bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MULTIPLE ACCESS IN WIRELESS CHANNELS USING NONORTHOGONAL CODING AND FREQUENCY INTERLEAVING
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, Taubin F. A.
Published: December 2022

Code division multiple access (CDMA) is currently considered as one of the promising technologies that can significantly improve the efficiency of modern and future communication networks. In code division multiple access systems, users can share a dedicated space-frequency-time resource to simultaneously transmit their own traffic. To ensure the separation of individual user streams on the receiving side, each user is provided with his own code sequence embedded in the broadband signal transmitted by this user, the spectrum of which, as a rule, occupies the entire allocated frequency band. When centimeter-and- millimeter wave wireless channels are used as the transmission medium, such factors as fading, multipath, and Doppler scatter can significantly degrade the performance of a code division multiple access system. The standard solution in this situation is to combine code division multiple access with OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) technology, known as multicarrier CDMA (MC-CDMA). To ensure the acceptable level of performance of multiple access systems under oversaturated conditions, many novel approaches based on the use of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) have been proposed. The paper considers a variant of multiple access with non-orthogonal coding that is close in approach to sparse coding multiple access (SCMA). The proposed access procedure is based on dividing the allocated time-frequency resource into relatively small clusters and sharing each cluster with its own group of users, equipped with a non-orthogonal cluster code with the ability to change the loading factor. For the proposed class of cluster codes, a general encoding and decoding scheme is presented. Examples of specific cluster code constructions and numerical results are given that allow one to get a number of the parameters for tradeoffs between an increase of the loading factor in the system and additional energy loss.
CURRENT ETHNIC PROCESSES AMONG THE OROCHI
Authors:   Siberian Federal University, Krivonogov V.P.
Published: December 2022

In the east of Khabarovsk Krai live a small people — the Orochi. Their habitat is Vaninsky and adjacent districts. In the fall of 2021, the expedition conducted research on contemporary ethnic processes among the Orochi in the places of their maximum concentration — the villages of Ust-Orochi and Datta. A mass survey with 100% coverage was conducted and 122 questionnaires were completed. The article deals with demographic and migration processes, linguistic and ethno-cultural processes, national-mixed marriages, and mestizaje of the Orochi.
Hidroksizin Hidroklorürün Memeli Makrofajları Üzerindeki Etkilerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: TOPAL ÖNAL Harika
Published: December 2022

Amaç: Hidroksizin hidroklorür son yıllarda anksiyete bozukluğu, ruhsal sıkıntı ve gerginliğin tedavisinde yaygın olarak tercih edilen antihistaminik türevli bir ilaçtır. Literatürde Hidroksizin hidroklorürün bağışıklık sistemi üzerine etkileri ile ilgili yeterli çalışma mevcut değildir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmamızda J774.2 makrofaj hücre hattında lipopolisakkarit (LPS) tehlike sinyali varlığında ve yokluğunda 1, 5,10 ve 20 µg/ml hidroksizin hidroklorür uygulayarak proinflamatuvar sitokin seviyelerine etkilerini araştırdık. İstatistiksel analiz için Student t testi uygulandı (p
Bolshevik intellectuals on the foreign policy front: the relationship between Commissar for Foreign Affairs Georgy Chicherin and Plenipotentiary Adolf Joffe in 1918
Authors: Vatlin Alexander
Published: December 2022

After coming to power in 1917, the Bolsheviks began to form their own system of foreign policy decision-making, rejecting the traditions and standards of bourgeois diplomacy in the Decree on Peace, and refusing to use the personnel of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The first trial of the new system, built on the principles of revolutionary Marxism, took place during the Brest negotiations and ended in defeat for Soviet Russia. The signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on 3 March 1918 paved the way for the transition from war to peace between the two countries and, consequently, for the exchange of diplomatic representatives. The Soviet legation in Germany, headed by Joffe, was in fact the only 'window to Europe' for the Bolsheviks.
Because of the lack of a fine-tuned foreign policy decision-making mechanism and the highly unstable communication between Moscow and Berlin, and because Joffe was not a professional diplomat, the activities of his plenipotentiary representation were determined by his prerevolutionary political experience and personal qualities. Rejecting the hierarchy of the old regime and making no secret of his own ambitions, Joffe came into continuous conflict with his immediate superior, the People' Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Chicherin, and this conflict continued until the Soviet plenipotentiary representative was expelled from Berlin in 1918.
The author reconstructs the formation of key decisions in the sphere of Soviet-German relations at the end of the Great War on the basis of official correspondence between the People's Commissar and the Plenipotentiary, shows the role of human factor in the process and the mechanism of departmental and personal conflicts resolution, the core of which was the authority of Lenin. The author concludes that the process of shaping the Soviet foreign policy in 1918 was extremely rapid, generally in line with the pace of events, and developed by trial and error. The traditions and norms laid down in the first year of the work of the People's Commissariat largely influenced the subsequent history of Soviet diplomacy.
Japan’s Semiconductor Industry: Topical Trends and Strategic Importance
Authors: Paksyutov Georgiy
Published: December 2022

The article is dedicated to studying both the long-term and current trends in Japan’s semiconductor industry. Semiconductor production is crucial for the present-day economy, and its importance is only increased by the ongoing process of digital transformation, by COVID-19 pandemic and the international political turbulence that puts strain on the existing global value chains. Moreover, semiconductors are urgently needed by electronics and car producers and by other industries that employ microchips, they could contribute to reducing Japan’s dependence on imported energy commodities. Developing the semiconductor industry is a task stated in official documents of the Japan’s government. However, Japanese semiconductor industry has been in relative decline since the late 1980-s, and the national producers now lag behind the global leaders in terms of technology. Various measures are being implemented to revitalize the industry and reverse the decline (that was partially caused by trade tensions with the US), including state subsidies and increased cooperation with foreign companies. If Japan manages to achieve its ambitious goals, such as doubling the size of the national semiconductor market by 2030 and launching the production of the new-generation microchips, it will lay the ground for other large-scale projects including the creation of ‘Society 5.0’ and the achievement of carbon neutrality. To proceed with the tasks, it is urgent that Japan’s semiconductor industry overcomes the current engineer shortage and employs the globally competitive technology. As the global demand for semiconductors expands, the semiconductor industry could become the engine of growth in other related sectors of Japan’s economy.
Comparative Characteristics of Hemp Nanocellulose Extracted by Different Methods
Authors: Basbash V. , Yashchenko O. , Yakymenko O.
Published: December 2022

Abstract: The study describes the extraction of nanocellulose from organosolv hemp pulp (OHP) by different methods: acid hydrolysis, oxidation in the medium of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and in deep eutectic solvent (DES). OHP was obtained from renewable plant material - hemp fibers by extraction with NaOH solution and cooking using a mixture of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. SEM and FTIR data confirmed the reduction of cellulosic fibers and the removal of non-cellulosic components from hemp samples during their sequential thermochemical treatment. The data of X-ray structural and thermogravimetric analyzes confirmed that with increasing crystallinity index and resistance of cellulose-containing hemp samples to the influence of temperature, the obtained nanocelluloses are arranged in the following order: OHP – NCD – NCT – NCH. The values of physical and mechanical parameters of hemp nanocelluloses obtained by different methods are compared. It was established that with approximately the same values of the transverse size of hemp nanoparticles, nanocellulose obtained in the process of acid hydrolysis (NСH) has higher values of physical and mechanical parameters than nanocellulose obtained in TEMPO-medium (NCT) and in the DES (NCD).
Systematische Botanik
Authors: Baltisberger Matthias , Nyffeler Reto , Widmer Alex
Published: December 2022

Das Buch gibt eine Einführung in die Systematik der Pflanzen (Moose, Farne, Samenpflanzen). Das hier vorgestellte Klassifikationssystem basiert auf den aktuellen molekularphylogenetischen Untersuchungen. Die für die einzelnen Taxa wichtigen Merkmale werden vorgestellt und ihre Bedeutung für die Systematik erörtert. In den einzelnen Gruppen werden wichtige einheimische Ordnungen und Familien präsentiert sowie relevante Gattungen und Arten besprochen. Die 600 im Buch aufgenommenen Arten entsprechen der Liste des Zertifikates 600 der Schweizerischen Botanischen Gesellschaft; damit sind implizit auch die Arten des Zertifikats 200 und des Zertifikats 400 enthalten. Das Buch deckt auch den grössten Teil des für das Zertifikat 600 verlangten allgemeinen Wissens in Feldbotanik ab. Neben systematischen, morphologischen und ökologischen werden auch angewandte Aspekte berücksichtigt (z.B. nahrungsliefernde Pflanzen, Medizinalpflanzen). Da das Schwergewicht auf der einheimischen Flora liegt, werden nichteinheimische Taxa nur dort behandelt, wo sie für das Verständnis der Systematik notwendig sind. Ein ausführliches Kapitel widmet sich den Standortparametern und stellt die in den einzelnen Höhenstufen vorkommenden wichtigsten Vegetationstypen vor. Das Register mit Stichworten und den wissenschaftlichen Pflanzennamen am Schluss des Buches erleichtert das Auffinden von Themen und Taxa.
Dunlop, Claire A., Radaelli, Claudio M. & Trein, Philipp (2018) (eds.). Learning in Public Policy. Analysis, Modes and Outcomes. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham.
Authors: Ingold Karin
Published: December 2022

Das vorliegende Buch mit seinen 13 Kapiteln erhebt nicht den Anspruch, eine Policy Learning Theorie aufzustellen. Es geht vielmehr darum, die Auslöser, die Mechanismen und die Resultate oder Konsequenzen von Policy Learning systematisch zu beleuchten, in Zusammenhang miteinander zu setzen, und in verschiedene institutionelle Kontexte zu übertragen, soweit das möglich ist. Es werden sowohl substantielle wie auch normative Outcomes von Learning diskutiert, nicht zuletzt was die demokratische Qualität von Learning anbelangt. Es ist ein Werk, das sowohl eine Übersicht der Learning-„Schulen“ über die Zeit bietet, wie auch aufzeigt, wohin sich die Learning-Forschung in der öffentlichen Politik-Analyse entwickeln kann.
Mittendrin statt nur dabei: Die ethnografische Erforschung von Gesundheit und Krankheit
Authors: Houben Malin , Augst Ann Kristin
Published: December 2022

Der Artikel diskutiert die Potenziale und Herausforderungen von Ethnografie in Bezug auf den Forschungsgegenstand Gesundheit/Krankheit und verortet diese im Feld der multidisziplinären Gesundheitsforschung. Feldforschung und teilnehmende Beobachtung sind bewährte wie traditionsreiche Forschungsmethoden und Erkenntnisinstrumente zur Untersuchung von Krankheit und Gesundheit, scheinen bislang in der deutschsprachigen Gesundheitsforschung als Methode jedoch wenig etabliert bzw. institutionalisiert. Anhand von klassischer und neuerer ethnografischer Literatur werden vier zentrale Forschungsthemen mit einem Schwerpunkt auf die Verschränkungen von Körper- und Sozialität vorgestellt. Herausforderungen betreffen forschungspraktische und forschungsethische Fragen ebenso wie disziplinspezifische Akzeptanz- und Rezeptionsbarrieren in Wissenschaft und Praxis.
Der Gebrauch der Empfindlichkeit in somatischen Kulturen. Kopfschmerzdeutungen in der sozialen Mittelschicht
Authors: Dreßke Stefan
Published: December 2022

Die als chronisch etikettierten Schmerzen verursachen bei den Kranken und ihren Angehörigen erhebliche Leiden und neben den sozialen Kosten auch hohe ökonomische Kosten für das Versorgungs-, Sozial- und Wirtschaftssystem. Schmerzen sind jedoch nicht grundsätzlich pathologisch, vielmehr gehören sie als eine anthropologische Konstante zum Leben dazu. Sie sichern nicht nur das physische Überleben, sondern gehen als Körperausdruck in soziale Beziehungen ein, aktualisieren Identität und weisen Individuen ihre Positionen im gesellschaftlichen Geflecht zu. Dieser Beitrag thematisiert daher die Unschärfe zwischen Schmerz als alltäglicher unangenehmer Empfindung und Schmerz als Krankheit. Dazu werden anhand von leitfadengestützten biografischen Interviews Schmerzpraktiken und Schmerzdeutungen bei Kopfschmerzen untersucht. Im Ergebnis zeigt sich, dass entsprechend des Inkorporierungsansatzes von Pierre Bourdieu (1982) Kopfschmerzen in milieutypische Reproduktions- und Lebensbedingungen eingehen, die sowohl das Alltagsverständnis von Schmerzen strukturieren, als auch darüber bestimmen, welche medizinischen Deutungsangebote angenommen werden.
Qualitative Gesundheitsforschung, Science and Technology Studies und Situationsanalyse. Einsichten aus der Forschung zur Tiefen Hirnstimulation
Authors: Offenberger Ursula , Schwertel Tamara
Published: December 2022

Unser Beitrag zeigt am Beispiel einer qualitativen Analyse der Tiefen Hirnstimulation (THS), welchen Mehrwert eine Verknüpfung von Wissensbeständen der Science and Technology Studies (STS) mit der qualitativen Gesundheitsforschung bieten kann. Insbesondere argumentieren wir, wie hiermit eine Vermittlung von subjektzentrierten Perspektiven mit stärker ökologischen Perspektiven gelingen kann, und inwiefern genau hierin die Stärke qualitativer Forschung liegt. Wir greifen dafür auf Vorschläge von Adele Clarke (Clarke/Friese/Washburn 2018) zurück, die Grounded Theory in Richtung von Situationsanalysen weiterzuentwickeln, um historischen Verläufen, kollektiven Aushandlungsprozessen, Materialitäten und der Bedeutung von Diskursen analytisch stärker als bisher Rechnung zu tragen.
Ökonomisierung des Gesundheitswesens: Zumutungen und Herausforderungen. Ein Beitrag zur qualitativen Forschung im ökonomisch-ärztlichen Dialog
Authors: Thanner Mirjam , Milojkovic Kristina , Siercks Ikbale , Siercks Ikbale , Hornung René
Published: December 2022

Befürchtungen hinsichtlich zunehmender ökonomischer Einflüsse im Gesundheitswesen werden meist plakativ mit dem Schlagwort der Ökonomisierung zum Ausdruck gebracht. Während sich der ärztliche Behandlungsauftrag jedoch medizinethisch begründen lässt, ergibt sich die ökonomische Wirklichkeit aus einem komplexen Zusammenspiel von gesundheitspolitischen Rahmenbedingungen und Ressourcenzuteilungen sowie den entsprechenden Reaktionen der Akteur*innen auf diese Vorgaben. Zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfragen, wie sich strukturell angelegte Spannungsfelder im Klinikalltag niederschlagen und wie Akteur*innen diese handhaben, griffen die Autor*innen auf Einzelinterviews und ein Fokusgruppeninterview mit jeweils inhaltsanalytischer Auswertung sowie auf die phänomenologische Analyse zurück. Die so gewonnenen Erkenntnisse sollten einen Beitrag leisten für ein besseres Verständnis zwischen Medizin und Ökonomie im Klinikalltag.
Sinnverstehen unter COVID-19-Bedingungen. Ein qualitativer Zugang zu (außer)alltäglichen Erfahrungen
Authors: Pierburg Melanie
Published: December 2022

Im Rahmen der COVID-19-Pandemie haben sozialwissenschaftliche Zeitdiagnosen und empirische Analysen Konjunktur. Aufgrund der weitreichenden gesellschaftlichen Transformationen ergibt sich ein erhöhter Bedarf an Erklärungen. Genauso ist aber auch das Verstehen gefragt, für das klassischerweise die qualitative Sozialforschung verantwortlich zeichnet – wenn man die Teilung in eine standardisierte und eine nicht-standardisierte empirische Richtung nicht als veraltet aufgibt. Methodisch gilt es demnach zu ergründen, was der spezifische Beitrag der interpretativ orientierten Verfahrensweisen zur Aufklärung der sozialen Folgen der Corona-Pandemie bereits ist und noch sein kann. Dieser Frage möchte ich nachgehen und außerdem die Feldforschung als Möglichkeit in den Fokus rücken, sich dem spezifischen Erleben der Zäsur anzunähern. Darüber hinaus möchte ich einen ethnographischen Zugang vorstellen, der Alltagsrepräsentationen radikalisiert, um lebensweltlichen Erfahrungen nachzuspüren. Dazu deute und kontextualisiere ich Datenmaterial, in dem ein Online-Artikel rezipiert wird, als Zugang zu spezifischen Konstruktionsformen gesellschaftlicher Wirklichkeit unter Pandemiebedingungen. Der Kontrast zu prominenten makrosoziologischen Zuschreibungen könnte kaum größer sein, dafür gerät ein besonderer Aspekt der Krise und ihrer Bewältigung in den Blick: der Übergang von abstrakten Welterkenntnissen in subjektbezogenes Wissen.
Spinal radiographic progression is correlated with preclinical atherosclerosis in spondyloarthritis
Authors: Aicha Ben Tekaya , Ahmed Fendri , Seif Boukriba , Ines Mahmoud , Leila Rouached , Selma Bouden , Rawdha Tekaya , Olfa Saidane , Habiba Mizouni , Leila Abdelmoula
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: A higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk was observed in spondyloarthritis (SpA). The relationship between disease-related factors structural damage and subclinical atherosclerosis is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of subclinical atherosclerosis with radiographic structural damage in patients with SpA. METHODS: Forty-seven SpA patients who fulfilled the ASAS criteria were enrolled in a case-control study conducted over 12 months and compared with 47 age and sex-matched healthy controls. None of the subjects had a previous history of cardiovascular diseases or cardiovascular risk factors. Demographic and disease characteristics were recorded. Structural lesions were evaluated using plain radiography, and two scoring tools were used to spine (BASRI and mSASSS). Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed using ultrasound measurements of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). RESULTS: The median age of patients was 36 years. The sex ratio was 2.35. The median BASRI total score was 3 (IQR 2–4), median mSASSS score was 10 (IQR 415). cIMT was significantly increased in SpA patients compared to controls (p< 0.0001), and FMD was significantly lower in patients than in healthy subjects (p= 0.008). cIMT was significantly associated with ankylosis of the facet joints (p= 0.035) and Romanus spondylitis (p= 005). FMD was negatively associated with vertebral squaring (p= 0049), bridging syndesmophytes (p= 0031) and mSASSS score (p= 0.047). CONCLUSION: Our result supports the association of radiographic structural damage and subclinical atherosclerosis assessed using cIMT and FMD. This finding highlights the importance of earlier treatment in order to prevent radiographic damage progression and atherosclerotic events.
Early effect of standalone oblique lateral interbody fusion vs. combined with lateral screw fixation of the vertebral body on single-level lumbar degenerative disc disease: A pilot study
Authors: Qiu Mei-Guang , Zhou Shi-Guo , Lin Shi-Shui , Hu Xu , Lin Cheng , Lin Ke-Feng
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: For the treatment of single-level lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD), oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) has clinical advantages. Whether internal fixation needs to be combined for treatment has been the subject of debate. OBJECTIVE: To compare the early clinical effects of standalone oblique lateral interbody fusion (S-OLIF) versus OLIF combined with lateral screw fixation of the vertebral body (F-OLIF) on single-level lumbar DDD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the data of 34 patients for whom the OLIF technique was applied to treat single-level lumbar DDD from August 2018 to May 2021. Patients were divided into the S-OLIF (n= 18) and F-OLIF groups (n= 16). Intraoperative blood loss, operative time, and length of hospital stay were recorded. The pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) before and after the operation were evaluated. The disc height (DH), foraminal height (FH), fused segment lordosis (FSL), lumbar lordosis (LL), cage subsidence, and fusion by CT examination were measured before and after the operation. RESULTS: The S-OLIF group experienced a shorter operative time and less intraoperative blood loss than the F-OLIF group, and the differences were statistically significant (p< 0.05), but the difference in the length of hospital stay was not statistically significant. The postoperative VAS score and ODI of the two groups were significantly lower than those before the operation, but the postoperative differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. Differences were not statistically significant in postoperative FH, DH, FSL and LL of the two groups. Both groups were followed up for no less than 12 months. In the two groups, fusion was achieved at the last follow-up visit. CONCLUSION: According to short-term follow-up results, both S-OLIF and F-OLIF can achieve reliable and stable fusion and good clinical effect in the treatment of single-level lumbar DDD.
Comparison of transcutaneous electrical stimulation and suprascapular nerve blockage for the treatment of hemiplegic shoulder pain
Authors: Ersoy Sedef , Paker Nurdan , Kesiktaş Fatma Nur , Bugdayci Derya Soy , Karakaya Ebru , Çetin Mert
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is a common morbidity of stroke. Different treatment modalities can be used for optimizing the results and limiting the possible side effects. This research compares the effects of two therapies used to reduce the pain and improve the quality of life of the patients with HSP. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and suprascapular nerve blockage (SSNB) in patients with HSP. METHODS: In this clinical research, 24 patients with HSP who participated in a conventional rehabilitation program were randomized into TENS or SSNB treatment groups. A 100 mm visual analogue scale was used to assess the severity of pain. Passive range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder was measured. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) was used to evaluate spasticity of the upper extremities, and the Modified Barthel Scale was used to assess activities of daily living (ADL). Quality of life was measured using the Stroke-specific Quality of Life (SS-QoL) questionnaire. RESULTS: The pain scores of the SSNB group decreased more significantly (p< 0.05) than in the TENS group. SS-QoL scores at the 3rd week in both groups were significantly higher than before treatment (p< 0.05). MAS scores and Barthel scores after treatment did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: TENS and SSNB were beneficial in relieving pain and increasing passive shoulder ROM and ADL in all patients. The alleviating of pain was faster in patients who underwent SSNB.
A small Rho GTPase RAB25 with a potential role in chemotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Kohil Amira , Amir Sayeda S. , Behrens Axel , Khan Omar M.
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the major human health challenges with minimal therapeutic benefits due to its late detection, and de novo – and acquired chemotherapy resistance. OBJECTIVE: In this work we unravel the potential pro-survival role of RAB25 in pancreatic cancer chemotherapy resistance and aim to identify if RAB25 is a prognostic marker of patients’ survival in PDA. METHODS: We used RNA sequencing, shRNA mediated gene knockdown, BioGRID open repository of CRISPR screens (ORCS), GEPIA, kmplot.com, and cBioPortal.org databases to identify the role of RAB25 in PDA cell proliferation, chemotherapy response, expression in tumour versus normal tissues, and overall patients’ survival. RESULTS: RNA sequencing show Rab25 to be one of the top upregulated genes in gemcitabine resistance mouse PDA cells. Knockdown of Rab25 in these cells enhanced gemcitabine toxicity. In addition, re-analysis of previously published CRISPR/Cas9 data confirm RAB25 to be responsible for chemotherapy resistance in KRASG12D mutant human pancreatic cancer cell line. Finally, we used publicly available TCGA datasets and identify the upregulation of RAB25 in tumour tissues compared to the adjacent normal tissue, co-occurrence of KRASG12 mutations with RAB25 amplifications, and poor patients’ survival in cohorts with higher mRNA expression of RAB25. CONCLUSION: RAB25 expression is a prognostic marker for patient’s survival and gemcitabine resistance in PDA.
Weight Loss and Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome
Authors: Fleming Victoria ,   the Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium –Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) Consortium, Helsel Brian C. , Ptomey Lauren T. , Rosas H. Diana , Handen Benjamin , Laymon Charles , Christian Bradley T. , Head Elizabeth , Mapstone Mark , Lai Florence , Krinsky-McHale Sharon , Zaman Shahid , Ances Beau M. , Lee Joseph H. , Hartley Sigan L.
Published: December 2022

Background: Virtually all adults with Down syndrome (DS) develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, but research gaps remain in understanding early signs of AD in DS. Objective: The goal of the present study was to determine if unintentional weight loss is part of AD in DS. The specific aims were to: 1) examine relation between chronological age, weight, AD pathology, and AD-related cognitive decline were assessed in a large cohort of adults with DS, and 2) determine if baseline PET amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau PET status (–versus+) and/or decline in memory and mental status were associated with weight loss prior to AD progression. Methods: Analyses included 261 adults with DS. PET data were acquired using [11C] PiB for Aβ and [18F] AV-1451 for tau. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from weight and height. Direct measures assessed dementia and memory. Clinical AD status was determined using a case consensus process. Percent weight decline across 16–20 months was assessed in a subset of participants (n = 77). Results: Polynomial regressions indicated an 0.23 kg/m2 decrease in BMI per year beginning at age 36.5 years, which occurs alongside the period during which Aβ and tau increase and memory and mental status decline. At a within-person level, elevated Aβ, decline in memory and mental status were associated with higher percent weight loss across 16–20 months. Conclusion: Unintentional weight loss occurs alongside Aβ deposition and prior to onset of AD dementia, and thus may be a useful sign of AD in DS.
Age-Related Association Between APOE ɛ4 and Cognitive Progression in de novo Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Liu Jia-Yao , Ma Ling-Zhi , Wang Jun , Cui Xin-Jing , Sheng Ze-Hu , Fu Yan , Li Meng , Ou Ya-Nan , Yu Jin-Tai , Tan Lan , Lian Yan
Published: December 2022

Background: APOE ɛ4 genotype was correlated with exacerbation of pathology and higher risk of dementia in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Meanwhile, the differential influence of APOE ɛ4 on cognition in young and old individuals interpreted as antagonistic pleiotropy. Objective: To examine whether the effect of APOE ɛ4 on cognitive progression in de novo PD is age dependent. Methods: In this study, 613 de novo PD patients were recruited from Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). To examine the age-dependent relationship between APOE ɛ4 and cognitive changes, we added 3-way interaction of APOE ɛ4*baseline age*time to the linear mixed-effect (LME) models and evaluated the specific roles of APOE ɛ4 in the middle age group and elderly group separately. Cox regression was utilized to examine the progression of cognition in age-stratified PD participants. Results: Age significantly modified relationship between APOE ɛ4 and cognitive changes in most cognitive domains (pinteraction <0.05). In the elderly group, APOE ɛ4 carriers showed steeper decline in global cognition (p = 0.001) as well as in most cognitive domains, and they had a greater risk of cognitive progression (adjusted HR 1.625, 95% CI 1.143–2.310, p = 0.007), compared with non-carriers. However, in the middle age group, no significant relationships between APOE ɛ4 and cognitive decline can be detected. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the APOE ɛ4 allele has an age-dependent effect on cognitive decline in PD patients. The underlying mechanisms need to be investigated in the future.
RETRACTED: How to overcome the instability of AHP weight? —Partial order analysis method based on the lower limit of the proportion
Authors: Lizhu Yue , Liwei Yao
Published: December 2022

This article has been retracted. A retraction notice can be found at https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-219433.
An accurate estimation algorithm for structural change points of multi-dimensional stochastic models
Authors: Li Junxia
Published: December 2022

In order to improve the estimation accuracy of structural change points of multi-dimensional stochastic model, the accurate estimation algorithm of structural change points of multi-dimensional stochastic model is studied. A multi-dimensional stochastic Graphical Modeling model based on multivariate normal hypothesis is constructed, and the relationship between the Graphical Gaussian model and the linear regression model is determined. The parameters of the multi-dimensional stochastic model are estimated by using the parameter estimation algorithm of the multi-dimensional stochastic model containing intermediate variables. According to the parameter estimation results of the multi-dimensional stochastic model, the structural change point estimation results of the multi-dimensional stochastic model are obtained by using the accurate estimation algorithm of the structural change point based on the MLE identification local drift time. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has higher estimation accuracy of structural change points than the control algorithms, which shows that it can effectively estimate the structural change points of multi-dimensional random models and has higher practicability.
On secure domination number of generalized Mycielskian of some graphs
Authors: Nayana P.G. , Iyer Radha Rajamani
Published: December 2022

Generalized Mycielskians are triangle-free networks with a large chromatic number, having a number of desirable characteristics like fast multi-path communication, high fault tolerance, reliable resource sharing, etc. Graph invariants like domination number and secure domination number can be used to protect the network by monitoring each node or moving to a failing node. A dominating set of a graph G is a subset of its vertex set, which can monitor every other vertex of the graph, and γ (G), the domination number of G, is the least cardinality among all dominating sets of G. A secure dominating set S of G is a dominating set with an additional property that, for each vertex u not in S there is a vertex v in S adjacent to u such that, the swapped set (S - {v}) ∪ {u} is dominating. γs (G) is the secure domination number of G, which is the minimum cardinality among all secure dominating sets of G. In this paper, we analyzed γ and γs of the generalized Mycielskian (μm) for path graphs Pn and cycle graphs Cn, varying both n and m, and used these results to obtain bounds for general graphs G.
Clinical determinants and impact of hemorrhagic lesions on intestinal pathology in preterm infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Garg P.M. , Denton M.X. , Talluri R. , Ostrander M.M. , Middleton C. , Sonani H. , Varshney N. , Hillegass W.B.
Published: December 2022

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the clinical and histopathological factors associated with intestinal hemorrhage and its correlation with clinical outcomes in neonates with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). METHODS: A retrospective study compared clinical and histopathology information in neonates following surgical NEC with severe hemorrhage and those with mild/moderate hemorrhagic lesions seen on resected intestine pathology. RESULTS: The infants with severe hemorrhage (Grade 3-4, 81/148, 54.7%) had significantly lower exposure to antenatal steroids (52.5 % vs 76.9 %; p = 0.004), had higher gestational age (28.5 weeks [7.14] vs. 26.58 [2.90]; p = 0.034), lost more bowel length (p = 0.045), had higher CRP levels at 2 weeks (p = 0.035), and had less intestinal failure ([30.3 % vs 52.5 %]; p = 0.014) than mild/moderate (Grade 0–2, 67/148, 45.2%) hemorrhage group. Those with severe hemorrhage had significantly higher mean inflammation score (2.67 [0.94] vs. 1.63 [0.92]; p = <0.001), higher necrosis scores (1.95 [1.28] vs. 1.49 [1.35]; p = 0.037), higher neovascularization (p = 0.01), higher fibroblasts (p = 0.023) and higher lymphocyte percentages up to 48 hours (p < 0.05) following NEC than mild/ moderate hemorrhage group. On multivariable regression, less exposure to antenatal steroids (OR 0.18 [95% CI 0.05–0.58]; p = 0.005), higher inflammation (OR 3.7 [95% CI 2.09–7.32]; p = 0.001), and lymphocyte count on the day of onset/24 hours following NEC (OR 1.06 [95% CI 1.02–1.11]; p = 0.005) were independently associated with a higher odd of severe intestinal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: The surgical NEC infants with intestinal hemorrhage were less likely to have antenatal steroid exposure but had higher inflammation grade and lymphocyte counts following NEC onset on multivariable regression modeling.
Gender differences in psychosocial factors related to severe stress in a construction company in Japan
Authors: Hoshino Aiko , Shirato Aki , Kutsuna Ichiro , Uemura Jun-ichi , Chishima Makoto
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: In Japan, women’s participation in the workforce has been increasing. However, there are few studies about gender differences in stress factors in the workplace. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to clarify gender differences in psychosocial factors in the workplace related to severe stress. METHODS: In total, 930 male and 339 female employees working in a construction company in Japan participated in this study. We used individual responses to the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) conducted by their company for the most recent year between 2016 and 2019. Data were categorized by gender, and we extracted the factors contributing to severe stress using logistic regression. RESULTS: We identified 142 men and 32 women who had severe stress. Logistic regression analysis showed that six factors (“Qualitative job overload”, “Job control”, “Interpersonal conflict”, “Poor physical environment”, “Supervisor’s support”, and “Job satisfaction and life satisfaction”) were significantly associated with the presence of severe stress in men. In women, five factors (“Qualitative job overload”, “Job control”, “Interpersonal conflict”, “Suitable work”, and “Job satisfaction and life satisfaction”) showed a significant association with severe stress. CONCLUSION: Factors associated with severe stress were “Poor physical environment” and “Supervisor’s support” in men, and “Suitable work” in women.
Quality of life and its health and occupational determinants among hospital-based nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Almhdawi Khader A. , Alrabbaie Hassan , Arabiat Alaa , Almahdawi Sawsan , Alhammouri Ahmad T. , Nadar Mohammed Shaban , Al-Tamimi Feda , Obeidat Donia , Alazrai Alza , Jaber Hanan
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Nurses worldwide were exposed to increased levels of occupational stress during the COVID-19 pandemic which could have hindered their level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). OBJECTIVES: This project investigated HRQoL level in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and its health and occupational predictors. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was adopted and targeted full-time nurses in Jordan. Study collected data included demographics, 12-item Short Form health survey (SF-12) to measure HRQoL, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), nurses’ evaluation of work conditions during COVID-19, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21). Data was analyzed descriptively to summarize main outcome measures and using multiple linear regression model to identify factors significantly associated with HRQoL. RESULTS: In total 245 nurses successfully completed the survey, 39.6% were males with a mean age of 35±6 years. Participant SF-12 scores were 65.94±17.85 for physical component and 50.09±19.36 mental component. The statistical model significantly explained 53.2% of variance in HRQoL (r2 = 0.534, F = 57.849, p < 0.001). Better sleep quality self-evaluation was significantly associated with higher HRQoL levels, while increased levels of depression, musculoskeletal pain, and financial burden on family were significantly associated with worse HRQoL level. CONCLUSION: Jordanian nurses’ HRQoL level was relatively low during COVID-19. Sleep quality, mental health status, musculoskeletal health status, and financial status were identified as factors possibly influenced HRQoL among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses’ quality of life along with their mental and physical health should be considered by healthcare administrators in the remaining period of COVID-19 and in future similar emergencies.
Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among chefs working in restaurants of twins cities of Pakistan
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Umer , Ahmad Naveed , Khan Zunaira Saif Ullah , Awan Maryam , Zafar Ibraheem , Safdar Ghalia , Altaf Shafaq , Sajjad Abdul Ghafoor , Kiyani Mubin Mustafa
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: In the recent era, musculoskeletal disorders have affected millions of people worldwide. Chefs and other workers of the catering industry are at high risk of physical stresses, which makes them susceptible to develop various musculoskeletal pains and disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to examine the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms among chefs working in restaurants of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 307 chef participants from the restaurants of the twin cities. The participants were included via convenient sampling and data was collected through Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) from February to July 2021. RESULTS: Out of 307 participants, 285 were males and 22 were females with a mean age of 32.87±7.03 years. The working duration of 192 chefs were 9–12 hours while 106 and 9 chefs worked only for 4–8 and more than 12 hours, respectively. A total of 101 chefs reported lower back and knee pain. The chefs presented with pain in the shoulders, upper back and ankle as well as feet areas were 98, 93 and 26 respectively. CONCLUSION: Chefs can develop musculoskeletal symptoms including pain as a result of increased physical stress on their bodies during their work, specifically in the lower back and knee area.
Exploring relationships between health-related lifestyle habits and fatigue among flight attendants and trainees
Authors: Hong Rei Mei , Hsu Chen Yuan , Hu Chia Jung
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Fatigue in flight attendants is an important issue concerning flight safety and occupational health. It is well known that work-related factors and certain lifestyle habits can cause fatigue. But very few studies have focused on the difference between having work experience flight attendants and no flight experience trainees. OBJECTIVE: The present study was performed to compare and investigate the relationships between fatigue and health-related lifestyle habits among flight attendants and trainees. METHODS: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted. A total of 107 flight attendants and 109 trainees were recruited in an international airline. The research was using a self-developed health-related lifestyle habits questionnaire and the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS) scale. The relationships between health-related lifestyle habits and fatigue were examined by Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Logistic regression was used to identify factors predicting fatigue among flight attendants and trainees. RESULTS: Nearly half of the participants had fatigue and poor health-related lifestyle habits. Logistic regression showed that trainees with sleeping hours less than 7 hours, had a higher probability of fatigue than those who sleep more than 7 hours. In addition, the flight attendants with an irregular sleep pattern, unbalanced diet, sedentary leisure-time, no use relaxation technique, and an exercise frequency below once a week had a higher probability of fatigue. CONCLUSION: The flight attendants’ sleep patterns, diet, activity, and relaxation had a more significant impact on fatigue than trainees. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is important in this population for good workplace performance.
Feasibility of Tc-99 m sestamibi uptake quantification with few-projection emission tomography
Authors: García-Esparza A.M. , Garnica-Garza H.M.
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

Molecular breast imaging uses Tc-99 m sestamibi to obtain functional images of the breast. Determining the Tc-99 m sestamibi uptake in volumes of interest in the breast may be useful in assessing the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy or for the purposes of breast cancer risk assessment.

PURPOSE:

To determine, using Monte Carlo simulation, if emission tomography can be used to quantify the uptake of Tc-99 m sestamibi in molecular breast imaging and if so, to determine the accuracy as a function of the number of projections used in the reconstruction process.

METHODS:

In this study, two voxelized breast models are implemented with different ratios of fibroglandular to fatty tissue and tumoral masses of varying dimensions. Monte Carlo simulation is used to calculate sets of projections, which assumes that each tumoral mass contains a given Tc-99 m activity. Projections are also calculated for a calibration phantom in order to correlate the known activity with the image pixel value. For each case, the total number of calculated projections is 36 and the reconstruction is carried out for 36, 18, 9, 7 and 5 projections, respectively, using an open source image reconstruction toolbox.

RESULTS:

Study data show that determination of Tc-99 m sestamibi uptake with and average error of 7% can be carried out with as little as 7 projections.

CONCLUSIONS:

Molecular breast emission tomography enables to accurately determine the Tc-99 m sestamibi tumoral mass uptake with the number of projections very close to the number of images currently acquired in clinical practice.
Obstetric outcome of booked and unbooked deliveries at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
Authors: Ago Boniface , Ekanem Emmanuel
Published: December 2022

Background: The final goal of antenatal care is safe delivery of a healthy baby to a healthy mother. Achieving livebirths with high Apgar scores is a desired expectation, as stillbirths constitute wastage of pregnancy and an index of poor obstetric care. 

Objective: To determine the obstetric outcome in a cross-section of booked and unbooked parturients in our centre.

Methodology: Labour ward records of women who delivered in our facility within the months of August, September and October 2017 were analysed. Data included age, booking status, mode of delivery, fetal weight and Apgar scores. Primary data were inputted into EpiInfo version 7.2.3.1 for analysis while secondary data was analysed using select-statistics.co.uk calculator and GraphPad t-test calculator.

Results: There were 667 deliveries during the 3-month review. Six hundred (90.0%) were booked while 67 (10.0%) were unbooked maternities. Older women were more likely booked OR 1.13 (1.07, 1.19). Livebirths were 96.7% in booked parturients and 59.7% in the unbooked. Stillbirths, low Apgar scores, preterm births as well as PPH were significantly commoner in the unbooked parturients. There were two maternal deaths during the study period with a maternal mortality ratio of 300 per 100,000 livebirths.

Conclusion: The livebirth rates and five-minute Apgar scores of 7-10 were better in babies of booked parturients in contrast to unbooked parturients with a livebirth rate of 59.7% and 49.2% babies having Apgar scores of 7-10 in five minutes. Our results add to existing evidence advocating antenatal care and skilled delivery for pregnant women.
Tools of the Google Colaboratory cloud environment for programming training and the preparation for the unified state exam in informatics
Authors: Markelov V. K. , Zavyalova O. A.
Published: December 2022

One of the cloud technologies that can be used to teach programming based on the Python programming language is the Google Colaboratory cloud service. This service can be used by teachers both when teaching certain themes of the section "Algorithms and programming" as part of a school informatics course, and when preparing students for the tasks in programming of the Unified State Exam in informatics. The article discusses the possibilities of the Google Colaboratory cloud service for creating interactive notebooks using the example of an interactive notebook and practical work on the theme "A precondition loop", as well as interactive notebooks "Task No. 24 of the Unified State Exam in informatics" for students and teachers. The applicability of these notebooks for programming training based on the Python language as part of a school informatics course and for preparing students for tasks in programming of the Unified State Exam in informatics is substantiated.
Confidence Interval Comparisons For Probability of Detection On Hit/Miss Data
Authors: Knott Christine E. , Kabban Christine Schubert
Published: December 2022

Probability of detection (POD) studies for evaluating the capabilities of an inspection system for Air Force aircraft structural components commonly use a Logistic Regression model with a Wald 95% confidence interval. However, hit/miss POD data is distributed as a Binomial, and the sample sizes are commonly too small for Wald’s identically and independently normality distributed assumption to be true. This paper uses a large set of simulated representative hit/miss data to compare and contrast the performance of the four confidence intervals methods: Standard Wald, Modified Wald, Profile Likelihood Ratio, and Profile Modified Likelihood Ratio. Performance is measured in terms of bias and existence of a90/95 with respect to data distribution, sample size, overlap, and evenness. This paper provides guidance and methodology on new POD methods that more reliably and accurately estimate a90/95.