bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: Scoping Review
Authors: Preiksaitis Carl , Rose Christian
Published: September 2023

Background

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly being utilized across various fields, with considerable interest and concern regarding their potential application in medical education. These technologies, such as Chat GPT and Bard, can generate new content and have a wide range of possible applications.

Objective

This study aimed to synthesize the potential opportunities and limitations of generative AI in medical education. It sought to identify prevalent themes within recent literature regarding potential applications and challenges of generative AI in medical education and use these to guide future areas for exploration.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review, following the framework by Arksey and O'Malley, of English language articles published from 2022 onward that discussed generative AI in the context of medical education. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. We screened articles for inclusion, extracted data from relevant studies, and completed a quantitative and qualitative synthesis of the data.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed diverse potential applications for generative AI in medical education, including self-directed learning, simulation scenarios, and writing assistance. However, the literature also highlighted significant challenges, such as issues with academic integrity, data accuracy, and potential detriments to learning. Based on these themes and the current state of the literature, we propose the following 3 key areas for investigation: developing learners’ skills to evaluate AI critically, rethinking assessment methodology, and studying human-AI interactions.

Conclusions

The integration of generative AI in medical education presents exciting opportunities, alongside considerable challenges. There is a need to develop new skills and competencies related to AI as well as thoughtful, nuanced approaches to examine the growing use of generative AI in medical education.
Association of Depression with Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Platelet Parameters among Survivors of Myocardial Infarction: Cross-sectional NHANES Study (Preprint)
Authors: Wang 4th Zheyi
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND

Inflammation has been associated with increased risk for depressive disorder (DD) post myocardial infarction (MI). Platelets are increasingly considered as the linking of thrombosis and inflammation with depression.

OBJECTIVE

Despite that the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), platelet count (PLT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) are known as readily available circulatory inflammatory or platelet parameters, few studies have investigated the relationship of these indicators with cardiac depression. Hence, we performed the analysis on the associations of depression with SII, PLT and MPV among heart attack survivors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional investigation was conducted among adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2020. Multivariable regression analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to explore the independent relationship of depression with log2SII, log2MPV and log2PLT. A dose-response analysis was performed to observe whether they were linearly correlated, and sensitivity analysis was used to examine the robustness of the associations.

RESULTS

A total of 1,352 individuals with the history of heart attacks were included in our study. In a multivariate linear regression analysis, we observed a significantly positive association of depression with log2SII (OR=1.22, 95%CI=1.06-1.41, P=0.0069) and log2PLT (OR=1.78, 95%CI=1.30-2.43, P=0.0003), and there was no significant difference between log2MPV and depression (OR=0.53, 95%CI=0.24-1.17, P=0.1150). Subgroup analysis and interaction test showed that this positive association between log2SII and depression was maintained except in female and BMI<25 group. There was no significant dependence of age, sex, race, BMI, smoking status, hypertension, stroke, insomnia and anti-platelet agents on the association of depression with log2PLT and log2MPV. The dose-response analysis showed a positive correlation of depression with log2SII and log2PLT, as well as an inverted U-shaped curve between log2MPV and depression with an inflection point of 3.04. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that the results of this study were robust either after using the methods of multiple imputation or excluding stroke participants. We also observed a strong association of log2SII and log2PLT with trouble sleeping, feeling tired and poor appetite, of log2MPV with poor appetite.

CONCLUSIONS

In a nationally representative sample of US adults, log2SII and log2PLT was positively associated with increased risk of depression. There was an inverted U-shaped curve between log2MPV and depression with an inflection point of 3.04.
El futuro del envejecimiento en América Latina y el Caribe: nuevas perspectivas metodológicas
Authors: Spijker Jeroen
Published: September 2023

Este artículo proporciona una visión general de varios indicadores alternativos al instrumento más tradicional para medir el envejecimiento para el pasado, presente y futuro en los países de América Latina y el Caribe. Los resultados muestran que cuando pensamos en la vejez no tan solo en términos de los años vividos, sino también, en términos de los años que quedan por vivir, casi todas las poblaciones actuales de América Latina y el Caribe están rejuveneciendo en vez de envejeciendo, debido a las mejoras de la esperanza de vida en edades avanzadas; ergo, la edad adquiere un nuevo significado. Al mismo tiempo, la proporción de mujeres en el mercado de trabajo y la tasa de actividad de trabajadores de más edad está aumentando. Ambas tendencias junto con las mejoras tecnológicas no sólo han aumentado la productividad económica, sino también aumentó los ingresos fiscales para los estados. Como consecuencia, por cada persona mayor hay, teóricamente, más dinero público disponible para invertir en bienestar social.
Perfil de usuarios del transporte privado en la Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México, 2017
Authors: Nava-García Emelina , Carbajal-Lúa Jorge Valente
Published: September 2023

Se analizan los datos del uso de transporte privado (automóvil) en contraste con el transporte público con base en los datos de la Encuesta Origen-Destino en Hogares de la Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México 2017 (EOD-2017), del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). El objetivo es generar un perfil de usuario del transporte privado (automóvil), mediante la construcción de un modelo de regresión logística binario donde se analizan las características de los viajeros en cuanto a edad, nivel escolar, condición laboral, estrato socioeconómico, parentesco y sexo para el primer trayecto realizado. Los resultados muestran que los usuarios de automóvil son predominantemente hombres, menores de 15 años (que son acompañantes), con nivel de posgrado, discapacitados o pensionados, de estrato socioeconómico alto y cónyuges (o esposas).
DINÁMICA ESPACIAL DE REPTILES EN CUATRO COBERTURAS DE VEGETACIÓN DEL MUNICIPIO SANTIAGO NONUALCO, LA PAZ, EL SALVADOR
Authors: Pérez García José Nicolás
Published: September 2023

Los reptiles son parte importante de la biodiversidad, pero sus poblaciones se han visto afectadas por el cambio climático, especies invasoras y mayormente por la pérdida y fragmentación de los bosques. El estudio de estas especies en distintos hábitats permite ampliar el conocimiento sobre el estado de conservación, las respuestas frente a las amenazas y la dinámica espacial de las comunidades. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la riqueza, abundancia, composición y recambio de reptiles en cuatro hábitats contrastantes: bosque caducifolio, bosque semideciduo, bosque ripario y cercas vivas del municipio de Santiago Nonualco, El Salvador, y estimar el efecto de algunas variables ambientales. Entre marzo y agosto de 2021 se hicieron dos visitas por mes, con un esfuerzo de muestreo total de 768 horas/hombre. En cada hábitat se establecieron ocho puntos de muestreo y en cada uno, un transecto permanente de 100x4 m, y en cada uno se aplicó la técnica de Inspección por Encuentro Visual. Se registraron 747 individuos pertenecientes a 28 especies. El grupo mejor representado y más abundante fue el de las lagartijas, mientras que varias serpientes y tortugas sólo registraron un individuo. El hábitat con mayor riqueza y abundancia de especies fue el bosque ripario, por el contrario, las cercas vivas presentaron los valores más bajos de individuos y de riqueza. También este último hábitat fue el que contribuyó a una mayor diferencia o recambio de especies. La humedad relativa y profundidad de hojarasca fueron las variables que aportaron mayor variación a la comunidad de reptiles. La composición, riqueza y abundancia de reptiles cambia entre los distintos hábitats, con una ligera tendencia a que estos reptiles prefieren ecosistemas con una cobertura vegetal más compleja y con menor intervención antropogénica.
DESCRIPCIÓN DEL RENACUAJO Y VARIACIÓN ONTOGÉNICA DE Rulyrana mcdiarmidi (ANURA: CENTROLENIDAE) DEL SUR DE ECUADOR
Authors: Arpi Lojano Jackeline D , Sánchez Nivicela Juan Carlos , Siavichay Fausto , Aguilar Nataly
Published: September 2023

Describimos el renacuajo de la rana de cristal Rulyrana mcdiarmidi incluyendo información ontogénica en tamaño y coloración e importancia del manejo ex situ para su conservación. Se usó los individuos que se rescataron por parte del programa de rescate de flora y fauna del proyecto Mirador-ECSA, ejecutado por la Corporación Senderos de una zona minera en Tundayme, Zamora Chinchipe – Ecuador, los individuos son mantenidos por el Centro de Conservación de Anfibios- Amaru. En el Centro se observan comportamientos desde el amplexo, puesta de huevos, eclosión y metamorfosis. El renacuajo se caracteriza principalmente por tener una coloración entre marrón y un ocre rojizo, que luego, en etapas posteriores se vuelve un amarillo verdoso con puntos difusos amarillos verdosos en el dorso. Se evalúa también la estructura del disco oral y se describe su fórmula. Además, se describe la ontogenia en los renacuajos de R. mcdiarmidi en color en cada etapa del renacuajo. Finalmente, la información que se toma en el manejo ex situ, nos podría proporcionar información para comprender mejor a la especie.
The effects of management characteristics on the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Authors: Nguyen La Soa , Pham Duc Cuong
Published: September 2023

This study aims to examine the effects of management characteristics, including perceptiveness, support, and willingness on the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam. The research collects secondary data via a questionnaire from 218 responses by senior managers and financial directors of SMEs in Vietnam during the period from January 2022 to June 2022. The model’s scales are established and tested by Cronbach’s alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Then, structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test research hypotheses. The research results confirm that the readiness to apply IFRS in SMEs in Vietnam depends greatly on the perceptiveness and support of managers of researched firms, consistent with previous studies (Moqbel et al., 2013). Upon the analysis results, the research has proposed instructive recommendations to encourage SMEs to accelerate the preparation of firms’ financial statements complying with IFRS. By doing these, firms will increase their competitive advantages and promote international integration. The study also contributes to the literature as a lesson to countries in adopting full IFRS.
Evaluation of the potential drug-drug interactions of carotegrast methyl with midazolam, prednisolone, or atorvastatin in healthy adults
Authors: Matsuki Shunji , Oikawa Ichiro , Koyama Tetsuya , Imai Hiromitsu
Published: September 2023

Aims: To evaluate drug-drug interactions between carotegrast methyl, a
CYP3A4 inhibitor, and other CYP3A4 substrates, midazolam, atorvastatin,
and prednisolone. Methods: A total of 88 healthy volunteers orally
received carotegrast methyl 960 mg three times daily for 14 days. A
single oral (5 mg) or intravenous (0.017 mg kg)
midazolam, oral (5 mg) prednisolone, or oral (10 mg) atorvastatin was
administered before, with, and after carotegrast methyl treatment. When
the 90% confidence interval (CI) for the geometric mean ratios of the
pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters with coadministration with carotegrast
methyl (day 14) to those before carotegrast methyl administration was
between 0.80 and 1.25, no PK interaction were deemed. Results: The
C and AUC of oral midazolam before
administration of carotegrast methyl was 30.9 ± 9.8 ng
mL and 74.5 ± 21.9 ng h mL,
respectively. The geometric mean ratio of the C and
AUC of midazolam on day 14 to those on day -1 was
1.86 (90% CI, 1.64 – 2.11) and 3.07 (90% CI, 2.81 – 3.35), which did
not fall within the range of 0.80 – 1.25, suggesting that carotegrast
methyl had a PK interaction with midazolam. Similar PK interactions were
found for intravenous midazolam and atorvastatin, but not for
prednisolone. The inhibitory effect of carotegrast methyl on
CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of midazolam and atorvastatin had almost
disappeared by 14 days after the end of administration. Conclusion:
Carotegrast methyl was classified as a moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor in
humans. Carotegrast methyl might enhance the action of drugs that are
metabolized by CYP3A4.
A Machine Learning-Based Approach to Support the Bottom-Up Design of Simple Emergent Behaviors in Systems-of-Systems
Authors: Neto Valdemar Vicente Graciano , Silva Kanan , Filho Arlindo Rodrigues Galvão , Kumari Aparna , Horita Flávio Eduardo Aoki , Kassab Mohamad
Published: September 2023

Systems-of-Systems (SoS) are composed of multiple independent systems
called constituents that, together, achieve a set of goals by means of
emergent behaviors. Those behaviors can be deliberately planned as a
combination of the individual functionalities (herein named as
features) provided by the constituents. Currently, SoS engineers
heavily rely on their own creativity and prior experience to combine the
features and design the behaviors. However, the limitation of human
perception in complex scenarios can lead to engineering sub-optimized
SoS arrangements, potentially causing waste of the resources,
sub-optimal services and reduction in quality. To handle the
aforementioned issues, this article presents a machine learning-based
mechanism for inferring/suggesting emergent behaviors that could be
designed over a given set of constituents. An initial dataset was
elaborated from a systematic mapping to feed the mechanism and a
web-application was developed as a means for experts to evaluate this
mechanism. Results revealed that the algorithm developed is capable of
predicting feasible emergent behaviors for different sets of
constituents and the system can be useful in the sense of aiding SoS
engineers and experts in the bottom-up design of these behaviors.
Critical route for leadership competencies in medical students in 35 PAHO members states: A scoping review and thematic analysis
Authors: Rodríguez-Feria Pablo , Paric Martina , Flórez Luis Jorge Hernández , Babich Suzanne , Czabanowska Katarzyna
Published: September 2023

The 35 member states (MS) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
have been committed to training physicians in leadership competencies
since 2008. However, four reviews on teaching leadership using
competency-based education (CBE) in undergraduate medical education
(UME) identified only two MS: Canada and the USA that worked on
identifying gaps in teaching leadership in UME. Previous reviews did not
focus on factors influencing leadership education and did not use
qualitative methodology to support their findings. Therefore, this
review aims to identify facilitating and inhibiting factors in teaching
leadership in UME using a scoping review and thematic analysis. Six
databases containing grey and indexed literature in English, Spanish,
and Portuguese were searched including hand search and authors’
consultations. Forty-eight documents out of 7849 were selected based on
eligibility criteria. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis guide was
used, resulting in seven themes: curriculum, intended learning outcomes,
teaching methods, assessment, addressing barriers, supporting
organizational change, and building networks. Considering these themes,
the authors propose a critical route for teaching leadership in UME in
the Americas. First, institutional design should consider governance
gaps, such as having national and international policies for leadership
in UME with an inter-professional, trans-professional, and
citizen-focused approach. This means that there is a pressing need to
equip physicians and other professionals from the government, academia,
non-governmental organizations, hospitals, and national and
international organizations whose missions are related to health or
education with leadership competencies. Networking among actors for
leadership education and teacher training is also essential. Second,
instructional design reveals knowledge-do gaps in MS when incorporating
leadership into the medical curriculum. This includes using leadership
frameworks, defining learning outcomes, and employing assessment and
monitoring tools for leadership education. Mechanisms to reduce these
gaps in MS include the Equator Network and Evidence-Informed Policy
Networks which foster knowledge translation and governance.
Pandemic sports: The media reception of Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour
Authors: Petrov Ana
Published: September 2023

In this article, I deal with the Adria Tour?s media reception, an exhibition
tennis tour held in June 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia, and Zadar, Croatia,
organised by Novak Djokovic, a high-rank tennis player and one of the most
famous public figures in the post-Yugoslav region. Enthusiastically promoted
in the media, the Tour eventually failed after several participants,
including Djokovic himself, tested positive for the new coronavirus. The Tour
fell under heavy criticism, especially in world media, while locally it
reignited the Serbian-Croatian national rivalry, dividing the public into
pro and contra Djokovic?s behaviour during the pandemic. Drawing on the
theoretical platforms of the sociology of sport and nationalism studies, I
here problematise the role of a world-leading athlete in the Covid-19
pandemic context, primarily focusing on the reconstruction of the discourses
produced on the actual Tour and the fact that Djokovic was infected. Pointing
to the ways public figures shape the discourses on pandemics, I also address
the role of sociology and cognate disciplines in dealing with the sport as a
theoretical issue during the pandemic. I argue that the Adria tour was both
an attempt to make a difference in the pandemic world and a means of
escapism. It reproduced most of the narratives present in Serbia and
Croatia, thus eventually appearing to be a sort of cathartic experience.
After the phase of fear and chaos, dealing with the pandemic required
recreating the community through the institution of sport and sportspersons.
Trousseau Syndrome in a Case of Extramammary Paget’s Disease
Authors: Fujimoto Megumi , Ishitsuka Yosuke , Tanemura Atsushi , Nojima Satoshi , Fujimoto Manabu
Published: September 2023

Abstract is missing (Short communication)
Using fiber or rod—The influence of different filler materials during CO2 laser welding of quartz glass
Authors: Desens Michael , Rettschlag Katharina , Jäschke Peter , Kaierle Stefan
Published: September 2023

Welding of quartz glass is still mainly carried out with gas torches and manually by glass specialists. The use of gas torches is highly energy inefficient as much heat energy is released around the component and into the environment. In addition, the manual process can result in inhomogeneous welds. An automated laser process would make quartz glass welding more energy-efficient and repeatable and address the growing shortage of skilled labor. In this study, quartz glass plates up to 4.5 mm in thickness are welded together at an angle of 125° to each other using a fiber or rod as the filler material. Glass thickness and angle were selected based on a project-specific application. The aim is to achieve a homogeneous weld with as few defects as possible using a lateral fiber- or rod-based deposition welding process. The main challenge is to achieve the melting of the filler material at the bottom contact point of the two glasses so that no air inclusions occur. A 400 μm fiber and a 1 mm rod are investigated as filler materials. The advantage of the fiber compared to the rod is that the contact point of the glasses is easier to reach and bond during the welding process. Due to the large gap between the glass fibers compared to the fiber diameter, a high fiber feed rate is required to fill the V-gap with the viscous glass material. The disadvantage is that the fiber is subjected to high pressure when digging into the melt, which can lead to fiber breakage. In addition, there is a high consumption of filling material. Adjustable and relevant process parameters include the ratio between substrate and fiber feed, the laser power, the spot diameter, and the process gas pressure. The fabricated samples are analyzed using optical and laser confocal microscopy.
Analisis proksimat, asam lemak dan asam amino pada pangan tradisional ikan lemuru dengan proses pengeringan berbeda [Proximate analysis, fatty acids and amino acids of lemuru fish traditional foods with variation of drying processes]
Authors: Singapurwa Ni Made Ayu Suardani
Published: September 2023

Lemuru fish need preservation because it is easily damaged and only produced seasonally. Apart from its nutritional value as a source of essential protein to humans, lemuru fish is very cheap. Generally, the people of Jembrana Regency in Bali preserve it by processing it into seasoned dried fish known as “Pedetan”.  Research  carried out oven drying, sun drying, and direct sunlight to determine the best method for drying lemuru fish with and without spices. Results showed that the drying method had significant effects on proximate contents of lemuru fish. The lowest moisture content (7.31%) was obtained in the treatment of seasoned lemuru fish with oven drying. Oven-dried unseasoned fish had the highest protein content of 67.69%, while sun-dried fish, both seasoned and unseasoned samples, had the highest fat content with an average of 13.30%. The highest saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid, and the highest unsaturated fatty acid was cis-9 oleic acid. Meanwhile, the highest  amino acid was the L-glutamic acid.
Offensive advertising: A perspective on Muslim consumers
Authors:   Lecturer of Business Administration, Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration, Future University in Egypt, Ahmed Engy Samy
Published: September 2023

The use of offensive advertising is a growing trend adopted by some advertising agencies, with the attempt to “cut through the clutter”, to gain consumers’ attention. However, marketers fail to consider the effect of offensive advertising on consumers' attitudes in other cultures, such as the Islamic culture. This research attempts to integrate the advertising practices with the Islamic business ethics, through discussing the applications of offensive advertising in the light of Qur'an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). A questionnaire was distributed using non-probability sampling technique, among 384 post graduate students in great Cairo. Results showed that religiosity has a significant effect on Muslim consumer response toward offensive advertising.
一個抗疫的分析框架
Authors: 何 懷宏
Published: September 2023

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

自2019年底，新冠病毒開始在全球傳播。本文就新冠病 毒提出四個基本的分析範疇：自然、人性、技術及權力。基於 這個基本範疇之間相互關係，作者認為，在過去三年的抗疫經 驗中，我們看到不同範疇的組合可以演繹出不同的對疫情的看 法以及抗疫的模式。在此論點上，作者分析界定疫情和抗疫理 論的可能性。

After the outbreak at the end of 2019, COVID-19 spread rapidly across the globe. This paper constructs a framework for analyzing the relationship between human beings and viruses comprising four basic categories: nature, human nature, technology, and political power. The paper shows that different interactions between these four basic categories influence the understanding of the meaning of pandemics and of how a pandemic like COVID-19 should be fought.
從道德心理學的進路初步探索「限肉令」的正當性
Authors: 楊 家頌 , 錢 展成
Published: September 2023

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

本文旨在初步探索「限肉令」作為應對傳染病大流行 和由工廠化畜牧業帶來的其他威脅的預防措施的正當 性。「限肉令」並非指全面禁肉，而是以法律限制市民的 人均肉品消耗量在滿足基本營養需求的範圍內。本文採用 的進路是緩解一些可能阻礙對此提案進行更宏觀、理性的思考 的潛在心理拘繫。此進路參考了福柯「日常經驗」(everyday experience) 的分析，和佛家倫理學回應全球環境倫理問題的策 略。我們先以香港社會為主要案例研究，檢視形成「肉是必需 的」一想法和嗜肉情結的社會模式。接著我們引入葷食心理學 研究，討論嗜肉情結如何成為正面考慮「限肉令」的障礙。我 們也嘗試回應一些反對此提案的理由，包括來自自由主義 (Liberalism) 的批評。

This paper explores the preliminary justifiability of a meat restriction order as a preventive measure against the risks of pandemic and other forms of harm posed by factory farming. A meat restriction order seeks to limit citizens’ meat consumption to the level of meeting individuals’ basic nutrient needs. Inspired by Michel Foucault’s analysis of “everyday experience” and Buddhist responses to global environmental issues, the paper investigates the social patterns that account for the formation of people’s meat commitment based on a study of Hong Kong society. The paper also addresses a number of objections to the proposal discussed in the paper, including the critique from liberalism.
Optimization of Alkali Activator on the Strength Properties of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Repair Materials
Authors: Zailani W.W.A. , Apandi N.M. , Abdullah M.M.A. , Tahir M.F.M. , Sinarta I Nengah , Ni Agustini Komang Ayu , Abdullah S.
Published: September 2023

Flexible and rigid road pavement deteriorates over time and needs high-performance patching repair materials. Cold mix asphalt patching is an easy and inexpensive repair material to repair potholes and other damaged roads. However, the repaired road pavement fails because it doesn’t have adequate compressive and bonding strength to the substrate. Thus, this research uses high-performance geopolymer repair materials to patch against road pavement potholes substrate. Geopolymer repair materials could improve the bonding strength, making them suitable for road repair purposes. For making geopolymer repair materials, the main materials used were high calcium aluminosilicate source materials such as fly ash, sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate, and water. This study tested the compressive and bonding strength of geopolymer repair materials after 1, 7, 14, and 28 days. This study found that the compressive strength of 90 g of alkali activator was the highest, at 37.0 MPa. The bonding strength improved gradually from day 1 to day 14, and then considerably on day 28. The compressive strength and bonding strength both increase in direct proportion to the amount of alkali activator present. Alkali activator is optimal at 90 grams for compressive strength and bonding strength of geopolymer repair materials.
Seroprevalence of serovars of pathogenic leptospira in dogs and red foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) from bosnia and herzegovina
Authors: Marić Jelena S. , Nedić Drago , Vejnović Branislav , Velić Lejla , Obrenović Sonja
Published: September 2023

The aim of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in dogs and red foxes in the entity of the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, after heavy rainfall and floods in 2014 and for the two years thereafter. The seroepidemiological study involved testing serum samples from dogs (n = 98) and foxes (n = 112) using MAT (microscopic agglutination test).

Antibodies to at least one Leptospira spp. serovar were found in 52.04% of the tested dogs. The dog seroprevalence in 2014 (81.25%) was significantly higher than in 2015 (51.42% p <0.0001) and 2016 (22.5% p<0.05). The highest seroprevalences were for serovars Australis (76.47%), Bratislava (70.58%), Sejroe (66.67%) and Autumnalis (45.09%).

Antibodies to at least one Leptospira spp. serovar were detected in 34.82% of the examined red foxes. In 2015, the fox seroprevalence was significantly higher (52.94%) than in 2016 (6.82%) (p <0.0001). The highest seroprevalences were for serovars Sejroe (64.10%), Bratislava (48.72%), Australis (43.59%) and Bataviae (25.64%).

The high seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in dogs and foxes determined during this study indicates the importance of these carnivores in maintaining leptospirosis in the study area, and the potential risk of infection for humans and other animal species that come into contact with these canids. The results obtained indicate that heavy rainfall and intense floods can result in increased Leptospira spp. infection in these canids.
Demographic factors and customers’ bank choice criteria
Authors: Schmidt-Jessa Katarzyna
Published: September 2023

The main objective of the presented research is to verify the influence of demographic factors on retail customers’ bank selection criteria in Poland. We compiled descriptive and inferential statistics and did factor analysis using Principal Component Analysis. Our dataset is based on a sample of 515 questionnaires that were gathered in the first quarter of 2022. The results proved that there are significant differences among various groups of respondents and their bank selection criteria. The highest number of differences appear in the case of demographic factors of age, and then income and gender. In general, the most important factors are the cost of service and mobile and online banking. The study has direct implications for all types of banks that operate in developing markets, especially in East-Central Europe, as having this knowledge can help to appropriately target customers using bank selection criteria that are valued by different groups of customers.
Prevalence of aerobically growing opportunistic bacteria in the nasopharyngeal microbiota of pregnant women living in rural and urban areas
Authors: Andrzejczuk Sylwia , Frend Joanna , Tomczak Malgorzata , Cwiklak Julia , Krakowiak Natalia , Maciocha Magdalena , Pietras-Ozga Dorota , Dluski Dominik Franciszek
Published: September 2023

The upper respiratory tract, including the nasopharynx, is inhabited by many microbial species. Still, the nasopharyngeal microbiota (or microbiome) of pregnant women is not well understood and may be influenced by a number of factors, including place of residence. Many changes occur during pregnancy, and their association with the respiratory microbiota is important for the health of the mother and for the developing fetus. The aim of this study was to compare the colonisation of the nasopharyngeal cavity by culturable aerobic bacteria in the microbiota of women with a physiological pregnancy course according to rural or urban place of residence. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 37 pregnant women (17 from rural and 20 from urban areas) to detect the colonisation of aerobically growing culturable bacteria. Isolates were identified using microbiological culture methods and the MALDI-TOF MS technique. Bacteria were colonisers of the nasopharynx cavity in all cases tested. Accordingly, 97.3% (36/37) of the pregnant women were colonised by Gram-positive bacteria, mainly coagulase-negative (CoNS) and -positive (CoPS) Staphylococcus spp. and Corynebacterium spp. in both the rural and urban groups. Gram-negative Klebsiella variicola, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas congelans colonised only 17.6% (3/17) of rural women and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia only 5.0% (1/20) of the urban women. To summarise, all pregnant women were colonised with bacteria in the nasopharyngeal cavity. The majority from both rural and urban residences were colonised with Gram-positive bacteria only. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated mainly from samples in the rural group.
Effects of Varying Tobacco Rod Circumference on Cigarette's Dynamic Ventilation Rate and Combustion State During Machine Smoking
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhao Wenkang , Deng Nan , Li Qiaoling , Qin Guoxin , Fu Lili , Zhang Yi , Zhang Ke , Yu Hongxiao , Liu Chuan , Suo Weiguo , Wu Lianlian , Dai Lu , Wang Le , Wang Bing , Li Bin
Published: September 2023

Cigarette ventilation characteristics are one of the important design factors that affect the combustion state and therefore smoke release. In order to study the changes of ventilation characteristics and the combustion state of cigarettes with different rod circumferences during smoking, a device was designed that could flexibly measure the different ventilation characteristics along the cigarette rod. The device was utilized to measure the changes of the total ventilation rate and filter ventilation rate of cigarettes with different rod circumference in both burned and unburned conditions. At the same time, a test method was implemented to measure the temperature of the combustion coal puff-by-puff during the smoking process. The relationship between ventilation and the combustion state was analyzed on a per-puff basis. The results show that with the decrease of the rod circumference from 24 mm to 20 mm and 17 mm, the total ventilation rate under burning conditions changed considerably compared with unburned conditions, increasing by 55.7%, 60.5% and 74.5% on average, respectively. The ventilation of the cigarette paper played a major role in regulating the ventilation during puffing. With the increase from 17 mm to 24 mm in circumference, the combustion efficiency of the tobacco decreased as indicated by a range of thermophysical parameters of the burning coal.
Virtual Communities of Practice as a Knowledge Sharing Tool: Recommendations for International Business
Authors: Budrytė Monika , Vainauskienė Vestina
Published: September 2023

Knowledge sharing is essential for a person to grow individually and professionally. In recent years, international businesses have tended to realize the importance of having a good knowledge management system in place. The COVID-19 pandemic, back in 2020 brought a shift to the way of how companies operate with the majority turning to remote work. As a result, companies needed to adapt their knowledge sharing strategies to more remote possibilities. To guarantee that the employees are sharing their knowledge and are able to learn from others, more businesses started to adopt innovative tools for knowledge sharing. One of such tools is virtual communities of practice that brings a chance for employees to have a collaborative tool where they are connected with likeminded people. The objective of this article is to provide recommendations for ensuring knowledge sharing through virtual communities in international business organizations. To achieve this objective, potential knowledge sharing practices in the context of international business are discussed. Additionally, an original research methodology based on virtual ethnography for identi fying knowledge sharing practices in an international business organization is presented, and the qualitative research findings are discussed and interpreted.
Spatial Distance and Representation in Closed PR List: Revisiting the U-Curve Argument
Authors: Bursać Dejan , Radujko Dušan
Published: September 2023

The authors are testing the patterns of geographical representation in single nationwide district closed-list PR systems, in the framework of an earlier study made by Latner and McGann (2005), who suggested that MPs mostly reside in central metropolitan areas, as well as in distant regions, to the detriment of descriptive representation of areas adjacent to the capital. In this way, spatial distance serves as an incentive for parties to nominate lists comprised mostly of candidates from metropolitan urban centres who can easily reach the mid-distance municipalities for campaigning and constituency service, but also of those candidates residing in peripheral regions in which there is some sort of political or ethno-cultural saliency, prompting the voters to prefer their local candidates over capital city politicians. Authors are offering a novel approach of measuring and comparing spatial distance to the data on representation of local administrative units and regional subdivisions of four countries (Montenegro, Netherlands, Serbia and Slovakia). While the findings indeed indicate overrepresentation of capital cities and underrepresentation of neighbouring areas, the representation of peripheral areas is not significantly pronounced and seemingly depends more on a contextual case-to-case basis than on a general pattern related to spatial distance producing political or ethno-cultural saliency.
From Respect to Nazi Allusions: The Changing Emotional Climates of Fidesz Towards Germany after 1990
Authors: Hettyey András
Published: September 2023

This paper aims to enhance our understanding of the foreign policy of Hungary by looking at the emotional underpinnings of the relationship between Fidesz and Germany. Inspired by the ‘emotional turn’ in social sciences in general, and IR in particular, this paper charts the changing ways in which Fidesz politicians (both in government and opposition) have perceived Germany and German politics on an emotional level since 1990. We show how a mostly positive emotional climate before 2010 slowly turned into anger, culminating in repeated allusions to Germany’s Nazi past. The main question is: how can we account for the fluctuations in the way Fidesz politicians have perceived Germany over the past three decades? While ‘rational’ policy disagreements have certainly played a part (i.e. on migration), they cannot explain on their own the ever intensifying anger on the part of Fidesz decision-makers, especially as the two countries are still close political and economic partners and share a wide range of common interests. Complementing rational approaches, we propose that ‘collective narcissism’ informs the general emotional disposition of key Fidesz figures since 2014, leading to a continuing estrangement between the successive Orbán governments and its German partners.
The Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry in the Austrian National Council – Influence and Impact from the Perspective of the Austrian National Council Members
Authors: Keppel Matthias
Published: September 2023

Committees of inquiry in the Austrian National Council gained a significant upgrade through a reform in 2015: for the first time, a parliamentary minority can now demand the establishment of a committee of inquiry. This reform meant not only a strengthening of control rights, but also an increase in parliamentary investigations in Austria. The aim of this article is to shed light on the parliamentary perspective and to deepen the understanding of investigative committees. In this way, it is to be shown which potentials, but also weaknesses, can be found in the investigative instrument from the MPs’ point of view. A first-time survey of members of committees of inquiry showed that the perceptions of the reform and the democratic benefits differed greatly between the governing party ÖVP and the opposition party SPÖ. The increasing polarisation of the political debate also led to a further divergence in the approval or rejection of the investigative instrument. These developments may not only result in a weakening of the investigative instrument, but also directly challenge parliamentary democracy.
Frames and sentiments of the Twitter communication by German Chancellor Scholz during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Nisch Stefan
Published: September 2023

In a complex information environment, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presents a major challenge to the communication of political leaders throughout the world. The objective of this article is to analyse the frames and sentiments used by German chancellor Olaf Scholz, employing a novel data set of his Twitter communication (N = 612) during the Russian invasion of Ukraine between 24 February 2022 and 24 February 2023. A combination of computational text analysis approaches with natural language processing (NLP) techniques was used, including the Valence Aware Dictionary and the sentiment Reasoner (VADER) model for sentiment analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) for topic modelling. This research investigates the prevalent frames and emotions in the chancellor’s communication, providing valuable insights into the German government’s stance and strategic communication during this critical geopolitical event. The results of the study revealed that the chancellor used the frames ‘effects of the Ukraine invasion’, ‘climate & environment’, ‘solidarity’ and ‘Russian aggression’ and communicated with positive sentiments. By examining the chancellor’s Twitter communication, this study contributes to the understanding of political communication in the digital era, particularly in the context of international crises, and offers implications for policymakers, scholars and the broader public.
East-Asian lupus nephritis in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort
Authors: Petri Michelle , Fang Chenglong , Goldman Daniel W.
Published: September 2023

Background and Objective

East Asian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is under represented in lupus cohorts outside of East Asia. We asked whether lupus nephritis was more common and more severe in East Asians than in other ethnicities in a large United States SLE cohort.

Methods

The Hopkins Lupus Cohort, a longitudinal cohort of 2802 patients (53.5% Caucasian, 39.2% African-American, 3.2% East Asian) was studied. The SLICC/ACR Damage Index was used to assess renal outcomes. Results: East Asian patients had the same prevalence of lupus nephritis as African-Americans and both were higher than Caucasians. East Asians were not significantly different in frequency of end stage kidney disease compared with African-Americans. East Asians were more likely than Caucasians to have anti-Sm, low C3 and low C4. East Asians were more likely than African-Americans to have low C3 and low C4.

Conclusion

East Asians living in the United States were more likely to have lupus nephritis than Caucasians. Poor outcomes such as end stage kidney disease occurred at an equal frequency in East Asians as in African-Americans. Lupus nephritis was both more frequent and more severe in East Asians than in African-Americans.
An economic expert analysis of funds in the context of digitalization: Some considerations
Authors: KOZMENKOVA Svetlana V. , KLYCHOVA Guzaliya S.
Published: September 2023

Subject. This article discusses the issues of organization and methodology of forensic economic examination of cash transactions on bank accounts of an economic entity in the context of digitalization.
Objectives. The article aims to investigate the organization and methodology of the availability and flow of funds in the context of digitalization of the economy, taking into account the presence of three symbolic types of money: paper, credit, and the digital ruble.
Methods. For the study, we used analysis and synthesis, systematization, and generalization.
Results. The article defines the tasks, objects and subject of economic expert analysis of funds in the context of digitalization, and it also presents a procedure for conducting economic expert analysis of funds. It also identifies the need to use due diligence and a comprehensive examination, including economic and computer-technical expertise, in most studies of the availability and flow of funds.
Conclusions and Relevance. Forensic economic examination of funds has some specifics and features of the organization and methodology, concerning source documents, registers and financial statements, as well as a balance sheet, cash flow statements, and explanations to the financial statements. The results of the study can be applied in the theory and practice of financial accounting and reporting.
Building and testing a digital model for effective investment decisions to form strategies for development of economic entities
Authors: BASHARINA Ol'ga Yu. , BARANOVA Nina M. , LARIN Sergei N.
Published: September 2023

Subject. Sanction restrictions sharply decreased possibilities to attract external borrowings and substantiated the expediency of internal investments. This necessitated software tools enabling calculations and investment decisions. The developed a digital model of ISPI (Information System Portfolio Investor) will help make smart investment decisions, including at the government level. Objectives. The study aims to build a digital model to identify the most attractive investment areas at the regional, country, and cross-country level. Methods. The ISPI model is based on the Markowitz portfolio theory, the Profitability-Risk Model (PRM), and optimization methods. For our calculations, we used yields on Major and Sector Indices of the UK, India, China, USA, France, South Africa for 2014–2021, in one-month increments. Results. Using the developed ISPI model, we constructed scatter plots of leading stock market indices and identified the leading sectors of national economies of the studied countries and the most attractive investment areas. We solved the problem of finding a global optimum for the studied countries, differentiated the leading economic sectors by the level of investment risk, determined that an international portfolio is the most preferable for investment. Conclusions. Our ISPI model helps investors identify a region or country for smart investments. The model enables to determine industries in which investing is most justified within the nearest investment horizon. The model also helps identify the most appropriate financial instruments for investing in individual countries.
Global transformation of crowdfunding model types: Experience for Russia and practical recommendations
Authors: CHUDINOVSKIKH Marina V. , KUVAEVA Yuliya V.
Published: September 2023

Subject. This article examines the issues of development of crowdfunding and the transformation of its model types in world practice and in Russia. Objectives. Based on the analysis of foreign practices, the article aims to trace the evolution of the global transformation of model types of crowdfunding from 2007 to 2023, as well as determine the prospects for the development of crowdfunding in Russia. Methods. For the study, I used the logical and systems approaches, analysis and synthesis, comparative analysis, and classification. Results. The article finds that the number of model types of crowdfunding in the global economy is constantly increasing, which reflects the demand for alternative sources of financing. In the Russian Federation, there are two developed types of crowdfinancing only, namely, the provision of loans and the purchase of equity securities placed using the investment platform. Conclusions and Relevance. In the context of sanctions pressure, the problem of developing own independent crowdfunding platforms is becoming more and more urgent. This will contribute to increasing the level of financial stability and ensure a certain financial sovereignty in attracting and allocating resources. The results can be used by participants in the Russian financial market, public authorities, as well as research and educational organizations when considering options for the development of alternative sources of financing.