bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
St. Petersburg Mythology in an Ancient Greek Poem by F. B. Graefe on the 100-year Jubilee of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (1826)
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Ermolaeva Elena L.
Published: February 2021

This article deals with a poem by academician F. B. Graefe (1780–1851) written in ancient Greek elegiacs (424 lines) with authorized German poetic translation en regard (1826). The poem was dedicated to the 100-year jubilee of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and printed in a small number of exemplars (für Wenige). The poem has never been republished until now. The article provides the Introduction (54 lines), the Epilogue, and selected passages in Greek and German, with Russian translation and commentaries. The Introduction describes the foundation of St. Petersburg and the Academy by Peter the First. Graefe’s stock images (the marshes on which St. Petersburg appeared; a poor Finnish fisherman with his old net; a tsar demiurge on the bank of the river; etc.), motifs (nature and civilization) and formulas (before — now; one hundred years later; etc.) reflect the official, cosmological St. Petersburg mythology. Three other selected passages of the poem describe the paleontological and Egyptian collections of the Academy museums. The author discusses Graefe’s possible sources, the historical context of his poem, and responces to it in Germany. Graefe’s poem in ancient Greek is a testimony of the Neuhumanismus in Russia.
Arist. Poet. 1454a31–33 Again
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kostyleva Tatiana V. ,   National Research University Higher School of Economics
Published: February 2021

Among the examples on how not to portray a character in tragedy, Aristotle names the female protagonist of the Iphigenia in Aulis, claiming that she is drawn in violation of the principle of consistency: begging to spare her life she is much unlike her later self. Philologists stood for Euripides, charging Aristotle with a lack of intuitive understanding. Moreover, as has been pointed out, the unaffected character of Iphigenia’s behaviour could find a footing in the ample observations on human psychology Aristotle himself made elsewhere in the Ethics and Rheth­oric. Certain modern scholars, however, tend to side with Aristotle. To argumentatively prove or disprove the feasibility of the change Iphigenia undergoes seems thus to be close to impos­sible, both psychologically and aesthetically. A thought not alien to the Poetics goes as simple as that: not all the shifts and turns, so human and so easily observed in life, should find their way into art. One supposes Aristotle all too well recognised the fact that no example would in this case prove to be free of blame, while holding that the general applicability and inherent veracity of his theory goes unimpaired by the fact that it could in principle be assailed.
Hair in Exile: Manifestations of Displacement, Difference, and Belongingness through Hair in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah
Authors:   Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology Mizoram, Shuchi  , Zote Josephine Ramdinmawii ,   Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology Mizoram,
Published: February 2021

One familiar phenomenon that is often found in diasporic identities is the preconceived idealization of their host lands prior to their displacement. Once disillusioned from this fantasy, the realities of their inhospitable surroundings set in, and a grave sense of displacement and nostalgia for their homelands continue to materialize. Such people often seek for a sense of home and communal consciousness connected to their homelands. In the case of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah (2013), this connection manifests, and is explored by the protagonist, principally through hair. Americanah (2013) guides us through the discovery of, and inquiry into, the intricacies of race, gender, and identity by Ifemelu with her venture into a host country whose social and political history has put in front of her an unfamiliar identity to adopt. This paper attempts to trace the protagonist’s experiences of displacement and existence in relation to the dominant community in her host country, as well as her discovery of a symbolic community where she adopts a new form of communal consciousness. Through a narrative that takes us back and forth different continents, showing us the difference between what it is like to be black in Nigeria and in America, Adichie shows us the impossibility to successfully encapsulate heterogeneous identities into an all-encompassing category of race. This paper explores the dynamics of differences as projected through the issue of identity with an emphasis on the subject of hair politics in Americanah (2013).
Review Article on A Fragmented Feminism: The Life and Letters of Anandibai Joshee By Meera Kosambi, Ram Ramaswamy, Madhavi Kolhatkar & Aban Mukherji
Authors:   VIT Chennai, Bhuvaneswari,, G Niranjana
Published: February 2021

A Fragmented Feminism: The Life and Letters of Anandibai Joshee is the seminal work on social history about the first woman doctor of India, Anandibai Gopal Joshee written by the sociologist Meera Kosambi and Edited by Ram Ramaswamy, Madhavi Kolhatkar and Aban Mukherji. It provides insight into the psychosocial impacts of culture on Indian women through the life of Dr. Anandibai Gopal Joshee, India’s first women doctor. The author collected the letters written by Anandibai, newspaper reports on her, her poems in Marathi and rare photographs of her to craft the biography of her life. This book resembles an epistolary style in its narrative quality accompanied by annotations and explanations by the author and Editors. Anandibai, who was graduated in western medicine at America, lived during the nineteenth century pre-independence India where access to basic education was a distant dream. This book stands as a witness to practices of child marriage, physical and emotional abusement on women. (Kosambi, 19) ‘In childhood the mind is immature and the body undeveloped. And you know how I acted on these occasions. If I had left, you at that immature age, as you kept on suggesting, what would have happened? (And any number of girls have left their homes because of harassment from mothers-in-law and husbands). I did not do so because I was afraid that my ill-considered behaviour would tarnish my father’s honour… And I requested you not to spare me, but to kill me. In out society, for centuries there has been no legal barrier between husband and wives; and if it exists, it works against women! Such being the vase, I had no recourse but to allow you to hit me with chairs and bear it with equanimity. A Hindu woman has not right to utter a word or to advise her husband. On the contrary she has right to allow her husband to do what he wishes and to keep quiet.’
Evaluation Strategies and Tactics of immigration Issues in Social Media Discourse
Authors:   Kazakh Ablai khan University of Foreign Relations and World Languages, Almaty,, Iskakova Nazira S. , Islam Aibarsha
Published: February 2021

The article is aimed at studying the main evaluation strategies and tactics through contextual analysis of immigration problems in the British social media discourse. The article considers evaluation as a cognitive-pragmatic phenomenon and identifies it as a powerful means of persuasion for manipulating public opinion. The commutative strategies and tactics are defined as the main tools to achieve the author’s pragmatic intention and the goal. Thus, it has become relevant to identify what evaluation strategies and tactics the author uses to highlight immigration issues in British society. As a result, the diversity of examples allows us to conclude that a key evaluation strategy of British media discourse that presents the immigration issues is a strategy of disapproval, expressed through the tactics of a recognition of the existence of the problem, accusation, reproach, discredit, misunderstanding, doubt, indication of the future, disagreement and distancing that imply negative evaluation.
Marszałka Edwarda Śmigłego-Rydza koncepcja działań obronnych w wojnie z Niemcami
Authors: Wysocki Jan Wiesław
Published: February 2021

E. Śmigły-Rydz przejął w 1935 r. kierowanie GISZ, dokonał zmian kadrowych w Sztabie Głównym (szefem Sztabu został gen. W. Stachiewicz) i zlecił opracowanie planu obrony granic Polski przed sąsiadami. Plan „Z” – przeciwniemiecki – dokonywał oceny sił III Rzeszy i jej możliwości działań przeciw Polsce. Ocena ta wymuszała utrzymanie gros własnego terytorium do czasu ofensywy sojuszników. Pierwsze fazy planu były opracowane, następne miały elementy improwizacji, co było wynikiem realnych kalkulacji i wariantowości rozwoju sytuacji wojennej. Polska w 1939 r. była do wojny przygotowana, cechowała ją determinacja obrony całości państwa a także poparcie całego narodu.
Latest Advances in Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Optimization of Metabolic Syndrome Treatment
Authors: Arauna Diego , Vijayakumar Sekar , Durán-Lara Esteban
Published: February 2021

Background:

Drug delivery systems such as hydrogels have become relevant in cardiovascular and metabolic therapies due to their sustained and controlled release properties of drugs, versatile polymer structures, safety and biodegradability.

Results:

The literature presented demonstrates that a hydrogel-based controlled release
system increases the therapeutic efficacy in different components of the metabolic syndrome.
Hypertension has been the most explored component with advances in in vitro
and murine models. However, clinical evidence in humans is scarce, and more translational
studies are needed. Hydrogel-based systems for diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidemia
have been little explored. Observations mainly demonstrated an increase in therapeutic efficacy,
in vitro and in vivo, for the use of insulin, leptin, and natural components, such as
epigallocatechin gallate. In all cases, the hydrogel systems achieve better plasma levels
of the loaded compound, higher bioavailability, and low cytotoxicity compared to conventional
systems. Also, the evidence existing suggests that the development of an injectable
hydrogel system for controlled release of drugs or therapeutic compounds is presented
as an attractive option for MeS treatment, and due to the possibility of sustained
pharmacological release, there is no need for repeated doses and a safe administration
route.

Conclusion:

The following review aims to evaluate the use of the hydrogel systems in the therapy of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, which are the main components of metabolic syndrome.
Absorption, Metabolism, Distribution, and Excretion of Letermovir
Authors: Menzel Karsten , Kothare Prajakti , McCrea Jacqueline B. , Chu Xiaoyan , Kropeit Dirk
Published: February 2021

Background:

Letermovir is approved for prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus infection and disease in
cytomegalovirus-seropositive hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HSCT) recipients.

Objective:

HSCT recipients are required to take many drugs concomitantly. The pharmacokinetics, absorption,
distribution, metabolism, and excretion of letermovir and its potential to inhibit metabolizing enzymes and transporters
in vitro were investigated to inform on the potential for drug-drug interactions (DDIs).

Methods:

A combination of in vitro and in vivo studies described the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and
routes of elimination of letermovir, as well as the enzymes and transporters involved in these processes. The
effect of letermovir to inhibit and induce metabolizing enzymes and transporters was evaluated in vitro and its
victim and perpetrator DDI potentials were predicted by applying the regulatory guidance for DDI assessment.

Results:

Letermovir was a substrate of CYP3A4/5 and UGT1A1/3 in vitro. Letermovir showed concentration-
dependent uptake into organic anionic transporting polypeptide (OATP)1B1/3-transfected cells and was a
substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp). In a human ADME study, letermovir was primarily recovered as unchanged
drug and minor amounts of a direct glucuronide in feces. Based on the metabolic pathway profiling of letermovir,
there were few oxidative metabolites in human matrix. Letermovir inhibited CYP2B6, CYP2C8,
CYP3A, and UGT1A1 in vitro, and induced CYP3A4 and CYP2B6 in hepatocytes. Letermovir also inhibited
OATP1B1/3, OATP2B1, OAT3, OCT2, BCRP, BSEP, and P-gp.

Conclusion:

The body of work presented in this manuscript informed on the potential for DDIs when letermovir
is administered both intravenously and orally in HSCT recipients.
Are Our Diabetic Patients Adherent to the Treatment?
Authors: Kumar Avinash , Hejmady Dhruv Indiresh , B. Unnikrishnan , Thapar Rekha , Kumar Nithin , Holla Ramesh , B.B. Darshan , Shetty Vishnu , Charitha I.S. Divya , K. Rakshith Hegde
Published: February 2021

Aim:

To estimate the adherence to treatment among type 2 diabetic patients.

Background:

Treatment adherence is a complex process that is controlled by multiple factors.
Lack of treatment adherence is common with patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes and is becoming
a very prevalent problem especially with the patients who suffer from non-communicable
diseases (NCD) worldwide.

Objective:

To estimate the adherence to treatment among type 2 diabetic patients and the perception
and practice of self-management among them.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was conducted amongst the patients of Kasturba
Medical College, Mangalore, a coastal city of southern India. The questionnaire consisted of
Medical Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) to assess how adherent the patient is to the treatment
and the Diabetes Self-care Questionnaire (DSMQ) for assessing the various self-care practices employed
by diabetic patients. The data obtained was entered and the analysis was done by using the
Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 25.0.

Results:

The study involved 95 patients and the mean age was found to be 50.71 ± 12.633 years.
More than 60% of the study population were male and 78.9% were literate. Nearly half of the patients
(49.5%) had been on treatment for a duration of >5 years. Eighty-two percent population
(82.1%) were adherent to their medications. Adherence was found to be nearly eighty percent
(79.5%) among the literates.

Conclusion:

Adherence was more among the males as compared to the females. Most patients in
the study had been adherent to their medications prescribed to them. Most of them were on oral
drugs only. The majority of the patients who had diabetes mellitus were found to have inadequate
self-care management for diabetes mellitus.
Highlights on Important Medicinal Plants for the Menopause Syndrome
Authors: Rodrigues Rafaele de A. , de S. Ramos Aline , Ferreira José Luiz P. , de A. Silva Jefferson Rocha , Maria Ana Clara B. , de Almeida Maíra Martins H. , Amaral Ana Claudia F.
Published: February 2021

Background:

A reduction in ovarian hormones, which is distinctive of menopause, often
involves signs and symptoms that compromise the quality of life and health of women. The
transient manifestations are changes in the menstrual cycle, vasomotor symptoms, neuropsychological
symptoms, and genitourinary changes. In some cases, the hormonal changes can evolve to nontransitory
manifestations, which include urinary incontinence, changes in metabolism, osteoporosis,
and cardiovascular diseases. Hormone replacement therapy is the treatment of choice to alleviate
transient symptoms of menopause; however, there are many limitations, contraindications, and
situations in which the risks of adverse effects are high, such as coronary artery disease, stroke, venous
thromboembolism, dementia, type 2 diabetes, and the increased incidence of breast cancer.

Objective:

This work aims to highlight important medicinal plants for the treatment of the transient
symptoms of menopause, with less side effects than traditional hormone replacement therapy.

Results:

There is sufficient information regarding the efficacy and safety for the use of the following
plant species in the treatment of transient symptoms of menopause: Actaea racemosa, Glycine
max, Trifolium pratense, Salvia officinalis, Humulus lupulus, Panax ginseng, Vitex agnus-castus,
and Trigonella foenum-graecum. Additionally, the search indicated the chemical classes related to
the benefits of the selected species, adverse effects, and interactions with other drugs.
Relationship with Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) and DTI Features in Brain Metastases of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Yilmaz Temel Fatih , Yurtsever Ismail , Turk Hacı Mehmet , Gultekin Mehmet Ali , Besiroglu Mehmet , Cesme Dilek Hacer , Shbair Abdallah T M , Alkan Alpay
Published: February 2021

Objectives:

The purpose of the study was to determine DTI properties of brain metastases
in subjects with Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) to evaluate whether there was a correlation
between DTI findings and Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1).

Methods:

The study population (n:22) was assigned to PD-L1 negative (Group 1: PD-L1 expression<%
50) (n=11) or positive (Group 2: PD-L1 expression ≥%50) (n=11). We compared ADC and
FA values measured from the enhanced solid metastases and peritumoral edema area with PD-L1
protein status.

Results:

The mean ADC values were lower in group 2 compared to group 1. The peritumoral ADC
values were higher in group 2 compared to group 1. Mean peritumoral edema FA values were lower
in group 2 compared to group 1. The peritumoral edema nADC values were higher in group 2
compared to group 1. As PD-L1 expression frequency increased, ADC values in the peritumoral
edema area increased and FA values decreased.

Conclusions:

We thought that the existence of PD-L1 protein does not affect ADC and FA values
of brain metastasis (BM) originating from NSCLC. DTI characteristics of the peritumoral edema
area could be a guide in determining the PD-L1 protein status of brain metastases of NSCLC. The
relationship between PD-L1 expression status and DTI features in BM from NSCLC could help us
to have an idea regarding the response to immunotherapy.
Current Trends and Future Strategies for the Global Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chauhan Ashutosh , Kumar Ankit , Goyal Sandeep , Joshi Sunil Kumar , Semwal Deepak Kumar
Published: February 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) might have originated
from the recombination of a Pangolin-CoV-like virus with a Bat-CoV-RaTG13-like virus and then
transmitted to a human at Wuhan city of China. On February 11, 2020, the WHO announced a
name for the new coronavirus disease as COVID-19. Finally, the WHO declared the novel coronavirus
outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Within a few months, SARS-CoV-2 had
spread across the world to 220 countries, areas or territories. The main objective of this work is to
review the existing knowledge about COVID-19, its updated status, available treatment procedures
and future challenges. The available literature based on the COVID-19 was thoroughly reviewed
and concise, evidence-based information was explored for the public interest. Various authentic
databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar together with the official sites of some Govt.
Organizations were carefully searched for all relevant information about the current status of
COVID-19, including the published research on coronavirus. More than 68 million people are already
infected, including around 20% severely ill, with almost 1.5 million casualties due to this
virus which is expected to infect approximately 70% population worldwide. Currently, maximum
confirmed cases and death are reported in the USA. The epicentre of the pandemic was initially
shifted from China to Europe, then to the USA, Brazil and now India. In between, the understanding
of pathogenesis and mode of transmission has been developed; repurposing drugs are being
validated and the development of a new vaccine is underway. The study concludes that there is no
established treatment available for COVID-19, although 26 clinical and 139 preclinical trials are underway
to develop vaccines globally. Although three vaccines are at the advanced stage of development,
their efficacy and adverse effects are yet to be validated and recorded. Recently, the Pfizer
vaccine has been started for vaccination in emergency cases in England and Bahrain, and the United
States of America will start it soon. Meanwhile, prevention, rigorous global containment and
quarantine efforts are practiced worldwide to control its spread.
Uma tríade botânica na paisagem oitocentista portuense: jardins e hortos de excelência científica e económica
Authors: Vieira Cristiana , Antunes Ana Catarina , Faria Sónia
Published: February 2021

The present work explores the recognition of the past and present genius loci of three spaces of Porto city center as remaining and transformed representations of spaces with distinct, interconnected and pertinent botanical missions in the nineteenth century landscape of the city. Through the exploration of sources left by the interveners or graphic testimonies of the urban lands‑ cape from 1850 to the present day of these (ethno-)botanical spaces, we explore how the interveners and spaces of the Jardim Botânico da Academia Polythecnica do Porto, the Horto-pharmacêutico da Botica da Hospital Real de Santo António and the Horto das Virtudes mutually influenced. On the other hand, it is demonstrated how these spaces determined a time of special interest in botany that would not be repeated in the history of the city and its population.
A study of similarity and/or dissimilarity of brain activation of Japanese learners during written tests and conversation
Authors: Hirata Yu
Published: February 2021

In modern-day language teaching, ensuring that there is a practical communicative proficiency is the first priority, rather than trying to enhance a learner's grammatical knowledge. This can be said to be true in a first language, as well as when somebody attempts to learn a second
language. Researchers are now exploring ways that written tests can be used to assess a learner's speaking ability or communicative proficiency. Dr Yu Hirata is based within the Graduate School of Language Education and Information Science at Ritsumeikan University in Japan, and is heading
up a study of the similarities and dissimilarities of brain activity in Japanese learners during written tests and conversation, which could provide significant benefits to those teaching and studying language courses.
The structure of regional child-rearing developed by a naval harbour city - from the analysis of oral history and architecture/urban living space
Authors: Eguchi Chiyo
Published: February 2021

In Japan, the birth rate is currently the lowest it has ever been. This has prompted researchers to look into the country's environments and attitudes of raising children. Associate Professor Chiyo Eguchi, Faculty of Nursing, Hiroshima International University, Japan, is looking at
the issues surrounding family and child-rearing environments and has interviewed families across generations to clarify such relationships and environments. Her project is shedding light on how and why different localities in Japan have different child-rearing approaches and environments,
such as families of three generations living together in large, sturdy houses in snowy areas. Eguchi has also discovered historical instances of rich child-rearing traditions in cities, such as in Kure near Hiroshima. In order to decipher whether the local child-rearing environment is influenced
by the peculiarities of a particular region, Eguchi is working to clarify the characteristics of Kure and how these peculiarities relate to a modern city. As such, she is interviewing residents of Kure who lived there during the war to gain a sense of their life stories and what life was like
for them as children. Positive experiences of living in close proximity to family and neighbours were recounted. Using this information, Eguchi and the team have adopted an analytical approach to unravelling the relationship between the narrative of an individual and their specific living
space and the researchers plan to extrapolate the findings into a modern-day urban environment
Спектральные и амплитудно-временные характеристики излучения Черенкова при возбуждении прозрачных материалов пучком электронов
Authors: Тарасенко В.Ф. , Бакшт Е.Х. , Ерофеев М.В. , Бураченко А.Г.
Published: February 2021

Interest in the study of the characteristics of the Vavilov-Cherenkov (VCR) radiation has increased in connection with the work on the creation of runaway electron (RE) detectors for TOKAMAK-type installations. This review presents the results of studies of the spectral, amplitude-temporal, and spatial characteristics of VCR, obtained mainly in recent years when transparent substances are excited by an electron flux with energies of tens to hundreds of keV. The VCR spectra in diamond (natural and synthetic), quartz glass, sapphire, leucosapphire are given, and the VCR registration in MgF2, Ga2O3 and other transparent samples is reported. A comparison of the spectra and amplitude-time characteristics of the VCR and pulsed cathodoluminescence (PCL) at various electron energies is carried out. For a number of samples, the VCR spectra were calculated taking into account the dispersion of the refractive index, as well as the energy distribution of the beam electrons and the decrease in the electron energy during their deceleration in the sample material. The emission spectrum of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is used as a material for radiators in Cherenkov detectors and optical fibers transmitting radiation in scintillation dosimeters, as well as a plastic base in organic scintillators, has been investigated.
Synthesis, Fluorescence and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Phthalocyanine Derivatives in the Continuous-wave and Pulsed Excitation Regimes-=SUP=-*-=/SUP=-
Authors: Manaa Hacene , Attila Devrim , Gurek Ayse Gul , Mohamed Sughra , Alawainati Fadheela A. , Jaafar Adnan , Henari Fryad Z.
Published: February 2021

In this work, the photo-physical properties of seven different phthalocyanine derivatives are studied, with a focus on their transparency spectral range. Two compounds among them are recently synthesised. The investigations include synthesis, photoluminescence, absorptive and refractive nonlinear properties, and optical limiting performances. The compounds are found to be emitting interesting broad fluorescence bands in the visible range. The nonlinear optical properties are investigated with the help of Z-scan technique, with both a continuous laser at 488, 514.5 and 632.8 nm, and with a pulsed laser at 532 nm. The sign and the magnitude of the nonlinear refractive index, third-order susceptibility, and nonlinear absorption coefficient have been evaluated in the seven compounds. The optical limiting performance of each compound was also evaluated in the continuous and pulsed laser excitation regimes. Keywords:
Application of Hilbert Analysis in Orthogonal Fourier Fringe-projection to Improve Object Shape Reconstruction -=SUP=-*-=/SUP=-
Authors: Rosenberg Ori Izhak , Abookasis David
Published: February 2021

Three-dimensional (3D) measurement of an object is widely used in many fields including machine vision, quality control, robotics, medical diagnostics, and others. High-precision 3D surface topography is necessary for describing object shape accurately with high spatial resolution. A combined approach to improve 3D object shape recovery based on Fourier orthogonal fringe projection together with Hilbert transform is proposed and demonstrated. This new idea of combination is highly effective due to the suppressing of background intensity of the deformed fringe pattern while the zero spectrum is extracted precisely and easily. Removing the zero order component leads to increase the visualization and resolution of the measured object. Application of Hilbert processing for object shape recovery in orthogonal Fourier projection domain to improve 3D visualization has not been reported before. The processing framework of this strategy is described in detail. Validation of the proposed method is verified by experiments including visualization of objects with various shapes and sizes. A comparison between profilometry methods is also given which verify better performance in reconstruction of complex objects. 3D reconstruction of flow running at different speeds on a scattering medium with this combined approach is also demonstrated for the first time. Keywords: 3D shape measurements, orthogonal fringes, Fourier and Hilbert transform, image processing.
Interpersonal Perception of Time-Use Patterns in Romantic Relationships: Protocol for the IP-COUPLES Study
Authors: Bertrand Romain , Vrkljan Brenda , Kühne Nicolas , Charvoz Linda , Vuillerme Nicolas
Published: February 2021

Background

Perceptual congruence has been defined as the level of agreement between partners on various aspects of their shared lives, including perceived engagement in individual and jointly performed activities. While the level of adjustment made by partners to such activities is thought to contribute to a couple’s sense of mutuality, perceptions of time use concerning activity engagement has yet to be considered. As such, this study will determine the level of perceptual congruence between partners with respect to perceived time use in their respective and shared activities.

Objective

The primary objective of the IP-COUPLES study is to determine the similarities and differences between partners in terms of their perceptual congruence with respect to independent and jointly performed activities. This study will also examine the association between independent and joint activities in terms of perceptual congruence of time use and the strength of this association.

Methods

This descriptive observational study includes 100 couples from Western Switzerland who are recruited using snowball sampling methods. The Life Balance Inventory (LBI), a self-report questionnaire that captures activity configuration congruence, will measure independent and joint perceptions of both time use allocated to daily activities and corresponding satisfaction. Due to COVID-19, the protocol can be administered virtually by the primary investigator. The mean scores of perceptual congruence variables will be used for analysis, namely perceived congruence of time use in terms of independent and jointly performed activities. For the first objective, an independent t test will be used for each variable to compare the mean score between activities on the LBI. For the second objective, the correlations between the mean scores for these activities will be calculated for each variable using the Pearson correlation.

Results

The IP-COUPLES study protocol was developed in 2019 and 2020. Enrollment began in June 2020. Data collection will continue until October 2021 to account for time needed for recruitment due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Analysis and presentation of results are expected in 2022.

Conclusions

This study is exploratory, as it is the first to our knowledge to investigate how perceived time-use patterns with respect to independent or jointly performed activities are similar or different among romantic couples. By investigating the interpersonal perception of time-use patterns among couples, the IP-COUPLES study is an important first step to understanding how romantic partners’ daily activities are contributing to the level of satisfaction as a partner and as a couple and to the sense of mutuality between partners in a romantic relationship.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/21306
Comparison of Facebook, Google Ads, and Reddit for the Recruitment of People Who Considered but Did Not Obtain Abortion Care in the United States: Cross-sectional Survey (Preprint)
Authors: Moseson Heidi , Wollum Alexandra , Seymour Jane W , Zuniga Carmela , Thompson Terri-Ann , Gerdts Caitlin
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

In the United States, abortion access is restricted by numerous logistical, financial, social, and policy barriers. Most studies on abortion-seeking experiences in the United States have recruited participants from abortion clinics. However, clinic-based recruitment strategies fail to capture the experiences of people who consider an abortion but do not make it to an abortion clinic. Research indicates that many people search for abortion information on the web; however, web-based recruitment remains underutilized in abortion research.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to establish the feasibility of using Facebook, Google Ads, and Reddit as recruitment platforms for a study on abortion-seeking experiences in the United States.

METHODS

From August to September 2018, we posted recruitment advertisements for a survey about abortion-seeking experiences through Facebook, Google Ads, and Reddit. Eligible participants were US residents aged 15-49 years who had been pregnant in the past 5 years and had considered abortion for a pregnancy in this period but did not abort. For each platform, we recorded staff time to develop advertisements and manage recruitment, as well as costs related to advertisement buys and social marketing firm support. We summarized the number of views and clicks for each advertisement where possible, and we calculated metrics related to cost per recruited participant and recruitment rate by week for each platform. We assessed differences across platforms using the chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

RESULTS

Overall, study advertisements received 77,464 views in the 1-month period (from Facebook and Google; information not available for Reddit) and 2808 study page views. After clicking on the advertisements, there were 1254 initiations of the eligibility screening survey, which resulted in 98 eligible survey participants (75 recruited from Facebook, 14 from Google Ads, and 9 from Reddit). The cost for each eligible participant in each platform was US $49.48 for Facebook, US $265.93 for Google Ads, and US $182.78 for Reddit. A total of 84% (66/79) of those who screened eligible from Facebook completed the short survey compared with 73% (8/11) of those who screened eligible from Reddit and 13% (7/53) of those who screened eligible from Google Ads.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that Facebook advertisements may be the most time- and cost-effective strategy to recruit people who considered but did not obtain an abortion in the United States. Adapting and implementing Facebook-based recruitment strategies for research on abortion access could facilitate a more complete understanding of the barriers to abortion care in the United States.
“Dissed”: The Removal of Black Educators from the American Schoolhouse
Authors: Ali Sunni
Published: February 2021

For almost a decade, the teaching profession has seen a drastic shortage of black educators. The closing of many schools in urban areas has helped reduce the number of black educators. Also, evaluative protocols and rubrics applied to measure effective teaching practices harbor biased lenses that impact how black educators maintain their employment status to succeed in the profession. Without promoting recruitment and retention interventions and culturally applied methods to assess teacher effectiveness, fewer students will have an opportunity to experience black educators in their lifetime. The research paper used a critical race and culturally responsive theoretical framing to review the research literature to determine how black educators receive evaluations and become dismissed from public schools.
Hydrological assessment of flash flood hazards and the constructed mitigation measures in Wadis affecting Ain Al Soukhna, Northwest Gulf of Suez, Egypt
Authors: Megahed Hanaa , Bastawesy Mohammed El
Published: February 2021

Considerable stretches of barren coastal areas of the Gulf of Suez and
the Red Sea have been covered by various anthropogenic activities during
the past few decades. Several dykes have been erected on the wadi beds
constituting the catchment of Wadi Ghuwaiba, which encloses the
industrial zone of Ain Al Soukhna on its large alluvial fan. The
multitude of optical remote sensing data, Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
and thematic geological data have been integrated into Geographic
Information System (GIS) to estimate the hydrological parameters of
flash floods, pathways and storage capabilities of the constructed dykes
upstream of the industrial zone. Due to the absence of rainfall/runoff
data for these ungagged wadis, a semi-distributed hydrological model was
developed using the extracted morphometric parameters from the DEM from
the analyses of satellite images. Manning equation was used to compute
the open channel flow velocities, and the spatial functionalities into
GIS were used to estimate the cumulative flow times. Next, the
catchments were subdivided into cascading time-area zones using the
derivatives of flow direction, accumulation and length from the DEM.
Then, the spatially distributed unit hydrograph was computed using a
hypothetical rainfall distribution and runoff coefficients, and the
obtained time-area zones. The dykes have been visited in the field to
measure the distribution of entrapped sediment loads due to the
accumulation of torrential flows in these specific areas. The magnitudes
of flash floods developed from an effective rainfall of 20 mm will not
be fully contained in the storage areas of these dykes and overflows
will reach the industrial zone via uncontrolled pathways, thus the area
is prone to flash flood vulnerability and additional mitigation measures
are still needed. The slack deposits are accumulating with notable rates
and have reached 60 cm in some areas. It is strongly recommended to
construct a conveying channel downstream of the dykes to collect the
surplus overflow and discharge it into the Gulf of Suez via a
well-defined channel-pathway
Variation of runoff between southern and northern China and their attribution in the Qinling Mountains, China
Authors: He Yi , Hu Yiyi , Song Jinxi , Jiang Xiaohui
Published: February 2021

Climate and underlying surface changes have a profound impact on runoff
in the Qinling Mountains. This study attempts to identify the difference
in runoff changes of two rivers in the south and north of China’s
south-north transitional zone under climate change. The Pettit test and
Mann-Kendall test were used to investigate the abrupt change and trend
analysis on runoff in the Ba River watershed and Jinqian River watershed
from 1960 to 2014. The coupled energy-water balance equation based on
the Budyko hypothesis estimated the climate and landscape elasticity of
runoff followed by attribution analysis of runoff in these two
watersheds. The results showed that annual runoff in the Jinqian River
(in the southern Qinling Mountains) and the Ba River (in the northern
Qinling Mountains) exhibited a significant decreasing trend at
P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively. Abrupt runoff
changes occurred in 1989 and 1992 in the Ba River and Jinqian River,
respectively. The attribution analysis showed that the change in
potential evapotranspiration had little impact on runoff in the southern
and northern Qinling Mountains. In contrast, the dominant factors
leading to runoff reduction were the change in precipitation and
catchment landscape. The contributions of climate change and land
surface alteration to runoff changes in the Ba River watershed and
Jinqian watershed were 38.08% and 61.92%, and 23.95% and 76.05%,
respectively. This study can provide a scientific reference for water
resource protection in the south-north transitional zone.
The zone of actual and the zone of proximal development measured through preschool dynamic assessment as predictors of later school performance - a longitudinal study
Authors: Lukovic Sladjana , Marinkovic Bojana , Zotovic-Kostic Marija
Published: February 2021

The goal of the study was to examine whether the zone of actual (ZAD) and the zone of proximal development (ZPD) in children, measured through preschool dynamic assessment, could be used as predictors of later school performance. A longitudinal study was conducted. The participants were 114 students from the ?Stevan Colovic? primary school in Arilje (54 boys, and 60 girls), Serbia. The findings generally confirm that measures from preschool dynamic assessment can be used as predictors of later school performance. ZAD was shown to be a better predictor than ZPD. ZPD is an independent predictor only for performance in language and mathematics tests in a final trial test. Affective-motivational scaffolding is a better predictor than cognitive scaffolding. These results are considered in the context of Vygotsky?s theory and also in that of dynamic assessment procedures. Theoretical and practical implications for future studies of affective-motivational and cognitive factors as predictors of school performance are being considered.
Association of Implementation of a Comprehensive Preconception-to-Pregnancy Management Plan With Pregnancy Outcomes Among Chinese Pregnant Women With Type 1 Diabetes: The CARNATION Study
Authors: Zheng Xueying , Yang Daizhi , Luo Sihui , Yan Jinhua , Guo Xiaohui , Yang Huixia , Bao Wei , Groop Leif , Dornhorst Anne , Weng Jianping , Group the CARNATION Study
Published: February 2021

Objective To investigate the effect on pregnancy outcome of
integrating a comprehensive management plan for type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients
into the WHO universal maternal care infrastructure.

Research Design and Methods A
comprehensive preconception-to-pregnancy management plan for women with T1D was
implemented in 11 centers from eight Chinese cities during 2015–2017. Sequential
eligible pregnant women (n=133 out of 137 initially enrolled) with T1D and
singleton pregnancies attending these management centers formed the prospective
cohort. The main outcome was severe adverse pregnancy outcome comprising
maternal mortality, neonatal death, congenital malformation(s), miscarriage in
the second trimester and stillbirth. We compared pregnancy outcomes in this
prospective cohort with two control groups with the same inclusion and
exclusion criteria: a retrospective cohort (n=153) of all eligible pregnant
women with T1D attending the same management centers during 2012–2014 and a comparison
cohort (n=116) of all eligible pregnant women with T1D receiving routine care
during 2015–2017 in 11 different centers from seven cities.

Results The rate of severe
adverse pregnancy outcome was lower in the prospective cohort (6.02%) than in either the retrospective cohort (18.30%, adjusted odds ratio[aOR]=0.31, 95% CI 0.13–0.74) or the contemporaneous comparison cohort (25.00%, aOR=0.22,
95% CI 0.09–0.52).

Conclusion The substantial
improvements in the prospective cohort are evidence of a potentially clinically
important effect of the comprehensive management plan on pregnancy outcomes
among Chinese pregnant women with pregestational T1D. This supports the
development of similar approaches in other countries.
‘Leading by Science’ through Covid-19: the GDPR & Automated Decision-Making
Authors: Mourby Miranda Jane
Published: February 2021

The UK government announced in March 2020 that it would create an NHS Covid-19 ‘Data Store’ from information routinely collected as part of the health service. This ‘Store’ would use a number of sources of population data to provide a ‘single source of truth’ about the spread of the coronavirus in England. The initiative illustrates the difficulty of relying on automated processing when making healthcare decisions under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The end-product of the store, a number of ‘dashboards’ for decision-makers, was intended to include models and simulations developed through artificial intelligence. Decisions made on the basis of these dashboards would be significant, even (it was suggested) to the point of diverting patients and critical resources between hospitals based on their predictions.
How these models will be developed, and externally validated, remains unclear. This is an issue if they are intended to be used for decisions which will affect patients so directly and acutely. We have (by default) a right under the GDPR not to be subject to significant decisions based solely on automated decision-making. It is not obvious, at present, whether resource allocation within the NHS could take place in reliance on this automated modelling. The recent A Level debacle illustrates, in the context of education, the risks of basing life-changing decisions on the national application of a single equation. It is worth considering the potential consequences for the health service if the NHS Data Store is used for resource planning as part of the Covid-19 response.
Responsabilidade Social Corporativa e Desempenho Financeiro: Uma Revisão Sistemática da Literatura Internacional
Authors: Matias Guilherme Primo , Farago Fabio Emanuel
Published: February 2021

Objetivo do estudo: Este trabalho tem por objetivo discutir a relação entre a responsabilidade social corporativa (RSC) e o desempenho financeiro (DF) por meio de uma revisão sistemática da literatura internacional.Metodologia: A metodologia utilizada foi uma revisão sistemática em duas bases de dados internacionais: Scopus e Web of Science. O período da pesquisa foi de 2007 a 2017. Após a aplicação de filtros, foram selecionados para análise 20 artigos.Originalidade/Relevância: A relação entre a RSC e o DF tem sido explorada desde a década de 60, entretanto, a literatura se divide entre trabalhos que sugerem uma relação positiva entre a RSC e o DF e aqueles que afirmam uma relação negativa. Este artigo apresenta uma investigação detalhada acerca dessa relação.Principais resultados: Entre as principais contribuições, se destacou que 95% dos artigos são quantitativos, 50% afirmam uma relação positiva direta entre RSC e DF, 25% uma relação positiva indireta e 25% uma relação negativa. Foi observado também que todos os artigos têm por objetivo verificar a relação entre a RSC e o DF, para tanto, a grande maioria se utiliza de modelos de regressão e instrumentos estatísticos tradicionais.Contribuições teóricas: A análise dos resultados apontou que a falta de uma pluralidade de metodologias se configura como uma limitação da literatura, que têm se mostrado ineficiente em dar respostas concretas na relação entre a RSC e o DF, que ainda carece de um consenso.
Associaciya polimorfnyh variantov gena kataliticheskoj sub"edinicy glutamatcisteinligazy s klinicheskimi harakteristikami ishemicheskogo insul'ta
Authors: Бочарова Ю. А.
Published: February 2021

Disbalans mezhdu obrazovaniem aktivnyh form kisloroda i ih obezvrezhivaniem lezhit v osnove okislitel'nogo stressa — patologicheskogo processa, patogeneticheski svyazannogo s razvitiem ishemicheskogo insul'ta (II) i posleduyushchimi etapami postishemicheskogo povrezhdeniya tkanej golovnogo mozga. Cel'yu nastoyashchego issledovaniya bylo izuchenie vliyaniya chastyh polimorfnyh variantov gena GCLC kataliticheskoj sub"edinicy glutamatcisteinligazy na stepen' porazheniya golovnogo mozga i klinicheskie proyavleniya u bol'nyh s ishemicheskim insul'tom. U 589 pacientov s ishemicheskim insul'tom bylo provedeno genotipirovanie shesti odnonukleotidnyh polimorfizmov (SNP) rs12524494, rs17883901, rs606548, rs636933, rs648595 i rs761142 gena GCLC s pomoshch'yu geneticheskogo analizatora MassARRAY-4. Ustanovleno, chto genotipy rs636933-G/A-A/A (r = 0,009) i rs761142-A/C-C/C (r = 0,015) associirovany s uvelicheniem zony infarkta mozga. Genotipy rs12524494-G/G (r = 0,05) i rs606548-T/T (r = 0,003) associirovalis' s vozniknoveniem dvuh i bolee epizodov II. Genotip rs17883901-G/A byl associirovan s bolee rannim debyutom II (r = 0,004). Vyyavleny mnogochislennye associacii SNP gena GCLC s klinicheskimi proyavleniyami bolezni. Takim obrazom, polimorfnye varianty gena GCLC yavlyayutsya znachimymi DNK-markerami, vliyayushchimi na zonu infarkta mozga u bol'nyh ishemicheskim insul'tom, associirovany s vozrastom debyuta pervogo insul'ta, chislom perenesennyh insul'tov i klinicheskimi proyavleniyami bolezni.