bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Space to Depth Convolution bundled with Coordinate Attention for detecting surface defects
Authors: Wan Wenqian , Wang Lei , Wang Bingbing , Yu Haoyang , Shi Kuijie , Liu Gang
Published: September 2023

Surface defects of steel plates unavoidably exist during the industrial production proceeding due to the complex productive technologies and always exhibit some typical characteristics, such as irregular shape, random position, and various size. Therefore, detecting these surface defects with high performance is crucial for producing high-quality products in practice. In this paper, an improved network with high performance based on You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLOv5) is proposed for detecting surface defects of steel plates. Firstly, the Space to Depth Convolution (SPD-Conv) is utilized to make the feature information transforming from space to depth, helpful for preserving the entirety of discriminative feature information to the greatest extent under the proceeding of down-sampling. Subsequently, the Coordinate Attention (CA) mechanism is introduced and embedded into the bottleneck of C3 modules to effectively enhance the weights of some important feature channels, in favor of capturing more important feature information from different channels after SPD-Conv operations. Finally, the Spatial Pyramid Pooling Faster (SPPF) module is replaced by the Spatial Pyramid Pooling Fully Connected Spatial Pyramid Convolution (SPPFCSPC) module to further enhance the feature expression capability and efficiently realize the multi-scale feature fusion. The experimental results on NEU-DET dataset show that, compared with YOLOv5, the mAP and mAP50 dramatically increase from 51.7%, 87.0–61.4%, 92.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, the frame rate of 250 FPS implies that it still preserves a well real-time performance. Undoubtedly, the improved algorithm proposed in this paper exhibits outstanding performance, which may be also used to recognize the surface defects of aluminum plates, as well as plastic plates, armor plates and so on in the future.
Efficacy of Various Extracting Solvents on Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant Potential, Total Phenolic Content, and Antibacterial Properties, of Moroccan Mentha longifolia L. Leaf Extracts against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Tourabi Meryem , Metouekel Amira , ghouizi Asmae EL , Jeddi Mohamed , Nouioura Ghizalne , Laaroussi Hassan , hosen Md. eram , Benbrahim Kawtar Fikri , Bourhia Mohammed , Salamatullah Ahmad Mohammad , Nafidi Hiba-Allah , Wondmie Gezahign Fentahun , Lyoussi Badiaa , Derwich El Houssine
Published: September 2023

The current work attempts to explore the influence of three extraction solvents on phytochemical composition, content of polyphenols, antioxidant potential, and antibacterial capacity of Moroccan Mentha longifolia L. leaves hydroethanolic, acetonic, and water extracts. To achieve this goal, the chemical composition was identified using an HPLC-DAD examination. The contents of polyphenolswere assessed, while the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the DPPH test, and the reducing power test (RP) were utilized to determine antioxidant capacity. To assess the antibacterial activity, the microdilution technique was carried out to calculate the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) ofextracts against four nosocomial bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, andStaphylococcus aureus).Additionally, the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of all tested extracts were examined in silico against the proteins NADPH oxidaseand Bacillus cereusphospholipase C. Study reveals M. longifolia extracts contain high phenolicand flavonoids.Additionally, the hydroethanolic extract contained the highest amounts of phenolic and flavonoid content, with values of 23.52 ± 0.14 mg GAE/g DW and 17.62 ± 0.36 mg QE/g DW, respectively comparedto the other two extracts. The same extract showed the best antioxidant capacity(IC50 = 39 µg/mL ± 0.00), and the higher RP (EC50 of 0.261 ± 0.00 mg/mL), compared to the acetonic and water extractregarding these tests. Furthermore, the hydroethanolic and acetonic extracts expressed the highest TAC (74.40 ± 1.34, and 52.40 ± 0.20 mg EAA/g DW respectively), compared withthe water extract. Regarding antibacterial activity, the MIC value ranges between 1.17and 12.50 mg/mL. The in-silico results showed that the antibacterial activity of all extracts is principally attributed to kaempferol and ferulic acid, while antioxidant capacity is attributed to ferulic acid.
Supplement Use and Its Impact on Daily Life of Cancer Patients: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Toum Youssef El , Costa Tarek , Toum Elissa El , Haddad Tina , Salameh Pascale , Elkarak Fady , Ghosn Marwan , Nasr Fady , Chahine Georges , Kattan Joseph , Kourie Hampig Raphael
Published: September 2023

Purpose
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of supplement usage among cancer patients and explore its potential associations with anxiety, excessive daytime sleepiness, and overall quality of life.
Methods
Cancer patients receiving specific care at Hôtel Dieu de France University Hospital, Beirut, were enrolled between April and June 2023. In face-to-face interviews, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic information, supplement usage details, and cancer-related variables. Three validated surveys (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, GAD-7 and EORTC-QLQ-C15-PAL) were employed to assess excessive daytime sleepiness, anxiety and overall quality of life. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, t-tests, and multiple regression models, were conducted to examine associations between supplement use and other variables.
Results
202 participants were interviewed. 52% reported regular use of supplements following their cancer diagnosis, with vitamin D being the most commonly used supplement. Using multivariate logistic regression, supplement use was associated with being female, having lower educational levels, having a longer duration since cancer diagnosis and having a poor overall quality of life. The multivariate logistic regression showed no significant correlation between supplement use and excessive datime sleepiness and anxiety.
Conclusion
This study highlights a high prevalence of supplement usage among cancer patients in Lebanon, indicating a rising interest in alternative therapies aimed at enhancing quality of life. Larger prospective studies are needed to assess the relation between supplement intake and excessive daytime sleepines and anxiety and establish clear guidelines pertaining to supplement use in cancer patients.
Acoustic characteristics of voice production in virtual reality-simulated and physical environments. A comparative study in university professors
Authors: Rodríguez Daniel , Borrego Adrián , Guzmán Marco , Llorens Roberto
Published: September 2023

Purpose
This study investigated the reliability of a virtual reality-simulated classroom to generate a comparable self-perception of voice quality and acoustic effects of phonation to a real classroom in a group of teachers, and sense of presence.
Method
Thirty university professors participated in the study and were required to produce loud connected speech by reading a 100-word text in two conditions: (1) in a real classroom including a group of students, and (2) in a virtual replica of the classroom consisting of a 360-degree video of the same classroom and students, which was displayed using a head mounted display. Ambient noise was controlled in both conditions by playing classroom noise through headphones. The self-perception of voice quality, the long-term average spectrum and smooth cepstral peak prominence were estimated in both conditions. The sense of presence generated by virtual reality was measured after interacting with the virtual classroom.
Results
There were no statistically significant differences in the self-perception of voice quality or in the acoustic measures of voice production between conditions. The sense of presence in the virtual classroom was high.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that a virtual reality-simulated classroom generate comparable self-perception of voice quality and acoustic effects of phonation to the real classroom, and a high sense of presence, in a group of teachers. Additionally, it is important to highlight the potential of virtual reality to enhance the ecological validity of acoustic assessment of voice production in laboratories and clinical settings.
Physical activity can reduce the risk of blood cadmium and blood lead on stroke: Evidence from NHANES
Authors: deng xiaoqi , Liu Dichuan , Li Miao , He Jie , Fu Yufan
Published: September 2023

Objectives
The detrimental impact of heavy metals on cardiovascular well-being is a global concern, and engaging in suitable physical activity has been shown to confer cardiovascular advantage. Nevertheless, the potential of exercise to mitigate the deleterious effects of heavy metals on stroke remains uncertain.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the influence of blood cadmium and blood lead on stroke occurrence, while also examining the role of physical activity. Weighted multivariate regression analysis was employed to examine the potential correlation, while subgroup and interaction analyses were used to investigate the sensitivity and robustness of the results.
Results
After controlling risk factors, it revealed a positive correlation between blood cadmium and lead levels and the occurrence of stroke. Specifically, a 50% increase in blood cadmium was associated with a 28% increase in stroke incidence, while a 50% increase in blood lead was associated with a 47% increase in stroke incidence. To estimate the non-linear relationship, we employed restricted cubic models. The results demonstrate a gradual decrease in the slope of the model curve as the intensity of physical activity increases, implying that engaging in physical activity may contribute to a reduction in the occurrence of stroke caused by blood cadmium and lead.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that blood cadmium and lead could be considered an autonomous risk factor for stroke within the general population of the United States. Moreover, engaging in physical activity has the potential to mitigate the potential detrimental consequences associated with exposure to heavy metals.
Risk of Second Primary Malignancy after Surgery or Definitive Radiotherapy for Early-Stage Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Population-based Study
Authors: Lin Hanqing , Wu Xiaobo , Yao Guangnan , Xu Yuanteng , Lin Chang
Published: September 2023

Background
The primary treatment modalities for patients with early-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) predominantly include surgical resection and definitive radiotherapy (RT). However, RT may increase the risk of second primary malignancy (SPM) in cancer patients. This study aimed to investigate the association between treatment modalities and SPM risk in early-stage HNSCC patients.
Methods
Data of 5-year survivors of early-stage (stage I-II, 7th AJCC staging manual) HNSCC from 2000 to 2020 was extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and excess absolute risk (EAR) were used to assess SPM development externally. Relative risk (RR) was estimated to compare SPM risk within treatment groups. Fine-Gray's competing risk model was applied to estimate cumulative SPM incidence after the diagnosis of index early-stage HNSCC.
Results
The study included 8957 5-year survivors with early-stage HNSCC. Patients who received definitive RT had poorer long-term survival compared to those who underwent surgical resection. Surgical resection was associated with a lower SPM risk (RR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.80–0.99), particularly in patients with primary oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (RR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.39–0.82). Differences in the risk of SPM development among subgroups based on clinical characteristics were not significant. Treatment modalities did not significantly affect SPM risk within each subgroup.
Conclusions
Surgical treatment in early-stage HNSCC patients was associated with better overall survival and a lower risk of SPM compared to definitive RT. SPM incidence and sites varied among different primary sites, emphasizing the importance of targeted long-term follow-up surveillance.
FDANet: A frequency-domain attention network for super-resolution image quality assessment
Authors: Fan Dandan , Li Hui , Zhang Kaibing , Shi Guang
Published: September 2023

No-reference super-resolution image quality assessment (NR-SRIQA) is still a challenging task due to complicated degradation factors and the lack of reference high-resolution (HR) images. In this paper, we propose a novel NR-SRIQA framework that elaborately designs a frequency domain attention lightweight network called FDANet to predict the quality of SR images. Firstly the frequency domain attention module is used to extract the frequency domain salient map from the divided image patches, and then a frequency domain attention lightweight network is used as the backbone to learn the features in SR images to improve the performance of the network. Compared with the spatial domain attention module, the proposed frequency domain attention module is conducive to learn quality-aware features to quantify the quality of SR images. By integrating the deep learning-based features, the proposed NR-SRIQA model facilitates more compelling quality prediction but requires obviously less computational cost in contrast to compared deep networks for NR-SRIQA. Experimental results verify the superior performance of our method on two benchmark data-bases in terms of both quantitative evaluations and thorough analysis on the model deployment.
Modeling, prediction and suggestions of the amount of domestic waste clearance in Shenzhen using an optimized high- performance grey model
Authors: Zeng Bo , Xia Chao , Yang Yingjie
Published: September 2023

As a leading economic center in China and an international metropolis, Shenzhen has great significance in promoting sustainable urban development. To predict its amount of domestic waste clearance, a new multivariable grey prediction model with combinatorial optimization of parameters is established in this paper. Firstly, the new model expands the value range of the order r of a grey accumulation generation operator from positive real numbers (R+) to all real numbers (R), which enlarges the optimization space of parameter and has positive significance for improving model performance. Secondly, the dynamic background-value coefficient λ is introduced into the new model to improve the smoothing effect of the nearest neighbor generated sequences. Thirdly, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is employed to optimize parameters r and λ to improve the overall performance of the new model. The new model is used to simulate and predict the amount of domestic waste clearance in Shenzhen, and the comprehensive error of the new model is only 0.27%, which is far superior to several other similar models. Lastly, the new model is applied to predict the amount of domestic waste clearance in Shenzhen. The results indicate the amount of domestic waste clearance in 2028 could be 9.96 million tons, an increase of 20.58% compared to 2021.This highlights the significant challenge that Shenzhen faces in terms of urban domestic waste treatment. Therefore, some targeted countermeasures and suggestions have been proposed to ensure the sustainable development of Shenzhen's economy and society.
The role of ApoE on fatty acid transport from neurons to astrocytes under ischemia/hypoxia conditions
Authors: Chen Hongyan , Zhao Shaozhi , Qiang Jian , Yinfang Yan , Simin Wang , Zhang Xinwen , Yuqiang Ji
Published: September 2023

Background
The aim of this study was to investigate whether ischemia/hypoxia conditions induce fatty acid transport from neurons to astrocytes and whether this mechanism is affected by ApoE isoforms.
Methods and Results
A neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage was established. Excessive accumulation of lipid droplets and upregulation of ApoE expression occurred in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex after hypoxic-ischaemic, which implied the occurrence of abnormal fatty acid metabolism. Lipid peroxidation was induced in the oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGDR) model of ApoE−/− primary neurons. The number of BODIPY 558/568 C12-positive particles (fatty acid markers) transferred from neurons to astrocytes was significantly increased with the addition of human recombinant ApoE compared with the OGDR group, which significantly increased the efficiency of fatty acid transport from neurons to astrocytes and neuronal viability. However, ApoE4 was found to be associated with lower efficiency in fatty acid transport and less protective effects in OGDR caused neuronal cell death than both ApoE2 and ApoE3. COG133, an ApoE-mimetic peptide, partially compensated for the adverse effects of ApoE4. FABP5 and SOD1 gene and protein expression levels were upregulated in astrocytes treated with BODIPY 558/568 C12 particles.
Conclusions
In conclusion, ApoE plays an important role in mediating the transport of fatty acids from neurons to astrocytes under the ischemia/hypoxia conditions, and this transport mechanism is ApoE isoform dependent. ApoE4 has a low transfer efficiency and may be a potential target for the clinical treatment of neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.
Constructing Virtual Representations of Laminated Timber Products
Authors: Grant Patrick , Psaltis Steven , Shirmohammadi Maryam , Turner Ian
Published: September 2023

The complex structure of timber has traditionally been difficult to model as it is a highly heterogeneous material. The density (and hence material properties) for structural species such as Pinus radiata (radiata pine) can vary greatly across the growth rings. Numerical simulation methods are becoming more prevalent as a method of predicting moisture migration, stress and strain distributions, and fungal/rot intrusion in timber. These methods require a virtual description of an individual board that captures the growth ring structure present in these timbers. In this work, a low-cost algorithm based on image analysis techniques and spectral segmentation is developed for generating a virtual representation of a cross laminated timber panel. The virtual model is generated as a triangular prismatic mesh where the nodes are aligned on the growth rings, with specific wood material properties allocated to each mesh element The initial step involves identifying the growth ring structure of a single board by analyzing an image of the end grain. The growth rings are then identified using a spectral clustering algorithm. Next, the centre of the tree (pith) is located by using an iterative constrained least-squares algorithm. The density is computed as a proportional length through the growth ring, when provided with an anatomical image of the cellular structure. This density estimate is then assigned to each mesh element resulting in the virtual reconstruction of a singular board. Meshes of multiple timber boards are then combined to produce the final mesh of a laminated timber product.
Comprehensive Study on In vitro Propagation of Some Imported Peach Rootstocksa. In vitro Explant Surface Sterilization and Bud Proliferation
Authors: Eliwa Galal I.
Published: September 2023

This study was conducted in the Laboratory of Tissue culture, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damietta University, Egypt. The objective of this study was to establish a micropropagation protocol suitable for three imported peach rootstocks {Okinawa (P. persica), Nemared (P. persica × P. davidiana) × P. persica) and Garnem (P. dulcis × P. persica)} In vitro. According to the results, soaking the explants in sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) at 20% for 15 min achieved the highest value of responsive (82.81%) and Survived (96.61%) with minimum value of dead (3.14%) and contaminated (0.24%). Garnem genotype explants had achieved the best responsive (89.12%) and Survived (90.62%) with minimum dead (0.00%) and maximum contaminated (9.37%). The shoot tips showed the highest responsive, Survived and dead% (100, 87.40 and12.59% respectively) and minimum significant contaminated (0.00%). Also, the explants differed greatly in their percentages of responsive, survived, dead and contaminated at the different collected dates.
The 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations used (3 to 5.0 mg/L-1) demonstrated a similar behavior in terms of in vitro proliferation, with rate of 3.77 to 6.11, 4.33 to 8.88 and 3.33 to 7.44 shoots per explant for Okinawa, Nemared and Garnem peach rootstocks respectively, indicating that the number of shoots is genotype dependent. Hence, 5.0 mg/l BAP in combination with 0.2 mg/L-1 IBA is recommended for shoot proliferation of peach rootstocks since this combination treatment produced the higher significant values of average shoot proliferation % (96.29%) as well as number of shoot per explant (7.48) and average Leaves number/explant (16.33) than the other treatments.
The economic commitment of climate change
Authors: Kotz Maximilian , Levermann Anders , Wenz Leonie
Published: September 2023

Global projections of macroeconomic climate-change damages typically consider impacts from average annual and national temperatures over long-time horizons. Here, we utilize recent empirical findings from more than 1600 regions worldwide over the past 40 years to project sub-national damages from temperature and precipitation including daily variability and extremes. Using an empirical approach which provides a robust lower-bound on the persistence of impacts on economic growth, we find that the world economy is committed to an income reduction of 19% within the next 26 years due to historical carbon emissions and socioeconomic inertia (relative to a baseline without climate impacts, likely range of 11-29% accounting for physical climate and empirical uncertainty). These damages already outweigh the mitigation costs required to limit global warming to two degrees by sixfold over this near-term timeframe, and thereafter diverge strongly dependent on emission choices. Committed damages arise predominantly through changes in average temperature, but accounting for further climatic components raises estimates by approximately fifty percent and leads to stronger regional heterogeneity. Committed losses are projected for all regions except those at very high latitudes, where reductions in temperature variability bring benefits. The largest losses are committed at lower latitudes in regions with lower cumulative historical emissions and lower present-day income.
Dynamic resistance exercise and clinical biomarkers in adults with metabolic syndrome: a protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Puerta-López Luisa Fernanda , Bedoya Edison Andrés Pérez
Published: September 2023

Background: metabolic syndrome (MetS) significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease up to 3 times.
Objective: to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the effects of dynamic resistance exercise that progressing to vigorous intensities, on the clinical biomarkers, cardiorespiratory fitness, quality of life and adverse events of adults with MetS.
Methods: randomized controlled trials of dynamic resistance exercise in adults with MetS will be included. Studies on nutritional will be excluded. Searches will run between August and September 2021 on PubMed, EBSCO, CENTRAL, Ovid, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Clinical Trials; also in gray literature repositories and manual searches. The assessment of risk of bias will be according to the Cochrane manual. Post-intervention mean differences will be used in the analyzes and a statistical significance of p <0.05 will be defined. The GRADE approach will be used to assess the certainty and strength of the evidence. AMSTAR1 will be applied to assess the methodological quality of this review.
Results: it is hoped that the findings of this study can be incorporated into the development and/or updating of clinical practice guidelines on MetS at a global level.
Conclusions: it will summarize the qualitative and quantitative evidence rigorously complying with the items of methodological quality and certainty of the evidence.
Other: no funding. PROSPERO register: CRD42021275758.
A GENDER INEQUALITY IN MOSQUE
Authors: Rosyid Moh , Kushidayati Lina
Published: September 2023

The mosque is a center of worship and a learning medium for Muslims. As a place of worship, according to the syariah there is no specific classification that mosques can only be dominated by one gender only. However, male dominance over the mosque as a religious public sphere occurred in the Baitussalam Kauman Mosque, Jekulo, Kudus, Central Java, Indonesia from 1923 until now. Therefore, this article seeks to analyze the factors of discrimination against females in using the mosque as a place of worship and other religious activities. Using an ethnographic approach, this article argues that discrimination against females has occurred since 1923. This happened at the same time as the establishment of the Pesantren Al-Qaumaniyah Islamic (only for male santri) and was followed by other pesantren around the mosque. The gender inequality discrimination argument relies on an unwritten rule that ideally females only pray in congregation at home. Furthermore, it is as if females are positioned as “trouble makers” because they are seen as disturbing the male congregation who are focusing on memorizing the al-Qur’an at the Baitussalam Mosque. This stereotype and discriminatory regulation is still perpetuated today under the pretext of respecting the old rules of the founders.
Current approaches to respiratory pathology in late preterm infants
Authors: Sarkisyan E. A. , Dumova S. V. , Volkova A. I. , Chugunova O. L. , Zhuravleva I. V. , Levchenko L. A. , Shabelnikova E. I. , Shumilov P. V.
Published: September 2023

Late preterm babies are those born between 340/7 and 366/7 weeks of gestation, constituting the largest subgroup of preterm infants. Despite the relative morphofunctional maturity, these children remain at a high risk of damage to various organs and systems, and there is also a high mortality rate. One of the top places in the structure of morbidity in late preterm is occupied by respiratory disorders. Quite often there is transient tachypnea, respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn, pulmonary hypertension, and congenital pneumonia. Currently, there are various approaches to prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of respiratory disorders in late preterm children. Until now, the issue of the advisability of prenatal prevention of respiratory distress syndrome with corticosteroids after the 34th week of gestation has not been resolved. Non-invasive methods of respiratory support are more popular along with minimally invasive administration of surfactant preparations when indicated. The trend towards an annual increase in late preterm births determines the need to improve the methods of their nursing. The control over respiratory disorders and hypoxia is crucial in the prevention of adverse outcomes in late preterm children.
Clinical adaptation and the state of innate and humoral im- munity of premature infants with extremely low body weight who received oropharyngeal administration of colostrum
Authors: Chistyakova G. N. , Remizova I. I. , Makhanek A. A. , Abakarova D. A. , Kadochnikova P. A. , Bychkova S. V. , Ustyuzhanin A. V. , Shakirova K. P.
Published: September 2023

Breast milk is the optimal food for premature infants. However, the serious condition of premature newborns requires a complex of primary resuscitation care in the maternity unit, which makes it impossible to carry out early attachment to the breast and start breastfeeding. Currently, the neonatal community is actively discussing the immune effects of an alternative method of oropharyngeal administration of colostrum on the child’s adaptation to extrauterine existence.

   Purpose. To assess the clinical outcomes, the state of the monocytic immunity, the production of sIgA in coprofiltrates in premature infants with extremely low body weight who received colostrum in the first hours of life.

   Material and methods. 39 premature infants with extremely low body weight who received oropharyngeal administration of colostrum were examined. The expression of CD14+CD282+, CD14+CD284+, CD14+HLA-DR, CD14+CD64+, CD14+CD11b+, CD14+CD11c+ monocytes and the phagocytic ability of mononuclear cells in blood serum were determined by laser flow cytometry. The secretory IgA concentration was assessed in coprofiltrates.

   Results. In premature infants who did not receive oropharyngeal colostrum, there was an increase in leukocyte phagocytosis, the level of monocyte expression, which was due to an increased infectious morbidity. Mucosal immunity of children who received colostrum was characterized by an increased concentration of secretory IgA.

   Conclusion. It was found that children who received oropharyngeal administration of colostrum have a faster correction of transient hypoglycemia after birth, a shorter duration of parenteral nutrition, greater body weight at the time of discharge, and a decrease in the incidence of infectious pathology.
Cognitive speech disorders in children with congenital heart defects aged 5–7 years
Authors: Rumiantseva А. А. , Igisheva L. N. , Kameneva V. А. , Shabaldin A. V.
Published: September 2023

Purpose. To found out expressive speech disorders as a sign of neurocognitive development delay in children with congenital heart defects before and after surgery.

   Material and methods: 216 children with congenital heart defects were divided into groups according to the presence (group 1, n = 71) and absence (group 2, n = 145) of family history confounding factors, and studied before surgery and in 1 and 2 years after definitive repair under cardiopulmonary bypass. The anamnesis, clinical and hemodynamic aspects were studied before and after surgery, mental status and expressive speech diagnostics were also performed.

   Results. The predictors of neurocognitive impairment in children with congenital heart defects before surgery were identified: the level of heart failure, comorbidity, burdened family history. 76.3 % of children had «average» level of neurocognitive development (more in group 2) in a year after surgical correction, while 23.6 % had «low» and «very low» level (more in group 1); there were general expressive speech disorders in 68 % children in group 1 and in 55 % in group 2 among all children. «High» level of neurocognitive development was recorded in 2 years (13.8 % among all children), while the number of children with general expressive speech disorders was approximately the same despite of positive dynamic of clinical and hemodynamic aspects.

   Conclusion. There are «low» levels of neurocognitive development and expressive speech disorders in children with congenital heart defects in long term postoperative period despite of clinical and hemodynamic normalization. It can predict significant risks and poor quality of life in the absence of timely correction.
Foreign bodies of the gastrointestinal tract in children: a retrospective analysis of medical cases
Authors: Samolygo I. S.
Published: September 2023

Foreign bodies of the gastrointestinal tract in children are a fairly common reason for seeking help in surgical departments.

   Purpose. The study aims at identifying dependencies between the type of foreign bodies, the tactics of their detection and removal in different age periods.

   Material and methods. Retrospective analysis of 100 case histories of patients with a diagnosis of «Foreign body of the gastrointestinal tract”; 64 boys included.

   Results. Preschool children were more often diagnosed with «Foreign body of the gastrointestinal tract.» The children rarely complained. The most commonly used diagnostic method is overview radiography, and the method of extracting a foreign body is endoscopy. The most frequent finds were coins. Magnetic balls and batteries led to injury of the organ where they were located.

   Conclusion. When contacting a medical and preventive institution in the first hours after swallowing the object, the risk of complications is minimal. If the foreign body is a magnetic ball, magnet, or battery, the presence of which is associated with high risks of complications, it is necessary to remove them from the body as soon as possible.
A case of successful treatment of an isolated tracheoesopha- geal fistula in a 2-month-old child
Authors: Bocharov R. V. , Pogorelko V. G. , Kozlov Yu. A.
Published: September 2023

Isolated tracheoesophageal fistula is a very rare malformation, which is a pathological communication between the walls of the esophagus and the trachea. The entry of food into the trachea causes severe obstructive and ventilatory disorders in infants. Surgical treatment of developmental anomalies includes open thoracic or transsternal access, which is traumatic, often complicated by pleurisy and mediastinitis in the postoperative period and long-term musculoskeletal deformities.

   Purpose. To demonstrate the effectiveness of minimally invasive surgery in the correction of this defect.

   Fibro-tracheo-bronchoscopy confirmed an isolated tracheoesophageal fistula in a 2-month-old child. Thoracoscopic intervention using 3 ports was chosen and performed as a surgical method of treatment. A large tracheoesophageal fistula, up to 10 mm, was found. The tracheal end of the fistula was sutured with 2 ligatures, tied and cut off. The defect in the wall of the esophagus was hermetically sutured. The postoperative period proceeded without complications. Enteral nutrition through the nipple started on the 10th day. Control examination after 1 and 6 months: the child has no anxiety; psychomotor development corresponds to age, on esophagoscopy the esophagus is freely passable, constrictions and defects were revealed .

   Conclusion. The high resolution and ergonomics of modern endoscopic equipment made it possible to visualize the malformation in an infant in detail, to separate pathological communication with minimal trauma and to avoid early and long-term complications.
Interdependence of the banking system development and the economic growth in the context of digitalization: Case study of Azerbaijan and its key trading partners
Authors: Tagiyeva Nigar , Babashirinova Esmira , Agabekova Gulnara , Damirov Yashar , Ismayilova Gulnara
Published: September 2023

When choosing a country as a trading partner, an important role is played by the speed, convenience, and reliability of banking services (this is primarily determined by the level of digitalization of banking activities), and the general level of economic growth of this country. The article analyzes the relationship between the efficiency of the banking system and the country’s economic growth under digitalization using the example of Azerbaijan and its key trading partners. Calculations were made using data for 2010–2021 based on World Bank, IMF, and UN statistics. Principal component analysis was used to identify the most relevant indicators that describe the stability of the banking system, the level of economic development of the country, and the level of digitalization; the method of structural modeling was used to identify functional relationships between the constructed synthetic generalizing indicators. Calculations showed that the development of the banking system is much more (almost seven times) influenced by the level of digitalization in the country than the level of economic growth (coefficients for synthetic generalizing indicators formed in the process of structural modeling are 0.29 and 0.04). Modeling proved that the focus of reforms aimed at increasing the level of digitalization in the country should be an increase in the number of electronic accounts, electronic payments, the share of the population using the Internet, growth of R&D expenditures, and innovation index.
Application of water resource economic management model in agricultural structure adjustment
Authors: Xiao Xinru , Su Yue
Published: September 2023

Taking the watershed of Nanchang city as an example, through extensive investigations, the socio-economic status, water environment status, and development status of the agricultural industry in the watershed of Nanchang city were evaluated, and the coupling relationship between industrial structure and water environment was analyzed. The dynamic simulation of agricultural industrial structure adjustment in the Nanchang city basin under the constraints of the water environment was carried out to provide scientific decision-making on water resource shortage and other issues in the Nanchang city basin and to effectively solve the problem of water resource shortage. The research results showed that under the constraints of Scheme 2, the growth rate of agricultural output was in a relatively good development process, which was 8.56% in the short term, 6.65% in the medium term, and 10.33% in the long term. It is necessary to conduct research on the agricultural industrial structure in Nanchang city, which is also conducive to the protection of the water environment.
Различия в событийно-связанных потенциалах при правильном и ошибочном восприятии эмоционально-окрашенных сцен
Authors: Гапченко Константин А.
Published: September 2023

Эмоциональная специфичность зрительных компонентов событийно-связанных потенциалов (ССПС) является предметом дискуссий на протяжении долгого времени. Целью данной работы является попытка установить различия, которые связаны с правильной или ошибочной оценкой эмоциональной валентности фотографических изображений сцен. Наша гипотеза состоит в том, что различия в характеристиках ССП при совершенной ошибке значительно отличаются от характеристик ССП при правильном ответе. В исследовании приняли участие 87 человек, обучающихся в университете (средний возраст 20,4 ± 2,6). Анамнез испытуемых не был отягощен неврологическими или психиатрическими заболеваниями, зрение нормальное или скорректированное до нормы. В качестве стимульного материала использовались 360 фотографических изображений сцен различной эмоциональной валентности (негативные, нейтральные и позитивные – в равном соотношении). Полученные данные с электроэнцефалографа были отсортированы и преобразованы для выделения вызванных потенциалов. Далее осуществлялись визуализация данных и сравнительный анализ. Результаты исследования демонстрируют различия в ССП при правильной и ошибочной идентификации эмоциональной валентности сцен. Возникающее расхождение фиксируется в достаточно широком временном окне 100–500 мс и локализуется в областях, связанных с анализом зрительных сцен. Новизна данной работы заключается в обнаруженных различиях в ССП при правильной и ошибочной идентификации эмоциональной валентности сценических изображений, а также попытке изучить природу возникающего рассогласования. Также в ходе обсуждения были рассмотрены литературные данные о механизмах различных видов рассогласований и предпринята попытка соотнести их с полученными нами результатами.
Growth Promoting Potential of Phosphate Solubilizing Enterobacter Cloaca and Enterobacter Hormaechei on Maize and Cowpea Seedlings
Authors: Agboola Adebanke A. , Ogunnusi Tolulope A. , Dayo-Olagbende Olufemi G. , Akpor Oghenerobor B.
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

Phosphorus plays a range of functions in the proper growth and development of plants. Numerous microbial species, including bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, and even algae have been found to play a crucial role in the solubilization of phosphate. This study was therefore aimed at exploring the growth-promoting potential of phosphate solubilizing Enterobacter species on maize and cowpea seedlings.

Methods:

Five strains that showed remarkable phosphate solubilization potential were used for the study. The bacterial isolates consist of three strains of Enterobacter cloaca and two strains of Enterobacter hormaechei. Growth promotion studies were carried out under laboratory conditions (in blotters) and green house (soil environment). In the blotter study, percent germination, germination index, germination time, germination rate, and vigor index were estimated, while shoot and root lengths, number of leaves, and wet weight were estimated in the greenhouse study.

Results:

In both seedlings, percent germination, germination index, and vigor index showed significantly higher values in seeds primed with the isolates than in the water-treated seeds (p≤ 0.05). Throughout the period of planting, the shoot and root lengths of the isolate-treated seedlings showed significantly higher values than the untreated control setups. This observation was irrespective of the maize and cowpea seedlings. In both seedlings, shoot and root lengths were directly proportional to days of growth. The bacterial strains showed significantly higher growth promoting potential on the seedlings.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the availability of these phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in the soil could enhance the growth of the seeds.
Translational Structure Map of SARS-CoV-2: A Clinical Analysis of its Origin
Authors: Aguado-Cortes Cesar , Santamaría-Holek Iván , M. Castaño Victor
Published: September 2023

Background:

SARS-CoV-2 was declared a global health emergency by WHO Emergency Committee based on growing case notification rates at Chinese and international locations. In this paper, we present an approach to understand the probable clinical origin of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods:

A combination of citation network analysis, analysis of Medical Heading Subject (MeSH) terms, and quantitative content analysis of scientific literature, was employed to map the organization of the clinical origin of SARS-CoV-2 in this paper.

Results:

According to the results of the study, a genome of the first 2019-nCoV strain in Hangzhou was obtained, and phylogenetic analysis showed the genome to be closest to the genome of a bat SARS-like coronavirus strain, RaTG13, with an identity of 96.11%.

Conclusion:

The studies show that the dead Malayan pangolins found close to the outbreak of COVID-19 in China may have carried coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2.
Chromosome 20
Authors: Hariharan Harini , Mitra Abhishek , Panicker Saurav , Ramalingam Satish
Published: September 2023

Over the years, many scientists and doctors have been treating the deadly
disease of cancer but are not able to find a permanent treatment for this disease. Also,
sometimes it becomes very difficult to understand the mechanisms and causes of
cancer as it is a very complex disease that involves many biological processes. Due to
the redundancy in our biological system, cancer progression becomes very easy, thus
making it difficult to cure. To find the root cause of this disease, we should know what
genetic alterations are undergoing, which is causing cancer to progress, and know who
is participating in these alterations, like proteins, signaling pathways, or genes. Cancer
is caused due to various reasons; it can be due to genetics but mostly due to
carcinogens, causing mutations in the genes, thereby making them an oncogene. The
Proto-oncogenes are those genes that usually assist the growth of tumor cells. The
alteration, mutation, or increased copy number of a particular gene may turn into a
proto-oncogene which could end up completely activated or turned on. Many Tumor causing alterations or mutations related to oncogenes are usually acquired and not
inherited. These tumor-causing mutations often actuate oncogenes via chromosomal
rearrangement, or alterations in the chromosome, which sequestrates one gene after
another, thereby permitting the first gene to prompt the alternative. Search which genes
are involved in different cancer types would help scientists proceed with new methods
for finding a cure for this disease. This article will depict which genes and their
location on which chromosomes, specifically on chromosome 20, are related to
different types of cancer.
Item analysis of reading comprehension questions for English proficiency test using Rasch model
Authors: Dewi Henda Harmantia , Damio Siti Maftuhah , Sukarno Sukarno
Published: September 2023

The need to take English as a foreign language proficiency test (known as TOEFL [Test of English Language Proficiency]) has been gaining popularity in Indonesia. The increasing demands for such a test and its expensive cost have reinforced many institutions to develop TOEFL instruments and administer the test internally. However, constructing a test instrument is a complex process that makes conducting item analysis become more challenging. Meanwhile, item analysis is crucial to assess the items’ quality. Therefore, this study reported the results of statistically analyzing 20 questions of TOEFL reading comprehension that were analyzed in terms of the test reliability, the item and person fit, and the items’ difficulty level. Thirty-eight members of the English Department Students’ Association of a state university in West Java participated in this study by taking the reading test. The data were analyzed using the Rasch model by utilizing the Quest program. The results showed that four items (36.8%) did not fulfill the ideal criteria of a valid test because they were too easy and too difficult to be given to the target test takers; thus, they needed to be discarded. Meanwhile, 16 items (63.2%) are of good quality and can be used immediately in the proficiency test, especially to measure reading comprehension skills, because they have fulfilled the standard requirements for a valid test. The findings have provided insight into the importance of item analysis in validating test instruments to improve the test quality for future administrations.
Challenges Encountered by Teachers in the Implementation of Quality Assurance Measures
Authors: Rui Luo
Published: September 2023

The study investigated the challenges encountered by teachers in the implementation of quality assurance measures. The research designed for the study was a survey method. The sample for this study was fifty-two people who are faculty members of the School of General Studies in Xianning Vocational and Technical College. A semi-structured interview and a structured questionnaire were used for data collection in the study. The reliability of the instrument was determined by testing and retesting. The data were analyzed using frequency counting and simple percentage. The result of the study showed: inadequate understanding of learning conditions, insufficient participation in the formulation of quality assurance policies, inadequate educational quality assurance training, imperfect teacher performance appraisal system, inadequate funding support for online teaching activities (during the pandemic) and a shortage of having the qualification certificate of the related profession are the challenges encountered by teachers in the implementation of quality assurance measures in Xianning Vocational and Technical College.
Методы подавления вибраций при роботизированной обработке
Authors: Шварц А.И. , Миронов Д.Н. , Вартанов М.В.
Published: September 2023

Приведен обзор методов подавления вибраций при роботизированной обработке. Представлены исследования, проводимые в Московском политехническом университете в области роботизированной отделочной обработки.
Grundy number of corona product of some graphs
Authors: Stella Maragatham R. , Subramanian A.
Published: September 2023

The Grundy number of a graph G is the maximum number k of colors used to color the vertices of G such that the coloring is proper and every vertex u colored with color i, 1 ≤ i ≤ k, is adjacent to i – 1 vertices colored with each color j, 1 ≤ j ≤ i − 1. In this paper we obtain the Grundy number of corona product of some graphs, denoted by G ◦ H. First, we consider the graph G be 2-regular graph and H be a cycle, complete bipartite, ladder graph and fan graph. Also we consider the graph G and H be a complete bipartite graphs, fan graphs.