bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid toxicity index in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (preliminary data)
Authors: Ermolaeva E. V. , Aseeva E. A. , Nikishina N. Yu. , Popkova T. V. , Lila A. M.
Published: February 2024

Objective: to investigate the contribution of glucocorticoids (GC) to the development of irreversible organ damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using the GC toxicity index (GTI).

Material and methods. The study included 65 patients with SLE who met the 2012 SLICC classification criteria. GTI, disease activity according to the SLEDAI-2K index and the SLICC damage index (DI) were determined in all patients, and standard laboratory and immunological tests were performed.

Results and discussion. Patients were predominantly female (n=56, 86%), median disease duration was 76 [2; 288] months, SLEDAI-2K – 8.8 [0; 26], DI SLICC – 1.0 [0; 5], DI SLICC >0 was found in 28 (43%) patients. The median duration of GC therapy during the disease period was 66.0 [0; 288] months, maximum dose of GC – 32.7 [0; 80] mg, median of total GC dose during intravenous administration was 2942 [0; 17 812.5] mg, GTI at the time of enrolment in the study – 19 [0; 37] points. GTI >0 was present in 47 (72%) of 65 patients. GTI correlated with disease duration (r=0.33; p<0.008); maximum dose of oral GCs (r=0.31; p><0.012); duration of GC use (r=0.35; p><0.005); DI SLICC (r=-0.43; p><0.0001). In patients with an average disease duration of more than 3 years, GTI>˂0.008); maximum dose of oral GCs (r=0.31; p˂0.012); duration of GC use (r=0.35; p˂0.005); DI SLICC (r=-0.43; p˂0.0001). In patients with an average disease duration of more than 3 years, GTI was significantly higher than in patients with a disease duration of 1–3 years (p=0.023).

Conclusion. An GTI>0 was found in 72% of SLE patients, which increased significantly with disease duration. The GTI value was influenced by the duration of SLE, the duration of GC treatment and the maximum GC dose during the disease period. A statistically significant correlation was found between the GTI and the SLICC DI, allowing the GTI value to be used as an additional component in the assessment of the contribution of GCs to the development of irreversible organ damage in patients with SLE. It is recommended that GTI is assessed in all patients with SLE receiving long-term GC treatment for the purpose of dose adjustment.
Analysis of clinical manifestations and spectrum of pharmacotherapy in Moscow and St. Petersburg cohorts of patients with adult-onset Still's disease
Authors: Zotkina K. E. , Torgashina A. V. , Myachikova V. Yu. , Maslyansky A. L.
Published: February 2024

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a systemic autoinflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by clinical manifestations such as fever, non-stable maculopapular rash, arthritis and/or arthralgias and leukocytosis with neutrophilia.

Objective: to analyze the spectrum of clinical manifestations of AOSD and pharmacotherapy in real clinical practice.

Material and methods. A cross-sectional study included 111 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of AOSD according to the Yamaguchi criteria, who were treated in two large Russian centers from 2019 to 2022: V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology (Moscow) and Almazov National Medical Research Centre (Saint Petersburg).

Results and discussion. We analyzed the spectrum of clinical manifestations throughout the course of the disease. The spectrum of clinical manifestations of AOSD in our study was shown to be similar to the results of other studies. It was found that the frequency of the different clinical manifestations did not differ significantly.

The majority of patients (74%) in our cohort received glucocorticosteroids (GC) in combination with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs). Monotherapy with GC was used in only 9% of patients. Up to 80% of patients received methotrexate (MTX) at various stages of the disease. For the treatment of patients refractory to GC and MTX therapy, bDMARDs were prescribed (44% of cases), most frequently interleukin-6 inhibitors (34%). In the St. Petersburg cohort, 13 (31.7%) of 41 patients were taking colchicine, which enabled control of disease manifestations and a reduction in the need for GC in 9 of them.

Conclusion. Thus, we can draw a preliminary conclusion about the presence of steroid dependence in patients with AOSD. Up to 79.3% of AOSD patients are forced to take GC for a long period of time, which is associated with the risk of complications. Further studies on the optimal profile of bDMARDs are needed, as well as the role of colchicine as a potential therapeutic option for certain clinical and immunological subtypes of AOSD.
Modern imaging techniques in the diagnosis of axial spondylitis: similarities and differences between axial psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Sukhinina A. V. , Lila A. M. , Smirnov A. V. , Korotaeva T. V.
Published: February 2024

Involvement of axial skeletal in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is often associated with inflammatory changes in peripheral joints and is asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic, and changes in the spine and sacroiliac joints are often found only on X-ray. The article, which is based on numerous studies, compares the characteristics of axial skeletal lesions in patients with the axial form of psoriatic arthritis (axPsA) and in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and discusses the possibilities of their diagnosis using radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including modern methods such as diffusion-weighted imaging, contrast-enhanced dynamic scanning and whole-body MRI.

The main difficulty in diagnosing axPsA is that there is no universally accepted terminology or standardized diagnostic criteria, making it difficult to clearly distinguish axPsA from other forms of axial spondyloarthritis. Determining the first symptoms of axPsA not only helps to make a timely diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment, but also to monitor the activity of the disease and the dynamics of structural changes, which allows appropriate adjustment of the therapy needed to improve the quality of life of patients.
Difficulties in the differential diagnosis of focal lung lesions in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who has received anti-B-cell therapy with rituximab. Description of a clinical case
Authors: Suprun M. D. , Sholkina P. A. , Semyonova L. A. , Ananyeva L. P.
Published: February 2024

We present a clinical case of a patient treated with rituximab and methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis with progressive focal lung lesions that were difficult to interpret. The complexity of the problem of focal lung lesions in rheumatic diseases, which involves a broad spectrum of clinical medical disciplines, is emphasized.
On a nonlinear Robin problem with an absorption term on the boundary and L
1 data
Authors: Pietra Francesco Della , Oliva Francescantonio , León Sergio Segura de
Published: February 2024

We deal with existence and uniqueness of nonnegative solutions to:

−
Δ
u
=
f

(

x

)

,

in

Ω
,

∂
u

∂
ν

+
λ

(

x

)

u
=

g

(

x

)

u

η

,

on

∂
Ω
,

\left\{\begin{array}{ll}-\Delta u=f\left(x),\hspace{1.0em}& \hspace{0.1em}\text{in}\hspace{0.1em}\hspace{0.33em}\Omega ,\\ \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu }+\lambda \left(x)u=\frac{g\left(x)}{{u}^{\eta }},\hspace{1.0em}& \hspace{0.1em}\text{on}\hspace{0.1em}\hspace{0.33em}\partial \Omega ,\end{array}\right.

where

η
≥
0

\eta \ge 0

and

f
,
λ

f,\lambda

, and

g

g

are the nonnegative integrable functions. The set

Ω
⊂

R

N

(

N
>
2

)

\Omega \subset {{\mathbb{R}}}^{N}\left(N\gt 2)

is open and bounded with smooth boundary, and

ν

\nu

denotes its unit outward normal vector. More generally, we handle equations driven by monotone operators of

p

p

-Laplacian type jointly with nonlinear boundary conditions. We prove the existence of an entropy solution and check that, under natural assumptions, this solution is unique. Among other features, we study the regularizing effect given to the solution by both the absorption and the nonlinear boundary term.
Materials-based drug delivery approaches: Recent advances and future perspectives
Authors: Pei JinJin , Yan Yuqiang , Palanisamy Chella Perumal , Jayaraman Selvaraj , Natarajan Prabhu Manickam , Umapathy Vidhya Rekha , Gopathy Sridevi , Roy Jeane Rebecca , Sadagopan Janaki Coimbatore , Thalamati Dwarakesh , Mironescu Monica
Published: February 2024

Materials-based drug delivery approaches have garnered substantial attention in recent years due to their potential to revolutionize pharmaceutical interventions. This abstract provides a concise overview of recent advancements and future prospects in this rapidly evolving field. Materials such as nanoparticles, liposomes, polymers, and hydrogels have emerged as versatile carriers for drug delivery. These materials facilitate precise control over drug release kinetics, enabling targeted and sustained therapeutic effects. Smart materials with responsiveness to external stimuli or physiological conditions have further enhanced drug delivery precision. Personalized medicine approaches are gaining traction, tailoring drug delivery systems to individual patient profiles and needs. The horizon for materials-based drug delivery is bright. Ongoing research is focused on refining material design, streamlining production processes, and ensuring safety profiles. Collaborative efforts among researchers, clinicians, and industry stakeholders are crucial for translating these advancements into clinical practice. Additionally, the convergence of drug delivery with diagnostics and imaging holds immense potential for personalized and efficient healthcare solutions. As materials-based drug delivery continues to evolve, it stands poised to reshape the landscape of pharmaceuticals, offering the promise of more effective and patient-centered therapies for a wide range of medical conditions.
Review of iris segmentation and recognition using deep learning to improve biometric application
Authors: Rasheed Hind Hameed , Shamini Sara Swathy , Mahmoud Moamin A. , Alomari Mohammad Ahmed
Published: February 2024

Biometric recognition is essential for identifying people in security, surveillance, and mobile device authentication. Iris recognition (IR) biometrics is exact because it uses unique iris patterns to identify individuals. Iris segmentation, which isolates the iris from the rest of the ocular image, determines iris identification accuracy. The main problem is concerned with selecting the best deep learning (DL) algorithm to classify and estimate biometric iris biometric iris. This study proposed a comprehensive review of DL-based methods to improve biometric iris segmentation and recognition. It also evaluates reliability, specificity, memory, andF-score. It was reviewed with iris image analysis, edge detection, and classification literature. DL improves iris segmentation and identification in biometric authentication, especially when combined with additional biometric modalities like fingerprint fusion. Besides, that DL in iris detection requires large training datasets and is challenging to use with noisy or low-quality photos. In addition, it examines DL for iris segmentation and identification efforts to improve biometric application understanding. It also suggests ways to improve precision and reliability. DL may be used in biometric identification; however, further study is needed to overcome current limits and improve IR processes.
City images in transnational travel vlogs from a multimodal perspective: an investigation of 20 port cities worldwide
Authors: Chen Sitian , Zang Yinglei , Yang Ping
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze how vloggers use interactions of different modalities in transnational travel vlogs on YouTube to draw audiences’ attentions, as well as the impact of the socio-cultural context on the discourse of these vlogs and the represented city images.

Design/methodology/approach

This research project adopts a multimodal approach by using a new analytical framework based on provenance symbols in semiotics, appraisal systems, and visual grammar in linguistics as theoretical foundations.

Findings

Our research findings show that there are four dominant themes, including nature enjoyment, landmark visiting and street wandering, food tasting, and infrastructure evaluation in these vlogs. North American full-time vloggers with advanced skills and rich experience are the main contributors, which may lead to a fixed and biased representation of city images. The mechanism of city image formation, from cities’ physical existence to foreign viewers’ perception via transnational travel vlogs, has also been illustrated.

Implications

The city image exists in a dynamic landscape where online opinion leaders also hold significant discourse power. Though becoming more visible, cities are facing challenges related to the increasing homogenization of mediated images. The research findings also have practical implications for redefining approaches to the international communication of city images to diverse stakeholders including city administrators and travel vloggers.

Originality/value

This paper expands the scope of research on urban communication by adopting a comparative and global perspective. The new analytical framework can serve as a reference for future studies on new media content. Furthermore, the systematic mechanism of city image formation presented contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of new media in the international communication of city images.
Mediating role of leadership and group capital between human capital component and sustainability of horticultural agribusiness institutions in Indonesia
Authors: Akbar Akbar , Salam Muslim , Arsyad Muhammad , Rahmadanih Rahmadanih
Published: February 2024

Farmers’ institutions are currently more cultural and primarily oriented only to getting government facilities. Farmers’ institutions have not been directed at utilizing access to various technological information, capital, and markets needed to develop horticultural agribusiness. Nevertheless, almost all farmers’ institutions exist in rural areas, but not all existing institutions can survive and carry out their functions sustainably. The research objective was to examine the impact of human capital through leadership and group capital on the sustainability of horticultural agribusiness institutions. The study was carried out at Uluere District, Bantaeng Regency, which is designated as a horticulture agribusiness development zone in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The sample selection was conducted using a simple randomized method, where 10% of the overall population was chosen. This method resulted in a sample size of 233 respondents for this study. The data gathering was done during September and November of 2022. Moreover, to acquire findings about the effect of human capital on the long-term viability of institutional agribusiness horticulture, we conducted an analysis using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. The findings indicated that individual capability, individual motivation, organizational climate, and workgroup effectiveness were key factors of human capital that directly impact institutional strengthening. These factors were found to have positive and statistically significant connections. In addition, leadership and group capital connected the many aspects of human capital to the sustainability of horticultural agribusiness. The results of this study will significantly enhance ongoing efforts to formulate a plan aimed at mitigating rural development challenges, especially in Indonesia.
Badiou and Agamben Beyond the Happiness Industry and its Critics
Authors: de Boer Ype
Published: February 2024

Modern continental thought is skeptical toward happiness and no longer easily reconciles its pursuit with a desire for justice, the good, and truth. Critical theory has unmasked happiness as a commodity within an industry, an ideological tool for control, and a sedative to, justification of, and distraction from social injustice. This article argues that these diagnoses make it all the more important that philosophy, rather than taking leave of happiness, once again turns it into a serious object of thought. Employing the work of Badiou and Agamben as case studies, it asks what a critically informed yet affirmative philosophy of happiness should entail at a structural level. Assessing their philosophical models of happiness, this article 1) recognizes in their work a revival of the ancient ideal of a true, just, and happy life, 2) opens up a new way of evaluating their work, and 3) articulates basic requirements of a contemporary, affirmative philosophy of happiness beyond the happiness industry and its critics.
Investigating the effects of late sign language acquisition on referent introduction: a follow-up study
Authors: Gür Cansu
Published: February 2024

The present study investigates the effects of late sign language acquisition on the linguistic strategies used in the first introductions of inanimate objects through comparisons between narrations produced by deaf signers exposed to sign language after early childhood (i.e., late signers) and those of deaf signers acquiring sign language from birth (i.e., native signers). According to the results, late sign language acquisition has no hindering effect on the acquisition of the linguistic strategies used in the first introductions of inanimate objects. In addition, both native and late-signing children do not display adult-like patterns. This study suggests that the acquisition of referent introduction seems to be resilient to the effects of late sign language exposure. It also highlights the necessity of more research on different domains to gain insights into the narrative skills of late signers.
Análisis de la evolución de la pandemia covid-19 en el estado de Guanajuato y México: un estudio ecológico de series en el tiempo
Authors: Padilla Raygoza Nicolás , Flores-Vargas Gilberto , Gallardo-Luna María de Jesús , Navarro-Olivos Efraín , Morales-Reyes Guadalupe Irazú , Plascencia-Roldán Jéssica Paola , Magos-Vázquez Francisco Javier
Published: February 2024

La emergencia de SARS-CoV-2 y la pandemia por covid-19 son un fenómeno de salud pública global. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la evolución de la pandemia covid-19 en Guanajuato y en México. Para esto, se utilizó la base de datos pública del Sistema Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiológica a fin de mostrar los indicadores de covid-19 (mensualmente) correspondientes al Instituto de Salud Pública del Estado de Guanajuato y el resto de México. Con los conteos se diseñaron gráficas en línea, y para comparaciones se optó por la razón de tasas en periodos semestrales. Guanajuato mostró un mejor desempeño al inicio de la pandemia, pero en enero de 2021, esta tendencia parece revertirse. En meses posteriores, las curvas tienden a ser más semejantes entre Guanajuato y el resto de México. Las explicaciones a este fenómeno pueden ser la coordinación de las respuestas locales, variaciones de la evolución de la pandemia o esquemas de vacunación.
Portland Cement Specifications: Performance, Prescription, and Prediction
Authors: Hill ED , Frohnsdorff G
Published: February 2024

A major driving force for specification development, whether for a cement or other material, is a need for enhanced and more predictable performance. A prescriptive specification reduces the risk of poor performance by keeping the composition and other conveniently measurable characteristics of a product close to those of a product which has performed well. Although it is harder to develop and apply, a performance specification can be a valuable complement to a prescriptive one; apart from being less restrictive, its development focuses attention explicitly on the definition and the measurement of performance.

Neither prescriptive nor performance specifications necessarily require scientific understanding of factors affecting performance, and so a third approach is proposed—a predictive specification based on scientific understanding. In the case of cement and concrete, it can be foreseen as a result of the continued strengthening of the materials science base of the technology combined with developments in computer simulation of the behavior of cementitious systems. While these developments arc taking place, improvements must continue to be sought in the prescriptive and performance specifications to make sure they are as good as they can be. The desired improvements and the research needed to achieve them must be defined, and support for the research must be provided. For the near term, some suggestions for improving the existing portland cement specifications, ASTM C 150, are offered. They concern minimum strength levels, strength uniformity, and improvement of compound composition calculations.
Why Performance Standards for Hydraulic Cement?
Authors: Gebhardt RF
Published: February 2024

There is currently a significant trend toward performance-oriented specifications for hydraulic cements. A performance specification is one which primarily or exclusively defines what its object does rather than what it is, how it is made, or what it looks like. Performance specifications for cement are not new phenomena; they have been with us from the earliest stages of standards development. The goal has always been what the cement does, but the “trend” to performance “accelerated” in the mid-1970s, driven partly by antitrust considerations.

A performance-oriented specification for blended cements has almost completed the ASTM process and should appear soon in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. It is a “pure” performance specification, intended to exist in parallel with the current hybrid specification, Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements (C 595). ASTM C 595 prescribes that a blended cement may contain only a limited suite of materials and then applies property (performance) requirements to the resulting product. Many existing blended cements with long histories of commercial acceptance, such as product cements (block, pipe, precast, etc.), are not now included in ASTM specifications. The new specification eliminates the restriction on constituents and composition, but requires that any blended cement be demonstrated to meet specified criteria for the primary performance attributes that can reasonably be measured. A similar performance specification for portland cement is nearing the point of Committee ballot. Can masonry cement be far behind?
Importance of Precision Statements in Developing Performance Standards for Cement
Authors: Patzias T
Published: February 2024

ASTM, by being a participant in the U.S. National Standards Policy, favors performance rather than recipe or design standards. There is a need to increase the performance of cement and, in the final analysis, the performance of concrete. From a producer's point of view, this can be done under certain conditions and options by adhering to performance specifications for the product.

ASTM requires that all test methods contain sections on precision and bias. In the case of test methods for construction materials, precision is estimated using ASTM Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Test Program to Determine the Precision of Test Methods for Construction Materials (C 802). which involves interlaboratory cooperative testing. With the unique resource of the voluntary consensus system, the ISR, and the expertise of the technical committees, ASTM has the capability to produce the performance standards needed in the coming years.
Ti Roll-Clad Plate: More Cost-Effective Plate Products for Utilizing Titanium and Zirconium Alloys in Chemical Processes
Authors: Schutz RW
Published: February 2024

A new family of hot roll-bonded composite reactive metal plate products, known as Ti Roll-Clad Plate, was developed and offers significant cost savings over solid Ti Grade 7, Zr 702, Ni Cr-Mo, and Ni-Mo alloy plate for construction of chemical process equipment. Favorable economics with these plate products stem from more efficient reactive metal utilization, a simple plate manufacturing process, and applicability of conventional fabrication/welding methods. Numerous cladding metal and backer alloy combinations are possible for these plates, permitting optimization in alloy corrosion resistance and economics for process equipment used in the chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutic industry.
Development and Applications of Titanium Alloy SP-700 with High Formability
Authors: Ogawa A , Niikura M , Ouchi C , Minikawa K , Yamada M
Published: February 2024

A new β-rich α + β titanium alloy, SP-700, was designed to improve hot workability and mechanical properties over Ti-6A1-4V alloy. The chemical composition of the alloy is Ti-4.5A1-3V-2Mo-2Fe, and particularly enhanced properties include superplasticity, hardenability, and fatigue strength. Owing to its extremely fine microstructure and low β-transus temperature, SP-700 is superplastically formable at temperatures below 1073 K without significant increase in flow stress. More advantageously, diffusion bonding is also accomplished around this temperature. The low temperature SPF/DB process not only saves die material life and process costs, but also reduces alloy degradation from exposure at elevated temperatures, e.g., grain growth and oxidation. Isothermal and conventional hot forging are also performed better with SP-700 than ordinary titanium alloys like Ti6A1-4V.

The alloy is heat treatable and one of its many mechanical properties is that high strength over 1200 MPa is attained in solution treatment and aging condition. The advantage to this is that the moderately stable β phase tolerates air cooling for solution treatment. Thermal distortion in work pieces, which would be caused by rapid cooling, is consequently avoided. In addition, the alloy is cold workable in such cases as rolling and blanking, when annealed around 1073 K. Furthermore, fatigue life and resistance to hydrogen-assisted stress corrosion cracking are improved due to reduced aluminum content.

The superior properties of SP-700 over conventional titanium alloys make new applications possible in non-aerospace fields including sporting goods, hand tools, and wrist watches. Golf drivers, with club heads made of SP-700, are sold commercially. Crampons, a new product of SP-700, withstand cold blanking and bending which reduces production costs and extends life. Due to its high forgeability, SP-700 is expected to extend its application to the production of steam turbine blades. Details of practical applications have been demonstrated together with advantages of properties and fabrication for the blades.
Successful Management of the Analytical Laboratory
Authors: Riga AT , Scott CG
Published: February 2024

This book successfully reviews the operation of an analytical laboratory based on the lab manager's responsibilities. Laboratory performance, cost-effectiveness, and professional status of lab personnel are a focus for the author. The experienced analytical manager will benefit from the twelve chapters and 17 case studies. The potential or new lab manager will also gain insight into pertinent areas discussed by the author, including “Functions of the Industrial Analytical Laboratory, Organization of the Laboratory,” “Staffing the Laboratory,” “Managing Lab Personnel,” “Oral and Written Presentations,” “Workload Management,” “Quality Performance,” “Budgeting the Cost Control,” and “Information Management.”
Endocrine toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors: a network meta-analysis of the current evidence
Authors: Ouyang Peipei , Yang Weiting , Sun Jianqiao , Chen Ping , He Qingyun , Yan Jiaxin , Wang Wenhao , Wang Yi , Li Heran , Luo Qiuhua
Published: February 2024

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment but pose a challenge of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), particularly endocrine toxicity, that can severely compromise patient well-being. Existing research has often been limited in scope and has not provided comprehensive safety profiles across the diverse range of ICI therapies. We addressed this gap by performing a network meta-analysis on 55 randomized controlled trials involving 32,522 patients. Using STATA to calculate the surface under the cumulative ranking curve, we ranked the safety of various ICI monotherapies and combination therapies. ICIs were found to increase the risk of endocrine toxicities, such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypophysitis, thyroiditis, and adrenal insufficiency; this risk was greater with dual ICI regimens. Specifically, cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, such as ipilimumab, are closely associated with hypophysitis, whereas programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, notably pembrolizumab and nivolumab, predispose patients to thyroid-related dysfunction, such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroiditis. Interestingly, nivolumab showed no elevated risk of adrenal dysfunction, in contrast to the elevated risk observed with other ICI treatments. This study provides critical evidence-based insights for optimizing the risk-benefit balance of ICI therapies in clinical practice.
Biophysical Modeling of Actin-Mediated Structural Plasticity Reveals Mechanical Adaptation in Dendritic Spines
Authors: Bonilla-Quintana Mayte , Rangamani Padmini
Published: February 2024

Synaptic plasticity is important for learning and memory formation; it describes the strengthening or weakening of connections between synapses. The postsynaptic part of excitatory synapses resides in dendritic spines, which are small protrusions on the dendrites. One of the key features of synaptic plasticity is its correlation with the size of these spines. A long-lasting synaptic strength increase [long-term potentiation (LTP)] is only possible through the reconfiguration of the actin spine cytoskeleton. Here, we develop an experimentally informed three-dimensional computational model in a moving boundary framework to investigate this reconfiguration. Our model describes the reactions between actin and actin-binding proteins leading to the cytoskeleton remodeling and their effect on the spine membrane shape to examine the spine enlargement upon LTP. Moreover, we find that the incorporation of perisynaptic elements enhances spine enlargement upon LTP, exhibiting the importance of accounting for these elements when studying structural LTP. Our model shows adaptation to repeated stimuli resulting from the interactions between spine proteins and mechanical forces.
Diagnóstico de la gobernanza del agua para el desarrollo de la comunidad rural de Platanilla, Darién, Panamá
Authors: Sánchez-Galán Enrique A. , Murillo Migdaris , Conte Aaron A.
Published: February 2024

A rapid diagnosis was conducted in the Platanilla rural community, located in the province of Darién (Republic of Panama), focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene, and considering water resources as a cross-cutting axis. Mixed methods were applied, including surveys, interviews, and documentary review, in order to build an understanding of water management and its limitations. Findings revealed low population participation and commitment, political instability, and lack of territorial planning, all of which limits water management and governance, regardless of its recognized importance to the community and its land-based accessibility. Social and institutional relearning is required to ensure sustainable territorial transformations in water management and governance, in addition to investments in water supply infrastructure and water treatment and distribution.
Elastic Properties of Sheet and Materials from Vibration Testing
Authors:   Cambridge University Engineering Department, Trumpington St, Cambridge, Woodhouse Jim
Published: February 2024

Many materials, including paper products, come in sheet form and exhibit orthotropic symmetry. Information about the elastic stiffnesses of such materials can often be obtained quickly and accurately using a measurement method based on the vibration modes and natural frequencies of rectangular panels. The method is outlined and illustrated, and some case studies discussed in which the method is applied to fibre-reinforced composite materials and to the selection of wood for musical instruments.
Pagos digitales e inclusión financiera: Un estudio correlacional en microempresarios del distrito de Pueblo Libre - Lima, Perú 2022
Authors: Herrera Zuasnábar Danitza , Uribe Kajatt Justina , Rey-de-Castro Hidalgo Daniel Enrique
Published: February 2024

The main objective of the research was to establish a correlation between digital payments and financial inclusion. The study also aimed to comprehend how payment systems, digital wallets, and electronic money dimensions affect financial inclusion. The research methodology used a quantitative approach with a descriptive-correlational level and a non-experimental and cross-sectional design. The study population consisted of 164 microentrepreneurs based in the district of Pueblo Libre. Data was collected through Likert-type scale surveys, and the methods of analysis were descriptive and correlational. The results showed a positive and strong correlation (0.858) between digital payments and financial inclusion. Therefore, it can be concluded that digital payments and all its dimensions contribute to financial inclusion.
Macarius: A HTR Model for Romanian Slavonic Early Printed Books
Authors: Polomac Vladimir
Published: February 2024

The paper describes the process of creating and evaluating the HTR (Handwritten Text Recognition) model for Romanian Slavonic early printed books (first half of the 16th century, Middle Bulgarian Church Slavonic, Cyrillic Script) using the Transkribus software platform, based on the principles of artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced neural networks. The HTR model was created on the material of Romanian Slavonic early printed books from Târgovişte printing house: the Liturgikon from 1508 and the Teatraevangelion from 1512 from the oldest printing house managed by hieromonk Macarius, as well as the Apostle from 1547 from the printing house managed by Dimitrije Ljubavić. The most important result of the paper is the creation of the first version of the generic HTR model Macarius (named in honour of hieromonk Makarije, the first South Slavonic and Romanian printer) with exceptional performance – the percentage of incorrectly recognized characters (including accent marks) is only 2.7%. Research has shown that this HTR model can also be used for the automatic recognition of Romanian Slavonic early printed books published in the second half of the 16th century. HTR model Macarius together with Ground Truth data is available to all users of the Transkribus platform, which ensures its wider use, as well as the possibility for further improvement of its performance.
Anetta Bogusława Strawińska, Leksyka północnokresowa jako element deskrypcji zagadnień ortoepicznych w poradnikach Aleksandra Walickiego i Aleksandra Łętowskiego, Wydawnictwo PRYMAT, Seria: Białostockie Studia Językoznawcze (tom 18), Białystok 2022, ss. 192, ISBN 978-83-7657-465-3.
Authors: Davlevič Miroslav
Published: February 2024

The publication of Anetta Boguslava Stravinska Leksyka północnokresowa jako element deskrypcji zagadnień ortoepicznych w poradnikach Aleksandra Walickiego i Aleksandra Łętowskiego (2022)  belongs both to a number of studies of the Polish language in Lithuania, and to studies of the correctness of Polish speech. The purpose of the study is to compare examples from manuals on correct speech by Alexander Valitsky and Alexander Lentovsky, to establish the linguistic consciousness of both Polish speakers at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the authors of the manuals. The book under review is an interesting and valuable contribution, complementing previous studies of the Polish language in the Kres. The monograph will also provide scientific and didactic assistance in further studying the problems of the culture of Polish speech in Lithuania.
Second student readings of the Department of Slavic Studies of Vilnius University
Authors: Konickaja Jelena , Michailova Galina
Published: February 2024

On October 13–14, 2023, the Second Student Readings were held at the Faculty of Philology of Vilnius University, organized by the Department of Slavic Studies of the Institute of Languages and Cultures of the Baltic Countries of the VU. Participants in the Readings were students and doctoral students from two Lithuanian universities (Vilnius and Klaipeda), from universities in Austria, Poland, Hungary, Switzerland, Croatia, France, Italy, who presented 19 reports. Student readings showed the undoubted potential of young researchers, their ability to make new discoveries in various areas of Russian and, more broadly, Slavic culture, literature, and language.
Analysis of external personal dosimetry for external ex-posure to medical radiation workers in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine departments between 2019 and 2022
Authors: Mancilla M. C. , Ferreira-Tapia A. , Ayala L. M.
Published: February 2024

The National Cancer Institute from Chile possesses a wide variety of high-complexity equipment for cancer treatment and diagnosis that employs ionizing radiation with high and medium energy. Presently, the radiotherapy department is equipped with 5 clinical linear accelerators and one brachytherapy equipment, while the nuclear medicine department is equipped with a PET-CT, a single gamma camera, and a hospitalization room for betatherapy. A descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the Personal Doses Equivalent Reports from medical radiation workers between 2019-2022. The analysis involved extracting Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) measurements from digital reports using the Python Pandas library, and a database was constructed. The annual set of data was selected for each department to describe their behavior concerning Hp(10) total since PD8 dosimeters had the highest circulation. Additionally, using the boxplot format for the Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) distributions, means, medians, minimums and maximums, interquartile ranges and outliers were analyzed.  While Hp(10) measurements exhibited an increase, Hp(0.07) measurements remained constant or experienced a decrease. All reported measurements were less than international tolerances. Finally, this initial descriptive statistical analysis enables the radiation safety officers to evaluate the applicability of inferential statistical analysis with stronger evidence and in an objective manner.
Decontamination of equipment with oil and gas NORM: the need for internal individual monitoring
Authors: Ribeiro A. C. C. S. , Sousa W. O. , Silva F. C. A.
Published: February 2024

In the oil field, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material - NORM is present in petroleum-forming rocks and this is related to the presence of radioactive decay series of 238U and 232Th, mainly the daughter radionuclides 226Ra and 228Ra. These radionuclides are detected during the process of production and extraction of oil and gas. They migrate from the reservoir rock and flow through the production lines until the operating areas, forming sludge and scale. The presence of 226Ra and 228Ra can be found in many pieces of equipment on the platforms, and NORM concentrations may increase due to different extraction processes. When this accumulation of NORM occurs inside the equipment, it is necessary to decontaminate them. Depending on the decontamination technique, workers can be exposed to radioactive materials contained in sludge and scale, which are released in the form of aerosols. The existing radiological risk during decontamination is based on external irradiation and internal contamination of workers, this is why an individual monitoring program covering both external and internal dosimetry is necessary. External monitoring is widely used during the routine work of decontamination of equipment, but for internal monitoring, the real importance has not been given, despite the probability of being the greatest contribution to radiological risk for workers. This article presents the need for internal individual monitoring for a comprehensive assessment of radiological risk and a general description of how it is being done in several countries to assist in the implementation of a complete individual monitoring program, mainly in Brazil.
Molecular characterisation of pathogens isolated from egg samples
Authors: P Sagadevan , Christina Jenifer , M Raghunath , M Nagarajan , S Premalatha , R Preeethi , P Janarthanan
Published: February 2024

ceA on the biochemical analysis of this study, which is similar to a battery of biochemical tests including methyl red, Voges-Proskauer, indole and citrate, the organisms were determined to be Klebsiella. In the present study, the highest resistance rate was observed for inoflavuxin (50%) and ceftazidimine (80%), which is similar to the highest resistance rate for cefotaxime (85%) and ceftazidime (68%), with the MIC ranging from 32 to 256 mg/l. The Pseudomonas and Klebsiella plasmid isolation in the present study was found to have a molecular weight of 2.6 kb and 2.7 kb, which is similar to most isolates harboring multiple plasmids ranging in size from about 2 kb to over 150 kb included. Seventy-nine isolates contained plasmids larger than 50 kb, and some contained multiple large plasmids. In the present study, the molecular weight of Pseudomonas and Klebsiella was found to be 356 base pairs and 359 base pairs, respectively, which is similar to that of the 85 clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumonia screened by PCR amplification of the antiseptic resistance genes qacE1 and ceA.
Prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in congenital heart disease in children
Authors: Vineela Prayaga , Bhagyawant Kanchankumar , Venkatramani Varadharajan
Published: February 2024

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD), out of all congenital anomalies, is the leading condition of mortality and morbidity in children under 5 years of age. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) has been clearly shown to be an important risk factor that increases morbidity and mortality in such patients. The present study is thus conducted to find out the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in children less than 15 years with congenital heart disease at a tertiary care centre and compare them with cases without CHD. Methods: Prospective study over a period of 2 years, included 60 cases of children below 15 years of age with echocardiographicaly confirmed CHD, investigated by serum ferritin to diagnosed IDA using cut off 12ng/ml. These cases compared with similar age controls. Results: 51cases (82%) were of acyanotic heart disease and 18% were of cyanotic heart disease. Iron deficiency or storage depletion was seen in 90% cases as compared to 75% controls. Iron deficiency anaemia was seen in 55% cases as compared to 30% controls, the difference was statistically significant. Conclusions: Present study observed higher prevalence of IDA among cases with CHD as compared to general population of children. The prevalence was found to be more in cases with cyanotic heart disease as compared to cases with acyanotic heart disease. We thus conclude that routine screening for iron deficiency should be done for these children and those found to be deficient should be treated.
Another Author Driven By Desperation
Authors: Perkins Blake
Published: February 2024

A study of the black cookbook writer Malinda Russell and the Civil War context in which she published her Domestic Cook Book and the reception afforded the book since publication.
Edward Chisholm: A Waiter in Paris
Authors: Perry Charles
Published: February 2024

Edward Chisholm: A Waiter in Paris: Monoray, 2022, 370 pp., paperback, £10.99.
Tara McConnell: 'Honest Claret': The Social Meaning of Georgian Ireland's Favourite Wine
Authors: Perry Charles
Published: February 2024

Tara McConnell: 'Honest Claret': The Social Meaning of Georgian Ireland's Favourite Wine: Peter Lang, 'Reimagining Ireand', vol. 116, 2022: 322 pp., paperback, £35.00.
TECHNOLOGY FOR AUTOMATED CONSTRUCTION OF DOMAIN DICTIONARIES WITH SPECIAL PROCESSING OF SHORT DOCUMENTS
Authors: Kungurtsev O. B. , Mileiko I. I. , Novikova N. O.
Published: February 2024

Context. The task of automating the construction of domain dictionaries in the process of implementing software projects based on the analysis of documents, taking into account their size and presentation form.

Objective. The goal of the work is to improve the quality of the dictionary based on the use of new technology, including special processing of short documents.

Method. A model of a short document is proposed, which presents it in the form of three parts: header, content and final. The header and final parts usually contain information not related to the subject area. Therefore, a method for extracting content based on the use of many keywords has been proposed. The size of a short document (its content) does not allow determining the frequency characteristics of words and, therefore, identifying multi-word terms, the share of which reaches 50% of all terms. To make it possible to identify terms in short documents, a method for their clustering is proposed, based on the selection of nouns and the calculation of their frequency characteristics. The resulting clusters are treated as ordinary documents, since their size allows for the selection of multi-word terms. To highlight terms, it is proposed to select sequences of words containing nouns in the text. Analysis of the frequency of repetition of such sequences allows us to identify multi-word terms. To determine the interpretation of terms, a previously developed method of automated search for interpretations in dictionaries was used.

Results. Based on the proposed model and methods, software was created to build a domain dictionary and a number of experiments were conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the developed solutions.

Conclusions. The experiments carried out confirmed the performance of the proposed software and allow us to recommend it for use in practice for creating dictionaries of the subject area of various information systems. Prospects for further research may include the construction of corporate search systems based on dictionaries of terms and document clustering.