bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Social Prescribing Programs in the Primary Health-Care Context: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Costa Andreia , Sousa C Joana , Seabra Paulo Rosário Carvalho , Virgolino Ana , Santos Osvaldo , Lopes Joaquim , Henriques Adriana , Nogueira Paulo , Alarcão Violeta
Published: March 2021

Social prescribing (SP) is an approach that promotes the use of local non-clinical activities by people. The referral is usually made by primary health-care professionals, in a process wherein local providers play a pivotal role. The main objective of this study was to identify domains of intervention and evidence about the effectiveness of SP programs regarding health-related outcomes. A systematic literature review was carried out following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINHAL, and SCOPUS. Inclusion criteria of the reviewed papers were as follows: (i) effectiveness studies of interventions designated as SP or interventions entailing SP conceptual components; (ii) interventions with adults. Quality assessment was performed with the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized trials; an assessment tool developed by the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was applied to observational studies. Overall, 13 articles were included for analysis, with a total of 4603 patients. Although three studies comprised a control group, only two followed a randomized controlled trials (RCT) design. Nine principal domains of intervention within SP were identified, with three categories of outcome measures: Physical and psychological wellbeing; Health behaviors and self-efficacy; and Health care resources end economic evaluation. SP is an emergent and promising health-care intervention, and it has been used to promote different health behaviors. Evidence of SP effectiveness on patient’s health and wellbeing is not strong. Further research is needed for understanding how SP can be applied efficiently.
The Conservational State of Coastal Ecosystems on the Mexican Caribbean Coast: Environmental Guidelines for Their Management
Authors: Guimarais Mayrene , Zúñiga-Ríos Adán , Cruz-Ramírez Cesia J. , Chávez Valeria , Odériz Itxaso , van Tussenbroek Brigitta I. , Silva Rodolfo
Published: March 2021

The accelerated rate of environmental degradation of the Mexican Caribbean coast is alarming. In this work, spatial analysis procedures were applied to study relationships among wave and wind climates, water quality, and environmental degradation of the principal coastal ecosystems. We found an increasing North-South gradient in the preservation state of the coastal ecosystems, related to the degree of anthropization of the coastline. In the north, all analysed stressors exert high pressure on coral reefs, seagrass meadows, mangroves, and dunes, and cause chronic coastline erosion. The coastal ecosystems of the central and southern regions are more mature and healthier, and the most significant stressor is reduced water quality. The north has been most hit by high-intensity hurricanes, the frequency of which has increased in the Mexican Caribbean over recent decades. The status of conservation of the ecosystems, added to the long-term intensification of environmental pressures, particularly high-intensity hurricanes, will induce further deterioration if a coordinated management scheme is not adopted by decision-makers. To ensure effective coordinated management, plans should be made on a regional scale using shared guidelines. Spatial analysis procedures aid in prioritizing and adapting the shared guidelines depending on the identified major stressors and the preservation state of each region in the Mexican Caribbean.
The Coupled Effects of Irrigation Scheduling and Nitrogen Fertilization Mode on Growth, Yield and Water Use Efficiency in Drip-Irrigated Winter Wheat
Authors: Zain Muhammad , Si Zhuanyun , Li Sen , Gao Yang , Mehmood Faisal , Rahman Shafeeq-Ur , Mounkaila Hamani Abdoul Kader , Duan Aiwang
Published: March 2021

Sound irrigation and nitrogen management strategies are necessary to achieve sustainable yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat in the North China Plain (NCP). The coupled effects of irrigation scheduling and the nitrogen application mode (NAM) on winter wheat growth, yield and water use efficiency under drip irrigation were evaluated with a two-year field experiment, which consisted of three irrigation scheduling levels (ISLs) (irrigating when soil water consumption (SWC) reached 20, 35 and 50 mm, referred as I20, I35 and I50, respectively) and three nitrogen application modes (NAMs) (ratio of basal application and topdressing as 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100, referred as N50:50, N25:75 and N0:100, respectively). The experimental results showed that irrigating winter wheat at ISL I35 substantially (p < 0.05) improved the grain yield by 15.89%, 3.32% and 14.82%, 4.31% and water use efficiency (WUE) by 5.23%, 16.03% and 5.26%, 12.36%, compared with those at ISL I20 and I50 in 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 growing seasons, respectively. NAM N25:75 appeared very beneficial in terms of grain yield, yield components and WUE as compared to other NAM levels. The maximum grain yield (8.62 and 9.40 t ha−1) and water use efficiency (1.88 and 2.09 kg m−3) were achieved in treatment I35N25:75 in two growing seasons over those in other treatments. The results in this study may deliver a scientific basis for irrigation and nitrogen fertilization management of the drip-irrigated winter wheat production in the NCP.
Reliability of Relative Permeability Measurements for Heterogeneous Rocks Using Horizontal Core Flood Experiments
Authors: Kuo Chia-Wei , Benson Sally M.
Published: March 2021

New guidelines and suggestions for taking reliable effective relative permeability measurements in heterogeneous rocks are presented. The results are based on a combination of high resolution of 3D core-flooding simulations and semi-analytical solutions for the heterogeneous cores. Synthetic “data sets” are generated using TOUGH2 and are subsequently used to calculate effective relative permeability curves. A comparison between the input relative permeability curves and “calculated” relative permeability is used to assess the accuracy of the “measured” values. The results show that, for a capillary number (Ncv = kLpc*A/H2μCO2qt) smaller than a critical value, flows are viscous dominated. Under these conditions, saturation depends only on the fractional flow as well as capillary heterogeneity, and is independent of flow rate, gravity, permeability, core length, and interfacial tension. Accurate whole-core effective relative permeability measurements can be obtained regardless of the orientation of the core and for a high degree of heterogeneity under a range of relevant and practical conditions. Importantly, the transition from the viscous to gravity/capillary dominated flow regimes occurs at much higher flow rates for heterogeneous rocks. For the capillary numbers larger than the critical value, saturation gradients develop along the length of the core and accurate relative permeability measurements are not obtained using traditional steady-state methods. However, if capillary pressure measurements at the end of the core are available or can be estimated from independently measured capillary pressure curves and the measured saturation at the inlet and outlet of the core, accurate effective relative permeability measurements can be obtained even when there is a small saturation gradient across the core.
Development and Evaluation of Direct Paddy Seeder in Puddled Field
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Dogra Ritu , Narang Mahesh , Singh Manjit , Mehan Sushant
Published: March 2021

Manual transplanting, a pre-dominant practice in almost all the paddy growing areas in India, is laborious, burdensome, and has many expenses on raising, settling, and transplanting nursery. The transplanting process’s limitations motivated the replacement of conventional paddy transplanting methods. The study was divided into two phases. The first phase included laboratory testing of three levels of metering mechanisms, namely cell type (M1) with 10 cells grooved around a circular plate having a 13 cm diameter, inclined plate (M2) containing 24 U shaped cells provided on an 18 cm diameter plate, and fluted roller (M3) with 10 flutes on a 5 cm diameter shaft. The testing matrix included a missing index, multiple index, and seed damage with forward speeds (2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 km/h), and pre-germination levels of 24 h soaked (P1), 24 h pre-germinated (P2), and 36 h pre-germinated paddy seeds (P3)). The second phase included selecting the best combination obtained from the laboratory study and developing a new efficient planter for the puddled field. The inclined plate metering mechanism operating at 2.5 km/h for 24 h pre-germinated seeds was reported most efficient from the first phase. Therefore, a self-propelled 8-row planter equipped with an inclined plate metering mechanism having a row-to-row spacing of 22.5 cm was developed, fabricated, and evaluated in the puddled field. The designed planter was assessed on two different soils: sandy loom (ST1) and clay loom (ST2) and at two different hopper fill levels as ½ filled hopper (F1) and ¾ filled hopper (F2). The number of plants per square meter and hill-to-hill spacing was measured. The on-field evaluation revealed that the number of plants per square meter was non-significantly affected by the type of soil but was significantly affected by hopper fill.
Societal Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Asian Rural Societies: A Multi-Sectoral Social Capital Approach in Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan
Authors: Rado Istvan , Lu Mei-Fei , Lin I-Chen , Aoo Ken
Published: March 2021

The agricultural sector in Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan is facing a number of interrelated crises, including aging producers, falling market prices, changing consumer preferences, and biodiversity degradation. Small-scale farmers in these three societies have engaged in diverse collaborative initiatives with actors from the public, private, and third sectors to overcome these challenges. We illustrate these initiatives by combining the concept of societal entrepreneurship with a complex understanding of social capital. Given that these initiatives are formed in distinct ways across these societies, the paper aims to answer the following research questions: What is the nature of the relationships (expressed as types of social capital) underlying the processes of societal entrepreneurship? How does social capital contribute to sustainable community development? How does it facilitate the scaling up of solutions through multi-sectoral collaboration? Using a case study approach, we aim to explore multi-sector initiatives in each context in depth, before identifying common patterns and key drivers for collaboration through thematic analysis. We have found that distinct drivers are involved in each context due to different types of social capital, including solutions, advocacy, and reconciliation.
Effects of a Short-Term Trampling Experiment on Alpine Vegetation in the Tatras, Slovakia
Authors: Piscová Veronika , Ševčík Michal , Hreško Juraj , Petrovič František
Published: March 2021

Over the past decades, outdoor recreation in mountains has become progressively more important and as a result human induced potential damage has increased. Alpine communities are particularly susceptible to human recreational activities, such as tourist trampling. Although there are a number of studies that explicitly assess the effects of trampling on alpine communities, they do not reflect on terrains with a rich topography and the presence of more communities in very small areas. In this study, effects of short-term trampling on some alpine communities in the Tatras, the highest mountains of the Carpathians, were studied experimentally. Vulnerability to disturbance was compared among plant communities in terms of resistance and resilience, which are based on cover measurements. With proximity to trampling intensity, we found a significant decrease in plant cover and abundance of deciduous shrubs, lichens, and mosses. These results demonstrate that human trampling in alpine communities has major negative impacts on lichen and moss abundance and species richness. A short-term trampling experiment required several years of community regeneration. Therefore, management plans should discourage hiking activity off paths and restrict recreational activities.
The Creation and Operation Strategy of Disney’s Mulan: Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Discount
Authors: Chen Rui , Chen Zhiyi , Yang Yongzhong
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this paper is to explore Disney Mulan’s cultural appropriation strategy and the cultural discount phenomenon formed in the Chinese market from the perspective of users and discuss the creation and operation strategy of the film. In 2020, Disney released a new film that originated in China, Mulan, but received negative reviews from the Chinese consumer market. Taking this as an example, this paper uses NVivo and ROSTCM to conduct content-coding and text analysis on creators’ interview records and consumer comments and seeks for the differences in understanding between Chinese audiences and creative teams. The results show that cultural appropriation is an effective strategy for film creation, but cultural appropriation based on misinterpretation will lead to cultural discounts in the operation of films. Therefore, corresponding strategies during film creation and operation should be adopted to better realize the sustainable development of culture.
Sensitivity of a Liquid Xenon Detector to Neutrino–Nucleus Coherent Scattering and Neutrino Magnetic Moment from Reactor Neutrinos
Authors: Ni Kaixuan , Qi Jianyang , Shockley Evan , Wei Yuehuan
Published: March 2021

Liquid xenon is one of the leading targets to search for dark matter via its elastic scattering on nuclei or electrons. Due to their low-threshold and low-background capabilities, liquid xenon detectors can also detect coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CEνNS) or neutrino–electron scattering. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of a compact and movable liquid xenon detector with an active target mass of O(10∼100) kg and single-electron sensitivity to detect CEνNS from anti-neutrinos from a nuclear reactor. Assuming a single- and few-electron background rate at the level achieved by the XENON10/100 experiments, we expect a 5-σ detection of CEνNS with less than 400 kg-days of exposure. We further investigate the sensitivity of such a detector to neutrino magnetic moment with neutrino electron scattering. If an electronic recoil background rate of 0.01∼0.1 events/keV/kg/day above 1 keV can be achieved with adequate shielding, a liquid xenon detector can reach a neutrino magnetic moment sensitivity of 10−11μB, which would improve upon the current most-constraining laboratory limits from the GEMMA and Borexino experiments. Additionally, such a detector would be able to probe the region compatible with a magnetic moment interpretation of the low-energy excess electronic recoil events recently reported by XENON1T.
Vacuum Energy for a Scalar Field with Self-Interaction in (1 + 1) Dimensions
Authors: Bordag Michael
Published: March 2021

We calculate the vacuum (Casimir) energy for a scalar field with ϕ4 self-interaction in (1 + 1) dimensions non perturbatively, i.e., in all orders of the self-interaction. We consider massive and massless fields in a finite box with Dirichlet boundary conditions and on the whole axis as well. For strong coupling, the vacuum energy is negative indicating some instability.
Dry Formulation of Virus-Like Particles in Electrospun Nanofibers
Authors: Dowlath Sasheen , Campbell Katrin , Al-Barwani Farah , Young Vivienne L. , Young Sarah L. , Walker Greg F. , Ward Vernon K.
Published: March 2021

Biologics can be combined with liquid polymer materials and electrospun to produce a dry nanofibrous scaffold. Unlike spray-drying and freeze-drying, electrospinning minimizes the physiological stress on sensitive materials, and nanofiber mat properties such as hydrophobicity, solubility, and melting temperature can be tuned based on the polymer composition. In this study, we explored the dry formulation of a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine by electrospinning VLP derived from rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus modified to carry the MHC-I gp100 tumor-associated antigen epitope. VLP were added to a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solution (15% w/v) followed by electrospinning at 24 kV. Formation of a nanofibrous mat was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, and the presence of VLP was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Western blot. VLP from the nanofibers induced T-cell activation and interferon- (IFN-) γ production in vitro. To confirm in vivo cytotoxicity, Pmel mice treated by injection with gp100 VLP from nanofibers induced a gp100 specific immune response, lysing approximately 65% of gp100-pulsed target cells, comparable to mice vaccinated with gp100 VLP in PBS. VLP from nanofibers also induced an antibody response. This work shows that electrospinning can be used to dry-formulate VLP, preserving both humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
An Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in the Nakdong River Around the Weir
Authors: Son Hee Won , Shim Sun Hee , Oh Haeseong , Choi Jung Hyun
Published: March 2021

In this study, the concentrations and characteristics of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) contamination in sediment samples were investigated using aqua regia extraction and Tessier’s five-step sequential extraction. Based on the concentration of metals, the influence of the Hapcheon-Changnyeong weir on sediments in the Nakdong River was assessed. The origins of the contaminants, their bioavailability, and their mobility were determined using sequential extraction. Greater concentrations of heavy metals were found in samples collected closer to the weir. The largest proportion of Cu was identified in the residual fraction based on sequential extraction, whereas Zn was predominantly found in the reducible fraction. Iron-manganese in the reducible fraction of Zn has the potential to leach back to the water body. In addition, the combined concentration of fractions 1 and 2 of Cu comprised more than 20% of total amount that still has potential to affect the water quality. The results of this study were compared with existing sediment standards set out by the NIER (National Institute of Environmental Research), Canada, and US EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines, as well as the risk assessment code (RAC). The concentrations of heavy metals exceeded the standards set by the Canadian guideline by up to four times in particular samples, highlighting the need for continual monitoring.
Removal of Congo Red and Methyl Red using Low Density Polyethylene-Chitosan Nanoparticles Biocomposite in Single and Binary-component System
Authors: Daramola Oluwatosin Emmanuel , Adelaja Oluwaseun Adekoya
Published: March 2021

The low density polyethylene-chitosan nanoparticles (LDPE/CHNP) biocomposite was applied as a biosorbent for the adsorption of Congo red (CR) anionic dye and methyl red (MR) a cationic dye an in single and binary system. The effect of parameter pH, contact time, initial concentration, adsorbent dosage and temperature were studied on the two dyes in single and the binary component system. Kinetic studies showed that adsorption on LDPE/CHNP in a single and binary-component system follows pseudo-second order kinetics. The values of CR in single and binary system were gotten to be 0.9996 and 0.9984 respectively, while the values of MR in single and binary system were 0.9994 and 0.9983 respectively. The adsorption equilibrium study was tested with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm and the result showed they agree more with Langmuir have an values for CR in single and binary system to be 0.9995 and 0.9991 respectively, while the values of MR in single and binary system were 0.9954 and 0.9983 respectively; which implies that the adsorptions were more of chemisorption than physiosorption reaction. In the single and binary systems, the result reveals that CR had higher adoption efficiency than MR which could be because the chelation between cations and chitosan chains, which decreased the electrostatic interaction between Methyl red and chitosan nanoparticles of the biocomposite. The LDPE/CHNP biocomposite has proved to be an efficient adsorbent for CR (anionic dye) and MR (cationic dye) in single and two-component system which are frequently encountered composition of industrial effluents.
Model Residential School Education to Scheduled Caste Pupils in Kerala
Authors: Rejimon P M , Smitha R
Published: March 2021

There are about forty lakh scheduled caste people in Kerala. Most of them are poor and daily wage workers. The socio-economic backwardness of scheduled caste people is a historically determined outcome of a caste system in India. Education is the only way for them to get out of this historical whirlwind of economic deprivation, denial of rights and social exclusion. The Government of India passed The Right to Education Act in 2010 and it ensures “free and compulsory education” for all children aged 6 to 14. The government of Kerala has introduced many innovative programs to provide education for scheduled caste pupils in the state. “Model Residential School” owned and managed by the Scheduled Caste Development Department of The Government of Kerala, is one of such successful initiatives. Model Residential Schools take special care to cater to the educational needs of the underprivileged children and help them to attain quality education. In this article, the investigators explore the role played by the model residential schools in the educational development of scheduled caste pupils in Kerala and particularly in solving the burning issue of a high rate of dropouts among scheduled caste pupils.
India’s Foreign Trade Under Plan Periods
Authors: Sajeev U , Akhila V P
Published: March 2021

International Trade is an engine of growth of an economy. Trade is just not a transfer/exchange of goods and services, but it is more than it. So, when we date back to the history of trade, there we can see its been long back people started to travel and trade with various countries. Here, the study focuses on the India’s Trade during plan periods, especially under five year plan. Through this research work, it tries to study and evaluate the India’s foreign trade and its value, composition and direction.
Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa with penetrating and non-penetrating cryoprotectants
Authors: Pavlovich E. , Gapon G. , Yurchuk T. , Petrushko M.
Published: March 2021

Сryopreserved spermatozoa are widely used in infertility treatment by assisted reproductive technologies. However, the spermatozoa survival rate remains low in patients with oligoastenoteratozoospermia. Therefore the development of effective cryopreservation methods for spermatozoa from pathospermia is relevant. The effectiveness of cryopreservation spermatozoa from oligoastenoteratozoospermia man using penetrating and non-penetrating cryoprotectants was compared. Sperm motility, viability and morphological characteristics were evaluated after cryopreservation with glycerol and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The average number of spermatozoa count in fresh ejaculate was (11.0±0.2) mln/ml. After isolation of active motile fraction the number of cells was (3.8±0.3) mln/ml and (84.3±8.4) % from them were motile (group 3). (78.8±6.6) % of spermatozoa cryopreserved with glycerol (group 1) and (41.4±8.1) % cryopreserved with polyvinylpyrrolidone (group 2) remained active motile. The spermatozoa viability after cryopreservation was (82.1±8.6) % and (89.6±8.6) % in group 1 and 2, respectively. Despite the high rate of spermatozoa survival in group 1 the number of motile cells decreased to (27.3±4.8) % after cryoprotectant removing stage. Morphological analysis revealed that the incidence of spermatozoa head abnormalities was (25.97±2.67), (19.21±2.67) and (20.57±1.19) % in group 1–3, respectively. The differences of spermatozoa midpiece and tail abnormalities in the study groups were statistically insignificant. The use of polyvinylpyrrolidone as a cryoprotectant allows preserving 90 % of survived spermatozoa from oligoastenoteratozoospermia men after freeze/thawing. The set of spermatozoa head, neck and midpiece abnormalities is significantly lower after cryopreservation with polyvinylpyrrolidone compared with routine method with glycerol. Two-stage spermatozoa cryopreservation method with polyvinylpyrrolidone is promising for assisted reproductive technologies since spermatozoa can be used immediately after warming for oocyte fertilization without cryoprotectant removing step.
Influence of the level of insulin-like growth factor-I and endostatin in blood serum on the lipid profile indicators in patients with acute myocardial infarction and obesity
Authors: Martovitskyi D.V.
Published: March 2021

The levels of insulin-like growth factor I and endostatin in the blood serum and their relationship with lipid profile were investigated in patients with acute myocardial infarction and obesity. The object of the study was 105 patients. All patients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of patients with AMI and concomitant obesity (n=60), group 2 consisted of AMI patients without obesity (n=45). The control group consisted of 20 practically healthy people. The average age of patients in group 1 was (67.44±1.34) years old, and in group 2 was (66.85±1.72) years old. The content of IGF-I and endostatin was determined by the enzyme immunoassay. To determine IGF-I, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used using the Human Insulin like growth factor-I ELISA Kit (MEDIAGNOST, Germany). The endostatin level was determined by the enzyme immunoassay using the Endostatin Elisa Kit (BIOMEDICA, Austria). The biochemical study included the determination of the level of TC and HDL, carried out by the peroxidase method using a set of reagents «Cholesterol Liquicolor» from «Human» (Germany) in blood serum stabilized with heparin. The obtained correlations indicate that an increase in the level of endostatin in the blood serum is significantly associated with an increase in the levels of TC, LDL, TG, CA and a decrease in HDL. Also, reliable data were obtained on the feedback between IGF-I and the level of TC, LDL, TG and CA, as well as a direct relationship between the indicators of IGF-I and HDL. The data obtained indicate that endostatin as a marker of angiogenesis is associated with obesity and dyslipidemia, and also indicate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of IGF-I under conditions of high autoimmune activity.
Altitude dependent failure rate calculation for high power semiconductor devices in aviation electronics
Authors: Gollapudi Srikanth , Omura Ichiro
Published: March 2021

The electric power usage in aircraft has reached 1 MW. Therefore, use of high power semiconductor devices expected to increase in avionics. Single event burnout failure happens when power devices operating in blocking condition interact with the cosmic radiation. The failure rate in power devices is more in airplane altitude compare to terrestrial operation. In this paper, the failure rate of high power silicon PiN diode is evaluated when operating in airplane altitude due to the interaction of cosmic ray neutrons. The proposed formula has the unique feature of decoupling between failure cross section and cosmic ray neutron flux. This makes it possible to calculate the failure rate under any cosmic radiation environment using the proposed failure rate formulation.
Analysis Working Environment Among of Malaysian Seafarer s
Authors:   fabu, University Technology malaysia, johor, malaysia., Mahmud Mohd Redza Bin
Published: March 2021

Malaysian shipping industry is facing a crewing crisis the seriousness of which does not seem to have registered as a priority by the industry given the fact that the current deficit of about 10,000 could leap-fold to unprecedented levels in the next couple of years. The global shipping industry must come to grips quickly with the realities and the concerns on the emerging shortages and the demand for well-trained and experienced seafarers as the biggest challenge facing the shipping industry itself. The worldwide population of seafarers serving on internationally trading merchant ships today is estimated to be in the order of 400,000 officers and 825,000 ratings. As far as ratings are concerned they are, in the majority recruited from developing countries especially Malaysia. A staggering 20,000 new crew at an average of 15 crews per ship will be needed to meet the demand annually and the number needed could be potentially more if attrition from those currently employees are also taken into account. The issue is not only the concern over the projected shortage of seafarers. There is need also to ensure that the seafarers are not burdened by the spate of new rules and regulations that are impacting on ship operations and management and how the human factor is accounted for and dealt with in these regulations. The seriousness could be clearly reflected when the number of ships currently on order worldwide totalling about 8,000 vessels with deliveries averaging 2,000 annually over the next three years and relate it to the demand for crew for each of these ships. Given the current rate of growth of the shipping industry, there is no easy solution or a quick-fix to the crewing crisis that could overwhelm the industry.
Allergy vaccines for specific immunotherapy
Authors: Petrova S. Yu. , Khlgatian S. V. , Berzhets V. M. , Vasileva A. V.
Published: March 2021

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) has been used for more than a hundred years to treat patients with IgEmediated allergic diseases. The most common allergens have been obtained using molecular cloning technology in the past two decades. To increase the safety of immunotherapy, a large group of genetically modified allergens with reduced allergenic activity was created. The mechanism of action of these therapeutic allergens differs from natural allergen extracts, and more research is needed to understand how desensitization occurs in each case. The objective of this review is to introduce readers to new therapeutic allergy vaccines and their structural modification features as well as immunological effects on the body. To achieve this objective, we have analyzed and systematized the experimental developments presented in the literature on the main directions of creating new allergy vaccines: hypoallergenic derivatives of recombinant allergens, T cell epitope-based allergy vaccines and B cell epitope-based allergy vaccines, DNA vaccines.Summing up the results of the research presented in the literature, it is necessary to note the high heterogeneity of designs used to achieve the high efficiency of the developed therapeutic allergens. All allergy vaccines presented in the review solve the tasks set by the researchers: in experimental animal models they induce immunogenicity or tolerance, in clinical trials they reduce the symptoms of allergic reactions. The the effectiveness of the proposed medicinal products is quite high but its evaluation requires further long-term preclinical and clinical trials to confirm the safety and harmlessness of the created allergy vaccines.
Genetic typing of Vibrio cholerae strains biovar El Tor isolated from the Caucasus region during the 1970–1998 period using MLVA-5 and wgSNP
Authors: Kovalev D. A. , Shapakov N. A. , Pisarenko S. V. , Savel’eva I. V. , Vasil’eva O. V. , Savel’ev V. N. , Siritsa Yu. V. , Zhirov A. M. , Ul’shina D. V. , Kuznetsova I. V. , Bobrysheva O. V. , Kulichenko A. N.
Published: March 2021

Aim. Our aim was to perform phylogenetic analysis of Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor biovar strains, isolated from the Caucasus region over the years, using MLVA and wgSNP methods.Materials and methods. We studied genomic sequences of 16 clinical V. cholerae O1 strains of El Tor biovar isolated on the territory of Caucasus from 1970 to 1998. These strains were obtained from the State Collection of Pathogenic Microorganisms of Stavropol Plague Control Research Institute. 87 whole genome sequences of V. cholerae strains, obtained from NCBI database, were also included in the analysis. MLVA-typing was carried out at 5 VNTR-loci. Whole genome sequencing was performed on Ion Torrent PGM platform.Results. We determined that the studied strains belong to 15 MLVA-types and are divided in 3 groups of 1 cluster. We performed an analysis of the structure of the main virulence and pathogenicity islands, as well as nucleotide polymorphisms in ctxB, tcpA, RstR genes. We performed a wgSNP-based phylogenetic analysis of the strains, and described SNPs, specific for each phylogenetic group.Conclusion. We confirmed the polyclonal origin of genetically modified variants of V. cholerae O1 biovar El Tor. We determined the place of V. cholerae strains of biovar El Tor, isolated from 1970 to 1998 on the territory of the Caucasus, in the global population of the pathogen. It is shown that during this period, strains belonging to the first and second waves of the seventh cholera pandemic circulated within the Caucasus. It was confirmed that cases of cholera in the Caucasus were imported from the territory of endemic countries, and the most probable sources of infection were identified.
Influence of antibiotics on biofilm formation by Streptococcus pyogenes in vitro
Authors: Adzhieva A. A. , Danilova T. A. , Danilina G. A. , Shevlyagina N. V. , Minko A. G. , Zhukhovitsky V. G.
Published: March 2021

Aim. To study the effect of the antibiotics oxacillin and cefazolin on culture growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus pyogenes type 30M in vitro.Materials and methods. The formation of biofilms was studied in light and scanning electron microscope, on sterile cover glasses using special nutrient medium. To identify the biofilm, experimental samples were stained with alcohol-water solution of alcian blue.Results. Small quantitative doses (0.01–0.1 mg) of oxacillin and cefazoline, regardless of the duration of the exposure, did not have a negative effect both on the biofilm formation process and the formed streptococcal biofilm. An increase in quantitative doses of antibiotics to 0.5–1.0 mg at the stage of formation of Streptococcus biofilm had an inhibitory effect on the growth of microbial cells and the formation of biofilm. The integrity of streptococcal chains and biofilm was preserved when oxacillin and cefazoline were applied at a quantity of 0.5–1.0 mg to the formed biofilm. However, in some cases, the twisting of the chains in spherical shape with visible colored biofilm inside was observed. In addition, there was a stimulating effect of cefazoline on the formed Streptococcal biofilm. When the formed biofilm was exposed to high doses of antibiotics (2 mg or higher), a break of streptococcal chains was observed, while oxacillin had a destructive effect on the microbial biofilm. In similar experiments with cefazolin, the biofilm was preserved, despite the fact that the destruction of microbial chains was also observed.Conclusion. Significant differences were found in the effect of tested antibiotics on both the mature S. pyogenes type 30M biofilm and the biofilm formation process.
Evaluation criteria for treatment of parasitic diseases
Authors:   Azərbaycan Tibb Universiteti, Novruz Khalafli Khatira , Mehman Zeynalova Nargiz , Nasirovna Khanbutayeva Svetlana ,   Azərbaycan Tibb Universiteti,   Azərbaycan Tibb Universiteti
Published: March 2021

The use of modern therapeutic agents for the treatment of intestinal parasitoses makes it possible to successfully deworm them. It should be borne in mind that these therapeutic agents do not give guaranteed results after applying only a single course of therapy. After a single use of the course of therapy, the effecttiveness in most cases is only 90%, and with repeated courses of therapy a complete cure for helminthiasis is achieved. The effectiveness of deworming is taken into account according to two criteria: a radical (or complete) cure and a decrease in the intensity of the lesion. If it is impossible to prevent repeated cases of transmission of helminthiases in endemic foci of invasion, questions of complete eradication from parasitoses are not considered. In such cases, individual control tactics are developed for this outbreak, with the identification of groups and risk factors, the presence of those affected with a high level of invasion. Key words: parasitic diseases, human intestinal parasitosis, helminthic infections, malaria
Dialek Pasir Raja: Ciri Fonologi dan Pengelompokan
Authors:   Universiti Utara Malaysia, Hasrah Mohd Tarmizi
Published: March 2021

This paper discusses the spoken Malay dialect in the Pasir Raja subdistrict. From the perspective of folk linguistics, this dialect is deemed distinctive from the general Terengganu dialect. This thus raises a few issues that need to be addressed, namely (i) the phonological features that render the dialect different from other Malay dialects, and (ii) the relationship between this dialect and the other dialects in the eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia. To address these issues, the present study collected and recorded more than 600 words and conversations in the Pasir Raja dialect as its corpus. Based on the diachronic dialectology approach, this study describes some phonological features of the dialect and compares them with the features of Proto-Malayic and several other Malay dialects. This comparison was made for classification purposes. A number of phonological features discovered in the Pasir Raja dialect suggest the dialect is to be included as a branch of the Malay dialects of the interior on the eastern part of the Peninsula. Apart from the linguistic evidence, the close connection between the dialects is also proven by historical and sociological evidence. The significance of this study is the discovery of the existence of another Malay dialect in the east of the Peninsula.
Hubungan Profesiensi Bahasa Melayu dengan Pencapaian Akademik Murid Bukan Penutur Natif di Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan
Authors:   Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, Nahar Nora'Azian
Published: March 2021

The lack of mastery of Malay proficiency at National Type Schools (SJK) has caused deterioration of academic achievement in recent years. This study was conducted to determine the relationship of proficiency in all four skills of Malay language proficiency with students’ academic achievement among non-native speakers at National Type Schools (SJK). A total of 414 samples from 5 SJK schools were selected for study. The two instruments used to obtain data are the UPBM_SR Proficiency Test and UPBM_SR Score Level. Data were processed using IBMSPSS Version 23 with a cross-sectional survey design. The results show that the scores for the four Proficiency Tests conducted are moderate, and writing skills are at a low level. Results for the overall level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills showed that the majority of students obtained Level 5 (almost proficient), which is 29% (120 students). No students received Level 1 or Level 8. This clearly shows that there is a great relationship between Malay language proficiency and academic achievement. Only students who are possess good listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in a second language are able to improve their academic performance. The diligent efforts of all parties are needed to create a generation competent in the Malay language.
Representasi Argumen Gerak Ruang Bahasa Melayu Berdasarkan Teori Struktur Konseptual
Authors:   Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, Rosly Nurul Jamilah , Yusof Maslida ,   Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Published: March 2021

Motion is understood as a change from one location to another. Therefore, this study focuses on spatial motion consisting of directional, extensional, state and causative motion. This study utilizes data from the Pangkalan Data Korpus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka database in Malaysia for its study samples. The analysis employs Jackendoff ’s (1997 & 2011) Theory of Conceptual Structure for its framework. The mapping of these arguments comprises three main stages, namely mapping to conceptual structure representation, mapping to conceptual tree diagrams and mapping to thematic roles. The results show that spatial motion is present in the [Event] and [States] functions that carry the basic formula [[[MOTION [x [Event] [Object] [Path] [Place]]]. The findings show that the lexical items balik, berlari, tinggal, terletak, berada, bunuh, paksa, benar and tolong have their own representation of arguments involving constituents such as [Event], [States], [Object] [Path] [Place] [Event] REASON], [NO Causative], [TRUE Causative] and [HELP Causative]. For the mapping stage in the thematic role, the item involved is the role of Actor, Theme, Goal, Source, Agent and Beneficiary (-). Accordingly, this study shows an adequate systematic representation of the conceptual structure, particularly in the spatial motion domain in the Malay language.
Influence of the Angular Momentum in Problems Continuum Mechanics
Authors: Prozorova Evelina
Published: March 2021

- For continuum mechanics a model is proposed, that is built with consideration outside the integral term when deriving conservation laws using the Ostrogradsky-Gauss theorem. Performed analysis shows discrepancy between accepted classical conservation laws and classical theoretical mechanics and mathematics. As a result, the theory developed for potential flows was extended to flows with significant gradients of physical parameters. We have proposed a model that takes into account the joint implementation of the laws for balance of forces and angular momentums. It does not follow from the Boltzmann equation that the pressure in the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations is equal to one third of the sum the pressures on the corresponding coordinate axes. The vector definition of pressure is substantiated. It is shown that the symmetry condition for the stress tensor is one of the possible conditions for closing the problem. An example of solving the problem of the theory of elasticity is given
A Noise Reduction Method Based on Modified LMS Algorithm of Real time Speech Signals
Authors: Jakati Jagadish S. , Kuntoji Shridhar S.
Published: March 2021

In real time speech de-noising, adaptive filtering technique with variable length filters are used which is used to track the noise characteristics and through those characteristics the filter equations are selected The main features that attracted the use of the LMS algorithm are low computational complexity, proof of convergence in stationary environment. In this paper, modified LMS algorithm is proposed which is used to denoise real time speech signal. The proposed algorithm is made by combining general LMS algorithm with Diffusion least mean-square algorithm which increase the capabilities of adaptive filtering. The performance parameter calculation shows that the proposed algorithm is effective to de-noise speech signal. A full programming routine written in MATLAB software is provided for replications and further research applications.
Assessment of the Influence of the Underlying Surface Composition on the Results of Aerial Radiation Reconnaissance
Authors: Kozhevnikov Dmitriy , Novikov Igor'
Published: March 2021

The influence of the composition of the underlying surface on the results of aerial radiation reconnaissance of contaminated areas is considered. The analysis of the probability of the presence of various compositions of the underlying surfaces in Russia. The values of the exposure dose rate over the contaminated area were calculated depending on the height and type of the underlying surface using a specialized software package for mathematical simulation of gamma radiation transport and registration processes for the design of spectrometric systems for aviation radiation control.
Perspectives for the analysis of circulating tumor DNA in clinical oncology: achievements and unresolved issues
Authors: Yanus Grigory , Laidus Tatyana , Zagorodnev Kirill , Martianov Aleksandr , Sokolova Tatyana , Aleksakhina Svetlana , Kuligina Ekaterina , Imyanitov Evgeny
Published: March 2021

The efforts to detect specific tumor-associated changes in blood and other biological fluids are by no means new. However, only the development of the most precise modifications of DNA analysis provided real opportunity to monitor tumor behavior in “real time” manner. Two directions should be distinguished within this field of modern oncology: 1) the early detection of cancer in apparently healthy individuals; 2) the use of liquid biopsy in patients with confirmed cancer diagnosis for a broad range of applications, such as the early diagnosis of recurrence or monitoring the treatment efficacy.

It should be stated, that the first direction of the research has not yet led to the results suitable for implementation in real world practice. Nevertheless, there are staggering technological advances in the analytical performance of NGS-based methods, which are applied to this task. The emerging non-standard approaches, involving the use of recently discovered peculiarities of the ctDNA fragmentation in plasma, or the complex approaches, utilizing a number of diverse methods simultaneously, are of great interest. The second, less ambitious direction of liquid biopsy studies is much closer to clinical use. This approach has already been widely used for such an actual issue, as the early non-invasive T790M detection in plasma of metastatic lung cancer patients, undergoing anti-EGFR therapy. Aside from the practical advances, the studies of various aspects of liquid biopsy provide all sorts of invaluable scientific information, for example regarding the precise timing patterns of the emergence of the resistance to anticancer drugs and the dynamics of its regression after changing of therapy regimen.
Effect of metformin on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in experiment
Authors: Ionov Stepan , Orlova Valentina , Kulbachevskaya Natalia
Published: March 2021

The article provides an overview of the currently known descriptions of the mechanisms and toxic effects of two drugs: doxorubicin, a first-line drug for the treatment of cancer, and the mechanisms of action of Metformin, a drug widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus 2.  The review made with the usage of NCBI, PubMed and OxfordAcademic presents the analysis of published data on the protective effect of Metformin in its combined use with doxorubicin in an experiment in an attempt to reduce the manifestations of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.
Antiseptic polymer materials
Authors:   Kazan National Research Technological University, Garaev Ilgiz Kh. , Musin Ildar N. ,   Kazan National Research Technological University, Zenitova Lyubov A. ,   Kazan National Research Technological University
Published: March 2021

The work is devoted to the analysis of information in the domestic and foreign literature on antiseptic polymer materials. Recently, there has been an increased interest in polymeric materials (compositions), which, in addition to the properties inherent in polymeric materials (a combination of elasticity and strength, corrosion and chemical resistance, etc.), have antiseptic properties, i.e. when the polymer exhibits its antimicrobial properties in contact with the polymer surface. The manifestation of antiseptic properties of polymers is possible in the presence of active atoms or groups with antimicrobial properties in the polymer chain itself, as well as in the presence of antimicrobial substances in the composite material as an additional additive. Both methods of creating antiseptic polymer systems are described in the scientific literature. In terms of the volume of messages, the composite (second) method for creating antiseptic polymer composite materials significantly exceeds the synthetic (first) method, since it is simpler and more accessible, both in terms of technology and the availability of components for their creation. Various classes of compounds with antiseptic properties are considered as potential components of antiseptic polymer compositions. The existing terminology used in the field of antiseptic systems is analyzed.