bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of body composition and nutritional risks in young ballet dancers – the bioelectrical impedance analysis
Authors: Gammone Maria Alessandra , D’Orazio Nicolantonio
Published: May 2020

Background

Young ballet dancers are at risk of health issues associated with altered nutritional status and of relative energy deficiency in sport compared to the general population.

Aim

To evaluate the nutritional status and body composition in ballet dancers.

Materials and methods

The study group consisted of 40 young ballet dancers (mean age 19.97 years). Height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated in all subjects (mean BMI value 19.79 kg/m2, SD: 2.051). Body composition was estimated using the bioelectrical impedance method.

Results

The dancers’ fat-free mass was 47.33 kg (SD: 5.064) and, on the average, body fat represented the 15.92% (SD: 16.91) of their body weight.

Conclusions

Ballet dancers, who usually show significantly lower BMI values compared to the general population, also displayed body fat values under the suggested range. Some screening for altered nutritional status should be performed. In addition, education programs should be recommended in young ballet dancers, in order to inform about energy and nutrition requirements for health and training and to prevent malnutrition-related problems.
Applying Protective Coating on the Turbine Engine Turbine Blades by Means of Plasma Spraying
Authors: Ułanowicz Leszek , Dudziński Andrzej , Szczepaniak Paweł , Nowakowski Mirosław
Published: May 2020

The tendency to increase the temperature of gases and the desire to extend the service life forces the use of a protective coating on the blade. The publication presents the technology of applying a heat-resistant protective coating onto the jet engine turbine blade by means of plasma thermal spraying, taking into account the process of aluminizing and heat treatment after aluminizing. The paper presents the results of work on the possibilities of shaping the thickness of the protective coating on the blade by changing the parameters of the spraying process, such as spraying distance, amount of hydrogen, amount of argon and the number of torch passes.
MiR-155 and MiR-665 role as potential non-invasive biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Mohamed Amal Ahmed , Omar Abdellah Abosrie Ali , EL-Awady Rehab R. , Hassan Sally Mohamed Aboelsayed , Eitah Waleed Mohamed Soliman , Ahmed Rehab , khater Amir , Tantawi Omnia Mohamed Saad , Mohamed Ahmed Abdelhafeez
Published: May 2020

Background and Objectives

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer associated death globally. Serum micro RNAs are full of potential as noninvasive biomarkers. Here, we aim to assess the performance of serum MicroRNA-155 and MicroRNA-665 as diagnostic biomarker for HCC comparing to AFP.

Methods

Serum samples were collected from 200 subjects (40 healthy control, 80 chronic hepatitis C patients with cirrhosis and without HCC (LC) and 80 HCC patients currently infected by hepatitis C infection and didn’t start the treatment). The HCC patients didn’t include alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease nor autoimmune liver disease. MicroRNA-155 and MicroRNA-665 expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), while AFP level was assessed by ELISA method.

Results

Both miR-155 and miR-665 were significantly elevated in HCC group as compared to both control and LC groups. The comparison between LC and HCC patients revealed that the serum level of miR-155 was a significant increase in HCC patients compared to LC patients; however, the serum level of miR-665 didn’t show any significant difference between the same two groups. MiR-665 expression level showed a direct correlation with tumor size in HCC patients.

Conclusions

Using measurement against AFP level in serum, miR-665 is considered a promising serum biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC patients among the LC patients without HCC. MiR-155 didn’t provide a better performance than serum AFP as a diagnostic biomarker among the same group. MiR-665 may serve as a good indicator for HCC prognosis.
A novel, rapid, and simple PMA-qPCR method for detection and counting of viable Brucella organisms
Authors: Zhang Shi-Jun , Wang Lu-Lu , Lu Shi-Ying , Hu Pan , Li Yan-Song , Zhang Ying , Chang Heng-Zhen , Zhai Fei-Fei , Liu Zeng-Shan , Li Zhao-Hui , Ren Hong-Lin
Published: May 2020

Introduction

The plate counting method widely used at present to discern viable from non-viable Brucella in the host or cell is time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a rapid, simple method for detecting and counting viable Brucella organisms.

Material and Methods

Using propidium monoazide (PMA) to inhibit amplification of DNA from dead Brucella, a novel, rapid PMA-quantitative PCR (PMA-qPCR) detection method for counting viable Brucella was established. The standard recombinant plasmid with the target BCSP31 gene fragment inserted was constructed for drawing a standard curve. The reaction conditions were optimised, and the sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability were analysed.

Results

The optimal exposure time and working concentration of PMA were 10 min and 15 μg/mL, respectively. The correlation coefficient (R2) of the standard curve was 0.999. The sensitivity of the method was 103 CFU/mL, moreover, its specificity and repeatability also met the requirements. The concentration of B. suis measured by the PMA-qPCR did not differ significantly from that measured by the plate counting method, and the concentrations of viable bacteria in infected cells determined by the two methods were of the same order of magnitude.

Conclusion

In this study, a rapid and simple PMA-qPCR counting method for viable Brucella was established, which will facilitate related research.
Standards of Investigation Under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Investigations of Incidents of Historic Significance
Authors: Binienda Maria Szonert
Published: May 2020

In search of international remedies for the investigation of the Tu-154M airplane crash of April 10, 2010, in Smolensk, Russia, standards of effective investigation under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights are examined. Cases of airplane crashes and terrorist attacks are analyzed. Next, investigations of major international incidents of historic significance are examined. The case of UN Secretary General D. Hammarskjold killed in 1961 airplane crash is analyzed. Also, the investigation conducted by the International Commission of Inquiry for Lebanon on the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri is examined. Based on the above, recommendations are made for the most effective international investigation of the Smolensk crash.
The Requirements Deriving from the Procedural Aspect of Art. 2 of the European Convention of Human Rightsin the Context of Polish and Russian Investigation Regarding the Air Crash of Polish Air Force Tu-154 in Smolensk
Authors: Czepek Jakub
Published: May 2020

The main aim of this analysis is the synthetic reconstruction of the standards of European Court of Human Rights concerning the procedural aspect of the right to life, and particularly the obligation of conducting an effective investigation in the context of the Polish Air Force Tu-154 air crash in Smolensk on 10th April 2010.

The right to life in the system of the European Convention of Human Rights has a particular character. It derives mostly from its paramount importance. Due to the character of the sphere guaranteed by the right to life, the European Court of Human Rights notices the need of protecting it, both in material and procedural aspect. This is also the reason why article 2 of the ECHR is backed up by the wide variety of positive obligations.

The standards of article 2 of the ECHR and state’s positive obligations in this respect are fully applicable in relation to the air crash of the presidential Tu-154. State’s obligations focus on both material and procedural aspect of incident causing death. The air crash of Tu-154 concerns particularly the obligation to conduct adequate and effective official investigation. This obligation concerns both Polish and Russian authorities.

The main aim of this research is to analyse which obligations are applicable in respect of this particular air crash.
AntArr – Etna Low Frequency Antenna Array
Authors: Tuccari G. , Wunderlich M. , Dornbusch S. , Tuccari G. G.
Published: May 2020

A project called AntArr as a new application of the DBBC3 (Digital Base Band Converter, 3rd generation) is under development. A group of antennas operating at low frequency, in the range from 10 MHz up to 1500 MHz, are phased up for VLBI, pulsar and more recently for FRB observations. Part of the scientific programme is also dedicated to SETI activities in piggy-back mode. Dedicated elements can even be added to reach still lower frequencies to observe the range down to kHz frequencies. The DBBC3 manages the array operations in a selected portion of the band and the main characteristic is to synthesize a beam with an innovative approach. The final product of the array is a single station standard VLBI data stream for correlation with other antennas, or a synthesized beam for single dish observations. A number of antennas and array prototypes are under test at a location on the Etna volcano slope, with the aim to form a complete radio telescope of up to 1024 elements in 2020 and beyond. This project completes the lower part of the frequency spectrum covered in VLBI by the BRAND EVN project. The project AntArr is hosted and financed by HAT-Lab Ltd., which is the manufacturer of the DBBC family backends.
Information System Cyber Threats and Telecommunications Engineering Courses
Authors: Sneps-Sneppe M. , Namiot D. , Pauliks R.
Published: May 2020

The article discusses the issue of training of telecommunications engineers. The architecture of telecommunications solutions is changing very quickly. Obviously, training programmes must also change. Cybersecurity issues are one of the main drivers of change in telecommunications solutions and, therefore, training programmes. They have become the main issues in all processes related to digital transformation. At the same time, it is clear that the development of education in telecommunications clearly lags behind modern requirements. Such issues come to the fore in relation to the development of digital economy programmes. Cyber security issues for military telecommunications solutions are discussed separately.
Electric Consumption Assessment using Smart Meter Data and KPI Methodology
Authors: Mutule A. , Zikmanis I. , Dumitrescu A.-M.
Published: May 2020

In the modern world, many cities make use of state-of-the-art technologies for a diversity of applications. A field with very specific needs is the electric power system that deals with both large entities that govern themselves (grid operators) and the citizens. For both and all actors in between, there is an increased need for information. Steps to provide these data are always taken and several initiatives are ongoing across the world to equip residential users with last generation smart meters. However, a full deployment is still not possible. Considering this aspect, the authors propose KPIs for the specific situation when some information is available from the meters and other sources, but some is not. The study case is based on a residential area occupied mainly by university students and after an extensive measurement campaign the results have been studied and analysis methods proposed.
The Effect of Probiotics on T-2 Mycotoxin Induced Apoptosis in Chicken Liver Tissue
Authors: Hussar Piret , Blagoevska Katerina , Järveots Tõnu , Dovenska Monika , Bozinovski Dimitar , Popovska-Percinic Florina
Published: May 2020

In recent years many researchers have described the reduced mycotoxin toxicity caused by probiotic bacteria. Since reduction under gastrointestinal conditions of the bioavailability of mycotoxins by probiotics is not fully investigated in birds, the aim of the study was to determine the effect of probiotic on T-2 mycotoxicosis induced apoptosis in broiler’s liver. For the study, twelve 1-days old broilers were divided equally into T-2 toxin (T2) and probiotic with T-2 (P+T2) groups. From the first experimental day, probiotic Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134 was administered in drinking water to P+T2 group. From the fourth day, T-2 toxin was given for three consecutive days to T2 toxin group. At 8th experimental day chicken were sacrificed, liver was fixed in buffered 10% formalin, embedded into paraffin, slices 5 μm in thickness were cut followed by immunohistochemical staining with polyclonal primary antibodies p21 and p53 (Abcam, UK) according to the manufacturers’ guidelines (IHC kit, Abcam, UK). Blood samples were taken by cardiac puncture to measure liver enzymes. Immunohistochemical staining revealed strong expression of p53 and p21 antibodies in hepatocytes nuclei as well as around blood vessels in T-2 toxin group’s chicken liver tissue. Staining by both antibodies was less intensive in P+T2 group. Enzyme analysis showed significantly increased (p<0.05) blood aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase concentrations by 33.87% and 68.03% respectfully in T2 toxin group, while enzyme concentrations were decreased in P+T2 group. The obtained results showed reduced features of liver apoptosis in treatment with probiotic bacteria.
Changes in the geographical distribution of youth poverty and social exclusion in EU member countries between 2008 and 2017
Authors: Šoltés Erik , Vojtková Mária , Šoltésová Tatiana
Published: May 2020

With respect to the fulfillment of the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, the threat of poverty and social exclusion has not been sufficiently reduced in the European Union (EU) over the past decade, and large regional disparities persist. Young people are the most affected by the problems of income poverty, material deprivation and labour market exclusion, which are the three dimensions of poverty and social exclusion. In this article, we focus on comparing the EU countries in terms of the three listed dimensions, while revealing similarities and differences in the incidence and severity of these social phenomena among youth. In addition to measuring dimensions by the currently used AROPE (at risk of poverty or social exclusion) rate, we also use a larger spectrum of relevant indicators for a more comprehensive analysis. While the AROPE aggregate indicator uses the same methodology for the population of young people as for the whole population, our approach includes indicators that are specific to young people. We assume that all dimensions affect each other, so we apply multidimensional statistical methods such as principal components and cluster analysis to analyse them. These methods have revealed that some dimensions affect poverty and social exclusion to a greater extent and others to a lesser extent than might appear to be the case, based on AROPE’s partial rates. Moreover, we present quantified integral indicators that together with the results of the multivariate methods, provide a rather complex picture concerning the geographical distribution of poverty and social exclusion, as well as their dimensions in the EU, for the population of persons aged 18–24 years in 2008 and 2017.
Determinants of Building Image and Reputation of University Towards Its Stakeholders
Authors: Gołata Krzysztof , Sojkin Bogdan
Published: May 2020

The aim of the article is describinig the role and place of image and reputation in a university and research institution in the process of competing on the education market. The article presents current views on the scope of these concepts as well as the mutual relations between the image and reputation in business entities. The fundamental importance of university relations with internal and external stakeholders in shaping both image and reputation was pointed out. The second part presents a set of image and reputation determinants in the case of a university. In addition, the role and place of the university rector was emphasized in building the image and reputation of the parent university in the light of Act 2.0.
Structural and optical properties of ZnO thin film prepared by sol-gel spin coating
Authors: Balakrishnan G , Sinha Vivek , Peethala Yogesh Palai , Kumar Manoj , Nimal R.J. Golden Renjith , Hameed Hussain J , Batoo Khalid Mujasam , Raslan Emad H.
Published: May 2020

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on Si (1 0 0) and glass substrates by sol-gel spin coating technique. Zinc acetate dihydrate, monoethanolamine and isopropanol were used as the sources for precursor solution and the resulting gel was used for the preparation of ZnO thin films. The films were annealed at different temperatures (100 °C to 500 °C) and the effect of annealing on the structural and optical properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used for the analysis of the films. The XRD results indicated the polycrystalline hexagonal structure of the ZnO films with (0 0 2) orientation. The optical properties of the films were studied using UV-Vis spectrophotometer in the wavelength range of 190 – 1100 nm. The optical characterization of the ZnO thin films showed the high transmittance of ~90 % for the films annealed at 400 °C. The films showed the absorbance ~360 – 390 nm and bandgap values of 3.40 – 3.10 eV, depending on the annealing temperature of the films.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of Sn-9Zn-xAl and Sn-9Zn-xCu lead-free solder alloys
Authors: Yavuzer B. , Özyürek D. , Tunçay T.
Published: May 2020

This study investigates microstructures and mechanical properties of the alloys obtained by adding Cu (0.7 % and 0.9 %) and Al (0.7 % and 0.9 %) to lead-free Sn-9Zn eutectic soldering alloy produced by investment casting method. The results show that Cu5Zn8 phase has formed in the structure of Cu added alloys and the Al2O3 phase has formed due to addition of Al. It was found that small and round-shaped Al2O3 phase increased the tensile strength of the new alloy compared to the eutectic alloy. In addition, it was observed that the microhardness of Cu added alloys was lower than that of Sn-9Zn eutectic alloy, but the microhardness of alloys containing Al was higher compared to the other eutectic Sn-9Zn alloy.
Fluka simulation of PGNAA system for determining heavy metal pollution in the soil sample
Authors: Zhang Can , Yang Jianbo , Li Rui , Qiao Yujie , Zhang Xu , Xu Jie
Published: May 2020

This study presented a self-designed prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) model and used Fluka simulation to simulate the heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Hg, Ni, Cr, Pb) in soil samples. The relationship between the prompt γ -ray yield of each heavy metal and soil thickness, content of heavy metals in the soil, and source distance was obtained. Simulation results show that the prompt γ -ray yield of each heavy metal increases with the increase in soil thickness and reaches saturation at 18 cm. The greater the proportion of heavy metals in the soil, the greater the prompt γ -ray yield. The highest content is approximately 3%, and the change in distance between the neutron source and soil sample does not affect the prompt γ -ray yield of heavy metals.
Multi-Criteria Optimisation of Multi-Stage Positional Game of Vessels
Authors: Lisowski Józef
Published: May 2020

The paper presents a mathematical model of a positional game of the safe control of a vessel in collision situations at sea, containing a description of control, state variables and state constraints as well as sets of acceptable ship strategies, as a multi-criteria optimisation task. The three possible tasks of multi-criteria optimisation were formulated in the form of non-cooperative and cooperative multi-stage positional games as well as optimal non-game controls. The multi-criteria control algorithms corresponding to these tasks were subjected to computer simulation in Matlab/Simulink software based on the example of the real navigational situation of the passing of one’s own vessel with eighteen objects encountered in the North Sea.
Experimental Study of Dam-Break-Like Tsunami Bore Impact Mechanism on a Container Model
Authors: Chen Cheng , Chen Jun , Lin Peng , Chen Chiwei , Chen Haozhe
Published: May 2020

Tsunami disasters have frequently occurred in recent years. More and more researchers are focusing on this topic. To investi-gate the tsunami bore impact mechanism on a container model, a multi-functional slope-changing tsunami flume is built in this study. To simulate a tsunami bore, a dam-break wave was generated by a free-falling gate in a reservoir. A needle water level gauge and a high-speed camera were used to measure the tsunami wave heights and velocities for different storage water levels in the test flume, and the corresponding Froude numbers of tsunami waves were also calculated. The factors af-fecting the movement distance of the tsunami wave impacting the container model are explored in this experiment, and the results show that the movement distance is positively correlated with the storage water level, and negatively correlated with the container density and the coast slope.
Towards Improving Optimised Ship Weather Routing
Authors: Vettor Roberto , Szlapczynska Joanna , Szlapczynski Rafal , Tycholiz Wojciech , Soares Carlos Guedes
Published: May 2020

The aim of the paper is to outline a project focussing on the development of a new type of ship weather routing solution with improved uncertainty handling, through better estimation of ship performance and responses to sea conditions. Ensemble forecasting is considered to take into account the uncertainty levels that are typical of operations in a stochastic environment. Increased accuracy of weather prediction is achieved through the assimilation of real-time data, measured by an on-board monitoring system. The proposed system will allow smooth integration of short-term Decision Support Systems for ship handling in dangerous or peculiar situations with long-term Decision Support Systems for weather routing. An appropriate user interface is also a critical part of the project and it will be implemented in a commercial Electronic Nautical Chart environment. A prototype of the full system will be installed and tested on a commercial vessel in regular operations and under real environmental conditions.
A Study on Fibre-Reinforced Concrete Elements Properties Based on the Case of Habitat Modules in the Underwater Sills
Authors: Kurpińska Marzena , Grzyl Beata , Kristowski Adam
Published: May 2020

Hydrotechnical constructions are mostly objects functioning in extreme conditions and requiring a custom-made construction project. In the case of using prefabricated elements, it is required to develop production, transport, assembly, conservation and repair technology. Concerning the problem of concrete cracks, modern repair systems allow positive effects to be achieved in many cases of concrete elements repair. In this work an attempt has been made to assess the properties of concrete, situated in the Baltic Sea environment, in which traditional rebar was partly replaced by dispersed fibre-phase. Fibre-reinforced concrete belongs to the group of composite materials. The presence of fibres helps to increase the tensile strength, flexural strength and resilience and also prevents the appearance of cracks. In the given paper we will also discuss basic parameters of steel and polymer fibres and the influence of both types of fibres on the maturing and hardened concrete. In this work special attention has been paid to the advantages of polypropylene and polymer fibres with regard to commonly-known steel fibres. The use of synthetic fibres will be advantageous in constructions where the reduction of shrinkage cracks and high resilience are essential. On top of that, the use of synthetic fibres is highly recommended when constructing objects that will be exposed to the impact of an aggressive environment. Undoubtedly, polymer fibres are resistant to the majority of corrosive environments. Fibre-reinforced concretes are a frequently implemented construction solution. The possibility of concrete modification allows the emergence of new construction materials with improved physical-mechanical properties, under the condition of being applied relevantly.
Underwater Navigation System Based on Doppler Shift – Measurements and Error Estimations
Authors: Ostrowski Zawisza , Salamon Roman , Kochańska Iwona , Marszal Jacek
Published: May 2020

A new acoustic navigation system was developed to determine the position and speed of moving underwater objects such as divers and underwater vehicles. The path of an object and its speed were determined by the Doppler shifts of acoustic signals emitted by a transmitter placed on the object and received by four hydrophones installed at the periphery of the monitored body of water. The position and speed measurements were affected by errors mainly caused by acoustic reflections (returns) from the water body boundaries and surface reverberations. This paper discusses the source of the disturbances with the results of a simulation test and experimental measurements. It was demonstrated that the magnitude of the errors could be acceptable in most of the potential applications of the acoustic navigation system.
Protecting against Website Fingerprinting with Multihoming
Authors: Henri Sébastien , Garcia-Aviles Gines , Serrano Pablo , Banchs Albert , Thiran Patrick
Published: May 2020

Anonymous communication tools, such as Tor, are extensively employed by users who want to keep their web activity private. But recent works have shown that when a local, passive adversary observes nothing more than the timestamp, size and direction (incoming or outgoing) of the packets, it can still identify with high accuracy the website accessed by a user. Several defenses against these website fingerprinting attacks have been proposed but they come at the cost of a significant overhead in traffic and/or website loading time. We propose a defense against website fingerprinting which exploits multihoming, where a user can access the Internet by sending the traffic through multiple networks. With multihoming, it is possible to protect against website fingerprinting by splitting traffic among the networks, i.e., by removing packets from one network and sending them through another, whereas current defenses can only add packets. This enables us to design a defense with no traffic overhead that, as we show through extensive experimentation against state-of-the-art attacks, reaches the same level of privacy as the best existing practical defenses. We describe and evaluate a proof-ofconcept implementation of our defense and show that is does not add significant loading-time overhead. Our solution is compatible with other state-of-the-art defenses, and we show that combining it with another defense further improves privacy.
Explaining the Technology Use Behavior of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies: The Case of Tor and JonDonym
Authors: Harborth David , Pape Sebastian , Rannenberg Kai
Published: May 2020

Today’s environment of data-driven business models relies heavily on collecting as much personal data as possible. Besides being protected by governmental regulation, internet users can also try to protect their privacy on an individual basis. One of the most famous ways to accomplish this, is to use privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs). However, the number of users is particularly important for the anonymity set of the service. The more users use the service, the more difficult it will be to trace an individual user. There is a lot of research determining the technical properties of PETs like Tor or JonDonym, but the use behavior of the users is rarely considered, although it is a decisive factor for the acceptance of a PET. Therefore, it is an important driver for increasing the user base.

We undertake a first step towards understanding the use behavior of PETs employing a mixed-method approach. We conducted an online survey with 265 users of the anonymity services Tor and JonDonym (124 users of Tor and 141 users of JonDonym). We use the technology acceptance model as a theoretical starting point and extend it with the constructs perceived anonymity and trust in the service in order to take account for the specific nature of PETs. Our model explains almost half of the variance of the behavioral intention to use the two PETs. The results indicate that both newly added variables are highly relevant factors in the path model. We augment these insights with a qualitative analysis of answers to open questions about the users’ concerns, the circumstances under which they would pay money and choose a paid premium tariff (only for JonDonym), features they would like to have and why they would or would not recommend Tor/JonDonym. Thereby, we provide additional insights about the users’ attitudes and perceptions of the services and propose new use factors not covered by our model for future research.
Differentially Private SQL with Bounded User Contribution
Authors: Wilson Royce J , Zhang Celia Yuxin , Lam William , Desfontaines Damien , Simmons-Marengo Daniel , Gipson Bryant
Published: May 2020

Differential privacy (DP) provides formal guarantees that the output of a database query does not reveal too much information about any individual present in the database. While many differentially private algorithms have been proposed in the scientific literature, there are only a few end-to-end implementations of differentially private query engines. Crucially, existing systems assume that each individual is associated with at most one database record, which is unrealistic in practice. We propose a generic and scalable method to perform differentially private aggregations on databases, even when individuals can each be associated with arbitrarily many rows. We express this method as an operator in relational algebra, and implement it in an SQL engine. To validate this system, we test the utility of typical queries on industry benchmarks, and verify its correctness with a stochastic test framework we developed. We highlight the promises and pitfalls learned when deploying such a system in practice, and we publish its core components as open-source software.
Multiple Purposes, Multiple Problems: A User Study of Consent Dialogs after GDPR
Authors: Machuletz Dominique , Böhme Rainer
Published: May 2020

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires websites to ask for consent to the use of cookies forspecific purposes. This enlarges the relevant design space for consent dialogs. Websites could try to maximize click-through rates and positive consent decision, even at the risk of users agreeing to more purposes than intended. We evaluate a practice observed on popular websites by conducting an experiment with one control and two treatment groups (N= 150 university students in two countries). We hypothesize that users’ consent decision is influenced by (1) the number of options, connecting to the theory of choice proliferation, and (2) the presence of a highlighted default button (“select all”), connecting to theories of social norms and deception in consumer research. The results show that participants who see a default button accept cookies for more purposes than the control group, while being less able to correctly recall their choice. After being reminded of their choice, they regret it more often and perceive the consent dialog as more deceptive than the control group. Whether users are presented one or three purposes has no significant effect on their decisions and perceptions. We discuss the results and outline policy implications.
Identifying Influential Spreaders in a Social Network (While Preserving Privacy)
Authors: Kukkala Varsha Bhat , Iyengar S.R.S
Published: May 2020

In order to disseminate information in a social network, it is important to first identify the influential spreaders in the network. Using them as the seed spreaders, the aim is to ensure that the information is cascaded throughout the network. The traditional approach to identifying influential nodes is to determine the top-r ranked nodes in accordance with various ranking methods such as PageRank, k-Shell decomposition, ClusterRank and VoteRank. In the current work, we study the problem of ranking the nodes when the underlying graph is distributedly held by a set of individuals, who consider their share of the data as private information. In particular, we design efficient secure multiparty computation (MPC) protocols for k-Shell decomposition, PageRank and VoteRank. For improved efficiency, we employ the oblivious RAM construct in conjunction with efficient data-oblivious graph data structures. We are the first to propose a secure variant of the VoteRank algorithm. We prove that the proposed protocols are asymptotically more efficient and have lower runtime in practice than the previous best known MPC protocols for computing k-Shell decomposition and PageRank centrality scores.
Stem Cell Therapy for Perianal Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Knyazev Oleg , Kagramanova Anna , Lischinskaya Albina , Korneeva Irina , Zvyaglova Mariya , Babayan Anait , Konoplyannikov Anatoliy , Parfenov Asfold
Published: May 2020

The goal of the study was to compare the effect of combination therapy (local and systemic administration) with bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), anticytokine therapy with infliximab (IFX), and antibiotic (AB)/immunosuppressive (IS) therapy on the frequency of healing of simple perianal fistulas in Crohn’s disease. Three patient groups were used in our study. The 1st group of patients (age 19 to 58 years, mean 29 years, n = 12) received MSCs culture systemically and locally. The 2nd group of patients with CD (age 20 to 68 years, mean age 36 years, n = 10) received anticytokine therapy with infliximab (IFX). The 3rd group of patients with CD (age 20 to 62 years, mean age 28 years, n = 14) received antibiotics (AB) and immunosuppressors (IS). Treatment effect was assessed by the index of perianal activity of Crohn’s disease (PCDAI) and the frequency of relapses. After 12 weeks, in the 1st group, healing of simple fistulas was noted in 8/12 patients (66.6%), in the 2nd group in 6/10 (60.0%) and in the 3rd group in 1/14 patients (7.1%). After six months, in the 1st group of patients healing of simple fistulas occurred in 8/12 (66.6%), in the 2nd group in 6/10 (60.0%) and in the 3rd group in 1/14 patients (7.1%). After 12 months, in the 1st group, healing of simple fistulas was observed in 7/12 (58.3%), in the 2nd group in 6/10 (60.0%) and in the 3rd group in 2/14 patients (14.3%). After 24 months, among the patients of the 1st group, fistula closure was observed in 5/12 patients (41.6%), in the 2nd group in 4/10 (40.0%) and in the 3rd group in 0/14 patients (0.0%). Combined cellular and anticytokine therapy of CD with perianal lesions significantly contributes to more frequent and prolonged closure of simple fistulas, as compared to antibiotics/immunosuppressors, and to a decrease in the frequency of recurrence of the disease.
Repeatability of Magnetic Resonance Measurements Used for Estimating Crohn’s Disease Activity
Authors: Apine Ilze , Pirksta Ieva , Pitura Reinis , Pokrotnieks Juris , Puķīte Ieva , Krūmiņa Gaida
Published: May 2020

The MR activity indices used for quantification and follow-up of Crohn’s disease are composed of a number of subjectively determinable components with equivocal repeatability. The purpose of this article was to assess the repeatability of measurements used for quantitative estimation of Crohn’s disease activity in the terminal ileum. In five adults (23–57 y.o.) and 12 children (10–17 y.o.) with active terminal ileitis, the inflamed bowel was divided into 3 cm segments (n = 32 in adults, n = 46 in children), and measurements for the calculation of MaRIA and Clermont scores were performed. Parameters included apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences with selective and non-selective fat suppression, wall signal enhancement before (WSI-preGd) and after (WSI-preGd) gadolinium enhancement, bowel thickness, and presence of ulcers. The measurements were standardised (accurate site-to-site comparison, exact ROI size, where applicable) and repeated by the same researcher after two months. Intra-observer agreement for ADC, WSI-preGd and WSI-postGd, bowel thickness was assessed with a paired t-test, and the significant difference in presence/absence of ulcers was assessed by the Pearson 2 test. Absolute difference was not found between the 1st and 2nd measurements of ADC, WSI-preGd, WSI-postGd and wall thickness. There was systematic difference in the presence of bowel ulcers. In standardised conditions the repeatability of ADC, WSI-preGd and WSI-postGd is high. Efforts must be made to precisely define the size and appearance of ulcers that may be included in the index calculation.
Iron Absorption Disturbances in Patients with Enteropathy: Interim Analysis of a Single Centre Study
Authors: Basina Oļesja , Derova Jeļena , Derovs Aleksejs , Lejniece Sandra
Published: May 2020

There are about 2 billion people in the world who suffer from anaemia, mostly iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), by WHO data. Iron deficiency without anaemia is three times more common than IDA. In such patients, the condition of the small intestine should be evaluated, and malabsorption excluded. The aim of the study was to evaluate potential correlation between different types of enteropathy and iron absorption disturbances. The study was performed at the Latvian Maritime Medical Center “Gastroklinika” between the years 2014 and 2018. Iron absorption tests with 50 mg of oral iron gluconate were performed for each patient. Patients had filled in a FACIT questionnaire and had underwent video capsule endoscopy (VCE). A total of 48 patients were enrolled for analysis — 41 (85.4%) female and 7 (14.6%) male. Enteropathy was diagnosed in 35 cases: erosive — 17, erythematous — 12 and congestive — 6. By the time of VCE, 24 patients were suffering from anaemia. A total of 33 (68.7%) patients had problems with iron absorption, of whom 8 had no signs of enteropathy and 25 were diagnosed with enteropathy during VCE. IDA did not show a statistically significant correlation with enteropathy. However, the obtained results suggest that this should be studied further in association with small intestine malabsorption, to determine the precise role of enteropathy in IDA patients.
Inflammatory Cells in Gastric Cancer: Promoting the Tumour or Protecting the Host?
Authors: Tone Tatjana , Tauvēna Elīna , Štrumfa Ilze , Gardovskis Jānis
Published: May 2020

The study represents a comprehensive retrospective morphological profiling of gastric carcinoma in order to reveal associations between certain tumour-infiltrating inflammatory cells and clinical and/or pathological parameters. Patients’ age and gender, the extent of local tumour spread (pT), presence of metastases in regional lymph nodes (pN), tumour grade (G) as well as type according to World Health Organisation (WHO) and Lauren classifications were assessed in 211 consecutive surgically resected gastric carcinomas. Tumour-infiltrating inflammatory cells including eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes were counted within the cancer stroma in five randomly selected high-power fields representative of the tumour. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were applied; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Higher number of stromal eosinophils was associated with absence of metastases in regional lymph nodes (pN0) and histological structure of adenocarcinoma by WHO classification (p = 0.005 and p = 0.002, respectively). Higher count of stromal neutrophils showed significant associations with younger age (less than 65 years), and intestinal type by Lauren classification (p = 0.029 and p = 0.007, respectively). The density of stromal lymphocytes lacked any statistically significant association with the evaluated clinical or morphological parameters. In conclusion, the current study highlights the links between certain innate immune system cells and morphological features of gastric carcinoma.
Establishing Cut-Offs for Non-Invasive Liver Tests to Detect Cirrhosis at a High Sensitivity
Authors: Zirnis Andrejs Ernests , Straume Zane , Bērziņa Raisa , Māliņa-Bambīte Justīne , Derovs Aleksejs , Zeltiņa Inese
Published: May 2020

Liver cirrhosis is the end stage of chronic liver diseases. The current gold standard for diagnosing this condition, liver biopsy, has too many drawbacks, and research for better alternatives is ongoing. One major diagnostic arsenal includes various serological composition scores or so-called formulas. They are constantly being validated for development of new formulas. In our retrospective study of 215 patients case files who had confirmed cirrhosis of various etiologies, we examined the sensitivity and set new cut-offs for five of the most well-documented formulas. Data was obtained from the Rīga East University Hospital from 2012 to 2017 and analysed using SPSS V.22.00. In our study we found that FIB-4 at cut-off > 1.45 had over 95% sensitivity for excluding advanced fibrosis regardless of cirrhosis etiology. None of evaluated formulas had high sensitivity for detecting cirrhosis of alcohol etiology. For the viral hepatitis C genesis group, the best choice was deRitis index with almost 90% sensitivity. FIB-4 at cut-off > 2.75 was the best choice for the combined alcohol and viral hepatitis C group; BONACINI at score 8+ and FIB-4 at > 3.25 were the most sensitive in the main group containing all patients irrespective of cirrhosis etiology.
Palliative Endoscopic Esophageal Stenting for Malignant Esophageal Tumour Complications: A Clinical Case and Single Centre Experience in Latvia
Authors: Straume Zane , Proskurina Anna , Strode Zanda , Sekretarjovs Jurijs , Skuja Vita , Urķe Anete , Lapiņa Anita , Derovs Aleksejs
Published: May 2020

Esophageal stenting is used in patients with malignant esophageal tumours to reduce dysphagia and inanition. The objective of this study was to analyse the main reasons for esophageal stenting in Rīga East Clinical University Hospital (RECUH) and their association with dysphagia and mortality. A cross-sectional study of all patients hospitalised in RECUH who received esophageal self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) from October 2013 to December 2015 was performed. A total of 29 patients, 24 (82.8%) male and 5 (17.2%) female, with mean age 63.7 ± 11.3 years, underwent the procedure. The most common indications for stenting were tumour-related stenosis (52.9%) and fistulae (17.6%). Mean time from establishing the diagnosis of esophageal cancer to stent placement was 338.6 days. Median survival after stenting was 4.8 months. A complex case of a patient requiring placement of three palliative stents illustrates the challenges of esophageal cancer care. Esophageal stent placement is an effective palliative method for treating tumour-related symptoms but carries risks of stent complications and fistula development over time. SEMS are being successfully used in cancer patient treatment in Latvia.
3. Quo Vadis the Contemporary Music Criticism? (The First International Workshop of Journalism in Kalv, Sweden. Reflection, Orientation, Persuasion)
Authors: Duţică Luminiţa
Published: May 2020

Annually, in Kalv is organized one of Sweden’s most innovative festivals for Contemporary Music. For the first time, on 8-11 August 2019 took place a workshop in Music Journalism field. In this study we intend to show working methods used in Western Journalism and the impact of current music on the cultural level Kalv’s rural population. Together with the mentor Andreas Engström from Berlin, we attended concerts, seminars, we interviewed more artists and musicians across the globe, also we wrote different texts, essays and chronicles for publication. To conclude, organising a Musical Journalism Workshop during a festival of contemporary music is a commendable initiative which plays a major role in getting acquainted and gaining a better understanding of the compositional intentions of present-day creators. We will be happy to come back here, in a world at once picturesque and post-modern owing to these unforgettable musical encounters.
5. The Evaluation Between Partial and Impartial Attitude
Authors: Ciobanu Luminiţa
Published: May 2020

Docimology is based on knowledge from the field of psychology and pedagogy. There are several functions of the didactic evaluation, related to their social and personal relevance. The interpretive evaluation involves a degree of subjectivism which, however, can be diminished by experience, patience and permanent self-control. The proposed evaluation methods will be applied simultaneously, with the objectification of the relevance of each one and with maximum sense of responsibility on the part of the evaluator.
8. Gioachino Rossini, Voice Assemblies In The Opera IL Barbiere Di Siviglia
Authors: Fântână Cristina Simionescu
Published: May 2020

In Naples, Gioachino Rossini creates some of his works for representations in other cities. The best known, the Barber of Seville or Useless Precaution, opened on February 20, 1816, atTeatro Argentina in Rome. The booklet, a version of Pierre de Beaumarchais’s eponymous novel, was rewritten by Cesare Sterbini, being a variant other than that already used by Giovanni Paisiello. Moreover, since then the work has enjoyed a great popularity, contributing to this triumph and the extremely short period in which it was conceived: two or three weeks. Later, Rossini claimed that he had created the work in just twelve days. The opening, initially bearing the title of Almaviva, was not successful, as the admirers of Paisiello, extremely indignant, sabotaged the show by whistling and shouting throughout the first act. However, shortly after the second performance, the work became so appreciated that the fame of Paisiello’s work was transferred to Rossini, the title The Barber of Seville becoming an inalienable Rossinian heritage. Il Barbiere was not Rossini’s favourite work. Ironically, it won the status of classical opera much later, at the end of the Rossini’s career. Today we clearly consider its status as the first in the history of the work, often overlooking the radical impact it had at the time of the opening, when it shocked and provoked a large audience of unknowing persons. The speed of his writing could explain the dramatic drop in intensity felt in the second half of the second act.
13. The Systematic of the Characters from the Opera a Stormy Night by Paul Constantinescu
Authors: Radu-Țaga Consuela
Published: May 2020

In the history of the Romanian musical theatre the comic opera A Stormy Night written by Paul Constantinescu set up the buffa style. All along the two acts carried out in approximately 50 minutes you can hear Romanian folklore resonances, with Anton Pann echoes, as the 7 characters from the opera live in the Bucharest of the 19th century. The leitmotif technique is at the basis of the musical story, 9 melodious-rhythmic configurations getting detached. The musical discourse of the singers is entirely subordinated to the text, and the ample breath appeals to the recitative singing, which evolves towards arioso. The categorical overlapping of the musical declamation with the spoken language initiates a route in which we encounter phenomena such as sprechgesang, parlato, yelling, buffa slipping of the voice. The characters are X-rayed with a deep critical spirit and the capacity to illustrate funny situations gains a lot from Constantinescu’s experience.
3. Essential Aspects in the Creation of Means of Scenic Expressivity Specific to the Puppet Show
Authors: Huțanu Raluca Bujoreanu
Published: May 2020

The expressiveness of a doll can be generated by the way it is constructed and animated, by the ability of the puppet to transmit messages through the play with the doll. Through color, sound, simple and clear suggestion of the puppet’s message to the spectators, the object comes to life and the puppet show becomes an artistic act. In other words, the purpose of the puppet show creator is to suggest in his representation human behavior in the most expressive ways possible - using all the means of language that he has in an original and creative way.