bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A problem case set for teaching psychophysics and psychophysical modeling
Authors: Utochkin Igor
Published: December 2023

Psychophysics can be considered a methodological core for quantitative studies of perception, as well as attention, memory, decision making, etc. In typical introductory “Sensation and Perception” courses, students usually get a very basic idea of psychophysics and its main concepts. Here, I present an educational problem set for advanced practice in psychophysical data analysis and modeling. It is designed for students interested in a deeper understanding of perception and other cognitive processes and can be used as part of advanced undergraduate and master courses. Each problem case from the set includes a pregenerated data set and a research question that the student should answer by creating a psychophysical model (or several alternative models) and testing it against the data. Importantly, a successful model requires not only basic modeling and coding skills but also encourages deeper understanding of the logic of the method and basic concepts used to interpret behavior in a psychophysical experiment. The article also presents a demonstration case with a detailed tutorial on its solution that can be useful for both students and instructors.
Nature versus nurture in the detection of sour notes
Authors: Demany Laurent , Semal Catherine
Published: December 2023

Culturally prominent musical scales such as the diatonic major scale make use of the simple frequency ratios 2:1, 3:2, and 4:3 between notes. Are these ratios intrinsically advantageous for the perceptual encoding of melodies? We trained 48 young adults to detect "sour notes" in isochronous melodies of pure tones based on various musical scales, including novel ones. Frequency ratio simplicity was manipulated in three experiments employing overall eight scales. On each trial, two successive melodies were presented. Melody 1 randomly ordered the notes defining a certain standard scale, in a randomly selected frequency range. Melody 2 was another random ordering of the same tones, with or without a 1-semitone error in one tone. Listeners had to indicate if melody 2 contained an error or not. The standard scale was fixed within each test session, and feedback was provided on each trial. At least 10 successive test sessions – more than 2000 trials, up to 5280 in some cases – were run for each standard scale. For most of the scales, including the diatonic major scale, practice largely improved performance. Performance was also systematically favored by frequency ratio simplicity. Crucially, the benefit of frequency ratio simplicity was not smaller at the end of practice, when for each scale performance was presumably optimal or nearly optimal, than in the initial test sessions. Thus, frequency ratio simplicity appeared to be intrinsically (i.e., naturally) advantageous, at odds with the idea that its benefit might stem from a musical acculturation process pre-existing to this study.
Intermedia agenda-setting from the far right? Three case studies on spillover effects by alternative media in Germany
Authors: Klawier Tilman
Published: December 2023

Right-wing alternative media can increase their public impact if they succeed to set their issues on the mainstream media’s agenda. In three qualitative case studies, the present article explores whether and how such intermedia agenda-setting occurs in Germany. Special attention is given to spillover effects between different actors, both at the level of attention and tone towards the issues. Furthermore, the analysis of news articles is supplemented with Twitter data to account for the role of social media. Two of the case studies indicate that right-wing alternative media contributed to push pseudo-scandals into the mainstream. The analyses also reveal alternative news outlets with particular agenda-setting power and point to the crucial role of tabloid media as a bridge to the mainstream. The third study, however, which centered on the Global Compact for Migration, presents a case where intermedia agenda-setting failed. Against this background, the article discusses the conditions under which intermedia agenda-setting by right-wing alternative media is likely to occur and how journalists should deal with such attempts.
Decomposing the Role of Childcare Arrangements in Early Educational Inequalities by Socioeconomic Background
Authors: Ghirardi Gaia , Gioachin Filippo
Published: December 2023

This research note investigates how childcare arrangements under age three affect early social inequalities in children’s competencies, relying on a novel decomposition approach (Yu and Elwert 2023). This novel approach offers a comprehensive evaluation of childcare arrangements, revealing, under a potential outcome framework, their overall relevance and the specific channels driving social disparities: unequal exposure (prevalence), heterogeneous effects, and selection (within-group treatment propensity) Using the newborn cohort of the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS - SC1), we assess the impact of early childhood education and care (ECEC), family day-care, grandparental care, and exclusive parental care on children’s competencies in mathematics and vocabulary at ages 4 and 5. Findings reveal center-based ECEC as the most effective in reducing social disparities, benefiting children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Conversely, exclusive parental care and family day-care widen disparities, favoring higher socio-economic groups while negatively affecting those from lower ones. This approach proved highly useful in identifying both beneficial and detrimental impacts, offering valuable insights into the nuanced role of childcare arrangements in shaping early social inequalities in children’s competencies.
COVID-19 Lockdowns and Children’s Access to Justice: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis of Moroccan Family court filings
Authors: Toll Mathew , Li Ang , Chulio Natalia Maystorovich
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 is a social disaster that has affected the operation of judicial systems globally. Access to justice is a vital right that ensures all other rights can be upheld. This study investigates how national lockdown affected the operation of family courts and children’s access to justice in Morocco. National lockdowns were enforced between March 21th and June 10th 2020 in response to the spread of coronavirus. The general closure of civil society was not extended to the judicial system and family courts were expected to continue operating and provide access to protection and justice. How well the court system mentioned to function under the constraints of stay-at-home orders is an open question. To investigate the impact of the national COVID-19 lockdown on family court systems and access to justice for children in Morocco this study used publicly available court filings (N= 77,335) pertaining to child abuse and neglect from 1st January 2020 to 30th December 2020 spanning the pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-lockdown periods. Interrupted time series analysis was conducted to assess the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on court filing outcomes across different case types including penal, civil, complaints, and reports at the national, regional, and court level, controlling for time trends and regional fixed effects. National lockdowns were associated with decrease in cases filed and an increase in the percentages of cases with delays. Average case length differed by case type. Post-lockdown, case numbers recovered however there was large weekly variation likely due to rolling regional lockdowns. Evidence suggests that national lockdowns had a significant adverse impact on the judicial systems ability to provide access to justice for children.
Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Bioethics
Authors: Resnik David
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of biosafety in the biomedical sciences. While it is often assumed that biosafety is purely technical matter that has little to do with philosophy or the humanities, biosafety raises important ethical issues that have not been adequately examined in the scientific or bioethics literature. This article reviews some pivotal events in the history of biosafety and biosecurity and explores three different biosafety topics that generate significant ethical concerns, i.e., risk assessment, risk management, and risk distribution. The article also discusses the role of democratic governance in the oversight of biosafety and offers some suggestions for incorporating bioethics into biosafety practice, education, and policy.
The role of interorganizational collaboration and digital technologies in the implementation of circular economy practices—Empirical evidence from manufacturing firms
Authors: Schöggl Josef Peter , Stumpf Lukas , Baumgarter Rupert J.
Published: December 2023

Interorganizational collaboration and the use of new digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, internet of things (IoT), or blockchain technology, are regarded as key enablers in implementing sustainability and circular economy-oriented practices. While this is reflected in a few conceptual and case studies, statistical analyses on the topic are rare. No study so far has focused on collaboration, and digital technologies have only been studied in isolation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of interorganizational collaboration practices on a firm's circular economy practices and on outcomes (sustainability performance and economic performance), as well as the potentially facilitative role of new digital technologies on both. The research is based on a deductive approach, using a random sample of 112 Austrian manufacturing companies. The study employs partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), features a multiple-respondent design, and uses the dynamic capabilities view as a theoretical foundation. The study finds that interorganizational collaboration practices have a strong positive effect on the implementation of sustainability and CE practices, while the use of new digital technologies and general dynamic capabilities do not. The use of digital technologies positively affects only interorganizational collaboration, while general dynamic capabilities serve as an antecedent for both the use of digital technologies and interorganizational collaboration. Regarding the outcomes of CE implementation, the study finds a positive impact on firm-level sustainability and economic performance. From a theoretical point of view, the study provides a new perspective on the prerequisites for successful CE implementation, highlights the importance of collaboration, and contextualizes the role of new digital technologies and dynamic capabilities. From a practical point of view, based on the positive outcomes found, the study supports arguments in favor of company engagement in CE activity. It also serves to motivate purposive digitization and systems thinking in order to create efficient CE collaboration networks.
Saudi EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development Activities
Authors: Alshumaimeri Yousif , Almohaisen Fahad M.
Published: December 2023

This study explored how often Saudi EFL teachers engage in professional development (PD) activities and how useful these activities were to them for their teaching practices. A random sample of seventy-seven English language teachers in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was selected. Questionnaires were used as a data collection tool. The results showed that discussing lessons with supervisors and sharing ideas informally with colleagues about teaching were the PD activities these teachers do most often. Travelling to other countries for professional development purposes and attending international conferences were the least frequent PD activities that teachers engage in. The most useful PD activities indicated by the teachers were discussing lessons with supervisors and observing other teachers' lessons (peer observation). The study also revealed that two-thirds of the teachers were not satisfied with the PD activities they do at school. The teachers held a range of views about what PD is. The most common view, though, referred to activities which develop teachers' teaching skills. Teachers should view teaching as a professional continuum where professional development is a lifelong learning endeavor.
Experiments offering social media users the choice to avoid toxic political content
Authors: Alqabandi Fatima , Tierney Graham , Bail Christopher A. , Hillygus D. Sunshine , Volfovsky Alexander
Published: December 2023

There is mounting concern about the prevalence of toxic political content on social media. Policy makers and tech leaders have called for platforms to provide users with the choice to avoid such content via algorithmic intervention, but little is known about how such reforms would be received by social media users. We present two survey experiments on a simulated social media platform to examine how choice shapes user's attitudes about content as well as the platforms themselves. We find that most users elect to avoid such content--- and that being offered this choice improves evaluations of the platform. However, offering this choice either has no effects on their attitudes about platform content, or makes them rate the content they view more negatively. Our findings have important implications for future research on political polarization, social psychology, and the growing field of computational social science.
Teaching the New Generation: Some Critical Concerns
Authors: P.M. Suresh Kumar
Published: December 2023

The present-day academic scenario reveals a disturbing trend. Colleges and similar Higher Education Institutions are haunted by innumerable problems arising chiefly from the changed nature and characteristics of students. More than ever before present-day students pose a heterogeneous mix, chiefly segregated into two categories - Those who come with a sense of purpose and intention to study are the first category. The second set is the not-so-interested or serious in studies. They are driven to the institution either as a fulfillment of custom or a result of persuasion from parents or not having any other engagement, or by the sheer notion that sitting through would fetch a degree and getting a degree is a quick way to a job. Barring premier institutes and similar institutions where admission is very competitive, they outnumber others leaving the genuinely interested and strongly motivated students to an obvious minority. These students although take admission, behave indifferently in class, do not obey instructions, do not follow punctuality in attendance, skip classes and examinations, are involved in violence and clashes, indulge in politics, do not pay fees properly and on time, take to drinks and drugs and are disruptive of the positive campus atmosphere. Reared in indisciplined surroundings, achievement orientation, a sense of purpose, and strong life goals are lacking. The task before the teacher is to handle this negative heterogeneity to bring in positive homogeneity. In the modern day, a teacher is expected to be student-friendly for it costs his survival and growth. An unfriendly teacher has no existence in his profession. Battling these innumerable odds, he finds it threatening to wear this suit of idealistic conception. The present study aims to discuss the survival issues of the teachers and what complicates their tasks. The few crucial concerns discussed here are explanatory and not exhaustive.
An Investigation into the Relationship between Financial Technology (Fintech) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Are They Synergistic or Antagonistic?
Authors: Verma Khushbu , Ram Milan  , Batra Akshat
Published: December 2023

An important turning point in the history of modern technology is marked by the G20 India Summit 2023, which fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation. The choices made reflect a global commitment to using technology, ensuring that technological progress will usher in an era of inclusive growth and sustainable development goals, while also laying the foundations for a future that is bright with technical advancements like Fintech. This study aims to explain the connection between Fintech and the SDGs. This study uses secondary data to explain the relationship between Fintech and the Sustainable Development Goals. According to empirical results, progress in the fintech sector and the pursuit of sustainable development goals remain closely and favourably linked. Fintech is now driving the SDGs. Therefore, we should focus more on promoting privacy and security concerns, otherwise, it will no longer be beneficial to economic development. The current descriptive study adds to knowledge about the relationship between fintech and the SDGs as well as the impact of innovation on the socioeconomic progress of developing countries. Empirical data highlight the importance of distinguishing between active and passive Fintech usage to predict its economic impact.
Impacto de la reforma del sistema previsional en la participación de las personas mayores en el mercado de trabajo argentino
Authors: Alós Marcelo , Serio Monserrat
Published: December 2023

El envejecimiento de la población plantea desafíos a las políticas públicas ya que puede configurar menores tasas de ahorro, mayores tasas de consumo y menor oferta laboral. Entender los mecanismos de participación en el mercado laboral de las personas mayores es esencial para generar políticas apropiadas para mitigar, en parte, los desafíos del envejecimiento. En esa dirección, este trabajo indaga el impacto de una modificación de la legislación argentina para acceder a los beneficios de vejez que se realizó en el sistema previsional en 2006 (conocida como moratoria) en el mercado laboral de las personas mayores. Así, a partir de una estrategia empírica con base en el estimador de diferencias en diferencias, se verifica la dirección y la magnitud de la repercusión de la reforma, y se cuantifica el efecto causal en la tasa de participación laboral de las personas mayores. Los resultados obtenidos indican que la moratoria causó una baja en la tasa de participación laboral de 7 puntos porcentuales (p.p.), con diferencias según el sexo. Los resultados se mantienen cuando son sometidos a pruebas de robustez.
Return to Shalamov
Authors: Ter-Abramyants A. P.
Published: December 2023

The essay considers V. Shalamov’s gulag experiences that inspired his Kolyma Tales [Kolymskie rasskazy]. In this commentary on Shalamov’s work, A. Ter-Abramyants examines his personal perspective as a reader who first got hold of Kolyma Tales in the Brezhnev era, long before the book was officially published in the Soviet Union. While most gulag survivors tried to bury the memories of the camp in the deepest recesses of their mind, Shalamov poured out his experiences onto the pages of Kolyma Tales. He was convinced that, unless touched by art, nothing can survive the passing of time. He believed he owed it to the millions of gulag victims to immortalize their memory in art, despite the fact that disclosing the prison camp goings-on was severely punishable as treason. Shalamov succeeded in depicting the scale and impact of Stalin-era dehumanization: prison camps engendered loathing of labour and the discouragement of forming friendships, sharing or thinking, as even a mental activity depleted one’s physical resources. Shalamov’s powerful writings transform the reader from a bystander into a witness of crimes against humanity that defy any statute of limitation.
Vladimir Voynovich: ‘I want to be honest’
Authors: Essipov V. M.
Published: December 2023

In his memoir essay, Viktor Essipov, Vladimir Voynovich’s old friend, discusses some landmarks in the writer’s life. After penning the popular cosmonauts’ anthem that Nikita Khrushchev really admired, Voynovich was bound to have a successful songwriting career. Instead, he decided to apply himself to prose, becoming one of the most recognizable writers. Published in the West without the author’s knowledge, his novel The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin [Zhizn i neobychaynye priklyucheniya soldata Ivana Chonkina] earned him international fame. The article examines how the topic of betrayal is developed across Voynovich’s works: the early novella Two Friends [Dva tovarishcha] (1969), another novella The Hat [Shapka] (1988), and the short story ‘I Want to Be Honest’ [‘Khochu byt chestnym’] (1989). Voynovich always resented falsehoods spread by the authorities and was actively engaged in the protection of unjustly persecuted compatriots. Similarly, he never hesitated to stand up for his own rights as a writer and a citizen. Because of such a stance, the authorities treated Voynovich as a dissident for years, until eventually forcing him into emigration.
‘Let us play a game of decadence…’
Authors: Fokin S. L.
Published: December 2023

The article polemizes with V. Milchina’s paper that focused on the discussion of the problem of decadence and/or decay in French and Russian intellectual cultures. The author examines several texts that feature the general cultural concept of decay in its meaning of decadence as used in literature in close relation to the concepts of modernity and nihilism. Based on his reconstruction of C. Baudelaire’s polemic with the French writer Barbey d,Aurevilly, S. Fokin concludes that, thanks to their literary dispute, the French word décadence developed a new literary, political, psychological, social, and, most importantly, modern (in reference to modernity) sense, which separates this lexeme from its earlier historical and general cultural meaning of decay. Following an overview of Nietzsche’s latter reaction to Baudelaire’s work, the author emphasizes the concept of ‘the consciousness of decadence,’ which is supposed to reveal the problematic nature of the use of décadence as the name of a literary movement. It refers to a matter more substantial, but also fleeting, transient, and ephemeral — in other words, modern, and therefore, a phenomenon of literary fashion.
Literature of testimony between oblivion and deliberate omission
Authors: Filimonova K. L.
Published: December 2023

Prison camp texts constitute a very important stratum of 20th-c. literature. On their way to the reader, they overcome the barriers of fear and reluctance to immerse oneself into a complex and traumatic narrative, a recurrent risk of oblivion, and repeated suppression by censorship — on behalf of the authorities and educational institutions as well as society in general. Russian and Polish literature about gulags not only shares the same trauma and publication destiny, but also common topics, methods, and approaches to describing the unutterable experience. Two writers that embody this process — Herling-Grudziński and Shalamov — never met in person, but succeeded in conveying essential messages to the reader about the destructive and corrupting effect of a prison camp, the senselessness of forced labour, and the dehumanization and degradation of a person trapped in such an environment. The literary dialogue between the two authors contains a powerful system of reference for the study of 20th-c. Polish and Russian prison camp prose.
TOURISM CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES IN THE MOUNTAINOUS AJARA: ON THE BESHUMI RESORT EXAMPLE
Authors: Merab Putkaradze  , Landa Putkaradze  , Sandro Duadze
Published: December 2023

Keeping the population in the mountainous regions and their social and economic development is one of the significant challenges of modern times. Therefore sustainable development of highlands highly depends on the rational usage of local natural resources. In this line, the priority is given to touristic-recreational resources in the mountainous Ajara, which are not completely assimilated yet. Touristic-recreational resources of mountain-climatic resort Beshumi and the properties of its application for touristic purposes are studied in the work via the application of traditional and modern methods. The development level of the tourism industry and originalities of tourists` dynamics are established. Potential of tourists` transmittance is evaluated and the challenges existed towards the resort are determined. Local population`s attitude towards the tourism is found out, an in line with fields of regional economy - tourism priorities are evaluated and its further development perspectives are set.
MEDIATION MODEL OF SELF-EFFICACY ON STUDENT ENTREPRENEURIAL INTEREST
Authors: Siska Ernawati Fatimah  , Popo Suryana
Published: December 2023

Unemployment in Indonesia presents a pressing social issue that demands attention and resolution. This research aims to enhance the entrepreneurial interest of Indonesian university graduates as a potential solution to the unemployment problem. The study primarily focuses on understanding the role of the family environment in shaping individual character and as a platform for instilling entrepreneurial values. Entrepreneurship education is considered a pivotal factor in developing entrepreneurial skills, which, in turn, stimulate the growth of entrepreneurial interest, spirit, and higher self-efficacy levels among students. The findings of this research provide compelling evidence that family background and entrepreneurship education significantly contribute to boosting students' entrepreneurial interest. This plays a vital role in addressing the unemployment challenge. By nurturing entrepreneurial aspirations among graduates, the study promotes entrepreneurship as a viable career choice in Indonesia. Consequently, it aids in curbing unemployment rates by empowering graduates with the skills and mindset needed for entrepreneurial success. This research underscores the potential for family influence and entrepreneurship education to serve as effective tools in encouraging entrepreneurial interest among students, contributing to a more sustainable solution to unemployment.
FACTORS OF CHANGES IN DEMAND FOR THE USE OF FREIGHT WAGONS JSC “UKRZALIZNYTSYA”
Authors: Malitskiy Vitalij  , Reznik Nadiia
Published: December 2023

Providing a freight car for use is an integral part of the service of organizing the transportation of goods by railway transport. More than 600 companies offer wagons for use on the rail freight market. The largest owner of freight cars is JSC “Ukrzaliznytsya”. The company currently owns more than half of the freight wagons that are being loaded. At the same time, customers order no more than 30% [1]. This shows that the demand for the company's freight wagons is currently low. This leads to loss of income. This situation is due to the influence of various external and internal factors. Their determination and analysis will allow to change the situation with the demand for the company's freight wagons.
К вопросу об этиологии и патогенезе атеросклероза
Authors: Vitruk S. K.
Published: December 2023

На підставі власних досліджень і досліджень інших авторів обгрунтовані етіологія і пато-генез атеросклерозу, доведена неспроможність існуючої концепції про головну роль порушення ліпідного обміну й атерогенності ліпопротеїдів низької (ЛПНП) і дуже низької (ЛПОНП) щільності. Встановлені основні етіологічні чинники ушкодження інтими артерії і причини про-никнення ліпопротеїдів в інтиму вже після її ушкодження. Визначено, що розвиток і прогрес атеросклерозу не залежать також від кількісного вмісту ЛПНП в крові і від нормалізації їх під впливом лікарських засобів. Згідно з даними наших досліджень, атеросклероз – поліетіологічна хронічна хвороба, основою патогенезу якої є порушення кровопостачання в стінці артерії (хронічна мікроциркуляторна недостатність), зухвале її ушкодження, в першу чергу інтими з її найуразливішою мікроциркуляцією; токсико-запальні ушкодження інтими в результаті безпосередньої дії ендогенних і екзогенних чинників; руйнування антиагрегаційних і фібринолітичних властивостей інтими з пригніченням пристіннно-інтимального фібринолізу з гіперкоагуляцією крові в місцях її ушкодження; формування атеросклеротичної бляшки з пошаровим відкладенням ліпопротеїдів в результаті циклічного процесу, що сприяє відновленню ними пристінної рівноваги між зсідаючою і антизсідаючою системами крові.
Біомаркери та фактори ризику серцево-судинних уражень у хворих на цукровий діабет типу 2
Authors: Prystupіuk O. M.
Published: December 2023

Вміст глікованого гемоглобіну – біомаркера цукрового діабету – у хворих на цукровий діабет (ЦД) типу 2 корелює з факторами ризику серцево-судинних уражень: артеріальною гіпертензією, збільшенням індексу маси тіла та співвідношенням загальний холестерин/холестерин ліпопротеїнів високої щільності. Тому підвищення вмісту глікованого гемоглобіну у хворих на ЦД типу 2 слід розглядати як предиктор серцево-судинних уражень.
Olfactory groove meningiomas: supraorbital keyhole versus orbitofrontal, frontotemporal, or bifrontal approaches
Authors: Bander Evan D. , Pandey Abhinav , Yan Jenny , Giantini-Larsen Alexandra M. , Schwartz Alexandra , Estin Joshua , Stieg Phillip E. , Ramakrishna Rohan , Tsiouris Apostolos John , Schwartz Theodore H.
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVE

Olfactory groove meningiomas (OGMs) often require surgical removal. The introduction of recent keyhole approaches raises the question of whether these tumors may be better treated through a smaller cranial opening. One such approach, the supraorbital keyhole craniotomy, has never been compared with more traditional open transcranial approaches with regard to outcome. In this study, the authors compared clinical, radiographic, and functional quality of life (QOL) outcomes between the keyhole supraorbital approach (SOA) and traditional transcranial approach (TTA) for OGMs. They sought to examine the potential advantages and disadvantages of open/TTA versus keyhole SOA for the resection of OGMs in a relatively case-matched series of patients.

METHODS

A retrospective, single-institution review of 57 patients undergoing a keyhole SOA or larger traditional transcranial (frontotemporal, pterional, or bifrontal) craniotomy for newly diagnosed OGMs between 2005 and 2023 was performed. Extent of resection, olfaction, length of stay (LOS), radiographic volumetric assessment of postoperative vasogenic and cytotoxic edema, and QOL (using the Anterior Skull Base Questionnaire) were assessed.

RESULTS

Thirty-two SOA and 25 TTA patients were included. The mean EOR was not significantly different by approach (TTA: 99.1% vs SOA: 98.4%, p = 0.91). Olfaction was preserved or improved at similar rates (TTA: 47% vs SOA: 43%, p = 0.99). The mean LOS was significantly shorter for SOA patients (4.1 ± 2.8 days) than for TTA patients (9.4 ± 11.2 days) (p = 0.002). The authors found an association between an increase in postoperative FLAIR cerebral edema and TTA (p = 0.031). QOL as assessed by the ASQB at last follow-up did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.74).

CONCLUSIONS

The keyhole SOA was associated with a statistically significant decrease in LOS and less postoperative edema relative to traditional open approaches.
Assessing the impact of obesity on full endoscopic spine surgery: surgical site infections, surgery durations, early complications, and short-term functional outcomes
Authors: Leyendecker Jannik , Benedict Braeden , Gumbs Chayanne , Eysel Peer , Bredow Jan , Telfeian Albert , Derman Peter , Kashlan Osama , Amin Anubhav , Konakondla Sanjay , Hofstetter Christoph P. , Ogunlade John
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVE

An increasing number of obese patients undergoing elective spine surgery has been reported. Obesity has been associated with a substantially higher number of surgical site infections and a longer surgery duration. However, there is a lack of research investigating the intersection of obesity and full endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) in terms of functional outcomes and complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate wound site infections and functional outcomes following FESS in obese patients.

METHODS

Patients undergoing lumbar FESS at the participating institutions from March 2020 to March 2023 for degenerative pathologies were included in the analysis. Patients were divided into obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) and nonobese (BMI 18–30 kg/m2) groups. Data were collected prospectively using an approved smartphone application for 3 months postsurgery. Parameters included demographics, surgical details, a virtual wound checkup, the visual analog scale for back and leg pain, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) as a functional outcome measure.

RESULTS

A total of 118 patients were included in the analysis, with 53 patients in the obese group and 65 in the nonobese group. Group homogeneity was satisfactory regarding patient age (obese vs nonobese: 55.5 ± 14.7 years vs 59.1 ± 17.1 years, p = 0.25) and sex (p = 0.85). No surgical site infection requiring operative revision was reported for either group. No significant differences for blood loss per level (obese vs nonobese: 9.7 ± 16.8 ml vs 8.0 ± 13.3 ml, p = 0.49) or duration of surgery per level (obese vs nonobese: 91.2 ± 57.7 minutes vs 76.8 ± 39.2 minutes, p = 0.44) were reported between groups. Obese patients showed significantly faster improvement regarding ODI (−3.0 ± 9.8 vs 0.7 ± 11.3, p = 0.01) and leg pain (−4.4 ± 3.2 vs −2.9 ± 3.7, p = 0.03) 7 days postsurgery. This effect was no longer significant 90 days postsurgery for either ODI (obese vs nonobese: −11.4 ± 11.4 vs −9.1 ± 9.6, p = 0.24) or leg pain (obese vs nonobese: −4.3 ± 3.9 vs −3.5 ± 3.8, p = 0.28).

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlight the effectiveness and safety of lumbar FESS in obese patients. Unlike with open spine surgery, obese patients did not experience significant increases in surgery time or postoperative complications. Interestingly, obese patients demonstrated faster early recovery, as indicated by significantly greater improvements in ODI and leg pain at 7 days after surgery. However, there was no difference in improvement between the groups at 90 days after surgery.
Localization of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas from the spatial relationships of perimedullary vessels on standard MRI
Authors: Moosavi Ali , Kalapos Paul , Church Ephraim W. , Cockroft Kevin M. , Thamburaj Krishnamoorthy
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVE

The goal in this study was to explore the spatial relationship of perimedullary vessels visualized on MRI to localize the side and the site of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 30 consecutive patients diagnosed with SDAVF on MRI was undertaken. Two experienced reviewers blinded to all reports and angiographic images analyzed T2-weighted as well as postcontrast T1-weighted sequences. A focal prominent zone of perimedullary vessels with lateralization to one side in the thecal space was evaluated to locate the side and the site of the fistula. Spinal digital subtraction angiography served as the gold standard technique.

RESULTS

Good interrater agreement (κ = 0.77) was shown for the diagnosis of SDAVF with perimedullary vessels on T2-weighted MRI. Flow voids on T2-weighted MRI demonstrated a sensitivity of 1.0 (95% CI 1.0–1.0) and an accuracy of 0.87 (95% CI 0.79–0.95) to identify the presence of fistula. The flow voids on T2-weighted MRI also demonstrated 0.88 (95% CI 0.71–1.03) sensitivity and 0.81 (95% CI 0.70–0.92) accuracy to identify the side of SDAVF. Furthermore, flow voids on T2-weighted MRI showed 0.87 (95% CI 0.71–1.03) sensitivity and 0.87 (95% CI 0.79–0.95) accuracy to identify the site of SDAVF within 3 vertebral levels above or below the actual site. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated significant results (0.87 [95% CI 0.73–1.0]; p < 0.001) for flow voids on T2-weighted MRI to identify the site of shunts within 3 vertebral levels in the cranial or caudal direction.

CONCLUSIONS

Spatial distribution of perimedullary vessels observed on standard MRI show promise to locate the side and the site of fistula in patients with SDAVF.
Nomogram for preoperative estimation of symptomatic subdural hygroma risk in pediatric intracranial arachnoid cysts
Authors: Zhao Heng , Chen Yufan , Tian Shuaiwei , Wang Baocheng , Zhao Yang , Ma Jie
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVE

The occurrence and predictors of symptomatic subdural hygroma (SSH) subsequent to the fenestration of pediatric intracranial arachnoid cysts (IACs) are unclear. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the likelihood of an SSH following IAC fenestration and the impact on operative efficacy with the ultimate goal of constructing a nomogram.

METHODS

The medical records of 1782 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were reviewed. Among these patients, a training cohort (n = 1214) underwent surgery during an earlier period and was used for the development of a nomogram. The remaining patients formed the validation cohort (n = 568) and were used to confirm the performance of the developed model. The development of the nomogram involved the use of potential predictors, while internal validation was conducted using a bootstrap-resampling approach.

RESULTS

SSH was detected in 13.2% (160 of 1214) of patients in the training cohort and in 11.1% (63 of 568) of patients in the validation cohort. Through multivariate analysis, several factors including Galassi type, IAC distance to the basal cisterns, temporal bulge, midline shift, IAC shape in the coronal view, area of the stoma, and artery location near the stoma were identified as independent predictors of SSH. These 7 predictors were used to construct a nomogram, which exhibited a concordance statistic (C-statistic) of 0.826 and demonstrated good calibration. Following internal validation, the nomogram maintained good calibration and discrimination with a C-statistic of 0.799 (95% CI 0.665–0.841). Patients who had nomogram scores < 30 or ≥ 30 were considered to be at low and high risk of SSH occurrence, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The predictive model and derived nomogram achieved satisfactory preoperative prediction of SSH. Using this nomogram, the risk for an individual patient can be estimated, and the appropriate surgery can be performed in high-risk patients.
Safety and efficacy of intrathecal baclofen trials for the treatment of hypertonia: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Abdelmageed Sunny , Horak Victoria Jane , Mossner James , Wang Ryan , Krater Timothy , Raskin Jeffrey S.
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVE

Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) is an effective treatment for refractory hypertonia in children. ITB has long been effective for the treatment of spasticity, and indications have naturally evolved to include dystonia and mixed pediatric movement disorders (PMDs). The established uses for ITB trials are insurance prerequisite, mixed tone, and family request. Despite agreement for ITB therapy by a multidisciplinary group of subspecialists in a complex PMD program, insurance companies often require an ITB trial be performed. A longitudinal cohort was identified to determine the safety and efficacy of ITB trials and to determine the utility of test dosing in this population.

METHODS

Retrospective data analysis was performed for patients with hypertonia who underwent ITB bolus trials at the authors’ institution between 2021 and 2023. Nonmodifiable risk factors and clinical variables were collected.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients (11 female) underwent 32 ITB trials. Of these patients, 67.7% had a diagnosis of mixed hypertonia, 32.3% pure spasticity, and 9.1% secondary dystonia. The mean age at test dose was 12.8 years, and 58.1% of patients were born premature. The mode Gross Motor Function Classification System score was 5. The mean difference in Barry-Albright Dystonia Scale (BADS) scores was −7.33 points (p = 0.01) at 2.5 hours postoperatively. The mean difference in upper-extremity modified Ashworth Scale (mAS) scores was −5.36 points (p = 0.003), and that for lower-extremity mAS scores was −6.61 (p < 0.001). In total, 21.9% of patients developed a post–dural puncture headache. Conversion to a permanent baclofen pump was performed in 22/32 (68.8%) patients. Of those who did not pursue pump placement, 1 patient had high surgical risk, 1 had an ineffective response, 1 had a bad reaction to the test dose and cited both regression and increased discomfort, and 2 declined despite an effective trial owing to family preferences.

CONCLUSIONS

ITB trials require hospitalization in some form and carry risks of procedural complications. The decision to pursue a trial should be made on a case-by-case basis by clinicians and should not be determined by insurance companies. The complication rate of ITB trials is high, and a test dose is unnecessary in this fragile population.
Tipologías de la gobernanza territorial en la pesca de langosta espinosa en las reservas de la biósfera de Sian Ka'an y Banco Chinchorro, Quintana Roo, México
Authors: Velázquez Durán Víctor Manuel , Rosales Ortega Rocío
Published: December 2023

El objetivo del artículo consiste en construir tipologías de las dinámicas de la gobernanza territorial en torno a la organización de la pesca de langosta espinosa en las reservas de la biósfera de Sian Ka'an y Banco Chinchorro, en Quintana Roo, México. Con base en el estudio de la organización social y las redes que los pescadores construyen con actores externos, elaboramos tres tipologías de gobernanza que explican las diversas trayectorias de desarrollo de las seis comunidades de pescadores que se ubican en las dos reservas: 1) la gobernanza participativa e incluyente se construye en ambientes de confianza que permiten procesos de toma de decisiones más equitativos y la construcción de instituciones sólidas para la preservación del recurso langostero; 2) la gobernanza excluyente y en conflicto se caracteriza por tener capacidades limitadas para la cooperación y la acción colectiva, lo cual se expresa en acuerdos poco democráticos e instituciones frágiles para la conservación ambiental; y 3) la gobernanza en transición hacia la inclusión se presenta en territorios donde se está reconstruyendo el tejido social comunitario para generar una cultura de la pesca responsable. Concluimos que la construcción de tipologías de gobernanza ayuda a comprender la complejidad de los procesos de negociación que resultan en una gran variedad de arreglos institucionales y trayectorias de desarrollo de las organizaciones de pescadores a escala local.
Regulation of trade and supply by the government of general Denikin during the Russian Civil War
Authors: Medvedev Valentin G.
Published: December 2023

The article examines the little-studied problem of state regulation of trade and supply in the territory of the South of Russia in historical and legal science. It is revealed that until the summer of 1919, the Denikin government regulated the commodity distribution sphere based on pre-revolutionary legislation on the grain monopoly and the distribution of grain and fodder in the provinces. In the summer, the legislator abolished the grain monopoly, but introduced compulsory military service for the supply of food and fodder to the army. It is established that the government's hopes for the procurement of agricultural products through cooperatives did not justify themselves due to unsuccessful administration to establish low and unprofitable purchase prices for peasants at a high cost of the industrial goods they need, as well as due to delays in payment for the deliveries made and unsatisfactory organization of commercial transportation. It is revealed that the involvement of large private traders and firms in the supply of grain and fodder after the abolition of the grain monopoly led to the corruption of the state apparatus, rampant speculation and the formation of a black market, which the government failed to cope with, despite the adoption of a rather harsh law on speculation. It is stated that the legislative and administrative activities of the government in the field of trade and supply were not able to provide the army with food, fodder and equipment. Because of which the commanders of the units were forced, in violation of the law, to engage in self-sufficiency of their troops by conducting requisitions that caused outrage among peasants or exchanging captured trophies for food.
Canonical Law in modern theological and legal cognitionю V.V. Bagan. Genesis and ontology of the Canonical Law of the Orthodox Church: scientific-theological and scientific-legal research
Authors: Ovchinnikov Aleksey
Published: December 2023

The review article reveals the significance for modern legal science of the monograph of Priest Vladislav Bagan (Bagan Vladislav V.), dedicated to the scientific-theological and theoretical-legal understanding, generalization and conceptual explanation of the Canonical Law of the Orthodox Church. There is a high level of theoretical generalizations and the importance of this kind of research for modern legal understanding. Among the advantages of the work: a deep analysis of the ontological foundations of Canon Law in the context of the problems of legal understanding, a description of the essence of law in the Orthodox worldview; recognition of the Canon Law of the Orthodox Church as the most important element of the Rule of Law of post-secular society; description of the main directions, schools and concepts of Canon Law; review of the largest studies in the field of Canon Law and a number of others.
Hubungan Pengetahuan tentang Kesehatan Gigi dan Mulut dengan Kejadian Kehilangan Gigi Posterior pada Santriwati di Pondok Pesantren
Authors: Munawarah Husnadatul , Rahman Waljuni Astu , Sari Emilda , Nuryati Sri
Published: December 2023

Masalah kesehatan gigi dan mulut salah satunya adalah masalah kehilangan gigi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan pengetahuan tentang kesehatan gigi dan mulut dengan kejadian kehilangan gigi posterior pada santriwati Tingkat Ulya di Pondok Pesantren Martapura. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian analitik dengan rancangan penelitian menggunakan Cross Sectional. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan Total Sampling dengan jumlah sampel 56 orang. Berdasarkan penelitian ini didapatkan pengetahuan tentang kesehatan gigi dan mulut lebih banyak dalam kategori pengetahuan baik yaitu 71,4 % dan untuk kejadian kehilangan gigi posterior lebih banyak dalam kategori sehat yaitu 71,4 %. Hasil uji Chi-Square didapatkan hasil p-value hitung < p-value alpha (0,05), yaitu 0,042 < 0,05 sehingga Ho ditolak Kesimpulan yang didapatkan ada hubungan pengctahuan tentang kesehatan gigi dan mulut dengan kejadian kehilangan gigi posterior pada santriwati tingkat Ulya di Pondok Pesantren Martapura.
PERBANDINGAN KADAR ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE BERDASARKAN FREKUENSI TRANSFUSI DARAH PASIEN TALASEMIA β MAYOR DI RSD BANJARBARU
Authors: Rahmawati  , Oktiyani Neni , Kustiningsih Yayuk , Cahyono Jujuk Anton
Published: December 2023

Talasemia merupakan kelainan darah bawaan yang diakibatkan adanya gangguan sintesis hemoglobin di dalam sel darah merah yang mengharuskan mereka untuk mendapatkan transfusi secara rutin. Transfusi yang berulang-ulang dapat menyebabkan penumpukan zat besi dalam tubuh terutama organ hati, sehingga menyebabkan kadar  Alanine Aminotransferase meningkat. Penelitian bertujuan mengetahui perbandingan kadar ALT berdasarkan frekuensi transfusi darah pada penderita talasemia β mayor di RSD Banjarbaru. Penelitian ini menggunakan jenis penelitian survei analitik. Teknik pengambilan menggunakan teknik accidental sampling. Hasil penelitian sebanyak 9 orang (30%) subjek penelitian memiliki kadar ALT diatas normal. Hasil pemeriksaan kadar ALT transfusi darah 2 minggu sekali kisaran 15-70 U/L, 3 minggu sekali kisaran 30-51 U/L, dan 4 minggu sekali kisaran 12-41 U/L. berdasarkan Uji One Way Anova didapatkan signifikansi (p = 0,044) yang berarti terdapat perbedaan bermakna paling tidak antar 2 kelompok. Kesimpulan ada perbedaan yang bermakna antara kadar ALT dengan frekuensi transfusi darah.