bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trust Me, I Know Them: Assessing Interpersonal Bias in Surgery Residency Interviews
Authors: Towaij Chelsea , Gawad Nada , Alibhai Kameela , Doan Danielle , Raîche Isabelle
Published: June 2022

Background

Residency selection integrates objective and subjective data sources. Interviews help assess characteristics like insight and communication but have the potential for bias. Structured multiple mini-interviews may mitigate some elements of bias; however, a halo effect is described in assessments of medical trainees, and degree of familiarity with applicants may remain a source of bias in interviews.

Objective

To investigate the extent of interviewer bias that results from pre-interview knowledge of the applicant by comparing file review and interview scores for known versus unknown applicants.

Methods

File review and interview scores of applicants to the University of Ottawa General Surgery Residency Training Program from 2019 to 2021 were gathered retrospectively. Applicants were categorized as “home” if from the institution, “known” if they completed an elective at the institution, or “unknown.” The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare median interview scores between groups and Spearman's rank-order correlation (rs) to determine the correlation between file review and interview scores.

Results

Over a 3-year period, 169 applicants were interviewed; 62% were unknown, 31% were known, and 6% were home applicants. There was a statistically significant difference (P=.01) between the median interview scores of home, known, and unknown applicants. Comparison of groups demonstrated higher positive correlations between file review and interview scores (rs=0.15 vs 0.36 vs 0.55 in unknown, known, and home applicants) with increasing applicant familiarity.

Conclusions

There is an increased positive correlation between file review and interview scores with applicant familiarity. The interview process may carry inherent bias insufficiently mitigated by the current structure.
AuduBon-Bons: Bite-Sized Learning for Residents in the Ambulatory Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic
Authors: Will Elizabeth M. , Altchek Chloe L. , Shukla Hemangi P. , Ratan Rini B.
Published: June 2022

Background

While most medical education happens in the inpatient setting, the vast majority of medicine is practiced in the outpatient setting. Graduates from our obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) program consistently report lower confidence and comfort in the ambulatory, as opposed to inpatient, setting.

Objective

To describe and evaluate a novel curriculum, delivered in an ambulatory clinic covering ambulatory care topics, and to assess its feasibility in a single site OB/GYN residency program.

Methods

We created an ambulatory curriculum, comprising short modules delivered in the ambulatory clinic during the first 15 minutes of every half-day clinic session. Modules were delivered using a flipped classroom format with pre-session assignments during the 2019-2020 academic year. Outcomes were residents' pre- and post-session comfort and confidence and module developers' time to create the curriculum. Time tracking was performed.

Results

On average, 11 residents were present for the teaching session weekly. Twenty-four residents and 6 faculty were eligible to complete pre- and post-session surveys. For every weekly session, the average resident comfort level and the average resident confidence level with the module's topic increased from the pre-module survey to the post-module survey. Residents completed pre-module assignments 64.8% (236 of 364) of the time, and of residents who completed the pre-work, 89.4% (211 of 236) reported it was useful. Average survey completion rate was 70.5% (1398 of 1984).

Conclusions

We showed that it is feasible to create and implement an ambulatory curriculum for residents in OB/GYN, and this curriculum increased resident's comfort and confidence with ambulatory practice.
Overextending: A Qualitative Study of Trainees Learning at the Edge of Evolving Expertise
Authors: Kshetrapal Anisha , Teunissen Pim W. , Eppich Walter J.
Published: June 2022

Background

The challenge of graduate medical education is to prepare physicians for unsupervised practice while ensuring patient safety. Current approaches may inadequately prepare physicians due to limited opportunities for autonomy. Recent work on how trainees gain autonomy shows that they actively influence their supervisors' entrustment decisions. If program directors more clearly understand how trainees experience increasing independence, they may better sensitize trainees to the deliberations they will face during patient care.

Objective

The authors sought to explore how trainees experience lessening supervision as their clinical training advances.

Methods

Using constructivist grounded theory, the authors recruited trainees from various specialties and training levels via email and conducted 17 semi-structured interviews from 2019 to 2020 to solicit clinical experiences during which their perceived autonomy changed. Through constant comparison and iterative analysis, key themes and conceptual relationships were identified.

Results

Seventeen trainees from 4 specialties described novel clinical situations that required “overextending,” or going beyond their perceived edge of evolving expertise. This move represented a spectrum based on perceived locus of control, from deliberate overextending driven by trainees, to forced overextending driven by external factors. Trainee judgments about whether or not to overextend were distilled into key questions: (1) Can I do it? (2) Must I do it? (3) Do I want to do it? and (4) Is it safe to do it? More advanced trainees posed a fifth question: (5) Am I missing something?

Conclusions

Decisions to move into the realm of uncertainty about capabilities carried weight for trainees. In making deliberative judgments about overextending, they attempted to balance training needs, capability, urgency, and patient safety.
Yam Tuber Dormancy and Sprouting: The Role of Concentration Dynamics of Endogenous Gibberellic Acid
Authors: Boateng M. A. , Amoako-Andoh F. O. , Wireko-Manu F. D. , Agbenorhevi J. K.
Published: June 2022

The role of endogenous gibberellic acid (GA ) in the regulation of yam (Dioscorea spp.) tuber 3 dormancy was investigated by determining the changes in the endogenous GA levels during 3 natural dormancy progression. Two Dioscorea rotundata cultivars ('Pona' and 'Labreko') and one Dioscorea alata cultivar ('CRI-Ahoɔdenfoɔ') used in these studies have varying dormancy duration. Endogenous GA levels determined for the yam tubers ranged from 1.53 – 3.05 mg/g dw 3 and 1.23 – 1.58 mg/g dw for 'Pona'; 1.53 – 3.40 mg/g dw and 1.25–1.57 mg/g dw for 'Labreko'; 1.48 – 3.62 mg/g dw and 1.28 – 1.60 mg/g dw for 'CRI-Ahoɔdenfoɔ', respectively, for the outer and inner portions. 'Pona' and 'Labreko' had dormancy break at 60 days after harvest (DAH), but at 90 DAH for 'CRI-Ahoɔdenfoɔ'. Generally, GA levels increased from harvest to the maximum 3 at 30 DAH, then declined to the minimum at 60 DAH before finally increasing again at 90 DAH for the outer portions of the yam tuber. For the inner portions of the tuber, GA levels rather 3 declined significantly to the minimum at 30 DAH, increased at 60 DAH and then decreased again at 90 DAH. GA levels in the outer portions of the tubers increased by 84-122%, 65-77% and 61- 3 65%, respectively, in 'CRI-Ahoɔdenfoɔ', 'Labreko' and 'Pona', but decreased in the inner portions by 19-23%, 24-26% and 26-28%. Essentially, higher amounts of endogenous gibberellins in yam tubers induced longer dormancy duration whereas lower amounts were indicative of dormancy termination and subsequent initiation of sprouting.
Actris 2.0: Asynchronous Session-Type Based Reasoning in Separation Logic
Authors: Hinrichsen Jonas Kastberg , Bengtson Jesper , Krebbers Robbert
Published: June 2022

Message passing is a useful abstraction for implementing concurrent programs.
For real-world systems, however, it is often combined with other programming
and concurrency paradigms, such as higher-order functions, mutable state,
shared-memory concurrency, and locks. We present Actris: a logic for proving
functional correctness of programs that use a combination of the aforementioned
features. Actris combines the power of modern concurrent separation logics with
a first-class protocol mechanism -- based on session types -- for reasoning
about message passing in the presence of other concurrency paradigms. We show
that Actris provides a suitable level of abstraction by proving functional
correctness of a variety of examples, including a channel-based merge sort, a
channel-based load-balancing mapper, and a variant of the map-reduce model,
using concise specifications. While Actris was already presented in a
conference paper (POPL'20), this paper expands the prior presentation
significantly. Moreover, it extends Actris to Actris 2.0 with a notion of
subprotocols -- based on session-type subtyping -- that permits additional
flexibility when composing channel endpoints, and that takes full advantage of
the asynchronous semantics of message passing in Actris. Soundness of Actris
2.0 is proven using a model of its protocol mechanism in the Iris framework. We
have mechanised the theory of Actris, together with custom tactics, as well as
all examples in the paper, in the Coq proof assistant.
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Systems to Solve the Problem of the Increasing in Electricity Demand in the Summer Season in Iraq
Authors: Shukir Samhar Saeed
Published: June 2022

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is the conversion of the sun's energy into thermal energy by concentrating the solar radiation by means of mirrors or any other optical element such as lenses on a receiver containing a liquid such as water, molten salt, industrial oil or compressed gas to provide heat for heating and for industrial purposes or to generate steam that rotates a turbine to produce electricity. CSP plants may contain thermal storage units to provide electrical and thermal energy during the night or when the weather is cloudy. Concentrated thermal and electrical energy generation requires high direct solar radiation (DNI) which represents 90% of the sunlight on a sunny day and its value is neglected on a cloudy day, so (CSP) is effective in the sun belt regions, which are located at latitudes between 15 and 40 degrees north and south of the equator, these regions include: the Middle East, North Africa, South Africa, India, southwestern United States, Mexico, Chile, Peru, eastern China, Australia, southern Europe and Turkey. Also, solar radiation is high at high latitudes, as dispersion is low. The best areas to install CSP plants are the areas where direct solar radiation (DNI) is greater than (2800 kwh/m2 per year). The time taken to build CSP plants is from (1-3) years depending on the size of the plant, and its operational life is more than 30 years. The area needed by these plants is 2 hectares per megawatt. This article highlights on the systems for generating electric power from concentrated solar energy and presents the different fluids used in heat transfer, as well as the methods of thermal storage.
НАЧИНИ УМЕТНИЧКЕ КОНСТРУКЦИЈЕ МУШКОГ ИДЕНТИТЕТА У ПРИПОВЕТКАМА БОРИСАВА СТАНКОВИЋА
Authors: Стојковић Стојанов Јелена
Published: June 2022

The work is clearly pointing to understanding of identity. Work also offers potential classification of male identity. Тhe representation of male identity was achieved through a desirable model and deviations from the desirable model of male identity. Such a categorization corresponds to the division into normative and alternative models. Male characters are observed in roles men have in private and public patriarchy. Building of male characters in stories of Borisav Stanković is achieved through wide range of motives. Following the techiques and motives are in function to determine diversity of male identity. Analysis of chosen male characters point to different identities that can group around normative and alternative identity. Perseption of male characters and their comparison is done in order to represent possible ways of building male identity in stories of Borisav Stanković.
HYBRID ENGLISH-SERBIAN AND SERBIAN-ENGLISH LEXICAL BLENDS IN SERBIAN
Authors: Tomić Gorica
Published: June 2022

The present paper analyzes 111 contact-induced hybrid lexical blends in contemporary Serbian, i.e. new words which combine two other words belonging to different languages, namely English and Serbian. It aims at determining: (a) the preferences (if any) for the arrangement of the blends’ source words as to whether they are native or non-native, (b) (the frequencies of) the blending mechanisms, (c) the semantics of the blends, including their semantic transparency, as well as (d) some social aspects of the blends’ use. Additionally, the results obtained herein are compared with those for the contact-induced hybrid Spanish-English blends (BALTEIRO 2017) to determine whether the tendencies observed for the Serbian data are also characteristic of the Spanish data. The results show that: (a) non-native or English words tend to be arranged first, as well as fully preserved, as opposed to native words which are normally clipped if appear in first position, (b) discontinuous overlapping blends and blends of two full source words which necessarily overlap constitute the majority of the data, (c) most of the hybrid blends are of the attributive endocentric type, being fairly semantically transparent, and that (d) the Serbian hybrid blends are generally used in those social contexts such as advertising, business and product naming, or entertainment where linguistic creativity is not only highly desirable, but may have an important social function in creatively expressing identities. Finally, the comparative analysis indicates that there are fairly similar formal and semantic tendencies in the creation of the Serbian and Spanish hybrid blends.
РУКОПИС КОМЕДИЈЕ ШТЕФИЦА ФИЛМСКА ЗВЕЗДА БРАНЕ ЦВЕТКОВИЋА
Authors: Пејчић Александар
Published: June 2022

The work has been prepared and critically commentedon the manuscript of one-act / comedy Stefica is the film star of Brana Cvetkovic. His biography and bibliography have been supplemented with new knowledges.The history of the manuscript is pointed out and the work of Brana’s theater is described.The poetic features of his comedy were singled out and the comedy was briefly analyzed, with an emphasis on aspects of modernity.
Consumer insights tracker report: key findings from December 2021 to March 2022
Authors: King Maya , Heard Helen ,   Ipsos
Published: June 2022

This publication provides a summary of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) latest consumer insights tracker data, which includes the following topics: • Household food insecurity • Consumer perceptions of food availability • Consumer concerns in relation to food • Consumer confidence in the food supply chain and the FSA The data captured within this report is drawn from various tracking surveys commissioned by the FSA, via Ipsos’, from April 2020 until March 2022. The previous publication focused on data collected between April 2020 and November 2021, so this report provides commentary on the latest data from the 2021-22 winter period (December 2021 to March 2022).
Filosofické problémy nanotechnologií: ontologicko-systémová východiska a etické implikace
Authors: Bartoš Vít , Trčka Michal
Published: June 2022

From the perspective of philosophy of science and technologies, we firstly attend to the issue of the role of nanotechnologies within the evolution of technologies. We recognize their utmost importance in the respect that they are technologies of life itself. We further explain that the nano-level is the domain of intersection of the rules of quantum physics and traditional Newtonian physics. This is our starting point from which we discuss the issue of conditions under which minimizing things also changes their functional essence. We use the example of the Drexler vs. Smalley debate to demonstrate the paradigmatic incomparability of the two perspectives and the physical-chemical and engineering-related limits of nanotechnologies. We discuss to what extent are the dangers and ethical implications emerging from Drexler’s contemplations real, be it what he calls the “grey goo” problem or the issues of molecular production. We regard certain problems linked to synthetic biology as more serious. We conclude our text with the consideration that the human civilization should think of the possibilities of nanotechnologies in the development of life as an existential challenge.
Überprüfung von Referenzintervallen: Schnelle Orientierung
Authors: Hoffmann Georg , Klawonn Frank
Published: June 2022

Jedes medizinische Labor muss in der Lage sein, seine Referenzintervalle anhand eigener Daten zu überprüfen. Wir stellen ein einfaches grafisches Verfahren auf Basis von Excel vor und berichten über eine Weiterentwicklung, mit der man Hunderte von Referenzgrenzen in kurzer Zeit screenen kann.
Determinants of Capital Market Development in Kenya
Authors:   Post Graduate Student, School of Business, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya, Gachihi Stephen Ruchu
Published: June 2022

This study sought to determine the determinants of capital market development in Kenya. The empirical study was conducted using time series data for the period 2001- 2020. This study adopted quantitative approach and employed secondary data of twenty years; Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the relationship between the variables. Furthermore, this study used multiple regression analysis by applying Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method. The macroeconomic variable data involved were stock market liquidity, investment, and foreign direct investment. For capital market development indicators, market capitalization, listed companies, value traded and turnover ratio were considered. The regression results demonstrate that all the variables, stock market liquidity, investment and foreign direct investment are important determinants of capital market development in Kenya. The findings from Ordinary Least Square (OLS) indicated that the model is significant in a whole and the three independents explain 91% changes in the dependent variable. The study recommends the following policies among others; the government should regulate and control financial sector in order to promote the capital market development. Policy maker should cut off restriction for the foreigner investors and to create strategies to increase the foreign direct investment and offer incentives.
Culturas de cobertura na supressão de plantas daninhas e atributos físicos do solo cultivado com café
Authors:   , Delgado Enrique Ulises Arceda
Published: June 2022

Os avanços na cafeicultura para obtenção de maior rentabilidade vêm utilizando a mecanização de maneira intensiva favorecendo a degradação física do solo, além de o uso excessivo de herbicidas para o controle de plantas daninhas poder gerar certa resistência a alguns agentes químicos. Portanto, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito das plantas de cobertura e mobilização mecânica do solo nos atributos físicos de solo e na fitossociologia de plantas daninhas. O trabalho foi desenvolvido na área experimental CafePlus, da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, campus Rio Paranaíba, em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico, seguindo o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram cobertura do solo com braquiária (Urochloa ruziziensis); nabo forrageiro (Raphanus sativus); crotalária (Crotalaria juncea) e ausência de cobertura do solo com escarificação mecânica. A escarificação proporcionou uma redução na densidade de solo (Ds) e maiores valores de macroporosidade e de porosidade total, em relação ao emprego das plantas de cobertura. As plantas de cobertura não tiveram efeito sobre a macroporosidade e porosidade total apresentando valores inferiores aos encontrados na área escarificada sem cobertura. Observou-se maior Ds e microporosidade na projeção do rodado dos tratores e redução da macroporosidade e porosidade total, quando comparados aos valores obtidos na entre linha do cafeeiro. A área escarificada apresentou menores valores ao analisar os efeitos simples para a Resistência Mecânica do Solo à Penetração (RMSP) e maiores valores de umidade do solo, comparado com as áreas com as plantas de cobertura. Para a Ds os valores encontrados encontram-se abaixo do considerado crítico para o desenvolvimento das culturas, mas para a RMSP há valores pouco acima do considerado crítico. Os resultados do estudo fitossociológico demostraram que a planta infestante com maiores índices foi Bidens pilosa em todas as áreas e nas duas posições avaliadas. A planta de cobertura Crotalária reduziu em 53,84 % número de espécies de plantas infestantes e os menores valores fitossociológicos. Palavras-chave: Coffea arabica L.. Compactação do solo. Supressão de plantas daninhas.
Fermentação do café em diferentes tempos e processos
Authors:   , Souza Antonio Sergio de
Published: June 2022

Com a popularização dos cafés especiais, os produtores passaram a desenvolver novas técnicas para produção de cafés diferenciados. A fermentação do café vem sendo aplicada de diferentes maneiras, com evidente carência de estudos que permitam recomendações seguras e com boa repetibilidade nos resultados. Neste trabalho, tivemos por objetivo estudar os efeitos do tempo de fermentação para a modificação do perfil sensorial do café, através do uso de cultura iniciadora com leveduras, bactérias lácticas e adição de casca do café. Especificamente, buscou- se avaliar a resposta ao processo de fermentação anaeróbica do café cereja descascado em relação ao café natural, em água ou a seco, em cinco tempos de fermentação. O experimento foi conduzido em esquema fatorial 5 x 6 + 2, sendo cinco tempos de fermentação de 24, 48, 72, 96 e 120 horas e seis métodos de processamento, mais dois controles, um café cereja descascado e outro café natural. Foram avaliadas as transformações microbiológicas, o status de pH, ºBrix e temperatura no mosto de fermentação no decorrer do processo fermentativo. A avaliação sensorial dos cafés foi realizada, por uma banca com seis degustadores, todos com certificação de Q-Graders. Além disso, o perfil de compostos do café torrado foi avaliado, qualitativa e quantitativamente, por infravermelho e os dados foram submetidos à Análise de Componentes Principais (PCA). A análise sensorial dos cafés, apontou que a fermentação do café natural, em recipiente hermeticamente fechado, sem a exaustão do CO 2 , com ou sem válvula airlock, proporcionou alterações favoráveis na qualidade da bebida do café, independente da adição de cultura iniciadora. Constatou que o tempo de fermentação, e o ambiente de anaerobiose, estão diretamente ligados a eficiência da fermentação, sendo que, neste estudo, o tempo de fermentação de 120 horas, proporcionou as melhores notas da análise sensorial. Palavras-chave: Pós-colheita de café. Fermentação induzida. Qualidade de café.
Outpatient use of tPA to recanalize thrombosed native fistulas a case series and discussion of literature
Authors: Yıldız Işıl , Çalışkan Can , Gündüz Demet
Published: June 2022

Background: The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneous alteplase (t-PA) injection for the treatment of long segment ( ≥14cm) thrombi in the efferent veins of native arteriovenous fistulas in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: A total of 9 patients who underwent t-PA application under ultrasound guidance in the interventional radiology clinic between 2019 and 2021 were included in the study. During the intervention, information such as thrombosed segment length, t-PA dose, number of sessions, presence of aneurysmal segment, bleeding after the intervention and the need for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) were recorded. Restoring the flow in the fistula was considered the successful outcome. All statistical evaluations were performed with the IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software (version 21.0; SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois) for Windows.

Results: Mean age of the patients was 48.7±14 years, the fistula age was 28.7±11 months, the thrombosis age was 3.5±2 days, and the thrombosed segment length was 17.7±2.9 cm. Post-intervention bleeding that did not require treatment was encountered in 2 patients, and stenosis in the proximal fistula was encountered in 6 patients. PTA was applied to 7 patients after t-PA. After the interventions, effective flow was provided in all patients.

Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous t-PA injection should be considered as an effective intervention which is less invasive, can be performed as an outpatient intervention and has fewer complications, even if the thrombi segments are long (>10 cm). This technique avoids the potential endothelial damage and saves the cost of the mechanical devices.
A new cystatin C based model for predicting COVID-19- associated mortality
Authors: Koyuncu Sümeyra , Koyuncu Serhat , Akdoğan Halil İbrahim , Kara Mehmet , Güven Göksel , Barlak Keti Didem , Sipahioğlu Hilal , Ertürk Zararsız Gözde , Koçyiğit İsmail , Tokgöz Bülent
Published: June 2022

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Cystatin C based model on kidney function and the value of this model on predicting mortality in patients with the recent novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Methods: Demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and laboratory measurements were measured in critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection. Patients were monitored until they were discharged from the hospital or died.

Results: 105 patients participated in this study. 29 of 105 patients were treated in the intensive care unit. Acute kidney injury developed in nearly all of these patients and developed in 6 other non-intensive care unit patients. 21 of the patients in the intensive care unit had exitus.

Conclusion: The cystatin C (sCys C )based model may be used to predict mortality in severe COVID-19 infections.
Determining the knowledge, attitude and practice about the environment and recycling of individuals living in a public housing compound: A quantitative, qualitative mixed method study
Authors: Şirin Hülya , Arslan Ahmet , Ketrez Gamze
Published: June 2022

Background: The environment is the physical, biological, social, economic and cultural environment in which people and other living things maintain their relationships and interact throughout their lives. In this study, it was aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of individuals residing in a public housing estate towards the environment and recycling.

Methods: The research was designed as cross-sectional and conducted with a mixed method including both quantitative and qualitative methods. 330 of 437 residents participated in the qualitative part of the study (participation rate 75.5%) in January 2021. The quantitative part of the study was attended by 10 apartment workers.

Results: 51.5% of the participants (n=170) believe that they have sufficient knowledge about recycling. However, only 38.8% of the participants (n=128) stated that they collect recyclable waste separately. The environment-emotion level of men was found to be higher (Z=-2.242, p=0.025). A statistically significant difference was found between the general level average scores in terms of marital status. In terms of “knowledge sub-levels”, the mean environmental knowledge level scores of health workers were found to be significantly higher than other occupational groups (Z=-2,460, p=0.014). Apartment workers stated 202 flats (46.2%) collect recyclable waste separately.

Conclusion: To prevent the climate crisis, it is important to recycle domestic waste to protect the environment. Individuals’ recycling behavior levels can be increased with practices that aim to inform, direct and encourage recycling. In parallel with all these practices, it is important for governments to be politically determined and implement legal regulations on waste recycling.
Comparison of the Laparoscopic Appendicitis (LAPP) score with the Alvarado and Appendicitis Inflammatory Response(AIR) scores and computed tomography and pathology results
Authors: Martlı Hüseyin Fahri , Bolat Hacı
Published: June 2022

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most commonly encountered and operated group among general surgery emergency patients. Various scoring and algorithms are used in diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to compare the Laparoscopic Appendicitis (LAPP) score, which is used to reduce negative appendectomy, according to the pathology and preoperative computed tomography results and investigate its correlation with other clinical scoring systems.

Methods: Patients who underwent appendectomy in our clinic between June 2020 and March 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The obtained LAPP scores were compared with the preoperative imaging results, Alvarado score, appendicitis inflammatory response (AIR) score, and pathology results.

Results: The study included a total of 109 patients, of whom 22 (20.18%) had a pathology result that was not consistent with appendicitis. The LAPP score was determined as 1.41 for this 22 patients who underwent negative appendectomy (p<0.001), 2.45 for 74 patients with suppurative appendicitis (p<0.001), and 3.54 for 13 patients with gangrenous or perforated appendicitis (p<0.001).

Conclusions: The purpose of the LAPP score is to reduce the rate of negative appendectomy. Appendectomy is also performed in some patients who may have spontaneous resolution if they present to the hospital in the early period. We also consider that the frequency of familial Mediterranean fever in Turkey may be another reason for the high rate of negative appendectomy. In addition, the correlation of high Alvarado and AIR scores with a high LAPP score indicates that it is more reliable in the diagnosis of complicated appendicitis.
A rare chest wall tumor: A case report of angiomatosis
Authors: Çetin Mehmet , Türk İlteriş , Ağaçkıran Yetkin , Sayılır Güven Ebru , Bıçakçıoğlu Pınar
Published: June 2022

Angiomatosis, a pathology that may occur in any soft tissue, is typically characterized by vascular proliferation and invasion of adjacent tissues. Although it is described as a benign lesion, it can be as challenging as malignancy in treatment and follow-up due to its vascular rich structure and frequent recurrence. Here, we present a rare case of chest wall angiomatosis in a 46-year-old female patient treated with surgical excision.
Medical Students’ Perception on Learning Anatomy Online During COVID-19 Pandemic in an Integrated Modular System: Comparison of Online and Face to Face SGDs & Interactive Lectures
Authors: Sibgha Fatima  , Humaira Gulnaz  , Syed Hussain Raza Zaidi  , Saba Saleem  , Zahra Fatima  , Nabila Kaukab
Published: June 2022

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced education system worldwide. This change was unusual for both students and anatomists. The present study is conducted to perceive online learning experience of 1st& 2nd year MBBS students in a modular system comparing online SGD & lectures with face to face.

Objectives: To assess how medical students of 1st and 2nd year MBBS perceive the experience of learning Anatomy online in an integrated modular system, their attitude towards online small group discussions (SGD) and online Interactive lectures by comparing with face-to-face learning anatomy.

Place and duration of study: The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy at University College of Medicine, University of Lahore during academic year of 2021 over a period of six months from March 2021.

Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by using a Questionnaire validated by five medical educationists. The sampling was done by nonprobability convenience technique. For a confidence level of 97%, sample size was 197. A total of 202 students from 1st & 2nd year MBBS, were asked to fill in a Questionnaire with Likert scale of 5, anonymously after taking informed consent, regarding online learning Anatomy through Zoom by comparing online SGD and Interactive lectures with face-to-face learning during COVID-19 pandemic. Data was analyzed using SPSS (version 28) software, p value ?0.05 was considered significant.

Results: A total of 202 responses were received of which 197 responses were complete. Of which 56 were from 1styear while 141 were from 2nd Year MBBS. Some students did not answer some questions. Percentages were calculated against student responses, for missing data the percentages were calculated from total number of responses to each question answered. p values calculated were not significant but overall students did not prefer online learning over face to face learning.

Conclusion: Our present study concludes that learning anatomy online is challenging. Overall students did not value online learning more than face-to-face learning in terms of flexibility, freedom, interaction with teachers, lack of hands-on practice and concepts, although they enjoyed the leisure of self-study with whole study material available to them at any time.
Is Coriandrum sativum Hypolipidemic in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats?
Authors: Hafiza Hina Pasha  , Uzma Jabbar  , Ambreen Anjum  , Aasia Kanwal  , Chaman Nasrullah  , Aisha Bashir  , Hamid Javed Qureshi
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a widely recognized metabolic condition. Due to various side effects of currently available medicines, studies have reported the use of many plants in various areas for the traditional management of diabetes.

Aims & Objectives: To determine the effects of Coriandum sativum seeds on lipid profile in diabetic rats.

Place and duration of study: This experimental research was conducted at Physiology Department, Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS), Lahore from August 2013 to January, 2014.

Material & Methods: Ninety rats were randomly distributed into three groups of (n=30) each. Group A was healthy control, group B was disease control and group C was diabetic experimental which was treated with Coriandrum sativum with a single dosage of 250 mg/kg of body weight/day through a gavage tube for 28 days. On next day, 4-5ml blood was collected through heart from each rat. The markers evaluated were high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Data was analyzed by using SPSS version16 ,  p value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The experimental group showed highly significant (p=0.000) lower levels of serum LDL (25.47±3.90mg/dl), serum cholesterol (100.33±2.81 mg/dl), serum triglyceride (96.97±4.79 mg/dl) and serum VLDL (19.40±0.97 mg/dl) as compared to healthy control and disease control group. The level of serum high density lipoprotein revealed (55.27±3.69 mg/dl) highly significant rise (p=0.000).

Conclusion: Oral administration of Coriandrum sativum has revealed the lipid lowering impacts in alloxan induced diabetic rats.
Methods for determining metal ion leaching from glass cullet using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
Authors: Mathews Julia , Blitz Emily , Echevarria Kathryn , Mader Jordan , Testa Maurice , Murray Kayla
Published: June 2022

Glass cullet (recycled or broken glass) has been proposed to replace dredged sediment in beach and river recovery processes after severe weather events. Dredging of the ocean floor to replace lost sediment on beaches has led to many negative environmental impacts, such as disturbance of marine ecosystems, notably the death of both animal and plant life near coastlines. The majority of cullet that has been proposed for replacement of dredged sediment is float glass, not bottle glass that could be obtained from a recycling center. This research project focused on developing an efficient method of quantitatively measuring leaching of metal ions from recycled bottle glass cullet, which is the main concern with long-term use of these materials.  A standard concentration of brine was used to incubate the glass cullet, with sample aliquots removed at different exposure times. Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS) was used to determine the concentration of metal ions leached out of green cullet from multiple samples. An average concentration of 23.43 ppm of chromium ions was detected after green glass cullet was exposed to 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for five weeks.
Exploring Plant-Based Cooking Oils as a Promising Topical Alternative to Sunscreen
Authors: Babel Shrinit
Published: June 2022

Sunscreens protect the skin from the harmful effects of Ultraviolet radiation in the sunlight. However, most commercial sunscreens pose health and environmental hazards, lose effectivity over time, or are simply unpleasant to use, making it imperative to search for greener, safer, and efficacious alternatives. Plant-based oil extractions are promising given their hydrophobicity, nontoxicity, and availability. This paper aims to determine the absorptive capabilities of five common cooking (vegetable) oils using UVA spectrophotometry and analyze the properties of the oils that relate to their efficacy. Oils high in tocols, such as Rice Bran Oil, had the highest extinction coefficient. The analysis suggests that plant-based oil extractions high in phytonutrients with aromatic rings and pi-systems, such as tocols and carotenoids, present the greatest potential to serve as UV chemical filters.
The Response of 3D Printed Breast Cancer Cells to Chemotherapy Drugs
Authors: Garg Saanvi , Hunt M.
Published: June 2022

3D culture of breast cancer cells gives researchers a better understanding of how cells behave in the  human body and a better representation of their response to cancer therapy compared to 2D. Breast  cancer cells also interact with other cell types in the body, including endothelial cells in the blood vessels.  While endothelial cells have been co-cultured with breast cells to study tissue growth/development,  cancer metastasis, and angiogenesis, 3D breast structures have not been used to study cancer  metabolism- accomplished with this project. The purpose is to determine how cell  metabolism changes in A) 2D vs. 3D culture; B) monoculture vs. co-culture; and C) no treatment vs. Paclitaxel treatment. I hypothesize that Paclitaxel will have a greater effect on cell  metabolism when breast cells are co-cultured with endothelial cells. Data was collected with three  varying techniques, 2D Monolayer Printing, Manual 3D Hydrogel, and 3D Printing. The 3D Printed data displayed increased efficiency between trials of the same cell type and could be used to develop new  drugs in a low-cost and efficient manner. The most important finding is with both 3D techniques, the absorbance had a further decrease for the Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) co-culture with cancerous cells than the 2D data. The metabolism of cancer cells is approximately eight times greater than normal cells, so decreasing the absorbance in cancer cells over noncancerous cells has a greater impact. 3D cell structures are essential to create co-cultures to study and develop drugs with cell interactions using endothelial cells.
Dienogest Derivatives Show Increased Selectivity to the Progesterone Receptor
Authors: Bhatia Jiya , Jimenez Jessica
Published: June 2022

Progestin, the synthetic progesterone in the combination birth control pill, functions to prevent pregnancy. Unfortunately, it also results in a wide range of side effects associated with the pill, including nausea, headaches, abdominal cramping, breakthrough bleeding, and mood changes. These side effects are due to the interactions that take place when the progestin binds not only to its desired target, the progesterone receptor, but also to other steroid receptors, namely the androgen receptor, estrogen receptor, glucocorticoid receptor, and mineralocorticoid receptor. In hopes of diminishing these side effects, in this study, one progestin, dienogest, was computationally altered to improve binding to the progesterone receptor while minimizing the binding to other receptors. The most successful derivative created involved the addition of a methyl and a methylene group, which significantly decreased binding to the five other receptors while maintaining a similar affinity for the progesterone receptor. Importantly, in an assessment of the social aspect of the birth control pill via an online survey released in the San Francisco Bay Area (n=73), the side effects of the birth control pill, which could be improved by minimizing off target interactions, are a major concern among women who consider this form of contraception.
Analyzing Toxicology Reports of the COVID-19 Vaccine
Authors: Lingala Eesha , Appavu Rajagopal , Kethar Jothsna
Published: June 2022

In the development of vaccines for treatment against SARS-CoV-2, several categories have emerged and their benefits and concerns have become apparent. An ideal target, the Spike (S) protein, has emerged and become the focus of recombinant vaccines. The S protein is crucial for the infection process of SARS-CoV-2. Recombinant vaccines make use of this and focus on creating an immune response targeting the S protein. There are various subcategories of recombinant vaccines and all function in a fundamentally similar manner. Two other types of vaccines are live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines. They utilize weakened or inactivated coronavirus to create an immune response, unlike recombinant vaccines. Nucleic acid-based coronavirus vaccines are a subcategory of recombinant vaccines and include DNA- and RNA-based vaccines. Recombinant vaccines make full use of the presented target and efficiently provide superior treatment against SARS-CoV-2.
The Effects of Equine Therapy on Military Veterans with PTSD
Authors: Matonti Talia , Gitto Patricia , McGrann Katlyn
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) group program on the reduction of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in military veterans. Prior research suggests that longitudinal equine therapy programs result in lowered PTSD scores, however, fail to acknowledge veterans in Suffolk County, Long Island. The researcher conducted a mixed method correlational case study with veterans from a local Veterans Affairs (VA) Center which acted as a control. Beck’s Anxiety Inventory and NIMH Loneliness surveys were disseminated and anecdotal comments were collected in order to achieve an all encompassing approach. Participants included veterans of ages 29-68 from the XYZ equine therapy foundation and from a local VA, with an overwhelming majority of participants being white females. Initial results showed decreased anxiety and loneliness scores, suggesting that equine therapy is associated with a decrease in PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the conclusion can be made that equine therapy is an effective alternative treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD. However, such conclusions are limited to veterans on Long Island, thus, future research should apply this method on a larger, more diverse, sample size to determine effects on a greater population before pushing this therapy out on a wider scale. 

 

Keywords: Equine-assisted therapy; military veterans; PTSD; anxiety; loneliness
Etiology of Depression: Biological and Environmental Factors in the Development of Depression
Authors: Hu Yiwen , Yiu Vivien , Clark Robert
Published: June 2022

While depression affects 300 million people worldwide and is one of the most significant contributors to suicide, the mechanisms behind its onset remain unclear. This paper summarizes and discusses several biological and environmental factors that lead to the development of depression in an effort to demonstrate the intricate relationship between the various factors. First, an examination of the roles genetics and the external environment play in depression’s occurrence is considered by comparing adoption studies. In the next section, biological mechanisms of depression, such as alterations in neurotransmitter systems and brain networks, are explored in an analysis of previous studies and by identifying areas that require further investigation. A discussion is included of how several environmental factors, including urbanization and childhood trauma, elevate the risk of depression in certain individuals along with genetic factors. The conclusion encapsulates how various factors interact with one another and calls for further research on the precise mechanisms behind the onset of depressive symptoms. This approach is crucial for understanding the cause of depression and improvements in its treatment.
Differential Analysis on A Simple Pendulum System
Authors: Chen Christopher , Robinson Christopher
Published: June 2022

Given a system of a simple pendulum, we analyze the solution that is obtained from the nonlinear second-order differential equation that characterizes the pendulum and compare it to the corresponding small-signal linear approximation of the nonlinear system. In addition, the properties that are present for the simple pendulum system like the exact period of the pendulum system is derived and compared to that of the small-signal linearization approximate system. The time per unit angular displacement for the pendulum system is proposed, derived, and discussed. During this process, an approach is presented to compute the incomplete elliptic integral of the first kind. Finally, the concept of the daily average periodicity of the pendulum is proposed and several considerations are provided in regulating the daily average periodicity.
Analyzing Google’s Use of Lobbying in their 2012 Federal Trade Commission Investigation
Authors: Alatorre Camila , Eraslan Hülya
Published: June 2022

This paper explores Google’s lobbying efforts regarding their 2012 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation in order to determine whether the FTC investigation influenced Google’s use of direct lobbying. To do so, Google’s total lobbying expenditures and number of hired lobbyists one year before, during, and one year after the FTC investigation were examined. Through the use of the percent change formula, a quantification of the percent change in Google’s lobbying efforts in these different time periods delineate if the FTC investigation played a role in Google’s use of direct lobbying during this period. The result was that there was a “peak” of lobbying expenditures and hired lobbyists during the FTC investigation. There was a 292.029% increase in lobbying expenditures and a 105.263% increase in hired lobbyists from the year before the FTC investigation to the middle of the investigation. Furthermore, there was a 29.39% decrease in lobbying expenditures and a 17.094% decrease in hired lobbyists from the middle of the FTC investigation to one year after the investigation had concluded. This illustrates that Google increased their lobbying efforts during the FTC investigation and decreased their lobbying once the FTC investigation ended. This has several key implications in facilitating the understanding of the motivations of lobbying and a corporation’s potential reaction when faced with a federal antitrust investigation. Therefore, it can be concluded that when corporations are under regulatory concerns, they may turn towards direct lobbying efforts to provide a sense of security and influence during a time of uncertainty.
Designing a Science-based Strategy to Prepare for the Next Pandemic
Authors: Xue Letian , Asmis Reto , Crowder Mark
Published: June 2022

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 led to a severe pandemic across the world. However, the globe did not response to the pandemic properly and preparedly, causing the impact of the pandemic to be more adverse than it should be. Many lessons can be learned from the experience of tackling the current pandemic and used to help prepare for the next pandemic, which is inevitable. In finding out the most suitable preparation strategy, research was conducted on the epidemiology of the coronavirus, current therapeutic options for treatment of COVID-19, and current anti-epidemic strategies and policies. It was determined that efficient tactics to prepare for and combat next virus outbreak include developing anti-viral drugs, improving healthcare infrastructure, and educating the general public. If these measures can be implemented, preparedness for the next pandemic will be significantly improved, leading to significantly reduced severity of the pandemic.