bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of COVID-19 among high school teachers in Erbil city
Authors: Salloomi Anwer , Ismail Kameran
Published: April 2024

Background and objective: An outbreak of pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. Cases of epidemic pneumonia have been linked to the Huanan Seafood Market; thus, it has been dubbed the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The global spread of thousands of deaths from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led the WHO to declare a pandemic on March 12, 2020. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of COVID-19 disease and vaccination coverage among public preparatory school teachers in Erbil. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the target group of 772 teachers in 76 public preparatory schools. The study population was 3157 teachers, 1263 male and 1894 female, in Erbil city, from September 1, 2021, to March 30, 2022. A questionnaire was used to collect data through face-to-face interviews using a simple random sampling method. Results: The study sample ages ranged from 26 to 62 years; the mean age, ±standard deviation, was 40.53 ± 9.75. The prevalence rate of COVID-19 was 63.1%. Of the study samples, 58.5% received information about COVID-19 disease from social media and 23.8% from satellite channels. 68.9% of the study samples received the COVID-19 vaccine, and the majority preferred the Pfizer vaccine. Conclusion: The majority of the study samples were infected with COVID-19 disease; many of the study samples received the COVID-19 vaccine; misconceptions need further correction; an increase in updating information regarding mode of transmission; an explanation of COVID-19 disease preventive measures; raising awareness of COVID-19 vaccination; more interesting health campaigns; and using mass media and community programs to change health behavior and reduce future health consequences of COVID-19 disease.
Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial evaluation of schiff base derived from sulfonamides and vanillin
Authors: Ameen Dana , Hayyas Sarhang
Published: April 2024

Background and objective: Sulfonamides are a type of antibiotic that are used to treat several infections caused by microorganisms. Sulfonamides are bacteriostatic, meaning they prevent bacterial growth. This study aimed to produce compounds with better antimicrobial activity. Methods: By condensation reaction, Schiff bases were synthesized from sulfonamides (sulfamethoxazole, sulfapyridine, sulfathiazole, sulfadiazine and sulfisoxazole) and vanillin to enhance antimicrobial activity of synthesized compounds. The agar dilution method was used to measuring the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of synthesized compounds. Results: The synthesized compounds were characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and tested for the antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and antifungal activity against (Candida albicans). Ciprofloxacin and Fluconazole used as standard drugs for bacteria and fungi. Conclusion: The Schiff base was synthesized, characterized, and exhibited enhanced antimicrobial and antifungal activities.
Correlation between auto-immune diseases and type 1 diabetes mellitus in the pediatric age group in Erbil city
Authors: Mohammed Lana , Ahmed Yousif
Published: April 2024

Background and objective: Type-1 diabetes mellitus is the most common chronic endocrine disorder of childhood and adolescence and is characterized by immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic cells, which has been proven to be correlated with and increase the risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease, celiac disease, Addison’s disease, and further autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of autoimmune disease-related markers in type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents in Erbil city. Methods: One hundred children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patients <1 year old were excluded from the study. Autoimmune thyroid antibodies (anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin) along with tissue transglutaminase (IgA and IgG) antibodies were measured with further evaluation by thyroid function test and endoscopy with biopsy (for positive serological autoantibodies level). Results: Elevated anti-thyroglobulin, anti-thyroid peroxidase, and tissue transglutaminase IgA and IgG antibodies were determined in 24.0%, 26%, 10%, and 8%, respectively. 50.0% of cases with positive anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies had overt hypothyroidism; on the flip side, 3.8% had subclinical hypothyroidism. As well, the high level of thyroid autoantibodies was significantly correlated to the prevalence of overt hypothyroidism (P <0.001). Nine of the patients with positive tissue transglutaminase antibodies were verified to have biopsy-proven celiac disease. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus are at risk of developing positive antithyroid and celiac-related autoantibodies, so they are at risk of progressing to autoimmune thyroid and celiac diseases.
The development of ternary and quaternary solid dispersion based hydrotropic blends of atorvastatin calcium
Authors: Ramadhan Suren , Omer Huner
Published: April 2024

Background and objective: Atorvastatin calcium (ATV) has a solubility in aqueous solutions of greater than 0.1 mg/ml to less than 1 mg/ml, which is very slightly soluble. When developing dosage forms for these medications, formulation scientists still face challenges. This study's goal was to use various hydrotropic agents in the formation of solid dispersion-based hydrotropic blends to improve the solubility properties of atorvastatin calcium. Methods: In this study, twenty-two distinct binary, ternary, and quaternary formulations of ATV were prepared by employing five different hydrotropic agents and combining at least two hydrotropic agents in concentrations of 10% and 20% (w/v). Moreover, solid dispersion by the solvent evaporation method and physical mixture-based hydrotropic blends in the ratio of (1:2) have been formulated. The produced formulations were characterized using an FTIR analysis. Results: According to the findings, binary formulations containing 20% (w/v) concentrations of sodium benzoate (SB), sodium salicylate (SS), and resorcinol (R) enhanced the solubility ratio of ATV by 439.31, 689.57, and 106.21 folds, respectively. Furthermore, ternary formulations (FT14) and quaternary formulations (FQ18) resulted in the enhancement of ATV solubility by 938.45 and 995.12 folds, respectively. Ternary solid dispersion demonstrated the highest enhancement in solubility ratio by 87.68 folds and resulted in a higher dissolution rate of ATV than pure samples of the drug. Finally, FTIR analyses excluded any interactions between medications and excipients by showing no noticeable shift in the peaks. Conclusion: Solid dispersion based hydrotropic blends can provide the production of the dosage forms of practically insoluble drugs with a favorable enhancement ratio in solubility.
Drug metabolism and cytochrome P-450 (CYPs)
Authors: Mohammed Blnd , Dizaye Kawa , Amin Bushra
Published: April 2024

Cytochrome p-450 (CYPs) convert xenobiotics, chemicals, and drugs in the liver into intoxic materials that can be easily eliminated in the body. However, these CYPs sometimes mediate fatal diseases by converting drugs (for instance, paracetamol) into toxic substances that cannot be eliminated or excreted quickly from the body and hence cause hepatocyte damage that decreases the function of the liver. This article review aimed to determine the history, nomenclature, family, and subfamily of CYPs and mainly stress cytochrome P450 roles in drug metabolism. Some toxic byproducts induce autoreactive antibodies by binding to the CYPs, which causes further damage to hepatocytes. The most common causes of liver damage are type II autoimmune hepatitis, drinking alcohol, and free radicals, which cause DNA mutations. Another condition that leads to liver damage is the inability of the liver to detoxify the drug, which leads to further damage to the liver. There are some isoforms of CYPs, such as 3A, 1A, and 2C19, that are severely affected when the liver is no longer able to relieve toxic products, but some isoforms of CYPs are less affected during damage to the liver, which includes 2E1, 2D6, and 2C9. There are parameters for the involvement of CYPs in liver disease, depending on the cause of the damage, which is either drugs or alcohol. Thus, further research must be done to know the exact etiology and management of the diseases related to liver damage through CYPs.
Graves’ disease in children with Down syndrome
Authors: Nurcan Cebeci Ayse , Schempp Vera , Förtsch Katharina , Gohlke Bettina , Marx Michaela , Dörr Helmuth-Guenther , Woelfle Joachim
Published: April 2024

While subclinical or overt hypothyroidism are common in Down syndrome (DS); Graves’ disease (GD) is rare (ranges 0.6–3%). We aimed to evaluate the clinical features, course, and treatment of GD in children with DS and compare them with those without DS. Among 161 children with GD, 13 (8 female, 5 male) had DS (8%). Data were collected retrospectively from patients’ medical records. The mean age at diagnosis was 10.6 ± 4.5 years, with a female-to-male ratio 1.6:1. The main symptoms were weight loss (n = 6), increased irritability (n = 3), and increased sweating (n = 3). None had orbitopathy. Seven of 11 patients with a thyroid ultrasound at diagnosis had a goitre. On admission, all had thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.01 mU/L (normal range (NR): 0.51–4.30), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine (mean ± s.d
.), and thyrotrophin receptor antibodies (median, range) were 22.2 ± 10.2 pmol/L (NR: 3.5–8.1), 50.2 ± 18.7 pmol/L (NR 12.6–20.9), and 17.0 (2.89–159.0) U/L (NR <1), respectively. Patients were treated either with methimazole (n = 10) or carbimazole (n = 3), a dose of 0.54 ± 0.36 mg/kg/day. The treatment was ‘block and replace’ in ten patients and ‘dose titration’ in three patients, with a mean duration of 43.4 ± 11.0 months. Of 13 patients, four are still receiving primary treatment, three are in remission, one patient had two medically treated recurrences, three underwent surgery without complications, and two patients were lost to follow-up. Our data show that the clinical course of GD in patients with DS was similar to those without DS and suggest that a prolonged medical therapy should be the preferred option.
Thyroid cancer and endocrine disruptive chemicals: a case–control study on per-fluoroalkyl substances and other persistent organic pollutants
Authors: Cirello Valentina , Lugaresi Marina , Moneta Claudia , Dufour Patrice , Manzo Alessandro , Carbone Erika , Colombo Carla , Fugazzola Laura , Charlier Corinne , Pirard Catherine
Published: April 2024

Objective

The aim was to evaluate the possible association between some endocrine disruptive chemicals and thyroid cancer (TC) in an Italian case–control cohort.

Methods

We enrolled 112 TC patients and 112 sex- and age-matched controls without known thyroid diseases. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4′-DDT and 4,4′-DDE) were measured in the serum by liquid or gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Unconditional logistic regression, Bayesan kernel machine regression and weighted quantile sum models were used to estimate the association between TC and pollutants’ levels, considered individually or as mixture. BRAFV600E mutation was assessed by standard methods.

Results

The detection of perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) was positively correlated to TC (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.10–3.75, P = 0.02), while a negative association was found with perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) levels (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41–0.98, P = 0.04). Moreover, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) was positively associated with the presence of thyroiditis, while PFHxS and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) with higher levels of presurgical thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). PFHxS, PFOS, PFNA, and PFDA were correlated with less aggressive TC, while poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCB-105 and PCB-118) with larger and more aggressive tumors. Statistical models showed a negative association between pollutants’ mixture and TC. BRAF
V600E mutations were associated with PCB-153, PCB-138, and PCB-180.

Conclusion

Our study suggests, for the first time in a case–control population, that exposure to some PFAS and PCBs associates with TC and some clinical and molecular features. On the contrary, an inverse correlation was found with both PFHxS and pollutants’ mixture, likely due to a potential reverse causality.
El verbo estar y la interpretación de los adjetivos cuantitativamente subsectivos
Authors: Ynduráin Pardo de Santayana Carlos
Published: April 2024

La interpretación del valor cuantitativo de los adjetivos relacionados con propiedades que pueden darse en un mayor o menor grado (adjetivos cuantitativamente subsectivos) implica, en principio, los siguientes dos procesos inferenciales: 1) determinar cuál es la categoría respecto a la que se debe poner en relación la entidad de la que se predica una propiedad (esto es, establecer cuál es su clase de comparación) y 2) localizar el prototipo de esa clase para que actúe como referente. Así, en El niño es alto, debe deducirse respecto a qué clase de cosas es el niño en cuestión alto (¿los otros niños?, ¿la gente en general?) y emplear el prototipo de la categoría adecuada como referencia respecto a la que establecer qué entidades pertenecen a los subgrupos de altos, medianos o bajos. En español, sin embargo, cuando los adjetivos cuantitativamente subsectivos se relacionan con el verbo estar (estar alto, estar guapo…) las propiedades de la clase de comparación y de aquello que actúa como referente presentan unas características muy especiales. En este artículo describiremos cómo el verbo estar selecciona, a partir de la búsqueda de la interpretación más relevante, una clase de comparación constituida por las distintas manifestaciones a lo largo del tiempo de la propia entidad a la que se atribuye una propiedad. Explicaremos, además, que la identificación de un prototipo deberá remplazarse por la selección de otros elementos ‘centrales’ que permitan la subdivisión de dicha clase.
El proceso de velarización de los participios de la segunda conjugación del catalán: un ejemplo de analogía retrasada
Authors: Badal Manuel
Published: April 2024

En este trabajo, analizamos el proceso de velarización que experimentan los participios de la segunda conjugación en catalán. De acuerdo con la conexión morfómica existente entre el morfoma PyTA (es decir, perfecto y tiempos afines) y el participio (Wheeler 2011: 205), este último debería adoptar la misma extensión velar que presenta el PyTA de un verbo determinado, sea /g/, en verbos como beure ‘beber’ (3ª begué ‘bebió’, 3abeguera ‘bebiera’, 3a begués ‘bebiese’), sea /sk/, en verbos como nàixer ‘nacer’ (3a nasqué ‘nació’, 3ª nasquera ‘naciera’, 3a nasqués ‘naciese’). A partir de un corpus de obras en catalán que abarca desde el siglo xiii hasta el siglo xix, datamos el proceso de velarización de diversas clases verbales y comprobamos que, efectivamente, existe dicha conexión morfómica entre las formas PyTA y los participios. Con todo, la regularización analógica de los participios suele aparecer en un estadio más tardío que en las formas PyTA y, en algunos casos, ni tan siquiera se produce. Por ello, a partir de los resultados del corpus, analizamos los factores que podrían favorecer o dificultar la penetración de la extensión velar en las formas de participio.
The nonlinear contraction in probabilistic cone b-metric spaces with application to integral equation
Authors: Achtoun Youssef , Radenović Stojan , Tahiri Ismail , Lamarti Sefian Mohammed
Published: April 2024

The probabilistic cone b-metric space is a novel concept that we describe in this study along with some of its fundamental topological properties and instances. We also established the fixed point theorem for the probabilistic nonlinear Banach contraction mapping on this kind of spaces. Many prior findings in the literature are generalized and unified by our findings. In order to illustrate the basic theorem in ordinary cone b-metric spaces, some related findings are also provided with an application to integral equation.
Alzheimer’s disease in Brazil: the influence of sex on the mortality profile
Authors: Andrade dos Santos Gustavo Alves , de Oliveira Victoria Rodrigues , Scarso Amanda da Cunha , Almeida Gabrielle Oliveira , Almeida Giullia de Paula , Guirro Iago Gravinez , Alves da Cunha Heraclio , Costa De Liberal Márcia Mello
Published: April 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, and a leading cause of mortality in developed countries. It is essential that healthcare professionals know in more detail the mortality profile of this dementia so that they can offer a better quality of life to patients. The general objective of this study was to evaluate the AD mortality profile in Brazil, from 2010 to 2019, and the influence of sex and gender on this profile. This study is descriptive in nature with a quantitative approach, using secondary data, and during the presentation of this data, information reproduced by scientific articles on the topic will also be presented. The data were collected from the Mortality Information System (SIM), created by the Information Technology Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). The bibliographic survey was carried out in the Scielo and Pubmed databases. We conclude that females present more accelerated cognitive decline compared to males, and there is also a genotypic issue involved. In this way, we can affirm that sex and gender influence the clinical progression of AD, providing opportunities for measures to be taken early regarding these data, such as public health policies to combat AD.
"Für das, was ich in meinem Leben so gesucht habe, bin ich hier goldrichtig"
Authors: Stelzig Sabina , Blaß Monika
Published: April 2024

Monika Blaß, seit über dreißig Jahren im Lenzsiedlung e.V. tätig, im Gespräch mit Sabina Stelzig über ihre Arbeit in der Lenzsiedlung und die Zusammenarbeit im Projekt POMIKU
Postmigrantische Perspektiven auf Familien
Authors: Böhnke Franziska
Published: April 2024

Franziska Böhnke berichtet über die Abschlusstagung des Forschungsprojekts "Postmigrantische Familienkulturen", die vom 28.02. bis zum 01.03.2022 online an der HAW Hamburg (Department Soziale Arbeit) stattfand.
Advantages of Ultrafast™ ultrasound in the screening for renal artery disease
Authors:   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Ivanac Gordana , Bulum Antonio ,   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Bojko Jagnjić Ana ,   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Vujević Filip ,   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Lucijanić Marko ,   Hematology Department, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Bulum Marta ,   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Ivanac Krešimir ,   Neurology Department, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Brkljačić Boris ,   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia, Divjak Eugen ,   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Published: April 2024

Aim: Renal artery disease is the most common cause of secondary hypertension worldwide. B-mode and Doppler ultrasound are considered the modalities of choice for the imaging of the renal arteries. However, an adequate examination can be plagued by difficulties in patients with unfavorable anatomy. UltraFast™ ultrasound is faster, performed with higher frame rates, and enables prospective and retrospective data analysis with quantification of flow data in the obtained image, so it may be able to resolve some of the difficulties encountered during conventional ultrasound examinations in patients with suspected renal artery disease. Material and methods: Comparison of the duration of conventional and UltraFast™ Doppler examinations of segmental renal arteries was performed on 52 young, healthy volunteers. Duration times were summarized using the median and interquartile range, and comparisons between the two methods were performed using the Wilcoxon test for paired samples. Results: The duration of UltraFast™ ultrasound examinations was significantly shorter in comparison to conventional ultrasound for both kidneys and in total (p <0.001, median difference in duration 65 s, median 64% shorter duration of analysis), while both conventional and UltraFast™ ultrasound examinations demonstrated consistent velocity measurements with very high correlation (Rho = 0.94, p <0.001). Conclusions: The study provides evidence that UltraFast™ ultrasound is faster than conventional Doppler ultrasonography for the assessment of renal artery disease in healthy adults without a history of renal disease. The findings have important implications for clinical practice, as they suggest that Ultra- Fast™ imaging could offer a more efficient and time-saving approach to vascular imaging in patients with suspected renal artery disease.
Robotokkal kapcsolatos attitűdök vizsgálata a bábművészet segítségével
Authors: Kocsis Eszter Angéla
Published: April 2024

A tanulmány arra a kérdésre keresi a választ, hogy milyen kutatási irányok
bontakozhatnak ki, ha feltételezzük, hogy az emberrel közvetlen interakcióba
kerülő szociális robotok fejlesztése során mind a megjelenés, mind a
mozgástervezés tekintetében hasznosíthatóak lehetnek a bábművészetben
alkalmazott bábtervezés módszertani elemei. Akár bábokról, akár robotokról
beszélünk, az elsődleges kérdés az, hogy mozgásukkal, megjelenésükkel,
„viselkedésükkel” milyen hatást váltanak ki a nézőből. A (báb)színház jól
alkalmazható a HRI (humán-robot interakciók) modellezéseinek terepeként, az
emberek robotokra adott reakcióinak tesztelésére. A tanulmány bemutat egy
folyamatban lévő művészeti kutatást (artistic research), amely
8–12 éves gyerekek körében vizsgálja a robotokkal kapcsolatos attitűdöket,
valamint azt, hogy a gyerekek milyen érzelmekre tanítanának meg egy robotot,
illetve, hogy milyen érzelmeket várnak el egy ilyen tárgytól. Ezen vizsgálatok
segítségével közelebb juthatunk azon kérdés megválaszolásához, hogy vajon mitől
válhatnak a gyerekek mint nézők, felhasználók számára „élővé” és elfogadhatóvá a
jövőben a környezetünkben valószínűleg egyre több helyen megjelenő szociális
robotok.
Religion Scholarship on Indigenous Lands
Authors: Gomez Abel R
Published: April 2024

What does engaged scholarship on religion look like in the context of ongoing occupation of Indigenous lands? This article enters this conversation by examining research as fundamentally relational. Drawing on Shawn Wilson’s model of ‘research as ceremony’, the author argues that a move toward engaged scholarship is a move toward understanding the ways in which Scholar and the community the scholar works with are embedded in relationship as well as the importance of ongoing self-reflection on one’s place in community. Engaged scholarship, therefore, is rooted in awareness of relationships, contributions to relationships, and, ultimately, is invested in strengthening relationships. The author turns to his ethnographic experiences with Ohlone tribes in the San Francisco and Monterey areas to examine ways this could look on the ground with particular communities. The article concludes by exploring the position of scholar as respectful ‘guest’ and the possibility of more intimate connections as a ‘relative’.
Lyndon Megarrity, Robert Philp and the Politics of Development
Authors: Black Joshua
Published: April 2024

Lyndon Megarrity, Robert Philp and the Politics of DevelopmentMelbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2022, 335 pp., A$49.95, ISBN 9 7819 2266 9865
To the question of construction of welding inverter sources with a high power factor
Authors: Savenko O.S.
Published: April 2024

Purpose. Design a power-factor-corrected, energy- and cost-efficient switchmode power supply for welding.
Methodology. It is proposed to use the principle of direct conversion and to develop the "hybrid" power circuit consisting of a main power path using direct conversion and an auxiliary power path having a converter with an intermediate DC link with relatively low stored energy. Since a load to the welding power supply is the welding arc, its instantaneous power fluctuations during the mains voltage period essentially do not influence the welding process due to the thermal constant of the weld pool molten metal. Effective use of this features of the welding arc allows to optimize the power processing, reduce the amount of energy stored in the reactive elements of the circuit and improve the economical, mass and dimensional parameters of the supplies.
Findings. A new power factor corrected switchmode power supply topology is proposed utilizing beforementioned principles of power processing. The algorithm for calculating the switching frequency of supply power switches is given. To confirm the adequacy of the developed provisions, an experimental sample of the power supply was created. Oscillograms of mains voltage and source current consumption and oscillograms in output current limitation mode are obtained. The results of experiments showed that the supply has a power factor > 0.94 in a wide range of powers.
Originality.  A distinctive feature of the supply is the absence of additional inductive components in the power path, a lower capacitance of the DC-link bulk capacitor and a simplified scheme for limiting its inrush current during initial charging. The supply has an increased open circuit voltage, independent of the mains voltage, which allows for easy arc ignition during manual arc welding.
Practical value.  Due to the increased power factor, the current drawn from the mains is 30 % to 45 % lower than that of widespread inverter supplies without a power factor corrector. These features allow to simultaneously use more power supply units with the same mains current load, and/or to provide stable welding in conditions of a "weak" mains.
THE NOVEL CFRG -BASED COMPLEX FUZZY TRANSFER LEARNING SYSTEM
Authors: Huong Trieu Thu , Lan Luong Thi Hong
Published: April 2024

Today, the rapid development of the internet has led to a data explosion; the complex fuzzy transfer learning (CFTL) model has received increasing attention from the academic community due to its various real-world applications, such as solar activity, digital signal processing, time series forecasting, etc. CFTL combines Transfer learning and Complex Fuzzy Logic in a framework to solve the problem of learning tasks with no prior direct contextual knowledge, which is stored, retrieved, and organized in the data structure. Data structures play an important role in computational intelligence because they are key performance indicators for systems or models. Therefore, to improve the performance of the previous CFTL, this paper investigates a novel complex fuzzy decision tree (CFDT) structure to represent the complex fuzzy rules and provides a transfer learning model for a complex fuzzy inference system. In contrast with prior axis-parallel decision trees in which only a single feature or variable is considered at each node, the node of the proposed decision tree structures includes complex fuzzy inference rules that contain multiple elements. Multiple features for each node help minimize the size. To prove the efficiency of the proposed framework, we carry out extension experiments on numerous instances (datasets). Experimental results demonstrate/exhibit that our offered performs better than the prior framework regarding accuracy and the size of the produced trees.
Chloride binding by layered double hydroxides (LDH/AFm phases) and alkali-activated slag pastes: an experimental study by RILEM TC 283-CAM
Authors: Gluth Gregor J. G. , Mundra Shishir , Henning Ricky
Published: April 2024

Chloride binding by the hydrate phases of cementitious materials influences the rate of chloride ingress into these materials and, thus, the time at which chloride reaches the steel reinforcement in concrete structures. Chloride binding isotherms of individual hydrate phases would be required to model chloride ingress but are only scarcely available and partly conflicting. The present study by RILEM TC 283-CAM ‘Chloride transport in alkali-activated materials’ significantly extends the available database and resolves some of the apparent contradictions by determining the chloride binding isotherms of layered double hydroxides (LDH), including AFm phases (monosulfate, strätlingite, hydrotalcite, and meixnerite), and of alkali-activated slags (AAS) produced with four different activators (Na2SiO3, Na2O·1.87SiO2, Na2CO3, and Na2SO4), in NaOH/NaCl solutions at various liquid/solid ratios. Selected solids after chloride binding were analysed by X-ray diffraction, and thermodynamic modelling was applied to simulate the phase changes occurring during chloride binding by the AFm phases. The results of the present study show that the chloride binding isotherms of LDH/AFm phases depend strongly on the liquid/solid ratio during the experiments. This is attributed to kinetic restrictions, which are, however, currently poorly understood. Chloride binding by AAS pastes is only moderately influenced by the employed activator. A steep increase of the chloride binding by AAS occurs at free chloride concentrations above approx. 1.0 M, which is possibly related to chloride binding by the C–(N–)A–S–H gel in the AAS.
Resistance of consolidated lime mortars to freeze–thaw and salt crystallization cycles by different accelerated durability tests
Authors: Gabrielli Alessio , Ugolotti Greta , Masi Giulia , Sassoni Enrico
Published: April 2024

The present study aimed at evaluating the performance of untreated and consolidated lime mortars, in terms of durability and possible “delayed incompatibility” of the consolidants. Lime mortars samples were treated by an aqueous solution of diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP treatment) and a dispersion of nanolimes (NL treatment). The samples were then subjected to accelerated ageing by different methods: (1) freeze–thaw cycles; (2) salt crystallization cycles based on the European standard EN 12370 (often considered as highly aggressive); (3) salt crystallization cycles according to a new recommendation proposed by the RILEM TC 271-ASC (designed to provide less aggressive and more reliable ageing). The results of the study showed that the DAP-based treatment was able to significantly reduce damage caused by freeze–thaw cycles and salt weathering cycles by the RILEM procedure. In the case of salt weathering by the EN procedure, some risk of “delayed incompatibility” was highlighted for DAP, which can be considered an outcome of the combination between the salt weathering procedure itself and the consolidating treatment. For both freeze–thaw and salt weathering by either procedure, the residual mechanical properties of DAP samples at the end of the cycles were significantly higher than those of the untreated references and of the NL samples, for which the effects of the NL treatment were very modest.
Grainyhead-like 2 Deficiency and Kidney Cyst Growth in a Mouse Model
Authors: Yurtdas Zeliha Yesim , Kilic Ergin , Boor Peter , Wyler Emanuel , Landthaler Markus , Jung Klaus , Schmidt-Ott Kai M.
Published: April 2024

Key Points

Our study reveals segment-specific mechanisms in cystic kidney disease and suggests Grhl2 as a modifier of collecting duct–derived cyst progression.

Our data demonstrate that genetic deletion of Grhl2 accelerates disease progression in a cystic mouse model.

Background

The transcription factor grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) plays a crucial role in maintaining the epithelial barrier properties of the kidney collecting duct and is important to osmoregulation. We noticed a reduction in GRHL2 expression in cysts derived from the collecting ducts in kidneys affected by autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). However, the specific role of GRHL2 in cystic kidney disease remains unknown.

Methods

The functional role of the transcription factor Grhl2 in the context of cystic kidney disease was examined through analysis of its expression pattern in patient samples with ADPKD and generating a transgenic cystic kidney disease (TCKD) mouse model by overexpressing the human proto-oncogene c-MYC in kidney collecting ducts. Next, TCKD mice bred with collecting duct–specific Grhl2 knockout mice (Grhl2KO). The resulting TCKD-Grhl2KO mice and their littermates were examined by various types of histological and biochemical assays and gene profiling analysis through RNA sequencing.

Results

A comprehensive examination of kidney samples from patients with ADPKD revealed GRHL2 downregulation in collecting duct–derived cyst epithelia. Comparative analysis of TCKD and TCKD-Grhl2KO mice exhibited that the collecting duct–specific deletion of Grhl2 resulted in markedly aggravated cyst growth, worsened kidney dysfunction, and shortened life span. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses indicated sequential downregulation of kidney epithelial cyst development regulators (Frem2, Muc1, Cdkn2c, Pkd2, and Tsc1) during cyst progression in kidneys of TCKD-Grhl2KO mice, which included presumed direct Grhl2 target genes.

Conclusions

These results suggest Grhl2 as a potential progression modifier, especially for cysts originating from collecting ducts.
Optical Signal Investigation of Monolayer MoS2 Grown Via Glass-Assisted CVD On Patterned Surfaces
Authors: Yeltik Aydan
Published: April 2024

Enhancing photoluminescence (PL) in single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides has garnered significant interest, particularly for advancing high-performance 2D electronics and optoelectronics. The combination of surface engineering and contemporary growth methods has provided a platform for investigating optical signals. In this study, we present variations in PL and Raman signals of single-layer MoS2 flakes grown conformally using the glass-assisted CVD method on square-patterned surfaces with varying well depths. PL spectroscopy revealed a systematic and pronounced enhancement in intensities as the valley thickness decreased from 285 nm to 225 nm. Conversely, for the hill regions of the samples, the PL intensity initially increased with decreasing valley thickness and then decreased, despite the hill regions having a constant thickness of 300 nm. On the other hand, PL maps did not exhibit a systematic dependence of intensities on the hill-valley thickness distinction, contrary to expected results based on literature data for similar materials on flat surfaces. The origin of the intensity oscillations was attributed to possible mechanisms, including thickness-dependent interference and strain-related exciton funneling effects. Additionally, Raman measurements revealed irregular variations in intensity in hill regions, dependent on the thicknesses of the underlying SiO2 layers. Furthermore, we observed that the sizes of the flakes increased as the well depths of the underlying patterned surface decreased. This phenomenon might be attributed to alterations in the carrier gas flow pattern and varying temperature gradients between the hills and valleys. These results hold substantial potential to open new avenues for the integration of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides into on-chip electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Ensuring Photocatalyst Properties on Cellulosic Fabric by Using Citric Acid Modified with TiO2 Degussa P25 Nanoparticles
Authors: Sezgin Bozok Sabiha
Published: April 2024

Citric acid, which is a type of polycarboxylic acid, is environmentally friendly, and non-harmful and it can be used as a cross-linker. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle is a catalyst that provides many properties for textile products with its large surface area. Present study, a mixture was prepared with different concentrations of citric acid and commercial TiO2 Degussa P25 nanopowder suspensions. Two different curing temperatures (120°C and 140°C) were applied to the cotton fabrics in the pad-dry-cure method. The adhesion of the chemicals to the fiber surface was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT/IR) analysis. The yellowing effect caused by citric acid on cotton fabrics was eliminated with white TiO2 nanoparticles. Methylene blue was used for staining the samples. Color analyses were performed with a spectrophotometer to determine photocatalytic properties of the samples. It was determined that the samples treated with a mixture of 30 g/L citric acid and TiO2 suspensions were the most discolored samples after exposure to solar light. The photocatalyst properties of the samples were further improved by removing the aggregation of TiO2 NPs on the fiber surface with the washing procedure.
The Effect of Different Proportions of Waste Rubber Substitution on Alkali-Silica Reaction and Mechanical Properties in Mortars
Authors: Kandil Ufuk , Bulut H. Alperen
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and mechanical properties of mortars containing crumb and powder rubber instead of river sand. In this regard, mortars were produced using waste rubber whose ratios in the mixture are 0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, 15%, 18%, and 21%. ASR expansion, compressive and flexural strength tests were conducted on the samples. ASR measurements were performed on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Besides, at the end of the ASR experiment, the microstructures of the mortars were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Examining the results of this study reveals that the use of waste rubber in rising portions in the mortars led to an increase in the ASR expansions of the mortars. The study shows that the ASR expansions of the mortar samples that have 9% and 15% waste rubber replacement are comparatively higher than the other mortar samples. Furthermore, the results of the SEM analysis verified this finding. The study demonstrates that 3% of waste rubber mortar samples have the highest compressive and flexural strengths. On the other side, the ASR expansion of the mortars with 3% substituted waste rubber was considerably low compared to other mortars containing waste rubber. These findings (ASR, compressive and flexural strength tests results) show that using 3% waste rubber is ideal for producing mortars and supports a sustainable production approach in the sector.
Editorial
Authors: Martínez Escárcega Rigoberto
Published: April 2024

- -
La gestión y el currículo en la resignificación de la identidad afrodescendiente
Authors: Ortiz Domínguez Diosa Merys , Sánchez Buitrago Jorge Oswaldo
Published: April 2024

El presente estudio tiene como objetivo principal analizar y validar la efectividad de la gestión curricular incluyente en el contexto afrodescendiente en una institución del Caribe colombiano en los niveles básica primaria y secundaria, como una herramienta para generar un nuevo significado de las condiciones interculturales de las comunidades afrodescendientes en Colombia. Para llevar a cabo este estudio, se utilizó un enfoque cualitativo etnográfico de alcance descriptivo, involucrando a los directivos de la institución como participantes clave. Se utilizó una matriz de datos parametrizada y se realizó una entrevista a profundidad para recopilar la información necesaria. Los hallazgos de este estudio revelan que, actualmente, existe un nivel de gestión táctico y se han identificado deficiencias en la adopción e implementación de un currículo intercultural en la institución estudiada. Esto implica que aún existe un bajo nivel de adaptación a nuevos entornos complejos en el marco de la interculturalidad. Como conclusión clave, se establece que mejorar los procesos de gestión curricular podría ayudar a orientar la incorporación de planes y acciones con un enfoque étnico, promoviendo así una mayor adaptación y comprensión de las condiciones interculturales de las comunidades afrodescendientes en Colombia. La gestión del conocimiento se posiciona como una herramienta fundamental en este proceso, ya que permite la generación de nuevo significado y el desarrollo de estrategias inclusivas que promuevan una educación másequitativa y respetuosa de la diversidad cultural.
“I Felt Frightened and Then I Started Singing”: Songs at Russian Protest Actions
Authors: Kozlova Irina , Levochskaya Elena
Published: April 2024

This article explores the role of songs in Russian protests. Data are drawn from ethnographic observations made at protests held between 2015 and 2022, mostly in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as part of the project, “Monitoring Contemporary Folklore,” based at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The authors consider materials from 240 protests. Viewing protests as an act of communication, the article analyzes the circumstances for song performances and suggests a hypothesis for songs’ communicative goals. The article additionally demonstrates how song choice changes from common 1980’s protest songs to new tracks that gained later popularity. The article demonstrates how song production depends on the types of protests and the levels of participant engagement.
Akuakültürde Balık Refahı
Authors: Bozkurt Zehra
Published: April 2024

Balıkların korunmasına ilişkin mevzuat diğer çiftlik hayvanlarını kapsayan mevzuat ile aynı zamanda yürürlüğe girmiştir. Ancak balık refahına ilişkin gelişmeler nispeten daha yavaş ilerlemektedir. Bunun en önemli nedeni çok sayıdaki balık türü ve çeşitli yetiştirme sistemlerinin karmaşık doğasıdır. Mevcut araştırmalar balıklarda bilinç ve duyarlılık kapasitesinin varlığını tanımlamış ve balıkların ağrı, acı ve ızdırap hissedebildiklerini ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca araştırmalar balıklar ile yetiştirme çevresi arasındaki etkileşimlerin balıklarda stres yanıtları oluşturduğunu ve refah kayıplarına neden olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu makalede akuakültürde yetiştirilen balıkların refahına ilişkin kavram, mevzuat ve refah değerlendirme yöntemleri ile balık yetiştirme, taşıma, kesim ve öldürme uygulamalarının balık refahına etkilerine ilişkin güncel araştırma bulgularının derlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Ayrıca su ürünleri alanı çalışanları ile tüketicilerin balık refahına ilişkin farkındalığının arttırılması amaçlanmıştır. Yüksek stok yoğunluğu, su kalitesi, hastalıklar ile balık nakilleri ve kesim ve öldürme uygulamaları balık refahı için en önemli risklerdir. Balıklarda türe özel olmak üzere refah ihtiyaçlarının tanımlanması ile etkili ve pratik refah değerlendirme metotlarının geliştirilmesine ihtiyaç vardır. Ayrıca su içinde veya dışında iken stres faktörlerine karşı uyum kapasitesi oldukça sınırlı olan balıkların korunması için yetiştirici, bakıcı ve tüketicilerin iyi hayvan refahı konusunda eğitiminde fayda olduğu kanaatine varılmıştır..
Tumor-type agnostic, targeted therapies make a new step forward: The first tumor-agnostic approval of a HER2-targeted therapy
Authors: Vranic Semir , Gatalica Zoran
Published: April 2024

Oncologic treatment has recently undergone substantial therapeutic paradigm shifts, from classical tumor-specific and biomarker-agnostic approaches to more molecular, biomarker-specific, and tumor-agnostic. Tumor-type (histology) agnostic drugs work across cancer types and present a novel shift in precision oncology. Compared with traditional cancer therapies, this novel approach implies molecularly informed treatment strategies and enables targeted treatment regardless of tumor histology (type). Such drugs are usually utilized in small clinical cohorts with diverse tumor types sharing a common genomic event (molecular biomarker). One of the key elements of this approach is the presence of a common biomarker across many tumor types. Biomarker predicts response to the targeted drugs, as well as deciphers potential resistance mechanisms.
Read more in the PDF.
Dataset and Development of Learning Analytic Tool to Extract Manifestations of Students’ Agency from Texts of Comments from MOOCs
Authors: Dyulicheva Yulia Yu.
Published: April 2024

The study is devoted to the automatic identification of manifestations of various components and sources of student agency from the texts of reviews of MOOCs, as well as descriptions of internal and external transformation among students in the process of studying MOOCs. To extract descriptions corresponding to individual, relational and contextual sources of students’ agency, a dataset of 3445 English-language comments on the most popular mathematics courses presented on the Udemy platform was generated, and additionally 1787 comments on practice-oriented MOOCs and entrepreneurship MOOCs were extracted to understand the descriptions corresponding manifestation of internal and external transformation in MOOC listeners. The paper proposes a methodological approach based on the use of natural language processing methods such as topic modeling, sentiment analysis and N-gram frequency analysis for extracting keywords and their combinations from MOOCs’ comments texts to describe the manifestation of the components of an individual source of student agency in the form of self-efficacy , increased sense of confidence in solving problems and motivation; components of the relational source in the form of support and accompaniment of the online course by the tutor with the help of quick answers and well-structured educational material; components of the contextual source in the form of the ability to make decisions when choosing alternative online courses, as well as descriptions of the manifestation of internal transformation of students, expressed in the transition from internal struggle - overcoming fears, uncertainty, difficulties in perceiving MOOC content to understanding the purpose of learning and external transformation, expressed in the texts of comments on MOOCs in the form of creating a new or changing the structure of an existing product, startup or business through a change in thinking.