bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ВПЛИВУ ЕКСТРАКТУ З «ВОЛОХАТИХ» КОРЕНІВ ARTEMISIA TILESII НА ПРОЦЕС УТВОРЕННЯ СУПЕРОКСИДНИХ РАДИКАЛІВ У СИСТЕМІ АВТООКИСНЕННЯ АДРЕНАЛІНУ
Authors: Lyzhniuk V. V. , Pashchenko I. O. , Strashnyi V. V. , Bessarabov V. I. , Goy A. M. , Kuzmina G. I. , Lisovyi V. M. , Matvieieva N. A.
Published: November 2023

Мета роботи. Дослідження впливу водно-етанольного (30:70) екстракту з «волохатих» коренів Artemisia tilesii на процес утворення супероксидних радикалів у redоx системі автоокиснення адреналіну.

Матеріали і методи. Водно-етанольний (30:70) екстракт з «волохатих» коренів Artemisia tilesii був отриманий у лабораторії адаптаційної біотехнології Інституту клітинної біології та генетичної інженерії НАН України.

Загальний вміст флавоноїдів у екстракті з «волохатих» коренів Artemisia tilesii визначали спектрофотометричним методом та виражали у рутиновому еквіваленті.

Дослідження впливу екстракту з «волохатих» коренів Artemisia tilesii на супероксидні радикали, які генеруються при автоокисненні адреналіну, проводили in vitro спектрофотометрично. Кількісну оцінку процесу здійснювали через розрахунок констант швидкості першого порядку.

Результати й обговорення. Встановлено, що водно-етанольний (30:70) екстракт з «волохатих» коренів Artemisia tilesii, багатий на сполуки флавоноїдної природи, в хімічній системі автоокиснення адреналіну достовірно виявляє прооксидантні властивості, які залежать від його концентрації в системі. Вже при концентрації екстракту в системі 50 мкМ (за рутином) константа швидкості хімічної реакції утворення супероксидних радикалів збільшується в 2,3 раза.

Висновки. Результати підтверджують, що екстракт з «волохатих» коренів Artemisia tilesii у хімічній системі автоокиснення адреналіну виявляє прооксидантний ефект, стимулюючи утворення супероксидних радикалів. Зважаючи на дані досліджень, які вказують на те, що генерація активних форм кисню та їхній підвищений рівень безпосередньо пов’язані з антибактеріальною активністю, можна зробити припущення, що потенційно даний екстракт за рахунок прооксидантних властивостей може виявляти протимікробний ефект та використовуватися як активний фармацевтичний інгредієнт лікарських засобів з антибактеріальною дією.
РОЗРОБКА ГУБКИ ГЕМОСТАТИЧНОЇ ЖЕЛАТИНОВОЇ З МІРАМІСТИНОМ ІЗ ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ МЕТОДУ “ЯКІСТЬ ШЛЯХОМ РОЗРОБКИ” (QbD)
Authors: Pavliuk B. V. , Chubka M. B. , Hroshovyi T. A. , Spetsialna H. B. , Debrivskyj V. V.
Published: November 2023

Мета роботи. Розробка складу губки медичної/гемостатичної на основі желатину, вивчення впливу мірамістину та допоміжних речовин на критичні показники якості.

Матеріали і методи. Під час експериментального дослідження використовували активний фармацевтичний інгредієнт мірамістин, а також допоміжні речовини желатин медичний, пропіленгліколь, формальдегід. Губки гемостатичні отримували, використовуючи метод ліофілізації та досліджували за шістьма відгуками: товщина, см; pH; зовнішній вигляд, бали; іn vitro деградація, %; відсоток вологопоглинання, %; час повного розчинення, години.

Результати й обговорення. Із використанням оцінки профілю якості цільового продукту проводили визначення якості та ефективності розроблених губок гемостатичних. На першому етапі досліджень розроблено цільовий профіль якості продукту. Критичними атрибутами якості є час повного розчинення губок та відсоток вологопоглинання. На основі попередніх досліджень вивчено вплив незалежних змінних, тобто кількості желатину медичного (x1) та кількості альдегіду (x2), на залежні змінні. Результати чітко вказують на те, що всі залежні змінні тісно пов’язані з обраними незалежними змінними. 

Оптимізацію складу губок гемостатичних з мірамістином проводили за допомогою квадратичної моделі поверхні відгуку. У результаті ряду проведених експериментів та на основі обмежень, встановлених незалежними змінними з використанням програми Design-Expert 10.0.0, запропоновано та науково обґрунтовано склад розробленої форми з мірамістином для зовнішнього використання.

Висновки. Проведено експериментальне дослідження з розробки губки гемостатичної з мірамістином для зовнішнього використання. Вивчено вплив кількостей допоміжних речовин на технологічні та фізико-хімічні показники, вибрано їх оптимальні кількості, що забезпечують відповідність губки гемостатичної цільовому профілю. У результаті ряду проведених експериментів та на основі обмежень, встановлених незалежними змінними з використанням програми Design-Expert 10.0.0, запропоновано та науково обґрунтовано склад розробленої форми з мірамістином для зовнішнього використання.
Клінічний приклад первинномножинних злоякісних пухлин (полінеоплазії)
Authors: ШАПРИНСЬКИЙ В. О. , ТАГЕЄВ В. Р. , МИРОНИШЕН Ю. А. , СТУКАН С. С. , ПАШИНСЬКИЙ Я. М.
Published: November 2023

Мета роботи: проаналізувати досвід лікування ракової хвороби множинних локалізацій з основними етапами діагностично-лікувального алгоритму.
Проаналізовано медичні публікації, присвячені клініці, діагностиці та лікуванню ракової хвороби множинних локалізацій, а також клінічний випадок пацієнта з полінеоплазією.
Представлений клінічний кейс пацієнта, якому була виконана операція: панкреато-дуоденальна резекція за Уіплом (панкреато- єюноанастомоз – кінець-у-кінець, гепатико-єюноанастомоз, ентеро-гастроанастомоз без збереження пілоруса, ентеро-ентеро­анастомоз) з приводу папілярної аденокарциноми Фатерового соска, ускладненої механічною жовтяницею у 2011 році з подальшим курсом хіміотерапії.
У 2013 році діагностовано аденокарциному нижнього ампулярного відділу прямої кишки. Хворому було проведено курс хіміотерапії з подальшим покращенням стану.
У 2019 р. діагностовано аденокарциному поперечно-ободової кишки та виконано резекцію останньої з анастомозом кінець-у-кінець, лімфодисекцію. Отримав 3 курси хіміотерапії. Через 2 місяці виконано контрольну фіброколоноскопію, при якій виявлено поліп на широкій ніжці в низхідному відділі кишки. Виконано ендоскопічну поліпектомію. Хворий був виписаний у задовільному стані.
Вплив аутомезоконцентрату тромбоцитів на функціональний стан печінки щурів після часткової резекції паренхіми печінки
Authors: САЛЮТІН Р. В. , ЮЗВИК К. О.
Published: November 2023

Мета роботи: визначити маркери функціонального стану печінки у щурів після часткової резекції паренхіми печінки за умов застосування аутомезоконцентрату тромбоцитів.

Матеріали і методи. Експериментальні дослідження проводили на білих лабораторних щурах лінії Вістар, яких розділили на три групи: 1-ша група – інтактні тварини (контроль); 2-га група – тварини, яким проводили резекцію лівої частки печінки без проведення подальшої додаткової терапії; 3-тя група – тварини, яким після проведення часткової резекції лівої частки печінки вводили аутомезоконцентрат тромбоцитів.

Результати досліджень та їх обговорення. Встановлено, що на початкових етапах після часткової резекції печінки спостерігалася гіперферментемія аланінамінотрансферази, аспартатамінотран­сферази, γ-глутамілтрансфераз, що вказує на ушкодження клітин печінки та низьку інтенсивність процесів регенерації. Введення аутомезоконцентрату тромбоцитів  вже на 6-ту добу після операційного втручання сприяло зниженню аланінамінотрансферази, аспартатамінотран­сферази  і γ-глутамілтрансфераз  у сироватці крові, з нормалізацією досліджуваних показників на 18-ту добу експерименту. Введення аутомезоконцентрату тромбоцитів сприяло суттєвішому відновленню білок-синтезуючої функції печінки, на що вказують нижчі значення тимолової проби порівняно із показниками групи тварин, яким не вводили аутомезоконцентрату тромбоцитів.

 Введення аутомезоконцентрату тромбоцитів запускає швидші регенеративні процеси у печінці, про що свідчить зниження гіперферментемії амінотрансфераз, γ-глутамілтрансфераз і показника тимолової проби. Нормалізація печінкових проб вказує на відновлення структурно-функціонального стану цього органа.
Субмікроскопічні зміни рогівки при її змодельованій механічній непроникаючій травмі
Authors: ШМИР С. М. , ОГІНСЬКА Н. В.
Published: November 2023

Мета роботи: встановити субмікроскопічні зміни рогівки за умов нанесення механічної непроникаючої травми рогівки.

Матеріали і методи. Експеримент моделювали на статевозрілих кролях породи шиншила. Тварин поділили на дві дослідні групи: перша – інтактна група тварин, друга – тварини із змодельованою непроникаючою механічною травмою рогівки. Кролям другої групи у верхній половині рогівки обох очей під місцевою анестезією наносили концентричну епітеліальну насічку, в межах якої одноразовим офтальмологічним скальпелем видаляли передній епітелій разом із верхнім шаром строми рогівки. Піддослідних тварин виводили із експерименту на 3, 7, 14 і 28 доби. Забір матеріалу для електронномікроскопічних досліджень проводили відповідно до загальноприйнятої методики. Ультратонкі зрізи, виготовлені на ультрамікротомі LKB 4801 A, контрастували ураніацетатом та цитратом свинцю відповідно до методу Рейнольдса і вивчали в електронному мікроскопі ПЕМ – 125 К.

Результати  досліджень та їх обговорення. Субмікроскопічні дослідження показали, що через 3 доби після змодельованої механічної непроникаючої травми рогівки спостерігається поліморфізм епітеліоцитів переднього епітелію із різним ступенем альтеративних змін. У деструктивно зміненій власній речовині рогівки спостерігалися розволокнення, фрагментація колагенових фібрил у складі сполучнотканинних пластинок. Через 7 діб досліду встановлено, що у периферійних ділянках епітеліоцити втратили своє пошарове розташування, але у цитоплазмі клітин виявлялися помірно дистрофічно змінені органели. Сполучнотканинні пластинки строми рогівки дезорганізовані, виявляються ділянки фрагментації колагенових волокон. Через 14 діб після змодельованої травми рогівки у епітеліоцитах проявлялися ознаки деструктивних та регенераторних процесів. У власні речовині у даний термін експерименту відзначається формування грануляцій. Через 28 діб після моделювання механічної непроникаючої травми рогівки встановлено, що епітеліоцити багатошарового плоского незроговілого епітелію розташовані невпорядковано, міжклітинні простори значно розширені, елетроннопросвітлені. Власна речовина рогівки підлягає деструктивним і дегенеративним змінам, що проявляються значним розволокненням, фрагментацією колагенових волокон.
Tactical and technical considerations in deploying endovascular procedures for chronic threatening lower limb ischemia
Authors: GOSHCHYNSKY V. B. , LUGOVYI O. B. , LUGOVYI S. O.
Published: November 2023

The aim of the work: to evaluate new tactical and technical measures in order to increase the efficiency of endovascular operations in chronic threatening ischemia of the lower extremities.

Materials and Methods. We analyzed postoperative results in 286 patients with TCLLI, average age (62±8.2) years, after an endovascular procedures performed in cardiovascular and endovascular center at Ternopil Municipal Hospital No. 2, for the period of 2012–2022 years. The majority were men (187), 99 were women. Limb ischemia, according to Rutherford's classification, was III stage in 69.1 % and 30.9 % was IV stage. According to our findings, the frequency and localization of occlusive lesions using TASC II classification, type A was found in 9.1 % of patients, type B in 49.7 %, type D – in 41.2 % of patients. The length of atherosclerotic occlusions in 57 (20 %) patients was from 15 to 20 cm, in 121 (42.3 %) patients – up to 15 cm, and in 108 cases (37.7 %) more than 20 cm. To eliminate or reduce the symptoms of TCLLI, the following options of endovascular operations were used: vasoballoon dilatation of arteries using the "sliding" technique or the "drilling" technique followed by stenting with a self-expanding stent, subintimal angioplasty, the SAFARI method, retrograde approaches through the distal part of the tibial or posterior arteries of the foot, the transpedal arch technique, the J-loop technique, and the confluent balloon technique.

Results and Discussion. After gathering postoperative results, we can state that clinical success in the first 6 months was achieved in 234 (81.8 %) patients. Among them, a significant improvement in the condition of the limb occurred in 128 (44.9 %) patients, moderate improvement was noted in 100 (35 %) patients, no changes in 35 (12.3 %) cases, and moderate deterioration in 23 (7.8 %) of patients. calculation of the brachial-peroneal index, studying the intensity of the pain syndrome using a digital rating scale.
ВПЛИВ ПОЛІМОРФІЗМІВ ГЕНА FNDC5 НА СХИЛЬНІСТЬ ДО РОЗВИТКУ ОЖИРІННЯ В ЖІНОК ІІ ПЕРІОДУ ЗРІЛОГО ВІКУ
Authors: Панченко Ю. М. , Дроздовська С. Б.
Published: November 2023

Вступ. Як свідчать результати нещодавно проведених досліджень, оздоровчий ефект фізичних вправ при ожирінні реалізується за рахунок дії на адипоцити міокіну іризину. Іризин утворюється шляхом від­щеп­лення від мембранного білка FNDC5. Поліморфізми цього гена можуть зумовлювати чутливість до інсуліну та схильність до розвитку ожиріння, ефективність зменшення маси тіла під впливом фізичних навантажень.
Мета дослідження – визначити характер взаємозв’язку між варіантами гена FNDC5 та схильністю до розвитку ожиріння, ефективністю впливу різних програм оздоровчого фітнесу на зменшення маси тіла, встановити можливість використання поліморфних варіантів гена як маркера ефективності застосування програм оздоровчого фітнесу.
Методи дослідження. У дванадцятитижневій програмі оздоровчого фітнесу з аеробним характером тренувань взяли участь 39 жінок ІІ періоду зрілого віку з І–ІІІ ступенями ожиріння. На початку і після програми вимірювали антропометричні та біохімічні показники крові (інсулін, глюкоза, HOMA, ліпопротеїни високої і низької щільності, холестерин, тригліцериди, іризин, лептин, гормони). Три поліморфізми гена FNDC5 визначали методом сканування мікрочіпів з ДНК букального епітелію.
Результати й обговорення. Однофакторний дисперсійний аналіз результатів дослідження впливу поліморфізмів гена FNDC5 на схильність до розвитку ожиріння виявив вірогідну асоціацію алельних варіантів T/G-поліморфізму гена FNDC5 (rs16835198) (р=0,0015) з індексом маси тіла жінок з ожирінням та дозволив нам стверджувати, що індекс маси тіла жінок з G/G-генотипом вірогідно перевищує аналогічний показник у жінок з Т/Т- і Т/G-генотипами (р=0,0012). Носійство Т/Т-генотипу за Т/G-поліморфізмом гена FNDC5 (rs1683598) сприяє підвищенню рівня інсуліну в крові жінок з ожирінням та індексу HOMA-IR. Асоціації поліморфізмів гена FNDC5 з рівнем іризину в плазмі крові жінок з ожирінням та ефективністю зменшення маси тіла й інсулінової чутливості під впливом тримісячної програми оздоровчого фітнесу в нашій роботі не встановлено.
Висновки. G-алель та G/G-генотип за T/G-поліморфізмом гена FNDC5 (rs16835198) асоційовані з підвищеним індексом маси тіла та сприяють розвитку ожиріння. T/G-поліморфізм гена FNDC5 можна розглядати як молекулярно-генетичний маркер ожиріння. Поліморфізм rs1683598 гена FNDC5 асоційований з інсулінорезистентністю, а T/T-генотип поліморфізму rs1683598 гена FNDC5 сприяє зниженню чутливості до інсуліну, зростанню інсулінорезистентності.
Eukrasia and Enkrateia: Greco-Roman Theories of Blending and the Struggle for Virtue
Authors: Korobili Giouli
Published: November 2023

A number of ancient philosophers showed a keen interest in understanding whether moral development and the acquisition of virtue is in any way affected by the material constitution of human bodies. Moral education and socialisation were conceived of as having a significant impact on the resulting behaviours, while individual natures, thanks to their special physiological characteristics, were frequently seen as constantly interacting with acquired traits, eventually determining individual characters. This paper focuses on two key concepts of this wider subject, krasis (blending) and enkrateia (continence), and attempts to trace their philosophical interrelations throughout Greek and Roman Antiquity, especially from the fifth century BCE to the first century CE. An important result of this analysis reveals that during this period, enkrateia is described – often explicitly – as a manifestation of krasis, signifying as it does a well-balanced blending of certain ‘ingredients’.
Complexion of the Members, Complexion of the Body, in Late-Medieval Scholastic Medicine
Authors: Chandelier Joël
Published: November 2023

According to the medical theory of the Middle Ages, every individual had a general complexion for its whole body, but at the same time each organ had a specific complexion, determined by its anatomy, its function, and, of course, the individual. The problem of the relationship between those two types of complexion was, therefore, crucial for the medical practitioner: could a shift in the complexion of the body have an effect on a single organ? Could a change in the complexion of one member alter the general functioning of the body? And what were the interactions between the separate complexions of the various organs? All these questions, which had only briefly been tackled by Galen in his Tegni, began to be systematically addressed by physicians at the end of the thirteenth century. Some thinkers started to write specific treatises on the subject, often called De resistentiis, dealing with the “resistance” (or “counter-operations”) of particular complexions between them. The present paper deals with the origins of this debate, highlighting the role of Gentile da Foligno (d. 1348), and shows how the discussion evolved in the following century. Thus, the aim is to present an overlooked medical debate on complexion while proposing a reflection on the way in which scientific problems can come into being and how they can evolve.
Between Matter and Form: Complexion (mizāǧ) as a Keystone of Avicenna’s Scientific Project
Authors: Alpina Tommaso
Published: November 2023

According to Avicenna, the perfect (or complete) disposition (istiʿdād kāmil/tāmm) turns prime matter, which is potentially receptive to every form (or power, or quality), into complected matter, which is endowed with uniform quality. The latter, i.e., complexion (mizāǧ) or complexional form (ṣūra mizāǧiyya), is suitable to receive some particular form (or power, or quality) and not another. The question arises as to how matter acquires its specific complexion. Is it the result of celestial influence, or does it emerge from chemical, elemental interactions within matter? This paper tries to answer this question with textual evidence from Avicenna’s natural philosophy and metaphysics. Together with soul/form, complected matter represents the other constituent of organic, living substances. The paper then attempts to determine which science is proper to its investigation. I argue that the investigation of organic matter, that is, the specific complexion characterizing the animal body (or its parts), pertains to zoology. Zoology is crucial to grounding medical practice, which operates on those specific complexions to preserve or restore health.
Complexio and the Transformation of Learned Physiognomy ca. 1200–ca. 1500
Authors: Ziegler Joseph
Published: November 2023

This article surveys the long story of complexio in physiognomic discourse, from Galen’s De complexionibus (De temperamentis) to the great physiognomic manuals of the fifteenth century by Rolandus Scriptoris and Michele Savonarola. We linger, along the way, on various physiognomic texts, most notably the contributions to learned physiognomic discourse of Michael Scotus, William of Aragon, and John Buridan. The emerging story moves from the absence of complexio to omnipresence, with a sudden leap forward in the importance of the idea in the thirteenth century. The agents of this change were natural philosophers as well as physicians – possibly via medical intermediaries (most notably Rhazes), whose texts became available to Latin readers in the twelfth century; they borrowed the term and assimilated it into their texts, which now included the missing causal explanations that linked the physiognomic sign to its meaning. The distinctions between various kinds of complexions, most notably the growing use of the concept of radical complexion (around 1300), played a key role in this development, which provided a more stable foundation for the physiognomic judgement.
Can Mixtures Be Identified by Touch? The Reception of Galen’s De complexionibus in Italian Renaissance Medicine
Authors: von Hoffmann Viktoria
Published: November 2023

This article uses Galen’s De complexionibus and its reception as a thread to examine the part played by the sense of touch in the assessment of bodily mixtures. According to Galen, complexions were assessed by touching patients with the skin of the palm of the hand because it is “at the precise midpoint between all the extremes” and, thus, well-mixed. This article examines how this extraordinary claim about the discriminative power of touch was received from the late Middle Ages up to the early modern period, with a special focus on Renaissance thought. By following Galen’s text and its various forms and appropriations, the aim is to illuminate the fluid understanding of the Galenic notion of ‘complexion’ (complexio) in relation to changing epistemologies of touch in Renaissance medicine, notably by shedding light on the anatomical concept of ‘substance’ (substantia).
Temperament and the Senses: The Taste, Odor and Color of Drugs in Late-Renaissance Galenism
Authors: Moreau Elisabeth
Published: November 2023

According to the medical tradition, the temperament of bodies came from the balance of their primary qualities – hot, cold, dry, and moist. However, physicians associated additional sensory properties with temperament in the field of pharmacology. These sensations included taste, color, and odor, which allow an appraisal of the constitution and active powers of drugs. The present paper examines this theme in late-Renaissance medicine, through the accounts of the French physician Jean Fernel (ca. 1497–1558) and the Italian physician Andrea Cesalpino (1519–1603). As will be shown, their respective interpretations of drug “faculties” offered original views on the relationship between temperament, sensory properties, and matter theories. Such discussions, in turn, revealed the Renaissance reception of Arabic-Latin pharmacology, Galenic medicine, and the Aristotelian physics of matter and form.
The Constitution of Air: Observation and the Limits of Temperament in Italian Renaissance Medical Writing
Authors: Martin Craig
Published: November 2023

The constitution of air served as a key concept for investigations into epidemic disease in sixteenth-century Italy. Its roots stem from the Hippocratic Corpus and Galen’s interpretation of it. In these ancient works, the constitution of air was directly tied to the temperaments of the seasons and winds. Renaissance physicians, such as Giambattista Da Monte and Girolamo Mercuriale, used these texts to justify observing the air to determine if its constitution caused specific outbreaks of disease. At times, these observations called into question whether temperamental differences were sufficient explanations, leading physicians to posit vapors, exhalations, and celestial influences as causes of outbreaks of epidemic disease.
Analysis of the Right to Protest and Freedom of Assembly in Selected African Countries with a Focus on Nigeria
Authors: Aina-Pelemo Adetutu Deborah
Published: November 2023

The derivative rights of citizens to protest and join fellow citizens in peaceful assembly are critical to a functioning democracy. However, the violation of this right by the institutional authority in-charge of its implementation is becoming worrisome. This study seeks to address the violation of fundamental human rights to peaceful assembly vis-à-vis the civil liberty to protest. Notable peaceful protest demonstrations in developed countries, Nigeria and other African countries were examined. Special attention was given to how the protests were conducted and the reaction of governments of these various nations to the demonstrations. The desk-based, doctrinal and qualitative methods which are analytical and expository in nature were adopted as the means of sourcing information. It was found among others, that government agencies are not the only ones guilty of this violation, but government directly and indirectly suppresses this right. To this end, the study recommends among others that beyond modeling after developed democracies, the African countries, specifically the Nigerian government should ensure the implementation of existing legal framework on the subject matter. Furthermore, the police officers should only take an observatory posture during protests and assemblies unless there is apparent reason to act in the interest of the public order.
Enhancing School Appeal: How Experiential Marketing Influences Perceived School Attractiveness in the Urban Context
Authors: Sing Maxwell Ho Chun , Tsz-lok Lee Trevor , Lu Jiafang
Published: November 2023

This study explores the mechanisms that underlie the effect of school marketing strategies on parents’ perceived school attractiveness, particularly emphasizing the mediating role of parents’ perceptions of being welcomed in urban schools. Additionally, we investigated how schools’ marketing strategies work differently among parents with different value orientations toward schooling. Structural Equation Modeling and Cluster Analysis Data were applied to analyze 510 questionnaires collected from parents. Two experiential marketing strategies, namely, one-way disseminating materials and interactive social networking, impacted parents’ perceived attractiveness of schools differently with the feeling of being welcomed mediating the relationship between parents and schools. Additionally, parents’ value orientations toward schooling could be classified into three profiles. The results suggest that schools should consider parents’ needs and preferences concerning their children’s schooling and employ appropriate marketing strategies to engage different types of parents. To facilitate this outcome, individualized interaction is necessary to accommodate the diverse needs of parents. The overall structural equation model validates the mechanism of experiential marketing in influencing parental perceptions, and the cluster analysis underscores the need to explore the complex relationship between parents’ educational priorities and their interpretation of marketing strategies.
English Vowel Discrimination and Perceptual Assimilation by Japanese Listeners
Authors: Shinohara Yasuaki , Han Chao , Hestvik Arild
Published: November 2023

This study examined whether the discrimination accuracy of nonnative vowels could be predicted by how listeners assimilate nonnative phones into their L1. The results demonstrated that Japanese listeners discriminated between English /æ/ and /ʌ/ better than they did between /ɑ/ and /ʌ/, although they categorized all those stimuli as the Japanese /a/. Given that the acoustic distance between stimuli was controlled to be identical, this result was attributed not to the acoustic difference but to the category-goodness difference. The goodness-of-fit to the Japanese /a/ phoneme differed between the English /æ/ and /ʌ/ but not between the English /ɑ/ and /ʌ/, suggesting that it is more difficult to discriminate between vowels when the category-goodness difference between two nonnative stimuli is smaller. In addition, this study examined the relationship between perceptual assimilation and the focalization effect. Focalization affects directional asymmetry in a manner that renders detecting a sound change from a more-focal to a less-focal vowel more difficult than detecting a change in the opposite direction. The results demonstrated that this directional asymmetry is only observed when listeners assimilate two nonnative phones into a single L1 phonemic category, with no category-goodness difference between the two nonnative phones.
Significance of Nasopharyngeal Cavity Area in Individuals with Adenoid Hypertrophy Assessed by Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Wang Yu , She Cuiping , Wu Xiuling , Wang Zhengying , Li Bo , Peng Jiaxin , Liang Yunshi , Liu Delong , Zhang Yue , Wu Yan , Wang Yifan
Published: November 2023

Objective: To determine the significance of the nasopharyngeal cavity area (S) in diagnosing and treating adenoid hypertrophy (AH) in children by measuring it with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of eighty-five 5- to 6-year-old children with AH admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Dalian Central Hospital between January 2022 and April 2023. Of the 85 patients, 48 were male and 37 were female; all had been diagnosed with AH and underwent surgery. Sleeping with open-mouth breathing was frequently accompanied by clinical manifestations such as chronic sinusitis in most patients. Every patient was subjected to a CBCT examination of the nasopharynx and 3D airway reconstruction. The adenoid thickness (A) and nasopharyngeal cavity width (N) were measured in the sagittal plane, while the S was measured in the coronal plane. The factors that had a significant impact on S’s size was analyzed using linear regression. Results: S and age, A, N, height, weight, BMI, allergic rhinitis, deviated nasal septum, and enlarged turbinate hypertrophy did not differ significantly ( P > .05). However, there was a significant linear relationship between A/N and chronic sinusitis ( R2 = 0.948, P < .01). Regression equation: S = −4.115 × A/N × 100-5.037 × 1/0 (with chronic sinusitis/without chronic sinusitis) +418. 097. The calculated S in individuals with A/N = 70% and no chronic sinusitis was 130 mm2. Conclusion: The S can be used as an important imaging index for diagnosing and evaluating the severity of AH in minors. When a child exhibits clinical signs of AH but A/N ≤ 70%, it is difficult to determine whether surgical intervention is necessary. At this time, CBCT is required to measure the nasopharyngeal cavity’s size. When S ≤ 130 mm2, the patient should actively undertake surgical treatment.
Comprehensive Management of a Giant Venous Malformation of the Lip: Vascular Embolization Followed by Surgical Resection and Reconstruction
Authors: Liu Liyan , Wang Yaling , Yang Nan , Chen Chen , Wang Shuangyi , Chen Liqiang , Pang Baoxing , Bu Lingxue , Xu Haoyue
Published: November 2023

Venous malformations often manifest in early childhood and do not spontaneously resolve. Most vein malformations of the lips are typically treated at a young age, with giant arteriovenous malformations being particularly rare. Herein, we introduce the case of a 47-year-old man who presented to our department complaining of a progressive mass on his lower lip. Clinical examination revealed a mass measuring 10 cm × 8 cm × 4 cm in size, characterized by a soft texture and smooth edges. Despite a series of sclerotherapy interventions, the lesion remained unresponsive. Consequently, we performed a preoperative embolization of the malformed vessel using digital angiography, followed by extensive resection of the lesion and repair of the defect using an adjacent flap. The postoperative period was uneventful, and no local recurrence was observed during a 4-year follow-up period. Therefore, we recommend preoperative angioembolization as a valuable approach for addressing large lower lip deformities to enable extensive surgical resection and robust therapeutic outcomes.
Mediating gender in digital China: Post-2020s discourse and representation
Authors: Li Eva Cheuk-Yin
Published: November 2023

This editorial introduces a themed section that focuses on the production of gender discourse and representations in the midst of tightening social and cultural control in China’s entertainment industry and digital media landscape. In various ways, the two articles featured case studies that exemplify how the production of gender discourses and representations in this context emerges from the interplay of state control, the market, and the digital realm and unfolds against the rise of platform capitalism and techno-nationalism. Both articles center on the intricate and sometimes contradictory configurations of gender within China’s state-market nexus.
Nogo-A is secreted in extracellular vesicles, occurs in blood and can influence vascular permeability
Authors: Rust Ruslan , Holm Mea M , Egger Matteo , Weinmann Oliver , van Rossum Daniёlle , Walter Fruzsina R , Santa-Maria Ana Raquel , Grönnert Lisa , Maurer Michael A , Kraler Simon , Akhmedov Alexander , Cideciyan Rose , Lüscher Thomas F , Deli Maria A , Herrmann Inge K , Schwab Martin E
Published: November 2023

Nogo-A is a transmembrane protein with multiple functions in the central nervous system (CNS), including restriction of neurite growth and synaptic plasticity. Thus far, Nogo-A has been predominantly considered a cell contact-dependent ligand signaling via cell surface receptors. Here, we show that Nogo-A can be secreted by cultured cells of neuronal and glial origin in association with extracellular vesicles (EVs). Neuron- and oligodendrocyte-derived Nogo-A containing EVs inhibited fibroblast spreading, and this effect was partially reversed by Nogo-A receptor S1PR2 blockage. EVs purified from HEK cells only inhibited fibroblast spreading upon Nogo-A over-expression. Nogo-A-containing EVs were found in vivo in the blood of healthy mice and rats, as well as in human plasma. Blood Nogo-A concentrations were elevated after acute stroke lesions in mice and rats. Nogo-A active peptides decreased barrier integrity in an in vitro blood-brain barrier model. Stroked mice showed increased dye permeability in peripheral organs when tested 2 weeks after injury. In the Miles assay, an in vivo test to assess leakage of the skin vasculature, a Nogo-A active peptide increased dye permeability. These findings suggest that blood borne, possibly EV-associated Nogo-A could exert long-range regulatory actions on vascular permeability.
Beliefs, attitudes and feelings about work among healthcare workers and teachers during the fifth wave of COVID-19
Authors: López Borja N Santana , Adell Ma Desamparados Bernat , Cabrera Luciano Santana , Padilla Yeray G Santana
Published: November 2023

Objective

To compare the beliefs, attitudes and feelings about work of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and teachers living in the Canary Islands (Spain) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The study had two parts. In Part 1, the Delphi technique was used to adapt a questionnaire. Part 2 was a cross-sectional, comparative study, performed from August 31st to October 25th, 2021 using the questionnaire online distributed to samples of HCPs and teachers. The questionnaire had three dimensions each separated into three sections (i.e., beliefs [coping ability, prevention and organisation]; attitudes [risks, commitments, and obligations]; feelings about work [burnout, support and work satisfaction]).

Results

In total 1423 questionnaires were available for analysis, 640 from teaching staff and 783 from HCPs. Significant differences were found in eight of the nine sections. HCPs had a more positive attitude towards work compared with teachers, but had more negative beliefs and feelings about work. In addition, by comparison with teachers, HCPs were more committed to their work, more predisposed to take risks and fulfill their obligations, even though our sample of teachers felt more supported and satisfied at work.

Conclusions

Our results show that the pandemic caused a greater negative impact on job satisfaction of HCPs compared with teachers because they felt less supported by their superiors, which had a greater impact on their psychological health.
Inflammation risk before cardiac surgery and the treatment effect of intraoperative dexamethasone
Authors: Toner Andrew J , Corcoran Tomas B , Vlaskovsky Philip S , Nierich Arno P , Bain Chris R , Dieleman Jan M
Published: November 2023

Patients who exhibit high systemic inflammation after cardiac surgery may benefit most from pre-emptive anti-inflammatory treatments. In this secondary analysis ( n = 813) of the randomised, double-blind Intraoperative High-Dose Dexamethasone for Cardiac Surgery trial, we set out to develop an inflammation risk prediction model and assess whether patients at higher risk benefit from a single intraoperative dose of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg). Inflammation risk before surgery was quantified from a linear regression model developed in the placebo arm, relating preoperatively available covariates to peak postoperative C-reactive protein. The primary endpoint was the interaction between inflammation risk and the peak postoperative C-reactive protein reduction associated with dexamethasone treatment. The impact of dexamethasone on the main clinical outcome (a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal failure, or respiratory failure within 30 days) was also explored in relation to inflammation risk. Preoperatively available covariates explained a minority of peak postoperative C-reactive protein variation and were not suitable for clinical application (R2 = 0.058, P = 0.012); C-reactive protein before surgery (excluded above 10 mg/L) was the most predictive covariate ( P < 0.001). The anti-inflammatory effect of dexamethasone increased as the inflammation risk increased (–0.689 mg/L per unit predicted peak C-reactive protein, P = 0.002 for interaction). No treatment-effect heterogeneity was detected for the main clinical outcome ( P = 0.167 for interaction). Overall, risk predictions from a model of inflammation after cardiac surgery were associated with the degree of peak postoperative C-reactive protein reduction derived from dexamethasone treatment. Future work should explore the impact of this phenomenon on clinical outcomes in larger surgical populations.
Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Open Science Practices at Imaging Journals: A Meta-Research Study
Authors: Kashif Al-Ghita Mohammed , Cobey Kelly , Moher David , Leeflang Mariska M.G. , Ebrahimzadeh Sanam , Lam Eric , Rooprai Paul , Khalil Ahmed Al , Islam Nabil , Algodi Hamza , Dawit Haben , Adamo Robert , Zeghal Mahdi , McInnes Matthew D.F.
Published: November 2023

Objective: To evaluate open science policies of imaging journals, and compliance to these policies in published articles. Methods: From imaging journals listed we extracted open science policy details: protocol registration, reporting guidelines, funding, ethics and conflicts of interest (COI), data sharing, and open access publishing. The 10 most recently published studies from each journal were assessed to determine adherence to these policies. We calculated the proportion of open science policies into an Open Science Score (OSS) for all journals and articles. We evaluated relationships between OSS and journal/article level variables. Results: 82 journals/820 articles were included. The OSS of journals and articles was 58.3% and 31.8%, respectively. Of the journals, 65.9% had registration and 78.1% had reporting guideline policies. 79.3% of journals were members of COPE, 81.7% had plagiarism policies, 100% required disclosure of funding, and 97.6% required disclosure of COI and ethics approval. 81.7% had data sharing policies and 15.9% were fully open access. 7.8% of articles had a registered protocol, 8.4% followed a reporting guideline, 77.4% disclosed funding, 88.7% disclosed COI, and 85.6% reported ethics approval. 12.3% of articles shared their data. 51% of articles were available through open access or as a preprint. OSS was higher for journal with DOAJ membership (80% vs 54.2%; P < .0001). Impact factor was not correlated with journal OSS. Knowledge synthesis articles has a higher OSS scores (44.5%) than prospective/retrospective studies (32.6%, 30.0%, P < .0001). Conclusion: Imaging journals endorsed just over half of open science practices considered; however, the application of these practices at the article level was lower.
Between (Conceptual) Crisis and Critique: Reclaiming the Critical Epistemic Value of Publicness
Authors: Splichal Slavko
Published: November 2023

Different understandings of what it means to be critical in the social sciences, especially in terms of the distinction between instrumental and reflexive knowledge, can be illustrated by the ongoing conceptual disputes about the critical epistemic value of public opinion and the public sphere as the main instantiations of publicness. The concept of the public sphere has gained prominence in media and communication theory, filling a void created by the decline of critical public opinion discourse, which was overshadowed by promotional publicity and opinion polls. Initially rooted in the German concept of Öffentlichkeit, this idea was revived in the English term ‘public sphere’. Its adoption transcended disciplinary boundaries, sparking fresh critical perspectives in the study of publicness. Yet, this widespread adoption also brought about a certain dilution of the concept’s epistemic depth. The digital age, characterized by the ascendancy of the Internet and the blurring of public–private boundaries, has greatly reshaped our comprehension of the public sphere, and expanded the scope of the concept. Today, however, the public sphere concept faces a fate reminiscent of administrative public opinion discourse following the proliferation of opinion polls. At a time when society is faced with issues related to the control of digital platforms by oligarchs, reevaluation and revitalization of the concepts of the public sphere and publicness become essential for comprehending the dynamics of modern communication.
Thermal convective transport energy and environmental applications for magnetised flow with parallel (non-parallel) walls movement simulation of staggered cavity
Authors: Kousar Nabeela , Bilal S. , Fatima Nosheen , Jamshed Wasim , Eid Mohamed R.
Published: November 2023

The liquid suspension's staggered domains affect everyday life engineering. In this way, both parallel/anti-parallel movement of walls of staggered domains complicates formulation, making it difficult for researchers to detect liquid suspension flow field features. The current article is a key effort in this regard. The staggered cavity is equipped with liquid suspension. In a vertical path, a magnetic field is affected externally. To be more precise, we considered three cases for moving the top and bottom walls. In Case-I, just the top wall moves, while the other walls stay still. Case-II has parallel top and bottom walls. Case-III: anti-parallel wall movement. The left wall is chilly, the top wall is adiabatic, and the right side and bottom walls are heated consistently. The continuity, momentum, energy, and boundary constraints equations determine the physical configuration. Finite element analysis discretizes the governing equations. Every contour graphic show velocity, pressure, and temperature with an external magnetic field. Line graphs help describe velocity components. At a finer refinement level, all instances record kinetic energy versus magnetic field parameter and Reynolds number in tabular and bar graphs. Fluid flow length and velocity always decrease with magnetic field parameter. Kinetic energy is reduced with magnetic field intensity.
Vocal for Local: A Saudi Arabian Consumers’ Perspective Towards Saudi-made Products and Foreign Products
Authors: Almatrudi Mohammed Abdulrahman , Alhassan Ibrahim , Singh Prakash
Published: November 2023

Businesses and policymakers must recognize the significance of understanding how consumers evaluate and choose between locally produced products and foreign products in the era of globalization and increased trade. This is especially critical in Saudi Arabia, with a growing interest in promoting local industries and businesses. The study aims to bridge the gap in the literature by exploring Saudi consumers’ attitudes towards Saudi-made products and foreign products and identifying the factors influencing their decision-making processes when choosing between them. The study employs a quantitative approach, collecting data from 319 respondents in Saudi Arabia and analysing it using SPSS software. The study’s findings are of utmost importance, as they have the potential to inform businesses and policymakers on developing effective strategies that cater to Saudi consumers’ attitudes and preferences towards locally produced and foreign products. By understanding the factors that drive Saudi consumers’ purchasing decisions, businesses and policymakers can promote locally produced goods’ consumption and support local industries’ growth. The study’s findings can also contribute to the existing literature on consumer behaviour in Saudi Arabia and enhance our understanding of how culture and national identity shape consumption patterns. Moreover, businesses can leverage the study’s findings to understand diverse consumer behaviours and develop tailored marketing strategies that appeal to Saudi consumers’ values and preferences, particularly concerning their nationalistic culture and attitudes towards Saudi-made products. By aligning their marketing strategies with Saudi consumers’ attitudes and preferences, businesses can gain a competitive edge and increase their market share.
Loss of Histone H3K27 Trimethylation (H3K27me3) Expression as a Potential Diagnostic Pitfall in Sarcomatoid Carcinoma
Authors: Zilla Megan L. , John Ivy , Naous Rana
Published: November 2023

Loss of histone H3K27 Trimethylation (H3K27me3) immunohistochemical expression is commonly used as an ancillary test and a surrogate marker for the diagnosis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). A potential histological mimic of MPNST is sarcomatoid carcinoma. Prompted by an index specimen of sarcomatoid carcinoma with H3K27me3 loss and the lack of literature on such phenomenon, we sought to determine the frequency of H3K27me3 loss of expression in a cohort of sarcomatoid carcinomas. Fifty specimens of primary and metastatic sarcomatoid carcinomas with spindle cell morphology mimicking MPNST were prospectively and retrospectively retrieved from our institutional archives and stained with an antibody to H3K27me3. H3K27me3 staining was lost in 4 of the 50 specimens (8%). These specimens included a primary sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder resection, two local recurrences (sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and oral cavity) as well as a metastatic sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. Next-generation sequencing performed on all four specimens demonstrated gene mutations and copy number alterations with TP53, FANC ( FANCD2 and FANCI), and TERT being the most common gene mutations and CDKN2A/B copy number loss and 11q region amplification being the most common copy number gene alterations. Mutations involving NF1, SUZ12, or EED were absent in all tested specimens. In conclusion, H3K27me3 expression may be lost in as many as 8% of sarcomatoid carcinomas which can pose as a potential diagnostic pitfall, especially in challenging sarcomatoid carcinoma specimens with absent keratin staining.
Roosevelt High School Principals: Personal Reflections
Authors: Davis Rosemary A. , Jones Byron E. , Morgan Randall C. , Watson Bernard C.
Published: November 2023

Graduates of Roosevelt High School remember their experiences, specifically the principals. Bernard Watson introduces the other authors’ personal reflections by describing the environment, his relationships with the principals and his fellow students, and the long-term effects of the school on its graduates. Following this introduction, Randall C. Morgan remembers his grandfather, H. Theo Tatum, who everyone knew and respected and who crafted a sense of excellence in the students. The other two principals—Warren Anderson and Robert Eugene Jones—are remembered by their children. Rosemary Davis remembers her father, Anderson, as being energized by teaching, learning, and interacting with teachers and students. He believed in producing well-rounded students, those with both physical as well as intellectual skills. Byron Jones remembers his father, Robert Jones, as also having a passion for teaching and leading. He honored students’ achievements and increased the number who graduated with honors. These personal memories support the importance of leadership within an elite African-American school’s culture.