bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indonesian Madrasah Competency Assessment: Students’ numeracy based on age
Authors: Kusaeri Kusaeri , Dwisanti Calista , Yanti Aning , Ridho Ali
Published: January 2023

[English]: This study aims to analyze primary madrasah students’ numeracy based on their age difference; 10-12 years old and to confirm whether the older the students, the better their academic ability when compared to younger students as prior studies suggest. This study used the results of the year 2022 Indonesian Madrasah Competence Assessment (AKMI) in East Java comprising 7.356 students. Students’ numeracy was categorized into five proficiency levels: need intervention, basic, proficient, skilled, and need creative space. Data shows that students who participated in AKMI were dominated by 11-year-old students. In each age group, the spread of the proficiency level is similar, for example, the largest number of students in each group is at the proficient level. Moreover, students in the 11-year-old group have the highest average score, but the difference between the group is not significant. This indicates that they have slightly better numeracy skills than the other groups.  Despite the slight difference, the distinct characteristics of each age group could be identified, for example, the number of students, proficiency levels, and average numeracy scores.
[Bahasa]: Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis numerasi siswa Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) berdasarkan perbedaan umur; 10-12 tahun dan mengonfirmasi apakah siswa yang lebih tua memiliki kemampuan akademik yang lebih baik daripada siswa yang lebih muda sebagaimana ditunjukkan oleh penelitian terdahulu. Penelitian ini menggunakan data hasil Asesmen Kompetensi Madrasah Indonesia (AKMI) di Jawa Timur yang melibatkan 7.356 siswa. Numerasi siswa dikelompokkan dalam lima kategori kemahiran, yaitu perlu intervensi, dasar, cakap, terampil, dan perlu ruang kreasi. Data menunjukkan bahwa peserta AKMI terbanyak adalah siswa usia 11 tahun. Pada setiap kelompok umur, sebaran level kemahiran tidak berbeda, misalnya, sebagian besar siswa pada setiap kelompok umur berada pada level cakap. Selain itu, siswa pada kelompok umur 11 tahun memiliki rata-rata nilai numerasi tertinggi, namun perbedaan setiap kelompok tidak signifikan. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa siswa usia 11 tahun memiliki numerasi yang sedikit lebih baik. Walaupun memiliki perbedaan yang tidak signifikan, perbedaan karakteristik setiap kelompok umur tetap dapat diidentifikasi, misalnya jumlah siswa pada tiap kategori usia, tingkat kemahiran, dan rata-rata skor numerasi.
Kazakhstan’s Policy in the Crypto-currency Sphere
Authors: Polivach A.
Published: January 2023

This article analyses development of the crypto-currency sector in Kazakhstan in relation to the changing policy on this industry. Favourable attitude existed in Kazakhstan towards this matter until the autumn of 2021 then changed to restrictive. This happened after the booming crypto-mining industry had stepped up emergence of electricity deficit in this country. Then it was followed by the total shutdown of the internet in Kazakhstan during the mass disorder in January 2022 and that seriously threatened the existence of Kazakh crypto-mining sector. Later on, various statements and actions of Kazakhstan’s authorities sent contradictory messages to this industry. Eventually in the autumn 2022, new draft laws shed light on the future of this industry in the country. Therefore, next year the crypto-mining industry will get full legal recognition in Kazakhstan, but together with that, its regulation will be tightened and fiscal pressure on this sector will substantially increase. While crypto-currencies will not be recognized as the legal tender in Kazakhstan, but it will be permitted for all residents of the country to make transactions with them through the infrastructure of the International Financial Centre in Astana.
Coronavirus Pandemic in the South Caucasus: Social Aspect
Authors: Manyshev S.
Published: January 2023

The article deals with the events related to the development of the coronavirus pandemic in the countries of the South Caucasus. The author pays attention to the spread of the disease in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, the measures taken by the state authorities against the epidemic. A large place is devoted to the demonstrations of citizens against anti-COVID restrictions. In addition, the process of vaccination and the resistance to the latter on the part of citizens, expressed in crowded rallies, are considered. All this together led to an increase in social tension in the region. However, in each of the states of the South Caucasus the considered processes had their own characteristics.
Kazakhstan on the Path of Reforms
Authors: Ionova E.
Published: January 2023

The holding of early presidential elections has become a necessary condition for the implementation of a large-scale reform program announced by President K.-J.Tokayev. Along with steps to eliminate the influence of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, this program was the reaction of the current government to the mass protests in January 2022. The program provides for a wide range of reforms in the field of political and economic modernization. At the same time, the main directions of the foreign policy course are not subject to revision. The President plans to continue the multi-vector foreign policy, despite the radical contradictions between the main partners of Kazakhstan.
Principes, cadre d'analyse et leviers d'action à l’échelle de l’élevage pour une gestion intégrée de la santé chez les animaux monogastriques
Authors: FORTUN-LAMOTHE Laurence , COLLIN Anne , COMBES Sylvie , FERCHAUD Stéphane , GERMAIN Karine , GUILLOTEAU Laurence , GUNIA Mélanie , LEFLOC’H Nathalie , MANOLI Claire , MONTAGNE Lucile , SAVIETTO Davi
Published: January 2023

La gestion intégrée de la santé animale peut être définie comme l’ensemble des connaissances et pratiques mobilisées par l’homme de manière coordonnée afin de favoriser la construction, préserver ou retrouver la santé des individus ou du troupeau au sein du système d'élevage. Elle a pour finalité d’optimiser la santé animale et le cycle de production tout en réduisant l’utilisation des antibiotiques et des antiparasitaires qui pose des problèmes de résistance chez les animaux et les humains. Elle se fonde sur la mobilisation conjointe de trois principes complémentaires : (P1) prévenir l’apparition des maladies en limitant les situations à risques et le contact avec les éléments nuisibles (agents pathogènes, éléments toxiques), (P2) utiliser des animaux résistants ou développer leurs capacités adaptatives, (P3) soigner les animaux de façon ciblée (molécule, dose, durée). La santé se construit tout au long de la vie de l’animal pour garantir un développement harmonieux et l’intégrité physique des individus. De nombreux leviers d’action, regroupés en six dimensions (1-milieu de vie des animaux, 2-gestion de la reproduction, 3-gestion des troupeaux, 4-choix et pratiques avec les animaux, 5-alimentation et 6-pilotage de l’élevage) ont été identifiés pour atteindre cet objectif. Ces leviers peuvent avoir sur la santé un effet direct, différé, ou bien intergénérationnel. Une mobilisation cohérente de nombreux leviers a permis de réduire fortement l’usage des antibiotiques au cours des dernières années mais une marge de progrès est encore possible pour les systèmes d’élevages des monogastriques. De plus, le développement de systèmes d’élevage en phase avec les demandes sociétales (respect du bien-être animal, circuits courts et locaux, accès à l’extérieur) pose de nouveaux défis pour une gestion intégrée de la santé animale.
Kum Fırtınası Altında Siyaset: İngiliz Mandası Altındaki Irak Devleti’nin Kuruluşuna Giden Süreçte Şiilerin Konum ve Yönelimlerini Anlamlandırmak [1918-1921]
Authors: SONAT Ramazan
Published: January 2023

Bu çalışma, Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nın bitimini müteakip Osmanlı devlet otoritesinin Irak’ta etkisizleşmesi neticesinde bu alanda ortaya çıkan güç boşluğunun önemli adaylarından birisi şeklinde ortaya çıkan Şii toplumu ile buranın bir diğer güç formasyonu İngilizler arasındaki münasebetlere odaklanmıştır. Bu çerçevede Şii toplumunun, 1918 yılının sonbaharından Şerif Hüseyin’in oğlu Faysal’ın Irak tahtına oturtulduğu Ağustos 1921 tarihine kadar İngilizlere sahada üstünlük kurabilmek maksadıyla hangi enstrümanları kullandığı ve İngilizlerin bu enstrümanları devre dışı bırakabilmek için hangi kartları piyasaya sürdüğü çalışmanın ana odak noktalarını oluşturmuştur. Çalışma bu odak noktalarını açığa kavuşturabilmek hedefiyle hem İngilizlerin hem Şiilerin sahadaki önemli figürlerinin faaliyetlerini merkeze almış ve onların aksiyonlarının Irak’taki güç dengesini İngilizler lehine mi yoksa Şiiler lehine mi kaydırdığını anlamlandırmak istemiştir. Mesele bu şekilde ele alındığında, Şii toplumunu temsilen Seyyid Muhammed Kazım Yezdi ve Seyyid Mirza Muhammed Taki Şirazi bu çalışmanın içerisinde kendilerine fazlasıyla yer bulmuşlardır. İngilizlerin cephesinden konuya yaklaşıldığında, özellikle Sir Percy Cox ve Şerif Hüseyin’in oğlu Faysal’ın Irak Devleti’nin kuruluşunda nasıl bir misyon üstlendiklerine çalışmada geniş bir parantez açılmıştır. Ayrıca çalışma, Irak Şii toplumunun Anadolu’daki Millî Mücadele Hareketi’nin lideri Mustafa Kemal Paşa ile kurduğu temaslara, Mustafa Kemal Paşa figürünün sahadaki gruplar için ne anlam ifade ettiğine ve Millî Mücadele Hareketi’nin Irak’taki gelişmeler karşısında kendisini nasıl konumlandırdığına yoğunlaşmıştır.
STEROACUITY IN MONOCULARLY INDUCED ASTIMATISM IN EMMETROPES AND AMMETROPES: A COMPARATIVE CROSSSECTIONAL STUDY
Authors:   fariha ayyub, zafar Amna
Published: January 2023

This study aims to find the effect of monocularly induced myopic and hypermetropic astigmatism on stereopsis among ammetropes and emmetropes.
Perceived playfulness, perceived usefulness, confirmation dan continuance intention pada layanan video on demand: satisfaction sebagai mediasi
Authors: Andrew Roberto , Ardianti Retno
Published: January 2023

Di tengah meningkatnya jumlah pelanggan video on demand (VOD) selama pandemi, penelitian selama ini belum menjelaskan tentang hal-hal yang membentuk intensi pelanggan untuk melanjutkan berlangganan layanan tersebut. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan pengaruh perceived playfulness, perceived usefulness, dan confirmation terhadap continuance intention dengan satisfaction sebagai variabel yang memediasi. Dengan menggunakan partial least square (PLS) sebagai teknik analisa data, hasil penelitian  menunjukkan pentingnya kesesuaian antara ekspektasi dengan pengalaman riil pelanggan dalam menggunakan layanan VOD terhadap continuance intention. Selain itu hasil riset juga menunjukan kontribusi satisfaction sebagai full ataupun partial mediating variable dalam menjelaskan pengaruh perceived playfulness, perceived usefulness dan confirmation terhadap continuance intention.
Phytochemical constituents, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Plectocephalus varians (A. Rich) C. Jeffrey ex Cufod root extracts
Authors: Gashaye Melaku Birhane , Birhan Yihenew Simegniew
Published: January 2023

Plants have been used to treat diverse types of diseases in different cultural groups around the globe. In this regard, the root of Plectocephalus varians (P. varians) is claimed to have a beneficiary effect in treating cancer and hemorrhoids in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed at the phytochemical investigation, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of n-hexane, acetone, and methanolic extracts of P. varians root. The different crude extracts of P. varians were obtained through maceration technique. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of the extracts were estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu Reagent (FCR) and aluminum chloride colorimetric assays, respectively. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The antibacterial activities of the extracts were assessed by using disc diffusion method. The results echoed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols, tannins, anthraquinones, terpenoids, polyphenols, and glycosides in the root of P. varians. The methanolic root extract (MRE) had the highest TPC (107.18 mgGAE/g) and TFC (120.194 mgQE/g) followed by acetone root extract (ARE) (TPC = 98.68 mgGAE/g; TFC = 64.038 mgQE/g) and n-hexane root extract (HRE) (TPC = 12.39 mgGAE/g; TFC = 9.917 mgQE/g). The DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP assays demonstrated the antioxidant effects of HRE (IC50 = 681.75 ppm; EC50 = 60.65 ppm), ARE (IC50 = 165.73 ppm; EC50 = 51.67 ppm) and MRE (IC50 = 132.06 ppm; EC50 = 30.97 ppm) of P. varians. Furthermore, the root fractions elicited pronounced dose-dependent growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococci pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae with mean zone of inhibition (MZI) ranging from 11 ± 0.38 to 20 ± 0.04 mm at 800 ppm. Overall, the present study provides ethnopharmacological evidence suggesting the medicinal importance of P. varians. The results also call for further bioassay-guided phytochemical screening and in vitro and/or in vivo bioactivity testing.
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is superior to Entecavir and Tenofovir alafenamide in Cost-Effectiveness of Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B in China with New Volume-Based Purchasing Policy
Authors: Lin Yi , Lin Xueyan , Chen Juan , Lin Zhihui
Published: January 2023

Background/Aim:
Evidence indicates long-term nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) therapy can improve the prognosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the optimized choice of first-line NAs in cost-effectiveness was still obscure. In 2019, China’s New Volume-Based Purchasing Policy (NVBPP) was implemented with a significant price reduction of entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of ETV, TDF, and Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) with or without NVBPP treatment of CHB in China from a social perspective.
Methods
A state-transition model was founded based on the paraments from published literature to compare treatment strategies involving non-NAs best support care (BSC), ETV, TDF with or without NVBPP, and TAF. A lifetime time cohort was simulated. Outcomes measured were predicted the number of liver-related deaths, costs, quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).
Results
Compare to non-NAs BSC, the TAF generated an additional 2.38 QALYs/person at an additional cost of 17899.62USD with an ICER of 7520.85USD/QALY. Following, the TDF generated an additional 2.32 QALYs/person with an ICER of 6,301.84USD/QALY and ETV generated an additional 1.77 QALYs with an ICER of 11,397.28USD/QALY. With NVBPP, the ICER of TDF decreased to -66.38USD/QALY, and ETV decreased to -611.44USD/QALY compared to non-NAs BSC. With willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds of 30000USD/QALY, TDF with NVBPP had a 78.29% probability of being the optimal treatment strategy followed by ETV with NVBPP at 14.23% and TAF at 7.48% in the iterations.
Conclusion
In our analyses, the TDF with NVBPP would be the most cost-effect long-term therapy for CHB, followed by ETV with NVBPP and TAF. The ETV and TDF without NVBPP were cost-effectiveness-dominated.
Coping with Bowel and Bladder Dysfunction After SCI: A Comparison between India and Canada
Authors: Krassioukov Andrei , hirsch Aliza , Tyagi Nishu , Goel Shakti , Chhabra H S , Fallah Nader , Noonan Vanessa , Sehrawat Shikha , Saini Aditya , Barnwal Aniket
Published: January 2023

Study Design: A cross-sectional design.
Objectives:This is an exploratory study to better understand how individuals with SCI in these diverse countries are managing and coping with bladder and bowel dysfunction.
Setting: Our project is a collaboration between two centers: the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD)/Blusson Spinal Cord Center in Vancouver, Canada and the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in New Delhi, India.
Methods: Data from thirty-three participants was analyzed. Participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographic information and assessed bowel and bladder functioning using the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction (NBD) score, Wexner Incontinence score (WIS), Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS) and the Incontinence QOL (I-QOL). Continuous data were compared using t-tests; for not normally distributed data Mann-Whitney U tests used. For evaluation of association between categorical variables, Fisher’s exact test or Chi-square was used.
Results: The Canadian sample reported higher NBD total scores indicating more severe bowel dysfunction, less daily bowel movements, and was more likely to experience uneasiness, headaches, and perspiration during bowel movements. The NBSS indicated a higher proportion of the Indian sample was unsatisfied or unhappy with their bladder function. The distribution of the WIS and I-QOL scores were the same across both countries.
Conclusion: Potential explanations for differences include diet, methods of management, financial resources, as well as patient and caregiver education. These variables are heavily influenced by cultural, geographical, and economic circumstances.
Accurate aging clocks based on accumulating stochastic variation
Authors: Schumacher Björn , Meyer David
Published: January 2023

Aging clocks have provided one of the most significant recent breakthroughs in the biology of aging. Such clocks allow the determination of chronological and increasingly also biological age, which is prerequisite for assessing the effectiveness of interventions in the aging process and preventive treatments of age-related diseases. The most advanced aging clocks are based on age-dependent changes in DNA methylation pattern. The reproducibility of such changes over the life course has reinvigorated the debate whether a programmed process underlies aging. A programmed aging process, however, is incompatibly with the evolutionary theory of aging. Aging occurs as a consequence of a vanishing force of selective pressure post-reproduction as no fitness benefit is provided by immortality of the soma. In fact, stochastic events have been observed to increasingly occur during the aging process. Here, we test whether aging clocks could be built with entirely stochastic variation. We find that accumulating stochastic variation is sufficient to accurately predict chronological and biological age. Moreover, current aging clocks are entirely compatible with random alterations in the methylation or transcriptomic patterns. Our analysis unifies the clock measure of aging with the evolutionary theory of aging and predicts that any set of data that have a ground state at the age zero with accumulating stochastic variation could be used for building accurate aging clocks.
Phase II study of IRInotecan treatment after COmbined chemo-immunotherapy for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: protocol of IRICO study
Authors: Tomono Hiromi , Taniguchi Hirokazu , Fukuda Minoru , Ikeda Takaya , Nagashima Seiji , Akagi Kazumasa , Ono Sawana , Umeyama Yasuhiro , Shimada Midori , Gyotoku Hiroshi , Takemoto Shinnosuke , Yamaguchi Hiroyuki , Hisamatsu Yasushi , Morinaga Ryotaro , Tagawa Ryuta , Ogata Ryosuke , Dotsu Yosuke , Senju Hiroaki , Soda Hiroshi , Nakatomi Katsumi , Hayashi Fumiko , Sugasaki Nanae , Kinoshita Akitoshi , Mukae Hiroshi
Published: January 2023

Introduction
Combined treatment using anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibody (anti-PD-L1) and platinum-etoposide is the current standard first-line treatment for patients with extensive-stage (ES) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, the best treatment for relapsed ES-SCLC after the first-line treatment remains unclear. There are some approved chemotherapeutic agents that can be used against ES-SCLC, and treatment with irinotecan is well established as both, a monotherapy and a combined therapy, in combination with platinum. Therefore, we conduct a phase II study with irinotecan in the second- or later-line setting for patients with ES-SCLC who are previously treated with a combination of anti-PD-L1 and platinum-etoposide.
Methods
Our study will enroll patients who are diagnosed with ES-SCLC and experienced disease progression after treatment of anti-PD-L1 and platinum-etoposide. Patients will receive irinotecan on days 1, 8, and 15, which will be repeated every 4 weeks. Doses of irinotecan (100/80/60 mg/m2) will be determined according to the type of UGT1A1 gene polymorphism, and the treatment will be discontinued following disease progression, intolerance, withdrawal of patient consent, and based on the investigator’s decision. The primary endpoint of the study is the response rate, and the secondary endpoints are overall survival, progression-free survival, and safety.
Discussion
Since the present first-line treatment has been changed to combined treatment with anti-PD-L1 and platinum-etoposide, the second- or later-line treatment should be re-evaluated for patients with relapsed SCLC. Irinotecan is a major chemotherapeutic agent used for SCLC. This IRICO study demonstrates and re-evaluates the clinical benefits of irinotecan after combined treatment with anti-PD-L1 and platinum-etoposide for patients with ES-SCLC.
Registration details
This study was registered in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (no. jRCT s071210090) on November 4, 2021.
Optimization and Characterization of Arrowroot Porous Starch Using Thermostable α-amylase by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Subando Teresa Ramadhinara , Pranoto Yudi , Witasari Lucia Dhiantika
Published: January 2023

Arrowroot is a local tuber from Indonesia with a high starch content and potential source as a porous starch (PS) material. However, the utilization of arrowroot starch as PS and optimization of PS production using the Central Composite Design (CCD) has not been explored. This study aims to optimize the incubation time (3, 6, and 9 h) and enzyme concentration (50, 100, and 150 U/g) of arrowroot PS production with thermostable α-amylase (AA) by response surface method using the CCD model. The starch suspension (25% w/v) was hydrolyzed with AA at sub-gelatinization temperature (60°C) and the effects of incubation time (3, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h) and enzyme concentration (50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 U/g) on functional characteristics of PS (Water (WAC) and Oil Absorption Capacity (OAC)) were determined to obtain near optimal value for further optimization in CCD. The result concludes and validate that the optimum condition of 5.24 h incubation time and 107.86 U/g AA concentration may achieve maximum WAC and OAC of 96.67% and 103,06%. The optimal PS also showed an improved AR (25.01%), high solubility (88.92%), and lower amylose content (36.56%) against non-modified starch. SEM result confirms porous structure. FTIR data shows increase in intensities and no alterations in functional groups. XRD data reports changes of crystalline type of CA to A, and a decrease in relative crystalline value. These data demonstrate that arrowroot can be used as an alternative economical local source in porous starch production for adsorbent application in various fields.
Potential factors affecting the impact of Community Reinforcement and Family Training. Secondary Analysis of an RCT
Authors: Hellum Rikke , Bilberg Randi , Majldal Anna , Nielsen Anette
Published: January 2023

Background

In addition to increasing the quality of life among concerned significant others (CSOs), Community Reinforcement and Family training (CRAFT) aim at helping CSOs motivate treatment-refusing identified patients (IPs) into treatment through a positive reinforcement process. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the following factors have an influence on IP treatment engagement1) Type of relation between CSO and the IP 2) The amount of time the CSO spend with the IP 3) if the IP knows that the CSOs seeks help, and 4) The CSO’s own alcohol use.

Methods

A secondary analysis from the Danish CRAFT study. CSOs completed a self-administered questionnaire at baseline, after three months, and six months. To investigate the relationship between the four variables and treatment engagement, logistic regression was used.

Results

CSO’s relation to the IP, the frequency of contact between the CSO and the IP, and the CSO’s AUDIT score were not associated with the IP’s treatment engagement. If the IP was informed that the CSO participated in CRAFT, the odds for IP treatment engagement was significantly higher (adjusted OR [(CI)] = 2.29 [1.13; 4.63] (p < 0.05), relative to the if IP not being informed.

Conclusions

CRAFT has a higher impact on the likelihood for treatment seeking, if the CSOs inform the IP about his or her own help seeking in order to change the situation. The underlying mechanism behind this is needs further investigations.
Evaluating the implementation of EPAs in undergraduate medical education with the RIME model
Authors: Buyck Michael , Nendaz Mathieu , Savoldelli Georges , Audétat Marie-Claude
Published: January 2023

Background: Undergraduate Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are intended to entrust future physicians with a number of clinical tasks from their first day of residency, in accordance with the competency-based medical education (CBME) reform. While the development and implementation of EPAs has been widely published in postgraduate, little is known about the actual use of undergraduate EPAs and whether their evaluation follows a progression in terms of complexity and autonomy over the course of the clerkship.
Methods: This is a descriptive study of undergraduate EPAs reported during the first clerkship year of the University of Geneva medical school. The EPAs are grouped according to the related RIME roles (Reporter, Interpreter, Manager and Educator) to assess the number of occurrences and conditions of supervision of clinical tasks.
Results: Two cohorts recorded 42642 EPAs over the two years after the CBME implementation. 55.2% of the EPAs were related to the Reporter role, 22.1% to the Interpreter role, 19.1% to the Manager role, and 3.6% to the Educator role. The EPAs are mainly evaluated as observer or under direct supervision. Neither the number of EPAs related to higher RIME roles, nor the percentage of indirect supervision increased over the 12 months of clerkship.
Conclusions: During their first year of clerkship at the University of Geneva school of medicine, students do not seem to increase their exposure to EPAs related to higher RIME roles, nor to gain in autonomy regarding the clinical tasks they carry out. This might be due to insufficient entrustment conditions, highlighting the importance of reflection on clerkship conditions to align with CBME.
The effect of formal education on food security in Togo: evidence from the food insecurity experience scale
Authors: GNEDEKA Kodjo Théodore , WONYRA Kwami Ossadzifo
Published: January 2023

The objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of formal education level on food security status at the individual level in Togo. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) measure is the basis of the analysis. Using the Chi-square test and probit model, we found that there is a significant difference between the individual's education level and food security status. In addition, the probability that the individual is food secure increases with his or her education level. Finally, the study shows the existence of significant heterogeneity in the determinants of food security according to the gender of the individual. To this end, any policy aimed at investing in the education of the Togolese population while favoring vulnerable groups is desirable.
JEL code: Q18; I2
Common factors among three types of cells aged in mice
Authors: Radak Mehran , Ghamari Nakisa , Fallahi Hossein
Published: January 2023

The greatest risk factor for the formation of numerous significant chronic disorders is aging. Understanding the core molecular underpinnings of aging can help to slow down the inevitable process. Systematic study of gene expression or DNA methylation data is possible at the transcriptomics and epigenetics levels. DNA methylation and gene expression are both affected by aging. Gene expression is an important element in the aging of Homo sapiens. In this work, we evaluated the expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), proteins, and transcription factors (TFs) in three different types of cells in mice: antibody-secreting cells, cardiac mesenchymal stromal cells, and skeletal muscle cells. The goal of this article is to uncover a common cause during aging among these cells in order to increase understanding about establishing complete techniques for preventing aging and improving people's quality of life. We conducted a comprehensive network-based investigation to establish which genes and proteins are shared by the three different types of aged cells. Our findings clearly indicated that aging induces gene dysregulation in immune, pharmacological, and apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, our research developed a list of hub genes with differential expression in aging responses that should be investigated further to discover viable anti-aging treatments.
Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Depression
Authors: Jiang Xiaolu , Zheng Hongyu , Yang Rong , Wang Shuo , zhong Hui
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this study was to analyze the demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment of depression in children and adolescents in different age groups. A total of 635 cases of children and adolescents with depression in a hospital were collected through electronic records from January 2014 to December 2021. They were grouped according to the age of onset, amounting to 115 cases in childhood (8–12), 359 early adolescents (13–15), and 161 cases in late adolescence (16–18). The three groups were compared in terms of general conditions, clinical characteristics, and treatment. Results showed that over the past 8 years, the proportion of hospitalizations in the early adolescence group has been increasing, that in the late adolescence group was lower than that in previous years, and gender (X2 = 16.66, P < 0.001), psychotic symptoms (X2 = 6.224, P = 0.045), and disease course (Z = 84.617, P < 0.001) were significantly different. No significant differences were found in drug treatment regimen, suicide, length of hospital stay, or family history among the three groups. There were differences in the general conditions and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with depression at different onset ages. The number of hospitalized children and adolescents with depression is increasing annually, and the proportion of hospitalizations in the children group was higher than that in previous years. Females are more likely to suffer from the disease and present more psychotic symptoms. The course of the disease in the early adolescence group was shorter than that in the other two groups, and the late adolescence group had more males and fewer psychotic symptoms.
Regulation of Ferroptosis by Transcription Factor E2F1 and RB
Authors: Kuganesan Nishanth , Dlamini Samkeliso , Tillekeratne Viranga LM , Taylor William R
Published: January 2023

Tumor suppressor RB binds to E2F family proteins and modulates cell cycle progression. Cyclin dependent kinases (CDK) regulate the interaction of RB/E2F by phosphorylating RB. Previously, we have revealed that CDK2, RB and E2F inhibit ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic, iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by toxic lipid peroxidation. Here we provide evidence that CDK2 suppresses ferroptosis through phosphorylation of RB. We approach this question by overexpressing WT-RB or a mutant RB that cannot be phosphorylated by CDKs (RBΔCDK) along with CDK2/cyclinE followed by analysis of ferroptosis. We also observed that E2F1 regulates of both pro and anti-ferroptotic proteins including ALOX5, MYC SLC7A11, ATF4, and GPX4 and finally renders a net inhibitory role in ferroptosis. Interestingly, we also found a cell type dependent compensatory effect of E2F3 upon E2F1 depletion. This compensatory effect resulted in no change of ferroptotic target genes after E2F1 knock down in an osteosarcoma cell line. Taken together, our study reveals that cancer cells protect themselves from ferroptosis through cell cycle regulatory proteins.
Source apportionment of PM 10 in Biga, Canakkale, Turkiye using Positive Matrix Factorization
Authors: Tezel-Oguz Melike Nese , Cakmak Ece Gizem , Sari Deniz , Ozkurt Nesimi
Published: January 2023

Particulate matter (PM) is a type of air pollution that poses a risk to human health, the environment, and property. PM10 is particularly significant as the vector of numerous dangerous trace elements due to the possible influence on human health and the ecosystem. Because of these effects, identifying potential sources and quantifying their impact on ambient PM10 concentration is essential for creating efficient control strategies to reach the threshold values. Based on the chemical species information derived from PM samples, receptor modeling has been extensively used for source appointment. In this study, PM10 samples were collected for three different periods (April, May, and June 2021), each lasting 15 days, using semi-automatic dust sampler systems at two sites selected in Biga, Canakkale, Turkiye. The relative contributions of different source types were quantified using EPA PMF (Positive Matrix Factorization) based on the 36 elements as components of PM10. As a result of the analysis, five source types were identified, which include: crustal elements/limestone/calcite quarry (64.9%), coal-fired power plant (11.2%), metal industry (9%), sea salt and ship emissions (8.5%), road traffic emissions and road dust (6.3%). The distribution of source contributions and the conditional probability function analysis matched the known sources' locations.
The lived experience of breast cancer patients on adjuvant endocrine therapy: Side effects and coping strategies during the first year of medication initiation
Authors: Gomaa Sameh , Lopez AnaMaria , Slamon Rachel , Smith Rita , Telushi Elma , Lapitan Emmanuel , Nightingale Ginah , Miller Suzanne , Wen Kuang-Yi
Published: January 2023

Purpose
Breast cancer in women is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) showed consistent improvements in recurrence and survival rates. Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy remains essential for improving overall survival in women with hormone receptor (HR) positive breast cancer. However, early discontinuation of medicine is reported to range from 20% to 50%. Poor adherence has been attributed to multiple factors including presence of adverse events. We aim to report the lived experience of breast cancer survivors specifically as regards to side effects, the most reported reason for lack of adherence.
Methods
35 breast cancer survivors on AET were interviewed. Qualitative iterative analysis was conducted using the grounded theory approach with the goal of identifying themes that emerge from the interviews and refining the question probes as needed. A codebook was developed and supplemented with interpretive codes generated through ongoing analysis of transcripts. All transcripts were coded using NVIVO qualitative data analysis software for data interpretations.
Results
Reported side effects associated with AET medications include hot flashes, sexual side-effects, joint pain, stiffness, cognitive function, mood changes, bone mass density decrease and fertility concerns. Women who were on AET more than 6 months reported more side effect concerns. A variety of coping strategies using over the counter medications or alternative medicines and approaches were also discussed.
Conclusion
Tailored and timely information on potential AET-induced side effects and strategies to manage them is needed. In particular, some side effects are more prevalent by medication (e.g., joint pain in those who were taking an aromatases inhibitor). Provision of information to prepare women for the potential side effects of type of AET they are prescribed for would be helpful.
Implications for Cancer Survivors
As AET has been suggested for 10 years to improve surveillance and reduce recurrence, our results have implications for cancer survivors, especially the onsets of side effects and potential ways to manage them as they arise.
The IPCC and the challenge of ex post policy evaluation}
Authors: Tol Richard
Published: January 2023

The IPCC started at a time when climate policy was an aspiration for the future. The research assessed in the early IPCC reports was necessarily about potential climate policies, always stylized and often optimized. The IPCC has continued on this path, even though there is now a considerable literature studying actual climate policy, in all its infuriating detail, warts and all. Four case studies suggest that the IPCC, in its current form, will not be able to successfully switch from ex ante to ex post policy evaluation. This transition is key as AR7 will most likely have to confront the failure to meet the 1.5K target. The four cases are as follows. (1) The scenarios first build and later endorsed by the IPCC all project a peaceful future with steady if not rapid economic growth everywhere, more closely resembling political manifestos than facts on the ground. (2) Successive IPCC reports have studiously avoided discussing the voluminous literature suggesting that political targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction are far from optimal, although a central part of that work was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2018. (3) IPCC AR5 found it impossible to acknowledge that the international climate policy negotiations from COP1 (Berlin) to COP19 (Warsaw) were bound to fail, just months before the radical overhaul at COP20 (Lima) proved that point. (4) IPCC AR6 by and large omitted the nascent literature on ex post climate policy evaluation. Together, these cases suggest that the IPCC finds self-criticism difficult and is too close to policy makers to criticize past and current policy mistakes. One solution would be to move control over the IPCC to the national authorities on research and higher education.
JEL codes: D04, H43, H87, Q54
γ-2 and GSG1L bind with comparable affinities to the tetrameric GluA1 core
Authors: Yu Chenlu , Runge Hendrik , Mukhopadhyay Antara , Zolles Gerd , Ulbrich Maximilian
Published: January 2023

The AMPA-type ionotropic glutamate receptor mediates fast excitatory neurotransmission in the brain. A variety of auxiliary subunits regulate its gating properties, assembly, and trafficking, but it is unknown if the binding of these auxiliary subunits to the receptor core is dynamically regulated. Here we investigate the interplay of the two auxiliary subunits γ-2 and GSG1L when binding to the AMPA receptor composed of four GluA1 subunits. We use a three-color singlemolecule imaging approach in living cells which allows the direct observation of the receptors and both auxiliary subunits. Depending on the relative expression levels of γ-2 and GSG1L, the occupancy of binding sites shifts from one auxiliary subunit to the other, supporting the idea that they compete for binding to the receptor. Based on a model where each of the four binding sites at the receptor core can be either occupied by γ-2 or GSG1L, our experiments yield apparent dissociation constants for γ-2 and GSG1L in the range of 2.0–2.5/µm2. The result that both binding affinities are in the same range is a prerequisite for dynamic changes of receptor composition under native conditions.
In-situ construction of grass-like hybrid architecture responsible for extraordinary corrosion performance: experimental and theoretical approach
Authors: Suhartono Tri , Hazmatulhaq Farah , Sheng Yujun , Chaouiki Abdelkarim , Kamil Muhammad Prisla , Ko Young Gun
Published: January 2023

Despite the engineering potential by the co-existence of inorganic and organic substances to protect vulnerable metallic materials from corrosive environments, both their interaction and in-situ formation mechanism to induce the nature-inspired composite remained less understood. The present work used three distinctive mercapto-benzazole (MB) compounds working as corrosion inhibitors, such as 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (MBO), 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT), and 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI) in a bid to understand how the geometrical structure arising from O, S, and N atoms affected the interaction toward inorganic layer. MB compounds that were used here to control the corrosion kinetics would be interacted readily with the pre-existing MgO layer fabricated by plasma electrolysis. This phenomenon triggered the nucleation of the root network since MB compounds were seen to be adsorbed actively on the defective surface through the active sites in MB compound. Then, the molecule with twin donor atoms adjacent to the mercapto-sites affected the facile growth of the grass-like structure with ‘uniform’ distribution via molecular self-assembly, which showed better corrosion performance than those with having dissimilar donor atoms with the inhibition efficiency (η) of 97% approximately. The formation mechanism underlying nucleation and growth behavior of MB molecule was discussed concerning the theoretical calculation of density functional theory.
Microbiota profiling on veterinary faculty restroom surfaces and source tracking
Authors: Hiba Jabri , Simone Krings , Fall Papa Abdoulaye , Denis Baurain , Daube Georges , Taminiau Bernard
Published: January 2023

Scientists still wonder if animal-derived microbes are prevalent in the environments of people who handle animals, especially when these microbes are suspected of being involved in human disease. The aim of this study was to test a local source tracking database by choosing an environment frequently used by veterinary students and veterinarians and by identifying resident microbiota composition and their sources of contamination (animals, environment, human beings…). The 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was used to determine the bacterial taxonomic profiles of restroom surfaces. Bacterial sources were identified by linking our metadata-enriched local database to the microbiota profiling analysis using high-quality sequences. Microbiota profiling shows the dominance of four phyla: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. If the restroom cleaning process did not appear to impact microbiota composition, significant differences regarding bacterial distribution were observed between men and women users in different sampling campaigns. Combining 16S rDNA profiling to our specific sources labeling pipeline we found aquatic and human origins sources were the primary environment keywords in our campaigns. The probable presence of known animal sources (bovids, insects, equids, suids…) associated with bacterial genera such as Chryseobacterium, Bergeyella, Fibrobacter, and Syntrophococcus was also involved in restroom surfaces, emphasizing the proximity between these restrooms and the exchange of bacteria between people involved in animals handling. To summarize, we have demonstrated that DNA sequence-based source tracking may be integrated with high-throughput bacterial community analysis to enrich microbial investigation of potential bacterial contamination sources especially for little known or poorly identified taxa. However, more research is needed to determine the tool's utility in other applications.
Analysis of Heat Transfer in a Solar Pv Module Using Finite Elements Analysis
Authors: Kumar Venktesh , Prakash Pawan
Published: January 2023

Solar cells' photovoltaic (PV) efficiency declines as their operating temperature increases. The PV module may experience thermal stresses as a result of inefficient heating. It is crucial to understand the ideal temperature range for solar cells to operate. This article describes how to do a finite element thermal analysis to determine how the temperature is distributed among the various PV module layers. The components of this technology comprise bus bars, solar cells, ethylvinylacetate (EVA), glass on top, and tedlar on the back. We also designed the structural strength for the PV module to provide a more comprehensive perspective. The reflectivity, transmission, and adsorption capacities of the layers can be used to compute the real heat loss in solar-exposed areas. Convectional and radiative heat loss are also taken into account in this simulation. There is a clear temperature differential across strata, with the coolest areas concentrated at the margins, as may be seen in temperature contour plots. The cells nearest to the frame experience a temperature difference of about 5 °C, but the middle cells of the module are fairly cool. When compared to the temperatures of its various layers, the thickness of the PV module does not vary by more than 1 °C. The potential impact of operation on the coefficient of convection heat loss at the surface of the module is also calculated. This study illustrates how the coefficient of convection heat loss at the module surfaces affects solar cell temperature and system efficiency.
Telomere length, Metabolic Traits, and Myocardial Infarction: A Mediation Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhiliang , Zhang Yuxin , Li Jinbei , Chai Zhiyong
Published: January 2023

The associations between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and common metabolic traits for myocardial infarction (MI) are unclear. We aimed to evaluate the causal effect of LTL on MI and the mediating role of metabolic traits in the pathway from LTL to MI. Summary statistics for LTL, twelve metabolic traits and MI were obtained from large consortia of genome-wide association studies. A two-sample two-step MR was used to determine 1) the causal effect of LTL on MI and twelve metabolic traits; 2) causal effects of metabolic traits on MI after adjusting for LTL; and 3) mediation effects of these metabolic traits. We observed genetically predicted longer LTL was strongly associated with lower risk of MI (OR[95% CI]:0.832[0.750,0.924]; P<0.001), lower FI (β[95% CI]:-0.041[-0.062,-0.020]; P<0.001), higher SBP (1.558[0.778,2.338]; P<0.001), and higher DBP (0.785[0.223,1.347]; P<0.001)but not associated with other metabolic traits. SBP, DBP and FI were positively associated with MI after adjusting for LTL. Mediation analysis showed evidence of positively indirect effect of LTL on MI through SBP and DBP, while an inversely indirect effect through FI. The direct effect of LTL on MI (OR[95% CI]:0.778[0.666,0.909]; P=0.002) was observed after adjusting for SBP, DBP and FI. Our study identified the independent causal role of LTL on MI and the mediating effects of SBP, DBP and FI in the causal pathway from LTL to MI.
Submacular Hemorrhages Show no Significant Seasonal Variations in a European Cohort
Authors: Storp Jens Julian , Diener Raphael , Eter Nicole , Bormann Eike , Treder Maximilian
Published: January 2023

Purpose: To investigate seasonal variations in the onset of acute submacular hemorrhages (SMHs) in a European population and analyze the influence of the seasons, arterial hypertension and intake of anticoagulatory/antiplatelet (AC/AP) medication on hemorrhage size.
Methods: This retrospective, monocentric study included 164 eyes of 164 patients treated for acute SMH at the University Hospital Münster, Germany, between 01/01/2016 and 12/31/2021. Data on the day of occurrence, hemorrhage size and general patient characteristics were recorded. “Test for cyclic trends in incidence data” was applied to investigate seasonal variations in SMH incidence. Fisher’s exact test was used to investigate the influence of the seasons, arterial hypertension and intake of AC/AP medication on hemorrhage size.
Results: Statistical analysis did not reveal significant seasonal variations in the occurrence of SMHs (p = 0.81). While the seasons and the presence of systemic arterial hypertension did not exert a significant influence, intake of AC/AP medication significantly affected the size of SMH (p = 0.03).
Conclusion: In this European cohort no significant seasonal variations of SMHs were observed. However, in patients with risk factors, such as neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), the chance of an increase in hemorrhage size should be considered when initiating AC/AP therapy.