bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT OF MISCHIEVOUSNESS AS A COMPONENT OF PLAY COMPETENCE (BASED ON THE RESULTS OF A DIAGNOSTIC EXPERIMENT)
Authors:   Hryhorii Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Hordienko-Mitrofanova Iya , Bezkorovainyi Serhii ,   Hryhorii Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University
Published: September 2024

This article reveals the psychological characteristics of the current development of mischievousness as one of the key components of play competence, based on the results of a diagnostic experiment. The research aimed to identify the characteristic features and determinants of mischievousness as they manifest in various social interactions. The total number of participants was 238, with 45% of them being young (ages 21-30) and 55% being of mature age (ages 31-40). Mischievousness, as a central aspect of playfulness, manifests through the ability to maintain autonomy in interpersonal relationships, using flexible emotional control and humor to form and strengthen positive social connections. A key characteristic is the ability to act comfortably in conditions of uncertainty and instability, with a capacity for experimentation and adaptation to changes. Individuals with well-developed mischievousness exhibit high levels of creativity, openness to new experiences, and the ability to navigate between risk and adherence to social norms. An important component is their high emotional intelligence, which allows them to skillfully manage the emotional reactions of others, especially in situations that require testing or stepping beyond conventional boundaries. The psychological profile of such individuals includes moderate extraversion, empathy, and high flexibility in social adaptation, enabling them to function effectively in various social contexts, including complex interpersonal conflict situations. The study also confirmed the importance of the "Mischief" play position as a behavioral model that promotes the development of social competence and cognitive flexibility in young people. Thus, well-developed mischievousness not only affects emotional stability but also enhances the capacity for creative social interaction.
THE DIAGNOSTIC MODEL OF THE MOTIVATION OF MILITARY SERVICEMEN WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE VALUE SPHERE
Authors:   National Defense University of Ukraine, Rybchuk Oleh
Published: September 2024

The article analyzes the motivational sphere of military personnel, on the basis of which a motivation diagnosis model was developed with an emphasis on the value sphere. It was found that the motivational and value aspect in the professional activity of military personnel is a key element of their mental activity, which contributes to the balanced development of personal and professional qualities. Understanding the problems of professional motivation within the framework of the relationship “motivation ‒ personality ‒ activity” allows us to reveal the key importance of this component in the process of forming the personality of each military person. The main components of the model, which include the orientation of the individual, which depends on psychological and social conditions, have been determined. It is proposed to take into account the value orientations of the individual, which are divided into personal, prestige-egoistic and social-social values, which help in determining the level of adaptation and professional growth. The importance of integrating meaningful orientation into professional activity, which allows to evaluate life satisfaction and perception of personal responsibility, is substantiated. In addition, a diagnostic toolkit is proposed for each component, so in order to study the orientation of the personality, it is necessary to use the methodology of diagnostics of the orientation of the personality, which was developed by V. Smekal and M. Kucher; The Connor-Davidson-10 resilience scale and J. Rotter՚s “Diagnosis of the level of subjective control” method. For the purpose of studying value orientations ‒ the value questionnaire of Sh. Schwartz. And for the diagnosis of meaningful life orientations, the “Meaningful Life Orientations” test was proposed by D.A. Leontiev and “Morphological test of vital values” (V. Sopovoy and L. Karpushyna). Conclusions regarding the importance of an integrated approach in the diagnosis of motivational and value aspects, including both theoretical and empirical methods of analysis, are substantiated and formed. Prospects for further research are focused on the expansion and refinement of the model, taking into account the dynamics of military conflicts and psychosocial factors affecting individual motivation.
A Pragmatic Interpretation of Residue Theorem and Laurent Series: A Rigorous Mathematical Proof for Conceptual Equivalence-Mathematical Description of algebraic structures and Generalized Winding Numbers
Authors: Chen Wen-Xiang
Published: September 2024

This paper provides a rigorous examination of the intersection between pragmatism and complex analysis, grounded in the philosophical principle that "if there is no practical difference, there is no conceptual difference." Leveraging the Residue Theorem and Laurent series, we establish the mathematical criteria under which two analytic functions that are practically indistinguishable can be deemed conceptually equivalent. By exploring complex analysis, we demonstrate that if the residues and winding numbers of two functions are identical across all singularities and contours, the functions themselves are analytically and conceptually equivalent. This mathematical framework formalizes the pragmatic principle, enriching our understanding of both complex analysis and philosophical pragmatism. Additionally, the article examines various algebraic structures to distill the core essence of pragmatism: "If there is no practical difference between them, then there is no conceptual difference."
Change Agents with a Past: Female Executives’ Early-Career Contexts and Gender Equality at Workplaces
Authors: Wiersma Sofie , Lippényi Zoltán , Abendroth Anja-Kristin
Published: September 2024

This paper studies the role of early career experiences in female organizational leaders’ impact on workplace gender equality. Connecting literature on change agency with career imprinting, we present novel theorizing on how representation and power of women in leadership experienced early in managerial careers shape female leaders’ impact on differences in outcomes between men and women. We used longitudinal register panel data on employee wages and linked it to the executive careers of the directors of Dutch organizations between 2006 and 2019. Fixed-effects panel regression analyses demonstrate that female organizational leaders exposed to female peers in directorate boards and a female CEO during their first managerial role are likelier to become “agents of change” by furthering female employees’ wage progression and chances of receiving a permanent contract. Our study enriches the agents of change literature by drawing attention to the influence of early career experiences on female leaders’ impact on gender equality in workplaces.
You’ve Got AI Friend in Me: LLMs as Collaborative Learning Partners
Authors: Oppenheimer Daniel M. , Cash Trent N. , Connell Pensky Allison E.
Published: September 2024

Collaborative learning - an educational paradigm in which students work together to master content and complete projects - has long been a staple of classroom pedagogy. However, the rapid development of Large Language Model chatbots (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, has created the potential for a new frontier in collaborative learning in which students collaborate not with other students, but with LLMs. In this classroom-based study, we tested a novel intervention in which college students taking an introductory level social science elective (n = 154) were asked multiple times throughout a semester to write argumentative essays, have them critiqued by LLMs, and improve their essays by incorporating the LLMs’ critiques into their arguments or countering the LLMs’ arguments. We found that students enjoyed working with LLMs and that collaborating with LLMs improved students’ argumentative writing skills over the course of the semester - even when essay quality was assessed before students elicited the LLMs’ critiques. Students also improved their prompt engineering skills and increased their self-efficacy for working with LLMs. These findings suggest that collaborative learning with LLMs may be a highly scalable, low-cost intervention for improving students’ argumentative writing skills at the college level. Implications and limitations of the intervention are discussed.
Listen for a Change? A Longitudinal Field Experiment on Listening's Potential to Facilitate Persuasion
Authors: Santoro Erik , Broockman David , Kalla Joshua , Porat Roni
Published: September 2024

Scholars and practitioners widely posit that listening to other people facilitates efforts to persuade them. Listening may facilitate persuasion by promoting cognitive processing, reducing defensiveness, and improving perceptions of the persuader. However, empirical tests of this widely-theorized hypothesis are surprisingly scarce. We review the case for and against this hypothesis, arguing previous research has not sufficiently attended to reasons why listening may not facilitate persuasion. We test this hypothesis using a pre-registered, well-powered field experiment in which trained professional canvassers, acting as confederates, had ~10 minute video conversations with U.S. participants (N = 1,485) about unauthorized immigration, a salient topic of political disagreement. We independently randomized whether confederates shared a persuasive narrative about an undocumented immigrant and whether they practiced high-quality non-judgmental listening to participants' opinions. We measured outcomes immediately after the conversation and again five weeks later. Sharing a persuasive narrative meaningfully and durably reduced prejudice and changed policy attitudes. The listening manipulation also successfully improved perceptions of the persuader and increased processing. Surprisingly, however, the listening manipulation did not facilitate persuasion---persuasion was just as effective in the absence of high-quality listening. Listening also had no lasting direct effects. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for persuading across divides.
Generating Visualizations Conversationally using LLMs
Authors: Smith Andrew , Neuhaus Isaac
Published: September 2024

Summary: Powerful data visualization and analysis packages exist such as CanvasXpress providing rich features for exploring datasets. However, such packages can have a high learning curve and be difficult to use, even requiring detailed web development skills. Here we demonstrate how Large Language Model (“LLM”) AI models can be effectively used to greatly simplify the use of such packages, focusing on CanvasXpress. In our developed system users can simply upload their dataset as a tab-delimited / CSV file or start with any CanvasXpress visualization and then describe in plain English their desired visualization, and the LLM then generates with high accuracy the configuration to create their visualization. We employ as our primary technique few?shot prompting using a set of 132 carefully curated examples of English visualization descriptions and their corresponding correct CanvasXpress configurations (also sending schema information about legal CanvasXpress configuration fields); our system uses retrieval augmented generation (“RAG”) where the few-shot examples are stored and fetched from a vector database based on semantic similarity to user queries. To assess the accuracy of our system across multiple well?known LLM models and number of few-shots for RAG, we use the few-shot examples to perform leave one out cross validation. We interestingly find that the recently released Llama 3.1 models are the top performers exactly matching almost 93% of the known correct answers (with average similarity of almost 98%), slightly besting proprietary models from OpenAI and Anthropic and that 20 to 25 few-shot examples for RAG work the best.Availability: The code for our system (including the exact LLM prompts we used plus code for the accuracy evaluation we did and our web UI) is available at GitHub: https://github.com/buddyroo30/canvasxpress_genContact: Isaac.Neuhaus@bms.com
Addressing the challenge of mental health problems among students in higher education: insights and suggestions for future research
Authors: Porru Fabio
Published: September 2024

The growing recognition of mental health problems among students in higher education as a societal challenge highlights the need of surveillance systems to monitor their prevalence and the investigation of their underlying determinants and mechanisms to develop effective interventions. This article provides suggestions on both content and methodology for future research.Methodological adjustments may enhance the monitoring of the high and growing prevalence of mental health problems among students in higher education. Most evidence on the prevalence of mental health problems among students relies on self-report questionnaires, which, while valuable for tracking population health, lack specificity for clinical diagnoses. Distinguishing between the prevalence of symptoms and actual mental disorders is crucial, and investigating positive mental health may be considered. Recruitment strategies, often reliant on surveys, may introduce participation bias, emphasizing the importance of representative samples over sample size. The use of register data remains uncommon, presenting challenges but offering methodological advantages.Mental health is influenced by a multitude of interacting determinants at multiple layers. Inclusive research on under-represented groups is crucial. Health behaviors and social life may be investigated together with interventions to facilitate self-care practices. The student environment, mirroring workplaces, presents shared mental health challenges. Interventions, typically individual-focused, face challenges in scaling due to increasing demand. Moving from individual-focused to population-based research may provide broader scale targets for interventions.In conclusion, surveillance systems to monitor students’ mental health, a comprehensive investigation of its determinants, and shifting to population-based research are essential steps in addressing mental health problems among students.
Results-based approach to the economic resilience of the city of Ouagadougou to climate change
Authors: Nombre Issaka , Badolo Mathieu
Published: September 2024

This article proposes the OuagaEcoResilience scientific framework for the city of Ouagadougou economy resilience to climate change. It is a Results-based approach that includes several innovations to accelerate the realization of urban resilience configurations to climate change. They are based on concepts and decision support tools of the UrbanResilience scientific framework, that are climate change indirect impacts, contextual vulnerabilities, residual impacts, residual vulnerabilities, resilience configurations and trajectories and vulnerability indicators concepts.Specifically, the scientific tool that we propose subdivides the complex action of achieving the resilience of the economy of the city of Ouagadougou into sub-actions of less complexity to take into account the specificities and capacities of the city.
Conspiracy theories
Authors: Schatto-Eckrodt Tim , Frischlich Lena
Published: September 2024

Conspiracy theories are a social phenomenon that has been researched by several academic fields: From philosophy, historical and cultural science, to psychological research, conspiracy theories are and have been a topic of interest for many scholars. Taking a political communication perspective, this entry outlines the different approaches to define conspiracy theories and summarizes the current literature on the effects of conspiracy thinking on society. As the phenomenon of conspiracy theories is nowadays deeply connected to the networked dynamic of the social web, we also illustrate how conspiracy theories are spread, staged, and combatted in a digital, network media landscape.
HarvestStat Africa – Harmonized Subnational Crop Statistics for Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Lee Donghoon , Anderson Weston , Chen Xuan , Davenport Frank , Shukla Shraddhanand , Sahajpal Ritvik , Budde Michael , Rowland James , Verdin Jim , You Liangzhi , Ahouangbenon Matthieu , Davis Kyle , Kebede Endalkachew , Ehrmann Steffen , Justice Christina , Meyer Carsten
Published: September 2024

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces severe agricultural data scarcity amidst high food insecurity and a large agricultural yield gap, making crop production data crucial for understanding and enhancing food systems. To address this gap, HarvestStat Africa presents the largest compilation of open-access subnational crop statistics and time-series across SSA. Based on agricultural statistics collated by USAID’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network, the subnational crop statistics are standardized and calibrated across changing administrative units to produce consistent and continuous time-series. The dataset includes 546,605 records, primarily spanning from 1980 to 2022, detailing crop production, harvested areas, and yields for 33 countries and 90 crop types, including key cereals in SSA such as wheat, maize, rice, sorghum, barley, millet, and fonio. This new dataset enhances our understanding of how climate variability and change influence agricultural production, supports subnational food system analysis, and aids in operational yield forecasting. As an open-source resource, it sets an important precedent for sharing subnational crop statistics to inform decision-making and modeling efforts.
SCHOOL CHILDREN’S SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS PAGE READING
Authors: Kanerva Oksana , Häikiö Tuomo , Mikkilä-Erdmann Mirjamaija , Erdmann Norbert , Kaakinen Johanna K.
Published: September 2024

Internet search encompasses reading search engine results page (SERP) as a crucial skill for finding relevant information. We examined SERP reading of Finnish school children aged 11-12 (N=34) to study its connection with search hit selection performance. Before reading a SERP, participants received an inquiry task, and were instructed to select the best three hits to complete it. Participants’ eye movements were recorded while they read simulated SERPs containing 8 search hits in randomized order with manipulated task relevance of titles and descriptions. Children’s reading fluency was also measured. Results showed that for the total reading time on titles, more fluent readers read the titles down the page faster, while less fluent ones paid almost equal amount of attention to the titles across the page. In the total reading time on descriptions, more fluent readers examined relevant descriptions almost equally carefully across the page, but skimmed through the irrelevant ones as their order increased. Less fluent readers spent more time reading relevant descriptions higher in the SERP, but the irrelevant ones were attended to with lesser scrutiny and the effect of order was less pronounced. Importantly, spending more time on relevant descriptions enhanced search hits selection performance across all participants.
Triggering just-in-time adaptive interventions based on real-time detection of daily-life stress
Authors: Bögemann Sophie , Krause Florian , van Kraaij Alex , Marciniak Marta , van Leeuwen Judith , Weermeijer Jeroen Dennis, Merlijn , Mituniewicz Julian , Puhlmann Lara , Zerban Matthias , Reppmann Zala , Kobylinska Dorota , Yuen Kenneth S.L. , Kleim Birgit , Walter Henrik , Myin-Germeys Inez , Kalisch Raffael , Roelofs Karin , Hermans Erno
Published: September 2024

Background: Stress-related disorders present a significant global burden. There is great need for effective, preventive measures. Mobile just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI) have the potential to be applied in real time and context-specifically, precisely when individuals need them most. However, they have not been widely implemented in the context of stress research. This study introduces a novel approach by performing real-time analysis of both psychological and physiological data to trigger timely interventions during moments of high stress.Objective: This paper evaluates the feasibility of a JITAI algorithm designed to trigger interventions during moments of heightened stress. Methods: The JITAI algorithm integrates features from ecological momentary assessments (EMA) and ecological physiological assessments (EPA) into a combined stress score that can trigger interventions in real time by relating the score to an a priori personalized stress threshold. Feasibility of the technical implementation, participant adherence, and user experience were assessed within a multicenter study with 215 participants conducted across five research sites.Results: The JITAI algorithm successfully processed EMA and EPA data to trigger interventions based on daily-life stress. On average, 68% (± 29%) of completed EMA beeps per week contained successfully extracted EPA features, demonstrating effective technical implementation. The algorithm triggered an average of 1.61 (± 1.26) interventions per day, with 43% (± 27%) of completed EMA beeps per week leading to interventions. Participant adherence was reasonable, with an EMA compliance rate of 43% (± 22%) and an EMI compliance rate of 43% (± 30%). User feedback highlighted the potential for system improvements and better integration into daily life.Conclusion: Feasibility of the developed JITAI algorithm was demonstrated, with effective data processing and intervention triggering in real time. Future research should focus on minimizing participant burden to improve participant adherence and acceptability. In conclusion, our study highlights the potential of JITAI by providing timely support during moments of heightened stress.
Introspective psychophysics for the study of subjective experience
Authors: Peters Megan A. K.
Published: September 2024

Studying subjective experience is hard. We believe that pain is not identical to nociception, nor pleasure a computational reward signal, nor fear the activation of ‘threat circuitry’. Unfortunately, introspective self-reports offer our best bet for accessing subjective experience, but many still believe that introspection is “unreliable” and “unverifiable”. But which of introspection’s faults do we find most damning? Is it that introspection provides imperfect access to brain processes (e.g., perception, memory)? That subjective experience is not objectively verifiable? That it’s hard to isolate from non-subjective processing capacity? Here I argue none of these prevents us from building a meaningful, impactful psychophysical research program that treats subjective experience as a valid empirical target through precisely characterizing relationships among environmental variables, brain processes and behavior, and self-reported phenomenology. Following recent similar calls by Peters (2022), Kammerer and Frankish (2023), and Fleming (2023), “introspective psychophysics” thus treats introspection’s apparent faults as features, not bugs – just as the noise and distortions linking environment to behavior inspired Fechner’s psychophysics over 150 years ago. This next generation of psychophysics will establish a powerful tool for building and testing precise explanatory models of phenomenology across many dimensions – urgency, emotion, clarity, vividness, confidence, and more.
Intertemporal choice
Authors: Wagner Ben , Knauth Kilian , Peters Jan
Published: September 2024

We face a myriad of choices 24/7. The first might arise early in the morning: Should I hit the snooze button for a few extra minutes of sleep, or get up on time to set out for a productive day working on a book chapter? Later, I might have to decide whether to spend my money on that new fancy gadget or put it into my savings plan, and in the evening, I might have to consider whether small immediate 'pleasures' like smoking or feasting outweigh the greater long-term benefits of good health. Decisions that involve outcomes at different points in time are referred to as inter-temporal choices. Some of these decisions may turn out to be irrelevant, while others may significantly shape our future. Even when the outcomes of our choices are uncertain, our inter-temporal decision-making tendencies, whether long or short term, can significantly affect our lives over time.
Batting Eye, which supports batter performance in baseball players, is associated with executive function
Authors: Morishita Yoshitaka , Ochi Genta , Takahashi Daiki , Kato Kodai , Uchiyama Wataru , Nishihara Yasuyuki
Published: September 2024

The ability to determine whether a pitched ball has passed through the strike zone or the ball zone and to select a ball that can be hit is called “pitch selection,” and may have a positive impact on batting average and other performance indicators. Furthermore, this ability may be supported by brain functions such as cognitive functions, and the importance of Pitch Selection has long been considered. However, this ability has not yet been quantified, and there are no training methods for pitch selection. In this study, we created a pitch selection task in which participants watched pitching images captured by a 360-degree camera through virtual reality goggles to clarify whether pitch selection was related to batting performance and cognitive function. The results showed a significant positive relationship between the pitch selection task and hitting performance, such as the on-base and on-base percentages. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between spatial Stroop task performance and the percentage of correct strikes among the pitch selection ability tasks. These results suggest that pitch selection ability is related to the hitting performance of baseball players and that cognitive function may play an important role in pitch selection performance.
सम्प्रदानत्वविमर्श :
Authors: शर्मा Sharma जगन्नाथ Jagannath
Published: September 2024

Available with Full text.
कालिदासरुपकाणां शास्त्रीयं स्वरूपम्
Authors: पौड्याल Poudyal रीता Rita ज्ञवाली Gnawali
Published: September 2024

Available with Full text.
अथर्भदधातुरप्रत्ययः प्रातिपदिकम् ईति सूत्रार्थचिन्तम्
Authors: उपाध्यायः Upadhyaya सुनिल Sunil
Published: September 2024

Available with Full Text.
Understanding Transformative Learning and Transformative Tourism
Authors: Kunwar Ramesh Raj , Ulak Nimesh
Published: September 2024

This study focuses on two major areas of transformative learning and transformative tourism. The study aims to understand how transformative learning theory developed by Jack Mezirow was first introduced to the academia and then adopted in the field of tourism. Transformative travel and tourism is an emerging paradigm in the travel industry, characterized by travel experiences that lead to profound personal growth, self-discovery, and societal benefits. This paper explores the intersections of transformative learning theory and transformational tourism experiences through a qualitative research approach. By synthesizing secondary data from diverse contexts and empirical studies, the study examines how transformative learning processes manifest in the context of travel and tourism. The theoretical framework draws on Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, emphasizing critical reflection and perspective learning. This study is based on a general review through thematic analysis of narratives. The research identifies mechanisms that facilitate transformative experiences during travel. The literatures highlight on novelty seeking, escapism, freedom, self-efficacy, the transformation of consciousness, self-development and personal growth, and subjective wellbeing which is an outcome of transformative travel. This study explores the concepts of transformation, transformative learning, transformational tourism, tourism motivation, tourism destination image, marketing, authenticity, satisfaction, and transformative experiences.
Women and Entrepreneurship in Nepal
Authors: Hillman Wendy
Published: September 2024

The concept of entrepreneurship of women in Nepal is becoming more popular as a means of socio-economic development. The lack of job opportunities and low business density often make entrepreneurship a possible option for those living in such locations, especially for women. A total of 16 women entrepreneurs were interviewed for this research project. All interviews for this study were conducted in English. All women participants were between the ages of 20 and 68. Thematic analysis was used to code the data. Research concerning women in Nepal and the ways they engage with entrepreneurship was undertaken in order to explore strategies used successfully by the women to identify ways of pursuing  entrepreneurship in Nepal. Women entrepreneurs often boost local economies, create new jobs, use land in an environmentally friendly way, leverage local talent, products and resources, and improve the social sustainability of their communities. Women also  launch innovative and sustainable projects that benefit people and revitalise local populations; while creating bonds and attracting new participants. Policy makers will find this research an important step forward, as it serves as a reference point for socio-economic reform. This study provides a valuable perspective on women’s entrepreneurship in Nepal.
दिगो विकास निर्माणको पक्षमा {In Favor of Sustainable Development Construction}
Authors: Chaudhary Deepak
Published: September 2024

विकासबाट विकास निर्माणमा हामी प्रवेश गरेका छौं । यसले भौतिक पूर्वाधार विकासलाई जनाएता पनि यससँग समग्र विकासका कुराहरु पनि पर्ने गर्दछन् । यसबाट अत्यधिक रोजगारी सृजना हुने गरेको छ भने आर्थिक वृद्दिमा यसको भूमिका महत्वपूर्ण मान्नु पर्छ । तथ्यागं र अध्ययनहरुले चीन, पूर्बि एशिया,अरब र भारतको पूर्वाधार विकासले उच्च आर्थिक वृद्दि दिन सफल देखिन्छन् । जसका कारण अन्य क्षेत्रमा लगानी गर्न यसले मद्त गने गर्दछ । यद्यपि विकास निर्माणमा आउने चनौतिहरुको सही ढंगले सामाना गर्न नसक्दा व्यवभार बढने सम्भाना रहन्छ । विकास निर्माणका कारण कृषि उत्पादन तथा अन्य ब्यापार व्यवसाय गर्न सहज हुने गर्दछ । यसले बजारसँग जोड्न मद्त गर्ने भएकोले पनि विकास निर्माणलाई दिगो रुपमा विकास गर्न आवश्यक र अपरिहार्य छ ।
विकासको सन्दर्भमा रुपान्तरणकारी सोच आवश्यक छ {Transformative thinking is needed in the context of development}
Authors: Rai Janak
Published: September 2024

Not Available.
Flexible bronchoscopy for removal of airway foreign bodies: A single center experience
Authors: Dhungana Ashesh , Shrestha Prajowl , Shrestha Deepa Kumari , Verma Avatar , Oli Ritamvara , Thakur Laxman
Published: September 2024

Background: Airway foreign bodies are rare in occurrence and challenging to manage. The presentation varies depending upon the size, site, and nature of the aspirated material. Although rigid bronchoscopy is the preferred choice in children; distally lodged foreign bodies in adults have high success rate of extraction with flexible bronchoscope.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the utility of flexible bronchoscopy for removal of airway foreign bodies in adolescents and adults.
Methods: In a retrospective study conducted between January 2018 to March 2024 at National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir hospital; medical records of patients undergoing bronchoscopy for airway foreign bodies were extracted.
Methods and Material: Demographic parameters, type and location of foreign body, extraction procedure, accessory equipment used, and the success rates were analyzed. Complications during and after the procedure were also recorded.
Results: During the study period, a total of 3143 bronchoscopies were performed, of which 18 (0.57%) were done for foreign body extraction. Patients were aged between 12 to 89 years; cough was the commonest symptom and lobar collapse was the commonest radiological sign. Organic foreign bodies accounted for 61% cases and inorganic 39%. Right lower lobe was the commonest site. Successful flexible bronchoscopy assisted extraction was achieved in 89%. Of the 18 patients, 12 (67%) were successfully removed with rat toothed forceps and five (28%) with basket device. No major complications were noted.
Conclusions: Flexible bronchoscopy has a high success rate in management of airway foreign bodies and should always be considered as first line in adults.
Anthropometric and Nutritional status of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease presenting in Acute Exacerbation in Tertiary care Hospital in Eastern Nepal
Authors: Uprety Augraj , Pantha Srijan , Gurung Kum Bahadur , Aryal Prakash , Timsina Anup , Mandal Dipesh , Hamal Sangita , Chaudhary Sabnam , Thakur Aanad Lohar , Yadav Krishna Chandra , Shah Nensi , Yadav Dipendra , Pandey Prajwal , Dahal Sweta , Shahi Rejina , Mishra Deebya Raj , Bhatta Narendra
Published: September 2024

Background: There is scarcity of data regarding the nutritional status of COPD patients presenting in exacerbation in our setup, thus this observational study was conducted.
Methods: We performed an observational study of patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, who were admitted in the Department of Pulmonary, Critical care and Sleep Medicine in tertiary hospital in eastern Nepal from April 2023 to June 2023.
Results: During the study period, a total of 154 patients of COPD with exacerbations were admitted in our department. The baseline anthropometric parameters, lab parameters as well as the malnutrition scores were determined. The mean BMI was 21.82 ± 3.92 kg/m2 and only 29% had BMI < 18.5 kg/m2.The mean hemoglobin, mean cell volume, serum protein, serum albumin, serum calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D level were 12.43 ± 2.32 g/dL, 84.4 ± 9.41 fL, 6.42 ± 1.74 g/ dL, 3.32 ± 0.34 g/dL, 8.98 ± 0.63 mg/dL, 3.02 ± 0.42 mg/dL, 18.48 ± 8.22 pg/mL and 40%, 12%, 28%, 41%, 31%, 42% and 49% of these values were below the lower normal limit respectively. The nutritional status tool used NRS-2002, MUST and MNAS-F screened malnutrition in about 68%, 51% and 54% respectively. There shows a discrepancy between the evaluation of the malnutrition assessed by BMI with that of nutritional assessment score.
Conclusion: COPD who present in exacerbations are malnourished, but use of sole BMI to rule out malnutrition in such group of patients can cause false negative result.
Impact of Corticosteroid on Covid-19 Pneumonia Patients
Authors: Mishra Navin Kumar , Karn Rohit , Shrestha Milan , Acharya Abhiskar , Acharya Sunil , Dahal Suresh , Neopane Arpana
Published: September 2024

Background: Globally over 704,753890 had COVID -19 Out of which 7,010,681 died compared to 12031 death in Nepal out of1003450 cases Nationwide. Corticosteroids because of their anti- inflammatory effect may have beneficial effect/s on COVID-19 patients. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathogen responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has resulted in global healthcare crises and strained health resources. Corticosteroids are a potential therapeutic agent for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The RECOVERY (Randomised Trials in COVID-19 Therapy) trial provided data on the mortality benefits of corticosteroids.
Aim: The study aims to see the effect of Corticosteroids on COVID-19 patient outcomes concerning disease progression, length of hospital stay, 28-day mortality, and use of resources like Ventilator.
Method: Single Hospital-based Prospective observational study among RT-PCR positive for COVID-19 patients admitted at Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital from June 01, 2021 –July 31st, 2021 requiring oxygen therapy. Patients were grouped into either usual care, including symptomatic treatment only, or a group receiving both usual care and Corticosteroid.
Results: This study included 160 RT-PCR-positive cases. There were 53 patients with mild symptoms and 107 with moderate symptoms. Patients with mild symptoms who received standard care had an odds ratio of 1.875 for progression to moderate and severe COVID-19 Compared to those who received both standard care and corticosteroid. Similarly, Patients with moderate symptoms who received standard care had an odds ratio of 1.8 for progression to severe and critical COVID-19 Compared to those who received both standard care as well as corticosteroids. Among patients with mild symptoms, the overall use of a ventilator was 35.85 % and mortality was 13.21 %. Similarly, in patients with moderate symptoms at presentation, a ventilator was needed in 33.64 % and mortality was 24.30 %.
Conclusion: Though Corticosteroids seem to have a beneficial role in preventing disease progression, they failed to show a statistically significant reduction of ventilator use and mortality benefit amongst groups.
ओखलढुंगा क्याम्पसमा सूचना तथा सञ्चार प्रविधि
Authors: Dhamala धमला Choplal चोपलाल
Published: September 2024

प्रस्तुत लेख ओखलढुंगा क्याम्पसमा सूचना तथा सञ्चार प्रविधिको प्रयोग र यसको प्रभावकारिता सम्बन्धी शीषर्कमा गरिएको अध्ययनमा आधारित छ । क्याम्पसको कार्यालय व्यवस्थापन तथा संञ्चालन र शिक्षणमा सूचना, सञ्चार र प्रविधिका साधन र तिनको प्रयोगको वर्तमान अवस्था अध्ययन गर्नु र क्याम्पसको कार्यालय व्यवस्थापन तथा सञ्चालन र शिक्षण सिकाईमा सूचना तथा प्रविधिको प्रयोग गर्न आई परेका कठिनाईहरू ,चुनौती र समधानका उपायहरूको खोजी गरी सुझाउनु जस्ता प्रमुख उद्देश्यहरू राखी यो अध्ययन गरिएको थियो । यो अध्ययन गुणात्मक ढाँचामा केन्द्रित रही अध्ययन गरिएको छ । ओखलढुंगा क्याम्पसलाई उद्देश्य मुलक विधिबाट छनोट गरी अनुसन्धानकर्ता आफैले क्याम्पस व्यवस्थापन समितिका अध्यक्ष, क्याम्पस प्रमुख, प्राध्यापकहरू, कर्मचारी र केही विद्यार्थीहरूलाई खुल्ला प्रश्नावलीसगै अन्तरवार्ताबाट प्राथमिक तथ्यांक संकलन तथा आवाश्यकता अनुसार द्वितीय तथ्यांकको लागि क्याम्पसका अभिलेखहरू, पुस्तक, लेख र रचना पत्रपत्रिका, इमेल इन्टरनेटबाट प्राप्त विबरण तथा सूचना र तथ्यांकलाई बिभिन्न शीर्षकबाट ओखलढुंगा क्याम्पस ओखलढुंगामा सूचना तथा सञ्चार प्रविधिको प्रयोग र यसको प्रभावकारीताको वर्तमान अवस्था, सूचना तथा संचार प्रविधिको प्रयोग गर्न आई परेका कठिनाईहरू र चुनौतीहरू र समाधानका उपायहरूलाई संक्षिप्त रुपमा प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ ।
बाहिङ तुम्लो
Authors: Khanal खनाल Bhesh Nath भेषनाथ
Published: September 2024

मुन्धुम किराती बाहिङ–बायुङ समुदायको प्राचीन कालदेखि मौखिक रुपमा चल्दै आएको सामाजिक सांस्कृतिक बौद्विक सम्पदा हो । यो हालसम्म पनि बाहिङ समाजमा नक्स र धामीहरूले लोककथा र मिथकका रुपमा भन्दै सुनाउदै आएका छन् । बर्तमान सन्दर्भमा मौखिकबाट लेख्य हुन् । लागि रहेको मुन्धुममार्फत समाज र सभ्यता प्राग ऐतिहासिक कालको तथ्यहरू प्रकाशमा ल्याउन सकिने सम्भावना छ । बायुङ (बाहिङ) मातृभाषामा तुम्लो भनिने मुन्धुम किराँती समाजमा दर्शन संस्कार र समाजका प्रचलित मूल्य मान्यताहरूको आधार हो । बाहिङ मातृभाषामा तम्चो र लो को मेल भई बनेको तुम्लो शब्दले पुर्खा प्रकृतिलाई सम्मान गरेर खुसी पार्ने सन्दर्भमा तुम्चोलो हुदै तुम्लो भएको हो । मुन्दुमी भाषा बोलचालको भाषा भन्दा फरक हुन्छ । यसलाई फ्रेःलोे. बाहिङ लो, प्रोचालो रःदि लो भनिन्छ । यस अनुसन्धानमा बाहिङ तुम्लो (मुन्धुम)ले के कसरी संस्कार संस्कृतिकमा के कस्तो भुमिका खेलेका छ ? संस्कार संस्कृतिमा के कस्ता प्रभाव परेको छ ? संस्कार संस्कृतिको उत्पति कसरी भएको छ ? वर्तमान सन्र्दभमा यसको अवस्थामा ब्याख्या गरिएको छ । मुन्धुम लो सामाजिक सांस्कृतिक संरचनाहरू कसरी निर्माण गरेको छ ? अहिले यसको प्रचलन कस्तो छ ? भन्ने विषयहरूमाथि केन्द्रित रहेर खोजि गरिएको छ ।
नेपाली विषयको वर्तमान माध्यमिक शिक्षा पाठ्यक्र‌ममा तहगत सक्षमता र सिकाइ उपलब्धिको तुलना
Authors: Poudel पौडेल Somanath सोमनाथ
Published: September 2024

यस लेखमा नेपाली विषयको वर्तमान माध्यमिक शिक्षा पाठ्‌यक्रमले तय गरेका कक्षा ९ र १० तथा कक्षा ११ र १२ को तहगत सक्षमता र सिकाइ उपलब्धिको भाषिक सिपका आधारमा तुलनात्मक अध्ययन गरिएको छ । यसमा तुलनात्मक तथा व्यतिरेकी भाषा विज्ञानको सैद्धान्तिक धरातलमा रही खास गरी व्यतिरेकी विश्लेषण गरिएको छ । यसमा गुणात्मक अनुसन्धानको ढाँचालाई प्रस्तुति र विश्लेषणका लागि अपनाइएको छ । यस अध्ययन‌मा नेपाली विषयको माध्यमिक शिक्षा पाठ्‌यक्रमलाई आधार सामग्रीका रूप‌मा उपयोग गरिएको छ भने द्वितीय स्रोतबाट सामग्री सङ्‌कलन गरिएको छ । यसमा विषयवस्तुलाई वर्णनात्मक, विश्लेषणात्मक साथै तुलनात्मक विधिबाट प्रस्तुति र विश्लेषण गरिएको छ । यस लेखमा कक्षा ९ र १० तथा कक्षा ११ र १२ को वर्तमान पाठ्‌यक्रम‌मा तय गरिएका तहगत सक्षमताका अन्तर्वस्तु धेरैजसो समान देखिन्छन् तर केही भिन्नताहरू पनि रहेका छन् । सक्षमताका अन्तर्वस्तुका भिन्नतालाई हेर्दा कक्षा ९ र १० मा भन्दा कक्षा ११ र १२ मा अभिव्यक्ति कौशल, सम्मानजनक भाषिक व्यवहार, समालोचनात्मक चिन्तन, राष्ट्रिय एवंम् मानवीय मूल्यअनुकूल लेख्य अभिव्यक्ति जस्ता केही विशिष्ट भाषिक सिप र कौशलहरू फरक देखिन्छन् । यस्तै सिकाइ उपलब्धिहरूको सन्दर्भमा कक्षा ९ मा प्रारम्भिक भाषिक सिप र कौशल विकास गर्न सिकाइ उपलब्धिहरू तय गरिएको देखिन्छ भने कक्षा १० मा तार्किक, सन्देशमूलक, विश्लेशणात्मक, समीक्षात्मक, समालोचनात्मक अभिव्यक्ति जस्ता विशिष्ट अभिव्यक्ति कौशललाई सिकाइ उपलब्धिकारूपमा राखिएको छ । यस्तै कक्षा ११ मा कक्षा १० कै भाषिक ज्ञान, सिप र कौशललाई सबल पार्दै लगिएको पाइन्छ भने कक्षा १२ मा विशिष्ट भाषिक सिप तथा कौशल विकास गर्नका निम्ति सिकाइ उपलब्धिहरू निर्धारण गरिएको देखिन्छ । यी भिन्नताहरू पाठ्यक्रमको लम्बीय स्तरणको मान्यताअनुरूप नै रहेको देखिन्छन् ।
Transit Number Three: Beginning
Authors:   Professor, Kookmin University (Seoul), Lankov Andrey N.
Published: September 2024

The decision to start transit preparations ahead of time helps strengthen stability in North Korea. For powers that, like Russia and China, are interested in maintaining the status quo in East Asia, the transit decision also looks favorable.
Crowdfunding as a Way to Provide Armed Forces with Resources
Authors:   Associate Professor, Higher School of Service and Trade, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Kotlyarov Ivan D.
Published: September 2024

The border between peace and war is getting blurred, making experts talk about hybrid war and hybrid peace as a transitional stage between peace and hostilities. However, it is also conducive to hybrid mobilization and hybrid security.
Behind a Telamon
Authors:   Academic supervisor of the educational program “Politics. Economics. Philosophy,” Faculty of Social Sciences, National Research University-Higher School of Economics, Mironyuk Mikhail G.
Published: September 2024

Book review: Property or Death. Libertarianism: Anthology. Translated by K.A. Bakunina, compiled and foreword by R.Yu. Belkovich. St. Petersburg: Vladimir Dal, 2024 581 pp.
On Ukraine: To Understand before Making Peremptory Judgments
Authors:   French economist, former Governor of the Banque de France (1987–1993), Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (1978–1987), President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (1993–1998), de Larosiere Jacques
Published: September 2024

It would be wrong to confine oneself to asserting international law where it is far from the ethnic and human realities. It is not reasonable to insist on historical borders instead of deciding on a ceasefire line, as it only provides a bonus for aggression.
Surviving the World Order to Come
Authors:   Visiting Research Fellow, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Brown University, USA, Freeman Chas W.
Published: September 2024

In the emerging, unfamiliar international system, countries interact and connect with each other in a multidimensional – not just a bilateral context – and in multiple, often inconsistent, ways.
MODERN TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC SCIENCE (FOLLOWING THE RESULTS OF THE ALL-RUSSIAN SCIENTI C AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION “GALAXY OF SCIENCE-2024”)
Authors:   Kuban State University, MALAKHOVA T.S.
Published: September 2024

In modern conditions the world economy is experiencing transformation processes in all spheres of public life. External and internal challenges are pushing scientists to reconsider the basic theoretical and practical foundations in the economic sphere. Therefore, forming and conducting scientific events is an important component for discussion, as well as identifying current trends in the development of economic science.
The role of entrepreneurship in the economic development of Russia and ways to support it in modern conditions
Authors: Karmova Bella Zaurbekovna
Published: September 2024

The article defines the role of entrepreneurship in the socio-economic life of the country, examines the main problems of the development of Russian small and medium-sized enterprises, and suggests ways to develop them under the conditions of economic sanctions of Western states and macroeconomic instability of the national economy. It is concluded that in order to increase the share of small and medium-sized enterprises in Russia's GDP, it is necessary to involve them in all spheres of activity and strengthen their qualitative component. And in order to increase the effectiveness of measures taken by the state in relation to SMEs, it is necessary to improve the legislative framework and review ongoing national projects taking into account changing conditions.
Bioconservation of hard rent cheese using bacteriophages
Authors: Kukhtyn Mykola , Tsisaryk Orysia , Salata Volodymyr , Koval Halyna , Klymyk Vira
Published: September 2024

Several technological approaches are used to increase the safety of perishable food products during their production and realization. In particular, it is the use of temperature, high pressure, ultraviolet radiation and added preservatives. One of the generally recognized and common disadvantages of all these methods is that they have an influence on the microorganisms indiscriminately, that is, they inhibit both pathogenic and potentially beneficial autochthonous lactic acid bacteria of the "normal" microflora of fermented products. The purpose of this investigation was to monitor hard rennet cheeses for the content of Staphylococcus aureus and to develop a technology for its preservation using a lytic staphylococcal bacteriophage. Contamination of milk-raw material and Dutch cheese with Staphylococcus aureus was determined by inoculating the selected samples and carrying out tenfold dilutions on a selective hemoagar medium with 5% sodium chloride, followed by thermostating for +37-48 hours. Isolation of bacteriophages from milk raw materials was carried out by filtering through bacterial filters with pores of 0.45 μm. During the improvement of the technology of Dutch cheese with staphylococcal bacteriophage, two samples of cheese were produced - one experimental with bacteriophage, and the second control - without bacteriophage.

It was set up that in milk-raw material, which is processed for the production of hard cheeses, Staphylococcus aureus was not detected in 25 to 40% of the samples, on average 45% of the milk samples were contaminated with this pathogen up to 5×102 CFU/ml and from 18 to 30% samples had a staphylococci content of more than 5×102 CFU/ml. In hard cheeses which are realized in the retail network, Staphylococcus aureus was not isolated in an average of 25% of the samples, while approximately 30% of the samples were contaminated with this microorganism in the amount of more than 5×102 CFU/g, which exceeds the requirements of the standard. Two bacteriophages were selected that showed 75.0-80.0% lytic activity against cultures of Staphylococcus aureus from milk and hard cheeses. These bacteriophages were used in the technology of preserving hard Dutch cheese. The technology of Dutch cheese with staphylococcal bacteriophage has been developed to increase its safety during implementation. The use of lytic bacteriophages for the biocontrol of Staphylococcus aureus in rennet cheese makes it possible to almost completely neutralize them in the technology of production.

Therefore, the use of lytic bacteriophages to increase the safety of dairy products is an environmentally clean way of restraining the development of pathogenic bacteria, thereby not influencing on the fermentation microflora of the product.