bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex-related differences in symptom presentation of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Westphal Laura Philine , Bögli Stefan Yu , Werner Jana , Casagrande Francesca , Keller Emanuela , Brandi Giovanna
Published: March 2023

Background: In patients with myocardial infarction, atypical symptoms at onset have been demonstrated in women. We aimed to investigate the presence of sex-related differences in symptom presentation in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) to enable earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: We assessed symptoms on admission to hospital in 343 patients with aSAH in this retrospective single-center cohort-study. Univariate statistical analysis was performed by comparing sexes including the whole study population and subgroups (dichotomized using Fisher scale 1-2 vs. 3-4, WFNS grade 1-3 vs. 4-5, and anterior vs. posterior circulation aneurysms, respectively).

Results: The majority of patients was female (63.6%, n=218, vs. 36.4%, n=125), the mean age 57.4 years (standard deviation (SD) 13.3) with older women compared to men (59.2, SD 13.8, vs. 54.4, SD 11.6; p=0.003). Anterior communicating artery (AcomA) aneurysms were most common (30.9%, n=106), predominantly in men (43.2%, n=54, vs. 23.9%, n=52; p=0.0002), whereas posterior communicating artery (PcomA) aneurysms were more frequent in women (19.3%, n=42, vs. 8.8%, n=11; p=0.005). Exercise-induced headache was more often reported by men (10.4%, n=13, vs. 5%, n=11; p=0.04) in all patients as well as in the subgroup of WFNS 1-3. Anisocoria was more frequent in women within the subgroup of severely impaired consciousness (WFNS 4-5; 25.3%, n=22, vs. 10.7%, n=6; p=0.032). For all other symptoms, there was no evidence for sex-specific differences in the whole study group as well as in subgroups.

Conclusion: Our results show no evidence for relevant sex-related differences in symptom presentation at onset in aSAH patients. Women presenting with an acute onset anisocoria should be screened even more carefully for an underlying ruptured Pcom aneurysm.
Smart capital cities: towards a smart new administrative capital (NAC)
Authors: Samy El menchawy Adel , Hassan Moustafa Hamad , Ibrahim Abdel-Hamid Nada
Published: March 2023

Overpopulation and resource shortages are becoming increasingly important challenges to our global agenda. Cities are rapidly evolving, expanding in size and density while confronting major challenges such as migration, deteriorating healthcare, and transportation issues. Studying Egypt's overall urban development tendencies, as well as the continuously growing population in Greater Cairo, it becomes clear that developing new urban communities to accommodate this increase is a requirement. The major goal of any city pursuing evolution is to solve its issues to improve the quality of life and services for its residents, which ties into the goal of a "smart city," as it maximizes the use of technology to satisfy the current and the future needs. This paper discusses the strategy for transforming the old Cairo capital into a new administrative capital (NAC), which is intended to be a smart capital city. It also discusses smart city dimensions, smart city performance evaluation criteria, and smart city technologies such as implementing smart applications in various city sectors, all of which contribute to the city's continued development.
Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis E virus among the voluntary blood donors in the coastal region of Karnataka, India
Authors: S Sangthang , Shastry Shamee , N Sudheesh , Chawla Kiran , Madiyal Mridula , Kandasamy Dhivya
Published: March 2023

Background: Hepatitis E is a fecal orally transmitted disease and an emerging transfusion transmissible infection with potential transfusion safety implications. Hepatitis E Virus screening among blood donors is not routinely done despite the fact that it is endemic in India. As there are very few reports and evidence, the justification for mandating HEV screening among blood donors is still only marginally convincing. Therefore, the present study was carried out to determine the incidence and prevalence of HEV infection among blood donors in Coastal Karnataka, India.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. A total of 1939 blood donors were randomly selected between June 2020 to June 2022 to participate in the study, where anti-HEV IgM antibody screening was performed using HEV IgM ELISA test kit (DiaPro, Italy). Further, a randomly selected 588 and 1620 pooled donor samples were screened for anti-HEV IgG antibodies and HEV RNA, respectively.

Results: The overall prevalence of HEV IgM antibodies among study application is found to be 1.39%, with a statistically significant difference between males and females (n=20, 1.18% vs. n=7, 3.07 %; p=0.027). The prevalence of HEV IgG antibodies was 11.39%. Exposure to agriculture, animal husbandry, and poor hand hygiene were significant risk factors for HEV IgG reactivity.

Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of HEV viral markers in the study population, routine screening of blood donors for risk factors and implementation of serologic testing in endemic areas may be considered.
Evaluation of the dimensional changes in the mandible, condyles, and the temporomandibular joint following skeletal class III treatment with chin cup and bonded maxillary bite block using low-dose computed tomography: A single-center, randomized controlled trial
Authors: Husson Amr H. , Burhan Ahmad S. , Hajeer Mohammad Younis , Nawaya Fehmieh R.
Published: March 2023

Background: Insufficient evidence regarding the effects of chincup therapy on the mandibular dimensions and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) structures requires high-quality studies using three-dimensional (3D) imaging. This trial aimed to evaluate the 3D changes in the mandible, condyles, and glenoid fossa after chin cup therapy for skeletal Class III children compared to untreated controls.

Methods: A 2-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial on 38 prognathic children (21 boys and 17 girls), with mean ages 6.63±0.84 years. Patients were recruited and randomized into two equal groups; the experimental group (CC) was treated with occipital-traction chin cups in conjunction with bonded maxillary bite blocks. No treatment was provided in the control group (CON). Low-dose CT images were acquired before (T1) and after achieving  (2-4 mm) positive overjet (T2), and after 16 months apart in both groups. The outcome measures of the condyle-mandibular 3D distances, the condyles-glenoid fossa postional changes, and the quantitative displacement parameters of superimposed 3D models were compared statistically. Paired- and two-sample t-tests were used for intra- and inter-group comparisons, respectively.

Results: Overall, 35 patients (18 and 17 in the CC and the CON groups, respetively) were enrolled in the statistical analysis. The mean mandibular and condylar volumes increased significantly by 777.24 mm3 and 1,221.62 mm3, 94.57 mm3, and 132.54 mm3 in the CC and CON groups, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups regarding the volumes, superficial areas, and linear changes of the mandible and condyles, and part analysis measurements, except the changes of the relative sagittal and vertical positions of condyles, glenoid fossa, and posterior joint space, which were significantly smaller in the CC group (p<0.05) than the CON group.

Conclusions: The chin cup did not affect the mandibular dimensions. Its primary action was confined to the condyles and the TMJ internal dimensions.

Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT05350306 (28/04/2022).
Seasonal effects decouple SARS-CoV-2 haplotypes worldwide
Authors: Tomaszewski Tre , Ali Muhammad Asif , Caetano-Anollés Kelsey , Caetano-Anollés Gustavo
Published: March 2023

Background: Variants of concern (VOCs) have been replacing each other during the still rampant COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 populations have evolved increasingly intricate constellations of mutations that often enhance transmissibility, disease severity, and other epidemiological characteristics. The origin and evolution of these constellations remain puzzling.

Methods: Here we study the evolution of VOCs at the proteome level by analyzing about 12 million genomic sequences retrieved from GISAID on July 23, 2022. A total 183,276 mutations were identified and filtered with a relevancy heuristic. The prevalence of haplotypes and free-standing mutations was then tracked monthly in various latitude corridors of the world.

Results: A chronology of 22 haplotypes defined three phases driven by protein flexibility-rigidity, environmental sensing, and immune escape. A network of haplotypes illustrated the recruitment and coalescence of mutations into major VOC constellations and seasonal effects of decoupling and loss. Protein interaction networks mediated by haplotypes predicted communications impacting the structure and function of proteins, showing the increasingly central role of molecular interactions involving the spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), and membrane (M) proteins. Haplotype markers either affected fusogenic regions while spreading along the sequence of the S-protein or clustered around binding domains. Modeling of protein structure with AlphaFold2 showed that VOC Omicron and one of its haplotypes were major contributors to the distortion of the M-protein endodomain, which behaves as a receptor of other structural proteins during virion assembly. Remarkably, VOC constellations acted cooperatively to balance the more extreme effects of individual haplotypes.

Conclusions: Our study uncovers seasonal patterns of emergence and diversification occurring amid a highly dynamic evolutionary landscape of bursts and waves. The mapping of genetically-linked mutations to structures that sense environmental change with powerful ab initio modeling tools demonstrates the potential of deep-learning for COVID-19 predictive intelligence and therapeutic intervention.
Application of the Koch Curve to Increase the Strength of Aircraft Parts
Authors: Zhikharev L.
Published: March 2023

Fractals are formed by iterative repetition of the construction algorithm at different scale levels. The use of such an algorithm, which increases the strength properties during the construction of the structure, will strengthen these properties with each iteration. The Koch curve principle is applied in the article. Replacing the compressible plate with four new ones connected at angles increases the stability of the structure.

This article theoretically confirms the increase in the stability of the Koch plate both at the level of individual plates and at the level of fractal segments and the structure as a whole (general stability). Regularities of stability changes at different scale levels with an increase in the number of iterations are established. A comparison of variants of Koch plates with different similarity coefficients is also carried out.

The theoretical results were confirmed using simulations in the CAE system Solid-Works - a finite element analysis of the stability of computer models of the Koch plates was carried out. The graphs constructed from the obtained data correspond to the theoretical predictions of the dependence of stability on the geometric parameters of the Koch plate.

As an illustration of the applicability of this kind of fractal structures in the design of aircraft parts, a fractal modification of a typical part, the slat rail, has been developed. The proposed modification of the rail was also investigated using computer simulations. A comparison of the strength properties of a standard-shaped part and its analogue with a fractal structure included showed the advantage of the latter: with certain values of mass and loading scheme, the fractal modification showed twice as much stability. This reduces the weight of the standard slat rail by 5% without loss of strength properties.
Saving time when preparing intravenous antibiotics
Authors: Clark Christine
Published: March 2023

Preparation of intravenous antibiotic doses takes up a significant amount of nurse time and exposes nurses to the risk of needlestick injury. The use of the Ecoflac® Connect needle-free connector could streamline preparation, reducing the time taken as well as eliminating needlestick injury risk. Because Ecoflac Connect is a closed system, it also minimises the risk of microbial contamination. This study showed that it took 83 experienced nurses 73.6 (SD 25.0) seconds to prepare an amoxicillin injection using the Ecoflac Connect needle-free connector compared with 110.0 (SD 34.6) seconds using the standard needle and syringe method, saving 36 seconds per dose on average, reducing the time taken by one-third. Based on recent government figures, the saving in nurse time would equate to 200-300 full-time nurses in England, equivalent to £6.15 million-£9.23 million a year. Additional savings would accrue from the prevention of needlestick injuries. Where wards are understaffed, this time saving could be critical, increasing time for care.
ROUTINE FIXATION OF HUMERAL SHAFT FRACTURES IS COST-EFFECTIVE: COST-UTILITY ANALYSIS OF 215 PATIENTS AT FIVE YEARS FOLLOWING INJURY
Authors: Oliver W.M. , Molyneux S.G. , White T.O. , Clement N.D. , Duckworth A.D.
Published: March 2023

The primary aim was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of routine operative fixation for all patients with humeral shaft fractures. The secondary aim was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of using a Radiographic Union Score for HUmeral fractures (RUSHU)<8 to facilitate selective fixation for patients at risk of nonunion.

From 2008-2017, 215 patients (mean age 57yrs [17–81], 61% female) with a non-operatively managed humeral diaphyseal fracture were retrospectively identified. Union was achieved in 77% (n=165/215) after non-operative management, with 23% (n=50/215) uniting after nonunion surgery. The EuroQol Five-Dimension (EQ-5D) Health Index was obtained via postal survey. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) <£20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained was considered cost-effective.

At a mean of 5.4yrs (1.2–11.0), the mean EQ-5D was 0.736. Multiple regression demonstrated that uniting after nonunion surgery was independently associated with an inferior EQ-5D (beta=0.103, p=0.032). Routine fixation for all patients to reduce the nonunion rate would be associated with increased treatment costs (£1,542/patient) but confer a potential EQ-5D benefit of 0.120/patient. The ICER of routine fixation was £12,850/QALY gained. Selective fixation, based upon a RUSHU<8 at 6wks post-injury, would be associated with reduced treatment costs (£415/patient) and confer a potential EQ-5D benefit of 0.335 per ‘at-risk patient’.

Routine fixation for patients with humeral shaft fractures, to reduce the nonunion rate observed after non-operative management, appears to be cost-effective at 5yrs post-injury. Selective fixation for patients at risk of nonunion based upon the RUSHU may confer greater cost-effectiveness, given the potential savings and improvement in EQ-5D.
NATIVE KNEE KINEMATICS ARE REPRODUCED DURING THE GOLF SWING AFTER TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: A CASE CONTROL STUDY OF HIP AND KNEE KINEMATICS OF PATIENTS RETURNING TO GOLF COMPARED TO MATCH CONTROLS
Authors: Rankin C.S. , Coleman S. , Robinson P.G. , Murray I.R. , Clement N.D.
Published: March 2023

We aim to determine the differences in lower limb joint kinematics during the golf swing of patients who had undergone Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) and a control group of native knee golfers.

A case-control study was undertaken with ten golfers who had undergone TKA (cruciate retaining single radius implant) and five age and matched golfers with native knees. Each golfer performed five swings with a driver whilst being recorded at 200Hz by a ten-camera motion capture system. Knee and hip three-dimensional joint angles (JA) and joint angular velocities (JAV) were calculated and statistically compared between the groups at six swing events.

The only significant differences in knee joint kinematics between TKA and control groups was a lower external rotation JA in the left knee during the backswing (p=0.010). There was no significant difference in knee JAV between the groups. Both hips demonstrated significantly (p=0.023 for left and p=0.037 for right) lower flexion in the TKA group during the takeaway swing event, and there was lower internal rotation in the backswing and greater external rotation in the downswing of the right hip. There was also slower left hip extension JAV in the downswing.

Normal knee kinematics were observed during the golf swing following TKA, with the exception of reduced external rotation in the left knee during the back swing and the right during the down swing. The differences demonstrated in the hip motion indicate that they may make compensatory movements to adjust to the reduced external rotation demonstrated in the knee.
Optical analog-signal transmission system in a dynamic and complex scattering environment using binary encoding with a modified differential method
Authors: Cao Yonggui , Xiao Yin , Chen Wen
Published: March 2023

High-fidelity optical transmission through dynamic scattering media is challenging, since transmission errors are induced due to dynamic scattering media. In this paper, a new scheme is proposed to realize high-fidelity free-space optical analog-signal transmission in dynamic and complex scattering environments using binary encoding with a modified differential method. Each pixel of an analog signal to be transmitted is first divided into two values, and each of them is encoded into a random matrix. Then, a modified error diffusion algorithm is utilized to transform the random matrix into a 2D binary array. Each pixel of the analog signal to be transmitted is eventually encoded into only two 2D binary arrays, and transmission errors and dynamic scaling factors induced by dynamic and complex scattering media can be temporally corrected. Dynamic smoke and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) are created as a dynamic and complex scattering environment to verify the proposed method. It is experimentally demonstrated that analog signals retrieved at the receiving end are always of high fidelity using the proposed method, when average path loss (APL) is less than 29.0 dB. Only the half number of measurements is used compared to that in conventional methods. The proposed method could open up a novel research perspective for high-fidelity free-space optical analog-signal transmission through dynamic and complex scattering media.
Electrically switchable multicolored filter using plasmonic nanograting integrated with liquid crystal for optical storage and encryption
Authors: Zhang Shijie , Wang Qi , Xu Banglian , Hong Ruijin , Zhang Dawei , Zhuang Songlin
Published: March 2023

This study proposed the synergistic merging of twisted-nematic liquid crystals (LCs) and nanograting embedded etalon structures for plasmonic structure color generation, realizing dynamic multifunctional metadevices. Metallic nanogratings and dielectric cavities were designed to provide color selectivity at visible wavelengths. Meanwhile, the polarization for the transmission of light could be actively manipulated by electrically modulating these integrated LCs. Moreover, manufacturing independent metadevices as single storage units with electrically controlled programmability and addressability facilitated secure information encoding and secretive transfer by dynamic high-contrast images. The approaches will pave the way for the development of customized optical storage devices and information encryption.
Introducing a 2V-resonator for the improvement of pulse stability in a high-gain Q-switched Yb:YAG thin-disk laser
Authors: Radmard Saeid , Moshaii Ahmad , Pasandideh Kaveh , Arabgari Saeid
Published: March 2023

Pulse instability in Q-switched solid-state lasers at enough high repetition rates is a significant problem for getting high powers. This issue is more critical for Thin-Disk-Lasers (TDLs) due to the smallness of round-trip gain in the thin active media. The main idea of this work is that increasing the round-trip gain of a TDL makes it possible to diminish its pulse instability at high repetition rates. Accordingly, a novel 2V-resonator is introduced to overcome the low gain of TDLs, in which the passage of the laser beam from the active media is twice that of the standard V-resonator. The experiment and simulation results indicate that the threshold of laser instability considerably improves for the 2V-resonator relative to the traditional V-resonator. This improvement is well seen for various time windows of the Q-switching gate and different pump powers. By choosing appropriate Q-switching time and pump power, the laser was stably run at 18 kHz, a recorded repetition rate for Q-switched TDLs.
Identification of host genomic biomarkers from multiple transcriptomics datasets for diagnosis and therapies of SARS-CoV-2 infections
Authors: Sarker Bandhan , Rahaman Md. Matiur , Islam Md. Ariful , Alamin Muhammad Habibulla , Husain Md. Maidul , Ferdousi Farzana , Ahsan Md. Asif , Mollah Md. Nurul Haque
Published: March 2023

The pandemic of COVID-19 is a severe threat to human life and the global economy. Despite the success of vaccination efforts in reducing the spread of the virus, the situation remains largely uncontrolled due to the random mutation in the RNA sequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which demands different variants of effective drugs. Disease-causing gene-mediated proteins are usually used as receptors to explore effective drug molecules. In this study, we analyzed two different RNA-Seq and one microarray gene expression profile datasets by integrating EdgeR, LIMMA, weighted gene co-expression network and robust rank aggregation approaches, which revealed SARS-CoV-2 infection causing eight hub-genes (HubGs) including HubGs;REL,AURKA,AURKB,FBXL3,OAS1,STAT4,MMP2andIL6as the host genomic biomarkers. Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses of HubGs significantly enriched some crucial biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and signaling pathways that are associated with the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Regulatory network analysis identified top-ranked 5 TFs (SRF, PBX1, MEIS1, ESR1 and MYC) and 5 miRNAs (hsa-miR-106b-5p, hsa-miR-20b-5p, hsa-miR-93-5p, hsa-miR-106a-5p and hsa-miR-20a-5p) as the key transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of HubGs. Then, we conducted a molecular docking analysis to determine potential drug candidates that could interact with HubGs-mediated receptors. This analysis resulted in the identification of top-ranked ten drug agents, including Nilotinib, Tegobuvir, Digoxin, Proscillaridin, Olysio, Simeprevir, Hesperidin, Oleanolic Acid, Naltrindole and Danoprevir. Finally, we investigated the binding stability of the top-ranked three drug molecules Nilotinib, Tegobuvir and Proscillaridin with the three top-ranked proposed receptors (AURKA, AURKB, OAS1) by using 100 ns MD-based MM-PBSA simulations and observed their stable performance. Therefore, the findings of this study might be useful resources for diagnosis and therapies of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
An Efficient Hybrid Job Scheduling Optimization (EHJSO) approach to enhance resource search using Cuckoo and Grey Wolf Job Optimization for cloud environment
Authors: Paulraj D. , Sethukarasi T. , Neelakandan S. , Prakash M. , Baburaj E.
Published: March 2023

Cloud computing has now evolved as an unavoidable technology in the fields of finance, education, internet business, and nearly all organisations. The cloud resources are practically accessible to cloud users over the internet to accomplish the desired task of the cloud users. The effectiveness and efficacy of cloud computing services depend on the tasks that the cloud users submit and the time taken to complete the task as well. By optimising resource allocation and utilisation, task scheduling is crucial to enhancing the effectiveness and performance of a cloud system. In this context, cloud computing offers a wide range of advantages, such as cost savings, security, flexibility, mobility, quality control, disaster recovery, automatic software upgrades, and sustainability. According to a recent research survey, more and more tech-savvy companies and industry executives are recognize and utilize the advantages of the Cloud computing. Hence, as the number of users of the Cloud increases, so did the need to regulate the resource allocation as well. However, the scheduling of jobs in the cloud necessitates a smart and fast algorithm that can discover the resources that are accessible and schedule the jobs that are requested by different users. Consequently, for better resource allocation and job scheduling, a fast, efficient, tolerable job scheduling algorithm is required. Efficient Hybrid Job Scheduling Optimization (EHJSO) utilises Cuckoo Search Optimization and Grey Wolf Job Optimization (GWO). Due to some cuckoo species’ obligate brood parasitism (laying eggs in other species’ nests), the Cuckoo search optimization approach was developed. Grey wolf optimization (GWO) is a population-oriented AI system inspired by grey wolf social structure and hunting strategies. Make span, computation time, fitness, iteration-based performance, and success rate were utilised to compare previous studies. Experiments show that the recommended method is superior.
Egy magyar empirikus modell a nemzetközi vállalati fordulatkezelési kutatások áttekintése és rendszerezése tükrében
Authors: Katits Etelka , Palányi Ildikó
Published: March 2023

A vállalati kimerülés és fordulat témája már öt évtizede foglalkoztatja a szervezeti változáselmélet kutatóit. A vállalati fordulatok és az átszervezések már a napi irányítás részét képezik. A cégvilág szervezeti átalakulásának számtalan fordulata követeli az empirikus kutatás további bővülését. E célból érdemes ismerni a vállalati fordulatkezelési kutatások nemzetközi hátterét, tendenciájának alakulását az eredmények ismeretében. Milyen irányzatokat lehet megkülönböztetni és melyek az alapvető jellemzőik? Melyek a turnaround menedzsment kutatási területével kapcsolatos jelenlegi és várható technika jellemzői? Milyen vállalati fordulatkezelési modellt, mint vizsgálati keretrendszert lehet felállítani? Ezt hogyan lehet alkalmazni egy magyar nemzetgazdasági portfólió összeállításához? Ez a keretrendszer holisztikusan közelíti meg a témát. Az intézkedések széles skáláját veszi figyelembe a fordulat tartalmával, folyamataival és összefüggéseivel, a különféle tudomány- és szakterületek közötti kölcsönös függőségekkel. Felhívja a figyelmet a turnaround eredmények pontos mérésének kihívásaira. Végül a munka ajánlásokat tesz további kutatásokra.
A biztonság és válságkommunikáció kihívásai a magyar üzleti szállodák körében
Authors: Keller Krisztina , Sirkó Márta
Published: March 2023

A tanulmány célja annak vizsgálata, hogy a hazai négycsillagos üzleti szállodák a koronavírus-járvány első két hulláma alatt milyen eszközökkel motiválták a turistákat látogatásra, mit tettek ebben az időszakban az imázs megőrzése érdekében, illetve mi a fő üzenetük a biztonság vonatkozásában a krízis előtt, közben és után. Az empirikus kutatás keretében a szerzők mélyinterjúkat készítettek a vizsgált szállodák kríziskommunikációért felelős munkatársaival, kiegészítő kutatásként egy kvantitatív és kvalitatív tartalomelemzés során a Facebook-oldalakat és weboldalakat mint kríziskommunikációs felületeket nézték át. A vizsgált szállodák különböző eszközökkel ösztönözték az üzleti utazókat foglalásra. A koronavírus-járvány nem érintette negatívan a szállodák imázsát, ennek megőrzését folyamatos kommunikációval és mozgalmakban való részvétellel kívánták elérni. A vizsgált szállodák kommunikációjában jelentős változások történtek. A pandémia megjelenését követően a biztonság lett a fő témakör, a legfontosabb üzenet, hogy a vendég biztonságban van a szállodában, betartják a szabályokat, odafigyelnek a tisztaságra és higiéniára, illetve a szálloda nyitva van és a vendég számíthat rájuk.
A konfliktuskezelés kulturális összehasonlításban
Authors: Gálos Krisztina , Vinkóczi Tamás
Published: March 2023

A munkaerő-vándorlás az elmúlt évtizedekben egyre erősödő jelenséggé vált. A pandémia hosszú távú hatásai még nehezen megítélhetők, de a trend várhatóan folytatódik. Az eddig kialakult heterogén munkahelyek indokolttá teszik a kulturális különbségek elemzését. A munka célja három konfliktuskezeléshez kapcsolódó elmélet kultúránként eltérő megjelenésének, értelmezésének és az arra adott reakcióknak a feltérképezése. Az adatgyűjtés több ország munkavállalóját érintő nyitott kérdésekkel, mélyinterjúzással, az adatelemzés a grounded theory módszerével történt. A megkérdezések eredményei alapján a szerzők kategorizálták a konfliktuskezelései stratégiákon túl, az azokat övező érzéseket, okokat, kultúránként eltérő értelmezéseket. A lehetséges kimeneteleket, továbbá egyéb kontextuális faktorok jelentőségét is feltárták a munka során, de azok súlya és befolyása térségenként és népcsoportonként eltérő képet mutatott. A hagyományos nyugat-kelet ellentétnél jóval összetettebb képet kaptak, sajátos attitűdük és tapasztalatok jellemezték a Közel-Keletet, Afrikát, illetve a mediterrán és a kelet-európai országokat, emellett a legmarkánsabb különbség a távol-keleti és az angolszász kultúrkör között mutatkozott.
Proposta Metodológica de Avaliação da Suscetibilidade à Degradação Ambiental
Authors: Albuquerque Erickson Melo , Lima Eduardo Rodrigues Viana , Sousa Maria Fátima Barroso
Published: March 2023

O uso e ocupação da terra é um tema de pesquisa que contribui para a análise das dinâmicas existentes no território, refletidas nas relações entre a sociedade e a natureza que modificam a paisagem. Nessas relações estão intrincados fatores ambientais, espaciais, culturais e socioeconômicos que integram o meio ambiente do ponto de vista sistêmico, desempenham funções e realizam atividades capazes de manter ou perturbar o equilíbrio natural do ambiente. Desse modo, conhecer os limites dos sistemas ambientais é uma forma de conviver racionalmente com a exploração de recursos naturais para o desenvolvimento das diversas atividades humanas. Por isso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi propor uma metodologia para avaliar o grau de suscetibilidade à degradação ambiental na Região Geográfica Imediata de Princesa Isabel (RGIPI), que se localiza no semiárido paraibano, utilizando técnicas de geoprocessamento. No sistema de informações geográficas foram integrados dados de geologia, pedologia, geomorfologia, pluviosidade, cobertura vegetal e uso e ocupação da terra para computar o Índice Biofísico de Suscetibilidade à Degradação Ambiental (IBSDA) da RGIPI. Os fatores analisados se mostraram mais frágeis nas zonas rurais, por fatores naturais, do que nas zonas urbanas, onde há atividades antrópicas mais intensas, e o IBSDA encontrado variou de baixo a alto, especialmente nas sedes municipais, indicando que a região, mesmo sendo pouco desenvolvida, tem a oportunidade de planejar o ambiente para um futuro com exploração sustentável.
Anti-Alzheimer, antioxidants, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase effects of Taverniera glabra mediated ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles in alloxan-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Khan Aziz Ullah , Mohany Mohamed , Khan Hidayat Ullah , Fozia Fozia , Khan Shahnaz , Kamran Naveed , Khan Fahim Ullah , Al-Rejaie Salim S. , Ahmad Ijaz , Zaghloul Nouf S. S. , Aboul-Soud Mourad A. M.
Published: March 2023

The current study aimed to assess the neuroprotective effect of Zn and Fe oxide nanoparticles biofabricated by Taverniera glabra in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The experimental animals (160–200 g) were divided into nine groups (n = 9). The blood glucose, body weight, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase test (CAT), lipid peroxidation (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were determined. Oral administration of nanoparticles and T. glabra methanol extract (TGME; 10 and 15 mg/kg b.w) significantly decreased the glucose level, increased the body weight, controlled the quantitative level of G6PD, and significantly decreased the levels of ALT, ALP, cholesterol, and creatinine. Moreover, TGME and their Zn and Fe oxide nanoparticles significantly restored the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH) that decreased during induced diabetes. In the diabetic group, a significant increase in TBARS was noted and recovered in diabetic animals (p < 0.05) as compared to glibenclamide. The AChE activity was significantly recovered by nanoparticles and TGME both in the blood and brain of the diabetic group (p < 0.05). Taken together, it can be suggested that TGME and Zn and Fe oxide nanoparticles significantly improved memory and could be considered as an effective biogenic nanomaterial for diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and oxidative stress.
On the role of time, re-presentation, and self-conscious narrators in postmodern narrative
Authors: Baker Baranna
Published: March 2023

In the past, I have published papers on the use of language within the realm of fictional narratives, how the structure of postmodern films and novels operates to affect the reader or viewer, and on the purely objective worlds constructed within the confines of literature. Most recently, I submitted a newly written paper to my friend Paul Cobley for his casual feedback. He got back promptly, saying only that the paper did not have enough references. I pressed Paul: Was it not possible to write a philosophy paper where one just philosophized, without alluding to things written on the subject matter in the past, and wasn’t it ok not to cite references if you came up with the idea independent of any outside reading? His reply was: “No.” Time passed, and I was asked to write this article celebrating Paul’s 60th birthday. Looking for something I hadn’t read already, I discovered his book, Narrative (2014). This paper addresses one of the reference entries most definitely missing from my prior investigations on literature and cinema, one which should have informed – and now does my own thoughts on fiction and film.
Narrative modeling and its implications for cultural practices
Authors: Lee Yunhee
Published: March 2023

Paul Cobley stated that the semiotics of narrative should not be conflated with narratology. This statement becomes a starting point for an inquiry into the semiotics of narrative by looking at the concept of narrative signs and its future as a new theory of narrative. Narrative signs embedding semiotic processes convey the meaning of narrative in the areas of the prelinguistic, the linguistic, and the extralinguistic by way of signs, models, and semiosis. What is more, the concept of narrative modeling for Cobley enables further inquiry into cultural activity through the act of narration for transvaluation. In this regard, a new theory of narrative involves time, emotion, abduction, and the dialogic self, leading to the narrative-related ideas of cognition, identity, and human subjectivity. Based on Peirce’s semiotics and a biosemiotic approach, narrative modeling makes human beings participate in sign activity, that is, cultural activity through dialogic interaction between culture and nature. Consequently, this paper proposes that the study of the mysterious narrative through narrative modeling is geared to seeing how it affects humans and also how they see and make a world through various cultural practices.
Semioethics and global communication
Authors: Petrilli Susan , Ponzio Augusto
Published: March 2023

In the sign of homaging Paul Cobley as part of thisFestschriftfor him, we will consider two of his edited volumes: the firstThe Routledge companion to semiotics, 2010, to which we contributed a text titled “Semioethics,” and the second (co-edited with Kristian Bankov),Semiotics and its masters, 2017, to which we contributed the text “Semioethics as a vocation of semiotics.” Particular reference is made to Paul’s observations in his “Introduction” to Part I, “Understanding semiotics,” in the 2010 book, and in his opening essay, “What the humanities are for – a semiotic perspective,” in Section 1: “Semiotics in the world and academia,” in the 2017 book. What follows is an ideal discussion with Paul regarding “Semioethics” and possible developments today. In line with critical semiotics, our focus is on communication in globalization and the need for education to dialogism, plurilingualism, and critique for a new humanism, a primary task for the humanities today.
Bernstein-type operators on elliptic domain and their interpolation properties
Authors: Iliyas Mohammad , Khan Asif , Mursaleen Mohammad
Published: March 2023

The aim of this article is to construct univariate Bernstein-type operators

(

ℬ

m

x

G

)

(

x
,
z

)

\left({{\mathcal{ {\mathcal B} }}}_{m}^{x}G)\left(x,z)

and

(

ℬ

n

z

G

)

(

x
,
z

)

,

\left({{\mathcal{ {\mathcal B} }}}_{n}^{z}G)\left(x,z),

their products

(

P

m
n

G

)

(

x
,
z

)

\left({{\mathcal{P}}}_{mn}G)\left(x,z)

,

(

Q

n
m

G

)

(

x
,
z

)

\left({{\mathcal{Q}}}_{nm}G)\left(x,z)

, and their Boolean sums

(

S

m
n

G

)

(

x
,
z

)

\left({{\mathcal{S}}}_{mn}G)\left(x,z)

,

(

T

n
m

G

)

(

x
,
z

)

\left({{\mathcal{T}}}_{nm}G)\left(x,z)

on elliptic region, which interpolate the given real valued function

G

G

defined on elliptic region on its boundary. The bound of the remainders of each approximation formula of corresponding operators are computed with the help of Peano’s theorem and modulus of continuity, and the rate of convergence for functions of Lipschitz class is computed.
CircRANBP17 modulated KDM1A to regulate neuroblastoma progression by sponging miR-27b-3p
Authors: Zhao Lijun , Fan Junying , Zhang Chunyang , Zhang Zhenjun , Dong Jun
Published: March 2023

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common childhood cancer. Circular RNA RAN binding protein 17 (circRANBP17) has been identified to participate in diverse tumor progression. This study aims to explore the function and mechanism of circRANBP17 in NB. The levels of circRANBP17, miR-27b-3p and KDM1A in NB tissues and cells were measured by qRT-PCR. Mouse model assay was performed to investigate the effect of circRANBP17 knockdown on tumor formation in vivo. The levels of circRANBP17 and KDM1A were significantly up-regulated, and the level of miR-27b-3p was strikingly down-regulated in NB tissues and cells (SK-N-SH and SK-N-AS). Functional studies indicated that miR-27b-3p inhibitor mitigated the inhibitory effects on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and the promoting effect on cell apoptosis in SK-N-SH and SK-N-AS cells induced by circRANBP17 knockdown. Also, miR-27b-3p regulated NB cell malignancy by targeting KDM1A. Further studies revealed that miR-27b-3p inhibitor reversed the low expression of KDM1A induced by circRANBP17 knockdown. In support, circRANBP17 knockdown led to inhibition of tumor formation in vivo. In conclusion, circRANBP17 modulated KDM1A to promote cell proliferation, migration, invasion and restrain cell apoptosis in NB by sponging miR-27b-3p, and the new regulatory network may provide a theoretical basis for the further study of NB.
Computational design of the novel building blocks for the metal-organic frameworks based on the organic ligand protected Cu4 cluster
Authors: Claveria-Cádiz Francisca , Kuznetsov Aleksey E.
Published: March 2023

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are tunable porous network compounds composed of inorganic nodes bound by various organic linkers. Here we report the density functional theory (DFT) study of the MOF novel building blocks made of the Cu4 clusters protected by four organic ligands having two phenyl rings and terminated either with Cl or Br atom (precursors 1 and 2, respectively). The research was performed both in the gas phase and with the implicit effects of acetonitrile included, with two functionals, B3LYP and PBE, both with and without the second-order dispersion correction. We analyzed the structural features of the precursors 1 and 2, their electronic structures, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) distribution, and global reactivity parameters (GRPs). Both functionals resulted in the singlets of the precursors 1 and 2 as the most stable species. The precursor structures optimized with the hybrid functional were found to be quite similar for both halogens, both containing somewhat distorted from planarity Cu4 cluster, with the outer phenyls of the ligands rotated relative to the inner phenyls. With both halogens and both DFT approaches, the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) of the precursors 1 and 2 were shown to have quite similar compositions. The change of the substituent from Br to Cl was found to cause slight stabilizations or destabilizations of the HOMOs and LUMOs. The central parts and especially the inner phenyl ring parts of the precursors 1 and 2 were suggested to play a role of nucleophile in various chemical reactions due to the significant accumulation of negative electrostatic potential. Also, weak intermolecular interactions might exist between the ligands of neighboring precursor molecules. Finally, with both substituents the precursors 1 and 2 should be relatively unreactive and demonstrate thermodynamic stability. Further, the precursors 1 and 2 should be quite stable in oxidation reactions and more active in reduction processes. Generally, the substituent nature was shown not to affect significantly the reactivity of the precursors 1 and 2, as well as their other properties.
Cerebellar Excitability Regulates Physical Fatigue Perception
Authors: Casamento-Moran Agostina , Mooney Ronan A. , Chib Vikram S. , Celnik Pablo A.
Published: March 2023

Fatigue is the subjective sensation of weariness, increased sense of effort, or exhaustion and is pervasive in neurologic illnesses. Despite its prevalence, we have a limited understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying fatigue. The cerebellum, known for its role in motor control and learning, is also involved in perceptual processes. However, the role of the cerebellum in fatigue remains largely unexplored. We performed two experiments to examine whether cerebellar excitability is affected after a fatiguing task and its association with fatigue. Using a crossover design, we assessed cerebellar inhibition (CBI) and perception of fatigue in humans before and after “fatigue” and “control” tasks. Thirty-three participants (16 males, 17 females) performed five isometric pinch trials with their thumb and index finger at 80% maximum voluntary capacity (MVC) until failure (force <40% MVC; fatigue) or at 5% MVC for 30 s (control). We found that reduced CBI after the fatigue task correlated with a milder perception of fatigue. In a follow-up experiment, we investigated the behavioral consequences of reduced CBI after fatigue. We measured CBI, perception of fatigue, and performance during a ballistic goal-directed task before and after the same fatigue and control tasks. We replicated the observation that reduced CBI after the fatigue task correlated with a milder perception of fatigue and found that greater endpoint variability after the fatigue task correlated with reduced CBI. The proportional relation between cerebellar excitability and fatigue indicates a role of the cerebellum in the perception of fatigue, which might come at the expense of motor control.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTFatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms in neurologic, neuropsychiatric, and chronic illnesses. Despite its epidemiological importance, there is a limited understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying fatigue. In a series of experiments, we demonstrate that decreased cerebellar excitability relates to lesser physical fatigue perception and worse motor control. These results showcase the role of the cerebellum in fatigue regulation and suggest that fatigue- and performance-related processes might compete for cerebellar resources.
Inhibition of ATP synthase reverse activity restores energy homeostasis in mitochondrial pathologies
Authors: Acin‐Perez Rebeca , Benincá Cristiane , Fernandez del Rio Lucia , Shu Cynthia , Baghdasarian Siyouneh , Zanette Vanessa , Gerle Christoph , Jiko Chimari , Khairallah Ramzi , Khan Shaharyar , Rincon Fernandez Pacheco David , Shabane Byourak , Erion Karel , Masand Ruchi , Dugar Sundeep , Ghenoiu Cristina , Schreiner George , Stiles Linsey , Liesa Marc , Shirihai Orian S
Published: March 2023

The maintenance of cellular function relies on the close regulation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and hydrolysis. ATP hydrolysis by mitochondrial ATP Synthase (CV) is induced by loss of proton motive force and inhibited by the mitochondrial protein ATPase inhibitor (ATPIF1). The extent of CV hydrolytic activity and its impact on cellular energetics remains unknown due to the lack of selective hydrolysis inhibitors of CV. We find that CV hydrolytic activity takes place in coupled intact mitochondria and is increased by respiratory chain defects. We identified (+)‐Epicatechin as a selective inhibitor of ATP hydrolysis that binds CV while preventing the binding of ATPIF1. In cells with Complex‐III deficiency, we show that inhibition of CV hydrolytic activity by (+)‐Epichatechin is sufficient to restore ATP content without restoring respiratory function. Inhibition of CV–ATP hydrolysis in a mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is sufficient to improve muscle force without any increase in mitochondrial content. We conclude that the impact of compromised mitochondrial respiration can be lessened using hydrolysis‐selective inhibitors of CV.
Lobectomy and completion thyroidectomy rates increase after the 2015 American Thyroid Association Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Guidelines update
Authors: Worrall Benjamin J , Papachristos Alexander , Aniss Ahmad , Glover Anthony , Sidhu Stan B , Clifton-Bligh Roderick J , Learoyd Diana , Tsang Venessa H M , Gild Matti , Robinson Bruce G , Sywak Mark S
Published: March 2023

Background

The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guidelines permit thyroid lobectomy (TL) or total thyroidectomy in the management of low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). As definitive risk-stratification is only possible post-operatively, some patients may require completion thyroidectomy (CT) after final histopathological analysis.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing surgery for low-risk PTC in a tertiary referral centre was undertaken. Consecutive adult patients treated from January 2013 to March 2021 were divided into two groups (pre- and post-publication of ATA Guidelines on 01/01/2016). Only those eligible for lobectomy under rule 35(B) of the ATA Guidelines were included: Bethesda V/VI cytology, 1–4 cm post-operative size and without pre-operative evidence of extrathyroidal extension or nodal metastases. We examined rates of TL, CT, local recurrence and surgical complications.

Results

There were 1488 primary surgical procedures performed for PTC on consecutive adult patients during the study period, of which 461 were eligible for TL. Mean tumour size (P = 0.20) and mean age (P = 0.78) were similar between time periods. The TL rate increased significantly from 4.5 to 18% in the post-publication period (P < 0.001). The proportion of TL patients requiring CT (43 vs 38%) was similar between groups (P = 1.0). There was no significant change in complications (P = 0.55) or local recurrence rates (P = 0.24).

Conclusion

The introduction of the 2015 ATA Guidelines resulted in a modest but significant increase in the rate of lobectomy for eligible PTC patients. In the post-publication period, 38% of patients who underwent TL ultimately required CT after complete pathological analysis.