bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Biomass Estimation in Ethiopian Moist Afromontane Forest Through Volume Model
Authors: Mulatu Abu , Negash Mesele , Tolera Motuma
Published: November 2024

Forest biomass is estimated using a volume model, wood basic density (wbd), and biomass expansion factor (BEF). However, in Ethiopia, there is a shortage of volume models, hence the volume estimation was carried out using a generic model. As a result, estimation may be subject to bias when applied in areas outside its original geographic range of development. Consequently, there is a need for further research and data collection to enhance the accuracy and reliability of these equations. This study aims to develop species-specific volume models, biomass expansion factors, wood basic densities, and form factors for selected tree species in the moist evergreen Afromontane Forest of Ethiopia. A total of 59 trees were harvested for volume model, BEF, and wbd development. Nonlinear regression was employed to develop the models, and the developed models were compared with previously established models using goodness-of-fit measures. For the volume model, diameter at breast height explained 89 % - 99 % of the volume variation. Comparison with previously developed models indicates that the currently developed model yields the least error. The mean BEF for the study species was 1.58, while the mean wood basic density for all tree species was 0.58 g/cm3. The study demonstrated that species-specific volume models reduce errors in the estimation of forest volume and biomass.
Population Dynamics of Mesocriconema xenoplax Parasitizing Sweet Cherry Trees in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Forge Thomas , Munro Paige
Published: November 2024

The ring nematode, Mesocriconema xenoplax, has become recognized as a widespread pest of sweet cherry trees in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia (BC). Understanding the cumulative impacts of M. xenoplax on tree health, interpreting diagnostic sample data, and predicting the impacts of climate change on M. xenoplax population densities all depend on knowledge of the temporal dynamics of M. xenoplax populations and their linkage with soil temperature and moisture regimes. The objective of this study was to measure population densities of M. xenoplax on a monthly basis over five years, in relation to soil temperature and moisture regimes, in a 16-year-old irrigated sweet cherry orchard. We tested the following hypotheses: (i) population densities would start low each spring and increase continuously with soil degree-day heat accumulation during each growing season, and (ii) year-to-year variation in population growth during the growing season would be correlated with year-to-year variation in soil degree-day heat accumulation. The data did not support these hypotheses and indicated that although there were significant differences in population densities among sample dates, there were no regular seasonal cycles of population growth and decline. We suggest that in mature cherry orchards, density-dependent processes mask the influences of annual changes in soil temperature and moisture on population processes. The data indicate that for diagnostic sampling purposes, all seasons would be equally representative of M. xenoplax population densities in irrigated orchards in BC. Furthermore, the lack of any strong linkage between soil temperature regimes and within- or across-year population dynamics indicate that modeling efforts based solely on abiotic drivers of temperature and moisture would not likely represent changes in population dynamics of M. xenoplax that will actually occur with climate change.
Meloidogyne marylandi is Involved in, but not the Primary Cause of Creeping Bentgrass Decline of Putting Greens in Southern California
Authors: Ploeg A. T. , Witte H. , Subbotin S. A. , Tandingan De Ley I. , Smith Becker J. , Becker J. O.
Published: November 2024

Root-knot nematodes were discovered in severely declining creeping bentgrass putting greens at a golf course in Indian Wells, Riverside County, California. The exhibited disease symptoms included chlorosis, stunted growth, and dieback. Based on morphological examination and measurements of J2 females and males, it was suggested that the causal pathogen was Meloidogyne marylandi. This identification was confirmed by analysis of the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA and COI gene sequences. The host status of 28 plant species was evaluated in greenhouse trials. All tested monocots, except rye and Allium species, were found to be hosts, while no reproduction occurred on dicots. Temperature-tank experiments helped determine that the life cycle of M. marylandi was completed between 17–35 °C, with a base temperature of 8.3 °C and a required heat sum of 493 degree-days (DD). In greenhouse trials in pasteurized soil and near-ideal growing conditions, M. marylandi did not cause significant growth reduction of creeping bentgrass cv. Penn A-4, even at very high J2 inoculation densities. It is highly probable that other biotic and abiotic factors contributed to the observed putting green damage.
Features of Heat and Mass Transfer in the Thermodynamic Equilibrium Region of Gas Hydrates
Authors: Koshlak Hanna , Ochrymiuk Tomasz
Published: November 2024

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the influence of thermodynamic parameters on diffusive hydrate formation of hydrocarbon gases. Diffusion processes at the fixed interface and intensification processes of hydrate synthesis were experimentally studied. The temperature range at which the rate of hydrate formation is maximized was determined. Additionally, a criterion for optimizing the thermodynamic parameters of the synthesis process was proposed.
Environmental Assessment of Cellulose Pulp Production from Wood Waste using Organosolv Treatment
Authors: Pazzaglia Aron , Romagnoli Francesco , Castellani Beatrice
Published: November 2024

In the upcoming years, the paper industry is expected to rely on containerboard for packaging. Since 2020, containerboard has been made from 80 % recycled fibres. Creating a new supply chain for fibres could help mitigate possible shortages. In this context, wood waste emerges as a valuable resource with the potential to serve as a plentiful and cost-effective reservoir for generating new materials, such as cellulose fibres. This study presents an assessment of the environmental impact associated with the organosolv extraction of cellulose pulp from wood waste based on a previous in vitro study conducted by the authors. The increasing demand for sustainable materials has prompted exploration into alternative methods for cellulose pulp production, with a focus on minimizing environmental footprint. Organosolv extraction, a promising technique, involves the use of organic solvents and acid catalysts to break down lignocellulosic biomass, resulting in high-quality cellulose pulp production. To evaluate the environmental implications of this process, a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was adopted. The LCA framework considers all stages of the organosolv extraction process, from wood waste collection to cellulose pulp manufacture, using a gate-to-gate approach. The functional unit for assessment is set as one metric ton of cellulose pulp. The dataset utilized for the LCA comprises primary data obtained from in vitro experiments that have been scaling-up, complemented by secondary data sourced from literature and the Ecoinvent life cycle inventory database. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the influence of key parameters on the environmental performance of the organosolv extraction process, with a focus on variations in energy consumption to identify potential areas for optimization and improvement. In summary, this study emphasizes the environmental aspects of utilizing organosolv extraction for cellulose pulp production from wood waste. Further research is warranted to explore energy consumption during the organosolv process for obtaining more precise data and optimizing the process. This could be achieved through pilot-scale experiments or utilizing process simulation software.
Effect of Carbonization Temperature on the Physical and Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Electrodes from Kepayang Leaves (Pangium Edule Reinw) as Supercapacitor Cells
Authors: Syahrul Syahrul , Armynah Bidayatul , Taer Erman
Published: November 2024

The increasing demand for renewable energy resources, supercapacitors are becoming important devices due to their high specific energy and specific power performance. This research focuses on using Kepayang leaves as a basic material for supercapacitor carbon electrodes. This research involves making active carbon from Kepayang leaves through a carbonization process at temperatures of 500, 600, 700, and 800 oC for 1 hour with chemical activation using ZnCl2. The characteristics carried out include density analysis, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV). The density analysis results show that with every increase in temperature, the density decreases. Functional groups in the FTIR spectrum show that C bonds are formed, while XRD analysis shows an amorphous structure both before and after pyrolysis. The electrochemical properties of Kepayang leaf carbon show that the diffusion process is getting better as the carbonization temperature is higher. The highest specific capacitance obtained was based on the results of CV 91 F/g at a temperature of 700 oC.
Assessment of the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab compared to laser treatment in retinopathy of prematurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tufal Muhammad , Al-Hawas Sultan , Aljohani Jomanah , Alqahtani Asma , Alhajri Njood , Alhazmi Shaden , Alqahtani Alwaleed , Alameer Sharooq , Alrefaei Aseel , Alelaiwi Mohammed , Alghamdi Abdulrahman
Published: November 2024

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal disorder that affects premature infants and is defined by aberrant retinal blood vessel proliferation. One of the first therapies for ROP was laser therapy. Intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) is a recently advanced therapy that can reverse neovascularization and increase retinal stability. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of IVR and laser treatment for ROP management. Online search was carried out using four databases including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Ovid. No search filters were used, and the search encompassed the period from inception till September 2024. The search terms included "intravitreal ranibizumab" AND "retinopathy of prematurity" AND "laser treatment". The systematic review selection process started with the identification of 128 records. After removing duplicates and screening the titles and abstracts, five studies were included in the final review and analysis. This meta-analysis demonstrated that while IVR is effective in treating ROP and potentially preserves peripheral retina, it is associated with a higher recurrence rate in comparison to laser therapy. Laser therapy remains a robust option with lower recurrence rates, though it might impact peripheral vision. The combination of IVR with other modalities, such as zone I sparing laser treatment or photocoagulation, as suggested by recent studies, might offer a balanced approach that addresses both disease management and retinal preservation. Such combined strategies could help mitigate recurrence and improve long-term outcomes.
South Africa Sues International Court Over Israel's Palestinian Genocide under International Law
Authors: Akbar M. Fabian , Beltrán Genovés Manuel
Published: November 2024

This article examines the legal and geopolitical implications of South Africa's unprecedented lawsuit against Israel for genocide in Gaza, brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The conflict stems from longstanding tensions between Israel and Palestine, exacerbated during the October 7, 2023 crisis. South Africa's legal action alleges Israel's actions and omissions in Gaza constitute genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention, citing evidence of extensive civilian casualties, particularly women and children. Israel, however, denies the accusations, attributing civilian deaths to Hamas and asserting its right to self-defense against rocket attacks. The ICJ's role as a peaceful dispute resolution forum is highlighted, emphasizing its authority to adjudicate disputes between nations and provide legal opinions. The research employs a normative legal approach, analyzing international law principles and regulations, using a case study methodology to explore the legal complexities of the case qualitatively. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the legal mechanisms governing international disputes and the potential impact of legal proceedings on conflict dynamics.
İklim Değişikliği ve Yerel/Kentsel Politika: Seçili Tematik Kriz Alanları Bağlamında Bir Analiz
Authors: Kılınç Aygül
Published: November 2024

Bu çalışmada iklim değişikliğinin sonucu olarak kentsel alanda gerçekleşen veya gerçekleşme olasılığı yüksek olan “planlama krizi”, “su krizi”, “gıda krizi” ve “iklim göçleri krizi”, kentsel gündelik rutini olumsuz etkiyecek görece öncelikli ekolojik sorunlar olması nedeniyle, kentsel politikada yer verilmesi gereken başlıca tematik kriz alanları olarak ele alınmıştır. Toplumsal kırılganlığın ciddi boyuta ulaştığı söz konusu bu kriz durumlarında, gündelik yaşamın olağan seyrinin devamlılığı, büyük ölçüde yerel yönetimlerin mevcut durum karşısındaki kararlı, planlı ve mücadeleci tutumuna bağlı olduğu/olacağı, tartışılmaz bir gerçektir. Bu çalışma, iklim değişikliğinden kaynaklı ekolojik krizlerin neden olduğu/olabileceği toplumsal kırılganlıkla mücadele konusunda yerel yönetimlerin ilgili tematik kriz alanları bağlamında kentsel politika oluşturma gerekliliğini vurgulamaktadır. Çalışmada, söz konusu bu tematik kriz alanlarının yerel/kentsel politika oluşturma süreçlerinde yerel yönetimler tarafından çözüm üretilmesi gereken öncelikli parametreler (değişkenler) olarak dikkate alınması gerektiği fikri savlanmaktadır. Mevcut kamu politika belgelerinde araştırma konusuna ilişkin bir durum tespiti yapabilmek ve bir değerlendirmede bulunabilmek için Türkiye’nin en yoğun nüfuslu ilk altı (İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Bursa, Adana ve Gaziantep) büyükşehir belediyesine ait son dönem stratejik planları, bu bağlamda ele alınmıştır. Ayrıca üst politika belgesi olarak henüz onaylanıp yürürlüğe giren ‘On İkinci Kalkınma Planı (2024-2028)’nda iklim değişikliğinin olumsuz sonuçlarıyla doğrudan veya yakından ilgili olarak yapılması öngörülen hedef ve planlar da gözden geçirilmiştir. Bu bağlamda Türkiye’nin ilgili tematik kriz alanları konusunda yerel politika anlamında içinde bulunduğu gerçeklik durumunun ortaya konulması hedeflenmiştir. Analiz neticesinde ilgili tematik kriz alanlarını içeren ussal ve kapsamlı bir politika belgesinin söz konusu büyükşehir belediye yönetimleri tarafından henüz oluşturulmamış olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır.
The problem of the unconscious in German post-Hegelian theism, French Spiritualism, Russian religious philosophy in the context of the anthropological turn
Authors: Ezri Grigorii Konstantinovich
Published: November 2024

The subject of the research is the psychologization of the unconscious as a consequence of the anthropological turn. Psychologization is considered on the example of German post-Hegelian theism, French spiritualism, Russian religious philosophy, which are an integral part of the religious philosophy of the XIX – first half of the XX century. The anthropological turn is interpreted in the spirit of Heidegger's philosophy – as a transition of metaphysics into anthropology, of the ontological I into the psychological. The method of historical and philosophical reconstruction allowed conceptually refining the definition of the unconscious, and retrospectively substantiating three models of the unconscious. Using retrospective and comparative methods, the problem of the unconscious is studied and its solutions in the religious philosophy of the XIX – first half of the XX century are compared. The problem of psychologization of the unconscious in the historical and philosophical context as a consequence of the anthropological turn is considered by the author using the example of religious philosophy of the XIX – first half of the XX century; the models of the unconscious are retrospectively substantiated. In addition, the reflection of the teaching on the unconscious of European theists and spiritualists in Russian religious philosophy is studied. It is shown that in the historical and philosophical perspective, there are three models of the unconscious. The views of European theists and spiritualists on the problem of the unconscious influenced representatives of Russian religious-philosophical thought. Psychologization of the unconscious is connected with the anthropological turn, it became possible as a result of giving the I an individual-substantial character.
Multitask-Transfer-Learning Method for Random-Force Frequency Identification Considering Multisource Uncertainties
Authors: Liu Yaru , Wang Lei , Ng Bing Feng
Published: November 2024

Accurate reconstruction of unknown external forces from measurable responses is critical for ensuring structural safety and minimizing maintenance costs of aircraft structures. This paper presents a novel multitask-transfer-learning method for random-force frequency identification that accounts for modeling and measurement uncertainties. A data-driven convolutional neural network (CNN) model is utilized to capture the relationship between the power spectral densities of external forces and measured responses, addressing the inherent ill-posedness of traditional model-driven force identification methods. To shorten the frequency-dependent training time in the full frequency domain, a transfer-learning strategy is implemented, fine-tuning hyperparameters from a CNN model trained at one source frequency to another target frequency. Furthermore, an iterative dimensionwise collocation method based on nonprobabilistic interval modeling is introduced to quantify the uncertain boundaries of external loads caused by multisource uncertainties. By incorporating a multitask-learning framework, the process of establishing CNN models for collocated samples is accelerated, reducing the computational effort for uncertainty quantification. The proposed method is validated through both numerical and experimental examples, demonstrating its accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency for force identification in the full frequency domain, even under conditions of insufficient measurements, measurement noises, and material dispersions.
MODELING OF WOODLANDS IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT SYSTEMS USING POINT CLOUD INSTANCING
Authors: TIMOKHIN P.Y. , MIKHAYLYUK M.V.
Published: November 2024

Exemplified on woodlands, the paper studies the task of modeling unique virtual objects from quasi- repeating 3D scalar fields (point clouds). A new approach to solve this task in real-time is proposed, based on instancing point cloud (tree-sample) by means of hardware-accelerated ray tracing. A method to set a pseudorandom transformation (of position, orientation, scale and color) of tree-sample instances, providing woodland uniqueness effect, as well as a method to perform such transformation on the ray tracing pipeline of the GPU, were developed. The proposed methods and approach are implemented in the form of a software complex using the C++, GLSL languages and the Vulkan API. The approbation of the complex showed that the created solution allows unique virtual models of woodlands, comprising about a million trees, to be generated in real-time. The obtained results confirmed high efficiency of using hardware-accelerated ray tracing to solve the task under research in virtual environment systems, video simulators, geoinformation systems and other applications.
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF TRAVERSAL TWO-LEVEL BVH TREES FOR GPU RAY TRACING
Authors: SMIRNOV L.M. , FROLOV V.A. , VOLOBOY A.G.
Published: November 2024

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the performance of several BVH traversal methods on PC(desktop) and mobile GPUs. We examined BVH with different depths and the number of child nodes, implemented several stack traversal algorithms and two different stackless traversal algorithms. We proposed our own stackless traversal option, which is more productive than existing ones in some cases, and our own version of BVH compression of a tree with 2 nodes, which loses no more than 15% of performance. As a result of the performance analysis, we have identified some common problems that occur in almost all algorithms, when they are implemented on GPUs. We believe that our analysis will help developers of ray tracing hardware accelerators to create a more economical hardware solution that is not limited to ray tracing alone. More specifically, the results of our experiments indicate that it is possible to get acceleration up to 5 times by changing the mechanism of the L2 cache, and on desktop GPUs with hardware acceleration of ray tracing, this seems to have already been done not only within the framework of the hardware acceleration of ray tracing itself, but also more generally the case.
BIG DATA STOCHASTIC SEMANTICS
Authors: VASEV P.A. , MANAKOV D.V.
Published: November 2024

Considering problems involving truly big data inevitably leads to the use of a block approach, which is used in both information theory and stochastic differential equations. As a natural metaphor, the graph signals were chosen. This is a graph in nodes, of which a spectral function is defined, in the examples considered this is a function of color (RGB), height or amount of data. In concurrent computing, a block can be associated with a computing unit (processor) and consider the problem of entropy (performance) maximization. In the developed on-line visualization and concurrent computing system for geometric parallelization, it is possible to implement and compare a stationary random process (equiprobable messages implemented using broadcasting and mixins) and a steady-state random process (point-to-point messages), which have different analytical solutions. Together, this allows concluding that the proposed implementation of a stationary process has a certain novelty; in addition, it was intended to be more convenient for automated parallelization. The problems of automatic load balancing (interpolation problem) and optimal scalability of parallel computing (extrapolation problem) are also considered. Not much has been done in the field of visualization verification - mesh visualization has been proposed, considered as a parameterized model of a white-noise random process. Of course, this work cannot be considered complete, but the direction that the authors called stochastic semantics is obviously promising.
VOLUME-ORIENTED VISUALIZATION OF 3D SCENES WITH GLOBAL ILLUMINATION AND WITH A VARIETY OF DYNAMIC POINT LIGHT SOURCES IN REAL TIME
Authors: VYATKIN S.I. , DOLGOVESOV B.S.
Published: November 2024

When visualizing scenes with global illumination in real time with a large number of light sources, it is necessary to create a large number of shadow maps to check visibility in virtual point lighting. Therefore, there are two ways: either limit their number, or apply small, partial shadow maps with the assumption of visual error. As a result, this can reduce the accuracy of indirect lighting or eliminate rendering of fully dynamic scenes. On the other hand, ray tracing and emissivity techniques can generate physically accurate images, but their rendering speed is too slow for real-time applications. We offer a volume-oriented approach to visualizing scenes with global illumination in real time. The approach combines the advantages of the method with multiple light sources and voxelization. We use an efficient sparse voxel octal tree to check visibility instead of expensive shadow maps in methods with a large number of light sources. As a result, the proposed method allows you to visualize scenes with a large number of light sources in real time, with support for thousands of dynamically generated light sources.
VISUALIZING THE DYNAMICS OF EVENTS IN CONDITIONS OF INCOMPLETENESS OF SOURCE CARTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL BY MEANS OF SPECIAL INSTRUMENTAL TOOL
Authors: CHUPRINA S.I. , KLISHIN M.I.
Published: November 2024

The paper proposes an ontology-driven approach to automating the work of application developers of virtual reconstruction of historical events in conditions of incompleteness and inaccuracy of source information and lack of high-quality cartographic material. Thanks to the ontology-driven approach to the instrumental tools development, the user has the opportunity to reconstruct arbitrary historical events on a virtual graphics card in an automated mode using a high-level interface, considering a specific chronological order, make changes and replenish the reconstruction with new information without having to make changes to the source code of the system. The initial information sources for the system are text documents with descriptions of historical events and illustrative cartographic images. Generative AI methods and tools are used to automate the extraction of knowledge from text collections and the construction of ontologies. The presentation is based on the example of building a virtual reconstruction of the Kulikovo battle, the cartographic material of which is very incomplete and consists of schematic images, often without specifying the scale, which is typical for maps of the Middle Ages. 2D animation methods and tools are used to visualize the dynamics of events in conditions of incomplete cartographic material.
HANDWRITTEN TEXT RECOGNITION OF THE REPORTS OF GOVERNORS OF THE YENISEI PROVINCE IN THE 19TH CENTURY
Authors: SHERSTNEV P.A. , KOZHIN K.D. , PYATAEVA A.V.
Published: November 2024

The text of the reports of the governors of the Yenisei Governorate have significant peculiarities, such as pre-reform language of the reports, outdated spelling norms, old letters and symbols. In addition, photos of the reports may contain various artifacts related to the peculiarities of writing and scanning of these documents. Standard recognition methods for recognizing report texts are inefficient, so the authors have developed a specialized algorithm for recognizing text in such images. The algorithm includes two stages: line detection in the image using the CRAFT model and subsequent text recognition using the TPS-ResNet-BiLSTM-Attn model. Self-created combined datasets were used for training and testing the models. Experimental studies confirm the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
WAVELET-BASED FILTERING OF NOISY IMAGES USING THEIR APPROXIMATIONS IN SUBBANDS OF DETAILS
Authors: BEKHTIN YU.S. , CHIN V.T.
Published: November 2024

Image distortions can occur both under the influence of external factors and in the process of image formation due to the physical nature of various optoelectronic systems. To suppress broadband noise, many methods have been developed, among which filtering based on the wavelet transform occupies a special place due to the ability to effectively suppress both additive noise and also multiplicative noise. The methods of wavelet filtering widely used in practice are based on thresholding of wavelet coefficients which are belong in high frequency subbands named details. At the same time, the low frequency component of the image named approximation is not mostly subjected to threshold processing. In this regard, the choice of effective thresholding rule and threshold values is not a trivial task. It is because thresholding of details leads to the appearance of artifacts due to distortions in the low frequency image components. The paper presents the results of a study of a modified wavelet filtering method for noisy images which uses approximation in details. The results have shown that the suggested method not only increases the signal-to-noise ratio, but also reduces the number of artifacts.
THE CONCEPT OF AUTONOMOUS OBJECT TRACKING BASED ON OPTICAL AND RADIOVISION SYSTEMS
Authors: KLOCHKO V.K.
Published: November 2024

The concept of building an autonomous navigation system when accompanied by a UAV is proposed. The concept is based on the classification of singular points of the reference and current terrain images for UAV correction and is distinguished by the presence of a classification criterion for the minimum square of the norm of the error vector of conjugation pairs of singular points. The aim of the work is to develop a method for analyzing singular points obtained on the basis of optical and radio- images of the terrain in an autonomous navigation system. An algorithm for correcting the movement of a UAV is proposed, which allows using fast matrix operations for solving linear algebraic equations instead of the correlation function, taking into account the spatial orientation of the UAV, determining the vector of its direction of movement to the calculated position at current moments along an extrapolated trajectory and combining the operation of an optical and radio- systems.
NEURAL NETWORK METHOD FOR CONTENT-BASED HISTOLOGICAL IMAGE RETRIEVAL
Authors: VESHKIN A.S. , KHVOSTIKOV A.V.
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we study the impact of different approaches to feature extraction from histological images on the performance of content-based retrieval methods. Particular attention is paid to the comparative analysis of three approaches to feature extraction: based on statistical image features, using an autoencoder, and using a hyperbolic extractor. The paper considers theoretical aspects of each approach, adapts them to the tasks of histological image analysis, and experimentally evaluates their performance on the PATH-DT-MSU WSS1, WSS2 histological datasets. The Accuracy@10 and MAP@10 metrics are used to evaluate the search quality. The best results were shown by the method using the hyperbolic feature extractor: 73.45% by Accuracy@10. The approach described in the paper is universal and can be applied to other datasets for the task of content-based retrieval of images.
Review of modern techniques and analysis of patient outcomes with benign familial pemphigus Gougereau–Haley–Haley
Authors: Drozhdina Marianna B. , Koshkin Sergey V.
Published: November 2024

Benign familial pemphigus (BFP) Gougereau–Haley–Haley is a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis caused by mutations of the ATP2C1 gene responsible for the function of calcium-dependent ATPases regulating calcium sequestration in the Golgi apparatus. The article provides an overview of modern methods of treatment of various groups of drugs, including drugs for topical treatment (topical glucocorticosteroids, calcipotriol, combined drugs), systemic drugs (glucocorticosteroids, apremilast), injection techniques (intradermal administration of botulinum toxin) currently used.
Taking into account the lack of clinical recommendations for the treatment of patients with benign familial pemphigus, to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment methods described in modern publications.
The observational study included 4 patients with clinically and histologically verified benign familial pemphigus, and described the results of therapy using techniques using intradermal administration of botulinum toxin A (3 patients) and apremilast (1 patient). The results of observations of patients with BFP and photo documentation are presented.
BFP is a rare dermatosis, the description of treatment methods for which is scarce in various publications, large-scale randomized studies are needed to determine the comparative effectiveness and safety of various drugs and physiotherapy techniques for the treatment of this disease. The material presented in the article will help practitioners to offer patients possible methods of BFP therapy and take into account the experience of colleagues.
Investigating the anti-cancer potential of sulfatase 1 and its underlying mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhang Bingling , Luo Daping , Xiang Lan , Chen Jun , Fang Ting
Published: November 2024

Objective:

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have poor prognoses. Sulfatase 1 (SULF1) is an extracellular neutral sulfatase and is involved in multiple physiological processes. Hence, this study investigated the function and possible mechanisms of SULF1 in NSCLC.

Material and Methods:

Difference in SULF1 expression level between tumors and normal lung tissues was analyzed through bioinformatics and clinical sampling, and the effects of SULF1 expression on prognosis were investigated through Kaplan–Meier analysis. SULF1 level in NSCLC cells was modulated through small interfering ribonucleic acid interference. NSC228155, which is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway agonist, was for handling NSCLC cells. SULF1 expression level was tested through quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated with cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine, and transwell assays, and the levels of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)- and EGFR/MAPK pathway-related proteins were detected through Western blot.

Results:

Bioinformatics and clinical samples showed that NSCLC tumor tissues had elevated SULF1 expression levels relative to those of normal tissues (P < 0.05). Patients with NSCLC and high SULF1 expression levels experienced poorer prognosis than those of low SULF1 expression levels (P < 0.05). SULF1 knockdown repressed the malignant biological behavior, including proliferation, migration, and invasion, of the NSCLC cells (P < 0.05). Mechanistically, SULF1 knockdown augmented E-cadherin level and abated N-cadherin and vimentin protein levels (P < 0.05). These results confirmed that EMT was inhibited. In addition, the knockdown of SULF1 reduced the phosphorylation of EGFR, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and NSC228155 partially reversed these changes, which were affected by SULF1 knockdown. Meanwhile, NSC228155 partially reversed the inhibition of EMT, migration, and invasion affected by SULF1 knockdown.

Conclusion:

SULF1 knockdown inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of NSCLC cells by inactivating EGFR/MAPK pathway.
Optimizing management of secondary changes in port-wine stains: Navigating resource constraints with staged debulking surgery and radio frequency ablation
Authors: Awal Guneet , Shubham  , Singh Amandeep
Published: November 2024

Port-wine stains (PWSs) are low-flow congenital capillary malformations showing a progressive ectasia of superficial cutaneous vascular plexus in the skin. Congenital PWS has a 0.3% incidence rate and is most frequently observed on the face and neck, though it can also appear on other regions of the body. PWS does not involute over time, but rather, if untreated in the early years of life, they may later develop nodularity and hypertrophy, which respond poorly to existing treatment modalities and cause significant psychosocial distress to the patient. We present a case series of patients with PWS managed with staged surgical resections and radiofrequency ablation.
A hospital-based single-arm study to assess the efficacy of intralesional bleomycin injection in patients of resistant periungual and palmoplantar warts
Authors: Ranjan Shivani , Sharma Prakriti , Dogra Devraj
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

The objective of the study is to assess the efficacy of intralesional (I/L) bleomycin therapy for the treatment of resistant periungual and palmoplantar warts.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 51 patients of age ≥13 years with periungual and palmoplantar warts for ≥3-month duration and non-responsive to at least two conventional treatment modalities were included in this study and treated with I/L bleomycin (1.5 mg/mL solution) every 2 weeks for maximum up to two injections. The patients were followed up every 2 weeks up to 3 months. If warts did not regress in size after 3 months of starting treatment, it was considered as failure.

Results:

A total of 51 patients were included in the study who presented with 146 warts. 38 (74.5%) patients were treated with a single dose of I/L bleomycin, and 13 (25.5%) patients received two doses at an interval of 2 weeks. Complete clearance (CC) was seen in 37 (72.5%) at 2 weeks and near CC (NCC) in 13 (25.6%) of patients at 4 weeks. Recurrence was observed in one patient (1.9%) after achieving NCC initially. Mild-to-moderate pain was the most common side effect (98%) reported, which lasted up to 2-3 days in 20% of the patients, with a peak at the time of injection. Perilesional hyperpigmentation was seen in 41 (80.3%) patients that gradually faded during the follow-up of 12 weeks. Eschar formation and necrosis of lesions were seen in 7 (13.7%) and 3 (5.8%) patients, respectively. A single patient experienced Raynaud’s phenomenon who finally was lost to follow-up.

Limitations:

Limited number of patients, lack of control group, and short follow up period were the main limitations of the present study.

Conclusion:

Intralesional bleomycin is a highly effective and safe treatment option for periungual and palmoplantar warts, which are usually resistant to conventional treatment modalities..
Dupilumab: Evaluating its role in atopic dermatitis, prurigo nodularis, eczemas, urticaria, alopecia areata and vesiculobullous disorders
Authors: Bubna Aditya Kumar , Viplav Vinayak
Published: November 2024

Dupilumab is a fully human monoclonal IgG4 antibody that targets IL-4 and IL-13 signaling pathways. It is approved by the US-FDA for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis. Besides, it has shown efficacy in various off-label dermatologic conditions. This review will elaborate on the utility of dupilumab in atopic dermatitis, prurigo nodularis, eczemas, urticaria, alopecia areata and vesiculobullous disorders.
Hereditary breast and ovarian cancers: A comprehensive overview of genetic testing, counseling, and treatment
Authors: Tandon Deepti , Munne Kiran , Pande Shailesh Shankar
Published: November 2024

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancers (HBOCs) syndrome is the most common of all hereditary cancers. A harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation can be inherited from one generation to another. Timely genetic testing and genetic counseling are very important in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. This can help in either avoiding the disease or at least postponing the onset of the disease. This perspective is written for improving the knowledge and counseling skills of health-care providers in offering genetic services for HBOCs.
An alternative communication model for breastfeeding intervention in antenatal clinics
Authors: Kamai Richard Awoshiri , Buba Jamila Abdulazeez , Umar Salihu Mohammed
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the dual-feedback loop communication model in countering misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding among pregnant women attending routine antenatal clinic at Specialist Hospital, Yola Adamawa State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to: (a) Use a pre-test to identify misconceptions pregnant women have on exclusive breastfeeding; (b) implement a behavior change intervention that targets the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) of pregnant women; and (c) administer a post-test to determine a variance in the KAPs of pregnant women after the intervention.

Material and Methods:

A mixed-method design that combines quantitative and qualitative methods was adopted for the study. Data for the study comprised health talks delivered in antenatal clinics and responses of cross-section of participants in pre- and post-tests. Thirty-three (33) pregnant women selected purposively served as participants for the study. Participants who met the inclusion criteria had previously breastfed and have been attending the routine antenatal clinical sessions at Specialist Hospital, Yola. The rhetorical structure of the health talks were examined based on insights from discourse and communication theories.

Results:

Results of the qualitative analysis revealed misconceptions on exclusive breastfeeding arising from inadequate (K)nowledge, poor (A)ttitudes, and unhealthy (P)ractices. The quantitative analysis revealed significant variation between maternal (K)nowledge (KEBF r = 0.636, P > 0.05), (A)ttitude (AEBF r = 0.595, P > 0.05), and (P)ractices (PEBF r = 0.757, P > 0.05) on exclusive breastfeeding and the intervention’s impact.

Conclusion:

Misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding and defects in the communication model used in delivering health talks perpetuate misconceptions among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in the health facility studied. Empowering pregnant women attending antenatal clinics with requisite knowledge of the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding using a dual-feedback loop communication model can promote compliance to exclusive breastfeeding, which, ipso facto, can reduce the incidence of child mortality resulting from non-compliance to exclusive breastfeeding. Further research is needed to test the effectiveness of the dual-feedback loop model in countering misconceptions in other health talks in Nigeria.
Efficacy of diclofenac transdermal patch versus injection as post-cesarean analgesia: A clinical, comparative, single-blind randomized control trial
Authors: Dhamankar Satish , Javali Shivalingappa B. , Sunkad Mohan
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Post-operative pain is a common problem following cesarean delivery. The efficacy of topical application of diclofenac in alleviating pain has not been well established. We aim to evaluate the analgesic effect of transdermal diclofenac patch and compare it with the injectable form.

Material and Methods:

This is a prospective, randomized, single-blind, and placebo-controlled study. The study protocols and ethical considerations were adhered fully. Parturient women (n = 90) undergoing cesarean section were randomized into two equal groups: the transdermal diclofenac patch (Group A) and the injectable diclofenac (Group B). The surgery was performed under spinal anesthesia. The participant’s demographic data, clinical data, pain relief data collected, compiled, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 20. The post-operative pain was scored using Visual Analog Scale. Pain relief scores were compared between the groups using Mann–Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon matched-pair test.

Results:

The participants match in demographic and clinical characters. The pain relief scores at 12 h was – 3.10 ± 0.74 and 3.04 ± 0.21 respectively while at 24 hours was – 2.48 ± 0.51 and 2.09 ± 0.29 respectively in Group A and Group B. The difference between Group A and Group B was statistically significant (P = 0.0022). The pain relief scores in both groups match was statistically significant at 6–24 h and 6–48 h (P = 0.0001, 0.0001).

Conclusion:

Diclofenac transdermal patch gives equal pain relief as that of routine injectable formulation.
Mineralizing angiopathy of lenticulo-striate arteries resulting in basal ganglia infarct – A rare case report
Authors: Udaykumar S. B. , Priyanka S. , Anwar Md Faraz , Durgappa H.
Published: November 2024

Arterial ischemic stroke following minor head trauma in young children is not an unknown entity. Here is an 18-month-old male child who presented with complaints of 3–4 episodes of convulsions in the form of uprolling of eyes and posturing of the left upper limb and lower limbs and sudden-onset of left-sided hemiparesis since 4 days following minor head trauma. The child was hemodynamically stable but there was hypertonia, power of <3/5 and brisk deep tendon reflexes in the left upper and lower limbs with normal findings in the opposite side. Cranial nerves, sensory and cerebellar systems were not involved. Computed tomography brain was done which showed mineralization of lenticulostriate arteries (MALS) and infarct in basal ganglia. The child was started on aspirin at 3 mg/kg/day along with physiotherapy and he showed significant improvement.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections – A review
Authors: Latthe Pallavi Manish , Latthe Anya Manish
Published: November 2024

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are one of the most common hospital-acquired infections and contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in patients. They can cause symptoms such as fever, hematuria, pain, and acute confusion. The most common causative organism is Escherichia coli. The treatment of CAUTIs is often dependent on the urine cultures and sensitivities. CAUTIs account for a significantly large number of hospital-acquired infections. They are often preventable with the right education and management. In obstetrics and gynecology, it is important to have a policy of taking catheters out as soon as feasible to reduce the risk of UTIs as well as health-care costs. In this review we discuss the pathophysiology, treatment, and prevention strategies of CAUTIs and current evidence based perspective.
The philosopher Viktor Mikhailov
Authors: Yakovlevа E. P.
Published: November 2024

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Characteristics of Ethnic Identity in Individuals with Character Accentuation
Authors: Sidorova T. N. , Afanasieva A. V.
Published: November 2024

The article deals with the problem of ethnic identity in individuals with character accentuation in the context of modern multi-ethnic society. As a key component of social identity, ethnic identity affects   interethnic interaction and social behavior. Loss of ethnic identity can lead to negative emotional reactions and destructive behaviors. Just as character accentuations manifest themselves in the form of disharmonic   types of ethnic identity. The study covered 160 students under the age of 25. The experimental group   consisted of 80 respondents with different accentuations of character. The study of character accentuations was carried out with the help of the Dvorchenko Test of Personal Accentuations (TPA), a modified version   of the Patodiagnostic questionnaire by Lichko. Ethnic identity was studied using the methodology “Types of Ethnic Identity” by Soldatova and Ryzhova. The results showed that among individuals with character   accentuations, the most common are the hysteric (61.25%), schizoid (25%) and epileptoid types of accentuation (22.5%). Ethnic indifference prevails in this group, while positive ethnic identity dominates   students with no character accentuations. Statistical analysis using the Fisher angular transformation confirmed significant differences between the groups. For the positive ethnic identity parameter in the control sample, the incidence was higher than in accentuated (φ=3.18, p 0.01). While the type of ethnic indifference is significantly higher in the group of individuals with character accents (φ=1.73, p=0.05). The data analysis indicates that individuals with character accentuations show a low level of interest in issues of ethnic identity and are inclined to ethnic indifference. These findings underscore the need to take into   account psychological characteristics in the analysis of ethnic identity.