bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Value of Diffusion-Weighted Whole-Body Imaging with Background Body Signal Suppression (DWIBS) for Staging of Patients with Suspected Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Schicho Andreas , Habicher Werner , Wendl Christina , Stroszczynski Christian , Strotzer Quirin , Dollinger Marco , Schreyer Andreas G. , Schleder Stephan
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: To determine the importance of diffusion-weighted whole-body MRI with background body signal suppression (DWIBS) in the staging process of patients with suspected head and neck carcinomas. (2) Methods: A total of 30 patients (24 male, 6 female) with a median age of 67 years with clinically suspected head and neck carcinoma with pathologic cervical nodal swelling in ultrasound underwent the staging procedure with computed tomography (CT) and whole-body MRI including DWIBS. (3) Results: In a total of 9 patients, abnormalities in the routine work-up of pretherapeutic staging were found. Five cases of either secondary cancer or distant metastases were only visible in DWIBS, while being missed on CT. One diagnosis was only detectable in CT and not in DWIBS, whereas three diagnoses were recognizable in both modalities. (4) Conclusions: DWIBS in addition to a standard neck MRI in cervical lymphadenopathy suspicious for head and neck cancer yielded additional clinically relevant diagnoses in 17% of cases that would have been missed by current staging routine procedures. DWIBS offered a negative predictive value of 98.78% for ruling out distant metastases or secondary malignancies.
Why Travel to Georgia? Motivations, Experiences, and Country’s Image Perceptions of Wine Tourists
Authors: Ghvanidze Sophie , Bitsch Linda , Elze Alvaro , Hanf Jon H. , Kang Soo
Published: October 2022

This study examined the wine tourists’ perceptions of the country’s image and the motivations and expectations of experiences in Georgia as a wine tourism destination. A survey of tourists in the most important wine region—Kakheti—resulted in 227 usable questionnaires. Using factor analyses, four dimensions were assigned to the country’s hedonic and aesthetic related image. Based on the experience economy of Pine and Gilmore, two motivational and three experiential factors were identified. Implications for the country’s branding strategy and managing the wine tourist’s experience in Georgia are discussed.
A Critical Commentary on the SDGs and the Role of Tourism
Authors: Rajani Fizah , Boluk Karla A.
Published: October 2022

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework provides a set of 17 goals aiming to enhance global well-being by reducing poverty, enhancing health outcomes, responding to gender equality, and mobilizing social justice and peace efforts. Tourism has been centered as playing a key role in marshaling the SDGs, mainly due to its economic impact as a leading global sector. With the onset of the pandemic, it is incumbent upon scholars to take the pulse and consider the broader backdrop inhibiting SDG progress, with the intention of considering how tourism may be a vehicle for progressing the goals. As such, our analysis may serve to be useful for national and local governments, policy advisors, tourism establishments, and enterprises, as well as visitors and host communities. Specifically, we need to attend to some of the challenges inhibiting progress, scrutinize the use of language, which may lead to misinterpretation, and attend to the lack of clarity for building policies supporting decision making. Thus, the aim of this commentary is to examine some of the critiques and challenges inhibiting the realization of the goals, including a lack of awareness, and understanding of the SDGs, including what each goal entails, the division of power, the role of governance, stakeholders, and financial support required for policy and decision making, along with addressing the misconceptions surrounding the implementation of sustainable approaches. Understanding some of the critiques and challenges of the SDGs may improve our understanding of the potential role the tourism sector may play in progressing the goals.
Natural Ventilation and Air Purification for Effective Removal of Airborne Virus in Classrooms with Heater Operation
Authors: Park Su-Hoon , Yook Se-Jin , Koo Hyun Bon
Published: October 2022

Mass COVID-19 infection cases in indoor spaces have been continuously reported since its global outbreak, generating increasing public interest in reducing the spread of the virus. This study considered a situation in which an infected individual continuously releases the virus into the air in a classroom, simulated by continuous injection of NaCl particles ≤ 5 μm, with heater operation during winter. The effects of applying natural ventilation and operating one or two air purifiers on the removal of virus-containing aerosols were experimentally compared and analyzed based on the spatiotemporal changes in NaCl concentration within the classroom. When a heater was operated with all windows shut, operating one and two air purifiers reduced the amount of the aerosol in indoor air by approximately 50 and 60%, respectively, compared to the case with no air purifier. Additionally, when the heater was operated with one or two air purifiers under natural ventilation, the amount of virus-containing aerosol in the air was reduced by 86–88% compared to the case with neither natural ventilation nor air purifier. Because natural ventilation significantly varies with weather conditions and particulate matter concentrations, combining natural ventilation with air purifiers in classrooms during winter needs to be adjusted appropriately.
Simultaneous Analysis of a Combination of Anti-Hypertensive Drugs, Fimasartan, Amlodipine, and Hydrochlorothiazide, in Rats Using LC-MS/MS and Subsequent Application to Pharmacokinetic Drug Interaction with Red Ginseng Extract
Authors: Jeon So-Yeon , Jeon Ji-Hyeon , Park Jin-Hyang , Lee Jihoon , Pang Minyeong , Choi Min-Koo , Song Im-Sook
Published: October 2022

Fimasartan, amlodipine, and hydrochlorothiazide are commonly used in combination therapies as antihypertensive drugs. This study aimed to develop and validate an analytical method for fimasartan, its active and major metabolite fimasartan-amide, amlodipine, and hydrochlorothiazide in rat plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The standard calibration curves for fimasartan (1–500 ng/mL), its active and major metabolite fimasartan-amide (0.3–100 ng/mL), amlodipine (0.5–200 ng/mL), and hydrochlorothiazide (5–5000 ng/mL) were linear with R2 > 0.9964, and the inter- and intra-day accuracy and precision and stability were within the acceptable criteria. Using this validated analytical method, the pharmacokinetic interaction of these triple combination drugs between single administration and concomitant administration of the triple combination was investigated; the results did not reveal a significant difference in any of the pharmacokinetic parameters. Based on these results, we investigated the effects of red ginseng extract (RGE) on the pharmacokinetics of fimasartan, fimasartan-amide, amlodipine, and hydrochlorothiazide after oral administration of the combination in rats. No significant difference was observed in the pharmacokinetic parameters of fimasartan, fimasartan-amide, amlodipine, and hydrochlorothiazide, except for the Tmax values of amlodipine. The delayed Tmax value of amlodipine was attributed to its decreased intestinal permeability after repeated RGE treatments. In conclusion, using a combination of antihypertensive drugs and simultaneous analytical methods, we established efficient drug interaction and toxicokinetic studies using a small number of animals.
Substance Use among Adolescents: A Retrospective Study (2017–2018) in the Toxicology Unit, University Hospital of Lille, France
Authors: Aly Sanaa M. , Omran Ahmed , Gaulier Jean-Michel , Allorge Delphine
Published: October 2022

Research on adolescent substance use is of utmost importance. Using local toxicological data, both prevalence and pattern of substance use (SU) and substance-related death (SRD) can be assessed to design effective prevention programs. A retrospective study of toxicology investigations of all adolescents referred to the medico-legal section of the Toxicology Unit of the University Hospital of Lille, France, for a 2-year period from 2017 to 2018. In the total sample of 1961 cases, adolescents accounted for 3.3% of the cases (n = 65). Among the adolescents, 16.9% were aged 10–14 years and 83.1% were aged >14–19 years. About 69.2% were males. Less than 70% of all presented adolescents used substances. More than two-thirds (74%) of positive detections were male. Illicit substances (43%) were the most detected substance followed by alcohol (20%) and prescription substances (20%). Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was extremely common as it was found in 29% of all adolescents. Cocaine and amphetamines were detected in 13.8% of total tested adolescents. Polysubstance use was common between alcohol and THC and among males. About one-third of deaths were due to substance use. About 54% of SRD was associated with polysubstance detection. It is recommended that illicit substances, ethanol, and prescription substances are targeted for testing among adolescents in order to provide appropriate prevention.
Natural Radioactivity Assessment and Radiation Hazards of Pegmatite as a Building Material, Hafafit Area, Southeastern Desert, Egypt
Authors: Adel El-Afandy H. , Taha Samia H. , Ebyan Osama A. , Rashed Wafaa M. , El-Feky Mohamed G. , Alqahtani Mohammed S. , Korany Korany A. , Hanfi Mohamed Y.
Published: October 2022

Sixty-seven sites of Hafafit pegmatite from the Southeastern Desert of Egypt were investigated radiometrically in the field using an in situ γ-ray spectrometer to determine eU, eTh, and K contents. The obtained results ranged from 0.4 to 6 ppm for eU with a mean value of 2.5 ppm, from 0.2 to 32 ppm for eTh with a mean value of 6.7 ppm, and from 0.7% to 5.4% for K with a mean value of 3.3%. Consequently, the radiological effects from these rocks were estimates by determination of the environmental parameters: gamma activity concentration index Iγ, external hazard index Hex, internal hazard index Hin, external absorbed dose rates in outdoor, and external absorbed dose rates in indoor air. The results obtained in this study showed that values U, Th, and K lie in the range of the acceptable world values. In addition, the calculated radiation hazard parameters (Iγ, Hex, and Hin) have values lower than the world values, while the calculated external absorbed dose rates (Dair) have values higher than the world and Egyptian permissible levels.
Telemedicine Experience for PrEP Care among PrEP-Eligible Women and Their Primary Care Providers during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
Authors: Zhang Chen , Fiscella Kevin , Przybylek Shelby , Chang Wonkyung , Liu Yu
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: During the two-year-long siege from the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant proportion of doctor visits transitioned from in-person to virtual. Scare evidence is available to assess the quality of patient-provider communication via the platform of telemedicine, especially for PrEP care within primary care settings. (2) Methods: Participants included 18 primary care providers and 29 PrEP-eligible women. Through content analysis and thematic analysis, facilitators and barriers embedded at different levels of telemedicine were identified and assessed. (3) Results: Women and providers reported pros and cons regarding their telemedicine experiences during the initial wave of COVID-19. Both groups of participants agreed that telemedicine visits were more convenient, efficient, and comfortable than in-person visits. However, without face-to-face interactions, some women felt less empathy, caring, and connected with their providers during virtual visits. Health providers expressed concerns with telemedicine, including patients’ privacy, lack of intimacy between patients and providers, and delayed lab work. (4) Conclusions: Our data indicate multi-level factors may affect telemedicine experience among PrEP-eligible women and health providers. Participants expressed concerns that may further entrench these long-existing health disparities in healthcare. Proactive efforts from policymakers, health professionals, researchers, and stakeholders are urgently required to tackle identified barriers and to pave the way for the new infrastructure that ensures health equity in society.
In Vitro and In Vivo Effect of Amikacin and Imipenem Combinations against Multidrug-Resistant E. coli
Authors: Farhan Sara Mahmoud , El-Baky Rehab Mahmoud Abd , Abdalla Salah , EL-Gendy Ahmed Osama , Ahmed Hala Rady , Mohamed Doaa Safwat , El Zawily Amr El , Azmy Ahmed Farag
Published: October 2022

Introduction: The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli has developed worldwide; therefore, the use of antibiotic combinations may be an effective strategy to target resistant bacteria and fight life-threatening infections. The current study was performed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of amikacin and imipenem alone and in combination against multidrug-resistant E. coli. Methods: The combination treatment was assessed in vitro using a checkerboard technique and time-killing curve and in vivo using a peritonitis mouse model. In resistant isolates, conventional PCR and quantitative real-time PCR techniques were used to detect the resistant genes of Metallo-β-lactamase gene Imipenemase (bla-IMP) and aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase (aac (6′)-Ib). Scanning electron microscopy was used to detect the morphological changes in the resistant isolates after treatment with each drug alone and in combination. In vitro and in vivo studies showed a synergistic effect using the tested antibiotic combinations, showing fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICIs) of ≤0.5. Regarding the in vivo study, combination therapy indicated a bactericidal effect after 24 h. E. coli isolates harboring the resistant genes Metallo-β-lactamase gene Imipenemase (bla-IMP) and aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase (aac (6′)-Ib) represented 80% and 66.7%, respectively, which were mainly isolated from wound infections. The lowest effect on Metallo-β-lactamase gene Imipenemase (bla-IMP) and aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase (aac (6′)-Ib) gene expression was shown in the presence of 0.25 × MIC of imipenem and 0.5 × MIC of amikacin. The scanning electron microscopy showed cell shrinkage and disruption in the outer membrane of E. coli in the presence of the antibiotic combination. Amikacin and imipenem combination can be expected to be effective in the treatment and control of serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli and the reduction in bacterial resistance emergence.
Putative Pathogenic Genes of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira weilii Isolated from Patients with Acute Febrile Illness
Authors: Safiee Amira Wahida Mohamad , Mohd Ali Mohammad Ridhuan , Zoqratt Muhammad Zarul Hanifah Md , Siew Tan Hock , Chuan Chua Wei , Huey Lee Lih , Fauzi Mohd Hashairi , Besari Alwi Muhd , Yean Yean Chan , Ismail Nabilah
Published: October 2022

Leptospirosis is an important worldwide tropical disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. The determination of virulence genes is important, as it influences patients’ clinical manifestations and clinical outcomes. This case report focused on detecting the pathogenic genes of Leptospira in association with the clinical manifestations of patients at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, who presented with acute febrile illness. Two cases were found and, to the best of our knowledge, these were the first two cases in Malaysia in which patients presented with febrile illness were associated with successful Leptospira isolation from clinical samples. Both clinical isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Leptospira weilii and Leptospira interrogans, respectively, and they were classified as pathogenic Leptospira by the presence of different pathogenic genes, based on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of targeted genes. This report emphasizes that different infecting Leptospira species and the presence of different virulence factors cause a slight difference in clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of leptospirosis. Genomic sequencing and annotation revealed the detection of classical leptospiral virulence factor genes that were otherwise missed using PCR for detection of Leptospira weilii genome B208.
Dengue Incidence and Aedes Vector Collections in Relation to COVID-19 Population Mobility Restrictions
Authors: Surendran Sinnathamby Noble , Nagulan Ratnarajah , Tharsan Annathurai , Sivabalakrishnan Kokila , Ramasamy Ranjan
Published: October 2022

Contrary to expectation, dengue incidence decreased in many countries during the period when stringent population movement restrictions were imposed to combat COVID-19. Using a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model, we previously reported a 74% reduction in the predicted number of dengue cases from March 2020 to April 2021 in the whole of Sri Lanka, with reductions occurring in all 25 districts in the country. The reduction in dengue incidence was accompanied by an 87% reduction in larval collections of Aedes vectors in the northern city of Jaffna. It was proposed that movement restrictions led to reduced human contact and blood feeding by Aedes vectors, accompanied by decreased oviposition and vector densities, which were responsible for diminished dengue transmission. These findings are extended in the present study by investigating the relationship between dengue incidence, population movement restrictions, and vector larval collections between May 2021 and July 2022, when movement restrictions began to be lifted, with their complete removal in November 2021. The new findings further support our previous proposal that population movement restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced dengue transmission primarily by influencing human–Aedes vector interaction dynamics.
Cost Effectiveness of a Shorter Moxifloxacin Based Regimen for Treating Drug Sensitive Tuberculosis in India
Authors: Muniyandi Malaisamy , Karikalan Nagarajan , Velayutham Banurekha , Rajsekar Kavitha , Padmapriyadarsini Chandrasekaran
Published: October 2022

Globally efforts are underway to shorten the existing 6-month tuberculosis (TB) treatment regimen for drug-sensitive patients, which would be equally effective and safe. At present, there is a lack of evidence on the cost implications of a shorter 4-month TB regimen in India. This economic modeling study was conducted in the Indian context with a high TB burden. We used a hybrid economic model comprising of a decision tree and Markov analysis. The study estimated the incremental costs, life years (LYs), and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained by the introduction of a Moxifloxacin-based shorter 4-month treatment regimen for pulmonary TB patients. The outcomes are expressed in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per QALYs gained. The cost per case to be treated under the 4-month regimen was USD 145.94 whereas for the 6-month regimen it was USD 150.39. A shorter 4-month TB regimen was cost-saving with USD 4.62 per LY and USD 5.29 per QALY. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed that the cost of the drugs for the 4-month regimen, hospitalization cost for adverse drug reactions, and human resources incurred for the 6-month regimen had a higher influence on the ICER. The probability sensitivity analysis highlighted that the joint incremental cost and effectiveness using QALY were less costly and more effective for 67% of the iteration values. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve highlights that the 4-month regimen was dominant to both patients and the National TB Elimination Programme in India as compared to the 6-month regimen at different cost-effectiveness threshold values.
Tensions and Invisible Costs in Co-Creating Nature-Based Health Knowledge in Brussels
Authors: Selliah Sugirthini , Povilaityte-Petri Vitalija , Wuyts Wendy
Published: October 2022

The main purpose of this study was to provide a critique of the depoliticising funding call for co-creation research on urban resilience and sustainability while advocating that urban sustainability should remain political and require a political sphere. This study illustrated the invisible costs of undertaking co-creation research and, more specifically, the power imbalance between different groups of co-researchers, which creates tensions. Our research on the case study of the Brussels Health Gardens (BHG) project illustrated how a policy instrument such as a funding call depoliticised urban sustainability and nature-based health knowledge and failed to integrate sufficient resources, such as the time needed to care for science, society, and the self. While previous research focused on successful applications across different scales and places, we illustrated the costs and tensions created by an application that was accepted and funded in the first stage and rejected in the second stage. Vulnerable groups, immigrants, and women tried to access the financial resources that were provided by a regional funding application to communicate nature-based health knowledge in their cities, neighbourhoods, and communities while working together with academic institutions. Two authors were involved in all phases of this project and contributed a collaborative autoethnography of the tensions that were experienced during the project co-creation and their perceived causes. The third author interviewed other co-researchers and focused on the tensions. Several tensions were linked with those observed in other co-creation research (inclusion versus control; impact versus solution; and the research topic of health, which is a boundary object), whereas some tensions were linked with the systems of Brussels (and beyond), ecological modernist priorities, and academic entrepreneurial system. The empirical data of both the lived experiences of the first and second authors, enriched with findings of interviews, contribute to the underexplored body of knowledge and critiques on the depoliticisation by ecological modernist research and policy priorities in Europe.
Relationship between Lightning and Aerosol Optical Depth over the Uttarakhand Region in India: Thermodynamic Perspective
Authors: Gautam Alok Sagar , Joshi Abhishek , Chandra Sagarika , Dumka Umesh Chandra , Siingh Devendraa , Singh Ram Pal
Published: October 2022

The current study is mainly focused on the monthly variation in the lightning flash rate (LFR) and related thermodynamic parameters using the data for the years 2000–2013, and the trend of lightning variation is explored. Lightning data are used from a lightning imaging sensor (LIS) and an optical transient detector (OTP) boarded on the tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM). Additionally, aerosol optical depth (AOD) data at 550 nm for the same period were considered from a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The assessment of lightning and AOD using monthly data makes it difficult to study seasonal contributions, and higher-resolution (hourly) data may be more appropriate, but unfortunately, no data were available with a higher resolution than monthly. The dependency of LFR is also investigated using thermodynamic/dynamic parameters. The LFR shows a moderate correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.56, 0.62, and 0.63 for AOD, CAPE, and vertical velocity, respectively. The increasing AOD in the pre-monsoon season is associated with higher lightning flash rates over this region. The possible sources of aerosols that cause an increase in lightning activities are identified from the classification of aerosols based on the characteristic values of the AOD and the Ångström exponent. The thermodynamic relation of the Product of Bowen ratio with the sum of the precipitation rate and evaporation rate has been used as a proxy to evaluate the lightning flash rate density over Srinagar, Uttarakhand region (78.55° E–79.05° E, 29.97° N–30.47° N), with nine models from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project-Phase 5 (CMIP5). The model-simulated LFR has also been used for the projection of lightning in the late 21st century, and the projected LFR over the study area shows a 7.41% increase during the (2079–2088) period as compared to the historic period (1996–2005). The results of the study region indicate caution in using any single climate variable as a proxy for projecting a change in the lightning–climate relationships in the scenario of global warming.
BCG and SARS-CoV-2—What Have We Learned?
Authors: Kulesza Jakub , Kulesza Ewelina , Koziński Piotr , Karpik Wojciech , Broncel Marlena , Fol Marek
Published: October 2022

Despite controversy over the protective effect of the BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin) vaccine in preventing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in adults, it has been used worldwide since 1921. Although the first reports in the 1930s had noted a remarkable decrease in child mortality after BCG immunization, this could not be explained solely by a decrease in mortality from TB. These observations gave rise to the suggestion of nonspecific beneficial effects of BCG vaccination, beyond the desired protection against M. tuberculosis. The existence of an innate immunity-training mechanism based on epigenetic changes was demonstrated several years ago. The emergence of the pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019 revived the debate about whether the BCG vaccine can affect the immune response against the virus or other unrelated pathogens. Due to the mortality of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it is important to verify each factor that may have a potential protective value against the severe course of COVID-19, complications, and death. This paper reviews the results of numerous retrospective studies and prospective trials which shed light on the potential of a century-old vaccine to mitigate the pandemic impact of the new virus. It should be noted, however, that although there are numerous studies intending to verify the hypothesis that the BCG vaccine may have a beneficial effect on COVID-19, there is no definitive evidence on the efficacy of the BCG vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.
AddaVax-Adjuvanted H5N8 Inactivated Vaccine Induces Robust Humoral Immune Response against Different Clades of H5 Viruses
Authors: Gao Feixia , Liu Xueying , Dang Yudong , Duan Peng , Xu Wenting , Zhang Xin , Wang Shilei , Luo Jian , Li Xiuling
Published: October 2022

Since some cases of human infections with H5N8 avian influenza virus have been reported and caused great concern in recent years, it is important to develop an effective vaccine for human use to prevent a potential H5N8 pandemic. In the present study, a vaccine candidate virus based on newly human-infected A/Astrakhan/3212/2020 H5N8 virus was constructed by reverse genetics (RG) technology. The immunogenicity of H5N8 whole virion inactivated vaccine was evaluated by various doses of vaccine antigen formulated with squalene-based adjuvant (AddaVax), aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) or without adjuvant in mice. The results showed AddaVax-adjuvanted H5N8 inactivated vaccine could stimulate the mice to produce a stronger protective immune response with higher titers of IgG antibodies, hemagglutination inhibition (HI), neuraminidase inhibition (NI) and microneutralization (MN) antibodies than vaccine formulations with Al(OH)3 adjuvant or without adjuvant, and achieve a dose-sparing effect. Moreover, the AddaVax-adjuvanted formulation also exhibited potent cross-reactive response in HI antibodies against different clades of H5 viruses. A significant correlation and a curve fitting among HI, NI and MN were found by the correlation analysis to predict the protective effect of the vaccine. With these findings, our study demonstrates that AddaVax adjuvant can enhance the immunogenicity of H5N8 inactivated vaccine remarkably, and proposes an effective strategy for dealing with a potential H5N8 virus pandemic.
An Innovative and Cost-Effective Traffic Information Collection Scheme Using the Wireless Sniffing Technique
Authors: Lee Wei-Hsun , Liang Teng-Jyun , Wang Hsuan-Chih
Published: October 2022

In recent years, the wireless sniffing technique (WST) has become an emerging technique for collecting real-time traffic information. The spatiotemporal variations in wireless signal collection from vehicles provide various types of traffic information, such as travel time, speed, traveling path, and vehicle turning proportion at an intersection, which can be widely used for traffic management applications. However, three problems challenge the applicability of the WST to traffic information collection: the transportation mode classification problem (TMP), lane identification problem (LIP), and multiple devices problem (MDP). In this paper, a WST-based intelligent traffic beacon (ITB) with machine learning methods, including SVM, KNN, and AP, is designed to solve these problems. Several field experiments are conducted to validate the proposed system: three sensor topologies (X-type, rectangle-type, and diamond-type topologies) with two wireless sniffing schemes (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi). Experiment results show that X-type has the best performance among all topologies. For sniffing schemes, Bluetooth outperforms Wi-Fi. With the proposed ITB solution, traffic information can be collected in a more cost-effective way.
Developing, Analyzing, and Evaluating Vehicular Lane Keeping Algorithms Using Electric Vehicles
Authors: Rao Shika , Quezada Alexander , Rodriguez Seth , Chinolla Cebastian , Chung Chan-Jin , Siegel Joshua
Published: October 2022

Robust lane-following algorithms are one of the main challenges in developing effective automated vehicles. In this work, a team of four undergraduate students designed and evaluated several automated lane-following algorithms using computer vision as part of a Research Experience for Undergraduates program funded by the National Science Foundation. The developed algorithms use the Robot Operating System (ROS) and the OpenCV library in Python to detect lanes and implement the lane-following logic on the road. The algorithms were tested on a real-world test course using a street-legal vehicle with a high-definition camera as input and a drive-by-wire system for output. Driving data were recorded to compare the performance of human driving to that of the self-driving algorithms on the basis of three criteria: lap completion time, lane positioning infractions, and speed limit infractions. The evaluation of the data showed that the human drivers successfully completed every lap with zero infractions at a 100% success rate in varied weather conditions, whereas, our most reliable algorithms had a success rate of at least 70% with some lane positioning infractions and at lower speeds.
Assessment of the current state of the housing mortgage lending market in the Russian Federation
Authors: Lyalkova Dar'ya A. , Rakhmatullina Yuliya A.
Published: October 2022

This article analyzes the mortgage lending market in the Russian Federation. The dynamics of such important indicators of the mortgage market as the dynamics of the volume of mortgage loans issued, the average size of mortgage loans, the weighted average mortgage rate, indicators of commissioning of housing stock in Russia, the share of overdue debt in the mortgage portfolio is presented.
Assessing the efficiency of the insurance market on the example of a banking sales channel
Authors: Panasenkov Vyacheslav E.
Published: October 2022

The available tools in the field of assessing the effectiveness of the insurance market are analyzed, the author's approach to determining the effectiveness is proposed. For compliance with the requirements of efficiency, the bank sales channel is considered, a conclusion is made about the incomplete compliance of the bank sales channel with the requirements of efficiency. The relevance of the study provides for the definition of tasks for the development of the insurance market for the medium and long term. The basis of such a strategy should be indicators that characterize the effectiveness of market relations in the field of insurance.
Accounting of contractual obligations in the use of futures contracts
Authors: Kanapinova Saule S.
Published: October 2022

The use of the concept of accounting for contractual obligations in accounting for transactions of an exchange transaction using futures contracts is a complicated mechanism for reflecting market relations compared, for example, with forward contracts, since this transaction includes, in addition to the buyer and seller of the asset, an exchange that not only standardizes the transaction itself, but also is a guarantor of its execution. In this case, the specifics of the concept of accounting for contractual obligations is that standardized futures contracts contain unchanged terms of a futures transaction, such as: volume, quality, timing and price of the asset to be exchanged, and changes in market conditions are reflected in the value of the futures contract itself and affect the financial condition of the participants in the futures transaction. Based on this, the main purpose of the article is determined - to consider the methodological support of accounting for changes in market conditions for a futures transaction, and the reflection of their impact on the financial results of participants in an exchange transaction.
The development of initiative budgeting and its impact on the financial and budgetary security of the region
Authors: Baranova Inna V.
Published: October 2022

The article considers initiative budgeting as a tool to ensure the participation of citizens in the budget process, a factor in the growth of own incomes of regional and local budgets, the impact of the development of initiative budgeting on the financial and budgetary security of the region and the municipality. The analysis of the dynamics of initiative budgeting practices implemented in the Russian Federation is carried out, the subjects of the Russian Federation leading in financial support of initiative budgeting projects in 2020 are identified. The impact of initiative budgeting on the financial security of the region and the municipality is presented in a formalized form. On the example of the city of Novosibirsk, an assessment of financial coefficients characterizing the level of budget security is given, and prospects for the development of initiative budgeting, which will contribute to ensuring the financial and budgetary security of regions and municipalities, are presented.
On the application of the entropy approach in economic research
Authors: Islamutdinov Vadim F. , Kurikov Vladimir M.
Published: October 2022

The paper shows that one of the ways to overcome the crisis of economic science can be the synthesis of alternative currents and schools based on an approach using the terminology and methodology of entropy. The dynamics of growth in the number of publications of an economic orientation using the terminology and methodology of entropy is shown. The reasons for the attractiveness of the entropy approach in economic research associated with the growing interest in environmental problems and interdisciplinary research are revealed. The directions of application of terminology and methodology of entropy in economic research, the results achieved by representatives of these directions, are generalized. The most common mistakes and speculations in the application of the entropy approach in economic research are revealed. The specificity of economic systems is revealed, which manifests itself in belonging to the class of living systems with feedback and the possibility of accumulating negative entropy, and determining the possibilities and limitations of using the entropy approach. Variants of using the entropy approach in economic research are shown, the pros and cons of these options are indicated.
Empirical and analytical base for CAPITAL ASSETS PRICING MODEL application in Russia
Authors: Kogan Anton B.
Published: October 2022

The subject of the study were the financial characteristics of the Russian Stock Market and the represented public companies. The complex calculations necessary for Capital Assets Pricing Model (CAPM) application in the study of Russian companies by appraisers, investors, and researchers were performed. 5- and 2-year betas (historical, and adjusted for leverage and cash) were calculated, based on weekly total stock returns for 217 companies. Historical bets were calculated for cases when the market was represented by IMOEX, MCFTR, MOEXBMI, SP500, Solactive Global Equity Large Cap Select Index (five bet groups in total). In addition, 2-year betas were calculated for four periods, and the specifics of their variability were described. A fly project study of the small cap premium was carried out. The market risk premium was determined. The main sources of information for this study were the Moscow Exchange and Yahoo Finance. The calculations were based on the classical provisions of CAPM and mathematical statistics. The information provided allows appraisers, investors, researchers to determine the return required for a particular type of business. The maximum detail of information allows one to calculate the bet according to well-known domestic, foreign or own classifiers.
Taxationem occasiones potentia augere animos pecunia a privatis elit debitum ad eorum rationalis interaction cum independens financial (tractatus) consuasor
Authors: Dekanova Kseniya V.
Published: October 2022

Attracting funds from private investors to the country's economy and increasing the level of financial literacy are the tasks of the state, the solution of which will improve the investment climate and form a rational financial behavior of households. The article substantiates the possibility and necessity of increasing the potential for attracting funds from private investors (their savings) to the country's economy and proposes for this purpose an organizational model of interaction between a private investor and an independent financial (investment) adviser.
Desvelando os efeitos adversos do metilfenidato na atenção infanto-juvenil
Authors: Hoffmann Cheffer Maycon , Patricio Rissi Gabrieli , Campos Terezinha Aparecida , Machado Cruz Shibukawa Bianca , Zanato Alessandro Rodrigo , Vasconcellos da Silva Natasha Kauana , Bossolani Charlo Patricia , Raone Ferreira Diego , Salci Maria Aparecida , Higarashi Ieda Harumi
Published: October 2022

Introdução. O uso de metilfenidato em crianças e adolescentes tem crescido exponencialmente, tornando-se um fenômeno de interesse para a saúde pública, visto os possíveis efeitos colaterais da medicação. Objetivo. Identificar quais são os efeitos adversos apresentados por infantojuvenis decorrentes do uso de metilfenidato. Método. Revisão integrativa com levantamento bibliográfico nas fontes de informação CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science e SCOPUS, de artigos publicados entre 2015 e 2021, para responder à questão norteadora: quais os efeitos adversos ao uso do metilfenidato na população infanto-juvenil? As buscas ocorreram entre julho de 2021 a janeiro de 2022, utilizando os descritores “Methylphenidate”, “Medicalization”, “Amphetamine”, “Central Nervous System Stimulants”, “Child” e “Adolescent”. Após os cruzamentos desses descritores, identificaram-se 5.105 artigos que, submetidos aos critérios de elegibilidade, resultaram em onze estudos. Resultados. Os estudos apontaram oito efeitos adversos: problemas relacionados ao sono; ansiedade; ejaculação espontânea; movimentos motores involuntários caracterizados como tiques; tricotilomania; diminuição do apetite; perda de peso e de estatura; alterações nos parâmetros bioquímicos do sangue; infarto agudo do miocárdio; ginecomastia bilateral e alopecia. Conclusão. Os efeitos adversos apresentados pela população infantojuvenil ao uso de metilfenidato evidenciam desordens fisiológicas variadas, em sua forma de apresentação e intensidade.
Dialectalisation et pseudépigraphie philosophique : la dorisation de la koinè littéraire comme marque d’école dans les fragments transmis par Stobée du traité pseudo-archytéen Περὶ νόμου καὶ δικαιοσύνης
Authors: Minon Sophie
Published: October 2022

La langue de la tradition archytéenne est ce dorien littéraire dont précisément Archytas de Tarente représentait le canon aux yeux du Byzantin Grégoire de Corinthe. Cette prose littéraire repose non sur un dialecte dorien spécifique et identifiable en tant que tel, mais au contraire sur un dorien générique ou supradialectal — poétisé, à l’occasion, d’éolismes conformes à la tradition poétique dorienne illustrée notamment par Alcman et Pindare, puis Théocrite, ellemême fondée sur la dorisation de la langue homérique et l’emprunt à la lyrique lesbienne de formes comme le participe thématique féminin en -οισα. Elle s’inspire des meilleurs modèles stylistiques : prose gorgianique, celle d’un Sicilien devenu de son temps le parangon de l’art oratoire attique, et proses ionienne et attique. Elle se nourrit d’emprunts aux philosophes, de langue ionienne ou attique — Platon et Aristote au premier chef —, dont certains sont importés tels quels, sans être même dorisés. La dialectalisation n’a donc pas été systématique : plus qu’un public dorien et une ouverture vers le monde romain, elle visait sans doute surtout à créer une tonalité spécifique, mais à partir d’un usage de la langue générique, commun aux intellectuels qui s’exprimaient en prose, dont l’origine est à rechercher dans la prose ionienne. On aurait donc affaire à une koinè intellectuelle dorisée plus ou moins artificiellement suivant les époques au long de sa transmission. Sa dorisation aurait constitué le marquage d’une identité doctrinale distincte de celle de l’Académie ou de celle d’Aristote. Si les premiers pythagoriciens avaient pu s’exprimer en ionien, comme Pythagore pour l’essentiel, par la suite, Archytas et ceux qui l’ont suivi auraient fait le choix d’arborer le dorien comme marque d’école ou affichage de leur revendication d’une pensée originale.
L’interprétation de l’ancienne loi de Solon par Lysias X, 17 (Contre Théomnestos I) est-elle correcte ? Sur la place, la fonction et le sens du verbe ἐπιορκέω dans la langue des serments en grec ancien
Authors: Jouanna Jacques
Published: October 2022

About a phrase of Solon’s law, Lysias X, 17 says that the participle ἐπιορκήσαντα is synonymous with ὀμόσαντα. All the dictionaries add, s. v.

ἐπιορκέω, to the general meaning «swear falsely » «forswear oneself » , this rare meaning of simply «to swear » by Solon apud Lysias. This synonymy was recently quoted to justify a variant reading in a papyrus of the Hippocratic Oath. The aim of the present paper is to criticize this alleged synonymy, by studying the meaning, the function and the position of ἐπίορκος and ἐπιορκέω in the oaths since Homer (literature, epigraphy, papyrology). The phrase of Solon’s law points really to the moment whereby the one who swears tells what should happen to himself if he swears falsely (ἐπιορκήσαντα), and gives the name of the God to call as witness at that time (Apollo). And finaly the paper deals with the difficult problem how to explain the formation of the compounds ἐπίορκος/ ἐπιορκέω/ ἐπιορκία vs. εὔορκος/ εὐορκέω/ εὐορκία.
A study of metonymy in compliments to the female gender in Russian youth speech (In comparison with Chinese youth speech materials)
Authors: Tang Yue , Du Zihan , Novikov A. L.
Published: October 2022

This article is devoted to metonymy in the lexical units of compliments to the female gender in youth speech of Russian. Metonymy, as one of the tropes, is an important means of semantic change and replenishing the lexical stock of youth speech. This paper collects complimentary expressions using metonymy in modern Russian youth speech, divided into 6 different lexical-semantic groups through component analysis. The purpose is to analyze the cognitive-semantic features of metonymy in Russian and compare its similarities with Chinese compliments for females in youth speech. As a result of the study, the following is shown: 1) metonymy, as a common means of semantic change, is widely used in youth speech; 2) metonymy of adjectives is more frequently used in compliments for females in youth speech based on the cause-and-result relationship between features of objects; 3) metonymization is closely related to extra-linguistic factors, in which reflected the aesthetic standards of youth for female; 4) the comparison with Chinese materials shows the similar metonymization of youth speech in two languages as well as differences in expressions, which reflects the connection of metonymy with the national, linguistic picture of the world.
Polyvariance of vector formation of sustainable development of metallurgical enterprises
Authors: Metelenko Natalya , Khrapkina Valentyna , Ovіechkina Olena , Shapurov Olexandr , Rudych Oksana
Published: October 2022

The article establishes that the formation of the vector of sustainable development of metallurgical enterprises should be based on the use of such methodological approaches as systems analysis and program-target approach; on a combination of methods of economic diagnostics (method of expert assessment, method of economic and mathematical modeling, methods of multifactor and trend analysis). The polyvariance of the process of forming a system of indicators, which is the basis for calculating the integrated indicator of the vector of sustainable development, ensures taking into account the state and trends of changes in technical-technological, economic-environmental, and social components of the industrial enterprise. To solve this scientific problem, the stages of polyvariate formation of the vector of sustainable development of metallurgical enterprises are developed, which are based on the established basic principles; actualization of the vector of sustainable development is happening in accordance with the state of technical-technological, economic-environmental and social components and takes into account the modes of operation of the metallurgical enterprise, corresponding to the actual level of the integrated indicator.
PENERAPAN ALGORITMA K-MEANS CLUSTERING PADA PENGELOMPOKKAN PASANGAN USIA SUBUR PESERTA KB DI KABUPATEN CIREBON
Authors: Amelia Rizka , Martanto Martanto , Bahtiar Agus
Published: October 2022

One of the problems faced by newly married couples is planning the birth of children in the family. The problem of regulating the birth spacing of children in the family can be regulated by the family planning program that has been launched by the Government. One way to suppress the problem of population growth rate in Indonesia is through the KB (Family Planning) program. The success of the family planning program can be seen from the contraceptive methods used by couples of childbearing age (PUS) in each region. The main purpose of this study was to determine the best group of couples of childbearing age for family planning participants based on the contraceptives used in Cirebon Regency using the K-means algorithm, where this algorithm can solve the clustering problem in determining the best group of couples of childbearing age family planning participants. The results of the clustering process to find the best group of couples of childbearing age for family planning participants by looking for the smallest DBI value and obtained K-2 as the best group with a Davies Bouldin Index value of 0.071. The best number of clusters from the grouping of fertile age couples for family planning participants is 2 clusters, cluster 0 has 20 items members and cluster 1 has 20 items members.

 

Keywords: Clustering, K-Means, Family planning(KB), Couples of childbearing age(PUS)