bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium species in Kpong and its environs, Ghana
Authors: Mensah George T. , Ayeh-Kumi Patrick F. , Annang Abraham K. , Owusu-Frimpong Isaac , Niampoma Sena , Brown Charles A.
Published: February 2023

Background

Cryptosporidium is a ubiquitous enteric protozoan pathogen infecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife worldwide. It is a waterborne pathogen with recognized zoonotic potential and a definite cause of diarrhea and nutritional disorders in institutional and community settings. One challenge facing the world’s supply of clean drinking water is contamination from feces and soil. It has been established that small quantities of oocysts, the infective stage, can cause human disease. Also, their resistance to chlorination and other water treatment procedures has been demonstrated. Kpong, a community in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana, is one of the primary sources of water supply to Accra, the capital city of Ghana. Being able to determine the effectiveness of water treatment processes and identifying sources of contamination of this pathogen in our water bodies is thus of public health importance. The study aimed to conduct molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.

Methodology/Principal findings

A total of 230 samples, 180 fecal samples from cattle and 50 water samples (tap water and well water) were collected from the following communities: Kpong, Akwernor, Ablotsi, Nuaso, and Atua, all in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality. Samples were screened for Cryptosporidium by microscopy and PCR. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the final product was sequenced. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium from the fecal samples was estimated as 10% (18/180) by microscopy, while all 50 water samples were negative. However, PCR gave the prevalence of Cryptosporidium as 47.8% (86/180) for fecal samples and 20% (10/50) for water samples. Based on the 18S rRNA gene, three sequenced samples showed high homology to C. parvum species. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed this as these sequences clustered with C. parvum sequences from other countries.

Conclusion/Significance

Cryptosporidium parvum was identified as the persistent species in the study communities. This outcome supports the evidence that domesticated animals serve as potential reservoirs of zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis. The persistence of cryptosporidiosis in cattle indicates its presence in the human population. In addition, the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum in the wells makes it alarming and necessary to consider a holistic approach such as One Health Strategies to identify and control cases in humans.
Exploring functional and structural features of chemically related natural prenylated hydroquinone and benzoic acid from Piper crassinervium (Piperaceae) on bacterial peroxiredoxin inhibition
Authors: Montanhero Cabrera Vitoria Isabela , do Nascimento Sividanes Gabrielle , Quintiliano Natalia Fernanda , Hikari Toyama Marcos , Ghilardi Lago João Henrique , de Oliveira Marcos Antonio
Published: February 2023

Multiple drug resistance (MDR) bacterial strains are responsible by 1.2 million of human deaths all over the world. The pathogens possess efficient enzymes which are able to mitigate the toxicity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by some antibiotics and the host immune cells. Among them, the bacterial peroxiredoxin alkyl hydroperoxide reductase C (AhpC) is able to decompose efficiently several kinds of hydroperoxides. To decompose their substrates AhpC use a reactive cysteine residue (peroxidatic cysteine—CysP) that together with two other polar residues (Thr/Ser and Arg) comprise the catalytic triad of these enzymes and are involved in the substrate targeting/stabilization to allow a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction. Additionally to the high efficiency the AhpC is very abundant in the cells and present virulent properties in some bacterial species. Despite the importance of AhpC in bacteria, few studies aimed at using natural compounds as inhibitors of this class of enzymes. Some natural products were identified as human isoforms, presenting as common characteristics a bulk hydrophobic moiety and an α, β-unsaturated carbonylic system able to perform a thiol-Michael reaction. In this work, we evaluated two chemically related natural products: 1,4-dihydroxy-2-(3’,7’-dimethyl-1’-oxo-2’E,6’-octadienyl) benzene (C1) and 4-hydroxy-2-(3’,7’-dimethyl-1’-oxo-2’E,6’-octadienyl) benzoic acid (C2), both were isolated from branchesPiper crassinervium(Piperaceae), over the peroxidase activity of AhpC fromPseudomonas aeruginosa(PaAhpC) andStaphylococcus epidermidis(SeAhpC). By biochemical assays we show that although both compounds can perform the Michael addition reaction, only compoundC2was able to inhibit the PaAhpC peroxidase activity but not SeAhpC, presenting IC50= 20.3 μM. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the compound was not able to perform a thiol-Michael addition, suggesting another inhibition behavior. Using computer-assisted simulations, we also show that an acidic group present in the structure of compoundC2may be involved in the stabilization by polar interactions with the Thr and Arg residues from the catalytic triad and several apolar interactions with hydrophobic residues. Finally,C2was not able to interfere in the peroxidase activity of the isoform Prx2 from humans or even the thiol proteins of the Trx reducing system fromEscherichia coli(EcTrx and EcTrxR), indicating specificity forP.aeruginosaAhpC.
Randomized crossover trial of 2-week Garment electrocardiogram with dry textile electrode to reveal instances of post-ablation recurrence of atrial fibrillation underdiagnosed during 24-hour Holter monitoring
Authors: Machino Takeshi , Aonuma Kazutaka , Maruo Kazushi , Komatsu Yuki , Yamasaki Hiro , Igarashi Miyako , Nogami Akihiko , Ieda Masaki
Published: February 2023

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and often recurs despite catheter ablation. The recurrence of AF is often underdiagnosed by standard 24-hour electrocardiogram (ECG) because of its transient and silent nature. A garment-style ECG with a highly conductive textile electrode made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate)(PEDOTPSS) and nanofiber (Garment ECG) has been developed that can provide longer-term continuous monitoring. This study investigated whether 2-week Garment ECG can reveal instances of AF recurrence in patients who are diagnosed as remaining in sinus rhythm by 24-hour Holter ECG.

Methods

The open-label randomized crossover study enrolled 67 patients (63.1±10.6 years old, 53 men) who had undergone initial AF ablation. Three months after ablation, patients were randomly assigned to group 1 (n = 35), 2-week Garment ECG followed by 24-hour Holter ECG, or group 2 (n = 32), 24-hour Holter ECG followed by 2-week Garment ECG. The detection of AF recurrence was compared between the two devices.

Results

The Garment ECG showed AF recurrence in 12 patients (18%) compared to 4 patients for the Holter ECG (6%, p = 0.008). The ECG acquisition rate was higher for Holter ECG than for Garment ECG (100.0% [interquartile range 100.0–100.0%] versus 82.4% [71.1–91.0%], p<0.001), but the Garment ECG provided longer total analysis time (11.0 days [9.0–12.2 days] for Garment; 1.0 day [1.0–1.0 day] for Holter, p<0.001).

Conclusions

Despite the lower ECG acquisition rate, the 2-week Garment ECG revealed instances of AF recurrence after ablation in patients who were underdiagnosed by 24-hour Holter ECG.

Trial registration

Clinical Trial Registration:URL:https://jrct.niph.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCTs032180018Unique Identifier:jRCTs032180018.
Impact of the “Looking after my health after cancer” peer-led active patient education program on cancer survivors and their caregivers: A qualitative study
Authors: Ulibarri-Ochoa Ainhoa , Sánchez-Gómez Sheila , Gamboa-Moreno Estíbaliz , Duo-Trecet Irene , Garate-Echenique Lucia , Belarra-Tellechea Begoña , Retana-García Lourdes Ochoa de
Published: February 2023

Background

Cancer survival has doubled and is likely to continue increasing in the near future. Cancer survivors experience long-term adverse effects, with associated psychological changes, and often they have needs that are yet to be met. Recognizing the lack of continuity-of-care initiatives for cancer survivors and caregivers, Osakidetza Basque Health Service has started to implement through primary care a peer-led active patient education program called “Looking after my health after cancer”. This study explores how cancer survivors and their caregivers rate the experience of participating in the program, to what extent the program helps them understand and address their unmet felt needs, and helps them improve their activation for self-care and self-management.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory phenomenological study was conducted using five focus groups: four with cancer survivors (n = 29) and caregivers (n = 2), and one with peer leaders (n = 7). Narrative content analysis was performed using the constant comparison method, facilitated by Atlas-ti software. Descriptive analysis of sociodemographic and clinical data was performed. The study was developed according to the Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist.

Results

Five main themes emerged from the content analysis: 1) satisfaction with the program as a positive learning experience; 2) peer sharing and learning ("if they can, so can I"); 3) fears prior to attending the program; 4) becoming more aware of unmet felt needs and feeling understood in the “new normal”; and 5) a more positive view of their experience, helping them become active in self-care and empowered in the self-management of their condition.

Conclusions

The peer education program has shown to have a positive impact on cancer survivors and caregivers. It is necessary to design, implement and evaluate interventions of this type to address unmet felt needs during cancer survivorship and improve their quality of life.
Depression among people with chronic skin disease at Boru Meda Hospital in Northeast Ethiopia
Authors: Nurye Yasin , Tareke Minale , Tadesse Meseret , Shegaw Maregu , Mekonen Tesfa
Published: February 2023

Background

The comorbidity of depression with chronic skin disease negatively affects the quality of life and disease prognosis, creating an immense burden on patients, families, and the wider community. However, there are limited studies conducted on the prevalence of depression and associated factors among people with chronic skin disease in Ethiopia.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression among people with chronic skin disease at Boru Meda Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out from March 10- April 18, 2021, among a total of 381 people with chronic skin disease. The Patient Health Questioner-9 was used to assess depression. A logistic regression analysis model with an adjusted odds ratio was used to assess the strength of associations between the outcome and predictor variables. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Result

The magnitude of depression among people with chronic skin disease was 23.6% (95%Cl: 19.8%, 28.6%). We identified significantly increased odds of depression among participants with rural residence (AOR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.64, 7.28), duration of illness above 5 years (AOR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.31, 9.85), comorbid medical illness AOR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.06, 5.98), family history of mental illness (AOR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.11, 10.41), non-adherence to chronic skin disease medications (AOR = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.20, 10.41), low self-image (AOR = 4.69, 95% CI: 2.25, 9.77), and perceived stigma (AOR = 4.61, 95% CI: 2.14, 9.92).

Conclusion

Depression was common among patients with chronic skin diseases. This study has indicated a need for proper screening of depression in the current medical treatment of patients with chronic skin disease in Boru Meda Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.
Incidence and patterns of adverse drug reactions among adult patients hospitalized in the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital: A prospective observational follow-up study
Authors: Sendekie Ashenafi Kibret , Netere Adeladlew Kassie , Tesfaye Samuel , Dagnew Ephrem Mebratu , Belachew Eyayaw Ashete
Published: February 2023

Background

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have continued to be a public health challenge with significant clinical and healthcare costs. However, little is known regarding the incidence of ADR in Ethiopia, particularly in the study setting. Thus, this study aimed to assess the incidence and patterns of ADRs in patients admitted to the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital (UoGCSH).

Methods

A prospective observational follow-up study was conducted on admitted patients at the medical ward in the UoGCSH from May to August 2022. A multifaceted approach involving daily chart review and patient interviews was employed to collect the data. A standard Naranjo ADR Probability Scale measuring tool was used to characterize the probability of existing ADR. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the association between the occurrence of ADRs and other variables. A p-value at the 95% confidence interval was considered statistically significant.

Results

This study included 237 participants in total. The average length of follow-up was 16.4 (±5.2) days. Overall, 65 ADRs were identified, resulting an incidence rate of 27.4 (95% CI: 19.8–30.4) per 100 admissions. The most common ADRs were hypokalemia (10.7%), followed by constipation, diarrhea, hypotension, and rash (9.2% each). The majority of these ADRs (73.8%) were classified as "definite" by the Naranjo ADR probability scale. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (41.5%) and metabolic (18.6%) were the most frequently exposed systems for ADR. Antibiotics (26.2%) and cardiovascular medications (24.7%) were the most frequently implicated medications in existing ADRs. ADRs were significantly associated with age (p = 0.035), the presence of comorbidities (p = 0.021) and complications (p = 0.008), and receiving a higher number of medications (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

In this study, ADR was identified in about one-fourth of the participants. Older patients, patients with comorbidities and complications, and patients who received a higher number of medications were more likely exposed for ADRs. Healthcare providers should strictly follow the admitted patients to minimize ADRs.
Maternal mental-health treatment moderates the association between psychological distress and harsh parenting: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Midouhas Emily , Oliver Bonamy R.
Published: February 2023

Objective

Parental psychological distress (depression, anxiety) is detrimental to child mental health. A key reason for this is that depressed and anxious parents are at risk of engaging in more negative, reactive and harsh parenting. While treatment for psychological distress has a long history of success in adults, less is known about how treatment for parental psychological distress may positively influence parenting behaviours, particularly in the general population. We examined the moderating role of mothers receiving treatment for depression or anxiety on the longitudinal relationship between maternal psychological distress and the development of harsh parenting (smacking and shouting) across early childhood (ages 3 to 7).

Method

Using prospective data from 16,131 families participating in the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study, we conducted moderator analysis within a multilevel repeated measures model to test whether receiving treatment for mental health problems could protect mothers with high psychological distress from engaging in harsh parenting.

Results

In each wave, about 7% of mothers reported undergoing treatment for depression or anxiety at that time. Maternal psychological distress was associated with increased use of harsh parenting and that, adjusting for psychological distress, receiving psychological treatment was related to decreased use of harsh parenting. Importantly, receiving psychological treatment buffered the negative effect of psychological distress on harsh parenting.

Conclusion

In early-to-middle childhood, mental health treatment may help mothers with depression or anxiety to be less harsh toward their children, thereby benefiting their child’s psychological adjustment.
Antigen rapid tests, nasopharyngeal PCR and saliva PCR to detect SARS-CoV-2: A prospective comparative clinical trial
Authors: Schwob Jean-Marc , Miauton Alix , Petrovic Dusan , Perdrix Jean , Senn Nicolas , Gouveia Alexandre , Jaton Katia , Opota Onya , Maillard Alain , Minghelli Gianni , Cornuz Jacques , Greub Gilbert , Genton Blaise , D’Acremont Valérie
Published: February 2023

Background

Nasopharyngeal antigen Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), saliva RT-PCR and nasopharyngeal (NP) RT-PCR have shown different performance characteristics to detect patients infected by SARS-CoV-2, according to the viral load (VL)—and thus transmissibility.

Methods

In October 2020, we conducted a prospective trial involving patients presenting at testing centres with symptoms of COVID-19. We compared detection rates and performance of RDT, saliva PCR and nasopharyngeal (NP) PCR, according to VL and symptoms duration.

Results

Out of 949 patients enrolled, 928 patients had all three tests performed. Detection rates were 35.2% (95%CI 32.2–38.4%) by RDT, 39.8% (36.6–43.0%) by saliva PCR, 40.1% (36.9–43.3%) by NP PCR, and 41.5% (38.3–44.7%) by any test. For those with viral loads (VL) ≥106 copies/ml, detection rates were 30.3% (27.3–33.3), 31.4% (28.4–34.5), 31.5% (28.5–34.6), and 31.6% (28.6–34.7%) respectively.

Sensitivity of RDT compared to NP PCR was 87.4% (83.6–90.6%) for all positive patients, 94.5% (91.5–96.7%) for those with VL≥105 and 96.5% (93.6–98.3%) for those with VL≥106. Sensitivity of STANDARD-Q®, Panbio™ and COVID-VIRO® Ag tests were 92.9% (86.4–96.9%), 86.1% (78.6–91.7%) and 84.1% (76.9–89.7%), respectively. For those with VL≥106, sensitivity was 96.6% (90.5–99.3%), 97.8% (92.1–99.7%) and 95.3% (89.4–98.5%) respectively. No patient with VL<104 was detected by RDT.

Specificity of RDT was 100% (99.3–100%) compared to any PCR. RDT sensitivity was similar <4 days (87.8%, 83.5–91.3%) and ≥4 days (85.7%, 75.9–92.6%) after symptoms onset (p = 0.6). Sensitivity of saliva and NP PCR were 95.7% (93.1–97.5%) and 96.5% (94.1–98.1%), respectively, compared to the other PCR.

Conclusions

RDT results allow rapid identification of COVID cases with immediate isolation of most contagious individuals. RDT can thus be a game changer both in ambulatory care and community testing aimed at stopping transmission chains, and even more so in resource-constrained settings thanks to its very low price. When PCR is performed, saliva could replace NP swabbing.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier: NCT04613310 (03/11/2020).
Optimizing hierarchical tree dissection parameters using historic epidemiologic data as ‘ground truth’
Authors: Jacobson David , Barratt Joel
Published: February 2023

Hierarchical clustering of pathogen genotypes is widely used to complement epidemiologic investigations of outbreaks. Investigators must dissect trees to obtain genetic partitions that provide epidemiologists with meaningful information. Statistical approaches to tree dissection often require a user-defined parameter to predict the optimal partition number and augmenting this parameter can drastically impact resultant partition memberships. Here, we demonstrate how to optimize a given tree dissection parameter to maximize accuracy irrespective of the tree dissection method used. We hierarchically clustered 1,873 genotypes of the foodborne pathogen Cyclospora spp., including 587 possessing links to historic outbreaks. We dissected the resulting tree using a statistical method requiring users to select the value of a ‘stringency parameter’ (s), with a recommended value of 95% to 99.5%. We dissected this hierarchical tree across s-values from 94% to 99.5% (at increments of 0.25%), to identify a value that maximized partitioning accuracy, defined as the degree to which genetic partitions conform to known epidemiologic groupings. We show that s-values of 96.5% and 96.75% yield the highest accuracy (> 99.9%) when clustering Cyclospora sp. isolates with known epidemiologic linkages. In practice, the optimized s-value will generate robust genetic partitions comprising isolates likely derived from a common food source, even when the epidemiologic grouping is not known prior to genetic clustering. While the s-value is specific to the tree dissection method used here, the optimization approach described could be applied to any parameter/method used to dissect hierarchical trees.
Referral pattern to nephrologist and prognosis in diabetic kidney disease patients: Single center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Iwata Yukimasa , Hayashi Terumasa , Okushima Hiroki , Uwatoko Ryuta , Takatsuka Taisuke , Yoshimura Daisuke , Kawamura Tomohiro , Iio Rei , Ueda Yoshiyasu , Shoji Tatsuya , Isaka Yoshitaka
Published: February 2023

Background

Management of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) to prevent end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has become a major challenge for health care professionals. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of patients with DKD when they are first referred to a nephrologist and the subsequent prognoses.

Methods

A total of 307 patients who were referred to our department from October 2010 to September 2014 at Osaka General Medical Center were analyzed. Independent risk factors associated with renal replacement therapy (RRT) and cardiovascular composite events (CVE) following their nephrology referral were later identified using Cox proportional hazards analysis.

Results

Of 307 patients, 26 (8.5%), 67 (21.8%), 134 (43.6%), and 80 (26.1%) patients were categorized as having chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3a, 3b, 4, and 5, respectively. The median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary protein levels were 22.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 2.83 g/gCr, respectively, at the time of the nephrology referral. During the follow-up period (median, 30 months), 121 patients required RRT, and more than half of the patients with CKD stages 5 and 4 reached ESKD within 60 months following their nephrology referral; 30% and <10% of the patients with CKD stages 3b and 3a, respectively, required RRT within 60 months following their nephrology referral.

Conclusion

Patients with DKD were referred to nephrologist at CKD stage 4. Although almost half of the patients with CKD stage 5 at the time of nephrology referral required RRT within one-and-a-half years after the referral, kidney function of patients who were referred to nephrologist at CKD stage 3 and 4 were well preserved.
Low-dose erythromycin in pediatrics: Formulation and stability of 20 mg hard gelatin capsules
Authors: Thevin Patrick , Curti Christophe , Benech Alexandre , Jean Christophe , Lamy Edouard , Castera Ducros Caroline , Primas Nicolas , Bertault-Peres Pierre , Vanelle Patrice
Published: February 2023

Objective

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that is also prescribed off-label in premature neonates as a prokinetic agent. There is no oral formulation with dosage and/or excipients adapted for these high-risk patients.

Methods

Clinical studies of erythromycin as a prokinetic agent were reviewed. Capsules of 20 milligrams of erythromycin were compounded with microcrystalline cellulose. Erythromycin capsules were analyzed using the chromatographic method described in the United States Pharmacopoeia which was found to be stability-indicating. The stability of 20 mg erythromycin capsules stored protected from light at room temperature was studied for one year.

Results

20 mg erythromycin capsules have a beyond use date not lower than one year.

Conclusion

20 milligrams erythromycin capsules can be compounded in batches of 300 unities in hospital pharmacy with a beyond-use-date of one year at ambient temperature protected from light.
Apolipoprotein E4 allele is genetically associated with risk of the short- and medium-term postoperative cognitive dysfunction: A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Authors: Hsiao Wei-Jen , Chen Chien-Yu , Kang Yi-No , Hu Chaur-Jong , Chen Che-Hong , Lin Pei-Lin , Lin Yu-Cih
Published: February 2023

The aim of systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate whether APOE4 was associated with postoperative neurologic dysfunction occurrence in short- or medium-term among surgical patients and to study the potential genetic association among these two entities. We searched electronic databases for reserch studies to evaluate the association of APOE4 with postoperative delirium (POD) or short- and medium term postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Twenty-two trials (16 prospective and six retrospective) with 6734 patients were included. APOE4 alleles was shown significantly associated with POCD within 1 week (odds ratio, OR, 1.89, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.36 to 2.6278, p < 0.01) in the random-effects model. A significant association was also noted between APOE4 and POCD in medium-term, 1–3 months, after surgery (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.003–2.839, p = 0.049). However, APOE4 was not significantly associated with POCD 1 year after surgery (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.57–1.70, p = 0.9449) and POD (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.85–1.91, p = 0.23). In conclusion, APOE4 alleles was genetically associated with short- and medium-term postoperative neurological dysfunction and future screening or preventive strategies derived is highly potential to improve outcomes.
(Un)caring: A framework for understanding care in community music(k)ing1
Authors: Morelli Janelize
Published: February 2023

In this article, I provide a conceptual analysis of care in community music. Despite growing interest in the belief that an ethic of care should inform our community music practices, truly considering what caring means may be challenging. Caring through musicking is further complicated by the inherent power imbalances in interventionist forms of community music. I refer to this conundrum using the term (un)caring. The topographic decision to write (un)caring using a bracketed qualifier is meant to reflect the dialogic nature between caring and uncaring. This concept analysis proposes that (un)caring is informed by negotiation of the following critical attributes: (1) (un)attentiveness, (2) (un)responsiveness and (3) (in)competence. This concept analysis contributes to the continual development of community music theory by providing an evaluative and theoretical lens through which community music practitioners could engage in critical discussions concerning the ethics of community music practice and research.
Benefits of integrating popular music in primary and secondary schools: A case study of Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Yu Liang
Published: February 2023

Western popular music began to dominate the Chinese music market after China implemented the open-door policy in 1978, which led to its introduction in schools in 2001. Popular music remains common outside of the classroom while occupying a small portion of school curricula. This study explores the influence of popular music in primary and secondary schools in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China. A combination of questionnaires, interviews, observations and an examination of the author’s teaching experience was used to gather data on issues affecting students’ and teachers’ acceptance of popular music and the relationship between popular music and music education. Findings indicate that popular music can be integrated into the curricula, improve teaching effectiveness, make learning more attractive for students and relate to the students’ everyday lives.
How to Make the Research Agenda in the Health Sciences Less Distorted
Authors: De Winter Jan
Published: February 2023

A well-known problem in the health sciences is the distorted research agenda: the agenda features too little research that is tailored to the health problems of the poor, and it features too little research that supports the development of other solutions to health problems than medicines (e.g., change of lifestyle). This article analyzes these two sub-problems in more detail, and assesses several strategies to deal with them, resulting in some specific recommendations that indicate what governments should do to make the research agenda in the health sciences less distorted.
The Logical Dimension of Argumentation and Its Semantic Appraisal in Bermejo-Luque's Giving Reasons
Authors: Freeman James B.
Published: February 2023

We critically examine Bermejo-Luque's account of the logical dimension of argumentation and its logical or semantic evaluation. Our considerations concern her views on inference claims, validity, logical normativity, warrants, necessity, warrants and the justification of inferences, ontological versus epistemic modal qualifiers, ontological versus epistemic probability, and ontological versus conditional probability.
The Account of Warrants in Bermejo-Luque's Giving Reasons
Authors: Pinto Robert C.
Published: February 2023

This paper highlights the difference between Lilian Bermejo-Luque's account of warrants with the quite different accounts of warrants offered by Toulmin, Hitchcock, and myself, and lays out some of the reasons why I think a "Toulminesque" account of warrants captures crucial aspects of arguing more adequately than her account does
Trust, authority and epistemic responsibility
Authors: ORIGGI Gloria
Published: February 2023

In this paper I argue that the epistemology of trust and testimony should take into account the pragmatics of communication in order to gain insight about the responsibilities speakers and hearers share in the epistemic access they gain through communication. Communication is a rich process of information exchange in which epistemic standards are negotiated by interlocutors. I discuss examples which show the contextual adjustment of these standards as the conversation goes on. Our sensitivity to the contextual dimension of epistemic standards make us more responsible communicators.
Bricks Without Straw: Darwinism In The Social Sciences
Authors: Saunders Peter T.
Published: February 2023

...
On 2nd Order Calculi of Individuals
Authors: Niebergall Karl-Georg
Published: February 2023

From early work of N. Goodman to recent approaches by H. Field and D. Lewis, there have
been attempts to combine 2nd order languages with calculi of individuals. This paper is a contribution,
containing basic definitions and distinctions and some metatheorems, to the development
of a general metatheory of such theories.
Structural Rules for Abduction
Authors: Niiniluoto Ilka
Published: February 2023

Atocha Aliseda gives in Abductive Reasoning (2006) a structural characterization of the forward explanatory reasoning from a theory to observational data. This paper discusses the converse problem of giving structural rules for the backward abductive reasoning from observations to explanatory theories.
The Role of Affect in Language Development
Authors: SHANKER Stuart G. , GREENSPAN Stanley I.
Published: February 2023

This paper presents the Functional/Emotional approach to language development, which explains the process leading up to the core capacities necessary for language; shows how this process leads to the formation of internal symbols; and how it shapes and is shaped by the child's development of language.
Epigénesis y validez: El papel de la embriología en el programa transcendental de Kant. (Epigenesis and validity: The role of the embriology in Kant's transcendental program)
Authors: MOYA Eugenio
Published: February 2023

El artículo hace una lectura naturalizada y novedosa del transcendentalismo kantiano, a partir de la idea de epigénesis, una idea, extraída del campo embriológico, que Kant utiliza no sólo para plantear una interesantísima teoría de la evolución natural, sino también para explicar el origen y validez de los conocimientos a priori.
Truthmaking and Supervenience
Authors: PAGÈS Joan
Published: February 2023

This paper advances a criticism of Parsons' notion of truthmaker grounded on the notion of supervenience. I argue that none of the two naturalinterpretations of Parsons' definition succeeds in accomplishing the several tasks intended by Parsons.
Hacía Galileo Experimentos? (Did Galileo do experiments?)
Authors: ROMO José
Published: February 2023

Se pone en cuestión la interpretación propuesta por Peter Dear de la transformación sufrida por el recurso a la experiencia en la filosofía natural del siglo XVII, mediante una discusión de algunos aspectos de la construcción de la ciencia del movimiento de Galileo.
The role of dispositions in explanations
Authors: VICENTE Agustín
Published: February 2023

According to a model defended by some authors, dispositional concepts can be legitimately used in causal explanations, although such a use is not necessary. I argue, however, that there is a kind of use of dispositions in explanations that does not fall within this model: we will miss some explanations if we forsake dispositional concepts and explanations.
The Consent Solution to Punishment and the Explicit Denial Objection
Authors: Imbrisevic Miroslav
Published: February 2023

Recently, David Boonin has put forward several objections to Carlos S. Nino's 'Consensual Theory of Punishment'. In this paper I will defend Nino against the 'explicit denial objection'. I will discuss whether Boonin's interpretation of Nino as a tacit consent theorist is right. I will argue that the offender's consent is neither tacit nor express, but a special category of implicit consent. Further, for Nino the legal-normative consequences of an act (of crime) are 'irrevocable', i.e. one cannot (expressly and successfully) deny liability to them. I will suggest an explanation for Nino's irrevocability claim.
Models for Prediction, Explanation and Control: Recursive Bayesian Networks
Authors: Casini Lorenzo , McKay Illari Phyllis , Russo Federica , Williamson Jon
Published: February 2023

The Recursive Bayesian Net (RBN) formalism was originally developed for modelling nested causal relationships. In this paper we argue that the formalism can also be applied to modelling the hierarchical structure of mechanisms. The resulting network contains quantitative information about probabilities, as well as qualitative information about mechanistic structure and causal relations. Since information about probabilities, mechanisms and causal relations is vital for prediction, explanation and control respectively, an RBN can be applied to all these tasks. We show in particular how a simple two-level RBN can be used to model a mechanism in cancer science. The higher level of our model contains variables at the clinical level, while the lower level maps the structure of the cell's mechanism for apoptosis.
Determinism and the Method of Difference
Authors: Hofmann Urs , Baumgartner Michael
Published: February 2023

The first part of this paper reveals a conflict between the core principles of deterministic causation and the standard method of difference, which is widely seen (and used) as a correct method of causally analyzing deterministic structures. We show that applying the method of difference to deterministic structures can give rise to causal inferences that contradict the principles of deterministic causation. The second part then locates the source of this conflict in an inference rule implemented in the method of difference according to which factors that can make a difference to investigated effects relative to one particular test setup are to be identified as causes, provided the causal background of the corresponding setup is homogeneous. The paper ends by modifying the method of difference in a way that renders it compatible with the principles of deterministic causation.
Teachers’ Emotion Regulation: Implications for Classroom Conflict Management
Authors:   Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portugal, Valente Sabina , Lourenco Abilio Afonso ,   University of Minho, Portugal, Derakhshan Ali ,   Golestan University, Iran, Németh Zsolt ,   University of Pécs, Hungary, Almeida Leando ,   University of Minho, Portugal
Published: February 2023

It has been postulated that emotions play essential roles in conflict situations and that excessive expression of emotions or inappropriate display can reduce the capacity to manage conflict. However, there is a lack of research that relates teachers’ emotion-regulation ability to managing conflict. To bridge this gap, this pilot study aimed to examine the relationships between teachers’ emotion-regulation ability and conflict management strategies used in the classroom. The sample consisted of 878 teachers (61% women) working in Portuguese schools, which completed an application of Mayer and Salovey’s emotional intelligence model and Rahim’s model of conflict management. Using the structural equation modeling, findings revealed that the teachers who tend to show a greater ability to regulate emotions use mainly integrating and compromising strategies to manage classroom conflicts more frequently than other strategies. In conclusion, it is necessary to create a curriculum in the pre-service teachers’ education programs that includes emotional education, so that they can acquire emotional regulation skills, due to their importance in classroom conflict management.
What Is Discussed in Mentoring Dialogues? An Analysis of How Relations of Control Influence the Content in Mentoring
Authors:   Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Merket Monika
Published: February 2023

Both international actors, like the OECD, and Norwegian policies for teacher education aim to increase students’ academic competence and the collaboration between university and practice. Mentoring dialogues between students and mentors in practice are in the intersection between university and the profession. Thus, this gives the mentors the responsibility to realize these policy intentions. This actualizes what is discussed in mentoring and how the negotiation of control between mentors and students has impact on what policy intentions are recontextualized in mentoring. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate which intentions are realized in mentoring through the use of criteria and the selection of the content to be discussed. The findings indicate that the mentor has strong autonomy, and where what is discussed is focused more on practical issues than considerations about the academic subject. Given these findings, this paper discusses different perspectives on a close collaboration between university and practice.
Типология переключения кодов на примере русско-финских и нганасанско-русских языковых контактов
Authors: Leisiö Larisa
Published: February 2023

Code switching typology completed in 1998 and partially revisited in 2013 (Auer 1998; 2013) is discussed and applied in the analysis of Russian speakers living in Finland and of Nganasan speakers living on the Taimyr Peninsula, Russian Federation. According to the code-switching typology, there are broadly seen three stages of codeswitching: code switching proper (I), code mixing (II) and mixed language (III). They form a one-directional continuum in language-contact situations, so that the direction from the first stage towards the third one cannot be reversed and, on the other hand, there is no clear boundary between the two consecutive stages. Both Finno-Russians and Nganasans use the other language in the interaction. Finno-Russians use Finnish in their Russian speech and Nganasans use Russian in their Nganasan-language interaction. All in all, language alternation of both groups varies between code-switching and code-mixing. Short and phono-morphologically integrated passages in the other language usually do not include interaction or narrative relevant meaning. Code-switched excerpts meaningful from the narrative or interaction viewpoint are longer and form the other-language islands. The status of the languages in society and the interaction type construct, respectively, macro- and micro-frameworks for language choice and the possibility of language alternation.
The concept ‘half’ in Selkup language
Authors: Kahrs Ulrike
Published: February 2023

The theoretical frame of this article is the field of cognitive
linguistics. The past decades have witnessed a progressive increase in
writings on cognitive structures. A special focus is laid thereby on
concepts, which are considered as mental organisational units reflecting the
external world. With the help of concepts, humans organise their perceptions
and experiences in order to be able to understand and act. This paper
explores a concrete mental organisational unit - the concept ‘half’ - in
Selkup language. In the last decades, some works were published
concentrating on concepts in Selkup language and culture, like ‘space’
(Polyakova 2006). {PARAGRAPH} The concept ‘half’ is a fundamental cognitive
organisational unit, based on dividing, partitioning and subdividing things,
like splitting an apple, a fish or a log of wood, with a knife or an axe in
two halves. The examined material consists of four words with the meaning
‘half’, extracted from various dictionaries, and approximately 35 sentences,
extracted from two Selkup language corpora, in which these words are used.
Due to the semantic connotations and the utilization of the word in certain
contexts I propose six conceptual domains (division of things into two
halves, transversal/horizontal division of things into two halves,
longitudinal division of things into two halves, division of locations into
two halves, division of time into two halves and division of paired
entities), which are analysed in regard of their lexical representation. The
paper has the following structure: after a brief introduction, the material
and method are presented. The main section deals with the analysis of the
six conceptual domains. At the end of each domain, I will analyse the
linguistic representation and the main features of the objects belonging to
this sphere. The findings are summarized in the final section. The analysis
of the concept ‘half’ in Selkup shows that this mental unit of organisation
has a complex structure. Some domains are represented linguistically
homogenous (e.g. division of things into two halves and division of paired
entities), whereas other domains are expressed linguistically by more than
one word (e.g. division of location or time in two halves). Sometimes this
incoherent linguistic representation is caused by dialect differences or the
fact that all word meaning ‘half’ in Selkup are polysemous and the different
meanings might eventually interfere.
Syntax and semantics of the Selkup noun phrase
Authors: Däbritz Chris Lasse , Budzisch Josefina
Published: February 2023

The paper at hand aims at describing the basic patterns of syntax and semantics of noun phrases in Selkup; all four dialect groups of Selkup (Northern, Central, Southern and Ket) are taken into account for the description of NPs but it can be shown that they do not differ regarding the structure of noun phrases. The approach is corpus based, the data in use stems from two corpora: INEL Selkup corpus (Brykina et al. 2020) and the SLE corpus (Budzisch et al. 2019), together they consist of 404 texts with 16,741 sentences and 94,553 tokens. Noun phrases can be bare or modified in Selkup; in the latter case no agreement of modifier and head noun is observed in any case. The modifiers occurring in Selkup are adjectives, numerals and quantifiers, demonstratives, possessors as well as participles forming relative clauses. Generally, it can be said that noun phrases in Selkup are structured as expected in an articless SOV language, namely exhibiting no agreement and being head-final. There is one seeming exception, namely the universal quantifiers muntɨk ‘all; whole’ and wes’ ‘all; whole’, which can be placed after the noun they modify.
Ударение в камасинском и его ареальные параллели
Authors: Норманская Ю. В.
Published: February 2023

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Kamasian stress. It
analyzes the corpus of audio recordings by Klaudia Plotnikova. This corpus
was created as part of the work of the Institute of Finno-Ugric Studies in
Hamburg, which was headed by E. A. Helimski from 1997 to 2007. It has been
compared with data from multiple sources, including the Kamasian dictionary
from the archive of A.M. Sjögren, which was based on G. F. Miller's Samoyed
dictionaries collected during expeditions of the first half of the XVIII
century; archival materials on the Kamasian language recorded by M. A.
Castrén in the first half of the XIX century, and the Kamasian dictionary by
K. Donner, the material for which was collected in the first half of the XX
century. Summing up the results of the analysis, it can be established that
in the audio recordings of Klaudia Plotnikova, the place of stress depends
on the Kamassian vowels of the first and second syllables. The following
rule can be proposed:

— stress falls on the first syllable if it contains Kamasian
vowels a, e, o, ö and the vowel of the second syllable is ǝ, i,
or u;

— stress does not fall on the first syllable in all other
cases.

It turned out that this rule fully corresponds to the position
in which long vowels appear in the Khakas language, whose speakers
assimilated the Kamasians.
Kamas bāzoʔ ‘again’
Authors: Klumpp Gerson
Published: February 2023

This article is an attempt to capture the functional profile of the Kamas repetitive adverb bazoʔ, which occurs with the four different meanings ‘again’, ‘in addition’, ‘in turn’, and ‘back again’. The adverb is a borrowing from South Siberian Turkic. It is attested across all documented periods of Kamas. In the latest period, the profile of the adverb changes at least in two domains. First, in repeated events with a differing given argument, the adverb finds a competitor in the Russian borrowing tože ‘also’. Second, while a repetitive-restitutive meaning is attested already in earlier texts, in late Kamas, bazoʔ appears also in counterdirectional meaning, which had been expressed earlier by the spatial adverb püʔdə ‘back’. For the present investigation all ca. 200 instances of bazoʔ in the older and younger Kamas texts have been considered. In addition to bazoʔ and tože, attention is also paid to another additive operator of Russian origin, iššo ‘still, more’.
Чередования гласных в именных и глагольных основах в сургутском диалекте
хантыйского языка
Authors: Кошкарева Н. Б.
Published: February 2023

This paper discusses the vowel alternation in verbal stems of the Surgut
dialect of Khanty in comparison with the alternation in nouns. The low
vowels in verbal stems alternate with the high vowels of the corresponding
row. Mid long vowels in both nominal and verbal stems demonstrate an
irregular alternation: they either do not alternate at all, like high
vowels, or alternate like low vowels. Three types of alternations are
revealed: three different long vowels are represented in the forms of the
present, past and imperative: for example, the long back low rounded vowel
[o] alternates in the past tense with [u], and in the imperative mood ‒ with
[y]. Other vowels form alternating pairs, which are distributed differently
in different verb forms. Two different long vowels are used in the forms of
the present tense, on the one hand, and in the forms of the past tense and
imperative mood, on the other hand. In the stems with short vowels, the
forms of the present and past tense of the indicative are opposed to the
forms of the imperative. Unlike nouns, where only long vowels are allowed to
alternate, in verbs short vowels also participate in the alternation. Long
vowels alternate with long ones, and short vowels alternate with short
ones.