bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary test of a spanish version of the group engagement measure to advance evidence based practice in groups
Authors: Macgowan Mark J. , Tapia María Isabel , Cañizares Catalina
Published: January 2025

Evidence-based practice in groups includes research-based measures to assess group processes and outcomes. However, there are few evidence-based, culturally relevant instruments that can assist professionals in delivering evidence-based groups in Spanish to increase participant’s engagement and retention.  This paper describes a project to translate a reliable and valid English version of the Group Engagement Measure (GEM) into Spanish and its relevancy to improve research outcomes when implementing socio-educational interventions in communities with family participation. The process of translation was deliberate and methodical, which produced a Spanish version for empirical testing named Medida de Compromiso en Trabajo Grupal (GEM-27). The measure demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of .94, and a low standard error of measurement (3.74). As a part of evidence-based practice in groups, the Spanish GEM can help advance the measurement of important connections in the group, strengthening the helpfulness of group work in Spanish countries.
.
Práctica reflexiva en la formación de profesionales: adecuación de programas basados en evidencia en contextos locales
Authors: Borrego-Tarragó Alícia , González-Pasarín Lucía , Segarra-Ayllón Laura , Balsells M. Àngels
Published: January 2025

La formación de los y las profesionales de servicios sociales es una pieza clave para la incorporación y consolidación de buenas prácticas en parentalidad positiva. Pero la implementación de los programas basados en evidencia plantea también la necesidad de adaptarlos a los contextos de aplicación, así como la incorporación de ajustes en la propia organización de los servicios. La investigación internacional está mostrando avances para lograr un ajuste entre las exigencias científicas y la realidad profesional en la implementación de los programas de apoyo familiar. Este articulo presenta los resultados de una investigación dirigida a la implementación y evaluación del “Programa de atención integral a niños, niñas, adolescentes y sus familias en situación de riesgo” por parte de los servicios sociales del Ayuntamiento de Lleida. El objetivo del artículo fue analizar si la práctica reflexiva como una metodología formativa de los profesionales contribuye no solo a la adquisición de competencias para llevar a cabo la metodología del Programa, sino también a realizar las adaptaciones necesarias del Programa con las garantías científicas y promover los cambios en la organización del servicio. Se empleó una metodología participativa basada en la práctica reflexiva. Los participantes de la investigación fueron un total de 60 profesionales. La recogida de información se realizó con un diario de campo y un diario de seguimiento, analizado mediante análisis de contenido. Los resultados mostraron que la práctica reflexiva fue una estrategia válida para la formación de las profesionales que implementan un Programa basado en la evidencia; y para establecer un diálogo iterativo entre investigadores, responsables institucionales y profesionales de la práctica, posibilitando tanto la adaptación del Programa al contexto como de la organización de los Servicios.
Las niñas cuentan: narrativas sobre la violencia machista desde una perspectiva feminista
Authors: Otero Gutiérrez Gema , Cárdenas-Rodríguez Rocío , Monreal Gimeno Mª Carmen
Published: January 2025

La violencia contra las mujeres es un problema estructural y multidimensional que afecta a millones de mujeres y niñas en todo el planeta. Desde las investigaciones feministas se ha identificado y conceptualizado aquellos dispositivos que permiten el sostenimiento de un sistema que oprime a más de la mitad de la población. Esta investigación ha tenido como objetivo principal evidenciar desde una perspectiva feminista cómo las niñas reconocen y verbalizan la violencia y la opresión estructural a la que son sometidas en su vida cotidiana. Para ello, se utilizó una metodología cualitativa a través del análisis de contenido de narrativas en base a un sistema de categorías. La muestra del universo poblacional estuvo compuesta por 50 alumnas de 5.º y 6.º de primaria de 5 centros educativos públicos de las provincias de Sevilla y Córdoba. Los resultados más destacados señalaron que las niñas identifican y verbalizan situaciones personales, prácticas cotidianas, relatos, imaginarios e idearios que normalizan la violencia contra las mujeres en su día a día. Las niñas que identificaron y tomaron conciencia de su opresión desplegaron estrategias de resistencia, denuncia, rebeldía o sororidad entre ellas para hacer frente a las diferentes formas de violencia con las que conviven.
Estudo comparado do financiamento de políticas de ampliação da jornada escolar no Brasil e no Uruguai
Authors: Diniz Júnior Carlos Antônio
Published: January 2025

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar, comparativamente, as estratégias de financiamento de políticas de ampliação da jornada escolar no Brasil, através do Programa Mais Educação (PME), e no Uruguai, por meio das Escuelas de Tiempo Completo (ETCs). Tendo como referência o estudo comparado em educação, empregou-se a pesquisa documental, a partir de documentos normativos da referidas políticas, bem como a pesquisa bibliográfica, por meio de estudos realizados no campo. Entre os resultados, constatou-se o alinhamento das estratégias de financiamento do Programa Mais Educação e das Escuelas de Tiempo Completo às orientações que sustentaram as reformas educacionais da década de 1990, seja pela busca da ampliação da jornada escolar sem o aumento dos recursos financeiros para a área; ou pelo financiamento a partir de empréstimos junto a organizações financeiras internacionais.
Representações de mães com filhos
Authors: Loureiro Carine Bueira , Okuyama Fábio Yoshimitsu
Published: January 2025

O objetivo deste artigo é problematizar os resultados da pesquisa Mães com filhos: interpretações do ChatGPT, que analisou as interpretações oferecida pelo ChatGPT em relação à descrições de imagens coletadas no Google a partir do descritor "mãe com filho”. O conceito-ferramenta foucaultiano de discurso foi utilizado como operador analítico das interpretações obtidas. Os resultados desmontraram que o chatbot reproduz nas suas interpretações o racismo estrutural presente na sociedade brasileira. Defende-se que a educação escolarizada esteja comprometida com uma formação mais democrática e crítica, tanto no que diz respeito aos conhecimentos científicos quanto em relação a nossa atuação enquando sujeito ativos em uma sociedade digitalizada.
Educação tecnológica na era da plataformização
Authors: Kirchof Edgar Roberto , Junior Vital Pereira dos Santos , Russini Augusto
Published: January 2025

Este artigo apresenta uma discussão sobre a plataformização da educação tecnológica, utilizando como estudo de caso o sistema educacional da Cisco Systems, denominado Academia Cisco. Visto que a Cisco foi uma das primeiras grandes empresas de tecnologia do Vale do Silício a instituir um modelo plataformizado de ensino, já na década de 1990, oferece um exemplo paradigmático para compreender esse fenômeno. Baseando-se nos estudos da Escola de Amsterdã, o artigo inicia apresentando um panorama dos estudos atuais sobre a plataformização da educação. Em seguida, investiga como a Academia Cisco mobiliza os três principais mecanismos de plataformização - datatificação, comodificação e seleção.
ПОВЕЉА КРАЉА СТЈЕПАНА ОСТОЈИЋА ДУБРОВНИКУ КОЈОМ ПОТВРЂУЈЕ ПОВЕЉЕ СВОЈИХ ПРЕТХОДНИКА
Authors: Исаиловић Невен
Published: January 2025

Рад представља критичко издање повеље босанског краља Стјепана Остојића којом су Дубровчанима потврђене повластице и уговори које су имали са претходним босанским владарима, а пре свега са краљем Твртком I (1378) и краљем Остојом (1399, 1409), оцем и непосредним претходником краља Стјепана Остојића. Дубровачка петиција дошла је, у редовној процедури, након смене на босанском престолу (у јесен 1418), али су издавању повеље претходили затегнути односи новог краља и Дубровчана, а преговори су се одужили због турске опасности и краљевих неочекиваних захтева. Анализом формулара ове повеље долази се до изразито значајних сазнања, имајући у виду да се ради о првом документу уговорно-повластичног типа који је закључен између Босне и Дубровника према обрасцу који је иначе био намењен даровницама издаваним дестинатарима из босанске државе. Рад садржи преглед историјских околности настанка исправе, њен опис, текст и превод на модерни српски језик, преглед дипломатичких особености и појмовнике.
ТЕСТАМЕНТ ГОСПОЂЕ ЈЕЛЕНЕ, УДОВИЦЕ ВОЈВОДЕ САНДАЉА, СА ДВИЈЕ ПРИЗНАНИЦЕ СТЕФАНА ВУКЧИЋА КОСАЧЕ, ЊЕГОВЕ ЖЕНЕ ЈЕЛЕНЕ И СИНА ВЛАДИСЛАВА О ПРИМИТКУ НАСЉЕДСТВА
Authors: Драгичевић Павле
Published: January 2025

У раду је анализиран тестамент Јелене, ћерке кнеза Лазара Хребељановића и удовице великог војводе Сандаља Хранића Косаче, заједно са двије признанице њених насљедника о примитку насљедства, које заједно са тестаментом сачињавају једну дипломатичку цјелину. У раду се, кроз анализу доступних историјских извора, настоји прецизније утврдити вријеме Јеленине смрти које је у историографији још увијек предмет извјесних недоумица. Рад садржи ново издање текста тестамента и признаница на старосрпском и превод на модерни српски језик, заједно са читљивим факсимилима. У посебним поглављима детаљно су анализирани појмови, топоними и личности које се помињу у напријед наведеним документима.
Unified Consulting Service of the Federal Customs Service of Russia as the basis for customer-oriented administration of customs authorities
Authors: Bobrova Anna Vladimirovna
Published: January 2025

The subject of the study is customs services, namely the implementation of a client-oriented approach in the provision of consulting services by customs authorities to the participants in foreign economic relations. The object of the study is the customs authorities and the customs services they provide. The purpose of the study is to form the principles of building and structure of the Unified Consulting Service of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, which allows not only to provide high-quality customs services to participants in foreign economic relations, but also to evaluate the performance indicators of customs authorities in this direction. The study pays special attention to the principles of work of customs authorities in the provision of information and consulting services for participants in foreign economic activity and problems arising during the implementation of these functions. The possibility of forming a special advisory service of the Federal Customs Service of Russia is being considered. The methodological basis of the study was a comparative analysis of the current system of appeals and complaints on the website of the Federal Customs Service of Russia and the proposed Unified Consulting Service, in particular, the fundamental principle of the transition from information to consulting services. The novelty of the research lies in substantiating the necessity and expediency of creating a Unified consulting Service of the Federal Customs Service of Russia and in forming the principles of its functioning. The study revealed a discrepancy in the approaches of customs authorities to the provision of services, the attitude towards them as a form of control, moreover, with the replacement of the concept of consulting, in fact, informing participants in foreign economic relations. It was also shown that the principles of the formation of consulting services are not presented systematically and in full, and their implementation is hindered not so much by the lack of regulatory regulation as by the attitude of customs officials to the administration process as a control function. The results of the study can be used by the country's legislature to amend regulatory legal acts on the regulation of customs services and customs authorities to bring relations with participants in foreign economic relations to a new level with an assessment of the quality of services provided. The article develops recommendations for the creation of a Unified Consulting Service of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, in particular, the principles of its formation and organizational structure are proposed, and the need for its creation is justified.
The genealogical and topographic method of reconstruction of the Russian city of the XVII – XVIII centuries. (Using the example of Orel city).
Authors: Kushelev Il'ya Evgen'evich
Published: January 2025

The article presents the experience of reconstructing the ancestral composition of all groups of the military population of the city of Orel, as well as the Posadsky in the period at the junction of the Middle Ages and Modern Times. Based on the correlation: the service unit (surname) is the yard, an attempt is made to see the internal urban dynamics of urban settlements through observation of the demographic process. In each settlement, groups of surnames were identified that persisted throughout the entire period under review and later. According to the author's hypothesis, this stable element of the urban population in the future, when compared with the yard reconstruction during the General Surveying of 1778, which is conducted in parallel, will help clarify the contours of the layout of the Orel city of an earlier time. The fate of the indigenous population of the Orel city is revealed in inextricable connection with the peculiarities of the settlement system and its transformation in history. The study was conducted on the material of an impressive volume of sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, as well as newly identified: Census books of the city of Orel of the XVII century in the period from 1638 to 1697, Painted lists and Estimated murals of the Orel voivodes of 1635-1664, the first four revisions (1718–1782). The comparative method was mainly used. The result of the work carried out already at this stage are conclusions about the preservation of the indigenous population of Orel from the second quarter of the XVII century to the present day, about the direct connection of this tribal stability with the retention of the territorial framework of the city since the XVI century. The methodology is proposed and the calculation of the population of the Orel city in the XVI century is made based on the area of urban arable land. The process of socio-economic transformation of the Orel city from a city of ploughmen warriors to a city of artisans and merchants has been revealed, its beginning is dated to the first half of the XVIII century. The generally accepted views on the territorial growth of the city, on the "nutrition" of its external influx of population are questioned, the relations of the city and the village are radically revised – the fact of the "exodus" of the indigenous military population of Orel after the Catherine reform to the rural agglomeration around the city, its preservation until the October Revolution, is established. In general, the flexible ratio of factors of stability and transformation of the city over time, the nonlinearity of these processes is shown.
Motivational component in teaching foreign languages in Russian universities
Authors: Makarova Anna
Published: January 2025

The author proposes conceptual motivational strategies and methods that can be used by teachers to support and develop student motivation in the process of teaching foreign languages in the conditions of a modern post-industrial society interested in professionals, both in production resources and in methods of creative activity. Since students' motivation to learn is the engine of the educational process, teachers can provide personal information to all participants in the educational process and implement the maximum number of educational materials to increase the effectiveness of educational activities.The subject of this study is motivational strategies and methods that can be used by teachers to support and develop student motivation in the process of learning a foreign language. A combination of the following methods was used: motivational conversation-interview; focus group method; survey of an expanded student population; analysis and processing of survey results and compilation of tables of statistical data; a method of observing students' behavior and actions during learning. A total of 1104 students from 45 groups were surveyed. The objectives of this study included the following: 1. Identifying and analyzing factors that positively or negatively influence the internal and external motivation of students to learn foreign languages. 2. Developing and evaluating the effectiveness of methodological approaches, programs and tools that help stimulate students’ motivation to learn foreign languages. 3. Considering family and teacher as a source of motivation for students. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive consideration of various aspects of the motivational component of training translators and foreign language teachers. Both motivating and demotivating factors influencing the internal and external motivation of students to learn foreign languages have been identified and analyzed. Practical recommendations and tools have been developed to encourage university students to study effectively.
The effectiveness of the system of training translators and teachers of foreign languages in Russia in terms of their motivation to study
Authors: Makarova Anna
Published: January 2025

The purpose of the study is to identify possible problems and causes of insufficient motivation of students of Moscow International University in the field of Linguistics to study foreign languages, as well as to develop ways to eliminate these problems to improve the effectiveness of the training system for translators and teachers of foreign languages in Russia. The following methods were used: individual and group interviews, the method of focus groups using brainstorming, writing creative reasoning-essays, questionnaires, analysis of statistical data and a review of scientific literature. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that it allowed to develop recommendations on the implementation of systemic changes in the organizational work of universities to increase students' motivation to study. The results of the study can be used to develop strategic plans for the development of education in conditions of international isolation. Based on the results of the study, the following recommendations were developed: 1. The use of blended learning opportunities provides flexibility, interactivity, individualization, diversity and instant feedback. A balance should be maintained between independent work and online consultations, setting aside enough time for students to interact personally with classmates and teachers. 2. It is recommended to set marks based on the results of current academic performance. This provides students with clear goals, feedback, supports active participation in the learning process and significantly reduces stress levels. 3. It is important to use a 10-point mark system characterized by simplicity and clarity, a wider range of grades, the possibility of differentiating academic performance levels and a more accurate measurement of the level of knowledge. 4. The transition to a consistent modular study of disciplines gives you the opportunity to choose and control over learning. 5. Investing in point-to-point construction of dormitories at universities will eliminate most of the factors that demotivate students: fatigue during long journeys, morning inefficiency, problems with punctuality, loss of time and limitation of extracurricular interaction.
On the issue of teaching foreign languages in non-linguistic educational institutions.
Authors: Kalugina Kseniya Viktorovna
Published: January 2025

Nowadays, learning foreign languages is an important aspect of modern human life. The article discusses methods of effective teaching of a foreign language in non-linguistic educational institutions. Author studies methods of learning foreign languages in non-linguistic educational institutions. When researching the topic, many questions arose: is there a relationship between mastering a foreign language and the teacher's attitude to the discipline being taught? What factors influence the learning of foreign languages ? Is it possible to form an interest in a subject through curiosity in the learning process ? How to increase the motivation of students in learning a foreign language in non-linguistic institutions ? The main task was to find ways to solve the development of educational material in the absence of interest in the subject. To implement it, theoretical aspects, statistics of foreign language learning among 1st and 2nd year students of a non-linguistic educational institution based on a questionnaire, practical methods of mastering foreign language material were used. The results were expected: students are partially involved in the language environment due to ignorance of grammatical basics and their application in practice, misunderstanding of foreign language speech when using audio-linguistic means of communication and, as a result, the inability to build monological and dialogical speech. Based on the survey data, it can be concluded that the majority of students are focused on the fact that learning a foreign language is necessary in the future. Naturally, a conscious interest and incentive would be comfortable conditions for productive language learning, but for students of non-core specialties this is more a utopia than fertile ground. In this regard, there are questions about learning and teaching foreign languages. The main condition in learning a foreign language is motivation.
Diversity in Notch ligand-receptor signaling interactions
Authors: Kuintzle Rachael , Santat Leah A , Elowitz Michael B
Published: January 2025

The Notch signaling pathway uses families of ligands and receptors to transmit signals to nearby cells. These components are expressed in diverse combinations in different cell types, interact in a many-to-many fashion, both within the same cell (in cis) and between cells (in trans), and their interactions are modulated by Fringe glycosyltransferases. A fundamental question is how the strength of Notch signaling depends on which pathway components are expressed, at what levels, and in which cells. Here, we used a quantitative, bottom-up, cell-based approach to systematically characterize trans-activation, cis-inhibition, and cis-activation signaling efficiencies across a range of ligand and Fringe expression levels in Chinese hamster and mouse cell lines. Each ligand (Dll1, Dll4, Jag1, and Jag2) and receptor variant (Notch1 and Notch2) analyzed here exhibited a unique profile of interactions, Fringe dependence, and signaling outcomes. All four ligands were able to bind receptors in cis and in trans, and all ligands trans-activated both receptors, although Jag1-Notch1 signaling was substantially weaker than other ligand-receptor combinations. Cis-interactions were predominantly inhibitory, with the exception of the Dll1- and Dll4-Notch2 pairs, which exhibited cis-activation stronger than trans-activation. Lfng strengthened Delta-mediated trans-activation and weakened Jagged-mediated trans-activation for both receptors. Finally, cis-ligands showed diverse cis-inhibition strengths, which depended on the identity of the trans-ligand as well as the receptor. The map of receptor-ligand-Fringe interaction outcomes revealed here should help guide rational perturbation and control of the Notch pathway.
Equitable forms of participation on a gaming-adjacent platform
Authors: Rusk Fredrik , Ståhl Matilda , Nyman Isac
Published: January 2025

To connect with youth online, a non-profit organization in Finland is organizing a youth center on a server on the gaming-adjacent social platform, Discord. We focus on the infrastructuralized platform and study ethnographically how the labor of moderation and technical competencies that platforms require on the part of the youth workers. We want to better understand the technical conditions by which youth workers have to navigate equity in platformized communities. How does the platform and connected infrastructure determine what forms of communication and interaction are and are not permitted and when and to whom? The results indicate that the employment of opening hours and the presence of youth workers who actively moderate the server during those opening hours, seem to create a safe space for a diversity of youth. The moderation, largely invisible and frictionless, becomes an intricate part of the infrastructuralized platform and the socialization on the platform. This infrastructuralized moderation requires technical, pedagogical and psychological knowledge, competence and resources.
Urban Rituals in the “longue durée”: Permanence and Changes
Authors:   University Côte d’Azur, Nice (France), Fournier Laurent Sébastien
Published: January 2025

What does the perspective of the longue durée bring to the anthropological analysis of urban rituals? In this essay, I will propose an approach to European urban rituals based on historical anthropology. Such an approach aids in analyzing the different types of rituals through history, but also to study the evolution of the social representations of the city. In the longue durée, historical anthropology enables one to focus on permanence as well as on changes. Using different historical and ethnographical examples of urban festivals, I will present, on the one hand, some major invariant structures of European urban rituals, and on the other hand, some of their modern transformations. The notions of play, authority and social structure will be questioned first in order to understand the age of some rituals. The notions of mobility, rationality and cultural economy will then be used to trace back the major contemporary innovations in the field of urban rituals. Comparing older and newer features of European urban rituals will eventually relate to the general evolving perceptions of the seasonal annual cycle.
The Festival Dedicated to Agios (Saint) Nektarios in his Monastery on the Island of Aegina, Greece
Authors:   Government Scholar (Norwegian, statsstipendiat), Arts Council, Norway, Håland Evy Johanne
Published: January 2025

In Greece the festival dedicated to the healing saint, Agios Nektarios, is celebrated on the island of Aegina on 9 November. This is an important healing festival dedicated to one of the most recently deceased saints; that is, the former bishop of Pentapolis, who lived a secluded life on Aegina until his death in 1920. The bishop was canonised as Agios Nektarios in 1961, becoming the island’s patron saint. His monastery is situated in a geographical area where the cult of deceased holy persons has been particularly important. A key ritual during the festival is connected with a chapel that is reserved to women. This chapel is part of the monastery dedicated to the saint and housing his skull. When I first visited the monastery in 1990, I learnt that Agios Nektarios’ relics reposed in more than eighteen churches in Greece and Cyprus. Today this has changed, since his relics have been spread out among many more sanctuaries, inside and outside of Greece; that is, worldwide. His body is indeed of the highest importance for the worshippers, and although several churches both in Greece and abroad today have a share of it, the main pilgrimage centre on Aegina possesses the most important part: his head that rests in a crown made of gold, while the saint’s relics repose in a casket inside his chapel.
The article is based on fieldwork which I have carried out on Aegina where I attended the festival in 1991, 2011 and 2012. The study explores especially into the healing function of the festival both for Greeks and the many pilgrims coming from abroad, especially from Romania.
Expectation maximization—vector approximate message passing based generalized linear model for channel estimation in intelligent reflecting surface-assisted millimeter multi-user multiple-input multiple-output systems
Authors: K Shoukath Ali , Philip Sajan P , Khan Arfat Ahmad , Moses Leeban , Cengiz Korhan , Akleylek Sedat , Ivković Nikola
Published: January 2025

Channel estimation poses a main challenge in intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted millimeter wave (mmWave) multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems due to the substantial number of antennas at the base station (BS) and the passive reflective elements within the IRS lacking sufficient signal processing capabilities. This article addresses this challenge by proposing a channel estimation technique for IRS-assisted mmWave MIMO systems. The problem of channel estimation is normally taken as a compressed sensing (CS) problem, typically addressed through algorithms such as Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP), Generalized Approximate Message Passing (GAMP), and Vector Approximate Message Passing with Expectation-Maximization (EM-VAMP). EM-VAMP demonstrates better performance only when a Gaussian mixture (GM) distribution is chosen as the prior for the sparse channel, especially at high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). To address this, the article introduces the application of generalized linear models (GLMs), extensions of standard linear models, providing increased flexibility in modeling data that deviates from Gaussian distribution. Numerical results unveil that the proposed Its EM-VAMP-GLM is much more robust to the existing OMP, GAMP and EM-LAMP algorithms.
Improving drug–target affinity prediction by adaptive self-supervised learning
Authors: Ye Qing , Sun Yaxin
Published: January 2025

Computational drug-target affinity prediction is important for drug screening and discovery. Currently, self-supervised learning methods face two major challenges in drug-target affinity prediction. The first difficulty lies in the phenomenon of sample mismatch: self-supervised learning processes drug and target samples independently, while actual prediction requires the integration of drug-target pairs. Another challenge is the mismatch between the broadness of self-supervised learning objectives and the precision of biological mechanisms of drug-target affinity (i.e., the induced-fit principle). The former focuses on global feature extraction, while the latter emphasizes the importance of local precise matching. To address these issues, an adaptive self-supervised learning-based drug-target affinity prediction (ASSLDTA) was designed. ASSLDTA integrates a novel adaptive self-supervised learning (ASSL) module with a high-level feature learning network to extract the feature. The ASSL leverages a large amount of unlabeled training data to effectively capture low-level features of drugs and targets. Its goal is to maximize the retention of original feature information, thereby bridging the objective gap between self-supervised learning and drug-target affinity prediction and alleviating the sample mismatch problem. The high-level feature learning network, on the other hand, focuses on extracting effective high-level features for affinity prediction through a small amount of labeled data. Through this two-stage feature extraction design, each stage undertakes specific tasks, fully leveraging the advantages of each model while efficiently integrating information from different data sources, providing a more accurate and comprehensive solution for drug-target affinity prediction. In our experiments, ASSLDTA is much better than other deep methods, and the result of ASSLDTA is significantly increased by learning adaptive self-supervised learning-based features, which validates the effectiveness of our ASSLDTA.
Integrating humanoid robots with human musicians for synchronized musical performances
Authors: Lau MengCheng , Anderson John , Baltes Jacky
Published: January 2025

Entertainment robotics has garnered significant attention in recent years, with researchers focusing on developing robots capable of performing a variety of tasks, including magic, drawing, dancing, and music. This article presents our research on forming a musical band that includes both humanoid robots and human musicians, with the goal of achieving natural synchronization and collaboration during musical performances. We utilized two of our humanoid robots for this project: Polaris, a mid-sized humanoid robot, as the drummer, and Oscar, a Robotis-OP3 humanoid robot, as the keyboardist. The technical implementation incorporated essential components such as visual servoing, human-robot interaction, and Robot Operating System (ROS), enabling seamless communication and coordination between the humanoid robots and the human musicians. The success of this collaborative effort can be both seen and heard through the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/pFOyt1KKCfY?feature=shared.
The non-indigenous dung beetle (Onthophagus nuchicornis) can effectively reproduce using the dung of indigenous eastern North American mammals
Authors: Indigo Alexe , Stokes Katelyn , Burchell Olivia , Manning Paul
Published: January 2025

Non-indigenous dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) species in North America are important contributors to ecosystem functions, particularly in pasture-based livestock systems. Despite the significant body of research surrounding non-indigenous (and often invasive) dung beetles in agricultural contexts, there has been minimal study concerning the impact that these species may have on indigenous dung beetle populations in natural environments. Here we examine the possible impact of the introduced dung beetle Onthophagus nuchicornis on indigenous dung beetle populations via use of indigenous mammal dung. Using a controlled laboratory experiment, we quantified how readily beetles could use dung from bobcat (Lynx rufus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), moose (Alces alces), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and domestic sheep (Ovis aries). To determine the suitability of each dung type for reproduction, we measured offspring abundance and fitness. While the number of developed offspring was significantly different among treatments, offspring fitness did not vary significantly across dung types. Our results demonstrate the generalist feeding habits of the non-indigenous dung beetle O. nuchicornis can allow this species to use the dung of various wild animals indigenous to eastern North America.
Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Cancer Patients: A Cross-sectional Study from Regional Cancer Care Centre, Gujarat, India
Authors: Patel Hirenkumar Ashokbhai , Patel Foram Maulin
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Hepatitis C infection is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). It is one of the major risk factors for acute to chronic liver diseases, such as altered liver functions, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure. Additionally, the HCV poses significant risks to cancer patients undergoing treatment. Understanding the prevalence of HCV infection in cancer patients is crucial.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of HCV infection in patients attending a cancer care hospital which may help in the early detection of HCV infection and prevent complications.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out with patients attending the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute (GCRI), a tertiary care cancer hospital in Gujarat, India, between August 2018 and December 2019 in the Department of Microbiology. A total of 45,886 serum samples were collected and screened for HCV using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). All demographic and clinical information was documented for analysis. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for data analysis.

Results: The study revealed a prevalence of HCV infection of 190 (0.41%) among the cohort. Adult patients residing in rural areas exhibited higher rates of HCV positivity. Solid tumours, particularly those of the digestive system, accounted for 112 (58.9%) of the HCV-positive cases. The surgical oncology units reported the highest proportion of HCV-positive patients, with 115 (60.5%) cases. Risk factors such as blood transfusion and radiotherapy were associated with HCV transmission. Notably, 101 (53.2%) of the positive patients had no identifiable risk factors.

Conclusion: Routine screening for blood-borne viruses in cancer patients, especially before immunosuppressive treatments, is crucial. Comprehensive prevention strategies, including the promotion of injection safety, blood safety through screening, and infection control measures, are essential in healthcare settings. These findings underscore the significance of national guidelines and surveillance activities to combat HCV infection effectively
nferior Vena Cava Filter and Catheter-based Thrombolysis for Treatment of Massive Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Case Report
Authors: Mangudkar Sangram S , Shinde Sanket Genuji , Lingneni Varun Bhaskar , Malik Satbir Kaur , Nallani Sai Sirisha
Published: January 2025

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a subtype of Venous Thromboembolism (VT) is more likely to occur in areas such as the lower leg, thigh or pelvis when vessel wall damage, blood flow stasis and hypercoagulability are present. Untreated DVT in the lower extremities can enlarge and result in further complications such as Post Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS) and an elevated risk of pulmonary thromboembolism. Prothrombotic anomalies may arise as a result of a variety of circumstances including the degree and type of infection, inflammation, bed rest, the use of mechanical ventilators and venous catheterisation. The rise in DVT cases in recent years along with thrombus complications in various patient populations calls for customised DVT care and intervention. This research was carried out on a young man without any notable medical history and no history of addictions who arrived complaining of severe swelling that had developed over the course of a day, affecting his left lower limb. A bilateral lower limb doppler ultrasound suggested thrombosis in the popliteal vein, great saphenous vein, deep femoral vein and common femoral vein in the left lower limb. Low molecular weight heparin injection was used to treat the patient. However, as the patient had not shown any significant signs of clinical improvement, an Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter was inserted to prevent pulmonary thromboembolism, and catheter-based thrombolysis was performed to break down clots and restore blood flow, thereby reducing the risk of long-term complications like PTS. Following recovery, the patient was discharged on oral anticoagulants and is currently on regular follow-up.
Polymorphism of Dehydrocholesterol Reductase (DHCR7) Gene and its Effects on Metabolic Components of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Women: A Cross-sectional Study from Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern India
Authors: Banerjee Susmita , Mukherjee Shuvankar , Dasgupta Anindya , Ghosh Palash Kusum
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder characterised by various metabolic derangements with multiple origins, one of which may be linked to vitamin D metabolism. Vitamin D deficiency in individuals with PCOS not only leads to reduced bone mineralisation but also exacerbates the various symptoms associated with the condition. The role of gene variants involved in vitamin D metabolism in PCOS suggests an association with metabolic and endocrine parameters in the general population.

Aim: To investigate the association of the DHCR7 gene with metabolic and endocrine parameters, including 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D {25(OH)D} levels, in women with PCOS.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, from January 2018 to February 2020. A total of 128 women with PCOS and agematched healthy controls were enrolled. All participants were aged between 16 and 45 years. Anthropometric, metabolic, and endocrine tests were performed on both the control (n=50) and PCOS groups (case group, n=78). Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with suitable primers, followed by restriction digestion using Taq1 enzyme, was used to identify Dehydrocholesterol Reductase (DHCR7) gene polymorphism in women with PCOS in Eastern India. Observations were documented regarding the associations with PCOS susceptibility. The data evaluation was conducted using Statiscal Package sfor Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The mean age was 26.73±7.4 years for PCOS subjects and 27.68±9.2 years for healthy controls. The genotypic frequency between the two groups did not differ significantly (p-value=0.165). However, there were significant differences in Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) with a p-value of 0.029 and Waisthip Ratio (WHR) with a p-value of 0.05 among the individual genotypes. The lipid profile and endocrine parameters did not differ significantly between the individual genotypes.

Conclusion: No statistically significant association was found between DHCR7 polymorphism and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25- OHD) levels, as well as other metabolic parameters. However, it was observed that the susceptibility of individual genotypes in women with PCOS to alterations in certain parameters was directly related to the aggravation of symptoms and the risk of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS).
Navigating Patient Satisfaction: A Qualitative Insight into Healthcare Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Saeed Shazina , Singhal Manmohan , Shannawaz Mohd , Arora Mandeep Kumar
Published: January 2025

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted healthcare delivery systems worldwide, necessitating a re-evaluation of patient satisfaction metrics and experiences within this altered landscape. These changes, while ensuring continuity of care, posed unique challenges, including accessibility, technological adaptation and the maintenance of the quality of patient interactions. In addition, healthcare facilities faced immense strain due to resource allocation, workforce shortages and heightened safety protocols. This unprecedented shift underscores the need to explore how these systemic adaptations have influenced patient satisfaction and shaped their overall healthcare experience in a postpandemic context.

Aim: To explore the qualitative aspects of patient satisfaction in healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying key factors that influenced patient experiences and perceptions.

Materials and Methods: A qualitative research design was employed, utilising an in-depth interviews with patients who accessed healthcare services during the pandemic. The study was conducted in New Delhi, India, among COVID-19 survivors during the period of July 2023 to June 2024. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of Amity University (AUUP/IEC/2023/4). Thematic analysis was conducted to identify common themes and insights regarding patient satisfaction. Statistical analysis was performed using the R platform for data visualisation and thematic analysis.

Results: The findings revealed several critical themes influencing patient satisfaction, including the accessibility of healthcare services, the quality of communication from healthcare providers, adjustments to telehealth services and the emotional support patients received during their care. Patients expressed both challenges and positive experiences, highlighting the importance of empathy and understanding in healthcare interactions.

Conclusion: The study underscores the need for healthcare systems to adapt to evolving patient needs and expectations, particularly in crisis situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants expressed a range of emotions, from frustration to gratitude, highlighting the complexities of navigating healthcare during an unprecedented time. Enhancing communication, increasing accessibility and fostering emotional support are essential strategies to improve patient satisfaction in future healthcare delivery.
Early Markers of Liver Fibrosis in Children with Beta-thalassaemia Major: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Aggarwal Himani , Verma Monica , Bhalla Shuchi , Yadav Dinkar , Bhalla Kapil , Soni Abhishek
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Hepatic fibrosis secondary to iron overload in beta-thalassaemia is a known complicating factor. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard; however, it is burdened with a multitude of risks, highlighting the need for ongoing studies to evaluate the risk of fibrosis using less invasive methods.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of non invasive liver parameters such as the Aspartate Aminotransferase to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and the Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) in detecting liver fibrosis, as well as the potential of YKL-40 (tyrosine (Y), lysine (K), leucine (L)) as an early marker of liver dysfunction by correlating it with Transient Elastography (TE) in children with beta-thalassaemia major receiving regular transfusions.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, along with the Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, at Pt. B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, Haryana, India, between January 2020 and February 2022. The study consisted of 75 paediatric patients with beta-thalassaemia major. Early markers for liver fibrosis were evaluated using serum YKL-40 levels, APRI, and FIB-4 scores, which were then compared to fibrosis scores obtained from TE. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 10.71±2.54 {mean±Standard Deviation (SD)} years, with a median age of 11 years and an age range of 6 to 16 years. In terms of diagnostic performance, YKL-40 (pg/mL) emerged as the best parameter regarding both Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) Curve (AUROC) and sensitivity, demonstrating its strong ability to detect liver fibrosis. At a cut-off of APRI ≥0.356, APRI performed best in terms of specificity (98%). The AUROC for APRI was 0.937 (95% CI: 0.84-1), indicating very strong predictive capability and statistical significance (p<0.001). YKL40 (pg/mL) emerged as the most effective parameter for negative predictive value, with an AUROC of 0.971 (95% CI: 0.924-1) in predicting fibrosis. Overall, both YKL-40 and APRI showed the highest diagnostic accuracy, highlighting their complementary roles in assessing liver dysfunction.

Conclusion: Regular transfusions in beta-thalassaemia major often lead to iron overload and liver fibrosis. Non invasive tools like APRI, FIB-4, and the biomarker YKL-40 show promise as alternatives to biopsy and elastography, enabling earlier detection and intervention.