bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PREDICTION OF ESOPHAGEAL VARICES BASED ON SERUM-ASCITES ALBUMIN GRADIENT (SAAG) IN CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS
Authors: Shah Dhruv , vyas Kaushal , Narang Sushil
Published: May 2023

1.Introduction Cirrhosis is the end stage of chronic liver disease. Ascites and esophageal varices (EVs) are the most common complications of portal hypertension (PHT), with an incidence of approximately 50% [1]. Since effective preventive modalities have been established for variceal haemorrhage, early detection of EVs is critical for primary prevention of bleeding. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) remains the gold standard for screening [2,3]. However, many studies have been conducted to predict PHT and EV with a diverse rate of accuracy. All patients with cirrhosis should undergo UGE screening to identify those at high risk of bleeding and who may benet from primary prophylaxis, since EVs are an independent predictive factor and an early complication of cirrhosis. The test should also be repeated during the follow-up of patients with cirrhosis without EVs, who are at risk of bleeding, with or without decompensation [1]. Though UGiscopy is the gold standard to screen patients for variceal development; but has has many drawbacks such as being relatively expensive, invasive, and restrictive [4]. Such a screening test should be simple, rapid, reproducible, and inexpensive [5–7]. The serum ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) is a minimally invasive method that is precise and has been described in the classication of ascitic uid(AF) based on the presence or absence of PHT [8]. Many Studies have been performed to identify non-invasive parameters for the prediction of EVs in patients newly diagnosed with cirrhosis [5]. SAAG can be considered an indirect parameter for the detection of EVs and is useful in regions where there are limitations to perform UGE. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of SAAG in the prediction of EVs in cirrhotic patients with ascites.
FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF SALIVARY GLAND LESIONS: REPORTING BY THE MILAN SYSTEM
Authors: Bharti Monika , Khajuria Ruchi
Published: May 2023

Background: In the salivary gland lesions most common presentation is of a swelling or palpable mass of varying duration. In infective lesions, pain is another presenting feature. The most accurate method of diagnosing salivary gland lesions is histopathology, yet the role of ne needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for the diagnosis of salivary gland masses is well documented and is signicantly accurate. The present study comprise analysis of FNAC of all salivary gland lesions using Milan system of classication. The present retrospective Material and Methods: study involves 234 cases of salivary gland swellings, referred for FNAC to the Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jammu for a period of ve years w.e.f November, 2016 to 31 October, 2021. This study includes cytomorphological features of various salivary gland lesions on FNAC and their classication by the Milan system of reporting. It was obs Results: erved that peak incidence of salivary gland tumours was seen in the age group of 31-45 yrs. The majority of benign lesions were seen in the age group 16-30 yrs and the malignant lesions were seen in the age group 46-61yrs. There was female predominance over the male with F:M ratio is 1.46:1. The most frequently involved site was parotid gland (48.7%) followed by submandibular gland (40.6%). 109 cases were diagnosed as non-neoplastic, 98 as benign and 16 cases as malignant. Conclusion: FNAC is an important diagnostic tool to clinch the correct diagnosis of salivary gland tumours Fine needle aspiration cytology was able to distinguish between non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions and benign and malignant tumours
CASE SERIES OF CRANIOPHARYNGIOMA: MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS & EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY AT MADRAS MEDICAL COLLEGE – INSTITUTE OF NEUROSURGERY
Authors: Dhanasekar A.
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Debate continues as to the optimal treatment for craniopharyngioma; radical surgical resection or partial resection followed by
radiotherapy. Radical surgical resection may be complicated by intraoperative injury to surrounding structures and stormy postoperative hormonal
problems. This study aims to examine the result of safe maximal surgical resection. Retrospective study of all histopathologically Methodology:
proven craniopharyngiomas who had undergone surgical resection over an almost 4-year period was included. Data were collected reviewing
demography, clinical presentation, hormonal dysfunction, extent of resection, and visual deterioration. Outcome was measured in terms of
Glasgow Outcome Scale and recurrence. Of 41 patients, 20(48.8%) were male and 21(51.2%) w Results: ere female. Age of patients ranged from 4
to 59 years with a mean of 15.9 years. Thirty-seven patients (90%) had headache, 32 patients (78%) had visual disturbances, 23 patients (56%) had
vomiting, and 10 patients (24%) had convulsions. Six patients (15%) had memory and sleep disorders and three patients of those >15 years (12.5%)
had amenorrhea/sexual dysfunction. Patients who had surgery followed by radiotherapy had better prognosis, so also those aged 18 or less
compared to older, males better than females and those without headache had better prognosis, though not statistically signicant. Conclusions:
Gross total excision if judiciously decided intraoperatively has a favourable outcome with acceptable morbidity. Patient has better prognosis who
has surgery with radiotherapy.
STUDY OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF DORSOLUMBAR SPINE FRACTURES TREATED WITH MINIMAL INVASIVE SPINE SURGERY
Authors: Mane Sushilkumar , Sachindra Hajare Rohan , S Chandanwale Ajay , Ghumare Sushant , P Yadav Vijay , Katti Shubham
Published: May 2023

Introduction – Spine disorders including spinal instability, bone spurs, ruptured discs, scoliosis, or spinal malignancies, minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) aims to stabilize the vertebral bones and spinal joints as well as relieve pressure on the spinal nerves. Aims & Objectives - To study the functional outcome of dorsolumbar spine fractures treated with minimal invasive surgery, to study complications of post minimal invasive spine surgery and the course of recovery and physical activity in the study patients, also to evaluate the neurological status post minimal invasive spine surgery. Materials And Methods – 35 patients were included in the study. Inclusion and exclusion criteria was followed. Routine investigations were carried out. Along with it radiographic examination , CTscan & MRI of cervical / thoracic / lumbar spine were also taken based on history. Results - The mean VAS In the present study group was 8.40 at presentation which came down to 1.65 at 6 month follow up which was statistically signicant (p value= <0.001). The mean ODI score in the present study was 61.00% preoperatively which gradually decreased to 24.3% at the end of 6 months which was statistically signicant (p <0.001). According to the modied Mcnab criteria at the nal follow up at 6 months,9 (25.71%) patients were excellent, 15 (42.85%) were good,6 (17.14%) were fair , 5 (14.28%) patients were poor. Conclusion - Minimal invasive spine surgery is safe and efcient technique when compared to traditional open spine surgery
“ A NEW ANATOMICAL LANDMARK GUIDED APPROACH TO DEEP SERRATUS ANTERIOR PLANE (SAP) BLOCK FOR PERIOPERATIVE ANALGESIA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING BREAST SURGERIES UNDER GENERAL ANAESTHESIA : A CASE SERIES”
Authors: Patne Harshada , Ravish Kumar , Sonkamble Ashwin , Samtani Pradeep
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Anatomical landmark guided deep SAP block was rst described by Dr.Vadera et al1 in the year 2020. we described a new anatomical landmark guided deep SAP block technique and report a case series in patients undergoing breast surgery for perioperative analgesia. Materials and Methods: A total of 10 patients undergoing breast surgery were studied. They were administered new anatomical landmark guided deep SAP block after administration of general anaesthesia. Landmarks used were intersection point of horizontal line passing through the ipsilateral nipple and a vertical mid axillary line. A total 30ml of 0.25% Bupivacaine with 8mg dexamethasone was administered using 22G hypodermic needle. Outcomes assessed were intraoperative supplemental analgesics requirement, hemodynamic stability, postoperative visual analogue score in rst 24hrs, total duration of analgesia, time required for rst rescue analgesic, total dose of rescue analgesic required in rst 24hrs, complications following block and time required to administer the block. In 2020 Vadera et al. demo Discussion: nstrated that SAP block using anatomical landmark guided approach using 20-25ml of 0.25% Levobupivacaine provides analgesia involving ipsilateral T2-T6 dermatome lasting for 24hrs with decrease in requirement of other analgesics.We also reported similar ndings. No intraoperative supplemental Results: analgesic was required. There was good intraoperative hemodynamic stability with minimum requirement of muscle relaxants. Postoperative visual analogue score was 0 in seven patients in rst 24hrs and in remaining three patients the score was 2 in rst 12hrs and 4 in next 12hrs. No complications were noted. Average time for performing the block was 8 mins. The Conclusion: new anatomical guided deep SAP block is a simple, safe, easy to learn, easy to administer and an effective analgesic technique for patients undergoing breast surgery specially in resource poor setting
A HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF SEBACEOUS CARCINOMA OF EYELIDS: A 3-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Authors: Kakumanu Richards , Mahala S. , Swarajya Kumari K.
Published: May 2023

Background: Sebaceous Carcinoma (SC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy that develops from the sebaceous glands. SC is most common in the periocular region, head and neck, but can occur anywhere in the body. To study and analyse de Purpose: mographic characteristics and outcomes of cases of Sebaceous carcinoma. Retrospective Study of 24 patients with Sebac Materials and Method: eous Carcinoma conducted at Department of pathology, Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, for a period of 3 years. The data collected was subjected to statistical tabulations and analysis was done. A total of 24 biopsies of histopathologically Results: diagnosed Sebaceous Carcinoma (SC) cases were reviewed during the 3year retrospective study period. All the patients were above 25 years old being in the age group of 25-90 years of age. Mean age of presentation of SC is 56 years. Most common age group of presentation is 50-60 years (n=7, 29.16%). The distribution of SC in males=6 (25%) and females=18 (75%) with a ratio of male to female 0.33:1. The incidence of SC is found to be more in periocular region (n=24, 100%). The earliest age of presentation of SC is 25 years while 90 years being the late age of presentation. The current results support that the Conclusions: Sebaceous carcinoma is most commonly located in periocular region compared to extraocular region with right eye and upper lid more frequently involved. Incidence of SC is more in females compared to males with high female preponderance
ASPERGILLOSIS RELATED-IRIS IN INVASIVE ASPERGILLOSIS INVOLVING LUNGS AND BRAIN.
Authors: C Sharmila , Murgod Uday , Mishra Neha
Published: May 2023

Immune Reconstitution Inammatory Syndrome (IRIS) is an entity dened as a development of new clinical symptoms or worsening of existing symptoms after reversal of the immune decit status. It is commonly known to occur after initiating Antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV individuals.1 It can also occur in patients with other diseases like fungal infections, solid organ transplants and hematopoietic transplant once there 2 is recovery of immune system resulting in exaggerated Immune response. Here we present a case of a female with diabetes mellitus, diagnosed to have Invasive aspergillosis, involving lung and brain. She developed worsening of her neurological symptoms after initiating of antifungal treatment and had features suggestive of IRIS, and was successfully treated with steroids.
VANCOMYCIN RESISTANT ENETROCOCCI- A STUDY ON PREVALENCEOF VANCOMYCIN RESISTANCE ENTEROCCI IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN SOUTH KERALA
Authors: Joseph Marshlin , Bai J.T Ramani , Raju Krishna Ganga , Jitendranath Ashish
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), are bacterial strains of the genus Enterococcus that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. They have been associated with outbreaks of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections around the world. VRE can remain viable in the environment for an extended time period posing a problem for infection control in hospitals and nursing homes. They also pose a major therapeutic challenge as they possess intrinsic resistance to most of the commonly used antibiotics and can acquire resistance to most of the current available antibiotics. Assessment of the prevalence and changing trends of VRE infections is required to help plan infection control measures, which should be implemented in the hospital and also in the community to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by these VRE infections. Objectives: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Vancomycin resistance among Enterococcus species isolates obtained from clinical samples in a tertiary care hospital in southern India and also to detect resistant genes by molecular methods. A descriptive cross- Methods: sectional study was done on 150 non-duplicate isolates of Enterococcus species from different samples received at the Microbiology laboratory of Sree Gokulam Medical College and Research Foundation included consecutively from January 2021 to December 2021. Identication was based on Gram staining, colony morphologies, and biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar. Vancomycin resistance was determined by Vancomycin screen agar and vancomycin E -test method. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for preparing and analysis of data. Out of the Results: 150 Enterococcus species, 2% (3) isolates were resistant to Vancomycin by Vancomycin screen agar & Vancomycin MIC test in which 2 were E. faecium and 1was E. faecalis. Out of 3 VRE, all were sensitive to Teicoplanin, so they were likely of vanB phenotype. Vancomycin resistant Enteroc Conclusion: occus species have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens in our institution with resistance of 2% per cent in our study. Increasing trend in the VRE rates, as seen in India and worldwide, need to be monitored and checked with active surveillance.
ASSESSMENT OF CORRELATION BETWEEN SERUM LIPASE LEVELS AND CT SEVERITY INDEX IN ACUTE AND RECURRENT PANCREATITIS CASES
Authors: Sagar Gajula Krishna , Karthik Bhogaraju Vijay , Manohar Paila , Sindhuja Pathuri Divya , Sagar Gajula Bhanu , Gopal Rao Mannam , Yatirajula Narasimham
Published: May 2023

Background: Acute pancreatitis is a severe inammation of the pancreas, and early assessment of its severity is crucial for proper treatment and monitoring. Diagnosis is made through clinical presentation, laboratory investigations, and imaging. Computed tomography (CT) is the primary imaging modality, and serum lipase levels are linked to the severity of pancreatitis.Aim: To assess the correlation between serum lipase levels and CT severity index (CTSI) in acute and recurrent pancreatitis cases. Methods: Case records of patients diagnosed with pancreatitis were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis was conrmed using biochemical markers, and severity was assessed by CTSI at admission. Results: 95 cases were analyzed, 55 were acute pancreatitis cases, and 40 were recurrent pancreatitis cases. There was no signicant correlation between serum lipase levels and CTSI in both groups. Conclusion:The study revealed that there is no signicant correlation between serum lipase levels and CTSI in acute and recurrent pancreatitis cases. This indicates that even with a mild elevation of serum lipase, the underlying pancreatitis could be severe.
The Oil fly, Helaeomyia petrolei C., an Innocuous and Unique Dipteran
Authors: Ubulom Peace M. E. , Ekong Ubong S , Umohata Idongesit A , Obu Chinecherem J.
Published: May 2023

Helaeomyia petrolei, formerly named Psilopa petrolei is an unfamiliar dipteran, probably because of its restricted distribution. It is a member of the family Ephydridae. This species of fly which is extremophilic in nature and is native to the United States of America was first discovered in the crude petroleum of La Brea Tar pits of Los Angeles County in California. Helaeomyia petrolei is unique primarily because of its ability to tolerate adverse aquatic habitats (crude petroleum pool). Larvae of this species ingest large quantities of asphalt from the petroleum pool, without any ill effects. They also accommodate in their gut microorganisms that are solvent tolerant. Though known to entomologists for well over 100 years ago, not much attention has been given to this rare species. There still remain many aspects of interest yet to be unraveled. The objective of this review was to collate available information about this unpopular dipteran and harness information obtained for academic, pharmaceutical and industrial applicability as well as encouraging further studies on this rare species. Solvent tolerance as discussed in this review is beneficial for bioremediation. The potential pharmaceutical and industrial applications of the solvent tolerant microbial community in Helaeomyia petrolei and other extremophilic species should therefore be harnessed for nobel scientific discoveries.
Low-overhead Clustered Federated Learning for Personalized Stress Monitoring
Authors: Jiang Shiyi , Firouzi Farshad , Chakrabarty Krishnendu
Published: May 2023

Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Wearable Internet of Things (WIoT) are enabling remote health monitoring in everyday settings for early detection and prevention of chronic health problems. Such solutions can be used to augment a conventional physician-centered healthcare system. Stress, as one of the critical health problems, affects individuals adversely in terms of both physical and mental health. Prior studies on stress evaluation utilize a centralized cloud-based approach that combines data from each client for modeling. However, such a centralized approach raises data privacy concerns. To preserve privacy, decentralized federated learning has been proposed as a potential alternative framework. Nevertheless, existing federated learning algorithms have to deal with data heterogeneity; data skewness in each participant can significantly degrade the overall model performance. To tackle this challenge, we present a personalized, low-overhead clustered federated learning algorithm for stress-level recognition. The proposed algorithm outperforms two state-of-the-art baseline algorithms by providing over 7% and 12% increase in accuracy, respectively. The proposed algorithm also obtains a reduction of 37.5% and 9.6% in the training runtime compared to the two baseline algorithms. We also present a novel cold-start algorithm for new clients who join the trained system. Our results suggest that this cold-start algorithm is robust in terms of individual classification accuracy and total training time.
Zero-Energy Devices Empowered 6G Networks: Opportunities, Key Technologies, and Challenges
Authors: Naser Shimaa , Bariah Lina , Muhaidat Sami , Basar Ertugrul
Published: May 2023

The sixth generation (6G) of wireless networks are envisioned to support a plethora of human-centric applications and offer connectivity to a massive number of devices with diverse requirements, thus enabling massive Machine Type Communications. Nevertheless, with the rapid growth of the number of connected devices as well as the ever-increasing network traffic, network energy consumption has become a major challenge. Additionally, 6G is expected to catalyze the emergence of new applications that are characterized by their harsh environmental conditions, with ultra-small and low-cost wireless devices. Therefore, there is a pressing need for developing sustainable solutions that take into consideration all these requirements in order to realize the full potential of 6G networks. Within this context, zero-energy devices (ZEDs) have emerged as a prominent solution for the next generation green communication architecture. Such devices eliminate the need for recharging plugins and replacing batteries by integrating disruptive technologies, such as radio frequency energy harvesting, backscatter communications, low power computing, and ultra-low power receivers. Motivated by this, this article provides an in-depth review of the existing literature on the newly emerging ZEDs for future networks. We further identify different relevant use cases and provide an extensive overview on the key enabling technologies and their requirements for realizing ZED-empowered networks. Finally, we discuss potential future research directions and challenges that are envisioned to enhance the performance and efficiency of ZED-based networks. 
Social implications of technological disruptions: A transdisciplinary cybernetics science and occupational science perspective
Authors: Albuquerque Pedro H. , Albuquerque Sophie
Published: May 2023

In this article we argue that the disruptive social implications of skill-replacing technological innovations are determined neither by human characteristics, such as “low skills” or “low cognition,” nor by task characteristics, such as “routine,” as it is typically assumed in the predominant economics and management science literature, but by the cybernetic characteristics of the innovations. We also propose that the negative effects of technological disruptions on human well-being cannot be fully understood without the use of a transdisciplinary approach involving cybernetics science and occupational science, and that it is urgent that policymakers look beyond their narrow effects on productivity and on the labor force, and consider instead the complexity of the interactions between cybernetic technologies and meaningful human occupations. We offer as an example the case of the fast adoption of online food delivery services and of remote work technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethical implications are derived from the arguments.
Toward the Production of Spatiotemporally Consistent Annual Land Cover Maps using Sentinel-2 Time Series
Authors: Sedona Rocco , Paris Claudia , Ebert Jan , Riedel Morris , Cavallaro Gabriele
Published: May 2023

Land Cover (LC) maps generated by the classification of Remote Sensing (RS) data allow for the monitoring of Earth processes and the dynamics of objects and phenomena. Environmental monitoring applications can implement accurate quantification of LC variability when maps are spatiotemporally consistent and are continuously updated, as they provide information on consistent and permanent LC changes. However, the production of frequent and spatiotemporally consistent LC maps is challenging because it involves balancing the need for temporal consistency with the risk of missing real changes. In this work, we propose a scalable and semi-automatic method for generating annual maps with labels that are consistently applied from one year to the next. It uses a Transformer Deep Learning (DL) model as a classifier, which is trained on satellite Time Series (TS) data using High Performance Computing (HPC). The trained model is able to generate stable land cover maps by shifting the prediction window along the temporal direction. We test the method on a Sentinel-2 dataset acquired over a three-year period and demonstrate that: (1) the annual maps can be directly compared to detect changes and, (2) the accuracy of previously generated maps can be improved via a backpropagation strategy.
On Weighted Sum-Rate Maximization of Full-Duplex Systems in Presence of STAR-RIS
Authors: Kavianinia Mohammad Reza , Emadi Mohammad Javad , Sedaghat Mohammad Ali
Published: May 2023

A STAR-RIS assisted two-user full-duplex communication system is studied in which the multiantenna base station (BS) and single-antenna users are subject to maximum transmission power constraints. Firstly, for three well known protocols of STAR-RIS, weighted sum rate (WSR) is derived as the main performance metric. Next, the corresponding resource allocation problems are reformulated and converted into some equivalent weighted minimum mean-square-error forms and then transformed into several convex sub-problems. It is shown that this conversion allows us to solve the problems iteratively and efficiently. Although the original WSR optimization is non convex, the proposed efficient iterative alternating procedure is shown to achieve an acceptable sub-optimal performance. For the considered setup, the STAR-RIS’s tunable parameters are optimized via the successive convex approximation technique. Finally, the performance of the proposed schemes is compared against some baselines and shown to be superior to the conventional RIS.

 
Evaluating the Robustness of Complementary Channel Ferroelectric FETs Against Total Ionizing Dose Towards Radiation-Tolerant Embedded Nonvolatile Memory
Authors: Jiang Zhouhang , Guo Zixiang , Luo Xuyi , sayed munazza , Faris Zubair , Mulaosmanovic Halid , duenkel stefan , soss steven , beyer sven , gong xiao , kurinec santosh , Narayanan Vijaykrishnan , Amrouch Hussam , zhang enxia , Fleetwood Daniel M. , Schrimpf Ronald D. , Ni Kai
Published: May 2023

In this work, a thorough assessment of the robustness of complementary channel HfO2 ferroelectric FET (FeFET) against total ionizing dose (TID) radiation is conducted, with the goal of determining its suitability for use as high-performance and energy-efficient embedded nonvolatile memory (eNVM) for space applications. We demonstrate that: i) ferroelectric HfO2 thin film is robust against X-ray and proton irradiation; ii) FeFET exhibits a polarization state dependent radiation sensitivity where the high-VTH (HVT) state sees noticeable negative VTH shift and low-VTH (LVT) is immune to irradiation, irrespective of the channel type; iii) the state dependence is ascribed to the depolarization field in the HVT, which points toward the channel and facilitates the transport and trapping of radiation-generated holes close to the channel. In the future, radiation hardening techniques need to be considered.
Generalized framework for protecting privacy in the smart grid environment and measuring the efficacy of privacy attacks
Authors: Hossen Mohammad Sahinur
Published: May 2023

Generalized framework for protecting privacy in the smart grid environment and measuring the efficacy of privacy attacks.
Placement of High Availability Geo-Distributed Data Centers in Emerging Economies
Authors: Liu Ruiyun , Sun Weiqiang , hu weisheng
Published: May 2023

The data center markets in emerging economies are being built at a furious pace. When high availability is required, as it always is in the modern digital economy, the placement of geo-distributed data centers may be influenced by factors such as technician shortage and under-developed infrastructure, both of which are typical in emerging economies. Although the data center availability subject in general has been well studied, it remains unclear how rapid and unbalanced economic development in emerging economies may affect the availability of geo-distributed data centers and their cost of ownership. In this paper, we incorporate the unbalanced availability of infrastructure and technician into the data center placement. The problem is first formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear program (MINLP).To solve this potentially large scale problem, we transform it into a QCQP, capable of handling heterogeneous workloads. The resulting problem can then be efficiently solved by off-the-shelf optimization toolboxes. With real-life data in China, we show how unbalanced development of infrastructure and technician shortage may affect the placement of data centers, and analyze the tradeoff between cost and availability. Our results indicate that technician shortage and unbalanced network infrastructure will lead to increased cost and distinct data center placement strategies.
Immunogenesis in Lassa fever and prospects for vaccine development
Authors: Markin Vladimir A.
Published: May 2023

Analysis of literature data on the structure of the Lassa virus genome and its strain diversity has shown that the molecular heterogeneity of strains is essential in the design of vaccines and evaluation of their efficacy, which is determined by the relevant WHO recommendations. During virus reproduction, Lassa counteracts cellular immunogenesis by suppressing the expression of the suppressor of signaling proteins, cytokines and the RLR receptor that recognizes viral two-segmented RNA.
The GP protein, which determines the pathogen's infectivity and tropism, should be the main target for vaccines being developed. Other targets are the processes of viral RNA synthesis that determine the features of immunogenesis. A study of the immunogenesis of Lassa fever shows that the preferred candidate would be a replicating apathogenic vaccine capable of inducing an optimal combination of cellular and humoral responses, that is, causing high activity of T-lymphocytes and the production of viral neutralizing antibodies. One of the most important characteristics of a live candidate vaccine should be genetic stability to exclude reversion to a more pathogenic genotype.
Of the more than 130 candidate vaccines against Lassa fever designed, only two being the most promising were tested for immunogenicity and safety in humans (a recombinant on the measles virus platform and a DNA vaccine). A recombinant of Lassa virus with vesicular stomatitis virus and reassortants of Mopeya and Lassa viruses (MOPV/LASV- ML29) and (r3ML29) are promising for further development. A candidate vaccine rVSVG/LVGPC, similar in design to the rVSVG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine against Ebola, is promising.
Humoral immunity against pertussis among healthcare workers
Authors: Samodova Olga V. , Krieger Ekaterina A. , Rogushina Natal'ya L. , Zvezdina Yulia M. , Shagrov Leonid L.
Published: May 2023

Background. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. Inadequate vaccination coverage among healthcare workers is a major concern for healthcare organizations. The lack of specific immunity against pertussis represents the risk for acquiring a healthcare associated infection by medical staff but also of being a source of infection to patients. More than 70% of all healthcare associated infections are vaccine-preventable. Pertussis remains one of the most important vaccine-preventable infections and continues to be a public health concern even in countries with high vaccination coverage among children. Revaccination of adults against pertussis is not included in the National vaccination schedule of the Russian Federation.
Aim. To assess the humoral immunity against pertussis among healthcare workers of the infectious disease hospitals.
Materials and methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study that included 252 healthcare workers. All study participants were surveyed and tested for antibodies (immunoglobulins G) against Bordetella pertussis by enzyme immunoassay.
Results. The proportion of healthcare workers seronegative for pertussis was 46.8%. The healthcare workers with unknown vaccination status amounted to 40.5%. More than half (55.6%) of the participants have been vaccinated and 3.9% of them have had pertussis in childhood. A recent infection was confirmed in 8.0% of participants who had the level of antibodies to Bordetella pertussis greater than 50 U/ml. The largest proportion of participants seronegative to Bordetella pertussis (55.2%) was observed among those under 30 years. The median level of antibodies against pertussis in seropositive health workers was 28.3 U/ml.
Conclusion. The significant proportion of seronegative participants (46.8%) and those who had the recent infection underline the necessity of the improvement of pertussis prevention by implementation of vaccination in the risk groups, including healthcare workers to reduce the risk of healthcare associated infections.
The Russian database of HIV antiretroviral drug resistance
Authors: Kireev Dmitry E. , Kirichenko Alina A. , Lopatukhin Alexey Е. , Shlykova Anastasiia V. , Galkin Nikolai Yu. , Saveler Evgenii V. , Glazov Maxim B. , Pokrovsky Vadim V. , Akimkin Vasily G.
Published: May 2023

The development of sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analysis made it possible to conduct molecular and epidemiological studies, in which nucleotide sequences of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are used as information added to the patient profile. From a practical perspective, studies of prevalence of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) are of the highest significance. To promote such studies, different countries use databases that serve as repositories of genetic and epidemiological information. The Russian HIVDR database (https://hivresist.ru/) was created in 2009. Nevertheless, it was characterized by limited applicability for a long time. Since 2021, after the regulatory documents had been revised and updated, the entry of HIVDR research results into the Russian HIVDR database has been mandatory. Therefore, the priority attention has been given to upgrading the database and improving its functional capabilities. Different methods have been developed to enter clinical, epidemiological and genetic data. At the time of this study, the Russian database HIVDR contained 10,626 unique records about patients and 13,126 nucleotide sequences deposited by 10 institutions. The following functions have been provided for data analysis: quality control of the epidemiological and clinical information about a patient, quality control of nucleotide sequences, contamination check, subtyping, detection of DR mutations, identification of viral tropism and generation of standardized reports. The efforts toward further development of the Russian HIVDR database will be focused on designing tools for detection and analysis of molecular clusters, adaptation to routine application for epidemiological surveillance of HIV infection.
Influence of povidone-yodine on the sensitivity of clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae to antibiotics
Authors: Tsyrkunova Zhanna F. , Emelyanova Alesya A. , Gudkova Elena I. , Skorokhod Gennady A.
Published: May 2023

Introduction. Cross-resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics against the background of the use of biocides in subinhibitory concentrations is an urgent problem of modern health care.
The aim of the work is to study the effect of povidone-iodine on the sensitivity of clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae to antibiotics.
Materials and methods. The work analyzed the effect of povidone-iodine at subinhibitory concentrations on changes in the sensitivity of clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae (n = 9) to antibacterial agents (n = 15). Adaptation of bacteria to povidone-iodine was carried out using periodic cultivation of microorganisms, which was carried out in 96-well culture plates for suspension cultures (non-treated) without stirring. The sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics was assessed using an automatic analyzer Vitek2Compact (BioMerieux) using AST-204 charts.
Results. During the adaptation of clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae to povidone-iodine, an increase in the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics was shown. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 11 antibacterial agents in relation to the studied cultures decreased by an average of 2.3523.2 times compared with the control values. Under the experimental conditions, the sensitivity of the studied cultures increased to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid by 2 8 times, piperacillin/tazobactam by 2 32 times, ceftazidime by 4 16 times, ami-kacin 2 16 times, ertapenem 2.08.0 times, meropinem 28 times, cefepim 4 64 times, ciprofloxacin 4 16 times, gentamicin 2 8 times, norfloxacin 28 times, nitrofurantoin 24 times. An increase in the level of sensitivity to antibiotics was found in 50100% of the studied clinical bacterial isolates. A similar effect has not been established for ampicillin, cefotaxime, imipenem, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. It should be noted that under the conditions of the experiment, intraspecific heterogeneity of clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae was revealed in terms of the level of acquired sensitivity to antibacterial agents.
Discussion. Our results are not described in the scientific literature and require further study and explanation.
M5 autópálya üzemeltetésében megújuló energia használatának vizsgálata
Authors: Sós Gábor
Published: May 2023

Ez a cikk az M5-ös autópálya üzemeltetésében a megújuló energia felhasználásának lehetőségét vizsgálja, pontosabban az elektromos járművek autópálya-üzemben való felhasználásának lehetőségét, valamint napelemes rendszer telepítését az Üzemeltetési és Fenntartási Mérnökségeken. Az elektromos járművek használatára vonatkozóan összehasonlító elemzés készült, fókuszálva az elektromos járművekre a flottában jelenleg meglévő járművekkel szemben, részletes műszaki paraméterekkel. A kijelölt feladatok ellátására kiválasztott gépjárművek teljesítménymutatóinak elemzése alapján 58 járműből 3 cserélhető elektromos járműre. A napelempark kapcsán az M5-ös autópálya Üzemeltetési és Fenntartási Mérnökségein betekintést kapunk az üzembe helyezhető rendszer típusába és teljesítményébe. A műszaki paraméterek és a befektetés megtérülése is bele van foglalva. A fenti részletes megfontolásokat összegezve megállapítható, hogy a megújuló energia felhasználásának jelentősége és értelme van az M5-ös autópálya üzemeltetésében. Az elemzés eredményei alapján a napelempark telepítését engedélyezték Újhartyánon, Kiskunfélegyházán és Balástyán. Elindult az a folyamat, amely a megújuló energia bevezetését eredményezi az autópálya üzemeltetésében, és a jövőben a projekt további bővítésére lehet számítani. A megújuló energia hasznosítását a megtérülés, a környezettudatosság és a vállalat számára nyújtott piaci előny szempontjai alapján vezették be.
PENGARUH HARGA DAN KUALITAS LAYANAN TERHADAP TINGKAT KEPUASAN KONSUMEN (Studi pada Toko Retail (DH Mart) Pondok Modern Darul Hikmah Putri Tawangsari Tulungagung)
Authors: Minanur Rokhim Adib , Sukwatus Suja'i Imam
Published: May 2023

Kegiatan dunia usaha seperti bisnis retail sudah menjadi suatu perhatian yang menarik dalam kehidupan masyarakat. Model usaha tersebut dapat dilihat dari banyaknya jenis usaha retail. Salah satu toko retail tumbuh dan berkembang di Tulungagung adalah toko retail DH Mart. Agar mampu bertahan di tengah persaingan DH Mart menerapkan strategi manajemen untuk menarik konsumen dan memenuhi kepuasan konsumen, salah satunya tuntutan konsumen terhadap harga, produk dan layanan yang berkualitas. Pada penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh harga dan kualitas layanan terhadap tingkat kepuasan konsumen di DH Mart yang merupakan Toko Retail Pondok Moderen Darul Hikmah Putri Tawangsari Tulungagung. Sampel yang digunakan sebanyak 136 responden. Alat analisis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan regresi linear berganda menggunakan bantuan aplikasi SPSS versi 21. Hasil penelitian ini menujukkan harga secara parsial berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepuasan kepuasan konsumen Toko Retail (DH Mart), selanjutnya kualitas layanan secara parsial berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepuasan kepuasan konsumen Toko Retail (DH Mart), dan secara bersama-sama harga dan kualitas layanan secara parsial berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepuasan kepuasan konsumen Toko Retail (DH Mart). Untuk penelian selanjutnya dapat menggunakan variabel yang berbeda seperti kualitas produk, display toko, atmosfir toko, dan lokasi toko.
Pengaruh kekuatan mata pisau mesin pencacah kompos menggunakan metode finite element analysis
Authors: Kharisma Aji Abdillah , Ajiwiratama Mahesa Dikta
Published: May 2023

Sampah adalah limbah yang terdiri dari zat organik dan zat anorganik yang harus dikelola agar tidak membahayakan lingkungan, khususnya untuk sampah kompos. Kompos merupakan produk akhir suatu proses fermentasi tumpukan sampah atau bagian dari tanaman (jerami, rumput, daun pisang, daun tebu, dll). Salah satu alternatif yang perlu dilakukan terhadap sampah kompos yaitu merancang pembuatan mesin pencacah kompos dan menganalisis komponen yang digunakan seperti pisau pencacahnya. Mata pisau merupakan bagian komponen penting untuk melakukan proses pencacahan. Metode analisis simulasi model desain mata pisau dilakukan untuk menganalisis kinerja dari mata pisau berdasarkan kekuatan pembebanan yang diberikan. Permodelan simulasi dilakukan menggunakan software dan akan dibandingan dengan perhitungan secara teoritis. Jenis material mata pisau adalah SS41, dan poros adalah S45C. Hasil yang diperoleh dari analisis permodelan desain menggunakan software meliputi tegangan maksimum (von misses stress) pada pembebanan 2,5 N untuk setiap 24 mata pisau totalnya sebesar 157 MPa, hasil displacement adalah 0,161 mm, serta hasil safety factor bernilai 3,05, sedangkan hasil perhitungan teoritis dari von misses stress adalah 168 MPa, displacement 0,03 mm, dan safety factor sebesar 3,18. Berdasarkan hasil nilai safety factor pada simulasi model mata pisau dinyatakan aman dan dapat dilanjutkan ke tahap proses manufaktur.
The Efficacy of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning in Improving Learners’ Reading Skills in Relation to Metacognitive Strategy
Authors: Sudiatama  , Dehghani Sadaf , Zamorano Alex
Published: May 2023

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is a mobile device-based approach that is utilized in language learning to enhance students' reading proficiency. As mobile devices have become the dominant mode of learning due to prevailing conditions, it has become increasingly necessary to employ adaptable learning processes that aim to improve students' reading skills through the use of metacognitive strategies. Although reading is one of several skills essential to learning English, in the current pandemic situation, it is impractical to teach it directly. Therefore, the MALL approach is imperative to adapt to the new teaching-learning process, particularly in the current pandemic scenario. This study endeavors to assess the application of MALL and its impact on students' reading skills by conducting both qualitative and quantitative research. Data collection methods in this study include observation, documentation, and field notes. The study involved one problematic class, to which researchers implemented the MALL application, followed by tests and interviews at the end of the study. The results indicate a significant increase in students' reading skills, along with ease of learning during the pandemic. Thus, this study highlights the efficacy of the MALL approach in improving students' reading skills and adapting to the pandemic-induced new teaching-learning process.
Pengaruh Budaya Sekolah dan Pendidikan Karakter Berbasis Sembilan Nilai Terhadap Kinerja Guru: Studi di Sekolah Menengah Katolik Yayasan Joseph Yeemye di Sulawesi Utara
Authors: Makalew Maritje Maria
Published: May 2023

Artikel ini bermaksud untuk menentukan pengaruh terhadap kinerja guru di sekolah menengah katolik dari variabel determinan budaya sekolah dan pendidikan karakter berbasis nilai. Penelitian ini menggunaan metode kuantitatif, dengan teknik analisa data regresi linier berganda. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner yang didistribusi kepada 93 guru sekolah menengah katolik Yayasan Joseph Yeemye sebagai sampel melalui survey. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa budaya sekolah berpengaruh signifikan dan positif terhadap kinerja guru sekolah menengah katolik; pendidikan karakter berbasis nilai berpengaruh signifikan dan positif terhadap kinerja guru sekolah menengah katolik; dan budaya sekolah dan pendidikan karakter berbasis nilai secara simultan berpengaruh signifikan dan positif terhadap kinerja guru sekolah menengah katolik.
Acquired Undescended Testes: Immediate Surgery or Wait and See?
Authors: YILMAZ İsmail Önder , SATAR Nihat
Published: May 2023

Undescended testes are a common urological pathology in boys. This condition is categorized according to the examination findings, palpable or non-palpable, and according to the time of diagnosis, congenital or acquired. Orchiopexy is recommended for congenital undescended testes as early as 6 months and up to 18 months at the latest. It is not certain when cases of acquired undescended testes first occur, and most will descend spontaneously into the scrotum. For this reason, when an acquired undescended testis is noticed, the question of whether orchiopexy should be performed immediately or if follow-up is an option becomes important. In this study, we aimed to examine studies on acquired undescended testes in light of the current literature in order to find an answer to this question.
Etiological Evaluation in Pediatric Urinary Stone Disease
Authors: İNÖZÜ Mihriban , ACAR Banu , ÖZCAN SIKI Fatma , ÇAYCI Fatma Şemsa , TİRYAKİ Tuğrul , ÇAKAR Nilgün
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Urinary stone disease is an important health problem commonly seen in some regions of the world. Determining the etiology is important for effective treatment and prevention of recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the demographic and clinical features, metabolic and other risk factors of children with urinary stone disease.

Methods: A total of 766 patients with urinary stone disease presented to our pediatric nephrology department over 15 years. The patients’ demographic, clinical, and treatment data were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 61.6±52.7 months. The male/female ratio was 1.15:1. There was no significant difference in age at diagnosis between the sexes. The most frequent presenting complaint overall was abdominal pain. Chronic renal failure was present in 1.8% and family history in 57.5% of the patients. Metabolic abnormalities were detected in 51% of the patients, urinary tract infection in 44.8%, and urinary tract anomalies in 13.2%. No cause could be identified in the other 22.7% of the patients. Urinary tract infection was the most common etiology in patients younger than 1 year old, while metabolic risk factors were more frequent in patients aged 1-10 years. Metabolic abnormalities included hypercalciuria (51.7%), hypocitraturia (47.5%), hyperoxaluria (39.9%), hyperuricosuria (23.4%), and cystinuria (9.4%). Bilateral and multiple stones were associated with metabolic abnormalities (p
Estágio Supervisionado em Prática de Ensino de Ciências e Biologia: (des)construção de imagens do ser professor?
Authors: Silva Lenice Heloisa De Arruda , Güllich Roque Ismael Da Costa , Ferreira Fernando Cesar
Published: May 2023

O presente artigo tem em seu escopo o propósito de discutir o papel da observação decorrente do estágio supervisionado, na perspectiva da contextualização, assumindo com isso, novos sentidos e significados para este momento. A discussão das interfaces do estágio com a formação inicial de professores de ciências e biologia comprometida com a reflexão crítica também está abordada neste texto. Esperamos que os leitores ao tecerem outros olhares sobre os nossos medos e ousadias possam perceber que este novo design é possível e parte de nossas práticas.