigated the effect of cognitive impairment on taste sensitivity using an App knock-in mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: Behavioral assays, a brief access test, and a 48 h two-bottle preference test, to assess taste sensitivities were started from 12 months of age in mice that were confirmed to have impaired cognition. Results: In the assays, there was no significant difference in taste sensitivities between wild type and App knock-in mice. Additionally, no apparent difference was observed in the expression of taste markers in their taste bud cells. Conclusion: We concluded that cognitive impairment might not greatly affect taste sensitivity.
Towards building a Urdu Language Corpus using Common Crawl
Authors: Shafiq Hafiz Muhammad , Tahir Bilal , Mehmood Muhammad Amir 
Published: June 2020

Urdu is the most popular language in Pakistan which is spoken by millions of people across the globe. While English is considered the dominant web content language, characteristics of Urdu language web content are still unknown. In this paper, we study the World-Wide-Web (WWW) by focusing on the content present in the Perso-Arabic script. Leveraging from the Common Crawl Corpus, which is the largest publicly available web content of 2.87 billion documents for the period of December 2016, we examine different aspects of Urdu web content. We use the Compact Language Detector (CLD2) for language detection. We find that the global WWW population has a share of 0.04% for Urdu web content with respect to document frequency. 70.9% of the top-level Urdu domains consist of . com, . org, and . info. Besides, urdulughat is the most dominating second-level domain. 40% of the domains are hosted in the United States while only 0.33% are hosted within Pakistan. Moreover, 25.68% web-pages have Urdu as primary language and only 11.78% of web-pages are exclusively in Urdu. Our Urdu corpus consists of 1.25 billion total and 18.14 million unique tokens. Furthermore, the corpus follows the Zipf’s law distribution. This Urdu Corpus can be used for text summarization, text classification, and cross-lingual information retrieval.
Assessment of an intelligent robotic rollator implementing navigation assistance in frail seniors
Authors: Koumpouros Yiannis , Toulias Thomas L. , Tzafestas Costas S. , Moustris George 
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND: Assistive technologies are playing vital role in frail seniors. OBJECTIVE: The paper presents the methodology and findings from the assessment of an active “intelligent” robotic rollator incorporating navigation assistance in frail seniors. METHODS: Thirty seniors, having moderate motor impairment were grouped into two categories according to their cognitive status. A complicated trail was defined to test their performance using a robotic rollator. The main descriptive statistics were given, while inference was performed via the corresponding parametric [Formula: see text] tests and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis tests. A principal component analysis was utilized to extract the variable classes that explain the overall behavior of the sample. RESULTS: Navigation assistance was proved helpful to the cognitive impaired group. The results between the two groups were comparable in terms of completion time and success rate. The provided directional audio cues led to smoother walking paths and better orientation. There was no correlation between the MMSE values and the total time of the walk ([Formula: see text] 0.696 [Formula: see text] 0.05 for Pearson’s correlation between MMSE and total walk time). CONCLUSIONS: The integration of navigation assistance in mobility assistance devices can help the elderly to effectively orient themselves in challenging and unknown environments.
A Virtual Reality based serious game to aid in the literacy of students with intellectual disability: Design principles and evaluation
Authors: de Vasconcelos Daniel Felipe Pereira , Júnior Edgard Afonso Lamounier , de Oliveira Malaquias Fernanda Francielle , Oliveira Luciana Aparecida , Cardoso Alexandre 
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND: Literacy is essential for the development and empowerment of students with intellectual disability. However, such students often present limitations that may interfere in their literacy process. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential of Virtual Reality as an educational tool to support the literacy process of students with intellectual disability. METHODS: We have developed a serious game based on Virtual Reality techniques. The game has been validated by special education professionals and used by students and their teachers in two inclusive schools. In order to evaluate the game’s effectiveness, a qualitative methodology has been adopted. RESULTS: The study points to a positive evaluation of the game as a tool to aid in the development of literacy skills of students with intellectual disability. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that Virtual Reality has potential to contribute to the inclusion of students with intellectual disability in the educational context.
Differentiating pneumonia with and without COVID-19 using chest CT images: from qualitative to quantitative
Authors: Li Zicong , Zeng Bingliang , Lei Pinggui , Liu Jiaqi , Fan Bing , Shen Qinglin , Pang Peipei , Xu Rongchun 
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia caused by COVID-19 shares overlapping imaging manifestations with other types of pneumonia. How to objectively and quantitatively differentiate pneumonia patients with and without COVID-19 virus remains clinical challenge. OBJECTIVE: To formulate standardized scoring criteria and an objective quantization standard to guide decision making in detection and diagnosis of COVID-19 virus induced pneumonia in clinical practice. METHODS: A retrospective dataset includes computed tomography (CT) images acquired from 43 pneumonia patients with COVID-19 virus detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests and 49 pneumonia patients without COVID-19 virus. All patients were treated during the same time period in two hospitals. Key indicators of differential diagnosis were identified in relevant literature and the scores were quantified namely, patients with more than 8 points were identified as high risk, those with 6–8 points as moderate risk, and those with fewer than 6 points as low risk for COVID-19 virus. In the study, 3 radiologists determined the scores for all patients. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were subsequently calculated. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients were determined as high risk, among which 42 were COVID-19 positive by RT-PCR tests. Next, 9 were identified as moderate risk, one of whom was COVID-19 positive. Last, 22 were classified into the low-risk group, all of them are COVID-19 negative. Based on these results, the sensitivity of detection COVID-19 positive cases between the high-risk group and the non-high-risk group was 0.98 with 95% confidence interval [0.88, 1.00], and the specificity was 0.61 [0.46, 0.75]. The detection sensitivity between the moderate-/high-risk group and the low-risk group was 1.00 [0.92, 1.00], and the specificity was 0.45 [0.31, 0.60]. CONCLUSION: The proposed quantitative scoring criteria showed high sensitivity and moderate specificity in detecting COVID-19 using CT images, which indicates that these criteria may be beneficial for screening in real-world practice and helpful for long-term disease control.
Técnica EXIT como manejo de la vía aérea en masas gigantes congénitas de cuello
Authors: Orrego G. Jaime , Mosquera-Hernández Juan Camilo , Ardila-Giraldo Santiago , Torres-Canchala Laura , Alzate Edgar , Benavidez Juan Pablo 
Published: June 2020

Las masas congénitas de cabeza y cuello se asocian a asfixia perinatal e injuria cerebral con elevada mortalidad. La técnica EXIT (Ex Útero Intrapartum Treatment) consiste en asegurar la vía aérea del neonato, sin interrumpir la oxigenación y perfusión materno-fetal a través del soporte placentario. Esta técnica no ha sido estandarizada en países de medianos ingresos.Objetivo: Describir el caso clínico de 2 neonatos manejados mediante la técnica EXIT.Caso Clínico: Se reportan dos casos, uno con malformación linfática diagnosticada a la semana 20 gestación y el segundo con tiromegalia y polihidramnios diagnosticados a la semana 35 de gestación. En ambos casos, durante la cesárea se realizó la técnica EXIT con un equipo conformado por neonatólogo, ginecólogo, anestesiólogo, cirujano pediatra, otorrinolaringólogo, enfermero y terapeuta respiratorio. En los dos pacientes se logró asegurar la vía aérea mediante intubación orotraqueal al primer intento. En el caso 1 se confirmó la malformación linfática y recibió escleroterapia, y en el caso 2 se diagnosticó hipotiroidismo congénito asociado a bocio, que fue manejado con levotiroxina. Los pacientes se mantuvieron 7 y 9 días con ventilación mecánica invasiva respectivamente y egresaron sin complicaciones respiratorias.Conclusiones: La técnica EXIT en estos casos fue un procedimiento seguro, llevado a cabo sin inconvenientes. Se necesita un equipo multidisciplinario y la disponibilidad de una unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales, con el objetivo de reducir potenciales complicaciones y garantizar el manejo postnatal. Para lograr su ejecución, es indispensable el diagnóstico prenatal oportuno.
Trastornos hereditarios de la coagulación en adolescentes con sangrado menstrual excesivo, ¿Debemos evaluar la vía fibrinolítica?
Authors: N. Aguirre , J. Pereira , F. Barriga , MA. Wietstruck , O. Panes , P. Sepulveda , A. Salgado , P. Zuñiga 
Published: June 2020

El Sangrado Menstrual Excesivo (SME) es un problema frecuente en la adolescencia. La prevalencia de trastornos hereditarios de la coagulación (THC) como causa del SME no está bien establecida y la participación de defectos de la vía fibrinolítica ha sido poco explorada.Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de THC y defectos de la fibrinólisis en adolescentes con SME.Pacientes y Método: Se incluyeron 93 adolescentes, edad 11 a 18 años. Los antecedentes personales y familiares de sangrado se obtuvieron con un cuestionario estandarizado. Se controló exámenes: tiempo de protrombina (TP), tiempo de tromboplastina parcial activada (TTPa), estudio del factor Von Willebrand, recuento y función plaquetaria. Los pacientes que no fueron diagnosticados como THC, se evaluaron adicionalmente con el tiempo de lisis del coágulo.Resultados: 41 pacientes (44%) fueron diagnosticados como THC: Enfermedad de Von Willebrand n=28, defectos de la función plaquetaria n=8, hemofilia leve n=5. Se confirmó disminución del tiempo de lisis del coágulo en 31 pacientes. El 54% de pacientes diagnosticado como THC, tuvo SME como la primera manifestación hemorrágica. Conclusión: Estos resultados apoyan la necesidad de evaluación de la coagulación, incluyendo la vía fibrinolítica, en el estudio de adolescentes con SME.
Eje Renina Angiotensina, Enzima Convertidora de Angiotensina 2 y Coronavirus
Authors: Cano F. , Gajardo M. , Freundlich M. 
Published: June 2020

El sistema renina angiotensina aldosterona (SRAA) es el principal regulador del volumen plasmático, manteniendo la homeostasis cardiovascular e hidrosalina. En la vía clásica, la enzima convertidora de angiotensina (ECA) genera Angiotensina II (AngII), de potente efecto inflamatorio y vasoconstrictor. Esta vía clásica es a su vez regulada por la ECA2, que convierte AngII a Ang 1-7, cuyas acciones vasodilatadoras y antiinflamatorias dan balance a los efectos de AngII. La ECA2 se ha relacionado con la patogenia de infecciones respiratorias como el virus respiratorio sincicial y el síndrome respiratorio agudo grave por coronavirus (SARS-CoV y SARS-CoV-2). Estudios recientes han demostrado que la ECA2 corresponde al principal receptor del SARS-CoV-2, que en conjunto con otros receptores como la serin proteasa TMPRSS2, permiten la fijación, fusión y entrada del virus a la célula huésped. En animales infectados por SARS-CoV se produce una caída de la concentración tisular de ECA2 y Ang 1-7, con la consiguiente sobreexpresión de AngII, y sus efectos vasoconstrictores e inflamatorios. Experimentos con ECA2 recombinante han mostrado un efecto protector frente a la sobreexpresión del SRAA en animales infectados por SARS-CoV, efecto similar al demostrado con el uso de bloqueadores del receptor de AngII, AT1. La evidencia sobre el rol protector de ECA2 parece respaldar las recomendaciones respecto a no suspender estos medicamentos en la infección SARS-CoV-2. En este artículo presentamos el conocimiento actual sobre el rol del SRAA en la infección por SARS-CoV, a partir de conceptos fisiopatológicos, bases moleculares, y evidencia experimental y clínica.
Marie Stuart, Lettres de la dernière heure. Contribution à l’étude d’un « sous-genre » oublié
Authors: Winn Colette H. , Martin Hélène Camille 
Published: June 2020

Cet article se propose d’examiner les lettres de la dernière heure écrites par Marie Stuart lors de sa captivité à Fotheringay avant sa mort le 8 février 1587. Adressées à ses contemporains, ces lettres permettent à Marie Stuart de contrôler jusqu’au bout l’image qui restera d’elle-même dans la mémoire collective et, dans le même temps, elles favorisent l’examen de conscience. La lettre de la dernière heure se nourrit largement d’autres genres littéraires tels que la lettre d’adieu, les écrits sur l’art de mourir et le testament. Toutefois, ce qui fait sa spécificité, c’est le lien qu’elle entretient avec le rituel de la mort tel qu’il est conçu à l’époque.
This article examines the letters of the last hour written by Mary Stuart during her captivity in Fotheringay before her death on February 8, 1587. Addressed to her contemporaries, these letters allow Mary Stuart to control until the end the image of her that will remain in collective memory and, at the same time, they promote self-examination. The letter of the last hour is closely related to several literary genres like the farewell letter, the arts of dying, and the testament but its specificity lies in its relation to the ritual of death as it was conceived at the time.
Minor if Entertaining Post-Utopian Nowheres
Authors: Prescott Anne Lake 
Published: June 2020

Not all utopias are truly imaginative, yet minor ones can be instructive or amusing. This article explores the hierarchy-obsessed French Antangil as well as some minor English ones so as to deduce further what so entranced so many about Nowhere’s possibilities. None is as radical as Utopia itself—nor as intelligent. They do, however, show the uses to which a “utopia” can be put. After a glance at Antangil this article moves to a letter from the king of Utopia and thence to Edward Howard’s royalist drama Six Days in a New Utopia (1671), an interesting failure on stage. After a few glances at other utopias the article ends with a grimly amusing avian debate concerning the desire of foreign (French) canaries to settle in Utopia (England), where they will be safe from a persecutory eagle (Louis XIV). Utopia is “nowhere,” but it is a useful nowhere.
Les utopies ne sont pas toutes véritablement originales, toutefois certaines peuvent être instructives et amusantes. Cette étude explore l’Antangil, un ouvrage français obsédé par la hiérarchie, ainsi qu’un certain nombre d’ouvrages mineurs anglais, dans le but de mieux comprendre ce qui a séduit tant de lecteurs dans les possibilités d’un « Nulle part ». Aucune de ces oeuvres n’est aussi radicale que l’Utopie de More elle-même, ni aussi intelligente. Elles montrent cependant quelle peut être la fonction de telles utopies. Cette étude, après avoir considéré l’Antangil, se penche sur une lettre du roi d’Utopia, et sur le drame royaliste Six Days in a New Utopia d’Edward Howard (1671) ayant eu curieusement peu de succès sur scène. Après avoir survolé quelques autres textes similaires, on termine notre examen avec un amusant débat aviaire traitant du désir de canaris étrangers (français) de s’installer en Utopie (Angleterre), où ils seront à l’abris de la persécution d’un certain aigle (Louis XIV). On y constate qu’Utopie est un « nulle part », mais un « nulle part » utile.
Role of amylase and protease in germinating<i>Sterculia urens</i> Roxb
Authors: Botcha S , Prattipati SD 
Published: June 2020

The present study explains the levels of proteins and enzymes like proteases and amylases associated with the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates during various stages (0 day to 15th day) of seed germination of Sterculia urens Roxb.. Maximum protease activity (1.12 units/mg of protein) and amylase activity was observed on 12thday of seed germination (34 units/mg of protein) and decreased thereafter. Highest protein content was observed at initial stage of seed germination and decreased thereafter. Increased proteolytic activity and amylase activity proportionately increases free amino acid content and sugars that promotes the seedlings growth and development.
Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.55(2), 107-112, 2020
Stablization of medical waste incineration fly ash in cement mortar matrix
Authors: Ahmed T , Chowdhury R , Rahman M 
Published: June 2020

Laboratory experiments were performed to assess the suitability of using medical waste incineration fly ash in cement as a construction material based on the engineering properties of fly ash-cement matrix and the leaching potential of toxic heavy metals from the stabilized mix. Fly ash-cement samples were prepared with different proportions of fly ash (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% by weight) in the laboratory under controlled conditions. The solidified matrix exhibited a compressive strength from 3950 to 4980 psi when fly ash is mixed in varying proportions. The 28-day compressive strength has been found to decrease with the increase in fly ash content but it meets the minimum requirement of compressive strength for cement-mortar. Soundness test exhibited acceptable results for cement-mortar mixes having up to 15% fly ash. Final and initial setting times of cement have been found to generally increase with fly ash content. Water requirement (for normal consistency) also increased with the increase in fly ash content in cement. Based on physical properties of the cement-mortar matrix it is recommended that up to 10% (by weight) medical waste incineration fly ash can be incorporated for producing cement-mortar of optimum quality. Leaching behaviors of several targeted heavy metals (As, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Hg and Zn) were analyzed using Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure (TCLP) of fly ash and solidified fly ash-cement matrix which shows that the leached concentrations of As, Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn were reduced by 80.13%, 89.47%, 33.33%, 23.9% and 100% respectively for 10% fly ash incorporated cement-mortar matrix compared to that of original fly ash. The leached concentrations of heavy metals from the matrix were far below the EPA land disposal limits. These results suggest that the solidified fly ash incorporated cement-mortar matrix can effectively confine and immobilize the heavy metals contained in the fly ash without significantly diminishing the engineering properties of cement-mortar.
Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.55(2), 131-138, 2020
Multi-phenyl structured aromatic hydrocarbon polymer
Authors: Hossain MA , Morium - , Elias M , Rahman MM , Rahaman MM , Ali MS , Razzak MA 
Published: June 2020

Multi-phenyl structured random polymer was synthesized via condensation polymerization reaction by applying different monomer ratios and characterized by various spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, 1H NMR). The prepared polymers showed good thermooxidative stability up to 400 ºC. The surface morphology was studied by FESEM that showed the good linkage among the polymer chains. The EDS data of poly(fluorenylene ether ketone), PFEK; demonstrated that all the monomers participated in the copolymerization reaction. Inherent viscosity values of the polymers were obtained in the range of 0.76∼1.12 dL g-1. The polymers’ yield was within 85~90%. The obtained results indicate that the multi-phenyl structured polymer will be the good candidates to prepare the effective aromatic hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte membrane.
Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.55(2), 139-146, 2020