23rd October Research Articles

MTAS-01 UPDATES ON BRAIN METASTASIS MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES IN LMICS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Abstract BACKGROUND Brain Metastases (BM) occur in the natural course of malignant tumors and cause a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The approaches to their management have changed considerably over the past decade. We aimed to give an update regarding the current means of diagnosis, management, and the outcomes of brain metastases in LMIC. METHODS We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, Medline, Embase, Global Index Medicus, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar for studies reporting data on Brain metastasis diagnosis, management, and outcomes in LMICs from inception to October 23rd, 2022. The systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA principles. RESULTS A total of 7916 unique studies were identified, of which, 48 were included. The most studied (21, 43.75%) and common cause of metastases was lung tumors (1602, 51.43%). A subtotal resection (STR) was archived in the majority of reported cases in the frequency of 56.2% (n = 1751), gross total resection (GTR) in 37.5% (n = 1169) of cases, while only biopsy was possible in 6.3% (n = 195). The reported adjuvant treatments were radiotherapy 39.9% (n = 1036), radiosurgery 22.5% (n = 585), and radiosurgery + radiotherapy 37.5% (N = 974). Management of the primary tumor was reported in 13 (27.08%) studies. Half (24, 50%) of the studies reported the overall survival time to be 4-52 months. CONCLUSION Lung, breast, and GI tumors were the most common primary tumors for the MB. Whole-brain radiotherapy is the most common management method in LMICs.

The Legal Framework of Whistleblowers’ Protection in Ukraine and in the Czech Republic

Summary The Directive (EU) no. 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 23rd 2019 on the Protection of Persons Who Report Breaches of Union Law (further ‘the Directive’) was published on November 26th 2019 and went into effect in December of 2019. Considering its importance, the presented article deals with the issue of legal regulation of whistleblowers’ protection in both Ukraine and the Czech Republic. The existing Ukrainian legislation is not lacking certain deficiencies. First of all, there is the need to introduce a broad definition of the term “whistle blower” so that whistleblowers of violations of human rights, environmental standards, food safety and household items, public interests, etc. were also subject to protection. As for the Czech Republic, from an analysis of the Act on the Protection of Whistleblowers, it is clear that this Act is obviously a failed result of the Directive’s transposition.

Liquid Biopsy as a Powerful Therapeutic Tool in Veteran Patients with Prostate Carcinoma

Abstract Introduction/Objective The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines currently recommend somatic tumor molecular testing for alterations in homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair genes in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, which can be performed on either the sampled tumor tissue itself or by liquid biopsy. Particularly when the sampled tumor tissue may be limited, liquid biopsy with next generation sequencing is a recently available attractive alternative that is minimally invasive (requiring just phlebotomy). Based on the information gathered from circulating tumor cells (CTC), a tumor molecular profile can be obtained that can impact treatment, particularly if a HR DNA repair mutation is found as that may predict response to a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzyme inhibitor such as Olaparib. However, the literature of metastatic prostate cancers targeted by liquid biopsies and the mutations found is sparse, particularly for the veteran population. Methods/Case Report A retrospective review was performed of all patients with a submitted liquid biopsy specimen at a Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) October 23rd, 2019, to March 3rd, 2023 to examine those patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Information on mutations detected was collected. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) There were a total of 64 patient specimens with a history of metastatic prostate cancer, from which 56 had an available liquid biopsy report with the first liquid biopsy collection occurring on October 23rd, 2019. HR DNA repair mutations found included CHEK2 (6/56), ATM (4/56), and BRCA1 (1/56). Outside of HR DNA repair genes, relatively common detected mutations were found in TP53 (25/56), PTEN (6/56), BRAF (4/56), and an AR amplification (4/56). 7 of the 56 reports had no reportable genomic alterations detected. Conclusion Liquid biopsies continues to be a minimally invasive, highly useful powerful therapeutic tool in veteran patients with metastatic prostate carcinoma for molecular profiling. Not uncommonly in the Veteran population, these molecular findings include mutations in HR DNA repair genes that as noted by the NCCN may predict response to PARP inhibitor chemotherapy.

Experimental and numerical study of enhancing the electrical performance of photovoltaic panel using phase change material in transient conditions

ABSTRACTThis study investigates employing a phase change material (PCM) to enhance the electrical power production and efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) panels. The PCM was placed at the backside of the collector, and the actual PV cell temperature values were recorded and evaluated by comparison in both cases with and without PCM. During the daytime and according to experimental findings, the existence of PCM decreased the cell temperature by an additional 9.5°C compared to a standard PV panel. The maximum generated power values using the hybrid PV/PCM system were 38.76 W on August 5th and 47 W on October 23rd, respectively. Conversely, the conventional PV generated only 35.2 W and 37 W on the same days. The results also revealed that the best electrical efficiencies were reached using the PV/PCM system at values of 12.1% and 15%, compared to 9.2% and 11.9% for conventional PV on the same days. A 1.38% greater energy production efficiency was reached using the hybrid PV/PCM system. Finally, using a numerical approach, the differential equations governing the energy exchange between the different layers were solved for both systems, and an excellent agreement for both the numerical results and the experimental data was confirmed.

SARS-CoV-2 genome incidence on the inanimate surface of the material used in the flow of biological samples from the collection point to the testing unit.

Despite the undeniable effect of vaccination against COVID-19 in reducing disease severity, there is still a need to monitor and limit SARS-CoV-2 circulation and transmission. Thus, this study evaluated the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome on the surfaces of highly touched objects manipulated in the biological sample collection point and at the reception unit of the diagnostic laboratory. Surfaces were sampled once a week, for 6weeks, between September 18th and October 23rd, 2020. RT-qPCR was used for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The coolers for biological sample transportation and the envelope containing the patient form were the objects with the highest occurrence of viral genome detection, although it was detected in each object in only two of the 6 evaluations. And the SARS-CoV-2 genome was detected just once on the vehicle steering wheel, computer keyboard, bathroom door handle and disinfection bench. The virus genome was not detected in any object on three of the six evaluations. And eight was the largest number of surfaces contaminated by the virus genome on one occasion. The reduced incidence of object contamination by the SARS-CoV-2 genome can be explained by the exposure of the objects to environmental conditions and the adoption of virus-spread containment measures. It can also reflect the low incidence of SARS-CoV-2 during the study's development period. Despite the low frequency of SARS-CoV-2 genome detection, our findings show that the virus was present in the environment at some point. This highlights the importance of adopting personal preventive measures to reduce respiratory virus spread, especially during epidemics and outbreaks.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice of primary healthcare physicians in Qatar towards hypertension management: An online cross-sectional study.

Primary health care is integral to diagnosing and managing hypertension. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, practice, priority, and confidence of primary care physicians in Qatar toward hypertension diagnosis and management, and to measure the determinants of good knowledge, desirable attitudes, and desirable practices. We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey using a modified version of the World Hypertension League Questionnaire during the period from August 30th to October 23rd, 2020. All primary care physicians working in any of Qatar's 27 publicly run primary healthcare centers were invited to participate in the survey. Out of the 450 primary care physicians working at that time, 197 completed the study questionnaire with a response rate of 43.8%. Most respondents stated that they followed local or international treatment guidelines for hypertension management (96.4%). Primary care physicians were highly confident and prioritized hypertension management. The overall desirable practice score was 73.8%, with the highest score (95.4%) for assessing adherence to antihypertensive medications, whereas the lowest desirable practice score was 33.5% for counseling on home blood pressure monitoring. Fifty-one-point eight percentage and 62.4% correctly identified 140 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg as the systolic and diastolic blood pressure threshold for diagnosing hypertension in most patients. The lowest knowledge scores were for hypertension epidemiology in Qatar and recommended dietary modification for hypertensive patients. Respondents had positive attitudes toward task sharing with nonphysician healthcare workers for most items (58.9%-78.2%), except for drug prescriptions (30.5%). Primary care physicians in Qatar had positive attitudes, with high overall confidence and conviction (priority) scores toward hypertension. However, their knowledge scores and certain practices were suboptimal. Healthcare policymakers in Qatar should raise primary care physicians awareness of the current burden of untreated hypertension in the country by organizing targeted educational programs and emphasizing the importance of following national clinical practice guidelines in the diagnosis and management of hypertension.

Reporting quality and risk of bias assessment of animal research on Chaihu-Shugan-San for depression: A systematic review

ObjectiveChaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula employed to treat depression. We aim to conduct a reporting quality assessment and risk of bias evaluation of animal research on CSS for depression. MethodsTo acquire eligible studies, two reviewers searched plentiful databases from inception to October 23rd, 2021. Reporting quality assessment and risk of bias assessment of the included animal studies were evaluated by using Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines and the SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk of bias tool, respectively. ResultsThe initial search identified 720 records, while only 30 studies were included. The result of the reporting quality assessment was inferior, items 17 and 19 were not reported at all. The details of five items (items 3, 6, 7, 10, and 18) were not reported. The outcome of the risk of bias assessment suggested that half of the entries (5/10) displayed an unclear risk of bias and a high risk of bias. Blinding with regard to performance bias and detection bias revealed an unclear risk of bias (100%), followed by baseline characteristics (76.67%) and sequence generation (60%). Random outcome assessment showed a high risk of bias (100%). ConclusionThe included animal studies exhibited methodological defects and imprecise reporting. Hence, the ARRIVE guidelines and SYRCLE's RoB tool should be disseminated among basic medical researchers examining CSS for depression to publish studies with low risk of bias and sufficient reporting so that the animal research can promptly be transformed into clinical research.

Doctor's role in determining wounds qualification of terrorism victims

Introduction: The terms terrorist (perpetrator) and terrorism (action) are derived from the Latin word “terrere” which means to shake or vibrate. The European Convention first discussed the definition of terrorism on the Suppression of Terrorism (ECST) in Europe in 1977; there was a paradigm expansion in the meaning of Crime against State to Crime against Humanity. Crime against Humanity includes criminal acts committed to create a situation that causes individuals, groups, and the general public to be in a tense atmosphere. Necessary to have a clinical forensic examination to determine the degree of injury suffered by victims of terrorist criminal acts as a reference for providing compensation from the state. Case Report: On Friday, October 23rd, 2020, at 09.25 a.m. at the Bhayangkara Hospital Emergency Installation, examinations were conducted on 4 men. The basis for the examination is based on a written request from the LPSK with the number: R-1176/1a.5.1/LPSK/10/2020 on October 21st, 2020. Discussion: There is a mechanism in the forensic examination for the victims of terrorism crimes. The process for obtaining compensation can be submitted by victims of terrorism crimes, their families, or their heirs. LPSK will conduct a substantive examination and calculate the losses suffered by victims of terrorism crimes. Conclusion: Regarding the provisions of these laws and regulations, the Indonesian Forensic Doctors Association (PDFI) cooperates with LPSK, as stated in the cooperation agreement. Key Words: doctor’s role, wound qualification, terrorism victims.

Local causes of essential medicines shortages from the perspective of supply chain professionals in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundThe global supply chains of essential medicines faced frequent disruptions over the past five years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Different causes of prescription drug supply interruptions have been identified in Saudi Arabia. However, studies have yet to explore the views of pharmaceutical supply chain personnel regarding the causes of these interruptions. Therefore, this study aimed to survey individuals working in the pharmaceutical supply chains about their views on the observed interruptions in the supply of some essential drugs. MethodsThis was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. The 10-item questionnaire was created based on the findings of previously published research that investigated the root causes of essential drug shortages and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chains of essential drugs in Saudi Arabia. Purposive sampling was used to identify individuals with at least one year of experience in the area of the pharmaceutical supply chain, and the data collection occurred between April 19th, 2022 and October 23rd, 2022. In addition, descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies and percentages) were conducted to present the views of the respondents. ResultsSeventy-nine pharmaceutical supply chain specialists accepted the invitation and completed the questionnaire. About two-thirds (69.62%) of the respondents reported that centralized pharmaceutical procurement negatively affected the supply chain of essential drugs. Procurement of unregistered medications by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), as well as generic drugs with a history of recalls, and failure to supply requested quantities were the three most commonly reported reasons behind the observed interruptions in the supply of some essential drugs according to those respondents with a negative view of the centralized procurement. Furthermore, failure of pharmaceutical companies to inform SFDA of potential drug shortages, manufacturing issues, poor demand forecasting, unpredictable increase in demand, and low prices of essential drugs were also believed to be behind the observed interruptions in the supply of some essential medicines. ConclusionThe majority of surveyed pharmaceutical supply chain professionals held negative views about the role of centralized pharmaceutical procurement in exacerbating the issues with essential medicines supply chain. Future research should examine different strategies to improve purchasing and procurement practices in Saudi Arabia.

The Efficacy and Safety of Oral and Topical Spironolactone in Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment: A Systematic Review.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) has negative impacts on both men and women in terms of appearance and mental stress. Spironolactone is a synthetic aldosterone receptor antagonist known to stimulate hair growth and has been widely used by dermatologists to treat AGA. To conduct a systematic review evaluating the efficacy and safety of topical and oral spironolactone in AGA treatment. We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science until October 23rd, 2022, for human studies evaluating the efficacy of spironolactone for the treatment of AGA, regardless of doses and routes. We retrieved 784 papers and ultimately 7 articles matched our inclusion criteria and comprised 618 AGA patients (65 men, 553 women), 414 of them received spironolactone treatment. Oral spironolactone doses ranged from 25mg to 200mg daily, with the vast majority between 80mg and 110 mg. Dosage forms for topical spironolactone use include gels of 1% and solutions of 5% twice daily. Both oral and topical spironolactone have been shown efficacy for alopecia recovery, but topical use has significantly fewer side effects and is suitable for any gender. It showed better efficacy in combination with other therapies such as oral or topical minoxidil compared with monotherapy. Spironolactone is an effective and safe treatment of androgenic alopecia which can enhance the efficacy when combined with other conventional treatments such as minoxidil. Topical spironolactone is safer than oral administration and is suitable for both male and female patients, and is expected to become a common drug for those who do not have a good response to minoxidil. Furthermore, more high-quality clinical randomized controlled studies should be performed.

High in-hospital mortality and prevalence of cardiogenic shock in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and concomitant COVID-19.

Published data suggest worse outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with concomitant coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to delays in standard management caused by burdened healthcare. To report the demographics, angiographic findings, and in-hospital outcomes of COVID-19 ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and to compare these with the non-COVID-19 cohort hospitalized during the same period with the same access to medical care. From October 23rd, 2020 to April 23rd, 2021 (exactly 6 months) data were collected into a prospective ACS Registry. STEMI patients underwent invasive coronary angiography and were tested for COVID-19. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality and prevalence of cardiogenic shock. 125 patients, of whom 25 were COVID-19 positive, were admitted to the cardiology ward, and completed their hospital stay (i.e. discharge or death). There were no differences with regard to the time from symptom onset to reperfusion (median (Q1-Q3); 165 (130-202) vs. 170 (123-210), p = 0.86) and door-to-balloon time between the compared groups (25 (21-35) vs. 29 (21-59), p = 0.26). There was a higher GRACE risk score and mortality in the COVID-19 positive patients (180 (154-226) vs. 155 (132-181) and 48% vs. 10%, respectively, both p < 0.0001). Cardiogenic shock occurred more often in this group (32% vs. 13%; p = 0.035). COVID-19 positive patients had elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (p < 0.0001) and D-dimer (p = 0.003) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.037). Postprocedural TIMI 3 flow grade was observed less frequently in this group (p = 0.044). High in-hospital mortality in patients with STEMI and COVID-19 did not result from delays in standard management, and could be related to increased thrombogenicity.

Altered Liver Function Test in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Subjects and its Association with Dyslipidaemia and Fasting Blood Sugar: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Multiple organ systems are affected due to the metabolic dysregulation associated with Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Altered lipoprotein metabolism and liver enzymes have been identified as independent risk factors for the development of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Routine screening of liver function and ultrasound imaging of the liver should be done at the time of diagnosis of type 2 DM and thereafter at regular intervals. Aim: To determine the association between liver function parameters and glycemic status in type 2 diabetics. Additionally, the study aimed to correlate liver enzymes and lipid profiles in Type 2 DM patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 23rd, 2021 to October 23rd, 2021 on 100 Type 2 diabetic patients attending the diabetic Outpatient Department of Biochemistry, at Annapoorana Medical College and Hospital, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India. Fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL) were measured using the direct enzymatic method, while LowDensity Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL) was calculated using Friedewald’s formula. Total bilirubin, Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), total protein, and albumin were analysed using the ERBA EM-200 auto analyser based-on the wet chemistry principle. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between variables. Results: Among the total of 100 type 2 diabetic patients who participated in present study, 59 were males and 41 were females. The mean±SD age of diabetic patients was 51.23±10.810 years, ranging between 35 and 76 years. The frequency of altered liver enzymes in the study sample was found to be 33, with 25 being males and 8 being females. The mean fasting blood sugar levels with normal liver function and abnormal liver function were observed to be 128.37±13.16 mg/ dL and 133.79±15.68 mg/dL, respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant. The mean values of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein with normal liver function were observed to be 137.18±34.44 mg/ dL, 175.12±65.19 mg/dL, and 75.55±9.78 mg/dL, respectively, while with abnormal liver function, they were observed to be 196.05±52.67 mg/dL, 143.28±47.63 mg/dL, and 138.83±38.11 mg/dL, respectively, showing statistical significance. Conclusion: The present study found a strong association between deranged liver enzymes with fasting blood sugar and dyslipidaemia.

Sex estimation by the patterns of lip impressions (cheiloscopy)

Aim: To determine whether there is sexual dimorphism of lip prints’ morphological features in the Croatian population and to provide a scoping review for the accuracy of sex estimation on lip prints. Methods: The study on the Croatian population included 88 male and 88 female (median age 25, range 18 - 50) participants. Lip prints were analyzed by quadrant, and then the predominant pattern on the entire lip was observed. A systematic search of the relevant bibliographical databases was conducted, including Medline, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), and Cinahl (October 23rd, 2020). OpenGrey, Open Science Framework, and Science.gov databases were searched for grey literature. Findings were reported in the narrative form in accordance with the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. A total of 80 studies were included. Results: The study of sexual dimorphism of lip prints in the Croatian population showed that there were no statistically significant differences between males and females; and when all quadrants were considered together (χ2 = 3.625, P = 0.459), sex could be estimated for only 55.7% of persons. Twenty-nine studies (36.3%) did not find differences between males and females, and 34 (42.5%) found sexual dimorphism only in some of the lip parts and some quadrants. The assessment of examined studies showed that only six studies met all quality criteria. Conclusion: There is no forensically significant sexual dimorphism in lip prints in the Croatian population. The scoping review showed that sex estimation using lip prints should not be used as evidence in court as the present methodology is not reliable and the potential rate of error is unknown.

“Journey into hell […where] migrants froze to death”; a critical stylistic analysis of European newspapers’ first response to the 2019 Essex Lorry deaths

In the early hours of October 23rd, 2019, 39 people were found dead in a refrigerated lorry in Grays, Essex, UK. This case attracted media interest across the world; in the 48-h period after the story broke, reporting on this discovery extended to newspapers not just in the UK, but also across Europe. This study uses elements of Critical Stylistics (Jeffries 2010) to analyse and compare first response articles published by European dailies in relation to the event at Grays, to address the nature of this reporting. We found that linguistic choices tend to dramatise what happened, criminalise victims, and even presume the driver’s innocence, with the international criminal network he is presupposed to be part of remaining only speculated on. Though there are attempts to distribute some accountability to governments and policies, as well as structural systemic factors such as war and poverty, responsibility for these factors tends to be diffused, and hence unallocated, this helping ultimately justify draconic law enforcement and border security policies. By highlighting linguistic trends and underlying ideologies which we in turn question, we address the need to tend to the structural causes of such transnational people movement-related crime (i.e. trafficking and smuggling) and shift accountability to governments.

Implementasi Prosedur, Peraturan dan Konsekuensi Kelas Untuk Meningkatkan Kedisiplinan Siswa Kelas 8

Discipline is important in learning process as it could affect the success of learning process. Therefore, students should be responsible for their own behavior and keep the class conducive. Unfortunately, based on the researcher’s observation in grade VIII at a private school, the students had disciplinary problems. They came late to class, made noises when the teacher was explaining, and slept during class. Based on theories and journals, the researcher decided to implement classroom procedures, rules, and consequences. The purposes of this research were to know whether and how the implementation of the method can improve students’ discipline. The research method used was Pelton’s Model of Classroom Action Research (CAR). The subjects of research were 30 students from class VIII B. The research was conducted from August 14th to October 23rd, 2018. The instruments used were observation checklist forms, mentor’s feedback and researcher journal reflection that were analyzed by using simple statistics. Data analysis results showed that the average of indicator percentage of students' discipline improved 13% from 70% in Issue Identification to 83% Plan activation based on mentor’s observation after the implementation of the method. As conclusion, the implementation of classroom procedures, rules, and consequences could improve grade VIII students’ discipline by implementing all indicators of the method, which are: created a few rules, told the reason for each rule, created reasonable and logical consequences, explained procedures, rules, and consequences clearly, rehearsed procedures, reinforced correct procedures, and be consistent in implementing procedures, rules, and consequences.

Análisis de la Directiva Europea de whistleblowing y principales retos de la nueva regulación. El caso de España

Con la aprobación de la Directiva Europea 1937/2019, de 23 de octubre, que los países de la Unión Europea han de transponer en el plazo de dos años desde su publicación, todas las empresas, así como las entidades públicas de más de cincuenta trabajadores, estarán obligadas a implementar un canal de denuncias. Es objeto de este artículo sintetizar las principales novedades que introduce esta norma, destacando la importancia de alcanzar inicialmente un consenso sobre la definición misma del informador. En España, la falta de regulación expresa de esta figura hasta el momento ha conllevado la búsqueda de soluciones por parte de la doctrina en la teoría general del delito, así como en otras disciplinas del derecho, ante las dificultades que han surgido con el uso de los canales de denuncia dentro de las empresas que optaron por incorporar un programa de compliance. Finalmente, abordaremos algunos de los problemas que plantea la transposición de la Directiva desde la óptica de su compatibilidad con el compendio de derechos y garantías que informan el proceso penal. En esa línea, se propone una armonización de la aparente exoneración de responsabilidad del whistleblower de nuevo cuño con el Código Penal vigente, también focalizada en la necesidad de dotar de garantías a las investigaciones internas para preservar la validez de la prueba que se pueda obtener con las mismas.

Influence of Weather Parameters and Thermal Time Approach on Green Gram at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

An investigation was carried out at the Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, on the effect of weather parameters on the green gram yield sown at various sowing dates during the rabi season of 2019. At various sowing dates, two green gram cultivars, VBN 4 and ADT 3, were sown. For both cultivars, the phonological crop length decreased with delays in sowing dates beyond October 23rd. The yield of green gram sown on 23rd October was significantly higher than the crops sown on 30th October and 6th November. The weather parameters Maximum Temperature (Tmax), Diurnal Range (Trange), Bright Sunshine Hours (BSS), Relative Humidity (RH I), Wind Speed (WS) were found to be negatively correlated with seed yield whereas Minimum Temperature (Tmin), Relative Humidity (RH II), Vapour Pressure (VP) were found to be positively correlated with the yield of green gram. The accurate prediction of green gram yield could be done with the maximum temperature, bright sunshine hours, wind speed and with thermal indices especially hygrothermal unit II with 82 percent, accuracy level.

Health and non-Health College Students’ Perception of Scaling Insurance

To investigate the awareness and improvement requirements of this study was conducted on college studentswho were the beginnings of adulthood and who were subject to scaling health insurance. Subjects weredivided into health and non-health college students to investigate the perception of whether or not to applyscaling health insurance, payroll costs, and the number of benefits. In addition, this study was conductedto provide basic data for the long-term scaling health insurance business to become a social system forimproving the quality of life of the peopleThe subjects of this study were to have health and non-health college students respond to the questionnairefrom October 10th to October 23rd, 2019 by using the self-assessment writing method and the total of341 questionnaire was analyzed as the final subject. Cross-analysis was used to verify the difference inperception of the presence or absence of scaling to the general characteristics of the study subjects, and t-testwas used to verify the difference in the recognition score for the detailed criteria of scaling insurance. Thesignificance level of the collected data was verified at p&lt;0.05.Recognition of scaling benefits was high in 32.5% of health and 25.7% of non-health college students andthe awareness of detail was low in all items. In the improvement requirements, the highest response fromboth health and non-health sectors were that to increase the number of scaling which is covered in dentalinsurance in south Korea more than once per year. Looking at the needs of health-related and non-healthrelated college students for the scaling health insurance benefit project, 16.2% of respondents wished toincrease the number of times applied per year, 11.7% needed business promotion, 11.2% answered it shouldincluded the stain removal (colorants), 9.2% wished age-reduced relief for the business, 6.6% for the costadjustment in the health-related college student.To raise awareness about scaling salary among college students, it is necessary to recognize the importance oforal health through education and promotion on scaling. In order to raise awareness about scaling insuranceamong college students, it is necessary to recognize the importance of oral health through education andpromotion of scaling. Through this study, it is thought that the scaling health insurance reimbursementproject will contribute to the improvement of oral health of the people and furthermore to a healthy life. Inthe future, the government should continue to develop policies to promote oral health by collecting thoughtsand opinions of college students and others as well.

Analysis of the sea storm of 23rd-24th October 2017 offshore Bari (Italy)

Between the evening of October 23rd and the evening of October 24th 2017, a sea storm hit the city of Bari, along the Adriatic coast, in the south of Italy, causing widespread damages. Due to the absence of direct observations of wave characteristics, the present paper is aimed to (i) compare the development of the occurred sea storm as hindcasted by ’84 method with the predictions by atmosphere-ocean numerical models and satellite observations and (ii) estimate the most reliable value of the significant wave height, Hs, at the peak of the sea storm, with its associated return period. As a result, the ’84 showed the better agreement with the satellite observations in determining the value of Hs at the peak of the sea storm, compared with the predictions by more sophisticated atmosphere-ocean numerical models. In particular, the obtained value of Hs, equal to 6.58 m, makes the investigated sea storm an exceptional event.

Preface

The fourth International Symposium on Green Technology for Value Chains (GreenVC) 2019 was held on October 23rd - 24th, 2019, in Ice Convention Exhibition, Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) city - Tangerang, Indonesia. This symposium brought together leading academic scientists, researchers, university students, and scholars as well as industries, to promote scientific cooperation among participants. The symposium was organized by the Research Unit for Clean Technology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and mainly supported by LIPI.The proceedings of GreenVC 2019 presents the original and unpublished results in all areas of interest. Totally 53 papers have been selected based on the originality and interest of the audiences. Topics on (1) waste treatment and management, (2) green materials and process, (3) green energy, (4) life cycle and environmental monitoring, and (5) environmental nanotechnology, were presented orally or in the poster presentation.We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our Steering Committee, Scientific Reviewer and Editorial Board for their positive contribution to keeping the quality of the articles presented in this proceeding. We also would like to appreciate all participants attending this symposium as well as to the Organizing Committee, who made the symposium successful.List of Committee, Steering Committee, Organizing Committee, Editorial Board, Editor in Chief, Editors, Scientific Reviewers are available in this pdf.