bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coledocolitiasis y exploración laparoscópica de la vía biliar. Un estudio de cohorte
Authors: Alvarez chica Luis fernando , Rico-Juri Juan Manuel , Carrero-Rivera Sonia Alejandra , Castro-Villegas Felipe
Published: March 2021

Introducción. La coledocolitiasis es la presencia de cálculos en las vías biliares. En la mayoría de los casos se trata mediante la colangio pancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica y menos comúnmente por intervención quirúrgica laparoscópica. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir una cohorte retrospectiva de pacientes sometidos a exploración laparoscópica de la vía biliar.

Métodos. Se incluyeron pacientes intervenidos entre los años 2014 y 2018, en dos instituciones de nivel III en Cali, Colombia, referidos para valoración por cirugía hepato-biliar, por dificultad para la extracción de los cálculos por colangio pancreatografia retrograda endoscópica, debido al tamaño, la cantidad, o la dificultad para identificar o canular la papila duodenal.

Resultados. De los 100 pacientes incluidos, se encontró que el 72 % fueron mujeres, con rango de edad entre 14 y 92 años. Al 39 % de los pacientes se les extrajo un solo cálculo y al 16 % 10 cálculos. Un 12 % presentaron cálculos gigantes (mayores de 2,5 cm de ancho) y un 44 % presentaron litiasis múltiple. Al 69 % de los pacientes se les realizó colecistectomía. El porcentaje de éxito de limpieza de la vía biliar por laparoscopia fue del 95 %.

Discusión. La exploración laparoscópica de la vía biliar es una técnica posible, reproducible, segura y con excelentes resultados para el manejo de la coledocolitiasis.
El estado de la investigación en educación en cirugía general en Colombia (2000-2020): un análisis bibliométrico
Authors: Sánchez-Jaramillo José Manuel , Domínguez Luis Carlos , Vega Neil Valentin , Meneses Prieto Paula Andres
Published: March 2021

Introducción. Se desconoce el estado de la investigación en educación médica en cirugía general (IEMC) en Colombia en el siglo XXI. El objetivo de esta revisión bibliométrica de la literatura es realizar un análisis de las publicaciones relacionadas con la IEMC en Colombia a partir del año 2000. Métodos. Se incluyeron artículos originales, escritos en español o inglés, publicados por grupos de investigación que cuentan al menos con un investigador colombiano como autor principal o coautor. Se definieron variables demográficas e indicadores bibliométricos para cada estudio y autor. Resultados. Un total de 63 estudios fueron incluidos. Estas publicaciones se enfocaron predominantemente en investigación sobre bienestar, enseñanza clínica y simulación a nivel de postgrado. El 36 % de los artículos sobre IEMC fueron publicados en revistas sin indexación (ISI/SCOPUS); 13 artículos (20,6 %) fueron publicados en revistas en el cuartil 1 (Q1). El promedio de citas por artículo fue 9,3. Discusión. La producción intelectual en educación en cirugía en Colombia tiene bajo impacto a nivel internacional. Los hallazgos encontrados pueden ser utilizados para organizar y priorizar la investigación en educación quirúrgica en el país.
Microcarcinoma papilar de tiroides: ¿es adecuada la selección para protocolo de vigilancia activa?
Authors: Figueroa-Bohórquez David Mauricio , Pinillos-Navarro Pilar Carola , Martínez-Martínez Jorge Alberto , Casallas-Cristancho Daniela , León-Acero Jenniffer Juliana , Ardila-Torres Diego Alejandro , Buitrago Giancarlo , Zuñiga-Pavia Sergio Fabián
Published: March 2021

Introducción. Los microcarcinomas papilares de tiroides son tumores de hasta 10 mm en su diámetro mayor. Su tratamiento es sujeto de debate y se propone, desde seguimiento clínico, hasta intervención quirúrgica temprana. Este estudio buscó identificar factores de riesgo relacionados con compromiso ganglionar, que permitan una mejor selección de los pacientes en nuestro medio, en quienes se propone manejo quirúrgico inmediato o vigilancia activa, en consonancia con la clasificación del riesgo de progresión. Métodos. Estudio de cohorte analítica ambispectiva que incluyó pacientes con microcarcinoma papilar de tiroides llevados a tiroidectomía más vaciamiento central. Se caracterizó la población y se realizó un análisis de regresión logística multivariado para definir factores preoperatorios asociados al compromiso ganglionar. Adicionalmente, se evaluó de manera retrospectiva la eventual asignación a grupos de riesgo de progresión, según los criterios de Miyauchi, y su comportamiento respecto al estado nodal. Resultados. Se incluyeron 286 pacientes. El 48,9 % presentó compromiso ganglionar, y de estos, el 33,5 % presentó compromiso ganglionar significativo, que modificó su clasificación de riesgo de recaída. De estos últimos, el 59,5 % hubiesen sido manejados con vigilancia activa, según los criterios propuestos por Miyauchi. Se identificó que la edad menor de 55 años, los ganglios sospechosos en la ecografía y los nódulos mayores de 5 mm, se relacionan con compromiso ganglionar significativo. Discusión. El manejo quirúrgico inmediato parece ser una opción adecuada para pacientes con sospecha de compromiso ganglionar en ecografía preoperatoria, pacientes menores de 55 años y nódulos mayores de 5 mm. Es posible que los actuales criterios para definir vigilancia activa no seleccionen adecuadamente a los pacientes en nuestro medio.
The collateral impact of COVID19 among surgeons and residents: Second cross-sectional survey about the Colombian perspective
Authors: Díaz-Castrillón Carlos Eduardo , Cortés Natalia , Díaz-Castrillón Juan Felipe , Pineda Manuela , Sierra Tobón Sara
Published: March 2021

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has led health services to adapt, surgical training has had to restructure, and personal life has had to thrive hardships. We aimed to describe the evolution of surgeons' and residents' perceptions about the impact COVID-19 has had on Colombia's surgical practice. Methods. Descriptive cross-sectional study using a structured electronic survey among general surgery residents, and graduated surgeons who have a clinical practice in Colombia. Results. 355 participants were included, with a median age of 37 years (IQR 30, 51), and 32.1% female. There were 28.7% residents, 43.3% general surgeons, and 27.8% subespecialist in surgery. Overall, 48.7% of respondents were from Bogotá, and 38.8% worked at academic private hospitals. Although almost all participants reported having used telemedicine platforms during the pandemic, 58% of the respondents did not view telemedicine as sufficient for follow-up consults. More than 80% of surgeons surveyed reported that their monthly incomes had been reduced. Discussion. The second survey showed a better-perceived adherence to safety protocols at their institutions than at the beginning of the pandemic. However, the toll on economic and academic domains are substantial among the surgical community. As the pandemic's effects are expected to last longer in our region, telemedicine services acceptance and healthcare providers' job stability need to be improved in Colombia.
Networking and Its Effects on SME Export Marketing Orientation in Emerging Markets
Authors: Najmaei Mehran , Saturno Davide Emanuele , Mansori Shaheen , Raueiser Markus , Fuchs Olivier
Published: March 2021

The shift from a domestic market to a global and
international market is not an option but survival for many SMEs. However, this
move has brought more complexities and challenges for SMEs which have limited
resources. The challenges associated with entry into the new market can be even
more complex when firms intend to expand their business to an emerging market
as usually in these markets the infrastructure and regulations are not as
established as developed markets. Despite a vast amount of research on
internationalization, SMEs and Emerging Markets, there is limited literature on
the impact of networking on the success of SMEs internationalization. Therefore,
this paper aims to provide an in-depth review of current literature about the
potential effects of networking as one of the approaches for
internationalization in emerging markets. For this paper, studies from 2000 to
2016 were selected and received.

The results show that networking is an integrated part
of internationalization for SMEs and born global companies. Based on the
evidence provided by the literature, this capability helps SMEs to be more
market-oriented to survive a highly competitive environment in an emerging
market. Furthermore, it could help a firm to achieve synergy in the supply
chain.
High Mortality Rate Due to Novel Coronavirus and Deficient Magnesium Intake by Countries
Authors: Masum Abdul
Published: March 2021

The mortality rate due to COVID-19 is much lower in Asia and Africa than in developed countries in Europe and the United States (West), and this has become an issue that is attracting a great deal of attention. On the other hand, it has recently become clear that the mineral Magnesium (Mg) is significantly related to human immune function, and most people in the West have insufficient Mg intake. Furthermore, it has become clear that the conventional standards for Mg intake are inadequate to indicate insufficient Mg intake. This report shows that regional and national differences in Mg intake are largely responsible for the differences in deaths per infected people (D/IP) caused by COVID-19: the West and Indonesia are considered to have low dietary Mg intakes, resulting in high D/IP; and India･Bangladesh and Africa are the opposite.
Use of Topical Berberine to Manage Premature Ejaculation and/or Erectile Dysfunction: Restoration of Endothelial Homeostasis.
Authors: Kelleni Mina
Published: March 2021

Premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction are affecting millions of patients all over the world and the quest for novel and safe drugs to manage either or both diseases is considered of great importance. Topical use of the herbal extract berberine might provide potential cure through restoration of endothelial homeostasis that is disturbed in both diseases as well as numerous other mechanisms as described in this manuscript and the author is the inventor and one of the holders of an internationally registered copyright to use berberine topically for management of sexual disorders.
Human Biases Limit Cumulative Innovation
Authors: Thompson Bill , Griffiths Tom
Published: March 2021

Is technological advancement constrained by biases in human cognition? People in all societies build on discoveries inherited from previous generations, leading to cumulative innovation. However, biases in human learning and memory may influence the process of knowledge transmission, potentially limiting this process. Here we show that cumulative innovation in a continuous optimization problem is systematically constrained by human biases. In a large (n = 1,250) behavioral study using a transmission chain design, participants searched for virtual technologies in one of four environments after inheriting a solution from previous generations. Participants converged on worse solutions in environments misaligned with their biases. These results substantiate a mathematical model of cumulative innovation in Bayesian agents, highlighting formal relationships between cultural evolution and distributed stochastic optimization. Our findings provide experimental evidence that human biases can limit the advancement of knowledge in a controlled laboratory setting, reinforcing concerns about bias in creative, scientific, and educational contexts.
Mental health service use among mothers involved in public family law proceedings: linked data cohort study in South London 2007-2019
Authors: Pearson Rachel Jane , Grant Claire , Wijlaars Linda , Finch Emily , Bedston Stuart , Broadhurst Karen , Gilbert Ruth
Published: March 2021

Background Research in England suggests a high burden of mental health problems and substance misuse among women whose children enter care. Family courts therefore need to consider timely support for parental mental health and likely time to recovery within public family law proceedings concerning placement of a child into care (‘care proceedings’). We report population-based evidence from linked, routinely collected, de-identified records on the type and severity of maternal mental health problems in relation to care proceedings. Methods We linked family court data and mental health service records for 2137 (66%) of women involved in care proceedings between 2007-2019 in the South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Trust (SLaM) catchment area. We compared their mental health service use and risk of dying with 17,096 female matched controls who accessed SLaM between 2007 and 2019, aged 16-55 years old. Results Most women (79%) were known to SLaM before care proceedings began. Compared to the matched controls, women had higher rates of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (19% vs 11% matched controls), personality disorders (21% vs 11%), and substance misuse (33% vs 12%). They were more likely to be admitted to a SLaM inpatient unit (27% vs 14%) or to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act (19% vs 8%). Finally, women had a 2.15 (95% CI: 1.68 to 2.74) times greater hazard of dying, compared with the matched controls, adjusted for age. Conclusions Given the high prevalence and severity of mental health problems among women involved in care proceedings, family law and social care policy is needed to ensure adequate and timely treatment for parent mental health problems. The increased risk of dying among those accessing mental health services highlights the critical need for post-proceeding services to ensure parents whose children enter care continue to receive support after care proceedings conclude.
Điểm sách: “Công bố khoa học giáo dục theo hướng tiếp cận quốc tế”
Authors: Si Hoan Luong Cu
Published: March 2021

Cuốn sách được xuất bản năm 2020, do NXB Giáo dục Việt Nam phát hành bao gồm 14 chương, đề cập đến các vấn đề cơ bản và cập nhật nhất mà bất kỳ nhà nghiên cứu trẻ nào cũng phải biết và phải thành thạo.
Pressing the Indonesia's Tourism Sector to Be Ready to Compete
Authors: Zulkarnain Nadya Nur Agustini
Published: March 2021

Pressing the Indonesia's Tourism Sector to Be Ready to Compete
Religious Subjectivity Mahasiswa Pendidikan Keguruan
Authors: Ahmad Jumal
Published: March 2021

Existing research demonstrates a positive relation between religion and identity among adolescents. The subject of this study was students of Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, who were taken by simple random sampling technique. The data were collected through semi-structural interviews using the Abdullah Sahin's subjectivity mode based on James Marcia's framework. Thus, this study finds that the subject are in foreclosure, moratorium and achievement status, and no respondents are in diffusion status. The novelty of this research is that religion provides a distinct settinh for identity exploration and commimtment trough offering ideological, social and spiritual context.
Bifurcation analysis of shear band in sand under true triaxial conditions with hypoplasticity
Authors: Liu Jun , wang shun , Wu Yang , Wu Wei
Published: March 2021

Predicting the onset of shear band is of significance in understanding the failureof geomaterials. The prediction accuracy is dictated by the constitutive modelused for the description of the pre-bifurcation behaviour. In this study, we firstmodify a recently proposed hypoplastic constitutive model by incorporating ageneral strength criterion and a stiffness function. We proceed to consider theonset of shear band in sand under true triaxial conditions. We demonstrate thatour analyses capture the pre-bifurcation stress–strain relationship at differentvalues of intermediate principal stress and predict fairly well the onset ofshear band. The acoustic tensor criterion generally adopted in elastoplasticapproaches is inadequate for hypoplastic approaches. No special non-coaxialtreatment is required for the present approach to yield a reasonable variationtrend of bifurcation strain with intermediate principal stress ratio 𝑏.
Extension of a basic hypoplastic model for overconsolidated clays
Authors: wang shun , Wu Wei , Zhang Dichuan , Kim Jong-Ryeol
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a new rate-dependent hypoplastic constitutive model for overconsolidated clays. The model is developed based on a basic hypoplastic model proposed recently for sand. New density and stiffness factors are introduced to account for history dependence. The Matsuoka-Nakai failure surface is incorporated for the limit stress criterion. With six constitutive parameters, the model is capable of predicting the hardening/softening, shear dilation/contraction, and asymptotic state for overconsolidated clays. Comparison between numerical predictions and experimental results shows this model can properly describe the main features of both reconstituted and undisturbed clays with different overconsolidation ratios.
Excessive Worrying as a Central Feature of Anxiety during the First COVID-19 Lockdown-Phase in Belgium: Insights from a Network Approach
Authors: Heeren Alexandre , HANSEEUW Bernard , Cougnon Louise-Amélie , Lits Grégoire
Published: March 2021

Since the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has profoundly impacted public health and the economy worldwide. But there are not the only ones to be hit. The COVID-19 pandemic has also substantially altered mental health, with anxiety symptoms being one of the most frequently reported problems. Especially, the number of people reporting anxiety symptoms increased significantly during the first lockdown-phase compared to similar data collected before the pandemic. Yet, most of these studies relied on a unitary approach to anxiety, wherein its different constitutive features (i.e., symptoms) were tallied into one sum-score, thus ignoring any possibility of interactions between them. Therefore, in this study, we seek to map the associations between the core features of anxiety during the first weeks of the first Belgian COVID-19 lockdown-phase (n = 2,829). To do so, we implemented, in a preregistered fashion, two distinct computational network approaches: a Gaussian graphical model (GGM) and a directed acyclic graph (DAG). Despite their varying assumptions, constraints, and computational methods to determine nodes (i.e., the variables) and edges (i.e., the relations between them), both GGM and DAG pointed to excessive worrying as a node playing an especially influential role in the network system of the anxiety features. Altogether, our findings offer novel data-driven clues for the ongoing field's larger quest to elucidate, and eventually alleviate, the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meaningful comparisons with ordinal-scale items
Authors: Schnuerch Martin , Haaf Julia M. , Sarafoglou Alexandra , Rouder Jeffrey N.
Published: March 2021

Ordinal-scale items---say items that assess agreement with a proposition on an ordinal rating scale from *strongly disagree* to *strongly agree*---are exceedingly popular in psychological research. A common research question concerns the comparison of response distributions on ordinal-scale items across conditions. In this context, there is often a lingering question of whether metric-level descriptions of the results and parametric tests are appropriate. We consider a different problem, perhaps one that supersedes the parametric-vs-nonparametric issue: When is it appropriate to reduce the comparison of two (ordinal) distributions to the comparison of simple summary statistics (e.g., measures of location)? In this paper, we provide a Bayesian modeling approach to help researchers perform meaningful comparisons of two response distributions and draw appropriate inferences from ordinal-scale items. We develop four statistical models that represent possible relationships between two distributions: an unconstrained model representing a complex, non-ordinal relationship, a nonparametric stochastic-dominance model, a parametric shift model, and a null model representing equivalence in distribution. We show how these models can be compared in light of data with Bayes factors and illustrate their usefulness with two real-world examples. We also provide a freely available web applet for researchers who wish to adopt the approach.
The effects of the online gatekeeping using search-based advertising on users’ suicidal ideation
Authors: Sueki Hajime , Takahashi Asumi , Ito Jiro
Published: March 2021

Background: Recently, the practice of “online gatekeeping” related to suicide prevention—placing online advertisements directed at users who search the web for suicide-related terms and leading them to email-based consultations—has been implemented. However, the effectiveness of this practice has not been examined. Aim: To quantitatively examine the effectiveness of suicide-related online gatekeeping. Methods: This was a non-randomized, single-arm study of online gatekeeping among Japanese Internet users. Outcomes were measured at the beginning of the use of the consultation service (T1) and approximately four weeks later (T2). The primary outcome measured was suicidal ideation. Results: In total, 167 participants completed two assessment surveys; approximately 80% were women, and 59.3% were young people (in their twenties or younger). Data analysis of 167 online gatekeeping service users showed that the mean suicidal ideation at T2 was statistically significantly lower than that at T1, and its effect size was small to medium (d = 0.38). Limitations: This study used a single-arm design with no control group. Additionally, the study did not include a second follow-up period. Conclusions: Online gatekeeping is a promising suicide-prevention tool, although further research is warranted to examine its effectiveness using a randomized controlled trial.
Associations Between Conspiracism and the Rejection of Scientific Innovations
Authors: Marques Mathew daCosta , Kerr John R , Williams Matt N , Ling Mathew , McLennan Jim
Published: March 2021

Public opinion regarding scientific developments such as genetically modified (GM) food can be mixed. We suggest such science-based technological innovations are rejected by some because they are perceived to be advanced as part of a conspiracy. In nationally representative samples (Australia n=1,011; New Zealand n=754) we report the associations between five conspiracism facets and anti-science attitudes. Results indicate broad public opposition to GM food and use of nuclear power, but more acceptance of renewable power, potable recycled water, 5G networks, and childhood vaccinations. There were small to moderate associations between the rejection of scientific innovations and conspiracism. Multivariate models estimating unique associations of conspiracism facets with anti-science attitudes suggested several novel and important relationships, particularly for childhood vaccination, GM food, and 5G networks. We discuss the importance of examining factors such as conspiracism in understanding what may motivate and sustain rejection of scientific evidence-based claims about socially contentious technological innovations.
Coercive control: Patterns in crimes, arrests and outcomes for a new domestic abuse offence
Authors: Brennan Iain , Myhill Andy
Published: March 2021

Critics of the criminalisation of coercive control warned that the criminal justice system was ill-prepared for a conceptualisation of domestic abuse that relies on victim accounts of fear and manipulation rather than on evidence of violence. Using data obtained through freedom of information requests to police forces and aggregated police records, this paper presents police force-level and nationwide patterns in recorded crimes, police arrests and crime outcomes for this new crime and shows that, nationally, the number of recorded crimes and arrests rose steadily, but there was significant variation in these patterns between police forces. Analysing police outcomes, we demonstrate that coercive control crimes face greater evidential challenges and are far less likely to result in prosecution than domestic abuse crimes in general. We discuss their implications of these trends and findings for the policing and criminalisation of coercive control.
Corporate Activism and Corporate Identity
Authors: Li Lambert Zixin , Soule Sarah A.
Published: March 2021

Research shows that corporate engagement in social issues often backfires. We suggest this may be because the corporate organizational form is viewed as inappropriate for social activism in general and/or because a particular campaign or organizational action is viewed as hypocritical. To test these ideas, we conduct three studies. In the first study, we examine subject ratings of 90 real-world corporate social movement campaigns and show that subjects support campaigns that involve nonprofit or public organizations, which are of an appropriate organizational form, and penalize campaigns that are inconsistent with the firm business practices, which may be seen as hypocritical. In a second study, we experimentally validate these effects by directly manipulating appropriateness of organizational form and hypocrisy of organizational action. We show that benefit corporations (B Corps) do not suffer from the same hypocrisy penalty in donation and recruitment as do other for-profit corporations, evidencing an interaction between organizational form and action. In a third study, we show that firm collaboration with a social movement organization (SMO) reduces the inappropriateness penalty, while collaboration with an SMO that has organizational practices consistent with the campaign issue reduces the hypocrisy penalty.
How information and communication technologies change trends in modelling political processes: towards an agent-based approach
Authors: Akhremenko Andrei , Petrov Alexander , Zheglov Sergey
Published: March 2021

The development of information and communication technologies and computing power leads to the emergence of additional opportunities for modeling political processes. In the past decades, mathematical models have been developed mainly in a game-theoretic setting; today we witness an expanding stream of research applying agent-based (multi-agent) approach. This trend is quite natural. There have been changes in political participation and in the forms of collective interaction of individuals and groups, induced by digital technologies. Researchers have developed theoretical approaches to political participation, focusing on the network interaction and implementing the “bottom-up” logic that infers the macro-properties of the system from the characteristics and interactions of individual agents. Thus, the theoretical foundations for an agent-based modeling, most promising in its network version, have been developed. This approach, however, required a more complex description of the individual motivation and decision making in comparison to the dominant game-theoretic paradigm. One of the key points is that motivation is considered to be linked to the network position of agents, since the individual is guided by the actions of her neighbors. Thus, the course of the political process is determined not only by the properties and decisions of its participants, but also by the type of network architecture that connects them. Within this research framework, a computational experiment, assuming a controlled variation of parameters, plays a special role. Two main strategies of such an experiment are considered: the grid search and the Monte Carlo method. The prospects of agentbased modeling in its network form are related to the study of the dynamical political processes, taking into account the structures of trust and social capital, as well as the resources and mechanisms of collective action.
Effect of pH on Homogeneous Photodegradation of Eosin Y Dye
Authors: Roy Subrata Chandra , Mahmood Abu Jafar
Published: March 2021

Eosin Y (EY), an anionic dye, also known as Eosin Yellow or Bromoeosin, or Acid red 27 is an industrial dye. The residual dye, discharged as one of the components of the untreated effluent, into the adjacent surface and causes water pollution. Photodegradation of EY was investigated at 29 oC in homogeneous aqueous media using UVA light (≈400 – 320 nm) in acetate buffer solution as a function of pH (3.08-7.08). At higher pH, there was no effect of this light on the dye in the solution. Results show that the initial rate of photocolorization increased with decreasing the pH of the dye solution.
Non-carcinogenic and Carcinogenic Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Exposure to Indoor Dust in Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Bhandari Sulakshya , Shakya Sudarshana , Adhikari Bijaya , Shrestha Mahesh , Shakya Bindra Devi , Pradhananga Achut Ram , Shrestha Prem Kumar , Shakya Ramesh Kaji , Pant Dipesh Raj , Shakya Pawan Raj
Published: March 2021

The present study was carried out to assess the contamination of heavy metals in indoor household dust of Kathmandu, Nepal, and its adverse effect on the indoor environment and human health. The concentrations of four heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb) in a total of ninety-three (N = 93) indoor dust samples collected from four different types of land use zones viz., commercial, heavy traffic, residential, and control (undisturbed) of Kathmandu were determined by the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS). The mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb in indoor dust samples over the study zones were 0.89, 158.1, 113.3, and 65.3 mg kg−1, respectively. The land use zones showed the various degree of metal contamination in indoor dust ranging from moderate to considerable level. PLI showed a high pollution load in the monitored locations, indicating an alarming condition and the urgent need for immediate remedial actions. Hazard quotient (HQ) values indicated ingestion as the major pathway of indoor dust heavy metal exposure to children while the inhalation pathway remained dominant in adults. Hazard index (HI) values showed no probable non-carcinogenic risk of the heavy metals present in the indoor dust of Kathmandu. For carcinogenic health risk, TLCR values were found within the acceptable safe limit indicating no cancer risk for both the receptor groups.
Synthesis and Characterization of High Molecular Weight Chitosan, and Antioxidant Activity of Its Chitosan Oligosaccharide Encapsulation
Authors: Adhikari Hari Sharan , Garai Aditya , Marasini Bishnu Prasad , Adhikari Rameshwar , Yadav Paras Nath
Published: March 2021

High molecular weight nanocrystalline chitosan (HMWNC)with Mw of 350 kDa and 66.92% DDA was prepared by alkaline N-deacetylation of chitin that was abundantly obtained after demineralization and deproteinization of pulverized crab shells, and commercially available chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) with average Mw< 3000 Da and 87% DDA was encapsulated with HMWNC. The encapsulation of COS as a pharmaceutical ingredient into HMWC was hypothesized to enhance the bioavailability of COS in target cells. The HMWNC encapsulated chitosan oligosaccharide (COS-HMWNC) showed in vitro antioxidant activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals (IC50 = 512.6±14.4 μg/mL) while others showed less than 50% inhibition at 1000 μg/mL. The lower the molecular weight of chitosan, the higher was the antioxidant activity. The study showed that the encapsulation of COS molecules in HMWNCcould be used as a simple and effective way of enhancing the antioxidant activity of COS.
Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Screening of Azepine Derivative: 2-hydroxy-1,3-di(naphthalene-2-yl)-1H-benzo[b]azepine-5(4H)one
Authors: Sharma Amit , Singh Ashok Kumar
Published: March 2021

The synthesis of unsaturated heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen atoms in the ring is very important due to its various biological application in the pharmaceutical industry. Azepine derivatives find numerous application almost every field in medicinal chemistry and some of its are commercially available as drugs. The two-component of azepine derivatives were synthesized by using the aniline and maleic anhydride as a starting material followed by condensation with sodium borohydride in presence of dry benzene, subsequently cyclization by polyphosphoric acid then, finally by an addition reaction with naphthalene-2-ol to form the desired derivative. The formation of the synthesized azepine derivative was confirmed by spectral techniques such as IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. The antibacterial assay shows that the synthesized compound (2A) possesses the most highly potent activity in the Bacillus subtilis and moderate activity against other different strains of bacteria and fungi.
Phytochemical Screening and In Vitro Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Aerial Parts of Euphorbia hirta L.
Authors: Basyal Deepak , Neupane Astha , Pandey Durga Prasad , Pandeya Shiva
Published: March 2021

Euphorbia hirta L (Euphorbiaceae) also called asthma herb has long been prescribed in traditional medicine because it exhibits diverse pharmacological actions due to the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, triterpenoids, and saponins. The present study is aimed at the study of phytochemical and antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory screening of E. hirta. Extraction of dried powder was performed followed by phytochemical screening using color reactions. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of the extracts were estimated by Folin-Ciocalteu and Aluminum chloride method respectively. The antioxidant activity was studied by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method.  Anti-inflammatory activity was studied by using protein denaturation in vitro bioassay. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds. TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity (IC50) of the extract were found as 288.10 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram (GAE/g), 29.36 mg quercetin equivalent per gram (QE/g) and 32.23 µg/mL (p<0.05) respectively. Diclofenac sodium and E. hirta extract showed the maximum inhibition of 91.28% and 68.20% respectively at the concentration of 1000 µg/mL compared with control (p>0.05). The phenolic compounds and flavonoids exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities because of their scavenging ability. The demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities may be the rationale behind some of its folkloric uses and also may be responsible for some of its pharmacological effects. Thus, E. hirta can be considered a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory actions, which might be beneficial for combating oxidative stress.
Etiological Spectrum of Hoarseness of Voice in Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal
Authors: Singh Devesh , Bhandari Akash Mani , Shahi Sudha , Shrestha Narendra Kumar
Published: March 2021

Background: Hoarseness of voice is a common symptom presentation in the Department of ENT. The etiology ranges from benign to malignant causes. Video nasopharyngolaryngoscopy is an effective method of evaluation of the laryngeal pathologies. The aim of the study was to study the different etiological factors of hoarseness of voice presenting in the Department of ENT at Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational longitudinal study was done in the Department of ENT, Western Regional Hospital after approval from IRC, Pokhara Academy of Health Science. A total of 275 patients presenting to the ENT Department with hoarseness of more than two weeks duration were examined with video nasopharyngolaryngoscopy (NPL) from April 2018 to March 2019. The data were electronically entered and analyzed with SPSS Version 21.

Results: Total number of cases were 275 among which 187 (68%) were females whereas 88 (32%) were males. Vocal cord nodules were observed in 107 patients (38.9%), features of laryngopharyngeal reflux were observed in 54 patients (19.6%) muscle tension dysphonia was seen in 49 (17.8 % ), vocal cord polyp in 6 patients (2.2%), left vocal cord palsy in 7 patients ( 2.5%), right sided vocal cord palsy in 2 patients (0.7%). The hemorrhagic polyp, leucoplakia and ventricular dysphonia were observed in 3 patients each.

Conclusion: Since causes of hoarseness of voice range from simple benign diseases to malignant diseases, it is mandatory to evaluate every cases of hoarseness of voice replace with of more than 2 weeks duration with history, videolaryngoscopic examination and investigations.
Incidence of Inguinal Herniotomy in Children. A Prospective Study at a Regional Hospital
Authors: Shrestha Devendra , Gurung Narendra Vikram , Poudel Suresh Raj , Shrestha Santosh , Baral Dilip , Timilsina Sushil
Published: March 2021

Background: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common surgical conditions in children. Herniotomy is the surgery performed for a pediatric hernia and hydrocele. This study was done to know the demography and outcome of pediatric herniotomy at our center.

Materials and methods: A prospective study on patients who underwent herniotomy from 10th May 2016 to 9th May 2017 was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Western Regional Hospital.

Results: During this study 112 patients underwent herniotomy out of which 98 were boys while 14 were girls. 59(52.67%) patients had unilateral hernia, 40(35.71%) had unilateral hydrocele and 13(11.6%) had bilateral condition among which 8 had hernia and 5 had hydrocele. 69(61.6%) patients presented with a right-sided, 30(26.7%) with left-sided, and 13(11.6%) with bilateral conditions. 13 patients (11.6%) presented at the emergency with irreducible hernia. Two among the patient who underwent emergency herniotomy developed postoperative wound infection and one among the elective surgery had recurrence.

Conclusion: Pediatric inguinal hernias and hydroceles are often difficult to diagnose clinically. Herniotomy is often performed by junior consultants who have no specific training in pediatric surgery. Timely planning of surgery is required to minimize preoperative complications.
Profile of Skin Biopsies and Patterns of Granulomatous Skin Diseases in a Tertiary Care Center of Western Nepal
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Subedi Saujan , Pun Jenny , Basnet Binamra , Giri Raja Babu , Asim Mohammad , Sathian Brijesh
Published: March 2021

Background: Granulomatous skin diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity in tropical countries like Nepal. These granulomatous skin lesions often pose diagnostic challenge to clinicians as well as to dermatopathologists. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen represents one of the most informative and cost-effective procedure and may help to avoid other, costlier and invasive diagnostic workup.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study from October 2018 to October 2019, at department of dermatology, enrolled 142 cases of skin biopsies. Correlation between clinical impression and histopathological findings was evaluated.

Results: Out of 13940 dermatology visits/ consultations, 142 (1.01%) skin biopsies were performed. Head, neck and face were the commonest sites of biopsies (29.6%). The most common biopsy technique was incisional type in 70 (50.4%). Histopathology showed granulomatous features in 49 (34.8%) cases, out of which tuberculoid type was the commonest, in 29 (58.0%). Positive clinicopathological correlation was seen in 117/142 (82.4%) for all biopsies and 41/49 (85%) for granulomaous skin lesions.

Conclusion: Tuberculoid type was the most common cutaneous granuloma. High clinicopathological correlation in our study supports histopathology as an important tool for diagnosis of granulomatous as well overall skin disorders.
Writing and Staging Our Latinx Stories: The Utopian Performative in Teatro Luna
Authors: Huerta Melissa
Published: March 2021

Teatro Luna is one of the longest-running all-Latina and women of colour ensembles. This article argues, through as yet unpublished plays and rehearsal documents, that Teatro Luna’s creative processes and performances generate hopeful moments of what Jill Dolan calls the “utopian performative.” Building on the work of Dolan and of José Esteban Muñoz, this case study examines how a sampling of Teatro Luna’s early and current work creates possibilities for social change, representation, and collective consciousness through the company’s Latina and women of colour-centred creative practices and dramatic work. At the same time, it argues for a strategic reading of plays including The Maria Chronicles, GL2010, Lovesick, and The Times through a critical understanding of Teatro Luna’s 2015 manifesto. This analysis illuminates the qualities that the utopian performative has for the broader field of Latina theatre and argues for a new way of thinking of these moments beyond the space of the theatre and the time of performance.
“Heredity, Heredity!”: Recovering Henry James’sThe Reprobatein Its Scientific and Theatrical Contexts
Authors: Abdalla Daniel Ibrahim
Published: March 2021

The reception of Henry James’s plays has long been scripted by his fiction, overshadowing James’s broad engagement with the concerns of fin-de-siècle drama. This article offers a different approach, reading his play The Reprobate (1895) within its theatrical context and emphasizing its relations with the genre of “Ibsen parodies” – in particular, those produced by authors such as J.M. Barrie and Robert Williams Buchanan. Attention to the play’s humorous treatment of heredity – in the midst of a theatrical scene engaging with the paradigm of degeneration – reveals James as surprisingly in step with dramatic developments informed by contemporary evolutionary paradigms, ideas about gender, and comedic genres. The Reprobate’s clear relationship to works by Ibsen, Barrie, and others – as well as the intellectual framework it shares with plays by George Bernard Shaw – suggests the need to reconsider the entrenched view of James’s output in this period, especially as a playwright.
CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE
Authors: Kalinichenko Liudmila , Zinenko Konstantin
Published: March 2021

The article deals with the current state of the construction industry for the period 2018-2020, and its significance for the economy of Ukraine is determined. The general trends of construction development in the modern transformational economic environment have been revealed here. The contribution and share of construction in the total GDP of the country are studied. The volumes of the construction production are analyzed, and after a deep review of indicators and rates dealing with construction products output, it is determined that the construction industry is developing steadily. The role of the state in creating a conducive investment climate in Ukraine is determined, and capital investments in construction are analyzed, and their share in the total capital is allocated. The sales volumes of building materials, the number of construction companies, and the population engaged in the construction sector are analyzed. The authors noted the necessity of normative regulation of construction activity, development, and implementation of state programs on development and support of the construction industry. The main problems of construction companies that have arisen after the introduction of a quarantine regime caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have received much attention. It is noted that it is possible to minimize the negative factors influencing the activities of construction industry companies through strategic management and support of this industry by the state.
Bovine Tuberculosis in young heifer
Authors: Hamdan Alameri Omran
Published: March 2021

A rare case of bovine tuberculosis in young heifer is reported. Miss diagnosed in several occasions due to lack of diagnostic tools. However; post-mortem lesion diagnosis is paramount. This case may pose public health concern to the farmer and his family.
A Potential Bioactive Secondary Metabolites and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Streptomyces thermocarboxydus Strain KSA-2, Isolated from Kali River, Karwar
Authors: Nayaka Sreenivasa , R. Muthuraj , Chakraborty Bidhayak , Prabhakara Bhat Meghashyama , S.S. Pallavi , K.N. Shashiraj , H.M. Halaswamy , S.B. Dhanyakumara , Airodagi Dattatraya , Haged Kavitha
Published: March 2021

In the present study, an Actinomycetes strain KSA-2 was isolated from freshwater sediment samples of Kali River, Karwar, Karnataka, India. The strain KSA-2 was selected among seven isolates based on primary screening of antimicrobial activity against pathogenic organisms. The morphological physiological and biochemical characterizations were performed, the bioactive secondary metabolites were produced in liquid broth culture and was characterized by UV-Vis. spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Later, the potent KSA-2 strain was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (1366 bp) and a phylogenetic tree was constructed and the strain KSA-2 was confirmed as Streptomyces thermocarboxydus strain KSA-2. Further, the characterization of methanolic extract by UV-Vis. and FTIR spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of broad spectrum of antimicrobial and other compounds and alkyl halides, alkenes, sulfoxide, carboxylic acids, alkanes respectively.
Flock level seroprevalence of and risk factors for parainfluenza type 3 virus in small ruminants in northern Jordan
Authors: Al-Momani Waleed , Abo-Shehada Mahmoud N.
Published: March 2021

Background. Infectious diseases of the respiratory tract of farm animals are caused by a combination of infectious agents and predisposing factors. Parainfluenza virus type 3 is usually nominated as one of the causes. Seroprevalence and animal risk factors for PI3 infections were investigated in northern Jordan. Methods. The study involved 104 small ruminant flocks (18 sheep, 27 goats, and 59 mixed flocks sampled in northern Jordan. Indirect ELISA was used to test 678 blood samples used in this study. Flocks were identified as infected if at least 1 animal has been detected as positive by the ELISA test. Information regarding production and health management practices was collected in a questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software SPSS 23 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results. Flock-level and individual-level seroprevalences were 97%, 37%, and 76%, 11% in sheep and goats respectively. Multivariable logistic regression applied for production and health management practices showed significant risk factors for: Climatic zone (OR= 0.3) was decreasing risk factor for the PI3 seropositivity. Young separated from dams (OR= 4), neonatal deaths (OR= 3), and milking manual (OR= 37.5) were increasing risk factors for the seropositivity of PI3. Conclusions. PI3 virus has a high prevalence in sheep than goats and two risk factors could increase the prevalence of PI3 in both sheep and goats.
ممارسة معلمي العلوم في الأردن للمهارات الحياتية من وجهة نظرهم
Authors: فيصل غازي الوردات ساره , الخطايبة عبد الله , ربابعة ابتسام
Published: March 2021

هدفت الدراسة الكشف عن درجة ممارسة معلمي العلوم في الأردن للمهارات الحياتية، وتمّ استخدام المنهج الوصفي، ولتحقيق هدف الدراسة قام الباحثون ببناء أداة الدراسة المتمثلة بالاستبانة تكونت من المهارات الحياتية الخمس الرئيسة: المهارات العملية اليدوية، المهارات الغذائية، المهارات الصحية، المهارات البيئية، والمهارات الوقائية، وقد تمّ التحقق من صدق وثبات الأداة. أظهرت النتائج أن درجة ممارسة معلمي العلوم في الأردن للمهارات الحياتية كانت بدرجة كبيرة، ووجود فروق دالة إحصائياً عند مستوى الدلالة (0.05=α) في درجة ممارسة معلمي العلوم للمهارات الحياتية تبعاً لمتغير الجنس، والخبرة التدريسية، وعدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً في درجة ممارسة معلمي العلوم للمهارات الحياتية تبعاً لمتغير المؤهل العلمي، وجاءت في المرتبة الأولى المهارات اليدوية والعملية، بينما جاءت في المرتبة الأخيرة المهارة الصحية، وفي ضوء نتائج الدراسة أوصى الباحثون بضرورة إعادة النظر في برامج إعداد معلمي العلوم وتدريبهم بحيث تأخذ المهارات الصحية الاهتمام المناسب.