bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a peripheral blood morphology proficiency assessment program using the CellaVision® Proficiency Software
Authors: Ingalls Kimberly , O’Reilly Tish A. , Twohig Beverly , Conrad David M.
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Proficiency programs allow hospital laboratories to evaluate and improve diagnostic performance. A cloud-based proficiency program was launched in 2017 to standardize peripheral blood morphology assessments in hospital laboratories across the province of Nova Scotia.

Methods

The CellaVision® Proficiency Software was used to evaluate peripheral blood morphology assessments. A different blood film featuring a specific red or white cell finding or normal morphology was evaluated each month. Each hospital’s proficiency slide completion and pass rates were monitored, which helped inform remediation efforts.

Results

In 2017, 213 medical laboratory technologists from 14 hospital laboratories enrolled in the proficiency program. The average completion rate for monthly proficiency assessments between 2017 and 2022 was 90 %. During that time, the pass rate increased from 59 to 95 % and 73 to 89 % for red and white blood cell assessments, respectively. By 2022, four hospital laboratories and 83 medical laboratory technologists stopped performing peripheral blood assessments.

Conclusions

The CellaVision® Proficiency Software facilitated a centralized peripheral blood morphology proficiency assessment program for geographically distributed hospital sites. The use of this software increased the quality of peripheral blood morphology assessments in Nova Scotia by simplifying the evaluation of and education on peripheral blood morphology skills.
Reading Twitter as a marketplace of ideas: how attitudes to COVID-19 are affecting attitudes to migrants in Ireland
Authors: Lucek Stephen , Phelan Dean
Published: June 2024

Attitudes to language and attitudes to ethnic groups have long been shown to be related to one another. In recent history, significant events have also been shown to negatively affect attitudes to specific groups who are deemed to be responsible. The current paper looks at how the COVID-19 pandemic has emboldened those who hold far right attitudes to migrants in an Irish context. Through a Twitter scraping exercise, conducted in August 2020, we show that far right framings of migrants as (a) contagion or disease, (b) criminals, and (c) favoured or elites are clearly evident and considerably on the rise in these Irish data. This would seem to run contrary to a concurrent study in Germany. Thus, we then pair this quantitative Twitter data with qualitative observations of anti-mask protests as indicative of a broadening of the allure of far right political groups, with COVID-19 as the “leading edge”. Taken together, these data seem to run contrary to European Social Survey and comparative data, leading us to question how attitudes are elicited, measured, and reported.
Clinical applications and perspectives of immune checkpoint inhibitors in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ru Liuyu , Zheng Jiwei
Published: June 2024

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) promote antitumour immune responses by blocking inhibitory signals expressed by T cells and have significant clinical benefits in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). With the advancement of immunotherapy, an increasing number of ICIs have been developed or are in clinical trial stages. However, drug resistance and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with ICIs have limited the clinical application of immunotherapy in OSCC, and the optimal drug regimen for ICIs and the optimal duration of ICIs administration also deserves to be further discussed. New therapeutic regimens and drug delivery technologies are key to promoting the further development of ICIs. This article elucidates the mechanism of ICIs’ action and presents a review of their clinical applications and current development status in OSCC. Additionally, it summarizes the current challenges and outlines future research directions for ICIs therapy, with the aim of offering fresh insights to researchers.
Standards for levels of lead in soil and dust around the world
Authors: Moyebi Omosehin D. , Lebbie Tamba , Carpenter David O.
Published: June 2024

Lead poisoning is a serious environmental health problem in every country in the world. Exposure to lead results in neurocognitive and behavioral changes, has adverse effects on the immune system, causes anemia, hypertension and perturbs other organ systems. The effects of lead poisoning are most critical for children because their bodies are growing and developing, and particularly because agents that reduce cognitive function and attention span as well as promote disruptive behavior will have life-long consequences. Lead exposure, especially to children, is a major health disparity issue. If the next generation starts with reduced cognitive ability, there will be significant barriers for development of skills and country-wide development. While there are many sources of exposure to lead, the commonest source is lead in soil and dust. Since lead is an element, it does not go away and past releases of lead into the environment remain as soil and dust contamination. This is an especially important route of exposure to children because children regularly play in soil and are exposed via hand-to-mouth activity. In addition to indoor sources of lead, contaminated soil is tracked on shoes or feet and blown by air currents into homes, accumulating in household dust which is a major source of exposure for both children and adults. The purpose of this review is to determine standards presumed to be health protective for lead and dust in different countries. We find that many countries have no standards for lead in soil and dust and rely on standards set by the World Health Organization or the US Environmental Protection Agency, and these standards may or may not be enforced. There is considerable variation in standards set by other countries.
The impact of genetic factors on the response to migraine therapy
Authors: Tsirelis Daniil , Tsekouras Alexandros , Stamati Polyxeni , Liampas Ioannis , Zoupa Elli , Dastamani Metaxia , Tsouris Zisis , Papadimitriou Anastasios , Dardiotis Efthimios , Siokas Vasileios
Published: June 2024

Migraine is a multidimensional disease affecting a large portion of the human population presenting with a variety of symptoms. In the era of personalized medicine, successful migraine treatment presents a challenge, as several studies have shown the impact of a patient’s genetic profile on therapy response. However, with the emergence of contemporary treatment options, there is promise for improved outcomes. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus, in order to obtain studies investigating the impact of genetic factors on migraine therapy outcome. Overall, 23 studies were included in the current review, exhibiting diversity in the treatments used and the genetic variants investigated. Divergent genes were assessed for each category of migraine treatment. Several genetic factors were identified to contribute to the heterogeneous response to treatment. SNPs related to pharmacodynamic receptors, pharmacogenetics and migraine susceptibility loci were the most investigated variants, revealing some interesting significant results. To date, various associations have been recorded correlating the impact of genetic factors on migraine treatment responses. More extensive research needs to take place with the aim of shedding light on the labyrinthine effects of genetic variations on migraine treatment, and, consequently, these findings can promptly affect migraine treatment and improve migraine patients’ life quality in the vision of precise medicine.
Bioorganic macromolecules crowned zirconia nanoparticles: protein-rich fish mucus inspired synthesis and their antibacterial efficacy assessment
Authors: Subramanian Ramasamy , Chinnadurai Govindasamy , Suresh Raman , Santhamoorthy Madhappan , Periyasami Govindasami , Karthikeyan Perumal , Mohan Anandhu , Vy Phan Thi Tuong
Published: June 2024

The bioinorganic material, such as fish mucus macromolecules crowned zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) was synthesized via green methodology and has been investigated their efficacy on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains that inhabit the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tracts, and colon. The environmentally benign synthesis methodology was used for fabricating biofunctionalized ZrO2 NPs with three different concentrations of C. striatus epidermal mucus. Spherical morphology with a size ranging from 7 to 25 nm of synthesized granular was identified by FESEM analysis. The powder XRD diffractions of synthesized ZrO2 NPs were confirmed with the previously reported standard literature. Upon being subjected to a primary microbial study, the synthesized ZrO2 NPs were shown to exhibit antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial pathogens. However, another Gram-negative bacterial stain, Proteus vulgaris shows almost similar efficiency to standard antibacterial drugs. Interestingly, all Gram-positive bacterial strains show a high zone of inhibition at higher concentrations of synthesized ZrO2 NPs. In general, the antibacterial activity study proved that the synthesized biofunctionalized ZrO2 NPs may be applied as an efficient health care beneficial material.
Productivity of TIMBERJACK 240A and LKT 81T Skidders at Selective Cutting and Longer Distances
Authors: Marčeta Dane , Handžić Senaid , Đukić Mladen , Petković Vladimir
Published: June 2024

The extraction of wood from forests is a difficult, risky, expensive, and time-consuming operation, especially in mountainous areas and selective forests. In the forestry of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), winching and skidding of wood assortments is most often done with cable skidders. They are the most applicable because they can handle hilly, mountainous and inaccessible terrain in the compartments that are most common in local forestry. In addition, selective and group-selective forest management systems are dominant, where the manoeuvring of any type of machinery is strictly limited to the skid trails and skid roads. It is a matter of legal and sub-legal regulations and environmental standards. Striving for higher productivity and economy of skidding is ultimately one of the objectives of forest management. Different Timberjack and LKT models of skidders are widely used in BIH. The study was conducted in the area of two public forest enterprises, in compartments 32 (Forest management unit "Vrbanja") and 99 (Forest management unit ““Lješljanica-Maglajska”) with similar stand and relief conditions. The research objects were two skidders, which are used very often in the forestry of BIH, LKT 81T and Timberjack 240A. Skidder LKT 81T was used in compartment 32, where 29 cycles were recorded, during which 212 logs were skidded. Total volume of skidded wood was 159.98 m3 with average volume of 5.52 m3·load-1. Timberjack 240A was used in compartment 99, where 84 cycles were recorded, with 398 logs. Total skidded wood with Timberjack 240A was 657.34 m3, with average volume of 7.83 m3·load-1. Relative share of work operations showed that loaded and unloaded drive had the largest share, onsie In case of LKT 81T loaded drive was 31% and unloaded drive 25%, while for Timberjack 240A skidder loaded drive accounted for 44% and unloaded drive for 37% of productive work time. Average skidding distance for loaded drive was 1080.34 m for LKT 81T and 727.98 for Timberjack 240A. Unloaded drive, manoeuvring drive and loaded drive showed dependence on corresponding distances. With the increase of the distance and volume of the load, the time required for skidding per unit of product increases. In comparable range (up to 900 m), for the same load size, Timberjack 240A achieved lower standard time, i.e., higher productivity than LKT 81T. Using a skidder at longer distances significantly reduces productivity and increases costs. However, planners often decide in such cases to use a cable skidder for wood skidding, knowing that the costs will be higher, which is again a better option than not harvesting parts of the compartment.
Sleep Disruption Precedes Forebrain Synaptic Tau Burden and Contributes to Cognitive Decline in a Sex-Dependent Manner in the P301S Tau Transgenic Mouse Model
Authors: Martin Shenée C. , Joyce Kathryn K. , Lord Julia S. , Harper Kathryn M. , Nikolova Viktoriya D. , Cohen Todd J. , Moy Sheryl S. , Diering Graham H.
Published: June 2024

Sleep disruption and impaired synaptic processes are common features in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Hyperphosphorylated Tau is known to accumulate at neuronal synapses in AD, contributing to synapse dysfunction. However, it remains unclear how sleep disruption and synapse pathology interact to contribute to cognitive decline. Here, we examined sex-specific onset and consequences of sleep loss in AD/tauopathy model PS19 mice. Using a piezoelectric home-cage monitoring system, we showed PS19 mice exhibited early-onset and progressive hyperarousal, a selective dark-phase sleep disruption, apparent at 3 months in females and 6 months in males. Using the Morris water maze test, we report that chronic sleep disruption (CSD) accelerated the onset of decline of hippocampal spatial memory in PS19 males only. Hyperarousal occurs well in advance of robust forebrain synaptic Tau burden that becomes apparent at 6–9 months. To determine whether a causal link exists between sleep disruption and synaptic Tau hyperphosphorylation, we examined the correlation between sleep behavior and synaptic Tau, or exposed mice to acute or chronic sleep disruption at 6 months. While we confirm that sleep disruption is a driver of Tau hyperphosphorylation in neurons of the locus ceruleus, we were unable to show any causal link between sleep loss and Tau burden in forebrain synapses. Despite the finding that hyperarousal appears earlier in females, female cognition was resilient to the effects of sleep disruption. We conclude sleep disruption interacts with the synaptic Tau burden to accelerate the onset of cognitive decline with greater vulnerability in males.
G272V and P301L Mutations Induce Isoform Specific Tau Mislocalization to Dendritic Spines and Synaptic Dysfunctions in Cellular Models of 3R and 4R Tau Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Yu Ke , Yao Katherine R. , Aguinaga Miguel A. , Choquette Jessica M. , Liu Chengliang , Wang Yuxin , Liao Dezhi
Published: June 2024

Tau pathologies are detected in the brains of some of the most common neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Tau proteins are expressed in six isoforms with either three or four microtubule-binding repeats (3R tau or 4R tau) due to alternative RNA splicing. AD, LBD, and CTE brains contain pathological deposits of both 3R and 4R tau. FTD patients can exhibit either 4R tau pathologies in most cases or 3R tau pathologies less commonly in Pick's disease, which is a subfamily of FTD. Here, we report the isoform-specific roles of tau in FTD. The P301L mutation, linked to familial 4R tau FTD, induces mislocalization of 4R tau to dendritic spines in primary hippocampal cultures that were prepared from neonatal rat pups of both sexes. Contrastingly, the G272V mutation, linked to familial Pick's disease, induces phosphorylation-dependent mislocalization of 3R tau but not 4R tau proteins to dendritic spines. The overexpression of G272V 3R tau but not 4R tau proteins leads to the reduction of dendritic spine density and suppression of mEPSCs in 5-week-old primary rat hippocampal cultures. The decrease in mEPSC amplitude caused by G272V 3R tau is dynamin-dependent whereas that caused by P301L 4R tau is dynamin-independent, indicating that the two tau isoforms activate different signaling pathways responsible for excitatory synaptic dysfunction. Our 3R and 4R tau studies here will shed new light on diverse mechanisms underlying FTD, AD, LBD, and CTE.
Mal-Nutrition: Maternal Health Science and the Reproduction of Harm
Authors: Yates-Doerr Emily
Published: June 2024

Mal-Nutrition documents how maternal health interventions in Guatemala are complicit in reproducing poverty. Policy makers speak about how a critical window of biological growth around the time of pregnancy—called the "first 1,000 days of life"—determines health and wealth across the life course. They argue that fetal development is the key to global development. In this thought-provoking and timely book, Emily Yates-Doerr shows that the control of mothering is a paradigmatic technique of American violence that serves to control the reproduction of privilege and power. She illustrates the efforts of Guatemalan scientists, midwives, and mothers to counter the harms of such mal-nutrition. Their powerful stories offer a window into a form of nutrition science and policy that encourages collective nourishment and fosters reproductive cycles in which women, children, and their entire communities can flourish.
«Enséñame un cuento»: Una aproximación al proceso de leer, traducir e interpretar en lengua en lengua de señas mexicana
Authors: Cruz-Aldrete Miroslava , Sanabria Ramos Edgar
Published: June 2024

En este trabajo se discute cómo las narraciones en lengua de señas mexicana (LSM) han tomado relevancia en dos sentidos: el primero se relaciona con la adquisición y desarrollo de la LSM en edades tempranas; el segundo responde al uso de los libros ilustrados como una estrategia para acercar a las infancias Sordas al español escrito, lo cual ha dado pie a la interpretación y traducción de obras literarias dirigidas al público infantil, lo que a su vez demanda la adaptación de dichos textos con el fin de ofrecérselos de manera adecuada a sus destinatarios. Se trata de una investigación en curso que se inserta en un proyecto de investigación en el cual se estudia la adquisición de la LSM como primera y segunda lengua, desde la perspectiva del modelo educativo bilingüe intercultural que se oferta al alumnado Sordo en México. A partir del análisis de las narrativas en LSM que se ofrecen a las infancias Sordas con el fin de fortalecer su competencia en la lengua de señas y su alfabetización en una segunda lengua, se reconoce la importancia de discutir el papel de la mediación cultural y lingüística de los docentes e intérpretes, sordos y oyentes, para el logro de estos objetivos.
Wave propagation in context of Moore–Gibson–Thompson thermoelasticity with Klein–Gordon nonlocality
Authors: Singh Baljeet
Published: June 2024

Understanding plane and surface waves in elastic materials is crucial in various fields, including geophysics, seismology, and materials science, as they provide valuable information about the properties of the materials they travel through and can help in earthquake detection and analysis. In the present paper, the governing equations of Moore–Gibson–Thompson (MGT) thermoelasticity are modified in context of Klein–Gordon (KG) nonlocality. For linear, homogeneous and isotropic case, the governing equations in two-dimensions are solved to obtain the dispersion relations for possible plane waves. It is found that there exists one transverse and two coupled longitudinal waves in a two-dimensional model of MGT weakly nonlocal thermoelastic medium and the speeds of these plane waves are found to be dependent on KG nonlocal parameters. The coupled longitudinal waves are also found to be dependent on conductivity rate parameter. For linear, homogeneous and isotropic case, the governing equations in two-dimensions are also solved to obtain a Rayleigh wave secular equation at thermally insulated surface. For a numerical example of aluminium material, the speeds of transverse wave, coupled longitudinal waves and the Rayleigh wave are computed and graphically illustrated to visualize the effects of KG nonlocality parameters, conductivity rate parameter and the angular frequency on the wave speeds.
Size-dependent nonlinear bending of microbeams based on a third-order shear deformation theory
Authors: Dang Ngoc Duyen , Nguyen Dinh Kien , Le Cong Ich
Published: June 2024

In this paper, the size-dependent nonlinear bending of microbeams subjected to mechanical loading is studied using a finite element formulation. Based on the von Kármán nonlinear relationship and the third-order shear deformation theory, a size-dependent nonlinear beam element is derived by using the modified couple stress theory (MCST) to capture the microstructural size effect. The element with explicit expressions for the element vector of internal forces and tangent stiffness matrix is derived by employing the transverse shear rotation as a variable. Nonlinear bending of microbeams under different mechanical loading is predicted with the aid of Newton–Raphson iterative method. Numerical investigation shows that the derived element is efficient, and it is capable of giving accurate results by several elements. The obtained results reveal the importance of the micro-size effect on the nonlinear behavior of the microbeams, and the deflections are overestimated when the microstructural effect is ignored. The effects of the material length scale parameter, boundary conditions and loading type on the bending response of the microbeams are studied and highlighted.
BENCHMARKING NIPT ALGORITHMS ON DETECTING NUMERICAL CHROMOSOME TRISOMY
Authors: Vinh Le Sy
Published: June 2024

Noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) is a widely used screening method to detect trisomy on chromosomes 13, 18, and 21. The lack of positive samples prevents us from examining the performance of NIPT algorithms on detecting trisomy on other chromosomes. Recently, we have introduced an efficient computational method to generate positive samples with trisomy from negative samples. In this paper, we applied the simulation method to generate 4600 positive samples for all 22 autosomal chromosomes as well as the X chromosome in females; and reused 1250 negative samples to assess the performance of algorithms CNVKit, WisecondorX, and VINIPT in detecting numerical chromosome aberrations. Experiments showed that WisecondorX had a sensitivity of 99.95% and a specificity of 97.2% on determining trisomy aberrations. VINIPT could detect all positive samples (i.e., sensitivity of 100%) and correctly determined 99.4% negative samples (i.e., specificity of 99.4%). The CNVkit algorithm was not as accurate as the WisecondorX and VINIPT algorithms. Its performance on some chromosomes such as chromosome 19 needs to be improved. WisecondorX and VINIPT could serve as reliable tools for analyzing NIPT data.
Crude Oil Biosorption with Citrus sinensis Peels
Authors: Avcioglu Nermin Hande , Bılen Ozyurek Sezen
Published: June 2024

Kurutulmuş Cydonia oblonga, Persea americana, Malus domestica ve Citrus sinensis kabukları, ham petrolün uzaklaştırılmasında düşük maliyetli biyosorbanlar olarak kullanıldı. Bunlardan Citrus sinensis, %83.81'lik giderim oranı ile en etkili biyosorban olarak seçildi ve pH (4.0-10.0), adsorbent dozu (0.1-0.5 g/100 mL), ham petrol konsantrasyonu (0.25-2.5%) gibi adsorpsiyon parametrelerinin etkisi de araştırıldı. Kurutulmuş C. sinensis kabukları kullanılarak ham petrol uzaklaştırma için en yüksek uzaklaştırma oranı (%94.37, qe=1.81), pH=7.0, 0.25g/50 mL adsorbent dozu ve %1 ham petrol konsantrasyonu olarak bulundu. Ve kullanılmış kabuklar ile 6. döngünün sonunda %25.91 uzaklaştırma oranı (qe=0.49) gözlendi. Bu adsorpsiyonun kinetiği, Pseudo-ikinci derece modeli ile açıklandı (R2=0.8167) ve denge modelleme, Langmuir izotermi ile uyumlu bulundu (R2=0.9403). FTIR ile belirlenen ham petrol adsorpsiyonuna ve kurutulmuş kabukların lignoselülozik yapısındaki selüloz ve hemiselulozun karakteristik bantları belirlendi. Termogravimetrik profil, 1000˚C'de bile %17.5'lik bir kalıntı ağırlığı ile yüksek sıcaklığa karşı direnç gösterdi. Sonuç olarak, yaygın bir evsel ve endüstriyel gıda atığı olan C. sinensis kabukları, ham petrol uzaklaştırmada düşük maliyetli, kolayca bulunabilir, biyobozunur ve çevre dostu bir adsorban olarak kullanılabilirliği gösterildi.
Intravascular ultrasound in children with congenital heart defects: a case series
Authors: Troshkinev N. M. , Kochergin N. A. , Ganyukov I. V. , Tarasov R. S.
Published: June 2024

Intravascular imaging methods are an actively developing area that was originally used in the treatment of coronary artery disease. With the help of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), there is an opportunity to more objectively, in contrast to fluoroscopy, evaluate the vascular anatomy and lesion morphology, as well as optimize transcatheter interventions. In recent years, intravascular imaging has become widespread in the evaluation of children with congenital heart defects. A review of the literature on IVUS in endovascular treatment of congenital heart defects is presented and cases of the IVUS use in children with patent ductus arteriosus, descending aortic stenosis after interrupted aortic arch repair and pulmonary stenosis are presented.
Depression as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and cognitive impairment in people aged 25-44 years
Authors: Gafarov V. V. , Sukhanov A. V. , Gromova E. A. , Gagulin I. V. , Gafarova A. V.
Published: June 2024

Aim. To establish associations between the depression level as an independent cardiovascular risk factor and cognitive impairment (patterns of memory, attention and thinking) in people aged 25-44 years.

Material and methods. In 2013-2016, a random representative sample of people aged 25-44 years was studied in one of the Novosibirsk districts. A total of 463 men (mean age 35,94±5,96 years) and 546 women (mean age 36,17±5,99 years) were examined. Standardized tests were used to assess cognitive function. Depression level was assessed according to the MOPSY (MONICA-psychosocial) World Health Organization program criteria.

Results. In the surveyed random representative sample of people aged 25-44 years, the prevalence of higher education was the highest (60,5%). The depression prevalence in women was higher than in men: high depression level — 15,84 and 8,64%; the mean depression level was 25,71 and 21,3%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the attention stability according to the dot cancellation test at a moderate and high depression level was reduced only in men with higher education, compared with those without depression (p=0,018). In persons of both sexes with secondary professional education in a random representative sample of persons aged 25-44 years, associations between depression and memory pattern disturbances were identified. In the resulting multivariate model, men in a random representative sample of persons aged 25-44 years without depression did not have any cognitive impairment in patterns of memory, attention and thinking.

Conclusion. An association has been established between the depression and cognitive impairment (patterns of memory, attention and thinking) in people aged 25-44 years.
Associations of circulating adipokines and coronary artery disease in young adults
Authors: Khudiakova A. D. , Polonskaya Y. V. , Shcherbakova L. V. , Shramko V. S. , Kuzminykh N. A. , Kashtanova E. V. , Ragino Yu. I.
Published: June 2024

Aim.To evaluate the associations of abdominal obesity (AO), adipokines and premature coronary artery disease (CAD) in young people for a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic diseases.

Material and methods.A total of 1457 people were examined, including 653 (44,8%) men. Mean age was 36,7±6,0 years. Premature CAD was detected in 46 people, while 4 following subgroups were formed (138 people in total): with CAD and AO; with CAD, without AO; control groups by age and sex: without CAD, with AO; without CAD, without AO.

Results.Premature CAD in young people is associated with an increase in non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C). Univariate analysis found that the probability of CAD increased by 1% with an increase in adiponectin level, and by 0,2% with an increase of 1 ng/ml in resistin level. Multivariate regression analysis, including sex, age, waist circumference, non-HD-C, adiponectin, and resistin, significant associations were obtained for non-HDL-C and adiponectin. With AO, the CAD probability increased by 0,6% with an increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 level (PAI-1). However, when non-HDL-C was included in the model, significance for this biomarker was not achieved.

Conclusion.In young people, CAD is associated with increased levels of non-HDL cholesterol, adiponectin, resistin and PAI-1. Independent associations with premature CAD were obtained only for adiponectin, which makes this marker promising for study in young people.
Chronic coronary artery disease: aspects of recording and coding in clinical practice (results of a survey of physicians)
Authors: Samorodskaya I. V. , Shepel R. N. , Kakorina E. P. , Drapkina O. M.
Published: June 2024

Aim. To study the opinion of doctors about the applicability, frequency and criteria for practical use of codes of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) from the group of chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) — I25.0, I25.1, I25.8, I25.9.

Material and methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the period from February 27, 2024 to March 11, 2024 on a continuous sample of medical workers who agreed to participate in an anonymous survey as respondents. The questionnaire consisted of an introductory, personal and main part, which consisted of 19 questions devoted to various aspects of chronic CAD coding at the doctor’s appointment and during preparing medical death certificate. This article presents the results of a survey of cardiologists (group 1) and internists/general practitioners/family physicians (group 2). The χ2 test was used to compare two groups. The Friedman test was used to test the hypothesis that the physicians' opinion about the use of different chronic CAD codes was random. The Kendall test was used to assess the agreement between physicians. Calculations were carried out using Microsoft Office Excel 2021 and SPSS-26.0.

Results. A total of 883 doctors from 47 constituent entities of the Russian Federation took part in the survey. Half of the respondents believed that there are differences between the codes I25.0, I25.1, I25.8, I25.9 and that they are necessary for statistical recording. Although cardiologists (59,2%) were less likely than internists/general practitioners/family doctors (65,9%) to believe that one or more of the 4 codes analyzed could be used only on the basis of risk factors, differences did not reach significance (p=0,1). The need to confirm chronic CAD using paraclinical research methods varied from 57,3% for code I25.9 to 83,1% for code I25.1. In case of death of a patient from chronic CAD, almost a third of respondents do not see the differences between the 4 specified codes, but are ready to use them in different clinical setting. In addition, 14,6% responded that when filling out medical death certificates they would not use any of the 4 specified codes. There is no agreement among physicians regarding the use of codes in clinical practice (Kendall's coefficient of concordance 0,084; p<0,001) and as a cause of death (0,148; p<0,001).

Conclusion. There is no unified stance among doctors on the rules and applicability of using at least 4 codes (I25.0, I25.1, I25.8, I25.9). To correctly assess morbidity and mortality rates from individual forms of chronic ACAD based on ICD-10 codes, guidelines that should include a description and consideration of all the most significant clinical scenarios of chronic CAD should be developed.
A RELAÇÃO ENTRE O PAPEL DO TRABALHO E A CRESCENTE PERDA DE CONDIÇÕES DE AÇÃO POLÍTICA NOS ESTADOS NEOLIBERAIS CONTEMPORÂNEOS
Authors: Tomazella Marlon
Published: June 2024

Resumo: Este artigo se propõe a pensar sobre a relação entre a atividade do trabalho e a da ação política na fundação e desenvolvimento do Estado moderno e em seus desdobramentos nas sociedades neoliberais contemporâneas. Partindo da noção de liberdade política em Hannah Arendt, e de sua crítica ao caráter negativo da liberdade no Estado de bem-estar social, identifico limites e contribuições ainda atuais de seu pensamento. Em seguida, a partir de referências contemporâneas do pensamento político e social, trato da condição de ação política no contexto do capitalismo avançado, em que a perda da liberdade – que Hannah Arendt considerava uma liberdade meramente negativa – gradativamente limita ou mesmo impede a ação política dos cidadãos, mantendo-os atrelados principalmente a atividades e interesses vinculados à sobrevivência biológica, e desvinculados de compromissos éticos com o bem comum.
LEARNING PLATFORMIZATION AND THE PROTAGONISM OF HUMANS AND NON-HUMANS IN PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES
Authors: SILVA PATRÍCIA , COUTO EDVALDO SOUZA
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: The intervention educational policies and practices in the pandemic and post-pandemic context start to privilege the educational process focused on digital platforms and the personalization of network learning. This article aims to present the protagonism of humans and non-humans in pedagogical practices from the perspective of teachers and technical-pedagogical professionals from the State Education System of Paraíba. We conducted quantitative, qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and analytical research. We collected the data through a multi-thematic questionnaire using the tool Google Forms. The research universe covered 19,473 effective teachers and service providers from 9 to 21 December 2021. We conclude that in addition to the debates, theories, and methods of Distance Education and Online Education, it is necessary to reinvent the teaching-learning processes through (non-human) platforms, significantly changing the ways of researching, teaching, producing, and disseminating knowledge. Pedagogical practices instituted by digital platforms are activities in which human and non-human agents work together, interact, and form alliances and bonds based on certain instituted and organized activities. Although underemployed in its educational potential, the use of digital platforms made it impossible to think of an education that excludes the internet and digital technologies.
Technologies for reducing water consumption by pineapples in the semi-arid region
Authors: Silva Bruno Soares da , Maia Victor Martins , Santos Silvânio Rodrigues dos , Pegoraro Rodinei Facco , Ferreira Evander Alves , Azevedo Alcinei Mistico , Santos João Rafael Prudêncio dos
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: In irrigated systems, the adoption of management methods like soil cover, polymers which absorb the water present in the soil and the utilization of shading screens can decrease the water consumption by the plants. This is achieved as these means protect the plant and soil against radiation and wavelengths of light undesirable for cultivation. However, for pineapple cultivation in the semi-arid climate regions, very little study has been done regarding these technologies. Hence, the present study conducted to assess the pineapple growth, production and quality when various kinds of soil cover, red shading screen and water absorption polymers are employed. To accomplish this, a field trial was performed utilizing four types of soil cover in the plots (plastic mulching; organic matter; organic matter + red shading screen 50%; plastic mulching + red shading screen 50% and the control (no cover).Two treatments were included in the subplots namely, either the absence or presence of a water-absorbing polymer in the planting hole (0.5 g per plant), arranged in subdivided plots. We adopted the Randomized Complete Block (RCB) , with three replications. The following aspects of the plants were studied: naturally flowering, stem diameter; leaf area index; D-leaf area and total leaf area; fruit weight with crown; fruit weight without crown; fruit length with crown; and fruit length without crown, as well as the traits of the post-harvest fruit, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH and the soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio. Further, the productivity in t ha-1 and efficiency of water use (EUA) were ascertained. It was evident that the plastic mulching + 50% red shading screen favored the vegetative development and productivity of the ‘IAC Fantástico’ pineapple plants. The characteristics of the quality of the postharvest fruit were unaffected by the treatments. The shading screen reduced the percentages of natural flowering in the treatments which included organic matter + red shading screen 50% and plastic mulching + red shading screen 50%.
Feline rabies caused by a viral variant of insectivorous bat
Authors: Amado Caio Maurício , Alberti Tainá dos Santos , Marcolongo-Pereira Clairton , Sousa Carolina Gonçalves de , Lorenzo Cíntia de , Schild Ana Lucia , Raffi Margarida Buss , Sallis Eliza Simone Viégas
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: Rabies is an invariably fatal infectious-contagious viral disease caused by viruses in the genus Lyssavirus, which affects the central nervous system of domestic and wild mammals. This study draws attention to the importance of insectivorous bats and domestic cats in the epidemiology of rabies. For this, two cases of rabies registered in domestic cats in the southeast region of Rio Grande do Sul were analyzed. Diagnoses were based on histological alterations and positive staining for the virus in direct immunofluorescence with confirmation by biological test, immunohistochemical evaluation and identification of the rabies virus variant by polymerase chain reaction. In Brazil, a change in the epidemiological profile of rabies has been observed, in which bats play a major role in the current chain of transmission of the disease. It is noteworthy, that the antigenic viral variant AgV-4, typical of the insectivorous bat Tadarida brasiliensis, was identified in the domestic cats affected in this study.
O gênero como uma chave analítica para explorar as concepções de jovens sobre a Ciência
Authors: Gava Thais , Unbehaum Sandra
Published: June 2024

Resumo: O presente artigo versa sobre as concepções de jovens sobre as ciências como um campo de atuação profissional, tendo o gênero como uma categoria analítica capaz de produzir novas possibilidades de intervenção no campo educacional. Centrado nas evocações de 1.100 estudantes do ensino médio de dez escolas do município de São Paulo, coletadas a partir de um questionário mais amplo, os resultados obtidos demonstraram que os estereótipos de gênero não só são criados, como também são mantidos por diversos grupos e organizações sociais que podem não visibilizar a necessária problematização de modo a ampliar a compreensão sobre as desigualdades no âmbito das trajetórias escolares e profissionais. Nesse sentido, reconhecer a escola como um importante agente socializador pode contribuir para a desconstrução de estereótipos que podem afetar a escolha de carreiras profissionais.
Explorando a Natureza da Ciência na entrevista cedida por Niels Bohr em 1962: implicações ao ensino de ciências
Authors: Raicik Anabel Cardoso
Published: June 2024

Resumo: Este artigo visa explorar aspectos relativos à Natureza da Ciência em partes de uma entrevista concedida por Niels Bohr a Thomas Kuhn, Léon Rosenfeld, Aage Petersen e Erik Rudinger, entre outubro e novembro de 1962. Procura-se contribuir para que discussões e reflexões sobre a ciência sejam promovidas no âmbito do ensino de ciências. Nessa perspectiva, estabelecem-se interlocuções entre trechos da entrevista e outros materiais históricos, como publicações do próprio Bohr e fontes secundárias de reconhecida relevância.
Growth and survival of Betta splendens fed microbial aggregates from ex-situ biofloc technology (BFT)
Authors: Stringhetta G. R. , Povh J. A. , Teixeira S. A. , Brasileiro L. O. , Spica L. N. , Sousa R. M. , Soares E. S. M. , Emerenciano M. G. C. , Corrêa-Filho R. A. C.
Published: June 2024

Abstract The betta (Betta splendens) is a carnivorous ornamental species that requires live food. In this study, we evaluated the growth and survival of Betta splendens fingerlings fed ex-situ biofloc (BFT). A total of 375 fingerlings (8.3 ± 4.1 mg and 0.8 ± 0.14 cm) were distributed into 15-L plastic tanks (n=25), with five replicates for each of the following treatments: (i) exclusive live food (LF100), (ii) exclusive biofloc (BFT100), (iii) live food supplemented with biofloc (LF100-BFT100), and a reduction of 15% (iv) and 30% (v) in live food with biofloc supplementation (LF85-BFT100 and LF70-BFT100, respectively). The fish were fed newly hatched brine shrimp (Artemia spp. nauplii) and/or fresh biofloc, twice daily, over a 16-day experimental period. Dietary supplementation of Beta splendens with ex-situ BFT (LF100-BFT100, LF85-BFT100, and LF70-BFT100) resulted in a similar final weight (P>0.05) compared to exclusive brine shrimp (LF100). Regarding total length, the fish in the LF100-BFT100 group were superior to those in the LF100 group (P<0.05). The LF100 and LF100-BFT100 groups showed survival rates of 100% and 98.4%, respectively, which were not statistically different (P>0.05). For all analyzed variables, fish exclusively fed biofloc (BFT100) exhibited unfavorable performance. These results indicate that dietary ex-situ biofloc supplementation, without reducing the supply of live food, can be an interesting alternative in the rearing of Betta splendens since biofloc improves growth performance and maintains a good survival rate.
Estudio teórico, numérico y experimental sobre la fuerza de arrastre en oscilaciones amortiguadas
Authors: Medina César
Published: June 2024

Se discute el error conceptual de suponer que en oscilaciones amortiguadas la fuerza de arrastre es despreciable cuando, en realidad, es la componente prevalente en la mayoría de los casos prácticos. El problema se trata sobre bases teóricas, experimentales y numéricas. En el estudio experimental, se mide el decrecimiento de la amplitud en función del tiempo en cinco sistemas masa-resorte construidos con cuerpos esféricos de distinto tamaño y densidad, y se plantea un nuevo método para la corrección del error de paralaje. En el análisis numérico, se desarrolla un modelo de amortiguamiento con un término semiempírico de ajuste variable. Los resultados muestran, en general, una muy buena concordancia entre los datos experimentales y el modelo numérico, demostrando que la fuerza de arrastre es la componente preponderante en el amortiguamiento de las oscilaciones, lo cual concuerda con predicciones teóricas basadas en el número de Reynolds. Se critica la falta de tratamiento de estas bases teóricas en los textos de uso habitual del ciclo básico universitario, y se previene sobre otro error conceptual, común en la práctica docente convencional, referido a procedimientos algebraicos y gráficos para controlar la validez de un modelo.
Deformed exponential function for complex argument: writing roots of polynomial equations with complex coefficients
Authors: Adami Paulo S. , Menin Olavo H. , Martinez Alexandre S.
Published: June 2024

The generalization of the logarithm and exponential functions proposed by Tsallis in 1988 has brought contributions in several areas in the last decades. Recently, we introduced a deformed exponential function that may assume negative or even complex values, but with the constrain of admitting only real arguments. We also showed the possibility of writing the roots of polynomial equations with real coefficients by using our generalization. Here, we present an extension of our deformed exponential function that admits complex argument. We show that our new generalization can address all the roots of polynomial equations up to the third degree even with complex coefficients.
IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF PRESSURE INJURY PREVENTION IN AN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
Authors: Martins Silvia Letícia Lima de Araújo , Cabral Maria Améllia Lopes , Fernandes Fábia Cheyenne Gomes de Morais , Policarpo Hérvora Santuzza Pereira Araújo , Fonseca Jucielly Ferreira da , Leal Nahadja Tahaynara Barros , Dantas Rodrigo Assis Neves , Dantas Daniele Vieira
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the effect of implementing a quality improvement project on the process of pressure injury prevention in an adult Intensive Care Unit. Method: a quality improvement project for the pressure injury prevention process was carried out in an adult Intensive Care Unit of a public hospital from November 2022 to July 2023. It was developed following the steps of an improvement cycle. The quality level of pressure injury prevention was measured before and after the interventions, using six quality criteria. Data collection for the first assessment was conducted in March 2023, retrospectively, referring to November and December 2022 and January 2023. Quality reassessment occurred in July 2023, also retrospectively, referring to April, May, and June 2023. Interventions included changes in records related to assistance in pressure injury prevention and education/awareness of the team on pressure injury prevention. Results: the initial quality assessment showed that the compliance level of pressure injury prevention was low, with virtually all criteria showing rates below 50%. After the interventions, there was an increase in compliance with almost all criteria. Conclusion: the use of a quality improvement project enabled the improvement of the pressure injury prevention process and contributed to the scientific community by corroborating the effectiveness of these projects in implementing pressure injury prevention programs, as well as prompting reflection on the multifactorial nature involved in this preventive process.
MELHORIA DA QUALIDADE DA PREVENÇÃO DE LESÃO POR PRESSÃO EM UMA UNIDADE DE TERAPIA INTENSIVA
Authors: Martins Silvia Letícia Lima de Araújo , Cabral Maria Améllia Lopes , Fernandes Fábia Cheyenne Gomes de Morais , Policarpo Hérvora Santuzza Pereira Araújo , Fonseca Jucielly Ferreira da , Leal Nahadja Tahaynara Barros , Dantas Rodrigo Assis Neves , Dantas Daniele Vieira
Published: June 2024

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da implementação de um projeto de melhoria da qualidade no processo de prevenção de lesão por pressão numa Unidade de Terapia Intensiva adulto. Método: Projeto de melhoria da qualidade do processo de prevenção de lesão por pressão, realizado em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva adulto, de um hospital público, no período de novembro/2022 a julho/2023. Foi desenvolvido seguindo as etapas de um ciclo de melhoria. O nível de qualidade da prevenção de lesão por pressão foi medido antes e depois das intervenções, utilizando seis critérios de qualidade. A coleta de dados da primeira avaliação foi realizada em março/2023, de forma retrospectiva, referente aos meses de novembro e dezembro/2022 e janeiro/2023. A reavaliação de qualidade ocorreu em julho de 2023, também de forma retrospectiva, referente aos meses de abril, maio e junho/2023. As intervenções incluíram mudanças nos registros relacionados à assistência na prevenção de LP e educação/sensibilização da equipe sobre prevenção de lesão por pressão. Resultados: A avaliação inicial da qualidade mostrou que o nível de conformidade de prevenção de lesão por pressão era baixo, com praticamente todos os critérios apresentando taxas inferiores a 50%. Após as intervenções, houve aumento na conformidade de quase todos os critérios. Conclusão: A utilização de um projeto de melhoria de qualidade possibilitou a melhora do processo de prevenção de lesão por pressão e contribuiu com a comunidade científica, ao corroborar a eficácia destes projetos na implementação de programas de prevenção lesão por pressão, bem como incitou a reflexão acerca da multifatorialidade envolvida neste processo preventivo.