bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Correlation between the initial CT chest findings and short-term prognosis in Egyptian patients with COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors: Hefeda Mohamed Mohamed , Elsharawy Dalia Ezzat , Dawoud Tamer Mahmoud 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Background
The recent pandemic of COVID‐19 has thrown the world into chaos due to its high rate of transmissions. This study aimed to highlight the encountered CT findings in 910 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in Egypt including the mean severity score and also correlation between the initial CT finding and the short-term prognosis in 320 patients.

Results
All patients had confirmed COVID-19 infection. Non-contrast CT chest was performed for all cases; in addition, the correlation between each CT finding and disease severity or the short-term prognosis was reported. The mean age was higher for patients with unfavorable prognosis (P < 0.01). The patchy pattern was the most common, found in 532/910 patients (58.4%), the nodular pattern was the least common 123/910 (13.5%). The diffuse pattern was reported in 124 (13.6%). The ground glass density was the most common reported density in the study 512/910 (56.2%). The crazy pavement sign was reported more frequently in patients required hospitalization or ICU and was reported in 53 (56.9%) of patients required hospitalization and in 29 (40.2%) patients needed ICU, and it was reported in 11 (39.2%) deceased patients. Air bronchogram was reported more frequently in patients with poor prognosis than patients with good prognosis (16/100; 26% Vs 12/220; 5.4%). The mean CT severity score for patients with poor prognosis was 15.2. The mean CT severity score for patients with good prognosis 8.7., with statistically significant difference (P = 0.001).

Conclusion
Our results confirm the important role of the initial CT findings in the prediction of clinical outcome and short-term prognosis. Some signs like subpleural lines, halo sign, reversed halo sign and nodular shape of the lesions predict mild disease and favorable prognosis. The crazy paving sign, dense vessel sign, consolidation, diffuse shape and high severity score predict more severe disease and probably warrant early hospitalization. The high severity score is most important in prediction of unfavorable prognosis. The nodular shape of the lesions is the most important predictor of good prognosis.
Effect of dietary synbiotic supplementation on serum indoxyl sulfate in prevalent hemodialysis patients
Authors: Hassan Mohamed Saeed , Ahmed Yasser Soliman , Sarhaan Eman Ibrahim , Mehanna Nayra Shaker , Madbouli Norhan Nagdy , Abdelgawad Mostafa Abdelnasier 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Background
Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is produced by action of the intestinal flora on tryptophan in protein diet, and it is normally excreted by the kidney. IS is a protein-bound uremic toxin, and it is difficult to be removed by conventional hemodialysis (HD) methods; so, it accumulates in HD patients and may contribute to major cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Aim
To study the effect of dietary synbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) supplementation on IS level in prevalent HD patients.

Patients and methods
This single-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 80 prevalent HD patients (between January 2017 and March 2017) in Ain Shams University Hospital. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 was given synbiotic (SYN) and group 2 was given placebo for 6 weeks. Blood levels of IS, CRP, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus were measured at baseline and after 6 weeks.

Results
There was a significant reduction in serum IS level in groups 1 and 2 in comparison to their baselines (P value = 0.000 and 0.019 respectively); however, the change in IS level in group 1 after SYN supplementation (64% with IR 72.38–33.33) was more than that shown in group 2 (did not receive SYN) (18.47% with IR 26.75–26.75) with a highly significant P value, 0.000. Also, there were significant reductions in the levels of creatinine, BUN, phosphorus (P values < 0.001), and CRP (P values 0.002) in group 1 respectively with no similar changes noticed in group 2.

Conclusion
SYN supplementation in HD patients can reduce serum levels of IS and other uremic toxins like BUN and creatinine. Also, it may help to reduce serum phosphorus and CRP levels.
Assessment of the optimal frequency of insecticide sprays required to manage fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E Smith) in maize (Zea mays L.) in northern Ghana
Authors: Nboyine Jerry A. , Asamani Ebenezer , Agboyi Lakpo K. , Yahaya Iddrisu , Kusi Francis , Adazebra Gloria , Badii Benjamin K. 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Background
Insecticide use is an important component of integrated pest management strategies developed for fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda J.E Smith, control in maize in many African countries. Here, the optimum number of synthetic insecticide and biopesticide applications needed to effectively manage FAW at a minimal cost in maize was studied.

Materials and methods
A 3 × 4 factorial experiment arranged in a split plot design was used. Insecticides [Neem seed oil (NSO), 3% Azadirachtin); Emastar 112 EC (emamectin benzoate 48 g/L + acetamiprid 64 g/L); Eradicoat (282 g/L Maltodextrin)] were on the main plots, while insecticide spraying regimes [untreated control, spraying once (at VE–V5 maize develoment stage), twice (at VE–V5 and V6–V12 stages), thrice (at VE–V5, V6–V12 and V12–VT stages), four times (at VE–V5, V6–V12, V12–VT and R1–R3 stages)] were on the sub-plots.

Results
The results showed that larval infestations were generally lower in Emastar 112 EC treated maize than in those sprayed with Eradicoat or NSO. Infestations were higher in the untreated control (no spray) but decreased with increases in number of spray applications in insecticide treated plots. Again, crop damage was low in Emastar 112 EC treated maize. This variable also decreased with an increase in the number of spray applications. Grain yield was significantly affected by the spraying regime only, with this variable being lowest in the untreated control. In both years, yields were at least 1.5-fold higher in maize sprayed twice, thrice or four times compared to the untreated control. Emastar 112 EC had the highest net economic benefits. A single spray of Emastar 112 EC at the VE–V5 maize development stage resulted in maximum profits, while two sprays (i.e., at VE–V5 and V6–V12 stages) were needed for Eradicoat and NSO.

Conclusion
Hence, synthetic insecticides and biopesticides require different frequency of spray applications for cost effective management of FAW in northern Ghana. These findings are potentially applicable in other sub-Saharan African countries where this pest is present.
Effect of service differentiation on QoS in IEEE 802.11e enhanced distributed channel access: a simulation approach
Authors: Ugwu Godwin Onyekachi , Nwawelu Udora Nwabuoku , Ahaneku Mamilus Aginwa , Ani Cosmas Ikechukwu 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) protocol is a supplement to IEEE 802.11 medium access control (MAC), ratified by IEEE 802.11e task group to support quality of service (QoS) requirements of both data and real-time applications. Previous research show that it supports priority scheme for multimedia traffic but strict QoS is not guaranteed. This can be attributed to inappropriate tuning of the medium access parameters. Thus, an in-depth analysis of the EDCA protocol and ways of tuning medium access parameters to improve QoS requirements for multimedia traffic is presented in this work. An EDCA model was developed and simulated using MATLAB to assess the effect of differentiating contention window (CW) and arbitration inter-frame space (AIFS) of different traffic on QoS parameters. The optimal performance, delay, and maximum sustainable throughput for each traffic type were computed under saturation load. Insight shows that traffic with higher priority values acquired most of the available channels and starved traffic with lower priority values. The AIFS has more influence on the QoS of EDCA protocol. It was also observed that small CW values generate higher packet drops and collision rate probability. Thus, EDCA protocol provides mechanism for service differentiation which strongly depends on channel access parameters: CW sizes and AIFS.
Assessment of Abrasion-Induced Visual Defects in Twin Screw Wet Granulation Using Wall Friction Measurements
Authors: Menth Judith , Maus Martin , Wagner Karl G. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractStarting point of the presented study were abrasion effects occurring during a twin screw wet granulation (TSG) process of a new chemical entity (NCE) formulation, resulting in gray spots on the final tablets. Several actions and systematic changes of equipment and process parameter settings of TSG process were conducted which reduced the visual defect rate of the tablets, i.e., gray spots on the surface, below the specification limit. To understand the rationale and mechanism behind these improvements, correlations of defect rates and wall friction measurements using a Schulze ring shear tester were evaluated. To check the suitability of the method, a broad range of wall materials as well as powder formulations at various moisture levels were investigated with regard to their wall friction angle. As differences in wall friction angle could be detected, further experiments were conducted using wall material samples made out of different screw materials for TSG. Evaluation of these screw wall material samples gave first hints, which screw materials should be preferred in regard of friction for TSG process. In the finally presented case study, wall friction measurements were performed using the above mentioned NCE formulation with known abrasion issues at TSG processing. The results confirmed that changes which led to a reduced visual defect rate of tablets correlated with a decreased wall friction angle. The results suggest wall friction measurements as a potent tool for equipment selection and establishment of a suitable process window prior to conducting TSG experiments.
Graphical abstract
Undergraduate Research and the Enrollment Crisis in English Literature
Authors: Ballentine Brian Cooper 
Published: January 2022

AbstractDeclines in undergraduate enrollments in English literature are well documented, and departments need to develop a coherent set of productive, practical responses to enrollment pressures. Drawing on studies of undergraduate research in STEM disciplines, this article explores how undergraduate research experiences in English literature can be envisioned not as unique, one-on-one experiences for motivated and interested students but as a curricular intervention that spans the undergraduate academic experience, fosters scholarly identity, and promotes inclusivity in scholarly training. Rather than functioning “by arrangement,” undergraduate research in English should be a coordinated enterprise that is established as an expectation for incoming students and a feature of every level of the major.
Quantifying avian inertial properties using calibrated computed tomography
Authors: Durston Nicholas E. , Mahadik Yusuf , Windsor Shane P. 
Published: January 2022

ABSTRACT
Estimating centre of mass and mass moments of inertia is an important aspect of many studies in biomechanics. Characterising these parameters accurately in three dimensions is challenging with traditional methods requiring dissection or suspension of cadavers. Here, we present a method to quantify the three-dimensional centre of mass and inertia tensor of birds of prey using calibrated computed tomography (CT) scans. The technique was validated using several independent methods, providing body segment mass estimates within approximately 1% of physical dissection measurements and moment of inertia measurements with a 0.993 R2 correlation with conventional trifilar pendulum measurements. Calibrated CT offers a relatively straightforward, non-destructive approach that yields highly detailed mass distribution data that can be used for three-dimensional dynamics modelling in biomechanics. Although demonstrated here with birds, this approach should work equally well with any animal or appendage capable of being CT scanned.
O Fenômeno das Fake News: Implicações para a Política Externa do Governo Bolsonaro durante a Pandemia do COVID-19 | The Fake News Phenomenon: Implications for the Foreign Policy of the Bolsonaro Government during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Simões Renata Moraes , Mendes Andressa Gabrielly De Lacerda , Militão Pablo Ávila 
Published: January 2022

O uso de plataformas como o Twitter por políticos, como Bolsonaro, tem mudado a comunicação política. Associado a isso, a rapidez com que a informação circula por tais ambientes proporciona a disseminação de desinformação e fake news, especialmente durante a pandemia do COVID-19 a partir de 2020. Diante disso, o artigo busca entender como o presidente Jair Bolsonaro utilizou o fenômeno das fake news como base da sua comunicação política durante a pandemia do COVID-19 e qual a influência desse fenômeno para a política externa brasileira. A hipótese inicial é de que a propagação de informações sem conteúdo confiáveis é utilizada como ferramenta política por Jair Bolsonaro. Nesse cenário, a política externa brasileira sofre influências diretas devido a ocorrência de tal fenômeno, com novas diretrizes internacionais e posicionamentos, acarretando a perda de credibilidade internacional brasileira e, ainda, colocando em risco a aquisição de vacinas pelo país.Palavras-chave: Fake News; Jair Bolsonaro; Política ExternaABSTRACTThe usage of social media, like Twitter, by politicians, such as Jair Bolsonaro, have changed the political communication. That said, the information has circulated quickly and provides a favorable environment for disinformation and fake news, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020. Based on that, the article aims to understand how the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has used fake News as the ground for your political communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aims to understand which is the influence of this phenomena to the Brazilian foreign policy. The initial hypothesis is that the dissemination of information without reliable content is used as political tool by Bolsonaro. In this scenario, the Brazilian foreign policy is under direct influence of this phenomena, with new international guidelines and positioning, resulting in the loss of the Brazilian international credibility and risking the vaccines acquisition by the country.Keywords: Fake News; Jair Bolsonaro; Foreign Policy. Recebido em: 14/04/2021 | Aceito em: 29/10/2021.
Scoping Review on Research at the Boundary Between Learning and Working: A Bibliometric Mapping Analysis of the Last Decade
Authors: Gessler Michael , Nägele Christof , Stalder Barbara E. 
Published: January 2022

Context: The research field at the boundary between learning and working is multidimensional, fuzzy, dynamic, and characterized by high growth. A study that comprehensively maps and aggregates this research field is missing. Approach: Using tools of bibliometric analysis (bibliographic coupling, co-citation analysis and co-occurrence analysis), we map the research at the boundary between learning and working in a scoping review study. Our study considers peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2020 and recorded in Scopus. In total, 5,474 articles are included in our analysis. Findings: Focusing on the intellectual structure of the research field, we identified the most publishing and most cited countries, journals, and authors, as well as latent collaborative networks among countries, journals, and authors. Furthermore, we used references and keywords to identify the conceptual structure of the research field and distinguished four types of conceptual clusters: motor clusters, highly developed and isolated clusters, emerging or declining clusters, and basic and transversal clusters.Conclusions: Research at the boundary between learning and working is highly parcelled out internationally. This scientific parcelling represents a disadvantage for exchanging ideas and accumulating knowledge. In addition to forming a parcelled field, a dividing line runs between centre, periphery and excluded countries and scientists. Especially scientists from developing countries and nations, economies in transition and those from post-conflict situations are excluded from the international discourse. This situation is more than just a disadvantage for the exchange of ideas and the accumulation of knowledge. Instead, there is a systematic bias in the research landscape here.
Investigation of a balanced microwave photonic link utilizing a single
few-mode fiber
Authors: Nickel Daniel V. , Maize Ian M. 
Published: January 2022

A balanced microwave photonic link, which utilizes mode-division
multiplexing in order to combine both of
its optical paths into and out of a single six-mode few-mode fiber, is demonstrated for the
first time, to the best of our knowledge. Due to non-negligible modal
crosstalk, the link exhibited excess radio-frequency gain fluctuations
when compared to an equivalent conventional balanced link. The

L
P

02

+

L
P

01

mode pair was the most stable with

2

σ

(two standard deviations)
fluctuations of 0.4 dB about the average link gain, compared to the
conventional link’s

2

σ

of 0.16 dB. The excess
crosstalk-induced fluctuations may render the link impractical to use
outside of the laboratory.
Recursive first fit: a highly parallel optimal solution to spectrum allocation
Authors: Rouskas George N. , Bandikatla Chaitanya 
Published: January 2022

We revisit the classical spectrum allocation (SA) problem, a fundamental subproblem in optical network design, and make three contributions. First, we show how some SA problem instances may be decomposed into smaller instances that may be solved independently without loss of optimality. Second, we prove an optimality property of the well-known first-fit (FF) heuristic. Finally, we leverage this property to develop a recursive and parallel algorithm that applies the FF heuristic to find an optimal solution efficiently. This recursive FF algorithm is highly scalable because of two unique properties: (1) it completely sidesteps the symmetry inherent in SA and hence drastically reduces the solution space compared to typical integer linear programming formulations, and (2) the solution space can be naturally decomposed in non-overlapping subtrees that may be explored in parallel almost independently of each other, resulting in faster than linear speedup.
Extending plasmonic response to the mid-wave infrared with all-epitaxial composites
Authors: Muhowski Aaron J. , Simmons Evan , Li Kun , Narimanov Evgenii E. , Podolskiy Viktor A. , Wasserman Daniel 
Published: January 2022

Highly doped semiconductor “designer metals” have been shown to serve as high-quality plasmonic materials across much of the long-wavelength portion of the mid-infrared. These plasmonic materials benefit from a technologically mature semiconductor fabrication infrastructure and the potential for monolithic integration with electronic and photonic devices. However, accessing the short-wavelength side of the mid-infrared is a challenge for these designer metals. In this work we study the perspectives for extending the plasmonic response of doped semiconductors to shorter wavelengths by leveraging charge confinement, in addition to doping. We demonstrate, theoretically and experimentally, negative permittivity across the technologically vital mid-wave infrared (3–5

μ

m) frequency range. The semiconductor composites presented in our work offer an ideal material platform for monolithic integration with a variety of semiconductor optoelectronic devices operating in the mid-wave infrared.
Monitoring and identifying pendant droplets in microbottle resonators
Authors: Wang Zijie , Zhang Xiaobei , Zhang Qi , Chen Yiqi , Yang Yong , Yu Yang , Wang Yang , Dong Yanhua , Huang Yi , Wang Tingyun 
Published: January 2022

Optofluidic resonators are capable of characterizing various fluidic media. Here, we propose an optofluidic microbottle resonator (OFMBR) that is applied to generate pendant droplets, whose maximum mass is related to the liquid surface tension. Mass and type of droplets forming along the OFMBR stem can be monitored in real time by spectrum variation. As a pendant droplet grows, increased droplet gravity introduces a decreased coupling gap and compressive force between the tapered fiber and OFMBR, leading to a resonance wavelength shift. The operation mechanism of the proposed sensors is validated by theoretical simulation and experimental results. From the experimental spectra, a liquid mass sensor with maximum sensitivity of

−
3.34

pm
/
mg

is obtained, and distilled water and alcohol can be identified. This scheme provides a new thread for droplet generation as well as fluidic properties characterization.
Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control and their association with healthcare access in the middle-aged and older Indian population: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Lee Jinkook , Wilkens Jenny , Meijer Erik , Sekher T. V. , Bloom David E. , Hu Peifeng 
Published: January 2022

Background
Hypertension is the most important cardiovascular risk factor in India, and representative studies of middle-aged and older Indian adults have been lacking. Our objectives were to estimate the proportions of hypertensive adults who had been diagnosed, took antihypertensive medication, and achieved control in the middle-aged and older Indian population and to investigate the association between access to healthcare and hypertension management.

Methods and findings
We designed a nationally representative cohort study of the middle-aged and older Indian population, the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), and analyzed data from the 2017–2019 baseline wave (N = 72,262) and the 2010 pilot wave (N = 1,683). Hypertension was defined as self-reported physician diagnosis or elevated blood pressure (BP) on measurement, defined as systolic BP ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg. Among hypertensive individuals, awareness, treatment, and control were defined based on self-reports of having been diagnosed, taking antihypertensive medication, and not having elevated BP, respectively. The estimated prevalence of hypertension for the Indian population aged 45 years and older was 45.9% (95% CI 45.4%–46.5%). Among hypertensive individuals, 55.7% (95% CI 54.9%–56.5%) had been diagnosed, 38.9% (95% CI 38.1%–39.6%) took antihypertensive medication, and 31.7% (95% CI 31.0%–32.4%) achieved BP control. In multivariable logistic regression models, access to public healthcare was a key predictor of hypertension treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35, 95% CI 1.14–1.60, p = 0.001), especially in the most economically disadvantaged group (OR of the interaction for middle economic status = 0.76, 95% CI 0.61–0.94, p = 0.013; OR of the interaction for high economic status = 0.84, 95% CI 0.68–1.05, p = 0.124). Having health insurance was not associated with improved hypertension awareness among those with low economic status (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.86–1.07, p = 0.437) and those with middle economic status (OR of the interaction = 1.15, 95% CI 1.00–1.33, p = 0.051), but it was among those with high economic status (OR of the interaction = 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.48, p = 0.001). Comparing hypertension awareness, treatment, and control rates in the 4 pilot states, we found statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in hypertension management from 2010 to 2017–2019. The limitations of this study include the pilot sample being relatively small and that it recruited from only 4 states.

Conclusions
Although considerable variations in hypertension diagnosis, treatment, and control exist across different sociodemographic groups and geographic areas, reducing uncontrolled hypertension remains a public health priority in India. Access to healthcare is closely tied to both hypertension diagnosis and treatment.