bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model-based small area estimation methods and precise district-level HIV prevalence estimates in Uganda
Authors: Ouma Joseph , Jeffery Caroline , Awor Colletar Anna , Muruta Allan , Musinguzi Joshua , Wanyenze Rhoda K. , Biraro Sam , Levin Jonathan , Valadez Joseph J.
Published: August 2021

Background

Model-based small area estimation methods can help generate parameter estimates at the district level, where planned population survey sample sizes are not large enough to support direct estimates of HIV prevalence with adequate precision. We computed district-level HIV prevalence estimates and their 95% confidence intervals for districts in Uganda.

Methods

Our analysis used direct survey and model-based estimation methods, including Fay-Herriot (area-level) and Battese-Harter-Fuller (unit-level) small area models. We used regression analysis to assess for consistency in estimating HIV prevalence. We use a ratio analysis of the mean square error and the coefficient of variation of the estimates to evaluate precision. The models were applied to Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment 2016/2017 data with auxiliary information from the 2016 Lot Quality Assurance Sampling survey and antenatal care data from district health information system datasets for unit-level and area-level models, respectively.

Results

Estimates from the model-based and the direct survey methods were similar. However, direct survey estimates were unstable compared with the model-based estimates. Area-level model estimates were more stable than unit-level model estimates. The correlation between unit-level and direct survey estimates was (β1 = 0.66, r2 = 0.862), and correlation between area-level model and direct survey estimates was (β1 = 0.44, r2 = 0.698). The error associated with the estimates decreased by 37.5% and 33.1% for the unit-level and area-level models, respectively, compared to the direct survey estimates.

Conclusions

Although the unit-level model estimates were less precise than the area-level model estimates, they were highly correlated with the direct survey estimates and had less standard error associated with estimates than the area-level model. Unit-level models provide more accurate and reliable data to support local decision-making when unit-level auxiliary information is available.
Study of the use of a personalized peripheral sealing device on surgical face masks in high-risk situations against COVID-19
Authors: Riutord-Sbert Pere , Pereira Thais Cristina , de Pedro-Gómez Joan Ernest , González-Carrasco Diego , López-Gónzalez Angel Arturo , Barkvoll Pål
Published: August 2021

A significant number of health care professionals subjected to high-risk situations have been infected by Covid-19 due to the lack of adequate protection equipment or the deficient safety margins that these present. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of a personal peripheral sealing device (PSD) on surgical face masks (SM) allows them to achieve double mask properties, by providing two-way protection to professionals or users. The proposed device is a thermoplastic resin ring composed of a reusable and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) designed to be used in a healthcare setting. Since it is a thermoplastic device, it can be molded and adapted to each individual, becoming personalized and ensuring a correct adjustment to the user’s face. First, a qualitative fit test was performed using a saccharin solution (SS) to evaluate respiratory protective equipment in recruited professionals exposed to high-risk situations of infection by Covid-19. Individuals were divided into an intervention group, who used SM with the PSD, and a control group, who used SM without the PSD. In addition, a quantitative inward air leakage fit test was performed using a 2% sodium chloride (NaCl) aerosol in a sealed cabinet with probes sensitive to this substance, in order to validate the SM with the PSD as a Face Filtering Mask (FFP). Only 5% of the individuals who performed the qualitative fit test with the PSD perceived the sweet taste of the SS, while 100% of the individuals who performed the test without the PSD sensed it (p = 0.0001). In the quantitative fit test, the percentage of air leakage of 2% NaCl aerosol into the SM with the PSD was 6.5%, achieving the same range of air leakage as a FFP mask. Thus, the use of a personalized PLA thermoplastic PSD, together with an inexpensive and widely available SM, could have a significant impact in terms of preventive safety by providing bi-directional protection to its user.
Can anxiety and race interact to influence face-recognition accuracy? A systematic literature review
Authors: Tindall Isabeau K. , Curtis Guy J. , Locke Vance
Published: August 2021

Wrongful convictions continue to occur through eyewitness misidentification. Recognising what factors, or interaction between factors, affect face-recognition is therefore imperative. Extensive research indicates that face-recognition accuracy is impacted by anxiety and by race. Limited research, however, has examined how these factors interact to potentially exacerbate face-recognition deficits. Brigham (2008) suggests that anxiety exacerbates other-race face-recognition deficits. Conversely, Attentional Control Theory predicts that anxiety exacerbates deficits for all faces. This systematic review examined existing studies investigating the possible interaction between anxiety and face-race to compare these theories. Recent studies included in this review found that both anxiety and race influence face-recognition accuracy but found no interaction. Potential moderators existing in reviewed studies, however, might have influenced their results. Separately, in some studies reviewed, anxiety induced during retrieval impacted recognition, contrasting with the conclusions of previous reviews. Recommendations for future research are given to address moderators potentially impacting results observed previously.
Screening and identification of key biomarkers of papillary renal cell carcinoma by bioinformatic analysis
Authors: Xu Yingying , Kong Deyang , Li Zhongtang , Qian Lingling , Li Junchao , Zou Chunbo
Published: August 2021

Background

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) is the most common type of renal cell carcinoma after clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Its pathological classification is controversial, and its molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Therefore, the identification of key genes and their biological pathways is of great significance to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of PRCC occurrence and progression.

Methods

The PRCC-related datasets GSE7023, GSE48352 and GSE15641 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed. Cytoscape and STRING were used to construct the protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and perform module analysis to identify hub genes and key pathways. A heatmap of hub genes was constructed using the UCSC cancer genomics browser. Overall survival and recurrence-free survival of patients stratified by the expression levels of hub genes were analysed using Kaplan-Meier Plotter. The online database UALCAN was applied to analyse gene expression based on tissue type, stage, subtype and race.

Results

A total of 214 DEGs, specifically, 205 downregulated genes and 9 upregulated genes, were identified. The DEGs were mainly enriched in angiogenesis, kidney development, oxidation-reduction process, metabolic pathways, etc. The 17 hub genes identified were mainly enriched in the biological processes of angiogenesis, cell adhesion, platelet degranulation, and leukocyte transendothelial migration. Survival analysis showed that EGF, KDR, CXCL12, REN, PECAM1, CDH5, THY1, WT1, PLAU and DCN might be related to the carcinogenesis, metastasis or recurrence of PRCC. UALCAN analysis showed that low expression of PECAM1 and PLAU in PRCC tissues was related to stage, subtype and race.

Conclusions

The DEGs and hub genes identified in the present study provide insight into the specific molecular mechanisms of PRCC occurrence and development and may be potential molecular markers and therapeutic targets for the accurate classification and efficient diagnosis and treatment of PRCC.
Changes in perceptions of the alcohol environment among participants in a Photovoice project conducted in two districts with different socio-economic status
Authors: Fuente Irene Molina-de la , Pastor Andrea , Conde Paloma , Vázquez María Sandín , Ramos Carmen , Bosque-Prous Marina , Franco Manuel , Sureda Xisca
Published: August 2021

Perceptions of the alcohol environment may influence alcohol consumption patterns. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in perceptions of the urban alcohol environment as experienced by residents of two districts with different socio-economic status after taking part in a Photovoice study. The study was conducted in Madrid, Spain, in a district with a high socio-economic status (HSES) and another district with a low socio-economic status (LSES). A Photovoice project was conducted with 26 participants divided into four groups based on sex and district. Groups met over five sessions in which they discussed photographs taken by the participants themselves on the subject of alcohol in their neighbourhood. A qualitative, descriptive and thematic analysis of participants’ discourses was performed to explore changes in their perceptions of the alcohol environment over the project sessions. Changes in perceptions of the alcohol environment were observed in all groups over the project. The process of change varied by districts’ socio-economic characteristics and gender. Greater changes in perceptions of the alcohol environment were observed in HSES, especially among women, as the participants had a much more positive initial view of their alcohol environment. In LSES, participants showed a more critical perception of the alcohol environment from the beginning of the study, and this broadened and intensified over the course of the sessions. Changes in perceptions also varied by thematic categories, including some categories that were discussed from the start (e.g. socialising and alcohol consumption) and categories that only emerged in later sessions (e.g. alcohol advertising). Involvement in a Photovoice project has favoured a shift in the participant’s perceptions of their alcohol environment towards more critical positions, widening their scope of perceived elements and raising their awareness of specific problems, such as alcohol advertising and social role of alcohol consumption in relation to alcohol exposure.
A new Multi Sine-Cosine algorithm for unconstrained optimization problems
Authors: Rehman Muhammad Zubair , Khan Abdullah , Ghazali Rozaida , Aamir Muhammad , Nawi Nazri Mohd
Published: August 2021

The Sine-Cosine algorithm (SCA) is a population-based metaheuristic algorithm utilizing sine and cosine functions to perform search. To enable the search process, SCA incorporates several search parameters. But sometimes, these parameters make the search in SCA vulnerable to local minima/maxima. To overcome this problem, a new Multi Sine-Cosine algorithm (MSCA) is proposed in this paper. MSCA utilizes multiple swarm clusters to diversify & intensify the search in-order to avoid the local minima/maxima problem. Secondly, during update MSCA also checks for better search clusters that offer convergence to global minima effectively. To assess its performance, we tested the MSCA on unimodal, multimodal and composite benchmark functions taken from the literature. Experimental results reveal that the MSCA is statistically superior with regards to convergence as compared to recent state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms, including the original SCA.
An Italian adaptation of the Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale: Testing measurement invariance across grade levels and exploring associations with academic achievement
Authors: Vecchione Michele , Vacca Mariacarolina
Published: August 2021

This study aims to examine the properties of an Italian version of the Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS), one of the most widely used instrument for the assessment of self-oriented (SOP) and socially-prescribed (SPP) perfectionism in young people. The study was conducted on two large samples of middle (n = 379, Mage = 11.31) and high school (n = 451, Mage = 15.21) students. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the expected three-factor structure, comprising SOP-Striving, SOP-Critical, and SPP. Multigroup analyses provided evidence of configural, metric, and (partial) scalar measurement invariance across grade levels. Structural invariance (i.e., the invariance of factor variances and covariances) was also established. The scale scores exhibited a differentiated pattern of relations with personality traits and academic achievement, as measured by school grades: SOP-Critical and SPP were positively related to neuroticism and have adverse effects on grades of middle and high school students, respectively. SOP-Striving, by contrast, was positively related to conscientiousness and predicted higher grades. The SOP-Striving-achievement relation was consistent across grade levels and held even after controlling for individual differences in conscientiousness and neuroticism. In sum, results from this study establish sound psychometric properties for an Italian version of the CAPS, providing support for the dual nature of self-oriented perfectionism among adolescents of different ages.
Evaluation of the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through analysis of serum exosomal miRNA expression
Authors: Gim Jeong-An , Bang Soo Min , Lee Young-Sun , Lee Yoonseok , Yim Sun Young , Jung Young Kul , Kim Hayeon , Kim Baek-Hui , Kim Ji Hoon , Seo Yeon Seok , Yim Hyung Joon , Yeon Jong Eun , Um Soon Ho , Byun Kwan Soo
Published: August 2021

Noninvasive techniques for evaluating the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have shown limited diagnostic performance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are useful biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring the progression and treatment response to several diseases. Here, we evaluated whether serum exosomal miRNAs could be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of NAFLD severity. Exosomal miRNAs were isolated from the sera of 41 patients with NAFLD (diagnosed using liver biopsy) for microarray profiling. The degree of NAFLD severity was determined using inflammation, steatosis, and ballooning scores and the NAFLD activity score (NAS). Correlations between miRNA expression, clinical and biochemical parameters, and mRNA expression were analyzed. Overall, 25, 11, 13, and 14 miRNAs correlated with the inflammation score, steatosis score, ballooning score, and NAS, respectively, with 33 significant correlations observed between 27 miRNAs and six clinical variables. Eight miRNAs (let-7b-5p, miR-378h, -1184, -3613-3p, -877-5p, -602, -133b, and 509-3p) showed anticorrelated patterns with the corresponding mRNA expression. In fibrosis, 52 and 30 interactions corresponding to high miRNA-low mRNA and low miRNA-high mRNA expression, respectively, were observed. The present results therefore suggest that serum exosomal miRNAs can be used to evaluate NAFLD severity and identify potential targets for NAFLD treatment.
Liturgies of creativity: A dialogue between secular music performance and Christian liturgical performance
Authors: Hanson Rebekah
Published: August 2021

This is a modified version of an essay originally submitted as an assignment (entitled: ‘Bodies together: Creativity, sensuality, discovery’) during my MA in public theology at the University of Chichester. Theological reflection on contemporary music performance created a dialogue between the ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ to explore the concept of ‘liturgy’ in contemporary theological discourse. Drawing from largely Protestant and Catholic sources, I argue that while Christian worship is unique in its theological orientation, it shares with non-Christian ‘liturgies’ participation in a creative process through the ways in which the human imagination is enacted and performed. This invites further dialogue between different liturgies of creativity for human flourishing.
Indonesia Emas Berkelanjutan 2045: Kumpulan Pemikiran Pelajar Indonesia Sedunia Seri 11 Maritim
Authors: Habibi Abdullah ,   University of Washington, Al Amien Dhaneswara ,   Master of Maritime Management Chalmers University of Technology Swedia, Atminarso Dwi ,   Charles Sturt University Australia, Hamzah Faizal ,   Xiamen University China, Adrienne Farah ,   Zhejiang University China, Tamami Kholidah ,   Baku State University Azerbaijan, Meiliana Lusita ,   Xiamen University China, Akmal Surya Gentha ,   Czech University of Life Science Prague Czech Republic, Siregar Tondi Mirzano ,   University of York, Britannia United Kingdom, Sari Venna Puspita ,   University of York, Britannia United Kingdom
Published: August 2021

Seri Maritim mendukung poin ke-14 SDGs, yakni “menjaga ekosistem laut dengan mengonservasi dan memanfaatkan secara berkelanjutan sumber daya laut, samudra, dan maritim untuk pembangunan yang berkelanjutan”. Bunga rampai ini dapat memberikan insight bahwa Indonesia, sebagai pusat maritim dunia, kaya akan sumber daya laut, tetapi belum memperoleh manfaat yang optimal. Buku ini juga menyuguhkan beberapa perspektif tentang kondisi lingkungan pesisir dan laut di Indonesia untuk diperhatikan dalam penyusunan dan perumusan arah kebijakan di masa mendatang untuk tercapainya tujuan Indonesia Emas 2045. Buku ini diharapkan dapat menjadi bacaan yang bermanfaat bagi masyarakat Indonesia, khususnya para pemangku kepentingan di bidang maritim dan perikanan. Temukan beragam sudut pandang baru terkait upaya penjagaan dan pelestarian sektor maritim di Indonesia. Selamat membaca!
The representation of Turkey in British trade publishing after 15 July 2016. An analysis conducted on the translations from Turkish to English published in the UK
Authors: Spinicci Michele
Published: August 2021

After the 2016 failed coup, the Turkish government implemented a series of measures that strongly restricted democratic freedoms in the country. This caused the UK media to propose a representation of the country in which the coup and the government reaction, together with the concepts of authoritarianism and censorship, played a central part. The present article aims to understand which role British trade publishing played in this new representation, analysing all the translations of trade titles from Turkish to English, published by British publishers in the UK, comparing the periods before (from 1 January 2012 to 15 July 2016) and after the coup (from 16 July 2016 to 31 December 2019). It tries to understand if some central socio-political events of contemporary Turkey, as the coup and its aftermath, the Kurdish issue, and Turkish intervention in the Syrian war, have had more space in the translations published in the UK after the coup. It also investigates if, after the coup, the choice of titles and authors to translate has been influenced, and if given paratextual elements (specifically, books’ descriptions on the British publishers’ websites) have shown a tendency of being linked to Turkey’s contemporary socio-political situation. It then presents an evaluation of the behaviour of British trade publishers toward the coup and their new focus on the state of Turkish democracy.
A Review on the Philosophies for the Advancement of Polymer-based Composites: Past, Present and Future Perspective
Authors: Oladele Isiaka Oluwole , Omotosho Taiwo Fisayo , Ogunwande Gabriel Seun , Owa Felix Adebayo
Published: August 2021

Research has been the tool for recycling existing scientific ideas to promote improved concepts for the development of new materials. All technological innovations have links with the ancient philosophies that are being adapted progressively. Given this, composite material development remains one of the most excellent methods to influence the environment to meet human needs. Various studies have shown that polymer-based composites have emerged as the leading group of composites that are fast displacing all other materials in several applications due to their inherent properties. Polymer-based composites can be entirely synthetic, completely natural, or a mixture of synthetic and natural-based. However, a recent desire for eco-friendly materials has shifted attention from complete synthetic-based materials to natural fibers, whether in a partial or total replacement. Thus, this review provides an overview of research trends from synthetic to natural based polymer composites. The article also highlights the different intrinsic classifications of composites, their development, areas of applications, and their projection into the future in line with considerations for environment and applications.
The eARTISTS Media and Information Literacy Model for Managing Access to Quality Information
Authors: Singh Jagtar , Grizzle Alton
Published: August 2021

Information is necessary for eliminating uncertainty and facilitating decision-making. Quality of decisions depends upon the quality of information available to the stakeholders. But to manage access to quality information, information seekers have to depend upon different sources of information, media, and other information providers. Unfortunately, the commercial media is controlled by corporate tycoons, governments, politicians and various non-government organisations (NGOs). These information providers have some motive behind the stories flashed by them. Hence, media and information literacy (MIL) skills are necessary for ascertaining truth behind the story. Earlier, information literacy and media literacy were used as separate concepts but now UNESCO is using (MIL) as a composite concept, appreciating the symbiosis between media and information. This article gives an overview of a few MIL related developments and describes the e-ARTISTS MIL Model developed by Jagtar Singh and Alton Grizzle. Differentiating the e-ARTISTS Model from the Big6 Model and the Empowering 8 Model of Information Literacy, it justifies the need for e-ARTISTS MIL Model for managing timely access to quality information for facilitating quality decision-making.
Media and Information Literacy
Authors: Ramaiah Chennupati K. , Rao M. Saraswati
Published: August 2021

Information literacy emphasizes to the access, evaluation and use of information. Media literacy emphasizes the ability to understand, evaluate and use media as a leading source and producer of information. Thus, UNESCO considered information literacy and media literacy together as Media Information Literacy (MIL), which is essential to empower people with critical knowledge about media functions, information systems, and their content. In the beginning, information literacy and media literacies were discussed separately as distinct fields. After technological developments and a fair amount of interdisciplinary research work in these areas were carried out, based on which UNESCO made considerable effort to bring these fields together as media and information literate. Today’s students and researchers need a different set of competencies like knowledge, skills and attitude are necessary for their work. This bibliography is prepared to bring out a special issue on media and information literacy to help readers who intend to do the research work in this area will get benefitted. This is a comprehensive bibliography covering all areas of media and information literacy comprising information literacy and media literacy, from its origin to the end of February 2021 collected from all sources including online indexing, full-text and digital theses and dissertations databases. Primarily covers journal articles, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, papers published in conference proceedings, reports, book reviews, and Ph.D. Theses on media and information literacy.
The recently found Map of the World (Kunyutu 坤輿圖): a philological survey
Authors: de Morsier-Fritz Claudia
Published: August 2021

This paper is a first presentation of a Chinese Map of the World or Kunyutu 坤輿圖 discovered in a Federal library in Berne in 2017. It focusses on the rendering of the 7000 characters contained within the map. The translation of the complete 112 text blocks on the map will be provided in a second paper, whilst Indices I and II of this paper render the 1025 toponyms. The text blocks contain information on the customs and products of a given place, as well as describing other curiosities associated with it. These texts are compared with other maps and texts, in particular with The Complete World Map (Kunyu quantu 坤輿全圖) and The Explanations to the World Map (Kunyutu shuo 坤輿圖說) of 1674 by Verbiest. The re-translation of the text blocks helps to identify certain anachronisms and inaccuracies although the map purports to reflect the political situation in the years 1700–1729. This reveals the extent to which the text blocks draw on previous sources. Moreover, the rendering of the toponyms detects some inconsistencies in orthography and these interferences offer valuable pointers to the source and target languages. These various pieces of evidence suggest that the map was made much later by a copyist and is not only a cartographic composite of earlier maps, but also a fusion of Northern and Southern Mandarin. The translations presumably from French, Portuguese and Spanish sources in Southern Mandarin – the language of the officials (guanhua 官話) of the late Ming – as well as a variety of Southern Chinese dialects point to the underlying influence of a Jesuit tradition.
The BACH project protocol: an international multicentre total Bile Acid Comparison and Harmonisation project and sub-study of the TURRIFIC randomised trial
Authors: Markus Corey , Coat Suzette , Marschall Hanns-Ulrich , Williamson Catherine , Dixon Peter , Fuller Maria , Matthews Susan , Rankin Wayne , Metz Michael , Hague William M.
Published: August 2021

Objectives

Multicentre international trials relying on diagnoses derived from biochemical results may overlook the importance of assay standardisation from the participating laboratories. Here we describe a study protocol aimed at harmonising results from total bile acid determinations within the context of an international randomised controlled Trial of two treatments, URsodeoxycholic acid and RIFampicin, for women with severe early onset Intrahepatic Cholestasis of pregnancy (TURRIFIC), referred to as the Bile Acid Comparison and Harmonisation (BACH) study, with the aims of reducing inter-laboratory heterogeneity in total bile acid assays.

Methods

We have simulated laboratory data to determine the feasibility of total bile acid recalibration using a reference set of patient samples with a consensus value approach and subsequently used regression-based techniques to transform the data.

Results

From these simulations, we have demonstrated that mathematical recalibration of total bile acid results is plausible, with a high probability of successfully harmonising results across participating laboratories.

Conclusions

Standardisation of bile acid results facilitates the commutability of laboratory results and collation for statistical analysis. It may provide the momentum for broader application of the described techniques in the setting of large-scale multinational clinical trials dependent on results from non-standardised assays.
Hickam’s dictum, Occam’s razor, and Crabtree’s bludgeon: a case of renal failure and a clavicular mass
Authors: Blaser Simone , Schaye Verity , Hwang John , Cocks Patrick , Kudlowitz David
Published: August 2021

Objectives

Our discussant’s thoughtful consideration of the patient’s case allows for review of three maxims of medicine: Occam’s razor (the simplest diagnosis is the most likely to be correct), Hickam’s dictum (multiple disease entities are more likely than one), and Crabtree’s bludgeon (the tendency to make data fit to an explanation we hold dear).

Case presentation

A 66-year-old woman with a history of hypertension presented to our hospital one day after arrival to the United States from Guinea with chronic daily vomiting, unintentional weight loss and progressive shoulder pain. Her labs are notable for renal failure, nephrotic range proteinuria and normocytic anemia while her shoulder X-ray shows osseous resorption in the lateral right clavicle. Multiple myeloma became the team’s working diagnosis; however, a subsequent shoulder biopsy was consistent with follicular thyroid carcinoma. Imaging suggested the patient’s renal failure was more likely a result of a chronic, unrelated process.

Conclusions

It is tempting to bludgeon diagnostic possibilities into Occam’s razor. Presumption that a patient’s signs and symptoms are connected by one disease process often puts us at a cognitive advantage. However, atypical presentations, multiple disease processes, and unique populations often lend themselves more to Hickam’s dictum than to Occam’s razor. Diagnostic aids include performing a metacognitive checklist, engaging analytic thinking, and acknowledging the imperfections of these axioms.
Potential role of melatonin in prevention and treatment of leukaemia
Authors: Ng Ming Guan , Ng Khuen Yen , Koh Rhun Yian , Chye Soi Moi
Published: August 2021

Leukaemia is a haematological malignancy originated from the bone marrow. Studies have shown that shift work could disrupt the melatonin secretion and eventually increase leukaemia incidence risk. Melatonin, a pineal hormone, has shown promising oncostatic properties on a wide range of cancers, including leukaemia. We first reviewed the relationship between shift work and the incidence rate of leukaemia and then discussed the role of melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and their functions in leukaemia. Moreover, the connection between inflammation and leukaemia, and melatonin-induced anti-leukaemia mechanisms including anti-proliferation, apoptosis induction and immunomodulation are comprehensively discussed. Apart from that, the synergistic effects of melatonin with other anticancer compounds are also included. In short, this review article has compiled the evidence of anti-leukaemia properties displayed by melatonin and discuss its potential to act as adjunct for anti-leukaemia treatment. This review may serve as a reference for future studies or experimental research to explore the possibility of melatonin serving as a novel therapeutic agent for leukaemia.
An online COVID-19 self-assessment framework supported by IoMT technology
Authors: Nsaif Mohammed Kamal , Mahdi Bilal Adil , Bahar Al-Mayouf Yusor Rafid , Mahdi Omar Adil , Aljaaf Ahmed J. , Khan Suleman
Published: August 2021

As COVID-19 pandemic continued to propagate, millions of lives are currently at risk especially elderly, people with chronic conditions and pregnant women. Iraq is one of the countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, in Iraq, there is a need for a self-assessment tool to be available in hand for people with COVID-19 concerns. Such a tool would guide people, after an automated assessment, to the right decision such as seeking medical advice, self-isolate, or testing for COVID-19. This study proposes an online COVID-19 self-assessment tool supported by the internet of medical things (IoMT) technology as a means to fight this pandemic and mitigate the burden on our nation’s healthcare system. Advances in IoMT technology allow us to connect all medical tools, medical databases, and devices via the internet in one collaborative network, which conveys real-time data integration and analysis. Our IoMT framework-driven COVID-19 self-assessment tool will capture signs and symptoms through multiple probing questions, storing the data to our COVID-19 patient database, then analyze the data to determine whether a person needs to be tested for COVID-19 or other actions may require to be taken. Further to this, collected data can be integrated and analyzed collaboratively for developing a national health policy and help to manage healthcare resources more efficiently. The IoMT framework-driven online COVID-19 self-assessment tool has a big potential to prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed using real-time data collection, COVID-19 databases, analysis, and management of people with COVID-19 concerns, plus providing proper guidance and course of action.
On a nonlinear system of Riemann-Liouville fractional differential equations with semi-coupled integro-multipoint boundary conditions
Authors: Alsaedi Ahmed , Ahmad Bashir , Alghamdi Badrah , Ntouyas Sotiris K.
Published: August 2021

We study a nonlinear system of Riemann-Liouville fractional differential equations equipped with nonseparated semi-coupled integro-multipoint boundary conditions. We make use of the tools of the fixed-point theory to obtain the desired results, which are well-supported with numerical examples.
Measurement and simulation validation of numerical model parameters of fresh concrete
Authors: Zhang Ke , Yu Wenda , Li Dong , Zou Defang , Zhang Shiying
Published: August 2021

In the numerical simulation of the macroscopic flow of the concrete, it can optimize the performance indicators of the screw conveyor and improve the uniformity of the material to be discharged in the batch production. The discrete element method is effective. The accuracy of physical parameters of this method is a key issue for the reliability of the simulation results of concrete. In this study, we measured the parameters describing the interaction between gravel, mortar, as well as between these two materials and the wall (steel). The experimentally determined parameters include the particle density, size, shape, coefficient of restitution, coefficients of static, and rolling friction. The cohesion coefficient of mortar particles for batch time was obtained by comparing the spread diameter and flow time in V-funnel experiments and simulation. After these calibration steps, the DEM parameters were validated by comparison of the mass flow rate and driving power by the batch production of screw conveying in simulations and experiments. The calculated results are proved to be close to the experimental data, which demonstrates that the measured DEM parameters are of sufficient accuracy to be used in the simulation of concrete flow performance (mass flow rate, energy consumption) in the screw conveyors.
Between Resistance and Repatriarchalization. Women’s Activism in the Bay of Kotor in the 1990s
Authors: Dabižinović Ervina
Published: August 2021

The author offers an account of women’s activism in the Bay of Kotor in the 1990s, thereby filling a gap in the academic literature on antiwar and peace activism in Montenegro during the Yugoslav wars. Although the Bay of Kotor saw regular antiwar and peace initiatives organized and led by women, these were unregistered grassroots activities. They went largely unnoticed by the media, which effectively erased them from the view of Montenegrin citizens and hid them from domestic and international historians and social scientists. The author compares the work of two non-governmental organizations, the ANIMA Centre for Women’s and Peace Education in Kotor, and RIZA–Bijela. She explores how the two organizations understood the place and role of women in the processes that took place in Montenegro in the 1990s. She assesses the similarities and differences of their respective approaches, and the effects of their work.
Dilute alkali pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of amur silvergrass for ethanol production
Authors: Gao Fengqin , Yang Fuyu , De Ying , Tao Ya , Ta Na , Wang Hui , Sun Qizhong
Published: August 2021

A dilute alkali pretreatment (NaOH) was used to remove lignin and some hemicelluloses, as well as to efficiently increase the accessibility of enzymes to the cellulose in Amur silvergrass. A single factor experiment was designed with 4 factors (1 to 5% w/w NaOH, 1/6 to 1/14 solid to liquid ratio, 15 to 90 min residence time, and 80 to 125 °C digestion temperature) with 3 duplicates of 5 levels for each factor. On the basis of the single factor test, an L8 (24)-orthogonal experiment was conducted to identify the main influencing factor and the optimal factor combinations verified by an enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation experiment. The main factors influencing ethanol production were NaOH concentration and digestion temperature, while residence time and solid to liquid ratio had a lesser effect. The enzymatic hydrolysis rate of cellulose reached 82.6%, and the highest conversion rate of ethanol was 78.3% with 4.0% (w/w) NaOH and a 1:6 solid to liquid ratio at 100 °C for 15 min. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the lignocellulosic surface structure of non-pretreated and optimum pretreated Amur silvergrass displayed obvious differences. The lignin was the key recalcitrance-causing factor for ethanol production, which can be effectively removed by the NaOH.
Establishing a dynamic elastic modulus prediction model of larch based on nondestructive testing data
Authors: Cheng Liting , Wang Wei , Yang Zhiguo , Dai Jian
Published: August 2021

To accurately evaluate the dynamic elastic modulus (Ed) of wood in ancient timberwork buildings, the new materials of larch were used as the research object, and the stress wave nondestructive testing method was used to determine it. Based on nondestructive testing data, this paper proposed a method for predicting the Ed of larch using the principle of information diffusion. It selected the distance (D) from the bark to the pith in the cross-section of the wood and the height (H) from the base to the top in the radial section of the wood. The fuzzy diffusion relationships between the two evaluation indexes and the Ed were established using the information diffusion principle and the first- and second-order fuzzy approximate inferences in the fuzzy information optimization process. The calculation results showed that the dynamic elastic modulus model constructed by the information diffusion method can better predict the Ed of larch. The coefficient of determination between the measured value and the predicted value of the Ed was 0.861, they were in good agreement. The weights of the two influencing factors were 0.7 and 0.3, respectively, the average relative error of the fitted sample data was the minimum, which was 8.55%. This prediction model provided a strong basis for field inspection.
Religious Studies and Race
Authors: Simmons K. Merinda
Published: August 2021

At the 2019 meeting of the AAR in San Diego, California, Richard Newton, Emily Crews, and Merinda Simmons led a workshop discussing the current state of race studies in academia, particularly in light of NAASR’s attempts to locate itself among other fields undergoing similar work. While highlighting work occurring outside our field, Simmons et. Al addressed the need for discussions in our field to become more proactive rather than reactive, urging scholars to move beyond debates that surround descriptive ethnographies and crypto-theologies and to instead use our skills to discuss more than the trouble spots we have located within our field.
Teaching About Religion at the State University
Authors: Baird (1933–2015) Robert D. , Minor Robert N.
Published: August 2021

In 1983 Robert N. Minor and Robert D. Baird wrote a piece for The Bulletin that discussed what it means to teach religion academically in a public university in the United States. By dismantling other popular notions of what it meant to teach religion in a public university—such as the inculcation of values despite the preference this method shows for one religious system over another—the authors illustrate the flaws in these pedagogical styles and ultimately propose a new purpose for teaching religion. This new purpose they highlight strives not to promote one value system over another, or to propose one way of doing religion is right or wrong, but to promote understanding among students by showcasing the individuality that exists within religious traditions.
"All Right, I Give Up. What is Digital Humanities?"
Authors: Wieringa Jeri
Published: August 2021

The digital turn impacts not only how scholars of religion present their research, but also how they conduct their research. Jeri Wieringa introduces readers to the digital humanities, the tools it employs, and the questions it raises for scholars of religion. While situating this subfield within the broad humanities, the essay highlights key examples demonstrative of how it manifests within religious studies.
Optical coherent tomography in the diagnosis of inflammatory and ischemic optical neuropathies (clinical cases)
Authors: Moyseyenko Nataliya
Published: August 2021

Optic neuropathy is a group of diseases of the optic nerve. Using diagnostic techniques such as ophthalmoscopy and perimetry diagnosis are insufficient, as the found abnormalities are not specific for either inflammation or ischemia. Establishing the predominant factor in the pathogenesis of neuropathy is crucial in determining the method of treatment.

The aim of the study: to investigate the features of optic nerve damage using optical coherent tomography (OCT) in optic neuropathy in the acute period.

Materials and methods: two patients with visual impairment were examined.

Result. Patient G. had concomitant rheumatoid arthritis with unregulated Methotrexate therapy. OCT revealed edema of the nerve fibre layer convinced of the predominance of inflammatory neuropathy (atypical neuritis). Pulse therapy with corticosteroids was prescribed, which gave a positive functional effect.

A patient O. with pneumonia on the background of Covid-19 with a history of OST showed a decrease in the thickness of the layer of nerve fibres in the lower segment, and in the angio mode – drusen of the optic disc.

Conclusions. Thus, the use of OCT for the diagnosis of optic neuropathies in the acute period showed that under conditions of inflammatory lesions is more characteristic of edema and an increase in the thickness of the layer of nerve fibres. In ischemic neuropathy, on the contrary, a decrease in the thickness of nerve fibres is more characteristic, which correlates in location with the localization of scotoma in the field of view.

Therefore, the use of OCT of the optic nerve will help in understanding the pathogenesis of forms of optic neuropathy. This will help in the choice of treatment tactics
Features of formation of motivation for online learning of students of pedagogical specialties
Authors: Shrol Tetiana , Poliukhovych Nataliia
Published: August 2021

The concept of "motivation" and modern theories of learning motivation are theoretically substantiated and described: expectancy-value theory, attribution theory, social-cognitive theory, goal orientation theory, self-determination theory. Teaching strategies and pedagogical conditions that motivate students to educational and cognitive activities in the online environment, taking into account the theory of self-determination, are determined. In particular, in order to succeed in mastering something new, a student must feel competent (acquire the appropriate skills to perform practical tasks), related (feel belonging and attachment to groups or individuals), autonomous (feel that he/she controls his/her behavior and is responsible for its goals, capable of self-learning).

The pedagogical conditions for the formation of positive motivation and involvement of students in learning online are substantiated and determined, namely: giving a student the opportunity to be an accomplice in the learning process; structuring educational materials in accordance with learning objectives; promoting student initiative and creativity, ensuring group activities and a multidimensional assessment system.

The key to fulfilling the pedagogical conditions is the teacher's motivation to implement online learning at the level of the course author, mentor and tutor for higher education students. External and internal factors of motivation of teachers for introduction of elements of distance (online) and mixed (alternation of online and offline) training by teachers in the educational process of establishments of higher education are defined.

Experimentally confirmed: positive impact on the motivation of the implemented online learning strategies and pedagogical conditions; revealed a significant direct relationship between the student's ability to self-development and self-learning and his/her motivation for online learning
Development of a method for synthesis the FIR filters with a cascade structure based on genetic algorithm
Authors: Petrosian Ruslan , Chukhov Vladyslav , Petrosian Arsen
Published: August 2021

The object of research is the process of digital signal processing. The subject of research is methods of synthesis of digital filters with a finite impulse response based on a genetic algorithm. Digital filtering is one of the tasks of digital signal processing. FIR filters are always stable and provide a constant group delay. There are various methods for synthesizing digital filters, but they are all aimed at synthesizing filters with a direct structure.
One of the most problematic areas of a digital filter with a direct structure in digital processing is the high sensitivity of the filter characteristics to inaccuracies in setting the filter coefficients. Genetic algorithm-based filter synthesis methods use an ideal filter as the approximated filter. This approach has a number of disadvantages: it complicates the search for an optimal solution; computation time increases.
The study used random search method, which is the basis of genetic algorithm (used for solving optimization problems); theory of digital filtering in filter analysis; numerical methods for modeling in a Python program.
Prepared synthesis method FIR filter with the cascade structure, which is less sensitive to the effect of finite bit width. Computation time was reduced. This is due to the fact that the proposed method searches for the most suitable filter coefficients based on a genetic algorithm and has a number of features, in particular, it is proposed to use a piecewise-linear function as an approximated amplitude-frequency response.
This makes it possible to reduce the number of populations of the genetic algorithm when searching for a solution. The synthesis of an FIR filter with a cascade structure based on a genetic algorithm showed that for a 24-order filter it took about 30–40 generations to get the filter parameters close to the optimal values. In comparison with classical methods of filter synthesis, the following advantages are provided: calculations of the coefficients of a filter with a cascade structure directly, the possibility of optimizing coefficients with limited bit depth.