bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical approach to single-level symptomatic thoracic disc herniations through costotransversectomy
Authors: Scoscina Dalila , Amico Silvia , Angeletti Edoardo , Martiniani Monia , Meco Leonard , Specchia Nicola , Gigante Antonio Pompilio
Published: March 2023

Study Design:

This was an observational study.

Objectives:

The treatment of symptomatic thoracic disc herniation (TDH) remains a matter of debate. We report our experience with ten patients affected by symptomatic TDH, surgically treated through costotransversectomy.

Methods:

A total of ten patients (four men and six women) with single-level symptomatic TDH were surgically treated by two senior spine surgeons at our institution between 2009 and 2021. The most common type was a soft hernia. TDHs were classified as lateral (5) or paracentral (5). Preoperative clinical symptoms were varied. The diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine. The mean follow-up period was 38 months (range: 12–67 months). The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Frankel grading system, and the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scoring system were used as outcome scores.

Results:

Postoperative CT study documented satisfactory decompression either on the nerve root or the spinal cord. All patients experienced a reduction of disability with an improved mean ODI score by 60%. Six patients reported total recovery of neurological function (Frankel Grade E) and four patients improved by 1 Grade (40%). The overall recovery rate estimated with the mJOA score was 43.5%. We reported the absence of significant difference in outcome compared to either calcified and noncalcified discs or paramedian and lateral location. Four patients had minor complications. No revision surgery was required.

Conclusion:

Costotransversectomy represents a valuable tool for spine surgeons. The major limit of this technique is the possibility to approach the anterior spinal cord.
The carotid sheath route
Authors: Gagliardi Filippo , Giordano Leone , Medone Marzia , Snider Silvia , Roncelli Francesca , Pompeo Edoardo , Mortini Pietro
Published: March 2023

Background:

The elective route to approach paravertebral lesions growing into the anterolateral lodge of the neck is widely recognized as the prespinal route with its two major variants. Recently, attention has been focused on the possibility of opening the inter-carotid-jugular window in case of reparative surgery for traumatic brachial plexus injury.

Aims:

For the first time, the authors validate the clinical application of the carotid sheath route in the surgical treatment of paravertebral lesions expanding into the anterolateral lodge of the neck.

Methods:

A microanatomic study was conducted to collect anthropometric measurements. The technique was illustrated in a clinical setting.

Results:

The opening of the inter-carotid-jugular surgical window allows additional access to the prevertebral and periforaminal space. It optimizes the operability on the prevertebral compartment, compared to the retro-sternocleidomastoid (SCM) approach, and on the periforaminal compartment, compared to the standard pre-SCM approach. The surgical control of the vertebral artery is comparable to that obtained with the retro-SCM approach, while the control of the esophagotracheal complex and the retroesophageal space is comparable to the pre-SCM approach. The risk profile on the inferior thyroid vessels, recurrent nerve, and sympathetic chain is superimposable to the pre-SCM approach.

Conclusions:

The carotid sheath route is a safe and effective option to approach prespinal lesions with retrocarotid monolateral paravertebral extension.
Traumatic spinopelvic dissociation
Authors: Aleissa Sami I. , Zahrani Abdullah Al , Konbaz Faisal , Alsheikh Khalid , Alhelal Fahad H. , Alshehri Ali , Abalkhail Majed , Alzahrani Faisal , Almowina Abdulaziz , Al Harbi Abdullah , Al Wahhabi Faris , Alsebayel Firas M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction:

Spinopelvic dissociation was described first in 1969. It is an injury characterized by the separation of the lumbar spine, with parts of the sacrum, from the rest of the sacrum and pelvis with the appendicular skeleton through the sacral ala. Spinopelvic dissociation has an incidence of approximately 2.9% of all pelvic disruptions and corresponds with high-energy trauma. The objective of this study was to review and analyze a case series of spinopelvic dissociations that were treated in our institution from May 2016 to December 2020.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study reviewing medical records of a series of cases with spinopelvic dissociating. A total of nine patients were encountered. Demographic data including gender and age were analyzed with the mechanism of injury, fracture characteristics, and classifications in addition to neurological deficits. Fractures were classified by the AO Spine Sacral Classification System. Moreover, neurological deficits were classified using the Gibbon's classification score. Finally, the Majeed score was utilized for the assessment of the functional outcome after the injury.

Results:

A total of nine patients with spinopelvic dissociation were encountered, seven males and two females. Seven patients were due to motor vehicle accidents, one patient was due to a suicidal attempt, and one patient was due to seizure. Four patients suffered from neurological deficits. One patient needed an intensive care unit admission. Spinopelvic fixation was done for all patients. One patient had surgical wound infection with wound dehiscence, one had infected instruments with confirmed spine osteomyelitis, and one had a focal neurological deficit. Six patients went on to heal and showed complete neurological improvements.

Conclusion:

Spinopelvic dissociation injuries represent a variety of injuries that are commonly associated with high-energy trauma. The triangular fixation method has proven to be a stable construct in dealing with such injuries.
When Formation of Cerebral Vasculature Goes Aberrant – A Pictorial Essay
Authors: Shah Samarth R. , Gautam Amol A. , Tamboli Asif I. , Bhoite Amol S.
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACT

Vascular malformations of the brain are aberrant vascular connections that are most likely congenital. Cerebral vascular malformations are the umbrella term for multiple conditions, each with different symptoms, signs, and imaging characteristics. These conditions are (1) Arteriovenous malformations, abnormal arteries, and veins; (2) Dural arteriovenous fistula; (3) Developmental venous anomalies; (4) Cavernous malformations, enlarged blood-filled spaces; (5) Cavernous angiomas, abnormal veins; (6) capillary telangiectasias, enlarged capillary-sized vessels; (7) vein of Galen malformations; and (8) mixed malformations. It is important to study the complications of each and their mimics to make an accurate diagnosis. Various imaging features of different vascular malformations seen on MRI are discussed that which would aid in diagnosis and planning management.
Classification of brain tumor using a multistage approach based on RELM and MLBP
Authors: Bhavani Mrs. R. , Vasanth Dr. K.
Published: March 2023

INTRODUCTION: Automatic segmentation and classification of brain tumors help in improvement of treatment which will increase the life of the patient. Tumor may be noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Precancerous cells may also form into cancer.OBJECTIVES: Hough CNN is applied for selected section which applies hough casting technique in segmentation. METHODS: A multistage methodof extracting features, with multistage neighbouring is done for emerging an exact brain tumor classifying methodology.RESULTS: In this dataset three types of brain tumors are available they are meningioma, glioma, and pituitary.. CONCLUSION: This paperpresented an efficient brain tumor classification approach which involves multiscale preprocessing, multiscale feature extraction and classification.
Improved Spectral Efficiency and Connectivity in RSMA based 5G V2X Systems
Authors: Chihi Houda , Safdar Ghazanfar Ali , Bahja Mohammed
Published: March 2023

Vehicle to everything (V2X) faces several challenges including high data rate, low latency and stable connectivity requirements. Due to increased number of connected vehicles, Interference too appears to be a serious issue in V2X systems. Consequently, careful selection of multiple access techniques can lead to improved interference mitigation together with higher spectral efficiency and data rate. Vehicle mobility with growing traffic density is a demanding task that affects probability of vehicle connectivity, thereby resulting into requirement of sustained vehicle linkage for ongoing traffic safety. In this regard, our paper employs Rate Splitting Multiple Access (RSMA) technique, which considers change of both channel strength and direction for improved interference mitigation leading towards enhanced spectral efficiency. RSMA is optimized for weighted sum rate, further; it is integrated with mobility management to demonstrate sustained connectivity in the presence of increased traffic density. Presented results have been found promising, both in terms of spectral efficiency and stable connectivity. RSMA 5G V2X outperformed at higher Signal to noise ratio (SNR) values and on average achieved 25% better spectral efficiency compared to Non Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) technique.
A Novel Approach for Diagnosing Neuro-Developmental Disorders using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Vashisht Priyanka , Jatain Aman
Published: March 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been rapidly advancing especially in the field of medicine. One of the highly considerable medical fields in the world today is that of neurodevelopment and diagnosing any disorders pertaining to the same can be overwhelming. Considering the fact that neurodevelopment plays a significant role in the growth and nourishment of a child, the former sentence is an irony as parents wouldn’t wish for their children to possess reduced capabilities in comparison to other children of the same age. In fact, testing the metal growth of a child is a tedious task which involves visiting the doctor each time and spending a lot of time. The proposition of this paper overcomes the above--mentioned hassles by utilizing computer aided techniques for identifying neurodevelopmental disorder. The proposed framework has its foundation over mathematical and Deep Learning (DL) models which helps in the diagnosis of four varied neurodevelopmental disorders which often tend to occur in the early phases of a child’s life. The application put forward here would suggest suitable remedies and strategies to parents and teachers which they can adopt to help their child recover from the illness.
Local minimality of $\mathbb{R}^N$-valued and $\mathbb{S}^N$-valued Ginzburg–Landau vortex solutions in the unit ball $B^N$
Authors: Ignat Radu , Nguyen Luc
Published: March 2023

We study the existence, uniqueness and minimality of critical points of the form

m_{\varepsilon,\eta}(x) = (f_{\varepsilon,\eta}(|x|)\smash{\frac{x}{|x|}}, g_{\varepsilon,\eta}(|x|))

of the functional

E_{\varepsilon,\eta}[m] = \int_{B^N} [\frac{1}{2} |\nabla m|^2 + \smash{\frac{1}{4\varepsilon^2}} (1 - |m|^2)^2 + \frac{1}{2\eta^2} m_{N+1}^2]\,dx

for

m=(m_1, \dots, m_N, m_{N+1}) \in H^1(B^N,\mathbb{R}^{N+1})

with

m(x) = (x,0)

on

\partial B^N

. We establish a necessary and sufficient condition on the dimension

N

and the parameters

\varepsilon

and

\eta

for the existence of an escaping vortex solution

(f_{\varepsilon,\eta}, g_{\varepsilon,\eta})

with

g_{\varepsilon,\eta}> 0

. We also establish its uniqueness and local minimality. In particular, when

\eta = 0

, we prove the local minimality of the degree-one vortex solution for the Ginzburg–Landau (GL) energy for every

\varepsilon > 0

and

N \geq 2

. Similarly, when

\varepsilon = 0

, we prove the local minimality of the degree-one escaping vortex solution to an

\mathbb{S}^N

-valued GL model in micromagnetics for all

\eta > 0

and

2 \leq N \leq 6

.
High Prevalence of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Iranian Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Farshadpour Fatemeh , Taherkhani Reza , Shahabi Athar
Published: March 2023

Considering the potential risks associated with occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, this study was designed to investigate the magnitude and genotypic pattern of occult HBV infection among hemodialysis patients. All patients on regular hemodialysis attending the dialysis centers located in southern Iran and 277 nonhemodialysis controls were invited to participate in this study. Serum samples were tested for detection of hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by competitive enzyme immunoassay and sandwich ELISA, respectively. The molecular evaluation of HBV infection was conducted by two nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, targeting S, X, and precore regions of HBV genome, and sequencing by Sanger dideoxy sequencing technology. Moreover, HBV viremic samples were tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection by HCV Ab ELISA and seminested reverse transcriptase PCR. Of 279 hemodialysis patients, five (1.8%) were positive for HBsAg, 66 (23.7%) were positive for HBcAb, and 32 (11.5%) had HBV viremia with HBV genotype D, sub-genotype D3 and subtype ayw2. Moreover, 90.6% of the hemodialysis patients with HBV viremia had occult HBV infection. Hemodialysis patients (11.5%) had significantly higher prevalence of HBV viremia than nonhemodialysis controls (1.08%; P = 0.0001). The prevalence of HBV viremia among hemodialysis patients was not statistically associated with duration of hemodialysis, age and gender distribution. In contrast, HBV viremia was significantly associated with place of residency and ethnicity, with residents of Dashtestan and Arab having had significantly higher prevalence of HBV viremia compared with the residents of other cities and Fars patients. Notably, 27.6% and 6.9% of hemodialysis patients infected with occult HBV infection were also positive for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV viremia, respectively. High prevalence of occult HBV infection was detected in hemodialysis patients, whereas 62% of patients with occult HBV infection were negative for HBcAb. Therefore, screening of all hemodialysis patients by sensitive molecular tests, regardless of the pattern of HBV serological markers, is recommended to increase the diagnosis rate of HBV infection.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tuberculosis Testing and Treatment at a Tertiary Hospital in Zambia
Authors: Rosser Joelle I. , Phiri Christabel , Bramante Juliette T. , Fwoloshi Sombo , Kankasa Chipepo , Lungu Patrick , Chanda Raphael , Chipimo Peter , Mulenga Lloyd , Claassen Cassidy W. , Chanda Duncan
Published: March 2023

Globally, tuberculosis (TB) testing and treatment have declined dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. We quantified the change in TB visits, testing, and treatment compared with a 12-month pre-pandemic baseline at the national referral hospital’s TB Clinic in Lusaka, Zambia, in the first year of the pandemic. We stratified the results into early and later pandemic periods. In the first 2 months of the pandemic, the mean number of monthly TB clinic visits, prescriptions, and positive TB polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests decreased as follow: −94.1% (95% CI: −119.4 to −68.8%), −71.4% (95% CI: −80.4 to −62.4%), and −73% (95% CI: −95.5 to −51.3%), respectively. TB testing and treatment counts rebounded in the subsequent 10 months, although the number of prescriptions and TB-PCR tests performed remained significantly lower than pre-pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted TB care in Zambia, which could have long-lasting impacts on TB transmission and mortality. Future pandemic preparedness planning should incorporate strategies developed over the course of this pandemic to safeguard consistent, comprehensive TB care.
Predictors of Mortality among Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 during the First Wave in India: A Multisite Case-Control Study
Authors: Krishnan Anand , Kumar Rakesh , Amarchand Ritvik , Mohan Anant , Kant Ravi , Agarwal Ankit , Kulshreshtha Poorvi , Panda Prasan Kumar , Bhadoria Ajeet Singh , Agarwal Neeraj , Biswas Bijit , Nair Rathish , Wig Naveet , Malhotra Rajesh , Bhatnagar Sushma , Aggarwal Richa , Soni Kapil Dev , Madan Nirupam , Trikha Anjan , Tiwari Pawan , Singh Angel Rajan , Wyawahare Mukta , Gunasekaran Venugopalan , Sekar Dineshbabu , Misra Sanjeev , Bhardwaj Pankaj , Goel Akhil Dhanesh , Dutt Naveen , Kumar Deepak , Nagarkar Nitin M. , Galhotra Abhiruchi , Jindal Atul , Raj Utsav , Behera Ajoy , Siddiqui Sabbah , Kokane Arun , Joshi Rajnish , Pakhare Abhijit , Farooque Farhan , Pawan Sai , Deshmukh Pradeep , Solanki Ranjan , Rathod Bharatsing , Dutta Vibha , Mohapatra Prasanta Raghab , Panigrahi Manoj Kumar , Barik Sadananda , Guleria Randeep
Published: March 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19) has caused more than 6 million deaths globally. Understanding predictors of mortality will help in prioritizing patient care and preventive approaches. This was a multicentric, unmatched, hospital-based case-control study conducted in nine teaching hospitals in India. Cases were microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 patients who died in the hospital during the period of study and controls were microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 patients who were discharged from the same hospital after recovery. Cases were recruited sequentially from March 2020 until December–March 2021. All information regarding cases and controls was extracted retrospectively from the medical records of patients by trained physicians. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was done to assess the association between various predictor variables and deaths due to COVID-19. A total of 2,431 patients (1,137 cases and 1,294 controls) were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 52.8 years (SD: 16.5 years), and 32.1% were females. Breathlessness was the most common symptom at the time of admission (53.2%). Increasing age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 46–59 years, 3.4 [95% CI: 1.5–7.7]; 60–74 years, 4.1 [95% CI: 1.7–9.5]; and ≥ 75 years, 11.0 [95% CI: 4.0–30.6]); preexisting diabetes mellitus (aOR: 1.9 [95% CI: 1.2–2.9]); malignancy (aOR: 3.1 [95% CI: 1.3–7.8]); pulmonary tuberculosis (aOR: 3.3 [95% CI: 1.2–8.8]); breathlessness at the time of admission (aOR: 2.2 [95% CI: 1.4–3.5]); high quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at the time of admission (aOR: 5.6 [95% CI: 2.7–11.4]); and oxygen saturation < 94% at the time of admission (aOR: 2.5 [95% CI: 1.6–3.9]) were associated with mortality due to COVID-19. These results can be used to prioritize patients who are at increased risk of death and to rationalize therapy to reduce mortality due to COVID-19.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PBL) FOR ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN ESP CLASS
Authors: Tri Kristianti  , Seputro YP Hariyono
Published: March 2023

Teaching English for Specific Purpose (ESP) for non-English Department students is challenging yet exciting since the teacher is required to be more creative in creating a teaching and learning strategy. The use of English for Engineering students is necessary to support the capability of their hard and soft skills. In ESP class, the students learn about vocabulary skills in terms of Engineering and other skills such as writing, reading, speaking, and listening. Those skills are learned correspondingly through some learning activities using applicable teaching strategies such as Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL is introduced as an educational approach focused on the student-centered method. In PBL, the students are given opportunities to explore their capabilities, build their confidence, and improve their motivation to prepare themselves for real work life. This research used a literature review as supportive evidence to measure the efficiency of PBL for teaching Civil Engineering students in semester 1 of the 2021/2022 academic year. Journals, books, and proceeding through computer and electronic databases are used as the basis for data collection. The result found that PBL is an effective and interesting approach that is suitable for teaching Engineering Students compared to traditional and lecture-based approaches. Moreover, PBL is appropriate to gain extensive knowledge of Civil Engineering concepts through intriguing learning activity that enhances the student’s confidence and motivation for real-world projects in the future.
Phytochemical Screening and Evaluation of Heavy Metals in a Medicinal Plant Marrubium Vulgare L
Authors: Ahmed Abderrazzak Baba , Kebi Tahar
Published: March 2023

Our research is part of the enhancement of our plant heritage that we deemed necessary to exploit it, our choice fell on a medicinal plant Marrubium vulgare L and this by the phytochemical characterization (of leaves, stems and roots) followed by the study of the xerophytic character, by determining the content of five heavy metals (Zinc, Copper, Cadmium, Lead and Chromium)in the different organs and by analysis with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The results of the phytochemical tests showed the richness in secondary compounds, namely: flavonoids, tannins, saponosides, coumarins and reducing compounds. heavy metal analyzes showed that Marrubium vulgare L was found to have a high capacity to accumulate heavy metals, especially chromium and copper. The levels of its heavy metals are within the toxic threshold of plants.
Gençlik Merkezi Faaliyetlerine Katılan 18-29 Yaş Gençlerde Serbest Zaman Tatmin Düzeyinin Sosyal Sorun Çözme Becerileri ile İlişkisi
Authors: ARSLAN Turhan , TARI SELÇUK Kevser
Published: March 2023

Amaç: Bu çalışmada gençlik merkezi faaliyetlerine katılan 18-29 yaş gençlerde serbest zaman tatmin düzeyinin sosyal sorun çözme becerileri ile ilişkisinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır.

Gereç ve yöntem: Tanımlayıcı tipteki araştırma Alanya Gençlik Merkezi faaliyetlerine katılan 264 genç bireyle yürütülmüştür. Veriler araştırmacı tarafından Tanıtıcı Bilgi Formu, Serbest Zaman Tatmin Ölçeği, Çok Boyutlu Algılanan Sosyal Destek Ölçeği, Sosyal Problem Çözme Envanteri-Kısa Formun yer aldığı anket kullanılarak yüz yüze görüşme yöntemiyle toplanmıştır. Veri analizinde sayı, yüzde, ortalama, standart sapma, Student’s t testi, tek yönlü Varyans analizi, Mann Whitney U, Kruskall Wallis H testi, Pearson korelasyon ve doğrusal regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Gençlerin Serbest Zaman Tatmini ve Sosyal Problem Çözme Envanteri puan ortalamaları sırasıyla 3.71±0.69, 60.59±13.56’dır. Çok değişkenli doğrusal regresyon analizine göre serbest zaman tatmininin (β=0.299, p
Dor, nível de atividade física e comportamento sedentário em estudantes de fisioterapia
Authors: Lopes Samira Lobo , Silva Marianne Lucena da , Fernandes Eduardo Vignoto , Cunha Katiane da Costa , Gouvea-e-Silva Luiz Fernando
Published: March 2023

Introdução: O universitário é exposto a uma rotina hipocinética, estressante e com elevado comportamento sedentário (CS), que propicia a dor. Objetivo: Analisar a ocorrência de dor e sua relação com o nível de atividade física (NAF) e CS em estudantes de fisioterapia. Método: Estudo descritivo, transversal e quantitativo, com 64 estudantes, da Universidade Federal de Jataí, Jataí, Goiás, Brasil. A coleta de dados foi realizada entre maio/2021 e fevereiro/2022, por meio de formulário eletrônico contendo informações sociodemográficas, hábitos diários, NAF, CS, ocorrência e intensidade da dor. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva e inferencial, adotando-se p<0,05. Resultados: Notou-se predominância de mulheres (90,6%), faixa etária de 18-27 anos (93,8%), solteiros (82,8%) e residentes com pais (54,6%). Todos os participantes relataram algum local de dor, sendo a média 6,81±3,85 locais, com intensidade média da dor de 1,50±0,38. As regiões das costas inferior (87,5%), cervical (73,4%) e costas superior (71,9%) foram os principais locais de dor. A maioria dos universitários eram ativos (59,4%) e possuíam um tempo sentado ≤400 minutos (73,4%). Para o tempo de tela na semana, predominou o uso do celular/videogame (57,8%) e computador/similar (54,7%) por >4h. Quando analisada a associação dos locais e intensidade para dor com as características sociodemográficas, dos hábitos, NAF e CS não se notou significância (p>0,05). Conclusão: Conclui-se que o NAF e o CS não se associaram com a dor, contudo todos os universitários apresentaram pelo menos um local para dor e as regiões mais acometidas foram as da coluna vertebral.
PERSONALITY TRAITS, EMOTION REGULATION AND MARITAL SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN IN COMMUTER MARRIAGES
Authors: Gul Dr. Afsheen , Muntaha Sidra tul
Published: March 2023

The aim of the current study is to examine the relationship of personality traits, emotion regulation and marital satisfaction among women in commuter marriages. Furthermore, the study will also explore the predictors of marital satisfaction of women in such type of marital relationship. The correlational method was employed for the study and the sample of 142 women in commuter marriages (N= 142) were selected through convenient sampling technique. The age of the recruited participants was between 22-36 years (M= 28.21, SD= 3.85). The Psychological instrument were used in the study; Big Five Inventory, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Marital Adjustment Test to measure personality traits, emotion regulation and marital satisfaction respectively.The Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed that Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Openness showed significant positive relationship with marital satisfaction whereas Neuroticism showed significant negative relationship with marital satisfaction. As for the second variable of emotion regulation, Cognitive reappraisal showed significant positive relationship and Expressive Suppression showed significant negative relationship with marital satisfaction. Regression analysis (Multiple Hierarchical Regression) revealed Neuroticism and Expressive Suppression as significant negative predictors of marital satisfaction and Cognitive Reappraisal turned out to be significant positive predictor of marital satisfaction.
Effect of Substituents on the Biological Activity of Isatin Hybrids – A SAR Study
Authors:   Jai Hind College Autonomous, 23-24 Backbay Reclamation, Churchgate, Mumbai - 400020, India, Soam Sakshi , Dasgupta Sreela ,   Jai Hind College Autonomous, 23-24 Backbay Reclamation, Churchgate, Mumbai - 400020, India
Published: March 2023

Isatin (2,3-dioxindole) is a benzopyrrole derivative that belongs to a large class of heterocyclic chemicals. Isatin derivatives are essential synthetic substrates that can be utilized as starting materials to build a wide range of heterocycles with diverse applications in pharmaceutical sciences. Isatin derivatives therefore have recently gained a lot of attention. This review emphasizes on the Schiff base derivatives from isatin, isatin quinoline/flouroquinone, isatin -thiazole, isatin–azole hybrids, all possessing potential biological activity. The structure–activity relationships of these potential leads are also discussed.
Unravelling the Gbeklug of the Subanens through the Lens of their Folk Narratives
Authors:   Misamis University, Ozamiz City, Philippines, Villanueva Haydee D. , Balgoa Nelia G. ,   Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City, Philippines
Published: March 2023

Folk narratives are rich repositories of the cultures of Indigenous peoples. For example, the Subanens in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, Philippines, have several folk narratives that can shed light on their material and non-material cultures. This ethnographic study explored the gbatad (culture) of the Subanens, as depicted in the folk narratives called the gukitan or sinugel. The study's research locales were the municipalities of Katipunan and Mutia in Zamboanga del Norte and San Miguel and Lakewood in Zamboanga del Sur. A first-hand gathering of the folk narratives was conducted to produce a corpus of folk narratives as the primary data from which the Subanen gbatad was identified. Actual narrations were done by the tribal leaders and select tribesmen who served as the key informants of the study. In addition, focus group discussions were made to elicit the cultural underpinnings of the narratives. The research resulted in the gathering, transcriptions, and translations of 79 narratives, in which two of them talked about a gbeklug, the most sacred communal gathering among the sub-groups of the Subanens in the Zamboanga Peninsula. Gbeklug, which stands prominently as a marker of the cultural identity of these Indigenous people, requires strict adherence to the process and the materials needed for the construction of the gbeklugan (platform). The performance of such a grand festivity demands utmost caution from all people in attendance.
Multicultural Education in Foreign Language Teaching: Task-Based Approach
Authors:   National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 15, Heroyiv Oborony St., Kyiv 03041, Ukraine, Chaika Oksana
Published: March 2023

The aim of this paper is to propose a methodological framework for incorporating multicultural education into foreign language teaching using a task-based approach. The paper presents three objectives for achieving this aim: (1) investigate the role of multicultural education in foreign language teaching (FLT); (2) examine the effectiveness of task-based approach in promoting intercultural competence and understanding in FLT; and finally (3) provide recommendations for the integration of multicultural education into FLT in Ukraine, based on the findings of this study. The study presents a literature review of the role of multicultural education in foreign language teaching, which emphasizes the need for learners to develop intercultural competence alongside language proficiency. The effectiveness of task-based language teaching (TBLT) in promoting intercultural competence and understanding is also discussed, with several studies suggesting that TBLT can be an effective approach for promoting intercultural competence among learners. The findings discuss a study conducted in Ukraine, which investigated the integration of multicultural education into foreign language teaching using a task-based approach. The study found that incorporating multicultural education into TBLT can enhance learners' intercultural competence and understanding, as well as their motivation to learn the language. The paper brings to light several recommendations for the integration of multicultural education into foreign language teaching in Ukraine and other countries, including the use of authentic materials and tasks, the promotion of collaboration and interaction among learners from different cultural backgrounds, and the incorporation of reflection activities into the curriculum. In conclusion, it is proposed to consider a methodological framework for incorporating multicultural education into foreign language teaching using a task-based approach. The study findings suggest that TBLT can be an effective tool for promoting intercultural competence among learners, and that the integration of multicultural education into TBLT can enhance learners' motivation to learn the language. The recommendations provided can serve as a guide for foreign language teachers in Ukraine and other contexts who wish to incorporate multicultural education into their language teaching practice.
The Challenges in Education System in North Macedonia
Authors:   International Balkan University, Sharlamamov Kire , Petrusheva Katerina Mitevska ,   International Balkan University, Faculty of Education
Published: March 2023

Education is a complex social system, which enables individuals in a society to acquire knowledge and skills that will help them realize their life ambitions, but also helps society as a whole to achieve a higher level of economic and social development. The education system is composed of several segments such as preschool, primary, secondary and higher education. It is very important whether each of the segments in the education system fulfills its goals, as well as whether there is synergy and logical connectedness between the segments in the education system. Hence, this article will try to present the characteristics of the different segments of the educational system in North Macedonia, the goals they need to achieve, as well as the challenges they face.
A Typology of the Spread of Malay
Authors:   University of Malaya, Omar Asmah Haji
Published: March 2023

A great deal has been said and researched on the role of Malay, as the lingua franca in commercial areas of insular Southeast Asia, and as the national language of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei Darussalam. Its present-day status reflects its rise for centuries as a language of governance of Malay kingdoms in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatera, Borneo, and in the Moluccas. The presence of Malay in mainland Southeast Asia today extends its insular spread via the Malay Peninsula. These Malay kingdoms played as centres of dispersal of the use of Malay as the language was unrivalled in its sociolinguistic status in the whole of the Malay Archipelago, not just as the language of governance in those kingdoms, but also the language of diplomacy between them and those others within the archipelago itself, and even between those in the latter group. The widespread use of Malay in ancient times has been credited by historians to the hegemony of the Srivijaya Malay-speaking empire which lasted from the seventh to the 14th century C.E. Today the Malay language is known to have speakers of Malay outside of the archipelago, such as in Australia inclusive of the Christmas Islands and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean (Asmah 2006, 2008), the Holy Land of Mecca and Medina (Asmah et al. 2015), England, the Netherlands, France, and Germany. Away from the Malay world, Malay speech communities have taken shape in these places; small they may be, but they are ‘alive,’ as a home language of immigrant Malay native speakers who have settled in these places, as products of Malay world migration.
A Preliminary Study on the Use of Epithets in Kenyah Long Wat
Authors:   Universiti Teknologi MARA, Lendik Lisbeth Sinan , Chan Mei Yuit ,   University Putra Malaysia
Published: March 2023

Social status has long been a point of reference in addressing the individual. As observed in the Kenyah Long Wat community, members of a family are given epithets upon life events such as birth and death to signify their new status. Although the creation and use of epithets in indexing life events may be customary in many communities, the types and variety of linguistic forms used in different speech communities may well provide a lens through which the social practices of an indigenous community can be appreciated. This article describes the epithets found in the Kenyah Long Wat language, which will ground further sociolinguistic study of the language. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with speakers of the language to obtain information on epithets and the socio-cultural events, beliefs and linguistic resources that surround the creation and conferment of epithets.
The Revitalization of the Portuguese Language in Timor-Leste
Authors:   Universidade do Minho, Indart Karin Noemi Rühle
Published: March 2023

Timor-Leste is a multilingual nation, comprising its indigenous languages, yet also languages from abroad, which all coexist within the boundaries of the country. As a former Portuguese colony, the country has showcased a Portuguese language as its official language during its colonial era. However, since that period, and hence throughout its history, the country has transited through the use of several official languages. With the country’s independence in 2002, the newly formed constitution instituted Portuguese and Tetum as the official and instructional languages, although the Portuguese language is currently spoken by only part of the population. The study finds that, through decipherment of the language ideologies of the sample set cohort, the use of the language appears to correlate with the myth of national origin, with the construction of national identity, and the establishment of the (nation) state, presenting a transcendental signifier, or at least master narrative. I also include ‘mystics’ as a category, that is, those who bind the Portuguese language to the invisible and miraculous forces construed as resurrecting a dying national ideal. Those with pragmatic intentions seek evidence for progress in the implementation of the language and its policies, while those with idealistic intentions view any movement as a journey towards progress. This confidence in the future of the language and nation state, mediated by language ideologies, is multi-layered, and conceptions vary substantially.
Towards a Linguistic Anthropology of Asian Laughters: Correlating two Contexts
Authors:   Tohoku University, Yihui Xia
Published: March 2023

Laughter is a pervasive human behavior that is frequently transcribed into written texts as ‘laughter onomatopoeia’ (LO), to represent the sound of laughter and various emotions within a specific context. Particularly, LO have a rich pragmatic impact on the facilitating of communications (Xia 2021). A such, this study discusses the (LO) of animation in texts in Chinese contexts, and erects a comparison with its translation into Japanese. In particular, the study focuses on the analysis of the interjection and sentence-ending particle as discourse markers in both languages and both cultural contexts. The results of the study suggest that speakers of both Chinese and Japanese employ various LOs to in their pragmatic application of their respective languages, yet these LOs differ between the two languages. For example, in the Chinese context, LOs depicting laughter in social interaction can signify the intention to maintain friendly relations, or to resolve problematic interactions. In the Japanese context, however, speakers largely avoid LO, as such discourse can increase tensions and antagonism between interlocutors.
Phonological Documentation of the Punan Language: A Preliminary Study
Authors:   University of Malaysia Sarawak, Melai Zeckqualine , Rigar Ivy Anak ,   University of Malaysia Sarawak
Published: March 2023

The Punans are one of several indigenous communities in Sarawak, Borneo, having settled in the Kemena river basin, in Bintulu and in Belaga, at the upper reaches of the Rejang river. The total population of the Punans, recorded by the Punan National Association (PNA 2019) was 4790 in 2019, a number that will likely decrease over the years and without recourse to elavation. The Punan language is categorized as threatened (Asmah Omar, 2017; Ethnologue, 2019), suggesting that the number of its speakers has rapidly declined over many years. This paper presents a preliminary study on the phonological system of the Punan language, for the purpose of preserving the language. In this study, we adopt a descriptive approach, largely popularized by Bloomfield, and as such, we focus on the phonological features of the Punan language. In order to obtain Punan language data, we employed an open recording method, to video document informal speech and conversation. we revorded all language during face to face interactions with respondents. Ultlimately, in this study, we determined that the Punan language contains 18 consonants, six vowels, four diphthongs and two triphthongs.
Phonological Documentation of the Punan Language: Treating and Healing Malaysia: A Critical Analysis of Najib Razak’s Metaphors
Authors:   International Islamic University Malaysia, Rashid Ali Farrah Diebaa
Published: March 2023

This paper discusses the vocational roles constructed by Najib Razak, the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia for himself, the government, and the relational identities for the people and others in nine Supply Bills (2010 – 2018). I have modelled this study on Charteris-Black’s Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) and Sack’s Membership Categorisation Analysis (MCA) as frameworks. The findings indicate that Najib Razak and the government played a role as medical doctor while the people and others have been conceptualised as patients and pre-term babies, experiencing a global economic downturn, an Asian Financial Crisis, poverty, and bribery. The people and others as patients must depend on the government for health and recovery. This experience emphasises the independent, heroic role enacted by the government, and the weak, sunjugated role expected of the people and others. Through these metaphors, the people were reminded of the fact that, without the government to heal the people, the country can not develop its metaphorical health. As sush, the use of metaphors in the Supply Bills serves predicative, empathetic, ideological and mythical purposes.
“Between a Rock and Reclaimed Land:” A Structural Comparison between Singaporean and Mauritian Petrifaction Myths Between a Rock and Reclaimed Land: A Structural Comparison of Si-Tanggang and the Pieter Both Folktale
Authors:   Nanyang Technological University, Choa Gerarld
Published: March 2023

This paper investigates the folktale motif, "transformation of human into stone," i.e., petrifaction, in two narratives of different oral cultures; the Mauritian myth of the Pieter Both mountain and the Singaporean Malay iteration of Si-Tanggang. While both stories feature a character petrified as punishment for his misdeeds, the Singaporean retelling of Si-Tanggang makes no mention of a specific location nor geographical feature, unlike the Mauritian folktale and other versions of Si-Tanggang recounted elsewhere in the Malay Archipelago. To discover possible reasons for of functionalism as a folk explanation for natural phenomena by the Singaporean narrative, I conduct a comparative analysis of the two, through a lens of form, Propp (1968), field, and function. The comparison reveals divergences between form and field, in that between Singapore and Mauritius, storytelling as a cultural practice differs in its moralistic, nationalistic and ecological functions. The loss of an explicit geographical link in the Singaporean iteration of Si-Tanggang may be explained by how storytelling in Singapore has largely shed its ecological function. These observations also suggest that structural comparisons of folktales can help further our understanding of each individual oral culture, and in particular, how they have been shaped by historical and sociocultural forces.
Text in the Social Life of Ethnic Groups in Vietnam
Authors:   Institute of Linguistics, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Ta Quang Tung , Ta Van Thong ,   Institute of Linguistics, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Published: March 2023

More than half of ethnic groups in Vietnam have their own scripts. These writing systems are fairly diverse in terms of forms, origins, changes, and social functions. In Vietnam nowadays, except Quốc ngữ writing (Quoc ngu - the script of the Vietnamese), other writing systems do not have positive social functions or significant roles in the social life. Language education and language interactions in the areas of ethnic minority people do not generally include the writing. Many ethnic minority groups are at risk of losing their languages and their traditional cultures maintained and developed through their mother tongues. Writing can help manage this risk as shown in the example of the Quốc ngữ writing. What can be done to diffuse and use writing more effectively? This is an urgent issue for the writing systems in the social life of ethnic minority groups in Vietnam.
The Effect of Countries’ ESG Ratings on Sovereign Credit Default Swaps: An empirical evidence on OECD countries (2008-2019)
Authors:   Université de Bordeaux Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine France, Karaman Yasemin
Published: March 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this paper to examine whether Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings of the countries can affect their 5-year Credit Default Swaps (CDS) and whether there is a significant association between ESG ratings and CDS. Design/methodology/approach: The econometric analysis of this research which is Fixed effect panel least squares regression incorporates data from 25 OECD countries between the period from 2008 to 2019. ESG ratings calculated by Thomson Reuters Eikon, Standart & Poor’s CDS ratings, GDP growth rate, Inflation rate, the general government gross debt to GDP ratio and trade openness are used as independent variables, while sovereign Credit Default Swaps with 5-year maturity is used as the dependent variable in the analysis. Findings: In reference to the consequences of analysis, there is a significantly negative but modest association is found between countries' ESG Ratings and their CDS. The analysis also shows that countries with good ESG scores are experienced lower CDS. Originality/value: This research extends previous studies by revealing the significant relationship between ESG and CDS of countries based on empirical evidence, using up-to-date data (last 11 years) from 25 OECD countries.
Minority status and self-employment: The mediating role of personal initiative, Emmanuel Wandera, Nkote Nabeta
Authors:   Department of Economics, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda, Wandera Emmanuel Philemon
Published: March 2023

Purpose: To examine the mediating role of personal initiative in the relationship between minority status and self-employment among self-employed women in Uganda. Methods: This study employed a cross sectional survey design to collect data from 203 self-employed women to test for the study hypothesis using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using Smartpls version 3.2.9 professional. Findings: Findings indicate a positive and significant relationship between minority status and self-employment, and partial mediating role of personal initiative in the relationship between minority status and self-employment at 95% confidence interval. Implication: The findings of this research provide useful insights into the role of minority status in boosting self-employment among women. Personal initiative is not only a booster of self-employment but also enhances the ability of women to start enterprises for their survival. Limitations: The study was cross sectional hence imposing a limitation on changes in perception over time. Therefore, a longitudinal study in future is necessary. Besides, data were collected from self-employed women in Uganda. Above all, this study only considers minority status and personal initiative in explaining self-employment and yet there are other factors that could be explored. Originality/Value: This paper examines the mediating role of personal initiative in the relationship between minority status and self-employment in the context of minority women in a Uganda, against the auspice of middleman minority and personal initiative theory.