bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of carbohydrate levels in the diets of highly productive cows on dairy productivity
Authors: Nakonechny A. , Dydykina A. , Vyazminov A.
Published: October 2023

The influence of the level of readily available carbohydrates in the diets of cows of the Kholmogorsky breed on the production efficiency and qualitative characteristics of milk has been studied. A twofold increase in the sugar-protein ratio in diets at the height of lactation contributed to an increase in milk productivity by 4,6 %. There was a significant effect (P=0,95) of an increase in the level of carbohydrates on an increase in the protein content in milk by 0,14 abs. % and the content of dry skimmed milk residue by 0,128 abs. %. The dependence on the level of sugars in the diet of cows was determined, expressed in a positive correlation of the protein content in milk at the beginning and end of the experiment (r=0,54), and the content of sugars and dry skimmed milk residue (r=0,76). When cows consume an additional amount of readily available carbohydrates, the service period is reduced by 14,9 days. The biochemical analysis of blood revealed a more intensive course of metabolic processes. The level of alpha- and gamma-globulins responsible for the formation of immunity in animals of the experimental group increased by 0,74–0,79 % compared to the control group. During the experiment, there was a pronounced tendency to increase the concentration of glucose by 10,6 %, which indicates a positive energy balance in the body of experimental animals. The additional introduction of 741 g per day of readily available carbohydrates into the diet increases the biological value of milk, has a positive effect on economic indicators. The research results show the importance of balancing diets by the level of readily available carbohydrates in order to obtain high-grade dairy products.
Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus on biofilm growth in cheese whey
Authors: Ryabtseva S. , Brezhneva Yu. , Anisimov George S
Published: October 2023

The modeling of the biofilms formation in cheese whey on glass under static conditions including with Lactobacillus acidophilus was carried out. Biofilm development in cheese whey is faster than in its ultrafiltration permeate. The basis of the three-dimensional structure of a mature biofilm is made up of representatives of the genera included in the group of sanitary indicative microorganisms. Yeasts are involved in all stages of biofilm formation. L. acidophilus cells of the «BK-Uglich-AV» starter actively integrate into the biofilm structure, inhibiting the growth of gram-negative bacteria and contributing to the destruction of the exopolysaccharide layer, but without affecting yeast. The data obtained can be used both for the development of biofilm control methods in the dairy industry and for biotechnological purposes.
Features of the technology of enriched whipped fermented milk desserts consumed in a thawed state
Authors: Tvorogova A. , Gursky I. , Kazakova N. , Korolev I.
Published: October 2023

The production of enriched fermented milk products with a long shelf life using ice cream technology makes it possible to expand the range of functional products due to the varieties used in thawed form. An important feature of the technology is the use of gel-forming stabilizers capable of retaining moisture and maintaining the gel structure after thawing. The formation of a product structure with a high dispersion of structural elements and the preservation of the dispersion of the air phase in the defrosted state are facilitated by the process of simultaneous saturation of the mixture with air and freezing, adopted in the technology of ice cream. The technology is based on experimentally substantiated parameters of the technological process, taking into account the thermophysical properties of the product. The functional orientation of a product manufactured in accordance with the developed technology can be determined by such indicators as low fat content, low glycemic index, enrichment with protein and dietary fiber, and probiotic properties.
Legal and Institutional Framework of Youth Spiritual and Moral Upbringing in the Context of Voluntary Work Development in Modern Russia
Authors: Bochanov Maksim , Turkova Evgeniya
Published: October 2023

The article is devoted to the problem of youth spiritual and moral upbringing. The authors evaluate the role of the family, educational institutions and public associations in the development and implementation of youth spiritual and moral education policy. The purpose of the study is to conduct a systematic analysis of the legal and institutional framework of the youth spiritual and moral upbringing policy to identify relevant issues and develop measures for its improvement. The institutional approach makes it possible to identify the main institutions that form the spiritual and moral values of the modern Russian youth. Systematic analysis of the voluntary work development dynamics shows the effectiveness of this institution and emphasizes the necessity to develop its potential. The authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to intensify measures of spiritual and moral upbringing and that voluntary work has a constructive role in this process.
Statistical analysis for remediation of As(III) ions from water using pristine and derivatized Phyllanthus emblica seed coat
Authors: Kumar Rajeev , Chawla Jyoti , Nayyar Madhvi
Published: October 2023

The aim of this study is to determine the optimal conditions for remediation of As(III) ions from water using pristine Phyllanthus emblica (PPE) seed coat and derivatized Phyllanthus emblica (DPE) seed coat, by using Box -Behnken design (BBD) and central composite design (CCD) optimization techniques. pH, initial ion concentration, dosage, and contact time were taken as process parameters while designing the experiment. The desirability factor is 1.0 for the BBD and 0.8 for CCD for both adsorbents. The regression coefficient for both adsorbents was in the range of 0.993 -0.999 for the BBD and 0.965 -0.969 for the CCD. The BBD is found to be more suitable for optimization of variables for maximum removal, and estimation of removal percentage in different conditions. The adsorption of ions at equilibrium (qe) is found to be 43.59 mg/g at pH 7.13, initial concentration of arsenic of 99.02 mg/L, contact time of 105.13 min, and dosage of 0.12 g/L for PPE using the BBD. However, the adsorption of ions at equilibrium (qe) is found to be 48.79 mg/g at pH 7.31, initial ion concentration of 98.82 mg/L, contact time of 126.99 min, and dosage of 0.12 g/L for DPE using the BBD.
Age dynamics of cancer incidence intensity indicates existence of some frailty subgroups
Authors:   Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, 19 Ozerskoe highway, Ozersk, 456780, Russian Federation, Obesnyuk V.F.
Published: October 2023

The problem of managing population and occupational risks of cancer incidence or mortality presupposes knowledge on biological mechanisms of their formation. These mechanisms determine dynamics of mass processes recorded by statistics. However, there is still no clear understanding of the causal relationship between possible factors of cancer incidence and its real dynamics. The article analyzes a hypothesis about significant influence on dynamics of incidence rates between ‘health’ and ‘disease’ states exerted by an intermediate transitional and objectively existing ‘frailty’ state, which is characterized by accelerated withdrawal from observation compared with the intensity associated with the general variability of individual properties of a population. It has been statistically established that the dynamics of such common diseases as stomach cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer can be explained by the fact that almost all diagnosed cases are observed after an individual enters a vulnerable group long before the diagnosis itself. From this point of view, two fundamentally different biological mechanisms of occurrence of neoplasms should be distinguished: induction as a transition from the state of ‘health’ to the state of ‘frailty’, as well as promotion as a transition from ‘frailty’ to ‘disease’. Each of these transformations should be characterized in a population by their intensity and their dependence on endogenous or exogenous risk factors. It is shown that some known facts of paradoxical changes in radiosensitivity indicators can be satisfactorily interpreted within the concept of a frailty subgroup by using numerical modelling on the example of modifying the dynamics of thyroid cancer incidence under influence of ionizing radiation. The facts were established in 1994–2006 and have not yet received a proper explanation since the concept discussed by the authors of the studies has not been involved.
Analysis of carcinogenic risk and dynamics of population morbidity and mortality in the Irkutsk region due to malignant neoplasms
Authors:   Federal Service for Surveillance over Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being, Irkutsk regional office, 8 Karla Marksa Str., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, Zhdanova-Zaplesvichko I.G. ,   Irkutsk State Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education – the branch of the Russian Medical Academy for Continuous Occupational Education, 100 Yubileinyi microdistrict, Irkutsk, 664049, Russian Federation, Efimova N.V. ,   East-Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research, 3 12a microdistrict, Angarsk, 665827, Russian Federation, Savinykh D.F. ,   Federal Service for Surveillance over Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being, Irkutsk regional office, 8 Karla Marksa Str., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, Savchenkov М.F. ,   Irkutsk State Medical University, 1 Krasnogo Vosstaniya Str., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation
Published: October 2023

Morbidity and mortality caused by malignant neoplasms (MNs) is a priority challenge for health care. We analyzed some rough and standardized levels (oncological morbidity and mortality) over 2009–2018 based on official statistics. We ranked the RF regions as per the standardized morbidity level and established that the Irkutsk region took the 1st rank place among 85 RF regions as per it; it took the 16th rank place as per the ‘rough’ level. Morbidity and mortality levels that were higher in the Irkutsk region than the national average were established for such localizations as trachea, bronchi and lung cancer; prostate cancer; cervical cancer. The mortality to morbidity ratios were on average equal to 0.45 in the Irkutsk region and 0.49 in the RF as a whole; we identified a certain decrease in them, by 19.3 % and 20.0 % accordingly. We provided evidence of unacceptable individual carcinogenic chemical risk for people in cities with developed chemical industry and non-ferrous metallurgy. High carcinogenic radiation risks were caused by natural radon levels in soils. We calculated some prognostic morbidity and mortality levels: in 2021, the standardized morbidity level would be between 270.9 and 329.8 cases per 100 thousand people; the ‘rough’ level, between 372.7 and 532.4. The ‘rough’ mortality level would be between 220 and 230 cases per 100 thousand people. We determined some priority tasks for future research aimed at identifying adverse effects produced by environmental factors and lifestyle-related factors as well as some tasks related to developing relevant targeted activities aimed at eliminating and mitigating cancer-inducing exposures.
Analysis of reference doses of chemicals introduced with drinking water
Authors:   School of Medicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 10 Ayaks settl., Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922, Russian Federation, Bogdanova V.D. , Alenitсkaya М.V. ,   School of Medicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 10 Ayaks settl., Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922, Russian Federation, Sakharova О.B. ,   School of Medicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 10 Ayaks settl., Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922, Russian Federation
Published: October 2023

At present, many researchers highlight that the risk assessment methodology is rather static in Russian regulatory documents. This goes for both the essence of chemical exposures and reference doses stipulated for chemicals introduced into the body with drinking water. In this study, we aimed to analyze reference doses of chemicals introduced into the body with drinking water. Our research object was represented by the basic list of indicators that describe drinking water safety as per its chemical structure. Comparative analysis of reference doses of chemicals and their evidence base relied on the valid regulatory documents, Information System for Risk Assessment open-access electronic database on effects of environmental chemicals on health, and background research articles. The results obtained by assessing combined effects of chemicals on human health were generalized and visualized in MS Excel and a tool for working with graphs. The overall time period when reference doses of the analyzed chemicals were last revised was between 1987 and 2012. Not all health effects suggested in the Russian Guide on risk assessment are used as a basis for calculating reference doses of chemicals; hence, not all of them can be agreed upon on the international level at present since they do not rely on background research. Changes in reference doses occurred for chlorinated organic compounds (bromdichloromethane, tetrachloroethylene, tetrachloromethane, and trichloroethylene), lithium, cadmium, cobalt, iron, and copper. We identified certain limitations in establishing an oral reference dose of iron and ammonia, which are conventionally considered from organoleptic perception. Due to various reasons, we did not find any adequate data obtained by toxicological studies that would substantiate reference doses for copper, magnesium, ammonia, lead, silicon, bromine, and chromium under oral introduction with drinking water. We recommend considering our research data on reference doses when planning a study with its focus on impacts exerted by drinking water quality on public health and employing the risk assessment methodology to analyze oral chemical exposure.
Relationship of parental perception of children’s shape with nutritional status of children: a population-based study in 24–60-month-old vietnamese children
Authors:   Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy Str., Cau Giay District, Hanoi, 123106, Vietnam, Tuyet Le Thi , Minh Nguyet Tran Thi ,   National Institute of Nutrition, 48B Tang Bat Ho Str., Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, Vietnam, Thuy Dung Le Thi ,   Hanoi Medical University, 1 Ton That Tung Str., Hanoi, 116001, Vietnam
Published: October 2023

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of 24–60-month-old children in Hanoi, Vietnam, and explore parents’ perception of their child's body shape, as well as related factors. The study found that parents’ wishes had a significant impact on their children’s nutritional status, as reflected in the high percentage of parents dissatisfied with their child’s weight and shape. Malnutrition, overweight, and obesity were defined based on WHO 2006 standards, and children's anthropometric indices were measured. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect information on parents’ perception of their child’s health based on body shape and their satisfaction with it. The results showed highest dissatisfaction with the child's shape in malnourished children (86.8 %), then in the obese group (60.4 %), and lowest in overweight children (28 %). Correct parental perception about the child’s nutritional status and the healthiest shape was only 61.1 % and 34.5 %, respectively. Several related factors to parental correct perception about the child’s shape was found and it was higher 22.5 % with the parent living in suburban area than those living in urban area, 20 % with the parent of girls than those of boys, it decreased to 54 % in group of malnourished children, and 66 % in group of obese and overweight children. The findings of this study highlight the importance of parental education on healthy child development and the need for interventions to address the high prevalence of malnutrition, overweight, and obesity in preschool children.
Subjective assessment of occupational risk factors for health and psychoemotional state of health care workers under changed working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors:   Scientific Practical Centre of Hygiene, 8 Akademicheskaya St., Minsk, 220012, Republic of Belarus, Hutsich K.A. , Kosiachenko G.E. ,   Scientific Practical Centre of Hygiene, 8 Akademicheskaya St., Minsk, 220012, Republic of Belarus, Sychik S.I. ,   Scientific Practical Centre of Hygiene, 8 Akademicheskaya St., Minsk, 220012, Republic of Belarus, Nikalayeva Е.A. ,   Scientific Practical Centre of Hygiene, 8 Akademicheskaya St., Minsk, 220012, Republic of Belarus, Madeksha I.V. ,   Scientific Practical Centre of Hygiene, 8 Akademicheskaya St., Minsk, 220012, Republic of Belarus
Published: October 2023

We accomplished a cross-sectional study using a specifically designed questionnaire. The aim of our study was to examine subjective assessment of influence exerted on healthcare workers’ health and psychoemotional state by changed working conditions and use of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The examined healthcare workers were employed at a multi-field re-profiled in-patient hospital. We established a considerable change in the workplace setting of healthcare workers in an unfavorable epidemic situation. It involved longer contacts with hazardous biological and chemical factors, elevated work hardness and intensity as well as the necessity to use personal protective equipment for a long time. Longer use of personal protective equipment when tending COVID-19 patients was associated with higher frequency of several variable complaints made by the questioned healthcare workers. Respondents were more likely to report difficulty in breathing (p < 0.001) and some discomfort around the face and/or behind the ears (p = 0.035) when wearing a medical face mask / respirator; wearing goggles was likely to involve itching, redness and/or maceration in the area where goggles contacted the head (p = 0.009), headache (p = 0.002) and discomfort in the area where goggles contacted the head (p < 0.001); healthcare workers who wore medical gloves reported itching (p = 0.004) and skin peeling (p < 0.001); use of protective overalls led to elevated sweating (p < 0.001), feeling overheated (p < 0.001), thirst (p < 0.001), and palpitation (p = 0.012). A significant proportion of respondents experienced some difficulties in using personal protective equipment related to visual and auditory perception of information, physical discomfort, putting on and taking off personal protective equipment, performance of work requiring precise movements, and decreased work capacity. The frequency of such complaints grew statistically significantly during a period when a healthcare worker had to treat COVID-19 patients.
Risk of perinatal mortality among the offspring of workers employed at production with radiation hazards
Authors:   Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, 19 Ozyorskoe highway, Ozyorsk, 456783, Russian Federation, Sosnina S.F. , Okatenko P.V. ,   Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, 19 Ozyorskoe highway, Ozyorsk, 456783, Russian Federation, Sokolnikov M.E. ,   Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, 19 Ozyorskoe highway, Ozyorsk, 456783, Russian Federation
Published: October 2023

Studies that address risks of perinatal mortality among the offspring of people exposed to ionizing radiation in the workplace are significant for developing hygienic standards at production facilities with radiation hazards. The purpose was to analyze perinatal mortality (stillbirths and early neonatal deaths) among the offspring of workers employed by Mayak Production Association (Mayak PA), the first atomic production facility in Russia. A retrospective analysis was performed among 25,007 children born in 1949–1973; parents of 14,580 of these children were exposed to long-term occupational radiation at Mayak PA. The study provides frequency and dynamics of perinatal mortality and comparative analysis of perinatal mortality by sex, year of birth, parental age at childbirth, and dose categories of radiation exposure. Research data were analyzed by methods of non-parametric statistics. We calculated a relative risk (RR) of perinatal mortality among the offspring of exposed and unexposed parents with 95 % CI. The rate of perinatal mortality was generally the same in both groups, 19.9 for 103 in the test group and 17.9 for 103 in the control, p > 0.05. Stillbirths among male offspring were statistically significantly more often observed in the test group due to contribution of the children with only mothers exposed to occupational radiation exposure at Mayak PA prior to conception and offspring exposed in utero. Intrauterine fetal death was observed statistically significantly more often among boys of the test group compared to controls: 2.9 against 0.9 for 103. Rates of stillbirths and perinatal mortality in the main group statistically significantly exceeded the values in the comparison group in 1949–1953: RR = 2.69 (CI: 1.46–4.95) and 2.12 (1.38–3.28) respectively. Significant statistical differences in the perinatal mortality risk were established in certain categories of preconception and intrauterine gamma-exposure. The identified peculiarities of unfavorable outcomes in the perinatal period that were detected among the offspring of Mayak PA workers could be eligible for further epidemiological monitoring. Polyetiology character of perinatal mortality requires further follow up of the cohort of the offspring born to atomic production workers.
West Nile fever as a relevant health hazard: The history of studying measures of and its prevention in Russia
Authors:   Volgograd Scientific Research Anti-Plague Institute, 7 Golubinskaya St., Volgograd, 400131, Russian Federation, Toporkov A.V. , Putintseva E.V. ,   Volgograd Scientific Research Anti-Plague Institute, 7 Golubinskaya St., Volgograd, 400131, Russian Federation, Udovichenko S.K. ,   Volgograd Scientific Research Anti-Plague Institute, 7 Golubinskaya St., Volgograd, 400131, Russian Federation
Published: October 2023

The review generalizes data on West Nile fever manifestations in Russian between 1963 and 2022. Researchers have deter-mined peculiarities of the endemic process typical for this arboviral infection: cyclic rises in incidence with an interval of 1 to 8 years; the disease cases being predominantly registered in the south of the European part of the country; elevated risks of the disease for people aged 60 years and older; most West Nile fever cases without affecting the central nervous system with a continuous steady increase in the share of neuroinvasive forms. There are ongoing discussions of a considerable growth in an area where West Nile fever spreads as the incidence of the disease has been registered in Central Russia and this calls for assessment studies aimed at determining the northern borders of the infection area. The reviewed studies also systematize data on the WNV carriers and vectors and highlight the necessity to conduct large-scale experimental studies with their focus on examining susceptibility of various species of vertebrates and arthropods to the West Nile virus and assessing the efficiency of its transmission. The West Nile virus population that circulates in Russia has been shown to be heterogeneous and represented by the genotypes 1, 2, and 4, of which the genotype 2 is prevailing at present. The review also provides the findings of our own research with its focus on the genomes of the West Nile virus isolates indicating circulation of various genetic variants of the pathogen belonging to the genotype 2. The reviewed studies consider issues related to establishing epidemiological surveillance and sanitary-anti-epidemic (preventive) measures regarding West Nile fever in Russia and the principles of their organization at the present stage.
On possible practical applications of the gut microbiome research in the prevention, diagnosis, assessment of, and treatment modification for multiple sclerosis in patients from risk groups
Authors:   Rencontres Internationales Santé Environnement – RISE, Strasbourg, France, Zjukovskaja C.K.
Published: October 2023

Research into the gut microbiota (GM) in multiple sclerosis (MS) has the potential to lead to a number of practical applications in the prevention, diagnosis, assessment of, and treatment modification for, MS. Four most promising areas include biomarkers, treatment personalization, drug development as well as disease prevention and mitigation. Changes in the GM have been observed in individuals with MS; analysis of the GM composition may help to identify individuals at risk of developing the disease or to monitor disease progression. Dietary interventions aimed at improving gut health could be used as a complementary approach to traditional MS treatments in order to reduce inflammation thereby potentially improving MS symptoms and lessening disease progression. Differences in the GM between individuals with MS suggest that personalized treatment approaches based on an individual's microbiome composition could be effective. Manipulating the GM could therefore be a potential avenue for drug development in MS. In addition, the exploration of bacteria or bacterial metabolites as therapeutic agents to modulate the immune system and reduce inflammation is also promising. Such explorations may even help identify strategies for preventing the development of MS in at-risk individuals. Overall, practical applications of gut microbiome research in MS are still in the early stages and further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between the gut microbiome and MS and to determine the most effective interventions for improving gut health in individuals with the disease.
Microplastics pollution in water is a threat for human health and the environment (literature review)
Authors:   Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, 2 Semashko St., Mytischi, Moscow region, 141000, Russian Federation, Sinitsyna O.O. , Yeremin G.B. ,   North-West Scientific Centre for Hygiene and Public Health, 4A 2nd Sovetskaya St., St. Petersburg, 191036, Russian Federation, Turbinskii V.V. ,   Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, 2 Semashko St., Mytischi, Moscow region, 141000, Russian Federation, Pushkareva M.V. ,   Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, 2 Semashko St., Mytischi, Moscow region, 141000, Russian Federation, Shiryaeva M.A. ,   Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, 2 Semashko St., Mytischi, Moscow region, 141000, Russian Federation, Markova O.L. ,   North-West Scientific Centre for Hygiene and Public Health, 4A 2nd Sovetskaya St., St. Petersburg, 191036, Russian Federation, Borisova D.S. ,   North-West Scientific Centre for Hygiene and Public Health, 4A 2nd Sovetskaya St., St. Petersburg, 191036, Russian Federation
Published: October 2023

Microplastics pollution of water bodies and drinking water is a relevant problem caused by wide use of plastics in multiple industries, agriculture, manufacturing of household chemicals and medicines. Microplastics pose a threat for human health both due to physical effects and chemicals in their structure as well as microorganisms that can occur on their surface. Some foreign studies describe how microplastics are formed and how they can occur both in marine and fresh water. There are also studies confirming microplastics to be present in seas and rivers in the Russian Federation. Studies that address microplastics in tissues of water organisms are scarce. According to some foreign authors, micro-plastics can be absorbed by mollusks, starfish, actiniae, crabs, etc. Russian researchers provide evidence of considerable quantities of microplastics found in the digestive spruce fish caught in the Tom River. Several foreign studies have established effects produced by microplastics on reproduction, eating behavior as well as declining survivability in crustaceans and fish. Fish products are a well-known significant source of microplastics in human diets. Microplastics bioaccumulation in aquatic biota is considered a potential health threat for organisms at higher trophic levels, including humans at the top of the food chain. Unified water sampling techniques are absent; studies that address effects of microplastics on the human body are scarce; there is no available methodology for hygienic standardization of microplastics in water. All this makes it necessary to have some research aimed at identifying sources and causes of microplastics pollution in water bodies including sources of drinking water supply, to assess public health risks, and to provide safe conditions for water use.
Individual strategies for mitigating health risk under high epidemiological hazard (review of foreign studies)
Authors:   Perm State University, 15 Bukireva St., Perm, 614990, Russian Federation, Sudin S.А.
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic created elevated risks for life and health of overwhelming majority of people all over the world. The situation called for global restructuring of activities performed by social institutions as well as for adaptation of people’s routine behaviors to this new reality. Common people faced a serious challenge of selecting an optimal self-preservation model that would allow achieving the maximum possible mitigation of health risks. This review covers empirical foreign studies with their focus on people’s health-related behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic with its aim being to identify different types of individual strategies for health risk mitigation. During the pandemic, protective behavior was influenced by social, cultural, sociodemographic, and individual and personality-related factors. Effects of micro-factors (age or education) could be different depending on a country. High healthcare literacy was a factor of selecting a protective behavior model regardless of any other characteristics. We can spot out three basic strategies for mitigating health risks under high epidemiological hazard: 1) a maximum protection strategy involving adherence to most medical recommendations on prevention of the coronavirus infection; 2) a dominating protection strategy that involves adherence to some basic recommendations (face mask wearing, frequent hand washing, and self-isolation); 3) a mixed strategy that includes periodical adherence to some recommendation on prevention of the infection, on the one hand, and some risky behaviors, on the other hand. Behavior strategies aimed at mental health protection are various and include, for example, those that are oriented at social networks as much as only possible (a strategy involving search for emotional support or an attempt to keep social contacts), as well as isolation strategies and deviant strategies. Some studies covered in the review suggest ways to consider peculiarities of individual and family behavior during the pandemics when solving tasks related to risks of infections spread in future.
A metáfora da comunicação na compreensão do conceito de informação genética
Authors: Ganiko-Dutra Matheus , Ceschim Beatriz , Caldeira Ana Maria de Andrade
Published: October 2023

O conceito de informação genética é de relevância para a compreensão de problemas socioambientais, como organismos geneticamente modificados e terapia gênica. Levando em consideração a possibilidade de esse conceito causar distorções conceituais por metáfora na aprendizagem, objetivamos descrever quais são as concepções de informação genética de professores de Biologia em formação e como suas compreensões foram modificadas ao longo de reflexões científicas e filosóficas. Coletamos dados por meio de questionários, entrevistas em grupo e representações individuais. Identificamos que professores em formação compreendiam a informação genética em termos metafóricos, avançaram para uma rejeição completa da metáfora e atingiram um ponto de equilíbrio no encerramento, exibindo compreensões compatíveis com o conceito científico proposto, apesar de exibirem uma combinação de perfis conceituais. Propusemos critérios linguísticos para utilizar a metáfora no ensino e para identificar o uso denotativo do termo. Oferecemos um quadro de assertivas para diagnóstico de concepções e indicamos implicações didáticas.
Finding the Efficiency of ConvBi-LSTM Over Anticipation of Adversaries in WBANs
Authors: Kalpana R.N.L.S. , Patro Ajit Kumar , Rao D. Nageshwar
Published: October 2023

Introduction:

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) are similar to custom Wireless
Sensor Networks, so these networks are prone to adversaries through their activities, but in
healthcare applications, security is necessary for the patient data. Moreover, providing reliable
healthcare to patients is essential, and for the right treatment, correct patient data is required. For
this purpose, we need to eliminate anomalies and irrelevant data created by malicious persons, attackers, and unauthorized users. However, existing technologies are not able to detect adversaries
and are unable to maintain the data for a long duration while transferring it.

Aims:

This research aims to identify adversarial attacks and solutions for these attacks to maintain
reliable smart healthcare services

Methodology:

We proposed a Convolutional-Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (ConvBiLSTM) model that provides a solution for the detection of adversaries and robustness against adversaries. Bi-LSTM (Bidirectional-Long Short Term Memory), where the hyperparameters of
BiLSTM are tuned using the PHMS (Prognosis Health Monitoring System) to detect malicious or
irrelevant anomalies data.

Result:

Thus, the empirical outcomes of the proposed model showed that it accurately categorizes
a patient's health status founded on abnormal vital signs and is useful for providing the proper
medical care to the patients. Furthermore, the Convolution Neural Networks (CNN) performance
is also evaluated spatially to examine the relationship between the sensor and CMS (Central Monitoring System) or doctor’s device. The accuracy, recall, precision, loss, time, and F1 score metrics are used for the performance evaluation of the proposed model.

Conclusion:

Besides, the proposed model performance is compared with the existing approaches
using the MIMIC (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care) data set.
Wybrane aspekty jakości życia pacjentów hemodializowanych
Authors: Piernikowska Agnieszka
Published: October 2023

Wstęp. Terapia nerkozastępcza realizowana w ramach dializoterapii wśród pacjentów umożliwia zastąpienie pracy ich niewydolnych nerek. Jednak z uwagi na obciążający charakter tej metody leczenia wpływa ona istotnie na modyfikację jakości życia pacjentów.

Cel pracy. Celem badań pracy była weryfikacja wybranych aspektów życia pacjentów hemodializowanych przy użyciu cewnika do hemodializ oraz przetoki tętniczo – żylnej.

Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono wśród 100 pacjentów poddawanych hemodializie. Wykorzystano w nich metodę sondażu diagnostycznego, metodę szacowania, techniki: ankietowania i skali szacunkowej oraz kwestionariusz WHOQOL - BREF z autorską metryczką.

Wyniki. Wyniki badań wskazują one na zróżnicowany poziom jakości życia pacjentów hemodializowanych w różnych domenach ich funkcjonowania.

Wnioski. Pacjenci hemodializowani w większości prezentują przeciętny poziom zadowolenia z jakości swojego życia. Postrzegają oni indywidualną, ogólną percepcję jakości życia lepiej, aniżeli indywidualną ogólną percepcję własnego zdrowia. Jakość życia pacjentów poddawanych hemodializie nie zależy istotnie od ich wieku, wykształcenia i miejsca zamieszkania. Istotnie wyższą ocenę jakości życia w ramach domeny środowiskowej prezentowały osoby pozostające w związkach, najniższej oceny w ramach domeny socjalnej dokonywali wdowy/wdowcy. Jakość życia pacjentów poddawanych hemodializie nie zależy istotnie od przyczyny, metody i czasu prowadzenia leczenia nerkozastępczego.
Exploring the Potential of a Behavior Theory–Informed Digital Intervention for Infant Fall Prevention: Mixed Methods Longitudinal Study
Authors: Cooray Nipuna , Ho Catherine , Bestman Amy , Adams Susan , Nassar Natasha , Keay Lisa , Brown Julie
Published: October 2023

Background

Falls are the most common hospitalized injury mechanism in children aged ≤1 years, and currently, there are no targeted prevention interventions. The prevention of falls in children of this age requires changes in the behavior of their caregivers, and theoretically informed digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) may provide a unique mechanism for achieving effective intervention. However, user acceptance and the ability of DBCIs to effect the required changes in behavior are critical to their likelihood of success.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate a behavior theory–informed digital intervention developed following a user-centered approach for user experience, the potential for this intervention to prevent infant falls, and its impact on behavioral drivers underpinning fall risk in young children.

Methods

Parents of infants aged <1 year were recruited and asked to use the intervention for 3 months. A pre-post longitudinal design was used to examine the change in the potential to reduce the risk of falls after a 3-month exposure to the intervention. Postintervention data on behavioral drivers for fall prevention, user acceptability, and engagement with the app were also collected. Interviews were conducted to explore user experiences and identify areas for further improvement of the intervention.

Results

A total of 62 parents participated in the study. A statistically significant effect on the potential to reduce falls was observed after the intervention. This effect was higher for new parents. Parents agreed that the intervention targeted most of the target behavior drivers. The impact of behavior drivers and intervention on the potential for fall prevention had a positive correlation. The intervention demonstrated good levels of acceptability. Feedback from participants was mostly positive, and the primary area identified for further improvement was widening the scope of the intervention.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated the promise of a newly developed digital intervention to reduce the risk of infant falls, particularly among new parents. It also showed a positive influence of the DBCI on the drivers of parental behaviors that are important for fall reduction among infants. The acceptability of the app was high, and important insights were gained from users about how to further improve the app.
Pilot Investigation of Blood Pressure Control Using a Mobile App (Cardi.Health): Retrospective Chart Review Study
Authors: Nakrys Marius , Valinskas Sarunas , Aleknavicius Kasparas , Jonusas Justinas
Published: October 2023

Background

The high prevalence of hypertension necessitates effective, scalable interventions for blood pressure (BP) control. Self-monitoring has shown improved adherence to medication and better BP management. Mobile apps offer a promising approach with their increasing popularity and potential for large-scale implementation. Studies have demonstrated associations between mobile app interventions and lowered BP, yet real-world data on app effectiveness and engagement remain limited.

Objective

In this study, we analyzed real-world user data from the Cardi.Health mobile app, which is aimed at helping its users monitor and control their BP. Our goal was to find out whether there is an association between the use of the mobile app and a decrease in BP. Additionally, the study explored how engagement with the app may influence this outcome.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review study. The initial study population comprised 4407 Cardi.Health users who began using the app between January 2022 and April 2022. After applying inclusion criteria, the final study cohort comprised 339 users with elevated BP at the baseline. The sample consisted of 108 (31.9%) men and 231 (68.1%) women (P=.04). This retrospective chart review study obtained permission from the Biomedical Research Alliance of New York Institutional Review Board (June 2022, registration ID 22-08-503-939).

Results

The study’s main findings were that there is a possible relationship between use of the Cardi.Health mobile app and a decrease in systolic BP. Additionally, there was a significant association between active use of the app and systolic BP decrease (χ21=5.311; P=.02). Finally, active users had an almost 2 times greater chance of reducing systolic BP by 5 mm Hg or more over 4 weeks (odds ratio 1.932, 95% CI 1.074-3.528; P=.03).

Conclusions

This study shows a possible relationship between Cardi.Health mobile app use and decreased BP. Additionally, engagement with the app may be related to better results—active use was associated with an almost 2-fold increase in the odds of reducing BP by 5 or more mm Hg.
A Consumer Preferences in Culinary Tourism Fresh Tuna Fish Chest and Jaw Bones Case Study in Manado City, North Sulawesi Province
Authors: Longdong Florence Verra , Tumbol Reiny Antonetha , Aling Djuwita R.R.
Published: October 2023

The fishery products produced are not necessarily only for export purposes but are intended for national consumption. This research aims to analyze consumer preferences for processed fresh tuna products, namely the breast and jaw portions of tuna and identify consumer attitudes towards their choice of processed fresh tuna. The data in this research are primary data and secondary data. The sampling technique is based on purposive sampling and accidental sampling. Quantitative descriptive data analysis was carried out to analyze consumer attitude preferences. Based on the results of data processing between the menu attributes of tuna jaws and breasts, it turns out that consumers prefer tuna jaws compared to tuna breasts, the reason most likely lies in the sensation they get when eating tuna jaws. Even if asked about taste, both are equally tasty. The results obtained in this research show consumer preferences for tuna jaw and breast products on the food menu. Respondents preferred the processed Tuna Jaw menu where a utility (positive) value was obtained of 0.470 compared to the Tuna Breast menu with a utility (negative) of -0.470. In food variants, respondents preferred processed Burn Rica where the utility value was obtained at 3,690 compared to Woku at -0.642 and gravy at only -3,048. In the food price variable, respondents prefer food at a price of 50 thousand, where the utility value is 0.873 compared to the price of 45 thousand, the utility is 0.617, whereas at the price of 40 thousand it is only -0.995, and at the price of 60 thousand the utility value is -0.495, both of which are negative. The conclusion of this research is that consumer preferences for processed fresh tuna jaw and tuna breast fish products show that consumers prefer the processed Jaw Tuna menu where a utility value (positive) is obtained of 0.470 compared to the Tuna Breast menu with a utility (negative) of -0.470 .
Resisting Transhistorical Violence: Fringe and Art Activism
Authors: Brody M. Bryn
Published: October 2023

Between 1587 and 1589, Netherlandish artist Jan van der Straet engraved a series of plates entitled New Inventions of Modern Times. One, Allegory of America, portrays an Indigenous woman in a feathered headdress and skirt eagerly welcoming Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci as he steps onto land. Van der Straet’s work occupies space in a long history of male European artistic depictions of Indigenous women, but the white colonial gaze evident in Allegory has not gone unchallenged. In 2007, Rebecca Belmore (Anishinaabe) responded to transhistorical violence against Indigenous women and girls with a billboard instalment entitled Fringe. Although originally displayed as a direct response to the Pickton murders in Vancouver, Fringe transcends a single event or story. Belmore’s billboard reimagines controlling images that construct Indigenous women as sexually available conquests. She strips the image of the icons that artists have used to represent Indigenous women. By placing the billboard in a crowded metropolitan area, Belmore forces the viewer to confront the still-present reality of Indigeneity alongside the concomitant brutality of settler colonialism. Belmore’s art functions on multiple levels to convey a sense of survivance in the face of systemic attempted genocide. Fringe is a fully realised, modern, and powerful piece of art activism that transforms visual culture. In this paper, I analyse the transhistorical effects of art as a tool of colonisation, as seen in van der Straet’s work. I then theorise Fringe as a vibrant piece of art activism (artivism) that subverts the white male colonial gaze.
Turning Up the Volume on Translation: Transforming Narratives in the Work of Mercè Rodoreda
Authors: Towers Daisy Isabelle
Published: October 2023

This paper considers literary translation as a process that is both transformative and disruptive. Translation engenders movement, not only across languages, but it moves ideas from the centre to the periphery, and from the periphery to the centre. I argue that the translation of literature facilitates the movement and transfer of social narratives between languages and cultures, and in doing so, the very nature of these narratives is altered. Defining social narratives as “the stories we tell ourselves, not just those we tell other people, about the world(s) in which we live” (Baker 19), this paper considers how the properties of such narratives are transformed when translated for new audiences and readerships. Using the vocabulary of sound and volume, I identify and label social narratives on a spectrum of quiet and loud, moving away from previously used binary descriptions, in order to describe the power dynamics at play within world literature. I argue that the interaction between narratives in translation can be discussed in terms of amplification, muting, or silencing, in particular when considering the position and status of source and target languages. To demonstrate this new means with which to describe this process in translation, I take as a case study twentieth-century Catalan author Mercè Rodoreda’s novel La mort i la primavera (1986), and its English translation Death in Spring (2017), identifying how narratives interact and function across cultures, and how they may be made quieter or louder, in order to resonate with, or be ‘heard’ by new audiences.
Alberto Breccia’s Parody of Futurist Paintings in Modern Bande Dessinée: Resisting Transatlantic Fascism
Authors: Chan Audrey
Published: October 2023

During wars, art and culture often develop a “culture of camouflage” (Ojeda 68) to invite the reader to decipher hidden meanings as a form of political subversion. In Argentina, the ‘Golden Age’ of comics emerged in the 1940s in response to the rise of Fascist sentiments originating from the Futurist leader Filippo Tommaso Marinetti’s transatlantic propaganda and flourished in the following decades. During and following the ‘Process of National Reorganisation’ from 1976 onwards, illustrator Alberto Breccia used graphic narratives as a form of counter-censorship as he appropriated Futurist aesthetics and the conventions of the modern bande dessinée. He considered this method as being able to allow “artistry and imagination [take] over from logical progressions” (Grove 25). Using this form, he encouraged the public to reflect on Argentina’s changing transatlantic landscape.

This paper examines to what extent Breccia’s Le Coeur Révélateur: Et Autres Histoires Extraodinaires d’ Edgar Poe (1995) borrows Futurist visuality and makes use of the flexibility of the settings in Poe’s stories. This is done to recreate the haunting figures of history as they “turn away from the original work” to “conceive new forms of storytelling that explore the medium-specific properties of the host medium” (Baetens 7). This paper employs an interdisciplinary approach as, in addition to reading Poe’s original texts, this article also discusses Breccia’s appropriation of Futurist techniques, including “Divisionism, the use of threadlike brush strokes,” uniform application of colours according to their “precise tone and luminosity” (Rainey 9), and the dynamic sensation (Boccioni 46).