bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Re-Listening to Derrida and Benjamin
Authors: Wilkins Caroline
Published: July 2023

News on the publication of Two Plays for the Stage was announced on the Performance Philosophy website during 2021 but only received my attention this year, when I ordered a copy of the book out of curiosity. After reading it and making copious notes, I contacted the two authors to give them my impressions, particularly those concerning my responses to it in terms of sound. The trigger for this ReView came from an email discussion with John Schad on critical-creative writing, which I interpret as creative criticism, meaning that this could take any form appropriate to the artist’s discipline. Indeed my essay in an earlier edition of the journal (Wilkins, 2016) took the form of a labyrinthine script during its writing process, this as a response to Freddie Rokem's initial article (Rokem, 2015). It later manifested itself in an audio piece presented in Vol. 7.1, a collaboration between myself and Leona Jones entitled With W/Ringing Ears. (Jones, Wilkins, 2022). Fred Dalmasso’s research into the syncope (2017), which surfaces within the concluding essay to the book, has interested me for some time in terms of its possible parallels in the world of sound.

In this current contribution I present a parallel sound-world that was spontaneously invoked during my reading of Derrida | Benjamin.  I refer to key phrases / quotes that became pointers for triggering the sonic responses that follow. This is by no means an attempt to suggest audio for any future production of the plays, rather a series of independent sonic ideas that spring from the writings of John Schad and Fred Dalmasso.
A mapping of the kinds of work activities and other productive uses inspired by play or games
Authors: Goria Stéphane
Published: July 2023

This paper is about a theoretical study consisting in listing and positioning different kinds of serious uses derived or inspired by play or games. Indeed, since the beginning of the 2000s, the number of these forms has increased exponentially and it is becoming very complicated to find one's way through. In our opinion, there is currently a problem of distinction between the various serious forms derived or inspired by the practice of a playing activity and the design of a game structure. In this article, we try to bring a beginning of answer to this problem. To do this, we began by exploring the scientific literature dealing with these different forms. We started with the reference works that we reconsidered from this large variety of forms. Subsequently, we explored possible categorizations based on a limited number of variables. We were then able to draw two diagrams: one to represent graphically the categories identified according to the chosen variables, and another to present 6 combinable design process that can be followed to create any of these serious game or play categories.
The practice of the clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure applying in the city hospitals of Saint Petersburg
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Tregubov Aleksey , Krasnova Olga ,   St. Petersburg City Clinical Hospital no. 31, Chernyakova Aleksandra ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: July 2023

Chronic heart failure is one of the main causes of mortality in Russia. Improving the medical care system for patients with chronic heart failure is currently associated with the introduction of guidelines, the application of which has become mandatory in Russia since of 2022. Aim to study whether the prescriptions set out in the discharge records of the St Petersburg city hospitals correspond to the provisions of the current guidelines on the chronic heart failure diagnosis and treatment. The material for the study was the discharge records of 101 patients with chronic heart failure who were treated in the city hospitals of St Petersburg in 2022. Echocardiography was performed in all patients, while brain natriuretic peptides were not measured in either case. Drugs from various groups of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers were recommended in 86.1 % of patients. Patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction most often received a Sacubitril/Valsartan (56.9 %). Beta-blockers in 84.2 %, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists were — in 94.1 % of cases. Therapy with the use of these three groups of drugs was received by 67.3 % of patients. Inhibitors of sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 were recommended in 7.9 %, in 2 cases in addition to triple therapy. Loop diuretics were recommended in 88.1 % of cases. Therapy of patients with chronic heart failure who were treated in 2022 is more in line with the provisions of the current guidelines than in previous years, however, a number of problems remain unresolved.
Pan Voyevoda by N. A. Rimskii-Korsakov. To the Creative History of Opera
Authors:   The Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatory, Guseinova Zivar M.
Published: July 2023

In the N. A. Rimskii-Korsakov’s legacy there are operas that seem to be in the shadow of his great creations; among them is the opera Pan Voyevoda (1903) to a libretto by I. F. Tyumenev (without using any historical or literary source). The opera was the result of the composer’s long-cherished plan to create an opera on a Polish plot, so that in it “there would be no place for politics or national enmity”. Romantic events that took place in the 16th–17th centuries are presented in many respects in the traditional musical solution, which does not exclude the presence of bright dramatic situations, dramatic alignment, magnificent melodies, famous national dances. The surviving documents: letters, memoirs of both authors, as well as autographs of the libretto, clavier (partially) and scores from the archives of St Petersburg allow us to recreate the process of working on the work. The main time of work on the musical text was in the summer of 1902, when the composer left for Heidelberg to live with his son. The execution of several other creative works in parallel, including the re-interpretation of the Stone Guest by A. S. Dargomyzhsky, did not interfere with the active process of working on Pan Voyevoda. The first three acts of the four (the last act is very short) were written in less than three months, and during the winter and spring of 1903 N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov performed the orchestration. Musical autographs show how the work was carried out: the text of the libretto was clarified, sometimes expanded or shortened, the composition of the characters was determined, intonation and harmonic variants were introduced, the orchestration changed, and so on. The composer strenuously searched for optimal means of expression, creating a national color and a special “timeless aura” of Polish antiquity. It is no coincidence that the composer marked on the title page a dedication to the Memory of Frédéric Chopin.
To the Concept of “Sound Object” in Musical Theory and Composition Practice of the End of the 20th — the Beginning of the 21st Century
Authors:   Vaganova Ballet Academy, Lavrova Svetlana V.
Published: July 2023

The article is devoted to the concept of “sound object”, fundamental category for music of the late 20th — early 21st century. It is considered from the standpoint of Pierre Schaeffer’s theory of concrete music, Helmut Lachenmann’s concrete instrumental music, Dennis Smalley’s spectromorphology, James Tenney’s gestalt theory, and is also interpreted within the philosophical framework of Graham Harman’s object-oriented ontology and Bruno Latour’s actornetwork theory. The works of Beat Furrer, Peter Ablinger and Georg Friedrich Haas are also analyzed. The conclusion from the research is that in order to interpret the concept and phenomenon of a sound object in modern compositional practice, which is extremely diverse, musicological methods are not enough, and therefore, an appeal to modern philosophy can contribute to a more accurate interpretation and help analyze the objects of modern sound world in all their diversity.
Performing Ornaments in English Harpsichord Music. Part III
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Panov Alexei A. , Rosanoff Ivan V. ,   St. Petersburg State University,   The Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory
Published: July 2023

The closer the study of the problems of executing ornaments in England comes to the eighteenth century, the more various scientific materials become available and the more connections are found with the continental countries of Europe. Among the many publications, it was necessary to refer to a large number of instructions books designed for learning to play various instruments, including the harpsichord, such as “The Harpsichord Master”, Playford’s publications of “An Introduction to the Skill of Music” (issued during 1694 and 1730), “The delightful companion, or, Choice new lessons for the recorder or flute” (published by Robert Carr), “The Compleat Tutor to the Hautboy; or the Art of Playing on that Instrument” (published by J. Walsh) and many other. Along with this, the number of publications devoted to the study of this period is constantly increasing in the 20th and 21st centuries. In this article, a task is undertaken devoted, on the one hand, to a comprehensive consideration of the mentioned materials, on the other hand, a critical assessment is devoted to their later scientific study. As a “starting” point the “Short, easy, & plain rules” of Cap. Prendcourt (c1700) supplied with an ornamentation table are taken. The realizations of ornaments from Prendcourt are studied in the context of English, French and German sources of that period. It is namely this angle of study which forced the authors to resort to scrupulous and detailed consideration of the many subtleties associated with the execution of various ornaments.
Comparing Literary Criticism and Art History: The Problem of Sentimentalism in Russian Historiography
Authors:   Russian State University for the Humanities, Abramkin Ivan A.
Published: July 2023

The article is devoted to the historiography of sentimentalism in the Russian scientific tradition. The purpose of the research is to compare the methods used in literary and art studies to overview this phenomenon. The uncertainty of ideas about sentimentalism in the visual arts requires an appeal to literary studies. A careful analysis of works on sentimentalism in this field revealed the special role of the works of M. M. Bakhtin and G. N. Pospelov, who created original concepts of this phenomenon, and has made it possible to state a wide range of methods. Consideration of the sentimentalism problem in the history of art has demonstrated not only the generality of ideas and a small number of methods in comparison with literary criticism, but also the main principles inherent in the scientific tradition. Firstly, the idea of sentimentalism is based on abstract theses. Secondly, the main approach is to compare sentimentalism with classicism and Romanticism, which prevents determining its place in the art of the 1790s. Thirdly, the pictorial system of sentimentalism is considered in the most general form and turns out to be devoid of a thorough art historical description. A critical analysis of historiography allowed to identify promising areas of modern research of sentimentalism in art criticism: a careful analysis of the artistic features of works, the study of the metamorphoses of the portrait genre as well as a comparison of the Russian portrait with European art of the 18th — early 19th centuries.
Values in education and modern university
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kropachev Nikolay M. , Shmonin Dmitry V. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: July 2023

The article is devoted to the analysis of the value-worldview aspect of modern university education. The “mass university” of the last quarter of the 20th — early 21st centuries, which set itself the underestimated task of “providing educational services” for the formation of a society of “qualified consumers”, practically ignored the classical experience of transferring knowledge associated with the spiritual education of the personality of an intellectual, the formation of his worldview. The Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values, put into effect in 2022 by the Decree of the President of Russia, require overcoming this defect of the modern educational paradigm and bringing its parameters to adequate traditions and modern realities of the social norm. The authors of the article dedicate that in accordance with the list of the main traditional Russian values given in the documents of the strategic development of Russia, it is necessary to portray the image of a university graduate in the middle of the 21st century as a highly qualified specialist with critical thinking, historical memory and a broad cultural horizon. For this, among other things, it is necessary to solve an interdisciplinary task: to bring the most important value and worldview concepts into the normative system, to make the list generally understandable and generally accepted for all participants in the processes of education and upbringing. This should be work involving specialists in various fields of knowledge, including philologists, lawyers, educators, philosophers, cultural and political scientists, sociologists and, no doubt, theologians. The theology of Christianity and other traditional religions ads the deepest and most complete source of value worldview. Therefore, according to the authors of the article, basic theological principles should become a necessary element of education in a modern Russian university.
History of Perspectivism and the status of Perspectivist concepts
Authors:   Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Lewin Michael , Chaly Vadim A. ,   Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Lugovoy Sergey V. ,   Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kornilaev Leonid Yu. ,   Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University
Published: July 2023

In recent decades, Perspectivism has developed into an epistemological research program claiming its independence. This autonomy stems from Perspectivism’s potential ability to resolve the contradictions between realist and constructivist programs. Perspectivism is based on the idea that the object depends on perspective, which constitutes any subjective attempt to cognize it. Perspectivists reconstruct and explain the factors involved in the formation of perspective, identifying the conditionality of epistemic acts, using concepts such as “position”, “point of view”, “view”, “angle”, “horizon”, “focus”, “picture”, “context”, “aspect”, etc. Although these concepts are part of the Perspectivist’s toolkit, their meanings and interrelation have so far been taken for granted and have not yet been critically and comprehensively analyzed. The purpose of this article is to take steps toward clarifying the conceptual basis for defending Perspectivism as an epistemological program. Once consistently uncovered and correlated in a conceptual model, Perspectivist concepts can be used as a tool for a detailed analysis of theories, positions, and beliefs. The article begins with a preliminary description of the concept of Perspectivism and its brief history as an epistemological program. In particular, the first modern attempts to outline Perspectivist epistemology are described in the works of F.Kaulbach (1990), W. Stegmaier (2008), and M.Massimi (2017, 2020). The problem of identifying the special a priori status of Perspectivist notions as a strategy for justifying the autonomy of Perspectivism is then posed. A method for demonstrating such a status, based on Kant’s transcendentalism and P. Strawson’s descriptive metaphysics, is then suggested.
The projects of doctrine of worldview in the light of lingua-cultural analysis
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lvov Alexander A.
Published: July 2023

The paper proposes a diachronic study of the worldview phenomenon by the means of linguaconceptual analysis, together with genealogical method. The study consists of three issues. First, to compare the cultural and linguistic specifications of worldview problematic in German, Russian, and Anglo-American philosophical cultures. Further, to discover disciplinary intersections of those branches of knowledge, in which these doctrines of worldview are in demand. Finally, to compare the status of such doctrines in current philosophy, taking into account the prevailing epistemological attitudes in the German-, Russian- and English-language traditions. The identified similarities and differences in the ideas about the essence and tasks of the doctrine of worldview will make it possible either to assert that worldview problematic fits into the historical and philosophical perspective as a unit-idea, or to disprove it. Among the similarities identified in these philosophical cultures, it should be noted: shaping of an integrative system of views, including elements of both “scientific” and “non-scientific” philosophy; combination of the logical set of argumentations with the creative freedom of research; rethinking the principle of self-care by creating a holistic conceptual picture of the world. The latter includes not only axiological and anthropological identification strategies, but also the substantiation of the starting positions on which these pictures of the world are built. The revealed differences concern the discursive practices that substantiate these pictures of the world. Those practices are: scientific, traditional (including religious), linguistic (including communicative), and they can also intertwine each other. An analysis of modern authors’ doctrines of worldview shows the relevance of worldview issues in the perspective of the “perennial philosophy” project. At the same time, the current paper demonstrates that the modern doctrines of worldview can be conceptually considered as a way of understanding and criticism of modern culture.
The post-apocalypse and the post-history
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Sokolov Boris G.
Published: July 2023

In the modern consciousness, they keep the “classical” historicity and eschatology taking the form of post-historicity and post-apocalypticism. Such a state of historicity can be recorded in models of the consideration of the historical process and the expectation of the end of history, both in the works of modern authors and at the level of “everyday” practices that use and exploit the history and the figure of the Apocalypse. It is worth noting that modern expectations of the Apocalypse are no longer so tragic, and the historical process is built in the logic of the “end of history”. All this makes it possible to label the current situation as a situation of post-historicism and post-Apocalypse of post-information society. This article suggests both the identification of the main positions and genesis of historicism in modern concepts of history. The analysis itself is conducted not from the standpoint of the “adequacy” or “falsity” of the proposed concepts, but from the standpoint of identifying the structure and historical dimension of the author’s consciousness in the concepts to be considered. From this point of view, the concepts of the modern authors considered in the article are a reflection of the new post-historicity of the “post-informational” consciousness., The author of the article considers historicism in the works of modern thinkers J.Baudrillard and Fr. Fukuyama as examples of modern post-historicity and its differences from the “classical” historicism and eschatology. The historical concepts of Fukuyama and Baudrillard reflect the current state of historicism, which can be labeled as post-historicism, which still retains the former “nostalgia” for history, no longer fixes in modernity, despite the increasing speed of change and the growth of society into a global cluster post-industrial society, cardinal development and actors who are able to realize this development.
Arguments for the existence of God: The discourse of Russian religious philosophy
Authors:   Southern Federal University, Astapov Sergey N.
Published: July 2023

The article presents the topic of arguments of the existence of God in the works of Russian religious philosophers of the second half of the 19th — the first half of the 20th century. This topic is found in the discourse of Russian religious philosophy in three variants: putting forward arguments for the existence of God, analysis of Kant’s criticism of the proofs for the existence of God, statements about the meaninglessness of the proofs for religious consciousness. In all variants, there is an inextricable connection between Russian philosophers’ argumentation and their metaphysical propositions. The discourse of Russian religious philosophy itself should be considered a way of contextual demonstration of the significance of metaphysical propositions for religious consciousness. The topic was not only a moment of strengthening the epistemological status of religious knowledge in relation to scientific knowledge, but it had also the importance of philosophizing to form religious worldview. Using the examples of the analysis of both the proofs of the existence of God and their criticism, which is found in the works by S.N.Bulgakov, V.I.Nesmelov, V. S. Solovyov, E.N.Trubetskoy, B.N.Chicherin, and S.L.Frank, the pragmatics of their discourse is revealed — it was aimed not at finding some new ways to substantiate the existence of God with rational means, but at substantiating the necessity of religious faith for the human reason — the faith is not only the main element of religious consciousness, but also a metaphysical principle of cognition of God. The study of the contexts of the appeal of Frank and other Russian philosophers to the topic of the ontological argument leads to the conclusion that such an appeal was associated with the demonstration of the relevance of their metaphysical constructions with the Christian religion.
A deep learning model with spatio-temporal graph convolutional networks for river water quality prediction
Authors: Huan Juan , Liao Wenjie , Zheng Yongchun , Xu Xiangen , Zhang Hao , Shi Bing
Published: July 2023

High-precision water quality prediction plays a vital role in preventing and controlling river pollution. However, river water's highly nonlinear and complex spatio-temporal dependencies pose significant challenges to water quality prediction tasks. In order to capture the spatial and temporal characteristics of water quality data simultaneously, this paper combines deep learning algorithms for river water quality prediction in the river network area of Jiangnan Plain, China. A water quality prediction method based on graph convolutional network (GCN) and long short-term memory neural network (LSTM), namely spatio-temporal graph convolutional network model (ST-GCN), is proposed. Specifically, the spatio-temporal graph is constructed based on the spatio-temporal correlation between river stations, the spatial features in the river network are extracted using GCN, and the temporal correlation of water quality data is obtained by integrating LSTM. The model was evaluated using R2, MAE, and RMSE, and the experimental results were 0.977, 0.238, and 0.291, respectively. Compared with traditional water quality prediction models, the ST-GCN model has significantly improved prediction accuracy, better stability, and generalization ability.
Metal Semiconductor Contacts Schottky Diodes
Authors: Roy Sunipa , Kumar Ghosh Chandan , Dey Sayan , Kumar Pal Abhijit
Published: July 2023

Metal-Semiconductor-Junction is also called heterojunction since the
material on each side of the junction is not identical. The normal pn junction diode
concept can also be applied here. There are two probable types of metal.semiconductor junctions: Schottky junction and ohmic junction. When the work.function of metal is greater than the work-function of a semiconductor, then this is
called Schottky junction. Ohmic junctions are the junctions in which the work
function of the metal is less than the work function of a semiconductor. Their band
engineering discussed in detail the essentials of junction physics.
Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET)
Authors: Roy Sunipa , Kumar Ghosh Chandan , Dey Sayan , Kumar Pal Abhijit
Published: July 2023

More or less than 17 years since D. Kahng and M. M. Atalla first conveyed
the demonstration of a Si-SiO2 MOS transistor (MOSFET). In our regular lives, the
impression of these MOS-based IC’s was imparted -just beginning to be felt. This
incredible explosion has been caused by many inventions and countless numbers of
perhaps small but crucial contributions by many researchers. Historical signs of
progress of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) during
the last 60 years are appraised, from the 1928 patent disclosures of the field-effect
conductivity modulation concept and the semiconductor triodes structures proposed
by Lilienfeld to the 1947 Shockley-originated efforts which controlled to the
laboratory demonstration of the modern silicon MOSFET 30 years later in 1960. A
review is then made of the mileposts of the past 30 years leading to the latest
submicron silicon logic CMOS (Complementary MOS and BICMOS (Combination
of Bipolar-junction-Transistor and CMOS) arrays and the three-dimensional and
ferroelectric extensions of Dennard‘s one-transistor dynamic random access memory
(DRAM) cell. This chapter discusses the fabrication of MOSFET and its principal
operations based on the concept of metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. Further,
the discussion is focused on the details mathematical modeling of MOS capacitors,
device characteristics, and the process of channel length modulation and its
application. The conversation is continuing on the concept of CMOS technology and
its combination with the transistor – the BiCMOS technology.
Probiotics as Potential Remedy for Restoration of Gut Microbiome and Mitigation of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Authors: Islam Rejuan , Saha Tilak
Published: July 2023

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrine
disorder currently plaguing women. There are many factors associated with high
androgenicity in the female body. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota may be one of the
primary reasons that initiate PCOS. Emerging evidence suggests that some plastics,
pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, electronic waste, food additives, and artificial hormones
that release endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) cause microbial Dysbiosis. It is
reported that the permeability of the gut is increased due to an increase of some Gram-negative bacteria. It helps to promote the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from the gut lumen
to enter the systemic circulation resulting in inflammation. Due to inflammation,
insulin receptors' impaired activity may result in insulin resistance (IR), which could be
a possible pathogenic factor in PCOS development. Good bacteria produce short-chain
fatty acids (SCFAs), and these SCFAs have been reported to increase the development
of Mucin-2 (MUC-2) mucin in colonic mucosal cells and prevent the passage of
bacteria. Probiotic supplementation for PCOS patients enhances many biochemical
pathways with beneficial effects on changing the colonic bacterial balance. This way of
applying probiotics in the modulation of the gut microbiome could be a potential
therapy for PCOS.
2D Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2 ) Nanosheets: An Emerging Antibacterial Agent
Authors: Kumar Praveen , Jaiswal Amit
Published: July 2023

The development of resistance against antibiotics in microorganisms has led
to the search for alternatives that can effectively kill microbes and will have a lesser
probability of the generation of resistance. In this regard, nanomaterials have emerged
as protagonists demonstrating efficient antibacterial activities against drug-resistant
strains. Amongst nanomaterials, 2D nanosheets have attracted attention as an
antibacterial agent due to their sheet-like features, having sharp edges and corners
which can pierce through bacterial membranes, subsequently leading to membrane
damage. The present chapter discusses the antibacterial potential of one such 2D
material, transition metal dichalcogenides, specifically MoS2
nanosheets and their
composites. A brief discussion about the synthesis of MoS2
nanosheets is presented,
and a detailed overview of its application as an antibacterial agent is illustrated. The
mechanism of action of antibacterial activity of 2D MoS2
nanosheets is discussed,
which shows that these nanosheets can cause bacterial cell death through membrane
damage and depolarization, metabolic inactivation and generation of reactive oxygen
species (ROS). Further, the photothermal property and the intrinsic peroxidase-like
activity in certain conditions can also show antibacterial activity, which is summarized
in the chapter along with the biocompatibility evaluation.
Probiotics-based Anticancer Immunity In Prostate Cancer
Authors: Junger Teodoro Anderson , Gomes da Cruz Adriano , Pereira Azara Cíntia Ramos , da Costa Pereira Soares Nathalia
Published: July 2023

The human body is colonized by microbial cells that are estimated to be as
abundant as human cells, yet their genome is roughly 100 times the human genome,
providing significantly more genetic diversity. The past decade has observed an
explosion of interest in examining the existence of microbiota in the human body and
understanding its role in various diseases, including prostate cancer. Studies show that
probiotics provide positive results in prostate cancer prevention and treatment.
However, some studies argue that they should not be used, putting forward the fact
they may cause infection in patients with very weak immunity. This chapter
summarizes key microbiota alterations observed in prostate cancer niches, their
association with clinical stages, and their potential use in anticancer therapy and
management. In addition, the chapter discusses microbiota-based therapeutic
approaches for prostate cancer.
An Imaging Feature Predicts Efficacy of Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: KUWANO AKIFUMI , YADA MASAYOSHI , MIYAZAKI YOSHIKO , TANAKA KOSUKE , KOGA YUTA , OHISHI YOSHIHIRO , MASUMOTO AKIHIDE , MOTOMURA KENTA
Published: July 2023

Background/Aim: Systemic chemotherapy with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab is approved for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is necessary to identify probable predictive biomarkers for chemotherapies. HCC with rim arterial-phase enhancement (APHE) has been linked to aggressive tumor activity. Patients and Methods: We studied the efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for HCC using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging features. In total, 51 HCC patients who underwent CT or MRI were classified by the feature of rim APHE. Results: Clinical responses to chemotherapy were evaluated, and among those who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, there were 10 (19.6%) patients with rim APHE and 41 (80.4%) patients without rim APHE. We found that patients with rim APHE had a better response than those without rim APHE, and patients with rim APHE had longer median progression-free survival compared with those without rim APHE (p=0.026). Furthermore, liver tumor biopsy showed that HCC with rim APHE had a higher proportion of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (p<0.01). Conclusion: Rim APHE in CT/MRI imaging might be a noninvasive biomarker for predicting response to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.
Comparison of Selected Older and Younger Patients Regarding Optimal Surgical Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: AGGELAKOPOULOU CHRYSA , PERIVOLIOTIS KONSTANTINOS , STERGIANNIS PANTELIS , INTAS GEORGE , MOUZAKIS GEORGE , TEPETES KONSTANTINOS
Published: July 2023

Background/Aim: Current evidence regarding the optimal management of older colorectal cancer patients, is conflicting. Functional deficits impact long-term survival prognosis, while frailty often results to optimal treatment postponement. Thus, the characteristics of this subgroup combined with treatment deviations further perplex optimal oncological management. The study aim was to compare survival and optimal surgery rates between older and younger colorectal cancer patients. Patients and Methods: This study was designed as a prospective cohort. All adult (³18 years) colorectal cancer patients operated, during the 2016-2020 period, in the Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, were considered as eligible. The primary endpoint of the study was the difference in terms of the overall survival between older (>70 year) and younger (<70 years) colorectal cancer patients. Results: Overall, 166 patients (60 younger and 106 older) were enrolled. Although the older subgroup displayed a higher rate (p=0.007) of ASA II and ASA III patients, mean CCI scores were comparable (p=0.384). The two subgroups were similar in terms of performed operations (p=0.140). No delay in surgery was noted. Most operations were performed using an open approach (open: 57.8% vs. laparoscopic: 42.2%), under an elective status (elective: 91% vs. emergency: 1.8%). There was no difference in terms of overall complications rate (p=0.859). Overall survival was similar (p=0.227) between the older and younger subgroups (25.68 vs. 28.48 months). Conclusion: Older operated patients did not differ from their younger counterparts with regard to their overall survival. Due to several study limitations, further trials are required to confirm these findings.
Effects of Community-Based Caring Contact in Reducing Thwarted Belongingness Among Postdischarge Young Adults With Self-Harm: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Law Yik Wa , Lok Rita Hui Ting , Chiang Byron , Lai Carmen Chui Shan , Tsui Sik Hon Matthew , Chung Pui Yin Joseph , Leung Siu Chung
Published: July 2023

Background

For patients with self-harm behaviors, the urge to hurt themselves persists after hospital discharge, leading to costly readmissions and even death. Hence, postdischarge intervention programs that reduce self-harm behavior among patients should be part of a cogent community mental health care policy.

Objective

We aimed to determine whether a combination of a self-help mobile app and volunteer support could complement treatment as usual (TAU) to reduce the risk of suicide among these patients.

Methods

We conducted a pragmatic randomized controlled trial on discharged patients aged between 18 and 45 years with self-harm episodes/suicide attempts, all of whom were recruited from 4 hospital emergency departments in Hong Kong. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) mobile app + TAU (“apps”), (2) mobile app + volunteer support + TAU (“volunteers”), or (3) TAU only as the control group (“TAU”). They were asked to submit a mobile app–based questionnaire during 4 measurement time points at monthly intervals.

Results

A total of 40 participants were recruited. Blending volunteer care with a preprogrammed mobile app was found to be effective in improving service compliance. Drawing upon the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide, our findings suggested that a reduction in perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness through community-based caring contact are linked to improvement in hopelessness, albeit a transient one, and suicide risk.

Conclusions

A combination of volunteer care with a self-help mobile app as a strategy for strengthening the continuity of care can be cautiously implemented for discharged patients at risk of self-harm during the transition from the hospital to a community setting.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03081078; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03081078
Temporal and Bidirectional Association Between Blood Pressure Variability and Arterial Stiffness: Cross-Lagged Cohort Study
Authors: Wu Zhiyuan , Zhang Haiping , Wang Yutao , Li Zhiwei , Li Xia , Tao Lixin , Guo Xiuhua
Published: July 2023

Background

The causal relationship between blood pressure variability (BPV) and arterial stiffness remains debated.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the temporal and bidirectional associations between long-term BPV and arterial stiffness using a cohort design with multiple surveys.

Methods

Participants from the Beijing Health Management Cohort who underwent health examinations from visit 1 (2010-2011) to visit 5 (2018-2019) were enrolled in this study. Long-term BPV was defined as intraindividual variation using the coefficient of variation (CV) and SD. Arterial stiffness was measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). The bidirectional relationship between BPV and arterial stiffness was explored using cross-lagged analysis and linear regression models, with records before and after visit 3 categorized as phase 1 and phase 2, respectively.

Results

Of the 1506 participants, who were a mean of 56.11 (SD 8.57) years old, 1148 (76.2%) were male. The cross-lagged analysis indicated that the standardized coefficients of BPV at phase 1 directing to the baPWV level at phase 2 were statistically significant but not vice-versa. The adjusted regression coefficients of the CV were 4.708 (95% CI 0.946-8.470) for systolic blood pressure, 3.119 (95% 0.166-6.073) for diastolic pressure, and 2.205 (95% CI 0.300-4.110) for pulse pressure. The coefficients of the SD were 4.208 (95% CI 0.177-8.239) for diastolic pressure and 4.247 (95% CI 0.448-8.046) for pulse pressure. The associations were predominant in the subgroup with hypertension, but we did not observe any significant association of baPWV level with subsequent BPV indices.

Conclusions

The findings supported a temporal relationship between long-term BPV and arterial stiffness level, especially among people with hypertension.
Empowering Rural Youth Groups through Islamic Social Enterprise (ISE) in Indonesia
Authors: Hati Getar
Published: July 2023

Indonesia has a bonus demography challenge. For this reason, youth development should be prioritized by considering the unproductive migration of rural youth groups. Islamic social enterprise (ISE) offers a strategic approach to empowering the youth. This study investigated youth empowerment through vocational training programs provided by two ISE organizations. This is a descriptive qualitative study. Online interviews were carried out from October 2021 to June 2022 involving eight ISE program participants. The research finding shows that ISE supported intellectual, psychological, spiritual, and social skill development. The results also suggest comprehensive support from the government, private sectors, and local communities to ensure the youth groups can be change agents for their villages.

Keywords: change agent, community development, social enterprise, youth empowerment

Abstrak

Indonesia menghadapi tantangan bonus demografi. Untuk itu, pembangunan untuk kelompok harus diprioritaskan dengan mempertimbangkan adanya masalah migrasi yang tidak produktif oleh kelompok pemuda dari wilayah perdesaan. Kewirausahaan sosial berbasis nilai Islam menawarkan pendekatan strategis untuk memberdayakan kelompok pemuda. Studi ini mendeskripsikan pemberdayaan pemuda melalui program pelatihan vokasi yang dilakukan oleh dua organisasi. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan kualiatif deskriptif. Wawancara online dilakukan sejak Oktober 2021 hingga Juni 2022 dengan melibatkan delapan peserta program. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Kewirausahaan sosial berbasis nilai Islam mendukung perkembangan intelektual, perkembangan psikologis dan spiritual, serta perkembangan keterampilan sosial. Hasil penelitian merekomendasikan dukungan komprehensif dari pemerintah, sektor swasta, dan masyarakat lokal untuk dapat memastikan keberdayaan kelompok pemuda sebagai agen perubahan bagi desa mereka.

Kata kunci agen perubah, pengembangan komunitas, kewirausahaan sosial, pemberdayaan pemuda
Pathogen Emergence As Complex Biological Invasion: Lessons From Dynamical Systems Modeling
Authors: Surasinghe Sudam , Rodriguez-Messan Marisabel ,   Brown University, Meszaros Victor , Molofksy Jane ,   University of Vermont, Almagro-Moreno Salvador ,   University of Central Florida, Ogbunugafor Brandon ,   Yale University
Published: July 2023

Infectious disease emergence has become the target of cross-disciplinary efforts that aim to understand and predict the shape of outbreaks. The many challenges involved with the prediction of disease emergence events is a characteristic that in- fectious diseases share with biological invasions in many subfields of ecology (e.g., how certain plants are able to successfully invade a new niche). Like infectious diseases, biological invasions by plants and animals involve interactions between agents (pathogens and plants in their respective cases) and a recipient niche. In this study, we examine the problem of pathogen emergence through the lens of a framework first developed for the study of plant invasions, restructured to apply to pathogen invaders. We utilize mathematical techniques to examine how com- plex dynamics emerge between the various actors in a multi-component pathogen invasion process, which implies invasion frameworks can offer new insight on the particulars of infectious disease emergence. Summarizing, we consider these re- sults in context of their application to epidemiology, and more broadly with regards to modern efforts to bring the vernacular of complex systems to more real-world systems and problems. In doing so, we demonstrate the potential power in math- ematizing conceptual models, and connecting ideas across disparate fields, toward a more rigorous picture of the nuances that underlie the dynamics of biological systems
Lineamientos para la aplicación del estatuto del consumidor empresario en Chile
Authors: Morales Ortiz María Elisa , Toledo Zúñiga Patricia , Carrasco Blanc Humberto
Published: July 2023

Some necessary guidelines are outlined concerning the proper application of Law No. 19.496 to small and medium-sized companies, while at the same time, certain provisions of this regime and its judicial application are critically assessed. To conclude, some (de lege lata) guidance is offered which may be useful to legal practitioners at the time of applying these rules.
Economic empowerment through the development of food and beverage micro enterprises
Authors: Nurul Badriyah  , Wahyudi Setyo Tri , Prastiwi Arum , Nur Mokhamad , Sari Kartika , Nabella Rihana Sofie , Radeetha R.
Published: July 2023

Kecamatan Grati is one of the sub-districts in Pasuruan Regency, famous for its various potentials both in terms of tourism, religious areas and geographically strategic. This Community Service focuses on the food and beverage sector business belonging to LAZISNU (Lembaga Amil Zakat and Shodaqoh NU) in Kecamatan Grati, which is centered in the Pujasera MSME Center in Gratitunon Village. Another thing that also needs to be developed in this community group in Kecamatan Grati is the entrepreneurial spirit in order to produce a jointly managed business unit so that community empowerment in Kecamatan Grati can be ensured. Therefore, the service team carried out a mapping of problems related to improving the local economy faced by LAZISNU partners (business mamin) through FGDs, Technical Guidance about diversifivation product and socialization PIRT. The impact obtained by MSME actors on BIMTEK activities about diversification product are: (i) improved skills and knowledge (ii) increase in product added value (iii) expansion of market share (iv) increased competitiveness (v) improved brand image (vi) business continuity. Next, the impact obtained by MSME actors on BIMTEK activities about socialization PIRT are: (i) compliance with regulations (ii) product quality improvement (iii) customer trust (iv) access to a wider market (v) consumer protection (vi) increased professionalism. The originality of this service program (Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat) is that MSME actors can increase their income, product diversification, and product added value, through technical guidance which is carried out by inviting speakers from the agricultural technology field.
THE FIRST MANIFESTO OF AMERICAN ANGLO–ISRAELISM – THE ELECTION SERMON OF EZRA STILES (1783)
Authors:   Academician I.G. Petrovskii Bryansk State University (Russia), Prilutsky V.V.
Published: July 2023

The article examines the ideology of Anglo-Israelism in the 1783 sermon «The United States has risen to glory and honor» by the American Congregationalist priest and scientist Ezra Stiles (1727-1795). The analysis of the political, religious, historical and philosophical ideas contained in it is carried out. It is shown that, despite the protection of constitutional rights and religious freedom, the author of the sermon defended the monarchy and was a supporter of the rule of an elected elite, an elected «democratic aristocracy». It seems that the principles of conservative Christianity advocated by Stiles were combined with support for the concept of «a City upon a Hill» in 1630, i.e. ideas about the God-chosen Puritans – the first settlers, who created the New Jerusalem or Zion in America. The author supported the pseudo-historical theory of the origin of ethnic groups. In the United States, he saw a «new Israel», chosen by God, called to command the conquered and subordinate «Canaanites» – the American aborigines. Europeans were considered descendants of the Biblical patriarch Japheth, which corresponded to the existing Christian tradition. In the Indians of the New World, related to the peoples of Siberia, he saw the descendants of representatives of the tribes, expelled by the ancient Israelites after the conquest of Palestine, described in the Bible and scattered throughout the world. In his opinion, the continued mass migration from Europe to America will lead to the decline of the Old World. Immigration will give a new impetus to the development, effective development and economic prosperity of the American continent, where the number of people of European origin will increase significantly. In the future, according to Stiles, there will allegedly be an extinction of races other than Caucasians (Indians and African Americans). Such ideas served as the rationale for American exceptionalism, Western-centrism, Eurocentrism and territorial expansion of the United States.