bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychotherapy with the use of ICT systems - advantages and controversies. The perspective of patients of the Department of Psychotherapy of the University Hospital in Krakow and a review of the latest literature.
Authors: Wolińska Aleksandra , Mielimąka Michał , Mostowik Joanna , Dembińska Edyta , Sobański Jerzy , Klasa Katarzyna , Citkowska - Kisielewska Anna , Rutkowski Krzysztof
Published: December 2022

Cel pracy

Artykuł przedstawia wyniki badania ankietowego przeprowadzonego w grupie 38 pacjentów Zakładu Psychoterapii Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego w Krakowie. W momencie badania, w związku z wprowadzeniem kwarantanny narodowej, respondenci uczestniczyli w terapii zdalnej. Przedmiotem badania były przede wszystkim ich postawy wobec tej formy leczenia oraz jej spostrzegana skuteczność.

Metoda

Badanie przeprowadzono w formie ankiety — za zgodą pacjentów — rozesłanej do nich pocztą elektroniczną.

Wyniki

Dla 55% uczestników ankiety pierwsze doświadczenia ze zdalną psychoterapią okazały się pozytywne. PacjenDla 55% uczestników ankiety pierwsze doświadczenia ze zdalną psychoterapią okazały się pozytywne. Pacjenci doceniali tę formułę m.in. z uwagi na możliwość zachowania ciągłości leczenia, oszczędność czasu związanego z dojazdem czy większe poczucie bezpieczeństwa ułatwiające przełamanie barier w mówieniu o sobie i swoich problemach. Wśród wad dominowały ograniczenia techniczne, problemy ze skupieniem uwagi na treści rozmowy, uzyskaniem prywatności oraz deficyt interwencji terapeutycznych formułowanych w oparciu o niewerbalne aspekty komunikacji.

Wnioski

Psychoterapia z wykorzystaniem metod teleinformatycznych wydaje się mieć swoje zalety i wady. Po miesiącu uczestnictwa w tej formie leczenia 55% ankietowanych postrzegało jej potencjalną skuteczność jako równoważną do terapii prowadzonej w kontakcie bezpośrednim. 34% respondentów było zdania, iż jest to terapia mniej skuteczna od tradycyjnej. Otwarte pozostaje pytanie: co decyduje o tym, jak jest ona spostrzegana przez konkretną osobę. Aktualnie w Zakładzie trwają badania nad oceną wybranych zmiennych mogących mieć wpływ na ocenę atrakcyjności zdalnej formy leczenia.
Nicolai Hartmann’s ethics. Feeling and cognition of values: between emotionalism and rationalism
Authors: Kopciuch Leszek
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this article is to identify the most important elements of Hartmann’s understanding of “feeling of value” and to point out the ambiguities associated with this notion. The most important stages in the formation of this concept are delineated by the publications: Grundzüge einer Metaphysik der Erkenntnis, Ethik, Vom Wesen sittlicher Forderungen.[1] In all of these texts, Hartmann treats feeling of value as a proper way of knowing value, in relation to which philosophical cognition of value is only secondary and dependent. Hartmann’s understanding of feeling of value in ethics is, however, very broad, so that it somewhat loses the subtle divisions that were characteristic of the views of Max Scheler and Dietrich von Hildebrand. At the same time, however, Hartmann’s concept introduces several new elements that are important for the understanding of the nature of the feeling of value, such as, among others, the limited capacity of the axiological consciousness, the shifting horizon of values, or the relational reference of values to the person as the subject and addressee of an action and the reference to the situation in which a given action is taken. Moreover, to a greater extent than Scheler and von Hildebrand, Hartmann develops a field for the presence of rationalistic elements in the cognition of values.
Man in Early Islamic Philosophy - Al-Kindi and Al-Farabi
Authors: Stefaniuk Tomasz
Published: December 2022

Man was, neither for Al-Kindi, nor for Al-Farabi, a clearly isolated object of philosophical reflection. This does not mean, however, that both Islamic philosophers were not at all concerned with the uniqueness of man, his nature or the purpose of his existence. In order to understand and analyze in depth the philosophies of man voiced by Al-Kindi and Al-Farabi, one must focus primarily on their epistemologies, on their philosophical views on intellect and soul, as well as on their practical philosophies: ethics and (in Al- Farabi) politics. In developing their philosophies, both Al-Kindi and Al-Farabi used notions of classical philosophy (mainly Aristotle and the Platonic tradition) and, to a lesser extent, religious, Islamic content - and therefore their positions are characterized by a very clear syncretism. For Al-Kindi and Al-Farabi, man is above all a subject of cognition, endowed with senses and will, but also with intellect, which should rule over his entire life. According to them, the highest goal of man is to contemplate the truth, not to succumb to the impulses coming from his own body, nor to concentrate only on a sensual experience.
Unmet expectations and job involvement among doctors: does individual conscientiousness play a mitigating role?
Authors: Koomson Samuel , Mensah Abigail Opoku , Koomson Eric
Published: December 2022

Background/Aims

Doctors are responsible for leading the care of patients. This study analysed the moderating role of individual conscientiousness on the relationship between psychological contract breach and levels of job involvement among medical doctors working in Ghana. A psychological contract breach occurs when an organisation does not deliver on their expected obligations to an employee, whether these expectations are written or unwritten.

Methods

All 251 doctors working in the upper east and upper west regions of Ghana were invited to participate, of which 214 doctors responded. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires, with 15 statements relating to psychological contract breach, 10 statements relating to job involvement and four statements relating to individual conscientiousness. Respondents rated their agreement to the statements on a 7-point Likert scale (1=least agreement; 7=strongest agreement). Participant demographics were also collected. Relationships between the data for each section were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 24) and the Smart PLS 2.0M.3.

Results

Psychological contract breach was found to have a significant negative relationship with job involvement (P<0.05). Conscientiousness had a moderating effect on this relationship, meaning that doctors who were more conscientious were less likely to reduce their job involvement when a psychological contract breach occurred.

Conclusions

When a psychological contract breach occurs, doctors who have a conscientious personality trait are likely to continue showing high levels of job involvement. This implies that doctors who are naturally hardworking, organised, disciplined and highly motivated are more likely to persevere with psychological and emotional commitment to their role, but this may make them more vulnerable to mistreatment (whether intentional or not) by their employer.
Perioperative time-management methods to reduce waiting times for elective surgery: a systematic review
Authors: Rathnayake Dimuthu , Clark Mike , Jayasinghe Viraj , Udayanga Viraj , Qudairat Eiad
Published: December 2022

Perioperative processes and adherence to scheduled times are crucial for efficient performance in operating theatres. This systematic review investigated the effects of efficient perioperative systems on the timeliness of upstream and downstream processes in surgical care pathways, looking at how these methods could reduce overall patient waiting times for elective surgery. The authors searched PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Cochrane databases for articles published after 1 January 2014. Both randomised and non-randomised studies were considered. A total of 7543 publications were screened, of which 20 were eligible for analysis. The studies varied widely in design, scope, reported outcomes and overall quality. Analysis demonstrated that a substantial amount of time could be saved through efficient scheduling and planning of perioperative processes, which could reduce overall patient waiting time for elective surgeries. Further evaluation with higher quality study designs and rigour is recommended for firmer conclusions.
Male perceptions of post-abortion care in Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Khan Inayatullah , Ali Tazeen Saeed , Shah Nasim Zahid , Shahid Shahnaz , Zafar Shehla Naeem
Published: December 2022

Background/Aims

The high maternal mortality in Pakistan stems from pregnancy- or abortion-related complications. Pakistan's patriarchal society, where men are key decision-makers, makes it necessary to involve men in maternal and child reproductive health care initiatives. This study aimed to understand men's perceptions of post-abortion care in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods

A descriptive qualitative exploratory research design was used. Data were collected from 10 participants through in-depth interviews, and were analysed thematically.

Results

The themes were ‘men's understanding of post-abortion care’, ‘barriers to post-abortion care’ and ‘men's role in enhancing postabortion care practices: a missing link’. The participants believed that abortion was allowed only on medical grounds, and that most women could not use post-abortion care services because of the associated cost. Conclusions Men are key decision-makers in Pakistan. There is a need to educate and provide men with adequate information on post-abortion care. Male health workers should be recruited in the community. Stakeholders should ensure the availability and accessibility of post-abortion care services in the public health setting so women can receive care in a timely manner.
Access to Education in Rural and Urban Primary (K-6) Schools in Jamaica during COVID-19
Authors: Burke Olivene , Colley Vanessa Ellis , Nelson Tenneisha
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed a paradigm shift on education delivery worldwide. In response to the pandemic, the government of Jamaica mobilised strategies to ensure that the nation was protected while continuing the education of the nation's children. One of the strategies was to implement remote teaching and learning. Online teaching and learning created challenges, especially for students from rural and marginalised communities. This research explored the experiences of accessing education in Jamaica's rural and urban primary (K-6) schools during the pandemic. Researchers aimed to answer the questions: To what extent has COVID-19 impacted access to continued education in your school? (b) How has the state's intervention facilitated continued education during COVID-19? (c) To what extent do the qualitative findings converge with the quantitative results? Mixed-method research was employed for data collection and analysis. Purposeful sampling was used to select principals, teachers, and parents for this study. The findings of the study provided insights into how COVID-19 affected students' access and, the effectiveness of the government's response to continuing education online. Participants' contributions informed recommendations to the government on students' access to education during the onset of the pandemic in 2020, for the periods March to July and September to December.
A Web-based Survey Research on Clinical Practice Patterns of Korean Medicine Treatment for Degenerative arthritis of hip and finger joints
Authors: Seon Chang-woo , Hong Ye-jin , Park Kyung-bok , Kim Jeong-rock , Nam Dong-woo , Kim Ye-eun , Kim Min-jeong
Published: December 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the current status of clinical practice patterns of Korean medicine in the treatment of degenerative arthritis of the hip and finger joints using web-based survey.Methods: An e-mail questionnaire survey was conducted with the Korean Medicine Doctor(K.M.D) registered in the Korean Medicine Association. The survey data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel.Results: Although the response rate of the survey was low, the characteristics of the respondents generally reflected the characteristics of the study population. A total of 35.2% of the respondents had heard of the guidelines; however, they did not use them for medical treatment. The reason as answered by 32.8% of the respondents was “not enough treatment time to check the manual and apply it.” More than half (78.80%) answered that they were treating patients with both degenerative hip and finger arthritis; however, the average monthly number of first-time patients was ≤5. A total of 379 (60.9%) respondents answered that “acupuncture is very important,” which was the only one that exceeded the majority compared to other treatments. As a result of the safety investigation, “Acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping” were considered high in safety, while “Pharmacopuncture and Bee venom acupuncture” were considered low in safety.Conclusions: This survey helped to determine the current clinical practice patterns of Korean medicine treatments, further providing basic data for CPGs for degenerative arthritis of the hip and finger joints.
A narrative review of clinical studies on thread embedding acupuncture treatment for spasticity after stroke
Authors: Cho Sooran , Kim Eunseok
Published: December 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to review clinical studies on thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) for the treatment of patients with post-stroke spasticity (PSS)Methods: Clinical studies related to TEA treatment for PSS were searched for in several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, OASIS, and CNKI. After the selection/exclusion process, information on study design, disease, experimental/control group, intervention, outcome measurement, between-group differences, and adverse events was extracted.Results: A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included in this review. The usual frequency of TEA treatment was once every 1-2 weeks, and the treatment most commonly included 4 sessions. In the dorsal area, EX-B2 and the acupoints in governing vessel meridian were commonly used. Acupoints in the meridian of the large intestine were most frequently used in the treatment of upper limb spasticity. Except for HT1, PC6, and PC8, all TEA points for treating PSS of the upper limb were on the Yang meridians. For the lower limb spasticity, the most frequently used acupoints were ST36, GB34, GB30, BL60, and BL57 on Yang meridians, and LR3, SP6, SP9, and SP10 on Yin meridians. TEA treatment showed better effects than conventional treatment for PSS in terms of spasticity, motor dysfunction, and activities of daily livings. Nevertheless, the absence of the follow-up observation, lack of sham TEA treatment, and low quality of the included studies necessitated caution in interpreting the results.Conclusions: The results of this review are expected to provide basic data on the modalities of TEA treatment for PSS and provide insights to facilitate well-designed studies in the future.
Plasmonic photothermal therapy in the near-IR region using gold nanostars
Authors: Etemadi Mohanna , Golmohammadi Saeed , Akbarzadeh Abolfazl , Rasta Seyed Hossein
Published: December 2022

Photothermal therapy using nanoparticles is a prominent technique for cancer treatment. The principle is to maximize the heat conversion efficiency using plasmonic nanoparticle–light interaction. Due to their unique optical characteristics derived from their anisotropic structure, gold nanostars (GNSs) have gotten significant attention in photothermal therapy. To design a proper cancer treatment, it is vital to study the thermal effect induced close to the gold nanoparticles, in the vicinity, and the cancerous tissue. A temperature-dependent 2D model based on finite element method models is commonly used to simulate near-IR tumor ablation. The bioheat equation describes the photothermal effect within the GNSs and the environment. Surface cooling and heating strategies, such as the periodical heating method and a reduced laser irradiation area, were investigated to address surface overheating problems. We also determined that the optimal laser radius depends on tumor aspect ratio and laser intensity. Our results provide guidelines to evaluate a safe and feasible temperature range, treatment time, optimal laser intensity, and laser radius to annihilate a tumor volume.
Measurement of absorption and scattering spectra with oblique incidence reflectometry
Authors: Lin Shao-Pow , Wang Lihong , Jacques Steven L. , Tittel Frank K.
Published: December 2022

Fiber optic oblique incidence reflectometry has been demonstrated to be
a simple and accurate method for measuring the optical properties,
μa. and μs′, of turbid
media such as biological tissues [1,2]. After sampling
the spatial distribution of diffuse reflectance obliquely incident
light, we can a) measure the shift the center of diffise reflectance,
which is proportional to the diffusion coefficient of the medium (D),
and b) fit the distribution to a diffusion theory model determine the
effective attenuation coefficient (μeff).
μa and μs′ can be
calculated directly from these two parameters. This paper presents
preliminary results that show that both absorption and reduced
scattering spectra can be deduced from multi-spectral measurements of
the relative diffuse reflectance profile of white
light obliquely incident on tissue phantoms.
Frequency-Domain Photon Migration in Two-Layered Tissues
Authors: Rosen-Zvi Michal , Taitelbaum Haim
Published: December 2022

We study frequency-domain spectroscopy for reflectance measurements in two-layered tissues, using a random-walk model of photon migration. We study the phase shift of the reflected light as a function of the source-detector separation, and show that there can be as many as three different types of behavior of this quantity, depending on the relation between the modulated frequency and the absorptivities of both layers. As a result, the possibility of determining the absorptivities of the two layers and the upper layer thickness from the phase shift is different in each regime.
In vivo optical property measurement using intraluminal fiber reflectometry : Optical properties of canine and human prostates
Authors: Kim Beop-Min , Ostermeyer Martin , Jacques Steven L. , Levy David A. , Chakrabarti Pradip , Torres Jorge H. , von Eschenbach Andrew C. , Rastegar Sohi , Motamedi Massoud
Published: December 2022

A new device that can measure the in vivo optical properties of internal organs such as the prostate was designed and a calibration procedure for clinical use was developed. It is composed of two optical fibers running in parallel. Therefore, the size of the probe is small enough to be placed under direct vision transurethrally in the prostate in a minimally invasive manner. This device is applicable for both single and multiple wavelength analyses and was used to measure the optical properties of both canine and human prostates. The preliminary results show that the optical penetration depth might be considerably different between canine and human prostates. Penetration depths ranging from 0.5 - 0.7 cm for canine prostate and 0.2 - 0.3 cm for human prostate over the wavelength of 650 - 750 nm were measured in vivo.
Absolute Enumeration of Rare Cell Types in Peripheral Blood Using Laser Induced Fluorescence and Volumetric Microscopy
Authors: Baer Thomas M. , Dietz Louis J.
Published: December 2022

This paper describes a novel technique for the absolute enumeration of dye-labeled cells using laser-induced fluorescence and volumetric microscopy. This technique has been used for the enumeration of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes, CD34+ stem cells, and quality checking of leukocyte-reduced blood products.
Products of Excited State Molecules: Evidence for Hydrogen Atom Generation Within a Protein
Authors: Angiolillo Paul J. , Vanderkooi Jane M.
Published: December 2022

The UV photolysis of the aromatic amino acid, tryptophan (Trp), in the Ca2+binding protein, cod parvalbumin, Type III,was studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in the temperature range 4-80 K. For the Ca2+-bound protein, irradiation with UV light (250-400 nm) resulted in the generation of atomic hydrogen with a hyperfine splitting of 50.8 mT, whereas in the Ca2+-free form, where the Trp is exposed to solvent, the trapped atomic hydrogen was not in evidence. This is the first report of H atom generation in a protein, and it is suggested that the highly reactive free radical species may be involved in the many reactions that Trp is known to undergo.
Quantitative Fluorescence in Tissue-Like Media
Authors: Maier John S. , Cerussi Albert E. , Fantini Sergio , Franceschini Maria Angela , Gratton Enrico
Published: December 2022

We present a study focused on quantitative fluorescence in tissues at near-infrared wavelengths. We demonstrate the quantitative description of fluorescence in tissue-like media provided by a model derived from diffusion theory. Based on this model we conclude that the spatial distribution of the fluorescent light does not depend on the lifetime of the probe. We also show that lifetime and quantum yield or probe concentration can be determined in a highly scattering medium using frequency-domain techniques, without the use of a reference probe.
Nitrogen Laser Excited Autofluorescence Spectroscopy for Discrimination of Human Breast Malignancy
Authors: Majumder S.K. , Uppal A. , Gupta P.K.
Published: December 2022

The results of our in-vitro studies on N2 laser excited autofluorescence from pathologically characterized cancerous and adjoining normal human breast tissues obtained after resection from 15 patients with breast cancer are presented. A 6-variable multivariate linear regression (MVLR) analysis used for maximizing discrimination between tissue types resulted in a sensitivity of 85.5% and a specificity of 87.07% towards cancer for unpaired comparison and a sensitivity of 93.1% and specificity of 87.1% for paired comparison of the tissue spectra.
Preface: Opening a Window into the Human Body Using Optics
Authors: Benaron David A. , Sevick-Muraca Eva M.
Published: December 2022

This Trends in Optics and Photonics collection of articles and reprints summarizes the 1996 state-of-the-art in applied biomedical optical diagnostics and monitoring. It represents a survey, by no means complete, of several merging optical methods at a time when Western clinical medicine is undergoing nothing less than a paradigm shift in which optics is expected to play a key role.
Broadband monitoring of physiological changes with a continuous light tissue spectrometer
Authors: Mourant Judith R. , Hielscher Andreas H. , Miller Heather D. , George John S.
Published: December 2022

A broadband (300-900 nm), continuous wave spectrometer was developed for measuring diffuse-backscattered light in tissue, and its sensitivity to physiological changes was demonstrated.
Enhancing the force sensitivity of a squeezed light optomechanical interferometer
Authors: Subhash Sreeshna , Das Sanket , Dey Tarak Nath , Li Yong , Davuluri Sankar
Published: December 2022

Application of frequency-dependent squeezed vacuum improves the force sensitivity of an optomechanical interferometer beyond the standard quantum limit by a factor of e−r, where r is the squeezing parameter. In this work, we show that the application of squeezed light along with quantum back-action nullifying meter in an optomechanical cavity with mechanical mirror in middle configuration can enhance the sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit by a factor of e−r
eff
, where r
eff
 = r + ln(4Δ/ζ)/2, for 0 < ζ/Δ < 1, with ζ as the optomechanical cavity decay rate and Δ as the detuning between cavity eigenfrequency and driving field. The technique described in this work is restricted to frequencies much smaller than the resonance frequency of the mechanical mirror. We further studied the sensitivity as a function of temperature, mechanical mirror reflectivity, and input laser power.
Improvements of the modulation bandwidth and data rate of green-emitting CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots for Gbps visible light communication
Authors: Shan Xinyi , Zhu Shijie , Lin Runze , Li Yanzhe , Wang Zhou , Qian Zeyuan , Cui Xugao , Liu Ran , Tian Pengfei
Published: December 2022

CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) as promising color conversion materials have been widely used in display and visible light communication (VLC), but most CsPbBr3 PQDs for VLC are randomly selected without optimization. Thereby the exploration of fundamental experimental parameters of QDs is essential to better employ their performance advantages. Herein, we investigated the concentration and solvent effects on photoluminescence (PL) properties and communication performance of CsPbBr3 PQDs. The PL, time-resolved PL characterization and communication measurements of CsPbBr3 PQDs all exhibit concentration dependence, suggesting that there exists an optimum concentration to take advantages of performance merits. CsPbBr3 PQDs with a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml show the shortest carrier lifetime and achieve the highest −3 dB bandwidth (168.03 MHz) as well as the highest data rate (660 Mbps) comparing to other concentrations. And in terms of the optimal concentration, we further explored the approach to improve the communication performance, investigating the effect of polarity solvent on the communication performance of CsPbBr3 PQDs. Original 0.5 mg/ml CsPbBr3 PQDs (1 ml) with 55 μL ethanol added in obtain a higher −3 dB bandwidth of 363.68 MHz improved by ∼116.4% and a record data rate of 1.25 Gbps improved by ∼89.4% but weaker PL emission due to energy transfer. The energy transfer assisted improvement may open up a promising avenue to improve the communication performance of QDs, but more feasible energy transfer path needs to be explored to ensure the stability of QDs.
Recursion-driven bispectral imaging for dynamic scattering scenes
Authors: He Si , Wang Xia , Ma Kai , Li Linhao , Zhang Yixin
Published: December 2022

Imaging dynamic strongly scattering scenes remains a significant challenge because it is typically believed that moving objects and dynamic media provide huge barriers. Instead, we use the dynamics of objects and media and put forward a recursion-driven bispectral imaging (ReDBI) framework here for the reconstruction of a stationary or moving object hidden behind the dynamic media. ReDBI avoids the errors introduced by speckle modulation and phase-retrieval algorithms in the existing studies. We also quantitatively assess the reconstruction difficulty of character and shape objects with the benchmark of the minimum number of speckle images (MNSI) required to achieve a high-quality reconstruction, which can help to comprehend the media’s transfer properties.
Using genetic data to identify transmission risk factors: Statistical assessment and application to tuberculosis transmission
Authors: Goldstein Isaac H. , Bayer Damon , Barilar Ivan , Kizito Balladiah , Matsiri Ogopotse , Modongo Chawangwa , Zetola Nicola M. , Niemann Stefan , Minin Volodymyr M. , Shin Sanghyuk S.
Published: December 2022

Identifying host factors that influence infectious disease transmission is an important step toward developing interventions to reduce disease incidence. Recent advances in methods for reconstructing infectious disease transmission events using pathogen genomic and epidemiological data open the door for investigation of host factors that affect onward transmission. While most transmission reconstruction methods are designed to work with densely sampled outbreaks, these methods are making their way into surveillance studies, where the fraction of sampled cases with sequenced pathogens could be relatively low. Surveillance studies that use transmission event reconstruction then use the reconstructed events as response variables (i.e., infection source status of each sampled case) and use host characteristics as predictors (e.g., presence of HIV infection) in regression models. We use simulations to study estimation of the effect of a host factor on probability of being an infection source via this multi-step inferential procedure. Using TransPhylo—a widely-used method for Bayesian estimation of infectious disease transmission events—and logistic regression, we find that low sensitivity of identifying infection sources leads to dilution of the signal, biasing logistic regression coefficients toward zero. We show that increasing the proportion of sampled cases improves sensitivity and some, but not all properties of the logistic regression inference. Application of these approaches to real world data from a population-based TB study in Botswana fails to detect an association between HIV infection and probability of being a TB infection source. We conclude that application of a pipeline, where one first uses TransPhylo and sparsely sampled surveillance data to infer transmission events and then estimates effects of host characteristics on probabilities of these events, should be accompanied by a realistic simulation study to better understand biases stemming from imprecise transmission event inference.
Secuer: Ultrafast, scalable and accurate clustering of single-cell RNA-seq data
Authors: Wei Nana , Nie Yating , Liu Lin , Zheng Xiaoqi , Wu Hua-Jun
Published: December 2022

Identifying cell clusters is a critical step for single-cell transcriptomics study. Despite the numerous clustering tools developed recently, the rapid growth of scRNA-seq volumes prompts for a more (computationally) efficient clustering method. Here, we introduce Secuer, a Scalable and Efficient speCtral clUstERing algorithm for scRNA-seq data. By employing an anchor-based bipartite graph representation algorithm, Secuer enjoys reduced runtime and memory usage over one order of magnitude for datasets with more than 1 million cells. Meanwhile, Secuer also achieves better or comparable accuracy than competing methods in small and moderate benchmark datasets. Furthermore, we showcase that Secuer can also serve as a building block for a new consensus clustering method, Secuer-consensus, which again improves the runtime and scalability of state-of-the-art consensus clustering methods while also maintaining the accuracy. Overall, Secuer is a versatile, accurate, and scalable clustering framework suitable for small to ultra-large single-cell clustering tasks.
Identifying the difference in time perception between major depressive disorder and bipolar depression through a temporal bisection task
Authors: Liu Panqi , Guo Hua , Ma Ruihua , Liu Sijia , Wang Xuan , Zhao Ke , Tan Yunlong , Tan Shuping , Yang Fude , Wang Zhiren
Published: December 2022

Background

It is difficult to make a precise diagnosis to distinguish patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) from patients with Bipolar Depressive Disorder (current depressive episode, BD). This study will explore the difference in time perception between MDD and BD using a temporal bisection task.

Methods

In this temporal bisection task, 30 MDD patients, 30 BD patients, and 30 healthy controls (HC) had to categorize a signal duration, between 400 and 1600 milliseconds (ms), as either short or long. A repeated measurement analysis of variance with 3 (subject type) × 7 (time interval) was performed on the long response ratio with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Origin software was used to calculate the subjective bisection point (BP), difference limen (DL), and Weber ratio (WR). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for depression-17 was used to assess depressive symptoms in the patients.

Results

The data showed that the interaction effect between subject type and duration was significant (F (6,498) = 4.656, p <0.001, η2p = 0.101). At 400 ms, and the long response of the MDD group was greater than HC group (p<0.017, Bonferroni-corrected). At 1200, 1400 and 1600 ms, the long response of BD group is smaller than HC group, (p<0.017, Bonferroni-corrected). The one-way ANOVA revealed significant difference among the HC, MDD and BD groups in the BP values WR values, F(2, 81) = 3.462, p = 0.036 vs. F(2, 81) = 3.311, p = 0.042. Post-hoc tests showed that the value of BP in the MDD group was less than BD group (p = 0.027) and the value of BP in the MDD group was less than HC group (p = 0.027), while there was not significant difference of BP values between BD group and HC group. The WR values in MDD group larger than the HC group (p = 0.022).

Limitations

Severity of depression not divided and analyzed according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score.

Conclusion

The time perception of the MDD and BD groups was different from that of the HC group, they overestimated short time periods. Compared with the BD group, the MDD group had a smaller time bisector, and these patients felt that time passed more slowly. The time sensitivity of MDD group and BD group were less than the HC group. However, there was no statistical difference in time sensitivity between the MDD and BD groups.
The Reader and the Curtain: Eventfulness in “The Death of Dolgushov”
Authors: Tankhilevich Alexander
Published: December 2022

The article presents an analysis of eventfulness in the short story “The Death of Dolgushov”, which is part of “Red Cavalry” by I.E. Babel’. Indirectly, through the form and structure of the story, a “mental event” is constructed — the epiphany of the protagonist, who has to face the catastrophic reality of the war and its inversed system of values. Such an effect is created through the binary composition of the story, the first part of it being fragmented and the second, on the contrary, solid. The protagonist “wanders” in the first part of the story and undergoes the event in the second one. The same event is created for the reader. As a result, the reader goes through an experience which is similar to the protagonist’s and has to face self-determination: this, according to V.I. Tjupa, is the “ethos of personal responsibility”. Some of the results of the analysis of the text are supported by the experiment which was carried out by the author of the article. The respondents who read “The Death of Dolgushov”, remember, understand and retell the second half of the story much better than the first one. The binary composition of the story made it possible for the readers to undergo the experience of “wandering” through the text and the subsequent realization of its meaning.
Literary Traditions of Italy (Tasso, Casanova) in the Poetic Self-identification of Goethe and Tsvetaeva. (To the 130th anniversary of M.I. Tsvetaeva)
Authors: Cherepennikova Margarita
Published: December 2022

The article discusses the role of Italian literary traditions in the works of J.-W. Goethe and M. I. Tsvetaeva, examines their influence on the process of poetic self-identification of these authors. It has been revealed that the culture, literature, art of Italy and the idealized image of this country worked as the aesthetic dominant in the evolvement of the poetic taste of Goethe and Tsvetaeva. Based on the comparative method of research, it has been established that the employment of Italian literary traditions, motifs, protagonists and conflicts that took place in Italian history in poetic and dramatic works was an important part of the phenomenon of poetic self-identification for Goethe and Tsvetaeva. These parallels, connected with common literary priorities, with increased attention to the heritage of antiquity, with an active search for an individual poetic language and new forms of theatrical art, speak of the special involvement of Goethe and Tsvetaeva in the all-European literary paradigm, largely based on classical traditions conceived and developed in Italy.
Semantics of Phraseological Units with a Borrowed Component in the Speech of Russian Germans
Authors: Moskalyuk Larisa , Moskalyuk Olga
Published: December 2022

This article reflects the results of a study on identifying the semantic features of phraseological units containing borrowings from the Russian language in the dialects of Russian Germans. The scientific novelty of the study includes the description of the specifics of the meaning of phraseological units of insular Russian-German dialects containing borrowed elements in their composition, tracing phraseological units created by German dialect means to convey the semantics of Russian set expressions, as well as semi-calques containing direct borrowings from the Russian language. The phraseological fund, presented in the text corpus of the Russian-German dialects existing in the Altai Territory, is characterized by significant originality, as it contains many phraseological units that differ from the standard and the original dialect variants. These features are reflected in the analysis of the studied fragment of the phraseological system of Russian-German dialects, phraseological units with components borrowed from the Russian language. As a result of the study, it was proved that borrowed words, penetrating into German phraseological units from the main lexical fund, acquire an expressive coloring, giving the phraseological unit additional evaluative meanings. Traced phraseological units of the Russian language serve to expand the phraseological fund of insular German dialects.
Creative Heritage of A.S. Pushkin in the Literary Courses of Chinese Schools and Universities.
Authors: Zou Luwei
Published: December 2022

The article is devoted to the creative heritage of A.S. Pushkin in the practice of teaching literature in China. In modern Pushkin studies, the teaching of the poet's works in the literary courses of schools and universities has not been given enough attention, and the study of the practice of teaching his poetic, prosaic and dramatic works in China is being carried out for the first time. Based on the information collected in the article, it was revealed that Pushkin's teaching in Chinese educational institutions took place in several stages. This allows us to trace the evolution of the study of topics, issues, and the ideological content of the poet's works included in the curriculum. At the turn of the 20th-21st centuries. Chinese primary and middle school students are accessible to Pushkin's poetic works, while they are often asked to compare similar images in Chinese poetry and Pushkin, and there covers all genres and all the main topics of the poet's work in teaching practice in Chinese universities. The article also reveals an interesting trend in Pushkin's teaching – the actualization of those facets of his heritage that help to comprehend modern times.
Bioinformatics In Agriculture: A Prospect For The Future
Authors: Bhattacharyya Prithu , Das Tamal , Ghosh Sayan Kumar
Published: December 2022

Plant science has always played a crucial role in the evolution of the human race. Since agriculture is one of the most important aspects of plant science, the distinction between traditional methodologies and futuristic computer-based technology is important. We combined crop enhancement strategies with multiple 'omics' technologies, primarily genomics and bioinformatics. We've also discussed why crop improvement is necessary, as well as the strategies employed in crop improvement. The benefits and drawbacks of bioinformatics in crop enhancement were also considered. With a nod to the future, this poster illustrates the arrival of bioinformatics technology in agriculture, as well as the eras when it was and was not used.
An Analysis of non-subject curricula of Korean, Chinese and Japanese national primary and secondary school curricula
Authors:   Center For Educational Research, Kim Jinsook
Published: December 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to draw implications for Korea's curriculum revision direction by comparing the characteristics and trends of the non-subject curriculum areas in Korea, China, and Japan. Methods: To this end, the name, goal, time allocation, sub-areas, document system and contents of these areas were reviewed and compared in the national elementary and secondary school curriculum revised in 2015, 2017, and 2018 respectively, in Korea, China and Japan. Results: As a non-subject curriculum, Korea has Creative Experiential Activities, China has Comprehensive Practical Activities, and Japan has the Period for Integrated Studies, Special Activities, Moral activities and Foreign language activities. Goals of non-subject curriculum in Korea are, group activities, a sense of community and creative life attitudes, in China it is, value recognition, responsibility, problem solving, and creativity realization, and in Japan, it is morals, foreign language subject goals, and integrated cross-sectional inquiry. In sub-domains, Korea has autonomous activities, club activities, volunteer activities, and career activities. China has inquiry activities, social service activities, design and production activities, and career and other activities. In Japan, moral activities, foreign language activities, class activity, student council activity, club activity, and school event are included. Conclusion: As a result of the comparison of the three countries, a transformation into a generative curriculum rather than non subjecrt or extra-curricular activities, it is suggested and it is necessary to prepare for the possibility of expanding the non-subject curriculum as a preparation for the future society.
Análise de quatro métodos indiretos de determinação da erodibilidade (fator da USLE) dos grandes grupos de solos do Distrito Federal
Authors: Baptista Gustavo M. M. , Eid Nabil J.
Published: December 2022

A erodibilidade é considerada uma das mais importantes na predição da erosão e no planejamento conservacionista do uso e ocupação do solo. .............
Conocimientos y factores de riesgo socioambientales en relación con arbovirosis urbanas en Barranquilla (Colombia)
Authors: Benavides Céspedes Iván , Linero Barrios Juan , Herrera Cabrera Leidi , Ardila Chávez Marlon Mauricio
Published: December 2022

Objetivo: Comparar el conocimiento sobre las arbovirosis urbanas y los factores de riesgo que favorecerían su presencia en barrios de estrato socioeconómico dos y tres de la Ciudad de Barranquilla. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo-transversal. Se aplicaron 100 encuestas (25 viviendas/barrio), para evaluar el conocimiento de la población sobre diferentes aspectos de las arbovirosis urbanas, así como las condiciones socioambientales de riesgo para la presencia de larvas y adultos de Aedes aegypti. Se realizaron charlas pedagógicas, jornadas de limpieza y la elaboración de un tríptico para informar a la población intervenida. Se aplicó la prueba Chi cuadrado-X2 con intervalos de confianza al 95% para analizar diferencias significativas entre conocimientos y factores de riesgo; y un Análisis de Componentes Principales-ACP para inferir las variables determinantes entre los conocimientos y los factores de riesgo. La información fue analizada con el programa SPSS versión 25. Resultados: Los encuestados reconocieron a los mosquitos como transmisores de agentes causantes de dengue, Zika o chikungunya. Se identificaron larvas y adultos de Ae. aegypti, en nichos del intra y peridomicilio como factores de riesgo. Las jornadas pedagógicas incentivaron los buenos hábitos de prevención donde fue posible eliminar los potenciales criaderos para Ae. aegypti. Conclusión: No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre el nivel de conocimiento sobre arbovirosis; los barrios estrato dos presentaron mayores atributos de factores de riesgo; la presencia de Ae. aegypti parece ser uno de los componentes principales que condicionarían la aparición de arbovirosis en las poblaciones evaluadas.
Biomarcadores moleculares del género salmonella aislada en alimentos
Authors: Jaimes-Bernal Claudia Patricia , Torres-Caycedo María Inés , Herrera González Diego Alexander
Published: December 2022

Introducción: El género Salmonella se destaca por ser un patógeno alimentario causante de Salmonelosis, una enfermedad de distribución cosmopolita, que afecta a todos los grupos poblacionales, tanto en los países desarrollados como en los que están en vía de desarrollo, siendo un problema de salud pública, por tal razón, los biomarcadores moleculares se convierten en una herramienta para su diagnóstico y seguimiento. Objetivo: Describir los marcadores moleculares del género Salmonella y las diferentes técnicas moleculares utilizadas para su detección en la actualidad. Metodología: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en bases de datos tales como Science direct, PubMed, Proquest y Ovid, utilizando 5 palabras clave, las cuales se combinaron de diferentes maneras para finalmente obtener 50 referencias bibliográficas. Resultados: Se evidencia gran variedad de biomarcadores del género Salmonella, los cuales son detectados por pruebas moleculares, como la técnica de PCR, que permite la detección directa de genes que codifican para los antígenos somáticos O y flagelares H de Salmonella y la determinación de los posibles serovares implicados en las enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos, de una manera rápida y precisa. Cabe resaltar las ventajas de los métodos moleculares frente a la serotipificación en cuanto al costo-beneficio, estandarización óptima, alta sensibilidad, especificidad y rapidez en la obtención de los resultados. Conclusiones: Los biomarcadores moleculares se consideran una herramienta de referencia para la identificación de serovares de Salmonella y su serotipificación, a través de la PCR, con un alto nivel de especificidad y sensibilidad en los resultados, aportando información relevante a nivel epidemiológico
THE IMPLICATIONS OF REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND ECONOMIC COHESION
Authors: PIRVU Ramona , RADOI Ionut Mihai
Published: December 2022

Starting from the calculation pattern of the regional competitiveness in Romania, proposed by GEA in 2007, we proposed to draft a hard matrix where we could draft a comparative analysis of the evolution of the competitiveness of the regions in Romania regarding the values registers in 2017 as opposed to 2007. The research presented takes into consideration the available regional indicators on the level of Romania as well as: the GDP per capita, the growth rate of the gross added value, the share of the gross GDP, the employment rate, the index of the life expectancy, the population with the risk of poverty or social exclusion, research-development expenses in GSP, employees in research-development from the total employed population, tertiary education in research-development, innovative enterprises in total enterprises and so on. We also selected a linear pattern based on 3 factors according to which the regional competitiveness will be analysed that is the economic factors, the social factor and the technologic factor. The data used were collected from the existing database on the level of the national Statistics Institute and on the international Eurostat level.