bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is thyroid disease associated with post-operative complications after total joint arthroplasty? A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Tsotsolis Stavros , Kenanidis Eustathios , Pegios Vasileios F , Potoupnis Michael , Tsiridis Eleftherios
Published: February 2023

Background

This comprehensive systematic review aims to assess the literature regarding the risk of postoperative complications in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) with concomitant thyroid dysfunction.

Methods

Studies were identified by searching PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov (end of search: May 2022).

Inclusion criteria

Randomized control and case-control studies, cohort and observational clinical studies were included, which focused on postoperative complications and outcomes of patients undergoing TJA operations of major joints (knee, hip, ankle, elbow). All studies were assessed according to their level of evidence, the number and age of patients, and treatment complications.

Analysis

Nine studies were included in this review that demonstrated a higher risk of postoperative anemia, perioperative blood loss, hemoglobin decrease, and transfusion rates in hypothyroid patients after TJA.

Results

Hypothyroidism has been identified as a potential but modifiable risk factor for increased rates of deep venous thrombosis, acute kidney injury, pneumonia, and non-specified cardiac complications among hypothyroid patients who underwent TJA as well as increased rates of periprosthetic joint infection. No significant differences in the prosthesis-related mechanical complication rates have been calculated when comparing hypothyroid and euthyroid patients.
Prediction of chromatin looping using deep hybrid learning (DHL)
Authors: Chiliński Mateusz , Halder Anup Kumar , Plewczynski Dariusz
Published: February 2023

Background

With the development of rapid and cheap sequencing techniques, the cost of whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) has dropped significantly. However, the complexity of the human genome is not limited to the pure sequence—and additional experiments are required to learn the human genome’s influence on complex traits. One of the most exciting aspects for scientists nowadays is the spatial organisation of the genome, which can be discovered using spatial experiments ( e.g., Hi‐C, ChIA‐PET). The information about the spatial contacts helps in the analysis and brings new insights into our understanding of the disease developments.

Methods

We have used an ensemble of deep learning with classical machine learning algorithms. The deep learning network we used was DNABERT, which utilises the BERT language model (based on transformers) for the genomic function. The classical machine learning models included support vector machines (SVMs), random forests (RFs), and K‐nearest neighbor (KNN). The whole approach was wrapped together as deep hybrid learning (DHL).

Results

We found that the DNABERT can be used to predict the ChIA‐PET experiments with high precision. Additionally, the DHL approach has increased the metrics on CTCF and RNAPII sets.

Conclusions

DHL approach should be taken into consideration for the models utilising the power of deep learning. While straightforward in the concept, it can improve the results significantly.
Jacy wolontariusze tworzą zmianę społeczną? Badanie porównawcze grup wolontariuszy pracujących z osobami niepełnosprawnymi
Authors:   Akademia Pedagogiki Specjalnej im. Marii Grzegorzewskiej Instytut Filozofii i Socjologii PAN, Smulczyk Marek
Published: February 2023

The aim of the study was to compare two groups of volunteers who work with people with disabilities: volunteers working in organizations led by social innovators and volunteers who are not affiliated to such organizations. The results show a different picture of both groups in the area of the declared value, objectives and attitudes towards people with disabilities. Volunteers working with social innovators have lower rates of misanthropy, higher individual indicators of social capital, and a higher rate of partnership and innovative attitude. The paper presents guidelines how to work with people with disabilities to maximize their integration into society and create social change.
Zaangażowanie w rodzicielstwo na tle współczesnej rodziny
Authors:   Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, Bakiera Lucyna
Published: February 2023

Parental experiences are integrated into a complex system of cultural, social and economic processes. Dichotomous view of reality in which the high valuation of family and parenthood in Poland follow in the wake of negative demographic indicators contradict presented assessments. So there is a question about causes of the current state and how the issue of functioning in parental roles relates to the postmodernism, for which affirmation of independence and lack of commitment is characteristic. This paper presents an attempt to define involvement in parenting and research project that came as a result of searching an answer to the question about the correlation between parental involvement and self-creation of adults. Because parenting expresses interpersonal dimension of the individual activity, its quality has two-subjective consequences, i.e. it affects both sides of the parent-child relationship. Therefore, the second aspect of reported studies concerns the correlation between parenting involvement and education, recognized in terms of parental attitudes. The results indicate the possibility to notice implications of parental involvement expressed in self-creation experience of adults and desirable condition of child development, as defined mainly by parental attitude of acceptance. Involved parents actively participate in the care and upbringing of children and such activity promotes a sense of self-improvement. The idea of self-creation as a result of the parental role contradicts the attitude defined as freedom from children (called childfree), according to which the care and education of children are the source of limited individual development.
Implementation of the principles of green logistics in the oil and gas sector
Authors: Karkhova Svetlana
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this article is to explain the objectives and activities that compose the scientific fields of green logistics in the Russian companies of the Oil and gas sector.
The research revealed that green logistics includes eco-logistics and reverse logistics. All principles and ideas of the green logistics are based on the concept of sustainable development. The Government encourages the industrial sector of the economy to transition to a green economy, and the Government also sets the requirements for the greening of business processes in the enterprises.
The largest Russian oil and gas corporations have developed and documented the policies and strategies of the sustainable development, and annually published reports on this for their companies. The author conducted the research of this documentation and other corporate publications about the logistics objectives, activities and solutions, and in addition interviewed some specialists of the oil and gas companies. The analysis revealed an insufficient environmental awareness of the company employees. There was found that at the level of logistics management in the functional parts of logistics, that is, at the level of logistics departments, any employees are not knowledgeable about the green logistics, they strive to get an economic effect in their work tasks, they do not usually use environmental evaluation. The goals of the green logistics are set at the top level of administration of logistics systems and logistics supply chains for the oil and gas companies. Taking into account these characteristics, a scheme has been designed that demonstrates the integration of the green logistics into the company management system of the oil and gas sector.
Analysis and synthesis of the guidance and reporting documentation of the sustainable development of many Russian oil and gas companies revealed that it contains analogous of the green logistics objectives and activities. However, the term "green logistics" and other similar terms are not found in this documentation. As a result, there was formed a systematized listing which contains the green logistics objectives and activities in the functional parts of logistics management. Four functional parts were identified (including production procedure management, procurement management, transportation management, distribution management), and green logistics objectives and activities were assigned to them. Additionally, the fifth set of logistics objectives and activities was recognized. The fifth set corresponds to the resource-savings technology, and supports the solutions in the several functional parts of logistics management.
Using the ecosystem concept in the development of smart cities
Authors: Kostrova Yuliya
Published: February 2023

This article discusses the main aspects of the implementation of the ecosystem concept in smart cities. The author defines the concept of "smart city", identifies its main characteristic features, and provides the evolution of development. The role of the smart city as a center of attraction in the modern economy, smoothing social inequality, providing digital services for all categories of the population, and improving the quality of business processes is emphasized. This study is based on the idea that the ecosystem concept is the most effective approach in the formation and development of smart cities. To prove this thesis, the author used a number of general scientific research methods: analysis, synthesis, classification, categorization, comparison, graphical and tabular methods of presenting information, and others. The ecosystem in this study is considered as one of the most promising forms of organization of innovation activity. The components and structure of the smart city ecosystem are described. The possibilities of applying the ecosystem approach in a smart city are determined. The synergetic effect of the smart city ecosystem in solving emerging problems is shown. A smart city is considered as a point of innovative growth, the economic indicators of which are significantly higher in quantitative and qualitative terms compared to an ordinary city that does not have the characteristics inherent in a smart city. The author concludes that a smart city is a complex ecosystem of people, processes, policies, technologies and other factors working together to achieve results. Successful and sustainable smart cities use a programmatic approach to engage stakeholders across the ecosystem.
Solid municipal waste treatment problems and responsible consumption in a green economy
Authors: Astratova Galina , Rutkauskas Tatiana , Rutkauskas Konstantin
Published: February 2023

Improving the life quality of the Russian Federation population is especially relevant in the green economy in general, in the housing and communal utilities sector (further HCUS), in particular, and in the process of solving the problem of solid municipal waste (further SMW) management, in particular. The transition to a green economy is also based on responsible consumer behavior, which is an urgent and difficult task, since the theoretical and methodological basis of research is still being formed here. The purpose of the study is to identify the key problems of SMW circulation and identify the main problems of responsible consumption in the green economy. Research methods: analysis of domestic and foreign authors’ works on the stated problems; surveys of the population and experts; correlation and qualimetric analysis. Issues considered: (1) HCUS, regulatory support for responsible consumption and the problem of SMW circulation in the green economy;
(2) the attitude of the population to SMW and the problems of modeling responsible consumption in the green economy. It is revealed that both abroad and in Russia there is a growing attention from the state and society to responsible consumption. It is shown that the majority of respondents noted the high efficiency of the national project "Ecology" activities. It is expected that in the very near future the business will be forced to introduce environmental standards and environmental management, create "clean" technologies, recycle and dispose of waste. The attitude of the population to SMW was studied based on the model of the individual's pro-ecological behavior: (1) identification of the behavior to be changed; (2) study of the main indicators influencing this behavior; (3) development and application of intervention tools to change behavior and reduce environmental impact;
(4) evaluation of the results of the intervention. It is revealed that in Russia there is an insufficiently high level of environmental education of the population, which is associated with indicators of quality of life. The most effective ways to stimulate responsible consumption are social marketing activities and the implementation of economic tools to encourage and punish consumers.
The peculiarities of the municipal management of the heat supply sector in rural areas
Authors: Zhalnina Svetlana , Vyatkina Galina , Fomina Lyudmila
Published: February 2023

The issues of the heat supply management in municipalities are iscussed; the role of the municipality in finding optimal solutions to problems in the heat supply sector of housing and communal services is given. The analysis of foreign and Russian experience in the organization of heat supply in municipalities is presented; the main peculiarities, namely, the predominance of individual heat supply in the private sector and the availability of central heating systems in large cities are reflected.
The peculiarities of municipal management of the heat supply in rural areas were studied on the example of the Sukhobuzimsky district in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The analysis revealed that engineering heat supply systems — boiler houses and heating networks, are poorly developed in the studied area. The basic equipment of most boiler houses is morally and physically outdated. There is a change of resource-supplying and heating network organizations.
The authors propose some aspects for improving the management process in this area. Using the method of economically justified expenses (costs) to calculate the tariff is one of the ways to reduce the burden on the budget of the municipal district. Based on this method, the authors calculated the tariffs for thermal energy (power) released from a source of thermal energy for a heat supply organization.
The role of the municipality in the management of heat supply in modern conditions is becoming decisive. The key element in the municipal management of this area is the municipal program of the district, which is aimed at providing the population of the district with high-quality housing and communal services in the conditions of the development of market relations in the industry and limited growth of payment for housing and communal services, as well as at forming the integrity and effective management system for energy conservation and energy efficiency.
Causes and factors for the formation of the global food problem
Authors: Luzyanin Maxim , Sinitsyna Yana
Published: February 2023

The authors of the scientific publication consider the key prerequisites and factors for the development of the global food problem. The authors pay special attention to the study of the main prerequisites that caused the emergence and development of the food problem, the mechanisms of their functioning are described. In addition, this paper presents statistical data confirming the relevance of this problem. The authors describe the current state of the problem, identify the main indicators that are emphasized while studying the dynamics of this phenomenon. At the same time, this paper describes several options for defining the global food problem and approaches to its study.
An important place in this work is given to the analysis of the emergence and spread of the global food problem. The authors studied the key characteristics that reflect the essence of this problem. At the same time, in this paper, both sides of this problem were considered, a multidimensional approach was taken, which studied both the problem of hunger in disadvantaged areas, and the problem of overeating and increased risks associated with being overweight in developed regions. The authors note that both manifestations of this problem should be considered in conjunction and studied taking into account the influence of one variable on another.
In the final part of the work, the authors described the factors influencing the development of the food problem and explaining why this problem develops in certain regions. In addition, recommendations are given to further study these factors and deepen the available data on the issue of uneven distribution of food in the world
THERMAL TEMPERATURE ESTIMATION BY MACHINE LEARNING METHODS OF COUNTERFLOW RANQUE-HILSCH VORTEX TUBE USING DIFFERENT FLUIDS
Authors: Korkmaz Murat , Doğan Ayhan , Kırmacı Volkan
Published: February 2023

In the counterflow Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT), the output control valve on the hot fluid side is left entirely open. The data were obtained using polyamide and brass materials and nozzles at 50 kPa intervals from 150 kPa to 700 kPa inlet pressure. In counterflow RHVT, the difference (ΔT) between the temperature of the cold outflow and the temperature of the outgoing hot flow was found, and the RHVT was modeled. The deficiency in the literature was tried to be eliminated. In this study, we planned the modeling of a counterflow RHVT using compressed air, oxygen, and nitrogen gas with machine learning models to predict the thermal temperature. Linear regression (LR), support vector machines (SVM), Gaussian process regression (GPR), regression trees (RT), and ensemble of trees (ET) machine learning methods were preferred in this study. While each of the machine learning methods in the study was analyzed, 75% of all data was used as training data, 25% as a test, 65% as training data, and 35% as testing data. As a result of the analysis, when the temperatures of air, oxygen, and nitrogen gases (ΔT) were compared, the Gaussian process regression method, which is one of the machine learning models, gave the best result with 0.99 in two different test intervals, 75-25%, and 65-35%. In the ΔT estimations made in all fluids, much better results were obtained in the machine learning models estimations of nitrogen gas when compared to other gases.
INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF SAWDUST-COAL COMPOSITE FORMATION ON THE PROCESSES OF IGNITION, COMBUSTION, AND THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF THE OBTAINED FUEL SAMPLES
Authors: Kuznetsov Artem , Butakov Evgeniy , Lomovsky Igor
Published: February 2023

The paper presents a comprehensive study of the ignition of composite fuel from pine sawdust and brown coal. Using the method of synchronous thermal analysis, it was shown that the combustion of the samples occurs in two main stages. At the first stage, the release and combustion of gaseous products occurs; at the second stage, the product of the first stage, carbon, is oxidized. An increase in the carbon content in the composite leads to a shift in the maximum decomposition rates in the first stage to higher temperatures, a decrease in the decomposition value in the first stage, and an increase in the second. Experiments in a vertical tube furnace showed that the value of the ignition delay time for the composite is less than for other samples (mixture, coal, sawdust). An experimental study of ignition, gasification, and flare combustion of selected samples was carried out in a setup with a thermal power of up to 50 kW. It was found that the combustion temperatures of the mixture and composite fuel are higher than those of sawdust. The composite burns better than the mixture-combustion begins earlier; the combustion zone is shifted to the center, which contributes to an increase in the completeness of fuel combustion. The electron paramagnetic resonance shows the formation of paramagnetic centers on the surface of particles during mechanical activation grinding of samples, the concentration of which is related to the ignition time of the fuel.
Characteristic analysis and optimisation of seasonal solar thermal storage heating system
Authors: Xu Lei , Deng Yimin , Gao Long , Zhang Yuying , Li Ji , Zhang Long , Ji Xiang
Published: February 2023

This study considers the seasonal solar thermal storage and heating system in the Jilin region of China, and a system model is established by using the TRNSYS software under heat storage and heating modes. The operating characteristics of the system are analysed during the complete heat storage and heating seasons, and the economic cost of the system is minimised by optimising the ratio of the collector area to the water tank volume. The results show that the most heat is stored in the system during May, and the maximum heat loss from the tank occurs during October. The maximum solar fraction is 47.85%, the maximum heat loss rate of the water tank is 29.82% and the energy efficiency ratio of the system is 1.70. The optimised ratio of the heat storage tank volume to solar collector area is 4.5, energy efficiency ratio of the system is 1.67 and the annual cost about ¥440 000 (£52 860).
Transforming Artefacts into Digital Heritage: Developing interactive databases for use by Aboriginal communities
Authors: Otto Ton , Hardy Dianna
Published: February 2023

This paper deals with the possibilities and challenges of the digitisation of artefacts. It argues that artefacts are complex phenomena that consist of the material objects as well as the various forms of categorization and documentation that are connected with the objects. Digitalisation presents a genuine transformation of the artefacts that opens up new possibilities of use. These include providing access to and facilitating the reappropriation of cultural knowledge stored elsewhere, maintaining and developing a living digital cultural heritage, and gathering, sharing and transferring knowledge that is available within Aboriginal communities. In this paper we examine different types of digital repositories and we assess their suitability for use by Aboriginal communities. We classify a number of institutional archiving systems and analyse in some detail two interactive systems that were specifically designed for use by Aboriginal communities. The paper ends with a set of recommendations for designing digital databases for Indigenous usage.
COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL FINDINGS ON SURVIVAL IN WOMEN YOUNGER THAN 40 YEARS AND OLDER THAN 55 YEARS OF AGE WITH BREAST CANCER
Authors: ALTUN ÖZDEMİR Buket , KOCAÖZ Servet , ÇOMÇALI Bülent , YAZICIOĞLU Mustafa Ömer , CANLIKARAKAYA Fırat , CEYLAN Cengiz , KORUKLUOĞLU Birol
Published: February 2023

Objective Tumors of women with breast cancer show clinical and biological differences depending on the hormonal changes that develop with age. Therefore, in this study, we compared the radiologic, and clinicopathological features of breast cancer patient’s < 40 age and ≥55 age. Material and Method The files of a total of 759 patients, including 92 patients under 40 aged, and 322 patients 55 aged and over who were operated on for breast cancer over a 10-year period in three centres were retrospectively reviewed and Estrojen Reseptor (ER), Progesteron Reseptor (PR), Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) status, presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM), multifocality, presence of Ductal Carsinoma İnsitu (DCIS) or Lobular Carsinoma İnsitu (LCIS), tumor size, tumor histopathological type, grade, and score were recorded. Results In patients under the age of 40, the tumor is less localized in the upper-inner and lower-inner quadrants of the breast, multifocality is more common, most of them have dense breast structure, the histological grade of the tumor is higher, LVI and LNM are more common. It was found that they had ER receptor positivity and higher Ki-67 proliferation index (p
Characterization of toxic effects in acute poisoning with methanol and ethanol
Authors: Samoylov Aleksandr N. , Barieva Ajgul’ M.
Published: February 2023

Toxic damage to the optic nerve is one of the causes of the development of degenerative processes in the fibers of the optic nerve, leading to its atrophy. Exposure to methanol and ethanol is associated with the damaging effects of metabolites, which lead to ATP deficiency. Knowledge and understanding of pathogenetic processes can help the doctor to make a timely diagnosis, which will allow the start of etiopathogenetic therapy as early as possible. The prognosis for acute poisoning with methanol and ethanol depends not only on the degree of intoxication, but also on the timeliness and accuracy of diagnostic and therapeutic tactics.
Telemedicine in ophthalmology. Part 1. “Common teleophthalmology”
Authors: Astakhov Yuri S. , Turgel Vadim A.
Published: February 2023

Telemedicine (TM) is one of the fastest growing segments of healthcare and medical business in the world. In a broad sense, TM means the use of the most modern data technologies in distant medical care practice. Teleophthalmology (TO) is an important area of TM, it includes several priorities, main of which being remote diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with ophthalmic diseases, in particular, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. The development of TO is conditioned by the need for high-tech specialized medical care for people in remote regions. On the path of introducing TO worldwide and in Russia, a huge number of obstacles exists: obtaining high-quality fundus images, training specialists to work in the TM area , creation of standards for image analysis and transmission, TM implementation into the legal field, ensuring of stable financing, creating positive patients and doctors attitude towards TO. In this part, we provide an overview of TO development trends, as well as ways to solve the problems standing in its way.
Bilateral lacrimal gland enlargement as a clinical manifestation of sarcoidosis
Authors: Martirosyan Svetlana S. , Simonyan Diana R. , Musheghyan Ilona K. , Ghazaryan Mariam A.
Published: February 2023

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. The main characteristics of sarcoidosis are non-caseating granulomas which can be formed in affected organs. Eye and its adnexal tissues can also be involved. In the early stages of sarcoidosis, the clinical picture may be mild and not always specific. Although the early signs of sarcoidosis are lung associated, we present a clinical case with diffuse enlargement of the lacrimal glands as a first sign of systemic sarcoidosis. A 21-years-old woman presented to the ophthalmological center with a 2-weeks history of having swollen, painful upper eyelids. Primary eye examination revealed palpable tender masses in the locations of the lacrimal glands. Characteristic for sarcoidosis X-ray findings and blood tests demanded lacrimal gland and lung biopsy for diagnosis verification. In spite sarcoidosis of lacrimal glands is a rare condition, it has to be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of lacrimal gland masses.
Introduction to Special Issue: Legal Issues in College Athletics
Authors: Baker III Thomas A. , Brison Natasha
Published: February 2023

We trust you will find the broad topics covered in the articles of this special issue of the Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport both timely and thought-provoking, and we want to thank the contributing authors as well as guest editors Barbara Osborne and Anita M. Moorman for helping create such an impactful contribution to the body of literature on legal issues in college athletics.
Assessment of visual training on the physical skills and visual functions in older adults from Bucaramanga, Colombia
Authors: D’Antone Valeria Andrea , Palencia-Jaimes Diana Cristina , García-González Daniel Efrén , Parada-Jaimes Yhisedt Gerardine
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Visual training has been used to improve locomotion fall risk in older adults. Objective: This study evaluates the effects of visual training on physical abilities and visual functions of older adults from Bucaramanga, Colombia. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study of older adults who underwent visual evaluation and assessment of physical abilities through the Senior Fitness Test, a standardized obstacle course, and the eye-hand coordination test. For 10 weeks, all adults attended daily recreational physical activities. Additionally, those assigned to the experimental group received a weekly session of visual training. Results: A total of 52 adults with a median age of 68.5 years were enrolled. Of the participants, 84.21% (48) were female and 93.94% were obese. Normal values were presented for aerobic resistance and lower and upper limb strength. Overall, 91.3% (21) had no ocular pathologies impacting visual acuity. Those who received visual training showed statistically significant improvements in the time it took to run the obstacle course and on the eye-hand coordination test. Conclusions:Visual training has a positive effect on hand-eye coordination, vision-mediated locomotion, and balance in older adults. These results suggest that virtual reality may enhance reaction speed, balance, and coordination.
Automated Malignant Melanoma Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Guillermo Guarnizo José , Riaño Borda Sebastián , Camacho Poveda Edgar Camilo , Mateus Rojas Armando
Published: February 2023

This research is proposed a design of architecture for melanoma (a kind of skin cancer) recognition by using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), work that will be useful for researchers in future projects in areas like biomedicine, machine learning, and others related moving forward with their studies and improving this proposal. CNN is mostly used in computer vision (a branch of artificial intelligence), applied to pattern recognition in skin moles and to determine the existence of malignant melanoma, or not, with a limited dataset. The CNN classifier designed and trained in this case was built through a couple of layers of convolution and pooling stacked to form a neural network of 6 layers followed by the fully connected to complete the architecture with an output classifier. The proposed database to train our CNN is the largest publicly collection of dermoscopic images of melanomas and other skin lesions, provided by the International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC), sponsored by International Society for Digital Imaging of the Skin (ISDIS), an international effort to improve melanoma diagnosis. The purpose of this research was to design a Convolutional Neural Network with a high level of accuracy to help professionals in medicine with a melanoma diagnosis, in this case, it was possible to get accuracy up to 88.75 %.
Time-frequency connectedness between energy commodities and the influence of uncertainty measures
Authors: Nkrumah-Boadu Bernice , Junior Peterson Owusu , Adam Anokye M , Adela Vincent
Published: February 2023

Commodities have become a new tool for global diversification among stocks, currencies, and other assets. Their dynamics and statistical characteristics have become crucial to financial research. Furthermore, in the connected world of today, the importance of uncertainties is greater than ever. This article examines the comovements between energy commodities and the influence of uncertainty measures through the bi, partial and multiple wavelet techniques. We show the significance of uncertainties by highlighting their influence on financial decisions. To measure uncertainty, we use GEPU, OVX, and VIX. By using the wavelet approaches, we examine how energy commodities interact in both the time and frequency domains, which helps us better comprehend interdependencies. The results show that most energy commodities display high comovements in the short-, and long-terms, except with natural gas. According to the partial wavelet, OVX has the most significant impact on the connectedness amongst energy commodities. For the wavelet multiple cross-correlations, Petroleum maximises the multiple cross-correlations at most scales (short, medium and long terms) followed by Brent crude with a potential to lead or lag. These findings have substantial policy implications for policymakers as well as meaning for investors.
An analysis of the government revenue–expenditure nexus: A wavelet approach for the Romanian case
Authors: Surugiu Marius-Razvan , Vasile Valentina , Mazilescu Raluca , Surugiu Camelia , Vasile Razvan
Published: February 2023

The turbulent economic environment of the last decades, the social effects associated with the responsibilities of the state to support the development of the green economy, and the increase of involvement in sustainable social inclusion make it necessary to increase budget revenues. Evaluating the link between government revenues and expenditures is a complex approach defined by several factors related to tax compliance and the perception of the efficiency of the expenditure. In addition, recent endogenous and exogenous shocks have considerably influenced the fundamentals of long-term fiscal policy and budget balancing. The type of relationship between government revenue and expenditure is analyzed to identify the leading and lagging variables, and the wavelet approach and monthly data for Romania for 2000–2021 are used. In various periods, the revenue led the expenditure, or vice versa. The spend–tax and tax–spend hypotheses are confirmed for different periods. The analysis highlights the intervals of behavioral asymmetry, which helps to monitor the implementation of fiscal policy. Also, the results could represent a starting point for outlining measures in the fiscal policy area.
Effectiveness of reading & math initiative on the development of language & computational skills among early grade students: From teachers’ standpoint
Authors: Al-Hrout Mosa Abd El-Qader , Ababneh Sana’ , AL-Swalha Ali Suliman Mefleh , Al Homran Mohmad Khalid Mohmad , Eyadat Haitham Mustafa
Published: February 2023

The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of reading and math initiative on the development of language and computational skills among early grades students, from teachers’ standpoint. The study sample consisted of 180 male and female teachers of early graders in Amman city, Jordan. To achieve study objectives, researchers used a scale to measure the effectiveness of reading and math initiative on the development of students’ language and computational skills from teachers’ standpoint. The study results showed that teachers’ assessment of reading initiative effectiveness on developing language skills came high at both overall and sub-items levels (vocal awareness skill, letters’ sounds reading skill, vocabulary skill, reading absorption skill, and writing skill). Results also showed that teachers’ evaluation of the math initiative effectiveness on developing computational skills was high at both the overall and sub-items levels (problem- solving skill, standard counting skill, number manipulation skill & number sensory skill). Results also showed the non-existence of any statistically significant differences in teachers’ evaluation of the reading and math initiatives’ effectiveness due to gender variable.
Sexual Dysfunction Evaluation in Candidal Balanoposthitis: A Single Centred Observational Study
Authors: Singh Dhillon Shaminder , Dhaliwal Rajwinder , Dev Kapil , Mehmi Naina
Published: February 2023

Objective: A common genito-urinary infection known as Balanoposthitis presents with mild symptoms like itching or severe complications such as phimosis, ulceration of glans, and foreskin. It can result in four types of sexual dysfunction including Disorder of sexual desire, Disorder of erectile dysfunction, Disorder of satisfaction/premature ejaculation, and Disorder of orgasm.
Materials and methods: An observational clinic study including 50 patients diagnosed with Candidal Balanoposthitis based on KOH and clinical findings were recruited and evaluated for sexual function using a standardised questionnaire.
Results: The results demonstrated that sexual dysfunction in patients with Candidal Balanoposthitis is a common entity encountered in STI clinics and should be addressed properly as any deficiency in any aspect of sexual health of a patient can lead to emotional and psychological disability impacting the overall quality of the life. The factors like advanced age, Diabetes Mellitus, and poor hygiene measures of genitalia can increase the incidence of candidal Balanoposthitis as well as sexual dysfunction.
Conclusion: Candidal Balanoposthitis, a common cause of sexual dysfunction in elderly population takes a toll on emotional and psychological health and certain modifiable factors like diabetic control and hygiene can prevent recurrent fungal infections.
Socioeconomic Status And Domostic Violence Interact In Perdict Of Quality Of Life In Married Women: A Population-Based Study In Westeren Iran
Authors: Koulani Manoocher , Rajabi-Gilan Nader , Almasi Ali , Khezeli Mehdi , Shushtari Zahra Jorjoran , Salimi Yahya
Published: February 2023

Objective: Women's quality of life is essential both for women’s and their family’s health. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of life status and interaction of subjective socioeconomic status and violence, on quality of life of married women in west of Iran.
Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study that recruited 1533 married women using multi-stages sampling method. Multiple linear regression was employed for estimating adjusted association and 95% confidence intervals.
Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 33.67(11). The majority of participants (92%) experienced some degree of domestic violence. Less than half of women (46.70%) perceived medium socioeconomic status. Mean (SD) score of quality of life was 3.57 (0.94). There was a significant statistical interaction between socioeconomic status and domestic violence on quality of life.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that considering the interaction of subjective socioeconomic status with domestic violence in prevention program, especially in poor categories of family, appears to be one of the important ways in improving married-females’ quality of life.
Evaluating the Health Belief Model Constructs in Adopting the HPV Preventive Behavior
Authors: Mohammadi Solmaz , Rabiei Zeinab , Pajohideh Zahra Sadat , Barati Zahra , Talebi Seyedeh Solmaz , Keramat Afsaneh
Published: February 2023

Objective: Genital warts are a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease. It is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual contact. HPV is the most important cause of cervical cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the health belief model (HBM) constructs in adopting HPV preventive behavior in women referred to comprehensive health centers in Southwestern Iran.
Materials and methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 1000 women referring to health centers in Ahvaz during 2019-2020 who were selected via a two-stage stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire based on the HBM. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and regression analysis in SPSS v.18, at a significance level lower than 0.05.
Results: Total scale reliability of the tool was very good (α=0.828), as the Intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) was to be 0.86. The mean of preventive behavior using an ANOVA test was significantly different at different levels of education (P <0.05). The mean and standard deviation of knowledge about HPV and preventive behavior was moderate (11.45±3.4). Pearson correlation coefficient showed a significant direct relationship between preventive behavior with awareness, perceived sensitivity, and self-efficacy and inversely related to perceived barriers. Perceived sensitivity (0.01) and self-efficacy (<0.001) were identified as the final predictors of behavior in regression analysis.
Conclusion: As the results showed, designing programs to prevent HPV, considering the perceived role of perceived sensitivity and self-efficacy, increases the likelihood of effective interventions.
Economic openness, institutional quality and per capita income: Evidence from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Authors: Nzeh Innocent Chile , Ogwuru Hycenth Oguejiofoalu Richard , Okolie David Ogomegbunam , Okolie Jonathan Ibekwe
Published: February 2023

The controversy surrounding the actual impact of institutional quality and economic openness on economic growth is among the motivating factors for this study. The study seeks to investi- gate this relationship in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by using the panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) test with annual series covering the period from 2000 to 2020. Findings indicate that in the short-run, regulatory quality and FDI outflows had an adverse impact on the economic performance of the ECOWAS bloc. Furthermore, the long-run results show that trade openness, political stability and FDI outflows had an adverse impact on the economy of the bloc, while regulatory quality positively affected the economy. Consequently, the paper recommends that member countries in the ECOWAS bloc should put in place effective regulatory framework in the short and medium term to attract FDI inflows, while building a strong and stable political environment in the long term.
Mandating Digital Tax Tools as a Response to Covid: Evidence from Eswatini, RiB 83
Authors: Amine Razan , Santoro Fabrizio
Published: February 2023

To reduce physical contact, Covid-19 forced many tax authorities to embrace digital technologies for filing and payment. Pandemic control aside, e-filing and e-payment hold great promise in facilitating taxpayer compliance, increasing transparency and curbing opportunity for collusion (Okunogbe and Santoro 2021). Eswatini mandated e-filing for all income taxpayers in September 2020, through the online e-Tax platform. Subsequently, the tax administration launched a zero-cash-handling policy for tax payments in April 2021. Our paper evaluated the impact of the e-Tax mandate on income taxpayers’ filing and payment behaviour, examining the following questions: (i) What is the impact of mandating e-filing on filing and payment compliance? (ii) Are there any spillover effects on filing and payment accuracy? (iii) What are the key mechanisms that explain the results?
A Comparison of Neurocognitive Functions in Adults Diagnosed With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Healthy Volunteers
Authors: ZİNCİR Serkan , KARTAL Pelin , HARİRİ Aytül Gürsu
Published: February 2023

The aim of the study was to evaluation of neuropsychological areas to determine whether or not there were cognitive differences and whether the impairment was in a specific form in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients compared to healthy control subjects. The sample comprised 30 patients aged 16-65 years diagnosed with OCD, and a control group of 30 age and gender-matched healthy volunteers. According to the DSM diagnostic criteria, various neurocognitive tests were applied to the patients diagnosed with OCD. A statistically significant difference was determined between the two groups in respect of the WCST scores. No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of the Forward, Reverse, or total Digit Span Test values. WAIS-R; The results of this test were determined as a mean of 43.1 ± 15.4 in the OCD group and 56.2 ± 6.8 in the control group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant. When the groups were examined in terms of interference errors, the value of 2.2 ± 2.8 in the OCD group was determined to be statistically significantly greater than the 0.8 ± 0.8 value of the control group. A statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of the mean words counted with perseverance by the OCD group (1.7 ± 2.1) and the control group (0.6 ± 0.8). It can be said that combining cognitive function impairments specific to OCD with neuroimaging studies would be useful in understanding OCD symptoms in more detail. Thus, new treatment strategies could be developed.
The Design and Psychometric Properties of a Peer Observation Tool for Use in LMS-Based Classrooms in Medical Sciences
Authors: Mirmoghtadaie Zohrehsadat , Keshavarz Mohsen , Rasouli Davood
Published: February 2023

In peer observation of teaching, an experienced colleague in the educational environment of a faculty member observes the educational performance of that faculty member and provides appropriate feedback. The use of peer review as an alternative source of evidence of teaching effectiveness is increasing. However, no research has been done in the field of tool design and development to peer review in classrooms that use a learning management system (LMS). This study used mixed methods. In the qualitative stage, after studying sources and interviewing professors active in virtual education, a question bank was prepared and a 26-item initial questionnaire created. In the quantitative stage, the psychometric properties of the developed instruments, such as the face, content, and structural validity, were examined, and reliability tests were performed. IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 20) was used for analysis. Five categories, including content preparation, content presentation, effective interactions, motivation management, and support services, and 26 subcategories were determined to be effective indicators in peer observation in LMS-based classes in medical sciences. During content analysis, 9 items were removed due to lack of necessary criteria. Then, using principal component analysis and varimax rotation in the present mode )Watkins, 2018), 5 components with eigenvalues ​​higher than 1 were extracted, which explained a total of 70.55% of the total variance. The inter-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.88. Thus, the peer observation measurement tool, designed with 17 expressions using the answer method “yes/no”, showed good validity and reliability. The research results demonstrate that the evaluation of virtual classes of professors by their peers is effective and that the results can be used in e-learning promotion plans.