bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Arabic strengths and difficulties questionnaire in Qatar
Authors: Gilstrap L. L. , Nazeer A. , Ather M. , Shahwar D. , Shaffeeullah I. , Magbool A. , Azeem M. W.
Published: December 2023

Background

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a screening questionnaire to identify children and youth’s emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer issues, and prosocial behaviors. The objective of this study was to validate the SDQ-Arabic against trained clinicians’ diagnoses for the first time in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country by examining its ability to discriminate between clinically referred and community youth samples, and to differentiate between major categories of diagnoses within a clinically referred youth sample.

Results

We recruited two samples of 13–17-year-old Arabic-speaking youth and their parents in Qatar: a clinically-referred sample from a child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) outpatient clinic and a stratified, representative school sample. Survey data, including the SDQ-Arabic, were collected as well as the clinical diagnoses given by the youths’ clinicians for the clinically referred sample.

Using both areas under the curve and traditional analyses of variance, the SDQ-Arabic differentiated between the clinically referred and community samples of Arabic-speaking youth. In addition, the SDQ-Arabic differentiated between the main diagnoses in the clinically referred sample.

Conclusion

The current study extends the validity of the SDQ-Arabic. The SDQ-Arabic, which had previously been validated in Arabic-speaking Levantine countries in the region, continues to demonstrate strong predictive value in a GCC sample. Implications for mental health screening are discussed.
Fecal incontinence: challenges in electrodiagnosis and rehabilitation
Authors: Gadallah Naglaa A. , Zohiery Abeer K. El , Gergius Youssy S. , Moussa Shaymaa A.
Published: December 2023

Background

Pelvic floor disorders are a common, yet debatable medical challenge. The management of fecal incontinence (FI) has always been a puzzle as it is a multifactorial problem that needs a skilled specialized teamwork.

Main body of abstract

FI has complex etiology including altered rectal sensibility, dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles, and damage to the anal sphincter complex. The most valuable tests for the evaluation of FI are anorectal manometry, endoanal ultrasound, MRI with or without defecography, and neurophysiological studies. Neurophysiological tests of the pelvic floor muscles represent a valid method for studying the functional integrity of neural pathways, localizing a pathological process, and possibly revealing its mechanism and severity. These tests include assessment of conduction of the pudendal nerve, electromyography (EMG) of the sphincter as well as pelvic floor muscles, sacral reflexes, somatosensory-/motor-evoked responses, and perineal sympathetic skin response. Different approaches are available for the treatment of FI. These include conservative measures such as lifestyle and dietary modifications, medications, and pelvic floor rehabilitation which are considered the preferred lines to avoid the risk of interventions. However, more invasive approaches as the use of perianal injectable bulking agents, sacral nerve stimulation, or surgery are also present.

Conclusion

Finally, management of FI is a true challenge that needs multidisciplinary approach. Integrated diagnostic work-up between the related subspecialities, as well as tailoring the management plan according to each case, would help to reach best outcome.
Introduction
Authors: Uno Roberta
Published: December 2023

The introduction grounds the anthology in the five-year organizational history of Arts in a Changing America (ArtChangeUS), an initiative founded in 2015 with a mission to reframe the national arts conversation by embracing the cultural assets of demographic change. Emphasizing the pressing role of artists and cultural workers as innovative strategists for equity, this section also provides a framework of cultural movements in America, drawing on the legacies of the New Deal, the civil rights movement, Black Lives Matter, and the intersecting crises of 2020. With a call to artists to reimagine a “shared sustainable future that will be irresistible to all,” this section ends with a poem that invite the reader to “stay questioning the frame—including this one here.”
Correlation of serum kisspeptin and leptin with non-obstructive azoospermia: A cross-sectional study in a subset of Karachi population
Authors: Amjad Dr Sofia , Munir Adnan , Mushtaq Shamim , Rehman Rehana
Published: December 2023

Objective: To determine the association of serum kisspeptin, leptin, and other hormonal profile with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) in infertile male subjects.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Australian Concept Infertility Medical Center, and Ziauddin University, Karachi from March 2018 to March 2020. The duration of the study was two years. Serum samples of 106 azoospermic participants were taken. Division of the subjects was done on a histological basis into obstructive azoospermia (OA) n=36, NOA n=70 which were further divided into spermatid maturation arrest (SMA), n=41, and sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) n=29. Serum kisspeptin and leptin were measured by ELISA (Cloud-Clone Corp).

Results: The follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (p<0.01), luteinizing hormone (LH) (p<0.01), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (p<0.01), and estradiol (p<0.01) was significantly high in the NOA group. However, kisspeptin was significantly decreased (p<0.01) in the NOA group. In the multivariate analysis after adjusting for other variables, the results showed that with the decrease in kisspeptin, the chances of being NOA were increased. Moreover, with the increase in Leptin, FSH, LH, and TSH the chances of being NOA were significantly enhanced.

Conclusion: Serum kisspeptin, leptin, FSH, LH, TSH, and estradiol can be a potential marker for NOA in terms of better diagnosis, targeted therapeutic management, and the decision to proceed with surgical intervention.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.3.8125

How to cite this: Amjad S, Munir A, Mushtaq S, Rehman R. Correlation of serum kisspeptin and leptin with non-obstructive azoospermia: A cross-sectional study in a subset of Karachi population. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(3):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.3.8125

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Hemorheology and Inflammatory Marker Changes in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke after Intravenous Thrombolysis with Mechanical Thrombectomy
Authors: Wu Li , Shi Peng , Zhao Yujie , Shao Di , Wu Hongliang
Published: December 2023

Objective: To investigate hemorheology and inflammatory marker changes after treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) using intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with mechanical thrombectomy (MT).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records of patients with AIS (n=83) treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College between January 2021 and December 2022 (n=83). The control group consisted of 38 patients who underwent IVT alone and the observation group consisted of 45 patients who underwent IVT with MT. We compared differences in mean variables related to hemorheology, inflammatory markers, and total efficacy between the two groups.

Results: We found that hemorheology values (plasma viscosity [PV], whole blood viscosity [WBV], fibrinogen [FIB], and hematocrit [HCT]), and the levels of inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) were higher in the control group than in the observation group after treatment (P<0.05). In addition, the total efficacy of the observation group (93.3%) was higher than that in the control group (76.3%; P=0.016).

Conclusions: The clinical efficacy of combined IVT and MT in the treatment of AIS is superior to IVT alone, improving levels of hemorheology and inflammatory markers in patients with AIS.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.3.8396

How to cite this: Wu L, Shi P, Zhao Y, Shao D, Wu H. Hemorheology and Inflammatory Marker Changes in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke after Intravenous Thrombolysis with Mechanical Thrombectomy. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(3):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.3.8396

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Επίλυση προβλημάτων κατασκευής βέλτιστου ωρολογίου προγράμματος (timetabling) και σχεδιασμού δικτύων μεταφορών (transit routing) με χρήση σύγχρονων αλγορίθμων υπολογιστικής νοημοσύνης και ευφυών υβριδικών συστημάτων
Authors: Κατσαραγάκης Ιωσήφ
Published: December 2023

Στην παρούσα διατριβή παρουσιάζεται η έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε στα πλαίσια της εκπόνησής της για την επίλυση προβλημάτων κατασκευής βέλτιστων ωρολογίων προγραμμάτων (timetabling) που χρησιμοποιούνται, κυρίως, στον χώρο της ελλαδικής δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης και σχεδιασμού δικτύου μεταφορών (transit routing), με χρήση σύγχρονων αλγορίθμων Υπολογιστικής Νοημοσύνης και Ευφυών Υβριδικών Συστημάτων. Στον ερευνητικό τομέα της κατασκευής ωρολογίων προγραμμάτων μελετήθηκε το School Timetabling Problem. Αναπτύχθηκαν και δοκιμάσθηκαν δύο αλγόριθμοι με χρήση μεθοδολογιών Υπολογιστικής Νοημοσύνης. Ο πρώτος, χρονικά, αλγόριθμος που σχεδιάστηκε στηρίζεται στην βιολογική συμπεριφορά ενός σμήνους ψαριών (Artificial Fish Swarm) και είναι η πρώτη φορά, από όσο είναι γνωστό, που ένας τέτοιος αλγόριθμος αναπτύσσεται για το συγκεκριμένο πρόβλημα. Δοκιμάστηκε σε δέκα (10) αρχεία δεδομένων από ελληνικά σχολεία και συγκρίθηκε με άλλους αλγόριθμους. Η επίδοσή του είναι αρκετά ικανοποιητική, αφού κατάφερε σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις να επιλύσει αποδοτικά το πρόβλημα και να έχει αποτελέσματα εφάμιλλα των καλύτερων αποτελεσμάτων που έχουν επιτευχθεί για τα συγκεκριμένα αρχεία εισόδου. Ο δεύτερος αλγόριθμος που αναπτύχθηκε είναι μια παραλλαγή του Particle Swarm Optimization και η έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε αποτελεί, ουσιαστικά, συνέχεια και τμήμα σχετικής εργασίας συναδέλφων ερευνητών πάνω στον ίδιο αλγόριθμο. Οι επιδόσεις του, με χρήση των ίδιων όπως παραπάνω αρχείων, είναι πάρα πολύ ικανοποιητικές δίνοντας, προς το παρόν, τα καλύτερα αποτελέσματα σε σύγκριση με άλλες γνωστές ερευνητικές προσπάθειες για την επίλυση των συγκεκριμένων στιγμιότυπων του προβλήματος. Στο ερευνητικό κομμάτι του σχεδιασμού δικτύου μεταφορών μελετήθηκε το πρόβλημα δρομολόγησης αστικών οχημάτων (Urban Vehicle Routing Problem-UVRP). Σχεδιάστηκε αλγόριθμος στηριγμένος στην βιολογική συμπεριφορά των αιλουροειδών (Cat Swarm). Δοκιμάστηκε σε πέντε (5), δημοφιλή στην διεθνή βιβλιογραφία, οδικά δίκτυα, με διάφορες παραλλαγές για το καθένα. Σε όλα σχεδόν τα παραπάνω δίκτυα οι επιδόσεις του αλγόριθμου, που κρίνονται ως πάρα πολύ ικανοποιητικές, ξεπερνούν τις επιδόσεις άλλων γνωστών ερευνητικών προσπαθειών που έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί και δημοσιευτεί στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία σχετικά με την επίλυσή τους.
Protocol for Establishing a Stakeholder Group for Primary Care Research into Cancer Using a Modified 7P Framework and an e-Delphi Process
Authors: Jacob Benjamin M. , Burns Heather , Chong Ming Chuen , Clyne Barbara ,   Primary Care PPI Group (HRB Primary Care Clinical Trials Network), O'Connor Laura , Bennett Kathleen , Redmond Patrick
Published: December 2023

Introduction Currently, no group specifically supports and coordinates primary care focused cancer research in Ireland. The aim of this project is to establish an inclusive stakeholder group for primary care focused cancer research in Ireland, to coordinate research efforts and build capacity in researchers and institutions. Methods We will convene a stakeholder group, recruiting individuals with personal and professional experience of cancer care in a community setting. “Core stakeholders”—patients, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers—will attend regularly. Additional “specialist stakeholders”, such as representatives of secondary care, private healthcare, health insurance, industry, cancer charities, and health research funders, will participate on an ad hoc basis. An e-Delphi consensus process will be used to assess the stakeholders’ views on: (1) the relevance and importance of primary care focused cancer research; (2) the potential role and scope of the stakeholder group; (3) how best to engage with lived experience stakeholders and healthcare professionals affected by the research; (4) how to encourage the dissemination of results and the translation of findings into practice. Round 1 will be open-ended and will invite the independent suggestions of stakeholders; in Round 2 and 3, group members will vote on the inclusion of these suggestions in a position statement by the group, with consensus defined as ≥75% agreement. Discussion The formation of a broad stakeholder group to support primary care focused cancer research will ensure research is relevant, patient centered, and more readily translated into practice. It is also hoped that the group will support capacity building and strategic planning in this important research space.
THE COMPONENT COMPOSITION OF THE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING METHODOLOGY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EDUCATIONAL STANDARD (USING THE EXAMPLE OF A GENERAL BIOLOGY COURSE)
Authors: Shekhmirzova Andzhelika M. , Gribina Lyudmila V. , Tuguz Fatima A.
Published: December 2023

The article reveals the essence of project-based learning through the allocation of the basic principle of its definition – the principle of independent acquisition of knowledge by students in the course of solving subject practical problems using various subject knowledge (including integrated). On its basis, the substantiation of the component composition of the methodology of project training at the level of general education is presented. The relevance of the research lies in the possibility of its implementation in the educational process to achieve the planned results of the federal state educational standard in the form of subject and meta-subject (UUD) competencies formed by students. On the example of the general biology course, the effectiveness of the implementation of the component composition of the project training methodology is shown. Its justification is based on the presented results of experimental work.

Purpose: substantiation of the component composition of the project training methodology in the form of a system of goals, content, principles, approaches, methods, didactic tools, diagnostics and monitoring of the levels of subject and metasubject competencies formed in students.

Methodology: the article presents a set of theoretical and empirical methods of pedagogical research used in the identification, justification and implementation of the component composition of the methodology of project-based learning in the practice of teaching.

Results: improving the effectiveness of the educational process in the formation of subject and meta-subject (UUD) competencies of students in the federal state educational standard by applying the component composition of the project-based learning methodology.

Practical implications: the results of the study can be used by subject teachers in the implementation of the required educational results according to the federal state educational standard and taken into account in the development of educational programs at the school level by administrative and managerial personnel.
APPROACHES TO INCREASING MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES OF MEDICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Authors: Uranova Valeria V. , Starikova Alla A. , Bliznyak Olga V.
Published: December 2023

Introduction. This article is devoted to the study of the influence of the teacher’s activity on the level of motivation of students of higher educational institutions.

Purpose: to study the characteristics of the motivation of students studying in the specialty 33.05.01. “Pharmacy”.

Materials and methods. The study is based on a preliminary study and analysis of data obtained by domestic scientists and presented in the sources of psychological and pedagogical literature. The implementation of the tasks set was carried out in the course of a sociological survey. The results were processed using the methods of mathematical statistics.

Results. A technology has been developed to increase the motivational level of students in the form of an algorithm, introduced into the work of the teaching staff of the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy in the preparation of future pharmacists.

Scope. The algorithm of professional orientation of students developed by the authors can be used when teaching students in a higher educational institution. The applicability of the obtained statistically significant results as a basis for further work on increasing students’ motivation for the implementation of educational activities is substantiated.

Conclusion. It was revealed that changes in the deep motives of students occurred when the teaching staff used new methods that make it possible to modernize the standard learning process, taking into account the interests and psychological characteristics of future pharmacists.
Actitudes del alumnado ante el aprendizaje de la pronunciación de la lengua inglesa y sus variedades en la clase de inglés.
Authors: Alonso-Herrero Ane , Lasagabaster Herrarte David
Published: December 2023

In the last decades English has gained undeniable relevance and status to the extent that it has become essential both in the professional and personal spheres in many parts of the world. However, its pronunciation is still regarded as the “Cinderella” among the areas of language due to its neglect in the foreign language classroom. This study sought to investigate 55 secondary school students’ attitudes in the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain) towards English pronunciation, General American English (AE), Standard Southern British English (BE) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), as well as Native and Non-Native English Speaker Teachers (NESTs and NNESTs). Additionally, students’ responses were statistically compared in terms of gender. Data was collected through a questionnaire, the verbal-guise technique (VGT) and three open-ended questions. Results suggested that, although students believed in the importance of pronunciation instruction, English instructors should address its relevance more specifically. Native English varieties were prioritized, as well as NESTs. Statistically significant gender differences were also found. Conclusions and pedagogical implications are provided.
Hacia una perspectiva multimodal para evaluar pragmática: un estudio basado en quejas y respuestas a quejas
Authors: Beltrán-Palanques Vicent
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study is to provide insights into pragmatic assessment in terms of appropriateness from a multimodal perspective at a conversational level. The study involved the design of a rubric for assessing pragmatic appropriateness from a holistic perspective, that is, it addresses linguistic and non-linguistic resources. The study was conducted in a Spanish higher education context and involved 64 participants, who were divided into two different proficiency levels (B1 and B2). Data were gathered by means of a role-play task that elicits complaints and responses to complaints, and a multimodal corpus consisting of 32 videos was compiled. Two raters examined participants’ performance according to the rubric devised for the purposes of the study. Results reveal that general proficiency level appears to influence pragmatic appropriateness in terms of the expressions used and the management of turns during the conversation. This study suggests that analysing pragmatic appropriateness from a holistic perspective deserves further investigation and its findings set the ground for future research in this area.
Mitigation of risk, effective communication and scene management of major incidents
Authors: Rees Scott
Published: December 2023

Communication and collaborative working between emergency services at the scene of a major incident are paramount to gain the best outcome for patients and the wider public. This module aims to improve knowledge around joint emergency service interoperability principle (JESIP) and the importance of interoperable working between agencies, the various roles involved and the fundamental guidelines of risk assessment, safety, and management of a hazardous scene.
Survey and analysis of national standardization trends for smart farm ICT equipment
Authors: Woo Chi-Ju , An Ho-Sung , Lee Ka Young , Samsuzzaman Samsuzzaman , Kabir Md Shaha Nur , Chung Sun-Ok , Hong Soon Jung , Ha Jong Kyu
Published: December 2023

The rapid advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly transformed the agricultural sector, giving rise to the concept of smart farming. Smart farming involves the integration of various ICT equipment and technologies to enhance agricultural practices, improve productivity, and ensure sustainable resource utilization. As smart farming gains momentum, the need for standardized practices and equipment becomes crucial to ensure interoperability, reliability, and widespread adoption. This paper presents a comprehensive survey and analysis of national standardization trends for smart farm ICT equipment in smart farming. It introduces the standardization trends, smart farm ICT equipment national standard diffusion support project, and evaluation of testing ICT equipments. Additionally, it highlights the necessity and consequences of ensuring interoperability for ICT equipment in smart farming. Furthermore, the paper explores the challenges and opportunities associated with smart farm ICT equipment standardization. Challenges include reconciling diverse technical requirements, addressing security and privacy concerns, and maintaining adaptability to evolving technological landscapes. On the other hand, standardization offers the opportunity to accelerate innovation, enable market growth, and establish a foundation for sustainable agricultural practices.
Investigation and Analysis of Electromagnetic Interference for PWM Encoder of Urban Rail Train
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhu Feng , Wang Yuxuan , Yang Chengpan
Published: December 2023

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is an important factor in ensuring the safe operation of the sensitive electronic equipment on urban rail trains. The pulse width modulation (PWM) encoder of an urban rail train exported from China to Brazil is sometimes affected by electromagnetic interference (EMI), which causes the train to fail to run properly. To solve this problem, the EMC test is performed on the PWM encoder to identify the coupling path and the type of interference source. The EMI coupling model and the vehicle-catenary-rail model are established by using an electromagnetic transients program (EMTP) to analyze the mechanism of interference coupling. It is shown that the unbalanced voltage of the train body caused by the backflow of the grounding current is the root cause of the interference of the PWM encoder. The maximum voltage coupled to the internal port of the PWM encoder is about 1894 V, which is sufficient to burn out the encoder. A measure to suppress the interference by installing thyristor surge suppressors (TSS) P0300SC is proposed, which effectively solves the EMI problem of the PWM encoder.
Edge Hole Effect on Isolation of UWB MIMO RDRA for 5G Outdoor Applications
Authors: Abouelnaga Tamer G. , Abdallah Esmat A.
Published: December 2023

For 5G sub-6 GHz outdoor applications, a highly isolated two-port rectangular dielectric resonator antenna (RDRA) with UWB MIMO is presented in this research. For isolation enhancement purposes at the lower frequency band (2.27 GHz-2.62 GHz), a longitudinal slot is inserted at the ground plane. For isolation enhancement at the higher frequency band (3.9 GHz-5.73 GHz), an edged hole is inserted in the RDRA. Investigations are conducted on the impacts of slotted ground as well as edged hole radius on isolation. The orthogonal feeding scheme of UWB MIMO RDRA considering both edged hole and slotted ground plane effects are investigated. For the edged hole MIMO RDRA with a slotted ground plane, isolation is better than -24.7 dB at a higher frequency band and is better than -15.5 dB at a lower frequency band. This isolation improvement is explained by the surface current density distribution. The use of an edged hole RDRA and an aperture-coupled orthogonal feeding allows UWB bandwidth and good efficiency performances on the 5G operating bands. To justify the MIMO performance, the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and diversity gain (DG) are applied.
Balanced Filtering Power Divider based on Odd-mode Hybrid Microstrip and Slotline Spoof Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Authors: Song Yi , Zhang Anxue
Published: December 2023

In this paper, an ultra-wideband balanced filtering power divider (B-FPD) with high common mode (CM) suppression level is proposed. The B-FPD is designed based on the odd mode spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs), which are constructed by the hybrid folded microstrip and slotline (HFMS) structure. Firstly, the dispersion characteristic and electric field distribution of the HFMS SSPP unit cell are investigated, which can decrease the upper cut-off frequency for size reduction of nearly 50%. Next, an equal balanced power divider with low cut-off frequency is proposed based on the microstrip-to-slotline transition structure and slotline Y-junction. Then, the balanced power divider is used to excite the odd mode of HFMS SSPP structure. An equal B-FPD with center frequency of 4.0 GHz is implemented, and the 3-dB bandwidth covers 0.9 to 7.0 GHz. Finally, the B-FPD with advantages of high CM suppression level and compact size is fabricated and measured.
Automated Semantic Annotation Deploying Machine Learning Approaches: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chang Wee Chea , Sangodiah Anbuselvan
Published: December 2023

Semantic Web is the vision to make Internet data machine-readable to achieve information retrieval with higher granularity and personalisation. Semantic annotation is the process that binds machine-understandable descriptions into Web resources such as text and images. Hence, the success of Semantic Web dependson the wide availability of semantically annotated Web resources. However, there remains a huge amount of unannotated Web resources due to the limited annotation capability available. In order to address this, machine learning approaches have been used to improve the automation process. This Systematic Review aims to summarise the existing state-of-the-art literature to answer five Research Questions focusing on machine learning driven semantic annotation automation. The analysis of 40 selected primary studies reveals that the use of unitary and combination of machine learning algorithms are both the current directions. SupportVector Machine (SVM) is the most-used algorithm, and supervised learning is the predominant machine learning type. Both semi-automated and fully automated annotation are almost nearly achieved. Meanwhile, text is the most annotated Web resource; and the availability of third-party annotation tools is in-line with this. While Precision, Recall, F-Measure and Accuracy are the most deployed quality metrics, not all the studies measured the quality of the annotated results. In the future, standardising quality measures is the direction for research.
Detecting Outliers Using Modified Recursive PCA Algorithm For Dynamic Streaming Data
Authors: Dani Yasi , Gunawan Agus Yodi , Khodra Masayu Leylia , Indratno Sapto Wahyu
Published: December 2023

Outlier analysis has been widely studied and has produced many methods. However, there is still rare a method to detect outliers for dynamically streaming batch data (online learning). In the present research, a novel online algorithm to detect outliers in such dataset is proposed. Data points are proceeded by applying a modified recursive PCA to predict sequentially parameters of the model; eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the statistical detection model are recursively updated using approximate values by perturbation methods. More specifically, the recursive eigenstructure is obtained from the derivation of the covariance matrix using the first-order perturbation technique. The Mahalanobis distance is then used as an outlier score. Our algorithm performances are evaluated using some metrics, namely accuration, precision, recall, F1-score, AUC-PR, and the execution time. Results show that the proposed online outlier detection is computationally efficient in time and the algorithm's performance effectiveness is comparable to that of the offline outlier detection algorithm via classical PCA.
Halakha vs. Capitalism
Authors: Lipson Allen
Published: December 2023

Abstract: Medieval Jewish economic law was in many ways fundamentally inhospitable to early capitalism. Practice ultimately changed, and law with it, but not without bitter dissent from some towering rabbinic authorities, or poskim . To be clear, these protagonists are by no stretch of the imagination leftist; their views on society and gender often run against the grain of progressive sensibilities, to put it mildly. But they do express with passion and clarity the stakes of capitalism's growth, and hold out the hope of another way. The goal here is not to restore the premodern ghetto, but to salvage a usable past from it for the daunting political road ahead.
The Witsuwit'en–English Dictionary Project
Authors: Hargus Sharon
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT: This article documents the development and features of a print bilingual dictionary of Witsuwit'en, an Indigenous language of North America (Dene family), with accompanying website. Constructing lexical entries for verbs in Dene languages is especially challenging. This article discusses the tension between constructing linguistically adequate entries for Witsuwit'en verbs while at the same time making the dictionary usable for the increasing numbers of non-native speakers. The various parts of the dictionary were compiled using "legacy" software, Lexware.
Theoretical and experimental verification of wide-spectrum thermometry based on Taylor series de-integration method
Authors: Yu Qiansong , Gu Shengyu , Dong Yuan
Published: December 2023

In response to the challenges encountered in solving the integral equations and the disadvantages of requiring additional calibration parameters in the existing three-channel wide-spectrum temperature measurement, a wavelength-based Taylor series de-integration method is proposed. By combining the coefficient of determination, which characterizes the approximation effect, the selection criterion of characteristic wavelength (optimal expansion wavelength, OEW) is constructed. In the influence analysis of spectral emissivity on the de-integration method, the insensitivity of OEW to spectral emissivity is revealed. The feasibility of using blackbody OEW for de-integration processing is proved when the spectral emissivity is unknown, which provides necessary theoretical support for the selection of characteristic wavelengths in practical application. Based on this integration method, algebraic temperature measurement equations in the forms of graybody, three-channel fusion, and two-color are derived, and the theoretical errors of each form are discussed from both horizontal and longitudinal perspectives. Furthermore, thermometry experiments with multiple acquisition parameters and diverse samples were conducted corresponding to three solution forms, the universality of acquisition parameters and sample applicability are proven.
Second-harmonic generation microscopy with synthetic aperture and computational adaptive optics
Authors: Moon Jungho , Kang Sungsam , Cho Ye-Chan , Hong Jin Hee , Shin Dong-Jin , Gong Su-Hyun , Yoon Seok-Chan , Choi Wonshik
Published: December 2023

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is a powerful label-free imaging tool widely used to visualize collagen and muscle in biological tissues. However, traditional laser-scanning SHG microscopy requiring voxel scanning is time-intensive. Wide-field SHG microscopy was designed to bypass this restriction, but its application to deep tissue imaging is limited due to vulnerability to scattering and sample-induced aberrations. We introduce synthetic aperture SHG (SA-SHG) microscopy to attenuate the effect of multiple scattering noises. Our SA-SHG method coherently integrates amplitude and phase maps of wide-field SHG fields taken for different illumination angles, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio. We also develop computational adaptive optics SHG (CAO-SHG) microscopy to computationally correct the sample-induced aberrations. Our algorithm optimizes SHG fields’ aperture synthesis to identify aberration maps, enabling the restoration of diffraction-limited imaging. We successfully apply this approach to real biological samples, demonstrating its potential for high-resolution imaging in complex biological environments.
A kinetic model of iron trafficking in growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells; applying mathematical methods to minimize the problem of sparse data and generate viable autoregulatory mechanisms
Authors: Thorat Shantanu , Walton Jay R. , Lindahl Paul A.
Published: December 2023

Iron is an essential transition metal for all eukaryotic cells, and its trafficking throughout the cell is highly regulated. However, the overall cellular mechanism of regulation is poorly understood despite knowing many of the molecular players involved. Here, an ordinary-differential-equations (ODE) based kinetic model of iron trafficking within a growing yeast cell was developed that included autoregulation. The 9-reaction 8-component in-silico cell model was solved under both steady-state and time-dependent dynamical conditions. The ODE for each component included a dilution term due to cell growth. Conserved rate relationships were obtained from the null space of the stoichiometric matrix, and the reduced-row-echelon-form was used to distinguish independent from dependent rates. Independent rates were determined from experimentally estimated component concentrations, cell growth rates, and the literature. Simple rate-law expressions were assumed, allowing rate-constants for each reaction to be estimated. Continuous Heaviside logistical functions were used to regulate rate-constants. These functions acted like valves, opening or closing depending on component “sensor” concentrations. Two cellular regulatory mechanisms were selected from 134,217,728 possibilities using a novel approach involving 6 mathematically-defined filters. Three cellular states were analyzed including healthy wild-type cells, iron-deficient wild-type cells, and a frataxin-deficient strain of cells characterizing the disease Friedreich’s Ataxia. The model was stable toward limited perturbations, as determined by the eigenvalues of Jacobian matrices. Autoregulation allowed healthy cells to transition to the diseased state when triggered by a mutation in frataxin, and to the iron-deficient state when cells are placed in iron-deficient growth medium. The in-silico phenotypes observed during these transitions were similar to those observed experimentally. The model also predicted the observed effects of hypoxia on the diseased condition. A similar approach could be used to solve ODE-based kinetic models associated with other biochemical processes operating within growing cells.
Novel metrics reveal new structure and unappreciated heterogeneity in Caenorhabditis elegans development
Authors: Natesan Gunalan , Hamilton Timothy , Deeds Eric J. , Shah Pavak K.
Published: December 2023

High throughput experimental approaches are increasingly allowing for the quantitative description of cellular and organismal phenotypes. Distilling these large volumes of complex data into meaningful measures that can drive biological insight remains a central challenge. In the quantitative study of development, for instance, one can resolve phenotypic measures for single cells onto their lineage history, enabling joint consideration of heritable signals and cell fate decisions. Most attempts to analyze this type of data, however, discard much of the information content contained within lineage trees. In this work we introduce a generalized metric, which we term the branch edit distance, that allows us to compare any two embryos based on phenotypic measurements in individual cells. This approach aligns those phenotypic measurements to the underlying lineage tree, providing a flexible and intuitive framework for quantitative comparisons between, for instance, Wild-Type (WT) and mutant developmental programs. We apply this novel metric to data on cell-cycle timing from over 1300 WT and RNAi-treated Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Our new metric revealed surprising heterogeneity within this data set, including subtle batch effects in WT embryos and dramatic variability in RNAi-induced developmental phenotypes, all of which had been missed in previous analyses. Further investigation of these results suggests a novel, quantitative link between pathways that govern cell fate decisions and pathways that pattern cell cycle timing in the early embryo. Our work demonstrates that the branch edit distance we propose, and similar metrics like it, have the potential to revolutionize our quantitative understanding of organismal phenotype.
An application of fuzzy bipolar weighted correlation coefficient in decision-making problem
Authors: Mustafa Saima , Mahmood Sadia , Salleh Zabidin
Published: December 2023

Diagnosing and finding the disease in medical sciences is a complex procedure. The basic steps involved in finding starts with signs, symptoms, and test. This study is based on the diagnosis of a skin disorder. The identification of a disease has been made on the basis of symptoms that sometimes show bipolarity. To address this bipolarity, the bipolar fuzzy sets are used as bipolar fuzzy sets cover the positive as well as negative aspects of a specific symptom. It is combined with the idea of soft sets, which gives more precise results. We have proposed a new technique in which a correlation coefficient is used to measure bipolar fuzzy soft set, which has been applied for diagnosis. The BFSSs deal most effectively with dual and fuzzy information. The correlation coefficient and the weighted correlation coefficient of BFSSs are suggested in this research. Based on said techniques, the decision-making method is suggested under a bipolar fuzzy environment to resolve ambiguous and unclear information. The implementation and effectiveness of the proposed and existing strategy has been checked by numerical computation.
A distinct isoform of lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1) epigenetically restricts EBV reactivation to maintain viral latency
Authors: Ward B. J. H. , Prasai Kanchanjunga , Schaal Danielle L. , Wang Jian , Scott Rona S.
Published: December 2023

As a human tumor virus, EBV is present as a latent infection in its associated malignancies where genetic and epigenetic changes have been shown to impede cellular differentiation and viral reactivation. We reported previously that levels of the Wnt signaling effector, lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1) increased following EBV epithelial infection and an epigenetic reprogramming event was maintained even after loss of the viral genome. Elevated LEF1 levels are also observed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Burkitt lymphoma. To determine the role played by LEF1 in the EBV life cycle, we used in silico analysis of EBV type 1 and 2 genomes to identify over 20 Wnt-response elements, which suggests that LEF1 may bind directly to the EBV genome and regulate the viral life cycle. Using CUT&RUN-seq, LEF1 was shown to bind the latent EBV genome at various sites encoding viral lytic products that included the immediate early transactivator BZLF1 and viral primase BSLF1 genes. The LEF1 gene encodes various long and short protein isoforms. siRNA depletion of specific LEF1 isoforms revealed that the alternative-promoter derived isoform with an N-terminal truncation (ΔN LEF1) transcriptionally repressed lytic genes associated with LEF1 binding. In addition, forced expression of the ΔN LEF1 isoform antagonized EBV reactivation. As LEF1 repression requires histone deacetylase activity through either recruitment of or direct intrinsic histone deacetylase activity, siRNA depletion of LEF1 resulted in increased histone 3 lysine 9 and lysine 27 acetylation at LEF1 binding sites and across the EBV genome. Taken together, these results indicate a novel role for LEF1 in maintaining EBV latency and restriction viral reactivation via repressive chromatin remodeling of critical lytic cycle factors.
Stable Feature Selection using Improved Whale Optimization Algorithm for Microarray Datasets
Authors: Theng Dipti , Bhoyar Kishor K
Published: December 2023

A microarray is a collection of DNA sequences that reflect an organism’s whole gene set and are organized in a grid pattern for use in genetic testing. Microarray datasets are extremely high-dimensional and have a very small sample size, posing the challenges of insufficient data and high computational complexity. Identification of true biomarkers that are the most significant features (a very small subset of the complete feature set) is desired to solve these issues. This reduces over-fitting, and time complexity, and improves model generalization. Various feature selection algorithms are used for this biomarker identification. This research proposed a modification to the whale optimization algorithm (WOAm) for biomarker discovery, in which the fitness of each search agent is evaluated using the hinge loss function during the hunting for prey phase to determine the optimal search agent. Also compared the results of the proposed modified algorithm with the original whale optimization algorithm and also with contemporary algorithms like the marine predator algorithm and grey wolf optimization. All these algorithms are evaluated on six different high-dimensional microarray datasets. It has been observed that the proposed modification for the whale optimization algorithm has significantly improved the results of feature selection across all the datasets. Domain experts trust the resultant biomarker/ associated genes by the stability of the results obtained. The chosen feature set’s stability was also evaluated during the research work. According to the findings, our proposed WOAm has superior stability compared to other algorithms for the CNS, colon, Leukemia, and OSCC. datasets.
A hazai kétszintű felsőoktatási képzés néhány jellemzője
Authors: Polónyi István
Published: December 2023

A tanulmány először röviden áttekinti a hazai felsőoktatás felvételi jellemzőinek alakulását az elmúlt húsz év alatt. Majd elemzi a kétszintű képzésre történő jelentkezések tendenciáját, továbbá a kétszintű képzés részvételi jellemzőit, és a két szint közötti átlépés arányait. Továbbá vizsgálja a képzések vertikális és horizontális arányait hazai adatok alapján és nemzetközi összehasonlításban. Ezt követően a kétszintű képzés végzettjeinek néhány munkaerőpiaci jellemzőjét veszi az írás górcső alá. A hazai diplomás pályakövetési rendszer legutóbbi adatai alapján vizsgálja az alap és mesterképzés végzettjeinek kereseti helyzetét, munkanélküliségi jellemzőit és szubjektív kongruenciáját. Ezt követően az alap- és mesterképzés végzettjeinek relatív keresetarányait is górcső alá veszi hazai és nemzetközi adatok alapján, rámutatva az európai és a tengerentúli tendenciák különbségére.
Multi-Ojective Optimization Problem Scalarization using Pairing Functions
Authors: Pany Siddhartha Shankar , Singh Shiv Govind , Kar Soumitra , Dikshit Biswaranjan
Published: December 2023

Optimization problems concern exploration of the best possible solutions to a given problem. The feasible solutions are termed good or bad based on the respective values of the objective function. For optimization problems involving more than one objective functions, absolute comparison among feasible solutions is not as straight forward as is the case with problems involving single objective functions. It can be shown that comparison among all the feasible solutions cannot be accomplished for problems involving more than one objective functions, due to lack of total order among the solutions. Scalarization is the process of transforming the multi-objective vector into a single scalar objective value. Scalarization is a popular approach for solving multi-objective optimization problems. The most prevalent scalarization technique is weighted sum method, which has been shown to be unsuitable for MOO problems having non-convex Pareto Front. It has been shown that non-convex optimization problems can be transformed into better structured problems through monotonic transformations of the objective functions. This work proposes Pairing Functions as an efficient scalarization method. Pairing functions are monotonic, bijective transformations from R2 → R. This makes pairing functions as strictly monotonic functions, which guarantee unique single-valued aggregated objective for unique combinations of the multiple objectives. The effectiveness of the pairing function based scalarization has been demonstrated on bench-mark MOO problems.
Desafíos en la Implementación del Acuerdo de Paz para el Presidente de Colombia Gustavo Petro (2022-2026)
Authors: Figuera Avellán Saúl , Escalante Barbesí Luisa Fernanda
Published: December 2023

Este artículo examina los desafíos que el actual presidente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, enfrenta en la implementación de los Acuerdos de Paz con las FARC-EP y aquellos que puedan surgir de las negociaciones en curso. Para lograrlo, se realizaron entrevistas a figuras destacadas dentro de la firma del Acuerdo de 2016. Este proceso reveló varios elementos que se analizan en este artículo, tales como la doctrina del “enemigo interno”, la estigmatización al nuevo partido proveniente de los medios de comunicación e incluso de algunos sectores de izquierda o progresistas. Adicionalmente, el artículo analiza la convergencia de una guerra de exterminio y una guerra jurídica y cómo se complementan mutuamente. En este sentido, se propone una serie de medidas urgentes para garantizar la política de paz total propuesta por el actual presidente.
Racismo Epistémico y Universidad: Desafíos Epistemológicos para un Programa en Estudios Afrocolombianos y Afrolatinoamericanos
Authors: Mena López Maricel
Published: December 2023

Este artículo investigativo de corte documental problematiza la creciente oleada de racismos y clasismos sacados a luz durante y después de la pandemia en la región cuyo efecto se percibe en el incremento de movimientos a escala mundial que luchan contra racismos estructurales y sistémicos. Partiendo de un breve estado de la cuestión sobre el racismo epistémico en la universidad colombiana y latinoamericana, la autora se pregunta por el aporte que un programa de estudios afrocolombianos y afrolatinoamericanos podría ofrecer en la superación de los racismos epistémicos y estructurales que permean la academia colombiana y latinoamericana. Dado que el componente religioso y espiritual resulta fundamental para las comunidades afro-diaspóricas del continente, el estudio acude a la herencia filosófica y cosmogónica del antiguo Egipto faraónico y de la mitología de la tradición yoruba en diálogo con el mujerismo africana con la finalidad de encontrar allí otras mediaciones filosófico-pedagógicas más armónicas y relacionales. Introduce entonces la epistemología afrocentrada como una apuesta política de resistencia al colonialismo académico etnocéntrico que ha imperado en nuestros recintos académicos latinoamericanos.