bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Index cases first identified by nasal-swab rapid COVID-19 tests had more transmission to household contacts than cases identified by other test types
Authors: Ji Jenny , Viloria Winnett Alexander , Shelby Natasha , Reyes Jessica A. , Schlenker Noah W. , Davich Hannah , Caldera Saharai , Tognazzini Colten , Goh Ying-Ying , Feaster Matt , Ismagilov Rustem F.
Published: October 2023

At-home rapid COVID-19 tests in the U.S. utilize nasal-swab specimens and require high viral loads to reliably give positive results. Longitudinal studies from the onset of infection have found infectious virus can present in oral specimens days before nasal. Detection and initiation of infection-control practices may therefore be delayed when nasal-swab rapid tests are used, resulting in greater transmission to contacts. We assessed whether index cases first identified by rapid nasal-swab COVID-19 tests had more transmission to household contacts than index cases who used other test types (tests with higher analytical sensitivity and/or non-nasal specimen types). In this observational cohort study, 370 individuals from 85 households with a recent COVID-19 case were screened at least daily by RT-qPCR on one or more self-collected upper-respiratory specimen types. A two-level random intercept model was used to assess the association between the infection outcome of household contacts and each covariable (household size, race/ethnicity, age, vaccination status, viral variant, infection-control practices, and whether a rapid nasal-swab test was used to initially identify the household index case). Transmission was quantified by adjusted secondary attack rates (aSAR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR). An aSAR of 53.6% (95% CI 38.8–68.3%) was observed among households where the index case first tested positive by a rapid nasal-swab COVID-19 test, which was significantly higher than the aSAR for households where the index case utilized another test type (27.2% 95% CI 19.5–35.0%, P = 0.003 pairwise comparisons of predictive margins). We observed an aOR of 4.90 (95% CI 1.65–14.56) for transmission to household contacts when a nasal-swab rapid test was used to identify the index case, compared to other test types. Use of nasal-swab rapid COVID-19 tests for initial detection of infection and initiation of infection control may be less effective at limiting transmission to household contacts than other test types.
Comparing thermal strain in outdoor maintenance and indoor service workers in the mining industry during summer
Authors: Taggart Sarah M. , Girard Olivier , Landers Grant J. , Ecker Ullrich K. H. , Wallman Karen E.
Published: October 2023

While working in the heat is a common practice within the Australian mining industry, it can lead to adverse effects on cognitive function, productivity, and physical health. This study aimed to compare the thermal strain experienced by maintenance workers and service workers in the mining industry during summer. Psycho-physiological parameters, manual dexterity, and cognitive function were assessed in maintenance workers (n = 12) and service workers (n = 12) employed at mine site villages in north-west Australia. Maintenance workers had the freedom to self-select their work intensity and predominantly worked outdoors (33.9±4.2°C, 38±18% RH), whereas service workers had to work to a fixed schedule and worked intermittently indoors (∼64% of work shift; 29.5±3.4°C, 48±8% RH) and outdoors (∼36%; 35.4±4.6°C, 47±21% RH). All workers underwent assessment at the beginning (day 2/3), middle (day 7/8), and end of their swing (day 13/14), at various time points throughout their 11–12 h shift. Service workers completed more steps (11282±1794 vs. 7774±2821; p<0.001), experienced a higher heart rate (p = 0.049) and reported higher ratings of perceived exertion (p<0.001), thermal discomfort (p<0.001), thermal sensation (p<0.001), and fatigue (p<0.012) compared to maintenance workers. Urinary specific gravity values were higher (less hydrated) in service workers (1.024±0.007) compared to maintenance workers (1.018±0.006; p = 0.007), with USG being overall higher post- compared to pre-shift (1.022±0.008 vs. 1.020±0.006; p<0.05). Core temperature, working memory capacity, processing speed and manual dexterity did not differ between occupations. Workers in hot environments who cannot self-select their work intensity should be educated about the importance of hydration before, during, and after their work-shifts and provided with more scheduled rest breaks during their shift. Employers should closely monitor workers for symptoms of heat illness, discomfort, and fatigue to ensure the health and safety of the workers.
An adenosine derivative prevents the alterations observed in metabolic syndrome in a rat model induced by a rich high-fat diet and sucrose supplementation
Authors: Chávez Enrique , Aparicio-Cadena Alejandro Rusbel , Velasco-Loyden Gabriela , Lozano-Rosas María Guadalupe , Domínguez-López Mariana , Cancino-Bello Amairani , Torres Nimbe , Tovar Armando R. , Cabrera-Aguilar Alejandro , Chagoya-de Sánchez Victoria
Published: October 2023

Metabolic syndrome is a multifactorial disease with high prevalence worldwide. It is related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Approximately 80% of patients with metabolic syndrome have some degree of fatty liver disease. An adenosine derivative (IFC-305) has been shown to exert protective effects in models of liver damage as well as on elements involved in central metabolism; therefore, here, we evaluated the effect of IFC-305 in an experimental model of metabolic syndrome in rats induced by a high-fat diet and 10% sucrose in drinking water for 18 weeks. We also determined changes in fatty acid uptake in the Huh-7 cell line. In the experimental model, increases in body mass, serum triglycerides and proinflammatory cytokines were induced in rats, and the adenosine derivative significantly prevented these changes. Interestingly, IFC-305 prevented alterations in glucose and insulin tolerance, enabling the regulation of glucose levels in the same way as in the control group. Histologically, the alterations, including mitochondrial morphological changes, observed in response to the high-fat diet were prevented by administration of the adenosine derivative. This compound exerted protective effects against metabolic syndrome, likely due to its action in metabolic regulation, such as in the regulation of glucose blood levels and hepatocyte fatty acid uptake.
Muscle synergies analysis shows altered neural strategies in women with patellofemoral pain during walking
Authors: Ferreira Cintia Lopes , Oliveira Barroso Filipe , Torricelli Diego , Pons José L. , Politti Fabiano , Lucareli Paulo Roberto Garcia
Published: October 2023

Several studies suggest that the central nervous system coordinates muscle activation by modulating neural commands directed to groups of muscles combined to form muscle synergies. Individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP) move differently from asymptomatic individuals. Understanding the neural strategies involved in the execution of tasks such as walking can help comprehend how the movement is planned and better understand this clinical condition. The objective of this study was to compare muscle synergies between women with and without PFP during walking. Eleven women with PFP and thirteen asymptomatic women were assessed using three-dimensional kinematics and electromyography (EMG) while walking at self-selected speed. Kinematics of the trunk, pelvis and lower limbs were analyzed through the Movement Deviation Profile. Muscle synergies were extracted from the EMG signals of eight lower limb muscles collected throughout the whole gait cycle. Kinematic differences between the two groups (p<0.001, z-score = 3.06) were more evident during loading response, terminal stance, and pre-swing. PFP group presented a lower number of muscle synergies (p = 0.037), and greater variability accounted for (VAFtotal) when using 3 (p = 0.017), 4 (p = 0.004), and 5 (p = 0.012) synergies to reconstruct all EMG signals. The PFP group also presented higher VAFmuscle for rectus femoris (p = 0.048) and gastrocnemius medialis (p = 0.019) when considering 4 synergies. Our results suggest that women with PFP show lower motor complexity and deficit in muscle coordination to execute gait, indicating that gait in PFP is the result of different neural commands compared to asymptomatic women.
Fear, stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia related to COVID-19 among undergraduate nursing students: An international survey
Authors: Al Maqbali Mohammed , Madkhali Norah , Gleason Alexander M. , Dickens Geoffrey L.
Published: October 2023

The emergence of COVID-19 has produced unprecedented change in daily life activities leading to major impacts on psychological wellbeing and sleep among individuals worldwide. The study aimed to assess levels of fear, stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia among undergraduate nursing students in four countries two years after the start of the pandemic. An international, multi-centre cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted between December 2021 and April 2022. An on-line questionnaire was distributed via Qualtrics® and JISC® software. Instruments included the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Insomnia Severity Index, and a demographics and academic background questionnaire. The independent variables included demographic and academic backgrounds, while fear level, stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia were the dependent variables. A total of 918 undergraduate nursing students from KSA, Oman, UK, and UAE were participants in the study. Students presented with stress (91.6%), anxiety (69.1%), depression (59.8%), and insomnia (73.2%). The participants’ mean Fear of COVID-19 Scale score was 12.97 (SD = 6.14). There were significant positive relationships between fear of COVID-19, stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Undergraduate nursing students experienced moderate to severe levels of Fear of COVID-19, stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological intervention and peer support are needed to reduce the long-term adverse outcomes of mental health problems and insomnia. It is important to introduce education about crisis management of infectious disease during pandemics into the nursing curriculum to increase student knowledge and improve their preparedness for such emergencies.
Tadpole growth rates and gut bacterial community: Dominance of developmental stages over temperature variations
Authors: Park Jun-Kyu , Park Woong-Bae , Do Yuno
Published: October 2023

Tadpoles present an intriguing model system for studying the regulation and selection of gut microbiota. They offer a unique perspective to enhance our understanding of host-microbiota interactions, given their capacity to alter the dynamics of the gut microbial community by interacting with multiple environmental factors within a complex life cycle. In this study, we comprehensively investigated variations in growth rate and gut bacterial community in relation to temperature differences during the complex process of amphibian metamorphosis. Higher temperatures prompted tadpoles to metamorphose more rapidly than at lower temperatures, but the impact on size and weight was minimal. Differences in temperature were not associated with gut bacterial diversity, but they did affect certain aspects of beta diversity and bacterial composition. However, the developmental stage invoked greater heterogeneity than temperature in gut bacterial diversity, composition, and functional groups. These findings suggest that inherent biological systems exert stronger control over an organism’s homeostasis and variation than the external environment. Although results may vary based on the magnitude or type of environmental factors, metamorphosis in tadpoles greatly influences their biology, potentially dominating microbial interactions.
How much of the Mexican agricultural supply is produced by small farms, and how?
Authors: Ibarrola-Rivas María-José , Orozco-Ramírez Quetzalcóatl , Guibrunet Louise
Published: October 2023

The contribution of small farms to the global food supply is in debate due to lack of empirical evidence. In Mexico, small farms have been relatively important for national food supply due to an agrarian reform in the first half of the 20th century, but their role has been decreasing in the last decades. The aim of this study is to quantify how much small farms produce of the Mexican agricultural supply, and with which farming practices, using the 2019 National Agricultural Survey. The results show that small farms produce 19% of the national agricultural production with similar farming practices to those of medium and large farms. When considering imports and exports, small farms produce 15% of the national agricultural supply. The production of small farms consists mainly of cash crops (e.g. sugar cane, fruits & vegetables, animal products, fodder crops) and, to a lesser extent, staple crops such as maize and beans. The fact that small farms produce one fifth of the national production after decades of governmental support towards large farms suggests that they have resilient production systems. The results of this study support that stronger efforts should be made to enhance the role of small farms in achieving Mexican food sovereignty. This will not only have benefits in terms of food supply but may also have a wide range of social and environmental benefits.
Outcomes after ischemic stroke for dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid beneficiaries in the United States
Authors: Leifheit Erica C. , Wang Yun , Goldstein Larry B. , Lichtman Judith H.
Published: October 2023

Background

Medicaid serves as a safety net for low-income US Medicare beneficiaries with limited assets. Approximately 7.7 million Americans aged ≥65 years rely on a combination of Medicare and Medicaid to obtain critical medical services, yet little is known about whether these patients have worse outcomes after stroke than patients with Medicare alone. We compared geographic patterns in dual Medicare-Medicaid eligibility and ischemic stroke hospitalizations and examined whether these dual-eligible beneficiaries had worse post-stroke outcomes than those with Medicare alone.

Methods

We identified fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years who were discharged from US acute-care hospitals with a principal diagnosis of ischemic stroke in 2014. Medicare beneficiaries with ≥1 month of Medicaid coverage were considered dual eligible. We mapped risk-standardized stroke hospitalization rates and percentages of beneficiaries with dual eligibility. Mixed models and Cox regression were used to evaluate relationships between dual-eligible status and outcomes up to 1 year after stroke, adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.

Results

At the national level, 12.5% of beneficiaries were dual eligible. Dual-eligible rates were highest in Maine, Alaska, and the southern half of the United States, whereas stroke hospitalization rates were highest in the South and parts of the Midwest (Pearson’s r = 0.469, p<0.001). Among 254,902 patients hospitalized for stroke, 17.4% were dual eligible. In adjusted analyses, dual-eligible patients had greater risk of all-cause readmission within 30 days (hazard ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.09) and 1 year (hazard ratio 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.05) and had greater odds of death within 1 year (odds ratio 1.20, 95% CI 1.17–1.23) when compared with Medicare-only patients; there was no difference in in-hospital or 30-day mortality.

Conclusion

Dual-eligible stroke patients had higher readmissions and long-term mortality than other patients, even after comorbidity adjustment. A better understanding of the factors contributing to these poorer outcomes is needed.
Cellular insights of beech leaf disease reveal abnormal ectopic cell division of symptomatic interveinal leaf areas
Authors: Vieira Paulo , Kantor Mihail R. , Jansen Andrew , Handoo Zafar A. , Eisenback Jonathan D.
Published: October 2023

The beech leaf disease nematode, Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii, is recognized as a newly emergent nematode species that causes beech leaf disease (BLD) in beech trees (Fagus spp.) in North America. Changes of leaf morphology before emergence from the bud induced by BLD can provoke dramatic effects on the leaf architecture and consequently to tree performance and development. The initial symptoms of BLD appear as dark green, interveinal banding patterns of the leaf. Despite the fast progression of this disease, the cellular mechanisms leading to the formation of such aberrant leaf phenotype remains totally unknown. To understand the cellular basis of BLD, we employed several types of microscopy to provide an exhaustive characterization of nematode-infected buds and leaves. Histological sections revealed a dramatic cell change composition of these nematode-infected tissues. Diseased bud scale cells were typically hypertrophied and showed a high variability of size. Moreover, while altered cell division had no influence on leaf organogenesis, induction of cell proliferation on young leaf primordia led to a dramatic change in cell layer architecture. Hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the different leaf cell layers, coupled with an abnormal proliferation of chloroplasts especially in the mesophyll cell layers, resulted in the typical interveinal leaf banding. These discrepancies in leaf cell structure were depicted by an abnormal rate of cellular division of the leaf interveinal areas infected by the nematode, promoting significant increase of cell size and leaf thickness. The formation of symptomatic BLD leaves is therefore orchestrated by distinct cellular processes, to enhance the value of these feeding sites and to improve their nutrition status for the nematode. Our findings thus uncover relevant cellular events and provide a structural framework to understand this important disease.
Lean mass and associated factors in women with PCOS with different phenotypes
Authors: Fighera Tayane Muniz , dos Santos Betânia Rodrigues , Spritzer Poli Mara
Published: October 2023

Although current evidence suggests increased risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic alterations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially of a hyperandrogenic phenotype, the impact of each one of these variables on muscle mass remains uncertain. In this case-control study, we evaluated clinical and hormonal characteristics related to lean body mass according to the different PCOS phenotypes. We performed clinical, metabolic, and hormonal assessments and evaluated body compartments by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 133 women of reproductive age. Creatinine served as an indirect marker of lean mass. Median age was 28 (range, 17–37) years. Women with phenotypes A and B (n = 59) had higher body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome prevalence than those with phenotype C (n = 23) and controls (n = 51) (p<0.005). Women with phenotypes A and B also had higher Ferriman-Gallwey score (p<0.001), insulin levels (p = 0.006), HOMA-IR (p = 0.008), testosterone (p = 0.008), free androgen index (FAI) (p<0.001), fat mass index (FMI) (p = 0.015), android-to-gynoid fat ratio (p = 0.036), and bone mineral density (BMD) at lumbar spine (p = 0.027) and total femur (p = 0.013) than controls. Median appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) was higher in phenotypes A and B than in controls (7.01 [IQR, 6.33–8.02] vs. 6.69 [IQR, 5.94–7.09], p = 0.024), but it did not differ significantly from that in phenotype C (6.60 [IQR, 6.16–7.22], p = 0.222). Even after adjusting for BMI, ALMI correlated positively with creatinine in women with phenotypes A and B (rho = 0.319, p = 0.023) but not in those with phenotype C (p = 0.238) or controls (p = 0.097). In multivariate linear regression analyses, ALMI was positively associated with insulin, FAI, FMI, and total femur BMD. The present results suggest that fasting insulin, FAI, fat mass, and total femur BMD were positively associated with increased lean mass in women with PCOS phenotypes A and B.
An observational study of the presence and variability of the microbiota composition of goat herd milk related to mainstream and artisanal farm management
Authors: Hoving-Bolink Rita A. H. , Antonis Adriaan F. G. , te Pas Marinus F. W. , Schokker Dirkjan
Published: October 2023

Goat milk is produced on mainstream and artisanal farms. It was expected that the farm management may influence the microbial population of the milk. Therefore, we investigated the bacterial content and microbiota composition of raw milk in relation to Dutch goat farm management. After amplicon sequencing we analyzed the taxa at phylum and genus levels, and used the relative values enabling to provide information about the variation among the different samples. On ten farms our results indicated that the number of bacterial colony forming units and microbiota composition of the milk, directly after milking was variable among farms and not related to the farm management system. At the phylum level the phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and to a minor extend Bacteriodota were the dominant phyla in the raw goat milk, together usually comprising 90% of the total bacterial phyla. The most dominant genera were Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Lactococcus, Microbacteria, Acinetobacteria, and Corinebacteria. The number of bacterial phyla and genera does not differ between the mainstream and artisanal farms, although the Shannon index may be numerically higher in the mainstream farms as compared to artisanal farms. In addition, the variability is higher among artisanal farms, which may be due to less standardization of the management. The milk microbiota composition differed among farms. Repeated sampling of a farm showed that this changed over time. The lactic acid producing bacteria showed a similar pattern. Variable microbiota richness amount and diversity of microorganisms were present in different farming systems. We concluded that farm-specific management and sampling moment were the major determining factors for the milk microbiota composition.
arzobispo Talavera, el gramático Alcalá y el impresor Varela. Granada, 1503-1505.
Authors: Cuesta García de Leonardo María José
Published: October 2023

Lo que se pretende con este artículo es ver la consciencia que se tuvo de la importancia de la imagen conformando textos en los inicios de la imprenta en Granada, momento del paso de una sociedad medieval y musulmana a otra humanista y cristiana. Si todas las imágenes elaboradas en esos momentos se utilizaron como motor divulgativo y de cambio ideológico desde los nuevos centros del poder, las impresas también. Observamos los inicios del libro impreso ilustrado en Granada y sus protagonistas.
The Impact of Institutional Factors on Bilateral Migration: the Gravity Approach
Authors: Vasilyeva Rogneda , Voytenkov Valentin , Urazbaeva Alina
Published: October 2023

We explore the impact of institutional factors on bilateral migration among the EU, CIS, and the US by applying the gravity model of migration. We employ instrumental variables methodology (IV-PPML, IV-GMM) and a non-linear estimation approach (NLS) to test our assumptions about the spurring effect of institutional indicators on migration. Empirical results demonstrate a significantly positive effect of economic development and legislative system on migration flows in the sample countries. However, we find that government regulation and political stability decrease migration. We also find that Russia attracts CIS migrants due to cultural and institutional reasons, while the EU and the US accommodate migration due to economic reasons. The crucial role of institutional development as a determinant of international migration is often overlooked in contemporary literature. We generate new insight into the contribution of control for corruption and law, governmental regulation, political stability and democracy, and ease of doing business to migration. Based on the results, we provide some policy implications.
A Critical Analysis of the Neoliberal State-Building in Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Gap Between Aims and Achievements
Authors: Özoflu Melek Aylin , Besgul Bora
Published: October 2023

Despite the long years of political, economic, and military presence of the international community with its remarkable amount of aid, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) still suffers from political instabilities, lack of economic growth, and high rates of unemployment. The Dayton Peace Accords (DPA), which were signed in 1995 to end the violent war turning out ethnic cleansing and caused unforgettable humanitarian and economic loss, built a highly decentralized state with a divided society. Its vision was based on the neoliberal agenda that puts a strong emphasis on the belief that ethnic harmony and sustainable peace would be achieved only through a reconstruction program of neoliberal policies. Against the backdrop of this vision, the absence of intergroup cohesion among distinct ethnic collective identities remains still as a puzzle of the neoliberal state-building agenda of the international community. By highlighting the limitation of state-building in its implementation in BiH, this research aims to give a plausible answer to the puzzle regarding the root causes of why state-building initiatives remain ill-equipped in achieving the formation of the upper level of shared collective identity in BiH. To this end, it will critically discuss the effectiveness –or ineffectiveness– of the Dayton recipe for BiH to build a functional and sovereign state along with an upper level of shared collective identity.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TOOLS FOR ENSURING TECHNOLOGICAL SOVEREIGNTY AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE CHELYABINSK REGION
Authors:   South Ural State University, Khairullina Olga , Solovyeva Irina ,   South Ural State University
Published: October 2023

The article considers the existing mechanisms and problems of interaction between uni-versities, industry and the state for the purpose of effective technology transfer and intensive innovative development. An analysis of existing domestic and foreign studies on the functioning of technology transfer centers (TTCs) is carried out. The key functions inherent in all centers, regardless of their coun-try of origin, and the unique and specific functions of transfer centers are identified. As part of the study, the mechanism for implementing the function of identifying market needs in innovative developments is analyzed in detail using the example of the industry of the Chelyabinsk region: a needs analysis for im-port-substituting products of industrial enterprises of the Chelyabinsk region is carried out; the lists of such products are systematized with the identification of consumers and potential suppliers; the types of products that require technological refinement and the types of equipment, raw materials and compo-nents, in which the domestic industry is experiencing the most acute shortage, are identified. The key re-sult of the study is the development of an architecture for an information and analytical base for as-sessing and analyzing the industry needs for certain types of equipment, raw materials and components, with the possibility of its further automation. The practical significance of the study: the need for digitalization of the functions of technology transfer centers and the creation of a unified information system has been identified. The results obtained are proposed to be used in the development of guidelines for the creation of technology transfer centers in various regions of Russia. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its re-sults at the level of universities, industrial enterprises and the state when implementing import substitu-tion programs and ensuring the technological sovereignty of the domestic economy. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its results at the level of uni-versities, industrial enterprises and the state when implementing import substitution programs and ensur-ing the technological sovereignty of the domestic economy.
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IN RUSSIA: ANALYSIS OF REGIONAL PECULIARITIES
Authors:   South Ural State University, Lyaskovskaya Elena , Prosvirina Irina ,   South Ural State University, Kuchina Elena ,   South Ural State University
Published: October 2023

Managing the level of inequality is an indispensable tool for ensuring sustainable devel-opment and maintaining political stability. The paper systematizes the reasons for the relevance of the problems of economic inequality and its impact on economic development. The results of the analysis of regional features of economic inequality in the Russian Federation are presented. The relationship be-tween the parameters of socio-economic development of 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the period from 2012 to 2022 with indicators of economic inequality is studied. Temporal trends in the income concentration coefficient (Gini index) for the country as a whole and for each of the subjects are identified, their features are determined. Using the k-means method, a cluster analysis of 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation is carried out in terms of socio-economic development and economic inequality. A correlation analysis of the Gini index with the size of GRP per capita and the average value of the average monthly nominal accrued wage is carried out for each cluster, using the values of the indi-cators averaged over an 11-year interval. Scatter plots are constructed and analyzed. Conclusions about the features of economic inequality for each cluster are drawn, and directions for the instrumentalization of socio-economic policy to overcome economic inequality in the regions of the Russian Federation are determined.
MANAGEMENT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING BASED ON MERGER AND ACQUISITION DEALS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE EFFICIENCY OF THE RUSSIAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPLEX
Authors:   Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin, Sterkhov Alexander
Published: October 2023

The article presents a set of solutions proposed by the author for managing strategic plan-ning in the electric power industry based on merger and acquisition deals. The purpose of the study is to develop a methodological approach to the selection of mergers and acquisitions in the implementation of strategies for the development of electric power enterprises. A multi-step algorithm for developing and implementing a strategy is proposed and tested due to the limited number of potential participants in mergers and acquisitions in the electric power industry. The methodological approach is developed using the decision tree method and differs from existing approaches in that it simultaneously takes into account two main indicators of mergers and acquisitions, namely the price of the deal and the probability of its successful completion. The model for assessing the probability of successful completion of merger and acquisition deals as part of the proposed methodological approach is based on the stepwise regression method and confirmed by empirical data on transactions over the previous 20 years. Also, the features of the proposed model for assessing the probability of successful completion of deals include taking into account the type of strategy being implemented, the state of the debt market, as well as a complex of po-litical, economic and social factors formalized in the form of components of the FSI index (fragile state index). To assess the impact of strategies on the state of the industry based on mergers and acquisitions, a system of indicators characterizing the economic and production efficiency of the electric power com-plex has been created. The calculation data have confirmed that an increase in the intensity of mergers and acquisitions as a result of using the proposed methodological approach can lead to solving the prob-lem of updating fixed assets − one of the most important problems in the functioning of the electric power complex of the Russian Federation. The results of the study can be used in the practice of strate-gic planning of Russian power industry enterprises and for the purposes of developing state policy in the electric power industry.
MARKETING ANALYSIS OF RESILIENCE OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE RUSSIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY UNDER CONDITIONS OF EXTERNAL SHOCKS
Authors:   Institute of Marketing, State University of Management, Bystrov Vladimir
Published: October 2023

The article reveals the results of an analysis of resilience of the supply chain at the stage of distribution of finished pharmaceutical products in the Russian pharmaceutical industry against an ag-gressive external marketing environment. The key destabilizing factors for the external environment of the pharmaceutical market are identified and characterized: the Covid-19 epidemic, introduction of man-datory labeling of medicines, overstocking of the pharmaceutical market with the stabilization of the pandemic situation, a sharp increase in geopolitical tensions, and an increase in the sanctions pressure. The decrease in the supply chain resilience at the distribution stage in the Russian pharmaceutical indus-try is proven on the example of the non-prescription drugs segment under the influence of external shocks to the industry. The stability of this trend has been revealed against the background of deepening geopolitical tensions, tightening of the sanctions restrictions, transformation of the Russian advertising market, and the decrease in the purchasing power of the population. The authors have substantiated the need for pharmaceutical companies to adapt to the described situation through developing the automa-tion and digitalization of business, increasing the role of tactical marketing planning, and digitalization of sales and changing the composition of analytical departments.
Education for Women Empowerment: Perceptions and Experiences of Female University Graduates in Rwanda
Authors: Tangwe Abraham Tamukum , Ntakirutimana Edouard , Niyibizi Emmanuel
Published: October 2023

Despite the quantitative representativity of women in decision making in the political bodies and education, less is still known about their post-university experiences at the self- and social levels. The study at hand examines the perceptions and experiences of female university graduates in Rwanda. Personnel curricular planning or quality services frameworks are dependent on representations of a genderless society and rest on a mind-set of presumed objectivity and merit-informed decisions. This paper is centred on education for women empowerment with the focus on their perceptions and experiences as graduates from the universities in Rwanda. The paper’s objective was to understand their empowerment and acceptance by society and assess the level of challenges that they are encountering after higher education. Due to its exploratory nature, a qualitative research approach was adopted to collect data from 7 participants purposely selected from diverse professions. The data were analysed using content analysis with iterative deductive–inductive identifications of themes and from the findings of the study it is expected that the participants would indicate their perception of the change in their status after leaving higher education, the treatment they are confronted with at the level of their families, and the society, the manner in which they perceive themselves with other women who are less educated, and how despite their attainment of tertiary education, they are still confronted with a myriad of challenges. In perspective, this paper would identify policy and research recommendations that can go a long way to stem the tides.
Influencia de la farmacogenética en la diversidad de respuesta a las estatinas asociada a las reacciones adversas
Authors: Sainz de Medrano Sainz Jaime I. , Brunet Serra Mercè
Published: October 2023

Introducción

Las estatinas son unos de los medicamentos más prescritos en los países desarrollados por ser el tratamiento de elección para reducir los niveles de colesterol ayudando así a prevenir la enfermedad cardiovascular. Sin embargo, un gran número de pacientes sufre reacciones adversas, en especial miotoxicidad. Entre los factores que influyen en la diversidad de respuesta, la farmacogenética puede jugar un papel relevante especialmente en la prevención de los efectos adversos asociados a estos medicamentos.

Contenido

Revisión de los conocimientos actuales sobre la influencia de la farmacogenética en la aparición y prevención de las reacciones adversas asociadas a estatinas, así como del beneficio clínico del test farmacogenético anticipado.

Variaciones genéticas en SLCO1B1 (rs4149056) para todas las estatinas; en ABCG2 (rs2231142) para rosuvastatina; o en CYP2C9 (rs1799853 y rs1057910) para fluvastatina están asociadas a un incremento de las reacciones adversas de tipo muscular y a una baja adherencia al tratamiento. Además, diversos fármacos inhibidores de estos transportadores y enzimas de biotransformación incrementan la exposición sistémica de las estatinas favoreciendo la aparición de las reacciones adversas.

Perspectiva

La implementación clínica del análisis anticipado de este panel de farmacogenética evitaría en gran parte la aparición de reacciones adversas. Además, la estandarización en la identificación de los efectos adversos, en la metodología e interpretación del genotipo, permitirá obtener resultados más concluyentes sobre la asociación entre las variantes genéticas del SLCO1B1, ABCG y CYP2C9 y la aparición de reacciones adversas y establecer recomendaciones para alcanzar tratamientos más personalizados para cada estatina.
History of marine mycology – a personal perspective
Authors: Jones E. B. Gareth
Published: October 2023

This article is a personal impression of the key scientists who contributed to the study of marine mycology over past 174 years, especially those the author met during his career studying this unique group of fungi. Marine mycology has been a journey of discovery from a few species to nearly 2000 taxa in nine fungal phyla. Techniques for their study have advanced from morphological observations, to the use of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, to the development of high-throughput sequencing technology and the unravelling of the genomes of selected species. Thoughts on the conservation of marine fungi, their adaptation to climate change and potential role in the decomposition of plastics are briefly considered.
Features and functions of decision support systems for appropriate diagnostic imaging: a scoping review
Authors: Rahimi Fatemeh , Rabiei Reza , Seddighi Amir Saied , Roshanpoor Arash , Seddighi Afsoun , Moghaddasi Hamid
Published: October 2023

Background

Diagnostic imaging decision support (DI-DS) systems could be effective tools for reducing inappropriate diagnostic imaging examinations. Since effective design and evaluation of these systems requires in-depth understanding of their features and functions, the present study aims to map the existing literature on DI-DS systems to identify features and functions of these systems.

Methods

The search was performed using Scopus, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and was limited to 2000 to 2021. Analytical studies, descriptive studies, reviews and book chapters that explicitly addressed the functions or features of DI-DS systems were included.

Results

A total of 6,046 studies were identified. Out of these, 55 studies met the inclusion criteria. From these, 22 functions and 22 features were identified. Some of the identified features were: visibility, content chunking/grouping, deployed as a multidisciplinary program, clinically valid and relevant feedback, embedding current evidence, and targeted recommendations. And, some of the identified functions were: displaying an appropriateness score, recommending alternative or more appropriate imaging examination(s), providing recommendations for next diagnostic steps, and providing safety alerts.

Conclusions

The set of features and functions obtained in the present study can provide a basis for developing well-designed DI-DS systems, which could help to improve adherence to diagnostic imaging guidelines, minimize unnecessary costs, and improve the outcome of care through appropriate diagnosis and on-time care delivery.
Experimental investigations on heat transfer enhancement in a double pipe heat exchanger using hybrid nanofluids
Authors: Somanchi Naga Sarada , Gugulothu Ravi , Tejeswar S. V.
Published: October 2023

Heat exchanger (HE) is an instrument that facilitates the operation of HE between two fluids that are at various temperatures. Double-pipe HEs are used in many organizations because of their low installation, design, maintenance costs, flexibility, and their suitability for high pressure applications. Heat transfer (HT) augmentation techniques (passive, active or compound techniques) are used in heat exchangers to reduce the HT surface area, to increase HT capacity and to reduce pumping power. Passive augmentation techniques are much cheaper and do not involve any external power input. They aim to improve the effective surface area, the residence time of the HT fluid and its thermal conductivity by the usage of nanofluids. Nanofluids are used for cooling applications in organizations, transportation, nuclear reactors, electrical and electronic devices and for biomedical applications. Hybrid nanofluids have higher thermal conductivity, low PD and frictional losses and pumping power as compared to the mono nanofluids. In this present work, experiments are conducted in a double pipe HE using TiO2, and SiC-water nanofluids by varying the volume concentration and cold fluid mass flow rate ranging from 17.5 to 34.5 lpm by making constant hot fluid mass flow rate. Further, experiments are conducted using TiO2–SiC/water hybrid nanofluids. Influence of nano and hybrid nanofluids on the overall HTC and friction factor are experimentally investigated. From the experiments, TiO2–SiC/water hybrid nanofluid with nanoparticle ratio TiO2:SiC = 1:2 is found to be optimum as the heat transfer enhancement is more with less improvement in friction factor. The overall heat transfer, and friction factor enhancement is 22.92 %, and 11.20 % higher respectively when compared with base fluid for TiO2:SiC = 1:2.
The role of pathetic fallacy in shaping narrative empathy
Authors: Stradling Fransina , Pager-McClymont Kimberley
Published: October 2023

One way in which character emotion is communicated in texts is through pathetic fallacy (PF), a figure of speech that projects emotions onto surroundings, which can be conceptualised in terms of variations on the conceptual metaphor emotion is surroundings. This article explores the empathetic affordances of this emotion metaphor, presenting evidence for the ways readers exploit the linguistic forms of PF in Alice Walker’s short story The Flowers to empathise with its protagonist. We draw on think-aloud data and post-reading reflections to analyse evidence of PF perception and empathy, using Pager-McClymont’s protocol for analysing PF perception and Fernandez-Quintanilla’s framework for analysing self-report of empathy. Findings show that (1) PF’s implicit communication of emotions affords empathy even when readers do not recognise the narrative technique, and that (2) specific PF instantiations afford empathy depending on underlying conceptual metaphor, textual context and correspondence with readers’ experiential background.
Exploring the potential of sentiment analysis for the study of negative empathy
Authors: Bonasera Carmen
Published: October 2023

In connection to literature, negative empathy is a sophisticated form of narrative empathy with fictional characters portrayed as markedly evil and seductive at the same time. Several studies on narrative engagement have explored negative empathy mainly from a theoretical perspective. Conversely, empirical approaches have rarely delved into the dynamics of the linguistic construction of the texts studied. To fill this gap, this paper employs computational techniques to investigate the language of a corpus of novels whose characters are particularly apt for the arousal of negative empathy. More specifically, this study uses Sentiment and Emotion Analysis to explore the lexical representation of emotions and to locate fluctuations in the emotional content of the texts. The ultimate aim is to assess both the potential and the vulnerabilities of Sentiment Analysis for detecting emotional shifts in a literary text and thus for revealing the intensity of its emotional content, which may facilitate the readers’ morally challenging engagement with negative characters.
Connecting with the world: poetic synaesthesia, sensory metaphors and empathy
Authors: Anthony-Gerroldt Laure-Hélène
Published: October 2023

Many poems rely on sensory lexis and metaphors, making them amenable to the readerly experience of sensory overlap or fusion that characterizes synaesthesia. Such sensory language can be considered a way to connect with our emotions and bodies, since our bodily experiences directly influence and control many of our other experiences. Synaesthetic metaphors can thus be related to empathy via embodiment, especially when empathy is understood as playing a part in the reader’s or the spectator’s sensory engagement with works of art. In this article, I explore how empathy can derive from our sensory experience of a few poems that may allow embodied reading experiences. Analyzing sensory language in poems by Dadaist Hugo Ball, Romantics John Keats and Wilfred Owen, and Modernist H.D., I contend that loading poetry with sensations could be construed as an attempt to bridge the gap(s) between the body and the mind by stimulating readers’ empathic response.
An overview of recent advances and challenges in predicting compound-protein interaction (CPI)
Authors: Li Yanbei , Fan Zhehuan , Rao Jingxin , Chen Zhiyi , Chu Qinyu , Zheng Mingyue , Li Xutong
Published: October 2023

Compound-protein interactions (CPIs) are critical in drug discovery for identifying therapeutic targets, drug side effects, and repurposing existing drugs. Machine learning (ML) algorithms have emerged as powerful tools for CPI prediction, offering notable advantages in cost-effectiveness and efficiency. This review provides an overview of recent advances in both structure-based and non-structure-based CPI prediction ML models, highlighting their performance and achievements. It also offers insights into CPI prediction-related datasets and evaluation benchmarks. Lastly, the article presents a comprehensive assessment of the current landscape of CPI prediction, elucidating the challenges faced and outlining emerging trends to advance the field.
“Who are you standing with?”: cultural (self-re)translation of a Russian-speaking conference immigrant-interpreter in Israel during the war in Ukraine
Authors: Voinova Tanya
Published: October 2023

The war in Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, has led to a significant civilian involvement in Israel, particularly among immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who began to provide humanitarian assistance, including interpreting. Highlighting the interrelation between translation and migration, I argue that the war strongly affects multiple hybrid identities of immigrant-interpreters who along with interlingual translation engage also in processes of cultural (self-re)translation. Scholarly attention for such experiences has been relatively limited, since most research on interpreting in war and conflict has prioritized interpreter experiences within war struck regions. Little attention has also been devoted to the work of (conference) interpreters who are themselves immigrants. In this autoethnographic study therefore, I present my own experience during the war as both an immigrant from Russia and a conference interpreter who works with Russian and Hebrew. I discuss several aspects pertinent to the immigrant-interpreter experience within and beyond the interpreting practice: being part of a collective of immigrants, involved in humanitarian assistance; negotiating the devaluation of Russian(ness); facing challenges to the (in)visibility, implied in the interpreter’s role; and moving in-between the origin and the host countries.