bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Assessment of the Mountainous River Basin in Kyrgyz-Kazakh Region of Central Asia with River Basins in Australia, Canada and USA
Authors:   Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Abay Avenue 8, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan  Email: rector@kaznaru.edu.kz, Kurishbaev Akylbek , Amanzholova Raushan ,   Kazakh-British Technical University, Tole Bi Street 59, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan  Email: r_amanzholova@kbtu.kz, Adenova Dinara ,   Institute of Hydrogeology, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan  Email: d.adenova@satbayev.university, Sagin Janay ,   Kazakh-British Technical University, Tole Bi Street 59, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan  Email: j.sagin@kbtu.kz, Burlibayeva Diana ,   Institute of Geography and Water Security, Pushkin St 99, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan  Email: diana.burlibayeva@yandex.kz, Sarsekova Dani ,   Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Abay Avenue 8, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan  Email: sarsekova.dani@kaznaru.edu.kz, Alikhanov Kuantar ,   National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Shevchenko S., Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan.  Email: k.alikhanov.nas@gmail.com, Serikkanov Abay ,   National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Shevchenko St., Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan.  Email: a.serikkanov.nas@gmail.com, King Rebecca ,   Kazakh-British Technical University, Tole Bi Street 59, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan  Email: r.king@kbtu.kz
Published: April 2024

Central Asia is among the most heavily affected regions worldwide by climate change and water shortages. Impacts include changes in precipitation patterns, more frequent temperature extremes and increased aridity causing a negative impact on agricultural production, food availability, and environmental security. To combat this threat, it is important to enhance information literacy among all water users. This can be done through awareness campaigns, blended learning by providing the proper Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs and utilizing all available facilities. This will address relevant issues, such as miscommunication, complexities of transboundary water sharing issues, overexploitation of water resources, and poor flood-drought mitigation techniques. Proper and user-friendly lifelong blended learning for scientific information dissemination focusing water issues can provide stronger support to increase awareness among water users and decision policy makers. Worldwide, especially in North America and Australia, information literacy campaigns have proven successful. This strategy can be replicated in the Mountainous Kyrgyz-Kazakh Chu-Talas transboundary river basin. The issues concerning the Mountainous Kyrgyz-Kazakh Chu-Talas transboundary river basin is elaborated and compared with Australian, Canadian, and US river basin management programs. The foresight analysis is presented, as to what would be a rationale to improve water resources more sustainably in Central Asia. Methodologies, programs, technologies, communities-based river basin committees, snow-water collection with agroforestry, and basin-based water market opportunities were analyzed to assess potential applications in Central Asia region.
Surrendering the Self
Authors: Allen Sam
Published: April 2024

In his novel Annihilation, author Jeff Vandermeer provides a science-fiction narrative on nature as an unstoppable and uncontrollable environment where plants, animals, humans, and the land exist as a collective and connected entity of interactions. The novel utilizes Lovecraftian horror elements of an uncontrollable nature, human contamination, and an unknowable future controlled by nonhuman forces to portray both a multispecies environment and the posthuman future. Read through a multispecies lens and framed by Donna Haraway’s Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene, this essay is an analysis of how Annihilation’s setting—Area X—necessitates the removal of human-centered processes and the human concept of individualism for favor of a flourishing multispecies environment. Its analysis exemplifies the genre of science fiction as a method to expand the boundaries of our perceived human-centered world. The narrative and rhetorical structures utilized by Vandermeer in his representation of real-world environments and natural processes as uncanny horrors and an off-center reality accurately represent the unknown future beyond the human species.
Calidad de asimilación de contenidos de geometría analítica en alumnos de 1er año de Ingeniería en Informática aplicando la teoría de GALPERIN
Authors: Rubén Hugo , Herrera Carlos Gabriel , Rodriguez Norma Leonor , Elena Clara Rita
Published: April 2024

El trabajo, enmarcado en un proyecto de investigación denominado “Incidencia de un Sistema Didáctico Integrador en la calidad de asimilación de contenidos de Algebra y Geometría Analítica”, tiene los siguientes objetivos: determinar el rendimiento académico de los alumnos período 1999-2005, evaluar la calidad de asimilación de contenidos de la asignatura Geometría Analítica y determinar los contenidos que presentan dificultades en los alumnos para la justificación y generalización de situaciones planteadas de acuerdo a la Teoría de Asimilación de Contenidos deGalperin. En el estudio se considera como población a los alumnos de la cátedra Geometría Analítica, ingresantes a primer año de la carrera de Ingeniería en Informática de la Facultad de Tecnología y Ciencias Aplicada de la UNCa. Desde el punto de vista del diseño de investigación es de tipo descriptivo-correlacional, pues compara el  rendimiento académico en el periodo 1999-2005 con la calidad de la asimilación a definida partir de las dimensiones de grado de conciencia (justificación) y de generalización lograda por los alumnos. Los resultados relevantes indican que elporcentaje de alumnos que cumplimentan el cursado de la asignatura oscila del 25 al 40%; de ellos obtienen la condición de regular entre el 50 y el 80 %, disminuyendo dicho porcentaje en los últimos años. En cambio, se incrementa el porcentaje de alumnos regulares que aprueban la asignatura en el período lectivo considerado.Predominan los alumnos con mala calidad de asimilación de contenidos. En cuanto a la relación entre ambas variables, se observa que regularizan la asignatura los alumnos con regular o buena calidad de asimilación de contenidos. Los alumnos presentan dificultades para justificar y generalizar situaciones prácticas, cuando deben establecer interrelación entre los conocimientos teóricos de distintos temas del programa para resolver nuevas situaciones planteadas.
ACTITUDES HACIA LA MATEMÁTICA: ALGUNAS CONSIDERACIONES EN SU RELACIÓN CON LA ENSEÑANZA Y EL APRENDIZAJE DE LA MISMA
Authors: Orjuela Claudia Patricia , Hernández Barbosa Rubinsten , Cabrera González Luis Miguel
Published: April 2024

La importancia de la matemática en los diferentes ámbitos de la vida, nadie la pone en discusión actualmente, sin embargo, los resultados de las evaluaciones tanto en el ámbito colombiano como en el internacional señalan muy bajos resultados, e incluso con forman, parte del fracaso escolar en los diferentes niveles educativos. Por ello en este ensayo se exponen algunas consideraciones con respecto al dominio afectivo, el cual se piensa fundamental al suponer las actitudes de los estudiantes como un factor preponderante en losprocesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje de este campo de conocimiento. Tal consideración se realiza con el ánimo de que la misma sea objeto de reflexión para los docentes, quienes son, en última instancia, los que proponen formas diversas para su enseñanza y aprendizaje.
“My Hand Has Found, Like a Nest, the Wealth of the Peoples” (Isa 10:14):
Authors: Kozlova Ekaterina E
Published: April 2024

Concerning Isa 10:5‒15, and the fictional speeches of an Assyrian king in it, scholars agree that much of this text’s content appears in the Neo-Assyrian royal annals, yet the referenced material is reversed to cast Assyria and its royal representative as the antithesis of everything the imperial discourse sought to uphold and propagate. The focus of this article is on the king’s plunder of the nations’ treasures which is presented through the symbolism of bird hunting and egg robbing (Isa 10:14). Drawing on ANE textual and iconographic material, this article suggests that the bird imagery in v. 14 reflects the Assyrian practice of hunting and collecting ostriches and their eggs, both of which were exotic commodities that signified wealth, prestige, and world domination. Deploying this symbolism, the Judean prophet, however, overlays it with his own Israelite negative understanding of the ostrich. Blending the two “ostrich ideologies,” the prophet satirizes the hubristic claims of the Assyrian king. Subverting the king’s self-aggrandizing claims and making him laughable, the prophet signals the king’s impending demise.
Patronage, Sectarianism, and Cultural Hegemony
Authors: Pfoh Emanuel
Published: April 2024

Patronage relationships have been ethnographically found at many locations in the Middle East during the second half of the twentieth century but also detected in ancient Near Eastern sources in more recent times, in every case mostly in connection with political situations. Patronage, however, also operates at the level of mentalities and its expression is equally discovered in worldviews of different cultures. This condition may therefore be observed as well in textualized mental expressions like the Hebrew Bible. In cases exposing sectarianism in the biblical stories, we may assert that patron-client bonds are taken by ancient scribes as the key mode for illustrating domination, subordination and in general an ontological order, transcending socio-politics and impacting also on what we would analytically deem a socio-religious imagination and its ulterior conceptual derivations. This paper seeks to relate clues and examples of patronage and sectarianism in the Hebrew Bible while focussing on their socio-cultural background. These expressions, in the history of the production of the biblical texts, would end up manifesting a particular cultural hegemony of a biblical ontology articulated by patronage dynamics in the southern Levant since the Persian period, but especially in connection with the Hasmonean rise to power, centred in Jerusalem.
Katılım Bankacılığından Yenilebilir Enerji Projelerine Destek: Dönüştürülebilir Müşareke Sukuk Modeli Önerisi
Authors: Kazancı Fatih
Published: April 2024

Makalenin yazılma amacı, katılım bankacılığında risk paylaşımına da¬yalı ve getiri beklentisi yüksek olan ürünlerin hacminin nasıl artırılabileceği konusunda araştırma yapmak ve önerilerde bulunmaktır. Makalede önerilen “dönüştürülebilir müşareke sukuk” modeli sayesinde katılım bankaları ve sukuk yatırımcıları ülke ekonomisi için çeşitli faydalar sağlayabilirler. Bu faydalar; risk paylaşımına dayalı faizsiz ürün çeşitlerinin artırılması, yenilenebilir enerji tesislerinin ülkeye kazandırılması, katılım bankalarına ve sukuk yatırımcılarına kâr zarar paylaşımlı ürünler ile getiri sağlanması ve yatırımcıların sukuk itfa tarihinden sonra da ilgili tesisisin hisselerine sahip olarak getiri kazanmalarına devam etmeleri olarak sayılabilir. Tüm bu faydalar sayesinde Türkiye ekonomisinin sürdürülebilir kalkınmasına da katkı sağlanacaktır.
Quantum Technology in the Financial Sector: Econometric Analyses and Risk Management to Mitigate the Quantum Winter
Authors: Fırat Emrah Hanifi
Published: April 2024

In today's rapidly evolving financial landscape, methods as econometric modeling, predictive analysis, and risk analysis are becoming increasingly important. These methods offer critical tools for understanding and managing the potential of quantum technology in the financial sector. Quantum technology can achieve fast and precise results in data analysis, risk management, portfolio optimization, and market forecasting. However, to realize these possibilities, we need to overcome technical challenges as well as financial and strategic barriers. This paper discusses scientific awareness and proposed solutions to 'Quantum Winter' especially in the financial sector. Mitigating the risk of a 'Quantum Winter' is possible through steps such as building strategic partnerships, conducting risk analysis, developing specialized capabilities, securing government support, and establishing appropriate regulations. Econometric modeling, predictive analysis, and risk analysis are indispensable tools to understand the potential of quantum technology in the financial sector and to achieve sustainable success.
Assessing Religious Obligations: A Phenomenological Approach to Value and Legal Perspectives
Authors: Iskandarsyah Siregar
Published: April 2024

This research begins an effort to overcome the complex challenges of formulating the concept of religious obligations among diverse Indonesian society. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding aspects of these obligations in the context of Indonesia's national ideology, Pancasila, which emphasizes the principle of Belief in One Almighty God. Facing the legal and ethical complexities involved, this research uses a juridical-normative approach as an analytical framework to examine and understand policies surrounding religious obligations in Indonesia. The juridical-normative approach is very useful in identifying and interpreting government policies and societal norms that influence religious adherence in a country. Although the Indonesian government does not strictly require its citizens to adhere to only officially recognized religions — namely Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism — there is a fundamental tension between formal recognition and actual practice. The research results show that in practice, adherents of local beliefs such as Sundanese Wiwitan, Kaharingan, and Parmalim, which are inherited from generation to generation, often face discrimination that is contrary to the spirit of the first principle of Pancasila. This research illustrates the tension between official lists of religions and the reality that not all spiritual denominations are treated equally. This gap between policy and practice raises questions about the consistent application of Indonesia's constitutional law and the basic ideology of Pancasila across the diverse religious spectrum. This study aims to be a first step to further explore and discuss the complexity of religious obligations and freedom in Indonesia, especially in the context of the legal and ethical framework.
Tác động của thuế tối thiểu toàn cầu đến thu hút vốn đầu tư trực tiếp nước ngoài của Việt Nam
Authors: Lê Quốc Hội
Published: April 2024

Nghiên cứu này đánh giá tác động của Thuế tối thiểu toàn cầu (GMT) tới thu hút đầu tư trực tiếp nước ngoài (FDI) tại Việt Nam. Nhóm tác giả dựa trên khung phân tích của UNCTAD (2022) và các phương pháp thống kê mô tả, so sánh để phân tích và đánh giá về mức độ tác động của GMT đến thu hút FDI. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy, việc áp dụng GMT sẽ ảnh hưởng đến chiến lược thuế, chuyển dịch lợi nhuận, địa điểm đầu tư FDI và quy mô đầu tư FDI theo các mức độ và chiều hướng khác nhau. Từ những phân tích này, nhóm tác giả đề xuất một số khuyến nghị cho chính phủ Việt Nam nhằm hoàn thiện những chính sách liên quan đến GMT.
”Hinta hieman rajoittaa käsitystä kaikille tasavertaisesta koulutusmahdollisuudesta” – opiskelijoiden kokemuksia avoimen yliopiston opintomaksuista
Authors: Lahtomaa Mervi , Haltia Nina , Jauhiainen Arto
Published: April 2024

Korkeakoulutuksen tasa-arvon yhtenä peruspilarina on Suomessa pidetty tutkintokoulutuksen maksuttomuutta. Avoimen yliopiston tehtäväksi on nähty koulutuksellisen tasa-arvon lisääminen. Tutkintoon johtamaton avoin yliopisto-opetus on kuitenkin lähtökohtaisesti maksullista. Avoimen väylä puolestaan on opiskelijavalintatapa, joka perustuu avoimessa yliopistossa suoritettuihin opintoihin. Tämä tutkimus tarkastelee, 1) miten avoimen yliopiston opiskelijat kokevat opintomaksut, 2) mitkä tekijät ovat yhteydessä opiskelijoiden maksuissa kokemiin haasteisiin ja 3) millaisia näkökulmia opiskelijoilla on avoimen yliopiston opintomaksuihin. Aineistona oli vuonna 2018 toteutettu valtakunnallinen opiskelijakysely (N=4709). Tutkimustulosten mukaan opintomaksut aiheuttivat haasteita osalle opiskelijoista. Eniten haasteita opintomaksuissa kokivat matalasti koulutetut, nuoremmat ikäluokat, työttömät ja pienituloiset. Avointen vastausten analyysissa tunnistettiin kolme näkökulmaa opintomaksuihin: 1) maksut eriarvoistavana tekijänä, 2) opiskelija maksavana asiakkaana ja 3) taloudellinen tuki opintojen mahdollistajana. Opintomaksut eriarvoistavat mahdollisuuksia opiskella avoimessa yliopistossa ja vahvistavat koulutuskuluttajuuteen kytkettyjä käsityksiä koulutuksesta yksityisenä hyödykkeenä. Tutkimus tuo avointa yliopistoa käsittelevään tutkimukseen uuden näkökulman: opiskelijoiden kokemukset avoimen yliopiston opintomaksuista.
Meningkatkan Keterampilan Guru Membuat Aplikasi Pembelajaran Interaktif Berbasis Android
Authors: Purbohadi Dwijoko , Wijaya Titis Wisnu , Ramadhani Devina Shifra , Putri Nisrina Akbar Rizky , Wulandari Novi Diah
Published: April 2024

Salah satu daerah yang sedang berkembang di DI Yogyakarta saat ini adalah Kabupaten Kulon Progo. Perkembangan ini dipicu oleh rencana Pemerintah Propinsi DIY untuk membangun kawasan Aeropolitan di sekitar Bandara International Yogyakarta. Perkembangan ini memberikan berbagai dampak, salah satunya pola pikir masyarakat pada layanan pendidikan. Hal ini mendorong setiap sekolah untuk mengikuti perkembangan wilayah dan masyarakat. Banyak sekolah yang membutuhkan kegiatan pelatihan atau upgrading teknologi pembelajaran termasuk sekolah-sekolah Muhammadiyah di Kulon Progo. Hal ini mendorong kami untuk turut berkontribusi membantu mengembangkan sekolah melalui program pengabdian. Program pengabdian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan keterampilan guru dilokasi mitra supaya mampu mengoptimalkan multimedia pembelajaran yang bersifat interaktif dan mudah disebarluaskan untuk memberikan pelatihan guru dengan mengoptimalkan media pembelajaran interaktif. Adapun mitra dalam kegiatan ini adalah  salah satu sekolah yang masuk dalam area Aeropolitan, yaitu SMP Muhammadiyah 2 Wates. Hasil akhir pengabdian berupa peningkatan wawasan, pengetahuan, dan keterampilan dalam membuat modul interaktif yang disebarluaskan melalui WhatsApp yang akan berdampak langsung pada penggunaan kembali smartphone sebagai sarana belajar. Dengan demikian otomatis terjadi peningkatan durasi penggunaan smartphone oleh siswa sehingga akan terjadi perubahan perilaku siswa dalam menggunakan smartphone untuk belajar.
HPLC-MS/MS method development and validation for the determination of tetradecapeptide in human plasma
Authors: Tokareva M. A. , Melnikov E. S. , Belova M. V. , Fisher E. N. , Rodina T. A. , Shohin I. E.
Published: April 2024

Introduction. The number of peptide drugs being developed and registered has increased in recent years. Therefore, modern analytical approaches and methods are required to determine these substances in biological matrices during pharmacokinetic studies. Peptides are structurally intermediate between small molecules and biopolymers, making it difficult to develop methods for determining them using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Peptide derivatization can help achieve optimal chromatographic separation and increase method sensitivity.

Aim. To develop and validate a method for the determination of the tetradecapeptide (TDP) threonyl-glutamyl-lysyl-lysyl-arginyl-arginyl-glutamayl-threonyl-valyl-glutamyl-arginyl-glutamyl-lysyl-glutamate in human plasma by HPLC-MS/MS.

Materials and methods. The determination of TDP in human plasma was performed by HPLC-MS/MS. Sample preparation included a combination of blood plasma protein precipitation with propionic acid solution in methanol, liquid-liquid extraction with chloroform, and peptide derivatization with propionic anhydride. Internal standard (IS) was threonyl-glutamyl-lysyl-lysyl-arginyl-arginyl-glutamayl-threonyl-leucyl-glutamyl-arginyl-glutamyl-lysyl-glutamate. Chromatographic separation was performed in gradient mode, eluent A was 0.1 % formic acid solution in water, eluent B was 0.1 % formic acid in acetonitrile. Column: Waters XBridge C18, 4.6 × 50 mm, 5 µm. Ionization source was electrospray in positive mode. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions for 4-substituted TDP propionate were: 681.30 → 73.95 m/z, 681.30 → 84.00 m/z, 681.30 → 101.90 m/z, 681.30 → 140.10 m/z, and for 4-substituted IS propionate: 686.00 → 74.10 m/z, 686.00 → 84.05 m/z, 686.00 → 102.00 m/z, 686.00 → 140.00 m/z.

Results and discussion. Validation of the developed method was carried out in accordance with the requirements of Eurasian Economic Union and the following parameters were determined: selectivity, matrix effect, calibration curve, accuracy and precision, recovery, lower limit of quantification, sample carryover, stability.

Conclusion. The method for the determination of TDP in human blood plasma by HPLC-MS/MS was developed and validated. The analytical range was 5.00–1000.00 ng/mL, allowing the method to be used to study TDP pharmacokinetics.
BEYOND THE KNIGHT'S GAZE: DECODING THE LIBERATED SEXUALITY OF “LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI"
Authors: Şenli Arda Bade
Published: April 2024

This paper delves into John Keats' enduring poem, "La Belle Dame sans Merci," offering a reinterpretation that challenges the traditional perceptions of the mysterious lady that gives the poem its title. Contrary to prevailing supernatural interpretations, which generally cannot escape a patriarchal lens, the paper aims to show that the belle dame is not a mystical being but rather a liberated woman who embraces her sexuality. In turn, the knight's dubious narration is argued to be an intricate attempt to control, silence, and demonize her, motivated by his deep-seated discomfort and emasculation in the face of her empowered sexuality. Through an analysis of the poem's language, imagery, and thematic elements, the nuances that make up the titular character, namely her agency and sexual autonomy in her courtship with the knight, are illuminated. In doing so, the paper aims to display the deeper social anxieties surrounding female sexuality and the complex power dynamics at play in the poem and contribute to the broader discourse on gender roles and identities in 19th-century literature.
Characterisation of common hypothetical surface peptides between protozoan parasites (Perkinsus olseni) originating from different geographical locations
Authors: Hanrio E , Bogema D , Davern K , Batley J , Clarke M , Abudulai L , Severn-Ellis A , Dang C
Published: April 2024

Perkinsus olseni and P. marinus are classified as notifiable pathogens by the World Organisation for Animal Health and are known to cause perkinsosis in a variety of molluscs globally. Mass mortalities due to these parasites in farms and in the wild have been a recurrent issue. Diagnosis for these protozoans is currently done using Ray’s fluid thioglycollate medium method followed by optical microscopy or molecular assays. Both require a high level of skill and are time-consuming. An immunoassay method would make the diagnosis of perkinsosis quicker and cheaper. The present study used mass spectrometry-based proteomics to investigate common hypothetical surface peptides between different geographical isolates of P. olseni, which could be used to develop immunoassays in the future. Two peptides were identified: POLS_08089, which is a 42.7 kDa peptide corresponding to the 60S ribosomal subunit protein L4; and POLS_15916, which is a conserved hypothetical protein of 55.6 kDa. The identification of peptides may allow the development of immunoassays through a more targeted approach.
Paving the road towards the Next Generation Risk Assessment
Authors:   , Fragki Styliani
Published: April 2024

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Vampiric Masculinity. Rachilde's Le grand saigneur (1922) and the Writing of Gender Violence in Post-War France
Authors: Aristondo Angélique Ibáñez
Published: April 2024

Rachilde’s novel Le grand saigneur (1922) stands out from her other works in the 1920s and 1930s for its provocative portrayal of the French war veteran as a sadist who inflicts violence on those who do not conform to the codes of militarized, hegemonic masculinity. This article argues that the novel reflects the post-war years as a violent era for women and non-conforming men, shaped by the hateful discourses that emerged during the First World War. Rachilde writes about psychological and physical threats to women and non-conforming masculinity by delving into the violent fantasies nurtured by a larger-than-life, though well-recognizable, supporter of hegemonic masculinity against them. Drawing on an eclectic mix of literary genres, Rachilde depicts a society in which the impunity of men protected by their wealth and military status and the guilt bestowed upon (sometimes internalized by) women trivialize diverse forms of gender violence. Le grand saigneur belongs to the few ‘romans anti-sentimentaux’ Rachilde wrote during the interwar period. It is also an arresting attempt to write about gender violence through multiple subjectivities in order to explore the gendered, cultural, traumatic, and socio-economic factors that enabled it at this troubled historical juncture.
Konjenital Üriner Sistem Anomalileri ile Ebeveyn Yaşı Arasındaki İlişkinin Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: Orbatu Dilek , Soylu Alper , Kavukçu Salih
Published: April 2024

Amaç: Böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri (BİYKA) yenidoğanlarda en sık görülen doğum defektlerindendir. Bu çalışma ile çocukluk çağında önemli bir morbidite nedeni olan ve ilerleyen dönemde kronik böbrek hastalığına yol açabileceği düşünülen BİYKA tanısı için ebeveyn yaşının etkisi araştırıldı. Gereç- Yöntem: Bu retrospektif vaka kontrol çalışması Mart 2013-Şubat 2018 tarihleri arasında Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Çocuk Nefroloji Kliniği ile Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Tepecik Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Çocuk Kliniği’ne başvuran antenatal böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri tanısı almış 714 hastanın bilgisayar tabanlı medikal kayıtları incelenerek yapılmıştır. Böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri tipi (hidronefroz, ektopi, agenezi, multikistik displastik böbrek, çift toplayıcı sistem, üreteropelvik darlık, hipoplazi) ile doğum esnasındaki anne ve baba yaşları kaydedilmiştir. Kontrol grubunu ise aynı tarih aralığında doğan ve herhangi bir anomalisi olmayan sağlıklı infantlar oluşturmaktadır. Bulgular: Çalışmaya dahil edilen toplam 2178 olgunun 714’ü böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri tanısı alan 1464’ü ise sağlıklı infantlardan oluşmaktaydı. Böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri tanısı alan infantların anne ve baba yaş ortalamaları kontrol grubuna göre daha düşük saptandı. En sık tanı alan böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri tipi hidronefrozdu (627 hasta, %87,8). Anne yaşı ile herhangi bir böbrek ve idrar yollarının konjenital anomalileri tipi arasında ilişki saptanmazken, hidronefroz ile baba yaşı arasında pozitif yönlü çok düşük düzeyde istatistiksel olarak önemli bir ilişki saptanmıştır (rho=0,08; p=0,032). Sonuç: Paternal yaş ve hidronefroz arasında düşük düzeyde istatistiksel anlamlılık saptanmıştır.
Choosing Legislative Candidates Via Primaries: The Pivotal Role of Executive Incumbency
Authors: Vallejo Agustin
Published: April 2024

How much influence does incumbency have on the way parties nominate candidates? I address this question in the context of Argentina, examining how political parties decide on candidate nomination methods for National Deputies. I argue that holding the governorship creates an imbalanced distribution of resources within a party, leading party factions to lean toward consensus in candidate selection and reducing the likelihood of choosing a primary election. Conversely, when a party lacks the governorship, its party leader may have a weaker influence in deterring primary elections. I also theorize the various situations and resources governors can employ to discourage primary elections, including potential coattail effects, the option of seeking reelection, control over the primaries' selectorate, and control of the electoral calendar. To test my expectations, I employ a regression discontinuity design, focusing on governors and those who finished as runners-up in lower chamber elections from 1985 to 2023.
Estimation using 3 scales of cardiometabolic risk in patients with cognitive impairment according to the Hashinsky score.
Authors: Ramos Gabriela , Dulcey Luis , Gomez Jaime , Ramos Juan , Theran Juan , Torres Harold
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Insufficient attention has been paid in South America to the coexistence of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk in individuals suffering from vascular dementia. The aim of this study is to examine cardiovascular risk stratification using the Framingham, PROCAM, and SCORE equations in patients diagnosed with vascular dementia, and to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Methodology: A cross-sectional research conducted between January 2020 and December 2022 on 100 persons with vascular dementia diagnoses. The ATP-III criteria were used to assess the existence of metabolic syndrome. The cardiovascular risk score was also analyzed, and patients were categorized as low, moderate, or high risk based on Framingham and PROCAM (<10%, 10%–20%, and >20%) and SCORE (<3%, 3%–4%, and ≥5%). Results Hypercholesterolemia (52%), followed by hypertension (48%) and smoking (39%), was the most common comorbidity. According to Framingham, 68%, 24%, and 8%, PROCAM, 61%, 29%, and 10%, and SCORE, 58%, 33%, and 9%, the prevalence of individuals with low, moderate, and high cardiovascular risk, respectively. Overall, there was modest but considerable agreement between these three risk functions (Framingham and PROCAM, к 0.54, p < 0.0001; Framingham and SCORE, к 0.47, p < 0.0001; PROCAM and SCORE, к 0.52, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The current study demonstrated a significant proportion of individuals with minimal cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular risk factors should be taken into account when treating people with vascular dementia, as they are often related to poor outcomes due to the high burden of cardiovascular comorbidities.
Navigating climate change complexity and deep uncertainty: approach for building socio-ecological resilience using qualitative dynamic simulation
Authors: Merino-Benítez Tatiana , Bojórquez-Tapia Luis Antonio , Miquelajauregui Yosune , Batllori-Sampedro Eduardo
Published: April 2024

The consequences of climate change on different sectors of society are interrelated. The threats posed by rising global temperatures, intensifying extreme weather events, and shifting climatic patterns are becoming increasingly evident all around the world. Policymakers face the daunting task of assessing climate change risks, encompassing impacts and response strategies, to guide sustainability transformations. In this study, we introduce a four-step qualitative Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty (DMDU) approach in the context of Climate Change Impact Assessments (CCIA). Our goal is to enhance the integration of CCIA into spatial planning, particularly in the Global South, using qualitative system dynamics simulation. Emphasizing the value of qualitative DMDU, we explore vulnerability and resilience through a lens of multi-sectoral and multi-scalar socio-ecological processes. We exemplify our approach by applying CCIA to the coastal zone of Yucatán, Mexico, accounting for social and environmental heterogeneity across the four Regions in which it is administered. Results identify the optimal allocation of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies to address specified resilience in each Region, all of which are required to achieve the overall resilience of the coastal zone. We argue that our qualitative DMDU approach provides an analytical platform to address the trade-offs inherent in the ranking of multiple vulnerabilities related to achieving general resilience.
Ungrading in organic chemistry: students assessing themselves and reflecting on their learning
Authors: Ferguson Jalisa H. , Bonner Lisa A.
Published: April 2024

The focus on grades has diminished the focus on learning. One strategy that aims to return students’ attention to what they are actually learning (and not just earning) is ungrading. Ungrading is thought of as any strategy in which instructors do not assign a number or letter grade to students’ assignments and assessments. Instead, faculty may (1) provide thorough feedback and engage in dialogue with students about their work, and perhaps, (2) allow students to assign their own grade. Whichever style of ungrading they choose, the scholars that have been forging the path for ungrading come from a variety of fields and perspectives, including STEM instructors in more recent years. The focus on incorporating ungrading practices into the organic chemistry curriculum provided here is adapted from a variety of practitioners, and especially the foundational work of chemistry professor Clarissa Sorensen-Unruh. In addition to discussing the current ungrading practices in various fields, we will use this perspective article to share our own experience with and lessons learned from beginning to incorporate ungrading in the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum, both as it relates to the implementation of the practice and our own perceptions of the student experience and learning outcomes. Ultimately, the goal is to allow students to see the significance of the process of learning and to engage in some metacognitive work that they can apply to different assignments, whether in our class or not. If we want students to focus on learning, perhaps they should do the grading themselves.
Accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring during exercise-related hypoglycemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Maytham Kaisar , Hagelqvist Per G. , Engberg Susanne , Forman Julie L. , Pedersen-Bjergaard Ulrik , Knop Filip K. , Vilsbøll Tina , Andersen Andreas
Published: April 2024

Background

Hypoglycemia is common in individuals with type 1 diabetes, especially during exercise. We investigated the accuracy of two different continuous glucose monitoring systems during exercise-related hypoglycemia in an experimental setting.

Materials and methods

Fifteen individuals with type 1 diabetes participated in two separate euglycemic-hypoglycemic clamp days (Clamp-exercise and Clamp-rest) including five phases: 1) baseline euglycemia, 2) plasma glucose (PG) decline ± exercise, 3) 15-minute hypoglycemia ± exercise, 4) 45-minute hypoglycemia, and 5) recovery euglycemia. Interstitial PG levels were measured every five minutes, using Dexcom G6 (DG6) and FreeStyle Libre 1 (FSL1). Yellow Springs Instruments 2900 was used as PG reference method, enabling mean absolute relative difference (MARD) assessment for each phase and Clarke error grid analysis for each day.

Results

Exercise had a negative effect on FSL1 accuracy in phase 2 and 3 compared to rest (ΔMARD = +5.3 percentage points [(95% CI): 1.6, 9.1] and +13.5 percentage points [6.4, 20.5], respectively). In contrast, exercise had a positive effect on DG6 accuracy during phase 2 and 4 compared to rest (ΔMARD = -6.2 percentage points [-11.2, -1.2] and -8.4 percentage points [-12.4, -4.3], respectively). Clarke error grid analysis showed a decrease in clinically acceptable treatment decisions during Clamp-exercise for FSL1 while a contrary increase was observed for DG6.

Conclusion

Physical exercise had clinically relevant impact on the accuracy of the investigated continuous glucose monitoring systems and their ability to accurately detect hypoglycemia.
Impacts of altitude on plant green leaf, fresh litter, and soil stoichiometry in subtropical forests
Authors: Zhu Dehuang , Zhou Yan , Peng Suhong , Hua Weiping , Luo Bin , Hui Dafeng
Published: April 2024

Background

Ecological stoichiometric characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) serve as crucial indicators of nutrient cycling and limitation in terrestrial ecosystems. However, our current understanding of stoichiometric characteristics in subtropical forests and their response to different climate conditions is still limited.

Methods

We selected six altitudes ranging from 700 m to 1,200 m to simulate different climate conditions of an evergreen broadleaf forest in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China. We investigated C, N, P, and K stoichiometry and homeostasis in the green leaves, newly senesced leaf litter (fresh litter), and soil of this forest.

Results

Leaf P and K levels showed a decline with increasing altitude. Notably, the stoichiometric ratios in different components exhibited a bimodal distribution along the altitudinal gradient. Additionally, a decline trend of N resorption efficiencies was observed as altitude increased. Moreover, weak homeostasis was observed in P and K in green leaves. These findings highlighted the significant impact of altitude on the stoichiometry in evergreen broadleaf forest. This study also contributed to our understanding of the nutrient cycling mechanism and plant growth strategies of evergreen forests under different climate conditions.
Adaptive immunity and atherosclerosis: aging at its crossroads
Authors: Snijckers Roy P. M. , Foks Amanda C.
Published: April 2024

Adaptive immunity plays a profound role in atherosclerosis pathogenesis by regulating antigen-specific responses, inflammatory signaling and antibody production. However, as we age, our immune system undergoes a gradual functional decline, a phenomenon termed “immunosenescence”. This decline is characterized by a reduction in proliferative naïve B- and T cells, decreased B- and T cell receptor repertoire and a pro-inflammatory senescence associated secretory profile. Furthermore, aging affects germinal center responses and deteriorates secondary lymphoid organ function and structure, leading to impaired T-B cell dynamics and increased autoantibody production. In this review, we will dissect the impact of aging on adaptive immunity and the role played by age-associated B- and T cells in atherosclerosis pathogenesis, emphasizing the need for interventions that target age-related immune dysfunction to reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
The glycosaminoglycan-binding chemokine fragment CXCL9(74–103) reduces inflammation and tissue damage in mouse models of coronavirus infection
Authors: Oliveira Vivian Louise Soares , Queiroz-Junior Celso Martins , Hoorelbeke Delphine , Santos Felipe Rocha da Silva , Chaves Ian de Meira , Teixeira Mauro Martins , Russo Remo de Castro , Proost Paul , Costa Vivian Vasconcelos , Struyf Sofie , Amaral Flávio Almeida
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Pulmonary diseases represent a significant burden to patients and the healthcare system and are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Particularly, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact, affecting public health, economies, and daily life. While the peak of the crisis has subsided, the global number of reported COVID-19 cases remains significantly high, according to medical agencies around the world. Furthermore, despite the success of vaccines in reducing the number of deaths caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there remains a gap in the treatment of the disease, especially in addressing uncontrolled inflammation. The massive recruitment of leukocytes to lung tissue and alveoli is a hallmark factor in COVID-19, being essential for effectively responding to the pulmonary insult but also linked to inflammation and lung damage. In this context, mice models are a crucial tool, offering valuable insights into both the pathogenesis of the disease and potential therapeutic approaches.

Methods

Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding chemokine fragment CXCL9(74-103), a molecule that potentially decreases neutrophil transmigration by competing with chemokines for GAG-binding sites, in two models of pneumonia caused by coronavirus infection.

Results

In a murine model of betacoronavirus MHV-3 infection, the treatment with CXCL9(74-103) decreased the accumulation of total leukocytes, mainly neutrophils, to the alveolar space and improved several parameters of lung dysfunction 3 days after infection. Additionally, this treatment also reduced the lung damage. In the SARS-CoV-2 model in K18-hACE2-mice, CXCL9(74-103) significantly improved the clinical manifestations of the disease, reducing pulmonary damage and decreasing viral titers in the lungs.

Discussion

These findings indicate that CXCL9(74-103) resulted in highly favorable outcomes in controlling pneumonia caused by coronavirus, as it effectively diminishes the clinical consequences of the infections and reduces both local and systemic inflammation.
A promising area of research in medicine: recent advances in properties and applications of Lactobacillus-derived exosomes
Authors: Liu Rui
Published: April 2024

Lactobacillus-derived exosomes, small extracellular vesicles released by bacteria, have emerged as a promising area of research in recent years. These exosomes possess a unique structural and functional diversity that allows them to regulate the immune response and promote gut health. The isolation and purification of these exosomes are crucial for their effective use as a therapeutic agent. Several isolation and purification methods have been developed, including differential ultracentrifugation, density gradient centrifugation, and size-exclusion chromatography. Lactobacillus-derived exosomes have been demonstrated to have therapeutic potential in various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and neurological disorders. Moreover, they have been shown to serve as effective carriers for drug delivery. Genetic engineering of these exosomes has also shown promise in enhancing their therapeutic potential. Overall, Lactobacillus-derived exosomes represent a promising area of research for the development of novel therapeutics for immunomodulation, gut health, and drug delivery.
Response of phytoplankton composition to environmental stressors under humidification in three alpine lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
Authors: Gu Peiwen , Jia Junmei , Qi Delin , Gao Qiang , Zhang Cunfang , Yang Xi , Nie Miaomiao , Liu Dan , Luo Yule
Published: April 2024

Owning to their extreme environmental conditions, lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have typically displayed a simplistic food web structure, rendering them more vulnerable to climate change compared to lakes in plains. Phytoplankton, undergoing a changing aquatic environment, play a crucial role in the material cycle and energy flow of the food chain, particularly important for the unique fish species of the Tibetan Plateau. To identify the changing environment indexes and determine the response of phytoplankton composition to the environment change in alpine lakes, three lakes—Lake Qinghai, Lake Keluke and Lake Tuosu—were selected as study areas. Seasonal sampling surveys were conducted in spring and summer annually from 2018 to 2020. Our findings revealed there were significant changes in physicochemical parameters and phytoplankton in the three lakes. Bacillariophyta was the predominant phytoplankton in Lake Qinghai from 2018 to 2020, with the genera Synedra sp., Navicula sp., Cymbella sp. and Achnanthidium sp. predominated alternately. Lake Keluke alternated between being dominated by Bacillariophyta and cyanobacteria during the same period. Dolichospermum sp., a cyanobacteria, was prevalent in the summer of 2018 and 2019 and in the spring of 2020. In Lake Tuosu, Bacillariophyta was the predominant phytoplankton from 2018 to 2020, except in the summer of 2019, which was dominated by cyanobacteria. Synedra sp., Oscillatoria sp., Pseudoanabaena sp., Chromulina sp. and Achnanthidium sp. appeared successively as the dominant genera. Analysis revealed that all three lakes exhibited higher phytoplankton abundance in 2018 that in 2019 and 2020. Concurrently, they experienced higher average temperatures in 2018 than in the subsequent years. The cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta and overall phytoplankton increased with temperature and decreased with salinity and NH4-N. Besides, the ratios of cyanobacteria, and the ratios of Bacillariophyta accounted in total phytoplankton increased with temperature. These findings suggest that cyanobacteria and phytoplankton abundance, especially Bacillariophyta, may have an increase tendency in the three alpine lakes under warm and wet climate.
The clinical importance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in detecting disease-causing microorganisms in cases of sepsis acquired in the community or hospital setting
Authors: Zhang Dan , Li Xingxing , Wang Yu , Zhao Yong , Zhang Hong
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Although metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is commonly used for diagnosing infectious diseases, clinicians face limited options due to the high costs that are not covered by basic medical insurance. The goal of this research is to challenge this bias through a thorough examination and evaluation of the clinical importance of mNGS in precisely identifying pathogenic microorganisms in cases of sepsis acquired in the community or in hospitals.

Methods

A retrospective observational study took place at a tertiary teaching hospital in China from January to December 2021. Data on 308 sepsis patients were collected, and the performance of etiological examination was compared between mNGS and traditional culture method.

Results

Two hundred twenty-nine cases were observed in the community-acquired sepsis (CAS) group and 79 cases in the hospital-acquired sepsis (HAS) group. In comparison with conventional culture, mNGS showed a significantly higher rate of positivity in both the CAS group (88.21% vs. 25.76%, adj.P < 0.001) and the HAS group (87.34% vs. 44.30%, adj.P < 0.001), particularly across various infection sites and specimens, which were not influenced by factors like antibiotic exposure or the timing and frequency of mNGS technology. Sepsis pathogens detected by mNGS were broad, especially viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and atypical pathogens, with mixed pathogens being common, particularly bacterial-viral co-detection. Based on the optimization of antimicrobial therapy using mNGS, 58 patients underwent antibiotic de-escalation, two patients were switched to antiviral therapy, and 14 patients initiated treatment for tuberculosis, resulting in a reduction in antibiotic overuse but without significant impact on sepsis prognosis. The HAS group exhibited a critical condition, poor prognosis, high medical expenses, and variations in etiology, yet the mNGS results did not result in increased medical costs for either group.

Conclusions

mNGS demonstrates efficacy in identifying multiple pathogens responsible for sepsis, with mixed pathogens of bacteria and viruses being prevalent. Variability in microbiological profiles among different infection setting underscores the importance of clinical vigilance. Therefore, the adoption of mNGS for microbiological diagnosis of sepsis warrants acknowledgment and promotion.