bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Escalas concorrentes para mensuração da satisfação do paciente hospitalar
Authors: Moglia Junior João Batista , Lopes Evandro Luiz 
Published: April 2019

A satisfação do paciente hospitalar não é um tema novo, mas ganha importância diante do cenário atual de concorrência, principalmente nos serviços privados. A relevância está na contribuição de uma nova perspectiva de visualização da satisfação do paciente hospitalar. O objetivo geral desse trabalho é identificar para o contexto nacional, qual das escalas de satisfação do paciente é capaz de refletir melhor a avaliação geral do hospital. Para tanto, foram utilizadas três escalas de satisfação com o atendimento de enfermagem: A escala PSI (Patient Satisfaction Instrument), a escala NSNS (Newcastle satisfaction with nursing scales) e a escala GPNS (General Practice Nurse Satisfaction Scale) e, como variável dependente, utilizou-se a escala AGH (Avaliação Geral do Hospital). A análise dos dados foi feita por meio da análise equações estruturais. A escala NSNS mede melhor a avaliação geral do hospital seguida da escala GNPS. Contudo, a escala PSI não foi significante. Identificou-se que a escala NSNS é mais adequada para mensuração da qualidade da equipe de enfermagem que as demais escalas testadas.
Determinants of Farmers’ Choice among Alternative Rice Output Markets in Kano State, Nigeria
Authors: Abdulrahman S. , Abdullahi M. A. , Adejoh O. S. , Onwuaroh A. S. , Binuyo G. 
Published: April 2019

The aim was to analyze the output market outlets accessible to rice farmers and determinants of farmers’ choice among alternative rice production in Kano State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 164 rice farmers with the aid of structured questionnaire. This study was conducted in Kura, Garun Malam and Bunkure Local Government Areas of Kano State during 2015 cropping season. A multistage sampling techniques were used for data collection through the use of structured questionnaire. The ordered probit model was used to estimate the parameters of the determinants of farmers’ choices among alternative rice output market outlets by rice farmers in Kano state. The generalized likelihood ratio statistics was -113.401. This ratio exceeds the critical chi-square values at p<0.01 level of significance. The log likelihood ratio value represents the value that maximizes the joint densities in the estimated model. This shows that at least one of the predictors' regression coefficient is not equal to zero in the model. The Prob > chi2 was (50.03) and statistically significant at p<0.01 level of probability. The probability of obtaining this chi-square statistic shows the effect of the predictor variables on specified alpha level. This implies that at least one of the regression coefficients in the model is not equal to zero. farmers’ choices among alternative rice output market outlets was significantly determined by educational status of the farmers, access to credit, cooperative membership, distance to market, quantity of output produced by the farmers and market price of rice (P<0.10). Based on the findings of this study, it could be concluded that the most commonly used output markets by rice farmers was rural assembler (82.3%). Despite increasingly competitive markets, pricing issues for rice remains a concern for farmers.
Indigenous Socio-political and Cultural Similarities in Africa: The Case of the Igbo of Nigeria and the Jola of the Gambia
Authors: Nnaocha Cajetan Ifeanyi , Ugwu Ozor Frederick , Nwokpoku Edeh Joseph 
Published: April 2019

A major thrust of this paper’s analysis is the indigenous socio-political and cultural similarities in Africa, in particular the case of the Igbo of Nigeria and the Jola tribe of The Gambia. The study aims at identifying the areas of similarities between these cultures in a context in which indigenous cultural and socio-political framework of society has witnessed significant transformations over the years. Using multi case studies strategy of inquiry, this paper addressed two key broad research questions, first, whether veritable similarities could be found between the two cultures, or whether identified similarities mere coincidence or did arise from the fact both groups having the same ancestry but subsequently dispersed into different directions and locations in search for arable lands? Second, does ethno-cultural interrelatedness of societies arise from shared historical ancestry? In this context, it established strong link between the cultures the Igbo of Nigeria and the Jola ethnic of The Gambia suggesting that the similarities are real and pervasive. The paper further suggests that the complex network of relationships and kinship ties found in both Igbo and Jola cultures appear to provide the impetus for persisting social consciousness and observance of the customs, traditions, and cultural ethos, attitudes and perceptions that animate and sustain cultural colourations, which have survived over the years retaining some key cultural elements of traditional society that sets them apart from other ethno-cultural groups in contemporary West Africa.
Evaluation of in vivo Synergistic Hypoglycemic & Hypolipidemic Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Calotropis gigantean Leaves in Combination to Metformin in Alloxan Induced Rats
Authors: Jahan Nisrat , Akter Nasreen , Rahman Mosiqur 
Published: April 2019

Aim: The present study was designed to investigate the antidiabetic & hypolipidemic activity of Calotropis gigantean (Family: Apocynaceae) in alloxan-induced diabetic rat model.
Study Design: In vivo study was carried out by ethanolic leaf extract was administered in 250 mg/kg body weight concentration and then subjected to different rats models to authenticate the antidiabetic and hyperlipidimic properties of the plant.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Banani, Dhaka-1213,Bangladesh within a period of July 2018 to December, 2018.
Methodology: Diabetes was induced in rats by an intraperitoneal injection (i.p) of alloxan (100 mg/kg B.W). Ethanolic leaf extract of C. gigantean (250 mg/kg B.W) was administrated orally as a single dose per day to the diabetic rats for 7 days. The negative control group received 0.5 ml of sterile normal saline water orally & positive control group received metformin orally. Synergistic effect of plant was evaluated by combination with 100 mg/kg B.W & 50 mg/kg B.W oral administration of metformin. After 7 days study period, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, liver weight & body weight were measured only for diabetic group to observe the effects of diabetes induction.
Results: Individual plant extract (250 mg/Kg B.W) & Metformin (100 mg/kg B.W) reduced FBG significantly by 52% (P<0.001) & 55.3% (P<0.001) correspondingly. Metformin (100 mg/kg B.W) potentiated reduction (68%) (P<0.001) when combined to plant extract (250 mg/Kg B.W). Significant dose dependent manner was followed when metformin (50 mg/kg B.W) was combined to plant extract (250 mg/Kg B.W). Our results clearly suggests that C. gigantean exhibit hypoglycemic & hypolipidemic activity with an alteration in body-liver weight. The present study also suggested to develop a combination therapy of extract along with metfromin in different doses to minimize the intake of synthetic drug. Significant reduction of TG, TC were noted by extract (250 mg/kg B.W) with 32.42% (P<0.001) & 41.32% (P<0.001) respectively where standard shown the diminution 43.43% (P<0.05) & 47.21% (P<0.001) respectively as compare to Untreated diabetic rats. 50.21% (P<0.01) & 42.38% (P<0.001) reduction of TG & TC were estimated by C.gigantea extracts (250 mg/kg B.W) when combined with Metformin (100 mg/kg B.W). 34.53% (P<0.05) & 41.54% (P<0.001) reduction of TG & TC by C.gigantea extracts (250 mg/kg B.W) were confirmed when combined to Metformin (50 mg/kg B.W). Combination therapy also has shown synergistic effect in elevation of plasma HDL-cholesterol.
Conclusion: The results of the study concluded that C. gigantean have potential antidiabetic and antioxidant properties.
Biallelic mutations in PIGP cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathy
Authors: Krenn Martin , Knaus Alexej , Westphal Dominik S. , Wortmann Saskia B. , Polster Tilman , Woermann Friedrich G. , Karenfort Michael , Mayatepek Ertan , Meitinger Thomas , Wagner Matias , Distelmaier Felix 
Published: April 2019

AbstractDevelopmental and epileptic encephalopathies are characterized by infantile seizures and psychomotor delay. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis defects, resulting in impaired tethering of various proteins to the cell surface, represent the underlying pathology in some patients. One of the genes involved, PIGP, has recently been associated with infantile seizures and developmental delay in two siblings. Here, we report the second family with a markedly overlapping phenotype due to a homozygous frameshift mutation (c.456delA;p.Glu153Asnfs*34) in PIGP. Flow cytometry of patient granulocytes confirmed reduced expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored proteins as functional consequence. Our findings corroborate PIGP as a monogenic disease gene for developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.
Target recognition of indoor trolley for humanoid robot based on piecewise fitting method
Authors: Zhang Lei , Liu Huiling , Luo Chengfang , Bian Gui‐Bin , Wu Wanqing 
Published: April 2019

SummaryAlthough several studies have considered the problem of humanoid robots pushing carts, only a few have focused on the problem of robots moving heavy objects under monocular vision. This study proposes a target recognition and positioning method and a control method for a robot pushing a loaded trolley. A control system based on the humanoid robot NAO is developed and a monocular visual ranging method with segmented fitting is proposed to realize hardware control and target search and positioning for NAO. The ability of NAO to push a small cart with various weights using visual positioning is tested. The experimental results show that the average error of the monocular distance measurement method is 1.7 mm and that the target search and positioning is accurate. NAO can push a loaded cart that is 6.5 times its own weight.
Colossal Permittivity Materials as Superior Dielectrics for Diverse Applications
Authors: Wang Yanbin , Jie Wenjing , Yang Chao , Wei Xianhua , Hao Jianhua 
Published: April 2019

AbstractEver since the beginning of this century, many kinds of materials have been reported to demonstrate colossal permittivity (CP) or a colossal dielectric constant exceeding 103. Accordingly, such CP materials and their further modification and improvement to achieve enhanced CP performance for promising applications in modern electronics, sensors, energy storage, and multifunctional devices have attracted extensive attention. In this Review, a general overview of the recent advances in CP materials is provided, ranging from their various categories, physical mechanisms, and modulation methods to promising applications. First, various classes of CP materials are categorized in terms of their structures and dielectric properties. Subsequently, this Review provides an insight into the CP mechanisms in views of barrier layer capacitance, defect‐dipole cluster, and polaronic effect. Moreover, the strategies and prototypical works are introduced in some aspects, including the manipulation of CP properties by doping, percolative capacitors, and the methods employed to enhance the dielectric behaviors in CP materials with different forms. The authors then discuss a wide range of applications based on CP materials, such as modern electronics and energy storage. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for further investigation of CP materials are highlighted in the summary and future perspectives.
Molecularly Coupled Two‐Dimensional Titanium Oxide and Carbide Sheets for Wearable and High‐Rate Quasi‐Solid‐State Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Wu Jinli , Jiang Kun , Li Guohui , Zhao Zhigang , Li Qingwen , Geng Fengxia 
Published: April 2019

AbstractHigh‐performance, flexible, and lightweight powering electrodes are urgently needed to meet the increasing interest in deformable electronic devices, particularly those utilizing solid‐state electrolytes and performing at high charging rates, which unfortunately have remained a formidable challenge. Here, by regularly stacking two‐dimensional (2D) titanium oxide and carbide sheets, in which the two kinds of sheets are coupled at the molecular level, a self‐standing electrode is achieved with ideal mechanical durability and excellent electrochemical performance, including superb rate performance (delivering a capacity of 114 mAh g−1 in 3.4 min) and good cycling stability (remaining >93% after 1000 cycles at 1000 mA g−1). Profiting from these advantages, a flexible and safe full lithium‐ion battery, employing a poly(ethylene glycol) diamine‐based gel polymer as the electrolyte, possesses an excellent power density of 1412 W kg−1 while maintaining a high energy density of 59 Wh kg−1, which outperforms most documented flexible batteries that utilize liquid electrolytes and is even comparable with some cells using coin configurations. Importantly, the performance was well maintained under mechanical deformation and after multiple breaking and self‐healing cycles, demonstrating the feasibility for practical application in wearable powering devices. The results highlight the numerous possibilities for utilizing sheet materials to fabricate wearable electrode materials.
Robust Antiskyrmion Phase in Bulk Tetragonal Mn–Pt(Pd)–Sn Heusler System Probed by Magnetic Entropy Change and AC‐Susceptibility Measurements
Authors: Jamaluddin Sk , Manna Subhendu K. , Giri Bimalesh , Madduri P. V. Prakash , Parkin Stuart S. P. , Nayak Ajaya K. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractMagnetic skyrmions, topologically protected chiral spin textures having potential applications in data storage, are stabilized in certain magnetic materials with broken inversion symmetry. The existence of magnetic antiskyrmions has been recently demonstrated in thin plates of a tetragonal Heusler material with D2d crystal symmetry. Here, the robust nature of the antiskyrmion phase in bulk tetragonal Mn–Pt(Pd)–Sn compounds by utilizing magnetic entropy change and AC‐susceptibility measurements is shown. It is found that the formation of the antiskyrmion phase is accompanied by a positive magnetic entropy change, which is supported by the concomitant observation of an anomaly in AC‐susceptibility measurements. Supporting these findings, no anomalies are found in AC‐susceptibility and magnetic entropy change measurements for a Mn–Pt(Pd)–Sn compound that is stabilized in the cubic phase by slight changes in chemical composition, thereby showing the robustness of the antiskyrmion phase to the D2d crystal structure.
Sustained Release of Dexamethasone from Sulfobutyl Ether β‐cyclodextrin Modified Self‐Assembling Peptide Nanoscaffolds in a Perinatal Rat Model of Hypoxia–Ischemia
Authors: Lu Lei , Armstrong Edward A. , Yager Jerome Y. , Unsworth Larry D. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractInflammation plays a critical role in the development of hypoxia–ischemia (HI) induced newborn brain damage. A localized, sustained delivery of dexamethasone (Dex) through an intracerebral injection could reduce the inflammatory response in the injured perinatal brain while avoiding unnecessary side effects. Herein, investigated using anionic sulfobutyl ether β‐cyclodextrin (SBE‐β‐CD) to load Dex in the (RADA)4 nanofiber networks as a means of reducing the inflammatory response to HI injury is investigated. The ionic interaction between SBE‐β‐CD and (RADA)4 dramatically affects nanofiber formation and the stability of the nanoscaffold is highly dependent on the SBE‐β‐CD/(RADA)4 ratio. It is observed that the Dex release rate is affected by the concentration of SBE‐β‐CD and (RADA)4 peptide. A higher concentration of SBE‐β‐CD or (RADA)4 results in a higher drug encapsulation efficiency and slower release rate of Dex. This phenomenon may be related to the structure of fiber bundles. Animal studies show that nanoscaffold loaded with Dex inhibits both microglia activation and glial scar formation compared to controls (Dex alone or nanoscaffold alone) within 2 days of injury. It is thought that this is a step toward building a multifaceted nanoscaffold that can be used to treat HI events in perinates.
Controlling Horizontal Dipole Orientation and Emission Spectrum of Ir Complexes by Chemical Design of Ancillary Ligands for Efficient Deep‐Blue Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Shin Hyun , Ha Yeon Hee , Kim Hyun‐Gu , Kim Ran , Kwon Soon‐Ki , Kim Yun‐Hi , Kim Jang‐Joo 
Published: April 2019

AbstractDeep‐blue emitting Iridium (Ir) complexes with horizontally oriented emitting dipoles are newly designed and synthesized through engineering of the ancillary ligand, where 2′,6′‐difluoro‐4‐(trimethylsilyl)‐2,3′‐bipyridine (dfpysipy) is used as the main ligand. Introduction of a trimethylsilyl group at the pyridine and a nitrogen at the difluoropyrido group increases the bandgap of the emitter, resulting in deep‐blue emission. Addition of a methyl group (mpic) to a picolinate (pic) ancillary ligand or replacement of an acetate structure of pic with a perfluoromethyl‐triazole structure (fptz) increases the horizontal component of the emitting dipoles in sequence of mpic (86%) > fptz (77%) > pic (74%). The organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) using the Ir complex with the mpic ancillary ligand shows the highest external quantum efficiency (31.9%) among the reported blue OLEDs with a y‐coordinate value lower than 0.2 in the 1931 Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity diagram.
Ambient Fast Synthesis and Active Sites Deciphering of Hierarchical Foam‐Like Trimetal–Organic Framework Nanostructures as a Platform for Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysis
Authors: Qian Qizhu , Li Yapeng , Liu Yi , Yu Lai , Zhang Genqiang 
Published: April 2019

AbstractMetal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted tremendous interest due to their promising applications including electrocatalysis originating from their unique structural features. However, it remains a challenge to directly use MOFs for oxygen electrocatalysis because it is quite difficult to manipulate their dimension, composition, and morphology of the MOFs with abundant active sites. Here, a facile ambient temperature synthesis of unique NiCoFe‐based trimetallic MOF nanostructures with foam‐like architecture is reported, which exhibit extraordinary oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity as directly used catalyst in alkaline condition. Specifically, the (Ni2Co1)0.925Fe0.075‐MOF‐NF delivers a minimum overpotential of 257 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a small Tafel slope of 41.3 mV dec−1 and exhibits high durability after long‐term testing. More importantly, the deciphering of the possible origination of the high activity is performed through the characterization of the intermediates during the OER process, where the electrochemically transformed metal hydroxides and oxyhydroxides are confirmed as the active species.
Nickel(II) Tetraphenylporphyrin as an Efficient Photocatalyst Featuring Visible Light Promoted Dual Redox Activities
Authors: Mandal Tanumoy , Das Sanju , De Sarkar Suman 
Published: April 2019

AbstractNickel(II) tetraphenylporphyrin (NiTPP) is presented as a robust, cost‐effective and efficient visible light induced photoredox catalyst. The ground state electrochemical data (CV) and electronic absorption (UV‐Vis) spectra reveal the excited state redox potentials for [NiTPP]*/[NiTPP].− and NiTPP].+/[NiTPP]* couples as +1.17 V and −1.57 V vs SCE respectively. The potential values represent NiTPP as a more potent photocatalyst compare to the well‐explored [Ru(bpy)3]2+. The non‐precious photocatalyst exhibits excited state redox reactions in dual fashions, i. e., it is capable of undergoing both oxidative as well as reductive quenching pathways. Such versatility of a photocatalyst based on first‐row transition metals is very scarce. This unique phenomenon allows one to perform diverse types of redox reactions by employing a single catalyst. Two different sets of chemical reactions have been performed to represent the synthetic utility. The catalyst showed superior efficiency in both carbon‐carbon and carbon‐heteroatom bond‐forming reactions. Thus, we believe that NiTPP is a valuable addition to the photocatalyst library and this study will lead to more practical synthetic applications of earth‐abundant‐metal‐based photoredox catalysts.magnified image
An Enzymatic 2‐Step Cofactor and Co‐Product Recycling Cascade towards a Chiral 1,2‐Diol. Part I: Cascade Design
Authors: Kulig Justyna , Sehl Torsten , Mackfeld Ursula , Wiechert Wolfgang , Pohl Martina , Rother Dörte 
Published: April 2019

AbstractAlcohol dehydrogenases are of high interest for stereoselective syntheses of chiral building blocks such as 1,2‐diols. As this class of enzymes requires nicotinamide cofactors, their application in biotechnological synthesis reactions is economically only feasible with appropriate cofactor regeneration. Therefore, a co‐substrate is oxidized to the respective co‐product that accumulates in equal concentration to the desired target product. Co‐product removal during the course of the reaction shifts the reaction towards formation of the target product and minimizes undesired side effects. Here we describe an atom efficient enzymatic cofactor regeneration system where the co‐product of the ADH is recycled as a substrate in another reaction set. A 2‐step enzymatic cascade consisting of a thiamine diphosphate (ThDP)‐dependent carboligase and an alcohol dehydrogenase is presented here as a model reaction. In the first step benzaldehyde and acetaldehyde react to a chiral 2‐hydroxy ketone, which is subsequently reduced by to a 1,2‐diol. By choice of an appropriate co‐substrate (here: benzyl alcohol) for the cofactor regeneration in the alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH)‐catalyzed step, the co‐product (here: benzaldehyde) can be used as a substrate for the carboligation step. Even without any addition of benzaldehyde in the first reaction step, this cascade design yielded 1,2‐diol concentrations of >100 mM with optical purities (ee,de) of up to 99%. Moreover, this approach overcomes the low benzaldehyde solubility in aqueous systems and optimizes the atom economy of the reaction by reduced waste production. The example presented here for the 2‐step recycling cascade of (1R,2R)‐1‐phenylpropane‐1,2‐diol can be applied for any set of enzymes, where the co‐products of one process step serve as substrates for a coupled reaction.magnified image
Ultra‐thin skin carbon hollow fiber membranes for sustainable molecular separations
Authors: Zhang Chen , Kumar Rachana , Koros William J. 
Published: April 2019

SignificanceA transformative platform is reported to derive ultra‐thin carbon molecular sieve (CMS) hollow fiber membranes from dual‐layer precursor hollow fibers with independently tuned skin layer and substrate properties. These ultra‐thin CMS hollow fiber membranes show attractive CO2/CH4 separation factors and excellent CO2 permeances up to ~1,400% higher than state‐of‐the‐art asymmetric CMS hollow fiber membranes. They provide a unique combination of permeance and selectivity competitive with zeolite membranes, but with much higher membrane packing density and potentially much lower costs.