bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postprandial Effects of Macronutrient Composition Meals on the Metabolic Responses and Arterial Stiffness Indices of Lean and Obese Male Adults: A Protocol of pilot Study
Authors: Firouzi Safieh , Rezvani Reza , Pahlavani Naseh , Jarahi Lida , Navashenaq Jamshid Gholizadeh , Ranjbar Golnaz , Malekahmadi Mahsa , Taherzadeh Zhila , Safarian Mohammad
Published: January 2021

Background & Objective: Prior studies have shown that meal composition may affect the metabolic responses and arterial stiffness indices. Due to the lack of a comprehensive study that concurrently compares metabolic responses and vascular stiffness indices after receiving three different meals in lean and obese men, this pilot study has been conducted with a three-phase parallel design, aiming to investigate the effects of meal composition on the metabolic parameters and arterial stiffness indices of lean and obese adults. Materials and Methods: This pilot, parallel clinical trial has been performed on 20 male adults aged 18-35 years who are disease-free and selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The subjects have completed three interventions at a one-week interval, including high carbohydrate (70% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 20% fat), high protein (30% protein, 50% carbohydrates, 20% fat), and high fat meal (50% fat, 40% carbohydrates, 10% protein). Postprandial effects have been assessed within 360 minutes after each meal, including the energy expenditure component (resting energy expenditure, thermic effects of feeding, respiratory quotient, and substrate oxidation) and arterial stiffness indices (augmentation index and pulse wave velocity). In addition, blood sampling has been performed to measure glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, and lipid profile. Results: The study has started since September 2020 and will continue until January 2021. The assessment of the intervention outcomes will be carried out six hours after the end of the intervention. Conclusion: The differences in the postprandial responses c affect the metabolic and vascular parameters due to different meal compositions, thereby providing beneficial data for the establishment of new strategies in terms of nutritional education and metabolic/vascular improvement.
Clinical data mining on network of symptom and index and correlation of tongue-pulse data in fatigue population
Authors: Shi yulin , Hu Xiaojuan , Ji Cui , Cui Longtao , Huang Jingbin , Ma Xuxiang , Tao Jiang , Yao Xinghua , Xu Jiatuo , Lan Fang , Li Jun , Bi Zijuan , Li Jiacai , Wang Yu , Fu Hongyuan , Wang Jue , Lin Yanting , Bai Jingxuan , Guo Xiaojing , Tu Liping
Published: January 2021

Background: Fatigue is a kind of non-specific symptom, which occurs widely in sub-health and various diseases. It is closely related to people's physical and mental health. Due to the lack of objective diagnosis criteria, it is often neglected in clinical diagnosis, especially in the early disease stage. Many clinical practices and research have shown that tongue and pulse conditions reflect the body's overall state. Establishing an objective evaluation method for diagnosing disease fatigue and non-disease fatigue by combining clinical symptoms, indexes, and tongue & pulse data is of great significance for timely and effective clinical treatment.Methods: In this study, 2632 physical examination populations were divided into healthy controls, sub-health fatigue group, and disease fatigue group. Complex network technology was used to screen out the core symptoms and Western medicine indexes of sub-health fatigue and disease fatigue populations. Pajek software was used to construct the core symptoms/indexes network and core symptoms-indexes combined network. Simultaneously, the canonical correlation analysis method was used to analyze the objective tongue & pulse data between the two groups of fatigue population and analyze the distribution of tongue & pulse data.Results: Some similarities were found in the core symptoms of sub-health fatigue and disease fatigue population, but with different node importance. The node-importance difference indicated that the diagnostic contribution rate of the same symptom to the two groups was different. The canonical correlation coefficient of tongue & pulse data in the disease fatigue group was 0.42 (P < 0.05). On the contrast, correlation analysis of tongue & pulse in the sub-health fatigue group showed no statistical significance. Conclusions: The complex network technology was suitable for the correlation analysis of symptoms and indexes in the fatigue population, and the tongue & pulse data had a certain diagnostic contribution to the classification of the fatigue population.Name of the registry: Chinese Clinical Trial RegistryTrial registration number: ChiCTR-IOR-15006502; ChiCTR1900026008Date of registration: Jun. 04th, 2015URL of trial registry record: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=11119;http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=38828&htm=4 (This is a retrospective registration)
Zika virus public health crisis and the perpetuation of gender inequality in Brazil
Authors: Coutinho Raquel Zanatta , Montalvo Aida Villanueva , Weitzman Abigail , Marteleto Letícia
Published: January 2021

Background: In 2015-2017, the Americas experienced a highly consequential epidemics for pregnancy and childbearing. Mainly transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, but also through sexual intercourse, the Zika virus poses the risk of congenital Zika syndrome to fetus, which includes microcephaly and other child development complications. When a public health crisis taps directly into reproductive health, typically a feminine realm, responses to the emergency may exacerbate deeply-rooted gender norms. This paper investigates the role of gender in two relational contexts: a) the government-led response to the pandemic in terms of communication campaigns aimed at preventing Zika infections; and b) an individual level of response to the emergency, concerning women’s negotiation with their sexual partners with regard to the prevention of Zika as well as pregnancies. Methods: We conducted content analysis of 94 unique pieces from public health communication campaigns produced by governmental agencies with the goal of promoting Zika awareness. Print and online materials were collected for one year (May 2016-May 2017), and included TV ads, Internet Pop-ups, and pamphlets. We also analyzed transcripts from 16 focus groups conducted with reproductive-aged women (18-40) in Belo Horizonte and Recife, two large cities differently affected by the Zika outbreak. Women answered open-ended questions connected to the epidemic, in areas such as personal knowledge and experiences with the Zika virus, experiences of their friends and acquaintances, their primary information sources, their perceptions of public health efforts toward containing the outbreak, as well as women’s contraceptive use. Results: Campaign pieces handling pregnancy and microcephaly were largely gendered. Pieces targeted women, placing on their shoulders the responsibility for protecting a potential fetus from the disease. Importantly, campaigns neglected addressing male´s participation on Zika prevention and contraceptive management, while failing to take into account Brazil´s large proportion of unplanned pregnancies. Women were placed in a double bind by being expected to prevent both pregnancy and Zika, in a context where gendered power imbalances often translate in women having little power/means for condom negotiation /avoiding unprotected sexual intercourse. Conclusion: Government and individual responses to the epidemics reinforced gender roles, situating pregnant women as responsible for averting mosquito bites and microcephaly. Further, prevention campaigns largely excluded men. Since low-socioeconomic status women possessed fewer resources to preclude infection, we also found that beyond the gender divide, this subgroup faced more pronounced Zika prevention challenges as they found it harder to negotiate condom use with their sexual partners and often could not access other types of contraceptives resulting in unplanned pregnancies.
Epidemiology and outcome of elderly patients requiring renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit: an observational study
Authors: Salathe Cecile , Poli Elettra , Altarelli Marco , Bianchi Nathan Axel , Schneider Antoine Guillaume
Published: January 2021

BackgroundRenal replacement therapy (RRT) in critically ill patients is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The appropriateness of RRT initiation is sometimes questioned in elderly patients. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the long-term mortality, dialysis dependence and quality of life (QOL) of elderly patients who survived critical illness requiring RRT.MethodsThis is a monocentric observational study including all patients >55 yo who received RRT for acute kidney injury in our intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2015 and April 2018. At the time of the study (May 2019), we assessed if they were still alive by cross referencing our hospital database and the Swiss national death registry. We sent survivors written information and, subsequently, contacted them over the phone. We obtained their consent for participation, asked about their dialytic status and ran an EQ-5D survey with visual analog scale (VAS). Results were stratified according to their age at the time of ICU admission (G1: "55-65 yo"; G2: ">65-75 yo" and G3: ">75 yo"). QOL in G3 patients were compared to G1 and G2 and to predicted values.ResultsAmong the 352 eligible patients, 171 died during the index hospital admission. After a median follow-up time of 32.7 months (IQR 19.8), a further 62 had died (median time to death for ICU survivors 5.0 (IQR 15.0) months. Hence, 119 (33.6%) patients were still alive at the time of the study. We successfully contacted 96 (80.7%) of them and 83 (69.7%) were included in the study (G1: 24, G2: 44 and G3: 15). Only 6 (7.2%) were RRT dependent. Patients in G3 had lower EQ-5D and VAS scores than those in G1 and G2 (p<0.01). These scores were also significantly lower than predicted values (p <0.05).ConclusionsRRT patients have a very high in-hospital and post discharge mortality. Among survivors, RRT dependency was low. Irrespective of baseline values, patients >75 yo who survived ICU had a lower QOL than younger patients. It was lower than predicted according to age and sex. The appropriateness of RRT initiation in elderly patients should be discussed according to their pre-existing QOL and frailty.
Exploring Equity and Inclusion in Malawi’s National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan
Authors: Ebuenyi Ikenna D , Smith Emma M. , Munthali Alister , Msowoya Steven W. , Kafumba Juba , Jamali Monica Z. , MacLachlan Malcolm
Published: January 2021

Background Equity and inclusion are important principles in policy development and implementation. The aim of this study is to explore the extent to which equity and inclusion were considered in the development of Malawi’s National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan.Methods We applied an analytical methodology to review the Malawi’s National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan using the EquIPP (Equity and Inclusion in Policy Processes) tool. The EquIPP tool assesses 17 Key Actions to explore the extent of equity and inclusion.Results The development of the Malawi National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan was informed by a desire to promote the rights, opportunities and wellbeing of persons with disability in Malawi. The majority (58%) of the Key Actions received a rating of three, indicating evidence of clear, but incomplete or only partial engagement of persons with disabilities in the policy process. Three (18%) of the Key Actions received a rating of four indicating that all reasonable steps to engage in the policy development process were observed. Four (23%) of the Key Actions received a score five indicating a reference to Key Action in the core documents in the policy development process.Conclusion The development of disability policies and associated implementation strategies requires equitable and inclusive processes that consider input from all stakeholders especially those whose wellbeing depend on such policies. It is pivotal for government and organisations in the process of policy or strategy development and implementation, to involve stakeholders in a virtuous process of co-production – co-implementation – co-evaluation, which may strengthen both the sense of inclusion and the effectiveness of the policy life-cycle.
Perceptions of the Barriers, Facilitators, Outcomes, and Helpfulness of Strategies to Implement Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment in Acute Care
Authors: Keen Alyson , Thoele Kelli M , Oruche Ukamaka , Newhouse Robin
Published: January 2021

Background: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based clinical intervention used to reduce alcohol and illicit drug use. SBIRT use has resulted in positive health and social outcomes; however, SBIRT implementation remains low. Research on implementing evidence-based interventions, such as SBIRT, lacks information about challenges and successes related to implementation. The Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) provides a framework to guide comprehension, clarity, and relevance of strategies available for implementation research. This framework was applied to qualitative feedback gathered from site coordinators (SCs) leading SBIRT implementation. The purpose of this study was to describe the SCs’ experiences pertaining to SBIRT implementation across a health system. Methods: Within the context of a larger parent study, a semi-structured interview guide was used to capture 14 SCs’ perceptions of the barriers, facilitators, and outcomes pertaining to SBIRT implementation. This qualitative data was analyzed using standard content analytic procedures. A follow-up survey was developed based on 14 ERIC strategies identified from qualitative data and was administered electronically to determine the SC’s perceptions of the most helpful implementation strategies on a scale of 1 (least helpful) to 5 (most helpful). Results: All 14 invited SCs participated in the SBIRT implementation interview, and 11 of 14 (79%) responded to the follow-up survey. Within the categories of barriers, facilitators, and outcomes, 25 subthemes emerged. The most helpful ERIC implementation strategies were purposely reexamining the implementation (M=4.38; n=8), providing ongoing consultation (M=4.13; n=8), auditing and providing feedback (M=4.1; n=10), developing education materials (M=4.1; n=10), identifying and preparing champions (M=4; n=7), and tailoring strategies (M=4; n=7). Conclusion: SCs who led implementation efforts within a large healthcare system identified several barriers and facilitators to the implementation of SBIRT. Additionally, they identified clinician-related outcomes associated with SBIRT implementation into practice as well as strategies that were helpful in the implementation process. This information can inform the implementation of SBIRT and other interventions in acute care settings.
Modulation of atypical brain activation during executive functioning in autism: a pharmacological MRI study of tianeptine
Authors: Wichers Robert , Findon James , Jelsma Auke , Giampietro Vincent , Stoencheva Vladimira , Roberton Dene , Murphy Clodagh , Blainey Sarah , McAlonan Grainne , Ecker Christine , Rubia Katya , Murphy Declan , Daly Eileen
Published: January 2021

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with deficits in executive functioning (EF), and these have been suggested to contribute to core as well as co-occuring psychiatric symptoms. The biological basis of these deficits is unknown but may include the serotonergic system, which is involved in both regulating EF in neurotypical populations and in the pathophysiology of ASD. We previously demonstrated that reducing serotonin by acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) shifts differences in brain function during performance of EF tasks towards control levels. However, ATD cannot be easily used in the clinic, and we therefore need to adopt alternative approaches to challenge the serotonin system. Hence, we investigated the role of the serotonergic modulator tianeptine on EF networks in ASD. Method: We conducted a pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) study, using a randomised double-blind crossover design, to compare the effect of an acute dosage of 12.5 mg tianeptine and placebo on brain activation during during two EF tasks (of response inhibition and sustained attention) in 38 adult males; 19 with ASD and 19 matched controls. Results: Under placebo, compared to controls, individuals with ASD had atypical brain activation in response inhibtion regions including the inferior frontal cortex, premotor regions and cerebellum. During sustained attention, individuals with ASD had decreased brain activation in the right middle temporal cortex, right cuneus and left precuneus. Most of the case-control differences in brain function observed under placebo conditions were abolished by tianeptine administration. Also, within ASD individuals, brain functional differences were shifted significantly towards control levels during response inhibition in the inferior frontal and premotor cortices.Limitations: We conducted a pilot study using a single dose of tianeptine and therefore we cannot comment on long-term outcome.Conclusions: Our findings provide the first evidence that tianeptine can shift atypical brain activation during EF in adults with ASD towards control levels. Future studies should investigate whether this shift in the biology of ASD is maintained after prolonged treatment with tianeptine, and if it improves clinical symptoms.
Relationship between Admission Criteria and Academic Performance in Basic Science Courses in Health Science Colleges in KAU
Authors: Alamoudi Aliaa Amr , Falattah Hind Ibrahim , Eldakhakhny Basmah Medhat , kamel Fatemah Omar , AlSawwa Lana Adey , Elsamanoudy Ayman Zaky
Published: January 2021

Background: In King Abdulaziz University, medical and health science schools depend on admission exams (Aptitude and Achievement) and Preparatory year scores in their students’ selection. However, with the growing number of applicants and the drastic changes in teaching and assessment in these colleges continuous assessment and development of admission criteria are needed. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation of admission exam scores, in addition to the Preparatory year GPA, with academic performance in the basic science subjects such as Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Pharmacology in health science colleges.Methods: The study was conducted on four cohort studies, two faculty of nursing cohorts; Nursing students (2017-2018,n=146) Nursing students (2018-2019,n=81), and two faculty of applied medical sciences cohorts, Clinical Nutrition students (2017-2018,n=33), Clinical Nutrition students (2018-2019,n=28) .The students’ scores of General Aptitude Test (GAT), Scholastic Achievement Admission Test (SAAT ), and preparatory year GPA were all recorded at the beginning of each semester before the beginning of courses. Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Pharmacology exam results were recorded at the end of the semester. Correlation was done for each cohort and all cohorts pooled. Results: Results showed only a weak correlation detected between SAAT and the overall achievement in Clinical Biochemistry ( r= 0.192*, P= 0.042) in Nursing students (2017-2018) but no correlation was seen with SAAT or preparatory year scores. There was also no significant correlation between admission exams scores and the students ‘academic achievement in Clinical Pharmacology, and with On the other hand Clinical Pharmacology exam results showed a significant positive correlation with Clinical Biochemistry results (r=0.688, P=0.000). Conclusion: Our results could indicate the need to revisit the admission criteria for these colleges. Furthermore, specific preparatory year tracks for health science colleges can ensure that students improve the specific skills and knowledge required for their future college years.
Sniffer Dogs as a Screening/Diagnostic Tool for COVID-19: A Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Eskandari Esmaeil , Marzaleh Milad Ahmadi , Roudgari Hassan , Farahani Ramin Hamidi , Nezami-Asl Amir , Laripour Reza , Aliyazdi Helen , Moghaddam Arasb Dabbagh , Zibaseresht Ramin , Akbarialiabad Hossein , Zoshk Mojtaba Yousefi , Shiri Hamidreza , Shiri Mahdi
Published: January 2021

Background: Sniffer dogs are able to detect certain chemical particles and are suggest to be capable of helping diagnose some medical conditions and complications, such as colorectal cancer, melanoma, bladder cancer, and even critical states such as hypoglycemia in diabetic patients. With the global spread of COVID-19 throughout the world and the need to have a real-time screening of the population, especially in crowded places, this study aimed to investigate the applicability of sniffer dogs to carry out such a task.Methods: Firstly, three male and female dogs from German shepherd (Saray), German black (Kuzhi) and Labrador (Marco) breeds had been intensively trained throughout the classical conditioning method for seven weeks. They were introduced to human specimens obtained from the throat and pharyngeal secretions of participants who were already reported positive or negative for SARS-COV-2 infection be RT-PCR. Each dog underwent the conditioning process for almost 1000 times. In the meantime another similar condition process was conducted on clothes and masks of COVID-19 patient using another three male and female dogs from Labrador (Lexi), Border gypsy (Sami), and Golden retriever (Zhico) breeds. In verification test for the first three dogs, 80 pharyngeal secretion samples consisting of 26 positive and 54 negative samples from different medical centers who underwent RT-PCR test were in a single-blind method. In the second verification test for the other three dogs, masks and clothes of 50 RT-PCR positive and 70 RT-PCR negative cases from different medical center were used.Results: In verification test using pharyngeal secretion, the sniffer dogs’ detection capability was associated with a 65% of sensitivity and 89% of specificity and they amanged to identify 17 out of the 26 positive and 48 out of the 54 true negative samples. In the next verification test using patients’ face masks and clothes, 43 out of the 50 positive samples were correctly identified by the dogs. Moreover, out of the 70 negative samples, 65 samples were correctly found to be negative. The sensitivity of this test was as high as 86% and its specificity was 92.9%. In addition, the positive and negative predictive values were 89.6% and 90.3%, respectively.Conclusion: Dogs are capable of being trained to identify COVID-19 cases by sniffing their odour, so they can be used as a reliable tool in limited screening.
Evaluation of muscle quality and quantity for the assessment of sarcopenia using mid-thigh computed tomography: a cohort study
Authors: Oba Hiroki , Matsui Yasumoto , Arai Hidenori , Watanabe Tsuyoshi , Iida Hiroki , Mizuno Takafumi , Yamashita Satoshi , Ishizuka Shinya , Suzuki Yasuo , Hiraiwa Hideki , Imagama Shiro
Published: January 2021

BackgroundPreviously, sarcopenia was diagnosed based on walking speed, grip strength and muscle mass. However, recent consensus has proposed a concern regarding the use of muscle mass measurement for sarcopenia diagnosis due to lack of accuracy; therefore, new assessment methods in clinical practice are required. We investigated the correlation between computed tomography (CT) and various motor function tests to assess the utility of CT as a potential diagnostic method for sarcopenia.MethodsIn total, 214 patients who were examined at our center during the study period (2016–2017) were included in the study. Single-slice CT scan of the mid-thigh region was performed, from which cross-sectional area (CSA) and CT attenuation value (CTV) of quadriceps femoris were evaluated for each subject. Other assessments included skeletal muscle mass index, muscle strength and physical performance. Furthermore, subjects were classified into four groups as per the Asia Working Group of Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria as those with: normal, poor muscle function/strength (poor function), sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia.ResultsCSA and muscle strength exhibited the strongest correlation. Some physical performance tests showed the strongest correlation with CTV. The CSA was significantly lower in women with sarcopenia group and in both men and women with severe sarcopenia (all p < 0.01); furthermore, the CTV was significantly lower in women with poor-function and in both men and women with severe sarcopenia group (all p < 0.01).ConclusionsCSA mostly correlated with muscle strength, whereas CTV mostly correlated with physical performance. CT with measurements of CSA and CTV enables the evaluation of muscle mass and quality simultaneously. CT is believed to be useful in inferring evaluation of motor function and assessment of sarcopenia.
Lessons from ten years searching the Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) cases in young population of a developing country: Tehran; Iran.
Authors: Vafaee-Shahi Mohammad , Noorbakhsh Samileh , Tahernia Leila , Ashouri Sarvenaz , Riahi Aina
Published: January 2021

Background: Maternal infection with rubella in the first trimester of pregnancy can result in developmental abnormalities in fetus such as hearing loss, heart abnormalities, impaired vision, and mental retardation. Methods: This Multi-stage prospective/cross sectional study was carried out in three stages in three educational hospitals in Tehran (Rasoul akram, Akbar Abadi and Firoozabadi), during 2011-2012: In first stage, 186 infants at birth day. Rubella antibodies (IgG&IgM) in cord blood was evaluated by Eliza method. In second stage, 89 infants suspected INTRA UTERINE INFECTION and in third stage 165 infants with SNHL were selected . Age matched control group were selected and examined concurrently. Rubella antibodies (IgG&IgM) compared between cases and healthy matched infants. Results: In first stage, significant correlation was found between vaccination history and rubella immunization of mothers (P value = 0.001). None of those with a history of vaccination had positive IgM. In second stage, confirmed CRS (positive IgM) was found in 4.4% of total CRS suspected cases (5 /89). The positive RT–PCR detected in 1.5% of total CRS suspected cases (1/89). Except a positive correlation between abnormal neurologic findings and positive IgM in Confirmed CRS cases, other clinical findings were not related to serologic tests. In third stage, the highest frequency for Positive Rubella-IgM observed in the SNHL cases <1 year old (P-value = 0.14). Rubella-IgG was significantly higher in age group < 1 years (P-value = 0.001). There was no significant difference for Rubella-IgM (P-value = 0.6) between SNHL cases and controls but a significant (P-value = 0.000) difference was observed for Rubella-IgG which was more frequent in control group.Conclusion: Active CRS surveillance is recommended strongly even in country with full rubella vaccination. Without active CRS surveillance ;CRS especially, mild infection ( not classic form) such as IUGR(intrauterine growth retardation), hearing loss, heart abnormalities, impaired vision, and mental retardation even in developed country might be missed . The necessity to add a booster vaccine dose to the national vaccination program 8 years after the last vaccination should be evaluated if needed. In addition, follow-up of safety status and studies to evaluate the success of the program may be necessary and is recommended.
An innovative pharmacology curriculum for medical students: promoting higher order cognition, learner-centered coaching, and constructive feedback through a social pedagogy framework
Authors: McHugh Douglas , Yanik Andrew J , Mancini Michael R
Published: January 2021

BackgroundOngoing developments in medical education recognize the move to curricula that support self-regulated learning processes, skills of thinking, and the ability to adapt and navigate uncertain situations as much as the knowledge base of learners. Difficulties encountered in pursuing this reform, especially for pharmacology, include the tendency of beginner learners not to ask higher-order questions and the potential incongruency between creating authentic spaces for self-directed learning and providing external expert guidance. We tested the feasibility of developing, implementing, and sustaining an innovative model of social pedagogy as a strategy to address these challenges.MethodsConstructivism, communities of practice, and networked learning theory were selected as lenses for development of the model. 365 first-year medical students participated between 2014-2018; they were introduced to pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics via 15 online modules that each included: learning objectives, a clinical vignette, teaching video, cumulative concept map, and small group wiki assignment. Five-person communities organized around the 15 wiki assignments were a key component where learners answered asynchronous, case-based questions that touched iteratively on Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy levels. The social pedagogy model’s wiki assignments were explored using abductive qualitative data analysis.ResultsQualitative analysis revealed that learners acquired and applied a conceptual framework for approaching pharmacology as a discipline, and demonstrated adaptive mastery by evaluating and interacting competently with unfamiliar drug information. Learners and faculty acquired habits of self-directed assessment seeking and learner-centered coaching, respectively; specifically, the model taught learners to look outward to peers, faculty, and external sources of information for credible and constructive feedback, and that this feedback could be trusted as a basis to direct performance improvement. 82-94% of learners rated the social pedagogy-based curriculum valuable.ConclusionsThis social pedagogy model is agnostic with regard to pharmacology and type of health professional learner; therefore, we anticipate its benefits to be transferable to other disciplines.
Validation of IMU-based gait event detection during curved walking and turning in older adults and Parkinson's Disease patients
Authors: Romijnders Robbin , Warmerdam Elke , Hansen Clint , Welzel Julius , Schmidt Gerhard , Maetzler Walter
Published: January 2021

Background: Identification of individual gait events is essential for clinical gait analysis, because it can be used for diagnostic purposes or tracking disease progression in neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Previous research has shown that gait events can be detected from a shank-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU), however detection performance was often evaluated only from straight-line walking. For use in daily life, the detection performance needs to be evaluated in curved walking and turning as well as in single-task and dual-task conditions.

Methods: Participants (older adults, people with Parkinson's disease, or people who had suffered from a stroke) performed three different walking trials: 1) straight-line walking, 2) slalom walking, 3) Stroop-and-walk trial. An optical motion capture system was used a reference system. Markers were attached to the heel and toe regions of the shoe, and participants wore IMUs on the lateral sides of both shanks. The angular velocity of the shank IMUs was used to detect instances of initial foot contact (IC) and final foot contact (FC), which were compared to reference values obtained from the marker trajectories.

Results: The detection method showed high recall, precision and F1 scores in different populations for both initial contacts and final contacts during straight-line walking (IC: recall = 100%, precision = 100%, F1 score = 100%; FC: recall = 100%, precision = 100%, F1 score = 100%), slalom walking (IC: recall = 100%,precision ≥ 99%, F1 score =100%; FC: recall = 100%, precision ≥ 99%, F1 score =100%), and turning (IC: recall ≥ 85%, precision ≥ 95%, F1 score ≥ 91%; FC: recall ≥ 84%, precision ≥ 95%, F1 score ≥ 89%).

Conclusions: Shank-mounted IMUs can be used to detect gait events during straight-line walking, slalom walking and turning. However, more false events were observed during turning and more events were missed during turning. For use in daily life we recommend identifying turning before extracting temporal gait parameters from identified gait events.
Students' Social Attitudes Towards German and The German Language in Traditional and Innovative Teaching of German as a Foreign Language at The Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad
Authors: Stipančević Ana
Published: January 2021

The study of attitudes plays an important role in the field of social psychology, but also in the field of language teaching theory, since attitudes towards the nation, language, and teaching itself affect the motivation for language learning, and thus academic achievement. The goal of modern foreign language teaching is not only to develop students' communicative, but also their intercultural competence, which includes the ability to make contact with members of other cultures, the ability to compare their own and foreign cultures, as well as overcoming cultural conflicts and misunderstandings. Teaching a foreign language has, therefore, a task to connect people and build bridges between cultures.

The best way that cultures draw closer to each other is direct contact or residence in the target country, but, as most people are not in a position todo this, knowledge of a foreign culture can be acquired indirectly through teachers and teaching content. Today it is very controversial whether and to what extent modern textbooks have the potential to impart knowledge about German culture, as well as the image of a country and its people. Intercultural didactics argues that textbook texts are not sufficient for the acquisition of the knowledge and skills, and urge the use of authentic texts in teaching a foreign language.

In order to determine the potential of textbook and authentic texts for teaching German as a foreign language (and culture) experimental research was conducted in the year 2014-15 with students from the Faculty of Philosophy (Novi Sad) who have German as an elective course. The study applied the two approaches, traditional, in which the textbook texts and other didactic materials were the basic teaching tool, and innovative, in which authentic texts were used.

The study included a total of 36 students and lasted for two semesters. The research used questionnaires, and the research results are presented in the form of mean values, with a standard deviation. For determining the statistical significance of differences between means the t-test was used. In addition to the descriptive, the correlation method was also used, and the data were processed using the program SPSS Statistics 20.
Contemporary Self-Help Literature: An Analysis From the Perspective of Governementality Studies
Authors: Urošević Milan
Published: January 2021

In this paper we will be analyzing contemporary self-help literature through the lens of what is usually called “governmentality studies”. These studies originate in the thought of Michel Foucault therefore we will begin our paper by presenting his theoretical framework for analyzing governmentality. The concept of the “dispositif” will be explained as a network of power relations aimed at governing individuals. “Subjection” is a concept we wil be using and it will be explained as a process of making individuals a part of a dispositif. Also the concept of “subjectivity” will be used, defined as a relation that an individual has with himself through which he governs himself and the concept of “technologies of the self” defined as a set of discourses through which subjectivity is formed. Our idea is to research contemporary self-help literature as a technology of the self through which an individual governs himself according to the rules of a certain dispositif therefore. In the next part of our paper we will present the context of our research which will be described as a change in governmentality regimes in the second half of the twentieth century. We will present that change as a transition from a disciplinary regime of governemntality to the neoliberal regime. In the next part of our paper we will define self-help literature as a discursive technology of the self that aims at getting its readers to see themselves as having a problem that requires them to transform themselves and therefore achieve happiness. Next we will present a short history oh self-help literature dividing it into three phases that differ in the relation authors have to their readers and in the figure of the big other whose ideas the authors claim to represent. We will claim that our object of research is the third period of the development of self-help literature beginning in the eighties. Next we will present our research that will be conducted by using Foucaults’s theoretical discourse developed in the second volume of his History of Sexuality. We will conclude that contemporary self-help literature can be seen as a technology of the self that transforms the reader’s subjectivity in order to make them govern themselves as autonomous subjects that seek to fulfill their innermost desires. Therefore we will claim that contemporary self-help literature can bee seen as a technology of the self of the neoliberal governmentality regime.
How (Un)Aware are Young People in Serbia and the Diaspora of Serbia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage?
Authors: Antonijević Dragana , Rašić Miloš , Banić Grubišić Ana
Published: January 2021

This paper is the result of work on the project “A Study of Awareness and Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage Among Young People in Serbia and the Diaspora” carried out in 2019. In view of the UNESCO recommendations that young people should be educated about the importance of cultural heritage as they are the key population in the process of its further preservation, the project was conceived with the aim of conducting a survey on the awareness of young people in Serbia and the diaspora of elements of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) protected in the National Register of ICH of the Republic of Serbia. A target group for the study was selected using the technique of nonprobability sampling, composed of a convenience sample of young people who are members of cultural societies in Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Užice, Kraljevo and Niš, and also of third-generation Serbian immigrants in Vienna, Paris and Calgary who are members of Serbian cultural societies in these cities. Taking into account the fact that in cultural societies certain elements of ICH are practiced and learned, the hypothesis was that the target group would serve as a good indicator of the degree of awareness of protected elements of ICH on the national list, as most protected elements constitute rare customs. Related to this is the fundamental analytical question, namely, who does the ICH National List serve and who should be aware of the protected rare elements of intangible cultural heritage, to what degree and why. The research instrument used was a questionnaire with open-ended questions, and the data thus collected were consequently supplemented through interviews. Ten elements were selected from the ICH National List. 66 completed questionnaires were collected, 33 from Serbia and 33 from the diaspora. An analysis of the replies suggests that the degree of awareness among young people of ICH is relatively low.
Chaos and Order: Contemporary Cosmology and Myth
Authors: Tomašević Milan
Published: January 2021

The paper offers a definition of cosmology and its connections with mythology, and presents contemporary theories as a secular mythical narrative suitable for anthropological analysis. The paper is dedicated to emphasizing the folklore characteristics of modern cosmology and points to the importance of popular cosmological narratives as reading that contains culturally, philosophically and even religiously relevant elements. Special attention is paid to cosmogonic myths that describe the state of the universe before the creation of space and time. A parallel has been drawn between modern cosmology and conventional cosmogonic myths. In the end, the paper offers a concise definition of popular cosmology and recalls the most important authors and popularizers of modern theories.

The main task of the paper is to present the basic concepts that can contribute to a complete understanding of the anthropological character of the presentation of contemporary cosmology that we encounter in popular narratives. The aim of such an analysis is to observe the depth of the significance of modern science for creating a philosophical picture of the world that inherits secular worldviews. By treating popular cosmology as a modern myth, the paper presents a new dimension of the significance of scientific theories for today's civilization. Such an approach unravels the strictly positivist halo of cosmology and points to its anthropological character.

The concepts highlighted in the paper serve as an illustration of the significance that the image of the universe and the position of the Earth has for the history of civilization. By presenting the cultural dimension of cosmology, it opens a space for dialogue between different branches of scientific research, i.e. it contributes to the communication of philosophy and science. Equally important, by illuminating the folklore character of the narrative of the origin and history of the universe, a training ground is created for philosophers and theologians who, in their own ways, interpret the creation of everything around us.

By drawing attention to authors such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lawrence Kraus, Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku and others, as contemporary bards and narrators, the paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of popular cosmology as an expression of modern man's need for great stories, for narratives that transcend the spatial and temporal frames of one generation, and that is exactly what myths do.
The American Jeremiad: A Specifically American Genre
Authors: Ilić Vladana
Published: January 2021

This paper offers an overview of a "specifically American genre" – the American jeremiad, whose origins lie in the Puritan political sermon and which, with certain historical and cultural modifications, exists to this day. This overview, like most studies of this rhetorical form, is based on the work of Sacvan Bercovitch, who established it as a genre and offered the most exhaustive interpretation of its structure and meaning to date. The American jeremiad aims to homogenize the American community, and to steer it towards a common national goal, as reflected in its three-part structure: an evocation of the ideal/the ideal state of the community, a denunciation of its current state, and an affirmation of the goal and a vision of progress. As, according to Bercovitch, the American jeremiad despite historical and social changes retains the cultural hegemony of the symbol of America, later studies have tested this thesis by looking at political speeches, public addresses, American films, etc., through the concepts of the contemporary secular jeremiad, historical, Afro-American, film jeremiads, etc., and almost without exception conclude that this symbol, in one form or another, is alive and well.
Minimizing the radiated sound power from vibrating plates by using in-plane functionally graded materials
Authors: Alshabatat Nabeel , Naghshineh Koorosh
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a method for decreasing sound radiation from vibrating plates. The method uses Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) for building the plates instead of isotropic material. The graded pattern of material composition is characterized within the in-plane directions based on a two-dimensional trigonometric law. In the proposed method, the finite element method (FEM) is utilized for estimating the dynamic response of the plates. Then, the Lumped Parameter Model (LPM) is used for calculating sound radiation power. A genetic algorithm is applied as an optimization tool for determining the best distribution of the FGM. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated by three design problems; minimizing the radiated sound from vibrating FGM plate at a particular excitation frequency, over a frequency band, and at a particular natural frequency. The design problems show that a considerable decrease of sound power can be accomplished with the optimal design of FGM plates in comparison with the isotropic plates.
Impact coefficient analysis on long-span beam bridge
Authors: Guo Fei , Cai Heng , Li Huifang
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a numerical study on the impact coefficient calculation of a straight-line π-shaped composite beam and a curved box girder beam. A numerical model of vehicle-bridge coupling system is established, where the random irregularity of bridge surface is considered in the model. The effect of lane numbers, bridge surface flatness, vehicle speed, vehicle weight and primary beam stiffness on the impact coefficient are considered. The results indicate that the lane numbers have certain influence on the impact coefficient; the impact coefficient presents nonlinear increment as the bridge surface flatness becomes from grade A to grade D; the vehicle-bridge coupling system can resonate at both low speed and high speed; the vehicle weight has little influence on the impact coefficient; whilst the displacement impact coefficient is decreased with an increment in the primary beam stiffness. Besides, the local and global impact coefficients, the displacement, moment and shear force impact coefficients are also comprehensively discussed.
Spatial and seasonal variations of hydrological responses to climate and land-use changes in a highly urbanized basin of Southeastern China
Authors: Bian Guodong , Wang Guoqing , Chen Jie , Zhang Jianyun , Song Mingming
Published: January 2021

Climate and land-use changes are two major factors that significantly affect the watershed hydrology cycle. It is essential for regional water resource management to quantitatively assess the respective hydrological impact of these two factors. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was constructed to quantify the contributions of climate and land-use changes to runoff at the annual and seasonal time scales in the Qinhuai River basin (QRB), where significant urbanization occurred from 1986 to 2015. Moreover, based on the partial least squares regression, the specific impact of individual land-use change on major hydrological components was evaluated at the sub-basin scale. The results showed that: (1) the predominant patterns of land-use change in the QRB included the transformations from paddy fields to urban areas and dry lands, forest to dry lands and dry lands to urban areas; (2) the flood seasonal precipitation series and all air temperature series had significant increasing trends over 1986–2015, and annual and seasonal runoff series had significant increasing trends and had an abrupt change point in 2001; (3) the average annual, flood seasonal, and non-flood seasonal runoff increased 238.5, 130.2 and 108.3 mm, of which land-use change was responsible for 77.6, 55.1, and 104.8% of the increases, respectively, while climate change was responsible for 22.4, 44.9, and −4.8%, respectively and (4) the hydrological response to land-use change showed an obvious decrease in actual evapotranspiration (ET) and significant increases in surface runoff and baseflow. The decrease of ET and increase of baseflow could be attributed to the conversion patterns from paddy fields and forest to dry lands, while the conversions from paddy fields and dry lands to urban areas caused a remarkable increase in surface runoff in the QRB. The study demonstrated that these practicable approaches were beneficial for the more unbiased views of the hydrological responses to climate change and land-use changes in the highly urbanized basin, which were also critical for the sustainable development of regional water resource and future land-use planning.