bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Tip: Designing Three-Dimensional (3-D) Printed Struvite and Calcium Oxalate Crystals for Microscopic Examination
Authors: Englar Ryane E.
Published: August 2023

Accredited colleges of veterinary medicine are required by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) to provide learners with hands-on diagnostic method training, including urinalysis. Although teaching hospitals and affiliated clinical partners offer opportunities to test and interpret urine, caseload is unpredictable. Textbook images and published case reports offer substitutes for experiential learning. However, these read-only modalities lack experiences for learners to evaluate slides microscopically for crystalluria. This teaching tip describes the development of three-dimensional (3-D) printed struvite and calcium oxalate models for skills training. Micro-precision 3-D printed models were designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Geometric representations in the Standard for the Exchange of Product Data (STEP) file format were exported for 3-D printing on 2 µm resolution platforms. Prints were manufactured from high temperature laminating (HTL) resin and affixed to glass slides. Although these 3-D prints are macroscopic rather than microscopic, their orientation on a fixed template side by side allows learners to differentiate between shapes, a skill that is key to urine sediment examination. These proof-of-concept prototypes will be integrated into the author's pre-clinical curriculum so that learners can gain experience identifying and differentiating between printed struvite, calcium oxalate monohydrate, and calcium oxalate dihydrate models as they would during routine inspection of urine. Formal feedback on the efficacy of these printed models will be solicited from learners and the instructional team. Future iterations will miniaturize the printed models to reflect their real-to-life microscopic dimensions more accurately.
Penerapan Religious Culture Melalui Pembiasaan Membaca Al-Qur’an Dan Shalat Dhuha Di Madrasah Tsanawiyah
Authors: Lubis Dwi Muthia Ridha , Siahaan Amiruddin , Salminawati Salminawati
Published: August 2023

This study aims to describe, analyze programs, analyze implementation, analyze supporting and inhibiting factors and analyze the implications of implementing religious culture through the habit of reading the Koran and praying dhuha for students at MTs Nurus Salam Deli Tua. This research is a descriptive qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. Data collection techniques are carried out through the process of observation, interviews and also documentation. Then the data obtained is presented through the process of data reduction (data reduction), data presentation (data display), and drawing conclusions (verification). The results of the research show that: 1) There are several stages that must be planned, namely determining a program with objectives and foundations; determining the success of the Religious Culture program; determine the person in charge; Organize activities and schedule activities. 2) the implementation of the Duha prayer which is carried out in congregation in the morning, then prayer and dhikr together, brief tausiyah, second, the implementation of reading the Al-Qur'an which is carried out in each class guided by the subject teacher. With the teacher's method of listening to students' reading. 3) Supporting factors in the Religious Culture program are school regulations, coaching staff, facilities and infrastructure, while factors are students' self-awareness, the number of sins and immorality. 4) The implications of the Religious Culture program, namely Uniting Allah SWT in Rububiah and Uluhiyah; being solemn in prayer; Focus on reading the Qur'an; Sincere; It's easy to do good and obey, it's hard to do God's prohibition; The heart and soul are calm, far from anxiety; Honest; Humble; Discipline; and Manners.
Immature Platelet Fraction as a Predictive Marker of Severity in Hypertensive Disease of Pregnancy: a Prospective Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Aggarwal Shavya , Kumar Meena Vinay , Saluja Sudha , Nawal Rajani , Verma Asha , Chhabra Vasundhra , Kaushik Kritika , Garhwal Monika
Published: August 2023

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the role of immature platelet fractions (IPFs) and the degree of thrombocytopenia and their association with the severity of hypertensive disease of pregnancy.Material and Methods: One-hundred-and-ten primigravida females between 20-30 years of age, with a singleton live pregnancy, who attended the ANC clinic at Mahila Chikitsalaya, at over 20 weeks of gestation, with hypertensive disease of pregnancy, from November 2019 to August 2021, were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were obtained from all subjects  at a regular ANC visits and at the time of admission in hypertensive disease of pregnancy and  samples were analyzed within 4 hours of collection using an automated hematology system. IPFs were quantified using an optical fluorescence method. The levels of thrombocytopenia and immature platelet fractions were statistically analyzed against the severity of the disease.Results: The mean IPF was highest in females with eclampsia (18.12±3.59%), followed by severe preeclampsia (14.81±2.91%), mild preeclampsia (10.55±3.26%) and was smallest in females with gestational hypertension (10.08± 0.91%). This increase in IPF with increasing severity of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy was found to be statistically significant (p-value<0.001). The mean platelet count was lowest in females with eclampsia (1.60±0.41 lac/mm3, followed by severe pre-eclampsia (1.65±0.36 lac/mm3), mild pre-eclampsia (1.90±0.47 lac/mm3) and highest in females with gestational hypertension (2.57±0.25 lac/mm3) (p-value<0.001)Conclusion: Higher IPFs had a negative correlation with lower platelet counts and was significantly correlated s with disease severity. Changes in IPF in HDP may occur before development of thrombocytopenia, thus providing an opportunity to plan preemptive management strategies to reduce fetomaternal morbidity and mortality.
Time and Space in the Philosophy of Leibnitz. Part IIІ
Authors: Secundant Sergii , Oriekhova Arina
Published: August 2023

Arina Orekhova’s interview with Professor Serhii Secundant, devoted to Leibniz’s concept of time and space, the peculiarities of Michael Fatch’s interpretation of this concept, and various historico-philosophical approaches to understanding Leibniz’s philosophy as a whole.
The Oxford Quartet: Moral Philosophy After the Logical Positivists. Lipscomb, B. J. B. (2021). The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Authors: Khoma Vsevolod
Published: August 2023

Review of Lipscomb, B. J. B. (2021). The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Alushta “Owl of Minerva”
Authors: Stoliar, Maryna , Bohun Mykola
Published: August 2023

Reflections on the paradigm shift in philosophizing in Ukraine at the end of the 80s, based on the authors' personal memories of participation in the Alushta Schools of Young Philosophers.
KEBEBASAN DAN KESADARAN DALAM NOVEL “SANG ALKEMIS” KARYA PAULO COELHO (EKSISTENSIALISME JEAN PAUL SARTRE)
Authors: Alpino  , Kafrawi M
Published: August 2023

This research is entitled Freedom and Consciousness in the Novel “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho (Existentialism study of Jean Paul Sartre).  The problem that will be examined in this study is the freedom that focuses on the main character in this novel.  The purpose of this study is to describe the form of Sartre’s existentialism towards the main character.  The technique used  in this study is the technique of reading and note taking with a intellectual and hermeneutic approach. The result of this reasearch shows that the main character in this novel, is someone who has a tendency to be reflective and authentic.
REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA SOBRE GESTÃO DE MARKETING, ESTRATÉGIAS E RECURSOS ORGANIZACIONAIS
Authors: Sibeli Cardoso Borba Machado  , Carlos Eduardo de Morais  , Graziela Oste Graziano Cremonezi  , Jacir Leonir Casagrande
Published: August 2023

O estudo busca analisar a relevância da aplicabilidade dos recursos e estratégias organizacionais à da gestão de marketing nas empresas. Para esta pesquisa, realizou-se um mapeamento da produção científica em bases de dados nacionais, nas quais foram identificados 40 artigos devidamente alinhados ao tema recursos, estratégia e gestão de marketing. Nessa investida, foram considerados os seguintes critérios: (i) o delineamento metodológico; e (ii) seleção do portfólio de revisão sistemática de literatura (RSL). O processo metodológico levou em conta artigos científicos, sendo selecionadas as bases de dados bibliográficas Spell e Scielo. Diante disso, os resultados relevantes foram: (i) a Revista Brasileira de Gestão de Negócios (RBGN) e a Revista de Administração de Empresas (ERA) como destaques (ii) 2019 como o ano com o maior número de artigos publicados sobre tema proposto; (iii) 40% dos artigos relacionados foram publicados por dois autores; (iv) Pablo Antonio Munoz-Gallego e Abbyssinia Mushunje foram autores destaques com respectivamente, 2.559 e 1.359 citações, e o (v) Brasil como país com maior registro de publicações (67,5%). Este estudo tende a colaborar na compreensão de como a aplicabilidade dos recursos e estratégias organizacionais podem ser utilizadas para aperfeiçoar a gestão de marketing nas empresas. O que se pretendeu foi oferecer uma outra lente que possa contribuir no aprimoramento dos processos de gestão nas organizações, a partir da aplicação dos recursos e estratégias na geração de resultados satisfatórios.
Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of Bi1-yBa(Sr)Fe1-yTiyO3 Solid Solutions
Authors: Latushka S.I. , Zheludkevich D.V. , Budemko E.V. , Nekludov K.N. , Silibin M.V. , Karpinsky D.V.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Usages of various chemical substitution schemes of the initial multiferroic BiFeO3 can significantly reduce known drawbacks specific for the functional oxides based of iron ions and thus foster a creation of novel magnetoelectric compounds perspective for various technological applications. In the present study the co-doped compounds of the system Bi1-y(Ba1- xSrx)yFe1-yTiyO3 (x = 0.0 – 1.0; y ≤ 0.4) synthesized using sol-gel technique were analyzed focusing on the crystal structure stability and the correlation between the structure and magnetic properties. The concentration driven evolution of the crystal structure as well as the unit cell parameters were investigated based on the X-ray diffraction data, the correlation between the crystal structure and the magnetic properties of the compounds has been studied by magnetometry techniques. The compounds Bi1-y(Ba1- xSrx)yFe1-yTiyO3 with x = 0; y = ≤ 0.2 are characterized by single-phase rhombohedral structure, and increase in the dopant concentration to y = 0.4 leads to the stabilization of the pseudocubic phase. An increase in the Sr content leads to the phase transition in the compounds to the single phase state with the cubic structure which is accompanied by an increase in the value of the remanent magnetization.
Pengaruh Dosis Pupuk Kandang dan Macam Varietas Terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Produksi Cabai Merah (Capsicum annum L)
Authors: Setiyani Elis , Handriatni Ari , Jazilah Syakiroh
Published: August 2023

Cabai merah keriting (Capsium annuum L) merupakan tanaman hortikultura (sayuran) yang memiliki ciri khas dengan rasa  pedas. Cabai masih termasuk kedalam suku terong-terongan atau Solanaceae. Penelitian bertujuan mengetahui Dosis dan  Macam varietas, beserta interaksi. Telah dilaksanakan di Dk Sicowet Ds. Pododadi, Kec. Karanganyar, Kab. Pekalongan, yang ketinggian tempat ± 107 mdpl. Percobaan dilaksanakan ± 4 bulan, bulan Maret - Juni 2022. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan RAK. Faktor pertama dosis pupuk kandang  dengan dosis 0 (D0), 10 ton/ha (D1), 20 Ton/ha (D2), dan 30 ton/ha (D3). Faktor kedua macam varietas, varietas PM 999 F1 (V1), varietas Lado (V2) dan varietas Laris F1 (V3). Hasil penelitian menunjukan perlakuan dosis pupuk kandang berbeda tidak nyata terhadap semua variabel. Dosis pupuk kandang belum mencapai titik optimum. Macam varietas berbeda sangat nyata terhadap variabel saat muncul bunga, jumlah buah pertanaman, berat per buah, panjang buah, diameter buah, bobot buah pertanaman,dan berbeda tidak nyata terhadap variabel tinggi tanaman, bobot basah brangkasan, bobot kering brangkasan, dan panjang akar terpanjang. Macam varietas  terbaik didapat varietas Lado F1. Interaksi antara dosis dan macam pupuk kandang berbeda sangat nyata terhadap variabel saat muncul bunga dengan kombinasi terbaik dicapai dosis 20 ton/ha (D2) dengan macam varietas PM 999 F1 (V1).
Kata kunci: Cabai Merah, Dosis Pupuk Kandang, Macam Varietas, Pupuk Kandang
Księga XV – De laicis w dekrecie Burcharda z Wormacji
Authors: Góralski Wojciech
Published: August 2023

W bogatej historii prawa kanonicznego okresu średniowiecza szczególne miejsce zajmuje Decretum Burcharda z Wormacji, wybitnego biskupa tego miasta (1000-1025), wcześniej duchownego Moguncji. Dzieło to, zwane też Liber Decretorum, Collectarium canonum, a także Brocardus, zrealizowane w latach 1007-1022, wpisało się istotnie w sekwencję systematycznych zbiorów aktów kościelnych (grupy niemieckiej) wypracowanych przed edyktem Gracjana. Uzupełnienie i wyjaśnienie zasad w prawodawstwie kościelnym, a jednocześnie przeprowadzenie reformy kościelnej było celem tych prywatnych kolekcji pochodzących z Italii, Niemiec, Galii i Hiszpanii. Przedmiotem opracowania jest Księga XV (De laicis) składająca się z 44 rozdziałów, w których można wyróżnić kilka wątków tematycznych, ujętych – ogólnie – wokół idei dotyczącej relacji między władzą kościelną a władzą świecką (połączenie funkcji państwa z ówczesną funkcją Kościoła). Analiza tomu XV zbioru wskazuje na akcentowanie przez Burcharda wyższości prawa Bożego nad prawem ludzkim oraz mocy duchowej nad władzą ziemską.
Funkcje specjalnie powierzone proboszczowi
Authors: Słowikowska Anna
Published: August 2023

The functions especially entrusted to a pastor, legislator enumerated in the can. 530 1983 Code of Canon Law. These are: the administration of baptism; the administration of the sacrament of confirmation to those who are in danger of death; the administration of Viaticum and of the anointing of the sick, and the imparting of the apostolic blessing; the assistance at marriages and the nuptial blessing; the performance of funeral rites; the blessing of the baptismal font at Easter time, the leading of processions outside the church, and solemn blessings outside the church; the more solemn Eucharistic celebration on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Analysis of the meaning “the functions especially entrusted to a pastor” made it possible to state, that these are the competences of the pastor as regards to the office of sanctifying in the Church, because the essence of competence is an authorization granted to a pastor to perform a conventional actions which are legally defined The Congregation for the Clergy explained, that these functions are not given exclusively to the parish priest, but are entrusted to him in a special way in virtue of his particular responsibility as parish priest, therefore they should consequently be discharged personally, in so far as possible, or at least overseen. The catalogue of enumerated activities is incomplete, because the Code included both the competences which they detail as well as those which concern the pastor, but were not included in the analyzed legal provision. As a result can. 530 is half-baked and its revision should be postulated.
O właściwe rozumienie posługi sędziego kościelnego. Ze spotkania papieża Franciszka z Trybunałem Roty Rzymskiej
Authors: Góralski Wojciech
Published: August 2023

The Author discusses the speech of Pope Francis delivered to the judges, officials and other collaborators of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota on 24 January 2014 (on the occasion of the inauguration of the judicial year) concerning the ecclesiastical judge. In the first part of the speech, Pope Francis paid attention to the pastoral dimension of the judicial ministry in the Church – which represents a service to the truth and justice – aimed to purpose the good of the faithful and to build up the Christian co mm unity. In the second part, the Pope characterizes a profile of the ecclesiastical judge in the following aspects: human, judicial and pastoral ones. Based on the speech of Pope Francis, the Author refers to the issues present in the teaching of Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Znaczenie Konkordatu między Stolicą Apostolską i Polską w kontekście transformacji ustrojowych
Authors: Krukowski Józef
Published: August 2023

The article contains the characteristics of the Concordat between the Holy See and the Republic of Poland (1993-1998). First, the Author pays attention to the religious and political ties between Poland and the Holy See at the time of the Christianity of the first historical Polish ruler, Mieszko I (966) who gave his state under the protection of the Holy See. He wanted to protect Poland from Sacrum Imperium Romanum Germanorum. Then, the Author presents the significant meaning of the Concordat between the Holy See and the Republic of Poland concluded at the time of the political transformations from the totalitarianism to the democracy and at the same time from the atheistic regime of the communist state with hostile separation to the democratic state with friendly separation. The article discusses the following issues: the notion and classification of concordat agreements, the legitimization of the concordat in axiological and formal aspects based on the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 1997, the range of the concordat’s regulations, the effectiveness of the concordat in domestic legal order.
Laudacja z okazji wręczenia kard. Zenonowi Grocholewskiemu Nagrody imienia ks. Idziego Radziszewskiego wygłoszona dnia 27 maja 2013 r.
Authors: Krukowski Józef
Published: August 2023

On 27 May, 2013 took place the ceremony on the occasion of the obtaining award of the Rev. Idzi Radziszewski for Card. Zenon Grocholewski for the achievements in the spirit of the Christian Humanismus, awarded by the Scientific Society of the Catholic University of John Paul II in Lublin. In the laudation, Professor Józef Krukowski presented: a biography of Cardinal Grocholewski, his organizational activity in the Roman Curia, especially as a Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal Sygnatura Apostolica and Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education and the scientific achievements in canon law, philosophy of law and on the role of the universities in the modern world.
Ś.p. Ks. Piotr Ilwicki (1924-2012)
Authors: Słowikowska Anna
Published: August 2023

Ks. Piotr Ilwicki urodził się 8 października 1924 r. w Goleni (Rumunia). W 1946 r. wstąpił do Polskiego Seminarium Duchownego w Paryżu. Święcenia kapłańskie przyjął w 1952 r. z rąk nuncjusza apostolskiego Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli. Po święceniach pracował jako duszpasterz polskiej emigracji górniczej we Francji i był kapelanem w paryskich szpitalach. W 1953 r. uzyskał licencjat z teologii, a w 1958 r. z prawa kanonicznego. Po przyjeździe do Polski, pracował jako wikariusz w Biskupcu Reszelskim w diecezji warmińskiej. Następnie sprawował wiele urzędów kurialnych i sądowych. Był notariuszem, wicekanclerzem i referentem prawnym kurii biskupiej, obrońcą węzła małżeńskiego, promotorem sprawiedliwości oraz wiceoficjałem. Pełnił funkcję kierownika Wydawnictwa Papieskich Dzieł Misyjnych w Warszawie oraz dyrektora Warmińskiego Wydawnictwa Diecezjalnego.
Sprawozdanie z Konferencji Naukowej Informatyzacja w sądownictwie – Doświadczenia i perspektywy
Authors: Słowikowska Anna
Published: August 2023

Postęp jest jedną z najstarszych, najtrwalszych i najbardziej uniwersalnych idei, jakie stworzyła ludzkość. W rozwoju cywilizacyjnym, wśród dominujących kierunków działania, znajduje się technologia informatyczna, której nie sposób ignorować, gdyż wymusza ona na poszczególnych państwach, organizacjach, instytucjach i ludziach dostosowanie się do współczesnych zasad komunikacji i gromadzenie niezliczonych zasobów informacji. Przystosowanie się do tych wymogów dotyczy także wymiaru sprawiedliwości, przed którym postawione zostały zadania usprawnienia przebiegu postępowania oraz akomodacji nowego typu rozpoznawanych i rozstrzyganych spraw. Zagadnienia te były przedmiotem konferencji naukowej pt. Informatyzacja w sądownictwie – doświadczenia i perspektywy zorganizowanej przez Wyższą Szkołę Zarządzania i Prawa im. Heleny Chodkowskiej w Warszawie, Stowarzyszenie Absolwentów i Przyjaciół Wydziału Prawa KUL oraz Katedrę Kościelnego Prawa Publicznego i Konstytucyjnego KUL, która odbyła się 16 kwietnia 2012 r. w Warszawie.
Sprawozdanie z Ogólnopolskiej Konferencji Naukowej doktorantów Kodeks Prawa Kanonicznego w badaniach młodych naukowców. Lublin, 2 czerwca 2012 roku
Authors: Romanko Agnieszka
Published: August 2023

Dnia 2 czerwca 2012 r. w Katolickim Uniwersytecie Lubelskim Jana Pawła II odbyła się I ogólnopolska konferencja naukowa pt. Kodeks Prawa Kanonicznego w badaniach młodych naukowców, której organizatorami byli: Katedra Kościelnego Prawa Publicznego i Konstytucyjnego KUL, Katedra Historii Źródeł Kościelnego Prawa Polskiego KUL, Instytut Prawa Kanonicznego KUL oraz Wydział Prawa Kanonicznego UKSW w Warszawie.
Prawo Unii Europejskiej a wartości chrześcijańskie
Authors: Krukowski Józef
Published: August 2023

Autor wyjaśnił pojęcie prawa oraz pojęcie wartości, zwłaszcza wartości chrześcijańskich. W artykule Autor wyróżnił dwie kategorie wartości chrześcijańskich: 1) swoiste wartości chrześcijańskie oparte na podstawach teologicznych wyodrębniających religię i etykę chrześcijańską. Kościół reguluje sposoby osiągania tych wartości przy pomocy prawa kanonicznego; 2) uniwersalne zasady etyczne, będące podstawowymi wartościami człowieka, takie jak poszanowanie hierarchii wartości, uznanie, że człowiek jest na pierwszym miejscu w tej hierarchii oraz uznanie, że naturalna godność człowieka jest źródłem podstawowych praw i wolności. Prawo Unii Europejskiej odwołuje się do wartości. Politycy Unii Europejskiej zrealizowali projekt budowy wspólnoty zwanej „europejskim społeczeństwem obywatelskim”. Chrześcijanie jako obywatele Unii Europejskiej nie powinni być jedynie biernymi obserwatorami lekceważenia podstawowych uniwersalnych wartości chrześcijańskich. Powinni domagać się od polityków respektowania zasady dobra wspólnego.
The long non-coding RNA transcript, LOC100130460 (CAND1.11) gene, encodes a novel protein highly expressed in cancer cells and tumor human testis tissues
Authors: Donizetti Aldo , Venditti Massimo , Arcaniolo Davide , Aliperti Vincenza , Carrese Anna Maria , De Sio Marco , Minucci Sergio , Caraglia Michele , Aniello Francesco
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: Testis-specific genes encoding for long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) have been detected in several cancers; many produce proteins with restricted or aberrant expression patterns in normal or cancer tissues. OBJECTIVE: To characterize new lncRNA involved in normal and/or pathological differentiation of testicular cells. METHODS: Using bioinformatics analysis, we found that lncRNA LOC100130460 (CAND1.11) is expressed in normal and tumor testis; its expression was assessed in several human cell lines by qRT-PCR. CAND1.11 protein, produced by a single nucleotide mutation, was studied by western blot and immunofluorescence analysis on normal, classic seminoma, and Leydig cell tumor testicular tissues. RESULTS: CAND1.11 gene is primate-specific; its expression was low in SH-SY5Y cells and increased when differentiated with retinoic acid treatment. CAND1.11 expression in PC3 cells was higher than in PNT2 cells. CAND1.11 protein is present in the human testis and overexpressed in testicular cancer tissues. CONCLUSIONS: This report is one of the few providing evidence that a lncRNA produces a protein expressed in normal human tissues and overexpressed in several testicular cancers, suggesting its involvement in regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. Although further studies are needed to validate the results, our data indicate that CAND1.11 could be a potential new prognostic biomarker to use in proliferation and cancer.
Effectively infinite classes of numberings and computable families of reals
Authors: Faizrahmanov Marat , Shchedrikova Zlata
Published: August 2023

We prove various sufficient conditions for the effective infinity of classes of computable numberings. Then we apply them to show that for every computable family of left-c.e. reals without the greatest element the class of its Friedberg computable numberings is effectively infinite. In particular, this result covers the families of all left-c.e. and all Martin-Löf random left-c.e. reals whose Friedberg computable numberings have been constructed by Broadhead and Kjos-Hanssen in their paper (In Mathematical Theory and Computational Practice, CiE 2009 (2009) 49–58 Springer). In addition, for every infinite computable family of left-c.e. reals we prove that the classes of all its computable, positive and minimal numberings are effectively infinite.
Heart sound classification using wavelet scattering transform and support vector machine
Authors: Shervegar Vishwanath Madhava
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVE: A representation of the sound recordings that are associated with the movement of the entire cardiac structure is termed the Phonocardiogram (PCG) signal. In diagnosing such diverse diseases of the heart, PCG signals are helpful. Nevertheless, as recording PCG signals are prone to several surrounding noises and other disturbing signals, it is a complex task. Thus, prior to being wielded for advanced processing, the PCG signal needs to be denoised. This work proposes an improved heart sound classification by utilizing two-stage Low pass filtering and Wavelet Threshold (WT) technique with subsequent Feature Extraction (FE) using Wavelet Scatter Transform and further classification utilizing the Cubic Polynomial Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique for CVD. METHOD: A computer-aided diagnosis system for CVD detection centered on PCG signal analysis is offered in this work. Initially, by heavily filtering the signal, the raw PCG signals obtained using the database were pre-processed. Then, to remove redundant information and noise, it is denoised via the WT technique. From the denoised PCG, wavelet time scattering features were extracted. After that, by employing SVMs, these features were classified for pathology. RESULTS: For the analysis, the PCG signal obtained from the Physionet dataset was considered. Heavy low-pass filtering utilizing a Low-Pass Butterworth Filter (LPBF) is entailed in the pre-processing step. This removed 98% of the noise inherently present in the signal. Further, the signal strength was ameliorated by denoising it utilizing the WT technique. Promising results with maximum noise removal of up to 99% are exhibited by the method. From the PCG, Wavelet Scattering (WS) features were extracted, which were later wielded to categorize the PCG utilizing SVMs with 99.72% accuracy for different sounds. DISCUSSION: The Classification accuracies are analogized with other classification techniques present in the literature. This technique exhibited propitious outcomes with a 3% improvement in the F1 score when weighed against the top-notch techniques. The improvement in the metrics is attributed to the usage of the pre-processing stage comprising of Low-pass filter and WT method, WS Transform (WST), and SVMs. CONCLUSION: The superiority of the proposed technique is advocated by the comparative investigation with prevailing methodologies. The system revealed that Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) can be implemented with superior methods to achieve high accuracy.
Social media adoption in the public sector of Bangladesh: Progress and efficiency
Authors: Islam Md. Ashraful , Bhuiyan Md. Al-Fahad
Published: August 2023

Social media has gained significant influence in shaping communication strategies for the public sector in the modern era. Governments across the globe are embracing these platforms to actively interact with the public, promoting transparency and trust. This article focuses on the adoption of social media in the public sector of Bangladesh. Most government agencies in Bangladesh are found to utilize social media to varying extents, with Facebook being the dominant platform. However, these social media accounts primarily function as traditional one-way communication channels with limited civic engagement. Additionally, numerous government websites contain non-functional or incorrect social media links, thus hindering effective social media communication through these sites.
‘Eye-Tracking’ with Words for Alzheimer’s Disease Detection: Time Alignment of Words Enunciation with Image Regions During Image Description Tasks
Authors: Heidarzadeh Neda , Ratté Sylvie
Published: August 2023

Background:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in cognitive decline, dementia, and eventually death. Diagnosing early signs of AD can help clinicians to improve the quality of life.

Objective:

We developed a non-invasive approach to help neurologists and clinicians to distinguish probable AD patients and healthy controls (HC).

Methods:

The patients’ gaze points were followed based on the words they used to describe the Cookie Theft (CT) picture description task. We hypothesized that the timing of words enunciation aligns with the participant’s eye movements. The moments that each word was spoken were then aligned with specific regions of the image. We then applied machine learning algorithms to classify probable AD and HC. We randomly selected 60 participants (30 AD and 30 HC) from the Dementia Bank (Pitt Corpus).

Results:

Five main classifiers were applied to different features extracted from the recorded audio and participants’ transcripts (AD and HC). Support vector machine and logistic regression had the highest accuracy (up to 80% and 78.33%, respectively) in three different experiments.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, point-of-gaze can be applied as a non-invasive and less expensive approach compared to other available methods (e.g., eye tracker devices) for early-stage AD diagnosis.
Is It Time to Repurpose Calcineurin Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia?
Authors: Norris Christopher M.
Published: August 2023

Numerous preclinical and human tissue studies implicate the protein phosphatase calcineurin (CN) as a pathophysiologic mechanism in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative conditions. Using public electronic records of tens of thousands of individuals across the United States, Silva et al. (2023) show that use of the FDA-approved CN inhibitor, tacrolimus (for purposes of immunosuppression) is also associated with reduced prevalence of dementia-related symptoms. Notably, the study controls for age, sex, and race as well as multiple risk factors for AD. The results suggest that tacrolimus, and possibly other immunosuppressants could be repurposed for the treatment of AD-related dementia.
The diagnosis of intracranial artery stenosis in patients with stroke by transcranial Doppler ultrasound: A meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Wen-Juan
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: Strokes are the most common cause of death and the leading cause of acquired disability in adults worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the value of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) in the diagnosis of intracranial vascular stenosis in patients with a history of stroke. METHODS: This is a meta-analysis study of diagnostic tests. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases were systematically searched. Diagnostic tests using TCD or transcranial colour Doppler ultrasound (TCCD) for detecting intracranial arterial stenosis in patients with a history of stroke were included, with reference standards of intracranial angiography, computed tomography angiography (CTA), or magnetic resonance angiography. The risk bias map was drawn by Revman v5.3, the sensitivity and specificity forest plot was drawn by Stata v16.0, the receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 812 patients with stroke in 12 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The estimated sensitivity of TCD or TCCD for the detection of intracranial vascular stenosis was 0.77–1.00, and the combined sensitivity was 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88–0.99); the estimated specificity was 0.32–1.00, and the combined specificity was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.82–0.98); the positive likelihood ratio was 15.8 (95% CI: 5.1–48.6); and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.04 (95% CI: 0.01–0.14). The AUC was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97–0.99). CONCLUSION: Doppler ultrasound has good consistency with conventional methods for the diagnosis of intracranial artery stenosis in patients with a history of stroke. Different reference standards may affect sensitivity and specificity; when CTA was used as the reference standard, the consistency of the TCD in the diagnosis of intracranial artery stenosis in stroke patients was relatively good.
Outcome of small versus big capacity Hautmann neobladder reconstruction: A prospective randomized study – a 5-year follow up
Authors: Salihagic Iva Kozul , Hrkac Adelina , Ovcaricek Slaven , Bokarica Pero , Gilja Ivan
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: Orthotopic urinary diversion is the preferred diversion after cystectomy. Neobladder reconstruction with a longer ileum segment (60 cm) is advantageous for obtaining a large capacity and continence at the beginning; however, the long-term risk of residual urine, chronic infection, and the need for intermittent catheterization is more pronounced with the neobladder constructed with a longer ileal segment compared to the neobladder tailored from the shorter ileal segment. OBJECTIVE: To establish the differences in the functional outcome of a shorter (< 45 cm) and longer (⩾ 45 cm) ileal segment usage in the reconstruction of the Hautmann ileal neobladder following the radical cystectomy. METHODS: Between July 2013 and September 2015, 121 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer underwent radical cystectomy and Hautmann ileal neobladder reconstruction. Patients were divided into two groups, depending on the length of the ileum used for the diversion creation: < 45 cm of the ileum was used in the first group and ⩾ 45 cm in the second group. Five-year follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months and 1 and 5 years. The main measured outcomes were functional outcomes and the quality of life. The evaluation included clinical, laboratory, and QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, ANOVA, and chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Patients with a smaller neobladder had a better quality of life, and higher global health status scale score. Thirteen early and 21 late complications developed in 10 and 17 patients, respectively. There were significant differences in the need for clean intermittent self-catheterization (CIC) between the two groups: smaller-volume pouch patients had statistically decreased need for CIC in 5 year follow-up compared to larger-volume pouch patients (χ2 test = 8.245; df = 1; P= 0.004). Eighteen percent of patients with smaller neobladders had urinary tract infections in 5 years, compared to 35% with larger neobladders (χ2 test = 4.447; df = 1; P= 0.034). CONCLUSION: Minimizing the length of the ileal segment needed for Hautmann neobladder reconstruction is feasible and provides better long-term results than larger-volume neobladders.
Diagnostic value of coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines in hemorrhagic stroke patients with pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage
Authors: Wang Yanxia , Li Yaqing , Wang Xiaoqing , Niu Zhancong , Zhou Lixia
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the second reason for global deaths and a major reason for disabilities. OBJECTIVE: To unravel the clinical value of the coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines in hemorrhagic stroke patients with pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage. METHODS: Altogether, 130 hemorrhagic stroke patients who received treatment in Hebei General Hospital from April 2019 to December 2020 were selected. Patients were classified into the infection group (n= 65) and non-infection group (n= 65) according to whether they had a pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage of hemorrhagic stroke. Levels of coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines of patients in two groups were compared. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze pulmonary infection-related factors of hemorrhagic stroke patients. The diagnostic value of the coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines in pulmonary infection was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer (D-D), platelet (PLT) related to coagulation function levels and interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 17 (IL-17) related to serum inflammatory cytokines levels of patients in the infection group were higher than those in non-infection groups (p< 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis uncovered that FIB, D-D, PLT, and IL-17 were influencing factors of pulmonary infection in the sequelae of patients with hemorrhagic stroke (p< 0.05). Area under the curve (AUC) values of pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage of patients with hemorrhagic stroke diagnosed by FIB, D-D, PLT, and IL-17 were 0.823, 0.758, 0.660, and 0.755, respectively. CONCLUSION: FIB, D-D, PLT, and IL-17 levels could be used for pulmonary infection diagnosis in the sequelae stage of hemorrhagic stroke patients.
Prognostic value of genes related to cancer-associated fibroblasts in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Peng Jigui , He Changjin , Yan Haiqiang , Zhou Wang
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: Although it has been established that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) facilitate tumor development, the relationship between CAFs and the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has not been extensively explored. OBJECTIVE: This study was formulated to investigate the prognostic value of CAF-related genes in LUAD. METHODS: Differential analysis was carried out with TCGA-LUAD dataset as the training set. By overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with genes associated with CAF, CAF-related DEGs specific to LUAD were obtained. A prognostic risk model was constructed by Lasso and Cox regression analysis, and samples were grouped according to median risk score. The efficacy of the model was accessed through survival curve and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses, with the validation set for verification. Risk score combined with clinical factors was utilized for Cox analysis to verify the independence of the model, and a nomogram was drawn. GSEA was performed on different risk groups. Immunologic infiltration and tumor mutational burden were assessed in different risk groups. RESULTS: Eleven feature genes including DLGAP5, KCNE2, UPK2, NPAS2, ARHGAP11A, ANGPTL4, ANLN, DKK1, SMUG1, C16orf74, and ACAD8 were identified, based on which a prognostic model was constructed. Risk score could predict the prognosis of LUAD patients and could be an independent prognostic factor for LUAD patients. GSEA outcomes displayed significant enrichment of genes in the high-risk group in the P53 SIGNALING PATHWAY. In comparison to the low-risk group, the high-risk group exhibited a decreased degree of immune infiltration and an elevated level of tumor mutational burden. CONCLUSION: An 11-gene model was constructed based on CAF-related genes to predict LUAD prognosis. This model represented an independent prognostic factor for LUAD.
CORRELATION BETWEEN BLOOD GROUP, AGE & GENDER WITH COVID-19 INFECTION
Authors: Chauhan Priyanshi , Gaur Naveen , Akula Gangadhar Reddy , Kodidala Satyanath Reddy
Published: August 2023

Background. Covid-19, conjointly referred to as severe acute metabolism syndrome appeared in December 2019 by a new Corona virus. The virus originated from Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei Province and unfold everywhere the globe and have become a worldwide pandemic due to lack of cure.

Aim:To study the association of ABO Blood Group, Rh, Age and gender with and COVID-19 infection.

Material and methods. This retrospective study was conducted after the approval college research committee of Teerthanker Mahaveer medical college and research center. The study period of this study is from 12 March 2021 to 12 March 2022. The current research included 3000 Covid-19 patients confirmed by RTPCR test and admitted in the Teerthanker Mahaveer University Hospital, Moradabad. Covid -19 positive patient’s age, gender, ABO blood group, Rh factor and personal data was collected from the medical record department.

Results. The most common blood group affected was B+ (1,119, 37.3%) followed by O+ (729, 24.3%), A+ (653, 21.8%), AB+ (330, 11.0%), B- (77, 2.6%), O- (36, 1.2%), A-(36, 1.2%) and AB- (20, 0.7%). Among study population, 69 (2.3%) belonged to 1-10 years, 157 (5.2%) belonged to 11-20 years, 727 (24.2%) belonged to 21-30 years, 479 (16.0%) belonged to 31-40 years, 455 (15.2%) belonged to 41-50 years, 584 (19.5%) belonged to 51-60 years, 377 (12.6%) belonged to 61-70 years, 114 (3.8%) belonged to 71-80 years and 38 (1.3%) belonged to above 80 years. The study population consisted of 1,811 (60.4%) males and 1,189 (39.6%) females.

Conclusions. The findings of this study are In our study we found that age group that was most vulnerable was 21-30 years. We also observed that Males were affected more as compared to females and the blood group that was affected most was B positive and least numbers of patients affected are of AB negative blood group.
HYPERTROPHY OF THE LOWER CORNEA OF THE NOSE: COMPARISON OF SURGICAL TECHNIQUES BY ASSESSMENT OF POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS
Authors: Furkulitsa D.
Published: August 2023

Background. Nasal congestion is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in clinical practice. The second most common cause of nasal congestion is hypertrophy of the lower concha, a pathology of the nose that often requires surgical treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine the most effective surgical method in patients with hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted from November 2019 to January 2023 at the Pediatric Otolaryngology Department of the Emilian Cotaga Republican Children's Clinical Hospital in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. The study population included 205 patients who underwent surgery and were under observation in the hospital. Radiofrequency ablation was the method used in 73 patients, 68 patients were treated with microdebrider turbinoplasty, and the remaining 64 patients were treated with electrocautery. After surgery, postoperative complications were assessed and quantified.

Results. A total of 205 patients were operated on. The first group (n=73) underwent radiofrequency ablation and had a complication rate of 30.1%. Out of 73 patients, 51 recovered without complications. The remaining 22 had complications, including 16 patients with bleeding and 6 with postnasal drip. The second group (n=68) was treated by the microdebrider method. The complication rate was 26.5%, with 50 patients having no postoperative symptoms and 18 having symptoms. In particular, postnasal drip was more common with this method, as all 18 patients experienced postnasal drip as a complication. The third group (n=64) received electrocautery. Patients in this group had the most complications (n=24), with 16 associated with postnasal drip and eight with infections that were treated promptly with oral antibiotics. The frequency of complications with this method was 37.5%.

Conclusion. In our study, microdebrider turbinoplasty provided the lowest complication rate, followed by radiofrequency ablation and electrocautery. However, all three methods were successful in relieving nasal congestion and treating inferior turbinate hypertrophy. More research is needed, as there is still no consensus on the optimal surgical technique for inferior turbinate hypertrophy.
INHERITED 15Q DUPLICATION IN THREE NOT RELATED UKRAINIAN FAMILIES
Authors: Levandivska S. H. , Dushar M. I. , Tyshchenko O. V. , Huleyuk N. L. , Patskun E. Y. , Makukh H. V.
Published: August 2023

Background. 15q duplication syndrome (Dup15q) is caused by the presence of an extra maternally derived copy of the Prader-Willi/Angelman critical region (PWACR) within chromosome 15q11.2-q13.1. The syndrome is clinically identifiable and characterized by intellectual disability, hypotonia, motor delays, autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and behavioral difficulties [1, 12]. The prevalence of Dup15q in the general population is unknown but may be as high as 1:5000 [10]. The syndrome most commonly occurs in one of two forms: an extra isodicentric 15 chromosome or an interstitial duplication [4]. Most reported cases concern de novo mutation.

Aim. To highlight the importance of genetic testing in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and emphasizes the need for further research to understand the underlying genetic mechanisms of Dup15q depending on the origin of the inherited duplication.

Materials and methods. The study used next-generation sequencing (NGS), multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), and karyotype analysis to confirm the interstitial duplication.

Results. We present the phenotype description and diagnostic prospects of three patients from different families who inherited interstitial 15q duplication from a phenotypically healthy mother. The patients exhibited symptoms consistent with Dup15q, including intellectual disability, delayed speech, difficulty understanding spoken language, hyperactivity, epilepsy and sleep disorders.

Conclusion. The inherited interstitial duplication 15q is phenotypical presented only in case of maternal origin and vary in clinical presentation. We suggest as the first choice MLPA method as most cost and time effective in cases of Dup15q suspicion.