bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adopting Remote Teaching in the Time of Covid-19: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Alshammari Reem
Published: August 2021

In the wake of the global pandemic – COVID-19, the transitioning of the ongoing education journey into Remote Learning poses challenges and evolving opportunities to thousands of instructors, educators, stakeholders, and learners. This unprecedented COVID-19 situation has mainly situated the teachers and learners into the uncomfortable position for not only having to continue teaching-learning online classes for the first time but also to do it without any notice or preparedness. Behind such backdrop, this paper attempts to explore the challenges and opportunities for adopting Remote Teaching in the time of COVID-19. To this end, this study devised a survey questionnaire for students of Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia, to have a ground reality of the situation and prospects of teaching-learning online. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The study result suggests that in response to the immediate impact of school closures, it is necessary to facilitate the continuity of education for all through remote learning mode, which is safe and suitable for the current world situation by ensuring the digital devices, internet infrastructure, the availability of the communication network to the peripheral users in rural interiors and teacher-students training for new survival digital skills. The study also reflected that the excellent benefits of learning technology and media apps help continue the wheel of education through impacting the learners’ motivation and immersion to learning. Moreover, this study will be contributing literature in shaping higher education in the post-Covid-19 pandemic era.
Teachers’ Perceptions and the Challenges of Online Teaching/Learning in Morocco during Covid-19 Crisis
Authors: MOUNJID Basma , HILALI Elhassane EL , AMRANI Fatima , MOUBTASSIME Mohammed
Published: August 2021

The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused one of the most extensive school closures worldwide, sending over one billion students home away from their schools, teachers, and classmates. Governments opted for online education to ensure the continuity of learning. Teachers in Morocco have opted for different tech tools and platforms to design and deliver online classes. This study aims to assess the impact and effectiveness of online teaching during the COVID 19 outbreak among teachers in Morocco. Based on the theoretical framework Online Collaborative Learning (OCL), an online survey questionnaire is employed as a data collection instrument. A total of 421 Moroccan teachers from different regions all over Morocco took part in the study. This paper used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software to analyze the collected data and determine the impact and quality of online teaching during the Covid-19 national school closure in Morocco. The results showed that most of the teachers faced numerous technology, training, and socio-economic challenges that acted as barriers to the processes of online education. The findings obtained can be of use in making future decisions concerning the implementation of teaching and learning online programs in Morocco considering the teachers’ perspective
Remote Learning: Fostering Learning of 21st Century Skills through Digital Learning Tools
Authors: Abdullateef Shifan Thaha
Published: August 2021

The shift from in-person to remote learning has have led to crisis management. Teachers find it more challenging as content designing and presentation have to undergo drastic change. Though many face-to-face methodologies could be adapted in the online context, Yet, “one size fits all approach” cannot be standardized in remote learning setups. The critical challenge in this ‘new era’ is to make the learners motivated, productive, and responsible. The study aims to find the impact of four digital tools: Discussion Forums, Kahoot, Padlet, and FlipGrid in fostering 21st-century skills and identify the existing gaps between Remote Learning and instructional activities in the EFL context. The study adopts a quantitative approach. First, it tries to examine the utilization of the digital learning tools under Blackboard by the faculty at the Department of English at Prince Sattam University and find out the impact of digital tools in fostering 21st-century skills on the undergraduate students pursuing level six. From the results of the study, it is evident that digital learning tools empower learners. The study recommends significant changes in the pedagogies. Finally, the study suggests rubrics be taken into consideration while choosing digital tools to foster 21 st century skills.
The Presence of Learner Identity in Online Classes in UTAS-Rustaq
Authors: Siyabi Munira Said Al , Shekaili Dalal Abdullah Al
Published: August 2021

Learner identity has always been a crucial aspect in shaping learners’ learning process. However, the unprecedented and inevitable shift to online learning increases the need to invest in learners’ digital identities. Virtual classes are a new learning context for many Omani students, including the University of Technology and Applied Sciences-Rustaq (UTAS-Rustaq) students, introducing them to new social norms and relatively new assigned roles. Despite students’ current presence in the virtual classes, they are not new to the virtual world; many are already part of social networks. The present study, therefore, aims to investigate learners’ participation in social media and whether such presence would have an impact on their acceptance and involvement in online learning. There is an urge to examine this area which remains unexplored in UTAS-Rustaq due to its past limited practices. A mixed-method approach was implemented to elicit data; the focus group interviews aimed to seek in-depth insights to illuminate the collected data from the survey. The participants were English language learners who have experienced online learning for almost a year. The results indicated a positive presence in the virtual world in contrast to a negative presence in the virtual classroom. Surprisingly, technical difficulties were not the reason for students’ resentment of online learning; on the contrary, students reported that they elevated their technical skills due to the current situation. Rather, negativity arose from a lack of relational connectedness with the new context, which students kept referring to as a temporary situation and lack of teachers’ support.
Multimodality and Digital Narrative in Teaching a Foreign Language
Authors: Fedorenko Svitlana , Voloshchuk Iryna , Sharanova Yuliia , Glinka Nataliia , Zhurba Kateryna
Published: August 2021

The article focuses on the authors’ pedagogical experience of exploiting digital narratives in a foreign language education at a modern university (on the basis of National Technical University of Ukraine “KPI” named after Igor Sikorsky). The study aims to consider multimodality in terms of foreign language didactics. It was designed by the constructivism theory and narratology in terms of teaching a foreign language. The research exploited the set of theoretical methods: analyzing, summarizing, and interpreting scholarly sources on the issue under scrutiny; generalization and conceptualization of the authors’ pedagogical experience. Applying those methods in coherence logic enabled the effective study and interpretation of the concepts of “narrative” and “digital narrative” in their interrelations. In the study, the narrative is viewed as a sociocultural tool that provides students with deeper self-understanding, and complements the communicative system of foreign language acquisition with metacognition and values of life meaning. The digital narrative as a form of expression, empowered and determined by digital technologies incorporates multimodal communication and narrative as a cognitive unity. The authors have stated that multimodality, grounded on information technologies, is introducing entirely new semiotic resources into the communicative environment of foreign language learning. It is also generating innovative ways and forms of oral and written interaction. Multimodal learning activities illustrating the specifics of creating digital narratives by learners of English as a foreign language, are highlighted. The significance of the study lies in the fact that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is unquestionably a rather fertile condition for active implementing digital technologies into foreign language education, and developing different multimodal learning activities in this area
English Trainee Teachers’ Perspective on Soft Skills Development in Ukraine
Authors: Kniaz Hanna , Chukhno Olena
Published: August 2021

The integration of soft skills in training pre-service teachers ensures higher academic performance and provides them with better career opportunities. However, many university teachers pay insufficient attention to developing soft skills in higher education. The article aims to investigate the correlation between the soft skills included in professional teacher training and undergraduates’ viewpoint on soft skills development at university. The authors formulated three research questions: (a) How do English trainee teachers assess their soft skills? (b) How much attention, in students’ opinion, do teachers pay to developing soft skills? (c) Is there a gap between teachers’ work on developing students’ soft skills and trainee teachers’ expectations? To answer these questions, the researchers analized the empirical data received through a questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 153 English trainee teachers studying at H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Ukraine. The respondents answered two close-ended questions regarding the level of soft skills they believe to possess and the amount of time devoted to soft skills development. The findings suggest that most students consider the level of their soft skills intermediate or high. Nevertheless, a significant number of the respondents still feel that teachers pay insufficient or hardly any attention to improving these skills. It is necessary to conduct further research to analyze university teachers’ viewpoint on improving students’ soft skills and organize the development of soft skills which would meet trainee teachers’ expectations.
Information Technologies in the Formation of Foreign Language Grammatical Competence While Teaching a Language for Specific Purposes
Authors: Labinska Bohdana , Zenia Liubov , Matiichuk Kvitoslava , Danylovych Oksana
Published: August 2021

information technologies grammatical competence The current study aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of the virtual learning environment Moodle in the formation of English language grammatical competence of students during their independent work. The study had a quasi-experimental research design with a pre-test and delayed post-test. It was carried out at the Faculty of Law of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine. The participants were fifty 3rd-year students of specialty “International Law,” who took part in the survey voluntarily during the fall semester of 2020-2021. The core question of the research is whether this learning tool is effective in forming students’ foreign language grammatical competence. Based on the results of the study, the researchers demonstrate the benefits of studying through the electronic system Moodle. Students increased their ability to understand grammatical constructions in professionally oriented texts. To conclude, the findings obtained in this study can be implemented both in online and blended learning for university students during their independent work while working over English for Specific Purposes.
“We’re all in an abusive relationship with the health-care system”: Collective memories of transgender health care
Authors: Davis Charlie E. , Johnson Corey W. , Flanagan Ashley , Silk Washington
Published: August 2021

Collective memory work allows participants to recall, examine, and analyze their memories and experiences within a broader cultural context to see how their individual experiences link to collective, shared experiences of similar and/or different groups. This study utilized collective memory work to engage six trans participants in an examination of their individual experiences with health care. During a four-hour focus group, participants engaged in this process of discourse analysis and came to collective agreements about the meaning of their stories, the intentions of the author, and the intentions of others in their shared lived experience. In this paper, we will provide a thorough and rich description of the participants’ memories and their collective analysis, which highlights the interconnection between perceptions of oneself and their experiences with the health-care system. Our analysis revealed participants felt they had a toxic relationship with the health-care system. In particular, they discussed how health-care professionals left trans people tremulously asking for services, uncertain if they would receive care, what the quality of the care would be, and whether they would be treated respectfully. When discussing positive health-care experiences, participants highlighted when fears and anxieties were not realized, but all instances reflected some inappropriate actions. The results from this study will contribute to research on trans health care by providing a nuanced understanding of how health-care experiences impact trans communities collectively, as well as the ways in which health practices can be improved.
Selvinsky’s Ulyalaevshchina in 1924–1927
Authors: Krasnikova A. S.
Published: August 2021

A detailed reconstruction of the history behind the creation and publication of I. Selvinsky’s Ulyalaevshchina, a narrative poem about the Russian civil war in the Urals, following the 1917 revolution. Composed in 1924, Ulyalaevshchina was first published in 1927 and then underwent numerous alterations by Selvinsky, to a detrimental effect. The 1920s–1930s saw four publications of the poem as a separate book; the poem was considered a masterpiece of Selvinsky’s and of contemporary Soviet poetic output in general. However, its subsequent publications in the 1930s were unofficially vetoed up until the early Thaw years, when, in 1956, the poem was published again upon radical redrafting by the author. The scholar makes a meticulous comparison between various archive versions of Ulyalaevshchina, comments on textual juxtapositions and finds that the poem, conceived as a ‘verse novel’ about the Russian civil war and the Bolshevik pillaging of rural settlements during the food confiscation campaign (prodrazvyorstka), was intentionally rewritten by Selvinsky as an exemplary Soviet epic, which could not but damage the poem’s quality and intonation.
Adrenal Neuroblastoma in Adults: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Becherki Yakoubi. , Nadjet Azzi.
Published: August 2021

The clinical manifestations of Neuroblastoma are very variable. They depend on the site of the primary tumor, most often in the abdomen, along the spine or in the adrenal gland. Very often, it is the existence of metastases which reveals the disease, with bone pain, and / or difficulty in walking or urinary problems. Management must be carried out in a specialized multidisciplinary team. This will confirm, by imaging, the existence of a neuroblastoma, perform a biological assessment, search for metastases from a distance, and define prognostic factors and the appropriate therapeutic strategy.
The Dramatic Reversal of Acute Pulmonary Embolism-Induced Corrected Qt-Interval Prolongation with Bisoprolol; a Case Report
Authors: Elsayed Yasser Mohammed Hassanain
Published: August 2021

Rationale: Acute pulmonary embolism is one of the most serious cardiovascular conditions. QT-interval prolongation represents a hallmark for torsades de pointes or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death. So, identifying the QT-interval prolongation inducer considered very important. Patient concerns: A 55-year-old housewife woman presented with a thrombophilic acute pulmonary embolism-induced marked electrocardiographic QT-interval prolongation. Diagnosis: Acute pulmonary embolism-induced QT-interval prolongation. Interventions: Electrocardiography, computed tomography pulmonary angiogram, and echocardiography. Lessons: Bisoprolol may be helping in the reversal QT-interval prolongation. QT-interval prolongation that is a hallmark for torsades de pointes, and serious ventricular tachyarrhythmias with subsequent sudden cardiac death. Acute pulmonary embolism-induced QT-interval prolongation should be put among the acquired causes of the long QT syndrome. Outcomes: Dramatic response for both electrocardiographic and clinical signs of acute pulmonary embolism-induced QT-interval prolongation post-bisoprolol. Why don’t we use bisoprolol in the management of acute pulmonary embolism-induced electrocardiographic marked QT-interval prolongation?
Diarrhoea And Intestinal Microbiota
Authors: Tiburcio Álvaro
Published: August 2021

We carry out a review of the world literature, regarding the role played by the Intestinal Microbiota (IM), -when transplanted- in the decrease and disappearance of diarrhoea, in many conditions. Some acute and most chronic. Also, we show our little experience regarding the effect of Intestinal Microbiota Transplant (IMT), also known as Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT). We refer how patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Diarrhoea variety, Anxiety, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Pseudomembranous Colitis, Intestinal Malabsorption Syndrome, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Retroperitoneal Cancer operated on 4 occasions, secondary to left seminoma and right testicular teratoma (excised). We show that in all of them, the diarrhoea was reduced substantially and that the complications that appeared were minimal; without relevance or significant effect.
Viral Hepatitis C (HCV) in Hemodialysis
Authors: Atmane Seba
Published: August 2021

The aim of the study is to show the prevalence and risk factors of HCV at our hemodialysis (HD) center , in a study carried out on chronic hemodialysis patients during the year 2019, we identified eight cases out of 87 patients infected with HCV, or 9%. The average age in this population is 48 years, dialysed for an average of 15 years. Viral infection was discovered on average 12.5 years after the start of hemodialysis, during a routine screening examination. In this series, the genotype 1b was found in 2 cases (25%). Seven patients were treated out of the eight HCV hemodialysis patients, received dual therapy with sofosbuvir 400mg and daclar 60 mg for three months, with an early virologic response. A study done during a previous period, between 2015 and 2018, in the same center, looking at the risk factors for HCV transmission: 11 cases out of 134 hemodialysis patients infected with HCV. Among these cases, we noted the following factors; Blood transfusion: 3 cases (27.2%), surgery: 4 cases (45.4%), dental care: 2 cases (18%), no obvious cause: 2 cases (9%). Serologically ; HCV antibodies positive: 11/134, i.e. an 8.2% seroprevalence, PCR-viral RNA was positive in 10 out of 11 patients, i.e. a prevalence of 7.4% by PCR, number of copies: Above 1.03x 1, 000,000 (100%), number of Logs: Sup to 3.32 (100%), negative PCR: 01 patient.
Diploma course: “Health Economy tools for taking decisions”, a useful tool for health managers
Authors: Hernández Fé Fernández , González Efraín Sánchez
Published: August 2021

The Public Health services are closest related with the human develop. The strong relation between population health and labor productivity is determining the historical economic develop and the real capability to make sustainable the economic develop. Few sectors have an extensive and strong relation with the human develop as the Public Health. The health policies may insider over the whole population and can determine which population sector can access to the health services and the real dimension from the effective demand from these services too.
Structural heart disease interventions
Authors: Sudhakar B.G.K.
Published: August 2021

Seed for invasive cardiology was sown in early part of nineties. Cardiac catheterization was actually pioneered by Werner Forssmann in 1929. However, credit for therapeutic interventional cardiology should go to US vascular radiologist, Charles Theodore Dotter for performing first peripheral arterial angioplasty [PTA] in 1964. Subsequently, a German cardiologist by name Andreas Gruentzig adapted the technique in 1974 to suit coronary artery disease and performed the first human coronary balloon angioplasty to treat blockage in coronary artery in 1977.
Review of the genus Palmallorcus Gnezdilov with description of a new species from Spain (Homoptera, Fulgoroidea: Issidae)
Authors: Gnezdilov V.M.
Published: August 2021

Barbarissus Gnezdilov, 2003 is placed in synonymy under Palmallorcus Gnezdilov, 2003. Palmallorcus biemani sp. n. is described from Spain. A key to species of the genus and data on their distribution are given.
JOINT WORK OF STEEL AND BASALT PLASTIC REINFORCEMENT WITH CONCRETE AS PART OF BEAM STRUCTURES
Authors:   Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Karpiuk I.A. , Klymenko Ye.V. ,   Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Karpiuk V.M. ,   Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, A.S.Tselikova A.S. ,   Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Khudobych A.A. ,   Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Hlibotskyi R.V. ,   Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture
Published: August 2021

Experimental data on strength, deflections and cracking in beams are presented. Beams are made with dimensions 2000x200x100mm with steel and basalt-plastic (BFRP) reinforcement. They have been tested for static and low-cycle reloading. The results of studies of the main parameters of the performance of research elements are presented in the form of the corresponding experimental-statistical dependences for the actions of operational and destructive loads with the same design factors. With the help of stochastic and graphical analysis, the influence of the type of reinforcement and design factors on the strength and deformation characteristics, as well as on the crack resistance of experimental samples - beams, is estimated.
The Importance of Forensic Protocols with the Role of Forensic Experts and Sindh Police at Crime Scene: A Case of Sindh
Authors: Mangi Danish Bashir , Khan Raana , Jatoi Shabana Kausar
Published: August 2021

The study was conducted specifically to examine the role of forensic experts and Sindh police in investigating various crimes in the Karachi and Hyderabad areas. Forensic science can use technical expertise to detect, identify and prosecute criminals. In Pakistan, the application and understanding of forensic science in law enforcement agencies is increasing. This research has been analyzed with the help of qualitative research methodology. When forensic experts were asked if forensic evidence in court is a comprehensive defense, it was found that about 93.3% has agreed on it, while 6.7% denied it. When police participants were asked if modern forensic techniques could give immediate results in any case, 58.8% agreed, while 41.2% refused. This signifies that 58.8% of police respondents have less forensic knowledge and acquaintance. The biggest obstacles are lack of funds and lack of trained personnel, equipment and laboratories. The future of forensic science in Sindh will depend on overcoming the barriers and strengthening capacity building and improvement.
Predictors of surgical outcome in focal cortical dysplasia and its subtypes
Authors: Jayalakshmi Sita , Vooturi Sudhindra , Vadapalli Rammohan , Madigubba Sailaja , Panigrahi Manas
Published: August 2021

OBJECTIVE

The authors analyzed predictors of surgical outcome in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and its ILAE (International League Against Epilepsy) subtypes after noninvasive multimodal evaluation and calculated time to first seizure.

METHODS

Data of 355 patients with refractory epilepsy, confirmed FCD pathology, and 2–13 years of postsurgical follow-up were analyzed to determine the predictive roles of clinical, EEG, imaging, and surgical factors that influence seizure freedom.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age at surgery was 20.26 ± 12.18 years. In total, 142 (40.0%) patients had daily seizures and 90 (25.3%) had multiple seizure types. MRI showed clear-cut FCD in 289 (81.4%) patients. Pathology suggested type I FCD in 27.3% of patients, type II in 28.4%, and type III in 42.8% of patients. At latest follow-up, 72.1% of patients were seizure free and 11.8% were seizure free and not receiving antiepileptic drugs. Among the subtypes, 88.8% of patients with type III, 69.3% with type II, and 50.5% with type I FCD were seizure free. Multiple seizure types, acute postoperative seizures (APOS), and type I FCD were predictors of persistent seizures, whereas type III FCD was the strongest predictor of seizure freedom. Type I FCD was associated with daily seizures, frontal and multilobar distribution, subtle findings on MRI, incomplete resection, and persistent seizures. Type II and III FCD were associated with clear-cut lesion on MRI, regional interictal and ictal EEG onset pattern, focal pattern on ictal SPECT, complete resection, and seizure freedom. Type III FCD was associated with temporal location, whereas type I and II FCD were associated with extratemporal location. Nearly 80% of patients with persistent seizures, mostly those with type I FCD, had their first seizure within 6 months postsurgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term seizure freedom after surgery can be achieved in more than two-thirds of patients with FCD after noninvasive multimodal evaluation. Multiple seizure types, type I FCD, and APOS were predictors of persistent seizures. Seizures recurred in about 80% of patients within 6 months postsurgery.
Comparison of hemodynamic stress in healthy vessels after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter stent treatment for internal carotid artery aneurysm
Authors: Tsukada Tetsuya , Izumi Takashi , Isoda Haruo , Nishihori Masahiro , Kropp A. Elisabeth , Mizuno Takashi , Wakabayashi Toshihiko
Published: August 2021

OBJECTIVE

De novo aneurysms generally develop in healthy vessels after parent artery occlusion for large internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm, possibly owing to increased hemodynamic stress in the remaining vessels. In recent years, there has been a shift toward flow diverter stent treatment. However, there is a lack of direct evidence and data that prove this change in hemodynamic stress in healthy vessels after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter stent treatment. The authors compared hemodynamic stress in healthy-side vessels before and after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter treatments.

METHODS

The authors included patients who underwent 3D cine phase-contrast MRI before and after large ICA aneurysm treatment. Spatially and temporally averaged volume flow rates and spatially averaged systolic wall shear stress (WSS) in healthy-side ICA distal to the posterior communicating artery (C1 segment according to Fisher’s classification) were measured before and after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter treatments.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients were included (5 patients in the parent artery occlusion group and 12 in the flow diverter group). At 1–2 months after treatment, median volume flow rate in healthy-side ICA increased from 5.36 ml/sec to 6.28 ml/sec (total increase 117%, p = 0.04) in the parent artery occlusion group and from 4.65 ml/sec to 4.93 ml/sec (total increase 106%, p = 0.02) in the flow diverter group. In the parent artery occlusion group, median WSS in the C1 segment of the healthy-side ICA increased from 3.91 Pa to 5.61 Pa (total increase 143%, p = 0.08); however, no significant increase was observed in the flow diverter group (4.29 Pa to 4.57 Pa [total increase 107%, p = 0.21]).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperatively, volume flow rate and WSS in the C1 segment of the healthy-side ICA significantly increased in the parent artery occlusion group. Therefore, the parent artery occlusion group was more prone to de novo aneurysm than the flow diverter group.
Isolated recurrence of acute myeloid leukemia in the cerebellum: illustrative case
Authors: Kohli Vikraant , Koltz Michael T. , Kamath Ashwin A.
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare malignant hematopoietic neoplasm that arises at extramedullary sites. Although myeloid sarcoma may involve any organ, central nervous system (CNS) involvement is exceptionally rare. To date, few case reports and case series have described CNS myeloid sarcoma, the majority of which include peripheral disease.

OBSERVATIONS

The authors present an illustrative case of an adult male with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in remission relapsing with an isolated, diffuse myeloid sarcoma of the cerebellum. Magnetic resonance imaging showed posterior fossa crowding and diffuse enhancement within the cerebellar white matter without an apparent mass lesion. The patient required ventriculostomy due to obstructive hydrocephalus and ultimately suboccipital craniectomy with duraplasty due to posterior fossa compression. An open cerebellar biopsy revealed myeloid sarcoma. Peripheral studies did not meet the criteria for recurrent AML. The patient subsequently received high-dose systemic chemotherapy and has responded well to treatment.

LESSONS

Myeloid sarcoma may be a neurosurgical lesion because it has the potential to cause mass effect with obstructive hydrocephalus requiring emergent cerebrospinal fluid diversion and possible decompression. The authors report a rare case of isolated recurrence of AML in the form of diffuse CNS myeloid sarcoma and describe the role of neurosurgery in its diagnosis and treatment.
Late complication of cervical disc arthroplasty: heterotopic ossification causing myelopathy after 10 years. Illustrative case
Authors: Hsu Che-Han , Kuo Yi-Hsuan , Kuo Chao-Hung , Ko Chin-Chu , Wu Jau-Ching , Huang Wen-Cheng
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a well-documented complication of cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA), although it rarely causes adverse clinical effects. Despite high-grade HO possibly limiting segmental mobility, it is reportedly seldom associated with symptoms.

OBSERVATIONS

The authors report a case of a 46-year-old male patient who underwent hybrid CDA and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for 3-level cervical disc herniation that caused myeloradiculopathy. The surgery was successful; the patient experienced nearly complete recovery postoperatively. The follow-up images, including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans, showed satisfactory decompression at the indexed levels without residual osteophytes or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. However, 10 years later, the patient presented with symptomatic compressive myelopathy caused by severe HO that prompted a secondary surgery.

LESSONS

Although it is generally reported in the literature that HO is clinically innocuous, in this patient, it gradually and progressively developed and caused myelopathy, requiring a secondary surgery. Symptomatic HO can be expected over time, and patients with a high risk of HO deserve long-term follow-up after CDA. Further investigations are warranted to corroborate these risk factors, including multilevel calcified disc herniation, severe spondylosis, and suboptimal placement of the device during primary CDA surgery.
Successful endovascular treatment of a ruptured bihemispheric posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm: illustrative case
Authors: Nishihiro Shingo , Ichikawa Tomotsugu , Takahashi Yu , Hirata Yuichi , Kawai Nobuhiko , Kuramoto Satoshi , Ono Yasuhiro , Goda Yuji , Kawauchi Masamitsu
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

Normal posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) anatomy is highly variable, but bihemispheric PICA crossing the midline to supply the vascular territory of bilateral cerebellar hemisphere is rare. Herein, the authors reported a rare case of ruptured aneurysm that was associated with bihemispheric PICA and successfully treated endovascularly.

OBSERVATIONS

A 46-year-old woman presented with sudden headache and loss of consciousness because of an intraventricular hemorrhage due to a ruptured aneurysm that was associated with the bihemispheric PICA. Angiography revealed that the aneurysm was located at the bifurcation between the bihemispheric PICA and the bilateral distal PICA. The ruptured aneurysm was successfully occluded using coil embolization, which preserved the parent artery with no procedural-related complication.

LESSONS

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was the first report of a ruptured aneurysm associated with bihemispheric PICA being successfully treated endovascularly. Aneurysm formation may be accelerated by hemodynamic stress and vascular fragility. For neurosurgeons and neurointerventionalists, it is important to understand the anatomical variation of PICA, especially bihemispheric PICA, which is a potential risk factor for a fatal stroke.
Causal Effect Relationship in Medical Cases. An Old Problem in a New Scenario. Commentary to CJEU Judgment (Second Chamber) of 21 June 2017, N.W. & Others V. Sanofi Pasteur MSD & Others, Case C-621/15, EU:C:2017:484. Approbative Gloss
Authors: Wnukiewicz-Kozłowska Agata , Drozdowska Urszula Dorota
Published: August 2021

This commentary evaluates the problem in assessing the role of a causal connection between damage and the use of a defective medical product, specifically a vaccine. The judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the Sanofi Pasteur Case, which allowed the possibility of recognizing damage claims, even in cases where the prevailing scientific theory claims that there is no scientific evidence of a causal link between a vaccination and the disease, became a base for consideration. Consequently, procedural solutions (such as the standard of proof required, the admissibility of prima facie evidence reasoning and other solutions in cases of an uncertain causation) remain to be decided by national law. The authors assessed two legal systems: the French and Polish legal systems in the context of how to resolve these dilemmas and to describe the impact of the above-mentioned judgment on the case-law of French and Polish courts as regards the application of Directive 85/374/EEC. As a result, they concluded that the most important interpretative motive has become the individual interest of the vaccination’s victim as a consumer of medical services. It seems to be in accordance with Directive 85/374/EEC, which is motivated by the necessity of approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the liability of the producer for damage caused by the defectiveness of his products. However, since the existing divergences may distort competition and affect the movement of goods within the common market and entail a differing degree of protection of the consumer against damage caused by a defective product to his health or property, in countries belonging to the European Union, the authors wonder how the commented judgment will affect the further development of consumers protection against defective vaccines.
European Investigation Order – Selected Problems on Polish Implementation
Authors: Woźniewski Krzysztof Wiesław
Published: August 2021

The paper presents selected key problems of Directive 2014/41/EU regarding the European Investigation Order in criminal matters within the context of its Polish implementation in 2018. The paper focuses on the concept of investigative measures, administration of justice and exclusionary evidence rules as a limitation of issuing a Polish EIO. Additionally, the study attempts to approximate the reduced procedural mechanism in the context of issuing the ECI.
The State, democracy and the incompleteness of the social project: the Chilean experience
Authors: Diakova Ludmila
Published: August 2021

The article examines the main directions and results of the political and social modernization undertaken by the democratic governments of Chile during 2000-2019, identifies both the unconditional achievements associated with the gradual democratization of the political sphere, and the unresolved problems. Large-scale policies aimed at overcoming poverty and social exclusion, radically changing the education system, did not significantly reduce social inequality, create effective elevators for young people from the poorest strata. The reformism of the second government of M.Bachelet (2014-2018) increased the effect of disappointed expectations and the growing public disillusionment. The divergence of the results of political and social modernization, the conflict of new political opportunities, especially felt by young people, and old social approaches, became the main reason for the protest movement. The article analyzes the internal political processes, the decline of traditional left-centrism and the strengthening of radical tendencies, as well as the prospects for overcoming the crisis associated with the results of the national plebiscite on October 25, 2020.
Great Britain and Russia on the Way to Restoring Diplomatic Relations (1720–1731)
Authors: Labutina Tatyana
Published: August 2021

The article deals with the process of restoring diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Russia in the first third of the 18th century. England was the first country with which Russia established diplomatic relations 465 years ago. During this time, the countries have passed a difficult and thorny path of interaction. Often there were open military conflicts between them, and sometimes it simply came to the severance of diplomatic relations. One of these events occurred in the reign of Peter I on 14 December in 1720 year. Although diplomatic relations were interrupted, trade between the states continued to develop. The trade volume was reduced due to political tensions, which caused significant damage to the economy of England. In this regard, the British began to take active steps to establish diplomatic relations. The analysis of the correspondence between two British diplomats, T. Ward and C. Rondeau, and the Secretary of State of Great Britain, first undertaken in historical science, the author concludes that it was England that initiated the restoration of diplomatic relations, primarily to strengthen the position of the English merchants in Russia. The analysis of the ambassadors' dispatches gives valuable insights as to the strategy and tactics of the British Foreign Office in relation to Russia during the reign of Anna Ioannovna, as well as the motives that guided the diplomats involved in the preparatory process of establishing relations between the countries. The correspondence of the diplomats provides an opportunity to get acquainted with both their official and “secret” intelligence activities, which allows the author identify the true intentions of British diplomacy: to comprehensively study a potential rival which the British imagined Russia to be. It is also of great interest to learn more about how their mission went, what impressions they got from their visit to our country, what assessments they made about the top officials in the administration of the Russian Empire, as well as about the Russian people in general.
GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY OF WINTER WHEAT DEPENDING ON THE SOIL TILLAGE AND SOWING SYSTEMS
Authors: Gyrka A. D. , Gasanova I. I. , Gyrka T. V. , Bokun O. I.
Published: August 2021

The results of the field experiment on production testing and implementation of the systems and introduction the soil tillage and sowing systems of winter wheat are presented. On the results of experimental researches were stated, that the applying the direct seeding of winter wheat using the seeding machine ATD-6.35 contributed to an increase in the indicators of the density of productive stems for 7,4– 20,9 %, a decrease in the grain weight out of 1 ear for 0,11–0,27 g and the weight of 1000 grains for 2,8–4,7 g compared with the use of surface tillage and seeding with seeding machine ATD-6.35 and SZ-3.6. The highest grain yield of winter wheat was formed in the variant that mentioned a surface soil tillage and seeding with ATD-6.35 and was 5,62 t/ha, which was 0,12 and 0,16 t/ha more than the variant using the seeding machine ATD-6.35 without tillage and seeding machine SZ-3.6 on surface tillage. Analysis of winter wheat grain in the phase of full ripeness showed, that the protein and gluten contents of in samples of variants 1 and 2, where the ATD-6.35 was used were higher compared to option 3 and amounted respectively to 12,7–13,3 and 24,0–25,3 % which corresponds to the requirements of grain class 2.
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of the Roadside Transportation Related Air Quality (STARTRAQ) and Neighborhood Characterization
Authors: Kwon Jaymin , Ahn Yushin , Chung Steve
Published: August 2021

To promote active transportation modes (such as bike ride and walking), and to create safer communities for easier access to transit, it is essential to provide consolidated data-driven transportation information to the public. The relevant and timely information from data facilitates the improvement of decision-making processes for the establishment of public policy and urban planning for sustainable growth, and for promoting public health in the region. For the characterization of the spatial variation of transportation-emitted air pollution in the Fresno/Clovis neighborhood in California, various species of particulate matters emitted from traffic sources were measured using real-time monitors and GPS loggers at over 100 neighborhood walking routes within 58 census tracts from the previous research, Children’s Health to Air Pollution Study - San Joaquin Valley (CHAPS-SJV). Roadside air pollution data show that PM2.5, black carbon, and PAHs were significantly elevated in the neighborhood walking air samples compared to indoor air or the ambient monitoring station in the Central Fresno area due to the immediate source proximity. The simultaneous parallel measurements in two neighborhoods which are distinctively different areas (High diesel High poverty vs. Low diesel Low poverty) showed that the higher pollution levels were observed when more frequent vehicular activities were occurring around the neighborhoods. Elevated PM2.5 concentrations near the roadways were evident with a high volume of traffic and in regions with more unpaved areas. Neighborhood walking air samples were influenced by immediate roadway traffic conditions, such as encounters with diesel trucks, approaching in close proximity to freeways and/or busy roadways, passing cigarette smokers, and gardening activity. The elevated black carbon concentrations occur near the highway corridors and regions with high diesel traffic and high industry. This project provides consolidated data-driven transportation information to the public including: 1. Transportation-related particle pollution data 2. Spatial analyses of geocoded vehicle emissions 3. Neighborhood characterization for the built environment such as cities, buildings, roads, parks, walkways, etc.
Longitudinal Relationships Between Subjective Cognitive Decline and Objective Memory: Depressive Symptoms Mediate Between-Person Associations
Authors: Hill Nikki L. , Bhargava Sakshi , Bratlee-Whitaker Emily , Turner Jennifer R. , Brown Monique J. , Mogle Jacqueline
Published: August 2021

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be an early indicator of cognitive impairment, but depressive symptoms can confound this relationship. Associations may be influenced by differences between individuals (i.e., between-persons) or how each individual changes in their experiences over time (i.e., within-persons). Objective: We examined depressive symptoms as a mediator of the between- and within-person associations of SCD and objective memory in older adults. Methods: Coordinated analyses were conducted across four datasets drawn from large longitudinal studies. Samples (range: n = 1,889 to n = 15,841) included participants 65 years of age or older with no dementia at baseline. We used multilevel structural equation modeling to examine the mediation of SCD and objective memory through depressive symptoms, as well as direct relationships among SCD, objective memory, and depressive symptoms. Results: Older adults who were more likely to report SCD had lower objective memory on average (between-person associations), and depressive symptoms partially mediated this relationship in three of four datasets. However, changes in depressive symptoms did not mediate the relationship between reports of SCD and declines in objective memory in three of four datasets (within-person associations). Conclusion: Individual differences in depressive symptoms, and not changes in an individual’s depressive symptoms over time, partially explain the link between SCD and objective memory. Older adults with SCD and depressive symptoms may be at greater risk for poor cognitive outcomes. Future research should explore how perceived changes in memory affect other aspects of psychological well-being, and how these relationships influence cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Influence model with opinions and trust score evaluations under the leader-follower environment
Authors: Mahmood Asma , Abbas Mujahid
Published: August 2021

A group decision-making process is introduced by utilizing the influence model together with a matrix of interpersonal influences and an opinion matrix. The opinion matrix is constructed with the opinions/advice from one group of experts towards the other. Experts are divided into two groups, one which has more experienced, skilled and qualified persons is known as the group of opinion leaders and the other is known as the group of opinion followers. Sometimes, decision-makers are ordinary agents and their opinion formation is profoundly influenced by opinion leaders. The truthfulness of opinion leaders and the interpersonal influences of decision-makers is also taken into account. Also, a modified definition of trust score evaluation is presented with the understanding of the fact that the maximum trust which a decision-maker can do upon some opinion leader is his/her truthfulness. On the basis of this definition, a trust score matrix is constructed and the influence model is modified to take into account that matrix.
Taxonomy-based multiple attribute group decision making method with probabilistic uncertain linguistic information and its application in supplier selection
Authors: He Yan , Wei Guiwu , Chen Xudong
Published: August 2021

The optimal supplier selection in medical instrument industries could be considered a classical MAGDM issue. The probabilistic uncertain linguistic term sets (PULTSs) could depict uncertain information well and the Taxonomy method is appropriate to compare various alternatives according to their merits and utility degree from studied attributes. In such paper, we develop a Taxonomy method for probabilistic uncertain linguistic MAGDM (PUL-MAGDM) with the completely unknown attribute weights. Above all, the score function’s definition is utilized to derive the weights of attribute based upon the CRITIC method. In addition, the probabilistic uncertain linguistic development pattern (PULDP) is improved and the smallest development attribute value from the positive ideal solution under PULTSs is calculated to determine the optimal alternative. In the end, taking the supplier selection in medical instrument industries as an example, we demonstrate the usage of the developed algorithms. Based on this, the comparison of methods is conducted with existing methods, such as PUL-TOPSIS method, the PULWA operator, the PUL-EDAS method and the ULWA operator. The results verify that the decision-making framework is valid and effective for supplier selection. Thus, the advantage of this designed method is that it is simple to understand and easy to compute. The designed method can also contribute to the selection of suitable alternative successfully in other selection issues.