bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public attitudes toward water management and drought in Texas
Authors: Stoutenborough James W. , Vedlitz Arnold
Published: March 2023

Water management in Texas is increasingly salient as the population grows, water supplies continue to be taxed and the planet continues to warm, resulting in more severe, widespread, and frequent droughts in the state. Public support, though, is often essential for governments to enact large-scale projects, like those that may be needed to tackle water management issues. Given the challenges facing the state of Texas, surprisingly few studies explore public attitudes, preferences, and risk assessments about water-related resource allocations. Will the public act to direct or limit the actions of its elected officials on water issues? Is the public ready to consider policies, regulations, and expenditures concerning the potential impacts of increased drought frequency on Texas water resources? We report the results of 2 public opinion surveys of the citizens of Texas that focused on water management and drought issues. We find that the public is willing to support government efforts to manage water, but not if these efforts negatively affect the environment or agriculture.
Citation: Stoutenborough JW, Vedlitz A. 2013. Public attitudes toward water management and drought in Texas. Texas Water Journal. 4(2):47-61. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v4i2.6354.
Estimating E. coli and Enterococcus loads in a coastal Texas watershed
Authors: Borel Kyna , Karthikeyan R. , Berthold Troy Allen , Wagner Kevin
Published: March 2023

Pathogens are the principal cause of water body impairment for 303(d) listed waters in Texas and across the United States with 10,654 impairments nationally (TCEQ 2012; USEPA 2013). In Texas, 45% of 568 total impairments are caused by elevated bacteria levels (TCEQ 2012). Models such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) have been used for assessing bacterial sources and loading. Other simplistic microbial models, such as the Potential Nonpoint Pollution Index (PNPI), Spatially Explicit Delivery MODel (SEDMOD), and Spatially Explicit Load Enrichment Calculation Tool (SELECT), have been developed to rank potential pollution impacts from nonpoint sources and identify critical areas primarily using land use and geomorphology.
 
Citation: Borel K, Karthikeyan R, Berthold TA, Wagner K. 2014. Estimating E. coli and Enterococcus loads in a coastal Texas watershed. Texas Water Journal. 6(1):33-44. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v6i1.7008.
Systems-level thermodynamic and economic analysis of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant integrated with a combined cycle power plant
Authors: Reimers Andrew Samuel , Webber Michael E.
Published: March 2023

This study includes thermodynamic and economic analyses of a seawater reverse osmosis (RO) plant integrated with a small-scale combined cycle natural gas (CCGT) plant ranging from 36–71 megawatts (MW). These analyses model electricity produced by the CCGT plant as power for the RO plant or for sale to the power grid. These analyses consider the coolant ﬂow rate, carbon intensity, and capital and operating costs of the CCGT plant. For a case where the RO plant is sized according to the rated capacity of the CCGT plant, the maximum ﬂow rate of coolant for the CCGT plant is only 8–10% of the total rate of seawater intake for the RO plant. Thus, no additional intake capacity is needed for the CCGT plant. The carbon intensity of the CCGT plant varies from 802-885 pounds per megawatt-hour (lb/MWh) compared to an average carbon intensity of 1285 lb/MWh for the Texas power grid. The economics of the integrated facility are evaluated using a levelized cost of water (LCOW) framework, which accounts for the capital cost associated with the CCGT plant and electricity sales to the grid. Results indicate that integrating an RO plant with a CCGT plant reduces LCOW by 8–10% compared to an RO plant powered by electricity from the Texas power grid.
Citation: Reimers AS, Webber ME. 2018. Systems-level thermodynamic and economic analysis of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant integrated with a combined cycle power plant. Texas Water Journal. 9(1):82-95. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v9i1.7065.
Thermographic Network Identification for Non-Destructive Testing
Authors: Anke Simon H , Ziegeler Nils J , Nolte Peter W , Schweizer Stefan
Published: March 2023

The method of thermographic network identification is investigated for its performance in defect detection using a flat-bottom holes test sample. Thermographic measurements based on pulsed and step excitation are evaluated using thermographic network identification and thermographic signal reconstruction. To determine the performance of the methods,a sensitivity index is used as a measure of defect visibility. The comparison shows that thermographic network identification is a competitive method for defect detection with potential for further optimization
Thermal symmetry-Is it a good indicator?
Authors: Vardasca R , Ascenso R
Published: March 2023

The diagnostic of pathological states using thermal images rely in quantitative simple indicators such as thermal symmetry values. It is the aim of this research to investigate whether the thermal symmetry definition is enough to discriminate between healthy and pathological states and overlook other statistical methods in that task. Four images of ankles (1 healthy and 3 pathological) were used as data, 2ROI were analysed. This research proves that the use of thermal symmetry is a poor indicator, boxplot charts and asymmetry coefficients add useful information that must be considered but are insufficient. Further research is required to overcome this
Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of exposure to trace elements in groundwater resources of Sari city, Iran
Authors: Niknejad Hadi , Ala Alireza , Ahmadi Fatemeh , Mahmoodi Hamed , Saeedi Reza , Gholami-Borujeni Fathollah , Abtahi Mehrnoosh
Published: March 2023

The daily intake of trace elements through water resources and their adverse health effects is a critical issue. The purpose of this research was to assess the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of exposure to iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) in groundwater resources of Sari city, Iran. The concentrations of the trace elements in a total number of 66 samples from the groundwater sources were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The hazard index (HI) levels of exposure to the trace elements from the groundwater sources for adults, teenagers, and children were 0.65, 0.83, and 1.08, respectively. The carcinogenic risk values of Cr and As in the groundwater sources for children, teenagers, and adults were 0.0001, 0.00009, 0.00007, 0.0003, 0.0002, and 0.0001, respectively, causing a total carcinogenic risk value higher than the acceptable range, and removing Cr and As from the groundwater resources is recommended for safe community water supply.
The high cost of water for Mexico's poorest households
Authors: Revollo-Fernández Daniel Alfredo , Rodríguez-Tapia Lilia , Medina-Rivas Carolina Massiel
Published: March 2023

This study was aimed at analyzing how access to piped and other sources of water is related to the costs incurred by households to access water sources, while also considering income deciles in the analysis. The analysis shows a significant difference in access to water between low-income and high-income households, as well as the impact that this can have in terms of low-income households spending more to gain access to different sources of water. This microlevel analysis demonstrates that the design of public policies for the provision of public services, in this case, access to water, should include a diversified socio-economic component.
Recent advances in spinel ferrite-based magnetic photocatalysts for efficient degradation of organic pollutants
Authors: Wu Qiong , Song Youtao
Published: March 2023

Although spinel ferrite (MFe2O4, M = Zn, Ni, Mn, etc.) has been reported as a promising catalyst, its low photocatalytic activity under visible light greatly restricts its practical application. Spinel ferrite-based photocatalytic composites have exhibited improved efficiency for pollutant degradation, due to interface charge carrier mobility and structural modification. Meanwhile, due to its magnetism and stability, spinel ferrite composite can be easily recycled for long-term utilization, showing its high application potential. In this review, the recent advances in the construction and photocatalytic degradation of spinel ferrite composites are discussed, with an emphasis on the relationship between structural property and photocatalytic activity. In addition, to improve their photocatalytic application, the challenges, gaps and future research prospects are proposed.
ORF7a Palsies Macrophage to Worsen Diabetes by SMB/BPI/ABC
Domains and PARP/Cap/Cyclin Enzyme System
Authors: Liu Wenzhong , Li Hualan
Published: March 2023

Background:

Such factors as diabetes and obesity can dramatically worsen COVID-19
symptoms. In addition, macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue is related to obesity. Therefore,
macrophages play a significant role in raising COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in diabetes and
obese patients.

Methods:

In this study, the functional impact of SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a on macrophages was analyzed
using a domain-searching bioinformatics technique. Ca2+ binding domain, kinase and phosphatase,
SMB/SRCR, LBP/BPI/CETP, ABC, TIR,PARP, Flavivirus Cap enzyme, Cyclin, and other domains
have been identified in SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a. ORF7a binds to oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
particles by the macrophage receptor-like domains such as SMB/SRCR and enters macrophages
via macropinocytosis. Then, ORF7a prevents 18 S rRNA maturation and adds flavivirus cap
0/1/2 to mRNA to interfere with transcription and translation via PARP, Flavivirus Cap enzyme, and
other associated domains.

Results:

ORF7a activates and promotes G2/M phase transition via cyclin-related enzymatic activity
domains.

Conclusion:

The destructive activity of ORF7a hijacks the nitric oxide release pathway of macrophages
and promotes macrophage death, enabling the virus to elude the innate immune system and
aggravate diabetes-related problems in patients.
The Outcome of Critical-phase COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients
Authors: Mozdourian Mahnaz , Khodashahi Rozita , Aliakbarian Mohsen
Published: March 2023

Background:

Considering the importance of assessing solid organ transplants, infected individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the lack of information in this regard, this descriptive study aimed to investigate the clinical features, immunosuppressive agents, and out-comes of liver transplant recipients in the critical phase of infection with COVID-19.

Methods:

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 12 critically ill liver transplant recipients referred to Imam Reza and Montaseriyeh hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, within 2020-21. The required data, including demographic and clinical information, were gathered and recorded in a checklist, and the correlations between varia-bles were assessed in SPSS software (version 24).

Results:

Hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease were reported in 83.3% (n = 10), 58.3% (n = 7), and 41.6% (n = 5) of patients, respectively. The administration of Mycophenolic ac-id was correlated with conjunctivitis (r = -0.67; P = 0.02), weakness (r = 0.77; P = 0.006), and sore throat (r = -0.67; P = 0.02). Ground glass opacity was reported in all patients, which was along with consolidation in 90.9% of the cases, and acute pulmonary embolism was found in 36.3% of the sub-jects. Finally, 66.7% (n = 8) of patients passed away. Among immunosuppressive agents, only the use of Mycophenolic acid was correlated with the outcome (r = -0.77; P = 0.006).

Conclusion:

Due to the high rate of mortality among liver transplant recipients in the critical phase of COVID-19, earlier and more aggressive treatment with antiviral and antibacterial agents should be performed in this group of patients.
Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support: Left, Right, and Biventricular Devices
Authors: Loebe Matthias , Dangl Michael , Albosta Michael , Butros Hoda
Published: March 2023

Temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) encompasses a wide array of invasive devices, which provide short-term hemodynamic support for multiple clinical indications. Although initially developed for the management of cardiogenic shock, indications for MCS have expanded to include prophylactic insertion prior to high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention, treatment of acute circulatory failure following cardiac surgery, and bridging of end-stage heart failure patients to more definitive therapies, such as left ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplantation. A wide variety of devices are available to provide left ventricular, right ventricular, or biventricular support. The choice of a temporary MCS device requires consideration of the clinical scenario, patient characteristics, institution protocols, and provider familiarity and training. In this review, the most common forms of left, right, and biventricular temporary MCS are discussed, along with their indications, contraindications, complications, cannulations, hemodynamic effects, and available clinical data.
Distribución espacial del descortezador Dendroctonus adjunctus Blandford, 1897 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) en dos bosques de alta montaña del centro de México
Authors: Endara-Agramont Angel Rolando , Heredia-Bobadilla Rosa Laura , García Luis Antonio , Luna Alma Abigail , Aguirre José Jonathan
Published: March 2023

El descortezador Dendroctonus adjunctus Blandford, 1897, es una especie parásita de los bosques de Pinus hartwegii y sus poblaciones van en aumento, esto implica una amenaza para esta especie de pino. En este trabajo se determinó la distribución espacial de D. adjunctus en dos áreas naturales protegidas del centro de México. Se establecieron 1,621 unidades de muestreo (UM) en 12,924 ha de bosque de pino en el Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Nevado de Toluca (APFFNT) y 634 UM en 10,008 ha de Monte Tláloc (MT). Se registraron las características dendrométricas de todos los árboles ≥ 7.5 cm de DAP, así como el nivel de infestación del hospedero y la presencia de plantas parásitas. El 19 % del total de sitios muestreados presentan infestación por el descortezador en altitudes de 3,600 a 3,900 m y categorías diamétricas de 30 a 55 cm. La distribución espacial de los descortezadores está influenciada por la exposición, altitud, pendiente y la presencia simultánea con muérdagos enanos (Arceuhtobium spp.).
Psycholinguistic Approaches to Instructed Second Language Acquisition
Authors: Walter Daniel R.
Published: March 2023

This book applies a psycholinguistic perspective to instructed second language acquisition, bridging the gap between research and teaching practices. It re-envisions the explicit and implicit learning divide as a continuum of consciousness, explores the pedagogical applications of SLA findings and offers practical suggestions for instructors.
Heterostructures of quantum-cascade lasers with nonselective overgrowth by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy
Authors: Babichev A. V.  , Gladyshev A. G.  , Denisov D. V.  , Dudelev V. V.  , Mikhailov D. A.  , Slipchenko S. O.  , Lyutetskii A. V.  , Karachinsky L. Ya.  , Novikov I. I.  , Andreev A. Yu.  , Yarotskaya I. V.  , Podgaetskii K. A.  , Marmalyuk A. A.  , Padalitsa A. A.  , Ladugin M. A.  , Pikhtin N. A.  , Sokolovskii G. S.  , Egorov A. Yu.
Published: March 2023

The possibility of fabrication of 4.6 μm spectral range quantum-cascade laser heterostructures by molecular-beam epitaxy technique with non-selective overgrowth by the metalorganic vapour-phase epitaxy is shown. The active region of the laser was formed on the basis of a heteropair of In0.67Ga0.33As/In0.36Al0.64As solid alloys. The waveguide claddings are formed by indium phosphide. The results of surface defects inspection and X-ray diffraction analysis of quantum-cascade laser heterostructures allow to conclude that the structural quality of the heterostructures is high and the estimated value of the root mean square surface roughness does not exceed 0.7 nm. Lasers with four cleaved facets exhibit lasing at room temperature with a relatively low threshold current density of the order of 1 kA/cm2. Keywords: superlattices, quantum-cascade laser, epitaxy, indium phosphide.
Development of the Emoji Faces Pain Scale and Its Validation on Mobile Devices in Adult Surgery Patients: Longitudinal Observational Study
Authors: Li Lili , Wu Sicheng , Wang Jian , Wang Chunchun , Zuo Weixin , Yu Liping , Song Jiangang
Published: March 2023

Background

Measuring pain on digital devices using classic unidimensional pain scales such as the visual analog scale (VAS), numerical rating scale (NRS), and faces pain scale (FPS) has been proven to be reliable and valid. Emoji are pictographs designed in colorful form following the Unicode standard. It could be more beneficial to use emoji as faces of FPS on digital devices because emoji can easily fit on most devices and emoji are open-source so no approval would be needed before use. With a concise and user-friendly design, the emoji faces pain scale (Emoji-FPS) might be more generalizable to a wider population and more preferred by digital device users.

Objective

This study was designed to develop an Emoji-FPS as well as to evaluate its reliability, validity, and preference on mobile devices in adult patients who underwent surgery.

Methods

A modified Delphi technique with 2 rounds of web-based surveys was applied to obtain panelists’ consensus on the sequence of emoji that can best represent 6 levels of pain. The initial candidate sequences of emoji for the Delphi process were constructed referring to 2 well-validated FPSs (Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale [Wong-Baker FACES] and faces pain scale-revised [FPS-R]). Then, a prospective cohort of patients scheduled to receive perianal surgery was recruited and asked to complete a web-based questionnaire on a mobile device at 5 time points (before surgery [T1], wake up after surgery [T2], 4 hours after surgery [T3], the second day after surgery [T4], and 15 minutes after T4 [T5]). The 4 well-validated pain scales (NRS, VAS, Wong-Baker FACES, and FPS-R) were used as reference scales.

Results

After 2 rounds of surveys on 40 Delphi panelists, an Emoji-FPS was finally determined to represent 6 pain levels (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10) from “no hurt” to “hurts worst.” For validation, 300 patients were recruited and 299 were analyzed, the mean age of whom was 38.5 (SD 10.5) years, and 106 (35.5%) were women. For concurrent validity, the Emoji-FPS was highly correlated with 4 reference scales with Spearman correlation coefficient ρ ranging from 0.91 to 0.95. Excellent agreements were observed between 4 versions of Emoji-FPS (iOS, Android, Microsoft, and OpenMoji), with weighted κ coefficients ranging from 0.96 to 0.97. For discriminant validity, patients’ mean preoperative Emoji-FPS score (T1) was significantly higher than their postoperative Emoji-FPS score (T4) with a difference of 1.4 (95% CI 1.3-1.6; P<.001). For test-retest reliability, Emoji-FPS scores measured at T4 and T5 were highly correlated with a ρ of 0.91. The Emoji-FPS was mostly preferred, followed by the Wong-Baker FACES, FPS-R, NRS, and VAS.

Conclusions

The Emoji-FPS is reliable and valid compared with traditional pain scales in adult surgery patients.
The Effect of Clinical Decision Prompts in Improving Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates in a Multispecialty Practice in a Predominantly Hispanic Population: Quasi-Experimental Study (Preprint)
Authors: Molokwu Jennifer , Mendez Melissa , Bracamontes Christina
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is implicated in the causal pathway of cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, cervix, anus, and oropharyngeal region. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Despite the documented safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine, rates lag behind those of other vaccines given at the same age.

OBJECTIVE

Provider recommendation is identified as a robust predictor of HPV vaccine uptake, and physician-prompting is shown to increase the provision of preventive care services in general. Theoretically, providing reminders to providers should increase opportunities for providing HPV vaccine recommendations and therefore affect vaccination rates. The objective of our study was to assess the effectiveness of an electronic medical record (EMR) prompt in improving HPV vaccination rates in an academic clinic setting caring for a predominantly Hispanic border population.

METHODS

We used a quasi-experimental design with a retrospective chart audit to evaluate the effect of a clinical decision prompt (CDP) on improving HPV immunization rates in different specialty settings. We introduced an EMR prompt to remind providers to recommend the HPV vaccine when seeing appropriate patients in an obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), pediatrics (PD), and family medicine (FM) clinic in a large multispecialty academic group located along the Texas-Mexico border. We assessed HPV vaccination rates in all the departments involved before and after introducing the prompts. Participants included male and female patients between the ages of 9 and 26 years, presenting at the clinics between January 2014 and December 2015.

RESULTS

We reviewed over 2800 charts in all 3 clinics. After adjusting for age, ethnicity, race, type of insurance, preferred language, and clinic, the odds of immunization were 92% (P<.001) higher in patients after the prompt implementation of the EMR. In addition, there was an overall statistically significant increase in the overall HPV vaccination completion rates after implementing the CDP (31.96% vs 21.22%; P<.001). Again, OBGYN saw the most significant improvement in vaccination completion rates, with rates at follow-up 66.02% higher than baseline rates (P=.04). PD and FM had somewhat similar but no less impressive improvements (57.7% and 58.36%; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing an EMR CDP improved our overall odds of HPV vaccination completion by 92%. We theorize that the decision prompts remind health care providers to discuss or recommend the HPV vaccination during clinical service delivery. CDPs in the EMR help increase HPV vaccination rates in multiple specialties and are a low-cost intervention for improving vaccination rates.
Characterizing Heated Tobacco Products Marketing on Instagram: Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Chen Jiarui , Xue Siyu , Xie Zidian , Li Dongmei
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

Heated tobacco products (HTPs), including I Quit Ordinary Smoking (IQOS), are new tobacco products that use an electronic device to heat compressed tobacco leaves to generate an aerosol for consumers to inhale. Marketing of HTPs is prevalent on Instagram, a popular social media platform.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to characterize posts related to HTPs on Instagram and their associations with user engagement.

METHODS

Through the Instagram application programming interface, 979 Instagram posts were collected using keywords related to HTPs, such as “IQOS” and “heat-not-burn.” Among them, 596 posts were related to IQOS and other HTP marketing. The codebook was developed from a randomly selected 200 posts on the post content by hand coding, which was applied to the remaining 396 Instagram posts. Summary statistics were calculated, and statistical hypothesis testing was conducted to understand the popularity of Instagram posts on HTPs. Negative binomial regression models were applied to identify Instagram post characteristics associated with user engagement (eg, count).

RESULTS

Among Instagram posts related to HTP marketing (N=596), “product display” was dominant (n=550, 92.28%), followed by “brand promotion” (n=41, 6.88%), and “others” (n=5, 0.84%). Among posts within “product display,” “device only” was the most popular (n=338, 61.45%), followed by “heatstick only” (n=80, 14.55%), “accessory” (n=66, 12%), “device and heatstick” (n=56, 10.18%), and “capsule” (n=10, 1.82%). A univariate negative binomial regression model with pairwise comparisons across “product display” types showed that the number of likes for posts with HTP heatsticks was significantly lower compared to posts with HTP devices, accessories, and device-heatstick sets. Multivariate negative binomial regression models showed that HTP-related Instagram posts with a model or lifestyle elements (;=.60, 95% CI 0.36-0.84) or without obvious product advertising information (=.69, 95% CI 0.49-0.89) received more likes.

CONCLUSIONS

It is shown that posts with product displays were dominant among HTP-related posts on Instagram. Posts with model or lifestyle elements are associated with high user engagement, which might be one of the web-based marketing strategies of HTPs.
Outreach Through Facebook: Do Patients With Atopic Dermatitis Provide Clinically Relevant Information When Recruited for Surveys on Social Media? (Preprint)
Authors: Frølunde Anne Sofie , Gren Susanne Thiesen , Frøstrup Anne Grete , Poulsen Peter Bo , Vastrup Anne Skov , Vestergaard Christian
Published: March 2023

UNSTRUCTURED
CONTEMPORARY DRIFTS IN DIABETES MANAGEMENT
Authors: SARKAR SHRUBAWATI , SADHU SOUMOK , ROY RUPAK , TARAFDAR SAMBIT , MUKHERJEE NABANITA , SIL MOUMITA , GOSWAMI ARUNAVA , MADHU NITHAR RANJAN
Published: March 2023

Diabetes mellitus is a cumulative effect of various cellular and biochemical malfunctions which trigger the blood glucose level far beyond the normal range. From 1980 to 2014, more than 314 million individuals had diabetes. Epidemiology states that it is becoming more prevalent in low-income, middle-income, more specifically, third-world countries than the first-world countries. It showed mortality rate increased by 5% in premature ages. It was the 9th leading reason for almost 1.5 million deaths. The diagnosis clearly suggests the replacement of insulin-producing pancreatic endocrine cells. Stem cell treatment substitutes the infected or destroyed cells from pluripotent stem cells or multipotent stem cells. One of the favourite ways to understand and treat diabetes mellitus is embryonic stem cells, including pluripotent cells. The in vitro demonstration of iPSC-derived pancreatic cells for treating infection is a grizzled dream of scientists. Luckily, iPSC-derived cells combat the major problems that arose in this field and still, there are no legal and ethical bindings as well as immunological rejections. Later, the β cell of the pancreas has derived from PSCs from various patients who have diabetes. The study proves there is a wide possibility of demonstrating and rectification of clinical administration of these newly developing trends. The use of stem cell therapy in vitro, which is explicit patient research, shows various concerns related to the pathophysiology of diabetes. Successful application of procedures of screening of the apoptosis of β-cells from inbuilt cell retrieval needed to be a proper arrangement of new cell lines.
A QBD WITH THE FRACTIONAL FACTORIAL DESIGN WAS USED TO MATCH THE SIMILARITY BETWEEN RANOLAZINE EXTENDED-RELEASE TABLETS 500 MG AND 1000 MG
Authors: JONNA SANKARAIAH , BAPATU HANIMI REDDY , SUBBAPPA PRAVEEN , SARAVANAN KALIYAPERUMAL
Published: March 2023

Objective: Formulation and development of Ranolazine extended-release Tablets 500 mg and 1000 mg by using QBD with Fractional factorial design to match the similarity with Branded formulation (RANEXA®).
Methods: Ranolazine extended-release tablets were developed by using various polymers, Polyquid PA100 and ETHOCEL TMstandard 7 premium and Hypromellose with a wet granulation process. QBD (Quality by Design) approach was used to identify the formulation and process variables that may affect the CQAs (critical quality attributes). Excipient compatibility studies were conducted to identify the interaction between API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) and selected excipients. Additionally, using a two-level, fractional factorial (22+3) design, the DOE (design of experiments) was employed to confirm the impacts of key process factors (fluid uptake and kneading time) on the formulation's ability to match the dissolution (f2) compared to RLD (reference listed drug) and establish a stable formulation.
Results: Initial risk assessment was carried out to identify the various attributes such as API flow properties, solubility, PSD, Hygroscopicity, formulation, and process variables to impact the quality of the drug product. Flow properties of API indicate poor flow. Drug and excipients compatible study results indicate that excipients used in the compatibility study are considered compatible with the active ingredient. As per the saturation solubility studies and sink conditions, dissolution media was selected. Significant differences were found among the drug release profile by examining the various levels of polymers and binders. Using a two-level, fractional factorial (22+3) design, optimum process parameters were identified with selected formulation to match the dissolution (f2) similarity with the reference listed drug (RLD); finally, XRD (X-ray diffraction) studies confirm that the crystalline polymorphic forms (Form 1) peaks in optimum formulation (F07) comparable to the reference listed drug.
Conclusion: Optimized formulation and process were established with QbD (quality by design) that provides the consistent drug release to match the f2 similarities with the extended-release tablets of RANEXA®(Ranolazine) 500 mg and 1000 mg.
Identity and frequency of non-traditional companion animals presented at a university teaching hospital: a retrospective study (2009–2019)
Authors: Ángeles-Torres Luis Enrique , Ducoing-Watty Adriana Margarita , Silva-Castillo René Oswaldo , Villavicencio-Oropeza Amalia , Maldonado-Reséndiz Ricardo Itzcóatl
Published: March 2023

This study describes the diversity of the species received for medical evaluation at the Exotic Pet and Wildlife Teaching Hospital in Mexico; identifying the most common non-traditional companion animals owned, the frequency of the species received along the years, and which of those correspond to native Mexican wildlife. This retrospective descriptive study comprised 8 619 patient records from 2009 to 2019. During the period analyzed, 129 species were identified, 60 of these being native Mexican wildlife. Most of the patients received were mammals (56.36 %) followed by reptiles (38.73 %), and 4.91 % remaining were composed by birds, amphibian, fish and invertebrate species. Eight species contributed to the highest percentage of the records (79.88 %), being the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) the most common (18.71 %). The number of annual records varied through the period with a trend for increased demand recently. It was possible to identify changes in the frequency of visits of different species over the study period, which allowed us to determine that the preference for the maintenance of some species in captivity has decreased. Commonly received species identification allows veterinary medicine students to specialize and develop the required species-specific medical competencies.
KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN EXPANDED PROGRAM ON IMMUNIZATION, SA’ADAH, YEMEN
Authors: Qeran Mohammed Ali , Habour Ali Ba baker Ali , Hassan Ehsan Hassab Elrasoul
Published: March 2023

Background: After achieving high vaccination coverage, vaccine failure may occur. The sufficient knowledge of the workers in the expanded program of immunization (EPI) is one of the factors that affect in preventing this failure. In Saada, Yemen, there is no information about the knowledge of workers in the EPI.  This study seeks to assess the knowledge of those in charge of immunization in Sa’adah, Yemen.
Method: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed to assess healthcare providers (HCPs) knowledge regarding EPI. It was conducted on 60 HCPs in 60 H.F of 11 districts in Sa’adah Governorate, Yemen during 1 June – 30 July 2019. Appropriate interviewing pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data from HCPs working in EPI. It includes the following: socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about; cold chain and the method and time of administration of the vaccine and shake test. Face to face interview used to collect information. Data entering and cleaning were done using Microsoft Excel 2019 and exported to SPSS version 26, p-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Differences in samples means were evaluated by chi-square test.
Results: Age is one of the determining factors for knowledge of cold chain management (FET=0.040*), and the total knowledge score for of HCPs was (26.7%, 65%, and 8.3%) for good, fair, and poor knowledge, respectively.
Conclusion: Only twenty-six-point seven of HCPs had a good knowledge score. Constant technical support and on job training to improve the HCPs knowledge about immunization are extremely recommended.
                       
Peer Review History:
Received: 20 December 2022; Revised: 5 February 2023; Accepted: 3 March, Available online: 15 March 2023
Academic Editor: Dr. Emmanuel O. Olorunsola, Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Uyo, Nigeria, olorunsolaeo@yahoo.com
Received file:                             Reviewer's Comments:
Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10
Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10
Reviewers:
Dr. Muhammad Zahid Iqbal, AIMST University, Malaysia, drmmziqbal@gmail.com
Dr. Olanrewaju Rita-Marie Awotona, Legacy University, Banjul , The Gambia, olanrewajuadegbola@gmail.com
Rola Jadallah, Arab American University, Palestine, rola@aauj.edu
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EVALUATION OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO POLIO VACCINE IN MALNOURISHED CHILDREN IN SANA'A CITY
Whole-body computed tomography after major blunt trauma: is it necessary?
Authors: YAZICI Murat Mümin , ALTUNTAŞ Gürkan
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Trauma is a significant health problem today. Also, it is the foremost reason for death among people ages 1-45; for this reason, the economic and social effect is more articulated. The whole-body CT scans have become a standard procedure in managing trauma patients in many trauma centers. We think that whole body CT will be beneficial in patients with blunt trauma. Thus, we aimed to examine patients with blunt trauma who applied to the emergency department and had whole-body CT scans. Methods: Patient who applied to blunt trauma and had whole-body CT scans to the emergency department of a tertiary training and research hospital between Jan 1, 2021, and Jan 1, 2022, were examined in this single-center, retrospective study. The study population was established based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. ISS, GCS, and whole-body CT scans were compared for mortality. Results: Cranial bone fracture (p= 0.001), epidural hemorrhage (p= 0.001), traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (p= 0.001), cerebral edema (p= 0.003), and thoracic contusion (p= 0.046) were significant for mortality. Also, the number of pathological regions in whole-body CT scans was not associated with mortality (p= 0.587). ISS (p=0.001) and GCS (p= 0.001) predicted mortality in patients who experienced whole-body CT scans. Conclusion: Based on our findings, we can detect organ and tissue injuries quickly and in detail using whole-body CT scanning after major blunt trauma. In addition, various protocols are needed in multiple trauma patients to reduce the number of unnecessary WBCT scans. Therefore, whole-body CT scans may be helpful for selection, as ISS and GCS are markers of mortality. Keywords: Whole-body Tomography, Trauma, Trauma Imaging
Estimation of the treatment effect of higher education on health: Comparison of the multivariate recursive probit model and matching
Authors:   HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation, Kossova Elena , Kosorukova Mariia ,   HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: March 2023

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the multivariate recursive probit model and matching as the methods for estimating the treatment effect of higher education on binary indicators of individuals’ health. Statistical evidence has been obtained in favor of the presence of a negative treatment effect of higher education on the probability of a woman suffering from hypertension and obesity and a man assessing his health as very good, as well as a positive effect on the probability of a woman having eye diseases and allergy. It is concluded that it is necessary to estimate the treatment effect in applied research simultaneously by different methods to obtain robust estimates.
The Soviet Myth of Sibilla Aleramo
Authors:   A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Golubtsova Anastasia V.
Published: March 2023

The article studies the works by Italian communist author Sibilla Aleramo (1876– 1960), written after her visit to the Soviet Union in 1952, namely an essay “Return from Moscow” published in the communist newspaper “Unità” on September 25, 1952, a poem “Russia alto paese” and a speech on her travel impressions, published in 1953. The analysis of the texts focuses on the functioning of the key elements of “Russian” and “Soviet” myth, which largely determined the image of the USSR in the eyes of Western societies in the early 1950s. The author pays special attention to religious motifs regarded through the prism of Paul Hollander’s concept of “political pilgrimage.” The article analyzes the historical context of the mentioned works, their place among other Italian travelogues on the Soviet Union written in the same time period, as well as the specific traits of Aleramo’s texts distinguishing them from travel prose of her contemporaries and forerunners (Italian authors, who visited the USSR in 1920s and 1930s). It also examines the image of the Soviet Russia created by Aleramo in the paradigm of the Russian and Soviet myth.
I.S. Turgenev as a Walter Scott’s Reader (On Turgenev’s Personal Library). Part 2
Authors:   National Research Tomsk State University, Volkov Ivan O. , Zhilyakova Emma M. ,   National Research Tomsk State University
Published: March 2023

The article covers the issue of Turgenev’s perception of Walter Scott’s literary works, using a hitherto understudied materials from I.S. Turgenev’s personal library. Research attention is focused on the analysis of Turgenev’s multiple notes left on the pages of multi-volume collected works of the English novelist. When reading Walter Scott’s novels in the early 1840s, Turgenev did not show special attention to the romantic characters. Judging by Turgenev’s notes, his interest related to Scott’s art to create the psychology of and Englishman. Without highlighting separate characters among the main ones, Turgenev turns to the characters, who surround them and who allow them to disclose their characters. The notes on Scott’s masterpiece of description are of high importance (epic poverty, details of domestic life, description of urban space). The Russian writer was especially enchanted by Scott’s way to include the landscape description into the description of events and characters, endowing it with the capability to explain the state of a person and symbolically express the contradictions of the spiritual space. A separate group is made with Turgenev’s notes in the description of the fantastic as an intentional or as an organic part of folk image.
The Lyrical Cycle of A.A. Blok “Italian Poems”: Poetic Reception of Italy and the Culmination of the Period of “Antithesis”
Authors:   St. Petersburg State Agrarian University, Koshemchuk Tatjana A. , Samarina Marina S. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: March 2023

The lyrical cycle of the A.A. Block “Italian Poems” (1909) is a travelogue of the poet (a number of contemplated cities), it is considered from three points of view: as reflecting the isolation of the poet-lyricist on his own experiences and embodying the central theme of Blok, denoted as passion; as a unity of variations in the composition of the whole (not previously considered), in the development of the poet’s central theme; as the part of the third volume in the concept of the poet’s path, which in spirit is the culmination of the period of “antithesis.” The Italian theme is analyzed in variations of the poet’s dominant intention, in the cycle it is the search for the object of passion. First, the history of Italy as a story of extinct passions awakening the passions of the poet (Galla); then the real women of Italy; finally, the poet’s passion turns to the Madonna of frescoes and sculptures, giving rise to demonic motives and blasphemously erotic culminations. The development of the theme of passions (realhistorical, feminine and Eternally Feminine) leads to the assertion of immortal art in the transitory world. The analysis of Blok’s Italian cycle suggests introducing of the new accents into the concept of the poet’s path, of its three stages: the cycle marks not the harmonization and search for synthesis of the third volume, but a dark culmination in the spirit of the period of tragic substitutions and “falls” of the “antithesis” stage.
Russian Chastushka (Ditties) vs Spanish Flamenco Verses: the Experience of Typological Comparison
Authors:   Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Balmatova Tatiana M.
Published: March 2023

The fate of folk genres can be completely different in different peoples and historical periods: some disappear without a trace in the manuscripts, others reach the later epochs on the pages of a small number of surviving books and others develop, go out into great stages and conquer entire countries. This is the destiny of flamenco which consists of three elements, that is music, poetry and dance and became the cultural practice of southern Spain during the 19th century. In that same century in Russia, the genre of chastushka was formed. Like the flamenco couplets, it flourished in the vulnerable and precarious social layer of the urban population formed by the peasants deprived of land who went to earn a living in the cities. The synchrony of the global socio-political processes, one of which and also the most key throughout the 19th century was industrialization, suggests that in some social groups in different countries could arise and develop similar forms of art so it is interesting to compare milestones in the history of flamenco copla and chastushka, analyze themes and their lexical content. The aim of the paper is to discover similarity and difference between two folk genres at a certain historical stage of their existence. As an analytical basis, collections of texts and scientific research in Russian and Spanish are adopted from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st one.
Nikolay Soloviev as a Criticm of Chernyshevsky’s Aesthetic Theory
Authors:   A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Shcherbakov Viktor I.
Published: March 2023

Dissertation of Nikolay Chernyshevsky “The Aesthetic Relationship of Art to Reality” (1855) is one of the most controversial works in the history of humanitarian sciences. Even during the author’s life, it was estimated ambiguous (and also sharply negative). Among the early responses to this work, a prominent place is occupied by the critical cycle of Nikolay Ivanovich Solovyov (1831–1874) “The Art Issue” (1865). The critic analyzes Chernyshevsky’s concepts of the beautiful, the sublime, the tragic and comes to the conclusion that his definitions are untenable. Solovyov also finds little solidity in Chernyshevsky’s judgments about certain kinds of art, noting this tendency to emphasize the imperfection of artistic works in comparison with nature. Solovyov’s main conclusions are as follows: Chernyshevsky’s “theory of reproduction” is an attempt to revive the theory of imitation of nature, while the appearance of novelty is created by pointing to “real direction of thoughts” of the author Chernyshevsky very vaguely characterizes the beautiful; grossly simplifies the tasks of art (“reproduction”); discredits the creative imagination and the artist’s craving for the ideal; seeks to lower the high status of art in the range of human interests. Solovyov’s analysis is distinguished by consistency, respect for the convictions of his opponent, as well as his own view of the issues raised by Chernyshevsky. In “The Art Issue” and other articles Solovyov defended his belief that Chernyshevsky’s “theory of reproduction” was the prototype of the utilitarian and nihilistic views on art in journalism of the 1860s. This article presents for the first time a detailed analysis of Nikolay Solovyov’ s views on art in comparison with Chernyshevsky’s aesthetic theory.
Genetic characteristics of the Dreissena polymorpha population in Latvia (Lake Rāzna) as part of the European population
Authors: Morozova Aleksandra , Shkute Natalja
Published: March 2023

The zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha is widely distributed in Europe. The expansion of zebra mussels has a negative impact on the native biota of lakes or rivers. Studies of the genetic structure of populations allow the identification of the current state of this invasive species in Latvia as a part of the European population. Despite the increasing importance of microsatellites in studies of population genetics, there is a lack of such data on D. polymorpha in Latvia. The present study investigates the genetic population structure of zebra mussels using six microsatellite loci as follows: DpolA6, Dpo260, Dpo272, Dpo101, Dpo221 and Dpo04 from Lake R?zna. The microsatellite loci in the investigated population have a high polymorphism and number of alleles. Allelic diversity at all described loci was high, ranging from 4 to 20 alleles per locus. The mean observed heterozygosity was 0.58 and the mean expected heterozygosity was 0.70. A high genetic diversity enables species to adapt to changing environments.
Effect of glass powder on the friction performance of automotive brake lining materials
Authors: Kus Hüsamettin , Altiparmak Duran
Published: March 2023

In this study, bronze-based brake linings containing 0-8 wt% glass powder were manufactured by a hot pressing process and tribological properties of produced samples were investigated using a Chase-type friction tester. The hardness and density of the samples were also determined. The microstructures and friction surfaces of the samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As a result, it was dermined that the sample that was reinforced with 8 wt% glass powder has exhibited the best wear behavior. Furthermore, a reduction in the friction coefficient of all the samples with increasing friction surface temperature was observed. The results have showed that friction coefficient stability of the brake lining samples could be improved with the increasing content of glass powder.