bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Grid Connection Control of Wind-Solar Energy Storage Hybrid Power Generation System
Authors: Zhao Yihao , Zhu Wei , Wu Yuanwang
Published: September 2023

The output power of the wind-solar energy storage hybrid power generation system encounters significant fluctuations due to changes in irradiance and wind speed during grid-connected operation when using traditional control methods. This situation affects the power balance when connecting the power generation system with the electrical grid. In order to address this issue, a novel improved Perturb and Observe (P&O) method by fuzzy control algorithms is proposed to achieve tracking control of the maximum power point (MPPT) of the photovoltaic array under irradiance variations. Then, an optimal tip-speed ratio control strategy is employed to achieve maximum power point tracking control of the wind turbine under wind speed fluctuations. Charging and discharging of the batteries are controlled in real time based on the balance between power generation and grid power demand. In this way, grid voltage stability and power balance are maintained. Finally, to analyze the output power of each system, a combined wind-solar energy storage generation system model is established. It is evident from the results that the proposed scheme enables the power generation system to stably transmit electrical energy in a volatile wind-solar environment.
Effects of Different Inner Pressure of Air Insoles on Plantar Pressure Gradient and Pressure Gradient Angle
Authors: Haris Fahni , Jan Yih-Kuen , Liau Ben-Yi , Hsieh Chang-Wei , Shen Wei-Cheng , Tai Chien-Cheng , Shih Yin-Hwa , Lung Chi-Wen
Published: September 2023

Air insoles may be applied to improve peak pressure gradient (PPG) and plantar gradient angle (PGA) for reducing foot ulcers risk in Diabetes mellitus. Dynamic PPG and PGA distributions of air insoles are uncertain. This study investigated the effects of different air insoles on the PPG and PGA. A repeated measures study design, including three air insoles and two walking durations was tested in 13 healthy participants. PPG and PGA values at plantar region of the big toe (T1), first (M1) and second (M2) metatarsal head were calculated. The PPG was lower at 80 mmHg air insoles after walking 20 min in the M1. The PGA in the M2 increased at an air insole of 80 mmHg compared to 240 mmHg. At 240 mmHg of air insole, the 10 min walking had the lowest PPG in M1 and M2. Moreover, peak plantar pressure (PPP) correlated positively with PPG for all air insoles. PPP and PGA were negatively correlated with 80 mmHg air insoles after 20 min of walking. 80 mmHg air insole lowered the PPG, decreased PPP and increased PGA compared to 160 and 240 mmHg. A shorter walking duration lowered the PPG. Air insoles might decrease foot ulcers risk by concerning PPG and PGA.
Can Deep Learning Models Select Portrait Images Like Humans? : Subjective and Objective Approaches
Authors: Karimi Maryam , Razzaghi Parvin
Published: September 2023

The efficiency of portrait image selection and analysis systems is completely dependent on the quality of the face image, which depends on various factors. Since real-time manual selection of high-quality portrait photos from a sequence of different frames or images is usually impossible, using automatic methods can be useful in selecting photos, especially in large collections. On the other hand, existing automatic methods may not be able to perform like humans in portrait classification. These methods may consider only special factors like emotional state or gaze direction to select an image. In this work, we tried to simulate human choices for intelligent systems in portrait images and investigate whether our model can act like a human in choosing portraits. To achieve this goal, a large collection of facial images was collected, and under a subjective quality assessment study, each of the 200 images was judged by more than 80 people. The results obtained from this study were used to assign binary ground truth labels to the portrait images. In the following, a deep classifier network using transfer learning and the fine-tuning approach is proposed, which is learned end-to-end to select good portrait images objectively. Quantitative and qualitative results show that this model performs better than state-of-the-art image classification networks. In addition, our qualitative evaluation showed that our model can separate good portrait images in the way that humans do. Therefore, this model can be reliably used in mobile phones, digital Cameras, and other imaging systems.
Quest for Discovering Novel CDK12 Inhibitor by Leveraging High-Throughput Virtual Screening
Authors: Debnath Abhijit , Mazumder Rupa , Mazumder Avijit , Singh Rajesh , Srivast Shikha , Chaudhary Hema , Mangal Saloni , Saifi Sameer , Pandey Pratibha , Singh Sachin Kumar
Published: September 2023

CDK12 is essential for cellular processes like RNA processing, transcription, and cell cycle regulation, inhibiting cancer cell growth and facilitating macrophage invasion. CDK12 is a significant oncogenic factor in various cancers, including HER2-positive breast cancer, Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, Hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate cancer, and Ewing sarcoma. It is also regarded as a potential biomarker, emphasizing its broader significance in oncology. Targeting CDK12 offers a promising strategy to develop therapy. Various monoclonal antibodies have drawn wide attention, but they are expensive compared to small-molecule inhibitors, limiting their accessibility and affordability for patients. Thus, in this research, we have tried to identify potent CDK12 inhibitors by employing extensive high-throughput virtual screening. RASPD protocol has been employed to screen three different databases against the target followed by drug-likeness, molecular docking, ADME, toxicity, Consensus molecular docking, and MD Simulation. The research conducted yielded one compound that have demonstrated robust binding affinity, favorable ADME features, little toxicity, and exceptional stability. The promotion of cancer cell death can be achieved by inhibiting CDK12 using this compound that have been identified.
Categorization of continuous covariates and complex regression models – friends or foes in intersectionality research
Authors: Richter Adrian , Ulbricht Sabina , Brockhaus Sarah
Published: September 2023

Objective
Studies of intersectionality are increasing to examine health inequalities. Different proposals for examining intersections have recently been published. One approach (1) considers models specified with 1st and all 2nd -order effects and another (2) the stratification based on multiple covariates; both categorize continuous covariates. A simulation study was conducted in order to review both methods with regard to correct identification of intersections, rate of false positive results, and generalizability to independent data compared to an established approach (3) of backward variable elimination according to Bayesian information criterium (BE-BIC).
Study design and setting:
Two basically different settings were simulated with 1000 replications: (1) comprised the covariates age, sex, body mass index, education, and diabetes in which no association was present between covariates and a continuous response and (2), comprising the same covariates, and a non-linear interaction term of age and sex, i.e., a non-linear increase in females above middle age formed the intersection of interest. The sample size (N = 200 to N = 3000) and signal to noise ratios (SNR, 0.5 to 4) were varied. In each simulated dataset bootstrap with replacement was used to fit the model to internal learning data and to predict outcomes using the fitted models in these data as well as the internal validation data. In both, the mean squared error (MSE) was calculated.
Results
In simulation setting 1, approaches 1/2 generated spurious effects in more than 90% of simulations across all sample sizes. In smaller sample size, approach 3 (BE-BIC) selected 36.5% the correct model, in larger sample size in 89.8% and always had a lower number of spurious effects. MSE in independent data was generally higher for approaches 1/2 when compared to 3. In simulation setting 2, approach 1 selected most frequently the correct interaction but frequently showed spurious effects (> 75%). Across all sample sizes and SNR, approach 3 generated least often spurious results and had lowest MSE in independent data.
Conclusion
Categorization of continuous covariates is detrimental to studies on intersectionality. Due to high model complexity such approaches are prone to spurious effects and often lack interpretability. Approach 3 (BE-BIC) is considerably more robust against spurious findings, showed better generalizability to independent data, and can be used with most statistical software. For intersectionality research we consider it more important to describe relevant intersections rather than all possible intersections.
Digital Development and Technological Innovations: Inequality and Asymmetry
Authors: Trofymenko Mykola , Bulatova Olena , Trofymenko Anastasiia , Vyshniakov Oleksandr
Published: September 2023

The rapid spread of digitalization affects the development of countries and humanity, the fate of a particular person. The modern digital divide, which is researched in the article, strengthens the social stratification of the world economy and makes it difficult to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Inequality (social and technological) limits access to technologies, the possibilities of their use, and obtaining utility for the average person, it inhibits socio-economic development and deepens the digital divide for humanity. On the other hand, the latest digital technologies create fundamentally new opportunities for progressive development. Addressing the root causes of the digital divide expands the benefits of digital technologies, which requires the implementation of digital measures in the relevant policies of sustainable recovery, coordinated joint actions of all actors in the digital ecosystem, involvement in international partnerships, application of international aid, etc. Accordingly, in modern conditions of the generation, distribution and influence of the digital technologies a difficult dilemma arises – on the one hand, to minimize the threats of digital inequality, and on the other hand, to prevent the limitation and inhibition of innovative development in order to maximize the use of the advantages of digital technologies. The article provides a comprehensive assessment of the digital development asymmetry in the regions of the world using integral indicators since the level of inequality differs significantly when compared according to various single indicators of digital development. The main aims of the study are the systematization of digital development indicators, their analysis in terms of patterns of change, irregularity and differentiation, the calculation of integral indices of digital development of regions and their ranking, and the calculation of general assessments of irregularity and divide. According to the integrated level of digital development, the European region remains the leader among other regions of the world with the highest level of digital development (82%), the Asia-Pacific region is ahead of the American region with 74.56% and 67.67%, respectively. The average world index of digital development is 64.21%. The digital divide remains very high (370.3 times) since the countries in the African region are still behind in access and use of digital technologies.
Modeling Northern Highbush Blueberry Cold Hardiness for the Pacific Northwest
Authors: Kogan Clark , DeVetter Lisa W. , Hoheisel Gwen-Alyn
Published: September 2023

Freezing temperatures in fall, winter, and spring can cause damage to multiple perennial fruit crops including northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). Predictive modeling for lethal temperatures allows producers to make informed decisions about freeze mitigation practices but is lacking for northern highbush blueberry grown in the Pacific Northwest. If buds are hardier than air temperatures, unnecessary use of propane heaters and/or wind machines is costly. In contrast, use of heaters and/or wind machines during freezing, damaging temperatures can minimize crop damage and potential yield loss. The objective of this study was to model cold hardiness across multiple cultivars of northern highbush blueberry grown in various regions in Washington, USA, and to generate predictive cold hardiness models that producers in the Pacific Northwest could use to inform freeze mitigation. Multiple years of experimental cold hardiness data were collected on four cultivars of northern highbush blueberry grown in western and eastern Washington, USA. Freeze chambers were used to reduce bud temperatures systematically, after which buds were dissected and bud survival was assessed. A generalized linear mixed model with a binomial response and logit link was fit to each cultivar to characterize the relationship between bud survival, freezer temperature, recent air temperatures, and growing degree days from fall acclimation to late winter/spring deacclimation. Model simulation was performed to obtain marginal-scale lethal temperature estimates. Model error estimation was performed using cross validation. Results show cultivar-specific cold hardiness models can be generated, and model development and use can help growers make more informed decisions regarding freeze protection that also minimizes costly applications of freeze protection when unnecessary. Furthermore, such models can be adapted to other blueberry growing regions and cultivars experiencing similar climactic conditions.
Оптимальное мультилокусное HLA-типирование у потенциальных доноров аллогенных гемопоэтических стволовых клеток
Authors: Хамаганова Екатерина Георгиевна , Хижинский С. П. , Кузьминова Е. П. , Абдрахимова А. Р. , Леонов Е. А. , Гапонова Т. В. , Паровичникова Е. Н.
Published: September 2023

Background. HLA-typing and matched donor selection as well as the detection of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies are essential for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In accordance with the guidelines of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) optimal HLA-typing is performed on 11 HLA genes (-A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1, ‐DRB3/4/5, ‐DQA1, ‐DQB1, ‐DPA1, and ‐DPB1) with an adequate coverage aiming to obtain the values at the two-field level.

Aim. To assess the results of multi-locus HLA-typing in bone marrow/hematopoietic cell donors from the database at the National Research Center for Hematology in terms of their conformance with the CIBMTR guidelines for allo-HSCT and to analyze the frequency and distribution of HLA alleles and multi-locus HLA haplotypes.

Materials & Methods. The study enrolled 3485 donors who were HLA-typed by next-generation sequencing.

Results. In all donors, the alleles of HLA class I genes were identified at the fourth-field level (nucleotide sequence). When the results were reduced to the second-field level (amino acid sequence), 61 HLA-A, 92 HLA-B, and 49 HLA-C alleles were detected. The alleles of class II genes were discovered either at the two-field or high-resolution levels. Among the HLA-DRB locus genes, 57 DRB1, 11 DRB3, 6 DRB4, and 5 DRB5 alleles were identified. Also, 23 HLA-DQA1, 30 HLA-DQB1, 14 HLA-DPA1, and 33 HLA-DPB1 alleles were detected. There were reported 3289 different HLA haplotypes of A-B-C-DRB1-DQA1-DQB1-DPA1-DPB1 genes.

Conclusion. The database created at the National Research Center for Hematology includes potential bone marrow/hematopoietic stem cell donors typed for 11 classical polymorphic genes HLA-A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1, ‐DRB3/4/5, ‐DQA1, ‐DQB1, ‐DPA1, and -DPB1, which is in line with the guidelines of CIBMTR. The frequency and distribution of HLA alleles and multi-locus HLA haplotypes in our donors correspond to those in populations of European origin. HLA-typing and donor selection with regard to 11 HLA genes will contribute to improving the outcomes of both unrelated and haploidentical HSCTs.
Сопроводительная терапия при множественной миеломе: практические рекомендации
Authors: Соловьев Максим Валерьевич , Соловьева М. В. , Менделеева Л. П.
Published: September 2023

Supportive therapy is becoming increasingly important for the state-of-the-art algorithm of multiple myeloma (MM) treatment. The introduction of innovative drugs and transplantation methods into clinical practice considerably improved the disease-free and overall survival rates. However, in the vast majority of cases, MM still remains an incurable malignant plasma cell tumor. It is often treated on a continuous basis with a succession of targeted drugs and integration of glucocorticosteroids and conventional cytostatic agents into the program therapy. All of these together with immunodeficiency, bone lesions, and myeloma nephropathy lead to a high risk of adverse events and cumulative toxicity of treatment. At the same time, one of the main goals at all MM therapy stages is to maintain quality of life. The characteristics of clinical symptoms, the nuances of targeted therapy and chemotherapy-associated adverse events justify the need for further development of supportive MM therapy algorithms which remain to be a matter of current concern. They should be mainly aimed at preventing the therapy complications, reducing the rate of adverse events and clinical manifestations of side effects as well as developing a treatment strategy for cumulative toxicity. In the state-of-the-art algorithm of program MM treatment, supportive therapy-related knowledge is of no less value than the information on antitumor drugs and their efficacy. This paper reports the personal experience and provides recommendations mostly based on the results of clinical studies or views of expert panels. It also offers practical recommendations for supportive therapy in symptomatic MM which include prevention of skeletal complications, thromboses, and infections, nausea and vomiting management, vaccination, pre-medication and the algorithm of monoclonal antibody administration, anesthesia, peripheral polyneuropathy treatment, correction of secondary immunodeficiency, nutritional support, fatigue assessment and countermeasures.
Iranian EFL Students’ Perceptions of Foreign Language Writing Anxiety and Perfectionism in Essay Writing
Authors: Khezerlou Ebrahim
Published: September 2023

Mastering writing skills is an essential criterion for EFL students who desire to fully invest in their academic discipline. While it is crucial to develop numerous writing abilities to communicate effectively, the research shows that the affective variables, such as self-esteem, perfectionism, stress, anxiety, and burnout, exert a profound negative influence both on the process and product of writing. To explore the devastating effects of these constructs beyond, the study aims to investigate the interactive impact of anxiety and perfectionism on essay writing among Iranian EFL students (n=85). The Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory of Cheng (2004) and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale of Hewitt and Flett (1990) were employed to measure the participants’ perceived writing anxiety and perfectionism. A quantitative research method was employed in the collection and analysis of the data. The results showed a medium level of FL writing anxiety and perfectionism among the participants. They also revealed that the most prevalent types of anxiety and perfectionism among them were cognitive and self-oriented, respectively. Finally, the results disclosed a strong positive relationship between their anxiety and perfectionistic tendencies. Thus, it was concluded that anxiety and perfectionism may interactively challenge EFL students more in their writing activities. The results are beneficial in deepening the understanding of teachers and researchers in the field pedagogically and practically.
Instructional Materials and Their Influences on Students’ Academic Performance: A Case of Post-Basic School English Curriculum in Burundi
Authors: Irambona Alfred , Chang’ach John K.
Published: September 2023

This study investigates how instructional materials affect students' academic achievement in Burundi post-basic English curriculum. This paper is a report of part of research conducted in 2023 to evaluate the instructional influences of the post-basic school English curriculum on learners’ achievement in Burundi. This study utilized a convergent parallel research design and pragmatic paradigm, supported by Communicative Language Teaching for the 21st Century and the Social Learning Theory. To gather data from 16 English teachers and 330 language learners at the post-basic school level in the second and third years in the Bujumbura Municipality, a learners’ questionnaire, teachers’ interviews, and classroom observations were used. This study employed stratified and random sampling techniques to select respondents, and the data was analyzed descriptively and thematically. The study established that learners’ textbooks were level-appropriate, with 66.5% of the respondents understanding the content of the pupil’s textbook. The investigation also demonstrated the authenticity of the activities in the learners’ textbook since the developed themes were daily life-based issues. However, it was found that the learning activities were insufficient because some themes were not fully developed. The study further demonstrated that the majority of the sampled schools had an alarming scarcity of teaching materials including textbooks, and audio and audio-visual teaching aids. This research finally revealed that instructional materials had a moderate influence on students' academic achievement (overall mean = 3.257, SD =.6901). The government is advised to provide the missing teaching and materials to facilitate the smoother teaching and learning process and enhance students’ academic performance.
Logarithmic negativity in out-of-equilibrium open free-fermion chains: An exactly solvable case
Authors: Alba Vincenzo , Carollo Federico
Published: September 2023

We derive the quasiparticle picture for the fermionic logarithmic negativity in a tight-binding chain subject to gain and loss dissipation. We focus on the dynamics after the quantum quench from the fermionic Néel state. We consider the negativity between both adjacent and disjoint intervals embedded in an infinite chain. Our result holds in the standard hydrodynamic limit of large subsystems and long times, with their ratio fixed. Additionally, we consider the weakly-dissipative limit, in which the dissipation rates are inversely proportional to the size of the intervals. We show that the negativity is proportional to the number of entangled pairs of quasiparticles that are shared between the two intervals, as is the case for the mutual information. Crucially, in contrast with the unitary case, the negativity content of quasiparticles is not given by the Rényi entropy with Rényi index 1/21/2, and it is in general not easily related to thermodynamic quantities.
DEASA studies and applications to space physics and muon tomography
Authors: Bhatnagar Sonali
Published: September 2023

The high energy cosmic rays entering the Earth’s atmosphere throw light upon many aspects of Astroparticle and Particle Physics. This work outlines investigative learning about these high energy primaries based on a mini array DEASA in Agra,India. DEASA (Dayalbagh Educational Air Shower Array) consists of eight plastic scintillators each with an area of 1 square meter. This array covers an area of 260 square meters and is the first array in the northern part of our country. A real-life application of these highly energetic particles has been to find the best material to protect the astronaut from them in form of galactic cosmic rays (GCR). Geant4 based hadronic binary model was used in simulation of phantom, vehicle, SEP (Solar Energetic Particles) and GCR shield. The SEP shielding material was fixed as water and GCR shield was varied among aluminum, Polystyrene and Polyethylene. The poly materials were found to be the best due to large amount of hydrogen (H) and low atomic number (Z). In this work the equivalent dose deposited in the phantom with Polystyrene material for GCR shield was calculated to be minimum (107 sievert) as compared to the other materials.In the second application, the high energy muons have been studied to image nuclear caskets through muon tomography.In this Monte Carlo based simulation, a dry cask container containing different number of the UO2 rods have been bombarded with definite energy muons to measure the muon scattering .The parameters computed in this work are energy loss,radiation length and scattering angle which can calibrate these containers for correct identification of nuclear wastage.
Updated results on the cosmic ray energy spectrum and composition from the GRAPES-3 experiment
Authors: Varsi Fahim , Ahmad S. , Chakraborty M. , Chandra A. , Dugad S. R. , Goswami Umananda Dev , Gupta S. K. , Hariharan B. , Hayashi Y. , Jagadeesan P. , Jain A. , Jain P. , Kawakami S. , Kojima H. , Mahapatra S. , Mohanty P. K. , Moharana R. , Muraki Yasushi , Nayak P. K. , Nonaka T. , Oshima A. , Pant B. P. , Pattanaik Diptiranjan , Pradhan G. , Rameez Mohamed , Ramesh K. , Reddy L. V. , Sahoo R. , Scaria R. , Shibata S. , Tanaka K. , Zuberi M.
Published: September 2023

Here, we present the updated results on the cosmic ray energy spectrum and composition analysis from the GRAPES-3 experiment over the energy range of 50 TeV to 1000 TeV since ICRC 2021. The simulation of cosmic ray showers was performed using the post-LHC high energy hadronic interaction model QGSJetII-04 and low energy hadronic model FLUKA. A detailed GEANT4 simulation of the GRAPES-3 muon telescope was performed. The composition was obtained by fitting simulated muon multiplicity distributions for proton, helium, nitrogen, aluminium, and iron primaries to the observed data. The energy spectrum connects to the direct measurements with a fairly good agreement in flux.
Update on the angular resolution of GRAPES-3 experiment based on Moon shadow analysis
Authors: Pattanaik Diptiranjan , Ahmad S. , Chakraborty M. , Dugad S. R. , Goswami Umananda Dev , Gupta S. K. , Hariharan B. , Hayashi Y. , Jagadeesan P. , Jain A. , Jain P. , Kawakami S. , Kojima H. , Mahapatra S. , Mohanty P. K. , Moharana R. , Muraki Yasushi , Nayak P. K. , Nonaka T. , Oshima A. , Pant B. P. , Rameez Mohamed , Ramesh K. , Reddy L. V. , Shibata S. , Varsi Fahim , Zuberi M.
Published: September 2023

GRAPES-3 is an extensive air shower array located at Ooty (11.6^\circ°N, 76.7^\circ°E, 2200 m a.s.l.) in southern India. Recently, the angular resolution of the GRAPES-3 array has been improved by correcting the shower front curvature based on the shower size and age. Here, we present the results of the angular resolution and pointing accuracy of the array through observation of the Moon shadow. We have analyzed the data for the period of 2014-2016 containing \sim∼
3 \times×
10^99 air shower events with a median energy of 15 TeV. A significant improvement in the angular resolution has been observed compared to the earlier analysis by the group through the Moon shadow method and is comparable to the arrays located at a 2 km higher altitude than the GRAPES-3 experiment.
Highlights from the Telescope Array Experiment
Authors: Sagawa Hiroyuki
Published: September 2023

The Telescope Array (TA) is the largest hybrid cosmic ray detector in the Northern Hemisphere, which observes primary particles in the energy range from 2 PeV to 100 EeV. The main TA detector consists of 507 plastic scintillation counters on a 1.2-km spacing square grid and fluorescence detectors at three stations overlooking the sky above the surface detector array. The TA Low energy Extension (TALE) detector, which consists of ten fluorescence telescopes, and 80 infill surface detectors with 400m and 600 m spacing, has continued to provide stable observations since its construction completion in 2018. The TAx4, a plan to quadruple the detection area of TA is also ongoing. About half of the planned surface detectors have been deployed, and the current TAx4 continues to operate stably as a hybrid detector. I review the present status of the TA experiment and the recent results on the cosmic-ray anisotropy, mass composition and energy spectrum.
Contact dermatitis: etiopathogenetic aspects of the formation of the clinical picture and the rational choice of external therapy
Authors: Tlish M. M. , Shavilova M. E.
Published: September 2023

Contact dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases in many countries, especially among occupational dermatoses. This pathology is considered as an inflammatory skin disease caused by direct exposure to environmental factors. Obligate irritants have a direct damaging effect on the cells of the epidermis and, due to the activation of the predominantly innate immune system, lead to the development of dermatitis in any person. The action of facultative irritants is associated with a delayed type IV cell-mediated allergic reaction, which causes the development of the disease when exposed to substances with sensitizing properties in predisposed individuals. The severity and nature of the symptoms of contact dermatitis depend both on the type of irritant and on the individual characteristics of the organism. A necessary condition for the effectiveness of the treatment of contact dermatitis is the elimination of the allergen. To suppress the inflammatory response, topical glucocorticosteroids are the first-line drugs. The ease of use and the speed of relief of the symptoms of the disease can lead to the uncontrolled use of this group of drugs, in this regard, the article provides an analysis of the necessary conditions and rules for the use of topical glucocorticosteroids. Attention is focused on the risk of developing skin xerosis when they are prescribed. A modern method for the prevention of epidermal barrier dysfunction based on the use of preparations containing topical glucocorticosteroid in combination with ceramides is described. We present our own clinical observations of patients with contact dermatitis treated with this drug, while demonstrating a pronounced positive dynamics of the skin pathological process and regression of subjective symptoms without the development of side effects.
Skin microbiome in patients with acne
Authors: Dvoriankova E. V. , Denieva M. I. , Khismatullina Z. R.
Published: September 2023

In the past few years, our formulation of the role of Cutibacterium acnes in the pathophysiology of acne has undergone a paradigm shift. According to modern concepts, this disease is caused by not C. acnes hyperproliferation, but an imbalance between various phylotypes of this microorganism that develops due to changes in the skin microbiome composition.

Antibiotics are medicines that are usually used to treat this disease. However, the need to use them for a long time, which causes skin dysbacteriosis, increasing resistance to antibiotics, as well as new understanding of the pathophysiology of acne encourage to change the direction of acne treatment. The use of topical benzoyl peroxide and antibiotic combination products not only improves the effectiveness of therapy, especially for inflammatory acne, but also prevents the development of antibiotic resistant pathogenic microflora. Benzoyl peroxide is a lipophilic substance that concentrates in the skin inside the sebaceous hair follicles, producing benzoic acid and reactive oxygen species. Benzoyl peroxide as an oxidizing agent can suppress the synthesis of proteins and nucleotides, activities of mitochondria in microorganisms through inhibiting their growth and reproduction. The combination of this component and antibiotics contributes to the synergy of their action, and effectively reduces inflammation and acne. As examples, we present the clinical case reports of a 20-year-old patient S., who complained of rashes on the facial skin at puberty, as well as an 18-year-old patient A. with rashes on her face. These cases showed that the topical drug was well tolerated, and the only undesirable side effect reported was a feeling of skin tightness.
Experience in using minoxidil product line for the treatment of stress-induced non scarring alopecia
Authors: Katkhanova O. A.
Published: September 2023

Introduction. Sustained stress can promote the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as INF-ɣ, which leads to inflammation and results in apoptosis, cell senescence, and disruption of hair growth cycles. It is important to know that a somatic disease itself can become a stress factor. In our case it is a hair loss, which provokes a reactive anxiety-depressive state (nosogenic reaction), often affected by predominant anxious fears for one's health.

Aim. To study the efficacy and tolerability of the updated composition of ALERANA® 5% topical spray combined with ALERANA® Serum BIO active complex for hair growth containing minoxidil for the treatment of stress-induced nonscarring alopecia.

Materials and methods. A study of ALERANA minoxidil products was conducted. All patients (50 people) underwent comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination and trichoscopic diagnosis. Signs of psycho-emotional distress were diagnosed in 56%, symptoms of autonomic disorders (palpitations, hot flushes, red dermographism, hyperhidrosis) in 21%, sleep disorders in 48%, change in appetite in 18%, muscle tension, spasms in 12%.

Results. The amount of hair significantly increased during complex therapy. In the first 3 months of therapy, the average gain was 17%. The appearance of new hair in the parietal and temporal areas, as well as a decline in the number of single follicular units were also observed. ALERANA® spray is highly effective, well tolerated by patients and can be prescribed both as a monotherapy as well as in combination with systemic and local drugs.

Conclusion. Identification of mental disorders in patients with chronic types of hair loss, such as alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia, appears to be an important stage during examination of this group of dermatological patients. The condition for the choice of optimal therapy for a patient is rooted in understanding the pathogenetic factors and correction of possible causes of hair loss. The key to successful treatment of diffuse alopecia is a comprehensive, multifactorial and personalized approach.
Clinical case of the sepsis development in a patient with bullous pemphigoid
Authors: Bulanov M. N. , Kazakov A. A. , Khamaganova I. V. , Kazakova P. O. , Potapova S. V.
Published: September 2023

Patients with rare diseases, particularly skin conditions, can be particularly problematic for doctors of intensive care units. The present study shows the features of the course of sepsis in bullous pemphigoid in terms of clinical case management. A 66-year-old patient with polymorbid pathology was admitted for scheduled hospitalization to the Endocrinology Department with a diagnosis of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with multiple complications, and examined. She complained of pain in the small of the back and abdomen irradiating to the inguinal region, and increased oedema of the lower extremities. A few hours after admission to the Endocrinology Department, she was transferred to the intensive care unit due to the deterioration of her condition. Analysis of the severity and prognosis assessment of her condition was performed: 9 scores according to SOFA, 20 scores according to APACHE II. The patient underwent clinical, laboratory (biochemical, immunological, bacteriological, cancer markers, blood gases), instrumental methods of examination (Doppler ultrasonography of the lower extremity veins, brain MRI, chest MRI, lumbar puncture). A skin biopsy for morphological study was taken. The analysis of test results showed a critical condition of the patient with a high risk of death, which was prognostically dangerous. Bullous pemphigoid diagnosis was established by morphological and immunological assays. The patient was prescribed therapy with due account for her polymorbidities: prednisolone 80 mg orally, antibiotic therapy, later on she was transferred to the mechanical ventilation. A session of substitutive renal therapy CVVHD using the Prismaflex system was performed. After treatment, improvement was observed. Over the 3-month follow-up care, the patient's condition has been stabilised. It is critical for doctors of various specialties to identify signs of bullous pemphigoid in a timely manner, assess the risk of developing sepsis and take appropriate therapeutic measures in case of secondary infection, as the polymorbidity of pathological conditions can lead to death.
Efficacy and safety assessment of netakimab in scalp psoriasis
Authors: Kurdina M. I. , Kolenko N. G.
Published: September 2023

Introduction. Scalp psoriasis is a common disease that has a long, recurrent course with severe desquamation, dryness and itching of the skin. The location of the pathological process in an aesthetically significant area, constant therapy leads to low satisfaction and adherence to treatment and, as a result, to a pronounced decrease in the quality of life.

Aim. To study the efficacy and safety of netakimab in psoriasis of the scalp.

Materials and methods. 52 adult patients (n = 52) with psoriasis of the face and scalp were under observation. The severity of the psoriatic lesion of the scalp was determined using the PSSI index (Psoriasis Severity Scalp Index). The assessment was carried out before the start of treatment, in the first week, and then every 4 weeks up to and including 52 weeks. The Dermatological Quality of Life Index (DLQI) – were determined by questionnaires before the start of treatment, at the 12th and 52nd weeks. All patients on an outpatient basis received netakimab monotherapy at a dose of 120 mg in the form of two subcutaneous injections of 1 ml (60 mg) of the drug, each administered once a week at weeks 0, 1 and 2, then 1 time every 4 weeks. The total duration of treatment for each patient was 1 year (52 weeks). The safety of netakimab was evaluated based on the development of adverse events and local reactions to the administration of the drug.

Results. The results of the study (n = 52) for 52 weeks showed high efficacy of netakimab. 48% of patients achieved PSSI 90 by the week 12 of treatment and 77% of patients achieved PSSI 90 by the week 52, itching of the scalp significantly decreased and the quality of life improved. During the 52 weeks of the study, there were no cases of early withdrawal due to adverse events and cases of serious adverse events.

Conclusion. Based on the study results we recommend netakimab for medical use among patients with moderate and severe scalp psoriasis.
Bacterial Composition of Dairy Base during Fermentation
Authors: Gryaznova Mariya , Burakova Inna , Smirnova Yuliya , Nesterova Ekaterina , Rodionova Natalia , Popov Evgeniy , Syromyatnikov Mikhail , Popov Vasily
Published: September 2023

Probiotic starters are a biological product based on lactic acid bacteria. Their metabolic characteristics determine the properties of the final products. This study evaluated the bacterial composition of a starter culture at various time intervals during the fermentation of a probiotic dairy product.

The starter consisted of Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophiles, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobactreium animalis ssp. lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lacticaseibacillus casei. Pasteurized milk served as the object of fermentation. The starter culture was activated in sterilized skimmed milk. Sampling occurred throughout the entire fermentation process (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 h). To determine the microbiome of the substrates, the authors used the next-generation high-throughput sequencing that targeted V3 of 16S rRNA gene.

The fermentation resulted in a decrease in Bifidobacterium and an increase in Lactobacillus, which peaked (97.5%) after 15 h of fermentation. Each sampling showed that the count of Streptococcus went down. Eventually, Lactobacillus replaced all other genera, including Bifidobacterium, probably, as a result of pH going down during fermentation. The optimal values for the proliferation of Lactobacillus (pH = 4.2–4.4), which were registered after 18 h, turned out to be too low for the productive growth of Bifidobacterium.

The research demonstrated the changes in the bacterial composition of the dairy base during fermentation. The high-throughput sequencing proved to be an efficient tool in controlling probiotic fermentation processes.
Estimation of possible extreme droughts for a dam catchment in Korea using a regional-scale weather model and long short-term memory network
Authors: Shin Mun-Ju , Jung Yong
Published: September 2023

To prepare measures to respond to climate-induced extreme droughts, consideration of various weather conditions is necessary. This study tried to generate extreme drought weather data using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and apply it to the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), a deep learning artificial intelligence model, to produce the runoff instead of using conventional rainfall–runoff models. Finally, the standardized streamflow index (SSFI), the hydrological drought index, was calculated using the generated runoff to predict extreme droughts. As a result, the sensitivity test of meteorological data to runoff showed that using similar types of meteorological data could not improve runoff simulations with a maximum difference of 0.02 in Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency. During the drought year of 2015, the runoff generated by WRF and LSTM exhibited reduced monthly runoffs and more severe SSFI values below −2 compared to the observed data. This shows the significance of WRF-generated meteorological data in simulating potential extreme droughts based on possible physical atmospheric conditions using numerical representations. Furthermore, LSTM can simulate runoff without requiring specific physical data of the target catchment; therefore, it can simulate runoff in any catchment, including those in developing countries with limited data.
Assessment of drought using different tests and drought indices in Elazig, Turkey
Authors: Kartal Veysi
Published: September 2023

Water is one of the most essential elements for human life and must be provided for life requirements. Historical changes in meteorological data are vital for the planning and operation of water management. A total of 516-time series were used to evaluate the characteristics of drought in Elazig in Turkey. In this study, meteorological drought analysis was carried out in monthly and annual periods by using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI, Innovative Polygon Trend Analysis (IPTA), and China-Z Index (CZI) drought indices. As a result, it was determined that there was an increase in dry periods for all time scales for eight meteorological stations, especially in 2000 and after. A downward trend was detected in precipitation data, while an upward trend was detected in temperature and evaporation data based on a 95% confidence interval. Although normal drought has the highest share among drought categories, very severe drought has the lowest share. it is determined that SPI gives more sensitive results in the very severe drought category than the SPEI index. As a result, the region's trend of rain and temperature will assist water management for resource planning.
Rawls, os regimes econômicos e a democracia no local de trabalho
Authors: Tomé Julio
Published: September 2023

John Rawls é um dos filósofos políticos mais proeminentes do século XX. A partir da publicação em 1971 da obra Uma Teoria da Justiça, o filósofo estadunidense se tornou mundialmente famoso nos meios políticos e acadêmicos. Contudo, um ponto que sempre suscitou um enorme debate é naquilo que dizia respeito aos regimes econômicos apoiados e defendidos pelo autor. Esse ponto só foi esclarecido quando Rawls publicou em 2001, portanto 30 anos depois de sua principal obra, o livro Justiça como equidade: uma reformulação. Na obra de 2001, Rawls se coloca abertamente contrário ao estado de bem-estar social e defensor da democracia de cidadãos-proprietários e do socialismo (democrático) liberal. Nesse trabalho, além de apresentar o modo pelo qual Rawls chega aos regimes econômicos consonantes com a justiça como equidade, deseja-se investigar a relação da democracia no local de trabalho com os regimes econômicos rawlsianos. Assim, argumenta-se que Rawls não pode ser visto como exigindo a democracia no local de trabalho, apesar de que seus regimes podem ser consonantes com tal prática.
For Ratio Analysis of the Efficiency of Budget Expenses on Social Policy Aimed at Overcoming Poverty in Russian Regions
Authors: Dorofeev M. L.
Published: September 2023

The development of methodology for analyzing efficiency is acute today due to fundamental basis of budget system functioning. The last ten years proved the importance of social policy and the welfare system during periods of uncertainty and economic crises. In 2022 the vector of Russian economy development changed from west to east and the country will face a long-term opposition through unprecedented sanctions and challenges to its economy transformation. The article puts forward a simple ratio method of analyzing efficiency of budget expenses aimed at overcoming poverty in Russian regions, systematizes the most frequently mentioned in academic literature methods of researching efficiency of expenses on social policy, investigates the method of analyzing the utmost efficiency and provides conclusions about its low practical significance. The article proposes to use the author’s approach to ratio analysis supplemented with ranking method, plotting heat maps and estimating basic descriptive statistics. Research findings demonstrate its high theoretic and practical value, especially as a preliminary stage of the research within the frames of a complex analytical approach to assessing efficiency of expenses on social policy allotted from consolidated budgets of Russian Federation entities.
Application of electric and electromagnetic methods, combined with thermal properties analysis, to the characterization of low and medium enthalpy geothermal resources
Authors: Martín Nieto Ignacio , Sáez Blázquez Cristina , Farfán Martín Arturo , Carrasco García Pedro , González-Aguilera Diego
Published: September 2023

The relationship between the thermal properties of the ground and the efficiency of geothermal installations located in the ground is well known. The different geologies and subsurface structures have a decisive influence on the behavior of a given location with respect to heat exchanges. The electrical and electromagnetic methods of geophysical prospecting can be useful in determining the compositions and structures present in a given area in order to be able to perform energy modeling that will help to design more precisely the ideal geothermal heat exchanger for that area. In this work we study the relationship, observed in different studies, between the geological structure and the electromagnetic magnitude  measurements collected from these prospecting methods. Possibilities are also explored in contact with the idea of relating electromagnetic and thermal magnitudes in the search for new ideas to develop more accurate methods of geophysical prospecting of the geothermal resource.