Background Locations Research Articles

Background-Aware Classification Activation Map for Weakly Supervised Object Localization.

Weakly supervised object localization (WSOL) relaxes the requirement of dense annotations for object localization by using image-level annotation to supervise the learning process. However, most WSOL methods only focus on forcing the object classifier to produce high activation score on object parts without considering the influence of background locations, causing excessive background activations and ill-pose background score searching. Based on this point, our work proposes a novel mechanism called the background-aware classification activation map (B-CAM) to add background awareness for WSOL training. Besides aggregating an object image-level feature for supervision, our B-CAM produces an additional background image-level feature to represent the pure-background sample. This additional feature can provide background cues for the object classifier to suppress the background activations on object localization maps. Moreover, our B-CAM also trained a background classifier with image-level annotation to produce adaptive background scores when determining the binary localization mask. Experiments indicate the effectiveness of the proposed B-CAM on four different types of WSOL benchmarks, including CUB-200, ILSVRC, OpenImages, and VOC2012 datasets.

DETERMINATION AND EVOLUTION IN TIME OF RADIOACTIVITY LEVELS IN FRESHWATER FISH (CARASSIUSGIBELIO) SAMPLED FROM OLT RIVER, ROMANIA

The paper presents a monitoring activity of the Freshwater fish (Carassius gibelio) samples consumed in Olt River, Romania. A monitoring study lasting 9 years (2014-2022) was realized. Two sampling points for the Olt River were chosen, the first one upstream of the discharge point of the magistrate channel “Deversor Olt” (background location) and respectively the second sampling point downstream of the liquid effluents discharge point (indicator location). A maximum activity concentration for40K of 95.75 Bq∙kg-1 fw, is observed. The activity of interest radionuclides (7Be, 51Cr, 60Co, 137Cs, 226Ra, 235U) is below the detection limit. The method used was high resolution gamma ray spectrometry performed with an HPGe detector. It was observed that the values recorded for the background location had a slight difference compared with the values recorded in the indicator locations. The nuclear activity in the pre-operational stage of the Experimental Pilot Plant for Tritium and Deuterium Separation did not have any impact on the environment so far. This study creates a unique database that could be relevant for further Operational Program for Environmental Monitoring of the Experimental Pilot Plant and other economical agents in the area.

OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2017 – The digital transformation

​The OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2017 draws on the latest international comparative data to uncover the strength of the OECD and other large economies, and shows how the digital transformation is affecting science, innovation, the economy and the way people work and live. Mobility, cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics are among the most important technologies in the digital economy today, empowering businesses, consumers, and society as a whole. However, their development and use are distributed very unevenly. The headquarters of the top 2,000 R&D corporations worldwide are concentrated in just a few economies – notably the United States, Japan, and China – and about 70% of their total R&D spending is concentrated in the top 200 firms. Although the digital transformation is affecting all sectors of the economy, Telecommunications and IT services are consistently ahead in terms of digital intensity, while Agriculture, Mining, and Real estate are consistently ranked at the bottom. Significant differences remain in a majority of OECD countries, including between younger and older generations, between women and men, by educational background, urban and local locations, and firms of different size. This publication aims to help governments design more effective science, innovation, and industry policies in the digital era.

Regulation of epinephrine biosynthesis in HRAS-mutant paragangliomas.

The biochemical phenotype of paragangliomas (PGLs) is highly dependent on the underlying genetic background and tumor location. PGLs at extra-adrenal locations usually do not express phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), the enzyme required for epinephrine production, which was explained by the absence of glucocorticoids. PGLs with pathogenic variants (PVs) in Harvey rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (HRAS) can occur in or outside of the adrenal, but always synthesize epinephrine independently of the localization. Here, we characterize the signaling pathways through which PVs in HRAS influence PNMT expression. Catecholamines, cortisol, and transcriptional features of PGL tissues with known genetic background were analyzed. Genetically modified rat pheochromocytoma cells carrying PVs in Hras were generated and analyzed for regulation of Pnmt expression. Elevated epinephrine contents in PGLs with PVs in HRAS were accompanied by enrichment in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling compared to PGLs with PVs in genes that activate hypoxia pathways. In vitro, Hras PVs increased Pnmt expression and epinephrine biosynthesis through increased phosphorylation of stimulatory protein 1 via MAPK signaling. Here, we provide a molecular mechanism that explains the PV-dependent epinephrine production of PGLs.

Gaseous elemental mercury emissions from informal E-Waste recycling facilities in Pakistan

Detrimental effects of mercury (Hg) on ecosystems and human health have been well-documented. Whereas emissions of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) from e-waste recycling have been reported in developed countries, much less is known about the situation in the Global South. Using a total of 132 passive air samplers, seasonally resolved concentrations of GEM in air were measured continuously at 32 informal e-waste recycling facilities and background location in Pakistan for a period of one year between September 2020 and December 2021. Annual average GEM concentrations at the studied locations ranged from 1.8 to 92 ng m−3. Among the studied cities, higher concentrations were measured in Karachi (mean ± s.d: 17 ± 22, range: 4.2–92 ng m−3), Lahore (16 ± 4.2, 8.2–22 ng m−3) and Peshawar (15 ± 17, 4.9–80 ng m−3), while lower levels were measured in Hyderabad (6.9 ± 6.2, 3.1–25 ng m−3), consistent with a higher rate of informal recycling activities in metropolitan areas. Seasonally, higher GEM levels occurred during autumn (15 ± 16: 3.3–92 ng m−3) and summer (13 ± 8.7: 1.8–80 ng m−3) than in winter (12 ± 8.4: 2.5–49 ng m−3) and spring (9.2 ± 7.3: 1.8–80 ng m−3), possibly reflecting enhanced volatilization at higher temperatures and/or varying magnitude of recycling operations in different seasons. Policies and strict regulations related to e-waste management should be developed and implemented urgently in the country.

Size-segregated aerosol measurements during Diwali festival in an elevated background location

Recent studies in the direction of identifying signatures of aerosol emission from fireworks stressed on the need of simultaneous measurements of mass, number and chemical compositional characteristics. Such an identification is tricky when the measurements are performed in an elevated background environment and/or in presence of an additional wide source term. This work studies the modifications in atmospheric aerosol characteristics due to firework induced emissions in Bathinda city of Punjab, North India. This study presents interpretations based on the results obtained from the measurements performed for 14 days covering the days of Diwali festival, 2021 as well as the baseline database gathered from a year-long campaign to measure mass concentration in different size-ranges. Highest mass concentration for the study duration was observed to be PM10- 382 μg/m3, PM2.5–299 μg/m3, PM1- 240 μg/m3, respectively in the month of November 2021. A clear increase of concentration was noted for Diwali days and the averaged concentration for PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 reached to 445 μg/m3, 363 μg/m3 and 304 μg/m3 on Diwali day, respectively. Number size distribution evolution analysis for the data measured from an optical particle counter (size range: 0.25–1 μm) showed that emissions for Diwali days occurred mostly at night times and in smaller size channels (<0.5 μm). Chemical compositional data of selected samples close to Diwali days was interpreted in terms of factor of increase of mass density of collected particles in different size-ranges. Mass density of elements K, Cl, S, Al, Zn, P, Mn, Pb, Br and Zr in PM1 samples was observed to be higher for Diwali days in comparison to their pre-Diwali levels. Few elements viz. Ba, Sr and Nb were found to be only present in the samples taken during Diwali days. In addition to Ba, Sr and Nb, elements V, Mg, Br and Se were observed to be present in PM2.5 and PM10 samples taken during the Diwali days. This study provides combined ambient aerosol characteristics during Diwali days when the air quality was affected by stubble burning as well.

Pattern of Poisoning and Fates of the Female Patients Admitted in the Medicine Wards of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital

This study aimed to investigate the pattern of poisoning and the fates of female patients admitted to the medicine wards of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. A retrospective analysis was conducted on data collected from 300 female patients. The study examined various factors, including age distribution, occupation, educational background, family structure, religious affiliation, and residential location. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the relationship between these factors and the pattern and outcomes of poisoning incidents. The results showed that the largest age group affected by poisoning incidents was between 20 and 39 years, comprising 67.7% of the population. Suicidal poisoning was the most common pattern, accounting for 95.7% of the cases. In terms of the types of poisoning, insecticides (OPC) were the most frequently reported, representing 60.0% of the incidents. Pesticides kept in the house were the primary source of poisoning, reported in 72.7% of the cases. Regarding the fates of the victims, 66.3% of the patients were completely cured, 30.0% experienced some disability, and 3.7% sadly succumbed to death. Analysis of age groups revealed that the percentage of victims completely cured was highest in the age group of 40-59 years (76.5%), while the percentage of victims cured with some disability was highest in the age group of 60+ years (71.4%). The relationship between age group and the fate of the victims was found to be statistically significant (χ2=17.49, df=6, p&lt;0.05). Moreover, the analysis showed a significant relationship between the type of poisoning and the fate of the victims (χ2=1.141, df=8, p&lt;0.001). Among different types of poisoning, insecticide (OPC) poisoning resulted in the highest percentage of complete cure (78.3%), while sedative poisoning had the lowest percentage of victims with some disability (11.8%). This study provides valuable statistical insights into the pattern of poisoning and the fates of female patients in a medical setting. The findings emphasize the need for targeted prevention strategies, early medical intervention, and comprehensive support services to improve outcomes and reduce the incidence of poisoning incidents. These results can inform healthcare providers, policymakers, and public health professionals in developing effective interventions and policies to address poisoning incidents among female patients.

Deep learning-based automatic detection for pulmonary nodules on chest radiographs: The relationship with background lung condition, nodule characteristics, and location

PurposeComputer-aided diagnosis (CAD), which assists in the interpretation of chest radiographs, is becoming common. However, few studies have evaluated the benefits and pitfalls of CAD in the real world. This study aimed to evaluate the independent performance of commercially available deep learning-based automatic detection (DLAD) software, EIRL Chest X-ray Lung Nodule, in a cohort that included patients with background pulmonary abnormalities often encountered in clinical situations. MethodsPatients with clinically suspected lung cancer for whom chest radiography was performed within a month before or after CT scan between June 2020 and May 2022 in our institution were enrolled. The reference standard was created using a bounding box annotated by two radiologists with reference to the CT. The visibility score, characteristics, location of the pulmonary nodules, presence of overlapping structures or pulmonary disease, and background lung score were manually determined. ResultsWe included 388 patients. The DLAD software detected 222 of the 322 nodules visible on manual evaluation, with a sensitivity of 0.689 and a false-positive rate of 0.168. The detectability of the DLAD software was significantly lower for small and subsolid and nodules with overlapping structures. The visibility score and sensitivity of detection by the DLAD software were positively correlated. The relationship between the background lung score and detection by the DLAD software was unclear. ConclusionThe standalone performance of DLAD in detecting pulmonary nodules exhibited a sensitivity of 0.689 and a false-positive rate of 0.168. Understanding the characteristics of DLAD is crucial when interpreting chest radiographs with the assistance of the DLAD.

Influence of Temperature and Relative Humidity on PM2.5 Concentration over Delhi

The present study is an attempt to establish relationship between the concentrations of particulate matter especially (PM2.5) and background meteorological parameters over Delhi, India with the help of statistical and correlative analysis. This work presents the evaluation of air quality in three different locations of Delhi. These locations were selected to fulfil the characteristics as residential, industrial and background locations and performed the analysis for pre and post covid-19, i.e. for 2019 and 2021. The outcome of the study shows that the meteorological parameters have significant influence on the PM2.5 concentration. It was also found that it has a seasonality with low concentration in the monsoon season, moderate in the pre-monsoon season and high during the winters and post-monsoon seasons. However, the statistical and correlative study shows a negative relation with the temperature during the winter, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon and has a positive correlation during the monsoon season. Similarly, it also has been observed that the concentration of PM2.5 shows strong negative correlation with temperature during the high humid conditions, i.e. when the relative humidity is above 50%. However, a weak correlation with ambient temperature has been established during the low humidity condition, i.e. below 50%. The overall study showed that the highest PM2.5 pollution has been observed at residential location followed by industrial and background. The study also concluded that the seasonal meteorology has a complex role in the PM2.5 concentration of the selected areas.

Growing a rural family physician workforce: The contributions of rural background and rural place of residency training.

To determine the distinct influences of rural background and rural residency training on rural practice choice among family physicians. We used a subset of The RTT Collaborative rural residency list and longitudinal data on family physicians from the American Board of Family Medicine National Graduate Survey (NGS; three cohorts, 2016-2018) and American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). We conducted a logistic regression, computing predictive marginals to assess associations of background and residency location with physician practice location 3 years post-residency. We merged NGS data with residency type-rural or urban-and practice location with AMCAS data on rural background. Family physicians from a rural background were more likely to choose rural practice (39.2%, 95% CI = 35.8, 42.5) than those from an urban background (13.8%, 95% CI = 12.5, 15.0); 50.9% (95% CI = 43.0, 58.8) of trainees in rural residencies chose rural practice, compared with 18.0% (95% CI = 16.8, 19.2) of urban trainees. Increasing rural programs for training residents from both rural and urban backgrounds, as well as recruiting more rural students to medical education, could increase the number of rural family physicians.

OTT &amp; Media Consumption Pattern and Its Impact on Psychological Wellbeing among Gen Z

This study investigates the media consumption pattern among Gen Z People, with a sample size of 149 people. The aim of the research is to gain insights into their media consumption pattern and their psychological wellbeing. The study employs a quantitative research approach, utilizing surveys as the primary data collection method. The survey questionnaire includes measures related to social media platform, OTT platform they use, device they use which are key dimensions to understand their media consumption pattern. The sample size of 148 people ensures a sufficiently diverse representation of different age group, educational background and geographical locations. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, such as means, frequencies, and percentages, to provide an overview of psychological wellbeing. Additionally, inferential statistics, such as correlation and regression analysis, is conducted to identify any relationships between media consumption pattern and their psychological wellbeing. there is no adequate law, guidelines, or regulations; therefore, the content exhibited on these platforms is uncontrolled. Several petitions have been made in courts trying to limit the information published on these platforms, such as Amazon and Netflix. No rule or authority is in place to pre-screen material on OTT services. In 2021, the Indian government issued new standards called the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, which attempt to control digital media and OTT services but do not address contemporary societal demand.

Impact of Clinician Training Background and Stroke Location on Bedside Diagnostic Test Accuracy in the Acute Vestibular Syndrome - A Meta-Analysis.

Acute dizziness/vertigo is usually due to benign inner-ear causes but is occasionally due to dangerous neurologic ones, particularly stroke. Because symptoms and signs overlap, misdiagnosis is frequent and overuse of neuroimaging is common. We assessed the accuracy of bedside findings to differentiate peripheral vestibular from central neurologic causes. We performed a systematic search (MEDLINE and Embase) to identify studies reporting on diagnostic accuracy of physical examination in adults with acute, prolonged dizziness/vertigo ("acute vestibular syndrome" [AVS]). Diagnostic test properties were calculated for findings. Results were stratified by examiner type and stroke location. We identified 6,089 citations and included 14 articles representing 10 study cohorts (n = 800). The Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew (HINTS) eye movement battery had high sensitivity 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 92.5-98.1) and specificity 92.6% (95% CI = 88.6-96.5). Sensitivity was similar by examiner type (subspecialists 94.3% [95% CI = 88.2-100.0] vs non-subspecialists 95.0% [95% CI = 91.2-98.9], p = 0.55), but specificity was higher among subspecialists (97.6% [95% CI = 94.9-100.0] vs 89.1% [95% CI = 83.0-95.2], p = 0.007). HINTS sensitivity was lower in anterior cerebellar artery (AICA) than posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) strokes (84.0% [95% CI = 65.3-93.6] vs 97.7% [95% CI = 93.3-99.2], p = 0.014) but was "rescued" by the addition of bedside hearing tests (HINTS+). Severe (grade 3) gait/truncal instability had high specificity 99.2% (95% CI = 97.8-100.0) but low sensitivity 35.8% (95% CI = 5.2-66.5). Early magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI; within 24-48 hours) was falsely negative in 15% of strokes (sensitivity 85.1% [95% CI = 79.2-91.0]). In AVS, HINTS examination by appropriately trained clinicians can differentiate peripheral from central causes and has higher diagnostic accuracy for stroke than MRI-DWI in the first 24-48 hours. These techniques should be disseminated to all clinicians evaluating dizziness/vertigo. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:295-308.

Influence of outdoor air pollution on European residential ventilative cooling potential

Residential ventilative cooling via natural ventilation is influenced by outdoor air pollution. However, relative to climate, outdoor air pollution is not comprehensively considered in determining the ventilative cooling potential of buildings. To assess the impact of outdoor air pollution on ventilative cooling potential, we coupled a longitudinal dataset of five outdoor air pollutants from 26 European cities with building energy simulations. We explored the importance of climate, five outdoor air pollutants, urbanization level (Urban vs Suburban), and proximity to traffic (Traffic vs Background). We found that ventilative cooling remains an effective strategy for passive cooling, as it was able to reduce the cooling demand by 17–100% depending on local climate and air pollution. Urban air pollution reduced the ventilative cooling potential across Europe on average by 24%. The reduction varied within cities – 13% for Suburban Background, 24% for Urban Background, 19% for Suburban Traffic, and 44% for Urban Traffic locations. PM2.5 and PM10 were the main limiting factors for the ventilative cooling in all location types, whereas O3 and NO2 were critical in the Background and Traffic locations accordingly. These results can be utilized by building designers, operators and other stakeholders to maximize the application of ventilative cooling in buildings.

Assessment of Air Pollution in Different Areas (Urban, Suburban, and Rural) in Slovenia from 2017 to 2021

Air pollution can have a significant effect on human health. The present work is focused on the investigation of daily, monthly, and annual concentration levels of five typical air pollutants (SO2, NO2, NOX, PM10, and PM2.5) in the Republic of Slovenia (RS) from January 2017 to December 2021. The study was conducted at five different monitoring stations of the following kind: traffic (A), industrial (D), and background (B, C, E). The obtained results showed a decline in the average concentrations for all the studied air pollutants through the years, respectively. The daily average SO2 concentrations were the lowest in the year 2021 at location B, which is classified as background location, while the highest were detected in the year 2018 at location E, which is also classified as background location. The average daily concentrations of NO2 and NOX were the highest at location A in the year 2017, whereas the lowest were detected in the year 2010 and 2021. It is believed that those results are a consequence of measures set by the Slovenian government during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PM10 and PM2.5 daily average concentrations were the highest at location A in 2017, while the lowest were observed in the year 2019 at location C. Meteorological parameters (temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity) were studied in addition. In general, the high temperatures in ambient air are responsible for the intense concentrations of air pollutants. It was found in the study results for temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity that no significant difference was shown between studied years.

Measurement of supercooled liquid water path in cold clouds based on a 183GHz airborne microwave radiometer

When flying through clouds that co ntain supercooled liquid water, aircraft can accumulate ice at levels that can be dangerous to flight. Similarly, in the field of weather modification, the amount and distribution of a cloud's supercooled water content is an important indicator of artificial precipitation. The G-band water Vapor Radiometer (GVR) is a small instrument that can be mounted on aircraft. Its operating frequency is highly sensitive to low liquid water content, which is particularly suitable for detecting supercooled water in different parts of clouds during changes in flight position. In order to explore supercooled water, we installed such an instrument with four double-sideband receiver channels centered at 183.31 ± 1, ±3, ±7, and ±14GHz, under the right wing of a King Air B-10KL that we used to perform a series of outfield observations and artificial precipitation missions. In this paper, we discuss the feasibility of detecting supercooled liquid water in the clouds over North China with a GVR. A Back Propagation (BP) neural network algorithm that takes into account flight details including aircraft altitude, climate background and geographic location variations was developed to retrieve supercooled liquid water path (SLWP). A numerical simulation test using the radiosonde data as test samples showed that the retrieval results correlate highly with the radiosonde data calculation results, and that the algorithm was applicable for different seasons and different geographical locations. The algorithm was then applied to the aircraft outfield observations of supercooled liquid water and the results were compared with hotwire, another cloud liquid water observation instrument installed on the aircraft. Results here showed agreement in terms of trend. The observation of SLWPs over clouds thought to be of 0-value shows that the root mean square error of retrieval results is as low as 0.2 g m−2. This paper demonstrates that it is feasible to measure supercooled water over North China with GVR using the retrieval algorithm used here, which obtained good results and is able to compensate for the lack of reliable supercooled water detection instruments on the aircraft.

Analysis of Photoelectric Colorimetry and Fluorimetry of the Turin Shroud

We analyze spectrophotometric data collected directly on the Turin Shroud in 1978. Using standard methodologies, we transform 19 visual reflectance and 16 UV-fluorescent emission spectra to CIE xyY color space coordinates. We then compare these results to those of an Italian team of investigators. Comparing x-y chromaticities, the reflectivities from clear areas (background), image, and blood-stain locations agree with corresponding data collected independently by the Italian team. In both sets of data, the clusters from image and background areas overlap strongly and are clearly separated from the blood-stain points. Data from lightly scorched areas fall within the clusters from background and image locations. Data from deeper scorches diverge significantly, as do all scorch data from the Italian team. We generate similar colorimetric data from the spectral UV-fluorescence measurements made by the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP). Plotted as x-y chromaticities, the clear areas group together as a cluster as do the blood data but the two clusters show a significant separation from each other. The scorch data are configured along a linear continuum advancing from the lightest clear areas to the darkest scorches. The image data bifurcate: two of the four points lie within the clear-area cluster and the two outliers fall in line with the scorch data. We offer interpretations and speculations on these findings. Quantification of the 1978 measurements establishes a procedure for future monitoring of the aging state of TS features. The measurement protocol and methodologies discussed are important for preservation of other historical art and historical relics.

Teacher Perceptions of Self-Efficacy in Teaching Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic

To examine the effects of the sudden shift to online instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the early months of 2020, we sought to get a firsthand understanding of the experiences of teachers who were required to make the change to full online teaching. Teaching online requires technological knowledge, but it also requires a different pedagogy in order to keep students engaged and motivated to learn. Many educators indicated that this was a significant challenge. Our goal was to illuminate teachers’ experiences in order to include their voices in changes to educator preparation programs. A total of 699 complete survey responses were received representing educators in several grade levels working in nine states in the United States. Qualitative analysis revealed that many responses were related to extant research on teachers’ self-efficacy. Thus, this paper will shed light on the experiences of educators during the first semester of 2020 including the months of January through April, and teachers’ perceived efficacy. We find that teachers felt more efficacious regarding aspects of online teaching over which they felt an internal locus of control, such as delivery of curriculum and their own skill in the use of technology. For items over which they had less control, such as parental support and involvement, student motivation, and student access to adequate technology, teachers indicated much less efficacy. The majority of responses paint a complicated and somewhat dismal picture of the loss of personal connection with their students. Based on these data, recommendations for both education preparation programs, and policy are discussed such as districts and schools must provide sufficient professional learning opportunities and create a culture of collaboration amongst teachers that can assist them in building internal school capacity for good online instruction for their students. The COVID-19 pandemic should be used as an opportunity to evaluate gaps in digital equity and make positive strides to ensure all students, regardless of race, disability, economic background, or geographic location, have full access to quality online education. Keywords: teacher preparation, educator preparation, online teaching, COVID-19, self-efficacy

ECONOMIC INCLUSION AT THE INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS: THE FINANCIAL ASPECT

Introduction. Economic inclusion at the international and regional levels refers to the active participation and integration of all individuals, communities, and countries into the global economy. It aims to ensure that no one is left behind and that economic opportunities and benefits are accessible to all, regardless of their socio-economic background, gender, ethnicity, or geographical location. By promoting economic inclusion at the international and regional levels, countries and organizations can foster economic growth, reduce inequality, and create a more inclusive and sustainable global economy. It requires collective efforts and a commitment to ensuring that the benefits of economic development are shared by all segments of society. The purpose of the article is to analyze the features of economic inclusion and its financial aspects, to form a set of effective tools to ensure financial inclusion in conditions of sustainable development. Results. The article analyzes and defines the main concepts of the research area: “economic inclusion” and “financial inclusion”, presents the main components of economic inclusion and defines the financial aspects of economic inclusion, which in the future provide an opportunity for the formation of financial inclusion. A conceptual approach to ensuring economic inclusion at the international and regional level, taking into account the financial aspect, has been formed. Conclusions. According to the results of the study, the need to ensure economic inclusion at the international and regional level has been proven, and the need to take into account the financial aspect of the development of inclusive economic relations has been proven. The presented results of the research make it possible to form the next steps regarding the study of the problems of economic inclusion in the aspect of the development of financial inclusion and to focus the vector of research precisely on the components of financial inclusion, as the main elements of ensuring the inclusiveness of the country’s economy in modern conditions of globalization and integration.

Designing Systems with Care: Responding to Inequality in an Online Course in South Africa

Contemporary South Africa is a highly unequal society, emerging from a history of racial segregation, characterized by diversity along dimensions such as class, race, ethnicity, linguistic background, religion, culture and rural-urban locations (Czerniewicz et al., 2020). Informed by this diversity, higher education institutions attempt to “balance the pursuit of equity, quality and development goals” (Badat, 2020, p. 26). Over the last few years, in particular during COVID-19, care-oriented approaches that emphasise student wellbeing and belonging, such as humanizing online teaching, intentional hospitality, liberating structures,and trauma-informed design have gained traction in higher education. Drawing on three dimensions of human relations, namely affect, reciprocity and power associated with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, we reflect on how adopting a care approach and working with trauma-informed pedagogies in a postgraduate course on blended and online course design was experienced by course participants. In this paper, we draw on voluntary participant interviews and our own reflections as course facilitators to make an argument for a caring learning design that intentionally creates caring learning experiences for a highly diverse group of students. Participants in this course come from geographically diverse locations, from secondary or corporate environments with differently positioned home institutions and diverse access to resources. Also, participants’ positionality and disciplinary backgrounds require different forms of care. We found that Tronto’s concepts of paternalistic and parochial care useful to reflect on our own care practices, as they highlight the importance of creating spaces where students can co-create the care relationship, while understanding how their different positionalities impact their voice and agency, but also remind us how important it is to understand how students’ context differ from our own and to set up caring relationships that suit their contexts.

Ascorbic Acid from &lt;i&gt;Citrus limon&lt;/i&gt; (L.) Osbeck Fruit Source: A Promising Natural Agent for Caries Prevention and Management

Dental caries is an age-old oral disease afflicting humans irrespective of gender, age, socio-economical background, and geographical location. Despite extensive research being done worldwide to prevent dental caries, it is undoubtedly still a significant public health issue. Streptococcus mutans, a commensal bacteria of the oral microflora, is the primary etiological agent strongly linked to dental caries. In recent years, medicinal plant-based phytotherapy has drawn great attention towards managing various diseases as it is effective and safe. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of fresh Citrus limon fruit juice against S. mutans and to quantify its ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) concentration. Additionally, to determine the MIC, MBC and growth curve assay of standard ascorbic acid against S. mutans. Fresh C. limon fruit juice demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against the S. mutans reference strain (MTCC 497) by the agar well diffusion method. The ascorbic acid concentration of C. limon juice was found to be 0.194 % w/w by HPLC technique. The MIC and MBC values of standard ascorbic acid against S. mutans were found to be 12.5 mg/ml and 25 mg/ml, respectively. The growth curve assay demonstrated that ascorbic acid at a sub-MIC concentration of 6.25 mg/ml did not display any significant variations in the growth rate of S. mutans. To summarize, C. limon fruit juice is a potential source of natural antibacterial metabolites against S. mutans. Ascorbic acid, one of the chief components of C. limon fruit, is a promising agent for the development of anti-caries products. Further studies are warranted for developing novel formulations using ascorbic acid with other natural metabolites for the prevention and better management of caries.