bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Diversity and Evolutionary Relationships of Ticks and Tick-borne Bacteria in China
Authors: Tian Junhua , Hou Xin , Ge Mihong , Xu Hongbin , Yu Bin , Liu Jing , Shao Renfu , Holmes Edward C. , Lei Chaoliang , Shi Mang
Published: December 2021

Background

Ticks (order Ixodida) are ectoparasites of vertebrates that transmit diverse pathogens to humans and domestic animals. However, information on the genomic diversity of ticks in China is currently limited to a small number of common species, leaving substantial knowledge gap in the evolution of both ticks and their associated bacterial.
Results

We collected more than 20,000 contemporary and historical (up to 60 years of preservation) tick samples representing a wide range of tick biodiversity across diverse geographic regions in China, including 18 common species, nine rare species, and two undetermined species. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on individual ticks to obtain the complete or near-complete mitochondrial (mt) genome sequences from 46 tick species, among which 30 species were revealed for the first time. These new mt genomes data greatly expanded the diversity of many tick groups and revealed five cryptic species. Utilizing the same metagenomic sequence data we identified divergent and abundant bacteria in Haemaphysalis, Ixodes, Dermacentor and Carios ticks, including nine species of pathogenetic bacteria and potentially new species within the genus Borrelia. We also used these data to explore the evolutionary relationship between ticks and their associated bacteria, revealing a pattern of long-term co-divergence relationship between ticks and Rickettsia and Coxiella bacteria.
Conclusions

In sum, our study provides important new information on the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in China and sheds new light on the long-term evolutionary and ecological relationships between ticks and their associated bacteria.
First Report On The Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals And Cocaine In The Coastal Waters of Santa Catarina, Brazil, And Its Related Ecological Risk Assessment
Authors: Pisetta Ane-Mery , Roveri Vinicius , Guimarães Luciana Lopes , de Oliveira Therezinha Maria Novais , Correia Alberto Teodorico
Published: December 2021

The worldwide occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic ecosystems is reason for concern, since these emerging micro pollutants, includes a large and diverse group of organic compounds, with continuous input, high environmental persistence and potential threat to biota and human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the occurrence of twenty-seven PPCPs of various therapeutic classes (including cocaine and its primary metabolite, benzoylecgonine), in the coastal waters of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Water samples were taken in November 2020, during the low tide periods, at eight sampling points located along the coast of Santa Catarina, covering its entire geographical extension. Sampling was carried out in triplicate and at different depths of the water column. Nine compounds were detected through liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS): caffeine (12.58-119.80 ng/L), diclofenac (1.398-7.920 ng/L), losartan (0.432-3.200 ng/L), cocaine (0.0248-0.1686 ng/L) and benzoylecgonine (0.0146-1.094 ng/L) were quantified in 100% of the samples; carbamazepine (0.0242-0.2720 ng/L) was quantified in 75% of the samples; acetaminophen (0.212-10.040 ng/L) was quantified in 60% of the samples; and both atenolol (1.13-2.50 ng/L) and orphenadrine (0.073-0.0886 ng/L) were quantified in 25% of the samples. The other PPCPs were below the limit of detection (LOD). The highest occurrence of these compounds was detected in the northern and central coastal region of Santa Catarina, namely in Penha and Palhoça cities. The sources of these compounds may be associated with areas with high population density, awaited by tourism, with consequent production of sanitary sewage and solid waste. The ecological risk assessment of these substances in the aquatic ecosystems showed that 67% and 77% of the compounds respectively presented no ecological risk, acute and chronic, but 44% presented low to moderate risks for acute and chronic effects in the three trophic levels evaluated. The occurrence of these chemical compounds can imply deleterious effects on the environmental health of Santa Catarina coastal zone, and therefore deserve more acute and directed attention.
The Use of Global Rating Scales and Checklists in Clinical Simulation-Based Assessments: A Protocol for a Scoping Review
Authors: Henrico Karien , Makkink Andrew
Published: December 2021

Background
Assessment in health sciences education remains a hotly debated topic, with measures of competency and how to determine them in simulation-based assessments enjoying much of the focus. Global rating scales (GRS) and checklists enjoy widespread use within simulation-based education but there is a question regarding how the two strategies are used within clinical simulation assessment. The aim of this proposed scoping review is therefore to explore, map and summarise the nature, range and extent of published literature available relating to the use of GRS and checklists in clinical simulation-based assessment.
Methods
We will follow the methodological frameworks and updates described by Arksey and O’Malley, Levac, Colquhoun and O'Brien, and Peters, Marnie and Tricco et al and will report using the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews. We will search PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Scopus, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, the DOAJ, and several sources of grey literature. We developed a search strategy in collaboration with an experienced research librarian and include an example of a full electronic search in this article. We will screen all titles and abstracts and relevant full-text articles and extract the relevant data using the data extraction form. Quantitative data will be presented as will a narrative account of all included studies. We will import the narrative into Atlas.ti and use thematic analysis to identify themes and map the data. We will be including all identified sources published in English after 1 January 2010 that relate to the use of GRS and/or checklists in clinical simulation-based assessments.
Discussion
The overview of literature produced will help to identify knowledge gaps and inform future research in the use of GRS and checklists in clinical simulation-based assessments. This information will be valuable and useful for all stakeholders that are interested in clinical simulation-based assessments.
Scoping review protocol registration:
Open Science Framework (OSF) submitted on 26 November 2021 and available at https://osf.io/7yfbq.
Benefits of Pharmacist Intervention in the Critical Care Geriatric Patients with Infectious Diseases: A Propensity Score Matching Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gu Hongyan , Sun Lulu , Sheng Bo , Gu Xuyun , Wang Suozhu , Liu Lei , Chen Wei
Published: December 2021

Background The variabilities of the pharmacotherapeutics’ efficacy and safety in the ICU geriatric patients further highlighted the importance of optimization of antimicrobial therapy. The aim of our study was to assess the impacts of clinical pharmacist intervention on antibiotic use, cost outcomes, and clinical benefits of the geriatric patients with infectious diseases in the critical care unit (ICU). Methods A propensity score matching (PSM) retrospective cohort study was undertaken in ICU patients with infectious diseases from 2017 to 2019. Baseline demographic, pharmacists’ activities and clinical outcomes including the patients’ mortality, antibiotic utilization, length of ICU stay (LOS), and costs of the drugs were compared between these two groups. Univariate analysis and bivariate logistic regression were adopted to illustrate the influencing factors on the mortality outcome. Results Of 1523 patients evaluated during the observed period, a total of 102 geriatric ICU patients with infectious diseases were enrolled in each group after PSM matching. Top 5 recommendations occurred by the pharmacist were medication regimen adjustments by diseases on progression, medication regimen adjustments by microbial results, drug withdrawal by full treatment courses, suggestions for TDM and medication regimen adjustments by de-escalation. The antibiotic use density (AUD) of all antibiotics consumed decreased significantly (p=0.018) from 241.91 DDD/100 bed days in the control group to 176.64 DDD/100 bed days in the pharmacist exposed group. AUD proportion was dropped in carbapenems from 23.07% to 14.43% and tetracyclines from 11.56% to 6.26% after pharmacist interventions. Although the mortality or LOS had no statistical difference between these two groups, the total cost of antibiotics was reduced significantly from $836.3 (IQR 426.88, 1682.09) in the control group to $362.15 (IQR 148.23, 1034.4) (p＜0.001) in the pharmacist intervention group, and cost for all the medications were reduced from $2868.18 ($1268.44, $5059.00) to $1941.5 ($1092.89, $3538.97) (p=0.016). Univariate analyses showed that there was no statistically difference in pharmacist intervention between the groups of survival and death (p=0.288) Conclusions The services provided by the critical care pharmacist could promote the rational use of drugs, which benefit both ICU geriatric patient and hospital care.
An Energy Efficient Control Strategy for Electric Vehicle Driven by In-Wheel-Motors Based on Discrete Adaptive Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Zhang Han , Zhou Changzhi , Wang Chunyan , Zhao Wanzhong
Published: December 2021

This paper presents an energy efficient control strategy for electric vehicle (EV) driven by in-wheel-motors (IWMs) based on discrete adaptive sliding mode control (DASMC). The nonlinear vehicle model, tire model and the IWM model are established at first to represent the operation mechanism of the whole system. Based on the modeling, two virtual control variables are used to represent the longitudinal and yaw control efforts to coordinate the vehicle motion control. Then DASMC method is applied to calculate the required total driving torque and yaw moment, which can improve the tracking performance as well as the system robustness. According to the vehicle nonlinear model, the additional yaw moment can be expressed as a function of longitudinal and lateral tire forces. For further control scheme development, a tire force estimator using unscented Kalman filter is designed to estimate real-time tire forces. On these bases, energy efficient torque allocation method is developed to distribute the total driving torque and differential torque to each IWM, considering the motor energy consumption, the tire slip energy consumption and the brake energy recovery. Simulation results of the proposed control strategy using co-platform of Matlab/Simulink and CarSim® demonstrate that it can accomplish the vehicle motion control in a coordinated and economic way.
MiR-130a-3p Regulates the Glycolysis via Targeting PDK1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Li Hai-Long , Shi Jie , Qi Qi , Huang Yue , Liu Chi , Lin Ping , Tang Jie-Bing , Yu Xiaoguang
Published: December 2021

MiR-130a-3p has been certified to have low expression in several types of tumors. However, the function of miR-130a-3p in glucose metabolism and hepatocellular carcinoma progression is still elusive. Here we report that miR-130a-3p has explicitly low expression in human HCC tissues and cells and is closely related to the patient's tumor size and grade. Overexpression of miR-130a-3p significantly inhibits the glucose metabolism, proliferation and migration of HCC cells in vitro. In order to further study the effects of miR-130a-3p in the glucose metabolism of HCC cells, we found that overexpression of miR-130a-3p significantly inhibited the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1). Consistently, we confirmed that PDK1 is the target gene of miR-130a-3p through dual luciferase reporter gene assays. Cell rescue experiments showed that PDK1 inhibitors reversed the enhancement of cell proliferation, migration and glucose metabolism by miR-130a-3p inhibitor in Hep3B cells. In terms of mechanism, overexpression of miR-130a-3p targeted and inhibited the expression of PDK1, after which pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) is activated, thus glycolysis is inhibited, the production of lactic acid and ATP is reduced, and the ability to proliferate and migrate in HCC cells is weakened. In conclusion, our study highlights efforts to target PDK1 and miR-130a-3p as potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of HCC.
Context-specific emergence and growth of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant
Authors: Kraemer Moritz , McCrone John , Hill Verity , Bajaj Sumali , Evans-Pena Rosario , Lambert Ben , Inward Rhys , Bhatt Samir , Volz Erik , Ruis Christopher , Dellicour Simon , Baele Guy , Zarebski Alexander , Sadilek Adam , Wu Neo , Schneider Aaron , Ji Xiang , Raghwani Jayna , Jackson Ben , Colquhoun Rachel , O'Toole Aine , Peacock Thomas , Twohig Kate , Thelwall Simon , Dabrera Gavin , Meyers Richard , Faria Nuno , Huber Carmen , Khan Kamran , Bogoch Isaac , Plessis Louis , Barrett Jeffrey , Aanensen David , Barclay Wendy , Chand Meera , Connor Thomas , Loman Nicholas , Suchard Marc , Pybus Oliver , Rambaut Andrew
Published: December 2021

The Delta variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally causing large outbreaks and resurgences of COVID-19 cases. The emergence of Delta in the UK occurred on the background of a heterogeneous landscape of immunity and relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions. Here we analyse 52,992 Delta genomes from England in combination with 93,649 global genomes to reconstruct the emergence of Delta, and quantify its introduction to and regional dissemination across England, in the context of changing travel and social restrictions. Through analysis of human movement, contact tracing, and virus genomic data, we find that the focus of geographic expansion of Delta shifted from India to a more global pattern in early May 2021. In England, Delta lineages were introduced >1,000 times and spread nationally as non-pharmaceutical interventions were relaxed. We find that hotel quarantine for travellers from India reduced onward transmission from importations; however the transmission chains that later dominated the Delta wave in England had been already seeded before restrictions were introduced. In England, increasing inter-regional travel drove Delta's nationwide dissemination, with some cities receiving >2,000 observable lineage introductions from other regions. Subsequently, increased levels of local population mixing, not the number of importations, was associated with faster relative growth of Delta. Among US states, we find that regions that previously experienced large waves also had faster Delta growth rates, and a model including interactions between immunity and human behaviour could accurately predict the rise of Delta there. Delta’s invasion dynamics depended on fine scale spatial heterogeneity in immunity and contact patterns and our findings will inform optimal spatial interventions to reduce transmission of current and future VOCs such as Omicron.
Modeling and Parameter Sensitivity Analysis of Valve-controlled Helical Hydraulic Rotary Actuator System
Authors: Zhang Kun , ZHANG Junhui , Gan Minyao , Zong Huaizhi , Wang Ximeng , Huang Hsinpu , Su Qi , Xu Bing
Published: December 2021

As a kind of hydraulic rotary actuator, helical hydraulic rotary actuator has the excellent characteristics of large angle, high torque and compact structure, which has been widely used in various fields. However, the core technology is in the hands of several companies and has not been disclosed, and the relevant reports are mostly limited to the component level. From the perspective of designing the driving system, the dynamic characteristics of the output when the helical rotary actuator is applied to the closed-loop system are explored. There are two main problems to be studied: one is to establish a reliable mathematical model, and the other is to consider the influence of system parameter perturbation on the output in practice. In this paper, firstly, the dynamic model of valve-controlled helical rotary actuator angle closed-loop system is derived in detail, which has never been reported in the existing literature. Then, the sensitivity analysis of 23 main parameters in the model with perturbation of 10% is carried out under nine working conditions. Finally, the system dynamics model and the sensitivity analysis results are verified by the prototype experiment and co-simulation, which shows the reliability of the theoretical results in this paper.
Cannabidiol Attenuates Methamphetamine-Induced Cardiac Inflammatory Response and Necrosis through The PKA/CREB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Nie Qianyun , Dong Wenjuan , Shen Baoyu , Yang Genmeng , Yu Hao , Zhang Ruilin , Peng Yanxia , Yu Yang , Hong Shijun , Li Lihua
Published: December 2021

Methamphetamine (MA) abuse is a major global public health problem, with cardiovascular issues becoming an increasingly recognized complication. Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained recent attention, due to its various pharmacological properties. However, whether CBD has therapeutic effects on MA-induced cardiotoxicity remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated whether CBD has a protective or therapeutic effect on MA-induced cardiac damage in rats via the protein kinase A (PKA)/cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding (CREB) signaling pathway. Thirty rats were randomly divided into five groups. The rats were administered MA by intraperitoneal injection (IP) once a day for 4 weeks, with CBD (40 or 80 mg/kg, IP) treatment 1 h prior to the MA injections. Body and heart weights were measured, and morphological changes were determined using hematoxylin & eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 were detected using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The protein expression levels of PKA, phospho-PKA (p-PKA), CREB, phospho-CREB (p-CREB) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in the myocardium were detected by western blot analysis. Results showed that the heart-to-body weight ratio increased significantly following MA administration but decreased with CBD treatment. Chronic administration of MA resulted in a cardiac inflammatory response and progressive development of fibrosis, while CBD treatment attenuated these lesions in a dose-dependent manner. MA administration increased IL-6 but decreased IL-10 levels, which were reversed by CBD pretreatment. Moreover, MA significantly increased the cTnI level, but this was decreased by CBD treatment at 80 mg/kg. The protein expression levels of PKA, p-PKA, CREB, and p-CREB increased following MA administration, but significantly decreased with CBD treatment. Overall, these results indicate that chronic MA administration leads to cardiotoxicity, including cardiac inflammatory response, fibrosis, and myocardial necrosis, but these effects can be attenuated by CBD pretreatment. Our research suggests a potential application of CBD for MA-induced cardiotoxicity, which may attenuate inflammatory response and necrosis through the PKA/CREB signaling pathway.
Group 1 Innate Lymphocyte-Derived IFN-γ Regulates Macrophage Alternative Activation In Colon Cancer
Authors: Zhang Yandong , Ma Shu , Li Tie , Tian Yu , Zhou Huangao , Wang Hongsheng , Huang Lan
Published: December 2021

Background: Tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) is an important innate immune cell-subset in tumor microenvironment, and that is also a pivotal orchestrator of tumor-promoting inflammation and tumor progression. Evidence proved that TAMs are up-regulated in a great number of cancers, and most of them are alternative activated M2 phenotype, which greatly promote the progress of cancer diseases. Group 1 innate lymphocytes including conventional NK cells and type 1 innate lymphocytes (ILC1s), are abundant in intestinal tissue, and characterized by expressing transcription factor T-bet and secreting interferon (IFN)-γ, which can promote the macrophage to classically activated anti-tumor M1 phenotype. However, the relationship between these two cell subsets remains unclear in colon cancer. Methods: Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of M1 phenotype macrophage, M2 phenotype macrophage and group 1 innate lymphocytes in colon cancer tissue and paracancer healthy colon tissue of AOM/DSS-induced colon cancer mice model. In vitro isolating group 1 innate lymphocytes and inducing bone marrow-derived macrophage to detect the cross-talk when co-cultured. Adoptively transfer or blocking group 1 innate lymphocytes in vivo to investigate the role of group 1 innate lymphocytes on tumor-infiltrating macrophage and the tumor growth. Results: We found that M1 phenotype macrophage and group 1 innate lymphocytes were down-regulated in colon cancer tissue, and they were positively correlated. Group 1 innate lymphocytes promoted macrophage to classically activated M1 phenotype in vitro, and that could be blocked by anti-IFN-γ. In vivo results showed that the administration of group 1 innate lymphocytes-blocking antibody anti-NK1.1 could decrease the number of M1 phenotype macrophage in tumor tissue of MC38 tumor-bearing mice and promote the tumor growth, while adoptively transferring group 1 innate lymphocytes led to tumor-inhibiting and level of M1 phenotype macrophage up-regulating in MC38 tumor-bearing mice. Conclusions: Our studies preliminarily prove that group 1 innate lymphocytes promote the alternative activation of M1 macrophage by secreting IFN-γ to inhibit the progress of colon cancer for the first time, which may provide an insight in the immunotherapy of colon cancer.
SYT1 Gene-Wide Analysis on White Matter Microstructure in Adulthood ADHD
Authors: Cupertino Renata Basso , Silva Bruna Santos da , Schuch Jaqueline Bohrer , Bandeira Cibele Edom , Tavares Maria Eduarda , Cunha Pamela Ferreira da , Picon Felipe Almeida , Vitola Eduardo Schneider , Rovaris Diego Luiz , Grevet Eugenio Horacio , Bau Claiton Henrique Dotto
Published: December 2021

The Synaptotagmin-1 encoding gene (SYT1) is a key regulator of neurotransmitter release and is associated with cognitive and psychiatric phenotypes in GWAS, and with ADHD in single-gene studies, raising the need for dissecting possible cross-trait effects on clinical and brain phenotypes. Inferences about white matter microstructure can be made by diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), which makes this method a promising tool in the understanding of biological changes that underpin cognitive functions and brain disorders. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects multiple functioning domains, highly overlapping with other psychiatric disorders, and known to involve white matter abnormalities and neurotransmission dysfunction. Using a set-based analysis, the present study investigates how genetic variants within SYT1 might affect brain white matter at a cellular level using DTI in adults with ADHD (n = 85). The combined effect of all measured variations in the gene (i.e., 468 variants) was evaluated concerning specific white matter tracts. Set-based analysis was performed in PLINK software and followed by in silico analysis of all variants included in the study. SYT1 gene was nominally associated with white matter changes in two important tracts: forceps major and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. In addition, two regions within the SYT1 have more consistent associations with different white matter tracts. These findings endorse the involvement of SYT1 on psychiatric phenotypes and suggest that white matter tracts underlie this complex relationship.
Incorporating Shear Stiffness into Post-Fire Debris Flow Triggering Models
Authors: MOSS ROBB , Lyman Noah
Published: December 2021

Current post-fire debris flow triggering models consider predictor variables accounting for; rainfall intensity, rainfall accumulation, area burned, burned intensity, geology, slope, and others. These models represent the physical process of debris flow initiation and subsequent shear failure by quantifying near-surface soil characteristics. By including shear wave velocity as a proxy for sediment shear stiffness, models can better inform the likelihood of particle dislocation, contractive or dilative volume changes, and downslope displacement that results from debris flows. This broadly available variable common to other hazard predictions, such as liquefaction analysis, provides good coverage in the watersheds of interest for debris flow predictions. A logistic regression is used to compare the new variable against currently used variables for predictive post-fire debris flow triggering models. We find that the new variable produces improved performance in prediction of triggering while capturing the physics of sediment failing in a shearing and flow-type response. Additional suggestions are presented for utilizing statistical cross-validation methods to advance prediction performance, and the utility of different variables for quick assessment of likelihood during eminent high intensity rainfall events.
Effects of Anesthesia on Ozone-Induced Lung and Systemic Inflammation
Authors: Wilson Miranda L. , Thysell Jarl A. , Baumann Kristen K. , Quaranta Daniel V. , Liang W. Sandy , Erickson Michelle Ann
Published: December 2021

Anesthetics are required for procedures that deliver drugs/biologics, infectious/inflammatory agents, and toxicants directly to the lungs. However, the possible confounding effects of anesthesia on lung inflammation and injury are underreported. Here, we tested the effects of brief isoflurane (Iso) or ketamine/xylazine/atipamezole (K/X/A) anesthesia prior to ozone exposure (4 hours, 3ppm) on lung inflammatory responses in mice. Anesthesia regimens modeled those used for non-surgical intratracheal instillations, and were administered 1-2 hours or 24 hours prior to initiating ozone exposure. We found that Iso given 1-2 hours prior to ozone inhibited inflammatory responses in the lung, and this effect was absent when Iso was given 23-24 hours prior to ozone. In contrast, K/X/A given 1-2 hours prior to ozone increased lung and systemic inflammation. Our results highlight the need to comprehensively evaluate anesthesia as an experimental variable in the assessment of lung inflammation in response to ozone and other inflammatory stimuli.
Substance use among street children in the city of Yaounde, Cameroon
Authors: Mabouopda Varela , Toguem Michael Guy , Noche Christelle Domngang , Eyoum Christian , Djemo Jean-baptiste Fotso
Published: December 2021

Background
Substance use is known to be more common among street children. Sometimes responsible for the runaway and repeated run-away behavior. To be able to reinsert these children, the reasons why there joined the streets, why they use substance and their pattern of substance use need to be understood.
Methods
We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional mix method study in February 2021 in the streets of Yaounde. We did a semi-structured interview of 159 street children using a sociodemographic questionnaire made of open questions and, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test, version 3.0. The data were analyzed using R 4.1.0 for Windows.
Results
All street children were male. The most common reason for joining the streets was, questing for money, reported by one-quarter of the children. 60% of them used a substance, of which half used a substance because of peer pressure. The most commonly used substance was cannabis (36.48%), followed by Tobacco (35.85%). 14.47% were dependent on tobacco and 11.32% on cannabis.
Conclusion
Substance use and substance use disorders are highly common among street children of Yaounde. This needs to be addressed to facilitate their reinsertion as shown in other studies. The mechanisms that lead to the absences of girls in the streets should also be explored to see if they can be applied to boys.
Comparison of the efficacies of 1.0mm and 1.5mm silicone tubes for the treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction
Authors: Nakamura Jutaro , Kamao Tomoyuki , Mitani Arisa , Mizuki Nobuhisa , Shiraishi Atsushi
Published: December 2021

Purpose:
We compared the difference in postoperative patency rates due to the differences in the diameter of silicone tubes used for bicanalicular intubation for the treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO).
Methods:
Patients diagnosed with NLDO at Ehime University Hospital between August 2013 and November 2020 who underwent endoscopic-assisted nasolacrimal duct intubation (ENDI) were included in the study. The patients involved were 130 cases and 157 sides (age 72.6 ± 11.3 years) who were eligible for follow-up for more than six months after the removal of the lacrimal silicone tube. The postoperative recurrence rate was compared retrospectively based on the difference in tube caliber. The patients were divided into two groups: those intubated with a 1.5-mm large diameter tube (Group LD) and those with a 1.0-mm normal diameter tube (Group ND). The survival rates of the two groups at one year after tube removal were compared by Kaplan-Meier's curve and Restricted mean survival time (RMST) method with τ = 365 days.
Results:
There were no significant differences in age, gender, or observation period after tube removal between the two groups. Meanwhile, the preoperative occlusion period was significantly longer in the ND group. The recurrence rate after tube removal was significantly lower in the LD group (12 / 85 sides, 14.1%) compared to the ND group (27 / 72 sides, 37.5%) (p = 0.001). The patency rate at one year after removal of the lacrimal tube was 0.857 (0.754-0.919) in the LD group and 0.739 (0.617-0.828) in the ND group. In comparing patency rates by the RMST method at τ = 365 days, the RMST difference, RMST ratio, and RMTL ratio were significantly higher in the LD group at p = 0.045, 0.052, and 0.046, respectively.
Conclusion:
Regarding the bicanalicular silicone tube intubation, the patency rate at one year after removal was significantly higher in the thicker tubes with a diameter of 1.5 mm compared with that of a diameter of 1.0 mm for the treatment of NLDO.
Efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in older people
Authors: Mattiuzzi Camilla , Lippi Giuseppe
Published: December 2021

Purpose. We provide here an updated analysis on efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in older people (i.e., aged ≥80 years) based on ongoing Italian nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Methods. Data were obtained from the COVID-19 national integrated surveillance program, made available and regularly updated by the Italian National Institute of Health.Results. Compared to those who completed the COVID-19 vaccination cycle for ≥5 months (n=2.385.897), those receiving booster doses (n=1.549.747) had 75% lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 82-83% lower risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and ICU admission, and 81% lower risk of death. Administration of COVID-19 vaccine boosters generated also greater protection (between 63-87% higher) against all these same endpoints compared to early completing (i.e., <5 months; n=335.458) a primary COVID-19 vaccination cycle.Conclusions. The administration of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses is advisable for reducing the risk of morbidity and mortality in older people.
A Modified Extrema Pattern with Multilinear Matrix Decomposition based RLC scheme for Efficient Serial Remote Sensing Images Mining
Authors: R Angelin Preethi , Anandharaj G.
Published: December 2021

The growth of serial remote sensing images (SRSI) offers abundant information for determining sequential spatial patterns in several fields like vegetation cover, urban development, and agricultural monitoring. Or else, traditional sequential pattern-mining algorithms cannot be applied efficiently or directly to remote sensing images. Here a new technique is proposed for enhancing the mining efficacy of spatial sequential patterns from raster serial remote sensing images (SRSI) based on pixel grouping approach. The modified extrema pattern is employed to offering grey-scale invariant transform of intensity values unlike previously employed local ternary pattern. The pattern features are computed by transformation process from which the multilinear matrix decomposition of the image is made by computing the covariance estimation on recognizing their orthogonal component. The matrix decomposition is then attained based on run length encoding process (RLC). The two rows of RLC vectors are intersected to attain pixel group matrix. Finally, the compressed image is attained in an efficient manner with effective mining time. The performance outcome reveals that the technique offered in this paper is capable of extracting spatial sequential patterns from SRSI effectively. The proposed system ensures that the entire patterns are extracted at a lower time consumption.
Convolutional Neural Networks Ensembles Through Single-Iteration Optimization
Authors: Ribeiro Luiz Carlos Felix , de Rosa Gustavo Henrique , Rodrigues Douglas , Papa João Paulo
Published: December 2021

Convolutional Neural Networks have been widely employed in a diverse range of computer vision-based applications, including image classification, object recognition, and object segmentation. Nevertheless, one weakness of such models concerns their hyperparameters' setting, being highly specific for each particular problem. One common approach is to employ meta-heuristic optimization algorithms to find suitable sets of hyperparameters at the expense of increasing the computational burden, being unfeasible under real-time scenarios. In this paper, we address this problem by creating Convolutional Neural Networks ensembles through Single-Iteration Optimization, a fast optimization composed of only one iteration that is no more effective than a random search. Essentially, the idea is to provide the same capability offered by long-term optimizations, however, without their computational loads. The results among four well-known literature datasets revealed that creating one-iteration optimized ensembles provide promising results while diminishing the time to achieve them.
The role of Court in cases of bringing to vicarious responsibility of military servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Authors: Kravchuk Maria
Published: December 2021

Considering Ukraine’s focus on increasing the state’s defence potential, the state of military discipline in recent years has become important for independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, both due to aggression of a foreign enemy as an external factor and given the increase in the number of people having the status of military servicemen as an internal factor. At the same time, due to the obsolescence and imperfection of provisions of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences, including in terms of settlement of the issue of transformation of general responsibility of servicemen into special (administrative into disciplinary) responsibility, it is extremely difficult for courts to decide on the consideration procedure of administrative offence cases involving special subjects — military servicemen, conscriptees, and reservists during the meeting, which leads to the pluralism of judicial practice in this matter and has a negative impact on its unity and the general attitude of the population to the authority of military service. The article analyzes the practical issues that arise when judges of district, city district, municipal, or municipal district courts apply the provisions of Article 15 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences. In particular, the positions of judges on the stage of court proceedings at which materials on administrative offences have to be transferred to the body authorized to bring to disciplinary responsibility have been studied. The Disciplinary Regulations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been analyzed for the procedure for consideration of administrative offences materials. The ways to handle issues of concern have been suggested together with conclusions on expediency of their implementation.
Cartesianism, argumentation, values in the context of Chaïm Perelman’s «New Rhetoric»
Authors: Semenikhin I. V.
Published: December 2021

The article deals with the process of founding and further development of the new rhetoric, a theory of argumentation developed by the Belgian philosopher Chaïm Perelman (1912-1984) and his co-worker Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca (1899-1987). The intellectual and philosophical backgrounds of the authors and some key characteristics of their theoretical approaches are described. The new rhetoric: (а) is primarily concerned with argument or practical reasoning, (b) suggests that figures of speech may be arguments instead of merely ornaments, (c) with its goal to influence minds, new rhetoric is a dynamic field of study, (d) it is complimentary rather than in opposition to formal reasoning. According to Perelman, the theory of argumentation conceived as a new rhetoric or dialectic, covers the whole range of discourse that aims at persuasion and conviction, whatever the audience addressed and whatever the subject matter. Perelman presents his new rhetoric as a much better form of logic than Cartesian deductive, stringent reasoning, at least where law and other values-based systems are concerned. Perelman challenged the unwholesome assumption that what we cannot know with mathematical certainly is necessarily arbitrary, irrational, and subjective. Perelman recognized "reasoned conviction" as a bridge to knowledge, although he was aware that it was a less perfect source of cognition than verified certainty.
It is explained how the idea of developing the new rhetoric was born out of dissatisfaction with logical positivism or neopositivism (The Vienna Circle’s theories and ideas) and which classical and modern sources inspired the authors in developing a specific logic of value judgments that could deal with argumentation about actions, choices, decisions and without dismissing such argumentation as irrational. The rhetorical framework of the theory is expounded and an overview is provided of the key notions and concepts of Perelman’s ‘new rhetoric’ – the notions of adherence, audience (particular and universal audience), persuasion are explained. According to Perelman, the new rhetoric is based on the idea that since argumentation aims at securing the adherence of those to whom it is addressed, it is, in its entirety, relative to the audience to be influenced. Рerelman's position on the difference between formal logic and argumentation is analyzed.
The legal regulation of the preliminary investigation bоdies activities according to UPK Uzbek SSR 1929
Authors: Muhitdinov A. A.
Published: December 2021

At the present stage of development of the criminal procedural legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, many legal institutions that have a long history of doctrinal development have received normative consolidation. Among them is the institution of participants leading the criminal process at the stage of pre-trial investigation. In the history of Uzbekistan, the activities of these subjects of the criminal process were regulated by numerous normative legal acts, including codified ones. The first Criminal Procedure Code of the Uzbek SSR was adopted in 1926. Soon the Uzbek SSR Criminal Procedure Code of 1929 entered into force. In comparative legal terms, the latter was significantly inferior to the previous one in terms of the degree of detail in the regulation of criminal procedural relations with the participation of pre-trial investigation bodies. Analysis of the content of the legal norms of the Criminal Procedure Code of 1929, regulating the activities of these bodies, allows us to identify features that, from the standpoint of the modern vision of the optimal model of the Criminal Procedure Code of Uzbekistan, are assessed as shortcomings in the legal regulation of the relevant public relations. As such, we can name the following: the CPC does not contain norms defining the sources of criminal procedural law; the code does not provide for a separate chapter devoted exclusively to investigative actions, a detailed description of their procedural form; there is no clear delineation of the competence of the bodies of inquiry and the investigator; the investigator is by law entrusted with supervisory functions that are not characteristic of him in relation to the bodies of inquiry; the Criminal Procedure Code does not include a norm prohibiting persons conducting a preliminary investigation from obtaining evidence by violence, threats, etc.; The Criminal Procedure Code determined the existence of sufficient data, and not evidence, as the basis for the accusation. After being charged, the person acquired the status of a defendant, not an accused; the application of preventive measures, including detention, was carried out by the investigator independently, without the sanction of the prosecutor, which testified to the absence of guarantees of the observance of the right to personal inviolability.
Electronic initiatives as a tool for e-democracy: the experience of Ukraine and Latvia
Authors: Luchenko D. V.
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to a comparative legal analysis of the experience of Ukraine and Latvia in the implementation of the institution of electronic initiative as an important tool of direct e-democracy.
The practical question of why in some countries e-initiatives are a real leverage, while in others it is more likely just a marker that signals certain problems of concern to society, prompts a thorough study of legal regulation and information technology support of e-initiatives.
For a comparative analysis of the regulation of the procedure for submitting and considering an electronic initiative, the experience of Latvia as a state that has demonstrated real successful results of the work of the online platform ManaBalss.lv as a tool for presenting, registering, discussing, considering an electronic initiative and solving issues in it was selected. In addition, the experience of this country shows that an increase in the level of participation of citizens in the management of public affairs is possible provided they are provided with an effective and convenient mechanism of influence.
The article focuses on the shortcomings of the legal regulation of the institution of electronic petitions in Ukraine as the main factor in the ineffectiveness of this tool of e-democracy, including the absence of a special legislative act on electronic petitions, a legislative guarantee for resolving the issue that is raised in the petition, failure to take into account public opinion, expressed in a petition that received fewer votes than is required by law, etc. The necessity of introducing a mechanism for preliminary verification of the content of electronic petitions for constructiveness, reliability and reality is indicated.
It is noted that for the proper implementation of the goal of direct e-democracy, levers of influence on the government must be created, which will make it listen to the problems of public concern.
The River as Passant: A Review of Jaydeep Sarangi’s From Dulung to Beas: Flow of the Soul
Authors:   Assistant Professor of English, Karim City College, affiliated to Kolhan University, Chaibasa, Roy Basudhara
Published: December 2021

“Poetry,” writes bell hooks (2012, p. 7), “is a useful place for lamentation…poems are a place where we can cry out.” Few observations, indeed, could be closer to the truth. What, however, repeatedly claims my attention in hook’s statement, is the phrase constituting her first four words here, ‘Poetry is a useful place’. As the world comes rather alarmingly together, thanks to networking and the pandemic, leading to a radical reconceptualization of both spatiality and temporality, and as the ethics and norms of distancing annihilate distinctions between the local and the global, much to the chagrin of the local, I find my realization and awareness of poetry as place increasingly heightened. The more one ponders over it, one realizes that poetry is not simply search, journey or exploration but also, equally and significantly, anchorage. It is a place from which one looks at the world, negotiates and relates, but simply and most overwhelmingly, poetry is a place to be. As I read again and again through Jaydeep Sarangi’s ninth collection of poems From Dulung to Beas: Flow of the Soul, the conviction of poetry as place becomes unassailable.
Writing and Space: Writing the City by Stuti Khanna
Authors:   Assistant Professor, SVNIT, Surat, Gujarat., Kaushal Urvashi
Published: December 2021

Writing the City, a collection of essays edited by Stuti Khanna is a noteworthy publication as it includes 13 engaging essays by critically acclaimed contemporary mostly Indian writer. The book has an attractive cover with an infographic map of cities — the theme around which Khanna assembles this collection. This book with only 114 pages can be a treasure trove for researchers of the contemporary Indian writing as “it explores the symbiotic relationship between form and content” (Khanna, 2020, p. xi) as each of these 13 writers present in their introspective mood, “the relationship of their writing to place and space” (Khanna, 2020, p.xi) of their upbringing. Hence, the apt title, Writing the City. The book validates Tim Creswell and other Humanist Geographer’s reverberations that: “Place is the raw material for the creative production for identity” (Cresswell, 2004, p.39)
The Nineteenth Century Revis(it)ed: The New Historical Fiction by Ina Bergmann
Authors:   Senior Research Fellow, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India, Maurya Prashant
Published: December 2021

The nineteenth century is a crucial phase in America’s history. Key features such as geographical expansions, the industrial revolution, development in science and technology, and America’s emergence as a super power, after the American Revolution and the War of 1812, mark the century. The Civil War becomes the most important historical event of this phase that will impact the lives of Americans in the years to come. The century has literary importance also because, during this phase, forerunners of American literature, like, Edgar Allen Poe, James Cooper, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, etc., come to the scene. Thus, the century as the setting has always been a literary choice for historical novelists.
Duration of Things and Duration of Culture
Authors: Piłat Robert
Published: December 2021

This article discusses the relation between temporal existence of things and the persistence of culture. The material and the immaterial aspects of culture are quite different in relation to time. According to philosopher Karl R. Popper, meanings, senses and ideas belong to a separate non- -temporal realm of being. They come about in time but henceforth they exist non-temporarily. Their existence, unlike that of physical objects, does not depend on keeping a delicate balance between the change and identity − it is not based on struggle against time. But on the other hand, their seemingly non-temporal subsistence is strictly connected to the temporal existence of things. The latter do not carry meaning in virtue of sheer convention, but rather by means of subtle connection between their material structure and the properties of sentient and intelligent beings. Books hold a very special place in this framework. Physical properties of books are intertwined with their content very strongly albeit mysteriously. It is safe to say that reducing books to their content − by conveying the content to digital carriers alone − would result in a serious impoverishing of culture. In reference to early journalist works by the poet Zbigniew Herbert, three functions of preserving and studying artefacts are distinguished: reconstruction, preserving and learning. In studying artefacts there is always a quest for originals and considerable efforts are made in order to distinguish them from copies and derivatives. The article gives a brief account of recent debate concerning the value of these pursuits. Finally, a discussion with Michel Foucault is presented, concerning the role of things in self-formation.