bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Armenian Charitable Organisations of Constantinople and the Problem of Female Emancipation
Authors:   Institute of Literature after Manuk Abeghian, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Hambardzumyan Naira V.
Published: January 2023

The aim of the research is to study the activities of Armenian national, charitable organizations, boards of trustees, unions, colleges and schools established in the large cities of the Ottoman Empire with considerable Armenian population, particularly in Constantinople, in the second half of the 19th century. The charities helped schools and colleges with clothing, daily allowance, stationery, and financial means. The study undertakes to classify these companies and unions according to the purpose of their humanitarian and patriotic activities and their ideological basis. It is important not only in terms of systematization of charities and colleges but also in terms of women's issues in Armenology. The relevance of the study concerns the formation of ideas about women's issues and the awakening of women's self-consciousness in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. As a result, in the context of women's emancipation processes, not only the function of the Armenian charitable associations and colleges founded in the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 19th century, but also their goals, plans, strategies, and ideological bases have been studied. In addition, the research examines the issues of women's rights, emancipation, education, and upbringing in the period in question. Charities, schools and colleges founded by women functioned as a result of activities for the benefit of the nation. Many graduates of these institutions later became teachers, worked in newly opened schools and colleges, and spread progressive ideas of women's emancipation.
Identity Construction and State Loyalties of Otmar Babić
Authors:   Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Cvikić Sandra
Published: January 2023

This paper provides a study case of the First World War Croatian Major General Otmar Babić. It investigates the post-First World War national identity construction and shifting state loyalties of this Austro-Hungarian high-ranking military official in three different state regimes: the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes / Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and Independent State of Croatia. In view of the limited scope of this paper, the presented preliminary findings are narrowly focused on the text – on Otmar Babić’s statements in various types of narrations. His personal records are treated as narrations that belong to the historization of warfare experience – a military history from below. Therefore, this micro-level sociological study has analyzed developed discourse and discursive practices reflected in the correspondence between Major General Babić and state institutions, and his private, more intimate, writings expressed in poetry. Otmar Babic’s statements have been analyzed and treated as social representations expressed in discourse about the impact of the First World War on his life. Foucauldian discourse analysis applied as methodology has therefore, enabled to do qualitative sociological research into the shifting nature of Otmar Babić’s identity construction in different state regimes, as well as into his shifting state loyalties after the First World War when he was retired. Otmar Babić’s case provides a subjective account of the military past and post-war life and represents a source of First World War history from a personal perspective and a true testimony to the long lost Croatian cultural memory.
Moscow's Position on the Remilitarization of the Rhineland
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Naumov Aleksandr O.
Published: January 2023

The article examines the problem of the remilitarization of the Rhineland by Nazi Germany in March 1936 through the prism of the perception of this event in the Soviet military and political-diplomatic circles. Special attention is paid to the analysis of archival materials introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time, allowing a new look at the position of the USSR during the development of crisis trends in the Versailles system of international relations. The author comes to the conclusion that the Rhineland crisis played a crucial role in changing the balance of power in Europe, dramatically strengthening the position of Nazi Germany and weakening the position of France. Great Britain, after the remilitarization of the Rhineland, embarked on the path of appeasing the aggressors. In fact, this event was the starting point of the crisis of the interwar order, which eventually led to the outbreak of World War II. Surrendering one position after another and making concessions to Hitler’s Germany, Great Britain and France were unable to achieve their main goal – to prevent a new world war, only strengthening the confidence of European dictators in the expediency of achieving their goals by force. In these difficult conditions, as archival documents show, there was a clear understanding in Moscow how dangerous the development of destructive events in European politics was. When forming its own foreign policy line, the Kremlin objectively assessed both the true intentions of the Hitler regime and the essence of the foreign policy maneuvers of Western democracies.
The Student Riots in Germany and their Aftermath
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Baryshnikov Vladimir N. , Borisenko Victor N. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Plenkov Oleg Yu. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: January 2023

This article deals with the peculiarities of the student protests of 1968 in Germany and their political and social consequences. Among the many protests in the West that year, they had particularly far-reaching consequences for German society. These consequences were related to the heavy legacy of the Nazis, who committed grave crimes against humanity during World War II. It is for this reason that the article places a special emphasis on overcoming the Nazi past, which played an extremely important role in the emergence and spread of youth protests in the FRG. Placing the German protests in the context of a generally rather homogeneous and synchronous protest movement in all Western countries against the old values of bourgeois society and its morals poses difficulty – it is no accident that one of the symbols of youth protest was John Lennon's single “Yesterday”. The past (“yesterday”) indeed came suddenly into the spotlight and was subjected to unrelenting criticism. But the changes in the political culture of society and its mentality were very significant. The mutation toward the triumph of leftist-liberal discourse in the West German public consciousness was so complete and total that it is possible to state, as German satirists joke, that the situation was similar to the way public opinion was controlled in the GDR. As a result, it can be rightly asserted that 1968 in the FRG was perhaps the most important reason for the triumph of left-liberal political discourse in Germany.
Irene Doukaina and the double monastery of the Theotokos Kecharitomene and Christ Philanthropos: relation between private piety and ktetorship
Authors:   University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy, Vinulović Ljubica
Published: January 2023

The main preoccupation of this paper is a life, private piety and ktetorship of roman empress Irene Doukaina, as well as the political aspect of her ktetorship. She was the wife of a roman emperor Alexios I Komnenos. At the beginning of the 12th century Irene together with her husband founded a double monastery dedicated to the Theotokos Kecharitomene (Full of Grace) and to the Christ Philanthropos (Man-Loving). It was located in the 10th district of Constantinople where all Komnenian monasteries were grouped, between the aqueduct of Valence in the south and the Blachernae palace in the north. Today, this complex no longer exists, we know about it based on the preserved typikon of the Theotokos Kecharitomene. This monastery complex was the first real common endowments of the Komnenian ruling couple. It was founded as the final resting place of ktetors. In early 12th century in Constantinople some changes happened when it comes to devotion to the saints. Members of the royal family had a special personal relationship with the saints through which the emperor and empress see themselves as a parallel earthly reflection of Christ and the Mother of God. The first ruling couple who saw themselves as the counterpart of Christ and the Mother of God, were Alexios I and Irene Doukaina. This new, more personal relationship with Christ and the Mother of God is reflected in the visual culture through the model of double endowment and the consecration of the churches. Alexios’ monastery dedicated to the Christ Philanthropos was male monastery and Irene’s monastery dedicated to the Theotokos Kecharitomene was female monastery. During the reign of Alexios and Irene for the first time in the Roman empire the protective role of the Mother of God was so obviously bound exclusively to the female members of the imperial family. The monastery of the Theotokos Kecharitomene, was not only expression of Irina’s personal piety and a votive gift for Theotokos who her personal protector and an intercessor at the Last Judgement was but also was an expression of the power of the empress Irene Doukaina.
The mentions about ancient Slavs (aṣ-Ṣaqālibah) by «the father of the Muslim historiography» aṭ-Ṭabarī (839–923)
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Shahinyan Arsen Karapeti
Published: January 2023

The author of this article extracted all historical, geographical and ethnographical materials (including legendary) concerning the ancient Slavs of the Eastern Balkans and Asia Minor mentioned in the multivolume «History of the Prophets and Kings» (Ta’rīḫ ar-Rusul wa-l-Mulūk) by «the father of the Muslim historiography», an Arabic spoken Iranian Muḥammad b. Ǧarīr (Djarir) aṭ-Ṭabarī (839–923), which outlines the general history from the Creation to 302 AH (914/5). The extracted passages are from a classic edition carried out in three series and 15 volumes by the eminent Dutch Arabist Michael Jan de Goeje (1836–1909) in Leiden (Annales quos scripsit Abu Djafar Mohammed ibn Djarir at-Tabari / Cum aliis ed. M. de Goeje. Series I–III. Lugduni Batavorum, 1879–1901). The selected passages are translated from Classical Arabic into Russian for the first time. The detailed text notes and scholarly comments based on the historical and geographical narratives of the Antiquity, Pre-Islamic Middle East, Christian and Muslim Orient are attached to the translated materials as well. They are also based on the world’s leading scientific, reference (encyclopedic) and educational publications.
Security transfer of title in the form of a sale and repurchase agreement (repo)
Authors:   10.21638/spbu25.2022.204, Pravyashchy Pavel
Published: January 2023

In the article the sale and repurchase agreement (repo) and the purpose of its conclusion are examined. Among others, the credit and collateral purpose of the contract is highlighted. It is recommended to distinguish the repo with the purpose of title financing from the agreement concluded with another purpose. In this regard, the signs that indicate the credit and collateral purpose of the contract are proposed. Then the structure of obligations in repo transaction is described as well as requirements to its subjects and object. The article contains the analysis of arbitrazh (commercial) courts practice on disputes related to repo. Some of the problems faced by courts are discussed, including the recharacterization of repo as a pledge over securities. Certain issues related to repo are examined using the example of the case considered by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. While evaluating the court decisions of the case the norms to be applied to the contract are defined. The specific rules on repo are compared with the norms on loan and pledge. As a result of the comparison, it is concluded that the norms on repo in their interpretation in accordance with the credit and collateral purpose of the contract achieve a balanced regulation of the relations and at the same time have regard to the particularity of the securities market. It is also concluded that the norms on loan and pledge should not be applied to repo. At the end of the article, it is recommended that in the repo dispute the legal approaches to the other title-finance devices should be applied. In this respect some examples when the legal approaches to finance lease have been applied to repo in the practise of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation are noted.
The protection of the bona fide acquiror of real estate in China
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Chen Shuxiu
Published: January 2023

The bona fide acquisition of immovable property from an unauthorized alienator is usually understood in China as its acquisition from a person whose right is mistakenly registered in the register of real estate rights, due to the reasonable confidence of a bona fide acquirer in the registration record, payment of a rationally justified purchase price and publication of his acquisition in a manner prescribed by law. This system is based on a combination of the traditional mechanism of bona fide acquisition of movable property on the one hand, and the public reliability of the register of real estate rights on the other hand. Since there is a significant difference between the publicity of rights to real estate, which is ensured through the registration of rights to real estate, and the publicity of rights to movable property, which is ensured by its being in the actual possession of the rightholder, it is extremly important the correct interpretation of each element of the set of facts of the bona fide purchase of real estate. The author insists that in case of unreliable registration of the right to immovable property it is correct to focus on the fact of familiarization of the acquirer with the real estate register, and not with the certificate of ownership. According to the author, the determination that the transaction is a paid one should be based on the standard of judgment about a rationally justified price. The bona fide acquisition of real estate, the rights to which are subject to state registration, should be considered completed only at the time of registration of the transfer of title. The general conclusion is made that the improvement of law in the future should be aimed at the implementation of the public reliability of the register of real estate rights.
Will and the legal reserve of inheritance in Korean law
Authors:   Trinity Legal, Kim Sanghoon
Published: January 2023

Part V of the Korean Civil Code regulates legal relations in respect of inheritance. Of the three chapters that comprise Part V, the first Chapter stipulates general provisions, thereby governing inheritance in the absence of a will. The second Chapter lays down the legal norms regarding wills, whereas the last of the chapters is dedicated to the ‘legal reserve of inheritance’, the reserved portion in the inherited property of the deceased person. From a comparative law perspective the legal reserve of inheritance is far from an institution unique to Korea. On the contrary, most jurisdictions have legislation that addresses issues of disinheritance in some form or other. The trait that is relatively characteristic of Korean law is that it chooses to strongly protect the right of the legal reserve of inheritance, which in turn results in limiting the freedom of testation. This was a conscious decision made by the legislator in the late 1970s, some 17 years after the Civil Code was enacted and entered into force, when Korean lawmakers inserted a new Chapter on the legal reserve of inheritance into Part V (Inheritance) in an effort to reflect traditional family values that placed special emphasis on family ties. This objective of this paper is to offer an overview of wills and the legal reserve of inheritance in Korean inheritance law. Looking at how the inheritee voluntarily (by means of a will) and involuntarily (by means of the legal reserve of inheritance) disposes of his/her assets after passing away, will hopefully help shed light on some characteristics of Korean inheritance law.
Gas Crisis as a Precursor of European Recession
Authors: Bahtizina N. V. , Shpak P. M. , Khabriev B. R.
Published: January 2023

The reasons for the gas crisis in the European Union, which began in 2021, were the instability of renewable energy, the redirection of LNG to the premium Asian market, anti-Russian sanctions, and a decrease in gas imports from Russia. Despite the measures taken by the EU authorities (energy conservation, diversification of gas supplies and energy sources, financial support for the householders and businesses), the gas crisis will worsen in 2023. The gas crisis, superimposed on the mistakes of the monetary policy of the European authorities, accelerates inflation, intensifying structural imbalances in the EU economy and bringing recession closer. The symptoms of a recession can already be observed with the help of key indicators, which include indexes of industrial production and Manufacturing PMI, trade balance, inflation, unemployment rate, retail sales and GDP. The economic downturn in the European Union will negatively affect the dynamics of production in the largest trading partners (China, the US and the UK) and may trigger a recession in the global economy.
Development of Legislation in the Field of Intellectual Property in Modern Conditions
Authors: Gligich-Zolotareva M. V. , Overchuk D. S.
Published: January 2023

Russia is a subject of international intellectual property rights protection. It is a territory of exclusive rights to the results of intellectual activity established by international treaties and federal laws are valid. However after beginning of a special military operation and sanctions pressure, the question about correction of the Russian system of intellectual property rights protection in relation to unfriendly countries has become more relevant. Сonsolidation of national security and increasing the country’s technological independence are not always compatible with the principles of protecting the rights of foreign copyright holders that remain in Russian legislation. The state protects domestic producers from foreign copyright holders, and legalizes parallel import. But these mechanisms do not work in full force due to the fact that Russian courts actually continue to protect the right of unfriendly countries to intellectual property in equal volume with Russian copyright holders. This article proposes to consider some measures to protect the rights and interests of the Russian Federation, its citizens and entrepreneurs, including the revision of Russia’s international obligations in the field of intellectual property and the formation of new law enforcement and judicial practice. Also the process of sovereignization of the Russian model of intellectual property rights protection we can see the development of modern technologies with affects of creating the results of intellectual activity and the methods of legal protection of its results. Thus, the achievement of the goals of state policy in the field of intellectual property is also possible by introducing new digital technologies into the state regulation of intellectual property at the federal and regional levels.
Eight Months of 2022 for the Consolidated Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and Prospects for the Budget Triennial
Authors: Lykova L. N.
Published: January 2023

The change in the geopolitical situation and the increase in economic sanctions against the Russian economy in the first eight months of 2022 did not lead to a serious deterioration in the budget results for regional budgets. Receipts of the total amount of revenues of the consolidated budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation and key tax revenues grew faster than the rate of inflation. There is a gradual deterioration in the situation with the receipt of corporate income tax in regional budgets starting from May of this year. Personal income tax receipts are growing, but mainly due to payments from high-income categories of the population. In the conditions of growing price volatility on world markets, the factor of industry specialization of the region is gaining an increasing influence on the differentiation of regional budget revenues. Changes in tax legislation coming into force from 2023 may result in the redistribution of some of the revenues of regional budgets in favor of the federal budget. There is a tendency to reduce tax revenues in relatively prosperous regions. The planned reduction of federal transfers in real terms and relative to GDP will mainly affect the problem regions — their main recipients. This will inevitably lead to an aggravation of problems with the fulfillment of growing social obligations in all categories of regions.
Prodrug Approaches to the Improved Delivery of Peptide Drugs
Authors: Wang B. , Wang W. , Jiang J. , Ballard C. E.
Published: January 2023

Undesirable pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical properties, which include low water solubility, poor stability, and low permeability through biological membrane barriers, often hinder the clinical development of biologically active peptides. Finding solutions to these problems is a contemporary issue in developing clinically the vast number of biologically active peptides as drugs. In recent years, significant progress has been made in developing prodrug approaches for the improvement of the water solubility, stability, and membrane permeability of peptides. For improving water solubility, the focus has been on the bioreversible introduction of ionizable functional groups to peptides, which helps to increase the polarity and thus water solubility of the peptide
drugs. For improving stability, efforts have focused on stabilizing peptides against exopeptit.lase-mediated hydrolysis by bioreversibly masking the terminal carboxyl and/or amino groups. For improving permeability through biological barriers, recent efforts have focused on both improving the lipophilicity of a peptide in order to facilitate its passive permeation through biological membranes and conjugation of a peptide to a carrier which allows for the active transport of the peptide-carrier conjugate. Many of the prodrug systems developed recently have the potential to be used clinically for the delivery of peptide drugs to the desired site of action.
Identification of Novel Mobile Genetic Elements Associated with Resistance to Macrolide and Lincosamide in Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis
Authors: Kireeva Alexandra , Dmitriev Alexander
Published: January 2023

Background:

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) is an important human pathogen. Recently, several studies have described the incidence of antibiotic resistance for SDSE worldwide, however, the data on the presence of corresponding genes and their possible association with mobile genetic elements are still limited.

Objective:

The objective of this research was to analyze the macrolide resistance in SDSE and to identify genetic determinants, mechanisms of resistance, and association with mobile genetic elements.

Methods:

A total of 9 SDSE strains from the collection of Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center (Hanoi, Vietnam) were used. These strains were previously isolated from throat swabs of children with pharyngotonsillitis in 6 provinces in Vietnam from 2012 to 2015. Antimicrobial resistance was tested by disk diffusion method. The presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) was analyzed by PCR. The strains were characterized by emm typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Illumina sequencing was employed for genome analysis of 4 representative SDSE isolates. Analysis of genetic elements with antibiotic resistance determinants was done using PubMed database and BLAST-searches. Artemis was used for comparative analysis of genetic elements.

Results:

In our study, we identified emm types that were similar to those reported in other studies. All SDSE isolates remained susceptible to penicillin, but presented alarming level of resistance to macrolides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones. Most of the erythromycin-resistant strains were also characterized by clindamycin-resistance (MLSB phenotype). Both erm and different alleles of mef genes widely distributed among streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae were detected, except erm (TR) gene. The genetic elements carrying resistance determinants showed significant interspecies similarities, indicating conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between streptococcal species.

Conclusion:

Identification of the novel antibiotic resistance genes in SDSE indicates the necessity of monitoring of antibiotic resistance spreading and gene transfer in this bacterium.
Chemical Analysis of Gallstones of Nepali Patients
Authors: BK Bijaya , Adhikari Achyut , Gyawali Gobinda
Published: January 2023

Background:

The bile concretions formed inside the gallbladder are called gallstones. Gallstone disease is one of the major causes of morbidity, mortality, and economic burden throughout the world. Approximately 10% to 20% of the world population and 4.87% in Nepal are suffering from a gallstone.

Objective:

The aim is to classify the gallstone samples based on morphological and cross-sectional evidences, and a comparative study of their chemical composition to understand the mechanism of formation.

Method:

Two types of gallstones were studied; combined cholesterol gallstone and black pigment gallstone. SEM, UV-Vis, and EDS analyzed the gallstones for morphological and elemental study.

Results:

The UV-Vis spectrum showed characteristic peaks for cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and copper bilirubinate. SEM image of combined cholesterol gallstone reveals that cholesterol is the major phase in the shell, whereas bilirubin is the major phase in the core. EDS detection of C and O as the major elements confirmed cholesterol, whereas the detection of C, O, N, and Ca as the major elements confirmed bilirubin. In the shell of the black pigment gallstone, cholesterol, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and bilirubinate were detected, whereas, in the core, bilirubinate of calcium and copper, cholesterol, protein, and calcium carbonate were detected.

Conclusion:

Cholesterol and bilirubin are the major components of the gallstones. Metals like Al, Ca and Cu play a crucial role in the initial formation of the gallstones. The combined cholesterol gallstone has a yellow pigment center composed mainly of unconjugated bilirubin and an outer shell primarily composed of cholesterol and calcium carbonate. Precipitation of bilirubinate of calcium and copper is important during the formation of black PGS.
Los presupuestos públicos y el diseño del gasto campechano durante el periodo 1870-1895
Authors: Soria Fernando
Published: January 2023

En este texto se reconstruyeron y compararon los presupuestos públicos de gastos y su ejecución diseñados por el Estado de Campeche durante una fase del ciclo agroexportador mexicano. El análisis identificó la constitución del presupuesto, sus componentes y los procedimientos de su ejercicio. Como resultados se acreditó la sincronización del diseño del programa de egresos con el movimiento de envíos del colorante natural extraído del territorio; asimismo, en contraste a los ramos educativo, de infraestructura o de intentar aligerar la losa tributaria, los de seguridad y gasto corriente representaron la mayor inversión presupuestal y tuvieron menos recortes ejercidos; finalmente, se evidenció la colocación en la nómina de los favorecidos por nexos de parentela con la red de los gobernadores Montalvo-Baranda.
Los presupuestos y el fomento de la Hacienda Pública en Michoacán (México), 1858-1896
Authors: Silva Riquer Jorge
Published: January 2023

El trabajo aborda la transformación paulatina de la Hacienda Pública en el Estado de Michoacán, como parte de la reforma liberal de 1857. Allí se empezó a discutir la necesidad de modificar la política fiscal para introducir cambios que se convertirían en una definición más clara de los objetivos de la hacienda moderna; el paso fue discutido y aprobado por las instancias de gobierno. La modificación se revisa a través de los diversos proyectos de reforma y de fomento dictados por las autoridades, ya fuera que se aplicaran, o bien que se quedaran en intentos; lo significativo fue el cambio en torno a la concepción del presupuesto.
mHealth App to Facilitate Remote Care for Patients With COVID-19: Rapid Development of the DrCovid+ App
Authors: Tan Jamaica Pei Ying , Tan Michelle W J , Towle Rachel Marie , Lee Joanne Sze Win , Lei Xiaofeng , Liu Yong , Goh Rick Siow Mong , Chee Ping Franklin Tan , Tan Teck Choon , Ting Daniel Shu Wei , Lee Chen Ee , Low Lian Leng
Published: January 2023

Background

The 2019 novel COVID-19 has severely burdened the health care system through its rapid transmission. Mobile health (mHealth) is a viable solution to facilitate remote monitoring and continuity of care for patients with COVID-19 in a home environment. However, the conceptualization and development of mHealth apps are often time and labor-intensive and are laden with concerns relating to data security and privacy. Implementing mHealth apps is also a challenging feat as language-related barriers limit adoption, whereas its perceived lack of benefits affects sustained use. The rapid development of an mHealth app that is cost-effective, secure, and user-friendly will be a timely enabler.

Objective

This project aimed to develop an mHealth app, DrCovid+, to facilitate remote monitoring and continuity of care for patients with COVID-19 by using the rapid development approach. It also aimed to address the challenges of mHealth app adoption and sustained use.

Methods

The Rapid Application Development approach was adopted. Stakeholders including decision makers, physicians, nurses, health care administrators, and research engineers were engaged. The process began with requirements gathering to define and finalize the project scope, followed by an iterative process of developing a working prototype, conducting User Acceptance Tests, and improving the prototype before implementation. Co-designing principles were applied to ensure equal collaborative efforts and collective agreement among stakeholders.

Results

DrCovid+ was developed on Telegram Messenger and hosted on a cloud server. It features a secure patient enrollment and data interface, a multilingual communication channel, and both automatic and personalized push messaging. A back-end dashboard was also developed to collect patients’ vital signs for remote monitoring and continuity of care. To date, 400 patients have been enrolled into the system, amounting to 2822 hospital bed–days saved.

Conclusions

The rapid development and implementation of DrCovid+ allowed for timely clinical care management for patients with COVID-19. It facilitated early patient hospital discharge and continuity of care while addressing issues relating to data security and labor-, time-, and cost-effectiveness. The use case for DrCovid+ may be extended to other medical conditions to advance patient care and empowerment within the community, thereby meeting existing and rising population health challenges.
Social Media Use Among Members of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society: Results of a Web-Based Survey
Authors: Kwan Yu Heng , Phang Jie Kie , Woon Ting Hui , Liew Jean W , Dubreuil Maureen , Proft Fabian , Ramiro Sofia , Molto Anna , Navarro-Compán Victoria , de Hooge Manouk , Meghnathi Bhowmik , Ziade Nelly , Zhao Sizheng Steven , Llop Maria , Baraliakos Xenofon , Fong Warren
Published: January 2023

Background

The use of social media in health care may serve as a beneficial tool for education, information dissemination, telemedicine, research, networking, and communications. To better leverage the benefits of social media, it is imperative to understand the patterns of its use and potential barriers to its implementation in health care. A previous study in 2016 that investigated social media use among young clinical rheumatologists (≤45 years) and basic scientists showed that there was substantial social media use among them for social and professional reasons. However, there is a limited inquiry into social media use in different areas of rheumatology, such as spondyloarthritis.

Objective

We aimed to explore the motivations, barriers, and patterns of social media use among an international group of experts in spondyloarthritis.

Methods

We distributed a web-based survey via email from March 2021 to June 2021 to 198 members of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society. It contained 24 questions about demographic characteristics, patterns of current social media use, and perceptions of utility. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the characteristics associated with use trends.

Results

The response rate was 78.8% (156/198). Of these, 93.6% (146/156) of participants used at least one social media platform. Apart from internet-based shopping and entertainment, the use of social media for clinical updates (odds ratio [OR] 6.25, 95% CI 2.43-16.03) and research updates (OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.35-8.78) were associated with higher social media consumption. Among the respondents, 66% (103/156) used social media in a work-related manner. The use of social media for new web-based resources (OR 6.55, 95% CI 2.01-21.37), interaction with international colleagues (OR 4.66, 95% CI 1.21-17.90), and establishing a web-based presence (OR 4.05, 95% CI 1.25-13.13) were associated with higher levels of consumption for work-related purposes. Time investment, confidentiality concerns, and security concerns were the top 3 challenges to a wider adoption of social media.

Conclusions

Most respondents (103/156, 66%) use social media in a work-related manner. Professional development, establishing a web-based presence, and international collaboration were associated with higher use. Challenges to social media adoption should be addressed to maximize its benefits.
Designing of a novel radial basis Bayesian regularization neural network scheme for the fractional myeloma bone disease model. (Preprint)
Authors: Guerrero-Sánchez Yolanda
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

The current investigations are related to design a novel stochastic solver based on the radial basis Bayesian regularization neural network (RBBRNN) for the fractional bone transformation model (BTM).

OBJECTIVE

The fractional derivatives have been presented to get more precise and accurate performances of the BTM using the stochastic computing performances of the RBBRNN. The exactness of the novel designed RBBRNN is perceived through the comparison of the achieved and reference solutions. The fractional BTM is categorized into three classes, osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and tumor cell densities.

METHODS

Three different cases based on the fractional BTM are numerically presented by using the RBBRNN through the training and testing procedures to decrease the mean square error.

RESULTS

Thirteen neurons in the hidden layers for solving the fraction BTM are presented along with input/output layers performances.

CONCLUSIONS

The competence of the designed RBBRNN is presented using the correlation/regression, state transitions and error histograms.
Computer-Supported Collaborative Design of Standardized Clinical Cases (Preprint)
Authors: Guinez-Molinos Sergio , Buendía García Felix , Sierra José Luis , Gayoso Cabada Joaquin , Gonzalez Díaz Jaime
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

The creation of computer-supported collaborative clinical cases is an area of research in teaching that has been widely studied. However, the reuse of cases and their sharing with other platforms is a problem that encapsulates knowledge in isolated platforms without interoperability. This paper proposes a workflow ecosystem for the collaborative design and distribution of clinical cases through online computing platforms that (i) allow medical students to create clinical cases collaboratively in a dedicated environment; (ii) make it possible to export these clinical cases in terms of the HL7 FHIR interoperability standard; (iii) provide support to transform imported cases into learning object repositories, and (iv) use e-learning standards (e.g., IMS CP, SCORM) to incorporate this content into widely-used learning management systems, letting medical students democratize a valuable knowledge that would otherwise be confined within proprietary platforms.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the feasibility of developing a workflow ecosystem based on IT platforms to enable collaborative creation, export, and deployment of clinical cases.

METHODS

The ecosystem infrastructure for computer-supported collaborative design of standardized clinical cases consists of three platforms: (i) Mosaico, a platform used in the design of clinical cases; (ii) Clavy, a tool for the flexible management of learning object repositories, which is used to orchestrate the transformation and processing of these clinical cases; and (iii) Moodle, a Learning Management System (LMS) that is geared towards publishing the processed clinical cases and delivering their course deployment stages in IMS CP/SCORM format.
The generation of cases in Mosaico is exported in the HL7 FHIR interoperability standard to Clavy, responsible for creating and deploying a learning object in Moodle.

RESULTS

The main result is an interoperable ecosystem that demonstrates the feasibility of automating the stages of collaborative clinical case creation, export through HL7 FHIR, and deployment in an LMS, enabling the generation of IMS Content Packages associated with the original Mosaico clinical cases that can be deployed in conventional third-party LMSs. This allows the democratization and sharing of clinical cases to different platforms in standard and interoperable formats.

CONCLUSIONS

In this article, we have proposed, implemented, and demonstrated the feasibility of developing a standards-based workflow that interoperates multiple platforms with heterogeneous technologies to create, transform and deploy clinical cases online. This achieves the objective of transforming the created cases into a platform for online deployment in a learning management system.
Extending the Privacy Calculus to the mHealth Domain: Survey Study on the Intention to Use mHealth Apps in Germany (Preprint)
Authors: von Kalckreuth Niklas , Feufel Markus A
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

With the increasing digitalization of the health sector, more and more mobile health (mHealth) apps are coming to the market to continuously collect and process sensitive health data for the benefit of patients and providers. These technologies open up new opportunities to make the health care system more efficient and save costs but also pose potential threats such as loss of data or finances.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to present an empirical review and adaptation of the extended privacy calculus model to the mHealth domain and to understand what factors influence the intended usage of mHealth technologies.

METHODS

A survey study was conducted to empirically validate our model, using a case vignette as cover story. Data were collected from 250 German participants and analyzed using a covariance-based structural equation model.

RESULTS

The model explains R2=79.3% of the variance in intention to use. The 3 main factors (social norms, attitude to privacy, and perceived control over personal data) influenced the intention to use mHealth apps, albeit partially indirectly. The intention to use mHealth apps is driven by the perceived benefits of the technology, trust in the provider, and social norms. Privacy concerns have no bearing on the intention to use. The attitude to privacy has a large inhibiting effect on perceived benefits, as well as on trust in the provider. Perceived control over personal data clearly dispels privacy concerns and supports the relationship of trust between the user and the provider.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the privacy calculus, our domain-specific model explains the intention to use mHealth apps better than previous, more general models. The findings allow health care providers to improve their products and to increase usage by targeting specific user groups.

CLINICALTRIAL
The Clinical Severity of COVID-19 Variants of Concern: Retrospective Population-Based Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Harrigan Sean P , Velásquez García Héctor A , Abdia Younathan , Wilton James , Prystajecky Natalie , Tyson John , Fjell Chris , Hoang Linda , Kwong Jeffrey C , Mishra Sharmistha , Wang Linwei , Sander Beate , Janjua Naveed Z , Sbihi Hind
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) emerged and rapidly replaced the original strain worldwide. The increased transmissibility of these new variants led to increases in infections, hospitalizations, and mortality. However, there is a scarcity of retrospective investigations examining the severity of all the main VOCs in presence of key public health measures and within various social determinants of health (SDOHs).

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to provide a retrospective assessment of the clinical severity of COVID-19 VOCs in the context of heterogenous SDOHs and vaccination rollout.

METHODS

We used a population-based retrospective cohort design with data from the British Columbia COVID-19 Cohort, a linked provincial surveillance platform. To assess the relative severity (hospitalizations, intensive care unit [ICU] admissions, and deaths) of Gamma, Delta, and Omicron infections during 2021 relative to Alpha, we used inverse probability treatment weighted Cox proportional hazard modeling. We also conducted a subanalysis among unvaccinated individuals, as assessed severity differed across VOCs and SDOHs.

RESULTS

We included 91,964 individuals infected with a SARS-CoV-2 VOC (Alpha: n=20,487, 22.28%; Gamma: n=15,223, 16.55%; Delta: n=49,161, 53.46%; and Omicron: n=7093, 7.71%). Delta was associated with the most severe disease in terms of hospitalization, ICU admissions, and deaths (hospitalization: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.00, 95% CI 1.92-2.08; ICU: aHR 2.05, 95% CI 1.91-2.20; death: aHR 3.70, 95% CI 3.23-4.25 relative to Alpha), followed generally by Gamma and then Omicron and Alpha. The relative severity by VOC remained similar in the unvaccinated individual subanalysis, although the proportion of individuals infected with Delta and Omicron who were hospitalized was 2 times higher in those unvaccinated than in those fully vaccinated. Regarding SDOHs, the proportion of hospitalized individuals was higher in areas with lower income across all VOCs, whereas among Alpha and Gamma infections, 2 VOCs that cocirculated, differential distributions of hospitalizations were found among racially minoritized groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides robust severity estimates for all VOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia, Canada. Relative to Alpha, we found Delta to be the most severe, followed by Gamma and Omicron. This study highlights the importance of targeted testing and sequencing to ensure timely detection and accurate estimation of severity in emerging variants. It further sheds light on the importance of vaccination coverage and SDOHs in the context of pandemic preparedness to support the prioritization of allocation for resource-constrained or minoritized groups.
Telehealth Availability for Cancer Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Marks Victoria A , Hsiang Walter R , Nie James , Umer Waez , Haleem Afash , Galal Bayan , Pak Irene , Kim Dana , Salazar Michelle C , Pantel Haddon , Berger Elizabeth R , Boffa Daniel J , Cavallo Jaime A , Leapman Michael S
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Telehealth was an important strategy for maintaining continuity of cancer care during the coronavirus pandemic and has continued to play a role in outpatient care; however, it is unknown whether services are equally available across cancer hospitals.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess telehealth availability at cancer hospitals for new and established patients with common cancers to contextualize the impact of access barriers to technology on overall access to health care.

METHODS

We conducted a national cross-sectional secret shopper study from June to November 2020 to assess telehealth availability at cancer hospitals for new and established patients with colorectal, breast, and skin (melanoma) cancer. We examined facility-level factors to determine predictors of telehealth availability.

RESULTS

Of the 312 investigated facilities, 97.1% (n=303) provided telehealth services for at least 1 cancer site. Telehealth was less available to new compared to established patients (n=226, 72% vs n=301, 97.1%). The surveyed cancer hospitals more commonly offered telehealth visits for breast cancer care (n=266, 85%) and provided lower access to telehealth for skin (melanoma) cancer care (n=231, 74%). Most hospitals (n=163, 52%) offered telehealth for all 3 cancer types. Telehealth availability was weakly correlated across cancer types within a given facility for new (r=0.16, 95% CI 0.09-0.23) and established (r=0.14, 95% CI 0.08-0.21) patients. Telehealth was more commonly available for new patients at National Cancer Institute–designated facilities, medical school–affiliated facilities, and major teaching sites, with high total admissions and below-average timeliness of care. Telehealth availability for established patients was highest at Academic Comprehensive Cancer Programs, nongovernment and nonprofit facilities, medical school–affiliated facilities, Accountable Care Organizations, and facilities with a high number of total admissions.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite an increase in telehealth services for patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified differences in access across cancer hospitals, which may relate to measures of clinical volume, affiliation, and infrastructure.
The Problem of Investigating Causal Relationships Between Cognitive and Evaluative Variables (Preprint)
Authors: Konerding Uwe
Published: January 2023

UNSTRUCTURED
Studi Eksperimental Pola Aliran Dua Fasa dan Karakteristik Slug pada Saluran Horizontal Microchannel Penampang Persegi
Authors: Madani M. Rian Alif , Kusumaningsih Haslinda , Deendarlianto Deendarlianto
Published: January 2023

Pada peradaban saat ini, telah terjadi peningkatan yang signifikan dalam perkembangan dan penerapan teknologi saluran microchannel dikarenakan keunggulan serta manfaatnya. Salah satu aplikasinya adalah liquid cooling system yang terdapat pada CPU atau GPU komputer dan sistem pendingin reaktor mikro. Seiring berjalannya perkembangan teknologi, kebutuhan sistem pendingin pada ukuran yang lebih kecil seperti pada telepon genggam, tablet, dan laptop menjadi tantangan tersendiri. Studi eksperimental aliran dua fasa pada saluran microchannel dilakukan terhadap karakteristik pola aliran untuk fluida newtonian dan perbandingannya secara spesifik dengan fluida non-newtonian untuk karakteristik pola aliran yang terbentuk. Saluran micro-fluidic chip berpenampang persegi dengan ukuran 0,8 mm x 0,8 mm dilewati oleh fluida kerja cairan newtonian berupa Air dan non-newtonian berupa Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) konsentrasi 0,2% serta 0,4% dengan nitrogen sebagai fluida kerja gas. Kecepatan superfisial cairan yang digunakan adalah pada rentang JL= 0,05 – 1 m/s dan gas JG = 0,07 − 8,594 m/s. Differential pressure transducer dan high speed camera digunakan untuk menganalisis fenomena yang terjadi. Metode image processing digunakan dengan aplikasi MATLAB R2021a. Pola aliran yang teridentifikasi adalah bubbly, slug, slug-churn, churn, wavy-annular, dan slug-annular. Karakteristik slug seperti geometri dan waktu pembentukan dianalisa dengan membandingkan fluida kerja Air, CMC 0,2%, dan CMC 0,4% serta pengaruh variasi JG dan JL.