bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating Life Cycle Sales of Technology Products with Frequent Repeat Purchases: A Fractional Calculus-Based Approach
Authors: Lotfi Aslan , Jiang Zhengrui , Lotfi Ali , Jain Dipak C.
Published: May 2022

Accurately predicting the sales trajectory of a product is critically important for firms’ medium- and long-term planning. However, reliable sales prediction models are very difficult to find when repeat purchases or subscription renewals account for a large proportion of product sales, which is often the case for technological products. This study introduces a new sales growth model, the generalized diffusion model with repeat purchases (GDMR), to address this problem. The GDMR draws upon a branch of mathematics called fractional calculus and formulates a product’s sales growth rate using a novel noninteger-order integral equation. Compared with benchmark methods, the GDMR is simple and easy to implement, is suitable for a wide variety of products, and predicts better than benchmark models such as time series and machine learning models. Furthermore, the GDMR can reliably recover a product’s progress of adoptions even when only sales data are available. Because of these important advantages, the GDMR can help firms better understand their products’ market positions and, subsequently, make more informed decisions in production and inventory planning, transportation and logistics, and sales and marketing, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their business operations.
Nurse-led home modification interventions for community-dwelling older adults with dementia and their impact on falls prevention
Authors: Yeni Cansu , Yilmaz Medine
Published: May 2022

This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate the effects of nurse-led home modification interventions on the family members of home-dwelling older adults with dementia. The sample consisted of 42 older adults diagnosed with dementia and their family members. A number of validated tools were used. Three home visits were undertaken, a training package with family members was instigated, and the patients were followed up for a 6-month period. It was determined that there was a decrease in falls in the first 3-month period (p=0.002). The number of falls in the second 3-month period was lower in the older adults who had their homes modified (p=0.000). Family-centred, nurse-led home-modification interventions can be effective in the prevention and reducing of falls in older adults with dementia.
Technology is so much more than a screen
Authors: Thomas-Bohr Gemma
Published: May 2022

When it comes to technology with children in the early years sector, it is commonly assumed that this includes screen time via a tablet or computer. However, there are a multitude of resources at our fingertips for children to explore and learn from.
Interpreting theory and creating practice
Authors: Wickett Karen , Parsons Sarah , Slade Jacqueline
Published: May 2022

This article is the second in a series of three, exploring art in practice. The first article focused on theory around artist involvement in the early years, this article looks at how we bring this into practice by truly working collaboratively to foster children's and adults' creativity.
REVIEWS
Authors: Baker Charlotte , Marycz Adam , Hewson Claire
Published: May 2022

Professional book reviews around children's development from a neuroscience perspective, as well as wellbeing of staff with your very own handbook. And of course picture book reviews to get children giggling!
Editor's note
Authors: Marycz Adam
Published: May 2022

Explainer

Loose parts - Last month we explored James Tunnell's book, ‘Loose parts & beyond’, him and many others have written about them, but what do we mean by loose parts? It is nothing new, as England (2019) says, ‘look back at your own childhood’ ‘when children used sticks as swords’, this was loose parts play, even if we didn't label it as such. Other people refer to Simon Nicholson's theory of loose parts from the 1970's as being where it originated. However he may have created the term, not the concept. Daly and Beloglovsky (2015) says loose parts are materials that ‘children can carry, combine, redesign, line up, take apart and put… back together in almost endless ways.’ This means that any object matching the above description is a loose part, regardless of the material from which it is made.
How many can you count?
Authors: Marycz Adam
Published: May 2022

This month's case study follows a child's journey whilst engaging with a mathematical invitation planned to further enhance children's knowledge of cardinality and their ability to subitise, as well as explore other mathematical concepts such as pattern.
‘Giving a piece of you’: the lecturer experience of aiding student wellbeing
Authors: Pavoni Katie , Phillips Louise
Published: May 2022

Background:

The mental health of ambulance clinicians is a national priority. For student paramedics, the risk and inherent vulnerability to poor mental wellbeing are significant. However, evidence exploring support in universities for paramedic students and the role of academic faculty in this within paramedic preregistration programmes is limited.

Aims:

To explore the experiences and perceptions of university lecturers towards supporting student paramedic wellbeing.

Methods:

A qualitative research design was adopted to explore the experiences of six paramedic senior lecturers from three urban universities. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and thematically analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Findings:

Themes of ‘navigating the professional role,’ ‘the whole student’, ‘enabling cultural change’ and ‘supporting resilience and preparedness for practice’ were identified.

Conclusions:

University lecturers play a crucial role in student paramedic wellbeing and the unique role and identity of paramedic academics should be embraced. Paramedic programmes should consider a proactive approach to emotional health within the curriculum, alongside peer support, student-centred initiatives and tailored trauma support.
Classification of Phishing Email Using Word Embedding and Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: M. Somesha , Pais Alwyn R.
Published: May 2022

Email phishing is a cyber-attack, bringing substantial financial damage to corporate and commercial organizations. A phishing email is a special type of spamming, used to trick the user to disclose personal information to access his digital assets. Phishing attack is generally triggered by emailing links to spoofed websites that collect sensitive information. The APWG survey suggests that the existing countermeasures remain ineffective and insufficient for detecting phishing attacks. Hence there is a need for an efficient mechanism to detect phishing emails to provide better security against such attacks to the common user. The existing open-source data sets are limited in diversity, hence they do not capture the real picture of the attack. Hence there is a need for real-time input data set to design accurate email anti-phishing solutions. In the current work, it has been created a real-time in-house corpus of phishing and legitimate emails and proposed efficient techniques to detect phishing emails using a word embedding and machine learning algorithms. The proposed system uses only four email header-based heuristics for the classification of emails. The proposed word embedding cum machine learning framework comprises six word embedding techniques with five machine learning classifiers to evaluate the best performing combination. Among all six combinations, Random Forest consistently performed the best with FastText (CBOW) by achieving an accuracy of 99.50% with a false positive rate of 0.053%, TF-IDF achieved an accuracy of 99.39% with a false positive rate of 0.4% and Count Vectorizer achieved an accuracy of 99.18% with a false positive rate of 0.98% respectively for three datasets used.
Dissolved oxygen sensor based on the fluorescence quenching method with
optimal modulation frequency
Authors: Er Zhixuan , Gong Ping , Zhou Jian , Wang Yiming , Jiang Xiaokang , Xie Liang
Published: May 2022

Measurement of dissolved oxygen (DO) in liquid samples is of vital importance in both industrial and biomedical fields. In this paper, a DO sensor based on the fluorescence quenching method has been built. The measurement principle is based on fluorescence lifetime detection, which is indicated by the phase difference between an excitation light signal and a fluorescence signal. The nonlinear effect of the fluorescent material has been taken into consideration to obtain a more accurate fitting model. The performance of the system varying with the modulation frequency of excitation light signals is also reported. Modulation frequency mainly affects the sensitivity and phase resolution ratio of the system. The system at the optimized modulation frequency has a good degree of fitting with

R
2

value of 0.9981 and a small relative error of 0.79%. The study shows that this kind of sensor with optimal modulation frequency has good performance, which can be used in many important fields.
Spectroscopic thermo-elastic optical coherence tomography for tissue characterization: publisher’s note
Authors: Doug Deen Aaron , Van Beusekom Heleen M. M. , Pfeiffer Tom , Stam Mathijs , De Kleijn Dominique , Wentzel Jolanda , Huber Robert , Van Der Steen Antonius F. W. , Van Soest Gijs , Wang Tianshi
Published: May 2022

This publisher’s note amends the formatting of the first, fifth,
and ninth author’s surnames in [Biomed. Opt. Express
13, 1430 (2022)10.1364/BOE.447911].
How can carbon labels and climate-friendly default options on restaurant menus contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with dining?
Authors: Betz Ann-Katrin , Seger Benedikt T. , Nieding Gerhild
Published: May 2022

In this study, we aimed to understand how restaurants can contribute to climate change mitigation via menu design. We investigated two types of interventions: changing the configuration of menu entries with variable side dishes so that the most climate-friendly option is set as thedefaultand indicating the greenhouse gas emission of each dish viacarbon labels. In an online simulation experiment, 265 participants were shown the menus of nine different restaurants and had to choose exactly one dish per menu. In six menus, the main dishes were presented with different default options: the side dish was associated either with the highest or with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions. The other three menus consisted of unitary dishes for which the default rules did not apply. All menus were presented either with or without carbon labels for each dish option. The results indicated that more climate-friendly dish choices resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions were made with the low-emission than the high-emission default condition, and when carbon labels were present rather than absent. The effects of both interventions interacted, which indicates that the interventions partly overlap with regard to cognitive predecessors of choice behavior, such as attentional focus and social norms. The results suggest that the design of restaurant menus has a considerable effect on the carbon footprint of dining.
Assessing the extent and public health impact of bat predation by domestic animals using data from a rabies passive surveillance program
Authors: Wilson Amy G. , Fehlner-Gardiner Christine , Wilson Scott , Pierce Karra N. , McGregor Glenna F. , González Catalina , Luszcz Tanya M. J.
Published: May 2022

Domestic animals can serve as consequential conveyors of zoonotic pathogens across wildlife-human interfaces. Still, there has been little study on how different domestic species and their behaviors influence the zoonotic risk to humans. In this study, we examined patterns of bat encounters with domestic animals that resulted in submission for testing at the rabies laboratories of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) during 2014–2020. Our goals were specifically to examine how the number of bats submitted and the number of rabies positive bats varied by the type of domestic animal exposure and whether domestic cats were indoor or free-roaming. The CFIA reported 6258 bat submissions for rabies testing, of which 41.5% and 8.7% had encounter histories with cats and dogs, respectively. A much smaller fraction of bat submissions (0.3%) had exposure to other domestic animals, and 49.5% had no domestic animal exposure. For the bat submissions related to cats, and where lifestyle was noted, 91.1% were associated with free-roaming cats and 8.9% with indoor cats. Model results indicated the probability of a rabies-positive bat was the highest with a history of dog association (20.2%), followed by bats with no animal exposure (16.7%), free-roaming cats (6.9%), cats with unspecified histories (6.0%) and the lowest probability associated with non-free-roaming (indoor) cats (3.8%). Although there was lower rabies prevalence in bats associated with cats compared to dogs, the 4.8 fold higher number of cat-bat interactions cumulatively leads to a greater overall rabies exposure risk to humans from any free-roaming outdoor cats. This study suggests that free-roaming owned cats may have an underappreciated role in cryptic rabies exposures in humans and as a significant predator of bats. Preventing free-roaming in cats is a cost-effective and underutilized public health recommendation for rabies prevention that also synergistically reduces the health burden of other feline-associated zoonotic diseases and promotes feline welfare and wildlife conservation.
A handmade trap for malaria mosquito surveillance by citizens in Rwanda
Authors: Murindahabi Marilyn M. , Takken Willem , Hakizimana Emmanuel , van Vliet Arnold J. H. , Poortvliet P. Marijn , Mutesa Leon , Koenraadt Constantianus J. M.
Published: May 2022

For effective sampling of mosquitoes in malaria surveillance programmes, it is essential to include attractive cues in traps. With the aim of implementing a citizen science project on malaria vectors in rural Rwanda, a handmade plastic bottle trap was designed and tested in the field to determine its effectiveness in capturing adultAnopheles gambiaesensu lato, the main malaria vector, and other mosquito species. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and light were used as attractive cues. CO2was produced by inoculating sugar with yeast and water. Light was emitted from a torch by light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Under field conditions in rural Rwanda, three handmade trap designs were compared to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light traps (CDC-LT) in houses. The trap baited with yeast produced CO2and light caught the highest number of mosquitoes compared to the traps baited with light alone or CO2alone. The number ofAn.gambiaes.l. in the handmade trap with light and CO2was approximately 9–10% of the number caught with a CDC light trap. This suggests that about 10 volunteers with a handmade trap could capture a similar-sized sample ofAn.gambiaeas one CDC-LT would collect. Based on these findings, the handmade plastic bottle trap baited with sugar fermenting yeast and light represents an option for inclusion in mosquito surveillance activities in a citizen science context.
PISA data clusters reveal student and school inequality that affects results
Authors: Neuman Magnus
Published: May 2022

The data from the PISA survey show that student performance correlates with socio-economic background, that private schools have higher results and more privileged students, and that this varies between countries. We explore this further and analyze the PISA data using methods from network theory and find clusters of countries whose students have similar performance and socio-economic background. Interestingly, we find a cluster of countries, including China, Spain and Portugal, characterized by less privileged students performing well. When considering private schools only, some countries, such as Portugal and Brazil, are in a cluster with mostly wealthy countries characterized by privileged students. Swedish grades are compared to PISA results, and we see that the higher grades in private schools are in line with the PISA results, suggesting that there is no grade inflation in this case, but differences in socio-economic background suggest that this is due to school segregation.
Hormone receptors AR, ER, PR and growth factor receptor Her-2 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Correlation with overall survival, disease-free survival and 10-year survival in a high-risk population
Authors: Adnan Yumna , Ali Syed Muhammad Adnan , Awan Muhammad Sohail , Idress Romana , Awan Muhammad Ozair , Farooqui Hasnain Ahmed , Kayani Hammad Afzal
Published: May 2022

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) comprises most of head and neck neoplasms and is one of the highest-ranking and lethal cancers in Pakistan due to prevailing mouth habits. Several types of receptors act as prognostic markers and targets for therapy in some cancers, but their application in OSCC is largely unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of hormonal receptors and Her-2 in OSCC patients and correlate it with 10-year, overall and disease-free survival. To achieve this objective, immunohistochemistry for Her-2, AR, ER and PR was performed on 100 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary OSCC specimens. Receptor expression was correlated with mouth habits and clinicopathological features and patient survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression univariate analysis. We observed that in 100 patients, there were 57 males and 43 females. Immunopositive Her-2 expression was observed in 21% of patients, AR in 13%, ER in 3% and 0% for PR. Patients with betel quid/areca nut mouth habits had significantly absent Her-2 expression (P = 0.035). Also, Her-2 negative patients were also negative for AR expression (P = 0.002). Her-2 positive patients had poor 10-year survival (P = 0.041). A trend of low survival and high recurrence rate was observed in AR positive patients, but this was not significant (P = 0.072). No statistically relevant correlations were seen in the case of ER and PR. In conclusion, Her-2 may be a valuable marker for predicting long-term prognosis of OSCC patients.
Late Acheulian Jaljulia – Early human occupations in the paleo-landscape of the central coastal plain of Israel
Authors: Shemer Maayan , Greenbaum Noam , Taha Nimer , Brailovsky-Rokser Lena , Ebert Yael , Shaar Ron , Falgueres Christophe , Voinchet Pierre , Porat Naomi , Faershtein Galina , Horwitz Liora Kolska , Rosenberg-Yefet Tamar , Barkai Ran
Published: May 2022

The Lower Paleolithic Late Acheulian in the Levant marks a fascinating chapter in human cultural and biological evolution. Nevertheless, many aspects of the Late Acheulian are still undeciphered, hindered by the complex nature of each site on the one hand, a scarcity of wide, multidisciplinary studies on the other, and by difficulties in obtaining absolute chronology for this timeframe. Therefore, subjects such as human subsistence strategies and modes of adaptation, regional diversity, and the possible existence and nature of interactions between hominin groups are largely understudied. The discovery and study of Jaljulia, a large-scale Late Acheulian site at the central Coastal Plain, Israel, add valuable insights to the research of this chapter in human history. Considered to represent recurrent occupations at a favored, water and flint-rich setting, the site has provided extensive lithic assemblages obtained from several localities. Absolute chronology places the human activity on-site at roughly 500–300 ky (and possibly even later), which is suggested to be divided into several main occupation phases. Geomorphological and sedimentological analyses show a change in environmental conditions, from aeolian sand deposition and overlying Hamra soil during the Middle Pleistocene to high energy fluvial regime which transported large gravels in a north-south paleo-channel. Wetland environments, correlating to the human activity on site, developed later due to higher sea levels and a coastline shifts to the eastward, which caused a blockage of the Yarkon stream corridor to the sea by marine sand. In this paper we present results of the study of the site, including geomorphological formation and post-depositional processes, absolute chronology, lithic and faunal analyses. The site’s extensive lithic assemblages are currently under study and future investigations are expected to shed more light on the technological nature of Late Acheulian Jaljulia.
A randomized clinical trial demonstrating cell type specific effects of hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia on pituitary function
Authors: McDonald Rosemary , Kuhn Katherine , Nguyen Thy B. , Tannous Andrew , Schauer Irene , Santoro Nanette , Bradford Andrew P.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Obesity is characterized by elevated lipids, insulin resistance and relative hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, reducing fertility and increasing risk of pregnancy complications and birth defects. We termed this phenotype ‘Reprometabolic Syndrome’ and showed that it can be recapitulated by acute infusions of lipid/insulin into healthy, normal weight, eumenorrheic women. Herein, we examined the broader impact of hyperlipidemia and euglycemic hyperinsulinemia on anterior pituitary trophic hormones and their targets.

Methods

Serum FSH, LH, TSH, growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), thyroid hormones (free T4, total T3), cortisol, IGF-1, adiponectin, leptin and creatinine were measured in a secondary analysis of an interventional crossover study of 12 normal weight cycling women who underwent saline and heparin (control) infusion, or a euglycemic insulin infusion with heparin and Intralipid® (lipid/insulin), between days 2–5 in sequential menstrual cycles.

Results

In contrast to the decrease in gonadotropins, FSH and LH, infusion of lipid/insulin had no significant effects on other trophic hormones; TSH, PRL or GH. Thyroid hormones (fT4 and total T3), cortisol, IGF-1, adiponectin and creatinine also did not differ between saline or lipid/insulin infusion conditions. Leptin increased in response to lipid/insulin (p<0.02).

Conclusion

Acute hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia exerted differential, cell type specific effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal, adrenal and thyroid axes. Elucidation of mechanisms underlying the selective modulation of pituitary trophic hormones, in response to changes in diet and metabolism, may facilitate therapeutic intervention in obesity-related neuroendocrine and reproductive dysfunction.
Use of digital teaching resources and predictors of medical student performance during the pandemic: A prospective study
Authors: Seer Michelle , Kampsen Charlotte , Becker Tim , Hobert Sebastian , Anders Sven , Raupach Tobias
Published: May 2022

Background

The coronavirus pandemic has led to increased use of digital teaching formats in medical education. A number of studies have assessed student satisfaction with these resources. However, there is a lack of studies investigating changes in student performance following the switch from contact to virtual teaching. Specifically, there are no studies linking student use of digital resources to learning outcome and examining predictors of failure.

Methods

Student performance before (winter term 2019/20: contact teaching) and during (summer term 2020: no contact teaching) the pandemic was compared prospectively in a cohort of 162 medical students enrolled in the clinical phase of a five-year undergraduate curriculum. Use of and performance in various digital resources (case-based teaching in a modified flipped classroom approach; formative key feature examinations of clinical reasoning; daily multiple choice quizzes) was recorded in summer 2020. Student scores in summative examinations were compared to examination scores in the previous term. Associations between student characteristics, resource use and summative examination results were used to identify predictors of performance.

Results

Not all students made complete use of the digital learning resources provided. Timely completion of tasks was associated with superior performance compared to delayed completion. Female students scored significantly fewer points in formative key feature examinations and digital quizzes. Overall, higher rankings within the student cohort (according to summative exams) in winter term 2019/20 as well as male gender predicted summative exam performance in summer 2020. Scores achieved in the first formative key feature examination predicted summative end-of-module exam scores.

Conclusions

The association between timely completion of tasks as well as early performance in a module and summative exams might help to identify students at risk and offering help early on. The unexpected gender difference requires further study to determine whether the shift to a digital-only curriculum disadvantages female students.
Hinterland of a Hinterland: The Changing Capital Cities of Sultanate and Mughal Bengal
Authors: Wescoat James L. , Fischer Rio
Published: May 2022

Urban research on Bengal has emphasized colonial Calcutta (postcolonial Kolkata) and its hinterland, paying less attention to precolonial centres and processes of urbanization. Between the thirteenth and the early eighteenth centuries, the trading village of Kalikata lay on the coastal margin of Bengal. The regional capitals of the Sultanate and Mughal periods were located further inland at Gour, Pandua, Rajmahal, Dhaka, and Murshidabad, in the hinterlands of imperial capitals in the Delhi region. Bengal capitals changed frequently with fluvial and geopolitical conditions, which had implications for their economic and architectural development. Coastal trading settlements competed with one another in commercial and military matters, which established a new hinterland by the late eighteenth century, with ‘hinterland’ defined as the economic catchment region of the maritime port of Calcutta. This article retraces these processes from chronicles, revenue records, and archaeological surveys. Our examination concludes with the national eclipse of Calcutta by New Delhi in the early twentieth century, and the prospect of climate-driven retreat to inland capitals in Bengal in a twenty-first-century shift that would resemble urban patterns of the precolonial era.
The Right to the Suburb: The ‘American Dream’ of Palestinian Citizens of Israel
Authors: Schwake Gabriel
Published: May 2022

This article analyses the suburbanization efforts of Palestinian Citizens of Israel (PCI) as a simultaneous act of individualistic self-fulfilment and decolonization. The local suburban turn of the 1980s was an integral part of the Israeli state’s geopolitical project, intended to enhance the Jewish presence in areas of national importance; the PCI’s presence in this process was thus restricted. Nevertheless, the desire of middle-class PCIs for better living standards resulted in increasing aspirations to take part in the national suburban turn while challenging its settler-colonial aspects. One of these efforts was Neve-Shalom/Wahat-al-Salam, a joint Jewish-Arab community that emerged in the 1980s as an attempt to produce an inclusive alternative to the ethnicity-based and territorially-minded Israeli spatial production mechanism. In my examination of this case study, I first explain its innovative perspective and how it defied local settlement patterns. Analysing its development over the past four decades, I show how Neve-Shalom/Wahat-al-Salam began as an alternative ex-urban community, which later turned into an exclusive, binational suburban environment, thereby challenging ethnicity-oriented spatial practices on the one hand, while recreating class-based seclusion on the other.
Entrepreneurial universities and spin-out companies
Authors: Harlow Chris
Published: May 2022

Records show that some universities have been more successful in the formation of knowledge-based spin-out companies than the average institution since government policies dictated that universities should become more entrepreneurial. Out of the approximately 130 universities in Britain, ten of those founded more than 100 years ago recorded nearly half of the spin-outs formed in the early twenty-first century and surviving three years or more. This article examines the methods used at some 30 universities in order to query the reasons for success. Several possible explanations are considered with the judgement being that, although a range of factors may have been influential, it has been the impact of the environmental conditions of their foundations and growth, the access to research resources and the educational circumstances into which they were born and then grew, which has been one of the most important in determining the success achieved by different British universities.
A novel cross-species differential tumor classification method based on exosome-derived microRNA biomarkers established by human-dog lymphoid and mammary tumor cell lines' transcription profiles
Authors: Chokeshaiusaha Kaj , Sananmuang Thanida , Puthier Denis , Nguyen Catherine
Published: May 2022

Background and Aim: Exosome-derived microRNA (miRNA) has been widely studied as a non-invasive candidate biomarker for tumor diagnosis in humans and dogs. Its application, however, was primarily focused on intraspecies usage for individual tumor type diagnosis. This study aimed to gain insight into its application as a cross-species differential tumor diagnostic tool; we demonstrated the process of identifying and using exosome-derived miRNA as biomarkers for the classification of lymphoid and mammary tumor cell lines in humans and dogs. Materials and Methods: Exosome-derived miRNA sequencing data from B-cell lymphoid tumor cell lines (n=13), mammary tumor cell lines (n=8), and normal mammary epithelium cultures (n=4) were pre-processed in humans and dogs. F-test and rank product (RP) analyses were used to select candidate miRNA orthologs for tumor cell line classification. The classification was carried out using an optimized support vector machine (SVM) with various kernel classifiers, including linear SVM, polynomial SVM, and radial basis function SVM. The receiver operating characteristic and precision-recall curves were used to assess the performance of all models. Results: MIR10B, MIR21, and MIR30E were chosen as the candidate orthologs from a total of 236 human-dog miRNA orthologs (p≤0.01, F-test score ≥10, and RP score ≤10). Their use of polynomial SVM provided the best performance in classifying samples from various tumor cell lines and normal epithelial culture. Conclusion: The study successfully demonstrated a method for identifying and utilizing candidate human-dog exosome-derived miRNA orthologs for differential tumor cell line classification. Such findings shed light on a novel non-invasive tumor diagnostic tool that could be used in both human and veterinary medicine in the future.
Quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) as a diagnostic tool of small fiber neuropathy
Authors: Suh Bum Chun
Published: May 2022

Small fiber neuropathy is a painful neuropathy that cannot be assessed using nerve conduction studies. A skin biopsy and quantitative sensory testing (QST) are the gold standards for small fiber neuropathy diagnosis. However, a skin biopsy is invasive and commercially unavailable in Korea. QST is a method involving a thermal threshold, but its results can be affected by cognition as well as lesions of the central nervous system. Quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) is a quantitative method of assessing sweat glands innervated by small fibers. In this review, we assessed the utility of QSART in evaluating small fiber neuropathy.
Cerebral salt wasting syndrome caused by external lumbar drainage in a patient with chronic hydrocephalus
Authors: Yoo Je Hyun , Park Ki Deok , Lim Oh Kyung , Lee Ju Kang
Published: May 2022

In cases of hyponatremia induced by brain damage, it is important to distinguish between the syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) and cerebral salt wasting syndrome. A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is the standard treatment for hydrocephalus, and external lumbar drainage (ELD) is an option to evaluate the effect of a VP shunt. However, ELD has potential complications, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, meningitis, and rarely hyponatremia. Therefore, we report a case of a patient with cerebral salt-wasting syndrome resulting from ELD to treat normal-pressure hydrocephalus during the rehabilitation of acute ischemic stroke.
THE PROBLEM OF FREEDOM AND SOCIAL SECURITY IN CONDITIONS OF INCREASED THREATS TO POPULATION HEALTH
Authors: Shipunova Tatiana V.
Published: May 2022

The article deals with the issue of the possibility and measure of freedom in the context of the need to ensure security during a pandemic. In the policy of countering the pandemic, rationality prevailed as the correspondence of the chosen goals and means. But since rationality is basically irrational, in different countries one can observe a situation where the security of the population is ensured at the expense of freedom, which, at the suggestion of the main subjects of security, is increasingly turning into a recognized necessity that destroys the essence of freedom. Hence arises the desire of a certain part of the population of different countries for "negative" freedom. This desire is also supported by the fact that the state does not attach much importance to "positive" freedom, which includes the formation of an (individual) security culture, responsibility to society for one's actions. To do this, the state must shift its focus from maintaining the monopoly right to ensure security to a dialogue with the population as an equal subject of security.
PEACEKEEPING AS A TOOL OF KAZAKHSTAN'S FOREIGN POLICY
Authors: Kosdauletov Assylkhan А. , Nurdavletova Saniya М.
Published: May 2022

Unresolved geopolitical conflicts that have emerged since the end of World War II are changing the architecture of Global Security. This contributes to the further deterioration of existing ones and provokes the emergence of new hotbeds of tension around the world. Absence of possibility to resolve the situation between two conflicting parties requires involving a third party, who would act as a mediator with the ability to resolve it, using certain tools, such as peacekeeping operations. Not only internal, but also external factors that have a direct impact on peacemaking have contributed to the development of today's peacekeeping as a mechanism for conflict resolution. Emerging conflicts are becoming more complex, and the approach of participants has changed, as well as the attitude towards peacekeepers. Growing globalization erases borders making them more transparent, and encourages States to respond more actively to events that are taking place in other countries. Involvement in such conflicts has allowed some "actors" to use peacekeeping as a political tool to promote their own interests in conflict zones. These goals are not always positive for the parties directly involved in the conflict situation. The achievement of their goals by the third parties involved can sometimes be radical, which in the end can further worsen the overall unstable existing state between the conflicting parties. Kazakhstan, despite the fact that it is a "newcomer" in the field of peacekeeping, also has the opportunity to promote its initiatives in the international arena through peacekeeping. The article discusses Kazakhstan's activities in this area, as well as possible ways to achieve these goals.
PROTEST MOOD OF RESIDENTS OF CITIES OF THE NWFD IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE CRISIS
Authors: Dementieva Irina N.
Published: May 2022

This study presents a comparative analysis of public opinion polls of residents of several municipalities of the North-Western Federal District, namely the cities of Petrozavodsk, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Vologda, Cherepovets. The current level of protest potential of residents of these territories in the context of crisis processes related to the COVID-19 pandemic was analyzed. Groups of persons distinguished by a certain emotional mood and allowing their participation in protests were identified. Factors of formation of potential protest activity of urban residents have been determined. The results of the study showed that in the context of crisis processes against the background of a pandemic and growing social discontent, the protest potential of residents of municipalities ranges from 24 to 42%, which exceeds the average Russian indicators (18-20%). The continued proximity of assessments of the economic situation, material situation, political sentiment of representatives of the protest group and "other" residents of cities indicates the existence of potential prerequisites for maintaining protest sentiment, as well as poses a risk of increasing social tension in the event of a deterioration of the socio-economic situation.
Childhood Experiences and Factors Associated with Perpetration of Violence Among Young Adults In Delta State Prisons, Nigeria.
Authors: Atariata Oghenewoke , Sekoni Olutoyin , Adetoro Adewale Abdul-Warith , Etim Mathias Bassey
Published: May 2022

Background

Violent acts perpetrated by young people can cause physical and psychological harm to others and is of serious public health concern. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of childhood trauma, to assess the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and other predicting factors, and the perpetration of violence among young adults in Delta state prisons
.

Method

A descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted amongst 293 young adults aged 18-35 who were convicted prison inmates in Delta State Correctional facilities. Three out of the five facilities in Delta State were selected using simple random sampling, after which a total sampling of incarcerated inmates from the three selected facilities was carried out. Data were collected using the; Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to measure adverse childhood experiences, and a proforma to classify the offense of the inmate (whether violent or non-violent).

Result

The mean age of the respondents was 28.4 ± 5.4 years. The overall prevalence of childhood trauma was 5.1%. The prevalence of violent offenses was 46.1%. Age, (OR=0.3; CI= 0.2-0.6, p=0.001), attaining primary education (OR=3.4; CI= 1.5-7.8, p=0.004) and having witnessed violence while growing up (OR=2.0; CI= 1.2-3.3, p=0.007) were all significant predictors of the perpetration of violence.

Conclusion

The overall prevalence of childhood trauma was low in this study, the most frequent domain of childhood trauma experienced was emotional neglect. Further research is required to develop study instruments for childhood trauma that are more context-specific bearing in mind local sociocultural practices.
ADMIN PANEL FOR HETEROGENEOUS DATABASES
Authors: Poojary Mithil , Shetty Tanvi , Sawant Rohan , Shaikh Bushra
Published: May 2022

Information systems are integral parts of an organization that plays a vital role in the management of its activities. They help the organization to meet its goals and objectives by delivering output efficiently. Raw material information is collected in a database to be used for processing and storage. The Database Management system is software designed to manage the data effectively and efficiently. End-users can use a DBMS to create, protect, read, update, and delete data in a database. It provides a centralized view of data that can be accessed in a controlled manner by multiple users from multiple locations. We present a new and simple method for integrating different databases on browser-based support that is easier to manage. The proposed Database Management System (DBMS) will also include backup capabilities to help in database recovery in the event of a failure.
Impact of Fiscal Deficit on Nigeria's Macroeconomic Performance.
Authors: Dick Saviour
Published: May 2022

Despite the status of being the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria is being heralded with various macroeconomic issues ranging from rising unemployment, double digit inflation and dwindling economic fortunes. Policy makers have pointed out the need for improved fiscal deficit but despite this, the country’s economic performance is still very low as she is yet to fully recover from her worst economic recession in 20years in 2016. The objective of the study therefore is to examine the impact of fiscal deficit on the macroeconomic performance of Nigeria especially as it relates with economic growth, inflation rate and unemployment rates in Nigeria for the period 1980-2016. The data was subjected to Unit Root, and Cointegration tests to confirm the long run relationship among the variables. From the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR) model result, it was observed that government fiscal deficit has a significant impact on the Nigerian macroeconomic performance especially on inflation. In the same vein, money supply has a positive and significant impact on the Nigerian macro economy especially as it relates with economic growth. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended among other things that government should embark on inflation-targeting so as to achieve a none inflationary rate of money supply for the economy and in turn achieve the macroeconomic goal of price stability for the country.
A Rare Case of Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy
Authors: Manski Scott Adam , Adkins Christopher , Smith Colin , Blair Brian
Published: May 2022

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is a rare autosomal recessive disease due to mutations in the thymidine phosphorylase gene, leading to mitochondrial alterations and dysfunctions in oxidative phosphorylation. MNGIE is a multisystem disorder with gastrointestinal symptoms arising in large part from gut dysmotility and neurological manifestations including peripheral neuropathy. We discuss a patient with chronic vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss with a prior unrevealing extensive workup who was hospitalized for severe protein-calorie malnutrition. The patient was found to have gastrointestinal dysmotility on a gastric emptying scan and persistently elevated lactate levels and was subsequently diagnosed with MNGIE after confirmatory testing.
Area Deprivation Index and Gut-Brain Axis in Cirrhosis
Authors: Bajaj Jasmohan S. , Fagan Andrew , McGeorge Sara , Sterling Richard K. , Rogal Shari , Sikaroodi Masoumeh , Gillevet Patrick M.
Published: May 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Neighborhood deprivation has been associated with chronic diseases and with gut microbial alterations. Although cirrhosis is associated with gut microbiome changes and hepatic encephalopathy (HE), their association is unclear.

METHODS:

Demographics and cirrhosis details (model for end-stage liver disease [MELD], prior HE, and medications) were recorded from outpatients with cirrhosis. Area deprivation index (ADI), which ranks neighborhoods by socioeconomic disadvantage, was recorded as state decile and national percentile (high = worse for both) and dichotomized on the median. Patients underwent cognitive testing to diagnose minimal HE (MHE). Stool microbiota was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA for α/β-diversity. Multivariable analysis was used to evaluate the factors independently associated with MHE.

RESULTS:

A total of 321 people with cirrhosis (60 years, 78% men, 75% non-Hispanic White, 24% non-Hispanic African American, 4% Hispanic) were included. 45% had prior HE and 56% MHE. For ADI, the national percentile was 49.1 ± 21.8 while the state decile was 6.1 ± 2.3. ADI was not associated with race, ethnicity, MELD, or HE-related variables on regression. Regarding microbiota, α-diversity was lower in MHE and prior HE patients but similar across ADI rankings. Low vs high ADIs were associated with different β-diversity in univariable but not multivariable analyses. Multivariable analyses showed positive associations with MELD, prior HE, and lactate producers (Lactobacillus and Lacticaseibacillus) and negative associations with short-chain fatty acid producers (Blautia, Lachnoclostridium, and Anaerobutyricum) with MHE.

DISCUSSION:

Cirrhosis-related variables may be more influential in determining gut microbiome composition and cognitive impairment than ADI. Therefore, the focus should be on improving cirrhosis care, regardless of ADI, but studies evaluating other measures of social determinants are needed in cirrhosis.
Difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis in the clinical practice of a rheumatological hospital. First look
Authors: Gordeev A. V. , Matyanova E. V. , Olyunin Yu. A. , Galushko E. A. , Zotkin E. G.
Published: May 2022

Objective: to compare the course of the disease and therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who meet and do not meet the criteria for difficult- to-treat RA (D2T).

Patients and methods. The study included RA patients who met the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria and who were hospitalized in the V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology from March to October 2021. All patients underwent a conventional clinical and laboratory examination, radiography of the hands and distal feet, and the radiological stage of RA according to Steinbroker was assessed. To determine the inflammatory activity, the DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP indices were calculated.

Results and discussion. The study included 303 patients with RA, 25 (8.4%) of them had D2T RA. The duration of RA in the D2T group was significantly longer than in other patients (15.9±11.8 and 11.9±9 years, respectively; p=0.04). X-ray changes in the joints in D2T were more pronounced. Patients with D2T had higher inflammatory activity at the time of hospitalization than patients who had continued prior therapy with biologic/targeted synthetic DMARDs. The dose of glucocorticoids (GC) in patients with D2T RA was higher compared to patients of other groups: on average 8.3±5.1 and 6.4±2.9 mg/day, respectively (p=0.02).

Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that in Russia, as well as abroad, the treat-to-target principle has not yet become widespread, and the selection of adequate therapy takes too much time. At the same time, Russian rheumatologists primarily use GC to suppress inflammatory activity. The introduction of modern recommendations for the management of patients with RA into routine clinical practice, could possibly restrain the formation of D2T RA.