bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unilateral Termination of Employment of Pensionable Workers Held Unconstitutional – Between Equal Treatment, the Principle of Legality and Pure Formalism
Authors: Hude Zarja
Published: March 2023

During the second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Slovenian legislator adopted the Act Determining Intervention Measures to Assist in Mitigating the Consequences of the Second Wave of COVID-19 Epidemic (Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za pomoč pri omilitvi posledic drugega vala epidemije COVID-19). According to the draft law, the aim of the emergency piece of legislation was to mitigate and eliminate negative effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on businesses, the labour market, the healthcare system and social security schemes. Nevertheless, the intervention act also amended provisions concerning the termination of employment contract by introducing a new exception to the require-
ment of a substantiated valid (business) reason for dismissing a worker. The employers in both private and public sector were now eligible to terminate the employment contracts of workers who met the conditions for acquiring the right to an old-age pension without stating or justifying any valid (business) reason whatsoever. The article examines the
judgement of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia reached in a case put forward by Slovenian trade unions and the Advocate of the Principle of Equality, with an emphasis on the courts somewhat formalistic approach to what could have been a major
antidiscrimination decision concerning old-age.
Pomen meta-vizije Sodišča Evropske unije za Slovenijo
Authors: Kukovec Damjan
Published: March 2023

Avtor preučuje, kako je pojem avtonomije prava Evropske unije, ki je organizacijsko načelo koherentnosti Sodišča EU, s katerim slednje zagotavlja enotnost in skladnost evropskega pravnega sistema ter prežema celotno sodno prakso Sodišča EU, imel ključno vlogo v odmevnih primerih pred Sodiščem EU, v katerih je bila neposredno vpletena Slovenija. Avtor najprej obravnava zadevo Detiček, prvi primer slovenskega predloga za predhodno odločanje, v kateri je Sodišče stopilo na najbolj sporno presečišče načela vza- jemnega zaupanja in varstva človekovih pravic, sicer ključnih elementov avtonomije. V drugi, odmevni zadevi Arhivi je Komisija s tožbo zahtevala ugotovitev, da je Slovenija
kršila nedotakljivost arhivov EU in s tem avtonomijo evropskih institucij ter izvajanja prava EU s tem, ko je enostransko zasegla dokumente na sedežu Banke Slovenije. V tretji, meddržavni zadevi Slovenija proti Hrvaški, pa je Sodišče ugotovilo, da ni pristojno za ugotovitev, ali je Hrvaška z neizvršitvijo arbitražne odločbe kršila pravo EU, ker arbitražni sporazum ni nikoli postal del pravnega reda EU. Avtor ugotavlja, da globlje razumevanje vloge avtonomije v pravnem razlogovanju Sodišča EU omogoča slovenskim pravnikom najboljše predvidevanje odločitev Sodišča, s tem pa tudi pravno razlogovanje, ki bo bolje artikuliralo interese Slovenije v jeziku prava EU.
Otok sredi Evrope? Vpetost Vrhovnega sodišča RS v evropski medsodniški dialog
Authors: Kukavica Jaka
Published: March 2023

Prispevek obravnava položaj Vrhovnega sodišča Republike Slovenije v medsodniškem dialogu v Evropi prek analize medsebojnih sklicev med vrhovnimi sodišči držav članic EU. Razlikuje med aktivno udeležbo Vrhovnega sodišča RS v medsodniškem dialogu – sklicevanjem Vrhovnega sodišča RS na druga evropska vrhovna sodišča – in pasivno udeležbo – sklicevanjem drugih evropskih vrhovnih sodišč na odločitve Vrhovnega sodišča RS. Medsebojne sklice smo identificirali na podlagi iskanja vnaprej določenih iskalnih gesel v podatkovnih bazah odločitev vrhovnih sodišč v vseh 28 državah članicah EU. V populaciji približno 1.330.000 odločitev, ki so jih vrhovna sodišča v EU sprejela v ob-
dobju 2000–2018 v zadevah zasebnega prava, smo identificirali skoraj 3.000 odločitev, v katerih so se evropska vrhovna sodišča medsebojno sklicevala. V primerjalnem kontekstu se Vrhovno sodišče RS v medsodniški dialog aktivno vključuje zmerno pogosto: na druga
evropska vrhovna sodišča se je sklicevalo v 63 primerih s heterogenim vzorcem sklicev, ki ga prispevek podrobno analizira. Pasivno je Vrhovno sodišče RS v medsodniški dialog vključeno redko: le v enem primeru se je tuje vrhovno sodišče sklicevalo na njegovo odločitev. Takšna skoraj popolna izoliranost je značilna tudi za druga vrhovna sodišča
novejših in manjših držav članic, katerih delovni jezik je širšemu občinstvu nerazumljiv. Prispevek ponudi razmislek o tem, kaj bi bilo potrebno, da bi se Vrhovno sodišče RS bolj trdno postavilo na evropski zemljevid kot enakovreden diskurzivni partner bolj uveljavljenim vrhovnim sodiščem.
Pravnopolitični pogled na doktrino nujnih zmogljivosti: analiza stanja in pomen »nepogrešljivosti«
Authors: Dacar Rok , Ferčič Aleš
Published: March 2023

Doktrina nujne zmogljivosti je institut konkurenčnega prava, po katerem mora podjetje, ki ima na zgornjem trgu (nujne zmogljivosti) prevladujoč položaj, omogočiti dostop do te zmogljivosti, ki je nepogrešljiva za delovanje na spodnjem, vertikalno povezanem, trgu, tretjim podjetjem, ki želijo na tem trgu delovati. Natančni pogoji za njeno aktiva- cijo so zaradi nedosledne, čeprav obsežne prakse Evropske komisije in Sodišča Evropske unije nejasni. Prispevek poskuša z analizo nekaterih najpomembnejših sodb s področja doktrine nujne zmogljivosti ugotoviti, katere pogoje morajo za to, da je doktrino mogoče uporabiti, izpolniti posamezne vrste zmogljivosti (materializirane, nematerializirane in
pravice intelektualne lastnine). Prav tako pa se tudi opredeli do v literaturi pogostih očitkov, da je praksa Evropske komisije in Sodišča Evropske unije s področja doktrine nujne zmogljivosti samovoljna. Čeprav je praksa resnično nedosledna, pa ni tudi samovoljna, saj jo je treba razumeti v luči spreminjajočih ciljev, ki jih skozi čas zasledujeta konkurenč-
na politika in konkurenčno pravo.
Rare Manifestation of Diabetes Mellitus in COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Kahan Mehta  , Mehta Samir
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Diabetes is an endocrinopathy and rare in the case of SARS-CoV-2, the virus primarily involves the lungs by its affinity to Angiotensin Converting enzyme(ACE-2) receptors, associated symptoms include Nausea, Vomiting, and Breathlessness.
Case Presentation: We present the case of a 41-year-old male with pneumonia-like symptoms and a positive nasal swab RT-PCR test with Imaging studies highly suggestive of CO RADS-5 Progressive stage, the patient was immediately admitted to the Intensive care unit (ICU), and the treatment was started with Medical Oxygen, Intravenous Normal Saline Tablet Doxycycline, and Tablet Ivermectin as per the guidelines, he was admitted for 21 days. After 3 weeks the patient comes for a routine checkup and was found to have an elevated Fasting glucose level of 121 mg/dl (normal reference range 80-100mg/dl) further workup for diabetes revealed that he was a non-diabetic on the previous visit 2 months ago, he also had an increase in weight during this time. With the Body Mass Index(BMI) now being 30.2 from the previous 28.4 (Reference range >30 is obese), the pro-inflammatory cytokines like C-reactive protein were 111.6 (normal 0-6), and elevation in D-Dimer which is a fibrin degradation product was elevated to 1048ng/dl ( normal range 0-500 ng/dl) other measures for the increase in blood sugar also showed elevation as seen in table 1.
Discussion: There have been many hypotheses to find a causalrelationship between both Diabetes and COVID-19 like the use of Dexamethasone or that the virus produces proinflammatory cytokines like Interleukin-6(IL-6) that lead to impaired signaling and decreased lipolysis or that there is a direct action on the ACE 2 found in the pancreas by the virus and maybe the least looked upon factor being lockdown leading to sedentary life, no exercises and increase in consumption of fatty foods, whichever may be the case it could very well be a multifactorial cause with many of these ideas involved.
Conclusion: In this case, the association may be with decreased physical activity and an increase in Lipolysis or the proinflammatory states as seen by the increase in the C-reactive protein and Interleukin-6 levels.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Around HIV/AIDS and other STIs Among Syrians: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Alibrahim Hidar , Swed Sarya , Bohsas Haidara , Albakri Khaled , Sawaf Bisher , Elsayed Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Background:  Over 1 million new Sexual transmitted disease (STIs) are acquired daily throughout the globe, according to WHO data, with the majority of cases being asymptomatic. In Syria, statistics on STI awareness, attitude, and practice are few, and there is little information on Syrians' sexual and reproductive health concerns. The present research aims to determine which individuals factors best predict knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours about HIV/AIDS and other STIs in a Syrian population.

 

Method: In the Syrian governorates between August 15 and September 16, 2022, a descriptive community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out. Syrian nationality, male or female, aged at least 18 years, citizen of any Syrian governorate, and willingness to engage in the survey were the study's inclusion criteria. Based on a previous study, a modified online semi-structured questionnaire was made on Google Form and used to collect the data. The questionnaire was divided into five main section that socio-demographic information, knowledge and practice relating STIs, knowledge and practice relating HIV/AIDS, attitude toward HIV/AIDS and attitude toward STIs.

 

Results: The research involved 1076 individuals in total. More over half (55%) of them were women, with the majority (86%) of them being between the ages of 18 and 30. Only 739 respondents (67%) were aware of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), and only 35% were aware of the means by which HIV infection may be prevented. The most often mentioned AIDS/HIV-related statistic was that those who have several sex partners have a greater chance of contracting HIV (92%). Furthermore, just 66% and 44%, respectively, of respondents knew how STDs are transmitted. In general, individuals' understanding of STDs was rated at 56%. Furthermore, 50% of the individuals had a positive attitude about the STD information. We used a logistic model to tease out the role of demographics and found that men were 1.43 times more likely to be aware of AIDS/HIV than women were. Additionally, residents of cities were 1.42 times more likely than residents of rural areas to be knowledgeable about STDs.

 

Conclusion: According to this research, Syrians' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about STIs, HIV, and other diseases were generally insufficient. This provides definitive evidence that HIV programmes need to verify that Syrian people have access to basic information about HIV/AIDS and other STIs. As a result, the health organizations should conduct both international and local helpful interventions in order to address this medical problem and enhance the awareness of the Syrian community about HIV/AIDS and other STIs illnesses as soon as possible.
Psychological Distress and Suicidal Behavior Among Medical Students at Khartoum State Universities, 2021-2022
Authors: Mohamed Musa Shima Algam , Mohamed Abeer Mamoun , Osman Sozan Mudather
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Psychological distress and suicidal behavior are mental health problems among students and necessitate research to inform strategies for prevention in this population. Although depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation are common in medical students, few programs address this problem, which is needed it to determine the prevalence of psychological distress and suicidal behavior among medical students.
Methods: this is a cross sectional faculty-based study . we used Snowballing sampling technique and Kessler 10-item Questionnaire to assess psychological distress. We used SBQ-R (suicidal behavioral questionnaire _Revised) to assess suicidal behavior .The participants were students from 12 medical colleges in Khartoum state, from all academic levels.
Results: among 525 undergraduate medical students 136 (25.9%) were males and 389 (74.1%) were females, 23.3% were well, 18.7% had mild mental disorder, 19.2%had moderate mental disorder and 38.8% had severe mental disorder at the last 30 days. The higher of psychological distress was slightly significant among student in preclinical years than clinical years (P=0.08), 72% have poor risk for suicidal ideation and 28% have higher risk of suicidal behavior more significant among students in preclinical years (p= 0.02).
Conclusion: Psychological distress and suicidal behavior were more evident in pre-clinical years along with other many factor including, marital status, bad habits, chronic disease, and university type either public or private. We recommend implementing psychological and academic support programs across different undergraduate levels to enhance mental wellbeing, academic performance and prevent suicidal behavior.
Multi-Technique Management of Chronic Subdural Hematoma in a Single Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Olobatoke Tunde , Nwanmah Chibueze , Ekwegbara Somtochukwu , Ayantayo Temitayo , Owagbemi Oluwafemi , Rasskazoff Serge , Sulaiman Olawale
Published: March 2023

Background: Chronic Subdural Hematoma (cSDH) is one of the most everyday neurosurgical conditions. Unfortunately, there is no defined gold standard technique in managing cSDH, as studies show mixed results with no consensus on the superiority of a particular method. This lack of uniformity in the treatment of cSDH makes the management choice dependent on the clinical symptomatology, surgeon’s preference, and recurrence after a prior intervention.

Different management approaches are available, ranging from novel medical therapy, e.g., steroids, etizolam, tranexamic acid, angiotensin-converting enzymes inhibitors (ACEIs), to minimally invasive techniques, e.g., endovascular middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization and endoscopic treatment, to more invasive surgical approaches, e.g., twist drill craniostomy, burr hole craniostomy, and craniotomy.

A component network meta-analysis by Jack et al. showed a 10.8% recurrence rate (95% CI 10.2-11.5) across 418 studies involving different management techniques. The use of a post-operative drain and MMA embolization reduced recurrence, while the risk of morbidity was equivalent across surgical treatments.

We aim to present the multi-technique management approaches required to achieve clinical and radiological resolution in a cSDH patient.

The Case: We report the clinical course and management of a 47-year-old male with no history of trauma who presented with sudden onset of severe headaches and brain computed tomography scan finding of bilateral cSDH. He required multiple treatment techniques, starting with bilateral twist drill craniostomies and Jackson-Pratt drain insertion with the resolution of the right collection and recurrence of the left collection. He further required the placement of two left burr hole craniostomies for drainage. However, the collection recurred. He then proceeded to have a left middle meningeal artery embolization and a left craniotomy before a clinical and radiological resolution was achieved.

Conclusion: The management of cSDH is still an art and not a cookbook. Familiarity of clinicians with multiple techniques and selection based on clinical judgment is essential for improved outcomes. Appropriate patient selection for the right technique will depend on accumulating data from clinical practice and its analysis.
The Effect of Oral Magnesium Supplement on Pre-eclampsia and Perinatal Outcomes in Pregnancy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Khaity Abdulrhman , Albakri Khaled , Alabdallat Yasmeen , Saleh Othman , Ghaith Hazem. S
Published: March 2023

Background: Magnesium is one of the most important nutritional factors that have a beneficial effect on pregnant women. Many studies evaluated the role of oral magnesium supplements as a non-pharmacological intervention for mother and neonatal protection in terms of these outcomes. There is a conflict between several clinical trials about the efficacy of oral magnesium supplements during pregnancy. Therefore, in this review, we represent class 1 evidence and address an unmet clinical need on the efficacy of different types of oral magnesium in pre-eclampsia, and prenatal outcomes in pregnant women.

Method: During the preparation of this meta-analysis, we followed the PRISMA statement guidelines. A literature search of the Web of Sciences, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PubMed were conducted from inception until September 2022. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing oral magnesium whether citrate, oxide, or aspartate hydrochloride with a placebo. The records of quality studies were screened and extracted. Additionally, the pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions data were pooled as odds ratio (OR) in a fixed-effect model using Review Manager (v.3). Subgroup analysis was performed to investigate the efficacy of each type of oral magnesium on the outcomes.

Results: Five RCTs were included in this meta-analysis with a total of 2370 patients. The overall effect did not favor either of the two groups in terms of pre-eclampsia (OR= 0.99, 95% CI, [0.72, 1.37], p = 0.9), preterm birth (OR= 0.87, 95% CI, [0.62, 1.22], p = 0.4), and NICU admissions (OR= 1.37, 95% CI, [0.84, 2.22], p = 0.2). Based on the subgroup analysis findings, the use of oral magnesium supplements whether citrate, oxide, or aspartate hydrochloride in this population did not significantly increase or decrease the incidence of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, and NICU admissions when compared with the control group.

Conclusion: Ultimately, oral magnesium supplementation whether citrate, oxide, or aspartate hydrochloride may not have a beneficial effect on maternal and fetal outcomes during pregnancy. Therefore, the current evidence is insufficient to confirm the efficacy of oral magnesium for care practice among pregnant women. Despite that, these results need to be affirmed by major RCTs using magnesium supplements which have related to neonatal and maternal outcomes.
A Preliminary Study of Menstrual Changes Among Jordanian Women Following COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Qawaqzeh Rana , Al-Din Shehadeh Hussam , Al-Hanaqtah Balqees , Albakri Khaled
Published: March 2023

Background:  During the last two years, the world witnessed an urgent need for vaccines to tackle the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Several side effects, mainly non-life-threatening, were reported following COVID-19 vaccination. There are increasing concerns about the potential effects of COVID-19 vaccines on menstrual cycle (MC) changes amid a paucity of scientific studies on this crucial issue. The present study aimed to assess the changes in menstrual cycle (MC) among Jordanian women after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.  

Method: An online-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 to 24 August 2021. The main menstruation-related complaints were identified and included in the survey tool that targeted Jordanian women who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Results: A total of 633 married and unmarried women were recruited, 222 (35.1%) and 411 (64.9%), respectively. Unmarried women showed a significantly higher occurrence of menstruation dysfunctions after getting a COVID-19 vaccine compared to married women (p = 0.001). During MC, around 34.3% of participants were suffered from increasing back and abdominal pains. The most common dysfunction was a prolonged MC (24.8%), while only 16.1% experienced pre-menstruation bleeding. Additionally, 19.4% of participants stated that the MC dysfunctions last for one month, 8.7 % for two months, and 35.4% for more than two months.

Conclusion: This study showed that COVID-19 vaccines negatively affected the MC in terms of the occurrence of dysfunctions and accompanying symptoms. However, further studies are required to investigate the characteristics of women who are more likely to be affected and the potential mechanisms underlying these effects.
Assessment Syrian Population Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study from Syria
Authors: Jabban Yazan Khair Eldien , Swed Sarya , Bohsas Haidara , Alibrahim Hidar , Jawish Nagham , Sawaf Bisher , Hafez Wael
Published: March 2023

Background: Based on the stroke mortality rate, Syria was ranked 98th worldwide in 2020. Approximately 80% of strokes are avoidable by managing well-known modifiable risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Due to the high prevalence of several modifiable risk factors for stroke in Syria, it is necessary to increase Syrians' understanding of strokes and encourage people to engage in healthy practices to eradicate these risk factors. This research aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and health-related perceptions of adult Syrians about stroke.

 

Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted between 2 September and 10 October 2022 among Syrians using an online survey to measure their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding stroke. This questionnaire was derived from a previously published article, and the inclusion criteria for this research were all Syrian residents aged 18 or older. The questionnaire utilized for this study consisted of three major sections: socio-demographic data, knowledge of stroke, and attitudes and perceptions about stroke.

 

RESULTS: 53.3 % of the 1,143 research participants were female. Most respondents (94.3%) recognized the brain as the organ impacted by stroke. Hypertension was the stroke's most identifiable cause and risk factor (72.8% and 73.6%, respectively). 72.8 % of participants recognized hypertension and atherosclerosis as causes of stroke. 94.3 % of survey participants accurately identified the oranges impacted by the stroke; however, only 50.1% properly identified the warning symptoms. 61.4 % of participants utilize the Internet as a source of stroke-related information. 22.3% of individuals aged 21 to 30 had identified at least one stroke warning sign. 12.58% of individuals with a high socioeconomic position have shown a solid understanding of stroke risk factors. Females were projected to be 1.55 times more knowledgeable about stroke warning signs than men (P value<0.05). It was expected that participants who believed that stroke is avoidable would be 2.2 times more knowledgeable about stroke warning signals than those who disagreed (P value<0.05). Participants who identified more than four causes of stroke were expected to have 14.77 times more knowledge of stroke risk factors than those who did not (P value<0.05).

 

Conclusion: Our research shows that although knowledge of stroke risk factors and symptoms is moderate to good, there is still a lack of perceptions toward this disease. Hopefully, this will encourage hospitals and other medical groups to continue their awareness-raising campaigns about the dangers of this illness. Stroke prevention and community response may be greatly enhanced by raising public consciousness of the condition and fostering individual agency in coping with it.
Assessment of Work Practices and Health Problems Among Filling Station Attendants in Ile Ife
Authors: Lawal Sodiq O. , Muhammad Abdulafeez I. , Muili Opeyemi A. , Ojo Temitope O.
Published: March 2023

Background: Filling Station Attendants are exposed to hazards in their workplaces, which could be physical, chemical, ergonomic, biological, mechanical, or psychosocial. The study aimed to assess the work practices and health problems among filling station attendants in Ile-Ife.
Methods:  This study was conducted in Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria using a descriptive cross-sectional study design. There are 218 filling stations in Ile Ife. The total sampling method was used for selection and a sample size of 200 was obtained. Data was collected via Interviewer administered questionnaires with sections assessing sociodemographic characteristics, work practices, occupational hazards, and health problems using close-ended questions. An observational Checklist assessing the safety measures put in place by the management was also obtained. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and a p-value of 0.05 was found to be statistically significant.
Results: Majority of the filling station attendants (74%) were not aware of workplace safety practices. Of those that were aware, 78% were aware of PPE while the commonest available PPE was working clothes (36%). One hundred and twelve attendants (56%) indicated that the PPEs available for them were not adequate. Concerning training, about 62.5% had prior safety training of which only 66% and 56% of them could use fire extinguishers and spill kits respectively. Regarding occupational hazards,74.5% of the attendants were aware of the various hazards, the commonest being fire outbreak (69.5). The commonest work-related problem was musculoskeletal disorders (60.5%) while the least common was gastro-intestinal tract problems (8%). There was a significant association between age, working durations of the respondents, and skin problems with p-values of 0.021 and 0.035 respectively. There was also a significant association between BMI and respiratory problems with a p-value of 0.029.
 Conclusion: This study assessed work practices and health problems among filling station attendants. There was poor availability of PPE, inadequate use of PPE as well as poor work safety practices among filling station attendants. Regarding health problems, neurological and eye problems were found to be the commonest among filling station attendants in Ile Ife. There were also significant associations between some sociodemographic characteristics and some health problems such as age and skin problems, working duration and skin problems, BMI, and respiratory problems.
Toxoplasmosis-Associated Lymphadenopathy: Description of a Series of Cases in a Reference Center
Authors: Salazar Bermúdez Danna Sofía , Bocanegra Valencia María Fernanda , Nati Castillo Humberto Alejandro , Gómez Marín Jorge Enrique
Published: March 2023

Background: Toxoplasmosis has a more severe manifestation in pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. Up to 15% of immunocompetent individuals who have acquired the infection may be asymptomatic, however in others the symptoms may be confused with another infection and cause more severe manifestations such as ocular toxoplasmosis which is the most common cause of chorioretinitis and can lead to retinal necrosis. Considering that the clinical characteristics of lymphadenopathy-related toxoplasmosis in Colombia have not been reported despite its high frequency, it is essential to define its clinical presentation.
Objective: The objective was to describe a series of cases, their evolution, clinical characteristics and response to treatment of lymphadenopathy due to toxoplasmosis in a first level health care institution in Armenia, Colombia.
Methods: 106 medical records with a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis-associated lymphadenopathy were reviewed from 2006 to 2022 at the Universidad del Quindío health center. Cases that met the following criteria were included: Presence of lymphadenopathies accompanied or not by fever and positive IgM or IgG anti-Toxoplasma test. Clinical presentation, accompanying symptoms and laboratory tests were analyzed. In the patients who had follow-up, the response to treatment was analyzed.
Results: Of 106 cases, 100 met the selection criteria, 59% male, 30% adolescent. Coinfections occurred in 3% with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and 2% Cytomegalovirus. The location was predominately of cervical adenopathies (83%). The main associated symptom was fever with 37%. The main treatment received was Pyrimethamine/Sulfadoxine with 37% having an adequate response.
Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of the infection should guide us to consider the possible presence of lymph node toxoplasmosis. Timely diagnosis and treatment prevent severity and complications in our environment such as ocular involvement which greatly impacts the quality of life of the population.
Project “Most Important Karst Aquifer Springs” (MIKAS) and Bulgaria's participation in it
Authors: Benderev Aleksey
Published: March 2023

Karst has a wide distribution, both throughout the world and in Bulgaria. The groundwater formed in it are important for providing water for the population and for the existence of a number of ecosystems. Considering the importance of karst springs, an international project "Most Important Karst Aquifer Springs" – MIKAS was started. The project aims to bring together the joint efforts of scientists from different countries in order to characterize and promote the most important springs in the respective countries. Its organization is carried out by an international Advisory Board, and National experts from the respective country are involved in its implementation. The main task is to prepare Global and National lists of karst springs representing world and national natural heritage for each country. Determining the importance of each source is carried out after applying historical, aesthetic, economic, scientific and ecological criteria. In order to unify the selection of representative springs by the experts from the different countries, the Advisory Board has proposed a methodology for preparing accompanying forms with complex information, including maps, photos, graphics and others. As a sample, two completed forms are attached to the adopted Methodology – for the Khanis spring, Iraq, proposed for inclusion in the Global List and for the Vrelo Mlave – for the National List of Serbia. In Bulgaria, it has been established that there are over 150 karst springs of regional and local importance on its territory. Part of the accepted general criteria is applicable to each of them with different weight. From these springs, after review and discussion of the existing information, it is planned to select a part of them for a more detailed evaluation and possibly their inclusion in an extended National list. The weighting of the various criteria will be determined and a summary assessment and ranking will be made based on it. On this basis, a National list will be prepared, which will include the most highly rated karst springs with the necessary illustrative material for each spring. This list will be presented to the Project Advisory Board and it will be discussed with them which of the springs could be included in the Global List.
Marketplace channel encroachment under private brand introduction of online platform
Authors: Wang Xiangsheng , Chaolu Temuer , Gao Yuchao , Wen Ying , Liu Peng
Published: March 2023

This paper studies the marketplace channel introduction of contract manufacturers and the response of the platform with an option to introduce a private brand. We develop a game-theoretical model to examine a three-tier e-commerce supply chain including a contract manufacturer (CM), an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a platform and derive the equilibrium results. We find that the marketplace channel introduction of the CM and the platform's private brand introduction influence each other. More specifically, marketplace channel encroachment may discourage the platform from introducing a private brand, and this preference is reinforced as the referral fee increases. Interestingly, the introduction of the platform's private brand increases the likelihood of contract manufacturer encroachment, which is mediated by the difference between the two private brands of the CM and platform--as the difference increases, the CM prefers to enter the marketplace channel. Furthermore, only contract manufacturer encroachment (or private brand introduction for the platform) can always benefit the whole supply chain, but the supply chain may be hurt when the platform and the CM perform their strategies simultaneously. In the extension section, in addition to demonstrating the validity of our main results when the CM and the OEM act as a single entity, we also find that the first-mover advantage of the platform may reduce the possibility of the contract manufacturer encroachment.
Impact of dual uptime-reducing strategies, postponement, multi-delivery, and rework on a multiproduct fabrication-shipping problem
Authors: Peter Chiu Yuan-Shyi , Yan Ting-Fang , Chiu Singa Wang , Wang Hui-Chi , Chiu Tiffany
Published: March 2023

This study examines the joint impact of outsourcing, overtime, multi-delivery, rework, and postponement on a multiproduct fabrication problem. A growing/clear trend in today’s customer requirements turned into rapid response and desired quality of multi-merchandises and multiple fixed-amount deliveries in equal-interval time. To satisfy customers’ expectations, current manufacturing firms must effectively design/plan their multiproduct production scheme with minimum fabrication-inventory-shipping expenses and under confined capacity. Motivated by assisting manufacturing firms in making the right production decision, this study develops a decision-support delayed-differentiation model considering multi-shipment, rework, and dual uptime-reducing strategies (namely, overtime and outsourcing). Our delayed-differentiation model comprises stage one, which makes all common/standard parts of multi-end-merchandises, and stage two, which produces multiple end merchandise. For cutting making times, the study proposes subcontracting a portion of the common/standard part’s lot size and adopting overtime-making end merchandise in stage two. The screening and reworking tasks identify and repair faulty items to ensure customers’ desired quality. The finished lots of end merchandise are divided into a few equal-amount shipments and distributed to customers in equal-interval time. We employ mathematical derivation and optimization methodology to derive the annual expected fabrication- inventory-shipping expense and the cost-minimized production-shipping policy. A numerical demonstration is presented to exhibit our research scheme’s applicability and exposes the studied problem’s critical managerial insights, which help the management make beneficial decisions.
General variable neighborhood search for electric vehicle routing problem with time-dependent speeds and soft time windows
Authors: Matijević Luka
Published: March 2023

With the growing environmental concerns and the rising number of electric vehicles, researchers and companies are paying more and more attention to green logistics. This paper studies the Electric Vehicle Routing Problem with time-dependent speeds and soft time windows. The purpose is to minimize the total distance travelled, while penalizing early or late arrivals at the customers’ locations. For this purpose, we formulated the Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) and developed a General Variable Neighborhood Search (GVNS) metaheuristic, an efficient way to tackle this problem. To prove the efficiency of our approach, we tested the GVNS against the Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search (ALNS) algorithm and our MILP model, using a set of available benchmark instances. After an extensive experimental evaluation, we concluded that GVNS can find better quality solutions than other methods considered in this research or the same quality solution in less time.
Optimization for bi-objective express transportation network design under multiple topological structures
Authors: Zhong Jian , Wang Xu , Li Longxiao , García Sergio
Published: March 2023

With the rapid development of the courier industry, customers are placing higher demands on the cost and delivery time of courier services. Therefore, this paper focuses on the bi-objective express transportation network design problem (BO-ETNDP) to minimize the operation cost and maximum arrival time. A multi-structure parallel design methodology (MS-PDM) is proposed to solve the BO-ETNDP. In this methodology, all topological structures commonly used in designing transportation networks are sorted out. For each topological structure, a novel bi-objective nonlinear mixed-integer optimization model for BO-ETNDP is developed considering the impact of the hub’s sorting efficiency on the operation cost and arrival time. To solve these models, a preference-based multi-objective algorithm (PB-MOA) is devised, which embeds the branch-and-cut algorithm and Pareto dominance theory in the framework of this ranking algorithm. In the case study, the applicability of the proposed methodology is verified in a real-world leading express company. The results show that our methodology can effectively avoid the limitation of solving the BO-ETNDP with a specific structure. Besides, the suitable topology for designing express transportation networks in different scenarios are explored through the sensitivity analysis.
Heuristics and metaheuristics to minimize makespan for flowshop with peak power consumption constraints
Authors: Li Yuan-Zhen , Gao Kaizhou , Meng Lei-Lei , Jing Xue-Lei , Zhang Biao
Published: March 2023

This paper addresses the permutation flowshop scheduling problem with peak power consumption constraints (PFSPP). The real-time power consumption of the PFSPP cannot exceed a given peak power at any time. First, a mathematical model is established to describe the concerned problem. The sequence of operations is taken as a solution and the characteristics of solutions are analyzed. Based on the problem characteristics, eight heuristics are proposed, including balanced machine-job decoding method, balanced machine-job insert method, balanced job-machine insert method, balanced machine-job group insert method, balanced job-machine group insert method, greedy algorithm, beam search algorithm, and improved beam search algorithm. Similarly, the canonical artificial bee colony algorithm and iterated local search algorithm are modified based on the problem characteristics to solve the PFSPP. A large number of experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of new proposed heuristics and metaheuristics. The results and discussion show that the proposed heuristics and metaheuristics perform well in solving the PFSPP.
Celebrating the launch of Nature Water - Part 2: Focus on water investments and affordability
Authors: Sjöstrand Karin , Mueller Tom , Rachunok Benjamin
Published: March 2023

To celebrate the launch of Nature Water, we have organized a series of webinars with some of the authors from the first issue. In this second webinar, editor Karin Sjöstrand will be talking to Tom Mueller about uneven benefits of water infrastructure spending and with Benjamin Rachunok about water affordability.
Celebrating the launch of Nature Water - Part 3: Focus on social sciences and open science
Authors: Martin-Ortega Julia , Verbeke Rhea , Schymanski Stanislaus J.
Published: March 2023

To celebrate the launch of Nature Water, we have organized a series of webinars with some of the authors from the first issue. In this third webinar, editor Fabio Pulizzi will be talking to Julia Martin-Ortega about the role of social sciences in water research and with Rhea Verbeke and Stanislaus Schymanski about open science
Determination of SME’s Internationalization in Malaysian Context
Authors: Foghani Sara , Mahadi Batiah , Mohammadi Parisa
Published: March 2023

The increasingly tight competition urged SMEs to expand the market beyond national borders, not only for their growth and expansion but also to participate in the nations’ economic development. Consequently, internationalization has become a vital component for any SME which necessitate enhancing our understanding on determinants of internationalization, particularly in emerging economies. To this end, a literature review is conducted to develop a new conceptual model. Certain variables are identified for influencing SME internationalization including export capability and networking capability. Additionally, it is proposed that the relationship between networking capability, export capability and SME internationalization might be mediated by competitive advantage. This study contributes to the scant literature on the determinants of the firm competitive advantage and its potential mediating role in the relationship between organizational capabilities and SME internationalization. Practically, the present study benefits policymakers and the government in developing countries to outline the suitable policies and frameworks to produce more SMEs that are capable to exploit the international markets.
Preserving human privacy in real estate listing applications by deep learning methods
Authors: VARUL Yunus Emre , ADIYAMAN Hilal , BAKIRMAN Tolga , BAYRAM Bülent , ALKAN Elif , KARACA Sevgi Zümra , TOPALOĞLU Raziye Hale
Published: March 2023

The images are important components of real estate applications on the internet to inform users. There are multiple rental and sale properties and many images of these properties on the internet, and it is challenging to control the images of these real estate in terms of time, workload, and cost. Considering the requirements of the problem, Deep Learning (DL), one of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods, offers ideal solutions. This study aims to distinguish images that contain humans using deep learning techniques. This will also aid in not violating the privacy of people according to the Law on the Protection of Personal Data in the image content used in real estate applications. For this purpose, firstly, a dataset of real estate images with and without humans called the Real Estate Privacy (REP) dataset was created. The REP dataset was split into 70%, 20%, and 10% for training, validation, and testing, respectively. Secondly, the REP dataset was trained with Inceptionv3, ResNet-50, and DenseNet-169 architectures using transfer learning. Lastly, the performances of the architectures were evaluated by accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score accuracy metrics. Experimental results indicate that the 52 epoch ResNet-50 architecture is the best for our datasets with 98.45% overall accuracy and 98.00% precision, 98.90% recall, and 98.44% F1-score. The Inceptionv3 model provided the best results on the 55th epoch with 98.27% accuracy, 97.81% precision, 98.71% recall, and 98.26% F1-score. Finally, the DenseNet-169 model produced the best results on the 47th epoch, with 97.81% accuracy, 97.09% precision, 98.52% recall, and 97.80% F1-score. Accuracy assessment shows that the highest accuracy among the three architectures was obtained with the ResNet-50 architecture This study shows that deep learning methods offer a perspective to image content control and can be used efficiently in real estate applications.
THE IMPACT OF JOB SATISFACTION ON NURSING PERFORMANCE AMONG MARFA HOSPITAL (UAE) NURSES: THE MODERATING EFFECT OF JOB STRESS
Authors: FAYİZ ALMASHAYEKH Maysoon , EİVAZZADEH Niusha , YEŞİLTAŞ Mehmet
Published: March 2023

In an atmosphere of pressure, tension and division of work, Nurses’ performance is one of the most basic challenges that healthcare services face. The reason for this is that performance is linked to work satisfaction and stress on one hand, and management, funding, and organizational growth on the other. Furthermore, Nurse's performance is naturally connected to patient safety.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between job satisfaction impact on nursing performance and to find out how the job stress play as a moderate variable effect on the relationship between job Satisfaction and nursing performance.

To obtain information regarding demographic data, job performance, job satisfaction and job stress from participants, a survey questionnaire was conducted to nurses in one of the public hospital, Marfa hospital, in the United Arab Emirates after taking the approval from hospital administration. The hospital administration sent a link to all nurses to fill in the survey questionnaire. 111 out of total 120 nurses participated to the survey.

The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Software, version 21, was used for data input and analysis. To test the hypothesis, two different statistical analyses were utilized, namely Pearsons correlation analysis and liner regression analysis.

The study finds that there is a positive correlation between nurses’ job satisfaction and nursing performance. In addition, the job stress moderator negatively affected on the relationship between job satisfaction and nursing performance.

This research useful to health care managements to develop and enhance polices and rules to increase satisfaction and decrease job stress to enhance the nursing performance.
THE ROLE OF CAREER COUNSELORS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Authors:   Constanta Maritime University, ACOMI Nicoleta , ACOMI Ovidiu ,   N. Y. Vaptsarov" Naval Academy, Bulgaria, IANCU Roxana ,   N. Y. Vaptsarov" Naval Academy, Bulgaria
Published: March 2023

"Passing from school to the labour market requires support, advice, and guidance. The rapid advancement of technology in the maritime industry, the wide range of duties, and ever-changing job placement from ashore to remote sites or on board vessels, put many treats on the future employees. This article describes how career counselling is integrated into the process of supporting VET learners in making decisions about future careers in three European countries and how this process is perceived by learners. The research comprised a literature review to reveal the approach with regard to career counselling and analysis of data collected with a survey questionnaire. The 88 responses emphasized learners' views regarding the career counsellor’s actual role and provided an understanding of their expectations for making the transition toward the labour market. The questions addressed groups of people that decided to continue their studies and get a job and those undecided. Participants explained the motivator factors for making the career choice, the main sources of career information, and their expectations from the future job. This article explores the extent to which the professionals and counsellors would contribute to making the decisions and the types of interaction that are expected to produce positive results and engagement. The results indicate that teachers and parents are currently contributing to making the final career decision. Even though, the input of professionals is highly expected by all groups of participants. Respondents emphasized that challenges, dynamism in the workplace as well as the variety of tasks are those factors that would make them stay in a job. The authors concluded that to be effective, the career counselling of young learners needs to be enriched with jobspecific insights provided by professionals. The research conclusions draw up the VET learners' main expectations that can be used to guide further career counselling activities. "
"EVALUATION OF THE SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY (SHC) OF WATER-Al2O3 NANO FLUIDS BASED ON A THEORETICAL MODEL"
Authors:   Constanta Maritime University, Romania, MEMET Feiza
Published: March 2023

"Adding of nanoparticles in a base working agent leads to Nano fluids representing of a new type of working fluid. Due to an increase surface area, there is a gain in the surface area needed for heat transfer between nanoparticles and base fluid. Sein the poor heat transfer properties of water, water base Nano fluids present improved heat transfer performance and require smaller heat exchangers. This paper deals with the estimation of specific heat transfer capacity of water-Al2O3 Nano fluid. The decrease of volume concentration, from 13% to 3%, will reveal a gain in SHC of 27% - for nanoparticles diameter of 60 nm and a gain of 40% - for 30 nm diameter. At high temperature, SHC shows better values, also when the volume concentration is lower."