bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Countermeasures against Misuse of Medical Drugs
Authors: Park Ho Jeong ,   Korean Correction Counseling Psychological Association
Published: July 2024

The social problems caused by the misuse of medical drugs are increasing. Therefore, countermeasures to reduce the misuse of medical drugs are needed. First, as a way to control the supply of medical drugs, it is necessary to increase the number of medical drug monitoring personnel, link the NIMS with the drug safety service system, revise the Act so that it can be reported immediately after the prescription of the drug for medical use, establish a legal basis for reporting the plan to dispose of medical drugs to the authorities when medical institutions and pharmacies are closed, establish a legal basis for a total ban on business if the reporting of drug handling details is violated, improve medical drug return regulations under the Narcotics Control Act, establish objective standards for re-issuance of medical licenses, strengthen medical drug education for doctors and pharmacists, restrict medical drug prescription qualifications, improve the system to handle medical drugs only at high-level hospitals, and introduce a system to require identification through the introduction of a fingerprint search system when prescribing medical drugs. Second, as a way to curb the demand for misuse of medical drugs, the following are required: The establishment of an infrastructure for collecting and disposing of medical drugs at home, establishing an investigative organization specializing in medical drugs, strengthening the iInternet monitoring system, education and promotion of the harmfulness of medical drugs, introducing compulsory treatment and education order systems, introducing a drug treatment and testing system, and integrating medical drug offenders for treatment purposes.
Prevalence of Diseases Among Working-age Men of Altai Region Living Near the Rocket and Space Activity Zone
Authors: Kolyado I. , Plugin S.
Published: July 2024

Part of the population of the Altai Region is exposed to rocket and space activities. In order to identify possible medical consequences of such exposure, within the framework of the state space program in the region, since 1999, medical examinations of residents of territories adjacent to the fall areas of the second stages of launch vehicles launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome have been conducted. This paper presents the results of a dynamic analysis of the prevalence of diseases in men of working age in Krasnoshchekovsky district in 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018. The most significant diseases, levels of indicators for the most widespread diseases and trends in the dynamics of indicators have been identified. The dynamics of the overall prevalence of diseases in men of working age and the prevalence of certain classes of diseases and nosologies is not unambiguous.
Biomarkers of Early Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Yusupov F. , Yuldashev A. , Nurmatov T.
Published: July 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that neurodegenerative diseases will be the biggest health problem in the future. Among neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s disease is the second most common after Alzheimer’s disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common pathology of a person with movement disorders. Among neurological diseases, it has a high social significance due to the negative effect on the quality of life (early loss of the ability to work, progressive disorders of motor and cognitive skills). With increasing life expectancy, the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease increases. Biological markers of early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease are being actively studied. The review presents the most clinically significant biological markers for the preclinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Biomarkers of cerebrospinal fluid, serum biomarkers and biomarkers of other biological fluids in Parkinson's disease are discussed.
The Role of Patiral Hormones in Metabolism
Authors: Seyidova L.
Published: July 2024

After the removal of the pancreas and during its hypofunction, a severe and difficult-to-treat disease called diabetes and sugary urine is observed in humans and animals. Under the influence of glucagon, the process of converting glycogen into glucose begins to take an active form in the liver and some other organs. Glucagon helps to increase the amount of glucose in the blood due to the activation of phosphorylase, which is involved in the breakdown of glycogen in the presence of glucose. Different animals have different sensitivity to glucagon. Glucagon affects fat metabolism and stimulates the breakdown of fat in adipose tissue.
Development of a Hydraulic Damping Device to Protect a Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Fang Yilin , Kudashev S.
Published: July 2024

This study focuses on the utilization of hydraulic accumulators to mitigate hydraulic shock. The pressure energy within the system is converted into compressed gas energy in the accumulator. This continuous conversion between the two forms of energy allows for the absorption of hydraulic shock force, thereby ensuring system stability. The study involved the creation of experimental circuits, which were tested both with and without the inclusion of a hydraulic accumulator. The results confirmed that the accumulator has a substantial impact on reducing hydraulic shock phenomena. The study's findings demonstrate that the shocks in the hydraulic system can be efficiently managed by selecting an appropriate inflation pressure for the accumulator and utilizing various connection line data.
Research and Development of Obtaining Scandium from Waste Cake by Aluminothermal Method
Authors: Tunguchbekova Zh. , Shabdanova E. , Ibraeva Zh. , Akzholova K. , Murzubraimov B. , Ysmanov E.
Published: July 2024

To study and obtain scandium, we used technogenic waste (waste cake) from the Kadamzhai antimony plant. For the experiment, we took 0.05 μm enriched fine fraction of the cake. To carry out the aluminothermic reaction, we weighed 90 g of enriched cake and 10 g of aluminum powder on technical scales. To obtain scandium, we used a quartz crucible as a reactor, since the reaction in it does not pollute the obtained product, the reaction will begin at 810° C. Complete recovery of scandium occurs at 935° C, in 7-8 minutes. For the aluminothermic reaction, we used enriched cake from the Kadamzhai antimony plant.
The Use of SDN and NFV in Modern Networks, Advantages and Disadvantages
Authors: Noy A. , Limanova N. , Kozlov V.
Published: July 2024

This article discusses networks such as SDN and NFV, their application in modern networks, as well as their comparison, advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
Methods for Improving Efficiency and Performance of Computing Systems Based on Artificial Intelligence Technologies
Authors: Lashtabega E. , Limanova N. , Kozlov V.
Published: July 2024

This article discusses methods for increasing the efficiency and performance of computing systems based on artificial intelligence technologies.
Practical Application of 5G Networks: Opportunities and Vulnerabilities
Authors: Limanova N. , Charikov E. , Charikov D.
Published: July 2024

5G is a revolutionary technology that provides ultra-speed, low latency and wide capacity, opening up new opportunities for all spheres of life. However, the introduction of 5G poses risks to cybersecurity and privacy, as well as increases energy consumption. It is necessary to ensure security, privacy and energy efficiency in order to fully realize the potential of 5G.
Organizational and Social Psychological Foundations for the Development of Management Decisions
Authors: Sadykova R. , Kochkonov B. , Zheentaeva A.
Published: July 2024

The head of a company makes important business decisions every day. The profit of the enterprise, the choice of reliable partners and the outcome of the work of the entire team depend on them. At the same time, all managers make management decisions differently. The article talks about the psychological basis for the development of management decisions. The social efficiency of a management decision is considered as the result of achieving social goals for a larger number of employees and the company in a shorter time, with fewer employees, and at lower financial costs. The organizational effectiveness of a management decision lies in the fact that the company’s personnel are involved in this work. Social is embedded in the personnel management mechanism, which includes levers of influence on people to coordinate their activities in the team. Formal relationships are consolidated in the form of functional or organizational structures of departments and the company as a whole. Informal (personal) relationships are established on the basis of common priorities of needs and interests, likes and dislikes. Informal relationships are also fixed in the form of a structure with leaders and subordinates, and have unwritten rules of relationship.
Genesis of the Development of Political Rights and Freedoms of Human and Citizens
Authors: Toktobaev B. , Sydykov A.
Published: July 2024

This article examines the genesis of the origin of political rights of man and citizen in the context of an individual’s claims to freedom at various stages of the existence of human society; reflects the conditions for the exercise of political rights and freedoms of the individual until the end of the Soviet period; the issues of the transition of individual freedom into political freedom as an element of subjective rights are considered, the dependence of the level of individual freedom on the type and political regime of states is noted. When studying the problem, general and specific scientific methods of scientific knowledge were used: comparative legal, formal logical, method of dialectical knowledge of social and legal phenomena. The author came to the conclusion that the socio-legal essence of an individual’s political rights and freedoms was originally composed of spiritual, religious, philosophical, legal, moral and ethical values.
The Essence and Legal Nature of Political Rights and Freedoms in the System of Other Human Rights
Authors: Aidarbekova G. , Sydykov A.
Published: July 2024

Examines the essence and problems of determining the legal nature of political rights and freedoms in the system of other human and civil rights from the point of view of the theory of natural and positive human rights; The doctrines of scientists regarding the classification of political rights, their criteria, correlation with personal, socio-economic rights are revealed within the framework of constitutional legal personality. The author concludes that, unlike other fundamental rights, political rights and freedoms, while not being absolute rights, are mainly associated with the institution of citizenship; implemented in an individual and collective format, and the essence of these rights depends on the level of development of the democratic mechanisms of the state, in creating the necessary conditions for the active participation of citizens in the management of affairs of state and public importance.
On Some Issues of Judicial Practice in Human Trafficking Cases
Authors: Ozbekov D. , Mashabaev A. , Siubaeva N.
Published: July 2024

Human trafficking continues to be one of the serious problems of the modern world community. The authors made an attempt on the basis of a comprehensive study (legal analysis of the composition of human trafficking and the study of judicial practice) to identify problematic issues when considering cases of this category, in order to ensure uniform approaches and develop a legal position. Eighteen sentences posted in the public domain in the Judicial Cabinet service, reviewed by the country's courts from 2015 to 2022, were studied. The data of official statistics are analyzed, the latency of crimes related to human trafficking is noted. The “facets” of human trafficking as a legal phenomenon in the history of national criminal legislation are traced. As possible ways to increase the effectiveness of countering trafficking in persons, as well as bringing domestic legislation into line with international law, it is proposed to include in the dispositions of Articles 128, 135 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan an indication of the methods of committing crimes, differentiate the composition of trafficking in persons and trafficking in minors depending on the nature and purpose of the actions committed, systematically summarize judicial practice in cases of about human trafficking.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PURSED LIP BREATHING AND DISTRACTIVE AUDITORY STIMULI REGARDING ANXIETY IN COPD PATIENTS
Authors: Sejati L. Gita Aryumi , Prihati Dyah Restuning , Pramono Wijanarko Heru
Published: July 2024

Anxiety of COPD patients is related to perceived clinical depression such as fear of acute dyspnea attacks with a sense of suffocation and fear of death. Anxiety can be treated by providing non-pharmacological therapies, namely Pursed lip breathing and distractive auditory stimuli. Pursed lip breathing is a breathing technique that helps more effectively in increasing oxygen saturation, which trains to exhale more slowly so that breathing will feel easy and more comfortable both when resting or doing activities. Distractive auditory stimuli (DAS) using classical music with a tempo of 60-80 beats/minute so as to increase patient calmness and control patient breathing patterns. This study was conducted to determine the difference between Pursed lip breathing and distractive auditory stimuli on the anxiety of COPD patients. Experimental research method two group pre-posttest design with 40 respondents taken using purposive sampling technique which each group consists of 20 respondents. Anxiety measurement tools using beck anxiety inventory. Bivariate analysis using man-whitney test . The results showed that the p-value of the Mann-Whitney test was 0.006. Conclusion: there is a difference in Pursed lip breathing and distractive auditory stimuli, indicating a decrease in the anxiety level of COPD patients
ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENCES IN IMAGE QUALITY WITH VARIATIONS IN SLICE THICKNESS IN CT-SCAN BRAIN EXAMINATIONS WITH TRAUMA CASES AT THE RADIOLOGY INSTALLATION OF RSI SITI RAHMAH PADANG
Authors: Dewilza Nerifa , Yudha Sagita , Hanifah Wahdini , Nansih Livia Ade , Septiani Rahayus
Published: July 2024

Research has been carried out on the analysis of differences in image quality with slice thickness variations in CT-Scan brain examinations with trauma cases at the Radiology Installation at RSI Siti Rahmah Padang. This study aims to determine the difference in image quality with varying slice thicknesses of 3 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm in CT-Scan brain examinations with trauma cases and what slice thickness is capable of producing optimal image quality in establishing a diagnosis in CT-Scan brain examinations. with trauma cases. This research was conducted in January 2022 - June 2022 with a quantitative type of research with experimental methods, using purposive sampling techniques and questionnaire data distributed to respondents were processed using the weight mean score formula and the SPSS Friedman method. According to the weight mean score formula, the highest average value for the slice thickness variations of 3 mm, 5 mm and 7 mm is a slice thickness of 3 mm with an average value of 3.64, contrast resolution has an average value of 3.67, noise is 3. 49 and the results of the CT-Scan brain examination in the bone window in trauma cases had an average of t3.74. Based on the SPSS results of the Friedman method, it was found that there was a significant difference in the results of slice thickness variations of 3 mm, 5 mm and 7 mm in the CT-Scan brain examination with trauma cases because (p-value < 0.05), this shows that Hₒ was rejected and Hₐ was accepted. A good slice thickness variation for showing trauma on a CT-Scan brain examination is a slice thickness of 3 mm in the bone window, because if there is a very small fracture it can be seen more clearly.
Imunizarea. Controversele vaccinurilor Prestige Publishing House, Bucharest, 2023. Stuart Blume
Authors: Vulpe Simona-Nicoleta
Published: July 2024

In Immunization: How Vaccines Became Controversial, Stuart Blume provides an in-depth analysis of vaccines, emphasizing their role beyond medicine into social, political, and economic realms. The book traces the history of vaccine hesitancy, linking it to socio-political changes, such as neoliberalism and commercialization processes. Blume highlights the dual nature of vaccines as public health instruments and commercial products, and how this duality contributes to vaccine hesitancy. He challenges common views on vaccine disparities between developed and developing nations, and examines the evolution of public attitudes towards vaccination. The transition from public to private vaccine production and the focus on profitable vaccines, often at the expense of less developed countries' needs, are some of the key themes in this book. Blume also discusses the redefinition of health risks and diseases, influencing vaccination policies and public perceptions. The book delves into the historical and evolving nature of resistance to vaccination, ultimately arguing that vaccine hesitancy is deeply rooted in both the commercial and public health significance of vaccines.
Răspunsuri la criza ocupării. Transformări digitale ale pieței muncii din România
Authors: Bădoi Delia , Preoteasa Ana Maria
Published: July 2024

The present article presents a sociological analysis of the sources of crisis in the context of the Romanian labour market, compared to post-socialist and post-Soviet countries. The study examines the labour market changes over the past two decades, from the economic crisis of 2008 to the COVID-19 crisis. The article shows how socioeconomic vulnerabilities during crises interacted with the transformations caused by employment policies, technological transformations of work and neoliberal measures on the labour market in Romania.
De la criză la „permacriză” în comunicarea mediatică din România
Authors: Pop Alina , Alexandrescu Filip
Published: July 2024

The article examines how the crisis phenomenon is discussed in the Romanian public communication environment. The authors argue that in the current context, where society is marked by multiple crises, the term "permacrisis" has become relevant, describing a state of permanent crisis affecting the society at multiple levels. The authors analysed how the topic of crisis has been represented in the Romanian media, focusing on articles published online between 2017 and 2022. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, the study highlights a significant increase in crisis-related mentions since 2020, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase indicates a shift in public perception and media discourse, suggesting the normalisation and acceptance of the crisis as a constant state. Four dominant themes associated with the crisis were identified in media discourse: the economic crisis, the health crisis generated by COVID-19, the domestic political crisis and the crisis generated by the war in Ukraine. These themes illustrate the different facets of the permacrisis in Romania, from the economic and social impact, to political uncertainty and the consequences of pandemics and geopolitical conflicts. The paper highlights the importance of recognising and understanding the phenomenon of permacrisis in Romanian society in order to develop more effective strategies for managing crises and building a more resilient society.
Operational stability study of lactate biosensors: modeling, parameter identification, and stability analysis
Authors: Martsenyuk Vasyl , Soldatkin Oleksandr , Klos-Witkowska Aleksandra , Sverstiuk Andriy , Berketa Ksenya
Published: July 2024

Introduction

This paper investigates the operational stability of lactate biosensors, crucial devices in various biomedical and biotechnological applications. We detail the construction of an amperometric transducer tailored for lactate measurement and outline the experimental setup used for empirical validation.

Methods

The modeling framework incorporates Brown and Michaelis–Menten kinetics, integrating both distributed and discrete delays to capture the intricate dynamics of lactate sensing. To ascertain model parameters, we propose a nonlinear optimization method, leveraging initial approximations from the Brown model’s delay values for the subsequent model with discrete delays.

Results

Stability analysis forms a cornerstone of our investigation, centering on linearization around equilibrium states and scrutinizing the real parts of quasi-polynomials. Notably, our findings reveal that the discrete delay model manifests marginal stability, occupying a delicate balance between asymptotic stability and instability. We introduce criteria for verifying marginal stability based on characteristic quasi-polynomial roots, offering practical insights into system behavior.

Discussion

Qalitative examination of the model elucidates the influence of delay on dynamic behavior. We observe a transition from stable focus to limit cycle and period-doubling phenomena with increasing delay values, as evidenced by phase plots and bifurcation diagrams employing Poincaré sections. Additionally, we identify limitations in model applicability, notably the loss of solution positivity with growing delays, underscoring the necessity for cautious interpretation when employing delayed exponential function formulations. This comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the design and operational characteristics of lactate biosensors, offering a robust framework for understanding and optimizing their performance in diverse settings.
Scaling-law mechanical marker for liver fibrosis diagnosis and drug screening through machine learning
Authors: Zhang Honghao , Hang Jiu-Tao , Chang Zhuo , Yu Suihuai , Yang Hui , Xu Guang-Kui
Published: July 2024

Studies of cell and tissue mechanics have shown that significant changes in cell and tissue mechanics during lesions and cancers are observed, which provides new mechanical markers for disease diagnosis based on machine learning. However, due to the lack of effective mechanic markers, only elastic modulus and iconographic features are currently used as markers, which greatly limits the application of cell and tissue mechanics in disease diagnosis. Here, we develop a liver pathological state classifier through a support vector machine method, based on high dimensional viscoelastic mechanical data. Accurate diagnosis and grading of hepatic fibrosis facilitates early detection and treatment and may provide an assessment tool for drug development. To this end, we used the viscoelastic parameters obtained from the analysis of creep responses of liver tissues by a self-similar hierarchical model and built a liver state classifier based on machine learning. Using this classifier, we implemented a fast classification of healthy, diseased, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-treated fibrotic live tissues, and our results showed that the classification accuracy of healthy and diseased livers can reach 0.99, and the classification accuracy of the three liver tissues mixed also reached 0.82. Finally, we provide screening methods for markers in the context of massive data as well as high-dimensional viscoelastic variables based on feature ablation for drug development and accurate grading of liver fibrosis. We propose a novel classifier that uses the dynamical mechanical variables as input markers, which can identify healthy, diseased, and post-treatment liver tissues.
High salt intake and HIV infection on endothelial glycocalyx shedding in salt-sensitive hypertension
Authors: Masenga Sepiso K. , Liweleya Situmbeko , Kirabo Annet
Published: July 2024

The endothelial glycocalyx is closely associated with various physiological and pathophysiological events. Significant modification of the endothelial glycocalyx is an early process in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. High dietary salt and HIV infection damages the endothelial glycocalyx causing endothelial dysfunction and increasing the risk for salt-sensitive hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The two factors, HIV infection and dietary salt are critical independent predictors of hypertension and cardiovascular disease and often synergize to exacerbate and accelerate disease pathogenesis. Salt-sensitive hypertension is more common among people living with HIV and is associated with risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack and even death. However, the underlying mechanisms linking endothelial glycocalyx damage to dietary salt and HIV infection are lacking. Yet, both HIV infection/treatment and dietary salt are closely linked to endothelial glycocalyx damage and development of salt-sensitive hypertension. Moreover, the majority of individuals globally, consume more salt than is recommended and the burden of HIV especially in sub-Sahara Africa is disproportionately high. In this review, we have discussed the missing link between high salt and endothelial glycocalyx shedding in the pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension. We have further elaborated the role played by HIV infection and treatment in modifying endothelial glycocalyx integrity to contribute to the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
The synergy of morphokinetic parameters and sHLA-G in cleavage embryo enhancing implantation rates
Authors: Jiang Chunyan , Geng Menghui , Zhang Can , She Hong , Wang Dalin , Wang Jing , Liu Jiayin , Diao Feiyang , Cai Lingbo , Hu Yanqiu
Published: July 2024

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between implantation and soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) expression in cleavage embryo culture medium (ECM) in conjunction with early developmental kinetics determined by time-lapse imaging (TLI).

Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted involving 238 embryos from 165 patients who underwent Frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) using autologous oocytes, with either single or double embryo transfer. TLI morphokinetic parameters (t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, t7, t8, cc2, s2, cc3, s3) of embryos were analyzed, and sHLA-G levels in D3 ECM were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A hierarchical classification model was developed to categorize embryos into five groups (A, B, C, D, E). The correlation between sHLA-G levels, TLI classification of embryos, and embryo implantation was investigated to establish a non-invasive method for evaluating implantation potential. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify potential influencing factors, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the predictive value for implantation.

Results: Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis indicated that TLI parameters t5 and s3 and sHLA-G level in ECM were independent risk factors affecting embryo implantation. The implantation rate decreased from TLI classification A to E. The proposed classification model effectively assessed the implantation potential of embryos. The implantation rate was higher in the sHLA-G positive group compared to the sHLA-G negative group (p < 0.001). The expression of sHLA-G in D3 ECM, combined with the TLI classification model, accurately evaluated the implantation potential of embryos with an AUC of 0.876.

Conclusion: The integration of cleavage kinetics and embryonic sHLA-G expression could reliably identify embryos with a high likelihood of successful implantation.
Systemic impacts of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) on heart, muscle, and kidney related diseases
Authors: Sandireddy Reddemma , Sakthivel Suganya , Gupta Priyanka , Behari Jatin , Tripathi Madhulika , Singh Brijesh Kumar
Published: July 2024

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is the most common liver disorder worldwide, with an estimated global prevalence of more than 31%. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a progressive form of MASLD characterized by hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the extrahepatic manifestations of MASH, focusing on chronic diseases related to the cardiovascular, muscular, and renal systems. A systematic review of published studies and literature was conducted to summarize the findings related to the systemic impacts of MASLD and MASH. The review focused on the association of MASLD and MASH with metabolic comorbidities, cardiovascular mortality, sarcopenia, and chronic kidney disease. Mechanistic insights into the concept of lipotoxic inflammatory “spill over” from the MASH-affected liver were also explored. MASLD and MASH are highly associated (50%–80%) with other metabolic comorbidities such as impaired insulin response, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. Furthermore, more than 90% of obese patients with type 2 diabetes have MASH. Data suggest that in middle-aged individuals (especially those aged 45–54), MASLD is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, sarcopenia, and chronic kidney disease. The concept of lipotoxic inflammatory “spill over” from the MASH-affected liver plays a crucial role in mediating the systemic pathological effects observed. Understanding the multifaceted impact of MASH on the heart, muscle, and kidney is crucial for early detection and risk stratification. This knowledge is also timely for implementing comprehensive disease management strategies addressing multi-organ involvement in MASH pathogenesis.
Discontinuation of afterload-reducing drugs decreases left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Authors: Derda Anselm A. , Abelmann Malin , Sonnenschein Kristina , Sieweke Jan-Thorben , Bavendiek Udo , Bauersachs Johann , Thum Thomas , Berliner Dominik
Published: July 2024

Background

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common genetic heart disease, is classified into hypertrophic non-obstructive and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Patients with HOCM and coexisting heart failure or arterial hypertension are often prescribed afterload-reducing drugs. Although recommended in current guidelines, data on the direct effect of discontinuing afterload-reducing medication are scarce. This study aims to demonstrate the benefit of discontinuing afterload-reducing medication in HOCM patients.

Methods

This monocentric retrospective analysis included 24 patients with HOCM with afterload-reducing medication, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-1 receptor blocker and dihydropyridine-calcium channel blocker, at their first outpatient visit. Effects of discontinuing this medication on LVOTO were examined compared to patients with persistent use despite medical advice.

Results

16 patients discontinued their afterload-reducing drugs, resulting in a significant decrease in median LVOT gradient from 86.5 [60.5–109.3] mmHg to 61.5 [28.3–97.50] mmHg (p = 0.0004). In 6 patients, beta-blocker therapy was initiated simultaneously, or the dose was increased. Regardless, LVOT gradient reduction was also significant in the remaining 10 patients (p = 0.001). The gradient was not changed significantly in the 8 patients continuing their afterload-reducing medication.

Conclusions

Discontinuation of afterload-reducing drugs significantly decreases LVOTO. Our study underscores the significance of abstaining from afterload-reducing drugs in HOCM patients, particularly in patients with concomitant hypertension or heart failure. According to recently published European guidelines, HOCM patients should preferably be treated with beta-blockers or non-dihydropyridine-calcium channel blockers.
An EGF technique to infer the source parameters of a circular crack growing at a variable rupture velocity
Authors: de Lorenzo Salvatore , Michele Maddalena
Published: July 2024

Circular crack models with a constant rupture velocity struggle to effectively model both the amplitude and duration of first P-wave pulses generated by small magnitude seismic events. Assuming a constant rupture velocity is unphysical, necessitating a deceleration phase in the rupture velocity to uphold the causality of the healing process. Moreover, a comprehensive failure model might encompass an initial nucleation phase, typically characterized by an increase of the initial rupture velocity. Studies have demonstrated that quasi-dynamic circular crack models featuring variable rupture velocities can accurately model the shape of the observed first P-wave pulse. Based on these principles, an Empirical Green’s function (EGF) approach was previously formulated to estimate the source parameters of small magnitude earthquakes, called MAIN. In addition to determine the source radius and stress drop, this method also enables the inference of the temporal evolution of rupture velocity. However, this method encounters difficulties when the noise-to-signal ratio in the recordings of smaller earthquakes used as EGF exceeds 5%, a common situation when employing regional-scale recordings of small-magnitude earthquakes as EGF. Through synthetic tests, we demonstrated that, in such instances, the problem of this technique is that the alignment between the onset of P waves of EGF and MAIN is not rightly recovered after the initial inversion step. Consequently, a novel inversion method has been developed to address this issue, enabling the identification of the optimal alignment of P-wave arrivals in EGF and MAIN across all stations. A Bayesian statistical approach is proposed to meticulously investigate the solutions of model parameters and their correlations. Using the new technique on a small magnitude earthquake (ML = 3.3) occurred in Central Italy enabled us to identify the most likely rupture models and examine the issue of correlation among model parameters. Application of Occam’s Razor Principle suggests that, for the investigated event, a circular crack model should be favored over a heterogeneous rupture model.
Exploring sensitive area in the whole pacific for two types of El Niño predictions and their implication for targeted observations
Authors: Qi Qianqian , Duan Wansuo , Liu Xia , Xu Hui
Published: July 2024

Based on the initial errors in the whole Pacific that are most likely to affect the predictions of two types of El Niño events, the sensitive area of ocean temperature in the whole Pacific for El Niño prediction starting from January is identified by using the Geophysical Fluid Dynamic Laboratory CM2P1, a fully coupled global climate model. The error growth analysis and the numerical experiments illustrated that, the initial ocean temperature in the Victoria mode (VM) region in the North Pacific will affect the intensity predictions of the CP-El Niño while that in the subsurface layer of the west equatorial Pacific and the surface layer of southeast Pacific will modulate the spatial structure predictions of CP-El Niño. But for EP-El Niño, the former plus the surface layer of the equatorial central eastern pacific will modulate the spatial structure predictions of the event while the latter is shown to be more effective in predictions of the intensity of the event. Furthermore, if targeted observations are conducted in the sensitive area of the whole Pacific, the El Niño prediction skills, including intensity and spatial structure predictions, could be greatly improved for both EP- and CP-El Niño events. Neither the sensitive area of subtropical Pacific nor the tropical Pacific can be precluded as accurate indicators when forecasting particular flavors and the intensity of El Niño events.
Teacher instructional practices: untangling their complex relations with self-efficacy, job satisfaction, stress, and cooperation among mathematics teachers
Authors: Zakariya Yusuf Feyisara , Adegoke Nurudeen A.
Published: July 2024

Background

Teacher instructional practices play crucial roles not only in shaping the happenings in the classrooms but also in facilitating students’ understanding and success rates in mathematics. However, previous studies on teachers’ factors that bolster or undermine instructional practices often consider the influence of these factors on instructional practices in isolation.

Objective

On the contrary, we took an inclusive approach in the present study to quantify and disentangle the complex relationship between self-efficacy, job satisfaction, stress, cooperation, and instructional practices with a focus on mathematics teachers.

Methods

We used structural equation modelling to analyze the generated data from 1,304 Norwegian secondary school mathematics teachers.

Results

The results showed that teacher self-efficacy contributes the most to teacher instructional practices through direct and mediating effects. It mediates the effects of stress and cooperation on teachers’ practices. The contribution of teacher cooperation to instructional practices supersedes teacher stress while the effect of job satisfaction is not substantial. Also, instructional practices that include frequent use of techniques of cognitive activation, clarity of instruction, and classroom management are more prevalent among female than male mathematics teachers in Norway.

Conclusion

By implications, these findings revealed that teacher self-efficacy and teacher cooperation are prime factors which interventions could bring about the desired improvement in classroom practices among mathematics teachers.
Comparing the visual affordances of discrete time Markov chains and epistemic network analysis for analysing discourse connections
Authors: Vasco Daniela , Thompson Kate , Alhadad Sakinah , Juri M. Zahid
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Researchers in the learning sciences have been considering methods of analysing and representing group-level temporal data, particularly discourse analysis, in Computed Supported Collaborative Learning for many years.

Methods

This paper compares two methods used to analyse and represent connections in discourse, Discrete Time Markov Chains and Epistemic Network Analysis. We illustrate both methods by comparing group-level discourse using the same coded dataset of 15 high school students who engaged in group work. The groups were based on the tools they used namely the computer, iPad, or Interactive Whiteboard group. The aim here is not to advocate for a particular method but to investigate each method’s affordances.

Results

The results indicate that both methods are relevant in evaluating the code connection within each group. In both cases, the techniques have supported the analysis of cognitive connections by representing frequent co-occurrences of concepts in a given segment of discourse.

Discussion

As the affordances of both methods vary, practitioners may consider both to gain insight into what each technique can allow them to conclude about the group dynamics and collaborative learning processes to close the loop for learners.
Association between obstructive sleep apnea risk and type 2 diabetes among Emirati adults: results from the UAE healthy future study
Authors: Taimah Manal , Ahmad Amar , Al-Houqani Mohammad , Al Junaibi Abdulla , Idaghdour Youssef , Abdulle AbdiShakur , Ali Raghib
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can have negative impacts on the health outcomes of individuals with type 2 diabetes. However, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is a lack of understanding regarding the relationship between OSA and type 2 diabetes despite the significant implications it has on health. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the association between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes, associated risk factors, and gender differences in OSA symptoms among Emirati adults.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data from the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) collected between February 2016 and March 2023. Our sample consisted of 4578 participants aged 18-71 who completed the STOP-BANG survey, provided body measurements and blood samples. We stratified the patients according to their OSA risk and diabetes. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to analyze the relationship between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes and to identify factors associated with risk for OSA and type 2 diabetes. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

The mean age was 27.5 years (± 8.35), and 55.81% (n=2555) were men. The overall prevalence of high risk for OSA was 16.58% and was higher in men compared to women (26.46% vs 4.10%). Women reported feeling tired more often than men (68.02% vs 48.96%). Both genders have similar rates of stop breathing and BMI ≥ 35. There was a significant association between the OSA risk and type 2 diabetes in the unadjusted model (OR=2.44; 95% CI: 1.78-3.35; p-value <0.0001) and (OR=6.44; 95% CI: 4.32-9.59; p-value < 0.0001) among those who reported intermediate and high OSA risk, respectively. After adjusting the model for education attainment, marital status, waist circumference, and smoking, the association remained significant between diabetes and OSA risk, with an OR of 1.65 (95%CI: 1.18-2.32; p-value =0.004) for intermediate OSA risk and 3.44 (95%CI: 2.23-5.33; p-value <0.0001) for high OSA risk.

Conclusions

This study conducted in the UAE found a significant correlation between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes. We suggest introducing routine screening of OSA for individuals with diabetes.
Institutional pressure and low carbon innovation policy: the role of EMS, environmental interpretations and governance heterogeneity
Authors: Yuning Mu , Taozhen Huang , Saleem Nayab , Hassan Abdul Hanan
Published: July 2024

As the global community deals with the urgent need for sustainable development, the formulation and implementation of effective low carbon innovation policies have emerged as a critical challenge. However, the extant literature is unclear in examining low carbon innovation policy. Underpinned by institutional theory, the current study addresses the role of institutional pressure in the development of low carbon innovation policies. Additionally, the study examines the role of environmental management systems as a mediation and environmental interpretations and governance heterogeneity as moderators. Methodologically, the data were collected from the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. The findings suggest that institutional pressure greatly influences low carbon innovation policies. Furthermore, the findings from environmental management systems strongly suggest that they significantly encourage institutional pressure on low carbon innovation. Additionally, the roles of environmental interpretations and governance heterogeneity have a significant effect on the relationship. We use a non-profitability sampling technique. In October 2023, a total of 432 questionnaires were disseminated to manufacturing firms, yielding 299 valid responses for Time-1 and Time-2, respectively.
An integrated bioinformatics analysis to identify the shared biomarkers in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Zhang Rou , Liu Zhijuan , Li Ran , Wang Xiaona , Ai Li , Li Yongxia
Published: July 2024

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been shown to have a close association in previous studies, but their pathogeneses are unclear. This study explores the molecular mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of OSA and NAFLD and identifies key predictive genes.

Methods

Using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we obtained gene expression profiles GSE38792 for OSA and GSE89632 for NAFLD and related clinical characteristics. Mitochondrial unfolded protein response-related genes (UPRmtRGs) were acquired by collating and collecting UPRmtRGs from the GeneCards database and relevant literature from PubMed. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with OSA and NAFLD were identified using differential expression analysis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted for signaling pathway enrichment analysis of related disease genes. Based on the STRING database, protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed on differentially co-expressed genes (Co-DEGs), and the Cytoscape software (version 3.9.1) was used to visualize the PPI network model. In addition, the GeneMANIA website was used to predict and construct the functional similar genes of the selected Co-DEGs. Key predictor genes were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

The intersection of differentially expressed genes shared between OSA and NAFLD-related gene expression profiles with UPRmtRGs yielded four Co-DEGs: ASS1, HDAC2, SIRT3, and VEGFA. GSEA obtained the relevant enrichment signaling pathways for OSA and NAFLD. PPI network results showed that all four Co-DEGs interacted (except for ASS1 and HDAC2). Ultimately, key predictor genes were selected in the ROC curve, including HDAC2 (OSA: AUC = 0.812; NAFLD: AUC = 0.729), SIRT3 (OSA: AUC = 0.775; NAFLD: AUC = 0.750), and VEGFA (OSA: AUC = 0.812; NAFLD: AUC = 0.861) (they have a high degree of accuracy in predicting whether a subject will develop two diseases).

Conclusion

In this study, four co-expression differential genes for OSA and NAFLD were obtained, and they can predict the occurrence of both diseases. Transcriptional mechanisms involved in OSA and NAFLD interactions may be better understood by exploring these key genes. Simultaneously, this study provides potential diagnostic and therapeutic markers for patients with OSA and NAFLD.
Vulnerability of elderly people during climate-induced disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Matlakala Frans Koketso , Rantho Katlego Magdeline , Mapaling Curwyn
Published: July 2024

Climate-induced disasters present significant challenges to vulnerable populations, especially elderly individuals with disabilities who face unique difficulties in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from such catastrophic events. Despite growing concerns about the impact of climate-induced disasters in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a notable lack of information regarding the specific vulnerabilities experienced by elderly people with disabilities in this region. This study aims to address this gap by identifying and synthesizing the existing literature on the subject. Researchers conducted a scoping review, selecting articles from regional (Sabinet African Journals, Science Direct) and global databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and ProQuest) using search strategies with Boolean operators, truncations, and MeSH terms. The review included primary studies (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods) published between 2013 and 2023 that met specified inclusion and exclusion criteria, with a focus on assessing the quality of the included studies. The findings revealed that elderly people in sub-Saharan Africa face significant physical, cognitive, and socio-economic challenges due to limited access to resources, inadequate infrastructure, and social exclusion. These challenges are amplified in the sub-Saharan context, highlighting a critical gap in inclusive risk reduction strategies during disasters. The review emphasizes an urgent need for targeted research and the development of community-based intervention programmes to improve the resilience and wellbeing of elderly individuals with disabilities facing climate-induced disasters. This study not only mapped the existing literature but also underscored the scarcity of research in the field of climate-induced disasters, with only six articles focusing on the elderly. The researchers recommend the development of more inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies and policies.