bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pumpkin seed oil: unveiling its potential in controlling inflammation and pathogenicity during experimental trichinellosis
Authors: Abdel-Hakeem Sara Salah , Alnasser Sulaiman Mohammed , Meshal Alotaibi , Abdel-Samiee Mahmoud Abdel-Zaher , Youssef Mohamed Salah Eldin , Elsadek Shimaa Hamdi Abd , Abd-Elrahman Salwa Mahmoud
Published: September 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate the antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory potential of pumpkin seed oil in mice infected with Trichinella spiralis by demonstrating its impact on MMP-9 expression and pathogenesis during the intestinal and muscular phases.

Results

In this study, 100 mice were divided into five groups: an infected group, a pumpkin seed oil-treated group (1.5 mg/kg BW, administered three times per week), an albendazole-treated group, a native control group, and a pumpkin oil control group. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the pumpkin seed oil revealed a broad spectrum of biologically active compounds. The pumpkin seed oil treatment led to a significant reduction in the parasite burden, with a 75% decrease in adult worms and a 66% decrease in encysted larvae. Additionally, the infected animals treated with pumpkin oil exhibited a marked reduction in intestinal inflammation, characterized by a progressive increase in goblet cells. The number of encysted larvae in the diaphragm and muscle tissues was also significantly decreased. Furthermore, pumpkin seed oil treatment significantly reduced MMP-9 levels in both intestinal and muscular tissues, highlighting its potential to attenuate inflammation.

Conclusion

These findings underscore the effectiveness of pumpkin seed oil as anti-inflammatory and antiparasitic agent.
Exploring stroke survivors’ and physiotherapists’ perspectives of the potential for markerless motion capture technology in community rehabilitation
Authors: Faux-Nightingale Alice , Philp Fraser , Leone Enza , Helliwell Brinton Boreman , Pandyan Anand
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Many stroke survivors do not receive optimal levels of personalised therapy to support their recovery. Use of technology for stroke rehabilitation has increased in recent years to help minimise gaps in service provision. Markerless motion capture technology is currently being used for musculoskeletal and occupational health screening and could offer a means to provide personalised guidance to stroke survivors struggling to access rehabilitation.

Aims

This study considered context, stakeholders, and key uncertainties surrounding the use of markerless motion capture technology in community stroke rehabilitation from the perspectives of stroke survivors and physiotherapists with a view to adapting an existing intervention in a new context.

Methods

Three focus groups were conducted with eight stroke survivors and five therapists. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Five themes were identified: limited access to community care; personal motivation; pandemic changed rehabilitation practice; perceptions of technology; and role of markerless technology for providing feedback.

Conclusions

Participants identified problems associated with the access of community stroke rehabilitation, exacerbated by Covid-19 restrictions. Participants were positive about the potential for the use of markerless motion capture technology to support personalised, effective stroke rehabilitation in the future, providing it is developed to meet stroke survivor specific needs.
Freshwater snail-borne parasitic diseases in Africa
Authors: Gaye Papa Mouhamadou , Doucouré Souleymane , Sow Doudou , Sokhna Cheikh , Ranque Stéphane
Published: September 2024

Background

Freshwater snails are the first obligatory intermediate hosts in the trematode life cycle. Several parasitic diseases transmitted by these snails are endemic in Africa, and their distribution closely follows that of the intermediate hosts. These diseases represent a major public health problem and cause significant socio-economic losses in Africa, particularly schistosomiasis and fascioliasis. In this review, we will describe the main roles of freshwater snails in the life cycle of trematode parasites, and the geographical distribution of these diseases in Africa. We will also discuss the different techniques for detecting parasitic infections in snails, as well as the various methods of controlling snails and the larval stages of parasites.

Methods

We carried out a literature search for articles dealing with parasitic diseases transmitted by freshwater snail hosts in Africa. The search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar using various search terms combined by Boolean operators. Our search was limited to peer-reviewed articles less than 10 years old. Articles published to date in the fields of control of parasitic diseases transmitted by freshwater snails were included. Results were presented in narrative and in table format.

Results

The results of the database search identified 1007 records. We included 84 studies in this review. These studies generally focused on freshwater snails and the diseases they transmit. We described the geographical distribution of 43 freshwater species belonging to nine snail families, as well as the parasites that infect them. Several methods for diagnosing parasites in their snail hosts have been described, including microscopic and molecular methods, as well as antibody and protein barcode-based techniques. Molluscicides have been described as the main strategy for snail control.

Conclusion

This study highlights several elements of knowledge about diseases transmitted by freshwater snails and their distribution. A good understanding of snail infection detection techniques and existing control methods is an essential component in adapting control strategies for these diseases.

Graphical Abstract
Low-dose of oligosaccharins boosts antiviral immunity through induction of multiple defense pathways in rice
Authors: Wang Guoda , Lu Mingmin , He Qianqian , Du Juan , Song Wen , Li Lulu , Zhang Hehong , Wei Zhongyan , Lu Yuwen , Chen Jianping , Sun Zongtao , Li Yanjun
Published: September 2024

Oligosaccharins, widely recognized as plant immunity inducers, have been applied and studied for enhancing antiviral defenses in rice over the years. However, due to the complex induction mechanism in rice, further studies are needed. In this study, we demonstrated that oligosaccharins enhanced rice resistance to southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) at both the symptomatic and molecular levels. RNA-seq analysis revealed that oligosaccharins enhanced rice antiviral defense by activating multiple defense pathways. Among them, the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway, a crucial antiviral pathway in rice, was investigated in detail. Interestingly, RNA-seq data showed that genes related to JA signaling pathway were significantly induced after 1 h but not after 24 h of oligosaccharins treatment, suggesting that JA induction by oligosaccharins was rapid and sensitive. Furthermore, JA levels and sensitivity analysis showed that oligosaccharins induced JA accumulation, making treated rice plants more sensitive to methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Additionally, oligosaccharins treatment also induced a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in rice. Notably, oligosaccharins demonstrated a low-dose effect, within a certain dilution range from 6000-fold to 1000-fold diluted solution of 5% oligosaccharins, with the 4000-fold diluted solution exhibiting a stronger ability to induce elevated production of JA and ROS. Moreover, the application of low-dose oligosaccharins also enhanced rice resistance to SRBSDV. These data suggest that low-dose of oligosaccharins can enhance rice antiviral defense by inducing multiple defense pathways, including the JA signaling pathway and ROS production.
Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) deficiency: across-the-board severe combined immunodeficiency
Authors: Chohayeb Engy A. , Lotfy Sohilla , El Hawary Rabab E. , Meshaal Safa S. , Mansour Iman A. , Galal Nermeen M. , Elmarsafy Aisha M.
Published: September 2024

Background

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) deficiency is a rare, autosomal recessive, inborn error of immunity. It is characterized by progressive immune abnormalities ranging from severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) to combined immunodeficiency less profound than SCID, neurological abnormalities and autoimmunity. Early detection and diagnosis before the development of life-threatening complications are crucial.

Methods

Immune cell subsets were assessed by flow cytometry, serum immunoglobulins and uric acid levels were evaluated, and genetic testing was performed for all patients.

Results

Herein, we present six Egyptian PNP deficiency patients from four different families. We describe the patients’ clinical phenotypes, their immunological profile as well as their genetic results. Sequence analysis results detected 4 different variants in the PNP gene; 1 likely pathogenic frameshift deletion c.452del; p.Asn151MetfsTer20 was found in one family, 1 pathogenic nonsense variant c.172C > T; p.Arg58Ter, and 2 likely pathogenic missense variants c.682G > C; p.Ala228Pro and c.722T > C; pIle2241Thr.

Conclusion

In conclusion, PNP deficiency is a variable immunodeficiency and should be considered in various clinical contexts, with or without neurological manifestations. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation offers a good treatment option, with excellent clinical outcomes, when performed in a timely manner.
Skull base “intrinsic” bony mass lesions: conventional, diffusion and perfusion imaging with a proposed imaging approach
Authors: Eissa Lamya , Bastawi Rim Aly
Published: September 2024

Background and purpose

Imaging with conventional MRI plays a pivotal role in characterization of skull base bone-intrinsic lesions, yet some lesions are very challenging. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of diffusion and perfusion by T2* dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) in characterization of such lesions.

Results

Lesions showed mostly correlated with approach: Chordomas had low perfusion and intermediate to high perfusion, while chondrosarcoma had ADC value > 1.6 × 10–3/cm2 and more perfused. Metastases had variable ADC values usually intermediate with high perfusion. Plasmacytomas had similar features yet with characteristic conventional morphology and single number. Lymphoma (primary bony) had high perfusion and lowest diffusion ADC (= 04–0.7 × 10–3/cm2). Giant cell tumors and hemangiopericytomas had lowest perfusion.

Conclusion

The proposed imaging approach showed very good results and high accuracy in differentiation of skull base bony lesions.
Tackling Predatory Journals in Oncology: Training Is Key!
Authors: Najem Salma , Mrabti Hind , Errihani Hassan
Published: September 2024

Predatory journal is a global threat endangering the integrity of oncology research, where guidelines and recommendations are evidence-based. In this correspondence, we question regarding the problem while also providing some pertinent solutions.
Apparent Saturation of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Catabolism After High Dietary Milk Protein Intake in Healthy Adults
Authors: Newton-Tanzer Emily , Can Sultan Nilay , Demmelmair Hans , Horak Jeannie , Holdt Lesca , Koletzko Berthold , Grote Veit
Published: September 2024

Context

Milk protein contains high concentrations of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) that play a critical role in anabolism and are implicated in the onset of obesity and chronic disease. Characterizing BCAA catabolism in the postprandial phase could elucidate the impact of protein intake on obesity risk established in the “early protein hypothesis.”

Objective

To examine the acute effects of protein content of young child formulas as test meals on BCAA catabolism, observing postprandial plasma concentrations of BCAA in relation to their degradation products.

Methods

The TOMI Add-On Study is a randomized, double-blind crossover study in which 27 healthy adults consumed 2 isocaloric young child formulas with alternating higher (HP) and lower (LP) protein and fat content as test meals during separate interventions, while 9 blood samples were obtained over 5 hours. BCAA, branched-chain α-keto acids (BCKA), and acylcarnitines were analyzed using a fully targeted HPLC-ESI-MS/MS approach.

Results

Mean concentrations of BCAA, BCKA, and acylcarnitines were significantly higher after HP than LP over the 5 postprandial hours, except for the BCKA α-ketoisovalerate (KIVA). The latter metabolite showed higher postprandial concentrations after LP. With increasing mean concentrations of BCAA, concentrations of corresponding BCKA, acylcarnitines, and urea increased until a breakpoint was reached, after which concentrations of degradation products decreased (for all metabolites except valine and KIVA and Carn C4:0-iso).

Conclusion

BCAA catabolism is markedly influenced by protein content of the test meal. We present novel evidence for the apparent saturation of the BCAA degradation pathway in the acute postprandial phase up to 5 hours after consumption.
LRP5 Variant Without Pseudoglioma in a Young Man With Fragility Fractures
Authors: Vaghasia Nupoor , Dutta Aditya , Mithal Ambrish
Published: September 2024

Osteoporosis in children and young adults is relatively rare. Hereditary causes are often overlooked in the absence of a positive family history. We report a 29-year-old male presenting with recurrent fragility fractures since 6 years of age. Secondary causes, such as celiac disease, inflammatory disorders, and hypogonadism, were ruled out. Family history was negative for any bone disease. Exome sequencing revealed 2 variants of LRP5 gene—intron 5 c.1015 + 1G > A and exon 5 c.892C > T. Although the former variant has been described in literature as a cause of osteoporosis in homozygous state only, it manifested as osteoporosis in our patient, in the heterozygous state, in presence of a second variant of uncertain significance. However, eye involvement, which is classically seen in “osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome” homozygote, was absent in our patient. Genetic analysis of the parents revealed father to be a carrier of intron 5 c.1015 + 1G > A and mother exon 5 c.892C > T variants of the LRP5 gene. However, none of them had osteoporosis on bone densitometry. The patient was subsequently treated with IV zoledronic acid (planned to be administered annually) and showed improvement in bone density by 11% at the spine and 9.5% at the left femur; there were no further fractures over 1 year of follow-up.
Race against Time
Authors: Jabbari Alexander
Published: September 2024

This article attempts to think race, sexuality, and temporality together in modern Iran. By analyzing modern Iranian literature, cinema, and media, it argues that the figure of the Indian evokes difference embodied in physiognomy, language, and sexuality in the Iranian imagination. Moreover, the Indian is temporally out of place and appears as a specter of the premodern Persianate past shared by Iran and India, haunting the modern, nationalist present. After examining racialized depictions of Indians in premodern Persianate texts, the article considers the raced, sexualized, heterotemporal figure of the Indian in popular novels like Dear Uncle Napoleon (1973), Savushun (1969), and The Patient Stone (1966); films like Qarun’s Treasure (1965); and various musical performances from the 1970s to the 2010s. The article contends that for Iranians, the Indian’s uncanny combination of similarity and alterity provokes anxieties about sexuality and racial modernity by seemingly disrupting the temporality of the present.
Manufacturing Madonnas
Authors: Naeej Elham
Published: September 2024

This article argues that Zoya Pirzad’s novel Chiragh-ha ra man khamush mikunam (Things We Left Unsaid, 2001) casts the protagonist, Clarice Ayvazian, as an asexualized Madonna figure. Love in Chiragh-ha is split into its spiritual and sensual dimensions, which are viewed as essentially irreconcilable. Clarice sublimates her desires into more socially acceptable occupations and in doing so represses her sexuality. The novel thus lends itself to a reading through the lens of the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, most notably his work on the Madonna/whore complex.
Child Marriage in “Hitaw” and Mādīyān
Authors: Zehtabi Maryam
Published: September 2024

Child marriage, the union between a child below the age of consent and a spouse who is the same age or older, remains a prevalent practice in Iran. Often these marriages involve young girls betrothed to much older men as a result of economic arrangements between the girl’s guardian and the groom. This practice imposes numerous physical and psychological hardships on the child bride, whose domestic and reproductive labor becomes bound to a man she did not choose to marry. By analyzing “Hitaw” (1973), by Ali Ashraf Darvishiyan, and Mādīyān (1986), directed by Ali Zhakan, this article aims to examine the perceptions and portrayals of these girls and their sexuality within the realm of art and literature. Through this analysis it seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and political dynamics that perpetuate child marriage and impact the lives of young girls in Iran.
Love on Hold
Authors: Yaghoobi Claudia
Published: September 2024

Two months after the initial announcement of COVID-19, the World Health Organization referred to the pathogen as a pandemic, and by March 2020 large gatherings were canceled as new “social distancing” measures were issued. Statements about the pandemic proliferated on social-media platforms, among them that culturally important gatherings were sources of a new anxiety. Given that qualitative works engaging the sociocultural aspects of people’s experiences, internal reflections, and the ways they navigate vulnerability are essential to a holistic view of COVID-19’s effects and mechanics, the present study posed the question “How has the social distancing order impacted your relationships?” on various social-media outlets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). This article analyzes the responses. Central to this inquiry is an understanding of how dating, marriage, and family relationships intersected with other axes of power specific to social safety during the pandemic.
Advanced Shield Development for a Fission Surface Power System for the Lunar Surface
Authors: Craft A E , Silver I J , Clark C M , Howe S D , King J C
Published: September 2024

A nuclear reactor power system such as the affordable fission surface power system enables a potential outpost on the moon. A radiation shield must be included in the reactor system to reduce the otherwise excessive dose to the astronauts and other vital system components. The radiation shield is typically the most massive component of a space reactor system, and thus must be optimized to reduce mass as much as possible while still providing the required protection. Various shield options for an on-lander reactor system are examined for outpost distances of 400m and 1km from the reactor. Also investigated is the resulting mass savings from the use of a high-performance cermet fuel. A thermal analysis is performed to determine the thermal behaviours of radiation shields using borated water. For an outpost located 1000m from the core, a tetramethylammonium borohydride shield is the lightest (5148.4kg), followed by a trilayer shield (boron carbide—tungsten—borated water; 5832.3kg), and finally a borated water shield (6020.7kg). In all of the final design cases, the temperature of the borated water remains below 400K.
Advances in the bayesian analysis of statistical models with intractable normalising constants
Authors: Μπουράνης Λάμπρος
Published: September 2024

Οι μπεϋζιανές στατιστικές είχαν βαθύ αντίκτυπο στη στατιστική μάθηση, προσφέροντας μια προσέγγιση για την εφαρμογή πιθανοτήτων σε στατιστικά προβλήματα. Η μπεϋζιανή επαγωγική προσέγγιση επιτρέπει στον ερευνητή να επικαιροποιήσει τις πεποιθήσεις του σχετικά με τυχαία γεγονότα υπό το φως της παρατήρησης νέων δεδομένων σχετικά με αυτά τα γεγονότα και να παράγει νέες μεταγενέστερες πεποιθήσεις. Τυπικά, οι posterior κατανομές πιθανοτήτων που σχετίζονται με τις επικαιροποιημένες πεποιθήσεις είναι δυσεπίλυτες αναλυτικά και αυτό έχει εμποδίσει την εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων για την posterior κατανομή. Η ανακάλυψη αλγορίθμων Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) (Metropolis et al., 1953; Hastings, 1970) παρείχε μια προσέγγιση βασισμένη στην προσομοίωση για να ξεπεραστεί η δυσκολία υπολογισμού που είναι εγγενής σε όλες σχεδόν τις posterior κατανομές. Παρά το γεγονός ότι είναι ένα γενικό εργαλείο που έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί για τη συνήθη προσομοίωση παρατηρήσεων από την posterior κατανομή, η εφαρμογή του MCMC αντιμετωπίζει υπολογιστικές δυσκολίες σε σύγχρονα στατιστικά προβλήματα: πολλά δημοφιλή στατιστικά μοντέλα για πολύπλοκα φαινόμενα είναι δυσεπίλυτα, καθώς η συνάρτηση πιθανότητας δεν μπορεί εύκολα να αξιολογηθεί. Αυτό δίνει posterior κατανομές οι οποίες χαρακτηρίζονται διπλά δυσεπίλυτες. Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία επεδίωξε την ανάπτυξη νέων στατιστικών μεθόδων σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, εστιάζοντας στα προβλήματα της εξαγωγής παραμέτρων και της επιλογής μοντέλων. Στο πρώτο μέρος της διατριβής εισάγουμε έναν θορυβώδη αλγόριθμο MCMC ο οποίος πλεόν στοχεύει σε μια προσέγγιση της πραγματικής posterior κατανομής-στόχο, για σύγκριση μπεϋζιανών μοντέλων και για εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων σε πολλαπλά μοντέλα διπλά δυσεπίλυτων κατανομών. Παρέχουμε εγγυήσεις σύγκλισης για τον αλγόριθμο και απεικόνιση των πλεονεκτημάτων αυτής της μεθόδου με παραδείγματα από την κοινωνική ανάλυση δικτύων. Στο δεύτερο μέρος, αυτή η διατριβή επικεντρώνεται στην επιλύσιμη ψευδοπιθανότητα ως προσέγγιση στην πραγματική πιθανότητα, για ανάλυση κοινωνικών δικτύων. Παρά την επιλυσιμότητά τους, οι ψευδοπιθανότητες πρέπει να αντιμετωπίζονται με προσοχή, διότι μπορούν να οδηγήσουν σε παράλογα συμπεράσματα για τις παραμέτρους του μοντέλου. Εδώ, οι συνεισφορές μας είναι διττές: (i) παρουσιάζουμε μια βιώσιμηπροσέγγιση για την προσαρμογή της posterior κατανομής που προκύπτει από τη χρήση της ψευδοπιθανότητας με αποτελεσματικό τρόπο, παρέχοντας παράλληλα το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο αυτής της προσέγγισης, ii) καθορίζουμε μια μέθοδο για την προσαρμογή της ίδιας της ψευδοπιθανότητας προκειμένου να ληφθεί μια λογική προσέγγιση στην πραγματική πιθανότητα, η οποία επιτρέπει την ευρεία εφαρμογή υπολογιστικών μεθόδων για την εκτίμηση στατιστικών στοιχείων και την επιδίωξη της μπεϋζιανής επιλογής μοντέλου διπλά δυσεπίλυτων κατανομών.
Hardware-software co-design of deep learning accelerators
Authors: Δανόπουλος Δημήτριος
Published: September 2024

Τα τελευταία χρόνια, η Βαθιά Μάθηση (Deep Learning), ένα υποσύνολο στο ευρύτερο πεδίο της Τεχνητής Νοημοσύνης (AI), έχει σημειώσει αξιοσημείωτη επιτυχία σε ένα ευρύ φάσμα εφαρμογών, όπως η όραση υπολογιστών και τα αυτόνομα συστήματα. Έχει αναδειχθεί ως μια από τις πιο ισχυρές και ακριβείς τεχνικές, χρησιμοποιώντας συχνά Βαθιά Νευρωνικά Δίκτυα (DNNs) που πολλές φορές ξεπερνούν την ανθρώπινη απόδοση. Ωστόσο, η συνεχιζόμενη έρευνα της τεχνητής νοημοσύνης βασίζεται σε μεγάλο βαθμό σε υπολογιστικά συστήματα υψηλής απόδοσης για τη διαχείριση των τεράστιων όγκων υπολογισμών και δεδομένων που εμπλέκονται. Οι εξελίξεις στην τεχνολογία και την αρχιτεκτονική οδήγησαν στην ενσωμάτωση συνεπεξεργαστών όπως Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) ή Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Αυτές οι συσκευές είναι τύποι επιταχυντών υλικού που παίζουν κρίσιμο ρόλο στην επιτάχυνση του φόρτου εργασίας της τεχνητής νοημοσύνης και έχουν διευκολύνει την ανάπτυξη ολοένα και πιο εξελιγμένων μοντέλων τεχνητής νοημοσύνης. Για την αντιμετώπιση των σημαντικών υπολογιστικών απαιτήσεων των αλγορίθμων AI, τέτοιο εξειδικευμένο υλικό απαιτεί σημαντική προγραμματιστική προσπάθεια για την επίτευξη βέλτιστης απόδοσης και αποδοτικότητας. Επιπλέον, η τελευταία λέξη της τεχνολογίας αξιοποιεί την μέθοδο προσεγγιστικών υπολογισμών (approximate computing), μια μέθοδο που επιτρέπει στους υπολογισμούς να είναι λιγότερο ακριβείς, ανταλλάσσοντας κάποια ακρίβεια για κέρδη αποδοτικότητας. Ωστόσο, η αξιολόγηση της ακρίβειας των προσεγγιστικών νευρωνικών δικτύων είναι δύσκολη λόγω της έλλειψης επαρκούς υποστήριξης για την προσεγγιστική αριθμητική σε περιβάλλοντα Βαθιάς Μάθησης, όπως το PyTorch ή Tensorflow. Στόχος της παρούσας διατριβής είναι, αρχικά, η χρήση των FPGAs ως επιταχυντές για ένα ευρύ φάσμα εφαρμογών τεχνητής νοημοσύνης, ενώ παρουσιάζονται διάφορες στρατηγικές και τεχνικές για τη βελτίωση της αποτελεσματικότητας και της απόδοσης για τέτοιες εφαρμογές. Προτείνονται επίσης διάφορες βελτιστοποιήσεις για αυτοματοποιημένα περιβάλλοντα με στόχο την μετατροπή εκπαιδευμένων μοντέλων νευρωνικών δικτύων σε βελτιστοποιημένο υλικολογισμικό για FPGA, μειώνοντας τις προκλήσεις ανάπτυξης υλικού που αντιμετωπίζουν οι μηχανικοί στην συγκεκριμένη διαδικασία. Επιπλέον, εξετάζεται η χρήση προσεγγιστικών υπολογισμών για να αξιοποιηθεί η εγγενής ανθεκτικότητα σφάλματος των Βαθιών Νευρωνικών Δικτύων. Αντιμετωπίζεται η δυσκολία στην αξιολόγηση προσεγγιστικών δικτύων, εισάγοντας για τον σκοπό αυτό δύο περιβάλλοντα, το AdaPT και το TransAxx. Αυτά τα περιβάλλοντα, που είναι βασισμένα στο PyTorch και είναι βελτιστοποιημένα με χρήση επιτάχυνσης CPU και GPU αντίστοιχα, επιτρέπουν προσεγγιστικό inference και retraining για διάφορα βαθιά νευρωνικά μοντέλα. Τέλος, προτείνεται ένας αλγόριθμος Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) που οδηγείται από υλικό για την αποτελεσματική αναζήτηση του χώρου των προσεγγιστικών παραμέτρων σε μοντέλα Vision Transformer (ViT) με στόχο την επίτευξη σημαντικών αντισταθμίσεων μεταξύ ακρίβειας και ισχύος.
Influence of Smartphone Usage on development of Sexuality among Late Adolescent Boys in Health Sciences Colleges of South India
Authors: Manya Sharath M , K Jayashree , Mithra Prasanna , Galagali Preeti M , Ommen Sara J
Published: September 2024

Background Better affordability of data plans and an increase in “budget” smartphones have resulted in an exponential rise in internet and smartphone users. The ease of access to sexually explicit material (SEM) coupled with adolescents’ impulsivity makes them prone to excessive SEM exposure and may affect the development of sexuality via the perceived realism of such content. This study was done to study the influence between problematic smartphone usage (PSU) and sexuality development among late adolescent boys. Methods One hundred and thirty-four adolescents aged 18-19 years, studying in a medical university, participated in this cross-sectional study. Smartphone Addiction Scale – short version (SAS-SV) to evaluate PSU and a content validated semi-structured proforma to evaluate gender identity, sexual orientation, sources of information on pubertal changes, and exposure to pornographic content was used. We expressed results as proportion and summary measures (Mean±SD), Chi-square test to find influence between PSU and adolescent sexuality development. Results We found a 45.5% prevalence of PSU. Among study participants, 88% were attracted to the opposite sex, 6% were attracted to the same-sex, and 6% were attracted to both sexes. Three per cent of participants liked wearing clothes of the opposite sex, 7.5% wanted to be members of the opposite sex, whereas 10.4% were not comfortable with their genitalia. They obtained information regarding pubertal changes from friends (85) and media (78). Many had exposure to pornographic content (90%), with the youngest being nine years old. Conclusion Nearly half of the late adolescents have PSU. Pornographic contents are accessed through Smartphones.
A systematic review of Streptococcus Mutans and Veillonellae species interactions in dental caries progression: Positive or Negative impact?
Authors: Hasan Faizul , Setia Budi Hendrik , Ramasamy Rajesh , Tantiana Tantiana , Ridwan Rini Devijanti , Winoto Ervina Restiwulan , Nuraini Prawati , Handajani Juni , Djais Ariadna Adisattya , Anitasari Silvia
Published: September 2024

Background The interaction between Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Veillonella species (Veillonella spp.) is unclear. This study aims to investigate the interaction between S. mutans and Veillonella spp. on caries development using systematic review. Methods This systematic review was accorded to the guideline of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Three electronic databases, namely PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library, were used to conduct a systematic search for eligible studies from their inception until July 18, 2023. PROSPERO registration number was No. CRD42023445968. Results We initially identified 4,774 articles. After eliminating duplicates and irrelevant articles, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies revealed important aspects of the relationship between S. mutans and Veillonellae spp. in dental caries. One significant finding is that Veillonellae spp. can affect the acid production capacity of S. mutans. Some studies indicate that Veillonellae spp. can inhibit the acid production by S. mutans, potentially reducing the cariogenic process. Another aspect is the competition for substrates. Veillonellae spp. utilize lactic acid, which is a by product of S. mutans metabolism, as a source of carbon. This metabolic interaction may decrease the availability of lactic acid for S. mutans, potentially influencing its cariogenic potential. Conclusions This systematic review highlights the emerging evidence on the interaction between S. mutans and Veillonellae spp. in dental caries. The findings suggest that Veillonellae spp. can modulate the acid production, and substrate competition of S. mutans, potentially influencing the cariogenic process.
A Simple Law for the Distribution of Long-Term Profit: The Empirical Regularity Behind the 1% of Firms That Capture 73% of Value
Authors: Wibbens Phebo D.
Published: September 2024

Empirical laws and regularities, such as Klepper’s shakeout pattern for industry evolution or Gibrat’s law for firm size, have shaped our understanding of organizations. Despite decades of research into profit patterns, no such widely applicable empirical regularities have been found for the “dependent variable of strategy”: long-term value capture. This study reports the discovery of a simple law governing this variable’s distribution. A four-parameter normal log-normal (NLN) mixture distribution very well fits observed data of listed firms’ 20-year long-term profit (LTP). The distribution correctly describes, for instance, a remarkable asymmetry in value capture: fewer than 1% of all firms in the data set generated 73% of the total LTP. Though the NLN law applies across different industries, geographies, and time periods, its distributional parameters vary. These parameters provide a novel and precise description of differences across settings in economic outcomes, such as the rise of “superstars.” More broadly, the law’s discovery raises profound questions relating to competitive strategy, evolutionary path dependence, the structure of technological opportunity, and social inequality. Code and data for replication are made available.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and code and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.18085 .
From diagnosis to treatment: a successful case of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis of presumed bacterial aetiology in an adult.
Authors: Pestana Santos Catarina , Cruz Daniela , Gonçalves de Sousa Bruno , Judas Tiago
Published: September 2024

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) affects patients across all age groups and can be classified as either primary HLH (P-HLH) or secondary HLH (S-HLH). The latter is associated with clinical conditions that disrupt normal immunological responses, such as infections, neoplasms or autoimmune diseases. Although HLH can occur sporadically in healthy individuals, it is more frequently observed in patients with haematological malignancies and autoimmune disorders. The diagnostic process for HLH is often challenging due to its non-specific signs and the absence of pathognomonic findings. The primary objective in treating S-HLH is to eliminate the underlying trigger and control immunological hyperactivation, making the identification and treatment of triggers critically important. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential, as the mortality rate remains high. In this context, we present the case of a young woman diagnosed with idiopathic S-HLH, likely triggered by a bacterial infection. The diagnosis was achieved due to a high index of clinical suspicion for S-HLH. The patient exhibited an excellent response to antimicrobial therapy, resulting in the complete resolution of haemophagocytosis. The authors deem it important to present this case to enhance awareness of S-HLH diagnosis, as well as the investigation and management of potential triggers.
Evaluation of the Wellness of Children’s and Affecting Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic Process
Authors: Demir Kösem Dilek , Bektaş Murat
Published: September 2024

Objective: This study was carried out to assess the well-being of children and adolescents under lockdown conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors affecting it.

Material and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 282 parents of children aged between 3-14. “Socio-Demographic Data Collection Form” and “The Well-Being of Children in Lockdown Scale (WCLS)” were used in data collection. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results: The majority of participants’ (97.9%, n=276) total scores on the Well-being of Children in Lockdown Scale ranged between 45 and 66, and the level of their well-being was moderate. It was found that eleven variables explained 8.7% of the variance in the total score of the Well-being of Children in Lockdown Scale (R2=0.087, p=0.009). The variables that had a significant effect on the scores of the sub-dimensions of the scale were the age of the mother (p=0.006), the financial status of the family (p=0.004) and the number of children (p=0.010) in the physical activity sub-dimension; the status of going to school (p<0.001), financial status of family (p=0.001) and the child’s age (p=0.001) in the addiction sub-dimension; the age of the mother (p=0.004), the age of the father (p<0.001) and father’s employment status (p=0.003) in the emotions sub-dimension; the child’s age (p=0.048), the age of the father (p=0.046) and father’s employment status (p=0.010) in the fun and creative activities sub-dimension.

Conclusion: In this study, the well-being level of children and adolescents was determined to be moderate. It is recommended to plan studies on other variables that can predict children and adolescents’ well-being and to make timely interventions necessary for them.
Body Weight Parameters at the Initial Visit for Eating Disorders in Adolescents: Are These the Markers of Serious Complications?
Authors: Çöllü Ata Yiğit , Taş Demet , Öden Akman Alkım , Çöp Esra
Published: September 2024

Objective: Eating disorders (ED) are psychiatric disorders often accompanied by medical complications. This study aimed to identify the complications in ED patients during hospital admission and their relationship with body weight (BW).

Material and Methods: Patients diagnosed with ED per DSM-5 criteria seen at least once in the adolescent department were included. Digital medical records were used to obtain patient information. Body mass index (BMI), BMI percentile, and percentage of BW by height (IBW%) were calculated to analyze their association with medical complications.

Results: Our study included 144 patients, 140 (97.2%) females and 4 (2.8%) males. Of the patients; 94 were analysed as Anorexia Nervosa (AN), 28 as Atypical AN and 17 as Bulimia Nervosa (BN). At least one cardiac complication was detected in 29.3% (39), gastrointestinal complications in 54.2% (78), hypoglycaemia in 18.2% (26), secondary amenorrhoea in 34.5% (48) and 45.8% (66) received inpatient treatment. Patients with IBW%<75 exhibited significantly higher rates of hypoglycemia, bradycardia, low sT3, amenorrhea, and hospitalization compared to those with IBW% ≥ 75 (p<0.001). Bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly inversely associated with Z-score, time to ED diagnosis and duration of amenorrhoea (p=0.006; p=0.044; p=0.032, respectively).

Conclusion: Our findings show that at least one medical complication frequently develops in ED patients at the initial evaluation. Patients with AN and BN, which usually start in adolescence, may frequently present to paediatric outpatient clinics with medical complaints. The role of internal physicians in the early diagnosis of ED is important to prevent serious complications in these patients.
The importance of teaching literature in developing interest and communicative competence in English as a foreign language
Authors:   Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, Turianytsia Kateryna , Nad-Kolozhvari Enike ,   Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education
Published: September 2024

The paper delves into the importance of teaching literature in developing interest and communicative competence in EFL learners. It emphasizes the role of literature as a linguistic resource and a cultural gateway, highlighting its significance in enhancing intercultural competence and communicative skills among students. The study explores the evolution of literature's role in modern language pedagogy, discussing historical perspectives and the integration of technology in teaching literature. It also delves into how literature fosters communication skills, critical thinking, and analytical abilities in EFL learners. The research further examines the impact of literature on motivation and engagement in EFL classrooms, emphasizing the practical application of literary texts to enhance student interest and participation. It discusses strategies for selecting literary works and using them to improve motivation during English language classes. The paper includes an experimental research section that outlines the study's objectives, data collection methods, participant details, and analysis techniques. It concludes with a discussion of the results, pedagogical implications, and an analysis of the findings to draw meaningful conclusions. The study's theoretical value lies in its comprehensive exploration of how integrating literature can enhance communicative competence among Ukrainian EFL learners. By drawing on international research and local teachers' perspectives, the paper aims to provide insights into effective pedagogical approaches for utilizing literature to stimulate learner engagement and improve communication skills in English. The practical implications of the research focus on teaching materials and strategies for integrating literature effectively in the English language classroom in Ukraine, aiming to enhance student interest and engagement in learning English. The study's relevance extends to teachers and individuals interested in language education, offering valuable insights into the benefits of incorporating literature in EFL instruction.
The concept of «sun» in the collection of Anna Hayvoronska «Keys from the Sun» as a sign of the writer’s idiostyle
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Radchenko Vladyslav
Published: September 2024

In Anna Hayvoronska’s collection «Keys from the Sun» of 2022, the multicultural concept «the sun», which is rooted in the mythopoetic worldview and has its roots in the folklore tradition, is used 70 times, therefore its research is in the work of a mystic who creates poetry where «the sun is in a hat», «where a clear moment smells of Dinets watercress», is extremely relevant. The article analyzes the multicultural ambivalent concept of «the sun» in the collection of Anna Gaivoronska’s «Keys to the Sun» and the poetry published in open sources (the writer’s Facebook page) in 2022–2024. The following research tasks were performed: the literary component of the concept «concept» was highlighted, the core of the meaning of the concept «sun» was systematized, the ambivalent concept «sun» in the poetry of H. Hayvoronska was characterized, the influence of sun worship on the idiostyle of mysticism was analyzed. He following research methods are used in the work: descriptive when analyzing the poems of the collection, mythopoetic for researching the content of the concept of the «sun» in culture, literature, and poets, comparative-historical for characterizing the concept in Ukrainian literature, comparativetypological for understanding the concept in the collection «Keys to of the sun». It has been found that the concept of «sun» in the text of Hanna Gaivoronska, which represents life, the Higher Power, creativity, light, victory, is a synthesis of the author’s understanding with the folklore mythopoetic tradition of national awareness through a universal, originally mythological picture of the world. The dominance of the «sun» concept in the idiostyle of Anna Hayvoronska testifies to her deep rootedness in the national soil, the presence in her artistic consciousness of the mythopoetic canon and mental features of the Ukrainian ethnos.
Corpus as a tool for the research of language for specific purposes (on the basis of language for neuroscience for medical sphere)
Authors:   Bukovinian State Medical University, Vykliuk Anna
Published: September 2024

This article traces the expediency of using corpora in various fields of linguistics. It also describes the functionality of 5 web pages allowing to work with English corpora and indicates the role of such corpora in the study of English for specific purposes (on the basis of language for neuroscience for medical sphere). According to L. Hoffman, language for specific purposes comprises language units of different levels used in professional communication. Therefore, the language for neuroscience for medical sphere is understood as those language units of different levels that ensure effective communication of scientists in this field (neurologists and neurobiologists). A corpus is a collection of computer-processed units of text including articles (newspaper, web, and journal articles) and sometimes other textual sources, such as court records. Corpora can be open and closed, annotated and unannotated. They are actively used in translation, cognitive linguistics and many other fields. The conclusion from this study is that corpora can also be a useful tool in working with professional language. This is shown by a look at the functionality of English Corpora, Just-the-word, Skell Search Engine, Netspeak and Lexturor. All of these websites provide access to a large number of English corpora. Almost every one of them has an advanced search for lexical items. Most of these websites count the results. English Corpora, Lextutor and Skell Search Engine have the most detailed filters for information. They allow you to search for lexical items by their source, part of speech and other ways of advanced search. Of all the websites that offer corpus work, Skell Search Engine, and specifically its paid version, is the most detailed. Thanks to the CQL (corpus query language) search, which actually looks like a given sequence with unknown parts, you can search for various lexical and grammatical constructions among the corpora presented on the website.
Narratives about the first ladies of the United States as a tool for forming the standard of femininity
Authors:   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Nabokova Iryna , Martyniuk Alla ,   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
Published: September 2024

Narratives play a fundamental role in forming the system of values of any society; therefore, highlighting the mechanisms of their creation and functioning is in the focus of attention of representatives of various scientific areas, including cognitive science, cognitive linguistics and poetics, as well as gender studies, with cognitive linguistics providing information about ways of organizing our experience in memory and using the structures of this experience to perform social actions and achieve certain social goals. The article aims at clarifying constitutive features of narratives about the first ladies of the United States created by the US mass media. The objectives of the article are to develop methodology for analyzing narratives based on the integration of the achievements of narratology and cognitive linguistics, as well as establishing verbal and non-verbal means of forming ideas about the ideal-prototype characteristics of first ladies. The object-matter of analysis is the narratives about the US first ladies created by the American media, the subject-matter being multimodal means of forming the standards of femininity in American society. The scientific novelty of the research reveals itself in the combination of narrative and cognitive methods of analysis. The results of the analysis of the multimodal discursive contexts representing the narratives about the first ladies of the United States in the English mass media reflect the connection between the narratives and radial categorization: the actors of social events that become the subjects of the narratives are evaluated by average Americans as positive or negative according to their conformity or non-conformity with their expectations in relation to the ideal/prototypical features of radial categories to which these actors belong. Evaluating is carried out verbally with the support of images performing illustrative and reinforcing functions. This evaluation reflects expectations of Americans society regarding ideal/prototypical characteristics of social actors such as first ladies. Among these expectations there are manifestations of racism and sexism.
Tonality of fictional prose as a manifestation of translation features
Authors:   Lviv Polytechnic National University, Nazarchuk Roksolana , Levkovych Mariia ,   Lviv Polytechnic National University
Published: September 2024

The paper is devoted to the peculiarities of sentiment analysis of texts. The necessity to take into account the tone as an important component of the text’s content to achieve equivalence in literary translation and ensure the preservation of the emotional and expressive background and expressiveness of the original is substantiated. The importance of automating the processes of detecting the text’s tone to obtain better and more accurate results is determined. The paper outlines the main methods of preprocessing textual information and identifies a set of the most popular machine learning approaches that can be used for tone classification. In particular, the attention is focused on the Bag-of-Words, TF-IDF Vectorizer, and Word2Vec models used to convert textual data into numerical data. Classifier algorithms are analysed as a further step in data processing (in particular, Bayesian, maximum entropy, support vectors, etc.). The advantages of the LIWC-22 software, which has proven itself and has been successfully tested with the involvement of experts in psychology, sociology and linguistics, are described separately. Using the above-mentioned lexicon, a sentiment analysis of three versions of Y. Vynnychuk's short story («The Embroidered World») translations into English (author's translation by M. Naidan and automated translations by Google and DeepL) is carried out. The total number of words is established, and the indicators of authenticity and tone (in the binary coordinate system «positive/negative») of each translation option are determined. Prospects for further research in the field of sentiment analysis for the interpretation of original and translated texts are formulated.