bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Narratives about the (un)desired tomorrow in the discourse of Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica
Authors: Pavlović Aleksandar
Published: September 2022

In this paper the author presents results of research on the position of Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica in the context of the integration of the North of Kosovo and Metohija into the institutional system of the self-proclaimed independent Kosovo, foreseen by the Brussels Agreement from 2013. The focus of the paper is on the attitude of the Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica towards the outcomes of the Brussels Agreement, where the emphasis is placed on viewing the way in which the members of the researched Serbian community talk about their position from the aspect of one of the main sentiments woven into their experience of their own status practically all the time since the ethnic division of Kosovska Mitrovica in 1999 until today, and that is the feeling of apprehention from an uncertain tomorrow. In a situation where they are practically excluded from making decicions regarding the application of the Brussels agreement, the research was motivated by the effort to enable the Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica to "speak", in the hope that their voice will reach not only the scientific, but also the wider social public. The goal of the paper, in that sense, is aimed at understanding the way in which the Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica describe their current situation, that is, at providing an answer to the question of how, in the context of feeling uncertainty about tomorrow, they think about their future. The method applied in achieving the set goal was based on the emic, anthropological key perspective, which means that the author used the qualitative research approach, primarily the conversation with interlocutors. The results presented in the paper were obtained on the basis of field research conducted in Kosovska Mitrovica on several occations during 2022.
Second Generation Intact Stability Criteria: An Overview
Authors: Peters William Sidney , Belenky Vadim I.
Published: September 2022

The Interim guidelines on the second generation intact stability criteria were approved by IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in December 2020 (MSC.1/Circ.1627). These were followed by MSC’s approval of Explanatory Notes to the Interim guidelines in April 2022. Under development internationally for nearly two decades, the second generation intact stability criteria are, in most respects, based on the assessment of the dynamics of stability failures. Therefore, they are unlike previous stability criteria that evaluate quantities of various common static stability parameters against established, but arbitrary, standards for compliance.

This paper provides an overview of the second generation intact stability criteria, explains how it is intended to be used, its relationship to existing international ship stability criteria, and describes a process by which practicing naval architects may use it. The paper also identifies possible shortcomings of the criteria and areas in which particular caution should be exercised in its use. Lastly, proposals for future enhancement of the criteria are summarized.
Analysis of Statistical Knowledge of Peruvian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study Based on a Survey
Authors: Vera-Ponce Víctor Juan , Torres-Malca Jenny Raquel , La Cruz-Vargas Jhony A. De , Zuzunaga Montoya Fiorella Elvira , Chavez Paola Huaccha , Talavera-Ramirez Jesus Enrique , Cruz-Ausejo Liliana
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Despite the growing awareness of the importance of knowledge in biostatistics, many investigations worldwide have found that medical students have a poor understanding of it. Objective: To determine the percentage of Peruvian medical students with sufficient biostatistics knowledge and the associated factors. Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study. Application of a virtual survey to medical students from different faculties in Peru. Results: 56.46% of medical students have insufficient knowledge of biostatistics. A statistically significant association was found for those who were 25 years of age or older (aPR: 1.195; 95% CI 1.045 - 1.366; p=0.009); being between the 9th and 12th semester (aPR: 1.177; 95% CI 1.001 - 1.378; p=0.037) and medical internship (aPR: 1.373; 95% CI 1.104 - 1.707; p=0.004); take an external course in biostatistics, epidemiology or research (aPR: 4.016; 95% CI 3.438 - 4.693; p<0.001); having read more than 12 articles per year (aPR: 1.590; 95% CI 1.313 - 1.967; p<0.001); and publish at least one scientific article (aPR: 1.549; 95% CI 1.321 - 1.816; p<0.001) or more than one (PR: 2.312; 95% CI 1.832 - 2.919; p<0.001). Conclusions: There is insufficient knowledge of biostatistics in medical students. The factors associated with a good understanding of this were age, academic semester, the number of articles read and published, and having taken an external course.
The Role of Mobile Applications in the Doctor’s Working Time Management System
Authors: Sviatenko Tetiana , Gogunska Inna , Semigina Tetyana , Kasianenko Liliya , Salei Olena , Prokopenko Maryna
Published: September 2022

Background: Information technologies have become a mandatory component for health care institutions, as well as for doctors. Doctors’ use of medical mobile applications to access medical information has the potential to improve the use of their working time. Primary care physicians can use mobile applications to communicate with their patients, thereby improving the health of individual patients and the population as a whole.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the use of medical reference mobile applications by general practitioners in their medical practice.

Methods: The research was conducted through a sociological survey and a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis.

Results and Conclusions: The study found that in Ukraine, medical mobile applications are mainly reference, and their use allows doctors to improve decision-making and has a positive effect on the level of health of the population and the doctor’s working time management. The assessment of the duration of the appointment using applications showed that in most cases, the time of the consultation reduced to 15 minutes, which testifies to the improvement of this type of assistance to the population. Besides, the use of applications provides a significant reduction of the time for making a clinical decision by 5 minutes. We found a relationship between the average duration of the appointment, as well as the time for making a clinical decision and the frequency of using the mobile application during the working day. The hypothesis of a direct effect of an innovative approach (use of a mobile application) on the time of outpatient appointments by family doctors with a significance level of 0.05 was tested using statistical data analysis according to the Student's test. The presented results of the analysis of a medical experiment with general practitioners allowed drawing a conclusion about the positive impact of the use of mobile applications on the working time savings of general practitioners when providing medical services.
Role of Predictive Modeling in Healthcare Research: A Scoping Review
Authors: Panda Nihar Ranjan , Pati Jitendra Kumar , Bhuyan Ruchi
Published: September 2022

The huge preponderance of inferences drawn in empirical medical research follows from model-based relations (e.g. regression). Here, we described the role of predictive modeling as a complement to this approach. Predictive models are usually probabilistic model which gives a good quality fit to our data. In medical research, it’s very common to use regression models for predictive purposes. Here in this article, we described the types of predictive modeling (Linear and Non-linear) used in medical research and how effectively the researchers take decisions based on predictive modeling, and what precautions, we have to take while building a predictive model. Finally, we consider a working example to illustrate the effectiveness of the predictive model in healthcare.
Evaluation of Frequency and Type of Severe Anemia in Patients Referred to the Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran in Six Months; A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Jalalian Hamid Reza , Shasti Meysam , Mahmoudi Sadrollah , Goodarzi Hassan
Published: September 2022

Purpose: To investigate the frequency and types of severe unknown anemia in patients referred to the Baqiyatallah Hospital (Tehran) for six months.

Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the patients with severe unknown anemia referred to the Baqiyatallah Hospital (Tehran, Iran) were selected over six months. Following consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 230 patients with severe anemia (hemoglobin (Hb) > 8gr/dl) were included. Complete medical history was obtained from the patients and additional biochemical blood analyses were applied to determine the frequency and type of anemia. SPSS (v.19) software was used to analyze the findings and the significance level was defined as a p-value <0.05.

Results: In chronic disease anemia (47.5%), gastrointestinal bleeding-associated anemia (29%), bleeding malignancies anemia (21.5%), and aplastic anemia (2%). There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the frequency of different types of normocytic anemia. The highest frequency was detected in folate deficiency anemia (46%), hypothyroidism anemia (34%), and B12 deficiency anemia (20%), respectively. The hemolytic anemia represented a significant difference (p<0.05) in comparison with sickle cell anemia (95%). Also, sickle cell anemia showed a significant difference (p<0.05) between thalacemia-associated anemia (95%) and malignancy-related anemia (95%)

Conclusion: Respectively, the highest frequency of anemia in patients was found in chronic diseases and gastrointestinal bleeding. It is suggested that more attention should be paid to the type of anemia of patients referred to the urgency of hospitals.
Validation of the Spanish version of the Technostress Creators Scale in Chilean Workers
Authors: Salazar-Concha Cristian , Ficapal-Cusí Pilar , Peñarroja Vicente , Enache-Zegheru Mihaela
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Technostress Creators Scale (TCS). The scale was administered to 1.047 Chilean professionals. The internal structure of the scale was tested by conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The average variance extracted (AVE) and the Fornell–Larcker criterion were used to examine convergent and discriminant validity, respectively. To investigate concurrent validity, we focused on the relation between the TCS scale and role stress, which is a distinct, albeit conceptually related construct. Our findings supported a five-factor model consisting of 23 items distributed in five factors: techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity and techno-uncertainty. The Spanish version of the TCS had a high level of internal consistency, which was similar to the original scale. Appropriate evidence of concurrent validity was also shown. In addition, we conducted an international comparison of the research results with other relevant adaptations of the instrument reported in different cultural contexts.  The results confirmed that the Spanish translation of the TCS is a suitable instrument for measuring technostress and can contribute to an empirical examination of this phenomenon in Spanish-speaking countries.

El propósito de esta investigación fue adaptar y validar al español el Inventario de Creadores de Tecnoestrés (ICT). La escala fue administrada a 1.047 trabajadores chilenos. Para analizar la estructura interna de la escala, se aplicaron análisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios. La varianza media extraída (AVE) y el criterio de Fornell-Larcker fueron utilizados para examinar la validez convergente y discriminante, respectivamente. Para valorar la validez concurrente, se ha analizado la relación entre la escala ICT y el estrés del rol, que es un constructo distinto, aunque conceptualmente relacionado. Nuestros resultados respaldaron un modelo que consta de 23 elementos distribuidos en cinco factores: tecno-sobrecarga, tecno-invasión, tecno-complejidad, tecno-inseguridad y tecno-incertidumbre. La versión en español del instrumento ofrece un alto nivel de consistencia interna, que es similar a la escala original. También se obtuvieron evidencias de validez concurrente. Además, se ha realizado una comparación internacional de los resultados de la investigación con otras adaptaciones relevantes del instrumento reportadas en diferentes contextos culturales. Los resultados confirmaron que la traducción al español del ICT es un instrumento adecuado para medir el tecnoestrés y puede contribuir a un examen empírico de este fenómeno en los países de habla hispana.
Twenty-Fifth Annual Report on Federal Agency Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and Conformity Assessment
Authors: Rioux Nathalie
Published: September 2022

In FY 2021, the 22 federal agencies that reported did not add or rescind any GUS in lieu of VCS, therefore there remains a total of 80 previously reported GUS in lieu of VCS still in use. This analysis does not reflect the use of standards by the Department of Defense (DoD) or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as they report their use of GUS on a categorical basis via a different reporting mechanism. Agencies demonstrate the effectiveness of the NTTAA and Circular A-119 by their continuous review of opportunities to rescind GUS in favor of using VCS, and their involvement with the private sector through the VCS process. These activities suggest that federal agencies are cognizant of the benefits of meeting their mission needs by actively seeking to use VCS developed by the private sector. In accordance with its coordination role as defined in the NTTAA and OMB A-119, NIST continues to assist federal agencies and their stakeholders with standards and conformity assessment information, program support, guidance, and policy concerns. NIST hosts http://standards.gov, which offers ongoing practical guidance and information needed by agencies to implement the NTTAA successfully and report standards activities as required by the NTTAA and OMB Circular A-119. This report fulfills the annual reporting requirements of both the NTTAA and OMB Circular A-119.
АНАЛИЗА СТАЊА ИНФОРМАТИЧКЕ ПИСМЕНОСТИ КОД ДЈЕЦЕ У ОСНОВНИМ ШКОЛАМА
Authors: Пејчић Марина З. , Видаковић Бојан Р.
Published: September 2022

У овом раду анализиран је ниво информатичке писмености дјеце у основним школама. Информатичка писменост односи се на познавање хардвера и софтвера рачунара, као и упо- требу рачунара и рачунарских програма у свакодневном животу. С обзиром на то да живимо у савременом добу, свједоци смо значаја информатике као науке, која је заузела значајну улогу у свим сферама живота. Управо из тог разлога, дошли смо на идеју да испитамо ниво познавања информатике код ученика основних школа. Основни мјерни инструмент био је тест који се састоји од 25 питања и обухвата основне информатичке сегменте. Спроведеним истраживањем тестирани су ученици деветог разреда урбане и руралне средине, а сврха је била провјерити ниво на којем се налазе ученици основ- ношколског узраста, када је информатичка писменост у питању.
VET and the “Competency-Tetris”
Authors: Rosenblad Niklas , Schaffar Birgit , Löfström Erika
Published: September 2022

The purpose of the article is to empirically analyse how the idea of inclusion is portrayed within the boundaries of the “Competency-Tetris”: a metaphor that should not be confused with the Tetris® game but used to theoretically capture individualised, competency-based, and managerially governed Vocational Education and Training (VET). We argue that the meaning of social inclusion within and through VET is unclear and vested by the human capital doctrines and the neoliberal assumptions from which it is derived. Whom does inclusion in VET involve, and to what and where does inclusion take place? Employing a design-based research approach, we used abductive applications to analyse data produced through participatory ethnographic observations (N=32) and interviews (N=12). The results identified four abstracted themes: (1) Fitting the workforce auction; (2) Multi-professional support trajectories; (3) Inclusion of qualification measures; and (4) Social and cultural learning communities. The first three abstracted themes suggest that the Competency-Tetris is a social divider of students based on a “go-forward” engine with social engineering at its fore. That is, the desired boundaries between VET and work are not strengthened, and the question of enabling equal learning for all students faces a U-turn. Thus, the economic value accumulated in competency-based qualification measures is accentuated. The latter abstracted theme identifies a different, albeit obscured, aspiration: human encounters requiring dignity, mutual respect, social generosity, and developmental sustainable ecology are increasingly approached as part of, within, and through VET.
Detección de infección por Chlamydia trachomatis en mujeres sexualmente activas en Venezuela
Authors: Joya Milagros , Heredia Ricardo , Bastidas Daniel , Bastidas Gilberto
Published: September 2022

Introducción. La infección genital por Chlamydia trachomatis es una de las más frecuentes en el mundo. Cada año se registran cerca de 85 millones de nuevos casos de esta enfermedad, que cursa con graves complicaciones en la mujer y recién nacido.Objetivo. Determinar las características clínico-epidemiológicas de la infección por C. trachomatis en mujeres venezolanas sexualmente activas.Materiales y métodos. Es un estudio descriptivo, transversal y de campo, sustentado en la historia clínica y el examen físico, la detección de infección con la prueba inmunoenzimática con anticuerpos policlonales anti-LPS y la confirmación de los resultados con la de biología molecular. La muestra estuvo conformada por 100 mujeres sexualmente activas mayores de 12 años de edad, del estado Carabobo, Venezuela.Resultados. La mayoría de las mujeres se encontraba entre los 20 y los 45 años de edad. En el 25 % de las mismas, se detectaron anticuerpos IgG anti-C. trachomatis y, en el 84 % de estas, se confirmó la infección mediante PCR; en ninguna de las mujeres se hallaron anticuerpos IgM anti-C. trachomatis.Conclusión. La infección crónica predomina en las mujeres entre los 20 y los 45 años de edad; la prueba inmunoenzimática arrojó falsos positivos corroborados por PCR.
Caracterización y factores asociados a la mortalidad debida a enfermedades huérfanas en Chile, 2002-2017
Authors: Ávila Jahir Andrés , Martínez Julio César
Published: September 2022

Introducción. Las enfermedades huérfanas se caracterizan por su baja prevalencia, comúnmente son de evolución crónica, debilitantes y potencialmente mortales.Objetivo. Determinar las características y los factores asociados a la mortalidad por enfermedades huérfanas en Chile, entre 2002 y 2017.Materiales y métodos. Es un estudio transversal y analítico a partir de datos secundarios oficiales del Departamento de Estadística e Información en Salud (DEIS) del Ministerio de Salud de Chile. Se calcularon las tasas de mortalidad específica, y las ajustadas por sexo y edad. Se efectuó un análisis de normalidad mediante la prueba de Kolmogórov-Smirnov. Se aplicaron la prueba de ji al cuadrado de independencia para las asociaciones y el análisis de regresión logística multivariada para determinar la probabilidad de muerte.Resultados. Durante el periodo de estudio, 10.718 defunciones se atribuyeron a enfermedades huérfanas; 53,2 % ocurrieron en mujeres. La tasa media anual de mortalidad fue de 3,9 por 100.000 habitantes: 4,1 en mujeres y 3,8 en hombres. Las principales causas de muerte, en mujeres, fueron enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, anencefalia, hepatitis autoinmunitaria y, en hombres, enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, distrofia muscular y anencefalia. Las mujeres tienen 1,75 más veces la posibilidad de fallecer por este grupo de enfermedades en comparación con los hombres (OR ajustado=1,75; IC95% 1,69-1,82). La mayor probabilidad de morir se presentó en los menores de 0 a 4 años (OR ajustado=15,30; IC95% 14,10-19,20).Conclusión. En Chile, las mujeres constituyeron el grupo de población de mayor riesgo de morir por enfermedades huérfanas durante los años 2002 y 2017.
Nueva mutación en el gen KMT2B como causa de distonía generalizada de inicio temprano: reporte de caso
Authors: Rangel Yully Andrea , Espinosa Eugenia
Published: September 2022

La distonía por mutación en el gen KMT2B es un subtipo recientemente descrito del inicio focal de la enfermedad en los miembros inferiores que, posteriormente, evoluciona a una forma generalizada con compromiso cervical y orofaríngeo, disartria, trastorno secundario de la deglución y discapacidad intelectual.Se describe el caso de una escolar de 10 años de edad, sin antecedentes de consanguinidad ni historia familiar de enfermedad neurológica, que presentó alteración de la marcha y distonía de inicio focal, de curso progresivo a una forma generalizada que afectó sus músculos orofaciales y bulbares con alteración significativa del lenguaje y la deglución.Los estudios metabólicos y sistémicos, incluidas las neuroimágenes, no evidenciaron anormalidades. Se hizo una secuenciación genómica completa y se identificó una nueva variante, probablemente patogénica heterocigota, en el gen KMT2B, la c.1205delC, p.(Pro402Hisfs*5), que causa desplazamiento en el marco de lectura. Este hallazgo explica el fenotipo de la paciente y la distonía de inicio temprano autosómica dominante.Se reporta una nueva mutación heterocigota del gen KMT2B como causa de distonía generalizada de inicio temprano, no reportada en la literatura especializada hasta el momento. El diagnóstico de esta afección tiene implicaciones en el tratamiento y el pronóstico de los pacientes, porque las estrategias terapéuticas tempranas pueden prevenir su rápido deterioro y un curso más grave de la enfermedad.
Características sociodemográficas y clínicas relacionadas con la condición final de pacientes intoxicados por paraquat en un hospital del suroccidente de Colombia
Authors: Ordóñez-Zarama Yalila Andrea , Jurado-Fajardo Daniel , Paredes-Panesso María Camila , Rosero-Bello David Alejandro , Montenegro-Coral Franco Andrés , Risueño-Blanco José Alirio
Published: September 2022

Introducción. El herbicida paraquat constituye la primera causa de decesos por intoxicaciones en distintos países.Objetivo. Relacionar las características sociodemográficas y clínicas con la condición final de pacientes intoxicados por paraquat atendidos en un hospital del suroccidente de Colombia.Materiales y métodos. En este estudio observacional, descriptivo, analítico, transversal y retrospectivo, se revisaron las historias clínicas de pacientes atendidos por intoxicación con paraquat en una institución de tercer nivel de complejidad en Pasto (Colombia) entre el 2013 y el 2018. Se recolectó la información sobre la condición final (vivo o fallecido) de cada paciente, así como los datos sociodemográficos, clínicos y de los exámenes paraclínicos. Se establecieron comparaciones por grupos y se diseñó un modelo de regresión logística binaria.Resultados. Se filtró la información de 299 registros y se analizaron finalmente 160 casos. Las características relacionadas con la condición final de los pacientes fueron el tiempo de estancia (OR=0,124; IC95% 0,03-0,6; p=0,009), la frecuencia cardiaca (OR=35,65; IC95% 1,44-884,78; p=0,029) y la creatinina inicial (OR=1,73; IC95% 1,23-2,44; p=0,002).Conclusiones. La proporción de la letalidad fue mayor entre los pacientes con estancia hospitalaria corta, taquicardia y elevación de la concentración sérica de creatinina al ingreso. Este reporte puede ser útil como fundamento de una escala de gravedad para detectar a los pacientes con resultados adversos en la fase temprana para que puedan recibir una intervención oportuna.
Impacto de la calidad de vida relacionada a la salud en pacientes pediátricos con trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos en una institución colombiana
Authors: Medina-Valencia Diego , Castillo-Martínez Alejandro , Beltrán Estefanía , Manzi Eliana , Chantre-Mostacilla Amparo , Guerrero-Fajardo Gloria Piedad , Estacio Mayra , Franco Alexis A.
Published: September 2022

Introducción. El trasplante de células madre hematopoyéticas es la opción curativa para algunas enfermedades y está aumentando el tiempo de supervivencia de los pacientes. La calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en estos pacientes no se evalúa de manera sistemática.Objetivos. Describir la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y las complicaciones en niños con trasplante de células madre hematopoyéticas.Materiales y métodos. Es un estudio transversal en pacientes pediátricos sobrevivientes al trasplante. Se midió la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, utilizando el cuestionario KIDSCREEN-27 en pacientes entre 8 y 14 años y la SF-12™ (Short Form-12) en pacientes mayores de 14 años. El análisis estadístico se realizó en el software Stata 12. Utilizamos el modelo de Rasch, trasladando estimación de parámetros a valores t para obtener el resultado de los cuestionarios.Resultados. En total, 42 pacientes respondieron alguno de los cuestionarios. Los eventos adversos más frecuentes fueron “enfermedad crónica de injerto Vs. contra huésped” y “complicaciones endocrinas”. De acuerdo con la normalidad de datos del KIDSCREEN-27, los puntajes de las dimensiones “ambiente escolar” y “soporte social y pares” fueron inferiores al percentil 50. En el cuestionario SF-12™, el grupo que utilizaba inmunosupresores tuvo un menor puntaje en el componente físico.Conclusiones. En general, los resultados del KIDSCREEN-27 sugieren un cierto déficit de calidad de vida en pacientes entre 8 y 14 años. Los cuestionarios mostraron confiabilidad en la muestra.
Violencia sexual en un municipio de Colombia: características de las víctimas y de sus victimarios, 2011-2020
Authors: Noreña Camilo , Rodríguez Sergio Andrés
Published: September 2022

Introducción. La violencia sexual es un problema de salud pública inscrito en las agendas sociales y políticas a nivel global. Representa una urgencia médica que se atiende en los servicios de salud, lo que los convierte en la principal fuente de su registro en los sistemas de vigilancia en salud pública.Objetivo. Analizar las características sociodemográficas de las víctimas de violencia sexual y de sus victimarios en el municipio de Envigado, Antioquia, entre el 2011 y el 2020.Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio transversal descriptivo a partir de todos los registros de violencia sexual notificados en el Sistema de Vigilancia en Salud Pública de la violencia de género e intrafamiliar de Envigado (código de ficha INS-875), durante el periodo 2011-2020.Resultados. Se registraron 807 casos de violencia sexual entre 2011 y 2020; el 62,0 % correspondió a casos de abuso sexual a personas menores de 18 años; el 82,3 % de las víctimas estaba constituido por mujeres adolescentes agredidas por familiares; los principales agresores fueron hombres (99,1 %), con una mediana de edad 26 años.Conclusión. La violencia sexual es un problema en aumento; en el 2020, año del confinamiento poblacional por la Covid-19, las tasas en mujeres y durante la primera infancia, la adolescencia y la juventud, fueron las más altas del periodo de estudio.
Cannabis medicinal: puntos críticos para su uso clínico
Authors: Gómez-García Diego Mauricio , García-Perdomo Herney Andrés
Published: September 2022

El cannabis se ha utilizado desde la antigüedad con fines recreativos y medicinales. Es una fuente muy rica de compuestos químicos, la mayoría denominados fitocannabinoides, que tienen una variedad de efectos fisiológicos, principalmente por su unión a receptores cannabinoides endógenos como el CB1 y CB2, entre otros.El cannabis tiene propiedades terapéuticas potenciales y sus preparaciones se han utilizado como remedios tradicionales para tratar el dolor y la emesis. Los cannabinoides sintéticos se utilizan clínicamente como analgésicos, antiespasmódico, antieméticos y estimulantes del apetito. La toxicidad significativa del cannabis es poco común en los adultos, sin embargo, puede tener múltiples efectos adversos agudos y crónicos. La calidad de la evidencia en este campo se ha visto limitada por la corta duración de los estudios, los reducidos tamaños de las muestras, la falta de grupos de control y la existencia de sesgos en la mayoría de los estudios revisados. En este contexto, son necesarios más estudios de mejor calidad metodológica para apoyar el uso seguro de esta terapia en otras enfermedades. La decisión de incorporar los cannabinoides como terapia en alguna de las condiciones descritas depende de la evidencia, el uso de terapias previas y el tipo de paciente.
Profitability Analysis of Plantain Production in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria
Authors: Okunola Olufemi Solomon , Olapade-Ogunwole Folayimi , Adesiyan Olusegun Israel
Published: September 2022

The study looked into the profitability of plantain production in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. Although it is grown by smallholders in the study area, there were great potentials for the crop in that all parameters showed that it was profitable. The Gross Margin (GM) per hectare was 360536 Naira while the Net Farm Income or Profit was 288413 Naira per hectare. The Benefit Cost Ratio was 2.28 and Return on Investment was 1.28. Findings showed that respondents were mostly males, married, averagely educated and fell within economic viable age range. Most farmers planted Agbagba (87.5%) which is said to be the most dominant and much sought after by consumers, got their planting materials from previous year production (62.5%) and practiced de-suckering. Age, family size, farm size and plantain sole cropping had positive impact on the Net Farm Income of the respondents, while they had the problems of inadequate funding and lack of extension agents. The study concluded that there was the need for policy makers to consider and make adequate policy preparations for plantain so that Nigeria can join other plantain exporting nations and that the crop can earn the ever scarce foreign exchange for Nigeria.
Effectiveness of Modular Learning Approach among Secondary School Students during Pandemic in Zambales, Philippines
Authors: Serrano Redentor E. , Farin Elizabeth N.
Published: September 2022

The world experienced the COVID-19 Pandemic, which severely affected the quality of Education, especially in the Philippines. The option was to change the face-to-face approach to a modular approach. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the modular learning approach to students’ academic performance. The study was conducted in Sta. Cruz District in the province of Zambales, Philippines. A Descriptive Research Design was employed. A total of one hundred fifty-four (154) teacher-respondents were randomly selected. There was a significant difference in the perception towards dimensions on the level of effectiveness in the implementation of modular learning approach as to Technical Support, Subject Content, Construction, Delivery and Retrieval Mechanism, Assessment of Student Achievement, Adherence to IATF Health Observance Protocols, and School and Local Government Unit Support. This modality's modular learning approach has improved and increased students’ academic performance. The students were rated “Satisfactory” in their academic performance. On the other hand, there is a negligible relationship between academic performance and the level of effectiveness in implementing the modular learning approach. The researcher recommends revisiting the learning contents and assessment of student output and providing item analysis to determine the vague or gray areas in the self-learning module for improvement. The School may conduct a time management plan for production, delivery, and retrieval to assure the modules had been delivered on time to the students and considerable time was allotted for assessing and accomplishing student learning outputs.
The Pterygopalatine Fossa: Skeletal Framework, Communications and Content
Authors: Aoun Georges , Sharrouf Wissam
Published: September 2022

The pterygopalatine fossa, located on both sides of the skull, is a neurovascular crossroad between the middle cranial fossa, the orbit, the nasopharynx, the nasal and oral cavities, and the infratemporal fossa. It is considered a strategically complex region given its small size and the numerous structures that pass through it. This review aims to describe its skeletal framework, content, and communications with other regions.
The Effect of Dentures’ Overnight Soaking in Distilled Water: A Mycological Pilot Study
Authors: Aoun Georges , Aoun Pamela , Sharrouf Wissam
Published: September 2022

Introduction: In order to keep their dentures clean and properly stored, patients generally soak them in water at night. Candida albicans is a commensal yeast fungus that colonizes dentures, and in some conditions, it becomes an opportunistic pathogen and causes fungal infections known as candidiasis.

Objective: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of distilled water on Candida albicans colonizing dentures.

Materials and Methods: Twenty patients (9 men, 11 women; age range 40-75 years) with complete maxillary dentures infected by Candida albicans were included in this study. The dentures of these patients were soaked in distilled water for 4 days (8 hours at night). Swab samples from the dentures were collected before and after distilled water use and examined mycologically.

Results: The Candida albicans colony counts increased after soaking the dentures in distilled water for 8 hours for 4 days.

Conclusion: Patients should be dissuaded from soaking their dentures overnight in distilled water as the result is a significant increase in fungal colonization.
Current Issues on Monkeypox Disease in Nigeria
Authors: Nwalozie Rhoda , Precious-Ogbueri Ruhuoma , Konne Felix Eedee , Nyenke Clement Ugochukwu
Published: September 2022

Monkeypox (MPXV) is a viral infectious disease, capable of transmitting from animals to humans. It is a zoonotic virus responsible for causing the disease, and belongs to the same family (orthopoxvirus) as the smallpox virus. The first case of human monkeypox infection was recorded in 1970 in a town called Basankusu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There have also been reports of the disease outbreak across West Africa. The first recorded monkeypox case outside Africa was in 2003 in the United States of America, which later developed to 70 cases without any mortality recorded. In Nigeria, the spread of monkeypox has been reported across the South-East and South-South regions of the country and disease has since been recorded in states such as Akwa Ibom, Abia, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The monkeypox virus has been identified as a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the genus Orthopoxvirus, of the family, Poxviridae with accompanying symptoms such as fever, severe headache, chills, swelling of the lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), back and muscle aches (myalgia), and exhaustions (asthenia) and eventually the appearance of rashes which develops through various stages before eventually falling off as the patients recovers and wounds heals. Animal-human Zoonotic transmission occurs through direct contact with the biological materials from infected host animal such as blood, mucosal lesions, bodily fluids, or cutaneous, through broken skin, mucous membranes, or respiratory airways of the nose, eyes, or the mouth, while human-to-human infection occurs through direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids, of an infected person. It also spreads through secretion from the respiratory tract through prolonged face to face or intimate contact with an infected person, contact with contaminated surfaces from infected host, or to a fetus via the placenta, or close contact with infected mother (congenital monkeypox). It can be diagnosed through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory testing in combination with gene sequencing, and the infected patient treated using tecovirimat specific for smallpox virus, while studies are ongoing to develop its particular medication. This study is aimed at discussing the current issues on monkeypox virus with respect to the Nigerian society.
Changes in Unemployment Among Health Care Workers Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Matta Sasmira , Nicholas Lauren H.
Published: September 2022

This study examines changes in unemployment among US health care workers from January 2015 to April 2022, before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Holding Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Executives Accountable as Responsible Corporate Officers
Authors: Daval C. Joseph Ross , Avorn Jerry , Kesselheim Aaron S.
Published: September 2022

Importance

When a drug or medical device company violates federal law, the government has a powerful tool to use: the Park doctrine. The aim of the doctrine is to protect patients from the harms of an unsafe or fraudulent medical marketplace by targeting the executives who run the companies that make revenues on these products while violating federal law, rather than have that risk borne by patients or impersonal corporate entities; however, public reports of drug and device company executives being prosecuted in Park doctrine cases are uncommon.

Objective

To identify Park prosecutions and characterize their role in US Department of Justice (DOJ) enforcement efforts related to misconduct in the drug and medical device industry.

Evidence Review

A systematic search of Westlaw, Google Scholar, DOJ press releases, and the legal literature was conducted.

Findings

Thirteen cases of executives from 6 drug and medical device companies prosecuted under the Park doctrine since 2000 were identified. The prosecutions resulted in 11 guilty pleas and 2 jury trials, leading to 2 convictions. Of the 6 companies, 3 were drug manufacturers, 2 were medical device manufacturers, and 1 was a compounding pharmacy. All 3 drug manufacturers were opioid manufacturers, of which 2 executives were charged for unlawful promotion, and 1 was charged for manufacturing errors. Both device manufacturer executives were charged with unlawful promotion. All but 3 prosecutions alleged the defendants’ complicity or personal involvement in the misconduct, which Park does not require. By contrast, most large settlements with the DOJ over alleged misconduct in the past 2 decades did not result in individual liability for executives.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that the government has not exercised the full scope of its authority to prosecute corporate officials responsible for the illegal behavior of the drug and device companies they run. Enforcement under a reinvigorated Park doctrine could better promote the doctrine’s goal of protecting patients.
Validation of the PEN-FAST Score in a Pediatric Population
Authors: Copaescu Ana Maria , Vogrin Sara , Shand Greg , Ben-Shoshan Moshe , Trubiano Jason A.
Published: September 2022

This cohort study examines a clinical decision model for penicillin allergies among pediatric patients; the model considers when reactions occurred; whether patients experienced angioedema, anaphylaxis, or a severe cutaneous adverse reaction; and whether treatment was required.
Oscillating Between Guilt and Gratitude—Reflections of a Mother and Intensivist
Authors: Wahlster Sarah
Published: September 2022

This essay discusses balancing the guilt and gratitude of being a mother and a physician.
Dose rate versus gantry speed performance evaluation for slow gantry speeds using DICOM RT plans
Authors: Bredikin Alexander Z. , Walsh Michael J.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Varian provides a DICOM RT Plan file that users can deliver to the electronic portal imaging device (EPID) panel to confirm the linear accelerator delivers consistent dose output across several regions of interest for varying dose rates and gantry speeds (DRGS). This work investigates if (a) the vendor‐provided DRGS DICOM RT Plan is valid within the gantry speed range of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatments, and (b) if output constancy is maintained at those gantry speeds on a TrueBeam.

Methods

Python code was written to iterate through all control points in the DICOM RT Plan files for 21 SBRT patients and the MU per degree values were calculated for each control point. A histogram was generated to illustrate how MU per degree was distributed among the control points from the patient plans. Then, the total number of MUs was increased in the vendor‐provided DRGS DICOM file to make a “modified DRGS DICOM RT Plan,” which surpasses the maximum MU per degree value found in the patient plans, forcing the gantry to travel at slow speeds and deliver more MU per degree over the same arc length (representative of those during SBRT treatment delivery). The modified DRGS DICOM RT Plan file was then delivered on a TrueBeam to acquire EPID images of the dose distribution. The EPID images were analyzed with Pylinac, a Python library that analyzes DICOM RT images acquired during routine linac QA.

Results

Over 83% of patient DICOM RT Plan control points had MU per degree values greater than the MU per degree values in the vendor‐provided DRGS DICOM file. The Pylinac analysis of the EPID‐acquired images found a maximum deviation of 0.4% from machine baselines.

Conclusions

The modified DRGS DICOM file can be used to determine if a TrueBeam linac is operating within specifications even when very low gantry speeds are reached.
Observation of H2 Evolution and Electrolyte Diffusion on MoS2 Monolayer by In Situ Liquid‐Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Kim Jihoon , Park Anseong , Kim Joodeok , Kwak Seung Jae , Lee Jae Yoon , Lee Donghoon , Kim Sebin , Choi Back Kyu , Kim Sungin , Kwag Jimin , Kim Younhwa , Jeon Sungho , Lee Won Chul , Hyeon Taeghwan , Lee Chul‐Ho , Lee Won Bo , Park Jungwon
Published: September 2022

Unit‐cell‐thick MoS2 is a promising electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) owing to its tunable catalytic activity, which is determined based on the energetics and molecular interactions of different types of HER active sites. Kinetic responses of MoS2 active sites, including the reaction onset, diffusion of the electrolyte and H2 bubbles, and continuation of these processes, are important factors affecting the catalytic activity of MoS2. Investigating these factors requires a direct real‐time analysis of the HER occurring on spatially independent active sites. Herein, the H2 evolution and electrolyte diffusion on the surface of MoS2 are observed in real time by in situ electrochemical liquid‐phase transmission electron microscopy (LPTEM). Time‐dependent LPTEM observations reveal that different types of active sites are sequentially activated under the same conditions. Furthermore, the electrolyte flow to these sites is influenced by the reduction potential and site geometry, which affects the bubble detachment and overall HER activity of MoS2.
A Universal Chemotactic Targeted Delivery Strategy for Inflammatory Diseases
Authors: Li Ting , Liu Zhiyong , Hu Jinglei , Chen Lin , Chen Tiantian , Tang Qianqian , Yu Bixia , Zhao Bo , Mao Chun , Wan Mimi
Published: September 2022

Above 50% of deaths can be attributed to chronic inflammatory diseases; thus, the construction of drug delivery systems based on effective interaction of inflammatory factors with chemotactic nanoparticles is meaningful. Herein, a zwitterion‐based artificial chemotactic nanomotor is proposed for universal precise targeting strategy in vivo, where the high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in inflammatory sites are used as a chemoattractant. Multidimensional static models, dynamic models, and in vivo models are established to evaluate chemotactic performance. The results show that the upregulated ROS and iNOS can induce the chemotaxis of nanomotors to diseased tissues in inflammation‐related disease models. Further, mesoscale hydrodynamics simulations are performed to explain the chemotactic behavior of the nanomotors. Such a chemotactic delivery strategy is expected to improve delivery efficiency and may be applicable to a variety of inflammatory diseases.
Ru‐Doping‐Induced Spin Frustration and Enhancement of the Room‐Temperature Anomalous Hall Effect in La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 Films
Authors: Hua Enda , Si Liang , Dai Kunjie , Wang Qing , Ye Huan , Liu Kuan , Zhang Jinfeng , Lu Jingdi , Chen Kai , Jin Feng , Wang Lingfei , Wu Wenbin
Published: September 2022

In transition‐metal‐oxide heterostructures, the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is a powerful tool for detecting the magnetic state and revealing intriguing interfacial magnetic orderings. However, achieving a larger AHE at room temperature in oxide heterostructures is still challenging due to the dilemma of mutually strong spin–orbit coupling and magnetic exchange interactions. Here, Ru‐doping‐enhanced AHE in La2/3Sr1/3Mn1−xRuxO3 epitaxial films is exploited. As the B‐site Ru doping level increases up to 20%, the anomalous Hall resistivity at room temperature can be enhanced from nΩ cm to µΩ cm scale. Ru doping leads to strong competition between the ferromagnetic double‐exchange interaction and the antiferromagnetic superexchange interaction. The resultant spin frustration and spin‐glass state facilitate a strong skew‐scattering process, thus significantly enhancing the extrinsic AHE. The findings can pave a feasible approach for boosting the controllability and reliability of oxide‐based spintronic devices.
Sustainable Fiber‐Reinforced Composites: A Review
Authors: Maiti Saptarshi , Islam Md Rashedul , Uddin Mohammad Abbas , Afroj Shaila , Eichhorn Stephen J. , Karim Nazmul
Published: September 2022

Sustainable fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites from renewable and biodegradable fibrous materials and polymer matrices are of great interest, as they can potentially reduce environmental impacts. However, the overall properties of such composites are still far from the high‐performance conventional glass or carbon FRP composites. Therefore, a balance between composite performance and biodegradability is required with approaches to what one might call an eco‐friendly composite. This review provides an overview of sustainable FRP composites, their manufacturing techniques, and sustainability in general at materials, manufacturing, and end‐of‐life levels. Sustainable plant‐based natural fibers and polymer matrices are also summarized, followed by an overview of their modification techniques to obtain high‐performance, multifunctional, and sustainable FRP composites. Current state‐of‐the‐art mechanical and functional properties of such composites are then surveyed, and an overview of their potential applications in various industries, including automobile, aerospace, construction, medical, sports, and electronics is provided. Finally, future market trends, current challenges, and the future perspective on sustainable natural FRP composites are discussed.