bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intelligent diagnosis of retinal vein occlusion based on color fundus photographs
Authors:   Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China, Ji Yu-Ke , Liu Sha ,   Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China, Xie Cui-Juan ,   Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong Province, China, Zhang Shao-Chong ,   Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong Province, China, Yang Wei-Hua ,   Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong Province, China
Published: December 2023

AIM: To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) diagnosis model based on deep learning (DL) algorithm to diagnose different types of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) by recognizing color fundus photographs (CFPs).
METHODS: Totally 914 CFPs of healthy people and patients with RVO were collected as experimental data sets, and used to train, verify and test the diagnostic model of RVO. All the images were divided into four categories [normal, central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), and macular retinal vein occlusion (MRVO)] by three fundus disease experts. Swin Transformer was used to build the RVO diagnosis model, and different types of RVO diagnosis experiments were conducted. The model's performance was compared to that of the experts.
RESULTS: The accuracy of the model in the diagnosis of normal, CRVO, BRVO, and MRVO reached 1.000, 0.978, 0.957, and 0.978; the specificity reached 1.000, 0.986, 0.982, and 0.976; the sensitivity reached 1.000, 0.955, 0.917, and 1.000; the F1-Sore reached 1.000, 0.955 0.943, and 0.887 respectively. In addition, the area under curve of normal, CRVO, BRVO, and MRVO diagnosed by the diagnostic model were 1.000, 0.900, 0.959 and 0.970, respectively. The diagnostic results were highly consistent with those of fundus disease experts, and the diagnostic performance was superior.
CONCLUSION: The diagnostic model developed in this study can well diagnose different types of RVO, effectively relieve the work pressure of clinicians, and provide help for the follow-up clinical diagnosis and treatment of RVO patients.
Magnetic resonance imaging of extraocular rectus muscles abnormalities in acute acquired concomitant esotropia
Authors:   Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100176, China, Chen Jia-Yu , Liu Jia-Wen ,   Department of Industrial Engineering and Operation Research, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA, Hao Jie ,   Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100176, China, Li Hui-Xin ,   Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100176, China, Zhang Qiong-Yue ,   Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100176, China, Liu Zhao-Hui ,   Department of Radiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100176, China, Fu Jing ,   Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100176, China
Published: December 2023

AIM: To investigate the difference of medial rectus (MR) and lateral rectus (LR) between acute acquired concomitant esotropia (AACE) and the healthy controls (HCs) detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
METHODS: A case-control study. Eighteen subjects with AACE and eighteen HCs were enrolled. MRI scanning data were conducted in target-controlled central gaze with a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner. Extraocular muscles (EOMs) were scanned in contiguous image planes 2-mm thick spanning the EOM origins to the globe equator. To form posterior partial volumes (PPVs), the LR and MR cross-sections in the image planes 8, 10, 12, and 14 mm posterior to the globe were summed and multiplied by the 2-mm slice thickness. The data were classified according to the right eye, left eye, dominant eye, and non-dominant eye, and the differences in mean cross-sectional area, maximum cross-sectional area, and PPVs of the MR and LR muscle in the AACE group and HCs group were compared under the above classifications respectively.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups of demographic characteristics. The mean cross-sectional area of the LR muscle was significantly greater in the AACE group than that in the HCs group in the non-dominant eyes (P=0.028). The maximum cross-sectional area of the LR muscle both in the dominant and non-dominant eye of the AACE group was signi?cantly greater than the HCs group (P=0.009, P=0.016). For the dominant eye, the PPVs of the LR muscle were significantly greater in the AACE than that in the HCs group (P=0.013), but not in the MR muscle (P=0.698).
CONCLUSION: The size and volume of muscles dominant eyes of AACE subjects change significantly to overcome binocular diplopia. The LR muscle become larger to compensate for the enhanced convergence in the AACE.
Desarrollo temprano de hígado graso no alcohólico por exposición fetal a obesidad gestacional. Revisión de tema
Authors: Rivera-Aguirre Jesús
Published: December 2023

La enfermedad de hígado graso no alcohólico pediátrica está relacionada con los eventos adversos del embarazo que promueven en el feto una modulación de los procesos de metilación diferencial. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue revisar la información existente aportada por investigaciones sobre procesos de metilación diferencial que ocurren en la programación fetal y que son regulados por la exposición a la obesidad gestacional. Se realizó una revisión en la base de datos PubMed con la inclusión de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, revisiones sistemáticas y revisiones de tema, relacionados con los procesos de metilación que predisponen a enfermedad de hígado graso no alcohólico en edades tempranas por exposición fetal a obesidad materna. La evidencia reporta cambios significativos de los procesos de metilación diferencial en la expresión genética de los hijos de madres con obesidad. Estos cambios tienen una capacidad importante de programar una predisposición al desarrollo de esta patología.
Non-Hematological Primary Source of Bone Marrow Metastasis in Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Herrera-Rueda Guillermo A , Moncayo Henry E , Ortiz-Portilla Angie , Valencia Valeria , Saldarriaga-Bedoya Kevin , Soto Sara V , Gaviria Lina M
Published: December 2023

Introduction: In recent years, scientific interest in bone marrow invasion or infiltration by non-hematological malignant cells has increased due to growing evidence suggesting a prognostic impact in certain specific types of solid tumors. However, the available data on the primary source of metastasis are scarce. Objective: synthesize the reported data on non-hematological tumors infiltrating the bone marrow in studies based on histopathological confirmation of metastases. Methodology: PubMed/Medline and Google Scholar were used for the systematic review; the filters used were human studies, adult age (>14 years old), and the period between 1990-2021. The main inclusion criteria was the histopathological confirmation of bone marrow invasion. The exclusion criteria were small case reports, specific neoplasm criteria, and grou-ped case series in secondary literature to minimize bias. Three different researchers evaluated all the titles and abstracts available. Two researchers independently extracted and recorded data; this process was cross-checked again. Finally, data were summarized and presented in tables using descriptive statistics. Results: 31 articles from 12 countries were included; four were multicenter, and all but 2 were retrospective. One thousand four hundred fifty-one adult patients with Bone Marrow Metastasis due to solid tumors were found. All included studies presented the distribution of the primary source of metastases: 82 % were epithelial neoplasms, 14 % were tumors of unknown primary origin, and 10 % were low-frequency specific neoplasms grouped as ‘others’. Conclusion: The results can be considered with caution due to the methodological heterogeneity of the studies and the risk of bias.
Development of Android-Based Indonesian Cultural Exploration Educational Game for Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Students
Authors: Nisa' Rofiatun , Khozain Nukh
Published: December 2023

This research aims to develop an Android-based educational game to introduce Indonesian culture to Madrasah Ibtidaiyah students.  Following the Research and Development methodology with ADDIE model, the study comprises three key stages:  1) analysis of students' and teachers' needs, 2) development of the educational game, and 3) testing the product's effectiveness. The study involved test subjects from twenty schools in Lamongan Regency.  Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews, and data analysis encompassed both qualitative and quantitative methods.   The material expert validation, media validation, and validation by learning experts collectively resulted in a 'very good' categorization. The educational game's effectiveness was substantiated by a t-test (tvalue > ttable) and practicality tests, revealing a high interest level of 94.86%. In conclusion, this research significantly contributes to the development of an Android-based educational game for exploring Indonesian culture.
Career Orientation of Millennial Teenagers in Madura
Authors: Ishlakhatus Sa'idah  , Moh. Ziyadul Haq Annajih  , Diana Vidya Fakhriyani
Published: December 2023

This research aims to determine the description of career orientation among teenagers in Madura based on their identity. This research uses a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach. The primary data researchers use is obtained through in-depth interviews and observations in the form of the words and actions of people who are observed or interviewed based on research topics obtained from research subjects. Supporting data for this research was obtained from a literature study. The research subjects were seven people with the criteria: (1) millennial teenagers aged 16 to 21 years, both men and women; (2) subjects residing in Madura; (3) subjects having emotional closeness to the researcher; and (4) subjects being willing to participate in research. Data analysis in this research uses phenomenological analysis techniques according to the research type used: phenomenal reduction, editorial reduction, and transcendental reduction. The research results include: first, the criteria and type of career they dream of, prioritizing thinking abilities (not physical), being relaxed, and having special skill qualifications. Second, the underlying motives for millennial teenagers in Madura in determining their dream career are based, among other things, on a sense of comfort, money, or salary, not feeling pressured, and having the value of service. Third, the driving figures in career choice are family and friends. Fourth, career achievement standards can be measured by the ability to develop an independent, private business that is developed from their dream profession, and the target retirement age for Madurese millennial teenagers is around 40–50 years old.
Group Counseling Self-Control Technique Based on Surat Al-Imran Verse 134 to Overcome Aggressive Behavior in Students: Is it Effective?
Authors: Arrohmah Nida , Prabawa Abi Fa’izzarahman
Published: December 2023

The occurrence of violence and aggressive behavior in schools needs special attention and treatment. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of behavioral group counseling self-control techniques based on Surah Al-Imran verse 134 to overcome aggressive behavior in students. The type of research is a quantitative pre-experiment using the One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Respondents in this study amounted to 12 students who were taken using a purposive sampling technique. The instrument used in this study was an adaptation of the aggressive scale from Buss & Perry (1992). The instrument consists of 30 items with a validity value of > 0.3 and a reliability of .912. The results of the paired t-test showed p=.002; p < 0.05. That is, group counseling of self-control techniques based on Surah Al-Imran Verse 134 is effective for overcoming students' aggressive behavior.
Balancing the Equation: Investigating AI Advantages, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations in the Context of GPT-3, Natural Language Processing, and Researcher Roles
Authors: Lubis Asep Ridwan
Published: December 2023

Artificial Intelligence's (AI) revolutionary capacity is exemplified in GPT-3, an advanced model in Natural Language Processing. GPT-3's potential to generate human-like text and facilitate language tasks is unparalleled. This abstract highlights GPT-3's diverse applications, advantages, challenges, and ethical considerations. It underscores its role in enhancing research quality, promoting creative writing, and aiding language translation. However, it cautions against biases, inaccuracies, and limitations. Embracing GPT-3 requires balancing academic integrity, enriching education, and employing rigorous security measures. Ultimately, GPT-3 propels AI research by bridging language gaps and shaping innovative AI applications.
Effectiveness of Implementing Guided Inquiry to Improve Students' Critical Thinking Skills
Authors: Istiana Istiana , Jatmiko Budi , Prahani Binar Kurnia
Published: December 2023

Guided inquiry is known as a learning approach that can stimulate students' critical thinking skills. In the initial phase, this research undertook a comprehensive literature review, accessing the latest scholarly publication through diverse channels, including but not limited to Google Scholar, SINTA-registered journals, and official websites of national universites. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing guided inquiry in improving students' critical thinking skills at elementary, middle school, high school and student levels. This research uses a guided inquiry-based learning method as the main approach. A literature study was carried out to obtain secondary data from journals that discuss the application of guided inquiry. Thoughtfully curated sources encompassing reputable journals published between 2017 and 2023 were meticulously chosen for inclusion. The results of the analysis of 27 journals show that the application of guided inquiry is significantly more effective in improving students' critical thinking skills compared to non-inquiry approaches. Substantive distinctions in critical thinking aptitudes emerge between students exposed to the guided inquiry model and those who are not.
Investigation of winner-loser portfolio anomalies and size effect anomalies in LQ45 index, Indonesia stock exchange
Authors: Miswanto Miswanto , Putri Anisah Azzahra Ananda
Published: December 2023

This study investigates the anomalies of winner-loser portfolios and anomalies of size effect on LQ45 stocks in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), period 2015-2020. The paired sample t-test (parametric) and Wilcoxon test (non-parametric) are used to test samples. Sample selection is carried out using the non-probability and purposive sampling methods. The shares of companies that met the sample criteria were 26. The primary data used cumulative abnormal returns and market capitalization as proxies for a company's stock size. The anomaly of the winner-loser effect phenomenon is observed by dividing the data into two periods: the formation period and the testing period. The periods are both short-term and long-term. The short-term period is six months, and the long-term is 12 months. The first finding shows reversals in average cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) on the winner-loser stock portfolio. In the testing period, the average CARs were turned down, and many average CARs became negative. Portfolio loser in the testing period, the average CARs reversed to positive. The second is a reversal in average CARs in winner-loser stock portfolios caused by the size effect. The performance of small winner-loser portfolios is proven to outperform big winners' portfolios. The reversal occurs in both the short-term and long-term. This finding suggests that behavioral finance can explain this market anomaly, and it is helpful for investors in coming up with strategies to get abnormal returns.
Spectrophotometric determination of some β-lactam antibiotics in their binary mixtures using the method of partial least squares
Authors:   Saratov State University, Ketrush Elizaveta F. , Mursalov Ruslan K. ,   Saratov State University, Silaev Dmitry V. ,   Saratov State University, Rusanova Tatiana Yu. ,   Saratov State University
Published: December 2023

The method has been proposed for the spectrophotometric determination of antibiotics of the cephalosporin (cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cefazolin) and penicillin (amoxicillin) groups using chemometric data processing (method of partial least squares, PLS). The absorption spectra of 24 binary mixtures of “cephalosporin – cephalosporin” and 16 binary mixtures of “cephalosporin – amoxicillin” with various concentrations in the range of 3–27 and 5–140 μg/ml have been recorded. The optimal number of latent variables for each chemometric method (PLS-1 and PLS-2) has been selected, which ranged from 2 to 7 depending on the type of model and the nature of the antibiotics. The smallest root mean square calibration errors (RMSEC) have been found for the ceftriaxone–cefazolin system, which have been 0.09 and 0.08 for PLS-1 and PLS-2, respectively. The smallest root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for the mixture “cefuroxime – amoxicillin” have been 0.07 for both methods (PLS-1 and PLS-2). It has been established that equations of linear relationships “measured-predicted” are characterized by a regression coefficient and the square of the approximation coefficient close to 1; which indicates the high quality of the models. The relative error of determination in test mixtures has been 0.4–6.2% by the PLS-1 method for “cephalosporin – cephalosporin” mixtures, and 0.07–6.0% by the PLS-2 method. At the same time, there is no significant difference in the error in determining the components of the mixture, in contrast to the “cefuroxime – amoxicillin” system, for which the error is 0.1–1.1% for the first component and 2.6–14.7% for the second component using the PLS-1 method and 0.2–1.2% for the first component and 4.3–13.3% for the second component using the PLS-2 method. Thus, it has been shown that the use of chemometric methods ensures high accuracy of the spectrophotometric determination of the studied antibiotics with overlapping absorption bands in their mixtures.
5-(1-Aryl-3-oxo-3-phenylpropyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones: synthesis and reactions with N-nucleophiles
Authors:   Saratov State University, Mukhomodyarova Dinara M. , Ibragimova Diana N. ,   Saratov State University
Published: December 2023

2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione (Meldrum acid, isopropylidenmalonate) is widely used by synthetic chemists due to its structural features. The dual nature of the reactivity of Meldrum acid (both electrophilic and/or nucleophilic reagent) determines the synthetic value in the construction of new heterocyclic systems with practically significant properties. A wide range of biological activity has been revealed in a number of compounds containing a 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione fragment in their structure. Analysis of periodicals indicates an extremely small volume of literature on the preparation and chemical properties of 5-(1-aryl-3-oxo-3-phenylpropyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6- diones, which is a significant omission. It has seemed interesting to obtain 1,5-dicarbonyl compounds based on Meldrum acid as convenient substrates for further nucleophilic transformations into systems with biological activity. For the first time, we have carried out the reaction of 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione with 3-aryl-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-ones by stirring in an ethyl alcohol medium in the presence of a catalytic amount of L-proline, which resulted in the corresponding 5-(1-aryl-3-oxo-3-phenylpropyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones. The introduction of 5-(1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-3-phenylpropyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione in reaction with N-nucleophiles (hydroxylamine hydrochloride, urea, thiourea and semicarbazide hydrochloride) has led to the formation of nucleophilic attack products of the carbonyl group of the acyclic fragment the substrate. The composition and structure of the obtained compounds have been established on the basis of elemental analysis and NMR 1H, 13C spectroscopy, heteronuclear correlation of HSQC.
Molecular genetic analysis of Yersinia pestis strains isolated in different epizootic periods on the territory of the Ural-Embensky desert natural plague focus area in the twentieth century
Authors:   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Kovrizhnikov Aleksandr V. , Balykova Alina N. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Kukleva Lyubov M. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Naryshkina Ekaterina A. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Fedorov Andrey V. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Chervyakova Nadezhda S. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Eroshenko Galina A. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”, Kutyrev Vladimir V. ,   Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe”
Published: December 2023

We performed a molecular genetic analysis of Yersinia pestis strains isolated in the Ural-Embensky desert natural plague focus area in the twentieth century. We studied 24 strains of Y. pestis isolated on this territory since 1945 to1991, as well as 21 strains of Y. pestis from adjacent territories. All of the strains studied from the Ural-Embensky natural focus of plague belonged to the highly virulent and epidemically significant medieval biovar of the main subspecies Y. pestis. According to the results of the WG-SNP analysis and subsequent phylogenetic reconstruction based on 1353 SNPs, the maximum likelihood method (Maximum Likelihood, GTR model) revealed 6 key phylopopulations, which included strains isolated during different periods of epidemic and epizootic activity in the study area. It has been established that there were three waves of spread of the 2.MED1 branch of the medieval biovar to the territory of Ural-Embensky desert natural plague focus. Strains isolated before 1945 belong to the first wave of spread of the 2.MED1 branch to the territory of the Northern Caspian Region. The second wave is considered to be the 1968–1974 strains. They have close genetic similarities with strains from the Mangyshlak (1978) and Ustyurt desert plague foci (1962 and 1975). The third wave includes strains isolated after 1966. They are genetically close to the strains from the North Aral foci (1945). The data obtained will be used for molecular-genetic detailing of the certification of foci in which this highly virulent medieval Y. pestis biovar circulates. They are important for determining the patterns of spatiotemporal distribution of highly virulent strains of the 2.MED1 branch of the medieval biovar in the 20th century and for long-term forecasting of the epizootic activity of plague foci in the North-Eastern Caspian region in the current 21st century.
Transhumanism and bioethics about human ecology: The limits of what is permitted
Authors:   Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N. I. Vavilov, Kraynov Andrey L.
Published: December 2023

Introduction. The article is devoted to the issues of human ecology, the choice of the optimal way for the interaction between science and the human body and consciousness. Transhumanism and bioethics have different views on solving this problem. Theoretical analysis. Developing NBIC-technologies set as their task the global transformation of a person. The idea of creating people-cyborgs and digital copies of human consciousness is considered. Also, modern concepts of the development of science provide for the chipization of a person within the framework of the Neuronet-2035 project. The ethical side of the issue is important. The basic principles of bioethics partially allow technological intervention in the human body, but its degree is not spelled out anywhere. In this regard, a subjective interpretation of the principles of “do no harm”, “do good”, “fairness” and “respect for the autonomy of the patient” is acceptable. Conclusion. Human ecology involves the search and development of effective methods for improving human existence in the “society-nature” system. At the same time, the quality of both the person himself and his environment should be improved. The modern anthropocentric approach to solving this problem has not given any positive results. It is possible that cyborgization will partially solve it, but as a result of this, the person himself will disappear.
Utopia, war, post-apocalypse: The image of the USSR in foreign and Russian video games
Authors:   Saratov State University, Lipetsk State Technical University, Tselykovsky Aleksey A.
Published: December 2023

Introduction. The article is devoted to the study of the representation of the image of the USSR in foreign and domestic video games. The main purpose of the study is to examine the specifics of the impact of video games on the historical memory of the Soviet past. Theoretical analysis. The study was based on the hypothesis that video games in the conditions of mediatization and digitalization of public consciousness turn into one of the significant factors in the formation of historical memory. The research interest in the representation of images related to Soviet history in video games is conditioned by the policy of returning the Soviet heritage to the Russian ideological and socio-political discourse. Since Soviet history, and primarily the period of the Great Patriotic War, has become a significant element of contemporary Russian memory politics, there is a need to analyze the specifics of the images of the USSR constructed and broadcast by both domestic and foreign video games. Conclusion. As the study has shown, foreign video games are characterized by a predominantly negative image of the USSR based on Cold War stereotypes. Domestic video games broadcast various images of the Soviet past, which can be considered as a tool for reflection on the history of the Soviet Union and working through the historical trauma associated with its collapse.
Saratov industrial and organizational psychology in the 1920–1930
Authors:   Saratov State University, Yuzhaninova Alla L.
Published: December 2023

Introduction. The first study of the history of Saratov organizational psychology was carried out by L. N. Aksenovskaya, who traced the development of the industrial and organizational direction at Saratov State University from 1971 to the present. The purpose of our research was to analyze the process of formation of organizational and psychological science in Saratov in the 1920s–1930s. Such historical and psychological methods as the analysis of information presented in scientific and reference publications, historical reconstruction, interpretation of factual material were used. Theoretical analysis. A study was conducted on the development of Saratov organizational psychology in the 1920s–1930s as an integral part of two directions – scientific organization of labor and psychotechnics. Conclusion. It is established that organizational psychology in Saratov developed in accordance with the general trends of the scientific process for the whole country. For research and practical work, divisions were created at provincial administrative institutions, regional branches of All-Russian scientific communities, experimental laboratories. The article presents the activities of three Saratov laboratories organized by engineers at the Saratov Institute of National Economy, doctors at the Provincial Department of Public Education, psychologists at the Department of Philosophy and Psychology of Saratov University (the heads respectively N. M. Dyakonov, I. L. Stychinsky, A. A. Krogius).
Pedagogical cases in the higher education system
Authors:   North-West Institute of Management – branch of RANEPA, Vylkova Elena S.
Published: December 2023

Introduction. In the system of domestic higher education, the creation of individual cases on pedagogical situations in higher education, and then the formation of their base is in demand. The purpose of the study is to develop a version of the pedagogical case on the situation in the system of higher education as a model for creating a bank of similar cases in the future. Theoretical analysis. When teaching disciplines in the field of higher education for future teachers, cases on various pedagogical situations are used. At the same time, publications on pedagogy consider professional trainings and similar cases on certain situations in preschool and school education, but cases on pedagogical situations that arise in the process of university educational activities are not presented in scientific literature. Results and their discussion. The author’s definition of the case is formulated; the case study on the pedagogical situation when an exam on a discipline is taken ahead of schedule is proposed in the basic and extended version and its solution based on the legislative framework, life and pedagogical experience of the author is given. Conclusion. The formation of the bank of cases on pedagogical situations that characterize the educational process in higher education is only at the initial stage. They have to be worked out and improved in the context of the transformation of higher education in order to effectively solve the problems facing the national higher school today.
On genotype-phenotype relationship of dystrophinopathies among Iranian population
Authors: Basiri Keivan , Alizadeh Maryam , Ansari Behnaz , Ghasemi Majid , Kheradmand Mohsen , Sedghi Maryam
Published: December 2023

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are inherited X-linked disorders resulting from alterations in the dystrophin gene. Genotype-phenotype matching studies have revealed a link between disease severity, the amount of muscle dystrophin, and the extent of mutation/deletion on the dystrophin gene. This study aimed to assess the relationship between genetic alterations in the dystrophin gene and the clinical status of patients with dystrophinopathies among the Iranian population.
Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 54 patients with muscle weakness caused by abnormalities in the dystrophin gene at a hospital affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, in 2021. The participants’ demographic information, including age, family history of muscle dystrophies, and family history of other medical diseases as well as the type of muscular dystrophy were recorded. Furthermore, the number and region of deleted exons based on dystrophy types were also evaluated using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). The patients’ gaits were also assessed as using a wheelchair, the presence of waddling gaits, or toe gaits. The patients’ clinical status and the coexistence of pulmonary, bulbar, and mental conditions were also examined and compared between the two groups of dystrophinopathies.
Results: In this study, 54 patients with dystrophinopathy with the mean age of 16.63 ± 12.10 years were evaluated, of whom 22 (40.7%) and 30 (55.6%) patients were classified as BMD and DMD, respectively. The most affected regions with deleted exons were exons 45-47 (n = 5) and 45-48 (n = 4) in patients with BMD, while exons 45, 48-52, 51-55, and 53 (2 cases per exon) were the most common affected exons in patients with DMD. Further analyses revealed that deletions in exons 45-47 and 51-55 were significantly associated with older and younger ages at the onset of becoming wheelchair-bound in patients with dystrophy, respectively. The hotspot range in both BMD and DMD was within exons 45-55 (n = 15 for each group); 63% of the patients had alterations on the dystrophin gene within this range [30 patients (68.18%) in the BMD group, 15 patients (53.57%) in the DMD group].
Conclusion: Exon deletion was the most common genetic alteration in patients with dystrophinopathies. No significant difference was observed between DMD and BMD regarding the number of deleted exons. Deletions in exons 45-47 and 51-55 were linked to later and earlier onset of becoming wheelchair-bound, respectively.
Chronic pain among Lebanese individuals with spinal cord injury: Pain interference and impact on quality of life
Authors: Saleh Nour El-Hoda , Fneish Sleiman , Orabi Ali , Al-Amin Ghadir , Naim Ibrahim , Sadek Zahra
Published: December 2023

Background: Chronic pain is one of the most disabling consequences of spinal cord injury (SCI). Although studies have identified a link between chronic pain and decreased quality of life (QOL) among this population, few studies have looked into the experience of chronic pain in Lebanese individuals with SCI and the impact of pain characteristics on QOL. Thus, the present study evaluated the chronic pain experience and its associated factors among Lebanese individuals with SCI in order to determine the impact of pain on QOL.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 81 Lebanese individual with SCI between August 1st and October 31, 2022. The collected information included sociodemographic characteristics, SCI-related information, pain-related variables, and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Factors associated with pain interference were evaluated using a linear regression model. One-way ANOVA and independent sample t-test were used to evaluate the association of different baseline and pain characteristics with QOL.
Results: In the present study, 81.5% of participants reported chronic pain with the majority of them having neuropathic pain type. Employment status (P = 0.034), type of pain (P = 0.009), and pain severity (P = 0.028) were significantly associated with pain interference. Unemployed participants and those with severe chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain, had lower QOL.
Conclusion: Chronic pain was found to be highly prevalent among Lebanese patients with SCI. Pain interference and QOL were significantly affected by employment status and pain type. Therefore, targeting chronic pain and its associated factors in rehabilitation practice is warranted.
Prediction of Solar Ultraviolet Radiations Using Random Matrix Theory
Authors: Malekzadeh Reza , Seidi Masoud , Asadpour Nikan , Sabri Hadi
Published: December 2023

Purpose: The correlation of different samples can be described by analytical models such as random matrix theory. In this study, we tried to describe the correlation of different types of ultraviolet values in different months, weeks, and hours to get a significant relationship of special times, which one needs to get enough intensity of the sun or avoid getting sunburn.
Materials and Methods: To this aim, we focused on the hourly and daily mean amounts of ultraviolet A, B, and C intensities of solar radiation in Tabriz urban area were measured during a full year of 2017-2018. We used such ultraviolet values which are measured at the same hour of the day to satisfy the same symmetry criteria which are necessary in random matrix theory. These data are unfolded and classified in different sequences to analyze in the nearest neighbor spacing distribution framework via the maximum likelihood estimation technique.
Results: Strong correlation is yielded for daily values of UVA in comparison with the other types of ultraviolet radiations. Also, we considered the dependence of correlation degrees of these three types of ultraviolet to average temperature and humidity at different months.
Conclusion: The results propose more correlation of UVA indices in August while such correlation of UVC radiations are yielded in December.
The Efficacy of Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Exposure Prevention Response on Symptoms of Resistant Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: An Intensive Day Care Program
Authors: Khodabakhsh Pirklani Roshanak , Khomami Sanaz
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental and behavioral disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts and rituals which decrease the distress. It seems that there are many treatments such as EX/RP, repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), medications or mindfulness for OCD, but there is no single effective treatment yet. In this study, we investigated a multi-element daily program on symptom reduction of OCD people.
Materials and Methods: In a quasi-experimental design 13 patients were included in the study and received daily rTMS with EX/RP and biofeedback. We utilized BDI, BAI, and YBOCS tools to collect data before and after the treatment and in the subsequent one-month follow-up.
Results: According to the BDI, BAI, and YBOCS results, the decrease in score was observed at the p<0.001 level and the changes were significant after a one-month follow-up period.
Conclusion: The results indicated that the combination of sequenced treatments simultaneously such as rTMS and biofeedback with exposure therapy can facilitate the engagement and enhancement of self-control and distress tolerance.
Depression Identification Using Asymmetry Matrix and Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Nikjeh Majid Torabi , Dehghani Mehdi , Asayesh Vahid , Khosroshahi Sepideh Akhtari
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Developing an efficient and reliable method for the identification of depression is highly important. This paper aims to propose an approach for depression diagnosis using an interhemispheric asymmetry matrix and machine learning algorithms.
Materials and Methods: First, an EEG signal was acquired from 24 depressed patients and 24 healthy subjects. The EEG signal was acquired from participants for 5 minutes in Eyes-Closed (EC) and 5 minutes in Eyes-Open (EO) condition. After preprocessing data, interhemispheric asymmetry for absolute and relative powers of theta and beta frequency bands, theta-to-alpha power ratio, and Individual Alpha Frequency (IAF) features were computed. Then, the proposed asymmetry matrix is used as a feature for statistical and classification analysis. In this paper, the classification was performed using a Support Vector Machine (SVM), logistic regression, and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP).
Results: The results demonstrated that central and temporal theta absolute power, central and temporal IAF asymmetries in the EC condition and occipital beta absolute power, temporal theta relative power, temporal theta-to-alpha power ratio, and temporal IAF asymmetries in the EO condition have significant differences between depressed and healthy groups. Findings show that beta absolute power asymmetry in the occipital region and EO condition is a good biomarker for depression identification with 77.1% accuracy using the Gaussian SVM classifier.
Conclusion: The results of this study show performance of proposed asymmetry matrix features in depression detection. Findings show that beta absolute power asymmetry in the occipital region and EO condition is a good biomarker for depression identification.
Reduction of Radiation Risk to Cardiologists and Patients during Coronary Angiography: Effect of Exposure Angulation and Composite Shields
Authors: Malekzadeh Reza , Tarighatnia Ali , Mehnati Parinaz , Nader Nader D.
Published: December 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to design an improved form of a composite shield with different materials and shapes and simultaneously reduce the radiation dose to both the patient and operator.
Materials and Methods: A female phantom study was performed with and without bismuth belt-shaped composite shields on the breast region at different beam projections used in coronary angiography. Dose measurements were conducted using GR-200 thermo-luminescence dosimeters, dose area product (DAP), and air kerma (AK) over regular and large breast locations, with and without using bismuth shields. An electronic personal dosimeter was used for operator dose assessment. Patients received doses between 2.27 mSv and 3.38 mSv, depending on the size and strength of beam projections.
Results: The use of the developed shields caused a dose reduction of 18%–25% of sensitive breast tissue due to breast size and shield type. During coronary angiography, the mean values of DAP and AK were 2.02 (1.24-2.80) mGy.m2 and 314.1 (202.8-500) mGy, respectively. The highest recorded dose was at the LAO/CRA and LAO/CAU beam projections for both the patient and operator. After applying a belt shield, the operator's radiation dose was decreased by approximately 32%. We found a statistically significant correlation between the radiation dose received by the operator and the patient's breast radiation exposure dose (p<0.001, r2=0.93).
Conclusion: The designed belt shield can be a potentially promising protective device for decreasing the radiation risk to the patient's breast and the operator during coronary angiography. However, further studies will be considered before the application of this shield in standard clinical practice.
Impact of Attenuation Correction, Collimator, and Iterative Reconstruction Protocols on 67Ga SPECT/CT Quantification
Authors: Rezaei Sahar , Farzanehfar Saeed , Badrzadeh Leyla , Assadi Faezeh , Vahidfar Nasim , Sheikhzadeh Peyman
Published: December 2023

Purpose: The main goal of this study was to determine the optimal collimator in the absence of medium energy collimators along with the impact of Attenuation Correction (AC) and different iterative reconstruction protocols on the quantitative evaluation of Gallium-67 (67Ga) SPECT/CT imaging.
Materials and Methods: A GE Discovery 670 dual-head SPECT/CT scanner and a NEMA phantom filled with 67Ga solution were used to scan the patients. The projections were acquired with both Low Energy High Resolution (LEHR) and High Energy General Purpose (HEGP) collimators, and CT images were acquired to evaluate the effect of attenuation correction. SPECT data were reconstructed using the ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) method with various combinations of iterations and subsets. The performance was quantified, and a clinical study validated the phantom study.
Results: Acquired images by the HEGP collimator yielded higher Contrast Recovery (CR) and Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR) in images with AC than those without non-AC (41.6% and 74.2%, respectively). The CNR in all spheres after AC was increased by 80.4% (82.1%) for the HEGP collimator against the LEHR collimator. Also, an increase in iterations × subsets from 16 to 48 led to the Coefficient of Variation (COV) increasing by 17.2%, 16.67%, 15.50%, 14.4%, 14.2%, and 14.1% for 10 mm to 37 mm sphere diameter, respectively.
Conclusion: CT-based AC and HEGP collimators can yield improved 67Ga SPECT quantification compared to Non-AC and LEHR collimators. The choice of the optimal collimator with the reconstruction protocol led to changes in the image quality and quantitative accuracy, emphasizing the need to carefully select the appropriate combination of data acquisition factors.
Folic Acid-Conjugated Fe-Au-Based Nanoparticles for Dual Detection of Breast Cancer Cells by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography
Authors: Jamshidi Nasim , Tarighatnia Ali , Ghaziyani Mona Fazel , Sajadian Fakhrossadat , Olad-Ghaffari Maryam , Nader Nader D.
Published: December 2023

Purpose: We synthesized folic acid-conjugated Fe3O4/Au-pralidoxime chloride Nanoparticles (Fe2O3/Au@PAM NPs) for use as dual-modal contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Materials and Methods: Fe2O3/Au@PAM NPs labeled or not to folic acid were synthesized and analyzed by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The ability of these NPs to create image contrast was also investigated in silico and in vitro (in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and A549 lung cancer cells) with CT and MRI.
Results: Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the Fe2O3/Au@PAM NPs were nearly spherical. The average diameter of Fe2O3/Au NPs increased from 11.6 nm to 98 nm after folic acid conjugation. The saturation magnetization values of Fe2O3/Au@PAM NPs with and without folic acid conjugation were 25.56 and 32.6 emu/g, respectively. Conjugation of folic acid to NPs greatly improved their uptake by cancer cells. The additional coating of NPs with FA reduced the T2 relaxation time and signal intensity for MRI. Folic acid-labeled MCF-7 cells had a radiodensity measurement of 208 Hunsfield Units (HU) compared to 95 HU for A549 cells. For breast cancer cells, NPs labeled with folic acid significantly improved the X-ray absorption coefficient as a sign of active cellular uptake compared to NPs without labeling.
Conclusion: Folic acid-labeled Fe2O3/Au@PAM NPs can serve as dual CT/MRI contrast agents and improve the sensitivities of both modalities for the detection of cancer cells.
Heartbeat Pattern and Arrhythmia Classification: A Review
Authors: Dwivedi Shashank , Mohammad Abuzar
Published: December 2023

In today’s era, the lifestyle of people has become much more sophisticated due to the involvement of stress, anxiety, and depression in the daily routine of human beings. In such a scenario, cardiac diseases are growing rapidly in youngsters and senior citizens. It is also observed that cardiac diseases are crucial and sensitive, including life-threatening chances. So, it is essential to detect and prevent such cardiac disorders within the required time for recovery. Since there has been a lot of research in the prediction and prevention of cardiac disorders, cardiac arrhythmia is also one of the majorly occurring diseases in the bulk of the population. The electrocardiogram is the cheap and best way to diagnose the problem of cardiac arrhythmia, and a huge amount of data is collected daily in hospitals and pathological centers. Previously, various automated models were developed for detecting cardiac arrhythmia using deep learning approaches and machine learning. In this work, we have reviewed recently developed automated models and evaluated their performance based on specific parameters like deployed datasets, variation of input data, applied application, methodology, and results obtained by the developed model. The limitations of reviewed papers are also mentioned in addition to their future scope for improvement.
Examination of Articles Published in Turkey in The Field of Distance Education in Between 2015-2019
Authors: TATLI Cemal
Published: December 2023

In this study, articles published in scientific journals in Turkey between the years 2015-2019 were examined in order to determine the trends in studies in the field of distance education. Within the scope of the study, 554 articles related to distance education were reached. In the study, the document analysis method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The articles were examined according to the criteria of publication year, research purpose, research paradigm, research design, data collection tool, dependent variables, independent variables, data type, sample size, sample selection method, participant type, and data analysis method. The reached researches were analyzed according to the determined criteria, themes and the findings. The number of studies related to distance education is increasing every year, most of the studies are conducted on evaluation, the research is mainly based on the quantitative research paradigm, the survey studies are preferred more frequently, the most used dependent variables are academic achievement, attitude and perception. It was concluded that the independent variable category was demographic characteristics, the studies were mostly conducted with students, and the number of studies with small groups was higher than the number of studies with large groups.