bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrative analysis of triphenyl phosphate: contextual interpretation of bladder cancer cohort
Authors: Zhang Xiaolei , Huang Wen , Huang Tao , Zhang Jiayi , Xu Aiming , Cheng Yidong , Qin Chao , Lu Qiang , Wang Zengjun
Published: October 2023

In recent years, organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPFRs) have emerged as preferred alternatives to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in materials such as building supplies, textiles, and furnishings. Simultaneously, a notable surge in bladder cancer incidences has been observed globally, particularly in developed nations, placing it as the 10th most prevalent cancer type. Among the extensive OPFRs, the linkage between triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and bladder cancer remains inadequately investigated. Hence, our study endeavors to elucidate this potential association. We sourced transcriptome profiles and TPP-related data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Comparative Toxicogenomics databases. Using the ssGSEA algorithm, we established TPP-correlated scores within the bladder cancer cohort. Differentially expressed analysis enabled us to identify key genes in bladder cancer patients. We utilized the LASSO regression analysis, along with univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses to construct a prognostic prediction model. To uncover critical pathways involving key genes, we employed GSEA and GSVA enrichment analyses. Molecular docking analysis was performed to determine the binding capability between TPP and proteins. Our findings reveal that the TPP-centric risk model offers valuable prediction for bladder cancer cohorts. Furthermore, the reliability of this TPP-influenced risk model was verified through ROC curve analysis and survival studies. Intriguingly, TPP exposure appears to bolster the proliferation and invasiveness of bladder cancer cells. This study furnishes new insights into the possible benefits of minimizing TPP exposure for hindering bladder cancer progression.
A rare case report: co-occurrence of two types of lung cancer with hamartoma and pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Kang Jianxiong , Wang Mu , Hua Peiyan , Wang Bin
Published: October 2023

With the widespread use of low-dose chest Computed Tomography (CT), lung nodules are being increasingly detected. Common pulmonary conditions such as lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, and tuberculosis are typically diagnosable through imaging examinations. Nevertheless, when multiple types of lung cancer are combined with other benign tumors, how can an accurate diagnosis be made? In this report, we present a rare case of a patient with the simultaneous occurrence of lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, pulmonary tuberculosis, and pulmonary hamartoma, which has not been previously reported. This patient underwent surgical intervention in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Second Hospital of Jilin University and has now fully recovered and been discharged. The patient’s preoperative positron emission tomography-CT(PET-CT)results did not align with the postoperative pathological diagnosis. The imaging findings were atypical, and the pathological diagnosis was exceptionally rare. We share this case report to contribute to the accumulation of clinical experience.
Immunotherapy strategies for EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC after EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitors failure
Authors: Li Xingyuan , Huang Huayan , Sun Yingjia , Jiang Qing , Yu Yongfeng
Published: October 2023

Background

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of immunotherapy, as monotherapy or in combination, comparing to chemotherapy with or without anti-angiogenesis for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients progressing to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed patients with advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and/or chemotherapy after EGFR-TKIs failure at Shanghai Chest Hospital between Aug 2016 and Oct 2022. According to the subsequent immunotherapy regimen, the patients were assigned to ICI monotherapy (IM), IO plus anti-angiogenesis (IA), ICI plus chemotherapy (IC), ICI plus chemotherapy plus anti-angiogenesis (ICA). Eligible patients undergoing standard chemotherapy were assigned to chemotherapy plus anti-angiogenesis (CA) and chemotherapy alone (CM). Efficacy was evaluated according to the RECIST 1.1version, and calculated the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was calculated. Differences among survival curves of the six groups were assessed using the log-rank test.

Results

A total of 237 advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations were included in this study. Of the 160 patients who received immunotherapy, 57 received ICI monotherapy, 27 received ICI plus anti-angiogenesis therapy, 43 received ICI plus chemotherapy, and 33 received ICI plus anti-angiogenesis plus chemotherapy. 77 patients received standard chemotherapy, of which 30 received chemotherapy plus anti-angiogenesis and 47 received chemotherapy alone. Patients in ICA group showed significant longer PFS than IM (7.2 vs 1.9 months, P=0.011), IA (7.2 vs 4.8 months, P=0.009) and CM group (7.2 vs 4.4 months, P=0.005). There was no significant difference in PFS between the ICA and IC (7.2 vs 5.6 months, P=0.104) or CA (7.2 vs 6.7 months, P=0.959) group. Meanwhile, the ICA group showed the highest ORR and DCR (36.4% and 90.9%) compared to the other five groups. The IC group had a higher ORR than the IA and CA group (32.6% vs 7.4% vs 10.0%, respectively), but the DCR was comparable (79.1% vs 74.1% vs 76.7%, respectively). The ORR of the CM group was 6.4% and the DCR was 66.0%. IM group showed the lowest ORR and DCR (1.8% and 36.8%). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of grade 3 or worse occurred in 9 (27.3%) patients in the ICA group, 6 (20.0%) in the CA group, 7 (14.9%) in the CM group, 5 (11.6%) in the IC group, 5 (8.8%) in the IM group, and 2 (7.4%) in the IA group.

Conclusion

NSCLC patients with positive EGFR mutations after EGFR-TKIs failure received subsequent immunotherapy plus anti-angiogenesis and chemotherapy are likely to have more benefits in ORR, DCR and mPFS.
Optic disc drusen and scleral canal size – protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Vienne-Jumeau Aliénor , Brémond-Gignac Dominique , Robert Matthieu P.
Published: October 2023

Background

Around one in forty patients are diagnosed with optic disc drusen (ODD) during their lifetime. Complications of these acellular deposits range from asymptomatic visual field deficits to artery occlusion and subsequent cecity. Still, the pathogenesis of their emergence remains controversial. In particular, it was suggested 50 years ago that a narrow disc and scleral canal is one factor leading to axoplasmic flow disturbance, which induces ODD formation. However, this hypothesis is still debated today. To evaluate the basis of this theory, we will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the scleral canal size in patients with ODD and in healthy subjects.

Methods

We will search MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE electronic databases to identify articles published before November 29, 2022 that measure the scleral canal size in patients with ODD and in healthy subjects. In addition, grey literature will be searched. The meta-analysis will include studies that include patients with a clinical or imaging diagnosis of ODD and healthy subjects. Additionally, we will perform a subgroup analysis to compare patients with buried ODD and patients with visible ODD. Extracted data from included studies will be presented descriptively, and effect sizes will be computed based on the recommendations from the Cochrane Collaboration handbook.

Discussion

The hypothesis that a narrow scleral canal is a risk factor of ODD has long been debated and this systematic review and meta-analysis should disentangle the different views. Understanding the underlying factors driving the development of ODD should help us focus on patients at risk and develop strategies to prevent advanced stages of the disease in these patients. Besides, focusing on patients with small scleral canals should help us derive associated factors and provide a better understanding of the pathology.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022375110.
ShinyFruit: interactive fruit phenotyping software and its application in blackberry
Authors: Chizk T. Mason , Lee Jackie A. , Clark John R. , Worthington Margaret L.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Horticultural plant breeding programs often demand large volumes of phenotypic data to capture visual variation in quality of harvested products. Increasing the throughput potential of phenomic pipelines enables breeders to consider data-hungry molecular breeding strategies such as genome-wide association studies and genomic selection.

Methods

We present an R-based web application called ShinyFruit for image-based phenotyping of size, shape, and color-related qualities in fruits and vegetables. Here, we have demonstrated one potential application for ShinyFruit by comparing its estimates of fruit length, width, and red drupelet reversion (RDR) with ImageJ and analogous manual phenotyping techniques in a population of blackberry cultivars and breeding selections from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Fruit Breeding Program.

Results

ShinyFruit results shared a strong positive correlation with manual measurements for blackberry length (r = 0.96) and ImageJ estimates of RDR (r = 0.96) and significant, albeit weaker, correlations with manual RDR estimation methods (r = 0.62 - 0.70). Neither phenotyping method detected genotypic differences in blackberry fruit width, suggesting that this trait is unlikely to be heritable in the population observed.

Discussion

It is likely that implementing a treatment to promote RDR expression in future studies might strengthen the documented correlation between phenotyping methods by maximizing genotypic variance. Even so, our analysis has suggested that ShinyFruit provides a viable, open-source solution to efficient phenotyping of size and color in blackberry fruit. The ability for users to adjust analysis settings should also extend its utility to a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
Understanding olfactory dysfunction in the COVID-19 era: insights from a cross-sectional survey of the Saudi community
Authors: Aldrees Turki , Almatrafi Sharif , Mokhatrish Mohammad , Aldriweesh Turki
Published: October 2023

Background and objectives

COVID-19 has emerged as a public health emergency caused by the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). However, only a few studies have reported that anosmia is an early predictor of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the current level of knowledge regarding smell dysfunction in COVID-19 era in Saudi community.

Materials and methods

An online survey was conducted using Survey Monkeys in Saudi Arabia. The survey was distributed through Twitter and WhatsApp. The questionnaire included individuals’ demographic information, such as sex, age, residence, income, and qualifications, as well as their knowledge of the early symptoms of COVID-19. ANOVA and Mann–Whitney U-test were conducted to analyze the data. There were twelve items on knowledge dimensions which were assessed through five-point Likert scale.

Results

In total, 809 respondents completed the questionnaire. Among them, 658 (81.3%) had no knowledge of how sudden loss of or change in the sense of smell can be the only symptom of COVID-19. However, most participants, 738 (91.2%), knew that fever was a symptom of COVID-19. Similarly, 707 (87.4%) and 772 (95.5%) participants knew that cough and shortness of breath were the major symptoms of COVID-19, respectively. In addition, 395 (48.3%) participants had no information regarding taste changes as a symptom of COVID-19. Notably, participants who were female, married, or diagnosed with COVID-19 had significantly greater knowledge of smell-related issues due to COVID-19 than males, unmarried, and healthy/those without COVID-19.

Conclusion

This study revealed that the Saudi population has an fairly good level of knowledge regarding common COVID-19 symptoms as more than 90% of the participants understood symptoms of COVID-19, but less acceptable knowledge regarding smell and taste dysfunction as more than 80% had no knowledge of change in olfactory and taste function was due to COVID-19.
Characterizing the influence of various antimicrobials used for metaphylaxis against bovine respiratory disease on host transcriptome responses
Authors: Bigelow Rebecca A. , Richeson John T. , McClurg Molly , Valeris-Chacin Robert , Morley Paul S. , Funk Jenna L. , Scott Matthew A.
Published: October 2023

Currently, control against bovine respiratory disease (BRD) primarily consists of mass administration of an antimicrobial upon arrival to facility, termed “metaphylaxis.” The objective of this study was to determine the influence of six different antimicrobials used as metaphylaxis on the whole blood host transcriptome in healthy steers upon and following arrival to the feedlot. One hundred and five steers were stratified by arrival body weight (BW = 247 ± 28 kg) and randomly and equally allocated to one of seven treatments: negative control (NC), ceftiofur (CEFT), enrofloxacin (ENRO), florfenicol (FLOR), oxytetracycline (OXYT), tildipirosin (TILD), or tulathromycin (TULA). On day 0, whole blood samples and BW were collected prior to a one-time administration of the assigned antimicrobial. Blood samples were collected again on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 56. A subset of cattle (n = 6) per treatment group were selected randomly for RNA sequencing across all time points. Isolated RNA was sequenced (NovaSeq 6,000; ~35 M paired-end reads/sample), where sequenced reads were processed with ARS-UCD1.3 reference-guided assembly (HISAT2/StringTie2). Differential expression analysis comparing treatment groups to NC was performed with glmmSeq (FDR ≤ 0.05) and edgeR (FDR ≤ 0.1). Functional enrichment was performed with KOBAS-i (FDR ≤ 0.05). When compared only to NC, unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) found within both edgeR and glmmSeq were identified for CEFT (n = 526), ENRO (n = 340), FLOR (n = 56), OXYT (n = 111), TILD (n = 3,001), and TULA (n = 87). At day 3, CEFT, TILD, and OXYT shared multiple functional enrichment pathways related to T-cell receptor signaling and FcεRI-mediated NF-kappa beta (kB) activation. On day 7, Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mediated antigen presentation pathways were enriched in ENRO and CEFT groups, and CEFT and FLOR had DEGs that affected IL-17 signaling pathways. There were no shared pathways or Gene Ontology (GO) terms among treatments at day 14, but TULA had 19 pathways and eight GO terms enriched related to NF- κβ activation, and interleukin/interferon signaling. Pathways related to cytokine signaling were enriched by TILD on day 21. Our research demonstrates immunomodulation and potential secondary therapeutic mechanisms induced by antimicrobials commonly used for metaphylaxis, providing insight into the beneficial anti-inflammatory properties antimicrobials possess.
In Vitro microRNA Expression Profile Alterations under CDK4/6 Therapy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Asberger Jasmin , Berner Kai , Bicker Anna , Metz Marius , Jäger Markus , Weiß Daniela , Kreutz Clemens , Juhasz-Böss Ingolf , Mayer Sebastian , Ge Isabell , Erbes Thalia
Published: October 2023

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition is one of the backbones of metastatic breast cancer therapy. However, there are a significant number of therapy failures. This study evaluates the biomarker potential of microRNAs for the prediction of a therapy response under cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition. Methods: This study comprises the analysis of intracellular and extracellular microRNA-expression-level alterations of 56 microRNAs under palbociclib mono as well as combination therapy with letrozole. Breast cancer cell lines BT-474, MCF-7 and HS-578T were analyzed using qPCR. Results: A palbociclib-induced microRNA signature could be detected intracellularly as well as extracellularly. Intracellular miR-10a, miR-15b, miR-21, miR-23a and miR-23c were constantly regulated in all three cell lines, whereas let-7b, let-7d, miR-15a, miR-17, miR-18a, miR-20a, miR-191 and miR301a_3p were regulated only in hormone-receptor-positive cells. Extracellular miR-100, miR-10b and miR-182 were constantly regulated across all cell lines, whereas miR-17 was regulated only in hormone-receptor-positive cells. Conclusions: Because they are secreted and significantly upregulated in the microenvironment of tumor cells, miRs-100, -10b and -182 are promising circulating biomarkers that can be used to predict or detect therapy responses under CDK inhibition. MiR-10a, miR-15b, miR-21, miR-23a and miR-23c are potential tissue-based biomarkers.
Tsallis Entropy and Mutability to Characterize Seismic Sequences: The Case of 2007–2014 Northern Chile Earthquakes
Authors: Pasten Denisse , Vogel Eugenio E. , Saravia Gonzalo , Posadas Antonio , Sotolongo Oscar
Published: October 2023

Seismic data have improved in quality and quantity over the past few decades, enabling better statistical analysis. Statistical physics has proposed new ways to deal with these data to focus the attention on specific matters. The present paper combines these two progressions to find indicators that can help in the definition of areas where seismic risk is developing. Our data comes from the IPOC catalog for 2007 to 2014. It covers the intense seismic activity near Iquique in Northern Chile during March/April 2014. Centered in these hypocenters we concentrate on the rectangle Lat−22−18 and Lon−68−72 and deepness between 5 and 70 km, where the major earthquakes originate. The analysis was performed using two complementary techniques: Tsallis entropy and mutability (dynamical entropy). Two possible forecasting indicators emerge: (1) Tsallis entropy (mutability) increases (decreases) broadly about two years before the main MW8.1 earthquake. (2) Tsallis entropy (mutability) sharply decreases (increases) a few weeks before the MW8.1 earthquake. The first one is about energy accumulation, and the second one is because of energy relaxation in the parallelepiped of interest. We discuss the implications of these behaviors and project them for possible future studies.
A New Frameshift Mutation of PTEN Gene Associated with Cowden Syndrome—Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature
Authors: Jurca Claudia Maria , Frățilă Ovidiu , Iliaș Tiberia , Jurca Aurora , Cătana Andreea , Moisa Corina , Jurca Alexandru Daniel
Published: October 2023

Cowden syndrome (CS) is a rare disease that was first described in 1963 and later included in the large group of genodermatoses. It is the most common syndrome among the PTEN-associated hamartomatous tumor syndromes (PHTS). CS has an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, with increased penetrance and variable expressivity, making early diagnosis difficult. Mutations in the PTEN gene (phosphatase and TENsin homolog) are involved in its pathogenesis, involving many organs and systems originating in the three embryonic layers (ectodermum, endodermum, and mesodermum). The consequence is the development of hamartomatous lesions in various organs (brain, intestines, thyroid, oropharyngeal cavity, colon, rectum, etc.). Multiple intestinal polyps are common in patients with CS, being identified in over 95% of patients undergoing colonoscopy. The authors describe the case of a patient who presented the first signs of the disease at 3 ½ years (tonsil polyp) but was diagnosed only at the age of 20 following a colonoscopy that revealed hundreds of intestinal polyps, suggesting further molecular testing. A heterozygous frameshift mutation was identified in the PTEN gene, classified as a potentially pathogenic variant (c.762del.p(Val255*)). The authors present this case to highlight the path taken by the patient from the first symptoms to the diagnosis and to emphasize the clinical aspects of this mutational variant that have still not been identified in other patients with this syndrome.
Working Memory Ability Evaluation Based on Fuzzy Support Vector Regression
Authors: Lo Jia-Hsun , Huang Han-Pang , Sung Su-Ching
Published: October 2023

One’s working memory process is a fundamental cognitive activity which often serves as an indicator of brain disease and cognitive impairment. In this research, the approach to evaluate working memory ability by means of electroencephalography (EEG) analysis was proposed. The result shows that the EEG signals of subjects share some characteristics when performing working memory tasks. Through correlation analysis, a working memory model describes the changes in EEG signals within alpha, beta and gamma waves, which shows an inverse tendency compared to Zen meditation. The working memory ability of subjects can be predicted using multi-linear support vector regression (SVR) with fuzzy C-mean (FCM) clustering and knowledge-based fuzzy support vector regression (FSVR), which reaches the mean square error of 0.6 in our collected data. The latter, designed based on the working memory model, achieves the best performance. The research provides the insight of the working memory process from the EEG aspect to become an example of cognitive function analysis and prediction.
Validity and Reliability of Polar Team Pro and Playermaker for Estimating Running Distance and Speed in Indoor and Outdoor Conditions
Authors: Sandmæl Simen , van den Tillaar Roland , Dalen Terje
Published: October 2023

Although global positioning systems and inertial measurement unit systems are often used to quantify physical variables in training, both types of systems need to be compared, considering their frequent use in measuring physical loads. Thus, the purpose of our study was to test the reliability and validity of speed and distance run measurements at different intensities in indoor and outdoor conditions made by Polar Team Pro and Playermaker. Four participants (age = 30.0 ± 5.1 years, body mass = 76.3 ± 5.3 kg, height = 1.79 ± 0.09 m), each wearing three Polar Team Pro and two Playermaker sensors, performed 100 m runs with different prescribed intensities (i.e., criterion measure) varying from 8 to 24 km h−1, in a straight line and/or rectangle under indoor and outdoor conditions. Both systems underestimated total distance; Playermaker underestimated speed, the extent of which increased as speed increased, while Polar Team Pro overestimated mean speed at 8 km h−1 for the straight-line condition. No differences emerged in mean speed estimated by Polar Team Pro at any intensities other than 20 km h−1, which was underestimated by 2%. The reliability of the sensors was good, given a coefficient of variation (CV) of <2% for all conditions except when measuring indoor conditions with Polar Team Pro (CV ≈ 10%). Intraclass correlations (ICCs) for consistency within the sensors varied from 0.47 to 0.99, and significantly lower ICCs were documented at 8, 10, and 12 km h−1. Both systems underestimated distance measured in indoor and outdoor conditions, and distance validity in different intensities seemed to worsen as speeds increased. Although Polar Team Pro demonstrated poor validity and reliability in indoor conditions, both systems exhibited good reliability between their sensors in outdoor conditions, whereas the reliability within their sensors varied with different speeds.
A Field Study of Nonintrusive Load Monitoring Devices and Implications for Load Disaggregation
Authors: Mayhorn Ebony , Butzbaugh Joshua , Meier Alan
Published: October 2023

Evaluations of nonintrusive load monitoring (NILM) algorithms and technologies have mostly occurred in constrained, artificial environments. However, few field evaluations of NILM products have taken place in actual buildings under normal operating conditions. This paper describes a field evaluation of a state-of-the-art NILM product, tested in eight homes. The match rate metric—a technique recommended by a technical advisory group—was used to measure the NILM’s success in identifying specific loads and the accuracy of the energy consumption estimates. A performance assessment protocol was also developed to address common issues with NILM mislabeling and ground-truth comparisons that have not been sufficiently addressed in past evaluations. The NILM product’s estimates were compared to the submetered consumption of eight major appliances. Overall, the product had good performance in disaggregating the energy consumption of the electric water heaters, which included both electric resistance and heat-pump water heaters, but only a fair accuracy with refrigerators, dryers, and air conditioners. The performance was poor for cooking equipment, furnace fans, clothes washers, and dishwashers. Moreover, the product was often unable to detect major loads in homes. Typically, two or more appliances were not detected in a home. At least two dryers, furnace fans, and air conditioners went undetected across the eight homes. On the other hand, the dishwasher was detected in all homes where available or monitored. The key findings were qualitatively compared to those of past field evaluations. Potential areas for improvement in NILM product performance were determined along with areas where complementary technologies may be able to aid in load-disaggregation applications.
Transfer Prediction Method of Bearing Remaining Useful Life Based on Deep Feature Evaluation under Different Working Conditions
Authors: Liu Yongzhi , Zou Yisheng , Zhang Kai
Published: October 2023

In the existing bearing remaining useful life (RUL)-prediction model based on deep learning, the advantages and disadvantages of the extracted features are evaluated by the prediction accuracy; thus, the analytical ability of the features is poor. At the same time, the change of working conditions has a great influence on prediction accuracy. To overcome these limitations, a prediction method of bearing RUL based on feature evaluation and deep transfer learning is proposed. The proposed model can solve the above problems: (1) a method of feature evaluation and selection for bearing life prediction based on trend consistency index was designed. (2) In this study, a domain adversarial transfer model based on feature condition mapping is proposed to overcome the second limitation. Experimental results show that this method is superior to the existing bearing evaluation and prediction methods.
Do Green Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Smart Urbanization Reduce Environmental Pollution in China?
Authors: Xu Shiping , Wang Lili
Published: October 2023

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, China faces numerous environmental challenges, including air and water pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. Adopting green ICT and smart urbanization is a critical strategy to address these challenges. At the heart of this study lies the question: Do green ICT adoption and smart urbanization contribute positively to environmental pollution reduction? Therefore, this study intends to scrutinize the influence of green ICT and smart urbanization on environmental pollution in China, focusing on the period from 1996 to 2021. The most up-to-date method of structural modeling, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), was used to estimate the quantitative connection between green ICT, smart urbanization, and environmental pollution. The findings of the structural model show that only the path coefficient between smart urbanization and environmental pollution is significant and negative. Renewable energy consumption directly and negatively influences environmental pollution, whereas smart urbanization directly and positively affects renewable energy consumption and green ICT. Consequently, renewable energy consumption and green ICT negatively influence environmental pollution. Based on the findings, the study proposes targeted public policy recommendations aimed at fostering the development of green ICT and smart urbanization initiatives in China.
A selection of papers on the position of central banks (Essay)
Authors: Soós Károly Attila
Published: October 2023

The central banks of the industrialised world faced an unusual and difficult challenge in 2022-2023 when inflation, public debt in several countries and the exposure of banking systems to private debtors rocketed all at once. Thus, interest rates needed to be raised (to curb inflation) and reduced the same time (to stop the growth of public debt, usually termed fiscal dominance), and/or save banks from losses (which means financial dominance). The question arises whether central banks must accept fiscal and/or financial dominance? And, really, how could this happen? Can one blame central banks for the processes leading up to it and if they can, in what sense? What has been misunderstood about the relationship of unemployment and the rate of inflation? Has quantitative easing (QE) by a number of central banks been the right response since interest rate reduction as a means to boost the economy failed? Is it possible that forward guidance may lead to better results? Or else, should the operating modes of central banks be changed temporarily? Those seem to be the most interesting issues dealt with by experts of the IMF and former and current central bank governors and experts in the 2023 March issue of Finance & Development. Final answers to the questions cannot be expected in the near future, but readers can find some worthy opinions here.
Válogatás a központi bankok helyzetéről szóló cikkekből (Esszé)
Authors: Soós Károly Attila
Published: October 2023

A fejlett világ központi bankjait 2022–2023-ban szokatlan és nehéz helyzetbe hozta az, hogy egyszerre futott el az infláció, nőtt meg jelentősen számos ország államadóssága és egyúttal a bankrendszerek magánadósoknak való kitettsége is. Így a kamatokat egyszerre kellene növelni (az infláció letörése érdekében) és csökkenteni (az államadósságok növekedésének megfékezése érdekében – ezt nevezzük fiskális dominanciának), és/vagy a bankok veszteségektől való megkímélése érdekében – ez a financiális dominancia. Vajon a központi bankoknak el kell-e fogadniuk a fiskális és/vagy a financiális dominanciát? És egyáltalán, hogy jutottunk ide? Hibáztathatók-e a központi bankok az idevezető folyamatokban, és ha igen, milyen értelemben? Mit értettünk félre a munkanélküliség és az infláció üteme közötti összefüggésben? Vajon helyes volt-e számos központi bank mennyiségi könnyítéssel (QE) való reagálása arra, hogy a kamatcsökkentéssel való gazdaságösztönzési lehetőségek kimerültek? Lehet, hogy ennél jobb eredményekre vezethet az előretekintő iránymutatás? Vagy esetleg a központi bank működési módjának ideiglenes megváltoztatása? Ezek tűnnek a legérdekesebb kérdéseknek azok közül, amelyekkel IMF-szakértők által fölkért, volt és jelenlegi központibank-vezetők és szakértők foglalkoztak a Finance & Development című folyóirat idei márciusi számában. Megvitatott válaszok talán évek múlva lesznek a kérdésekre, de néhány karakteres véleménnyel érdemes megismerkednie az olvasónak.
Diario de aprendizaje y aprendizaje autorregulado en estudiantes universitarios: Revisión sistemática
Authors: Mendoza Villacorta German , Palacios Garay Jessica Paola
Published: October 2023

Los diarios de aprendizaje (DA) son una herramienta que ha demostrado fomentar el aprendizaje autorregulado (AAR) de estudiantes en todos los niveles educativos. El objetivo del estudio fue identificar el uso metodológico de los diarios de aprendizaje para fomentar aprendizaje auto regulado en estudiantes universitarios. Se realizó una revisión sistemática usando el método PRISMA, la ecuación de búsqueda fue "self-regulated learning” AND ("learning diary" OR "standardized diaries"), en las bases de datos Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, otros. Se aplicó criterios de inclusión/exclusión donde se seleccionaron y revisaron 19 artículos publicados entre el año 2017 y junio del 2013. De este modo, se encontraron 307 documentos, se seleccionaron 134 artículos, 21 en Scopus, 10) en Web of Science, 4 en Wiley, 31 en Science Direct, 47 en Proquest, 8 en Eric y 13 en Ebsco Host. Se concluye que hay una tendencia a utilizar los DA en formato online aprovechando las tecnologías informáticas, y el modelo teórico más usado es el de Zimmerman.
ANALISIS FAKTOR RISIKO PAPARAN PESTISIDA TERHADAP KEJADIAN HIPERTENSI PADA PETANI BAWANG MERAH
Authors: Hidayat Chyntia Nur Aviva , Setiani Onny , Dewanti Nikie Astorina Yunita , Darundiati Yusniar Hanani
Published: October 2023

Penggunaan pestisida yang tinggi dapat menimbulkan masalah kesehatan, salah satunya adalah gangguan sistem saraf simpatik dalam mengatur tekanan darah. Studi pendahuluan tanggal 1-2 Juni 2022 di Desa Wanasari dan Jagalempeni menemukan bahwa petani menggunakan pestisida tidak sesuai dosis yang ditetapkan dan 14 dari 20 petani mengalami hipertensi. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisis faktor risiko paparan pestisida terhadap kejadian hipertensi pada petani bawang merah di Kecamatan Wanasari Kabupaten Brebes. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain cross-sectional. Sampel penelitian ini sebanyak 101 petani bawang merah laki-laki di Desa Wanasari dan Jagalempeni Kecamatan Wanasari yang diambil dengan teknik consecutive sampling. Analisis data menggunakan uji chi-square. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa 62 (61,4%) responden mengalami hipertensi, rata-rata lama kerja 5,01 jam/hari, 3,72 jenis pestisida, frekuensi penyemprotan 2,76 kali/minggu, dan 2,98 jenis penggunaan alat pelindung diri (APD). Uji statistik menunjukkan bahwa faktor-faktor yang terbukti sebagai faktor risiko kejadian hipertensi adalah lama kerja (p=0,003; PR = 4,048; 95% Cl = 1,650-9,928), dosis pestisida (p=0,006; PR = 4,219; 95% CI = 1,578-11,281), frekuensi penyemprotan (p=0,007; PR = 3,581; 95% Cl = 1,491-8,602), penggunaan APD (p=0,001; PR = 7,212; 95% Cl = 2,516-20,678), sedangkan jenis pestisida bukan faktor risiko kejadian hipertensi. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa lama bekerja, dosis pestisida, frekuensi penyemprotan, penggunaan APD merupakan faktor risiko paparan pestisida terhadap kejadian hipertensi.
Novo ensino médio em evidência: avaliação de conteúdos de química aplicados ao itinerário formativo de medicina, saúde e biológicas em cenário de inovação e de criação em 2022
Authors: Da Silva Márcio Eustáquio Pereira , Santos Carolina Rodrigues , De Mingo Maria Fernanda de Souza Bicalho , Vieira Maria Fernanda de Matos , Marino Matheus dos Santos , De Morais Luiza Fonseca
Published: October 2023

O presente trabalho analisou o material didático de química do Itinerário Formativo de Aprofundamento de Medicina, Saúde e Biológicas, produzido pelo 1º autor deste trabalho, para uma rede de ensino privada de Belo Horizonte, em 2022, para a 1ª série do Novo Ensino Médio. O material foi confeccionado em consonância com os conhecimentos essenciais da formação geral, bem como em sintonia com as habilidades do eixo investigação científica, presente no documento de referência para construção dos itinerários. O material mostrou-se eficiente para trabalhar o eixo de investigação científica e a presença de propostas de atividades experimentais contribuíram para o processo de ensino/aprendizagem.
The Ethics and Aesthetics of Love and Marriage in Chetan Bhagat’s 2 States
Authors: Sabeena D , Parthiban P.
Published: October 2023

Chetan Bhagat writes novels for the youth. His works target the problems, confusions, and lack of guidance which exists in the Indian society. As a writer and as a person he believes that the youth of the nation must be aware of what they want in life. He wants to show that life is a series of struggles and hence one has to conquer it to win over. Bhagat has a strong conviction that life is not a bed of roses and hence he wishes to create in the minds of his readers, more humorously that they need to sweat it out to achieve something in their lives. The novel, Two States : The Story of My Marriage is itself self explanatory and enlivening. When a lay reader gets to browse the title, one is reminded of the variant cultures which India has been carrying over under the tag of unity and diversity. When it comes to marriage, in a country like India, it is always a big fat wedding. The paper looks at the facets of love and marriage in the eyes of culture and acceptance. Although the country boasts of modernity and development in all the spheres of life, there is still a lack and a pitfall when it comes to marriage. Caste and family still play a very prominent role in deciding the fate of marriages.
Feminism Explored in Joan Barfoot's Abra: An Analysis
Authors: Udhayakumar S
Published: October 2023

This paper analyses the feminist elements present in the novel Abra authored by Joan Barfoot, a Canadian feminist writer of the second wave feminism era in the 1960s and 1970s. The period impacted many social changes including civil rights for women, and secured power in the hands of women.  The novel Abra captures the significance of the period through an empowered female protagonist who renounced her family and society to gain autonomy. Moreover, the novel offers insights into the struggles of women as well as their established power in a world dominated by men.  Hence, this article aims to examine the feminist themes in the novel and analyses how the novel depicts the treatment of women in the Canadian patriarchal society. Further, the paper focuses on the protagonist's psychological transformation from an ordinary woman to an empowered individual who defies patriarchal domination, while exploring the period’s spirit of quest for freedom.
Percepciones sobre la educación semipresencial de estudiantes jóvenes y adultos que reinician la escolaridad en Cuenca, Ecuador
Authors:   , Arpi Becerra Nancy Consepción
Published: October 2023

Esta tesis estudia las percepciones de los estudiantes jóvenes y adultos que reinician su escolaridad en modalidad de estudio semipresencial para identificar aspectos que aporten a su fortalecimiento. Se define una investigación cualitativa, de carácter exploratoria mediante el estudio de cinco casos. El instrumento definido es la entrevista a profundidad, con una guía semiestructurada. El estudio se inscribe teórica y metodológicamente en la Relación con el Saber de Bernard Charlot, además de aportes conceptuales de Paulo Freire, entre otros. Los datos son analizados con ayuda del programa Atlas.ti, mediante Análisis Temático. Se desarrolla un primer nivel de análisis con cada caso de estudio, estos datos alimentan el análisis transversal como un segundo nivel de análisis, los cuales dan cuenta de dos momentos en la historia escolar de los estudiantes adultos: la deserción y el retorno escolar. Sobre las causales de deserción, se releva, por un lado, la naturalización del trabajo infantil, el embarazo adolescente y la poca valoración a los estudios y, por otro, resalta la figura paterna como autoridad que decide la historia escolar de los entrevistados. Las movilizaciones para el retorno escolar giran en torno a demandas académicas y laborales; el estudio sentido como una herramienta que impulsa a vencer miedos y otorga un sentido emancipatorio. Otro hallazgo del estudio está relacionado con el rol de los docentes y autoridades educativas como figuras decisivas en el retorno escolar. El mundo escolar de los estudiantes permite descubrir el sentido de pertenencia desarrollado hacia el ambiente escolar. En cuanto a la relación con las áreas del saber, a matemáticas le asignan un sentimiento ligado a la consecución de retos personales, también se genera una visión positiva y de valoración al currículo de semipresencialidad, sienten que su adultez les ha fortalecido en responsabilidad y autonomía para su desarrollo. Exteriorizan sentimientos de frustración y poca valoración a su potencial ante recortes curriculares ejecutados por los docentes, de quienes perciben poca preparación para la educación de adultos. Sin embargo, docentes y autoridades educativas son vistos como figuras decisivas que, con sus palabras y actitudes, pueden influir en la historia escolar de los estudiantes. En cuanto a la relación con sus familias, se recogen experiencias de intercambio académico con sus hijos, lo que genera una dinámica de comunión entre la escuela y la familia que aporta, inclusive, a la modificación de creencias y actitudes patriarcales en el seno familiar. Los resultados obtenidos representan insumos puestos a disposición de los hacedores de política pública puesto que aportarán a la construcción de una educación orientada hacia las necesidades de los estudiantes jóvenes y adultos que aspiran resarcir su historia escolar.
ОЦІНЮВАННЯ ПРОПУСКНОЇ ЗДАТНОСТІ ПЕРЕХРЕСТЯ В УМОВАХ НАДЗВИЧАЙНИХ СИТУАЦІЙ МЕТОДОМ ТРАНСПОРТНОГО МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ
Authors: РУДЬ М. П. , ШЛЬОНЧАК І. А.
Published: October 2023

У статті проаналізовано пропускну здатність перехрестя для різних сценаріїв, які можуть виникати в транспортній системі внаслідок надзвичайних ситуацій в умовах воєнного стану в Україні. Для цього було використано програмне забезпечення для транспортного мікромоделювання PTV Vissim. Дослідження здійснено на прикладі перехрестя магістральних вулиць з пожвавленим рухом в обласному центрі країни, яке поєднує транспортні потоки з різних районів міста, в’їзні і виїзні потоки з нього. Перехрестя відіграють вирішальну роль для ефективності, зручності, безпечності, екологічності вулично-дорожньої мережі міста, оскільки вони служать точками зустрічі, де перетинаються багато маршрутів громадських, комерційних та приватних транспортних засобів. Вони є життєво важливими компонентами транспортної інфраструктури та полегшують рух моторних транспортних засобів, пішоходів і велосипедистів містом і в той же час можуть бути причиною збільшення кількості заторів та аварійних ситуацій у випадку неправильної їх організації. Зі збільшенням кількості надзвичайних подій, викликаних як атаками агресора на об’єкти критичної інфраструктури, так і безпосередньо в результаті бойових дій в нашій країні, надзвичайно важливо зрозуміти, як ці події впливають на транспортні потоки на перехрестях. У цьому дослідженні пропонується використовувати методи імітаційного моделювання транспортних потоків для прогнозування різних сценаріїв надзвичайних ситуацій та оцінювання їх впливу на пропускну здатність перехрестя. Для досягнення мети роботи проведено моделювання трьох сценаріїв роботи перехрестя: робота в існуючих умовах в нормальному режимі у період максимального завантаження (ранкову годину «пік»); робота в тих же початкових умовах, але з вимкненим світлофорним регулюванням; режим евакуації зі збільшеним потоком транспорту в напрямку виїзду з міста з відсутнім громадським транспортом. Це моделювання дозволило оцінити вплив цих сценаріїв на параметри дорожнього руху, розробити рекомендації для підвищення загальної готовності до реагування на надзвичайні ситуації і визначити напрямки подальших досліджень.
ОПТИМІЗАЦІЯ ПРОЦЕСУ ДОСТАВКИ ВАНТАЖУ ГАЗОПОСТАЧАЛЬНОГО ПІДПРИЄМСТВА
Authors: СЛАВИЧ В. П. , ЄЛЬНИК В. В.
Published: October 2023

У даній роботі запропонована модель оптимізації процесу транспортування зрідженого газу автомобільним транспортом газопостачального підприємства Херсонської області за рахунок створення більш ефективного маршруту руху вантажних транспортних засобів. При оптимізації вантажних перевезень для кожного певного підприємства та певного регіону країни треба застосовувати індивідуальні підходи, що враховують параметри даної моделі, особливо це стосується такого важливого типу вантажу як газ. У практиці вантажних перевезень головним є комплекс дій, спрямованих на вирішення проблем зниження вартості вантажних перевезень і скорочення часу доставки вантажів. Одним з напрямків таких дій є методика побудови і використання кільцевих маршрутів. Створення кільцевого маршруту збільшує корисне використання кілометражу. Для газопостачального підприємства, що досліджується в роботі, проаналізовано існуючу схему руху транспорту, зібрані основні параметри моделі перевезень та на основі отриманих даних запропоновано створення нового моделі руху, для якої розраховані основні кількісні показники: час їздки, витрати палива, середня технічна швидкість, пройдений шлях, витрати на перевезення та проведено чисельне порівняння старого та нового маршрутів з урахуванням необхідних вимог безпеки при перевезеннях газу. Порівняльний аналіз дозволяє стверджувати, що запропонована модель руху є ефективнішою за існуючу завдяки якісній змінні параметрів моделі, зокрема – збільшенню середньотехнічної швидкості, зменшенню робочого часу та пробігу транспортного засобу, зменшенню витрат на паливо та відповідно загальних витрат на перевезення, при цьому також відбувається і зменшення часу доставки вантажу, що неодмінно є важливим для кінцевих споживачів газу, що перевозиться.
АЛГОРИТМ КЛАСИФІКАЦІЇ ТЕКСТОВОГО КОНТЕНТУ СОЦІАЛЬНИХ МЕРЕЖ ДЛЯ ВИЗНАЧЕННЯ ЕМОЦІЙНОГО ТОНУ
Authors: БОЙКО Н. І. , МИХАЙЛИШИН В. Ю.
Published: October 2023

В роботі наведено результати досліджень та порівняння результатів застосування наївного класифікатора Баєса з використанням простих словесних ознак та векторних моделей слів. Було проаналізовано методи та середовище дослідження, визначились з набором вхідних даних. Було проведено тренування класифікатора на обраному датасеті та оцінка його точності за допомогою функції classify.accuracy з бібліотеки nltk. Також протестовано класифікатор на власному тексті та визначали правильність класифікації. Було побудовано гістограму, яка наглядно показала кількість правильно класифікованих позитивних та негативних прикладів. Була виведена confusion matrix, яка дозволила оцінити точність класифікації для кожного класу. В експериментальній частині використовувалась векторна модель слів Word2Vec з бібліотеки gensim. Проводилось тренування класифікатора та оцінювалася його точність. Здійснено значне покращення точності в порівнянні зі спрощеним підходом. В роботі обговорювались питання використання векторних моделей слів для покращення результатів класифікації тексту. Вони дозволяють краще урахувати семантику та контекст тексту, що призводить до більш точних результатів. Проаналізовано, що точність класифікації залежить від датасету, особливостей текстів та використаних методів обробки даних. В дослідженні наведений оптимальний вибір методів та підхід до класифікації, які повинні враховувати конкретну задачу та контекст застосування. В роботі розглядалися векторні моделі слів, та використання більш складних моделей класифікації. Наводились фактори, що впливають на емоційний стан тексту. Було проведено оптимізацію параметрів моделей для досягнення кращих результатів. Було підтверджено в результаті проведених експериментів, ефективність наївного класифікатора Баєса та векторних моделей слів у задачі класифікації емоційного стану тексту.