bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NON-EXPANSIONIST VARIANTS OF POLAND’S STRATEGIC CULTURE: A RETROSPECTIVE
OF IDEAS AND CURRENT IMPLICATIONS
Authors: Loshkariov Ivan D. , Parenkov Daniil A.
Published: June 2022

This article examines how non-expansionist types of strategic culture emerged and gradually developed in Poland. The study aims to identify the features of non-expansionist types of Polish strategic culture for a more objective analysis of the country’s modern foreign and security policy. The article begins by describing the emergence and use of the concept of strategic culture, offering a typology of strategic cultures based on the work of the ‘cultural realist’ Alastair Johnston. Then it employs a qualitative method of process tracing to outline the sequence of events and the ideological constructs that led to the emergence or degradation of the corresponding types of strategic culture. The strategic culture of neutrality, exposed to external influences and revised republicanism ideas, is shown to have laid the foundation for a strategic culture of political fortification (or an outpost) in Poland. This strategic culture has its origins in the idea of the ethical superiority of the Polish state, although the details of this superiority may differ dramatically in specific situations. At the same time, none of the types of the accommodation culture has yet emerged in Poland, albeit accommodation seems to be a promising lead for the further development of the country’s strategic culture.
IMMIGRATION POLICY AND INTEGRATION OF MIGRANTS IN THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY
Authors: Kapitsyn Vladimir M. , Magomedov Arbahan K. , Shaparov Alexander E.
Published: June 2022

Denmark upholds high standards of human rights as long as the interests of its citizens are concerned but erects barriers for migrants with a dissimilar cultural background who might threaten the security of the national community. The Danish tradition of liberalism, humanism and the welfare state coexists with one of Europe’s most restrictive policies towards third-country immigrants. This article traces the evolution of management approaches to developing the immigration policy and integrating foreign cultural migrants in Denmark; the value determinants of these changes are described. Using the neo-institutional methodology, the authors analyse how the value determinants of Denmark’s immigration policy evolved and look at the national norms and practices of integrating migrants having a different cultural background. A restrictive immigration policy was made possible by a consensus between the main political forces — the left Social Democratic Party and the right Liberal Party Venstre, both willing to keep in check electoral support for the radical right-wing parties (the effect of ‘contagion from the right’ in Maurice Duverger’s terms). The object of Denmark’s restrictive integration policy is migrants with a different cultural background (mainly from Muslim countries). The government takes systematic measures to restrict their access to the country. As to migrant integration, the focus has shifted to ‘hard’ assimilation of civiс democratic values, benefits linked to employment, and deportation of migrants who have committed crimes.
BETWEEN THE EURASIAN AND EUROPEAN SUBSYSTEMS: MIGRATION AND MIGRATION POLICY IN THE CIS AND BALTIC COUNTRIES IN THE 1990s—2020s
Authors: Ryazantsev Sergey V. , Molodikova Irina N. , Vorobeva Olga D.
Published: June 2022

The article analyses migration from border countries (the so-called overlapping area) of two migration subsystems — Eurasian (centred in the Russian Federation) and European (the European Union) from 1991 to 2021 (before the recent events in Ukraine). A step-by-step analysis of the migration situation in the countries of the former USSR — Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine and Estonia was conducted. The article examines bilateral and multilateral migration processes, analyses the main factors influencing their development and explores migration policy measures and their impact on the regulation of migration processes in the countries of the overlapping area. These countries, located between the two centres of major migration subsystems in Eurasia (Eurasian and European, or, in other words, between the Russian Federation and the core of the EU), are subject to their strong influence and ‘competitive gravitation’.
The strength of this gravitation depends not only on pull and push factors but also on the attractiveness and non-attractiveness of the migration policies prevailing in these migration subsystems at a given point in time.
The Russian-speaking Diaspora in the Baltic States: a socio-cultural aspect
Authors: Simonyan Renald H.
Published: June 2022

Currently, more than 20 million Russians permanently reside outside Russia. As migration trends show, their number will be increasing in the future. The Russian-speaking diaspora in the Baltic States is an essential part of the Russian community abroad. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia used to be a single state with Russia for a long time. It could not but affect the formation of these countries as subjects of international politics. Since May 2004, the Baltic States have been members of the European Union. Together with Finland, they constitute the EU’s border space with Russia. To a large extent, it determines their geopolitical role in Europe. The article examines the Russian-speaking diaspora in the Baltic States. It substantiates the factors facilitating its stability and the preservation of the Russian cultural space, analyses the socio-economic and legal status of different groups of Russian-speaking residents, and identifies the peculiarities of various groups of the Russian-speaking population as well as prospects for the development of the diaspora.
Women as an emerging actor in peace and security: The impact of UNSCR 1325 in Albania
Authors: Jusufi Islam , Shehi Reina , Zeka Jubjana
Published: June 2022

Implementing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on Women, Peace, and Security in practice is emerging as a priority for Albanian security politics , in which the Government of Albania is endeavouring to act by increasing compliance with the norms promoted by the Resolution. This article reflects on the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 by focusing on the discourse on mainstreaming the women, peace and security norms in Albanian society. It finds that the UNSCR 1325 contributed to the increase of gender-related content in Albanian political, academic and civil society elite discourse, albeit selectively. Albanian political, academic and civil society actors appear to have been less responsive to the responsibilities of the UNSCR 1325, predictably due to the fact that Albania is not a conflict or post-conflict country, the status of which the Resolution primarily addresses. In conditions that Albania has been more responsive, the focus has been more on issues of gender equality in general rather than being guided by the specific norms of the UNSCR 1325.
The women, peace and security Agenda through a Queer Theory lens
Authors: Jayakumar Kirthi
Published: June 2022

The two decades since the adoption of the first Security Council Resolution under the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda has paved the way for much introspection and debate. While there have been several positive impacts such as the inclusion of women in peacemaking processes and in bringing to light the deliberate deployment of sexual violence in armed conflict as a tactic, there have also been several gaps in implementation. Since the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325, legal, policy, and academic discourse has focused on armed conflict and women and has made an essentialist case for the inclusion of women in post-conflict peace processes. Among one of the major concerns with the WPS Agenda in its verbiage and implementation is the tendency to conflate 'gender' with 'women's issues.' As a consequence, non-binary gender identities in general, and their experience of armed conflict in particular, have been sidelined and rendered obscure. Sexual violence in conflict has been understood through a limited 'gender' lens, and the unique experiences of queer people in armed conflict have neither been acknowledged or addressed in policy, legislation, and transitional justice measures. Tis paper critically evaluates the WPS agenda and identifies gaps both in its language and implementation through National Action Plans. It presents the unique challenges of sexual and gender minorities in armed conflict and calls for a gender, peace, and security regime founded on the principles of intersectionality, queer theory, and the right to self-determination.
How we have won the battle and lost the peace: Women, Peace and Security agenda twenty years after
Authors: Antonijević Zorana
Published: June 2022

The Resolution "Women, Peace and Security" unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council in 2000 fundamentally transformed discursive practices of gender equality into the fields of security, post-conflict reconstruction and peace. The twentieth anniversary was an opportunity to critically examine its impact on the gender mainstreaming of conflict, security and peace. This special issue contributes to the feminist security studies by discussing the shortcomings in the implementation of UNSCR 1325 from several research fields, including intersectionality and masculinity perspectives. After presenting the rationale and scope of the special issue, this article discusses the gender and security policy framing of the WPS Agenda, intending to conceptualise gender equality through three perspectives: the perspective of equal treatment, the women's perspective, and the gender perspective. In conclusion , the article summarises the key contributions of this special issue and suggests some avenues for further research.
Elementos heideggerianos en el pensar de García Bacca
Authors: Sevilla Segura Sergio
Published: June 2022

García Bacca inicia en 1936 un proyecto de filosofía actual, que marca la dirección del resto de su obra. Al giro copernicano añade una interpretación de la comprensión como “función trascendental de los sentimientos”.  Propongo entender, en primer lugar, estas tesis como el núcleo duro del lugar hermenéutico desde el que García Bacca dialoga con Heidegger; y este diálogo, presente en su obra explícitamente hasta 1985, no como una interpretación al uso sino como ejemplo de su propia la práctica del filosofar. 

En segundo lugar este artículo analiza la estrategia teórica de García Bacca, que propone una nueva ontología, de base antropológica, y conecta lo actual en filosofía con los cambios habidos en la fundamentación de las ciencias y las profundas modificaciones históricas.

Un lugar especial ocupa el análisis del desmontar como modo de proceder constructivista y crítico de la filosofía actual que opone García Bacca al programa heideggeriano de destrucción de la metafísica
El pensamiento del exilio
Authors: Díaz Álvarez Jesús M. , Sánchez Cuervo Antolín
Published: June 2022

Introducción del monográfico
Un estudio comparado de los objetivos de Educación Primaria: del ámbito nacional al autonómico
Authors: Vicente Nicolás Gregorio , González Barea Eva María , López Melgarejo Alba María
Published: June 2022

El reconocimiento de competencias plenas en la educación de las comunidades autónomas y ciudades autonómicas españolas en la década de los noventa supuso el establecimiento de un gran número de currículos educativos. No obstante, ha sido con la LOE y la LOMCE cuando todas y cada una de ellas decretó un currículo de Educación Primaria propio. Los objetivos principales de este estudio han sido, en primer lugar, analizar y comparar los objetivos generales de la etapa de Educación Primaria establecidos en la LOE y la LOMCE con aquellos definidos en los currículos autonómicos derivados de dichas leyes y, en segundo lugar, conocer la relación entre la similitud de los objetivos comparados y la política partidista de los gobiernos que los elaboraron.La muestra está conformada por la totalidad de los currículos autonómicos de ambos periodos legislativos (N = 36). Para la recogida de la información y comparación de los documentos se ha elaborado un instrumento elaborado ad hoc que incluye un modelo de análisis comparativo y ha permitido establecer un Nivel de Similitud Curricular (NSC). Teniendo en cuenta el nivel de similitud y diferencia hallado entre cada uno de los objetivos generales de etapa autónomos respecto a su nacional correspondiente se han establecido las siguientes categorías de análisis: copiado ; ampliado ; reducido ; modificado ; eliminado ; ynueva creación . A su vez, se ha considerado pertinente aludir a la temática de cada uno de los objetivos mantenidos o alterados por cada una de las comunidades autónomas en pro de encontrar relaciones de similitud entre las decisiones curriculares tomadas por estas respecto a la norma nacional. Los resultados evidencian la disparidad que presentan algunos de los currículos en sus concreciones autonómicas, tanto inter como intracomunidades, así como la influencia de la tendencia política en ello.
Desarrollo de competencias Interculturales y Democráticas en la Formación docente. El papel de los marcos internacionales
Authors: Shuali Tamar
Published: June 2022

La UE es, en términos formales, una unión de Estados fundada en los valores del respeto a la dignidad humana, la libertad, la democracia, la igualdad, el estado de derecho y el respeto por los derechos y valores humanos. El valor de la diversidad cultural de las sociedades europeas se ve así cuestionado por voces radicales que se esfuerzan por diseminar la discordia y la fragmentación entre y dentro de los EM. Tanto los formuladores de políticas como los profesionales abogan por la necesidad de desarrollar maestros interculturales y democráticamente competentes que sean capaces de cerrar la brecha entre las políticas de pertenencia y la expresión de pertenencia del individuo. El siguiente artículo analiza tres marcos de competencia emblemáticos internacionales para el desarrollo de la competencia intercultural. Defiende la necesidad de cambiar el ppaproahc en la formación de profesores para abordar la diversidad cultural eligiendo el marco RFCDC del Consejo de Europa como la opción óptima para la formación de profesores hacia un nuevo paradigma de competencia intercultural y democrática
Evidence of internal validity of the social skills inventory for caregivers (SSI-CE) in Brazil
Authors: Queluz Francine Náthalie Ferraresi Rodrigues , de Santis Ligia , Moran Valeria Estefanía , Cortez Pedro Afonso , dos Santos Acácia Aparecida Angeli
Published: June 2022

With population aging, it is important to develop studies on psychological skills that can facilitate the task of caregivers of a dependent older adult. The Social Skills Inventory for Caregivers of the Elderly (SSI-CE) is an assessment tool for this purpose. Even considering that the instrument already has evidence of validity, the aim of this study is to seek additional evidence of validity for the SSI-CE. To this end, 533 family caregivers of older adults with an average age of 49.7 years were investigated by responding to the following instruments: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Brazil Economic Classification Criteria, and SSI-CE. Initially, two factor models for the SSI-CE were compared (second-order and bifactor models). Then, analyses were performed for measurement invariance and sample heterogeneity of the SSI-CE in relation to the variables age, gender, presence of dementia in the elderly care receiver, and type of data collection (online or in-person). Finally, the instrument's reliability values were checked. After comparing the models, the second-order model was the most appropriate, as it displayed reliability values ranging from ω = 0.66 to ω = 0.89. In invariance analysis, variability was found for sample heterogeneity in the variables gender, presence of dementia, and type of data collection. In conclusion, the calculation of a global score for the SSI-CE is pertinent, with good evidence of internal validity. However, specific rules should be established, considering different sample characteristics.
The validity and reliability of the hungarian version of the brief work-family conflict questionnaire – an effective method to measure work-to-family and family-to-work conflict
Authors: Mészáros Veronika , Kövi Zsuzsanna , Blanch Angel , Ferenczi Andrea , Tanyi Zsuzsanna , Karai Virág , Hittner James Bryant , Kulig Barbara , Kovács Dóra , Smohai Máté , Ádám Szilvia
Published: June 2022

The current study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Hungarian version of the brief Work-Family Conflict Questionnaire (Conflicto Trabajo – Familia, CCTF) using both homogeneous (social care workers, N = 206) and heterogeneous (N = 586) occupational samples. In order to examine construct validity, we explored both two-factor and bifactor models. Our findings provided greater support for the two-factor model (homogeneous sample: χ2 = 14.032, p = .379, df = 13; CFI = 0.999; NNFI = 0.998; RMSEA = 0.020 [0.000–0.051]; heterogeneous sample: χ2 = 40.213, p < .001 df = 13; CFI = 0.993; NNFI = 0.985; RMSEA = 0.060 [0.023–0.079]). Our results demonstrated good reliability (ω = 0.797–0.911) and predictive validity, which we tested by exploring the relation of the construct with burnout and psychosomatic symptoms. Our results suggest that the Hungarian version of the CCTF is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring both work-to-family and family-to-work conflict.
Validation of the Italian version of the Chronic and Acute Stress Index (CASI): A self-report measure designed to assess stress for individuals in a romantic relationship
Authors: Isolani Stefano , Chiarolanza Claudia , Glonfoni Daniele , Basili Emanuele , Randall Ashley K.
Published: June 2022

According to the Italian Health Ministry in 2017, more than 850,000 individuals in Italy have requested mental health services for various symptoms associated with psychological distress. Moreover, stress can affect not only individuals, but also their romantic relationships. To date, there is a lack of empirically validated measures that assess individuals’ perceptions of chronic and acute stressors. As such, the goal of the present study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chronic and Acute Stress Index (CASI), a multi-item self-report measure designed to assess perceptions of chronic and acute stressors that originate from individuals and affect their romantic relationships. Utilizing self-report data from 849 individuals from Italy collected before June 2019, the CASI was found to have good reliability and showed appropriate convergent validity with stress and negative affect, and discriminant validity with relationship satisfaction and positive affect. Limitations and future directions as they pertain to research, practice, and consultation are discussed.
ACCURACY OF 3 ELECTRONIC APEX LOCATORS IN NONSURGICAL RETREATMENTS OF TEETH WITH ROOT-ENDS RESECTED AT DIFFERENT ANGLES: IN-VITRO STUDY
Authors: ALTUNBAŞ Demet , AKPINAR Kerem Engin , KAYA Fatma
Published: June 2022

Aim: The accuracy of three electronic apex locators (EALs) during retreatment of root-end resected teeth with different resection bevel angles were evaluated in the present study.
Materials and Methods: Forty mandibular premolar teeth were divided into two groups regarding resection bevel angle after root canal filling. In the first group, the apical 3 mm of each specimen was resected at a 0-degree bevel angle using a diamond bur. The resection bevel angle was approximately 45-degree in the second group. Electronic length measurements were obtained with a size 15 K-file advanced apically in dissolved gutta percha using Dentaport ZX, Propex Pixi, and Apit 15. The filling materials were then completely removed from the root canals, and the actual lengths up to the resection region were determined. The actual length was subtracted from the electronic length measurements for each specimen. Measurements were analyzed statistically using independent sample t-test, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and Bonferroni tests. The level of statistical significance was defined as P<0.05.
Results: In the 45-degree group, a significant difference was found between Propex Pixi and Apit 15. Measurements at 0- and 45-degree resection bevel angles were not statistically different from each other in any EAL groups.
Conclusions: The resection bevel angle did not affect the accuracy of the tested EALs. More accurate measurements were obtained with the Propex Pixi at a 45-degree resection bevel angle compared with the Apit 15.
THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE PHASE AND EFFECT OF AROMATHERAPY ON ORTHODONTIC DEBONDING PAIN
Authors: KURT DEMİRSOY Kevser , BÜYÜK S. Kutalmış , İMAMOĞLU Tuğçe
Published: June 2022

Objectives: The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the effects of the menstrual cycle phases and aromatherapy on women's perception of orthodontic debonding pain.
Materials and Methods: The materials of our study were consisted of randomly selected 48 female patients (mean age:19.00±3.40). Four different study groups were performed. LA+; the patients in the luteal phase and received aromatherapy(n=12), LA-; the patients in the luteal phase and did not receive aromatherapy(n=13), FA+; the patients in the follicular phase and received aromatherapy(n=11), FA-; the patients in the follicular phase and did not receive aromatherapy(n=12). Debonding was performed and the pain experience for each tooth was scored by the patient on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Also, participants' general responses to pain were assessed with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). The aromatherapy protocol was to inhale lavender oil from approximately 30 cm for 3 minutes, 3 minutes before debonding.
Results: It was found that the mean VAS scores were higher in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase, however this difference was not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with and without aromatherapy in terms of VAS scores(P>0.05). The correlation between total PCS scores and total VAS scores was statistically significant (r=0.310, P<0.05).
Conclusions: Debonding in female patients is recommended for the comfort of patients on days when the patient's menstrual phase is in the follicular phase. It should be considered that patients with a lower pain threshold will experience more pain during the orthodontic debonding procedure.
Introduktion
Authors: Haslund Helle , Wind Gitte
Published: June 2022

I dette nummer af Tidsskrift for Forskning i Sygdom og Samfund sæ er vi fokus på børn; fra de for tidligt fødte til den unge som er på vej ind i et gryende vok- senliv. Hvordan børns sygdom påvirker hverdagsliv, mening, identitet, relationer og forældreskab, samt hvilken betydning det får i velfærdsstaten synes at hænge sammen med en stadig mere udbredt fortælling om barndom og ungdom som sårbare livsstadier, der afspejles i et velfærdsstatsligt fokus på det  ́gode ́ børneliv. Vi undersøger i de e særnummer børns sundhed, sygdom og erfaringer - altså hvordan børns sygdom og sundhed de neres, optræder, forstås og håndteres af børnene selv og i samspil med forældre og omsorgspersoner, af sundhedsvæsenet og af det omkringliggende samfund. Vi har også fokus på børn som slægtninge – eller deres transformation til pårørende – og undersøger, hvad det betyder for børn at leve med en syg forælder. De sociale og institutionelle praksisser, der om- giver børns sundhed og sygdom, og de værdier og normer, der er på spil angående børns sygdom og sundhed, står centralt i de e særnummer.
Brugerinddragelse i psykiatrien
Authors: Dybbroe Betina , Kamp Annette
Published: June 2022

Med paradigmet om brugerinddragelse forventes borgere i dag at påtage sig et ansvar for at styre, mestre og overvåge deres egen sundhed. Brugerinddragelse lægger derfor op til mere grundlæggende forandringer i relationen mellem borger og professionel, og udfor- drer eksisterende videns- og ansvarshierarkier. I denne artikel undersøger vi hvordan de professionelle i psykiatrien oversætter idéer om brugerinddragelse til praksis, og hvordan deres professionelle ansvar, viden og relationsarbejde samtidig forandres og sættes under pres. Artiklen er baseret på narrative interviews med professionelle i en større institution i den regionale distriktspsykiatri. Vi demonstrerer hvordan spændinger imellem forskel- lige forståelser af recovery, og deres praktiske fortolkninger hos henholdsvis professionelle og borgerne, former den måde brugerinddragelse bliver til på. Vi viser desuden, hvordan mestring af brugerinddragelse med vægt på brugerens viden og autonomi, fører til prakti- sering af ’tilbageholdt faglighed’. En tilgang til det psykiatriske arbejde, der skal opmuntre borgeren til at indtage positionen som ansvarlig og rationelt målrettet handlende aktør i eget liv. Dette er dog ikke uproblematisk; vi viser hvordan borgernes perspektiver og mål indgår i brugerinddragelsens forhandlingsrum, og hvordan de fagprofessionelles viden og vurdering og borgerens mål ofte kommer i konflikt. Vi peger således på hvordan balancer imellem risiko og ansvar i sundhedspraksis spilles ud på nye måder. I et arbejde hvor etab- lering af langvarige relationer til borgerne opfattes som centralt for at kunne lykkes med behandling, spiller emotionelt arbejde en vigtig rolle i at forhandle borgernes personlige mål, at opnå professionelle mål, samt som en del af at etablere et meningsfuldt arbejde. Vi diskuterer afslutningsvis hvordan spændinger i den brugerinddragende praksis har impli- kationer for det emotionelle arbejde.
Hava ve Deniz Şartları Dikkate Alınarak Gemi Sefer Performansının Modellenmesi: Ege Denizi örneği
Authors: İNAN Timur
Published: June 2022

Bu çalışmada, Ege Denizi’ne ait kayıtlı rüzgar yön ve hızı, akıntı yön ve büyüklüğü, dalga yön ve yüksekliği verileri kullanılarak, ticari gemilerin hava ve deniz şartlarına bağlı olarak tahmini seyir süresini ve yakıt harcamasını hesaplayabilecek bir karar destek sistemi, çeşitli tahmin yöntemlerinden faydalanılarak ortaya konulmuştur. Karar destek sistemi için; rüzgar yönü (derece), rüzgar hızı (m/sn), akıntı yönü (derece), akıntı büyüklüğü (cm/sn), dalga yönü (derece) ve dalga yüksekliği (metre) parametreleri giriş olarak kullanılmıştır. Karar destek sisteminin çıkışı ise tahmini seyir süresi (saat) ve tahmini yakıt tüketimi (ton) olarak iki ayrı kategoride incelenmiştir. Tahmin yöntemi olarak yapay sinir ağı (YSA), uyarlamalı sinirsel bulanık çıkarım sistemi (ANFIS) ve gaus süreç regresyonu (GSR) kullanılmıştır. Kullanılan yöntemlerin elde ettikleri sonuçları değerlendirilerek, yöntemlerin başarıları kıyaslanmıştır. YSA yöntemi 0.98 regresyon ve 0.153 MSE, ANFIS yöntemi 0.935 regresyon ve 0.478 MSE, GSR yöntemi ise 0.98 regresyon ve 0.195 MSE değerlerini elde etmiştir. Sonuç olarak; gemi hızı ve yakıt tüketimi tahmininde YSA yönteminin daha doğru tahminler üretebildiği görülmüştür.
Clinical assessment on the efficacy of a combined treatment targeting subjects with acne-prone skin
Authors: Carlomagno Federica , Pesciaroli Chiara , Cestone Enza , De Ponti Ileana , Michelotti Angela , Tursi Francesco
Published: June 2022

Background: Acne is a multifactorial inflammatory skin disease affecting the quality of life of acne prone subjects. Several therapeutic approaches are currently used to counteract this condition, mostly having side effects. As acne development has been recently linked to skin and gut dysbiosis, acting on both aspects could represent an alternative and promising approach to ameliorate the acne clinical signs. Material and Methods: A cosmetic product, containing Ectoin, and a food supplement, containing probiotics, were formulated as a combined treatment to target both gut and skin microbiota and evaluated for the improvement of skin appearance on acne prone adult subjects. Eighty male and female subjects, showing acne clinical signs, were assigned to 4 groups to receive the following products: the cosmetic product containing Ectoin + a placebo food supplement, the combined treatment, a cosmetic reference product, specifically formulated for counteracting acne, + a placebo food supplement, the cosmetic reference product + the food supplement with probiotics. Acne lesions, skin sebum content, pH and moisturization were monitored. Results: Clinical evaluations of active acne lesions and comedones, skin complexion evenness and skin inflammatory status were carried out. The combined treatment resulted as effective as the cosmetic reference product in ameliorating the instrumental parameters, and more effective in the dermatological assessment of skin complexion evenness and inflammatory status. Conclusion: The combined treatment proposed, formulated to target both gut and skin microbiota, resulted effective in ameliorating acne clinical signs and could represent a valid alternative to conventional acne management.
Aggressive epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the forearm with scalp metastasis: A case report
Authors: Abdelmouttalib Asmae , Hamich Soumaya , Haouzi Amine , Meziane Mariame , Ismaili Nadia , Benzekri Leila , Senouci Karima
Published: June 2022

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an extremely rare sarcoma whose target may be different organs, including soft tissue. The spectrum of the disease is highly variable between indolent and aggressive with extended metastases. Herein, we report a case of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in the left forearm that progressed quietly for ten years before local and distant metastases appeared. Our case report aims to insist on the interest in the management of such tumors at an early stage because of the possible evolution toward metastasis, even after several years of asymptomatology.
Zinc-responsive acral hyperkeratotic dermatosis
Authors: Rani Ritu , Sharma Reena K , Gupta Mudita
Published: June 2022

Zinc-responsive acral dermatitis is a rare entity characterized by chronic, persistent, well-defined, hyperpigmented, and hyperkeratotic plaques on the acral regions of the body. One needs to differentiate this disease from its close differentials such as necrolytic migratory erythema and pellagra. Herein, we report a case of zinc-responsive acral hyperkeratotic dermatosis in a 35-year-old female previously treated with multiple topical drugs without any significant improvement. The diagnosis of zinc-responsive dermatosis should be kept in mind in the case of treatment-refractory, hyperpigmented plaques on the hands and feet.
Cardiovascular comorbidities in patients with a severe form of psoriasis: A case-controlled study assessing clinical, biochemical, and radiological parameters
Authors: Akshay Samagani , Harikishan Yadalla Kumar
Published: June 2022

Background: Psoriasis is a common, chronic, inflammatory, and proliferative disorder of the skin, and is associated with elevated lipid levels and exaggerated inflammatory status, which may lead to cardiovascular morbidities and mortalities. Aims: The aim was to estimate the cardiovascular risk profile among psoriatic patients when compared to controls. Settings and Design: This was a case-controlled study performed at a tertiary-care hospital. Methods and Material: One hundred patients with severe psoriasis were evaluated for clinical, biochemical, electrocardiographic, and radiological signs of cardiovascular comorbidities and were compared with one hundred age- and sex-matched controls. Statistical Analysis: IBM Corp. Released 2015. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 23.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. Results: Males predominated (1.27:1), with the most common age group being 31 to 40 years old. Smoking and alcohol consumption were common among the psoriatic patients (odds ratio = 4.14 and 2.38, respectively). The mean PASI score among the cases was 26.19 ± 10.8, with an extreme effect on their quality of life. The psoriatic patients presented with independent cardiovascular risk factors, including systolic hypertension (148.67 ± 10.91 mm of Hg), elevated fasting blood sugars (129.46 ± 35.64 mg/dL), hypercholesterolemia (152.34 ± 44.56 mg/dL), and hypertriglyceridemia (186.29 ± 29.45 mg/dL), with metabolic syndrome among 41% of the cases. On the electrocardiogram, the P wave was elevated (22%) and the QTc interval was prolonged (20%) among the cases. On high-resolution ultrasonography, the intima–media of the carotid arteries were thickened (0.944 ± 0.132 mm), indicating subclinical atherosclerosis in the psoriatic patients. Conclusions: Early detection and periodic screening for cardiovascular risk factors among psoriatic patients and aggressive therapeutic management are recommended to reduce the disease burden and improve their quality of life.
Secondary syphilis mimicking psoriasis vulgaris on the buttock
Authors: Trinh Ngo Binh , Tran Giang Huong
Published: June 2022

Sir, Secondary syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, classically characterized by a diffuse, symmetric macular or papular eruption involving the entire trunk and extremities [1]. We, herein, describe a case of secondary syphilis mimicking psoriasis vulgaris in an unusual location and with specific histologic hallmarks. A 28-year-old homosexual male presented with asymptomatic, erythematous patches of the buttock, which were misdiagnosed as psoriasis vulgaris for one month. He reported a history of sexual contact with an anonymous male four months prior to presentation. A clinical examination revealed multiple, well-defined, erythematous, scaling patches on the buttock (Fig. 1a). He had no regional lymphadenopathy. Other mucocutaneous manifestations were undetectable.
Bortezomib-induced injection-site reaction in refractory multiple myeloma
Authors: Jroundi Chaymae , Elloudi Sara , Oujdi Sabrina , Douhi Zakia , Baybay Hanane , Mernissi Fatima Zahra
Published: June 2022

Sir, Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells often confined to the bone and bone marrow [1]. The outcome for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) has significantly improved with the introduction of novel agents such as the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib [2]. Bortezomib has been approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple myeloma. Since its approval, numerous bortezomib-related cutaneous adverse events have been reported in the literature, including herpes zoster, epidermal necrolysis, vasculitis, and other skin eruptions [3]. Subcutaneous (SC) rather than intravenous (IV) administration of bortezomib is still commonly preferred because SC bortezomib results in a lower incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy and has equivalent efficacy. Unfortunately, detailed information on injection site reactions (ISRs) has not been sufficiently documented. It is recommended that SC injections of bortezomib should be rotated among eight different sites in the abdomen and thigh [2]. Oral prophylactic therapy before each bortezomib treatment with oral corticosteroids is also suggested and might be helpful in preventing such reactions or in limiting their extent in susceptible patients. Disseminated cutaneous manifestations due to the IV use of bortezomib, have been described in the past. To our knowledge, only one case has been reported in the literature describing an immune-associated necrotizing eruption on the site of an SC injection of bortezomib treated with intravenous methylprednisolone [3]. Herein, we report a case of localized ulceration following SC injection of bortezomib in a patient with refractory MM.
Comparative analysis of the Chinese and Russian digital educational environment in high education (using the example of Moscow Pedagogical State University and Beijing State Pedagogical University)
Authors: Rouxian Ou
Published: June 2022

The subject of the study is the digital educational environments of Chinese and Russian universities. The object of the research is the elements of the digital educational environment of the modern educational space. The author attempts to compare digital educational environments in Russia and China. For this purpose, several elements of the digital educational environment are identified and compared. The author also pays attention to the concept of digitalization of the educational environment and the description of its important aspects. The author clearly shows how the principles of the digital educational environment are implemented in the practice of Chinese and Russian universities, and also draws conclusions at the end of the article. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that the Chinese and Russian digital educational environments are being studied for the first time in a comparative aspect. The main conclusions of the study are: 1. the digital educational environment plays an important role for Chinese and Russian universities, which is manifested in the development of digital technologies, resources and other important elements of the environment; 2. in Russian and Chinese universities, the development of the digital educational environment has been going on for several decades and is contradictory, on the one hand, positive results have been achieved, on the other hand, there are areas that still need to be improved and adjusted.
Groundwater-surface water interaction revealed by meteorological trends and groundwater fluctuations on stream water level
Authors: Fronzi Davide , Gaiolini Mattia , Mammoliti Elisa , Colombani Nicolò , Palpacelli Stefano , Marcellini Mirco , Tazioli Alberto
Published: June 2022

The importance of considering groundwater (GW) and surface water (SW) as a single resource of two interconnected components has rapidly increased during the last decades. To investigate GW-SW interaction in an aquifer system exploited by several pumping wells, an integrated continuous monitoring of the hydrological conditions was carried out. The sub-catchment (14 km2), located in the Aspio basin near Ancona (Central Italy), is drained by a small stream named Betelico, and it is characterised by the presence of an unconfined alluvial aquifer and a semi-confined limestone aquifer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the drivers of stream drying up occurred during the last couple of years. This has been achieved by applying a trend analysis on rainfall, air temperatures, piezometric and stream level, and well pumping rates. Precipitation trends were analysed over a 30-years period through the calculation of the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and through heavy rainfall events frequency plots, while the correlation between piezometric stream levels and pumping rate was analysed during the last six years. The groundwater level was compared with the stream baseflow level, highlighting the interconnection between GW-SW over the years. The analysis on the water surplus (WS) trend, together with the rainfall events characterisation, supports the hypothesis of the decrease in recharge rate as the main driver of the stream drying up. This case study stresses the importance of studying GW-SW interactions in a continuously changing climatic context characterised by a decreasing precipitation trend, coupling both the advantages of a robust method like trend analysis on time series and the field continuous monitoring.
How Did the Teachers Cope With Emergency Remote Teaching?
Authors: Samur Yavuz , Cömert Zeynep , Edip Sultan
Published: June 2022

Since the industrial revolution, humanity has employed a significant part of education activities within the school system, in order to educate the workforce needed. However, in March 2020, this situation underwent a radical change due to the global epidemic. The practical response
of this radical change affecting schooling was that face-to-face education activities were replaced by emergency remote education. Within the scope of this research, answers were sought to questions about what teachers experienced and what observations they had during the emergency remote
education. In the light of the findings, it has been determined that it is particularly challenging for teachers.
Development of Course Learning Outcomes and Measurement in Higher Education
Authors: Bou Zeid Maria , El-Khoury Jessica R. , Samra Sami
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this research was to investigate and develop an effective assessment tool to measure and evaluate course learning outcomes. Course learning outcomes from four different departments in the Faculty of Humanities at a private university in Lebanon were examined and revised
according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. The learning outcomes were mapped with the program learning outcomes which were also linked to the program educational objectives of the appropriate majors. After which, the assessment process took place. This paper used a case study approach with accumulation
of the data dating back to the 2014/2015 academic year, as well as survey methodology to further understand the Faculty instructors’ attitudes and experience in utilizing an assessment guide that was prepared by the Faculty Outcomes Assessment Committee. This article details the aforementioned
processes in three phases, establishing criteria, setting an assessment strategy, and testing the implementation of such strategies in courses. Findings are not only significant to this university, but coincide with the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) accreditation requirements.
Upper bounds on distance vertex irregularity strength of some families of graphs
Authors: Cichacz Sylwia , G�rlich Agnieszka , Semani�ov�-Fe�ov��kov� Andrea
Published: June 2022

For a graph \(G\) its distance vertex irregularity strength is the smallest integer \(k\) for which one can find a labeling \(f: V(G)\to \{1, 2, \dots, k\}\) such that \[ \sum_{x\in N(v)}f(x)\neq \sum_{x\in N(u)}f(x)\] for all vertices \(u,v\) of \(G\), where \(N(v)\) is the open neighborhood of \(v\). In this paper we present some upper bounds on distance vertex irregularity strength of general graphs. Moreover, we give upper bounds on distance vertex irregularity strength of hypercubes and trees.
Taking on SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Kučan Brlić Paola , Brizić Ilija
Published: June 2022

A new study sheds light on how SARS-CoV-2 influences the way natural killer cells can recognize and kill infected cells.
Spot the Miner
Authors: Sokolova Svetlana
Published: June 2022

Coal mining is an industry that is associated with hard physical labor and harsh mental conditions. Modern artistic projects involving portraits of miners evolve as artists' responses to political and economic changes in the mining industry, which is currently in decline, and place a major focus on miner communities, rather than individual miners. This article presents an overview of relevant selected artistic projects, and supplements them with a small mini-gallery sketched by the author. The mini-gallery viewers have been invited to test their perception of miners based on a series of charcoal portraits representing men and women dressed in mining workwear and everyday clothes. Who in this mini-gallery is a miner, what serves as the basis for the respondents' guesswork, and, overall, how different is today’s perception of miners from those of the past centuries? Three main factors are outlined as potentially relevant for identifying miners: mining workwear, gender, and facial expression. The readers can compare their intuitive reactions with the results from an online experiment, which was presented in Norwegian, Russian, and English and collected 136 responses. Although the presence of mining workwear and male gender still carry a strong association with miners, the results reveal certain differences across Norway, Russia, and the United States. The article is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of art history, social studies and psychology with an artistic project.
Fast and accurate face recognition system using MORSCMs-LBP on embedded circuits
Authors: Hosny Khalid M. , Hamad Aya Y. , Elkomy Osama , Mohamed Ehab R.
Published: June 2022

Because of the current COVID-19 circumstances in the world and the tremendous technological developments, it has become necessary to use this technology to combat the spread of the new coronavirus. The systems that depend on using hands, such as fingerprint systems and PINs in ATM systems, could lead to infection, so they have become undesirable and we can replace them by using facial recognition instead. With the development of technology and the availability of nano devices like the Raspberry Pi, such applications can be implemented easily. This study presents an efficient face recognition system in which the face image is taken by a standalone camera and then passed to the Raspberry Pi to extract the face features and then compare them with the database. This approach is named MORSCMs-LBP by combining two algorithms for feature extraction: Local Binary Pattern (LBP) as a local feature descriptor and radial substituted Chebyshev moments (MORSCMs) as a global feature descriptor. The significant advantage of this method is that it combines the local and global features into a single feature vector from the detected faces. The proposed approach MORSCMs-LBP has been implemented on the Raspberry Pi 4 computer model B with 1 GB of RAM using C++ OpenCV. We assessed our method on various benchmark datasets: face95 with an accuracy of 99.0278%, face96 with an accuracy of 99.4375%, and grimace with 100% accuracy. We evaluated the proposed MORSCMs-LBP technique against other recently published approaches; the comparison shows a significant improvement in favour of the proposed approach.
Self-optimizing neural network in the classification of real valued data
Authors: Miniak-Górecka Alicja , Podlaski Krzysztof , Gwizdałła Tomasz
Published: June 2022

The classification of multi-dimensional patterns is one of the most popular and often most challenging problems of machine learning. That is why some new approaches are being tried, expected to improve existing ones. The article proposes a new technique based on the decision network called self-optimizing neural networks (SONN). The proposed approach works on discretized data. Using a special procedure, we assign a feature vector to each element of the real-valued dataset. Later the feature vectors are analyzed, and decision patterns are created using so-called discriminants. We focus on how these discriminants are used and influence the final classifier prediction. Moreover, we also discuss the influence of the neighborhood topology. In the article, we use three different datasets with different properties. All results obtained by derived methods are compared with those obtained with the well-known support vector machine (SVM) approach. The results prove that the proposed solutions give better results than SVM. We can see that the information obtained from a training set is better generalized, and the final accuracy of the classifier is higher.
Comparative transcriptomics reveals new insights into melatonin-enhanced drought tolerance in naked oat seedlings
Authors: Zhang Xinjun , Liu Wenting , Lv Yaci , Bai Jing , Li Tianliang , Yang Xiaohong , Liu Liantao , Zhou Haitao
Published: June 2022

The growth and development of naked oat (Avena nuda L.) seedlings, a grain recognized as nutritious and healthy, is limited by drought. Melatonin plays a positive role in plants under drought stress. However, its function is unclear in naked oats. This study demonstrated that melatonin enhances drought stress tolerance in oat seedlings. Melatonin application alleviated the declining growth parameters of two naked oat varieties, Huazao No.2 (H2) and Jizhangyou No.15 (J15), under drought stress by increasing the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of leaves. Melatonin pretreatment induced differential gene expression in H2 and J15 under drought stress. Subsequently, the differential gene expression responses to melatonin in the two varieties were further analyzed. The key drought response transcription factors and the regulatory effect of melatonin on drought-related transcription factors were assessed, focusing on genes encoding proteins in the ABA signal transduction pathway, including PYL, PP2C, ABF, SNRK2, and IAA. Taken together, this study provides new insights into the effect and underlying mechanism of melatonin in alleviating drought stress in naked oat seedlings.