bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modern concepts of the place of acetylsalicylic acid in the treatment of patients with various manifestations of atherothrombosis
Authors: Panchenko E. P.
Published: July 2021

The review is devoted to the analysis of the significance of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the primary and secondary prevention of various manifestations of atherothrombosis. The results of the ARRIVE, ASPREE and ASCEND studies are considered, based on which the evidence base for the use of reduced low-dose ASA (75-100 mg) for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including patients with diabetes mellitus is formed. Nevertheless, the question of the significance of ASA in primary prevention of CVDs has not been finally resolved, because the results of the latest TIPS-3 study, published in 2020, showed that the combination of enteric-coated ASA with a polypill consisting of a statin and three hypotensive drugs, compared with placebo, reduces the frequency of cardiovascular episodes (CVEs) in individuals without CVDs but with average cardiovascular risk. ASA is an immutable component of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), in patients with coronary heart disease, subjected to planned stenting. Recently, evidence has been obtained about the impact of bleeding on prognostic outcomes, so there is a clear trend to reduce the duration of aspirin therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and ACS or undergoing planned stenting. A new trend is enhancement of ASA therapy with a second antithrombotic drug in patients with stable manifestations of atherothrombosis with high risk of thrombotic complications. Thus, modern recommendations suggest to enhance ASA therapy with a vascular dose of rivaroxaban (2.5 mg 2 p/day) or a P2Y12-receptor platelet inhibitor. ASA appears to be a classic antiaggregant and an essential partner for new antithrombotic drugs.
O Apelo Socioeconômico e a Ação Empreendedora no Processo de Estruturação de Configurações Produtivas Vinculadas à Bioenergia no Brasil
Authors: Marquesan Fábio Freitas Schilling , Silva Joselito Brilhante
Published: July 2021

O aumento da população fez um mundo perceber um forte aumento na demanda por energia. A maior parte da atual demanda de energia é atendida pela queima de combustíveis fósseis. No entanto, o uso de combustíveis tradicionais está associado a um aumento ambiental na intensidade de gases nocivos, como dióxido de carbono, gases de efeito estufa e óxido de nitrogênio.O objetivo deste ensaio éproblematizar o que ficou denominado de apelo socioeconômico associado à ação empreendedora que é dirigida à estruturação de determinadas configurações produtivas orientadas à exploração da bioenergia no Brasil. Tal objetivo justifica-se na medida em que problematiza a maneira como ocorrem os processos que tendem a estimular o uso de fontes e formas alternativas de produção bioenergética. A fim de sustentar essa justificativa, este ensaio aborda o apelo socioeconômico da produção bioenergética no Brasil; o processo de mudança na perspectiva institucional; e, o empreendedor como agente de mudanças institucionais e inovações sociais. O resultado este trabalho proporciona subsídios acerca da reflexão que deve perpassar a busca de soluções consensuais e negociadas para os problemas que foram levantados quanto à exploração da bioenergia no Brasil. O ensaio apresenta-se como um veículo indicativo de como podem vir a ser conduzidas as transformações de ordem social com a proposição de uma reflexão sobre as soluções que têm sido desenvolvidas para resolver, de forma sustentável, os problemas relacionados à exploração da bioenergia no Brasil.
O Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida sob a Perspectiva dos Beneficiários e Agente Operacional
Authors: Wittmann Mariane Beatriz , Lorenzi Júnior David , Glasenapp Sirlei , Fontoura Fernando Batista Bandeira da
Published: July 2021

A pesquisa tem o propósito de verificar ações de política pública habitacional a partir da percepção do agente operacional e da identificação do nível de satisfação dos beneficiários com relação ao Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida em um conjunto habitacional no município de Santa Maria/RS, com a finalidade de orientar o aprimoramento do programa no processo de planejamento e gestão pública. Quanto ao método, a pesquisa caracterizou-se como um estudo exploratório-descritivo com abordagem quantitativa junto aos beneficiários e qualitativa junto ao agente operacional. Os dados foram coletados por meio de 144 questionários com as famílias beneficiárias do PMCMV e com entrevista junto ao agente operacional. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo quanto a abordagem qualitativa e, com o emprego da estatística descritiva e análise fatorial, na abordagem quantitativa. Os principais resultados mostram que os beneficiários estão satisfeitos com a aquisição da casa própria e que os objetivos do PMCMV atendem às necessidades básicas dos beneficiários. Contudo, ao adentrar especificamente no conjunto de atividades envolvendo o provimento habitacional para a população de interesse social, um aspecto relevante verificado foi de a provisão habitacional ter ocorrido em um local distante da área central, impactando em alguns aspectos do cotidiano dos moradores. Destaca-se na pesquisa o fato de que os elementos negativos apontados, ou seja, o acesso a bens e serviços urbanos após o benefício, não devem ser entendidos como efeitos secundários do PMCMV, mas sim decorrentes da baixa capacidade estatal em prover moradias em áreas centrais.
Evaluating the influence of hydrological condition on the phosphorus loads in an agricultural river basin using the SWAT model
Authors: Cui Jian , Zhao Yue , Sun Wenchao , Chen Yan , Wu Bo , Xue Baolin , Chen Haiyang , Li Zhanjie , Tian Zaifeng
Published: July 2021

Excessive phosphorus is an important cause of eutrophication. For river basin management, source identification and control of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution are difficult. In this study, to explore influences of hydrological conditions on phosphorus, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is applied to the Luanhe River basin in North China. Moreover, influences of the spatial scale of the livestock and poultry amount data on estimations of phosphorus loads are also discussed. The results show that applying town-level livestock and poultry amount data allows the model to perform better when estimating phosphorus loads, indicating that using data at a finer administrative level is necessary. For the typical wet year, the estimated annual phosphorus load was 2.6 times that in the typical dry year. Meanwhile, the contribution of pollution in summer to the annual load is greater in the wet year than that in the dry year. The spatial distributions of subbasins with high unit loads of phosphorus differ under different hydrological conditions, meaning that critical areas for pollution control vary with the wetness of each year. All these findings indicate that for pollution control at basin scale, considering the seasonal and interannual variabilities in hydrological conditions is highly demanded.
Polyaluminium chloride dosing effects on coagulation performance: case study, Barekese, Ghana
Authors: Nti Samuel Owusu , Buamah Richard , Atebiya Janet
Published: July 2021

Alum, the predominant coagulant in conventional drinking water treatment schemes, has various disadvantages including the production of large volumes of sludge, lowering water pH (requiring pH adjustment using lime), limited coagulation pH range of 6.5 to 8.0, etc. At the Barekese Water Treatment Plant in Ghana, an alternative, the polyelectrolyte – polyaluminium chloride (PAC) is also used in coagulation but limited information is available on the operating conditions required to achieve better performance than alum-based coagulation. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal coagulant dose, mixing speed and operating pH for enhanced performance in water treatment. The effects on the treatment process of three different sets of mixing speed pairs – 180/40, 180/25 and 150/25 revolutions per minute (fast/slow) – in a pH range of 6.5 to 8.0 were investigated. The mixing speed and PAC dose yielding the best coagulation were 150/25 rpm and 15 mg/L respectively. The optimal pH range for PAC coagulation performance was 7.5 to 8.0.
Heavy metal inhibition on an alternating activated sludge system and its comparison to conventional methods: case study of Cu2+
Authors: Buaisha Magdi , Balku Saziye , Özalp-Yaman Şeniz
Published: July 2021

In order to understand the behaviour of wastewater treatment plants with heavy metal presence, this study evaluates the treatment process in the presence of heavy metals (Cu2+ as a case study) and compares it with the absence of heavy metals. An activated sludge model is improved by means of incorporating other novel inhibitory kinetic and settler models for this evaluation. To achieve this goal, a simulation algorithm is developed using the MATLAB code to detect any heavy metal influence on the aerobic and anoxic growth of heterotrophic and autotrophic biomass. The code also allows for a comparison of treatment plant performance with and without Cu2+ in both conventional and alternating systems. The results reveal that the presence of heavy metals, in this study for Cu2+ at 0.5 mg/L, in a biological treatment system, has an inhibitory effect on the heterotrophic bacteria but more so on the autotrophic bacteria growth and it prevents nitrification and denitrification, thus having a negative effect on the nitrogen removal in the alternating systems.
LINGUOCULTURAL POTENTIAL OF EUPHEMISMS-AMULETS
Authors:   Tula State Pedagogical University named after L.N. Tolstoy, ROMANOV SERGEY I.
Published: July 2021

The article deals with a special type of euphemisms-amulets, that is, linguocultural units endowed with the function of protection. There are two types of euphemisms-amulets from the point of view of relevance: obsolete and current units. Obsolete euphemisms- amulets have targets that are not recognized as dangerous by the modern linguistic and cultural community. Current euphemisms-amulets, although not always consciously, are used by representatives of the modern Russian linguistic and cultural community to protect against something bad. The paper establishes that the use of the euphemism-amulet is based on the transla- tion of the target's representation into another cultural code. The work reveals that the euphemisms-amulets are directed not to mitigate an unwanted nomination but how to replace it. An undesirable nomination is endowed with negative magical properties, which is why the linguocultural community imposes a ban on its use. A protective cultural function is superim- posed on the euphemism. The main pragmatic explanation for the use of the euphemism- amulet is the speaker's desire not to predict an encounter with an unwanted object, which is based on belief in the magical power of the word. The factors that determine the linguocultural specificity of euphemisms-amulets are revealed. The first factor is target selection. For the Russian linguocultural community, such targets include a totemic animal, evil forces representing another world, death. The second factor is the selection of nominations for the euphemistic function, which is determined by culturally marked background knowledge, ideas, and typical practices. The communicative- pragmatic platform for the use of euphemisms-amulets is the belief in the magical power of the word, in the fact that the use of the forbidden word can lead to negative consequences (in particular, to cause the appearance of something dangerous, undesirable). The work proves that the identified cultural factors are universal, based on universal archetypes: one's own / another's, permission / prohibition, life / death. At the same time, the fact of the appearance of the euphemism-amulet, the choice of its internal form is determined by national and cultural factors.
FEATURES OF USE OF PRECEDENT TEXTS IN THE WORKS OF V.S. MATVEEV
Authors:   Surgut State Pedagogical University, SKRYABINA ANNA S.
Published: July 2021

The article is devoted to the use of precedent texts in works of art by V.S. Matveeva. The article analyzes the most common types of precedent texts and the functions they perform in the process of communication, as well as some features of their use in the discourse of a given linguistic personality.
FUNCTIONAL AND COMMUNICATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MESSENGER GENRE
Authors:   Astrakhan State University, GREBELNIK TATYANA V. , LAPTEVA MARIYA L. ,   Astrakhan State University
Published: July 2021

This article provides functional and communicative characteristics of the messenger, which is considered as one of the genres of Internet communication. The functional features of the messenger, which provide unhindered speech communication in this virtual space, are listed. In addition, the main communicative functions that are relevant for various forms of mediated speech communication are named.
NAMES OF WATER ASTRAKHAN REGION
Authors:   Russian Academy of Sciences, MIRONOVA EKATERINA B.
Published: July 2021

This article is devoted to the Astrakhan regional names of water bodies. The research is based on the material of maritime and regional dictionaries of the 19th-20th centuries. The names of reservoirs represent a system, the elements of which are naturally connected by certain relationships. Extralinguistic characteristics serve as the basis for combining words into a thematic group, since the group of names reflects the real relations between geographical objects in the Astrakhan region and the logical connections between them, reflecting the prevailing historical perception of the territory. Lexicographic sources allowed the author to reveal the lexical and semantic features of the water regional vocabulary, since it is this association that most fully and expressively reflects the physical and geographical features of the Astrakhan region
IMPRESSIONIST TENDENCIES OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY IN V. NARBUT'S EARLY NATURAL PHILOSOPHY LYRICS
Authors:   Astrakhan State Medical University, GUSHCHINA KSENIA N.
Published: July 2021

In this work, the natural philosophy lyrics Of V. Narbut are considered in line with the main literary trends of the late XIX - early XX century and correlate with the previous poetic era. The article reveals the main principles of artistic image construction in the early natural- philosophical lyrics Of V. Narbut and defines the dominant features of the poetics of the writer's work. On the basis of comparisons and comparisons of landscape poems By V. Narbut, it is concluded that the author's nature-descriptive poetry prevails and is connected with the features of impressionism. The author emphasizes the originality of the poet's natural-philosophical lyrics, which combine the unique originality of objective reality and emotional and intellectual experience.
RING AND CHAIN REPETITIONS IN THE DISCOURSE OF A LITERARY TEXT
Authors:   Pyatigorsk State University, PETRENKO SVETLANA A. , PETRENKO ALEXANDER PH. ,   Pyatigorsk State University
Published: July 2021

The article deals with the specifics of the functioning of two types of repetition - framing and chain repetition - in the discourse of well-known modern novelists L. Weisberger and M. Amis. The authors reveal expediency of the novelists' appeal to these types of repetition and the produced stylistic effect. It is noted that the repetition of lexical elements in the form of a ring or chain is an effective means of internal (logical) and external (pragmatic) coherence of the text.
ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE “UNITED RUSSIA” PARTY DURING THE PANDEMIC: ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES
Authors:   Kuban State University, SICHAK EVGENY N.
Published: July 2021

This article examines the organizational practices of the ruling party “United Russia” in the new conditions set by the current epidemiological situation in the Russian Federation related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The factors that influenced the operational reorganization of the party structures of “United Russia” and its effective functioning during the period of selfisolation and quarantine restrictions in the Russian Federation in the spring-summer of 2020 and the growth of the party's electoral rating on the eve of the Single voting day on September 13 are analyzed. The key factors that determined this reorganization are the digitalization of party structures, interaction with near-party public associations, civil activists, ensuring communication with civil society, as well as ensuring conditions for the productive work of the party apparatus. Features of introduction of innovations in management of the ruling party allowing to provide recruitment of new functionaries and supporters, creation of personnel party elevators are revealed. In the study, official information resources EP, media materials, data of public and expert surveys, conclusions regarding the productivity model transformation of party structures in voluntary charity, the positive impact of this reorganization on the processes of building the party "United Russia". The study of these organizational practices is significant both for representatives of the academic community and for practicing political strategists and political consultants.
NON-DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL REGIMES - MAIN VECTORS OF TRANSFORMATION
Authors:   Moscow State Institute of International Relations - University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation, GRISHIN ANTON V.
Published: July 2021

The article proposes an operational model for comparative analysis of non-democratic political regimes. It is based on the holistic methodology, new institutionalism framework and structural-functional approach. The paper systematizes the theories of foreign and Russian authors towards typology and differentiation between certain types of autocracies. There is a tendency to gradual change in the main research areas in the community of transitology scholars - from “democratic optimism” witnessed at the end of the twentieth century to the analysis of the mechanisms of self-preservation of autocracies, which has gained popularity in recent years. The essence of the "political regime" concept is specified with regard to its static and dynamic aspects. Some differences between democratic and non-democratic regimes are considered. The article explores basic typologies of political regimes, enumerates the characteristics of some types of non-democratic political regimes, and proposes relevant operational definitions. Main vectors of transformations of autocracies, such as liberalization or strengthening of authoritarian tendencies, are indicated. Both of them can be considered either as actions taken so as to preserve the authoritarian system or promote democratization. The operational model elaborated in this paper for the classification of non-democratic political regimes and their transformations can be used to conduct cross-country, as well as cross-temporal comparisons within the framework of case study.
PHILOSOPHICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE THEORY OF SELF-REGULATION
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, SVET ANNA A.
Published: July 2021

The article is devoted to the study of the interdisciplinary phenomenon of self-regulation. Within the framework of this topic, various approaches to understanding the process of self-regulation proposed by domestic and foreign researchers are considered. A review of the key concept of the leading Russian expert in the field of psychology of self-regulation of personality V. I. Morosanova and her questionnaire “style of self-regulation of behavior”, used to assess the degree of development of self-regulation processes and measures of formation of strategic structures of individual self-consciousness. Based on socio-philosophical analysis, it is shown that the level of self-regulation changes significantly in different periods of life: from low and rapidly growing in childhood, continuing high and stable in middle age, and ending with a slow decline after 30 years. The characteristic reasons for reducing or increasing the level of self-regulation in people of different ages were revealed. Described wide range of adjustment procedures samoregulyatsii low ability individuals, including methods that do not require special training - situational (switch, self-hypnosis), recitative (active neuromuscular relaxation and ideomotor training), system (introspection, self-analysis) and more complex, requiring a monitoring specialista method of biofeedback, meditation, autogenic training.
CULTURAL NORMS IN THE CONDITIONS OF SOCIAL ISOLATION (ON THE EXAMPLE OF ASTRAKHAN PROVINCE)
Authors:   Astrakhan State University, KHLYSCHEVA ELENA V.
Published: July 2021

The geographical location of the Astrakhan region historically determined its status as an outpost, which was not only a place of trade and after joining the Russian state began to be defined as "an advanced point, a beginning and a bulwark in development", but also took on all threats of the emergence and spread of epidemics from the East. In addition, its own natural and climatic conditions also made the region vulnerable. Therefore, epidemics in the history of the Astrakhan region were not uncommon. In the article the task is not to describe the diseases that came to the region, as to show how the methods of fighting with plague, smallpox, cholera have changed at different levels: power, church, people. Particular attention is paid to the transformations taking place in the mentality of the inhabitants and changing, "civilizing" the way of people’s life, especially the nomadic steppes. Researches have shown that, despite of technical progress, change of conditions of existence, the deep, archaic layers of consciousness remain, inhibiting rational perception of existing dangers and deducing on a mythological explanation of reality. That is why in the epoch of high technologies and virtual spaces there is still a place for such a phenomenon as fake, which creates a global problem of infodemy, that spreads rapidly during cataclysms and has serious destructive consequences. The study of this phenomenon is an urgent task of modern science.
POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS DE EDUCAÇÃO NO CONTEXTO NEOLIBERAL: UM BREVE BALANÇO
Authors: Melo de Morais Erivania , Rodrigues dos Santos Camila , Alves de Paiva Irene
Published: July 2021

Este artigo busca refletir acerca das políticas educacionais em contexto neoliberal que demarcou o cenário político brasileiro desde os anos 1990 e tem sido acentuado a partir de 2016 após o impeachment da Presidenta Dilma Rousseff, o que fomentou uma agenda de cortes e asfixiamento nas políticas sociais e na educação. Assim, elencamos como objetivos: contextualizar as políticas educacionais em seu processo de renovação e conservação da lógica neoliberal; e apontar as mudanças neoconservadoras em relação à política educacional a partir do governo Temer e Bolsonaro. Esta é uma pesquisa de caráter bibliográfico e documental em que buscamos problematizar criticamente as políticas educacionais. Nesse sentido, evidencia-se que ao longo desses 30 anos o ajustamento das políticas educacionais as condicionalidades dos organismos internacionais vêm se consolidando e apesar do processo de renovação política,  manteve-se o afinamento com as concepções das agências multilaterais, que a partir dessa ascensão recente das perspectivas conservadoras através do processo de conservação dos ideais hegemônicos elitista, que as políticas educacionais têm passado por um árduo decurso de ataques, seja em suas estruturas ou na produção e reprodução de representações, ideias, narrativas de eficácia, eficiência, produtivismo da educação numa perspectiva de resultados, afastando-se dos processos de conscientização e formação humanizada.
The Poetry of T.VASUDEVA REDDY: A Critique on Bucolic Representation
Authors: Laxmiprasad P.V.
Published: July 2021

ndian English Poetry is replete with both ancient and modern elements. Pre-independent and post-independent India marked two different phases in poetry. Poets predominantly dealt with conventional themes in the past. But, one distinguishing feature of Post –independent poetry has been to portray a diversified representation of multiple themes. A careful analysis of thoughts, feelings, and psyche of the poets not only genuinely but eloquently reveals urban ‘cynicism and anguish’ and reveals ‘hope and anticipation’ quite aptly. Poets differed according to the age in which they had lived but ultimately, their poetry became a subject matter of anguish and agony. There have been obvious expressions of urban life in the beginnings but as the poets emerged in the early twentieth century, rural side of the life figured prominently in their writings. PCK Prem observes, “Poetry depicting rural background and the inner world of man is also conscious of the collapse of human bonds and aspirations even as sufferings, struggles, and failures dishearten but carry elements of hope, and thus, infuse a spirit to live life persuasively”. (2006: 21) Poetry is not only a study of thoughts or emotions but it also involves reading of a huge poetic landscape, literary yield, political thought process and its evolution, and the social and economic environment. From 1920, after taking into consideration various social and historical facts, one assumes that contemporary Indian English Poetry begins its ambitious journey --- in rising cities and other rural areas, developing towns of various regions to be more specific Indian English Poetry begins its journey. One such element is the delineation of bucolic elements in poetry. India is predominantly a rural country side with 60% of population living in villages. The countryside is a geographic area located outside the cities and towns. Indian villages have low population density and small settlements. The poetry of T.V. Reddy is rooted in bucolic elements. In fact, all his poetry collections carry the hallmarks of rural life, pastoral panorama and idyllic nature. They beautify his poetry against rural background. Rural life in India forms the very basis of economy and essential living conditions. In fact, it is the backbone of development in diversity. Life in cities is always different from life in rural areas.
Targeting Ovarian Solid Tumors by Elastin-Like Polypeptide Drug Conjugates: Current Trends and Future Prospectives
Authors: Ramamurthi Deepthi , Nanjan Chandrasekar Moola J. , Santhosh Shanthi B. , Patnaik Sunil K.
Published: July 2021

Background:

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Polymers
have low cytotoxicity and high functionalizability and are hence used for drug delivery systems,
tissue engineering, and polymer therapeutics. In drug delivery systems, polymer-drug conjugates
have shown considerable promise, especially in anticancer chemotherapy.

Objective:

Anticancer Drug Delivery Systems (DDS) deliver drugs to the tumor site leading to reduced
exposure of the drugs to healthy cells and hence reduced side effects. Efforts have been made
in the past to develop effective DDS using stimuli-responsive polymers like thermosensitive and
pH-sensitive polymers.

Conclusion:

Elastin-like Polypeptides (ELP), one of the thermoresponsive polymers, have been
identified as drug carriers in anticancer therapy. ELP-drug conjugates have the potential and can be
used effectively in combination with hyperthermia for targeting drugs to solid tumors. This review
reports on the use of ELPs in cancer therapy, its biomedical applications, and recent developments
to target drugs to ovarian solid tumors.
Pathophysiology and Biomarkers for Breast Cancer: Management Using Herbal Medicines
Authors: Sharma Disha , Mishra Sudhanshu , Rajput Aishwarya , Raj Khushboo , Malviya Rishabha
Published: July 2021

Aims:

The objective of the current manuscript is to discuss various types of cancers of
breast, pathophysiology, and biomarkers used for breast cancer and potential applications of herbal
remedies as a treatment tool.

Methods:

A literature survey was carried out using various online search engines like google scholar,
ScienceDirect, Springer, Scopus, PubMed, etc. Offline libraries were also used for the compilation of
data.

Results and Discussion:

The second ground for disease casualties in females is breast cancer. The
complexity of this disorder resembles a complicated environment containing varying layers of internal
and external influences that are cleverly engineered for interaction to create a pliable background
for the clonal progress of breast cancer cells. Biomarkers which can identify the most successful
treatments or assess the reaction to therapy early in the process of treatment are useful. The possible
benefits of imaging biomarkers are evident and initial clinical results have been positive. Herbal
medicines must be established to be successful against this disease.

Conclusion:

It can be established from the complete study that breast cancer is mainly universal and
lethal cancer of females. Herbal medicines are widely distributed, biocompatible, biodegradable, and
have the potential to treat breast cancer. Furthermore, multicenter clinical trials are still needed for
evidence of the clinical usefulness of herbal medicines.
A Case Report of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes Arising After Isotretinoin Treatment: Real Association or Coincidence? A Hypothesis on Pathophysiology
Authors: Bozkuş Yusuf
Published: July 2021

Background:

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is the most common form
of adult-onset autoimmune diabetes. Isotretinoin is a very effective treatment for severe acne.
There are various reports on the effect of isotretinoin on autoimmunity. We present a case of LADA,
probably related to isotretinoin treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this case was the second
case of LADA that occurred after isotretinoin treatment. Here we discuss a hypothesis on the
pathophysiology of how isotretinoin can induce LADA.

Case Presentation:

A 55-year-old female was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
one month after the end of a nine-month isotretinoin treatment period. At the time of diagnosis, the
patient’s fasting blood glucose level was 257 mg/dL and HbA1c level was 10.3%. Then, she was
followed-up for T2DM for two years. Since the patient did not comply with classical T2DM characteristics
and C-peptide level was 0.4 ng/ml (0.78-5.18), autoantibody test was performed. The patient
was found positive for anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (>2000 IU/mL). Her oral antidiabetic
drug treatment was discontinued and insulin degludec and insulin aspart therapy was
started. Three months after this adjustment, HbA1c level decreased to 7.2%. Except 25-hydroxycholecalciferol
which was low (10.9 ng/mL), all other laboratory parameters were within normal
range.

Conclusion:

Isotretinoin is known to have some immunomodulating effects. There are some case
reports on the relationship between isotretinoin and autoimmune diseases. The negative immune environment
that developed due to the long-standing moderate-severe VitD deficiency may have taken
a turn toward autoimmunity upon isotretinoin treatment. This hypothesis on how isotretinoin
can cause autoimmune diabetes needs to be validated.
Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Existing Italian Hospitals: The Case Study of the National Cancer Institute “G. Pascale Foundation” of Naples
Authors: Zizi Mattia , Bencivenga Pasquale , Di Lauro Gennaro , Laezza Gianfranco , Crisci Pasquale , Frattolillo Ciro , De Matteis Gianfranco
Published: July 2021

Introduction:

A large portion of the Italian built heritage is characterized by a significant seismic vulnerability since many structures were designed with outdated criteria, i.e., without accounting for seismic actions. This aspect is particularly relevant for strategic structures and infrastructures, whose functionalities are crucial in case of seismic events.

Objective:

The main aim of the present paper is to share the key findings related to the seismic vulnerability assessment of the National Institute for the Study and Treatment of Cancer (IRCCS) “Giovanni Pascale Foundation” in Naples. In particular, the main evidences could be easily extended to existing hospitals realized in the last century, with the main reference to: construction techniques, quality of constructional material, overt and convert seismic vulnerabilities and possible intervention strategies for risk mitigation.

Methods:

In the present paper, the assessment methodologies adopted for such a strategic hospital complex are provided, focusing in particular on: i. preliminary research of original design documents and on-site investigation for determining constructional details; ii. material tests on structural elements; iii. vulnerability seismic assessment by means of non-linear FE analyses (push-over and capacity spectrum method); iv. recommendations on retrofitting measures and cost estimations.

Results:

The conducted study puts into clear evidence the inadequacy of the investigated buildings to face the design seismic actions provided by the current Italian code and thus showed the significant seismic vulnerabilities affecting the Institute “G. Pascale Foundation” of Naples. Among these, particular attention has also been focused on the so-called intrinsic vulnerabilities, namely the ones not measurable explicitly and interesting non-structural elements (e.g., connection of shelves, stained glass windows, facilities, etc.).

Conclusion:

The presented case study highlights the strong seismic vulnerability affecting structures realized in the past century, despite their strategic functions. On the whole, the examined structures can be considered as representative of this building typology, and the adopted calculation criteria, as well as the assumptions of the assessment process, could be easily extended to similar case studies.
Seismic Retrofit of an Existing Reinforced Concrete Building with Buckling-restrained Braces
Authors: Ferraioli Massimiliano , Lavino Angelo , Molitierno Carmine , Di Lauro Gennaro
Published: July 2021

Background:

The seismic retrofitting of frame structures using hysteretic dampers is a very effective strategy to mitigate earthquake-induced risks. However, its application in current practice is rather limited since simple and efficient design methods are still lacking, and the more accurate time-history analysis is time-consuming and computationally demanding.

Aims:

This paper develops and applies a seismic retrofit design method to a complex real case study: An eight-story reinforced concrete residential building equipped with buckling-restrained braces.

Methods:

The design method permits the peak seismic response to be predicted, as well as the dampers to be added in the structure to obtain a uniform distribution of the ductility demand. For that purpose, a pushover analysis with the first mode load pattern is carried out. The corresponding story pushover curves are first idealized using a degrading trilinear model and then used to define the SDOF (Single Degree-of-Freedom) system equivalent to the RC frame. The SDOF system, equivalent to the damped braces, is designed to meet performance criteria based on a target drift angle. An optimal damper distribution rule is used to distribute the damped braces along the elevation to maximize the use of all dampers and obtain a uniform distribution of the ductility demand.

Results:

The effectiveness of the seismic retrofit is finally demonstrated by non-linear time-history analysis using a set of earthquake ground motions with various hazard levels.

Conclusion:

The results proved the design procedure is feasible and effective since it achieves the performance objectives of damage control in structural members and uniform ductility demand in dampers.
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Perfusion Treatment via Cutaneous Ureterostomy for Carcinoma in Situ of the Upper Urinary Tract
Authors: Umemoto Tatsuya , Oda Kazuya , Kano Tatsuo , Kim Hakushi , Zakoji Hidenori , Miyajima Akira
Published: July 2021

Introduction:

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin instillation is an established therapy for the treatment of carcinoma in situ of the upper urinary tract.

Case Presentation:

A 72-year-old woman underwent radical cystectomy with cutaneous ureterostomy for invasive bladder cancer with carcinoma in situ of both ureters. For the treatment of upper urinary tract carcinoma in situ, an infusion of 40 mg bacillus Calmette-Guérin through each ureterostomy was performed once weekly for 5 times. Urine cytology of the left upper urinary tract became negative, with a recurrence-free survival of 4 months. On the other hand, the right upper urinary tract became temporarily negative but turned positive after 3 months.

Conclusion:

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin perfusion therapy via cutaneous ureterostomy is considered as one of the useful therapies for carcinoma in situ of the upper urinary tract. Furthermore, there are several factors to be discussed, including the treatment duration, dosage and secondary therapeutic options.
Cost-Effectiveness of Bedaquiline in Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis: A Review
Authors: Sari Evita , Zakiyah Neily , Santoso Prayudi , Barliana Melisa I.
Published: July 2021

Background:

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a burden on the healthcare system and public health. Evidence on cost and cost-effectiveness of MDR-TB treatment option is necessary in order to provide evidence-based recommendation for policymakers. The main therapy for MDR-TB consists of a combination of at least five types of anti-tuberculosis drugs, including second-line injections that have proven to be effective. Bedaquiline is a relatively new drug recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of MDR-TB.

Aims and Objectives:

This study examines the cost-effectiveness of using regimens containing bedaquiline compared to those containing second-line injections.

Methods:

The design of this study is a literature review study. The following keywords used for the search were: “MDR-TB,” “cost effectiveness analysis of MDR-TB,” “cost effectiveness analysis of MDR-TB patients,” “WHO guideline for MDR-TB,” “Bedaquiline cost effectiveness,” and “kanamycin cost effectiveness.” The relevant references were derived from several databases, including PubMed, NCBI, and the Journal of Indonesian Health Economics. A total of 170 articles were obtained during the initial search, then extracted with inclusion criteria, namely articles assessing cost effectiveness, QALY, DALY, articles in English and Indonesian, and publications within the last 10 years.

Results:

The addition of bedaquiline in standard therapy showed favourable effect and safety due to faster culture conversion time and less incidence of side effects, based on the results of studies. The faster the culture conversion occurs and the less patients experiencing side effects, the faster their health improvement, which prospectively will reduce treatment costs and productivity loss.

Conclusion:

This is demonstrated by the results of cost-effectiveness analysis which shows that the replacement of the second-line injection regimen to bedaquiline, and the addition of bedaquiline to the standard regimen of therapy was assessed to be a more cost-effective option.
Recent Advances in Predicting ncRNA-Protein Interactions Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Zhao Yanpeng , Huang Xiaoqian , Shi Yi , Tan Jianjun
Published: July 2021

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play significant roles in various physiological and pathological
proces ses via interacting with the proteins. The existing experimental methods used for predicting
ncRNA-protein interactions are costly and time-consuming. Therefore, an increasing number
of machine learning models have been developed to efficiently predict ncRNA-protein interactions
(ncRPIs), including shallow machine learning and deep learning models, which have achieved dramatic
advancements on the identification of ncRPIs. In this review, we provided an overview of the
recent advances in various machine learning methods for predicting ncRPIs, mainly focusing on
ncRNAs-protein interaction databases, classical datasets, ncRNA/protein sequence encoding methods,
conventional machine learning-based models, deep learning-based models, and the two integration-
based models. Furthermore, we compared the reported accuracy of these approaches and discussed
the potential and limitation of deep learning applications in ncRPIs. Finding that the predictive
performance of integrated deep learning is the best, and those deep learning-based methods do
not always perform better than shallow machine learning-based methods. We discussed the potential
of using deep learning and proposed a research approach on the basis of the existing research. We
believe that the model based on integrated deep learning is able to achieve a higher accuracy in the
prediction if substantial experimental data were available in the near future.
Investigation of Antioxidant Activity and Analysis of Phenolic Compounds of some Asteraceae Plants by HPLC: A Comparison Between Methanol and Ethanol Extracts
Authors: Anvari Donia , Jamei Rashid
Published: July 2021

Background:

Medicinal and healing plants have been used in treating human diseases
for centuries because of their therapeutic effects. They may assist in curing common ailments such
as a multitude of skin problems, various disorders from muscle spasms to cuts and wounds. They
can be used to relieve symptoms of different illnesses from cold to some forms of arthritis or some
allergies as well. The Asteraceae plant is a strong source of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents
and this paper focuses on its specifications.

Objectives:

The specific aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant potential and radical
scavenging of different solvents (Methanol and Ethanol) of five species i.e.Artemisia absinthium
L., Arctium lappa L., Centaurea cyanus L., Silybum marianum L., and Echinops ritro L. belonging
to the Asteraceae family.

Methods:

Methanol and ethanol extracts of the above plants were prepared. The obtained extracts
were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total antioxidant capacity
(TAC), chain-breaking activity (CBA), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl
(DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Also, Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Nitric
oxide (NO) radical scavenging, Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical scavenging and Superoxide
(O2
-) radical inhibition assay were measured. Phenolic compounds were determined and measured
by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as well.

Results:

The collected and analyzed data showed that the highest values for the TPC, TFC, TBA,
and DPPH were related to methanol extract of A. lappa L. Moreover, maximum values for the
CBA, H2O2 and O2
- were observed in the ethanol extract of E. ritro L., while methanol extract of E.
ritro L. showed the highest amount of FRAP and NO. Eventually, the highest value for TAC was
related to A. absintium L. and it was also realized that methanol compared to ethanol solvent was
more successful in the extraction procedure.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that A. lappa L. and E. ritro L. extracts can be considered as
excellent natural antioxidant agents and the type of the solvent can affect the extraction of phenolic
compounds. Sinapic acid as the highest level of phenolic acid was found in S. marianum L.
Influence of some climatic factors on tourism activities on Co To Island, Vietnam
Authors:   Institute of Geography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Cau Giay, Vietnam, et al. Nguyen
Published: July 2021

Co To is a small Island that is a well-known tourist destination for Vietnamese people and it is known to have a very special climate for each season of the year. The purpose of this study is to discuss the limitations of climatic factors as well as find out a favorable time for tourism activities on Co To Island, Vietnam. One of the important things to choose Co To Island to become the main subject is because it has a very special geographic location and tourism is one of the most important drivers of economic development on Co To Island. However, in addition to social reasons, Co To Island tourism is also influenced by climatic factors. Each climate factor has different effects, but the assessment shows that temperature, humidity, and precipitation have the strongest influence. The results also show that in the summer (May-September) on Co To Island, the most frequent and dangerous weather conditions for humans are related to hot weather as well as heavy rainstorms. Mainly in winter (December, January, February), outdoor tourism activities are limited by the cold climate and changing northeast monsoon. However, March, April, October, and November have very favorable tourist conditions.
Age and Social Disparities in the Use of Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Miyawaki Atsushi , Tabuchi Takahiro , Ong Michael K , Tsugawa Yusuke
Published: July 2021

Background

The use of telemedicine outpatient visits has increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic in many countries. Although disparities in access to telemedicine by age and socioeconomic status (SES) have been well-documented, evidence is limited as to how these disparities changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the equity of patient access to telemedicine has been scarcely reported in Japan, despite the huge potential for telemedicine expansion.

Objective

We aimed to investigate changes due to age and SES disparities in telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Methods

Using data from a large internet survey conducted between August 25 and September 30, 2020, in Japan, we examined the associations of participant age and SES (educational attainment, urbanicity of residence, and income level) with their telemedicine use in the following two time periods during the pandemic: April 2020 and August-September 2020.

Results

Of the 24,526 participants aged 18 to 79 years (50.8% [n=12,446] women), the proportion of individuals who reported using telemedicine increased from 2.0% (n=497) in April 2020 to 4.7% (n=1159) in August-September 2020. After adjusting for potential confounders, younger individuals were more likely to use telemedicine than older individuals in April 2020. Although this pattern persisted in August-September 2020, we also observed a substantial increase in telemedicine use among individuals aged 70 to 79 years (adjusted rates, 0.2% in April 2020 vs 3.8% in August-September 2020; P<.001 after multiple comparisons). We found disparities in telemedicine use by SES in August-September 2020 that did not exist in April 2020. In August-September 2020, individuals with a university degree were more likely to use telemedicine than those with a high school diploma or less (adjusted rates, 6.6% vs 3.5%; P<.001). Individuals living in urban areas exhibited higher rates of telemedicine use than those living in rural areas only in August-September 2020 (adjusted rates, 5.2% vs 3.8%; P<.001). Disparities in telemedicine use by income level were not observed in either time period.

Conclusions

In general, younger individuals increased their use of telemedicine compared to older individuals during the pandemic, although individuals in their 70s also increased their use of telemedicine. Disparities in telemedicine use by educational attainment and urbanicity of residence widened during the COVID-19 pandemic.