bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypothalamic neurochemical changes in long-term recovered bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomized rats
Authors: Kobrzycka Anna Teresa , Stankiewicz Adrian Mateusz , Goscik Joanna , Gora Monika , Burzynska Beata , Iwanicka-Nowicka Roksana , Pierzchala-Koziec Krystyna , Wieczorek Marek
Published: November 2021

BackgroundVagus nerve is one of the crucial routes in communication between immune and central nervous systems. Impaired vagal nerve function may intensify peripheral inflammatory processes. This effect subsides along with prolonged recovery after permanent nerve injury. One of the results of such compensation is a normalized plasma concentration of stress hormone corticosterone – a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. In the present work we strive to explain this corticosterone normalization by studying the mechanisms responsible for compensation-related neurochemical alterations in the hypothalamus. Methods Using microarrays and HPLC we measured genome-wide gene expression and major amino acid neurotransmitters content in hypothalamus of bilaterally vagotomized rats, one month after surgery.ResultsOur results show that, in the long-term, vagotomy affects hypothalamic amino acids concentration but not mRNA expression of tested genes.ConclusionsWe propose an alternative pathway of immune to CNS communication after vagotomy, leading to activation of HPA axis, by influencing central amino acids and subsequent monoaminergic neurotransmission.
Psychotherapy in Old Age: Older Adults’ Sexual Distress Concerning Their Sexual Well-Being
Authors: von Humboldt Sofia , Ribeiro-Gonçalves José , Low Gail , Leal Isabel
Published: November 2021

Age and sexual difficulties show a relevant influence in older adults’ sexual well-being (SWB). The objective of this study was to assess sexual issues that affect SWB, revealed by older adults in person-centered therapy, using qualitative research. Interviews with 38 older participants, aged 65 to 82 years, living in the community were submitted to content analysis. Eight main themes emerged from the results of the content analysis: Partner unavailability, family issues, physical changes, worries about hygiene, sexual dysfunctions, fear of physical abuse, and sexual transmitted diseases. This study was relevant towards identifying the sexual issues older adults feel regarding their SWB, as shared in therapy. Older adults referred their greatest issues to be partner unavailability, sexual dysfunctions and physical changes due to aging.
Correlation of Population Factors, Compliance With Masking and Social Distance, Vaccination and Covid-19 Infection in Central Appalachia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Moore J. Suzanne , Virk Hibah , Summers Jeffrey A
Published: November 2021

BackgroundCompliance with guidelines, including the use of masks and social distancing and vaccinations has been poor. Our study examined what factors may identify those who will be more or less compliant especially with regards to those with identified higher risk. MethodsA telephone survey of 200 adult patients from two practices, one General Internal Medicine and the other Rheumatology, was performed in May and June of 2021. Questions included age, sex, perception of immunocompetence, smoking history, mask and social distancing compliance, Covid-19 symptoms and/or test proven infection, and immunization status for Covid-19. Those agreeing to participate also had a chart review for body mass index (BMI), physician assessed immunocompetence, and diabetes.ResultsNo clinical factors approached statistical significance for prediction of compliance or non-compliance. However, compliance with mask and social distancing highly correlated with vaccination and avoidance of infection.ConclusionAttempts to improve compliance cannot be focused on any of the particular groups examined in this study.
Modeling and Analysis of Unbalanced Magnetic Pull in Synchronous Motorized Spindle Considering Magneto-thermal Coupling
Authors: feng wei , Zhang Kun , Liu Zongyao , Liu Baoguo , Zhang Huijuan , Mei Junwei , Wu Luji
Published: November 2021

The unbalanced magnetic pull (UMP) is one of the main vibration sources of the motorized spindle. A calculation model of UMP in a synchronous motorized spindle considering the magneto-thermal coupling is proposed in this paper. The finite element analysis models of the electromagnetic field and the temperature field of a motorized spindle are first established. Then a two-way coupling analysis method considering the effect of temperature variations on electromagnetic material properties of the motor is proposed. An experiment is conducted to verify the efficiency of this method. The thermal deformations of the spindle are calculated and used to analyze the air-gap variations between rotor and stator of the built-in motor. The 3D finite element electromagnetic model is adopted to calculate the UMP in the motorized spindle. The analysis results show that the eccentricity caused by thermal deformation can generate large UMP in the motorized spindle.
High Burden of Hypertension Among Adult Population in Rural Districts of Northwest Ethiopia: a Call for Community Based Intervention
Authors: Teshome Destaw Fetene , Balcha Shitaye Alemu , Ayele Tadesse Awoke , Atnafu Asmamaw , Sisay Mekonnen , Asfaw Marye Getnet , Mitike Getnet , Gelaye Kassahun Alemu
Published: November 2021

Background: Estimating prevalence and identifying risk factors of hypertension are paramount important to develop strategies to prevent hypertensive disease. Although, hypertension is a major public health problem in Ethiopia, there is scarcity of evidence in rural areas of the country. Hence, this study is aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among adult population in rural districts of northwest Ethiopia.Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted from June to October, 2020. Multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select 1177 study participants. A face to face interview was conducted using an adapted version of the WHO STEPwise approach questionnaire. The blood pressure was measured three times using aneroid sphygmomanometer and the mean of the last two readings were used for the analysis. Data were entered using Epidata and analyzed using STAT-14. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with hypertension.Results: Of the total participants, 218(18.5%) were found to be hypertensive. The prevalence of hypertension consistently increased with age. Hypertension was positively and significantly associated with female sex ((adjusted odd ratio (AOR)=2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.45)), age group 45-54 years (AOR=4.63, 95% CI: 1.01, 21.37), 55-64 years (AOR=14.40, 95% CI: 3.07, 67.63), ³65 years (AOR=19.37, 95% CI: 4.03, 93.09), having history of alcohol consumption (AOR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.17, 9.02), used much amount of salt (AOR=2.37, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.60), used too much amount of salt (AOR=3.78, 95% CI: 1.85, 7.72), sleeping for a short duration (AOR=2.05, 95%CI: 1.30, 3.24), and having Family history of hypertension (AOR=2.12, 95% CI; 1.32, 3.39). Conclusions: Hypertension was significantly high among the rural population we studied and is emerging as a public health problem in rural areas. Female sex, older age, ever used alcohol, used much and too much amount of salt, inadequate sleep, and family history of hypertension were factors positively and significantly associated with hypertension. We recommend local health authorities integrate promotion of hypertension health education, lifestyle modification intervention on salt and alcohol reduction, and hypertension detection particularly for female and elderly population at health post level to avert the problem.
Vascular Access Blood Flow Estimation Based On Standardized Extracorporeal Blood Flow in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Mora-Bravo Franklin Geovany , González Sonia Catalina Rivera , Torres Pamela Tatiana Morales , Ullauri Marco Rivera
Published: November 2021

Background: Measurement of vascular access flow (Qa) is a recommendation in the care of hemodialysis patients. We developed an observational study to answer the following question: Can access blood flow be estimated?Methods: This observational study was carried out in the hemodialysis unit of the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital in Cuenca-Ecuador. The sample calculation was 41 cases. Patients older than 17 years with stage 5d chronic renal failure and vascular access with arteriovenous fistula were included. The variables were descriptive of the population: Qa and extracorporeal blood flow (Qb). Qa measurement was performed with the Transonic ® monitor. Qb was measured at dynamic arterial line pressures (DALPs) of -60 mmHg, -100 mmHg, -160 mmHg, and -200 mmHg. The correlation coefficient "r" was obtained between Qa and Qb. SPSS 22.0 was used to analyze the information and perform a linear regression equation to estimate access blood flow (eQa).Results: Fifty-seven patients aged 62.9 ± 12.7 years with 29.4 ± 33 months on hemodialysis were included; 23 women (40.3%) and 45.6% had diabetic nephropathy. Fistulas were seen in 40 cases in the left upper limb (70.2%) and 17 (29.8%) in the right upper limb. The prevalence of aneurysms was 10.5%. The 50th percentile of Qb was 415 mL/min with a DALP of -200 mmHg. The mean access flow was 1516 ± 878 ml/min. The correlation between Qb and Qa was statistically more significant between Qb and DALP of -200 mmHg. The association had a coefficient Rs = 0.643 (IC 0.453 to 0.771) P <0.0001. The estimated access flow eQa = (Qb at DALP of -200 mmHg (mL/min) * 16.63) - 5449.71.Conclusions: It was possible to estimate access blood flow with parameters for easy intradialysis measurements. The equation obtained, if applied to the same patient with the same DALP, could become a useful parameter for monitoring vascular access.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00522704. Registered 14 March 2008, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00522704
EFFECT OF EUGENOL EMULSION IN POLYSORBATE-80 ON CLINICAL STRAINS OF CANDIDA ALBICANS
Authors: Polanska Valentyna P. , Fedorchenko Vira I. , Zachepilo Svitlana V. , Bobrova Nellia A.
Published: October 2021

Candida albicans occupies a dominant position in the list of causative agents of candidal lesions of the ear. The development of new antifungal agents, an alternative source of which can be herbal essential oils and their components, remains a priority. One such agent with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic action is eugenol which is a phenol substance. Therefore, this article was aimed to study the effectiveness of the antifungal action of eugenol emulsified in Polysorbate-80 against clinical strains of C. albicans isolated from patients with external otomycosis.
The study was performed using 6 clinical strains of C. albicans isolated from the ear canal of patients with otitis externa. The diagnosis of fungal disease was established based on the results of clinical and laboratory (microscopical and mycological) studies of pathological material.
Analysis of mycological research showed that mainly representatives of the genus Aspergillus and Penicillium were revealed and only in 7% there were Candida genus fungi. C. albicans remained the dominant species of clinical significance. The results of our studies showed a high level of antifungal activity of eugenol on all clinical strains of C. albicans, including a remarkable inhibitory and fungicidal effect. At postmycostatic concentrations, the eugenol caused partial inhibition of reproduction of the clinical strains of fungi, which was replaced by a subsequent increased cell reproduction rate.
So, the investigation has shown that C. albicans is the dominant species among fungi of the Candida genus in the structure of the microbial profile of otomycoses. The eugenol, emulsified in Polysorbate-80, has a high antifungal effect against clinical strains of C. albicans. At postmycostatic concentrations, the eugenol caused partial inhibition of reproduction of the clinical strains of fungi, which was replaced by a subsequent increase cell reproduction rate.
ANTIULCEROGENIC EFFECT OF CRYOPRESERVED PLACENTA EXTRACT AND THE EFFECT OF LOW TEMPERATURES ON THE DIGESTIVE TRACT INJURED BY DICLOFENAC SODIUM IN THE EXPERIMENT
Authors: Hladkykh Fedir. V. , Chyzh Mykola O.
Published: October 2021

Today, the ulcerogenic effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is a key factor that significantly limits their clinical use and is a serious medical and social problem, as these drugs are among the most commonly used drugs – they are used annually by about 5­–7% of the world's population.
The aim is to characterize the antiulcerogenic effect of cryopreserved placenta extract and its application against the background of low temperatures in the model of diclofenac sodium-induced ulcerogenesis in rats according to macroscopic studies of the proximal and distal digestive tract.
The study was performed on 42 male rats weighing 200–220 g. Acute diclofenac sodium-induced gastrointestinal damage was replicated by a single intragastric administration of diclofenac sodium to rats at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Euthanasia of animals was performed after 24 hours. The condition of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract was assessed on a scale and calculated integrated indicators – ulcer index and antiulcer activity. Cryocell-cryoextract of placenta was administered to rats intramuscularly at a dose of 0.16 ml/kg body weight. Cryoirrigation was performed once by local injection of liquid nitrogen vapor (temperature – 120˚C) for 10 s.
It was found that diclofenac sodium at a dose of 50 mg/kg led to erosive-ulcerative damage to the gastric mucosa in 100% of rats, and the ulcer index was 3.9. The most pronounced leveling of the ulcerogenic effect of diclofenac sodium was observed against the combined preventive use of placental cryoextract and low temperature effect – the ulcer index was 12.6 times lower than that of rats with diclofenac sodium-induced ulcerogenesis without correction. Macroscopic evaluation of the distal gastrointestinal tract showed that the introduction of diclofenac sodium led to a statistically significant (p < 0.05) lesion of the mucous membrane of the small and large intestine in 42.9% of rats.
According to the magnitude of antiulcer effect (%) in the model of diclofenac sodium-induced ulcerogenesis, the investigated prophylactic approaches for antiulcer activity have the following priority: action of low temperatures + cryoextract of placenta (96.7%) > cryoextract of placenta (92.1%) ~ esomeprazole (88.2%) > action of low temperatures (72.1%). No lesions of both the small and large intestine on the background of the introduction of placental cryoextract in the model of diclofenac sodium-associated ulcerogenesis were detected.
INFLUENCE OF ANTITUMOR CHEMOTHERAPEUTICS ON THE STRUCTURE AND PHOSPHORUS-CALCIUM METABOLISM OF INJURED LONG TUBULAR SKELETAL BONES
Authors: Riabenko Tetiana V.
Published: October 2021

The high frequency of fractures in cancer patients is due to a decrease in bone strength which is associated with bone metabolism disorders such as osteoporosis, metastatic bone disease, and pathological fractures. Anticancer chemotherapy is prescribed for long-term periods and affects bone metabolism, in particular mineralization of bony tissue.
To study the structure and macronutrient composition of long tubular bones in rats under the influence of antitumor chemotherapeutics.
The study involved 96 white laboratory 7 month-old male rats weighing 230 ± 10 g that were cut by a ball-shaped dental burr to obtain a 2 mm diameter perforation defect to the medullary cavity in the middle third of the femoral shaft. The animals were divided into the control (n = 24) and three experimental groups (Group I, II, and III, n = 72), which were given intraperitoneal antitumor chemotherapeutics after the cut procedure: Group I (n = 24) – doxorubicin (60 mg/m²), Group II (n = 24) – 5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m²), Group III (n = 24) – methotrexate (40 mg/m²). The therapy was repeated every 21 days throughout the experiment. On the 15th, 30th, 45th, and 60th day after the injury, the animals were sacrificed with subsequent removal of the injured long tubular bones. The samples were studied using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Statistical analysis of the obtained digital values was performed with the help of MX Excel XP statistical computer program using the Student's t‑test. The difference was considered significant at p ˂ 0.05.
Antitumor chemotherapy slows down the formation of bone regenerate in the area of the defect and causes disorders of phosphorus-calcium metabolism in the injured bone. This is manifested by a decrease in the intensity of newly formed organic matrix mineralization in the area of the defect and a decrease in the level of calcium and phosphorus in the native bone and on its border with the regenerate. Doxorubicin and methotrexate provide the most negative impact on mineralization process among antitumor chemotherapeutic agents.
The use of antitumor chemotherapeutic agents – doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil and methotrexate – slows down the processes of reparative regeneration at all stages of recovery after injury and reduces the phosphorus-calcium metabolism of injured long tubular bones.
Measurement of impedance and sensitivity of electroacoustic transducers
Authors: N. Kolev
Published: November 2021

In the paper a methodology is presented for electroacoustic transducer impedance and transmitting sensitivity measurement. Loaded transducer electrical impedance is measured in water test tank. The methodology for measurement of transmitting sensitivity is based on the pulse method. Experimental results are presented for measured impedance and sensitivity of piezoceramic disc transducer in water filled test tank.
ANALYSIS OF METASTASIS-FREE SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH SMALL CHOROID MELANOMA DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PRIMARY TUMOR TREATMENT
Authors: Navumenko L. V. , Krasny S. A. , Zhylayeva K. P. , Evmenenko A. A. , Zherko I. Y.
Published: October 2021

Background. There is no unified approach to the management of patients with small choroid melanoma (CM) (thickness up to 3 mm, base diameter up to 10 mm). The study of the development of metastases in these patients is of great significance for choosing an appropriate treatment method.

Purpose: to assess the incidence of metastatic disease in patients with small CM, who were treated with transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and brachytherapy (BT).

Material and Methods. The retrospective study included 149 patients with CM, who were treated at the National Cancer Center of Belarus from 2005 to 2018. All patients had tumors less than 10 mm in diameter, less than 3 mm in thickness, and had no signs of systemic progression before starting therapy. All tumors corresponded to stage T1N0M0 (American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)). 44 patients were treated with PDT, 47 with TTT, and 58 with BT.

Results. The median follow-up time was 154 months (12 years) in patients treated with brachytherapy, 128 months (10 years) in patients treated with TTT and 72 months (6 years) in patients treated with PDT. During the follow-up period, metastases were observed in 1 (2.3 %) patient after PDT and in 5 (10.6 %) patients after TTT. In patients treated with BT, systemic progression was not recorded during the follow-up period. All cases of metastatic disease were associated with local recurrence or continued growth of CM.

Discussion. The 5-year metastasis-free survival after TTT was worse than after PDT (82 ± 8.0 % and 94 ± 6.0 %, respectively, p<0.0001). However, in some cases, preference can be given to laser treatment methods, allowing the patients to avoid post-radiation retinopathies. The lack of local control of the tumor can be considered a surrogate marker for the development of metastatic disease. Conclusion. The highest metastasis-free rates were observed after brachytherapy. Positron emission tomography is recommended for early detection of systemic progression of the disease. Key words: choroid melanoma, uveal melanoma, transpupillary thermotherapy, photodynamic therapy, brachytherapy, metastatic-free survival, organ-preserving treatment.>˂0.0001). However, in some cases, preference can be given to laser treatment methods, allowing the patients to avoid post-radiation retinopathies. The lack of local control of the tumor can be considered a surrogate marker for the development of metastatic disease.

Conclusion. The highest metastasis-free rates were observed after brachytherapy. Positron emission tomography is recommended for early detection of systemic progression of the disease.
MODERN OPPORTUNITIES OF PET/CT IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATE CANCER
Authors: Vyazmin V. V. , Zukov R. A. , Chanchikova N. G. , Levchenko E. A. , Chernov V. I.
Published: October 2021

The purpose is to present a modern data on the possibilities of positron emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) in the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of prostate cancer (PC).

Material and Methods. A search and analysis of the largest domestic and English-language databases (Elibrary, PubMed, Elsevier, etc.) on this problem was carried out. 37 sources were found devoted to studying the results of clinical trials of the diagnostic capabilities of PET/CT with various radiopharmaceuticals.

Results. The presented data on the possibilities of PET/CT with various radiopharmaceuticals in the diagnosis of primary prostate cancer, imaging of lymphogenous and distant metastases, as well as in assessing the effectiveness of treatment.

Conclusion. This review of the literature showed that the use of PET/CT in prostate cancer largely depends on the chosen radiopharmaceutical. Moreover, it is PET/CT with PSMA-based radiopharmaceuticals that is the most promising method for examining patients with prostate cancer and can be recommended as an additional study in cases where other methods of radiation diagnostics do not give an unambiguous answer. The development of new and improving the already used radiopharmaceuticals, which will increase the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the diagnosis, staging, monitoring and prognosis of treatment of prostate cancer, remains relevant.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CIRCULATING TUMOR DNA IN THE ASSESSMENT OF METASTATIC COLORECTAL CANCER TREATMENT EFFECTIVNE
Authors: Sluzhev M. I. , Semiglazov V. V. , Semiglazova T. Yu. , Tkachenko E. V. , Protsenko S. A. , Latipova D. Kh. , Kondratev S. V. , Brish N. A. , Alekseeva Yu. V. , Belyaev A. M.
Published: October 2021

Challenges in cancer detection, prognosis and management are currently being solved by determining circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). The assessment of this marker has acquired particular importance in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the systemic treatment of which depends on the RAS gene status, which has prognostic and predictive value. However, the possibilities of taking samples from the primary or metastatic lesion for pathomorphological and molecular analysis in CRC are often limited. The determination of ctDNA using liquid biopsy has an advantage over standard biopsy due to its low invasiveness and high availability of the method. Analysis of mutations using ctDNA as well as changes in the level of this marker is a criterion for the effectiveness of systemic treatment, as well as a factor that determines the risk of disease progression. Currently, the potential of using ctDNA to monitor effectiveness of first-and second-line chemotherapy, as well as to predict the development of secondary resistance to EGFR inhibitors (cetuximab and panitumumab) in the first-line treatment and assessment of RAS status for returning to therapy with EGFR inhibitors in the third-line treatment of mCRC is being studied. Several pilot studies have provided evidence of the efficacy of EGFR re-treatment. The modern literature data published in leading peer-reviewed journals in Russian and international scientific citation databases, such as Medline, Elibrary, and PubMed were analyzed. Of the 138 analyzed publications, 56 were used to write this review.
MODERN CONCEPTS OF THE MOLECULAR GENETIC MARKERS OF PROSTATE CANCER
Authors: Zhumakayev A. M. , Benberin V. V. , Shanazarov N. A. , Tuleutaev M. E. , Seydalin N. K. , Davranov A. Zh. , Zhumakayeva A. M. , Muratov T. M. , Kasymov B. G.
Published: October 2021

Purpose of the study: to present up-to-date data on molecular genetic studies aimed to identify the risks of developing prostate cancer in representatives of various ethnic groups. Material and Methods. Literary sources were searched in databases such as PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar. We had analyzed 60 sources on the risks of developing prostate cancer. The epidemiological data on the prostate cancer incidence and risk factors depending on age characteristics, hormonal status and hereditary predisposition were shown. Results. The pathogenetic features of prostate cancer depending on ethnicity were described. The paper presents data from both European and Asian ethnic groups. In a number of studies, significant genetic differences in single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the development of prostate cancer were identified. Conclusion. Research in the field of determining the risks of developing prostate cancer becomes more and more relevant due to the emergence of new molecular genetic markers, as well as the influence of various ethnic characteristics. Nevertheless, many questions of modern diagnosis of prostate cancer are still open, therefore, research in this area remains promising.
DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERISATION OF 3D SOLID TUMOUR CELL MODELS FOR INDIVIDUALIZED CANCER TREATMENT
Authors: Danilova A. B. , Nekhaeva T. L. , Efremova N. A. , Maydin M. A. , Fedoros E. I. , Baldueva I. A.
Published: October 2021

Background. To solve the problems of personalized medicine in oncology, preclinical studies based on the use of three-dimensional cellular models of tumors in vitro, including spheroids / tumoroids, are of great importance. They are an interesting tool for genetic, epigenetic, biomedical and pharmacological studies aiming to determine the most effective individual therapeutic approaches, since they allow modeling the dynamic evolution of a tumor disease from early stages to metastatic spread through interaction with the microenvironment.

The purpose of the study was to compare characteristic features of formation and spatial organization of spheroids, obtained from solid malignant tumors cells with various histogenesis: melanomas, soft tissue sarcomas and osteosarcomas, epithelial tumors.

Material and Methods. Solid tumor cell lines of patients who were treated from 2015 to 2021 were the basis for the creation of 3D-cell models. Fragments of tumor tissue were obtained intraoperatively: 15 samples of melanoma, 20 samples of soft tissue sarcomas and osteosarcomas, and 9 samples of epithelial tumors. All tumor cells were cultured for at least 10 passages. Methods of phase contrast, confocal microscopy, and histological techniques were used to study spheroids. Using ELISA methods and multiplex analysis, the supernatants of monolayer cell cultures and spheroids were studied for the presence of a wide range of biologically active substances that provide the processes of immunosuppression, invasion and metastasis.

Results. The use of low adhesion surfaces was proven to be preferable to obtain spheroids of a given seed concentration and size of interest. The average cultivation time of spheroids was 4.7 days, and the optimal seeding concentration was 10,000 cells per well, while the spheroid diameter varied from 300 to 1000 μm depending on the type of malignant cells: the largest spheroids formed melanoma cultures. In general, the efficiency of spheroid formation was 88.6 % (39 out of 44). The introduction of fibroblasts into the 3D construct led to increasing in the invasive potential of tumor cells, which was associated with the production of IL8 (rho=0.636, p=0.035), HGF (rho=0.850, p=0.004), SCF (rho=0.857, p=0.014), FST (rho=0.685, p=0.029), Prolactin (rho=0.810, p=0.015), PECAM1 (rho=0.788, p=0.004).

Conclusion. The technology of low-adhesive surfaces makes it possible to successfully create three-dimensional models of a tumor node from malignant tumors cells of various histogenesis. The colonization of a three-dimensional structure with fibroblasts enhances the biologically aggressive properties of tumor cells and demonstrates complex reciprocal interactions between the cellular elements of the tumor stroma and malignant cells, which brings the model closer to a real clinical situation.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVITY OF GLYCOPEPTIDES AND LINEZOLID AGAINST NOSOCOMIAL STRAINS OF GRAM-POSITIVE MICROORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM CANCER PATIENT
Authors: Dmitrieva N. V. , Petukhova I. N. , Grigoryevskaya Z. V. , Bagirova N. S. , Tereshchenko I. V. , Klyuchnikova I. A. , Dyakova S. A.
Published: October 2021

The purpose of the study: to compare the activity of vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid and to determine their place in the current treatment of nosocomial infections caused by gram-positive microflora.

Material and Methods. 640 gram-positive microorganisms (S. aureus, E. faecium, E. faecalis) isolated in 2018 from various pathological materials from cancer patients treated at N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology were studied. Literature data from 1982 to 2019, concerning efficacy of glycopeptides (vancomycin, teicoplanin) and linezolid against these pathogens were analyzed.

Results. Data analysis showed that percentage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 89 % and percentage of vancomycinresistant enterococci (VRE) was 5.1 % among Enterococcus faecalis and 16.4 % among Enterococcus faecium. The susceptibility of the studied gram-positive microorganisms to teicoplanin, vancomycin and linezolid ranged from 83.3 to 98.8 % (p>0.5). In general, teicoplanin, vancomycin, and linezolid had equally high microbiological activity against nosocomial strains of S. aureus and Enterococcus spp. Also, according to the literature data, a comparative assessment of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of glycopeptides and linezolid was assessed.

Conclusion. Vancomycin and teicoplanin are still the main drugs for the treatment of various infections caused by resistant gram-positive microflora. However, teicoplanin, with an efficacy equal to that of vancomycin, has a number of significant advantages over the latter: better tolerability, lower frequency of adverse reactions, and pharmacokinetic features that make it possible to use it once a day both intravenously and intramuscularly. Both drugs, along with linezolid, can be used to treat infections caused by gram-positive microorganisms in cancer patients.
Ensemble de especialistas para avaliação de adesão ao procedimento operacional padrão de fotografias de radiografias de tórax
Authors: Silva Cecilia Aparecida Santos , Cardoso Lucas Alexandre Alvarenga , Ferreira Danton Diego , Seixas José Manoel , Bastos Mayara Lisboa Soares , Trajman Anete
Published: October 2021

Sistemas de apoio ao diagnóstico baseados em inteligência computacional (computer-aided diagnosis, CAD) para interpretação de imagens vêm sendo desenvolvidos e aplicados em diferentes especialidades médicas. A Organização Mundial da Saúde recomendou recentemente o uso de CAD para a detecção de tuberculose em radiografias de tórax (RxT). No contexto do desenvolvimento de um CAD, muitas vezes é necessário fotografar imagens de RxT. No entanto, para melhores resultados é preciso que as imagens sigam um padrão, por isso desenvolveu-se um Procedimento Operacional Padrão (POP) para fotografá-las. O objetivo deste estudo é o de criar um modelo baseado em máquinas de comitê (ensemble) para avaliar se fotografias de RxT aderem ao POP e classificar eventuais desvios do POP, para então corrigi-los e usá-las para a triagem de tuberculose ativa. Uma base de dados, composta por 783 fotografias de radiografias de tórax, foi dividida em 10 grupos, relativos a como a fotografia foi tirada, sendo o 6º grupo o adequado ao POP, compondo-se de fotografias tiradas sem uso de aplicativos, com tripé e temporizador, em resolução normal, com a luz do ambiente apagada, cobrindo completamente o negatoscópio e centralizada. Um modelo ensemble, baseado em especialistas, aliado a transfer learning e análise de componentes principais (PCA) foi projetado para identificar cada um dos grupos. Como resultado, obtiveram-se acurácias médias superiores a 79%.
Development of a lung segmentation algorithm for analog imaged chest X-Ray: preliminary results
Authors: Renzo Matheus A. , Fernandez Natália , Baceti André A. , Moura Junior Natanael Nunes , Anjos André
Published: October 2021

Analog X-Ray radiography is still used in many underdeveloped regions around the world. To allow these populations to benefit from advances in automatic computer-aided detection (CAD) systems, X-Ray films must be digitized. Unfortunately, this procedure may introduce artefacts which may severely impair the performance of such systems. This work investigates the impact digitized images may cause to deep neural networks trained for lung (semantic) segmentation on digital x-ray samples. While three public datasets for lung segmentation evaluation exist for digital samples, none are available for digitized data. To this end, a U-Net architecture was trained on publicly available data, and used to predict lung segmentation on a newly annotated set of digitized images. Our results show that the model is capable to effectively identify lung segmentation at digital X-Rays with a high intra-dataset (PR AUC: 0.99) and cross-dataset (PR AUC: 0.99) performances on unseen test data. When challenged against analog imaged films, the performance is substantially degraded (PR AUC: 0.90). Our analysis further suggests that the use of maximum F1 and precision-recall AUC (PR AUC) measures are not informative to identify segmentation problems in images.
Metodologia de Equalização Adaptativa de Canais de Comunicação via Algoritmo NLMS com o Tamanho de Passo Variável Fuzzy
Authors: Noronha Rodrigo Possidônio
Published: October 2021

A equalização é uma importante aplicação da teoria de processamento de sinais para a teoria comunicação, uma vez que sua função é cancelar ruídos presentes em canais de comunicação. O desempenho de um equalizador adaptativo é influenciado pelo tamanho de passo de um algoritmo adaptativo baseado em gradiente descendente estocástico, utilizado para atualização da estimativa do vetor de pesos. Um bom desempenho na equalização adaptativa pode ser obtido através da adaptação do tamanho de passo variável. Para isso, neste artigo é proposta uma nova versão do algoritmo NLMS com o tamanho de passo variável adaptado por um Sistema de Inferência Fuzzy Mamdani, aplicado na equalização adaptativa de canais de comunicação. O equalizador adaptativo foi analisado em três cenários de relação sinal-ruído com SNR = 18 dB, SNR = 24 dB e SNR = 30 dB.
Aprendizado de máquina aplicado ao diagnóstico de câncer de pele
Authors: Silva Tony Alexandre Medeiros , Souza Ewerton Pacheco , Bambil Deborah , Cassia Guilherme de Souza , Carvalho João Luiz Azevedo , Nascimento Francisco Assis O.
Published: October 2021

Na última década, as imagens médicas têm demonstrado relevante papel no diagnóstico precoce de câncer de pele, notadamente, com o advento das tecnologias de inteligência artificial que aprendem a diferenciar classes de imagens com base em imagens pré-classificadas, como por exemplo, aquelas obtidas em bancos de imagens médicas contendo lesões cutâneas classificadas como malignas ou benignas. Neste estudo apresentamos os resultados de identificação e classificação de lesões de pele quanto à malignidade usando uma plataforma de aprendizado de máquina desenvolvida em nosso laboratório — a “FAON_Machine_Learning_Platform (FAON_MLP)” — e as redes neurais convolucionais pré-treinadas ResNet 152 V2, VGG16, VGG19 e AlexNet. Para a avaliação de desempenho dos algoritmos segundo métricas objetivas, se usou um banco de dados público com imagens contendo lesões de pele classificadas como benignas ou malignas. Para ser mais preciso, o banco de dados de imagens possui 1800 imagens diagnosticadas com benignas e 1497 imagens diagnosticadas como malignas. São apresentados os resultados de desempenho dos diversos algoritmos. É discutida também uma avaliação comparativa entre as técnicas utilizadas e com outras técnicas reportadas na literatura. Os resultados se mostraram promissores na diferenciação entre lesões benignas e malignas, com grande potencial para auxiliar profissionais da área da saúde no diagnóstico precoce de câncer de pele, evitando os desdobramentos da sua não ocorrência, como procedimentos cirúrgicos, metástases e até mesmo óbito.
On Teacher-Student Semi-Supervised Learning for Chest X-ray Image Classification
Authors: Martins Roberto Augusto Philippi , Silva Danilo
Published: October 2021

The lack of labeled data is one of the main prohibiting issues on the development of deep learning models, as they rely on large labeled datasets in order to achieve high accuracy in complex tasks. Our objective is to evaluate the performance gain of having additional unlabeled data in the training of a deep learning model when working with medical imaging data. We present a semi-supervised learning algorithm that utilizes a teacher-student paradigm in order to leverage unlabeled data in the classification of chest X-ray images. Using our algorithm on the ChestX-ray14 dataset, we manage to achieve a substantial increase in performance when using small labeled datasets. With our method, a model achieves an AUROC of 0.822 with only 2% labeled data and 0.865 with 5% labeled data, while a fully supervised method achieves an AUROC of 0.807 with 5% labeled data and only 0.845 with 10%.
Formulação e Solução do Problema de Alocação de Veículos Estocástico por meio de Programação Dinâmica Aproximada
Authors: Mendonça Vitória I. T. , Meneses Rodrigo F. , Pitombeira-Neto Anselmo R.
Published: October 2021

Neste artigo, formulamos o problema de alocação de veículos estocástico como um processo de decisão semimarkoviano. Devido ao tamanho do espaço de estados, métodos exatos para a solução do problema são computacionalmente intratáveis. Aplicamos então um algoritmo rollout, o qual é um método de programação dinâmica aproximada baseado em iteração de política que tem mostrado resultados promissores em diversos contextos de aplicação. Faremos uso do algoritmo rollout a fim de produzir uma política de decisão online para o problema de alocação de veículos a chamados que surgem estocasticamente em tempo contínuo. Desenvolvemos um ambiente de decisão baseado em simulação de eventos discretos e realizamos experimentos computacionais com uso de três heurísticas-bases. O resultados indicaram que o algoritmo rollout foi capaz de produzir políticas com desempenho pelo menos tão bom quanto e em muitos casos consideravelmente melhor que as heurísticas-base.
The Impact of Firm Performance on Annual Report Readability
Authors: Gu Shuibin , Dodoo Regina Naa Amua
Published: November 2021

This paper attempts to find the impact of firm performance on annual report readability. This study consists of 15 listed firms on the Ghana Stock Exchange within the period 2008 to 2017. The study applies Gunning Fog Index to measure annual report readability and measures Firm Performance using Return on Assets (ROA) by applying the fixed and random effect method. Per the Hausman test, the random effect method was accepted; the result stated that firm performance positively relates to annual report readability. In addition, the study finds out that corporate governance exerted a negative influence on the readability of the annual report. Finally, the study adopts F-MOLS to test Robustness. Regulators can consider improving and writing plain disclosure laws to improve annual report readability.
Development of the social technology for constructing service workers’ ethics of behavior
Authors: Vilyamovich Anastasia , Rubtcova Mariia , Pavenkov Vladimir
Published: October 2021

The findings of our previous research of the  social  construction  of  the  ethics  of  the  employees  of  the service industry in St. Petersburg in 2014 (N135) and in 2016 (N483)  have been added to the modern research analysis of ethics constructing processes in an organization. The article presents a managerial aspect of the problem, specifically the development of a social technology for constructing service workers’ ethics of behavior. The results of the technology introduction into the activities of an organization in Russia are also submitted for consideration.
Mineral oil hydrocarbons: a new challenge for the oils and fats processing industry
Authors:   Desmet Ballestra Group, Gibon Véronique , De Greyt Wim
Published: November 2021

Mineral oils are widespread food contaminants, and edible oils, like many other foodstuffs, are often contaminated. The lack of robust analytical methods and proper toxicological evaluation make it difficult to set a tolerance level. • The best way to avoid mineral oil contamination is to prevent it by complying with good manufacturing practices, and the best solution to reducing mineral oil contamination in edible oils is through refining, especially during deodorization. This paper gives an overview of contamination sources, levels in some edible oils, regulatory aspects, analytical methods, and strategies for mitigation during refining.
The latest research on coconut oil and human health
Authors:   AOCS, Guenard Rebecca
Published: November 2021

A meta-analysis of clinical trials comparing the effects of coconut oil consumption with other fats focused only on controlled clinical trials performed on human adults with a duration exceeding two weeks (long enough to let blood lipid concentrations stabilize).coconut oil consumption significantly increased total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol concentrations compared with non-tropical vegetable oils and significantly increased total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations compared with palm oil.
INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP ORIENTATI ON AND INTERNAL RESOURCES ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF MSMEs (STUDY ON MELINJO EMPING BUSINESS ACTORS IN POJOK VILLAGE, NGANTRU SUBDISTRICT, TULUNGAGUNG REGENCY)
Authors: Suheri S , Setiawan Budi , Toiba Hery
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this study is (1) describing and analyzing the significance of the simultaneous influence of entrepreneurial orientation and internal resources on the business performance of home industry emping melinjo in Pojok Village, (2) describing and analyzing the significance of the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on the business performance of MSMEs home industry emping melinjo in Pojok Village, (3) describing and analyzing the significance of the influence of internal resources on the business performance of MSMEs home industry emping melinjo in The Corner Village. This research was conducted in Pojok Village, Ngantru Subdistrict, Tulungagung Regency with a sample number of 55 people. The results of the study There is a significant influence simultaneously entrepreneurial orientation and internal resources on the business performance of MSMEs home industry emping melinjo in The Corner Village, Ngantru Subdistrict, Tulungagung Regency. There is a positive and significant influence of entrepreneurial orientation on the business performance of MSMEs home industry emping melinjo in Pojok Village, Ngantru Subdistrict, Tulungagung Regency. There is a positive and significant influence of internal resources on the business performance of MSMEs home industry emping melinjo in Pojok Village, Ngantru Subdistrict, Tulungagung Regency.
ANALYSIS OF MARKETING MIX ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: EMPIRICAL STUDY OF PURCHASING DECISION OF EAST NUSA TENGGARA LOCAL PRODUCT
Authors: Malelak Sonya Lisabel , Setiawan Budi , Maulidah Silvana
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of marketing mix on purchasing decisions of East Nusa Tenggara local products, to analyze the effect of marketing mix on consumer satisfaction of local products and to analyze the indirect effect of marketing mix on research satisfaction. The results showed that the variable price, place, promotion directly had a positive and significant effect on the purchasing decision variable. The product variable directly has a positive but insignificant effect. variable product, price, place, promotion directly have a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction variables. The purchasing decision variable is not indirectly a mediation for the product variable and the consumer satisfaction variable. The purchase decision variable is not indirectly a mediation for the price variable and the consumer satisfaction variable. The purchase decision variable is not indirectly a mediation for the place variable and the consumer satisfaction variable. The purchasing decision variable is indirectly mediating for the promotion variable and the customer satisfaction variable.
Correction: Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of recurrent renal stone disease
Authors: Meyers Anthony , Whalley Natalie , Martins Maria
Published: November 2021

In Table 3 of the original publication of this article [1], the citrate excretion in white subjects is given as 1.39(0.92), which is incorrect. The correct value is 2.39(0.92). Reference1. Meyers A, Whalley N, Martins M. Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of recurrent renal stone disease. Afr J Nephrol. 1998; 2(1):12-17.
Sen, Sudeep (2021). Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation
Authors: Mendes João
Published: October 2021

Recensão de livro.
Влияние предыонизации на микроканальную структуру искрового разряда в воздухе в промежутке острие-плоскость
Authors: Тренькин А.А. , Алмазова К.И. , Белоногов А.Н. , Боровков В.В. , Горелов Е.В. , Морозов И.В. , Харитонов С.Ю.
Published: October 2021

The initial phase of a spark discharge in the gap between the pin (cathode) and a plane 1.5 mm long in atmospheric pressure air under conditions of preliminary photoionization by an auxiliary discharge was investigated by the method of shadow photography. In the absence of preionization, the discharge from the first nanoseconds after breakdown is an aggregate of a large number of micron-diameter channels. It was found that the electron concentration resulting from preionization, estimated at 108  109 cm-3, increases the degree of uniformity of the discharge channel in the near-cathode region; however, in the near-anode region, the channel remains microstructured. Within the framework of the mechanism of microstructure formation due to the instability of the ionization wave front, a criterion for the formation of a uniform discharge is obtained and an explanation of the results obtained is presented.
Численное моделирование поведения карбидов при высокоэнергетическом воздействии
Authors: Маевский К.К.
Published: October 2021

The results of research on modeling thermodynamic parameters of shock-wave loading of carbides with different stoichiometric ratios are presented. The carbides are considered as a mixture of carbon with the corresponding component. The calculations of pressure, compression and temperature values under shock-wave loading for solid and porous carbides in the range of pressure values above 3 GPa are performed. The model calculations are compared with the known experimental results on the shock-wave loading of carbides with different porosity values. The possibility of modeling the behavior according to the proposed method for carbides for which there are no experimental data at high dynamic loads is shown.