bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated Whole Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing as a Framework for Pediatric and Adolescent AML Diagnosis and Risk Assessment
Authors: Wang Lu , Voss Rebecca , Pastor Victor , Cardenas Maria , Kumar Priyadarshini , Maciaszek Jamie , Namwanje Maria , Ma Jing , Neary Jennifer , Jin Meiling , Umeda Masayuki , Wilkinson Mark , Payne-Turner Debbie , Eldomery Mohammad , Ma Jingqun , Gu Jiali , Dalton James , Melton Samantha , Liu Yen-Chun , Foy Scott , Rusch Michael , Wheeler David , Zhang Jinghui , Nichols Kim , Karol Seth , Inaba Hiroto , Ribeiro Raul , Rubnitz Jeffrey , Klco Jeffery
Published: January 2025

Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) exhibits distinct genetic characteristics, including unique driver alterations and mutations with prognostic and therapeutic significance. Emerging rare, recurrent genetic abnormalities and their associations with outcomes emphasize the need for high-throughput molecular diagnostic tools. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) reliably detects key AML biomarkers such as structural variants, mutations, and copy number alterations. Whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS) complements WGS by uncovering oncogene expression patterns, allele-specific expression, and gene expression signatures. In this study, we describe an integrated WGS and WTS clinical workflow for routine pediatric AML diagnosis and present a systematic evaluation of its application compared to conventional cytogenetics and standard molecular diagnostic methods. Our findings demonstrate that the integrated WGS and WTS (iWGS-WTS) approach improves the identification of clinically relevant genetic alterations, enhancing precise disease classification and risk assessment. Moreover, with advancements in workflow and bioinformatics pipelines, the testing turnaround time can be optimized to meet the demands of clinical decision-making, positioning iWGS-WTS as a practical and superior alternative to traditional diagnostic methods in pediatric AML management.
A Novel Mmachc c.80A>G Mouse Model Reveals the Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle in Combined Methylmalonic Acidemia and Homocystinuria
Authors: Ma Wenhao , Mao Yingying , Niu Hongze , Wu Zhijie , Zheng Ping , Zhao Tianyi , Zhang Cengceng , Yu Shuangqing , Zhou Jianfang , Ren Zipei , Cheng Peidi , Zhang Lina , Xie Lina , Dong Zheyue , Xia Yan , Sheng Wang , Feng Zhichun , Dong Xiaoyan , Chen Qian , Wu Xiaobing
Published: January 2025

Combined methylmalonic acidemia and homocystinemia (cblC) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by aberrant organic acid metabolism. The c.80A > G mutation in the MMACHC gene has been documented in numerous studies and linked to cblC phenotypes. However, this mutation's pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive, as it has not yet been validated through functional studies. In a previous study, we developed a murine model with the Mmachc c.80A > G mutation to elucidate the intricacies of the cblC disorder. Our current investigation delves deeper into the cblC mouse model, revealing persistently elevated levels of methylmalonic acid (MMA) and homocysteine (Hcy) in blood, urine, and tissues. This phenomenon can be attributed to diminished expression of the Mmachc. The survival rate of these model animals was markedly compromised, with altered blood biomarkers and imaging abnormalities mirroring the clinical manifestations of cblC. Further exploration revealed that the accumulation of MMA and Hcy in tissues is not only a consequence of B12-processing but also contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction, which is particularly pronounced in skeletal muscle. Concurrently, the c.80A > G mouse model exhibited disruption of mitochondrial autophagy, resulting in mitochondrial proliferation and impaired ATP metabolism. Notably, MMA emerged as a pivotal factor in cellular energy stress, damage to the mitochondrial respiratory chain and ATPase activity. Collectively, these findings indicate that the c.80A > G mutation plays a significant role in the mitochondrial pathogenesis of cblC by inducing intron retention, thereby providing novel insights into the underlying disease mechanism.
Microstructural Damage to the Optic Nerve with Vigabatrin Treatment in West Syndrome: A DTI Study
Authors: Hu Junjie , Chen Li , Zhang Gongwei , Fang Yu , Zhang Huiting , Li Yilian , Liao Jianxiang , Zhao Cailei
Published: January 2025

Objective: This study aimed to assess the side effects of vigabatrin (VGB), focusing on optic nerve fiber damage in children with West syndrome, using DTI imaging parameters.
Method: Clinical data and DTI images were analyzed, recording FA and ADC values for both optic nerves. ROC curves were used to determine fractional anisotropy thresholds for optic nerve damage.
Results: Thirty-five children with West syndrome (0.3-22 months old, male: female = 19:16) were divided into three groups: (1) VGB and other anti-seizure medications (ASMs) with symmetrical thalamus abnormalities, (2) VGB and ASMs without thalamus abnormalities, and (3) control group with other ASMs. FA values in group 1 were significantly lower than in group 3 (P < 0.05), and FA values increased after VGB discontinuation (P < 0.05). The ROC analysis showed a cut-off score of 304 with 63.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity for detecting optic nerve damage.
Conclusion: FA values are effective imaging markers for detecting VGB-induced optic nerve damage in West syndrome, especially when thalamus abnormalities are present. FA values significantly improve after stopping VGB treatment.
Ferroptosis-mediated primary open-angle glaucoma: Insight from gene signature and identification of potential small-molecule drugs
Authors: Zhou Xiaoyu , Zhang Xinyue , Xu Jiahao , Wu Ping , Duan Xuanchu
Published: January 2025

Background
Recent studies have found that ferroptosis may be involved in the process of trabecular meshwork injury in glaucoma. This study aims to reveal ferroptosis-related gene signature in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and identify small molecule drugs as new direction of therapy.
Methods
Ferroptosis-related indicators in POAG patients and chronic ocular hypertension (COH) rats were detected by ELISA kits. The dataset (GSE27276) from GEO database and ferroptosis-related genes from FerrDb were downloaded for analysis. Small molecule drugs targeting ferroptosis-related signature components were predicted via CMap database and CB-Dock2. H2O2-induced human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMCs) oxidative stress model was constructed to validate the expression of hub genes and efficacy of drugs. Digoxin was made into eye drops to verify its intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering effect in vivo.
Results
Ferroptosis levels were enhanced in POAG patients and COH eyes of rats. A total of 14 ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes were identified. PPI analysis and in vitro experiments showed HBA1, SLC2A3 and SCD played an important role in ferroptosis-mediated POAG. CMap and molecular docking indicated that ATPase inhibitors digoxin might be considered as potential therapeutic drugs for POAG. Digoxin administration alleviated H2O2-induced HTMCs ferroptosis and lowered IOP of COH eyes.
Conclusions
This study clarified the ferroptosis-related gene signature in the pathogenesis of POAG, which provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and early diagnosis of POAG. Translation of specific small molecule drugs will propose new ideas for therapy of POAG.
Impacts of anthropogenic activities on land use land cover change dynamics in the Ogun River Basin, Nigeria
Authors: Ojelabi Oluwatoyin Khadijat , Lawin Agnidé Emmanuel , Amichiatchi N'da Jocelyne , Oluwasemire Kolapo Olatunji
Published: January 2025

In this research, the impacts of past (1984–2020) and future (2040–2060) changes in Ogun River Basin's land use land cover (LULC) dynamics were studied. LULC changes were classified using the Random Forest algorithm in Google Earth Engine on Landsat imagery from 1984, 2000, and 2020 epochs. The multi-layer perceptron-neural network and Markov Chain in the Land Change Modeler were used to predict the LULC maps under various future scenarios. The results revealed significant alterations in the LULC pattern. Forests, wetlands, and water bodies decreased between the epochs 1984 and 2020 by −29.0%, −58.3%, and −84.5%, respectively, whereas farmland and built-up areas expanded by 104 and 20%, respectively. The Business-as-Usual scenario is anticipated to result in an increase in farmland of 3.73% in 2040 and 3.89% in 2060, respectively, at the detriment of forest cover and wetland areas, which are projected to decrease. Under the afforestation scenario, the forest is predicted to expand at the expense of farmland and built-up areas, which are anticipated to expand by 6% (2040) and 8% (2060), respectively. These results, in combination with those derived from the Markov model, provide the necessary evidence base to support land use planning and the future-proofing of sustainable water resources management strategies in the basin.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Resilience Training among Nursing Professionals in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alanazi Hanan Qayyadh , Alreshidi Nashi Masnad , Alrimali Afaf Mufadhi , Alshammari Wadida Darwish , Elsharif Nashwa Essam , Teodosio Maria Theresa Hermano , Gonzales Kristine Angeles , Gaspar Fe Baltazar , Tabungar Debora Malibago , Alshammri Miad Ayed
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Nursing is a demanding profession that calls for resilience and stress management. Nevertheless, many nurses do not receive adequate training in these areas. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of resilience training programs on work-related stress and resilience levels among nurses in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A quasi-experiment intervention study employing pre- and post-test approaches was conducted from January to March, 2024, to assess a resilience training program for nurses in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Fifty nurses from sixteen hospitals were divided into two groups in the stratified random sample: the intervention group (n = 25) and the control group (n = 25). Data was collected using an online survey at baseline and three months post-training, with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale employed for measuring outcomes. The paired samples t-tests for statistical analysis were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 29.0.

Results

Significant improvements were noted in the intervention group, with resilience sores improving to 79.50 from 77.12 (p = 0.015) and stress levels decreasing to 63.54 from 65.08 (p = 0.020). No significant changes were noted in the control group.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that resilience training programs can significantly enhance resilience levels and reduce work-related stress. These results underscore the importance of implementing structured resilience training to better equip nurses for the challenges of their demanding profession.
Inter-Sector Collaboration in Implementation Poverty Alleviation Program Through Corporate Social Responsibility in Indonesia
Authors: Salam Ashari , B Muh Ridwan
Published: January 2025

To effectively align corporate social responsibility (CSR) with poverty reduction agendas, companies need to be more inclusive and collaborative with other actors. Cross-sector partnerships in CSR implementation have emerged as a new approach and practice, as promoted by public administration scholars. Key actors in partnerships may come from government, civil society represented by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and corporations. However, designing successful and effective partnerships that are relevant to cross-sector dynamics and political contexts has proven to be a challenge, especially in developing countries and new democracies, such as Indonesia. This paper provides the main characteristics of effective cross-sector partnerships derived from examining three case studies in Indonesia and Tanzania. Both represent cross-sector partnerships with varying scope and depth. In this paper, one can observe and extract the main characteristics of effective partnerships based on the three case studies, each with its described model. In particular, the characteristics used to assess the effectiveness of the model include ownership, alignment and synchronization, accountability, reduced dependency, resource sharing, along with representation and legitimacy.
Stylistic Errors in Arabic Sentences Writing and Their Factors Among Arab Students Outside the Arab Countries "Malaysia as a Model" Language Acquisition
Authors: Abdullah Najat Osman Mohammed , Mustapha Nik Farhan
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to identify stylistic errors among students of the Global Modern International School (GMIS) school, and to reveal the factors and causes that led to their occurrence. The researcher conducted this study in the second semester of the academic year 2022 AD, using the descriptive analytical approach to analyze errors, describe them and explain their causes, and applied it to a sample of (32) male and female sixth grade primary school students based on a free writing test, and the choice of writing included one topic out of three topics; the first is a trip to the beach, the second is to describe your life in Malaysia, and the third is the importance of the Internet. The most important results reached by this study are: The percentage of the size of the linguistic repertoire among the sample students reached (78%), and the percentage of stylistic errors reached (53%), combined. The total grammatical and morphological errors reached (32%). The total number of spelling errors reached (51%). The most important factors and causes of these errors were psychological factors such as: tension and haste, in addition to the effect of the English language as the language of instruction, and the effect of the Arabic dialects of the sample students, in addition to the lack of reading materials such as books, magazines, and Arabic newspapers, and the lack of time allocated to learning the Arabic language because the Arabic language is just an additional subject in the international Global Modern International School (GMIS) curriculum.

Keywords: Stylistic errors, error analysis, Arabic sentence writing, error classification, Arab students
Análisis de las prácticas de la responsabilidad social empresarial de las micro y pequeñas empresas de Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
Authors: Becerra Bizarrón Manuel Ernesto
Published: January 2025

Este estudio examina la adopción de prácticas de Responsabilidad Social Empresarial (RSE) en micro y pequeñas empresas (MIyPES) de Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. El objetivo principal fue analizar la implementación de RSE en tres áreas: social, económica y medioambiental. Utilizando un enfoque correlacional y no experimental, se recolectaron datos mediante encuestas a 432 administradores, dueños y gerentes de empresas. Los datos se analizaron con la utilización del  software SPSS y el programa AMOS para llevar a cabo análisis factoriales tanto exploratorios como confirmatorios. Los resultados indicaron que el 60% de la varianza total fue explicada por tres factores claves, demostrando que las MIyPES que aplican prácticas de RSE mejoran sus relaciones tanto con los empleados como con la comunidad. Además, la implementación de RSE también incrementa su sostenibilidad y competitividad en el sector. El análisis de fiabilidad mostró altos niveles de consistencia interna, con valores de 0.933, 0.910 y 0.853 para las dimensiones social, económica y medioambiental, respectivamente. El estudio confirma que la incorporación de RSE en las políticas y planes estratégicos de las MIyPES no solo es un compromiso ético, sino una estrategia que refuerza el rendimiento empresarial.
Effective Facial Expression Recognition System Using Artificial Intelligence Technique
Authors: Yousif Imad S. , Rashid Tarik A. , Shamsaldin Ahmed S. , Abdulhameed Sabat A. , Abdullah Abdulhady Abas
Published: January 2025

Facial expressions are the most basic non-verbal method people use to communicate feelings, intentions and reactions without words. Recognizing these facial expressions accurately is essential for a variety of applications — such as tools that use our faces to interact with computers (human-computer interaction, or HCI), security systems and emotionally intelligent artificial intelligence technologies. As the complexities surrounding these relationships have become better understood, it has allowed us to develop increasingly more complex systems for identifying and detecting facial expressions of different emotions. This paper presents an improved performance of the Facial Expression Recognition (FER) systems via augmentation in Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms, two renowned artificial intelligence techniques possessing disparate strengths. ANNS are inspired by the neural architecture of human brain capable of learning and recognizing patterns in unchartered data after trained examples, on the other hand GAs come from fundamental principles underlying natural selection perform optimization process based-on evolutionary methods which includes fitness evaluation, comparison, selection, crossover, and mutation. The research is an effort to mitigate the problems pertaining with conventional methods, like overfitting and generalization fault in order design FER model which has potential for performing much more accurately. A hybrid ANN-GA model that uses Petri Nets and production systems is proposed for the real-time video sequence analysis with high precision in predicting different dynamic facial activities of anger, surprise, disgust, joy, sadness and fear from emotion faces. Importantly, results on the study show that this integrated model has a large-scale promoting effect in emotion detection upon varied scenes and is therefore generalizable to many domains from security and surveillance over biomedicine up to interactive AI-driven systems. Implications for implementing real-time and context-aware recognition of human emotions based on AI technologies are far-reaching as they demonstrate the potential that hybrid AI systems offer at enhancing emotion deciphering.
Female Theatre Managers in ‘Peripheral Spaces’. Re-Mapping the 19th-Century Habsburg Monarchy Theatre Landscape
Authors: Aprent Patrick , Berger Magret
Published: January 2025

This article focuses on female theatre managers in the nineteenth-century Habsburg Monarchy, specifically within the territory of present-day Austria. Combining qualitative and quantitative research and utilising methods from geography and the digital humanities, it aims to reintroduce the many women who led theatres and thereby made substantial contributions to the theatrical and cultural life of their time, but who have been excluded or inaccurately represented in later theatre history writing. By analysing the content of around 230 theatre almanacs, this article illustrates the gender relations of the historical theatre landscape and demonstrates that women disproportionately often occupied ‘peripheral spaces’, leading theatre ventures in the suburbs, on smaller provincial stages and in travelling theatres.
Performative Zugehörigkeiten. Levke Harders’ ‚doing belonging‘ in Justitia! Identity Cases (2022)
Authors: Sacher Anna
Published: January 2025

Die Geschichtswissenschaftlerin Levke Harders brachte mit ‚belonging‘ eine Erweiterung zum Begriff der Identität in die Debatte ein. Das auf Prozesshaftigkeit basierendeKonzept zielt jenseits essentialisierender Zuschreibungen auf Aspekte individueller sowie gemeinschaftlicher Agency ab. Die insbesondere mit ‚doing belonging‘ stark gemachte, performative Dimension von sozialen Prozessen wird in diesem Beitrag mit Gin Müllers künstlerischpraktischer Arbeit Justitia! Identity Cases (2022) enggeführt. Methodisch werden im Rahmen einer Aufführungsanalyse die theatralen Marker von Rolle, Setting und Partizipation untersucht. Dabei wird die Frage nach den Grenzen eines ‚doing belonging‘ aufgeworfen, sowie danach, wer an der eigenen Konstruktion von ‚belonging‘ teilhaben kann. Harders’ Konzept birgt, so die Hypothese, das Potential, einerseits persönliche und gemeinschaftliche Zugehörigkeit in Abgrenzung zu festgeschriebenen Identitätsmarkern zu erzeugen und andererseits Grenzen von Agency aufzuzeigen, die diskriminierende Strukturen aufrechterhalten.
Cristina SANTOS PINHEIRO, Gabriel A. F. SILVA, Ruy Carlos FONSECA, Bernardo MOTA y Joaquim PINHEIRO (eds.), Gynecia. Studies on Ginecology in Ancient, Medieval and Early-Modern Texts, Santa Maria da Feira, Ediçoes Afrontamento, 2022, 376 pp., 978-972-36-1977-5
Authors: Pasalodos Requejo Sergio
Published: January 2025

Reseña de Cristina Santos Pinheiro, Gabriel A. F. Silva, Ruy Carlos Fonseca, Bernardo Mota y Joaquim Pinheiro (eds.), Gynecia. Studies on Ginecology in Ancient, Medieval and Early-Modern Texts, Santa Maria da Feira, Ediçoes Afrontamento, 2022, 376 pp., 978-972-36-1977-5
Diagnosis of atrial cardiomyopathy: from the electrocardiogram to the new opportunities with multimodality imaging
Authors: Belli Martina , Margonato Davide , Prandi Francesca Romana , Barone Lucy , Muscoli Saverio , Lecis Dalgisio , Mollace Rocco , Sergi Domenico , Cavalcante João L. , Lerakis Stamatios , Barillà Francesco
Published: January 2025

Atrial cardiomyopathy (AC) has been defined by the European Heart Rhythm Association as “Any complex of structural, architectural, contractile, or electrophysiologic changes in the atria with the potential to produce clinically relevant manifestations”.
1
The left atrium (LA) plays a key role in maintaining normal cardiac function; in fact atrial dysfunction has emerged as an essential determinant of outcomes in different clinical scenarios, such as valvular diseases, heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF). A comprehensive evaluation, both anatomical and functional, is routinely performed in cardiac imaging laboratories. Recent advances in imaging techniques offer opportunities for evaluation of LA function, fundamental in clinical practice for early cardiovascular (CV) risk estimation, choice of therapeutic intervention and follow up. In this review we explore the concept of AC, its diagnosis through a multimodal approach, ranging from the historical electrocardiogram to the latest CV imaging techniques and its clinical implications.
Cardiac amyloidosis: when to suspect and how to confirm
Authors: Emdin Michele , Aimo Alberto , Ferrari Chen Yu Fu , Merlo Marco , Porcari Aldostefano , Vergaro Giuseppe , Sinagra Gianfranco
Published: January 2025

Diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is challenging because of its phenotypic heterogeneity, multiorgan involvement requiring interaction among experts in different specialties and subspecialties, lack of a single noninvasive diagnostic tool, and still limited awareness in the medical community. Missing or delaying the diagnosis of CA may profoundly impact on patients’ outcomes, as potentially life-saving treatments may be omitted or delayed. The suspicion of CA should arise when “red flags” for this condition are present, together with increased left ventricular wall thickness. The diagnosis of CA requires amyloid typing and differentiation between the two most common forms, light chain (AL) and either mutated or wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), which is critical to guide a specific treatment. Scientific societies worldwide focus on the importance of red flags, and on the prompt initiation of the diagnostic process with bone tracer uptake and the search of a monoclonal protein. An extra-cardiac or endomyocardial tissue biopsy is needed when a monoclonal protein has been detected and/or cardiac bone tracer uptake is absent or weak. Finally, all patients diagnosed with ATTR-CA should undergo genetic testing to search for TTR gene mutations.
Endoscopic evaluation of the feline tympanic bulla is feasible for detection of epithelial remnants following ventral bulla osteotomy in a cadaveric model
Authors: Williams Rachel W. , Regier Penny J. , Pathak Nirali , Solari Francesca P. , Ham Kathleen M. , Bertran Judith , Case J. Brad
Published: January 2025

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate endoscopy for detection of epithelial remnants within the feline tympanic bulla following ventral bulla osteotomy (VBO) and to report the most likely locations within the bulla for epithelial remnants to occur.

METHODS

This was a single-center experimental cadaveric study. 10 VBO procedures were performed by 5 board-certified surgeons in 5 feline cadavers. Following completion, a 1.9-mm, 30° rigid endoscope was inserted into the rostral, caudal, dorsal, lateral, and medial section, and images were acquired. A blinded observer evaluated the endoscopic images for epithelial remnants, and the percentage of the section containing epithelial remnants was measured. The mean and SD of distribution of epithelial remnants were calculated for each section.

RESULTS

Remnant epithelium was noted in at least 1 section in each cadaver. The dorsal section was the most common to have epithelial remnants identified (10 of 10), whereas the lateral (5 of 10) and medial (5 of 10) were the least common. The lateral section contained the most epithelial remnants (6.9 ± 11.42%), whereas the caudal section contained the least (1.2 ± 1.42%).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a 1.9-mm, 30° endoscope was feasible for evaluation and identification of epithelial remnants in a feline tympanic bulla following VBO. Epithelial remnants were consistently identified in all sections with endoscopic assistance.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Endoscopy following completion of a VBO may be considered to ensure complete removal of epithelium.
Reconciling a Fresh Start with Personal Data: The Challenge of EU Insolvency Discharge
Authors: Bolzanas Darius , Jokubauskas Remigijus
Published: January 2025

Designed to provide a fresh start, the discharge procedure relieves debtors of pre-bankruptcy debts, allowing them to resume economic activity. Attainment of this aim is also linked with the processing of the debtor’s personal data during and even after the discharge procedure is completed. The processing of the debtor’s personal data in the discharge procedure is subject to the general rules of protection of personal data in the European Union law. This article analyzes what the legal basis for processing of debtor’s personal data is during and after the discharge procedure. It also deals with the question whether a proper balance between the principle of publicity of the discharge procedure and the main goals of the processing of personal data (lawful processing of personal data, data minimization principle) are achieved under the current legal framework of the European Union. To show the practical problems in this area, the article focuses on the recent case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which reveals the problems to achieve the proper balance between the different aims of the discharge of debt procedure and processing of personal data.
The Self-Restrained Positive Legislator: Assessing the Constitutional Review of Legislative Omissions in Lithuania
Authors: Pūraitė-Andrikienė Dovilė , Valuta Andrius
Published: January 2025

The function of constitutional courts has undergone significant transformation in recent decades. More frequently, constitutional courts, instead of dealing with existing legislation, assume the role of assistants to the legislator. Some of these courts also control the absence of legislation or legislative omissions. This article seeks to explore the approach of the Lithuanian Constitutional Court in handling cases of legislative omission, particularly focusing on its efforts to strike a balance between respecting the autonomy of law-making institutions and upholding the supremacy of the Constitution. The text addresses the extent to which the Constitutional Court has adhered to the principle of self-restraint, ensuring that its interventions do not unduly encroach upon the prerogatives of law-making institutions. To reach this, the following tasks are undertaken and dealt with: 1) to shed light on the concept and typology of legislative omissions in comparative constitutional law, as well as the trends of their investigation (including statistical data) in European countries; 2) to analyse the official constitutional doctrine formulated by the Lithuanian Constitutional Court on the concept of legislative omissions and the scope of the Court’s power to examine legislative omissions; 3) to analyse the approach of the Lithuanian Constitutional Court to legislative omissions from a quantitative point of view, i.e. to examine the statistics of this Court in dealing with legislative omissions and the reasons for its changes.
Institutional Components Affecting the Internationalization of Higher Education: A Case Study on Estonia
Authors: Joamets Kristi , Vasquez Maria Claudia Solarte
Published: January 2025

A comprehensive understanding of higher education internationalization remains elusive within the European context, despite the guidance offered by the European Union (EU) through policy principles, notably the Bologna Process. As a result, Member States face challenges in developing and implementing effective internationalization strategies. Typically, these prove unsustainable due to their overly ambitious and broad focus, leading to inefficiencies such as inadequate allocation of resources, and to fragmented approaches that often fail to produce cohesive, functional systems. This paper argues that establishing clear definitions, priorities and coordinated action plans involving key stakeholders could enhance the formulation of more feasible and impactful regulatory strategies, facilitating a smooth internationalization in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The opposite would increase the likelihood of wasteful investments and mismanagement, affecting the stability, reliability, and sustainability of advancements in this area. This article contributes to the delineation of a higher education internationalization model drawing from an examination of Estonian institutional policies and regulatory trends. Through a partial institutional review, it explores the challenges, opportunities, and prospects inherent to cultiva ting a well defined, principled and comprehensive internationalization approach, emphasizing the necessity of meaningful stakeholder involvement for the creation of reflective regulatory frameworks to ensure the attainment of tangible and measurable goals.
Research Data Management Within the EU Data Policy Framework
Authors: Milčiuvienė Saulė , Amilevičius Darius , Raškinis Gailius
Published: January 2025

The rapid digitalization has significantly influenced EU research policy, particularly in open science and research data management. While free access to research data is integral to open science, the broader concept of research data management extends beyond mere accessibility. The EU has introduced various regulations to address the evolving challenges of digital technologies, balancing innovation with fundamental legal principles such as privacy and intellectual property protection. Although no single legal framework is dedicated to research data, multiple EU policies directly impact its management. The Open Data Directive emphasizes the reuse of publicly funded research data, promoting open access while safeguarding intellectual property and privacy rights. The Data Governance Act complements this by creating a framework for reusing protected public sector data, balancing openness with the need to protect commercial, intellectual, and personal data. The Data Act primarily focuses on private sector data and facilitates data sharing across businesses and sectors, particularly in the domain of the Internet of Things, while promoting interoperability and fair contractual terms. Despite these robust EU-level frameworks, Lithuania’s national policies lag behind, particularly in addressing the growing needs of artificial intelligence innovation.
The Problem of Obtaining Evidence from EU Countries While Achieving the “Crime Does Not Pay” Goal
Authors: Šalčius Marijus , Molienė Reda
Published: January 2025

As the European Union has implemented the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital, borders for crime have also often disappeared, making cross-border evidence a decades-old issue in European criminal justice. This article identifies today’s opportunities, legal tools, and their obstacles and challenges in obtaining evidence at an early stage of an investigation located in another Member State. The article focuses on the identification of problems in the practical application of the European Investigation Order, European Public Prosecutor’s cross-border investigation tools and seeks to answer whether these problems will be resolved by the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1543 (The e-evidence package) in 2026. In the context of the European Union’s efforts to fight crime in a comprehensive manner and in line with the European Commission’s Communication of 2008, that confiscation and recovery of proceeds are a powerful means for fighting organized crime effectively and its commitment to support the development of confiscation-related legislative and non-legislative measures1, alternative legal instruments to achieve the “crime does not pay” objective are also being developed, where obtaining evidence from other Member States is also a key issue. In response, the second part of this article analyses the present-day possibilities of collecting evidence in one of these alternative processes, the civil asset confiscation process, which has its origins in the criminal process analyzed in the first part of this article.
Long-term Target Tracking Based on Template Updating and Redetection
Authors: Xu Shuping , Li Yinglong
Published: January 2025

To address the issue of targets frequently disappearing and reappearing in long-term tracking scenarios due to occlusion and being out of view, we have developed a long-term target tracking algorithm based on template updating and redetection (LTUSiam). Firstly, on the basis of the basic tracker SiamRPN, a three-level cascade gated cycle unit is introduced to assess the state of the target and select the right time to adopt the template update network to adapt the update template information. Secondly, a re-detection algorithm based on template matching is proposed. The candidate region extraction module is utilized to adjust the target's position and size in the basic tracker, and the evaluation score sequence is used to judge the target loss to determine the tracking state of the next frame. Experiments show that LTUSiam achieves 28 frames per second on VOT2018_LT dataset, achieving good results in real-time tracking, and 0.644 performance on F-score, which has better robustness in handling the problem of target loss recurrence, and effectively improves the performance of long-term tracking.
A Baseline for Violence Behavior Detection in Complex Surveillance Scenarios
Authors: Long Yingying , Wang Zongxin , Wei Hanzhu , Bai Xiaojun
Published: January 2025

Violence detection can improve the ability to deal with emergencies, but there is still no data set specifically for violence detection. In this work, we propose VioData, a datasets specialized for detection in complex surveillance scenarios, and to more accurately assess the efficacy of these datasets, we propose a violence detection model based on target detection and 3D convolution. The model consists of two key modules: spatio-temporal feature extraction module and spatiotemporal feature fusion module. Among them, the spatio-temporal feature extraction module consists of a spatial feature module that extracts key frames using ordinary convolutional networks and a temporal feature extraction module that establishes temporal features using 3D convolution. The spatio-temporal feature fusion module Channel Fusion and Attention Mechanism (CFAM) fuses the temporal and spatial features. The experimental results indicate that the precision of the suggested detection model on UCF101-24, JHMDB behavioral detection datasets, and our proposed violence detection datasets, VioData, is improved compared to other violence detection models, which not only verifies the validity of the datasets, but also provides a baseline for the subsequent research and improvement in this area.
Accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography in diagnosis of cardiac myxoma: single center experience
Authors: Kacar Polona , Pavsic Nejc , Bervar Mojca , Strazar Zvezdana Dolenc , Prokselj Katja
Published: January 2025

Background

The differential diagnosis of cardiac myxomas (CM), the most common benign primary cardiac tumors, is broad and a thorough diagnostic workup is required to establish accurate diagnosis prior to surgical resection. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is usually the first imaging modality used for diagnosis of suspected CM. In a single tertiary centre study, we sought to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of TTE in the diagnosis of CM and to determine echocardiographic characteristics indicative of CM.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively analyzed clinical, echocardiographic, and pathohistological findings of 73 patients consecutively admitted for suspected CM.

Results

After diagnostic workup, 53 (73%) patients were treated surgically at our institution. Based on preoperative TTE, patients were divided into a CM group (n=45, 85%) and non-myxoma (NM) group. Of the 53 pathohistological specimens obtained during surgery, 39 (73%) were CM. The sensitivity and specificity of preoperative echocardiography were 97% and 50%, respectively. The overall accuracy was 85%. All NM tumors were found in an atypical location and 72% of CM were found in a typical position in the left atrium (p < 0.001). Tumors in NM group were significantly smaller than CM (24.3 ± 13.2 mm vs. 37.9 ± 18.3 mm, p = 0.017).

Conclusions

Our study confirms very good accuracy of TTE in the diagnosis of CM. The most important echocardiographic characteristics to differentiate between CM and tumors of different etiology are tumor location and size. Smaller tumors presenting at an atypical location are less likely to be diagnosed as CM, and these require additional imaging modalities for accurate diagnosis.
Institutional Quality and Human Capital Development in Nigeria: Is There Any Link?
Authors: Kudaisi Bosede Victoria
Published: January 2025

Despite efforts to improve quality human capital, Nigeria consistently scores poorly in the human development index (HDI). The significance of institutions in human development has been emphasized in recent times as countries grapple with achieving sustainable development goals. Studies show that quality institutions provide equitable and fair development opportunities and capabilities to enhance human development. This study, therefore, examined the effect of institutions—corruption, democratic accountability, and government stability on Nigeria’s human capital development index. The ARDL model is employed to analyze data from 1990 to 2022. The outcomes show that a stable political system, high levels of democratic accountability, improved per capita GDP, employment generation, and consistent government spending on essential sectors are all critical for human capital development. Conversely, high rates of poverty and corruption have negative impacts on human capital. The findings lend credence to the intuition that strong institutions have a significant impact on enhancing quality human capital through improved healthcare, education, human capabilities, poverty reduction, employment opportunities, and security. It is therefore recommended that institutional reform that guarantees human development be pursued.
Forecasts on the Evolution of Human Resources in the Health System in Romania Using the Arima Method
Authors: Mirescu Lucian , Popescu Liviu
Published: January 2025

In this paper, forecasts are made regarding the number of employees in the public and private health sector in Romania for different professional categories such as: physicians, dentists, pharmacists, family physicians, medical assistants, auxiliary personnel. Using the Dickey-Fuller test, it was initially checked whether the time series were stationary and if not, the first or second difference was applied to make them stationary. Using the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) method with the stages of identification, estimation, diagnosis and prediction, the forecasts for the period 2023-2025 together with the associated confidence intervals were determined, using data provided by the National Institute of Statistics. Regarding the public sector health personnel, a decrease is expected, in general, for the period 2024-2025. Instead, the private sector continues its previous trend of constant growth in the number of employees. Thus, authorities can use these forecasts to adjust strategies for training and recruiting medical personnel according to the estimated need. Forecasts are an essential tool to ensure the balance between demand and supply in the health sector, thus contributing to the improvement of medical services and the long-term sustainability of the health system.
The Covid-19 Pandemic and its Effects on Conviviality and Social Inequalities: A Comparative Study in Latin America
Authors: Flamand Laura , Piovani Juan Ignacio
Published: January 2025

In 2021, Mecila (Maria Sibylla Merian Centre Conviviality-Inequality in Latin America)1 began an international investigation to explore the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in three large urban agglomerates in Europe and Latin America: Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City. Later, this comparative research expanded its scope, adding to the analysis the cities of Asunción, Ciudad del Este and Encarnación, in Paraguay.3 In this case, besides the largest city in the country, Asunción, it was decided to investigate the second and third largest cities, Encarnación and Ciudad del Este, due to their status as border cities, in which cross-border circulation, before the pandemic, was central to the daily life, economic activities — especially those in the informal sector —, and the provision of medical care.
Melamin sofra takımlarında melamin ve formaldehit düzeylerinin belirlenmesi
Authors: Kıralan S. Sezer , Toptancı İsra
Published: January 2025

Sağlık açısından risk oluşturan melamin ve formaldehit miktarlarının Türkiye’de satışa sunulan melamin sofra takımı parçalarında miktarlarının belirlenmesi ve yasal limit değerler ile karşılaştırılmasının yapılması amaçlanmıştır. Materyal olarak sofra takımı parçaları olan tabak, bardak, çatal, kaşık, kâse ve tepsi olmak üzere 6 farklı gruptan her birinden 5 adet olmak üzere 30 örnek kullanılmıştır. Melamin analizi HPLC/MS/MS ve formaldehit analizi ise spektrofotometrik yöntem ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Türkiye’de satışa sunulan 30 melamin sofra takımı parçasında melamin belirlenen örnek sayısı 23 olup, bu örneklerin hiçbiri yasal limitlerin üzerine çıkmamıştır. Buna karşın formaldehit tüm örneklerde tespit edilmiştir. Formaldehit miktarı da melamin gibi yasal limitlerin üzerinde tespit edilememiştir.
Piliç köfte reçetesinde abdominal yağ ve göğüs deri oranlarının optimizasyonu
Authors: Ateş Kivilcim
Published: January 2025

Piliç köftenin lezzeti ve dokusu içerdiği etin ve yağın türüne, miktarına bağlı olarak değişmektedir. Bu çalışmada beyaz et üretim tesislerinde piliç parçalama prosesi yan ürünü olan, düşük katma değerli göğüs deri ve abdominal yağın; piliç köfte içeriğinde kullanımında optimum karışım oranlarını belirlemek üzerine bir çalışma yapılmıştır. Amaç, bu iki yan ürüne katma değer kazandırmak, optimum karışım oranlarını belirlerken endüstride uygulanabilir köfte reçetesi oluşturmaktır. Bu amaçla göğüs deri ve abdominal yağ girdilerinin toplamı her zaman %40 olacak şekilde farklı faktör seviyeleri için 7 farklı deney tasarlanmış ve çıktı değişkeni olarak pişirme kaybı (%), maliyet (TL) ve ham yağ (%) ölçülmüştür. Karışımın kalan %60’lık kısım eşit oranda göğüs kuşbaşı eti, köfte harcı, galeta unu, su ve bezelye-narenciye lifiyle mısır-patates nişastası karışımından (Stabilizer) oluşmaktadır. Minitab istatistisel analiz programı kullanılarak Yanıt Yüzey Yöntemi ile matematiksel modelleme ve optimizasyon çalışmaları yapılmış, optimum karışım oranı %28,60 göğüs deri ve %11,40 abdominal yağ olarak belirlenmiştir. Optimize edilmiş köfte reçetesi ile üretilen ürünler için; protein, yağ, karbonhidrat, kül, nem, nişasta, su aktivitesi, diyet lifi, enerji ve kalsiyum değerlerinin yanı sıra köfte hamurunun hazırlandığı 0. gün ile dinlendirildiği 1. güne ait toplam mezofolik aerobik bakteri, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, koliform, Pseudomanas spp., maya ve küf üremeleri incelenmiş, kızgın yağda kızartılmış örnekte duyusal değerlendirme yapılmıştır.
Computational assessment of the platinum (II) complex of imidazolidine dioximes substituted with methoxydiglycol units: from activation to DNA binding
Authors: Dedeoğlu Burcu
Published: January 2025

To overcome the issue of toxicity inherent in the approved anticancer agents, many cisplatin derivatives continue to be designed and tested today. Recently, we have proposed a new series of platinum complexes with highly potent imidazolidine dioxime ligands, a combination of two active ligands targeting DNA, substituted with aliphatic carbon chains or aromatic moiety. Quantum mechanical calculations have revealed their potential activity, particularly highlighting the potentially enhanced activity of complexes with aliphatic substituents in DNA platination. Here, we extend our previous study with the inclusion of methoxydiglycol unit (2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl substituents) into the imidazolidine dioxime ligands of our previously proposed complexes to possibly enhance the solubility and bioavailability. Our current investigation focuses on modeling the aquation and DNA binding reactions to assess the potential of this modification and the results are compared to cisplatin.
Awareness & perceptions about organ donation among patient attendants in a tertiary-care hospital in South India: An observational study
Authors: Joe Neha , Chakala Shinto Teni , Fathima Farah , Shankar Nachiket
Published: January 2025

Background & objectives

Numerous barriers like lack of awareness, fear of misuse and sociocultural beliefs contribute towards low rates of organ donation. In 2019, India had a donation rate of only 0.52 per million. Hence, this study was undertaken to determine the awareness levels and perceptions about organ donation among patient attendants in a tertiary-care hospital in South India.

Methods

This cross-sectional study, ‘passing on the torch of life’, with a sample size of 110 was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from June to October 2022. Beds across were selected by simple random sampling and the attendants of patients were interviewed using a face-validated structured interview schedule. Data was analysed using SPSS v.20 using the independent sample t test and ANOVA.

Results

The majority of the participants were Hindus (62%), married (68%), living in urban areas (62%) and gainfully employed (60%). The mean awareness score was 7.86±2.64 (out of 13). About 70 per cent of the participants were regarded to have adequate knowledge. The mean perception score was 67±9.41 (out of 86). A total of 95 per cent of the participants supported organ donation, however only 51 per cent were willing to donate. Males, participants with higher education and income and those residing in urban areas had significantly higher awareness scores (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that higher education levels was a predictor of increased awareness (P=0.036).

Interpretation & conclusions

The majority of participants had adequate awareness, positive perceptions and supported organ donation, however, only 51 per cent were willing to donate their organs. Education levels was a significant predictor of awareness levels. A further qualitative study is recommended to explore the reasons behind the unwillingness to donate, despite strong support for organ donation.