bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PROFESIONALNA ORIJENTACIJA ZA STEM ZANIMANJA
Authors: Milošević Sanda
Published: October 2023

Odgoj savremenog čovjeka u uslovima snažnog razvoja nauke i tehnologije stavlja pred školu visoke zahtjeve. Škola mora uložiti veliki napor da mlade generacije pripremi za budući život. Razvoj i jačanje informatičkih i tehničkih kompetencija u obrazovanju aktuelna je tema i važna je društvu koje želi da prati savremene tokove napretka. Cilj takvog obrazovanja je i jačanje naučne kompetencije. Važno je potaknuti djecu i mlade da istraže različite grane nauke, kako unutar tako i izvan škole. Učenici završnog razreda osnovne škole dobijaju pomoć za odabir srednje škole. a taj proces podrazumijeva informisanje o programima i zahtjevima za upis u srednju školu, kao i profesionalnu orijentaciju u kancelariji školskog psihologa, pedagoga. Ova praksa je ustaljena već dugo i moramo se zapitati nije li vrijeme da se sa profesionalnom orijentacijom učenika počinje mnogo ranije, otkrivanjem sklonosti prema određenim oblastima i podrškom za razvoj talenata i usmjaravanjem u toku školovanja. Procesu se mora pristupiti timski, pa uz pedagoge i nastavnike svakako je potrebno da se uključe i roditelji učenika. Nauka je dio društvene interakcije i kao takva integriše se kroz pedagoške inovacije u formalno i neformalno obrazovanje od ranog (predškolskog) do visokoškolskog obrazovanja. Istraživanjem su obuhvaćeni učenici, nastavnici i roditelji iz Republike Hrvatske i BiH. Prikupljanjem stavova i mišljenja učesnika obrazovnog procesa analizirana je postojeća praksa učenja i podučavanje za održivi razvoj koja inače podrazumijeva dobro isplaniranu strategiju kako na globalnom tako i na nacionalnom nivou. Provedeno istraživanje ima i praktične implikacije, odnosno ukazuje na potrebu da se u obrazovnoj praksi ostvare neke promjene koje će doprinjeti boljem pristupu STEM obrazovanja.
ODGOVORNOST DRŽAVA U MEĐUNARODNOJ ZAJEDNICI ZA ŠTETU NASTALU ZAGAĐENJEM ŽIVOTNE SREDINE
Authors: Petrović Željko
Published: October 2023

Međunarodna odgovornost države jeste odgovornost za povredu međunarodnog prava. Država može biti odgovorna zbog povrede međunarodnog ugovora, običaja ili opštih pravnih načela međunarodnog prava. U tim slučajevima postoji oštećeni subjekt prema kojem odgovorna država ima obavezu da ispravi navedenu povredu, te se to rješava diplomatskim putem, putem pregovora ili sudskih ili kvazisudskih organa. Država može da načini štetu zagađenjem životne sredine. U tom slučaju radi se o posebnoj vrsti odgovornosti države. Stvaranjem svijesti o značaju životne sredine javila se potreba da se na međunarodnom planu reguliše zaštita životne sredine, odnosno pitanje odgovornosti za pričinjenu štetu na ovaj način. Rad se bavi analizom odgovornosti države za štetu nastalu zagađenjem životne sredine, pozivajući se na niz međunarodnih dokumenata iz ove oblasti sa ciljem da se utvrde međunarodni okviri u kojima je ova oblast pravno regulisana.
ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS GOALS OF THE ROAD-TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION USING BALANCED SCORECARD (ON PRACTICAL EXAMPLE)
Authors: Pravdić Predrag , Đorđević Violeta
Published: October 2023

The Balanced Scorecard method retains measures of economical and management performance and supplements these measures with internal and external factors that drive future performances. An organization’s balanced scorecard can be established according to its mission, vision, and strategy. The balanced scorecard includes a series of targets and measurements and instructs members about the causeand-effect relationship in the organization’s strategy. In this paper authors have shown the use of BSC in road-traffic organization`s goals and how these goals and organizations perspectives can be improved.
RAČUNOVODSKE INFORMACIJE – PODLAGA ODLOČITEV O ZAPOSLOVANJU IN NAGRAJEVANJU V POLICIJI
Authors: Ambrožič Urška , Grivec Malči
Published: October 2023

Policija kot organ v sestavi Ministrstva za notranje zadeve RS predstavlja pomemben delež zaposlenih v javni upravi. V zadnjem desetletju se policija srečuje z velikimi varnostnimi izzivi, kot so povečani tokovi nedovoljenih migracij, nove oblike kriminala, prometna preobremenjenost avtocest ter tudi negotove razmere med epidemijo covida-19, ki jih mora policija obvladovati ob omejenih kadrovskih, prostorskih in materialno-tehničnih zmogljivostih. Učinkovitost in uspešnost policije v dinamični interakciji delovanja ljudi in naravnih sil, ki vplivajo na splošno stanje javne varnosti, pa sta v veliki meri odvisni od njenih človeških virov. V prispevku predstavimo, katere (računovodske) informacije so pomembne za odločanje, ter opredelimo osnovne pojme, kot so računovodstvo, računovodstvo v javni upravi, in tudi kaj je javna uprava. V empiričnem delu predstavimo število zaposlenih v javni upravi v primerjavi s številom vseh zaposlenih v Sloveniji, prav tako predstavimo število zaposlenih policistov v primerjavi s številom sistematiziranih delovnih mest v policiji. Za konec pa naredimo še primerjavo med povprečno mesečno bruto plačo v javni upravi, v primerjavi s povprečno mesečno plačo vseh zaposlenih v Sloveniji in s povprečno mesečno plačo policistov v zadnjih desetih letih.
Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram Estimation Considering Traffic Flow Condition of Road Network
Authors: Deng Xiaoli , Hu Yao
Published: October 2023

A macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) is an important basis for road network research. It describes the functional relationship between the average flow and average density of the road network. We proposed an MFD estimation method based on the traffic flow condition. Firstly, according to statistical theories, the road network data are divided into three traffic flow conditions (free flow, chaotic and congested) bounded by a 95% confidence interval of the maximum traffic capacity of each intersection in the road network. Then, in each condition, we combined principal component analysis and the Jolliffe B4 method to reduce dimension for extracting critical intersections. Finally, the full-scale dataset of the road network was reconstructed to estimate the road network MFD. Through numerical simulation and empirical research, it is found that the root mean square error and absolute percentage error between estimated MFD and true MFD considering the traffic flow condition are smaller than those without considering the traffic flow condition. The MFD estimation and the division of the traffic states of the road network were completed at the same time. The proposed method effectively saves the time cost of road network research and is highly accurate.
Use of Structural Equation Modelling and Neural Network to Analyse Shared Parking Choice Behaviour
Authors: Zhu Yi , Chen Shuyan , Wu Ying , Qiao Fengxiang , Ma Yongfeng
Published: October 2023

The shared parking mode represents a feasible solution to the persistent problem of parking scarcity in urban areas. This paper aims to examine the shared parking choice behaviours using a combination of structural equation modelling (SEM) and neural network, taking into account both the parking location characteristics and the travellers’ characteristics. Data were collected from a commercial district in Nanjing, China, through an online questionnaire survey covering 11 factors affecting shared parking choice. The method involved two steps: firstly, SEM was applied to examine the influence of these factors on shared parking choice. Following this, the seven factors with the strongest correlation to shared parking choice were used to train a neural network model for shared parking prediction. This SEM-informed model was found to outperform a neural network model trained on all eleven factors across precision, recall, accuracy, F1 and AUC metrics. The research concluded that the selected factors significantly influence shared parking choice, reinforcing the hypothesis regarding the importance of parking location and traveller characteristics. These findings provide valuable insights to support the effective implementation and promotion of shared parking.
Environmental Sustainability and Freight Transport Performance in the EU – An Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH) Model Analysis
Authors: Kot Sebastian , Ojinji Stephen
Published: October 2023

Transportation, which is a significant facilitator of global trade and development, faces a serious problem with respect to sustainability. Firstly, there is the need to minimise greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining profitability and social responsibility. Transportation will be totally decarbonised by consistently moving towards a more sustainable, diverse and resilient range of transportation modes with advanced vehicle technologies. However, what impact this will have on the economic performance of transport service providers remains a big question. The aim of this study is to examine the short-run relationship between environmental sustainability in road freight transportation and the economic performance of the road freight transport sector in the European Union using an autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARCH) model. The analysis was conducted using annual data spanning from 2008 to 2021. The results indicate that energy taxes on transport and storage, biodiesel consumption and vehicle capacity utilisation have a positive and significant impact on freight transport performance (FTP). The findings suggest that policymakers could use energy taxes and incentives to promote the use of biodiesel in the transportation sector to increase FTP. Additionally, efforts to improve vehicle capacity utilisation could significantly increase FTP and have positive environmental implications such as reducing traffic congestion and emissions.
A randomized multiplex CRISPRi-Seq approach for the identification of critical combinations of genes
Authors: Ellis Nicole A. , Myers Kevin S. , Tung Jessica , Ward Anne Davidson , Johnston Kathryn , Bonnington Katherine E. , Donohue Timothy J. , Machner Matthias P.
Published: October 2023

Identifying virulence-critical genes from pathogens is often limited by functional redundancy. To rapidly interrogate the contributions of combinations of genes to a biological outcome, we have developed a
mu
ltiplex,
r
andomized
C
RISPR interference
s
equencing (MuRCiS) approach. At its center is a new method for the randomized self-assembly of CRISPR arrays from synthetic oligonucleotide pairs. When paired with PacBio long-read sequencing, MuRCiS allowed for near-comprehensive interrogation of all pairwise combinations of a group of 44
Legionella pneumophila
virulence genes encoding highly conserved transmembrane proteins for their role in pathogenesis. Both amoeba and human macrophages were challenged with
L. pneumophila
bearing the pooled CRISPR array libraries, leading to the identification of several new virulence-critical combinations of genes.
lpg2888
and
lpg3000
were particularly fascinating for their apparent redundant functions during
L. pneumophila
human macrophage infection, while
lpg3000
alone was essential for
L. pneumophila
virulence in the amoeban host
Acanthamoeba castellanii
. Thus, MuRCiS provides a method for rapid genetic examination of even large groups of redundant genes, setting the stage for application of this technology to a variety of biological contexts and organisms.
Hand gesture recognition via deep data optimization and 3D reconstruction
Authors: Mustafa Zaid , Nsour Heba , Tahir Sheikh Badar ud din
Published: October 2023

Hand gesture recognition (HGR) are the most significant tasks for communicating with the real-world environment. Recently, gesture recognition has been extensively utilized in diverse domains, including but not limited to virtual reality, augmented reality, health diagnosis, and robot interaction. On the other hand, accurate techniques typically utilize various modalities generated from RGB input sequences, such as optical flow which acquires the motion data in the images and videos. However, this approach impacts real-time performance due to its demand of substantial computational resources. This study aims to introduce a robust and effective approach to hand gesture recognition. We utilize two publicly available benchmark datasets. Initially, we performed preprocessing steps, including denoising, foreground extraction, and hand detection via associated component techniques. Next, hand segmentation is done to detect landmarks. Further, we utilized three multi-fused features, including geometric features, 3D point modeling and reconstruction, and angular point features. Finally, grey wolf optimization served useful features of artificial neural networks for hand gesture recognition. The experimental results have shown that the proposed HGR achieved significant recognition of 89.92% and 89.76% over IPN hand and Jester datasets, respectively.
Navigating post COVID-19 education: an investigative study on students’ attitude and perception of their new normal learning environment
Authors: Agarwal Anshoo , Subramaniam Geetha , Khattak Osama , Begum GulamSaidunnisa , Taha Afaf , Bayomy Naglaa Ahmed , Bawadekji Abdulhakim , Makhdoom Amin Khalid , Alshammari Maali Subhi , Chaudhary Farooq Ahmad
Published: October 2023

Background

The incidence and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a drastic change in health professional education around the world. Traditional classrooms made way for online classrooms in order to ensure that learning continued in a safe and secure environment. However, how well health professional students perceived and accepted these changes have not been fully gauged yet. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the perception of health professional students about their new educational climate.

Methods

A modified and validated Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used to collect data regarding student perception of their educational environment.

Results

The mean DREEM scores for three time periods were in the accepted positive range of 101 to 150 indicating that most of the students perceived the changes positively. The results indicated that most students preferred blended learning over online learning or face-to-face learning alone. Areas where students were unsatisfied with their learning environment that need improvement were identified by poor item-wise scores.

Conclusion

Strategic remedial measures for these concerns need to be developed to improve the quality of education received by the students. However, the results of our study indicated that most of the students were able to adapt positively to the new education environment due to the change in the circumstances during COVID.
REÚSO DE AGUA URBANA DOMICILIARIA
Authors: Gallardo Carlos , Rivera Javier , Amaris Gloria , Vargas Ignacio , Gironás Jorge , Molinos María , Bertoli Rodolfo
Published: October 2023

El crecimiento de la población urbana, junto con el cambio climático, está estresando las fuentes convencionales de agua dulce. Gran parte del agua que se consume domiciliariamente, tras su tratamiento en plantas de aguas residuales, se desecha sin darle otros usos. Nuevas estrategias de gestión de las aguas residuales, como su reúso, pueden generar fuentes alternativas de recursos hídricos. Las alternativas de reúso deben considerar el tipo de agua de origen y su uso proyectado acorde a la normativa y aceptabilidad pública. La reutilización de aguas domiciliarias urbanas puede significar reducciones en la huella de carbono por el menor consumo energético en transporte y operación asociado al tratamiento convencional de aguas residuales.
La política de inclusión de tecnologías digitales en el sistema escolar chileno. Una revisión sistemática
Authors:   Universidad de Barcelona, Paredes-Águila José Adrián , Rivera-Vargas Pablo ,   Universidad de Barcelona
Published: October 2023

Este artículo es el resultado de una investigación que analizó las políticas de inclusión de tecnologías digitales en el sistema escolar chileno durante las últimas décadas, a partir del estudio de las evidencias científicas disponibles, definiendo y estableciendo sus aportes, limitaciones, oportunidades y principales desafíos. Mediante una revisión sistemática de literatura y de la elección de los textos a partir de los criterios sugeridos por el protocolo Prisma, se analizó el contenido de un 23 artículos a través de una clasificación categorizada. Los resultados obtenidos nos permiten conocer la trayectoria y a la vez establecer cuáles han sido los principales hitos de las políticas de inclusión de tecnologías digitales en el sistema escolar chileno. Junto con esto, se han podido identificar los principales lineamientos promovidos desde inicios de la década de los noventa hasta hoy. Según las evidencias analizadas, Chile tiene tareas pendientes en materia de cobertura, desarrollo digital, integración pedagógica y la necesidad de una visión estratégica y mancomunada de cara al futuro.
Estrategias volitivas y de aprendizaje de estudiantes al leer textos académicos en lengua extranjera
Authors:   Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Facultad de Educación, Posgrados, Puebla, Rodríguez Guardado María del Socorro , Platas-García Alejandra ,   Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Lenguas, Centro de Lenguas Extranjeras
Published: October 2023

Un reto que suelen enfrentar las personas que estudian en la universidad es la lectura de textos académicos en lengua extranjera, principalmente en inglés. Para superar este reto, el estudio de las estrategias volitivas y de aprendizaje como elementos de autorregulación del aprendizaje es útil. Así, se realizó un estudio cuantitativo, correlacional de corte no experimental y transversal, con el doble objetivo de analizar, primero, la relación que existe entre las estrategias volitivas y las estrategias de aprendizaje que emplean estudiantes al leer textos académicos en lengua extranjera y, segundo, el efecto de las estrategias volitivas sobre las estrategias de aprendizaje que emplean estudiantes al leer textos académicos en lengua extranjera. Se aplicó un cuestionario a 118 estudiantes mexicanos universitarios (75 mujeres y 43 hombres) con una edad promedio de 22,8 años (DE ±6.4). El instrumento utilizado fue una adaptación de dos cuestionarios: The Academic Volitional Strategy Inventory (AVSI) y el Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Los resultados indican que cuando los/las estudiantes leen textos académicos en inglés, las estrategias volitivas de reducción del estrés y autoeficacia se asocian con las estrategias de aprendizaje; no obstante, las estrategias de incentivo base negativa no se asocian ni correlacionan con el pensamiento crítico, ni muestran incidencia con las estrategias de metacognición. En trabajos futuros se podría analizar la relación de estas estrategias para la escritura de textos académicos en lengua extranjera.
La explanada y el jardín. Transformaciones urbanas en el entorno de la Plaza de Armas de Santiago de Chile, 1859-1893
Authors:   , Atria Lemaitre Maximiano
Published: October 2023

La tesis intenta indagar en las diferentes dimensiones del cambio físico, pero también social, político y cultural de la ciudad de Santiago en un momento clave de su consolidación en el sistema de ciudades del Chile del siglo XIX, un periodo que desde diversos puntos de vista ha sido identificado por la historiografía clásica como aquel que permitió a la sociedad chilena pasar de un estado de relativa precariedad a uno de preeminencia en el contexto de las naciones latinoamericanas. A partir del estudio del caso de la Plaza de Armas de Santiago de Chile, la tesis acomete una compresión general de los procesos de transformación urbana en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, asociados a los cambios producidos en la arquitectura de sus edificios circundantes, de los usos que ella ha acogido y de las fisonomías que su espacio central ha adquirido, principalmente a partir de las acciones de transformación de elementos de diseño urbano dispuestos en su interior —vegetales y simbólicos.
Comprensión de modelos de procesos por expertos de dominio
Authors:   , Fabia Valdatta Paolo
Published: October 2023

Los modelos de procesos tienen una amplia aplicabilidad en el campo de la ingeniería y desarrollo de sistemas, pero también se utilizan con propósitos académicos y como entrenamiento profesional en otros dominios, como la salud y el derecho. La comprensión humana de los modelos de procesos es fundamental, teniendo en cuenta que éstos no tienen utilidad a menos que permitan una comunicación adecuada sobre los procesos originales que representan. Este trabajo busca evaluar los efectos que tiene el conocimiento de dominio, que se describe como la comprensión del universo del discurso del mundo real implicado en el proceso, en la comprensión de modelos de procesos, un aspecto en gran medida desconocido hasta ahora. Se realizó un análisis de la eficiencia, eficacia y carga cognitiva de la comprensión de 30 participantes (médicos y abogados) en la resolución de tareas de comprensión sintáctica, semántica y de resolución de problemas de dos modelos diferentes, uno de derecho y otro de salud. Esto se realizó mediante la creación y aplicación de un cuestionario online en un experimento del tipo crossover. 0Los resultados del experimento muestran que la comprensión de modelos tiende a mejorar cuando se lee un proceso conocido. Evidencia estadística significativa respalda una disminución de la carga cognitiva en las tareas de sintaxis y resolución de problemas, y un aumento en la eficacia en las tareas de semántica. Aspectos como la disonancia cognitiva pueden generar esfuerzos adicionales en la comprensión. Líneas futuras de investigación son también sugeridas.
Full three-axis magnetometer and gyroscope bias estimation using angular rate measurements
Authors:   , Rodríguez Martínez Sebastián A.
Published: October 2023

La exploración oceánica ha experimentado avances significativos debido al desarrollo de los vehículos submarinos, sin embargo, los elevados costos de los actuales vehículos de gama alta limitan su uso generalizado. Como alternativa, se han explorado vehículos de bajo costo, pero su limitada navegación restringe su uso a misiones de baja precisión, para lo cual esta tesis propone una metodología novedosa que busca una navegacion precisa. Los sistemas de referencia de actitud y rumbo (AHRS, por sus siglas en inglés) basados en sistemas microelectromecánicos (MEMS, por sus siglas en inglés) son ampliamente utilizados para determinar la orientación de un sistema, sin embargo, su precisión se ve limitada por los sesgos en las medición de los sensores que lo componen. Esta tesis propone el método de calibración iterativa de magnetómetro y giróscopo, denominado MAGICAL, por sus siglas en inglés, el cual utiliza medidas de velocidad angular, permitiéndole ser menos restrictivo en cuanto a los movimientos necesarios para la calibración, no requiere conocimiento del campo magnético local ni de la orientación del sistema, y puede integrarse en algoritmos de grafos de factores. Este método puede ser implementado de cuatro formas, utilizando mínimos cuadrados iterativos lineales y no lineales, y utilizando grafos de factores, tanto en forma incremental como incluyendo todas las mediciones. El método propuesto se compara con el estado del arte tanto en simulaciones numéricas como en evaluaciones experimentales en terreno, utliizando un sensor a bordo de un vehículo submarino. Con MAGICAL, el error de estimación de la posición del vehículo submarino se redujo del 10% al 0,5% de la distancia recorrida, demostrando que MAGICAL puede mejorar significativamente la precisión de los sistemas de navegación de bajo costo y dar pie a uso más generalizado de los vehículos submarinos en misiones oceanograficas.
Design of a metamorphic protein from first principles
Authors:   , Galaz Davison Pablo Antonio
Published: October 2023

La mayoría de las secuencias de proteínas naturales se pliegan en una estructura tridimensional definida, cuya química y dinámica regula las reacciones y procesos de la materia viva. No obstante, se estima que entre 0,5 y 4% de las proteínas con estructuras resueltas experimentalmente tienen algún grado de comportamiento metamórfico. Esta es una característica de algunas proteínas que han evolucionado para tener más de una estructura, cambiando reversiblemente entre ellas en respuesta a cambios en su entorno químico. El ejemplo más notable de una proteína metamórfica es RfaH. Esta proteína de dos dominios regula la expresión de factores de virulencia en Enterobacteriaceae. En su estado basal, sus dominios N-terminal (NTD) y C-terminal (CTD) interactúan estrechamente. Los operones de factores de virulencia contienen una secuencia de ADN llamada ops, que detiene la transcripción de la ARN polimerasa (RNAP) y sirve como una señal química para reclutar RfaH, uniéndose a RNAP al disociar sus dominios. Los dominios RfaH ahora separados se comportan de manera diferente: el NTD se une a RNAP para aumentar la procesividad de la transcripción, mientras que el CTD cambia de una horquilla α-helicoidal a un barril β, estructuralmente similar al observado en el parálogo NusG, mediante el cual RfaH recluta al ribosoma para acoplar la transcripción y traducción de genes que, de otro modo, serían pobremente expresados. Descifrar las señales fisicoquímicas que permiten el cambio estructural de RfaH es crucial para comprender su mecanismo molecular. En esta tesis, mostramos que el CTD metamórfico alberga regiones locales de estabilidad diferencial hacia cada estructura, con la punta de la horquilla α-helicoidal estabilizando el estado basal a través de contactos interdominio. El NTD y el CTD βplegado son menos estables que RfaH α-plegado y pueblan un intermediario β-plegado estabilizado por el NTD antes de replegarse en el estado basal. Por último, señales coevolutivas nativas y no nativas, derivadas del análisis de miles de secuencias de RfaH, son suficientes para codificar ambas estructuras, encontrando contactos interdominio e intrahelicoidales que estabilizan el CTD α-plegado y muestran evidencia directa de esta estructura secundaria en RfaH. Estos resultados son relevantes para comprender el mecanismo de cambio de pliegue de RfaH y para postular los principios que rigen a las proteínas metamórficas.
Evaluation of Gastric Contents and Volume After Ingestion of Apple Juice versus Pure Complex Carbohydrate Using Gastric Ultrasonography: A Randomised Clinical Study
Authors: Shetty Ashritha Kumary , Jangi Aabidhussain , Kurdi Madhuri S , Yashaswini L
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Gastric ultrasound is a non-invasive tool for assessing gastric content and volume. Aspiration of gastric contents is a serious perioperative complication that contributes to mortality and morbidity following general anaesthesia. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol and Indian Society of Anaesthesiology (ISA) fasting guidelines recommend consuming a carbohydrate drink two hours before surgery in adults. However, evidence supporting this recommendation, particularly regarding volume, is still limited and variable. Aim: To examine Gastric Residual Volume (GRV) using Ultrasonography (USG) six hours after a light breakfast and compare it with GRV two hours after consuming clear liquids. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical study was conducted involving 100 patients who were assigned randomly to two groups: Group-C (Oral Carbohydrate, CHO) and Group-A (Apple juice), with 50 patients in each group; each patient underwent gastric USG twice: once within the first six hours after a light breakfast and again two hours after consuming 400 mL of clear liquid. USG was performed with the patient in a supine position and a Right Lateral Decubitus (RLD) position, and GRV was estimated by measuring the Antral Cross-sectional Area (ACSA) using a mathematical model. The final reading was taken from the RLD position, and qualitative analysis of the antrum was conducted using the Perlas grading system. A GRV of <1.5 mL/kg is considered low risk for aspiration. Statistical tests such as Chi-square, paired t-test, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were applied. Results: A total of 100 patients were analysed in the present study. The mean age was 41.04 years and 39.94 years in Group-A and Group-C, respectively. There was no significant difference in GRV between six hours after a light breakfast and two hours after clear liquid intake in either group (p>0.05). The mean GRV was 7.75 (7.23) mL and 8.01 (7.58) mL six hours after a light breakfast, and 7.71 (8.92) mL and 8.49 (9.47) mL two hours after clear liquid intake in Group-A and Group-C, respectively, among non-CKD patients. GRV was higher in CKD patients and those with an increased Body Mass Index (BMI). Conclusion: The GRV remains within safe limits after consuming 400 mL of clear liquid two hours before surgery. This finding supports the recommended volume of preoperative clear liquid intake in the ERAS protocol and ISA fasting guidelines. However, careful consideration is necessary for patients with CKD and an increased BMI.
A Study on Subsite-specific Prevalence of Candidiasis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients and its Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Babu Neethu , Saikumar Chitralekha , Chalissery Jomon Raphael
Published: October 2023

Introduction: The incidence of candidiasis can vary across various subsites within the head and neck region and is associated with various co-morbidities and risk factors. The increase in the incidence of resistant Non-albicans Candida (NAC) species among these patients and the limited number of available antifungal agents make treatment difficult. A better understanding of the subsite-specific prevalence of candidiasis and its antifungal susceptibility is crucial in enhancing effective control and treatment. Aim: To determine the subsite-specific prevalence of candidiasis among Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients undergoing therapy for head and neck malignancies at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, Kerala, India over a four-year period (January 2019 to December 2022). A total of 276 patients aged 18 to 85 years with squamous cell carcinoma were included. Oral samples were collected from patients who developed candidiasis, and co-morbidities and risk factors were documented. Candida species were isolated and identified. Antifungal susceptibility was determined using the VITEK system, and fluconazole susceptibility was compared with the standard disc diffusion method. Data were entered into an Excel sheet and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: Pharynx was the most frequent site of head and neck malignancy, accounting for 104 cases (37.7%), followed by the oral cavity with 83 cases (30.1%). Among patients with malignancies in the pharyngeal region, a high rate of Candida infection was observed in 42 (43.3%) out of 97 cases. Candida species isolated included C. albicans (56, 57.7%), C. tropicalis (26, 26.8%), C. krusei (8, 8.3%), C. glabrata (3, 3.1%), and C. parapsilosis (4, 4.1%). Sixty-five patients (23.5%) had diabetes, which was statistically significant (p-value <0.05). All C. albicans strains were sensitive to fluconazole. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of voriconazole was very low for all tested Candida species. Conclusion: Patients with pharyngeal and oral cavity carcinomas are at an increased risk of developing candidiasis during radiotherapy. Diabetes is significantly associated with candidiasis. While C. albicans was the most common species isolated, a significant number of NAC species were also identified. Voriconazole exhibited low MIC values for C. krusei and C. glabrata, suggesting its potential as an alternative treatment option. Obtaining VITEK system identification and susceptibility reports is advisable for borderline values that may not be evident using conventional disc diffusion methods.
The Role of Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) Towards Doubling Farmers' Income: The Case of Kerala, India
Authors: Syam Krishnan R.  , Rathakrishnan L.
Published: October 2023

This paper describes the proactive interventions and positive impacts made by SFAC Kerala in the agribusiness sector. As we all know, doubling farmers' income is the main target of the country's agriculture sector during this period. SFAC Kerala also strives to achieve the same goal. Here, the performance of the 54 agribusiness units initiated by SFAC Kerala in the last five years (from the 2017-18 financial year to the 2021-2022 financial year) duration has been considered for analysis and interpretation. Census methodology has been adopted in this study. Primary data was collected from all the above agencies through the telephonic interview method. Barring a decline phase during the Covid pandemic, SFAC's efforts towards doubling farmers' income have been successful. The average monthly income of farmers has increased by over sixty percent in the last five financial years. If the current growth rate is maintained, SFAC will achieve the target of doubling farmers' income within a minimum of five financial years through the agribusiness sector. Advanced technology adoption and professional management approach in the field of agribusiness are more helpful in the journey towards it.
Aggregate Public Support to Indian Agriculture
Authors: Mukherjee Atri , Suganthi D. , Kumar Rishabh , Bajaj Priyanka
Published: October 2023

Agricultural subsidies, public investment and income transfer are the three main instruments of India’s farm support policy. This paper examines the aggregate level of public policy support to Indian agriculture for the period from 1995-96 to 2020-21, by putting together different support measures extended by central and state governments and classifying those under three different categories, namely, subsidies, public investment and green box support. The findings reveal that despite some moderation from the peak level achieved during 2008-09, the aggregate support to Indian agriculture continues to remain sizeable at 22.4 per cent of agriculture GVA in 2020-21. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008-09, which is also coincident with the global food crisis, input subsidy declined sharply, whereas the decline in investment was more gradual. Furthermore, there is a distinct shift in the composition, away from input subsidies and in favour of green box support, which includes direct transfer to supplement farmers' income. Using multi dimension index method, the effective aggregate support index, constructed after assigning different weights to the three components as per their impact on agricultural growth, highlights that effective public support to agriculture, which was low in the late 1990s improved substantially till 2008-09 and moderated thereafter. The index values suggest that there is scope for further improvement in policy support for Indian agriculture with higher emphasis on public investment.
Asymptomatic Carriage of SARS-CoV-2 in a University Population in Rosario, Argentina
Authors: Scapini Juan Pablo , Rosal María Victoria del , Isaac Juan Ignacio , Rodriguez Ayelen , Ingaramo Damian , Campora Micaela
Published: October 2023

Aims: To study the rates of SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic carriage in a young, healthy and full vaccinated population of students in the medical area. Contribute to the knowledge of the dynamics of the endemic and its control.

Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Instituto Universitario Italiano de Rosario, Argentina, between August and September 2022.

Methodology: 300 students were recruited. An oropharyngeal sample was taken from all the participants who completed an online electronic survey. The sampling period corresponded to weeks of low viral circulation in the province. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 was investigated by real-time RT-PCR.

Results: 72.7% of the participants reported a previous infection. All the participants received at least one dose of vaccine and 56.7% completed a 3-dose schedule. Two of the 300 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. One was classified as presymptomatic since the individual developed compatible symptoms three days after taking the sample. The other case was the only one classified as an asymptomatic carrier, resulting in a SARS-CoV-2 portability rate of 0.33%.

Conclusion: The rate obtained for asymptomatic portability in our study was surprisingly low considering that these groups shared an average of 6 hours a day in closed environments. The risk of person to person spread in this population is extremely low and does not justify the use of masks or social distancing.
The Number of Spanning Trees of General Fan Graphs
Authors: Zhinan Gao , Xingyan Lu , Yuxuan Wei , Feng Zhu
Published: October 2023

As we all know, the number of spanning trees can be calculated by virtue of the famous Kirchhoff’s matrix-tree theorem. However, it doesn’t work when coming across complex graphs with thousands of edges and vertices or more. Hence, how to obtain accurate solutions of the number of spanning trees of general fan graphs becomes a subject to several studies of many places like computer science, physics and mathematics. In this paper, we focus on calculating different types of graphs generated by adding vertices and edges to the fan graph. Particularly, we define a new graph called "C-graph", which brings a unique angle of view for us to recognize the construction of original graphs. Moreover, we introduce a new iterative relation about the general fan graph, simplifying the calculation. Therefore, we can obtain functions of the number of spanning trees obtained from given fan graphs, which are also suitable for larger and more complex conditions. Finally, we discuss the effect of vertices and edges on the number of spanning trees, finding out that edges have greater impact. Additionally, by using Kirchhoff’s matrix-tree theorem, we verified the rationality of our results.
A Comprehensive Review on Role of Plant Tissue Culture in Ornamental Crops: Cultivation Factors, Applications and Future Aspects
Authors: Kaushal Nitesh , Srivastava Vishal , Singh Satvaan , Gangwar Rohit , Singh Piyush , Dansena Vinay , Wamiq Mohd , Paikra Manoj Kumar
Published: October 2023

Ornamental plants are grown largely for their artistic value, floriculturists must prioritize the proliferation and improvement of quality traits, as well as the production of unique diversity. Micropropagation, clonal reliability and conservation are all crucial factors to consider. Application of in vitro techniques in ornamental plant such as in vitro embryo rescue, somatic hybridization, in vitro pollination and in vitro ploidy manipulation but to enhance, techniques like as embryo rescue and somatic hybridization are commonly employed. The creation of synthetic seed allows for season-independent seed producing and long-term seed preservation. Many factors influence ornamental plant tissue culture, including plant genotype, explants type, and the physical environment (light, temperature, humidity, and CO2), in addition to medium composition and growth regulators. We compiled and reviewed an overall update on cultivation factors, application procedures in ornamental plant tissue culture, in vitro plant enhancement approaches and future prospects in this study.
Pediatric Hospitalization Trends at Children’s and General Hospitals, 2000-2019
Authors: Steiner Michael J. , Hall Matt , Sutton Ashley G. , Stephens John R. , Leyenaar JoAnna K. , Chase Lindsay , McDaniel Corrie E.
Published: October 2023

This study examines whether pediatric inpatient care has been redistributed from general hospitals into children’s hospitals.
Alterations in Cancer Treatment During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US
Authors: Janczewski Lauren M. , Cotler Joseph , Merkow Ryan P. , Palis Bryan , Nelson Heidi , Mullett Timothy , Boffa Daniel J.
Published: October 2023

Importance

The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges to the evaluation and treatment of cancer, and abrupt resource diversion toward patients with COVID-19 put cancer treatment on hold for many patients. Previous reports have shown substantial declines in cancer screening and diagnoses in 2020; however, the extent to which the delivery of cancer care was altered remains unclear.

Objective

To assess alterations in cancer treatment in the US during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study used data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) on patients older than 18 years with newly diagnosed cancer from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcomes were accessibility (time to treatment, travel distance, and multi-institutional care), availability (proportional changes in cancer treatment between years), and utilization (reductions by treatment modality, hospital type) of cancer treatment in 2020 compared with 2018 to 2019. Autoregressive models forecasted expected findings for 2020 based on observations from prior years.

Results

Of 1 229 654 patients identified in the NCDB in 2020, 1 074 225 were treated for cancer, representing a 16.8% reduction from what was expected. Patients were predominately female (53.8%), with a median age of 66 years (IQR, 57-74 years), similar to demographics in 2018 and 2019. Median time between diagnosis and treatment was 26 days (IQR, 0-36 days) in 2020, and median travel distance for care was 11.1 miles (IQR, 5.0-25.3 miles), similar to 2018 and 2019. In 2020, fewer patients traveled longer distances (20.2% reduction of patients traveling >35 miles). The proportions of patients treated with chemotherapy (32.0%), radiation (29.5%), and surgery (57.1%) were similar to those in 2018 and 2019. Overall, 146 805 fewer patients than expected underwent surgery, 80 480 fewer received radiation, and 68 014 fewer received chemotherapy. Academic hospitals experienced the greatest reduction in cancer surgery and treatment, with a decrease of approximately 484 patients (−19.0%) per hospital compared with 99 patients (−12.6%) at community hospitals and 110 patients (−12.8%) at integrated networks.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study found that among patients diagnosed with cancer in 2020, access and availability of treatment remained intact; however, reductions in treated patients varied across treatment modalities and were greater at academic hospitals than at community hospitals and integrated networks compared with expected values. These results suggest the resilience of cancer service lines and frame the economic losses from reductions in cancer treatment during the pandemic.
Engagement With Mental Health Services Among Survivors of Firearm Injury
Authors: Magee Lauren A. , Ortiz Damaris , Adams Zachary W. , Marriott Brigid R. , Beverly Anthony W. , Beverly Beatrice , Aalsma Matthew C. , Wiehe Sarah E. , Ranney Megan L.
Published: October 2023

Importance

Despite the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms after firearm injury, little is known about how firearm injury survivors connect with mental health services.

Objective

To determine facilitators and barriers to mental health care engagement among firearm injury survivors.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A qualitative study of 1-on-1, semistructured interviews conducted within a community setting in Indianapolis, Indiana, between June 2021 and January 2022. Participants were recruited via community partners and snowball sampling. Participants who survived an intentional firearm injury, were shot within Indianapolis, were aged 13 years or older, and were English speaking were eligible. Participants were asked to discuss their lives after firearm injury, the emotional consequences of their injury, and their utilization patterns of mental health services. Data were analyzed from August 2022 to June 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Survivors’ lived experience after firearm injury, sources of emotional support, mental health utilization, and their desired engagement with mental health care after firearm injury.

Results

A total of 18 participants (17 were Black [94%], 16 were male [89%], and 14 were aged between 13 and 24 years [77%]) who survived a firearm injury were interviewed. Survivors described family members, friends, and informal networks as their main source of emotional support. Barriers to mental health care utilization were perceived as a lack of benefit to services, distrust in practitioners, and fear of stigma. Credible messengers served as facilitators to mental health care. Survivors also described the emotional impact their shooting had on their families, particularly mothers, partners, and children.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study of survivors of firearm injury, findings illustrated the consequences of stigma and fear when seeking mental health care, inadequate trusted resources, and the need for awareness of and access to mental health resources for family members and communities most impacted by firearm injury. Future studies should evaluate whether community capacity building, digital health delivery, and trauma-informed public health campaigns could overcome these barriers to mitigate the emotional trauma of firearm injuries to reduce health disparities and prevent future firearm violence.
Use of Urea for the Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone
Authors: Wendt Ralph , Fenves Andrew Z. , Geisler Benjamin P.
Published: October 2023

Importance

Hyponatremia and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The effectiveness and safety of oral urea for SIADH are still debated.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of urea for the treatment of SIADH.

Evidence Review

A systematic search of Medline and Embase was conducted for controlled and uncontrolled studies of urea for SIADH in adult patients. The primary outcome was serum sodium concentration after treatment. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients with osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS), intracranial pressure, and resource use such as length of stay.

Findings

Twenty-three studies involving 537 patients with SIADH were included, of which 462 were treated with urea. The pooled mean baseline serum sodium was 125.0 mmol/L (95% CI, 122.6-127.5 mmol/L). The median treatment duration with oral urea was 5 days. Urea increased serum sodium concentration by a mean of 9.6 mmol/L (95% CI, 7.5-11.7 mmol/L). The mean increase in serum sodium after 24 hours was 4.9 mmol/L (95% CI, 0.5-9.3 mmol/L). Adverse events were few, mainly consisting of distaste or dysgeusia, and no case of ODS was reported. Resource use was too infrequently reported to be synthesized.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this systematic review of the use of urea in SIADH and despite the lack of randomized clinical trials, lower-quality evidence was identified that suggests that urea may be an effective, safe, and inexpensive treatment modality that warrants further exploration.