bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Template models for simulation of surface manipulation of musculoskeletal extremities
Authors: Doherty Sean , Landis Ben , Owings Tammy M. , Erdemir Ahmet
Published: August 2022

Capturing the surface mechanics of musculoskeletal extremities would enhance the realism of life-like mechanics imposed on the limbs within surgical simulations haptics. Other fields that rely on surface manipulation, such as garment or prosthetic design, would also benefit from characterization of tissue surface mechanics. Eight homogeneous tissue models were developed for the upper and lower legs and arms of two donors. Ultrasound indentation data was used to drive an inverse finite element analysis for individualized determination of region-specific material coefficients for the lumped tissue. A novel calibration strategy was implemented by using a ratio based adjustment of tissue properties from linear regression of model predicted and experimental responses. This strategy reduced requirement of simulations to an average of under four iterations. These free and open-source specimen-specific models can serve as templates for simulations focused on mechanical manipulations of limb surfaces.
Pregnancy outcomes following in vitro fertilization treatment in women with previous recurrent ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Xue Yamei , Tong Xiaomei , Zhang Haocheng , Zhang Songying
Published: August 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a history of recurrent ectopic pregnancy (EP) on pregnancy outcomes of subsequent in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study involving 457 women with a history of recurrent EP (REP group), 912 women with a history of single EP (SEP group), and 1169 women with a history of intrauterine pregnancy (IUP group) as the control group, was conducted. IVF outcomes were compared for each cohort.

Results

The incidence of EP in the REP group after IVF treatment was significantly lower than those in the SEP group (2.4% vs. 6.8%, P = 0.011), and similar to those in the IUP group (2.4% vs. 2.1%, P = 0.830). No significant differences were observed in the clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, and live birth rate among the three groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the recurrent EP rate between the salpingectomy and salpingostomy treatments. Adjusting for maternal and treatment factors did not influence live birth rates for women with previous REP compared with women with previous SEP and those with IUP. The odds of EP were 82.2% lower (OR 0.178, 95% CI 0.042–0.762; P = 0.020) in women who had blastocyst transfer compared with cleavage embryo transfer in the SEP group. The odds of EP were over six times (OR 6.260, 95% CI 1.255–31.220; P = 0.025) in women who underwent double embryo transfer as opposed to single embryo transfer in the IUP group.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that women with previous recurrent EP have a lower risk of EP after IVF in comparison with women with previous single EP. Previous EP has no significant adverse effect on the main IVF outcomes. The salpingostomy and salpingectomy treatments of EP do not significantly affect the incidence of recurrent EP after IVF.
Development of a diarrhoea severity scoring scale in a passive health facility-based surveillance system
Authors: St Jean Denise T. , Chilyabanyama Obvious N. , Bosomprah Samuel , Asombang Mah , Velu Rachel M. , Chibuye Mwelwa , Mureithi Fiona , Sukwa Nsofwa , Chirwa Masuzyo , Mokha Prudence , Chilengi Roma , Simuyandi Michelo
Published: August 2022

Background

Diarrhoeal disease remains a leading cause of death among children mostly in low and middle-income countries. Factors contributing to disease severity are complex and there is currently no consensus on a scoring tool for use in community-based studies.

Methods

Data were collected during a passive surveillance system in an outpatient health facility in Lusaka, Zambia from March 2019 to July 2019. Diarrhea episodes were assessed for severity using an in-house severity scoring tool (CIDRZ) and previously published scores (Vesikari, Clark, CODA, and DHAKA). The CIDRZ score was constructed using fieldworker-reported clinical signs and exploratory factor analysis. We used precision-recall curves measuring severe diarrhoea (i.e., requiring intravenous rehydration or referred for hospital admission) to determine the best performing scores. Then, we used Cronbach’s alpha to assess the scale’s internal consistency. Finally, we used Cohen’s kappa to assess agreement between the scores.

Results

Of 110 diarrhea episodes, 3 (3%) required intravenous rehydration or were referred for hospital admission. The precision-recall area under the curve of each score as a predictor of severe diarrhoea requiring intravenous rehydration or hospital admission was 0.26 for Vesikari, 0.18 for CODA, 0.24 for Clark, 0.59 for DHAKA, and 0.59 for CIDRZ. The CIDRZ scale had substantial reliability and performed similarly to the DHAKA score.

Conclusions

Diarrhoea severity scores focused on characteristics specific to dehydration status may better predict severe diarrhea among children in Lusaka. Aetiology-specific scoring tools may not be appropriate for use in community healthcare settings. Validation studies for the CIDRZ score in diverse settings and with larger sample sizes are warranted.
An investigation into the relationship between multimedia lecture design and learners’ engagement behaviours using web log analysis
Authors: Doherty Cailbhe
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this transaction log analysis was to evaluate university students’ engagement behaviours with a catalogue of multimedia lectures. These lectures incorporated selected instructional design principles from the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML). Specifically, thirty-two multimedia lectures which differentially employed the signalling, segmenting and embodiment principles from the CTML were delivered to a cohort of 92 students throughout an academic trimester. Engagement with each multimedia lecture was measured in three domains: affective engagement was measured using a Likert-style survey that accompanied each multimedia lecture; behavioural engagement was measured using the web logs provided by YouTube Studio analytics (average watch time); cognitive engagement was measured using students’ average score on a quiz that accompanied each multimedia lecture. Separate multiple linear regression analyses for measures of affective, behavioural and cognitive engagement revealed that multimedia lectures that ‘stacked’ the instructional design principles of embodiment (whereby the lecture was interspersed with clips of an enthusiastic onscreen instructor), segmenting (where lectures were divided into shorter, user-paced segments) and signalling (where onscreen labels highlighted important material) increased measures of engagement, including overall watch time, number of survey submission and number of quiz attempts (P < 0.05). There was no association between any of the tested principles and students’ quiz scores or their responses on the Likert-style survey. This study adds to the available literature demonstrating the effectiveness of the signalling, segmenting and embodiment principles for increasing learner engagement with multimedia lectures.
Global TALES feasibility study: Personal narratives in 10-year-old children around the world
Authors: Westerveld Marleen F. , Lyons Rena , Nelson Nickola Wolf , Chen Kai Mei , Claessen Mary , Ferman Sara , Fernandes Fernanda Dreux M. , Gillon Gail T. , Kawar Khaloob , Kuvač Kraljević Jelena , Petinou Kakia , Theodorou Eleni , Tumanova Tatiana , Vogandroukas Ioannis , Westby Carol ,   on behalf the Global TALES Consortium
Published: August 2022

Personal narratives make up more than half of children’s conversations. The ability to share personal narratives helps build and maintain friendships, promotes physical and emotional wellbeing, supports classroom participation, and underpins academic success and vocational outcomes. Although personal narratives are a universal discourse genre, cross-cultural and cross-linguistic research into children’s ability to share personal narratives is in its infancy. The current study addresses this gap in the research by developing the Global TALES protocol, a protocol comprising six scripted prompts for eliciting personal narratives in school-age children (excited, worried, annoyed, proud, problem situation, something important). We evaluated its feasibility with 249 ten-year-old children from 10 different countries, speaking 8 different languages, and analyzed researchers’ views on the process of adapting the protocol for use in their own country/language. At group-level, the protocol elicited discourse samples from all children, although individual variability was evident, with most children providing responses to all six prompts. When investigating the topics of children’s personal narratives in response to the prompts, we found that children from around the world share many commonalities regarding topics of conversation. Once again individual variability was high, indicating the protocol is effective in prompting children to share their past personal experiences without forcing them to focus on one particular topic. Feedback from the participating researchers on the use of the protocol in their own countries was generally positive, although several translation issues were noted. Based on our results, we now invite clinical researchers from around the world to join us in conducting further research into this important area of practice to obtain a better understanding of the development of personal narratives from children across different languages and cultures and to begin to establish local benchmarks of performance.
Human LAMP1 accelerates Lassa virus fusion and potently promotes fusion pore dilation upon forcing viral fusion with non-endosomal membrane
Authors: Zhang You , Carlos de la Torre Juan , Melikyan Gregory B.
Published: August 2022

Lassa virus (LASV) cell entry is mediated by the interaction of the virus glycoprotein complex (GPC) with alpha-dystroglycan at the cell surface followed by binding to LAMP1 in late endosomes. However, LAMP1 is not absolutely required for LASV fusion, as this virus can infect LAMP1-deficient cells. Here, we used LASV GPC pseudoviruses, LASV virus-like particles and recombinant lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus expressing LASV GPC to investigate the role of human LAMP1 (hLAMP1) in LASV fusion with human and avian cells expressing a LAMP1 ortholog that does not support LASV entry. We employed a combination of single virus imaging and virus population-based fusion and infectivity assays to dissect the hLAMP1 requirement for initiation and completion of LASV fusion that culminates in the release of viral ribonucleoprotein into the cytoplasm. Unexpectedly, ectopic expression of hLAMP1 accelerated the kinetics of small fusion pore formation, but only modestly increased productive LASV fusion and infection of human and avian cells. To assess the effects of hLAMP1 in the absence of requisite endosomal host factors, we forced LASV fusion with the plasma membrane by applying low pH. Unlike the conventional LASV entry pathway, ectopic hLAMP1 expression dramatically promoted the initial and full dilation of pores formed through forced fusion at the plasma membrane. We further show that, while the soluble hLAMP1 ectodomain accelerates the kinetics of nascent pore formation, it fails to promote efficient pore dilation, suggesting the hLAMP1 transmembrane domain is involved in this late stage of LASV fusion. These findings reveal a previously unappreciated role of hLAMP1 in promoting dilation of LASV fusion pores, which is difficult to ascertain for endosomal fusion where several co-factors, such as bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate, likely regulate LASV entry.
Salmonella Typhimurium outer membrane protein A (OmpA) renders protection from nitrosative stress of macrophages by maintaining the stability of bacterial outer membrane
Authors: Roy Chowdhury Atish , Sah Shivjee , Varshney Umesh , Chakravortty Dipshikha
Published: August 2022

Bacterial porins are highly conserved outer membrane proteins used in the selective transport of charged molecules across the membrane. In addition to their significant contributions to the pathogenesis of Gram-negative bacteria, their role(s) in salmonellosis remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the role of outer membrane protein A (OmpA), one of the major outer membrane porins of Salmonella, in the pathogenesis of Salmonella Typhimurium (STM). Our study revealed that OmpA plays an important role in the intracellular virulence of Salmonella. An ompA deficient strain of Salmonella (STM ΔompA) showed compromised proliferation in macrophages. We found that the SPI-2 encoded virulence factors such as sifA and ssaV are downregulated in STM ΔompA. The poor colocalization of STM ΔompA with LAMP-1 showed that disruption of SCV facilitated its release into the cytosol of macrophages, where it was assaulted by reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI). The enhanced recruitment of nitrotyrosine on the cytosolic population of STM ΔompAΔsifA and ΔompAΔssaV compared to STM ΔsifA and ΔssaV showed an additional role of OmpA in protecting the bacteria from host nitrosative stress. Further, we showed that the generation of greater redox burst could be responsible for enhanced sensitivity of STM ΔompA to the nitrosative stress. The expression of several other outer membrane porins such as ompC, ompD, and ompF was upregulated in STM ΔompA. We found that in the absence of ompA, the enhanced expression of ompF increased the outer membrane porosity of Salmonella and made it susceptible to in vitro and in vivo nitrosative stress. Our study illustrates a novel mechanism for the strategic utilization of OmpA by Salmonella to protect itself from the nitrosative stress of macrophages.
Oxidative stress, biochemical, and histopathological changes associated with acute lumpy skin disease in cattle
Authors: Kamr Ahmed , Hassan Hany , Toribio Ramiro , Anis Anis , Nayel Mohamed , Arbaga Ali
Published: August 2022

Background and Aim: Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious endemic viral disease of cattle in Africa and the Middle East. The objectives of this study were to assess histopathological changes in cattle infected with LSD and measure serum malondialdehyde (MDA – oxidant) and total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC – anti-oxidant), trace elements (zinc, copper, and iron), cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]), haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine concentrations.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from a total of sixty native and mixed breed cattle; (healthy; n = 25) and (LSD diseased; n = 35). Serum concentrations of MDA and TAC were measured by colorimetric methods. Serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, Hp, and SAA concentrations were determined using human-specific enzyme-linked immunoassay kits.

Results: Serum MDA, cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), Hp, SAA, AST, ALT, CPK, BUN, and creatinine concentrations were significantly higher, while TAC, IL-10, zinc, copper, and iron concentrations were significantly lower in LSD compared to healthy cattle (p < 0.05). Cows and exotic mixed breed cattle were at higher risk of LSD oxidative stress than bulls and local breeds (p < 0.05). Age was not associated with the risk of LSD (p > 0.05). Histologically, there was extensive tissue necrosis, severe vasculitis, mononuclear cell infiltration, and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies.

Conclusion: LSD is associated with pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory states from imbalances that favor pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory factors in the detriment of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory factors, leading to organ dysfunction and ultimately death. Oxidative stress is more frequent in cows and mixed breed cattle than in bulls and local breeds.

Keywords: acute phase proteins, cytokines, lumpy skin disease, malondialdehyde, total anti-oxidant capacity.
Сходимость приближенных решений ядром теплопроводности для уравнения переноса-диффузии в полуплоскости
Authors: Aouaouda Meryem , Ayadi Abedlhamid , Fujita-Yashima Hisao
Published: August 2022

Рассматривается уравнение параболического типа (уравнение переноса-диффузии), которое используется, например, в задачах распространения загрязняющих веществ в атмосферном воздухе или водной среде. Имеется нескольких классических методов решения этого параболического уравнения, но также хорошо известно и вероятностное представление решения уравнения переноса-диффузии. Поскольку плотность распределения винеровского процесса соответствует ядру уравнения теплопроводности, с использованием ядра теплопроводности и оператора переноса на каждом шаге дискретизации времени можно построить приближенные решения уравнения переноса-диффузии в $ \mathbb{R}^d $. В предыдущих работах была доказана равномерная сходимость этих приближенных решений к функции, удовлетворяющей уравнению переноса-диффузии и начальному условию. Так как эти приближенные решения определяются только интегральным оператором и оператором переноса, доказательство их сходимости проводится без использования вероятностных понятий. В данной работе рассматривается уравнение переноса-диффузии в полуплоскости $ \mathbb{R}^2_+ $ с граничным условием на $ \{ x_2 = 0 \}$ и доказывается сходимость приближенных решений, построенных ядром теплопроводности и оператором переноса, к функции, удовлетворяющей уравнению переноса-диффузии в $ \mathbb{R}^2_{+} $, начальному и граничному условиям. Для получения этого результата используется метод нечетного продолжения заданных в $ \mathbb{R}^2_{+} $ функций на $ \mathbb{R}^2 $, поэтому применяются технические приемы предыдущих работ для задач в $ \mathbb{R}^d $. Тем не менее из-за наличия граничного условия остается проблема гладкости приближенных решений, для разрешения которой получаются оценки для производных приближенных решений, на которые влияют особенные данные на $ \{ x_2 = 0 \}$.
Задача с нелокальными условиями для одномерного параболического уравнения
Authors: Beylin Alexander Borisovich , Bogatov Andrei Vladimirovich , Pulkina Ludmila Stepanovna
Published: August 2022

Рассмотрена нелокальная задача с интегральными условиями для параболического уравнения. Доказана ее однозначная разрешимость в пространстве Соболева. Доказательство единственности решения и его существования базируется на выведенных в работе априорных оценках. Отмечена связь заданных нелокальных условий с условиями В. А. Стеклова и интегральными условиями I рода, что дало основание интерпретировать рассматриваемую задачу как задачу с возмущенными нелокальными условиями В. А. Стеклова. Обращено внимание на классы задач, в том числе обратных, для изучения которых полученные в статье результаты могут оказаться полезными.
Характеристическая задача Коши стандартного вида для описания истечения политропного газа в вакуум с косой стенки
Authors: Pon'kin Eugeny I.
Published: August 2022

Начально-краевая задача для системы уравнений газовой динамики, решение которой описывает разлет политропного газа в вакуум с косой стенки в пространстве автомодельных переменных $x/t$, $y/t$ в общем несогласованном случае, приведена к характеристической задаче Коши стандартного вида в пространстве новых независимых переменных $\vartheta$, $\zeta$. Уравнение $\vartheta=0$ задает характеристическую поверхность, через которую двойная волна примыкает к известному решению - центрированной волне Римана. Уравнение $\zeta=0$ означает, что за новую координатную ось выбирается косая стенка, на которой выполняется условие непротекания. Для этой новой начально-краевой задачи в отличие от известного решения аналогичной задачи, полученного С. П. Баутиным и С. Л. Дерябиным в пространстве специальных переменных, доказана теорема существования и единственности решения системы уравнений газовой динамики в пространстве физических автомодельных переменных в виде сходящегося бесконечного ряда. Описан алгоритм построения коэффициентов ряда.
Reconfigurable multifunctional metasurfaces employing hybrid phase-change plasmonic architecture
Authors: Abdollahramezani Sajjad , Taghinejad Hossein , Fan Tianren , Marzban Mahmood Reza , Eftekhar Ali A. , Adibi Ali
Published: August 2022

We present a hybrid device platform for creating an electrically reconfigurable metasurface formed by the integration of plasmonic nanostructures with phase-change material germanium antimony telluride (GST). By changing the phase of GST from amorphous to crystalline through Joule heating, a large range of responses from the metasurface can be achieved. Furthermore, by using the intermediate phases of GST, the metasurface can interact with the incident light in both over-coupling and under-coupling regimes, leading to an inherently broadband response. Through a detailed investigation of the nature of the fundamental modes, we demonstrate that changing the crystalline phase of the GST at the pixel-level enables an effective control over the key properties (i.e., amplitude, phase, and polarization) of incident light. This leads to the realization of a broadband electrically tunable multifunctional metadevice enabling beam switching, focusing, steering, and polarization conversion. Such a hybrid structure offers a high-speed, broadband, and nonvolatile reconfigurable paradigm for electrically programmable optical devices such as switches, holograms, and polarimeters.
Analysis of parametric effects in the wave profile of the variant Boussinesq equation through two analytical approaches
Authors: Yao Shao-Wen , Islam Md. Ekramul , Akbar Md. Ali , Inc Mustafa , Adel Mohamed , Osman Mohamed S.
Published: August 2022

The variant Boussinesq equation has significant application in propagating long waves on the surface of the liquid layer under gravity action. In this article, the improved Bernoulli subequation function (IBSEF) method and the new auxiliary equation (NAE) technique are introduced to establish general solutions, some fundamental soliton solutions accessible in the literature, and some archetypal solitary wave solutions that are extracted from the broad-ranging solution to the variant Boussinesq wave equation. The established soliton solutions are knowledgeable and obtained as a combination of hyperbolic, exponential, rational, and trigonometric functions, and the physical significance of the attained solutions is speculated for the definite values of the included parameters by depicting the 3D profiles and interpreting the physical incidents. The wave profile represents different types of waves associated with the free parameters that are related to the wave number and velocity of the solutions. The obtained solutions and graphical representations visualize the dynamics of the phenomena and build up the mathematical foundation of the wave process in dissipative and dispersive media. It turns out that the IBSEF method and the NAE are powerful and might be used in further works to find novel solutions for other types of nonlinear evolution equations ascending in physical sciences and engineering.
IMPACT OF LOCUST BEAN GUM / XANTHAN GUM ADDITION ON NEW GENERATION SNACK DESIGN FROM CAROB FRUIT BYPRODUCTS
Authors: DONMEZ Afranur , CIKRIKCI ERUNSAL Sevıl , SAHIN Seher Nur
Published: August 2022

Carob products are good sources of bioactive compound/dietary fiber having beneficial effects on cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Other energy sources like tahini also improves physicochemical properties of foods. This study demonstrated the possibility for 50% replacement of cocoa powder by carob flour and the effect of Locust Bean Gum (LBG) and Xanthan Gum (XN) on consumer acceptability and physical properties of carob-based snacks. All formulations composed of carob syrup and tahini were combined with LBG and XN at different doses (1% and 2%) or together at equal combinations, as well. As LBG increased hardness up to some extent, XN influenced adhesiveness with a huge increase. Synergistic interaction of XN and LBG showing higher results on physicochemical properties than their single use was mostly observed in fresh samples under room temperature conditions. This study promoted acceptable new generation snack products with carob flour and gum addition after optimizations.
Endosome maturation links PI3Kα signaling to lysosome repopulation during basal autophagy
Authors: Rodgers Samuel J , Jones Emily I , Arumugam Senthil , Hamila Sabryn A , Danne Jill , Gurung Rajendra , Eramo Matthew J , Nanayakkara Randini , Ramm Georg , McGrath Meagan J , Mitchell Christina A
Published: August 2022

Autophagy depends on the repopulation of lysosomes to degrade intracellular components and recycle nutrients. How cells co‐ordinate lysosome repopulation during basal autophagy, which occurs constitutively under nutrient‐rich conditions, is unknown. Here, we identify an endosome‐dependent phosphoinositide pathway that links PI3Kα signaling to lysosome repopulation during basal autophagy. We show that PI3Kα‐derived PI(3)P generated by INPP4B on late endosomes was required for basal but not starvation‐induced autophagic degradation. PI(3)P signals were maintained as late endosomes matured into endolysosomes, and served as the substrate for the 5‐kinase, PIKfyve, to generate PI(3,5)P2. The SNX‐BAR protein, SNX2, was recruited to endolysosomes by PI(3,5)P2 and promoted lysosome reformation. Inhibition of INPP4B/PIKfyve‐dependent lysosome reformation reduced autophagic clearance of protein aggregates during proteotoxic stress leading to increased cytotoxicity. Therefore under nutrient‐rich conditions, PI3Kα, INPP4B, and PIKfyve sequentially contribute to basal autophagic degradation and protection from proteotoxic stress via PI(3,5)P2‐dependent lysosome reformation from endolysosomes. These findings reveal that endosome maturation couples PI3Kα signaling to lysosome reformation during basal autophagy.
Vaginal bacterium Prevotella timonensis turns protective Langerhans cells into HIV‐1 reservoirs for virus dissemination
Authors: van Teijlingen Nienke H , Helgers Leanne C , Sarrami‐Forooshani Ramin , Zijlstra‐Willems Esther M , van Hamme John L , Segui‐Perez Celia , van Smoorenburg Marleen Y , Borgdorff Hanneke , van de Wijgert Janneke HHM , van Leeuwen Elisabeth , van der Post Joris AM , Strijbis Karin , Ribeiro Carla MS , Geijtenbeek Teunis BH
Published: August 2022

Dysbiosis of vaginal microbiota is associated with increased HIV‐1 acquisition, but the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Vaginal Langerhans cells (LCs) protect against mucosal HIV‐1 infection via autophagy‐mediated degradation of HIV‐1. As LCs are in continuous contact with bacterial members of the vaginal microbiome, we investigated the impact of commensal and dysbiosis‐associated vaginal (an)aerobic bacterial species on the antiviral function of LCs. Most of the tested bacteria did not affect the HIV‐1 restrictive function of LCs. However, Prevotella timonensis induced a vast uptake of HIV‐1 by vaginal LCs. Internalized virus remained infectious for days and uptake was unaffected by antiretroviral drugs. P. timonensis‐exposed LCs efficiently transmitted HIV‐1 to target cells both in vitro and ex vivo. Additionally, P. timonensis exposure enhanced uptake and transmission of the HIV‐1 variants that establish infection after sexual transmission, the so‐called Transmitted Founder variants. Our findings, therefore, suggest that P. timonensis might set the stage for enhanced HIV‐1 susceptibility during vaginal dysbiosis and advocate targeted treatment of P. timonensis during bacterial vaginosis to limit HIV‐1 infection.
Racism and Quality of Neonatal Intensive Care: Voices of Black Mothers
Authors: Witt Rachel E. , Malcolm Mia , Colvin Bryanne N. , Gill Monique R. , Ofori Joel , Roy Shireen , Lenze Shannon N. , Rogers Cynthia E. , Colson Eve R.
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Black preterm infants are more likely to die than White preterm infants within the same NICU. Racism may lead to disparate quality of NICU care contributing to disparities in preterm infant health outcomes. The objective of our study was to understand Black mothers’ perspectives of the impact of racism on the quality of care for Black preterm infants in the NICU and what might be done to address it.

METHODS

Using qualitative research methods, we conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 20 Black mothers of preterm infants in a single Level IV NICU 6 to 18 months after hospital discharge regarding experiences with disparate quality of NICU care. We developed themes iteratively and conducted interviews until thematic saturation was reached.

RESULTS

The majority of mothers believed that racism impacted the quality of NICU care and described examples of racism in the NICU at structural, institutional, and interpersonal levels. Mothers also provided ideas for interventions that would decrease racism and improve quality of NICU care for Black families, including increased Black representation, increased peer support, and improved staff education and training.

CONCLUSIONS

Black mothers of preterm infants experienced racism during NICU hospitalization that impacted the quality of care they received. Interventional studies directed toward mitigating these racial disparities may focus on addressing racism during the NICU period and should include input from Black stakeholders at all stages of design, implementation, and analysis.
Reabilitação de pessoas com amputação de membros inferiores: uma revisão sistematizada
Authors: Oliveira Caroline Lacerda , Ferreira Arthur Sá
Published: August 2022

Introdução: A reabilitação física visa a recuperação da capacidade funcional das pessoas com amputação de membros inferiores, destacando-se as etapas pré e pós-protetização. Recomendações clínicas para a protetização estão disponíveis; entretanto, não há uma sistematização atualizada dessas evidências em conjunto com a avaliação da qualidade metodológica desses estudos. Objetivo: Revisar as evidências científicas sobre intervenção fisioterapêutica em pessoas com amputação de membros inferiores. Métodos: Foi realizada uma revisão sistematizada da literatura na base de dados Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro) publicada até Agosto/2020. Foram incluídos artigos com dados primários (estudos de caso, ensaios clínicos) e secundários (revisões sistemáticas, diretrizes) disponíveis na íntegra, redigidos em inglês ou português, que descrevam intervenções fisioterapêuticas para as fases de pré e/ou pós-protetização em pessoas com amputação de membros inferiores. Para avaliação da qualidade metodológica dos estudos, foi utilizada a escala de qualidade PEDro (escore 0 a 10). Resultados: Doze estudos foram incluídos na revisão: 4 (33%) revisões sistemáticas, 6 (50%) ensaios clínicos e 2 (16,67%) diretrizes de prática clínica. Dentre os procedimentos com qualidade moderada a alta (escore PEDro ³ 6/10) encontram-se terapia do espelho e eletroestimulação transcutânea para dor do membro fantasma (escore 7/10); exercícios domiciliares (fortalecimento e alongamento), caminhada, autogestão da doença primária (6/10); e acupuntura para tratamento da dor no membro fantasma (6/10). Conclusão: Intervenções fisioterapêuticas podem ser aplicadas nas fases de pré e pós-protetização de pessoas com amputação de membros inferiores. Ensaios clínicos com melhor qualidade metodológica são necessários para diversas intervenções nas fases pré e pós-protetização dessa população.
The Institutional Basis of Administrative and Legal Support of Transport Security (Federal Level)
Authors:   Saratov State Law Academy, Zaikova Svetlana
Published: August 2022

Introduction: the legal framework for ensuring security, defining the circle of participants in the administrative and legal relations in transport security, does not establish an exhaustive list of federal executive authorities endowed with the appropriate competence, does not build them into a system and does not define a coordinator of joint activities. That is why the issue of forming the institutional basis of administrative and legal support of transport security remains relevant and is of particular scientific interest. Purpose: to analyze the competence of the federal executive authorities using administrative and legal means and methods in ensuring the safety of the transport complex, to develop proposals for the systematization of the subjects. Methods: the study is conducted using the general scientific and specific scientific (logical-legal, comparative-legal) methods of cognition. Results: the author proposes a system of federal executive authorities that provide administrative and legal support of transport security, the system is structured depending on the industry and the sphere of public administration, and four groups of the subjects are identified: general competence management bodies, security management bodies, management bodies in the transport industry and other management bodies. Conclusions: ensuring transport security at the federal level is assigned to a significant number of executive authorities, which form the institutional basis of administrative and legal support of transport security. The multiplicity of the management subjects requires the coordination of joint activities. It is proposed to amend Article 4 of Federal Law No. 16-FZ of 09.02.2007 “On Transport Security”.
The Guarantees of Civil Rights: Single Ways of Protection and Their Systemic Relationship
Authors:   Volgograd State University, Kaplunova Natalia
Published: August 2022

Introduction: the target orientation of the domestic legal system of society is the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms. Constitutional and civil law principles express the central idea of the domestic legal regulation – the need to protect civil rights and legitimate interests of particular persons. The current legislation of the Russian Federation does not contain a legal definition of ways to protect civil rights, limiting itself only to listing specific ways to protect civil rights in Article 12 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. At the same time, there is no unified approach to this issue in civil law either. Purpose: to identify and establish the fundamental signs of civil rights protection; to define civil rights protection as an institution of civil law; to disclose the essence of a single way of civil rights protection; to identify the systemic signs of ways of civil rights protection and establish their systemic relationship. Methods: the methodological framework for the research is a set of general scientific and specific scientific methods of studying phenomena and processes, including: the dialectical, formal legal (dogmatic) methods, the method of comparative jurisprudence, the concrete social, comparative legal, historical and logical methods. The research is based on the method of analyzing the current Russian legislation and the law enforcement practice. The systematic approach allows establishing the integrity of the system of ways to protect civil rights, the hierarchy of its structure, as well as structuring its elements. Results: the substantiation of the protection of civil rights as the central idea of the domestic legal regulation by studying the place of the system of ways of civil protection in the civil law regulation system. This study is based on the correlation of the concepts of “protection” and “defense”, the definition of the institution of civil rights protection through the functions of civil law, the justification of the subjective right to protection, the consideration of various classifications of ways to protect civil rights and the identification of forms of protection. Conclusions: as a result of the conducted research, it is found that through the protection of civil rights, the preventive and/or protective functions of civil law are implemented; the understanding of ways to protect civil rights as certain behaviors of an interested person is revealed, and the definition of a single way to protect civil rights as one of the ways to realize the right to protection is given; it is revealed that the ways of protection civil rights in the institutional aggregate form a special integrity, that is, a system that serves to achieve a single goal; a systemic relationship of the ways to protect civil rights is established.
On the Legal Support for the Prevention of Crimes Committed Using Artificial Intelligence and Technologies Created on Its Basis in the Russian Federation
Authors:   Belgorod Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after I.D. Putilin, Arkhiptsev Ivan , Sarychev Alexander ,   Belgorod Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after I.D. Putilin, Motuzov Arkady ,   Belgorod Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after I.D. Putilin
Published: August 2022

Introduction: artificial intelligence and technologies related to its application are now increasingly penetrating into our daily lives. And this process sometimes happens unnoticed. Even now, “smart” machines perform various functions, ranging from robots analyzing the weather forecast, changes in human physical data that make up an individual schedule of the day, and ending with autonomous control of vehicles, nano-robots used in medicine, robots performing the functions of a teacher, a policeman, etc. At the same time, as the historical practice shows, artificial intelligence and elements associated with it, like any other new technology or invention, unfortunately, can be used by intruders for their criminal purposes. Thus, according to the international organizations, the share of fraud committed with the use of artificial intelligence has been increasing in the world recently. Europol, together with the analysts from TrendMicro, a cybersecurity company, and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute prepared a report “Malicious Use and Abuse of Artificial Intelligence” in 2020. In particular, it states that one of the most popular types of fraud today is a fake photo and video images of a real person, in addition, the report indicates the possible risks of further use of artificial intelligence for criminal purposes: artificial intelligence can be used in the creation of “smart” ransomware programs, the generation of cheat codes in computer games that allow earning money, in the imitation of the voice or writing style of a particular person to commit fraudulent actions. The purpose of the study is to analyze the current state and features of legal support for the regulation of artificial intelligence and technologies created on its basis in the Russian Federation, as well as to suggest possible ways to improve domestic legislation on the prevention of crimes committed with its use. Research methods: the methodological framework for the study consists of the general scientific methods of cognition. To ensure the objectivity of the study, the analyzed problem is revealed by the authors as a phenomenon using a systematic approach, which allows revealing its mechanism in such a way that theoretical provisions are used with maximum efficiency in practical activities. Research results and conclusions: the authors propose conceptual foundations for both the functioning of artificial intelligence as a whole and for the prevention of crimes committed with the use of artificial intelligence or technologies created on its basis.
Research of the Terminology of the Subject Sphere of Tax Law of France
Authors:   Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (Volgograd branch), Goncharova Marina , Zemlyanskaya Irina ,   Volgograd Institute of Management, Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Baryshnikova Galina ,   Volgograd Institute of Management, Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
Published: August 2022

Introduction: French tax legislation contains a large number of terms denoting the terms “tax” and “taxation”. The problem of choosing and defining all the terms used in this meaning, and all its characteristics, which are highlighted by the authors of this study, predetermined its relevance. The main objective of the article is to study and analyze the terms of tax payments. Methods: The methodological basis of this study is the analysis of definitions or components of terms, which involves the selection of the main concepts of the studied area and the definition of the features of their use. Results: Based on the analysis of the definitions of the terms of tax payments, it is argued that, despite their use in one area, most of these concepts have distinctive features in their meaning, which are distinguished by the authors of this study, and cannot be replaced by other terms. Conclusions: Despite the variety of terms of tax payments, which at first glance seem to be homogeneous and interchangeable, the authors revealed incompatibility in their definition and, consequently, a different context for their use, which explains the existence of various names of tax payments in French tax law.
Coordination of the Law Enforcement Agencies Activities in Combating Computer Crimes
Authors:   Volgograd State University, Muraev Pyotr , Simon Artur ,   Prosecutor’s Office of Krasnooktyabrsky District
Published: August 2022

Introduction: currently, the problem of coordination by the prosecutor’s office of the law enforcement activities to combat crimes committed using information and telecommunication technologies deserves special attention. Among the significant number of tasks of the prosecutor’s office, the coordination of law enforcement activities is special, since the crime considered in this study is beyond the human reality, is committed in the so-called digital space, or through the use of modern technologies. The solution of this problem depends not only on the state and trends of information crime, but also on the information security of Russian society. The purpose of the study: to identify and characterize the measures of the prosecutor’s response in the field of prevention of crimes committed using information and telecommunication technologies. The objectives of the study: to identify and describe the problems of coordinating the activities of law enforcement agencies to combat crimes, whose leading role belongs to the prosecutor’s office, committed using information and telecommunication technologies; to assess the coordination activities of the law enforcement agencies; to develop recommendations for improving the coordination of the law enforcement activities by the prosecutor’s office. Methods: the team of the paper’s authors applies the general scientific, systemic, institutional research methods, as well as the methods of legal statistics, which allow revealing the goals and objectives set for the research team. Results: the main problems of coordinating the law enforcement activities to combat crimes committed using information and telecommunication technologies are identified, to which the paper’s authors refer: redirecting case materials by territoriality, delaying the consideration of applications (reports) on crimes and materials of the prosecutor’s inspections, misinterpreting the law, eliminating and compensating the damage caused by crimes. Conclusions: to increase the efficiency of prosecutorial supervision over the law enforcement activities in the investigation of crimes committed using information and telecommunication technologies, it is necessary: to provide methodological and practical assistance, make requirements based on the results of the prosecutor’s inspection, hold meetings involving the supervising deputy prosecutors of the districts and the management.
Mythology of a Bright Future: The Russian State’s Response to the Public Demand for Justice
Authors:   Lipetsk Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Ivanov Andrey
Published: August 2022

The article shows how the Russian state is trying to respond to the current demand for justice in society. Social justice, being a common value, seems to be a difficult concept to define, around which it is easy to build both various kinds of myths and popular images of the future. It is noted that the key images of the future of the country are associated with the implementation of the basic functions of the state and with the ideas about the structure of power. Using the achievements of the actor-network-theory, the author demonstrates how the Russian authorities form a version of the assembly from a complex that includes fixing existing problems and proposals for smoothing out injustices. Defining in this complex are the main faults that show failures in the functioning of the public administration system, and decisions concerning future development arise as attempts to overcome the faults. The result of such an installation is a scenario for the development of the country, which can be called the proposed mythology or the mythology of a bright future, in which myths give significance and meaning to images, making them clearer and more definite. After considering three scenarios that correspond to the demand for justice – total control, genuine democracy, a wise ruler – it is concluded that in the Russian Federation, the trajectories of creating potential images of a bright future are fixed on the heroic myth which fits into the «wise ruler» scenario, which is usually personified by a national leader. In order for the public to share the response option presented by the authorities to the request for justice, it is necessary to turn the narrative into a social myth. In the Russian state, this role is performed by a constantly circulating and appropriately shaped narrative, the central component of which is the figure of a hero (leader), demonstrating the determination to fight social injustice. It is this kind of mythology of a bright future that can take on the role of a mediator, a liaison between the state and citizens, between the past and the future of the country.
Artificial Termination of Pregnancy as a Social Practice: The Process of Formation in Russia
Authors:   Volgograd State University, Shelest Marina
Published: August 2022

The category "social practice" has been actively used to study social phenomena since the end of the twentieth century, it allows to significantly expand the sociological aspect of research, but it has not been used to study the phenomenon of artificial termination of pregnancy. The purpose of the article was an attempt to identify the phenomenon of artificial termination of pregnancy with this category. The article highlights the stages of the development of artificial termination of pregnancy, identifies its signs, correlates with those inherent in "social practice". The author came to the conclusion that artificial termination of pregnancy as a social practice began to take shape from the end of the 20th century, which manifested itself in an increase in the number of individual cases of abortions. Since the 1920s, the procedure has become the norm for society as a whole. By the mid-1930s, the process of forming the practice was completed, as evidenced by the manifestation of all the characteristics characteristic of this category: stability, reproducibility, mass character, the presence of a semantic basis. Further, artificial termination of pregnancy as a social practice began to develop. The practice in question consists of a number of components: the participants of the practice, the action of the practice, the method of carrying out the procedure, the type of abortion, the reasons for an individual's decision to have an abortion, factors influencing the practice, the object of influence of the practice, the study of the content of which allows you to trace its development. The study of the stages of the formation of this practice allowed us to conclude that the spread of abortions in Russia was the result first of a change in the personal attitude of individuals to them, and since the 1920s – the distortion of religious, moral, ethical norms and traditions in society as a whole. The reasons why an individual decides to artificially terminate a pregnancy go beyond the socio-economic conditions of an individual's life. The results obtained make it possible to identify the phenomenon as a social practice, which determines the possibility of its further research through this category.