bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aggregate Public-Private Remuneration Patterns in South Africa
Authors: Wörgötter Andreas , Nomdebevana Sihle 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis paper investigates the public-private remuneration patterns in South Africa with time-series methods for the first time since the introduction of an inflation-targeting framework in 2000. Co-integration tests and analysis confirm that there is a stable, long-run relationship between nominal and real remuneration in the public and private sector. The adjustment to the deviations from this long-run relationship is strong and significant for public-sector remuneration, while private-sector wages neither respond to deviations from the long-run relationship nor lagged changes in public-sector remuneration. The causal direction from private- to public-sector remuneration does not change if real earnings are calculated with the gross domestic product deflator. This is confirmed by simple Granger-causality tests.
Comparison between the 10- and the 30-s-long Wingate Anaerobic Test in summer Paralympic athletes with a lower limb impairment
Authors: Cavedon Valentina , Rosponi A. , Alviti F. , De Angelis M. , Guerra E. , Rodio A. , Di Giacinto B. , Milanese C. , Bernardi M. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe 30-s-long Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT_30s) has some limitations in high-level athletes. A shorter version might be helpful for both clinical applications and performance assessment. The comparison between the traditional WAnT_30s and a shorter version has never been carried out yet in Paralympic athletes.AimTo assess if a 10-s-long Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT_10s) could be used to accurately assess and predict the anaerobic components of physical fitness as an alternative to the traditional WAnT_30s in male Paralympic athletes.MethodsForty-four trained male Paralympic Athletes grouped by severity of locomotor impairment completed the WAnT_30s and the WAnT_10s with an arm cranking ergometer. Differences between mean and peak power achieved throughout both WAnTs were analysed using a mixed-design analysis of variance and predictivity was assessed by stepwise linear regression analysis.ResultsIn the whole sample, peak power values were similar (P > 0.005) in the two tests and the WAnT_10s mean power was significantly higher than that in the WAnT_30s (P < 0.005). Finally, the mean power measured during WAnT_30s showed high level of predictability from mean power measured during WAnT_10s and the Functional class (adjustedR2 = 0.906;P < 0.001).ConclusionThe WAnT_10s is accurate to assess peak power, is definitively appropriate to evaluate the alactic anaerobic metabolism and seems able to predict the mean power as traditionally evaluated through a WAnT_30s in male Paralympic Athletes. Thus, it can be used to assess the anaerobic components of physical fitness in this athletic population.
Community structure in the World Trade Network based on communicability distances
Authors: Bartesaghi Paolo , Clemente Gian Paolo , Grassi Rosanna 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the mesoscale structure of the World Trade Network. In this framework, a specific role is assumed by short- and long-range interactions, and hence by any suitably defined network-based distance between countries. Therefore, we identify clusters through a new procedure that exploits Estrada communicability distance and the vibrational communicability distance, which turn out to be particularly suitable for catching the inner structure of the economic network. The proposed methodology aims at finding the distance threshold that maximizes a specific quality function defined for general metric spaces. Main advantages regard the computational efficiency of the procedure as well as the possibility to inspect intercluster and intracluster properties of the resulting communities. The numerical analysis highlights peculiar relationships between countries and provides a rich set of information that can hardly be achieved within alternative clustering approaches.
Resilience, Hope, and Subjective Happiness Among the Turkish Population: Fear of COVID-19 as a Mediator
Authors: Satici Seydi Ahmet , Kayis Ahmet Rifat , Satici Begum , Griffiths Mark D. , Can Gurhan 
Published: December 2020

AbstractPsychology deals with not only mental disorders but also psychological strengths within individuals. Psychological strengths will play an important role in struggling with the global novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study tested a model concerning the relationship between resilience, hope, and subjective happiness using structural equation modeling to identify the mediating role of fear of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 971 Turkish individuals (aged 18 to 74 years) from 75 of 81 cities in Turkey. The survey included the Subjective Happiness Scale, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Brief Resilience Scale, and the Dispositional Hope Scale, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The SEM demonstrated an association between resilience–hope and subjective happiness was mediated by fear of COVID-19 (CMIN/df = 2.664, CFI = 0.994, NFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.984, GFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.044, SRMR = 0.024, AIC = 81.334, ECVI = 0.084). Resilience had a direct effect and an indirect effect on subjective happiness via fear of COVID-19. Hope also had a direct effect and an indirect effect on subjective happiness via fear of COVID-19. Consequently, in the fight against COVID-19, individuals who are resistant to stress and have a belief that they can find a way to cope can help prevent the fear of COVID-19 and so enhance good mental health.
Derivation of a Clinical Risk Score to Predict 14-Day Occurrence of Hypoxia, ICU Admission, and Death Among Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Levine David M. , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Co Zoe , Song Wenyu , Dykes Patricia C. , Samal Lipika 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background
Uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 regarding rapid progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome and unusual clinical characteristics make discharge from a monitored setting challenging. A clinical risk score to predict 14-day occurrence of hypoxia, ICU admission, and death is unavailable.

Objective
Derive and validate a risk score to predict suitability for discharge from a monitored setting among an early cohort of patients with COVID-19.

Design
Model derivation and validation in a retrospective cohort. We built a manual forward stepwise logistic regression model to identify variables associated with suitability for discharge and assigned points to each variable. Event-free patients were included after at least 14 days of follow-up.

Participants
All adult patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis between March 1, 2020, and April 12, 2020, in 10 hospitals in Massachusetts, USA.

Main Measures
Fourteen-day composite predicting hypoxia, ICU admission, and death. We calculated a risk score for each patient as a predictor of suitability for discharge evaluated by area under the curve.

Key Results
Of 2059 patients with COVID-19, 1326 met inclusion. The 1014-patient training cohort had a mean age of 58 years, was 56% female, and 65% had at least one comorbidity. A total of 255 (25%) patients were suitable for discharge. Variables associated with suitability for discharge were age, oxygen saturation, and albumin level, yielding a risk score between 0 and 55. At a cut point of 30, the score had a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 82%. The respective c-statistic for the derivation and validation cohorts were 0.8939 (95% CI, 0.8687 to 0.9192) and 0.8685 (95% CI, 0.8095 to 0.9275). The score performed similarly for inpatients and emergency department patients.

Conclusions
A 3-item risk score for patients with COVID-19 consisting of age, oxygen saturation, and an acute phase reactant (albumin) using point of care data predicts suitability for discharge and may optimize scarce resources.
Liquid Air Energy Storage for Decentralized Micro Energy Networks with Combined Cooling, Heating, Hot Water and Power Supply
Authors: She Xiaohui , Zhang Tongtong , Peng Xiaodong , Wang Li , Tong Lige , Luo Yimo , Zhang Xiaosong , Ding Yulong 
Published: December 2020

AbstractLiquid air energy storage (LAES) has been regarded as a large-scale electrical storage technology. In this paper, we first investigate the performance of the current LAES (termed as a baseline LAES) over a far wider range of charging pressure (1 to 21 MPa). Our analyses show that the baseline LAES could achieve an electrical round trip efficiency (eRTE) above 60% at a high charging pressure of 19 MPa. The baseline LAES, however, produces a large amount of excess heat particularly at low charging pressures with the maximum occurred at ∼1 MPa. Hence, the performance of the baseline LAES, especially at low charging pressures, is underestimated by only considering electrical energy in all the previous research. The performance of the baseline LAES with excess heat is then evaluated which gives a high eRTE even at lower charging pressures; the local maximum of 62% is achieved at ∼4 MPa. As a result of the above, a hybrid LAES system is proposed to provide cooling, heating, hot water and power. To evaluate the performance of the hybrid LAES system, three performance indicators are considered: nominal-electrical round trip efficiency (neRTE), primary energy savings and avoided carbon dioxide emissions. Our results show that the hybrid LAES can achieve a high neRTE between 52% and 76%, with the maximum at ∼5 MPa. For a given size of hybrid LAES (1 MW×8 h), the primary energy savings and avoided carbon dioxide emissions are up to 12.1 MWh and 2.3 ton, respectively. These new findings suggest, for the first time, that small-scale LAES systems could be best operated at lower charging pressures and the technologies have a great potential for applications in local decentralized micro energy networks.
1H, 13C, and 15N backbone chemical shift assignments of the C-terminal dimerization domain of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein
Authors: Korn Sophie M. , Lambertz Roderick , Fürtig Boris , Hengesbach Martin , Löhr Frank , Richter Christian , Schwalbe Harald , Weigand Julia E. , Wöhnert Jens , Schlundt Andreas 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe current outbreak of the highly infectious COVID-19 respiratory disease is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2). To fight the pandemic, the search for promising viral drug targets has become a cross-border common goal of the international biomedical research community. Within the international Covid19-NMR consortium, scientists support drug development against SARS-CoV-2 by providing publicly available NMR data on viral proteins and RNAs. The coronavirus nucleocapsid protein (N protein) is an RNA-binding protein involved in viral transcription and replication. Its primary function is the packaging of the viral RNA genome. The highly conserved architecture of the coronavirus N protein consists of an N-terminal RNA-binding domain (NTD), followed by an intrinsically disordered Serine/Arginine (SR)-rich linker and a C-terminal dimerization domain (CTD). Besides its involvement in oligomerization, the CTD of the N protein (N-CTD) is also able to bind to nucleic acids by itself, independent of the NTD. Here, we report the near-complete NMR backbone chemical shift assignments of the SARS-CoV-2 N-CTD to provide the basis for downstream applications, in particular site-resolved drug binding studies.
Pharmacokinetic considerations in geriatric cancer patients
Authors: Hohenegger Martin 
Published: December 2020

SummaryPharmacological anticancer therapy in elderly people has to account for pharmacokinetic aspects in view of age-related changes in organ function and disease-related alterations. Age-related changes in organ function might still be physiological and have to be discriminated from concomitant diseases and their pharmacotherapy. Although efficacy is retained with pharmacological anticancer therapies in elderly patients, plasma drug concentrations and the incidence of adverse reactions often increase. Thus, altered organ function in elderly will be reviewed with respect to clinically relevant outcomes. Furthermore, possible consequences of therapeutic drug monitoring will be discussed focusing on novel targeted therapies with small molecules. Examples of therapeutic drug monitoring during targeted therapies may represent an easy tool to overcome the individual pharmacokinetic situation of elderly cancer patients and may contribute to enhanced safety, when implemented in clinical routine.
High-intensity exercise programs in people with dementia — a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Russ J. , Weyh C. , Pilat C. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractDementia is a syndrome characterized by a progressive deterioration of cognitive and physical functions. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of high-intensity exercise training (HIT) programs on cognitive and mental health, physical performance, activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QoL) in people with dementia. A systematic literature search for randomized controlled trials was performed until July 2019. We calculated mean difference (MD) or standardized MD (SMD) and the 95% confidence interval (CI), and assessed heterogeneity using I2 statistic. Nine studies from three large-scale research projects which were based on the high-intensity functional exercise (HIFE) program incorporating strength, balance and mobility exercises of the lower limbs, including 456 participants (85.5 ± 7.0 years), were considered. There was an overall good study quality (mean PEDro score = 7.6 ± 0.7). Compared to seated control activities, strength and balance HIT resulted in statistically significant but small positive effects on balance performance (MD = 2.31, 95% CI = 0.44–4.17, p = 0.02; I2 = 73%) and on the abilities to independently perform ADLs (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.12–0.44, p = 0.0006; I2 = 0%). No differences were found in cognitive function, depressive symptoms and QoL. The qualitative analyses yielded sporadic beneficial results (mobility, psychological well-being and apathetic behaviour) in favour of HIT. There is only limited evidence for an intensity-related dose–response relationship. Further well-designed studies are needed to identify the best exercise type for different types and stages of dementia.
GliMR: Cross-Border Collaborations to Promote Advanced MRI Biomarkers for Glioma
Authors: Clement Patricia , Booth Thomas , Borovečki Fran , Emblem Kyrre E. , Figueiredo Patrícia , Hirschler Lydiane , Jančálek Radim , Keil Vera C. , Maumet Camille , Özsunar Yelda , Pernet Cyril , Petr Jan , Pinto Joana , Smits Marion , Warnert Esther A. H. 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Purpose
There is an annual incidence of 50,000 glioma cases in Europe. The optimal treatment strategy is highly personalised, depending on tumour type, grade, spatial localization, and the degree of tissue infiltration. In research settings, advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown great promise as a tool to inform personalised treatment decisions. However, the use of advanced MRI in clinical practice remains scarce due to the downstream effects of siloed glioma imaging research with limited representation of MRI specialists in established consortia; and the associated lack of available tools and expertise in clinical settings. These shortcomings delay the translation of scientific breakthroughs into novel treatment strategy. As a response we have developed the network “Glioma MR Imaging 2.0” (GliMR) which we present in this article.

Methods
GliMR aims to build a pan-European and multidisciplinary network of experts and accelerate the use of advanced MRI in glioma beyond the current “state-of-the-art” in glioma imaging. The Action Glioma MR Imaging 2.0 (GliMR) was granted funding by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) in June 2019.

Results
GliMR’s first grant period ran from September 2019 to April 2020, during which several meetings were held and projects were initiated, such as reviewing the current knowledge on advanced MRI; developing a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant consent form; and setting up the website.

Conclusion
The Action overcomes the pre-existing limitations of glioma research and is funded until September 2023. New members will be accepted during its entire duration.
Inheritance of some flag leaf and yield characteristics by half-diallel analysis in rice crops (Oryza Sativa L.)
Authors: Bassuony Nessreen N. , Zsembeli József 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis study was conducted during 2018 and 2019 at the Rice Research and Training Centre farm, Sakha, Kafr el Sheikh, Egypt. Six genotypes of rice, Sakha 101, Giza 178, Irat 170, Wab-56-104, IR65500-127 and IR69853 were half-diallel crossed to estimate the combining ability effect as well as sink and yield potential in rice. Sink capacity (number of spikelets/panicle and 1000-grain weight), source leaf (flag leaf length, flag leaf width and flag leaf area), source-sink association (number of spikelets/panicle to flag leaf area ratio) and traits of yield components (filled grains number/panicle and panicle number) plant and grain yield/plant) were analysed. The results indicated that both general and specific combining ability were highly significant for all the studied characteristics. IR65500-127, Giza 178, and Sakha 101 were identified as good parents, so these parents were suggested for a further recombinant breeding programme. The cross of 3 × 5 was found to be superior for flag leaf width and grain yield, while the cross of 1 × 4 was found to be superior for flag leaf length, flag leaf length/width ratio, chlorophyll content and number of panicles/plant. Advancing these crosses and effected selections in segregating generation would be helpful to develop high yielding varieties. The genetic parameter showed a dominant deviation in one direction was controlled for all characters except flag leaf length. The analysis of the regression line showed that the over-dominance played an important role in the inheritance of gene action for grain yield/plant.
A case report on mediastinal fixation to save physiology of mediastinum in a lung cancer patient
Authors: Marzban-Rad Saeid , Sattari Parastesh , Marzban-Rad Maryam , Azimi Ghasem 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
The mediastinal space is confined from the top to the thorax inlet, at the bottom with the diaphragm.

Presentation of case:
A female with a right lung tumor with a history of chemotherapy, intubation, mediastinal fixation was performed on the affected side due to inadequate lung expansion, treatment-resistant fistula and intolerance of surgery to the pulmonary fistula. By fixing the mediastinal space on the affected side, right pleural space was drained.

Conclusion:
It is recommended that patients undergoing surgery for chronic empyema due to immunodeficiency and refractory infections, who do not tolerate surgery due to chronic pleural effusion and cavitation due to loculated Empyema develop thoracic surgery, fixation and continued treatment should be performed.
Evaluation of causes of brain CT scan in patients with minor trauma
Authors: Zahabi Saleh Salehi , Rafiei Hooman , Torabi Faranak , Salehi Amir , Rezaei Bareza 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACT

Background:
Computerized tomography (CT) scan is one of the widely used imaging modalities for the diagnosis of anomalies and diseases. Nonetheless, increased exposure to the radiations is one of its overlooked side effects.

Objective:
The aim of this study was to determine the causes of cerebral CT scan in patients with minor trauma.

Method:
In this cross-sectional study, 550 patients with minor head trauma referred to (XXX) were evaluated. The data are collected and completed using a questionnaire comprising of variables such as age, sex, type of trauma, trauma severity, CT scan results, associated symptoms based on NEXUS II, CCHR and NOC criteria and underlying diseases. The data were analyzed using statistical tests and SPSS software version 22.

Result:
The mean age of patients was 32.5 years and 62% of patients were male. 67% of the patients visited the hospital on their own. The cause of the trauma in 29% patients was car accident, 19% fall from height and 16.5% conflict. Scalp lesions were seen in 30.5%, hematomas in 4.9%, dizziness in 8.9%, history of comorbidities in 5.8%, episode of vomiting less than 2 in 7.3%, episode of vomiting more than 2 times in 1.1%, headache with score ≥7 in 5.8%, headache with score ≤7 in 23.1%, postoperative forgetfulness in 0.2%, raccoon eyes in 0.2% and nose bleeding in 1.5%. Findings of CT scan were abnormal in 0.2% of patients. The patient's condition declared cleared in 94.5% cleared and 5.5% referred to a neurosurgery. Statistically, CT scan had significant role in predicting the patient's neurosurgery counseling status (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:
The majority of patients with minor head trauma had normal brain CT scan and was discharged without the need for neurosurgery counseling. Therefore, it seems necessary to reduce brain CT scans without indication to reduce the radiation dose among patients with minor head trauma.

Highlights:
Geometric functionals of fractal percolation
Authors: Klatt Michael A. , Winter Steffen 
Published: December 2020

AbstractFractal percolation exhibits a dramatic topological phase transition, changing abruptly from a dust-like set to a system-spanning cluster. The transition points are unknown and difficult to estimate. In many classical percolation models the percolation thresholds have been approximated well using additive geometric functionals, known as intrinsic volumes. Motivated by the question of whether a similar approach is possible for fractal models, we introduce corresponding geometric functionals for the fractal percolation process F. They arise as limits of expected functionals of finite approximations of F. We establish the existence of these limit functionals and obtain explicit formulas for them as well as for their finite approximations.
Draw-down Parisian ruin for spectrally negative Lévy processes
Authors: Wang Wenyuan , Zhou Xiaowen 
Published: December 2020

AbstractDraw-down time for a stochastic process is the first passage time of a draw-down level that depends on the previous maximum of the process. In this paper we study the draw-down-related Parisian ruin problem for spectrally negative Lévy risk processes. Intuitively, a draw-down Parisian ruin occurs when the surplus process has continuously stayed below the dynamic draw-down level for a fixed amount of time. We introduce the draw-down Parisian ruin time and solve the corresponding two-sided exit problems via excursion theory. We also find an expression for the potential measure for the process killed at the draw-down Parisian time. As applications, we obtain new results for spectrally negative Lévy risk processes with dividend barrier and with Parisian ruin.