bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fingerprint recognition based on shark smell optimization and genetic algorithm
Authors: Ahmed Bakhan Tofiq , Abdulhameed Omar Younis
Published: July 2020

Fingerprint recognition is a dominant form of biometric due to its distinctiveness. The study aims to extract and select the best features of fingerprint images, and evaluate the strength of the Shark Smell Optimization (SSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) in the search space with a chosen set of metrics. The proposed model consists of seven phases namely, enrollment, image preprocessing by using weighted median filter, feature extraction by using SSO, weight generation by using Chebyshev polynomial first kind (CPFK), feature selection by using GA, creation of a user’s database, and matching features by using Euclidean distance (ED). The effectiveness of the proposed model’s algorithms and performance is evaluated on 150 real fingerprint images that were collected from university students by the ZKTeco scanner at Sulaimani city, Iraq. The system’s performance was measured by three renowned error rate metrics, namely, False Acceptance Rate (FAR), False Rejection Rate (FRR), and Correct Verification Rate (CVR). The experimental outcome showed that the proposed fingerprint recognition model was exceedingly accurate recognition because of a low rate of both FAR and FRR, with a high CVR percentage gained which was 0.00, 0.00666, and 99.334%, respectively. This finding would be useful for improving biometric secure authentication based fingerprint. It is also possibly applied to other research topics such as fraud detection, e-payment, and other real-life applications authentication.
Determination of Pharmacokinetic Parameters of a Four-Armed, Guanidinium-Rich Structurally Nanoengineered Antimicrobial Peptide Polymer: A Research Protocol
Authors: So Matthew C. , Aananth Rohan , Suntres Emmanuel Z.
Published: July 2020

Introduction: Antibacterial resistance has accentuated the need for the development of novel, efficacious pharmaceuticals. Structurally nanoengineered antimicrobial polypeptide polymers (SNAPPs) have shown promise as a candidate for a new antibacterial pharmaceutical class which may help overcome the problem of antibacterial resistance in humans or animals. Particularly, the SNAPP with a chemical formula (RGRGRGRGRGRG)4K2K-NH2 (4R6G6) has been shown to exhibit negligible hemolysis while retaining low minimal inhibitory concentrations against bacteria. An important consideration in drug development is pharmacokinetic studies, however, there have been no prior pharmacokinetic studies involving SNAPPs. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of 4R6G6.
Methods: 4R6G6 will be synthesized and purified according to previously reported methods. 4R6G6 will be administered to BALB/c mice intravenously, serial blood samples will be taken from 0-48 hours after SNAPP administration and serum 4R6G6 concentrations will be quantified over time by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. This information will be used to calculate key pharmacokinetic parameters using Pmetrics.
Results: We expect that the half-life of elimination will be on the order of hours and will exceed 3 hours, while the volume of distribution will be equal to the plasma volume of a mouse (1.2 mL/mouse)
Discussion: The half-life of elimination of 4R6G6 will influence its desirability as a future drug target. Additionally, the volume of distribution is expected to indicate a distribution into plasma, and can be used to calculate the desired dose for a certain plasma concentration in future studies.
Conclusion: Given the expected half-life of elimination on the order of hours, we expect 4R6G6 to be a strong candidate for further translational study in the race to combat antibacterial resistance. Future directions include the quantification of the safety of the drug by determining the therapeutic index in vivo.
Analytical Discussion and Sensitivity Analysis of Parameters of Magnetohydrodynamic Free Convective Flow in an Inclined Plate
Authors: Suganya S. Thamizh , Balaganesan P. , Rajendran L. , Abukhaled Marwan
Published: July 2020

A mathematical model of the magnetohydrodynamic free convective flow of a viscousÂ incompressible fluid, which is based on a system of coupled steady-state nonlinear deferentialÂ equations, is discussed. A new approach of the homotopy perturbation method is employed toÂ derive analytical expressions of the fluid velocity, fluid temperature, and species concentration.Â The effciency and accuracy of the derived results are tested against highly accurate and widelyÂ used numerical methods. The obtained analytical expressions are employed to study the effectsÂ of the magnetic field, chemical reaction, and other relevant flow parameters on fluid velocity,Â fluid temperature, and species concentration. Sensitivity analysis of these parameters is alsoÂ presented.
Logical Entropy of Partitions in Hyperproduct MV-algebras
Authors: Kaewnoi Thananya , Iampan Aiyared , Chinram Ronnason
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we introduce the algebraic structure hyperproduct MV-algebras which is  a generalization of product MV-algebras. In addition, we study the logical entropy and the logical conditional entropy of partitions in a hyperproduct MV-algebra and provide their properties.
On the Symmetric Block Design with Parameters (210,77,28) Admitting a Frobenius Group of Order 57
Authors: Gashi Menderes
Published: July 2020

In this paper we have proved that for a putative symmetric block design D with parameters (210,77,28), admitting a Frobenius group G = (hÏ, Î¼|Ï19 = Î¼3 = 1, ÏÎ¼ = Ï7)Â of order 57, there are exactly six possible orbit structures up to isomorphism with the orbit distribution [1; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19; 19].
Helical tubular photobioreactor design using computational fluid dynamics
Authors: García Barbosa Arnol Smith , Antequera Cantillo Daniel Andres , Arango Restrepo Juan Pablo , Gómez Pérez César Augusto , Espinosa Oviedo Jairo José
Published: July 2020

In this paper we present the design problem of helical tubular PhotoBioReactors (PBR) based on energy consumption minimization, using the radius of curvature for the cultivation of microalgae. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to design a configuration of the helical pipeline with minimum energy consumption. We determined how flow direction changes affect energy consumption. Additionally, it was found that the radius of curvature affects the pressure drop in the PBR’s pipe, so a cost function has been developed to solve an optimization problem seeking to obtain the optimum radius of curvature and a helical tubular PBR design with low pumping rates.
Perasaan Bersalah Pada Mantan Pengguna Narkoba
Authors: Nuruddin M. Ikhsan Fanani , Firmansyah Achmad Dandi , Safira Kusnaini  , Maulidia Arika , Dinda Novia , Dewi Titin Ringgiani Kumala , Suryani
Published: July 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan rasa bersalah mantan pengguna narkoba. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif menggunakan metode studi kasus. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah empat orang mantan pengguna narkoba. Data penelitian diperoleh melalui wawancara dan observasi. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunujukkan gambaran rasa bersalah yang berbeda pada masing-masing subjek di antaranya adalah: 1) subjek pertama merasa tertekan; 2) subjek kedua meminta maaf kepada orang terdekat hingga menyalahkan diri sendiri; 3) subjek ketiga menarik diri dari lingkungan; dan 4) subjek keempat lebih mendekatkan diri kepada Tuhan. Berdasarkan hal tersebut perasaan bersalah dapat timbul dalam berbagai bentuk pada mantan pengguna narkoba.
La polí­tica de los jueces. Narrativas sobre la politicidad de la función judicial en Argentina
Authors: Donatello Luis Miguel , Valcarce Federico Lorenc
Published: July 2020

A partir de entrevistas con magistrados de la justicia federal argentina, el artí­culo aborda desde una perspectiva sociológica ciertos aspectos del funcionamiento del poder judicial. En primer lugar, nos interesa interpretar la manera en que los jueces describen los procedimientos y redes que acompañan su acceso a la magistratura y la manera en que aparecen allí­ elementos que pueden ser considerados como relativos a la polí­tica. En segundo lugar, nos interesa reconstruir las maneras en que los jueces conciben su rol institucional y en qué medida el ejercicio de la función incluye aspectos que pueden ser definidos e identificados como polí­ticos. En ambos casos, no se trata de preconcebir ciertas realidades aludidas como polí­ticas, sino identificar la manera en que los jueces se refieren a lo polí­tico y el peso que le atribuyen en su actividad profesional. Proponemos un estudio de sociologí­a comprensiva que recupera la perspectiva subjetiva de los actores y que se interesa por el modo en que construyen sentidos acerca de sus trayectorias, sus redes y sus actividades.De esta manera, pretendemos contribuir a una exploración de la politicidad del poder judicial que se aleje de los análisis institucionales, la crí­tica jurí­dica o cualquier otra perspectiva objetivista. En otros términos, nos interesa comprender los aspectos polí­ticos de la administración de justicia desde las perspectivas de los propios agentes, relevadas a partir de entrevistas biográficas.
Conceptualizaciones sobre la violencia de género en sentencias con jurados en la Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina
Authors: Gastiazoro Marí­a Eugenia
Published: July 2020

A partir de datos cuantitativos y cualitativos sobre sentencias emitidas con jurados populares a lo largo del periodo 2005-2018, en la Provincia de Córdoba (Argentina), se analizó el impacto de la reforma penal que incorporó la agravante de femicidio en el discurso de las sentencias penales desde una mirada socio-jurí­dica feminista. Por una parte, se observó la mayor judicialización en la persecución penal de hechos sobre homicidios de mujeres por medio de su elevación a juicio oral con jurados y por otra, la construcción creciente de un discurso que aborda las condiciones sociales de opresión hacia las mujeres y cuestiona las interpretaciones restrictivas de la agravante de femicidio. Estos aspectos tensionan las perspectivas pasionales e individuales sostenidas en estereotipos de género que inciden en el sostenimiento y reproducción de este tipo de desigualdades.
Las comisiones por la verdad en América Latina. El caso de Iguala (México)
Authors: Cuéllar Vázquez Angélica
Published: July 2020

En este artí­culo se describe qué es una comisión de la verdad y la justicia, y cómo se ha desarrollado la creación de estos organismos en algunos paí­ses de América Latina. Se destaca la relación de las comisiones con la garantí­a de los derechos a la verdad, al acceso a la justicia y a la reparación integral del daño de las ví­ctimas. De igual manera, se profundiza en la instauración e investigación de dichas comisiones, particularmente, en el caso de la desaparición de los 43 estudiantes de la Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos en Iguala, México, un caso emblemático de violación a los derechos humanos. En este sentido, se presentan los hechos ocurridos en el caso, la investigación que realizó la Procuradurí­a de Justicia de la República (PGR) y las deficiencias que señalaron los organismos internacionales de derechos humanos. Por último, se presentan algunos obstáculos que la comisión por la verdad y la justicia para el caso Iguala debe afrontar para garantizar los derechos de las ví­ctimas y hacer justicia.
La moderna ciencia social como indagación sobre el conflicto y la cohesión social
Authors: Montero Darí­o
Published: July 2020

El artí­culo ofrece un amplio cuadro sobre las más influyentes teorí­as del conflicto y la cohesión social que se han elaborado durante los últimos cinco siglos, como el hegelianismo, el marxismo, el funcionalismo estructuralista, entre otros, con el propósito de enmarcar las discusiones actuales sobre estos fenómenos dentro de las ciencias sociales. Esta revisión general toma la forma de un diálogo con autores representativos de la ciencia social de nuestro siglo XXI, quienes acusan el influjo de una u otra de estas grandes tradiciones teóricas y reevalúan las categorí­as de "˜conflicto' y "˜cohesión', a veces enfatizando sus aspectos negativos y, en otras ocasiones, su potencial productivo.
Psicoanálisis y sociologí­a: la perspectiva contrahegemónica de Erich Fromm para el estudio de la salud mental
Authors: Gómez Vasallo Clarisbel
Published: July 2020

La reflexión que en este espacio se presenta aborda la contemporaneidad del pensamiento del sociólogo, psicólogo y filósofo alemán Erich Fromm para el estudio de la salud mental. Las crecientes preocupaciones por esta área de la salud, tanto en la agenda de las ciencias médicas como sociales y polí­ticas, dentro y fuera de nuestra región, constituyen una de las principales motivaciones de estas lí­neas. El interés fundamental de la autora ha estado en intentar visualizar la utilidad teórica y metodológica de los estudios de este autor para el análisis empí­rico de dicha problemática, en tanto este favorecerí­a los acercamientos a la misma desde una comprensión que no parcele la totalidad humana y su relación con la naturaleza. Constituye este artí­culo el resultado de los primeros avances de los estudios doctorales de la autora, enfrascados en un análisis de las relaciones que se tejen entre diversos factores sociales y el continuo salud-enfermedad mental en una cohorte de población en edad laboral de la capital cubana. Las dimensiones estadí­sticas de esta problemática en Cuba y los incipientes acercamientos hechos desde la sociologí­a en el contexto cubano a la misma devienen tambiénen razones que han impulsado este inicio.
Fernanda Beigel y Fabiana Bekerman (Coords.) Culturas evaluativas. Impactos y dilemas del Programa de Incentivos a DocentesInvestigadores en Argentina (1993-2018).
Authors: Rossomando Ramí­rez Marí­a Pí­a
Published: July 2020

Reseña del libro de Fernanda Beigel y Fabiana Bekerman (Coords.) Culturas evaluativas. Impactos y dilemas del Programa de Incentivos a DocentesInvestigadores en Argentina (1993-2018). Buenos Aires, CLACSO/IEC-CONADU, 2019.
Migration spawning migration - on continuity in Jewish emigration from Yugoslavia to Palestine/Israel
Authors: Radovanović Milan
Published: July 2020

The Yugoslav participation in the Jewish emigration to Mandatory Palestine and, after 1948, to Israel, can be defined as a process consisting of six stages. When the migration is observed on the level of socio-political circumstances, the discontinuity between these stages is apparent. However, the same discontinuity is not to be found when the process is deconstructed down to and examined on the level of families and individuals involved in it. The aspiration of individuals to join members of their families already in Palestine, especially after the tragic losses suffered in the Holocaust, has persevered as one of the key motives driving emigration from Yugoslavia. This paper examines the way in which family ties continuously drove emigration to Mandatory Palestine/Israel and pulled its individual stages into an integral whole. It is primarily based on documents kept at the Archives of the Jewish Historical Museum in Belgrade.
What Can the Black Death Tell Us About the Global Economic Consequences of a Pandemic?
Authors: Bell Adrian R. , Lacey Helen , Prescott Andrew
Published: July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdown have led to academics and media outlets looking for historical parallels to draw lessons from. Whilst great care needs to be taken when trying to relate events many centuries apart, this chapter reviews the Black Death (1348-1351) and particularly focuses upon its economic impact on England. We will contextualise the pandemic and illustrate both the immediate and longer term outcomes of this devastating event. Whilst we can direct the reader to implications for our current situation, we will also discuss the many differences of these two global events.
Real Estate and the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Europe
Authors: Mattarocci Gianluca , Roberti Simone
Published: July 2020

The real estate industry was severely affected by the COVID-19 in both the residential and the commercial sectors due to travel and site-visit limitations, rent sustainability issues and a decrease or higher uncertainty about disposable income. During the lockdown, houses became more important and were analysed in depth. It can be assumed that a new demand could emerge after this crisis making households looking for more comfortable houses since this asset will increase its importance for living and working. Similarly, the commercial real estate sector will change due to lower rent sustainability. However, the main expected change is related to the building type and the standards requested by tenants in the new economic environment.
Pandemics, Climate and Public Finance
Authors: Battiston Stefano , Billio Monica , Monasterolo Irene
Published: July 2020

The outbreak of COVID-19 and the containment measures are having an unprecedented socio-economic impact in the European Union (EU) and elsewhere. The policies introduced so far in the EU countries promote a ‘business as usual’ economic recovery. This short-term strategy may jeopardise the mid-to-long-term sustainability and financial stability objectives. In contrast, strengthening the socio-economic resilience against future pandemics, as well as other shocks, calls for recovery measures that are fully aligned to the objectives of the EU Green Deal and of the EU corporate taxation policy. Tackling these long-term objectives is not more costly than funding the current short-term measures. Remarkably, it may be the only way to build resilience to future crises.
A Non-Culture-Bound Theory of Language Education
Authors: Balboni Paolo E.
Published: July 2020

Educational linguistics is a dyadic science. The noun, linguistics, is a broad term which includes neuro-, psycho-, socio-, pragma-, ethno-linguistics and communication studies: areas where national ‘schools’ non longer exist. Educational, on the contrary, is a culture-bound term: language teaching is carried out according to laws which concern syllabi, exams and certifications, the language(s) of instruction, the teaching of the host language to migrant students, teacher training programmes etc. These juridical and administrative acts are meant for the local educational systems. We propose that it is possible to find a number of principles and models (we call them “hypotheses”) which can be accepted by culture-bound educational decision-makers, thus increasing consistency within language teaching and research throughout the world.
Teaching Italian SL to Adul Illiterate Students
A Case Study Carried out in the Provincial Centres for Adult Education (CPIA), in the Protection System for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (SPRAR) and in the Extraordinary Reception Centres (CAS) in the Province of Venice
Authors: Brichese Annalisa , Spaliviero Camilla , Tonioli Valeria
Published: July 2020

This article presents the results of a case study carried out in the Provincial Centres for Adult Education (CPIA), in the Protection System for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (SPRAR) and in the Extraordinary Reception Centres (CAS) in the province of Venice. The article aims at providing a picture of the Italian courses offered to CPIA illiterate students who are beneficiary of CAS and SPRAR. In particular, the article explores the teachers’ profiles, the materials, the contents and the methodologies, the assessment methods and the feedback strategies. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires.
The Use of Songs in Geman FL Cultural-Linguistic Teaching and in the Teaching of Translation
Authors: Delli Castelli Barbara
Published: July 2020

This paper aims to discuss the way in which song translation can be used as an effective way of language/translation teaching, focussing in particular on German as a Foreign Language in higher education at the university level. Starting from some considerations about the distinctive features of song lyrics and their use as a didactic tool in foreign language, culture and literature classes, a reflection is proposed on a way to introduce pop songs also in language/translation classes in relation to a variety of possible translation skopoi.
Cutaneous and Pulmonary Mucormycosis in Rag1- and Il2rg-deficient Rats
Authors: Sarfaty Anna E , Compton Susan R , Smith Peter C , Zeiss Caroline J
Published: July 2020

Immunodeficient rats are valuable in transplantation studies, but are vulnerable to infection from opportunistic organisms such as fungi. Immunodeficient Rag1- and Il2rg-deficient (RRG) rats housed at our institution presented with dark, proliferative, keratinized dermal growths. Histologic
and PCR results indicated that the predominant organism associated with these lesions was fungus from the family Mucoraceae, mostly of the genus Rhizopus. The Mucoraceae family of fungi are environmental saprophytes and are often found in rodent bedding. These fungi can
cause invasive opportunistic infections in immunosuppressed humans and animals. We discuss husbandry practices for immunosuppressed rodents with a focus on controlling fungal contaminants.
Влияние производных пиримидина и 3-гидроксипиридина в сочетании с антибластомными препаратами на уровень перекисного окисления липидов в семенниках крыс с карциномой Walker-256
Authors: Сипров Александр Владимирович , Романова Элла Викторовна , Сипрова Марина Владимировна , Волкова Надежда Дмитриевна , Кузнецова Валентина Александровна , Макарова Марина Юрьевна , Скопин Павел Игоревич
Published: July 2020

В эксперименте изучено влияние раздельного и сочетанного введения ксимедона (100 мг/кг однократно ежедневно 10 дней внутримышечно с 11 сут после имплантации клеток карциномы Walker-256) и мексидола (50 мг/кг однократно ежедневно 10 дней внутримышечно с 11 сут после имплантации опухолевых клеток) на содержание продуктов перекисного окисления липидов (ПОЛ), глутатиона восстановленного, активность глутатионредуктазы и глюкозо-6-фосфатдегидрогеназы в ткани семенников у крыс на фоне применения доксорубицина и циклофосфамида. Показано, что ксимедон, сопоставимо с мексидолом, препятствует накоплению продуктов ПОЛ в ткани семенников на 3 сут после введения цитостатиков, снижая содержание триеновых конъюгатов (на 33 %) и оснований Шиффа (на 54 %), в сравнении с введением только цитостатиков. При этом активность глутатионредуктазы и глюкозо-6-фосфатдегидрогеназы возрастает на 48,6 и 57 %, соответственно (p < 0,05) с параллельным увеличением уровня восстановленного глутатиона в 4 раза, по сравнению с применением только антибластомных средств. На 10 сут после введения цитостатиков ксимедон эффективнее мексидола (на 17,4 %, p < 0,05) снижает уровень малонового диальдегида в ткани семенников. Комбинация ксимедона и мексидола эффективнее их раздельного применения снижает содержание продуктов ПОЛ в течение всего периода наблюдения (3 и 10 сут после применения антибластомных средств) и повышает активность глутатионредуктазы (на 3 сут — на 34,6 и 23 % больше в сравнении с раздельным введением ксимедона и мексидола, на 10 сут — на 25 и 34 %, соответственно (p < 0,05), и уровень глутатиона восстановленного (на 3 сут — на 54 и 77 % больше, чем при раздельном использовании ксимедона и мексидола, на 10 сут — на 48 и 53 %, соответственно (p < 0,05) в ткани семенников у крыс с карциномой Walker-256 на фоне доксорубицина и циклофосфамида.
Uncertainty of the Future as a Fundamental Problem of the Long-Term Development of Transport
Authors: Macheret D. A.
Published: July 2020

The article is devoted to consideration of the problem of long-term development of transport under the conditions of uncertainty, which is a fundamental feature of the conditions of human activity. The objectives are to reveal the specifics of the «path dependence» in the field of transport, to show the fundamental nature of the problem of uncertainty of human activity and its special significance for development of transport, to propose a methodological basis for mitigating the problem of uncertainty in the long-term development of transport.While achieving the objectives, it is shown using historical analysis that the development of transport systems forms a specific kind of «path dependence», having a significant long-term impact on the future of not only transport itself, but also on other sectors of the economy, as well as on the development of demographic and other social processes.The location of the population, the development of production capacities, the choice of places of recreation are adapted to the existing transportation network. The decisions regarding location of transport infrastructure, the configuration of transport networks, the use of various technical solutions significantly influence the future of the transport itself.In this regard, it is desirable to reduce the uncertainty of the future of the transport. Uncertainty does not mean absolute unawareness. Although the future cannot be predicted accurately, it can be predicted with a certain probability. It is necessary, while fully understanding the impossibility of achieving complete certainty in predicting the future, to assess, at least at a qualitative level, the probability of these forecasts, strive to increase it and to develop transport systems considering the greater or lesser likelihood of certain forecasts.Hence, it is recommended to use both the logical-analytical method as the basis for forecasting longterm development to identify and consider long-term trends in the development of transport, and the foresight and predictive analytics to reveal newly emerging trends. An important condition of success is the ability to develop and implement various alternative solutions in response to emerging challenges, requiring development of a competitive and innovative environment both in the field of transport and in related areas of economic activity.
TMT Editorial: The Future of Virtual Health – Near Term Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Berkowitz Lyle , Ommen Steve , Halamka John
Published: July 2020

Telehealth has received a lot of attention over the past few months as healthcare providers necessarily shifted. This was initiated by the need to decrease virus exposure and PPE usage, and then further enabled by pro-telehealth reimbursement and regulatory changes. What lessons were learned that help us envision what the future might look like over the next 12 months?
Nasal Conditioning of Inspired Air, Innate Immunity in the Respiratory Tract and SARS-COV-2 Infectivity
Authors: Ramasamy Ranjan
Published: July 2020

A new hypothesis that the warming and humidifying (conditioning) of inspired air in the nasal cavity influences susceptibility to SARS-COV-2 infection, and thereby pathology, is proposed. This hypothesis is consistent with existing observations and amenable to experimental verification.
Ahamkara: A study on the Indian model of self and identity
Authors: Gupta Kriti , Agrawal Jyotsna
Published: July 2020

Ideas around self and identity are at the core of various reflective traditions in both East and West. In the psychological literature, they have multiple meanings. However, they usually reflect the idea of self-sameness across changing time. The current study aimed to explore various ways in which contemporary Indians define their ‘self’ and if there were any parallel between modern and traditional construal of self. An open-ended Twenty Statements Test (TST) was used along with a quantitative measure Ahamkara Questionnaire (AQ) based on an Indian model of self, known as ‘ahamkara’. A sample of 240 educated, adults (Females=104, Males= 136; Mean age= 38.17 years, SD=11.45 years; range 20-60 years) were purposively selected from an urban area of North India and recruited in this mixed-method, cross-sectional research study. Thematic analysis of TST responses uncovered five broad thematic categories in self-concepts: Individuality, Belongingness, Separation, Agency and Spiritual/Transpersonal. Four of them overlapped with sub-components of ‘ahamkara’. They also differed with age where Spiritual/Transpersonal theme was frequent in self-concepts of older samples. Quantitative results from AQ also indicated that the level of ahamkara significantly differed with age and gender. These findings have implications for mental health and developing interventions utilising Indian conception of self.
Why Ordinal Variables Can (Almost) Always be Treated as Continuous Variables: Clarifying Assumptions of Robust Continuous and Ordinal Factor Analysis Estimation Methods
Authors: Robitzsch Alexander
Published: July 2020

The analysis of factor structures is one of the most critical psychometric applications. Frequently, variables (i.e., items or indicators) resulting from questionnaires using ordinal items with 2 to 7 categories are used. There are plenty of articles that recommend treating ordinal variables in a factor analysis by default as ordinal and not as continuous imposing a multivariate normal distribution assumption. In this article, we critically reflect that the reasoning behind such suggestions is flawed. In our view, findings from simulation studies cannot tell about the right modeling strategy of ordinal variables in factor analysis. Moreover, it is argued that ordinal factor models impose a normality assumption for underlying continuous variables, which might also often be false in empirical applications. However, researchers seldom opt for these much-needed, more flexible modeling strategies if the ordinal nature variables would seriously be modeled in factor analysis. Finally, the consequences of modeling choices for validity, reliability, measurement invariance, and the assessment of global model fit are discussed.
How managers can reduce household water use through communication: A field experiment
Authors: Hodges Heather , Kuehl Colin , Anderson Sarah E. , Ehret Phillip John , Brick Cameron
Published: July 2020

As populations increase and droughts intensify, water providers are using tools such as persuasive messaging to decrease residential water use. However, district-led messaging campaigns are rarely informed by psychological science, evaluated for effectiveness, or strategically disseminated. In collaboration with a water district, we report a field experiment among single-family households using persuasive messaging based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills model (IMB). We randomly assigned 10,000 households to receive different mailings and measured household water use. All messaging reduced water consumption relative to the control. On average, water use dropped 0.68 HCF (509 gallons) per household in the first month. Had all 10,000 single-family, occupied, non-agricultural residences been mailed the IMB messaging, more than 5 million gallons would have been saved in the first month. The effects declined but persisted for approximately three months and were three to six times greater in households with high water use (75th-90th percentiles) relative to average water use. These findings suggest that combining message elements from the IMB model can reduce residential water use and that targeting high-use households is particularly cost-effective.
Prostitution as a Form of Human Alienation in Vargas Llosa's The Green House
Authors: Adhikari Bam Dev
Published: July 2020

The portrayal of prostitutes as the characters and prostitution as the institution is a rampant subject in Spanish American novels since the time of the first novelist of the continent, Jose Joaquin Fernandez de Lizardi. Mario Vargas Llosa’s novel The Green House portrays the women characters in pathetic exploitation, mainly sexual exploitation. The exploitation of the women in the novel is inextricably connected with the political system of Peru. The capitalist economic/ political system of Peru in the second half of the 20th century forced women to sell their body for their survival. Prostitution is treated as an industry from which the investors or the bidders earn surplus money. My argument is that the political/economic system, capitalism is responsible for the alienation and exploitation of women in Peru in the 1960s.
Formation and Fulfillment of 'Homing Desire' in Ghimire's "Diaspora"
Authors: Timalsina Ramji
Published: July 2020

Where is the home of Nepali diasporans? Is Nepal still their home? The recent theory of diaspora questions the traditional notions of home and homeland. Their place has been taken by the discourse of ‘homing desire’ that is the desire to make a home in the host land. Such a home has the quality of both of the homes that is the home they have left behind and the standard home they see in the host land. In Nepali Diaspora, too, such a theme has crept into literary creations. In this article Hari Ghimire’s poem “Diaspora” has been analysed so as to see how it depicts the development of ‘homing desire’ and its fulfilment. The speaker of the poem, in the beginning, expresses his desire to home, i.e. feel comfortable, himself in the diaspora. Later he is happy because of the fulfilment of the desire. This analysis is primarily based on Avtar Brah’s theory of ‘homing desire’. The insights of Salman Rushdie’s idea of ‘imaginary homeland’ and Sara Ahmed’s concept of home in the globalized time have been used to support and extend Brah’s theoretical stand. It is hoped that this article will encourage further discourse on ‘homing desire’ in the study of Nepali Diaspora and its literature.
Descripción estadística del COVID- 19 según el grupo etario en Colombia
Authors: Díaz Pinzón Jorge Enrique
Published: July 2020

Introduction: as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, local health services are at risk of being overwhelmed with patients requiring intensive care. For this reason, a research study was carried out on the outcomes of people infected, recovered and killed by the disease and its distribution by age groups in Colombia. Objective: to compare if there are differences in the averages of positive cases, recoveries and COVID-19-related deaths by age groups. Materials and Methods: the database including people infected with COVID-19 was used, with the information accumulated between July 6 and July 10 2020. A statistical analysis of this data was made by applying the ANOVA and a Duncan post hoc multiple comparisons test, in the SPSS v.25 statistical package. Results: from the statistical analysis of said data applying the ANOVA mean comparison, it was determined that the p value for the transmission, recoveries and deaths variables was equal to 0.000, which is less than α =0.05, thus, the hypothesis (Ho) was rejected, which means that at least for one of the averages, it is different from the rest of the results obtained for the different age groups. Conclusions: the most vulnerable group to COVID-19 infection is the 30 to 39 age group. Individuals who have recovered are in this same age group. The COVID-19-related deaths have occurred among people between 70 – 79 years of age.
Types of Scathophagidae (Diptera) at the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg
Authors: Ozerov A.L. , Krivosheina M.G.
Published: July 2020

The data are summarized on the type specimens (holotypes, lectotypes, paratypes, paralectotypes) of 19 species in the family Scathophagidae (Diptera) kept at the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg. The lectotypes are designated for three species, Scatophaga arctica Becker, 1897, S. septentrionalis Becker, 1897, and Scopeuma longinqua Becker, 1915. Acerocnema obscuripes Becker, 1915 is transferred to the genus Nanna Strobl, 1894. Three new synonymies are established: Scathophaga multisetosa (Holmgren, 1883) = Scatophaga arctica Becker, 1897, syn. nov.; Nanna obscuripes (Becker, 1915) = N. indotatum Engelmark, 1999, syn. nov.; Allomyella frigida (Holmgren, 1883) = Microprosopa varitibia Becker, 1897, syn. nov. Both syntypes of Ceratinostoma nudiseta Becker, 1907 are not Scathophagidae but Muscidae possibly belonging to Spilogona Schnabl, 1911. A redescription of Allomyella portenkoi (Stackelberg, 1952) is given.
INTERPOLICULTURAL SPACE OF MODERN EDUCATION AND ITS DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Grekhnev Vadim
Published: July 2020

This article examines the interpolicultural space of the existence of modern education and proves that its position and processes of change are largely due to their contradictory nature. The author shows that this space in the unity of its essential sides – the active and informational bases – acts as a determinant of the development of education. The culture of education as an inherited and created system of values - ideas, knowledge and real actions of people. They determine the content and forms of any public education, as well as the choice of a person, his following of the dominant culture, which may not always coincide with one or another of his types of relations. This is always the basis of certain contradictions of consciousness and behavior, education and personal experience, the practice of one's own life activity, and the common cause of various conflicts in the system of relations between society and the individual.
THE ROLE OF THE TOLEDO AS A CENTER FOR THE TRANSFER OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF MEDIEVAL EASTERN SCIENTISTS TO EUROPE
Authors: Makhmudov Otabek
Published: July 2020

In article based on the careful analysis of the scientific literature devoted to history of the translations in Spain the 12-13th centuries, opened the role of the city of Toledo as the center of distribution of scientific knowledge of scientists of the Muslim East in Europe.
Deseos, Creencias y Oportunidades en la toma de decisiones de estudiantes secundarios en tránsito a la universidad. Acciones y reacciones en torno a la implementación del puntaje ranking
Authors: Paulus Nelson , Blanco Christian
Published: July 2020

This study addresses school choice and migration processes of students from academically demanding public schools, in comparison to students from schools with a different profile, in the context of the recently implemented high-school ranking score in the Single Admission System (SUA) of the Council of Rectors (CRUCH), between 2013 and 2014. The work addresses the interactive dimension that underlies the implementation of public policies, referring to the experience of students who, in the transition from secondary to higher education, become actors who make decisions within the framework of a new regulatory scenario. Through interviews with school leaders and students at this juncture, the research approaches a critical case in which student experience is analysed based on their desires, beliefs and opportunities, by means of the Hedström’s DBO model (Desires, Beliefs & Opportunities). The analysis showed that the model performs in terms of its illustrative capacity. However, it is not exhaustive regarding the phenomenon, as new elements emerged that need to be addressed to perform an appropriate analysis.
Presentación
Authors: Ramírez Sánchez Anely
Published: July 2020

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Maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l’intestin de l’adulte et microbiote
Authors: Rivière P.
Published: July 2020

Le microbiote intestinal est un terme désignant l’ensemble des micro-organismes présents dans la lumière digestive. Depuis quelques années, son étude connaît un essor considérable grâce au développement de la génomique. Les maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l’intestin (MICI), la maladie de Crohn et la rectocolite hémorragique sont des pathologies apparues au fur et à mesure de l’occidentalisation du mode de vie. Le microbiote intestinal étant un acteur majeur de la physiologie intestinale et sensible aux modifications environnementales, l’hypothèse d’un rôle pivot du microbiote intestinal dans la pathogénie des MICI s’est donc imposée. Le microbiote intestinal des patients atteints d’une MICI se caractérise par des différences de composition et d’activité métabolique par rapport aux sujets sains. Une dysbiose, c’est-à-dire un déséquilibre entre les bactéries pro-inflammatoires et anti-inflammatoires, est observée, associée à une perte de la diversité et à une activité fonctionnelle modifiée. Néanmoins, le rôle causal du microbiote dans la pathogénie des MICI n’est pas clairement élucidé. Pour l’instant, cette analyse du microbiote n’a pas d’intérêt en pratique clinique à l’échelon individuel. Néanmoins, dans les années à venir, il pourrait servir de biomarqueur pour prédire l’évolution de la maladie ou la réponse au traitement. Les applications thérapeutiques sont encore au stade de l’essai clinique mais que ce soit via l’alimentation ou la transplantation de microbiote fécal, des prises en charge ayant comme cible le microbiote devraient voir le jour dans les prochaines années pour les patients atteints d’une MICI.
Earlier radiosurgery leads to better pain relief and less medication usage for trigeminal neuralgia patients: an international multicenter study
Authors: Mureb Monica , Golub Danielle , Benjamin Carolina , Gurewitz Jason , Strickland Ben A. , Zada Gabriel , Chang Eric , Urgošík Dušan , Liščák Roman , Warnick Ronald E. , Speckter Herwin , Eastman Skyler , Kaufmann Anthony M. , Patel Samir , Feliciano Caleb E. , Carbini Carlos H. , Mathieu David , Leduc William , DCS  , Nagel Sean J. , Hori Yusuke S. , Hung Yi-Chieh , Ogino Akiyoshi , Faramand Andrew , Kano Hideyuki , Lunsford L. Dade , Sheehan Jason , Kondziolka Douglas
Published: July 2020

OBJECTIVE

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic pain condition that is difficult to control with conservative management. Furthermore, disabling medication-related side effects are common. This study examined how stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) affects pain outcomes and medication dependence based on the latency period between diagnosis and radiosurgery.

METHODS

The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with type I TN at 12 Gamma Knife treatment centers. SRS was the primary surgical intervention in all patients. Patient demographics, disease characteristics, treatment plans, medication histories, and outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

Overall, 404 patients were included. The mean patient age at SRS was 70 years, and 60% of the population was female. The most common indication for SRS was pain refractory to medications (81%). The median maximum radiation dose was 80 Gy (range 50–95 Gy), and the mean follow-up duration was 32 months. The mean number of medications between baseline (pre-SRS) and the last follow-up decreased from 1.98 to 0.90 (p < 0.0001), respectively, and this significant reduction was observed across all medication categories. Patients who received SRS within 4 years of their initial diagnosis achieved significantly faster pain relief than those who underwent treatment after 4 years (median 21 vs 30 days, p = 0.041). The 90-day pain relief rate for those who received SRS ≤ 4 years after their diagnosis was 83.8% compared with 73.7% in patients who received SRS > 4 years after their diagnosis. The maximum radiation dose was the strongest predictor of a durable pain response (OR 1.091, p = 0.003). Early intervention (OR 1.785, p = 0.007) and higher maximum radiation dose (OR 1.150, p < 0.0001) were also significant predictors of being pain free (a Barrow Neurological Institute pain intensity score of I–IIIA) at the last follow-up visit. New sensory symptoms of any kind were seen in 98 patients (24.3%) after SRS. Higher maximum radiation dose trended toward predicting new sensory deficits but was nonsignificant (p = 0.075).

CONCLUSIONS

TN patients managed with SRS within 4 years of diagnosis experienced a shorter interval to pain relief with low risk. SRS also yielded significant decreases in adjunct medication utilization. Radiosurgery should be considered earlier in the course of treatment for TN.
Do neurosurgeons receive more patient complaints than other physicians? Describing who is most at risk and how we can improve
Authors: Dambrino Robert J. , Zuckerman Scott L. , Guidry Bradley S. , Domenico Henry J. , Thompson Reid C. , Galloway Mitchell B. , Pichert James W. , Cooper William O.
Published: July 2020

OBJECTIVE

The number of unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) about surgeons correlates with surgical complications and malpractice claims. Using a large, national patient complaint database, the authors sought to do the following: 1) compare the rates of UPCs for neurosurgeons to those for other physicians, 2) analyze the risk of UPCs with individual neurosurgeon characteristics, and 3) describe the types of UPCs made about neurosurgeons.

METHODS

Patient and family complaint reports among 36,265 physicians, including 423 neurosurgeons, 8292 other surgeons, and 27,550 nonsurgeons who practiced at 33 medical centers (22 academic and 11 regional) from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, were coded with a previously validated Patient Advocacy Reporting System (PARS) algorithm.

RESULTS

Among 423 neurosurgeons, 93% were male, and most (71%) practiced in academic medical centers. Neurosurgical subspecialties included general practice (25%), spine (25%), tumor (16%), vascular (13%), functional (10%), and pediatrics (10%). Neurosurgeons had more average total UPCs per physician (8.68; 95% CI 7.68–9.67) than nonsurgeons (3.40; 95% CI 3.33–3.47) and other surgeons (5.01; 95% CI 4.85–5.17; p < 0.001). In addition, a significantly higher percentage of neurosurgeons received at least one UPC (71.6%; 95% CI 67.3%–75.9%) than did nonsurgeons (50.2%; 95% CI 49.6%–50.8%) and other surgeons (58.2%; 95% CI 57.1%–59.3%; p < 0.001). Factors most associated with increased average UPCs were younger age, measured as median medical school graduation year (1990.5 in the 0-UPC group vs 1993 in the 14+-UPC group, p = 0.009) and spine subspecialty (13.4 mean UPCs in spine vs 7.9 mean UPCs in other specialties, 95% CI 2.3–8.5, p < 0.001). No difference in complaints was seen in those who graduated from non-US versus US medical schools (p = 0.605). The most common complaint types were related to issues surrounding care and treatment, communication, and accessibility, each of which was significantly more common for neurosurgeons than other surgical specialties (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Neurosurgeons were more likely to generate UPCs than other surgical specialties, and almost 3 out of 4 neurosurgeons (71.6%) had at least one UPC during the study period. Prior studies have shown that feedback to physicians about behavior can result in fewer UPCs. These results suggest that neurosurgeons have opportunities to reduce complaints and potentially improve the overall quality of care delivered.