bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE IMPACT OF POPULIST POLITICAL PARTIES ON DEMOCRACY IN THE XX–XXI CENTURIES
Authors: Zaslavska O. , Posvistak O. , Nalimova V.
Published: July 2022

The article is devoted to the analysis of the problem of populism in modern party and political systems of the world and the study of its impact on democracy. The peculiarities of populist parties are determined: the lack of a clear ideology; opportunity to act in a wide ideological spectrum; drawing attention to the most acute problems of society; populist protests against elites and a simultaneous desire to take their place, and so on. Researchers have found economic (vulnerability of the population through crises; middle class growth; globalization and loss of national control over major political decisions, etc.) and political (crisis of representation of major political parties; more politically aware and mobilized middle class population with high expectations of democracy, political growth, mobilization, protest activity, fragmentation and polarization of the public sphere and politics with the support of social media, transformation of political culture, etc.) factors of growing populism. Researchers have identified the dangers of populism for democracy, as populists often interpret popular support in elections as a mandate that allows them to ignore or disrespect the institutions of democracy. This leads to the usurpation of power by democratically elected governments and the weakening of democratic institutions. The article found that GSoD indices provide empirical evidence of the weakening and undermining of democracy by populist-led governments. These indicators confirm the assumptions about the danger of populism for civil liberties, which underlie the functioning of the media, civil society and the public sphere. The article analyzes the relationship between populism and democratic retreat and finds that low levels of state support for democracy are associated with an increased likelihood of retreat.
TRANSFORMATION OF BRITISH POLITICAL PARTIES AFTER LEAVING THE EUROPEAN UNION: TRENDS AND PROSPECTS
Authors: Mytroshchenko V.
Published: July 2022

The main tendencies and prospects of transformation of British political parties after the state’s withdrawal from the European Union are studied. It is noted that in recent years the British political system has been developing and transforming under the direct influence of public debate on the expediency or inexpediency of the state’s stay in the European Union, which resulted in a referendum on leaving the EU and further implementing it at the organizational and institutional level. It is proved that the transformation of the party system can be both progressive and regressive, depending on the nature of external and internal changes that occur under the influence of a holistic set of socio-political factors. It is noted that the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of any party system as an object of transformational change, it seems appropriate to include the following: the model of the party system; the number of political parties that actually claim to participate in the formation and implementation of the political course of the state; legal (formal) institutionalization of political parties; party ideologies, programs, election platforms; public opinion on the evaluation of the activities of both individual political parties and the party system as a whole; results of political elections; the level of defragmentation and regionalization of the party system. The leading role of the Conservative Party in the process of preparing, conducting and implementing the results of the referendum on the expediency of Britain’s stay in the EU, which corresponds to the traditional conservative ideology of protectionism and the decisive role of the sovereign nation in political and economic processes. It is concluded that the British vector of integration as a principled position of the Conservative Party, which is perceived as an alternative to the idea of European integration in the sense of creating common European institutions, whose activities are largely based on supranational sources of law. It has been shown that the traditional left-wing and center-left electorate of the Labor Party has been partially overthrown by populist parties with essentially socialist socio-economic slogans, such as Reform UK. It is assumed that in the charismatic and personal conditionality of modern world politics, the current electoral situation may be somewhat changed by the emergence of a strong, bright and at the same time moderate in political and socio-economic views leader, which is an important factor in election technology.
HISTORICAL PREREQUISITES, LEGAL STATUS AND PECULIARITIES OF ACTIVITIES OF CHILDREN’S COLONIES FOR MINORS IN THE USSR
Authors: Andrukhiv O.
Published: July 2022

The article reveals the historical preconditions for the creation and development of children’s colonies for minors in the USSR, their place in the process of combating child homelessness and neglect. Since the establishment of children’s colonies in 1918, their main task has been to organize the educational process for minors, although in practice the main emphasis was on labor education and the involvement of homeless children. Formally, such institutions for minors became institutions for the socialization of homeless and neglected children released from colonies. It was established that the detention of juveniles in labor colonies was intended, first, to isolate them from the influence of adult criminals, especially recidivists; secondly, through work and the educational process to form full members of society. Legally, the first legal act approving the legal status of juvenile colonies was the Correctional Labor Code of October 16, 1924. In accordance with the provisions declared in it, all juveniles in child labor colonies were divided into several categories, respectively to the age gradation that operated in the receivers-distributors. Moral and pedagogical abilities were also taken into account. Children’s colonies were part of the general system of correctional facilities, which were regulated by the Correctional Labor Code, but differed in different types of regime in which they operated. Children’s colonies differed from classical prisons in their education and labor education. Self-sufficient citizens aware of their rights and responsibilities were formed in the colonies. It is the labor colonies for juveniles that have become the main type of places for juveniles and homeless and neglected children. These facilities were not only to teach juvenile prisoners labor skills, but also to educate them according to their social status, age, mental and psychological abilities. Children’s labor colonies became part of the Gulag. As of 1939, there were 50 juvenile colonies in this system. It was established that children’s labor colonies stationed in the territory of the Ukrainian SSR were differentiated both in terms of terms of imprisonment for serious crimes and in terms of isolation of juvenile “recidivists” and violators of the regime. The formation of the network of children’s labor colonies was conditioned both by the desire to combat juvenile delinquency and by the attempt to apply educational measures to persons deprived of parental care, while using them as cheap labor.
Rapid Elevation of Vitamin D Level Reduces C-Reactive Protein Level in COVID-19 Patients With Vitamin D Insufficiency
Authors: Sauša Sintija , Kistkins Svjatoslavs , Čirkova Olga , Kalniņa Daina , Jurge Betija , Ivanova Kristīne , Svirkle Zane , Frīdvalde Aija , Borisovs Vitalijs , Zariņa Rebeka Elīza , Treimane Terēze , Kaukua Sampsa , Krūzmane Lelde , Trapiņa Ilva , Geldnere Kristīne , Pīrāgs Valdis
Published: July 2022

Background: According to newly published studies, patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have significantly lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D levels than those without the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vitamin D insufficiency may be a predictor of poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D supplementation is related to improved clinical outcomes in terms of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death, particularly in individuals with moderate-to-severe forms of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. Materials and methods: This placebo-controlled five-day study was performed on 100 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with vitamin D insufficiency randomized into two groups. Vitamin D in the form of a sublingual sprayable microemulsion (LYL love your life® sunD3 LYLmicro™) was given three times daily after breakfast, lunch, and dinner (daily dose 12,000 IU) to 52 patients with blood vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml. 48 patients in the control group received a placebo spray in the same daily regiment. Results: We observed a statistically significant increase by 8.6 ng/ml in median vitamin D level after five days of high-dose vitamin D3 spray therapy. 90.2% of subjects reached normal serum levels of vitamin D. There was a strong correlation between changes in vitamin D and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in individuals with moderately severe disease (p<0.05), while mild and severe cases showed no statistical significance comparing case and control groups. There were no statistically significant changes in ferritin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Conclusions: In this study, we demonstrated the possibility to rapidly increase circulating levels of vitamin D just in 5 days of high-dose intervention and found a statistically significant decrease of CRP levels in patients with moderately severe COVID-19. We were not able to detect statistically significant changes in ferritin and IL-6 levels during the 5-day vitamin D intervention.
Dynamic Shear Modulus and Damping of MICP-treated Calcareous Sand at Low Strains
Authors: Zhang Xinlei , Guo Jun , Chen Yumin , Han Yi , Yi Ruibo , Gao Hongmei , Liu Lu , Liu Hanlong , Shen Zhifu
Published: July 2022

Calcareous sand deposits are widely distributed along the shoreline in ropical and subtropical regions. Microbially induced calcite precipitation treatment (MICP) is a relatively new method to improve the stiffness and strength of the soil. Little is known about the small-strain shear modulus and damping ratio of MICP-treated calcareous sand, which are two crucial parameters for the prediction of the dynamic behavior of soil. A series of resonant column tests are performed to investigate the dynamic performance of MICP-treated calcareous sand, with special attention paid to the influence of treatment duration and confining stress on the stiffness and damping characteristics. The relationship between the initial dynamic shear modulus and unconfined compressive strength is analyzed. Additionally, the empirical equations of the reference shear strain between treatment duration and confining stress are given. The G/G0 of MICP-cemented calcareous sand presents a higher strain sensitivity than that of untreated sand, and its attenuation pattern can be described by Hardin-Drnevich model. The σc has an apparent effect on the degradation characteristics of the dynamic shear modulus of MICP-treated calcareous sand with a low cementation level, however, its effect decreases with the increasing treatment duration. The relationship between the reference shear strain and the treatment duration and confining stress can be described by a power and a linear formula, respectively.
The Polemic of the Validity of Naskh Intra-Qur’an and Extra-Qur’an
Authors: Sa'dullah Sa'dullah
Published: July 2022

The Polemic of the Validity of Intra-Qur'an and Extra-Qur'an Texts. Islamic Education Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Jakarta State University. Two texts are polemic in this discussion, namely intra-Qur'anic texts (deletion between verses) and extra Qur'anic texts (deletion of the Koran on previous holy books and religions). The naskh polemic occurred because of the uncertainty about whether any verses of the Qur'an were in the text, some acknowledged. Still, others rejected, for various reasons, the mansukh of the poetry of the Qur'an. The term naskh, which means "annulment", was initially used to describe fiqh/Islamic law issues but later developed into the cancellation of pre-Qur'an revelations. Based on this, this study intends to reveal whether the revelation of the Qur'an replaces or cancels all other disclosures so that the concept of naskh is associated with Muhammad's apostolic position regarding the success of saving other monotheistic traditions. The results of this discussion reveal that the focus of the text is not on the cancellation of the verses of the Qur'an (Intra Qur'an). Still, the cancellation of the previous law or sharia (syar'u ma qoblana), either partially or entirely by Islamic law as stated by Al-Jabiri, so that the latter is called the extra text of the Qur'an. However, in general, for the two types of texts, there is still an assumption that the abolition of the previous verse or treatise means denying some of the rules of the text theory itself. It is even considered the same as rejecting the poetry of the Qur'an as the best teaching of religion, as in the QS verse. Al-Baqarah [2]: 106 only expresses the presupposition, not the necessity of the text. Meanwhile, all of the verses of the Qur'an are still valid and cooperative. Even if there is a contradiction, it must be understood proportionally based on socio-historical conditions, not by eliminating verses (Intra-Qur'an texts).
Symbols of Servitude and Purification in the Qur’an: Orientation of Ibn ‘Arabī’s Waḥdah al-Wujūd in al-Futuḥāt al-Makkiyah
Authors: Ghozali Mahbub
Published: July 2022

The complexity of the concept waḥdah al-wujūd in Ibn ‘Arabī understanding used in interpretation impacts the ignoring of his interpretation results leading to the essence of servitude and purification of God. The purpose of this study is the form of understanding that accentuates the meaning of the symbols depicted in verse. Tracing of Sufistic narratives in interpreting Ibn ‘Arabi was carried out in this study using qualitative methods with content analysis as a data analysis technique. The content analysis model analyzes the data by looking for conceptual relations in al-Futuḥāt al-Makkiyah by Ibn ‘Arabi about the Sufistic model of understanding. The semiotic theory of sacred texts aids this analysis process to see language phenomena in the scriptures presented through special symbols. This study found that the Sufistic interpretation of Ibn ‘Arabi is wrapped in symbolic form. The dressing of symbols in the process of understanding emphasizes the identification of Sufistic models with the diversion of meanings. This identity obscures Ibn ‘Arabī’s method of interpretation. The symbolic form is explained by analysis of the constitutional significance of the word writing and the function of his syntagmatic. The implications of this concept emphasize the relationship between God and servant (‘abd) implicit in each verse of the Qur’an. The result of the manifested interpretation underlines the totality of servitude and divinity, culminating in the level of the union of existence to God (waḥdah al-wujūd). Ibn ‘Arabī embodies the symbolic aspect represented in the Qur’an as a result of the decline of the language of God into the language of man.
The Effectiveness Of Productive Infaq-Based Community Economic Empowerment to The Small And Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Growth in Pekalongan
Authors: Arisnawati Nur Fani
Published: July 2022

This study aims to find out (1) the procedure of distributing productive infaq to empower the SMEs’ economy and (2) the effectiveness of productive infaq-based economy empowerment for SMEs growth by BAZNAS through Sharia Financial Institutions in Pekalongan. This research applies a qualitative method using a phenomenology approach, where BAZNAS serves as the primary data. During data collection, this research uses triangulation: observation, interviews, and documentation. Additionally, the sample was selected based on a purposive sampling technique. This study finds out that productive infaq is allocated by sharia financial institutions. Also, the distribution of ZIS (alms and infaq) through the non-profit institutions does not apply profit sharing between BAZNAS and the institutions because it is under qardul hasan. BAZNAS utilizes the productive infaq to increase the capital for business people. If the business has achieved its targets and objectives, the program can be found to be effective. Infaq of Sharia Financial Institutions in 2017-2018 reached 160 million IDR that has been distributed to the SMEs. As a result, the distribution can be considered very effective and may need improvement to get economic growth in Pekalongan.
The Attractiveness 0f Sharia Financial Institutions for MSMEs in Pontianak City, The Province of West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Massardi Restiatun , Kapriana Angga Permadi , Apriyani Apriyani
Published: July 2022

The development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) requires support from financial institutions, both banking and non-banking, in providing working capital loans. This support includes ease of procedure, easy installment payments, and services. The contribution of Islamic financial institutions in the Province of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, cannot be ignored. This study aims to investigate determinants of the behavior in the selection of sharia financial institutions in Pontianak by MSMEs. The research samples were the perpetrators of MSMEs spread in six districts in Pontianak City, 20 MSMEs per district. The data in this study were the primary data obtained from a questionnaire survey. The data analysis technique used was Probit Regression Analysis. The results of this study indicate that the profit-sharing system that is considered not burdensome to customers, the simplicity of procedures that save time and cost, and the number of products offered in accordance with the customer needs significantly influence the probability of choosing Islamic financial institutions. The variable of the suitability of the operational rules of Islamic financial institutions with Islamic rules has no effect on customers’ decision in choosing a financial institution. This is an opportunity for Islamic financial institutions to develop their businesses by offering their products to non-Muslim customers.
The Effect of Islamic Work Ethics toward Employee Performance
Authors: Noor Aflah Kuntarno , Suharnomo Suharnomo , Mas'ud Fuad
Published: July 2022

This study aims to analyze the factors which affect employee performance; islamic work ethics by using affective commitment and job satisfaction as intervening variables. Based on the research problem, there are how to improve employee performance through affective commitment and job satisfaction, and the factors which affective commitment and job satisfaction, so the answer is by the Islamic Work Ethics variable. This study is conducted on 200 employees of cross sectors and cross professions working in various fields. Data is processed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by the help Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) program. The results show that Islamic Work Ethics has a positive effect on employee performance, by using affective commitment and job satisfaction as intervening variable
Pricing the Equity-Based Financing of Mudharabah: Insights into its Drivers
Authors: Majalis Nazhatul , Mulyany Ratna , Zuhri Zata Hulwani
Published: July 2022

This study investigates the factors that influence the pricing of mudharabah financing as offered by Islamic Banks in Indonesia. Specifically, this study examines whether the operational cost to operating income (BOPO), risk factor and spread significantly influences the pricing of mudharabah financing. This study uses a quantitative method based on secondary data derived from the Islamic banks' financial statements for the period of  2014-2018. Purposive sampling is utilized, with the total 9 Islamic Commercial Banks being the samples that meet the criteria, resulting in 45 units of analysis for five years observation. This study uncovers that all of the three independent variables affect the dependent variable simultaneously. From the partial results, only two variables that affect the pricing of mudharabah financing, i.e. risk factors and spread. Meanwhile BOPO was found to have no association with the pricing of mudharabah financing. This study implies that pricing of mudharabah financing may be largely dependent of the risk factors and spread rather than the consideration on the operational cost to the operational income.
In silico analysis of genes and pathways related to acute myeloid leukemia presenting leukopenia
Authors: Kumar Ajeet , Bhushan Ravi , Dubey Pawan K. , Tilak Vijai , Gupta Vineeta , Kumar Nilesh , Raju S. V.S , Ali Akhtar
Published: July 2022

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the progenitor and hematopoietic stem cell blood cancer. Chromosomal abnormalities include balanced translocations between two chromosomes like t[8;21] and t[15;17]) in malignant cells. The current study aimed to investigate AML with leukopenia and gene expression changes in high-white and low-white counts B-cell. The total number of samples used was ten. The raw gene expression profiles (ID: GSE20482) of bone marrow obtained from AML patients showed five high-white counts B-cell and five low-white counts B-cell expressed genes differentially expressed. Genes that corresponded to official gene symbols were selected for protein-protein interaction (PPI) and sub-network construction (score > 0.4). In addition, functional annotation of gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis were performed for the genes involved in networking. Results A total of 846 genes were identified as differentially expressed, and 406 genes were upregulated; and another 440 genes were downregulated. The remaining 14 genes that interacted with each other were significantly identified. The hub genes GNB4, LAMTOR2, ACTN4, HGSNAT, and TMED1 were upregulated while the downregulated DEGs forming hub nodes were UBR4, FBXO30, KLHL21, DCTN6, RNF123, RNF114. AML significantly affects the expression of genes involved in cell differentiation, apoptosis, cell signaling, and protein modification. AML cells enter the blood quickly and spread to the liver, spleen, and central nervous system. These are a total of thirteen pathways. They were enriched, and AML was found to significantly impact genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, actin cytoskeleton regulation, endocytosis, phagocytosis, shigellosis, and epithelial cell signaling in helicobacter, adherent junction, pertussis, bile secretion, malaria, and African trypanosomiasis. Conclusions Hub genes like GNB4 and UBR4 provide a novel biomarker in AML.
An enhanced iterative three-component heuristic for the team orienteering problem with time windows and multiple deliverymen
Authors: SU XINXIN
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we extend the team orienteering problem with time windows by considering multiple deliverymen. This variant arises from piratical situations where firms deliver goods to customers in congested urban areas, and particularly, the service time is a function of the size of crews who are assigned to the vehicles. In addition to the routing and scheduling decisions, the crew size for each route has to be decided. The resulting problem is called the team orienteering problem with time windows and multiple deliverymen (TOPTWMD). We propose an enhanced iterative three-component heuristic to solve this problem. The three components include (i) an iterated local search in feasible region, (ii) a tabu search in infeasible region, and (iii) a route recombination method for a high-quality solution. We conduct computational experiments on a set of test instances, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in terms of both solution quality and speed. Moreover, we substantiate the contributions of the joint use of the three components and the alteration between feasible and infeasible regions to the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Metabolism of Arsenic in Human by AS3MT Gene
Authors: Malvade Pratik V. , Bhosale Mayur S. , Chavan Sayli R. , Bhagat Dhanashri
Published: July 2022

The AS3MT may be a most significant protein for the methylation of chemical elements species. The transfer of methyl radical from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to powerfulness arsenical (AsIII) is catalyzed by the AS3MT that is critical for arsenic metabolism in humans. Since genetic polymorphisam of AS3MT is related to arsenic tolerance, here investigate co-relationship in between single ester polymorphisms (SNPs) in AS3MT with inorganic arsenic (iAs) metabolism. additionally we tend to compared chemical action properties of recombinant human AS3MT and AS3MT/M287T in reaction mixtures containing S-adenosylmethionine, arsenite (iAsIII) or methylarsonous acid (MAsIII) as substrates and endogenous reductants, together with glutathione (GSH), a thioredoxin enzyme (TR) or thioredoxin (Trx) or NADPH reducing system and tris(2-carboxyethyl) pesticide complex (TCEP). By victimisation of either TR or Trx or NADPH or TCEP, AS3MT catalyzes the conversion of iAsIII to MAsIII then to methyl radicalarsonic acid (MAsV), dimethylarsinous acid (DMAsIII) and di ethylarsinic acid (DMAsV). The Cys156 and Cys206 gift in similarity model forms the binding website for AsIII. Cys32 and Cys61 forms a disulphide bond. the most important product in initiative of methylation is MAsIII that remains sure to protein until it get methylated. The product are the a lot of hepatotoxic and more malignant neoplastic disease powerfulness methyl arsenicals, however arsenic undergoes oxidisation and reduction as enzyme-bound intermediates.
ECSIT is a critical factor for controlling intestinal homeostasis and tumorigenesis through regulating the translation of YAP protein
Authors: Yang Shuo , Wang Bingwei , Moynagh Paul , Wen Shuang , Liu Lu , Wu Chunyan , Ma Chanyuan , Yang Yongbing , Hu Yingchao , Ma Chunmei , Jiang Yuying
Published: July 2022

The intestinal epithelium is the fastest renewing tissue in mammals and its regenerative process must be tight control to minimize the risk of dysfunction and tumorigenesis. The orderly expression and activation of the YAP protein is key initial step in driving intestinal development and crucial for intestinal regenerative responses and homeostasis. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling this process remain largely unknown. Here, we discovered that evolutionarily conserved signaling intermediate in Toll pathways (ECSIT), a multi-functional protein, was enriched along the crypt-villus axis. And intestinal cell-specific ablation of ECSIT results in the dysregulation of intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) differentiation accompanied with enhanced YAP protein translation thus inducing spontaneous intestinal inflammation and augmenting intestinal tumorigenesis. We further revealed that loss of ECSIT disrupts mitochondrial metabolism thus reprograming to amino acid-based metabolism, which results in demethylation of genes encoding the eIF4F pathway and their increased expression that further promotes selective YAP translation initiation culminating in intestinal homeostasis imbalance and tumorigenesis. We also show that the expression of ECSIT is positively correlated with the survival of patients with colorectal cancer. Together, our studies demonstrate an important role of ECSIT in maintaining optimal intestinal homeostasis and controlling the development of tumorigenesis by regulation of the YAP protein translation through mitochondrial metabolism.
HPV infection-specific hypermethylated genes in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas
Authors: Inokawa Yoshikuni , Hayashi Masamichi , Begum Shahnaz , Noordhuis Maartje , Sidransky Daivd , Califano Joseph , Koch Wayne , Brait Mariana , Westra William H. , Hoque Mohammad Obaidul
Published: July 2022

Background
HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) are sensitive to chemo-radiation therapy and have favorable survival outcomes compared with HPV-negative cancers. These tumors are usually not related to tobacco and alcohol exposure. Therefore, it is crucial to diagnose HPV-positive OPSCCs for the appropriate management of the disease, and no suitable markers are available for HPV-positive tumors. In this study, we attempt to find HPV-specific epigenetic biomarkers for OPSCCs.
Methods
A total of 127 surgical samples were analyzed for HPV positivity and promoter methylation of a panel of genes. HPV detection was performed by PCR detection of HPV E6 and E7 viral oncoproteins. In addition, promoter methylation of a total of 8 genes (DAPK, FHIT, RASSF1A, TIMP3 AGTR1, CSGALNACT2, GULP1 and VGF) was analyzed by quantitative-methylation specific PCR (QMSP), and their associations with HPV positivity or RB/p16 expressions were evaluated.
Results
AGTR1and FHIT were frequently methylated in HPV positive OPSCC samples with a good area under the curve (AUC over 0.70). In addition, these genes promoter methylation significantly associated with p16 positive and RB negative cases, which were the characteristics of OPSCC cases with favorable survival outcomes. Either of AGTR1and FHIT methylated cases were significantly associated with HPV-positive cancers with 92.0% sensitivity (P < 0.001). Also, they had significantly better overall survival (P = 0.047) than both unmethylated cases.
Conclusions
A combination of AGTR1 and FHIT methylation demonstrated a suitable detection marker of OPSCCs derived from the HPV-infected field, which were familiar with p16-positive and RB-negative phenotypes.
Menstrual health interventions, schooling and mental health problems among Ugandan students (MENISCUS): Study protocol for a school-based cluster-randomised trial.
Authors: Kansiime Catherine , Hytti Laura , Nelson Kate Andrews , Torondel Belen , Francis Suzanna C , Tanton Clare , Greco Giulia , Belfield Sophie , Nakalema Shamirah , Matovu Fred , Ssemata Andrew Sentoogo , Alezuyo Connie , Neema Stella , Jerrim John , Bonell Chris , Seeley Janet , Weiss Helen A
Published: July 2022

Background: Menstrual health is an increasingly recognised public health issue, defined as complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing in relation to the menstrual cycle. The MENISCUS trial aims to assess whether a multi-component intervention addressing physical and emotional aspects of menstrual health improves educational attainment, mental health problems, menstrual management, self-efficacy and quality of life among girls in secondary school in Uganda. Methods: The study is a parallel-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with 60 schools (clusters) in Wakiso and Kalungu districts, with a mixed-methods process evaluation to assess intervention fidelity and acceptability, and economic and policy analyses. The schools will be randomised 1:1 to immediate intervention or to optimised usual care, with delayed intervention delivery. The intervention includes creation of a Menstrual Health Action Group at schools, and NGO-led training of trainers on puberty education, development of a drama skit, delivery of a menstrual health kit including reusable pads and menstrual cups, access to pain management strategies including analgesics, and basic improvements to school water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. Baseline data will be collected from Secondary 2 students in 2022 (median age ~15.5 years), with endline after one year of intervention delivery (~3600 females and a random sample of ~900 males). The primary outcomes assessed in girls are i) examination performance based on the Mathematics, English and Biology curriculum taught during the intervention delivery (independently assessed by the Uganda National Examinations Board); and ii) mental health problems using the Total Difficulties Scale of the Strengths and Difficulties 25-item questionnaire. Secondary outcomes are menstrual knowledge and attitudes in girls and boys; and, in girls only, menstrual practices, self-efficacy in managing menstruation, prevalence of urogenital infections, school and class attendance using a self-completed menstrual daily diary, and confidence in maths and science. Discussion: The trial is innovative in evaluating a multi-component school-based menstrual health intervention addressing both physical and emotional aspects of menstrual health, and using a “training of trainers” model designed to be sustainable within schools. If found to be cost-effective and acceptable, the intervention will have potential for national and regional scale-up.Trial registration {2a}: ISRCTN: 45461276 registered on 16th September 2021. http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN45461276.
Chemo assist for children mobile health application to manage symptoms of chemotherapy in acute leukemia in Indonesia: A user-centered design approach
Authors: Novrianda Dwi , Herini Elisabeth Siti , Haryanti Fitri , Supriyadi Eddy , Lazuardi Lutfan
Published: July 2022

Background
The mobile health (mHealth) application encourages parents and pediatric patients to be involved in caring for their child's health condition by providing the ability to identify and manage chemotherapy-induced symptoms in their child actively. Several monitoring systems available today are diverse in terms of features and system basis. This study aimed to develop and trial the Chemo Assist for Children (CAC) mHealth application for symptom management due to chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Methods
In this study, the development of the CAC application went through four phases. The initial phase was conducting a literature study for application content. The application design phase involved five experts to validate application content. In the implementation phase, the application was piloted on ten parents with ALL children undergoing chemotherapy at two teaching hospitals, Indonesia. At the evaluation stage, the CAC application was improved according to the test results. The data were obtained descriptively from the validation and application testing using the average and total item scores.
Results
Phase 1 obtained 17 reference sources in textbooks and research journal articles to design the mHealth application content. Phase 2 received the value of the content validity of all statements was 0.96, which means that the application material is declared valid. In phase 3, the average total usability test score was 4.28. Finally, an evaluation phase was applied continuously to produce a valid, accessible, and appropriate application for users.
Conclusions
The CAC mHealth application developed can meet the needs of technology users to identify symptoms and manage symptoms due to chemotherapy in children with ALL. The CAC mHealth application can accommodate data not recorded at out-of-hospital care, increase the independence of symptom management, and improve communication between parents of children with ALL and health workers.
Orthorexia nervosa in gay men - the result of a Spanish- Polish Eating Disorders Study
Authors: Karniej Piotr , Pérez Jesús , Juárez-Vela Raúl , Santolalla-Arnedo Iván , Gea-Caballero Vicente , Pozo-Herce Pablo Del , Dissen Anthony , Czapla Michal
Published: July 2022

Background: The purpose of this exploratory study was to identifying demographic factors and unique predictors of ON e.g., the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of social media and the Grindr ® dating application among a sample group of Spanish and Polish identifying gay men. Methods: The study was conducted in Poland and Spain between March and June 2021 using questionary: ORTO-15. Data was collected using a three-section self-administered questionnaire. The first section contained demographic data, the second part was the Polish and Spanish version of the Orto-15, and the third part was the Polish and Spanish version of the EAT-26. Results: Total enrollment was 394 gay men. In regression proportional hazards single model, significant predictors of ON were: age (OR = 0.964), BMI (OR = 0.895), staying in an informal relationship compared to being single (OR = 2.138), occasional use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (OR = 4.667) and use of the Grindr application (OR = 5.312). Instagram users had lower risk of ON (OR = 0.479). The multivariate analysis showed that Grindr usages (OR: 4.72; p< 0.001) correlated with higher risk of ON. Higher BMI (OR = 0.913) and daily use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (OR = 0.142) is associated with lower risk of ON. Conclusions: The most important predictors of orthorexia nervosa in gay men are: low BMI and the use of Grindr. The effect of daily usage of PrEP is associated with lower risk, and occasional use is associated with increased risk , of orthorexia nervosa.
Development of Na+ ion conducting solid biopolymer electrolyte based on Na-CMC-SPA hydrogel for energy storage devices
Authors: Verma Dipendra Kumar , Tiwari Rudramani , Kumar Devendra , Yadav Shashikant , Parwati Km , Adhikary Pubali , Krishnamoorthi S.
Published: July 2022

Solid polymer electrolytes based on biopolymers are green and environment friendly materials. Here, solid biopolymer electrolyte (SBPE) hydrogel based on carboxymethyl cellulose is introduced for Na+ ion based energy storage material. The synthesized SBPE material is biodegradable and shows excellent strength with good flexibility and high elasticity. Na-CMC-SPA-NaI-PEG has compact packing with inner porous morphology which is helpful in ionic conductions inside the matrix. The ionic conductivity of electrolyte material was recorded in the range of 10− 5 S/cm at low temperatures (< 40oC) and 10− 4 S/cm at higher temperatures (> 40oC). The ionic transference number is found to be 99% in 2900 sec. LSV measurements confirm that the SBPEs material can be used in device fabrication up to 1.2V. These properties of electrolyte make it a promising material for application in energy storage devices.
Meta-Analysis of the Normal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Values of the Peripheral Nerves in the Upper Limb
Authors: Wade Ryckie G , BaMed Fangqing Lu , Poruslrani Yohan , Karia Chiraag , Feltbower Richard G , Plein Sven , Bourke Grainne , Teh Irvin
Published: July 2022

Introduction: Peripheral neuropathy affects ~1 in 10 adults over the age of 40 years. Given the absence of a reliable diagnostic test, there has been a surge of research into diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) because it characterises nerve microstructure and provides reproducible proxy measures of myelination, axon diameter, fibre density and organisation. Before researchers and clinicians can reliably use diffusion tensor imaging to assess the ‘health’ of the major nerves of the upper limb, we must understand the “normal” range of values and how they vary with experimental conditions. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, medRxiv and bioRxiv for studies which reported the findings of DTI of the upper limb in healthy adults. Four review authors independently triple extracted data. Using the meta suite of Stata 17, we estimated the normal fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusivity (mean, MD; radial, RD; axial AD) values of the median, radial and ulnar nerve in the arm, elbow and forearm. Using meta-regression, we explored how DTI metrics varied with age and experimental conditions. Results: We included 20 studies reporting data from 391 limbs, belonging to 346 adults (189 males and 154 females, ~1.2M:1F) of mean age 34 years (median 31, range 20-80). In the arm, there was no difference in the FA (pooled mean 0.59 mm2/s [95% CI 0.57, 0.62]; I2 98%) or MD (pooled mean 1.13 x10-3 mm2/s [95% CI 1.08, 1.18]; I2 99%) of the median, radial and ulnar nerves. Around the elbow, the ulnar nerve had a 12% lower FA than the median and radial nerves (95% CI -0.25, 0.00) and significantly higher MD, RD and AD. In the forearm, the FA (pooled mean 0.55 [95% CI 0.59, 0.64]; I2 96%) and MD (pooled mean 1.03 x10-3 mm2/s [95% CI 0.94, 1.12]; I2 99%) of the three nerves were similar. Multivariable meta regression showed that the b-value, TE, TR, spatial resolution and age of the subject were clinically important moderators of DTI parameters in peripheral nerves. Conclusions: We show that subject age, as well as the b-value, TE, TR and spatial resolution are important moderators of DTI metrics from healthy nerves in the adult upper limb. The normal ranges shown here may inform future clinical and research studies.
Trivariate probabilistic assessments of the compound flooding events using the 3-D Fully Nested Archimedean (FNA) copula in the semiparametric distribution setting
Authors: Latif Shahid , Simonovic Slobodan P.
Published: July 2022

Severe flooding in coastal areas can result from the joint probability of multiple extreme or non-extreme oceanographic, hydrological, and meteorological factors, resulting in compound flooding (CF) events if they occur successively or simultaneously. Recently, copula functions provided a much more flexible environment in joint modelling. Using copula-based bivariate probability distribution is ineffective in assessing the likelihood of joint occurrence, thus demanding a more advanced higher dimensional probability framework. Incorporating a higher dimensional copulas framework via traditional symmetric 3-D Archimedean or Elliptical copulas has statistical limits and would be incapable of preserving all lower-level dependencies. The heterogeneous dependency in CF events can be modelled effectively via the fully nested Archimedean (FNA) copulas. Incorporating FNA under parametric distribution settings is not flexible enough since it is restricted by the prior distributional assumption of the function type for both marginal density functions and copulas in parametric fittings. If their marginal density belongs to specific parametric family distribution, it could be problematic if underlying assumptions are violated. This study introduces a 3-D FNA copula simulation in the semiparametric setting by introducing nonparametric marginal distributions conjoined by a parametric copula density. The derived semiparametric FNA copula is applied in the trivariate modelling in compounding the joint impact of rainfall, storm surge and river discharge with 46 years of observations on the west coast of Canada. The performance of the derived model has also been compared analytically and graphically with the FNA copula constructed with parametric marginal density. It is concluded that the performance of FNA with nonparametric marginals outperforms the FNA copula built under parametric settings. The presented copula-based joint modelling is employed in multivariate analysis of flood risks in trivariate primary joint and conditional joint return periods. The trivariate hydrologic risk associated with compound events is analyzed using the failure probability (FP) statistics. Investigation reveals that trivariate hydrologic events produce a higher failure probability than bivariate (or univariate) events; neglecting trivariate joint analysis would underestimate FP. Also, it indicates that trivariate hydrologic risk values would increase with an increase in service time of the hydraulic facilities.
Shape analysis of sand particles based on Fourier descriptors
Authors: Yan Tianxi , Liu Yahong , Wei Dong , Sun Xiaofan , Liu Qing
Published: July 2022

The particle shape will greatly influence the mechanical behavior of geotechnical materials. For a specific material, e. g. sand particle, it remains an open question how to provide a comprehensive quantitative information about the particle shape. While Fourier descriptors, as a sequence of good shape descriptors, are well addressed in the literature, approaches mainly aim at pattern recognition in the field of computer vision. In this paper, Fourier descriptors are used to analyze particle shape of geotechnical material. 600 sand particles are collected from Hutuo river, the main water resource of Shijiazhuang County, Hebei Province. Several shape descriptors, elongation, circularity, convexity, and roughness, are identified and further analyzed statistically. A functional relationship between Fourier descriptors Dk and k, the frequency of the kth components is proved to exist. Moreover, the relationship between shape descriptors and Fourier descriptors is investigated in a correlation analysis. The elongation is strongly correlated to Fourier descriptors.
Comparison of three wheat near isogenic lines originated from CB037 on tissue culture and transformation capacities
Authors: Liu Huiyun , Ma Haili , Zhang Wei , Wang Wanqing , Wu Jiajie , Wang Ke , Lin Zhishan , Ye Xingguo
Published: July 2022

Wheat is an important worldwide food crop. To meet the increasing demand for wheat grains, it is essential to continuously improve wheat by commercial and advanced technologies. Wheat line CB037 has ideal agronomic traits, good bread quality, strong resistance to powdery mildew (PM), and high regeneration ability, and therefore it has been widely used in hybridization breeding and genetic transformation. Three near isogenic lines (NILs) from CB037 were identified in a previous study based on glutenin composition. In this study, the three NILs of CB037A, CB037B, and CB037C were investigated comparatively for agronomic traits, disease resistance for PM and stripe rust, and tissue culture and transformation abilities. Results indicated that the three NILs were high resistant to PM, and CB037B was not only high resistant to stripe rust but also had significantly higher regeneration ability than CB037A and CB037C in anther culture, immature and mature embryo culture. Particularly, positive transgenic wheat plants were obtained only from CB037B. Thereby CB037B was identified to be a desirable material for wheat genetic transformation, which was of great significance for improving the transformation efficiency and accelerating the application of genetic engineering breeding technology in wheat.
Efficacy of Transcutaneous Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation in Functional Constipation
Authors: Velasco-Benitez Carlos , Villamarin Eder , Mendez Melissa , Linero Alfredo , .D. Gregory Hungria M , Saps Miguel
Published: July 2022

Introduction and Aims: Most children with functional constipation (FC) improve with conventional treatments. However, a proportion of children have poor treatment outcomes. Management of intractable FC may include botulinum toxin injections, transanal irrigation, antegrade enemas, colonic resections, and in some cases sacral nerve stimulation (SNS). SNS is surgically placed, not readily available and expensive. Posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) allows transmission of electronic impulses and retrograde stimulation to the sacral nerve plexus in a portable, simple and non-invasive fashion. Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous PTNS for the treatment of FC in children.Materials and Methods: Single-center, prospective interventional study. Children 4-14 years with Rome IV diagnosis of FC received ten daily PTNS (30 min/day) sessions. Electrodes placed over skin of ankle. Strength of stimulus was below pain threshold. Outcomes were assessed during treatment and 7 days after. Results: twenty-three subjects enrolled. Two children excluded (acute gastroenteritis, COVID-19 contact). 20 completed the study (4- 14 years), (8,4+/-3,2years, 71.4 % female). We found significant improvement in the consistency of Bowel Movements (BM) (p=0.005), Fecal Incontinence (FI) (p=0.005), Abdominal pain presence (p= <0.001) and intensity (p=0.005), and a significant for improvement in blood in stools (p=0.037). There was 86.3% improvement in abdominal pain. 96.7% reported treatment satisfaction. Only one child required rescue therapy. Conclusion: We found significant improvement in stool consistency, FI, abdominal pain and hematochezia. This suggests that transcutaneous PTNS could be a promising noninvasive treatment for FC in children. Large studies are needed.