bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of patient-reported measures in epilepsy care: the Calgary Comprehensive Epilepsy Program experience
Authors: Delgado-García Guillermo , Wiebe Samuel , Josephson Colin B.
Published: October 2021

The regular use of patient-reported measures (PRMs) has been associated with greater patient satisfaction and outcomes. In this article, we will review the Calgary Comprehensive Epilepsy Program's successful experience with PRMs in both clinical and research settings, as well as our current challenges and future directions. Our experience will illustrate that is feasible and convenient to implement PRMs, and especially electronic PRMs (ePRMs), into epilepsy clinics. These PRMs have direct clinical and research applications. They inform clinical decision making through readily interpretable scales to which clinicians can expeditiously respond. Equally, they are increasingly forming an integral and central component of intervention and outcomes-based research. However, implementation studies are necessary to address knowledge gaps and facilitate adoption and dissemination of this approach. A natural symbiosis of the clinical and research realms is precision medicine. The foundations of precision-based interventions are now being set whereby we can maximize the quality of life and psychosocial functioning on an individual level. As illustrated in this article, this exciting prospect crucially depends on the routine use of ePRMs in the everyday care of people with epilepsy. Increasing ePRMs uptake will clearly be a catalyst propelling precision epilepsy from aspiration to clinical reality.
The use of patient-reported outcome measures in hip and knee arthroplasty in Alberta
Authors: Marshall Deborah A. , Jin Xuejing , Pittman Lindsay B. , Smith Christopher J.
Published: October 2021

PROMs are part of routine measurement for hip and knee replacement in Alberta, Canada. We provide an overview of how PROMs are implemented in routine care, and how we use PROMs data for decision-making at different levels within the health system. The Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI) ran a randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an evidence-based care pathway for hip and knee arthroplasty in 2004. The study included several PROMs questionnaires: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Health Utility Index, Short Form 36 and the EQ-5D-3L. Subsequently, the focus shifted to spread and scale of the care pathway provincially. WOMAC and EQ-5D-3L and a patient experience survey were selected for provincial adoption – captured before surgery, three-months post-surgery, and 12-months post-surgery. These PROMs data were integrated into research and routine clinical practice at the micro, meso and macro levels. At the micro level, PROMs data are used at the individual patient and provider level for patients to provide input on their care and as a tool to communicate with their healthcare providers. We examined the relationship of appropriateness and patient reported outcomes in a prospective cohort study. We evaluated whether routinely collected PROMs could be integrated into a patient decision aid to better inform shared decision making. At the meso level, continuous quality improvement reports are provided routinely to individual health care providers, hospitals and clinics on their performance against the measurement framework and standard key performance indicators. At the macro level, PROMs data are used to evaluate system performance by comparing outcomes across different jurisdictions or over time and support health policy decision making. Combined with administrative databases, we have used simulation models to reflect transition through the continuum of care from disease onset through end-stage care regarding the burden of disease, healthcare resource requirements and associated healthcare costs. The addition of PROMs data in clinical repositories and analyses enables the system to identify and address issues of continuous quality improvement against a measurement framework of performance indicators and to explicitly recognize the trade-offs that are inherent in any resource-constrained system.
Advancing PROMs for health system use in Canada and beyond
Authors: Terner Michael , Louie Krista , Chow Candy , Webster Greg
Published: October 2021

PROMs are essential to delivering patient-centred health care, and when applied routinely they can enhance communication between patients and providers, inform decisions for value-based health system improvements and improve overall patient care experiences and outcomes. The use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) across Canada varies across provinces and territories, partly because of differences in health care delivery models across these jurisdictions. A national program that coordinates uses of PROMs is needed to ensure that this information is comparable across jurisdictions. This commentary provides a summary look at the development of national PROMs data standards and reporting for hip and knee replacement surgery, including the selection of survey tools, building consensus, developing and promoting standards, and reporting on the results nationally and internationally as well as outlining recent learnings from regional implementation of data standards. In 2017, the Canadian Institute for Health Information published national PROMs data collection standards for hip and knee arthroplasty that included guidelines for survey time points, the minimum data set and PROMs instruments. This broad-scale PROMs collection initiative had stakeholder engagement and support from multiple levels within the health system, including administrators, clinic managers, patients, and health system decision-makers. Learnings from regional implementation of the standards demonstrated the importance of assessing existing infrastructure and information technology requirements, mapping clinical workflows, planning for human and information technology resources, navigating local legislation and hospital policies and ensuring data linkage capabilities. This initiative showed the need for a common regional approach for PROMs collection to be efficient and effective. The learnings from implementation of the national Canadian PROMs program for hip and knee arthroplasty can be used as an example for other jurisdictions and clinical areas such as renal care and mental health. Common data standards allow for secondary use of this data that is valuable for reporting and informing policy and guidelines as well as meeting care delivery goals to further the shift in health care systems becoming more patient-centred to improve the quality-of-life of patients.
Selection of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for use in health systems
Authors: Al Sayah Fatima , Jin Xuejing , Johnson Jeffrey A.
Published: October 2021

Many healthcare systems around the world have been increasingly using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in routine outcome measurement to enhance patient-centered care and incorporate the patient’s perspective in health system performance evaluation. One of the key steps in using PROMs in health systems is selecting the appropriate measure(s) to serve the purpose and context of measurement. However, the availability of many PROMs makes this choice rather challenging. Our aim was to provide an integrated approach for PROM(s) selection for use by end-users in health systems.

The proposed approach was based on relevant literature and existing guidebooks that addressed PROMs selection in various areas and for various purposes, as well as on our experience working with many health system users of PROMs in Canada. The proposed approach includes the following steps: (1) Establish PROMs selection committee; (2) Identify the focus, scope, and type of PROM measurement; (3) Identify potential PROM(s); (4) Review practical considerations for each of the identified PROMs; (5) Review measurement properties of shortlisted PROMs; (6) Review patient acceptance of shortlisted PROMs; (7) Recommend a PROM(s); and (8) Pilot the selected PROM(s). The selection of appropriate PROMs is one step in the successful implementation of PROMs within health systems, albeit, an essential step. We provide guidance for the selection of PROMs to satisfy all potential usages at the micro (patient-clinician), meso (organization), and macro (system) levels within the health system. Selecting PROMs that satisfy all these purposes is essential to ensure continuity and standardization of measurement over time. This is an iterative process and users should consider all the available information from all presented steps in selecting PROMs. Each of these considerations has a different weight in diverse clinical contexts and settings with various types of patients and resources.
Building a geothermal formation model using microtremor array measurement
Authors: Tian Baoqing , You Zhiwei , Wang Guangjie , Zhang Jiangjie
Published: October 2021

A comprehensive understanding of the internal structure and construction of a geomechanical formation model play an important role in developing and using geothermal resources. Formation models help in identifying the channel and cycling modes of the heat flow. Due to urban sprawl and development, constructing a formation model of geothermal resources based on data from traditional geophysical methods is challenging. The microtremor survey method (MSM) is adopted to obtain critical information in Jimo, which is famous for rare seawater geothermal resources in China. Three microtremor survey lines are deployed to identify subsurface structures up to 2 km into the ground. Dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves with frequencies from 0.4 to 10 Hz are extracted using the spatial autocorrelation method. An empirical equation is adopted to obtain the apparent shear wave (S-wave) velocity of each survey point and to plot the apparent S-wave velocity sections. The obtained sections reveal the development of two interacting faults, which form a channel for the heat-flow cycle. Two conceptual models are established to depict the formation and cycling modes of seawater geothermal resources in Jimo, based on the results and analysis. Our model will help verify the geothermal system and scientifically guide the development of unique geothermal resources. Moreover, the developed model verifies that MSM is effective and dependable for identifying fracture zones and strata.
Automatic first-arrival picking workflow by global path tracing
Authors: Zhang Dongliang , Fei Tong W. , Han Song , Tsingas Constantine , Luo Yi , Liu Hongwei
Published: October 2021

It can be challenging to pick high-quality first arrivals on noisy seismic data sets. The stability and smoothness criteria of the picked first arrival are not satisfied for data sets with shingles and interference from unexpected and backscattered events. To improve first-arrival picking, we have adopted an automatic first-arrival picking workflow using global path tracing (GPT) to find a global solution for first-arrival picking with the condition of smoothness of the traced path. Our methodology is composed of data preconditioning, GPT, and a final addition of traced and piloted traveltimes to compute the total picked traveltime. We propose several ways to precondition the data set, including the use of the amplitude and amplitude ratio with and without a pilot. A 2D GPT is composed of two steps, namely, accumulation of energy on the potential path and backtracking of the optimal path with a strain factor for smoothness. For higher dimensional data sets, two strategies were adopted. One was to split the higher dimension data into subdomains of two dimensions to which 2D GPT was applied. The alternative method was to smooth the preconditioned data set in directions except for the one used to trace the path before applying 2D GPT. We discuss the importance of choosing the proper parameters for data preconditioning and for constraining GPT. We demonstrate the robustness and stability of our automatic first-arrival picking via GPT using synthetic and field data examples.
Investigating the effective resistivity of reinforced concrete waste storage tanks at the Hanford Site
Authors: Haas Allan , Rucker Dale F. , Levitt Marc T.
Published: October 2021

Industrialized sites pose challenges for conducting electrical resistivity geophysical surveys because the sites typically contain metallic infrastructure that can mask electrolytic-based soil and groundwater contamination. The Hanford Nuclear Site in eastern Washington State, USA, is an industrialized site with underground storage tanks, piping networks, steel fencing, and other potentially interfering infrastructure that could inhibit the effectiveness of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to map historical and monitor current waste releases. The underground storage tanks are the largest contributor by volume to subsurface infrastructure and can be classified as reinforced concrete structures with an internal steel liner. Directly measuring the effective value for the electrical resistivity of the tanks, that is, the combination of individual components that comprise the tank’s shell, is not reasonably possible because they are buried and are dangerously radioactive. Therefore, we indirectly assess the general resistivity of the tanks and the surrounding infrastructure by developing synthetic ERT models with a parametric forward-modeling study using a wide range of resistivity values from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], which are equivalent to steel and dry rock, respectively. The synthetic models use the long-electrode ERT (LE-ERT) method, whereby steel-cased metallic wells surrounding the tanks are used as electrodes. The patterns and values of the synthetic tomographic models are then compared with LE-ERT field data from the AX tank farm at the Hanford Site. This indirect method of assessing the effective resistivity reveals that the reinforced concrete tanks are electrically resistive and the accompanying piping infrastructure has little influence on the overall resistivity distribution when using electrically based geophysical methods for characterizing or monitoring waste releases. Our findings are consistent with nondestructive testing literature that also indicates reinforced concrete to be generally resistive.
Retrieving the leaked signals from noise using a fast dictionary-learning method
Authors: Chen Wei , Saad Omar M. , Oboué Yapo Abolé Serge Innocent , Yang Liuqing , Chen Yangkang
Published: October 2021

Most traditional seismic denoising algorithms will cause damage to useful signals, which are visible from the removed noise profiles and are known as signal leakage. The local signal-and-noise orthogonalization method is an effective method for retrieving the leaked signals from the removed noise. Retrieving leaked signals while rejecting noise is compromised by the smoothing radius parameter in the local orthogonalization method. It is not convenient to adjust the smoothing radius because it is a global parameter, whereas the seismic data are highly variable locally. To retrieve the leaked signals adaptively, we have adopted a new dictionary-learning (DL) method. Because of the patch-based nature of the DL method, it can adapt to the local features of seismic data. We train a dictionary of atoms that represent the features of the useful signals from the initially denoised data. Based on the learned features, we retrieve the weak leaked signals from the noise via a sparse coding step. Considering the large computational cost when training a dictionary from high-dimensional seismic data, we leverage a fast dictionary updating algorithm, in which the singular value decomposition is replaced via the algebraic mean to update the dictionary atom. We test the performance of our method on several synthetic and field data examples, and we compare it with that from the state-of-the-art local orthogonalization method.
The vertical image projection method for migration stretch compensation
Authors: JafarGandomi Arash
Published: October 2021

True amplitude inversion is often carried out without taking into account migration distortions to the wavelet. Seismic migration leaves a dip-dependent effect on the wavelet that can cause significant inaccuracies in the inverted impedances obtained from conventional inversion approaches based on 1D vertical convolutional modeling. Neglecting this effect causes misleading inversion results and leakage of dipping noise and migration artifacts from the higher frequency bands to the lower frequencies. I have observed that, despite the dip dependency of this effect, low-dip and flat events may also suffer if they are contaminated with cross-cutting noise, steep migration artifacts, and smiles. I adopt an efficient, effective, and reversible data preconditioning approach that accounts for the dip dependency of the wavelet and is applied to migrated images prior to inversion. My proposed method consists of integrating data with respect to the total wavenumber followed by the differentiation with respect to the vertical wavenumber. This process is equivalent to applying a deterministic dip-consistent preconditioning that projects the data from the total wavenumber to the vertical wavenumber axis. This preconditioning can be applied to pre- and poststack data as well as to amplitude-variation-with-offset attributes such as intercept and gradient before inversion. The vertical image projection methodology that I adopt here reduces the impact of migration artifacts such as cross-cutting noise and migration smiles and improves inverted impedances in synthetic and real data examples. In particular, I indicate that neglecting the proposed preconditioning leads to anomalously higher impedance values along the steeply dipping structures.
The experiential perspectives of parents caring for a loved one with a restrictive eating disorder in the UK
Authors: Cribben Hannah , Macdonald Pamela , Treasure Janet , Cini Erica , Nicholls Dasha , Batchelor Rachel , Kan Carol
Published: October 2021

Background

Parents of a loved one with an eating disorder report high levels of unmet needs. Research is needed to understand whether clinical guidance designed to improve the experience of parents has been effective.

Aims

To establish parents’ experiential perspectives of eating disorder care in the UK, compared with guidance published by Beat, a UK eating disorders charity, and Academy for Eating Disorders, the leading international eating disorders professional association.

Method

A total of six focus groups (one online and five face-to-face) were held throughout the UK. A total of 32 parents attended. All participants were parents of a loved one with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa (mean age 22 years; mean duration of illness 4.4 years). Focus groups were transcribed, and the text was analysed with an inductive approach, to identify emerging themes.

Results

Four key themes were identified: (a) impact of eating disorder on one's life, (b) current service provisions, (c) navigating the transition process and (d) suggestions for improvement.

Conclusions

Current experiences of parents in the UK do not align with the guidelines published by Beat and Academy of Eating Disorders. Parents identified a number of changes that healthcare providers could make, including improved information and support for parents, enhanced training of professionals, consistent care across all UK service providers, policy changes and greater involvement of families in their loved one's care. Findings from this project informed the design of a national web-survey on loved ones’ experience of care in eating disorders.
‘Shock tactics’, ethics and fear: an academic and personal perspective on the case against electroconvulsive therapy
Authors: Gergel Tania
Published: October 2021

Despite extensive evidence for its effectiveness, electroconvulsive therapy remains the subject of fierce opposition from those contesting its benefits and claiming extreme harms. Alongside some reflections on my experiences of this treatment, I examine the case against electroconvulsive therapy and find that it appears to rest primarily on unsubstantiated claims about major ethical violations, rather than clinical factors such as effectiveness and risk.
nab-Sirolimus for Patients With Malignant Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumors
Authors: Wagner Andrew J. , Ravi Vinod , Riedel Richard F. , Ganjoo Kristen , Van Tine Brian A. , Chugh Rashmi , Cranmer Lee , Gordon Erlinda M. , Hornick Jason L. , Du Heng , Grigorian Berta , Schmid Anita N. , Hou Shihe , Harris Katherine , Kwiatkowski David J. , Desai Neil P. , Dickson Mark A.
Published: October 2021

PURPOSE

Malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) is a rare aggressive sarcoma, with no approved treatment. To our knowledge, this phase II, single-arm, registration trial is the first prospective clinical trial in this disease, investigating the safety and efficacy of the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor nab-sirolimus (AMPECT, NCT02494570 ).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with malignant PEComa were treated with nab-sirolimus 100 mg/m2 intravenously once weekly for 2 weeks in 3-week cycles. The primary end point was objective response rate evaluated by independent radiology review. Key secondary end points included duration of response, progression-free survival, and safety. A key exploratory end point was tumor biomarker analysis.

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients were treated (safety evaluable), and 31 were evaluable for efficacy. The overall response rate was 39% (12 of 31; 95% CI, 22 to 58) with one complete and 11 partial responses, 52% (16 of 31) of patients had stable disease, and 10% (3 of 31) had progressive disease. Responses were of rapid onset (67% by week 6) and durable. Median duration of response was not reached after a median follow-up for response of 2.5 years, with 7 of 12 responders with treatment ongoing (range, 5.6-47.2+ months). Twenty-five of 31 patients had tumor mutation profiling: 8 of 9 (89%) patients with a TSC2 mutation achieved a confirmed response versus 2 of 16 (13%) without TSC2 mutation ( P < .001). The median progression-free survival was 10.6 months (95% CI, 5.5 months to not reached), and the median overall survival was 40.8 months (95% CI, 22.2 months to not reached). Most treatment-related adverse events were grade 1 or 2 and were manageable for long-term treatment. No grade ≥ 4 treatment-related events occurred.

CONCLUSION

nab-Sirolimus is active in patients with malignant PEComa. The response rate, durability of response, disease control rate, and safety profile support that nab-sirolimus represents an important new treatment option for this disease.
Nancy Morejón, Nicolás Guillén y el cimarronaje aún necesario en Cuba contemporánea
Authors: Casamayor-Cisneros Odette
Published: October 2021

This intersectional and epistemological study of Nancy Morejón’s 1982 Nación y mestizaje en Nicolás Guillén resolves the tension, which intrigued most of her critics, between her political commitment and sophisticated lyricism. The author examines Morejón’s unquestionable revolutionary support and adhesion to Guillén’s conceptualization of la nación mestiza—instrumental for the cohesiveness promoted by the revolutionary regime—through the comprehensive analysis of her family socioeconomic background, the coincidence of her arrival to adolescence with the revolutionary triumph in 1959, and her affiliation to the editorial group El Puente (1961–65). Intersectionality allows an understanding of how Morejón’s self-identification and self-representation as a black revolutionary female writer condition her elaboration of counternarratives that thwart the Eurocentric and patriarchally constructed national history. The essay reveals rarely examined contradictions between Morejón’s and Guillén’s poetry and discusses how the writers’ shared essentialist views on nationhood fail to ultimately deconstruct the hegemonic Eurocentric epistemology they vowed to upend. (In Spanish; an English translation is available online)
Abduction and the Grounds of Caribbean Reasoning
Authors: Chetty Raj
Published: October 2021

This review essay engages with Aaron Kamugisha’s 2019 Beyond Coloniality: Citizenship and Freedom in the Caribbean Intellectual Tradition by focusing on its methodological commitment to seeking Caribbean answers to Caribbean political and social problems. The author argues that Kamugisha powerfully offers something other than a methodology through which the circulation of Caribbean geographies, politics, epistemologies, and its people’s lived experiences moves outward to provide analytical and conceptual service for metropolitan centers, even if for ostensibly decolonial purposes. The essay demonstrates how by turning to two of the Caribbean’s major thinkers, C. L. R. James and Sylvia Wynter, and their far-less-studied Caribbean writings, Kamugisha takes seriously the centering of Caribbean thinkers in their own histories of political becoming. The essay ends with sustained focus on Kamugisha’s elaboration of two of Wynter’s conceptualizations: indigenization as an alternative to creolization and abduction as a kind of theorizing out from Caribbean reasonings.
Trajectories of somatic drug utilization patterns in Major Depressive Disorder: A Study protocol for a Danish nationwide register study using Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Nielsen Anne Marije Christina Overgaard , Jensen Kristoffer Jarlov , Jacobsen Ramune , Jeberg Pernille Herold , Almarsdóttir Anna Birna , Wium-Andersen Marie Kim , Osler Merete , Petersen Janne
Published: October 2021

Background: Major Depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous, multi-etiological disorder that is associated with chronic medical conditions and a high somatic treatment burden. A better understanding of the somatic diseases and treatment burden in MDD can be provided through a mapping of the somatic drug utilization patterns over time. The objective of this study is therefore to characterize the somatic drug profiles and their transitions over time (i.e. trajectories) among MDD patients.   

Methods: This descriptive study will be a nationwide register-based study including all Danish patients with an incident MDD diagnosis between 2011 and 2015. Using Latent Class Analysis, we will identify homogenous MDD patient subgroups according to somatic drug utilization (i.e. drug profiles). The development in somatic drug profiles will be depicted in four different time intervals from three years prior to the MDD diagnosis to three years after the diagnosis. Patients will be assigned to the latent class (drug profile) to which they have the highest probability of belonging using modal assignment. The treatment trajectories will be performed by cross tabulating these assignments. 

Discussion: Profiles and trajectories of somatic drug use will provide a new perspective on patterns of somatic drug burden in MDD patients. Moreover, identifying homogenous subgroups of MDD patients regarding somatic drug use can contribute to a deeper understanding of MDD etiology. In the future, this knowledge could help optimizing MDD treatment by studying if different antidepressants will show different efficacy and safety depending on the profiles and trajectories of somatic diseases.
Construction and repair of a railway track
Authors:   Siberian Transport University, Kosenko S.A. , Akimov S.S. ,   Siberian Transport University
Published: October 2021

Устройство и ремонт железнодорожного пути
Account Production: New Rules FSBU 5/2019 «Spares»
Authors: Polenova S.
Published: October 2021

In article are presented new positions of the account of the production expresses, being kept in FSBU 5/2019 «Spares», is organized their analysis, are given theoretical and practical recommendations upon their using in work production organization.
The Incentive Game Under Target Effects in Ridesharing: A Structural Econometric Analysis
Authors: Chen Xirong , Li Zheng , Ming Liu , Zhu Weiming
Published: October 2021

Problem definition: We study a ridesharing platform’s optimal bonus-setting decisions for capacity and profit maximization problems in which drivers set daily income targets. Academic and Practical Relevance: Sharing-economy companies have been providing monetary rewards to incentivize self-scheduled drivers to work longer. We study the effectiveness of the monetary bonus scheme in the context of the ridesharing industry, where the drivers are highly heterogeneous and set income targets. Methodology: We model a driver’s decision-making processes and the platform’s optimization problem as a Stackelberg game. Then, utilizing comprehensive datasets obtained from a leading ridesharing platform, we develop a novel empirical strategy to provide evidence on the existence of drivers’ income-targeting behavior through a reduced-form and structural analysis. Furthermore, we perform a counterfactual analysis to calculate the optimal bonus rates for different scenarios by using the characteristics of heterogeneous drivers derived from the estimation outcomes. Results: Our theoretical model suggests that the drivers’ working hours do not increase monotonically with the bonus rate under the target effect and that the platform may not use all its budget on bonuses to maximize capacity or profit. We empirically demonstrate that the drivers engage in income-targeting behavior, and furthermore, we estimate the income targets for heterogeneous drivers. Through counterfactual analysis, we illustrate how the optimal bonus scheme varies when the platform faces different driver compositions and market conditions. We also find that, compared with the platform’s previous bonus setting, the optimal bonus strategy improves the capacity level during peak hours by as much as 26%, boosting the total profit by $4.3 million per month. Managerial implications: It is challenging to develop a flexible self-scheduled supply of drivers that can match the ever-changing demand and maintain the market share of the ridesharing platform. When offering monetary bonuses to incentivize drivers to work longer, the drivers’ income-targeting behavior can undermine the effectiveness of such bonus schemes. The platform needs to understand the heterogeneity of drivers’ behavioral preferences regarding monetary rewards to design an effective bonus strategy.
Higher Education of Ukraine on the Way of Integration into the European Educational Space: Achievements and Tasks of Further Development
Authors:   Institute of Industrial Economics of the NAS of Ukraine, Antonyuk V.
Published: October 2021

The work is devoted to the problem of modernization of the higher education system of Ukraine through the integration of higher education institutions into the European Higher Education Area. Based on the analysis of statistical data, it is concluded that the higher education system in Ukraine tends to curtail due to the presence of a number of problems, which negatively affects the formation of human capital. The importance of international cooperation with the EU in the educational sphere for the modernization of higher education has been substantiated. The institutional foundations of the formation of EHEA are investigated, the main priorities of its development at the present stage are determined. The legal principles of European integration of higher education in Ukraine are analyzed. The analysis of development of international cooperation between Ukrainian universities and their participation in The European educational programs is carried out. A positive trend towards an increase in the activity of Ukrainian universities in international cooperation has been revealed, which increases their positions in international rankings. The weaknesses of integration processes are identified and ways of improving the state policy to support the participation of universities in the EHEA are proposed.
Proposals for Improving and Implementing the «Strategy for Economic Development of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions until 2030»
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Chebotarov V. , Chebotarov Ie. V. ,   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University
Published: October 2021

On the basis of generalization of scientific and practical developments of economic research centers of the country and leading domestic scientists on a set of problems concerning overcoming of consequences of war in Donbass, taking into account works of authors on the given subject, proposals on improvement and implementation of the "Strategy of economic development of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts for the period up to 2030" (SED), presented by the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, are substantiated. The necessity and urgency of such a state legal act is emphasized (with the recognition of the country's economic and institutional losses due to ignoring its adoption in previous years). In order to elaborate the systemic principles of improvement and effective practical implementation of the discussed document in the context of development and implementation of medium- and long-term national plans for socio-economic development in the SED it is proposed to define optimistic, basic and pessimistic scenarios and time parameters of reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions into a single legal, economical and institutional (including - informational) field of Ukraine with further identification of the basic (most probable) scenario - within 7-10 upcoming years: during 2028-2030. Among the other proposed measures of state regulatory policy are: determination of additional expected results of adoption and effective and socially responsible implementation of the SED in relation to increase of the investment attractiveness of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and formation of an effective management system for newly formed communities (with substantiated relevant Indicators 2030); departure from the generalized approach to the characterization of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts controlled by Ukraine; taking into account and reflecting in the SED the agricultural structure and the direction of functioning of the modern regional subcomplex of Luhansk region (with proposals of improving the structure of the agro-food sector of Luhansk region), as well as the necessity to identify priority "growth points" of socio-economic development of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (with the selection of such "growth points" on the example of the Luhansk region).
International-Public-Private Partnership to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals in the Old Industrial Regions of Ukraine
Authors:   Institute of Industrial Economics of the NAS of Ukraine, Petrova I.
Published: October 2021

The development of public-private partnerships is identified as a key mechanism for attracting investment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including Objective 9 “Sustainable Infrastructure, Promoting Comprehensive and Sustainable Industrialization and Innovation” and Objective 17 “Strengthening the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development and Enhancing It”. It is proposed to introduce into scientific circulation the concept of international-public-private partnership, taking into account the interests and funds of international organizations and international donors. The mutual coherence of the interests of the state and the private sector in the partnership is analyzed. Different variations of the interaction of institutional intermediaries through the prism of specific actors (state, business, civil society and international organization) are considered. The institutional support of international-public-private partnership to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the old industrial regions is analyzed. It is determined that in order to develop and support international-public-private partnership projects to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the old industrial regions it is necessary to create a single system for implementation and monitoring of international-public-private partnership projects taking into account all established institutions. The system of institutions for the development of international-public-private partnerships includes financial and non-financial institutions. It is proposed to establish the Center for International-Public-Private Partnership as an independent expert body, the purpose of which is to prepare, organize and support international-public-private partnership projects, as well as to provide support to public administration and business.
The Potential of Medicinal Plants as Galactagogue in Indonesia: A Review from Medical Perspective
Authors: Khairani Astrid Feinisa , Adzdzikri Teuku Muhammad , Menggala Shafa Tasya , Bashari Muhammad Hasan , Rohmawaty Enny , Achadiyani Achadiyani , Kania Nia
Published: October 2021

The World Health Assembly's target in exclusive breastfeeding has not been achieved. The most common factor contributing to this problem is the perceived insufficient production of breast milk, leading to the inability to give breastmilk to her child. Milk production can be increased using some ways, such as herbal galactagogue. This article aimed to review the effectiveness of some medicinal plants as galactagogues. This study uses a literature review approach by using several sources selected based on the criteria that have been set by researchers. Based on thirteen literature, herbs reviewed in this article showed positive effects as a galactagogue. Evidence regarding its efficacy and safety is scarce. Additionally, few clinical trials exist to justify its effectiveness. Further clinical trials are needed to support these findings.
Performance based Evaluation ofAlgorithmson Chronic Kidney Disease using Hybrid Ensemble Model in Machine Learning
Authors: Yadav Dhyan Chandra , Pal Saurabh
Published: October 2021

In medical data science, data classification, pattern generation, data analysis and improving classification accuracy are the important issues in the recent scenario. The main objective of this research to enhanced classification accuracyby four combinations of features technique separately with Neural Network classifier approach.The neural network is analyzed for chronic kidney disease with the help of features reduction and relevanttechniques.In experiment, we used neural network as ensemble model with different features techniques as: Pearson Correlation, Chi-Square, Extra Tree and Lasso regularization. In this research paper, we have prepared training model on 300(75%) instances of chronic kidney disease attributes and testing on 100 (25%) instances.We test the dataset on different applied epochs and calculated accuracy with error rate. The summary of this experiment, we used400 instances with 26 attributes of Chronic Kidney Disease and evaluated highest accuracy calculated (99.98%) with less error rate on passing several epochs by Neural Network ensemble with Lasso model.
Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Cancer Activity of Mentha Piperita Against Mcf-7 Cells
Authors: Saravanan Renuka , Natesan Ravichandran , C Samiappan Sumathi , Ramalingam Sivakumar
Published: October 2021

The study evaluates the antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer activities of different extracts of Menthapiperitaleaves against the MCF-7 cell line. The leaves of Menthapiperitawere extracted with aqueous, ethyl acetate, and chloroform. These extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening, antibacterial activity, cytotoxic activity, and AO/ErBr assay for cells' apoptotic effect against the MCF-7 cell line. Qualitative analysis of the leaves' different extracts revealed glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannin, and saponin. The antibacterial activity of the leaf extracts was examined against four different bacterial species (Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonasfluorescens, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Klebsiella pneumoniae). The aqueous extract exhibited a high level of antibacterial activity (18.66mm ±1.1 in Bacillus cereus).Free‑radicalscavenging activity of chloroform extractof M. piperita leaves was found to be more than aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts. Further, aqueous, ethyl acetate,and chloroform extracts exerted a cytotoxic effect with the IC50value of 45±1.5μg/ml, 29±1.2μg/ml, and 24±1.0μg/ml, respectively.From this study, we have observed that chloroform extract showed a concentration-dependent apoptotic effect against MCF-7 cellsdetermined by AO/EtBr assay.The resultsfurther depicted that the selected traditionalMentha piperita could be used as a potential anticancer, antibacterial, and good antioxidant agent against the MCF-7 cell line.
Multiple Bony Deformities and Short Stature in a Child with Lamellar Ichthyosis, What more can we do? A Case Report
Authors: Sinha Siddhartha , Sharma Amit , Gupta Sumit , Agarwal Ankur , Kanojia Rajesh K
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Ichthyosis is a group of disorders typically characterized by the accumulation of large scales over the skin. Mild bony deformities due to Vitamin D deficiency are commonly associated with this group of disorders which can be successfully treated with conventional Vitamin D supplementation. Severe multiple bony deformities requiring surgical correction are rarely reported and may be associated with various other disorders.
Case Report: We report a case of a 15-year-old male with ichthyosis, short stature, and progressive multiple bony deformities since birth. The child was started on Vitamin D3 supplementation. Once biochemical parameters improved he underwent multiple corrective osteotomies in the bilateral tibia and right femur to improve gait mechanics. Our main concerns while managing the patient were regarding wound healing, secondary infection due to extensive scaling and healing at the osteotomy site. On follow-up we noted good healing at the osteotomy site without any surgical site infection or skin complications as well as improvement in gait mechanics and cosmesis.
Conclusion: Severe bony deformities due to Vitamin D deficient are rare in ichthyosis and other syndromic causes should be ruled out. Surgical management can be beneficial in improving quality of life and gait biomechanics.
Keywords: Lamellar ichthyosis, osteotomy, genetic testing, Vitamin D deficiency.
Irreducible Overlapping Pubic Symphysis Dislocation Managed with Distraction Osteotomy of the Contralateral Superior Pubic Ramus: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Rajput Rakesh , Goel Ajay Kumar , Mandal Ananda
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Overlapping pubic symphysis dislocation (OPSD) or a locked pubic symphysis is a compression of the pelvic ring with the intact pubis trapped into the contralateral obturator foramen. Reduction can be difficult and contralateral suprapubic osteotomy is a good way to address the irreducible OPSD. The technique has only been discussed thrice in the available literature.
Case Report: We report the case of a 26-year-old man who had his right pubic ramus entrapped within the contralateral obturator foramen, having an overlap of >4 cm with associated ipsilateral sacroiliac joint (SI joint) disruption and urethral injury. When all the maneuvers of closed and instrumented open reduction failed, we performed a superior pubic ramus osteotomy on the left side and unlocked the incarcerated right pubic ramus. The osteotomy site was stabilized with a 6-hole recon plate and SI joint was stabilized with a 6.5mm percutaneous sacroiliac screw. The patient underwent delayed urethral repair at 10 weeks after the index surgery. At 3-year follow-up, the patient did not report any pubic discomfort, urinary and sexual problems.
Conclusion: Locked OPSD is a rare injury and is frequently associated with sacroiliac and urethral injuries. Distraction osteotomy of the contralateral superior pubic ramus is a viable option for irreducible cases.
Keywords: Lateral compression injury, locked symphysis pubis, superior pubic ramus osteotomy, overlapping pubic symphysis dislocation.
Motor Vehicle Accident during Pregnancy with Two Lifes at Risk: A Case Report
Authors: Hörauf Jason-Alexander , Saman André El , Nau Christoph , Enterlein Gernot , Marzi Ingo Marzi , Störmann Philipp
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Major trauma is the leading non-pregnancy-related cause of maternal and fetal deaths. In particular, traffic accidents account for the majority of accident causes and present the highest mortality for the mother and fetus. Seat belt use has reduced mortality rates for both the mother and the unborn child, however, certain potential patterns of injury occur due to the restraining mechanical forces of the worn seat belts on the body. Since life-threatening injuries in pregnancy are nevertheless rare, trauma care of pregnant women continues to be an exceptional situation and a particularly stressful situation for the attending physicians, including the fact that two lives are potentially at stake.
Case Report: In this article, we report on a patient in the 37th week of pregnancy who was involved in a high-speed trauma as a front passenger of a car. Initially awake as well as responsive and hemodynamically stable, the patient’s condition deteriorated on the way to the emergency room (ER). On arrival in the ER, according to the Advanced Trauma Life Support concept, interdisciplinary consensus had to be reached between the departments involved regarding further diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. With the knowledge of the special anatomical and physiological changes in the context of pregnancy, both the mother and the child could be stabilized in order to subsequently gain further important information about the present injury pattern during the performed diagnostics and finally to be able to adequately treat the trauma sequelae.
Conclusion: Because the care of traumatic life-threatening injuries in pregnancy is rare overall, it poses a special challenge for the attending trauma team in the ER. In order to avert the fatal fate of both the mother and the unborn child, a structured, symptom and patient-oriented interdisciplinary approach is indispensable, especially in these exceptional situations, in order to achieve the best possible outcome for those aff
Effects of optically biaxial anisotropy in orthogonal-circular polarization gratings operating in the Raman–Nath to Bragg regimes
Authors: Momosaki Ryusei , Sakamoto Moritsugu , Noda Kohei , Sasaki Tomoyuki , Sakai Takeya , Hattori Yukitoshi , Kawatsuki Nobuhiro , Ono Hiroshi
Published: October 2021

The incident angle dependences of the diffraction properties of
orthogonal-circular polarization gratings (OCPGs) fabricated using a
polymer liquid crystal exhibiting biaxial anisotropy have been
investigated. The investigations were conducted with the plane
orthogonal to the surface of the OCPGs as the plane of incidence. It
was found that a specific biaxial anisotropy reduces the incident
angle dependence of optically thin OCPGs against the wavelength of the
incident light, and is less effective on thick OCPGs. In addition, a
method also has been proposed to determine the biaxial anisotropic
shape that most reduces the incident angle dependence in thin
OCPGs.
Unsupervised anomaly detection of MEMS in low illumination based on polarimetric Support Vector Data Description
Authors: Huang Yaokang , Sang Mei , Xing Lun , Hu Haofeng , Liu Tiegen
Published: October 2021

Low illuminated images make it challenging to conduct anomaly detection on material surface. Adding polarimetric information helps expand pixel range and recover background structure of network inputs. In this letter, an anomaly detection method in low illumination is proposed which utilizes polarization imaging and patch-wise Support Vector Data Description (SVDD) model. Polarimetric information of Micro Electromechanical System (MEMS) surface is captured by a division-of-focal- plane (DoFP) polarization camera and used to enhance low illuminated images. The enhanced images without defects serve as training sets of model to make it available for anomaly detection. The proposed method can generate heatmaps to locate defects correctly. It reaches 0.996 anomaly scores, which is 22.4% higher than that of low illuminated images and even higher than normal illuminated images.