bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimizing exercise intensity in training programs to prevent bone loss in elderly
Authors: Γιαρματζής Γεώργιος
Published: January 2022

Ο κύριος στόχος της έρευνας ήταν η μελέτη της αποτελεσματικότητας ενός δυνητικά ‘οστεγενετικού’ προγράμματος άσκησης για ηλικιωμένους, σε συνάρτηση της μέγιστης μηχανικής επιβάρυνσης και της ακόλουθης συνέπειας της στην οστική δομή, με σκοπό την αντιμετώπιση της οστεοπόρωσης της άρθρωσης του ισχίου. Αυτός κατέστη δυνατός κυρίως μέσω της λεπτομερής εμβιομηχανικής ανάλυσης συνηθισμένων αθλητικών δραστηριοτήτων (βάδιση, ασκήσεις με αντιστάσεις κ.α.) μέσω καταγραφής και ανάλυσης κίνησης με τη βοήθεια ανεπτυγμένων οπτικών συστημάτων, χρήσης λογισμικού μυοσκελετικής προσομοίωσης (Opensim) και ανάλυσης απειροστικού λογισμού (FEM) για τον υπολογισμό τοπικών τάσεων – παραμορφώσεων, ειδικά στη περιοχή του αυχένα του μηριαίου οστού. Τελικά, οι διάφορες ασκήσεις κατηγοριοποιήθηκαν σε σχέση με τη μηχανική επιβάρυνση που επιφέρουν στον αυχένα το μηριαίου οστού και στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της άρθρωσης του ισχίου. Αυτή η γνώση μπορεί να οδηγήσει στη βελτιστοποίηση των προγραμμάτων άσκησης για τη καταπολέμηση της οστεοπόρωσης σε ηλικιωμένους πληθυσμούς.
Autonomic and endocrine accompaniments of quantitative-qualitative blood pressure clusters in patients of Truskavets’ spa
Authors: Kozyavkina Nataliya , Voronych-Semchenko Nataliya , Vovchyna Yuliya , Zukow Walery , Popovych Igor
Published: January 2022

Background. Earlier we showed that profile patients of Truskavets’ spa are characterized by a wide range of blood pressure (BP) - from low norm to arterial hypertension III that correspond to the hemodynamics parameters. The purpose of this study is to clarify the autonomic and endocrine accompaniments of quantitative-qualitative BP clusters in the same contingent. Materials and methods. Under an observations were 44 patients with chronic pyelonephritis and cholecystitis in the phase of remission. Testing was performed twice - on admission and after 7-10 days of standard balneotherapy. The main object of the study was BP (tonometer “Omron M4-I”, Netherlands). The parameters of HRV ("CardioLab+HRV", Ukraine), plasma levels of Cortisol, Aldosterone, Testosterone, Triiodothyronine and Calcitonin (ELISA) as well as Ca-P marker of parathyroid hormone were determined. Results. In order to identify among the registered parameters, those for which the BP clusters differ from each other, a discriminant analysis was performed. The program forward stepwise included in the discriminant model 29 parameters. The most informative among them are HRV-markers of sympathetic tone and sympathetic-vagal balance as well as testosterone and cortisol, whose levels are maximal in patients with hypertension II, while minimal in patients with low norm BP, on the one hand, and markers of vagal tone and Kerdoe vegetative index, the levels of which are polar, on the other hand. The accuracy of patient classification is 98,9%. Conclusion. Autonomic and endocrine accompaniments of quantitative-qualitative blood pressure clusters corresponding to the existing ideas about the regulation of blood pressure.
Similar neuroendocrine and metabolic effects of sulfate-chloride sodium-magnesium mineral waters "Myroslava" and "Khrystyna" of Truskavets’ spa in healthy female rats
Authors: Hrytsak Myroslava , Popovych Daria , Badiuk Nataliya , Hrytsan Ivanna , Zukow Walery
Published: January 2022

Background. In order to expand the hydro-mineral base of Truskavets’ spa by diluting brine (130 g/L), two new sulphate-chloride sodium-magnesium mineral waters "Myroslava" (5 g/L) and "Khrystyna" (10 g/L) were created. This report is the first in a series of experimental studies of their physiological activity in line with the concepts of neuroendocrine-immune complex and functional-metabolic continuum. Materials and Methods. Experiment was performed on 50 healthy female Wistar rats 220-300 g divided into 4 groups. Animals of the first group remained intact, using tap water from drinking ad libitum. Rats of the control group for 6 days administered a single tap water through the tube at a dose of 1,5 mL/100 g of body mass. The rats of the main groups received the water "Myroslava" and "Khrystyna". The day after the completion of the drinking course in all rats assessed the state of autonomous regulation by parameters of the HRV. The plasma levels of the hormones of adaptation were determined: corticosterone, triiodothyronine and testosterone (by the ELISA); as well as electrolytes, nitric metabolites, lipid peroxidation products and antioxidant enzymes as well as cholesterol, glucose, amylase and middle mass molecules. Most of the listed parameters of metabolism as well as 17-ketosteroids were determined in daily urine. In the adrenal glands the thickness of glomerular, fascicular, reticular and medullar zones was measured. Results. To identify exactly those parameters, the set of which three groups of animals differ significantly from each other, the information field of the registered parameters was subjected to discriminant analysis. The program included in the model 6 endocrine and 11 metabolic parameters, as well as glomerular filtration. Conclusion. The newly created sulfate-chloride sodium-magnesium drinking mineral waters of Truskavets’ spa have similar neuroendocrine and metabolic effects on healthy old female rats significantly different from daily water.
Product Ranking on Online Platforms
Authors: Derakhshan Mahsa , Golrezaei Negin , Manshadi Vahideh , Mirrokni Vahab
Published: January 2022

On online platforms, consumers face an abundance of options that are displayed in the form of a position ranking. Only products placed in the first few positions are readily accessible to the consumer, and she needs to exert effort to access more options. For such platforms, we develop a two-stage sequential search model where, in the first stage, the consumer sequentially screens positions to observe the preference weight of the products placed in them and forms a consideration set. In the second stage, she observes the additional idiosyncratic utility that she can derive from each product and chooses the highest-utility product within her consideration set. For this model, we first characterize the optimal sequential search policy of a welfare-maximizing consumer. We then study how platforms with different objectives should rank products. We focus on two objectives: (i) maximizing the platform’s market share and (ii) maximizing the consumer’s welfare. Somewhat surprisingly, we show that ranking products in decreasing order of their preference weights does not necessarily maximize market share or consumer welfare. Such a ranking may shorten the consumer’s consideration set due to the externality effect of high-positioned products on low-positioned ones, leading to insufficient screening. We then show that both problems—maximizing market share and maximizing consumer welfare—are NP-complete. We develop novel near-optimal polynomial-time ranking algorithms for each objective. Further, we show that, even though ranking products in decreasing order of their preference weights is suboptimal, such a ranking enjoys strong performance guarantees for both objectives. We complement our theoretical developments with numerical studies using synthetic data, in which we show (1) that heuristic versions of our algorithms that do not rely on model primitives perform well and (2) that our model can be effectively estimated using a maximum likelihood estimator.

This paper was accepted by Gabriel Weintraub, revenue management and market analytics.
The Important Role of Time Limits When Consumers Choose Their Time in Service
Authors: Feldman Pnina , Segev Ella
Published: January 2022

A main challenge that service providers face when managing service systems is how to generate value and regulate congestion at the same time. To this end, classical queueing models suggest managers charge per-use fees and invest in capacity to speed up the service. However, in discretionary services, in which consumers value time in service and choose how long to stay, per-use fees result in suboptimal performance and speeding up does not apply. We study a queueing model of a service provider and rational consumers who are heterogenous in their requirements for service duration. Consumers incur disutility from waiting and choose whether to join and how long to spend in service. We consider time limits as a novel mechanism that may help in controlling congestion. Time limits put a cap on the maximum time that customers can spend in service. We analyze their effectiveness when combined with two price schemes: per-use fees and price rates. Time limits are effective because they reduce time in service and impact waiting times and joining behavior. Revenue maximizing firms and social planners who maximize social welfare benefit from implementing time limits in addition to price rates. Social planners who seek to maximize consumer welfare, however, focus on regulating congestion and should, therefore, offer the service for free but implement time limits if congestion levels are high. The attractiveness of time limits goes further. We show that time limits are not only a useful lever that works well when combined with simple price mechanisms, but they are in fact optimal when congestion is high. Service providers can achieve the first-best outcome and extract all customer surplus by coupling a time limit with an optimal price mechanism. The attractiveness of time limits stems from their ability to reduce not only the average time spent in service, but also its variance. This is highly effective in settings in which customers’ service times impose externalities on others’ waiting times. Thus, we conclude that providers of discretionary services should set time limits when congestion is an issue.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.
Semantic Based Weighted Web Session Clustering Using Adapted K-Means and Hierarchical Agglomerative Algorithms
Authors: HK Sowmya , Anandhi R. J.
Published: January 2022

The WWW has a big number of pages and URLs that supply the user with a great amount of content. In an intensifying epoch of information, analysing users browsing behaviour is a significant affair. Web usage mining techniques are applied to the web server log to analyse the user behaviour. Identification of user sessions is one of the key and demanding tasks in the pre-processing stage of web usage mining. This paper emphasizes on two important fallouts with the approaches used in the existing session identification methods such as Time based and Referrer based sessionization. The first is dealing with comparing of current request’s referrer field with the URL of previous request. The second is dealing with session creation, new sessions are created or comes in to one session due to threshold value of page stay time and session time. So, authors developed enhanced semantic distance based session identification algorithm that tackles above mentioned issues of traditional session identification methods. The enhanced semantic based method has an accuracy of 84 percent, which is higher than the Time based and Time-Referrer based session identification approaches. The authors also used adapted K-Means and Hierarchical Agglomerative clustering algorithms to improve the prediction of user browsing patterns. Clusters were found using a weighted dissimilarity matrix, which is calculated using two key parameters: page weight and session weight. The Dunn Index and Davies-Bouldin Index are then used to evaluate the clusters. Experimental results shows that more pure and accurate session clusters are formed when adapted clustering algorithms are applied on the weighted sessions rather than the session obtained from traditional sessionization algorithms. Accuracy of the semantic session cluster is higher compared with the cluster of sessions obtained using traditional sessionization.
Burrowing crabs and physical factors hasten marsh recovery at panne edges
Authors: Beheshti Kathryn , Endris Charlie , Goodwin Peter , Pavlak Annabelle , Wasson Kerstin
Published: January 2022

Salt marsh loss is projected to increase as sea-level rise accelerates with global climate change. Salt marsh loss occurs along both lateral creek and channel edges and in the marsh interior, when pannes expand and coalesce. Often, edge loss is attributed to erosive processes whereas dieback in the marsh interior is linked to excessive inundation or deposition of wrack, but remains poorly understood. We conducted a two-year field investigation in a central California estuary to identify key factors associated with panne contraction or expansion. Our study explored how an abundant burrowing crab, shown to have strong negative effects on marsh biomass near creek edges, affects panne dynamics. We also explored which physical panne attributes best predicted their dynamics. To our knowledge, ours is the first study of panne dynamics in a California marsh, despite how ubiquitous pannes are as a feature of marshes in the region and how often extensive marsh dieback occurs via panne expansion. Overall, we found that pannes contracted during the study period, but with variable rates of marsh recovery across pannes. Our model incorporating both physical and biological factors explained 86% of the variation in panne contraction. The model revealed a positive effect of crab activity, sediment accretion, and a composite of depth and elevation on panne contraction, and a negative effect of panne size and distance to nearest panne. The positive crab effects detected in pannes contrast with negative effects we detected near creek edges in a previous study, highlighting the context-dependence of top-down and bioturbation effects in marshes. As global change continues and the magnitude and frequency of disturbances increases, understanding the dynamics of marsh loss in the marsh interior as well as creek banks will be critical for the management of these coastal habitats.
Motility phenotype in a zebrafish vmat2 mutant
Authors: Sveinsdóttir Hildur Sóley , Decker Amanda , Christensen Christian , Lucena Pablo Botella , Þorsteinsson Haraldur , Richert Elena , Maier Valerie Helene , Cornell Robert , Karlsson Karl Ægir
Published: January 2022

In the present study, we characterize a novel zebrafish mutant ofsolute carrier 18A2(slc18a2), also known asvesicular monoamine transporter 2(vmat2), that exhibits a behavioural phenotype partially consistent with human Parkinson´s disease. At six days-post-fertilization, behaviour was analysed and demonstrated thatvmat2homozygous mutant larvae, relative to wild types, show changes in motility in a photomotor assay, altered sleep parameters, and reduced dopamine cell number. Following an abrupt lights-off stimulus mutant larvae initiate larger movements but subsequently inhibit them to a lesser extent in comparison to wild-type larvae. Conversely, during a lights-on period, the mutant larvae are hypomotile. Thigmotaxis, a preference to avoid the centre of a behavioural arena, was increased in homozygotes over heterozygotes and wild types, as was daytime sleep ratio. Furthermore, incubating mutant larvae in pramipexole or L-Dopa partially rescued the motor phenotypes, as did injecting glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) into their brains. This novelvmat2model represents a tool for high throughput pharmaceutical screens for novel therapeutics, in particular those that increase monoamine transport, and for studies of the function of monoamine transporters.
The role and importance of perceived risk in medical tourism. Applying the theory of planned behaviour
Authors: Boguszewicz-Kreft Monika , Kuczamer-Kłopotowska Sylwia , Kozłowski Arkadiusz
Published: January 2022

The main aim of the study was to investigate the role and importance of perceived risk in medical tourism (MT). The research demonstrates that the country of origin and an assessment of the respondents’ own health condition significantly moderates the impact of their attitudes on behavioral intention. The research shows a strong correlation between the risk perceived by the respondents and their attitudes towards MT services. This relationship is significantly moderated by risk awareness, aversion to risk and gender. Additionally, an important factor in the model is the level of satisfaction with medical services in their own country. The survey using a fully structured questionnaire was conducted among young consumers from Jordan, Poland and Turkey. To verify the hypotheses, a multiple regression model with interactions was used.
Development of the simulation-based German albuminuria screening model (S-GASM) for estimating the cost-effectiveness of albuminuria screening in Germany
Authors: Kairys Paul , Frese Thomas , Voigt Paul , Horn Johannes , Girndt Matthias , Mikolajczyk Rafael
Published: January 2022

Background

Chronic kidney disease is often asymptomatic in its early stages but constitutes a severe burden for patients and causes major healthcare systems costs worldwide. While models for assessing the cost-effectiveness of screening were proposed in the past, they often presented only a limited view. This study aimed to develop a simulation-based German Albuminuria Screening Model (S-GASM) and present some initial applications.

Methods

The model consists of an individual-based simulation of disease progression, considering age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, albuminuria, glomerular filtration rate, and quality of life, furthermore, costs of testing, therapy, and renal replacement therapy with parameters based on published evidence. Selected screening scenarios were compared in a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Results

Compared to no testing, a simulation of 10 million individuals with a current age distribution of the adult German population and a follow-up until death or the age of 90 shows that a testing of all individuals with diabetes every two years leads to a reduction of the lifetime prevalence of renal replacement therapy from 2.5% to 2.3%. The undiscounted costs of this intervention would be 1164.10 € / QALY (quality-adjusted life year). Considering saved costs for renal replacement therapy, the overall undiscounted costs would be—12581.95 € / QALY. Testing all individuals with diabetes or hypertension and screening the general population reduced the lifetime prevalence even further (to 2.2% and 1.8%, respectively). Both scenarios were cost-saving (undiscounted, - 7127.10 €/QALY and—5439.23 €/QALY).

Conclusions

The S-GASM can be used for the comparison of various albuminuria testing strategies. The exemplary analysis demonstrates cost savings through albuminuria testing for individuals with diabetes, diabetes or hypertension, and for population-wide screening.
Improved biomechanics in experimental chronic rotator cuff repair after shockwaves is not reflected by bone microarchitecture
Authors: Feichtinger Xaver , Heimel Patrick , Tangl Stefan , Keibl Claudia , Nürnberger Sylvia , Schanda Jakob Emanuel , Hercher David , Kocijan Roland , Redl Heinz , Grillari Johannes , Fialka Christian , Mittermayr Rainer
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on bone microstructure as well as the bone-tendon-interface and the musculo-tendinous transition zone to explain the previously shown improved biomechanics in a degenerative rotator cuff tear animal model. This study hypothesized that biomechanical improvements related to ESWT are a result of improved bone microstructure and muscle tendon properties.

Methods

In this controlled laboratory study unilateral supraspinatus (SSP) tendon detachment was performed in 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats. After a degeneration period of three weeks, SSP tendon was reconstructed transosseously. Rats were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 16 per group): control (noSW); intraoperative shockwave treatment (IntraSW); intra- and postoperative shockwave treatment (IntraPostSW). Eight weeks after SSP repair, all rats were sacrificed and underwent bone microstructure analysis as well as histological and immunohistochemical analyses.

Results

With exception of cortical porosity at the tendon area, bone microstructure analyses revealed no significant differences between the three study groups regarding cortical and trabecular bone parameters. Cortical Porosity at the Tendon Area was lowest in the IntraPostSW (p≤0.05) group. Histological analyses showed well-regenerated muscle and tendon structures in all groups. Immunohistochemistry detected augmented angiogenesis at the musculo-tendinous transition zone in both shockwave groups indicated by CD31 positive stained blood vessels.

Conclusion

In conclusion, bone microarchitecture changes are not responsible for previously described improved biomechanical results after shockwave treatment in rotator cuff repair in rodents. Immunohistochemical analysis showed neovascularization at the musculo-tendinous transition zone within ESWT-treated animals. Further studies focusing on neovascularization at the musculo-tendinous transition zone are necessary to explain the enhanced biomechanical and functional properties observed previously.

Clinical relevance

In patients treated with a double-row SSP tendon repair, an improvement in healing through ESWT, especially in this area, could prevent a failure of the medial row, which is considered a constantly observed tear pattern.
Evaluation of nocturnal vs. morning measures of heart rate indices in young athletes
Authors: Mishica Christina , Kyröläinen Heikki , Hynynen Esa , Nummela Ari , Holmberg Hans-Christer , Linnamo Vesa
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability in young endurance athletes during nocturnal sleep and in the morning; and to assess whether changes in these values are associated with changes in submaximal running (SRT) and counter-movement jump (CMJ) performance.

Methods

During a three-week period of similar training, eleven athletes (16 ± 1 years) determined daily HR and heart rate variability (RMSSD) during sleep utilizing a ballistocardiographic device (Emfit QS), as well as in the morning with a HR monitor (Polar V800). Aerobic fitness and power production were assessed employing SRT and CMJ test.

Results

Comparison of the average values for week 1 and week 3 revealed no significant differences with respect to nocturnal RMSSD (6.8%, P = 0.344), morning RMSSD (13.4%, P = 0.151), morning HR (-3.9 bpm, P = 0.063), SRT HR (-0.7 bpm, P = 0.447), SRT blood lactate (4.9%, P = 0.781), CMJ (-4.2%, P = 0.122) or training volume (16%, P = 0.499). There was a strong correlation between morning and nocturnal HRs during week 1 (r = 0.800, P = 0.003) and week 3 (r = 0.815, P = 0.002), as well as between morning and nocturnal RMSSD values (for week 1, r = 0.895, P<0.001 and week 3, r = 0.878, P = 0.001).

Conclusion

This study concluded that HR and RMSSD obtained during nocturnal sleep and in the morning did not differ significantly. In addition, weekly changes in training and performance were small indicating that fitness was similar throughout the 3-week period of observation. Consequently, daily measurement of HR indices during nocturnal sleep provide a potential tool for long-term monitoring of young endurance athletes.
What determines the progress of online information access to banking corporate governance practices? The case of Paraguay
Authors: Ovelar-Fernández Walter Daniel , Gálvez-Rodríguez María del Mar , Caba-Pérez Carmen
Published: January 2022

This paper contributes to the lack of longitudinal studies concerning online information access to corporate governance (CG) practices in the banking sector of Latin American countries. In particular, this study aims to analyze the factors that influence information transparency, both mandatory and voluntary, related to CG practices of banks that operate in Paraguay via their websites from 2016 to 2019. Findings indicate the need to improve the level of information available on websites, with disclosure of voluntary information on CG practices being more prevalent than the disclosure of mandatory information. Likewise, banks that operate in Paraguay have made scant “progress” regarding online access to their governance information over the years analyzed. Moreover, the factors “Bank size” and “listed status” positively influence the information transparency regarding CG practices of Paraguayan banks. In contrast, “leverage,” “liquidity,” “size of the audit firm,” and “credit risk rating” are factors that have a negative relation with the extent of CG disclosure.
One, Dyad, Same and Diverse. On Plutarch’s An. Procr. 24 (Cherniss)
Authors: Delle Donne Carlo
Published: January 2022

This paper deals with chapter 24 from Plutarch’s An. Procr. This piece of text is extremely complex and philosophically rich, but it might seem to be obscure and inconsistent, on the face of it. My purpose is to claim Plutarch’s overall consistency, by showing his ability to combine heterogeneous pieces of philosophy within the unitarian framework of Plato’s philosophy.
Plu., An seni 784C-D: Textual and Exegetical Problems
Authors: Gaudiano Francesca
Published: January 2022

The aim of this article is to reflect on the different exegetical possibilities of An seni 784C-D through the analysis of the history of modern translations and critical editions. At the end of the paper, an interpretative hypothesis and a textual comment to An Seni 784C-D are given.
Wonder and the Divine. The Eternal Chain in Plutarch’s, De E apud Delphos 384D-385D
Authors: Van der Wiel Laurens
Published: January 2022

The first two introductory chapters of De E apud Delphos are confusing from a chronological point of view. A close reading and detailed analysis, however, reveals that Plutarch hid a chain throughout this part of the text, by means of thematic and verbal connections. This chain highlights that every mystery related to Apollo raises wonder about the god that leads to philosophical discussions. These discussions never result in a full answer, but lead to a new mystery related to the god that will elicit new discussions. This not only shows that recent scholarship is correct in claiming that Ammonius’ lengthy reply at the end of De E is not the eventual solution to the meaning of the E, but also clarifies Sarapion’s precise function as Plutarch’s dedicatee.
A figura do “(novo) filantropismo empresarial” na “(nova) narrativa” do currículo da escola pública
Authors: Damião Maria Helena
Published: January 2022

Na “narrativa global” da educação escolar destaca­‑se a figura do “novo filantropismo empresarial”, tanto na conceção como no desenvolvimento do currículo. No presente artigo dá­‑se a conhecer a presença desta figura em orientações supranacionais e, com base em análises recentes, aflora­‑se a discussão das atribuições educativas do Estado.
A Sociedade do Conhecimento e os sentidos da inovação pedagógica no ensino superior
Authors: Vieira Ismael , Silva Ana Filipa
Published: January 2022

O fenómeno da globalização e da mercantilização do conhecimento, potencializado pelas novas tecno­logias da informação e da comuni­cação projetou no campo educativo o termo da inovação pedagógica como um objetivo a atingir para acelerar o ajustamento da educação às necessidades do mercado de trabalho. Porém os sentidos atri­buídos à inovação pedagógica são polissémicos e por vezes pouco consensuais.Neste sentido, este artigo visa fazer uma análise histórica sobre a emer­gência da sociedade do conheci­mento, na segunda metade do século XX, e a sua relação com a inovação pedagógica no ensino superior, identificando os sentidos que esta inovação no campo pedagó­gico tem tomado nas últimas déca­das. Utilizaremos para tal uma abordagem metodológica de tipo qualitativo, baseada na pesquisa e análise documental.
Neste sentido, este artigo visa fazer uma análise histórica sobre a emergência da sociedade do conhecimento, na segunda metade do século XX, e a sua relação com a inovação pedagógica no ensino superior, identificando os sentidos que esta inovação no campo pedagógico tem tomado nas últimas décadas. Utilizaremos para tal uma abordagem metodológica de tipo qualitativo, baseada na pesquisa e análise documental.
Curricular policies and flexibility – anathemas and beliefs
Authors: Roldão Maria do Céu
Published: January 2022

This paper discusses some issues and concepts within the current curriculum debate in both a diachronic and international perspective. Recent curriculum changes have been mostly determined by massification of student bodies, bringing into the school system a  variety of social and cultural backgrounds. From the point of view of this analysis, the concept of flexibility is critical in this discussion as it explains the long‑term change of policies from 1990 on, with respect to levels of curriculum decision, namely the articulation between national level responsible for establishing the common core, and local level responsible for adapting curriculum to micro-social contexts. The author refers to this dialectic as curriculum binomial. Contributions from both curriculum research and international macro‑policies are mobilized, in order to clarify the response in our time to the classic curriculum question; What is worth to learn – and therefore to teach – in formal educational systems, so that they may meet the needs of our time, and why? In line with this problematization, we propose an analysis of Portuguese curriculum changes after the implementation of school massification (after the 1960s) and synthesize key‑concepts in international recommendations. Finally, we discuss some implications of this process for teachers and schools.
Algumas palavras (mais) a respeito de púcaros e outras louças de beber de Coimbra (séculos XV e XVI)
Authors: Costeira da Silva Ricardo
Published: January 2022

Em 1921 a Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra editava, em formato monográfico, duas obras incontornáveis para o estudo da cerâmica de época Moderna em Portugal. Algumas palavras a respeito de púcaros de Portugal de Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcellos e A cerâmica coimbrã no século XVI de Joaquim Martins Teixeira de Carvalho reúnem as primeiras referências documentais à produção cerâmica, desde então, repetidamente citadas nos ensaios dedicados a esta temática.Assinalando os 100 anos destas edições, apresenta-se uma síntese dedicada aos serviços de mesa destinados ao consumo de líquidos ou louças de beber (sobretudo água) em Coimbra durante o século XV e XVI, tendo por base a colecção exumada em escavações arqueológicas realizadas no antigo paço episcopal de Coimbra. Estabelece-se o quadro evolutivo morfo-tipológico regional destas produções que assumem um franco dinamismo a partir dos meados do século XVI.
Zero Initialized Active Learning with Spectral Clustering using Hungarian Method
Authors: Papp Dávid
Published: January 2022

Supervised machine learning tasks often require a large number of labeled training data to set up a model, and then prediction - for example the classification - is carried out based on this model. Nowadays tremendous amount of data is available on the web or in data warehouses, although only a portion of those data is annotated and the labeling process can be tedious, expensive and time consuming. Active learning tries to overcome this problem by reducing the labeling cost through allowing the learning system to iteratively select the data from which it learns. In special case of active learning, the process starts from zero initialized scenario, where the labeled training dataset is empty, and therefore only unsupervised methods can be performed. In this paper a novel query strategy framework is presented for this problem, called Clustering Based Balanced Sampling Framework (CBBSF), which is not only select the initial labeled training dataset, but uniformly selects the items among the categories to get a balanced labeled training dataset. The framework includes an assignment technique to implicitly determine the class membership probabilities. Assignment solution is updated during CBBSF iterations, hence it simulates supervised machine learning more accurately as the process progresses. The proposed Spectral Clustering Based Sampling (SCBS) query startegy realizes the CBBSF framework, and therefore it is applicable in the special zero initialized situation. This selection approach uses ClusterGAN (Clustering using Generative Adversarial Networks) integrated in the spectral clustering algorithm and then it selects an unlabeled instance depending on the class membership probabilities. Global and local versions of SCBS were developed, furthermore, most confident and minimal entropy measures were calculated, thus four different SCBS variants were examined in total. Experimental evaluation was conducted on the MNIST dataset, and the results showed that SCBS outperforms the state-of-the-art zero initialized active learning query strategies.
Speech De-identification with Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Fodor Ádám , Kopácsi László , Milacski Zoltán Ádám , Lőrincz András
Published: January 2022

Cloud-based speech services are powerful practical tools but the privacy of the speakers raises important legal concerns when exposed to the Internet. We propose a deep neural network solution that removes personal characteristics from human speech by converting it to the voice of a Text-to-Speech (TTS) system before sending the utterance to the cloud. The network learns to transcode sequences of vocoder parameters, delta and delta-delta features of human speech to those of the TTS engine. We evaluated several TTS systems, vocoders and audio alignment techniques. We measured the performance of our method by (i) comparing the result of speech recognition on the de-identified utterances with the original texts, (ii) computing the Mel-Cepstral Distortion of the aligned TTS and the transcoded sequences, and (iii) questioning human participants in A-not-B, 2AFC and 6AFC tasks. Our approach achieves the level required by diverse applications.
Access Control of EHR Records in a Heterogeneous Cloud Infrastructure
Authors: Szabó Zoltán , Bilicki Vilmos
Published: January 2022

Since the advent of smartphones, IoT and cloud computing, we have seen an industry-wide requirement to integrate different healthcare applications with each other and with the cloud, connecting multiple institutions or even countries. But despite these trends, the domain of access control and security of sensitive healthcare data still raises a serious challenge for multiple developers and lacks the necessary definitions to create a general security framework addressing these issues. Taking into account newer, more special cases, such as the popular heterogeneous infrastructures with a combination of public and private clouds, fog computing, Internet of Things, the area becomes more and more complicated. In this paper we will introduce a categorization of these required policies, describe an infrastructure as a possible solution to these security challenges, and finally evaluate it with a set of policies based on real-world requirements.
Updates on Age to Start and Stop Colorectal Cancer Screening: Recommendations From the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Patel Swati G. , May Folasade P. , Anderson Joseph C. , Burke Carol A. , Dominitz Jason A. , Gross Seth A. , Jacobson Brian C. , Shaukat Aasma , Robertson Douglas J.
Published: January 2022

This document is a focused update to the 2017 colorectal cancer (CRC) screening recommendations from the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, which represents the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. This update is restricted to addressing the age to start and stop CRC screening in average-risk individuals and the recommended screening modalities. Although there is no literature demonstrating that CRC screening in individuals under age 50 improves health outcomes such as CRC incidence or CRC-related mortality, sufficient data support the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force to suggest average-risk CRC screening begin at age 45. This recommendation is based on the increasing disease burden among individuals under age 50, emerging data that the prevalence of advanced colorectal neoplasia in individuals ages 45 to 49 approaches rates in individuals 50 to 59, and modeling studies that demonstrate the benefits of screening outweigh the potential harms and costs. For individuals ages 76 to 85, the decision to start or continue screening should be individualized and based on prior screening history, life expectancy, CRC risk, and personal preference. Screening is not recommended after age 85.
Continuing Medical Education Questions: January 2022
Authors: Shafi Mehnaz A.
Published: January 2022

Article Title: ACG Clinical Guideline: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Gerakan Protes Digital Para Suporter Sleman
Authors: Arianto Bambang
Published: January 2022

Artikel ini mengelaborasi gerakan protes secara digital yang dilakukan para suporter Sleman dengan memanfaatkan media sosial terhadap penangkapan salah satu suporternya. Para warganet kemudian berjejaring dengan para aktor media sosial seperti buzzer dan influencer untuk membangun partisipasi digital melalui postingan dan komentar. Dengan memanfaatkan trending topik Twitter, para warganet berhasil membangun dukungan di media sosial untuk memberikan dukungan dengan tagar (hashtag) #BebaskanYudhiAtauBoikot. Aksi protes digital ini telah berhasil membangun aktivisme digital dalam kerangka partisipasi digital. Kekuatan tagar yang ada di trending topik twitter bisa ikut memperkuat sebuah isu menjadi opini publik meskipun isu tersebut hanya berasal dari daerah seperti Sleman. Artikel ini berpendapat bahwa tagar Twitter yang bisa mencapai trending topik bisa sebagai bagian protes digital dan saluran aspirasi warganet dalam langgam demokrasi digital.
Pulse Methylprednisolone with Oral Prednisolone versus Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Children with West Syndrome: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Fatema Kanij , Rahman Mizanur , Hossain Mohammad Monir , Akhter Shaheen , Shomee Dewan Afsana , Akhter Sohela , Mannan Mazharul
Published: January 2022

Background and Purpose: West syndrome is an epileptic encephalopathy of infancy. According to guidelines, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) is probably effective for the short-term management of infantile spasm, but there is little uniformity in treatment due to variable response. This study has been done to evaluate the efficacy of pulse methylprednisolone as compared to ACTH in children with West syndrome.Methods: Children between 3 months to 24 months with the diagnosis of West syndrome were included and ACTH and pulse methyl prednisolone followed by oral prednisolone were given after randomization. Total duration of treatment was 6 weeks in both groups.Results: Total 87 children were enrolled; 12 patients lost in follow up. Finally, 43 received ACTH and 32 received pulse methylprednisolone. In pulse methylprednisolone group, 28.13% showed 50-80% response, 28.13% showed 80-99% response and 21.87% patients showed 100% response. In ACTH group, 41.86% showed 50-80% response, 25.58% showed 80-99% response and only 3 (6.97%) patients showed 100% response. Methylprednisolone treatment regimen did not cause significant or persistent adverse effects.Conclusions: Pulse methylprednisolone followed by oral prednisolone for 6 weeks is as effective as ACTH. Thus, methylprednisolone therapy can be an important alternative to ACTH.
Factor Convergence and Predictive Analysis of the Five Factor and Alternative Five Factor Personality Models With the Five-Factor Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (FFiCD)
Authors: Aluja Anton , Sorrel Miguel Angel , García Luis F. , García Oscar , Gutierrez Fernando
Published: January 2022

The authors analyze and compare the factor convergence and predictive power of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA-PQ/SF) with respect to the Five-Factor Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (FFiCD). A total of 803 White Spanish subjects were analyzed. All the personality domains had significant predictive power with regard to the FFiCD except NEO Openness. The explained variance of the personality domains with respect to FFiCD Negative Affectivity (71% and 77%) and Detachment (56% and 56%) were similar for NEO-PI-R and ZKA-PQ/SF, respectively, but the NEO-PI-R accounted for greater variance for FFiCD Anankastia, Dissociality, and Disinhibition. The FFiCD facets of Rashness, Thrill- Seeking (Disinhibition), and Unassertiveness (Detachment) were located in factors other than those theoretically expected. The authors conclude that normal personality measured by the NEO-PI-R and the ZKA-PQ/SF contribute, in a differential but complementary way, to knowledge of the maladaptive personality measured by the FFiCD.
English language teachers’ professional development: a survey study of needs and expectations
Authors: Mędrzecka Anna
Published: January 2022

Professional development should be an inseparable part of a teacher’s professional career. Although it is the teacher’s sole responsibility, the action he/she undertakes greatly influences learners’ success. The goal of the paper is to investigate in-service English language teachers’ professional development practices, as well as delve into their needs and expectations in this area. The data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire. The results show that teachers are aware of the lifelong nature of professional development and undertake various activities to improve the quality of teaching, such as workshops or reading didactic literature. However, their attitudes, practices and needs differ and are contingent on their education level, experience and workplace.
Юмор как способ мотивации в процессе изучения иностранного языка
Authors:   Киевский национальный университет имени Тараса Шевченко. Институт филологии. Кафедра украинского и русского языков как иностранных, Самусенко Оксана
Published: January 2022

The paper deals with foreign language teaching methodology. It especially focuses on the ways of optimization of educational process for foreigners learning the Russian language. The goal of this article is the teaching of humorous texts as one of the ways to motivate students while mastering a foreign language. The paper includes an analysis of Russian educational material with a humorous component. The author explores the main difficulties of implementing humorous texts in the educational process and pays special attention to humour in animated movies. The conclusion is that an appropriately chosen humorous text motivates students to learn a foreign language, contributes to the development of linguistic, sociolinguistic and sociocultural competencies, and helps to overcome the communication barrier.
Sześć odcieni czerni. Szkice o klasykach powieści noir
Authors:   Wydział Filologiczny. Uniwersytet w Białymstoku, Stasiewicz Piotr
Published: January 2022

Książka Sześć odcieni czerni. Szkice o klasykach powieści noir jest, w zamierzeniu autora, uzupełnieniem istotnej luki w polskim literaturoznawstwie, jaką jest brak naukowej refleksji nad zjawiskiem znanym jako powieść noir. Stosowane w Polsce od kilkudziesięciu lat określenie „czarny kryminał” jest z jednej strony mylące, z drugiej niemające swego odpowiednika w żadnym innym języku, z trzeciej zacierające związek tej literatury z filmem noir, z czwartej wreszcie nieoddające istoty samego zjawiska. Proponowane tu szkice dotyczą sześciu najważniejszych przedstawicieli prozy określanej mianem noir w literaturze amerykańskiej, którzy swoje utwory napisali i wydali między 1929 i 1960 rokiem. Są to Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Cornell Woolrich, David Goodis i Jim Thompson. Każdy w nich w indywidualny sposób przedstawiał wizję świata i kreował swoich bohaterów, współtworząc tym samym zjawisko, które określamy dziś jako prozę noir. Zawartym w niniejszej książce szkicom poświęconym autorom uznanym od lat za klasyków literatury kryminalnej, Hammettowi, Cainowi i Chandlerowi, towarzyszą analizy dotyczące mniej znanych twórców, Woolricha, Goodisa, Thompsona, mających – szczególnie na gruncie polskim – status pisarzy zapomnianych, nieczytanych i nietłumaczonych, a których wkład w zjawisko literatury noir trudno jednak przecenić.
Heavy metal uptake and stress in food crops: A Review
Authors: Abdullahi N. , Igwe E.C. , Dandago M.A.
Published: January 2022

Abstract. Heavy metal (HM) food contamination is detrimental to food safety and human health. Water scarcity, food shortage, illiteracy, failure to enforce environmental protection laws, and food quality regulations account for human HM contamination. Understanding their uptake pattern in food crops and how the crops behave under excessive concentration of these hazardous chemicals will guide farmers, researchers, and policymakers in devising appropriate control measures that will ensure the production and consumption of safer food crops. Relevant texts published by Science Direct, Springer Nature, and Wiley between January 2018 and December 2020 were cited in this article. The article discussed major factors affecting HM accumulation and the effects of HM stress on yield, physiology, and chemical properties of food crops. Wastewater irrigation, production in contaminated soil, and atmospheric deposit contributed to the contamination. Factors that influence HM uptake are those related to soil and irrigation water qualities and plant properties. The presence of other HMs and chemicals, growing season, crop age, planting method, and food crop type also affect HM uptake in food crops. HM stress affects anatomy, physiology including antioxidant defense mechanisms, nutrient availability and uptake, germination, seedlings development, growth, yield, leaf geometry, root and shoot length, plant genetics, pollination, and chemical composition including moisture content, soluble protein, and pigment content and characteristics.
Statistical analysis of resistance variability of pepper accessions to Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and Xanthomonas vesicatoria
Authors: Vasileva K. , Bogatzevska N.
Published: January 2022

Abstract. The limit values of resistance groups were established to Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and Xanthomonas vesicatoria by mean score – ms based on conducted statistical analysis of 155 selection lines of Bulgarian, introduced hybrids and pepper varieties: I- immune; R- resistant; MS- medium sensitive; S- sensitive; SS- strongly sensitive. The genetic diversity between the two bacteria suggest the use of separate resistant groups to determine the resistance. Data on the mean score of infestation on 116 pepper accessions to X. euvesicatoria and 155 (the previous 116 included) to X. vesicatoria were processed and the resistance groups were defined. Breeding pepper accessions with complex resistance requires the application of the established resistance groups to both pathogens. The limit values of the groups by ms based on the statistical analysis of the data on the resistance of pepper accessions to X. euvesicatoria and X. vesicatoria were specified.