bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A cluster‐randomized controlled trial to improve the quality of integrated HIV‐tuberculosis services in primary healthcareclinics in South Africa
Authors: Gengiah Santhanalakshmi , Barker Pierre M. , Yende‐Zuma Nonhlanhla , Mbatha Mduduzi , Naidoo Shane , Taylor Myra , Loveday Marian , Mhlongo Mesuli , Jackson Clark , Nunn Andrew J. , Padayatchi Nesri , Karim Salim S. Abdool , Naidoo Kogieleum 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIntroduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most common cause of death among people living with HIV. Integrating HIV and TB services reduces mortality but is sub‐optimally implemented. Quality improvement (QI) methods offer a low‐cost and easily implementable approach to strengthening healthcare delivery systems. This trial assessed a QI intervention on key process indicators for delivering integrated HIV‐TB care in rural South African primary healthcare (PHC) clinics.MethodsSixteen nurse supervisors, (each with a cluster of clinics) overseeing 40 PHC clinics, were randomized 1:1 to the intervention or the standard of care (SOC) groups. The QI intervention comprised three key components: clinical and QI skills training, on‐site mentorship of nurse supervisors and clinic staff, and data quality improvement activities to enhance accuracy and completeness of routine clinic data. The SOC comprised monthly supervision and data feedback meetings. From 01 December 2016 to 31 December 2018, data were collected monthly by a team of study‐appointed data capturers from all study clinics. This study's outcomes were HIV testing services (HTS), TB screening, antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) initiation and viral load (VL) testing.ResultsThe QI group (eight clusters) comprised 244 clinic staff who attended to 13,347 patients during the trial compared to the SOC group (eight clusters) with 217 clinic staff who attended to 8141 patients. QI mentors completed 85% (510/600) of expected QI mentorship visits to QI clinics. HTS was 19% higher [94.5% vs. 79.6%; relative risk (RR)=1.19; 95% CI: 1.02–1.38; p=0.029] and IPT initiation was 66% higher (61.2 vs. 36.8; RR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.02–2.72; p=0·044), in the QI group compared to SOC group. The percentage of patients screened for TB (83.4% vs. 79.3%; RR=1.05; p=0.448), initiated on ART (91.7 vs. 95.5; RR=0.96; p=0.172) and VL testing (72.2% vs. 72.8%; RR=0.99; p=0.879) was similar in both groups.ConclusionsQI improved HIV testing and IPT initiation compared to SOC. TB screening, ART initiation and VL testing remained similar. Incorporating QI methods into routine supervision and support activities may strengthen integrated HIV‐TB service delivery and increase the success of future QI scale‐up activities.
The Role of Visual Abilities and Cognitive Style in Artistic and Scientific Creativity of Singaporean Secondary School Students
Authors: Kozhevnikov Maria , Ho Shuen , Koh Elizabeth 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe current research addresses the question of the multidimensional relationship between visual abilities, visual cognitive style, and creativity (artistic and scientific) in Singaporean students of 13–14 years old. Three hundred seventy students (100 students in Study 1 and 270 students in Study 2) from two typical secondary schools in Singapore were administered 10 tasks assessing their visual abilities, visual cognitive style and domain‐specific, artistic, and scientific, creativities. Consistent with the results of recent research challenging the foundation of the current assessments of creativity as a general ability, the results of principal component analysis (PCA) (Study 1) and path analysis (Study 2) provided evidence that artistic and scientific types of creativities are clearly dissociable in students of 13–14 years old. Furthermore, the results of both studies demonstrated that although both visual abilities and corresponding cognitive style (object and spatial) reliably predicted artistic and scientific creativity respectively, cognitive style was a reliable predictor of corresponding creativity beyond visual ability. The findings suggest that domain‐specific visual creativity begins developing concurrently with corresponding types of visual abilities and cognitive style, and that socio‐cultural influences, as reflected by cognitive style, also affect the development of creative performance in a specific domain, beyond abilities.
Omitting types algebraically and more about amalgamation for modal cylindric algebras
Authors: Sayed Ahmed Tarek 
Published: September 2021

AbstractLet α be an arbitrary infinite ordinal, and . In [26] we studied—using algebraic logic—interpolation and amalgamation for an extension of first order logic, call it , with α many variables, using a modal operator of a unimodal logic that contributes to the semantics. Our algebraic apparatus was the class of modal cylindric algebras. Modal cylindric algebras, briefly , are cylindric algebras of dimension α, expanded with unary modalities inheriting their semantics from a unimodal logic such as , or . When modal cylindric algebras based on are just cylindric algebras, that is to say, . This paper is a sequel to [26], where we study algebraically other properties of . We study completeness and omitting types (s) for s by proving several representability results for so‐called dimension complemented and locally finite . Furthermore, we study the notion of atom‐canonicity for , the variety of n‐dimensional modal cylindric algebras. Atom canonicity, a well known persistence property in modal logic, is studied in connection to for , which is restricted to the first n variables. We further continue our study of interpolation in [26] for algebraizable extensions of by studying using both algebraic logic and category theory. Our main results on are Theorems 3.7, 4.4 & 4.6, while our main results on amalgamation are Theorems 5.7, 5.10, 5.13 & 5.16.
Design, Synthesis and Biological Activity of C3 Hemisynthetic Triterpenic Esters as Novel Antitrypanosomal Hits
Authors: Schioppa Laura , Beaufay Claire , Bonneau Natacha , Sanchez Marianela , Girardi Cynthia , Leverrier Aurélie , Ortiz Sergio , Palermo Jorge , Poupaert Jacques H. , Quetin‐Leclercq Joëlle 
Published: September 2021

AbstractResearch for innovative drugs is crucial to contribute to parasitic infections control and eradication. Inspired by natural antiprotozoal triterpenes, a library of 12 hemisynthetic 3‐O‐arylalkyl esters was derived from ursolic and oleanolic acids through one‐step synthesis. Compounds were tested on Trypanosoma, Leishmania and the WI38 cell line alongside with a set of triterpenic acids. Results showed that the triterpenic C3 esterification keeps the antitrypanosomal activity (IC50≈1.6–5.5 μm) while reducing the cytotoxicity compared to parent acids. Unsaturation of the ester alkyl chain leads to an activity loss interestingly kept when a sterically hindered group replaces the double bond or shields the ester group. An ursane/oleanane C3 hydroxylation was the only important feature for antileishmanial activity. Two candidates, dihydrocinnamoyl and 2‐fluorophenylpropionyl ursolic acids, were tested on an acute mouse model of African trypanosomiasis with significant parasitemia reduction at day 5 post‐infection for the dihydrocinnamoyl derivative. Further evaluation on other alkyl/protective groups should be investigated both in vitro and in vivo.
Preparation of highly porous heat‐resistant polybenzoxazole network films and their electrical conductivities
Authors: Uchida Tetsuya , Onishi Yukihisa , Goto Atsu 
Published: September 2021

AbstractHighly porous rigid polybenzoxazole (PBO) network films were prepared using a precursor‐mediated fabrication method. The obtained PBO network films possessed high porosities of ~40%, as calculated from their apparent densities. In addition, the 5%‐weight‐loss temperatures of the films were ≥570°C under nitrogen atmosphere, demonstrating an excellent thermal stability. The electrical conductivities of the obtained PBO network films and phosphoric‐acid‐doped PBO network films were also evaluated. In addition, PBO network films containing pyridine rings were prepared and subjected to phosphoric acid doping. The resultant films were found to exhibit the highest conductivities of the films considered in this study owing to proton conduction both between phosphate groups and between the pyridine rings. The highest conductivity was found for a film prepared from a phosphoric‐acid‐doped PBO network containing pyridine rings, that is, 2.09 × 10−1 S/cm at 150°C, which was higher than that of Nafion™. Therefore, these films can be used at higher temperatures than that of Nafion™.
Theoretical investigation of polymer molecular structure influence on dielectric properties and mechanical properties
Authors: Cao Yuying , Cao Weihua , Yang Xiao , Liu Changxin , Qi Xiaowen 
Published: September 2021

AbstractTriboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technologies have explosive development in the field of energy harvesting and self‐powered sensing. As the key element of triboelectric devices, dielectric polymers have obtained much attention in recent years. The dielectric properties of polymer determine the output performance of TENG. In this paper, we take silicone rubber as an example of dielectric polymers, to study the properties of molecular structure influence on the dielectric properties and mechanical properties by the molecular dynamics simulation method. The free volume fraction, dielectric constant, and mechanical properties of silicone rubbers with different branch chains were calculated. The dielectric constant is highly related to the free volume distribution and the dipole moments of silicone rubbers with different amounts of branch chains. For fewer branch chains silicone rubber, the free volume distribution contributes most to the dielectric constant; for more branch chains silicone rubber, the dipole moment dominates the dielectric constant. Therefore, the silicone rubber ratio has a great influence on the dielectric constant of silicone rubber. With the increase of temperature, the dielectric constant of 2‐chain silicone rubber increases at first and then decreases, and the maximum value is obtained near 300 K. Therefore, it is necessary to control the temperature when silicone rubber is used as a dielectric material. This work can be a guide for improving the dielectric properties of silicone rubber, and it provides a new approach to the optimal design of high‐performance triboelectric nanogenerators.
Effect of hybrid fillers of Mg–Al layered double hydroxide and nanoclay on the mechanical behavior and formability of glass laminate AA5052‐reinforced epoxy composites
Authors: K. Logesh , Bright Renjin J. , P. Hariharasakthisudhan , R. Vijayan 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis research work investigates the influence of hybrid particulate fillers, Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH), and nanoclay (NC), on the mechanical properties and formability of glass laminate AA5052 epoxy composites (GLARE). The composite laminates were prepared by varying the weight percentage (i.e., 3, 4, and 5 wt%) of the hybrid fillers in the epoxy resin. The conventional hand layup technique was utilized for the fabrication of the laminates. The tensile test samples were prepared in different orientations with respect to the rolling direction (i.e., 0°, 45°, and 90°) to address their anisotropic nature. The flexural, impact, lap shear, and formability tests were conducted as per ASTM and IS standards. The Erichsen cupping test was performed to study the formability of the composite laminates. For each test, the results were compared with that of the laminates containing individual LDH filler, NC filler, and no filler material. The results showed that the composite laminate with 5 wt% of LDH + NC hybrid filler exhibited enhanced tensile properties, impact energy, and lap shear strength while the laminate of 4 wt% LDH + NC filler possessed better flexural properties. The formability of the composite laminates with hybrid LDH + NC fillers was observed to be lower than that of the laminates with individual filler materials and laminate without any filler. The variation observed in the test results was justified by investigating the failure mechanism of the composite laminates using a scanning electron microscope.
Effect of feedback type on enhancing subsequent memory: Interaction with initial correctness and confidence level
Authors: Wang Lingwei , Yang Jiongjiong 
Published: September 2021

AbstractFeedback is an important factor to enhance subsequent memory, showing that memory performance increases after the feedback than after the no feedback condition during retrieval practice. However, most studies have provided answers as feedback and only examined memory accuracy. It is unclear whether memory is enhanced over time when other types of feedback (e.g., correct/incorrect) is given. In addition, during retrieval practice, participants' responses differ in correctness and confidence level. To what extent these initial memory features interact with feedback type to influence subsequent memory accuracy and confidence level remains unclear. In this study, to address these questions, participants learned a series of sentences, then during the retrieval practice phase, different types of feedback—feedback with correct/incorrect and answer (CA‐feedback), feedback with answer (A‐feedback), feedback with correct/incorrect (C‐feedback), and no feedback—were given after they performed a cued‐recall test and rated the confidence. After retention intervals of 5 min, 1 day, and 7 days, they took final tests, followed by the confidence rating. The results showed that different types of feedback influenced subsequent memory and forgetting by different mechanisms. The CA‐feedback and A‐feedback enhanced memory performance by correcting initial errors and increasing the confidence of correct trials, but the corrected memory was more easily forgotten from 5 min to 7 days. Compared to A‐feedback, the CA‐feedback maintained the corrected memory after 1 day. The C‐feedback did not correct initial errors but slowed the forgetting rate and reduced the confidence of incorrect trials. This study highlighted the interaction between feedback type and initial memory features (correctness, confidence) to influence subsequent memory performance, including memory accuracy and confidence level.
Obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic disorders in morbidly obese adolescents
Authors: Haim Alon , Daniel Sharon , Hershkovitz Eli , Goldbart Aviv D. , Tarasiuk Ariel 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBackgroundLittle known about the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in morbid obese adolescents and the association between OSA and comorbid factors.AimTo examine the association between apnea–hypopnea index (AHI, a measure for OSA severity) and metabolic morbidity among morbidly obese adolescents.MethodsWe performed a population‐based retrospective cohort study by reviewing sleep study, metabolic indices, and comorbidity‐related data of a cohort (n = 106) of adolescents referred to a bariatric surgery clinic. We compared subjects with moderate/severe OSA (AHI ≥ 5) versus no/mild OSA (AHI < 5) OSA and three groups of subjects with increasing body mass index (BMI) concerning sleep‐study and metabolic indices using univariate analyses. To assess the link between AHI and ferritin levels a multivariate linear regression (adjusted for BMI and mean cell volume) was preformed.ResultsA total of 71 patients met the inclusion criteria. Subjects with moderate/severe OSA (n = 32, 45%) had higher BMI, cholesterol, cholesterol/high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, hemoglobin A1c, and serum ferritin levels (p < .05). AHI significantly increased across BMI strata (p = .02). Multivariate linear regression indicated that moderate/severe OSA was associated with higher levels of ferritin, unstandardized β = 49.1 (nIU/ml) (p = .025).ConclusionsMorbidly obese adolescents with moderate/severe OSA versus no/mild OSA have a higher risk for metabolic complications. Therefore, OSA management should be considered in adolescents with morbid obesity, in addition to weight loss.
Critical illness related to community acquired pneumonia, its epidemiology and outcomes in a pediatric intensive care unit of Pakistan
Authors: Zeeshan Arsheen , Abbas Qalab , Siddiqui Arsalan , Khalid Farah , Jehan Fyezah 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBackgroundTo determine the epidemiology and outcomes in critically ill children admitted with severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to identify risk factors associated with mortality in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)MethodsRetrospective review of medical records of all children (age 1 month to 18 years) admitted to PICU with CAP from January 2013 to March 2018 was done. Patients admitted in last 2 weeks before current illness and those with bronchiolitis (based on clinical diagnosis) were excluded. Data were collected on a structured proforma and included demographic, clinical data, comorbidities, therapeutic information, laboratory data, and outcome data. Results were presented as mean with SD and frequency with percentages. Factors associated with mortality were analyzed, using logistic regression for both univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsA total of 187 children with severe CAP were identified, 53.5% (n = 100) were <1 year of age and 65.2% (n = 122) were male, 32.6% (n = 61) were underweight, and 24.6% (n = 46) were stunted. A total of 94% (175) required mechanical ventilation. Mortality among the cohort was 20.3% (n = 38) with median length of mechanical ventilation 4 (2–8) days, and median length of PICU stay was 6 (4–12) days. PRISM score >10 on admission, presence of systemic illness, empyema, and length of PICU stay 14 (±2) days were associated with increased mortality among critically ill children admitted with CAP (p < .05).ConclusionsSevere illness on presentation, presence of systemic illness and empyema are associated with increased mortality in children admitted to the PICU with severe CAP.
Species prevalence and plant traits discriminate between herbicide resistant and susceptible weeds
Authors: Hulme Philip E , Liu Wenting 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDHerbicide resistant weeds pose one of the most significant global challenges to sustainable food and fiber production. Plant traits are assumed to play a significant role in determining whether a weed is likely to evolve herbicide resistance but there have been few quantitative assessments to date. There is therefore an urgent need to investigate both the demographic and evolutionary characteristics of weeds to predict which weed species are likely to evolve herbicide resistance. Here, the discriminatory power of multiple plant traits was examined by comparing herbicide resistant and herbicide susceptible weeds in the United States.RESULTSDespite the taxonomic and agronomic similarity of herbicide resistant and susceptible weeds in the United States, differences between these groups were captured by a relatively small set of explanatory variables. Herbicide resistant weeds were found across more states than susceptible species and this suggests widespread weeds also happen to be more problematic in crops and therefore specifically targeted for weed control. In terms of traits, herbicide resistant species were more likely to be outcrossing, have unisexual flowers and be wind pollinated as well as have larger chromosome numbers and seed size than herbicide susceptible weeds.CONCLUSIONSA trait‐based approach to understanding herbicide resistance confirms many assumptions as to the genetic attributes that make a weed more likely to evolve herbicide resistance. Scope therefore exists to build better risk assessment tools to identify future herbicide resistance hazards by incorporating plant traits, environmental tolerances, and evidence of herbicide resistance elsewhere in the world. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Prediction of gradient‐based similarity functions from the Mellor–Yamada model
Authors: Łobocki Lech , Porretta‐Tomaszewska Paola 
Published: September 2021

AbstractGradient‐based implicit similarity functions are derived theoretically from a few variants of the Mellor–Yamada algebraic turbulence‐closure model under assumptions of local equilibrium conditions in a stably stratified shear flow. The solutions are compared with empirical functions presented by Sorbjan. Good agreement is found in the range of gradient Richardson number extending up to around 0.2. The gradient‐based scaling framework offers better accuracy and reliability than the traditional Monin–Obukhov framework, as it circumvents the problems of small values of fluxes and cross‐correlations. It is also possible to separate the specification of the master length‐scale from the calculation of similarity functions describing second moments and dissipation rate. The related discussion of model performance at higher is included. It is unclear whether the current countermeasures against spurious flow decoupling reflect the observed features of turbulence in the very stable regime, due to the apparent breakdown of the Richardson–Kolmogorov energy cascade, as found by Grachev et al.
Quantification of phytic acid in baby foods by derivatization with (trimethylsilyl)diazomethane and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis
Authors: Yu Saisai , Cai Chenggang , Wang Yan , Sheng Chunqi , Jiang Kezhi 
Published: September 2021

RationalePhytic acid (PA) is both a naturally occurring nutrient and a widely used food additive for conferring antioxidant properties to food. PA can be found in baby foods and it is essential to monitor PA content due to its anti‐nutritional properties when present in excess. Current methods for determining PA content are unsatisfactory because interference from inositol phosphates and inorganic phosphates complicates PA quantification.MethodsBaby foods were extracted using aqueous HCl, and the extractant was subjected to derivatization with (trimethylsilyl)diazomethane after de‐metalation using a cation exchange resin. The PA derivative was quantified using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with a multi‐response monitoring mode (m/z 829 to 451).ResultsThe linearity of the developed analytical method ranged from 10 to 1000 ng/mL for PA with R2 > 0.999. Reasonable reproducibility was obtained with an intraday relative standard deviation (RSD; N = 5) of 4.5% and an interday RSD (N = 5) of 5.7% at a concentration of 10 ng/mL. The developed method was successfully applied to determine PA content in various baby foods, with PA recovery between 90.6% and 119.8%.ConclusionsA robust and sensitive method for the determination of PA in baby foods has been developed by methyl esterification with (trimethylsilyl)diazomethane and using LC/MS/MS analysis. The established method showed good anti‐interference and precision, and it has been applied for the determination of PA in various baby foods.