bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Open skills sports, especially team ball games, are associated with cognitive functions in adolescents: A time use diary study
Authors: Zhou Yuxi , Wu Youyou , Tolmie Andrew
Published: December 2024

In the past few decades, there has been ongoing debate regarding whether and how physical activity is related to cognitive development. The current study attempted to advance our understanding of this topic by exploring how various facets of physical activity—both quantitative and qualitative—are linked to specific cognitive functions in adolescents. The sample was 3527 adolescents from the United Kingdom Millennium Cohort Study. At age 14, adolescents’ daily activity content, duration, and intensity on weekdays and weekends were assessed using both an activity monitor and a time-use diary. Cognitive skills, including executive function and academic achievement, were measured at ages 14 and 17, respectively. Multiple hierarchical regressions revealed that a greater amount of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) was predictive of better executive function at age 14 but unrelated to academic outcome at age 17. In analysing adolescents’ activity content, it was found that open-skills sports were more closely associated with executive function, with team ball games exhibiting the strongest effect. In contrast, regular engagement in individual ball games and swimming was related to better academic outcomes. Our findings confirm the link between MVPA and cognitive functions in the adolescent population and highlight the beneficial effect of open-skill sports on adolescents’ cognitive development.
Comparison of prospective and retrospective motion correction for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the brain - Master's Thesis in Physics
Authors: Eichhorn Hannah
Published: December 2024

Head motion is one of the most common sources of artefacts for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain. Especially children, being intimidated by the dimensions and the noise of the scanner, tend to move considerably during image acquisition. Thus, the use of general anaesthesia or sedation is common practice in clinical routines to avoid motion artefacts. However, general anaesthesia requires additional equipment and personnel and concerns about potential drug-related risks are increasing.With this thesis, I aim to compare different methods for motion correction of MRI as alternative strategies for avoiding motion artefacts during clinical MRI examinations. I evaluate the performance of prospective and retrospective motion correction on a set of six 2D- and 3D-encoded sequences from a clinical pediatric MR protocol. For each sequence, we acquired scans with and without a predefined motion pattern in 22 healthy volunteers. I analyse and statistically compare a set of image qualitymeasures as well as observer quality scores. Furthermore, I quantify the influence of motion correction on motion-related changes in cortical thickness estimates using a general linear model.In this work, I show that for the 3D-encoded sequences, image quality considerably increases from scans without motion correction, over retrospectively to prospectively corrected scans. Selectively reacquiring slices with the highest level of motion additionally improved image quality. Furthermore, cortical thickness estimates from motion corrected scans do not correlate with motion to the same extent as observed for uncorrected scans. For three of the 2D-encoded sequences I observe higher image quality due motion correction and reacquisition compared to the clinical standard, even though the effect size varies between the different sequences. I did not observe an improvement due to motion correction in the T2* sequence, which is known to be highly sensitive to field inhomogeneities. owever, this sequence can be substituted by an accelerated, easily repeatable sequence. My findings confirm that the use of prospective motion correction is feasible for a full clinical children's protocol, reducing motion artefacts and ensuring diagnostic image quality. As a next step in establishing motion correction in clinical routines, the developed and validated set up will be tested on a clinical pediatric population.
Do neurodivergent individuals have higher statistics and mathematics anxiety? Evaluating evidence from a large, multi-lab study
Authors: Mahak Sheeza , Malone Stephanie Ann , Elsherif Mahmoud Medhat , Hand Christopher James , Morsanyi Kinga
Published: December 2024

Anxiety is commonly experienced by neurodivergent individuals participating in Higher Education, related to both cognitive performance and academic achievement. Whereas certain anxieties in neurodivergence (e.g., social and general anxiety) have received much attention, scant research has considered mathematics and statistics anxiety. In this study, 1,383 university students (679 neurotypical, 704 neurodivergent individuals) – matched on age, gender, education level, and country of origin – completed measures assessing various types of anxiety (including mathematics and statistics anxiety), attitudes toward mathematics, self-efficacy, and cognitive reflection. Results showed that neurodivergent students exhibited higher anxiety levels across measures, including mathematics and statistics anxiety. However, only cognitive and somatic anxiety and social anxiety explained individual variance in neurodivergent status after taking into account the effects of other measures. Despite differing anxiety levels (which showed variability between different neurodivergences), neurodivergent and neurotypical students were equivalent in cognitive reflection scores, suggesting similar levels of analytic thinking skills (including reasoning about mathematical content). In both the neurotypical and neurodivergent groups, higher levels of cognitive reflection were associated with male gender, less fear of negative evaluation, and lower mathematics and creativity anxiety, replicating and extending previous work. Our findings have implications for instructors across sectors with respect to supporting neurodivergent individuals.
Innovaciones en las nuevas aportaciones a la docencia
Authors: Cotán Fernández Almudena , Lorenzo de Reizabal Arantza , Pérez Sordo Hugo
Published: December 2024

Este monográfico explora las innovaciones más recientes en la docencia, enfocándose en metodologías activas como el flipped classroom, el aprendizaje basado en proyectos (ABP) y el uso de tecnologías emergentes, como la gamificación, la realidad virtual (RV) y la inteligencia artificial. Se analiza cómo estas metodologías transforman la enseñanza, promoviendo un aprendizaje más colaborativo, creativo y autónomo. Además, se aborda la integración de las competencias STEAM (ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería, arte y matemáticas) en la educación infantil, y el papel de las nuevas formas de evaluación, como la evaluación por pares y las herramientas digitales de retroalimentación. El monográfico también profundiza en la formación docente, destacando la necesidad de habilidades digitales y emocionales en los educadores para adaptarse a entornos educativos híbridos. Finalmente, se exploran enfoques pedagógicos inclusivos para garantizar una educación más equitativa y accesible para todos los estudiantes.
Innovative technologies in international logistics activities
Authors: BOKOVETS Viktoriia , DAVYDIUK Liudmyla , PILIAVOZ Tetiana
Published: December 2024

International logistics is an important component of the global economy, ensuring the effectiveness of supply chain management and interaction between market participants. In modern conditions of globalization, the growth of international trade volumes and increasing requirements for speed, accuracy and environmental friendliness of logistics processes are becoming determining factors of the competitiveness of companies. The article is devoted to the study of the introduction of innovative technologies into international logistics, as well as the analysis of their impact on the development of the industry. The article considers the main types of innovative technologies, in particular information, technological, managerial and environmental solutions that find practical application in international logistics systems. Particular attention is paid to such technologies as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, warehouse automation and the implementation of environmentally friendly transport solutions. It was found that these innovations contribute to the optimization of logistics processes, increasing forecasting accuracy, reducing costs and increasing customer satisfaction. In addition to positive aspects, emphasis is placed on obstacles that complicate the implementation of innovations. These include high financial costs, the complexity of the regulatory environment, the lack of qualified personnel, infrastructure limitations and cybersecurity risks. It is noted that the European Union demonstrates advanced results in the implementation of innovative solutions due to active investments in the digitalization and modernization of transport systems. The article summarizes the main benefits of innovative technologies in international logistics, including economic efficiency, environmental sustainability, improved service and increased safety. It is concluded that the further development of innovations in logistics will contribute to sustainable economic growth, integration in global markets and ensuring the competitiveness of companies in the long term.
Peculiarities of formation of defects initiating fatigue faults in granular alloy EP741NP
Authors: Pavlov I. S. , Artamonov M. A. , Artemov V. V. , Kumskov A. S. , Marchukov E. Yu. , Vasiliev A. L.
Published: December 2024

The samples of EP741NP alloy destroyed during fatigue testing were investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis and electron diffraction. The composition and crystal structure of defects detected at the boundaries of fatigue cracks were studied in details. It was shown that such defects mainly have the morphology of elongated flat "carpets" containing NiO, CTixNb1–x, amorphous AlOx, HfO2, Al2O3, β-Al2O3, Al2MgO4, Co7Mo6, Co3O4, S4Ti3, NbO2, TiO2, as well as amorphous regions containing C, O, Ca, S, Na and Cl. Assumptions were made about the source and of time formation of the studied defects.
Plasmon polaritons of the TE and TM types in a metal film bordering a superlattice II. analysis of the existence of plasmon polaritons
Authors: Darinskii A. N.
Published: December 2024

The maximum number of TE and TM polarised surface plasmon polaritons in the forbidden zone of the Bloch spectrum of electromagnetic waves in a periodic superlattice is established in structures containing a metal film between a homogeneous medium and a periodic superlattice or between two superlattices. It is demonstrated that the determining factor in the maximum number of such waves is the type of frequency dependence of the superlattice impedance. Moreover, the maximum number of surface plasmon polaritons is contingent upon the structural type and polarization of the wave.
Toxigenic fungi on cereal crops in Russia
Authors: Levitin M. M.
Published: December 2024

Toxigenic fungi are pathogenic microorganisms that produce mycotoxins and cause mycoses and mycotoxicoses. According to FAO, 25% of the world’s grain production is contaminated with mycotoxins. In developing countries, up to 36% of all diseases are directly or indirectly related to fungal mycotoxins. The review considers the situation with infestation of grain crops in different regions of Russia by toxigenic fungi of the genera Claviceps, Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus and Penicillium and accumulation of mycotoxins dangerous for humans and animals. Claviceps fungi are widespread on cereals, especially harmful on rye. They contain toxic alkaloids with nerve agent action. The toxins produced by Fusarium are harmful to human and animal health. Different Fusarium species can produce a wide range of mycotoxins. Fungi of the genus Alternaria are widely distributed on agricultural crops. Diseases caused by Alternaria affect usually the grain of all cereals. The main danger of grain contamination by Alternaria species is the presence of secondary metabolites toxic to plants, animals and humans in agricultural products. Fungi of the genus Aspergillus affect grain of wheat, barley, corn and other crops. Species of the genus Aspergillus produce toxins harmful to humans and animals. They have carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive properties. Fungi of the genus Penicillium mainly cause seed mold. Seed mold causes reduced germination and often seed death. Fungi of the genus Penicillium produce a large number of mycotoxins. They have nephrotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Disease development and mycotoxin production are influenced by climatic conditions.
То the updated list of protected species of fungi (Basidiomycota) of Primorskiy Krai of Russian Federation
Authors: Erofeeva E. A. , Bukharova N. V. , Rebriev Yu. A.
Published: December 2024

Based on the updated information, nine species are recommended for inclusion in the list of protected fungal species of the Primorsky Krai of the Russian Federation: Bryoperdon acuminatum, Buchwaldoboletus lignicola, Calonarius sodagnitus, Gomphidius flavipes, Hapalopilus croceus, Hygrocybe swanetica, Leucopholiota lignicola, Pycnoporellus alboluteus, Rubroboletus dupainii. The following species are proposed for exclusion: Arrhenia discorosea, Boletus aereus, B. auripes, Butyriboletus appendiculatus, Calostoma cinnabarinum, Fomitopsis castanea, Hypsizygus tessulatus, Lentinellus brunnescens, Phallus ultraduplicatus, Pseudocolus fusiformis, Retiboletus retipes, Rhodotus palmatus, Rubroboletus rhodoxanthus, Tylopilus alboater. For two genera (Calostoma and Retiboletus), monitoring was proposed in order to supplement information on their occurrence in the Russian Far East.
Lexical and semantic challenges in teaching and learning political and legal specialised language at the Preparatory Programme of Romanian Language for Foreign Citizens
Authors: Grigore Andreea-Victoria
Published: December 2024

The present paper is related to an on-going research into the lexical and semantic challenges posed in the process of teaching and learning the specialised political and legal language. In fact, the analysis of these challenges is based on the author’s extensive experience in teaching the respective specialised language at the Preparatory Programme for Foreign Citizens (University of Bucharest). The aforementioned challenges are caused by two semantic relations (i.e., polysemy and synonymy), which disregard the unambiguous communication essential for any terminology. To address this issue, the paper argues that teachers of specialised languages should regularly raise the students’ awareness of the various meanings and potential synonyms that a term may have. Additionally, the paper advocates the necessity of a glossary of terms and contexts of usage that should accompany a textbook dedicated to a specialised language.
Urinary tract infection and cervical hip fracture
Authors: Levi N.
Published: December 2024

A total of 437 patients with 463 cervical hip fractures were analyzed to determine whether perioperative urinary tract infection was related to postoperative wound and deep infection. Approximately 27% had a urinary tract infection and 6% had a wound or deep infection (following either the primary operation or an eventual reoperation) but only in two cases was the same organisms (E. coli) cultured from the urine and the wound infection. Bacteriuria should not be considered a cause for postponement of surgical treatment of a fracture of the neck of the femur.
Tolerance of and compliance with traditional drug therapy among patients in a hospital for Chinese medicine in Germany
Authors: Melchart D. , Hager S. , Weidenhammer W. , Liao J.Z. , Söllner C. , Linde K.
Published: December 2024

There is little knowledge as to tolerance of and compliance with traditional Chinese drug treatment among Western patients. We surveyed 168 consecutive in‐patients of a hospital for traditional Chinese medicine in Germany to collect data on these issues. Of the 145 patients responding (86.3% response rate) 77 (53.1%) reported having experienced at least one side effect (mainly gastrointestinal symptoms and temporary deterioration of symptoms) attributable to traditional Chinese drug treatment. 86 (59.5%) and 66 patients (45.5%), respectively, did not like the taste and the smell of the preparations, but only 7 reported deviations from the prescribed schedule. Not one patient considered that he would be unwilling to continue medication if prescribed. The results of this survey indicate that an appreciable proportion of Western patients experience gastrointestinal side effects from traditional Chinese drug treatment. Due to the highly selected patient sample (all patients had opted for treatment in this hospital specializing in traditional Chinese medicine) the results relating to compliance have to be interpreted cautiously. Given its popularity and increasing use, further research on safety of and compliance with traditional Chinese drug treatment is clearly warranted.
Case‐control study on occupational exposure to anesthetic gases during pregnancy
Authors: Martínez‐Frías M.L. , Bermejo E. , Rodríguez‐Pinilla E. , Prieto L.
Published: December 2024

Information on a possible prenatal effect of maternal occupation as anesthetists or in operating rooms is scarce, and most of the studies are on women who underwent surgery during gestation. Some studies observed an increased risk for spontaneous abortions in women with that occupation. Some identified a risk for infants with congenital defects, while this was not observed by others. However, many of the previous studies have been criticized because of methodological problems.

Here we present the results of a case‐control analysis with the data from the Spanish Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECEMC), on the possible association between congenital anomalies and maternal occupation as anesthetists or in operating rooms during pregnancy. To generate hypotheses, we analyze 9 selected congenital defects.

We observed ORs with magnitudes over one for eye defects, oral clefts, limb deficiencies and hypospadias. However, after calculation the adjusted ORs by performing multiple logistic regression analyses, the only group of defects that remain statistically associated with this maternal occupation are oral clefts with an OR ${}={}$ 10.41 (CI: 3.48–31.1), $p<{}$ 0.0000. Thus, considering the oral clefts rate in our population and the observed risk value, the absolute risk of women with this occupation during pregnancy for having a child with oral clefts is 1.13%. Nevertheless, as this is the first observation of this association, at this time, we cannot totally exclude that this association may be just by chance. Thus, we think that the observed association must be regarded as hypothetical, to be further analyzed in another large database.
Head restraint and seat belt use by car drivers in Lebanon
Authors: Saab Basem‐Roberto , Usta Jinan , Hamadeh Ghassan
Published: December 2024

Aim: To determine the prevalence of seat belt (SB) use and proper headrest (HR) position by car drivers in Lebanon. Methods: After adequate training of ten volunteers, the mean of visual reliability of the position of the HR in relation to the driver’s head, compared to a slide ruler, were 89% and 97% for the horizontal and vertical positions, respectively. The first six cars dropping at eight four‐way busy intersections in 5 Mohafazats (states) were observed for the position of the HR and use of SB. Results: Two thousand one hundred and five car drivers were observed. Only 9.4% of the drivers observed use the SB. Only 32% of the drivers had the HR adequately adjusted in both planes. Characteristics of the population using the SB and HR correctly are presented. Conclusions: HR and SB are underutilized by drivers in Lebanon. Actions to improve the proper use of these safety devices are needed.
Characterization of the febrile response to diphtheria‐tetanus‐pertussis vaccination
Authors: Jaber Lutfi , Ashkenazi Shai
Published: December 2024

To evaluate the incidence and course of fever following DTP vaccination we prospectively studied 430 healthy infants who received the four doses of vaccine at ages 2, 4, 6 and 12 months. Each infant was followed one week before and three days after immunization. Mothers were instructed to record rectal temperature every six hours after each vaccine dose for a minimum of seven measurements (including baseline). After all vaccine doses, body temperature peaked at 12 hours and decreased steadily thereafter. The highest temperature was observed after the fourth dose. A temperature of 38°C or higher was found in 47.1, 55.7, 56.7 and 49.8% of doses 1 to 4, respectively. Fever following DTP vaccination appears in approximately half of the infants, peaks 12 hours after vaccination, and is highest after the fourth dose. Physicians should know the characteristics of the febrile reaction to successive doses of DTP vaccine and inform parents accordingly.
Toward an operational definition of disease in psychiatry and psychology: Implications for diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Stein David B. , Baldwin Steve
Published: December 2024

While an operational definition for the term disease is lacking in traditional medicine, consensus indicates that it infers observable and measurable abnormalities in anatomy, chemistry, and physiology as causative for an observed cluster of symptoms. However, the term disease in psychiatry and psychology has a very different historical usage. It has been used when no systemic etiology has been indicated, it has been used politically for addictions, it has been used for the mere belief that a cluster of symptoms must be a disease because the symptoms are bizarre, and it has been used to justify crude medically based treatments, such as electroshock, lobotomies, involuntary commitments, and the sale of powerful drugs. With the advent of new medical machines, such as CAT scans, PET scans, and MRI’s, a large volume of poorly conducted and questionable research has been pouring fourth to find diseases as a justification to promote psychotropic drugs. Politics and economics has replaced quality science. This article attempts to operationally define the term disease in order to promote qualitative and ethical research in psychology and psychiatry. The implications for such a definition will hopefully mean improved research, diagnosis and treatment in the mental health sciences.
Patient‐risk due to negligence by Locum General Practitioners outside of office hours
Authors: Visser J.J.
Published: December 2024

In Holland, first tier medical care outside of office hours is provided by regular GP's acting as Locum GP's. On several occasions concerns have been expressed about Locum GP's not visiting the patient when necessary. The number of complaints against Locum GP's submitted to the Medical Boards has been increasing over time and relate in particular to refusals of Locum GP's to visit the patient. In many of these cases the patient died.

The paper develops a quantitative estimate of the risk for the patient due to negligence of Locum GP's. The measure of the risk is taken as the number of patients who died unnecessarily due to negligence of Locum GP's as determined by the Medical Boards.

The paper estimates that in Holland in the year 2000 about 1500 patients would probably not have died had the Locum GP's working out‐of‐hours not been negligent by contravening professional standards. In more than half of these cases the Locum GP's did not visit the patient, or did not visit the patient in time, when necessary. This level of patient risk must be regarded as socially unacceptable. One important explanation for these accidents could be that doctors are largely unfamiliar with the professional standards developed by the Medical Boards.

Because of the assumptions made and the uncertainty regarding the data used, the actual numbers of these accidents may be higher or lower than estimated here. Although more reliable data will allow the results to be determined more reliably, this is unlikely to change the acceptability of the risk.
Problems of communication in evidence‐based medicine
Authors: Sachs Lisbeth
Published: December 2024

From the humanistic perspective of the social sciences, the most complex task in evidence‐based medicine lies in the communication of specialized medical knowledge to non‐professionals. Information is never simply the neutral transmission of facts, even when dealing with scientific knowledge and research. It is always interpreted and evaluated from a particular perspective in a specific context. That information can be neutral is thus a myth. In all medical consultations the process of communication is not just a matter of transmitting information from one who knows to one who does not. Knowledge created and disseminated in a scientific context is thus recontextualised, first in a clinical situation and then as an interpreted version in people's real lives. Furthermore there are difficulties when practice must be based on current research, in a situation in which no prior clinical experience exists and in which results are interpreted and used regardless of the degree of certainty provided by current evidence.
Prenatal diagnosis of Down's Syndrome: Experiences of women who decided to continue with the pregnancy
Authors: Tymstra Tjeerd , Bosboom Jeannette , Bouman Katelijne
Published: December 2024

Objective. To gain insight into the motives and experiences of women who had decided to continue with the pregnancy after Down's Syndrome had been diagnosed in the foetus.

Design. In depth interviews with ten women who had made this choice.

Results. The result of the diagnostic procedure put those concerned in the position of having to make a difficult decision. Some women were rather unexpectedly confronted with an increased risk as the result of maternal serum screening or nuchal translucency and they hoped that the amniocentesis could reduce their uncertainty. After the definite test result the women had to make the choice between having to bring up a child with intellectual limitations or allowing the termination of an already well advanced pregnancy. For our respondents, the latter proved to be unacceptable. Initially, little understanding was shown for the parents' decision by some social and medical workers; however, after this initial reaction, sufficient help and support were usually given. The respondents received a lot of support from members of the family, friends and acquaintances, but there were also negative and disapproving reactions. Almost no‐one regretted the examination.

Conclusion. The technological possibilities for determining individual risks during pregnancy are increasing rapidly. It is important that pregnant women have all the necessary information about the diagnostic procedures which will enable them to make the right decision.
Antibiotic prescriptions to children with upper respiratory tract infections and bronchitis in Israel
Authors: Jaber Lutfi , Peled Tamar , Rigler Shmuel
Published: December 2024

To evaluate antibiotic prescribing practices for children diagnosed with upper respiratory infections (URIs). Twenty‐eight physicians (15 pediatricians and 13 family physicians) from eight clinics in the central region of Israel participated in the study. Information was obtained from the database of 13,919 children under the age of 15 diagnosed with acute respiratory infections. In the eight clinics, the variability of antibiotics prescribed for acute respiratory infections ranged from 4–30% (the common cold and URI), 45–99% (AOM), 37–93% (acute pharyngitis or tonsillitis), 6–55% (acute bronchitis), and 50–100% (acute sinusitis). Antibiotics were prescribed more frequently for children over 5 years of age (p>0.08) and the rates were significantly higher in the Arab pediatric population (p>0.001). There is a wide variability in antibiotic prescribing for children with URIs and the antibiotic prescribing rate is high. Effective intervention is needed to encourage the judicious use of antibiotics in Israel.
Toxic metal determination in Smilax calophylla preparations in Malaysia
Authors: Ang H.H. , Lee K.L. , Kiyoshi M.
Published: December 2024

The DCA (Drug Control Authority), Malaysia has implemented the phase 3 registration of traditional medicines on 1 January 1992 in all pharmaceutical dosage forms of traditional medicine preparations. A total of 100 products of a herbal preparation, containing Smilax calophylla were analyzed for mercury content using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that 15% of the above products possessed 0.62–2.32 ppm of mercury, and therefore, do not comply with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia. Out of these 15 products, six products with 0.62–2.32 ppm of mercury were in fact have already registered with the DCA Malaysia. The quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia is not exceeding 0.5 ppm for mercury. Although this study showed that only 85% of the products complied with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia pertaining to mercury, however, they cannot be assumed safe from mercury contamination because of batch‐to‐batch inconsistency.
Emerging infectious diseases: A 10-year perspective from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Authors: Fauci Anthony S. , Touchette Nancy A. , Folkers Gregory K.
Published: December 2024

Although optimists once imagined that serious infectious disease threats would by now be conquered, newly emerging (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS]), re-emerging (e.g., West Nile virus), and even deliberately disseminated infectious diseases (e.g., anthrax bioterrorism) continue to appear throughout the world. Over the past decade, the global effort to identify and characterize infectious agents, decipher the underlying pathways by which they cause disease, and develop preventive measures and treatments for many of the world's most dangerous pathogens has resulted in considerable progress. Intramural and extramural investigators supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have contributed substantially to this effort. This overview highlights selected NIAID-sponsored research advances over the past decade, with a focus on progress in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, SARS, West Nile virus, and potential bioterror agents. Many basic research discoveries have been translated into novel diagnostics, antiviral and antimicrobial compounds, and vaccines, often with extraordinary speed.
The epidemiology of medical errors: A few issues in methodology
Authors: Giard R.W.M.
Published: December 2024

Epidemiological research is needed to determine how many medical errors are made in hospitals. An estimation of error risk requires knowledge of the number of errors made and the total number of patients treated. But how do we define the term ‘error’? The outcome of a medical intervention alone is insufficient; the entire treatment process has to be taken into account. For the estimation of error, two different approaches are available: retrospective chart review or prospective ethnographic observation. Both methods should account for processes and outcomes. Both methods have their limitations and can produce measurement errors. In particular, the low reproducibility of the determination of error is worrisome. To achieve safer health care, emphasis should be placed on control of processes, rather than outcomes.
Safety and use of medicines in mental health at the psychiatric hospital of the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia)
Authors: Ziganshina Lilia E. , Kuchaeva Alexandra V. , Vedernikova Olga O. , Gatin Foat F. , Ziganshin Airat U.
Published: December 2024

Neuroleptics' safety and use survey was conducted with the aim to develop a drug use monitoring system at a regional psychiatric hospital as an efficient tool of improving use of anti-psychotics. 7080 Side-effects report slips included into the regular medical charts for the period of 4 years (2000–2003) and 385 medical charts for the twelve months of the year 1960 were studied. The total daily neuroleptic load was calculated with the help of Chlorpromazine equivalents and ATC/DDD methodology. It was confirmed that clinical form of paranoid schizophrenia, age and gender contribute to the increased susceptibility of patients to development of movement disorders: women, patients over 60 years of age and youngsters, and patients with cerebral-organic deficiency being the most vulnerable. The most common patterns of inadequate prescribing practice included needless overuse of neuroleptics; combination treatment of highly dosed neuroleptics; simultaneous prescribing of anticholinergics (trihexyphenidyl) with neuroleptics; clozapine use only as a sedative component. Pharmacovigilance system proved to be an effective instrument in monitoring but not necessarily improving prescribing practices.
Bedside Medicine and Public Health: A controversy?
Authors: van Boxtel C.J.
Published: December 2024

It has to be realized that rational drug use has become one of the most difficult, complicated and challenging medical responsibilities, for governments but certainly for practicing doctors and it therefore deserves considerable time and intellectual interest of all prescribers. Drug education, i.e. clinical pharmacology, has to be the cornerstone here. Probably because of the fact that the WHO approach has to be a public health approach, much of the material on drug subjects produced by WHO and intended for emerging countries makes the false impression of simplicity. However, it seems that the WHO strategies are not very effective. As an example, the 5th edition of the essential drug list of China shows a dramatic increase in the number of drugs in comparison with the WHO model list. It is certain that with public health advice alone you cannot amend the disturbing fact that at the moment drugs are among the 6 main causes of death. Approaching rational drug use from a public health perspective and then presenting it as an objective that can be achieved by rather simple means is very attractive for authorities who then can focus on the costs of drugs alone. It is also attractive for Medical Schools in order to reduce pharmacotherapy teaching in the medical curriculum. Therefore, in an era where we are experiencing an epidemic of drug induced morbidity and mortality and as long as pharmacotherapy teaching is so abominable in all medical curricula, WHO should have an active policy to stimulate the discipline of clinical pharmacology to help doctors in making responsible decisions for their patients.
From thalidomide to rofecoxib: Can we afford to wait and watch?
Authors: Khan Sohil A. , Rao Padma G.M. , Rodrigues Gabriel S. , Rajan Surulivel , Heda Ashish
Published: December 2024

Drug safety constitutes the cornerstone of modern therapeutics. Nowadays, the focus tends to be more on the hazards of drugs rather than on their benefits. This article describes from a healthcare professional's viewpoint the history behind two major drug disasters: thalidomide and rofecoxib and the reasons why drug withdrawals continue, taking the classic example of rofecoxib despite our safety concerns and the method to overcome those disasters in the future. The paper highlights the major steps to be followed for pharmacovigilance as an effective component of drug safety. The responsibility of healthcare professionals has ultimately to do with patient care and is to promote a culture of safe and efficacious drug use and thereby preventing future disasters related to modern therapeutics.
Causality assessment of spontaneously reported adverse drug events: Comparison of WHO-UMC criteria and Naranjo probability scale
Authors: Rehan H.S. , Chopra Deepti , Kakkar Ashish Kumar
Published: December 2024

ADRs usually do not present with unique clinical and laboratory findings making it difficult to demarcate them from the concurrent illness. For the estimation of the probability that a drug caused an adverse event several methods have been developed namely, the WHO-UMC criteria, the Naranjo probability scale, the Kramer scale and the Karch and Lasagna scale. But none of the available assessment methods have been shown to produce a precise and reliable quantitative estimation of relationship likelihood.

The present study was planned to compare the WHO-UMC causality assessment criteria and the Naranjo probability scale for determining causal relationship between the drug and the event. Randomly 100 Adverse Drug Event (ADE) reports were selected and assessed first by the WHO-UMC criteria and second, by using the Naranjo probability scale. Time needed for evaluation by these methods was also recorded. A disagreement in causality assessment was found in 31% cases (κ=0.214). Mean time taken while using WHO-UMC criteria was 5.3±0.37 minutes vs. 13.26±1.33 minutes while using the Naranjo probability scale. In conclusion disagreement exists amongst the WHO-UMC criteria and the Naranjo probability scale but the former method is simple and less time consuming.
How various self-reported impairments influence walking ability in persons with late effects of polio
Authors: Brogårdh Christina , Lexell Jan
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND:

Many persons with late effects of polio experience new or increased impairments, which can lead to walking limitations in daily life. No study has comprehensively analyzed how various self-reported impairments are associated with different aspects of self-reported walking limitations.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the associations between self-reported impairments and self-reported walking limitations in persons with late effects of polio.

METHODS:

Three hundred and twenty-five persons (175 women and 150 men) with verified late effects of polio responded to the Self-reported Impairments in Persons with late effects of Polio (SIPP; 13-items) and to the Walking Impact Scale (Walk-12; 12 items).

RESULTS:

The overall correlation (rho) between the total sum scores of the SIPP and the Walk-12 was 0.61 ( p <  0.01). Of the 156 correlation coefficients (SIPP vs Walk-12), 151 (97% ) were significant at the 1% level. Self-reported muscle weakness, muscle fatigue, muscle and/or joint pain during physical activity and general fatigue had the strongest correlations (rho: 0.33 to 0.64) to the self-reported walking limitations, whereas memory difficulties, sleep disturbances and concentration difficulties had the weakest correlations (rho: 0.10 to 0.34).

CONCLUSION:

There are weak to moderate associations between self-reported impairments and walking limitations in persons with late effects of polio. By limiting the impact of those impairments that are strongest associated with walking, clinicians may improve walking ability. However, the strength of the associations implies that other rehabilitation interventions should be considered for improving overall performance in daily activities related to walking.
Systematically Challenging Three Prevailing Notions About Entropy and Life
Authors: Chen Jiming , Chen Ji-Wang , Zivieri Roberto
Published: December 2024

This article reveals the original, fundamental, and uncontroversial nature of entropy and systematically challenges three notions prevailing in diverse disciplines: (1) entropy is a measure of disorder; (2) life relies on negative entropy; (3) many systems tend to become increasingly disordered due to the second law of thermodynamics. The challenge is supported by numerous compelling facts and the modern explanation of the second law of thermodynamics. The challenge, if widely accepted, could facilitate the eradication of the entrenched misleading effects of the three misconceptions in diverse disciplines and facilitate relevant research and education on complexity, entropy, disorder, order, evolution, life, and thermodynamics.
Indian Health Ministry Refuses to Make Cancer a Notifiable Disease Despite ICMR's Recommendation
Authors: Singh Raja , Frank Arthur L
Published: December 2024

Cancer in India is not a notifiable disease at the central level. The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare refuses to declare it as a notified disease despite recommendations from the Indian Council of Medical Research. The reason given by the ministry is that cancer is not a communicable disease and does not have community spread, which is why it cannot be made notifiable in the current circumstances. With a rise in cases in India, the notification of cancer will give impetus to the decades-old National Cancer Registry Program and enable proper and mandatory recordkeeping of cancer cases, as seen in many developed nations.
Scopulariopsis Pleural Empyema Coinfection With Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia and Cytomegaloviraemia in an Immunocompromised Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hu Zhimin , Xu Dan , Mao Lina , Deng Tiying , Yang Shuo
Published: December 2024

_Microascus gracilis_ is a rare cause of empyema. A 70s year old male present with worsening dyspnoea who was found to have spontaneous pneumothorax and thoracic empyema of the right lung coinfection with _Pneumocystis jirovecii_ pneumonia and cytomegaloviraemia. _M. gracilis_ identified from pleural fluids and the removed chest tube had high minimum inhibitory concentration values of currently available antifungal agents. The patient was treated with an antifungal regimen of caspofungin combined with posaconazole and then with terbinafine plus posaconazole for sequential therapy. Thymosin α1 plus immunoglobulin was also administered as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy. This case highlights the importance of an accurate diagnosis, along with appropriate antifungal therapy in combination with immunomodulatory therapy to achieve complete recovery after _M. gracilis _infection.
Factors Influencing the Decision to Use Broker Applications for Stock Trading in Thailand
Authors: Aminram Rewadee , Sirithitiwithaya Sitawee , Julsuwan Sutthikarn , Bhumpenpein Nalinpat
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the factors influencing Thai investors’ decision to use broker applications for stock trading, focusing on demographic and external factors that may shape user preferences and behaviors. Demographic variables, including age, education, and gender, along with external factors such as brand trust and application quality, were examined to understand how these characteristics impact app adoption in an increasingly competitive digital trading environment. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 400 investors with experience using broker applications in Thailand. Analytical methods, including descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analysis, were employed to identify significant relationships and test hypotheses regarding these influencing factors. These findings provide practical insights for broker companies, indicating that emphasizing application security and building brand credibility are key strategies to attract and retain users across diverse demographic segments. This research adds to the understanding of financial technology adoption by offering an in-depth analysis of user preferences in digital trading applications. The results provide actionable guidance for broker firms, helping them align app features with user expectations, thus enhancing engagement, fostering long-term satisfaction, and encouraging widespread adoption of their services.
Presentación
Authors: Navarro Mina Lorena , Barreda Muñoz , Verónica Mariana Xochiquetzalli , Carmona Gutiérrez Alan
Published: December 2024

Este dossier tiene especial relevancia y significado para nosotras; su convocatoria estuvo pensada a partir de una preocupación encarnada. Nos interesa abrir líneas de diálogo con quienes están buscando ponerle palabras y echar luz a las condiciones de devastación radical de la vida en aquellos espacios y tiempos donde se han concentrado e intensificado los daños de esta tierra herida por la incesante lógica de la acumulación del capital con sus rasgos coloniales y patriarcales en contextos post pandemia, de cara a la decadencia neoliberal y las guerras en curso.En particular, la intención del llamado fue producir condiciones para abrir la escucha, y generar puentes y posibilidades de interlocución entre los distintos esfuerzos de conceptualización y análisis que se están produciendo en torno a las dinámicas de sacrificio, que se han desplegado en los cuerpos-territorios subalternizados por la acumulación incesante a partir de la segunda mitad del siglo xx.
Nombrar la devastación radical de la vida. Hacia una lectura eco-política de las zonas de sacrificio desde la cuenca alta del río Santiago en México
Authors: Carmona Gutiérrez Alan , Barreda Muñoz Verónica Mariana Xochiquetzalli
Published: December 2024

En este texto nos interesa dar a conocer y amplificar la producción de sentido disidente que se ha generado en los contextos de devastación radical de la vida. Para ello, hemos recuperado la noción de zonas de sacrificio en aras de dar cuenta de su potencia y especificidad para leer estos contextos, y la hemos puesto en diálogo con las iniciativas de producción de saber-hacer en México que han tratado de dar cuenta del carácter destructivo de las lógicas de contaminación y procesos de despojo. Nos centramos en la experiencia de la Agrupación Un Salto de Vida (usv), que, desde 2006 ha denunciado estos procesos de devastación en la Cuenca Alta del Río Santiago (cars) a partir de distintas estrategias políticas y sociales, entre las cuales nos interesa destacar la capacidad para producir sentido y encarar disputas contra Estado y empresas. Para ello, proponemos una resignificación del concepto zonas de sacrificio encausado a comprender la compleja problemática en México; una recuperación de la manera en que han sido leídos estos territorios desde nuestros contextos y, finalmente, una propuesta conceptual que nos aproxima a pensar en su especificidad, desde la CARS.
Pricing of display advertising as indication of the roots of market power of the digital platforms
Authors: Bovt S. V. , Avdasheva S. B.
Published: December 2024

Multi-sided digital platforms such as GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft) provide services at zero cost by monetizing user attention and data through advertising. Testing the hypotheses on the determinants of display advertising price set by three largest digital platforms — Google, YouTube and Facebook, — contributes to the explanations of the roots of platforms market power. During the period from January 2018 to March 2024 cost per mile (CPM) increases with the number of unique visitors and traffic (total visits), as well as with the time that the user spends on the platform. However, the second effect is more pronounced. We interpret this result as an evidence that the market power in digital advertising depends more on the data of particular user’s preferences (digital footprint) and therefore on the ability to personalize advertising messages than on the number of users and data traffic on the platforms. The results high-light the economic value of personal data under monetization of cross-platform externalities through digital advertising.