bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetic aspects of bromination of a phthalate-type plasticizer
Authors: Plotnikova R. N.
Published: May 2022

The main characteristics of a complex system of unsaturated plasticizer-bromine using the main "working components" - isomers of 2-ethylhexyl-2-ethylhexene phthalate are considered. It is taken into account that the phthalate-type ester plasticizer is a polar compound with a dipole moment at the level of dioctyl phthalate included in its composition. It has been shown that in the process of bromination, molecular bromine enters into physical interaction with all components of the plasticizer. Dosed introduction of bromine into the system at high stirring speeds leads to the formation of a homogeneous thermodynamically stable system, since the solubility parameters of the components are practically the same. Using a model mixture of bromine-dioctyl phthalate-dibutyl phthalate, it was shown that mixing bromine with plasticizers in any investigated ratios does not lead to the appearance of the boundary “bromine in a plasticizer” or “plasticizer in bromine”. This established the unlimited solubility of bromine in the plasticizer under the conditions of its bromination. Using the method of UV spectroscopy on model mixtures of acetic acid-bromine-water; acetic acid-bromine-hexane, it was proved that in a real system, unsaturated plasticizer-bromine, bromination is most likely carried out only with molecular bromine without the formation of bromine dimers. The mechanism of bromination of unsaturated phthalates included in the plasticizer is shown. A system of kinetic equations in dimensionless variables is proposed. It was found that the nature of the theoretical curves significantly depends on the rate of introduction of bromine with a constant reaction mechanism. A change in the limiting stages of the bromination process was noted depending on the rate of bromine introduction into the system.
Imparting ion-exchange properties to fibrous polycaproamide materials by chemically initiated graft copolymerization
Authors: Zhukovskiy V. A. , Khokhlova V. A. , Filipenko T. S. , Anuschenko T. U.
Published: May 2022

The study of the types and properties of surgical threads, as well as the experience in the production of suture surgical material and its use shows that the most promising for surgical practice are threads with antimicrobial properties. Of the methods for fixing medicinal compounds with chemical bonds for suture materials, the most expedient is their attachment by the reaction of ion-exchange interaction. Since polycaproamide (PCA) practically does not contain functional groups, a preliminary modification stage is required to impart ion-exchange properties to PCA fibrous materials. One of these stages of modification is the process of graft polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) in order to create active groups on the fiber, for example, peroxide or hydroperoxide. Modification of chemical fibers by graft copolymerization with inogenic monomers is one of the widespread methods of obtaining fibrous ion exchangers. Principles, new approaches and technologies for imparting ion-exchange properties to fibrous polycaproamide materials by chemically initiated graft copolymerization have been developed. Regularities in the production of fibrous PCA of sorption active materials by chemical initiation by a redox system (Fe2++H2O2) located in a modifying bath, as well as by pre-oxidation of fiber PCA in order to create peroxide and hydroperoxide groups on the fiber, are revealed.
Features of PVC/ABS compositions filling
Authors: Khuziakhmetova K. R. , Islamov A. M. , Abdrakhmanova L. A. , Nizamov R. K.
Published: May 2022

The work is devoted to the filling of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) compositions modified with ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene) in a wide concentration range, intended for the production of profiles and moldings of various functional purposes, with short-fiber basalt fiber. Powdered samples were made by extrusion (in the form of flat profiles) and by thermoplasticizing on rolls (in the form of films). Introduction of 10-40 phr ABS in PVC formulation makes it easier to recycle the composition. Similar situation is observed when these compositions are filled with basalt fiber, which leads to insignificant decrease of MFR (melt flow index) and thermal stability, which in general does not reflect negatively on melt flow conditions, at the same time extrudate swelling index decreases by 10-15%, which indicates possibility to provide products with more precise geometric dimensions. The change in the supramolecular structure was evaluated by thermomechanical tests and by energy dispersive analysis using electron microscopy data. Thermomechanical analysis showed that the presence of large doses of ABS has a positive effect on the technological properties, leading to an earlier development of highly elastic deformations and a decrease in the yield point of the compositions. Basalt fiber contributes to an insignificant decrease in the value of high elastic deformations and an increase in the density index of meshing knots. Energy dispersion analysis has shown that introduction of basalt fiber leads to formation of homogeneous structure of PVC at lower concentrations of ABS in the composition, influencing on increase of melt flowability and thermal stability. Improved technological properties of PVC compositions filled with short-fiber basalt fiber, modified with different concentrations of ABS, allow to recommend them for production of a wide range of profile and molded products.
Institutional development of circular economy in Russia and St. Petersburg
Authors: Kalchenko O. A. , Nurulin Y. R. , Skvortsova I. V.
Published: May 2022

The term "circular economy" appeared relatively recently in Russia. Interest to the circular economy and the number of publications is growing. The concept of circular economy is very closely related to the green economy, bioeconomics, and low-carbon economy, which are based on moving away from fossil fuels and the development of new technologies. However, in Russia, most often circular economy means recycling system. The principles of circular economy are aimed at the economic, social, and environmental well-being of people. Experts identify factors that promote and hinder the development of circular economy in Russia. Issues of sustainable development, circular economy and energy transition are actively discussed by representatives of government, business and science at international and all-Russian forums. The principles of circular economy will allow achieving several Sustainable Development Goals. The circular economy is one of the key factors in achieving carbon-free energy goals. In St. Petersburg, profile committees, centers and associations are actively working in this direction. Consortia of international projects of most programs are formed from partners based on a triple helix approach- representatives of government, business and universities. The international projects of cross–border cooperation programmes "South-East Finland - Russia", "Estonia - Russia" and the INTERREG Baltic Sea region are considered. Pilot sites are being implemented within the framework of many international projects, with the possibility of further replication of successful experience. The legislative base of Russia and St. Petersburg in the field of circular economy is considered in detail.
Use of object-oriented simulation in solving issues of optimal enterprise management
Authors: Lapshina M. L. , Lukina O. O. , Lapshin D. D.
Published: May 2022

Modern scientific research in economics cannot be imagined without the use of economic and mathematical models and their subsequent analysis. Foreign economic literature contains a significant proportion of articles of both theoretical and applied nature, dominated by mathematical models used to substantiate the assumptions made and the most accurate calculation of economic efficiency. A number of economists very convincingly confirm that the recognition of any theoretical study of an economic nature is determined by the measure of the mathematical formalization of the problem, the adequacy of the mathematical apparatus used and the effectiveness of the final results obtained as a result of the study. In this regard, the article discusses the urgent problem of developing a mathematical model of optimal enterprise management. The authors propose an approach to the selection of the most appropriate modeling, taking into account the restrictions imposed on the boundary states of the system that describes the economic component of the enterprise. The use of classical mathematical approaches with their subsequent adaptation to modern conditions is given and substantiated..
Research interconnection of indices of human development, quality of the urban environment, quality of life and gross regional product by the method of the main component
Authors: Orlovskaya T. N.
Published: May 2022

Currently, the urgency of considering the problems of comfort and life safety of the population of megalopolises and regions is indisputable. Particular attention is paid to the use of various indicators for assessing - the human development index, the urban environment quality index, the quality of life index, the gross regional product per capita and other indicators. The subject of the research is the indices of socio-economic development of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between indicators that make it possible to assess the comfort and safety of the living environment, ensuring the quality of life and quality of the urban environment standards and having a priority value for the formation of a high level of human capital in regions and megacities. It was hypothesized that the study of megalopolises using the above-mentioned indicators can be described using fewer factors, since there should be a relationship between the indicators. It is assumed that all of these indicators contain a fairly large number of similar indicators, the tightness of the relationship between which can be revealed by the methods of correlation analysis. Comparison of these five indices was carried out using economic and mathematical methods, regression analysis. Using the principal component method, a statistically significant regression equation was found that describes the dependence of the indicators under consideration. According to the results of the calculations, it was found that the magnitude of the impact of indicators on the change in the human development index is 84%. The hypothesis has been proved that the main factors influencing the human development index change are the quality of the urban environment, the quality of life of the population, and the gross regional product per capita.
Improvement of the organizational and economic mechanism for ensuring the complexity of the development of residential areas of megacities
Authors: Shishelova S. A.
Published: May 2022

Ensuring favorable living conditions of the population and a comfortable urban environment is one of the priority tasks, the solution of which is required in areas of mass residential development. The increasing volume of housing construction causes a proportional increase in the need for social infrastructure facilities. One of the tools for solving this problem can be the improvement of the organizational and economic mechanism of the housing developer's participation in the construction of social infrastructure facilities that ensure the complexity of the development of residential areas of megacities. The criteria for the formation of a list of social infrastructure facilities the construction of which can be assigned to the developer as a social burden, are defined. A list of social infrastructure facilities has been formed, first of all, ensuring the complexity of residential development of megacities, the construction of which can be entrusted to the developer within the framework of social encumbrances. In order to meet the needs for selected social infrastructure facilities: kindergartens, schools and outpatient clinics, the author's methodology for calculating the amount of financial obligations of the developer for the development of social infrastructure facilities has been developed, the results of such calculation are presented. According to the enlarged calculations, the quantitative value of the indicator of the volume of the developer's participation in the construction of the most important social infrastructure facilities affecting the quality of the urban environment will amount to 14311 rubles/sq.m of the total area of apartments. The proposed calculation model can be used as a basis for financial and economic justification of the effectiveness of managerial decision-making in the field of urban planning. As part of the improvement of the organizational and economic mechanism of the developer's participation in the construction of social infrastructure facilities, a proposal has been formulated to create a separate organizational structure – the Social Obligations Fund, which will ensure the accumulation of developers' funds and their fair and efficient distribution in accordance with the order of housing commissioning and within the framework of agreements concluded with developers
The impact of processing on hemp seeds protein complex
Authors: Uschapovsky V. I. , Goncharova A. A. , Minevich I. E.
Published: May 2022

Recently, commercial hemp seeds, Cannabis sativa L., have attracted considerable interest in nutritional and industrial research due to their high nutritional value and good digestibility. Hemp seeds are becoming a new source of vegetable protein and the necessary components for maintaining health due to the rich content of protein compounds, vitamins, and unsaturated fatty acids. The effect of processing on the protein complex of low THC hemp seeds was studied in the current study. Standard methods of analysis (determination of protein, fat, moisture) and special methods (determination of the ratio of protein fractions of hemp seeds and products of their processing) were applied in the work. The objects of study were hemp seeds (Surskaya variety) and products of their de-oiling by mechanical and chemical methods. The globulin fraction predominance in the original hemp seeds (69.44%) and in the product obtained by hemp seeds de-oiling with hexane (fine fraction of meal, 80.94%) was revealed. Glutelin fraction (38.98%) prevailed in hemp seed flour obtained by cold pressing. After the hemp seeds processing (pressing, extraction), the ratio of protein fractions (albumin, globulin and glutelin) in the resulting products changed: meal (1:3.2:3.2), fine fraction (0.1:4.7:1) and flour (1.1:1:1.4), in comparison with the initial raw material (1:2.5:0.1). A significant increase in the glutelin fraction: from 2.78 to 43.10 and 38.98%, by mechanical and chemical methods, respectively, and a decrease in the amount of water- and salt-soluble fractions were observed with all processing methods. Researches of the study of the ratio of oilseeds protein fractions are of practical importance for improving healthy foods quality.
Functional meat products: experience of introducing dietary fiber into chopped semi-finished products
Authors: Shishkina D. I. , Bordunova M. S. , Zvegintseva E. D. , Klein E. E. , Sokolov A. Y.
Published: May 2022

Dietary fiber plays a significant role in the functioning of the human gastrointestinal tract. Their presence in the diet allows you to prevent a number of serious diseases associated with both the digestive organs and the cardiovascular and nervous systems. In order to increase the share of dietary fiber in the population's nutrition structure, it is advisable to create functional products based on traditionally consumed foods enriched with various types of dietary fiber. Such traditional products for the Russian consumer are dairy and lactic acid products, bakery products, meat and fish products, poultry. The article presents the results of an experiment on the introduction of several types of dietary fibers (wheat, oat, potato and psillum plantain fibers) into chopped semi-finished meat products During the study, several recipes of cutlets were developed, according to which culinary products were prepared, which were then analyzed according to organoleptic and physico-chemical parameters. The results of the study showed that the products made using psillum fibers have the highest organoleptic qualities. Cutlets with potato fibers also showed satisfactory results of organoleptic and chemical-physical studies. Both types of cutlets were characterized by a pronounced meat taste and smell, a pleasant consistency, there were no extraneous tastes and inclusions in them. Products with other types of fibers cannot be recommended as functional products due to low consumer qualities (grainy texture, pronounced foreign tastes). The development of semi-finished meat products enriched with dietary fibers without loss of consumer properties will allow expanding the market of functional products in the future.
The study of herbs extracts composition in the drying process
Authors: Kuchmenko T. A. , Abramyan M. K.
Published: May 2022

Medicinal and flavoring herbs are widely used in herbal medicine. Various methods are used to study plants, evaluate the efficiency of extraction of biologically active target components. The process control is carried out by chromatographic, spectral methods. The search for new fast, affordable, simple methods of analysis is currently relevant. The dry droplet weighing method of the extract was proposed as an alternative to the known methods. The analysis of flavoring herb parsley extracts by four methods (spectrophotometry, refractometry, thin layer chromatography and direct dry drop weighing) was carried out. The objects of study were fresh protected ground parsley and the Indana brand dried parsley. Fresh parsley was dried and the change in the chemical composition of water-alcohol extracts was monitored for 16 days. Compounds in the extracts were identified by differential spectra. It was found out that the amount of substances extracted from the flavoring herb was greater than in the dry sample after 12 days of drying. The composition of the mobile phase for thin layer fast chromatography was selected. The best separation of chlorophylls from related substances occurs at a volume ratio of toluene and ethyl alcohol of 5:5 and 6:4. The sensitivity of the refractometry method does not allow determining the difference in the composition of fresh parsley extracts. Using the method of direct piezoquartz microweighing, it was proved that with an increase in the drying time of parsley, the number of compounds in a dry drop of the extract increases. The most sensitive method i.e. piezoquartz microweighing, the MCNano-WPQ-8 device can be used in non-laboratory conditions for express monitoring of plant materials drying in small manufactures. it is simpler, cheaper, more compact and more sensitive than other devices. The device and approach were tested on various types of phyto raw materials.
Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) In the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Bruno Francesco , Malvaso Antonio , Canterini Sonia , Bruni Amalia Cecilia
Published: May 2022

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) represents the most frequent type of dementia in elderly people. There are two major forms of the disease: sporadic (SAD) - whose causes are not completely understood - and familial (FAD) - with clear autosomal dominant inheritance. The two main hallmarks of AD are extracellular deposits of amyloid-beta (Ab) peptide and intracellular deposits of the hyperphosphorylated form of the tau protein (P-tau). An ever-growing body of research supports the infectious hypothesis of sporadic forms of AD. Indeed, it has been documented that some pathogens, such as herpesviruses and certain bacterial species, are commonly present in AD patients, prompting recent clinical research to focus on the characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) in this pathology. Literature also demonstrates that Ab can be considered itself as an AMP thus representing a type of innate immune defense peptide that protect the host against a variety of pathogens. Beyond Ab, other proteins with antimicrobial activity, such as lactoferrin, defensins, cystatins, thymosin β4, LL37, histatin 1 and statherin have been shown to be involved in AD. Here we have summarized and discussed these findings and explored the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of AMPs in AD.
Heteroaryl-Ethylenes as New Effective Agents for High Priority Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacterial Clinical Isolates
Authors: Bivona Dalida Angela , Mirabile Alessia , Bonomo Carmelo , Bonacci Paolo Giuseppe , Stracquadanio Stefano , Marino Andrea , Campanile Floriana , Bonaccorso Carmela , Stefani Stefania , Stefani Stefania , Musso Nicolò , Bongiorno Dafne
Published: May 2022

The World Health Organization has identified antimicrobial resistance as a public health emergency and developed a global priority pathogens list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be summarized in the acronym ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacterales species), reminding us of their ability to escape the effect of antibacterial drugs. We previously tested new heteroaryl-ethylene compounds in order to define their spectrum of activity and antibacterial capability. Now, we focus our attention on PB4, a compound with promising MIC and MBC values in all conditions tested. In the present study, we evaluate the activity of PB4 on selected samples of ESKAPE isolates from nosocomial infections: 14 S. aureus, 6 E. faecalis, 7 E. faecium, 12 E. coli and 14 A. baumanii. Furthermore, an ATCC control strain was selected for all species tested. MICs were performed according to the standard method, with some modifications. PB4 MIC values were within very low ranges regardless of bacterial species and resistance profiles: from 0,12 to 2 mg/L for S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. faecium and A. baumannii. For E. coli, the MIC values obtained were slightly higher (4-64 mg/L), butstill promising. The PB4 heteroaryl-ethylenic compound was able to counteract the bacterial growth of both high-priority Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinical strains. In the future, it would be interesting to evaluate the activity of PB4 in animal models to test for its toxicity.
IoT – based Automatic Attendance Management System using Middleware
Authors: Raza Hafiz Wahab
Published: May 2022

The 21st century, where all things are depending upon technology, almost all the human tasks are being done with the help of technology to save a lot of time and make our life much more comfortable. The monitoring of students’ attendance is a crucial task for faculty in today’s world. There are more chances of errors while entering the students’ attendance records in the primary system, primarily when the class was over. The main concern of this study is to build an IoT-based automated attendance management system for educational institutes by biometric recognition to incorporate fake/proxy attendance and errors of entry and to replace old manual methods of taking students’ attendance by calling their names or roll numbers. The AAS will click the image of the classroom, and it will automatically detect the faces of students sitting in the lecture room and recognize them during lectures then mark their attendance daily to keep a record of their presence and also maintain and manage it for the management staff of the institution for future by using web services.
New horizons of cooperation
Authors: Kolesnikov Andrey Vitalievich , Malinetskii Georgii Gennadyevich , Sirenko Svetlana Nikolaevna
Published: May 2022

We present an analysis of reports, round table discussions, ap-proaches presented at the V International Conference “Designing the Future and Horizons of Digital Reality”. The focus of the conference participants was the analysis of the results, risks and prospects for the development of the com-puter reality of the world and the Belarus-Russia Union State from the position of an interdisciplinary synthesis of knowledge at the intersection of philosophy, mathematics, computer science, sociology and a number of other disciplines. At one time, the Nobel Prize laureate academician Zh.I. Alferov said that it is in Russia and Belarus that the potential in the field of information and tele-communication (IT) technologies is greatest among the post-Soviet countries. And it is these technologies that should become the basis of our scientific and technical breakthrough. This foresight is the leitmotif of this conference. In one of his speeches, the President of the Russian Federation said that those who have mastered artificial intelligence will become the rulers of the world, and that it is very important that they do not turn out to be separate groups of people or countries. Artificial intelligence has become one of the central topics and the subject of lively discussions at the conference. One reality ends and another begins. Its risks, threats and opportunities were the most important and interesting elements in the approaches put forward in this forum.
Are video games a tool for the formation of collective ideas about the events of the past, present and future?
Authors: Belov Sergey Igorevich
Published: May 2022

The article attempts to answer the question of whether video games can tendentiously show the events of the past for the sake of the political interests of the developers, and whether the politicized presentation of material in video games of the events of the present is possible. The article also discusses the case of the formation of images of Russia and Russians in an alternative future in the corresponding video games.
Conflict and self-organization in hierarchical and network communities
Authors: Novikova Galina Viktorovna
Published: May 2022

The article considers peculiarities of management and interaction between members of hierarchical and network communities. Conflicts and self-organization were analysed from the perspective of interdisciplinary synergies and conflicting science. Examples include data on conflicts in business communities, government structures, education, culture and youth cyber communities. Conclusions about the essential differences of conflicts, the significance of their manifestations and the processes of self-organization in communities having different types of management structures were made.
Globalization and integration
Authors: Ivanov Vladimir Viktorovich
Published: May 2022

It is shown that a new world order is currently being formed. Its methodological basis consists of post-industrial society and neocapitalism. The new world order will be based on the intensive development of science and technology. Scientific and technological development is the basis of Globalization 4.0. The creation of a single scientific and technological space of Russia and Belarus will ensure the sustainable development of both countries.
Informational and digital world in the mirror of processes of globalization
Authors: Lazarevich Anatoly Arkadjevich
Published: May 2022

The paper’s author pays his attention to two key trends of our time. There are the development of processes of globalization and the formation of the total digitalization. So we deal with the question of the correlation of these trends, their interdependence and determinism, the completeness of the content of the described concepts’ data. The post-industrial type of social development and the followed informational and digital structure have the necessary set of signs of globalization, i.e. they are social structures of a global nature. The author substantiates the thesis that post-industrial processes, as well as the processes of informatization, information and digital technologies and various types of social communications built on their basis are causal determinants of globalization, while globalization itself belongs to the category of investigative phenomena that can affect the content of the factors which have caused it. The author emphasizes the fact that in socio-practical context the processes of countering globalization have specific forms of political, economic and socio-cultural measures. But a worthy and effective counteraction to globalization can be carried out by implementing at least two factors: firstly, the production of material and spiritual socially significant goods on an innovative basis, and, secondly, the creation of technologies of their extrapolation beyond a certain local national space. The peculiarity of contemporary processes of social dynamics lies in the active confrontation of universal and local factors in culture. The global communication space of modern culture is determined by many things. Among these things is scientific and technological progress or the universal nature of scientific creativity and its results including the latest computer and information and digital technologies. The intensive development and at the same time the weak manageability of global informational processes determines the desire of the international community to coordinate them. That’s why the connection of value-semantic and institutional, structural-technological principles of management of global processes is actualized.
Development of an integrated and comprehensive clinical trial process management system
Authors: SHEN Liang , ZHAI You , PAN AXiang , ZHAO Qingwei , ZHOU Min , Liu Jian
Published: May 2022

Background: The process of initiating and completing clinical drug trials in hospital settings is highly complex, with numerous institutional, technical, and record-keeping barriers. In this study, we independently developed an integrated clinical trial management system (CTMS) designed to comprehensively optimize the process management of clinical trials. The CTMS includes system development methods, efficient integration with external business systems, terminology, and standardization protocols, as well as data security and privacy protection. Methods: The development process proceeded through four stages, including demand analysis and problem collection, system design, system development and testing, system trial operation, and training the whole hospital to operate the system. The integrated CTMS comprises three modules: project approval and review management, clinical trial operations management, and background management modules. These are divided into seven subsystems and 59 internal processes, realizing all the functions necessary to comprehensively perform the process management of clinical trials. Efficient data integration is realized through extract-transform-load, message queue, and remote procedure call services with external systems such as HIS, LIS, EMR, and CDR. Data security is ensured by adopting corresponding policies for data storage and data access. Privacy protection complies with laws and regulations and de-identifies sensitive patient information. Results: The integrated CTMS was successfully developed in September 2015 and updated to version V4.2.5 in March 2021. During this period, 1388 study projects were accepted, 43,051 electronic data stored, and 12,144 subjects recruited in the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.Conclusion: The developed integrated CTMS realizes the data management of the entire clinical trials process, providing basic conditions for the efficient, high-quality, and standardized operation of clinical trials.
Combating COVID-19 Infodemic: A Step Towards Building Public Trust
Authors: Hassan Radwa Ibrahim Ali , El-Salamony Omaima Kamel , Abdel-Aziz Shaimaa Baher , Fathelbab Mohamed , Sabry Hend Aly
Published: May 2022

Background: The spread of misinformation about different health issues, has become a growing threat nowadays. The process of identifying credible information became a real problem of high urgency. It took a new dimension with the creation of numerous web platforms and ubiquity of internet coverage. During the current pandemic of COVID-19, misinformation is not the only challenge, but infodemic is another serious consequence of the growing digitization. Infodemic is defined as an excessive amount of information about a problem that is typically unreliable, false or misleading, spreads rapidly, and makes a solution more difficult to achieve. This causes anxiety and mistrust in health authorities, leading to decrease capacities for decision-making and undermining public responses, especially during disease outbreaks or pandemics. Aim: The current study was designed to evaluate the effect of implementing a digital intervention training module, to educate participants about choosing credible online health information, according to quality standards and protocols. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with pre/post-assessment comparisons. It took place between October 2019 and October 2020 with the recruitment of a group of 480 medical students, from 1st , 2nd and 3rd academic years, at the Faculty of Medicine. They were assigned to an intervention and a control group. The intervention group attended the digital health module, which was conducted online with both its theoretical and practical components. Participants responded to pre and post online questionnaire through google forms, in addition to a post-intervention assessment. Results: Results showed post-assessment significant improvements in all items related to seeking online health information and the ability to check the credibility of such information, among the intervention group in comparison to the control group with p-value< 0.05. Conclusion: The infodemic caused by COVID- 19 pandemic, with all its associated psychological pressure and panic due to misinformation, made it really crucial to disseminate awareness about credible digital information sources. Targeted digital health interventions about online health information quality and credibility, are highly promising, due to the safe outreach and accessibility without any physical contacting, especially during the pandemic time.
NEPSscaling: Plausible Value Estimation for Competence Tests Administered in the German National Educational Panel Study
Authors: Scharl Anna , Zink Eva
Published: May 2022

Educational large-scale assessments (LSAs) often provide plausible values for the administered competence tests to facilitate the estimation of population effects. This requires the specification of a background model that is appropriate for the specific research question. Because the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) is an ongoing longitudinal LSA, the range of potential research questions and, thus, the number of potential background variables for the plausible value estimation grow with each new assessment wave. To facilitate the estimation of plausible values for data users of the NEPS, the R package NEPS scaling allows their estimation following the scaling standards in the NEPS without requiring in-depth psychometric expertise in item response theory. The package only requires the user to prepare the data for the background model. Then, the appropriate item response model including the linking approach adopted for the NEPS is automatically selected, while a nested multiple imputation scheme handles missing values in the background data. For novice users, a graphical interface is provided that does not require knowledge of the R language. Thus, NEPS scaling can be used to estimate cross-sectional and longitudinally linked plausible values for all major competence assessments in the NEPS.
Genetic diversity and population structure of Triticum araraticum and Triticum timopheevii
Authors: Peng Ting , Jiang Xiaomei , Wang Dinghao , Zhang Minghu , Liu Xin , Hao Ming , Li Wei , Liu Dengcai , Jiang Bo , Huang Lin , Ning Shunzong , Yuan Zhongwei , Wu Bihua , Yan Zehong , Chen Xuejiao , Chen Xue , Zhang Lianquan
Published: May 2022

Genetic diversity is an important resource to improve new wheat cultivars in the breeding program. In this study, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and genotyping by sequencing (GBS) were used to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure of the timopheevii group (AtAtGG, 2n = 4x = 28) including 15 Triticum timopheevii Zhuk. accessions and 35 Triticum araraticum Jakubz. accessions. FISH analysis showed that there were 14 and 19 FISH signal variations in the At and G genome of T. araraticum, respectively. But there were only two signal variations in the G genome of T. timopheevii. In this study, 190,402 SNP markers were obtained from GBS, in which the lowest and highest frequencies of SNPs were found in the G and At genomes, respectively. Genetic diversity analysis of the 50 accessions indicated that the mean GD and PIC were 0.30 and 0.26, with the ranges of 0.1–0.5 and 0.1–0.4, respectively. The highest and lowest numbers of SNPs identified on the chromosomes 4G and 2At were 7,748 and 17,527, respectively. Structure and cluster analyses divided 50 accessions into two subpopulations (POP1 and POP2). POP1 mainly consisted of most Triticum araraticum accessions, and POP2 comprised all accessions of Triticum timopheevii and one Triticum araraticum accession AS273. In addition, the genetic variance showed that genetic variation was greater within populations (97%) than between populations (3%). POP1 and POP2 had high levels of genetic diversity and POP1 showed higher genetic diversity. The POP1 (I = 0.53, He = 0.35, uh = 0.35) showed higher genetic diversity than POP2. The present results provided important information for the improvement of cultivated durum and hexaploid wheat production in future breeding programs of China and other countries.
Acute kidney injury related to Cordyceps militaris: A case series
Authors: Tangkiatkumjai Mayuree , Chaiyarak Supatyada , Sripr Suwannee , Lumboot Ueamporn , Absuwan Warayut , Changsirikulchai Siribha
Published: May 2022

BackgroundCordyceps sinensis is an ancient traditional Chinese medicine, known as caterpillar fungus, that is one of the most commonly used ingredients to treat people with chronic kidney disease or to facilitate post-kidney transplant health. Unfortunately, due to unavailability and heavy metal contamination, Cordyceps militaris has been substituted instead and incorporated into over 400 dietary supplements sold in Thailand. This is the first case series report to inform health care providers about nephrotoxicity related to C. militaris supplements.Case presentationEleven patients had acute kidney injury (AKI) related to dietary supplements of C. militaris, which mainly contained cordycepin. Most of these patients from central Thailand (2018–2021) were elderly and five patients had chronic kidney disease stage 3 to 5. Two patients developed AKI requiring dialysis. The causality of AKI related to C. militaris was assessed by the modified Naranjo algorithm and a probable relationship was found between C. militaris and AKI (range from 6–8 scores). Two potential mechanisms of nephrotoxicity from C. militaris were cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition and direct toxicity at kidney tubule.ConclusionsPatients with kidney insufficiency and elderly should avoid using health products containing C. militaris until further clinical research determines such supplementation safe and effective.
Accelerated tibia fracture healing in traumatic brain injury in accordance with increased hematoma formation
Authors: Shim Dong Woo , Hong Hyunjoo , Cho Kwang-Chun , Kim Se Hwa , Lee Jin Woo , Sung Seung-Yong
Published: May 2022

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been known to accelerate bone healing. Many cells and molecules have been investigated but the exact mechanism is still unknown. The neuroinflammatory state of TBI has been reported recently. We aimed to investigate the effect of TBI on fracture healing in patients with tibia fractures and assess whether the factors associated with hematoma formation changed more significantly in the laboratory tests in the fractures accompanied with TBI.Methods: We retrospectively investigated patients who were surgically treated for tibia fractures and who showed secondary bone healing. Patients with and without TBI were divided for comparative analyses. Radiological parameters were time to callus formation and the largest callus ratio during follow-up. Preoperative levels of complete blood count and chemical battery on admission were measured in all patients. Subgroup division regarding age, gender, open fracture, concomitant fracture and severity of TBI were compared.Results: We included 48 patients with a mean age of 44.9 (range, 17 – 78), of whom 35 patients (72.9%) were male. There were 12 patients with TBI (Group 1) and 36 patients without TBI (Group 2). Group 1 showed shorter time to callus formation (P < 0.001), thicker callus ratio (P = 0.015), leukocytosis and lymphocytosis (P ≤ 0.028), and lower red blood cell counts (RBCs), hemoglobin, and hematocrit (P < 0.001). Aging and severity of TBI were correlated with time to callus formation and callus ratio (P ≤ 0.003) while gender, open fracture, and concomitant fracture were unremarkable.Conclusion: Tibia fractures with TBI showed accelerated bone healing and superior measurements associated with hematoma formation (lymphocytes, RBCs, hemoglobin, hematocrit). Promoted fracture healing in TBI was correlated with the enhanced proinflammatory state.Level of evidence: III, case control study
Natural extracts from Eugenia brasiliensis Lam leaves to improve the shelf-life of fresh tomatoes
Authors: Igarashi-Mafra Luciana , de Souza Pércia Graczyk , Toci Aline , Amaral Wanderlei do , Mafra Marcos R. , Farias Fabiane Oliveira
Published: May 2022

In this work, hydroalcoholic extracts were obtained from leaves of Eugenia brasiliensis to be evaluated for the content of bioactive compounds and applied to fresh tomatoes for preservation. Analyzes of total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and toxicity were performed. Tomatoes were treated with the extracts by immersion in an aqueous solution at 200, 600, and 1000 mg/L and evaluated for 28 days for total soluble solids, titratable acidity, maturation index ascorbic acid content, weight loss, and visual test. The presence of gallic acid, rutin, and quercetin was identified in all extracts. The extracts obtained by water and ethanol at 25% e 50% showed better results regarding phenolic compounds; antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. However, the 25 and 50% ethanol extracts were the only ones that showed toxicity. The treatments proposed for the conservation of tomatoes, in concentrations superior to 600 mg/L, showed promising results, mainly in the protection of the fruits regarding the loss of water and, consequently, visual depreciation due to the appearance of wrinkles. Thus, most proposed treatments demonstrated viability because of conserving organoleptic properties of fresh tomatoes.
Effectiveness of prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission among unvaccinated Italian healthcare workers: a nested case-control study
Authors: Collatuzzo Giulia , Mansour Ihab , Ciocan Catalina , Ditano Giorgia , Godono Alessandro , Rossello Paola , Coggiola Maurizio , Pira Enrico , Boffetta Paolo
Published: May 2022

Background: This study aims at investigating the association between personal protection equipment (PPE) use and SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We analyzed occupational surveillance contact forms notified between March and September 2020 by Italian HCWs, which were followed by a PCR test. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for positive PCR test based on characteristics of HCWs and contacts, including self-reported symptoms and PPE use, were calculated through multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Overall, 4,883 contacts reported by 2,952 HCWs, were included in the analysis. A total of 224 contacts (4.6%) among 144 HCWs (4.9%) resulted in a positive PCR test. No difference was found based on sex, age, employment in a COVID-19 unit, or job title, except for an OR of 0.30 (95% CI 0.11-0.78) for resident physicians, compared to administrative staff. The ORs for use of surgical mask were 0.59 (95% CI=0.40-0.86) for use only by HCW, 0.49 (95% CI=0.22-1.07) for use only by the infected person, and 0.40 (95% CI=0.27-0.60) for use by both, compared to use by neither. Use of other PPEs was not associated with infection, while the OR for hand sanitation was 0.61 (95% CI=0.40-0.93). HCW reporting fever, cough, and asthenia had a higher risk of infection. Conclusions: Use of surgical masks was associated with a 40-60% lower risk of infection, especially when both HCW and the infected individual used it. Our results quantify the role played by mask use and hand sanitation in preventing SARS-CoVARSV-2 transmission in high-risk circumstances in the hospital setting.
A framework to analyze opinion formation models
Authors: Devia Carlos Andres , Giordano Giulia
Published: May 2022

Comparing model predictions with real data is crucial to improve and validate a model. For opinion formation models, validation based on real data is uncommon and difficult to obtain, also due to the lack of systematic approaches for a meaningful comparison. We introduce a framework to assess opinion formation models, which can be used to determine the qualitative outcomes that an opinion formation model can produce, and compare model predictions with real data. The proposed approach relies on a histogram-based classification algorithm, and on transition tables. The algorithm classifies an opinion distribution as perfect consensus, consensus, polarization, clustering, or dissensus; these qualitative categories were identified from World Values Survey data. The transition tables capture the qualitative evolution of the opinion distribution between an initial and a final time. We compute the real transition tables based on World Values Survey data from different years, as well as the predicted transition tables produced by the French-DeGroot, Weighted-Median, and Bounded Confidence models, and we compare them. Our results provide insight into the evolution of real-life opinions and highlight key directions to improve opinion formation models.
Rapid Relapse of Symptomatic Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Infection Following Early Suppression with Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir
Authors: Charness Michael , Gupta Kalpana , Stack Gary , Strymish Judith , Adams Eleanor , Lindy David , Mohri Hiroshi , Ho David
Published: May 2022

We describe relapse of COVID-19 symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 viral load following nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NM/R) in 8 non-immunocompromised patients aged 31 to 71-years-old. Most patients improved rapidly after treatment with NM/R and had negative antigen or PCR tests prior to relapse on Days 9-12 of their illness. Relapse symptoms were described most frequently as cold symptoms, though some patients experiencing a recurrence of fatigue and headache. All relapses resolved without additional antiviral treatment. Viral load during relapse was comparable to levels during initial infection. Sequencing in three patients indicated that relapse was not due to a treatment-emergent mutation or infection with a different viral strain. One patient transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to two family members during relapse. The presence of high viral load and the occurrence of one transmission event suggest that patients with relapse should isolate until antigen testing is negative.