bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CO2 capture using membrane contactors: a systematic literature review
Authors: Hafeez Sanaa , Safdar Tayeba , Pallari Elena , Manos George , Aristodemou Elsa , Zhang Zhien , Al-Salem S. M. , Constantinou Achilleas 
Published: December 2020

AbstractWith fossil fuel being the major source of energy, CO2emission levels need to be reduced to a minimal amount namely from anthropogenic sources. Energy consumption is expected to rise by 48% in the next 30 years, and global warming is becoming an alarming issue which needs to be addressed on a thorough technical basis. Nonetheless, exploring CO2capture using membrane contactor technology has shown great potential to be applied and utilised by industry to deal with post- and pre-combustion of CO2. A systematic review of the literature has been conducted to analyse and assess CO2removal using membrane contactors for capturing techniques in industrial processes. The review began with a total of 2650 papers, which were obtained from three major databases, and then were excluded down to a final number of 525 papers following a defined set of criteria. The results showed that the use of hollow fibre membranes have demonstrated popularity, as well as the use of amine solvents for CO2removal. This current systematic review in CO2removal and capture is an important milestone in the synthesis of up to date research with the potential to serve as a benchmark databank for further research in similar areas of work. This study provides the first systematic enquiry in the evidence to research further sustainable methods to capture and separate CO2.
Design and analysis of 4 × 4 MIMO antenna with DGS for WLAN applications
Authors: Malaisamy K. , Santhi M. , Robinson S. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIn this paper, a low profile 4 × 4 multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) antenna is proposed and designed for wireless local area network (WLAN) application using a square split-ring resonator. Initially, a single square-patch antenna is designed with square-shaped split-ring slot. Subsequently, the two-element MIMO antenna is designed and it is extended to four-element MIMO antenna. Finally, the defected ground structure (DGS) is implemented in order to enhance antenna performance. The antenna elements are placed opposite to each other. The mutual coupling between the antennas elements is reduced by DGS. The proposed single, two and four-element antennas operate at 5.8 GHz for WLAN. The overall performance is measured in terms of S parameter, radiation pattern, and envelope correlation coefficient. The simulated results are verified through measurements. The simulated and measured results demonstrate that the proposed 4 × 4 MIMO antenna is the most suitable for WLAN applications.
Vinpocetine Attenuates Ischemic Stroke Through Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Expression in Mice
Authors: Han Dong , Wang Jue , Wen Lulu , Sun Miao , Liu Hang , Gao Yan 
Published: December 2020

Abstract:
Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of globe death and permanent disability, but its therapeutic strategies are limited. Over the past decades, multiprotein complexes called inflammasomes have been shown as promising targets in ischemic stroke. Here, we examined vinpocetine (Vinp), a synthetic drug, playing a neuroprotective role against ischemic stroke in mice through regulating NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. Middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) was applied to mimic ischemic stroke in vivo. Vinp was administrated by intraperitoneal injection with different dose (5 or 10 mg/kg) 1 hour after reperfusion. Then, neurological assessment and infarct size were performed, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 levels were evaluated using ELISA. The levels of NLRP3 inflammasome components and its upstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were determined using real-time PCR or Western blot. The experimental results indicated that posttreatment with Vinp decreased cerebral infarct size, improved behavior recover, reduced NLRP3 inflammasome expression, and suppressed the transfer of NF-κB to nucleus and proinflammatory cytokine release in middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Vinp alleviates ischemic stroke by regulating levels of NLRP3 inflammasome, NF-κB, and proinflammatory cytokines in vivo, offering an alternative medication for ischemic stroke associated with inflammation.
Pharmacological Pre- and Postconditioning With Levosimendan Protect H9c2 Cardiomyoblasts From Anoxia/Reoxygenation-induced Cell Death via PI3K/Akt Signaling
Authors: Schauer Antje , Barthel Peggy , Adams Volker , Linke Axel , Poitz David M. , Weinbrenner Christof 
Published: December 2020

Abstract:
The calcium sensitizer levosimendan is indicated for the hemodynamic stabilization of patients with acutely decompensated heart failure and has been shown to be protective against reperfusion injury after myocardial infarction. However, affected forms of cell death and underlying signaling pathways remain controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the influence of levosimendan preconditioning and postconditioning on anoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy in H9c2 myoblasts. To mimic conditions of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, rat cardiac H9c2 myoblasts were exposed to anoxia/starvation, followed by reoxygenation/refeeding. Apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, cell viability, survival signaling, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening were measured. Both, pharmacological preconditioning and postconditioning with levosimendan were capable to reduce apoptosis as well as necrosis in stressed H9c2 cells. However, preconditioning showed to have the stronger impact compared with postconditioning. Moreover, levosimendan preconditioning increased autophagy, suggesting enhanced repair processes initiated by the early presence of the drug. Underlying mechanisms differ between both interventions: Although both are associated with PI3/Akt activation and reduced mPTP opening, only postconditioning but not preconditioning depended on mKATP activation. This variation might indicate that a pharmacological treatment after the onset of reoxygenation at least in part directly addresses mitochondrial structures for protection. In conclusion, we demonstrate that both pharmacological preconditioning and postconditioning with levosimendan protect anoxia/reoxygenation-stressed cells but differ in the underlying mechanisms. These results are decisive to obtain more insights into the beneficial effects of levosimendan in the treatment of reperfusion-mediated damage.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Component Attendance and Impact of Intervening Clinical Events, as Well as Disease Severity and Risk Factor Burden
Authors: Grace Sherry L. , Prior Peter L. , Mamataz Taslima , Hartley Tim , Oh Paul , Suskin Neville 
Published: December 2020

Purpose:
To examine: (1) the rate of clinical events precluding cardiac rehabilitation (CR) continuation, (2) CR attendance by component in those without events, and (3) the association between disease severity (eg, tobacco use, diabetes, and depression) and component attendance (eg, exercise, diet, stress management, and tobacco cessation).

Methods:
Retrospective analysis of electronic records of the CR program in London, Ontario, from 1999 to 2017. Patients in the supervised program are offered exercise sessions 2 times/wk with a minimum of 48 prescribed sessions tailored to patient need. Patients attending ≥1 session without major factors that would limit their exercise ability were included. Intervening events were recorded, as was component attendance.

Results:
Of 5508 enrolled, supervised patients, 3696 did not have a condition that could preclude exercise. Of those enrolled, one-sixth (n = 912) had an intervening event; these patients were less likely to work, more likely to have medical risk factors, had more severe angina and depression, and lower functional capacity. The remaining cohort attended a mean of 26.5 ± 21.3 sessions overall (median = 27; 19% attending ≥48 sessions), including 20.5 ± 17.4 exercise sessions (median = 21). After exercise, the most common components attended were individual dietary and psychological counseling. Patients with more severe angina and depressive symptoms as well as tobacco users attended significantly fewer total sessions, but more of some specific components.

Conclusions:
In one-sixth of patients, CR attendance and completion are impacted by clinical factors beyond their control. Many patients are taking advantage of components specific to their risk factors, buttressing the value of individually tailored, menu-based programming.
Translation and Psychometric Evaluation of the German Version of the Thirst Distress Scale for Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Wefer Franziska , Inkrot Simone , Waldréus Nana , Jaarsma Tiny , von Cube Maja , Kugler Christiane 
Published: December 2020

Background
In patients with chronic heart failure, thirst can be perceived as an intensive and burdensome symptom, which may have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. To initiate thirst-relieving interventions, assessment of thirst and its related distress is essential. At the time of this study, no instrument was available to evaluate thirst distress in patients with heart failure in Germany.

Objective
The aims of this study were to translate the “Thirst Distress Scale for patients with Heart Failure” (TDS-HF) from English into German and to test validity and reliability of the scale.

Methods
The English version of the TDS-HF was translated into German. A linguistically and culturally sensitive forward-and-backward translation was performed. Psychometric evaluation included confirmatory factor analysis, reliability in terms of internal consistency, and concurrent validity.

Results
Eighty-four hospitalized patients (mean age, 72 ± 10 years; 29% female; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 36% ± 12%; 62% New York Heart Association functional classes III–IV, 45% on fluid restriction) from an acute care hospital were involved in the study. The item-total correlation ranged from 0.58 to 0.78. Interitem correlations varied between 0.37 and 0.79. Internal consistency was high, with a Cronbach α of 0.89. There was a high correlation between the total score of the TDS-HF and the visual analog scale to assess thirst intensity (r = 0.72, P ≤ .001), and a low correlation with fluid restriction (r = 0.35, P = .002).

Conclusions
The evaluation of the German TDS-HF showed satisfactory psychometric properties in this sample. The instrument is usable for further research and additional psychometric testing.
Predicting the Development of Surgery-Related Pressure Injury Using a Machine Learning Algorithm Model
Authors: CAI Ji-Yu , ZHA Man-Li , SONG Yi-Ping , CHEN Hong-Lin 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACT

Background
Surgery-related pressure injury (SRPI) is a serious problem in patients who undergo cardiovascular surgery. Identifying patients at a high risk of SRPI is important for clinicians to recognize and prevent it expeditiously. Machine learning (ML) has been widely used in the field of healthcare and is well suited to predictive analysis.

Purpose
The aim of this study was to develop an ML-based predictive model for SRPI in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.

Methods
This secondary analysis of data was based on a single-center, prospective cohort analysis of 149 patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery. Data were collected from a 1,000-bed university-affiliated hospital. We developed the ML model using the XGBoost algorithm for SRPI prediction in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery based on major potential risk factors. Model performance was tested using a receiver operating characteristic curve and the C-index.

Results
Of the sample of 149 patients, SRPI developed in 37, an incidence rate of 24.8%. The five most important predictors included duration of surgery, patient weight, duration of the cardiopulmonary bypass procedure, patient age, and disease category. The ML model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.806, which indicates that the ML model has a moderate prediction value for SRPI.

Conclusions
Applying ML to clinical data may be a reliable approach to the assessment of the risk of SRPI in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgical procedures. Future studies may deploy the ML model in the clinic and focus on applying targeted interventions for SRPI and related diseases.
Brief Report: HIV-1 Seroconversion Is Not Associated With Prolonged Rectal Mucosal Inflammation
Authors: Blair Cheríe S. , Lake Jordan E. , Passaro Ryan C. , Chavez-Gomez Susan , Segura Eddy R. , Elliott Julie , Fulcher Jennifer A. , Shoptaw Steven , Cabello Robinson , Clark Jesse L. 
Published: December 2020

Objective:
Determine the impact of HIV-1 seroconversion on inflammatory cytokines in the rectal mucosa.

Setting:
Secondary analysis of data from men who have sex with men and transgender women who participated in a HIV prevention trial Lima, Peru.

Methods:
From July to December 2017, 605 men who have sex with men and transgender women were screened for rectal gonorrhea/chlamydia (GC/CT). Fifty GC/CT-positive cases were randomly selected and matched with 52 GC/CT-negative controls by age and number of receptive anal intercourse partners in the last month. All participants were HIV-negative at baseline and those with GC/CT at baseline and/or follow-up received appropriate antibiotic therapy. Participants underwent sponge collection of rectal secretions for the measurement of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) and were screened for rectal GC/CT and HIV at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests compared inflammatory cytokine levels between participants diagnosed with HIV during follow-up and persons who remained HIV-negative.

Results:
Eight participants were diagnosed with HIV at the 3-month (n = 6) or 6-month (n = 2) visit. The median number of receptive anal intercourse partners in the month before HIV diagnosis was the same for those who acquired HIV and those who did not. There were no significant differences in inflammatory cytokine levels in rectal mucosa between participants who did and did not experience HIV seroconversion at any time point.

Conclusions:
Despite a surge in viral replication during acute infection, findings from this study suggest that there is no prolonged effect of HIV-1 seroconversion on inflammatory cytokine levels in the rectal mucosa.
Clinical validation of a point-of-care antibody test for COVID-19
Authors: Patel Monila , Lakhotia Yogesh , Shah Sneha , Suthar Nilay , Shah Cherry , Kola Sankarrao , Rangarajan Radha 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a lateral flow antibody test for COVID-19, approved for use in India. Although many point-of-care antibody tests are available globally, they have been subjected to limited clinical validation. This has led to suboptimal outcomes in the field, where antibody tests play a significant role in tracking the immunity of individuals and communities. In this study an antibody test, ImmunoQuick that recognizes antibodies to the Nucleocapsid and Spike proteins of SARS CoV-2 was tested in 100 symptomatic patients with a positive or negative diagnosis of COVID-19, based on RT-PCR results. The overall sensitivity of the test was found to be 86.1% (95% CI: 76.4% to 92.8%) and specificity 100% (95% confidence interval: 73.5% to 100%). The sensitivity reached a peak of 95.7% with samples taken 17 days after the onset of symptoms. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of the test are sufficient for assessing seroprevalence.
Hippocampal neurons construct a map of an abstract value space
Authors: Knudsen EB , Wallis JD 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe hippocampus is thought to encode a ‘cognitive map’, a structural organization of knowledge about relationships in the world. Place cells, spatially selective hippocampal neurons that have been extensively studied in rodents, are one component of this map, describing the relative position of environmental features. However, whether this map extends to abstract, cognitive information remains unknown. Using the relative reward value of cues to define continuous ‘paths’ through an abstract value space, we show that single neurons in primate hippocampus encode this space through value place fields, much like a rodent’s place neurons encode paths through physical space. Value place fields remapped when cues changed, but also became increasingly correlated across contexts, allowing maps to become generalized. Our findings help explain the critical contribution of the hippocampus to value-based decision-making, providing a mechanism by which knowledge of relationships in the world can be incorporated into reward predictions for guiding decisions.
Open laboratories for social innovation: a strategy for research and innovation in education for peace and sustainable developmentSustainable development is an issue of high relevance for all countries, and universities play a fundamental role in promotin
Authors: Gómez Zermeño Marcela Georgina , Alemán de la Garza Lorena Yadira 
Published: December 2020

PurposeSustainable development is an issue of high relevance for all countries and universities play a fundamental role in promoting the participation of society members in achieving this objective. This study aims to conduct an open laboratory of social innovation (OPENLAB_SI) inside a university with society stakeholders, as a research and innovation tool that facilitates addressing the complexity of social problems through the principles of openness, experimentation, inclusion, diversity, participation and collaboration. The aim was to encompass innovation with the active participation of citizens in processes of experimentation, exchange and creativity to impact their social reality through collective designs for more sustainable futures done by and for communities.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a case study conducted during an OPENLAB_SI, which applied innovative, socio-educational strategies intending to promote the social appropriation of renewable energies to help the sustainable development of urban, rural and marginalized areas. In our open lab, a total of 67 participants attended, including university students from various public and private institutions of higher education. Also, civil organizations participated, as well as consultants, teachers, government representatives and university professors. Experts from various disciplines who work in businesses, foundations, universities and government spoke on the topics that were addressed.FindingsAmong the notable principal findings is the collaborative work done voluntarily by all the participants who, instead of working with a proposal designed beforehand by one group or another, recognized that an OPENLAB_SI leads to the creation of links between society, academia, business and government.Originality/valueIn the OPENLAB_SI through the exchange of experiences and best practices, aimed at more robust networking and improvement in the acquisition of scientific and technological skills and abilities, the participants became actively involved in the generation of collective knowledge. The main contribution of this paper is to present an open laboratory into the social innovation space that can be replicated such a living lab model in other contexts to contribute to pursuit the sustainable development goals with education for sustainable development as a key catalyst for transformation.
Longitudinal changes in red blood cell distribution width decades after radiation exposure in atomic‐bomb survivors
Authors: Yoshida Kengo , Misumi Munechika , Kusunoki Yoichiro , Yamada Michiko 
Published: December 2020

SummaryRed blood cell distribution width (RDW), which generally increases with age, is a risk marker for morbidity and mortality in various diseases. We investigated the association between elevated RDW and prior radiation exposure by examining longitudinal RDW changes in 4204 atomic‐bomb survivors over 15 years. A positive association was found between RDW and radiation dose, wherein RDW increased by 0·18%/Gy. This radiation‐associated effect increased as the participants aged. Elevated RDW was also associated with higher all‐cause mortality. The biological mechanisms underlying these observed associations merit further investigation.
On Their Own? Women Running as Independent Candidates in the Middle East
Authors: Welborne Bozena 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
This paper considers examples of women successfully running as independents at the national level in the Middle East, investigating how existing electoral systems impacted their ability to contest political office. Women in the region face a host of challenges when it comes to launching political campaigns outside of sociocultural norms. Most extant literature on political participation focuses on parties as the primary vector for female participation in the Global North and South. However, women in the Middle East often cannot rely on this mechanism due to the absence of political parties or existing parties’ unwillingness to back women for cultural reasons. Yet, the region hosts many female independents holding office at the national level. Through the cases of Jordan, Egypt, and Oman, I unpack this phenomenon using an institutional argument and assess what the emergence of such candidates bodes for the future of women in the Middle East.
Milan ultrasound criteria are accurate in assessing disease activity in ulcerative colitis: external validation
Authors: Allocca Mariangela , Filippi Elisabetta , Costantino Andrea , Bonovas Stefanos , Fiorino Gionata , Furfaro Federica , Peyrin‐Biroulet Laurent , Fraquelli Mirella , Caprioli Flavio , Danese Silvio 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of this study was to provide an external validation of bowel ultrasound (US) predictors of activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) and quantitative Milan Ultrasound Criteria (MUC).MethodsForty‐three consecutive patients with UC (16 in endoscopic remission and 27 with endoscopic activity) underwent bowel US and colonoscopy in a tertiary referral inflammatory bowel disease unit.ResultsAn MUC score >6.2 discriminated patients with active versus non‐active UC with a sensitivity of 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66–0.96), specificity of 0.94 (95% CI 0.70–0.99) and an area under the curve of 0.902 (95% CI 0.772–0.971) in complete agreement with the derivation study.ConclusionThe external validation of MUC confirms that it is an accurate tool for assessing disease activity in patients with UC.
Admissibility of linear predictor in the extended growth curve model
Authors: Xiao Zhihong , Zhu Qiang 
Published: December 2020

In the present paper, we first give the definition of the extended growth curve model, then according to the definition of admissible linear predictor and some matrix properties, obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for a linear predictor to be admissible in the classes of homogenous and inhomogeneous linear predictors, respectively.
Congruences on bicyclic extensions of a linearly ordered group
Authors: Gutik Oleg , Pagon Dušan , Pavlyk Kateryna 
Published: December 2020

In the paper we study inverse semigroups B(G), B^+(G), \overline{B}(G) and \overline{B}^+(G) which are generated by partial monotone injective translations of a positive cone of a linearly ordered group G. We describe Green’s relations on the semigroups B(G), B^+(G), \overline{B}(G) and \overline{B}^+(G), their bands and show that they are simple, and moreover, the semigroups B(G) and B^+(G) are bisimple. We show that for a commutative linearly ordered group G all non-trivial congruences on the semigroup B(G) (and B^+(G)) are group congruences if and only if the group G is archimedean. Also we describe the structure of group congruences on the semigroups B(G), B^+(G), \overline{B}(G) and \overline{B}^+(G).