bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE INFLUENCE OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) ON THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE CONFECTIONERY INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES
Authors:   National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, Prokhorenko Olena , Alieksieieva Iryna ,   National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”
Published: February 2021

The modern interpretation of the product quality concept goes beyond just technical characteristics of manufactured products and is becoming closer to the concept of competitiveness. This approach is supported by a number of international ISO series standards. The main aspects of the ISO 9001: 2015 standard, and the effect of the total quality management (TQM) implementation are considered in this article. Namely, effect of TQM implementation includes reducing unnecessary resource costs, increasing the number of customers, sales growing, reducing the risk of wrong decisions, the risk of dependence on individual employees, and more. The introduction of TQM is the potential to obtain significant effects that form the basis of enterprise competitiveness. The article substantiates the division of competitiveness indicators into "external" or obvious, and "internal" or hidden, and provides a list of such indicators. Respectively, the official recognition of the organization’s total quality management through certification is aimed at improving the "external" indicators of competitiveness, such as image, brand loyalty, the commitment of consumers and contractors, and more. The article demonstrates the relationship between TQM aspects, expected effects, and competitiveness indicators. It was visualized that the deep implementation of TQM allows increasing the "internal" or hidden characteristics of competitiveness, namely the satisfaction degree of individual needs, financial characteristics, level of innovativeness, productivity, etc. The article presents the research results that are based on the example of competitiveness evaluating of Ukrainian confectionery enterprises. The matrix method and the construction of the competitiveness polygon were used. The impact of the TQM implementation on the competitiveness through the growth of a group of indicators and ensuring the development and strengthening of market positions of the Kharkiv company "Sweet World Shoud'e" was noted.
THE ROLE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONTROLLING SYSTEM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE POTENTIAL OF THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE ENTERPRISE
Authors:   Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, Lytvynenko Kateryna , Lytvynenko Kateryna ,   Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University
Published: February 2021

The article analyzes the role of introducing controlling in the management of the competitiveness potential of an enterprise in the internal and external markets. The main definitions of the term "controlling" are formulated. The main stages of controlling and its methodological support are determined. Controlling allows an enterprise to adapt to a constantly changing external environment and successfully survive in a competitive environment. The essence of controlling and its place in the enterprise management system can be considered from four approaches: functional, situational, process and systemic. At the same time, two types of controlling are distinguished, namely, operational and strategic, which form an integral controlling system that allows an enterprise to achieve its goals and results. The main purpose of strategic controlling as a management tool is to form the necessary information support and analytical base for the formation of a set of indicators (indicators) which will attest to the need for transformational changes, and about their effectiveness in the long term. With the help of the tools of operational controlling, a mechanism is formed that makes it possible to timely establish deviations from the planned path and correct the direction of development. The components of the controlling process can vary depending on the specifics of the activity and the goals of the company. The development of integration and globalization processes stimulates the development of enterprise transformation at certain stages of its life cycle. To correctly identify the transformation point, that is, to determine the set of control parameters that indicate the need for transformation, it is necessary to use the strategic controlling toolkit, which is designed to increase the competitiveness of the enterprise in the general business environment. Taking into account these development trends, strategic and tactical transformations as a tool for ensuring competitiveness and constant development in a dynamic external environment are a prerequisite for the development of a company.
Ushering horticulture into a new era of research-based novelty
Authors: Basile Boris , Rogers Hilary , Rouphael Youssef
Published: February 2021

Horticulture, as one of the main agricultural pillars, plays a leading role in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development currently adopted by the United Nations. Wellbalanced but creative and far-sighted models for the future of the horticultural sector are needed to assure food security, decrease poverty, counteract environmental degradation and combat climate change. During the last few decades, the international horticultural scientific community has produced a large body of research aiming to support the development of this critical agricultural sector. Italus Hortus (IH) aims to contribute to this challenging goal, covering all aspects of horticulture where a science-based innovation is possible and required. One of these aspects is the definition of innovative cultivation strategies and post-harvest technologies to allow yield stability and quality improvement. The latter includes also the design of cultivation models that by increasing the resilience of the horticultural crops, can mitigate the impact of climate change on the quantitative and qualitative yield performance of the cultivations. At the same time, horticulture will become one of the main actors of a more circular and climate-neutral economy. Increasing attention will be given to the study of cultivation strategies that can help to reduce soil degradation, and the negative effects of current horticultural management on the environment (smart and efficient use of the required inputs, introduction of environmentally-friendly biodegradable plastics, etc.). Some of these goals will be also achieved by increasing the technological level of agriculture including integrating modeling, proximal/remote sensing, mechanization/automation/robotics, mapping, geomatics, decision making, and/or statistics to define a more precise and smart horticulture. In addition, our scientific community will play a major role in supporting the research of innovative cropping systems, such as vertical farming and other solutions useful for the development of urban greening/agriculture (vertical gardens) and/or space farming. As new Editors of Italus Hortus, we are fully aware of the large volume of new sciencebased insights that the horticultural sector is eager for. We are enthusiastically committed to facilitating its dissemination and we will work to make Italus Hortus play a significant role in defining the horticulture of the future. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the former Editor-in-chief, Prof. Paolo Inglese, the former and current Editorial Boards, and all the paper authors and reviewers for the outstanding job they have done so far or they will do in the future.
A Fatal Case of Chronic Active EBV Infection
Authors:   Department of Haematology, Imperial College NHS Trust, UK, D Mehta , S Deplano ,   Department of Haematology, Imperial College NHS Trust, UK, E Olavarria ,   Department of Haematology, Imperial College NHS Trust, UK, P Gaur ,   Department of Radiology, Imperial College NHS Trust, UK, L Bourantas ,   Department of Haematology, Imperial College NHS Trust, UK
Published: February 2021

Chronic active EBV infection is a rare condition with considerable diagnostic and treatment difficulties. We herein report the case of a 27-year old female presenting with headaches and diplopia who deteriorated rapidly following her diagnosis, with confirmed EBV-infected T-lymphocyte deposits in multiple tissue sites including temporalis muscle and liver.
Toward an optimal quantum algorithm for polynomial factorization over finite fields
Authors: Dolizkani Javad
Published: February 2021

We present a randomized quantum algorithm for polynomial factorization over finite fields. For polynomials of degree n over a finite field F_q, the average-case complexity of our algorithm is an expected O(n^{1 + o(1)} \log^{2 + o(1)}q) bit operations. Only for a negligible subset of polynomials of degree $n$ our algorithm has a higher complexity of O(n^{4/3 + o(1)} \log^{2 + o(1)}q) bit operations. This breaks the classical 3/2-exponent barrier for polynomial factorization over finite fields \cite{guo2016alg}.
On the quantum complexity of computing the median of continuous distributions
Authors: Gocwin Maciej
Published: February 2021

We study the approximation of the median of an absolutely continuous distribution with respect to the Lebesgue measure given by a probability density function f. We assume that f has r continuous derivatives, with derivative of order r being H\"older continuous with the exponent \rho. We study the quantum query complexity of this problem. We show that the \ve-complexity up to a logarithmic factor is of order \ve^{-1/(r+\rho+1)}. We also extend the results to the problem of computing the vector of quantiles of an absolutely continuous distribution.
Bang-bang control as a design principle for classical and quantum optimization algorithms
Authors: Bapat Aniruddha , Jordan Stephen
Published: February 2021

Physically motivated classical heuristic optimization algorithms such as simulated annealing (SA) treat the objective function as an energy landscape, and allow walkers to escape local minima. It has been argued that quantum properties such as tunneling may give quantum algorithms advantage in finding ground states of vast, rugged cost landscapes. Indeed, the Quantum Adiabatic Algorithm (QAO) and the recent Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) have shown promising results on various problem instances that are considered classically hard. Here, building on previous observations from \cite{mcclean2016, Yang2017}, we argue that the type of control strategy used by the optimization algorithm may be crucial to its success. Along with SA, QAO, and QAOA, we define a new, bang-bang version of simulated annealing, BBSA, and study the performance of these algorithms on two well-studied problem instances from the literature. Both classically and quantumly, the successful control strategy is found to be bang-bang, exponentially outperforming the quasistatic analogues on the same instances. Lastly, we construct O(1)-depth QAOA protocols for a class of symmetric cost functions, and provide an accompanying physical picture.
Liquiritin from Glycirrhyza Glabra L (Fabaceae) - a Natural Derived Drug, as a Potential Inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Vanzara Akash , Patel Ravi , Patel Amisha , Patel Nimisha , Yadav Kapil , Nagar Padamnabhi
Published: February 2021

Novel Corona virus-2 (Covid-19) is spreading and causing major damage around the globe and constantly increasing daily. There is a prerequisite of expeditious development of safe and efficient drugs for such a contagious disease. In this regard, utilization of a computational approach with an aim to provide potential enzyme inhibitors derived from natural resources will give a providential therapy. The present study investigated one of the promising plants namely Glycyrrhiza glabra L. It has various medicinal properties viz. anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-demulcent, expectorant, etc. In-Silico Analysis of liquiritin against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro was carried out using Autodock 4.2.6 and results were compared with presently prescribed drugs i.e. dexamethasone, remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin. The binding energy of liquiritin was found to be -6.62 kcal/mol. It shows presence of hydrogen bond, hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic interaction with six active residues THR26, GLY143, CYS145, HIS 164, GLU166, and GLN189. Comparative studies investigated that dexamethasone, remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin have four (THR26, GLY143, CYS145, GLU166), three (CYS145, GLU166, GLN189), four (GLY143, CYS145, HIS 164, GLN189) and two (GLU166, GLN189) identical active residues, respectively. The present study recommended liquiritin as a potential candidate against SARS-CoV-2 as it is naturally derived and has tremendous traditional usage against various diseases. However, in-vitro and in-vivo studies are required to prove its efficacy.
Translation of Collagen Ultrastructure to Biomaterial Fabrication for Material Independent but Highly Efficient Topographic Immunomodulation
Authors: ryma matthias , tylek tina , liebscher julia , fernandez robin , böhm christoph , blum carina , kastenmüller wolfgang , gasteiger georg , Groll Jürgen
Published: February 2021

Supplement-free induction of cellular differentiation and polarization solely through the topography of materials is an auspicious strategy but has so far significantly lacked behind the efficiency and intensity of media-supplementation based protocols. For immune cells, low intensity effects were achieved on rhodent cells using standard technologically driven surface patterns and scaffold geometries, but no effects could be achieved for human immune cells.

Consistent with the idea that 3D structural motives in the extracellular matrix possess immunomodulatory capacity as part of the natural healing process, we found that human monocyte-derived macrophages show a strong M2a like pro-healing polarization when cultured on type I rat-tail collagen fibers (hereafter termed "collagen I") but not on collagen I films.

Therefore, we hypothesized that highly aligned nanofibrils also of synthetic polymers, if packed into larger bundles in 3D topographical similarity to native collagen I, would induce a localized macrophage polarization.

For the automated fabrication of such bundles in a 3D printing manner, we pioneered the strategy of "Melt Electrofibrillation" by the integration of flow directed polymer phase separation into Melt Electrowriting and subsequent selective dissolution of the matrix polymer. This process yields nano-fiber bundles with a remarkable structural similarity to native collagen I fibers, particularly for medical grade polycaprolactone (PCL). These biomimetic fibrillar structures indeed induced a pronounced elongation of human monocyte-derived macrophages and unprecedentedly triggered their M2-like polarization as efficiently as IL-4 cytokine treatment. Our data evidence the biological importance of human macrophage-elongation on collagen fibers and pioneers a strategy to fabricate scaffolds that exploit this effect to drive macrophage polarization through precise and biomimetic material design.
Theoretical Studies on the Reactions of Aryl and Hetaryl Thioketones with Nitrilimines
Authors: Pipim George Baffour , Opoku Ernest
Published: February 2021

Many synthetic routes to constructing biologically-active heterocyclic compounds are made feasible through the (3 + 2) cycloaddition 32CA reactions. Due to a large number of possible combinations of several heteroatoms from either the three-atom components (TACs) or the ethylene derivatives, the potential of the 32CA reactions in heterocyclic syntheses is versatile. Herein, the 32CA of thiophene-2-carbothialdehyde derivatives and C,N-disubstituted nitrilimines have been studied through density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. In the present study, one-step (3 + 2) and two-step (4 + 3) mechanisms of the addition of the TAC and ethylene derivative have been investigated. In all reactions considered, the one-step (3 + 2) cycloaddition is preferred over the two-step (4 + 3) cycloaddition. The TAC chemoselectively adds across the thiocarbonyl group present in the ethylene derivative in a (3 + 2) fashion to form the corresponding cycloadduct. Analysis of the electrophilic ( and nucleophilic ( Parr functions at the various reaction centers in the ethylene derivative show that the TAC adds across the atomic centers with the largest Mulliken atomic spin densities, which is in total agreement with the experimental observation. The selectivities observed in the title reaction are kinetically controlled.
Computational Study of Hydrogen Bond Interactions in Water Cluster-Organic Molecule Complexes
Authors: Romero-Montalvo Eduardo , DiLabio Gino A.
Published: February 2021

We present a computational study analyzing the noncovalent interactions occurring in complexes formed between small water clusters and selected organic molecules. We used DLPNO-CCSD(T)/CBS to calculate the binding energies (BEs) of these complexes. We subsequently analyzed the BEs in terms of the structural features of the found noncovalent interactions.
Simple Acyclic Molecules Containing a Single Charge-Assisted O–H Group Can Recognize Anions in Acetonitrile:water Mixtures
Authors: Goodwin Rosemary , Blyth Mitchell , Fung Alfred , Smith Leesa , Norcott Philip , Tanovic Sara , Coote Michelle , White Nicholas
Published: February 2021

Hydroxypyridinium and hydroxyquinolinium compounds containing acidic O–H groups attached to a cationic aromatic scaffold were synthesized, i.e. N-methyl-3-hydroxypyridinium (1+) and N-methyl-8-hydroxyquinolinium (2+). These very simple compounds are capable of binding to chloride very strongly in CD3CN and with moderate strength in 9:1 CD3CN:D2O. Comparison with known association constants reveal that 1+ and 2+ bind chloride in CD3CN or CD3CN:D2O with comparable affinities to receptors containing significantly more hydrogen bond donors and/or higher positive charges. Crystal structures of both compounds with coordinating anions were obtained, and feature short O–H∙∙∙anion hydrogen bonds. A receptor containing two hydroxyquinolinium groups was also prepared. While the low solubility of this compound caused difficulties, we were able demonstrate chloride binding in a competitive 1:1 CD3CN:CD3OD solvent mixture. Addition of sulfate to this compound results in the formation of a crystallographically-characterised solid state anion coordination polymer.
Propargylic Alcohols as Three-Carbon Synthons in a Rhodium-Catalyzed Heteroannulation via a Merged C-H Functionalization and Cascade Cyclization Process
Authors: Nagtilak Prajyot , Kapur Manmohan
Published: February 2021

We report herein, an unprecedented reactivity of propargyl alcohols as a “Three-Carbon Synthon” in the synthesis of core structures of isocryptolepine, g-carbolines, dihydrochromeno[2,3-b]indoles and diindolylmethane's (DIM) derivatives. The transformation involves a rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H functionalization, heteroannulation of indoles followed by cascade cyclization with external as well as internal nucleophiles to afford diverse products. The reaction features highly eﬀective transformations involving two C-C, two C-N and two C-O bonds, leading to the formation of a variety of molecular frameworks that are a part of several biologically active natural products.
Reproducing the Invention of a Named Reaction: Predicting Unseen Chemical Reactions via Zero-Shot Learning
Authors: Su An , Wang Ling , Wang Xinqiao , Zhang Chengyun , Duan Hongliang
Published: February 2021

The study focuses on the proof-of-concept that the human invention of a named reaction can be reproduced by the zero-shot learning version of transformer.While state-of-art reaction prediction machine learning models can predict chemical reactions through the transfer learning of thousands of training samples with the same reaction types as the ones to predict, how to prepare the models to predict truly "unseen" reactions remains a question. We aim to equip the transformer model with the ability to predict unseen reactions following the concept of "zero-shot learning". To find what kind of auxiliary information is needed, we reproduce the human invention of the Chan-Lam coupling reaction where the inventor was inspired by two existing reactions---Suzuki reaction and Barton's bismuth arylation reaction. After training with the samples from these two reactions as well as the USPTO dataset, the transformer model can pre-dict the Chan-Lam coupling reaction with 55.7% top-1 accuracy which is a huge im-provement comparing to 17.2% from the model trained with the USPTO dataset only. Our model also mimics the later stage of this history where the initial case of Chan-Lam coupling reaction was generalized to a wide range of reactants and reagents via the "one-shot learning" approach. The results of this study show that having existing reactions as auxiliary information can help the transformer predict unseen reactions and providing just one or few samples of the unseen reaction can boost the model's gener-alization ability.
Strongly Bound Excitons in Metal-Organic Framework MOF-5: A Many-Body Perturbation Theory Study
Authors: Kshirsagar Aseem Rajan , Blase Xavier , Attaccalite Claudio , Poloni Roberta
Published: February 2021

During the past years, one of the most iconic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), MOF-5, has been characterized as a semiconductor by theory and experiments. Here we employ the GW many-body perturbation theory in conjunction with the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) to compute the electronic structure and optical properties of this MOF. The GW calculations show that MOF-5 is a wide band-gap insulator with a fundamental gap of ∼ 8 eV. The strong excitonic effects, arising from highly localized states and low screening, result in an optical gap of 4.5 eV and in an optical absorption spectrum in excellent agreement with experiments. The origin of the incorrect conclusion reported by past studies and the implication of this result are also discussed.
Birinci Trimesterde Abortus İmminens Tanısı Konulan Gebelerin Perinatal Sonuçlarının Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: ÖZ İsa Şükrü
Published: February 2021

Amaç: Birinci trimesterde abortus imminens tanısı alan gebelerin prognozlarını takip ederek perinatal sonuçlarının değerlendirilmesidir.
Materyal ve Metot Çalışmaya Ocak 2019 ile Temmuz 2019 arası zaman diliminde hastanemiz kadın hastalıkları ve doğum kliniğine başvuran abortus imminens tanısı alan 100 hasta çalışma grubunu, diğer 100 kişilik grup kontrol grubunu oluşturdu. Çalışmaya katılan gebelerin yaş, parite, gravida sayıları, demografik özellikleri, prognozları takip edilerek oluşan fetal ve maternal perinatal sonuçları kayıt altına alındı. Grupların kıyaslanması normal dağılan numerik verilerde Student t testi, normal dağılmayan numerik verilerde Mann Whitney testi, kategorik verilerde ki-kare testi ile yapıldı.
Bulgular: Gebeler doğum parametreleri açısından incelendiğinde doğum şekli ve maternal doğum komplikasyonları açısından gruplar arasında fark olmadığı görüldü (p=1,000 ve p=0,276). Prematür membran rüptürü (PROM) görülme sıklığı abortus imminens tanısı alan grupta daha fazladır ve gruplar arasındaki fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlıdır (p<0,001). Düşük ve kürtaj öyküsü, alkol kullanımı, ek hastalık varlığı, sosyal güvence varlığı açısından da gruplar arasında fark gözlenmedi (p>0,05).
Sonuç: Abortus imminens vakaları kötü obstetrik sonuçlarla ilişkilidir. Abortus imminens vakalarının prognozunda prematür
Happiness Level and Life Qualıty of the Elderly Living in Different Life Conditions: A Comparative Study
Authors: DERTLİ Gül , KURÇER Mehmet , ERDOĞAN Zeynep
Published: February 2021

Aims: The study was planned to examine the happiness levels and quality of life (QoL) of the elderly living in different living conditions.
Materials and Methods: This research is a descriptive, cross-sectional study comparing the three groups. The first group consisted of the elderly living in the nursing home (n=28), the second group living in the family environment but treated in the hospital (N=28) and the third group living in the family environment (n=28).
Results: The mean score of OHS-SF the healthy female elderly who participated in the study and lived in a family environment was significantly higher than the male elderly people living in the family environment and nursing home. The WHOQOL-OLD scores of healthy female elderly people living in a family environment are significantly higher than men. The WHOQOL-OLD scores of the sick elderly who live in a family environment with more than two chronic diseases and psychiatric diseases are significantly lower than the healthy elderly people living in the nursing home and family environment (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Elderly people who have more than two chronic diseases and psychiatric diseases and live in a family environment have less happy and lower QoL compared to those living in other settings.
COVID-19 Pandemi Süresince İnsanlarda Değişen Beslenme Alışkanlıkları İle Obezite İlişkisi
Authors: ÇULFA Sultan , YILDIRIM Elif , BAYRAM Banu
Published: February 2021

Uzun süredir hayatımızda olan koronavirüs hastalığı 2019 (COVID-19), sağlığımızı tehdit eden, yaşam kalitemizi düşüren, günlük yaşantımızdaki alışkanlıklarımızı değiştirmemize neden olan viral bir hastalıktır. Yapılan araştırmalarda obezitenin bu hastalığın komplikasyonlarının daha şiddetli görülmesinde önemli bir faktör olduğu belirtilmiştir. Ayrıca pandemide uzun evde kalma dönemlerinde azalan fiziksel aktivite, korku, stres gibi psikolojik faktörler sonucu beslenme alışkanlıklarının ve gıda alışverişi alışkanlıklarının değişmesi, sağlıklı beslenme davranışlarından uzaklaşılması sonucu obezite görülme sıklığı artmıştır. Beslenme, prevalansı yüksek pek çok hastalıkta olduğu gibi COVID-19 ile mücadelede de son derece yüksek öneme sahip olduğu için beslenme ile ilgili pek çok kurum ve kuruluş bağışıklık sistemini güçlendirmek amacıyla COVID-19’a karşı beslenme önerileri yayınlamıştır. Bu derleme makalede obezitenin bir risk faktörü olarak COVID-19 gelişiminde nasıl rol oynadığı, pandemi sürecinde meydana gelen yaşamsal değişikliklerin obezite açısından nasıl bir risk oluşturduğu ve beslenme alışkanlıkları ile COVID-19 ilişkisi özetlenmeye çalışılacaktır.
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Some Anthropometric Measurements of University Students
Authors: ULAŞ KADIOĞLU Bircan , AYTEN Şerife
Published: February 2021

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine adherence in Mediterranean diet (AMD) and its components and some anthropometric measurements of university students.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 510 university students in December, 2019. AMD was evaluated by the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) questionnaire.
Results: The median age of the students was 21(2) years and the majority of them (60.2 %) were women. The mean score on the ‘KIDMED’ was 4.0±2.6 among the whole group. The AMD was poor in 37.3 %, medium in 53.3 % and high in 9.4 % of the students. There was no statistically significant differences according to KIDMED groups between gender, age groups, place of residence, waist circumference (WC), waist/hip ratio (WHR) (p>0.05). Between BMI and KIDMED groups a significant difference was found (p<0.05). Overweight and Obese (OWB) students consumed fruit twice a day more frequently than normal weight (NW) students (p <0.05). OWB consumed less cereals or grains (bread, etc.) for breakfast than NW (p<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, AMD were found to be related with BMI value. In addition, KIDMED items differ according to gender and BMI values.
Analysis of relationship between Haller cells and Schneiderian Membrane Thickness
Authors: DİLAVER Emrah , AKBULUT Aslıhan , DELİLBAŞI Çağrı
Published: February 2021

Objective: This first aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the presence of Haller cells and Schneiderian membrane thickness (SMT) by considering factors such as age and gender. The second aim of this study was to investigate correlation between the visibility of Haller cells on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital panoramic radiographs.
Materials and Methods: Seventy-eight edentulous patients were included in the study. Cross-sectional views obtained from CBCTs were used to determine the mean sinus membrane thickness. Parameters such as gender and age were also investigated.
Results: The difference in SMT at the base of the maxillary sinus was significant between those with and without Haller cells (p <0.05). A correlation was found between the detection of Haller cells on CBCT and digital panoramic radiographs (p <0.01). Although SMT was higher in men than in women, this difference was not significant (p> 0.05).
Conclusion: Considering the results of our study, the presence of Haller cells may cause sinus membrane thickness at base of maxillary sinus. Since Haller cells can also be seen in digital panoramic radiographs, digital panoramic view taken prior to sinus lift surgery can provide clinicians with preoperative hint about SMT.
The Association of Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure with Pulmonary Artery Diameter, Age, Disease Duration, Stage of the Disease, and Extrapulmonary Involvement in Patients with Sarcoidosis
Authors: KORKMAZ Celalettin , DEMİRBAŞ Soner , VATANSEV Hülya
Published: February 2021

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), with pulmonary artery diameter (PAD), age, gender, disease duration, disease stages, extrapulmonary involvement, and spontaneous remission in patients with sarcoidosis.
Materials and Methods: Diagnosed and followed-up in the chest diseases clinic between 2010-2020, 60 sarcoidosis patients were included. Patients’ demographic data, clinical course, information over treatment, radiological and echocardiographic examinations were recorded. sPAB was utilized to calculate mean PAP based on ECHO. PAD was measured by an experienced radiologist in thoracic CT. Associatons of PAP and PAD with other parameters were investigated.
Results: sPAP and PAD were found as 29.68±5.73 mmHg and 28.20±5.75 mm. A significant correlation was detected between them (r=0.46 p<0.001). PADs were 39.7±4.6 and 27±4.9 in patients with and without PH (p<0.001). sPAPs were found as 27.52±3.77 and 31.03±6.35 among those with and without extrapulmonary involvement (p=0.01). No association was found between these parameters and others.
Conclusion: A moderately strong positive correlation was detected between sPAP and PAD in sarcoidosis patients. PAD was significantly found higher in patients with PH than those without. This also shows that PAD, which can be easily measured during thoracic CT examination in sarcoidosis patients, can be a guide in predicting sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension (SAPH).
Short-term IL-15 priming leaves a long-lasting signalling imprint in mouse NK cells independently of a metabolic switch
Authors: Luu Thuy T , Schmied Laurent , Nguyen Ngoc-Anh , Wiel Clotilde , Meinke Stephan , Mohammad Dara K , Bergö Martin , Alici Evren , Kadri Nadir , Ganesan Sridharan , Höglund Petter
Published: February 2021

IL-15 priming of NK cells is a broadly accepted concept, but the dynamics and underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. We show that as little as 5 min of IL-15 treatment in vitro, followed by removal of excess cytokines, results in a long-lasting, but reversible, augmentation of NK cell responsiveness upon activating receptor cross-linking. In contrast to long-term stimulation, improved NK cell function after short-term IL-15 priming was not associated with enhanced metabolism but was based on the increased steady-state phosphorylation level of signalling molecules downstream of activating receptors. Inhibition of JAK3 eliminated this priming effect, suggesting a cross talk between the IL-15 receptor and ITAM-dependent activating receptors. Increased signalling molecule phosphorylation levels, calcium flux, and IFN-γ secretion lasted for up to 3 h after IL-15 stimulation before returning to baseline. We conclude that IL-15 rapidly and reversibly primes NK cell function by modulating activating receptor signalling. Our findings suggest a mechanism by which NK cell reactivity can potentially be maintained in vivo based on only brief encounters with IL-15 trans-presenting cells.
Modulating HSF1 levels impacts expression of the estrogen receptor α and antiestrogen response
Authors: Silveira Maruhen AD , Tav Christophe , Bérube-Simard Félix-Antoine , Cuppens Tania , Leclercq Mickaël , Fournier Éric , Côté Maxime C , Droit Arnaud , Bilodeau Steve
Published: February 2021

Master transcription factors control the transcriptional program and are essential to maintain cellular functions. Among them, steroid nuclear receptors, such as the estrogen receptor α (ERα), are central to the etiology of hormone-dependent cancers which are accordingly treated with corresponding endocrine therapies. However, resistance invariably arises. Here, we show that high levels of the stress response master regulator, the heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), are associated with antiestrogen resistance in breast cancer cells. Indeed, overexpression of HSF1 leads to ERα degradation, decreased expression of ERα-activated genes, and antiestrogen resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that reducing HSF1 levels reinstates expression of the ERα and restores response to antiestrogens. Last, our results establish a proof of concept that inhibition of HSF1, in combination with antiestrogens, is a valid strategy to tackle resistant breast cancers. Taken together, we are proposing a mechanism where high HSF1 levels interfere with the ERα-dependent transcriptional program leading to endocrine resistance in breast cancer.
A systems-based method to repurpose marketed therapeutics for antiviral use: a SARS-CoV-2 case study
Authors: Wang Mengran , Withers Johanna B , Ricchiuto Piero , Voitalov Ivan , McAnally Michael , Sanchez Helia N , Saleh Alif , Akmaev Viatcheslav R , Ghiassian Susan Dina
Published: February 2021

This study describes two complementary methods that use network-based and sequence similarity tools to identify drug repurposing opportunities predicted to modulate viral proteins. This approach could be rapidly adapted to new and emerging viruses. The first method built and studied a virus–host–physical interaction network; a three-layer multimodal network of drug target proteins, human protein–protein interactions, and viral–host protein–protein interactions. The second method evaluated sequence similarity between viral proteins and other proteins, visualized by constructing a virus–host–similarity interaction network. Methods were validated on the human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human papillomavirus, then deployed on SARS-CoV-2. Comparison of virus–host–physical interaction predictions to known antiviral drugs had AUCs of 0.69, 0.59, 0.78, and 0.67, respectively, reflecting that the scores are predictive of effective drugs. For SARS-CoV-2, 569 candidate drugs were predicted, of which 37 had been included in clinical trials for SARS-CoV-2 (AUC = 0.75, P-value 3.21 × 10−3). As further validation, top-ranked candidate antiviral drugs were analyzed for binding to protein targets in silico; binding scores generated by BindScope indicated a 70% success rate.
THE STRATEGY FOR HANDLING CORRUPTION’S CRIMINAL ACTION RELATIONSHIP TO SAVING OF STATE FINANCIAL LOSSES
Authors: Bawono Bambang Tri
Published: February 2021

The massive amount of corruption that has occurred so far is closely related to the increase in state financial losses. Even though there are regulations regarding additional penalties in the form of compensation money as regulated in Article 18 of the Corruption Crime Law, the existence of this provision has not been able to return the overall state financial losses, even the total state financial losses with those saved have a significant difference. Based on this, this study examines the factors that cause state financial losses in the criminal act of corruption. Apart from that, strategies must be taken to recover from losses to state finances. The research method used in this research is library research with a normative juridical approach. The results of this study indicate that the provision of additional penalties in the form of replacement money as contained in Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Law is basically suitable for recovering state financial losses. It's just that, the existence of such additional crimes because it is accompanied by law enforcement with a retributive justice approach which results in the crime of substitute money which cannot recover state financial losses, because the retributive justice approach requires expensive costs.
THE JUSTICE IN CREDIT AGREEMENTS WITH CLAUSULA STANDARD
Authors: Hanim Lathifah
Published: February 2021

Standard agreements have long been used in various contracts, the use of standard agreements is closely related to advances in the economy that require efficiency in spending costs, time and energy. A standard agreement is an agreement whose terms are standardized or determined by one party only, while the other party can only agree to it. The research objective is to determine and analyze the fairness of the credit agreement in the presence of standard clausulas. The research method uses juridical empirical. The results of the research are Contract justice can be seen in an agreement when both parties reach an agreement to bind themselves together without any pressure from other parties, in this case the contract is carried out voluntarily. Negotiations carried out in an agreement can also avoid one-sided contracts, and this is one of the first steps in creating a fair contract.
Prof. Dr. Katarina Čufar received the Zois Prize for important achievements and the Golden Plaque of the University of Ljubljana
Authors: Šernek Milan , Petrič Marko
Published: February 2021

At the end of 2020, Prof. Dr. Katarina Čufar received two prestigious awards: the Zois Prize for important scientific research achievements in the development of dendrochronology and wood science, which is a state award of the Republic of Slovenia, and Golden Plaque from the University of Ljubljana for outstanding scientific research, exemplary teaching and achievements in enhancing the university’s reputation. We briefly introduce the prize-winner and her work.
Application of Ludo Board Game in Increasing the Activeness of the Physics Study Group of Mts DDI Seppange Students
Authors: Napsawati Napsawati , Yusdarina Yusdarina
Published: February 2021

This study aims to describe the activeness of the members of the physics science study group by implementing the Ludo Board Game and seeing the students' responses to the application of the Ludo Board Game in increasing the activity of the members of the physics science learning group. To achieve this goal, descriptive research has been carried out using the Ludo Board Game game. The subjects of this study were students of class VIII MTS DDI Seppange in the 2019/2020 school year, which may be 24 people. The data research method used was observation (observation), questionnaires, interview techniques and documentation. Furthermore, the analysis technique is carried out by means of proportional descriptive data analysis. The results showed that the increase in the activity of students' study groups after the implementation of the Ludo Board Game (LBG). Meanwhile, the students' responses to the application of Ludo Board Game in increasing the activeness of members of the physics science study group were very feasible, namely for the quality of the content with an eligibility level of 81.25% and a 94.53% usage level.
Penerapan Media Konversi Pecahan untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Pembelajaran Matematika di Sekolah Dasar
Authors: Rahmawanto Roni
Published: February 2021

Tujuan dalam penelitian ini adalah meningkatkan pembelajaran Matematika siswa kelas V menggunakan media Konversi Pecahan. Berdasarkan pengamatan awal, guru menemukan kesulitan yang dialami oleh siswa kelas V tahun 2018/2019 saat pembelajaran Matematika. Hasil penilaian akhir semester 1 didapatkan nilai rata-rata siswa pada kompetensi dasar 1 yaitu 55 dan kompetensi dasar 2 yaitu 47. Penelitian tindakan kelas diimplementasikan untuk meningkatkan proses dan hasil pembelajaran Matematika melalui penggunaan media Konversi Pecahan. Materi pembelajaran difokuskan pada persamaan, penjumlahan, pengurangan, perkalian, dan pembagian pecahan. Data hasil pembelajaran dikumpulkan menggunakan tes. Sedangkan, data aktivitas siwa dan ketrampilan pembelajaran matematika dengan melalui observasi saat pembelajaran berlangsung. Analisis data menggunakan deskriptif kuantitatif dan kualitatif. Hasil analisis data menunjukkan ketuntasan pembelajaran matematika siswa meningkat dari 71 % menjadi 87 %. Di samping itu, aktivitas dan ketrampilan siswa juga mengalami peningkatan akibat penggunaan media Konversi Pecahan.  Simpulannya yaitu bahwa penggunaan Media Konversi Pecahan dapat meningkatkan proses dan hasil belajar kognitif dan psikomotorik siswa kelas V SDN Ngentak.
Pengembangan Game Edukasi Android Mat Croco Berorientasi pada Penalaran Matematika
Authors: Sutrisno Hadi
Published: February 2021

Pada tahun 2017, 36% dari 43,7 juta pemain game di Indonesia adalah anak usia sekolah. Penelitian pengembangan ini bertujuan menghasilkan game edukasi android Mat Croco yang memiliki kualitas baik (valid, praktis dan efektif). Jenis penelitian ini merupakan penelitian pengembangan model ADDIE. Hasil analisis uji kevalidan game Mat Croco oleh dua ahli dinyatakan memiliki kevalidan yang baik. Hal ini ditunjukkan dari skor kevalidan media pembelajaran 36,5 dan skor kevalidan soal penalaran matematika juga 36,5. Hasil analisis kepraktisan oleh dua guru matematika dan dua siswa menunjukkan bahwa game Mat Croco memiliki kepraktisan yang sangat baik. Rata-rata skor kepraktisan oleh guru 37 dan skor kepraktisan dari siswa 36. Hasil analisis uji keefektifan game Mat Croco efektif berorientasi penalaran matematika siswa. Analisis deskriptif mengalami peningkatan rata-rata nilai penalaran matematika (pretes=28,4 dan postes=84,4) dan persentase ketuntasan (pretes=0% dan postes=75,9%). Paired Samples Test menyimpulkan bahwa game Mat Croco efektif berorientasi penalaran matematika (|t| (25,200) > t tabel (t 0,025;28 = 2,368) dan sig.(0,000) < 0,0025). Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa game edukasi android Mat Croco memiliki kualitas yang baik (valid, praktis dan efektif) dan layak diaplikasikan dalam pembelajaran matematika materi barisan dan deret.
Peningkatan Kemampuan Menemukan Rumus Perbandingan Pembelajaran Matematika Siswa Kelas V Sekolah Dasar Berbantuan Media Perstupin
Authors: Fitri Yeni
Published: February 2021

Media PERSTUPIN merupakan salah satu alat peraga yang dapat membantu siswa memenukan rumusnya sendiri dalam menyelesaikan masalah sehari-hari yang melibatkan perbandingan dengan nilai diketahui. Pembelajaran menggunakan media PERSTUPIN ini terbukti efektif dan berhasil. Hal ini dilihat dari hasil penilaian proses dan penilaian latihan individu siswa. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian pengembangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan media PERSTUPIN dapat meningkatkan kemampuan siswa menemukan rumus, meningkatkan keterampilan dan hasil belajar siswa. Data yang didapat dari hasil penilaian proses, sebanyak 20 orang siswa (83,33%) mendapat nilai A dan 4 orang siswa (16,67%) mendapat nilai B. Peningkatan kualitas proses pembelajaran berdampak positif pada peningkatan kualitas prestasi belajar. Hal ini berdasarkan pada rata-rata penilaian siswa sebesar 94. Sedangkan ketuntasan belajar siswa di atas nilai KKM sebesar 100 % (24 siswa). Berdasarkan data tersebut, dapat disimpulkan bahwa pembelajaran matematika dalam meningkatkan kemampuan menemukan rumus perbandingan menggunakan media PERSTUPIN telah mengalami peningkatan dan berhasil.
Acoustic control of the strengthening of building ceramics obtained by extrusion through an ultrasonic die
Authors: Nafikov R. M. , Faseeva G. R. , Zakharov Yu. A.
Published: February 2021

Extrusion through a die, vibrating with an ultrasonic frequency is a promising method for hardening ceramic materials (bricks, tiles, pipes, etc.). We present the results of studying low-frequency acoustic spectra of cylindrical samples of face brick ceramics reinforced by extrusion and addition of fiberglass waste. Correlations between structure changes in the obtained ceramics, parameters of the acoustic spectrum of the samples, and the destructive forces upon their compression (bending) in a press were analyzed. It is shown that ultrasonic extrusion increases the destruction force of the cylinders by 1 – 7 kN (~30 %) and thus shifts the frequency of the fundamental tones of transverse and longitudinal oscillations (6 and 17 kHz) with a coefficient of ~0.1 kHz/kN. The fiberglass particles strengthen the ceramics due to the formation of a needle-like crystalline bond during firing. At the same time, an increased addition of the fiberglass particles reduces the plasticity of the batch thus resulting in formation of the microcracks, cavities and internal stresses in the samples. The occurrence of internal defects shifts the frequency of longitudinal and transverse vibrations to a different extend, which can be used as an indicator of the defects present in the samples and provide the possible of their objective sorting and rejection. The vibration relaxation time (about 0.1 sec) does not change significantly under the described strengthening effects and being characterized by a wide scatter in each series of the samples cannot be considered an informative parameter. Thus, the effectiveness of the presented combined method of ceramics hardening can be accurately tested by the shift in the frequencies of longitudinal and transverse free vibrations of cylindrical specimens. The presented approach facilitates the process of developing new ceramic compositions and extrusion technology in conditions of depletion of sources of high-quality clay raw materials.
On notch fracture mechanics
Authors: Pluvinage G.
Published: February 2021

Different stress distributions for an elastic behavior are presented as analytical expressions for an ideal crack, a sharp notch and a blunt notch. The elastic plastic distribution at a blunt notch tip is analyzed. The concept of the notch stress intensity factor is deduced from the definition of the effective stress and the effective distance. The impacts of the notch radius and constraint on the critical notch stress intensity factor are presented. The paper ends with the presentation of the crack driving forceJρfor a notch in the elastic case and the impact of the notch radius on the notch fracture toughnessJρ,c. The notch fracture toughnessJρ,cis a measure of the fracture resistance which increases linearly with the notch radius due to the plastic work in the notch plastic zone. If this notch plastic zone does not invade totally the ligament, the notch fracture toughnessJρ,cis constant. This occurs when the notch radius is less than a critical one and there is no need to use the cracked specimen to measure a lower bound of the fracture resistance.