bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metaphilosophy of philosophical “turns”: case study
Authors:   Southern Federal University (Russia), Skripnik Konstantin D.
Published: November 2023

The purpose of the article is to consider the phenomenon of philosophical “turn” in the framework of descriptive metaphilosophy. Using the example of analytical, linguis­tic, pragmatic and ontological turns, an attempt is made to highlight the characteristic fea­tures of “turns”. The author shows that the analytical turn is associated with the develop­ment of methods of philosophy, primarily with the diversification of the concept of analy­sis itself. Consideration of the linguistic turn leads to the position that its characterization as a change in the subject of philosophy is not quite adequate – in fact, it is a change in the methods of philosophical analysis, which leads to the emergence of new problem areas not only in philosophy, but also in linguistics. The pragmatic turn is characterized by emphasizing the role of pragmatism in overcoming the existing opposition of analytic and continental philosophy through the use of both logical and, for example, axiological methods or the “pragmatic principle”. The ontological turn, characteristic of anthropol­ogy, the philosophy of technology, as well as for “general” philosophy, is associated with a change in the methods of analysis in the direction of solving the problem of seeing “things in a new way” and how “they really are”. The analysis in the case of an ontologi­cal turn is aimed not so much at “multiculturalism” as at “multi-naturalism”, at taking into account the active role of the subject and building the research models capable of taking this into account. The final position of the author is that according to which a “turn” is a change in research methods that leads to the formation of a new subject area and the formulation of new problems. They, in turn, stimulate the next “turn” and the de­velopment of new methods and methodologies.
Overturned “Roe v. Wade” & Ethics and Legal Debate on Abortion
Authors:   National Research University Higher School of Economics, Koval Sofya V.
Published: November 2023

In this review article, we have set ourselves the goal of highlighting the main legal and ethi­cal debates about abortion that are taking place in the Anglo-American academy. Disputes on this topic became especially acute after US Supreme Court on June 24, 2022 overturned the famous Roe v. Wade precedent, which recognized the right to abortion as constitutional right throughout the United States. In the first part of the article, we will identify the main arguments given by the court for abortion in 1973, as well as the legal grounds for over­turning this decision in 2022. In the second part of the article, we will touch on the issue of the morality of abortion and the so-called “after-birth abortion”, considering the most res­onant publications on this topic, including Judith Thomson’s article “In Defense of Abor­tion”, the infamous article by researchers Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva “After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?” and Peter Singer’s “Practical Ethics”.
Practical Philosophy: Tradition and Contemporary Trends
Authors:   RAS Institute of Philosophy, Guseynov Abdusalam A.
Published: November 2023

The paper is devoted to a general historical overview and state-of-the art of the question of what is practical philosophy and what is its place in the subject field of philosophy. The author takes as the starting point and basis for analysis the ancient view, according to which philosophy is divided into logic, physics and ethics. He demonstrates that this archi­tectonics being fundamental is immutable and that ethics within it coincides with the practi­cal part. Practical philosophy has undergone an evolution, the key milestones of which are a) the transition from the religious philosophy of the Middle Ages to the scientific philosophy of the New Age, b) the Kantian understanding of practical reason as pure reason (reason as such), c) the Marxian understanding of being as practice, d) the appearance of various forms of applied ethics and practical applications of philosophy in general. In the author’s opinion, it can be adequately understood only from the perspective of a holistic view of man as a unity of a living, rational, and simultaneously social (collective) being. The general idea of the article can be expressed as follows: practical philosophy coincides with moral philo­sophy to the extent that philosophy itself is a practice and acts as a life project, setting the most general direction of human conscious activity.
The Role of Eudaimonism in Spinoza’s Moral Theory
Authors:   HSE-University, Akayev Sanzhar A.
Published: November 2023

In recent decades, historians of moral philosophy started to pay more attention to Baruch Spinoza, studying the often-neglected ethical dimension of his philosophy. Nevertheless, despite this growing interest, Spinoza is rarely placed in the canon of moral philosophy, and therefore his relation to various traditions of normative ethics remains unclear. In this article, I attempt to show that Spinoza’s moral theory relies heavily on a certain tradition in normative ethics, usually called eudaimonism or eudaimonist virtue ethics. This assertion is justified through close examination of two conceptual features that unite Spinoza’s moral theory with virtue-ethical eudaimonism. The first feature is its moral naturalism: this theory is explicitly derived from Spinoza’s metaphysical views on nature sive substance and human nature in particular. The second feature is Spinoza’s active reliance on a developed normative concept of the highest good (summum bonum), also called “happiness” (felicitas) or “blessedness” (beatitudo) – the concept that is directly manifested in the moral ideal of a “free man” (homo liber), put forward in Part IV of the “Ethics”.
Heidegger’s Methodological Atheism: Biography and Philosophy
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gaginsky Alexei M.
Published: November 2023

The article is devoted to an investigation of the preconditions of Heidegger’s methodological atheism, according to which “philosophy is fundamentally atheistic”. Based on biographical evidence which sheds light on the mental experience of the young philosopher (“darkness of depressive sensitivity”, according to H. Ott) the author maintains that Heidegger was very prejudiced against the Catholic tradition. The author suggests that the origins of Heidegger’s methodology should be sought in the first and most important of the “turns” which took place around 1916, when Heidegger was in deep crisis. Two main components can be distinguished in this religious-philosophical turn: (1) the rejection of Catholicism, linked to a youthful experience of dependence on the church that stretched over decade; (2) the Protestant influence of his wife and teacher (but no less so of Luther and Kierkegaard) along with the existential experience of the First World War, in which Heidegger became involved. As a result, the author concludes that Heidegger chooses philosophy as opposed to theology, which sets up a specific understanding of philosophy and a negative attitude towards theology. According to Heidegger, only by renouncing ungenuine religiosity one can stand honestly before God, but this “purifying atheism” ultimately leads not to God, but to Nothing.
Digital hybridity: innovative reality or utopia?
Authors:   The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Vasilenko Liudmila A. , Meshcheryakova Nataliya N. ,   Russian State University for the Humanities
Published: November 2023

The problem of hybridity is a set of relatively new, controversial, complex theoretical, methodological and practical issues that humanity has faced during the period of digital transformation. The purpose of this article is to address the dual nature of hybridity in the emerging digital society. The inconsistency of hybridity is due to the symbiosis of the real and virtual (digital) worlds, which merge into a single integrity. A fundamentally new hu­man habitat has emerged. And a person can no longer always understand which of the spa­ces – real or virtual – he is in at one moment or another, and how does human existence appear to us in this hybrid innovative world? In this hybrid environment, a person com­municates not only with his own kind, but also with artificial subjects (technosubjects), giving rise to the problem of hybridity of a higher order. Being is complicated by the hy­brid symbiosis of natural and artificial intelligence, new ways of externalization, the ex­pansion of personal identity through digital or network identification. On the other hand, in the joint evolutionary development, a tendency begins to take shape to displace man himself with these artificial self-developing systems, in which human qualities are in­creasingly manifested. At the same time, a person is not always ready to bear responsibil­ity for the consequences and quality of the created artificial self-image. Meanwhile, the world is already entering the next level of complexity of being – the Post-Human world, the hybridity of which is generated by the symbiosis of the human body and the electronic devices built into it. This article examines how the interpenetration of previously hetero­geneous elements occurs in various spheres of life and what risks this generates. The au­thors propose the formulated concept of hybridity as a kind of analytical tool for studying social processes from the point of view of their dual nature, emerging risks and vulnera­bilities.
Demarcation and categorization of technologies: a philosophical and methodological approach
Authors:   RAS Institute of Philosophy, Gafitulin Timur M.
Published: November 2023

In philosophical and methodological scientific research at the field of philosophy of technol­ogy, it is necessary to correctly name and distinguish technological spheres, simple and complex technologies, and techniques. The spontaneously established practice of naming technologies and techniques does not always meet the objectives of scientific research, be­cause it is not fully rigorous and based on uniform, reasonable and sustainable technological categories. This problem is particularly acute in the field of technologies that go beyond the boundaries of human proportionality and are not directly observed, in particular, in socio-humanitarian technologies. The article describes a possible methodological approach to solving this problem through the allocation of basic technological categories on the example of material technology, known from the philosophical writings of Aristotle and Heidegger; describes such technological categories as “technological chain”, “material”, “goal”, “mas­ter”, “form”, “tool” and “method”; a four-part technological categorization is proposed, in­cluding an indication of the purpose, material, method, tool and allowing to define the tech­nology; the similarity of material technologies and non-material (socio-humanitarian) is stated; promising philosophical and methodological problems of “merging of the master and the tool”, “expansion of the technological subject” are indicated; the principal possibility of using the declared categorization is substantiated by examples in the field of both material technology and non-material; the necessity of “softening” terminological correction when using technological categories in the socio-humanitarian sphere is described; the range from “art” to “artificial” in technology is shown; possible directions for further research are set.
Post-traumatic stress disorder in a national sample of preadolescent children: Prevalence, correlates, clinical sequelae, and treatment utilization
Authors: Levin Rachel , Liu Richard
Published: November 2023

Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been well characterized in adults, its epidemiology in children is unclear. The current study provides the first population-based examination of the prevalence of PTSD, sociodemographic and psychiatric correlates, clinical sequelae, and associations with psychiatric treatment in preadolescents in the United States. Data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (release 5.0) was analyzed. Participants (unweighted n = 11, 875) were recruited from 21 sites across the United States. Current and lifetime PTSD prevalence were estimated, as was treatment use among children with PTSD. Sociodemographic, psychiatric correlates and sequelae of PTSD were analyzed using logistic regression, as was the association between PTSD and psychiatric treatment. Lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 2.17%. Sexual minority status, being multiracial, having unmarried parents, and family economic insecurity were associated with greater odds of PTSD. Among psychiatric disorders, separation anxiety was most strongly associated with PTSD, although general comorbid psychopathology was associated with greater odds of PTSD. Prior history of PTSD predicted new onset of other psychiatric disorders after PTSD remission. Nearly one in three children with lifetime PTSD did not receive psychiatric treatment, despite negative long-term outcomes of PTSD and significant psychiatric comorbidity. Even among preadolescents who experience full remission of PTSD, significant risk for future psychiatric illness remains. Further, the current findings underscore the need for improved efforts to reduce unmet treatment needs among those with PTSD at this age.
Silver nanoparticles potently inhibit ethylene action more than silver thiosulfate and promote microtuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Spunta
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed Shawky , Soliman Amr Mohamed , El-Dayem Hosny Mohamed Abd , Mady Mohamed Ahmed , Eid Rania Said
Published: November 2023

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) as an anti-ethylene agent on in vitro microtuberization in potato cv. Spunta. The concentrations; 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg/l of Ag-NPs or silver thiosulfate (STS) were used to determine their influence on microtuberization. The results of Ag-NPs treatments showed that, the average number of microtubers/jar was elevated and reached the highest level (14.9 microtubers/jar) which represents about 83.95% over the control treatment (8.1 microtubers/jar) using the medium containing (1 mg/l) Ag-NPs. While the highest level (10.9 microtubers/jar) was recorded using (8 mg/l) STS, which is about 34.56% over the control treatment. Thus, these results confirmed that the low level of Ag-NPs (1 mg/l) was the most effective for inhibiting ethylene action on microtuberization in potato cv. Spunta. In addition, these findings complement and agree with those obtained in our previous study using the cv. Desirѐe (Ibrahim et al. 2018a). Therefore, we report here that an efficient genotype-independent protocol for microtuberization in potato has been established. In addition, this developed protocol using Ag-NPs is important for enhancing potato microtuberization technology at the mass-production level in Egypt. Furthermore, these results are of great importance in plant physiology and nanobiotechnology research.
Symbolic Representation of Multivariate Time Series for Sport Activity Classification
Authors: Jarno Matarmaa
Published: November 2023

This study introduces a new multivariate time series (MTS) sport activity dataset consisting of five categories, walking, running, biking, skiing, and roller skiing. The original data of 228 activities have been recorded by an individual athlete for a 16 months time period in uncontrolled environments using two types of sport watches. The dataset consists of three-dimensional multivariate time series features such as heart rate, speed, and altitude, which are popular and pure sensor based attributes for endurance outdoor sport activities. The pre-processed signals were split into 69 seconds equal length segments and several segments from each single activity were gathered in order to conduct data augmentation because of the small dataset size. The MTS classifier called WEASEL + MUSE was applied to the dataset in order to discriminate categories based on the time series characteristics of the signals. The classification results was analyzed using several popular quality metrics and tools such as ROC curve. In addition, an early time series classification (eTSC) algorithm called TEASER was applied to determine how much data will be sufficient to find a balance in accuracy and computation time tradeoff. According to the results, dataset integrity is generally good and sport activities were classified fast and accurate, up to 93,0%. Signal length analysis indicated that 33% of the data will provide satisfactory results, 85,6% accuracy in the test data.
Medical Complexity and Healthcare Utilization Among Patients Attending Three U.S. Post- COVID Clinics
Authors: Nji Miriam A.M. , Briones Elizabeth M. , Issa Anindita , Tierney Maureen , Bertolli Jeanne , Barshikar Surendra , Unger Elizabeth R. , Wisnivesky Juan , Vu Quan , Quimby David , Abrams Joseph , Jagan Nikhil , Manouchehripour Sasha , Laguerre Martin , Cope Jennifer R.
Published: November 2023

Background
Patients who do not fully recover or develop new symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection require follow-up and sometimes seek care at specialized multidisciplinary care clinics. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and care needs of patients at three such post-COVID clinics.
Methods
We conducted a multisite retrospective electronic chart review of 984 patients, aged ≥ 18 years, who visited one of three post-COVID clinics at least 28 days after a clinical or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection between January 20, 2020, and March 31, 2021. The clinics were located in Omaha, Nebraska, New York City, New York, and Dallas, Texas. Patient records were obtained through September 30, 2021. Data on clinical evaluations and healthcare provider visits were abstracted by trained clinical personnel using a standardized health record abstraction tool.
Results
The median age was 52 years (range 18–89 years), 59.9% were female, and 69.0% were White. Of 984 patients, 79.9% had SARS-CoV-2 infection that was confirmed by PCR, 32.1% had three or more comorbid conditions, and 39.4% had been hospitalized. During post-COVID follow-up, the most common symptoms were shortness of breath (59.2%), post-exertional malaise (45.6%), fatigue (43.2%), and brain fog (42.8%). Nearly one in three patients had a diagnosis of post-viral fatigue syndrome (30.1%), and pulmonary system conditions (24.4%) were also common. Overall, the 984 participants attended 3914 visits (median 3; range 1–46) over a median follow-up period of 107 days (range 1–560) between first and last post-COVID follow-up visits. Of the 984 patients, 64.3% were referred for subspecialty care notably pulmonology, cardiology, and neurology. More than a third of patients were referred for rehabilitation therapy (37.9%) including physical, occupational, speech, and psychotherapy.
Conclusion
Adult patients at post-COVID clinics have a wide range of symptoms and conditions that highlight the medical complexity of these patients and their need for high levels of care, including multiple health care visits and referrals for therapy. This underscores the need for well-coordinated, multidisciplinary care, and planning of health resources for post-COVID-19 follow-up care.
Enhancing Quarterly Carbon Emission Forecasting in China：A small sample decomposition model based Caputo fractional derivative grey Riccati model and LSSVR
Authors: Sun Yue , Zhang Yonghong
Published: November 2023

Accurately predicting carbon emissions is a crucial scientific foundation for the monitoring and evaluation of a country's progress in achieving its intended carbon reduction goals. Given the constraints of a small sample size, the nonlinearity, and the complexity inherent in quarterly data on carbon emissions at the industrial level, this paper introduces the Caputo fractional derivative into the grey Riccati model, establishing a Caputo fractional derivative grey Riccati model with memory characteristics. The numerical solution of the model is acquired through the fractional Adams-Bashforth-Moulton predictor-corrector algorithm, with the model's parameters optimized using the grey Wolf optimization algorithm. Subsequently, the Caputo fractional derivative grey Riccati model is integrated with the EEMD decomposition algorithm and the least square support vector regression to construct a decomposition-integration model for carbon emission decomposition. Finally, the proposed decomposition-integrationmodel is validated using quarterly carbon emission data from six industries in China as an illustrative example. The results convincingly demonstrate that the proposed decomposition-integration prediction model effectively analyzes the developmental trajectory of industrial carbon emissions in China. Moreover, it exhibits superior stability and accuracy in both fitting and forecasting when compared to other integrated and single models.
Research on the deformation characteristics and effects of a single crack in roadway roof
Authors: Wang Chao , Sun Hao , Yi Wu yu
Published: November 2023

In order to reveal the influence of crack occurrence on the deformation of roadway roof, a single crack model of roadway roof was established using the interface element in FLAC3D under different crack dip angles and connectivity ratio. The deformation and separation characteristics of roadway roof were analyzed. The results indicate that there is a certain similarity in the influence of the geometric shape of cracks on their own deformation and the displacement of the roadway roof. The connectivity ratio of cracks affects the distribution characteristics of symmetry and asymmetry in the peak displacement area of the roadway roof. The separation of the roadway roof may only occur when the cracks are connected and the inclination angle is large, and the degree of bedding shear sliding is not significantly affected by the inclination angle of the cracks. It can be seen that the asymmetric shape of cracks is another important reason for the formation of asymmetric deformation of the roadway roof.
Optimizing Hip MRI: Enhancing Image Quality and Elevating Inter- observer Consistency using Deep Learning-Powered Reconstruction
Authors: Kang Yimeng , Li Wenjing , Lv Qingqing , Tao Qiuying , Sun Jieping , Dang Jinghan , Niu Xiaoyu , Liu Zijun , Li Shujian , Zhang Zanxia , Wang Kaiyu , Wen Baohong , Cheng Jingliang , Zhang Yong , Wang Weijian
Published: November 2023

Background
Conventional hip joint MRI scans necessitate lengthy scan durations, posing challenges for patient comfort and clinical efficiency. Previously, accelerated imaging techniques were constrained by a trade-off between noise and resolution. Leveraging deep learning-based reconstruction (DLR) holds the potential to mitigate scan time without compromising image quality.
Methods
We enrolled a cohort of sixty patients who underwent DL-MRI, conventional MRI, and No-DL MRI examinations to evaluate image quality. Key metrics considered in the assessment included scan duration, overall image quality, quantitative assessments of Relative Signal-to-Noise Ratio (rSNR), Relative Contrast-to-Noise Ratio (rCNR), and diagnostic efficacy. Two experienced radiologists independently assessed image quality using a 5-point scale (5 indicating the highest quality). To gauge interobserver agreement for the assessed pathologies across image sets, we employed weighted kappa statistics. Additionally, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was employed to compare image quality and quantitative rSNR and rCNR measurements.
Results
Scan time was significantly reduced with DL-MRI and represented an approximate 66.5% reduction. DL-MRI consistently exhibited superior image quality in both coronal T2WI and axial T2WI when compared to both conventional MRI (p < 0.01) and No-DL-MRI (p < 0.01). Interobserver agreement was robust, with kappa values exceeding 0.735. For rSNR data, coronal fat-saturated(FS) T2WI and axial FS T2WI in DL-MRI consistently outperformed No-DL-MRI, with statistical significance (p < 0.01) observed in all cases. Similarly, rCNR data revealed significant improvements (p < 0.01) in coronal FS T2WI of DL-MRI when compared to No-DL-MRI. Importantly, our findings indicated that DL-MRI demonstrated diagnostic performance comparable to conventional MRI.
Conclusion
Compared with conventional MRI, DL-MRI could greatly reduce scan time while improving the imaging quality. And inter-observer consistency showed an overall improvement in DL-MRI.
Prevalence of self-perceived halitosis and its associated factors among university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Dey Annesha , Hawlader Mohammad Delwer Hossain , Rahman Md. Mahbubur , Nasrullah Sarker Mohammad , Arefine Md.Shadley Benzadid
Published: November 2023

Background: Self-perceived halitosis is self-awareness of bad breath. In this cross-sectional study, university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh, were examined for self-perceived halitosis and its associated factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to April 2022 among Dhaka's 6 private and 2 public universities' students. The convenient sampling method selected 318 participants. A self-reported questionnaire was given with informed consent.
Analytical statistics were used to examine oral malodor and study variables (Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis). P values under 0.05 and 95% confidence intervals indicated statistical significance (CI).
Results: Results showed 55.97% self-perceived halitosis. Female perception rates were 67.42% higher than males (32.58%). Obesity (44.38%), alcohol consumption (16.85%), high stress (17.98%), inadequate sleep (20.79%), lack of exercise (66.29%), unhealthy diet (21.91%), coffee/tea consumption (86.52%), and mouth breathing were associated with self- perceived halitosis (32.58%). Insufficient tooth brushing (39.55%), infrequent toothbrush replacement (38.07% after 6 months, 19.32% after 1 year, 15.91% after >1 year), and non- fluoride toothpaste use (58.52%) were associated with higher self-perceived halitosis rates. Lack of dental floss or toothpicks (72.47% and 71.75%, respectively), sugar-free chewing gum (42.70%), and tongue cleaning (51.12%) also increased self-perceived halitosis. Gum bleeding, swollen gums, dry mouth, dental caries, food accumulation, and occasional tooth sensitivity increased self-perceived halitosis in 24.72%, 25.28%, 32.58%, 34.27& and 46.07% of respondents respectively. Males, non-alcohol drinkers, non-mouth breathers, oral hygiene maintainers, and individuals without gum bleeding had lower odds of self-reported halitosis, according to multivariable logistic regression.
Conclusion: In conclusion, University students of Dhaka exhibit a significant prevalence of self-perceive halitosis. It was linked to gender, BMI, lifestyle, oral hygiene, and oral conditions. This study highlights the complexity of self-perceived halitosis and the importance of prevention.
Sexual initiation and first birth: Exploring factors associated with the gap in Uganda
Authors: Nsimbe Dick , Lwanga Charles , Namawejje Hellen
Published: November 2023

Background
Early childbirth has a detrimental impact on population growth and the total fertility rate. Additionally, it is among the leading factors associated with cardiovascular disease, maternal and pediatric morbidity, and mortality. The objective of this study is to estimate the timing of first childbirth and factors that influence the timing of first childbirth following sexual initiation among Ugandan women aged 15–35 years.
Method
Self-reported data were extracted from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS), with a sub-sample of 9,196 women from the individual women file. Kaplan-Meier survival curve, decrement life-table analysis, and a discrete-time logit model were used to examine the timing of first childbirth and associated factors.
Results
The mean time to first childbirth was 6.6 years and the median time was 6.5 years, and all women had experienced their first childbirth by the end of the fifteenth year following sexual initiation. Significant factors found to influence the timing of first childbirth following sexual initiation include primary level (OR = 1.148; 95% CI = 1.02–1.28, p = 0.019); and higher education (OR = .697; 95% CI = .57-.84, p < 0.001), residing in Northern region (OR = 1.258; 95% CI = 1.05–1.50, p = 0.012), and having access to mass media (OR = 1.170; 95% CI = 1.07–1.26, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
These findings are expected to be valuable for policymakers and other stakeholders involved in efforts to delay childbirth. This research provides a solid foundation for evidence-based decision-making in the field of reproductive health and family planning. Both government and non-governmental organizations should prioritize the implementation of programs aimed at reducing the age at sexual initiation, thereby lowering the age at which women experience their first childbirth, taking into account the factors identified in this study.
Epidemiological investigation and molecular characteristics of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in central China from 2021 to 2022
Authors: Li Chunqi , Wang Yan , Pei Jie , Liu Guoping , Xie Jun , Li Tingting , Zhao Runze , Tan Lei , Guo Liwei , Wu Rui , Zheng Yi , Yang Xiaolin , Zeng Jianguo
Published: November 2023

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an intestinal communicable disease. In recent years, the outbreaks of PED have been caused severe economic losses to the swine industry in the central China. In this study, 1664 swabs of piglets with diarrhea and 906 environmental samples were collected from large-scale pig farms in central China from 2021 to 2022, to investigate the presence of PEDV nucleic acid via real-time PCR assay. Results showed that the positive rate of PEDV among swabs and environmental samples was 23.14% and 28.37%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the entire S gene showed that 13 PEDV strains were clustered into two subgroups, namely GII-a (n = 10) and S-INDEL (n = 3). Further recombinant analysis indicated that three of the strains originated from intra-genogroup recombination. Moreover, we successfully isolated a novel PEDV strain. In addition, the strain was identified via indirect immunofluorescence assay, infection experiment in newborn piglets and whole genome sequencing and named HB2022 strain. Based on the results of nucleotide sequence analysis of each ORFs, it was found that HB2022 strain belonged to GII-a type and had multiple mutation sites. A three-dimensional structural prediction revealed that mutation sites located in the neutralizing epitope COE altered the protein conformation, which may affect the virulence or pathogenicity of PEDV. In conclusion, this study is of great significance for the selection or development of suitable vaccine products and the reduction of economic losses in the pig industry.
The sensitivity outcome index system for home care of elderly liver transplant patients was developed based on the Omaha problem classification system
Authors: Wang Bin , Huang Xia , Liu Guofang , Zheng Taohua , Lin Hui , Qiao Yue , Sun Wenjuan
Published: November 2023

Objective:Based on the Omaha problem classification system, a sensitivity outcome index system for home nursing of elderly liver transplant patients was established.
Methods:Literature analysis was used to compile a letter questionnaire from the screening indicators of the expert group, and two rounds of effective letter questionnaire were completed among 20 experts by Delphi method to establish the sensitivity outcome index system of home nursing for elderly liver transplant patients.
Results: The sensitivity outcome index system of home care for elderly liver transplant patients was finally established, including 4 primary indexes, 20 secondary indexes and 72 tertiary indexes, and the opinions on the selection of indexes at all levels gradually converged. The effective recovery rates of the two rounds of correspondence questionnaires were 100%, the expert authority coefficients were 0.904 and 0.905, respectively, and the coordination coefficients of the first, second and third indexes were 0.419, 0.418 and 0.394, all of which were statistically significant (P<0.01).
Conclusion：The sensitivity outcome index system of home nursing for elderly liver transplant patients can provide theoretical basis for nursing staff to build accurate individualized continuous nursing model.
Far UV light in water treatment via producing reactive oxidative species
Authors: Fang Jingyun , Guo Kaiheng , Wu Sining , Wang Liping , Qin Wenlei , Xie Ruijie , Li Xuchun
Published: November 2023

Far UV light at 222 nm (UV222) is gaining much attention for water treatment due to its high disinfection efficiency and safety to human, and the mechanism is deemed direct photolysis. We found that UV222 is much more efficient than UV254 for the abatement of 18 organic micropollutants and inactivation of pathogens, and the phenomenon is related to the production of reactive oxidative species (ROS). Multiple ROS are identified, including hydroxyl radical (HO•), singlet oxygen (1O2), superoxide radical anion (•O2−) and ozone (O3). The degradation of micropollutants is mainly due to HO•, which results from water homolysis and oxygen (O2) photodissociation. The quantum yield of HO• is 0.893, and the concentration of HO• reaches 10-13 M under neutral conditions. This study is the first that reports the efficient production of ROS upon UV222 photolysis, which facilitates chemical-free advanced oxidation processes in water.
The predictive value of three risk score scales for postoperative pulmonary complications in critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Xu Jiaqing , Li Mei , Zhai Jinguo , Ding Xiaorong , Lai Wenjuan , Gao Yingying , Zhang Wenting , Li Shengfang , Mo Minhua
Published: November 2023

Background
ICU patients are critically ill and complex, with a high risk of PPCs. An effective risk prediction scale can help healthcare professionals quickly identify patients at high risk of PPCs and guide them to take targeted preventive measures as early as possible.
Objectives
To compare the predictive value of the risk assessment tools LAS VEGAS, Assessment of Respiratory Risk in Catalan Surgical Patients (ARISCAT) and Chinese Brief Predictive Risk Index (CHI-BPRI) of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications (PPCs) regarding the risk of critically ill patients.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 495 patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery between January 2020 and December 2020 who were scored using each of the three scales, and the predictive value of the scales was compared by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results
(1) LAS VEGAS and ARISCAT could be used to predict PPCs; (2) the scores in the group of patients with confirmed PPCs (29 (24,35), 58 (44,72)) were greater than those in the group of patients without PPCs (25.5 (21,30), 52 (38,68)) (P<0.05). (3) In the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, the AUC values were 0.625 (0.567, 0.683) for the LAS VEGAS score, 0.598 (0.537, 0.658) for the ARISCAT score, and 0.547 (0.483, 0.610) for the CHI-BPRI score, with AUC differences of 0.0269, 0.0781, and 0.0513, respectively, which were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
Conclusion
The three scales for assessing the occurrence of PPCs in critically ill Chinese patients showed average performance and poor predictive accuracy. In the next study, the characteristics of critically ill Chinese patients can be combined to better explore the development of a predictive model regarding risk factors for PPCs.
Controlling factors on the water chemistry of the Euphrates River in the Western Desert of Iraq Environmental Earth Sciences Journal
Authors: Awadh Salih M , Al-Kubaisi Mahmood H. D.
Published: November 2023

The Euphrates River is one of the most important rivers in West Asia, passing through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, and is vital to their economies. Several factors influence river water chemistry, including location, river bed geology, human activities, and environmental conditions. The upstream activities (dam construction, agricultural activities, and industrial discharges) are important factors that influence the Euphrates River's water chemistry. The Euphrates River is of fresh water with a slightly alkaline pH. The ranges of the total dissolved solids from 626.56 to 888.01 mg/l, electrical conductivity from 895.08 to 1268.58 µS/cm, and total hardness from 359.25 to 477.08 mg/l downstream all slightly increased as a result of geological processes, particularly the dissolution of river bed rocks in addition to the anthropogenic activities. The Euphrates River's water quality is primarily influenced by geological formations, particularly the Euphrates and the Fatha formations, so sulfate, chloride, sodium and calcium predominate. The chemistry of the river water was unaffected by the aquifer hydraulic system; on the contrary, the river impacts it by feeding it.
High Performance Supercapacitor Based on Self-heteroatom-doped Porous Carbon Electrodes Fabricated from Mikania Micrantha
Authors: Jalalah Mohammed , Han HyukSu , Nayak Arpan Kumar , Harraz Farid A.
Published: November 2023

Applications, economic advantage, and effective waste management have sparked much interest in porous carbon compounds synthesized from renewable and biowaste resources. Self-heteroatom-doped carbon compounds have recently been made using various biological precursors. This study investigates the ease of preparing biomass-derived porous carbon (BPC) matrices from raw and verdant Mikania micrantha leaves using a direct activation and pyrolysis procedure. With the aid of preactivation and pyrolysis, BPC materials can be synthesised with a high surface area and pore volume. At a current density of 1 A/g, the BPC materials MM-700 exhibit a specific capacitance of 393 F/g. Interestingly, the MM-700 BPC materials have a greater capacitive contribution to charge accumulation during the electrochemical reaction. The BPC material MM-700 solid-state device manufactured with a PVA-H2SO4 gel electrolyte has a specific capacitance of 119 F/g at 1 A/g current density and a power density of 13,284 kW/kg at 30 A/g current density. Even at a high current density of 30 A/g, the synthesized porous carbon materials retain a high specific capacitance. Moreover, the MM-700 BPC material exhibits outstanding stability in both three- and two-electrode systems in strong acidic electrolyte.
Testing the skin with Histofarcin and examining the in-vitro antifungal properties of Croton Macrostachyus against the mycelial form of Histoplasma capsulatum Variety Farciminosum, isolated from a horse in Adama City, Ethiopia
Authors: Tegegne Hailehizeb , Woldegiorgis Dese
Published: November 2023

Background: Epizootic Lymphangitis (EL) is a long-lasting, incapacitating condition affecting horses, which is brought about by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum (HCF). This ailment is a significant concern in the equine world, leading to both economic and welfare implications for horses.
Method: An experimental study design was conducted from Nov, 2021 to June, 2022 to examine the histofarcin skin test and assess the antifungal effectiveness of Croton macrostachyus against HCF mycelium. The histofarcin antigen for the skin test was derived from HCF field isolates identified in clinical cases EL in cart horses from Adama City.
Results: Histofarcin skin test was evaluated on 64 horses, 20 clinically infected cases, and 44 healthy horses. Each horse was injected with 0.1ml of the histofarcin skin test antigen intradermally in the middle of the neck. The thickness of the skin was measured before the injection and 24 hrs post injection using Bar Knight Mc Lintock(McLK)-P0005) caliper. The sensitivity and specificity of histofarcin skin test were 100% and 95% respectively. An in vitro growth inhibitory effect of Croton macrostachyus against the mycelia form of HCF was evaluated. Aculture media with no antifungal agent and media containing ketoconazole served as a negative and positive control, respectively.
Conclusions: The result showed that Croton macrostachyus have an inhibitory effect at concentration range from2.5-10mg/ml. Thus, the minimium inhibitory concentration of the plant extrac was found to be 2.5mg/ml. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that histofarcin skin test is a potential diagnostic tool for screening EL. Also, the methanol extracts of Croton macrostachyus showed good in-vitro growth inhibitory activity against the mycelial phase of HCF. Therefore, Validation of the performance of the histofarcin skin test assessment is necessary. Also, further investigation of the effects of C. macrostachyus on the yeast form of HCF is needed in addition to Phytochemial analysis (fractionation) and evaluation of the toxicity of the plant.
Hydrological Time Series Prediction based on IWOA-ALSTM
Authors: Zhang Xuejie , Cang Hao , Nedjah Nadia , Ye Feng , Jin Yanling
Published: November 2023

The prediction of hydrological time series is of great significance for the development of flood and drought prevention, and is an important research component of smart water resources. The nonlinear characteristics of the hydrological time series are an important factor affecting the accuracy of prediction. In order to better predict the non-linear component of the hydrological time series, (IWOA) used to tune long-short memory based neural network augmented with attention mechanisms (ALSTM). The proposed model is termed IWOA-ALSTM. The model hyperparameters setting has a significant impact on the prediction accuracy and operation efficiency. So, the improved whale optimization algorithm allows the dynamic adjustment of the required hyperparameters. The used network introduces an attention mechanism between the two layers of the LSTM, capable of adaptively focusing on different features according to each time unit in order to obtain information about the hydrological time series. In this work, we use the information about the non-linear water level, obtained from Hankou station, as experimentatl data. The results achieved by the proposed model, wherein IWOA, is exploited are compared to those yielded with using genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization and whale optimization algorithm. We demonstrate that IWOA-ALSTM provides a better performance.
Patient Perceptions of Incentive-Linked Prescribing in Pakistan
Authors: Noor Muhammad Naveed , Azizullah Zahida , Abbasi Haider Safdar , Mark Nina Van Der , Rahman-Shepherd Afifah , Siddiqui Amna Rehana , Hasan Rumina , Khan Mishal Sameer , Shakoor Sadia
Published: November 2023

Background: Incentive-linked prescribing (ILP) – doctors’ accrual of incentives from pharmaceutical companies through prescribing promoted drugs – is a well-documented issue. However, little is known about patients’ perceptions of ILP and the extent to which it can affect their trust in doctors in Pakistan.
Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted to collect data from 25 conveniently selected patients visiting pharmacies with prescriptions from their doctors, in Karachi, Pakistan. A thematic analysis technique was used to analyse patients’ perceptions of ILP.
Results: Our analysis revealed that a majority of patients were aware of the profit-oriented relationship between doctors and pharmaceutical companies. Patients thought both doctors and pharmaceutical companies were highly motivated to maximise profits through ILP, which they believed was an unethical practice with negative consequences for patients. In addition to commissions linked with prescribing and dispensing medications, patients named several other incentives and benefits that pharmaceutical companies provided doctors with. Many patients also spoke about how pharmacists perform a catalytic role to enable ILP by selling specific pharmaceutical products to patients, for which they received commissions.
Conclusion: There is growing awareness of unethical relationships between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, which significantly contributes to patients’ mistrust of doctors; this not only harms doctors’ reputations in society but also affects their compliance with doctors’ advice, which is likely to have negative implications for healthcare delivery.
Burden of comorbidities among older Malaysians with stroke: Associations with diabetes mellitus and frailty
Authors: Wong Wei Jin , Tan Kit Mun , Harrison Christopher , Ng Chai Chen , Lim Wan Chieh , Nguyen Tu
Published: November 2023

Background and aims
The increasing prevalence of diabetes and the growing population of older people further adds to the complexities of stroke care. This study aimed to describe (1) prevalence of diabetes in older persons with stroke and (2) compare the burden of comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors among patients with diabetes and frailty compared to those without these conditions.
Methods
We conducted an analysis of older patients aged ≥ 65 years. Comorbidities were assessed using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Frailty assessments were performed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) version 2.
Results
A total of 384 participants were included for analysis, mean age of 81.11 ± 6.373. Diabetes was present in 45.1%. The prevalence of frailty was 81.3% in those with diabetes and 70.5% in those without diabetes. The mean CCI was highest for the frail and diabetic group (6.97 ± 1.97). Participants with diabetes also had a significantly higher prevalence of risk factors like hypertension (90.8% versus 74.4%, p <0.001) and cardiovascular disease like ischemic heart disease (27.2% versus 14.8%, p =0.003).
Conclusions
There was a very high prevalence of diabetes in older patients with stroke in this study. Besides the management of diabetes, frailty and cardiovascular risk factors are potential target areas that healthcare providers can strive to address to enhance the overall well-being and quality of life for older stroke survivors with diabetes.
Clinical implications of pediatric biliary intraepithelial neoplasia diagnosed from a choledochal cyst specimen
Authors: Gang Sujin , Kwon Hyunhee , Park Jueun , Song In Hye , Namgoong Jung-Man
Published: November 2023

Biliary intraepithelial neoplasia (BilIN), a noninvasive precursor of cholangiocarcinoma, can undergo malignant transformation. Cholangiocarcinoma progression is often attributed to chronic inflammation affecting the bile ducts and gallbladder. Choledochal cysts are precursors to cholangiocarcinoma. BilIN has rarely been documented in children; therefore, we explored the clinical significance of pediatric BilIN. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 15 patients histopathologically confirmed to have BilIN after undergoing surgery for choledochal cysts. Age, sex, admission symptoms, age at surgery, biliopancreatic duct junction abnormality presence/absence, complete resection, postoperative complications, and disease course were investigated. Five males and ten females were included. Specimen analysis revealed BilIN-1, BilIN-2, and BilIN-3 in four, six, and five patients, respectively. All patients survived and underwent outpatient follow-up. All liver function tests were within the normal range during the observation period. Ultrasounds were normal in seven patients. Two patients each had pneumobilia and partial dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. No suspicious findings for cholangiocarcinoma have yet been confirmed. The potential progression of choledochal cysts to BilIN in children was demonstrated. These results underscore the importance of early and thorough excision of choledochal cysts, including resection margins for associated lesions, particularly in children with predisposing risk factors for biliary tract inflammation.