Indirect Indicators Research Articles

New insight on the nature of cosmic reionizers from the CEERS survey

The Epoch of Reionization (EoR) began when galaxies grew in abundance and luminosity, so their escaping Lyman continuum (LyC) radiation started ionizing the surrounding neutral intergalactic medium (IGM). Despite significant recent progress, the nature and role of cosmic reionizers are still unclear: in order to define them, it would be necessary to directly measure their LyC escape fraction (fesc). However, this is impossible during the EoR due to the opacity of the IGM. Consequently, many efforts at low and intermediate redshift have been made to determine measurable indirect indicators in high-redshift galaxies so that their fesc can be predicted. This work presents the analysis of the indirect indicators of 62 spectroscopically confirmed star-forming galaxies at 6 ≤ z ≤ 9 from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey, combined with 12 sources with public data from other JWST-ERS campaigns. From the NIRCam and NIRSpec observations, we measured their physical and spectroscopic properties. We discovered that on average 6 < z < 9 star-forming galaxies are compact in the rest-frame UV (re ∼ 0.4 kpc), are blue sources (UV-β slope ∼ − 2.17), and have a predicted fesc of about 0.13. A comparison of our results to models and predictions as well as an estimation of the ionizing budget suggests that low-mass galaxies with UV magnitudes fainter than M1500 = −18 that we currently do not characterize with JWST observations probably played a key role in the process of reionization.

Finite Element Analysis of Postoperative Stability of Transverse Scaphoid Waist Fracture.

Scaphoid waist fractures are often stabilised with compression screws, Kirschner wires (K-wires), or a combination of both. While clinical and bio-mechanical studies evaluating their utility are available, the ideal configuration of implant that would provide adequate stability to permit early use of the hand is debatable. We examined configurations of a single screw, one screw along with a K-wire, and two K-wires used for a transverse scaphoid waist fracture fixation aiming to assess the stability provided by each in the immediate postoperative period. Computer-aided design (CAD) models of the scaphoid, K-wire, and headless compression screw were created. A transverse fracture was created at the scaphoid waist, and the CAD models of the screw and K-wire were used to fix the fracture in different configurations in a distal to proximal direction. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to examine the strength of configurations when they were subjected to compression and distraction forces. The total maximum deformation (TDef) and factor of safety (FoS) for each configuration were calculated and used as indirect indicators of postoperative stability. When a single screw was used, the configurations with the screw directed posteriorly from either centre or anterior had the best combined TDef and FoS values. For one screw and one K-wire, the configuration with screw and K-wire parallel to each other with the screw located along the long axis in the AP projection and anterior to the K-wire in the lateral projection had the best combined TDef and FoS values. When using two K-wires, configurations with the two wires diverging proximally on the lateral projection had the best combined TDef and FoS values. When fixing a transverse scaphoid waist fracture with a single screw, the screw directed posteriorly from either the centre or anterior aspect of the distal pole has the best stability, a parallel configuration has the best stability when fixing it using a screw and a K-wire, and divergent configuration has the best stability when fixing it with two K-wires only.

Is promiscuity the key? Multiple paternity in the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)

Many mammals have a promiscuous mating system with multiple sired litters. Promiscuity can increase the genetic variability, reduce the risk of inbreeding, and increase the effective population size, and is therefore crucial for preventing genetic loss and maintaining adaptability. This is particularly true for small and threatened populations. The garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus) is a threatened species, which exhibited a drastic decline over the last 20–30 years. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the mating system of the garden dormouse in mountain forest habitat by parentage analyses using 5 polymorphic microsatellite markers combined with morphometric data and information about the nesting behavior. Genetic parentage analyses revealed that 64% (9 of 14) of the litters were sired by at least two males, suggesting that garden dormice have a promiscuous mating system. The genetic findings were further supported by indirect indicators of promiscuity, such as testes, that were nearly four times larger than predicted for a rodent of its body mass and only slight male biased sexual size dimorphism. The finding of a promiscuous mating system in garden dormice should be taken into account in future conservation efforts. Due to its habitat preferences and limited dispersal potential garden dormice are vulnerable to forest fragmentation. The connection of suitable habitats facilitates dispersal and promotes access to potential mating partners, which could be especially important for populations colonizing new habitats. Access to potential mates may also reduce inbreeding, loss of genetic variability which is crucial for populations viability and survival.

Comparative analysis of glymphatic system alterations in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder using MRI indices from diffusion tensor imaging.

The glymphatic system is a glial-based perivascular network that promotes brain metabolic waste clearance. Glymphatic system dysfunction has been observed in both multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), indicating the role of neuroinflammation in the glymphatic system. However, little is known about how the two diseases differently affect the human glymphatic system. The present study aims to evaluate the diffusion MRI-based measures of the glymphatic system by contrasting MS and NMOSD. This prospective study included 63 patients with NMOSD (n = 21) and MS (n = 42) who underwent DTI. The fractional volume of extracellular-free water (FW) and an index of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) were used as indirect indicators of water diffusivity in the interstitial extracellular and perivenous spaces of white matter, respectively. Age and EDSS scores were adjusted. Using Bayesian hypothesis testing, we show that the present data substantially favor the null model of no differences between MS and NMOSD for the diffusion MRI-based measures of the glymphatic system. The inclusion Bayes factor (BF10) of model-averaged probabilities of the group (MS, NMOSD) was 0.280 for FW and 0.236 for the ALPS index. Together, these findings suggest that glymphatic alteration associated with MS and NMOSD might be similar and common as an eventual result, albeit the disease etiologies differ. Previous literature indicates important glymphatic system alteration in MS and NMOSD. We explore the difference between MS and NMOSD using diffusion MRI-based measures of the glymphatic system. We show support for the null hypothesis of no difference between MS and NMOSD. This suggests that glymphatic alteration associated with MS and NMOSD might be similar and common etiology.

Methodical principles of experimental-analytical research into the influence of pre-drilled wells on the intensity of gas-dynamic phenomena manifestations

Purpose.The research aims to substantiate the general provisions on coordination of the experimental-analytical research results of the influence of pre-drilled wells on the intensity of gas-dynamic phenomena manifestations (using the example of the mining-geological conditions of the phenomena at the PJSC Mine Administration Pokrovske, Ukraine). Methods. The research uses an integrated methodology consisting of indirect experimental methods for studying the adjacent rock mass state and tendencies. Findings. It has been proven that indirect experimental indicators of the rock mass state around the tunneling face are related to the peculiarities of the distribution of its stress-strain state components. Based on this research, the well lengths of up to 10-15 m has been determined to effectively and safely de-stress the rock mass. The experimental research validity is confirmed by conducted computational experiments, in the course of which the dependence of the propagation parameters of the stress-strain state component concentrations on the degree of hardness of the lithotypes is revealed, and a geomechanical substantiation to the tendencies of propagation of rock pressure anomalies near stoping and tunneling faces is given. The new knowledge obtained is the basis for creating a method for calculating rational parameters for the location of de-stressing pre-drilled wells. Originality. An objective assessment of the degree of adequacy and reliability of the computational experiment results has been made under the condition of using a new geomechanical model with mine studies of seismic-acoustic signal parameters and the initial gas release velocity. The main tendencies of vertical σу, horizontal σх and σz, as well as stress intensity propagation have been identified. The obtained results of exploring the bottom-hole mass are aimed at substantiating the parameters of anti-outburst measures for all preparatory mine workings. Practical implications. The conducted research is implemented in creation of a calculation method and recommendations for the selection of rational parameters for the location of de-stressing pre-drilled wells for the purpose of weakening the rock mass, surrounding the tunneling face, and reducing the probability of gas-dynamic phenomena occurrence due to the controlled weakening of adjacent rocks.

Lie Algebraic Quantum Phase Reduction.

We introduce a general framework of phase reduction theory for quantum nonlinear oscillators. By employing the quantum trajectory theory, we define the limit-cycle trajectory and the phase according to a stochastic Schrödinger equation. Because a perturbation is represented by unitary transformation in quantum dynamics, we calculate phase response curves with respect to generators of a Lie algebra. Our method shows that the continuous measurement yields phase clusters and alters the phase response curves. The observable clusters capture the phase dynamics of individual quantum oscillators, unlike indirect indicators obtained from density operators. Furthermore, our method can be applied to finite-level systems that lack classical counterparts.

Критерии оценки эффективности антикоагулянтной терапии: роль суррогатных критериев

The article is devoted to the problem of using indirect indicators, or surrogate criteria, both in randomized clinical and observational studies. The reasons for the increasing frequency of using surrogate criteria in assessing the results of clinical trials are considered. The possible negative consequences of the widespread use of proxy measures and the need to educate clinicians to obtain evidence-based information using surrogate criteria rather than true clinical outcomes are discussed. Data from analyzes aimed at identifying the most important problems in the use of surrogate criteria in assessing the effectiveness of certain interventions are presented. The problem of using surrogate criteria in assessing the effectiveness and safety of the use of anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolic complications is separately considered. The necessary conditions are provided to ensure the possibility of using surrogate criteria in studies assessing the effectiveness of interventions. Examples of the use of both justified and insufficiently justified use of surrogate criteria for assessing the effectiveness of anticoagulants in various clinical situations are considered. The results of a randomized clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of an anticoagulant based on identifying surrogate criteria for atrial fibrillation using devices implanted in the heart are discussed. The problem of using surrogate criteria when assessing the risk of bleeding in studies assessing the effects of anticoagulants is discussed separately. The opinions of experts are presented, emphasizing the need for careful use of surrogate criteria when assessing the incidence of both venous thromboembolic complications and bleeding, since in such cases the results of comparing the benefits and risks of the intervention can be significantly distorted.

A new method for vascular age estimation based on relative risk difference in vascular aging

Objective:The current models of estimating vascular age (VA) primarily rely on the regression label expressed with chronological age (CA), which does not account individual differences in vascular aging (IDVA) that are difficult to describe by CA. This may lead to inaccuracies in assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease based on VA. To address this limitation, this work aims to develop a new method for estimating VA by considering IDVA. This method will provide a more accurate assessment of cardiovascular disease risk. Methods:Relative risk difference in vascular aging (RRDVA) is proposed to replace IDVA, which is represented as the numerical difference between individual predicted age (PA) and the corresponding mean PA of healthy population. RRDVA and CA are regard as the influence factors to acquire VA. In order to acquire PA of all samples, this work takes CA as the dependent variable, and mines the two most representative indicators from arteriosclerosis data as the independent variables, to establish a regression model for obtaining PA. Results:The proposed VA based on RRDVA is significantly correlated with 27 indirect indicators for vascular aging evaluation. Moreover, VA is better than CA by comparing the correlation coefficients between VA, CA and 27 indirect indicators, and RRDVA greater than zero presents a higher risk of disease. Conclusion:The proposed VA overcomes the limitation of CA in characterizing IDVA, which may help young groups with high disease risk to promote healthy behaviors.

Relevance Feedback with Brain Signals

The Relevance Feedback (RF) process relies on accurate and real-time relevance estimation of feedback documents to improve retrieval performance. Since collecting explicit relevance annotations imposes an extra burden on the user, extensive studies have explored using pseudo-relevance signals and implicit feedback signals as substitutes. However, such signals are indirect indicators of relevance and suffer from complex search scenarios where user interactions are absent or biased. Recently, the advances in portable and high-precision brain-computer interface (BCI) devices have shown the possibility to monitor user’s brain activities during search process. Brain signals can directly reflect user’s psychological responses to search results and thus it can act as additional and unbiased RF signals. To explore the effectiveness of brain signals in the context of RF, we propose a novel RF framework that combines BCI-based RF with pseudo-relevance signals and implicit signals to improve the performance of document re-ranking. The experimental results on the user study dataset show that incorporating brain signals leads to significant performance improvement in our RF framework. Besides, we observe that brain signals perform particularly well in several hard search scenarios, especially when implicit signals as feedback are missing or noisy. This reveals when and how to exploit brain signals in the context of RF.

A copula formulation for multivariate latent Markov models

AbstractWe specify a general formulation for multivariate latent Markov models for panel data, where outcomes are possibly of mixed-type (categorical, discrete, continuous). Conditionally on a time-varying discrete latent variable and covariates, the joint distribution of outcomes simultaneously observed is expressed through a parametric copula. We therefore do not make any conditional independence assumption. The observed likelihood is maximized by means of an expectation–maximization algorithm. In a simulation study, we argue how modeling the residual contemporary dependence might be crucial in order to avoid bias in the parameter estimates. We illustrate through an original application to assessment of poverty through direct and indirect indicators in a cohort of Italian households.

Development and Validation of the Bystander Engagement Scale for Witnessed Intimate Partner Violence: A South Korean Version.

Bystanders play a crucial role in assisting and rescuing victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) or sexual assault, thereby preventing further harm. Consequently, an increasing amount of research has focused on improving bystander interventions in such situations. While many existing scales that measure bystanders' willingness to intervene and their behaviors are likely tailored to Western settings and primarily focused on preventing sexual assaults, pursuing diversity to make these scales applicable to a variety of contexts is necessary. This study aimed to develop and validate a scale from South Korean samples that measure the likely level of bystander engagement in witnessed IPV situations, named the Bystander Engagement Scale for Witnessed Intimate Partner Violence (BESW-IPV). Preliminary items, developed to describe various IPV situations that a bystander might witness, underwent content validity testing through expert review and cognitive focus group interviews. Afterward, the scale was administered to 311 participants from the target population in South Korea. The scale's factor structure was assessed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability and validity were rigorously assessed. The final version of the BESW-IPV comprised 28 items. Through EFA, "direct IPV indicators" and "indirect IPV indicators" were identified. Together, these factors accounted for 76.10% of the total variance. CFA affirmed that the final model offers an acceptable fit. The scale's convergent and discriminant validities were also well established. The Cronbach's alpha and the McDonald's omega values were 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. In contrast to many existing tools that measure bystander intervention predominantly within the confines of Western educational settings, we believe that the BESW-IPV can be applied in broader contexts, especially in patriarchal environments. Further research is required to translate and validate this tool in different cultural contexts.

Analysis of liver fibrosis equations as a potential role of predictive models in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a formidable global health concern, characterized by its rapid onset and high fatality rate. Distinguishing between patients at different stages remains challenging because of overlapping clinical features. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of 14 hepatic fibrosis indices for distinguishing fatal cases and intensive care unit requirement (ICU) in CCHF. This study enrolled 194 patients with confirmed CCHF. Laboratory measurements were performed using auto analyzers. Indirect indicators of fibrosis were calculated for each patient based on previously described formulas. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (tdROC) curve analyses were employed to evaluate the predictive effects of hepatic fibrosis indices on both intensive care unit requirement and overall survival among patients. Regarding the tdROC analyses results, the highest area under the curve statistics were obtained for the baseline S-INDEX, KING, and GPRI scores (0.920, 0.913, and 0.909 respectively) in the estimation of ten-day survival, and the baseline KING, Goteborg University cirrhosis index (GUCI), and gamma-glutamyl transferase to platelet ratio index (GPRI) scores (0.783, 0.773, and 0.769 respectively) in the estimation of intensive care requirements for up to ten days. S-index and KING index emerged as early predictors of ten-day survival, while KING, GUCI, and GPRI indices demonstrated predictive capabilities for ICU admission on the first day. The identified indices have the potential to assist healthcare providers in making timely and informed decisions regarding patient management and treatment strategies. Further research and validation are warranted to solidify the role of these hepatic fibrosis indices in the clinical setting and enhance their broader applicability in the management of CCHF.

The total phenolic compound and sorgoleone content as possible indirect indicators of the allelopathic potential of sorghum varieties ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

The total phenolic compound and sorgoleone content as possible indirect indicators of the allelopathic potential of sorghum varieties ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

Incorporating body measurement traits to increase genetic gain of feed efficiency and carcass traits in Japanese Black steers.

The objective of the present study was to comprehensively evaluate whether body measurement traits, including body weight and body size, could be used as indicators of genetic selection for feed efficiency and carcass traits in Japanese Black steers. First, we estimated the genetic parameters for body measurements, feed efficiency, and carcass traits. Second, we estimated the correlated responses in feed efficiency and carcass traits when selection was applied to one or multiple-body measurement traits. In total, 4,578 Japanese Black steers with phenotypic values of residual feed intake (RFI) and residual body weight gain (RG) as feed efficiency traits and carcass weight (CWT) and beef marbling standard (BMS) as carcass traits were used. Eleven body measurement traits were measured at the start and finish of the fattening periods (BMT1 and BMT2, respectively), and their growth during the fattening period (BMT3) was used for genetic analyses. The results of genetic parameters showed that the heritability estimates were low to moderate (0.10 to 0.66), and the genetic correlations among body measurement traits were also estimated to be positively moderate to high in each measuring point (0.23 to 0.99). The genetic correlations of body measurement traits with RFI and BMS were estimated to be low (-0.14 to 0.30 and -0.17 to 0.35, respectively), but those with CWT were positively low to high (0.12 to 0.97). The genetic correlation estimates between BMT3 and RG were moderate to high (0.38 to 0.78). Second, correlated responses were estimated under positive selection for body measurement traits. Positive selection for BMT2 and BMT3 increased CWT and RG; however, positive selection for body measurement traits resulted in no change in RFI and BMS. Favorable directions of genetic gains, which were positive for RG, CWT, and BMS and negative for RFI, were obtained by selection indices, including multiple traits in BMT1. Our results suggest that using only one-body measurement trait as an indicator of genetic selection for RFI is difficult. However, body measurement traits can be indirect indicators of improved RG. Our results also suggest that genetic improvement of both RFI and RG without reducing CWT and BMS could be achieved using selection indices that account for a balance of body conformation using multiple-body measurement traits in Japanese Black cattle.

On the issue of optimizing protein and energy supply for patients with acute cerebrovascular accident

To study the severity of systemic metabolic dysfunction in various types of stroke and determine the parameters of optimal energy and protein supply for this category of patients in the presence of severe neurological deficit (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale - NIHSS score of 15 points or more) during different periods of the disease. The retrospective study included 512 patients with acute cerebrovascular accident (ACVA) who received nutritional support (NS) for 10 days or more: 367 (71.7%) people with ischemic stroke (IS) and 145 (28.3%) - with hemorrhagic stroke (HS). The course of stroke in all patients included in the study was accompanied by severe and extremely severe neurological disorders (15 points or more on the NIHSS scale). Energy expenditure and the severity of the catabolic reaction of the body were studied by dynamic assessment of indirect calorimetry indicators and actual nitrogen losses. More than 99% of patients received tube feeding. Using the method of indirect calorimetry, the ranges of energy expenditure during stroke were determined: for IS - 1600-2100 kcal/day (24-26 kcal/kg/day), for HS - 1900-2600 kcal/day (26-30 kcal/kg/day) in depending on the period of the disease. The average nitrogen losses at all stages of the disease in patients with IS and HS were comparable. In IS, these amounts were 19 g/day (0.25 g/kg/day), which corresponds to 119 g/day of protein (1.56 g/kg/day of protein), and in HS patients lost an average of 18.9 g/day of nitrogen (0.24 g/kg/day) or 118 g/day of protein (1.5 g/kg/day of protein). The maximum nitrogen losses were observed in the period from 10 to 20 days of illness and amounted to 24.7 g/day in patients with HS (0.31 g/kg/day or 1.93 g/kg/day protein), and in patients with IS - 24.5 g/day (0.29 g/kg/day or 1.81 g/kg/day protein). An identified trend towards a decrease in mortality in patients with acute stroke with energy supply in the amount of 27-28 kcal/kg/day and protein consumption in the amount of 1.3-1.4 g/kg/day compared with patients receiving 20-21 kcal/kg /day and 1-1.2 g/kg/day of protein requires further prospective randomized studies.

Великоустюжский и Тотемский архиерейский дом в начале XVIII века: историографический и источниковедческий аспекты

The paper provides a brief survey of the historiography of the inventory books of the bishop's houses, compiled following the decree of Peter the Great of January 31, 1701. It emphasizes the need for further identification and study of these sources. All existing information on the House of the Bishops of Veliky Ustyug and Totma in the early 18th century, including scholarly publications, can be traced back to N.I. Suvorov’s sketch in the “Pamyatnaya knizhka of the Vologda gubernia for the year 1864”. The study introduces the authentic inventory books of Veliky Ustyug and Totma diocese by stolnik A.M. Veshnyakov for research purposes. The inventory of the Bishops' houses is dated by indirect indicators to the autumn of 1701, while the inventory of their lands in Ustyug and Usolye uezds was compiled between November 26, 1702, and the beginning of February, 1703. This “chronological asynchrony” should be taken into consideration when analyzing the inventory of both archdiocesan houses and monasteries with votchinas. The currently accepted division of the inventory books of the Bishops' houses into “inventory of buildings and property” and “inventory books of votchinas” does not fully reflect the reality of the early 18th century. Given the satisfactory preservation of both inventories, a more complex study is recommended. By increasing the number of the Bishops' houses with full descriptions from 1701–1703, new sources offer a perspective for investigating the extent to which “control over the material resources of the bishop's government” acquired by Peter the Great during the initial stage of the Church reform served as an “instrument of influence on the bishops who disobeyed him”.

The association of shift work and TyG index among male workers in a chemical plant of Korea: a cross-sectional study.

Disturbance of circadian rhythms caused by shift work has adverse effects on insulin resistance. Many previous studies have confirmed that shift work and insulin resistance are related using homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, one of the insulin resistance indicators. However, the triglycerides and glucose index (TyG index) has recently been studied as an insulin resistance indicator. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of shift work and TyG index, one of the indirect indicators of insulin resistance, using results of health checkups in one workplace. Based on medical examination data collected in February 2019, a total of 3,794 subjects from one chemical plant in Korea were selected for this study. Cut-off value of TyG index for predicting development of diabetes mellitus (DM) was 4.69. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed after adjusting for age, employment period, obesity, abdominal obesity, smoking, drinking, physical activity, hypertension, stroke, heart disease. As a result of logistic regression analysis, compared to day workers, odds ratio (OR) with a TyG index above cut-off value for predicting development of DM in shift workers was 1.220 after adjusting for age, employment period, obesity, abdominal obesity, smoking, drinking, physical activity, hypertension, stroke, heart disease (Model 1, OR: 1.276; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.099-1.482; Model 2, OR: 1.232; 95% CI: 1.055-1.438; Model 3, OR: 1.220, 95% CI: 1.030-1.444). There was a significant association between shift work and TyG index among male workers in a chemical plant. More research studies on the association between shift work and TyG index are needed in the future.

TRENDS IN HR MANAGEMENT AT THE ENTERPRISE

The purpose of this article is to assess the possibility of introducing new approaches to personnel management into domestic practice. Summarizing the results of the study, we can note the following: there is a discrepancy in the study of HR management issues in domestic scientific works and foreign scientific thought. Recent studies by Ukrainian scholars are related to the assessment of international experience in HR practices, adaptation of domestic HR systems to external challenges (war, pandemic, etc.). Foreign works are devoted to the disclosure of the theoretical and practical foundations of the application of new HR practices, empirical research of the effectiveness and efficiency of their implementation, and case studies. In the light of the trend in HR management to take into account the interests of the employee and ensure his/her well-being, the following newest HR practices have been selected for implementation in domestic enterprises: personalized human resource management; management practices based on corporate social responsibility; HR co-creation; Agile HR. Among the disadvantages and problems of applying personalized human resource management is the lack of time and personnel in the HR department to select an individual management strategy for each employee if the company is medium or large in size. The difficulty of assessing employee well-being can be an obstacle to implementing the principles of corporate social responsibility in human resources management. It is necessary to take a balanced approach to the formation of a system of direct and indirect indicators of employee satisfaction to obtain a true assessment. A rather patriarchal society, which is characterised by top-down implementation of innovations rather than the design of new HR management practices with the involvement of outsiders, may be an obstacle to the introduction of HR co-creation approaches. The main obstacle to the introduction of Agile HR may be the reluctance to change the organisational structure of HR management, as well as the reluctance of staff to abandon template solutions. Prospects for further research in the subject of this article are related to the assessment of the readiness of domestic enterprises to introduce innovations in the field of HR management.

Promotion of Colitis in B Cell-Deficient C57BL/6 Mice Infected with Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis.

Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) causes colitis and is implicated in inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. The ETBF-secreted B. fragilis toxin (BFT) causes cleavage of the adherence junction, the E-cadherin, resulting in the large intestine showing IL-17A inflammation in wild-type (WT) mice. However, intestinal pathology by ETBF infection is not fully understood in B-cell-deficient mice. In this study, ETBF-mediated inflammation was characterized in B-cell-deficient mice (muMT). WT or muMT C57BL/6J mice were orally inoculated with ETBF and examined for intestinal inflammation. The indirect indicators for colitis (loss of body weight and cecum weight, as well as mortality) were increased in muMT mice compared to WT mice. Histopathology and inflammatory genes (Nos2, Il-1β, Tnf-α, and Cxcl1) were elevated and persisted in the large intestine of muMT mice compared with WT mice during chronic ETBF infection. However, intestinal IL-17A expression was comparable between WT and muMT mice during infection. Consistently, flow cytometry analysis applied to the mesenteric lymph nodes showed a similar Th17 immune response in both WT and muMT mice. Despite elevated ETBF colonization, the ETBF-infected muMT mice showed no histopathology or inflammation in the small intestine. In conclusion, B cells play a protective role in ETBF-induced colitis, and IL-17A inflammation is not attributed to prompted colitis in B-cell-deficient mice. Our data support the fact that B cells are required to ameliorate ETBF infection-induced colitis in the host.

Design and evaluation of a serious game for teaching nanotechnologies in pharmacy education

Introduction: A serious game was implemented and evaluated to consolidate the knowledge of third-year pharmacy students about drug vectorisation systems. Methods: After a lecture on nanotechnology in health, students were immersed in a magical world for the one-and-a-half-hour tutorial: to complete their mission, they had to pick the right cards and solve puzzles within a limited time. Then, in debriefing, all the key concepts were recalled and explained according to their metaphorical counterparts, i.e. the puzzles. Feedback from the beta-test in 2021 (n=112) helped to optimise the pitch, the game, the rules and the debriefing. A formative evaluation was performed in 2022 (n=140) investigating students’ perception immediately after the session and immediate knowledge retention using a pre-test/post-test evaluation. The results of the final assessment were considered indirect indicators of student involvement. Results: Although the game itself did not immediately improve the students’ knowledge retention, it really was a great tool to motivate and engage participants, which might explain a significant improvement in the final assessment. Conclusion: A serious game can be an interesting tool to teach pharmaceutical technology. To help colleagues wishing to revitalise their pharmacy interventions, a non-exhaustive list of ideas to consider before starting the game conception is provided.