bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Espaces vécus et temporalités de la ville en guerre. Mobilités et circulations à Damas et dans son arrière‑pays rural (xiie‑début xvie siècle)
Authors: Eychenne Mathieu
Published: November 2022

Entre le début du xiie siècle et la conquête ottomane en 1516, Damas a connu pas moins de vingt‑cinq sièges et blocus militaires. Cet article interroge les dimensions spatiales et temporelles de l’« état de guerre » qui, au moins à partir du xiie siècle, a saisi les villes proche‑orientales. Il s’intéresse à la façon dont la guerre modulait les différents espaces de la ville (portes et enceintes urbaines, faubourgs, territoire rural, etc.) et tendait à leur assigner des caractéristiques propres selon des temporalités bien définies. En se concentrant sur les mobilités et les contraintes de circulations des habitants, avant, pendant et après le siège, il s’agit ainsi de mettre en lumière les usages et perceptions de ces différents espaces par les populations et la façon dont elles faisaient l’expérience de la ville en guerre.
La guerre au Maghreb à la fin du Moyen Âge : une bataille de la résilience urbaine
Authors: Correia Jorge
Published: November 2022

En 1415, le Maghreb islamique vit l’arrivée d’un nouvel agent politique, militaire et religieux dans la région : les portugais chrétiens. La conquête de Ceuta entama un processus de colonisation qui, à la fin du xve siècle, aboutit à la création du territoire dit « le Gharb d’outre-mer », comprenant trois autres places fortifiées : Ksar Sghir, Tanger et Asilah. Le siège des villes musulmanes influença de manière irréversible leur devenir urbain. Les conquérants adoptèrent une attitude pragmatique. Elle était orientée vers la pérennité des forteresses dans un environnement hostile. Des réductions significatives de leur périmètre et leur surface de la zone occupée furent réalisées, selon une procédure appelée atalho (réduction). Dans un esprit profondément rationnel, cette technique conduisit à une analyse radicale des limites des villes appropriées, les régularisant géométriquement et réévaluant leur orientation et leur configuration interne. Cet article se concentre sur l’impact effectif que ces nouveaux seigneurs provoquèrent dans les médinas musulmanes fortifiées préexistantes, désormais dépourvues de leur population autochtone, en particulier en ce qui concerne l’architecture militaire et les bâtiments publics.
L’An 41 : la prise de Marrakech par les Almohades
Authors: Ghouirgate Mehdi
Published: November 2022

Cet article se propose de revenir sur un événement majeur : la prise de Marrakech par les Almohades en 541/1147. Pour ce faire, le siège et la prise de la capitale almoravide sont replacés dans leur contexte, celui d’une lutte à mort entre deux dynasties qui ambitionnaient d’unifier l’ensemble de l’Occident musulman. Il s’agit également d’analyser comment ce tournant est appréhendé dans les sources arabes médiévales et d’identifier des différences entre les sources favorables aux Almohades et celles qui leur furent hostiles : elles mettent au jour une lutte idéologique pour légitimer ou décrier les Almohades. À ce titre, la source la plus substantielle relative à ce changement de régime, Ibn ʿIḏārī, fait l’objet ici d’une traduction qui permet de rendre compte du modus operandi des chroniqueurs.
Investigating the territorial embeddedness of circular economic practices in the Brussels-Capital Region
Authors: Lambert Deborah , Santos Mariana , Bassens David
Published: November 2022

L’économie circulaire (EC) figure parmi les priorités de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (RBC), car elle permet de concilier durabilité et objectifs économiques, tels que la fixation des activités productives dans la région et la création d’emplois. Le présent document s’appuie sur six études de cas dans le secteur agroalimentaire pour examiner la manière dont l’EC s’imbrique dans les tissus sociospatial, économique, culturel, financier et institutionnel de la région. Nous constatons que l’EC englobe une pluralité de pratiques, ce qui augure de nombreuses possibilités pour son expansion. Nous recommandons de tenir compte de cette diversité, dans la mesure où les politiques visent à créer des coalitions entre la Région, des entreprises dont les modèles économiques et les missions divergent, ainsi que des initiatives de proximité dans différents domaines. En outre, il apparaît nécessaire de valoriser les « emplois circulaires » et nous préconisons d’accorder plus d’attention aux activités d’EC urbaines au-delà 1) de celles centrées sur les marchés ciblant des consommateurs à revenus moyens ou élevés, et/ou 2) de celles qui font grimper la valeur marchande de l’immobilier.
Bureaucratic and Cultural Barriers That Impede Optimal Management in Administrative Processes in Public Universities in Peru
Authors: Coral Marco A. , Bernuy Augusto E.
Published: November 2022

The administrative processes are defined by the single text of administrative procedures (TUPA), which guarantee the delivery of services to users. Unfortunately, in the public university there are barriers that affect their execution generating considerable delays. The success in the issuance of services is measured by the level of service and proactive management towards the user. However, the interested party is neglected privileging the personal interest in internal management instead of public service. A diagnosis based on data analysis is carried out to determine the factors related to cultural barriers and bureaucratic barriers, based on the behavior of the processes of degrees and titles at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos with linear regression and text mining techniques. Problems of administrative and technological management and negative impact on the execution of processes are shown. It is justified to continue the research with a proposed solution in the framework of digital transformation, where the user is the center of the process.
Social Challenges Faced by Health Service Providers in Managing COVID-19
Authors: Huda S. S. M. Sadrul , Dilshad Segufta , Mosharraf Hamida , Uddin Md. Ishtiak
Published: November 2022

The purpose of the paper is to shed light on the social and personal experiences of the front-line service providers in a pandemic situation with a view to extend the service triangle model which doesn't employ the social dimension of service delivery. This research pursues the exploratory research approach as it tries to propose a new insight into a service delivery model. The paper is developed based on archival method. The major national newspapers of the country have been scanned to find out the issues of front liners during the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak. The people like the doctors and nurses who have to come in direct contact with COVID-19 patients have to face dual pressure: pressure from their job responsibilities and pressure from social and family life. They found inadequate support for the health service producers from their workplace and society, which cause person-role conflict. This paper concludes that the need for social support for the health service providers is crucial in delivering adequate health service during a pandemic.
Efficacy of Electronic Monitoring
Authors: Elking Isaac
Published: November 2022

The use of electronic performance monitoring is becoming increasingly widespread in conjunction with the digitalization of today's supply chains, yet the efficacy of these systems to improve desired performance outcomes is still highly uncertain. This study examines the effect of a federal regulation mandating the adoption of electronic data logging devices for commercial truck drivers in late 2017 and the efficacy of this regulatory effort in improving safety through an analysis of motor vehicle fatalities pre- and post-mandate. Results of a difference in difference estimation show the ELD mandate failed to reduce motor vehicle fatalities, and, in fact, may have increased overall fatality rates. These findings suggest that the expected benefits of electronic monitoring are likely to be highly contingent on proper design and implementation and a failure to consider the broader effects may lead to negative outcomes.
Towards an Organizational Approach for an Advanced Agricultural Information System (AAIS)
Authors: Righi Thabet , Meftah Mohammed Charaf Eddine
Published: November 2022

Agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors that societies have relied on since ancient times. The developing countries have reached now and late to smart agriculture, or precision agriculture, which uses the latest developments in the field of informatics and the internet of things. Many scientific projects have contributed to the development of smart agriculture, however, these projects focus on partial aspects without addressing other aspects. The application of the results of these projects becomes either a partial or a composite application of different heterogeneous works, which renders the desired results ineffective. Accordingly, this paper proposes a comprehensive reference regulatory approach for an advanced agricultural information system that accommodates the agricultural sector within its interconnected levels, public and private, and its various aspects (Monitor, Prediction, Optimization, Control) within a modern information technology vision based on the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence and optimization technologies.
Automated Word Sense Disambiguation Using WordNet Ontology
Authors: Belila Khaoula , Kazar Okba , Meftah Mohammed Charaf Eddine
Published: November 2022

Automatic word sense disambiguation is a major challenge in natural language processing domain. In recent years, many of supervised and knowledge-based approaches were developed to solve this problem. The use of a sense inventory as a knowledge background to disambiguate words is a very useful technique rather than supervised approaches, with its need of a large pre-trained text corpus. This paper proposes a new approach to disambiguate words in text based on WordNet ontology, as sense inventory. The authors introduce a new technique called Gloss+ for word-sense disambiguation (WSD), which is based on using of the glosses of WordNet synonyms of the target word and the local context in which this word is used. This technique exploits a special behavior of the polysemous synsets. This behavior is detected during the disambiguation process and is used to improve the results obtained. In the experiment part, the authors compare the proposed approach to the methodologies which use synonyms or glosses only.
An Exploratory Case Study on the Effects of E-Service Quality on Student Satisfaction and Retention
Authors: Kundu Arnab
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of e-service quality on student satisfaction and retention. It reports an exploratory case study conducted on 50 purposively selected undergraduate students from a government-run higher education institution in India. The data were collected for content analysis through interviews and focus group discussions based on students' subjective experiences. Findings revealed that e-service quality substantially impacts students' satisfaction levels which eventually accosts their retention in the e-learning environment. A majority of interviewees stated all four dimensions of e-service quality—efficiency, fulfilment, privacy, and system availability—are instrumental to influence their satisfaction level. Satisfied students are more likely to be retained. The implication is that students might be provided with a more satisfied and engaging e-learning experience and service providers or institutions who seek customer satisfaction might take note of these dimensions to boost e-learning.
Guillain-Barre syndrome in Sri Lanka: subtypes and trends
Authors: Gunasekera Sudath M. , Gunarathna Kamal , Samarawickrama Duminda , Dharmakeerthi D. M. W. , Sesath Hewa G. R. , Wijesekera Ravindra L. , Perera S. D.
Published: November 2022

Objectives: To evaluate Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) subtypes in Sri Lanka. Design setting: The patients satisfying established criteria for diagnosis of GBS were included. The cases were classified into GBS subtypes based on electrodiagnostic findings. Patient intervention: None Measurements: Clinical neurophysiological evaluations were done. The studies were repeated as appropriate. Results: The evaluations were done between 2 and 143 days from onset (median = 7 days). There were 1153 patients (Male: Female = 1.4 :1) with age 1 to 86 years (mean = 43.7). Of them 191 (16.6%) were below 13 years (Male: Female = 1.2:1). GBS subtypes were demyelinating type 577 (50%), axonal forms 475 (41.2%), Miller-Fisher syndrome 5 (0.4%) and unclassifiable 96 (8.3%). Among the children there were 99 (51.8%) with demyelinating type, 82 (42.9%) with axonal forms, 10 (5.2%) with unclassifiable findings and none with MFS. There was some clustering of both demyelinating and axonal cases in the early and late months of the year whereas in children there is excessive occurrence of GBS cases of both types in the first 5 months of the year. There is a second peak of axonal GBS later in the year. Overall tendency of reduction in the number of cases, especially axonal forms, is noticeable over the years. Interpretation: The age and sex distribution of the cases is similar to that of other countries. The occurrence of axonal subtypes is prominent. The proportions of GBS subtypes and case clustering in children may be related to the preceding infection.
‘Neurophobia’ of medical undergraduates: does it affect exam performance? The Sri Lankan perspective
Authors: Ranasinghe P. , Gunatilake S. B.
Published: November 2022

‘Neurophobia’ is the ‘fear of neural sciences and clinical neurology held by medical students and doctors’. Neurophobia, results in doctors performing a poor neurological examination and referring patients indiscriminately to neurologist. It is said to originate in medical school. The extent of the problem in Sri Lanka is yet to be established. The present study aims to ascertain whether neurophobia actually affects the medical undergraduates’ performance at the final year examination or is a simple ‘perceived’ phobia without an impact on students’ performance. Materials and methods: The marks of students’ for the Structured Essay Questions (SEQs) were analyzed at three consecutive final year examinations (2008-2010). Data were analyzed using SPSS v14. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Sample size for years 2008-2010 were 160, 151 and 155 respectively, while the average marks (±SD) for all SEQs were 58.1±7.7, 54.5±7.7 and 59.8±9.2 respectively. In the 2008 batch the marks in neurology (59.8±14.6) was significantly higher only from marks for pulmonology question (53.1±12.7). In 2009 the marks for the neurology question (69.4±15.0) was significantly higher than all other questions, while in 2010 the marks obtained for the neurology (54.6±23.4) was significantly lower than the marks for the cardiology (61.8±9.2), pulmonology (77.6±9.6) and nephrology (60.9±9.2). The students’ overall average decreased significantly by exclusion of the neurology question in 2009 from 58.2±8.0 to 54.5±7.7 (p<0.001), but not in the other years studied. With the exclusion of the neurology question marks, the average of those having an overall average for all questions of <50 improved, but in the better students (overall average >50) the average remained unchanged. Conclusion: The impact of neurophobia on the performance of medical undergraduates at SEQ examinations seems to be very minimal. However, further studies are needed in other areas to assess the impact of neurophobia, on clinical practice, on patient-based clinical examination and management.
Dopa-responsive dystonia – diagnosed 50 years after onset of symptoms
Authors: Alibhoy A. T.
Published: November 2022

No abstract available
Birth of the unique Institute of Neurology, Sri Lanka
Authors: Peiris J. B.
Published: November 2022

No abstract available
Peer tutoring experiences of neonatal nursing simulations among Korean nursing students: a qualitative study
Authors: An Hyeran , Koo Hyun Young
Published: November 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to explore nursing students' experiences of neonatal nursing simulations using peer tutoring. Methods: In this qualitative content analysis study, data were collected using a narrative survey and focus group interviews with 27 third-year nursing students and six fourth-year nursing students from April to May 2022. Content analysis of the collected data was conducted. Results: Four categories—"stabilizing emotionally through each other", "advancing together", "difficulties in relationships", and "hoping to continue"—and nine sub-categories were extracted. The sub-categories "reduced burden" and "gaining confidence" were grouped into the first category, "stabilizing emotionally through each other". The sub-categories "being motivated to learn," "increased learning ability", and "preparation as a process" were grouped under "advancing together", and "attitudes affecting study environment" and "depending on help" were grouped into the third category of "difficulties in relationships". The fourth category of "hoping to continue" had "wanting to supplement for development" and "wanting to participate in different roles" as sub-categories. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we expect pediatric nursing practicum education to improve through the active use of neonatal nursing simulation education incorporating peer tutoring.
Obiit: Professor Willem Sterrenberg Prinsloo - 5 Oktober 1997
Authors: Van der Watt P. B.
Published: November 2022

Obiit: Professor Willem Sterrenberg Prinsloo - 5 October 1997: The death of Professor W S Prinsloo on the 5th of October 1997 had immense consequences. This defecit was an incountable loss for the Old Testament scholarship and science in South Africa. Prinsloo was a competent scholar who had a wide range of international scholarlycontacts. He served the Old Testament study with research, lectures and writing. His contribution to the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria cannot be over estimated. In addition 10 his lecturing responsibilities, his service as dean can be described as monumentous. The Faculty of Theology in particular and the University of Pretoria in general could be grateful for, and proud of this great academic.
Johannes Brahms, agnosticism and some other wisdom
Authors: Loader J. A.
Published: November 2022

The use made of the biblical text in the cycle Vier ernste Gesange by Johannes Brahms is investigated. The German text of Qohelet, Ben Sira and 1 Corinthians and the impact of their reciprocal relationship as Opus 121 are shown to illustrate the aspect of creativity on the hermeneutical level and a possible meaning of agnosticism on the theological level.
Die liturgie in die spieël van die Psalms
Authors: Vos C. J.A.
Published: November 2022

The liturgy as mirrored in the Psalms: The basic premise of this article is that meditation on the psalms leads us to look at them from a liturgical perspective. Since the liturgy is an expression of various acts and experiences offaith, the psalms - which are also an interpretation of acts of faith and lived faith - are a rich source of liturgical inspiration. This article illustrates the way the psalms provide the building material for various liturgical procedures. We shall be reading Psalm 24 very attentively with a view to sermon writing. This article is dedicated to the memory of the late Prof W S Prinsloo, an outstanding reader and exegete of the psalms.
A Scoping Review of Recent Advancements in Intervention and Outcome Measures for Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairments
Authors: Dawar Dimple , Kamalakannan Sureshkumar , Chawla Nistara S. , Mathew Jibil T. , Mehmood Esha , Bhatnagar Unnati , Pandian Jeyaraj Durai
Published: November 2022

Background:

Cognitive deficit is one of the common impairments that occur post stroke and have a major effect on the quality of life of stroke survivors. However, the intervention and outcome measures used to remediate post-stroke cognitive impairments are diverse and highly heterogeneous. Therefore, a review of intervention and outcome measures for post-stroke cognitive impairments was carried out.

Objectives:

To review all available information on the recent advancements in intervention and outcome measures for post-stroke cognitive impairments.

Methods:

An electronic database search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library with key search terms between 2001 and 2021. The search results were systematically screened, and data was independently extracted by three reviewers. The data was thematically analyzed and narratively synthesized.

Results:

The search retrieved 2018 records, and we included 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies targeted global cognitive deficits in ischemic stroke patients in the chronic phase. We categorized data based on the type of cognitive impairment, cognitive- domain targeted, intervention, and available outcome measures for post-stroke cognitive rehabilitation. Attention, memory, executive function, and global cognition were the common cognitive components targeted, managed, and assessed using an outcome measure. We found that technology is replacing conventional approaches to improve cognitive impairment.

Conclusion:

Regardless of many new developments in post-stroke cognitive rehabilitation interventions driven by technology, there is limited data available on actual implementation as a scalable solution. There is an extensive need for future research for evidence-based assessment and management of cognitive impairments in post-stroke rehabilitation.
Safety of Recanalization Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients on Direct Oral Anticoagulant Therapy
Authors: Zhang Yanxing , Tang Huan , Gui Xiaohong , Du Ye , Wu Chenglong
Published: November 2022

This review provides an updated assessment of the safety of recanalization therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) therapy. We checked the literature for published observational from 1st January 1950 to 31st March 2021. The rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), arterial recanalization rate, good functional recovery, and mortality at 3 months were investigated, and data were expressed as Risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Publication bias, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression analyses were conducted utilizing STATA software. 17 articles [14 for endovascular therapy (EVT) and 3 intravenous thrombolysis for (IVT)] were finally included in the review. AIS patients with DOAC therapy showed a decreased rate of sICH (RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.72 to 1.00, P = 0.04), and lower probability of good functional recovery at three months (RR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.85, P < 0.001) than patients without anticoagulation therapy post EVT. However, no significant differences in sICH rates in AIS patients with DOAC therapy after IVT (RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.48 to 1.58, P = 0.64) were observed. AIS patients not prescribed DOAC after EVT had a higher mortality risk (RR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.15–1.44, P < 0.001). Patients with AIS on DOAC therapy were found to have a lower incidence of sICH following EVT. However, no evidence of an increased bleeding risk in patients previously treated with DOAC after IVT was observed. Therefore, more detailed studies with biological data to monitor compliance and details on the size and etiology/severity of the incident ischemic lesion is needed.
Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes among Persons with Disabilities in the South-East Asian Region
Authors: Thiagesan Rajeswaran , Gopichandran Vijayaprasad , Subramaniam Sudharshini , Soundari Hilaria , Kosalram Kalpana
Published: November 2022

Background:

Type 2 diabetes is a major public health burden in the South-East Asian region. Persons with disabilities have a higher predilection for developing type 2 diabetes.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among persons with physical, development, sensory, and psychiatric disabilities in the South-East Asian regional countries.

Methods:

The Medline database was searched through PubMed using a specifically developed search strategy to identify observational studies that looked at the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among persons with various types of disabilities. Specific inclusion–exclusion criteria were used to shortlist the most relevant studies. The AXIS tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the identified studies. Data were extracted from the final list of studies and meta-analyzed using a random-effects model. Forest plot was used to study the pooled estimate and funnel plot was studied to assess publication bias. Subgroup analysis of prevalence of diabetes among persons with psychiatric and physical disabilities was performed.

Results:

A total of 771 papers were identified for screening. Of them, 740 were excluded and 31 were included in the full-text review. Finally, 12 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among persons with disabilities was 12.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.8%–16.8%). The studies showed a wide heterogeneity. The funnel plot did not show any publication bias. Subgroup analysis showed that while the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in persons with psychiatric disabilities was 14.0% (95% CI: 9%–18.9%), it was 10.6% (95% CI: 3.6%–17.6%) among persons with other forms of physical disabilities.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is high among persons with disabilities. There is a need for well-conducted systematic studies in the South-East Asian region on prevalence of type 2 diabetes among persons with disabilities.
Experiential Learning
Authors: Pal Debkumar , Taywade Manish , Gopi Kumbha
Published: November 2022

Kolb's cycle of experiential learning is the new method of pedagogy for medical education. It is helpful in the integration of book knowledge and practical knowledge, which is an essential component in competency-based medical education. Experiential learning is helpful for students and more interesting also for them.
Ensuring Training of Medical Students in Bioethics Competencies as an Integral Part of Medical Curriculum
Authors: Shrivastava Saurabh RamBihariLal , Shrivastava Prateek Saurabh
Published: November 2022

Ethics has been considered an integral and indispensable part of the health-care profession for multiple decades. The term “bioethics” generally refers to the study of ethical issues arising because of the development made in the field of medicine, biology, and technology, which might become a cause of concern for humans or detrimentally affects the association between human and their environment. In order to streamline the training process of medical students in bioethics, there is an indispensable need to define the competencies that need to be covered during the training period. We must understand that teaching bioethics is way more than covers a theoretical topic, rather it requires exposure of medical students to a number of practical and clinically relevant scenarios. In conclusion, training medical students in bioethics have to be acknowledged as an important need, as it will eventually determine the safety and well-being of the current and future generations of people. It is high time that specific steps are taken to define specific bioethics competencies and integrate them with the existing medical curriculum to benefit both medical students and the general population.
The Incidence of Trauma with the Use of Glidescope in Anticipated Difficult Airway Cases – A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Jeyakumar Mary Benita , Abraham Melvin Alex , Singh Georgene , Chandy Tony Thomson
Published: November 2022

Background:

Glidescope video-laryngoscope (GVL) is an invaluable equipment for patients with anticipated difficult intubations that aids in visualizing the vocal cords out of line-of-sight. However, despite the ease in the visualization and shortening of the time taken to visualise the cords, the intubation time is often prolonged and is associated with trauma. This study aims at identifying incidence of trauma with glidescope in anticipated difficult airway scenario and whether correct practice by experienced anesthesiologist can reduce trauma.

Methodology:

Eighty-nine adult patients with anticipated difficult airway who were intubated using GVL by experienced anesthesiologists in a tertiary care setting were studied. The time to visualize, the time to intubate, the difficulties encountered at intubation were documented, the incidence of trauma was reported. The factors associated with trauma were analyzed using PSPP software (psppire. exe 0.8.4-g012d99).

Results:

The incidence of airway trauma was 11.2%. It was higher in the group with technical difficulties (Gtd) (P < 0.001) and was less in the hands of an experienced anesthesiologist (P = 0.02).

Conclusion:

GVL intubation in anticipated difficult airway cases by experienced anesthesiologists using the right technique has lesser incidence of trauma, lesser than that is seen with Macintosh intubations in anticipated difficult airway scenario. Knowledge on techniques to troubleshoot technical difficulties with GVL may reduce the incidence of trauma further and needs to be studied more.
Incidence and Analysis of Acute Transfusion Reactions in a Hospital-Based Hemovigilance System at a Tertiary Care Center in Bangladesh
Authors: Afroz Tamanna , Ishra Rakia Hossain , Mohammed Saleh Abu Jafar
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives:

Blood transfusion is a life-saving intervention but may cause nonfatal to fatal untoward events. Therefore, for safe blood transfusion, various adverse reactions need to be identified and steps should be taken to reduce such events. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and analyze the types of acute transfusion reactions (ATRs) with associated factors.

Patients and Methods:

All ATRs reported to the transfusion medicine department from January 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. The incidence of ATRs and its associated factors were assessed.

Results:

During the study period, a total of 39,070 units of blood were issued, out of which there was an incidence of 0.24% (n = 95) ATRs mostly seen in females and older patients aged above 60 years. Most common ATR was febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (51.6%, n = 49), followed by allergic reaction (35.8%, n = 34). The most common symptom was chills and rigor (41.1%). The frequency of reactions was significantly higher with packed red blood cell transfusion (62.1%). Patients with previous transfusion history (n = 63, % = 66.3, P = 0.711) had more ATRs.

Conclusion:

By this study, the authors want to create awareness among health personnel involved in the transfusion chain is necessary to establish a proper hemovigilance system.
Psychosocial Problems in Caregivers of Persons with Mental Illness: A Meta-analytic Review
Authors: Singh Abhijeet , Ali Arif
Published: November 2022

Background:

Mental illness may cause a variety of psychosocial problems in care givers.

Aim and Objective:

To review caregiver studies in persons with mental illness, in India and outside India, in the last two decades and to find out potential challenges associated with caregiving.

Methods:

Using keywords, we performed searches of electronic databases (PubMed, IndMed, PsychInfo, Science-Direct, Science Hub, and Google Scholar) and Internet sources, as well as and a manual search in the bibliography of the retrieved articles to identify potential original research articles on caregiving in mental illnesses.

Results:

Out of 714 studies, only 83 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The sample size of the caregiver studies ranged from 20 to 500, with the majority of the hospital-based studies, conducted in psychosis/schizophrenia, Bipolar Affective Disorders and in Alzheimer’s Disorders. Challenges of caregiving highlighted were physical problems (such as complaints of palpitation, dizziness, and insomnia), psychological problems (irritability, anxiety, and depression), social problems (stigma, decreased social support, diminished reputation in society), and familial problems (poor family functioning, poor coping), care burden and issues related to resilience, family functioning and expressed emotions.

Conclusion:

Our findings broadly support interventions promoting social support in caregivers to prevent or alleviate the subjective burden and, specifically, to intervene on the promotion of perceived social support more than on the promotion of received social support when preventing or alleviating the burden.
Identification of celiac disease associated IgA nephropathy by IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase2 antibody deposits in archived formalin-fixed tissues
Authors: Dutta Rimlee , Rawat Ramakant , Das Prasenjit , Singh Geetika , Kumari Alka , Ahmad Muzafer , Chauhan Ashish , Ahuja Vineet , Agrawal Sanjay K. , Makharia Govind K.
Published: November 2022

Background:

The causal association between IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and celiac disease (CeD) is based on their clinical coexistence. In this prospective study, we screened patients with IgAN for CeD and explored the utility of analysis of IgA anti-TG2 antibody deposits, for establishing a causal association.

Methods:

Biopsy-proven patients of IgAN were screened for serum IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA anti-tTG Ab) titer and thereafter were invited to undergo endoscopic duodenal biopsy. Corresponding duodenal and kidney biopsies were subjected to IgA anti-TG2 antibody colocalization study using dual-color immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence techniques. Additionally, kidney biopsies from 105 patients with IgAN who did not give consent for serology analysis, 30 non-IgA nephropathies, and 10 normal controls were also included. Dual-color-stained slides were interpreted based on stain distribution and intensity scores, and Pearson's index >0.3–1 on confocal imaging was considered significant.

Results:

Of a cohort of 151 patients with IgAN, 32 consented to undergo sero-screening and 5 of them had high serum anti-tTG Ab titer. Two out of the latter consented to endoscopic duodenal biopsies, in whom modified Marsh grade 3b changes were identified. Strong IgA anti-TG2 antibody deposits were noted in the kidney and duodenal biopsies of these patients. One patient out of non-consenting 105 patients with IgAN and 3 out of 30 patients with other non-IgA nephropathies also showed IgA anti-TG2 deposits. None of the healthy kidney tissues showed IgA anti-TG2 Ab deposits.

Conclusions:

Co-localized IgA anti-TG2 deposits in the kidney biopsies in patients with IgAN help to establish a pathogenic link with CeD. A small proportion of patients with IgAN have associated CeD.
Estimates for generalized Bohr radii in one and higher dimensions
Authors: Das Nilanjan
Published: November 2022

In this article, we study a generalized Bohr radius$R_{p, q}(X), p, q\in [1, \infty )$defined for a complex Banach spaceX. In particular, we determine the exact value of$R_{p, q}(\mathbb {C})$for the cases (i)$p, q\in [1, 2]$, (ii)$p\in (2, \infty ), q\in [1, 2]$, and (iii)$p, q\in [2, \infty )$. Moreover, we consider ann-variable version$R_{p, q}^n(X)$of the quantity$R_{p, q}(X)$and determine (i)$R_{p, q}^n(\mathcal {H})$for an infinite-dimensional complex Hilbert space$\mathcal {H}$and (ii) the precise asymptotic value of$R_{p, q}^n(X)$as$n\to \infty $for finite-dimensionalX. We also study the multidimensional analog of a related concept called thep-Bohr radius. To be specific, we obtain the asymptotic value of then-dimensionalp-Bohr radius for bounded complex-valued functions, and in the vector-valued case, we provide a lower estimate for the same, which is independent ofn.
Synthesis of some new antipyrine-thiophene hybrids and their evaluations as antioxidant and antibacterial agents
Authors: Saleh Altaf , Saeed Ali , E. Abdel-Ghani Ghada , El-Rayyes Ali , Abdel-Latif Ehab
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACT. A novel series of antipyrinyl thienyl ketones 4a-c, 7a-c, 10a-c, and 13a-b was chemically synthesized through the cyclocondensation of 4-chloroacetylantipyrine with various 2-substituted-thioacetanilide scaffolds, including 3-arylazo-4-mercapto-4-phenylamino-buten-2-ones, ethyl 2-arylazo-3-mercapto-3-phenylamino-acrylate, 2-cyano-3-mercapto-3-(phenylamino)-N-arylacrylamide, 4-mercapto-4-(phenylamino)but-3-en-2-one, and/or ethyl-3-mercapto-3-(phenylamino)acrylate. Indeed, the reaction of 4-chloroacetylantipyrine with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde followed by refluxing with 2-cyanoacetohydrazide yielded 2-cyano-N'-(4-(2-(antipyrin-4-yl)-2-oxoethoxy)benzylidene)-acetohydrazide 17 as a building compound, which was used consequentially to synthesize a set of new antipyrinyl thienyl hybrids 19a-d. The chemical structures of newly synthesised compounds were unambiguously confirmed using extensive elemental and spectral data analyses. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Compared to the test reference (Ascorbic acid, 88.0%), the antipyrinyl thienyl ketones 13a and 13b substituted with methyl and/or hydroxyl groups at the thiophene ring system displayed excellent antioxidant properties, 87.8% and 87.2%, respectively. Additionally, antipyrinyl thienyl ketones 13a and 13b showed high antibacterial activities, and their relative activity index (which ranges from 68% to 91.7%) was close to that of a reference compound, Ampicillin.

 

KEY WORDS: 4-Chloroacetylantipyrine, Thioacetanilide, Antipyrinyl thienyl ketones, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial

 

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(1), 123-140.                                                              a

DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i1.11
Benzoic acid derivatives: Anti-biofilm activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, quantum chemical calculations by DFT and molecular docking study
Authors: Kaya Kınaytürk Neslihan , Önem Ebru , Oturak Halil
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACT. Quorum sensing (QS), used by many pathogenic bacteria to express virulence factors, is seen as a new and effective strategy to combat resistant bacteria. In this study, theoretical investigations were made on the structural data of molecules to support the inhibition effects of 2-amino 4-chloro benzoic acid and 4-amino 2-chloro benzoic acid molecules. Theoretical calculations were performed by using the density functional theory with the B3LYP function and aug-cc-pVDZ basis set in the gas phase of the isolated compounds in the ground state. The biological activities of the related compounds were theoretically investigated against Covid-19 protein (PDB ID: 6LU7).

 

KEY WORDS: 2-Amino-4-chlorobenzoic acid, 4-Amino-2-chlorobenzoic acid, Quorum sensing, Molecular docking

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(1), 171-181.                                                            

DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i1.14
Mechanical, chemical, metallurgical characteristics under HBSS solution and optimization of AZ91D-Ti functional graded composites using TOPSIS
Authors: Tharaknath S. , Rahamathullah I.
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACT. Functional graded magnesium matrix composites (FGMMCs) are widely employed for biomedical, aerospace and thermal barrier applications because of their better mechanical properties, biocompatibility and bioactivity. In this study, AZ91D-wt. %Ti (x = 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16) composites are fabricated by ex-situ centrifugal casting method. The NaCl based solution is sprayed on all fabricated magnesium composites for 72 hours at the 1 kg/cm3 pressure spray and 6.9 pH value in salt spray chamber. The microhardness and flexural strength of fabricated composites are determined. The corrosion resistance of AZ91D-wt. %Ti fabricated composites is determined for 21 days immersion. The AZ91D -12wt. %Ti exhibits higher microhardness, flexural strength and corrosion resistance than other produced AZ91D-Ti composites. The optimization on micro machining process parameters is done on the AZ91D-12wt. %Ti with the help of Technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS).The input process parameters are selected as cutting rate, feed rate, depth of cut and tool type and the response parameters are selected as feed force, normal force, tool wear rate, burr height and surface roughness. The computed optimal micro milling process parameters are at 120 m/min cutting speed, 0.5 µm feed rate, 0.15 mm depth of cut and the TiB2 coated tool.

 

KEY WORDS: AZ91D -Ti, TOPSIS, Surface roughness, Tool wear loss, Cutting force

 

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(1), 77-89.                                                                   

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i1.7
Growth Response of Putrefactive Anaerobe 3679 to Combinations of Potassium Sorbate and Some Common Curing Ingredients (Sucrose, Salt, and Nitrite), and to Noninhibitory Levels of Sorbic Acid
Authors: RONNING IRENE E. , FRANK* HILMER A.
Published: November 2022

The effects of some common curing ingredients (sucrose, sodium chloride, and nitrite) on sorbate-induced inhibition were tested in putrefactive anaerobe (PA) 3679, a proteolytic species of Clostridium. A noninhibitory concentration (1%) of sucrose was not synergistic with the inhibitory action of potassium sorbate (30 mM; pH 6). The effect of sodium chloride depended upon the concentration used; a combination of 3% NaCl and sorbate (30 mM; pH 6) was more inhibitory than either compound alone but 1% NaCl reduced the inhibitory action of sorbate (30 mM; pH 6). Combining a noninhibitory concentration of nitrite (100 pM) and sorbate (30 mM; pH 6) was bactericidal to PA 3679. Nitrite raised the intracellular pH (pHi) and increased the protonmotive force (PMF) of untreated and sorbate-treated cells. Growth of PA 3679 was stimulated by the addition of a noninhibitory level of undissociated sorbic acid (5.5 mM; pH 7) or 0.1% glucose (5.5 mM) to a nutrient-deficient medium (0.25% trypticase [BBL]) but growth initiated more rapidly when sorbic acid was added than when the medium was supplemented with glucose. Results of this study are discussed in relation to the possible mechanisms of preservative action and suggest that certain recent changes in methods of food processing and packaging may increase the possibility of growth of clostridial organisms, including Clostridium botulinum.
Exploring the Crowdfunding Opportunities for HE Innovative Projects
Authors: Cseminschi Stanislav , Cojocari Elena , Ionica Andreea
Published: November 2022

In the current context, crowdfunding platforms are gaining more and more importance, allowing the coexistence of financing resources and investment opportunities for innovative projects all over the world. This is an echo of the "wisdom of the crowd" theory that brings value not only in decision making but also in problem solving, generating the development of new products that are thus tested to be viable on the market. Romania is at the beginning of the journey in this promising but also challenging world. The promising part results from statistics and facts on the successful campaigns in the last few years, especially in the tech domain, and the challenging part from the study of the most common reasons for the failure of a crowdfunding project. This article presents an analysis of the crowdfunding platforms to find how useful they can be for innovative university projects. Some projects carried out by students of the University of Petrosani were presented. In decision making of the most useful platform for each of the university projects, a multiple-criteria decision analysis was used. The identification of the best suited platforms for the projects within the University of Petrosani represents the main results of the present research.
Gestión millennial en una agencia creativa de la ciudad de Durango
Authors: Villarreal-Solís Francisco Martín , Molina-Sánchez Rubén , Blanco-Castañeda Enrique
Published: November 2022

Incorporar talento humano joven a las organizaciones supone retos para su gestión; los denominados jóvenes millennials han tomado mayor fuerza en el mundo laboral, lo que también significa expectativas y motivaciones distintas de los grupos generacionales que les precedieron; reconocer y gestionar esas nuevas necesidades puede significar una ventaja competitiva. A partir de las observaciones realizadas dentro del proceso de diagnóstico organizacional en la agencia creativa se concluye que esta requiere mejorar su gestión de personal, con elementos que contribuyan a retener el personal creativo y a crear un mejor ambiente de trabajo; las acciones a emprender se enfocan en el perfil millennial presente en los miembros de la organización. El proceso de identificación de las acciones y propuestas supuso la revisión de literatura enfocada específicamente en la gestión del talento millennial, desarrolladas por consultores y expertos en la materia; se propone un esquema basado centrado en la comunicación, retroalimentación constante, flexibilidad en el trabajo y liderazgo participativo, en un entorno de cultura organizacional que detone valores organizacionales que ayuden a crear compromiso en la empresa.
Lacey's Concept of Value-Free Science
Authors: Vacura Miroslav
Published: November 2022

Many philosophers of science have maintained that science should be value-free; still others believe that such ideal is neither achievable nor desirable for science. Hugh Lacey is presently one of the main supporters of the idea of value-free science and his theory is probably the most debated today and attracts the most attention and criticism. Therefore, in this text, I will primarily analyze his theory of value-free science. After briefly defining the notion of value I highlight which strategy Lacey chooses to lay a firm foundation for the concept of science without value, with his starting point being the differentiation between cognitive and non-cognitive values. Then I describe three basic characteristics of Lacey’s value-free science: impartiality, neutrality, and autonomy. However, the overall plan and design of his project, together with some concrete steps he takes, are not without problems in our view. I will try to point out some of these problematic issues and provide brief suggestions for alleviating them.
Peningkatan Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Siswa: Sebuah Action Research
Authors: Nadya Lucky , Santoso Ridwan
Published: November 2022

This study aims to improve students' critical thinking skills on the subject of human activities in meeting needs. The learning design in this study uses a Problem Based Learning (PBL) model. The learning subjects of this study were 20 students. This research data collection technique was carried out systematically using observation sheets. Based on learning observations in the first cycle, students' critical thinking skills completeness only reached 35% and there are still 65% that have not been completed. In the second cycle, the students' critical thinking skills were 60% complete, but 40% were still incomplete. In the third cycle, the impact was able to improve students' critical thinking skills, which reached 85%. With the findings and observations from the first cycle to the third cycle there was a significant increase and reached the indicators of success set by the researcher. The results of this study prove that the application of the PBL learning model can improve students' critical thinking skills. This finding is expected to be a reference for educators to improve students' critical thinking skills.