bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Civic Culture and Social Activity of the North Caucasus Federal District Students: Based on the Materials of a Sociological Study
Authors:   V.I. Abaev North Ossetian Institute of Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC RAS, Kanukova Zalina V. , Gadieva Aneta N. ,   V.I. Abaev North Ossetian Institute of Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC RAS, Sinanov Boris A. ,   V.I. Abaev North Ossetian Institute of Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC RAS, Fedosova Elena V. ,   V.I. Abaev North Ossetian Institute of Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC RAS
Published: December 2023

The article deals with the issues of the formation of civic culture among university students of the North Cauca-sus Federal District. The analysis of civic culture in the student environment of the NCFD is based on empirical data obtained in the course of a sociological study conducted by the authors. The work highlights the main problems and factors affecting the formation of civic culture among students of NCFD universities. It is estab-lished that the process of formation of civil competencies of the university youth of the NCFD is nonlinear, re-flecting the fragmentarity of the public consciousness of the student youth. The empirical data presented in the article indicate that the civic attitudes of the youth of the North Caucasus Federal District are rather vague. In the future, the process of forming civil and political attitudes is equally likely to go in different directions.
Fatherhood as a Type of Labor Activity: View from the Perspective of Sociology of Labor
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University, Malinina Tatiana B. , Tarando Elena E. ,   Saint Petersburg State University, Lipatova Ludmila N. ,   North-West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy  and Public Administration, Simtikov Zhomart K. ,   Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University
Published: December 2023

The article substantiates that the realization of fatherhood function falls under the definition of labor activity and is one of its types. The economic theory of the family is considered from the perspective of the implementation of parenthood, and the limitations of this theory in relation to the study of parental and paternal functions are identified. The application of F. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of labor motivation to the motivational component of the father’s function is carried out, and the potential for applying this theory to the motivational component of fatherhood is revealed. The implementation of the paternal function in a post-divorce situation is analyzed, when society wants to see divorced fathers involved, and in practice, not only divorced fathers abandoning their children, but also the problem of non-payment of alimony is widespread. Barriers to the implementation of the function of involved fatherhood in a post-divorce situation complicated by non-payment of alimony are identi-fied.
The Meanings of Patriotism in the Views of Indigenous Peoples of Yakutia and Chukotka
Authors:   Institute for Humanitarian Research and North Indigenous Peoples Problems of the Siberian Branch  of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vasilyeva Olga V.
Published: December 2023

This article is the result of a pilot study of the Institute for Humanitarian Research and North Indigenous Peoples Problems of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the problems of analyzing the rela-tionship between the manifestation of ethnic phenomenon and Russian patriotism. Currently, scientific tasks related to the study of the problems of strengthening the unity of the multinational people of Russia, the correla-tion between citizenship and ethnicity in people’s consciousness, the level of interethnic harmony in the context of ethnic and linguistic diversity, and the study of the links between these aspects and the spread of patriotism in the country are particularly relevant. The use of qualitative research methods, namely in-depth semi-structured interviews, allowed us to collect a range of opinions of the population and to clarify what factors in-fluence patriotism as an emotionally experienced sense of community and a moral principle that regulates the behavior of people in the representatives of small indigenous peoples of the North.
Typology of Centers of Interregional Educational Mobility in the Higher Education System of the Russian Federation
Authors:   Kazan National Research Technological University, Garafiev Ilshat Z.
Published: December 2023

The article examines the typology of regions of the Russian Federation based on the level of interregional edu-cational mobility in the higher education system; the information base for the study was static reporting data in the form “Higher Professional Education-1” for 2021–2022. It is proposed to define the level of interregional mobility as the ratio of students who received secondary education in another region to students who received secondary education in their region and another region. To identify the typology of regions, a clustering method was used – the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), three clustering models were built based on the number of students admitted to the 1st year, the level of interregional mobility of students in budgetary and non-budgetary forms of education. Three all-Russian and one subregional centers of student interregional mobility have been identified: 1) centripetal – Moscow and the regions of the Central Federal District; 2) northwestern or the region of the “second capital” – St. Petersburg and geographically close regions; 3) southern – Krasnodar region and its “satellite” Republic of Adygea; 4) Siberian – Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions.
Siirt, Batman ve Gaziantep İllerinde Fıstık İşleme Tesislerinin Sürdürülebilirliği
Authors: DOĞAN ÖZ Belma , SANER Gamze
Published: December 2023

Amaç: Bu çalışmada Siirt, Gaziantep ve Batman illerinde bulunan 30 fıstık işleme tesisinin 2021 yılına ilişkin verileri anket yoluyla elde edilmiş olup, tesislerin yapısal özellikleri, makine ve ekipman dağılımları, başlıca sorunları ve sürdürülebilirlik düzeyinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır.
Tasarım / metodoloji / yaklaşım: Tesislerinin ekonomik, sosyal, çevresel ve genel sürdürülebilirlik düzeyini belirlemek amacıyla kompozit sürdürülebilirlik endeksi hesaplanmıştır. Endeks değerlerinin belirlenmesinde Faktör Analizi kullanılmıştır. Faktör analizi yardımıyla fıstık işleme tesislerinin sürdürülebilirliğini kapsayan 13 temel sürdürülebilirlik göstergesi seçilmiştir.
Bulgular: Fıstık işleyen tesislerin ekonomik sürdürülebilirlik endeksi, 0,36, sosyal sürdürülebilirlik endeksi 0,75, çevresel sürdürülebilirlik endeksi 0,30 ve genel sürdürülebilirlik endeksi 0,45 olarak belirlenmiştir. Fıstık işleme tesislerinin su kullanımını azaltıcı yönde faaliyetlere yer vermesi, işleme prosesi sonucu ortaya çıkan atıkları çevre dostu kompost, biyokömür, biyogaz gibi biyomalzemelerin üretiminde kullanması ve toprak kalitesini iyileştirmede değerlendirmesi hem ekonomik hem de çevresel sürdürülebilirliğe katkı sağlayacaktır. Tesisler yıllık ciro miktarını artırmak için, entegre tesis olarak faaliyet göstermeli, teknoloji kullanımını ve yurt dışı pazarlama olanaklarını artırmalıdır.
Özgünlük / değer: Çalışmanın fıstık işleme tesislerinin sürdürülebilirliğinin önündeki engellerin belirlenmesinde ve sürdürülebilir bir fıstık işleme tesisi modeli için gerekli strateji ve politikaların geliştirilmesi açısından literatüre ve sektöre katkıda bulunacağı düşünülmektedir.
The Philosophical and Legal Aspect of the Unified Information and Digital Area in the Eurasian Economic Union: The Fifth Freedom of the Single Market
Authors: MIKHALIOVA Tatsiana
Published: December 2023

The article deals with the philosophical and legal foundations of the formation of single information and digital area as one of the contemporary objectives in the Eurasian Economic Union. It is pointed out, that the concept of information society spreads over the integration processes and makes to go beyond traditional approaches to the common market and its four freedoms of movement of goods, services, capital, labor. Freedom of information is the fifth freedom of the common market, and digital agenda is included currently in strategies of many integration associations. However, economic issues are not the only that should be referred to, while implementing the latter. The following elements should shape any information and digital strategy of an integration such as security and data protection, trade and competitiveness, management transparency and accessibility, dispute resolution. To regulate the processes of implementing the digital agenda in the EAEU by 2025, member states have chosen the method of coordination. It is justified to harmonize national policies for the digitalization of the economy and governance, while it is necessary to ensure the digital sovereignty of EAEU states as well as to create a market for their own digital solutions in the region.
The Philosophical and Legal Rationale for a Systematic Analysis of Digital Dispute Resolution Models in Modern Arbitration
Authors: ERMAKOVA Elena
Published: December 2023

In the article, the author presents a systematic analysis of models of digital dispute resolution in modern arbitration. The author studied the dispute resolution models on the platforms “Kleros”, “Aragon”, “CodeLegit”, as well as the Draft arbitration rules for smart contracts “JAMS-2018” and the English “DDRR-2021”. The author identifies the following types of models of arbitration dispute resolution: 1) traditional arbitration; 2) traditional arbitration with blockchain elements (a model based on the CodeLegit platform), 3) digital arbitration (“DDRR-2021”). The most important feature and difference of the English “Digital DR Regulation” 2021 is the fact that the entire process from the beginning (occurrence of the case) to the end (execution of the decision) is resolved automatically without the intervention of human arbitrators with the help of an artificial intelligence agent. This is the procedure for resolving a dispute in the field of smart contracts that should be called digital arbitration. The so-called “decentralized arbitration” on the platforms “Kleros”, “Aragon”, “OpenLaw”, “Mattereum Protocol”, “Rhubarb Fund”, “Jury.Online”, “Jur”, “OATH Protocol”, “Juris” and other models of this type does not allow these models to be considered arbitration. The author believes that these models should be conditionally called crowdsourcing quasi-arbitration.
The Philosophical Interpretation of Risk Assessment in Municipal Project Management
Authors: TSHUGHURYAN Armen , BARATI Reza
Published: December 2023

Project management emphasizes the process of risk assessments, because any project is attended not only by the risks of failure due to lack of funding, but also by the design of the required quality and quantity of final results. Consequently, there is a need to show a new philosophical approach to the identification, evaluation and decision-making of the risks in programs, implemented in municipal structures, because the range of beneficiaries related to this field is not only wide, but also more multi-layered (government, municipal authorities, investors, middle-level and top managers, population, etc.).
The article proposes a model of risk management of projects, implemented in municipal facilities, which enables not only to form a management information feedback between all beneficiaries, but also to include them in participatory risk prevention processes. A ranking process of risk factors related to the management of municipal projects is also proposed, which increases the effectiveness of managerial decisions, aimed at risk prevention and the justification of philosophical interpretations related to it.
The Potential of Diaspora System-Building Investments in Homeland
Authors: TANAJYAN Lusine , ANDRIKYAN Arman , NERSISYAN Sona , KARAPETYAN Ruben
Published: December 2023

The problem of Diaspora investments is of great importance in research and policy development circles, but this demand does not strengthen by comprehensive research on the problems that have arisen. In these spheres, we need to emphasize attention to the problems of targeted investments in the home state and its system-building potential.
This paper discusses the opportunities and limitations that form the framework for investments from the Diaspora to Armenia. The work aims to understand whether the investments from Diaspora could have system-building potential and how it impacts the homeland. In this connection, such questions are asked as to what motivates these investments to be made, within the framework of what policy, where, and how are the investments incorporated and what future effects they have.
Three Philosophical Pillars of the 2022 Armenian Constitutional Revision: Empowerment of Public Discourse, Theory of Justice, and Environmental Ethics
Authors: HAKOBYAN Davit
Published: December 2023

The first chapter of this article presents the consequences of the 2015 constitutional change and the specifics of their implementation before and after the 2018 Velvet Revolution. The second chapter makes substantive considerations on the constitutional reforms launched in 2022 through the prism of the rule of law and the improvement of public discourse. It addresses the procedural democracy developed by modern political philosophy and focuses on legal mechanisms in an attempt to improve the political discourse promoted by Jurgen Habermas. It also discusses the theory of Justice developed by John Rawls and provides reflections on Environmental Ethics stemming from the philosophy of responsibility of Hans Jonas.
The Political Impact of Digitalization on the Judicial Method of Protection of Rights in the EAEU Countries
Authors: RUSAKOVA Ekaterina
Published: December 2023

The article is devoted to the study of the process of digital transformation of the judicial method of protecting rights and legitimate interests in the EAEU countries. The judicial form of protection of rights has undergone fundamental changes as one of the main forms of protection of the rights and legitimate interests of citizens and business entities through the creation of digital platforms, electronic courts and the integration of information and telecommunication technologies into the process of consideration and resolution of disputes. For effective legal regulation of public relations arising under the influence of digital technologies in the course of judicial proceedings, it is necessary to theoretically develop the concept of a new type – “electronic” civil proceedings and improve the current legislation. In world practice, there are already a number of countries and integration associations that have successfully integrated digital and electronic legal proceedings, so some EAEU countries have taken the path of borrowing their positive experience.
Complex Regional Unification of Private International Law Rules on the Base of a Three-Part Structure: Political and Legal Framework
Authors: BERMAN Alisa , ERSHOV Nikita
Published: December 2023

This article examines the theoretical and legal framework of a complex regional unification of private international law rules on the basis of a three-part structure. The authors analyzed reasons for spread of trends to regional unification of private international law. Special attention in the article is given to the definition of the content and essence of a complex regional unification. The authors define acts of complex unification as acts structured according to the principle of a consistent response to the questions of applicable law, jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of foreign decisions in the regulated area. The article identifies the key advantages and disadvantages of a complex unification of private international law based on a three-part structure. The authors conclude that, to date, the adoption of acts of complex unification based on the three-part structure is one of the key trends in the unification of private international law.
KAFA’AH DALAM SURAT AN-NUR : 26 (TAFSĪR IBN KAṠIR DAN TAFSĪR AL-MIṢBAḤ)
Authors: Novian Muriani R Karina , Jamarudin Ade , Octavia Indana Della , Qibtiyah Mariyatul , Muh. Adistira
Published: December 2023

Al-Quran telah menjelaskan secara global supaya manusia dapat hidup dengan ketentuan dan aturan yang ada, yang masa berlakunya tidak akan habis hingga akhir zaman. Begitupun terhadap ketentuan dalam perkawinan, Islam juga telah mengaturnya secara global dalam al-Quran. Konsep perkawinan pada zaman kontemporer menuntut untuk adanya konsep kesetaraan baik antara suami ataupun istri, sehingga kesetaraan ini dapat menjadi salah satu pertimbangan seseorang untuk memilih calon pasangannya, apakah pasangannya telah sesuai dengan kriterianya, apakah telah seimbang, setara, atau sederajat dengan dirinya. Konsep seperti ini dalam hukum Islam disebut dengan kafa’ah atau biasa disebut dengan kufu’. Kafa’ah dalam al-Quran dijelaskan dalam surat an-Nur ayat 26. Metode dalam penelitian ini menggunakan jenis analisis data deskriptif kualitatif, dengan menggunakan jenis penelitian library research yang menghimpun data dari buku-buku literatur ataupun jurnal artikel.
Involvement and Design of Strengthening Policy Actors in Tsunami Disaster Risk Governance in Padang City
Authors: Alhadi Zikri , Riandini Ory , Maani Karjuni Dt.
Published: December 2023

This paper is based on research that describes the involvement and design of strengthening policy actors in tsunami risk governance in Padang City. This paper also describes the policy design for strengthening disaster risk governance based on these actors' participation in research findings. The approach used in this research is a qualitative method with data collection through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and data studies. Data processing and analysis were performed using matrix coding and model design on the NVivo 12 Plus. The research findings illustrate that the involvement of local government actors is at the highest level in disaster risk governance policies in Padang City. Furthermore, non-governmental organisations, communities, vertical governments, digital communities, and business sector actors have successive roles in disaster risk policies. Recommendations for the involvement of local communities can be made by increasing capacity and engaging in disaster risk governance actions. On the other hand, the recommendation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs') participation should be maintained and facilitated by designing regulations that reduce the risk of a tsunami disaster. Local governments are involved in strengthening budgeting, coordination, and partnerships as the leading sector in disaster governance.
Synthesis, antiproliferative and antiplasmodial evaluation of new chloroquine and mefloquine-based harmiquins
Authors: Pavić Kristina , Poje Goran , Carvalho Lais Pessanha De , Held Jana , Rajić Zrinka
Published: December 2023

Here we present the synthesis and evaluation of the biological activity of new hybrid compounds, ureido-type (UT) harmiquins, based on chloroquine (CQ) or mefloquine (MQ) scaffolds and β-carboline alkaloid harmine against cancer cell lines and Plasmodium falciparum. The hybrids were prepared from the corresponding amines by 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI)-mediated synthesis. In vitro evaluation of the biological activity of the title compounds revealed two hit compounds. Testing of the antiproliferative activity of the new UT harmiquins, and previously prepared triazole-(TT) and amide-type (AT) CQ-based harmiquins, against a panel of human cell lines, revealed TT harmiquine 16 as the most promising compound, as it showed pronounced and selective activity against the tumor cell line HepG2 (IC
50 = 5.48 ± 3.35 μmol L−1). Screening of the antiplasmodial activities of UT harmiquins against erythrocytic stages of the Plasmodium life cycle identified CQ-based UT harmiquine 12 as a novel antiplasmodial hit because it displayed low IC
50 values in the submicromolar range against CQ-sensitive and resistant strains (IC
50 0.06 ± 0.01, and 0.19 ± 0.02 μmol L−1, respectively), and exhibited high selectivity against Plasmodium, compared to mammalian cells (SI = 92).
Mendeleev’s discovery of the periodic table and the first European Academy of Sciences to honour him
Authors: Flegar Vanja Horvat , Inić Suzana
Published: December 2023

The chemical science community will commemorate the 155th anniversary of Mendeleev’s groundbreaking discovery of the periodic table of elements in 2024. This paper aims to underscore the significance of Mendeleev’s honorary membership in the Academy of Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia, which occurred in 1882, making it the first scientific academy in Europe to extend this recognition. Additionally, we seek to explore the contextual circumstances that contributed to this noteworthy event within the broader European context. To provide insight into the specificities and variations in the influence and reception of the periodic table of elements within the educational process of select European countries (Russia, Germany, Czech Lands, Serbia), we conducted a comprehensive review, drawing comparisons to Croatia. Notably, upon its initial publication in 1869, the discovery of the periodic table did not gain immediate acceptance in Croatia, largely attributed to the absence of a well-established presence of chemical science within the country. About fifteen years passed from Mendeleev’s discovery of the periodic law to its reception and dissemination throughout Croatia. Despite an initial delay, Croatian chemical science followed the development of the periodic table through secondary and university education, while actively partaking it in.
Azithromycin-loaded liposomal hydrogel: a step forward for enhanced treatment of MRSA-related skin infections
Authors: Rukavina Zora , Jøraholmen May Wenche , Božić Dunja , Frankol Ivana , Gašparović Petra Golja , Škalko-Basnet Nataša , Klarić Maja Šegvić , Vanić Željka
Published: December 2023

Azithromycin (AZT) encapsulated into various types of liposomes (AZT-liposomes) displayed pronounced in vitro activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (1). The present study represents a follow-up to this previous work, attempting to further explore the anti-MRSA potential of AZT-liposomes when incorporated into chitosan hydrogel (CHG). Incorporation of AZT-liposomes into CHG (liposomal CHGs) was intended to ensure proper viscosity and texture properties of the formulation, modification of antibiotic release, and enhanced antibacterial activity, aiming to upgrade the therapeutical potential of AZT-liposomes in localized treatment of MRSA-related skin infections. Four different liposomal CHGs were evaluated and compared on the grounds of antibacterial activity against MRSA, AZT release profiles, cytotoxicity, as well as texture, and rheological properties. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the potential of liposomal CHGs for the topical localized treatment of MRSA-related skin infections. CHG ensured proper viscoelastic and texture properties to achieve prolonged retention and prolonged release of AZT at the application site, which resulted in a boosted anti-MRSA effect of the entrapped AZT-liposomes. With respect to anti-MRSA activity and biocompatibility, formulation CATL-CHG (cationic liposomes in CHG) is considered to be the most promising formulation for the treatment of MRSA-related skin infections.
Beliefs about medicines’ association with endocrine therapy adherence in early breast cancer survivors in Croatia
Authors: Okroša Ana Dugonjić , Silovski Tajana , Plavetić Natalija Dedić , Silovski Hrvoje , Kovačić Ana , Mucalo Iva
Published: December 2023

This observational, cross-sectional study conducted at the University Hospital Centre Zagreb (UHC Zagreb) aimed to explore patients’ beliefs about adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) as well as their association with non-adherence and sociodemographic and clinical factors. Out of 420 early breast cancer (BC) patients included in the study, 79.5 % perceived AET necessary and important for their health, as measured by the Belief About Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ), with the mean necessity score (20.4 ± 3.68) significantly higher than the mean concerns score (13 ± 4.81) (p < 0.001). Based on the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5), 44.4 % (n = 182) of the participants were non-adherers, out of which 63.2 % (n = 115) were unintentional and 36.8 % (n = 67) intentional non-adherers. Significantly higher concern beliefs were found among patients that were younger (p < 0.001), employed (p < 0.001), intentionally non-adherent to AET (p = 0.006), had a lower body-mass index (p = 0.005) and a higher level of education (p < 0.001), were premenopausal at the time of diagnosis (p < 0.001), taking tamoxifen treatment (p = 0.05) and receiving ovarian suppression (p < 0.001). Younger patients should be recognized as being at risk of non-adherence as they hold greater concern beliefs about medicines.
Prescribers’ approval rate of pharmacist-initiated interventions to optimise patients’ clinical status of hypertension in the ambulatory care setting
Authors: Brajković Andrea , Bićanić Lucija Ana , Orehovački Helena , Prkačin Ingrid , Oliveira Djenane Ramalho De , Mucalo Iva
Published: December 2023

This perspective, pre- and post-intervention study with a one-year follow-up primarily aimed to ascertain prescribers’ approval rate of pharmacists’ interventions and clinical status of hypertension following comprehensive medication management (CMM) intervention in the ambulatory care clinic. Between January 2018 and January 2022 overall 100 patients with hypertension and other comorbidities were referred to the CMM services at the Health Centre Zagreb – Centar (HCZC). Out of 275 interventions directed to prescribers, 73.1 % of interventions were approved, 12.4 % were rejected and 14.5 % were not reviewed. The percentage of patients with a blood pressure goal increased from 45 % at the initial consultation to 82.5 % at the patients’ latest encounter (p < 0.001). The average number of drug therapy problems (DTPs) per patient totaled 3.53 ± 1.80, where 98 % of patients had one or more DTPs, 48 % had 4 or more DTPs, whereas 26 % had 5 or more DTPs. Sub-therapeutic dosage (32.6 %) and the need for additional drug therapy (30.9 %) were the two most commonly identified DTPs. These results reinforce the need to integrate pharmacy-led services in the primary care setting with the aim of improving patients’ health outcomes.
Recent findings and advancements in the detection of designer benzodiazepines: a brief review
Authors: Wu Dihua , Fu Li
Published: December 2023

This review article takes a closer look at a new class of psychoactive substances called designer benzodiazepines (DBZs) and the challenges of their detection. These are adinazolam, clonazolam, deschloroetizolam, diclazepam, etizolam, flualprazolam, flubromazepam, flubromazolam, phenazepam, and pyrazolam. They are central nervous system depressants and sedatives that can cause psychomotor impairment and increase the overdose risk when combined with other sedatives. DBZs undergo phase I and II metabolism similar to traditional benzodiazepines, but their specific metabolic pathways and the influence of genetic polymorphisms are yet to be clarified. Advances in liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) have enhanced the method's sensitivity for DBZs and their metabolites in biological samples and coupled with improved blood sampling methods require less blood for drug monitoring. Further research should focus on elucidating their pharmacokinetic properties and metabolism in humans, especially in view of genetic polymorphisms and drug interactions that could inform clinical treatment choices. Even though we have witnessed important advances in DBZ detection and measurement, further refinements are needed to expand the scope of detectable DBZs and their metabolites. All this should help toxicological research to better identify and characterise the risks of chronic and polydrug abuse and facilitate clinical, forensic, and regulatory responses to this growing issue.
Mortality, cancer incidence, and disability among professional drivers in Slovenia
Authors: Margan Andrea , Fikfak Metoda Dodič
Published: December 2023

Literature data about all-cause and cause-specific mortality among professional drivers are inconsistent. Most studies report lower all-cause and higher cause-specific mortality. Higher cause-specific mortality is most often the result of malignant and circulatory diseases. The aim of our retrospective cohort study was to get a better insight into the mortality, cancer incidence, and occupational disability of the entire professional driver population in Slovenia (N=8,231) from 1997 to 2016 through standardised mortality ratio (SMR), standardised proportional mortality ratio (SPMR), standardised cancer incidence ratio (SIR), and standardised disability ratio (SDR). Total mortality was significantly lower than that of the general working population (SMR=0.49; 95 % CI=0.44–0.55). When SPMR was calculated, however, the risk of all-cause mortality increased to 1 (SPMR=1.00; 95 % CI=0.89–1.12), of cancer-related mortality to 1.13 (95 % CI=0.94–1.35), and of injury-related mortality to 1.25 (95 % CI=0.97–1.59). Cancer incidence was lower than in the general male working population for all types of cancer (SIR=0.66; 95 % CI=0.59–0.72), lung cancer included (SIR=0.56; 95 % CI=0.41–0.73). Occupational all-cause and cause-specific disability were also lower than in the rest of the working population. Even though all types of cancer and injuries were established among professional drivers in Slovenia, no major risk stand out. However, our findings may have been skewed by the healthy worker effect.
Accidental ingestion of concentrated white vinegar in Hatay children in Turkey
Authors: Atıcı Ahmet , Miçooğulları Lina , Uğur Bahar , Çelikkaya Mehmet Emin , Akçora Bülent
Published: December 2023

White vinegar which contains high concentrations (~85 %) of acetic acid is a staple ingredient used in food preparation in many Mediterranean cuisines but in small amounts. Being corrosive, it can cause ulcerative injury to the oropharynx and oesophagus and upset the stomach with resulting nausea and vomiting. This study presents 11 cases of paediatric patients (five boys and six girls, aged between 11 and 89 months) with oesophageal strictures who drank white vinegar by accident. They all received endoscopic oesophageal dilation (with a bougie) ranging from one to 28 per patient, depending on the severity of the injury. Follow-up showed uneventful healing in eight patients, who at the time of the telephone call were able to swallow solids and liquids normally. Two patients who could not be reached by telephone were found healthy by consulting the national database (e-Nabız). Unfortunately, one patient, who was discharged without any symptoms after the first dilation, suffered massive gastrointestinal bleeding 24 hours after the dilation and died. The loss of this patient shows that ingesting white vinegar can be very dangerous in children, especially if parents delay seeking medical help. We believe that controlling the production and sales of highly concentrated white vinegar and selling it in child-proof containers can help to prevent accidental ingestions by children and tragic outcomes such as the one reported here.
Uniqueness of Dirichlet series in the light of shared set and values
Authors: Banerjee Abhijit , Kundu Arpita
Published: December 2023

In this article, we have studied the uniqueness problem of Dirichlet series, which is convergent in a right half-plane and having analytic continuation in the complex plane as a meromorphic function sharing some sets and values. Our first result partially improve a result of [Ann. Univ. Sci. Budapest., Sect. Comput., 48(2018), 117-128] by relaxing the sharing conditions. Most importantly, we have pointed out a number of big gaps in a recent paper [J. Contemp. Math. Anal., 56(2021), 80-86], which makes the existence of the paper under question. Finally, under a different approach, we have provided the corrected form of the result of [J. Contemp. Math. Anal., 56(2021), 80-86] as much as practicable.
On relation-theoretic F−contractions and applications in F−metric spaces
Authors: Tomar Anita , Joshi Meena , Padaliya S. K.
Published: December 2023

The aim is to introduce some relation theoretic variants of F−contraction in an F−metric space endowed with a binary relation R and to prove results for its fixed point. In the sequel, several classes of contractions are sharpened, generalized, and improved. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the theoretical conclusions. As applications of the main results, we solve a Dirichlet-Neumann initial value problem and two Dirichlet boundary value problems.
Elementary Number Theory Problems. Part IX
Authors: Korniłowicz Artur
Published: December 2023

This paper continues the formalization of chosen problems defined in the book “250 Problems in Elementary Number Theory” by Wacław Sierpiński.
Mineral Pumice Efficiency in Wastewater Treatment in Dairy Industries
Authors: Vanani Hamid Raeisi , Ostad-Ali-Askari Kaveh
Published: December 2023

In this study, the effectiveness of mineral pumice application in sewage treatment in the dairy industries was investigated, with various factors such as adsorbent dose, mixing speed, pH and contact time being studied in detail. The results obtained showed that mineral pumice in a granular form, with a contact time of 20 hours and a volume fraction of one third and pH of 8 has the ability to COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) decreasing up to 56.9%. However, by using mineral pumice in powder form, in three cases considered, higher efficiency than for pumice granules has been observed. It seems that acidity conditions do not have a positive effect on this efficiency. As the contact time increased, the adsorption rate increased, mostly due to increased probability of collision with the adsorbent surface. With an increasing adsorbent dose, the absorption rate also increased, especially in the range of 15 g/l. Regarding the mixing speed, no definite conclusion can be drawn, because in some cases, with increasing mixing speed, the COD reduction efficiency decreased. Considering the use of mineral pumice in reducing COD, in accordance with to the obtained results, it is better to use mineral pumice in granular, rather than in powder, form.
Exploring the anthelmintic activity of Olea europaea L (Olive) leaves extract and oleuropein in mice naturally infected with Aspiculuris tetraptera
Authors: Kamran M. A. , Yildirimhan H. S. , Şenlik B.
Published: December 2023

Oxyuriasis, caused by the nematode Enterobius vermicularis, is one of the cosmopolitan intestinal infections of humans. Aspiculuris tetraptera commonly infects mice and it is morphologically similar to E. vermicularis. Parasitic resistance reduces the efficiency of synthetic drugs and poses economic impacts on the dairy sector, thus necessitating novel anthelmintic agents. Olea europaea L. (Olive) is a bioactive plant with potent pharmacological activities. However, its effects on oxyurids are poorly known, and no studies are currently exploring olives’ anthelmintic potential. In this study, we investigated the pharmacokinetic behaviors of O. europaea leaves extract (OLE) and its phenolic compound oleuropein in mice infected with A. tetraptera, in comparison with Albendazole (ABZ), a standard drug used to treat parasitic worms. Fecal flotation method was used to identify the infestation with A. tetraptera eggs by examining the stool samples from mice. Infected animals were divided into 7 groups. 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg doses of OLE, 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg doses of oleuropein, 10 mg/kg of ABZ and tap water were orally administered by gavage for 7 days during treatments. Drug efficacies and statistical differences between the treatments and controls were evaluated. Our results revealed 92.43 % efficacy of ABZ, similar to 92.19 % efficacy of 1000 mg/kg of OLE. At the same time, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg concentrations of OLE remained 70.03 % and 63.18 % effective in reducing worm counts. Efficacy percentages of 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg of oleuropein were 9.27 % and 70.56 %, respectively. Statistical analysis of ABZ was significant compared to 1000 mg/kg of OLE, which was almost equal but insignificant. In general, our results confirm the anthelmintic potential of OLE and oleuropein against mice pinworms and open the way for targeted extraction of bioactive compounds from plants to optimize its use in human and veterinary medicine.
Treatment of hepatic and pulmonary hydatidosis with albendazole and praziquantel
Authors: Popova G. , Vuchev D. , Anichina K.
Published: December 2023

Conservative treatment of human hydatidosis (cystic echinococcosis) with albendazole has improved significantly the prognosis of the disease. But its therapeutic effectiveness is 30 – 70 %. There is some evidence that the effectiveness of albendazole can be enhanced by praziquantel but there is no strict recommendation for the use of praziquantel as part of long-term drug therapy for hydatidosis.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of albendazole and praziquantel in patients with hepatic and/or pulmonary hydatidosis.

A total of 20 patients (aged 12 – 70 years old) were included in the study for a 5-year period. Fourteen patients (70 %) were with hepatic hydatidosis, 4 (20 %) with pulmonary and 2 (10 %) with hepatic and pulmonary hydatidosis. They were treated with albendazole (15 mg/kg/day) and praziquantel (40 mg/kg/weekly) for 2 – 9 one-month courses. The result of the therapy was followed using imaging (abdominal ultrasound, lung radiography, computed tomography) and serology.

Seventeen (85 %) out of 20 patients showed evidence of response on imaging defined as improvement or cure of hydatid cysts. Seven (35 %) of the patients with multiple cystic echinococcosis took praziquantel once a week for 6 months. Only 3 patients (15 %) with multiple hydatidosis (2 with liver and 1 with pulmonary hydatidosis) failed to respond to the therapy with both drugs. No side effects have been reported by the patients.

The combination of albendazole and praziquantel seems to be an option to improve the therapeutic effectiveness of the conservative treatment of cystic echinococcosis.
Bursaphelenchus mucronatus (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae) associated with Monochamus galloprovincialis from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia
Authors: Čermák V. , Nježić B. , Nazarashvili N. , Gvritishvili E. , Tománková K. , Orságová H. , Majeská M. , Foit J. , Vieira P.
Published: December 2023

Bursaphelenchus mucronatus was detected in association with the pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus galloprovincialis) during the implementation and testing of cross traps with insect attractants as an efficient tool for detection survey for pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia in 2017 and 2018, respectively. This nematode was characterized by morphological, morphometric and molecular features. This is the first report of B. mucronatus in association with a M. galloprovincialis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Georgia.
Classification of longitudinal strain curves measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography in normal and pathological myocardial segments
Authors: Mirea Oana , Berceanu Mihaela , Soldea Sorina , Donoiu Ionuț , Raicea Victor
Published: December 2023

Background

Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) provides a quantitative tool to evaluate LV function at the regional level. The purpose of this study was to classify the types of regional longitudinal strain curves (LSC). Moreover, we propose a novel longitudinal strain curve index (LSCI) which we compared to the wall motion score index (WMSI).

Methods

We enrolled 100 healthy volunteers and 50 patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI). Each LSC was classified considering the positive peak (peak P), peak maximum strain (PMS), and time to maximum peak strain (TPMS) as follows: Type 1 (Peak P<6%, PMS>6%, TPMS before aortic valve closure [AVC]); Type 2 (Peak P<6%, PMS≥6%, TPMS after AVC); Type 3 (Peak P≥6%, PMS≥6%, TPMS before AVC); Type 4 (Peak P≥6%, PMS≥6%, TPMS after AVC); Type 5 (Peak P<6%, PMS≥6%, TPMS first third of systole); Type 6 (Peak P<6%, PMS<6%); and Type 7 (Peak P≥6%, PMS<6%). The longitudinal curve score index (LCSI) was obtained (sum of LSC type/18 segments).

Results

A total of seven types of LSC were identified. In the healthy subjects, LSC Type 1 (T1) and Type 2 (T2) were the most frequent. Type 3 (T3) and Type 4 (T4) were found in insignificant percentages while Type 5 (T5), Type 6 (T6), and Type 7 (T7) were not identified. When analyzed for the entire population, LSCI correlated strongly with WMSI (r=0.83, p<0.01).

Conclusions

Analysis of LSC may provide a substantial support to visual assessment of regional LV function and the LCSI represents an index that is highly reproducible, independent of the examiner’s experience.
The Past as Story and Palimpsest in Julian Barnes’s Flaubert’s Parrot. Rewriting the Past as Fiction and Biography
Authors: Catană Elisabeta Simona
Published: December 2023

Analysing Julian Barnes’s postmodernist novel, Flaubert’s Parrot, this essay shows that the past is exposed as a story and a palimpsest. We demonstrate that in Julian Barnes’s novel, the past is rewritten as a story with various truths about Flaubert’s identity and biography. The past is presented through a series of symbols, being a palimpsestic construct open to our analysis and understanding. The concepts of historical truth, the past, the present, the writer’s voice are approached in a postmodernist manner and are nothing but a palimpsest.
A Global Perspective on Performance Poetry: Through the Web – From American Performance to Romanian Poetic Practices
Authors: Higyed Alexandru
Published: December 2023

American Performance poetry influenced the way in which the practice developed in other countries. Contemporary African, Japanese, and Arab poets started to write more and more for the stage. Eastern Europe seems to have been highly influenced by this practice. In this paper, I will try to investigate how American Performance poetry managed to influence the Romanian Spoken Word scene.
Antagonistic Classes of Victorian Society in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights: Female Book Knowledge as Cultural Mediator
Authors: Mandici Mădălina Elena
Published: December 2023

This study argues, through a series of close readings, that female book knowledge resists unified interpretation in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847), contradicting the widely-held Victorian assumption according to which discursive freedom is an exclusively male bastion of privilege. It instead concedes that self-instruction in the novel crosses cultural boundaries and perpetuates an ideological hegemony through the book as an agent of reconciliation. Book-knowledge in the novel is not the exclusive preserve of men, but a source of creativity for both ladies and ladies’ maids. Language and narrative technique, the study reveals, serve to unveil contrasts between servant and gentle folk, fashionable and popular manners, enforced and self-propelled reading.
Exploring Online Teaching as a Challenge for Teachers and Students in Pre-University System
Authors: Bercian Daniela
Published: December 2023

This paper discusses the need of research on online education in the Romanian context and presents a student survey on students’ opinion on teaching and learning using online activities. The results of the survey are the starting point of an extensive investigation of the effects of online education in the post- pandemic context. The case study I have in view will rely on a classroom quasi-experiment and on a self-reflective teacher diary study. The case study will be conducted in a prestigious secondary school in Romania.
Problems of Lexical and Grammatical Equivalence in Translation: A Didactic Approach
Authors: Cozma Mihaela , Jumanca Romaniţa
Published: December 2023

Even if translation competence is not restricted to the knowledge of the two languages in contact, it is obvious that the quality of a translated text depends to a great extent on the appropriate use of the target language lexical items and combinations of items as imposed by the communicative context, on the one hand, and on the correct application of the rules specific to the grammatical system of that language, on the other. Considering both theoretical and research evidence, the authors of this paper discuss the problems that advanced students in English encounter when trying to achieve lexical and grammatical equivalence in the case of various types of texts translated from English into Romanian.
The Orientalist Discourse of Nineteenth-Century Travel Guidebooks to India
Authors: Bălănescu Eleonora-Olivia
Published: December 2023

The travel guidebooks emerged in the nineteenth century as a genre which apparently featured an objective source of information; yet, the guidebooks to India stemmed from the publishers’ own interpretation of the Orient, shaped by the Orientalist discourse of the time, as well as from their business interests, closely linked to the state apparatus. This paper will focus on the relation between tourism and the British Empire, and the role played by the early guidebooks in English, edited by John Murray and Thomas Cook, in the colonial endeavour to control all forms of indigenous knowledge.
The City Between Genre and Authorship in All’s Well That Ends Well
Authors: Cheaptanaru Gabriela
Published: December 2023

In this paper, I analyse the construction of the city as an ideological space in All’s Well that Ends Well which, I argue, generates the play’s genre ambiguity. Drawing on recent scholarly work that has identified Thomas Middleton as co-author of the play, I investigate how the interplay between Middleton and Shakespeare’s artistic temperaments concretizes in the mental space of the city, which infuses the entire play. In my research, I propose a further attribution to Middleton and show that Middleton’s contribution leads to the formation of an imbalanced landscape, situated between crisis and change, between comedy and tragedy.
Utilizing End-of-Life Tyre Crumb Rubber in Cement Formulation by Substituting Sand with Different Volume Proportions
Authors: Kolendo Girts , Kuldasheva Aziza , Korjakins Aleksandrs , Sahmenko Genadijs , Bajare Diana
Published: December 2023

The number of end-of-life tyres recycled into crumb rubber varies widely across different countries and regions, depending on factors such as local regulations, infrastructure, and demand for the product. According to the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), the global production of crumb rubber from end-of-life tires was estimated to be around 12.7 million metric tons. This study is devoted to the development of cement composites where the sand was partially and fully replaced with a specially prepared fine fraction of crumb rubber. Partial replacement of sand with crumb rubber changes the workability of the concrete. The lighter concrete composite may also have improved acoustic and thermal insulation properties. Complete substitution of sand with crumb rubber leads to a lighter concrete composite, featuring reduced densities and enhanced ductility. In these experiments, prisms of dimensions 40×40×160 mm were produced, with various mixes where we changed the amount of replaced sand with crumb rubber and water-cement ratios. These samples were tested for strength in flexure and compression, simultaneously producing force-deflection curves indicating that the rubber granules prevent brittle failure. By full sand replacement, a lightweight cementitious composite was obtained, with the potential for use as acoustic absorption materials and shock energy absorbing layers, but careful consideration of the specific application and mix design is necessary to ensure optimal performance and sustainability. Replacing sand entirely resulted in a lightweight cementitious composite, with densities of 2222 kg/m3 for 10 % replacement and 1525 kg/m3 for 100 % replacement by volume. This material holds promise for applications in acoustic absorption and shock energy absorption. However, achieving optimal performance and sustainability requires thoughtful consideration of the specific application and mix design.