bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing motivation and learning strategy usage by dually enrolled students
Authors: Day Molly C. , Kelley Heather M. , Browne Blaine L. , Kohn Steven J. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractTheoretical frameworks grounded in the social cognitive theory are used to discuss the need for assessing motivation, self-efficacy for learning and performance, metacognitive self-regulation of dually enrolled students. This study assessed motivation and learning strategy usage by Dually Enrolled Students participating in Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program. The research was conducted on 213 high school aged 14 to 18 years, in grades 9–12, and attended a high school in a seven-county service area in southwest Georgia. Participants all were taking classes under a program that allows them to simultaneously earn high school and college credit, and required them to attend a high school and college concurrently either at a technical college of the Technical System of Georgia, or a state college of the University System of Georgia. The research questions were answered using a cross-sectional survey, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and demographics were used to classify participants based on age, grade, gender, number of classes completed in the Dual Enrollment program, teacher type for instruction, and the format/location of college class taken. The study’s findings added to the existing knowledge base regarding teenage students who are expected to conform to the role of college student simply because they were deemed academically equipped to take college classes. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest the importance of implementing additional acceptance requirements to make sure students possess the maturity, motivation, and learning strategy application knowledge to be successful in college classes and that faculty has been trained to accommodate the learning needs of this specific type of learner.
“N”-shaped Y/X coda spectral ratio observed for in-line-type OBS networks; S-net and ETMC: interpretation based on natural vibration of pressure vessel
Authors: Sawazaki Kaoru , Nakamura Takeshi 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe have identified “N”-shaped Y/X amplitude spectral ratios in S-coda records from a significant number of OBSs (ocean bottom seismometers) belonging to in-line-type ocean bottom networks of S-net and ETMC deployed around the Japan Trench and Sagami Trough, respectively. The “N”-shape reflects a sharp peak and notch at approximately 5–13 Hz and 10–23 Hz, respectively. This shape does not characterize OBSs belonging to node-type ocean bottom network of DONET deployed near the Nankai Trough. For S-net stations, the “N”-shape is not clearly formed for stations installed within grooves dug in the seafloor. We interpret the “N”-shaped Y/X amplitude spectral ratio is caused by the natural vibrations of a cylindrical pressure vessel that is placed sideways (long-axis lies in the horizontal plane) on the seafloor. The notch and peak frequencies in the Y/X amplitude spectral ratio likely correspond to natural frequencies of longitudinal (X-direction) and torsional and/or bending (Y-direction) vibrations, respectively. These natural vibrations are not observed for buried OBSs or those installed within grooves in the seafloor probably because they are better coupled to the seafloor. We propose a simple model to evaluate the extent to which the peak and notch have formed, which depends on the natural frequencies and coupling of the pressure vessel. We suggest users of in-line-type OBSs carefully examine if there are different responses between the X and Y components when frequencies about > 3 Hz are used. When installing OBS networks in the future, installing OBSs and cables within grooves dug in the seafloor or by burial will be effective in suppressing such natural vibrations.
A five year trend analysis of malaria prevalence in Guba district, Benishangul-Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia: a retrospective study
Authors: Alkadir Shemsia , Gelana Tegenu , Gebresilassie Araya 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBackgroundIn Ethiopia, malaria is a serious public health concern and has great impact on socio-economy. The trend analysis of malaria data from health facilities is useful for understanding its transmission dynamics and implementing evidence-based malaria control strategies. The aim of this study was to determine the trends of malaria infection in Guba district, western Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective study was undertaken at Mankush Health Centre, western Ethiopia. All malaria cases reported from 2014 to 2018 were carefully reviewed from the laboratory record books to determine the trends of malaria morbidity. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.ResultsIn total, 16,964 malaria suspects were diagnosed using microscopy over the last 5 years, of which 8658 (51.04%) were confirmed positive cases.Plasmodium falciparum,P. vivax, and mixed infection (both species) accounted for 75.2, 24.5 and 0.28% of the cases, respectively. Males patients were more affected (n = 5028, 58.1%) than female ones (n = 3630, 41.9%). Of the total confirmed cases, 60.4% were age group of subjects (≥ 15 years) followed by 22.6% of 5–14 years and 15.9% of under 5 years. High malaria prevalence was observed in spring (September to November) season, while the least was observed in autumn (March to May) with the prevalence of 45.6 and 11.5%, respectively.ConclusionsThe study demonstrated that malaria is a public health concern, in whichP. falciparumis the predominant species followed byP. vivax. Therefore, the district health bureau and other concerned stakeholders should strength evidence-based malaria control and prevention interventions to interrupt disease transmission and eventual reduction malaria of malaria cases in Guba district.
Evaluation of a clinical pharmacist team-based telehealth intervention in a rural clinic setting: a pilot study of feasibility, organizational perceptions, and return on investment
Authors: Murry Logan T. , Parker Christopher P. , Finkelstein Rachel J. , Arnold Matthew , Kennelty Korey 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Background
Remote, centralized clinical pharmacist services provided by board-certified clinical pharmacists have been shown to effectively assist in chronic disease management. We assess the feasibility of implementing a pharmacist-led, remote, centralized pharmacy service to improve A1c levels in patient with diabetes in a rural clinic setting.

Methods
This was a non-randomized pilot and feasibility study. Participants were enrolled in a pharmacist-led telehealth intervention service, with data prior to enrollment used as baseline data for control. To be included, patients needed to have A1c readings of greater than 7% to be considered uncontrolled. A1c changes were reported for two groups based on A1c ranges: between 7 and 10% and ≥ 10%. Clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy interns initiated contact with patients via telephone communication and managed the patients remotely. The following outcomes were evaluated: organization perceptions (patients, providers, and clinic staff), changes in A1c, medication discrepancies, impact of an internally operated Patient Assistance Program, and potential return on investment (ROI).

Results
Fifty-two patients were initially identified and referred to the service with 43 patients consenting to participate in the intervention. Patient and provider survey responses were recorded. In the initial analysis occurring during the first 3 to 5 months of the program, there was considerable improvement in diabetes control as measured by A1c. For patients with uncontrolled diabetes with a baseline A1c > 7% but less than < 10% and ≥ 10%, the intervention resulted in an A1c decrease of 0.57% and 2.55%, respectively. Clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy interns identified at least one medication discrepancy in 44% of patients, with number of discrepancies ranging from 1 to 5 per patient. At the conclusion of the study window, 42 potentially billable encounters were documented, which would have generated a net profit of $1140 USD, had they been submitted for reimbursement. Given the potential revenue generation, the service theoretically yields a ROI of 1.4 to 1.

Conclusions
Initial results suggest that a pharmacist-led telehealth intervention has potential to decrease A1c levels in patients with diabetes, assist in identification of medication discrepancies, provide a positive return on investment for rural clinics, and potentially increase reimbursement for providers and clinics tasked with managing patients with uncontrolled diabetes.
Optimal growth under socially responsible investment: a dynamic theoretical model of the trade-off between financial gains and emotional rewards
Authors: Gomes Orlando 
Published: September 2020

AbstractSocially responsible investment (SRI) evolved, along the last two decades, from an almost unexplored topic in science to a recurrent theme of research and debate in Economics and Finance. The growing interest on the theme has two fundamental causes. On one hand, empirical evidence unveils a change of behavior of investors, who typically no longer restrict their decision-making to a strict financial analysis; ethical, social, environmental, and political concerns are also on the forefront of investors’ assessments. On the other hand, the economic science is witnessing a paradigm shift characterized by a progressive departure from the orthodox rational deliberation framework and in the direction of the introduction of behavioral elements. In this study, an intertemporal model is proposed to serve as a benchmark for the evaluation of the implications of social and environmental awareness upon investors’ decisions and investment performance. The model is a simple optimal control framework that highlights the trade-off between financial returns and the satisfaction emanating from investing in firms or projects guided by ethical values and by good governance principles. Better financial outcomes may come with a social damage that the representative agent in the model will include, with a negative sign, in her utility function. Long-term steady-state results and transitional dynamics are duly evaluated for neoclassical and endogenous growth versions of the model.
A feature fusion technique for improved non-intrusive load monitoring
Authors: Reddy Raghunath , Garg Vishal , Pudi Vikram 
Published: September 2020

AbstractLoad identification is an essential step in Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM), a process of estimating the power consumption of individual appliances using only whole-house aggregate consumption. Such estimates can help consumers and utility companies improve load management and save power. Current state-of-the-art methods for load identification generally use either steady state or transient features for load identification. We hypothesize that these are complementary features and so a hybrid combination of them will result in an improved appliance signature. We propose a novel hybrid combination that has the advantage of being low-dimensional and can thus be easily integrated with existing classification models to improve load identification. Our improved hybrid features are then used for building appliance identification models using Naive Bayes, KNN, Decision Tree and Random Forest classifiers. The proposed NILM methodology is evaluated for robustness in changing environments. An automated data collection setup is established to capture 7 home appliances aggregate data under varying voltages. Experimental results show that our proposed feature fusion based algorithms are more robust and outperform steady state and transient feature-based algorithms by at least +9% and +15% respectively.
Evaluating of the association between ABO blood groups and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iraqi patients
Authors: Ad’hiah Ali H. , Allami Risala H. , Mohsin Raghdan H. , Abdullah Maha H. , AL-Sa’ady Ali J. R. , Alsudani Mustafa Y. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Background
Susceptibility to the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has recently been associated with ABO blood groups in patients of different ethnicities. This study sought to understand the genetic association of this polymorphic system with risk of disease in Iraqi patients. Two outcomes of COVID-19, recovery and death, were also explored. ABO blood groups were determined in 300 hospitalized COVID-19 Iraqi patients (159 under therapy, 104 recovered, and 37 deceased) and 595 healthy blood donors. The detection kit for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) RNA (PCR-Fluorescence Probing) was used in the diagnosis of disease.

Results
Mean age was significantly increased in patients compared to controls (49.8 ± 11.7 vs. 28.9 ± 6.6 years; p < 0.001). A similar observation was made in recovered (42.1 ± 10.4 vs. 28.9 ± 6.6 years; p < 0.001) and deceased (53.6 ± 9.7 vs. 28.9 ± 6.6 years; p < 0.001) cases. The mean age was also significantly increased in deceased cases compared to recovered cases (53.6 ± 9.7 vs. 42.1 ± 10.4 years; p < 0.001). There were gender-dependent differences in COVID-19 prevalence. The percentage of COVID-19 was higher in males than in females (all cases: 59.7 vs. 40.3%; recovered cases: 55.8 vs. 44.2%). Such male-gender preponderance was more pronounced in deceased cases (67.6 vs. 32.4%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that groups AB and B + AB were significantly associated with increased risk to develop COVID-19 (OR = 3.10; 95% CI 1.59–6.05; pc = 0.007 and OR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.28–3.63; pc = 0.028, respectively). No ABO-associated risk was observed in recovered cases. On the contrary, groups A (OR = 14.60; 95% CI 2.85–74.88; pc = 0.007), AB (OR = 12.92; 95% CI 2.11–79.29; pc = 0.042), A + AB (OR = 14.67; 95% CI 2.98–72.33; pc = 0.007), and A + B + AB (OR = 9.67; 95% CI 2.02–46.24; pc = 0.035) were associated with increased risk of death in deceased cases.

Conclusions
The findings of this study suggest that group AB may be a susceptibility biomarker for COVID-19, while group A may be associated with increased risk of death.
A flexible model for studying fringe field effect on parallel plate actuators
Authors: Elshenety Ahmad , El-Kholy E. E. , Abdou Ahmed F. , Soliman Mostafa , Elhagry Mohsen M. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractElectrostatic parallel plate actuators are common in micro-electro-mechanical systems due to their compatibility with micro-fabrication technology. Parallel plate actuators suffer from an instability problem called the pull-in phenomenon that happens when the applied DC voltage exceeds a certain value called the static pull-in voltage. The value of this critical voltage is important in many applications that depend on parallel plate actuators such as switches and static gas sensors. The fringe field around the edges of the plates could severely affect the performance of the actuator. This paper introduces a new model for the parallel plate actuator to calculate the value of static pull-in voltage. The proposed model considers the fringe field between the two plates. The static pull-in voltage of some PolyMUMPs actuators is practically measured and compared to the simulation results that involve the fringe field effect. The model is simulated using MATLAB to show the influence of that field on the static pull-in voltage. The MATLAB results of the proposed model are validated with ANSYS.
Drainage of transudative pleural effusion: how does it affect weaning from mechanical ventilation?
Authors: Gharraf Heba Said , AbdAllah Alaa El Din 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Background
Pleural collections of the transudative type occur frequently in patients who need mechanical ventilation (MV). Treatment of the etiology of the effusion takes a prolonged duration of time. The study intended to assess the effect of transudative effusion drainage through chest tube on the process of weaning from MV.

Results
No statistically significant difference was found between the two studied groups regarding age, sex, and comorbidities. Total duration of MV was significantly shorter in patients of group I compared with patients of group II (P = 0.002). Successful weaning from MV within 2 days after the start of the study was statistically significantly more achieved in patients of group I (56.7%) compared with patients of group II (23.3%) (P = 0.017). One and 3 days after beginning of the study, patients in group I showed a significant improvement in oxygenation as demonstrated by a statistically significantly higher value of PaO2/FiO2 ratio compared with patients of group II (P = 0.003 and 0.008, respectively).

Conclusion
More work is needed to determine the physiological benefits of transudate pleural effusion drainage and the effect of the specific procedure on the clinical parameters. Further studies are needed to study different modalities or tools of drainage of transudate effusion and the effect of each on the different clinical outcomes in comparison with each other to reach the optimum way of drainage of transudate effusion with the best results and least complications.
Addressing concerns about smoking cessation and mental health: theoretical review and practical guide for healthcare professionals
Authors: Taylor Gemma M. J. , Baker Amanda L. , Fox Nadine , Kessler David S. , Aveyard Paul , Munafò Marcus R. 
Published: September 2020

SUMMARYSmoking rates in people with depression and anxiety are twice as high as in the general population, even though people with depression and anxiety are motivated to stop smoking. Most healthcare professionals are aware that stopping smoking is one of the greatest changes that people can make to improve their health. However, smoking cessation can be a difficult topic to raise. Evidence suggests that smoking may cause some mental health problems, and that the tobacco withdrawal cycle partly contributes to worse mental health. By stopping smoking, a person's mental health may improve, and the size of this improvement might be equal to taking antidepressants. In this article we outline ways in which healthcare professionals can compassionately and respectfully raise the topic of smoking to encourage smoking cessation. We draw on evidence-based methods such as cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) and outline approaches that healthcare professionals can use to integrate these methods into routine care to help their patients stop smoking.
Hypofractionated Versus Standard Fractionated Radiotherapy in Patients With Early Breast Cancer or Ductal Carcinoma In Situ in a Randomized Phase III Trial: The DBCG HYPO Trial
Authors: Offersen Birgitte V. , Alsner Jan , Nielsen Hanne M. , Jakobsen Erik H. , Nielsen Mette H. , Krause Mechthild , Stenbygaard Lars , Mjaaland Ingvil , Schreiber Andreas , Kasti Unn-Miriam , Overgaard Jens ,   on behalf of the Danish Breast Cancer Group Radiation Therapy Committee
Published: September 2020

PURPOSE Given the poor results using hypofractionated radiotherapy for early breast cancer, a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions (fr) has been the standard regimen used by the Danish Breast Cancer Group (DBCG) since 1982. Results from more recent trials have stimulated a renewed interest in hypofractionation, and the noninferiority DBCG HYPO trial (ClincalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00909818 ) was designed to determine whether a dose of 40 Gy in 15 fr does not increase the occurrence of breast induration at 3 years compared with a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fr. PATIENTS AND METHODS One thousand eight hundred eighty-two patients > 40 years of age who underwent breast-conserving surgery for node-negative breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were randomly assigned to radiotherapy at a dose of either 50 Gy in 25 fr or 40 Gy in 15 fr. The primary end point was 3-year grade 2-3 breast induration assuming noninferiority regarding locoregional recurrence. RESULTS A total of 1,854 consenting patients (50 Gy, n = 937; 40 Gy, n = 917) were enrolled from 2009-2014 from eight centers. There were 1,608 patients with adenocarcinoma and 246 patients with DCIS. The 3-year rates of induration were 11.8% (95% CI, 9.7% to 14.1%) in the 50-Gy group and 9.0% (95% CI, 7.2% to 11.1%) in the 40-Gy group (risk difference, −2.7%; 95% CI, −5.6% to 0.2%; P = .07). Systemic therapies and radiotherapy boost did not increase the risk of induration. Telangiectasia, dyspigmentation, scar appearance, edema, and pain were detected at low rates, and cosmetic outcome and patient satisfaction with breast appearance were high with either no difference or better outcome in the 40-Gy cohort compared with the 50-Gy cohort. The 9-year risk of locoregional recurrence was 3.3% (95% CI, 2.0% to 5.0%) in the 50-Gy group and 3.0% (95% CI, 1.9% to 4.5%) in the 40-Gy group (risk difference, −0.3%; 95% CI, −2.3% to 1.7%). The 9-year overall survival was 93.4% (95% CI, 91.1% to 95.1%) in the 50-Gy group and 93.4% (95% CI, 91.0% to 95.2%) in the 40-Gy group. The occurrence of radiation-associated cardiac and lung disease was rare and not influenced by the fractionation regimen. CONCLUSION Moderately hypofractionated breast irradiation of node-negative breast cancer or DCIS did not result in more breast induration compared with standard fractionated therapy. Other normal tissue effects were minimal, with similar or less frequent rates in the 40-Gy group. The 9-year locoregional recurrence risk was low.
Impact of sin taxes on consumption volumes of sweetened beverages and soft drinks in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Megally Rania , Al-Jawaldeh Ayoub 
Published: September 2020

Background: The consumption of sweetened drinks plays a major role in increasing the burden of diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence rate of obesity and overweight individuals in Saudi Arabia has increased alarmingly among children over the past decade, revealing a crucial need the initiate and monitor effective prevention measures of obesity. Hence, this paper aims to measure the impact of sin taxes of sugar-sweetened beverages on the consumption level of such beverages in Saudi Arabia. Building enough evidence to guide other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) on how to reduce the level of sugar intake consumption to reduce obesity and malnutrition has an impact on the economy as a whole. Methods: The excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages were applied in 2017. The impact of this was measured using a time series data set that covered sales volumes of soft drinks in Saudi Arabia from 2010 to 2020. Results: Sin taxes had a significant negative impact on the sales volume over the years. A significance level of <1% was found as sales volume of soft drinks decreased by 57.64% from 2010 to 2017 when sin taxes were applied on energy and soft drinks. Conclusions: Sin tax policy is recommended to other countries in the EMR to reduce obesity levels among children. These recommendations advocate the recommended priority actions by the World Health Organization for the strategy on nutrition for the EMR 2020-2030.