bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantification of myocardial 99mTc-labeled bisphosphonate uptake with cadmium zinc telluride camera in patients with transthyretin-related cardiac amyloidosis
Authors: Manrique Alain , Dudoignon David , Brun Stéphanie , N’Ganoa Catherine , Cassol Emmanuelle , Legallois Damien , Lavie-Badie Yoan , Agostini Denis , Lairez Olivier 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Purpose
We aimed to compare different methods for semi-quantitative analysis of cardiac retention of bone tracers in patients with cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR).

Methods
Data from 67 patients with ATTR who underwent both conventional whole-body scan and a CZT myocardial SPECT (DSPECT, Spectrum Dynamics) 3 h after injection of 99mTc-labeled bone tracer were analyzed. Visual scoring of cardiac retention was performed on whole-body scan according to Perugini 4-point grading system from 0 (no uptake) to 3 (strong cardiac uptake with mild/absent bone uptake). A planar heart-to-background (H:B) ratio was calculated using whole-body scan (wb-H:B). CZT SPECT was quantified using three methods: planar H:B ratio calculated from anterior reprojection (ant-H:B), left anterior oblique reprojection (LAO-H:B), and 3D-H:B ratio calculated from transaxial slices as mean counts in a VOI encompassing the heart divided by background VOI in the contralateral lung. Interventricular septal thickness was obtained using echocardiography.

Results
H:Bs obtained from planar and reprojected data were not statistically different (wb-H:B, 2.05 ± 0.64, ant-H:B, 1.97 ± 0.61, LAO-H:B, 2.06 ± 0.64, all p = ns). However, 3D-H:B was increased compared to planar H:Bs (3D-H:B, 4.06 ± 1.77, all p < 0.0001 vs. wb-H:B, ant-H:B, and LAO-H:B). Bland-Altman plots demonstrated that the difference between 3D and planar H:Bs increased with the mean value of myocardial uptake. 3D-H:B was best correlated to septal thickness (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). Finally, abnormal right ventricular uptake was associated with higher values of cardiac retention.

Conclusion
3D semi-quantitative analysis of CZT SPECT optimized the assessment of 99mTc-labeled bone tracer myocardial uptake in patients with cardiac amyloidosis.
Effects of different operating parameters on hydrogen production by Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius DSM 6285
Authors: Mohr Teresa , Aliyu Habibu , Biebinger Lars , Gödert Roman , Hornberger Alexander , Cowan Don , de Maayer Pieter , Neumann Anke 
Published: December 2019

AbstractHydrogen gas represents a promising alternative energy source to dwindling fossil fuel reserves, as it carries the highest energy per unit mass and its combustion results in the release of water vapour as only byproduct. The facultatively anaerobic thermophile Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius is able to produce hydrogen via the water–gas shift reaction catalyzed by a carbon monoxide dehydrogenase–hydrogenase enzyme complex. Here we have evaluated the effects of several operating parameters on hydrogen production, including different growth temperatures, pre-culture ages and inoculum sizes, as well as different pHs and concentrations of nickel and iron in the fermentation medium. All of the tested parameters were observed to have a substantive effect on both hydrogen yield and (specific) production rates. A final experiment incorporating the best scenario for each tested parameter showed a marked increase in the H2 production rate compared to each individual parameter. The optimised parameters serve as a strong basis for improved hydrogen production with a view of commercialisation of this process.
House dust mite sensitisation and association with atopic dermatitis in Brunei
Authors: Emran Haziq , Chieng Christina Siew Eng , Taib Surita , Cunningham Anne Catherine 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIgE sensitisation in tropical areas is under-reported. A 2 year retrospective cohort study of allergy data specific to aero and food allergens in Brunei demonstrated that specific IgE levels to house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D.farinae, Blomia tropicalis) were highest in this population and correlated with atopic dermatitis (p < 0.001). Shrimp and peanut were the most common food allergens. A dominance of house/storage mite sensitization is seen in Brunei which is consistent with other tropical countries.
The role of delayed bone age in the evaluation of stature and bone health in glucocorticoid treated patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Annexstad E. J. , Bollerslev J. , Westvik J. , Myhre A. G. , Godang K. , Holm I. , Rasmussen M. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundLow bone mineral density and an increased risk of appendicular and vertebral fractures are well-established consequences of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and the risk of fractures is exacerbated by long-term glucocorticoid treatment. Monitoring of endocrine and skeletal health and timely intervention in at-risk patients is important in the management of children with DMD.MethodsAs part of the Norwegian Duchenne muscular dystrophy cohort study, we examined the skeletal maturation of 62 boys less than 18 years old, both currently glucocorticoid treated (n = 44), previously treated (n = 6) and naïve (n = 12). The relationship between bone age, height and bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores was explored.ResultsThe participants in the glucocorticoid treated group were short in stature and puberty was delayed. Bone age was significantly delayed, and the delay increased with age and duration of treatment. The difference in height between glucocorticoid treated and naïve boys was no longer significant when height was corrected for delayed skeletal maturation. Mean BMD Z-scores fell below − 2 before 12 years of age in the glucocorticoid treated group, with scores significantly correlated with age, duration of treatment and pubertal development. When BMD Z-scores were corrected for by retarded bone age, the increase in BMD Z-scores was significant for all age groups.ConclusionOur results suggest that skeletal maturation should be assessed in the evaluation of short stature and bone health in GC treated boys with DMD, as failing to consider delayed bone age leads to underestimation of BMD Z-scores and potentially overestimation of fracture risk.
Rehabilitation approaches for children living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: a protocol for scoping review
Authors: Maddocks Stacy , Cobbing Saul , Hanass-Hancock Jill , Chetty Verusia 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
A large number of children living with chronic conditions such as HIV experience impairments and disabilities. Current sub-Saharan African healthcare systems are challenged with paediatric care that does not integrate rehabilitation into management of chronic diseases such as HIV. Furthermore, little attention is paid to societal inclusion, community engagement and educational needs of these children. Integration of paediatric care and rehabilitation in a holistic approach can help to overcome the challenges associated with living disabilities. This scoping review proposes a synthesis of existing evidence on rehabilitation intervention strategies to increase functioning and to address disability-related barriers in children living with HIV and disability in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods
A scoping review will be conducted to systematically map evidence on rehabilitation intervention for children living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies in sub-Saharan Africa from December 2012 to 2019 on rehabilitation interventions for children aged 5 to 10 years living with HIV will be included in the review. Peer-reviewed primary studies, as well as grey literature, will be identified from electronic databases including Google Scholar; PubMed; Medline; CINAHL and Cochrane. The search strings using keywords such as “HIV”, “impairment”, “disability”, “neurocognitive impairment”, “behavioural”, “rehabilitation” and “intervention” will be conducted using Boolean logic. Two groups of independent reviewers will conduct all title, abstract and full article screening. The study selection process will be mapped using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A predesigned data-charting table will supplement the extraction of data. NVIVO software will aide in the thematic analysis of the data.

Discussion
The information from studies will be discussed in relation to the research questions using a critical narrative to explore the emergent themes. The quality of studies will be appraised using the mixed method appraisal tool. The scoping review will provide a baseline of evidence on rehabilitation interventions for children living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. The scoping review will inform healthcare providers, scholars and policy developers about the current use of rehabilitation interventions and what gaps need to be addressed with further research and intervention development.

Systematic review registration
OSF Center for Open Science: https://osf.io/ed7zb/
Load balancing in cloud computing – A hierarchical taxonomical classification
Authors: Afzal Shahbaz , Kavitha G. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractLoad unbalancing problem is a multi-variant, multi-constraint problem that degrades performance and efficiency of computing resources. Load balancing techniques cater the solution for load unbalancing situation for two undesirable facets- overloading and under-loading. In contempt of the importance of load balancing techniques to the best of our knowledge, there is no comprehensive, extensive, systematic and hierarchical classification about the existing load balancing techniques. Further, the factors that cause load unbalancing problem are neither studied nor considered in the literature. This paper presents a detailed encyclopedic review about the load balancing techniques. The advantages and limitations of existing methods are highlighted with crucial challenges being addressed so as to develop efficient load balancing algorithms in future. The paper also suggests new insights towards load balancing in cloud computing.
A coupled technological-sociological model for national electrical energy supply systems including sustainability
Authors: Benthaus Manfred 
Published: December 2019

AbstractGlobal trends in the development and use of electricity utilities and assets are practically irreversible. In industrialized nations, capacity factors have grown so large that users may expect freely available electrical potential energy at all times and in almost all locations. Economically capitalizing on this trend means maximizing energy provision and use to boost gross domestic product growth rates. Electricity is now a basic indicator of social development; it is to the cultural-technological dimension what breathing air is to the physiological-biological dimension, the implication being that sustainable development of provision systems has become a matter of international concern.This article presents a decision basis for the design of sustainable national electrical energy supply systems, incorporating country-specific boundary conditions in the form of user requirements to be specified by users. The basis is a solution space of technologically possible systems, obtained by combining generalized user requirements and physical limitations to generate the solution states. As all technological options for the system are brought under consideration, this approach represents a comprehensive comparative analysis.The decision process ensues by assigning to each solution state a set of (newly defined) system risk factors. Particular consideration is given to evaluating the system’s ability to meet the user requirements, i.e., interruption-free provision. The central benchmark is the technological-economic availability. From this is obtained a sustainability boundary, the boundary between quantifiable and unquantifiable economic loss potentials.This article deliberately avoids referencing specific technological solutions, with the justification that the basis of the user’s decision should be independent of technological considerations. The sole exception is a reference to the currently used technology, which forms the starting point.
Experimental Study on the Mechanism of the Combined Action of Cavitation Erosion and Abrasion at High Speed Flow
Authors: Wang X. , Hu Y. A. , Li Z. H. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractA new experimental method on simulating the combined action of cavitation erosion and abrasion was proposed to investigate the erosion mechanism of overflow structure induced by the said processes. An automatic sand mixing device was invented for high-pressure and high-speed flow based on the characteristics of Venturi cavitation generator and hydraulic Bernoulli principle. The experimental system for the combined action of cavitation erosion and abrasion was designed and constructed, and high-speed sand mixing flow only appeared in the test section. A series of tests on the combined and single action of cavitation erosion and abrasion on hydraulic concrete and cement was carried out by using the invented experimental device. Results show that the wear of concrete surface exhibited the combined characteristics of cavitation erosion and abrasion under their joint action. The damage degree of concrete surface under the combined action was more severe than that under a single action. The mass loss of concrete under the combined action was higher than sum of mass losses of concrete under two single actions. The promotion and enhancement between cavitation erosion and abrasion existed in high-speed sand mixing flow. A power exponential relationship was observed between erosion mass loss and flow speed, and the velocity indexes approximated 4.5. Small and light sand particles easily follow water flow. Thus, the strong coupling effect of cavitation erosion and abrasion resulted from the presence of small sand particles. Given the different mechanisms of cavitation erosion and abrasion, presenting the skeleton structure formed by cavitation erosion was notably difficult under the action of abrasion. Meanwhile, abrasion wear easily occurred under the impact of cavitation erosion, and this result is due to the mechanism of the combined action of both processes.
Applications of SPDM in aircraft structural analysis at Embraer
Authors: Britto Maria Rodrigo , de Freitas Leal Marcus , Sousa Junior Edgard , Leite Lemos Vinicius , Magalhães Cardoso Patrick , de Oliveira Leonardo Cosme , Giovani Pereira Castro Saullo , de Lima Marcolin Marcelo , Joshi Darshan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAircraft structural analysis is a process that involves several engineers working concurrently to analyze in detail all structural elements of an airframe, as well as the behavior of the aircraft structure as a whole. The airframe has to be decomposed in its major components such as fuselage sections, wings and control surfaces to allow the distribution of the analyses among the engineers. Finite element models (FEM) are created for each major component and used in the analyses. The major components, such as the wing, are further decomposed into its constituent parts, such as spars, ribs, and stringers; which might be modeled in more detail using dedicated FEMs. It’s a great challenge to manage the evolution of the structural modifications that happen during the course of these analyses. Design changes originated from stress analysis using higher fidelity FEMs have to be transferred to the lower fidelity FEMs and an assembly of the whole airframe FEM needs to be created and analyzed once again, using the correct versions of all the FEMs of the major parts. The objective of this paper is to present the results of the solution implemented by Embraer to overcome these challenges, by using the Simulation Process and Data Management (SPDM) technology. Embraer embarked on the SPDM journey eight years ago and during past years has matured various aspects of their SPDM implementation. The focus of the paper is on explaining applications of the SPDM system in the area of structural analysis at Embraer with a couple of representative business processes as examples, including the rapid generation and evaluation of aircraft assemblies and the consolidation and standardization of various simulation methods across the organization, by making those available over the SPDM platform. Key enablers for increasing simulation throughput and data traceability at Embraer are described. In addition, the approach that Embraer took for ongoing additions of new business processes to the SPDM system is presented. The results of the SPDM implementation at Embraer are encouraging, showing qualitative and quantitative gains of productivity and management of engineering data. The standardization and automation of engineering processes and the proper management of data generated by these processes are becoming an integral part of any competitive engineering department nowadays.
TrueBiters, an educational game to practice the truth tables of propositional logic: Development, evaluation, and lessons learned
Authors: De Troyer Olga , Lindberg Renny , Sajjadi Pejman 
Published: December 2019

AbstractSince years, the logic course in the first year of our Bachelor program in Computer Science, dealing with propositional and predicate logic, suffers from poor pass rates. The students perceive the formal and abstract mechanisms of logic as difficult and awkward to deal with. Many students do not study the course material on a regular basis, which results in poor mastery of the basic concepts and principles. Consequently, students often fall behind as the course progresses. Previous attempts to remedy this procrastination behavior had little success. Since educational games are commended as an enjoyable way to foster learning, we decided in 2016 to develop an educational game for the course. This game, called TrueBiters, is a two-player competitive game inspired by an existing card game. We adapted this card game to propositional logic and digitized it as an app. The development was done in an iterative way. Each version was evaluated and using the received user feedback and evaluation results the game was improved and reevaluated. Based on the results of the evaluations we can conclude that the game is well suited for its target audience, i.e., logically-mathematically intelligent people, and is a good supplement, and even replacement for some of the traditional face-to-face exercise sessions. However, we also learned that a proper embedding into the course is needed to ensure that all students actually use the game and benefit from playing it. In this paper we present the game, explain and motivate its evolution, discuss the evaluations performed, and present lessons learned.
Scaffolding support through integration of learning material
Authors: Grévisse Christian , Rothkugel Steffen , Reuter Robert A. P. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe ever-growing amount of learning material poses a challenge to both learners and teachers. In order to perform a learning task, students often need to search for additional information. Inquiry might be hampered if they do not know what exactly to search for, especially if they lack prior knowledge in a domain. Furthermore, they might need to recall meta-information, e.g., the implicit links between learning resources or the location of an explanation within a document. In addition, their performance in a learning task might suffer from the constant need for further information. As the authoring of learning material is a time-intensive task, reusability of resources in different contexts should be enabled. In this paper, we present the ALMA-Yactul ecosystem, a holistic approach for student-centered integration of learning material. Based on semantic annotations, learners are provided with scaffolding support for retrieving material related to their current study task. This integration of resources is showcased in a variety of applications and domains, such as a plugin for an IDE or an enhanced sketchnoting app. Moreover, we show how Yactul, a gamified student response platform, can benefit from semantic annotations and integration of learning material. Additionally, teachers are provided with semi-automatic annotation support in the popular Office 365 suite to foster the reusability of their content. Apart from presenting the results of its usage in university classes, we also show how high school students without prior knowledge benefitted from this scaffolding support. A significantly better performance in resolving programming-related tasks could be observed compared to a traditional search process. Finally, the ecosystem is evaluated against a state-of-the-art technology integration model.
Retraction Note to: Estimation of the source process and forward simulation of long-period ground motion of the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi, Japan, earthquake
Authors: Kubo Hisahiko , Iwaki Asako , Suzuki Wataru , Aoi Shin , Sekiguchi Haruko 
Published: December 2019

The authors have retracted this article [1] because after its publication, they noticed that the source inversion was not done with the intended setting. Although it was mentioned in this article [1] that the rupture starting point of the fault model was set at the hypocenter determined by JMA as shown in Fig. 1, the rupture starting point in the real analysis was accidentally set at an incorrect location, the center point of the subfault southern neighbor of the hypocenter subfault. Thus, the source-inversion result (Figs. 2, 3, S1, and S2) and the forward ground-motion simulation result for the mainshock (Figs. 4 and 5), which used the source-inversion result as a source input, need to be corrected.
Pharmaceutical hit of anti type 2 Diabetes mellitus on the phenolic extract of Malaka (Phyllanthus emblica L.) flesh
Authors: Musman Musri , Zakia Mauli , Rahmayani Ratu Fazlia Inda , Erlidawati Erlidawati , Safrida Safrida 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background
Ethnobotany knowledge in a community has shaped local wisdom in utilizing plants to treat diseases, such as the use of Malaka (Phyllanthus emblica) flesh to treat type 2 diabetes. This study presented evidence that the phenolic extract of the Malaka flesh could reduce blood sugar levels in the diabetic induced rats.

Methods
The phenolic extract of the P. emblica was administrated to the glucose-induced rats of the Wistar strain Rattus norvegicus for 14 days of treatment where the Metformin was used as a positive control. The data generated were analyzed by the two-way ANOVA Software related to the blood glucose level and by SAS Software related to the histopathological studies at a significant 95% confidence.

Results
The phenolic extract with concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight could reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The post hoc Dunnet test showed that the administration of the extract to the rats with a concentration of 100 mg/kg body weight demonstrated a very significant decrease in blood glucose levels and repaired damaged cells better than administering the extract at a concentration of 200 mg/kg weight body.

Conclusion
The evidence indicated that the phenolic extract of the Malaka flesh can be utilized as anti type 2 Diabetes mellitus without damaging other organs.