bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The legacy of liberalism, community and culture
Authors: Sardoč Mitja
Published: April 2022

This article introduces the thematic section of Two Homelands celebrating the 25th anniversary of the publication of Will Kymlicka’s Liberalism, Community and Culture, one of the seminal books on multiculturalism and contemporary political theory in general. It contextualizes this symposium [thematic section] by identifying some of the assumptions that the then-existing liberal conceptions of justice were based upon when addressing issues related to cultural diversity. At the same time, it summarizes the argument for cultural rights advanced by Kymlicka in Liberalism, Community and Culture. It then presents the papers that are part of this symposium [thematic section] and their contribution to the understanding the liberal conception of multiculturalism has had on all subsequent theorizing over cultural diversity and civic equality.
Liberalism, community and culture twenty-five years on: philosophical inquiries and political claims
Authors: Kymlicka Will
Published: April 2022

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Nadzor migracijskih gibanj in migrantov v cesarski Avstriji od 18. stoletja do prve svetovne vojne
Authors: Kalc Aleksej
Published: April 2022

Prispevek obravnava nadzor nad migracijami in migranti v cesarski Avstriji od terezijanskih časov do konca prve svetovne vojne. Prikazuje prehod od absolutističnega k liberalnemu migracijskemu režimu v drugi polovici 19. stoletja, restrikcije svobode gibanja, odnos do tujcev iz sovražnih držav med prvo svetovno vojno ter povojno institucionalizacijo državnega upravljanja migracijskih procesov. Večji poudarek je na oblikah nadzora in omejevanja migracijske svobode v liberalnem obdobju od šestdesetih let 19. stoletja do prve svetovne vojne. Nakazana je potreba po diferenciranem preučevanju migracijskega nadzora zaradi regionalnih in lokalnih razlik v izvajanju zakonodaje.
Napotitve delavcev iz Slovenije: nekatere specifike in problemi
Authors: Rogelja Nataša , Toplak Kristina , Vah Jevšnik Mojca , Mlekuž Jernej
Published: April 2022

V članku avtorji sprva predstavijo pravno ozadje napotitev, ki določa statusnopravno opredelitev čezmejnega dela oziroma opravljanja začasnega dela v državi članici Evropske unije ali Evropskega gospodarskega prostora, ki ni država, v kateri delavec običajno dela. V nadaljevanju se na primeru napotitev iz Slovenije dotaknejo težav in vprašanj, ki jih ta statusno pravna kategorija čezmejnega opravljanja dela oziroma storitev prinaša v praksi. S konkretnimi primeri obravnavajo dve področji sistemskih problemov – administrativno in izvršilno. Izhodišče članka je, da napotitve v različnih državah EU odpirajo različne specifične probleme in vprašanja, povezana s posebnostmi na trgu dela, specifično delovno, socialno idr. zakonodajo, z delovanjem pristojnih institucij in njihovim medsebojnim sodelovanjem.
De l’humanisme aggressif à la beauté politique – l’art comme instrument de lutte pour les droits de l’homme
Authors: Chwiejda Ewelina
Published: April 2022

Le Zentrum für Politische Schönheit est un collectif d’artistes militant pour les droits de l’homme qui ne cesse de provoquer le débat sur la limite entre l’art et l’activisme politique. L’article présente la stratégie socio-artistique de ce collectif à travers l’analyse d’une de ses actions emblématiques, conçue dans le contexte de la « crise migratoire » européenne. En nous appuyant notamment sur la pensée de Jacques Derrida, nous nous interrogeons à la fois sur le potentiel politique et émancipateur de l’œuvre, et sur sa dimension éthique.
L’Attentat et la censure : l’éthique au détriment de l’esthétique
Authors: Asmar Nadine
Published: April 2022

Bien qu’une œuvre cinématographique soit une expression libre de son auteur, des forces extérieures risquent de limiter celle-ci par le biais de la censure pour maintes raisons d’ordre légal et éthique notamment. C’est le cas de L’Attentat, film du réalisateur libanais Ziad Doueiri, tourné pour des raisons esthétiques à Tel Aviv et en Cisjordanie avec une équipe israélienne et palestinienne. Le film a subi une attaque en raison des choix esthétiques de son réalisateur, ce qui a conduit à l’interdiction de sa diffusion dans tous les pays de la ligue arabe. Cet épisode nous pousse à nous interroger sur la relation entre l’esthétique d’un film et les notions d’éthique et d’engagement.
Global Leadership in Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Greenlaw Jim
Published: April 2022

This chapter reviews Canadian faculties of education's engagement in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives and shares education deans' perspectives on the intersection and complexity of the political, cultural, and economic dimensions in global engagement and internationalization efforts. This chapter suggests principles and strategies for leading and sustaining international partnerships and collaboration for sustainable development.
Innovation Leadership in Performing Arts Organizations
Authors: Gumina Gregory L.
Published: April 2022

This chapter reviews the literature concerning innovation in performing arts and argues that innovation leadership is the pathway to sustain creativity and innovation in performing arts organizations. The chapter concludes with implications for public policy, leadership development, and future research.
Neologisms
Authors: West Joel
Published: April 2022

While people use language to let others know how and what it is that we think, language is also the means by, and also the substrate within which, humans think. This chapter explores the use of language as the basis for cognition, based on both a chosen word's denotative meaning and also its rhetorical (metaphorical) connotative meanings. The artificial dichotomy between language and speech is deconstructed. Peircean semiotics is used to argue that language is indexical in its primary referential functions, including sociolinguistic functions. Three new words, all of which were coined in the twenty-first century, are examined from a sociolinguistic and a semiotic point of view.
Linguistically-Responsive Literacy Pedagogies Across Primary and Secondary Classrooms
Authors: Aguilera Earl , Greenstein Ilana , Shannon Linda A.
Published: April 2022

In this chapter, three educators outline a pedagogical framework for enacting Linguistically Responsive Literacy Pedagogies (LRLP), founded on the sociocultural dimensions of literacy, the multilingual realities of many contemporary educational settings, and the institutional expectations of the teaching profession. The chapter overviews how the LRLP framework has been enacted across three different developmental groups across multiple school sites. The authors bring experiences as classroom teachers, teacher-educators, and school leaders working to understand and support the diverse literacy and language practices of learners in the 21st century. The chapter illustrates how pedagogical approaches that share a commitment to sustaining sociolinguistic diversity and promoting educational equity can be enacted across primary and secondary classrooms to benefit all learners.
Multilayer Neural Network Technique for Parsing the Natural Language Sentences
Authors: Singh Manu Pratap , Chaturvedi Sukrati , Shudhalwar Deepak D.
Published: April 2022

In this article is presented an approach for parsing natural language sentences using neural networks. The pre-processing technique is applied to code the sentences into string of bits and after the training process is started, is formed into patterns available in the form of coded information. The multilayer feed forward networks are used here for training to classify the words into appropriate syntactical categories. The classified words represent the parsed information of the given sentences. The main function of the network is to assign the respective syntactical categories to each word of a sentence with a minimal error rate. The comparison between the two popular neural network approaches i.e. feed forward neural network and radial basis neural network is presented to analyze performance for the new and unknown sentences.
Syntax Rules and (Un)Grammaticality
Authors: Waldmann Christian , Sullivan Kirk P. H.
Published: April 2022

This chapter deals with syntax rules and grammaticality judgments in the teaching and learning of English as a second and foreign language for linguistically diverse learners. Grammaticality judgment tasks are used in linguistic research to probe speakers' implicit knowledge about the syntactic rules of language. This chapter discusses grammaticality judgment tasks in educational contexts and proposes a method for teaching syntactic rules of English based on the grammaticality judgments of second and foreign language learners of English. The chapter also attempts to raise grammatical consciousness for teaching of English as a second or foreign language as well as illustrating how various media can be used to design and present grammaticality judgment tasks to support language learning and learner engagement, participation, and motivation.
Assessing the Impact of a Digital Ecosystem to Learn English Pronunciation
Authors: Pinto-Llorente Ana María
Published: April 2022

The present research is an innovative study that intends to analyse the effectiveness of a b-learning digital ecosystem implemented in the area of English phonetics and phonology. It also aims to highlight the benefits of some transmissive, interactive, and collaborative resources in learning of the subject. It is a quantitative research with an ex-post-facto design, collecting data through a questionnaire. The results demonstrated that pre-service teachers had positive views towards the digital ecosystem to improve their English pronunciation level and their ability to perceive and produce English more accurately. The findings also emphasized the potential of the digital ecosystem to provide a more natural environment for pronunciation practice and a more individualized instruction focused on learners who become active learners generating knowledge.
Working With Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children From Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
Authors: Garrido-Nag Karen , McCann James
Published: April 2022

An increasing number of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) children live in homes where languages other than English or American Sign Language (ASL) are used. This chapter reviews issues of culture and linguistic diversity when working with D/HH multilingual learners (DMLs) from identification and early intervention through school entry. The authors will provide two case studies to explore the issues of service delivery to DMLs and their families: 1) Ji-Hun, who appears to use several spoken languages, including Korean, Japanese, and English, and 2) Ana, who is a recent immigrant to the USA and appears to use ASL, spoken Spanish, and spoken English. The discussion of these two case studies will encompass some cultural differences, including 1) openness to engagement with providers, 2) cultural beliefs about hearing loss, 3) community systems and familiar support, 4) perceptions of systems and authorities. The case studies presented are not based on actual clients but are drawn from the clinical experiences of the authors.
Plurilingualism and STEAM
Authors: Pearce Daniel Roy , Oyama Mayo , Moore Danièle , Irisawa Kana
Published: April 2022

This contribution attempts to clarify the relationship between the practice of plurilingual education and STEAM (interdisciplinary pedagogy that incorporates science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) through the lens of peace learning at an elementary school in Japan. Japan has a rich history of peace education, although it has received limited focus in the international literature, whereas plurilingual education remains relatively unknown in the country. Within this context, the article examines a teacher-initiated plurilingual and intercultural project focused on a multidisciplinary approach to peace learning. Analyses of multimodal data, including video recordings, photographs, researchers' field notes, learners' journals, and semi-structured reflective interviews, will demonstrate how even within a highly homogenous context, practitioners can promote transferable skills and nurture a deeper awareness of language and openness to diversity, foster reflexivity, and encourage multidisciplinary engagement through plurilingual education, dialogue, and storying.
A Sociocultural Study on English Learners' Critical Thinking Skills and Competence
Authors: Ramírez-Verdugo Maria Dolores , Márquez Eva
Published: April 2022

This chapter presents a sociocultural instructional model designed to raise L2 learners' awareness to the vital importance of developing their critical thinking competence, especially in global crisis times. For this purpose, a pilot study was launched to explore English learners' attitudinal factors based on their critical thinking responses to rhetoric passages with a high sociolinguistic content component. This study, part of a more extensive quasi-experimental UAM-TeLL project, was implemented in a high school of Cartagena with first-year baccalaureate students. This educational approach's structure allowed the researchers to measure the dynamic of participants' feelings and reflective attitudes. The study's analytical instruments included three dimensions pre- and post- questionnaires, specific tasks on judgment and inference, guided interviews, rubrics, and field observation. This chapter reports on the initial qualitative findings and confirm students' engagement and awareness of their critical thinking skills.
Teleuts' Family and Kinship Ties
Authors: Olenev Stanislav Vladimirovich , Araeva Liudmila Alexeyevna , Bulgakova Olga Anatolyevna
Published: April 2022

The chapter is devoted to the description of current state of the Teleut language and culture (the indigenous minority of the North) in terms of contemporary socio-demographic processes, taking place in this ethnos, as well as in the aspect of reflecting of the Teleut language with the help of polysemantic units, understanding about family and kinship ties. Extralinguistic factors affecting the specificity of the bilingual linguistic personality of modern Teleuts are analyzed. The linguocultural conceptions about kinship ties, recorded in the Teleut linguistic worldview, are studied. The specificity of polysemy in the Teleut language is determined, based on the material of linguistic units, which call different types of kinship ties. The chapter consists of three sections, written by the project executors “Language and culture of Teleuts,” who were supported by grant RHSF/RFBR Nº 17-04-00252 ONG/18.
Preserving the Nauruan Language and Pidgin English in Nauru
Authors: Okamura Toru
Published: April 2022

First of all, this chapter surveys sociolinguistic features with a special emphasis on Japanese on Nauru Island. Second, it considers factors affecting the stability of the Nauruan language and Pidgin English. The cline theory helps to explain the degree of language decline. Both geographical and socio-political factors may account for them. In particular, the living environment is the most influential factor in a decline. This chapter concludes that the cline showing language decline is a valid argument. In Nauru, the Nauruan language on the island is one of the most stable languages today. Pidgin English is positioned in the middle of a continuum. Due to the linguistic dissimilarities between the indigenous language and Pidgin English, both languages can be maintained. The hierarchy of languages in Nauru today should be sustained in order to ensure the maintenance of the indigenous language and Pidgin English.
Urodeta hibernella (Staudiger, 1859) specie nuova per la fauna italiana
Authors: Timossi Giovanni
Published: April 2022

Viene segnalata per la prima volta per l’Italia Urodeta hibernella (Staudiger, 1859), viene fornita la distribuzione in Italia.
Atti Sociali
Authors: Società Entomologica Italiana
Published: April 2022

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ENDOTHELIAL BIOMARKERS IN PATIENTS RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 ONE YEAR AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: Tong Ming , Yan Xiquan , Jiang Yu , Jin Zhaoxia , Zhu Shengjiao , Zou Lianhong , Liu Yanjuan , Zheng Qing , Chen Guoqiang , Gui Ruifeng Gui , Zhou Zhilan , Han Xiaotong , He Jiangming , Yin Siqing , Ma Changchun , Xiao Wen , Zeng Yong , Chen Fang , Zhu Yimin
Published: April 2022

Background: COVID-19 is characterized by endothelial dysfunction and is presumed to have long-term cardiovascular sequelae. In this study, we aimed to explore the serum levels of endothelial biomarkers of COVID-19 recovers 1-year after hospital discharge.
Methods: A clinical follow-up study, including 345 COVID-19 survivors from Huanggang, Hubei, and 119 age and gender matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. A standardized symptom questionnaire, electrocardiogram and Doppler ultrasound of lower extremities, routine blood tests, biochemical and immunological tests were collected, and serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), P-selectin, and fractalkine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
Results: 1-year after discharge, 39% of recovers possessed post-COVID syndromes, while no deep vein thrombosis was detected in all screened. No significant differences in circulatory inflammatory markers (leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6), alanine aminotransferase, estimated glomerular filtration rate, glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and D-dimer observed among controls and previously mild or severe infected. Furthermore, serum levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, P-selectin, and fractalkine presented no significant differences between survivors and healthy controls.
Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection may not impose a higher risk of long-term cardiovascular sequelae, even for those recovered from severe illness.
KEYWORDS: COVID, ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION, INFLAMMATORY MARKERS, ADHESION MOLECULES, THROMBOSIS.
IMPACT OF SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE GENETIC POLYMORPHISM (SOD2 VAL16ALA) AND SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE LEVEL ON DISEASE SEVERITY IN A COHORT OF EGYPTIAN SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENTS IN EGYPT
Authors: Khorshied Mervat , Shaheen Iman , Selim Yasmeen , Elshahawy Asmaa , Youssry Ilham
Published: April 2022

Background: Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of sickle celldisease (SCD) and its associated disease complications. Superoxide Dismutases (SODs) areprotective enzymes against oxidative stress. SOD2 deficiency results in the accumulation ofoxidized red cell proteins, increased rate of hemoglobin oxidation, decreased red cell membranedeformability, and subsequently decreased red cells survival.Objective: The current study was designed to determine the effect of SOD2 Val16Ala genepolymorphism (rs4880) on SOD2 level and their possible impact on SCD disease severity in acohort of Egyptian SCD patients.Methods: Genotyping SOD2 Val16Ala polymorphism by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay forhundred SCD patients and a hundred age-sex matched healthy controls revealed the genotypicand allelic frequencies of the studied polymorphism in the SCD patients were close to that of thecontrols.Results: Serum SOD2 level was significantly lower in those having the polymorphic genotypes(p=0.005). SOD2 level inversely correlates with the annual rate of hospitalization (r=-0.023, p=0.038).Conclusion: SOD2 Val16Ala polymorphism was associated with low serum SOD2 levels that maypredict disease severity.
KEYWORDS. SCD, EGYPT, SOD2, POLYMORPHISM.
Comparison of Serum Ketone Levels and Cardiometabolic Efficacy of Dapagliflozin versus Sitagliptin among Insulin-Treated Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Lee Chi-Ho , Wu Mei-Zhen , Lui David Tak-Wai , Chan Darren Shing-Hei , Fong Carol Ho-Yi , Shiu Sammy Wing-Ming , Wong Ying , Lee Alan Chun-Hong , Lam Joanne King-Yan , Woo Yu-Cho , Lam Karen Siu-Ling , Yiu Kelvin Kai-Hang , Tan Kathryn Choon-Beng
Published: April 2022

Background: Insulin-treated patients with long duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk of ketoacidosis related to sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i). The extent of circulating ketone elevation in these patients remains unknown. We conducted this study to compare the serum ketone response between dapagliflozin, an SGLT2i, and sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, among insulin-treated T2DM patients.Methods: This was a randomized, open-label, active comparator-controlled study involving 60 insulin-treated T2DM patients. Participants were randomized 1:1 for 24-week of dapagliflozin 10 mg daily or sitagliptin 100 mg daily. Serum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) levels were measured at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks after intervention. Comprehensive cardiometabolic assessments were performed with measurements of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC), vibration-controlled transient elastography and echocardiography.Results: Among these 60 insulin-treated participants (mean age 58.8 years, diabetes duration 18.2 years, glycosylated hemoglobin 8.87%), as compared with sitagliptin, serum BHB levels increased significantly after 24 weeks of dapagliflozin (P=0.045), with a median of 27% increase from baseline. Change in serum BHB levels correlated significantly with change in free fatty acid levels. Despite similar glucose lowering, dapagliflozin led to significant improvements in body weight (P=0.006), waist circumference (P=0.028), HDL-C (P=0.041), CEC (P=0.045), controlled attenuation parameter (P=0.007), and liver stiffness (P=0.022). Average E/e’, an echocardiographic index of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, was also significantly lower at 24 weeks in participants treated with dapagliflozin (P=0.037).Conclusion: Among insulin-treated T2DM patients with long diabetes duration, compared to sitagliptin, dapagliflozin modestly increased ketone levels and was associated with cardiometabolic benefits.
Identification of unique immune response expression profiles to SARS-CoV-2 in non-small cell lung cancer using systems immunology approach
Authors: Al Heialy Saba , Hachim Mahmood Yaseen , Hachim Ibrahim Yaseen , Hamoudi Rifat , Hamid Qutayba
Published: April 2022

Background:

COVID-19 severity and mortality are higher in patients with lung cancer due to pulmonary complications. Understanding the mechanisms of SARS-COV-2 effect on lung cancer cells in comparison to healthy lung cells can improve our knowledge of the disease biology to discover new therapeutic targets with the aim of improving the management protocols.

Methods:

We aimed to investigate the immune response signature generated from COVID-19-infected NSCLC patients and compare with noninfected patients. To achieve this, publicly available transcriptomic data of lung adenocarcinoma cancer cells A549 versus healthy lung epithelium which were SARS-COV-2-infected and mock-infected were retrieved and reanalyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that are dysregulated in SARS-COV-2-infected A549. Identified genes were explored for enriched pathways and further validated in silico for their expression in larger NSCLC lung samples. C57BL/6J mice infected with MA15 (mouse-adapted SARS-CoV) were used to confirm the findings.

Results:

A total of 7852 DEGs were identified between A549 (mock and SARS-COV-2 infected) compared to healthy epithelial cells (mock and SARS-COV-2 infected). On the contrary, 142 genes were DEGs between all mocked-infected cells (healthy and cancer) versus SARS-COV-2 infected (healthy and cancer). Those 142 genes were intersected with DEGs from the first step and were shown to be involved in cytokine-mediated signaling pathway and lymphocyte activation. A549-infected cells upregulated (IL11, RBCK1, CEBPD, EBI3, and ISG15) to a higher proportion but downregulated RELB compared to the healthy epithelium. Most of the genes (Nr1h4, Ebi3, Snai2, IL2rb, IL11, Clec4e, Cebpd, and Relb) were differentially expressed in the lung of infected mice. In silico validation confirm that IL11 expression is higher in lung adenocarcinoma compared to healthy controls. COVID-19 infection in NSCLC patients lead to the activation of specific cytokines.

Conclusions:

Our analysis showed IL11 to be the most differentially expressed between cancer and non-cancer patients and was associated with poor prognosis suggesting that COVID-19 infection in cancer patients leads to the synergistic increase in expression of CD4+ T cells, M1 macrophages, and follicular helper T cells.
Integrons as emerging contaminants facilitating the widespread of antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Okoh Anthony Ifeanyin , Fadare Folake Temitope
Published: April 2022

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are classified as emerging environmental pollutants of global public health concern. These ARGs are disseminated through genetic elements such as integrons. Integrons can acquire, integrate, and express various rearrangeable gene cassettes (GCs), harboring different ARGs that may be readily spread to other bacteria in widely varied niches. Different classes of integrons possessing diverse arrays of ARGs located within its GCs are commonly distributed in the Enterobacteriaceae family and are responsible for the high rate of multidrug resistance observed. The members of this family are natural commensals of the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals released into the different aquatic environments. Various water sources further disseminate the organisms and their diverse resistance gene repertoires. Thus, understanding the distribution and diversity of the significant integron classes in the clinically relevant Enterobacteriaceae members will be of utmost importance. It will provide a framework for health authorities to make decisions on surveillance of these contaminants in the environment.
Comparing the pre–post knowledge score of health-care professionals on a simulation course for COVID-19 PCR sampling
Authors: Al Ojaimi Mode , Khairallah Megan , Al Najjar Rania
Published: April 2022

Background:

This study describes the effectiveness of a simulation course for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sampling for coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) on a heterogeneous cohort of 37 health-care professionals (HCPs) in North Lebanon.

Materials and Methods:

A pre–post repeated measure on a simulation course PCR sampling for COVID-19 was designed and conducted on a sample of 37 HCPs involved in COVID-19 PCR sampling in Lebanon. Attendees anonymously completed pre–post course questionnaires following the simulation training session. Data collected were analyzed on SPSS using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and McNemar’s test to compare the knowledge score (Kscore) of participants and their perceptions measures related to the training.

Results:

Kscore increased and was significantly different pre (µ = 2.22,) and post-session (µ = 5.54). A Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that post-session, only two remained the same, whereas all the rest (35) had higher post score. The proportion of correctly answered questions varied significantly pre–post session for all six questions. Years of experience and gender did not have an effect on Kscore pre–post session. The Kscore also varied for participants with previous COVID-19 PCR swab training or with current role related to COVID-19 with higher pre-Kscore and surprisingly lower post-Kscore.

Conclusion:

Our study shows that a simulation course regarding COVID-19 testing should be a requirement, regardless of years of experience or previous training, before allowing HCPs to perform sampling techniques on a patient having or suspected to have COVID-19 in order to ensure international standards.
Connexin 43 Mediated the Angiogenesis of Buyang Huanwu Decoction via Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Angiopoietin-1 after Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhou Ying , Zhang Ya-Xing , Yang Kai-Ling , Liu Yu-Lian , Wu Fang-Hua , Gao Yu-Rong , Liu Wei
Published: April 2022

Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD), a classical prescription for ischemic stroke, has been reported to promote angiogenesis after focal ischemia. However, the mechanisms of the contribution of BYHWD on angiogenesis are still unclear. Connexin 43 (Cx43) played important roles in the functions of neurogliovascular unit. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the potential role of Cx43 in angiogenesis of the ischemic brain after BYHWD treatment. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to establish the model of focal ischemia. BYHWD was administrated intragastrically twice a day after MCAO with or without Gap26 (a specific Cx43 inhibitor). Western blot, neurological deficits, immunofluorescent staining, and Evans blue dye were used to confirm the role of Cx43 in angiogenesis after BYHWD treatment. The expression levels of total Cx43 and phosphorylated Cx43 were upregulated by BYHWD and peaked at 7 days post MCAO. Inhibition of Cx43 with Gap26 significantly attenuated the protective role of BYHWD in neurological behavior. BYHWD treatment promoted angiogenesis demonstrated by increased microvascular density, upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), while inhibition of Cx43 with Gap26 attenuated these effects of BYHWD. In addition, Gap26 inhibited the beneficial effect of BYHWD on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. These results suggested that Cx43 mediated the angiogenesis of BYHWD via VEGF and Ang-1 after focal ischemic stroke.
Comparative Observational Analysis of Clinical Outcomes in Patients of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis Treated with Eye Drops Olopatadine or Bepotastine Besilate
Authors: Yadav Preeti , Agrawal Ajai , Dhamija Puneet , Singh Anupam , Mittal Sanjeev Kumar , Samanta Ramanuj
Published: April 2022

Objective:

Observation and comparison of resolution of signs and relief of symptoms in patients of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) treated with 0.1% olopatadine eye drops or 1.5% bepotastine besilate eye drops.

Materials and Methods:

It was a prospective observational study of 60 patients of VKC from January 2018 to July 2019. Thirty confirmed cases of VKC were included in the study in each group. One group received 0.1% olopatadine eye drops and second group received 1.5% bepotastine besilate eye drops and were followed up for a period of 4 weeks. The main outcome measures were scoring and comparison of Total subjective symptom scores (TSSS) and Total objective sign scores (TOSS) within and between the groups at each follow up. Wilcoxon rank-sum test (Mann Whitney U test) was used to compare the two groups in terms of symptom and sign score at each of the time points. Friedman test was used to explore the change in score over time within each group. Generalized Estimating Equations method was used to explore the difference in change in score between the two groups over time. A p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

With treatment both TSSS and TOSS decreased consistently in both groups at the end of the two week and four week follow up time points. P Value of Comparison of the Two Groups in Terms of Difference of Subjective Score Total from Baseline to Follow-up Time points was statistically significant (P<0.001).

Conclusion:

At the end of the study, olopatadine 0.1 % eye drops was found to be more efficacious than 1.5% bepotastine besilate eye drops both for relief of symptoms and resolution of signs.
Pilgrim health
Authors: Mohan Latika , Singh Surinderpal P. , Pant Jayanti
Published: April 2022

Mountains have attracted travelers for short sojourns for pilgrimage, recreation or adventure which exposes them to the environmental stressors such as hypoxia, cold, low humidity and increased UV radiation. Such places are also often located in wilderness with poor access to medical aid and other resources. The present article aims to provide an overview for understanding the pathophysiology of common medical conditions in such extreme environments and the principles of their management.
The Spectrum of Health Hazards by a Volcanic Eruption and the Need for an Integrated Approach to Mental Health and Disaster Preparedness
Authors: Sasidharan Shibu , Dhillon Harpreet Singh
Published: April 2022

Mt. Nyiragongo in Goma, DR Congo, exploded on 22 May 2022. In the Philippines, on 1 July 2021, the Taal volcano, considered a restive volcano, spewed a 0.62 mile-high plume of gas and steam into the air, cascading a mass evacuation. Without any prior warning, Goma and central Manila were in a state of emergency, not knowing what to expect and how to react. Volcanoes provide a conduit by which magma – the earth's molten rock, gases and water – may interact with human biological systems. The importance of effective pre-disaster planning cannot be over-emphasised in such situations. The article dwells on the volcanic phenomena, which can cause many health hazards during the eruption and in between eruptions. The vast majority of volcanogenic fatalities in the past few centuries have resulted from events at the proximity – such as pyroclastic density currents, lahars and suffocation or building/roof collapse from ash or debris – and also distal events, such as tsunamis, which may travel for hundreds of miles from the active site, and indirect consequences of eruptions, such as famine or infectious disease outbreaks, including podoconiosis, fluorosis, geophagy, iodine deficiency disorders and rift valley fever. Although technology and geology can give a better lead time, predicting natural hazards and formulating, a plan in advance will obviously be very helpful for public health professionals. This paper is intended for health-care workers to understand the health problems faced due to a volcanic eruption, and this understanding, along with the recommendations given, will enable them to plan and prepare for the management of relief, rescue and medical care.
Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy
Authors: Wahabi Hayfaa A. , Esmaeil Samia , Elmorshedy Hala , Bakhsh Hanadi , Abdelrahman Aalaa , Fayed Amel
Published: April 2022

OBJECTIVES:

The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of anemia among pregnant women in Riyadh and to examine its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

METHODS:

This study is a subgroup analysis from Riyadh mother and baby multicenter cohort study. Participants were grouped into four groups according to hemoglobin level: nonanemic (≥11.0 g/100 ml), mild (10–10.9 g/100 ml), moderate (7.0–9.9 g/100 ml), and severe anemia (<7.0 g/100 ml). Regression analyses were conducted to extrapolate the predicted probability (PP) for pregnancy outcomes.

RESULTS:

Out of 10,600 participants, 3261 (30.76%) were anemic; 1729 (16.3%), 1520 (14.3%), and 12 (0.1%) had mild, moderate, and severe anemia, respectively. The odds of anemia was higher in younger mothers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.94, confidence interval [CI]: 0.91–0.94) and in primiparous (OR = 1.01, CI: 0.90–1.14), while attendants of antenatal care and those who received iron supplements were less likely to be anemic (OR = 0.93, CI: 0.82–1.06) and (OR = 0.92, CI: 0.77–1.09), respectively. There was a significant increase in the odds of lower APGAR with the decreased hemoglobin; an increment of maternal hemoglobin by 1 g/100 ml decreased the likelihood of APGAR scores <7 by 9% (OR = 0.91, CI: 0.83–0.99). The PP showed a decrease in preterm birth (PTB) rate from 8% (CI: 6%–9%) to 6.5% (CI: 5%–8%), low birth weight (LBW) rate from 12% (CI 10%–13%) to 11% (CI: 9%–12%), stillbirth rate from 1.3% (CI: 0.7%–2.1%) to 1.1% (CI: 0.7%–1.6%), and maternal admission to intensive care unit (ICU) from 0.8% (CI: 0.2%–1.5%) to 0.2% (CI: 0.06%–0.4%), with increase of maternal hemoglobin from 7 g/100 ml to 15 g/100 ml.

CONCLUSION:

More than a third of the pregnant women in Riyadh had mild-to-moderate anemia. The odds of anemia increased in primipara, younger mothers, and those without antenatal care or iron supplementation. PP showed that anemia is associated with low APGAR scores, LBW, PTB stillbirth, and maternal admission to ICU.
Linezolid-Induced Pancytopenia and Hyponatremia
Authors: Kumar Satish , Dhakal Narayan , Mangal Vishal , Menon Anil
Published: April 2022

Linezolid (LnZ) is an antibiotic that is effective against Gram-positive bacteria and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus. LnZ is notorious to cause adverse hematological effects, primarily thrombocytopenia; however, pancytopenia is an infrequent complication. Euvolemic hyponatremia is a very rare adverse effect in patients receiving LnZ for more than 2 weeks. Early identification of pancytopenia and hyponatremia due to LnZ can result in avoidance of unnecessary investigations with improved patient outcome. An 80-year-old male with no previous comorbidities was admitted with a fracture neck of the left femur. He was empirically prescribed tablet LnZ 600 mg twice daily by the orthopedics team for soft-tissue infection over the sacral area. He underwent surgery for the left femur's fracture neck and was continued on LnZ in the postoperative period. Two weeks after the surgery, he was noticed to have pancytopenia and hyponatremia. After a thorough evaluation, LnZ was suspected to be the cause of pancytopenia and euvolemic hyponatremia. After 2 weeks of withholding LnZ, his pancytopenia and hyponatremia resolved. Physicians should be aware of the rare adverse effects of LnZ and should identify the patients at risk before administrating the drug. Regular monitoring of hematological and biochemical parameters is mandatory if intended to continue the drug for a more extended period.
Lower prevalence of hepatic fibrosis in low viremic hepatitis B patients with fluctuating HBV DNA levels
Authors: Sanai Faisal M. , Alhouthali Ahmad H. , Alghamdi Hamdan S. , Badriq Feras , Sanai Eisa A. , Mujalled Mohammed K. , Khayyat Waleed , Attar Motaz S. , Bagadeem Basil S. , Meer Alaa M. , Alshumrani Waleed , Albeladi Khalid , AlTraif Ibrahim , Alqahtani Saleh
Published: April 2022

Background:

In chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients, fluctuations in HBV DNA serve as a “gray area” and impede the accurate identification of inactive carriers. We aimed to assess if such fluctuations impact the presence of significant hepatic fibrosis (Metavir F2-4) in chronic HBV patients.

Methods:

Consecutive, untreated HBeAg-negative carriers (n= 234) with fluctuating HBV DNA (n= 73) above or below a level of 2000 IU/mL were included and compared to those without fluctuations (n= 161). Patients without fluctuating HBV DNA were further analyzed based on those with persistently low (<2,000 IU/mL, n= 137) and higher HBV DNA (2,000–20,000 IU/mL, n= 24). Hepatic fibrosis (assessed by transient elastography) was correlated with virologic and biochemical profiles.

Results:

The mean age of the overall cohort was 47.8 ± 11.1 years, of whom 107 (45.7%) were male. During a median of 60 months (interquartile range [IQR] 34–82) of follow-up, 73 (31.2%) patients had a mean of 1.6 ± 0.9 fluctuations in HBV DNA. The median time to the first fluctuation was at 14.5 (IQR 5.0–33.7) months. Patients with fluctuating viremia had higher log10qHBsAg (3.1 ± 0.8 vs. 2.7 ± 1.0,P= 0.022) and HBV DNA (3.4 ± 0.5 vs. 2.7 ± 0.8,P< 0.001) compared to those without fluctuations. Patients with fluctuant viremia were less likely to have F2-4 fibrosis (8.2%) compared to those without fluctuant viremia (18.2%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.407, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.161–1.030;P= 0.052). Males tended to have less fluctuation constituting 37.0% of patients with fluctuating HBV DNA (P = 0.071). Fluctuations occurred more frequently in those with predominantly higher HBV DNA levels (26.0%) compared to those without fluctuations (14.9%;P= 0.030).

Conclusions:

Fluctuating HBV DNA levels occur frequently but are not associated with significant fibrosis. Minor fluctuations in HBV DNA levels are unlikely to be of clinical relevance.
Multiple Scale of Complexity for Anorectal Fistulas
Authors: Melo Ingrid M. , Vargas Elvis D. , Briceño Julimar del C. , Chiantera Daniel , Pérez Mariangela C. , Bonilla Eliana C. , Coacuto Jenils D. , Zarza Patricia
Published: April 2022

Background:

Anorectal fistulas are common and difficult to manage.

Objective:

To create a scale of complexity through the identification, description of medical history, clinical and ultrasonographic findings. To reduce the rate of recurrence and complications in fistulas is the treatment goal. Patient's inherent traits increase the complexity of anorectal fistulas with the risks of incontinence, delayed healing, infections, and requiring difficult surgeries. The aim of this study was to create a scale of complexity through identification, description of medical history, and clinical and ultrasonography (USG) findings.

Patients and Methods:

Retrospective study of a prospectively maintained database conducted at two Venezuelan hospitals. All patients who underwent anorectal USG examination at our institutions between 2010 and 2017 were investigated and included in the numerical scoring system, which categorizes the risk of fistula into simple, intermediate, and complex. The Chi-square test of the Statistical Program of Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to establish the significance level, P < 0.005. One thousand one hundred and seventy-three patients were evaluated, and perianal fistula was identified in 989 patients.

Results:

Of the 232 intersphincteric fistulas, 75.86% were simple, 22.41% were intermediate, and 1.72% were complex. Of the 295 lower transsphincteric fistulas, 51.19% were simple, 42.71% intermediate, and 6.10% were complex. Of the 327 high transsphincteric fistulas, 17.74% were simple, 59.94% were intermediate, and 22.32% were complex. Of the 48 extrasphincteric fistulas, 66.67% were intermediate, and 33.33% were complex. Finally, of the 18 suprasphincteric fistulas, 50% were intermediate and 50% were complex.

Conclusions:

The complexity of the fistula may not be obvious in routine thorough clinical evaluation, requiring complementary studies. Using the scale avoids excluding factors that indicate complexity, with a statistically significant difference with the classification based exclusively on tracts.

Limitation:

The limitation of this study is that it is a retrospective single medical group study.
Surveillance Colonoscopy Revealing Asymptomatic Low-Grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasm
Authors: Grewal Jagmeet S. , Berger Elliot , Garner Jacob , Beaty Jennifer S.
Published: April 2022

Appendiceal mucinous neoplasms are a collection of rare tumors with diverse clinical presentations and pathologic potential, which can pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Generally, these neoplasms are either diagnosed by radiologic imaging or identified during surgery; however, they may be rarely diagnosed during an endoscopic procedure. In this case report, we present the rare case of a 62-year-old white male who was undergoing routine surveillance colonoscopy for a history of colonic neoplasia. During the colonoscopy, a submucosal, nonbleeding, 1-cm mass of benign appearance was observed in the appendix. Further workup suggested that the mass could be a mucocele, and hence surgical consultation was recommended. The patient denied any symptoms suggestive of a mucinous neoplasm prior to or during the evaluation. A laparoscopic appendectomy was subsequently performed, and the histopathology reports confirmed the diagnosis of a low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm. The patient recovered without any complications and continued to deny any symptoms during his postoperative course and follow-up care. The identification of appendiceal mucinous neoplasms remains difficult because of their rare incidence and unpredictable nature. The wide spectrum of unique presentations and modalities for diagnosis is illustrated by discovering a low-grade mucinous neoplasm in an asymptomatic patient via colonoscopy.

Number of similar cases published: Nil
FİNANSTA RASYONELİTEDEN İRRASYONALİTEYE: KAVRAMSAL BİR ÇERÇEVE
Authors: SEKTİOĞLU İrfan , SEZGİN Aykut
Published: April 2022

Finansal kararların psikolojik ve davranışsal nedenlerini tartışan davranışsal finans, çok disiplinli bir yapıya sahiptir. Bu çalışmada, geleneksel finanstan davranışsal finansa geçiş süreci açıklanmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu bağlamda, bireylerin belirsiz durumlarda rasyonel davrandığını kabul eden geleneksel finans teorileri değerlendirmeye alınmıştır. Bilhassa, Beklenen Fayda Teorisi ve Etkin Piyasalar Hipotezinin sistematik olarak finansal piyasa kur fiyat hareketlerini açıklamada yetersiz kalması irdelenmiştir. Bu sistematik ihlaller finans ile psikolojinin ilişkilendirilmesi ile sonuçlanmış ve davranışsal finans ortaya çıkmıştır. Davranışsal finans anomalileri, ekonomik olmayan eğilimler ve davranışsal finans modelleri olarak değerlendirmeye alınarak; yatırımcıların belirsizlik ortamında aldığı kararların davranışsal yanlılıkların etkisi altında kaldığı, sistematik olarak ihlaller gerçekleştirdiği ve irrasyonel davranışlar sergilendiği üzerinde durulmuştur.
Tax the rich? Taxation as a way to discourage regulations
Authors: Méndez Reátegui Rubén , Sumar Albujar Oscar
Published: April 2022

Economic regulation is a way for interest groups to gain rent by reducing competition. However, regulations are often understood as anti-signatures. This is due to a lack of economic knowledge combined with an inability to process information about the real costs of average regulations on the part of the citizen. As a result, we often find ourselves in a dynamic where the real motivation behind regulations is rarely recognized and, in this way, interest groups benefit by not paying their costs. Traditional methods of dealing with regulatory quality are not working. Therefore, this article proposes a way to address this problem: to put the cost of regulation where the benefits are, i.e., on the industry or other stakeholders that are the main beneficiaries of the regulation, and to analyze the elements of the proposed regulation from an ius-economic approach and study case studies related to the situation of Peruvian universities. This is done through a descriptive, legal-theoretical, and economic methodology based on a review of contemporary literature. Finally, consider the creation of a tax for the interest groups that benefit from the regulations. While this idea is not new, it has not yet been implemented or described operationally. This commentary is an effort to bring this idea into academic and public debate.
Sosyal Bilgiler Öğretmenlerinin Okul Dışı Öğrenmeye Yönelik Farkındalıkları, Bilişsel Yapıları ve Uygulama Durumları Üzerine Bir İnceleme
Authors: TORUN Ümmügülsüm , YILDIRIM Tercan
Published: April 2022

Okulda gerçekleştirilen öğrenmelerin yanı sıra okul sınırları dışında da eğitim ve öğretime uygun çeşitli alanlardan faydalanılarak öğrencilerin daha keyifli öğrenme gerçekleştirmeleri sağlanmaktadır. Özellikle sosyal bilgiler dersi açısından da bu tür etkinlikler önemli bir yere sahiptir. Sosyal bilgiler öğretmenlerinin okul dışı öğrenmeye yönelik farkındalık durumlarını, bilişsel yapılarını ve uygulama durumlarını belirlemeyi hedefleyen bu çalışmada nitel araştırma desenlerinden biri olan durum çalışması kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma gurubunu 2020-2021 eğitim öğretim yılında Kırşehir ili merkez ilçesinde Millî Eğitim Bakanlığına bağlı ortaöğretim kurumlarında görev yapan 20 sosyal bilgiler öğretmeni oluşturmaktadır. Veriler yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanmış ve içerik analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Araştırma sonucunda elde edilen verilere göre öğretmenlerin okul dışı öğrenme konusunda farkındalığa sahip oldukları vermiş oldukları yanıtlardan anlaşılmaktadır. Öğretmenler okul dışı öğrenme etkinlikleri ile öğrencilerin derse olan ilgilerinin arttığını ve dersin verimli işlenmesi noktasında katkı sağladığını belirtmişlerdir. Sosyal bilgiler dersi öğretim programında okul dışı öğrenme etkinliklerinin önerildiğine dair bilgi sahibi olan öğretmenler, bu etkinliklerin yapılabileceği okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarına örnekler vermiş ve bulundukları şehirde yer alan ortamları da ifade etmişlerdir. Araştırmaya katılan öğretmenlerin geneli derslerinde okul dışı öğrenme etkinliklerine yer verdiklerini ve öğrencilere sağlamış olduğu katkıyı dile getirirken bir kısım öğretmen ise uygulama sürecinde yasal işlemler, zaman sıkıntısı gibi birçok sorunla karşılaştıklarını belirtmişlerdir.